《Jackal Among Snakes》


 Chapter 1: Valhalla-Bound at the Speed of Sound

    A woman wearing gray robes stormed through a messy room, her black hair trailing behind her as she adeptly navigated overturned tables and dressers. She opened drawers, searched through piles of papers. She checked beneath her couch, pink eyes darting from place to place without ever finding something to settle on. Her frantic search led her to check the same place multiple times as though something might¡¯ve simply appeared in her brief absence.


    After a long while of fruitless searching, she leaned up against the stone brick wall and slid down it until she sat. The woman was young, barely at adulthood, and had dark circles beneath her eyes that betrayed sleepless nights. She ran her fingers through her long hair, bunching her legs up until she was a ball of stress. She gazed at the stained-glass window in this small apartment room, seeing only the blue sky beyond. She was on the sixtieth floor of this tower¡ªso high up, it would be no surprise to see nothing but sky.


    An insistent knock disturbed her thoughts. She ignored it, fingers stroking her scalp a little more firmly. The knock came once more, and the young woman rose to her feet and marched angrily towards the noise. She grabbed the iron ring and pulled the door open.


    Though she had opened her mouth to strongly rebuke whoever was knocking, her words caught in her throat. She stared at someone¡¯s chest. She slowly raised her gaze up, meeting eyes with a ridiculously tall man wearing a set of gray robes matching her own.


    The pale, gaunt man before her was tall enough the doorframe partially concealed the top of his head. He had gray eyes as steady as stone and wavy black hair that shone like obsidian, just as hers did. Though the gray robes he wore concealed his frame well, his bony fingers hinted at his skinniness. He had a handsome jawline and a sharp brow that made his stare intense. His skin was unhealthily pale, yet unblemished.


    ¡°Cousin Nikoletta,¡± the man greeted with a smooth and calm voice, his hands clasped together before him.


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Nikoletta fixed her hair and stood with a straighter posture, stepping back somewhat to see more of him. She kept her foot just behind the door to prevent it from opening further. ¡°Hello, Argrave. I thought you were my friend¡­ forgive my appearance.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not your friend,¡± Argrave noted, stone-faced. ¡°How hurtful.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Nikoletta scratched the back of her neck. ¡°I didn¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m kidding,¡± Argrave interrupted, a grin emerging. ¡°You were expecting Mina of Veden, I presume. That one always seems to hang around you.¡±


    Nikoletta stared at him blankly, unsure of how to handle this situation. Argrave was her cousin, and a close one at that¡­ yet the word ¡®close¡¯ did not describe them at all. He was the royal bastard of King Felipe III and she the king¡¯s niece by his sister. That made them kin, yet he was still a bastard. The two had little occasion to interact even when both of them had joined the magely Order of the Gray Owl. During her studies here, she had spoken to him but once.


    ¡°May I come in?¡± Argrave gestured inside when she did not speak.


    Argrave¡¯s words brought her back to attention. ¡°Now isn¡¯t a good time. I¡¯m in the middle of something,¡± she said firmly, grasping the door as though to shut it.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t come here for a social visit, cousin,¡± Argrave said cryptically, his grin fading.


    Nikoletta¡¯s hand fell away from the door and she took another step back. Outside, people wearing gray robes identical to theirs wandered through the stony confines of the tower. As she sized up Argrave better, she saw a packet of papers pressed firmly in the crook of his arm. After doing her best to disguise her quickened breathing, she pushed the door in and gestured. ¡°Come in.¡±


    Argrave nodded and stepped forward. He failed to duck low enough to pass beneath the door and bumped his forehead. Nikoletta might¡¯ve laughed, but she felt too serious to find the humor in the situation. He cleared his throat in the awkwardness that followed, and then proceeded onward into her room.


    Argrave¡¯s cold gray eyes wandered the place, and Nikoletta felt a little embarrassed. Books were scattered everywhere. Crumpled parchments lined the floor. Research materials and equipment were plastered all over the place. Perhaps the only saving grace of this mess was the lack of half-eaten food. Besides Nikoletta¡¯s bed and desk, there was one set of furniture not tossed to the floor in the room¡ªtwo couches parallel to each other, a low-lying table between them.


    Nikoletta walked past Argrave and picked up a stack of books, clearing room for the two to sit on the couches. ¡°Have a seat,¡± she pointed.


    Argrave stared at the dirty couch like it was a snarling dog, gray eyes going dead. ¡°I¡¯ll stand.¡± He held out a hand to refuse. ¡°I won¡¯t take much of your time, so you can resume what you were doing in short order. Though¡­ I suspect you won¡¯t need to.¡±


    Nikoletta glared at him, gaze flitting between the wrapped documents in his hand and his eyes. She wasn¡¯t slow-witted¡ªhe had given enough hints for her to piece things together. She, too, refused to sit.


    ¡°Here.¡± Argrave held the documents out, tired of dancing around the issue. ¡°Your stolen research.¡±


    ¡°Damn it all, you bastard!¡± she shouted, tearing them from his hands. ¡°I knew it. I knew that you stole it!¡± She guarded the papers in her arms delicately.


    ¡°Well, I am a bastard in a literal sense,¡± Argrave conceded, fixing the sleeves of his robe. ¡°Figuratively, though, I must disagree. I also didn¡¯t steal your thesis.¡±


    ¡°Ohoh,¡± she half-laughed. ¡°What, these papers followed you home, showed up at your doorstep begging to be adopted?¡±


    ¡°Half-right.¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°I did not steal them. They were given to me by Induen. My half-brother, your cousin, the heir presumptive of Vasquer. You may know him, he¡¯s rather famous,¡± he said drolly.


    She walked a fair distance away and set the papers on her desk angrily. She wanted to open them right now, see precisely what was missing. ¡°You expect me to believe the crown prince took off with my thesis?¡±


    Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    Argrave shook his head again. ¡°No, I imagine he has people for that¡ªthieves and such. Why would he do it himself?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe someone like you is my cousin,¡± she said, entirely ignoring his words. ¡°If I¡ª¡±


    ¡°Be quiet for a moment,¡± Argrave said loudly, calm yet firm. Nikoletta tensed at his voice. ¡°Think. Use your head. Jog your noggin.¡± He tapped his forehead. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be returning this if I was at fault. I¡¯m not one for a guilty conscience, and even if I was, I¡¯d use a subtler method.¡±


    Nikoletta stepped forward, crossing her arms. She sized up Argrave, then sighed and sat on the couch. She had to admit¡­ it didn¡¯t make sense. But perhaps that was what she wanted her to think? She couldn¡¯t be sure.


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± she finally admitted. ¡°I¡¯ll listen if you have an explanation for this.¡±


    Argrave clasped his hands together. ¡°As I said, Induen gave that to me as a gift. It doesn¡¯t fit, so I¡¯m returning it.¡±


    ¡°My thesis has been missing for a long while,¡± Nikoletta countered. ¡°Why return it now?¡±


    Argrave stepped a little closer. ¡°Look at it from my view. It¡¯s a gift, but it comes with an implication. He wishes to use me as an Acolyte within the order to suppress you¡ªto suppress House Monticci. There is no greater stain to your house¡¯s honor and legitimacy than expulsion from the Order of the Gray Owl. If I adopt it as my own, I anger Duke Enrico. If I return it, I anger Induen, heir to the throne. Is it any wonder I would deliberate on this matter?¡±


    Nikoletta stared at Argrave, her frown slowly deepening. ¡°But why would Induen try and suppress one of the king¡¯s faithful vassals? My house has never antagonized the royal family. My father is a loyal servant of the realm.¡±


    ¡°Because of your mother.¡± Argrave pointed at her face. ¡°Being descended from my aunt, King Felipe¡¯s sister, marks you as one of very few with a legitimate claim to the throne of Vasquer.¡±


    With his point spoken, Argrave took a second to breathe. ¡°My¡­ father,¡± he said reluctantly, ¡°¡­is old. Succession is a pertinent issue. Induen is a paranoid man who prefers to crush problems before they arise¡ªI¡¯m sure you¡¯ve heard the rumors. But I am no bludgeon, and I will not trample you for my own success or Vasquer¡¯s success. Above all, I don¡¯t need it.¡±


    Nikoletta turned her head away and rubbed her eyes. Certainly, all she knew of Induen suggested he was capable of something like this. And yet¡­ Argrave had chosen House Monticci over his brother, over all of the royal family? Why? Nikoletta could not think of a reason.


    Eventually, she lifted her head and mumbled, ¡°¡­it¡¯s plausible, but¡­ I¡­ don¡¯t know what to think.¡±


    Argrave shrugged. ¡°Then don¡¯t think. Mark me as the culprit, if you wish. But what was yours once is yours again, and that¡¯s ultimately the end to the matter. I didn¡¯t come to ask for a favor or broker a deal. I merely came to do what¡¯s right.¡±


    Her pink eyes locked with his gaze, and both were silent for a time. Then, she nodded. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can thank you, not for this.¡±


    ¡°How disappointing. I was expecting a tear-filled expression of utmost gratitude,¡± Argrave said sarcastically. ¡°If I can suggest something, though¡ªbuy an enchanted lockbox. They¡¯re designed to keep things safe, especially precious things that might determine your future livelihood. Gemstones, important documents, things of that nature.¡±


    ¡°I know what a lockbox is,¡± she said in irritation. ¡°Just¡­¡±


    ¡°Go?¡± Argrave finished her sentence, already turning around. ¡°If you insist.¡±


    ¡°Hold,¡± Nikoletta called after him. ¡°If this is true¡­ won¡¯t this cause problems for you? The crown prince is not¡­ merciful,¡± she said lightly.


    Argrave paused, then looked back. ¡°You¡¯re right. He¡¯ll probably want me dead¡­ but that¡¯s the thing, isn¡¯t it? These are problems for me, not for thee. Have a nice day.¡±


    The words caused guilt that Nikoletta could not suppress. Even as she considered the notion this was but an act on Argrave¡¯s part, the feeling remained. Yet without another word, Argrave opened the door and stepped out. Still, he forgot to duck once again and bashed his head against the top of the doorframe. After staggering, he quickly shut the door behind him with embarrassed haste.


    Nikoletta stared at the closed door a long time after Argrave had left. Her mind was disturbed by a thousand thoughts. She had not interacted with her cousin much at all. He was the bastard of the royal family, and she the sole daughter of the Duke of Monticci. Even if they were both in the Order of the Gray Owl, there had been little occasion for them to interact. The only situation she recalled was three years ago when she was seventeen.


    That said, he was nothing like she remembered. Previously, he had been a reticent and awkward teenager. Though he had the same tall, skinny body that made one question if he was starving himself, his actions now had a neat dignity. As Nikoletta recalled him banging his head against the doorframe, she realized some of that awkwardness might remain. It was oddly endearing, though.


    Nikoletta shook her head to get out of her stupor and then turned to the documents Argrave had delivered. She¡¯d still yet to verify if it was truly what she¡¯d lost. She tore off the neatly wrapped strings and pulled off page after page, checking if everything was as she remembered it. After she had gotten to the end of it, her knees buckled and she collapsed to the table, chuckling.


    ¡°It¡¯s all there. It¡¯s really all there.¡± She kept laughing like a maniac for a time as she felt the burden of the world lift from her shoulders.


    She had been in a desperate panic the past few days trying to recreate this. Now, her cousin, whom she had only dislike for and firmly believed to be someone of ill character, had simply handed it to her. Not just that, but he¡¯d done it without even requesting a ¡®thank you.¡¯ Either something was afoot¡­ or he had changed.


    As a matter of fact, it was like he wasn¡¯t the same person at all.


    ***


    Argrave moved into his own room, ducking to be sure he did not bang his head a third time. He turned on his heel and shut the door, moving the bolt into its place to lock it. He stared at the bolt for a long time. Then, his perfect posture crumpled, his legs gave out, and he collapsed onto the stone floor, staring up at the ceiling.


    ¡°I guess¡­ this is real,¡± he whispered to no one in particular.


    Grief was a process¡­ or so people had always told him. He found that process markedly different as he grieved his own life. It grew yet more complicated when he was still alive, though in a body not his own and in a world with laws wholly removed from the one he¡¯d departed.


    Argrave kept his eyes squeezed shut for a long while, trembling. Then, he reached up to his robes and dug into a pocket. He pulled free a bronze hand mirror with a handle descending from the bottom. Yet where his reflection should have been¡­ Argrave saw an all-too familiar screen.


    Traits: [Sickly], [Frail], [Intelligent], [Magic Affinity (High)]


    Skills: [Elemental Magic (D)], [Blood Magic (D)], [Healing Magic (D)], [Illusion Magic (D)]


    Argrave let the mirror drop from his hand and clatter to the ground. He turned his head to the stained-glass window in the room. Beyond, two fiery orbs shone in the sky, the stars serving as a constant reminder he was on Earth no longer. He was in the world of ¡®Heroes of Berendar,¡¯ with its fell monsters, dread plagues, power struggles, and ancient gods. Capping all of that off? A world-ending calamity brewed in the future, like a guillotine above it all.


    The player had to deal with all of that. And without fail, this little mirror followed the player through every second of Heroes of Berendar.

 Chapter 2: Unsocial Visit

    Chapter 2: Unsocial Visit


    Argrave stared at a que on the side of the wall. It read ¡®Nikoletta of Monti.¡¯ He carried a stack of documents wrapped by a few strings in his right hand. He felt calm. All of the faces that he saw in the Tower he recognized. Indeed, there was nothing to suggest that anything had changed from the original ¡®Heroes of Berendar¡¯ in terms of setting. He had even gleaned the date from passing conversation. It was a month before Acolytes had to submit their research to the Order, and therefore, near a month and a half before the game began in earnest.


    While cleaning, he had found a peculiarly well-hidden stack of papers, which now rested in his hands. In the original plot, Induen of Vasquer, Argrave¡¯s half-brother and heir to the throne, used his influence within the Order to steal Nikoletta¡¯s thesis. When her research was stolen, she presumed it lost, and consequently tried to remake it hastily. The remake was deemed a shabby copy of the original copy Argrave held¡ªthus, Nikoletta was expelled.


    It would do him no good to gain the enmity of one of the main characters. Nikoletta was the daughter of a duke. Argrave adjusted the stack of papers pulled his gloves tighter across his fingers. Then, he raised his hand to the oaken door and knocked thrice.


    He looked around as time passed. People stared at him, he noticed, but they refused to meet his eyes. His reputation was already quite bad, it seemed. After receiving no answer, Argrave knocked again.


    More time passed. Argrave wondered if she might be out. He knocked onest time.


    The door swung open, and he was greeted by a fierce re from a very disheveled-looking ck-haired woman. Nikoletta had not been expecting his presence, evidently, and she lifted her head up very slowly to look up at him.


    ¡°Cousin,¡± he greeted calmly. Come what may, Argrave always had confidence in his words.


    ¡°U-uh¡­¡± she fixed her hair and stood with a straighter posture. ¡°Hello, Argrave. I thought you were my friend¡­ forgive my appearance.¡±


    ¡°I am not your friend,¡± Argrave noted. ¡°How hurtful.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ erm.¡± She took a step back. ¡°I didn¡ª¡°


    ¡°I kid,¡± Argrave interrupted. ¡°You were expecting Mina of Veden, I presume. That one always seems to hang around you.¡±


    Nikoletta stared at him nkly, eyes wide. Her eyes were a dark, rich pink. Argrave found the color pretty.


    ¡°May Ie in?¡± Argrave asked when she did not speak.


    Argrave¡¯s words brought her back to attention. ¡°Now isn¡¯t a good time. I¡¯m in the middle of something,¡± she said firmly, grasping the door as though to shut it.


    Argrave had a notion as to what that ¡®something¡¯ was¡ªfrantically trying to recreate the research that had been stolen from her.


    ¡°I would note here for a social visit,¡± Argrave said cryptically.


    Nikoletta¡¯s hand fell away from the door and she stepped back. She looked at what Argrave was holding, scrutinizing him carefully. After some time, she pushed the door open and gestured. ¡°Come in.¡±


    Argrave nodded and stepped forward. He failed to duck low enough to pass beneath the door and bumped his forehead. He cleared his throat in the awkwardness that followed, and then proceeded onward into her dorm room.


    Her room was quite messy, but then Argrave had been expecting it to be so. Nikoletta was a yable character, so her personality was somewhat determined by yer choice. By andrge, though, she had consistent personality traits. She had been disorganized in the game, too. That these details aligned made Argrave more confident.


    Books were scattered everywhere. Crumpled parchments lined the floor. Research materials and equipment were stered all over the ce. Perhaps the only saving grace of this den of wretchedness was theck of half-eaten food. Besides Nikoletta¡¯s bed and desk, there was one set of furniture in the room¡ªtwo couches parallel to each other, a low-lying table in between them.


    Nikoletta walked past Argrave and picked up a stack of books, clearing room for the two to sit.


    ¡°Have a seat,¡± she gestured.


    Argrave stared at the couch like it was a snarling dog, a nk look in his dead gray eyes.


    ¡°I will stand.¡± Argrave held out a hand to refuse. ¡°I will not take much of your time, so you can resume what you were doing in short order. Though¡­ I suspect you will not need to.¡±


    Nikoletta red at him, gaze flitting between the wrapped documents in his hand and his eyes. She wasn¡¯t slow-witted¡ªhe had given enough hints for her to piece things together. She, too, refused to sit.


    ¡°Here.¡± Argrave held the documents out, tired of dancing around the issue. ¡°Your stolen research.¡±


    ¡°Damn it all, you bastard!¡± she shouted, tearing them from his hands. ¡°I knew it. I knew that you stole it!¡± She guarded them in her arms delicately.


    ¡°Well, I am a bastard in a literal sense,¡± Argrave conceded, pulling his gloves tighter as he stepped back. ¡°Figuratively, though, I must disagree. I also did not steal your thesis.¡±


    ¡°Ohoh,¡± she halfughed. ¡°You didn¡¯t steal these papers. You just happened to find them. How am I to believe that?¡±


    ¡°Half-right.¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°I did not steal them. They were given to me by Induen. My half-brother, your cousin, the heir presumptive of Vasquer. You may know him, he¡¯s rather famous.¡±


    She walked a fair distance away and set down the papers on her desk angrily. ¡°You expect me to believe the crown prince took off with my dissertation?¡±


    Argrave shook his head again. ¡°No, I imagine he has people for that; thieves and such. Why would he do it himself?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe someone like you is my cousin,¡± she said, entirely ignoring his words. ¡°If I¡ª¡°


    ¡°Be quiet for a moment,¡± Argrave said loudly, calm yet firm. Nikoletta tensed at his voice. ¡°Think. Use your head. Jog your noggin.¡± He tapped his forehead. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be returning this if I was at fault. I¡¯m not one for a guilty conscience, and even if I was, I¡¯d use a subtler method.¡±


    Nikoletta stepped forward, crossing her arms. She sized up Argrave, then sighed and sat at the couch. ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯ll listen.¡±


    Argrave sped his hands together. ¡°As I said, Induen gave that to me as a gift. It doesn¡¯t fit, so I¡¯m returning it.¡±


    ¡°My thesis has been missing for a long while,¡± Nikoletta countered. ¡°Why return it now?¡±


    Argrave stepped a little closer. ¡°Look at it from my view. It¡¯s a gift, but ites with an implication. He wishes to use me as an Acolyte within the order to suppress you¡ªto suppress House Monti. There is no greater stain to your house¡¯s honor and legitimacy than expulsion. If I keep it, I anger Duke Enrico. If I return it, I anger Induen, heir to the throne. Is it any wonder I would deliberate on this matter?¡±


    Nikoletta stared at Argrave, her frown slowly deepening. ¡°But why would Induen try and suppress one of the king¡¯s faithful vassals? We¡¯ve never antagonized the royal family.¡±


    ¡°Because of your mother.¡± Argrave pointed at her face. ¡°Being descended from my aunt, King Felipe¡¯s sister, marks you as one of very few with a legitimate im to the throne of Vasquer.¡±


    With his point spoken, Argrave took a second to breathe. ¡°My¡­ father,¡± he said reluctantly, ¡°is old. Session is a pertinent issue. Induen is a paranoid man who prefers to crush problems before they arise. But I am no bludgeon, and I will not trample you for my own sess or Vasquer¡¯s sess. Above all, I do not need it.¡±


    Nikoletta turned her head away and rubbed her eyes. Argrave noticed only then how tired she looked. Eventually, she lifted her head and mumbled, ¡°¡­it¡¯s usible, but¡­ I¡­ don¡¯t know what to think.¡±


    Argrave shrugged. ¡°Then don¡¯t think. Mark me as the culprit, if you wish. But what was yours once is yours again, and that is ultimately the end to the matter. I didn¡¯te to ask for a favor or broker a deal. I merely came to do what is right.¡±


    Her dark pink eyes locked with his gaze, and both were silent for a time. Then, she nodded. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can thank you, not for this.¡±


    ¡°How disappointing. I was expecting a tear-filled expression of utmost gratitude,¡± Argrave said drolly. ¡°If I can suggest something, though¡ªbuy an enchanted lockbox. They¡¯re designed to keep things safe, especially precious things that might determine your future livelihood. Gemstones, important documents, things of that sort.¡±


    ¡°I know what a lockbox is,¡± she said in irritation. ¡°Just¡­¡±


    ¡°Go?¡± Argrave finished her sentence, already turning around. ¡°If you insist.¡±


    He reached for the doorknob to leave, but Nikoletta called out, ¡°Wait.¡±


    ¡°Something more you need to ask?¡± Argrave said patiently.


    ¡°Did you¡­¡± Nikoletta looked back at the stack of neatly wrapped papers. ¡°Did you read it? My thesis, that is.¡±


    Argrave turned away from the door and considered how to answer that question. In the game, the yer never had the opportunity to dissect the text thoroughly. It was summarized, but nothing more.


    ¡°¡­not thoroughly, but yes,¡± Argrave said vaguely. ¡°It was about the dynamics of wind-type elemental magic, no?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it was,¡± she answered quickly, eyes fixed on him. Some time passed, and then she held her hands out. ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°And what?¡± Argrave tilted his head, confused.


    ¡°What did you think?¡± she insisted, frustrated he wasn¡¯t understanding.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Argrave snorted. ¡°Wind magic doesn¡¯t consume much of your magic, it¡¯s fast-acting, but itcks the power the other elements have.¡±


    Nikoletta threw her hands up in frustration. ¡°Sounds like you¡¯re just repeating what the teachers have been telling us.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Argrave disagreed. He shifted on his feet. ¡°Every element has its ce. Wind magic, for instance, utterly invalidates bows, crossbows, and other such ranged projectiles. Fire magic is good for chaos and destruction. Water magic is the most neutral of them all, but it has uses outside ofbat, and it counters fire nicely. Earth magic, too¡ª¡± Argrave paused, realizing he was caught up in talking. ¡°Why am I still here? I have things to do.¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± Nikoletta said once more as he reached for the doorknob again.


    ¡°I said this wasn¡¯t a social visit¡­¡± Argrave muttered to himself.


    ¡°One more thing,¡± Nikoletta assured. She enjoyed talking about magic, evidently; she became a mage for a reason. ¡°What about electric magic?¡±


    Argrave smiled. ¡°It¡¯s the best, naturally. Fast-moving, destructive, urate, and debilitating. What¡¯s not to love? The only demerit is its magic expenditure. But there are ways around that, of course.¡±


    ¡°So is that¡ª¡±


    ¡°As much as I would love to talk more, I really must go. I¡¯ll leave you with this; be careful. As the heir to Duke Enrico, you have many friends, and as many enemies.¡± Argrave pointed at her.


    He opened the door and walked out the door, but he forgot to duck once more. He mmed his head against the top of the doorframe and staggered a little, before mming the door shut behind him.

 Chapter 3: Choosing Between Boredom and Suffering

    Chapter 3: Choosing Between Boredom and Suffering


    Nikoletta stared at the closed door a long time after Argrave had left. Her mind was disturbed by a thousand thoughts. She had not interacted with her cousin much at all. He was the bastard of the royal family, and she the sole daughter of the Duke of Monti. Even if they were both in the Order of the Gray Owl, there had been little asion for them to interact. The only situation she recalled was three years ago when she was seventeen.


    That said, he was nothing like she remembered.


    Previously, he had been a reticent and awkward teenager. Though he had the same tall, skinny body that made one question if he was starving himself, his actions now had a neat dignity. <em>Perhaps some of that awkwardness remains</em>, Nikoletta thought as she recalled him banging his head. It was oddly endearing, though.


    She shook her head to get out of her stupor, and then turned to the documents Argrave had delivered. She¡¯d still yet to verify if it was truly what she¡¯d lost. She tore off the neatly wrapped strings and pulled off page after page, checking if everything was as she remembered it. After she had got to the end of it, her knees buckled and she copsed to the table, chuckling.


    ¡°It¡¯s all there. It¡¯s really all there.¡± She keptughing like a maniac for a time as she felt the burden of the world lift from her shoulders.


    She had been in a desperate panic the past few days trying to recreate this. Now, her cousin, whom she had only dislike of and firmly believed to be someone of ill character, had simply handed it to her.


    ¡°I don¡¯t get him,¡± she said aloud.


    Was he trying to win her favor? Certainly, as the daughter of Duke Enrico, Nikoletta was someone worthy of befriending for material gain. She always kept that in mind for all of her interactions, and it had saved her much heartache throughout the years.


    <em>I suppose it doesn¡¯t matter now that I have this. I just have to be cautious of him in the future. </em>She looked at her papers with a smile. <em>Though¡­ maybe I could get Mina to do some investigating¡­</em> Nikoletta stood again. She had a month of free time now that she had her dissertation back. Perhaps she didn¡¯t need to take Argrave¡¯s word. Perhaps she could find out the truth of the matter on her own.


    #####


    Argrave wiped his slightly red forehead with his ck handkerchief. Door frames were probably not especially dirty, but it was better to be safe than sorry.


    <em>Especially so if I¡¯m sickly¡­</em> Argrave noted. A medieval world was not a clean ce. Many citiescked sewers, the people seldom washed, and the standards of living were generally lower. At the very least, healing mages abated some of that uncleanliness. Nevertheless, Argrave was unsettled by the prospect of touching people, and pulled his gloves tighter over his hands.


    Argrave returned to his dorm without issue. This time, he had the foresight to duck, and avoided hitting his head an embarrassing third time. Once inside, he stared at the room.


    <em>What now?</em>


    Out of habit, Argrave walked into the room and began cleaning things up. He had already cleaned, but the room was not spotless. He dusted with a piece of cloth and organized the books by size.


    <em>Perhaps I should just leave. ept expulsion from the Order of the Gray Owl. </em>


    Completing the research would be a tedious thing, and even if Argrave put in a full effort, he was not confident in sess. He had read every in-game book and written thorough articles on the magic lore, yet there was still a gulf between fiction and reality. Argrave conjured some sparks on his finger¡ª E- rank elemental magic¡ªand though <em>performing </em>magic came naturally, theory and research might not.


    At the same time, being in the Order of the Gray Owl was restricting. Before one received status as a full-fledged Wizard, it was somewhat like a monastic order. One would discard their family name during their stay, and further could not holdnds or receive ies. They were barred froming and going freely. Most Mage Orders were like that to ensure some semnce of political neutrality.


    Argrave noticed some books off a shelf and stacked them up in his arms to transfer them back onto the shelf. The simple act of moving books winded him, much to his embarrassment. He sat down to gather himself.


    <em>No. Leaving would be imprudent. Respect lost is difficult to regain¡ªthe former Argrave already saddled me with a terrible reputation, and if I make it any worse, it will be difficult to have mobility where I need it. I must stay within the Order. Besides, I might take this month to sort out my strengths, decide my course of action, and identify the various ticking time-bombs this world has left near the royal bastard Argrave. </em>


    Argrave most preferred well-organized ns. That applied doubly so if the matter involved himself¡ªor, rather, his new self. He would need to identify problems both present and future and decide a course of action to correct them. Boons could be handled in the same way¡ªidentify them and decide how to obtain them.


    Argrave sat at his desk and began nning for his future. It was not so different from nning for college, he supposed. Only¡­


    <em>No, don¡¯t get distracted. </em>


    #####n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    After a long day of nning and drafting, Argrave tried to sleep. The height would have been an issue, but the former Argrave hadid two beds side-by-side to amodate hisrger frame, and he could lie soundly. Indeed, despite the medieval nature of his environment, things were quitefortable for him. He could find no issue on that front for sleeping.


    The issue was an overactive mind.


    As Argrave stared at the ceiling, the questions he had been able to ignore most of the day welled up. What exactly was happening? Had he died¡ªthe former person who he was, at least? He remembered nothing of what he had been doing before this, and the days blended together.


    He tried to suppress his meandering mind and will himself to sleep, staying totally still in the cool night air. He tried some mental exercises to have sleep wash over him, but it was fruitless. The questions kepting unbidden. Perhaps his mother was crying over a casket at the moment. Maybe he had simply vanished¡ªwould anyone notice if he had? Hobbyist wiki editors weren¡¯t exactly socialites, and he was no exception. Perhaps none of this was real at all. Maybe¡­


    <em>Forget this.</em>


    Argrave sat up and threw the covers off. He quickly put on the neatly folded robe he¡¯d set beside his bed and made for the door. He retrieved a small ss orb attached to a piece of metal from the sconce beside the door. He willed a bit of his magic inside it, and it lit up.


    The great room outside his dorm in the Tower of the Gray Owl was well-lit, but there was neither smoke from torches nor warmth from fire. The mages used magicmps identical to the one he held to light the ce. As skinny as he was, Argrave was quite cold, and he held his gloved hands beneath the long sleeves of his robe.


    Despite howte the night was, people were still out. His gaze wandered to the window, where a giant red moon illuminated the stone in uneven red moonbeams matching the shape of the windows. There was a massive crater in the center of it, making it look like a giant red eye in the sky, watching all that urred below.


    Argrave stopped in his tracks and stared at the moon so unfamiliar to the one he knew. He felt a chill on his spine. Seeing this moon, his mind epted a fact that he had been subconsciously denying. He was not who he used to be, nor was he where he used to be. This was a different realm¡ªa different world. Maybe it would be stranger if he were not unnerved. Existential questions like these were natural. The fact that he had avoided them for so long was only because he had kept his mind busy.


    <em>As I need to do now. Keep busy. Keep moving. </em>


    After pulling the robe¡¯s hood over his head, Argrave headed for the circr room in the center of the tower. It was host to an elevator of sorts. That circr room was the only way to descend or ascend floors, and he intended to head to the library to gather the things necessary to begin the creation of his thesis.


    As Argrave neared the elevator, he heard quiet footsteps rapidly approaching him from behind. He turned in time to pull his shoulders away from a hand, and they gripped air. A rather well-built man stood there, correcting his posture after his bid to grab Argrave failed.


    The man had short red hair and bright eyes of the same color. His handsome tan face reflected the light from the magicmp Argrave held. He was a fair bit shorter than Argrave, but still quite tall. He was certainly broader than Argrave, the gray robes of the Order clinging tightly to his robust frame. Argrave recognized him very well.


    ¡°Elias,¡± Argrave greeted, taking a step back and illuminating the man with the glowing orb he held. He had rather hoped to avoid speaking with this man, but it was probably unavoidable. Elias of Parbon was the son of a margrave who had an irreconcble grudge against Argrave. For good reason, granted.


    In the original game, if the yer chose Nikoletta, they would hunt down Argrave for vengeance during the story. If not, Elias gave the yer the sidequest to investigate and consequently y Argrave of Vasquer, who had turned to human experimentation.


    ¡°¡¯Elias,¡¯¡± the man in question repeated Argrave¡¯s greeting. ¡°Not your typical response to seeing me. What, did I shock you? Catch you doing something illicit?¡±


    ¡°If going to the library is a crime,¡± Argrave nodded.


    Elias tilted his head up, staring at Argrave in the eyes. ¡°The library, is it? At such ate time.¡±


    Argrave sighed, fuse feeling short on ount of recent annoyances. ¡°What, perhaps you wish to tuck me in and sing me a luby till I fall asleep? Your concern is touching, but stop wasting my time.¡±


    Elias did not break his gaze. ¡°I told you when you came here that I would be keeping an eye on you. Have you¡ª¡±


    ¡°Fine. Need I remind you that keeping an eye on me is wholly different from bothering me? You can watch as much as you like, though I would prefer it be at a distance¡­ and silently.¡± Argrave turned around and walked into the central room.


    He questioned briefly if he was being rash, but Argrave did not expect to have much conflict or interaction with Elias in the future. Their differences were difficult to set aside. He could only avoid him.


    Innumerable stone tforms floated over a very long drop. They had symbols inscribed on the top, and a strange purple light bordered them. If one were to try and jump, they¡¯d find intense winds barring them from moving beyond the door. Instead, one would turn into the right and input where they intended to go into the keypad-like interface.


    Argrave pressed the button for the second floor, and with nary a sound, all of the stone tforms in the room began to shift. If this had been the game, he would have been holding W, pushing his character forward against the barrier while waiting impatiently for the tform to appear. Now, it was all rather wondrous. Elias stood a fair bit behind Argrave, watching with brows furrowed.


    The stone tform appeared, and the barrier barring him from walking forward fell away with an audible <em>pop.</em> Argrave stepped on the tform. His shoes suddenly seized, and he found his soles stuck to the tform. Then, the tform began moving downwards, twisting around the innumerable other tforms¡ªsome empty, some containing other students or wizards.


    It was a trivial thing, perhaps, but it was nheless thrilling to Argrave. With his previous issues forgotten, a smile rose to his face unbidden. Above, Elias had also boarded a tform. Argrave¡¯s smile faded a little, and he shook his head on the route to the library.

 Chapter 4: Hot Nights, Cool Looks

    Chapter 4: Hot Nights, Cool Looks


    Argrave scanned the bookshelf, holding the ensconced magicmp up to the titles as he walked by in search of the tomes that he needed. In his periphery, he could spot a dash of red hair¡ªthe self-righteous Elias of Parbon. He was keeping an eye on Argrave just as he promised. He kept his distance, so Argrave could notin overmuch.


    The library of the Order of the Gray Owl was very grand. Argrave estimated the bookshelves to be around twenty feet tall. Some wizards and students were readingte into the night at the tables set out, and many more were patrolling the halls, guarding the precious books and helping those who needed help.


    Argrave had been here many times before in ¡®Heroes of Berendar¡¯ and knew this library better than them, so he did not need their help. Books moved about daily in a library, though, so he would need to search for what he needed. He started to rue a small pile of books in his arms. They felt heavy, far heavier than they had any right being.


    <em>So weak,</em> Argrave thought as he stared at his arms.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°Elias,¡± Argrave called out. The man in question walked towards him slowly.


    ¡°I thought you said not to bother you,¡± Elias spoke, tone cold.


    ¡°You are no bother. Have higher self-esteem.¡± Argrave stared at Elias.


    He sighed in defeat. ¡°What do you want?¡±


    ¡°Look at my arms¡ªlike bamboo, though not half as strong. In contrast, there is you¡ªjustice lover, protector of the weak, with arms as thick as my legs. Look how my arms tremble carrying these books. Perhaps you could help the weak right now?¡±


    Elias stared at him. His red eyes were quite cold, and his expression remained stern.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡± asked Argrave.


    ¡°I said, what are you doing?¡± Elias repeated. He pointed at Argrave. ¡°You crippled my sister. You wish to talk about weak?¡± He pushed his finger into Argrave¡¯s arm, pushing him slightly. ¡°She will never walk again. She doesn¡¯t smile like she used to. And for what? Because she denied a betrothal to you, a royal bastard? Or perhaps just because you¡¯re sick?


    ¡°Don¡¯t quip and jape like we¡¯re good friends. I detest you. I suffer your presence so that you won¡¯t be able to torment others. I know your nature, and I¡¯m trying my best to make sure no one else will.¡±


    Argrave stared Elias in the eye for a time, the tension in the library palpable. Eventually, Argrave nodded. ¡°You are right. I apologize for being facetious. I am¡­ unskilled at detecting how other people feel. And regarding your sister¡­¡±


    Elias¡¯ gaze hardened when Argrave mentioned her.


    ¡°I apologize. Sincerely.¡± Argrave bowed, back straining beneath the weight of the books he¡¯d stacked in his arms.


    Elias scoffed. ¡°You always maintained it was an ident. A horse gone out of control,¡± he said contemptuously. ¡°Why would you apologize if that were the case?¡±


    ¡°The fact that it was my fault does not change. I cannot change that, nor can I fix past mistakes. All I have is my words. So, I reiterate¡ªI apologize.¡±


    Elias¡¯ breathing quickened for a few moments as though he were angered, and he finally tore his gaze away from Argrave¡¯s own. Argrave turned back to the bookshelf, prepared to resume his task. Unexpectedly, the books he was holding were yanked from his grasp. Elias held them, grinding his teeth as he refused to meet Argrave¡¯s eye.


    <em>He really is too kind for his own good. </em>


    Argrave was not presumptuous enough to stack yet more books on top of what Elias had already taken, but he collected the remainder of the books that he needed in short order. They were all books about fundamental magic¡ªbeginner level work to introduce a prospective reader into the world of magic. Elias seemed to be confused, but if he had questions, they went unasked.


    After, the two of them went to the library desk. The wizard there, a portly old man, nced at the books.


    ¡°Did you fin¡ª¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Argrave interrupted. ¡°I found everything. This is all.¡±


    The librarian straightened his back, and then quickly wrote down the books Argrave was borrowing. Argrave sympathized briefly as he waited¡ªit could not be easy to keep inventory with pen and paper as they had to in medieval times.


    With everything in order, the two took the path back to Argrave¡¯s room. Elias seemed to be internally questioning why he was even bothering doing this, but Argrave did not prod at him further with bad jokes. He did not wish to be left carrying these books alone, after all.


    Argrave pushed open the door to his room, adjusting the books precariously as he did so. He remembered to duck his head beneath the door frame this time around. He put the magicmp back in its spot, and then turned to look at the room.


    <em>Something is askew, </em>Argrave noted immediately. Things were not as neat as he left them. Some books had been moved, set aside, and some of his papers had been syed out haphazardly over the edge, threatening to fall to the floor. Argrave always kept things neat. He would not have left his room like this.


    <em>There was an intruder. Or perhaps¡­ there still is</em><em>an intruder.</em>


    Elias walked past Argrave and set the books down, the wood creaking slightly beneath their weight. He ced a hand atop them and sighed, shaking his head as though disbelieving of what he had just done. When Elias saw that Argrave was standing there unmoving, he watched perplexedly.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Elias asked.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± Argrave said, the words drawing him out of his stupor. He walked to the table and set his stack of books down beside Elias¡¯.


    ¡°These books¡­ they¡¯re beginner books. Why would an Acolyte near the end of his term need a beginner¡¯s books, I wonder?¡± Elias questioned.


    ¡°Stupidity, typically. A slow learner.¡± Argrave said drolly. ¡°For my case, it is rted to research.¡±


    ¡°Hmph.¡± Elias shook his head, evidently giving no credence to Argrave¡¯s words. ¡°Fine. I should note, though, that teaching magic to one outside of the Order of the Gray Owl without express permission is a punishable offense.¡±


    Argrave walked back to the open door, partially blocking it with his body. ¡°Yes, yes, I understand. I have nothing to hide.¡±


    Elias took his hand off the books. He walked to the door, and Argrave let him pass before quickly blocking off the door again with hisrge frame. Elias looked at him strangely.


    ¡°What are you¡­?¡± he asked, trailing off.


    ¡°What?¡± Argrave asked, feigning innocence.


    Elias looked beyond Argrave into the room, but eventually shook his head. ¡°Never mind.¡±


    ¡°Elias,¡± Argrave called out. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Elias stared Argrave in the eyes, staying silent. His crimson eyes were cold. Eventually, he turned away.


    ¡°Your thesis is about mending irreparably broken bones, no? For your sister,¡± Argrave called out, recalling a detail.


    Elias had helped him despite loathing his guts¡ªfor that, Argrave could offer a little bit of knowledge he had rued while ying ¡®Heroes of Berendar.¡¯


    The red-haired man stopped, turning on his heel and walking back towards Argrave. ¡°Who told you that?¡±


    ¡°It matters not,¡± dismissed Argrave. ¡°But¡­ there is a certain smander in the hills of Vysenn. It is well-known for its ridiculously efficient regeneration. The natives of thatnd eat the smanders en masse, and some suggest that is the reason they are so healthy¡ªin particr, why their warriors seem to be able to regrow even their limbs. You may wish to investigate that.¡±


    ¡°Why would you know such a thing?¡± Elias¡¯ stern gaze wasced with suspicion.


    ¡°I was born sickly,¡± Argrave said quickly, excuse prepared in advance. ¡°I always investigate things rted to health and healthiness. Why do you think I studied blood magic, the core of which is the study of vitality?¡±


    After delivering another long wordless stare, Elias turned once more and walked away.


    <em>Something tells me he won¡¯t make a great effort to remember what I said. </em>Argrave shook his head. <em>His loss. </em>Argrave walked back inside and shut the door firmly, pushing the bolt in ce and turning back to his room.


    <em>Now, I suppose I should deal with the pesky little cat in my room. </em>


    Argrave pulled his gloves tighter as he walked to the desk. He quietly straightened the papers on his desk, and then began putting the newly acquired books on a shelf one by one. He set aside a rather thin and light book and took a seat.


    Argrave closed his eyes and slowed his breathing. His heartbeat slowly quieted as he rxed. Then, he heard it. A second set of breath¡ªmuffled as though behind cloth, but audible nheless. He strained his hearing to the limit until he pinpointed it. He grabbed the thin book he¡¯d set aside.


    With as much speed as he could muster with his skinny arms, he threw the book. It spun through the air. A brief shriek¡ªa yelp, almost¡ªechoed throughout Argrave¡¯s room, and then the book impacted with what seemed to be nothing. The air shimmered and distorted as the spell of invisibility faded.


    A woman in grey robes fell backwards, struck by the spine of the book squarely in the face. She fell on top of Argrave¡¯s bed, rolling off it and copsing ungracefully like a folded gray towel. Argrave stood and walked over leisurely. He was in no danger¡ªhe recognized this person well.


    Mina of Veden flipped herself over, sitting up against the wall. She was a very small woman¡ªfive feet tall at most. She had medium-length blonde hair, bright enough to be called golden. Her eyes were green and sharp, almost cat-like. She had a thick red line on her cheek where the book had struck.


    ¡°Mina,¡± Argrave said. ¡°Snooping as usual, I see.¡± He held out a hand.


    Mina watched, caution written inly on her face, and tried to reach for Argrave¡¯s hand. He had not intended to help her up, though; he bent down and retrieved the book, leaving her grasping at air. He pulled out his handkerchief and wiped the book down.


    She stared at him incredulously, and helped herself up, huffing loudly.


    ¡°Did you assume I would help a trespasser to their feet?¡± Argrave tossed the book on the bed lightly and sat down. ¡°Honestly, what were you thinking?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± she said loudly, lowering her head. ¡°I didn¡¯t think¡ª¡±


    ¡°Did not think I would be back so quickly, or did not think I would notice you?¡± Argrave leaned back.


    ¡°No, no,¡± Mina assured quickly, waving her hands. ¡°I came to return this,¡± she said, producing a small book and holding it in front. She continued speaking quickly, half-babbling. ¡°When I saw that you were gone, I thought that I would just slip in and leave it on the desk, but then I heard the door opening, and I panicked, and then I just tried to hide and slip out, but then you¡­¡± she trailed off, out of breath.


    Argrave had to admit, Mina¡¯s acting was quite convincing¡ªfortunately, he knew her character well enough to see through it. She was Nikoletta¡¯s best friend. She was also a very skilled illusion mage, a fantastic actor, and notoriously distrustful. Many yerspared her to a cat¡ªprickly, slow to trust, yet capable of deep affection nheless. She was a fan favorite for these reasons.


    ¡°Right, right. You rummaged through the papers on my desk to find the perfect ce to return the book, I presume. And those books you took off their shelf¡ªprobably to get a sense of how I organize my books, yes? How diligent.¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°The acting is good, but the excuse is as flimsy.¡±


    ¡°No no no,¡± she said frantically. ¡°I know how it looks, but you have to¡ª¡±


    ¡°Frankly, you should have snuck out as soon as you saw the door open. You had time. Even after, when I was blocking the door, you could have pushed past. Indecision is your issue,¡± Argrave said, pointing. ¡°Now, scurry on back to Nikoletta. I am tired of talking to people.¡±


    Mina sat there, wide-eyed.


    ¡°What? Did this little book here addle your senses?¡± Argrave weighed the book he¡¯d thrown in his hands. ¡°Just go.¡± He pointed towards the door. ¡°Nikoletta probably sent you here to spy on me, but truthfully I cannot be bothered. Just go,¡± Argrave repeated insistently.


    She opened her mouth to speak again, but no words came out. Argrave just stared nkly, finger still pointing at the door. Eventually, their stalemate ended, and Mina stood and walked to the door. She pulled back the bolt and exited quietly.


    Argrave fell back onto the bed and sighed. This day had been long, but his work was truly just beginning.

 Chapter 5: Bloody Hard Work

    Chapter 5: Bloody Hard Work


    Argrave approached most things very methodically. His present situation, unbelievable as it was, was no different. In the month he had until the thesis submission deadline, he worked long past nightfall every single day. His diligence could be attributed both to his desire to distract himself from unpleasant existential questions and his own legitimate fascination with magic.


    During this month, Argrave left his room only to eat or to retrieve what few books he needed from the library. Elias still sometimes shadowed him, but Mina avoided Argrave like a leper. It left him ample peace and quiet to thoroughly dissect things.


    After considerable deliberation, Argrave set aside examining two skills: Inscription and Imbuing. They rted to the creation of magic items: enchantments, in other terms. Argrave had some ns for those two skills at ater date, but it required a lot of capital that hecked presently.


    First, Argrave wrote down every elemental magic spell at or below D rank that he could remember from the original game, ¡®Heroes of Berendar.¡¯ Once he had them written, he tested his ability to perform them, cing a checkmark next to the ones that he could. If he knew a spell, he performed it as naturally as moving a limb. If he did not, it was like grasping at air.


    Some spells seemed engraved into Argrave¡¯s body like muscle memory. He paid deep attention to what was urring when he cast the spells. He felt a strange energy permeating his body¡ªindescribable and mystical, yet simultaneously overwhelming and nauseating. Perhaps the nausea was a mental issue froming into contact with the unknown, though.


    Argrave identified this strange energy; it was magic, naturally.


    Magic felt much like a gas roiling beneath Argrave¡¯s skin as constant as his heartbeat. Indeed, a heartbeat was an aptparison. If he held his hand to his chest, he could feel his heartbeat; if he touched the mystical forces of magic, he could feel its presence just as consistent as his own heart. Both were always present, and one needed only a cursory search to find either.


    Once Argrave had identified what spells he knew, he looked them up in the books he had borrowed from the library. There, he studied how they worked, and further how magic worked. The process was less challenging than he thought it would be. It felt intuitive¡ªperhaps it was because the former Argrave already knew these things.


    Argrave sat at his chair, hands outstretched. He willed forth a spell-matrix¡ªa horizontal line, nothing more. A small, constant gush of me rushed forth. He pulled his magic away from the spell, and then morphed the matrix into a zig-zag horizontal line. A small, sparking ball appeared in his hands.


    ¡°F-rank magic. One-dimensional,¡± he noted, then turned back to his paper to summarize the feeling.


    This one-dimensional magic could only achieve very simple things; lighting a me, creating a spark, or blowing air no stronger than one could blow from their mouths. They were simple things, yet these lines formed the foundations of the future branches of magic.


    Argrave held out his hand once more, then realized it was dangerously close to a bookshelf. He shifted the chair and pointed in a more open direction. He created another spell matrix in his hands¡ªone with two dimensions, this time. A triangle. Fire emerged again, this time propelled forth by force rather than stagnant and in his hands.


    ¡°E-rank. Two-dimensional.¡± Argrave wrote down the feeling once more.


    He clenched his hand, and then turned back to an open book by his side, ensuring that he¡¯d gotten the spell matrix right. Content it was proper, he turned back.


    ¡°Now for my favorite spell¡­ [Writhing Lightning].¡±


    It took him a second to form the spell matrix, but once he did, it felt like a lock clicking. He willed forth the mystical force known as magic, and a jagged bolt of lightning rushed across the room. It struck his bed. Argrave watched the lightning dance across the frame and covers, and then fade away. A smile came to Argrave¡¯s face. Just as in the game, this spell transferred lightning through surfaces.


    ¡°D-rank. Three-dimensional magic.¡± Argrave pulled his hand back, staring at the unblemished pale skin.


    It was here whereplex spells that achieved multi-faceted effects manifested. Fire could be given force, allowing it to provide a concussive impact alongside the mes. Ice could spread across the floor or walls, trapping people where they stood.


    And C-rank¡­ Argrave turned his head and opened a thick book. Unlike the other books that merely had diagrams, a spell matrix formed from the book, hovering in the air. Though he stared at it, and could recognize that it existed, it was difficult to wrap his head around. It felt blurry.


    C-rank was where magic departed from the mundane concepts of Earth and deviated into the mystical. A fourth dimension to a matrix. Fourth-dimensional things were only theoretical on Earth. Learning one of these spells seemed a stark barrier of steel, standing tall and firm to block his advancement.


    Rather than foolhardily trying to break past that barrier, Argrave stopped in his tracks and directed his attention elsewhere: the thesis. It was a difficult thing to approach. Argrave had no illusions about himself¡ªhe could not produce original research in the brief time remaining in the month. The key point, though, was original.


    An Acolyte was expected to create a thesis to be a full-fledged Wizard, yes, but their findings did not need to be entirely original. They could analyze a system or facet of magic, and that would suffice. Argrave could probably whip together something both from his days writing wiki articles and the recent studies he¡¯d made into the magic system in his new reality.


    Argrave was bent over his desk in his chair, singing a little tune as he pondered what, exactly, to write about.


    ¡°Tropical hot dog night¡­ like two mingos in a fruit fight¡­¡± he half-sang, half-muttered.


    Suddenly, a splotch of red covered the empty parchment he sat in front of. He stared at the red drop, utterly perplexed for a moment. Then, another drop fell onto the paper. He saw where it came from this time. He raised his fingers to his upper lip. He pulled them away bloody.


    ¡°What is¡­?¡± Argrave felt nauseous for a moment at seeing blood, but he kept calm. He stood from the desk to stop bleeding all over good parchment, but the sudden movement made him feel lightheaded. He stumbled and tried to catch himself on the chair but failed. He copsed to the floor, winded.


    Argrave flipped over on his back. He reached into his robe and retrieved his ck handkerchief, holding it to his nose as he tilted his head back. After a bit of catching his breath, Argrave startedughing.


    ¡°Verdammt,¡± he said aloud, muffled and nasally beneath the handkerchief. ¡°Guess being [Sickly] isn¡¯t just a title.¡±


    He couldn¡¯t rightly discern what had caused the nosebleed¡ªstress, maybe, or something simpler¡ªbut a small break couldn¡¯t hurt. Maybe even a medium-sized one. Besides, he needed time to think about what he was going to write about.


    After a minute or two, Argrave¡¯s arm grew sore from holding the handkerchief in front of his nose. He drew back the cloth and felt his nose. No more blood was flowing. He helped himself to his feet, ensuring that he did so slowly this time. He wiped off his face thoroughly, and then stared at the ck handkerchief.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    <em>A lot of blood. </em>Argrave held the cloth by the corners, as though it were something disgusting. He was about to throw it in the wooden hamper forundry, but he paused. The blood reminded him of something.


    Argrave¡ªor at least, the former owner of his body¡ªdevoted his time and effort into blood magic. Most yers of ¡®Heroes of Berendar¡¯ agreed that blood magic was very weak in the early stages of the game. Sacrificing vitality for spells was not an especially appealing prospect. Blood Magic spells were powerful and non-elemental, meaning few opponents could resist them. The spells themselves were somewhat slow, though, and few had usable effects.


    Once a yer achieved an A-rank in Blood Magic, they could do an optional quest to research [Blood Infusion]. This allowed yers to infuse vitality into <em>all </em>spells to increase their efficacy. Low-magic spells could be repurposed into cheap, fast, and highly damaging attacks at the cost of one¡¯s vitality. [Blood Infusion] alone made learning blood magic worth it for the vast majority of mage yers.


    Argrave was not na?ve enough to assume he could achieve [Blood Infusion] now. But his task was to make a thesis, and it did not necessarily need to be a proven idea. If he were to write a theory about [Blood Infusion], an as-of-yet undiscovered facet of blood magic¡­ that would be more than suitable. It might help get a foot in the door for restoring the terrible reputation Argrave has.


    With a smile on his face and his idea of a break entirely forgotten, Argrave tossed the bloody handkerchief into theundry hamper and strode back to his desk.


    ¡°¡­can¡¯t write too much, though¡­ someone here at the tower might figure it out before I reach A rank blood magic, discover [Blood Infusion] first¡­ would be disastrous¡­¡± Argrave muttered.


    Like this, Argrave¡¯s focus redoubled. He spent the remainder of his first month on a new ne of reality locked inside his room, avoiding both sleep and ufortable questions. Perhaps not much had changed from his days in college after all.

 Chapter 6: Hitchhiking is Dangerous

    Chapter 6: Hitchhiking is Dangerous


    The halls of the Tower of the Gray Owl were filled to the brim with people. They were talking amongst themselves feverishly, most with some degree of relief and nervousness on their faces. Nikoletta of Monti stood with arms crossed on an empty wall of the tower. Mina of Veden sat at her feet, leaning against the wall in exhaustion.


    Nikoletta had spent the month revising the research Argrave had returned to her. Though she wished to find out if Argrave had genuinely been telling the truth¡ªthat the crown prince, Induen, had ordered her research stolen¡ªshe had no opportunity. Talking with Argrave might illuminate the situation, but she had assumed that might have been exactly what he wanted. She disliked ying into other¡¯s hands.


    But the month had passed with utter silence from Argrave¡¯s end. Her friend, Mina, had been caught snooping around his room, but nothing came of it. It was all baffling. At this point, she was just curious what Argrave would submit to the Order to advance from an Acolyte to a full-fledged Wizard.


    The door that Nikoletta had been keeping her eyes on swung open slowly. Argrave, wearing the same gray robes as every other Acolyte, ducked beneath the doorframe into the hall. He had been quite pale thest time she saw him, but he was deathly pale now¡ªhe looked more like a walking corpse than a man walking. His eyes were sunken with deep ck marks beneath them. Despite that, he still bore himself with the same neat dignity he had a month ago.


    ¡°Gods. He looks terrible,¡± Nikoletta said out of surprise.


    Mina was roused from her exhausted state and followed Nikoletta¡¯s gaze. ¡°Probably waited till tonight to finish his stuff like I did.¡± Mina stood, grabbing Nikoletta¡¯s robes to help herself to her feet. ¡°Why don¡¯t I get your sympathy?¡±


    ¡°You also look terrible,¡± Nikoletta said dismissively. ¡°Happy?¡±


    Mina scoffed. ¡°I wonder if he¡¯ll pass.¡±


    ¡°Worry about yourself.¡± Nikoletta looked down at the shorter girl.


    Mina fixed her messy blonde hair. ¡°I¡¯m always lucky. I¡¯m not worried.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Nikoletta frowned. ¡°It¡¯s a written submission. You cannot get lucky.¡±


    At the far end of the hall, Argrave walked to the desk where an old man was receiving parcels. Argrave handed the man a fairly thick stack of papers, neatly wrapped in a ck ribbon. After a brief exchange of words, Argrave turned away, pulling at the cor of his gray robes. His eyes scanned the room, stopping on Nikoletta. She tensed up at his gaze. His hollow gray eyes only furthered his corpse-like appearance.


    <em>Nowes the time for the favor,</em> she said in her head. Argrave walked towards her with long, even strides. Mina grew alert, stepping in front of Nikoletta.


    Argrave looked down on the two of them. Even skinny as he was, his height was still somewhat intimidating. Nikoletta kept her dark pink eyes fixed to his gray gaze.


    ¡°Your father is sending a carriage to take you back to Mateth,¡± Argrave said, sparing even greetings.


    It was spoken as a fact, but Nikoletta decided it was a question. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. Why?¡±


    ¡°I need to go there. May I ride with you?¡±


    ¡°Not going to stay to find out the results early?¡± Mina asked, stepping between Nikoletta and Argrave.


    ¡°It will take a week regardless.¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°There is a branch of the Order of the Gray Owl in Mateth. And above all, I am not worried overmuch about the result.¡±


    Nikoletta scrunched up her eyebrows. ¡°Why ride with me?¡±


    ¡°A ducal heir¡¯s carriage will befortable, well-protected, and fast.¡±


    ¡°And Nicky will be forced to listen to you,¡± Mina said usatorily.


    Argrave grabbed at his throat with his gloved hands. ¡°Is my voice so unpleasant to hear, Mina? How harsh.¡± He lowered his hand and continued seriously. ¡°At worst, you will hear my snoring. I am tired.¡±


    ¡°The trip itself is a week,¡± Nikoletta said. ¡°I suspect you won¡¯t be sleeping all that time.¡±


    ¡°You make me sound like a salesman with a shady pitch.¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°I just want a free ride to the city, not through life.¡±


    There was quiet as Nikoletta thought the request over. Certainly, there was ample room on the carriage.


    ¡°I have no ulterior motive. I just wish for transportation.¡± Argrave held his right hand in the air, swearing on it.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have friends? Money?¡± Mina asked.


    ¡°Mina, stop,¡± Nikoletta said, feeling her friend was being over-protective. She kneaded her forehead. ¡°If I refuse, what will you do?¡±


    ¡°Weep, obviously,¡± Argrave said drolly. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. Probably sleep a night here, eat, and then walk to Mateth. Woe is me, et cetera. It is a long journey, to be true, but I know a good route.¡± Argrave rubbed his eyes and yawned, fatigued.


    ¡°And why do you need to go to Mateth? As a royal bastard, I would assume you have housing in the capital, not Mateth.¡±


    ¡°Hah.¡± Argrave chuckled. ¡°The pce is thest ce I wish to be right now. I have a great deal of things to do in and around Mateth. To sum them all up, I would say that I am preparing for the storm.¡±


    ¡°That sounds important and yet appropriately vague,¡± Nikoletta said with a sigh. ¡°Fine; you maye. But I would be remiss to mention this; if I find you are lying aboutcking ulterior motives, you will be cast out.¡±


    ¡°¡¯Cast out,¡¯¡± Argrave repeated. ¡°How magnanimous. Thank you, Nikoletta.¡± Argrave bowed slightly. ¡°I will pack my things. Can¡¯t forget my hand mirror. It will be good to finally get out of this robe.¡±


    Argrave turned and walked away, heading back towards his room.


    Mina stepped forward and looked at Nikoletta, shaking her head in dismay. ¡°I¡¯m suddenly having second thoughts about riding with you, Nicky. Why did you agree to this?¡±


    ¡°You of all people should know that rumors are often exaggerated. I don¡¯t know much about him, but he¡¯s at least witty.¡±


    ¡°He hit me with a book!¡± Mina pointed to her face, but there was no obvious mark¡ªit had been nearly a month, after all. Nikoletta doubted there ever had been a mark to begin with, though.


    Nikoletta sighed. ¡°If you¡¯re that insistent, I can tell him he can¡¯te.¡±


    Mina faltered now that the burden of decision had been passed to her. She crossed her arms and stepped away for a moment, thinking. ¡°If you¡¯re really fine with it, I suppose I¡¯m just worrying for nothing.¡±


    #####


    Argrave sat atop a velveted cushion, one leg crossed over the other. They had been riding for near four days now in rtive quiet. Argrave was out of the gray robes of the academy and back into ¡®normal¡¯ clothes. Argrave only owned ck and gold clothing. The two colors were the traditional colors of House Vasquer, and the former Argrave thought himself a true member of House Vasquer despite his bastardry.


    After considerable deliberation, Argrave had decided that Mateth must be his first stop. A naval invasion would be urring there. It was hopeless to prevent, but Argrave was certain that he could stop it before it spiraled out of control. He could perhaps stop it even faster than the yer could in-game. Moreover, it was one of the few ces in the continent of Berendar that would not have too many big-shot characters. Altogether, a lovely starting ground.


    Argrave bnced a book atop his knee, one thumb stuck in the page to keep it open as he gazed out through the carriage window. A fantasy game world was designed to be pretty, but to see it in person¡ªit was enthralling.


    He saw a lithe, ferret-like creature in the woods beyond the ins. It had big, yellow eyes. Indeed, much of the time, Argrave could only see its eyes, as its fur was all the same green as the leaves. The creature was attributed to the wind. It was called a Widlum¡ªa mostly passive creature, but quite fierce.


    ¡°See? He¡¯s smiling like he¡¯s got some secret.¡±


    Argrave turned his head from the window and looked at the two adjacent to him. Mina was pointing her finger at him. It was a roomy carriage, but they were still quite close together. A duty of knights patrolled the windows outside, slightly behind and in front of the carriage in order to not impair the ducal heir¡¯s (andpany) view.


    Argrave stiffened his face, the smile he did not know he had fading quickly. He pursed his lips, somewhat annoyed to be drawn from his daydreams. ¡°I havee to realize you are rather like a cat, Mina.¡±


    Mina straightened her back and opened her mouth to speak, but Argrave beat her to it.


    ¡°See?¡± Argrave pointed. ¡°Your hairs start bristling like you¡¯ve just been caught sneaking around in the dark of night, like a cat. You are slow to trust, and even to those you do like, you are not especially affectionate.¡±


    ¡°And how would you know how I behave?¡± Mina asked incredulously. She tapped Nikoletta¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Nicky, tell him he¡¯s wrong.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ you¡¯re notzy at least,¡± Nikoletta said half-heartedly. At that, Mina stared at her as though grievously wounded.


    Argrave looked back out the window in an attempt to spot the small wind ferret once more, but the Widlum was gone. Argrave pursed his lips briefly, then turned his head back to the book. It was a book on the fourth dimension of magic¡ªC-rank. It was the tallest barrier before Argrave¡¯s eyes.


    Mateth would suffer a full-fledged invasion soon. Argrave intended to curb its effects so that Berendar was not further weakened. For that, he needed personal strength and influence in society. Personal strength was one matter. Influence in society¡ªwell, money talks. He had a n in mind.


    Though he had some things to do in Mateth and the ces near it, Argrave had to devote much of his time to study. The game was vastly different from reality. In reality, one could not kill people and monsters and suddenly be an Archmage by dumping their experience into magic skills. These things took time.


    <em>Though¡­ I suppose I haven¡¯t exactly tried going on a killing spree. Maybe it is the same. </em>


    A peculiar noise filtered through the windows of the carriage. It was like the distant rumble of thunder. As time stretched, though, the noise did not fade¡ªinstead, it seemed to be growing louder. Argrave furrowed his brows and leaned to the opposite window, pulling back the curtain. He saw a great cloud of dust in the distant hills. Argrave could vaguely see horsemen. They carried a banner of white, bearing a golden lion.


    ¡°House Parbon,¡± Argrave muttered.


    ¡°What?¡± Mina moved to the window as well, looking out. ¡°Gods. That¡¯s a whole host of knights.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re kidding.¡± Nikoletta moved to look out the window as well.


    Argrave¡¯s heart started to stir nervously. The man leading that host could only be Margrave Reinhardt, current head of House Parbon. As a Margrave, his territoryy furthest south at the border to a great desert. He was Elias¡¯ father. Following the familial chain, that meant Argrave had crippled his daughter. Argrave closed his book and rubbed his temples with his fingers. It seems another timebomb found its way into hisp.


    <em>Damn it. I should have remembered that Margrave Reinhardt marches to the capital on this day. All the introduction sequences for the nine characters end after this has urred, so the yer never sees it. But I changed Nikoletta¡¯s fate of expulsion and left early. </em>


    ¡°House Parbon are friends to House Monti, and my father would have sent an urgent message had that changed,¡± Nikoletta said unconcernedly. ¡°But I wonder what this is about.¡±


    ¡°Bruno of Parbon was imprisoned by King Felipe III,¡± Argrave exined quietly. ¡°The Margrave intends to secure his brother¡¯s release, undoubtedly.¡±


    Though Argrave felt his heart beating quicker, he kept his face still and his tone passive. <em>They don¡¯t have any reason to check this carriage. It¡¯s just a coincidence. Nothing bad is going to happen. </em>Argrave scooted back to the other side of the carriage and opened his book again. He found that reading was impossible when he was this stressed.


    The thundering roar of the Margrave¡¯s host drew ever closer, the storm of steel and horseflesh nearing its crescendo. Nikoletta¡¯s carriage hade to a stop, yet it continued to rattle as the earth shook.


    ¡°Ridiculous¡­¡± Mina said, grabbing onto the side of the carriage for stability. ¡°That must be every knight in House Parbon¡¯s territory.¡±


    ¡°Lady Monti,¡± one of the Duke¡¯s knights said, pulling his horse beside the carriage. ¡°The host will likely pass in front of us. They do not appear to be a threat.¡±


    Argrave almost sighed in relief, but he kept his eye on his book as though he was unconcerned.


    ¡°Thank you, Sir Rand,¡± Nikoletta replied smoothly.


    ¡°One of the outriders is approaching,¡± Rand followed up, craning his neck. ¡°From the armor and horse alone, it appears to be the Margrave¡­¡±


    Nikoletta scratched her chin, thinking. ¡°Send a rider out to meet him. If he wishes to speak, have hime over.¡±


    Argrave cursed in his head. He closed his book harshly, and it let out an audible pop. He set it in the empty space beside him and crossed his legs. <em>I wonder if they would think it strange if I crawled on the floor and tried to hide. </em>


    Though Argrave had already spoken to Elias, the heir of Margrave Reinhardt, he only did so because he knew Elias would be reasonable. Margrave Reinhardt, conversely, was hotheaded and valued his family very much. He led a host of knights to protest his brother¡¯s imprisonment, after all.


    Argrave had little faith that Reinhardt would be merciful in the face of the one who crippled his daughter, especially when he was already experiencing friction with the royal family of Vasquer.


    It was not long before a second set of hooves came trotting beside the carriage, and a great white beast of a stallion with a bright red mane entered Argrave¡¯s view. Argrave leaned back as far as he could in the carriage, but he still saw a sh of long red hair.


    <em>Perhaps I should have walked,</em> Argrave thought grimly.

 Chapter 7: Argrave, Meet Margrave

    Chapter 7: Argrave, Meet Margrave


    A big, gauntleted hand reached forward and rested itself on the edge of the carriage¡¯s windows. Then, Margrave Reinhardt dismounted from his horse and stood at the side of the carriage, peering in. The Margrave had red hair like his son, though it was closer to crimson and fell past his shoulders. He had a fierce face, rough but scarless, and his frightening visage was further augmented by his eyes. They were like two rings of rubies. He wore resplendent white te mail, a red cloak hanging from his shoulders.


    Margrave Reinhardt scanned the carriage with his haunting red eyes, his gaze finally locking with Argrave¡¯s. Reinhardt¡¯s face quickly changed from neutral to scornful as he recognized him. The two held their gazes, neither willing to turn away from the other.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°Margrave Reinhardt,¡± Nikoletta greeted quickly, unaware of the covert conflict between the two. ¡°What brings you here with such arge host?¡±


    The Margrave did not look at Nikoletta. ¡°My men and I were headed to Dirracha. I thought to pay my respects to my friend¡¯s daughter, but seeing yourpany, I am questioning that decision.¡±


    ¡°How rude. Mina is not that bad,¡± Argrave said, holding the Margrave¡¯s gaze. He saw the golden-haired girl tense up at the mention of her name.


    ¡°I was not speaking to you, Vasquer,¡± Reinhardt said coldly.


    ¡°Correct; I was speaking to you. Quite the head on this one.¡± Argrave smiled, mustering levity to dispel his anxiety. ¡°But you are incorrect in calling me a Vasquer. I am but a humble bastard.¡±


    Reinhardt tilted his head back, scowl deepening. He opened his mouth to speak, but Nikoletta spoke first.


    ¡°Why do you need such arge force to venture to the capital?¡± she said quickly, evidently hoping to divert the Margrave¡¯s attention.


    Reinhardt finally looked away from Argrave, turning his head to Nikoletta. ¡°My brother was unjustly imprisoned, his evidence of treason clearly fabricated. The king sees only steel, and so I will show him some lest he forget his ce as a just ruler. And during my journey¡­¡± Reinhardt¡¯s gaze switched back to Argrave. ¡°¡­who do I find but his son.¡±


    The Margrave stepped back to his horse, pulling a horn off the saddle. He blew the war horn once, and a deafening, deep noise filled the air. The thundering hooves slowed, and the carriage stopped shaking. Silence soon consumed the carriage, the faint wind and distant huffing of horses only barely breaking the now-silent road. Argrave swallowed. He had detested that noise of horses, but now it seemed quite pleasant inparison to this eerie quiet.


    ¡°What is the meaning of this, Margrave Reinhardt?¡± Nikoletta maintained her posture, but Argrave could hear the nervousness in her voice.


    ¡°The Vas¡ªthe royal bastard,¡± Reinhardt corrected himself, stepping back beside the carriage, ¡°shoulde with me.¡±


    ¡°I am a bit busy,¡± Argrave said dismissively. Mina looked at him like he was mad, but Nikoletta tried to cover his words up.


    ¡°I am not sure why you are acting this way, Margrave Reinhardt, but presently, Argrave is a guest enjoying my hospitality. In turn, he enjoys my protection.¡±


    Argrave was taken aback by Nikoletta¡¯s deration. He had fully expected to be surrendered quickly. He was a bastard¡ªprotecting him meant nothingpared to earning the favor of a Margrave.


    <em>Then again, I suppose most of the main characters are good people. I shouldn¡¯t be surprised. Still, I¡¯m grateful,</em> Argrave thought, sitting up a little straighter.


    ¡°You would protect this foul cur?¡± Reinhardt nearly spat.


    ¡°I would,¡± Nikoletta answered without hesitation. ¡°The honor of House Monti is firm. We protect those who we say we will¡ªno more, no less. The nature of a person is irrelevant towards that pledge.¡±


    Reinhardt stared icily at the obsidian-haired woman. ¡°Are you sure of this decision? That House Monti will protect the royal bastard, Argrave?¡±


    ¡°He is my guest, and a host should ensure their guest¡¯s safety. Honor demands I fulfill that pledge.¡± Nikoletta paused, then spoke more urgently. ¡°House Monti and House Parbon have been close for centuries. Will you end that for an unjust abduction?¡±


    ¡°My brother was ¡®unjustly abducted,¡¯ and cast into the dungeons at Dirracha. If I can possess a card that may ensure his safe release, the rtion between our houses means nothing.¡±


    Mina leaned forward in the carriage, pressing her head closer to the window. ¡°Not just House Monti. I¡¯m here, too¡ªninth child of Count Elgar, head of House Veden.¡±


    ¡°My answer remains the same no matter how many I offend. I cannot call myself a Margrave if I forsake an opportunity to save my brother¡¯s life.¡± Reinhardt¡¯s cold gaze bore holes in Argrave¡¯s head. ¡°Better yet that it be the ignoble bastard that crippled my daughter.¡±


    ¡°Ignoble? Oh, yes. Start a war that kills thousands for your brother. How noble.¡± Argrave chuckled.


    ¡°Time wastes while my brother rots,¡± said the Margrave, cing his hand on his sword¡¯s pommel. ¡°Decide how this will end.¡±


    Nikoletta started trembling. Argrave¡¯s own heart was pounding furiously. The time stretched out for a few seconds.


    <em>How can I make the best out of this awful hand I¡¯ve been dealt¡­?</em> Argrave thought, brain working on overdrive. He seemed to have only one choice. Perhaps it would be best if <em>he</em> made it, instead of having it made for him.


    ¡°Fine then, let us be off. Let it not be said that I am a ¡®foul cur¡¯ who stands in the way of justice.¡± Argrave pushed off the seat and reached for the carriage door. He grabbed the handle, but Nikoletta reached for his arm.


    ¡°Wai¡ªwhat are you¡­?¡± she said, trying to grab his wrist. Argrave avoided her touch.


    ¡°I will go willingly,¡± Argrave shrugged. ¡°If you defend me, at best, some of your knights will be foolishly injured in a futile defense. At worst, some will die, and this incident will cause intense friction¡ªperhaps even war¡ªbetween your two houses. That sounds¡­ unideal. And so, I will just go.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± Mina said hesitantly.


    ¡°No no,¡± Argrave said, shaking his finger. ¡°It is my choice. ce no burden on yourselves.¡± He grabbed the bronze hand mirror and slipped it into his breast pocket. With that, he opened the carriage door and stepped onto the roadside. His legs were quite stiff from sitting for so long, and he stretched briefly.


    ¡°Still, Nikoletta¡­ that you would protect me despite us being essentially strangers¡­ I will not forget it. You are a braver person than I.¡±


    ¡°How can you¡­?¡± Nikoletta said, trailing off. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Argrave.¡±


    ¡°Did I not say that the burden is not on you?¡± Argrave shook his head.


    Reinhardt kept staring at Argrave. His eyes were still cold, but there was something else¡­ disbelief, perhaps, or more optimistically some thin veneer of respect. Then, the Margrave wordlessly walked to his horse, reaching into a saddlebag to retrieve a rope.


    ¡°Oh Christ. Am I to be hanged, drawn, and quartered?¡± Argrave was able to joke easier, for he found that his anxiety was fading somewhat. The choice had been made¡ªthere would be no conflict. That alone calmed his beating heart.


    The Margrave held the rope out. ¡°This is to be wrapped around your torso. I will be holding the other end. You will ride alongside me on horseback.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Argrave frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to ride a horse.¡±


    ¡°There are many hours left before nightfall,¡± Margrave Reinhardt said coldly. ¡°You will learn quickly, or I will drag you.¡± Reinhardt walked closer with the rope, already beginning to wrap it around Argrave.


    Argrave flinched away, but the Margrave soon wound a length of rope beneath Argrave¡¯s arms. ¡°Horses are disgusting creatures. Can¡¯t I¡ªow,¡± Argrave trailed off as the Margrave tightened the rope fiercely. ¡°Alright, take it easy.¡±


    The Margrave pulled the rope tight, and then mounted back atop his stallion, brushing its crimson mane. He led it forth in a canter, pulling Argrave along. The sight of the gaunt, tall man being led about was quite pitiful. Hisints of abusing hostages and borderline very slowly faded away from the carriage, leaving Nikoletta and her entourage alone on the road.


    One of the Margrave¡¯s knights gave up a horse for Argrave to ride. After some fussing and fidgeting, the Margrave raised his war horn to his lips once more. He blew into it twice, and then the knights set off once again, leaving a great cloud of dust and grass behind them.


    #####


    Nikoletta opened the door to the carriage and exited, staring at the great cloud of dust slowly moving in the direction of Dirracha, the royal capital. Her mood wasplicated, and that fact was etched into her face. She was d that no blood was shed¡ªneither Monti nor Parbon blood.


    At the same time, it came at the expense of one person. Argrave was willing to forego his own safety, walking willingly into enemy hands, if it meant that none would get hurt. He did so all the while making stupid jokes, smirking like there wasn¡¯t a guillotine above his head.


    ¡°How can you say that I¡¯m braver than you when you¡¯d do something like that¡­¡± Nikoletta muttered.


    It was difficult to believe that he was of the same blood as the House of Vasquer, the family of snakes. Perhaps that was why he emphasized constantly that he was a bastard. He likely meant to show that he was nothing like the royal family.


    ¡°Nicky, we should get back on the road,¡± Mina said, crawling through and sitting on the window. ¡°Maybe you can talk to your father, have him intervene somehow.¡±


    Nikoletta turned back to the carriage, tidying her ck hair behind her. ¡°I don¡¯t know what good it would do. My father does not like interfering with the affairs of the royal family.¡±


    ¡°Ugh.¡± Mina grabbed at her hair. ¡°If we make a lot of noise about what Argrave did for you, for <em>us</em>¡­ maybe your father won¡¯t be able to ignore it.¡±


    ¡°Possibly¡­¡± Nikoletta rubbed her chin, then walked towards the carriage with purpose. ¡°I certainly won¡¯t do nothing, not after what just happened. I owe him that much.¡±


    ¡°You owe him nothing,¡± Mina rebutted, slipping back inside the carriage. ¡°He¡¯s the reason this happened to begin with. This is just the right thing to do. But he¡¯s¡­ maybe he¡¯s a better person than I thought.¡±


    Nikoletta opened the carriage door and mbered aboard. ¡°I think you¡¯re still chapped about himparing you to a cat. And now that it¡¯s just us two here, I can say that he¡¯spletely right about that.¡±


    ¡°What? What is that supposed to¡ª¡±


    ¡°Sir Rand,¡± Nikoletta interrupted. ¡°Let¡¯s begin moving again. Fast-paced. We need to return to Mateth immediately.¡±


    ¡°Right away, Lady Nikoletta,¡± Rand agreed, moving to the front of the caravan.


    Nikoletta sat back down, stiffening when she sat on something hard. She reached beneath herself and pulled free a thick book. It was a book she was all-too familiar with, for she herself had been studying it recently. It was about the barrier between D and C-rank magic. Argrave had been reading this.


    <em>I¡¯ll be sure to return this, </em>Nikoletta promised. Deep inside her head, Nikoletta was questioning that promise. Perhaps she would never have the chance to return the book.


    Someone dying on her behalf¡­ it had happened before.


    She did not wish for it to happen again.


    Maybe this time, she could do something about it before it was toote.

 Chapter 8: Sun Tzu Teaches Horseplay

    Chapter 8: Sun Tzu Teaches Horsey


    ¡°What an unpleasant trip¡­¡± Argraveined aloud, sitting atop a rock as he cleaned off his clothes with water magic. Dust, dirt, grass, and worse covered his clothes. His upper legs had been chafed raw, probably because of poor posture. He had dealt with that as best he could with healing magic. Across from Argrave, the Margrave Reinhardt hammered in poles to set up a tent. Thest bit of sunlight was fading, and so they were setting up camp.


    In truth, Argrave loathedining so much, but all words served a purpose. Reinhardt was an impulsive and wrothful man, but he was also honorable and charitable. He would never abuse a hostage. Like Sun Tzu said, ¡°If your opponent is of choleric temper, seek to irritate him. Pretend to be weak, that he may grow arrogant.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m in way over my head¡­¡± Argrave muttered. ¡°What do I know about enemies¡­ third-year college student¡­ disgraceful¡­¡±


    The Margrave¡¯s white stallion neighed at Argrave as though tofort him, red mane flowing in the wind. Argrave flinched and stared at it for a time. The longer he stared, the more his expression softened. Slowly, a smirk entered his face, and he looked back at Reinhardt.


    ¡°I thought horses were disgusting before. I see now that I¡¯m right. Don¡¯t know why you ride these things. Disgusting,¡± Argrave said loudly at Reinhardt.


    Reinhardt paused, holding the hammer he was using to nail the tent¡¯s stakes tight in hand and gazing at Argrave.


    ¡°Look at them,¡± Argrave pointed. ¡°They defecate randomly, like giant toddlers. Filthy. Unclean. Their mouths are strange, like some foul cross between a mole, an antelope, and a human.¡±


    ¡°Then tomorrow, you can walk,¡± Reinhardt said coldly. He turned back and started hammering once more, deep into the grassy soil.


    ¡°Alright. Better than being stuck atop a horse,¡± Argrave agreed readily. ¡°Of course, we won¡¯t make it to Dirracha as quickly. How tragic.¡±


    Reinhardt did not look over. ¡°Never said we¡¯d slow for you.¡±


    ¡°If I show up bloody and beaten, I¡¯m sure King Felipe will show abundant mercy to your brother,¡± Argrave bluffed. In truth, King Felipe would probably smile if he saw Argrave battered.


    The Margrave did not respond. He picked up another stake¡ªit looked to be the final one¡ªand bent over to jam it in the ground.


    ¡°I am not entirely sure what you hope to achieve with this. You bringing me with you is not giving you a bargaining chip¡ªyou¡¯re carrying a lit barrel of gunpowder.¡± Argrave watched Reinhardt. Evidently, the man had decided simply to ignore him.


    ¡°When we arrive and you tell the king that you¡¯re keeping me as a ¡®guest,¡¯ he certainly will not scrape and bow and release your brother Bruno like nothing happened. He¡¯ll view it as an affront to House Vasquer, like you¡­ killed his favorite dog or something. I¡¯m not worth enough to him. Maybe if I was the crown prince, Induen, or that holy fool Orion, he might take the situation seriously. But then, they wouldn¡¯te with you willingly. And unlike me, they could probably escape from your little knightly order.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re good with your words. If you don¡¯t wish to lose your tongue, keep it still,¡± Reinhardt threatened.


    ¡°Empty threats,¡± Argrave called out, though his heart did drop into his stomach briefly. His mind wandered as he wondered if healing magic could regrow tongues. He grew nauseous as he thought of the blood.


    Argrave stood, having finished cleaning his ck clothes. He could not mend the rips, but such was life. ¡°Have you ever paused to consider why exactly King Felipe imprisoned your brother?¡± Argrave held a finger out. ¡°And before you get angry at me, I¡¯m not suggesting he was legitimately plotting treason.¡±


    Reinhardt walked over to Argrave. The Margrave was a little shorter than Argrave, but he certainly did not feel smaller in full te with a robust body. His ruby-like eyes were unshaking.


    ¡°Your brother was one of many stewards in Dirracha. Even if he had been nning treason, without your help, there is little he could have done. Bluntly put, besides being rted to you, he is not important. King Felipe is not aiming for him. He is aiming for you. He is trying to incite a reaction, knowing your impulsivity and your direct manner of handling things.¡±


    ¡°A king wants his subjects to rebel. Hah.¡± Reinhardt chuckled, but it sounded forced to Argrave¡¯s ears. ¡°I overestimated your reasoning.¡±


    Argrave held his arms wide and shrugged. ¡°Laugh if you will. House Parbon has been growing wealthier. New mines have been recently discovered on yournd, you have a growing city, andstly, a good seat¡ªyour Lionsun Castle. A king would be wholly justified in seizing those richnds if his subject were to rebel.¡±


    Reinhardt walked away from Argrave and grabbed a folded tarp. He waved it, unfolding it, and then cast it over the poles that he¡¯d just hammered into the ground.


    ¡°King Felipe has trueborn sons besides Induen, the youngest of whom is justing of age. He wishes to securends, ies, and a future for Orion of Vasquer, that holy fool. A great warrior, maybe even better than you, at the age of 24. A fitting lord for thends of Parbon¡­ in the king¡¯s eyes, at least.¡±


    Reinhardt stepped back, looking at the tent he¡¯d built with his hands on his hips. Argrave walked a little closer until he felt the pull of the rope wrapped around his torso. The Margrave had seen fit to tie him to a rock, like some sort of animal.


    Argrave crossed his arms and watched. ¡°Do you really think the king would balk at starting and suppressing a small rebellion to increase his own powerbase? You are his vassal, true enough, but you only serve him because of your honor and perceived duty.¡±


    Reinhardt looked to Argrave. ¡°Do not presume to know me or my intentions.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll ¡®presume to know¡¯ King Felipe III, at the very least.¡± Argrave pointed to his chest. ¡°When we arrive and he learns that I am captive, he¡¯ll feign anger, indignance. Then, he¡ªor perhaps my brother, Induen¡ªwill order me killed. They¡¯ll pin that killing on you!¡±


    Argrave spoke withplete confidence, because that was precisely one of the ways Argrave had died throughout the course of ¡®Heroes of Berendar.¡¯ It had not been Reinhardt keeping him captive, but rather one of the main characters¡ªRuleo, a rogue-type character. Another timebomb Argrave had to find and deal with.


    ¡°Enough of this,¡± Reinhardt snapped. He moved to Argrave and grabbed the rope, untying it from the rock and yanking it forward. He led him inside the tent and tied him to one of the thicker posts. ¡°You will wait here while I stable my horse. I will bring back a horse nket for you, and you will sleep on the grass.¡±


    ¡°A horse nket? I should share a quilt with a <em>horse? </em>First you tie me to a post, and now you bury me beneath animal essories? Just let me freeze. Better than being reduced to a beast¡ªmost of all a filthy, unclean beast like a horse.¡±


    Reinhardt paused tying the knot around the post. He stared at Argrave, breathing deep and heavy, wroth brewing in his chest like a great storm. He furiously untied the knot, then yanked it, sending Argrave stumbling as he rushed off in a tizzy.


    ¡°I tried to be gracious, as a true knight should be to a hostage.¡± Reinhardt spoke loudly as he walked outside the tent, drawing the attention of many of the other knights who were setting up their own tents. ¡°Have it your way, then.¡±


    He grabbed the reins of his white stallion and pulled it just aside Argrave. Argrave diverted most of his attention to his feet to avoid falling. He wasn¡¯t sure that Reinhardt wouldn¡¯t simply pull him along. Some of the knights watched their passing, shaking their heads or smiling with schadenfreude for the loudmouth captive.


    Reinhardt dragged Argrave through all of the camp, until the distinct sound of whinnying and neighing became louder and louder. The knights had constructed a makeshift stable of sorts¡ªa few knights watched over it, huddled over a pile of wood that was likely an unlit firepit. The knights stood when they saw their Margrave dragging Argrave along.


    The Margrave gave a yank on the rope and threw Argrave in front of them. Argrave copsed to the grass,nding on his elbows as gracefully as one could manage. It hurt more than he cared to admit¡ªhis body was quite fragile.


    ¡°Look after the hostage. If he talks too much, I leave it to you to decide how to shut him up, as long as he isn¡¯t hurt.¡± Reinhardt led his own horse to the rest of the other horseflesh and tied its reins up neatly. ¡°Another thing. He¡¯s to sleep right next to the horses.¡±


    ¡°Come on,¡± Argrave protested, rising to his feet. ¡°You don¡¯t need to do this, Margrave.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t need to speak,¡± the Margrave said as he walked by uncaringly. ¡°Didn¡¯t stop you.¡±


    Argrave stared at the Margrave as he walked away, his back facing the knights that had been assigned to look after him. If the Margrave cared to look back, he could see a faint smile lining Argrave¡¯s face.


    <em>Praise be to Sun Tzu,</em> Argrave thought. <em>Know thy self, know thy enemy. One battle, one victory. Far off from a thousand, but it¡¯s a start. </em>


    He felt a faint tug at the rope around his chest, and Argrave turned his head to the knights behind him. One of them had picked up the rope.


    ¡°The Margrave has given us the order,¡± one of the knights said, a serious-looking man with orange hair. ¡°If you do not give us difficulties, you will not be troubled.¡±


    <em>Like master, like servant. The Margrave chose honorable knights. Fighting the Margrave as a spellcaster with D-rank skills? Positively suicidal. Eluding these guys, though¡­ I just need an opportunity. And misdirection. </em>


    ¡°I surrender,¡± Argrave said, raising his hands in the air. ¡°Do with me what you will.¡±


    The knights looked at each other, then eventually led Argrave to a post beside the Margrave¡¯s horse. They tied him firmly, yanking the rope tightly to make sure both the post and the knot would hold. They argued briefly about who would watch over Argrave. Eventually, they yed a game of chance, and the winner stood just beside Argrave, watching him loosely. After that, they resumed their duties¡ªfetching water for the horses, gathering wood from the distant forest for the fire.


    Argrave passed the time by staring at the sky. More and more knights brought their horses to the area, leaving them to the knights assigned on stable duty. The knights watched Argrave, but he kept silent. Unlike the Margrave, he could see no benefit in provoking them. Soon, the moon was peaking above the distant mountains, half-full, bright, and still eerily red. It still gave Argrave shivers to see it.


    He bided his time. The Margrave¡¯s horse grazed on the grass, its appetite seemingly unending. The moon kept rising, and thest light of dusk slowly faded away as the two suns went behind the. Or¡­ Argrave frowned. He supposed this would be rotating around the suns. Was it even called a ¡®sun¡¯ anymore? It must be a different star system entirely. The people still called them ¡®the suns,¡¯ though.


    A faint scratching entered Argrave¡¯s ears. He turned its head to its source. One of the stable knights had retrieved a piece of flint. He awkwardly used his sword as the ¡®steel¡¯ of the flint and steel, casting sparks onto the wood. He grunted in frustration.


    ¡°Just fetch one of the knights that knows magic,¡± one of the menmented.


    ¡°Forget it,¡± the knight crouching dismissed the other¡¯sments. ¡°We can do it ourselves. Magic isn¡¯t everything.¡±


    ¡°The wood¡¯s too wet to catch fire. It won¡¯t work,¡± the other reasoned. ¡°C¡¯mon, we can just walk into camp. Won¡¯t take long.¡±


    ¡°I can do it,¡± the knight stubbornly refused. He set aside his sword. ¡°Hand me my gauntlet. I¡¯ll use it instead.¡±


    Argrave watched the exchange, head tilted.


    The other knight sighed but handed him the gauntlet. The would-be fire starter put on his gauntlet and tried to snap with the flint. After a few tries, and some sparks cast, Argrave heard a distinct <em>snap </em>and some curses.


    ¡°Damn it all. The flint broke.¡± He threw it aside.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get someone,¡± the other said in exasperation.


    Argrave raised his hand. ¡°I can help,¡± he yelled out.


    All of the knights near the horses turned their head to Argrave, looking at him.


    ¡°I¡¯m an Acolyte for the Order of the Gray Owl. I can start your fire,¡± Argrave exined further.


    They all stared at him. ¡°The Margrave wouldn¡¯t like that, I don¡¯t think,¡± the one guarding Argravemented.


    ¡°Ah. I see.¡± Argrave lowered his hand. ¡°It¡¯s no trouble, but if you insist¡­ I was just cold too.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a fire, Marsh,¡± the one who¡¯d been using the flint and steel said. ¡°We can let him sit close. Keep a good eye on him. If he was dangerous, the Margrave wouldn¡¯t have left him to us.¡±


    The one guarding Argrave shrugged. ¡°Alright. But the rope stays on.¡±


    They untied the knot and led Argrave to the firece. He held his hand out and used some simple F-rank magic to conjure a me. Soon enough, the small pile of twigs and logs was set alight. Argrave sat on the grass, holding his hand out. All of the knights gathered around, letting out quiet cheers.


    ¡°Some heat. Finally,¡± Argrave said.


    ¡°Just before the night gets truly cold, too.¡± One of the knights scooched close, holding his hands out. ¡°Thanks, kid.¡±


    Argrave nodded. He watched the flickering me. It brought back memories. Long camping trips, with nothing to do at nightfall but sit and stare at the me, eating whatever sweets they¡¯d packed with them.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    He waited and waited, watching as the knights gathered around the me. They could not fall asleep¡ªthey had Argrave to keep watch on, but more importantly, the horses. If they were to run amok¡­ well, it would be devastating.


    Coincidentally, horses feared the mes. Turning his head towards them, he saw their beady eyes reflecting the fire. All of them watched the fire cautiously. These horses were probably well used to fire, being trained and raised by humans. But illusion magic¡­ well, it was particrly effective on those that did not know about it. Animals knew nothing of magic.


    Argrave got closer to the fire, holding his hands up. It looked as ordinary a gesture as any. Illusion magic could muddle the senses, too, but it could also make something seemrger, more intense than it actually was. All of the knights were rxed.


    It seemed as good a time as any. His heart was moving fast enough to burst from his chest, but he told himself that fortune favored the brave.


    Argrave cast a spell¡ª[Intensify,] a D-rank Illusion spell. In his eyes, nothing urred. In everyone else¡¯s eyes, though, the mes would appear to roar to life, exploding into the air. The potent smell of smoke would fill their nostrils. The heat would intensify.


    After he cast the spell, some of the knights leapt away from the fire. The most immediate reaction, though, was the horses.


    They all reared on their legs and fought against what tied them to their posts. Argrave suppressed his spell, but the damage had been done and the horses spiraled out of control quickly. Animals tended to be keen towards each other¡¯s emotions, and one¡¯s reaction could incite the entire herd. Even a warhorse was not exempt from this, especially without a rider on its back.


    All of the knights nearby scrambled to get the horses under control¡ªsome broke free from their bindings and galloped across the ins. Argrave stood, acting just as surprised as all the rest. He walked towards the horses in even strides, cutting his rope with an E-rank spell, [Wind Knife]. His hands shook dreadfully, but his mind was focused.


    Argrave mbered atop arge white stallion with a red mane¡ªthe Margrave¡¯s horsepletely avoiding the attention of the knights, who were distracted by their primary duty of keeping the horses. Perhaps they did not even expect foul y. Argrave cut the white stallion¡¯s binding and held its head, casting another D-rank illusion spell, [Pacification.] The horse calmed and obeyed immediately.


    With one quiet urge, the Margrave¡¯s horse started to gallop. Argrave was thankful that he learned how to ride today. One of the knights¡ªthe orange haired one¡ªnoticed Argrave¡¯s attempt and moved to block him.


    The knight drew his sword and thrust at Argrave atop the horse. Argrave twisted his body and conjured another [Wind Knife,] just in time to knock the de aside. The horse kept moving, mming its body into the knight and casting him to the ground in a winded mess.


    Argrave heard shouts behind him, but he kept his body low to his horse and his mind on the ins ahead. He had been through this area many times in the game before. He knew the way to Mateth. If he were to get there, he would be safe.


    He heard a whistle, and saw an arrow just ahead of him on the ins. He twisted back and cast arge wind spell, [Wind Wall,] a simple, immobile barrier of wind that would stop any projectiles seeking him further. Then, he turned, lowering his body onto the horse.


    The thundering hooves of the Margrave¡¯s stallion echoed in Argrave¡¯s head. He felt the only soundrger was the beating of his heart, the pounding of his blood. His whole body was shaking in dread and excitement both. He dared to look back.


    The ins were empty. All that could be seen was a distant trail of smoke, and a few knights struggling to retrieve errant horses.


    ¡°Heh.¡± Argrave said quietly, the noise lost in the wind. ¡°Hehahaha. HAHAHAHA!¡± His giggles erupted into triumphantughter. ¡°Oh, Jesus Christ. I did it.¡±

 Chapter 9: Non-Illegal Robbery

    Chapter 9: Non-Illegal Robbery


    It was dawn. The pale, somewhat blue light of the early morning suns began to make its way across the vast in in front of Mateth. Subtle rainbows of refracted light dappled thendscape where the rays passed through drops of water at just the right angles. A lone rider, tiredly leaning on his horse, spurred his mount in a light canter towards the towering walls of the coastal city.


    Argrave felt exhausted. A night ride was not a pleasant thing. He¡¯d had to stop asionally to heal his chafed-raw legs. If he had not chosen the best horse¡ªthe Margrave¡¯s horse¡ªhe doubted the creature would havested running all night. The moonlight had been sufficient for base navigation. If Argrave did not know his surroundings as well as he did, he further doubted he would have been able to make it without colliding into a tree or rock.


    The near unending expanse of green, wet grass slowly gave way into great fields of gold wheat. Beyond them, yet more verdant fields lie¡ªmelons, orchards of plums, pears, apples. Closest to the city, and most heavily guarded, were the more arcane nts. They were few in number but varied in color, ranging from a bright, fluorescent blue to a rich ck that seemed to eat the light around it.


    Argrave mustered what dim vestige remained of his sleepless mind to admire the beauty of a Mateth that had yet to suffer an invasion. It was the most beautiful city in the game, ording to most ¡®Heroes of Berendar¡¯ yers. Argrave thought it looked much better in person. His eyes surely had a better resolution than the game. Higher than 1920¡Á1080, at least. Maybe sights like these were why people bought 4k monitors.


    The city itself was very pretty. Its walls must have been made out of marble; maybe it was magic fantasy marble, but it looked the same. They were stark and bare white, but statues lined the ramparts, spaced equidistantly like guardians watching over the vast fields out front the city.


    Argrave slowed his horse into a pleasant trot as they rejoined the main road into Mateth. Argrave listened to the horse¡¯s breathing slowly quiet as it regained itsposure. It was a great horse, to be sure¡ªlikely bred and raised specifically for the Margrave to ride.


    He was very much looking forward to selling it for a king¡¯s ransom.


    Argrave joined the side of arge caravan travelling into the city, carrying loads and loads of wares. He straightened his posture and started riding like a normal person, though his legs ached something fierce. He passed through the towering walls of the city without issue. The guards checked the caravan¡¯s contents, but too many people passed into Mateth to check with each traveler.


    Seeing an all-too-familiar cityyout, Argrave couldn¡¯t help but crack a slight grin. He led Reinhardt¡¯s stallion through the city, heading for a horse breeder that he knew of. He saw a great row of stalls holding fine horses. Argrave dismounted, walking to the front of the stables.


    ¡°Hello? Looking for the horse master,¡± Argrave called out, voice hoarse.


    ¡°One minute, please!¡± a voice answered. Argraveplied. Soon enough, a somewhat fit man with braided brown hair and a beard walked out of the building and to Argrave.


    ¡°Hello. Robarr, right?¡± Argrave asked.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct, lord,¡± the man answered cautiously. ¡°Have we met before?¡±


    ¡°Not personally, but I know you well enough,¡± Argrave answered, shaking his head. ¡°You deal in horses, no?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s correct, lord,¡± Robarr nodded. ¡°Would you like me to take care of this fine animal for you during your stay in Mateth?¡±


    Argrave looked at the stallion. ¡°As much as I would like to say ¡®yes,¡¯ I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s not the case. I have to be selling this horse.¡±


    ¡°Selling,¡± Robarr repeated. ¡°A manes to me in ragged clothing, appearing exhausted, offering to sell a horse. Forgive me, but my first assumption is not kind.¡±


    ¡°And why not?¡± Argrave asked.


    ¡°Well¡­ and no offense, my lord, but I see an exhausted man trying to quickly sell a horse, I first assume that it¡¯s stolen.¡±


    Argrave frowned. ¡°Stolen? Why would you think that?¡± he asked, incredulously. ¡°Well¡­ actually,e to think of it, you have a good point¡­ but I assure you, that is simply not the case,¡± Argrave said insistently.


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it is,¡± Argrave answered firmly. ¡°I was osted by brigands on the way to Mateth, you see. Well, not to Mateth, but rather to Vendleber and then onwards to Dirracha. I am a recently released Acolyte from the Order of the Gray Owl, intending to return home. I went to Mateth because it was the closest and safest ce I could reach after escaping from the brigands.¡±


    ¡°The brigands, you say?¡± Robarr repeated.


    ¡°Indeed. Brigands.¡± Argrave nodded, straining his tired mind to its fullest. ¡°They were mounted on horseback, and they carried a banner of white with a golden lion. I assumed they were men of House Parbon. I feel foolish, in hindsight¡­ nheless, they demanded my money and my books. Once I had given them that, I seized a moment of distraction¡ªwith some help from illusion magic, you see¡ªto escape. I must thank this fine horse for the help¡­ but I am penniless, and I need to return to my family in Dirracha. I am forced to sell this fine creature to pay for an armed escort.¡±


    Robarr frowned, scrutinizing Argrave. ¡°Well, that¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°Come now.¡± Argrave held his arms out. ¡°These clothes are worn, true enough, but they¡¯re custom-fitted and well-decorated. Clothes for a man of my height must be custom made, you see. I cannot im to be from a great house, but I am a noble from the capital.¡±


    ¡°Your house¡¯s name?¡± Robarr inquired.


    ¡°ckgard,¡± Argrave answered after a moment¡¯s pause. ¡°Argrave of ckgard.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Robarr scratched his cheek. ¡°Gods. I feel a bit paranoid, lord. I apologize if I offended you.¡±


    ¡°Oh,e now.¡± Argrave held out a magnanimous hand. ¡°A man of your trade has plenty of reason to fear for being sold stolen goods. My father¡¯s horse was stolen once before¡ªfortunately, the boy did not know how to ride, and was caught quickly.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, lord Argrave,¡± the horse master bowed a little. ¡°Let¡¯s see, then¡­ this horse must be a custom breed.¡± Robarr walked to the horse, petting its mane. ¡°Such a beautiful crimson mane.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. For generations, my family has traded in fine horseflesh.¡±


    ¡°I can tell.¡± Robarr walked around, admiring it. As it neighed. ¡°It¡¯s well-muscled, too. It would make a fine warhorse.¡±


    ¡°It was bred for as much,¡± Argrave nodded. He was d he had cast off the ornamentation from House Parbon that it had been decorated with.


    ¡°Well¡­ I can offer 3000 gold for it,¡± Robarr said.


    Argrave squinted. ¡°Robarr¡­ my family does horse trading, and I have apanied my father on many a sale. This fine horse is worth far more than a mere 3000. You could sell it for nearly ten thousand, especially on the eve of a tournament.¡±


    The two exchanged figures for a long time. Argrave was adamant and persistent¡ªhe had bought and sold many horses in the game, and he knew that the Margrave¡¯s was a very good horse¡ªand Robarr eventually grew tired.


    ¡°Alright. How is this; 6950 in the form of a banknote,¡± Robarr proposed. ¡°You can¡¯t carry around so many coins, anyway.¡±


    ¡°We have a deal,¡± Argrave said with a smile, having doubled the price and then some.


    Robarr shook his head. ¡°Your family are surely horse traders. Few customers haggle as well as you.¡± He walked back into the building, retrieving the money.


    ¡°Here you are,¡± said Robarr after a time, handing the note in an unclosed envelope. Argrave checked the figure and then closed the envelope tightly.


    ¡°Wonderful,¡± Argrave said. ¡°You may make a speedy profit. My father may rebuy the horse in a few weeks¡¯ time at a generous price once I make it home.¡±


    Robarr nodded and held out his hand. Argrave politely declined, citing that he was filthy.


    Walking away, Argrave pinched the envelope tightly in his fingers. <em>Silver tongue spits filthy lucre. Now that I¡¯ve got money, I¡¯m free. </em>He hid the envelope deep in his breast pocket, just beside the bronze hand mirror. <em>Few bumps, but I made it to Mateth. Now the real fun can begin. </em>


    #####


    Nikoletta and Mina watched the streets of Mateth as the carriage rode by. The past few days, they had been discussing how exactly they were going to get their parents to take action.


    ¡°And what if that doesn¡¯t work?¡± Mina pressed.


    ¡°Then we try another way,¡± Nikoletta answered calmly.


    ¡°Suppose nothing works?¡±


    Nikoletta turned to her friend. ¡°You sounded like you didn¡¯t care a few days ago, but now you¡¯re twice as eager as I am.¡±


    ¡°I-I¡­ well, you seemed like you cared a lot. I was just trying to step up for my friend,¡± Mina answered hastily. ¡°Besides, the situation sounded terrible. He could be¡ª¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s fine. He has to be,¡± Nikoletta interrupted, not wishing to hear her finish that sentence. ¡°He¡¯s witty. At the very least, he¡¯ll know how to avoid getting on the Margrave¡¯s nerves. Long enough to save his skin, maybe.¡±


    Mina leaned out the carriage¡¯s window, resting her head on her hands. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ the Margrave mentioned something about his daughter¡­¡±


    Nikoletta recoiled. She recalled that line. It had been on her mind, too. ¡°Mina, we made it back as fast as the carriage would allow. All we can do now is try.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right, as always.¡± Mina kept looking out the window, a silence settling between them. The carriage rolled onwards towards Nikoletta¡¯s father¡¯s castle.


    ¡°Hey, Nicky?¡± Mina said. ¡°Do you see that horse?¡±


    ¡°Is now the time to think about horses?¡±


    ¡°No, seriously, look,¡± Mina pointed, speaking urgently.


    Nikoletta leaned to the window, following Mina¡¯s pointed finger. ¡°Gods. Rand, stop the carriage,¡± Nikolettamanded promptly.


    ¡°Wait, what if it¡¯s just a¡ª¡± Mina tried to say, but Nikoletta had already opened the carriage door.


    ¡°There¡¯s no way it¡¯s a coincidence. They¡¯re identical. Same red mane and everything.¡± Nikoletta abounded from the carriage. Her legs were stiff, but she still walked as fast as she could towards the stable. She recognized the ce¡ªher father bought many horses from this stablemaster.


    ¡°Excuse me,¡± Nikoletta said urgently, grabbing the doorframe and leaning inside the building. ¡°I¡¯m looking for the horse master here.¡±


    Mina joined her, staring at the horse intently as though to discern if it was real or fake.


    ¡°Just a second, please!¡± a male¡¯s voice responded. Soon enough, Robarr walked out of the building to greet the two.


    ¡°What can¡­¡± the man paused. ¡°Hold a moment. You¡¯re¡­ the youngdy Monti, no?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Nikoletta answered quickly. ¡°This horse,¡± she pointed to the red-maned white stallion. ¡°Where did you get it?¡±


    Robarr¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Oh gods. Forgive me, mydy!¡±


    ¡°Forgive you?¡± Nikoletta questioned. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°If I had known it was the ducal famil¡ª¡±


    ¡°Just answer her question,¡± Mina interrupted.


    Robarr swallowed. ¡°I-It was sold to me a few days ago. A very tall, ragged-looking man with hair¡­ well, hair the same color as yours, youngdy Monti, sold it. Called himself Argrave of¡­ ehm¡­ ckbay, I think.¡±


    Minaughed out loud. ¡°No way. He really¡­¡± she turned away,ughing into her sleeve.


    ¡°Ragged-looking?¡± Nikoletta questioned. ¡°Was he injured?¡±


    ¡°Injured?¡± Robarr repeated, surprised. ¡°No, he had no visible injuries. His clothes were a bit torn, though, and he looked exhausted. He imed he was attacked by bandits bearing the banner of House Parbon and robbed of his books and money.¡±


    Nikoletta herself was stunned speechless for a moment. She joined Mina inughter for a brief moment.


    ¡°Err¡­ youngdy Monti, was the horse not stolen?¡± asked the clueless horse master.


    ¡°Well,¡± Nikoletta said, suppressing herughter. ¡°Some people maye looking for the horse. I will hand you a badge with Monti¡¯s symbol¡ªif they do ask about the horse and who sold it, send them to the duke¡¯s estate. Do not give them any other information.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ I-I see,¡± Robarr said, his anxiety evidently not quelled with this news. ¡°Was the man rted to the youngdy Monti?¡±


    ¡°My cousin.¡± Nikoletta smiled. ¡°Did he mention anything else? Where he might go, for instance?¡±


    ¡°Ehm¡­ he mentioned he was an Acolyte¡­ He haggled ridiculously well,¡± Robarrined. ¡°I bought the horse for 6950 gold, gave him a banknote. He mentioned hiring an armed escort and heading to his home in Dirracha.¡±


    Nikoletta shook her head and walked away. ¡°Thank you for your time.¡±


    ¡°Certainly, youngdy,¡± Robarr called out. ¡°Then¡­ the horse¡­¡±


    ¡°Keep it,¡± Nikoletta responded.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Mina was just ending her giggle fit as they both walked side-by-side back to the carriage, Sir Rand shortly behind them. ¡°To think¡­ to think that we were sitting in that carriage, brooding about what to do.¡±


    ¡°I wonder if he¡¯s still around,¡± Nikolettamented.


    ¡°Maybe,¡± Mina mused. ¡°Mateth is safe.¡±


    ¡°He gets kidnapped¡­ steals the Margrave¡¯s horse, sells it for near enough to buy a house¡­¡± Nikoletta summarized things, marveling at the situation.


    Mina startedughing again. ¡°I think, maybe¡­ no, I know that your cousin is a lot more fun than he looks.¡±

 Chapter 10: Early Onset Eldritch-Induced Baldness

    Chapter 10: Early Onset Eldritch-Induced Baldness


    A few days had passed. After cashing the banknote and opening an ount in the local bank, Argrave stayed at a fairly expensive inn in Mateth that valued order and cleanliness¡ªvirtues he found it difficult to live without, especially given the strenuous circumstances he had been through in the past few days. It was easy to ovee his mysophobia when faced with the very unappealing prospect of being held hostage in opposition to King Felipe III, but now that the danger had passed, he cleaned himself up.


    Margrave Reinhardt would not waste the time to send men to find Argrave, he knew. Getting to his brother Bruno was far more important to the Margrave than securing a hostage. Argrave did not fear retribution overmuch. His rtionship with the Parbons could never be repaired, though. An unfortunate happening, but it was unavoidable.


    He had changed his well-to-do aristocratic clothes for firmer leather clothing¡ªa shirt, boots, gloves, et cetera. Waiting for them to be custom fitted to his considerable height had been the only thing dying his departure, in truth. It was vaguely armored, but Argrave did not trust his weak body to support full leather armor.


    Once they were made, he left expediently from Mateth¡¯s western gate, following the road along the coastline for a time. He watched the shipsing and going from the docks in Mateth. Some things remained unchanged. The smell of the salt brought back memories of Earth. There was the unfamiliar, too¡ªthe smell of an otherworldly city, the sound of the people and carriages moving on the road, a caravel sailing the open sea, the pounding of a cksmith¡¯s hammer from behind the city¡¯s stark white walls¡­


    Argrave sighed in wistful homesickness, and then walked towards his destination. He strayed from the roads, walking across the ins leisurely. Despite his blustering to Robarr, there would be no bandits or foul beasts so close to the city, and his destination was not far.


    He walked across the ins until he began to see stumps left by lumberjacks, and then he walked beyond those until he entered the forest untouched by civilization. The trees were tall here, ancient, and their leaves so dense not a speck of the dying sunlight made it through. It was not long before his onlypany was the animals and his thoughts.


    Argrave was certain he was on the right track when he noticed the trees changing. Their bark became darker, as though winter emanated from deeper in the forest. The leaves went from bright green to a deep, rich color. The air itself seemed to change color.


    ¡°Rather ominous in person,¡± Argravemented to no one in particr.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    He stopped at a particrly tall and thick tree, likely the oldest in the forest. He stared at it for a time, brows furrowed, but eventually moved around to the back. He nodded when he found what he was looking for.


    A set of stairs had been carved into the roots of the old tree. It led up to a hollow portion in the base of the trunk that seemed to have been chiseled away in an age long since passed. Mushrooms grew at points, like shelves in the alcove. The carved hollow housed a stone shrine. It was but a table, a tablet, a quill made of stone, and a statue. The years had covered the stone with moss, giving much of the gray stone a greenish hue.


    The statue was a grotesque thing. It depicted a malformed lump of meat vaguely resembling a head with a mouth possessing far too many teeth. It had two eyes but they were not in alignment, as though its face was melting and drooping away. Argrave kneeled down before the shrine.


    Argrave picked up the stone quill and the tablet. He wrote on the tablet, ¡®I seek wisdom beyond my years.¡¯ It left no marks, but he was not surprised by this fact. He set the two items down, moved back a few feet, and waited contentedly.


    The mouth of the statue split open, its stone teeth retracting back into its mock-gums. It widened further and further, acting more as flesh than stone. Then, a reddish, mercury-like portal spread out in the mouth from its throat. An arm emerged, skinny and long, and kept emerging; it could not be any shorter than ten feet. Then a stubby arm pushed its way out, grasping onto the statue, and the thing began to pull itself from the statue.


    The emissary started to reveal itself in earnest. It was anthropomorphic, yet all of its limbs were strangely proportioned and its skin resembled exposed flesh after being yed. Its eyes bulged in and out of the socket in rhythm with its breathing.


    The dread emissary looked about the forest, not disying any hostility. It stood awkwardly on one foot and its long arm because one of its legs was far too short. The emissary opened its mouth, revealing a set of pearly whites so straight they looked fake.


    ¡°This shrine amongst the ancient trees still sees worshippers? We had no idea.¡± The voice was very ordinary, entirely unbefitting of the creature itself.


    ¡°I suspect I am the first toe in many years,¡± Argrave answered calmly.


    ¡°We know,¡± the creature said passively. ¡°And why have youe?¡±


    ¡°Why do people generally contact a god of knowledge?¡± Argrave stared the emissary of Erlebnis in its eyes without blinking.


    Any single emissary of Erlebnis, the God of Knowledge, was capable of killing Argrave. Those elongated or stunted limbs were ineffectual, sure enough; however, the servants of Erlebnis knew magic far beyond what any order of mages might teach. Argrave recalled innumerable days ying ¡®Heroes of Berendar¡¯ where he had attempted to kill one of Erlebnis¡¯ emissaries for fun, only to be utterly pulped by ridiculous spells.


    That said, Argrave was perfectly safe now. He could sleep in the strange creature¡¯s revolting arms and no harm woulde to him. Such a situation was unlikely to happen, naturally, but the point stood. The emissaries only defended themselves from attack. They were neutral beings because they were fundamentally merchants. They only bartered, and their only good was knowledge. Harming customers was bad for business.


    ¡°Youe seeking knowledge,¡± the emissary nodded. ¡°Like so many before you.¡±


    ¡°Not true.¡± Argrave held a gloved finger up and shook it. ¡°Ie offering knowledge, in return for a blessing from Erlebnis.¡±


    ¡°Then you have wasted our time,¡± the emissary said levelly. ¡°No knowledge possessed by one as young as you would be worth a blessing from our lord Erlebnis.¡±


    ¡°I know the location of Oril Vr, and the Viirtulfyr that he stole from your lord.¡±


    After Argrave¡¯s words finished, all sounds died. The wind, the swaying of the trees, the bugs and the birds, suddenly ceased to make any noise at all. Argrave could no longer hear even the subtle sounds made by his leather clothes as he moved. He felt his heart speed faster, but he could not hear it. Even if Argrave knew he was safe, it was difficult to stop the natural reaction to abrupt stimuli. The emissary spoke, and Argrave heard only its voice.


    ¡°Even mentioning Oril Vr, you have drawn the eye of our lord Erlebnis.¡± The emissary did not disy any of its emotion on its voice¡ªit might as well have been talking about the weather. Perhaps it had no emotions <em>to</em> disy.


    ¡°That was my intention,¡± Argrave responded, fortunately able to hear his own voice in this strange silence.


    The emissary¡¯s eyes withdrew back into its head, leaving behind the same reddish-mercury portal from which the creature had originally emerged from. Argrave waited patiently, expecting this might happen¡ªthe emissary had returned to receive Erlebnis¡¯ will.


    In simpler terms, he was talking to his boss.


    Argrave used the time to calm his beating heart. Communing with ancient gods often was not particrly good on the health. Fortunately, this information was the only thing that he could currently offer Erlebnis, a God of Knowledge. If he wanted further rewards, doubtless he would need to be inextricably bound to Erlebnis.


    Conveying this knowledge to Erlebnis had been a secret quest in ¡®Heroes of Berendar.¡¯ If one found out about the Viirtulfyr, one could offer that knowledge to Erlebnis. More simply, one could return the book directly. Hoarding this knowledge was useless to Argrave, as the Viirtulfyr only contained top-level spells beyond his ken that he had no ability to retrieve, at present.


    Argrave was confident in this trade. Further trades, though¡ªforget it. Beyond the very high possibility of early-onset baldness from stress, he was tampering with a power that could very well lead to his insanity. A god was, fundamentally, impossible to understand. Ancient gods were further insidious and maniptive. He did not have the hubris the Greeks so loathed¡ªArgrave knew his limits as a mortal and he was not certain he could continue to meddle without losing his mind.


    Only one of the emissary¡¯s eyes returned, refocusing on Argrave. ¡°Our lord is watching this conversation through my eye, Argrave. He will be very displeased if you are toying with us.¡± Argrave could not help but shudder¡ªhe had not mentioned his name, yet the emissary knew. Perhaps he should not be surprised.


    ¡°The master is interested in this deal,¡± the emissary continued. ¡°You would be willing to submit to a spell to determine the veracity of your words?¡±


    Argrave considered the question, ensuring there were no loopholes in its phrasing. ¡°As long as the spell only discerns truth from falsehood, that condition is amenable.¡±


    ¡°Cautious one. A valuable trait. And you asked for a blessing in return?¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°A specific blessing from your lord; the Blessing of Supersession, and it should be of the highest quality.¡±


    The Blessing of Supersession would be an invaluable acquisition for Argrave on his path as a mage. It would allow him to connect his pool of magic to Erlebnis, an ancient god, for a period of five minutes. In effect, he would be granted unlimited magic during its duration¡ªevery emissary of Erlebnis had this ability, and it was precisely why they were such potent spellcasters. He would still be limited to whatever rank of magic he knew, naturally.


    For Argrave, who intended to primarily use the very costly electric magic, it was invaluable. The blessing had its drawbacks¡ªhe was borrowing the magic, and he could not use the ability again until he had paid back his magic ¡®debt.¡¯ Ordinarily, one could not even use magic until they paid the debt back. The highest-quality Blessing of Supersession Argrave asked for removed that condition¡ªone paid back the magic debt at their leisure and remained capable of using their own pool of magic without issue.


    After Argrave had stated his request, the emissary turned its eye to look at the portal where its other eye once had been,muning with Erlebnis in total silence. Its gaze refocused on Argrave after some time had passed.


    ¡°You ask a very high price,¡± the emissary said slowly. ¡°Even amongst our lord¡¯s direct mortal servants, few possess a blessing of that sort.¡±


    ¡°I ask for a high price because I know the value of my knowledge.¡± Argrave shrugged. ¡°The grudge your lord bears against Oril Vr is deep, and I know well the value of Viirtulfyr. If I could retrieve it myself, I might. s, Oril Vr is a very powerful person, and not someone a humble mortal like me can meddle with.¡±


    ¡°We see.¡± The emissary once more looked to the portal in its vacant eye socket, and Argrave waited longer. ¡°The lord tells us that He can agree to provide a Blessing of Supersession of the highest quality, under the condition you answer three questions under a spell that differentiates truth from falsehood. In addition, the information contained in these questions must first be proven urate by His emissaries. Simply put, we would retrieve the Viirtulfyr before you receive the blessing.¡±


    Argrave hesitantly nodded at the conditions, but he was not entirely content. ¡°Tell me the questions, first.¡±


    The emissary raised its long arm, holding its hand close to its face as it counted down. ¡°First, the location of Oril Vr in detail. Second, the location of Viirtulfyr in detail. Third, how you came to possess this knowledge.¡±


    Hesitation crept in at the third question. If Argrave admitted where he originally came from even indirectly, Erlebnis might take an unwanted interest in him.


    ¡°Is the third question necessary?¡±


    ¡°If you wish for the highest quality blessing,¡± the emissary answered quickly, almost anticipating his words.


    Argrave sped his hands together, staring at the gloves as he rubbed his thumb against his palm. He wanted the highest-level blessing¡ªan inability to use magic after its use would be very annoying.


    ¡°If you do not ask for details on the third question¡­ I agree to those three questions only.¡±


    The emissary bowed its head lightly. ¡°So it shall be. Then, we shall cast the spell.¡±


    Argrave gestured for the emissary to proceed. It held its hand out, and a red line of light shot towards his heart like the bite of a snake. Argrave did not resist, and he felt the oddity of another¡¯s magic for the first time in his life.


    The emissary¡¯s one eye stayed fixed on Argrave¡¯s face. ¡°What is the precise location of the spellcaster Oril Vr, who wronged our lord Erlebnis and stole the Viirtulfyr?¡± the emissary spoke, enunciating every word clearly.


    ¡°Oril Vr inhabits an ind known to locals as ¡®ck Isle¡¯ off the coast of the northern point of the continent of Berendar, near the town of Kumdan. The ind is host to a volcano which Oril Vr has tampered with, making it shroud the ind in ash. Oril Vr has a castle on the northern side of the ind, concealed by illusion magic. He rarely leaves the castle, and even less so the ind.¡±


    Argrave held back no details, even giving more information than the spell would probablypel. The earlier they recovered the Viirtulfyr, the earlier he got his blessing.


    The emissary carried on without missing a beat. ¡°Where is Viirtulfyr, the book stolen by the spellcaster Oril Vr?¡±


    ¡°Oril Vr keeps the book close. It is in the same fortress in which he currently resides. It is likely still in the third floor down, in the library at the end of the hall on the right.¡±


    ¡°How did youe to possess this knowledge regarding Oril Vr and the Viirtulfyr?¡±


    ¡°I confirmed it personally,¡± Argrave said slowly. And it was true¡ªhe had gone there multiple times with each character from ¡®Heroes of Berendar.¡¯ He was the primary contributor to Oril Vr¡¯s wiki article.


    The emissary said nothing for a time, staring at Argrave. The red light persisted¡ªArgrave was worried the spell might react.


    ¡°Well? It is the truth, no?¡± Argrave remained stone-faced. If he had been lying, the red light would have broken.


    The emissary snapped, and the red light retreated. ¡°Indeed it is, mortal. Or at the very least, your mind and body believe it is the truth. We will confirm the value of your truth in the days toe.¡±


    The sounds of the forest returned as suddenly as they had left¡ªit was a little like one¡¯s ears popping from a change in altitude. The other eye of the emissary emerged from the portal resembling red mercury.


    ¡°Our business is concluded, then.¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°I presume you will give me a token that will notify me when you are ready to offer payment?¡±


    ¡°Most curious. You almost lead us to believe you have done business of this nature with our lord before. Perhaps an ancestor of yours provided you some knowledge¡­ yet even still, that does not exin how you confirmed the presence of the Viirtulfyr <em>and </em>Oril Vr personally¡­¡± the emissary produced a red disk in its hands, seemingly from the air.


    ¡°Here. Keep this on your person and you will know when we are ready to receive you. If you have somehow tricked us¡­ Oril Vr is the only being currently in this realm who has done such a thing. And if your information is correct, that will be rectified.¡±


    Argrave took the red disk. It had no markings and looked to be made of simple stone painted red. ¡°I look forward to receiving the blessing, then.¡±

 Chapter 11: Lion Cubs First Hunt

    Chapter 11: Lion Cub¡¯s First Hunt


    Elias alighted from the carriage at the gates of Vendleber, scanning the small town¡¯s streets thoroughly. He had removed the gray robe of the Order of the Gray Owl, instead donning the traditional white and gold of his House Parbon. After searching the streets for a time for the banner bearing the golden lion, he walked to the men guarding the gate.


    ¡°Excuse me,¡± Elias asked, touching one guard¡¯s shoulder lightly. ¡°Have you seen arge party of horsemene through here with the banner of House Parbon?¡±


    The guard jumped a little, and then looked up at Elias. ¡°Errm¡­ yes, we did. The lord told us to¡­ well, I probably shouldn¡¯t say,¡± the guard stopped himself.


    Elias frowned. ¡°Are they here, then?¡±


    ¡°Aye,¡± the guard nodded. ¡°Most of them are camping outside the walls. I think they let a few stay in the inn on the western side of town, though.¡± The guard pointed. ¡°The Rattled Rain, it¡¯s called.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± said Elias, retrieving a gold coin and handing it to the guard.


    ¡°Oh..!¡± the guard brightened. Elias turned and strode quickly to where the guard had pointed. ¡°Thank you!¡± the guard yelled out, but Elias paid it little heed.


    Half-running through the streets, Elias kept an eye on the wooden signs hanging above doorways. Once he spotted the Rattled Rain, he paused, catching his breath before entering the doorway. Some familiar faces turned to meet him¡ªsome of his father¡¯s knights.


    ¡°Lucain. Mystle,¡± Elias greeted, walking towards them. ¡°Where¡¯s¡ª¡±


    ¡°Elias,¡± a deep voice echoed through the inn. Elias turned his head towards the stairs, watching as his father slowly walked down into the inn¡¯smon room. He looked disheveled, his long red hair syed out across his te mail in thick, greasy strands.


    ¡°Father,¡± Elias said, moving to greet him. ¡°I came as soon as I heard that you had left Parbon.¡±


    ¡°Why are you here?¡± Margrave Reinhardt asked angrily. ¡°You¡¯re supposed to be in the Tower of the Gray Owl.¡±


    ¡°My term as a student is over,¡± Elias exined quickly. He held out a steel badge that bore an owl on it. ¡°I¡¯m a Wizard of the Gray Owl, now. My research was admissible.¡±


    Reinhardt prodded his chest with a finger, sending Elias back a step. ¡°And so youe here, instead of heading back to Parbon?¡±


    ¡°I should stand idly by while you go to help my uncle?¡± Elias spoke, matching his father¡¯s bravado.


    Reinhardt grit his teeth for a minute. Then, he stepped forward, hugging his son tightly. After a moment, they pulled away. The Margrave kept a firm grip on Elias¡¯ shoulders. ¡°Congrattions, Elias. I did not think a son of mine would ever be a Wizard, but that doesn¡¯t change the fact that I am proud.¡±


    Elias smiled slightly. It seemed a rare expression on both of the men¡¯s faces. They sat at one of the tables in the corner, alone.


    ¡°In truth, I didn¡¯t think I would be able to find you at Vendleber. I assumed you would already have started onwards to Dirracha.¡±


    ¡°I wanted to. We ran into trouble. A cunning snake,¡± Reinhardt said resentfully. ¡°I knew I should have taken my wyvern instead of a horse¡­¡±


    Elias ced his hands on the table, looking at his father as he slouched on the table. ¡°Trouble with such arge host in tow? Was it one of the king¡¯s eldest sons?¡±


    ¡°No. Argrave, the royal bastard.¡± The Margrave looked to his hands, a grim and wrothful look settled on his face.


    ¡°What?¡± Elias asked incredulously. He¡¯d seen his father have that expression before, but it was only after a great defeat. ¡°But he¡¯s¡­ I don¡¯t believe he¡¯s even reached C-rank magic, yet. How¡­?¡±


    ¡°His magic was hardly relevant. But his words¡­ even thinking back, he led me by the nose like a fool. He was travelling with the Duke of Monti¡¯s daughter and¡­ a child of House Veden. I forget who.¡±


    ¡°Mina,¡± Elias filled in the nks.


    ¡°Right.¡± Reinhardt nodded. ¡°I thought to take him as a hostage. He came willingly. It made me let my guard down. The whole way, heined about horses and hating them. He yed my temper, stoked my doubts, made himself appear weak, and ingrained his hatred of horses into my head¡­ I thought to punish him by having him sleep next to the horses.¡± The Margrave grit his teeth. ¡°Probably what he wanted the whole time. From there¡­ he frenzied them. A firepit and illusion magic, they said. He stole my horse, rode towards the coast. The men spent hours getting the mounts back in order.¡± Reinhardt mmed the table slightly.


    Elias leaned back in the chair, holding his hand to his chin.


    ¡°He has the cunning natural to the House of Vasquer. Their banner bears a snake, and it suits them. That one is a snake with a silver tongue,¡± Reinhardt brooded. ¡°The men were up for hours chasing horses. They need rest, as do the horses. We¡¯ll head to Dirracha tomorrow. If you¡¯re toe with me, you should sleep. Some rooms are avable upstairs. We rented out the whole inn.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Elias said absentmindedly. ¡°You said Argrave rode towards the coast? Mateth? You must¡¯ve sent someone after him.¡±


    ¡°Probably Mateth, yes.¡± Reinhardt straightened, leaning back in the chair until the te he was wearing creaked. ¡°The Duke¡¯s daughter seemed willing to protect him. He¡¯ll head towards there, seek protection. I didn¡¯t bother sending anyone. By the time I knew he was gone, it was far toote to send anyone after him. He stole the best horse we had, my Redsnow. I had to borrow one of my knight¡¯s horses.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± said Elias, a hint of frustration on his tone. ¡°You should go and sleep. I have far too much energy left to sleep just yet, and I¡¯ve not eaten.¡±


    ¡°The innkeeper makes decent food. Ask her,¡± Reinhardt said, handing Elias a few gold coins from a pouch. ¡°We¡¯ll wake early tomorrow. And son,¡± the Margrave paused.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m d you came.¡± Reinhardt patted his shoulder and walked up the stairs.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Elias did not know how to answer. He watched his father¡¯s red hair fade out of view, and then the rest of the knights followed close behind him. Elias stayed in themon room. The innkeeper sat at a barstool at the other side of the room.


    After a few minutes had passed, Elias stood and left the Rattled Rain. He walked towards the gate of the city. The suns were just beginning to fade. He saw a few of his father¡¯s knights and followed them.


    After exiting Vendleber, Elias saw a few horses stabled up. Elias approached without issue, as most of the knights recognized his crimson hairmon in House Parbon. The horses seemed thoroughly guarded, but the knights wouldn¡¯t dare impede the Margrave¡¯s heir.


    Elias scanned the horses, looking for the one that looked most suitable. He spotted the one that looked the fastest and strongest, and walked to it.


    ¡°Erm¡­ young lord Elias,¡± one of the knights interrupted. ¡°It¡¯s an honor to see you, but¡­?¡±


    ¡°My father gave me something to deliver,¡± Elias exined. ¡°I need a horse posthaste.¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡± the knight said. ¡°In that case, pardon me.¡± He bowed and walked away.


    Elias got atop the horse, and after a few minutes of adjustment, set off into a canter. When they were far enough away, he urged the horse into a gallop.


    <em>I¡¯m sorry, father. I won¡¯t be of much help to you in the capital¡ªmore a hindrance. I should head to Mateth, find Argrave. Mete out punishment¡­ or at least, try and find Redsnow.</em>


    In the back of his head, Elias couldn¡¯t help but acknowledge the fact that his sister was the first thing on his mind. In truth, Elias felt he was blindly stumbling forward towards some vague attempt at a vengeance he didn¡¯t even know how to enact. He suppressed his doubts and rode onwards towards Mateth.


    Coincidentally and entirely unbeknownst to Elias, the horse he had taken was the one that the Margrave Reinhardt had borrowed to rece his white stallion.


    #####


    It was midday. Argrave stood at the docks in Mateth, staring up at one of the buildings with his back facing the sea. He kept his gaze fixed on a pigeon. He had the distinct feeling that he was locking gazes with it. It stayed a fair distance away from the seagulls, refusing to eat or travel.


    <em>I¡¯ll need to do something about these pigeons soon, </em>Argrave thought.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Argrave turned his head away and walked from the docks. He had secured one card to y against theing tides. Gerechtigkeit wasing. No matter what the yer did in ¡®Heroes of Berendar,¡¯ his summoning was inevitable. He was the millennial auditor for the world¡¯s continued existence. His name was German for ¡®justice¡¯¡ªhe was the test offered by the world itself to determine if it was worthy of existing, or if a new one was necessary. Fantasy Darwinism, in essence.


    As was natural with ancient cmities, Gerechtigkeit¡¯s method of judgement was through strength.


    Mateth, probably the richest city in the continent of Berendar and the capital of the Dukedom of Monti, would soon suffer an unexpected invasion. This problem would be exacerbated by the impending civil war and the session crisis caused by the death of King Felipe III. None of those events had happened yet, but they were inevitable, guided to happen by innumerable factors. Personal strength alone could not defeat the ancient cmity. One would need an army.


    <em>Feels like Rodney King. Can¡¯t we all just get along? </em>Argrave sighed, weaving his way through this city he knew all-too-well. He grabbed the bronze hand mirror in his breast pocket to remind himself of his duty.


    The invadersing to Mateth came from and overseas. The people in Berendar called them ¡®snow elves,¡¯ which was a fitting term going off appearance alone. They were elven in appearance and descent, but they had many differences from the forest-dwellers far in the south. Their skin was paler, their hairs were lighter, and they were muchrger. They called themselves Veidimen. Their nation was Veiden. They followed a Patriarch, who was the head of the innumerable conquered tribes.


    Some of the snow elves inhabited Berendar already, having been exiled from Veiden. Others simply sought greener pastures. Argrave found them quite interesting. Theirs was a militaristic, honor-focused society excelling in warfare. Contracts were almost sacred exchanges in their culture. At the same time, they were upromising enemies who viewed conquest as an inevitability and a duty vested by their god.


    Argrave was nning on meeting one of those snow elves. He was an exile and a mercenary. Even with Erlebnis¡¯ Blessing of Supercession, Argrave needed some concrete and reliable protection. Quite frankly, he didn¡¯t fancy his chances in a fight against most anyone.


    A Veidimen mercenary could always be trusted, despite racist sentiments persisting throughout Berendar. They would never forsake a contract for a higher-paying enemy, even if that enemy was the Patriarch of Veiden. They believed their goddess would condemn them to their version of the underworld¡ªand perhaps She would. Argrave was counting on that loyalty.


    Argrave came to a stop at a certain establishment in Mateth. The building looked seedy¡ªit was decrepit, unmarked, and Argrave pulled his gloves a little tighter as he looked at it. He did not wish to linger here long, to say the least. He grabbed the iron ring that marked the door gingerly and pulled it open.


    Raucous noise filled Argrave¡¯s ears at once. He entered into the building and closed the door. Argrave caught many gazes¡ªhe presumed (and hoped) because of his height¡ªbut most were too busy with their own food and drink to do anything more than look. Argrave¡¯s eyes scanned the room. He looked at the Veidimen mercenary¡¯s usual spot, but no one sat there. He grew disappointed and uneasy.


    In his peripheries, he saw a familiar ck helmet modelled after the Vikings and arge greatsword leaning against one of the wall¡¯s pirs. Argrave smiled, weaving through the crowd while trying his best not to touch anyone. He stepped over some spilled drink and came to stand over precisely the man he¡¯d been looking for.


    ¡°Gmon?¡± Argrave asked.


    The man in question lifted his head up slowly. He had a mane of white hair that looked like fine silk, falling far past his sharp ears and broad shoulders. His face was firm and stoic, his skin far paler than Argrave¡¯s. He had near entirely white eyes, the iris separated from the sclera by only a thin ck line. In stark contrast to his features, he wore ck armor. It was mostly te, yet gray fur covered the shoulders. The snow elf had been sharpening a dagger with a whetstone.


    ¡°It is you,¡± Argrave nodded when his question went unanswered. ¡°Wonderful. I¡¯d like to hire you.¡±


    Gmon scanned Argrave quickly with his eyes. Then, he pointed to the opposite chair with his dagger. ¡°Sit.¡± The snow elf¡¯s voice was deep and guttural, enough to make the faint of heart tremble in their boots.


    Argrave made sure the chair had nothing spilt on it, then sat as he was directed. He was unoffended by Gmon¡¯s briefmand. This was simply the man¡¯s nature. Gmon retrieved a sk in his pouch and took a drink. That might deter a prospective employer, seeing their mercenary drink so casually.


    It wasn¡¯t whisky, though. It was blood. Gmon was exiled from Veiden because he was a vampire.


    Argrave ced his hands on the table, crossing them over each other. ¡°I have an employment offer for you. Mercenary work.¡±

 Chapter 12: Strike Up the Band

    Chapter 12: Strike Up the Band


    Gmon drew the dagger across the whetstone one final time, and then rubbed it down with a cloth. He put it back in its sheath and set it on the table beside his helmet. He straightened his posture and stared at Argrave.


    ¡°The work is fairly long term,¡± Argrave continued. ¡°Six months. 3000 gold.¡± Argrave saw some heads turn when he mentioned the amount.


    ¡°You know my rates,¡± Gmon said. ¡°Someone referred you?¡±


    Gmon¡¯s voice was a low rasp, enough to give Argrave chills up his spine. He briefly felt envious. He had no issues with his own voice, per se, but to have a voice like <em>that</em>¡­ well, it would be damned nice. Maybe if he inhaled hot embers for a couple of hours¡­


    ¡°Something like that,¡± Argrave nodded, dismissing his vocal envy.


    Gmon did not react. ¡°Who am I guarding?¡±


    ¡°Me.¡± Argrave pointed both of his thumbs at himself. ¡°I have some enemies, you see. I n to make more. I won¡¯t demand you do anything unreasonable, though the terms can be ironed out when we draft the contract.¡±


    Gmon nodded slightly, face still unmoving. ¡°You¡¯ll provide room and board?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Though¡­ we may be camping frequently. I would ask that you hunt, should that be the case.¡±


    ¡°You have the coin?¡±


    ¡°Not on me,¡± Argrave said quickly and loudly so as to deter any listeners. ¡°We would have to go to the bank, draft a contract, and then I could give it to you. In coin, if necessary.¡± Argrave tapped his fingers on the table. ¡°Any other questions?¡±


    Gmon stared Argrave down, and then retrieved his sk for another drink. He set it aside, then shook his head. ¡°No.¡±


    <em>He doesn¡¯t even ask for my name, my position in society¡­ really, his confidence would seem like recklessness if I didn¡¯t know fully how good this guy was at his job. </em>


    ¡°Good. But I have some things to say to you. So¡­¡± Argrave held his hands up and cast a D-rank illusion spell, [Iste]. It prevented sounds from leaking out. A simple yet efficient spell. Of course, it was an illusion spell and not a warding spell, so a sufficiently high-level spellcaster could resist its effects¡ªnot that he¡¯d find them in this seedy ce. Argrave did not know any warding spells, though. He would have to change that in the future.


    ¡°Our words won¡¯t reach beyond this table now,¡± Argrave said. ¡°One,¡± Argave held up a finger, ¡°I know you were exiled from Veiden. Two,¡± Argrave held up a second finger. ¡°I know why. Don¡¯t worry¡ªI wouldn¡¯t have even talked to you had that been an issue.¡±


    Gmon¡¯s stoic face finally showed some expression. His brows furrowed, and his lips fell into a scowl. ¡°Why was I exiled, then?¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± Argrave hesitated. Even with the spell, he did not feelfortable saying it out loud. Vampires were nearly universally reviled. If any high-level spellcaster were to overhear, it would make things very ufortable. Such people would not bemon in such a ce, but Argrave was not incautious.


    ¡°You have an iron-rich diet.¡± Argrave said, spreading his hands. Gmon stared, and Argrave considered that most people of the Middle Ages would have no idea that iron was in the blood. ¡°You like a certain salty drink¡­,¡± he continued, waving his hands. ¡°Erm¡­ no, that sounds wrong¡­ you¡¯re a bloodthirsty warrior¡­¡±


    ¡°Enough,¡± interrupted Gmon. ¡°Why mention this if you have no issue with it?¡±


    Argrave shrugged. ¡°In a long-term partnership, both sides should be honest with each other, I think. The people of Veiden are honorable. You are especially so. As long as you keep me from harm, I don¡¯t care if you¡­ drink on the job. Just don¡¯t expect me to pay for the drinks,¡± Argrave warned vaguely. ¡°On the bright side, your kind doesn¡¯t need to sleep.¡±


    If older vampires kept drinking blood, the sunlight would not damage them, and they would not require sleep. That was why Gmon always carried around a sk. Indeed, vampirism seemed a vaguely appealing idea to Argrave. If not for the fact that blood nauseated him, he might¡¯ve even considered it further.


    ¡°I see.¡± Gmon stood. Argrave had to look a long way up. He decided to stand also. Gmon was huge¡ªwell-built, and even barely taller than Argrave. ¡°I must quickly fetch some things.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll wait. Then we¡¯ll go to the bank.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Yes,¡± Gmon agreed. He walked away, and the crowd parted for him as he left.


    Argrave sat back down in the table, dispelling the [Iste] barrier. The two had very quickly be the most eye-catching people in the establishment, between their mention of Gmon¡¯s ostensibly exorbitant fee and their very distinct physical appearance.


    ¡°Oi,¡± called a bald man sitting in a table across from his. Argrave ignored him. ¡°Oi. ck-hair. Talking to ya.¡± Argrave kept ignoring him. The man got out of his chair and reached for Argrave¡¯s shoulder. Not wishing to be touched, Argrave cast a simple shock spell, and the man jumped back.


    ¡°Watch it, wizard,¡± the man hissed.


    Argrave crossed his arms, paying attention as much to his surroundings as he was the man in front of him. He felt ill at ease.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t hire that snow elf,¡± the bald man insisted, pointing at a careful distance.


    ¡°And why not?¡± asked Argrave coldly, not caring to hear the answer.


    ¡°You stick with your own,¡± he said, putting his fist to his chest. ¡°That white-haired bastard¡¯ll likely put a knife in ya chest as you sleep.¡±


    Argrave just shook his head.


    ¡°I¡¯m tryna look out for you here. Nothing goodes out of that one.¡±


    ¡°I presume you¡¯d prefer I hire you.¡± Argrave waved his hand. ¡°Go back to your table, leave me in peace.¡±


    ¡°Nay, I don¡¯t want your gold. You look a noble. Nothing goodes from getting mixed up with you,¡± the bald man shook his head. ¡°But people that talk ill of him¡­ they end up missing, no body ever found. I¡¯m just warning you.¡±


    Argrave frowned, somewhat surprised at that. The bald man seemed somewhat genuine. Argrave didn¡¯t let his guard down, though.


    ¡°The Veidimen never break a contract,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°Even if he did disappear some people, that¡¯s not my concern.¡±


    The bald man shook his head, calling Argrave a fool beneath his breath before he sat back down. Argrave turned his head to see Gmon returning. He had a strung bow on his back, an axe and dagger on his waist, and a bag hanging from his shoulder. He collected his hair and put it behind him, donning his helmet. Then he grabbed his greatsword and strung it to his waist, opposite his other weapons.


    ¡°I am ready,¡± he said simply.


    Argrave smiled at the familiar sight. ¡°So you are.¡± He stood, and the two left for the bank.


    #####


    Gmon thoroughly examined the contract that Argrave had written. Once he reached the end, he set it down on the bank¡¯s counter gently and looked at Argrave. The bank clerk sat there nervously¡ªa giant snow elf in ck armor was standing right in front of him, and Gmon did not seem overfriendly.


    ¡°To summarize¡­ the job is mainly protection. And you don¡¯t wish to be touched unless the situation demands it.¡±


    ¡°Yes. No bloody murder butchery, no secret assassinations, just a retained sword I can count on by my side.¡±


    Gmon took a drink from his sk, and then signed the paper. Argrave gestured for the clerk to hand over the banknote with the custom amount, deducting it from his ount. The 3000-gold loss would sting, to be sure, but insurance was more important than wealth.


    ¡°Have a good day, sirs,¡± the bank clerk said professionally.


    ¡°How should I call you?¡± Gmon said, tone professional and distant now that the contract was formally established.


    ¡°Just ¡®Argrave.¡¯¡± He walked towards the exit and pushed out of the doorway into the streets of Mateth. ¡°Walk closer so I can speak quietly.¡±


    Gmon obeyed quickly, and Argrave spoke.


    ¡°The next few weeks will be very busy. The Patriarchate of Veiden has been preparing an invasion on Mateth for some time. The time of theirnding is going toe very shortly, and I need to minimize damages.¡±


    Gmon missed a step but recovered quickly and kept walking beside Argrave, hand on the pommel of his greatsword.


    ¡°There are some pigeons spaced out on the roofs¡­ oddly equidistantly,¡± Argrave pointed, looking up at them. ¡°They don¡¯t scrounge for food like other pigeons. They don¡¯t travel in groups. Once night falls, they all coincidentally fly away.¡± Argrave looked at Gmon pointedly. ¡°They¡¯re scouts being controlled by druids. Veidimen druids, specifically. And I need to get my hands on their reports.¡±


    After observing the pigeons for a time, Gmon looked back at Argrave. ¡°You¡¯re sure they¡¯re Veidimen druids?¡±


    ¡°Well, if they aren¡¯t, it¡¯d be a pleasant surprise.¡± Argrave shrugged. ¡°I have my own way of knowing these things. They¡¯re led by a druid called Tirros.¡±


    ¡°Tirros?¡± Gmon repeated. ¡°Tirros the Tempestuous? He¡¯s a prominent druid in Veiden working for the Patriarch¡­ this is no ruse, then.¡±


    ¡°Oh. You know him. Good. Do you think you could kill him?¡± Argrave asked. ¡°With my help, naturally.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know your strength.¡±


    ¡°Spellcaster, D-rank magic spells, mostly.¡±


    ¡°¡­if he didn¡¯t have arms, perhaps,¡± Gmon said hesitantly. He patted the axe on his waist. ¡°This axe is made of Ebonice¡ªit can dispel magic on contact. But Tirros would not be alone. Animal familiars, fellow druids¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, indeed. If we fought him as we were, we¡¯d be Valha-bound at the speed of sound.¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°But I¡¯m at the cusp ofprehending C-rank magic. I think.¡± Argrave remembered he¡¯d left his book about C-rank magic aboard Nikoletta¡¯s carriage. <em>That was a library book. I¡¯ve got to get it back¡­ ugh. </em>


    ¡°And besides, what¡¯s the quote¡­ ¡®victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war and then seek to win.¡¯ That is to say, if we prepare, Tirros is nothing but a stiff breeze, not a tempest. Haha.¡± Argraveughed at his own joke. He resumed walking through the streets of Mateth.


    ¡°For now, Gmon, we head to the local branch of the Order of the Gray Owl. It¡¯s the small little temple in the northwest part of town¡­ well, just follow along. We¡¯ll find out if I¡¯m as clever as I thought I was.¡±


    Gmon stood rooted in ce for a moment. The snow elf considered, for the first time in near a hundred years, that his self-confidence may have gotten him into trouble. This employer of his seemed positively determined to march to his death. He opened his sk, and the scent of blood filled his nostrils. He took arge drink, sating the beast within him. The sunlight felt a little gentler on his skin.


    <em>All have to die someday. </em>

 Chapter 13: A Princes Penalty

    Chapter 13: A Prince¡¯s Penalty


    Argrave looked up at two great stone owls, hanging over the entrance to the Order¡¯s hub in Mateth like gargoyles that were a quarter as scary. Argrave thought that owls were far too rotund and bizarre to ever be as scary as the other birds.


    ¡°Just wait out here, if you would,¡± Argrave directed Gmon. ¡°I think they only let Acolytes and higher inside the Order itself. Annoying, but what can you do?¡±


    ¡°Understood,¡± said Gmon.


    Argrave bit his lip a little. ¡°Just find a quiet ce. I¡¯m sure some ignorant people might be troubled by a Veidimen standing right out front the¡ª¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Gmon interrupted.


    After a nod, wave, and a wink, Argrave entered the Order¡¯s Mateth branch. As long as he had one of the badges of the Order¡ªhis was a copper owl marking him as an Acolyte, kept in his leather gear¡¯s chest pocket¡ªhe could enter the premises freely. Without the badge, one would be restricted by some particrly powerful enchantments.


    This ce was much less busy than the Tower of the Gray Owl. The Tower was a bona fide school, with instructors and students abounding. The branches throughout the major cities in Berendar were more like libraries, with only minimal services needed by wizards. Mostly, it referred members of the Order to private businesses that would fulfill their arcane needs.


    Argrave ducked beneath the doorframe and stepped into the administrative office, where a brte woman busily tended to papers. She looked up when she saw Argrave approach.


    ¡°How may I help you, sir?¡± she asked drearily.


    ¡°Hello, Miriam. Nice to see you again.¡± Argrave said, recognizing her. ¡°I am here to inquire about the results of the Acolyte graduations.¡±


    ¡°O-oh,¡± she stuttered,ing to attention. Argrave wondered why for a minute, only to catch her looking up at his face. <em>What is she¡­? Oh. I know her name, but she doesn¡¯t know mine. She thinks she forgot we met before. I see.</em> Argrave suppressed a smile with his gloved hand. He¡¯d stumbled onto a fun new hobby¡ªmaking people ufortable by knowing random details about them.


    ¡°The results arrived by owl early this morning. I can tell you the results, but you¡¯ll have to go see Bern to get a Wizard¡¯s badge.¡± She shifted some papers aside and pulled out a slightly crinkled parchment. ¡°That is, if you passed, sir.¡±


    ¡°And? Did I?¡± Argrave pressed gleefully.


    ¡°Erm¡­¡± Miriam¡¯s eyes darted to the paper, and at Argrave¡¯s face. He could practically hear the gears turn in her head, desperately trying to remember a name she¡¯d never heard. ¡°Perhaps you¡¯d best look for yourself, sir.¡± She handed the paper to him, escaping the pitfall Argrave had set up. He clicked his tongue and took the paper.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Argrave didn¡¯t need to look for long before he found his name. It was at the very top of the paper, beneath abel morously decorated with gold and stars reading, ¡®Special Consideration.¡¯ A few other names were below and above his¡ªMina of Veden, Reichard, and Svena of Quadreign. All of them were powerful spellcaster characters in ¡®Heroes of Berendar.¡¯


    ¡°¡¯Special consideration,¡¯¡± Argrave said, angling the paper. ¡°What does this mean for me?¡±


    ¡°Oh. I suppose I should be congratting you!¡± Miriam answered. ¡°Acolytes entered for ¡®Special Consideration¡¯ have submitted something that has value to the Order beyond a mere advancement from Acolyte to Wizard. Some of the High Wizards of the Order are taking the time to evaluate its precise usefulness to reward you appropriately.¡±


    Argrave put his hand to his chin. <em>High Wizards are those capable of B-rank magic¡­ </em>He felt a nugget of worry festering in his heart. <em>You need A-rank blood magic to learn [Blood Infusion], and I left plenty out of my concept of [Blood Infusion]. I don¡¯t think they¡¯ll be able toplete the research independently ¡­ Ugh. I suppose some positive attention is what I wanted, in part, but¡­</em>


    ¡°I can still get my recognition as a Wizard, right?¡± Argrave asked, brows furrowing.


    Miriam crossed her hands atop her desk. ¡°Unfortunately, until the process is finished, that can¡¯t be granted.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s annoying.¡± Argrave handed the paper back to Miriam. ¡°Look at me, so special, barred from getting the only thing I came here for¡­¡±


    <em>I wanted to buy some things to prepare for the druids with the remainder of the money I made selling that horse. I can¡¯t purchase from some sellers without the badge of a Wizard of the Gray Owl. </em>Argrave lost himself in thought at this wrench in his n.


    ¡°Perhaps I can help with that, little brother,¡± came a warm, pleasant voice from behind Argrave. Chills ran up Argrave¡¯s spine the second he processed who it belonged to.


    Argrave turned his head very slowly. A man leaned against the doorframe. He was tall, lithe, and well-built. His face had a strong resemnce to Argrave¡¯s, though it was far less gaunt. He had obsidian hair and bright blue eyes. His clothing was ck, highlighted with gold and studded with gems tastefully. On his cor, sleeves, and shoulders, a sewn symbol depicted a golden snake weaved around a sword¡ªthe symbol of the House of Vasquer.


    His name was Induen of Vasquer, eldest son of King Felipe III and heir to the throne. He was also thest person Argrave wished to speak to, in this life or the next.


    In Argrave¡¯s haste to stand, the chair he sat on creaked loudly. He ced his hand to his chest and said quickly, ¡°Prince Induen.¡±


    Perhaps Induen was fond of Argrave¡¯s troubled haste, for he smiled a little. ¡°Maybe I shouldn¡¯t call you ¡®little¡¯ brother anymore, seeing as you¡¯re taller than even me,¡± he joked with all the geniality a normal, sane older brother might possess. Argrave wasn¡¯t fooled for a second.


    ¡°¡­one of my blessings, Prince Induen,¡± Argrave responded after a pause. The words were insincere. Being this tall was terribly inconvenient, as a matter of fact.


    ¡°So it is,¡± Induen agreed with a nod. He stood from the doorframe. ¡°Come, now. We should speak in private. I believe I can help you regarding that Wizard¡¯s badge you need.¡±


    Argrave froze up a little. Induen was terrifying because, like most of his siblings, he was incredibly arbitrary. Worse yet, he was both a powerful warrior and a great mage. He was a High Wizard in the Order of the Gray Owl, and well on the track to mastering A-rank magic.


    ¡°Thank you for even considering it, Prince Induen,¡± Argrave ttered. Being with Induen would be dangerous but refusing him would be even more so. He was petty. Unlike his other siblings, though, his revenge was more insidious. He enjoyed torturing people psychologically. Argrave considered if this encounter was karma for his slight teasing of Miriam.


    Induen walked out of the administrative office and led the two of them to a room on the second floor. Two royal guards stood, a man and a woman, both guarding the room diligently. Their gold armor shone resplendently, shining both because of the metal and the powerful enchantments iid atop it. That armor could resist much of the damage caused by magic and furthermore strengthened their physical capabilities. Even without the armor, the royal guards were very powerful, Argrave knew. They could probably bend steel.


    Argrave and Induen entered the room. It was the quarters of the manager of the Mateth branch of the Order, and the branch manager stood off to the side in grey-white robes, hands sped behind his back. The royal guards followed behind them and closed the door.


    ¡°I¡¯m quite annoyed, Argrave,¡± began Induen, the endearing term of ¡®little brother¡¯ dropped now that they were in privacy. ¡°After all the trouble I went out in choosing a gift for you, I find that you¡¯ve returned it to the shop.¡±


    Argrave walked a little closer, standing beside the chair across from the desk without sitting. ¡°What do you want me to say, Prince Induen? The gift did not fit. I¡¯ve grown much since youst saw me.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get cute with me,¡± Induen retorted, sitting down in the branch manager¡¯s chair. He gestured to the seat beside Argrave,manding, ¡°Sit.¡±


    <em>At least he gives me a chance to talk. If there¡¯s one thing I¡¯m good at, it¡¯s talking. </em>Argrave thought. After obeying Induen¡¯smand to sit, Argrave waited patiently for Induen to continue.


    Induen leaned back in the chair casually. ¡°Even if you did not want it, you shouldn¡¯t have returned it.¡± His icy blue eyes stared Argrave down. ¡°It makes me question if you were trying to trample on my goodwill.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare, Prince Induen,¡± Argrave said, holding out his hands. ¡°I simply came to know during my time at the Tower of the Gray Owl that Nikoletta was no threat to your session. She is not a materialistic person.¡±


    Induen took a deep breath, then exhaled. He leaned forward, cing his elbows on the branch manager¡¯s desk. ¡°Do you remember when I killed your mother?¡±


    Argrave was a bit taken aback by the question, and he sat in stunned silence for a few seconds. This was a tidbit of lore that Argrave did not know. Fortunately, Induen¡¯s question was rhetorical.


    ¡°My mother died giving birth to me. Growing up, our father told me, ¡®Love makes a man weak. Without your mother, you will be stronger,¡¯¡± Induen said, lowering his voice in impression of King Felipe III. ¡°Our mothers are the most loving creatures in our lives. Their love makes us weak. I thought to teach you that lesson, as was my duty as the elder brother.¡±


    <em>Whatplete nonsense, </em>Argrave thought. <em>You just get off to killing people¡¯s parents in front of them. </em>One of the other main character¡¯s story revolved around seeking revenge for their parents. Induen¡¯s primary pleasure in life was orphaning children while they watched.


    ¡°Have you fallen in love with Nikoletta of Monti, brother?¡± Induen asked, low and intently.


    Argrave frowned. ¡°Of course not. She¡¯s my cousin. First cousin, at that.¡± <em>And she¡¯s a messy person, not to mention a goody-two-shoes. </em>


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Induen asked again. ¡°Because that¡¯s the ONLY REASON I COULD EVEN BEGIN TO CONSIDER¡­!¡± Induen mmed his fist on the desk and inhaled deeply, then muttered quietly, ¡°¡­how you could act so naively.¡± Induen stood quickly, walking around the desk to stand above Argrave.


    ¡°Nikoletta is not the problem. Nikoletta is the weapon,¡± he exined gently, as though to a child. ¡°Her cause can be heralded by others¡ªpeople like her father, or the other nobles. If she is seen as upstanding, that causes problems for the peace in this Kingdom of Vasquer.¡± Induen clenched his hands into fists. ¡°If you take their weapon from them, they must use their fists. You see my fists?¡±


    Argrave¡¯s head swum and his vision went white. He felt a terrible pain and his mind struggled to focus. It was only when he found his face was on the ground that he realized that he¡¯d been struck. He tried to move his jaw, but it felt terribly ajar. Something roughly gripped his arm, and then he was ced back on the chair.


    His ears were ringing, but he saw Induen speaking to the branch manager about something. The man walked over, and Argrave flinched away. A spell matrix appeared in the air in front of the branch manager¡¯s hand, and Argrave felt his jaw moving. It was a deeply ufortable thing, but it was barely noticeable in front of the pain.


    The pain and the tinnitus slowly faded away as the branch manager¡¯s healing magic did its work, and Induen¡¯s voice was audible again.


    ¡°¡­the punishment to chopping off some fingers once I heard your research was of high quality. Later, though, when I¡¯d heard of the embarrassment you made the Margrave suffer, I reduced it to just that. Be thankful, brother, for my mercy.¡±


    Argrave stroked his jaw. He pulled away his hand and saw blood on the leather gloves. Some blood dripped onto his legs, and he felt an overpowering urge to vomit. He had never been hit like that before. He was certain his cheekbone had been shattered, his jaw had been dislocated, and his nose had broken. The healing magic had fixed it, but the blood remained.


    Induen sat down again. ¡°Do not deliberately disobey me again, Argrave. Are we clear?¡± He paused, waiting for an answer, and then repeated more deliberately, ¡°Are. We clear?¡±


    ¡°¡­yes,¡± he answered quietly.


    ¡°Wipe off your face,¡± Induenmanded. ¡°It¡¯s unsightly.¡±


    Argrave retrieved his handkerchief from his gear¡¯s pockets, wetting it with water magic and quietly wiping his face off. His head was a whirlwind of fear battling with intense anger.


    ¡°Now that the unpleasant part of the conversation has concluded, I can talk about something that may please you more. Your badge as a Wizard¡ªI will have the branch manager give it to you.¡± Induen snapped, and the branch manager stepped forward.


    ¡°Give me your hand,¡± he said.


    Argrave mutely obeyed. The branch manager ced a steel badge depicting an owl in Argrave¡¯s palm. Some magic flowed through the air like a tangible white thread, and subtle inscriptions on the badge¡¯s surface started to glow white. The process was done quickly, and the branch manager wiped some sweat off his brow.


    ¡°There. It¡¯s done. Do not lose it,¡± the man said gruffly, without any respect. He walked back to where he had been standing.


    ¡°That is done, then. Congrattions, brother,¡± Induen said with a warm smile. ¡°But that can hardly be called a reward. Though I¡¯m sure the Order will reward you appropriately for the research, my insider in the Tower says that even the Tower Master has taken an interest in your particr thesis. What¡¯s more, you made the Margrave suffer a major blow to his prestige. I¡¯m told he lost a precious horse.¡±


    Induen stood once more, and Argrave tensed involuntarily. ¡°Though you are my brother, you are still a bastard¡ªtechnically amoner, given your mother¡¯s lowly origins. I think that should be rectified.¡± He snapped his finger. ¡°Rita, if you would.¡±


    The female royal guard walked forward and handed Induen a set of documents. Induen weighed them in his hands, then offered them to Argrave. ¡°My father and I are doubtless to be busy with the Margrave¡¯s little protest in theing days, so we cannot name you a noble immediately. But this¡­ well, this is your estate, brother. A seaside castle¡ªa rather famous location.¡±

 Chapter 14: A Princes Prize

    Chapter 14: A Prince¡¯s Prize


    Argrave took the documents Induen was offering him. He tore the small red strip keeping them bound and took a look at the contents. A seaside castle was, by its location alone, more valuable than most ind estates. Once he saw the name on the deed, though, Argrave couldn¡¯t help but smile.


    <em>Foamspire. Hah. A fitting gift from Induen. It¡¯s like a bright red apple that¡¯s rotten once you bite in, or a block of gold that¡¯s lead on the inside. </em>


    ¡°I see you¡¯re pleased,¡± said Induen, noticing Argrave¡¯s smile. ¡°I hope that you realize, just as the punishments for disobeying me are great, so are the rewards for being loyal. And I hope, further, that this meeting demonstrates you can hide <em>nothing </em>from me.¡±


    Argrave looked up from the deed, already proving Induen wrong as he hid his amusement. <em>He really suits the banner he bears; the snake on his cuffs, that¡¯s him to a T. He¡¯s a good maniptor. But knowing his nature is precisely what one needs to escape the web he weaves. </em>


    ¡°I never expected that I¡¯d own Foamspire. I¡¯ve heard tell of it¡ªa castle of marble at the top of a great sea arch. It serves as a lighthouse for sailors to the nearby town and has quite formidable defenses. One could house near a thousand knights there. One can see the ocean stretch for miles atop it. And it¡¯s said to be warm all year round¡ªa regr Xanadu on this mortal realm.¡± Argrave talked it up like it was a sales pitch.


    <em>And a castle that¡¯s fated to fall into the ocean this year. How wonderful. </em>


    Argrave held the deed close. ¡°Thank you, Prince Induen.¡± <em>Now that I¡¯ve shown some worth to him¡ªcleverness, magical talent¡ªhe¡¯ll try to win me over to his side. This ¡®rich castle¡¯ is fated to be rubble in the sea in not a few months, and he knows that. </em>


    ¡°If you¡¯re pleased, that is enough.¡± Induen nodded and walked to the door. ¡°Truth be told, you did something of a service to the House of Vasquer. Facing the wrath of both Parbon and Monti would be¡­ more difficult. They have many friends.¡±


    ¡°Then I will do my best to ensure that Monti stays neutral, or even loyal, in the days toe,¡± Argrave swore. It was not technically a lie. He didn¡¯t wish for Monti to join the impending civil war. They had to focus their powers on the Veidimen.


    Induen nodded. ¡°Good. But you should remember that Nikoletta¡¯s fate will not change. Discard any delusions that might be festering.¡±


    Argrave nodded. Induen and the royal knights walked swiftly out of the door. Only once it was shut did he let his expression rx. He stood, casting a nce at the branch manager.


    ¡°Thank you for healing me, Elbert.¡± Argravemented. Even if the man had been brusque, greeting rudeness with rudeness only bred enmity. Besides, he didn¡¯t wish to leave alongside Prince Induen.


    The branch manager raised an eyebrow. ¡°Don¡¯t thank me. I was merely showing deference to the Prince and a fellow High Wizard of the Order.¡±


    Argrave wiped his bloodied glove off with the handkerchief. ¡°You still did it. That counts for something.¡±


    Elbert moved to his desk. ¡°Get out, then.¡±


    Complying, Argrave walked back out into the hall. He opened the door to an empty hall, save two familiar people¡ªNikoletta and Mina. They were both watching the stairway, presumably because the heir to the throne had just walked by out of the blue. Nikoletta wore a shoulder bag and a fancy blue dressplete with resplendent jewelry, while Mina had donned more casual leather gear bereft of essories.


    ¡°Nikoletta. Good timing. I wanted to ask you about a book I left on your carriage,¡± Argrave said casually, in part to dispel his own mood of gloom.


    Mina started and looked in his direction. ¡°Wha-oh. It¡¯s you, Grave. You¡ª¡±


    Mina paused, her face slowly freezing up. Nikoletta turned to face him calmly, but soon enough her face was just as perturbed.


    ¡°Grave?¡± Argrave pressed Mina. ¡°Is that your nickname for me? Better than ¡®Gravy,¡¯ I suppose. Disgusting food. nd, slimy. Okay with bread, I¡¯ll admit,¡± Argrave rambled.


    ¡°Argrave, you¡­ why are you all bloody?¡± Nikoletta reached a tentative hand forward.


    ¡°More importantly,¡± Argrave diverted cheerfully, stepping away from her hand, ¡°Why exactly are you two here?¡±


    ¡°We thought we¡¯d find you here, because you¡¯d mentioned¡ª¡± Nikoletta trailed off. ¡°No, I don¡¯t think this is more important. What happened to you? Not to mention the blood, you look pale¡­ even more than usual. And much skinnier.¡±


    ¡°Who can say, really,¡± Argrave dismissed vaguely. ¡°Anyway, back to that book¡­¡±


    ¡°No, back to the blood, Grave!¡± Mina interjected. ¡°Your brother just walked by. Don¡¯t think¡ª¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, aren¡¯t I?¡± Argrave held his arms wide. ¡°No injuries, no scratches. My handsome face is still handsome.¡± He caressed his chin. ¡°For all you know, I just got through eating someone alive.¡±


    Argrave couldn¡¯t be sure Induen didn¡¯t have people listening in. The crown prince had learned what Argrave had been up to very quickly¡ªit stood to reason he had an extensivework of people willing and ready to hand whatever secrets they heard straight up to Induen. The branch manager Elbert was one such example.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to talk about it, fine,¡± Nikoletta said, a bit of coldness seeping into her tone.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to,¡± Argrave said. ¡°Perhaps at another time, another ce,¡± he tried to hint subtly. ¡°I¡¯m simply preupied.¡±


    ¡°Preupied? Are you kidding me?¡± Nikoletta asked incredulously.


    Mina tugged on her friend¡¯s blue sleeve and said lightly, ¡°Nicky.¡± She leaned forward and whispered something in Nikoletta¡¯s ear. Argrave could feel a faint pulse of magic around Mina¡¯s mouth. It was probably an illusion spell of some kind designed to mask words.


    ¡°Ah¡­ I¡¯m sorry, Argrave. I shouldn¡¯t pry,¡± Nikoletta said, trying to sound conciliatory in light of her misinterpretation. ¡°As for that book¡­ here.¡± Nikoletta reached the shoulder bag and pulled out the familiar book.


    Argrave¡¯s face lit up. He took it and nearly wiped it off with his handkerchief before remembering it was soaked in his blood. ¡°Never thought Mina would catch on quicker than you, Nikoletta.¡±


    Mina frowned. ¡°What does that¡ª¡±


    ¡°How auspicious, this book,¡± Argrave interrupted. ¡°I would hate to lose the first book I took out of the Tower.¡± Argrave bowed. ¡°Thank you for keeping it for me.¡±


    Mina¡¯s yellow eyes seemed to spark with anger, and she fumed silently in the background as Nikoletta crossed her arms. ¡°I am d I was able to return it to you. I feared I would not be able to. People that like to bear their burden alone tend to end in an early grave,¡± she said pointedly.


    ¡°Oh, yes. This burden on my back is wearing at my spine,¡± Argrave said drolly. ¡°I assure you; I¡¯m doing fine.¡±


    Nikoletta shook her head. ¡°Your other luggage is at my father¡¯s estate. I can take you to it, if you please.¡±


    ¡°Keep it. It¡¯s all clothes. You can take it out and stare at it when you miss me, which is sure to happen often.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to throw it out,¡± she answered without missing a beat.


    ¡°At least sell it,¡± Argrave protested. ¡°Those clothes have to be worth something. A paltry sum to you, to be fair, but for royal bastards like myself¡­¡± Argrave paused. ¡°On that matter, I have a favor to ask. We aren¡¯t on your carriage, so I think it¡¯s permissible.¡± Argrave looked at Mina, but she didn¡¯t seem bothered. He briefly wondered if she was starting to warm up to him.


    Nikoletta frowned. ¡°It depends on what it is.¡±


    ¡°Nothing major, or at least I think not. I was simply wondering if it would be possible to get ess to the Baretta Troupe Auction.¡±


    The Baretta Troupe Auction was full of high rollers with plenty of money to throw around. A yer required a certain level of fame to participate without a rmendation. Usually, one could only get that rmendation during a certain quest. Argrave hoped to circumvent that.


    ¡°If it¡¯s just that¡­¡± Nikoletta took a second to consider. ¡°Why, has something there caught your eye?¡±


    Argrave shook his head. ¡°The opposite. I have something rather eye-catching to show the world. I would sell it normally, but it fetches a bit too much for a street vendor.¡± He tapped the deed to Foamspire against his leg.


    Nikoletta paced about, scratching her chin. ¡°Putting something up for exhibit is a bit¡­¡±


    Argrave felt sudden chills. Then, he learned something he did not know before.


    <em>Erlebnis wishes to speak with me. </em>


    He came to know this as clearly as if someone had shouted it into his ears. He reached for one of his pockets and pulled free the red stone disc the emissary of Erlebnis had given him. It was pulsing ever so slowly, as constant as the tides on the ocean. Argrave couldn¡¯t help but grin.


    ¡°I must go.¡± Argrave started walking away.


    ¡°Wait, what are you¡­?¡± Nikoletta eximed, surprised.


    ¡°Urgent business. We can talkter in greater detail. For now, I have to go.¡±


    <em>Looks like I get my trump card a bit faster than I thought. </em>


    #####


    Elias leaned over the edge of a wooden balcony, gazing at the courtyard in front of the Mateth branch of the Order of the Gray Owl. He had found his father¡¯s horse at one of the many horse breeders in Mateth, and the stablemaster referred him to Duke Enrico of Monti. As much as he wanted to seize the animal right then and there, the horse master had the duke¡¯s seal, and he did not wish to enrage Duke Enrico by acting out of turn in his territory.


    Argrave¡¯s behavior in the Tower had been much different than what Elias was ustomed to, but that only redoubled his loathing. That the royal bastard had humiliated his father so, yed him like a fool with his words¡­ it affirmed Elias¡¯ doubt of the sincerity of the words that they¡¯d exchanged in the Tower of the Gray Owl. <em>A smander in the hills of Vysenn to cure my sister¡­ what nonsense.</em>


    Elias had seen Prince Induene and leave. Just after him came Nikoletta of Monti, shadowed by her friend, Mina of Veden.


    If there was one ce Argrave was likely toe to, it would be this Mateth branch of the Order. Unlike Elias, after turning in his research Argrave had left the Tower of the Gray Owl immediately. In order to graduate from Acolyte to Wizard of the Gray Owl, he would need to head to one of the various branches of the Order of the Gray Owl in prominent cities.


    Though Elias had acted rashly and moved to Mateth as fast as the horse would take him, he was not entirely certain of what he should do¡ªfurthermore, he did not know what he <em>could </em>do in the tightly guarded city of Mateth. His gut simply screamed that it was the right thing to do. His intuition was usually on point. His father, Reinhardt, had said that it was a trait shared by most of House Parbon.


    Elias saw someone heads taller than most nearby leave the Order¡¯s branch. As he looked further, he distinguished that it was a man in dark leather gear with obsidian hair. <em>Argrave. Has to be. </em>Elias watched further, confirming the person¡¯s identity.


    <em>He¡¯s talking to someone, </em>Elias thought, taking mental notes.<em> They¡¯re tall¡­ ck armor, very well-built. Weapons look expensive, possibly enchanted. A mercenary, maybe, but more likely an incognito knight. Given the height, it might even be someone from House Vasquer¡ªperhaps Orion, though that¡¯s unlikely. The man is far too showy to move quietly with Argrave. </em>


    Then, the two walked off into the streets in long strides. Elias stopped leaning on the balcony, watching as they carried off down the street. It would be easy to follow them, given their size. They could be spotted miles away.


    <em>I¡¯m not sure what they¡¯re doing¡­ but I can at least try to find out. I can¡¯t be noticed.</em>

 Chapter 15: Supersession

    Chapter 15: Supersession


    ¡°Someone is following you,¡± Gmon informed Argrave as they walked side-by-side out of the gates of Mateth.


    ¡°Really?¡± Argrave asked, surprised. He was tempted to look back, but that might give things away. ¡°I suppose Prince Induen took a greater interest in me than I thought he would.¡±


    ¡°Doubtful. He¡¯s an amateur, and rather young.¡±


    ¡°He?¡± Argrave repeated, getting a hunch. ¡°Describe him.¡±


    ¡°Tall for a human. Shorter than us. Well-built. Dark red hair. White clothes¡ªexpensive, somewhat worn.¡± Gmon listed off monotonously.


    ¡°Damn it,¡± Argraveined. ¡°Really? And he¡¯s alone?¡±


    Gmon grunted in confirmation.


    ¡°How annoying. Just¡­ scare him away,¡± Argravemanded in exasperation. ¡°Like a stray dog. No violence, preferably. I¡¯ll take the time to clean myself off.¡±


    Gmon turned on his heel and walked away without so much as a confirmation. Argrave moved onto the beach in his absence. He conjured some water with simple F-rank magic and cleaned some of the blood off his handkerchief, wiping what spots of red remained on his gear and body and draining them into the ocean. Responding to the blood, something swam up to shore. Argrave backed away warily, but then started smiling.


    It was a small school of Irontooth Piranhas. As their name suggested, they were vicious predators. In the game, they appeared whenever the yer swam too far from the shore, killing them instantly. They kept the yer locked on the continent of Berendar. It was one of the reminders that the game was a game¡ªfew and far between in ¡®Heroes of Berendar,¡¯ where immersion was a top priority.


    <em>But this isn¡¯t a game anymore. I could buy a boat ticket, sail from the continent, leave this nightmare behind. Let the continent fall into disarray. Why is this my problem? Why should I step forward to deal with these things? </em>


    Argrave felt a lump in this throat. <em>Almost vomited from seeing my own blood. Almost cried from getting punched. The future holds a lot of that¡ªtaking hits and giving them. I talk nonsense about killing druids. I¡¯ve never even killed an animal. I¡¯m no hero. What the hell am I doing? </em>


    It was difficult to appreciate how good life was in the 21st century until one was deprived of its basic liberties. Cruelty and tyranny were relics of a bygone era for many people living well in first-world countries. He had a warm bed, cheap food, and trivial concerns. He missed that. Argrave blinked quicker, holding back tears¡ªa fact which only made him angrier at himself.


    ¡°It¡¯s done.¡± Gmon¡¯s deep, grating voice drew Argrave out from his depressive haze.


    Argrave quickly pped the wet handkerchief on his face to hide his embarrassment. The water was cold, and it sharpened his mind back to the task at hand. He wiped his face down thoroughly until he felt that his thoughts were in check.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°Alright. Good.¡± Argrave straightened his back and smoothed his wet hair. ¡°Now, I have to gomunicate with an ancient god. I implore that you restrain yourself in the event of seeing strange, inhuman creatures and other such generally terrifying monstrosities. They are my business partners.¡±


    #####


    If Gmon had merely been considering that his self-confidence hadnded him in an unfavorable contract, that consideration had turned into certainty. He kept an unsteady hand on the pommel of his Ebonice axe as he watched Argrave converse with an emissary of Erlebnis.


    The Veidimen knew of Erlebnis and had a moniker for him: ¡®Hand Reaching from the Abyss.¡¯


    An abyss was bottomless and unknowable; it told of unending offerings. At the same time, all it took was a mere stumble, or perhaps the push or pull of a hand, and one would be forever lost within its depths. Erlebnis was an equitable god, true enough, but he was not kind.


    Gmon made it a point to rarely ask the details of the contracts that he took. It was part of his faith. The Veidimen¡¯s chief goddess and namesake, Veid, governed justice and contracts and guided the Veidimen through the world. To surrender oneself to the flow of the world was considered a way of atoning for sins.


    Despite Gmon developing vampirism, he fled execution. He was afraid of death. It left him with an indelible guilt, though. He had made his peace with his sphemy by taking whatever contracts found their way to him¡ªsurrendering into Veid¡¯s hands.


    Though Gmon did not ask questions, he learned much about his employer in a brief time. They were rted to Vasquer¡¯s prince somehow. Gmon used this to exin why Argrave knew so much about everything around him¡ªroyalty had vast informationworks. But seeing this sight, Gmon saw that he was wrong.


    Argrave could only be a mortal agent of Erlebnis.


    Unexined and uncanny knowledge on near everything around him, clear direction and purpose, and directmunication with one of the ancient god¡¯s emissaries¡­ what else could it be but a god¡¯s agent of change, a mortal hand to morph the world?


    But Gmon was not at all swayed to break contract. Veid guided all Veidimen, sinners or no. That She had guided him here only affirmed his faith. If this task should be his atonement for fearing death, let it be so. He refused to ept that his fate was to die a vampire. His life could not be so brief, so meaningless.


    Contrary to Gmon¡¯s thoughts, Argrave was just as uncertain as¡ªif not more so¡ªthan his snow elfpanion.


    The emissary he was speaking to was different than the one he spoke withst time. His proportions resembled a T-rex: giant legs, and two tiny, baby-like arms. The voice was identical to the previous, but Argrave was not sure if that was more or less unnerving.


    ¡°I¡¯m either in for an unpleasant interrogation or a lovely treat. Which is it?¡± Argrave inquired, staring at its undting eyes.


    ¡°Neither. A blessing from our lord Erlebnis cannot be called either of what you spoke of. It is an utmost privilege for any mortal to be given the Blessing of Supersession, and even greater still for it to be of highest quality.¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°If you¡¯re saying that, then I suppose that means things went well. Oril Vr is in the Bermuda Triangle, and the Viirtulfyr is returned to its rightful owner.¡±


    ¡°Is that a question? If so, it has a price.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°His fate hardly concerns me. I came to receive my half of the trade, and then we will part.¡±


    The emissary held one of its stubby arms to the side. ¡°Indeed. Come to our lord Erlebnis¡¯ shrine, then.¡±


    The emissary trudged away. Argrave could feel its giant feet shake the ground as it walked up the stairs carved into the tree¡¯s roots. He followed behind, keeping a fair distance away. It moved to the side of the shrine, towering over Argrave. The same stone shrine awaited him, those melting eyes seeming to stare into his soul. The reddish mercury portal on its mouth moved soundlessly.


    ¡°Offer obeisance,¡± the emissarymanded. Argrave looked at it for a second, confused. ¡°Bow,¡± it exined further.


    ¡°I know what it means,¡± said Argrave, lying through his teeth. Argrave slowly dropped to his knees and bowed before the statue. When he straightened his back, he kept his eyes fixed on the portal. He had seen what happens when one receive a blessing from Erlebnis, but he still felt a great deal of caution.


    Arge arm reached out from the portal, directly towards Argrave¡¯s head. It was difficult to suppress his base instinct to dodge. He felt nothing touch his head, but the arm most certainly moved towards him¡ªinto him, likely, moving through his cranium like some kind of ghost.


    He felt a searing feeling throughout his body¡ªnot pain, per se. It was somewhat frightening, yet concurrently oddly refreshing. It felt as though he¡¯d just taken a drink of icy water, and he could feel it moving through his entire body.


    Then, as though his frequency had been adjusted, he felt a distinct connection to something. It was like being amidst an ocean, except that ocean was also flowing through him. The feeling was so overwhelming, yet at the same time,pletely empowering, as though he could summon the seas to tten the continent.


    <em>This is Erlebnis¡¯ magic. The power of a god, springing from within me. </em>


    Once Argrave made that realization, the feeling disappeared, and Argrave fell backwards, breathing quickly. He¡¯d nearly tumbled down the stairs. There was new knowledge in his head¡ªknowledge of the Blessing of Supersession. It felt soplete he did not even feel the desire to test his newfound ability.


    ¡°The transaction is finished,¡± the emissary said quietly, uncaring of Argrave¡¯s condition. ¡°We will return to the side of our lord Erlebnis.¡±


    Once those words passed, rather than crawl back into the portal on the statue¡¯s mouth, the emissary simply vanished as though it never was. Sound returned to the forest. Argrave took some time to calm himself and do some introspection. He fumbled into his breast pocket to retrieve the bronze hand mirror and examined his stats.


    Traits: [Tall], [Sickly], [Weak], [Intelligent], [Magic Affinity (High)], [Blessing of Supersession (MAX)]


    Skills: [Elemental Magic (D)], [Blood Magic (D)], [Healing Magic (D)], [Illusion Magic (D)], [Inscription (E)], [Imbuing (E)],


    He stashed away the mirror, reflecting. Even with this power, he could still only use D-ranked spells. Blood magic, the strongest magic he had at his disposal, still required vitality to function. Though he could certainly deal a massive amount of damage in the five-minute period of the Blessing of Supersession, until he reached C-rank, many opponents were still far beyond him.


    High-ranked wizards, for instance, could conjure wards that would utterly invalidate all of his petty D-ranked spells. High-tier warriors generally outfitted themselves in gear warded against lesser magic and ranged attacks.


    Argrave came to his feet, carefully stepping down the stairs. Gmon waited there, appearing as calm as ever.


    ¡°That was a pleasant vis-¨¤-vis,¡± said Argrave drolly. ¡°Productive.¡±


    Gmon did not respond, and Argrave could only see the man¡¯s mouth on ount of his Viking-like helmet. The Veidimen mercenary was well-known among yers for being unshakable. Argrave felt d he had hired the elf, though he felt some guilt that he¡¯d left so many details out.


    Argrave dismissed his thoughts. ¡°With this out of the way, our next few days will be a lot less hectic¡­ for you, at least. I intend to hole up in study and perform menial errands in preparation for our druid-hunt. Oh, and if Nikoletta pulls through, an auction. What fun.¡±


    With a heel turn, Argrave started to move away from the shrine. Perhaps it was only his imagination, but he thought he heard a sigh of relief from his snow elfpanion.

 Chapter 16: Firebrand and the Cat

    Chapter 16: Firebrand and the Cat


    Elias trudged up the hill leading to the Monti estate with heavy steps. Embarrassingly, he had been caught by Argrave¡¯s escort in seconds. He still recalled the giant of a man cornering him, staring him down with those pure white eyes of his. They had the same cold steel glint that he saw in his father¡¯s eyes, sometimes¡ªa war veteran, a man of many battles.


    But at least that unfortunate encounter told Elias that Argrave¡¯s escort was not someone from Vasquer. None of Vasquer¡¯s royalty had white eyes. He looked more a mercenary than a knight. Elias was unsure what Argrave intended to do. Consequently, he decided to take the matter directly to Duke Enrico.


    He stopped a fair distance away from the gated wall leading to House Monti¡¯s grandiose estate. Unlike most noble houses in the kingdom of Vasquer, House Monti resided in a mansion¡ªthe city of Mateth was a fortress in and of itself, and House Monti always prided itself on treating themonfolk fairer than most houses. What better way to symbolize that than to live in the same area as they?


    Elias straightened his clothes and walked up to the gate. Two knights stood on guard, and they watched him passively. A blue swordfish, the symbol of House Monti, decorated their shield and breastte. Elias walked to them, reaching into his pocket to retrieve a seal bearing the golden lion of House Parbon.


    ¡°I am Elias of House Parbon, heir to Margrave Reinhardt,¡± he greeted the knights levelly. ¡°I would speak to Duke Enrico on urgent matters.¡±


    The knights out front of the gate straightened. They looked at each other, each trying to puzzle out how to respond. The first to speak wasn¡¯t the knights, though.


    ¡°Woah, hey,¡± came a higher pitched voice from behind the gate. Elias stepped to the side and peered into the estate. Mina walked up to the gate and grabbed the bars. ¡°It¡¯s Elias. Wow, guess the Margrave sent you personally, huh?¡±


    ¡°Mina,¡± Elias greeted. ¡°I came to speak to the duke.¡±


    At the gate, one of the knights decided to head into the estate, presumably to bring the news of Elias¡¯ arrival and decide whether or not he should be allowed in.


    ¡°Why would that be, I wonder?¡± she asked sarcastically. ¡°Missing a prize horse? Angry dad? Maybe a little bit of both?¡±


    Elias paused, not wishing to admit he¡¯de here without his father¡¯s permission. He decided to change the subject. ¡°And why are you here, and not in Count Elgar¡¯s territory?¡±


    ¡°Pfft.¡± She scoffed, and then climbed up the fence until she sat atop one of the stone pirs between the metal bars. Her golden hair reflected the sunlight brilliantly. ¡°I doubt the ninth child¡ªa daughter, especially¡ªwill be missed sorely. Nicky¡¯s a lot more fun than any of my family, anyhow.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Elias nodded, and then repeated what he¡¯d told to the knights. ¡°I need to speak to the duke.¡±


    ¡°About what?¡± Mina pressed.


    ¡°¡­my uncle¡¯s imprisonment,¡± he said after hesitating.


    ¡°Not about Argrave?¡± She said amusedly. ¡°You¡¯re not so good at lying, you know.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Elias didn¡¯t respond.


    ¡°Come on. Don¡¯t be so mute. If it <em>is</em> about Argrave, I might be able to help a little.¡±


    Elias raised a brow. He decided to test the waters, if only just. ¡°He met with Prince Induen, did he not?¡±


    ¡°Yep,¡± Mina said with a smile. ¡°He and Induen met in the Order of the Gray Owl¡¯s branch here at Mateth, and then Grave walked out caked in poorly-cleaned blood. Nicky thinks that he got punished for returning the thesis Induen stole from her.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s nonsense,¡± Elias dismissed immediately. ¡°He probably staged the whole thing to earn your trust.¡±


    ¡°Sheesh. And Nicky said <em>I </em>was paranoid.¡± Mina stood atop the pir and jumped down in front of Elias. ¡°Considering we stumbled into him on ident, I doubt it. And his general vibe¡­ was weird,¡± she said ponderingly.


    ¡°He¡¯s a man of ill character,¡± Elias insisted. ¡°He crippled my sister years ago. He stole my father¡¯s horse with his silver tongue.¡±


    Minaughed. ¡°What, he talked your father into letting him go free with a 6950-gold horse?¡±


    ¡°No, he¡­¡± Elias paused, unable to remember the details of what his father had said. ¡°It was stolen.¡±


    ¡°Well, your father stole him.¡± She poked Elias¡¯ chest. ¡°And he was ready to kill Nicky¡¯s escort if he didn¡¯tply. I consider it justice. Hrious justice, at that. I stillugh when I think about it.¡±


    Elias stared at Mina¡¯s yellow eyes, considering how to proceed. Nikoletta was a person of good character. Mina had a reputation as a trickster, but if she was friends with Nikoletta, she could not be disreputable. Elias decided to be honest.


    ¡°I watched him leave town with some giant man¡ªa mercenary or a knight, maybe. I tried to follow them, but his escort spotted me in mere minutes. He was a powerful man. Argrave¡¯s clearly not going to be idle, and he has something to hide.¡±


    Mina tilted her head. ¡°Grave was talking about the Baretta Troupe Auction, but he suddenly left on ¡®urgent business.¡¯ Some kind of magic item was glowing.¡± Mina sighed. ¡°Listen, Elias, I¡¯ll be honest with you¡ªNicky has already made up her mind to give Grave some trust. He had the opportunity to cause great friction between Parbon, Monti, and Veden, but he instead decided to go with the Margrave to avoid bloodshed.


    ¡°After seeing him all shaken after talking to Induen, she¡¯s only moremitted to that trust. Even if she knew something, I doubt she¡¯d tell you.¡± Mina shook her head.


    Elias turned away, sighing and falling into thought.


    ¡°But¡­!¡± Mina continued, raising a finger. ¡°I¡¯ve seen Nikoletta spend fortunes on acts of misced charity. She¡¯s given a life¡¯s earnings to your average marketce swindler. She¡¯s misced her trust thousands of times before. She¡¯s trusting. I think Grave isn¡¯t such a bad guy, but he¡¯s still a Vasquer.¡±


    ¡°What are you getting at?¡± Elias asked, turning back.


    ¡°I¡¯m a lot better at keeping out of sight than you, especially with my illusion magic. With a dad like mine, you learn very quickly that being unseen is better than standing out. I can even help keep you out of sight. I want to trust Argrave, but I also like to give my trust carefully. Even if he likes to make fun of me, Nicky needs more reliable friends, and he hasn¡¯t let her down yet.¡±


    ¡°I used some minor illusion magic. Didn¡¯t seem to faze Argrave¡¯s escort,¡± Elias dismissed.


    ¡°Did you use C-rank illusion magic?¡± Mina beamed.


    Elias furrowed his brows. ¡°You¡¯ve already reached C-rank?¡±


    ¡°What can I say?¡± she asked boastfully. ¡°¡¯Special consideration¡¯ for my thesis, C-rank magic at the young age of 19¡­ Of course, Nicky says I should focus on other fields of magic, but elemental magic and stuff like that is boring.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re willing to help me find out what he¡¯s up to?¡± Elias sought to confirm.


    ¡°Like I said, I need to confirm he¡¯s trustworthy.¡± Mina crossed her arms. ¡°I might¡¯ve done it alone, but now that you¡¯re snooping around, I can¡¯t help myself.¡±


    The knight that had moved to the estate returned. He walked to Elias and bowed. ¡°Young lord Parbon. The duke said that he is willing to receive you.¡±


    ¡°¡¯Course, if you bother Nicky and her dad, the offers off the table,¡± Mina said. ¡°So, what¡¯ll it be, Mr. Firebrand?¡±


    ¡°What? Why?¡± Elias asked, confused.


    ¡°See, this is why you¡¯re terrible at sneaking about. No sense of covertness.¡± She stretched her hand up and flicked Elias¡¯ forehead. ¡°I won¡¯t exin myself.¡±


    Elias frowned, considering briefly if he was being deceived. After deliberating for a long time, he said to the guard, ¡°Tell the duke that the matter resolved itself, and he needn¡¯t meet with me.¡±


    Mina smiled. ¡°Alright, neato. Let¡¯s see if he¡¯s a snake in the grass or a mouse on thewn, Mr. Firebrand.¡± She walked past him, arms behind her head.


    Elias trailed behind, calling out, ¡°Why are you calling me that?¡±


    #####


    Despite Argrave iming that their days of preparation would be less hectic, Gmon was worked tirelessly. As a vampire, Gmon did not need sleep as long as he remained fully sated. Argrave simply refused to sleep, working through the night and sleeping in small bursts of two or three hours. During the day, Argrave would venture on shopping trips. He seemed to know the city perfectly, and moreover, he knew where everything that he needed was. The young man had ess to some ingredients Gmon could not hope to get due to Argrave¡¯s status as a Wizard of the Gray Owl.


    At night, Argrave would alternate between trying to advance his magic to C-rank and working on a project he deemed important. It was during those hours that he drove Gmon to brew poisons and potions. Though Argrave briefly tried to brew the potions himself, he dered that ¡®his wrists were too flimsy for this work,¡¯ and furthermore that the act itself was ¡®terribly unclean and altogether unpleasant.¡¯ Gmon could not disagree on the second ount.


    Gmon was no stranger to alchemy. Sometimes, poisons were needed to dispatch a particrly hardy target. More often, one needed potions for healing, or for an edge in battle. That stated, Argrave¡¯s knowledge of alchemy surprised even the veteran snow elf. Though Argrave was of little help in the brewing process, he knew the ingredients very well, and Gmon learned many new recipes. Some of them were frighteningly effective and surprisingly cheap.


    At some point, the innkeeper kicked them out,ining of the terrible smell brought about by the brewing. Argrave speedily moved them into an abandoned house, somehow managing to find a hidden key that unlocked the back door. Gmon could not help but wonder if Erlebnis was in the man¡¯s ears at all times, whispering him all of the secrets in the world.


    Argrave was not solely inhuman, though. He cooked for himself, and frequently spoke of how he missed making certain meals and eating spicy food. Most often, he simply forgot to eat, so absorbed he was in his tasks. Despite his efforts, he struggled to reach C-rank magic.


    The crimson-haired man, whom Argrave referred to only as the ¡®self-righteous German Shepherd in human skin,¡¯ seemed to have abandoned the notion of following them; Gmon did not see him again. Their days passed by in peace, barring the asional nightly outing Gmon took to obtain more blood. It was oddly nice to have one that knew his secret of vampirism, despite Argrave¡¯s incessant jokes about it.


    The more they prepared for the assault on the Veidimen druids, the morefortable Gmon became with the task. Argrave did not seem an inexperienced brat¡ªindeed, his insights into the assault surprised Gmon at times. He dared not grow arrogant, though; Tirros the Tempestuous was famous in Veiden, and he could not be taken lightly.


    Like this, the days passed steadily onwards. Soon enough, a week had gone by. It was the day that Argrave had designated they would move on the druid¡¯s haven.

 Chapter 17: Theory to Reality

    Chapter 17: Theory to Reality


    Moonlight filtered through the poorly boarded windows of the abandoned house, leaving long slivers of orangish light across the decrepit floorboards. Argrave sat on a table, gazing up at the red moon with tired eyes. He was growing used to the strange sight, if only just. Across from him, Gmon was tidying up their preparations. He was carrying the bulk of things¡ªss bottles filled with viscous liquids, pouches full of tools and all the like.


    Soon, everything was ready. Gmon took a moment to ensure he had not forgotten anything, feeling his axe, his dagger, his greatsword, and his bow. Once he was content, he locked his white eyes on Argrave. ¡°We are ready.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± said Argrave. ¡°Thought I could reach C-rank magic. I suppose I was big-headed.¡± He shook his head lightly and stood. ¡°Well, no use moping. I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll lose.¡±


    ¡°We can retreat if we do,¡± Gmon pointed out. Argrave was not sure if he was trying tofort him.


    ¡°If we retreat without killing Tirros, it¡¯s rather pointless. We have two lose conditions, the way I see it; Tirros escapes, or we die. If he escapes, he¡¯ll just relocate alongside whichever Veidimen druids are left alive, and I can¡¯t really find him again.¡±


    He spoke of the matter very casually, but Argrave was a mess internally. Certainly, if this was ¡®Heroes of Berendar,¡¯ he would haveplete confidence in his sess. He had faced greater challenges in-game, primarily for fun. Now, the former NPCs around him were living, breathing people, and he himself was not some yer-controlled avatar devoid of mistakes. He had fear, doubt, inexperience¡ªall of the symptoms of impending failure. But could he stop? The mirror in his pocket said ¡®no.¡¯


    Argrave grabbed a small satchel and a knife, slinging both to his leather gear quickly. He drank the contents of a vial on the table, and he was visibly reinvigorated¡ªhis pale skin returned to a semi-healthy pallor. ¡°Ant venom stamina potions¡ªdisgusting,¡± he said, moving his mouth to get rid of the taste. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Gmon threw on his Viking-like helmet, and the pair left the abandoned house. It was perhaps an hour before midnight, but the streets of Mateth still had many people moving about. Most were sailors,ing to the city after long voyages over the turbulent oceans. Though some dubious people prowled the streets, the two were not troubled by anyone on their way to the gate. Argrave watched for pigeons, but he could see none.


    The moon was close and bright, and they had very little difficulty seeing the way.


    Argrave left the gate closest to the coast¡ªthe same one he¡¯d taken to go to Erlebnis¡¯ shrine. The guards on duty watched with tired eyes but offered no greeting or questions. They broke off from the road, heading towards the forest, but they followed the edge of the trees without entering the forest proper. Once they came to a river, Argrave crossed, delicately walking over some exposed rocks.


    Once Gmon reached the other side, Argrave pointed to the distance, where a mound of rocks sat at the bottom of the beginning of a mountain. Trees rose up the mountain towards its peak, decorating its entirety with green. One could faintly make out the river pouring down from the headwater in the mountain.


    ¡°See those rocks stacked up?¡± He kept his finger straight.


    Gmon followed Argrave¡¯s finger, and then nodded.


    ¡°They stack up in a rough circle, but the inside is hollow. You can vaguely see some trees growing out,¡± Argrave exined. ¡°That¡¯s where they are. There¡¯s a crawlspace they enter through, but we¡¯ll have to climb up the rocks for our purposes. I know a good route.¡±


    ¡°Scouts?¡± Gmon questioned.


    ¡°At midnight, they convene to discuss their findings. That¡¯s why we left sote at night¡ªto sneak in far enough to deal with those scouts.¡±


    Gmon nodded. Argrave took a deep breath, and then moved towards the mound of rocks in the distance. He kept his eyes firmly fixed on the spot that the scouts usually stood. His heart sped up until it was as fast as a hummingbird¡¯s. He hade this far due to reliance on his game knowledge, but this was different. If he was off, the entire operation would go bust.


    Argrave could not spot anybody in the scout¡¯s post, but he still felt uneasy as they approached. He motioned for Gmon to follow close behind, and they started to shamble up the rocks. His legs shook, but he kept his focus as best he could. The climb was not especially difficult, and Gmon gave him aid where he could. Nheless, Argrave was still very weak, and the climb taxed him more than he cared to admit.


    Once they were near the top, Argrave tentatively peeked his head over the mound of rocks, examining the pseudo-valley below. It was crowded with growth¡ªfungus, shrubs, and trees, but distinct paths had been carved into thendscape by frequent travels, like a game trail. There was a makeshift construction atop the rocks¡ªa simple tform of wood nks with adder leading up to it, and railings preventing anyone from falling too easily. It had been covered partially with moss, evidencing it had been here for some time.


    Argrave climbed up thest bit of rocks, needing a slight push from Gmon to crest the top. He climbed onto the wooden tform, crouching low and looking out across the druid¡¯s hideout. The trees, mostly oak, had thick leaves, and it was difficult to see particrly far. That was probably to their advantage.


    After beckoning Gmon toe closer, he whispered betweenbored breaths, ¡°We climb down thedder. Then, you draw your bow. Prepare an arrow with the paralytic poison¡ªthe Whitesand Spider and Crawlroot brew.¡±


    ¡°Why paralytic?¡± Gmon questioned.


    ¡°The druids are all connected to each other¡¯s animals in a grandwork, with Tirros at the center. If one dies, the connection is severed, and they feel it.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Gmon grunted. ¡°You go first. I¡¯ll prepare the arrow while you climb down.¡±


    Argrave briefly resented Gmon for telling him to go first¡ªhe felt like he¡¯d just been pushed into a roller coaster¡ªbut heplied, heart pounding. Thedder was sturdy, and Argrave had never been afraid of heights. He was most afraid of being seen. He felt as though, at any second, an arrow would pierce his back. His legs trembled from fatigue and anxiety both.


    When his feet met the ground once more, Argrave could not be dder. He slunk off into the undergrowth, ears perked for any sound. Gmon followed closely behind him,nding as quietly as one in te armor could. He walked to Argrave and crouched down beside him, nocking the arrow in his bow. It shone in the moonlight with the amber poison they¡¯d prepared.


    ¡°He¡¯ll return soon, I think. Can you shoot him on the tform?¡± Argrave questioned. ¡°Wait till he climbs up?¡±


    ¡°Why? To hide him? We can stash him beneath some shrubs.¡±


    Argrave heard a crack above them and looked up in a panic. A rock fell down from the top of the mound,nding in the undergrowth. Argrave stared at the spot it came from intensely, staying deathly still. Eventually, when nothing further came, he answered Gmon¡¯s question.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. Not sure what I was thinking.¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°When hees by, be sure to hit him in a non-fatal spot. Not the neck, the head, or the heart. The poison slows the bleeding, so other than¨C¡±


    Argrave paused, hearing something in the distance. The sounds started growing louder. Argrave cast a D-rank illusion spell, [Chameleon], that would keep them hidden so long as they did not move. Gmon drew the bow back, his breathing steady and solid.


    The Veidimen walked into view. It was a woman. She wore battered leather armor that was the color of tree bark, but it was covered with scratches from branches and shrubs. Argrave was briefly taken aback that it was a woman, but he steeled his resolve. Man or woman, he had long ago decided to do this today. The decision, though, was not made by him. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Gmon exhaled and released the bow. All Argrave heard was a <em>twang, </em>like a guitar string broke. The elven woman jolted back and fell, exhaling as though she¡¯d been winded. Gmon and Argrave slowly rose to their feet and then walked towards the spot.


    The snow elf vainly clutched at the arrow in her shoulder, sputtering. Her eyes were locked on the two of them. Slowly, her contractions became more infrequent, and she was still, hands wrapped around the arrow. No blood flowed from the wound¡ªthe effect of the poison. Argrave focused on the objective facts to distract himself from what was happening.


    ¡°It shouldst for a few hours. By then¡­¡± Argrave trailed off. He hid his mouth with his gloved hands. He was shaking. It was getting better, but it was still there.


    Gmon grabbed her legs and pulled her into an area with dense undergrowth, breaking some greenery and tossing it over her to better conceal her. Argrave peered ahead. In the distance, the trees began to thin up. The moonlight fell onto a more open area. There, most of the druids would be sleeping.


    ¡°Come on,¡± Argrave whispered. ¡°There¡¯s an elevated spot that gives a good vantage point. We should start the assault from there. We¡¯ll be able to stay hidden for longer.¡±


    Argrave led Gmon through the undergrowth, taking great care to step quietly. They came to the spot he mentioned¡ªArgrave even recognized some trees in the exact same location as they were in the game. In a small clearing below, the druids had established a small camp of uniformly built wooden structures not much better than tents. As they were scouts of Veiden¡¯s military, they had rigorous schedules; they would all be asleep at this time in preparation for the next day.


    Tirros¡¯ building was by itself, far removed from most of the other constructions. Argrave motioned to Gmon, and he came closer. They came to the top of the hill, hiding behind some denser bushes as they peered out across the camp.


    Argrave reached into his satchel and pulled out some ss bottles full of a roiling ck gas. The edge of the ss was inscribed. ss could hold enchantments. Argrave only knew E-rank Inscription and Imbuing, but he could add simple spells to ss bottles. He added an illusion spell to them: [Muffle]. When they broke, they would do so soundlessly.


    ¡°Are you sure you can throw these urately?¡± Argrave whispered.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Gmon took two of the bottles from Argrave¡¯s hand. ¡°Do you want them on the building or near it?¡±


    ¡°In front of the doorway would be best,¡± Argrave said. ¡°That building there,¡± he said, motioning towards Tirros¡¯ building, ¡°is Tirros¡¯. Don¡¯t throw the gas near it. Everything we need is there¡ªthe scout¡¯s maps, their assessment of defenses, and some very valuable books.¡±


    Gmon threw one of the bottles without warning, making Argrave¡¯s heart leap out of his chest. Itnded squarely where Argrave had directed, and some of the gas spread out across the ground in front of a shack without a sound. Gmon threw the next, and then motioned for Argrave to hand him another. He hit all of his throws near perfectly, barring one, which hit the wall of one of the shacks.


    ¡°Now, get the Ebonice arrow,¡± Argrave instructed.


    Gmon removed the quiver from his back, searching for the arrow that had a blue strip on its center. He pulled it out and then slung the quiver back behind him.


    ¡°When I ignite the gas, Tirros is sure toe out. He may be with someone else, but I doubt it. Just in case, do not shoot anyone but Tirros with that arrow. Tirros has gray hair and a long gray beard.¡±


    Gmon nodded. He appeared so calm in that moment, despite the fact that they were about to face around twenty druids, including Tirros, alone. Argrave envied that.


    ¡°The druids¡¯ animals are being held over there,¡± said Argrave, pointing opposite them. ¡°If you hit Tirros, they¡¯ll probably never arrive, as the center of their druidic connection helps them allmunicate. If not¡­ they will arrive quickly. They¡¯re mostly wolves, but they have some bears,¡± Argrave recalled. ¡°Not many for attack. Most of their attention is dedicated to those pigeons.¡±


    Gmon nodded again. He nocked the Ebonice arrow into his bow but did not pull it back.


    ¡°Alright. Time for potions¡­¡± Argrave reminded himself. Gmon retrieved one brew, but Argrave reached into his satchel and pulled out two ss bottles.


    He downed them quickly. One was a stamina potion; the other was a potion that calmed and focused. They tasted terrible. The effect took a moment to happen, and then, it felt like tendrils of ice were spreading throughout his brain. His body stopped shaking, and he felt reinvigorated.


    Argrave held his hand up, calm as he¡¯d been in months. He held his hand towards the first of the four shacks. He cast a simple, slow-moving elemental spell at D-rank: [Fire Pulse]. A ring of fire burst from his palm, drifting through the air slowly. He swept his palm to the left, then cast another.


    Soon enough, four rings of fire were drifting through the air. Gmon drew his bow back, aiming it at Tirros¡¯ shack. The [Fire Pulse] moved ever closer to its target. Argrave watched it, holding his breath. When it was just feet away from its target, he saw some movement in the corner of his eye.


    Someone poked a head out from one the shacks, scratching their eyes. They spotted the ring of fire heading towards them. Argrave held his breath. The Veidimen raised a hand, obviously preparing to cast a spell. At that moment, the rings of fire all reached their target. As soon as they touched the gas, the mes leapt forward like a lunging snake, immediately enveloping and entering the shacks.


    A dread howl echoed through the grove, the mix of what sounded like a thousand animalsing awake at once. The birds screeched, the wolves howled, the bears roared, and the snow elves screamed¡ªin surprise or pain, Argrave did not know.


    Their assault had begun.

 Chapter 18: Raging Tempest, Roaring Flames

    Chapter 18: Raging Tempest, Roaring mes


    In nning this assault, Argrave confronted a fact about himself. He was not eager to fight; he had no desire for war or battle. Anxiety led him to where he was¡ªanxiety that, if he did nothing, his life would slip from his fingers, spiraling towards misery and death. Argrave knew the fate of the world, theing wars, gues, natural disasters, and Gerechtigkeit. He was the only who did. This knowledge, in his eyes,id a burden upon him to act. Perhaps it was the only reason he was here in this realm to begin with. It was the reason he was here, today.


    Time seemed to move slower once the druid¡¯s shacks had been consumed in me, yet Argrave still felt that things were moving too quickly. The druids screamed and thrashed about, consumed by chaos. They had been sleeping, and after waking up to mes, they did not act rationally. Some thought fast enough to cast water magic, but the effort was uncoordinated. Furthermore, the gas that Argrave had used was particrly insidious; it was harvested from a reptile attuned to fire called a Whitetongue, and the mes it produced burned incredibly hot. The temperature would fade, but for now, it was far deadlier than the average fire.


    Both Gmon and Argrave stayed and watched Tirros¡¯ building. The initial strike was pivotal, and because of the chaos it caused, it allowed them to retain the element of surprise longer. The druids could not coordinate properly. A few seconds stretched as the fires burned¡ªand then, a pair of people ran out from Tirros¡¯ shack.


    Argrave heard a <em>twang, </em>and Gmon released the Ebonice arrow. Perhaps it was the potion enhancing his senses, but he swore he could follow it with his eyes as it whistled through the air. Tirros, an experienced general and spellcaster, had already prepared a magic barrier to block potential threats, shielding both himself and hispany.


    This was not unexpected. Argrave prepared Ebonice for a reason.


    Ebonice was not a metal, despite being ck and metallic looking. It was ice¡ªmagical ice hailing from Veiden that greatly interfered with magic. On contact with magic, it would dispel it. If it pierced a spellcaster¡¯s body, though¡­ their ability to cast spells would be severely diminished. The arrow they¡¯d made was barbed¡ªif it struck, it would not be easy to remove without sundering yet more flesh.


    The arrow met Tirros¡¯ barrier and the magic shattered soundlessly, fragmenting like ss. Continuing onward, it struck Tirros¡¯ forearm, piercing deep into flesh. The snow elf druid staggered back, grabbing the other with him for support. The other druid cast a weaker barrier spell and moved forward, shielding Tirros with their body.


    ¡°He is hit,¡± Gmon said matter-of-factly, though Argrave barely heard it underneath the din of chaos.


    The area around them seemed to quiet down as the Ebonice took effect¡ªthe roaring animals quieted, their cries lighter and more confused. Tirros was using a druid¡¯s spell, [Progenitor], to give a portion of his abilities to the druids working with him in his scouting unit. Now that he was affected, they were all affected. The chaos, ignited by the mes, was expounded by the severance from their leader.


    ¡°Go for Tirros,¡± Argrave directed quickly. ¡°I will follow shortly behind. Dispatching him quickly is pivotal for our sess.¡±


    Gmon stood from cover, stepping away from the trees and into the clearing. Argrave watched him go, chest swirling with slowly dulling fear as the potion took effect. He clenched his fists, grit his teeth, and pursued shortly behind Gmon. As he grew closer to the mes which still raged furiously, he felt the intense heat and the nauseating smell of burnt hair. There was another smell. It was putrid, but Argrave could not question more beyond that. He had no time.


    Argrave felt bare and exposed without a barrier¡ªhe did not know any ward magic¡ªbut he continued onwards, Tirros and the Veidimen beside him consuming his focus. He reached into his satchel bag and pulled free thest bottle, popping its cork off. It was cold, like touching ice. Tirros tried to use his magic with his uninjured hand, but Argrave could see the spell-matrix breaking before his eyes. Tirros quickly deduced what was happening and instructed the one with him to provide aid.


    Gmon ran quickly across the clearing,ing ever closer towards Tirros. The Veidimen beside Tirros yanked on the arrow fiercely, but the wounded druid only cried out in pain. Tirros pushed the other away, directing him towards the approaching Gmon. The druid conjured elemental magic from behind the barrier¡ªa spear of wind hurtled out towards the snow elf, but he swatted it aside with the Ebonice axe, and its magic dissipated into the air. It did seed in slowing the mercenary, however.


    Argrave raised a hand and used blood magic for the first time, conjuring the spell [Pierce], which shot a fast-moving projectile in a straight line. It was necessary to use blood magic to break the barrier; no elemental spells Argrave knew would suffice. At once, a red bolt no wider than a pencil tore through the air. After using blood magic, Argrave felt as though someone had torn a tendon from his wrist and cried out in pain.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    The barrier was pierced, though, and the druid beside Tirros fell onto his back, struck squarely in the stomach. Gmon proceeded unabated. Tirros did not remain idle, however. With his free hand, he grabbed the arrow. He pinned his arm underneath his leg and pulled. The arrow was freed, but the man¡¯s arm nearly split in half. Tirros shouted in agony, but he still tossed aside the arrow, raised his hand, and cast magic.


    As soon as Argrave saw Tirros free the arrow, he brought the bottle he held to his mouth and drank. It burned as though he had dropped a cube of dry ice in his mouth. In a matter of seconds, that cold feeling spread throughout his entire body. Then, he triggered the Blessing of Supersession. At once, he felt a great sea of magic billowing within him, threatening to erupt free from his mouth, his nose. Despite this, the potion he drank earlier kept him calm.


    Though Argrave wished to dispatch Tirros quickly, he had always been considering the notion that the high-ranking spellcaster would be able to cast spells. Tirros, even amidst pain, was a veteran of battles and an experienced spellcaster. His first priority once he was free of the Ebonice would be to regain control of the situation. To do that, he would need to stop the attackers and help his men.


    In such a situation, Tirros would most likely call on elemental magic: a water spell with arge area of effect. Argrave could think of many the druid might cast, but his conclusion was that the best way to counter them all was with potent ice magic. Argrave had drunk the blood of a Winter Nymph; a very deadly ingredient, ordinarily, but it enhanced one¡¯s ice magic, and its side effects were partially abated by the presence of heat.


    Two twin geysers of water erupted from Tirros¡¯ hand towards Gmon, swirling together and forming a cone that tore the earth as it proceeded. Water showered everywhere indiscriminately. Argrave recognized the spell; the B-rank magic, [Rip Current]. Gmon paused, and Argrave advanced in front of him. He held both hands out, and D-rank matrixes formed in front of his hands. He felt the chill of the Winter Nymph¡¯s blood rushing to his fingers, turning them gray and numb. Argrave cast [Frost Wave], and a burst of sheer cold of ridiculous magnitude erupted forth.


    He continued to use [Frost Wave], and the dangerously-fast [Rip Current] slowed before pausing in air. Argrave used another spell, [Wind Hammer], and shattered the ice. Gmon rushed forth, pushing past the falling ice crystals.


    Tirros stood shakily and walked backwards, preparing another spell. Gmon raised the axe to dispatch him, but the druid beside Tirros that Argrave had attacked earlier had not died from the stomach wound¡ªhe interfered briefly with the snow elf mercenary, grabbing his legs as he tried to move. It was enough time for Tirros to gain distance and prepare another spell.


    Argrave aimed towards the druid grappling with Gmon and cast an E-rank lightning spell, [Bolt]. It tore through the air and struck him, and Gmon broke free from his grip. Argrave used [Bolt] time and time again in quick session until the druid had fallen. The chill of the Winter Nymph¡¯s blood was growing harsher, and Argrave sidled towards the mes, their heat a wee reprieve.


    Gmon came just before Tirros, but the man had prepared another spell. A small tornado erupted forth. Gmon shed its center with his Ebonice axe and it dissipated, exploding in all directions as the magic lost its will. The sheer power of the wind sent Argrave stumbling, and the mes roared and twisted, redoubling in heat. Tirros was knocked on his back. Though Gmon barely stumbled from the wind explosion, his Ebonice axe flew free from his grip. The Veidimen mercenary drew his greatsword and proceeded, stabbing it towards Tirros.


    Tirros conjured a barrier, and the greatsword bent slightly when it impacted. Argrave¡¯s mind worked as fast as it ever had. He rushed past the fragments of ice littered on the ground, grabbing the Ebonice arrow and throwing it clumsily. He used wind magic to send it faster, but it had minimal effect on ount of the Ebonice. The arrow flew, spinning in the air, and struck the barrier sideways. It was enough, though¡ªTirros¡¯ ward fell, and Gmon seized the opportunity. He stepped forward and stabbed Tirros¡¯ eye. His struggles ceased instantly.


    Now that thergest threat was dealt with, Argrave did not lose himself in celebration. He whipped his head back around towards the roaring mes, proceeding onwards with breath surging white out of his mouth. He used one of the best D-rank elemental attack spells, [Writhing Lightning]. Even if it missed its target, the lightning would surge along whatever surface it had struck towards living opponents. uracy was not his concern with magic flowing into him from Erlebnis.


    Lightning danced through the air, the power of the Blessing of Supersession enabling and encouraging him to attack with reckless abandon. The further he proceeded into the mes, the more his pain from drinking the Winter Nymph¡¯s blood lessened. Whatever living moved within the mes, he attacked. Their screams of anguish were hidden by the crack of the thunder echoing out into the forest.


    When he felt his body was no longer under duress from the Winter Nymph¡¯s blood, he retreated from the mes, watching for movement. Gmon came to stand beside Argrave, and so he cast water magic to begin diminishing the inferno. Gmon had an arrow nocked, watching everything in front of them. Slowly, the fires began to die down, and the scenery was revealed in earnest.


    The clearing, which had been grassy and green, had been charred ck. The shacks were burnt to ashes. The druids¡¯ bodies were everywhere, charred beyond recognition. Some were twisted, still spasming and sparking with lightning. Time stretched as Argrave maintained a wary intensity. Seeing no movement, he slowly calmed. As the adrenaline began to fade, Argrave¡¯s dulled senses became clearer.


    Argrave recognized that putrid smell he sensed earlier. It brought back a memory. Whenever his father would make hamburgers, his brother would always demand that his hamburgers be burnt. That same smell hung in the air.


    With that realization, the crushing reality of what he had done set in, and Argrave fell to the ground, vomiting profusely. His vomit was mercury-colored because of the Winter Nymph¡¯s blood. His eyes and nose were dripping, and the pain began to set in. He had been cut from the ice shards and burned half a dozen times, but the wounds were light and he barely even noticed it until now.


    Gmon stood above him, alert as ever, seemingly unaffected by it all. Argrave¡¯s vomiting fit continued until he was dry heaving. Once the Blessing of Supersession wore off, he felt entirely back in reality. He stayed on the ground, trying to bring his mind to heel. Gmon scanned the forest line, watching in caution.


    Having deemed there were no more threats, Gmon released the bow string slowly, keeping the arrow nocked. He walked off, but Argrave was not sure where. It was only once he returned with his Ebonice axe in hand that Argrave deduced things. He felt a big hand wrap around his arm, and he was hoisted to his feet.


    ¡°Drink,¡± prompted Gmon, holding a canteen to his face. It was filthy, but Argrave could not be bothered by his germaphobia with all that was urring around him. He drank, but the water made him choke.


    ¡°Drink slowly,¡± Gmon added. Argrave obeyed, taking small sips. ¡°The battle is won. All of the druids are dead. You can take time.¡±


    Some time passed. Argrave stayed standing, staring at the scene that he had been the cause of. Argrave was slowly beginning to get his bearings again.


    ¡°You did well. Two men killed an entire scouting party from Veiden. Your strategy and bearing were both excellent.¡±


    Argrave processed the words. Though they may have been intended to console, they did not make him feel good.

 Chapter 19: The Sad Clown

    Chapter 19: The Sad Clown


    The druid¡¯s haven still echoed with noise for a time. With all of the druids dead, the animals would be ripped from their magical control. They were probably fleeing or fighting, having abruptly been given freedom. Argrave still stared nkly at the scene of carnage, as thoughmitting it to memory. Gmon tended to a few of the bodies, slicing wounds in them to fill his sks of blood.


    <em>I¡¯m pathetic, </em>Argrave thought. <em>Faltering here. Faltering at this. The first step of the stairway, and I¡¯m out of steam? I have to do better than this. </em>He reached into his pocket and pulled out the bronze hand mirror, hands shaking fiercely.


    Gmon finished his task and walked to Argrave¡¯s side. Argrave turned to look at him. At once, his entire demeanor seemed to shift, his nk look regaining life and vigor. He stowed away the mirror.


    ¡°That Winter Nymph blood was foul,¡± Argrave scoffed and held his nose. ¡°I should readbels before I go shoving things down my throat.¡±


    Gmon was taken aback for a moment by the abrupt change in expression. ¡°It worked, no?¡±


    ¡°I suppose. Next time we go druid-hunting, I¡¯ll think of something else,¡± Argrave said with exaggerated cheer. He turned on his heel. ¡°I would say we could hunt more now, but the scouts on the other ends of this ce are going to be long-gone. They¡¯ll flee and return to Veiden posthaste.¡±


    ¡°Is that what you want?¡± Gmon inquired.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Argrave said with a nod. ¡°If all of the druids simply disappeared, it would take longer for the rest of Veiden to respond. If they receive news of what¡¯s happened, they¡¯ll act on it quicker.¡±


    ¡°Quick action means less time to prepare,¡± Gmon countered.


    ¡°Vasquer is about to go to war. A civil war, unfortunately. The invasion is inevitable; you know Veiden. Conquest is their divine duty. Quick action might be the only way to salvage this situation.¡±


    Argrave looked up the hill to Tirros¡¯ mostly unaffected shack. ¡°We should go to Tirros¡¯ hut. He was teaching some of his fellows, and has druidic spell books¡ªinvaluable for me, considering their rarity in Berendar. I don¡¯t even think the Order of the Gray Owl has them.¡± He marched his way towards Tirros¡¯ hut, boots sinking into the wet ash and making unpleasant squishing noises.


    Argrave stopped at Tirros¡¯ shack, looking around inside. He grabbed the doorway to the shack. Gmon noticed that Argrave¡¯s hands were still shaking fiercely.


    The snow elf mercenary followed behind Argrave. ¡°Since Tirros ¡®the Tempestuous¡¯ was here, I can¡¯t doubt your ims that an invasion will ur. But¡­ humans do not seem as fond of warfare as my kind. Do you hope to stay the civil war by inciting the invasion earlier?¡±


    Argrave proceeded into the shack, looking about. ¡°The civil war is inevitable. House Vasquer wants House Parbon to rebel. If that does happen, House Monti will likely join them, leaving Mateth undefended; the invasion needs to be brought to light before then. That¡¯s why we need their reports.


    ¡°I think Reinhardt fundamentally misunderstands the king; King Felipe does not care about life. I tried to tell him this when he kidnapped¡ª¡± Argrave paused, looking back at Gmon. ¡°Oh, I never told you about that. It¡¯s not important. Anyway, Reinhardt will start a civil war¡ª¡±


    Two voices rang out simultaneously. One was female, the other male.


    ¡°Wait..!¡± the woman said.


    ¡°What are you talking about, a civil war, an invasion?¡± the man said.


    Gmon drew his greatsword quickly and turned his back. Argrave, too, turned his head, and saw a familiar face that he did not expect to see. Elias of Parbon stood at the entrance of Tirros¡¯ shack.


    ¡°Why in the¡­?¡± Argrave trailed off, befuddled at seeing this man here.


    Gmon stepped forward with his greatsword, and Elias stepped back, ready to fight. Argrave called out, ¡°Wait a moment, Gmon.¡±


    Gmon held in ce. ¡°This is that same one that was following you a week ago.¡±


    Elias was undeterred, but he rxed his posture. ¡°I asked you a question, Argrave! What in the gods¡¯ name happened here? What are you talking about?¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Argrave shuffled on his feet, mind spinning as he tried to deduce how this situation came to pass.


    ¡°Don¡¯t try to fool me with a witty answer!¡± Elias spat, stepping forward. ¡°Who were these people? Why did you kill them?¡±


    <em>Very wise to yell at someone who justmitted a brutal ughter, </em>Argrave wished to say, but he held his tongue. ¡°How did you get here?¡±


    ¡°I followed you,¡± Elias said quickly. ¡°I wanted to see what you were up to. Seems I was right to do so. So how do you exin¡­ this?!¡± He gestured behind him fiercely.


    Argrave bit his lip, then asked himself, <em>why am I keeping this secret? We came here to get the scout¡¯s ns. I wanted to present them to Nikoletta, and eventually to Duke Enrico. Elias isn¡¯t necessarily an enemy. </em>


    ¡°These men were advance scouts for an invasion,¡± Argrave exined gently and concisely, holding his hands in the air to appear non-threatening. ¡°They¡¯re spellcasters, as you probably saw. In their homnd, they¡¯re called druids; they know magic that controls animals. They¡¯ve been using that magic to spy on Mateth and the viges near it for some months now, gathering intelligence for an invasion.¡±


    Elias stared, his ruby-eyes wide with some mixture of confusion, surprise, and hostility. ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous.¡±


    ¡°Thene inside, see for yourself the fruits of theirbor.¡± Argrave stepped forward and tapped Gmon¡¯s pauldron with his knuckle, motioning for him to put the weapon away.


    Gmon put away his greatsword and stepped back towards Argrave. He kept his hand near the Ebonice axe strung to his waist. Elias walked forward tentatively, and Argrave beckoned him closer. Argrave grabbed one of the many parchments littered throughout the room.


    Argrave scanned the document quickly. ¡°Look at this. A request for a detailed drawing of the structure of the walls of Mateth. I wonder who would order such a thing? Quite insidious,¡± Argrave prattled off drolly. Elias snatched the paper from his hand and read it, then moved to other documents in the room, his frown growing deeper.


    ¡°Really, I¡¯m surprised you were willing to get Mina to help youe here,¡± Argravemented. He turned back towards the shack¡¯s entrance. ¡°Don¡¯t deny it¡ªI have a good memory for voices.¡±


    Elias nced at Argrave, but turned back to the papers, absorbed in their content. Nothing came of Argrave¡¯s call, and he sighed.


    ¡°Drat. She¡¯s scared. If I had some catnip on hand, I¡¯m sure she¡¯de running, but s¡­¡±


    Argrave paused, waiting for an outburst. ¡°Huh. Guess she really left.¡± He turned and picked up a book. Then he spun around, raising the book in the air as though to throw it. He heard a brief yelp in the corner of the shack, and he pointed. ¡°Aha! There! I win again!¡±


    ¡°Win?!¡± Mina shouted, dispelling her invisibility.


    ¡°Yes. I found out where you were hiding twice. I consider that no small victory, knowing you.¡± Argrave put down the book. ¡°Well, since you¡¯re both here, you¡¯re being enlisted.¡±


    Elias turned to Argrave. ¡°This is a serious matter, Argrave. Regardless of my opinion of you, that you found this¡­ it¡¯s of grave importance.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, spare me the sappy monologue,¡± Argrave waved his hands and walked to Tirros¡¯ shelf. He looked at the books, taking out those that he found important and setting them on the table. ¡°I didn¡¯t ¡®find it,¡¯ by the way. Everything I¡¯ve been doing the past week or so has been rted to putting an early end to this invasion.¡±


    ¡°But how did you¡ª¡± Mina began to ask.


    ¡°Ah, ah,¡± Argrave interrupted. ¡°We can talk as we work. Help me gather this up. Elias, you¡¯ll have to carry all of the spell books.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Elias said, stunned.


    ¡°What, yourself,¡± Argrave parroted back. ¡°You¡¯ve carried my books before. This time is even more important. I¡¯m cut, burned, my throat was nearly frozen solid, and I expended all of my magic.¡± <em>Untrue, actually. I used Erlebnis¡¯ magic. They don¡¯t need to know that. </em>Argrave held a book out to Elias. ¡°Come on. We need to get these to Mateth posthaste.¡±


    #####


    The Veidimen climbed down from the mound of rocks and into the forest, urgency voring their actions. One of them was unable to walk on his own and needed to be carried by one of theirrger members. The party¡¯s white skin and light hair were very conspicuous in the moonlit forest.


    They rushed as quickly as they could, supporting their woundedrade with their shoulder as they walked. He was badly burnt, and a Lichtenberg figure marked his face. One of the druids cast healing magic, but the wounds were too severe to be fully dealt with.


    ¡°What happened in there?¡± one of them asked the burnt snow elf as they moved away. ¡°How could we all¡­¡± the snow elf swallowed his words.


    The burnt Veidimen raised his head, staring ahead in undisguised agony. He reached a hand and gripped the one who was speaking, pulling him close. The action brought the party to a stop, and they all huddled over theirrade.


    ¡°¡­the¡­ exile,¡± the burned snow elf whispered vainly. ¡°Gal¡­ Gmon¡­ ¡®the Great.¡¯¡± he forced out. ¡°Tirros¡­ dead.¡±


    ¡°Gmon?¡± one of the snow elves echoed, their hands shaking. ¡°It was¡­ Gmon? He must¡¯ve¡­¡±


    The burned snow elf nodded. One of hispanions brought water to his lips, and he drank from the canteen, shaking. ¡°The other¡­ human. A dread mage. Hair as ck as the abyss, breath billowing white from his mouth.¡±


    The scouts shivered at the sight of theirrade¡¯s state and the fear in his words.


    ¡°We must return to Veiden as quickly as possible,¡± a male snow elf said, standing tall and looking through the forest, where the coast was. ¡°The humans know of our presence. With Tirros¡¯ correspondence in their hands, they will know our ns. We must return to Veiden before they have the opportunity to prepare themselves.¡±


    A few pigeons swooped down from the sky,nding on another snow elf¡¯s shoulders.


    ¡°I kept my link with the birds. I¡¯ll send them with a letter ahead to Veiden.¡±


    The elf standing took a deep breath and exhaled. ¡°Veid wishes for this war to begin earlier than our Patriarch intended. That we have survived is Her will, too. Now, we can only do our best for Patriarch Dras.¡±

 Chapter 20: Royal Road to Misery (2)

    Chapter 20: Royal Road to Misery (2)


    A ck carriage travelled down the road, the light from the setting suns reflecting off itsvish gold decorations and brilliantly illuminating the road. Induenzily slumped on the carriage¡¯s window, staring at the great capital Dirracha far ahead.


    Dirracha was called the City of Dragons. Detractors called it the City of Snakes, in reference to the Vasquer¡¯s heraldry. The banners of the royal family hung from the walls; a great golden serpent coiled around a sword on a ck field. Induen smiled, watching them sway in the winds.


    Dirracha was built into the side of a mountain, ascending towards the peak until it rose to the Dragon Pce. One could see every level of the city, as the walls were not especially high. It was cordoned off into distinct sectors, divided by high walls and the long road down the center leading directly to the pce: the Royal Road. There were other entrances to the city. The Royal Road, though, could only be travelled by those of Vasquer blood. It was not strictly enforced, but the gate only opened for royalty.


    The gargantuan gold gates of the Royal Road parted as Induen approached with his carriage. Induen pulled his head back inside the carriage and lowered the ck curtains. Two of the royal guards sat with him in the carriage, vignt as ever. Outside, a great number of them guarded the carriage, golden armor matched with simrly decorated horses. It was a procession worthy of the heir to the throne.


    Induen¡¯s carriage passed beneath the gate. Far ahead, where the Royal Road exited Dirracha and entered the Dragon Pce, a great host blocked the path. They held a white banner bearing a golden lion. Margrave Reinhardt stood at the head of the group, blocking all entry to the pce.


    One of the royal knights knocked on the side of Induen¡¯s carriage and poked his head in. ¡°Prince Induen. Margrave Reinhardt is blocking the Royal Road with his knights.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Induen said in exasperation. He did not bother to look. ¡°Keep moving. If they refuse to move, refuse to stop.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Being on the Royal Road was not illegal¡ªthemon people had to pass over it to reach other portions of the city very frequently. Blocking a royal¡¯s passage was, though, and Induen did not assume the Margrave would have the gall to do so.


    Their carriage continued onwards, many of the royal knights moving to the front of the carriage in case they needed to move House Parbon¡¯s knights from the road. Dirracha was far quieter than it usually was when a royal returned, and the tension grew as the carriage rattled up the road.


    Slowly, the Margrave Reinhardt turned his back to see theing carriage. He walked past the sea of white-gold banners, walking towards the carriage until he stood directly in front of it.


    Another knock came, and the royal guard spoke again. ¡°The Margrave¡¯s knights refuse to stand aside, Prince.¡±


    ¡°Pfft.¡± Induen scoffed. ¡°As I said, just continue onwards. Should they still stand in the way, push them aside.¡± He scratched at his chin. The knight nodded his head and pulled away from the carriage.


    ¡°Yes, my prince,¡± the knight said hastily. Induen heard the order being ryed outside and smiled from within the carriage. He raised the curtains a little, watching the spectacle outside.


    The carriage continued up the pavement, pulled steadily by horses. As they neared House Parbon, the royal knights spread out, pushing past them with their horses. The knights of House Parbon were pushed about ungracefully, but a path refused to open.


    Despite the tant provocation, the knights of House Parbon remained firm. Reinhardt stared coldly, anger rising on his face, but he did not order his men to act. He had instructed them long in advance to bear with whatever shame the royal family hoisted upon them.


    A crowd was beginning to form near the Royal Road. A great horde of people gathered around, most of them workers andmonborers. They watched the scene, craning over each other to see. As the crowd grewrger, the knights on both sides grew uneasy.


    In a crowd, emotions be infectious. Though at first, calm prevailed as people watched the spectacle, one bold man let out a boo, and others were emboldened. Their expressions of disapproval echoed out, and the name of Margrave Reinhardt, a war hero, echoed throughout the city.


    Induen pulled back the curtain, a grim expression on his face now that he was being jeered as so. The two knights from across him watched him uneasily, fearing his temper, but he sat quietly. Something thumped against the carriage. Induen peeked his head out, only for something to whirl past his head and strike the inner coach.


    ¡°These damned¡­!¡± Induen fumed. He shut the curtains once more.


    With the confrontation between Parbon¡¯s knights and the royal guard upying the bulk of both groups¡¯ attention, the people were able to walk out into the street. At first, they only broke into the road to throw food or wood nks. Gradually, though, their harassment evolved.


    Oneborer came to close to the carriage, and the two royal knights sitting with Induen decided to get out and deal with him. They kicked the man in the knee, casting him to the ground. They grabbed his bup shirt and threw him away, sending him rolling. At this, the jeers turned hostile, and the crowd was incensed.


    The mob closed in from both ends, pushing at the royal knights from atop their horses. The royal guard tried to remain calm, but there was a deep wroth brewing in the hearts of the people, and they were not deterred as they pushed past the gold-armored guards. They were a great tide of people, and they descended on the knights like a locust gue.


    A horse, startled, bucked and tried heartily to throw off the knight on its back. It kicked one of the people mobbing by, casting him to the stone with a split head. Few saw what truly happened, and soon enough, hostile shoves evolved into a full-fledged attack. People tried to pull the royal knights from their horses, tear off their armor, and beat them. Few seeded.


    The people gathered around Induen¡¯s carriage, their palms mming against its surface. Induen grabbed near the sides, trying to stay bnced as it rocked. The horses attached to the carriage tried to bolt, digging into the crowd, and the carriage driver was pulled from the top and beaten. Many royal knights drew their swords when they saw their master¡¯s carriage being assaulted.


    When the first cut whizzed through the air, all of the guard¡¯s discipline was lost. The royal knights shore through the crowd with reckless abandon, trying to be certain the prince would not be harmed. The crowd tried to disperse, but others behind them that did not know what was urring prevented their withdrawal.


    The Margrave Reinhardt watched this, hand clenched tight on his banner. His breathing was quick andbored, deliberating what to do intensely. He saw a royal knight step atop a young man and jam a shield into his neck, severing his head. With that, the decision was made for him.


    ¡°Knights of Parbon! Protect the people!¡±


    Pandemonium ensued. The line of House Parbon¡¯s knights, angered with righteous fury, descended on the royal knights like a locust gue. Induen opened the carriage door and stepped outside, a smile on his face. He held his hand up and conjured a battle-axe from thin air that shone with magic.


    Induenughed heartily. ¡°Just this much, and he loses it?¡±


    Induen jumped into the fray and tore through the knights of House Parbon with reckless abandon. He blocked one knight¡¯s blow with the haft of his axe, then kicked the knight away before jamming the weapon¡¯s spike in his eye. He threw the axe and it soared above the head of a royal knight to bisect one of the knights of Parbon. He conjured another, preparing to meet his next foe.


    Out of the corner of his eye, Margrave Reinhardt jumped above one of the knights, the banner of House Parbon still held tight in his hands. He used it as a spear, jabbing it towards Induen. The prince blocked it with the de of the conjured axe, staggering a few steps backward.


    ¡°So, the old war-general finally lost his cool,¡± Induen taunted, barely audible above the din. ¡°Do you know what this means?¡±


    ¡°For you, or for me?¡± The Margrave yelled back coldly.


    Induen held his hand out, sending a de of wind hurtling forth. The Margrave ducked it, tossing aside the banner and grabbing a de from a fallen royal knight. He kicked a helmet that had been dropped on the ground towards Induen.


    Induen swatted the helmet aside, and the Margrave surged forth like a crimson grizzly bear. The royal knights all broke free from their fight, rushing to intercept the Margrave. Induen, undaunted, stepped forward to meet the Margrave. The crowds broke away, screaming in fear as those they loved died around them.


    Reinhardt¡¯s scavenged de fell upon the prince¡¯s battle-axe. The magical weapon shattered instantly, and the prince stepped back to dodge the tip of the de. The Margrave stepped forward as though this was expected, delivering a quick punch to the prince¡¯s face. The prince jolted back, clutching his nose in surprise. A royal knight moved to intercept the Margrave.


    Induen held his hand out, conjuring aplex spell matrix. A prism of ice formed, rotating fiercely and firing spikes intermittently at the Margrave. Reinhardt took a step back, dodging a blow from the royal knight. He seized his attacker by the arm and held him in front of him, and the ice spikes met the royal knight¡¯s golden armor. It was well-enchanted to ward against magic, but the royal knight still coughed blood from the force of the impact.


    The tide of battle surged towards the Margrave and the prince, both knights vying to protect their master. The Margrave held the royal knight tightly, pushing forth against the still-firing ice spikes. Prince Induen started to conjure another battle-axe, but the Margrave threw the de he held. Induen fell on his back to dodge it.


    Reinhardt cast aside the royal knight he held, breaking free from the crowd of gold-armored royal knights. His ruby eyes shone with the ferocity of a wild animal as he rushed at Induen. The crown prince summoned a barrier, and the Margrave grabbed into his boot to retrieve a gleaming white knife. He stabbed the barrier, and sparks flew briefly before it shattered.


    Induen, t on his back, raised his foot and kicked aside the Margrave¡¯s dagger. It flew away, jamming into the wall of a nearby building. The Margrave stepped and stomped at his face, but Induen blocked it with his arm.


    Induen prepared to grab Reinhardt¡¯s foot the next time it came down at him, but to his surprise, the Margrave walked past him. He stood atop the carriage wheel of Induen¡¯s vehicle, cupped his hands to his mouth, and shouted, ¡°Retreat! Return to Parbon! Prepare for war!¡±


    Hisst sentence, ¡®prepare for war,¡¯ seemed to echo throughout all of Dirracha. Induen came to his feet, ready to fight the Margrave more, but a tide of golden-armored royal knights surged in front of him, shields at the ready. The Margrave led his troops down the Royal Road, and the royal knights remained protecting their master. The knights of House Parbon proceeded unimpeded, the forces at Dirracha inadequate to prevent their escape.


    Induen caressed his tender arm. ¡°Suppose he¡¯s not a famous general for nothing.¡±


    The crown prince moved to the wall where the white knife stuck into the wall. He pulled it out, cing his finger against the tip as he tested it. The royal knights gathered around, waiting for Induen¡¯smand. Induen watched as the Margrave¡¯s men pushed past the city guard.


    ¡°Hear me, people of Vasquer!¡± Induen shouted as the people ran from the scene of carnage, tripping over bodies in their haste to flee. ¡°House Parbon have dered themselves enemies of Vasquer, and henceforth Reinhardt is a traitor of the realm!¡±

 Chapter 21: Sick in Heart and Mind

    Chapter 21: Sick in Heart and Mind


    Nikoletta leaned over a map of Mateth, Mina and Elias standing across from her. The map was clearly different in style than the ones that the Dukedom owned, and it was not fullypleted. Beside it, there were detailed reports about the knight¡¯s schedules, theirposition and weaponry, and other suchprehensive military information about the Dukedom of Monti.


    The silence dragged out as Nikoletta read through the information. Mina paced nervously, but Elias stood firm with his arms crossed.


    ¡°Why are you wearing travel clothes, Nicky?¡± Mina asked, breaking the silence.


    ¡°My father was talking about marriage cand¡ª¡± she paused. ¡°No, that¡¯s not important now. I can¡¯t deny these are genuine,¡± she finally concluded, standing up straight. ¡°Argrave found these?¡±


    ¡°Yes. He said one of the snow elves tipped him off,¡± Mina confirmed. ¡°He¡­¡± she shuddered. ¡°He found their scouting party and dispatched them. These were in their leader¡¯s shack, alongside a bunch of spell books that he made us haul.¡±


    ¡°A scouting party?¡± Nikoletta asked.


    Elias exined what Argrave had told them about how the druids were spying on Mateth.


    Nikoletta¡¯s expression slowly morphed into one of worry and confusion as the story proceeded. Finally, once Elias had finished exining, she looked at him and asked, ¡°Why isn¡¯t Argrave telling me this?¡±


    Elias shook his head. ¡°He had burns, cuts, and some damage from a strange potion. He went to be healed by one of the wizards in Mateth and mentioned that he had some preparations to do. The fight was¡­ intense.¡± Elias lowered his head and frowned.


    Nikoletta crossed her arms, catching on from their expressions that they were bothered. ¡°What exactly happened in this fight?¡±


    ¡°He and hispanion ruthlessly massacred them. There was a high-ranking wizard, B-rank at least¡­ or high-ranking druid, whatever,¡± Mina amended, waving her hand dismissively, ¡°but Argrave killed them all.¡±


    ¡°Nearly two dozen snow elves,¡± Elias added grimly. ¡°Thoroughly nned, wlessly executed. Maybe it was hispanion that nned it, I don¡¯t know, but it was undeniably Argrave at the center of things.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°When it was done, he vomited and cried, but after a minute or two, he went back to usual. Joking,ughing, like nothing happened,¡± Mina added. Her words sounded more concerned than horrified.


    Nikoletta¡¯s expression hardened, and she turned away from the two. She stared at the window of the Duke¡¯s estate, eyes distant and unfocused.


    She had been hesitant to admit it, but Argrave reminded her of someone strongly: her brother, Elwind. Even now, as she tried to remember him, their faces seemed to ovep. It did not help that they shared the same obsidian color hair. Both were hopelessly facetious, excessively confident, and above all, self-sacrificial.


    Just before he¡¯d died, Elwind was cracking wise, ensuring that Nikoletta did not worry herself about his safety. Some tears came to Nikoletta¡¯s eyes, and she wiped them away and collected herself. She turned back around, clearing her throat.


    ¡°I¡¯ll bring this to my father. He and I are¡­ arguing,¡± she put simply, ¡°but I don¡¯t think he can ignore this. I certainly can¡¯t.¡±


    #####


    ¡°I¡¯m sick?¡± Argrave said incredulously, staring at the middle-aged man before him: Bragan. His head was shaved bald, and he looked more a bodybuilder than a healing wizard, but Argrave knew he was one of the best healers in the city of Mateth.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I said,¡± Bragan confirmed. ¡°You have a fragile constitution. You drank the blood of a Winter Nymph, for some ungodly reason. You were traipsing about in the forest in the middle of a cold night. And you had a fight with¡­ brigands,¡± Bragan said, the word dripping with doubt. ¡°Catching a cold; this shouldn¡¯t surprise you.¡±


    Argrave turned away, putting his hands on his hips. He contemted things for a second, then he turned around. ¡°I don¡¯t think any healers in Mateth know the B-rank spell [Cure Disease], right?¡±


    Bragan put one of his giant hands to his chin, thinking. ¡°No. None I know, at least. And besides, it¡¯s quite expensive for such a minor affliction.¡± Bragan reached to the counter and grabbed the bag of gold coins. ¡°I rmend simply resting for a few days, especially after experiencing such an intense shock.¡±


    ¡°There is no rest for the wicked,¡± Argrave dismissed, contemting. Bragan shook his head and walked away, gesturing his hands towards the door. Argraveplied. Gmon was waiting for him outside.


    Gmon took a drink from his sk as Argrave approached. ¡°You¡¯re sick?¡±


    Argrave frowned. ¡°Stupid vampire super senses. Whatever happened to doctor-patient confidentiality?¡±


    ¡°You mentioned having more to do. Sounds like you don¡¯t intend on canceling those ns.¡± Gmon stashed his sk away.


    ¡°Indeed. It¡¯s only a cold; a minor affliction. Besides, ever since I saw Tirros cast that spell, I¡¯ve been itching to dip my hands back into trying to get past C-rank magic¡­ honestly, paying to have the disease cured is a waste of money. I¡¯ll just suffer in silence.¡±


    ¡°You seem to like that.¡± Gmon pulled his helmet tighter.


    ¡°What does that mean?¡± Argrave probed. ¡°I thought you were like Gary Cooper; the strong, silent type. What¡¯s with thatment?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know who Gary Cooper is.¡± Gmon looked around as people walked past him.


    ¡°Let¡¯s walk,¡± said Argrave, catching that Gmon felt this ce was too public.


    Argrave led the two of them through Mateth, until they eventually walked out on one of the empty segments of the dock. The seagulls flew about. Argrave was paranoid about being the target of an air-bombing from the filthy birds, and that reminded him he needed to learn warding magic.


    ¡°That was the first time you¡¯ve killed someone,¡± Gmon said inly, stating instead of asking.


    Argrave turned to look at him. ¡°You¡¯re worried about me?¡±


    ¡°From what you¡¯ve disclosed, we¡¯re going to be inbat often. You need to be stable.¡± Gmon turned, taking off his helmet and cing it beneath the crook of his arm. His white hair flowed in the wind. ¡°I¡¯ve fought in wars; I was a general once. I¡¯ve trained men to kill. It¡¯s an unpleasant trade, but it is mine.¡±


    ¡°You said I did well,¡± Argrave countered, not wishing to talk about the subject.


    ¡°You did. I think you have a certain talent for strategy, and you have theposure necessary to execute ns. Your uncanny knowledge makes both easier.¡± Gmon raised his gauntleted hands up. ¡°I won¡¯t pry for details. I¡¯ve talked more today than I do most weeks, so I¡¯ll try and wrap it up now.¡±


    Argrave shifted on his feet, waiting for Gmon to continue.


    ¡°That scene was rough. It should bother you. It bothers me.¡± Gmon touched his chest te.


    ¡°Could have fooled me,¡± Argrave rebuked suspiciously.


    A bell rang out across the docks, marking the arrival of a new ship.


    ¡°You walk forward like you have a duty, a task, and you try to bury your fears, your worries. I am no better. I have done the same my entire life. The fact that it bothers you, that battle¡­ let it not serve as a reminder of the carnage you¡¯re about to face, but the peace you seek to bring.¡±


    Argrave frowned. ¡°Veid tells you it¡¯s your duty to conquer the other races, and you¡¯re talking to me about peace?¡±


    Gmon raised a brow. ¡°Veid wishes for us to conquer all to bring peace to the world. I fight at your side because of our contract, but I believe Veiden will win this war. Such is the way of our faith.¡±


    Argrave stepped away towards the ocean and looked out across the waves. ¡°The war will end with a peace treaty if I have my way.¡±


    ¡°The Veidimen do notpromise,¡± Gmon said, stepping beside Argrave. ¡°Diplomacy will not suffice. Veiden will win, or it will die. That is our way.¡±


    ¡°Even in the face of Gerechtigkeit?¡± Argrave asked with a grim smile. ¡°Your people know him by a different name, of course. ¡®He Who Would Judge the Gods.¡¯ It¡¯s too damned long, though, so I prefer Gerechtigkeit.¡±


    Gmon¡¯s head spun to Argrave¡¯s face, staring him down intently. Argrave watched theing and going of the ocean as the bell of the docks continued to ring. In the far distance, a trading ship came ever closer to the docks. The seagulls moved towards it, inspecting it for fresh food. In the far distance, Argrave spotted a four-eyed shark peering at the ship as it passed.


    ¡°Then Erlebnis wishes for you to¡­?¡± Gmon began to question, but then he crouched to the docks and stared out across the ocean. Time passed as both of them seemed to idly appreciate the breeze. Eventually, Gmon stood. He looked at his helmet.


    ¡°No wonder you move so frantically. You¡¯re fighting against the end of all.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. This kingdom is about to fall apart at the seams, the Veidimen are going to invade, a gue ising, myriad monsters are going to appear, and all of this urs just before an ancient cmity is about to be reborn¡­ so much on my to-do list.¡± Argrave shrugged.


    ¡°Haah¡­¡± Gmon sighed. He pulled his hair back and put his helmet back on, taking another long drink from his sk. ¡°It seems Veid has nned a long atonement for me. You intend to stand in defense against He Who Would Judge the Gods.¡±


    ¡°I know. Some court case. Apparently, even without a juris doctor, I¡¯m the best defense attorney in the world; pro se litigant of the century. If the judge won¡¯t listen, well¡­ such is life. Or death, as it were.¡±


    Gmon took a deep breath and exhaled. ¡°I¡¯vee to realize I should ignore half of what you say.¡±


    Argrave chuckled, and then shuddered. His body felt drained and weak, reminding him that he truly was sick. ¡°I wonder if the invasion will happen before that auction. I hope not. Well, for now, I suppose I should just read. That counts as resting, no?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Well, whatever,¡± Argrave dismissed. He walked away from the docks. Each step he took forward felt a little easier than it had been before. Perhaps it had been Gmon¡¯s advice. Or perhaps, more simply, sharing a small portion of his burden with another had made his journey onwards easier.


    #####


    Induen held the Margrave Reinhardt¡¯s white knife in his hand, waving it about in the moonlight. It shimmered as though coated by something¡ªa thin film of magic, undoubtedly. He was still lost in thought about the fight. Reinhardt had been much more decisive, proactive, and predictive. He had a better sense for what was going to ur. Induen questioned if that was experience, or simply skill.


    Outside, Induen heard heavy footsteps. Believing he recognized them, he set down the knife and sat up straighter. The footfalls grew louder, and then the door burst open. King Felipe III strode in¡ªInduen¡¯s father, patriarch of House Vasquer, and sovereign of the Kingdom of Vasquer.


    House Vasquer¡¯s current members were all quite tall, and the genesis of that was their father. He had been a giant of a man in his youth¡ªbroad shouldered, barrel-chested. Even old, he was still quite formidable. He had a great mane of unruly, barely graying obsidian-ck hair, and a beard that stretched well to his stomach. His eyes were the same gray Argrave¡¯s were. He wore the colors of House Vasquer, ck and gold, but it was highlighted by a rich imperial purple. A ck kingly mantle hung from his shoulders with the symbol of House Vasquer sewn on its back in gold.


    ¡°Hello, father,¡± Induen greeted calmly.


    Felipe strode closer until he was standing face to face with Induen. ¡°Have you learned nothing from what I taught you?¡±


    The two spoke calmly, but there was no familial affection in their dialogue.


    ¡°We wanted a revolt from House Parbon. We got it.¡±


    Felipe raised his hand and grabbed Induen¡¯s throat. He picked him up with one hand as though he was a child, and then mmed him against the table head-first. ¡°We?!¡± the king shouted. ¡°Do you wish to die? Because that¡¯s the only reason I could even begin to consider how you could act so naively!¡±


    The king released Induen and came to his feet. He spoke calmly again, as though he had not seconds ago been roaring in anger. ¡°When people talk about this war and how it began, they won¡¯t speak of Parbon instigating it; instead, they¡¯ll talk about how the crown prince¡¯s guards began massacring the people when they tried to stop the evil royal knights from making a fool out of the Margrave.¡±


    Induen began to sit up, but the king kicked him in the teeth. The prince slid back through the wreck of wood.


    ¡°You don¡¯t think,¡± Felipe continued. ¡°You disrespect the throne. You are my son and heir, but you are only that. I am not dead, nor near death. I am the king, and you should not disobey me again.¡± Felipe kneeled down, grabbing Induen¡¯s shirt and pulling him to his face. ¡°Are we clear?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Induen enunciated clearly despite the blood trickling down his face.


    Felipe released his grip, and Induen dropped back to the floor. The king directed someone to heal Induen, and then wiped off his blood-soaked hand on his mantle.


    ¡°Considering you used that illegitimate child to worsen the rtionship between House Parbon and Monti, I reduced the punishment to a mere beating,¡± Felipemented. ¡°I¡¯ve contacted Orion. He¡¯ll be returning. This should be suppressed quickly. I will teach you both how to war. Keep your ears open; you may learn something. Be thankful.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, father,¡± Induen said, his blue eyes veritably burning a hole in the back of his father¡¯s departing figure.

 Chapter 22: Sick Tension

    Chapter 22: Sick Tension


    ¡°¡­so, which cup has the coin?¡± Mina asked, running her hand over an array of three identical cups. Elias sat in a chair at a rickety yet clean table, while Mina sat atop it. Argrave was buried beneath nkets in a bed at the corner of the room, forming a shivering hump as he peered at a book dimly lit by sunlight through a boarded window. Some days had passed. Mateth had been a hive of activity as the troops were rallied.


    Gmon sat at the foot of the bed, watching fumes rise into the air from a brewing potion. It was a potion that calmed the mind¡ªArgrave considered it the reason he had been able to do what he had in the battle and had elected to make more before the invaders arrived. Its ingredients were thest of Argrave¡¯s funds, barring that set aside for necessary expenses like food.


    ¡°This one,¡± said Elias, pointing at the center cup. Mina lifted it; it was nk. Elias lifted the other two with both of his free hands, but none of them had the coin. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Check behind your ear,¡± said Mina gleefully.


    Elias retrieved the coin and widened his eyes. Argrave frowned, his annoyed face peeking out from the nkets. ¡°You¡¯re supposed to be helping me with C-rank magic, Mina.¡±


    Mina hopped off the table, striding to his bedside. ¡°I told you what I know, Grave. Fourth-dimension magic, for me, was like looking past a veil, or finding out the secret to a magic trick. Looksplicated, but it¡¯s simple deep down.¡±


    Elias stood, setting the coin back on the table politely. ¡°It¡¯s useless to ask for help. It¡¯s different for everybody.¡±


    ¡°Why are you two at my house, anyway?¡± said Argrave, burrowing deeper into his nkets.


    ¡°Your house, Grave? You said it was abandoned,¡± Mina countered. ¡°My father won¡¯t miss me; he barely knows I exist. Mom might make a fuss, eventually, but that¡¯s beside the point. And Elias here decided to stay and help.¡± Mina gestured at Elias, who still refused to meet Argrave¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Whatever. Do s-silent magic tricks,¡± Argrave shivered. ¡°And stay off the table. You may be like a cat, but you aren¡¯t a real one. People eat there. Namely, me.¡±


    Mina scoffed, yet still sat at the chair. ¡°You don¡¯t look like you do much eating.¡±


    Someone knocked at the door. Gmon¡¯s head whipped cleanly, and he stood, drawing his dagger and holding it close at attention. He opened the door slowly, peeking through. Then, he opened it wide and walked away.


    ¡°Hey, Nicky.¡± Mina greeted.


    Nikoletta entered. She wore custom-fitted leather armor, the blue swordfish of Monti painted on the breastte. As testament to the wealth of the Dukedom, it was thoroughly inscribed, and enchantments shone along those inscriptions brilliantly. It was a familiar set of armor.


    In the normal course of ¡®Heroes of Berendar,¡¯ after Nikoletta was expelled from the Order of the Gray Owl she would be involved in the civil war briefly before returning to Mateth after hearing it was invaded by the snow elves. The armor set she wore was an heirloom and was found in the Duke¡¯s estate, which had been overrun by Veidimen.


    ¡°Hey Mina.¡± She looked around the room, giving a nod to Elias. Gmon sat back down in front of Argrave¡¯s bed, staring at the brewing potion like a dejected puppy. Nikoletta spotted Argrave and walked up slowly.


    ¡°Argrave. You look terrible¡­,¡± she said in concern.


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me. My superior good looks are my one benefit in this beanpole body,¡± Argrave put his hand to his face to entuate his handsomeness. His hand was warm, but his face still felt too cold.


    Nikoletta elected to ignore hisment. ¡°Every time I see you, you look more and more unhealthy.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°Enough about me.¡± Argrave closed his book. ¡°The Baretta Troupe Auction. You said it hadn¡¯t happened yet. When is it?¡±


    ¡°Tonight,¡± Nikoletta answered. ¡°And, considering that you may have saved the entirety of the Dukedom of Monti should this invasion truly ur, it is a matter of honor that I help you get entry.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to participate. Are you kidding? A bunch of people in a tightly packed ce, all yelling and spitting like starving dogs, fighting over scraps in some vainglorious perversion of both gambling and mercantilism.¡± Argrave paused, taking a deep breath after his rant. ¡°I merely have something to sell. If you really want to help, spread rumors about the exhibit so that it attracts more vultures.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d need to know what you are selling.¡±


    Argrave paused, and then threw the nket off. He strode across the room and pulled aside a decrepit nk, then pulled out a piece of paper. He walked back to Nikoletta and handed it to her, and then crawled back in the nkets.


    ¡°Eugh. These nkets are all sweaty. I need new ones.¡± Argraveined as Nikoletta read through the document. He stood, bunching them together while shivering intensely. Gmon stood, taking the sheets from Argrave by force. He pointed to the bed, clearlymanding Argrave toy back down.


    ¡°This is the deed for Foamspire?¡± Nikoletta spoke incredulously. Gmon walked away, off to fetch clean nkets.


    ¡°H-how observant,¡± Argrave said between shivers, veritably falling in bed. ¡°Induen gave it to me after giving some¡­ tough love, I suppose? Th-though, perhaps he¡¯d hate me calling it ¡®love.¡¯ He seems to r-resent that word.¡±


    ¡°Why would you sell this?¡± Nikoletta said, treating the paper carefully. ¡°It¡¯s an extremely valuable piece ofnd. Many nobles rent out apartments during the summer and vacation there. Its ie rivals a small city. And¡­ well, Induen gave it to you. After what happenedst time¡­¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s too busy dealing with his awful dad and the soon-to-be civil war. An estate is stable ie, true, but I don¡¯t need a stable ie. I need loads of lucre now,¡± Argrave said quickly. Gmon walked back in with fresh nkets, and Argrave quickly snatched them from his hands and covered himself.


    ¡°Why?¡± Nikoletta inquired.


    ¡°For gambling, of course!¡± Argrave said cheerily, then started shifting to cover all of himself with the nkets. He became a woolen caterpir in seconds. ¡°Kidding, naturally. ckjack doesn¡¯t exist yet. Gambling is fruitless.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure my father would be willing to buy Foamspire for a fair price¡­¡±


    Argrave opened his mouth, about to disclose that Foamspire would copse into the ocean in a few months. Then, he remembered that Nikoletta was one of the ¡®good¡¯ yer characters, and she probably wouldn¡¯t be overfond of tantly scamming people.


    ¡°Then your father can go to the auction and bid,¡± Argrave said instead.


    ¡°You still haven¡¯t said why you need this money,¡± Nikoletta pushed further. She grabbed a chair from the table and pulled it beside the bed.


    Argrave frowned. ¡°Money is a precious thing in a country at war. The Veidimen invasion, the impending civil war¡­¡±


    ¡°Every time we talk, you sound so certain there will be a civil war,¡± Nikoletta noted, leaning forward and cing her hands on her knees.


    ¡°It¡¯s probably already started. No matter what, it¡¯ll happen. The how, the when, the where, it¡¯s all just backdrop to the inevitability. Most of themonfolk hate the royal family on ount of increased taxes and rising serfdom. Beyond that, this was, from the very beginning, a scheme by Vasquer. I know because they sought to involve me in it. The royal family wants war. Felipe wants to purge disloyal subjects and rece them with sycophants. It¡¯s in anticipation for the session.¡± Argrave scratched his chin and then added as an afterthought, ¡°also, he wants to give Orion somend.¡±


    Though ¡®Heroes of Berendar¡¯ was a very dynamic game, there were some things the yer could not change. The civil war would always happen. Some of the nine yable characters could dy it slightly, but it still happened eventually. However, how the war resolved depended on the yer¡¯s actions.


    The abandoned house had grown very quiet, and everyone had turned to look at Argrave.


    Argrave, caught in the moment, continued from beneath his pile of nkets. ¡°Parbon was the main target, but they have many friends and I¡¯m sure much of the south¡ªMonti included¡ªwill join in favor of those against Vasquer. The north will remain firmly under heel of Vasquer, though. Most of the northern nobles move pragmatically rather than righteously. Supporting the royal family gets them the biggest benefit.¡±


    Nikoletta lowered her head and ck strands of hair covered her face. Elias stood and walked towards the window. Mina was looking at how everyone else reacted.


    ¡°So you¡¯d made up your mind to turn your back on the royal family in the Tower,¡± Nikoletta said as if in epiphany. ¡°Back then, when my research had been stolen, Induen genuinely had done it. It was one part of the provocations.¡±


    ¡°He was acting independently of King Felipe, but yes. It was dually to provoke Monti and eliminate threats to his session.¡±


    ¡°If this is true, it only reinforces the validity of the rebellion. A king pledges protection in exchange for service; such callous disregard of life is not befitting of a true king.¡± Nikoletta picked her head up and stared at Argrave.


    Argrave kept his own thoughts about the validity of the rebellion hidden. House Vasquer was undoubtedly cruel and evil, but House Parboncked a n beyond simply overthrowing the king. If the yer sided with the rebels, the kingdom would fall into crisis as people scrambled to present their own vague im to the throne. Righteous causes were always undermined by selfishness.


    Of course, if one sided with Vasquer, things did not sail smoothly either. King Felipe would die, and Induen and Orion would fight over the throne. Many nobles would simply dere independence, breaking off from the kingdom. The entire situation was a mess regardless of who was chosen.


    ¡°Well, as long as you sell that little piece of paper, I¡¯ll be happy. I¡¯m easy to please.¡±


    Nikoletta nodded as if drawn out of a haze. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll be sure to do that.¡± She stood. ¡°On one condition. You have to rest.¡±


    Argrave squinted incredulously but smiled. ¡°Such a monumental task? What shall I do? I suppose I have no choice.¡±


    ¡°And I do mean rest. No reading, no errands, nothing. Mina tells me you barely sleep, eat only in food, and spend all hours of the day either trying to learn C-rank magic or memorizing those druidic spells you looted.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. And then I wander to a pipal tree, sit in a lotus position, and try to reach nirvana,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°Please. I¡¯m fine. I read until I fall asleep. I eat in food because it¡¯s all I can stomach with this damned sickness.¡±


    Nikoletta fixed her hair and shook her head. She stared at Argrave with her deep pink eyes for a time, and Argrave stared back. She broke her gaze away and sighed.


    ¡°There was another thing. Considering it¡¯s you that brought this whole thing to my attention, I wanted your thoughts on the invasion.¡±


    Argrave paused. He scooched around awkwardly in his cocoon of nkets till he sat upright. ¡°It¡¯s bad timing. Luckily, I was able to reveal it.¡±


    ¡°No, I mean¡­ strategy-wise. Mina told me you intended to stay and help out, but I wanted to know what you were going to do. Further, what you think the snow elves are going to do.¡± She stared at him intently.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to¡­ one of the coastal viges.¡±


    ¡°Why the viges?¡± Nikoletta sat back down.


    Argrave looked down for a second, running through his thought process. ¡°The Veidimen resemble Vikings, but they¡¯re not berserkers. They¡¯re strategic,¡± Argrave started to exin, but Nikoletta stared at him with brows furrowed. ¡°You don¡¯t know what those words mean, I forget.¡±


    Argrave pulled his hand free from the nket and set it on his knee. ¡°The Veidimen wille in longships. They¡¯re long, thin boats, driven by oar. They¡¯llnd at the coastal viges first, instead of striking at Mateth directly from sea. This will enable them to gain a foothold onnd and secure a safe harbor. Then, once that¡¯s done, they¡¯ll probably mass troops for a day or two before marching on Mateth.¡±


    Nikoletta considered this. ¡°So, we should focus our ships near the coastal viges, catch them there?¡±


    Argrave shook his head. ¡°The Veidimen know druidic magics, you forget. They¡¯ll scout ahead with birds before any rash attack. If you concentrate your ships anywhere, they¡¯ll go elsewhere,¡± Argrave said, quietly refuting the point. ¡°Anyway, once they march on Mateth, they¡¯ll probably bring ships to attack the city¡¯s docks concurrently. I suspect they¡¯ll concentrate their mages on those ships. Like this, the city is surrounded, and your magic users are tied up dealing with those at sea. The infantry can advance unmolested. The walls will probably make it tough for them, though.¡±


    Nikoletta stared at Argrave. Everyone was staring, he realized. He had gotten absorbed in talking.


    ¡°The Veidimen have more troops than you do. These men are battle-hardened warriors, too, not trained knights that¡¯ve been wallowing in peace. They¡¯re ignorant of some things like illusion magic and enchantment, but by andrge their magic knowledge is no less formidable than what we have in Vasquer. They may have a few A-rank mages, but I can¡¯t say that with any certainty. The only advantage we have is the position of defense.¡±


    ¡°Did you strategize for the attack on the scouts¡¯ camp?¡± Nikoletta asked.


    ¡°Err¡­ yes. Why?¡±


    ¡°Do you have ideas for the defense?¡±


    ¡°Sure, but¡ª¡±


    Nikoletta stood. ¡°I think you should talk to my father. You can stay in a better ce than some abandoned house you broke into.¡±


    ¡°Hey, I found a key. No breaking-in involved.¡± Argrave protested, then broke off into a coughing fit. ¡°Why should I see your father, though?¡±


    Nikoletta adjusted her armor and walked to the door. ¡°To convey what you told me, and to help prepare a good defense. You know the situation well. I don¡¯t know how or why you know, but your knowledge has been urate so far.¡±


    Argrave pondered this. He had intended to meet Duke Enrico at some point, but he assumed it would be after the battle had been won. <em>If</em> the battle had been won, rather.


    Argrave threw off the nkets. ¡°I have no reason to refuse.¡± He pointed at Mina and Elias. ¡°These two squatters can help carry my things. They¡¯ve had practice at it.¡±

 Chapter 23: Insomnia

    Chapter 23: Insomnia


    ¡°Must you go personally, Master Castro?¡± A gray robed figure followed behind a short old man. Though the figure was mostly shrouded by the robe¡¯s cowl, locks of light blue hair barely peeked out.


    The old man smiled and turned. His face was sagging, but he looked genial and charitable¡ªthe very picture of a sweet old man. The robe he wore was gray, but it glowed with enchantments, and a grand image of an owl shone like a diamond on the shoulders.


    ¡°Yes, I must. I have to handle a great deal of business elsewhere before heading to Mateth, but I must meet our young Acolyte personally to earn his favor. Genius is umon, but most often, it births two things: pride and entricity. That small little dissertation, if moved from theory to practice, could well shake the entire magical world.¡± Castro voice sounded tired but gentle.


    ¡°¡­do you think¡­¡± the other paused. ¡°I think I¡¯d like a fellow¡­ never mind.¡±


    ¡°A fellow disciple?¡± Castro smiled. ¡°Perhaps, Ingo. This trip serves two purposes; to show the boy that his talents are valued by the Order, and to suss out his character. If I must lower my face as Master of the Order of the Gray Owl to help a rising star lift the Order further up¡­ so be it.¡±


    ¡°But he¡¯s part of the royal¡­¡± Ingo trailed off.


    Castro stepped forward and grabbed Ingo¡¯s shoulder. He had to reach up to do so. The boy stared at the old tower master with innocent brown eyes.


    ¡°I know you have much reason to fear the Vasquers. But rest assured, I will not allow anyone to hurt you ever again. Your life has been a cruel one, but I am resolved to make sure that cruelty ends. Be at ease, Ingo.¡± Castro squeezed his shoulder tightly, and then released his grip.


    Ingo rubbed his hands together, smiling. He looked fully grown, but some of his mannerisms still had a childlike innocence. ¡°I am more worried for you, Master Castro.¡±


    Castroughed and turned away. ¡°You are far too young to be worrying for me. I do not go looking for danger, and even still, few things on this continent can truly endanger me.¡±


    The tower master walked to the edge of therge stone room they were in, opening the door to a balcony. The balcony extended off for a time, and it peculiarlycked a railing. Ingo hung near the door, and his hood blew off from the intense wind. His light blue hair whipped about wildly.


    Undaunted by the fierce winds, Castro walked to the edge of the balcony and fished into his pockets as casually as one would look for their car keys. He pulled free a ck whistle studded with rubies and other such precious gemstones. He blew it, and a piercing shrill chirp echoed from the top of the tower.


    Castro looked towards some distant mountains, waiting. Soon enough, a ck dot appeared in the distance, gradually growing closer. As it grew closer, it slowly came into a view; a gray wyvern sped towards the tower ferociously.


    The tower master walked off the balcony. Ingo clenched the doorframe tighter, but his eyes widened in surprise when the old man simply floated in the air. Castro started to walk downwards as though there was a set of stairs in the air. Ingo knew it was simply one of his master¡¯s myriad spells.


    The wyvern passed beneath Castro, and then the two ascended into the sky. Ingo watched him go in wonder. Then, he quietly turned and shut the door to the balcony, standing alone in the grand chambers of the Master of the Order of the Gray Owl.


    #####


    Argrave sat up quickly, drenched in sweat from a nightmare involving fire. He took a few seconds to gather his bearings. He was confused by his surroundings for a moment, but then he came to remember he was in the Duke¡¯s residence, on a guest bedroom with a seaside balcony. He waited for his beating heart to calm down, and then he stood. He felt much better than he had earlier today. Perhaps he had sweated out the sickness.


    Gmon was absent, refilling his sks. Argrave hade to learn the snow elf vampire kept many sks of blood on his person, usually enough for a whole week.


    The Duke Enrico had said he would speak to Argrave in the morning. Even if Nikoletta had some faith in Argrave¡¯s ability, he himself assumed the Duke would not especially trust the strategy advice of some young royal bastard. The Duke had seen war before; Argrave was likely still a child in his eyes.


    Argrave changed from his nightclothes to something more suited for formal asions. It came from his luggage that he¡¯d left with Nikoletta when Reinhardt had abducted him. He took a look in the mirror in the room. Tailored clothes hid his tall, skinny frame better, and Argrave personally enjoyed dressing well. Fine clothes, fine jewelry¡ªthey were fun to own and wear.


    He spotted the bronze hand-mirror on his nightstand, and what little distraction he had found quickly drained away. As always, the thing served as a stark reminder of his duty; his role as the one to struggle against Gerechtigkeit. He walked and picked it up, tossing it in the air and catching it by the handle. Within, he read his status once again.


    Traits: [Tall], [Sickly], [Weak], [Intelligent], [Magic Affinity (High)], [Insomniac], [Blessing of Supersession (MAX)]


    Skills: [Elemental Magic (D)], [Blood Magic (D)], [Healing Magic (D)], [Illusion Magic (D)], [Warding Magic(D)], [Druidic Magic (F)], [Inscription (E)], [Imbuing (E)],


    It was somewhat validating to see the results of his constant study. Warding magic was already at D, and although Argrave had learned only a few spells, druidic magic was heading upwards. He thought the ¡®traits¡¯ section had remained the same, but he spotted a new entry¡­


    ¡°Hah.¡± Argrave couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°Insomniac, huh¡­ to think I used to be proud of always getting my eight hours.¡±


    Now that he thought of it, since he had be Argrave, he had never once fallen asleep easily and woke up undisturbed. Even before the battle at the scout¡¯s camp, he was troubled by sleeplessness and nightmares. He would dream that everything was normal¡ªperhaps he was back in the lecture room at college, or driving, or enjoying a quiet family dinner. Then, it would all vanish. He would trip, or blink, and he was back in Berendar, with fell monsters and wars. A ce familiar, yet wholly unfamiliar.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡®Saving the world¡¯ was fun to read about, to hear about¡­ <em>but to have that burden hoisted on you?</em>


    ¡°Forget it. I don¡¯t have the right toin.¡± Argrave tossed the hand mirror on the bed and stood, heading for the pile of stacked books in the corner of the guest room. He filtered through druidic spells, setting aside the ones that were useless. Generally, druidic spells were best for scouting. One could also aid life in growing, but Argrave had little need for that type of magic.


    He paused, spotting the book on C-rank elemental magic out of the corner of his eye. He reached down and picked it up, walking towards the balcony. He pulled aside the curtains and walked out. The ocean crashed against the shore. One could see the grass ins and field of crops outside Mateth just barely. In the distance, ships travelled, magic mes swirling about them to light the path. Above it all, the red full moon stood, just beginning to wane.


    Argrave opened the C-rank elemental magic book, leaning out across the balcony. He willed some of his magic into the book. Past D-rank, spell books had to be enchanted with spells to project a matrix. Once his magic stirred within him and exited from his fingers, the C-rank spell matrix of [Wargfire] hovered in the air just above the book. Argrave could see it, but he could notprehend it.


    It reminded him of a time where he had been looking at a giant mountain from a helicopter. The mountain had been sorge, it was difficult for his mind toprehend its scale. Argrave shut the book with an audible <em>pop</em>, sighing in quiet defeat<em>.</em>


    Argrave held his hand out above the ocean, staring at his palm. He most often wore gloves for fear of getting dirty, so he rarely saw his hands and fingers. He conjured only the matrix of his favorite D-rank spell, [Writhing Lightning]. Briefly, he recalled those snow elves that had been left spasming from electricity, writhing despite having been long dead. The image left him quickly, disturbing his calm heart.


    The spell matrix hovered in the air. It was a bizarre amalgamation of many 3-D shapes, but each had a purpose and a function, and they came together to execute a spell. It was a little like a ridiculouslyplex programmingnguage, Argrave reckoned. The thought made himugh, but he maintained the matrix.


    As long as he put no magic power into it, the spell would not activate. Besides, he had no magic power¡ªhe had been siphoning most of it to repay Erlebnis for the magic loan.


    From F to E, the only change was adding another dimension to magic. It took it from one line to multiple lines, branching off in different directions, forming shapes. They took shape, forming simple ideas and executing simple actions.


    From E to D, another dimension entered the scenario. The t shapes were given depth. Simple shapes could formplex models. The third dimension was the basis of all humans could perceive¡ªthe extent of their perception of reality. But, if one were to boil it down, all that was added was another line and a new direction to move. Another ¡®ne.¡¯


    He clenched his hand, and the spell matrix dissipated into nothing. If he were to imagine the fourth dimension¡ªanother line, another path, another direction, anotheryer ofplexity to the mystical force that was ¡®magic¡­¡¯


    Argrave held his hand forward, eyes closed. He pictured that matrix that he had just seen in the book¡ªa fourth dimension. A step away from the mundane. A step further from the grounded reality of his former life, and one into the abyss that was Berendar.


    He opened his eyes again and willed his magic to his hands. The matrix of [Wargfire] materialized, and a great maw of me roared from Argrave¡¯s hand. It surged forward like a living beast, dancing into the night. Its fiery teeth came together and let out an echoing <em>ck, </em>like two solid fangs had genuinely met. Even from behind it, Argrave could feel the power. Then, it vanished into the night as though it never was.


    Mute from shock, Argrave stared out across the ocean. His wide eyes slowly closed, and a smile spread across his face. He briefly worried that someone woulde and see what exactly he was doing up here, but no one came. The night remained as silent as ever.


    ¡°I guess that wasn¡¯t so bad after all,¡± Argrave smiled, kicking off the railing and standing straight. He stretched and walked back inside.


    He walked over to the bronze hand mirror and picked it up, about to look at his new acquisition. Then, he came to a stop. He weighed the mirror in his hand, and then tossed it on the ground. He fell onto his bed in a disorderly heap.


    ¡°So many options just opened up for me¡­,¡± Argrave muttered into the bed. ¡°It¡¯s like I¡¯m a kid who¡¯s just walked into an ice cream shop, and I see hundreds of vors arrayed out before me.¡±


    With C-rank magic and the Blessing of Supersession, Argrave could be a force in his own right. Of course, he¡¯d need to learn and memorize some certain spells. Naturally, as the ranks get higher, acquiring those rare spells bes considerably more difficult. For the average spellcaster, at least¡ªArgrave knew exactly where to go once the shackles of this invasion were broken.


    For the first time in a long while, sleep came easily to Argrave. He did not even notice that his sheets were still sweaty.

 Chapter 24: Changing Wind and Reign

    Chapter 24: Changing Wind and Reign


    Argrave awoke with a song inexplicably stuck in his head. Midday sunlight poked at his eyelids, forcing him to turn. The action woke him further and he sat up. He conjured simple water magic, cleaned his hands diligently, and then rubbed his eyes. The cold wetness brought him from the dreamworld. He blinked his eyes a few times, and then slid off the bed.


    ¡°Ooh there ain¡¯t nothing you can do; I got, I got my eye on you,¡± Argrave sang the chorus quietly, humming the words he forgot to the rest of the song. He went to his luggage and retrieved a pair of gloves, slipping them on. His sickness felt mostly gone. He still felt a bit weak, but then he always felt weak.


    Argrave channeled half of his magic into Blessing of Supersession. The magic debt he¡¯d rued in the fight at the druid¡¯s camp would probably not be alleviated before the invasion urred. It made him uneasy. That said, one¡¯s magic pool was like a muscle. In order to train it, it needed to be exhausted. The more he drained his magic, the more he would be able to hold. It was the closest thing to ¡®training¡¯ Argrave could perform. One push-up would probably break his wrists.


    Argrave cleaned his teeth with a cloth and some water, and after washed his hair in the washbasin. Hebed his hair back neatly. It was getting long¡ªit fell a little past his ears. Argrave¡¯s chin was still smooth, though¡ªhe was too young to be growing even peach fuzz, it seemed. Argrave frowned. <em>Come to think of it, I¡¯m not sure how old I really am. I certainly </em>look<em> fully grown, judging by height alone¡­ </em>


    The thought passed, and Argrave reprimanded himself for worrying so much about his appearance. <em>Should probably go meet Nikoletta, talk to her father as she wanted¡­ </em>He straightened his clothes and made for the door, still singing.


    ¡°Some girl, old me, jumps the stage cursin¡¯ her name¡­ tells her just where she oughta go¡­¡± Argrave pulled the double doors back. A maid standing in front jumped back. She¡¯d clearly had her ear to the door.


    ¡°F-forgive me, lord. I was just instructed¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re forgiven. I know, I¡¯m a saint. Anyway¡­¡± Argrave waited for her to speak.


    ¡°The Duke is looking for you, sir,¡± the maid curtsied quickly. ¡°I hadn¡¯t intended to¡­ I was merely checking if the lord was awake.¡±


    Argrave put his hand to his chest. ¡°And instead, you were enraptured by my soothing serenade. I understandpletely.¡± Argrave smiled genially, and the maid¡¯s tense shoulders dropped. ¡°Well, where is the Duke, then? I have never actually spoken to him before. This will be a new experience.¡±


    ¡°He is in his study with the youngdy Monti. I can guide you there, if you wish¡­?¡± she began to ask.


    Argrave held his hand out to stop her. ¡°I know where his study is. I am sure you must be busy with other things. Do not let me keep you. Have a pleasant day.¡± He bowed and then walked past her in long strides, humming the tune now that he was no longer in private.


    The extent of what Argrave knew about Duke Enrico is what was written. Without fail, he died in the beginning of the game to the snow elves. The yer could find his corpse, and some of his stats existed in the game files, but his personality was mostly unknown to the yer beyond what Nikoletta said about him while ying as her. The bulk of it could be summarized as ¡®pragmatic.¡¯ He was also a widower; his wife died giving birth to Nikoletta.


    ¡°Had no idea you were such a flirt.¡±


    Argrave jumped at the voice, turning around to where it came from. Mina materialized, starting with her short yellow hair. Another illusion spell.


    ¡°Hah! We¡¯re 1-2 now,¡± Mina taunted, pointing at him. Argrave was confused for a second, but he remembered that he¡¯d found Mina twice while she was hiding invisible.


    After Argrave straightened his cuffs and regained hisposure, a rhyme came to his head. ¡°Who keeps score? You¡¯re such a bore.¡±


    Mina ignored him, her eyes veritably glinting. ¡°Should have heard yourself. ¡®My soothing serenade,¡¯ all smiles and bows¡­¡±


    ¡°You think that¡¯s flirting?¡± Argrave asked incredulously.


    ¡°What else would it be?¡±


    ¡°General propriety,¡± Argrave countered, walking down the hall again. ¡°Gregariousness.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Mina agreed sarcastically. ¡°You¡¯re real polite. You never make fun of people to their face.¡±


    ¡°I hear the dripping jealousy. ¡®Argrave, how dare you use honeyed words to a woman besides me?¡¯¡± Argrave mocked.


    ¡°Y-you¡¯re ridiculous. I had no idea you were this shameless,¡± Mina refuted, sputtering. ¡°Well, if you¡¯re in these high spirits, I can assume you¡¯re feeling better?¡±


    ¡°Changing the subject, I see,¡± Argrave answered withoutmitting.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like¡­¡± Mina trailed off. ¡°Never mind. Pointless to argue with someone like you.¡±


    ¡°I know you don¡¯t like me. Not romantically, at least.¡± Argrave said. Mina nodded in satisfaction now that he confirmed it. ¡°Instead, you much prefer Nikoletta, don¡¯t you?¡± Argrave brought up a fact he knew from the game, seeking petty revenge for being frightened.


    Mina went white as a sheet, and she anxiously said, ¡°That¡¯s not¡­ what are you¡­ Nicky¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°No need to get flustered,¡± Argrave assured, enjoying this very much. ¡°Romance is a natural part of life. Though, one wonders why you¡¯ve left your affections unvoiced.¡±


    ¡°You have no idea what you¡¯re talking about,¡± Mina answered, regaining herposure quickly. She was good at acting, as ever.


    ¡°Sure, sure,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°Keep quiet, subdued, when an invasion ising at any time. Leave that burning question unanswered. Very prudent. Brave.¡±


    ¡°Nicky¡¯s also a woman,¡± Mina bit back, his jabs inciting a reaction precisely because they were the truth.


    ¡°That¡¯s no reason. The heart wants what the heart wants.¡± Argrave stopped in the hall and turned to Mina now that their conversation interested him. ¡°Believe me, I know.¡±


    ¡°Then you¡­?¡± Mina looked at him with wide eyes.


    ¡°Me? No. But my best friend since childhood swings that way. He ended up fairly happy in life,¡± Argrave smiled as he recalled things.


    Mina seemed hesitant to speak further, but she eventually asked, ¡°What happened to him?¡±


    ¡°Henry? He¡­¡± Argrave trailed off as his mind went back to the life he left behind. ¡°He died. An ident,¡± the lie came smoothly. In truth, it was Argrave who had died ande to this hellish ce. ¡°But¡­¡± Argrave tried to dispel his errant thoughts, shaking his head. ¡°He and his partner were happy. They died together, at least.¡±


    ¡°Oh. I¡¯m sorry,¡± Mina quickly said.


    ¡°As am I,¡± Argrave agreed. ¡°Anyway, I should be off. The youngdy Monti and the old gentleman Monti await me. It¡¯s sure to be a st.¡± Argrave turned to leave, then stopped himself.


    He pointed at Mina. ¡°I want you to think of what I said. Remember this; the worst that can happen is that she says no. She probably won¡¯t, though. I know these things. Trust me. Have I ever been wrong before? Think long and hard.¡±


    ¡°You keep¡­!¡± Mina started, but she deted quickly. Argrave turned and waved as he walked away.


    #####


    The winds of the north roared fiercely as they travelled across the icyndscape. The fierce tempest carried snow enough to conceal distant mountains and vast forests. A great wall stood tall against it all. It was made of ice that had been carved out by hand. The wall was near a hundred feet tall, and no snow passed above it, instead nketing the icy peak just above that shielded the city like an umbre. The city beyondy untouched.


    The buildings were simple and long, made of stone and held by pirs of the same material. Carvings stretched across most of the city, making it appear more like a ruin than an inhabited ce. The people walking about were tall and formidable. Their skin was as pale as the snow outside the city¡¯s walls and their ears came to sharp points. They wore dense fur clothes, and many walked about with a bow or an axe.


    Opposite the ice wall was a sheer gray wall carved from stone. A great structure jutted out of the front of it, overlooking the city. It was a formidable keep, gray smoke rising from the ck fires atop the towers. The tusked skull of a gigantic creature hung from the keep, its empty sockets forever staring menacingly at the wall of ice. At the foot of the stone wall, arge passageway led to a spiral staircase winding up into the keep.


    The keep was filled with Veidimen. Barring the lightly armored spellcasters, the bulk of them were warriors. Their armor was te, but it was all covered in dense fur to ward from the prating cold. In the heart of the keep, the throne room, a great assemge of fierce-looking snow elves had gathered, each sitting at one long rectangr table that stretched to the end of the room. Each of the people sitting had a few behind them, stance polite as though waiting to serve. They seemed to be men and women in equal numbers.


    At the throne, a short yet fiercely scarred man sat casually. His head was cleanly-shaven, but a crown of iron, fangs, and ws all arrayed with points upwards decorated his forehead. He kept his eyes fixed at the foot of the stairs. There, a badly burn-scarred Veidimen was supported by a few snow elves. Though the burns had been treated, most of his body was badly affected. His pale white skin served as a harsh contrast to the red and ck scars.


    ¡°It was Gmon ¡®the Great?¡± the man on the throne asked. ¡°You¡¯re certain?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Patriarch.¡± the burned elf answered hoarsely.


    Patriarch Dras shifted on his throne, obviously difited by the news. ¡°How could you tell when the attack was so sudden and swift?¡±


    The burned elf swallowed, and then took a deep, wheezing breath. ¡°We had confirmed Gmon¡¯s presence¡­.¡± The elf paused for another wheezing breath. ¡°¡­in Mateth many months ago, my Patriarch. I had seen him at times, while using the pigeons¡­. to scout. The appearance was identical.¡±


    The Patriarch leaned back in his throne. All of the snow elves arrayed kept quiet, waiting for their leader to inquire further. ¡°If he opposes the invasion¡­ Gmon would know more about our military than anyone save me. Since he¡¯s behind the attack, it¡¯s safe to assume that most of our military secrets will be leaked.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s assuming the humans will even ept his aid. They are wary of us Veidimen. Even possessing the scout¡¯s reports, he will not be able to reach anyone,¡± one of the people at the table spoke.


    ¡°He was with a man,¡± anothermented. ¡°If he¡¯s enlisted aid in this battle of his, he can likely use them.¡±


    ¡°But Gmon, even after being exiled, still follows the teachings of Veid,¡± Patriarch Dras said, voice low and frustrated. ¡°He may as well be my brother. He firmly believes in Veiden, even if Veid has stricken him with the Curse of Bloodthirst. Something is off.¡±


    ¡°Maybe he is not the leader in this scenario,¡± a woman¡¯s voice said. She was quickly interrupted.


    ¡°Be quiet, Anneliese!¡±


    Everyone¡¯s heads turned to two near the end of the table. An aged elven woman sat at the table, wearing mage¡¯s robes. Another woman stood behind her, tall and skinny, with silken white hair descending down to her knees. Her amber eyes stared ahead, unshaken.


    ¡°My apologies,¡± the old mage sitting said. ¡°I brought her here to learn. She forgot her ce, Patriarch Dras.¡±


    The Patriarch scratched his chin. ¡°We are all children of Veid. Let her speak,¡± he dismissed, waving his hand.


    Anneliese turned her head forward and opened her mouth, before pausing to gather herposure. ¡°¡­if Gmon did not lead the attack, and was instead under contract of a human, his actions would make sense. Gmon would never break a contract, no matter the enemy.¡±


    ¡°But the battle was said to be quick and decisive,¡± someone quickly refuted. ¡°Two took on twenty druids, including Tirros. From what was reported, the mage could not have been especially high rank, either. If Gmon was not leading, such a result would be¡­ unlikely.¡±


    Anneliese turned her amber eyes to the one who had spoken. ¡°Patriarch Dras led our tribe of Veiden, yet Gmon devised all of the strategies that led to victory in war.¡±


    Some people were taken aback by thement which implied Dras owed his Patriarchate to Gmon. Many heads turned to wait for the Patriarch¡¯s response. He had his mouth hidden by a hand. Eventually, he lowered it. He was smiling.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°True. The strategist need not be the leader,¡± Dras said calmly. ¡°My own past has shielded my questioning, though. Getting lost in conjecture does Veiden no good. The simple fact is this; we are to head to Berendar. Any chance we had to wait for a good time to assault has been lost, and they will prepare for ouring.¡±


    The Patriarch stood and walked to the top of the stairs.


    ¡°For unending centuries, the Veidimen have endured the frigid winds of the north!¡± he shouted. ¡°We were born in the fires of Veid¡¯s creation, and over the passage of time, the cold has tempered our rough iron will into a fierce warrior¡¯s steel.¡± He paused, stepping about. ¡°Now, we muste from our sheathes and unleash ourselves upon the world! It is time for us to embark from the shores and make ourselves known as the tool of Veid¡¯s will!¡±


    The room erupted into cheering. Axes were raised into the air in fervor. The Patriarch continued his speech, and it echoed throughout the great keep. Though the words spoke of war and battle, none seemed tense. Instead, nearly all had expressions of anticipation, like the time had finallye to fulfill their life¡¯s dream.

 Chapter 25: The Swordfish Sharpens

    Chapter 25: The Swordfish Sharpens


    A knight pushed open a set of oak double doors that had the symbol of House Monti in the center. The swordfish split open, and a small officey beyond. A few faces turned towards the new entry. Argrave walked in, looking around the room. It was an office and a library in one, and a big round table upied the center of the room. Many documents were syed out across the table. Argrave recognized them¡ªthey were from the druid¡¯s camp.


    Barring Nikoletta and Elias, there were two people present that Argrave did not recognize. This was something that had scarcely happened to him since arriving in Berendar. Most of the civilians in Mateth were untouched by the Veidimen invasion, but the military and leadership were mostly killed. If these two were here, it meant that they had probably died before the game began.


    The man at the head of the table was of an average build. He bore a set of gilded armor bearing a blue swordfish at the front, so Argrave recognized him as Duke Enrico of Monti. Argrave ced him at his early fifties. He had blue hair and the same dark pink eyes Nikoletta had. His hair was wavy and well-groomed, and his beard was trimmed to a sharp point. He was still quite handsome by Argrave¡¯s estimation. A veritable silver fox.


    The other was a gruff-looking knight with a scar-lined face. His head was shaved bald. He stepped forward, cing himself between Duke Enrico and Argrave.


    The Duke scanned Argrave, head tilted to peer at him from behind the knight. ¡°This is your friend, Nikoletta?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it is.¡± Nikoletta crossed her arms and nodded.


    Argrave wanted toment that her answer had changed since they first spoke, but he kept quiet.


    The Duke continued. ¡°He¡¯s a tall one. Taller than the king, even.¡± He tapped the table. ¡°Step aside, Knight-Commander Ryger.¡±


    ¡°Duke,¡± the knight obeyed quickly, taking his ce at the table. The doors shut behind Argrave.


    ¡°My daughter has been rying what you¡¯ve told her the past few days,¡± Duke Enrico started. His voice was calm and steady, with a certain business-like quality to it. ¡°Your information was supported by what you brought with you, and my men retrieved some of the bodies in that camp of¡­ what was the word¡­¡±


    ¡°Druids,¡± Argrave supplied.


    ¡°Yes. Druids.¡± The Duke stared at him. ¡°Nikoletta may not question where your informationes from. I, however, am greatly concerned by how you know so much. You knew things urring in my territory before I did. How did youe to know about this camp of druids?¡±


    Elias turned his head to look at Argrave after the duke had spoken. Clearly he was interested in the answer too.


    The knightmander walked beside Argrave,ing ufortably close. He was a fair bit shorter than Argrave, but probably much heavier. Argrave smiled at him, keeping his feet firm.


    ¡°Information gathering is one of my strengths,¡± Argrave answered. ¡°I talk to a lot of people. I walk around a lot. I do things¡ªfavors¡ªfor people. You can learn a lot if you have time and an open-mind.¡±


    Argrave essentially described what ¡®quests¡¯ were in an RPG. Indeed, he had learned most of the game through quests, so it was not a lie. One of the key parts of being convincingly deceptive was learning to deceive oneself.


    Ryger looked dissatisfied by Argrave¡¯s answer. The Duke pressed more. ¡°That is not specific. Who, or what, gave you the information?¡±


    Nikoletta grabbed his arm. ¡°Father, please don¡¯t do this.¡±


    The Duke did not look at Nikoletta to respond. ¡°You are too trusting. Thwarting schemes requires considerable caution, and plenty seek to undermine our Dukedom, Nikoletta.¡±


    ¡°You are too paranoid,¡± Nikoletta shot back. ¡°Argrave could have made us go to war with Parbon, but he chose to risk himself.¡±


    ¡°That is one matter. This is another.¡±


    ¡°Hold on a moment,¡± Argrave interrupted. ¡°If I know you, Duke Enrico, you were already nning on rallying soldiers as soon as Margrave Reinhardt started moving towards Dirracha.¡±


    Duke Enrico stared for a moment. Somehow, he made dark pink eyes seem fierce. He had a stare that could make Charles Manson run for his money.


    ¡°Who or what or where or why¡ªnone of that matters,¡± Argrave continued. ¡°Those documents alone should set you on edge. They document your troops better than you do, I suspect. I know more than I should, and you don¡¯t need to know why that is.¡±


    ¡°The source of information is <em>always </em>important. It helps reveal the intention behind the conveyance of information.¡± The Duke paused, running a hand across his beard. ¡°But, in this case, you are right. Preparation has never undone anyone. On that note¡­ several people have described that battle you had with the druids. Most called it a massacre, yet you were only two. You are a D-rank spellcaster, yes?¡±


    Argrave shook his head. ¡°Yesterday I was. Today, not anymore.¡±


    That statement elicited a reaction from Elias and Nikoletta. Elias¡¯ eyes widened, but Nikoletta burst out, ¡°You said you were going to rest tonight!¡±


    ¡°I did sleep,¡± Argrave rebutted. ¡°Besides, I¡¯m a lot better now. No more shivering. Either way, me being C-rank doesn¡¯t matter, as I haven¡¯t had the time to learn any C-rank spells beyond [Wargfire]. I don¡¯t think I will before the Veidimennd, either.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± The Duke nodded. ¡°You strategized for the attack on the scouts?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Argrave confirmed.


    ¡°Do you have thoughts on what the snow elves will do?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re asking my opinion? Why not ask the egghead here?¡± Argrave pointed his thumb at the knightmander Ryger. The man¡¯s face deepened into a frown, but he did not say anything. He did not appear to talk much.


    ¡°I have asked his thoughts, and now I am asking yours. I prefer to strategize myself. A hobby of mine, mock-warfare.¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°Well, has Nikoletta told you what I said before?¡±


    ¡°You believe we are hopelessly outmatched.¡±


    ¡°I know you are,¡± Argrave corrected. ¡°You¡¯re vastly outnumbered, they have Ebonice inrge amounts, they¡¯re more experienced, they have detailed information about your capabilities, and their warriors are physicallyrger. It¡¯s a losing battle.¡±


    ¡°Ebonice?¡± the Duke repeated.


    ¡°It¡¯s an ice that dispels magic. All but the highest-ranking magic breaks on contact with it. Some spells can keep going for a time, but they lose purpose and generally shatter immediately¡ªespecially wards. Ites from their region, so they have a lot of it, naturally. My guard Gmon has some¡ªan axe. I can demonstrate itter, but he¡¯s away right now.¡±


    ¡°Our knights aren¡¯tcking in training,¡± the knightmander said, speaking for the first time.


    ¡°But with battle experience? Many of these Veidimen are old¡ªhundreds of years old, in fact, with as many battles under their belt. Their leader, Patriarch Dras, conquered all of the other tribes of the region. Their magic isn¡¯t at allckingpared to ours, either.¡±


    The Duke leaned over the maps on the table. ¡°Then tell me; what do you suggest be done?¡±


    ¡°Their primary disadvantage is that they are at sea,¡± Argrave stepped forward, walking past Ryger and Elias to stand over the map. ¡°Their longships will try andnd on unfortified locations so that their troops can disembark. Hiding traps in the water would be effective¡ªpikes hidden underwater along the coast would force them to jump into the water and swim to shore. I needn¡¯t exin why that¡¯s disadvantageous, I think.¡±


    ¡°My daughter mentioned how you thought they might deploy their mages¡­¡± the Duke began.


    Their conversation continued, Argrave discussing what he thought and the Duke refining the ideas. Like this, Argrave integrated seamlessly into the battle nning. The morning passed by swiftly.


    #####


    ¡°¡­and if they use earth elemental magic as a siege weapon?¡± The duke pressed, pointing to a diagram of Mateth¡¯s walls.


    ¡°It¡¯s not so different from pushing adder off the side of the wall, only you need mages to deconstruct the tform. They would have to build it like stairs so as not to make it crumble, and that sort of magic is very costly. The walls are quite tall.¡±


    ¡°What if they use it on the wall itself?¡±


    ¡°The walls of Mateth are enchanted. That can¡¯t happen.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°You do know too much,¡± the duke said musingly.


    Argraveughed, stretching and looking out the windows. ¡°Look at that. It¡¯s near midday. Gmon must be back by now, surely¡­ well, if that¡¯s the case, I have to be going.¡±


    ¡°Where?¡± the duke inquired harshly. It seems he didn¡¯t want Argrave to leave.


    ¡°Barden. I have things of my own to prepare.¡±


    ¡°What things?¡±


    The door shot open, and a tired-looking man stumbled into the room. Argrave looked at the man in concern.


    ¡°Duke Enrico, my lord,¡± the man said, huffing. ¡°This just arrived.¡± He stepped forward, handing a note to the Duke. ¡°Margrave Reinhardt¡¯s knights were attacked. House Parbon has sent missives to all the nobles in Vasquer, seeking support in overthrowing the royal family.¡±


    Elias stepped forward and took the note before the messenger could deliver it.


    ¡°I told you it wasing,¡± Argrave said. ¡°It¡¯s tough, always being right like this.¡±


    ¡°Shut up,¡± Elias said coldly, hands shaking as he read the note. Then, without another word, he dropped the paper and ran out of the room.


    ¡°Elias¡­!¡± Nikoletta shouted in vain. The heir to House Parbon left quickly.


    ¡°That¡¯s precisely why this invasion is so dangerous,¡± Argravemented, sitting in a chair and leaning back casually. ¡°Everyone else will be choosing a side in the battle for Vasquer. No time to devote to the elven Vikings.¡±


    ¡°How can you be so casual? This is¡­ this is terrible!¡± Nikoletta shouted.


    The Duke was silent at this point. He retrieved the letter and read it as Argrave spread his arms wide, asking incredulously, ¡°What? I¡¯ve been telling you this wasing.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s one thing to say it, it¡¯s another for it to¡­¡± Nikoletta sat down as well, clutching her head.


    ¡°Anyway, I really should be going now.¡± Argrave put his hands on his knees and stood up. ¡°Especially now that things are like this.¡±


    ¡°Hold a moment,¡± the Duke stopped Argrave, putting a hand in front of him.


    ¡°No, really, I¡¯ll leave you be. I left my cat in the oven, and my bread needs to be fed¡­¡± Argrave insisted, pushing past the Duke¡¯s hand.


    ¡°I won¡¯t restrain you, if that¡¯s what you fear,¡± the Duke assured. ¡°There¡¯s something you should have.¡±


    Argrave stopped. ¡°Oh, the money from the auction? I can¡¯t use that yet, anyway. There¡¯s a ce to the south at the city Jast¡­ well, never mind. Not important yet. I can get itter.¡±


    ¡°Auction?¡± the Duke questioned.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that, dad,¡± Nikoletta butted in. ¡°Argrave, we can talk about thatter.¡±


    The Duke gave a fierce nce to his daughter, and she hid her gaze. ¡°We¡¯ll discuss thister. But for you¨Cthis. It¡¯s a simple token. If you show this to any of my knights, they will protect you. A simple precaution.¡± The Duke held out a blue token with a swordfish on it.


    ¡°Oh, the Mark of Monti. Nice.¡± Argrave took it, reminiscing. It was a game item that had more or less the same effect.


    The Duke frowned when Argrave recognized it, but he did notment. ¡°If indeed this invasion urs, Monti will have much to repay you for. The steps you¡¯ve taken¡­ it is worthy of nearly anything.¡±


    ¡°Even that magic ring you¡¯ve got stashed in the basement?¡± Argrave inquired, recalling an artifact that existed in the game.


    The Duke frowned intensely.


    ¡°Ah¡ªnever mind. We¡¯ll talk about thatter. For now¡­¡±


    Argrave held the token in the air, muttering a ¡®thanks,¡¯ and then left quickly. Nikoletta followed him out.


    ¡°But¡­ Argrave, we still have to talk¡ª¡±


    Argrave interrupted, holding his hand behind him and waving. ¡°We¡¯ll talk once this is over. No use for money where I¡¯m going.¡± He stashed the token in his pocket and walked for the exit.

 Chapter 26: The Holy Fool

    Chapter 26: The Holy Fool


    Argrave opened the door to the abandoned house. He was greeted by a harsh smell. Gmon stood at the table, a fire heating up arge ss bottle that had been turned ck by the mes.


    ¡°Jesus,¡± Argrave said, coughing. ¡°I forgot how bad that stuff smells. You get used to it when you live next to it, but¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re back,¡± Gmon said. ¡°Sleep well?¡±


    ¡°Better than usual.¡± Gmon nodded at Argrave¡¯s answer, then picked up the ss bottle. He smothered the mes with a nket.


    ¡°This was thest potion. Eight bottles of the calming brew, four stamina-restoring potions. I fixed the Ebonice arrow. It was bent.¡±


    ¡°I presume your leeching session went well?¡± He strode in, waving in front of his face to dispel the smell.


    Gmon looked at Argrave coldly.


    ¡°Come on,¡± Argrave urged, tapping Gmon¡¯s elbow. ¡°Laughing at something is how you learn to live with it.¡±


    The snow elf set the potion down and picked up a cloth to wipe his hands. ¡°It is a curse. An affliction. An illness is noughing matter.¡±


    Argrave pursed his lips. ¡°You don¡¯t have to sleep, you don¡¯t age, and the only price is a strange diet and heliophobia.¡±


    ¡°I will not rest with Veid when I die. Instead, I will be lost in the abyss.¡±


    ¡°So, don¡¯t die,¡± Argrave said, thenughed. Hisughter trailed to a stop as Gmon¡¯s pure white eyes stared at him like he was a bug. ¡°Well, whatever. If it¡¯s so terrible, once we¡¯ve killed the world-ending ancient cmity, we can cure you. Until then, keep those fangs sharp.¡±


    ¡°Vampirism cannot be cured,¡± Gmon said quickly.


    ¡°Not by you alone. Me? I have my ways.¡±


    Gmon shook his head. ¡°Erlebnis¡¯ method would be costly.¡±


    ¡°Pfft, where¡¯d thate from?¡± Argrave waved his hand dismissively, then looked around for his satchel. ¡°Why involve an ancient god? There are plenty of ways.¡±


    Gmon stared. ¡°Supposing that is true¡­ you assume I will not die in your fool¡¯s quest.¡±


    Argrave looked at him, pausing. ¡°You won¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Looking at you now¡­ that possibility had never entered your head before I mentioned it.¡±


    ¡°No one¡¯s dying. Stop being a doomer,¡± Argrave held his hand up. ¡°I¡¯ll die centuries before you do. Stop with the morbidity. We¡¯ve got to pack. You¡¯ve got to pack. We¡¯re heading to Barden.¡± Argrave grabbed the satchel and threw it over his shoulders. ¡°Amendment; I am going to Barden. You are going beyond Barden, to a dingy little ruin called¡­ I can¡¯t pronounce it. Aethel-something.¡±


    Gmon paused, but eventually moved and grabbed his bag, putting stoppers in the bottles and loading them in. ¡°It¡¯s the eve of war, and you¡¯re sending me away? Imprudent.¡±


    ¡°As much as I¡¯d like you to hold my hand through these stormy tides, these past few days of reviewing my ns mentally have led me to one conclusion; getting an audience with Patriarch Dras is going to be extremely difficult. I need a little something to turn his head. In the chaos of battle, no one is going to listen to me if I shout that an ancient cmity is waking up and I need to see their leader.¡±


    ¡°Get to the point,¡± Gmon said, waving his hands as though to hurry things up.


    Argrave paused and stared at him. ¡°No, I won¡¯t get to the point. I refuse. Anyway, I was thinking of some ancient traditions the Veidimen have that I might be able to take advantage of. I remember that in case of a snowstorm, the Veidimen would signal each other, even if they were enemies, for shelter.¡±


    Gmon raised a brow in surprise but nodded. ¡°The Veelstron sign, yes. I am surprised you know of it. But it¡¯s only epted if there are extremely pressing circumstances that require cooperation or prevent conflict. Lifees before conflict.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Argrave nodded. He grabbed a few of the bottles off the table and put them in his satchel. ¡°I¡¯m d you confirmed, because frankly, I wasn¡¯t quite sure I got it right. I also don¡¯t know how to make the signal. Simply put, you need to head to the ruins to create the circumstances for the¡­ Veelstron sign,¡± Argrave pronounced each syble, ensuring he said it properly.


    Gmon frowned. ¡°What exactly is in these ruins?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a tomb,¡± Argrave said excitedly. He¡¯d finished packing all of the potions and came to stand before Gmon. ¡°It holds some ancient race of elves that¡ªwell, I could talk about that ce for hours, but I¡¯ll skip the details. When their warriors grew old, they¡¯d cover their bodies in melted metal and trap their souls inside. They¡¯d bury their possessions beside them. Therefore, they¡¯d carry their wealth for all eternity.¡±


    Gmon brushed his hair back. ¡°I am not sure that I like¡ª¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to go in there. There¡¯s a seal on the door, but it broke recently¡ªsome stupid miners, you¡¯ll find them dead just about everywhere. From the entryway, you¡¯ll need to head to the end room.¡±


    ¡°You want me to fight against a tomb of guardians? You overestimate my capabilities.¡±


    ¡°They won¡¯t fight unless you take something,¡± Argrave assured. ¡°Just be sure not to kick anything around, you¡¯ll be fine¡ªI swear.¡±


    ¡°Why not send your illusionist friend? The yellow-haired, short woman. Surely she, with proven stealth capabilities, would be better at¡ª¡±


    ¡°These things don¡¯t have the normal five senses. They sense one¡¯s magic. Besides, it¡¯s dark in there. You have vampire eyes.¡±


    Gmon went mute, gaze growing distant.


    ¡°There¡¯s a crown at the end of the tomb. It¡¯s on top of their dead king¡¯s head. You¡¯ll have to take it and run. All of them will wake up, but they¡¯re pretty slow-moving. As long as you¡¯re quick, it should be fine. They hit pretty hard, though. Don¡¯t get hit,¡± Argrave emphasized, pointing. ¡°Might as well leave your weapons out front, barring that axe you¡¯ve got. Hard to kill them without magic, anyhow.¡±


    Gmon moved to the chair and sat down. He turned his head up at Argrave.


    ¡°Ever since you mentioned you were fighting Gerechtigkeit, I had considered returning the 3000 gold that you paid me. You were fighting against the world-ending cmity. It is my duty to help, I thought.¡± He pointed to Argrave. ¡°That¡¯s changed. I¡¯m sending it to my family in Veiden, like normal. It¡¯s thest bit of gold they might receive.¡±


    Argrave smiled. ¡°Listen, I know your capabilities. These guys are slow and clumsy. Being heavy is their only virtue. Once the fighting breaks out, you¡¯ll be off to fetch them in short order. It¡¯s my duty to hold out until then. We¡¯ll parley with the Veidimen, kill the tomb guardians, and then I¡¯ll use this silver tongue of mine to get a meeting with Dras.¡±


    Gmon shook his head and sighed. Argrave had rarely seen such an expression on the big man¡¯s face. He stood, and Argrave looked up to meet his eyes.


    ¡°Your n makes me question your sanity. You possess the same sort of boldness Dras did, I think. He united all of Veiden; you challenge He Who Would Judge the Gods. Both are monumental tasks beyond my ambition. I was proud to serve under Dras; let us see if things are as you suggest, and I will live long enough to take pride in working under you.¡±


    ¡°Like I said, you¡¯ll be fine,¡± Argrave hesitantly reached out and touched his shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m more worried about myself. I have to hold out against a tide of Veidimen while you get the cavalry.¡±


    The atmosphere became harmonious for a moment. Argrave remembered something.


    ¡°The only dangerous guardians are the archers. Those¡­ well, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    Depression washed back over Gmon¡¯s face once again.


    #####


    A humble carriage drove down a poorly made road. It was wooden, and though it looked well-crafted, it was unadorned with fanciful things. Its most notable feature was a set of statues atop it. It depicted various human figures in saint-like poses. Each seemed to represent something. The modest carriage was contrasted fiercely by an array of gold-armored knights on horseback. They were royal knights, and they guarded the carriage diligently.


    As the carriage continued along the road, the carriage driver brought the horses to a slow, seeing something ahead in the road. It looked like a heap of ck cloth, but it wasrge enough that the carriage would not be able to drive over it unimpeded. The royal knights moved ahead, well used to dealing with such a thing by this point.


    One of the knights dismounted and reached over to the heap of cloth to pick it up and throw it aside, but he paused. His back straightened, and then he kicked the cloth. It rolled over, revealing that that pile was actually a body.


    The carriage door opened. A veryrge man dismounted. He wore a set of white robes, and they concealed a set of ck te armor. His ck hair was bound into onerge braid, dropping behind him to his knees. His eyes were gray and his brows were thick and bushy, giving his gaze a fierce quality.


    ¡°Prince Orion,¡± one of the royal knights greeted, bowing from atop a horse. ¡°There is a block ahead in the road. This will be only a moment.¡±


    Orion said nothing, walking out into the road in long, somewhat dainty strides. His clean white robe dragged along the ground, but he did not seem to care. Ahead, the knight had kneeled over the body on the road, examining it. When he heard footsteps, he turned his head. Seeing Orion, he moved to block him quickly.


    ¡°My Prince. I believe this man is diseased. You should keep your distance.¡± The knight tried to stop Orion with a hand.


    ¡°The gods protect me from harm, loyal knight.¡± Orion pushed past the knight,ing to stand before the body. He kneeled down and removed his gauntlet.


    The body¡¯s gender was indistinguishable beneath the cloth, even with the face exposed. The flesh was waxy and badly malformed¡ªit was very simr to severe leprosy in some respects. Orion held his hands over the face.


    ¡°I feel heat.¡± He lowered his hand, nearly touching the skin.


    ¡°Be careful, my Prince. I have never seen anything like this disease.¡±


    Orion paused, then stood. He grabbed the knight¡¯s helmet, lifted it up, and grabbed the man¡¯s neck.


    ¡°I told you the gods protect me. Do you doubt their vows?! Do you think they will allow harm toe to their favorite child?¡±


    The knight only sputtered. Orion released him, and then stepped forward, hugging the knight as the man coughed and tried to breathe properly.


    ¡°Forgive me. The wrath of Gael consumed me. You are a loyal knight, and kind besides. I love you. We are all the gods¡¯ children on this realm.¡± He squeezed tightly, and a single tear fell from his eye.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Orion released his embrace and turned away, leaving the knight gasping for air. One of the other knights watched this scene but stayed deathly still. One could veritably see the uneasiness beneath his armor. Eventually, the knight stepped forward and said, ¡°There¡¯s a vige ahead that the road passes through. What do you¡­ wish to do, my Prince?¡±


    ¡°I love them all,¡± Orion said, as though in answer. ¡°All of them. They¡¯re my people. The gods gave me a crook with which to herd men; the gift of their voice, the power of their presence.¡±


    The knight elected to stay silent, waiting for Orion to continue.


    ¡°They¡¯ve spoken to me these past few days. Warning me of an enemy¡ªa worm crawling in the skin, around corners trajection of deadly touch tarant spiders. I kept my eyes open. Now I see it; the gods did not tell me of a <em>man</em> seeking to do me harm. They spoke of this fell disease.¡±


    ¡°¡­Prince?¡± the knight prompted.


    ¡°I must help them.¡± Orion walked forward along the road. ¡°This war my brother wrote to me of¡ªit does not matter. The people are the gods¡¯ creation, and I must keep them safe.¡±


    ¡°But, my Prince¡­¡± the knight followed. ¡°How? We have no healers, no food, no water, no medicine¡­¡±


    ¡°I will find a way. No matter if I need to sell my clothes, my body, they must be helped. This is my enemy; one of my many great tribtions before I, too, ascend to godhood and meet my friends that whisper in my ear the truths wrested from the clenched hand of the heavens.¡±


    Orion walked, step after step, down the road. He¡¯d left his gauntlet beside the body of the man who had fallen. The royal knights could only cast uneasy nces at each other before following onwards.

 Chapter 27: Dread Breath of War

    Chapter 27: Dread Breath of War


    Argrave spurred his horse forward, holding his hand to the satchel on his side to keep the bottles from banging about. He knew the terrain well after years of wandering about in ¡®Heroes of Berendar,¡¯ and Argrave stuck near the coast as he headed for Barden. Gmon rode beside him. It had been a challenge to find a horse that could support the elf¡¯s weight and height, but they had managed. The horses belonged to the Dukedom, technically, but Nikoletta had secured them for the two of them.


    ¡°Don¡¯t fight the horse,¡± Gmon instructed, yelling loudly so his voice carried as they moved. The snow elf was a much better rider than he. ¡°Don¡¯t react to its movements after they¡¯ve happened. Move in sync with it. It¡¯ll reduce the burden on both your and its body.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll just do that. Move in sync with the horse. It¡¯s easy, bro. Just do it,¡± Argrave muttered into the wind with a mock jock-tone.


    The horse carried onwards. Argrave watched forndmarks, guiding them to their destination. The suns were high overhead, and the temperature was pleasant. This ce didn¡¯t seem like one on the eve of war.


    The two of them rode onwards for a long while. Eventually, Argrave could see the distant buildings of a vige; it was not Barden, though. This ce was made of cheap wood and straw. Barden was much beyond it. Argrave adjusted his shoulders, telling himself that the journey was probably half done.


    The sound of a horn filled the air. Argrave thought it was uncannily simr to that of a steamboat. He had wits enough to slow his horse instead of pulling it to a stop instantly, and he looked at where the noise hade from.


    The horn came again. Argrave could see someone standing atop an outpost at the vige with a hornrger than themselves held above their head.


    ¡°There, beyond the crags,¡± Gmon said, pulling up beside Argrave. ¡°A longship cuts the waters.¡±


    Argrave looked out across the sea, squinting his eyes. He saw a moving mass of brown. They flew a red g with a ck wheel in the center. It was too distant to make out details beyond that.


    Argrave cursed. ¡°So much for that conversation with the god-forsaken Duke. A waste of time. I could have learned a useful C-rank spell. Instead, I spent it giving advice for an invasion that was happening today.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t think on it. You will get lost with that mentality,¡± Gmon cautioned.


    ¡°Rely not on the likelihood of the enemy¡¯s noting, but on our own readiness to receive him.¡± Argrave turned to Gmon. ¡°They¡¯re still at sea. Let¡¯s move. Once we get to Barden, you¡¯ll have to keep going.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    They both spurred their horses forward, moving faster than they had before. The horn continued to blow, and the vige ahead became a hive of movement. People ran inside their homes, barricading windows and doors. The vige militia, bolstered by a few dozen knights, spread out along the front of the vige in the coast, urging fishermen to get away.


    The pair had nned to travel through the vige, but Argrave redirected them along the outskirts so as not to interfere with people moving about the road. As they rode by, shouts of unease and urgency entered their ears.


    <em>My leisure caused this. I should have acted faster. I should have acted smarter. I knew it wasing, and I didn¡¯t do it right.</em>


    Argrave did not have the time to get lost in self-reflection, as the road demanded his attention. It was difficult to suppress the urge to look out at the ocean and see how close the longships hade to the shore.


    As they travelled along the road, Argrave¡¯s whirling mind made the time pass by quicker. Before long, Barden came into sight. It was a quaint vige with arger dock than the one before it. The houses looked firmer than the vige before, and it possessed a meager palisade to ward off attackers. The longships had not yet reached it.


    ¡°There¡¯s Barden,¡± Argrave shouted, turning his head to look at Gmon. ¡°Do you remember the directions I told you?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re asking now? Of course I do,¡± Gmon answered back.


    ¡°Good, good.¡± Argrave muttered, nervousness brewing within. ¡°Once we reach the palisade¡­¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Gmon nodded. ¡°We discussed this already. There is nothing left but to do our duties.¡±


    Argrave took a deep breath, looking forward silently after hearing Gmon¡¯s words. He saw in his peripheries some longships moving towards Barden, and hurried his horse even faster than it was already going.


    The gates had closed at Barden. Gmon broke off from Argrave, and the nervous storm roiling in his chest became a tsunami crashing around. He was all alone. The defense of Barden¡ªand perhaps his life¡ªwould rely only on his ability alone. He hadn¡¯t repaid his magic debt to Erlebnis. He could not use the Blessing of Supersession.


    Argrave slowed his horse, stopping at the gate. He shouted, ¡°Ie from Mateth! I need to speak to Knight Ryles!¡±


    He heard some people speaking within loudly, and eventually, the gate opened. A knight stood there. ¡°Knight Ryles is here, sir. He¡¯s with the knights near the docks, helping the people get to safety within their homes.¡± He pointed down to the docks.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Argrave said, slightly winded. He led the horse, and then promptly dismounted. He left it there without tying it to anything. A horse would be of no use to him now, anyway. Leaving was not an option, not anymore.


    Argrave walked down to the docks. He spotted the knight he was looking for¡ªthe leader of this detachment of knights, Knight Ryles. He had a blue plume on his helmet. He was one of the few to survive the invasion on Monti. In the game, Ryles led a gueri force against the Veidimen after they seized the coast.


    The knights were speaking amongst themselves, while the militia waited a fair distance away, waiting to be told what to do by the knights.


    ¡°Knight Ryles,¡± Argrave shouted out, drawing the man¡¯s attention. He walked closer until he stood face-to-face. ¡°Knight Ryles. I¡¯m d I made it in time.¡±


    ¡°You know me?¡± the knight asked, his voice echoing from beneath his helmet as he looked up at Argrave.


    ¡°No, not before this. Duke Enrico sent me here. I am Argrave of ckgard,¡± After bringing up his old pseudonym, Argrave reached in his pocket and retrieved the Mark of Monti he had been given this morning. ¡°Barden is likely to be an important battleground. He wished for me to¡­¡± Argrave swallowed the words, ¡®takemand.¡¯ No matter what mark he had, things would not go well if he seizedmand from a respectedmander on the eve of battle.


    ¡°He wished for me to offer guidance on how to deal with the snow elves, and further offer my abilities as a Wizard of the Gray Owl.¡±


    ¡°A spellcaster? Your kind are always wee. But guidance? I am not sure¡­¡± Ryles trailed off.


    Argrave interrupted. ¡°I was the one to deal with the druids hiding in the forest. I know how these elves fight. I won¡¯t undermine yourmand, but Barden is an important strategic position, and I can help you devise countermeasures to their strategies.¡±


    Ryles lowered his head. Argrave could not see his expression from behind the helmet, but he knew the man was deep in thought.


    A knight standing nearby interjected, ¡°There isn¡¯t time for much, Knight Ryles. Their strange ships are approaching.¡±


    Ryles looked behind him at the ocean, and then back at Argrave. ¡°Tell me your thoughts. I¡¯ll decide whether or not to implement them.¡±


    Argrave surveyed the surroundings quickly. ¡°They can onlynd on the left side¡ªthe cliffs to the right of Barden are too steep, and the docks too narrow for a warship to fit. We should send the skiffs out to sea without anyone on them. Any sort of impediment preventing the elves beaching smoothly will be helpful.¡±


    ¡°But the¡ª¡±


    ¡°Property isn¡¯t important now,¡± Argrave interrupted, walking out into the docks. ¡°Look at the number of elves on those longships. They are likely the same number as we, but each is heavily armored and highly skilled.¡±


    Ryles put his hand on the pommel of his sheathed sword, but eventually nodded. ¡°You¡¯re right. It¡¯s a good idea. Tell the militia to do that,¡± Ryles directed one of the knights. ¡°What else?¡±


    ¡°The archers should take their ce behind the palisades. The Veidimen have throwing axes, javelins¡ªour bowmen need cover. If there is no position they can look over the palisade, stack crates or furniture for them to shoot effectively.¡±


    Ryles nodded. ¡°What of the spearmen?¡±


    ¡°They should receive the elves on the shore.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous. You¡¯re sending those men to their deaths,¡± Ryles protested.


    ¡°It isn¡¯t ridiculous. These men have never seenrge scale battle before. The palisades will break in seconds, and the Veidimen will lose the disadvantage of being at sea. If you send in your elite knights and they are routedpletely, these militiamen will break and run. Besides, the spears will be effective at slowing their movement in the shallow water. If I am just behind them, I can attack with magic while the elves are slowed.¡±


    Ryles shifted on his feet, devising a rebuttal. ¡°You assume my knights will be routed easily.¡±


    ¡°If you think I am tall, I am barely above average amongst the snow elves.¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°They are giants, one and all. Furthermore, they are no stranger to warfare. Their fighting style is fierce and rapid; though it¡¯s ufortable to think about, seeing them battle the militia may prepare your knights better for their attack.¡±


    Ryles grew quiet for a moment, considering Argrave¡¯s opinion. He lifted his head towards Argrave. ¡°You said you would stand on the battlefield? Not behind the palisade?¡±


    ¡°If the militia are first on the beach, yes. The knights should be behind them. I will stand with the knights.¡±


    Argrave turned his gaze to the ocean. The militia were busy pushing out the boats to sea, and before long, the ocean was filled with empty vessels drifting along with the tides. The longships loomed ever closer. Argrave could see someone standing on the front of one of the boats. It was a woman; she had very long white hair and wore a white fur outfit.


    ¡°What is she doing here?¡± Argrave said aloud despite himself.


    ¡°What?¡± Ryles questioned.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± Argrave dismissed. ¡°Someone I know on the docks, that¡¯s all.¡±


    Internally, Argrave cursed. <em>That¡¯s Anneliese. Why is she here? She specifically never entered the vanguard¡­</em>


    Anneliese was one of the most prominent Veidimen characters. After Mateth fell, she became Dras¡¯ chief strategist after distinguishing herself in the siege. She had two very powerful traits; [Genius] and [Empath]. She used them both to great effect to devise very good battle ns that read the opponent like a book. That was the lore, at least; in game, she was an extremely powerful mage. Her magic affinity, just like Argrave¡¯s, was high. At this early juncture in the game, she was likely a C-rank spellcaster.


    Ryles nodded, seemingly having made up his mind. ¡°If you¡¯re confident enough in your idea as to stand out in the frontlines, I¡¯m inclined to put more belief in that.¡±


    ¡°Then we have talked enough. Let¡¯s move,¡± Argrave answered quickly.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°Right. You all heard our conversation, men and women! Convey the orders to the militia. We have very little time!¡± Ryles shouted, rushing to the gate. He drew his sword, and the militia manning the gate worked together to pull the gate open with a string. Argrave followed him out on foot.


    Argrave opened up his satchel bag and retrieved two potions. He drank them both and tossed them to the ground. Rotating his shoulders, he felt the nervousness fade from his body and the aches he¡¯d umted from horse-riding became a distant memory. After, he pushed the satchel to his back and followed the militia who were just beginning to head onto the beach.


    <em>Damn it all. Anneliese, </em>Argrave cursed internally. <em>I don¡¯t know if she¡¯s a soldier, if she¡¯s leading, or if she¡¯s merely a mage helping. I don¡¯t want to kill her before brokering peace with the Veidimen. She was always invaluable when fighting Gerechtigkeit.</em>


    ¡°Whatever happens, happens,¡± Argrave said, mostly to himself. He strode out onto the beach. The longships just began to collide with the drifting boats, slowing slightly but pushing onwards. The time hade.

 Chapter 28: Confronting the Long Sleep

    Chapter 28: Confronting the Long Sleep


    The oars on the longships churned the sea, pushing towards the shore. There were three of them. The skiffs, adrift on the tides, were pushed aside, some filling with water and sinking. Other got caught in the oars, and some were beached, but the effect was achieved¡ªthe leading longship slowed greatly, faltering just before the shore. The militiamen by the palisadesunched a volley of arrows, and the snow elves aboard had to block them with their shields and duck low. Only a few were hit.


    Argrave had nned to use a fire spell to catch the ship ame, but Anneliese would quickly counter that with magic of her own. He could not see her now; she had likely moved to the back. He stood a little in front of the knights, watching the situation with a calm mind. The militiamen stood before them holding their spears out to the boat ahead like pikemen waiting for a horse¡¯s charge.


    He saw someone fly through the air, leaping like a grasshopper from the back of the boat. He saw a waving mass of white hair and recognized the person as Anneliese; she had used a C-rank wind spell tounch herself to the boat further from the shore. He watched her closely. She pointed to the archers behind the palisade and shouted at the oarsmen.


    <em>She¡¯s recognized the archers as thergest threat, </em>Argrave thought to himself. As the closest longship slowly started to push past the tide of fishing boats, the archers had prepared another round of arrows to fire. They were close enough that not many missed, but the Veidimen blocked them with theirrge shields very well. After, the elves stood and threw javelins and axes. Their uracy was terrifying, and the few archers that did not duck received a grievous blow.


    Ahead, the longship Anneliese hadnded on veered off from the beach and headed straight towards the docks. <em>She¡¯s nning to ram it into the docks so that she can get at the archers quickly. She¡¯d lose the boat, almost certainly, but the archers are defenseless. </em>Argrave considered stepping away to protect them, but the bulk of the troops would still be at the beach, and so he stayed.


    Ryles, though, was not idle. ¡°Militiamen, three steps forward! Knight Gilbert, take the men beneath you and protect the docks!¡±


    One knight broke off from the rest, and five men followed behind him. The gates opened for them and quickly shut. At the beaches, the first of the Veidimen jumped from the longship and into the shallow waters. Each bore a long axe and a round shield. The militiamen rushed forward, stabbing at a long range with their spears.


    Argrave stepped forward. If Anneliese was absent, he could go back to the original n. He held his hand out and conjured his only C-rank spell, [Wargfire]. He felt the magic within drain significantly, and a great wolf of fire lunged forward, catching one of the Veidimen ame and setting the bow of the longship on fire. He had used arge spell so that the fire would not be extinguished easily, though he loathed spending so much of his magic so early.


    The snow elf that had been caught on fire dropped into the water to extinguish the mes, and the militiamen seized the initiative to stab him as hey there. Like this, their confidence was bolstered. Another of the Veidimen waded from the shallows onto the shore, receiving three spears on his shield. He swatted them aside and threw his axe right at Argrave.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Argrave did not retreat; he stepped forward and cast an E-rank wind spell. It was amon strategy to use wind magic against projectiles in ¡®Heroes of Berendar,¡¯ as wards were costly and restrictive. The axe bounced back, falling into the sand. The leading elf was stopped by the mound of militiamen, blocking with his shield as he pulled a spare axe strapped to his waist.


    The mes did not spread too quickly, but they consumed the front of the ship, making it impossible to drop right into the shallow water immediately. Most of the Veidimen were jumping into the deep portion of the water now, swimming towards the shore. Some beached skiffs funneled them into a line, restricting their mobility.


    Argrave waited until they were bunched closely for maximum efficiency and started casting [Writhing Lightning] sparingly. The electricity danced between the group, offering the militiamen time to attack in the spasms that followed. Some of them were unable to raise their shields in time to block spears, and they began to fall one after the other.


    Despite the clear disadvantage, the Veidimen began to push the militiamen back, blocking their spears and pushing forward. Another volley of arrows came from behind, and the Veidimen could not block. Many of them fell dead or wounded into the sea, arrows sticking from their backs.


    Behind the first longship, the second wasing in at a fair distance to the left, giving the first a wide berth and attempting tond far away from where the troops were most concentrated. The third longship sped towards the docks with terrifying speed, well prepared to sacrifice the vessel for an advantage.


    In front of Argrave, one of the snow elves hooked a spear with an axe, yanking one of the militiamen forward. The elf dispatched the man with chilling efficiency after with a blow to the head. He stepped over the corpse of one of hisrades, advancing forward into a tide of spears. The few Veidimen still aboard the longship tossed axes, killing many of the spearmen who were not expecting such an attack.


    The spearmen, shaken after such a turn, nearly broke formation. Ryles shouted behind, ¡°Hold the line!¡±


    A monstrous noise roared from the docks, and Argrave saw the longship cut into the vige of Barden. The Veidimen aboard rocked, holding the railings tightly, and some few fell into the sea. Screams came from the vige¡ªsome panicked, others crying out in war. The archers turned to address the snow elves that werending behind them.


    ¡°Wizard Argrave!¡± Ryles shouted over the din. ¡°I will leave you here with two knights. Takemand of the spearmen! We must go confront the secondnding party!¡±


    <em>No, you idiot! We finish this group up quickly, and then move to confront the others!</em>


    ¡°Understood!¡± Argrave returned despite his thoughts. He reflected another javelin with an E-rank wind-spell. He was starting to feel his calm mind waver, and he quickly retrieved another potion from his satchel to suppress his rising nerves. He finished it and dropped it to the sand.


    The knights marched away, their loud ngs of steel heading towards the longship in the distance. As though seeing a chance, the Veidimen before them pushed forward, bracing their shields and pushing. Some of the militia¡¯s spears bent and snapped.


    This push against the tide continued, the snow elves forcing back the superior numbers of the militiamen up the beach. Soon, they were near dry sand. One of the militiamen fell, grabbing a fellow by his side for support. The line copsed in the center, and the Veidimen seized the initiative.


    Argrave lunged and cast the D-rank [Wind Wall] hoping to stall the snow elves from advancing further long enough for the line to recover. Though they bounced back, one stepped forward with a glimmering ck axe of Ebonice, shattering the wind barrier before it could do much of anything. The snow elf was perhaps five feet away, and steadily approached Argrave.


    Pivoting on his foot, Argrave casted [Writhing Lightning] at the ground to avoid the Ebonice. The damage was diminished but the man spasmed, and Argrave stepped forward, pulling the axe from his loose grip. He held his other hand to the man¡¯s visor, conjuring the E-rank spell [Wind Knife], piercing his eyes through the Viking-like spangenhelm. He pushed the man¡¯s dead body backward into the tide of Veidimen.


    ¡°Knights! Advance with me! Militiamen, retreat three steps and reform the line!¡±


    Two armored knights came beside Argrave, protecting him with their shields. Argrave¡¯s magic was half-spent by his estimation. The tide of Veidimen rushing forth slowed and split as the dead body fell in front of them. The Ebonice axe felt heavy, but Argrave held it at hand.


    ¡°Shield charge!¡± Argrave directed the two knights. They rushed forward, mming into the tide of Veidimen with their shields. Despite the size difference, without much countering momentum the front few elves fell backwards like dominos, and their advance was stalled briefly. Seeing them so thoroughly bunched, Argrave cast another [Writhing Lightning] in the center. The knights stepped forward, stabbing at those who had fallen.


    ¡°Knights, fall behind the spear line!¡± Argravemanded, stepping backwards. The Veidimen, after gaining their bearings, rushed forward with great speed. Argrave cast another [Wind Wall], and they collided against it before moving around it. Argrave and the knights slipped past the militia line, waiting behind them.


    The snow elves rushed towards them, unimpeded by water or slopes any longer. Their armor and clothes were drenched and they ran through sand, so their speed was not at full potential. Still, their formidable size and unified charge made it seem like confronting a charging elephant. The militiamen stepped back even though the enemy was many yards away.


    ¡°How convenient!¡± Argrave shouted andughed. ¡°They¡¯reing to be impaled on their own!¡±


    His humor was not exceptional, but it had the effect he intended; the militiamen were calmed slightly. Some of the snow elves hung back, throwing axes and javelins through the air. Argrave countered what few came near him with low-ranking wind-magic. When their charge was close, Argrave held his hand out and shot another [Writhing Lightning] at the ground before them. Their unity was shattered as the center stumbled, but many carried forward unimpeded.


    The great rush of shields shed with the spearmen, casting many to the ground. Some of the spears found their way past the shields, and some of the elves did genuinely impale themselves. Things became chaotic quickly. Argrave directed the knights beside him to step forward and attack. He dared not use [Writhing Lightning] when they were just a heap of bodies as they were.


    Argrave saw something moving atop the palisade and turned his head. The archers had fallen, it seemed. The Veidimen came atop the palisades, brandishing their weapons. Shortly after, Anneliese came to stand, surveying the battlefield.


    Two of the snow elves broke off from the rest and pursued Argrave, both wielding Ebonice axes. The knights were separated from him, so Argrave stepped back to gain some distance, holding his Ebonice axe in front. His eyes widened as he recognized one of them; Vorath, the originalmander of the upants in Barden. He was both a mage and a warrior, though only a D-rank mage.


    Argrave pranced about, keeping his distance from the two elves and keeping his eye on Anneliese at the palisade. Both his foes had Ebonice, and he was running low on magic. He dared not move recklessly. Vorath and hispanion were wary, watching Argrave¡¯s hands as though expecting him to cast a spell.


    Seeing they were so cautious, Argrave stood still to bait an action. In his peripheries, he saw Anneliese preparing a spell. He did not turn his head to face it, doing his best to appear ignorant of her actions. A spear of ice formed, and Anneliese propelled the aptly named C-rank spell, [Ice Spear], towards Argrave.


    At thest second, he turned his body towards the ice spear, holding his hand out. Trying to break it with the Ebonice would only break his arm; instead, he did what he had been doing to all of the projectiles thrown at him. He redirected it with a D-rank wind spell. It veered away, flying towards Vorath and hispanion. Both leapt away, but the spear stabbed the one Argrave did not know in the leg, pinning him to the ground.


    Argrave seized the initiative, striding past the fallen snow elf and towards Vorath. The formermander was calm. He raised the Ebonice axe in the air to swing down at Argrave, but in his other hand behind the shield, a spell matrix formed. A wave of fire erupted, but Argrave expected this. He shed at it with the Ebonice axe, dispelling the magic and dropping the axe to free his hand.


    His n disrupted, Vorath swung his axe down at Argrave¡¯s shoulder. Argrave held one hand up and cast [Wind Knife] towards the man¡¯s wrist. Blood spurted and the axe fell from his hands, but it still retained its momentum, cutting Argrave¡¯s back as it fell. Argrave staggered but kept his bearings enough to use his other hand to cast [Wind Knife] on Vorath¡¯s neck to finish him. The two copsed next to each other, one dead.


    Argrave sat up, pushing Vorath¡¯s corpse away. He reached for his back to close the wound with healing magic but realized it would be thest of his magic. He might need what little remained to hold back Anneliese. Though he turned to look, the elven spellcaster was gone from the palisade.


    He stood, turning his sights towards the militiamen. There, he witnessed a knight finish off thest of the snow elves. Two spearmen and one knight were all that remained. Argrave swallowed his pain, drinking another potion and advancing forward. He grabbed the Ebonice axe that had cut his back.


    ¡°Everyone! We follow Ryles¡¯ knights, rejoin with them!¡± Argrave shouted.


    ¡°But Barden¡ª¡± the knight began.


    ¡°You expect us to throw ourselves against the palisade with only four? Regroup. Get away from their throwing range. They are already behind the walls.¡±


    Argrave would not dare say it aloud, but he was d they were behind the walls. It would give them more time for Gmon to finish his task, and some little time to recover his magic.


    <em>The real question lies in if Ryles¡¯ group defeated the second ship. If they fell¡­ </em>Argrave shook his head. Ryles had lived through the assault on Barden before, even if he lost the vige. He must live through it again. Things would be different in this reality.

 Chapter 29: Walkthrough: Galamon%

    Chapter 29: Walkthrough: Gmon%


    Gmon grabbed therge mass of stone with both of his hands, using his legs to lift it from below. It shifted upwards easier than he thought it would, and he tossed it into the mineshaft behind him. A few fragments of rock fell when the rock was removed, but there was an entrywayrge enough for him to enter. He had taken off all his weapons except for his Ebonice axe,pletely adhering to Argrave¡¯s directions.


    He crouched low, walking awkwardly forward. He did not need to do so for long. The small passage opened up into a vast room. Gmon stood. He could see everything clearly, and he acknowledged that Argrave had been right to send him; even with a torch or magicmp, this ce would be difficult to navigate. Gmon could not sense any blood nor sense any movements. Nothing in this ce was alive.


    The room was very open, barring the pirs holding the mountain above up. The central walkway was a neatly polished gray stone and had many branching paths. Beside the walkways, lined up in perfect rows, were rectangr stairways that descended to an altar. Each of these altars, of which there must have been a hundred, were filled with various objects: weapons, gold, gems, and other such earthly treasures.


    Nothing was alive, to be sure, but the creatures that Argrave had described filled the ce. The tomb guardians sat behind the altars, each in an identical cross-legged pose. They held a weapon across theirps, heads drooping over them as though bowing or sleeping. Their bodies were wholly metal and decidedly anthropomorphic but theycked any distinguishing features beyond that.


    Briefly bewildered, Gmon took out his sk and held it to his lips. He drained the entire thing, and then put it back in its ce. He set off into a steady, certain walk, running Argrave¡¯s directions through his head. He was careful to watch his step so that he did not kick anything. A rock might hit one of the altars if kicked, and the situation could quickly get out of hand. Above all, Gmon could not waste time dealing with one of the awakened guardians.


    The path wound confusingly. Try as he might to remember where he came from, most of the ce looked the same, and that only deepened his reliance on Argrave¡¯s directions. They included an escape route and everything. If the man had been lying to him, Gmon would be in dire straits. He hade to trust Argrave, though he was at times annoying.


    Before long, Gmon stood at a set of stairs that led upwards. Pirs stretched for dozens of feet above, holding the great mass of ceiling at bay. Gmon took the stairs two steps at a time, and he arrived at a great open portion of room. A royal red carpet that had degraded over the passage of years led to a single massive altar. There was a king¡¯s ransom in gold, jewels, and magic artifacts. Behind it was a metal guardianrger than most of what Gmon had seen.


    He gave the glistening pile of wealth arge berth, walking until he stood in front of the tomb guardian. Argrave had said this man was a dead king; true to his word, a crown hung from the brow. Gmon took a deep breath, running through Argrave¡¯s directions onest time. They seemed ridiculous, like a child¡¯s game. But Argrave had assured that this strategy worked ¡®two hundred percent of the time,¡¯ whatever that meant.


    Gmon identified every aspect of the n¡ªscouted out everything Argrave had mentioned, and took mental note of the closest tomb guardians that had bows¡ªand then he reached both of his hands out, hovering just beside the crown. He moved his hands quickly, touching his fingers to the circlet and yanking it off.


    <em>¡°The crown¡¯s a pretty good artifact. Bolsters your st¡ªer, your physical abilities considerably. Leave your helmet outside, and just toss that baby on,¡± </em>Argrave¡¯s voice rang through Gmon¡¯s head.


    He put the crown on and leapt back. Gmon leapt much further than he intended and crashed into the pile of gold¡ªthe physical enhancements were considerable indeed. The tomb guardian raised his head, standing and lifting the gargantuan sword off itsp. He heard metal nking behind him, as though a thousand cksmiths came to life.


    <em>¡°Run behind the boss, and head for the left corner of the room. The pirs there are pretty close together, and the big guy won¡¯t be able to fit.¡±</em>


    Gmon sprinted forward and jumped off the altar, easily dodging a slow swing from the tomb¡¯s king. He headed for the set of pirs, and then squeezed into them.


    <em>¡°Once you¡¯re there, the king¡¯ll probablye and try to reach you, banging his sword against the pirs. They¡¯re quite strong¡ªthey¡¯ve been holding up a mountain for a thousand years, after all. All you need to do is wait. Eventually some of the little guys¡¯lle near.¡±</em>


    Hiding behind one of the pirs as instructed, Gmon watched as the king mmed the greatsword against the pirs. He watched for cracks, fearing they were not as sturdy as Argrave estimated, but there was not a one. He poked his head out, watching for the progress of the tomb guardians. A purple projectile soared through the air, and Gmon brought his head back in, inhaling sharply.


    The projectile impaled into the wall, and Gmon recognized that it took the shape of an arrow. It sunk in very deep¡ªnearly a foot¡ªand then fragmented into purple shards before dissipating entirely. Gmon took another deep breath to calm himself. He waited as the big king mmed his sword against the pirs in unintelligent attempts to get at him.


    One of the guardians drew near enough to swing at Gmon. He dodged, stepping back until his back was against the wall.


    <em>¡°Once the tomb¡¯s guardians get close enough, you¡¯ll want to go to the opposite corner, keeping within the pirs. Just keep hugging the wall, and head for the stairs. It should be a tight pinch¡ªyou want them bunched up like that. If it¡¯s too tight, just jump. The crown should let you, even with that heavy armor.¡±</em>n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Gmon sprinted for the opposite corner. Behind him, the archers shot the wall, leaving foot-deep stabs. Gmon drew his Ebonice, just in case; ording to Argrave, what they conjured was pure magic, and so unlike some elemental magics, it would dissipate immediately when touching Ebonice.


    Practically flying down the stairs, Gmon kept close to the wall and took a sharp left when he came to the bottom. He kept behind the pirs as instructed. One projectile came close, but he swatted it aside with the axe, surprised by his own speed.


    <em>¡°Just keep hugging the wall. Eventually, you¡¯ll go off into another room, but it has two entrances back to the main hall. If you stay in the leftmost corner, you¡¯ll give the tomb guardians enough time to shamble away from the mineshaft¡¯s entry point. In other words, hide behind the pirs again, waiting for them to group together.¡±</em>


    A crowd of the tomb guardians blocked the wall ahead, but Gmon could see the room Argrave described just beyond it. He hastened his run, and then jumped as hard as he could, soaring above them. After clearing them considerably, hended, his legs jolting from the impact. He started running again, and he did not stop until he reached the spot that Argrave had designated.


    <em>¡°This second room is a long hallway, in essence. It breaks off from the main room and has two entryways; the one you¡¯ll enter from, and the one that connects back near the entrance. It was constructed to amodate more bodies once the main room was filled, but their civilization died before they had the chance to use it. As such, empty.¡±</em>


    ¡°Hurry up and wait,¡± Gmon muttered to himself, keeping his eye on what was ahead. The great mass of tomb guardians slowly entered into the room, shambling towards his position. They moved about as fast as he walked, but they were devilishly strong and their bowmen caused problems. The king stood in the back, twice asrge as the rest but unable to proceed past the mob that had formed ahead of him.


    <em>¡°You should probably wait until the king enters the room fully. That¡¯s usually the proper cue for when to skedaddle.¡±</em>


    Gmon watched and waited. The bulk of the archers were also behind the mob, meaning that they could not fire at him. He waited until a few seconds after the king had crossed the threshold, and then bolted. Innumerable projectiles flew at Gmon¡ªtoo many to work out a path to dodge and dispel with Ebonice. He considered how to dodge them, but then he simply jumped. He cleared all of them handily, and one of the altars shattered into dust and pebbles when the arrows struck behind him.


    After this, Gmon ran unimpeded for the opposite side of the hallway. The archers did fire more at him, but their attacks were too far away to have any considerable uracy. He found the exit to the room, walking back into the main hall. He saw the light shimmering in from the mineshaft and rushed towards it.


    One of the guardians bearing a sword lunged at Gmon as he ran. He tried to parry the blow, but it stabbed him in the shoulder and he dropped the axe. He pulled his arm free, deliberating between the axe and the exit. Ultimately, he decided to move towards the exit. The wound had already stopped bleeding, and he felt his vampiric blood stir as the injury closed itself. He reached for his second sk, draining it of blood and sating himself before his instincts could consume him. He had none left after this, but the worst was over.


    <em>I¡¯ll be sure to make that beanpole reimburse me for that axe, </em>Gmon thought to himself, dodging a purple arrow that flew past. He came to the entrance, ducking into a graceful slide that delivered him right into the mineshaft. There, he grabbed his helmet and his weapons, stringing them to his person as quick as his fingers could manage.


    He moved as fast as the close confines of the mineshaft would allow, moving towards where he sensed air wasing from. It was not long before he was outside. He took a deep breath and exhaled.


    <em>¡°Once you¡¯re out, just set off riding. They¡¯ve got¡­ magical tracking on the crown, you see. The big guy will get stuck at the entrance, seething, while our favorite frozen freaks will chase you towards Barden. There, I¡¯ll either be dead, dying, or starting to form an ego after holding back a Veidimen raiding party.¡± </em>


    <em>I lived. That felt wrong, somehow. Cheap,</em> Gmon mused. He walked to the horse, untying its reins from the rock he¡¯d attached it to. He leapt on, spurring the horse forward. He took off the crown and threw his helmet on to hide his elven ears. He looked behind, scanning the cave¡¯s entrance. It took some time, but the metal things started to emerge from the mine.


    <em>Let¡¯s see if I find a corpse or a hero. </em>

 Chapter 30: First Contact

    Chapter 30: First Contact


    Anneliese watched the four survivors run to rejoin the detached group of better-armed men. That the defending force had a mage was an unexpected variable, but she adapted to it as best she could. The man was formidable. He killed the formermander and led to the deaths of dozens of others. Those thoughts gave her a pit in her stomach; Patriarch Dras had given Anneliesemand to evaluate her after she spoke up at the gathering, and her first task was not a clean victory.


    ¡°We¡¯ve won, Commander Anneliese,¡± one of the snow elves said formally.


    ¡°Have we?¡± she asked, watching them walk away from the makeshift tform beside the palisades. ¡°The second ship¡¯s fate is not decided, but chasing after them now would probably be fruitless. Losing two ships worth of Veidimen for this vige¡­¡±


    ¡°Our task was to secure anding for further troops. We have seeded in that. All that remains is holding this position.¡±


    Anneliese turned to look at his face, gauging his emotion. His breathing was fast, but he did not turn away from her gaze. After further examination without seeing any signs of anger, she judged he was not discontent with the battle.


    ¡°Had you not made the call to kill the archers immediately, all would have died on the shores,¡± the elf continued, oblivious to her scrutiny.


    Anneliese turned away, stepping off the tform. ¡°We may not have enough men to hold this ce. The humans are barricaded in their homes now, but should things change¡­¡±


    ¡°If they were resigned to die, they would have joined their soldiers in defense of their vige. Let them cower in their homes.¡± The elf jumped down after her and kicked one of the houses. A panicked yelp came out from within.


    ¡°Kick a ho¡¯s nest, tempt many hos¡¯ wrath,¡± she scolded, looking at the man coldly. ¡°We are to preside over these people as subjects, not enve them. Behave, or you will be punished.¡±


    The elf paused, and Anneliese moved past him. Her gaze moved from ce to ce, surveying the docks and the damage that had been done with the ship. The longship was floating still, but the front half was suspended above the water, bnced precariously on broken wood. If it were to enter the water, Anneliese was sure it would sink. The other ship was ame, and could not be salvaged.


    She heard a loud split and presumed one section of the docks had broken. Wood splinters striking her cheek made her turn her head. One of the palisades had been knocked over, badly deformed but barely standing. She saw a sh of dissipating purple, but nothing after that.


    A few shouts made her walk to the palisade. She peered beyond the broken one. She saw a whir of movement, and only after did she process that a horseman had just rode by. She grabbed one of the stakes and pulled herself up, peeking over the side. To the right, a horseman galloped off towards the humans. Behind¡­


    Behind, there was a mass of shining metal. Anneliese¡¯s heart jumped into her stomach. She assumed they were knights for a moment, the sunlight reflecting off their polished steel as a great crowd of men moved to reim the vige. But their movements were jerky, and further scrutiny showed that theycked joints. They looked like metal men.


    Another purple projectile shot forward, and Anneliese dropped down. It hit the dirt, creating a great cloud of dust from the sheer force. She briefly saw an arrow before it dissipated into nothingness.


    ¡°The human trap¡­?¡± she questioned. Most of the Veidimen ran to the palisades, examining what exactly was firing at them. Anneliese sprinted over to the other side, pulling open the gate and looking out at the crowd of humans.


    The horseman rode across the ins, slowing the horse before dismounting it beside the distant party. Not many were left living; ten, by her count, the mage, the rider, six knights, and two spearmen. The mage walked ahead of the rest of them. Some of the purple arrows fired, but he dispelled them by casually blocking with the Ebonice axe.


    ¡°The two are enemies¡­?¡± Anneliese scrutinized further. She watched the human mage step closer, appearing casual. He raised his arms above him, fists clenched, until they formed a V. Then, he closed the V repeatedly, touching his knuckles together. Even this far away, Anneliese could distinguish a vague hint of triumph on his face.


    ¡°A Veelstron sign. He brought this horde here to force coboration?¡± Anneliese¡¯s mind worked quickly, but those things approaching seemed mindless and hostile. Would the man rather lose the vige than the battle?


    Nevertheless, she returned the sign. If the man had caused this horde, it stood to reason he would be the key to ending it.


    #####


    ¡°Wizard Argrave, what are you doing?¡± Ryles yelled. ¡°What is that horde?¡±


    ¡°This is a sign for parley,¡± Argrave exined, keeping his head facing forward. ¡°Those things are monsters. The Veidimen have a tradition of coborating in the face of danger¡ªsnowstorms, big beasties, the like.¡±


    ¡°Coborating?¡± Ryles demanded, stepping forward. ¡°You brought those things here?! Exin yourself!¡±


    ¡°I did! Well, my friend did, actually, but I ordered him to.¡± Argrave responded. Gmon stepped behind Argrave, cing himself between Ryles and Argrave.


    ¡°What were you thinking?!¡± Ryles walked forward, but Gmon held him back.


    ¡°I was thinking I could find a way to get them to vacate Barden, and perhaps all of Berendar,¡± Argrave said back.


    ¡°So we should set aside arms, work with those we were killing moments ago?¡± Ryles insisted. ¡°You¡¯re a madman!¡±


    ¡°I showed you the Mark of Monti. I work for the Duke directly; I am one of his principal agents. This is part of the Duke¡¯s n.¡± Argrave turned around, pushing past Gmon. He handed his Ebonice axe to Gmon and grabbed Ryles¡¯ shoulders. ¡°If I do nothing, not just Mateth, but all of House Monti will fall. This has to be done. I am going to stop this invasion in its tracks.¡±


    He could hear the knight¡¯s breathing from beneath the helmet, rapid and angered. Eventually, the man pulled free from Argrave¡¯s grip and returned to his knights.


    ¡°I refuse toe with you. If you are confident going, then go.¡±


    ¡°Then will you help against the metal men?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Ryles spoke, angry. ¡°For the sake of the Duke¡¯s n, if nothing else. But I don¡¯t like this.¡±


    Argrave nodded. He tapped Gmon¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    The two started walking across the ins. Argrave saw Anneliese waiting; he was quite pleased they did not fight, as she was a helpful person in killing Gerechtigkeit.


    The battle was not over, though. With their parleying so close, Argrave realized the biggest issue, presently, was dispatching the vast horde of tomb guardianse to reim the crown.


    <em>Depending on how this talk goes, this could be very hard or quite easy. </em>


    ¡°You lived,¡± Gmonmented. ¡°How¡¯s the ego?¡±


    Argrave could not muster augh. He felt like vomiting, truthfully. The experience had been intense. ¡°I could say the same for you. Jesus, that was hard-fought. The idiot back there ditched just because we were holding our own. We very nearly lost.¡±


    ¡°I lost my axe.¡± Gmon held up the one Argrave had handed him. ¡°I was going to make you pay for a new one¡­ but you gave me this.¡±


    ¡°Lucky me.¡± Argrave looked ahead, where Anneliese half-jogged towards them. He saw her fully for the first time. Her amber eyes were bright, but her incredibly long white hair was stained with dirt and some blood.


    Argrave turned back to Gmon, tapping his breastte with his knuckle. ¡°By the way, keep that crown hidden. We don¡¯t want them to know they¡¯re chasing you.¡±


    Gmon nodded. ¡°If I throw it back to them, will they leave?¡±


    ¡°Not really. They¡¯re hostile to all life at this point.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunate.¡± Gmon stopped, holding Argrave back as Anneliese drew nearer.


    ¡°Hello, Anneliese,¡± Argrave shouted. That brought her to a stop.


    At a fair distance, Anneliese spoke back, ¡°How do you know my name?¡±


    ¡°The same way I know the Veelstron sign. Do you think the Veidimen are the only one capable of spying on the enemy?¡± Argrave said. ¡°But we¡¯re wasting time talking. I¡¯m Argrave, this is Gmon. You may know him.¡±


    Her face was passive. She was very good at keeping her expressions in check, Argrave knew. Even her amber eyes stayed still. ¡°Then the druids¡­¡± she paused. ¡°This horde. You brought it? Can it be stopped?¡±


    Argrave smiled. ¡°Yes, it can. Unfortunately, miss Anneliese hunted the archers, throwing a massive wrench in my strategy and leading to most of the men dying. Consequently, I will need your full cooperation for this to be as easy as I hoped.¡±


    ¡°I cannot apologize. It was my duty.¡± She shook her head.


    ¡°Your duty is ridiculous, then. Your duty is the reason why this world¡¯s cycle mighte to an end,¡± Argrave said, hamming his speech up. ¡°While you wage this senseless war, He Who Would Judge the Gods stirs. That is why I created this situation.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re feigning anger,¡± Anneliese returned. Argrave felt exposed and ufortable, his acting being so tantly called out. ¡°He Who Would Judge the Gods? Is this true?¡± Anneliese looked to Gmon.


    Gmon nodded. ¡°He is the mortal agent of Erlebnis, the Hand Reaching from the Abyss. He seeks to stop Gerechtigkeit. During my employment, he has been struggling towards that end.¡±


    Argrave looked to Gmon, surprised that the elf could pull out such a quality story from thin air. <em>Wow. I should have thought of that sooner. I was too busy trying to avoid that name. I should have just embraced it. </em>He saw the elf looked very serious. <em>Or¡­ maybe this isn¡¯t a con. Come to think of it¡­</em>


    Anneliese showed genuine surprise for the first time, and spoke before Argrave¡¯s thoughts could wander. ¡°You speak truly? This is¡­ unimaginable.¡±


    ¡°Erlebnis is one of those gods on trial. I am his defense.¡± Argrave took a step forward. ¡°As such, in return for our aid, I would expect to be taken to Patriarch Dras. This invasion needs to cease. The living races of the world need to preserve their strength for the ancient cmity. That is my task, my duty.¡± Argrave held his hand to his chest where the bronze hand mirrory in his pocket.


    Anneliese looked back to the horde of metal men behind. Then, she turned back. ¡°I have no choice in the matter, given what you¡¯ve brought, but I would still agree. If Gmon the Great would speak for you, I believe you are not being dishonest. The ancient cmity takes precedence over all; such is as Veid teaches.¡±


    Anneliese spent a long time thinking, staring at the dirt with a distant stare in her eyes. Argrave waited patiently.


    Eventually, she nodded. ¡°We will allow your men in. I will exin to mine what is happening. We will make a contract ironing out the details.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Just like that?¡± Argrave asked incredulously. ¡°Well, I won¡¯tin.¡±


    ¡°I believe you are not lying. Someone ordinary could not bring these things here. As I said, I have no choice,¡± she emphasized. ¡°More is lost from indecision.¡±


    ¡°Then I will speak to my own.¡± Argrave nodded. He turned on his heel and walked back towards the party, back still stinging with pain.


    ¡°Hey, listen, Gmon¡­¡±


    Gmon looked at Argrave as they walked.


    ¡°I know I just asked you to lure them over and all, and that was a very difficult task that I¡¯m immeasurably thankful you did¡­¡± Argrave paused.


    ¡°But?¡± Gmon prodded, hefting the Ebonice axe in his hand.


    ¡°Well, there¡¯s maybe thirty of us total including the Veidimen. You¡¯ve got this nifty little crown on you that attracts their attention, you¡¯re probably the best warrior here, I reced your Ebonice axe¡­¡±


    ¡°So?¡± Gmon ran his finger across the axe¡¯s edge.


    ¡°If you could distract them while we prepare¡­ for a little,¡± Argrave proceeded, making hand gestures. ¡°A long while, maybe. We could probably win. If not¡­ we¡¯ll all be quite dead.¡±


    Gmon shook his head as they walked. ¡°I¡¯m starting to feel less pity for that cut on your back.¡±


    Argrave looked to Gmon. ¡°I hope that means ¡®yes, I will do it.¡¯¡±


    Gmon nodded. Argrave let out a sigh of relief. He turned his head to look at Gmon. ¡°But how can you tell I was injured¡­?¡±


    ¡°Beyond the split clothing? I can smell the blood. It makes me¨C¡±


    ¡°Forget I asked,¡± Argrave interrupted. ¡°Let¡¯s just get going.¡± He hastened his steps. Gmon reached up to his arm, massaging where he¡¯d been stabbed, before moving to catch up with Argrave.

 Chapter 31: Machine Learning

    Chapter 31: Machine Learning


    If one was suddenly ced in a situation where they needed to dispatch near a hundred animated corpses coated in metal and capable of bending steel with their hands, they might not be able toe up with a solution. That was doubly true if they were entirely out of magic when confronting this situation.


    Argrave had faced worse odds. Granted, it had been within a game, and there was no imminent death in the case of failure.


    One of the main reasons people were able to do much more in games than in real life was because of the limitations imposed by artificial intelligence. NPCs could not act like truly real people. They were incapable of making judgements and responding to the situation ordingly. They had to be programmed, and that programming could only ount for so many scenarios. Once one learns vaguely how the AI functions, it bes easy to ovee insurmountable odds. You can manipte the AI into poor situations.


    These tomb guardians could bepared to artificial intelligence. Though Argrave had thought while nning this might be a big hurdle, all he needed was time.


    Argrave peered through a small hole in the palisades out at the crowd of tomb guardians. Though they had been headed straight for Barden, they now veered away, following after a lone figure: Gmon. He rode on horseback, circling around them and deflecting the odd magic arrow that came near him.


    ¡°We just need to wait,¡± Argrave said, leaning against the palisade as he stared out. ¡°If we move too soon, the archers will take notice of us and fire. Those things are indiscriminate butchers.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re cing Gmon in much danger,¡± Anneliesemented.


    Argrave turned his head around. He was surrounded by Veidimen. It felt strange being around them. With them, he felt as though he was average height again. With the pale skin, they might as well be kin.


    ¡°He¡¯s tough, and he¡¯s the only one I can trust with this. Besides, worst-case scenario, vampires can regenerate, and are much more physically capable than most. You should know this.¡±


    Anneliese nodded. ¡°It is merely disquieting. He is a great figure.¡±


    ¡°Yet the Veidimen exiled him,¡± Argrave stepped away from the palisade.


    ¡°He is still respected, even if Veid has punished him. I study his strategies.¡±


    ¡°It shows,¡± Argrave said. ¡°Without your quick decision, things would have gone much differently.¡±


    ¡°I did not do enough.¡± Anneliese crossed her arms. ¡°The battle should not have been so close.¡±


    ¡°What would you have done differently?¡± Argrave asked, curious to hear some insights from a future prominent strategist.


    Anneliese did not take long to consider. ¡°I would have tried to kill you as quickly as possible. Your magic sealed the firstnding party¡¯s fate. I did not think themander would be willing to sally out of the palisades and onto the beaches. Things would have been much easier if you had remained within the walls.¡±


    Argrave smiled. He walked away and sat on a wooden crate that looked stable. ¡°I left an impression, I see.¡±


    ¡°You were a goodmander. Most believe Gmon was behind the attack on our druid scouts. I see now that may be otherwise.¡± Anneliese stood before the sitting Argrave, keeping her eye on the distant mob. ¡°I am surprised you are not with the humans.¡±


    Anneliese looked at the crowd of knights, who were ensuring the safety of the citizens. They were very leery of the snow elves¡ªnot that Argrave could me them, exactly. Unlike the Veidimen, the humans were not used to setting aside conflicts to cooperate in the face of a greater threat.


    Argrave¡¯s smile turned bitter. ¡°I wasn¡¯t themander, merely an advisor. That ipetent moron nearly killed us all by allowing us to deal with the firstnding party alone. If there had been more time to prepare¡­¡±


    ¡°You sit with a strange posture. You¡¯re hurt,¡± Anneliese said suddenly. ¡°Your back. Turn around.¡±


    ¡°What? Why?¡±


    She stepped forward. ¡°You should be healed.¡±


    Argrave waved her away incredulously. ¡°Save your magic. It will be needed.¡±


    ¡°I will do as I please.¡± She took another step closer. ¡°Our contract does not dictate what I do with my magic.¡±


    Argrave frowned, overwhelmed by her intensity. He slowly did as she asked. Anneliese held her hand out, and he felt an odd sensation like razor burn along his backside. The pain from the cut faded.


    ¡°Mmm. Thank you.¡± Argrave moved his back around, getting used to the feeling. ¡°I¡¯ll remember that you spent your magic to relieve me of some minor pain when we die terribly due to ack of spells.¡±


    ¡°Why? Have no confidence in your n?¡± she rebuked.


    Argraveughed. ¡°No, it should work just fine. Not much magic will be needed, actually.¡± Argrave looked back out at the slowly fading mob. ¡°Want to know what those things are?¡±


    Anneliese nodded.


    ¡°They¡¯re corpses, coated in metal. It¡¯s steel, I think, but that¡¯s not important. They¡¯re reanimated by magic. Bludgeon them, sever limbs, stab them, crush them¡ªthose things don¡¯t work, really. Not only is it very hard to pierce the metal, losing parts doesn¡¯t matter to them. They¡¯ll crawl after you if you¡¯ve severed all their limbs. The key is targeting the magic that¡¯s reanimating them.¡±


    Argrave leaned back, cing his back against a house. ¡°Magic is about the most painful thing for them, but Ebonice does the job nicely. Pierce their skin with Ebonice, it¡¯ll be like a balloon popping¡ªthe things fall over like a house of cards, and we¡¯re crawling away from Tartarus back to cloud nine. The things are devilishly strong, despite their slowness. All we need to do is restrict their mobility. That¡¯s why we needed time.¡± Argrave pointed at Anneliese.


    ¡°To set up those restrictions.¡± Anneliese waved her hands, going along with Argrave¡¯s thought process.


    ¡°Precisely,¡± Argrave snapped his fingers, but the gloves he wore made no noisee out. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t be too much longer. Gmon will give us all the time we need. He¡¯s reliable like that.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s something I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°How can I enlighten you?¡± Argrave spread his arms wide.


    ¡°Why bother killing them?¡± She paused, and Argrave furrowed his brows in confusion. She borated further. ¡°You could have Gmon lure them away to one of the other Veidimennding parties, have them descend on an unwitting group. You could simply leave them somewhere far out in the wilderness. So why?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯smon sense to clean up after yourself when you make a mess.¡± Argrave said, then shook his head with a lightugh.


    He looked back to the horde of metal monsters, now fading in the distance. ¡°Those things, if left unattended, will cause a lot of problems for a lot of people. The cat is out of the bag, and now it¡¯s time to skin it. I don¡¯t want anyone to die, really, neither Veidimen nor human. Gerechtigkeit is what¡¯s important. And so¡­ I¡¯ll take care of those frozen freaks.¡±


    ¡°You have no loyalty to your people?¡±


    ¡°Humans?¡± Argrave turned his head to the side. ¡°Never really thought of it. As far as I¡¯m concerned, a human is just what I happen to be. We¡¯re all animals, despite how some would raise themselves above thatbel. All that matters is character. Gmon is of good character. As are you. As are many others, regardless of vague separations. Unfortunately, greed and stigma cause differences to escte into conflict.¡±


    Anneliese lowered her head, thinking. She asked a question.


    ¡°Do you think you are of good character?¡±


    Argrave opened his mouth, but he found that he had no answer.


    #####


    Gmon rode the horse steadily, so as not to exhaust it. The beast was admirable, keeping suchposure near a massive mob of enemies. The tomb guardians followed him closely behind. Gmon needed to keep a constant eye on them. The archers, of which he counted around fifteen, constantly fired on his position. Generally, the movement of the horse was enough to keep him from being hit. At times, he would need to swat aside the magic arrows that came too near.


    <em>¡°The archers, every time they fire, are actually killing themselves. The magic they conjure has toe from somewhere, and they take it from the source that keeps them alive. I need you to ride until you stop receiving fire. If you keep a close eye, you might be able to see them keel over.¡±</em>


    Gmon might have been skeptical of Argrave¡¯s directions in the past, but now that he had escaped the tomb as easily as he did, he did not doubt them in the slightest. The boy was talented; even if he had knowledge vested in him by Erlebnis, formting ns based on that knowledge was not an easy matter.


    Two arrows soared towards Gmon. His senses came alert instantly, and he tried to swat both out of the air. The first was handily dispersed, but the second hit at the feet of the horse. A cloud of dirt exploded into the air, startling the horse. It reared, rushing forward. Another projectile came, and the horse¡¯s movements made him barely miss it.


    It struck Gmon in the gut, and pain consumed him. He looked down at the wound. The arrow had torn through near half of his torso. He grunted in pain, letting the horse take him away from the mob. He grabbed at his sks, but he could smell that they were empty. He hadn¡¯t prepared enough.


    ¡°Damn,¡± he cursed. The wound was starting to close, but it was so severe that it roused his vampiric instincts. He felt his rationality slipping away, undermined by a fell beast that desired him to be a ve to his cravings.


    He grabbed his neck and squeezed tightly, so tightly that no air could escape. <em>Have to hold on. Long enough to get the job done. Then¡­ plenty of corpses on the beaches.</em> The thought set the beast within stirring once more.<em> Can¡­ no, don¡¯t think of blood. Think of the task. Do your duty. </em>


    With no uncursed-blood coursing through him, the sun burned Gmon¡¯s newly healed flesh. He kept his eyes on the mob. Three arrows rushed towards him, and he swatted them away with a wild ferocity hecked previously. His movements were free of the military efficiency he generally possessed, reced by that of an animal¡¯s instinctual movements.


    #####


    ¡°This seems¡­ vaguely ridiculous,¡± Anneliesemented. She held her hands out, and a great mound of earth rose up, forming a wall.


    Argrave stood behind Anneliese, directing her earth magic. ¡°How so?¡± Already, there was a formidable earth maze with five entrances that converged into one walkway, wide enough for one to pass.


    ¡°These creatures will just allow themselves to walk into this maze, be herded into one point?¡±


    Argrave looked at the now-distant horde of tomb guardians. ¡°Calling them ¡®creatures¡¯ makes it seem like they¡¯re alive. They¡¯re animated by magic, and they respond to living thing¡¯s magic. They track things by sensing it. There¡¯s limits to that, though. They can sense magic through walls, but if it were just that, they would swing at walls. They only attack when they are certain no impediment stands between them and their target. As such, lurking at the end of a narrow entryway and herding them into it is the best choice for dispatching them.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s to say they won¡¯t walk around, climb over, or any other number of things?¡±


    Argrave moved down, walking to the open gate of Barden. ¡°We won¡¯t be killing them at the maze. We¡¯ll be killing them at the gate to Barden. This maze is just designed to thin the rate at which they get to it, so that they don¡¯t climb over the palisades. As long as walking is less time-consuming, the tomb guardians will never climb over things.¡±


    In truth, the directions Argrave had given Gmon to guide him through the tomb was amon method to herd all of the guardians into the narrow entryway of the mineshaft. This way, the yer could dispatch them one by one as they emerged, reaping experience en masse. This n at the gate of Barden was merely a modified version of that.


    ¡°Once theye sauntering to the gate, we have two Veidimen standing by like butchers in a ughterhouse, chopping at whatever walks through with an Ebonice weapon.¡± Argrave emted the motion. ¡°We should probably dig a little ditch so that the bodies don¡¯t stack uprge enough to stop them froming¡­¡±


    ¡°Commander Anneliese,¡± the Veidimen on scout duty called out. ¡°The human¡¯spanion is returning. The fire from the archers appears to have ceased.¡±


    Argrave smiled. ¡°Well, we¡¯d best hurry, hadn¡¯t we? A brawl is surely brewing.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

 Chapter 32: Blood Drive

    Chapter 32: Blood Drive


    Gmon rode his horse onwards, leaning on its head. He felt the exposed flesh on his torso burn, and now that the archers had perished and deprived him of distraction, he could feel the pain of the sunlight. He tried to focus on the pain to drive away the bestial curse of vampirism swirling through his blood. He kept his eyes fixed on the wooden palisades ahead. It was not much longer before his task would be finished.


    When he came near, he jumped from the horse. It neighed in pain, and the sheer force toppled the creature to the ground. Gmon cleared the wooden stakes easily, crashing amidst some jars full of water. He heard screams from the houses beside him¡ªthey sounded loud, so sharp were his senses. He crawled away from the sunlight like a deranged spider, retreating further into the shadows.


    He could smell blood all around him. The smell of the ocean wind carried it. He could smell it seeping into the wooden nks at the docks, could smell it in the earth, the grass¡­ he kept his hand on his neck, squeezing tightly. The world seemed tinted red. Gmon kept to the shadows, waiting until the beast realized it was caged; that he owned it, not the other way around.


    He heard rushed footfalls heading towards him, and with it, a scent of blood. He heard the heartbeat¡ªfrantic, fast, driven by fear and excitement.


    ¡°Gmon,¡± a voice called out. ¡°Hot damn. I knew you could do it.¡±


    <em>It¡¯s calling for me, </em>Gmon noticed. <em>The heartbeat is calling for me. </em>


    ¡°Listen. I know that you just finished with that one thing, but I don¡¯t have time to mince words. Where are you? Damned dark back here. Could youe out?¡±


    <em>It wants me toe out. It¡¯s not afraid of what might happen. </em>


    Gmon lunged forward towards the weing voice, throwing his helmet aside. He grasped the prey and fell on it. His sharp teeth sunk into something hot, and he drank. It tasted sweet¡ªlike a cup of water after traversing a desert, or a piece of meat after a long hunt. This was the best feeling, Gmon supposed.


    His prey struggled with weak, vain hits at his side, pushing and struggling. Gmon did not care. He held on tightly, enjoying the blood. This seemed especially pure and powerful¡ªa mages¡¯ blood, he could tell. It had a faint tinge to it¡ªmagic in the blood.


    ¡°Think¡­¡± the voice whispered, struggling against Gmon.


    <em>Think of what? </em>Gmon pondered.


    ¡°Would your family¡­ want this?¡±


    Gmon¡¯s mind spun, and his world of red shattered. He looked down and saw his brother, battered and broken, bleeding from the neck. The image slowly faded, and Argrave¡¯s face reced his brother¡¯s.


    Gmon tossed Argrave away and leapt back, in panic. He mmed his back against the house¡¯s wall. Argrave crawled away, holding his still-bleeding neck.


    ¡°By Veid¡­ I-I¡­¡± Gmon gingerly reached forward. Argrave stared at him with hollow gray eyes.


    #####


    Argrave watched Gmon. The unshakable elf was, for the first time Argrave had ever seen, panicking. He tried to think of something witty to say, but his neck stung, and his brain felt like it had a heavy fog over it. Lethargy threatened to consume him, his breathing was too fast, and he felt dreadfully weak. He blinked and bit his lips, knowing that sleeping here might mean his death.


    Gmon rushed forward, reaching into Argrave¡¯s satchel. He pulled free a stamina potion, and then held it to Argrave¡¯s lips with trembling fingers. Argrave caught it with his teeth and tilted his head back. It did not make the pain diminish, nor stop the bleeding, but it did allow him to regain his focus.


    Argrave used thest of his magic to cast healing magic, sealing the wound. Gmon copsed backwards, staring at Argrave with an all-tooplicated expression. Panic, fear, guilt, anger¡­ it was a veritable sd of regret.


    ¡°Whew,¡± Argrave sighed with a hoarse voice. ¡°I knew you were dissatisfied, but you proved your point.¡±


    ¡°It was not my intent to¡­ the beast¡­ it battered, twisted¡­¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± said Argrave. ¡°I know.¡±


    Gmon sat there, mouth agape. Those fangs of his looked very ominous now that they had bitten a piece of him off.


    ¡°You run one hell of a blood drive. I hope I¡¯m the right blood type for the donor.¡± Argrave tried to stand, but he copsed amidst a shattered pot. His muscles were cramped.


    Gmon stood, trying to help Argrave but hesitant to approach. It was very evident he was afraid of hurting him.


    ¡°Damn it. Can¡¯t stand,¡± Argraveined. His took a deep breath, and then looked around. ¡°Came here to tell you you¡¯re needed. Take your Ebonice axe, head to the gate. Anneliese can probably position you. Go.¡±


    Gmon frowned. ¡°But you need help.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll live. Just a little¡­ drained, that¡¯s all.¡± Argrave let out a low, dryugh. ¡°But seriously¡­ go. The tomb guardians will kill us all if you don¡¯t. Anneliese will exin things. Look for the beautiful woman with long white hair. Wait¡­ you met her already. Can¡¯t think straight.¡±


    ¡°Argrave¡­ I-I¡¯m sorry. I never¡­ my wound just¡­ the curse¡­¡± Gmon stammered.


    ¡°I knew the risks when I hired you. Stop talking. Move your feet. Make use of the blood I so graciously donated. You could probably use it better than me right now, anyway.¡± Argraveid his head against the wall.


    After watching for a time, Gmon picked up his Ebonice axe from where he¡¯d dropped it, and then ran to the gate as Argrave instructed. Argraveid there, biting his lips to ensure he didn¡¯t fall asleep.


    <em>It¡¯s like those people that try to take wild animals as pets. Tigers are cool enough, sure, but eventually, they¡¯ll remind you that they¡¯re wild animals, just like vampires are killers. </em>Argrave bent his knees, then ced his feet against the ground, anchoring them. He put his hand to the wall, slowly rising to his feet.


    Argrave managed toe to his feet with a grunt. His legs felt as weak as clouds, as though they could fail at any minute and send him crashing back to the ground. <em>If I hadn¡¯t been able to remember that Gmon¡¯s family was the only thing keeping him anchored to life, I doubt I would have been able to draw him from that state. </em>


    With one shaky step after the other, Argrave walked forward, arm held against the side of the wall for support. His breaths were quick and rapid, and he could feel his heart struggling. He passed the corner of the house and fell against a barrel, holding himself up shakily. Ahead, the tomb guardians were walking through the gate. Gmon and a few other snow elves were making short work of them.


    ¡°One of them¡­ is doing it wrong. He¡¯s in line of sight. He¡¯s going to die.¡±


    Argrave tried to push away from the barrel and go to them, but the barrel moved and he stumbled, copsing onto the grass. Things went dark.


    #####


    Knight Ryles watched the snow elves butcher those men made of metal. The snow elfmander refused to allow them to participate, citing that they were not as strong as Veidimen. Ryles assumed ¡®Veidimen¡¯ was what those abominable elves called themselves.


    He turned his head to look at a horse. The wizard Argrave had ridden it into here, assumed the position of an advisor abruptly using the Mark of Monti, and then enacted this ¡®cooperation¡¯ with the snow elves. The man had been willing to risk life and limb, so Ryles did not question that he came from the Duke¡¯s orders. Now that things had proceeded the way they had¡­


    ¡°Knight Symon,¡± Ryles said quietly, staring at the horse.


    ¡°Yes, Commander Ryles?¡±


    Ryles strode towards the horse. ¡°Takemand. I am going to return to Mateth.¡±


    ¡°What, sir? Why?¡±


    ¡°I must tell the duke what has transpired here. Something is off. Though the battle has been postponed, the Wizard has other motives.¡±


    Ryles mbered atop the horse, and then spurred it towards the gate opposite where they were doing battle with the metal creatures. He rode away, passing by the dead bodies left by the recently transpired battle.


    <em>That he is so close with the elves¡­ perhaps it is not a coincidence. It is my duty to take this matter to the Duke, as much as I would wish to stay with my men. </em>


    #####


    ¡°Argrave, wake up!¡± a voice called.


    Argrave blinked open his eyes. He was standing.


    ¡°You have to get ready for school,¡± someone chided him.


    ¡°But I don¡¯t go to school,¡± Argrave answered. ¡°I¡¯m a fantasy man now.¡±


    ¡°Stop acting like a child,¡± the voice chided again. It was vaguely familiar¡ªfemale, young.


    Argrave was in the school courtyard. He had to go to gym ss. He ran around, the environment shifting around him. Everyone was staring at him. He realized he was nude.


    He opened the door to the gymnasium. It was wide, as colossal as a stadium. The bleachers were made of stone. Argrave remembered he had to get something from the supply closet. He opened the door to the supply closet and entered.


    Someone was sitting by the hearthce where a fire raged. Argrave walked closer to them. They turned their head. Their eyes had melted away, and their skin was cracked and burned.


    ¡°Want a cigarette?¡± the person held out a cigarette.


    ¡°No. I only smoked when I was a teenager,¡± said Argrave. ¡°My friend was looking for you.¡±


    ¡°No, I was looking for him,¡± the person said. He reached into a bag of popcorn, pulling out a fistful of tiny people. He tossed them into the fire. Their crackling cries were like music in rain. It was a song¡ª ¡®This Must Be the ce¡¯ by Talking Heads.


    ¡°You killed me,¡± the man said. He turned back to Argrave.


    ¡°I had to,¡± Argrave said.


    ¡°It hurt.¡±


    ¡°I bet. I can see it on your face.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to throw these people in the fire,¡± the man said.


    The world shifted. Argrave was sitting above the fire, dangling from a chair hung by a chain. He held a bunch of people in his hands. There were so many¡ªthey were slipping out of his hands.


    ¡°You can stop this,¡± said the burned man. He was watching from the side.


    ¡°I¡¯m trying. There¡¯s too many,¡± Argrave said, panicking.


    ¡°There¡¯s only one way to really stop this.¡±


    ¡°How¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°Want a cigarette?¡± the man held out a veryrge cigarette.


    ¡°Just tell me how!¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn


    The burned man shrugged. ¡°Just jump in. Either way, you¡¯ll smoke.¡±


    Argrave looked down at the fire. He heard David Byrne¡¯s voice from the mes. It repeated, ¡®I guess I must be having fun,¡¯ over and over again.


    ¡°It¡¯s you or them,¡± the burned man said.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like getting hurt. I don¡¯t want to.¡±


    ¡°Either way, you¡¯ll smoke.¡± The burned man turned around and walked away.


    Argrave stood on the chair. It swung in the air. He took a diver¡¯s stance and jumped into the fire.

 Chapter 33: Stowaway Jackal

    Chapter 33: Stowaway Jackal


    Argrave sat up, breath rapid and face drenched in sweat. His body was rocking. He looked around, seeing an unending tide of blue. Feeling a rising ckness in his stomach, he turned over, grabbing the side of something wooden and vomiting into the water. The putrid substance slowly faded away, falling into the ocean and drifting behind them.


    He took a second to catch his breath, clearing his nose and spitting out what little remained of the vomit. His whole body was ame with pain. As his senses came to, he heard a rhythmic chant, and saw oars moving back and forth, cutting through the water. He turned his head, finally making sense of his surroundings. His body rocked back and forth with the tides.


    He was on a longship. Though he looked around, trying to spot the coast, they were far out into sea. He turned his gaze back to the ship. The Veidimen rowing the boat looked at him and spoke of him, muttering about ¡®the Hand Reaching from the Abyss.¡¯ It seems the lie of him being an agent of Erlebnis had spread.


    Anneliese sat adjacent from him, staring with a book in her free hand. Her amber eyes were passive.


    ¡°We¡¯re taking you to Veiden, as was agreed. Fortunately, though you burned one ship and I crashed the other, one was left in sailing condition,¡± Anneliese said in greeting. ¡°You passed out. You should eat food, drink fluids.¡±


    Argrave touched his head. A fierce headache disturbed his thoughts. The memories of the battle soon reced those ufortable images born of his dreams, and he looked around for Gmon.


    ¡°Where¡­ how is Gmon?¡± Argrave asked.


    ¡°He dispatched those metal things admirably. His actions spared us much carnage. After, he said he would wait for your return to right his wrongs. His life would be forfeit in Veiden as an exile and a vampire.¡±


    Argrave nodded. He felt very shaken. He had mustered a courage he did not know he had during the battle, but whatever was propping up his mentality now was gone. War was cruel. It was a great song to all the misery in the world.


    Anneliese walked to him, thrusting a piece of bread and a canteen of water in his face. ¡°Here,¡± she said.


    Argrave looked up at her. He took the items. ¡°I forgot. You have a big heart.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    He chewed on the bread slowly, taking small sips of water. Content that he was eating, Anneliese walked away. With his free hand, Argrave cleaned the dirt off his body, conjuring his barely replenished magic to remove blood, mud, and other such filth. It felt like he was shedding his sins, somewhat.


    After he had finished the bread, Anneliese handed him other things¡ªmostly vegetables, but it was food. It had probably been taken from Barden in haste as they left. There were a lot fewer on the boat than he recalled being at Barden, and the thought that some deaths could have been avoided had he remained conscious disquieted him. Argrave ate his food slowly, working on suppressing his meandering thoughts and emotions.


    Anneliese read quietly despite the rocking of the ship. One hand tended to her long white hair, twisting it about in her fingers. She was braiding a section of it with one hand alone, fingers moving skillfully. She had already done near a foot, and considering it went down to her knees when she was standing, it would be a long process.


    She stopped. Argrave looked up at her face to see she¡¯d taken notice of him watching.


    ¡°What? Got stage fright?¡± Argrave asked, sitting a little straighter. ¡°Keep going. It was entertaining.¡±


    She unwound the braid, and her hand dropped down to her knee. ¡°Gmon bit you,¡± she said matter-of-factly.


    ¡°He was hurt. It was necessary,¡± Argrave responded after a brief pause.


    ¡°You are not worried about contracting vampirism?¡± she tilted her head.


    ¡°He would need to drain mepletely, and then I¡¯d need to drink his blood. Or ingest it some or other way. Eugh,¡± Argrave shuddered thinking of it. ¡°Contrary to popr belief, it isn¡¯t like a disease. It¡¯s more so a ritual. It¡¯s hard to be turned by ident. That¡¯s why Gmon¡¯s case is curious.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t hate him, despite what happened?¡± Her amber eyes stayed locked on his face.


    ¡°Hate him?¡± Argrave repeated. ¡°It was a donation.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a lie. He was much too shaken, much too guilty, for that. Your body was bruised from being grabbed. You also fell unconscious.¡±


    Argrave furrowed his brows, but a smile came to his face. ¡°You keep seeing through me, I¡¯m going to start losing confidence in my grifting abilities. They¡¯ve carried me a long way.¡± Argrave sat up a little straighter as his feelings of weakness faded somewhat. His arms felt like pudding and his head still throbbed fiercely.


    ¡°Fine, so it wasn¡¯t exactly phnthropy for the thirsty, I¡¯ll admit that much. But¡­¡± Argrave pointed at Anneliese to emphasize his words. ¡°I don¡¯t hate him. Hate, at least in terms of hating people, stems from ack of understanding; an inability to view the other person¡¯s perspective. Ultimately, hating another merely weighs on yourself. It¡¯s a waste of brain power. Though¡­ being pragmatic and being na?ve are separate things entirely. Some people will always hate you, and it¡¯s best to learn to ept and adapt to that.¡±


    Argrave lowered his finger. ¡°Recognizing that and following it are entirely different matters, though. Everyone inevitably sumbs to their emotions now and again.¡±


    Anneliese lowered her head, mulling over his words in silence. The waves of the ocean battered against the longship, and Argrave turned his head out to look out across the ocean. He considered falling in for a moment and his mind wandered. The ocean was a terrifying thing looking at it from above, but once inside, it offered an unparalleled freedom. Swimming in all directions¡ªup, down, left, right¡ªit must be mundane for a fish, but for andlubber as he was, it sounded enticing. Amphibians got the best of both worlds.


    ¡°I think you¡¯re right.¡±


    Argrave turned his head back to Anneliese. She was smiling faintly. It was the first time Argrave had seen her smile, and he could not help but return it. They stared at each other for a long moment, but Argrave eventually turned away, blinking quickly.


    ¡°How do you intend to persuade the Patriarch?¡± Anneliese inquired, shutting her book and devoting her attention to conversation.


    ¡°With words, obviously,¡± Argrave said drolly. ¡°Well¡­ let¡¯s see. You¡¯ll probably introduce me as the agent of Erlebnis and the killer of those druid scouts in order to get an audience with Dras to begin with. From there, I¡¯ll demonstrate the breadth of my knowledge. I remember a prophecy I can use, some vague¡­ in fact, maybe you can help make sure I¡¯ve got it right.¡±


    Argrave scratched his chin and then pointed, remembering something. ¡°Oh, and if that curmudgeonly bastard Rowe the Righteous is there, he would be a great help in proving this matter. He¡¯s a very unreasonable person, but he¡¯s not inflexible. If I give him the signs, he¡¯ll ept the truth.¡± Argrave nodded as his n came together in his head.


    Anneliese leaned back a little, evidently taken aback about what he disclosed. ¡°How much do you know about the Patriarchate of Veiden?¡±


    Argrave beamed. ¡°I know most things in heaven and Earth, Horatio.¡± His words fell t, Anneliese watching him nkly. ¡°Though I can¡¯t say I know every detail about every person, I know more about many important figures than even your patriarch.¡±


    She crossed her arms, then spent some time deliberating on whether or not to say something. ¡°Knowing so much would probably make most people ufortable. Does that bother you?¡±


    ¡°You tell me, miss empath.¡± Argrave put his elbows on his knees and crossed his arms. ¡°You can read people very well. You can spot the emotions that most people try to hide. You see through my lies like they¡¯re ss, even when I weave silver with my tongue. I have little doubt that makes many people ufortable. Does that bother you?¡± he returned her words.


    Anneliese¡¯s amber eyes shook for a moment. She took a deep breath andposed herself quickly. After some time, she asked, ¡°Why are you telling me these things? Your knowledge of Veiden, your ns¡­¡±


    Argrave was taken aback by the question. Why <em>was</em> he telling her this? ¡®Because she asked¡¯ would be the obvious answer, but then the further question would be why her, specifically. Was it merely because she was someone who would be prominent in the future? Argrave wasn¡¯t certain.


    ¡°Perhaps¡­¡± Argrave mused. ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s merely therapeutic to finally share a little bit of what¡¯s going on inside my head. Who better to be honest with than someone who can see past this fa?ade I try and put on?¡±


    She nodded, herposure returned. The waves beat against the side of the longship as a silence stretched out.


    ¡°You said my empathy would make many people ufortable.¡± She let the words hang, and Argrave nodded. ¡°Does it make you ufortable?¡±


    Argrave chuckled, and then leaned back against the ship. ¡°It might make me surprised, throw a wrench into the conversation that forces some semnce of honesty from me. Might make me mind my words a little bit. But ufortable? Not at all.¡±


    Though Argrave had hoped for another smile, Anneliese contemted his words in silence. He shuddered as he felt a cool wind travel along his hair.


    ¡°It¡¯s pretty cold out here,¡± Argravemented, rubbing his hands together. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because I don¡¯t have much blood. Or body fat. Or muscture.¡±


    ¡°Though that can¡¯t help, the real reason is that we¡¯re getting closer to Veiden.¡± Anneliese turned her head towards the bow of the ship. She pointed towards the horizon. ¡°There. You can see the coast, even.¡±


    Argrave looked out, following her finger. The steady movement of the Veidimen rowing the oars threatened to pull away his attention, but he still looked.


    ¡°I see¡­ a lot of blue. Mostly water, some of it sky. There¡¯s white there, too. Ocean foam. No coast, though.¡± Argrave blew on his hands to ward off the cold.


    ¡°You have never sailed to Veiden. We recognize the coast immediately. Some of that white you see is likely ice.¡±


    ¡°I see. Icy.¡± Argrave pursed his lips, wondering how to phrase his question. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t happen to have any spare clothes, perhaps? Fur coats for the bloodless?¡±


    Anneliese stood up, walking to the mast. ¡°No. You will need to wait until we are back in the patriarchate proper.¡±


    Argrave let out a long sigh interspersed with shivers. He held his hands beneath his armpits. Slowly, he began to make out the coastline that Anneliese had spotted. It came into view¡ªlong, broken fragments of ice drifting out in the ocean, and behind it, a coast.


    The navigator on the bow of the ship gavemands to the oar men, and the ship expertly avoided the fragments of ice while travelling along the coast. In the distance, Argrave spotted a great spire of gray stone with a roaring ck me atop it. As Argrave remembered, it was this color to be visible in snowstorms. At night, it would be white. So was written in books, at least.


    ¡°The Torch of Veid,¡± Argrave muttered.


    The longship came around a bend, and a great harbor came into view. There were innumerable longships lined up. Argrave tried to count them and estimated them to be near three hundred. Many sailors tended to the ships, swarming around the docks.


    As they pulled closer to thending, Argrave felt some swirling nervousness. He didn¡¯t have much reason tock confidence in his n, but that did not change the fact that he would be the sole human here, and he would need to go before the leader of this vast fleet and try to tell him to call off the invasion.


    ¡°Whew,¡± Argrave sighed, cing a hand on his chest. ¡°Let¡¯s not fumble at the goal line.¡±

 Chapter 34: Damned, Their Fate

    Chapter 34: Damned, Their Fate


    Argrave walked out onto the docks with Anneliese supporting him. She was around half a foot shorter than Argrave and the perfect height to support beneath his shoulder. Though he disliked touching others, of everyone, he was the mostfortable with Anneliese as she had the decency to clean herself of blood. Even still, she smelled of sea salt, sweat, dirt, and blood, so it was a very unpleasant experience. He supposed it would be strange to expect her to smell like flowers, though.


    Argrave took in his surroundings. The wooden buildings along the coastline were wide and spacious, with great doorways and tall ceilings to amodate the snow elves¡¯rger frame. The architecture was in and effective, yet it still had decorations. Trophies hung above doorways of homes¡ªskulls of animals, tusks, and other vainglorious disys that showed to demonstrate what the house¡¯s family was capable of hunting. The windows were covered with fur nkets to block the snow and cold air. Fangs, ws, and tusks hung from the overhangs by twine, bumping against each other like grim windchimes.


    With his focus back on the docks, Argrave noticed that nearly all of the sailors had stopped what they were doing. They stood a fair distance away from Argrave, watching him move. They spoke amongst themselves. Perplexed, Argrave looked in the distance. He saw a great group of people crowded together, watching the docks, and behind them, atop a great wooden building¡­


    He frowned. ¡°Is that a dragon?¡±


    Though Argrave asked, he was certain it was. It was a great snow-white creature with a vast wingspan and four legs. It crouched at the back of the host awaiting him, its deep blue eyes staring ahead like two sparkling sapphires. Unlike Berendar, where some nobles and other important people had wyverns purchased from the desert tribes to the south, this was a bona fide dragon. Argrave had killed it many times before in game. Indeed, Veiden had a dragon.


    ¡°I sent word ahead by bird so that the Patriarch would not be surprised by youring,¡± Anneliese exined. ¡°I know druidic magic too, after all.¡±


    ¡°Did you tell them I¡¯m Erlebnis himself?¡± Argrave asked incredulously. ¡°This wee is a bit much¡­¡±


    Anneliese did not say anything further as she escorted him onto the docks. The mass amount of people waiting ahead was soon shadowed by the Veidimen on the longship following them behind. If the cold in the air didn¡¯t pierce bone deep, Argrave might¡¯ve felt the situation heating up.


    Despite the great mass of people, the awkward shamble of Anneliese and Argrave echoed loudly in the prolonged silence. Argrave started to recognize people as he came closer. Though he had never been to Veiden before, many of the Veidimen came to Berendar. If the yer chose to confront them militarily rather than diplomatically, one would have to go up against some of the game¡¯s hardest fights.


    Argrave had done that many times before, of course, if only for fun. He most often fought them while ying as Nikoletta. The Veidimen had killed her father. It made sense role-y wise.


    They stepped off the docks into therge ceiling where the great bulk of prominent snow elves had gathered. Argrave took his arm off Anneliese and stood, back straight. The Veidimen that hade with them walked around them, fading into the crowd. As Argrave scanned the crowd, seeing many faces he recognized, the people whispered among themselves. None addressed him, though. Argrave could vaguely see the Patriarch Dras sitting on a chair, nked by many guards. Two men held the banner of Veiden behind him¡ªa ck wheel on a field of red.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Argrave took a few slow steps forward, his legs feeling weak and shaky. Despite his tremors, he didn¡¯t feel nervous at all as he spread his arms wide. ¡°It seems I¡¯m expected.¡± He spoke towards the Patriarch.


    Silence followed. From behind the crowd, Argrave could hear and see the breathing of the gigantic ice dragon, peering down at the scene like a great arbiter of his fate as icy air billowed from its nose.


    An old elf pushed through the crowd, shoving people aside with his walking stick. He had long, sagging skin and a bald head marred with liver spots. He walked forward, disturbing the uniformity of the crowd, before he stood between Argrave and the Patriarch.


    ¡°Show respect for the Patriarch, human.¡±


    The Patriarch watched, casually leaning against his armrest, waiting for how Argrave would respond to Rowe.


    Argrave smiled. ¡°Hello, Rowe. Long time no see,¡± he said with a grim undertone.


    <em>This bastard¡¯s already in front of me. How many times have I fought this guy? Fifty? Near a hundred, surely. I could probably recite every spell he knows. Annoying fight. </em>


    The old elfughed, his lips curled in a snarl. ¡°So, it knows my name. I was not aware the humans already knew of me.¡±


    ¡°No one human on Berendar knows of you. I do, though. I know you, I know your dragon, Crystal Wind.¡± Argrave pointed to the towering reptile. His finger moved onwards, pointing out people in the crowd. ¡°I know the chief of Ryblud. I know the chief of Wryden. The chief of Balta, Ln, Poroe, Durandae, Tithucal¡­ a lot of the high-ranking members of the Patriarchate are here. It¡¯s humbling. I¡¯ve never been weed as an agent of Erlebnis before.¡±


    ¡°And you still haven¡¯t,¡± Rowe stepped forward. The Patriarch craned his neck to better look at Argrave, watching like it was a y rather than an audience. ¡°A little coaching from that girl born outside of Veiden does not mark you as an agent of the god of knowledge.¡±


    ¡°Anneliese? She told me nothing.¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°What more do you want as proof, hmm? I could tell you of how I knew of Gmon, the exiled general and right-hand man of Dras. I could show you that I knew of your scouting party and Tirros the Tempestuous. I might speak of the hidden tomb guardians I lured to get a parley with the attackers on Barden. I could share any number of truths.¡±


    ¡°Delusions pass as truth, so long as the target believes in them.¡±


    Argraveughed. ¡°Fine, then. Let us speak of you. I know of the sword you keep hidden in that walking stick of yours,¡± Argravemented, kicking it with his foot. The old elf took a step back, bushy brows forming a deep frown. ¡°You call that dragon a sacred guardian of the Veidimen to boost morale, but it¡¯s really just bonded to you with S-rank druidic magic.¡±


    That sent mutters through the crowd, and Rowe¡¯s expression turned to one of wroth. The snow elf stepped forward, but Argrave did not let him speak.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been through a lot toe here. I learned about the fate of this world not two or three months ago, and since then, I¡¯ve been dragging myself through hell and back to do my duty,¡± Argrave spoke, voiceced with conviction as he freed the indignance that had been brewing within him. ¡°Your foolish invasion might well be thergest contributor to this world¡¯s end, and so I came here personally to show you why you did wrong. Let me put it inly, Rowe.¡±


    Argrave took a step forward. ¡°Get out of my way or get under my boot.¡±


    The dragon growled, and its great serpentine tail rose into the air and crashed against the earth. A great burst of snow flew into the air, and Argrave felt the ground rumble beneath him. The beast was mirroring its master¡¯s anger. Rowe was the personification of pride, zeal, and righteousness. Argrave could not reason with him; he could only suppress him.


    Of course, it took all Argrave¡¯s willpower to do this. He felt like a child scolding an adult that held a gun. Rowe could kill him without much thought.


    ¡°Rowe,¡± a voice cut across the din. ¡°Stand down.¡±


    Rowe twisted his head back, wide eyes confronting the Patriarch. ¡°What?!¡± the aged elf spat. ¡°The boy shows a fundamentalck of respect!¡±


    ¡°Just as Veid stands behind the Veidimen, Erlebnis stands behind that one. I think he has that right. Step aside.¡±


    Rowe trembled, but then eventually broke away, walking back into the crowd and disappearing.


    Patriarch Dras sat on a throne atop a palisade. He wore snow-white armor, white fur on the shoulders and joints. His crown was absent, revealing his badly scarred bald head, but he had a matching helmet hanging from the back of the chair with a great mane of white fur standing up from the back. It looked ceremonial. It probably was. Patriarch Dras was an administrator and strategist, not a fighter. Gmon had always been his fist.


    The Patriarch sat with one leg crossed over the other,zily lounging against the armrest of his throne. ¡°For someone who was practically carried here, you speak very big words.¡± A faint grin marked the elf¡¯s face.


    ¡°You should know a lot about that, Patriarch Dras,¡± Argrave returned.


    The Patriarch uncrossed his legs and slouched to the opposite side of the throne. ¡°This meeting has been a long timeing, you¡¯ve said. Here we are¡ªthe precipice of your task. Tell me then; why exactly is this invasion, the purpose of my existence, thergest contributor to the world¡¯s end?¡± Dras¡¯ words betrayed a fierce anger.


    Argrave wondered why Anneliese had not included his purpose in her report, but he did not turn his head back to look at her. He mulled on the words for a time, ensuring he remembered them properly. Though Rowe had to be suppressed, Dras was a fiercely intelligent man, and underneath hisyers of casual dismissiveness, he was someone who fiercely loved his people and his Goddess. Fortunately, Anneliese had helped him remember a certain prophecy word-for-word.


    Argrave took a deep breath. The words he¡¯d prepared were how Dras was convinced in the game, but it felt extremely nerve-wracking to do it in person.


    ¡°¡­and there he came, the foul breath of oblivion, leaving even gods dying beneath his feet. The ck-blood, the outcast, the ghost-maker and ghost-breaker. He is hunger, he is thirst; where he bites rots ¡®til it dies. The yellow eyes across his body glisten like oil beads, and the cries of the damned vanish into maleficent darkness in the winds of its steps,¡± Argrave recited dramatically. ¡°When the moon blots out the suns, the Tenebrous Reaper rises; He Who Would Judge the Gods. Heed this warning, my descendants, and prepare for hising.¡±


    Patriarch Dras slowly sat up in his throne. He leaned forward, staring at Argrave.


    ¡°Heed this warning, your ancestors said,¡± Argrave repeated. ¡°And have you? No. Evidently, no. You say this is the precipice of my task? Don¡¯t tter yourself. Gerechtigkeit ising. You are but one pustule on this diseased world that I must fix before everything is lost.¡±


    For the first time, the crowd broke out in chaos. The Patriarch stared ahead at Argrave as the people discussed what had been said amongst themselves. Argrave scratched at his throat.


    ¡°Quiet!¡± a voice yelled out, and the dragon¡¯s tail struck the ground again. Rowe waded back through the crowds.


    ¡°The Tenebrous Reaper?¡± he questioned,ing close to Argrave. ¡°You are sure of this?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Argrave said with conviction. ¡°Chart the path of the moon. Go to your holy sites, reach out to Veid. Divine with animal guts. Consult Erlebnis himself, if you can pay his price. The answer will alle out the same. In theing years, Gerechtigkeit will begin to partially manifest in ces. Do you think it¡¯s a coincidence a civil war broke out on the eve of your invasion? His dark tendrils are already deeply rooted in Berendar, and in Veiden.¡±


    Rowe did not know how to answer that. His head turned about and about, and his breathing grew more and more frantic. ¡°I must¡­¡± he began but didn¡¯t finish the sentence. Rowe turned and ran away.


    The Patriarch seemed to have gathered himself, and the crowd quieted after Crystal Wind¡¯s tail thump earlier. Dras stared at Argrave.


    ¡°This matter¡­ you are Erlebnis¡¯ answer to it? You alone, against the tide?¡±


    Argrave tilted his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I think I am. I hope I¡¯m not.¡± Argrave rubbed the bronze hand mirror in his breast pocket, then lifted his head up. ¡°Regardless, I will not stop until I am dead. Such is my duty.¡±


    The Patriarch fell back into his chair, letting out a huff of air. ¡°I must¡­ summon everyone. We will speak on what you discussed. This invasion was started by council; if it is to end, it must also be by council.¡±


    ¡°Fine. I¡¯ve done my job. The time hase to do yours. This invasion, your life¡¯s purpose, won¡¯t have much meaning if there is no world left.¡±


    Patriarch Dras visibly shook. He stood from his throne and stepped off the pnquin. ¡°Anneliese. You brought this one here. Take him to the local chief¡¯s hall, and ensure he is safe while he is here.¡±


    Argrave felt all the energy he¡¯d mustered drain, and he veritably fell on top of Anneliese when she walked up to him.


    ¡°You spoke well,¡± she said. ¡°They must listen.¡±


    ¡°I want to be suffocated in nkets. I hate the cold. Please take me inside,¡± Argrave said quietly.


    Anneliese¡¯s face warped, and then sheughed lightly.

 Chapter 35: Promising Prospects

    Chapter 35: Promising Prospects


    ¡°Damn it,¡± cursed Duke Enrico as he stared out into the distance at his domain. Now that war was upon them, he had donned his te mail, the blue swordfish of Monti embedded on its chest. He stood atop the walls of Mateth, right beside one of the giant marble statues, as he stared out at the rising smoke in the distance. ¡°The boy was right, to the word.¡±


    Nikoletta stepped forward to stand beside her father, arms crossed. The two seemed like echoes of each other with their simrly decorated armor¡ªone te, one leather. ¡°You could not have known. No one knew, besides him.¡±


    ¡°And that¡¯s the mystery. How <em>did </em>he know? Perhaps the royal family¡¯s influence is greater in my domain than I expected. It¡¯s pointless to consider now¡­ henceforth, though, I¡¯ll follow his advice.¡± He turned back. ¡°Knight-Commander Ryger. Command the mage battalions to center their forces near the docks, preparing to counter magic.¡±


    ¡°At once, duke,¡± with his voice echoing through his helmet, Ryger bowed and then moved to obey. His heavy armor nged noisily as he sprinted.


    The Duke turned back to Nikoletta. ¡°If we should survive this, I view Argrave as your most promising marriage prospect.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Nikoletta could not help but shout in surprise. ¡°He¡¯s my cousin!¡±


    ¡°He has no force backing him, so he won¡¯tpete with you for control of the duchy when I pass. He¡¯s a bastard, so he should have no issue adopting the name of Monti. He¡¯s a very promising mage and a brilliant strategist. He¡¯s young. Above all, you like him,¡± the duke continued, unaffected by her outburst. ¡°As do I.¡±


    ¡°He¡ª¡± Nikoletta paused, taking a deep breath. ¡°You¡¯ve spoken to him but once, and you ¡®like him?¡¯ He¡¯s a friend, nothing more. Worse yet, he¡¯s near identical to Elwind. As I said, he¡¯s already family.¡±


    ¡°That matters little. You have no shared ancestors beyond your mother,¡± Duke Enrico shook his head. ¡°There should be no issues with your progeny.¡±


    At the mental image her father¡¯s words gave her, she shook her head frantically. ¡°Father, please¡­!¡±


    ¡°No more discussions. When he returns¡­ <em>if</em> he returns,¡± Duke Enrico amended, ¡°I will send the proposal.¡±


    Nikoletta opened her mouth to say more, but a voice from behind cut her off.


    ¡°Duke Enrico!¡± a lightly armored gatekeeper ran up, breathing hard.


    ¡°Catch your breath, then speak,¡± the Dukemanded.


    The gatekeeper did, and then he took off his helmet and wiped his face with his wrist. ¡°Two people are trying to enter the gate, duke. One of them ims to be Knight Ryles from Barden, bringing urgent news from the vige regarding a mage. The other is a female mercenary with a giant sword seeking to help in the defense.¡±


    ¡°Argrave went to Barden,¡± Nikoletta said immediately.


    ¡°Oh!¡± the gatekeeper eximed. ¡°That name was mentioned, youngdy Monti.¡±


    The Duke¡¯s expression hardened. ¡°Take this token. Find andmand a High Wizard of the Gray Owl to examine both people for magic trickery before they enter. Send Knight Ryles to me quickly.¡±


    The gatekeeper took the token from the Duke¡¯s hands and stared at it, bewildered by the responsibility he¡¯d just been given. He saluted the Duke and ran off once again. The Duke retrieved a seeing ss and looked out at the coastline, watching the movements of the longships as they collided with the Duke¡¯s caravels.


    Nikoletta looked up at the statue beside them, a distinctck of conversation settling between the two as they waited. Nikoletta tapped her finger against her elbow as though to speed up time. She could not deny she was worried. That the knight was alive was a promising thing, but the fact he returned mentioning Argrave specifically could not be a good portent.


    The time stretched out for a long time, but it could not have been more than fifteen minutes before a knight rushed to them, partially covered in blood and sand and very exhausted.


    ¡°Duke Enrico,¡± he saluted once he¡¯d catch his breath. ¡°Knight Ryles. I wasmanding the forces in Barden.¡±


    ¡°And what led you to abandon your post?¡± the duke questioned sharply.


    ¡°On the eve of the battle, a spellcaster came to us. He offered the name¡­ I think it was ¡®Argrave of ckward,¡¯ and imed that he was the duke¡¯s agent,¡± Ryles said, speaking as though he was telling a big secret. ¡°He had the Mark of Monti, and so I took his advice in the battle.¡±


    ¡°That name¡­ I think he used that as an alias when he sold the Margrave¡¯s horse,¡± Nikoletta offered.


    The Duke nodded to Nikoletta and turned back to the knight. ¡°And?¡± the Duke pressed.


    ¡°Later, he lured a force of metal¡­ creatures, to the site of the battle. He used this horde to gain parley with the snow elves. He imed he was an agent of the duke, assigned by you to stop the invasion.¡±


    The Duke furrowed his brows, and then ran a hand through his blue hair. ¡°What is he¡­? Well? What happened then?¡±


    ¡°He spoke to the snow elves¡¯ leader, and they came to an agreement,¡± the knight hesitated as the questions did not head the direction he wanted. ¡°I believe he intended to sail with them to return to Veiden in condition for cooperation killing the metal creatures.¡±


    ¡°Did you see them sail away? Defeat the metal creatures?¡± the duke questioned, stepping closer.


    ¡°No, I thought he seemed too close to the snow elves, so I thought¡­¡± Ryles trailed off, taken aback by the intensity.


    The duke grabbed the knight¡¯s breastte and pulled him closer. ¡°You let Argrave fight that horde of monsters alone, and then let him sail to Veiden by himself?¡± He released, pushing the knight away. ¡°Damn it. This boy¡­ I have no idea what he¡¯s up to. And you.¡± He pointed to the knight. ¡°Join the garrison. You¡¯re stripped ofmand of Barden.¡± The knight was rattled, and he stood there mute.


    Nikoletta, too, was startled by the news. She thought back on all of Argrave¡¯s actions. Each of them had seemed bizarre and arbitrary, but ultimately, they had clear purpose. He had returned her thesis to keep Monti¡¯s reputation intact. He had gone with the Margrave despite the dangers to keep their House¡¯s rtionships stable. He had attacked the druidic scouts, alone, to bring the invasion to their attention. And now¡­


    ¡°Father,¡± Nikoletta said, stepping forward. ¡°We can¡¯t do anything for him now, anyway. He acted alone, but I¡¯ve never seen him act without a n. Realistically, what he¡¯s done doesn¡¯t change what we need to do. We need only prepare for the defense.¡±


    Duke Enrico turned back to his daughter. After a time, he nodded.


    #####


    Anneliese strode through the long wooden hall before Argrave¡¯s room, a fur sack in her right hand. She had cleaned and changed into a more fitting white-fur robe. Ahead, the door was slightly ajar, and a dim sliver of light peaked past. She started to hear noise from the room, and she slowed her footsteps and approached quieter. The noise became clearer. Argrave was singing.


    ¡°Iy here,¡± he sung, drawing out the notes at points. ¡°Bedridden, imprisoned in me. I¡¯m crippled and broken, alive and not free. The sun out my window, it warms me and leaves. No calls and no visits, just me and my dreams. And I¡¯m lonely,¡± he embellished thest note.


    Her brows were furrowed in confusion, but Anneliese could not help but smile. His singing was terrible, bluntly put. She pushed open the door and entered. He turned his head towards her. He was buried beneath white fur nkets, propped upright. His face brightened.


    ¡°She returns. She¡¯s clean.¡± Argrave spread his arms wide as though celebrating. ¡°You look like a Russian princess with the fancy white-fur coat. It suits you.¡±


    Anneliese walked up to him, sitting on the bedside and hefting the sack atop her legs. ¡°What is a Russian princess?¡±


    Argrave paused for a while, and then smiled. ¡°People never ask those sorts of questions. They just ignore my weird words and move on, unwilling to admit their own ignorance. A Russian princess, hm?¡± Argrave tilted his head back. ¡°A Russian princess would probably have fair hair, pale skin, fancy fur clothes made right in Siberia, and an undeniable dignity befitting her station.¡±


    Anneliese¡¯s amber eyes seemed to study his face for a minute. Then, she pushed the bag she was holding towards Argrave. ¡°Here. I brought preserved fish and meat. Eating rich foods like this is the key to a speedy recovery. Healing magic cannot rece lost blood. Eating was what helped my mother grow back into good health whenever she grew ill.¡±


    ¡°How considerate. It¡¯s been so long since I¡¯ve had meat. When I was sick a few days ago, I was vomiting up everything that wasn¡¯t slush.¡± Argrave said, voice straining as he leaned over to grab the bag. Argrave opened the bag, pulling free thick strands of red, dried meat. He bit into it. ¡°Hm. Like jerky, if a bit iner and a lot tougher.¡±


    While ncing about the room, Anneliese rested her hands on herp. Barring a few shelves with nothing on them and a window closed off with a fur nket, the room was empty.


    ¡°The Patriarch¡¯s council listened to me briefly, and then kicked me out,¡± Anneliese said. ¡°I suspect a conclusion will not be reached tonight. You may be called tomorrow.¡±


    Argrave divided a piece of meat with his hands into small, bite-sized pieces. ¡°What, you just gave your ount and they booted you?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± she confirmed.


    ¡°That¡¯s stupid. You would have the most insight on the situation.¡± Argrave put a meat bite in his mouth and chewed on it quietly. ¡°Perhaps I should notin. I get to eat, after all.¡±


    She turned her head back to him. ¡°You seem to ce a lot of value on me.¡±


    Argrave paused. It sounded like an arrogant statement, but it was just her neutral observation of the situation. In ¡®Heroes of Berendar,¡¯ Argrave had fought against Anneliese and worked alongside Anneliese in destroying Gerechtigkeit. In both scenarios, she was a very powerful person. Part of it was her high magic pool coupled with a high magic affinity. Elsewise, she simply knew a lot of good spells. He supposed that was tinting the way he treated her.


    He chewed another bit of meat as he considered his response. He made sure to swallowpletely before speaking, as he loathed when people spoke with their mouths full.


    ¡°You possess a fiercely inquisitive nature coupled with a good head on your shoulders. Those valuesbined are a form for sess. To top it off, you wield magic well, you have a talent for strategy, and you can read people like I read books.¡± Argrave locked eyes with Anneliese. ¡°I think those features make you exemry. I have little doubt you will achieve great things.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? I will remember that, then.¡± She nodded with a faint smile. ¡°¡¯Achieve great things,¡¯¡± she repeated, musing over the words. ¡°A vague term, meaning different things for every person. Still¡­ it¡¯s a nice sentiment.¡±


    ¡°True enough. What great things call out to you?¡± Argrave ate another bit of meat.


    Anneliese leaned back, resting her hands against the bed. ¡°All around me, I see people nning to make a legacy.¡± She closed her eyes. ¡°They want to be a part of the invasion of the greennds, be a part of the legend of the snow elves. They want to start a family, leave behind the next generation. Even the spellcasters want to advance magic to another level. All wish to be remembered.¡± She turned her head back to Argrave and opened her eyes. ¡°They¡¯re all nning for their deaths. At least, that¡¯s what I feel.¡±


    ¡°Kind of grim, but you¡¯re not wrong. They want to keep living, in whatever manner that might be left for them. Live on through their deeds, their words, their achievements.¡± Argrave reached back into the bag and pulled out a strip of pink meat that smelled fishy. ¡°Myself, I much prefer in old living.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Me too,¡± Anneliese agreed quietly. ¡°I think I just¡­ want to know and understand the world. As much as I can. And I want to pursue that freely.¡±


    Argrave broke up the strip of fish into bits as he did the previous strip. ¡°There¡¯s a lot to know. Berendar alone is full of mysteries. Even though I know a lot about the Veidimen, before this, I¡¯d never been to Veiden.¡± Argrave was about to put another bit in his mouth, but he paused. ¡°That reminds me. There¡¯s supposed to be a big library here in Veiden, right? Full of druidic spells, deep lore, and other such fascinating things? I mean, druidic magic doesn¡¯t even <em>exist </em>on Berendar.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s in the capital, behind the Ice Wall, but yes.¡± Anneliese sat up.


    Argrave pursed his lips. ¡°Do you think I could get in there? I mean, surely these deliberations will take some time, and I don¡¯t think that I¡¯m really urgently <em>needed, </em>per se¡­¡±


    Anneliese shook her head. ¡°You must rest. You should not overstrain yourself.¡±


    ¡°Aw, but¡­¡± Argrave trailed off.


    ¡°I have some books among my things,¡± she said with a smile. ¡°If you like, I can lend you some.¡±


    His grim countenance started to brighten. ¡°Truly? Spell books, even?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Anneliese stood. ¡°I¡¯ll go get them.¡±

 Chapter 36: Leave it to Fate

    Chapter 36: Leave it to Fate


    Argrave adjusted the white fur coat over his leather gear, covering himself well. He had no mirror to look at himself in, so he briefly looked down and examined himself. He rapped his knuckles against the bronze hand mirror in his breast pocket, and then turned to the door. Anneliese stepped forward, handing him a simple brown cane.


    Argrave took it and set it against the ground, grinding it against the wood to test it. ¡°Thank you. Let¡¯s not leave the Patriarch waiting, even if he so graciously decreed we coulde at our leisure.¡±


    Anneliese nodded, and she pushed open the door, gesturing for Argrave to proceed. He brushed his hair back with a gloved hand, and then proceeded down the hallway of the local chief¡¯s residence. Anneliese soon joined by his side, having no issue keeping up with his slow pace.


    ¡°Come to think of it, I don¡¯t even know what this city is called,¡± Argravemented as they walked.


    ¡°Ka,¡± Anneliese answered. ¡°It is thergest port for both raids and fishermen. When the winter is cruel, some warriors sail out to the sea in search of settlements to raid. Of course, now that Veiden has been united, it is the natural ce for a fleet to harbor.¡±


    The two came to the set of stairs. Argrave grit his teeth and proceeded downwards slowly, the cane clicking ever so slowly. When he reached the bottom, he felt a small sense of aplishment. He pressed forward down the main hall and soon pushed open the main doors. Light reflecting off the white snow blinded him, and he shielded his eyes as they adjusted.


    As the scene spread out before him, Argrave found his eyes darting from ce to ce, taking in his surroundings. Snow elves worked at pushing away snow from the windows and doors. Near the partially snow-buried walls of the city, a group of hunters worked at skinning a gargantuan white cat. One hunter held open its mouth, while another pulled free the crystalline teeth decorating its jaw.


    Elsewhere, a great deal of snow elves sat on the ground, holding chunks of raw Ebonice in their hands. They used a chisel and hammer to chip away at it, refining it into axe des. When they were finished, they would hand it to another person, who attached it to a firm dark wooden stick.


    Fish and meat were hung up to dry, while butchers chopped fresh meat and doused it with sea salt to preserve it. Everyone walking about was wearing some amount of fur to keep themselves warm. The vast majority of those wandering were warriors. There was a clear tension in the air¡ªan uncertainty, especially when they saw Argrave. Doubtless everyone had heard the rumor of the mortal agent of Erlebnis. He was the only human here.


    ¡°Argrave?¡± asked Anneliese, puzzled by his pause.


    ¡°Ah.¡± Argrave gathered himself. ¡°Sorry. Simply enjoying a new sight, a new culture. It¡¯s one thing to read what little anecdotes exist of Veiden in Berendar. It is another to be there, in person, experiencing it. Frankly, I had thought I would be speaking to Patriarch Dras when he came to Berendar, not the other way around. Didn¡¯t expect to render unto him. I quite like it.¡±


    Argrave proceeded onwards, feet sinking into the snow alongside his cane. It took a great deal of effort to walk through snow, and so he slowed his pace so as not to overexert himself.


    ¡°Much of Veiden is inarable, yeah?¡± Argrave asked Anneliese. ¡°Your primary sources of food are meat and fish for those reasons.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Even with earth magic to till the fields, crops refuse to grow, as though thend is cursed. Legends say that druidic magic was made for that reason. In recent years, though, Patriarch Dras has found ways to circumvent the poornd. We take hardy seeds from the human continent, and we sow them atop graveyards. There is nock of dead in Veiden.¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°When you¡¯ve got frozen soil and ornery creatures like that kitty over there rampaging about, it isn¡¯t difficult to see why you turned to invasion, either.¡± Argrave kept his gaze on the white cat. ¡°Out of curiosity, what do your parents do?¡±


    ¡°My father is dead. He was a hunter, but he died in battle when Patriarch Dras united the tribes. My mother is still young and she helps craft clothes of fur where she can, but she grows sick frequently. My younger sister is taking care of her.¡±


    <em>I thought Rowe mentioned she was born outside of Veiden¡­</em> Argrave deliberated on whether to bring that up, but he did not wish to be inconsiderate.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about your father,¡± Argrave said after pausing in the road. ¡°I don¡¯t mean to pry, but do you resent Dras for that?¡±


    ¡°Somewhat,¡± she nodded. ¡°But in Veiden, one truth persists and allows us to survive, despite the environment; the tribe is more important than the individual. Patriarch Dras has made us great. Over time, I came to ept what happened.¡±


    Argrave felt pensive after her words, and the two proceeded onwards in silence. It was a vastly different sentiment than many pursued on Earth. Most modern cultures pursued individualism and personal happiness. Putting a nation before a person¡­ it was a foreign mindset. Maybe it was necessary in this world. And indeed, maybe their conquest would allow peace to reign and society to develop once the embers of war had settled.


    <em>Ultimately¡­ it¡¯s not my concern. My duty is dealing with Gerechtigkeit while dealing with world-changing events as best I can. </em>


    ¡°You should tell me of human society sometime,¡± Anneliese interrupted his thoughts. ¡°Knights and chivalry, enchanted items, illusion magic¡­ none exist in Veiden.¡±


    Argrave smiled. ¡°I certainly can.¡± He paused. ¡°Although, I have to return to Berendar soon for my next task. No rest for the wicked, you know the rules.¡±


    If Anneliese was dispirited by his answer, she did not show it, answering quickly, ¡°I assumed as much.¡± She caught Argrave¡¯s sleeve, pointing. ¡°This way.¡±


    Argrave changed direction to where she was pointing. She led him to arge house where a great many Veidimen warriors stood out front. When the snow elves saw him, they tensed. The effect he had as the purported ¡®mortal agent of Erlebnis¡¯ was quite astonishing. He would be sure to use this card in the future. Hopefully, he wouldn¡¯t awake one morning to a long-armed creature admonishing him for his misuse of the title.


    ¡°The Patriarch awaits inside,¡± one of the guards said, pushing open the door and dipping his head slightly in a show of respect.


    Argrave nodded back, and then proceeded inside. Anneliese followed, and then the door was shut behind them. Ahead, Dras sat at a desk, holding a quill above some leathery parchment that was certainly not paper. Just as many guards stood behind Dras as there were outside.


    ¡°In walks the agent of the omniscient,¡± Dras greeted, setting his quill aside and leaning back in his chair.


    ¡°Erlebnis just reads frequently. No omniscience involved. Such is the power of a well-read god.¡±


    The Patriarch chuckled. ¡°You¡¯ve given me the worst headache I¡¯ve had in years. Maybe the worst headache ever. I was the primary proponent of this invasion, rousing the warrior¡¯s blood in what remained of the conquered tribes. Now, to reverse sides?¡± Dras tapped his temple and shook his head. ¡°It was a sleepless night.¡±


    ¡°And what is the oue? To be determined?¡± Argrave paused, lowering his head. ¡°Or will I need to do something drastic?¡±


    Dras¡¯ white eyes locked onto Argrave. ¡°You are awfully bold. Even the best of my warriors and mages do not speak so candidly, threatening to cause trouble in my tribe.¡±


    ¡°If there¡¯s one thing I am, it¡¯s honest,¡± Argrave lied, d that Anneliese was not looking at him presently.


    The Patriarch clicked his tongue. ¡°You should thank Rowe. He was so desperate to prove you wrong, he tried every method he could think of to poke a hole in what you had said. When he found that everything supported you, he threatened to have Crystal Wind eat anyone who dissented. I started to question who really led the tribe.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°So this means¡­?¡±


    ¡°It should be obvious,¡± Dras said, rubbing his eyes. ¡°The invasion will cease.¡±


    Argrave took a deep breath and exhaled. He felt like he¡¯d just won a tournament, or maybe a lottery. His body shook a little, but he quickly got himself under control.


    ¡°God damn,¡± Argrave said aloud. ¡°The fruits of mybor have offered a savior.¡±


    <em>If this were a speedrun to stop the Veidimen invasion, I¡¯d be sitting pretty with the Any% world record. Mateth stays standing. Duke Enrico lives. Nikoletta is spared losing her father. </em>


    ¡°But¡­!¡± the Patriarch tapped his desk. ¡°As far as I¡¯m concerned, the invasion is merely dyed in the wake of the Tenebrous Reaper, Gerechtigkeit. We will offer full support in defense of the world, when the time of his descentes.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s more than I could ask for. Even being neutral is a great boon,¡± Argravemended, pleased beyond measure.


    ¡°That said, the attack on Mateth will continue as nned. If Gerechtigkeit manifests on Berendar, as seems to be the case, it will be convenient to have the armiesnd at a safe port.¡± Dras leaned back in his chair, watching Argrave.


    Argrave¡¯s face twisted. ¡°What? You¡¯re still going to try and seize Mateth?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Dras nodded intently. ¡°Regardless of the oue, the invasion will cease. I will leave things in the hand of Veid. Let Her dictate what should happen; if Mateth should stay in human hands or fall to the Veidimen.¡±


    Argrave stood, mouth agape for a second. ¡°But that¡¯s just a pointless waste of life, both for Veiden and for the humans!¡±


    Patriarch Dras sat unmoving. ¡°As I said, Veid will dictate the oue. And frankly, this was the onlypromise the more militant chiefs would relent to. It serves as a demonstration that the choice isn¡¯t merely cold feet. I suspect it will happen today. The orders were sent out this morning.¡±


    Argrave stared at Dras with brows furrowed, running the scenario in his head. As things clicked into ce, he confronted an unpleasant reality.


    <em>Frankly, it would be better for me if Veiden did seize Mateth. They are my staunchest allies, and their forces are among the strongest in the game. I could use their might for future conflicts. The popce within Mateth was never badly affected by the invasion past the initial assault¡ªmany of the services and merchants would remain open to me. At worst, I lose the money from selling Foamspire. </em>


    Argrave looked to the ground, turning around. <em>But how am I to speak to Nikoletta? To Mina? Hell, even to that German Shepherd, Elias? Even if it only has been a brief time, I want to keep those ties. </em>Argrave paused as his thoughts took a darker turn. <em>And that¡¯s only if they live. </em>


    Argrave turned the gears in his head as fast as they would go, trying toe up with some way to change this oue. He could not warn them¡ªhe had no way of doing so. He could not exin the situation, and even if he could, he could not ask Duke Enrico to abandon his city. When he asked himself how to convince Dras, his mind came up nk.


    Almost instinctually, Argrave reached into his breast pocket and pulled free the bronze hand mirror. He studied it, sealing away his emotions.


    <em>What I want stopped being important two months ago. I have to stop Gerechtigkeit, for my own sake just as much as the world¡¯s. Any advantage counts.</em>


    He turned back to Patriarch Dras. ¡°Leave it to fate, then,¡± he nodded slowly, stowing away the mirror once more.


    ¡°I hope you say that truly, and don¡¯t intend to do anything drastic as you mentioned earlier,¡± Dras cautioned.


    ¡°No. As you said, it would be a strategic advantage for the future.¡±


    Dras looked a little surprised, but he hid it quickly. ¡°Then that is all. I will promulgate this fact in the days toe, but for now, you are among the first to know. Oh, and I had a question.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡± Argrave prompted.


    ¡°How is Gmon?¡± Dras leaned in.


    Argrave smiled. ¡°He doesn¡¯t talk about himself much, but I think he¡¯s the same as ever. You know how he is. The strong, silent type.¡±


    Patriarch Drasughed knowingly. ¡°Yes, if it¡¯s like that, then he is well. I hope you treat him well. Despite what transpired, he is still a dear friend to me. I hope to never see him again.¡±


    ¡°What a bizarre arrangement of sentences,¡± Argravemented. ¡°But such is the fate of an Exile. A fascinating bit of Veiden¡¯s culture. Even the outcasts are still loved, mostly.¡±


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Dras nodded. ¡°You¡¯re free to roam, as I don¡¯t think you¡¯re a considerable threat. Rowe would probably enjoy speaking to you, even if he won¡¯t admit it. And if you wish to, you might visit Gmon¡¯s family. His son was too young to join the invasion, but his wife has been a tremendous help in making clothing. I am sure they would be pleased to hear of him.¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°Both of those things sound very interesting,¡± he said.


    Truly, Argrave¡¯s mind was on Mateth. He felt a ck pit in his stomach. What he was doing was pragmatic. It would be a good thing if they lost, he told himself. But in his heart, he hoped they prevailed.


    ¡°Patriarch,¡± said Anneliese, stepping forth. ¡°I had a request.¡±


    ¡°Certainly. I can at least hear you out, considering who you brought to me.¡±


    She ced her hand on her heart. ¡°I would like to travel with Argrave in order to help deal with Gerechtigkeit.¡±


    Argrave turned his head and widened his eyes in surprise. The Patriarch, too, was taken aback.


    <em>The future chief strategist of Veiden wants toe with me? </em>Argrave dialogued internally. <em>Well, the invasion is ceasing¡­ she¡¯ll have no opportunities to grow in that manner. And if she¡¯s with me¡­ well, I can raise her into a damned magic monster. She¡¯s got crazy talent. </em>


    Argrave chimed in, ¡°That sounds like a wonderful idea.¡±


    He was never one to pass up an opportunity.

 Chapter 37: Songs of War

    Chapter 37: Songs of War


    Explosions, crackling lightning, and des of wind collided above the sea in a grand disy of power. The air around Mateth echoed with the songs of war. The sea itself seemed to have caught fire, most of Monti¡¯s war caravels sinking into the sea. Corpses and wreckage alike bashed against the docks and ships, carried by the churning sea. The snow elves¡¯ longships bounced up and down on the tumultuous tide, each one filled to the brim with potent spellcasters and warriors.


    Magic changed the face of siege warfare. Nikoletta¡¯s father had taught her that, and it stuck with her. Perhaps her father¡¯s emphasis on the power of magic was precisely why she had gone to the Order of the Gray Owl¡ªthat, and her mother had been a High Wizard of the Order. Nikoletta¡¯s love of magic had its foundations in her own spirit, though.


    In ages long since passed, before magic was as prominent and as powerful as it was today, sieges were often long and drawn out. The invaders, superhuman or no, could seldom break stone with their hands. They would build siege weapons and batter them against the walls, or more often, simply starve out the defenders. It was a cruel and tedious process, as befitted an age before chivalry and knighthood.


    A throwing axe struck the stone near Nikoletta, its deafening ring drawing her back to attention. Mina pped her shoulder and shouted, ¡°Nicky! Don¡¯t worry about the coast!¡±


    Nikoletta nodded, looking back down to the invaders on the ground while crouching behind a parapet. Duke Enrico had takenmand of the forces near the docks. He had asked for Nikoletta to remain here where she might be safer and helpful. That was despite her insistence that she should be alongside the spellcasters, being one herself.


    Rygermanded the troops managing the walls. Only a few mages remained on the wall¡¯s walkways, the bulk dealing with the coastal invaders. The enemy on the ground did not have an exceptional number of mages. Many of their number had ways to counter magic: the strange material known as Ebonice that Argrave had mentioned. The elven invaders stayed far from the tall walls, not daring to try tunneling or climbing. Their javelins and axes were urate. Many good men and women had died before Nikoletta¡¯s eyes, head cleaved in twain by a thrown weapon.


    ¡°They¡¯re gathering their mages together!¡± Ryger shouted, loud voice breaking through the din. ¡°Mages, prepare for an assault! Focus on me,¡± the big manmanded, moving to a central point on the wall.


    Nikoletta peeked above the parapet, being mindful of thrown projectiles. As Ryger said, the troops were bunching together, the lightly armored mages speaking amongst themselves in preparation for something. A good deal of warriors gathered together, shield and axe clenched tightly. The mages got behind them, and a great tempest began to swirl across the trampled crops.


    Then, a group of Veidimen ascended into the air at a constant pace, a whirling gale beneath their feet. Nikoletta widened her eyes, taking an instinctive step away as they soared through the sky. One archer had the bearing to fire an arrow, and it struck one of the airborne snow elves, sending him spinning free of the magic lifting them. He mmed into the corner of the parapet, cracking it before tumbling down to the ground. Their magic wore off at a certain height and the remainder alighted loudly on the center of the wall. They were only five.


    ¡°These bastards are insane!¡± Mina shouted from beside Nikoletta, moving towards the encroaching snow elves with hands outstretched and magic matrixes forming in front of her palms.


    ¡°Wait¡­!¡± Nikoletta tried to stop Mina, but her hands grabbed air. Many defenders stepped away from the cover of the parapets, panicked by the sudden intrusion. The elven invaders outside coordinated their attack with this urrence. Without cover, some of the defenders were snagged by thrown weapons. Nikoletta stood, recalling something Argrave had told her.


    <em>¡°Wind magic, for instance, utterly invalidates bows, crossbows, and other such ranged projectiles.¡± </em>


    She cast the D-rank [Wind Burst], and a gale surged from her fingers. The throwing weapons closest veered away wildly, all their uracy gone. Nikoletta rushed forth, casting another spell, [Wind Wall], stopping another wave of axes and javelins tossed at their heads. With some reprieve from the relentless barrage of projectiles, Nikoletta diverted her attention back to those on the wall.


    The snow elves on the walls were massive. Each was near or as tall as Argrave, yet unlike him their frames were full and robust and covered in te armor. The fact that they tried such a ridiculous gambit was a testament to their resolve. When the defenders rushed to confront the intruders, they proved their strength.


    The first of the knights approached the Veidimen cautiously, shield held out. The vanguard of the Veidimen stepped forward decisively, swinging his axe at a perfect distance. The knight received the attack with the top of his shield, but the axe¡¯s beard hooked onto the shield. The snow elf pulled, unbncing the knight and jamming his round shield into the man¡¯s face. The knight fell onto his back, and then was quickly dispatched by an axe to the head.


    Though the snow elves only numbered five and were quickly surrounded, each one was a ruthless force. They jumped from opponent to opponent with a military efficiency, never allowing the defenders to take advantage of their numbers. The mages had no opportunity to avoid friendly fire. Nikoletta prepared some magic, but she stopped herself. This force of five men could not hope to seize the walls alone. They were a distraction. She turned back to watch the mages.


    <em>They¡¯re preparing tounch more!</em>


    ¡°Mages!¡± Nikoletta shouted. ¡°More of the elves are beingunched over! Disengage, prepare wind magic to block them in the air!¡±


    There was some hesitancy as themand did note from Ryger, but the knightmander promptly shouted, ¡°Do as she says!¡± He went forth to meet the Veidimen, his greatsword held out before him. She had thought Ryger was arge man, but he seemed short and stoutpared to the giant elves.


    The mages came behind Nikoletta and coborated, preparing wind magic. When more of the elves came ascending towards the walls, a great tempest rocked forth, wind des and fell gales working in tandem. The elves held their sheening ck axes out, and though the magic was dispelled, their brief wind magic countered their momentum. The elves could not make it to the top of the walls, and they mmed against the side impotently. One managed to grab the ledge, pulling herself up.


    Something red shed by Nikoletta¡¯ peripheries, and then a woman stepped forward, kicking the elf trying to climb up with a steel te boot. The invader fell from the wall, iling and yelling as she dropped. The new arrival bore a giant zweihander and had a plumed tellerbarret. She peered over the side of the parapet, sword on her shoulder.


    ¡°These elves have guts. Nothing like the forest-dwellers,¡± the woman snickered. She turned back to Nikoletta and adjusted her hat. A chain dangled from her left hand, most of it hidden beneath frilly clothing and te armor. ¡°I¡¯m Mnie. You¡¯ll keep the flying squirrels away, right?¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Nikoletta nodded.


    ¡°Good.¡± Mnie smiled, the scars on her pretty face twisting. Her red hair swayed behind her as she ran to the five on the wall. She grabbed a knight¡¯s head and used him tounch herself in the air, twisting gracefully before mming down her de on one of the Veidimen. He received it with his round shield but was forced back many steps.


    Ryger was locked inbat with a female elf, trying his best to maneuver his sword past her shield. His de snaked past the top, ncing against her helmet, but she bashed him with her shield. She swung, but Ryger blocked her axe with the greatsword¡¯s guard. He kicked her shin and then grabbed the shield, trying to force an opening.


    They were deadlocked for a moment, but then Mina materialized out of thin air from behind, breaking free of an illusion spell. She held her hand to the Veidimen¡¯s knee and cast a spell, cutting past the armor and sending the elf staggering. The snow elf lunged at Ryger, grabbing him by the shoulders and pushing him to the edge of the wall. Ryger¡¯s back arched as he struggled not to fall, but the snow elf locked her leg behind him, and they both fell off the wall into the city below.


    ¡°Knightmander!¡± Nikoletta shouted vainly, looking over the edge. She could see movement, but neither stood. They were both probably wounded badly. She could not help but think of how long she¡¯d known Ryger¡ªsince when she was young to now.


    Nikoletta brushed aside her bubbling thoughts, looking back out to the elven mages. With their second wave stopped by her efforts, they did not dare to recklessly waste more lives.


    On the battlements, the red-haired mercenary Mnie helped the knights regain theirposure. A hook attached to a chain hung from her left hand. She whirled it about like a sling, and then sent it at one of the Veidimen. It was blocked, but the hook sunk into the wood.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The Veidimen tried to pull Mnie towards him with the hook in his shield, but she jumped, pulling herself with the chain. She flew through the air with tremendous speed. Her boots mmed into his breastte, and he wasunched into the other Veidimen. After a brief tumble, shended atop him. She pulled the hook free of his shield and used it to slice open his throat. The mercenary did not wait to watch him die, rising to confront the three remaining.


    The knights surrounded the Veidimen like a pack of wolves, lunging forward to nip at their heels with their swords. Once more, Mina¡¯s illusion spell shattered, and she appeared in the middle of the three¡¯s circle. Nikoletta¡¯s heart soared with unabated worry, and she broke into the fastest run she ever had. Mina cast a wind spell, sending one of the elves staggering into the crowd of knights where he was promptly killed. She tried to duck away to safety, but one of the snow elves turned and swung his axe in the same movement.


    Nikoletta pushed through the crowd and jumped between Mina and the axe, casting a D-rank ward. The ck Ebonice axe broke through the barrier with ease. It struck her leather armor and the enchantments shone brightly, rebounding the axe. The snow elf recoiled, and Nikoletta caught Mina and slid away. Above, she heard the sound of a chain swinging and striking metal.


    She stood, leading Mina away from the battle. ¡°Stop doing dangerous things, Mina,¡± Nikoletta insisted into the girl¡¯s ears.


    ¡°All around us is danger,¡± the young woman panted. ¡°If I do nothing, Monti will lose everything. You¡¯ll lose everything.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re part of that everything. A big part of it,¡± Nikoletta said.


    ¡°Ugh¡­,¡± Mina grunted, face red. ¡°Grave was right. After this is over, you and I have to have a talk. A long one.¡±


    Nikoletta stared at Mina for a time, and then nodded intently, unable to discern what she meant. Behind her, the two Veidimen remaining finally fell to superior numbers. The mercenary Mnie finished thest of them, jamming her zweihander into his stomach and casting him to the ground.


    Nikoletta gave a sigh of relief as thergest crisis they¡¯d faced on the walls came to an end. She broke away from Mina, striding towards the mages andmanding, ¡°Mages, keep an eye on the enemy! Ensure this doesn¡¯t happen again.¡±


    She heard words of confirmation and saw some nods and was content to go back to watching the enemy for further movements. However, she spotted a message carrier running across the walls towards their position and kept a wary eye on the man ahead.


    ¡°You did pretty good, little miss,¡± said the red-haired mercenary Mnie,ing to watch the invaders just behind her. ¡°Lots more could have died without the right organization there.¡±


    Nikoletta did not know how to respond, but she kept her eye on the messenger running towards them. Evidently, the man was seeking her out. She broke away from the wall, staying within cover but moving to meet the man.


    ¡°Youngdy Monti,¡± the man shouted,ing to a stop. ¡°The Duke¡­ has been injured,¡± he panted. ¡°He designated you to takemand of the forces at the dock should this ur.¡±


    As Nikoletta processed the news, Mina stepped forward. ¡°I¡¯lle with you.¡±


    ¡°But knightmander Ryger isn¡¯t¡­¡± Nikoletta looked over at where the man had fallen. She could not help but whip her head to Mnie. ¡°Mercenary Mnie. You¡¯re the best fighter here, but do you have any experience leading troops?¡±


    The woman nodded, a smile on her face. Nikoletta returned the nod, and then said, ¡°Make sure the garrison does not fall. Monti rewards the worthy generously.¡±


    ¡°I know. That¡¯s why I¡¯m here,¡± Mnie said, hefting her giant sword over her shoulder.


    ¡°But how can we trust her?¡± Mina stopped Nikoletta.


    ¡°Do you believe the snow elves have human agents?¡± Nikoletta rebutted. ¡°Lead me,¡± Nikoletta ordered the messenger, following close behind as he ran across the walls. Her father¡¯s condition dominated her thoughts.

 Chapter 38: Scorched Earth

    Chapter 38: Scorched Earth


    Argrave swished water through his mouth and spit it out into the snow as he walked. Ahead of him, a neatly cobbled stone road winded across an endless field of white snow. His cane clicked against the stone as he moved. The center of the road had ck crystalline objects embedded in them, faintly shining in the daylight. Argrave put his feet on one of the ck crystals, and he felt heat emanating from them.


    ¡°You clean your mouth every morning and night. A human ritual?¡± Anneliese inquired. She and Argrave had been talking nonstop during his tenure as a god¡¯s mortal agent in Veiden. She was an endlessly curious person, and Argrave was fascinated by a culture that wasrgely absent in ¡®Heroes of Berendar.¡¯ They had been exchanging questions every waking second.


    Argrave smiled widely, deliberately showing all of his teeth. ¡°No, a personal ritual. I have been blessed with veritable pearls for teeth, and I wish to keep them that way,¡± Argrave said with exaggerated cheer. He turned his head back to the road. ¡°You know, I¡¯m surprised to find paved roads in a deste ce like this. No offense, of course,¡± he added. ¡°The roads are heated, even. I thought I would likely die from cold.¡±


    ¡°They are new. Coborative efforts by many mages melded the earth to form these roads. After, craftsmen ced those hot crystals to keep the snow from building up.¡± Anneliese kneeled down and pointed, carrying on her exnation with expertise. ¡°When the snow melts from the crystal¡¯s heat, it seeps into the road through some purifying minerals. Aqueducts below the surface carry it to the cities¡¯ wells.¡±


    Argrave¡¯s brows furrowed in contemtion, but he smiled. ¡°That¡¯s very fascinating. You know much about most things in this ce.¡±


    Anneliese stood up, staring up at him with her amber eyes. ¡°It is as I told you. I enjoy understanding and learning about the world.¡±


    ¡°Looks like I chose the right tour guide to Veiden, then.¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°Come to think of it, that¡¯s probably why you wanted toe with me on my fool¡¯s errand.¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t the only reason, but yes, it was thergest factor.¡± Anneliese nodded. ¡°What you¡¯re doing is important. I want to be a part of it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Argrave pressed. ¡°You want toe with someone you barely know to be a part of something important?¡±


    ¡°I do not think I can be satisfied waiting here in Veiden, honing my magic quietly,¡± Anneliese shook her head. ¡°Maybe what you said about me achieving great things got to me. Maybe I also want to leave behind a legacy. All I know is that I want to do this.¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°Well, you won¡¯t be dying. There¡¯ll be no legacy. You¡¯ll be a living legend; I¡¯ll make damn sure of that.¡±


    Anneliese nodded, and then she carried on down the road. ¡°What do you hope to find in Veiden¡¯s capital, behind the Ice Wall?¡±


    ¡°Besides Gmon¡¯s family?¡± Argrave turned on his heel and continued walking. ¡°Lots of druidic magic. As much as I would love to waste away my days reading a new culture¡¯s writings, I¡¯m on a schedule. I need to get what¡¯s useful to me. Berendar has no druidic magic¡ªit¡¯s exclusive to Veiden. Beyond just learning it, I could propagate it and make a fair bit of money. I don¡¯t think such a thing would be hical in the face of a world-ending cmity.¡±


    ¡°Rowe manages all of the spellbooks in Veiden. You will not be able to take them without his permission.¡±


    ¡°So I¡¯ll get it,¡± Argrave said without much concern. ¡°I can trade illusion magic or the process for creating enchanted items, both of which the Veidimenck. Such things would bolster your forces and make the future battle with Gerechtigkeit easier.¡±


    Anneliese nodded. Argrave rubbed at his stomach as they proceeded down the road. He noticed he was gritting his teeth, and not from the cold. Anneliese watched him.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± she asked.


    Argrave paused in the road as a cold wind blew by, sending Anneliese¡¯s incredibly long hair waving about in the wind. Once the wind settled, Argrave said, ¡°No, I¡¯m not, if you care to know the truth. Guilt gnaws at my stomach. I feel like I¡¯m going to vomit.¡±


    ¡°Over Mateth?¡± Anneliese pressed.


    ¡°What do you think?¡± Argrave said snappily. ¡°Came all this way, did everything I could to try and change what I viewed as an inevitability. I get to the end, and I think I¡¯ve won¡ªI¡¯ve done it. All this, only to have that victory vored with death and misery. And for WHAT?! What does this achieve?¡± Argrave held his hands up. ¡°Bupkis. Nada. Makes me sick. And back there I just¡­ threw in the towel, because it was the ¡®strategic thing to do,¡¯¡± Argrave did a hand-puppet impression of himself.


    ¡°Stood there like a drooling idiot, smiling and nodding,¡± Argrave continued his rant. ¡°No resistance. And I tell myself, ¡®Dras already made up his mind, you can¡¯t change that,¡¯ or, ¡®the battle is already happening, and you can¡¯t change that.¡¯ The simple fact is, I didn¡¯t even try. And now, try as I might to think of something I might do to change the oue, my mind¡¯s just drawing nk. I missed my window.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Anneliese stood by quietly as Argrave proceeded. ¡°It¡¯s just a reminder of how useless I am. Impotent. I can¡¯t¡­¡± Argrave¡¯s voice trailed off as a lump grew in his throat. ¡°I settled for second best. Couldn¡¯t find the perfect solution. I should have gone to that council Dras held even if I was coughing blood. Now I just have to sit by, hat in my hand, ande back like some sort of savior when I didn¡¯t change <em>anything.</em> What good am I? Nothing changes; time¡¯s still a t fucking circle.¡± Argrave tossed his cane to the road and threw up his hands.


    Anneliese waited in silence for some time. She picked up Argrave¡¯s cane and handed it back to him. ¡°That day Dras summoned us¡­ he told you toe at your leisure. Do you think that was not deliberate? By the time you two spoke, the vanguard was likely already moving.¡±


    Argrave opened his mouth to answer, but closed it quickly, expression pensive.


    ¡°From the beginning, Dras would never have abandoned his ambition of earning a foothold on Berendar. The battle may have been already underway while the two of you spoke that morning.¡± Anneliese stated, her passive tone making the words sound cold. ¡°It¡¯s probably why Dras removed me from the council¨C if I brought news of his intentions to you, you might¡¯ve done something. At least¡­ that¡¯s my conjecture.¡±


    Argrave could only stare for a moment. He swallowed, and then took the cane. ¡°Hah¡­¡± he weighed it in his hands. ¡°That does¡­ seem like something he would do. Now I¡¯m here, isted. He gave me free rein of the whole ce¡­¡± Argrave spread his hands to the snow fields and the forests beyond them. ¡°¡­because he knew I could do nothing to stop it. I have no allies here. Could send a useless letter, at most. Maybe not even that. He takes Mateth, then holds it until Gerechtigkeites.¡±


    ¡°Why are you so certain Mateth will fall without your help?¡± Anneliese pushed.


    ¡°Because..!¡± Argrave began, cutting himself off before he could say, ¡®it always happens.¡¯ ¡°Whatever,¡± he finally said, lowering the cane to the ground. ¡°Gmon was right. I¡¯ll get lost if I focus on ¡®what if¡¯s.¡¯ Have to keep moving forward. Have to get used to this.¡±


    #####


    A spear of ice surged through the air. A few people on the docks jumped backwards moments before the spear pierced the docks and sent wood splinters whistling through the air and into the water. Once it settled, some people moved past it while readying magic, but one of the men that had jumped shouted, ¡°Watch out!¡± moments before the spear of ice exploded into smaller fragments. The closest turned into a veritable fine red mist, and many others reeled away with shards of ice stuck in them.


    All of the people on the docks were solely dedicated to defending against the onught. The magic attacks from the Veidimen aboard their longships came in concentrated waves¡ªa few seconds of intense power, followed by many periods of silence. Their strategy was effective, too. A few seconds of intensity was much harder to hold back than a steady wave which one could adapt and adjust to.


    The area between the docks and the longships was no man¡¯snd. The force from each sh was enough to set the sea churning. The tides roared against the docks, and the longships tossed and turned in the tumultuous sea. Their oars worked to push them closer to the docks that the warriors aboard might seize the city.


    Nikoletta and Mina worked their way through Mateth. Nikoletta was taller, but Mina was much more agile. They wound through the alleyways as they made their way to the docks. When both emerged, a mage spotted them, and after leaving a ward behind, he waved them over.


    ¡°Youngdy Monti,¡± the man greeted loudly. ¡°The messenger reached you, good.¡±


    ¡°Bro,¡± Nikoletta returned, running to the man. ¡°Where¡¯s my father? How is he?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s in the customs office,¡± Bro responded promptly, pointing at a building very close to the docks. ¡°He¡¯s being tended to by the best healers, but he¡¯s unconscious.¡±


    Nikoletta looked at the building, and as she did, another wave of spells rocked the docks. She instinctually ducked, shielding Mina with her arm and falling back. Bro was considerably less fazed.


    When the battle calmed, Bro said, ¡°If the Duke hadn¡¯t concentrated mages near the docks at thest second, we would have fallen apart in a matter of seconds. Initially, the best of their mages started to freeze the oceans while their warriors walked across. It was the strangest form of battle I¡¯d seen. Their ice magic is extremely potent. Furthermore, archers aboard their boats have magic-dispelling enchantments.¡±


    Nikoletta turned away from the customs building, deciding to take Bro¡¯s word that her father was fine.


    ¡°Their archers aren¡¯t using enchantments. It¡¯s Ebonice,¡± Nikoletta dered, walking closer to the docks and surveying the scene. ¡°That¡¯s also why attack magic isn¡¯t working. It dispels magic on contact.¡± She watched the longships steadily moving closer, and she took a deep breath.


    <em>Father can¡¯tmand, but he¡¯s taught me a lot. I need to calmly assess the situation. Think back to what was nned. </em>


    ¡°Nicky, I can use illusion magic to project your voice. The higher-level spellcasters will naturally resist it, but they¡¯ll notice it. It should help youmand,¡± Mina contributed,ing to stand beside her.


    ¡°Our advantage lies in our position. Their advantage lies in their Ebonice arrows. They suffer because they¡¯re at sea,¡± Nikoletta muttered to herself, rubbing her chin with her gauntleted hand. The sky cracked with another volley of spells. Nikoletta could see faint ck lines in the air, and where they touched, wards and spells alike broke apart. Few struck the mages themselves, but they broke defenses and allowed spells to prate.


    ¡°Bro,¡± Nikoletta said, determination lining her voice now. ¡°Send off someone to retrieve a group of archers¡ªtwenty at least. Even if they need to be pulled from the walls, bring them here. Instruct them to scavenge the arrows with the ck arrowheads, then wait for mymand to fire.¡±


    ¡°Youngdy Monti, bringing such arge contingent of¡ª¡±


    ¡°No arguments. We¡¯re fighting a losing battle, Bro,¡± she retorted back quickly. ¡°Our mages are fighting them to a standstill, but they have warriors aboard their ships. Once the magic begins to run dry on both sides, they will proceed to the docks mostly unimpeded as weck a naval force. We can¡¯t remain at a standstill. Something needs to tip the scales.¡±


    Bro bowed in acquiescence. ¡°Understood, youngdy.¡± He rushed off to do as she asked.


    Nikoletta stepped forward, her feet meeting the wooden docks. ¡°Mina,¡± she motioned. ¡°Get that spell ready.¡±


    Mina nodded quickly and walked to Nikoletta, giving her a thumbs up as a spell matrix hovered in the air. Nikoletta inhaled, and then shouted out.


    ¡°Mages of Mateth! I, Nikoletta of Monti, will be assumingmand in ce of my father. Focus only on defending! Use wind spells to disrupt their arrows and ice spells!¡±


    Because Mina was casting the spell, Nikoletta heard her own voice echo out across the docks. There was a great stir of movement on the docks as people acknowledged and conveyed her orders further.


    Though most narrowly stuck to the idea of using magic solely forbat,rge-scale and simultaneous usage of magic had another effect that her father emphasized. It could affect the environment. Earth magic was the most prominent example of this¡ªone could morph the earth to their whims, forming cover and the like. Nikoletta wished to target the snow elves¡¯rgest disadvantage on this field: their ships.


    The next volley of spells came, and from Mateth, a great tempest rushed forth as thebined efforts of many mages created a fell wind. Though much of the Ebonice soaring through the air diminished the wind before it could reach the longships¡¯ sails, it did stir the water, sending a great wave away from the shore. Several of the flying projectiles lost much of their uracy, and the brutality of the attack was reduced greatly.


    Nikoletta shouted out once more, ¡°Keep doing as I said!¡±


    The time between assaults was longer this time as the longships brought their boats under control. Some even fell overboard from the wild waves jamming against their ships, and that bolstered Nikoletta¡¯s confidence.


    The longships lowered their sails, and many of the oarsmen dedicated time to scooping buckets of water from the ships and depositing them back into the ocean. Once things had calmed, a vague moment of quiet set over the two sides, each waiting with dread.


    Nikoletta noticed a man climb up one of the masts on the longships. He held his hand out, and a spell matrix formed. She saw the air around stir with red, as though a crack had formed in the air. Nikoletta¡¯s eyes widened.


    <em>The phenomenon known as ¡®mana ripples¡¯ form before the onught of an A-rank or higher spell. Different pulsations appear for different types of magic, </em>Nikoletta¡¯s brain echoed, recalling a lecture in the distant past.


    <em>They were probing us, </em>Nikoletta realized. <em>Once their initial push failed, they were probing to be sure no one was present that could counter high-ranking magic. </em>


    ¡°Everyone! Prepare your strongest defenses!¡± she shouted in panic, voice shrill.


    The red pulses started to growrger, and then the man¡¯s hand blinked once. Fire conjured from air swirled together to form a great ball the size of an elephant, and a deafening boom echoed out as it shot forward. It twisted, scattering mes everywhere. The water beneath it turned to steam as it proceeded.


    Mina grabbed Nikoletta¡¯s waist and pulled her away in a desperate panic. The effort brought them both to the ground. The titanic fireball tore through the wooden docks like butter. It collided with the stone, erupting into a great tornado of fire. Wood splinters, scalding water, and fragments of stone exploded everywhere, and fire rushed over Mina¡¯s back. Nikoletta held her hand up and cast a D-rank ward. Mina rolled off from atop Nikoletta and cast her own ward, reinforcing what was there.


    Both of their wards shattered, and Nikoletta recoiled from the impact. She leaned up and shielded Mina with her body, as she knew her enchanted armor would better protect against the mes. She felt the intense heat roiling over her back and setting her hair ame. Slowly, though, droplets of water started to fall. She stared down at Mina¡¯s face, breathing heavily as the fire faded. Once the heat had vanished, she dropped to her back, extinguishing the fire on her hair. Her back stung with unimaginable pain, and the leather armor felt fused with her skin.


    Nikoletta lifted her head, grunting in pain as she tried to adjust her armor and heal herself. The docks of Mateth were gone. The wooden constructions had beenpletely destroyed. Much of the stone foundation was crumbled and falling into the sea. An enormous amount of water had been sent elsewhere, and a flood rushed forth to rece that which had been disced. The longships rowed away, resisting the pull until the water was level enough for them to proceed.


    The dead and dying were everywhere. Nikoletta came to her feet unsteadily, her healing magic working to heal the burnt skin on her back. Grayness consumed the edges of her vision, and she struggled to stay conscious. She looked for people to help or tomand, but everyone was scattered. The only few that survived hid behind B-rank wards, other survivors sheltered alongside them.


    Then, from far above, a roar echoed out across the city. Nikoletta turned her head to its source: the sky. Above, she briefly witnessed a sh of gray cover the sunlight. She followed it with her eyes, and then she ced it. It was a gray wyvern. Something fell from atop it, dropping through the air.


    She witnessed another mana ripple in the air¡ªa teal one, this time. It grewrger, shaking the sky, until it turned the azure sky teal. Nikoletta lost herself to despair, unable to process what was happening. An avatar appeared in the air; it resembled the upper half of an armored knight, but it was formed of quickly moving wind.


    The avatar raised its fist in the air. Nikoletta¡¯s breathing quickened, and the contents of her stomach pushed against her throat. She was crying, she realized. The fist came down.


    It did not aim for Mateth.


    A golden ward appeared before the fist, but it shattered like a thinyer of ss. The avatar of wind struck the water around the longships. The water sunk and then exploded upwards, tossing the closest longships into the air as though they weighed nothing. The water surged outwards, battering the already-damaged docks and casting a shadow of falling droplets over Mateth. The few ships that were notunched airborne were overturned by the fierce waves, their armored warriors sinking into the depths from the weight of their armor.


    Nikoletta watched this scene, shaking as water fell on her as though it was raining. One of the longshipsnded on the walls of Mateth, splitting in half and sending the warriors aboard to their deaths from the height.


    ¡°S-rank magic,¡± she murmured, shaking. She felt a pair of arms around her, and realized Mina was holding her and pulling her away.


    The figure above descended to the ground, his hands alive with a spell matrix as he slowed his quick descent. A short old man wearing a decadent gray robended, surveying what was once the docks of Mateth.


    Tower Master Castro remained vignt. Above, the gray wyvern circled like a seagull waiting to feast.

 Chapter 39: Darker Skies

    Chapter 39: Darker Skies


    Argrave stared up at a sheer wall of ice, the two suns above raining light down. The light travelled through the wall, illuminating it and sending rainbow-colored rays in odd directions. Though the light made it seem magical, Argrave was searching for enchantments without sess. It was a wonder such a thing could persist throughout the ages without help from magic; a hundred-foot-tall wall made of ice could not be a simple endeavor.


    He reached a hand out and touched the blue ice. Even through his gloves, he could feel the cold. It emanated outwards, and he pulled away his fingers as though he¡¯d just touched dry ice. Even with the sunlight above, it did not melt, it did not morph, and it did not fall, protecting against the snow for thousands of years. Perhaps there was some irony in that; the greatest bulwark against the cold <em>was </em>cold.


    Argrave heard footsteps behind, and he turned to spot Anneliese. The capital of Veideny before him; unlike the previous city of Ka, the eponymously named capital Veiden was made of stone. It was ancient, too. The buildings were carved, each one depicting some sort of historical scene. It looked more a ruin than a city, yet snow elves abounded nheless, joyfully participating in the suffering of the world.


    ¡°I¡¯ve found their home,¡± Anneliese began, walking to him. ¡°Gmon¡¯s family lives not so far from here, ording to the locals. Do you truly intend to visit them?¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± Argrave nodded, tapping his cane against the ground. He gestured for Anneliese to lead onwards, and they moved through the city slowly.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect this ce to be so¡­ developed,¡± Argravemented. ¡°I hear the word ¡®tribe,¡¯ the mind thinks of backwards people. But this ce is truly just a civilization separate from Berendar. I suppose a people capable of sailing and using steel have no reason to be simple.¡± He gazed at some of the stone carvings as he passed.


    ¡°The city of Veiden was carved from a cier formed atop a mountain,¡± Anneliese spoke quickly. ¡°Thousands of years of history have been etched into the stone here. Even then, we Veidimen were using steel. We have never been a technologically stunted people; we have only been divided andcking resources. Now, that has changed.¡±


    Argrave turned his head to Anneliese. He was very curious about her motivations, her goals, her likes, her dislikes. She liked to stay neutral and passive in conversation, but she seemed to genuinely care about Veiden. They shared amon interest; a fascination with the world of ¡®Heroes of Berendar.¡¯ Hers was more schrly, granted. <em>I suppose I have plenty of time to learn about her,</em> Argrave thought.


    ¡°Here,¡± Anneliese pointed, stopping them both. ¡°That building.¡±


    Argrave turned towards where she was pointing. It seemed a fairly nice homerge enough for a family to live, certainly. It was square and stone like most other buildings in this city, so it was difficult to judge if it was exactly well-off. Argrave stepped forward towards the stone door at the entrance, lifting his cane and tapping it thrice.


    After a few moments, he heard faint footsteps on the other side of the door. A woman¡¯s voice called out, ¡°Who is it?¡±


    ¡°Hi. Is this the residence of Gmon¡¯s wife?¡± Argrave called out.


    After a few moments, the door peeked open. A deep purple eye sized him up. ¡°You¡­ aren¡¯t a Veidimen.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a friend of your husband¡¯s.¡± Argrave tapped his chest. ¡°I wanted to meet his family, see how you¡¯re holding up.¡±


    She opened the door wide, some amount of confusion and shock on her face. She looked rather young, and her face had a kind innocence to it, as though retaining all its childlike naivete. Her hair was a bright gold color and kept short. ¡°You mean¡­ on the human continent? You spoke to him?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s my retainer, though he¡¯s presently not here for reasons I¡¯m sure you can surmise.¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°May wee in?¡±


    Her eyes darted around, her mouth agape in surprise. ¡°I never thought¡­ Gmon, how is he? Did he look well? How has he been doing?¡± the questions poured out as her wariness immediately faded. ¡°Oh, forgive me. Come in. My name is Muriem. My son is downstairs, I should¡­¡± her voice faded away as she ran into the house.


    Argrave looked to Anneliese whileughing lightly through his nose, and then he entered, cane clicking against the stone. He tried to shut the door casually, but he found it unmoving. He had to push it shut with his whole body.


    Muriem walked back into the room from the basement. Behind her, Argrave saw a familiar-looking dour face. He was rather taken aback by how simr the snow elf looked to his father, Gmon. Argrave reckoned If the boy were to get some age lines, some scars, and possible post-traumatic stress disorder from years of intense war, he¡¯d be Gmon¡¯s double.


    ¡°Have a seat,¡± Muriem beckoned. ¡°Please. I¡¯ll prepare drinks.¡±


    #####


    Nikoletta pulled Mina¡¯s arms off her, and said, ¡°Come on,¡± pulling her friend along with her as they rushed to the side of the bald old man that had just devastated the enemy mages. He was barely taller than Mina, but considering what he¡¯d just done, Nikoletta approached with cautious deference. ¡°Thank you for the assistance, but¡­ who are you, sir?¡±


    ¡°The Tower Master,¡± the short old man replied. ¡°You are the youngdy Monti. I¡¯d advise you to be careful. The warriors fell into the ocean, but many of those mages will surely not fall so easily.¡±


    ¡°Master Castro?¡± Nikoletta said aloud. ¡°Thank the gods you came¡­¡± she brought a still trembling hand to her mouth. ¡°Thank the gods¡­¡± She knelt down, feeling queasy.


    ¡°As I said, youngdy, the battle is not over,¡± he advised kindly. ¡°That one spell has expended my magic greatly. Now, we still have to deal with the rest. I have innumerable questions, but I will not hector you just yet.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± she said, nodding as she looked at the ground. ¡°Right. I¡¯m the ducal heir of House Monti. I can¡¯t be stopped by just this.¡± She stood. ¡°There are invaders outside the walls, attacking the garrison with throwing weapons. Should I¡ª¡±


    A crack echoed through the air, and in the time it took Nikoletta to blink, she saw a jagged cut of lightning through the air. It struck her armor and the enchantments shone brightly, allowing only some lightning through. That they persisted despite how much damage Nikoletta had taken was a testament to the armor¡¯s craftsmanship.


    The Tower Master pointed his hand, and a thin needle of fire shot out of a quickly formed spell matrix followed by a scream of agony.


    ¡°Nicky,¡± Mina spoke, her voice shaky. ¡°We should get to safety. The forces are broken, and we¡¯ll just be baggage to the Tower Master.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t just abandon things, run away. I have a duty as the ducal heir!¡± she shouted at Mina.


    ¡°What good can we do here?¡± Mina urged.


    ¡°I-I don¡¯t¡­ damnit.¡± Nikoletta¡¯s voice cracked.


    ¡°She is somewhat right. Here, only the titans walk still. You may be of some minor help, but I would feel morefortable if the death of Duke Enrico¡¯s daughter was not a potential oue of every spell tossed my way.¡± The Tower Master did not take his eyes from the scene before him.


    Nikoletta took deep breaths, considering things. Eventually, she nodded. Her eyes drifted to the building close to what remained of the docks. ¡°But my father is in the customs office. I cannot leave him there.¡±


    ¡°I felt a B-rank mage near him, and I am not incautious. He should be fine. Now go, youngdy,¡± Castromanded.


    ¡°Come on, Nicky.¡± Mina tugged at her arm.


    ¡°Fine,¡± Nikoletta conceded, nodding. ¡°But not to safety. Back to the wall. Those elves outside will need to be dealt with.¡±


    The Tower Master reached into his robes and pulled free a decadent ck whistle. ¡°If you¡¯re somitted to that idea, take this. With it, you can call my wyvern. Blow it twice and point at the invaders. My Gray Owl is smart; he will know from that alone.¡± He tossed the gilded whistle towards Nikoletta, and she caught it.


    She examined the whistle in her hand, and then clenched it tight. ¡°Thank you, Master Castro. House Monti owes you the greatest debt imaginable. Mina, let¡¯s go.¡±


    Mina hesitantly nodded, and then the two ran away from the docks, weaving into the city. Some of the people that had previously locked themselves in their homes were emerging, moving about in panic from the tremendous impacts. Most ran away from the docks. Mina and Nikoletta had great difficulty moving unimpeded.


    As they ran, the archers that Nikoletta had called for pushed their way past. Nikoletta opened her mouth to call out to them, but then decided they would still be best suited near the docks than at the walls. The wyvern would be a game-changer. She clenched it tighter in hand, her other hand holding Mina by the arm so they were not separated.


    Soon enough, they broke free from the crowds and made their way to the walls once more. Nikoletta ran up the stairs, winded but persistent in her path to the top. When she made it to the top, she paused to catch for breath while surveying the scene. There were a lot more dead now than when she left¡ªaxes, javelins, and arrows sticking out from their cold corpses.


    The red-haired mercenary, Mnie, turned her head back to look at Nikoletta. She¡¯d taken up a bow, her sword resting at her feet.


    ¡°The pay piggy returns,¡± Mnie shouted, releasing the bowstring. She ducked behind one of the parapets.


    ¡°Watch your words,¡± Mina bristled, but Nikoletta stopped her.


    ¡°Mina,¡± she huffed, far too out of breath for a long reprimand. ¡°Later.¡± She stepped forward, minding that she did not reveal her head above the parapets. ¡°What¡¯s happened?¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°I¡¯d like to ask you that,¡± Mnie countered. ¡°Explosions, giants¡ªa damned boatnding on the wall. We had to deal with some mage whonded up here. Well, I did,¡± Mnie amended. ¡°Mages always have terrible reaction time.¡±


    ¡°The docks are ruined. I think things are under control, but¡­¡± Nikoletta shook her head. ¡°I think now is the time to wrap things up here.¡±


    ¡°Hoh?¡± Mnie made an incredulous noise. ¡°The prissy youngdy¡¯s got a trick up her sleeve, does she?¡±


    Mina kicked her shin, but it hit Mnie¡¯s te boot. The mercenary shot a cocky grin in return. Nikoletta ignored the mercenary¡¯s conduct, looking up to the sky at the gray wyvern. She took the whistle in her hand, holding it tightly. She could feel the sweat beneath her leather gauntlets. Nikoletta watched the line of invaders arrayed outside, thinking things through in her head.


    ¡°Protect me for a little bit,¡± she directed, rising to her feet. She brought the whistle to her lips and blew it twice. The sound was rather ordinary, and at once, it was superseded by a great roar from the sky. Nikoletta kept her eyes fixed on the mages grouped together near the center and pointed her finger right at them.


    Nikoletta did not tear her gaze from the invaders. They stayed huddled near each other at a fair distance, waiting for their opportunity to move in. Then, like a ripple passed through them, their heads turned to the left. Their unity started to shatter as many moved away, shouting. Then, they all ran in panic.


    A gray blur passed by, sliding against the ground and leaving a great cloud of grass, wheat, and dirt in its wake. It cruised by countless of the snow elves, crushing and ripping them apart with ease. When its momentum finally slowed, it took off running and jumped to the skies, great wings bringing it ever upwards.


    ¡°Hot damn,¡± Mnie said, watching the scene. She stood up, nocking another arrow. ¡°No time like the present, boys!¡± she shouted, rallying the troops. ¡°Let those marble bastards know what you¡¯ve been through!¡± she pulled back the arrow and fired.


    Nikoletta watched the wyvern until it was far, far in the air, and then blew the whistle twice again, her finger pointing near the bulk of them. The wyvern brought its wings together till it resembled a dart in the sky and dropped towards the earth with terrifying speed. Once more, it crashed into the earth, sliding and tearing. It caught a mage in its jaws.


    But the snow elves did not remain idle. A few stepped forward, grabbing the wyvern¡¯s wings to hold it down. One of the mages shot up into the sky and fired a spear of ice, impaling the creature¡¯s wings. With all the efficiency of a butcher, the warriors climbed atop the reptile¡¯s wings and cut its webbings. The beast roared out in pain, tearing its wing free from the ice spike. It thrashed about, trying to keep the tide of slowly approaching warriors at bay.


    ¡°Keep firing!¡± Mnie shouted once more.


    Arrows soared at the Veidimen in droves, piercing their backs as they dealt with the wyvern. The elves encircled the wyvern, holding javelins in front of them. Even when the beast swung its wings to batter its foes, their spears would stab the creature. The snow elves leapt in with all the ruthlessness of a wolf pack, slowly wearing away at the creature with a mechanical efficiency. Mages attacked from the back, opening great wounds with potent ice magic. It seemed a practiced tactic.


    Another volley of arrows thinned the snow elves¡¯ numbers considerably. The wyvern broke free from the encirclement, killing many. It tried to break into a run and fly, but it only jumped and crashed miserably. More of the Veidimen came to finish it off, and it swatted them away with its tail, roaring.


    Finally, an ice spike hurtled through the air, catching the creature in the eye. The creature reared back and then fell to the fields outside Mateth, lifeless. Nikoletta felt a great deal of despair for the wyvern¡¯s death, but beneath it was a fierce relief as she felt the snow elves¡¯ numbers had thinned enough that they were no longer an issue.


    One of the snow elves pulled free a horn, blowing into it thrice. It was returned at another portion of the wall. Nikoletta watched cautiously, expecting the worst. When the Veidimen started moving away, she could not process what was happening immediately.


    It was not until a lone soldier shouted out, ¡°VICTORY!¡± that Nikoletta began to consider the possibility.


    She stepped to the parapets, watching them leave. She felt a great rush in her chest as some new emotion found its way into her heart. She clenched the ck whistle in her hand, raised a fist to the sky, and joined with the shouts of victory.


    Much had been lost. All of Mateth¡¯s fleet was lost at the sea. The bulk of their military force was dead, the majority of them having been well-trained knights. The docks had beenpletely destroyed and rebuilding them would cost a fortune in gold¡ªamodity which would be very precious in the wake of the civil war. They owed a huge debt to Master Castro, both in his assistance and his wyvern. Their losses were not small, but above all that, one simple truth prevailed.


    Mateth had not fallen.

 Chapter 40: The Marketplace of Ideas

    Chapter 40: The Marketce of Ideas


    Argrave took a drink of what Muriem had provided him. It was a warm drink, but it was quite bitter and potent. It left a pleasant aftertaste, though, and Argrave quickly enough took a second drink and ced the stone cup gingerly back on the table. Anneliese sat beside him, listening to their conversation in silence.


    ¡°It sounds like Gmon has a big task ahead of him,¡± Muriem said, staring at the table with her hands on herp. ¡°I thought that¡­ well, I don¡¯t know what I thought. He sends gold to us every so often,¡± Muriemmented, looking at her son who sat quietly beside her. ¡°Even when he isn¡¯t here, I can live well and take care of Rhomaden.¡±


    ¡°I can take care of myself,¡± Rhomaden refuted.


    Muriem reached forward and pinched his ear. ¡°That right? Door is over there, young man.¡±


    ¡°Ow¡­!¡± Rhomaden freed himself and swatted at her hand.


    Argrave maintained a polite, business-like smile. ¡°Gmon¡¯s as quiet and grim as ever. Still, he¡¯s one of the best at what he does. One day, he¡¯ll be sitting beside me as we talk. You can hold me to that.¡±


    Muriem stared at him. Eventually, she nodded. ¡°We write to each other, at times, but¡­ tell him that I love him, and that I just want him to be happy.¡± She poked Rhomaden. ¡°Rhom, what do you want to tell your father?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± said Rhomaden with an indifferent shrug. He had all the bearing of a moody teenager, Argrave thought.


    Argrave leaned to the table, setting his elbows down and staring intently. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind me asking¡­ how exactly did Gmon be a vampire?¡±


    Muriem¡¯s deep purple eyes shook, and she stiffened in the chair. ¡°He¡­ never told you?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not much for conversation, as you know,¡± Argrave said with a light smile. ¡°I only know at all because I found out another way.¡±


    ¡°I was not there,¡± Muriem said after a long pause. ¡°You would be better off asking someone who was.¡±


    ¡°Maybe,¡± Argrave conceded with a nod. ¡°But I don¡¯t know who was, and their stories would probably have an impersonal affect anyway.¡±


    Gmon¡¯s wife pursed her lips, considering whether or not to speak. Eventually, she opened her mouth. ¡°His brother was the one who turned him into a vampire. After, Gmon killed him. He was exiled for both kinying and vampirism. If you ask everyone around the city, they¡¯ll say it happened because Berran was jealous of Gmon and sought to disgrace him. But¡­¡±


    ¡°But?¡± Argrave pressed.


    ¡°Berran and Gmon were always on good terms,¡± Muriem said quickly, some emotion brewing in her tone. ¡°Berran turned Gmon; that much is beyond doubt. I don¡¯t have any evidence for this, but I simply can¡¯t believe Berran would act without another behind him, pressing him onwards. I¡¯ll say no more. If you want brutal details, you would be best asking another. I do not enjoy reliving the worst day of my life.¡± She lowered her head, refusing to meet Argrave¡¯s gaze.


    Rhomaden leaned forward and rubbed his mother¡¯s back, consoling her in the quiet. Argrave stood, taking another drink of the brew.


    ¡°Well, although this has been an enjoyable visit, I think I should leave now. I have things to attend to, and I would not want to overstay my wee. Muriem, thank you for your hospitality,¡± Argrave bowed cordially, and retrieved his cane.


    ¡°Oh, well¡­¡± she looked briefly overwhelmed, and then said, ¡°Thank you foring to me with this. Tell Gmon that I love him, and that Rhomaden is bing a fine young man.¡±


    After nodding, Argrave tapped Anneliese¡¯s shoulder, and she stood. Both of them walked outside. Argrave sneezed as the cold outside wind hit him, and he brought the fur cloak over his shoulders a little tighter.


    ¡°That was¡­ weird,¡± Argrave said, shuddering as his body got used to the cold once more.


    ¡°You were expecting something different?¡±


    ¡°No, that was about what I expected. Just the first time I sat down and talked about pointless stuff in a while. No purpose, just an hour or so of rxation. Hard to rx when I have so much on my mind, but I <em>tried </em>to rx, at least.¡±


    Argrave sneezed once more. ¡°God damnit,¡± heined with a clogged nose. ¡°I think I¡¯ve got another cold.¡± He reached into his pockets, feeling the bronze hand mirror but little else. ¡°I lost my hanky. Great.¡±


    ¡°Maybe we should head inside for the day,¡± Anneliese offered.


    ¡°Forget that. I¡¯ve got stuff to do. Far as I¡¯m concerned, I¡¯m behind-schedule,¡± Argrave waved his hands dismissively and then stretched. ¡°Let¡¯s go to that library. Rowe¡¯s hopefully there, can teach me how to hug trees and such. Maybe I can con one of the bigshot mages into curing me.¡±


    Anneliese shook her head with a quietugh from her nose and walked onwards, leading Argrave to where he asked to go.


    #####


    Rowe stared up at Argrave with a great measure of caution in his beady gray eyes. The nasty scowl was gone, though, and Argrave would much prefer caution over dismissal. They stood in a grandiose library of stone. Statues and bookshelves were the room¡¯s sole decorations. A great many people wandered about the library. Argrave presumed they were all spellcasters, for all he recognized were indeed so.


    ¡°And who let you in here, hmm?¡± Rowe questioned, his tone low.


    Argrave pointed to Anneliese behind him. ¡°The Patriarch told me I had free rein of his patriarchate. I thought I might take a look at some of the books.¡±


    The old mage harrumphed, saggy skin shaking. ¡°If that¡¯s the way it is, so be it.¡± He turned to walk, but Argrave spoke again before he got too far.


    ¡°I wanted to ask you if I could take some spellbooks from here. Druidic magic spellbooks. I need a way to¡­ well, I don¡¯t need to say what I need it for.¡±


    ¡°You want to <em>take </em>books?¡± Rowe repeated. ¡°That patron of yours didn¡¯t teach you spells? I know the Abyssal Hand Erlebnis has knowledge of our magic. I¡¯ve seen those twisted abominations he calls his emissaries use them.¡±


    ¡°Rich parents can only give their kids so much before they be spoiled,¡± Argrave walked a little closer, cane tapping against the cold stone floor. ¡°He decided I still have to work hard, tragic as that may be. No cranial brain-beams of esoteric magics. So can I take them?¡±


    Rowe¡¯s bushy brows lowered. ¡°A ridiculous request. This library took near a millennium to establish. Have you even the slightest notion how difficult paper is to get in this snowscape? Our knowledge is the fruit of our efforts and a testament to our faith.¡±


    ¡°Come on. Don¡¯t make me beg, please.¡± Argrave tapped his cane against the ground.


    ¡°Bah,¡± Rowe spat, a scowl taking its ce on his face. ¡°Impertinent boy. Stop wasting my time. I¡¯ve already got egg on my face from you airing my secret about Crystal Wind. I don¡¯t need to suffer yet more of your pestering.¡±


    ¡°Then instead of helping the person trying to stop the world from ending,¡± Argrave said drolly, stepping forward, ¡°How about we trade? Knowledge for knowledge; human magic for elven magic.¡±


    He saw Rowe grind his teeth. ¡°That sarcasm of yours, infuriating, as ever¡­¡± Rowe scratched the top of his bald head. ¡°If it¡¯s a trade, I¡¯ll agree, if only because both our forces need to be strengthened. What do you offer, then?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll teach you how to Inscribe. Specifically, how to trante low-ranking spells into Inscriptions, so that you can create the simpler enchanted items. Knowing how to trante means this vast library can be put to good use.¡± Argrave waved his hand around the room.


    ¡°Aye, if it¡¯s that¡­¡± Rowe rubbed his chin. ¡°If it¡¯s that much, I can give you a lot in return. What is it you want?¡±


    ¡°Full ess, obviously.¡± Argrave spread his hand out as though it was the natural course of things.


    ¡°Full ess?¡± Rowe repeated. ¡°You want me to let you walk around and take whichever book you please? Oh, and I suppose you¡¯ll want them to be nicely wrapped in gold thread and delivered right to your home.¡±


    ¡°If you can. Oh, and perfume the books.¡± Argrave nodded, cheerily sarcastic. ¡°Really, what¡¯s wrong with that? Did I forget to mention the part where Gerechtigkeit ising?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m too old and bitter to be milked dry,¡± Rowe retorted. ¡°I made sure that the Veidimen would help you, but I did not surrender all of our earthly possessions to your cause. We still have need of them.¡±


    Argrave sighed. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll tell you what. I know you have some vessels that smuggle things to and from Berendar. If you send one of those to Jast, have them wait for me. I can bring a shipment of illusion spellbooks. That¡¯s a whole new school of magic for your people.¡±


    ¡°I should trust you, the glorifiedckey of Erlebnis, the big-mouth? I¡¯m likely to be left pissing in a snowstorm.¡±


    Argraveughed. ¡°Not sure what that means, but I get what you¡¯re saying. Listen, we can draft a damned contract if you¡¯re so timid. Anneliese and Gmon will keep me to my word if I do that.¡±


    ¡°Right. That one. Good head on his shoulders, that Gmon.¡± Rowe nodded. ¡°Well¡­ damnit. I alwayse away talking with you feeling like I¡¯ve just eaten dirt. I don¡¯t like it. But fine. I¡¯ll let you take what books you please, if only for a greater cause.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Right. I¡¯m the one getting shorted here. Don¡¯t act like you¡¯re some saint,¡± Argrave shot back.


    Rowe shook his head, walking away muttering things like ¡®impertinent boy,¡¯ or ckwit beanpole.¡¯


    Argrave turned back to Anneliese, prepared to start perusing the wonderful new library, but her gaze was focused on another person. It was a woman. She and Anneliese were of the same height, and indeed looked quite simr in appearance. The other woman was much older. If she was allowed in the library, she must¡¯ve been a mage.


    ¡°Grandmother,¡± Anneliese greeted.


    ¡°Found another coattail totch on to?¡±


    Anneliese crossed her arms and looked away. Argrave frowned and took a step closer, hesitant to say anything.


    ¡°You certainly know how to rise up in the ranks. You y the innocent quiet girl well enough, but you took advantage of me to be a spellcaster, you took advantage of Patriarch Dras to earn prestige amongst the Veidimen, and now you¡¯re to take advantage of the mortal agent of Erlebnis.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not¡ª¡± Anneliese started.


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget everything I did for you, Anneliese. I put you in action. Everything you¡¯ve got, you owe to me,¡± she stepped forward, prodding Anneliese¡¯s corbone.


    ¡°Lady,¡± interrupted Argrave, stepping forward between them. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go sit on a broomstick or something? This is a library. Quiet tones,¡± he urged, putting a finger to his lips. Many people watched their confrontation.


    ¡°I¡¯m saying this for your sake,¡± Anneliese¡¯s grandmother said to Argrave. ¡°Don¡¯t trust this one with too much. She¡¯ll wring you dry, and when she¡¯s done, she¡¯ll find another that can give her more.¡±


    ¡°Is that right?¡± Argrave asked. ¡°No wonder¡ª¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Argrave,¡± Anneliese said sharply. ¡°Let me speak.¡±


    Argrave looked back and then stepped aside, one hand in the air in a gesture of surrender.


    ¡°¡¯Everything you did for me?¡¯¡± Anneliese repeated. ¡°Your only ¡®help¡¯ was poaching me from the other spellcasters teaching me when you saw I had a talent in the area. You never helped my mother and I when we returned to Veiden¡ªnot once. You use me of being maniptive, overambitious? You fail to realize that when you ce ss before something ck and heartless like yourself, it bes a mirror,¡± Anneliese finished. She turned towards Argrave, brushing past him and moving into the library.


    ¡°She speaks well, doesn¡¯t she?¡± her grandmother said, grinning. ¡°Don¡¯t be charmed by her pretty face. She herself just said she was ck and heartless.¡±


    Argrave spared onest nce at her grandmother before turning and following after Anneliese. Once they were rtively secluded, she stopped and turned, staring at Argrave.


    Argrave waited for her to speak, but she said nothing. Argrave frowned. ¡°What? I do something wrong?¡±


    ¡°You have no questions for me?¡±


    Argrave considered this for a long while, but nothing came to mind. ¡°I don¡¯t know. What do you want me to ask? Was she always that nasty?¡±


    Anneliese was visibly taken aback. ¡°My grandmother says something like that, and you have no questions? You take me on your journey so easily, without doubt, without fear?¡±


    ¡°Sounds like you want me to distrust you,¡± Argrave answered back. ¡°Not sure what you might ¡®wring me dry¡¯ of bying with me. My knowledge? My life? The second might worry me if I didn¡¯t trust you, but the first is exactly what I intend to impart to you.¡±


    Argrave scratched his chin, stepping around Anneliese and asking ponderingly, ¡°Unless¡­ are you an agent of Gerechtigkeit?¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°Not likely. He¡¯s not so good at making friends or even subordinates. I¡¯ve made my decision after proper consideration. Some old hag isn¡¯t going to change that.¡±


    If she was taken aback earlier, she was shaken now¡ªArgrave presumed it was because her conversation with her grandmother had rattled her more than she cared to show.


    ¡°Stop worrying. Let me go teach Rowe how to enchant stuff.¡± He touched her shoulder and then walked further into the library of stone.

 Chapter 41: Parting

    Chapter 41: Parting


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Rowe grunted as Argrave set down the quill, leaning over the parchment Argrave had been writing on. Anneliese was on the other side of him, just as interested.


    ¡°That¡¯s the simple illusion spell, [Muffle].¡± He pointed at another diagram. ¡°And there is how you trante [Muffle] to an Inscription. Once you will magic into it, the enchantment will beplete. This one will muffle sounds, naturally. Higher-ranked mages withrger magic pools like you mostly resist illusion magic, and plenty of enchantments or spells exist that help prevent people¡¯s senses from being twisted.¡±


    ¡°Very prudent to use a spell I don¡¯t know to teach me enchanting. Quite the amazing teacher you are, aye,¡± the aged elf said sarcastically. Rowe reached out and touched the paper without asking Argrave for permission. ¡°Aye, I feel it. I can put magic into this.¡± He did so, and the inscription shone briefly before fading back into ordinary looking paper.


    Argrave picked up a gold coin and dropped it onto the paper. It was near soundless. Rowe watched this with brows furrowed. Argrave ripped the paper, and it waspletely soundless. Rowe stopped him. ¡°I get it. Stop wasting paper. You know how much this stuff is worth?¡±


    Anneliese picked up a piece of paper and moved away. Rowe turned to Argrave. ¡°Then that is that. If I had known this matter was so simple, I might not have agreed to this trade.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, sure. You would have definitely figured it out without me. Spare me the prideful nonsense,¡± Argrave said dismissively. ¡°Now, I¡¯ll get you those illusion spellbooks at Jast. Might be a pain, but I need druidic magic. Best way to scout and watch for enemies in the entire world.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m d you see that,¡± Rowe said with some measure of pride. He stepped a bit closer, locking gazes with Argrave and speaking quietly. ¡°So, that one ising with you?¡± Rowe inquired. Argrave turned his head. Anneliese was writing something.


    Argrave looked back to Rowe, nodding. ¡°Yeah. Why?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I should be asking you, boy. I have responsibilities here, but I could give you a higher-ranked mage. I¡¯m sure I could talk one of the A-rank mages intoing with you. A devastating force on that continent of Berendar, as far as I¡¯m aware. Invaluable in¡­ whatever it is you¡¯re doing to stop He Who Would Judge the Gods,¡± Rowe said, shaking his head quickly.


    A loud <em>poof</em> came from behind Argrave, and he turned his head to spot a small mushroom cloud of smoke fading into nothingness. Anneliese stepped back from a burning piece of paper.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m bringing her. Latent genius, that one. She has great talent,¡± Argrave said, pointing with his thumb. ¡°Some enchantments are really quite useless, like that one you saw there; one-time uses that only destroy whatever it is they¡¯re written on. Others, like warding magic, are immeasurably useful. Trial-and-error, really.¡±


    Rowe walked forward slowly and jabbed his walking stick in Anneliese¡¯s foot. She let out a little yelp and jumped back. ¡°Damned girl. Be more careful with paper,¡± he reprimanded, picking up the smoldering piece of paper where the ckened remnants of an inscription could be vaguely seen. He cast a nce at Anneliese.


    ¡°Besides, I need people of good character at my side.¡± Argrave walked forward, shrugging. ¡°I trust Anneliese and Gmon more than any unknown element that is far stronger than me, magically speaking. Well, probably physically speaking, too.¡±


    Rowe cast some fire magic and finished burning the paper, scattering the ashes while wiping his hands off with his fur robes. ¡°Trust. Bah. You¡¯ve known her for three days, maybe. Keep being so trusting, you¡¯ll end up on a spit with the Tenebrous Reaper pissing on your still-warm body.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s with you and piss?¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°I haven¡¯t been wrong since you¡¯ve met me. Never will be, if I can help it.¡±


    ¡°You were wrong once,¡± Rowe said condescendingly. ¡°Told me to ¡®divine with animal guts,¡¯ but that¡¯s tripe. There¡¯s no validity to it. Might as well toss a coin in the air to decide.¡±


    ¡°Tripe,¡± Argrave repeated. ¡°Very nice pun.¡±


    ¡°Disgusting.¡± Rowe waved his hand and started to move away.


    ¡°Hold a moment,¡± Argrave stopped him. ¡°I might need some help carrying the books and navigating this ce. Can you call some people? I¡¯ll get a list ready of the spells I need.¡±


    ¡°A list?¡± Rowe frowned. ¡°You don¡¯t know the spells themselves, but you can make a list?¡±


    ¡°I know their names and what they do. Otherwise, I¡¯m out of luck.¡± Argrave picked up a quill. ¡°Oh, also, if you could get one of your mages to cast [Cure Disease] on me, I think I caught another cold. Want to squash it before it gets worse.¡±


    ¡°Right. One might think you¡¯re the patriarch the way you order me about. Savor it; it won¡¯tst.¡± Rowe shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ll get some of the young ones to do your bidding.¡±


    ¡°The books will have to be carried to Ka,¡± Argrave called out as Rowe walked away. ¡°This is thest thing I need before returning to Berendar.¡±


    #####


    Argrave walked through the gates of Ka with Anneliese by his side. Ahead, one snow elf lugged a great chest over his shoulder. It was full of books, so it could not be light. The Veidimen before them chose to carry it over his shoulder out of bravado, but now his expression was faded and tired after the walk from the city of Veiden to Ka.


    ¡°Are you going to say goodbye to your family?¡± Argrave questioned his new travellingpanion. ¡°Your grandmother excluded, of course.¡±


    ¡°They live deeper ind, past Veiden,¡± Anneliese said, amber eyes looking off to the side. ¡°And I do not think they would care overmuch, either.¡±


    ¡°Your call. Filial piety isn¡¯t exactly my thing, either,¡± Argrave said sympathetically.


    Anneliese crossed her arms. Argrave had gathered that she had problems with her family. Some were tant, like her grandmother. Others were only Argrave¡¯s assumptions, and so he would not press the matter.


    Near the docks to Ka, Argrave could see a great gathering of snow elves. He craned his head to try and see what was happening, but unlike in Berendar he was not always the tallest in crowds and could not see over the people easily. He walked a bit faster, his cane tapping against the ground until he moved around the person carrying the books.


    Once the docks were in sight, he saw battered and wounded Veidimen being escorted off a ship in the far distance. At the center of the crowd, Argrave recognized one of the prominent snow elves in Veiden speaking to Patriarch Dras.


    ¡°They were well-prepared, my Patriarch. There was nothing we could do,¡± the one speaking to Dras said with a shrug. He was a big man, but his demeanor was withdrawn and battered. ¡°They had counters ready for our primary strategy. Even the druid Alcazar died.¡±


    Patriarch Dras was much smaller, but his presence seemedrge inparison as he rebutted, ¡°I thought you said Alcazar used an A-rank spell before he died. If they were ready, that would never have happened.¡±


    Argrave pushed past the crowd, using his cane to push some of the snow elves aside. People looked at him angrily before they recognized him, and then the crowd promptly made way for him. Patriarch Dras turned his head at Argrave¡¯s approach.


    ¡°You¡¯re back from the capital.¡± His white eyes looked past Argrave to the snow elf lugging around the chest. ¡°And it seems you came back with something.¡±


    <em>Did you trick me? </em>Argrave wanted to ask immediately, mind dwelling on Mateth. He had always liked Dras when ying ¡®Heroes of Berendar.¡¯ Now, after what Anneliese had told him, much of the goodwill he¡¯d had was gone. Even still, Argrave knew he only had himself to me. He knew Dras was not entirely forting; he should have prepared for that.


    ¡°Was looking for a piece of gold, but found a bag of silver,¡± Argrave said with a shrug. ¡°Rowe and I worked out a little deal. You can ask him for the details.¡±


    Patriarch Dras¡¯ face remained stoic. ¡°Seems I understand, now, why you were so quick to give up trying to save that city. You had something in mind the whole time.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Argrave tried to keep his expression passive, but he was undeniably surprised and hopeful. ¡°Meaning?¡±


    Patriarch Dras crossed his arms and walked closer. ¡°I¡¯ll have to collect a moreplete report for study, but the bulk of it was a high-ranking spellcaster. What few mages are still alive believe he used S-rank elemental magic. Your city remains in human hands, and I¡¯ll keep my word.¡±


    <em>S-rank magic? That narrows down the scope a lot. Excluding the unaffiliated mages, there¡¯s maybe ten people in the Order of the Gray Owl capable of magic of that tier, and only three that use elemental magic. If Duke Enrico ced a lot of value on my words, he might¡¯ve called in a favor¡­</em> Argrave¡¯s head spun, but he could think of nothing.


    His breathing threatened to spiral out of control as Dras¡¯ words set in. Mateth had not fallen. Argrave had been worried his actions might have prolonged the battle, ultimately worsening the result. Instead¡­ Mateth never fell at all. He clenched his hand tightly against the cane in his hand. The unknowns of what had happened still wore at his conscience. Just because the city had not fallen did not mean there were no damages¡­ or loss of life.


    ¡°We left it to fate,¡± Argrave said after pausing for a long time. ¡°Like we agreed, right?¡±


    With this urrence, Argrave¡¯s growing thoughts became confirmed; the world had already shifted far beyond its normal course. Perhaps it was immeasurably na?ve to think the world would be constant as it was in a video game. He stuck with what he knew, and though his knowledge had been immeasurably helpful, it wouldn¡¯t be enough going forward. Though the variables would remain the same, the equation would be different. Argrave would need to be more flexible and predictive. One failure could cost him his life, or indeed everyone¡¯s life. That was what the bronze hand mirror in his pocket told him, symbolically.


    ¡°Aye,¡± Dras said with a nod. ¡°I¡¯ve prepared a ship to send you back, along with an escort.¡±


    ¡°Escort?¡± Argrave probed. ¡°That necessary?¡±


    ¡°You can row the ship yourself,¡± Dras posited. ¡°Might make those wrists a little thicker, but I think you¡¯ll just never leave the docks.¡±


    ¡°Hey,¡± Argrave protested defensively, cradling his wrists beneath his clothes. ¡°Wrist thickness is about bones, not muscles. Believe me, if I could run more than fifty feet without coughing blood, I¡¯d do so.¡± Seeing Dras¡¯ expression turn somewhat contemptuous, he added, ¡°That¡¯s a metaphor. I think I can run fifty feet fine. Never tried it.¡±


    Dras snorted. ¡°One questions why Erlebnis would choose one so¡­ physically deficient, shall we say, to do his bidding.¡±


    ¡°Some people have heart and brain, and those things are a lot more valuable than bulging muscles,¡± Argrave said, waving to Dras. ¡°I don¡¯t exactly see you on the frontlines.¡±


    The one who had been speaking to Dras before Argrave arrived interrupted, saying, ¡°Show some respect for the Patriarch.¡±


    ¡°Chief Relliden. If I found him disrespectful, I would make that known,¡± Dras reprimanded immediately. ¡°Go take care of the remainder of the vanguard that made it back.¡±


    Relliden grit his teeth but could only turn away and leave. Argrave turned his head as Anneliese and the luggage-carrier caught up. The man put down the chest, and a cloud of white burst up into the air as snow scattered from its weight.


    ¡°You should leave soon. Snow ising,¡± Dras said. He turned his head to some of the guards nearby. ¡°Frant, get those daggers I had made.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Patriarch,¡± the elf responded, running off.


    ¡°And¡­¡± the Patriarch reached into his armor, and then pulled out a piece of paper. ¡°The draft of the contract. Peruse it for yourself,¡± he offered.


    ¡°A draft? I¡¯m sure your best wizard will be furious. Rowe talked about how expensive paper was,¡± Argravemented, but took the paper. He read through it.


    ¡°Seems fine, barring the mention of my ties to <em>Erlebnis</em>,¡± Argrave finished with special emphasis. ¡°You crazy? In Berendar, they have an established pantheon. Ancient gods are a no-go. Don¡¯t want the world to know how my skin looks when it¡¯s being burnt at the stake.¡±


    ¡°Hmph,¡± Dras snorted. ¡°Such a backwards people.¡± He took the paper back. ¡°I¡¯ll amend it, then. For now¡­¡±


    Dras turned back to where the elf he¡¯d sent away was just returning. He brought a wooden case and offered it to Dras deferentially. The Patriarch took it and opened it up. Argrave craned his head to see what was inside, but then Dras flipped it around, showing it to Argrave.


    ¡°Some of my mages have these. Ebonice daggers. A lot quicker to swing than an axe, but they offer little range. I thought I might give you some. They suit you best, I think. Sell them if you want. Not my business what you do with a gift.¡±


    Argrave reached out. ¡°Hoh. These are nice.¡± He took one. It had a dark wooden handle, like mahogany, and feltfortable in his hand. He examined the de, and found it looked plenty sharp. Then again, he knew nothing of knives or swords or any weapon.


    ¡°While you¡¯re gone, I¡¯ll ensure the warrior¡¯s blood stays roused in my men. When He Who Would Judge the Godses¡­ we¡¯ll be ready for it. I won¡¯t lead my tribe to its death. There is more I need to do after this. As such, we¡¯ll make this a crushing victory,¡± Dras said decisively.


    ¡°A crushing victory, hmm? Might a bit easier had you not wasted lives on an invasion you nned to cease anyway,¡± Argrave chided.


    Dras narrowed his eyes. ¡°You didn¡¯t protest. We left it to fate.¡±


    ¡°Things were already in motion by the time we spoke, no? You never nned to allow me to protest.¡± Anneliese looked at Argrave warily as he used her conjecture to confront Dras.


    Dras pushed his tongue against his cheek as he thought of his response. ¡°I¡¯ll admit it,¡± he nodded.


    ¡°Bad start for a partnership if one can¡¯t be straight with the other from the get-go.¡± Argrave put the knife back in the crate and stepped forward. He was a fair bit taller than Dras. ¡°All those lives lost¡­ and all you achieved is making the people of Berendar hate the snow elves a little more. I¡¯m told since you conquered the tribes, the poption has doubled. You undid a lot of that today.¡±


    Some of the Veidimen warriors grew tense as Argrave grew closer. Dras stared up, smiling.


    ¡°The first attack¡­ a failure.¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°Might want to rethink that dream of yours. Instead of leading your people to glory, you led them to death.¡±


    ¡°There is glory in death,¡± Dras said calmly.


    ¡°You say that standing on your own soil with unbloodied hands.¡± Argrave looked around. ¡°You¡¯ve done enough ¡®good.¡¯ Just prepare for Gerechtigkeit. Don¡¯t get cocky. This thing¡­ is never easy,¡± he cautioned, voice low.


    Patriarch Dras thought of his response for a long time. Eventually, the tension faded from his face, and he nodded. ¡°Be well. Give Gmon my love.¡± He held out his hand.


    Argrave shook his hand. ¡°I will, to both.¡± He looked back to Anneliese. ¡°Let¡¯s be off, then.¡±

 Chapter 42: Parade of Steel

    Chapter 42: Parade of Steel


    Nikoletta sat by her father¡¯s bedside, staring down at his chest as it rose and fell. His injuries were healed, leaving not even a scar, and his breathing was steady and ubored. Still, he refused to awaken.


    ¡°It¡¯s been two days, Master Castro. Can you not awaken him yet?¡± Nikoletta said, trying to keep her tone polite, but finding it difficult to do so in light of her worry.


    The old tower master stood beside her, watching the Duke Enrico. ¡°As I told you, the spell to do so would be very costly. I would not leave myself fully drained of magic with the possibility of a recurring attack. I understand your concern, youngdy Monti, but your father is in no immediate danger.¡±


    ¡°Hooh¡­¡± Nikoletta sighed, crossing her arms and leaning against her knees. ¡°People inas get brain damage sometimes, right? What if that happens?¡±


    ¡°What did I say?¡± Castro asked, then repeated, ¡°Your father is in no immediate danger.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± she said, lifting her head up. ¡°You¡¯re right. You would know best. I don¡¯t¡­ even know how to begin to thank you, Tower Master. How did you even find out about the invasion?¡±


    Castro shook his head. ¡°It was happenstance I came here. I was looking for a promising Acolyte.¡±


    ¡°Your wyvern¡­ I never intended to¡­¡± she muttered. ¡°You sacrificed much for Mateth.¡±


    ¡°I helped of my own ord. If one ces their hand in troubled waters, should they rage when their hand is bit? Such is the action of a child, not a man as old as me.¡± The tower master smiled. ¡°My Gray Owl¡­ I cannot say I am unbothered by the loss, but when you lend something to someone unversed in how to use it properly, you cannot expect them to be a master. He had been by my side for seventy years. Everything dies, eventually.¡±


    ¡°House Monti¡¯s honor demands we repay this debt,¡± Nikoletta answered firmly.


    ¡°I know, and I do not doubt your house¡¯s honor. Someday, that debt will be collected. I would prefer it to be at a time when neither will suffer further. Should I extort you while your seat of power lies in ruin, your father in aa? One does not save a life expecting repayment¡ªor at least, not a true savior,¡± Castro dismissed with a shake of his head. ¡°Take your time, rebuild yourself and your city. Despite my sagging skin, I n to live for a while yet.¡± The Tower Master smiled warmly.


    ¡°And besides, that squadron of archers you called for helped greatly when they arrived. I had heard of this ¡®Ebonice¡¯ through rumor alone, but it is indeed a great enemy to spellcasters.¡± He retrieved an arrow of the ck substance and held it to the light. It resembled obsidian somewhat but was much more translucent.


    ¡°You are¡­ a very good man, Master Castro,¡± Nikoletta said, a great deal of tension draining from her shoulders.


    Nikoletta¡¯s mind had grown numb from the constant anxiety the past few days. These events helped her realize how powerless she truly was. With her father incapacitated, she was the regent of the Duchy of Monti. There was great unrest within the capital Mateth¡ªrefugees from the coastal viges swamped the city¡¯s gates, causing great disorder outside.


    Inside was little different. There were a few snow elves living within the city, and mobs formed, lynching several of them without provocation. It was a terrible thing, but the military force they had was too small to punish the people that carried out those acts. The guilt weighed at Nikoletta¡¯s mind daily. She lowered her head into her hands, rubbing her tired eyes.


    And atop all of that, Argrave was still absent. He could be dead. He could be a captive, tortured and starving. He could¡­ Nikoletta frowned, recalling something the Tower Master had said.


    ¡°Master Castro,¡± she said, straightening her back. ¡°That Acolyte you were looking for¡­ was his name Argrave?¡±


    Castro was taken aback. ¡°Yes, it was. You know of him?¡±


    ¡°Are you serious?¡± she stood. ¡°But then he¡­¡± Her mind fell into disarray.


    <em>Did he n this all along? To have Master Castroe to help at thest minute?</em>


    ¡°No¡­ no, that¡¯s ridiculous.¡± She shook her head.


    ¡°You know this boy, youngdy Monti?¡± the Tower Master questioned.


    ¡°I do,¡± Nikoletta nodded. ¡°He¡¯s my cousin. He went to Veiden to stop the invasion.¡±


    ¡°What did you say?¡± Castro asked with a strong hint of disbelief voring his tone. ¡°No, that¡¯s¡ª¡±


    A great bell rung, and Nikoletta¡¯s head snapped to attention. ¡°That¡¯s the watchman¡¯s bell,¡± she said, the end of her sentence cut off with another ring. She stepped past the chair and quickly moved to the door, stepping outside into the estate¡¯s hallway. She rushed to arge bay window that overlooked the coast.


    A lone longship cut across the sea. The sight of it brought back terrible memories, and Nikoletta¡¯s breathing quickened. She looked out to the ocean beyond, but she saw no other ships. The g bore atop the ship was white in way of the red g with the ck wheel in the center. She saw a lone figure on the figurehead of the ship.


    #####


    ¡°You should get off from there,¡± Anneliese called out, arms crossed as she stood behind Argrave within the ship¡¯s railings. She had donned a set of thick ck leather robes lined with white fur more suitable for travel. Her long hair was bound in a half-crown braid. It flowed down all the way to her knees, swaying lightly in the wind.


    Argrave turned his head back from his spot standing atop the figurehead of the ship. He, too, wore a set of ck leather robes, though with a cloak of white fur over his shoulders in way of lining. ¡°Please. I saw you riding in this same spot when you sailed to Barden. This was on the eve of battle, no less.¡± He ced one hand on his hips in defiance. Three daggers with ck des dangled on his leg. ¡°Always wanted to do this, anyway. Make-believe I¡¯m some kind of Jarl.¡±


    A wave shed into the ship and Argrave jerked about, one foot slipping off the side. He barely managed to regain his bnce, and then he made a speedy retreat back onto the safety of the boat¡¯s railings. Anneliese stared at him. She didn¡¯t smile much, but he had been around her long enough to recognize amusement in her eyes.


    ¡°Alright, so maybe it isn¡¯t as dreamy as I thought it might be.¡± Argrave sat against one of the railings, peering out to the coastline ahead. ¡°At least I don¡¯t get seasick. Always wondered if I would, but never really had the chance to test it.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re in good spirits. Is it because you¡¯re heading home?¡± She sat on a chest tied to the ship¡¯s deck by some ropes.


    ¡°Home? I¡¯m but a vagrant. I sold my home, became a nomad.¡± Argrave pointed at the chest Anneliese sat atop of. ¡°I¡¯m in good spirits because of those books in there. Good harvest, all things considered. Plus these Ebonice daggers¡­¡± Argrave tapped the three on his leg. ¡°Dras is generous.¡±


    ¡°No. I think that you¡¯re happy because Mateth did not fall. It went against your expectations.¡±


    Argrave almost cracked at that moment. Anneliese was half-right. He was hopeful. He hoped that he would not return to see the people he¡¯d be intimately acquainted with over the past months dead. The other half was a deep anxiety that the opposite might be true.


    Argrave stared at Anneliese, clicking his tongue. ¡°Alright, so maybe I am. It¡¯s a double-edged sword, though. Mateth is still standing, but it¡¯ll be harder for Veiden to lend me any aid in my future ns.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m still curious what you intend to do, exactly. You want to prepare the world for Gerechtigkeit, but how?¡± She gazed at him, amber eyes sparkling with curiosity.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like repeating myself especially, so we¡¯ll wait for Gmon,¡± Argrave shrugged.


    ¡°You still intend to bring him along?¡±


    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I? Good fighter, quiet, loyal to a fault, although a bit bloodthirsty, I will admit.¡± Argrave grabbed at his neck. He spotted a great number of knights moving across the coast towards their boat on foot. ¡°Look at that,¡± Argrave said. ¡°Another weing party for mynding. I might get used to this.¡±


    He held his hand out to form a spell matrix and he felt his vision spin. Soon enough, he was looking down at his body, immobile. Argrave was using druidic magic. He had bound a pigeon to himself and left it resting on the ship¡¯s sail. Hemanded the pigeon he was seeing through to move and watched as it flew out across the ocean towards the host of knights. In the center of the knights, Nikoletta rode a horse. His brain shook at that moment, relieved from one great burden. He brought the bird back to the ship.


    ¡°Phew,¡± Argrave said as his vision spun once more. ¡°Druidic magic will take some getting used to.¡±


    The oars rushed back and forth, pushing them ever closer towards the beach. Eventually, when the ship grew close enough, the ship turned on its side, and a great deal of Veidimen pushed out a nk thatnded on the beach. They stayed aboard, but Argrave and Anneliese stood. One of the Veidimen cut the rope tying the chest down, and then hauled it, following close behind them.


    Argrave stepped onto the beach, holding his arms out. ¡°Feel that? Wind, untainted by snow or dread cold. A stiff autumn breeze is paradisepared to that winter wondend.¡±


    Ahead, the veritable parade of steel-armored knights approached them. One person broke free of the crowd and rushed forward, spurring a horse onward. Argrave suppressed a small little grin as he saw Nikoletta¡¯s obsidian-color hair waving about in the wind. Some knights tried to stop her, but none dared restrain the youngdy Monti by force.


    Argrave walked forward in long strides. Nikoletta grew nearer, and her caution overwrote whatever it was that spurred her to move towards him. She slowed the horse and then dismounted, holding its reins as she stared.


    ¡°Nikoletta, cousin. Nice to see you in one piece,¡± Argrave said, offering a handshake.


    Nikoletta stared at him with her dark pink eyes, breathing heavily without saying a word. Then, she rushed forward and veritably tackled Argrave, hands wrapped around his back. Argrave staggered a little but managed to keep his footing. His hands hovered awkwardly above her head, which was buried below his chest.


    ¡°What are you¡ªwe¡¯re hugging? Well, I certainly didn¡¯t¡­¡± Argrave trailed off. He heard some sobbing noises, muffled beneath his clothes.


    ¡°You¡¯re crying? Why are you crying?¡± Argrave turned his head to Anneliese in panic. ¡°Why is she crying?¡± Anneliese only watched, offering no answer.


    Nikoletta headbutted him in the chest lightly. ¡°Shut up, you bastard.¡±


    Argrave frowned and hesitantly returned the embrace. He had never been good at hugs, but it was doubly awkward considering the height difference. He didn¡¯t want to get his clothes soaked in tears and snot, but he didn¡¯t wish to push her away, either.


    ¡°It¡¯s been¡­ so damned hard,¡± Nikoletta said. ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell anyone what you¡¯re doing? Why do you go off on your own like that? You just leave me here with a pit in my stomach.¡±


    Argrave didn¡¯t know what to say for a time. After a while, he opened his mouth and slowly said, ¡°I mean¡­ you¡¯ve still got my clothes in that guest bedroom. Didn¡¯t I say you could take them out and stare at them when you miss me?¡±


    She started shaking again, and Argrave was worried he had made things worse. It took him a few seconds, but he recognized that she wasughing. She pushed away, looking up at him.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t know what came over me,¡± she began, wiping her face off. ¡°The past few days¡­ they¡¯ve been unimaginably stressful. It all just exploded on you.¡± She took a deep breath, regaining herposure. ¡°I thought I might never see you again. Spent the whole time steeling myself for that. Maybe they¡¯d find your corpse on a beach. Maybe you¡¯d just never be heard from again.¡±


    <em>I thought the same about you,</em> Argrave thought, but refrained from saying it.


    ¡°Pfft.¡± Argrave scoffed. ¡°Me? Dead? Impossible. No rest for the wicked. That includes the long sleep.¡± He surveyed his clothes where she¡¯d wept, cleaning them off with water magic briefly. ¡°It appears Mateth didn¡¯t fall, despite my fears. What happened?¡±


    ¡°The Tower Master Castro came atop a wyvern. With his help, we repelled the invaders, but the docks are¡­ well, gone. My father¡­ is in aa, at least for another couple days.¡± She took a deep breath, as though it was difficult to say aloud. ¡°Ultimately¡­ we barely hung on. But that isn¡¯t important. What in the gods name did you do? You¡¯re returning escorted,¡± she eyed Anneliese warily.


    ¡°The Veidimen won¡¯t trouble Berendar any longer, at least for another decade.¡± Argrave retrieved a rolled-up paper from his pocket. ¡°Here. A contract. Peace treaty, I guess, but they called it a contract.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Nikoletta stared in mute shock, but eventually took the paper from his hand. Argrave¡¯s eyes stayed locked on the steadily approaching knights, marching on foot. He turned his head back to the longship. All those that had been rowing the longship stood at the edge, shields arrayed in a perfect line as they watched the approaching army. It was quite a terrifying sight.


    ¡°It¡¯s over?¡± Nikoletta finally spoke. ¡°Just like that. They¡¯re free to juste, ruin thousands of lives, and then leave as though nothing ever happened.¡± Her eyes went to Anneliese, and the snow elf kept her amber eyes steady, returning the gaze.


    Argrave¡¯s expression grew somber. ¡°I can¡¯t change what¡¯s already happened. I did¡­ the best I could.¡±


    The words felt hollow. He watched Nikoletta. He didn¡¯t need to be an empath to tell there was grief etched on her face¡ªhardships, sorrows. Argrave had been fully prepared to let Veiden seize Mateth. If not for chance, the person before him might be dead. All he had demonstrated was two percent indecision, ny-eight percent ineptitude. <em>Well, perhaps indecision is ineptitude, </em>Argrave reasoned.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. I can¡¯tin to you,¡± Nikoletta carried on, unaware of Argrave¡¯s thoughts. ¡°I see your name, I see some strange word, ¡®Gerechtigkeit,¡¯ and He Who Would Judge the Gods. I want you to exin to me what happened. Exin to me what¡¯s <em>happening</em>,¡± she said, rephrasing the tense. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be left in the dark anymore.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Argrave agreed. ¡°Long story, though. Might be tiresome.¡± He looked back at the crowd. ¡°Where¡¯s Mina? I don¡¯t see her around. Nothing¡­ happened, did it?¡± He asked in concern.


    ¡°Mina?¡± Nikoletta¡¯s face went red and she looked to the ground. ¡°She¡­ well, she¡­ we haven¡¯t spoken in a while after she¡­¡±


    ¡°Hoh?¡± Argrave asked eagerly, his joy at learning she was fine seeping into his speech. ¡°Did she do something? Get a weight off her chest to her best friend? Confess something?¡±


    Nikoletta¡¯s head shot up to lock gazes with Argrave. She stepped closer, speaking quieter despite their distance from the host of knights ahead. ¡°You knew about¡­ what she¡­?¡±


    Argrave smiled. ¡°Of course I knew. I gave her the push.¡±


    Her eyes widened at his words. ¡°Why would you do such a thing? It¡¯s against the teachings of the gods,¡± she whispered insistently. ¡°I¡¯ve heard rumors of such things in aristocratic circles. Degenerates, deviants, they call these couples. People are dragged from their homes and stoned for this.¡±


    Nikoletta¡¯s knights came to stop a fair distance away, keeping a wary eye on the Veidimen aboard the boat. Argrave conjured a ward to block their conversation.


    ¡°I imagine only the peasants face serious repercussions for such rtionships. Such is the nature of anded elite,¡± Argravemented. ¡°I¡¯ve told no other soul. Even if people find out, you don¡¯t genuinely think your father would let you be hurt for this, I hope. You¡¯re his only child.¡±


    ¡°You assume much about me to encourage my friend in this manner,¡± she said angrily, voice unrestrained now that their conversation was blocked by magic.


    ¡°You were prepared to leave home because of your father¡¯s insistence to arrange a marriage for you,¡± Argrave said poignantly. ¡°Heard about plenty of attempts by handsome nobles to court you in the Order of the Gray Owl¡ªall of them for naught. I see the way you look at Mina. Above all, you don¡¯t even blink at this handsome face of mine. Even skinny, I¡¯m quite a looker. Right, Anneliese?¡±


    Argrave turned his head. Anneliese opened her mouth, thinking, and then shut it. Argrave smiled and turned back to Nikoletta. ¡°See? She agrees.¡±


    Nikoletta¡¯s face was tight, but she did not rush to deny his words. ¡°Why would you want such a thing to happen?¡± she struck at the heart of the matter. ¡°Doesn¡¯t benefit you. Is it because you have that inclination¡­?¡±


    ¡°If by ¡®that inclination,¡¯ you mean being attracted to women, then yes,¡± Argrave said with a snort, then considered her question further. In truth, the pairing had been done at whim when he was in a good mood. Granted, it was what he always chose in-game, particrly because their ending was happiest. When they had been game characters, he had some attachment to them as just that. Now, though¡­


    Argrave spoke much slower than usual, saying the answer only as he came to it. ¡°Is it so strange to seek happiness for two friends? It¡¯ll be difficult, doubtless. I can¡¯t say people will ept it easily if at all, but I believe it¡¯s worth pursuing.¡±


    ¡°Friends, is it?¡± Nikoletta considered that. ¡°I have no idea what to think. I¡¯ve been trying to avoid thinking about what she said. On the eve of a civil war, my father in aa¡­ now is not the best time to be lost in matters like these.¡±


    ¡°Your father is in aa?¡± Argrave pressed.


    ¡°He¡¯ll be fine, Master Castro assures me. My father will be awoken when the tower master¡¯s magic recovers sufficiently.¡± Nikoletta let out a light sigh. ¡°Such a ridiculous situation¡­ my father had you dead-set as my marriage partner, and now you try and pair me with a woman.¡±


    ¡°What? Really?¡± Argrave asked immediately. When Nikoletta nodded in confirmation, Argrave startedughing. ¡°I¡¯ll have to refuse. I don¡¯t fancy children with oversized chins and the mental capacity of dogs.¡± Argrave scratched his chin. ¡°Though¡­ maybe this isn¡¯t so bad. I can think of a way to solve both of these matters of the heart.¡±


    ¡°There is no ¡®matter of the heart,¡¯ just what you¡¯ve forced to happen,¡± Nikoletta insisted.


    ¡°Sure, sure.¡± Argrave nodded, agreeing sarcastically. ¡°You said yourself you don¡¯t know what to think¡ªmaybe I can give you some time to do so. First, let¡¯s walk and talk of what you asked me earlier¡ªabout Gerechtigkeit.¡± Argrave snapped and pointed ahead. ¡°Oh, and have the pride parade ahead carry my luggage. They¡¯re heavy books, you see, and I¡¯m far too weakened from the long journey.¡±

 Chapter 43: High Roller

    Chapter 43: High Roller


    ¡°¡­and after the tomb guardians shambled in on Barden, one of their arrows hit the palisades. I was knocked unconscious by the wood splinters,¡± Argrave exined. ¡°Anneliese here can tell you what happened afterwards. She carried me on her back and swam across the great blue ocean. She¡¯s dedicated like that,¡± he finished, tapping the snow elf¡¯s elbow as they walked through the gates of the Monti estate.


    Ahead, two knights carried a chest up through the estate¡¯s front door. Anneliese did not seem to hear the exaggeration as she was observing everything around her with a great deal of interest. Though she feigned obliviousness to the hateful nces cast her way and the disparaging terms muttered in her direction, Argrave could tell they reached her and bothered her.


    ¡°You still haven¡¯t mentioned what ¡®Gerechtigkeit¡¯ is,¡± Nikoletta said,ing to a stop. ¡°I don¡¯t understand. You go alone to the heart of an invasion, and you manage to just talk them into setting aside arms? It¡¯s ridiculous. These things don¡¯t just happen,¡± she shook her head, spreading her arms wide in disbelief at the situation.


    ¡°Hold on.¡± Argrave held out his hand and conjured a D-rank ward spell around them. ¡°Soundproofing.¡±


    ¡°So, talk.¡± Nikoletta pointed, then crossed her arms. ¡°How did you do what you did?¡±


    ¡°Well, much like how Anneliese put aside the battle we were having to defeat the metal men, Patriarch Dras put aside the invasion for another matter.¡± Argrave rested his hand atop the Ebonice daggers on his waist.


    ¡°borate,¡± Nikoletta demanded.


    Argrave scratched his chin. ¡°Not sure you¡¯d believe me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be the judge of that,¡± she dismissed. ¡°I¡¯m tired of you leaving me in the dark, damn it.¡±


    Argrave chuckled. ¡°Never heard you curse. Guess I¡¯m in the deep end now.¡± He scratched the back of his head. ¡°Gerechtigkeit is a cmity. An ancient one, old as no one can remember. Shows up every millennium and again to try and put an end to the world.¡± Argrave shrugged and shook his head. ¡°The Kingdom of Vasquer is too young to have any records of it. It¡¯s¡­ what, year 872 since its founding?¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± she asked, more confused than anything.


    ¡°I just told you. A god is going to descend to this mortal ne hellbent on destruction. Wouldn¡¯t call him malicious¡ªit¡¯s just his instincts. Malicious or not, I much prefer living, and no one else I can see is stepping up.¡±


    Nikoletta shook her head, mouth agape in bewilderment.


    ¡°She might take you seriously if you acted serious,¡± Anneliese rmended.


    ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°But¡ª¡±


    Nikoletta held her hand out to stop them from talking further. ¡°What exactly is going to happen? When is this going to happen?¡±


    ¡°What is it? I think the world ¡®cmity¡¯ should make things clear enough. A disaster, a¡­¡± Argrave waved his hand, searching for synonyms, ¡°An apocalypse, though it¡¯s a living thing rather than a force of nature. If you can call a god ¡®alive,¡¯ that is. As for when this is going down¡­ considering that now is near the end of autumn¡­ a few years. I could probably give an exact date, but frankly I haven¡¯t looked at a calendar in many months.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re serious about this?¡± Nikoletta sought to confirm. ¡°This isn¡¯t some tactic you used to convince the snow elves?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°Everything I¡¯ve done has been towards this end. The big bad evil takes precedence over mortal squabbles in my eye. The whole world will just stop: no more life, big empty wastnd, everyone dead¡­ as far as I understand it, at least. There aren¡¯t any tales of what happens <em>after</em> Gerechtigkeit, unfortunately, so I can¡¯t confirm this.¡±


    Anneliese raised a hand to get attention. ¡°A millennia ago, my people took part in a great war on another continent outside of Berendar. The devastation wreaked is spoken of in many stories. Perhaps the only reason the people of Berendar do not know is because they were not affected. But now, He Who Would Judge the Gods is to appear on this continent,¡± Anneliese said, pointing to the ground.


    Nikoletta¡¯s face warped between emotions rapidly, and Argrave waited patiently. Eventually, she asked the question he had been waiting for. ¡°How do you know this?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s like I told you back in the Tower of the Gray Owl. Believe me or not, it doesn¡¯t matter. In time, the truth will be made clear for everyone. Dim echoes of Gerechtigkeit are already deeply rooted in this continent. This civil war wasn¡¯t fully man-made. The gue brewing in the northeast is unnatural, too. In time, genuine monsters will appear.¡±


    Nikoletta absorbed the information. ¡°Why don¡¯t you want to say how you know this?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s for me to know,¡± Argrave dismissed.


    ¡°You don¡¯t trust me,¡± she used.


    ¡°If people know the truth, I could be in danger.¡± Argrave shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ll take no chances. I¡¯d trust you with my life, but what I have to do is too important to muck up with my own personal biases.¡±


    Anneliese crossed her arms, watching passively. Nikoletta stared at him, her dark pink eyes shaking slightly. Eventually, she shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t get it. I don¡¯t get it at all. I don¡¯t get you. From the Order until now, I¡¯ve never understood what you¡¯re aiming for. You speak nonsense half the time.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°I¡¯m doing my duty,¡± Argrave said simply, voice low. ¡°Until it¡¯s done, I have no other aim.¡± Anneliese studied his face with her amber eyes, and then turned away, looking out into the courtyard with arms crossed.


    ¡°What should I do, then?¡± Nikoletta asked him, some resignation on her tone.


    ¡°Stay neutral in the civil war. Rebuild your forces. Build your strength. And, when the timees, help,¡± Argrave shrugged as though it was simple.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Nikoletta nodded. ¡°That¡¯s more or less what was going to happen anyway, if I know my father. I¡¯ll probably keep that mercenary, Mnie, contracted for a longer period.¡±


    ¡°Mnie?¡± Argrave frowned. ¡°Red hair, chains, big sword?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Nikoletta confirmed. ¡°You know her?¡±


    Argrave pursed his lips. <em>One of the main characters is here. Huh. </em>He slowly nodded. ¡°Yeah, I know her. She¡¯s done some work for the royal family. Don¡¯t give her too much responsibility. She works for the highest bidder¡ªno morals. She¡¯ll kill you if anyone gives her a bigger pay.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± she nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Talk over.¡±


    Argrave moved to dispel the magic, but Nikoletta grabbed his wrist. ¡°Wait. You spoke of how to deal with this matter of my father¡¯s intent to¡­ marry us.¡±


    Argrave pulled his wrist free. ¡°Well, you¡¯d have to trust me a good deal. After the talk we had, that might not be possible.¡±


    She stared for a second, and then said, ¡°Tell me first.¡±


    Argrave rubbed his hands together. ¡°Way I see it, your father can send thirty proposals my way. As long as I never answer or even receive them, he¡¯ll be left waiting. I n on leaving soon¡ªmore things to settle before the end times, you see. Once Castro helps Duke Enrico out of hisa, you tell him that I was amenable to a betrothal. Set his heart on this match, only for me to leave him in a lurch for a long while.¡±


    ¡°If you leave him waiting too long, he might just change his mind,¡± Nikoletta argued.


    ¡°You ever consider dear old dad might be fostering some ambitions for the throne? He¡¯ll persist for a while.¡± Argrave posited.


    Nikoletta was taken aback by that, and she stared at the ground. ¡°Even still, it¡¯s not a permanent solution.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re smart¡­ probably. You can find one in the time I give you. What, you want me to do everything for you?¡± Argrave spread his arms out and shrugged. ¡°Of course, you have to trust I won¡¯t answer any of his proposals. Might be you could find someone else for the task, of course.¡±


    Nikoletta¡¯s gaze flitted between the ground and his face. Eventually, she held out her hand. ¡°If there¡¯s one thing I trust, it¡¯s that you don¡¯t wish to marry me.¡± She cast a brief nce at Anneliese.


    ¡°That sounds like depressing self-deprecation, but you¡¯re right,¡± Argrave took her hand and shook it.


    #####


    Argrave, Anneliese, and Nikoletta walked down the hall of the Monti estate. Ahead, the two knights opened the door to Argrave¡¯s old guest bedroom, entering sideways. Argrave followed close behind. He failed to duck, though, and mmed his head against the doorframe.


    ¡°For the love of¡­¡± Argrave trailed off. Nikoletta hid augh behind her hand. ¡°Don¡¯tugh,¡± he demanded, pointing at her. ¡°I got used to the big doorframes at Veiden. Not my fault this estate was made for midgets.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re seven feet tall. You¡¯re the abnormal one,¡± she rebutted.


    ¡°I prefer the term ¡®special,¡¯¡± Argrave said, ducking and entering the room he¡¯d stayed at briefly in Mateth. Anneliese and Nikoletta followed.


    ¡°Should I prepare your friend Anneliese a room, or do you¡­?¡± Nikoletta asked.


    ¡°Won¡¯t be staying long enough to sleep,¡± Argrave answered. ¡°Have to get Gmon, and then do some other things¡­¡±


    The two knights set down Argrave¡¯s chest of books beside the already-formidable stack he¡¯d collected in his guest room at House Monti¡¯s estate. They cast a nce at Anneliese as they left and shut the door behind them with a m.


    ¡°Alright. Where¡¯s my money?¡± Argrave got to business.


    Nikoletta was taken aback. ¡°From the auction of Foamspire?¡±


    ¡°No, you think I stopped this invasion for free?¡± Argrave said sarcastically. ¡°I¡¯m kidding. Yes, of course from the auction.¡±


    ¡°I have it,¡± she nodded. ¡°The bidder paid in rose gold magic coins: 214 of them. We probably could have got a lot more if we¡¯d gone through different channels, but¡­ no matter. I stored them in the vault here at the estate.¡±


    ¡°Around 430,000 gold? Not bad. Damned fortunepared to what I usually have so early in the¡­ well, never mind.¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°You can keep fifty of those. Mateth will need a lot of money to repair, and with your docks gone,merce won¡¯t exactly be easy.¡±


    Argrave had nned this for some time. It felt a small drop in the bucket of guilt weighing him down, but it was a start. Mateth had survived by chance. He alone had been inadequate. His presence had changed events, but it had not been deliberate or measured. That would need to change.


    Nikoletta was startled. She spoke slowly and delicately, surprise marking her face. ¡°Argrave, that¡¯s¡­ a fair bit of money.¡±


    Argrave shrugged casually, walking and sitting down on his bed. ¡°Consider it a service fee¡­ and an investment. Never could have sold a thing on the Baretta Troupe Auction without your help.¡±


    ¡°Even still¡­ I can¡¯t take such a generous sum without offering anything in return. We have a well-enchanted lockbox in the vault. I¡¯ll store the coins in there, give it to you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not the type to refuse free stuff,¡± Argrave nodded, falling back onto his bed. ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    Nikoletta walked towards the door. ¡°I will, then. Thank you for your help with this situation regarding my father.¡±


    ¡°Sure, sure,¡± Argrave called out between a yawn as he rxed on the bed. ¡°Not like I¡¯m doing much. You¡¯re the one that has to do the lying. I¡¯m just offering my name.¡±


    Nikoletta stayed silent for a few seconds, shaking her head. ¡°Whatever.¡± She stepped to the door, opening it. ¡°Another thing. The Tower Master Castro ising here. He came here looking for you, after all.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Argrave sat up quickly. ¡°You¡¯re ying with me.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯ll be by shortly. I have to go. Ducal matters,¡± she exined, shutting the door before Argrave could say anything more.


    ¡°You could¡¯ve said something earlier!¡± He shouted to little effect. Argrave sat, mouth agape as he stared at the door. His brows furrowed and he brought a hand to his mouth, expression pensive. ¡°Damn. She boomed me.¡±


    ¡°It seems you are an oddity even among your own people.¡± Anneliese stepped closer. ¡°Your friend seems nice¡­ and she trusts you. Why didn¡¯t you tell her about Erlebnis?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t think that would go over well,¡± Argrave cautioned. ¡°Barring my association with a heretical god¡­ there¡¯s no need to say more than necessary. Let Nikoletta stay safe and happy, devoting her time towards rebuilding Mateth. Once Gerechtigkeit starts making his move, I can start bringing people over to my side. Until then, this is my problem. Well, our problem,¡± Argrave conceded.


    Anneliese mulled over his words. ¡°You do much for your friends,¡± she finally said.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m a saint, I know.¡± Argrave nodded sarcastically, and then pointed. ¡°Listen. A big fish is about to swim by. He¡¯s got his eye on me¡ªthough why I still don¡¯t know. That said, I¡¯m not one to pass up an opportunity. If a grifter sees a high roller, he¡¯s got to peddle his wares.¡±


    ¡°A grifter?¡± Anneliese raised her brow.


    Argrave stood, moving to the pile of books and sorting through them. ¡°If you¡¯re good at improv, feel free to contribute. Some of these books are pretty useless to me¡­ [Germinate], [Expand Roots], [Feel Needs]¡­ of course, Castro needs to think they¡¯re the best druidic spells.¡±


    ¡°What makes one spell better than another?¡±


    ¡°Uhh¡­ I don¡¯t know, mayb¡ª¡±


    A knock interrupted Argrave¡¯s response, and he froze for a second. He nced at the mirror in the room, fixing his appearance quickly. With a final readjustment of the white fur coat over his shoulders, he moved to the door and pulled it open. There, a short old man waited. He looked perhaps sixty. It was difficult to imagine he was near two hundred.


    ¡°Ohoh,¡± Castro said. ¡°You must be Argrave of Vasquer. A pleasure to meet you. You are quite the tall one,¡± hemented. ¡°This old man may hurt his neck looking so high up.¡±

 Chapter 44: Used Spellbook Salesman

    Chapter 44: Used Spellbook Salesman


    ¡°Ohoh,¡± Castro said. ¡°You must be Argrave of Vasquer. A pleasure to meet you. You are quite the tall one,¡± hemented. ¡°This old man may hurt his neck looking so high up.¡±


    Tower Master Castro stood waiting in front of Argrave¡¯s door patiently. He was like a much morepact version of Rowe the Righteous in that both were old, bald men. Evidently thatpaction had removed the terrible attitude, for Rowe would never smile so warmly.


    ¡°Just Argrave, no Vasquer,¡± Argrave corrected. ¡°And you¡¯re Castro, Master of the Order of the Gray Owl,¡± Argrave continued quickly. ¡°Nikoletta informed me you were looking for me. Beyond that, I don¡¯t know much. Although I have an inkling, I¡¯m not quite sure. Why don¡¯t youe in? I have no refreshments on hand, but you can at least sit.¡± Argrave stood aside and gestured to the table in the corner of the room.


    Castro nodded. ¡°Please and thank you.¡± He entered the room, noticing Anneliese. ¡°Hello, youngdy. Who might you be?¡±


    ¡°This is Anneliese, a friend of mine, a spellcaster from Veiden, and my travellingpanion,¡± Argrave introduced her, walking to the table and pulling the chair back for the Tower Master. He offered the other chair to Anneliese, and then sat down himself in the third. Castro was watching his every move. Argrave could practically hear the gears turning in the man¡¯s head as they put an image of his personality together.


    ¡°You have quite therge magic pool. I see you¡¯re diligent with your training.¡±


    Argrave was uneasy at the man¡¯sment. A-rank mages were more than mere humans¡ªCastro could perceive magic by sight alone. ¡°Indeed I am,¡± confirmed Argrave as he adjusted in the chair. ¡°So,¡± Argrave began, putting his hands on the table and entwining them. ¡°I¡¯m very curious why a bigshot like yourself hase to visit little old me. I have an idea, but at the risk of appearing foolish should I be wrong, I¡¯ll wait to hear your answer.¡±


    ¡°You are very business-like, I see,¡± answered Castro, smiling. ¡°I did not have time to ask her much, but Nikoletta seemed fond of you, and from what I have seen in her time as regent of the Dukedom, she is a person of good character.¡±


    Argrave nced at Anneliese, but her expression was as passive as ever. ¡°Your point being?¡±


    ¡°Nothing, forgive me. Old men tend to ramble. Perhaps it¡¯s because they like the sound of their own voice,¡± Castro dismissed, letting out a wheezing chuckle.


    Though Argrave considered mentioning Castro¡¯s true age, he kept quiet, not wishing to unnerve the man.


    ¡°To the point, then.¡± Castro leaned in slightly. ¡°Many of the more research-oriented High Wizards of the Order have taken a great deal of interest in the thesis you submitted. If it were to move from theory to practice, what you call ¡®Blood Infusion¡¯ has the potential to change thendscape of <em>all </em>magic.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°I left the thesis unfinished for that reason,¡± he said. Argrave could veritably smell the bait he¡¯d hooked to his fishing line. It would be more than enough for this big fish, he hoped.


    Castro stared at Argrave¡¯s face for a moment, his expression slowly shifting. ¡°You mean to say that you left out thepleted theory?¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡± Argrave nodded, taking his hands off the table and leaning back into the chair with arms crossed.


    ¡°Why? The mages at the Order are already discussing bestowing a grand reward upon you, and that figure might berger.¡±


    ¡°I should work for nothing? Let others feast on the fruit of mybor?¡± Argrave held his arms wide. ¡°It¡¯splete, but as a C-rank mage, I can¡¯t yet prove it. If I give it all to them, another will find what I toiled to get. Perhaps it¡¯s selfish, but I want all of the credit.¡±


    The old man Castro nodded, considering Argrave¡¯s words. ¡°It is not unusual for a spellcaster to take pride and be possessive of their own work. But the Order of the Gray Owl is supposed to be beyond that, young man.¡± He tapped his finger on the table. ¡°And further, by saying that it¡¯s impossible as a C-rank mage, you¡¯ve greatly narrowed the direction of further research,¡± Castro disclosed provocatively.


    Argrave grinned. ¡°I only mentioned it because I have a solid grasp of your character. One hundred and twenty years ago, it was you that instituted measures to reduce the political influence of the Order of the Gray Owl, trying to turn it into a politically neutral entity. You¡¯re an honorable, just man. Your defense of Mateth proves as much.¡±


    The Castro that Argrave knew was just a tired old man who wanted to study magic and be happy. Indeed, if a yer rose high enough in the Order, Castro would simply step down as Tower Master, leaving it to the yer. Such a man would not steal and develop research from a young wizard.


    ¡°I¡¯m ttered that you think so highly of me,¡± the Tower Master said, though it had a casualness that betrayed he was not truly affected by the praise. He¡¯d probably seen many sycophants in his day.


    ¡°I am, however, quite mindful of the many privileges offered to me as a member of the Order of the Gray Owl,¡± Argrave proceeded tactfully. ¡°Once I am capable of proving what I preach, I¡¯ll naturally turn in a morepleted version of my theory. If I die before then, you can do as you please with it.¡±


    ¡°That is good,¡± Castro said with a nod and a smile.


    Argrave carried on quickly. ¡°But that isn¡¯t all, naturally. Do you know about druidic magic, Tower Master?¡±


    ¡°The magic of the snow elves?¡± Castro half-asked, half-stated.


    ¡°You know of it,¡± Argrave pointed. ¡°Good.¡± Argrave stood, moving to the chest of books and picking up some of the ones that he¡¯d set aside that were useless. He took one and walked back to the table, cing it before Castro.


    ¡°The books with me are all druidic magic,¡± Argrave said grandly. ¡°Not half-torn manuscripts or spells wrested from tortured snow elves. Fully documented druidic magic.¡±


    Castro perked up at that, eyebrows raised in surprise. ¡°How did you manage that?¡±


    ¡°Argrave is a valuable friend of the Veidimen,¡± Anneliese interjected, finally breaking her silence. Argrave smiled as he caught on to what she was doing. ¡°Our people were willing to offer these books in trade.¡±


    By naming him a friend to the Veidimen, Argrave¡¯s value would be further amplified in the eyes of the Tower Master. Having importance and prestige in the Order would enable mobility and leeway in future encounters.


    ¡°In return, I promised to deliver some illusion spellbooks by boat at Jast. A small price to pay for bringing a new field of magic to the order, by my estimation,¡± Argrave tacked on to Anneliese¡¯s words without missing a beat. ¡°Can that be arranged, Master Castro?¡±


    Argrave had been nning to get the illusion books through other means, but this was perfect for his needs.


    Castro straightened his back, thinking. ¡°The snow elves were just invading. Now they wish to trade?¡±


    ¡°Their leader and I had some words,¡± Argrave said. ¡°Whole thing¡­ big misunderstanding. This trade is a peace offering of sorts¨C an exchange of knowledge,¡± Argrave said while nodding remorsefully. ¡°So? Can I expect those books at Jast?¡±


    ¡°Em¡­¡± Castro paused, being ced on the spot so abruptly. ¡°I suppose, if those books are genuine, it is indeed a worthy trade.¡±


    Argrave put his finger on the book at the table and sat back down. ¡°Peruse the book, determine its value for yourself.¡±


    Castro picked up the book. Argrave carried on as the Tower Master examined the tome. ¡°Druidic magic is like necromancy in that it involves the soul but differs in the approach taken. Dead souls cannot be touched; instead, the druid tries to bond and form a connection with the natural beings in the world. Some spells form a link between the caster and the animal that persists for years. Other spells might temporarily connect with a less animate soul¡ªnt life, for instance. A very fascinating and useful school of magic, in my opinion.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Castro half-answered, distracted reading the spellbook. ¡°Intriguing.¡±


    ¡°For now, I¡¯ll give you all the ones that I¡¯ve mastered,¡± Argrave lied. He intended to give away only the useless ones. Once he mastered the ones he needed, he would give them all up. ¡°Eventually, I¡¯ll bring them all to the order.¡±


    ¡°This is¡­ a tremendous find, young man.¡± Castro closed the book and looked at Argrave. ¡°This meeting was far beyond my expectations. Each of these books are near priceless to the Order.¡±


    Argrave smiled. <em>He¡¯s talking me up like a nouveau riche hooked on some shabby art,</em> he dialogued internally. <em>Now¡¯s the time to reel in the line. </em>


    ¡°All I ask is that, when I be a B-rank wizard, the process for bing a High Wizard is expedited, and further, I hope you can give me permission to take any spellbooks from the Tower¡¯s library.¡±


    Castro lowered his head, a faint expression of amusement on his face. ¡°<em>When</em> you be a B-rank wizard? Few reach that milestone.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Very few people are me. Only one, in fact,¡± Argrave dered confidently.


    The Tower Master looked at the book on the table, lost in thought. Eventually, he turned his eyes to Argrave. ¡°Those things are something I can do.¡± He held out a hand. ¡°I¡¯ll send word to the libraries that you¡¯re to be given rights to take whichever books you so please. I¡¯ll prepare those spellbooks at Jast, though I suspect you¡¯ll need to coordinate the delivery to these¡­ Veidimen,¡± he finished respectfully.


    Argrave bit his lip to stop himself from smiling. He¡¯d earned a card that few could ever hold¨C free ess to all magical resources of the Order. Money was no obstacle after Foamspire, but some things could not be obtained with money. Order spellbooks were one such thing.


    ¡°Another thing. My friend here.¡± he pointed to Anneliese, not yet shaking Castro¡¯s hand. ¡°I¡¯d like to make her a Wizard of the Order. She¡¯s already C-rank in multiple schools, and she¡¯s been there longer than I have.¡±


    Anneliese was surprised, but she reined in her shock quickly. The Tower Master smiled a little. ¡°Interesting. She would be the first snow elf in our Order, though not the first elf.¡± Castro scratched the top of his head. ¡°I would agree, but it isn¡¯t something I alone can decide. A special induction at the rank of Wizard¡ªnotmon. I will bring it to my council. I can promise to be a proponent, but nothing more.¡± Castro smiled. ¡°Anything else I can do for you, or can we finally shake hands?¡± He held out his hand once more.


    Argrave shook his hand quickly. ¡°A wonderful meeting, Master Castro.¡±


    #####


    Castro walked away from Argrave¡¯s room with a faint smile about his face. He had considered this trip to be a disaster before that meeting. That wyvern had been a gift from the southern tribes of the desert beyond the Margrave¡¯s territory, and it had died. Few others in Vasquer had such a thing, and the majority were nobility or royalty. Fortunately, the purpose of his trip greatly surprised him.


    <em>Impressive that he could stop the Veidimen from invading. Perhaps he was doing the bidding of the royal family¡­ but being given a task and doing it right still requires considerablepetence. </em>He looked down at the book in his arms. <em>Still¡­ absolutely worthless as a disciple. He¡¯ll wring me like a towel until he¡¯s dead or I am. Far too shameless, that one. </em>


    Castro shook his head. In the many years of his life, he had learned that some people simply cannot tolerate guidance. Argrave was, from his insights, one such person. The royal bastard has his own ns for everything, and while he¡¯d take whates with an open hand, he¡¯d never rely on anyone except himself.


    <em>His eyes are haunted. Far too much sorrow for a boy his age. Perhaps it¡¯s the family. </em>Castro mused, slowing his walk. <em>Way I see it, he¡¯ll work himself to greatness or death. All depends on the people standing by his side, I suppose. It¡¯s best he distances himself from Vasquer. </em>


    Castro rubbed his eyes. <em>Hah. Me, thinking about politics. This week has been far too exciting. </em>

 Chapter 45: Farewells

    Chapter 45: Farewells


    Argrave scattered bread across the streets, watching as the pigeons dropped down and chewed on it without care for the abundance of people walking about. He looked one in the eye, and then his hand shone with a spell matrix. Argrave felt a bizarre sensation in his chest that felt as though some carbonated liquid was bubbling about near his heart.


    After the spell finished, the bird flew up and joined a flock of six unprompted. They acted just as ordinary birds, but Argrave felt there was a certain connection between the six of them distinctly separate from the rest of the animals. They moved together, acted together, and never strayed too far from Argrave¡¯s sight.


    ¡°You should stop here,¡± Anneliese said. ¡°Bonding with too many creatures can change your behavior, especially if they¡¯re all of the same species.¡±


    Argrave stood. ¡°Six birds. It should be fine as a temporary druidic partner. Mostly for scouting, anyway.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m curious why you use the C-rank spell [Pack Leader] instead of a more sophisticated, direct method of controlling the animals for detailed observation,¡± Anneliese asked. ¡°Knowing exact details about an enemy is important.¡±


    Argrave gestured, and then continued to walk down the street. ¡°Gives me less control, sure, but with two mages, one of us can act as a. [Pack Leader] allows one to control many of one species, but I get only a general sense of what each is feeling. If they feel something, or spot something dangerous, you can use one of the aforementioned more precise druidic spells to get a detailed examination¡­¡± Argrave trailed off, taking a look at Anneliese.


    Anneliese had her arms crossed, and her gaze was locked on something else. Argrave followed her gaze, lifting his head up. There was a body hanging from a rope. It had been cast from a window and tied to something inside. It took a few seconds for Argrave to realize it was a Veidimen. Once he realized that, Argrave became very aware that they were being stared at.


    ¡°You alright?¡± Argrave asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. My people attacked theirs. Perhaps I should have expected this,¡± she returned quickly. ¡°Keep going.¡±


    Argrave clicked his tongue, but eventually said, ¡°When we make it to Jast, I know a shop that sells some enchanted iron circlets. They muddle the features, make them less distinct for the average passersby. It¡¯s an illusion enchantment. For now, maybe we should get going¡­ or buy a hood.¡±


    Anneliese lifted her head, amber eyes locking with his gaze as he waited for her answer. Eventually, she touched her hair. ¡°The long hair would make a hood difficult. I will manage for now. But thank you.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Argrave said, keeping his gaze steady. ¡°We¡¯re done here, any¡ª¡±


    ¡°Argrave,¡± a guttural, spine-chilling voice called out.


    Argrave turned to the source of the voice. Gmon stood there, his ck, fur-coated armor covered in arge cloak. There was a bit of his armor missing at the torso from the attack he¡¯d suffered outside Barden.


    ¡°Holy hell,¡± Argrave eximed, walking forward without caution. ¡°I¡¯d never forget that growl. Was wondering when you¡¯d turn up.¡±


    Gmon stayed silent, his white eyes staring at the ground. He refused to meet Argrave¡¯s gaze.


    ¡°We were just wrapping up. Let¡¯s go back to that abandoned house. We have some things to discuss,¡± Argrave stepped forward, touching Gmon¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Saved me a lot of trouble. Thought I¡¯d have to go search Barden for you.¡±


    #####


    ¡°What is this? Why the kowtow?¡±


    Gmon had his face and hands on the floor while kneeling. ¡°What I¡¯ve done cannot be forgiven. I broke a contract. I harmed the other party.¡±


    Argrave huffed, and then sat down at the chair in the abandoned house, rubbing his forehead. Anneliese walked into the house, brow furrowed after seeing this scene. She shut the door slowly, her eyes jumping from person to person.


    ¡°Alright, get up,¡± Argravemanded, gesturing with his hand. ¡°Get up, you¡¯re embarrassing me,¡± he repeated when Gmon did nothing.


    Gmon took his head off the floor, but he refused to stop kneeling. His white eyes stayed locked on the chair that Argrave sat at, as though he dared not look at Argrave directly.


    ¡°I broke a contract,¡± Gmon repeated. ¡°My sin is without measure. I was contracted to protect you, and yet I was the very thing that brought you harm.¡±


    ¡°I thought we settled this back at the vige,¡± Argrave said. ¡°Wasn¡¯t a big deal, really. You dealt with the tomb guardians. Everything worked out. Just bad timing on my part¡ªsomething to learn from.¡±


    ¡°Even if you have forgiven me, I vited Veid¡¯s teachings. I must be punished,¡± Gmon said determinedly, his low voice going even lower.


    ¡°Punished,¡± Argrave repeated. ¡°You took an arrow to the gut for me. A shoulder-shot, too, upon further examination,¡± he noted, seeing a puncture on the elf¡¯s pauldron. Argrave leaned in. ¡°I¡¯m not going to punish you. I really don¡¯t care. Everything worked out fine, now¡­ we just get back to business.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Gmon¡¯s head shook quickly. ¡°Then I will punish myself. Veid would demand it.¡±


    Argrave sighed in exasperation. ¡°What are you nning to do, go take a sunbath?¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°Anneliese, want to chime in?¡± He turned to her.


    She nodded. ¡°Ordinarily, a chief would decide the punishment for breaking contract if the contractor did not wish for punishment. Should that fail¡­ they leave it to the oath breaker.¡±


    Argrave shook his head. He crossed his legs, falling into thought. Eventually, he nodded. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s think about this. I won¡¯t beat you. Would probably hurt me more than you, considering my physical deficiencies. All things considered¡­ let¡¯s quantify the damage done.¡± Argrave held up his fingers, counting. ¡°There¡¯s the blood loss, you squeezed my neck real tight, and I had to walk with a cane for a while¡ªvery embarrassing. Let¡¯s call thatst one ¡®mental trauma.¡¯


    ¡°All said,¡± Argrave continued. ¡°You add all that up, carry the one¡­ way I figure it, you¡¯re looking at about ten years of indentured servitude as my personal retainer.¡±


    Gmon met Argrave¡¯s eyes for the first time. The two waited quietly, staring at each other.


    ¡°What, you think I¡¯m kidding around?¡± Argrave said finally. ¡°We¡¯re going to be doing some dangerous stuff, my friend. Failure usually means death. I¡¯ve also got a ridiculous number of books to haul about, and I¡¯m definitely not carrying them. Those things are damned heavy.¡±


    Argrave put his hand to his chin, and then pointed to Gmon as he remembered something. ¡°I¡¯ve got years¡¯ worth of manualbor for you to do¡­ making potions, fetching things, et cetera. You¡¯re going to be the muscle I severelyck.¡±


    The big snow elf lowered his head once more and took off his helmet. His hair fell over his face.


    ¡°We understand each other?¡± Argrave pressed. ¡°Your punishment¡¯s really quite harsh. This is why you don¡¯t ask me to do these things.¡±


    Gmonughed. It was quite a grating noise, and very haunting besides, but it was the first time Argrave had heard it. ¡°You¡¯ll work me to the bone, I know.¡± He lifted his head up, and his face took on his typical dour expression. ¡°But Argrave. I am sorry. I¡¯ll be sure that it never happens again.¡±


    ¡°Maybe get big canteens instead of sks. What do I know, though,¡± Argrave waved dismissively. ¡°Anyway, now that we¡¯ve put this nonsense behind us, we can start getting ready.¡± Argrave put his hands to his knees, about to stand, but he paused.


    ¡°Gmon¡­ where are your weapons?¡± Argrave asked, scanning the man¡¯s waist and back.


    ¡°I¡­ did not want to rm you. I ced them upstairs.¡±


    With a snap of his fingers, Argrave stood. ¡°Go get them. We have some things to fetch from a certain ruin you¡¯re familiar with. It¡¯s near empty and full of real valuable stuff. You think I¡¯m going to let someone else take that prize from me? We¡¯ll need that Ebonice axe for the big metal man still at the entrance. We can talk about what happened in Veiden, from why Anneliese is with us today to how your family is doing.¡±


    ¡°You spoke to them,¡± Gmon said quietly.


    ¡°I did. Muriem said she loves you. Rhomaden said, ¡®I don¡¯t know,¡¯ but he probably does too.¡± Argrave took a step forward, grabbing Gmon¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I promised her that, one day, you¡¯d be sitting side-by-side with me as we talked. Family dinner, maybe. Keep your calendar open.¡±


    Gmon said nothing. Argrave patted Gmon¡¯s shoulder, then walked away. Gmon raised his hand to his eyes, hiding a glistening wetness briefly. Then, he stood, putting his helmet back on. He looked to Argrave¡¯s back, and his fist clenched as a faint smile marked his face. With a slight nod, he moved to retrieve his weapons.


    #####


    ¡°You¡¯re leaving tomorrow?¡± Nikoletta asked, looking up at Argrave from his position on horseback. She was escorted by two knights and an unusually reticent Mina.


    ¡°That¡¯s the n, yeah. I have a few things to take care of. I do appreciate you giving us these horses.¡± Argrave turned his head to Anneliese and Gmon, and they both acknowledged his words with a nod.


    ¡°Maybe Nicky shouldn¡¯t have, considering you lost the first two she gave you,¡± Minamented. ¡°Though, you¡¯d probably have stolen them if she hadn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°You steal one horse, people call you the horse-thief forever,¡± Argrave said, feigning sadness.


    Nikolettaughed a little. She raised a hand to block out the sunlight from her eyes. ¡°Well, this lines up nicely. Castro intends to wake my father tomorrow afternoon. If you¡¯re not gone by then, our whole n might go bust.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°But time is a-wasting. I should be off.¡± He pulled on the horse¡¯s reins.


    ¡°Hold on,¡± Nikoletta stopped him. Argrave looked back to her. ¡°I might not see you, as I have to stay with Castro during my father¡¯s treatment. Where are you going tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°Jast, by carriage. Got a lot of cargo and some obligations there, after all.¡± Argrave disclosed. ¡°After¡­ I have some things in mind, but I have to discuss said things with my two elvenpanions. The price of doing business, I guess.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Nikoletta nodded, and then her expression turned pensive. ¡°I¡¯d ask you to be safe, but frankly, what you¡¯ve told me leads me to believe you can¡¯t promise that without lying. You should¡­ take better care of yourself,¡± she said sincerely.


    ¡°That¡¯s one of the things I have nned, actually,¡± Argrave said with a grin. ¡°Well, if I stay longer you might start weeping, so I must depart. Goodbye, Nikoletta, Mina. Thank you for what you¡¯ve done.¡±


    ¡°House Monti probably owes you its continued existence. You don¡¯t need to thank me for anything.¡± Nikoletta smiled bitterly. ¡°Goodbye, Argrave.¡±


    ¡°Bye, Grave. You¡¯re¡­ a good guy,¡± Mina said slowly. ¡°Be well.¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°Right.¡± Argrave pointed to the distant mountains. ¡°Off to Aethel-something, crew. We¡¯ll multitask¡ªn for the future, grave rob for the present.¡±


    ¡°What are you¡ª¡± Nikoletta started to say, but her voice faded as Argrave set his horse into a gallop.

 Chapter 46: Come Wind or Rain

    Chapter 46: Come Wind or Rain


    Argrave watched the vige of Barden from horseback. The metal men had been stacked in a great pit off the side to the vige. All along the coast, devastation was apparent. Few viges were left untouched, and even now, refugees moved to Mateth. The great fields outside of the city had been trampled, crushed, burnt, and more. This ce might be wracked by famine in the years toe.


    In the corner of his mind, he could feel the consciousness of the pigeons under the control of his druidic magic. Rather than seeing through their eyes, it was like he was vaguely cognizant of what they could feel. He could tell that they saw people, and the direction those people might be in, but little beyond that. It would be helpful for avoiding ambushes.


    Anneliese was still very unused to riding horses, and Argrave kept the pace slow for this reason. ¡°Ride closer,¡± Argrave directed to Gmon and Anneliese. They did so, Anneliese awkwardly directing her horse forward. Though Argrave had suggested she use druidic magic to handle the horse, she refused. She wanted to learn.


    ¡°Now that this little party of mine is assembled, we can talk about what happens next.¡± Argrave looked to Gmon and Anneliese. They watched him quietly.


    ¡°Long-term, our priority is to mitigate Gerechtigkeit¡¯s influence. Though it hasn¡¯t spread far yet, the gue brewing in the northeast can devastate the continent. Indeed, it takes priority over stopping the civil war in Vasquer. As such, that¡¯s our first long-term goal.¡±


    ¡°But you grow sick easily,¡± Anneliese interrupted.


    ¡°I was getting to that,¡± Argrave agreed. He took the horse off road, heading to the distant mountains where the old tomb would still be. ¡°With the invasion from the Veidimen halted, I have a lot more leeway in terms of what can be done. With my physique, going to deal with the gue now would likely just end with my death. As such, it needs to be dealt with.¡± Argrave looked to Gmon.


    ¡°I won¡¯t turn you into a vampire,¡± the elf said quickly and harshly. ¡°Perish the thought.¡±


    ¡°Did I say anything about growing my teeth out? Everyone is interrupting,¡± Argraveined. ¡°Just listen. As we are now, we need to get our builds ready. In other words, we need to focus on personal growth.¡±


    Argrave gestured to Gmon. ¡°You are already a very powerful warrior, butpared to others, youck good equipment. Your axe is one thing, but at the very least, you need an enchanted bow and a good enchanted greatsword. Finding armor that fits your body is going to be difficult. Armor isn¡¯t exactly one-size-fits-all. It¡¯ll need to be custom made.¡±


    ¡°As for you,¡± Argrave pointed to Anneliese. ¡°You need to learn the spells I specify. Some of them I have. Others I will need to get. Mateth is a bitcking in the schrly department, but Jast will have most everything we need. The majority of the spells you should learn are lightning-oriented elemental magic.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± she asked simply.


    ¡°You have a high affinity with magic just as I do. This helps with lightning magic¡¯s one disadvantage: its tremendous cost. It¡¯s fast, precise, and can affect many at once. Few things are attuned to lightning, and as such, few enemies can resist it. There¡¯s a set of items that I¡¯m going to get that will magnify electricity¡¯s power, too, but let¡¯s not get ahead of ourselves.¡±


    Argrave andpany passed over the dead body of one of the tomb guardians that had been using a bow. Gmon watched it as they passed, growing ever closer to the mountains.


    ¡°As for me, I¡¯ll learn much of the same stuff Anneliese does. Beyond that, there¡¯s the issue of my body. Eating my peas and carrots and getting some exercise is the least of it. I have to address my fragile constitution. As I am now, I¡¯m gue-food.¡± Argrave clenched the reins together. ¡°I¡¯ve thought of a few ways. One of them Gmon mentioned: vampirism. But forget that. It¡¯s ast resort.¡±


    Gmon touched Argrave¡¯s elbow, pointing to the direction of the entrance of the mineshaft. The three of them rode towards it, dismounting. Argrave tied the horse to a rock quietly. The birds under the influence of his spell [Pack Leader] flew down,nding on the horse¡¯s saddle. Argrave had grown used to their presence, and already felt quite protective of them.


    ¡°With all of these conditions in mind, the best ce to go would be south, past the territory of House Parbon. They¡¯re not fond of me there, but they¡¯re also busy with a war, and we have the advantage in scouting with druidic magic. We¡¯re to head to a ce called the Burnt Desert.¡±


    Gmon shifted uneasily, but Anneliese only stared with a neutral expression. Argrave carried on, standing by the horses. ¡°I know an alchemist there¡­ we¡¯ll have to collect some things on the way, but he¡¯s one of the few people who can get rid of my sickliness permanently. He¡¯ll make me ck Blooded. Fitting, I guess. Doesn¡¯t change the fact that it¡¯s a pain in the ass.¡±


    ¡°What is the Burnt Desert?¡± Anneliese inquired.


    ¡°A desert of ck sand. Really incredibly hot, I¡¯m told, but it¡¯s near winter. Best time to head there. It¡¯ll probably be very cold at night.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s also awless wastnd of degenerate tribes,¡± Gmon added, voice low. ¡°Lizardmen, cannibalistic humans, the southron elves¡­¡±


    ¡°Maybe it <em>was</em>,¡± Argrave held a hand out as if telling him to rx. ¡°Right now, they¡¯re in no mood for degeneracy. Ordinarily, these tribes are known to rear and trade wyverns. They¡¯re in the middle of a drought, though. We¡¯re not there to deal with that. We get what we need, and then we leave. Simple as.¡±


    Gmon nodded contentedly. Anneliese asked, ¡°What do you mean by ¡®he¡¯ll make me ck Blooded?¡¯¡±


    ¡°Just that. He¡¯ll change my blood from red to ck. It¡¯s his life project. The things that we¡¯ll need to fetch are a detour, but without it, I¡¯ll die from the gue.¡±


    ¡°That does not exin what it does,¡± Anneliese pressed.


    ¡°Eh¡­ been months since I read about it¡­¡± Argrave paused, thinking. ¡°It makes the blood denser, and rather than just carrying oxygen to the muscles, it imbues magic into it. Effectively, over the course of a few weeks, the body will be entirely changed simrly to creatures naturally born with magic. Like dragons,¡± Argrave pointed, smiling.


    ¡°Oxygen?¡± Anneliese asked.


    ¡°Air,¡± Argrave borated, feeling like he was answering the questions of a child with insatiable curiosity. ¡°We breathe to transfer air to the muscles. This thing has some consequences. The transitional period is said to be¡­ painful. I have to eat much more than the average person. My magic pool will be smaller but will recover much, much quicker. There¡¯s other stuff, but it¡¯s situational. That said, I¡¯ll probably be the healthiest person here when all is said and done.¡±


    Anneliese nodded, absorbing the information. ¡°This sounds very dangerous. You trust this person to perform this procedure?¡±


    ¡°Naturally,¡± Argrave said. He moved away from the horses. ¡°But let¡¯s move into the mines. We have some things to fetch. Gmon, as my indentured servant, you will be carrying all of them.¡±


    Argrave and Anneliese walked off. Gmon stayed standing by the horses for a time, then eventually slung a bag over his shoulder and followed with a quiet sigh.


    #####


    ¡°Gmon,¡± said Anneliese, grabbing the man¡¯s shoulder.


    The elven vampire stopped, looking back at Anneliese. Argrave walked away ahead, a me whirling about his head to illuminate the stone paths of the ancient ruin. The tomb¡¯s king was some distance behind them. It had died just as easy as the rest once its metal skin was pierced by Ebonice.


    ¡°I have some questions for you,¡± she spoke quietly.


    ¡°I have some of my own,¡± Gmon returned. ¡°Why you wished toe with Argrave. Why he agreed to it.¡±


    Argrave¡¯s footsteps faded away, and the two Veidimen stared at each other in the dark, a me swirling above Anneliese¡¯s head just the same as Argrave.


    ¡°I can answer those, but I ask that you allow me my questions first.¡± Anneliese said, and seeing Gmon did not protest, continued. ¡°Let me ask you this. Why are you so certain that Argrave is an agent of Erlebnis? Did he tell you personally?¡±


    Gmon turned around fully. ¡°I saw him head to a shrine in the forest that no one else seemed to know of. He spoke directly with an Emissary of Erlebnis and received a blessing. This blessing was pivotal in dispatching those ten druids. In addition, he possesses an uncanny knowledge about too much. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re familiar with this.¡±


    ¡°He never told you directly. It was an assumption,¡± Anneliese pressed.


    Gmon paused. ¡°It has basis. It is a presumption.¡±


    Anneliese nodded. ¡°I can agree with that. Let me ask you this, though. Have you ever felt that his knowledge extends beyond what even Erlebnis should know?¡± Gmon only stared nkly, the fire reflecting off his white eyes. ¡°He knew that city, Mateth, almost too well. Why would Erlebnis teach him that? How does Erlebnis even receive knowledge? There are too many unknowns, and he refuses to answer questions on the matter.¡±


    Anneliese continued. ¡°From the beginning, he probably knew your character. While it is well enough to say that Erlebnis may know these things, he did not interact with you as though you were strangers. He acted familiarly. Rather than knowing about you, he acted as though he knew you<em>.</em> At least, such was the case with me, and others I saw him speak to. Am I wrong in this?¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Gmon said nothing, and Anneliese continued. ¡°You ask me why Argrave allowed me toe with him. This perplexed me just as much. From the beginning, he had decided I was a person of good character. This alchemist he mentioned¡ªhe trusts him well enough to perform this procedure to make him ck Blooded, despite having never met him. That extends far beyond mere knowledge.¡±


    His face tightening, Gmon spoke firmly, ¡°Argrave is a very kind person. It is simply his character to trust and act with familiarity. I consider it my duty to ensure he is not harmed from being gullible.¡±


    ¡°That may be the case. I know how to understand people well, though, and I don¡¯t think Argrave is any more or less trusting than the average person. Ask yourself this; has he ever misced his trust? Has he ever been betrayed? Has he ever made a poor evaluation of another¡¯s character?¡±


    ¡°Make your point,¡± Gmon said gruffly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know my point,¡± Anneliese said with a sigh. She could not help but remember some words they¡¯d exchanged about her strong empathy.


    <em>¡°It might make me surprised, throw a wrench into the conversation that forces some semnce of honesty from me. Might make me mind my words a little bit. But ufortable? Not at all.¡±</em>


    Argrave had no trouble lying, that Anneliese knew. He was one of the better actors she¡¯d seen. From the outside looking in, everything he did was for a greater good. Even despite his deceptive tendencies he seemed a genuine person, and she enjoyed speaking to him. But the fact remained that he refused to directly acknowledge his association to Erlebnis.


    ¡°I just think we aren¡¯t getting the full picture,¡± Anneliese said finally. ¡°The full truth.¡±


    Gmon shook his head. ¡°What Argrave discloses is his business. Meeting someone like him is a blessing. He¡¯s arrogant, talkative, condescending, and somewhat infuriating, but he¡¯s one of the best people I¡¯ve met, elven or otherwise. Do not let your doubts interfere with what he does. I certainly won¡¯t¡ªmy doubts or your doubts. Keep that in mind.¡±


    Anneliese studied Gmon, discerning his emotions. She was worried she had angered him, but she only saw protectiveness, not hate.


    ¡°I¡¯ll help as best I can,¡± Anneliese promised. ¡°My reasons for being here aren¡¯t entirely selfless, but you can be assured of that. This is to be a long journey that I may not even survive. I¡¯ve resolved myself for that.¡±


    Gmon slowly nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s join Argrave. As you said, this is to be a very long journey. Steel your resolve further. Come wind or rain, as long as that man marches forward, we must march alongside him.¡±

 Chapter 47: Beneath the Lions Sun

    Chapter 47: Beneath the Lion¡¯s Sun


    The two suns were just beginning to set behind the mountains, the red moon rising to take its ce. At a point in the vast ridge, two mountains converged to form a narrow valley. Uneven rolling hills upied one side of the mountains, covered with infrequent patches of dormant grass. If one went through the valley, moving beyond the mountains, one could see an unending expanse of ck sand marred by a single half-buried stone road leading straight out from the valley.


    In the middle of the valley, a manmade wall of smooth taupe stone stood tall, the two towers on each side partially merging with the mountains. A great many knights walked atop the walls, wearing white te mail with a golden lion on the breastte. In the center of the wall, a statue of a lion looked out across the ck desert. Its jaws were open as though roaring. A glistening orange sphere shone from within its mouth, clenched by its fangs. Sparks of magic asionally surged along the wall, each originating from the sphere in the lion¡¯s mouth.


    The two mountains that formed the valley had been carved away near the summit to form two keeps. The rough, uneven terrain had been chipped down in way of square rooms with simple windows. These rooms, too, shone with enchantments, and the windows offered a view of both the desert and the hills before the mountains. Opposite this keep and across the valley, the entire peak had been sheared away, revealing a vast field of open stone contained within a small wall.


    The man-made teau on the peak was marked by w marks and scratches. Elsewhere it was filled with bones, many of them so old the sun had bleached them white. Others were more freshly eaten. None of them were human bones; cow, pig, or sheepprised the majority.


    The creator of these bone piles rested in the center of the mountaintop with its tail coiled around its body. The wyvern was a great beast, a dark red that made it look like the dragons of old. It was noticeably muscr on both its wings and its legs. It feasted on a sheared sheep¡ªone of many resting beside its maw. Someone sat beside it on a stone chair carved from thendscape.


    Margrave Reinhardt ran his hands across his wyvern¡¯s head as it dug into its food. Even now, he wore his white te mail armor. His long red hair fell past his shoulders and ended where the cloak of the same color began. His gaze was distant as he watched the beast eat, clearly lost in thought.


    The wyvern lifted its head from its food, shifting its body to attention. The Margrave was drawn from his haze, and he followed his mount¡¯s gaze. In the distance, a man with dark green hair moved up the stairs in the corner of the room and started to move to the Margrave with long, hurried strides. The Margrave soothed the wyvern, and it resumed eating.


    ¡°Margrave Reinhardt,¡± the man greeted from a distance. He was a young man with a handsome, earnest face. He slowed his steps, the wyvern clearly making him cautious. ¡°I have more news.¡±


    ¡°Speak, then, Baron Julio.¡± the Margrave directed.


    Julio reached into his shirt and pulled free a stack of letters. ¡°More responses have arrived. Not a single southern noble has decided to support Vasquer. The majority of them have remained neutral, but the Duke of Birall dered he would be gathering his forces in support. I¡¯m sure that, once word of that spreads, the southwestern nobles will fall in line,¡± Julio said excitedly.


    The Margrave nodded. ¡°It¡¯s as you say. The majority will wait for the result of the first major battle to make a decision. Being neutral alone is a great boon.¡± Reinhardt gazed at his aide. ¡°And the Duke of Monti?¡±


    ¡°Regarding that¡­¡± Baron Julio rubbed his hands together. ¡°The young lord Elias has returned. He says that he brought news from Mateth.¡±


    The Margrave narrowed his eyes, turning back to the wyvern briefly. ¡°I see.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°He went to visit his sister in the temple,¡± Julio proceeded slowly. ¡°He wishes to see you when he can.¡±


    ¡°Send him up when you return,¡± Reinhardt directed, voice low. ¡°What else?¡±


    Julio gathered himself. ¡°The knights are already all assembled. Many of the mages of the Order of the Gray Owl residing in Parbon have decided to support, but the Order itself remains neutral¡ªpartly because Master Castro is away and has yet to respond. The Duke of Elbraille has not responded. By extension, his vassal Count Delbraun of Jast also remains neutral.¡±


    ¡°I flew with Master Castro once,¡± Reinhardt said, reminiscing. ¡°For as old as he is, a terrific flier. He uses magic to bond with the beast, though. An enchanted whistle. Never was fond of that. Impersonal.¡± The Margrave shook his head. ¡°The Order won¡¯t take a side. The individual mages are what¡¯s important. You can use all the funds of House Parbon at your disposal to recruit them¡ªthey may decide who wins the war.¡±


    ¡°Certainly,¡± Julio nodded enthusiastically. ¡°As you instructed, we have sent out advance notice of the levy. Public opinion is high¡ªVasquer is not well-liked, and after what urred at Dirracha, people are doubly ready to take arms in defense of the Margravate.¡±


    The Margrave seemed disquieted by this. ¡°Relying on levy¡­ I don¡¯t like it. But Vasquer undoubtedly will, and we will likely lose if we do not.¡± He scratched his chin where red stubble poked out. ¡°With winter soon toe, any significant military activity will be impossible. We can only gather our forces and focus on preparing supplies to endure. True war will begin with spring. The harvests this year were good, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Margrave, if I may suggest something¡­¡± Julio began, and seeing the Margrave not respond, he continued. ¡°Considering our enemy is Vasquer, we should prepare for sabotage¡ªwatch theings and goings of refugees carefully, protect the granaries, be mindful of the rivers. That should be our knights¡¯ focus as we build our strength for spring.¡±


    The Margrave looked at his hands and nodded. ¡°You are right. I have been warring with the southern tribes for years, meeting them at the Lionsun Wall. Theyck fear, but they do not stoop to treachery. This will be a different kind of war.¡±


    Emboldened, Julio continued. ¡°If we conscript the militiamen, too, our forces will be further bolstered. I can¡ª¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re overreaching,¡± Reinhardt cut Julio off, turning back to his wyvern. ¡°Take the militiamen, leave the viges defenseless? Bandits mostly form from deserted soldiers. War is the time when they are most present. I should leave the people without a method to defend themselves?¡± Reinhardt fixed his ruby eyes on Julio. ¡°You¡¯ve been good as my aide, Julio, but do not forget that this war began to overthrow a tyrant. Go now. Send Elias to me,¡± he waved his hand.


    Baron Julio bowed, but his fists clenched tightly at his side. ¡°Yes, Margrave. At once.¡±


    The Baron walked away, and the wyvern tossed aside the corpse of the sheep, retrieving another.


    ¡°Redden¡­¡± the Margrave said lightly. After hearing its name, the wyvern¡¯s eyes came to attention and it moved its head in front of the Margrave. He scratched beneath its chin, and some huffs of air came out from its nose. ¡°I might be leading my whole family to its death. Hundreds of thousands of people could die because of this war.¡±


    The wyvern stared passively, ignorant of the words.


    ¡°Bruno might already be dead because of what I did.¡± The Margrave lowered his hand from the wyvern. ¡°Am I¡­ ignoble?¡±


    But Redden did not answer. Seeing no more scratches woulde, it returned to its food. A few moments of quiet passed, and then the wyvern lifted its head once more. It let out quiet a growl, and then shot past Reinhardt. The Margrave lifted his head to see the beast striding towards his son. Elias met it with open arms, briefly holding back Redden¡¯s head like meeting a bull¡¯s charge.


    Reinhardt stood, following close behind as the y between Redden and Elias continued. Eventually Elias fell to his back, exhausted, and Reinhardt came to stand over him. He offered a hand to his son, and Elias took it, rising to his feet.


    Reinhardt watched as his son caught his breath. The wyvern moved back to its food, ws echoing across the teau as they scratched the stone. The dusk light was fading.


    Reinhardt spoke first. ¡°I had been considering how I might punish you this whole time. I thought back to my own childhood, my father¡­¡±


    Elias waited quietly.


    ¡°I was just as stubborn as you were when I was young. I thought I was always right. I still do, in some things.¡± Reinhardt reached a hand up and put it on Elias¡¯ shoulder. ¡°As time passed, I realized I was d you had note to Dirracha. You could not have guaranteed your own safety as I could. And further¡­ I was not relying on you to do anything.¡±


    Elias blinked, some of the tension in his shoulders rxing. ¡°Father¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°I know. You¡¯re a good boy,¡± Reinhardt said sincerely. ¡°Nheless, you are my son and heir. I am prone to whimsy, as most of our ancestors have. We of Parbon trust our instincts¡ªour gut.¡± The Margrave pounded his fist against his chest where his heart was. ¡°But as my heir, I must teach you responsibility. You have a responsibility to ensure the protection of the people beneath you. Flights of fancy can lead to their death.¡±


    ¡°I understand that, father.¡± Elias nodded. ¡°I¡­ wanted to find Argrave. That was what my gut told me to do. Having done that, I¡¯m d I did.¡±


    Reinhardt took his hand off his son¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Just let me speak,¡± Reinhardt directed. ¡°What you need isn¡¯t punishment. You need responsibility. You need to realize that, as the heir to House Parbon, you wield enormous influence with corresponding consequence.¡±


    ¡°Mateth is¡ª¡± Elias tried to speak.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been deliberating how, exactly, I might show that to you,¡± Reinhardt continued. ¡°As a spellcaster, you walk a very different path from your forefathers. We have all been knights. With the waring, and spellcasters being a very important variable on the field of battle, I¡¯ve decided to send you to Jast as an envoy to recruit mages to House Parbon. Theirs is the city of magic, and¡ª¡±


    ¡°Mateth can¡¯t join the civil war because they¡¯re going to be invaded,¡± Elias finally said, cutting past his father¡¯s lecture. ¡°The snow elves¡ªVeidimen, they call themselves¡ª have been nning to invade Mateth for some months. They may already be attacking it by this point.¡±


    The Margrave stood with his mouth open for a time, expression confused.


    ¡°That was Argrave¡¯s aim the whole time. I don¡¯t know if he was doing the bidding of the royal family, or merely acting independently, but I¡¯vee to think he¡¯s not an inherently malicious person. Regardless, he¡¯s helping Duke Enrico prepare defenses.¡±


    ¡°The snow elves?¡± The Margrave asked incredulously. ¡°The bulky, pale-skinned elves?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Elias confirmed.


    The Margrave looked back, and then grabbed his son¡¯s shoulders, pulling him towards the stairs. ¡°I would hear what you have to say before we continue this talk of Jast. Let¡¯s go somewhere else.¡±

 Chapter 48: Ambition and Anger

    Chapter 48: Ambition and Anger


    Anneliese held a coin in her hand, twisting it through the light passing through the carriage. Though the coin was a metallic pink, its surface shone with a great many colors twisting with the light. It wasn¡¯t so simple as light reflecting off its surface, though. Its projection of light was indeterminable and unending, twisting to create beautiful images indefinitely. It was, after all, a magic coin.


    ¡°How does this thing function?¡± Anneliese asked.


    Argrave lifted his head from a book to Anneliese. Gmon, who sat outside to drive the carriage, looked back. Seeing he wasn¡¯t the one addressed, he turned his eyes back to the road. Argrave took a few seconds to discern what Anneliese was speaking of, and then said, ¡°No one knows. They¡¯re not made anymore because the method was lost. That¡¯s why they¡¯re valuable.¡±


    ¡°Who made it?¡± Anneliese continued.


    ¡°The Order of the Rose, an extinct mage order from the north,¡± Argrave answered easily. ¡°At one time, they were the only gold coins in Vasquer. As the kingdom grew, the Order of the Rose died off, and their value started to skyrocket over the centuries.¡±


    Anneliese nodded, cing the coin back into the lockbox alongside mounds of ancient, enchanted jewelry and precious jewels they had taken from the ruins of the tomb guardians. Argrave intended to bring them to Jast to appraise their worth.


    Both people in the carriage picked up their books once again, reading quietly. Gmon, their driver, wore a brown robe to conceal most of his features. The carriage they rode was humble but formidable, with argepartment for luggage in the back. Two strong horses pulled them along.


    Their journey was a very quiet one. At times, either Anneliese or Argrave would raise their head, each trying to form the magic spell they were learning. Argrave looked at the terrain and asionally directed Gmon to turn down a different road. Anneliese would ask questions as she thought of them¡ªArgrave, too, asionally sought her out for help with particr druidic spells.


    Eventually, Anneliese finally closed the book, staring at Argrave. ¡°Are you ever going to tell us where we¡¯re going?¡±


    Argrave looked up. ¡°I told you. Side-quests. There are two ces we must visit before we head to Jast. One is a short stop for a spellbook¡ªthat¡¯s thest. The other is the Cavern of the Death of Lilies.¡± Argrave paused. ¡°Or was it the Cavern of the Lily¡¯s Death? It¡¯s been a while¡­¡± Argrave ced his handkerchief to mark his spot, and then shut the book.


    ¡°Anyway, the cavern¡¯s our first stop. One of four ingredients for bing ck Blooded is in that cavern, and likely the hardest to get. It¡¯ll be immeasurably useful for me, less so for you¡­ It¡¯s a crystal, but it¡¯s more than that at the same time. It¡¯s called the Amaranthine Heart.¡±


    Argrave spread his fingers out to emte roots digging into the ground. ¡°It takes root in whatever it touches, then slowly spreads out, constantly absorbing magic from anything near it and turning it into a ck liquid. This liquid is pure magic¡ªdangerous when taken inrge doses, but it can be drunk when needed to recover magic. Closest thing to a ¡®magic potion¡¯ we¡¯ll find. Best to get now, as I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll have need of it in our journeys in the future.¡±


    Argrave¡¯s gaze grew distant and his tone became monotonous. ¡°There will be fighting. The cavern is filled withrge bugs. It will be extremely unpleasant and nasty. I am not looking forward to adding yet more things to my nightmares.


    ¡°Above all!¡± Argrave continued with renewed vigor. ¡°We can¡¯t take the main roads. We have to be very cautious travelling through the south what with the war going on. That¡¯s why druidic magic was a blessing to me, though I will admit it is a bit unsettling feeling these birds flying outside the carriage.¡±


    ¡°I am confused,¡± Anneliese confessed. ¡°With a war going on, will they attack random passersby? It seems we are being unduly cautious.¡±


    ¡°You really don¡¯t¡­?¡± Argrave paused. ¡°Huh. Come to think of it, I never told you. I am one of five sons to King Felipe III of Vasquer, and the only baseborn of those five. In the territory of a rebellion against the king, my presence will not be especially wanted, unless it¡¯s as a captive.¡±


    Anneliese¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°Did I really never tell you?¡± Argrave asked. ¡°Well¡­ I am the sole royal bastard of this kingdom. Used to be literal and figurative. Now it¡¯s just literal. Debatably.¡± Argrave nodded, and then resumed reading his book.


    Anneliese looked out the carriage window to Gmon, expression asking silently if this was normally how he was. Gmon nodded, and then turned his head back to the road.


    #####


    Duke Enrico spasmed in his bed as a light coursed around him. He gasped loudly and his eyes opened wide. His hands rushed towards his chest, clutching the simple nightclothes that covered his body. He slowly calmed, eyes darting around the room. Tower Master Castro stood above him, while his daughter, Nikoletta, watched with her hands covering her mouth.


    ¡°Dad?¡± Nikoletta said slowly.


    ¡°What¡¯s happened?¡± he said quickly. ¡°The¡­ the¡­¡± Enrico tried to get up off the bed, but the tower master held a hand to his shoulder.


    ¡°Duke Enrico. The battle is over.¡± He gently pushed the Duke back to the bed. ¡°You are in your bed at the estate.¡±


    Nikoletta lunged forward, tackling her father back into the bed. Castro was surprised, but he stepped back amusedly after a second. Duke Enrico blinked, his hand hovering around his daughter¡¯s back as he slowly discerned what was happening. When he realized the danger had passed, he slowly returned the embrace and settled back into his bed.


    ¡°We¡­ won?¡± the Duke said, voice hoarse.


    Nikoletta pushed away,ing to sit on the bed beside her father. ¡°That¡¯s right, dad.¡± She smiled brightly. ¡°How do you feel?¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°I feel¡­¡± the Duke tested his body. ¡°Weak. And¡­ dreadfully hungry. How long has it been?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been four days,¡± Nikoletta told him slowly. ¡°I¡¯ve been serving as regent to repair the city and restore order.¡±


    ¡°We should be¡­¡± Enrico closed his eyes, thinking. ¡°¡­preparing for the next assault.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Nikoletta said happily. ¡°It¡¯s over, dad. The Veidimen won¡¯t be returning. Argrave came through.¡± She reached forward and grabbed his arms, shaking him lightly.


    The Duke said nothing for a time, processing the information slowly in the wake of his recent awakening. Master Castro stepped forward.


    ¡°There should be no issue with his memory, and his physical condition will improve as long as he eats and moves about. He should eat slowly, so as not to overtax his stomach,¡± he directed Nikoletta. ¡°Treat him as a prisoner who has been imprisoned for some time without food or water. With that, I will let you two have privacy.¡±


    ¡°Master Castro?¡± the Duke asked. ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    As Castro walked away, Nikoletta exined, ¡°He turned the tide of the battle. He also roused you from youra.¡±


    Castro nodded, and then exited the room quietly, closing the door behind him. The Duke looked around the room, taking in his surroundings. Nikoletta stood from the bed, retrieving some water. ¡°Here,¡± she said, handing it to him.


    ¡°So Argrave¡­ stopped the invasion?¡± the duke asked incredulously. When Nikoletta nodded, he took a small sip of the water. ¡°I need to reward him.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s already gone. He said he had more to do,¡± Nikoletta answered. ¡°He and I spoke regarding¡­ the betrothal you wanted. He seemed amenable to the idea. And¡­ thinking about it more, so am I,¡± Nikoletta began, fumbling over her words due to the lie.


    ¡°You are?¡± Enrico asked, setting the cup down on the nightstand.


    ¡°Yes,¡± she nodded, staring at the sheets.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ that¡¯s good news,¡± the Duke said. He let out augh. ¡°That¡¯s wonderful, Nikoletta.¡± Nikoletta lifted her head up to see her father beaming brightly, wiping some tears from his eyes. ¡°You have no idea how happy that makes me. Even from a young age, you never took to any of the boys. A father¡¯s dream, most told me, but I was worried. I thought it might be because your mother¡­ andter, Elwind¡­ both died.¡±


    Nikoletta looked to the floor, rubbing her hands together guiltily.


    ¡°Argrave¡­ his actions have changed much in so little time,¡± the Duke said. He reached for his cup and took another drink of water. ¡°He¡¯s the only good thing toe of House Vasquer in the past decades,¡± the Duke said, anger making his voice hoarser. ¡°I never talked¡­ about how your mother died.¡±


    At those words Nikoletta looked up at her father, confused by the sudden change of subject. ¡°You said she died in childbirth.¡±


    ¡°In childbirth? Yes. But between healing magic and research into the subject, such a thing is impossible for the Duchess of House Monti,¡± Enrico said angrily. ¡°I got her the best care. There was foul y involved. Whether poison or magic, someone had her killed.¡±


    Nikoletta listened intensely, seeing as her father was telling her something she had never heard before.


    ¡°As you recall, Induen¡¯s mother died the same way. Felipe¡¯s first wife died ¡®in childbirth.¡¯¡± Enrico pointed with his cup. ¡°King Felipe used to be a good man, and he loved both the people and his wife. When the first Queen died during Induen¡¯s birth, he knew just as I do that there was foul y. The people he trusted most¡ªpeople like me¡ªbecame his potential enemies overnight. Felipe brought the whole realm under investigation, searching for a poisoner.¡±


    Duke Enrico grit his teeth, his gaze distant as he recalled distant and ufortable memories. ¡°Though I helped him as best I could, we came up with no answers. With only two children¡ªhis daughter Elenore and Induen¡ªmost of his council insisted he move on and remarry.¡± The Duke drank more water.


    ¡°Reluctantly, the king turned his focus back to the realm and his children, and the realm was good.¡± Enrico took a deep breath and exhaled. ¡°Eventually, King Felipe met Valeria, the present queen and Orion¡¯s mother. She was perfect in every way, it seemed. Beautiful, ingenious, powerful¡­ They fell in love. At the time, it seemed the couple of the century¡ªthe magnanimous widower King Felipe and high society¡¯s star, Valeria of Norden.¡±


    ¡°But Queen Valeria¡­ they say she¡¯s mad,¡± Nikoletta asked in confusion.


    Duke Enrico nodded. ¡°She started to lose her mind after Orion was born; visions, hallucinations, rapid mood-swings, temperamental behavior. King Felipe¡¯s paranoia resurfaced and his cruelty redoubled. He thought someone had done something again. He did everything,pletely uncaring of right or wrong, to find out what had happened to Valeria.¡±


    The Duke swallowed thest of his water. ¡°Eventually, in anger, I told him that he could not use his sadness as an excuse to trample on the people. He removed me from the council, and I returned to rule at Mateth.¡± He looked to Nikoletta. ¡°Later that same year, your mother Gabriele died. She died the exact same way the first queen did. Skin pulled tight against her bones, veins bursting out of¡­¡±


    The Duke took a second,posure lost. He brought some of the sheets up to wipe away the tears from his face. Nikoletta watched. She did feel some emotion, but she had never known her mother as her father did.


    ¡°I went to the capital for an audience with the king. I told him what had happened. And he¡­¡± the Duke clenched the sheets tight. ¡°He just <em>looked </em>at me, a devil¡¯s grin marking his face, those cold, gray eyes wide in delight like¡­ like some abyssal portal into the underworld. I knew, then, my answer, even without proof. He poisoned his own sister, your mother, to teach me a lesson. To make me endure the same pain he did.¡±


    Nikoletta opened her mouth but felt a choking sadness at her throat. Duke Enrico stared at his hands.


    ¡°He said something after that, offered my position on the council back as though I would suddenly support him now that I knew his pain.¡± Enrico shook his head. ¡°That man isn¡¯t fit to sit on the throne. Once, King Felipe III cared. That version of him died with his first wife,¡± Enrico said with a grim tone. ¡°If Reinhardt had not acted foolishly, there still would have been war. The people hate what Vasquer has be.¡±


    ¡°Why are you talking about this now, father? What are you driving at?¡±


    Duke Enrico took a deep breath and exhaled. ¡°I don¡¯t know enough about Argrave, but from what little I¡¯ve seen, he¡¯s one with tremendous bravery and a good nature. He¡¯s somewhat unfathomable. I have no idea how he halted this invasion, nor even that he intended to do so.¡±


    ¡°Your point being?¡±


    ¡°Reinhardt is an impulsive man and my friend. I don¡¯t think he has a n for whates after this civil war of his,¡± Enrico disclosed. ¡°I will support him with¡­ what little remains after the disaster with the Veidimen. When the war is over, I will be sure that you sit on the throne, Nikoletta.¡±


    Nikoletta was greatly taken aback. ¡°But father..!¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t force it on you. You are my pride and joy, and I have full confidence in leaving either the Dukedom or the Kingdom of Vasquer to you.¡± Enrico¡¯s dark pink eyes stared at her intensely, then looked away. ¡°Should you decline¡­ Argrave¡¯s im is the best. All of Felipe¡¯s trueborn sons are as debased as him, and I¡¯ll not suffer them on the throne. The marriage with Argrave would solidify both of your ims and should help ensure stability.¡±


    ¡°This is¡­ overwhelming, father,¡± Nikoletta said quietly.


    ¡°I know. My tongue is looser than normal,¡± the Duke said. ¡°The biggest w in this idea is Argrave himself. I know little of his motivations, his character, or even his true allegiance. I must force him to make those things clear,¡± Enrico nodded. ¡°To begin with, I should spread the news of his halting the Veidimen invasion. News of the sale of Foamspire, too, should reach Dirracha. It will incense Prince Induen if the two are not coborators.¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± Nikoletta stopped him. ¡°Argrave insisted that we should remain neutral in the war.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Enrico asked.


    Nikoletta took a deep breath. ¡°This¡­ I have some trouble wrapping my head around it, but this is what he said¡­¡±

 Chapter 49: White Edge

    Chapter 49: White Edge


    Anneliese looked out the window of the carriage, her head resting on her hand. Her other hand yed with her hair, which was syed out on her thighs. The carriage rode across a field of lilies, leaving two trails behind in the pure white flowers. The fields seemed unending. As Argrave recalled, one could only see this field at certain times in the game¡ªfall. They bloomed near the end of fall.


    ¡°A pretty sight,¡± Anneliesemented. ¡°Like snow, but¡­ alive.¡±


    ¡°Yes, very beautiful,¡± Argrave agreed, staring at Anneliese. ¡°As we move ahead, they¡¯ll begin to turn red, and beyond that, wilt. That means we¡¯re growing closer to the cavern.¡±


    Her amber eyes switched from the scenery to him. ¡°Erlebnis told you this?¡±


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t tell you so much as reach into your head and ce things there,¡± Argrave responded. ¡°Unpleasant yet convenient at the same time.¡±


    She crossed her legs, cing her hands atop her knee. ¡°For an agent of Erlebnis, you don¡¯t seem to rever¡ª¡±


    ¡°Now that we¡¯re getting this close, we should really discuss the n for these insects.¡± Argrave shut the book he held in his hand, changing the subject. ¡°These bugs, they¡¯re called Lily Lurkers locally. They¡¯re the reason this field is sorgely¡­ undisturbed.¡± Argrave set his book on the carriage seat, and Gmon slowed the horses to hear his words better.


    ¡°The nearby vige¡¯s young couples would havete-night rendezvouses at this ce when the lilies bloomed because the moonlight reflects beautifully off the white flowers. Now, at night, those bugs roam the field like supersized ants, ripping people apart.¡± Argrave pointed.


    ¡°You know, ants can carry¡­¡± Argrave paused, struggling to remember the number. ¡°¡­100 times their own bodyweight¡­ if I remember right. They¡¯re strong. These bugs, they¡¯re the same way, except they weigh about ten pounds and have a paralytic poison stinger. They¡¯re around the size of my head.¡±


    Anneliese nodded, a frown disturbing her face. ¡°You mentioned theye out at night. We must¡¯vee here during the day to attack them while they¡¯re in their¡­ burrow. Burn them out, perhaps.¡± She waved her hand as she offered the example.


    ¡°A usible solution,¡± Argrave agreed. ¡°But the underground caverns arerge enough it would be difficult to do either. Burning them out or using water might copse the cavern, too. We need to go inside. This task requires precision.¡±


    ¡°Entering the cavern would be suicide,¡± Gmon contributed. ¡°Tight spaces¡­ perfect for those bugs. Impossible to kill when they¡¯re inrge numbers.¡±


    ¡°Both of you¡­¡± Argrave spread his arms out, shaking his head as though ashamed. He pped his hands together, though the sound was muffled by his gloves. ¡°Such mindless killers. Violence isn¡¯t always the answer.¡±


    Both of them looked at him like he was mental.


    Argrave carried on, unaffected. ¡°Fact is, we can¡¯t butcher this whole colony of Lily Lurkers. Waste of time to even try. Would take weeks, maybe a month, if we tried to kill them off one-by-one without any casualties. Their numbers are too high. Originally, I had been thinking just the same as you two, and consequently dreading this task. But these bugs¡ªthey have to eat, no?¡±


    ¡°Poison,¡± Anneliese caught on quickly, and Argrave confirmed with a nod.


    ¡°usible,¡± Gmonmented. ¡°Don¡¯t think poisoning counts as non-violent, though.¡±


    Argrave waved his hand. ¡°Mere semantics.¡±


    If it had been the game, no such option would be avable to Argrave. One follows the quest marker, goes into the cave, kills the bugs¡ªend of quest. That option would probably be much more fun¡­ were this a game, naturally. Argrave would much sooner jump off a tower and be done with it than walk into a cavern infested with Lily Lurkers.


    ¡°Even ants have instincts,¡± Anneliese responded after some consideration. ¡°These bugs, if they are like ants, won¡¯t eat poison even if it isced into something they will eat.¡±


    ¡°We use a slow-acting poison they don¡¯t recognize. It¡¯s all just trial and error.¡± Argrave spotted some discontent with that statement, and he quickly added, ¡°All of the other ideas are terrible¡ªthis one is at least worth exploring.¡±


    ¡°True,¡± Anneliese agreed. ¡°But we brought no poison.¡±


    ¡°Listen.¡± Argrave leaned forward. ¡°I might forget some elven ruin¡¯s name, or the precise name of a cavern, or the exact number of pounds an ant can carry. I can promise you, though, I definitely won¡¯t forget a single recipe for poison. I wrote thousands of articles about alchemy, be it the ingredients or the final product. It was unimaginably tedious.¡± Argrave tapped his temple. ¡°This mind of mine is all we need to make every poison creatable in Berendar. We¡¯re deep in the countryside. Shouldn¡¯t be much trouble to get what¡¯s needed.¡±


    ¡°Why did you write thousands of articles?¡± Anneliese asked after a long pause.


    ¡°That¡¯s a good question,¡± Argrave acknowledged with a nod. ¡°I¡¯m not sure myself. Masochism, perhaps. We¡¯ll get back to that. For now¡­¡± Argrave turned his gaze towards Gmon. ¡°Gmon, turn left. Hard to brew potions in the middle of a field. We should head for that vige.¡±


    Argrave peered out the carriage window. In the distance, he could see a field of red that made it seem as though the lilies had turned to roses. The sight set a me of anxiety alight in his chest. This would be the first time he tried something major that was beyond the constraints imposed by ¡®Heroes of Berendar.¡¯ It could be said Mateth had already been an example of this, but Argrave did not feel that was his victory alone.


    ¡°A vige, hm¡­¡± Argrave muttered. ¡°It might be time to bring up the ckgard name once again.¡±


    #####


    The vige of White Edge was typically a very quiet ce. Not many lived here, particrly because they were so far from any source of water or civilization. They paid homage only to the Count of Jast, who himself was sworn to the Duchy of Elbraille. They did not have much to offer to the Count in way of taxes, and consequently, protection was insignificant as well. Still, some minor families persisted here, growing what few crops could be grown without a nearby water source.


    The houses in White Edge were of better make than most of the viges one might find in the countryside. In way of simple nk walls and straw roofs, these buildings were well-constructed and near uniform in design. They looked fanciful rather than sturdy. When coupled with the well-kept hedges in yards, the ce had an altogether idyllic air.


    An old man sat on one of the porches of the houses, chewing at his thumb¡¯s nail as he tapped his feet quickly and anxiously against the porch. He was missing a few of the teeth on the right side of his mouth, and significant balding left him with only a ring of gray around the top of his head. He asionally cast nces at some of the people working at harvesting thest of the crops grown in autumn, but besides that, his gaze remained fixed on the sole dirt road leading to the vige from the forests.


    The old man¡¯s tapping feet came to a stop, and he leaned forward until he was sitting on the edge of his chair. After a few seconds of watching, his eyes narrowed, he stood and walked off the stairs leading to the porch. He strode across the vige square with purpose. A few people in the vige watched him rush by curiously. In the far distance, a wooden carriage moved closer. The old man and some few others gathered to watch the carriagee in. In a small town, someone arriving by carriage was undoubtedly a notable event.


    Perhaps they¡¯d be less weing if they knew that Argrave had circled around the vige before rejoining the road. He assumed it would not be especially appreciated if the vigers knew he had left trails of carriage wheels and horseshoe marks along their favorite romantic gathering spot.


    Argrave looked to Anneliese, who had her hands in herp as she waited quietly. ¡°No issues with the n?¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t involve us much anyway,¡± Anneliese shook her head. ¡°Your methods are strange, but you havee this far, so I will simply follow along.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t exactly ooze faith,¡± Argravemented. ¡°Well, faith is earned, I suppose. You¡¯ll be singing my praises by the end of this,¡± Argrave half-muttered as he looked out the window.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure I will,¡± Anneliese nodded.


    Argrave nced at her to be sure her amber eyes weren¡¯t rolling. ¡°I¡¯ll be charitable and assume you¡¯re not being sarcastic.¡±


    Anneliese smiled lightly and said nothing further as the carriage started to slow. When it came to a stop, Argrave pulled back the door¡¯s bolt and pushed open the door, alighting onto the road. Above, Gmon leapt from the top of the carriage, and it shifted when deprived of his weight. Argrave stretched and moved his joints about, freeing himself of the stiffness from the ride. Anneliese gathered the books in the carriage and walked around to the back, cing them with the rest of the luggage.


    ¡°Excuse me,¡± an old man said, walking before Argrave.


    Though the old man looked like he had something more to say, Argrave spoke quicker. ¡°Are you Bertrand Guill, the one who sent the notice to Jast?¡± His voice was serious and low.


    The old man paused, looking up at Argrave and hispany. ¡°Yes, I am,¡± the man said, his voice slightly strange on ount of his missing teeth. ¡°You¡¯re from Jast? You got my notice, then? You¡¯re the help?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m Wizard Argrave of ckgard.¡± Argrave retrieved his Wizard¡¯s badge from the Order of the Gray Owl, making it shine by willing some of his magic into it. ¡°This is my pupil, and the other is my guard, Gmon. I¡¯vee by order of Count Delbraun to deal with those creatures you mentioned.¡±


    Bertrand held out a finger badly bent from arthritis. ¡°I told everyone that this was a serious matter that Jast couldn¡¯t ignore, and everyone didn¡¯t believe me!¡± he shouted back to the crowd some distance behind him. The people started to approach and gather in front of them. It was not an especiallyrge crowd¡ªseven or eight. They all had to look up at the three of them.


    ¡°Why¡¯re you with elves?¡± one asked, some suspicion in his tone.


    Argrave ignored the question. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing you did send notice. It¡¯s a better thing that I¡¯m the one who got it. These creatures¡­ ¡®Lily Lurkers,¡¯ you called them?¡± Argrave waited for Bertrand to nod, and then proceeded. ¡°They¡¯re Dextromorphous Exocellcynes. Very troublesome creatures.¡±


    Argrave surveyed the crowd. No one seemed to have the slightest idea the grandiose name was entirely fabricated. ¡°Ordinarily, I¡¯d have more colleagues with me. As it stands, most everyone in Jast is preparing for the civil war.¡±


    ¡°War?¡± someone echoed. ¡°What¡¯re you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Margrave Reinhardt of House Parbon has dered war against the royal family in an attempt to end their tyranny,¡± Argrave exined sinctly. ¡°But that is a long way off, and Jast has maintained neutrality in mirror of their liege lord, the Duke of Elbraille. More importantly, it¡¯s not why I¡¯m here.¡±


    The small crowd was unsettled. Beyond them, more people started to approach, and the crowd grewrger yet.


    ¡°These bugs in your lily fields need to be dealt with,¡± Argrave said brusquely. ¡°As such, Count Delbraun has given me leave to enlist your aid.¡±


    ¡°You want us to fight those bugs?¡± one of them said as though the very idea was ridiculous. Even Bertrand, the most vigorous amongst them, shrunk away from Argrave¡¯s words.


    ¡°No,¡± Argrave said. ¡°All of you would be worthless in a fight. Even a High Wizard of the Order wouldn¡¯t be able to fight a colony of Exocellcynes easily.¡±


    ¡°Wizard, sir, and no offense to you¡­¡± one of the men of the vige said, stepping forward, ¡°But we¡¯re dealing with the harvest. We need to finish harvesting thest of the crops before winter entombs us. These bugs stay to the lilies, and I see no need to stop the harvest.¡±


    Argrave nodded, gritting his teeth. He stepped forward. ¡°Have you ever dealt with rabbits? Moles, perhaps? Even ants? All of them surely ate your crops at some point or another.¡±


    The man nodded. Argrave leaned down to the man¡¯s face. ¡°And you learned that, when you see a rabbit, a molehill, or an ant¡¯s mound, they need to be dealt with before they spread into your crops and pick them clean. These creatures in your lily fields are much like those three, though as I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve noticed, they don¡¯t eat your crops or your lilies. If it were just that, the Count wouldn¡¯t send someone like me.¡±


    Argrave straightened his back and walked around the crowd. ¡°Right now, they nab a stray deer, or the odd couple who goes to the field without having heard the warnings. Each life they take enables them to be more. Theyy eggs and multiply like any other bug. It¡¯s the lily fields now. But soon enough, cows will vanish from their pens, the fences eaten away. Your dogs and cats will vanish¡ªnot because they ran away, naturally.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°We¡­ don¡¯t have cows, sir Wizard,¡± Bertrand interrupted.


    ¡°That simplifies things,¡± Argrave continued undisturbed. ¡°They¡¯ll skip my preceding descriptions and head to the final step. As their colony grow more and more, their appetite will find their way to this vige. They¡¯ll wear all of you away as a locust gue does a field of wheat,¡± Argrave said grimly, turning to the crowd with a finger held out.


    ¡°A death at the hands of your ¡®Lily Lurkers¡¯ is not an easy one. Those three tails on their back¡ªtwo are for sensing things, but one is a stinger that causes paralysis. They drag you back to their burrows like an ant might a peanut. Your gut will begin to rot with pestilence as youy there, awake and conscious but unmoving. You¡¯ll turn into an easily digestible mush for the bugs and their young. It takes a week to die, and I assure you, it is not a painless thing.¡±


    Argrave let his words settle into the crowd for dramatic effect.


    Once the crowd was riled, Argrave continued. ¡°I¡¯ve heard tell of it happening overnight. The Exocellcynes storm the vige quietly in one line, just like an ant might. Come morning, all of the beds are stained in blood and poison, and the fields are left with no one to harvest them,¡± Argrave finished, looking back to the man who¡¯d initially dismissed Argrave¡¯s proposal.


    ¡°So, people of White Edge. You have three options.¡± Argrave held up three gloved fingers, counting down. ¡°Abandon this ce, die in this ce, or help me. The work is not especially difficult, I assure you. As farmers, it may indeede naturally to you.¡±


    With his words finished, a silence took over the crowd. It was probably a lot to process, and so Argrave did not grow dispirited. He waited, watching as the people spoke amongst themselves.


    ¡°Retired here with the kids thirty some-odd years ago, and certainly not about to abandon it.¡± Bertrand said enthusiastically. Some people nodded in agreement. ¡°This is White Edge. Built this ce from the ground up, we did,¡± he urged the crowd, riling them up.


    ¡°I¡¯m d to see I didn¡¯t waste my words,¡± Argrave concluded. ¡°You should gather everyone else, catch them up to speed. My pupil and I have to prepare some things.¡± He looked to Anneliese, finding it difficult to conceal a smile in wake of his performance.


    #####


    ¡°How much of that was true?¡± Anneliese inquired as Argrave stowed away the lockbox inside the carriage.


    ¡°The only fabrications were the name and the overnight abductions,¡± Argrave answered, ensuring things were locked tight. ¡°Those two little mistruths were designed to make them amenable to my guiding hand¡ªmakes it seem like I have experience with this matter. The poison also doesn¡¯t rot your insides, but it does paralyze.¡±


    Argrave locked the carriage¡¯spartment and turned to Anneliese and Gmon behind him. ¡°If we didn¡¯t get involved, I suspect they¡¯d just be forced from their homes. Might take years, though. But¡­ who cares, it worked. We have a temporarybor force to help gather the ingredients I need.¡±


    ¡°Now, we start our experimentation.¡± Argrave pulled his gloves tighter. ¡°I feel like a travelling scam-artist. I guess I¡¯m not doing anything wrong, exactly.¡±

 Chapter 50: Bandages

    Chapter 50: Bandages


    ¡°Such a cruel world,¡± said a deep voice inmentation. ¡°That the gods should take these hands from you¡­ it is their test. You must stay strong.¡±


    Orion wrapped a bandage around the disease-ridden hand of a farmer. The man, likely amonborer,id on the floor in a simple mat of nkets. His skin was bloated and waxy. Orion knelt by his side, long ck hair bound in a single braid behind him. Throughout the rest of the simple warehouse, the royal knights tended to the other sick. Some of them were already showing signs of disease. Orion¡¯s hands, though, were clean of pustules or other blemishes marring the sick.


    Orion finished wrapping the hand. ¡°I have blessed you, good man of the realm. The disease is most likened to the pale fingers of Death itself¡ªits dread breath cannot be reversed, only halted, even with the blessings of the gods. Until a cure is found, you must wrap your hands carefully like this every day.¡±


    ¡°Bless you, Prince Orion,¡± the man said weakly. ¡°Bless you¡­¡±


    ¡°I am merely one of the gods¡¯ favored, good man, but we are all their children. It is my duty to protect and heal merely because I can.¡± He stroked the man¡¯s hair like he was a child, and then stood, te mail nging beneath his dirtied white robes.


    Orion looked about the room for yet more people to tend to, but one of the royal knights stepped forward. Half of his right cheek was badly deformed by the disease, and his hands were already wrapped in bandages.


    ¡°Prince Orion. How much longer must we go untreated?¡±


    Orion looked to the man, then reached out and caressed his cheek. The man very clearly wanted to flinch away. ¡°This gue is a test issued by the gods. Just the same, my good knight, it carries their divine will. You are servants of House Vasquer assigned to me. You are an extension of my divine crook. If you ept their will, I can mold you into true scions of me¡ªof the gods,¡± he whispered.


    ¡°Oh, gods¡­¡± the man said, nearly breaking down. ¡°We¡¯re going to die¡­¡± the man fell to his knees.


    ¡°If your faith is true and your actions righteous, death will never meet you,¡± Orion said with conviction, kneeling down. ¡°From hardship sprouts greatness. Already, you feel no pain where the gods¡¯ gue has touched.¡± Orion stared at the man¡¯s bandaged hands.


    ¡°When it consumes all of your body, I will give you my blessing and name you the Knights of Moder, heralds for the virtues of the goddess of gue and rot. Your flesh will be as tough as stone, and you will know neither pain nor fear. Do not despair, good knight of Vasquer. Pray to Moder and her mercy. Though the people may suffer, this is your gift,¡± Orion preached enthusiastically. ¡°You will help bring peace and prosperity to Vasquer and thends beyond it, as is your sworn duty. Did you not take an oath to give your life to the royal family?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going to die,¡± the royal knight said, face twisting in despair where it could¡ªsome of it was rendered immobile from the disease. The knight looked up at Orion. ¡°You¡¯re no saint. You¡¯re a beast. A demon!¡± he shouted. Many of the people in the ward turned to look at them.


    Orion¡¯s face went stiff. He stood, staring down at the man. ¡°To speak ill of a divine herald¡­ a great sin. But mercy is divinity¡¯s tool. I forgive you for your words. If you repent, and your faith remains true¡­ you will someday bask in the warmth of the gods¡¯ love.¡± Orion ced his hands together, eyes closed as though praying. Then, he opened his eyes and strode past the royal knight, seeking more people to tend to.


    ¡°My Prince,¡± another royal knight said, walking closer and whispering. He had yet to be affected by the disease. ¡°I apologize for Will¡¯s conduct. But I must ask¡­ how much longer will we remain here? More and more refugees arrive each and every day. Nearly every single house is bing filled with the sick. Your father the king sent for you near two weeks ago. All of the other princes have surely arrived by now.¡±


    ¡°My father will understand,¡± Orion shook his head. ¡°We will stay here until this disease has been conquered. This is my own war, of muchrger scale and importance. Though the air grows cold as autumn ends and the humors in the air do not spread so easily, we must fight to stay this gue before winter passes.¡±


    Orion turned to the knight. ¡°Just as winter will stay the armies, so too will winter stay this disease. Come spring, it will sweep across the kingdom, killing multitudes more than any army might. If the gods thought my logic wed, they would speak to me. I hear their voices ringing in my head. There is no discouragement. I cannot call myself a man of the gods should I turn my head at the dead and dying. Suffering and happiness are two sides of the same coin.¡±


    Orion patted the knight on the shoulder and then strode past. The knight looked at the prince as he walked away, gaze bouncing between the door and Orion¡¯s back. Finally, his sight lowered to the sword on his hip, and he pushed his tongue against his cheek, mired in thought.


    A senior knight walked to the other and ced his hand on the pommel of the other¡¯s sword. ¡°Don¡¯t even consider it. Orion does not need us as guards¡ªI suspect he could face an army naked with only a little trouble. To mutiny would be to die. He may seem mad, but he is blessed. That so few have died here is proof of that.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯d have us all sumb to this gue,¡± the knight said angrily. ¡°For some delusions of a knightly order. To save the lives of a few peasants in the backwater.¡±


    ¡°Backwater? Some of these men and women are from the northern cities,¡± the senior knight replied. ¡°Most are from Belleden. Allegedly, even Belleden¡¯s Baron has fallen ill with this disease. This gue is indeed a serious one.¡± The senior knight turned his gaze to Orion. ¡°Most prophets were thought to be mad before they changed the world. It may be hard to ept¡­ but perhaps faith in him may be our best course for the future.¡±


    The senior knight walked away, kneeling before someone begging for water and offering it to them. The knight cast one more nce at the door and then turned away, walking back to offer help to those ill.


    #####


    ¡°No,¡± Argrave directed, leaning forward and pulling a wooden bowl full of a nt¡¯s roots from a farmer¡¯s hands. The man held a makeshift pestle and gazed up at Argrave. ¡°You boil these without crushing.¡± Argrave walked over and dumped it in an empty pot, and then conjured some water to fill it. He gave it back, and the directed the man over to the fires.


    Everyone in the field was working at making the poisons that Argrave intended to test tonight. The previous day, Argrave had outlined the course of action he would have the vigers take. This morning had been upied with a trek through the woods, scavenging mushrooms, roots, and flowers. Now, they were brewing enough for one test of each poison recipe Argrave could remember. He had used the excuse of ¡®testing this particr colony¡¯s resistance to each poison.¡¯


    Argrave felt as though he was coordinating a culinary ss. Though some stubborn few refused to help, instead tending to the harvest, the vast majority within the vige did. It was surprising how effective slight deviations from the truth could be.


    ¡°I feel like the Pied Piper,¡± Argrave said to Anneliese a fair distance away from the working vigers. He kept his eye on their processes.


    ¡°Who is that?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Clue¡¯s in the name. He yed pipes, wore pied clothing. He came across a town with a rat infestation. The people hired him, and he yed a little song on his magic pipe, and the rats followed him out of town.¡± Argrave looked to Anneliese. ¡°The vige refused to pay him after. He yed his pipe again, and instead of rats, he led their children out of town.¡±


    ¡°Where did he lead them?¡± she asked, intrigued.


    ¡°Dunno.¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°Into the sea, maybe. ounts vary, and I wasn¡¯t there.¡±


    ¡°This happened?¡± she asked concernedly.


    Argraveughed. ¡°I don¡¯t think so. It¡¯s just a little tale designed to teach morality. Guess it¡¯s in line with Veidimen teachings¡ªnever renege on a contract, or an instrumentalist will steal your children.¡±


    ¡°I must have missed that in Veid¡¯s scriptures,¡± she said drolly.


    ¡°Careful with the snark. It¡¯s like a drug; too much and you be addicted. You¡¯ll never take any conversation seriously again.¡±


    She stepped in front of him and turned, crossing her arms and staring. ¡°Like you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d call myself a responsible user,¡± Argrave said with a contemtive nod. ¡°Enough to take the edge off, but not enough to cease functioning in society.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Anneliese tilted her head. ¡°You have a strange definition of responsible.¡±


    Argrave heard the sound of something dragging against the dirt from behind and turned around. Gmon held his bow in one hand, the other holding onto a rope slung over his shoulder. Behind, he dragged two dead deer along, each of their four legs bunched together and tied by rope. He released them and walked to Argrave.


    ¡°Forest is quiet. Not a lot of game¡ªnot even small creatures. Worse near the lily fields. Had to go far to find these.¡± Gmon looked back.


    ¡°Figures.¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°Any more you need to go back and retrieve?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Gmon turned to Argrave. ¡°You need more?¡±


    Argrave pushed his tongue against his cheek as he thought. ¡°This part is only for the testing. I think it should be fine. We need only spread them a bit thin. I had hoped to try venison, but oh well.¡± Argrave looked to hisbor force. ¡°I think some of the people here are hunters¡ªyou might ask them for help with the butchering.¡±


    ¡°No need,¡± Gmon dismissed. ¡°I am enough.¡±


    ¡°Right. Sure.¡± Argrave put his hand to his chin. ¡°We can use just about everything. Don¡¯t even need to remove the bones.¡±


    Argrave looked back to his conscripted workers. ¡°As much as I¡¯d like to get this done quickly, I¡¯d much prefer it be done right. Things will be calm throughout Vasquer for a time¡­ rtively speaking. But the calmer it is, the greater the tempest.¡± Argrave said with a low voice. ¡°It¡¯s best we use our time wisely.¡±


    Gmon and Anneliese both nodded. Argrave walked back into the crowd, overseeing their rudimentary brewing in pots and pans found throughout the vige.

 Chapter 51: Hothouse Flower

    Chapter 51: Hothouse Flower


    Dawn light fell onto the vige of White Edge. Argrave sat with legs dangling off the floor of the carriage while the door remained opened, watching the still-visible red moon dip behind the canopy of the forest. His eyes had dark bags beneath them, and he felt generally miserable. Despite that, he knew there was much to do today.


    Last night, they hadid out the poisonced deer flesh throughout the lily fields, leaving distinct marks by each to determine which poison had been effective. Today, they would have to check and see which had been consumed and which had been left alone. Argrave wished most to sleep. The feeling overwhelmed, and Argrave pulled out the bronze hand mirror and stared at it to get into the right mindset.


    Traits: [Tall], [Sickly], [Weak], [Intelligent], [Magic Affinity (High)], [Insomniac], [Blessing of Supersession (MAX)]


    Skills: [Elemental Magic (C)], [Blood Magic (D)], [Healing Magic (C)], [Illusion Magic (D)], [Warding Magic(D)], [Druidic Magic (C)], [Inscription (E)], [Imbuing (E)]


    Argrave had mostly made advancements in druidic magic¡ªspecifically, the supplementary spells of [Pack Leader] enabling him to give vaguemands to the animals he was linked to. Unnnedbat was the number one cause of death in ¡®Heroes of Berendar,¡¯ and so being able to avoid it with proper scouting was quite important to him. He could already order the birds to move to specific locations, watch over him as he slept, or search for a specific thing. [Pack Leader] was but a gateway into a very useful subset of druidic spells. It would truly manifest its usefulness when he linked to animals more versatile than pigeons¡ªanimals he intended to get at the Burnt Desert.


    Argrave turned the hand mirror about in his hand, about to put it away. A voice brought him from his distracted haze.


    ¡°Do you hate yourself?¡±


    Argrave looked up, somewhat surprised. Anneliese watched, arms crossed as she stood a fair distance away from Argrave and the carriage.


    Argrave frowned. ¡°Hate myself? Where¡¯s thising from?¡±


    She pointed to his hands. ¡°Whenever you look into that mirror, I see some resentment.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t hate myself,¡± Argrave dismissed, taking another nce at the mirror.


    ¡°Your face, then?¡±


    Argraveughed at that notion. He weighed the mirror in his hand, and then his expression grew pensive. He held the mirror out. ¡°What do you see when you look into this?¡±


    Argrave felt anxious even asking the question. He was probing into something he¡¯d been doing his best to avoid thinking about¡ªwhat exactly had happened to him. He worked tirelessly precisely so he never had to think about it.


    Anneliese hesitated, and then stepped forward and took the mirror. She held it up before her face cautiously. ¡°I see myself,¡± she responded immediately, lowering the mirror as though it as though it was obvious.


    Argrave stared at the mirror in her hand for a long time. He couldn¡¯t quiteprehend what emotion he was feeling at her response¡ªdisappointment, maybe, or some warped sense of affirmation. He examined the emotion, feeling it twisting about in his head and chest. Then he ced it.


    Istion.


    No matter how much more lifelike these people had be, what he knew of this world and where he hade from ced an unbreakable barrier between him and everyone else he spoke to. A game bing reality was a difficult thing toprehend in theory. In practice¡­ it was enough to make Argrave lose his mind. So, he didn¡¯t ept it. He ignored it and lost himself in studying magic, poor humor, and a steady advance towards what he<em></em>had done a thousand times: finish the game.


    Argrave blinked quickly, trying to bring himself out of his train of thought. ¡°I see,¡± he finally said in response to Anneliese¡¯s statement. He reached out and took the mirror, stowing it away.


    ¡°What do you see?¡± she inquired.


    ¡°You said it yourself. Something I resent,¡± Argrave responded simply with an empty smile. ¡°A reminder.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± she said, a mix between confusion and concern expressed on her face. ¡°Do you hate your bloodline, the physical traits you inherited? They are rather distinct from most humans,¡± she answered, gesturing towards him.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Argrave stood from the carriage¡¯s floor and shut the door. ¡°We should start heading towards the lily fields, find out what poison we need to make.¡± He walked past her.


    ¡°You¡¯ve said you trust both me and Gmon with your life,¡± she called out. ¡°At the same time, you refuse to trust us with simple knowledge about yourself, your ns, or your struggles. It¡¯s rather vexing.¡±


    Argrave paused and looked back. ¡°Didn¡¯t realize I was so fascinating. Do I often upy your thoughts?¡±


    ¡°And then you deflect or change the subject when I pry,¡± she pointed out.


    ¡°Maybe there¡¯s a hint in that.¡±


    ¡°Maybe,¡± Anneliese continued, amber eyes unwavering. ¡°But whatever is on your mind wears at you worse and worse. You don¡¯t sleep, you have nightmares, you bury yourself in distractions¡­¡± she trailed off, then continued. ¡°I won¡¯t presume your burden. I don¡¯t know what it is you¡¯re thinking about because you won¡¯t share. You might think it¡¯s too much for me¡ªfor Gmon too. You might think it¡¯s inconsequential and not worth sharing. All I ask¡­ is that you consider trying it.¡±


    Argrave bit his lip, frowning. He shook his head and turned around. ¡°Oh, poor me. I¡¯m a hothouse flower with a wounded soul,¡± Argrave mocked.


    ¡°Another deflection,¡± she pointed out with a smile that made Argrave oddly sad. ¡°Just think about it,¡± Anneliese concluded.


    Argrave opened his mouth to say more but stopped. He turned his head to the road. ¡°I feel something from my birds. I think something¡¯sing up the road,¡± he said. ¡°Could you check it out?¡±


    Anneliese¡¯s face grew serious, and she held out her hand while closing her eyes. After a few seconds, a pigeon in the trees flew up into the air, following down the road. Some time passed before Anneliese opened her eyes and the matrix in her hand dissipated. She nodded. ¡°There¡¯s a carriageing. A well-dressed man is driving, while two knights ride outside.¡±


    ¡°Any symbols on the carriage?¡± Argrave followed up.


    ¡°A banner,¡± Anneliese nodded. ¡°A red g with a white sun in the center.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s Jast¡¯s heraldry,¡± Argrave said musingly. ¡°But why are theying here¡­?¡± Argrave instinctually looked for Gmon, but he had sent him out both to collect more game for arger-scale poisoning and to deal with his vampirism.


    ¡°Be at attention. I¡¯m not sure they¡¯ll be friendly, but I have no reason to assume they¡¯re hostile, either.¡± Argrave lowered his head, lost in thought. ¡°I¡¯m not sure why these people are here¡­ was the carriage particrlyrge? Did it have any wagons?¡±


    ¡°The carriage was quiterge, but mostly empty from what I saw. There were one wagon trailing behind.¡±


    Argrave scratched at his chin. ¡°From what you describe, it sounds like a tax collector. I was under the impression that White Edge scarcely received them.¡±


    ¡°Tax collector?¡±


    ¡°They receive a portion of a vige¡¯s harvest or other suitablepensation as tax. In return, the feudal lord protects them. This system is the foundation of society in most of Berendar, although it¡¯s a bit moreplex than that, I¡¯ll admit,¡± Argrave exined. ¡°We should¡­¡± he paused, considering how to handle this matter. ¡°¡­go out and meet them.¡±


    Argrave strode down the road, keeping his eyes fixed on the distant path ahead. Soon enough, what Anneliese had scouted with druidic magic came into view¡ªarge wooden carriage driven by two horses, a man holding the reins to the horses with two knights in tow beside him. The asional sh of red came from the side of the carriage as the banners waved.


    When the knights took notice of Argrave, they urged their horses forward and rode ahead. Seeing that Argrave was taking no measures to hide himself, their caution did not rise any further than that. Soon enough, the man driving the carriage slowed the horses into a trot. Argrave waited in the road, and Anneliese came to stand beside him.


    ¡°You¡¯re blocking the road,¡± one of the knights said as the carriage drew closer.


    ¡°Did you think I wasn¡¯t aware of that?¡± Argrave asked incredulously.


    The knights looked to each other after Argrave¡¯s undaunted response. ¡°Are you part of the vige of White Edge?¡± one of the knights questioned. The carriage came to a stop, and Argrave was not so far from the two horses bound to the carriage. They neighed and ground their feet against the road.


    ¡°Are you tax collectors from Jast?¡± Argrave inquired, ignoring the knight¡¯s question. The knight looked to the man driving the carriage.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m Jorund, the tax collector assigned to this vige,¡± the man confirmed. ¡°Many other viges, too, but that¡¯s beside the point. Are you a resident of this vige? Likely not, judging by yourpany,¡± he looked to Anneliese.


    ¡°I¡¯m a Wizard from the Order of the Gray Owl,¡± Argrave identified himself with his badge. ¡°I was under the impression tax collectors don¡¯t find it worth the time to head to White Edge. Why has that changed?¡±


    Seeing that Argrave was from the Order, the man¡¯s demeanor changed, and the knights shifted uneasily. Jorund adjusted in the seat, and then climbed down from the carriage. Once on his feet, he was taken aback by Argrave and Anneliese¡¯s height. He approached warily.


    ¡°Good wizard,¡± Jorund said cordially, ¡°I can¡¯t im to know why it is that I was ordered to do something, merely that I was. In the grand scheme of things¡ª¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s skip the preamble. What¡¯s the tax?¡± Argrave pressed, gesturing with his hands. ¡°You didn¡¯t bring a small carriage.¡±


    ¡°One moment¡­¡± Jorund said, unoffended by Argrave¡¯s brusqueness. He reached into his back pocket and pulled free a rolled-up piece of parchment. He unraveled it, and then read quickly, ¡°Count Delbraun demands half of this year¡¯s harvest, or fifty bushels of wheat¡ªwhichever is lower¡ªor suitablepensation.¡±


    Argrave couldn¡¯t exactly say whether fifty bushels was low or high, but he knew that half of the harvest was a ridiculous amount for a ce like White Edge which didn¡¯t have the most fertilends. ¡°That¡¯s a bit excessive, don¡¯t you think? I thought Jast was remaining neutral in the war. What¡¯s the need for such arge quantity?¡±


    Jorund rolled up the paper once more. ¡°I¡¯m quite curious why the good wizard is so interested in the tax collection process¡­ enough to stop the carriage, even.¡±


    Argrave stared nkly for a moment, debating on what to say. ¡°Count Delbraun sent me here to handle an infestation of bugs that the people here are dealing with. I have the vigers helping me with other matters rted to that, and the harvest is dyed.¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t informed of this,¡± Jorund said with a frown. ¡°I¡¯m certain I would have been.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m curious,¡± Argrave pointed to his chest. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to encounter a city official here. You¡¯re going to have to turn around until things are dealt with here.¡± Argrave waved his hands away.


    ¡°Wizard, sir¡­¡± Jorund said, taking a step back. ¡°I can¡¯t simply turn around and return empty-handed. Indeed, I¡¯m starting to question this entire situation. You meet me so far from the vige, you have one of the¡­ snow elves in tow. Recent rumor has it they tried to sack Mateth. Quite a dangerous people,¡± hemented, staring at Anneliese.


    Argrave¡¯s gaze flitted between the two knights, ensuring that things were not escting. Eventually, his gaze settled on the tax collector. Seeing that Argrave wasn¡¯t speaking, Jorund continued.


    ¡°It isn¡¯t that I doubt your identity as a Wizard of the Gray Owl. Jast has innumerable such badges, and I am quite good at spotting fakes.¡± Jorund sighed. ¡°Rumor has it¡­ and this is just rumor, mind you¡­ that the Count¡¯s liege sent out orders to have this tax levied. Perhaps that is where this misunderstanding stems from. Bureaucracy is aplicated thing.¡±


    ¡°The Duke of Elbraille?¡± Argrave frowned. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± he paused. ¡°Well, I won¡¯t make these people resume the harvest. As I mentioned, Count Delbraun ordered me to take care of an infestation of insects here before it spirals out of control.¡± Argrave put a hand on his hip. ¡°Suitablepensation, you say? What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°Anything of significant value. I would appraise it, naturally.¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°Anneliese, could you please go get my lockbox?¡± She looked at him, then nodded and went off to do as he asked. ¡°Let¡¯s wrap up this matter by saying that the people of White Edge went mining for jewels during this harvest season. I¡¯m sure that you, as a tax collector, can know whether or not these jewels are a suitablepensation.¡±


    #####


    ¡°Those were worth a lot of money,¡± Argrave cursed, staring at his lockbox that was a little less colorful. ¡°Things are getting out of control. I don¡¯t like it.¡±


    ¡°¡¯Out of control?¡¯¡± Anneliese repeated.


    Argrave shut the box, locking it with its key. He hid the key away in his pocket and then put the box back in the carriage. ¡°That was a war tax. Had to be. Half the damned harvest? It¡¯s unreasonable. I was counting on Jast remaining neutral.¡± Argrave grit his teeth. ¡°I have to reassess things, deduce what might be happening. For now, we deal with the task at hand.¡±


    ¡°Right. I spent some time watching these insects. I have an idea that may work to expedite things.¡± She looked out into the forest where the lily fieldsy beyond. ¡°Should we wait for Gmon?¡±


    ¡°No, it shouldn¡¯t¡­¡± Argrave trailed off. ¡°Hold on. I feel¡­ I think something¡¯s off.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°The lily fields¡­ they¡¯re very active. That¡¯s what I feel. I¡­¡± Argrave touched his forehead, disoriented. ¡°I feel a lot of movement,¡± Argrave said decisively. Now that he had experienced scouting something with [Pack Leader], he was much more certain.


    ¡°Do you want me to¡ª¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m confident in my assessment. Let¡¯s head to the fields,¡± Argrave said decisively. He broke off into a jog.


    <em>Nothing ever goes right, does it? </em>he thought, fearing the worst.

 Chapter 52: Prehistoric Fears

    Chapter 52: Prehistoric Fears


    Argrave watched atop a hill where the trees ended, fading into the lily fields beyond. In the far distance, he could see the entrance to the Lily Lurker¡¯s cavern; the entrance was shaped like a canoe, and the earth looked recently overturned. Closest to the entrance, the lilies wilted, but as they grew further away, they turned a dark red hue.


    Argrave knelt down with his left hand pressed against a tree for support as he watched what exactly was urring. The lily lurkers romped about in the field without order, uprooting and ttening the red and white flowers carelessly. It was difficult to spot reason in their movements, but they did not stray too far from a single point.


    The Lily Lurkers were about the size of a human head, though three tails on their back end made them seem quiterge. Their body was colored much like an orchid mantis. They had six long legs that elevated them off the ground, and twinges of pink decorated their joints. Each bore a stinger on its back with an eerie-looking pink barb on the tip.


    The other two of its three tails beside the stinger swayed back and forth as the Lily Lurkers roamed, vibrating and letting out a harsh noise simr to a rattlesnake. ording to in-game lore Argrave recalled, their tails allowed them tomunicate with each other. As it was now, Argrave felt it made them seem much greater in number than they were. The only thing that might have made him more ufortable was if they had wings.


    ¡°Jesus,¡± Argrave muttered into his hand as he watched. ¡°Scorpions. Ants. Cicadas. Someone couldn¡¯t make up their mind.¡±


    ¡°What was that?¡± asked Anneliese, her eyes closed as she used a druidic spell to scout out what exactly was happening. Above, her pigeon circled their swarm.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± Argrave said louder, not willing to turn his head away from the scene. Those stingers captured his attention. The Lily Lurkers moved far too fast for him to count them effectively. ¡°What do you see?¡±


    ¡°I am unsure. There¡¯s one in the center of their movement¡­ looks unmoving. Dead, were I to guess.¡±


    Argrave ran his hand over his mouth, pondering this. ¡°I think¡­ one of them must have died to the poison, let out pheromones. It¡¯s agitated a bunch of them. These ones are searching for what happened. Ants do that, I read.¡±


    ¡°Pheromones?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t ask me,¡± Argrave dismissed,cking both confidence and a sufficient exnation. ¡°I can¡¯t exactly check my notes. Bugs don¡¯t upy my thoughts, and I wouldn¡¯t spend any time reading about them. I prefer to pretend they don¡¯t exist.¡±


    Anneliese retracted the spell, and her pigeon flew back to the trees. ¡°What should we do?¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°If you¡¯ll notice, they¡¯re staying near the corpse,¡± Argrave pointed out. ¡°Maybe they don¡¯t have ants in the snowscape that is Veiden, but if you¡¯ve ever squished an ant near an anthill, they all freak out. They¡¯re searching for danger. Once they¡¯re certain there¡¯s nothing, they¡¯ll stop.¡±


    The vast majority of Argrave¡¯s knowledge on this topic came from nature documentaries. It was dodgy at best, and considering these things weren¡¯t even ants, doubly so.


    ¡°So we should wait,¡± Anneliese finished Argrave¡¯s thought process.


    ¡°Not necessarily.¡± Argrave finally rose to his feet, feeling some burden relieved from his knees. ¡°I¡¯m not certain what they¡¯re doing, but I can only see this as an opportunity. Imagine them in the trees¡ªor worse yet, in a cavern.¡± Argrave took one step forward. Anneliese grabbed at his arm, catching his sleeve.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± she spoke urgently. ¡°If this is how they react for one, imagine how they will react after many deaths.¡±


    ¡°I know¡ªmore mighte. If that happens, it might actually be for the best.¡± Argrave took a deep breath and then exhaled,ughing lightly. ¡°You want some insights into my struggles?¡± Argrave hearkened back to their earlier conversation. ¡°Feeling queasy right about now. Logically, I know this is the right thing to do. Figuring out how these creatures fight is quite important.¡±


    ¡°Right thing to do? I disagree!¡± Anneliese protested. ¡°Between the two of us, you cannot believe we could take on those creatures. We don¡¯t have the magic for that. Gmon isn¡¯t even here.¡±


    ¡°You underestimate us. And¡­¡± Argrave looked at Anneliese. ¡°I can connect my magic to Erlebnis for five minutes,¡± he said simply, pulling his sleeve away from her grip. ¡°If things go sour, I can call upon that. For now, I need to determine how these things act when confronted with an enemy. It¡¯ll make the spelunking go smootherter if we understand how they hunt. Moreover, I need to learn how to fight things without using potions as a crutch.¡±


    Argrave turned back. ¡°We have to take advantage of these things¡¯ limitations, their simplicity. Use spells like the D-rank [Wind Wall] to block them; I doubt they have the capacity to understand and adapt to magic. Use some of the lightning magic you learned, or fire magic. Even if ice magic is more powerful because you¡¯re a Veidimen, it will be too slow-moving to do much.¡±


    With one roll of his shoulders to gather his confidence, Argrave stepped into the field of white. Far ahead, where the lilies began to turn red, the bugs continued to swarm about. Their movements seemed to coincide with the roiling anxiety in his chest. He felt the wind shift, and he foolishly turned to look at his side. Anneliese walked forward alongside him. Argrave didn¡¯t need to have her empathic skills to see that she was wracked with anxiety just as he was.


    Seeing her like that, Argrave had a strange moment of rity. He turned away and clenched his gloved hands tight. <em>I have to be a good leader. The lesson from Mateth isn¡¯t only that this world is ever-changing; it¡¯s that I alone am not enough to deal with everything. </em>The white fields faded behind them as they came to the red, and beyond that into the wilted flowers.


    One step after another brought the terrible rattling of the Lily Lurkers ever closer. Soon enough, the insects turned, their two tails quivering and their bright pink eyes locked on the pair as they approached. Argrave estimated they were about twenty. Feeling the distance was sufficient for good uracy, Argrave stopped and held out both hands, forming the D-rank spell [Writhing Lightning]. The first two bolts of lightning shot out across the field, fell crackling echoing across the fields.


    The electricity struck the first bug, and Argrave paid close attention to how the creature reacted. The lightning surged through its body and then spread through the ground and some close to it. The Lily Lurker spasmed for far longer than Argrave thought it might, and then its two quivering tails changed in pitch. This change was soon echoed in the other insects present, and they surged forth with an ufortably fast speed.


    Argrave delivered lightning spells in measured bursts, targeting the ones he already knew were damaged as he retreated backwards in slow, steady steps. Anneliese mirrored his actions. The magic was much more effective than he thought it might be, and several of the bugs died as they drew close. As they drew closer, Argrave¡¯s anxiety only rose, even though he had a n ready.


    ¡°Stick close,¡± said Argrave loudly to Anneliese over the din of rattling,cking the time to check if she heard and obeyed.


    One leapt towards them, and Argrave¡¯s heart leapt in unison. He instinctively used [Wind Wall], and the creature mmed against it, sying out ungracefully on the field. Anneliese finished it off with two quick bolts of lightning.


    Argrave took a deep breath, keeping an eye on the open cavern far ahead for any movement. As the remainder grew closer, Argrave continued to use lightning magic from behind the cover of his [Wind Wall], the spells passing through easily. The bulk of the insects, of which likely half remained, finally came close enough to the two of them. Argrave internally reminded himself of the purpose of this fight: to test their reactions. He was uncertain if insects would be afraid of fire as animals were.


    Once many grew close, Argrave stepped out of the cover of the [Wind Wall] and formed the only C-rank attack spell he knew; [Wargfire]. A great lupine jaw emerged from his hands after the matrix formed. The creatures barely seemed to see the fire until the gaping mouth came shut, catching two. Argrave fell behind the [Wind Wall] spell once more, watching and waiting.


    The ame Lily Lurkers spasmed, their twin tails jerking about while their stinger contracted wildly. It looked as though the insect was stinging itself, but Argrave knew such a notion was ridiculous. Despite the fire, the rest of the insects rushed forward, averse to but not afraid of the mes. The dry, wilted flowers were a natural elerant, and the mes spread rmingly quickly.


    Anneliese grabbed Argrave and pulled him away as the mes continued to grow. Argrave devoted all of his attention to getting away without tripping. Soon enough, the insects were consumed by the mes which continued to spread in the ring of wilted flowers. Argrave grew worried that he had caused arge fire, but the air was quite humid and the ring of red, unwilted lilies did not catch ame easily. The mes were short-lived, but the insects caught fire.


    Once they were a safe distance away, Argrave and Anneliese came to a stop and watched. The creatures writhed about, appearing in intense agony, but Argrave could not say for certain that insects even felt pain. He knew one thing, though.


    ¡°That seems to work,¡± Argrave concluded as he watched. ¡°Started to get pretty scared, there. Fortunately, these things burn easily enough.¡±


    Argrave kept an eye on the cavern entrance, looking for shes of white to emerge and ruin the victory. Anneliese said nothing as she caught her breath.


    ¡°See? We learned something.¡± Argrave looked back. ¡°I told you it was purposeful. A lot less traumatic to kill insects with fire.¡±


    ¡°You are much too reckless,¡± she finally said. ¡°And this knowledge is not especially useful. When a fire is lit in a cave, those inside most often suffocate, or the rock overhead shifts and falls. I have heard many tales from Veidimen miners detailing such grisly fates.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s still good knowledge,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°We¡¯re fighting against time. Three years until Gerechtigkeit¡¯s descent might seem like plenty of leeway, but there¡¯s a lot of holes to patch in this dam before the floodes. I need to be reckless. The fact I even have to get the Amaranthine Heart to fix my body is a waste of time.¡±


    Anneliese didn¡¯t look satisfied with the answer, but she said nothing more on the matter.


    ¡°We should stay here for a time, make sure that no moree out.¡± Argrave nodded. He stepped into the cavern and looked into it. He saw a patch of loose dirt descend for a bit and then vanish into darkness. Even with the sun overhead, one could not see especially far down. Argrave felt an unpleasant squirming in his guts when he reminded himself he would need to go down there in the future.


    ¡°You mentioned you watched these creaturesst night, had an idea about something?¡± Argrave inquired.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Anneliese responded quickly. ¡°I watched their habits. These creatures are much like you, in fact.¡±


    Argrave looked away from the cavern incredulously. ¡°What does that mean? Too-big, spindly, highly mmable?¡±


    Anneliese crossed her arms. ¡°They clean themselvespulsively.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s¡­¡± Argrave frowned. ¡°Good hygiene is important. Even these things have some virtues, it would seem.¡±


    ¡°They often use their mouths to clean themselves,¡± she continued. ¡°Each other, too.¡±


    Argrave nodded slowly, perturbed. ¡°I can¡¯t recall doing that, unless I have some bizarre sleeping habits I¡¯m unaware of. Might be I have some apologies to make.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re missing the point. We needn¡¯tce food with poison. We need only get some of the poison on them¡ªce it near the entrance, have them walk over it, and then clean themselves.¡±


    Argrave blinked a few times as what she said sunk in. ¡°That is definitely worth trying,¡± he concluded. ¡°We still need to check which poison actually worked. They¡¯re on the far ends of the field, so they shouldn¡¯t be disturbed¡­,¡± Argrave paused, looking at Anneliese. ¡°Very observant of you. I¡¯m reminded of why I was so willing to bring you along.¡±


    ¡°It may not work,¡± Anneliese dismissed with a shake of her head.


    ¡°We¡¯ll see, I suppose. I hope it works. This little venture of ours needs to end soon. That tax collectoring to this quaint countryside tells me there¡¯s a storm brewing in Jast, and I¡¯d like to make it there before it starts.¡±

 Chapter 53: The Blind Will See

    Chapter 53: The Blind Will See


    An attendant opened a ss door, bowing humbly. Induen paid the attendant little heed, ducking through the ss structure and entering the greenhouse proper. The ce was incredibly beautiful and well-kept. The nts were bright and colorful, yet they did not block off the marble pathway winding throughout the entire ce. A small brook wound its way around, letting off faint babbling sound. Small bugs no bigger than a coin flew about everywhere, letting out small sparks of multi-colored electricity.


    Induen looked about the ce for a moment, expression indiscernible. After fixing his gold-lined ck clothes, he waved away the doorman without a word. The attendant bowed once more and shut the ss door. Induen took a deep breath and exhaled, and then walked through the greenhouse.


    The path was lined with nt life unending. Small trees with red knobby fruits, strange ck nts that shone with purple dew, or blue vines wrapped around a fence with fruits that might¡¯ve passed as grapes¡­ Induen noticed them, but he did not seem awed with them as one might be. He headed towards the center of the greenhouse.


    He came to a central square with little nt life and plenty of space for movement. A grand fountain stood in the center, spouting water five feet in the air. Small streams of water branched off it and ran underneath the marble walkway, eventually forming the brooks that lined the rest of the greenhouse. There was a single table by the fountain. It was pink and fanciful, as were the chairs beside it. Two people sat.


    Both were female. One of the two people was dressed just the same as the doorman Induen had just left. The other was a beautiful young woman who wore a white and green gown without much adornment. She sat in a strange chair that had handles and two wheels on the side. A nket covered her legs, and her eyes were wrapped in a white cloth. She had the same obsidian-colored hair that Induen did.


    Induen walked closer quietly with his hands behind his back. As he drew closer, he heard the servant speaking. She was reading from a book. The blind woman sat there quietly, listening intently. Induen waited patiently. Eventually, the servant woman noticed him and stood quickly.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± she said, surprised. ¡°Princess Elenore, your brother is here to see you.¡±


    Elenore grabbed the table at once, clearly uneasy. ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s me, sister,¡± Induen said warmly, stepping forward with his hand on his chest.


    ¡°Induen?¡± she questioned, face brightening. Her expression quickly returned to neutral as though she was hiding her emotions.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Induen confirmed. ¡°Give us a moment alone,¡± he said towards the servant, voice considerably colder.


    ¡°At once, my Prince,¡± the servant said prudently, walking away from the marble square quickly.


    Induen stayed standing for a moment, and then slid into the chair. His sister waited there, her blindfolded face not quite in the right direction. Induen picked up the book the servant had left. ¡°¡¯The Golden Void,¡¯¡± he read the title, opening the first page.


    ¡°It¡¯s a book about economy,¡± Elenore answered quickly.


    ¡°Diligent as ever,¡± Induen said, setting down the book. ¡°I missed you. How have you been, Elenore?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t care. Why do you ask?¡± She waved a hand in dismissal and crossed her arms, refusing to turn her face towards him. ¡°I¡¯m a cripple, not ackwit.¡±


    ¡°Hey,¡± Induen said in protest. ¡°Hey, hey.¡± He stood from the chair and moved to her chair, cing his hands gingerly on her arms. ¡°Don¡¯t be like that, El. Father was having me do things. You know I¡¯d visit you every day if I could,¡± he said, trying to calm her down.


    ¡°What things?¡±


    ¡°Dealing with the unrest in the capital,munications with the nobles, gathering the troops, preparing the supplies¡­¡± Induen shook her gently. ¡°I promise you I wouldn¡¯t ever avoid you.¡±


    She finally turned her head to look at Induen. ¡°You promise?¡±


    ¡°I promise,¡± Induen nodded.


    She leaned forward and hugged Induen for a few seconds. After she pulled away, she gestured towards the chair. ¡°Sit. Sit,¡± she repeated insistently.


    Induen walked back to his chair and sat down, then crossed his arms across the table.


    ¡°At least youe to visit your older sister,¡± Elenore continued. ¡°To all the other snakes, I¡¯m out of sight, out of mind. It¡¯s because of that finger-eating queen of father¡¯s. She didn¡¯t raise the others right.¡± She pointed to Induen, her finger a little off from his face. ¡°Babies are like¡­ animals. They¡¯re no different than dogs. Somebody has to teach them right from wrong.¡±


    Induen turned his head away, gazing out at the fountain as it rippled from the waterfalls. ¡°Right,¡± he agreed. ¡°What have you heardtely?¡±


    ¡°Your half-brother is causing problems,¡± she said t-out.


    ¡°I know. The royal guards say Orion is¡ª¡±


    ¡°No. Foamspire,¡± Elenore shook her head. ¡°Have you even been paying attention?¡±


    Induen paused, then leaned in. ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°The bastard sold it. He got two hundred and fourteen rose gold magic coins for your little poison apple. Donated fifty coins to House Monti in light of the snow elf invasion. ¡®The Savior of House Monti,¡¯ the duke is calling him. Rumor has it Argrave¡¯s already betrothed to Nikoletta of Monti.¡±


    ¡°He¡­ sold it?¡± Induen repeated, voice low. ¡°Where did you hear all of this?¡±


    ¡°When you¡¯re blind, the other senses get sharper,¡± Elenore said simply. ¡°What did you think would happen? You killed his mother. That sort of grudge doesn¡¯t go away. And then you p him around? He¡¯ll never obey.¡±


    ¡°But father¡ª¡±


    ¡°Father¡¯s way of ruling is falling apart,¡± she interrupted. ¡°If you were still a little kid, I¡¯d give you a good smack.¡± She shook her head and crossed her legs. ¡°You hate father. I hate him. Everybody hates him, but they¡¯re afraid of him. All it takes to break that fear is one defiance. His days are numbered.¡±


    ¡°But you defied him,¡± Induen retorted coldly.


    ¡°I did. But I was weak, so he gouged out my eyes and cut off my feet. Margrave Reinhardt is not weak.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Induen flinched away when she mentioned what had happened to her so casually.


    ¡°I keep telling you to rein in your impulses. I told you to stop with those weird fetishes of yours¡ªthe orphan-making, the sadism. Why don¡¯t you listen?¡±


    ¡°Sis¡­¡± Induen lowered his head into his hands. ¡°I just get angry, and¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, poor you,¡± she mocked. ¡°Appreciate that you have the luxury to get angry. That privilege is fading fast, though.¡±


    Induen mulled on her words for a while. ¡°You¡¯re right, El. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°An apology. How rich. That¡¯ll mend things, surely,¡± sheughed.


    ¡°I said I was sorry,¡± Induen repeated. ¡°What more do you want from me?¡±


    ¡°I want you to learn the lesson you need to,¡± she said harshly. ¡°My people tell me father beat you because of your handling of Margrave Reinhardt. He wanted to curb your impulsivity. At that, at least, he¡¯s right.¡±


    Induen turned his gaze downwards and refused to speak, biting his lip.


    ¡°Don¡¯t pout at me. I can practically hear your sulking,¡± she chastised. ¡°Well, stop being a baby. I think now is the time to start breaking free of father¡¯s influence.¡±


    Induen turned to look at her, indignant gaze reced by a fierce intensity. He took a deep breath, digesting what she said. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you what I can, but he¡¯s sending me to the Duchy of Elbraille,¡± Induen told her.


    ¡°I know. Father has promised them some minor benefitsnds of the defeated, stipends, et cetera. With Mateth essentially crippled, they¡¯re quite close to the north, and the Duke of Elbraille is a coward who doesn¡¯t wish to be the bulwark against Vasquer. That¡¯smon knowledge. What a lot of people don¡¯t know, however, is that he¡¯s also a henpecked husband.¡±


    Elenore reached underneath the table and retrieved a stack of documents. She set it on the table.


    ¡°Obey father, go to Elbraille, and speak to the Duke. Behind the scenes, I¡¯ll arrange one of my agents to set up a meeting between you and the Duchess. She and I have been in contact for some time.¡±


    Induen frowned and took the documents.


    ¡°We need to earn their support¡ªfor us, not for the king. House Monti is the weakest it¡¯s been in centuries. Promise the duchess the city. She¡¯ll get her husband in line.¡±


    Induen set down a paper. ¡°Even with ten men manning it, the walls of Mateth won¡¯t fall. The Duchy of Elbraille has no navy, so a siege would be the only way.¡±


    Elenore smiled. ¡°I know of a mercenary on the inside. I might have to surrender a lot of gold, but she¡¯ll do as she¡¯s told. What is strong on the outside is often weak on the other.¡± She put a hand to her chin.


    ¡°Another thing. That Argrave¡ªif what I hear is correct, he¡¯s nning to use the rebels to gain whatever benefit he can¡­ maybe even the throne. A jackal, that one; he¡¯s only nipped at the heels, but he¡¯s opportunistic. I had been ignoring him. That was unwise.¡±


    ¡°Should I nip it in the bud?¡± Induen pressed.


    ¡°No. We missed that chance, and now he¡¯s blooming beautifully. C-rank mage, connections with the snow elves, a rtionship with the Tower Master Castro, special privileges within the Order of the Gray Owl, an alliance with the House Monti¡­ a very prudent man. I¡¯d like to assess things first. I believe we can yet salvage this into an alliance, though his connections with House Monti may make such a thing difficult¡­¡± She turned her head to Induen. ¡°No thanks to you, of course. Idiot.¡±


    ¡°I said I was sorry,¡± Induen repeated.


    ¡°I went through a lot of trouble to get Foamspire, and you spoil the whole thing by smacking the boy about,¡± she shook her head. ¡°Oh well. What¡¯s done is done, and you¡¯re still my little brother. Let me make this clear for you; do not speak to him, do not approach him. You see him on the road, you turn around. I will handle things with him from here.¡±


    ¡°And if he speaks to me?¡±


    ¡°Like he¡¯d want to,¡± she said coldly. ¡°Now, unless there was more, you should be off,¡± she waved her hand away.


    Induen looked back to the fountain. ¡°Elenore. Would you let me¡­ read for you?¡± he picked up the book.


    Her lips trembled briefly, and she said nothing for a time. ¡°I¡¯ll listen,¡± she eventually said. ¡°Do what you want.¡±


    Induen opened the first page and began reading.


    ¡°No, not that part. I¡¯m on page seventy-two.¡±


    Induen obediently flipped to page seventy-two and resumed reading.


    #####


    The days passed by quickly, and Anneliese found herself enjoying the brief foray into this idyllic vige. Argrave taught her much of herbology and applications ofbat magic. The vigers were ufortable with two elves in their town, but Anneliese did not feel it as much as she normally would because of thepany of Gmon and Argrave. There waspanionship in mutual ostracization.


    After Argrave dealt with the tax collector and the small disturbance of Lily Lurkers roaming the fields, few other unforeseen events urred in the days to follow. Gmon struggled to find significant amount of game in the forests, and so they tried Anneliese¡¯s idea. After small-scale testing proved to have significantly promising results, the three devoted most of their attention to brewing enough poison to cull the numbers of the colony enough to head into the cavern proper.


    Anneliese, Argrave and Gmon took turns overseeing the brewing process. Some of the vigers grew discontent with their oversight, but Argrave employed various persuasive means to keep them in line¡ªgrandiloquent speeches, disys of force, and other suchrgely effective tactics. On one asion, he had the two of them catch one of the creatures alive and bring it into the vige. There were few protests after that incident.


    As Argrave directed Anneliese¡¯s progress on the field of magic, she noticed he had a very systematic approach to things. Rather than learn a wide variety of spells so that any situation could be confronted, Argrave much preferred to manage the situations he would find himself in. He taught her mostly electric-based elemental magic, with only a few spells to cover ring weaknesses or perform tasks electric magic could not. He seldom exined his logic without being pressed for it, but Anneliese could find plenty if she dug.


    Argrave also refused to divulge any more information about himself, a result which Anneliese had been expecting. She knew from experience that trying to bridge a gap too quickly might only break the link that binds them, so she kept her pointed inquiries to a minimum. She could not deny an intense curiosity. His knowledge was without question, but after much scrutiny, she was all but certain that its source was not something Argrave was entirely forthright about.


    Eventually, more and more corpses of the Lily Lurkers littered the white fields, some of them being carried away by other workers to an insectoid midden of sorts. The activity from the colony began to fade, and what few insects the three of them did encounter were often slow and weak, easily dispatched by sword or spell.


    After around six days in White Edge, Argrave finally decided things had calmed enough to do a cursory examination of the inside of the cavern.

 Chapter 54: Amaranthine Heart

    Chapter 54: Amaranthine Heart


    Argrave stood at the edge of the Cavern of the Lily¡¯s Death. The dirt beneath his feet was loose, and his feet sunk into it like beach sand. Some of the soil was still damp with the poison they had poured over the entrance. He wore a full set of leather gear with long sleeves, but it still did not feel protective enough.


    ¡°Jesus. Everything on me is going to get dirty. I hate this,¡± Argrave waved his hands about as though trying to shake off bugs.


    ¡°You want to lead?¡± questioned Gmon, standing close behind him. As per usual, the elf wore his ck armor alone, even with the gaping hole in its torso from the battle at Barden. His greatsword, axe, and bow had been set aside, and he carried only his dagger at the ready in his hand.


    ¡°Why would you even ask that? You can probably smell these things fifty feet away,¡± Argrave said indignantly, only to spot a faintly amused smile on Gmon¡¯s mouth. It was perhaps a fortune the Veidimen helmet¡¯s design exposed the mouth, or Argrave might never have noticed he was joking. Argrave prodded the elf¡¯s shoulder in irritation. ¡°Alright, enough with that.¡±


    Anneliese looked about the fields of white and red, expression unbothered. ¡°The fields are littered with these Lily Lurker¡¯s bodies. I cannot say for sure that we will proceed unimpeded, but¡­ it is certainly the best we can do in such a timely fashion.¡± Anneliese crossed her arms as she thought, and then she pointed to Argrave. ¡°If you wish, I might break the druidic link with my pigeon and instead contract with a mole or other such subterranean animal. We can scout out the cavern in great detail before proceeding.¡±


    ¡°Not worth it. Any creatures still living will move, and I¡­¡± Argrave cut himself off from mentioning that he vaguely remembered theyout of the cavern. Anneliese had been asking pointed questions; he could not give her any more hints. <em>Although¡­ what am I afraid of her learning? </em>


    ¡°We do this now, most of them will still be in the frenzy that Anneliese and I dealt with a few days ago. Because of the rattling tails, they¡¯ll be easier to find ahead of time, though they might be bunched up in the cavern¡­¡± Argrave stepped forward and peered into the cavern. ¡°¡­in which case, Gmon will step back, and Anneliese and I will deal with the issue with magic.¡±


    Argrave took a deep breath and pulled his gloves tighter, dismissing his thoughts before he distracted himself further. ¡°Whatever. Let¡¯s start before I talk myself out of this. I¡¯ll keep a spell up for light. Don¡¯t forget to cover your mouth and nose, Anneliese.¡± He pulled up his own cloth before his face, and Anneliese did the same.


    Gmon had no such covering. Being a vampire, Gmon did not need to breathe to survive, nor would he actually suffer if he inhaled any sort of noxious fumes. Habits built up over centuries were difficult to break, though, and Argrave knew Gmon made a conscious effort to breathe to keep in touch with the time he had been alive.


    Gmon stepped ahead of Argrave without hesitation. He found himself envying his elvenpanion¡¯s confidence, but Argrave only grit his teeth and followed close behind, ducking into the fortunately spacious entrance. To Argrave¡¯s great displeasure, the mushiness of the soil only grew worse as they lowered further beneath the earth, and light quickly faded before Argrave cast a simple fire spell to rece it. Distant rattling echoed out from the cavern as the sounds of the outside faded.


    Their party stepped around innumerable insect corpses as they trudged deeper into the underground. The light of Argrave¡¯s magic reflected off the white exoskeletons brilliantly and so they were not especially difficult to avoid, but the sheer number of them made Argrave uneasy. Most of the path was wide enough for them to pass through easily, but at times they had to duck or slide to avoid a low ceiling. The air was dank, and Argrave could feel his skin sticking to his leather clothes. He was undecided if it was sweat or the moisture in the air.


    The echoing rattling grew louder with each step deeper, making Argrave¡¯s blood pump faster as his nervousness grew. Then, when the noise was unbearably loud, Gmon would lunge forward and stab before Argrave could even spot the danger. This game of anxiety repeated what seemed to be indefinitely; a constant rise and fall of nerves.


    As the three of them proceeded lower like this, the smell grew very unpleasant even with a mask over their faces. It was abination of the poison that they had been brewing and the innumerable other undoubtedly foul things in the cavern: corpses both of insects and eaten animals, the Lily Lurker¡¯s waste, and general stale air.


    At times, the path would branch, and Argrave would instruct Gmon on which direction to proceed. Though Gmon shot Argrave a curious look, he obeyed without question. Argrave moved slowly to avoid twisting his ankle in the unsteady ground.


    ¡°What is that light?¡± Anneliese asked, and Argrave jumped a little, bumping his head against a rock protruding from the ceiling.


    Argrave took a deep breath and exhaled. ¡°Touch me or something before you talk.¡± He paused. ¡°Now, what are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°On the ceiling,¡± she pointed. ¡°A faint purple trail of light¡ªso faint I thought it was but a trick of the mind.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Argrave nodded knowingly. He looked up, and just as she said, there was a faint line of purple on the rocks above. ¡°It¡¯s a vein of the Amaranthine Heart. It absorbs magic by spreading veins across surfaces, seeking out anything alive and stationary. Namely, the lily field.¡±


    ¡°And those veins are what is making those lilies change colors the way they are, if I am correct in assuming so.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right, but let¡¯s cut the chatter,¡± Argrave said quietly. Gmon paused ahead, and then looked back.


    The light from Argrave¡¯s spell illuminated the elf¡¯s face, and Gmon¡¯s helmet cast a shadow over his jaw. Argrave could clearly see his fangs in the dark, and it brought back some unpleasant memories for a moment. ¡°Ground ahead is stone. Carved, looks like,¡± Gmon said.


    Argrave dabbed his forehead with the back of his gloved hand, feeling some sweat. ¡°Whew. Alright, we¡¯re near where we need to be. Just keep going.¡±


    Gmon nodded and turned back. Argrave felt faintly tired, but he said nothing as he readjusted the cloth over his face and followed along. He felt a strong sense of relief as his feet hit something more solid than the dirt they¡¯d been treading on before. Far ahead, Argrave¡¯s spell illuminated a wall of taupe stone with arge hole marring its carved surface.


    The elven vampire stopped at the hole, carefully looking around before entering inside. Argrave tried to follow, but Gmon stopped him.


    ¡°Hear that?¡± he questioned.


    Argrave listened. ¡°I just hear that damned rattling,¡± he said after some time.


    ¡°But only from behind¡ªnot a single one ahead. Is this out of your expectations?¡±


    Argrave listened a bit more intently this time, realizing Gmon was right. He looked back into the cavern. ¡°Well, yes¡­ yes it is. You don¡¯t hear a thing ahead?¡±


    ¡°Dripping water. Strange pulses¡ªsounds like electricity, almost. No rattling, though,¡± Gmon summarized. ¡°I see insect corpses ahead, but none living.¡±


    ¡°Hooh.¡± Argrave raised a hand to his mouth, adjusting the cloth. ¡°The electricity¡¯s just the Amaranthine Heart¡¯s veins¡ªit means we¡¯re getting closer. The dripping¡­usual cave ambience, I guess. But no rattling¡­¡± Argrave tried to think of what it could mean. He shook his head and pointed forward. ¡°Just stay extra cautious, keep moving as I direct you. We can¡¯t stop here.¡±


    Gmon nodded and turned without hesitation, his advance a little slower than before as per Argrave¡¯s directions. Argrave and Anneliese passed the wall¡¯s threshold and entered into the ruins proper. The first room wasrge and spacious, held up by four pirs in each corner of the room. The floor was the same smooth taupe stone as could be seen on the walls. Dead magicmps hung from the pirs and walls. Sophisticated ss alchemical equipment was strewn about everywhere, most of it broken or half-broken. The tables were made of stone and had withstood time, but the wooden chairs were broken or badly rotted.


    The new inhabitants¡ªthe Lily Lurkers¡ªhad very clearly made this ce their home. Bones and waste upied much of the room, alongside their corpses and mounds and mounds of dirt tracked in from the tunnels. The smell became stranger here¡ªmusky and sweet simultaneously. Argrave looked at the ceiling¡¯s corners in paranoia but found nothing lurking there.


    Argrave swallowed and followed behind Gmon, magic light swirling about his head. Anneliese cast her own spell and gave Argrave some space now that they were not in such tight spaces. Gmon walked to the only exit of the room and walked through. A hallway that went left or right waited.


    ¡°Left,¡± Argrave said confidently. His voice echoed ufortably well. ¡°Follow the left wall until there¡¯s a stairway down.¡±


    The three of them walked down the hallways. Soon, the noise of the rattling behind them faded, and Argrave foremost heard the nking of Gmon¡¯s steel armor. They passed by innumerable rooms, and Anneliese all but stuck her head in each door, brimming with curiosity. When she paused at one door, falling behind the two of them, Argrave stopped and sighed.


    ¡°This ce is an old alchemicalboratory. While I can tell you all about itter, at present, I don¡¯t need you wandering off.¡±


    Anneliese turned from the room, then back. Eventually, she turned and hastened her steps, catching up quickly.


    ¡°So many rooms of tools¡­ this ce looks like it was for mass production,¡± Anneliese pressed.


    Argrave bit his lip, debating whether or not to answer at all. Eventually, he whispered back, ¡°This civilization was studying a method to materialize magic.¡±


    ¡°And from what you¡¯ve told me, this ¡®Amaranthine Heart¡¯ is their sess¡ªit extracts life and turns it into liquid mana. So why is it still here? What happened to this civilization?¡±


    ¡°The people are gone, stolen from us by time and other thieves. Why else would it be a ruin?¡± Argrave returned. ¡°They died, and eventually this ce was forgotten. I don¡¯t know how or why. As for your other question, the Amaranthine Heart was not ever recognized as a sess. It took thousands of years for its potential to manifest, after all.¡±


    Her curiosity somewhat sated, Anneliese followed behind without more questions, though her gaze did wander to the open doorways. They passed by some rooms that had copsed, entirely blocked off. The majority of the rooms were simple work areas, and Argrave knew they were all mostly like that.


    Gmon continued to follow the leftward wall when they came to an intersection just as Argrave had directed. Far ahead, a single stairway as wide as the hallway waited. The purple veins of the Amaranthine Heart were especially concentrated in this area, surging on the walls and the ceiling and the floor. Had they been actual veins, the sight may have been unpleasant. As it was, Argrave found it rather serene.


    Gmon walked cautiously to the stairs and stood before them, eyeing the purple lightshow. He looked back to the two of them, confirming that these things were harmless. After Argrave gave one nod, Gmon proceeded down the stairs. Argrave¡¯s spell went out, and he cast another quickly. The magic made some of the veins twist and move in response, and the two of them were startled. Argrave was unaffected, and quickly set the two of them back down the stairs.


    The trio walked down the first set of stairs, turned, and continued down to the second. A long hallway waited for them at the bottom, lined with pulsing purple lines. It was a little more intense than it had been before¡ªenough to light up the hallway, even. Argrave saw Lily Lurker corpses, but none of the insects themselves.


    ¡°B2F: the Archives. No noises, Gmon?¡± Argrave questioned. When the vampire shook his head, Argrave took a deep breath and directed him forward.


    ¡°Why do its veins travel along the hallways? Why not move up the stone?¡± Anneliese questioned.


    ¡°It seeks out life; in other terms, it only follows the path the Lily Lurkers take to reach the surface. We follow the light, it¡¯ll take us right to the heart,¡± Argrave remarked, eyes locked on the trail of purple. ¡°So¡­ I think you can find the way, Gmon.¡±


    ¡°If the veins follow the creatures¡¯ path¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah. We might find them.¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on. We can only be careful.¡±


    Gmon nodded, but Argrave thought he spotted some hesitation. The elf¡¯s steps were unfaltering, though, and he carried on down the hallway. Argrave felt a rising tension in his chest. Even he could hear the static noiseing from the veins around them. It sounded like the buzzing noise one might hear if they were close to a power line.


    They went down another flight of stairs, and Argrave forced Gmon to slow further and walk quietly. Though he feared the buzzing noise of the nearby veins might be masking a rattling, Argrave could still hear the faint ambience of other things in the ruins. The corpses grew fewer and fewer. Eventually, a room practically bursting with purple light waited ahead, and the three of them proceeded unimpeded.


    Gmon entered the room and looked about. Argrave was briefly distracted by the beauty of the room. Each table, each wall, all of the ceiling and floor, had been consumed by dancing purple lights. It was like travelling through a gxy of purple stars at light speed; Argrave briefly held his hand to the wall, ovee by dizziness. All of it came from a rather unremarkable cab in the corner of the room, its wood mostly rotted over the centuries. There were many ss bottles lined up on a table. Argrave walked, scanning thergest bottles for damages or contents. Finding one empty and undamaged, he took it.


    Argrave took many tentative steps forward and reached out, opening up the cab. There, a stone no bigger than a fist waited alongside various other unremarkable objects. Its shape was rough and unrefined, though it did vaguely resemble a heart. It glowed like the veins dancing about the room. Argrave reached out, breathing quick. He took it and pulled. The veins moved with it, strained, like pulling on a wired plug attached to a wall. With a soundless snap, the veins started to break away. They all faded into nothingness, fading from the edge like a spark travelling along a fuse.


    Argrave ced the stone on the bottle¡¯s top. It was just barely big enough not to fall in. As the Heart¡¯s glow faded, a ck liquid started to drip out. The drip soon turned into a steady stream as though someone was wringing the stone. When the bottle was half-full, the stream slowed, and once it ceased altogether, thest light on the Amaranthine Heart died out. Argrave retrieved a cloth, wrapped the Heart, and then stowed it in a bag in his satchel.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    With a deep sigh, Argrave turned around to watch the purple lights fade out of the room. ¡°We¡ª¡± he stopped quickly. Neither Anneliese nor Gmon were in the room. Argrave took a slow step forward, listening carefully. Eventually, he peeked his head out into the hall.


    When he saw the two of them standing and looking into a room, some of his tension was relieved. But then he saw Anneliese shaking. Even Gmon was rattled. Argrave took cautious steps out into the hallway, and then peered into the room they were looking at.


    At first, Argrave thought the room was copsed. As his brain made sense of it, he realized what he saw seeing was too white. The light reflected brilliantly off it, like polished marble. Twinges of pink decorated it at points. Then it set in.


    Argrave stared at a great mass of Lily Lurkers. There must¡¯ve been a hundred, if not a thousand. He thought they were dead at first, but the faintest twitch of a tail told him he was wrong.

 Chapter 55: Hibernation

    Chapter 55: Hibernation


    Staring at the great horde of immobile Lily Lurkers, Argrave first froze as his twopanions did. His rationality took over, though, and he reached out to grab both of their hands. Gmon held a dagger, so Argrave settled for his wrist.


    ¡°Just back away slowly,¡± Argrave whispered. ¡°They haven¡¯t moved yet. No logical reason they will now, unless we do something dramatic.¡±


    His calm words brought them out of their stupor, and both backed away further down the hall, led by Argrave. The mass of white and pink insects faded into darkness as the light of the spell illuminating them grew further away. The veins of the Amaranthine Heart slowly faded in the hallway behind them as they fizzled away. Once they were afortable distance away, Argrave released his grip.


    ¡°Hoo¡­¡± Argrave let out a breath of relief. ¡°Damn. Forgot that bottle¡­ That¡¯s¡­¡± Argrave cast nces towards the darkness where he knew the room still was. ¡°I feel like we still need some distance. Let¡¯s go to the Archives once more.¡±


    Both nodded without protest, and Argrave took the lead this time. He took the party to the stairs without issue, walking up two steps at a time. Once they reached the Archives again, Argrave led them into a room off to the side. He took off his satchel and ced it atop a table, leaning over it. His body was wracked with sweat. The other walked in shortly after, sitting to rest.


    ¡°Gmon,¡± Argrave called, not bothering to turn to look at him. ¡°Were they all alive? Could you tell?¡±


    ¡°They looked dormant,¡± a low rasp answered. ¡°Barely any heat. Slow moving. Alive, yes¡ªbut weakened. Some form of hibernation, probably. They seemed centralized around something. Thought it might be that Amaranthine Heart you spoke of, got worried.¡±


    Argrave patted the satchel bag. ¡°No. I got the Heart,¡± Argrave said.


    ¡°So your task is finished. We can leave,¡± Anneliese said.


    Argrave slowly turned around and leaned on the stone table he¡¯d ced his satchel bag on. ¡°Yeah. I got what I needed. We can leave,¡± he said quietly.


    Those words hung in the air for a bit. Everyone was clearly relieved, barring Argrave, who had a grim look about him.


    ¡°A lot more than I expected to see. We had a little bug boulder,¡± Argrave said. ¡°I guess, in response to danger¡­ or maybe to the end of autumn¡ªthe cold, you know¡­ they all gathered around the queen of the colony. Then,e spring, they¡¯ll be active again. By then, the poison will have soaked into the soil or evaporated or¡­¡± Argrave trailed off. ¡°Then they¡¯ll be back at the surface. No real damage done.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Argrave could not help but think back to the time he¡¯d been speaking to Dras regarding Mateth¡¯s fate. The Patriarch offered him an easy out then, and the same thing came before him now¡ªleave the vige, im the job was done, and with everything he needed in his pocket. Another settlement instead of a victory.


    ¡°Argrave,¡± Gmon said firmly. ¡°You saw how many of them there were. We have what we came here for. No need to risk ourselves uselessly for some field of flowers.¡±


    ¡°You said yourself that these creatures would, at most, disce the vigers of White Edge,¡± Anneliese insisted, trying to persuade Argrave. ¡°Think about this. Anything needed to kill such arge number of the creatures would be absolutely devastating. Widespread fire might warp the stone and cause the ce to copse¡ªdangerous both to the surface and to us. A copse alone would make all of the ground abovee with it. The entire vige of White Edge might sink.¡±


    ¡°But the problem exists, and it¡¯ll keep existing. These things will expand, maybe even migrate, in search of food. Perhaps next time, it won¡¯t be such a lightly popted area. We¡¯re here. We have a chance now.¡± Argrave shook his head.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t even consider this,¡± Anneliese said insistently. ¡°How will you do this? Perhaps the same way you dealt with those druids¡ªGmon told me tales of that explosive gas you used on them. Or perhaps more poisons? Even if we are in an ancient alchemyb, ingredients¡­¡± Anneliese trailed off. ¡°Why are you smiling?¡±


    Argrave looked over. ¡°Rx. You make it sound like I have aplete extermination in mind.¡± Argrave kicked off the table he was leaning on. ¡°Cut off a snake¡¯s head, it still dies. It might writhe a bit, but it will. We kill thest member of the Lily Lurker royal family¡ªthe queen¡ªand the colony will fall apart.¡±


    Argrave paced about the room, waving his hands as he exined. ¡°We tell the people of White Edge what transpired, teach them how to brew that poison for the next seasons¡­ problem solved.¡±


    ¡°These things might be gathered around the queen¡ªyou said so yourself. It will be impossible to do as you say without triggering these creatures,¡± Gmon rebutted.


    ¡°You said you barely felt any heat from them?¡± Argrave pointed. When Gmon nodded, his grin widened. ¡°It stands to reason their dormant state is only intensified by cold¡ªthat¡¯s just the nature of metabolism and hibernation. Anneliese and I use some low-level ice magic on the bugs sparingly to send them deeper into sleep, we locate the queen, and then we dispatch it quickly.¡±


    ¡°Then they all go into a frenzy as we saw on the surface,¡± Anneliese countered.


    Argrave nodded. ¡°Might be. But this state that these creatures are in¡ªif what I know of other animals is true, dormancy isn¡¯t something they can just drop into and out of immediately. They have to regain their faculties, turn their body back on.¡±


    ¡°A lot of spection,¡± Anneliese said.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Argrave raised both his hands. ¡°We¡¯ll just test this out. If this doesn¡¯t work, I¡¯ll call it quits.¡±


    ¡°I think this is stupid,¡± Gmon said simply.


    ¡°Worst case scenario, we all die,¡± Argrave said cheerily as he threw on his satchel once again. ¡°Probably bound to happen eventually, anyway.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re great at raising morale,¡± Anneliese shot back.


    ¡°One of my myriad talents,¡± Argrave agreed with the elf¡¯s sarcasm. He walked to the entrance, then stopped and turned on his heel. ¡°Listen¡­ if both of you wish to bravely run away, I¡¯ll concede. This is, unfortunately, a democracy. I bring you with me because I value your opinions.¡±


    ¡°¡¯Bring¡¯ us, like we¡¯re pets,¡± Gmonmented to Anneliese.


    ¡°You are his mule,¡± she said back after mulling her response over.


    Argrave shook his head. ¡°Do you have a better word for me? ¡®Lead,¡¯ or ¡®guide,¡¯ or ¡®escort,¡¯ perhaps?¡±


    ¡°¡¯Lead¡¯ works,¡± Gmon nodded, and Anneliese shortly after agreed. He gestured with his dagger to the hall beyond. ¡°So lead on, foolish leader. I¡¯ll follow.¡±


    Argrave clicked his tongue a few times, then turned around and proceeded into the halls. All of the veins of the Amaranthine Heart had faded, but the dark halls seemed a little less eerie after their banter.


    #####


    Argrave confronted a very unpleasant reality when returning to the site where the Lily Lurkers rested dormant.


    Walking the walk was much more difficult than talking the talk.


    Staring up at the mound of Lily Lurkers, his bravado threatened to die on the vine. At the very least, his presence confirmed they were not actively moving. He heard none of the rattling. Indeed, it was difficult to tell they were even alive. Gmon spoke up from just behind Argrave.


    ¡°Tell me again that n of yours,¡± the elven vampire whispered. ¡°They¡¯re practically stacked atop each other.¡±


    ¡°Not practically. Literally, I think,¡± Argrave whispered back. ¡°Maybe you could¡­ go get your bow?¡± He suggested.


    ¡°Foolish. I cannot even see this queen you speak of.¡±


    ¡°Right. Well, first thing¡­¡± Argrave walked away from the mass of Lily Lurkers, retrieving the bottle half-full of ck liquid in the room the Amaranthine Heart had once been. The ck liquid was the pure mana collected by the Amaranthine Heart. The liquid was somewhat dense, but none of it stuck to the ss. Argrave wiped clean the bottle¡¯s neck with a cloth from his satchel, then raised it to his lips. He swallowed only a tiny portion, but it made him grimace terribly. He coughed.


    ¡°Eugh. Tastes like acid¡­¡± Argrave rubbed his chest as he felt the liquid flow down. He felt a strange refreshing feeling spread across his body, and then some of his diminished magic returned. ¡°Hoo¡­¡± he breathed, shaking his head. ¡°That feels nice.¡±


    Anneliese reached forward, silently asking for the bottle. Argrave handed it over. ¡°Don¡¯t drink too much. It¡¯ll kill you in a violent explosion of magic.¡±


    She examined the liquid, holding it up near the magic spell that twirled about her head and lit her surroundings. She took a drink, recoiling at the taste just as Argrave had.


    After a few moments, shock registered on her face. ¡°It really is¡­ pure magic.¡± She stepped towards Argrave, holding the bottle up. ¡°Argrave, this is¡­ this is something the world has never seen before. Nothing the Veidimen have ever achieved in alchemyes near this single bottle.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get any ideas, now.¡± Argrave took it back from her. ¡°We¡¯ll be using the Heart to make plentyter.¡±


    ¡°Truly?¡± she questioned. ¡°I am unsure about you bing¡­ ck Blooded, as you mentioned some time ago. But this Amaranthine Heart alone makes the trip worth it.¡±


    ¡°Told you to have faith in me.¡± Argrave walked back out into the hallway, stuffing a cloth into the neck of the bottle as a makeshift cork. He set the bottle down, for it was toorge to fit inside of his satchel. ¡°Now, let¡¯s make use of that faith in dealing with the queen.¡±


    He came to stand before the mound of Lily Lurkers. Despite their activities in the other room, the things remained immobile. Argrave rubbed his thumb against his palm. The problem was so massive it was difficult to find a point to begin. Argrave¡¯spanions, even the ever-confident Gmon, seemed to have simr dilemmas.


    ¡°¡­suppose I should do the test run. It is my idea, after all,¡± Argrave said awkwardly. The two stared at him without response, so he swallowed his saliva and stepped forward. His hand awkwardly hovered above the closest insect¡¯s pinkish eyes. With his gaze fixed on that terrible stinger on its backside, a simple, one-dimensional spell matrix materialized in front of his hands. A mist of cold air began to emanate outward.


    There was no immediate reaction to the cold. Argrave¡¯s heart pumped quickly, but he waited as the air before him grew colder and colder. Eventually, even the faintest twitching ceased. Argrave kept up the spell a while yet. When he began to see frost on its body, he stopped.


    Argrave bit his lip then reached out, grabbing the Lily Lurker. Its exoskeleton was quite hard. Argrave lifted it, and it showed no response. He took a few steps back, watching its stinger for any movement. Once he was a fair distance away from the rest of them, he set it down gently, scanning the horde beyond it. He saw no movement.


    Argrave turned to Anneliese and Gmon, spreading his arms wide. ¡°Would you look at that,¡± Argrave whispered. ¡°¡¯Stupid,¡¯ you called my n.¡±


    Gmon shook his head. ¡°That was but one test.¡±


    ¡°Enough for me, I think. Let¡¯s do it, then.¡± Argrave pointed to the both of them. ¡°Anneliese, help me. I hope you know the E-rank spell [Ice Mist]; it¡¯s best suited for this situation. Gmon, your job is to monitor and move the insects we¡­ chill. You should also make sure the rest of them don¡¯t start moving about.¡±


    Both of them did not seem especially excited about Argrave¡¯s n, but neither protested all the same. Argrave and Anneliese used the same spell to exacerbate the creature¡¯s dormancy, and then Gmon hauled them away a fair distance, keeping an eye to be sure neither the ones in the chamber or the ones moved aside posed any threat to them.


    Their progress was surprising to Argrave. They dug at the great mound of Lily Lurkers like it was a pile of debris and not a mound of dangerous, man-eating insects. Once they made a fair bit of progress in, Argrave¡¯s spell better illuminated the center. After studying it for a time, he pulled aside Anneliese.


    Argrave pointed out. ¡°There¡¯s a big, bulbous¡­ abdomen, I think it¡¯s called, there. A lot bigger than any of the other Lily Lurkers we see.¡± He moved his finger slightly. ¡°And there. A head. A lotrger than any others.¡±


    ¡°Your queen?¡± Anneliese inquired.


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± Argrave whispered back, trailing off. ¡°Well, no, not <em>my </em>queen, but <em>the </em>queen. Don¡¯t get it twisted.¡± He looked at Anneliese, brain working quickly. ¡°Then, I think it¡¯s¡­ my time.¡±


    Argrave stepped into the path they¡¯d carved, walking past the uneasy Anneliese. He held his hand out, taking careful aim at what he recognized now as the queen for certain. He conjured blood magic for the second time in his life, using the same D-rank spell as the first time: [Pierce]. A pencil thin red bolt shot out from the conjured matrix, and with it came a burst of pain from Argrave¡¯s wrist.


    The shot narrowly missed what Argrave thought was the queen¡¯s head, instead striking one of the nearby insects. Argrave grit his teeth and raised his hand a second time, using the same spell. It struck home this time, and the insect head exploded into white viscera.


    With that death, there was a shift in the room. Thergely immobile mound seemed much more alive, stirring as if that noise had triggered a natural instinct. It was like something slowlying to life¡ªnothing moved quickly, but it was clearly waking up.


    The pain in his arm was unbearable and Argrave pulled off his glove, staring at his hand. Cracks leaking blood marred much of his skin. Gmon grabbed Argrave¡¯s shoulder, pulling him from his stupor. ¡°Time to move,¡± the elf said loudly.

 Chapter 56: Escape

    Chapter 56: Escape


    After Gmon¡¯s direction to move, it did not take further encouragement for Argrave to turn and rush down the hallway. Theck of light made him mind his steps, and he ensured Anneliese was moving ahead beforeing to a jog himself. Argrave¡¯s arm felt hot, both from the surging pain and the warm blood dripping down it. Behind, the slow rattling of the waking Lily Lurkers escted into a terrifying sound that consumed the entire ruin¡ªit sounded like metal fragments banging around in a box. The adrenaline narrowed Argrave¡¯s focus down only to his escape.


    Argrave remembered to grab the big bottle of ck liquid mana, and fortunately did so without issue. Anneliese slowed with a spell matrix whirling about in her hand. Arger light spell shot out ahead, better illuminating the path. Argrave greatly appreciated it, but he did not have time to give thanks. Far ahead, Gmon kicked aside one of the returning Lily Lurkers into an open room.


    As the three of them finally made it to the stairs, Argrave was already out of breath and struggling to keep his grip on therge bottle of pure magic. He spared a brief nce back to a great horde of the creatures surging along the hallway feverishly. Their movements were much more sluggish than Argrave had seen on the surface, but they were still chasing¡ªthough perhaps that was not the right word. Rather than a pursuit, their actions seemed to be frenzied.


    Without pausing to rest, Argrave turned his head back to the path ahead and took the stairs two at a time. He made it to the end of the first set, and though greatly exhausted, he turned sharply and took the next. Once at the top of those, his breaths were shallow and rapid, and his thighs screamed at him. His foot brushed against the corpse of a white insect, and he stumbled.


    Argrave kept his footing but the bottle threatened to fall from his grip, and he raised his other hand to correct it. The blood made it slip from his grasp, and Argrave desperately fell with it to shield it from breaking. He copsed, huffing, and his makeshift mask slid off. The bottle remained intact, though, and he tried to scramble up.


    ¡°Idiot,¡± Gmon cursed at him, stepping back and seizing the bottle from him. After sheathing his dagger, he grabbed Argrave¡¯s shoulder and hoisted him to his feet. The two set off once more with Argrave being all but carried by the elven vampire. His grip was no weaker than a vice.


    Anneliese cast yet another spell and a ball of light shot out across the hall, moving slowly and illuminating this floor just as it had the previous. They moved beneath it, its glow following them light a spotlight.


    ¡°Just had to be the hero,¡± Gmon said. He slowed his steps, eventually halting. ¡°There are many ahead, at least fifty bunched up. We¡¯ll take a different path.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Argrave stopped him, catching his breath. ¡°I¡¯ll deal with them.¡± Argrave tried to free himself but found Gmon¡¯s grip unbreakable.


    ¡°You?¡± Gmon asked disbelievingly.


    ¡°Just as I did the druids. Watch the rear for a moment.¡± Argrave finally managed to break free and stepped forward, following the light as it advanced. The din of the Lily Lurkers behind them made those ahead barely audible, but Argrave barely began to hear it before he saw many moving forth, frenzied just as those behind them.


    ¡°What are you¡ªwait¡­!¡± Anneliese called out, but she was too far from Argrave to stop him from proceeding.


    Argrave triggered the Blessing of Supersession, and at once, the smallke of magic within him was reced by a boundless sea. That feeling of overwhelming power from withinpletely hid his fatigue from his own psyche.


    In seconds, the hallway ahead became a show of light. Argrave first used [Wargfire] many times in quick session. The fiery maws set upon his foe like a pack of wolves, their imitative mouths mping shut and dicing the creatures in half and setting those near ame. For a brief moment, Argrave felt he was astride a thousand hellhounds, tearing his foes asunder. The noise of the me overtook that of the rattling for a brief moment.


    Next, Argrave spawned a flurry of D-rank wind spells, cutting and dicing and casting the mes every which direction. The ck smoke from their burning bodies dissipated in the winds, cast about harmlessly everywhere. When Argrave finally paused, watching, the hallway before them had be a mess of burnt and twitching parts, ckened stone, and fading mes.


    Argrave turned back. The frenzied bugs behind them had not yete near his twopanions. ¡°Come,¡± he said, gesturing.


    Anneliese¡¯s face was written in shock and awe, but Argrave¡¯s words brought her from her stupor. Gmon rushed up, ushering the both of them forward, and Argrave did not protest as he turned and followed behind. Though he¡¯d regained his breath somewhat, the hasty retreat once againbored his breathing.


    When they made it to the final set of stairs before the cavern¡¯s exit, Gmon simply turned to Argrave and gestured.


    ¡°What?¡± Argrave questioned weakly after a shallow breath.


    ¡°This¡¯ll be easiest.¡± Gmon stepped forward and wrapped his arm around his torso, hoisting him over his shoulder before Argrave could even react.


    Argrave opened his mouth to protest, but Gmon began moving up the stairs and Argrave¡¯s open mouth mmed shut. His teeth cked together loudly and some pain ignited on the tip of his tongue. Tasting blood the whole way, Argrave was ungracefully carried over Gmon¡¯s shoulder up the stairs. The elf¡¯s steel armor poked and prodded at his ribs.


    At the top, Argrave was deposited with as little warning as the initial pickup. He stumbled ungracefully. With little time for admonishment, Argrave could only cast an indignant nce at Gmon before heading down the hallway. Anneliese held her arm up and out, a spell matrix forming, probably in preparation for another spell to light the path.


    Spotting something on the walls that was white and mobile, Argrave called out, ¡°Anneliese!¡±


    His words came out as the Lily Lurker¡¯s stinger was already in motion. It moved lightning fast, though Argrave clearly saw it stick her arm. She staggered away, holding her arm and letting out a hiss of pain. Gmon kicked the wall, stomping the creature t with his te boots. After, he walked beside her, checking the injury.


    Argrave bit his lip, somewhat panicked. To keep his calm, he considered his options. The Blessing of Supersession had yet to wear off, and Argrave knew their retreat might be slowed on ount of the Lily Lurker¡¯s paralytic poison. Recognizing these variables, Argrave stepped to the top of the stairs, looking down.


    ¡°You two¡ªget going for the surface. Don¡¯t argue,¡± Argrave said loudly, not looking to be sure his orders were followed.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    The Lily Lurkers moved up the stairs in bulk, though their numbers had been greatly thinned by their disorderly and frenzied pursuit. Argrave did not hesitate for a second before sending out yet more [Wargfires]. The lupine jaws of me battered at the stairs, the walls, and the ceilings, turning the brown stone a harsh ck. The creatures popped and writhed as they burned, the sound of their rattling tails slowly fading in way of the all-consuming roar of fire.


    The air Argrave was breathing was soon reced by smoke, and Argrave stopped to cough. Delivering only a few more spells for good measure, he turned and ran. Anneliese and Gmon were nowhere to be seen, but Argrave saw a distant light. He pursued it, and as he did so, the Blessing of Supersession wore off.


    Argrave kept moving, and the sounds of fire and rattling slowly became distant. He dared a nce behind and saw no pursuers. As he took a deep breath and breathed a sigh of relief, he felt the ground shake. After, a distant noise reached Argrave¡¯s ears. It was rattling, but a different kind¡ªstone against stone.


    Deciding that he really had no time to rest, Argrave resumed his retreat. He finally spotted the room that they had initially entered and came to it. There, Gmon waited, Anneliese slumped over on his shoulder. After seeing Argrave, he moved for the hole in the wall, exiting back into the cavern.


    Argrave soon caught up to the two of them. ¡°Anneliese¡­¡± Argrave began despairingly, not knowing what to ask.


    ¡°Quiet, unless you wish for this to happen again,¡± Gmon silenced. ¡°Take your bottle, follow behind in silence. I need to hear.¡±


    Argrave nodded, and they proceeded up the cavern much slower than they had entered. Anneliese was sweating badly and breathing heavily. Her movements were stiff, and only grew stiffer as they proceeded. Argrave helped where he could, but Gmon did the bulk of things.


    Just as their entry had been, they were mostly unbothered by the Lily Lurkers in their exit of the cavern. Argrave could not help but feel a strong sense of guilt and uselessness watching Gmon forge ahead, both dealing with the errant Lily Lurkers and supporting Anneliese. He tried to upy his mind with what to do once they got out.


    Though it felt like an eternity, they did eventually reach the surface. Argrave squinted his eyes at the dusk sunlight when they first re-emerged into the familiar field of lilies. He looked around briefly, then turned to Gmon.


    ¡°We have to go back to the vige. We definitely have what I need to make an antidote. It should work quickly,¡± Argrave said decisively.


    ¡°Right.¡± He started moving, but Anneliese was nearly being dragged along. He pointed to her other side. ¡°Support her.¡±


    Argrave rushed to get underneath her shoulder just as Gmon was, adjusting his satchel and the bottle he held. Eventually, they both hoisted her up, heading back towards the vige.


    #####


    Argrave sat on a chair beside Anneliese¡¯s bed, biting his lip in silence. Though she was still sweating a great deal, Argrave had healed the wound caused by the stinger and administered an antidote for paralytic poisons. There was a great uncertainty to the whole thing, and it ate at Argrave¡¯s gut. He knew that this antidote worked in ¡®Heroes of Berendar.¡¯ But this was reality, and he was uncertain if things could be so simple as they were in the game.


    ¡°You should sleep,¡± Gmon advised, cing his hand on Argrave¡¯s shoulder. ¡°She is recovering. We can only wait.¡±


    Argrave looked around. They were in a quaint wooden house which was poorly illuminated by moonlight. One of the vigers had graciously donated the use of their residence after learning of Anneliese¡¯s injury. Argrave, though, found it impossible to sleep.


    Argrave looked up at Gmon. The elven vampire had taken off his helmet. He looked as unshaken as usual.


    ¡°Every single time I try to do something beyond my means, someone around me gets hurt. Never me,¡± Argrave remarked idly.


    ¡°What of your arm?¡±


    Argrave lifted up his hand. The cracks that had been leaking blood were already healed by magic. ¡°My own doing,¡± he eventually dismissed.


    Gmon picked up a chair in the house and set it down quietly. ¡°Best get used to it.¡±


    ¡°Hurting myself?¡± Argrave questioned.


    ¡°No,¡± Gmon snorted, sitting down. ¡°Watching others get hurt because of your choices.¡± He pulled up his sk and took a long drink. ¡°You want to rally people, lead them against He Who Would Judge the Gods? Then many more are going to get hurt on your watch.¡±


    Gmon pointed at Argrave with his pinky, the rest of his fingers wrapped around the big sk. ¡°ept it. Come to terms with the guilt. Feeling something because of it doesn¡¯t make you weak. It¡¯s a reminder you¡¯re still mortal.¡± Gmon leaned in. ¡°The people that don¡¯t feel guilt because of the consequences of their choices¡­ from what I understand, your father is one such man. They call them tyrants.¡±


    Hearing King Felipe called his father was strangely agitating, and Argrave turned away from Gmon¡¯s white-eyed gaze. ¡°Father, huh.¡± He mulled over the word for a bit, then turned back to Gmon. He did not wish to think of the matter further, so he diverted the topic back to Gmon. ¡°Do you ever see me as a son?¡±


    Gmon frowned. ¡°Generally, or¡­?¡±


    ¡°Well, you¡¯ve got a kid at home, but you haven¡¯t seen him in a long while.¡± Argrave pointed to Gmon. ¡°Now you¡¯re sitting here, giving me life advice. I¡¯m a bit older, granted, but I¡¯m pretty tall and pale and¡­¡± he trailed off, noticing Gmon¡¯s look.


    The elven vampire stared coldly for a long while. Argrave awkwardly scratched the back of his head, unsure of what further to say. After what seemed like an eternity, Gmon opened his mouth and said only, ¡°You should sleep.¡±

 Chapter 57: The City of Magic

    Chapter 57: The City of Magic


    Anneliese blinked open her eyes, dispelling the morning haze over them. For a brief moment, she entirely forgot what they had experienced yesterday, but when she moved her arm she felt a brief twinge of numbness. She was covered in sweat, and her head throbbed.


    She shifted her head, looking about where she was. A cold and damp washcloth fell from her forehead. Anneliese first spotted Argrave in his freshly cleaned ck leather clothing. He sat just beside her in a chair, reading a spellbook. The sight made her smile slightly until she noticed the dark bags beneath his eye.


    Evidently he saw or heard her head moving about, because his gaze shifted over to her. Startled, he closed the book at once, leaning forward. ¡°Hey, Anneliese. You¡¯re up, that¡¯s good, that¡¯s good¡­¡± he said rapidly. ¡°How do you feel? Any numbness? I gave you something I thought would work, but I¡¯m not entirely sure¡­¡±


    ¡°I feel much better,¡± she said, some fatigue still leaking into her tone. ¡°Did you watch me all night?¡±


    Argrave frowned. ¡°I just sat here reading and asionally trying to help out with the fever,¡± he said dismissively. ¡°I got you into this mess¡ªleast I could do is take care of the aftermath.¡±


    ¡°I got myself into this,¡± she said with a slight slur. She sat up, her unkempt white hair falling over her face. ¡°Got careless.¡±


    ¡°Even if you were careless, it was still my call to do as we did¡ªand this was against your advice. The fault is mine. I¡¯ll have it no other way.¡±


    She nodded wearily and rubbed her forehead.


    ¡°Listen¡­¡± Argrave continued. ¡°I¡¯ve been doing some thinking. About what you said. About me being unable to trust.¡± He stared off into the distance. ¡°If you want, I¡¯ll answer some of the questions you have.¡±


    Anneliese ceased rubbing her aching head, stopping to look at Argrave. Much was running through her head. Even unfocused as she was, she could think of a thousand questions that came to mind. Then, slowly, the image before her started to crystallize.


    She could see a lot of intense emotion on Argrave¡¯s face. His eyes refused to meet hers and jumped from ce to ce. He was biting his lip rapidly, and his whole face was taut. Beyond that, he fidgeted with his fingers. He was a mess of anxiety and uncertainty.


    ¡°Feeling guilty?¡± she questioned.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­!¡± Argrave started to protest but trailed off. ¡°Wholly right, probably. Not fair to leave you ignorant while you do my bidding. You and Gmon both risked your life for me, and I can¡¯t answer some questions? Not right in my eyes.¡±


    Anneliese stared at him for a time, and then adjusted in the bed. She thought for a long while. Eventually, she stared him in the eyes and said, ¡°I won¡¯t ask you any questions about yourself anymore.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°What?¡± Argrave said incredulously. ¡°And why not?¡±


    She fiddled with her hair, braiding it together. ¡°I recall, when I was still only a child¡­ I had a small puzzle box. It was a veryplex thing, with wooden machinery and gears hidden inside. The objective was¡­ you had to lead¡­¡± Anneliese struggled to find the words. ¡°¡­ a small stick with a ball at the end through a maze. The goal was to free the stick from the box. It was norger than my hand.¡± She held her palm out to demonstrate.


    ¡°After failing to solve it for some time, I pulled on the stick hard, and it popped out of the puzzle.¡± She emted the motion. ¡°I had finished the objective. I got the stick out of the puzzle box. But it left me feeling empty inside, and I had broken the mechanisms within. I could never do it again¡ªnever do it right. I learned something from that.¡± She nodded contemtively. ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you to tell me,¡± she finished.


    ¡°Huh.¡± Argrave leaned back in the chair. ¡°You sure you¡¯re alright? Didn¡¯t hit your head? You¡¯re the one with a thousand questions at all times.¡±


    She only smiled quietly in response.


    Argrave shrugged. ¡°Alright. I¡¯m a puzzle to be solved, am I? Well, maybe you¡¯ll change your tune once you get some food in you.¡± He came to his feet. ¡°I¡¯ll go get something for you to eat, get some water¡­. Not so long ago you were doing the same for me. How the tables have turned.¡±


    #####


    After an additional day of resting per Argrave¡¯s insistence, Anneliese was all but fully recovered. Argrave had been worried he would contract yet another illness due to his venture in the dank and filthy cave, but no symptoms manifested. Argrave recalled that nature documentaries called ants ¡®the cleanest insect,¡¯ but they were still insects.


    Argrave had ns for the Amaranthine Heart they¡¯d retrieved, but for now, he stored it in a bag wrapped in cloth. Considering its nature, he did not dare store it in the lockbox with the rose gold magic coins or the enchanted jewelry harvested from the ruins guarded by the metal guardians. He was certain the Heart would attach itself to them and suck the magic right out. Indeed, the Heart was the most efficient way to purge an item of enchantments without side effects.


    Considering the rest of the journey to Jast was on carriage, everyone was prepared to travel. After giving some final directions to the vigers to kill the remaining Lily Lurkers with poison, Argrave was content to leave. If the vigers could not be bothered to do as he directed them, Argrave could not fight their battle for them.


    And so Argrave andpany departed from the vige of White Edge in the early morning. The only resident that was awake early enough to see them off was the old man that had initially greeted their arrival: Bertrand. After innumerable thanks from the man, they left quietly, the two suns illuminating their road with the milky light of dawn.


    Though Argrave had initially nned to take a detour to a ruin he knew of to retrieve an invaluable spellbook, on ount of Anneliese¡¯s recent troubles, Argrave decided it would be best to first head to Jast and secure lodging there. Unlike in Mateth, Jast¡¯s Order of the Gray Owl branch had quite a grand library, so it was not too monumental a setback.


    Once they left the cover of the forest, Argrave leaned out the window to stare out across thendscape. Jast was very obvious from a distance. The City of Shadows, some called it. It was both because of the stone used in its construction¡ªa jet ck, harsh rock¡ªand the innumerable towers jutting out from the earth. They were tall and foreboding, and few of them had windows.


    ¡°And there is our destination. A lot less pretty than Mateth,¡± Argrave gavementary as the carriage rolled steadily down the road.


    Anneliese also looked out the window, and she showed considerably more surprise than Argrave had. ¡°So tall¡­¡± she murmured. ¡°How do they stay standing?¡±


    ¡°Enchantments,¡± Argrave exined. ¡°They would fall without magic reinforcing each and every brick. And some have fallen,¡± Argrave said regrettably. ¡°There are more A-rank wizards in those towers than toes on this carriage, I¡¯d bet. This ce is very, very dangerous. Gmon,¡± he called out the window. ¡°You will have to practice extreme discretion with your drinking habit.¡±


    ¡°No need to yell. I hear every word you say, even if you whisper,¡± the vampire shot back, driving the carriage disaffectedly. ¡°I¡¯ve been to Jast before. I know these things.¡±


    ¡°Spellcasters must have a reason to make this ce their home,¡± Anneliese noted, still staring out the window.


    ¡°Magic is denser here. Some natural phenomenon causes it. Which reminds me¡­¡± Argrave lifted the bottle full of ck liquid off the floor. He willed much of his magic to repaying the debt he¡¯d rued in the Cavern of the Lily¡¯s Death, then took a swig of the bottle.


    ¡°Are you sure that liquid is safe to drink?¡± Anneliese asked, finally turning her head away from the scenery.


    ¡°Very sure. It actually helps me greatly,¡± Argrave noted, holding the bottle up. One¡¯s magic capacity was like a muscle¡ªit needed to be used to grow. By depleting it and replenishing it, it would expand to amodate more magic. By repaying his debt to Erlebnis and then replenishing his magic with the Amaranthine Heart¡¯s liquid mana, his prowess as a mage would increase far more rapidly than his peers.


    Argrave swirled the bottle about, watching the ck liquid¡¯s vortex. ¡°Too much of this, though, and <em>BOOM, </em>no more living. You¡¯ll explode in a burst of mana. The burst looks rather neat, I must confess, though I don¡¯t care to see it from a first-person perspective.¡±


    ¡°So it isn¡¯t safe to drink,¡± Anneliese concluded.


    Argrave paused as he felt the mana resurge in his body. ¡°Too much of anything can kill you. You can die drinking water.¡±


    ¡°Will you explode in a burst of water?¡±


    ¡°Touch¨¦,¡± Argrave conceded. He looked out the window once more. ¡°Alright, enough idle talk. We should discuss what we need to do in Jast.¡±


    Anneliese nodded. ¡°That tax collector at White Edge¡ªyou truly believe that was a sign for their intention to join the war? If so, my first worry would be entering the city unnoticed. As a royal bastard, you are a target of interest.¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°Entering quietly won¡¯t be a problem. I know of some less well-known entryways used by smugglers and such. Indeed, we¡¯ll need to make some connections with the smugglers regardless to deliver those illusion spellbooks to the Veidimen.¡± Argrave looked out the window, searching for the points of entry that he remembered in the distant ck city. ¡°I know someone. If I mention a name, I have little doubt he¡¯ll do as I request with few questions asked. It¡¯s also going to be beneficial to know him. He¡¯s the well-connected sort.


    ¡°The castle Prince Induen gave me is not so far from Jast,¡± Argrave remarked cheerily, reminded of it only now. ¡°If we¡¯re lucky, we might see it fall into the ocean.¡± He spotted Anneliese¡¯s frown, and quickly added, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I already sold it. That¡¯s how I got all those rose gold magic coins.¡±


    She crossed her legs. ¡°Part of me thinks you like to mention ridiculous things casually to elicit a response.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the empath here. You tell me,¡± Argrave replied, neither confirming nor denying it.


    #####


    ¡°Boss,¡± came a gruff voice.


    A man hunched over a bookid out across a desk looked up, squinting into the faint darkness beyond. A magicmp was the sole illuminator of the dank stone room, and the ce was mostly bare. The papers spread out across the desk were filled with numbers and descriptions of people.


    ¡°What is it?¡± the man at the desk responded. He had dark red hair, and despite his barren surroundings, was dressed quite well in clothes that matched his hair color.


    A clean-shaven man with a pockmarked face entered. ¡°New client came in for a simple quiet transfer into the city.¡±


    ¡°And you bother me for this? I don¡¯t think you¡¯re that stupid,¡± the man leaned back in his chair, waving his hands as though to hurry the conversation.


    ¡°He matches the description of the person the Bat was looking for. Used the same name, even.¡±


    ¡°Is that right?¡± the man behind the desk leaned back.


    ¡°Aye. He mentioned your name¡ªRivien. Mentioned the Bat, too,¡± the man said grimly. ¡°Told us that he¡¯d know if anything was missing. Cargo was just books. Most of them were from the Order. There was also a bottle full of some ck liquid¡ªno one knew what it was.¡±


    Rivien frowned, but a smile soon lit his face. ¡°A visitor from the night,¡± Rivien mused aloud. After a few seconds of pause, he tapped his finger on the desk. ¡°Well, the Bat just wanted word of his location, nothing more. Do as this Argrave requested. I¡¯ll pass this information along to the Bat. Your job is done.¡± Rivien leaned back to his book.


    ¡°Another thing,¡± the other man said. ¡°Little lord Stain came by asking about the same person, plus the people he was travelling with. Seemed to be about a tip he got about some jewels. I got the feeling he wanted to lift them¡ªwas looking for help from the rest of the boys.¡±


    ¡°The little lord?¡± Rivien asked. ¡°This one¡­ quite the center of attention, hmm?¡± Rivien leaned and retrieved a key from his pocket, using it to open up a drawer on the desk. He pulled out a piece of paper marked with a wax seal of a bat in the bottom corner.


    ¡°I see. Royal bastard of House Vasquer.¡± Rivien tapped the paper and then put it back where he¡¯d retrieved it, shutting the drawer and locking it tightly. ¡°Tell the men he¡¯s off limits. I don¡¯t y around with the Bat¡¯s interests. And¡­ tell this Argrave that he¡¯s caught the eye of the little lord.¡±


    The man with the pockmarked face nodded. ¡°Should I tell him it¡¯s the little lord Stain, or should I use his real name?¡±


    ¡°Stain,¡± Rivien said decisively. ¡°Just tip him off that someone might be trying to rip him off. No need to bring unwanted trouble to the little lord. Keep everybody happy.¡±


    ¡°Alright. That¡¯s all, boss.¡± The man waved his hand and exited.


    Rivien watched him leave, then licked the tip of his fingers, retrieving a nk piece of paper from one corner of the desk. He picked up a stick that glowed on the edge and started to write across the paper. Instead of ink, a small me left burnt words on the paper.

 Chapter 58: Into the Dark Streets

    Chapter 58: Into the Dark Streets


    The man masked in a bandana held up a small stone rod, and the lock on the iron gate clicked open. He opened the gate quietly and walked in. Ahead, an overgrown garden waited. Argrave walked through, and Anneliese and Gmon followed shortly behind him. Argrave looked up, seeing several giant ck towers looming above. He briefly turned back to the stone tunnel behind them, poorly lit by magicmps.


    ¡°Wee to Jast,¡± the man said. ¡°That wooden token we gave you: hold onto it. You¡¯ll need it. Your cargo will be at a house in the southern side of town. Search for the building with the¡ª¡±


    ¡°With the horseshoe hanging from the metal fence¡ªyes, I know, I know,¡± Argrave interrupted, readjusting his satchel bag where he knew the wooden token was. ¡°That¡¯s all. Have a pleasant day.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± the man said conclusively, dragging the iron gate back shut. ¡°Don¡¯t me me if you get lost.¡± He looked at Gmon and Anneliese. ¡°Keep your elves in line. We won¡¯t tolerate their kind if they don¡¯t know their ce.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s me you should be worried about,¡± Argrave dismissed. ¡°If you¡¯re smart, you¡¯ll walk back into that hole,¡± he waved the man away down the stone tunnel.


    After a begrudging re, the man turned away. Argrave looked around the overgrown garden, feeling somewhat nostalgic. The gate finally shut, and he heard the fading noise of boots against stone as their escort returned to the point they¡¯d been taken from.


    ¡°Do most human cities have services like this?¡± Anneliese questioned.


    ¡°No,¡± Argrave answered quickly. ¡°Jast is special. Considering the number of wizards that make their home here, there¡¯s arge demand for smuggling services. The Order of the Gray Owl is very strict with their management of the sale of magic goods, but a lot of wizards need a lot of money. Ergo, illegal operations like this abound in this city of magic.¡±


    ¡°I question if we may not have attracted more attention entering the way we did,¡± Gmon noted. ¡°These people¡­ they¡¯re the sort that buy and sell information.¡±


    ¡°Well, I know who they work for,¡± Argrave tapped his temple. ¡°And it isn¡¯t particrly problematic for me if that person knows I¡¯m here.¡± With that, Argrave turned on his heel away from Gmon.


    Argrave walked about the garden without purpose, looking around and taking in the sights like he was returning back to a familiar ce after years. The birds connected to Argrave via [Pack Leader] swooped down,nding on a particrly thick branch. In a big city like this, these birds would bergely useless.


    ¡°So, what are we to do here?¡± Gmon prompted, stepping up to Argrave. He carried Argrave¡¯s lockbox in the crook of his arm, his other hand resting on the handle of his Ebonice axe.


    Argrave snapped back to attention, turning back to the two of them. ¡°First we get lodging, we get our cargo, and then we put the cargo in said lodging. I won¡¯t say the rest here. Doubtless the little syndicate we employed has ears on this ce. They already know enough.¡± Argrave turned, gesturing behind for them to follow. ¡°So, let¡¯s be off.¡±


    They walked through the overgrown garden, carefully minding the nts and infrequent rubble. Eventually Argrave spotted a familiar overturned mossy gargoyle and a great abandoned mansion. At one time it may have been a ptial estate, but now much of the towering building was crushed beneath giant ck bricks and covered in greenery.


    Argrave walked along the outside of the mansion before they came to a simple stone wall. They followed it until there was a hole in the wall, and then exited discreetly into the alleyways of Jast. The buildings were all close-set and made of dark stone, so the scene was quite eerie. Argrave looked back to Gmon, who nodded as though assuring him.


    After a quick and tense walk through the alleyways, the din of a great many people moving started to enter Argrave¡¯s ears. He could see light up ahead. He moved towards it, and when they passed out of the alleyways, the streets of Jast greeted them. Though not as busy as Mateth had been, the ce still abounded with innumerable people.


    Even in midday, Jast was a very dark ce. The bricked stone road resembled concrete after rain even whenpletely dry. The sunlight was partially blocked by the many towers standing hundreds of feet above them. It reminded Argrave of big cities with skyscrapers, though the streets were not even a tenth as busy. That the towers above were nked by ordinary, unremarkable buildings created a strange juxtaposition.


    It was just as Argrave remembered the city. The thought made him want to sigh, but he kept it inside. Anneliese was looking around everywhere, her curiosity unrestrained as ever. Argrave grabbed her and Gmon, bunching them closer together, before conjuring a D-rank ward around them to block the sound. No one looked at them strangely¡ªblocking conversations in this manner was amon urrence in Jast. People mostly stared because it was strange to see three people so tall in such close proximity.


    ¡°Now that we¡¯re out of that little den of inequity, I can tell you what we¡¯re really going to do. We have enough money to buy one of these towers about town, but it¡¯s all in rose gold magic coins¡ªa little bit difficult to pay for bread or a bed with what amounts to two thousand gold coins,¡± Argrave exined. ¡°We need smaller denominations.


    ¡°As such, for our first order of business we¡¯ll sell some of the jewels. Maybe even some of that jewelry from the ruins,¡± Argrave tapped the lockbox in Gmon¡¯s hands. ¡°From there, we¡¯ll buy some of those circlets you can see people wearing. I mentioned this to you before, Anneliese. Look,¡± Argrave pointed to a person in a passing crowd. ¡°See that man with the iron band on his forehead? It¡¯s a bit difficult to distinguish his features, right?¡±


    Anneliese and Gmon both looked.


    ¡°A lot of people like to wear those here¡­¡± Argrave remarked, his head following the man as he walked along. ¡°It¡¯s a prettymon item, especially on ount of the ever-present criminal element. Just a simple illusion enchantment. Anneliese and I probably see past the magic much clearer than Gmon, a non-mage. It¡¯s going to be difficult to blend in with people because of our heights, but we can at least disguise from the general public that you¡¯re both elven¡­ and that I¡¯m handsome.¡±


    Both turned back to face him, neither particrly amused by his joke.


    ¡°Alright, give me some credit, at least,¡± Argrave said defeatedly. ¡°Anyway, from there, I have a great big list that I need to tackle one by one. I¡¯ve been thinking a lot about that tax collector showing up to White Edge. I¡¯d like to figure out what¡¯s going on before we prance on over to the Burnt Desert. If the Duke of Elbraille has decided to throw in his lot with the rebels, then it¡¯ll be over like that and we¡¯ll be on our merry way,¡± Argrave emphasized with a snap. ¡°If not¡­ well, this won¡¯t be a brief stop.¡±


    ¡°I presume you already have something in mind?¡± Anneliese asked.


    ¡°You presume right,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°I need to have a little chat with a man by the alias of ¡®Stain.¡¯ He¡¯s a somewhat unpleasant person.¡± <em>And a main character, </em>Argrave dialogued internally.


    ¡°Strong words from you,¡± Gmon noted.


    Argrave clicked his tongue. ¡°He¡¯s quick-witted, I suppose, but he¡¯s not someone you¡¯d really trust. He¡¯s a rogue, a thief, a swindler, and many other such reprehensible professions. His biggest merit is that he¡¯s got a high position in Jast.¡± Argrave shrugged. ¡°This may be a dead end. As I understand, he¡¯s inclined to travel a lot.¡±


    Argrave had changed Nikoletta¡¯s course because he¡¯d directly intervened in what urred to her before the game even began. Mnie was at Mateth and would likely remain there for some time. For the other seven main characters, Argrave could not remotely predict what they¡¯d do.


    At the very least, Argrave knew Stain had reasons to stay near Jast. He was one of three characters inclined towards rogue-like professions, and Jast offered many opportunities for such individuals. This came alongside his local ties to the area.


    As Argrave was lost in thought, the ward that he¡¯d conjured finally expired, shattering soundlessly into fragments of magic and dissipating into the air. He stared at the magic briefly before tapping his feet against the ground.


    ¡°Shopping¡­ I hate to admit it, but I am feeling strangely excited. It¡¯s been such a long time,¡± some of Argrave¡¯s giddiness leaked into his voice and he cleared his throat. ¡°Let¡¯s be off to a jeweler¡¯s I know of¡ªno dys. So much to do¡­¡±


    #####


    Once Argrave sold yet more of the jewels he¡¯d pilfered in the ruins guarded by the metal things, he went to one of the more reputable and well-guarded inns on the northern side of the town. It still made him ufortable to leave their lockbox there, considering the fortune it held.


    Argrave made sure to clean himself thoroughly in their washroom, and he finally managed to feel truly refreshed for the first time after their journey into the Cavern of the Lily¡¯s Death. There were few opportunities to clean so distant from civilization as they had been, and Argrave made sure to take full advantage of the time he had here.


    When that was done, Argrave put on his now somewhat-worn leather clothing and left the inn with Anneliese and Gmon. Jast was quite a confusing ce to navigate. The city was level and much of its buildings looked the same, so Argrave mostly relied on the shop signs to remember where he was. After a few misremembered turns, Argrave finally spotted the horseshoe hanging from an iron fence.


    Just behind the iron fence was a simple little house. It looked abandoned and poorly maintained even made of stone as it was. The ss windows had been blown out and reced with wooden boards. Argrave gave the horseshoe a spin as he passed by it, and it jangled noisily against the fence. He opened the fence¡¯s gate without any hesitation.


    ¡°You first, Gmon,¡± Argrave gestured. ¡°Not expecting trouble, but don¡¯t rx.¡±


    Gmon adjusted his axe and shifted the greatsword on his hip. ¡°I never do.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s unfortunate,¡± Argravemented as Gmon walked by. ¡°Worrying, even. Everyone has to take some time for themselves.¡±


    ¡°Rich words from your mouth,¡± Anneliese noted as she entered after Gmon.


    Argrave entered, shutting the gate. ¡°If I could afford to, I¡¯d be rxing every day. I have bigger issues. I¡¯m sure you understand.¡±


    ¡°All too well,¡± she concluded, walking ahead after Gmon.


    Argrave followed Anneliese to where Gmon waited at the door to the house. The elf held up four gauntleted fingers, and Argrave quickly processed he meant there were four people inside. Argrave nodded and gestured for Gmon to open the door.


    Gmon knocked, and in not half a second the door shifted open slightly. A chain stopped it from opening too far.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°Token,¡± a rough voice said simply, two fingers peeking out like a pair of pliers waiting to grasp together.


    Argrave reached into his satchel bag and pulled free the wooden token, handing it to Gmon who passed it on to the doorman. The door shut, and then after a few seconds of locks jangling, opened widely. A man wearing leather armor walked away casually. He was armed, Argrave noted. Gmon took steady steps forward as he ducked into the house, metal boots nging out and disturbing the silence.


    Once they were inside, Argrave shut the door behind them, looking about. Two people sat casually by the house¡¯s boarded windows, watching the outside. They had crossbows loaded with bolts that shone with enchantments hanging idly in their hands. They did not seem to be particrly wary of Argrave orpany, instead focused on the outside.


    ¡°Here are your things,¡± the man called out ahead, drawing Argrave¡¯s attention. They walked into what might¡¯ve been the abandoned house¡¯s living room at some point. The man walked up and banged his hands against a wooden crate. He inserted the wooden token into the side of it, and it popped open. He took off the lid and reached in, trying and failing to pull something out.


    The fourth man in the house walked up, helping the first haul Argrave¡¯s chest out of the crate. They set it down loudly, huffing. ¡°Heavy stuff. What¡¯s in there? Dead animals? Dead people, maybe?¡±


    ¡°Sure, act like you don¡¯t know¡­,¡± Argravemented, kneeling down and popping the lid. He did a brief perusal to ensure nothing was missing, but all seemed intact. The men brought out the bottle of liquid magic next, setting it down.


    ¡°Satisfied?¡± the man inquired. He put the lid back on the crate and jumped up on it, sitting. The other leaned up against it, watching.


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Argrave said conclusively, shutting the chest of books. ¡°There¡¯s another matter I might employ your little crew for.¡±


    ¡°Is that right? Well, the boss told me to pass on something to you, so let¡¯s get that out of the way first,¡± the man sitting atop the crate said. ¡°That little lockbox you had your man there carry? Someone¡¯s got a bead on its contents. A local thief¡ªeveryone calls him little lord Stain.¡±


    At once, Anneliese cast a nce at Argrave.


    ¡°Did he now?¡± Argrave said with some pleasure apparent on his tone. ¡°And what does he believe is in my lockbox?¡±


    ¡°Jewels, apparently,¡± the man said with a shrug. ¡°The boss thought you should know. He¡¯s told the men toy off, but Stain isn¡¯t with our crew, so he might do something stupid. Just a friendly warning from your neighborhood heroes,¡± the man concluded, spreading his arms wide with a grin. ¡°Now, what¡¯s this business you wanted with us?¡±


    Argrave let a silence take the room for a moment as he ran down the series of events that led to this. <em>The tax collector had to report about an anomaly in the tax collection process. Little lord Stain, well-connected to the bureaucracy as he is, heard about my payment in jewels. He¡¯d be drawn to this, naturally. </em>


    ¡°Funny coincidence, this. My business was with him. Have any idea where I might find him, a general direction?¡± Argrave pointed with his fingers.


    ¡°You know him?¡± the man asked, raising a brow. Argrave did not answer, and so the man continued. ¡°As to where he lives¡­ well, the boss wouldn¡¯t be fond of me running my mouth. I can¡¯t help with this business of yours.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve learnt enough,¡± Argrave said with a smile. ¡°Gmon, grab the chest and let¡¯s be off. It¡¯s been a pleasure, gentlemen.¡±

 Chapter 59: Stain

    Chapter 59: Stain


    A man walked down the streets of Jast with his head hung low, brown hair covering much of his face. Rather than sad or dejected, he seemed to be lost in thought. He wore somewhat rugged clothing that matched very well with the color of the buildings throughout the city, enough so that it might be impossible to see him at all in the dark.


    <em>It wasn¡¯t that I couldn¡¯t swing it. All of them were ready and eager when I told them about the score, but they changed their tune in hours, </em>Stain considered. <em>This guy probably had some ties with the Order here. Maybe he¡¯s a key man between the wizards and the crews. Would exin why he had jewels¡­ might exin why he was at White Edge. Might be a warehouse. </em>


    Stain lifted his head slightly, scanning the crowd ahead. At this point in his life, he¡¯d be very adept at spotting wealth on people. Rings on fingers, jewelry, where they might keep their gold¡­ it was a skill that needed to be honed, just as one had to learn how to take it from them.


    <em>No luck today. Waste of time, </em>he concluded about the passersby. His mind wandered back to the mark he¡¯d been considering. <em>Maybe I should go to White Edge, scout things out. It¡¯s clear that the man didn¡¯t want the tax collector going into the vige. There had to be a reason for that¡­ might be worth much more than jewels when all is said and done. </em>


    After stopping and looking to be sure none were following him, Stain turned into an alleyway. He walked quickly, taking winding turns withplete confidence, beforeing to a run-down portion of Jast. Some of the finely paved street had caved in here. This ce had once been a cistern, before the Order had made a more easily essible ce for the people to fetch water.


    Stain walked down into the caved in portion, scrambling over loosely packed rubble. He ducked into a portion that wasrge enough for him to fit, and then stared out at the underground cistern. The water level had lowered over the years without management, but it was still rtively full. Stain sat, removing his boots and socks. The dagger he¡¯d hidden in his footwear dropped out, and he caught it.


    After rolling up his pants Stain entered the water, disturbing the still undergroundke. Holding his dagger and boots above the water, he headed for a faint light on a distant wall. Once he reached it, he climbed up onto a raised alcove just before a simple makeshift door. He looked around a bit.


    <em>Looks like one of themps broke again,</em> Stain noted, setting his footwear and dagger aside. <em>Cheap junk. </em>He turned and sat on the alcove, waiting for his feet to dry before cing his socks on. He watched the ripples he¡¯d made spread across the cistern¡¯s water.


    Without warning, something cold touched Stain¡¯s throat, and he heard a single footstep beside him. His breathing stopped, and he turned his eyes to see a giant of a man holding a greatsword down to his neck. His features were muddled, and Stain saw an iron band on his forehead¡ªa Circlet of Disguise.


    ¡°Stand up, enter the door. Test me, you lose fingers,¡± the man said, his voice low and gravelly.


    Stain swallowed, looking between his dagger and the cistern, judging loosely if he still had time to jump in. <em>Getting cut once¡­ should be worth it. I can lose him in the water¡ªhe¡¯s wearing te mail.</em>


    ¡°My feet are wet. I don¡¯t want to walk barefooted, and I don¡¯t want to put my socks on when they¡¯re still wet,¡± Stain spoke nonsense to stall for time.


    Stain did not have time to react as the man¡¯s foot struck his chest, sending him sprawling back away from the water. He coughed, winded, and gazed up weakly. He heard the door open.


    ¡°Gmon¡­,¡± the voice said, somewhat annoyed. ¡°I told you not to be too mean.¡±


    ¡°You also told me he was shifty beyond measure,¡± the man called Gmon retorted. ¡°He was looking for a way to run. Seen it before.¡±


    The other voice sighed. Stain tried to crane his head to look, but suddenly a foot pressed down on his chest. The one called Gmon stared down at Stain, features indistinguishable because of the circlet he wore.


    ¡°Stop it. Don¡¯t make it worse,¡± the other said urgently. ¡°Just bring him inside.¡±


    #####


    Gmon tossed Stain against the wall, and the man slowly slid down until he was sitting. Gmon kept the greatsword in hand, but he no longer pointed it at Stain¡¯s neck. Stain looked young¡ªhe was sixteen, Argrave knew.


    Argrave sat in a chair, watching this all happen somewhat apathetically. He looked around, spotting where Anneliese was idly reading through the various pieces of paper on a desk. She wore a Circlet of Disguise just as Gmon did. They had purchased them on their way here.


    There was a busted lever in one corner, and a copsed stairwell on the opposite edge of the room. There was also a badly worn and poorly constructed bed. Argrave recalled this ce well. It was Stain¡¯s little hideout in the game.


    ¡°This is where you live?¡± questioned Argrave. ¡°I can understand the people that want to live humbly despite their wealth, but this is just¡­ filthy. I hate it here.¡±


    Stain caught his breath, slowly correcting his posture until he was upright. His gaze flitted between Argrave and Gmon.


    ¡°The whole point of being a thief or a swindler is to make money. What¡¯s the point if you¡¯re living in a ce like this?¡± Argrave asked further. ¡°Just don¡¯t get it.¡±


    Stain raised a finger slowly. ¡°You¡¯re the guy. The¡­ the wizard from White Edge. Seven feet tall, ck hair, elvenpanions¡ªthat¡¯s you.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I think I am ¡®the guy,¡¯¡± Argrave confirmed. He had his own Circlet of Disguise just as his twopanions, but he elected not to wear it at this moment.


    ¡°Listen,¡± Stain said insistently. ¡°Everybody else started to back off from the n. I¡¯m smart enough to get that message. I stopped nning to search for those jewels.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s nice,¡± Argrave nodded.


    ¡°You want me to stop sticking my nose in¡ªI get it,¡± Stain raised his hands as if surrendering. ¡°You¡¯ll never see me again. I¡¯ll stay out of your way. No need for this.¡±


    Argrave leaned forward, cing his elbows on his knees and sping his hands together. ¡°I¡¯m here because of your other name. Vdrien of Jast. Now, with ast name like ¡®Jast,¡¯ one might think you have some ties to the lovely little city.¡±


    Once Argrave said that Stain paused, taking a deep breath and exhaling. He chose his next words very carefully. ¡°Look. I understand that you might have some business going on in White Edge. Maybe it¡¯s got something to do with the Veidimen¡ªI know they have some operations here, and I remember that tax collector mentioning you were travelling with two elves,¡± he said, gesturing to Anneliese.


    ¡°You might be thinking that, because I¡¯m Count Delbraun¡¯s brother, I might sell you out, get the Count¡¯s eye on your business. That is not the case,¡± Stain said insistently. ¡°That¡¯s not my business, not my nature. I¡¯ve got the mouth on a statue, pal.¡±


    Argrave listened curiously. Evidently Stain was trying to save his life, though Argrave had no intention to kill him.


    ¡°Count Delbraun hates me,¡± Stain said. ¡°The reason why I took the name ¡®Stain,¡¯ is because he called me ¡®a stain on Jast¡¯s honor.¡¯¡± Stain chuckled nervously. ¡°That¡¯s a true fact¡ªyou ask anyone high up in the Riveters. It¡¯smon knowledge.¡±


    ¡°Riveters. That¡¯s the name of the smuggler group, I presume,¡± Argrave questioned.


    ¡°Aye. Rivien¡¯s crew.¡± Stain nodded. ¡°I live in this charming littlekeside house because I refuse to ept any of my brother¡¯s money. He¡¯d let me live in his¡­ his gilded pce, I¡¯m certain, but he and I are not close at all. He doesn¡¯t care if I live or die. I am not worth your time, I assure you.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Argrave leaned back in the chair, crossing his arms. ¡°But you¡¯re still a little entrenched in that side of things. How would you learn about the tax collector if you didn¡¯t have some connection to the Count? The count received the taxes, after all. You had to learn about the jewels from him or his people.¡±


    Stain started breathing a bit faster. ¡°Aye, I saw the tax collector¡¯s report in Delbraun¡¯s estate, and I spoke to him, but¡­ but everything else I said was true,¡± Stain pointed his finger to emphasize the point. ¡°Just ask around. You¡¯ll find the truth.¡±


    ¡°So you can get into his estate. Did you sneak in? And be honest,¡± Argrave cautioned.


    ¡°I-I¡­¡± Stain trailed off, brain scrambling. ¡°No. I still have ess. Delbraun lets me in, mostly on ount of my other siblings there. I check his documents sometimes to find things that I might get some people on, skim a little off the top¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s peachy. Precisely what I need.¡± Argrave pped his hands together, the sound muffled by his gloves. ¡°Here¡¯s the thing. You like money,¡± Argrave pointed. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a pink coin. ¡°I have a great deal of it. Would you like some?¡±


    Stain sat there, mouth agape with his eyes locked on the rose gold magic coin. He was quick-witted enough to gather himself and respond, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say no.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good. But I¡¯m not a phnthropist.¡± Argrave nodded and stowed the coin away. ¡°Here¡¯s the thing. I have the sneaking suspicion that the Duke of Elbraille, Count Delbraun¡¯s liege, is preparing for war. I need to confirm that suspicion and get all the juicy details about who he intends to support in the civil war. You catch where this is heading?¡±


    Stain¡¯s eyes jumped about as he digested what Argrave had said. Seeing that the three of them were not, in fact, here to kill him, Stain adjusted his posture.


    ¡°You want me to get some correspondence between the Duke and my brother showing if he has any orders from up high,¡± Stainid out, and Argrave nodded. ¡°I can tell you what I know already. Delbraun nned to remain neutral, buttely, Jast has been quietly gathering troops. A lot of the wizards loyal to the Count have already been told not to go anywhere as their services might be needed very shortly.¡±


    ¡°So they are going to choose a side in the war,¡± Argrave noted.


    ¡°Aye, were I to guess,¡± Stain nodded slowly. ¡°But nothing¡¯s going to happen for a while. Winter¡¯sing. No one wants to war during winter, not even with magic.¡±


    ¡°I need more than that,¡± Argrave dered inly. ¡°If this is happening quietly, the Count doesn¡¯t want people learning of which side he intends to support until it¡¯s toote. I need to know if he¡¯s going to fight for the rebels or the tyrants.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Stain nodded. ¡°And the pay?¡±


    ¡°Anneliese, give him the down payment.¡± Argrave said. She stepped forward and handed a sack of coins to Stain. He took them, unravelling the string and counting. He closed it, a dissatisfied expression on his face.


    ¡°Did you sell some of those jewels to get this?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I did,¡± Argrave confirmed.


    ¡°I could have got you a premium price. Big mistake,¡± he said remorsefully.


    Argrave chuckled. ¡°I know my business. Got nearly three thousand for a few sapphires.¡± He saw Stain try and hide the fact that he was impressed, and Argrave stood with a grin. ¡°You do well, might be I¡¯ll hand you a rose gold magic coin. Get me everything you can, Vdrien. And don¡¯t think of running with that paltry purse. If I could find this ce, anywhere else will be twice as easy.¡± Argrave tapped his temple and ducked through the door. ¡°See you soon.¡±


    ¡°How will I get the info to you?¡± Stain called out.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a week or so. Might be here. Might be anywhere. Just keep watch.¡± Argrave waved behind him and finished, ¡°If you have something urgent, talk to Rivien¡ªhe can probably find me.¡±


    #####


    Stain let out a long sigh as the door shut. He stood and fell back into his bed. A thousand curses were running through his head. He had not been expecting his day to be like this.


    <em>Damned scary bastard. </em>


    He was running everything through his head, trying to figure out how the man could find him here. No one knew of this ce¡ªnone that he knew of, at least. This ce had always been his sanctuary. He felt safe here. Yet that man had found his ¡®sanctuary¡¯ a mere day after Stain had asked a few questions about him.


    <em>Guess this is the difference between the big fish and the little fish. If they¡¯re asking about the civil war, they¡¯ve gotta be working for a major yer¡ªout of town, even. </em>Stain held the bag full of gold coins in the air, moving it about with his fingers. <em>I do this right and I earn a lot. I catch the eye of someone high up, might be this bes a regr thing. </em>


    Stain sat up, looking around what he once called his sanctuary. <em>This is just¡­ filthy,</em> the man¡¯s words echoed in his head. Stain clenched the gold bag a little tighter and muttered, ¡°Better get started, then.¡±

 Chapter 60: Profligate

    Chapter 60: Profligate


    Argrave neatly ced a single piece of paper atop the table in the center of their inn¡¯s room. They had rented a ratherrge room with six beds intended as a dormitory. It had been more expensive, but Argrave thought it would be best if they slept near each other and no one protested to the idea. He might¡¯ve found another abandoned house as he had in Mateth, but most ¡®abandoned¡¯ ces in Jast had some ties to smugglers or criminals.


    Gmon handed Argrave a small metal rod with inscriptions across its length. Argrave took off his gloves and grasped it. Its tip glowed hot, and Argrave touched it to his skin briefly. It was quite hot.


    ¡°Such an interesting tool. Creates burn marks in the paper instead of using ink,¡± he mused, tapping his finger against its tip again and again. ¡°I digress. We have a lot of things to pick up.¡±


    Argrave pointed his new writing utensil at Gmon and Anneliese, who both stood beside the table. ¡°I¡¯m going to write most of it down. Come, let¡¯s sit.¡± Argrave gestured to the chairs and sat in one himself. ¡°Let me cast a ward, block off anyone who might be listening¡­¡± Argrave providedmentary as he did just that.


    ¡°Alright¡­¡± Argrave began, voice echoing in the spell of his making. ¡°So, first, there¡¯s the urgent matters. We have to go to the Jast branch of the Order of the Gray Owl to retrieve the shipment of illusion spellbooks for the Veidimen. Considering how long we were at White Edge, they should be here by now¡­ at least I hope,¡± Argrave shrugged, writing that first item down.


    ¡°While there, we can finally pick up some of the books I need there. We¡¯ll be swimming in C-rank spells, you and I,¡± he said grandly, grabbing Anneliese¡¯s arm. ¡°We can also learn if they decided to ept you into the Order. If fate is unduly kind, you¡¯ll be given full membership. If fate is passably kind, you¡¯ll be given honorary membership¡ªnot unheard of for elves, and it suits our purposes. If they refuse you outright¡­ well, I¡¯ll have to teach you spells illegally.¡±


    Anneliese seemed a bit taken aback by this, but Argrave did not give her the time to say anything further.


    ¡°After, we¡¯re going to be recing our wardrobe. Jast has passable craftsmen but an abundance of enchanters. That said, there¡¯s one world-renowned shop here that tailor-makes enchanted leather gear. For a high price, we can get it out of a special material¡ªmanticore leather, the like. This is what I¡¯ll be purchasing for us, Anneliese. I think two sets should be sufficient.¡±


    ¡°One for each. Very generous.¡± Anneliese nodded and smiled.


    ¡°Uh, no.¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°Two sets for each. I¡¯ll not walk around without changing clothes for months, nor would I subject apanion to the same fate. Besides, they¡¯re sure to be damaged protecting us.¡± Argrave tapped his finger against the desk, thinking. ¡°If I remember right¡­ the price should be altogether no more than 80,000 gold, depending on the material. I think I¡¯ll offer forty rose-gold magic coins outright¡­ I¡¯m sure I can swing that.¡±


    ¡°Hold,¡± Anneliese said quickly. ¡°One could buy much in Veiden with that. Even some chiefs of great tribes would never see that much money in their life, before or after Dras¡¯ conquest. Is gold less valued on this continent?¡±


    Argrave opened his mouth to answer, but Gmon took off his helmet and ced it on the table, then set his elbows down loudly. ¡°Gold is likely more valuable here,¡± he said, voice quiet. ¡°A sizeable family could eat for a day off ten or so gold coins, from what I have seen in my travels.¡±


    Anneliese looked at Argrave with her eyes wide. Argrave gave a nod of confirmation and went to the paper.


    ¡°So, 40 rose-gold magic coins from our 164 brings us to 124, or¡­¡± Argrave paused, doing the math. ¡°248,000, give or take a little. The conversion rate isn¡¯t 2000 per coin exactly, but it¡¯s close.¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± she urged. ¡°Can we be so flippant with money? You do not need to purchase so much whimsically. I would not feel disparaged were you to buy less for me.¡±


    ¡°And why would I do that?¡± Argrave responded in confusion. ¡°All of you need to be as well-equipped as I am, if not more.¡±


    Anneliese sat there with mouth agape, and Argrave shook his head and went back to his task. ¡°After, we¡¯ll need some enchanted jewelry. Metal holds magic better¡ªas do gemstones, but well-enchanted jewelry is ridiculously expensive. The craftsman has to be able to make a ring to very precise specifications after the initial casting. It takes a jeweler knowledgeable in extremelyplex enchantments. As you might imagine, such a person is not exactlymon, and so they are quite expensive.¡±


    Argrave pointed to Anneliese and himself. ¡°For us two wizards, I say one ring each. For Gmon¡­ you can regenerate, and rings will be cumbersome anyway.¡± Argrave wrote that down. ¡°Even with our enchanted leather armor, it would be best not to grow reliant on it. The enchantment should be for protection¡ªI¡¯m thinking a B-rank warding spell at least. I think I¡¯m willing to pay, at most, 30,000 for both of these rings.¡± Argrave scribbled the figure down, and Anneliese shook her head disbelievingly.


    ¡°But now Gmon is feeling neglected,¡± Argrave continued. ¡°Since Barden, you¡¯ve been walking about with a hole in your armor¡¯s torso. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be pleased to know you¡¯ll be getting new armor. I can¡¯t afford to have someone else enchant it, but¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like to have this set repaired,¡± Gmon interrupted. ¡°I¡¯ve done it before and I can work with the smith. With two smiths, it would still take around two weeks, though,¡± he cautioned.


    ¡°Don¡¯t like human forging styles, hmm?¡± Argrave questioned jokingly. ¡°Well, sure. I¡¯m not sure if that can be done, but we¡¯ll see. Next order of business¡­ there¡¯s that crown you took from the ruins a long while ago.¡±


    Gmon nodded. ¡°Will we sell it?¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s ridiculous,¡± Argrave admonished. ¡°It¡¯s an artifact. It uses magic that can¡¯t be replicated anymore. You¡¯d be wearing it right now if it wouldn¡¯t be odd to walk around with a crown on your head in the city streets,¡± Argrave pointed at Gmon. ¡°We¡¯ll have armor forged around it. Shouldn¡¯t be too difficult. You do recall how much stronger it made you, right?¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± Gmon nodded. ¡°But protecting the head is too important to use it actively.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why we remake it into a helmet.¡± Argrave spun his writing utensil in his hand. ¡°If it¡¯s just smithing the armor¡­ I suspect it may not even enter a five-digit figure. Spellcasters overvalue their services¡ªgo figure,¡± Argrave said musingly. ¡°I¡¯ll mark another 10,000 for your armor and helmet to be on the safe side for budgeting. So, 208,000 remaining. Time for the real money sinks,¡± Argrave said with a smile. They both looked overwhelmed.


    ¡°Gmon, put your metal weapons and your bow on the table.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    After ncing about, Gmon stood and grabbed his greatsword from the corner of the room. He pulled his dagger from its sheath, andstly grabbed his bow.


    ¡°Do you like all of these?¡± Argrave questioned as the elf set all of what he¡¯d retrieved down on the table.


    ¡°After decades of trial and error, these work best,¡± he said simply.


    ¡°I see that,¡± Argrave reached forward. The dagger was simple: merely a straight guard and a simple de, unadorned. The greatsword was not so¡ªit resembled most a kriegsmesser with the de curving at the end. Argrave touched the sword. ¡°Very nice. Did you get this in the north? I don¡¯t think they make weapons like these in the south.¡±


    Gmon raised a brow. ¡°Yes, it was the north. You know weapons?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Argrave dismissed. ¡°I like them, and I know the styles particr to each region, but beyond that I have no damned clue.¡± Argrave thumped his finger against it, and it rung out. ¡°I¡¯ll get them made to these specifications. For the greatsword, we¡¯ll get powerful offensive wind magic. It¡¯ll make cuts easier, shear through armor as though it were wheat. You can use it at range. It¡¯ll also reduce the damage your de takes. Less contact.¡±


    ¡°Very prudent for a long journey,¡± Gmon noted.


    ¡°Precisely,¡± Argrave pointed to Gmon with his writing utensil. ¡°Repairing enchanted stuff is expensive. Other enchantments might be more potent, but they need constant maintenance.¡±


    ¡°So¡­ for a good enchanted greatsword¡­¡± Argrave tried to think back to prices in the game. ¡°¡­my ceiling is probably 75,000.¡±


    There was a palpable difort in the room after Argrave spoke the figure. Argrave leaned forward andid it out. ¡°We¡¯re getting top-end stuff, here. I suspect this¡¯ll be better quality than the royal guard¡¯s weapons. This is equipment that¡¯ll carry us for years. They need a smith that can make the inscriptions for enchantments withoutpromising the integrity of the de. A mage and a smith in one.¡± Argrave leaned back in his chair, feeling his point was made. ¡°That kind of expertise is costly. Don¡¯t balk at the price.¡±


    ¡°It is merely difficult to process you would spend so much for equipment not intended for yourself,¡± Anneliese finally said.


    ¡°Oh.¡± Argrave nodded, finally seeing things clearly. ¡°If I wanted money, I could make money. It would take time, that¡¯s all. In fact, I¡¯ll probably do a lot of money-making when this great big journey is all over, provided I don¡¯t die terribly during it. For now, I trust two things; I trust you,¡± he said, grabbing their arms with each hand, ¡°and I trust that you both know the consequence of failure.¡±


    Both of them grew serious when Argrave said that. He tapped their arms and leaned back. ¡°If you die because I was stingy, it would be immeasurably saddening. My sess would also be much more far-fetched. So, you¡¯ll take what I give you, I hope,¡± he concluded, grinning.


    Gmon crossed his arms and gave a single nod, and Anneliese eventually conceded too. He deducted 75,000 from the paper.


    ¡°Wonderful. Now then. This bow¡­¡± Argrave picked it up. ¡°We¡¯ll hold off getting a new one. I¡¯d rather get one from the elves in the Midwest part of Vasquer. They have some pact with the dryads, can get dryad wood¡­ well, not important yet,¡± Argrave waved his hand and shook his head.


    ¡°And the dagger?¡± Gmon prompted.


    Argrave picked up the de in question. ¡°Probably a fire enchantment that packs a lot of punch. I¡¯m told burning your enemies from the inside is very potent. It¡¯ll be temporary, and probably cost about 20,000.¡± Argrave wrote that number down on the paper.


    ¡°Temporary?¡± Gmon repeated.


    Argrave crossed his legs and leaned back. ¡°I have a set of daggers that you¡¯re going to get eventually, but they¡¯re not the sort of thing you can buy in stores. They¡¯re near House Parbon¡¯s Lionsun Castle.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t use multiple daggers.¡±


    ¡°Not yet,¡± Argrave said simply. ¡°When you see them, you¡¯ll change your tune. You won¡¯t be using them all the time, either, but instead just when we¡¯re fighting¡­ giant things,¡± Argrave concluded broadly.


    ¡°Giant things,¡± repeated Anneliese incredulously.


    ¡°Yes, giant things,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°I told you genuine monsters were going to appear, though there¡¯s no shortage of giant things already in this world. Gerechtigkeit is the final test, but he¡¯s got plentying before. We¡¯re talking things that make your dragon back in Veiden, Crystal Wind, seem small.¡±


    Argrave did not give them time to digest his words. ¡°I think this is thest thing, now. Those Ebonice daggers that Dras gave me as a gift¡ªI¡¯m going to reforge a great deal of them into arrows.¡± Argrave pointed to the elven vampire. ¡°You¡¯ll have to do this bit, Gmon. I don¡¯t trust any of the people in this city with Ebonice, as they don¡¯t work with it.¡±


    Gmon nodded. ¡°We¡¯ve done it before back in Mateth. Should be no problem.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°We¡¯ll alsomission some enchanted arrowheads. I¡¯m thinking¡­ whatever brings us down to 50 rose gold magic coins t. With that, we¡¯ll have a generous leeway in this budget. The rest of the money I need for my n with the Amaranthine Heart, appraising the jewelry we got from the tomb, future purchases¡­ and rainy days.¡±


    Argrave wrote that final bit down and tossed down the writing utensil, stretching. Anneliese and Gmon both sat in silence, and the ward blocking their sound finally broke. Anneliese pursed her lips, then hesitantly opened her mouth.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I realized how much money you had.¡±


    Gmon nodded, and another long period of silence stretched out. Gmon tapped his helmet and said, ¡°I regret agreeing to this for only three thousand gold.¡±


    ¡°I was poor then,¡± Argrave shook his head.


    ¡°You had nearly seven thousand gold,¡± Gmon said.


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°That was barely enough for one of these items.¡±


    ¡°That¡­¡± Gmon trailed off, and then shook his head.

 Chapter 61: Book Mule

    Chapter 61: Book Mule


    Argrave walked into the branch of the Order in Jast with long, confident strides, though he had to admit that he felt rather isted without his twopanions shadowing him inside. They were just outside, waiting patiently. Provided Castro sold Argrave¡¯s proposition well, Anneliese would be given membership to the Order of the Gray Owl soon enough.


    The Jast branch of the Order was quite a grand ce inparison to the one in Mateth. It upied one of the taller towers in Jast. The ck interior was just as grim and dour as the rest of the city, though it was brightly lit by magicmps. At the center of the room, there was arge spire, a round desk circling around it with many attendants sitting behind. The spire was hollow, and there was one entrance at the front of it.


    This cecked stairs just as the Tower of the Gray Owl, and so the central spire housed those floating tforms of stone that would raise one from one floor to the others. They were the only way to move upwards in the tower.


    He stepped to the desk, and the attendant craned her neck to look up at Argrave¡¯s face.


    ¡°Hello, sir,¡± the woman said somewhat meekly. Argrave didn¡¯t recognize her, so she must not have been important.


    ¡°I have an inquiry,¡± Argrave began without pleasantries, removing the circlet on his head that disguised his features. He stowed it away in his satchel bag and continued, ¡°Has the tower sent any notices regarding the library and an individual by the name of ¡®Argrave?¡¯¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± she said quickly, taken aback. ¡°Um¡­ yes, they have. Is that¡­?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s me, yes,¡± Argrave said with a small smile. ¡°So, then I have free rein of the library?¡± Argrave looked towards the central spire, preparing to enter.


    ¡°Hold on a moment¡­¡± she shuffled through various papers on the desk, and Argrave waited patiently. Eventually she pulled out a piece of a paper. ¡°Apparently¡­ your identity needs to be verified. We¡¯ll use your magic signature¡­ so, please empower your badge and stamp here.¡± She held out a piece of paper.


    Argrave paused, then obeyed her directive, retrieving his Wizard¡¯s badge. <em>Hold a moment¡­ they take this signature when you register as an Acolyte. Will this even work? What is a magic signature? Where does ite from?</em>


    Lacking options, Argrave could only shake his head and will some magic into his badge. It shone, then he lowered it and pressed it down on the backside where it was t. ckness spread out across the paper where he¡¯d pressed like a blooming flower. After a moment, the attendant gestured towards him to pull it away, and he did so.


    Shepared it to another piece of paper, looking back and forth between the two meticulously. Argrave felt a little nervous. ¡°Excellent,¡± she said finally, setting both pieces of paper down. ¡°Then that¡¯s done.¡±


    ¡°So, what, I get a library pass now?¡±


    ¡°Oh, um¡­¡± she paused, shuffling through more papers nervously. ¡°Yes, I think¡­ but I don¡¯t think I can give you it¡­ I think you have to get it from the Order branch manager, sir. I think that¡¯s the case.¡± she said respectfully.


    ¡°You do a lot of thinking, it would seem,¡± Argrave noted sarcastically. ¡°Can you take me there? Or at least think about it?¡±


    She blushed and stood from the chair. ¡°Yes, I can take you there. Please follow me.¡±


    The attendant opened the desk¡¯s door and walked out from behind it, leading Argrave to the central spire. She pressed on the interface at the side of it, and before long, a wide tform came down before them. She walked on, and Argrave followed after. Soon enough, he felt his feet lock just as before, and the tform began to shift.


    The desk attendant stared down at the ground, awkwardly silent the whole way. Argrave considered saying something, but then resigned himself to examining the other people moving about in the central spire. They were carried all the way to the top, and Argrave walked out first, waiting for the attendant to take him to the branch manager.


    The attendant led him to a wooden door and knocked thrice before opening. ¡°Please wait,¡± she said deliberately, then walked inside. Argrave heard a brief exchange between two female voices. After a few seconds she came back out, ushering Argrave inside. He entered. There, a beautiful red-haired woman wearing gray robes waited at her desk. She had sharp features that gave one an impression of fierceness¡ªnarrow green eyes, low-resting brows, and seemingly naturally pursed lips.


    ¡°Hello ine,¡± Argrave greeted cheerily. ¡°Nice to see you. Here for my library card¡ªgot a few books in mind.¡±


    ine was taken aback when her name was called, and Argrave considered that a good start. In a city like Jast abounding with smugglers and wizards, one had to be somewhat ruthless to rise to the position of branch manager, and ine certainly fit that bill. She was Rivien¡¯s sister and a powerful wizard in her own right. Connections and magical power¡ªthatbination was quite potent. At present she was B-rank, and in the future she would rise to A. Argrave did not wish to linger long, but he did not wish to offend, either.


    ¡°So, the world-famous Argrave knows me,¡± she said, matching his cheer and thereby trying to regain control of the conversation. Her green eyes stayed locked on him. ¡°I¡¯m humbled.¡±


    ¡°Which world am I famous in? I must¡¯ve missed the memo,¡± Argrave returned.


    ¡°The spellcaster¡¯s world, of course,¡± she said with a smile.


    ¡°Maybe when I¡¯m asked for an autograph, I¡¯ll agree with you. For now, I just want to get some books from the library as Castro promised. I¡¯m rather busy, you see, forgive me,¡± Argrave redirected the conversation away from himself.


    ¡°Ah, yes. I¡¯m told you¡¯re quite a¡­ what¡¯s the word¡­ bibliophile,¡± she nodded, rising to her feet. She took something off her desk, but Argrave didn¡¯t see what it was and it soon disappeared into her sleeve. ¡°I¡¯m told you even have spellbooks containing druidic magic.¡±


    Argrave took a breath, considering the implications of her words. He wished to ask if Rivien had told her that, but he stopped himself. <em>Considering her brother is Rivien, it may well be she learned from him¡­ but¡­ she doesn¡¯t know I associated with her brother¡¯s smugglers, and it¡¯s been only a day. It¡¯s unlikely she would¡¯ve learned already. Considering her talk about my fame, it¡¯s much more likely that she learned from other people in the Order. As such, I shouldn¡¯t reveal anything. </em>


    ¡°Not ¡®have,¡¯ but ¡®had,¡¯¡± Argrave shook his head after his correction. ¡°I gave them all to Castro. I¡¯m sure that¡¯s how you know of this,¡± Argrave lied.


    ¡°Not quite how I learned, no,¡± she shook her head, walking closer while lifting her head to hold Argrave¡¯s gaze. She was taller than most, but in front of Argrave near everyone was short. ¡°People tell me you still have a great deal. An enviable amount, even.¡±


    Argrave tried to keep his face neutral. <em>Probably bluffing. Even if she¡¯s not, I shouldn¡¯t admit it, </em>Argrave reasoned.


    ¡°People say a lot of things, ine,¡± Argrave said while sighing. ¡°People say that the crown prince eats puppies alive for breakfast. Do you believe that?¡±


    Sheughed. Argrave thought it sounded fake. ¡°Well, I cannot speak to the prince¡¯s eating habits¡­ but I do know this. If you do have any druidic spellbooks and you wish to earn some significant money¡­ you might lend them to me for a day or so. They¡¯ll be returned to you, and you¡¯ll be able to receive all of the credit and the rewards for submitting them to the Order of the Gray Owl. Your coinpurse will be a little fatter, and you¡¯ll have all the fame.¡±


    She held her hand out, a strange metal badge in her hand. It bore an owl¡¯s face in gold. Argrave reached out and took it. ¡°This is the ess I need for the library?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± ine nodded. ¡°It¡¯s usually only given to branch managers or the Masters of the Order, but Castro made an exception for you. Now¡ª¡±


    Argrave cut her off. ¡°Then, is there any update on whether my friend Anneliese will be given Order membership?¡±


    ¡°The council will hold a deliberation at ater date. Now, back¡ª¡±


    ¡°And that shipment of illusion spellbooks¡ªis it ready? I¡¯m sure Castro mentioned this if he sent out word of my ess to the libraries¡­¡± Argrave interrupted again.


    ¡°No,¡± she said. If she was frustrated by his interruptions, ine was quite adept at hiding it. ¡°Thest of the books are arriving from the Tower tomorrow. Now, back to my offer,¡± she said quite deliberately.


    Argrave stared at her eyes as he considered his answer. <em>Is it even worth considering? She probably won¡¯t offer enough money to make a difference, and I take an unnecessary risk. There¡¯s no benefit to this deal for me. </em>


    ¡°It sounds like a wonderful proposition,¡± Argrave said, hiding the badge away. ¡°But I cannot well knock on Castro¡¯s door and demand back what I have already given to him.¡±


    She clicked her tongue, green eyes locked with Argrave¡¯s own. She held out her hand for a handshake. ¡°Well. If you change your mind, my offer is always open. If you have no need for money, I can offer other services.¡±


    Argrave considered that might be an innuendo, but dismissed the idea; ine had pride, at the very least. ¡°Even if you offer to shine my shoes or clean my house, I simply don¡¯t have the books.¡± Argrave shook her hand quickly. ¡°Until next time, branch manager ine.¡±


    She stared for a few seconds, then nodded. ¡°Yes. Until next time.¡± Perhaps Argrave imagined things, but her voice sounded somewhat cold.


    Argrave turned and walked out the door, a smile on his face. Once it shut, that smile vanished.<em> She¡¯s definitely going to have her brother spy on me to see if I actually have those books. </em>Argrave reached into his pockets, pulling out a folded-up piece of paper that had a list. <em>Looks like I have another thing to add¡ªpay a visit to Rivien, make sure he doesn¡¯t help his sister. </em>


    Argrave sighed, despairing, until he remembered the badge he¡¯d acquired. He took it out and flipped it in his fingers. ¡°I¡¯ve got a golden ticket,¡± Argrave muttered, his smile returning. He set off towards the central spire¡¯s elevator, whistling the rest of the tune.


    #####


    Argrave figured that, in the remainder of the day, whatever so-called fame he¡¯d rued at the Order of the Gray Owl quickly became infamy. He spent the remainder of the day hauling out books four at a time from the library at the Jast branch, feeling no shame at all for the nces cast his way as he did so. At first, no one seemed to care. After the fifth trip, people were skeptical or surprised. After the fifteenth, there was disbelief and contempt. None could protest in the face of his golden ticket, though, not even ine.


    It was rather amusing to Argrave watching Gmon¡¯s face gradually grow more and more dour as their bags were slowly filled with books. To his credit, he carried all of them withoutint. Their innkeeper cast them a strange nce at the elf weighed down by dozens of books, but Argrave paid it little heed.


    Once they were all ced in their dormitory, Argrave took them out of the bags and arrayed them out.


    ¡°You want to draw any more attention to yourself?¡± Gmon questioned. ¡°Hauling hundreds of valuable books about¡ªwhat were you thinking?¡±


    ¡°I know, I know¡­ Originally I <em>had</em> nned to do this quieter, but something came up. We have to go speak to someone, get some protection,¡± Argrave answered. ¡°A man by the name of Rivien. I like him quite a bit. He¡¯s the boss of those smugglers. He¡¯ll watch our backs, I¡¯m sure.¡±


    ¡°You trust criminals?¡± Anneliese questioned.


    ¡°I trust this one,¡± Argrave said conclusively. ¡°He cares about reputation and image, and I can think of some things to leverage over him.¡±


    ¡°Fine. We should do this tomorrow, though. I¡¯ll stay here tonight, keep watch,¡± Gmon nodded.


    ¡°Perfect,¡± Argrave concluded, picking up one of the books. ¡°Look at it, Anneliese. It¡¯s beautiful. Every C-rank and B-rank spell we¡¯ll be learning, all arrayed before uspletely free,¡± he said, barely containing his excitement. He stroked one of the books. ¡°A-rank spells are only kept at the Tower. Sensible, I suppose.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve got warding spells,¡± Argrave listed, pointing at them as he listed them. ¡°Elemental spells and healing magic. Three illusion spells¡ªthe rest in that branch are worthless for our needs,¡± he said dismissively. ¡°We¡¯ve got blood magic. We¡¯ve got enchantment methods,¡± he pointed, grabbing one. ¡°Frankly, I don¡¯t even know if I should have taken these. Castro only specified spellbooks. But they¡¯re mine now,¡± Argrave said with a hystericalugh.


    Argrave calmed down, sighing. ¡°This is the most fun I¡¯ve had in a while. I can¡¯t wait to crack these open. Maybe¡­ no, I don¡¯t think I need to sleep tonight,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°I slept around four hours yesterday, that should be fine¡­¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

 Chapter 62: Siblings of Vyrbell

    Chapter 62: Siblings of Vyrbell


    Argrave peered past an iron fence into a well-managed estate garden. It had a fountain, a very brief hedge maze, and at the very back, a rather grand mansion. Evidently a smuggler and a branch manager of the Order could grow very wealthy working together. Argrave nodded in recognition then turned away from the fence, gesturing to Anneliese and Gmon to follow. He made his way to the gate. A lone knight guarded it rather idly.


    ¡°Hello,¡± Argrave greeted, voice somewhat dull. He had not slept a wink, and as much reflected in his general demeanor. He learned a C-rank warding spell, though, so the effort was not wasted.


    The knight did not react, so Argrave repeated, ¡°Hello,¡± louder and more insistently. The knight turned his head to the sound slowly and then came to attention when he saw the three of them approaching, cing his hand on the pommel of his sword.


    ¡°This is the estate of Lady ine of Vyrbell. Please keep your distance,¡± the knight said loudly.


    Argrave knew that this was only her estate in name only¡ªRivien made the majority of the money, but he didn¡¯t wish to draw much attention to himself.


    ¡°I see, I see. Well, I wish to speak to Rivien of Vyrbell. I¡¯m sure that he¡¯ll want to speak to me,¡± Argrave pped his hands together diplomatically.


    When Rivien¡¯s name was mentioned, the guard noticeably hesitated, his helmet moving back and forth between the three of them.


    ¡°¡­the lord is likely having breakfast now,¡± the knight said slowly.


    ¡°Just tell him that Argrave would like to see him. I have a matter he might help me with.¡±


    The knight nodded, then stepped over to ring a bell. A servant from inside the gate came rushing forward in short order, and the knight ryed Argrave¡¯s message. Content, he stepped away from the knight, facing Anneliese and Gmon.


    ¡°Anneliese. Keep an eye on the people in this meeting, try to feel out their dispositions towards us.¡± When Anneliese nodded, Argrave squeezed his eyes shut and then opened them, trying to dispel his tiredness. ¡°Head¡¯s killing me. Eyes hurt. At least I¡¯ll sleep easier tonight,¡± Argrave focused on the positives.


    ¡°I slept, so I feel fine,¡± Anneliese said pointedly. ¡°You should not stay up all night, even if you are having fun.¡±


    Gmon eyed the both of them. ¡°Fun? You only studied.¡±


    ¡°No, we learned magic,¡± Argrave corrected. ¡°In terms of activities, it is immensely satisfying to see one¡¯s studiese to fruition. It¡¯s like¡­¡± Argrave searched for the right words. ¡°Building yourself. Adding to yourself. Getting new limbs, new tools, that all exist within your mind.¡±


    Anneliese nodded, then turned her head to watch the servant that¡¯d moved away return. He spoke to the knight, and the armored man nodded. He walked over to the three of them, and Argrave turned.


    ¡°Lord Rivien will receive you alongside Lady ine,¡± the knight walked to the gate, opening it. ¡°Our footman will take you to them. I would ask that you remove the circlets disguising your appearance.¡±


    ¡°Alongside Lady ine, hmm? What a delight,¡± Argrave said with a smile, feeling like he¡¯d dodged a bullet. ¡°You heard him. Circlets off,pany,¡± Argrave directed, doing so as he spoke.


    After a neat bow the footman led them through the garden, past the hedge maze, and through the door. They were greeted by a fanciful great room with two parallel winding stairways leading to a second floor. Here, at least, there was some respite from the constant dreary ck present in most of Jast¡ªthe inside was mostly marble and dark wood, tastefully decorated with silver at points.


    After some turns, Argrave and hispanions were led to a room guarded by two knights. The footman wordlessly opened the door and gestured inside, where Argrave entered. A small dining room awaited them. Barring the attending servants, there were two people present. Rivien sat at the head of the table opposite the entryway, while ine sat at the seat closest to his left.


    ¡°See?¡± spoke Rivien, mouth still full of food. He chewed and wiped his face with a napkin, swallowing before saying to his sister, ¡°I told you.¡±


    ine was a little shocked to see him, and Argrave relished in that fact. He walked towards them, arms outstretched. ¡°Speak of the devil and he shall appear,¡± Argrave said, staring at ine the whole while. ¡°Though perhaps that idiom is not popr in this ce. Hello, Rivien. We have not met before, but I know you quite well.¡±


    Behind, Anneliese and Gmon tried to enter but were stopped by the knights. ¡°The guards should wait outside,¡± he heard the knights argue.


    Argrave turned on his heel. ¡°Guards? These two are mypanions.¡±


    ¡°Let them in,¡± Rivien said decisively. ¡°And shut the doors.¡±


    The two elves entered the room, and the doors were shut behind them. Argrave turned back. ¡°Very kind of you to wee me into your home on such short notice.¡±


    ¡°Business is scarcely kind,¡± Rivien said, nting his fork down and taking another bite of food. He chewed, staring at Argrave. He was quite a well-built man, and that made the finely made red clothes he wore appear much grander than they were. He seemed to be around his mid-thirties, and he had a pair of bright green eyes that made his gaze piercing.


    Once Rivien swallowed, he pointed to a chair beside him. ¡°Have a seat. Yourpanions, too.¡± He set the fork down for a moment, resting his elbows on the table and sping his hands together. ¡°I understand you wanted to have a conversation with me?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Argrave nodded, making a show of walking slowly to the chair. ¡°And who is this but ine?¡± hemented. ¡°How might you know Rivien?¡± Argrave pulled back the chair closest to Rivien, opposite ine, and sat down. Anneliese and Gmon sat to his right.


    ¡°He¡¯s my brother,¡± she said, face taut.


    ¡°Your brother. Imagine that,¡± Argrave said sarcastically. ¡°It¡¯s such a small world.¡±


    Rivien was faintly amused by his theatrics, just as Argrave had been aiming for. He took his elbows off the table and grabbed the fork once again, pointing at Argrave with it. ¡°Would you like some pork or ostrich egg? My chef is quite exemry.¡±


    ¡°No thank you,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ve eaten. I have to apologize for interrupting a lovely breakfast between siblings for talk of business, but I think this might interest you.¡±


    ¡°Certainly. But I have to ask¡­ how is it you came to know of me?¡± Rivien inquired, taking another bite of food.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°Our mutual winged friend,¡± Argrave said with a small smile, referring to who Rivien knew as ¡®the Bat.¡¯ In most of ¡®Heroes of Berendar,¡¯ the Bat was an enigmatic figure whose agents were central in many side quests. But Argrave knew who it was; Princess Elenore, a master strategist and schemer. Even blind, she sees more in Vasquer than all¡ªor so some would say.


    Of all the Vasquers, Elenore was the most reasonable and measured. On the flipside, she was the most deceptive, and capable of more cruelty than all of them. Hers was a dispassionate and pragmatic cruelty, derived not from sadism but from benefits. She worked only for herself.


    As Argrave recalled, she had been one of the more popr romantic options. Many people like the idea of fixing a wed person and winning affection from callousness. Her story was quite sad, Argrave had to admit, but then most of the Vasquers¡¯ lives were misery. Argrave did not dislike her especially, but he was not overfond of the idea of working with her. Considering her influence, it seemed an inevitability.


    Argrave nced at Anneliese. <em>Well, with Anneliese here, I¡¯m sure I won¡¯t be too badly screwed by her. Even if she¡¯s not as good at scheming as Elenore, Anneliese¡¯s smart enough to stop me from getting swept into the fire. </em>Anneliese returned Argrave¡¯s look, confused. Argrave shook his head dismissively, smiling as though to tell her it was nothing.


    ¡°As I thought. You see?¡± Rivien pointed to ine, drawing Argrave from his thoughts. ¡°Well, if it¡¯s that¡­¡± Rivien looked at the attendants still in the room and gestured towards the door with his head. They all bowed at once and made for the door quietly, filing out one by one. Argrave waited quietly.


    Once the door shut, Rivien said, ¡°This room is warded. You may speak freely without fear of being overheard.¡±


    ¡°I warded it, in fact,¡± ine interjected.


    ¡°How reliable, ine. What a power duo,¡± Argrave pped his hands together. ¡°To business. Firstly, I need you to get in contact with the Veidimen smugglers thate here. I know they don¡¯t work with you, but you can swing it, I hope.¡±


    Rivien briefly looked to Argrave¡¯s elvenpanions. ¡°The snow elves are skittish, especially after the failed invasion. If we contact them unexpectedly¡­¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re expecting something from me. ine, I¡¯m sure you know of what I speak.¡±


    ¡°I do. Castro sent the shipment,¡± she confirmed.


    ¡°Excellent, excellent,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°We¡¯ll have to discuss things furtherter.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Mymission, then,¡± Rivien said, cing his elbows on the table and leaning in.


    ¡°Hold for a minute,¡± Argrave raised one finger up. ¡°There¡¯s another matter, so let¡¯s make this a bundle deal. Your crew¡­ the Riveters,¡± Argrave said unconfidently, and seeing Rivien did not react, assumed he said it right. ¡°I¡¯m going to be moving a lot of very valuable things around. Doubtless word has already reached you about the innumerable books I hauled from the Order¡¯s libraries.¡±


    Rivien put his hands out. ¡°I ordered my men not to touch your things. If you¡¯re rted to the Bat in any manner, I won¡¯t get involved. I¡¯ve learned much from others¡¯ mistakes regarding that person. Much of my sess can be attributed to him.¡±


    ¡°Well that¡¯s just it,¡± Argrave continued. ¡°Your little crew is thergest in town, and considering the valuable things I¡¯m moving about¡­ protection would be nice. I¡¯d like you to watch the inn I¡¯m staying at, make sure no undesirables set foot in there. In general, I¡¯d like it if you could make sure no one bothers me as I attend to my business in Jast. It would be very much appreciated.¡±


    Rivien tilted his head, expression stoic. ¡°And if you ced some value on that appreciation?¡±


    Argrave rummaged through his pocket and pulled out five pink coins. He slid them over to Rivien, then spread his hands out. ¡°Is that sufficient?¡±


    ¡°How long will you be staying in Jast?¡± Rivien eyed the coins.


    ¡°Hopefully no more than three weeks,¡± Argrave responded quickly, anticipating the question.


    Rivien reached his hand out across the table and ced a single digit on each coin. ¡°Five now. Five more in three weeks, with the possibility of extension should your business be unfinished.¡±


    ¡°Come now,¡± Argrave began. ¡°Your merry band is likely the most influential in Jast. If you put the word out that the very tall, very skinny man with ck hair is off limits, everyone is going to fall in line without a word. My offer is reasonable.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re high profile,¡± Rivien shook his head. ¡°The invasion at Mateth¡ªrumor is spreading you stopped it. The Duke is calling you the ¡®Hero of Monti.¡¯ There might be unexpected variables to deal with.¡±


    ¡°Is he now?¡± Argrave confirmed. He started gritting his teeth after Rivien nodded in confirmation. <em>I told Nikoletta I wanted no credit¡ªnothing. What is she thinking? Or is it Duke Enrico?</em>


    ¡°Fine,¡± Argrave agreed hastily, both fatigued fromck of sleep and bothered by the news Rivien shared. He stood, offering his hand. ¡°Five more in three weeks. I suppose keeping me intact long enough to pay will give you an incentive to offer good protection.¡±


    Rivien took his hand, green eyes veritably glittering. ¡°You¡¯ll be safe, I assure you. It¡¯s my business. I¡¯ll contact the Veidimen. Shouldn¡¯t take long if they¡¯re waiting.¡±


    ¡°I certainly hope so,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°Now, ine. Let¡¯s work out those illusion spellbooks for the Veidimen, shall we?¡±


    ine stood, her expression somewhat icy. ¡°Yes. Let¡¯s.¡±


    #####


    ¡°So? Any thoughts?¡± Argrave asked Anneliese and Gmon as the iron gate of Rivien¡¯s estate shut behind them. ine had decided to go ahead to the Tower to get the shipment ready, and Argrave intended to join her in short order.


    ¡°Probably prudent. What few men I saw in his gang seemedpetent enough. Well-equipped, at the least,¡± Gmon noted as they walked away from the fence.


    ¡°I believe he was being genuine,¡± Anneliesemented. ¡°As for the other, ine¡­ I could tell she was very bothered by the matter.¡±


    ¡°You think?¡± Argrave turned. ¡°In what way?¡±


    ¡°Her pride was hit. She felt made light of¡ªslighted, mocked. I thought that may have been what you were aiming for, what with the jokes. If not¡­ that was what you achieved.¡±


    Argrave bit his lips. ¡°Some people¡­ no sense of humor.¡± He looked to Anneliese. ¡°Do you think she¡¯ll do something?¡±


    She thought. ¡°ine also seemed bothered her brother did not defend her in the slightest. I believe¡­ granted, I did not see much of her¡­ certainly not enough to say with certainty¡­ but she may not make things easy for us. If we¡¯re to be working with her, it might cause problems.¡±


    With a sigh, Argrave stopped in the road. The other two stopped shortly ahead, then walked back to rejoin Argrave. ¡°Maybe we should just kill the old bag.¡± Seeing Anneliese and Gmon shift uneasily at the prospect, Argrave quickly added, ¡°I¡¯m only joking. But something will have to be done.¡±


    ¡°From my observations alone?¡± Anneliese asked uncertainly.


    ¡°¡¯Alone?¡¯¡± Argrave repeated. ¡°Your observations are worth a great deal ¡®alone.¡¯¡± Argrave looked up at the distant Order tower. ¡°I guess I have to be more considerate of people with prickly prides and enormous egos,¡± Argrave muttered, lost in thought. ¡°Let¡¯s go back to the inn before we meet her. I have an idea that may benefit everyone.¡±

 Chapter 63: Friends in the Business

    Chapter 63: Friends in the Business


    Argrave walked into the Jast branch of the Order of the Gray Owl, adjusting the strap of the satchel bag off his neck. He looked behind his shoulder briefly. Anneliese and Gmon waited at the entrance, unable to enter as they bothcked a badge. It reminded him of a pair of parents watching their kid to go to kindergarten, and Argrave briefly chuckled.


    His mirth very quickly died when he saw ine standing just before the central spire elevator, staring at him. Argrave figured by andrge green was a warm color, but her eyes of that color were quite cold¡ªor perhaps what Anneliese had told him was already shading his world in a different light.


    ¡°Do you find it funny to keep me waiting?¡± ine asked when Argrave came closer, immediately dispelling any doubt he had.


    ¡°My apologies,¡± Argrave said sincerely,ing to stand before her. She looked up at him boldly. ¡°There was something that I needed to get before this. I should have informed you.¡±


    Evidently the sincerity had no holes in it, for ine could only stare back for a few seconds before nodding. ¡°And my proposition earlier¡ªI can assume your visit to my brother is your answer to that? A resounding ¡®no.¡¯¡±


    ¡°I can see why you might think that,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°But I was telling the truth back then. I don¡¯t have the books.¡±


    She kept her gaze locked on Argrave for a few moments, and then turned away. ¡°You were smart to go to my brother. He¡¯s the best you can ask for in town. I hope things go well for you.¡±


    It sounded a conciliatory statement, but Argrave trusted in Anneliese¡¯s instincts and decided to continue with his n, beginning, ¡°There is another thing we might discuss after we take these books to the Veidimen, though. Something far more worth both our time than books, I think.¡± Argrave pointed a finger. ¡°And you know what they say¡ªtime is money.¡±


    ¡°Do they now?¡± She turned her gaze back to him.


    Argrave spread his hands out. ¡°There¡¯s a reason I wanted someone watching my back here. Some things I¡¯ve got¡­ let¡¯s just say they¡¯re not light burdens.¡± He tapped the satchel on his waist. ¡°But we¡¯ll talk more about that somece where everyone isn¡¯t staring at us. Provided you are amenable to that, Miss ine,¡± Argrave finished suavely, dipping his head.


    She pursed her lips. ¡°We¡¯ll see what happens,¡± she said vaguely. ¡°They¡¯re bringing the illusion spellbooks down. Shouldn¡¯t be much longer.¡±


    ¡°I guess you would have been waiting after all. All¡¯s well that ends well,¡± he said brightly, trying to focus on the positives.


    ¡°I suppose so,¡± ine agreed, turning around. Argrave raised a brow, then shook his head. <em>It¡¯s a start, I suppose. </em>


    #####


    ¡°Are you sure that Rivien will have things ready for us?¡± Argrave questioned, walking through the iron fence to Rivien¡¯s estate for the second time today. With ine beside him, he did not need to wait to be seen by Rivien¡ªone small fortune.


    ¡°My brother is remarkably efficient,¡± ine said simply. ¡°At the very least, considering he is the person who these books need to go through, it would be best to move them to this location.¡±


    Gmon stepped forward just behind them, carrying therge box of books as though it did not weigh as much as himself. Two of ine¡¯s men moved behind him, at a loss as to what to do considering Gmon carried the cargo alone.


    ¡°Why do you travel with elves?¡± ine inquired, the first question she¡¯d asked in during their entire walk. ¡°Moreover, elves recently responsible for an attack on Mateth.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nice having people the same height as you. Makes you feel like you¡¯re normal,¡± Argrave said, thenughed. ¡°Only joking. Why does anyone gain friends? It¡¯s the way things worked out. As you can see, both are quite reliable.¡±


    ¡°Friends,¡± ine said somewhat disdainfully. ¡°They aren¡¯t being paid?¡±


    ¡°Anneliese isn¡¯t. He used to be,¡± Argrave pointed to Gmon. ¡°Now he¡¯s my indentured servant.¡± ine looked at him for a moment, and Argrave leaned down and whispered, ¡°Polite term for ¡®ve.¡¯¡±


    She snorted and turned away while shaking her head, but Argrave didn¡¯t miss the smile. <em>Seems like I¡¯m winning her over, if only just. Unless that¡¯s a smile of derision. Always a possibility. </em>


    Rivien opened the door and walked out, then noticed the oing cargo and stepped aside.


    ¡°Going out?¡± inquired Argrave, stepping off to the side as Rivien had done to allow Gmon to pass.


    ¡°No. I know my sister. She¡¯s impatient, she¡¯d want to do this right away,¡± Rivien said, watching Gmon walk past.


    ¡°Come now, impatient? The nicer word is ¡®prompt,¡¯¡± Argrave defended light-heartedly. ¡°She said only nice things about you, I¡¯m sure you can manage the same.¡±


    ¡°Is that right?¡± Rivien said, ncing at ine. ¡°Good to know, I suppose.¡± Rivien did not dwell on the subject long. ¡°My men will lead yours to where I¡¯ll hold the stuff. I¡¯ve reached out to the crew I know that works with the Veidimen, mentioning what you had, your name, things like that. Should work, provided they¡¯re actually expecting you.¡±


    Argrave stepped inside Rivien¡¯s estate alongside ine. ¡°And I assume you¡¯ve already got people watching out for me?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Rivien nodded, stepping inside and shutting the doors to the estate behind him as Anneliese enteredst. ¡°Word is out that you¡¯re Riveters¡¯ property¡ªthat includes the stuff you have in the ce you¡¯re staying, that inn. Nice ce. You chose well.¡±


    Rivien stepped into the great room, continuing. ¡°Any people spying, prying, or otherwise scrying will give up their chase or end things with a bolt to the head¡­ and if we can¡¯t manage to do that, we can at least warn you who¡¯s got their eyes on you. Premium services, I¡¯d say.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Better be, with what you¡¯re charging,¡± Argrave said derisively.


    ¡°Well, my charging is done for now, unless you have more business with me,¡± Rivien said.


    ¡°Not with you. The other red-headed one, though, I do,¡± Argrave pointed to ine, who seemed surprised that Argrave had been serious. ¡°Can we use that same room asst time for a discussion?¡±


    ¡°Business with my sister?¡± Rivien smiled incredulously as though it was amusing. ¡°Who am I to stop you from going into any room in the house? Your name is on the deed, branch manager ine.¡±


    ¡°Right then. Shall we?¡± Argrave asked. ¡°I promise this¡¯ll be worth your time.¡±


    ine furrowed her brows for a moment. After a time, she hesitantly nodded.


    ¡°Hold on,¡± Rivien raised a finger. ¡°I have a question for you, Argrave.¡±


    ¡°So you do,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°Will you ask this question, or just hold onto it?¡±


    Rivien snorted. ¡°The Bat. Have you spoken to him?¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°Indeed I have.¡±


    ¡°Care to share anything? Might be I can waive this fee altogether,¡± Rivien suggested.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Argrave paused. He didn¡¯t want to attract Princess Elenore¡¯s attention quite yet. Spreading details about her would be a surefire way to do so.


    Argrave leaned in close as though he was telling a big secret and whispered, ¡°¡¯Bat¡¯ is not a real name. I¡¯m sure thises as an immense shock, but it¡¯s actually an alias.¡±


    ineughed a little while Rivien stared with a smile on his face. ¡°I see. I guess he must choose his agents right, because no one I¡¯ve spoken to cares to divulge any information on who the Bat is. All I can surmise is that they have a lot of money and they¡¯re very smart.¡±


    ¡°Wealthy, smart¡­ that sounds like you¡¯re talking about me,¡± Argrave pointed to himself. ¡°Add ¡®handsome,¡¯ you¡¯ve got a dead ringer.¡±


    Rivien shook his head amusedly as he sized up Argrave¡¯s spindly limbs. ¡°Handsome? Even if there¡¯s a sterling face on skin and bones, doesn¡¯t change the big picture. Few women like someone they can take in a fist fight,¡± he grinned somewhat provocatively, but Argrave wasn¡¯t bothered.


    When Argrave didn¡¯t rise to the bait, Rivien scratched his chin and turned, waving them away. ¡°Well, banter aside, I have nothing else. He¡¯s all yours, sis.¡±


    #####


    ¡°So, what is it you wished to speak to me about?¡± ine asked, gaze sometimes drifting to the satchel bag he held.


    ¡°Straight to business,¡± Argrave said, shutting the door behind Anneliese. He turned to the dining table, which had been emptied. ¡°I like it.¡±


    Argrave grabbed the strap of his satchel bag and picked it up,ying it out across the table. He opened its p and pulled free his lockbox, setting it on the table. The Amaranthine Heart was visible, and Argrave pushed it back into the bag self-consciously. He retrieved the key for the lockbox from his breast pocket, briefly brushing against the bronze hand mirror, and opened the box.


    The metal lid of the lockbox opened, revealing glimmering jewels, jewelry, and myriad shimmering pink coins. ¡°Take a look at this,¡± Argrave said, gesturing towards the box. ¡°Ignore the rose gold magic coins. That¡¯s not what this is about.¡±


    Even ine, who lived in a grand estate like this, showed considerable shock at seeing Argrave have such a staggering quantity of money. Argrave smiled. He had been hoping for this reaction.


    By visiting her brother, Argrave had demonstrated that he did not trust ine. The action also wounded her pride. By showing her something that was ostensibly secret¡ªArgrave¡¯s money¡ªhe showed that he did trust her.


    Argrave knew a simple principle; by showing trust in someone, it is easier to receive it from them in return. ine was the manager of the Jast branch of the Order of the Gray Owl. Having a good rtionship with her would make his activities in Jast go smoothly, and would likely have benefits in the future, as well. Argrave took no risk by showing this one card in his hand. ine was a bit ruthless, but she respected her brother¡¯s business partners.


    ¡°Look at these,¡± Argrave continued on, fishing a ne out of the lockbox. ¡°Look at this lovely emerald pendant. It might go well with your nice green eyes.¡± He held it up, and she frowned. ¡°Don¡¯t get angry. I¡¯m not here to sell you jewelry. Each and every one of these lovely pieces is enchanted.¡± He dropped the ne and it ttered against the rest.


    ¡°So?¡± she pressed. ¡°They¡¯re stolen, and you want me to sell them?¡± She shook her head. ¡°You¡¯d be better off bringing this to my brother.¡±


    ¡°No. They aren¡¯t¡­¡± Argrave trailed off. ¡°I guess they <em>are</em> stolen,¡± he turned to Anneliese, musing. ¡°We took them from a grave, technically. But their civilization died thousands of years ago, so it should be fine, no?¡± He bit his lip. ¡°No, I suppose not. I guess I¡¯m a bad person.¡±


    ¡°Talk sense for a minute,¡± ine said. ¡°You took these from a grave?¡±


    ¡°An elven tomb,¡± Argrave corrected, moving his finger from Anneliese to ine. ¡°Each and every piece of enchanted jewelry in here was made with lost methods. Might be some of them are useless. Might be some of them are invaluable. That¡¯s what I need your help with.¡±


    ¡°My help?¡± She shook her head. ¡°How am I to believe you about their origins?¡±


    Argrave grabbed the crown from the lockbox. ¡°I know this one¡¯s effect. It enhances your physical strength and stamina. Try it on.¡±


    She hesitantly took the crown from Argrave¡¯s hand. It was almost toorge for her head, and it sunk down a fair bit before her bountiful red hair caught it. ¡°I feel nothing.¡±


    ¡°Try jumping. Or running,¡± Argrave suggested.


    She frowned at Argrave, but seeing him remain serious, she jumped. She got a great distance off the ground and panicked. After waving her arms about, shended ungracefully. The crown fell off her head as she struggled to keep her bnce. The crown rolled away, and Argrave stepped forward, grabbing it elegantly.


    ¡°That¡¯s a genuine artifact,¡± she said, staring at it. ¡°Physical enhancements caused by enchantments are a lost art. And it was pulled from that tomb?¡±


    ¡°Correct,¡± Argrave nodded. Seeing her amazed stare at the crown remain unbroken, Argrave added, ¡°I have some ns for this one. It¡¯s these others I want to entrust to you. When all is said and done, perhaps we can discuss selling some of these to you.¡± ine¡¯s gaze turned back to stare up at his face, and she nodded.


    ¡°As I recall, you mentioned you warded this room,¡± Argrave waved his hands about. ¡°I need someone well acquainted with enchantments to discern what each piece of jewelry does. I can offer a significant price,¡± Argrave added, rummaging through jewels and pink coins all but overflowing from the lockbox.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± ine stepped forward, picking up a piece of jewelry. She held it up in the air, studying it. ¡°To be frank, this is beyond my expertise. It¡¯s one thing for me to know enchantments that the Order has documented and that exist, but one would need certain specialists to decipher ancient enchantments¡­¡±


    ¡°And who would know those specialists better than ine of Vrybell, manager of the Jast branch of the Order of the Gray Owl?¡± Argrave smiled.


    ¡°I guess you do know a thing or two,¡± she admitted, lowering the jewelry and cing it back in the lockbox. ¡°Let¡¯s talk a service fee.¡±


    At those words, Argrave nodded with a faint smile. He might be able to get it cheaper if he skipped by ine and went directly to the people she¡¯d reach out to, but oftentimes knowing the right people was more important than getting the best prices. <em>Always nice to have friends in high ces. I think this is the start of a beautiful friendship built on half-truths and money. </em>

 Chapter 64: Sowing Seeds

    Chapter 64: Sowing Seeds


    In the days toe, Gmon was strongly reminded of back when he and Argrave had been nning for the assault on the druid¡¯s camp. Argrave led them through the city as adroitly as one who lived there, heading to obscure shops and famous shops in equal measure and setting various things in motion. They were unbothered by any, though Gmon was acutely aware of the people watching them. At times, they would be osted by irate people suspicious that they were Veidimen, but when Argrave removed his Circlet of Disguise and revealed his non-elven features, that was typically enough to send them away.


    There was an undeniable tension in the city. Gmon mostly harvested his blood from ces like taverns, where the people within would be less cautious of him and far easier to prey upon. While there, he often witnessed peoplee to blows in debates regarding the cause of the Snakes or the Lions. Common opinion seemed to favor the rebels. Furthermore, the word of an invasion against Mateth had set people against the Veidimen, stoking tempers more yet.


    Much of Gmon¡¯s time was upied with the repair of his armor, as the smiths needed to be directed in Veidimen styles. Gmon made use of the days spent on this endeavor to make the Ebonice arrows from the daggers as Argrave had suggested. Gmon used all but five daggers and chiseled out thirty Ebonice arrowheads. It would be more than sufficient for their needs for a long while, he suspected.


    The rest of Gmon¡¯s time dealt with apanying Argrave on his spendthrift shopping journeys. Gmon had been unsure that Argrave¡¯s price estimates were urate, for most of the things he intended to purchase could be considered heirlooms in aristocratic houses. Most of the time, Argrave managed to get them far cheaper than he initially predicted. Much of it was due to Argrave¡¯s bartering prowess.


    The majority of what Argrave ordered would take some time to finish, and so once all of the requests were put in and down payments were made, their party retired to the inn and devoted their time to study. Argrave often drank the ck liquid magic and talked about ¡®repaying his magic debt quickly.¡¯ It was idyllicpared to their usual activities, and Argravemented on that fact often.


    They were only disturbed on the seventh day of their stay.


    #####


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± asked Gmon, who¡¯d just re-entered into the inn¡¯s room. He wore in brown clothes with long sleeves. His frame wasrge and the clothes stuck tight, giving the impression he wore something too small. ¡°What are you wearing?¡±


    Argrave stood beside a table, where an empty pot and a potted nt rested beside each other. The ¡®potted nt¡¯ was, in actuality, a strange multi-colored mushroom sprouting about a foot high. Argrave wore an apron and held a small shovel, where he lowered dirt into the empty pot. Anneliese watched as though the ordeal was fascinating.


    ¡°Some light gardening,¡± joked Argrave. He looked into the empty pot. ¡°I suspect this much should be enough¡­¡± He retrieved a stone shaped like a real heart and lowered it into the pot. ¡°Now, let¡¯s put the Amaranthine Heart into there¡­ and next, this nt.¡±


    ¡°What was it you called this?¡± Anneliese pointed to the nt.


    ¡°Hydra¡¯s Canopy.¡± Argrave pulled out the mushroom and lowered it into the other pot, whereupon he promptly buried it in dirt. ¡°It¡¯s well-known for being ridiculously resilient. You cut off the mushroom¡¯s cap, it¡¯s grown back by the end of the day and then some.¡±


    ¡°So, because of its resilience, the Amaranthine Heart can extract more liquid magic from it before the nt dies. It has more life to convert to magic.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Argrave said, piling dirt on. ¡°There are nts we might use that are more cost-efficient, but this little mushroom offers the most yield in the shortest amount of time. After around three days, we get another Hydra¡¯s Canopy, and we extract all the magic the Heart¡¯s produced.¡±


    Argrave mused about the many graphs people had made to calcte which nts were most efficient, cost-wise, for the best gold-to-magic ratio. Most everyone in the ¡®Heroes of Berendar¡¯munity agreed that, after the yer had collected enough money, it was best to spend more for the Hydra¡¯s Canopy.


    ¡°You¡¯re certain this will work?¡± Anneliese questioned as Argrave put thest bit of dirt over the mushroom¡¯s stalk.


    ¡°Sure,¡± said Argrave. ¡°I mean, it should work. I¡¯ve never seen it done, and I don¡¯t know if I¡¯m doing it right¡­ but ostensibly, this is all we need to do.¡±


    In ¡®Heroes of Berendar,¡¯ it had been as simple as opening your inventory andbining the items within it. Argrave recalled the item descriptions, and this was what they described. If there was something he was missing, he couldn¡¯t be certain, but he was rtively confident.


    Argrave removed his apron, folding it neatly and cing it on the table. ¡°I know, I know. I can see the questions on your head¡ªhow does he know these things? But you forfeited your right to ask that question.¡± Argrave cleaned off the shovel with the apron. ¡°Having any change of heart? My offer still stands. You¡¯ve done a lot for me, both of you, so if you have something to ask¡­¡±


    ¡°Hold,¡± Gmon said, and Argrave turned towards him curiously. Then, Argrave heard it too¡ªa set of footsteps moving up the stairs of the inn.


    He heard them walk across the hall, and then a knock came to their door. Gmon held up one finger to symbolize one person and waited for Argrave¡¯s direction. Argrave nodded and gestured towards the door. Gmon moved to open it. A broad-shouldered man wearing leather armor waited, face covered by a mask.


    ¡°You¡¯re one of Rivien¡¯s men,¡± Gmon said at once. ¡°I¡¯ve seen you watching.¡±


    ¡°Aye, I am,¡± he said, staring up at Gmon cautiously. ¡°Saved me the trouble of exining myself, it seems.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± Argrave inquired, moving up. ¡°Some trouble?¡±


    ¡°Depends. Rivien said little lord Stain came to him, said he had some urgent news for you. Considering your history, Rivien thought it¡¯d be prudent to run it by you.¡±


    Argrave pursed his lips. ¡°I¡¯d like to see Stain.¡±


    ¡°At once,¡± the man nodded, then walked away from the door.


    #####


    ¡°So this is where you¡¯re staying,¡± said Stain idly, ncing around their room. Argrave could tell he was a bit taken aback by the sheer quantity of books. They had turned the ce into a mini-library in the days that they¡¯d been here. His gaze locked on the potted mushroom, expression perplexed.


    Rivien¡¯s man that had been here earlier pushed Stain inside, and then came to stand in the corner. ¡°Rivien told me I should offer to stay, make sure nothing gets out of hand.¡±


    ¡°Offer declined,¡± Argrave said simply. ¡°Be off, would you?¡±


    The man nodded, unoffended by Argrave¡¯s brusqueness. He left and shut the door quickly. Argrave held out his hand and cast the new wide-range C-rank warding spell he¡¯d learned, and at once, the four of them were shrouded in a ward from which no sound could leak.


    Stain¡¯s eyes darted around uneasily. He fixed his brown hair, and then stood nervously with his hands in politely held in front of him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for contacting you ahead of our date, but there was something I heard that my intuition said you might be interested in.¡±


    Argrave grabbed a chair and pulled it away from the table in the center of the room, sitting down in front of Stain. When sitting, his gaze was level with Stain¡¯s. ¡°Let¡¯s hear it.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡± Stain cleared his throat. ¡°Er¡­ well, firstly, I figured out what you wanted me to figure out. My brother is going to be following his liege lord, the Duke of Elbraille, into war. He¡¯ll be taking the side of the Snakes, cretin that he¡ªer, excuse me,¡± Stain cut himself off, clearly afraid to share his opinion.


    Argrave took a deep breath and sighed. ¡°I see,¡± he said, keeping his thoughts hidden in front of Stain. ¡°You have proof of this?¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ erm, I didn¡¯t¡­ it¡¯s still at my ce in the cistern. I can¡­¡± he stepped towards the door quickly.


    ¡°Get itter. For now, let¡¯s finish our talk.¡± Argrave crossed one leg over the other. ¡°Anything else regarding the war you can mention? For example, the ¡®why¡¯ of things?¡±


    ¡°No. Even the letter I did manage to get was vague, but I confirmed that Elbraille intends to support Vasquer. Apparently, the crown prince ising to officiate things, make some promises concrete. Typical noble back-patting, pampers and perfumes, the like.¡±


    Argrave frowned. ¡°He isn¡¯ting here, I hope?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Stain shook his head quickly. ¡°The prince is going straight to Elbraille, where he¡¯ll be hosted by Duke Marauch and his wife.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Argrave leaned back in the chair, his brain spinning.


    <em>The biggest change I¡¯ve caused is House Monti maintaining its control over Mateth and its other territories. It¡¯s reasonable to assume that this is the biggest cause for this happening¡­ I¡¯ve got some ideas, but I need to talk this out with Anneliese. I¡¯m sure she can help me make sense of this, help me make a course of action.</em>


    ¡°Erm¡­ now, about that thing that was urgent¡­,¡± Stain spoke, breaking the silence.


    ¡°Oh.¡± Argrave lifted his head, drawn from his thoughts. ¡°Go ahead, tell me.¡±


    ¡°Apparently, the young lord Elias of Parbon ising to Jast,¡± Stain spoke slowly. ¡°My brother ns to host a weing banquet for him, and he sent out a messenger to intercept him with an invitation. Considering who the Duke¡¯s siding with, I thought this was a pretty big thing if Eliases right into my brother¡¯s seat of power. There might be some things that happen. House arrest at best, a ughter at worst, though I doubt he¡¯ll be killed. Elias has more value alive, I think.¡±


    Argrave furrowed his brows. ¡°Him again?¡± he muttered. ¡°Elias¡¯ escort can¡¯t be small, considering it¡¯s wartime.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure about all that,¡± Stain shook his head. ¡°From what I heard from the Count, he doesn¡¯t think Elias will evene to the banquet. I think there might be something else in the works¡ªambush on the roads, or maybe even the streets. A card like that¡­ it¡¯s got value. Knowing my brother, he¡¯d like to keep Elias as a ¡®guest¡¯ for a long while.¡±


    ¡°Margrave Reinhardt knows his son would be a prime target. I don¡¯t think¡ª¡± Argrave paused before he got further into his thought process. ¡°Alright. It was good of you to bring this to me.¡±


    ¡°Absolutely,¡± Stain said enthusiastically. ¡°I¡¯ll get those letters you wanted right away, no problem at all. You need anything else, don¡¯t hesitate. You know where I am. I think. And if not, you can¡­ find me,¡± Stain trailed off nervously.


    ¡°There is something else. You¡¯ve done well bringing me this, but I need you to do something more.¡± Argrave leaned in. ¡°Find Elias.¡±


    ¡°And do what¡­?¡± Stain asked, clearly taken aback.


    ¡°Tell him that Argrave is looking for him. Tell him that we should speak before he enters Jast.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Stain nodded. ¡°Is that your name?¡±


    ¡°Yes and no,¡± Argrave said. There was some truth to that, strangely enough. ¡°Be off, then, and retrieve those letters. Return shortly¡ªwe¡¯ll still be here.¡±

 Chapter 65: A Brief Foray

    Chapter 65: A Brief Foray


    Argrave tipped back therge ss bottle and drained it of thest of the ck liquid mana. His gaze stayed locked on the ceiling of the inn as it fell into his mouth. He winced at the familiar taste, twisting his lips about as though to dispel the vor from his tongue. He felt its magic surge within him, replenishing his diminished supply.


    Expending one¡¯s magic was one of the few ways to increase its size. By channeling his magic power to pay off Erlebnis¡¯ debt caused by the Blessing of Supersession, Argrave had an efficient method to drain his magic. The recovery period was shortened by the ck liquid magic created by the Amaranthine Heart. Altogether, his personal reserve of magic had increased very quickly rtive to most other mages. That alone made the Amaranthine Heart a worthy item to obtain.


    ¡°Right. My debt is nearly paid off,¡± Argrave held the bottle in his hand for a moment, and then set it on the floor.


    ¡°Debt?¡± Anneliese inquired. She sat beside Gmon, both waiting for him to speak.


    ¡°Every bit of magic I take from Erlebnis I have to pay back. It¡¯s the same ability his Emissaries possess.¡± Argrave wrapped his gloved hands together. ¡°Right¡ªto the point. Today we¡¯re going to take a brief foray from town as we wait for events to progress. I¡¯ve asked Rivien to keep an eye out for Elias, too, so we can ostensibly only wait for results from either him or Stain.¡±


    Gmon nodded. ¡°Why are we leaving Jast?¡±


    The elven vampire was still without armor and most of his weapons. Argrave had purchased a simple broadsword for him to use temporarily, and it rested on the table before him.


    Argrave leaned back into his chair, crossing his arms. ¡°We need to get that spellbook I mentioned in the past. It¡¯s a marvel made by the Order of the Rose. The spell is called [Electric Eel]. It¡¯s C-rank. For Anneliese it¡¯ll bergely useless, but I suspect I will be using it well into A-rank.¡±


    ¡°What makes it so exceptional?¡± inquired Anneliese.


    ¡°It¡¯s weak,¡± Argrave began, standing from his chair and stepping about their dormitory. ¡°It¡¯s barely weaker than the D-rank [Writhing Lightning], and it has no area of effect unlike that spell. It¡¯s slower than most lightning spells. Despite that, two variables make it of utmost importance.¡± Argrave raised a finger as he listed the two off. ¡°It¡¯s persistent, and it¡¯s controble.¡±


    Argrave roamed about the dormitory as he continued to exin. ¡°Once the spell has been cast, it continues to exist for about an hour¡­ or until it strikes something, naturally. One can have it hover about their head doing nothing but simply existing. Then, when the timees, one can use it as they please.¡±


    Finished exining, Argrave grabbed the back of his chair and leaned in. ¡°As I said, the spell is weak. It¡¯s slow¡­pared to most lightning magic, at least. But when a thousand of these things strike at once, even a dragon is going to take mortal damage. A wyvern might die outright,¡± Argrave grinned. ¡°As I possess Erlebnis¡¯ blessing, this spell is the perfect thing for an underdog like myself gunning for the biggest things in town.¡±


    ¡°For beasts and monsters, it indeed sounds very effective,¡± Anneliese conceded. ¡°But in battle against mages or armies, they would all dispel harmlessly against one C-rank ward,¡± Anneliese posited.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I had Gmon make Ebonice arrows,¡± Argrave pointed to Gmon.


    ¡°Ebonice is not especially effective against B-rank magic, andpletely ineffective against A-rank magic,¡± Gmon advised.


    ¡°And that¡¯s why I¡¯m continuing to learn blood magic. Most C-rank blood magic spells can break B-rank warding magic, and that trend is simr at the higher ranks. Once the ward is broken, the spells can slip past and deal tremendous damage. [Electric Eel] may be slowpared to most lightning spells, but they¡¯re still nigh unavoidable for your average human.¡± Argrave turned around. ¡°In Mateth and Veiden, I was weak. Once we leave here, I¡¯ll be¡ªno. <em>We¡¯ll </em>be a force to be reckoned with.¡±


    #####


    Argrave led his horse up the grass hill ahead of him. Anneliese and Gmon waited at the top. Though Anneliese had only ridden horses a quarter of the time that he had, she was already vastly better at it than he was. Such was her talent as one with the [Genius] trait¡ªArgrave suspected she would be a B-rank mage much sooner than he would, too. Strangely, he felt no envy. There was only a fierce desire to work harder.


    Once Argrave crested the top of the hill, he slowed his horse and it whinnied loudly. The six pigeons bound to him via [Pack Leader] swooped down,nding on his shoulder. One held a worm in its beak, and strangely enough, it did not disgust Argrave.


    ¡°I¡¯m getting too used to bird mannerisms,¡± muttered Argrave.


    Anneliese did not hear him, but Gmon replied, ¡°Release them, then.¡± He adjusted his bow. It was strung, and he wore it on his back as though the string were a strap. His quiver dangled from his side. It held only iron arrows, for they had no need of Ebonice.


    ¡°Not feasible,¡± dismissed Argrave. ¡°Though, if I ever try to fly off a tall building, please stop me.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t joke about that,¡± Anneliese said angrily.


    Argrave was taken aback by her sharp gaze. ¡°Uh¡­ okay, yeah,¡± he agreed, nodding awkwardly. Her amber eyes turned away.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°I believe this is the ce you spoke of,¡± Gmon pointed, ignorant or uncaring of their exchange.


    Following Gmon¡¯s finger, Argrave¡¯s gaze found its way down a small overgrown gorge. A tiny stream moved down into it, mostly obscured by tall des of grass barely graying in light of winter¡¯s beginning. At the very end, Argrave faintly made out a carved stone structure.


    ¡°Indeed. This is it,¡± Argrave agreed, moving his horse forward slightly. It seemed ufortable at the prospect of going deeper¡ªperhaps because it could sense whaty behind those walls, or perhaps simply because the entrance to the gorge was too steep. ¡°Thorngorge Citadel.¡±


    ¡°We should tie up the horses,¡± Gmon contributed, alighting from his mount. He grabbed it by the reins and looked about for a ce to tie it up.


    Most of the area around them was ins without a single tree in sight. In the distance, one could see the gargantuan towers of Jast standing against the sky, casting great shadows across the ins. Beyond it, Argrave could faintly make out a single white tower ascending out of the middle of a ringfort.


    Argrave touched Anneliese¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Hey. See that? That white tower?¡±


    She turned, looking out across thendscape. Slowly, she nodded.


    ¡°I used to own that. Foamspire, it¡¯s called. Sold it for all those rose gold magic coins.¡± Argrave kept his eyes on the white tower in the distance. It looked small, but it probably towered fifty feet in the air. ¡°It was built atop a sea arch. Arches form on leading-edge shorelines. This is simplifying things a great deal, but¡­¡±


    Argrave tried to create the image with his hands. ¡°The waves hit a piece ofnd jutting out into the water and refract, and gradually, the center wears out, creating an arch in the sea. Over time, the whole thing falls into the ocean.¡± Argrave snapped, but no sound came out because he was wearing gloves. ¡°That¡¯s why I sold it. In a few months, it¡¯s going to fall into the ocean.¡±


    ¡°A good sale, all things considered,¡± Anneliesemented.


    ¡°I might¡¯ve got more if I sold it elsewhere, but we wouldn¡¯t have any money now. Someone had the misfortune to purchase it from me.¡± Argrave nodded, then said grimly, ¡°Let¡¯s hope whoever purchased it isn¡¯t nning to stay there anytime soon.¡±


    Eventually, their party found a fairly decent ce to tie up the horses so that the animals would not be disturbed by either people or the elements. They descended down into the gorge, mindful not to trip over the graying winter grass at their feet.


    ¡°Before we enter¡­¡± Argrave called out as they grew near the stone door. ¡°Some things to keep in mind. There are some creatures within that don¡¯t have arms¡ªthey¡¯re just heads, and they¡¯re immobile. It may be tempting to kill them, but don¡¯t. You¡¯ll attract the attention of some rather nasty things called Dire Eyes. They¡¯re spiritual beings, meaning they attack the soul. Only magic affects them.¡±


    Gmon turned around, a deep frown disturbing his face.


    ¡°As for the other ones¡ªif they grab your weapon, Gmon, don¡¯t try and pull it free. Just drop it. This probably won¡¯t happen to you as you¡¯re an experienced warrior, but just in case. Mostly, I think you¡¯ll be using your bow.¡± Argrave looked about. ¡°Anneliese, you should use the C-rank spell [Ice Spear]; it should kill most things within instantly. I will do the same¡ªit¡¯s why I learned that spell, you see. Always aim for the eyes. They¡¯re very big and very vulnerable.¡±


    ¡°What in Veid¡¯s name is in this ce?¡± questioned Gmon. ¡°You did not seem worried that I would not be wearing my armor, but the things you describe sound dangerous. What are they?¡±


    ¡°Abominations. There¡¯s no better way to put it.¡± Argrave stepped past and approached the stone door. ¡°The Order of the Rose fell because their members practiced necromancy without discretion. They¡¯re thergest reason necromancy is illegal in the Order of the Gray Owl.¡± Argrave rapped his knuckles on the stone door. ¡°Beyond these doors, we¡¯ll find necromantic nightmares and horrors sculpted of flesh.¡±


    ¡°This is what you meant by ¡®a brief foray?¡¯¡± Anneliese stepped forward, pulling her long white hair aside and cing her ear to the stone door. ¡°You showed more fear at the Cavern of the Lily¡¯s Death. Am I to take it this ce is less dangerous?¡±


    ¡°Largely speaking, these things are quite impotent. Strange anatomies are not conducive to effective disys of strength.¡± Argrave watched Anneliese as she tried to hear beyond the stone without much sess. ¡°Just have to watch the ceilings, make sure the other denizens don¡¯t sneak up on us. That¡¯s what Gmon is for.¡±


    Anneliese lifted her head from the side of the door and looked at Gmon. She quickly reached back and bound her hair in a simple braid. Argrave was impressed at her speed. In perhaps ten seconds, therge mass of white hair descending to her knees was tied back in a ponytail.


    ¡°Perhaps next time we may choose a ce that is not a dark, dank underground cavern. I am well tired of crouching through narrow ces and banging my knees against rocks,¡± she said with little enthusiasm.


    Argrave considered her statement, hand on his chin. ¡°That¡¯s unfortunate. Long-term, I believe there¡¯s to be quite a lot of this.¡± Argrave looked to the door, head tilted. ¡°On the bright side, I don¡¯t think this ce is cramped. There¡¯s plenty of room. Plenty of space for things to hide, too.¡±


    Gmon drew his broadsword, the steel rattling as it came free of its scabbard. He pointed towards the door. ¡°Anything else you wish to share?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ just follow my directions, I suppose. As ever, you¡¯ll take the front.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Gmon muttered. ¡°As ever.¡±


    He walked to the door. It was circr and simple. The years had cracked it, though not enough to let any light through. Gmon ced his hand on its side and pushed. It creaked, grinding against the floor, and then pushed open slowly, grating horribly.


    Once it was open, Gmon stood there gazing inside. ¡°Looks to be clear. It smells of blood, but it¡¯s¡­ wrong. Rotten. Debased. Defiled by magic.¡±


    His gaze slowly lifted up. Something dropped down, and Gmon immediately thrust his sword up at it. Whatever was falling stopped, and blood started to drip down Gmon¡¯s de.


    A creature mostly still hidden in darkness narrowly stopped itself from being impaled, two of its many hands grasping the center of the de. Gmon stared up at it, and Argrave prepared a spell to dispatch it. It started to move, and Gmon heeded Argrave¡¯s words, tossing both the creature and the de away. Both tumbled, sliding, and thennded just where the sunlight fell into the ruin.


    The creature¡¯s body was only a head. This head could not be any smaller than Argrave¡¯s torso. It was bald and veins bulged from its forehead as though enraged. Its neck extended down and branched off into eight arms. The armscked joints¡ªits fingers had no knuckles, the forearm had no elbow. It was like a twisted mockery of a man and an octopus. Dazed, it took a moment to settle itself, and then it looked around.


    Argrave met its eyes. They were an absolute ck with two golden rings for irises, as though someone had poured molten gold into dual abysses. Its nose and ears had been cut off. From the still bleeding orifices, child-like hands emerged and pulled at its eyelids, keeping those dread eyes exposed and bloodshot. Its mouth had been sewn shut, but its sharp teeth pierced its flesh and left wounds from which harsh, uneven breathing came.


    Anneliese took a step back, and Gmon readied himself. The creature shifted about, dragging its arms against the ground. As it made to move, a spear of ice hurtled forth soundlessly, taking it in the eye. It slid back a few feet from the impact, mming into a wall. Argrave stepped forward, hand still outstretched after casting the magic.


    ¡°Scary bastard,¡± Argravemented,ing to a cautious stop. ¡°There aren¡¯t too many of those in there, but those will be our main opponent. It¡¯s why we watch the ceilings in Thorngorge Citadel.¡±


    Anneliese let out a sigh of relief, and Gmon stepped forward and retrieved his de, cleaning it of blood on his pants. He peered out into the hallway beyond.


    ¡°No use standing around,¡± Argrave said cheerily. ¡°You first, Gmon. As ever.¡±

 Chapter 66: Thorngorge Citadel

    Chapter 66: Thorngorge Citadel


    Argrave¡¯s hand came alive with a spell matrix and a small ball of me jumped up into the air above his head, illuminating the stone passage ahead. Thorngorge Citadel was distinct from the previous ces they had explored. The tomb of metal guardians had been wide and spacious, the ruins hidden within the Cavern of the Lily¡¯s Death had been meticulously carved, but the Citadel was surpassingly simple in design.


    A straight cube-shaped hallway stretched ahead. Every so often, iron bars blocked the path. They had been broken, seemingly ripped apart, and the years had rusted them to uselessness. Some of the breaks left sharp points exposed. Argrave could see dried blood on the floor on and near the sharp parts¡ªevidently the creatures roaming the citadel had cut themselves on the exposed metal.


    Gmon stepped forward past Argrave, advancing first as he had been directed. Argrave could see his head moving about, scanning each bit of the hallway before proceeding. When they came to the first set of iron bars, Anneliese paused and peered at where they met the walls.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°These bars¡­ they can¡¯t open, nor can they slide out of the way,¡± she noted. ¡°You called this ce a citadel? Why are these bars like this?¡±


    Argrave had been expecting that she would ask some questions and had an answer prepared. ¡°It¡¯s a mage¡¯s citadel. The Order of the Rose had mastery in earth elemental magic. This entire ce was built with magic alone. Supposedly, they could build one of these citadels in a day provided they had enough capable spellcasters. Their mastery was great enough to manipte even metal.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± she muttered, her curiosity sated somewhat.


    Gmon took his bow off his back and took an arrow from his quiver. Argrave and Anneliese paused, and in the silence, the faint sound of choked breathing could be heard.


    ¡°Be sure it¡¯s not just a head,¡± Argrave cautioned. ¡°Like I said, we don¡¯t want to get the attention of the Dire Eyes.¡±


    Gmon¡¯s white eyes fixed on Argrave briefly, and he nocked an arrow. ¡°I am capable of remembering things you say. You seem to forget this often.¡±


    ¡°I just don¡¯t want any¡ª¡±


    The bow twanged, and a ck blur vanished into darkness. A rather unpleasant noise sounded out ahead, and Gmon walked forth. Argrave could only shake his head and follow along. When they finally reached what the arrow had hit, Argrave saw one of the eight-armed head creatures with an arrow sticking right out of its ck eye. Its arms spasmed a few times, fingers clenching, and then it grew still.


    Gmon put his foot on its forehead and pulled the arrow out. Argrave stepped back so that none of its viscera wouldnd on his shoes. Gmon cleaned the arrow and then proceeded onwards. The hallway began to slope down ahead of them, but Argrave¡¯s steps were confident. Gmon nced back at him, brows furrowed.


    ¡°What?¡± asked Argrave.


    Gmon shook his head, and then proceeded. The hallway levelled out again, and ahead of them finally opened up into a room. Gmon stopped Argrave with his arm, staring into the darkness beyond.


    ¡°I see one of those¡­ heads¡­ that you mentioned,¡± he said.


    Argrave pushed his arm away and replied, ¡°Then you know what not to do.¡±


    Gmon nodded, entering the room. Argrave entered after him. The light of his spell illuminated some stone bedframes. The mattresses within had rotted away to nothing. When the light of the spell fell upon a head on a spike, sound filled the room, and both Anneliese and Gmon jumped.


    The creature¡ªa human-like head with a snout and a ck nose¡ªsounded like a Tasmanian devil with its rattling, dry growl interspersed with snorting. The sound echoed against the stone walls, filling the ce with sound. Such a thing might¡¯ve worried Argrave, but he knew most of the creatures in this ce were deaf. The few that could hear were incapable ofing to the upper levels.


    Argrave retrieved a decaying and decrepit canvas nket and draped it over the head, and the sound faded somewhat. He turned back to his two elvenpanions.


    ¡°Noisy one, isn¡¯t it?¡± Argrave spoke loudly above the din, wiping his gloves clean of the dust on the nket. ¡°This first level has the soldiers¡¯ dormitories. The non-mages would sleep here. Rather kind of the Order to ce them at the entrance of the Citadel, no? First line of defense, first to die.¡±


    Anneliese took uncertain steps forward, eyes locked on the head still growling. ¡°Are you not uneasy?¡±


    Argrave was perplexed. ¡°Why? Something amiss?¡±


    ¡°You are eerily calm,¡± Anneliese said. ¡°These things¡­¡± she trailed off. ¡°Why do they not bother you?¡±


    Argrave frowned, turning his head back to the still-screaming head. Anneliese wasn¡¯t wrong. These things probably should make him uneasy. That said, of every dungeon type in ¡®Heroes of Berendar,¡¯ abandoned citadels constructed by the Order of the Rose were likely the mostmon. They werergely uniform in design, and the biggest risks were the traps, not the enemies. Moreover, the yer could summon each and every one of the creatures within these walls if they studied necromancy.


    ¡°Feares from uncertainty¡­ the unknown,¡± Argrave said slowly, speaking only as the answer came to him. He knew Thorngorge Citadel like the back of his hand. After all, [Electric Eel] was one of his favorite attack spells, and this was one of the easiest ces to get it. He had seen these creatures a thousand times before; their unusual appearances did not bother him even if they were far more realistic than he was used to.


    ¡°I know what lurks in here. We¡¯re more than capable of confronting anything within. What¡¯s there to be fearful of?¡± Argrave concluded, thumping the screaming creature¡¯s forehead. Anneliese stared at it as it growled beneath the canvas. She blinked a few times, then took a deep breath, nodding.


    ¡°Right. I envy that knowledge.¡±


    Argrave snorted, and then made to proceed. Opposite the hallway they had entered from, another identical one sloped gently downward. It proceeded onward for a short bit, and then opened up into a curved hallway going left and right. Argrave knew from past experiences that these two paths formed a ring containing many other dormitories along the way.


    In the silence following their pause, Argrave heard a faint noise. After it repeated, he recognized it as a whisper. On the inner wall of the hallway, there was an empty space acting as a window into the portion beyond. Anneliese walked past him, leaning down and gazing into it. Argrave followed after her, staring out just as she did.


    The inside was hollow and descended for a long way down. One could see the other levels of the citadel, each with an opening identical to the one they looked out of. The source of the whispers dominated most of their vision, though. Branches of bone extended upwards from the ground far below. At points, what looked like white roses bloomed. Argrave knew they were not.


    The ¡®white roses¡¯ were humanoid faces. Each had been morphed into the shape of a rose, twisted and bent unnaturally like some terrifying modern art given life. Their ck-and-gold eyes were beautiful and decidedly feminine, and each blink was exaggerated byrgeshes. Their mouths would open at times and whisper haunting phrases that Argrave was well familiar with; calls for help, calls for death, questions of where and what they were¡­ even expecting this, Argrave could not help but shudder.


    He spotted movement in the corner of his eyes and noticed that Anneliese was shaking. He grabbed her shoulder, and she flinched slightly. ¡°Take it easy. Those things can¡¯t move. They¡¯re one of the least dangerous things here.¡±


    ¡°Right. Right,¡± she nodded quickly as though trying to reassure herself. Argrave turned her away forcibly, leading her away from the inner wall. Gmon stared out beyond, expression passive as though he was unbothered.


    <em>She¡¯s been to war before. I doubt that it¡¯s the gore rattling her. There¡¯s something else at y¡­ that, or I underestimated the psychological impact this ce might have, </em>Argrave reflected. He bit his lips, thinking, and quickly made a decision. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s hurry this up. Gmon, this way,¡± he directed, cing Anneliese on the side opposite the inner wall and hurrying Gmon along with a wave of his hand.


    Their progress was much faster than it had been before, but Gmon still maintained a cautious pace, pausing only to dispatch some of the eight-armed creatures lurking on the walls or ceilings. The Tasmanian devil-like screams of the disembodied heads filled the halls, setting the mood tenser yet. They wound around the ring, heading to where Argrave knew the main stairwell would be.


    Fortunately, unlike in the ruins nested within the Lily Lurker¡¯s cavern, the stairs were not ced far from each other. The main stairwell descended all the way to the bottom, spiraling down steadily. Anneliese was quite reticent during this time, focused more on the path ahead of her than the things around her. Argrave could not deny he felt some worry, but he tried not to distract himself from the matter at hand.


    On the second tost floor, Argrave led them off the stairwell. Bits of the bone and flesh nt in the central room pierced the stone of this floor, some rose-faces exposed in the hallway. It was difficult to avoid their voices. Argrave made sure to proceed past them quickly, but sometimes they were directly above or beside the hallway, peering down and whispering.


    After a good deal of walking, they came to a room that had a wooden door¡ªan oddity, considering most other ces were simply empty doorways. Argrave stopped Gmon.


    ¡°This is the ce¡ªthemander¡¯s quarters. There¡¯s a great hulking creature within. It¡¯s rather unobservant, but it¡¯s quite powerful. If you shoot one of its legs, it should bergely immobilized and easily dispatched. Each leg is about yea big,¡± Argrave demonstrated, creating a width about the size of a basketball. ¡°I trust you can shoot that?¡±


    ¡°If I couldn¡¯t, I might have to set the bow aside for the rest of my life,¡± Gmon said, weighing his weapon in his hand. ¡°Does it move quickly?¡±


    ¡°Not if you hit it. It¡¯s not very observant, so you can expect the first shot to be quite easy.¡± Argrave put his hand on the door, preparing to push it open.


    Gmon grabbed Argrave¡¯s wrist and pulled his hand away. ¡°I go first, as ever.¡±


    Argrave wasn¡¯t in the mood tough at what may well have been a joke so he nodded and stepped aside. Anneliese, who had regained much of herposure, stared ahead as though refusing to look around. Gmon nocked an arrow in his bow, holding it pointed at the ground as he pushed open the door steadily.


    The door pushed open slowly, the light of their spells peeking through the cracked opening. Something on the other side blocked its opening, and Gmon held up a hand to stop them from moving any further. He moved one eye to the cracked door, looking about. Evidently he found nothing out of sorts and continued to push open the door.


    As the door opened, they could hear the sounds of ttering wood. Argrave could see debris being shifted about as Gmon pushed. Even Argrave was slightly worried that the beast within the room would be drawn to the noise, but nothing shifted within the room.


    The majority of the room was covered in debris¡ªsplintered wood, chips of stone, or torn-apart books. It would make any significant movement impossible. Argrave could vaguely see their enemy in the corner of the room. What Argrave saw amounted to a hunk of flesh, but Gmon saw more. He drew back his bowstring, taking aim into what Argrave saw only as darkness. A twang echoed out, followed by an ear-wrenching howl.


    The beast shambled out from the darkness, and Argrave saw an arrow sticking from its leg. Argrave was prepared to cast another spell to be sure it fell, but once its injured leg met the ground, it immediately tumbled and fell, exposing its great bulk in their spell-light. It crashed against the debris, sending splinters and chips of stone flying. Gmon grabbed the door and shielded himself with it, but Argrave felt some heated pain from his cheek as a flying splinter struck him.


    Argrave ignored the pain and stepped back, examining the creature. Were it still standing, Argrave estimated its height at twelve feet. It had the same bulbous ck eyes as on most of the creatures within Thorngorge. It was humanoid, but its flesh had uneven, y-like burn scars marring most of its body. Its torso resembled a barrel on stilts, and both of its arms were very long and very thick¡ªeach was about the size of Gmon himself. It tried to use its arms to rise to its feet, failing in pitiful disys. Once that failed, it tried to grasp at the doorway, but it was just shy of grabbing it.


    As time stretched out, Argrave gathered himself and stepped forward, one hand raised as the creature writhed. His hand followed its head, a spell matrix forming as it did so. Seeing the light of the spell matrix changed something within it. The creature grabbed something, throwing it at Argrave. Gmon swatted it aside with inhuman dexterity, but Argrave still flinched.


    It crawled back vainly, shifting debris aside and letting out noises not so distant from a dog¡¯s whimper. When its back hit the wall, Argrave saw his moment, and a spear of ice hurtled forth, taking the creature in the head. Its body convulsed once, and then came to be still.


    Argrave felt a strange sense of difort for but a brief moment, but he pulled his gloves tighter and walked forth. He checked with Gmon to be sure that nothing else was in the room, and then proceeded in. Things had been shifted about by the creature¡¯s struggle, but it did not take him long to find a ck box tightly shut with two metaltches.


    Though Argrave had expected Anneliese to ask about the multitudes of books destroyed in this room, she remained silent. Argrave could only open the ck box in silence. The book was within, well-preserved. Argrave opened it, and a matrix briefly projected itself into the air. After a thorough examination, he determined it was, indeed, the spell he was searching for.


    ¡°Right.¡± Argrave shut the book, stowing it back in the box. ¡°This is it. Let¡¯s be off.¡±


    Gmon had been busying himself pulling his arrow from the creature¡¯s leg, seeding just as Argrave said so. The elven vampire turned to look at him. ¡°We¡¯re not going to be dealing with these creatures? It seems like something you¡¯d do.¡±


    ¡°They keep to themselves, and they don¡¯t grow in numbers,¡± Argrave dismissed. ¡°There¡¯s a reason this ce hasn¡¯t been discovered yet. We can alwayse back at another time.¡± He held out the box to Gmon. ¡°Carry this. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Before Gmon could take it, Anneliese took it from his hands. Argrave was puzzled but did not protest to the arrangement. They walked back, taking the same path they had when they entered. After the initial entrance, very few creatures bothered them.


    It did not take long before the grim Citadel was left behind them. Gmon shut the stone door, and it grated ever as loudly as it had the first time. Argrave stretched, feeling satisfied, but he heard something scrape the stone behind him and paused. There, Anneliese slumped against the wall of the ruins, hand held to her mouth as though nauseous.

 Chapter 67: Order of the Rose

    Chapter 67: Order of the Rose


    Argrave approached Anneliese, who¡¯d slumped against the wall, and put his hands on his knees.


    ¡°Feeling queasy, or is it something else?¡±


    She nodded to his open-ended question with her hand still covering her mouth, so Argrave did not know what exactly was wrong. He knelt down, perplexed, and looked to Gmon. He did not seem to have any idea of what to do, either.


    ¡°Those creatures,¡± she finally said, her voice no louder than a whisper. Argrave turned his head back to her. Her gaze was locked to the ground. ¡°Do you know what they are?¡±


    ¡°Is that a rhetorical question?¡± Argrave replied. When she didn¡¯t answer, Argrave said awkwardly, ¡°Erm¡­ well, they¡¯re creatures made by necromancy.¡±


    ¡°Are they alive?¡± she asked, her amber eyes finally lifting from the ground and locking with Argrave¡¯s own. ¡°Can they feel?¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°They¡¯re a soul locked in a vessel,¡± Argrave exined. ¡°That¡¯s the foundation of necromantic creatures. These ones have been sculpted to resemble horrors to damage morale. They¡¯re usually made from the corpses of the Order of the Rose¡¯s enemies.¡±


    ¡°No. I have seen other necromantic creations, fought against Veidimen who turned to the darker magics in search of greater power. Normal necromantic creations felt nothing and disyed no emotion¡ªthey were but a vessel for the soul and magic.¡± She ran a hand through her hair. ¡°These things¡­ they felt. They had emotion. They were alive.¡±


    Argrave bit his lip, unsure of what to say for a time. He thought back to the creatures. Their appearances had been all but engraved into his memory. He felt an instinctual disgust seeing them in a new perspective, but he had been mentally preparing for that inevitability for months. He supposed that clinging to the notion that they were merely souls in vessels had been helpful, but Anneliese¡¯s insights unsettled him somewhat.


    When a long period of silence passed, Argrave tried to understand further, suggesting gently, ¡°Be that as it may, they were trying to kill us¡ªsurely their emotions couldn¡¯t be dissimr to those during war. After Barden, you were fine¡­ what¡¯s different?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not the same,¡± she shook her head. ¡°Not the same at all.¡± She lowered her head once more, staring at the ground. Argrave knelt there, unsure of what to do. Eventually, Anneliese broke the silence.


    ¡°When a child is born, theyck all the usual methods ofmunication we possess. They cannot speak, nor understand speech.¡± She stared at Argrave. ¡°As a consequence, the only way they understand others is through facial expressions, bodynguage, or tone. One can make a baby cry by scowling alone. They experience emotions more intensely, and project them the same way.


    ¡°All I saw in each of those creatures was confusion, fright, dread, and¡­ pain. Each was projected with a childlike innocence. It¡­¡± she lowered her head in defeat. ¡°¡­it probably sounds ridiculous, having seen them. They are abominations. You said so yourself, and I myself do not deny they appear and act abominable. But there is something in them that is unwitting and unwilling. Something with all the naivete of a baby.¡±


    Argrave shook his head. ¡°It doesn¡¯t sound ridiculous.¡± Anneliese looked up at him, some measure of surprise on her face. ¡°I won¡¯t act like I understand because I don¡¯t. I won¡¯t act like I felt it too, but I trust your abilities enough to believe you. That, at least, you can be sure of,¡± Argrave lined it out inly.


    ¡°I see,¡± she said, voice cracking. She stared for some time, and then nodded. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°The question is¡­¡± Argrave sat down. ¡°What do you want to do about it?¡±


    When posed with that question, Anneliese¡¯s demeanor shifted. Her back, slumped against the stone wall, straightened, and her shaking slowed. Argrave had hoped it might have that effect. Rather than focusing on what she¡¯d seen, she would focus on what could be done¡ªdrastically different lines of thinking, and perhaps the route to recovery.


    She wrapped her arms around her knees and looked at Argrave levelly. ¡°Do you believe we will see these creatures again?¡±


    ¡°Inevitably,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°Ruins of the Order of the Rose are everywhere, and many of them are inhabited with creatures like we saw and worse. In the future, I must enter more of them.¡± Argrave turned his head to the stone door they¡¯d left. ¡°And once Gerechtigkeit has more influence in this ne, they will roam beyond the ruins. Their creators are all long dead, and he will assume the role of their master.¡±


    ¡°Then I would like to know about them,¡± she said resolutely. ¡°Their makings, from beginning until end. Their creators, and if they knew their creations felt this way. I am certain their emotions are genuine, but¡­ beyond that, they are foreign.¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°Then I will tell you what I know. Perhaps, in time, you can learn even how to make them yourself. I can make that happen,¡± Argrave spoke calmly. The words made Anneliese frown, but Argrave carried on without heed. ¡°I would not suggest it. It would be a waste of your talents.¡±


    ¡°I would never create such things,¡± she said firmly.


    ¡°Oftentimes one cannot fully understand something until they do it. I certainly didn¡¯t,¡± he reflected, thinking back to the month he¡¯d spent learning magic.


    His words sent Anneliese into a deep introspection, her amber eyes growing distant as she was lost in her own head. Argrave waited for a time, and then eventually spoke again.


    ¡°I will exin all of what I know of the Order of the Rose and their nameless creations. If you still feel unwell, we can rest and talk for an hour or so. Otherwise, we will ride slowly back to Jast, and I will exin what I know.¡±


    ¡°Dusk will be here in an hour,¡± Gmon finally broke his silence.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be fine,¡± Argrave dismissed. ¡°Don¡¯t let that concern you. If you need to rest, rest.¡±


    Anneliese shifted, and then rose to her feet. Argrave stared up at her from the ground. ¡°Your words and consideration towards me are respite enough. I will follow your example.¡± She offered a hand to Argrave.


    Argrave took her hand and pulled himself to his feet. ¡°Then let¡¯s be off.¡±


    Anneliese walked past Argrave, meeting with Gmon and moving towards the horses. Argrave cast onest nce at the stone door.


    ¡°Babies, huh,¡± he muttered. ¡°Just when I was getting used to sleeping better.¡±


    #####


    ¡°¡­so, in essence, what divides the creations made by the Order of the Rose from other, less aware necromantic creations is their permanence on this realm and their capability to perform independent action,¡± Anneliese sought to confirm, speaking to Argrave on horseback.


    ¡°Correct,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°Can¡¯t know for sure <em>why</em> they do what they do. Maybe it¡¯s somest directive from the Order of the Rose. Maybe it¡¯s just their nature. All said, the things we killed today have been wandering those ruins for hundreds of years.¡±


    Anneliese digested the information in silence. Argrave turned away and watched the ck box containing the spellbook for [Electric Eel] bounce up and down in tandem with Gmon¡¯s horse. The box was strapped to the horse with a makeshift strap, and Argrave was somewhat concerned it would fall.


    ¡°If they¡¯re capable of ¡®independent action,¡¯ that difference has toe from somewhere,¡± Anneliese reasoned, pulling Argrave from his concern. ¡°Perhaps that cognition¡ªno, that <em>emotion,</em> both enables them to act without directmand and experience life. Presuming one has a soul from birth, if a soul is used in the construction of a necromantic creation, it would be very simr to a baby¡¯s¡ªinexperienced, na?ve.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Argrave agreed, finding no fault in the theory. ¡°But I¡¯ve told you all I know, so that is only conjecture. You now understand as much as I do, I think.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Anneliese nodded, adjusting herself on her horse. Argrave turned his focus back to the road ahead.


    Their party finally neared the ck walls of Jast. Off to the side, Argrave spotted Foamspire once again, and his gaze followed it. The sun reflected off its marble walls quite splendidly, and for a brief moment Argrave considered it was a shame that it would be falling into the ocean.


    ¡°There you are,¡± came a gruff voice from ahead, drawing Argrave¡¯s attention. ¡°Mmm, look at you, taking your leisure time. I suppose I would be in no rush to return what¡¯s borrowed, either, but then that¡¯s my profession.¡±


    A man with a pockmarked face sat on a tree branch, one leg bent atop it and the other dangling leisurely.


    ¡°We spoke near a week ago. You¡¯re Rivien¡¯s man,¡± Argrave called out. ¡°Here for Rivien¡¯s horses, I take it?¡±


    ¡°Partly,¡± the man nodded. Argrave and his party brought the horses to a stop just below him. He shifted, turning more of his body towards them. ¡°Boss said he contacted some of the porcin elves, just as you asked. They¡¯ve been waiting for you before proceeding. Might be they¡¯ve left by now¡ªthey¡¯re the skittish sort. They¡¯ll sail for their homnd at the drop of a shoe.¡±


    ¡°Cautious sort,¡± corrected Gmon. ¡°We know well the cruelty of humans.¡±


    ¡°Is that right?¡± the man proceeded. ¡°You elves might well be bold in your own eyes, but being cautious of cruelty is just a polite way to say ¡®afraid.¡¯¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m bold enough to put the ignorant in their ce,¡± Gmon said, lowering the pitch of his voice until it was deep and guttural enough to make Argrave¡¯s hairs stand on end.


    ¡°Right, let¡¯s save the race war for another day and focus on the important stuff,¡± Argrave interrupted before things could escte further. ¡°Mister¡­ Man,¡± Argrave said, not knowing the other¡¯s name. ¡°Can you take me where I need to go?¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± the man said, staring at Gmon while grinding his thumb against his fingers. ¡°I¡¯ll take you there.¡±


    #####


    The man with a pockmarked face led them away from Jast, walking against the fading suns. They headed in the direction of Foamspire, where Argrave saw the light reflected off its surface gradually turn from orange to a deep, rich night purple. As ever, moonlight was plentiful.


    Their horses descended some rather treacherous cliffs, and as they proceeded further, the crashing of the waves grew louder and louder. Argrave recognized where they were going¡ªa natural harbor formed within a sea cove. It was an unmarked location simply called the ¡®Smuggler¡¯s Cove¡¯ in game.


    After a bit of walking on the beach, the man leading them held out his hand and conjured magic to light the path. Argrave was somewhat surprised¡ªhe did not seem the spellcaster sort. Eventually, their escort paused, and the horses whinnied as they came to a stop.


    ¡°Have to go on foot from here,¡± the man said. ¡°Leave the horses. I¡¯ll deal with themter.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡± Argrave nodded and got off his horse, stumbling on the sand and rocks after having rode for so long. He stretched, legs feeling more than a bit tender.


    Gmon held his horse¡¯s reins, standing just beside it. He took off the ck box containing the [Electric Eel] spell, holding it in the crook of his arm. The elven vampire stared at the wall, eyes darting from ce to ce as he inhaled deeply.


    ¡°Hard to get an exact count, but there¡¯s a lot of people ahead,¡± Gmon muttered to Argrave. ¡°The salt masks the scent of their bodies, and the waves the sound of their movements, but I can still tell.¡±


    ¡°There should be people,¡± Argrave replied, uncaring of his volume. ¡°This ce is a major entrepot for the city in the shadows of Jast.¡±


    ¡°Hah,¡± their escortedughed. ¡°You know your stuff. This way, then.¡± The man waved them along, sliding into a narrower portion in the cliffs at the beachside. Argrave followed, winding through just behind. They had to proceed single-file. Before long, their escort pushed open a wooden door, and Argrave stepped through it after him.


    The wet seaside rocks opened up into a great cove, probably near fifty feet tall. Rocks carved out by both water and man shielded them from the elements, the ceiling supported by old stone pirs. Sheer gray rocks formed a naturalnding of sorts. Built atop thending was a small yet well-constructed wooden harbor that had more boats than one might expect to see. They weren¡¯t grand vessels, but they were many.


    ¡°About what I expected,¡± Argrave said, reminiscing.


    ¡°Been here? Don¡¯t remember you,¡± their escort asked.


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t,¡± Argrave shook his head.


    The man stared at them. ¡°Right, sure,¡± he said dryly. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Despite the fact night was falling, there were many people roaming the harbors. They were varied¡ªsome wealthy-looking nobles, some deplorable thieves. There were a great many simple stone buildings carved out of the cove¡¯s walls, square and uniform.


    ¡°This ce, the architecture¡­¡± Anneliese muttered.


    ¡°Indeed it is. Another ruin of the Order of the Roses,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°This ce was an underground vault. Now, the years have eroded the cliffs and flooded the lower levels until it became this cove. The pirs are new additions¡ªpast thirty years or so.¡±


    ¡°Seems you really do know this ce,¡± their escort noted warily. ¡°Well, color me surprised. You seem the blustering sort, not the type I¡¯d expect to have the knowledge to back their words.¡± He paused, turning. ¡°None of my business. That room,¡± he pointed with his chin. ¡°Lady ine is waiting.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡± Argrave nodded, and stepped into the room as directed, ncing about. He spotted ine and a few of Rivien¡¯s men, leaning on one side of the room with crossbows held idle in their hands. ine stood straight beside a familiar crate Argrave knew held illusion spells. Opposite them, two Veidimen stood, arms crossed and backs straight. Between them was an old elf hunched against a walking stick. He turned his head at their entrance, and Argrave took a deep breath.


    ¡°Rowe,¡± Argrave greeted.

 Chapter 68: Breaking Walls

    Chapter 68: Breaking Walls


    ¡°Look at him,¡± Rowe said, stepping towards Argrave. ine and the people with her shifted cautiously beside the shipment of illusion spellbooks. ¡°Goes white as a sheet when he sees me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just myplexion,¡± Argrave returned.


    Argrave wanted to grit his teeth. Rowe being here did not exactly scream peace and prosperity. He was an unpleasant zealot with the power of S-rank magic to back his zeal¡ªit was a wonder Argrave didn¡¯t enter to find that a fight had broken out with Rowe being the obvious winner. It was even more a wonder that Dras would send him here at all.


    Argrave dismissed his thoughts as the silence extended between them. ¡°What brings you to sunny Jast? You must¡¯ve missed me¡ªthat¡¯s my first guess.¡±


    ¡°Oh, aye, I missed your stupid jokes and vacant stare,¡± the aged snow elf said harshly, walking stick echoing through the room as it impacted against the stone. ¡°Complete tripe. I came here on order of the Patriarch. Some things to do in this city of vapid morons.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ine stepped forward and crossed her arms. ¡°Are we going to move this¡ª¡±


    ¡°Shut up,¡± Rowe said coldly, turning his head to ine. ¡°Speak when spoken to.¡±


    ine¡¯s expression turned to one of wroth, but Argrave held out his hand and grabbed Rowe¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Be nice,¡± Argrave said quietly. ¡°Might be you¡¯re the top dog in Veiden, but you¡¯re only one of three S-rank spellcasters in this city. Even if your dragon came with you, I can¡¯t guarantee you¡¯d walk out of this harbor alive if you cause trouble.¡±


    When Argrave mentioned that Rowe was an S-rank spellcaster, ine¡¯s rage turned to a steady caution. Rowe turned his head back to Argrave.


    ¡°That true?¡± Rowe grumbled. ¡°Your kind live barely a quarter the time we do, but you¡¯ve more high-ranking spellcasters?¡±


    ¡°Using magic of higher ranking extends one¡¯s life, and we¡¯re far more numerous than the Veidimen,¡± Argrave shook his head. Argrave knew that Rowe was much stronger than the two S-rank spellcasters in Jast, but he did not care to let him hear that. ¡°This is what you would have gone up against had your invasion continued. What I did for your people was a good thing. I spared you an inevitable retaliatory genocide.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care to hear you praise yourself,¡± Rowe shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ll cause no trouble. I¡¯m smart enough for that, at least. But that one isn¡¯t S-rank,¡± he pointed his walking stick to ine. ¡°Her magic pool¡¯s only a bitrger than yours. Why should I respect her?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m an exceptional case. Compared to most her age, ine is quite talented,¡± Argrave shook his head. His magic had been increasing rapidly as he paid his debt to Erlebnis. One¡¯s magic capacity grew when expended, and Argrave expended his consistently to amodate the Blessing of Supersession. Combined with rapid replenishing from the Amaranthine Heart, it stood to reason he progressed faster.


    ¡°On top of that, she coordinates the Order of the Gray Owl here in Jast. She¡¯s the only reason we have these books.¡± Argrave frowned. ¡°It¡¯smon sense to offer respect when you don¡¯t know who someone is. Why are you so socially ipetent?¡±


    ¡°Socially ipetent?¡± Rowe repeated. ¡°Few people are worthy of respect. Even fewer are non-Veidimen. For instance,¡± Rowe stepped past Argrave,ing to stand before Gmon. ¡°Gmon. It¡¯s been some time, hasn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°It has,¡± responded Gmon simply.


    ¡°The new warriorsck the steel with you gone,¡± Rowe said. ¡°Spiritless. No passion. None of the othermanderse to your ankles. Had you been leading at Mateth, the city would have fallen.¡±


    Gmon did not react to the praise, stating, ¡°I wish I had been. Veid decreed elsewise. Such is fate.¡±


    ¡°Hoh?¡± Rowe nced at Argrave. ¡°So, you¡¯re tired of this dreg?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Gmon shook his head. ¡°He is the second I would serve not because of obligation alone. I believe he deserves your respect.¡±


    Hearing Gmon say that, Rowe closed his mouth and took a deep breath. When next his white eyes fell upon Argrave, there was a subtle difference in his emotion¡ªor so Argrave thought.


    Rowe walked to Anneliese next. He sized her up. ¡°Seems you¡¯ve improved your magic, if only just. You¡¯re¡­ a bit skinnier, perhaps. This one cannot feed you well, can he?¡±


    She nodded. ¡°Argrave is a capable leader. The road has not always been easy, but I cannot me the leader for a rocky path when that is precisely what I expected.¡±


    Rowe nodded, and then turned back. ¡°Alright.¡± Rowe walked back to the two Veidimen slowly. ¡°So, ine,¡± he said the name harshly as though it was difficult to pronounce. ¡°Argrave is here, as you were waiting for. You¡¯ll give us the illusion books, finally, and end this pointless waste of time.¡±


    ¡°I will.¡± ine snapped, and her two men carried the box over. Once it was set down, Rowe pried the lid open with his walking stick and removed one of the books, perusing it. He checked a few more in silence, grumbling, and then took his stick back. The chest shut.


    ¡°It¡¯s sufficient, after what this one pilfered from us,¡± Rowe said with his lips upturned. He nced at the two beside him. ¡°You two, do your thing.¡± The elves with him grabbed the box and moved to leave the room. Argrave andpany stood aside for their passage, and they left quickly. Argrave watched them head for a small vessel that did not seem to be Veidimen in make at all. That was fitting, at least. They were trying to move unnoticed.


    ¡°You¡¯re satisfied?¡± Argrave stepped forward, staring down at Rowe.


    ¡°I seldom am,¡± Rowe said. ¡°But I need nothing more from the torch over there,¡± he referenced ine¡¯s red hair. ¡°Hothead, that one. All my pride, tenth of my age, hundredth of my aplishments.¡±


    ¡°She seemed fine to me,¡± Argrave disagreed, looking at ine. She had her arms crossed, feet tapping quickly against the ground.


    ¡°We spoke earlier. I used my restraint.¡± Rowe rubbed his eyes. ¡°Bah. I¡¯m too tired for indignance.¡± He looked up at Argrave. ¡°We need to speak again soon regarding the interests of Veiden. Where can I find you?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps it would be best if I led you through Jast,¡± Argrave said delicately. ¡°I can¡¯t well leave an old man to wander through these dangerous streets alone. Someone might try and mug you, and you might immte him in honor of Veid. This ce isn¡¯t like that winter wondend you call home.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not some animal that mauls things thate near me, boy,¡± Rowe shook his head. ¡°I can be discreet. I¡¯m nockwit. Just tell me where you live.¡±


    Argrave sighed. ¡°The Knight¡¯s Pawn. It¡¯s an inn.¡± Argrave gave him its rough location. He reached into his satchel and pulled out an iron circlet¡ªit was what Argrave had been using to disguise his appearance. ¡°You should take this.¡±


    Rowe eyed it. ¡°What is it?¡±


    Argrave put it on to demonstrate. ¡°Muddles the features. Verymon thing in this city. Snow elves are not well-liked here. It would be best if you did not stand out.¡±


    ¡°Even hunched over and old, I tower above most,¡± Rowe rebutted. ¡°Not worth it.¡±


    ¡°Take it,¡± interjected Gmon quietly.


    Rowe nced at Gmon, and then begrudgingly put the Circlet of Disguise over his bald head. ¡°It¡¯s cold. Unpleasant.¡± The aged elf shook his head. ¡°Whatever. I¡¯ll be waiting,¡± Rowe said, moving to leave.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t slept. Even if you¡¯re waiting in my room, I¡¯ll do that first,¡± Argrave shook his head.


    ¡°Sozy,¡± the aged elf muttered loudly as he walked out the door.


    Those words ignited a fire of anger in Argrave¡¯s chest and his vision narrowed, but then he acknowledged the absurdity of the im. Argrave shook his head andughed heartily. ¡°Watch your step, old man!¡± he shouted after Rowe. ¡°Don¡¯t forget your dentures!¡±


    ine stepped closer to their party, arms still crossed. She let out a sigh, staring at the doorway Rowe had left. ¡°You antagonize everyone,¡± she noted. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Antagonize? It¡¯s just banter. I like making peopleugh.¡± Argrave paused for a moment, then added, ¡°Mostly myself, granted.¡±


    ¡°I think¡­¡± she paused. ¡°I think that I was unduly predisposed against you. I apologize if I was brusque or dismissive in the past.¡±


    ¡°Fancy words.¡± Argravemented, then shook his head. ¡°You weren¡¯t, not especially. Even had you been, I don¡¯t care. I¡¯m used to abuse. If there¡¯s one thing I can take, it¡¯s a tongueshing. Not that you did, of course,¡± Argrave added.


    Being a wiki editor was a very thankless job. Argrave would spend thousands of hours working on writing some obscure details for a game, and the only time people would ever reach out was to correct some minute mistake he might¡¯ve made¡ªand oftentimes, they weren¡¯t even right. Argrave sighed, wondering why¡¯d he¡¯d done it at all.


    ¡°Used to abuse, huh. Childhood memories?¡± ine inquired.


    ¡°Something like that,¡± Argrave replied vaguely.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard tell of King Felipe,¡± she said. ¡°His trueborn sons are treated harsh enough. I can¡¯t imagine what a basebo¡ª¡± she trailed off, hesitant to finish the word. ¡°Well, Rivien and I were street orphans. Some parents¡­ sometimes I¡¯m d I had none rather than terrible ones.¡± She stared off into the distance. ¡°It made us value independence early, at least. Left the both of us with paranoia¡ªyou can¡¯t trust anyone on the streets here. Rivien likes to mock people, and he never fully trusts any besides me. I¡­ hold grudges.¡±


    Argrave nced over. <em>d to see my swaying turned out to be worth the effort. She¡¯s opening up. I think this¡¯ll be useful. </em>


    ¡°So your nobilityes from your own efforts? You two don¡¯t hail from some ruined house restored to its former glory?¡± Argrave asked despite knowing the answer.


    ¡°Yes,¡± she said pridefully. ¡°Rivien and I earned our surnames with our own two hands. We can¡¯t im a storied lineage dating hundreds of years back.¡±


    ¡°Very admirable,¡± Argrave ttered.


    ¡°Few other nobles in Jast agree,¡± ine said. ¡°To them, we¡¯re upstarts.¡±


    ¡°Upstarts¡­ until you¡¯re standing above them and they need something from you. That¡¯s how it always is.¡±


    Sheughed. ¡°True enough.¡± She looked to Anneliese. ¡°Something I should mention. I sent a letter to the council in the Tower of the Gray Owl rmending your¡­ friend, Anneliese for membership. With both me and Castro contributing, I suspect the council will name her an honorary Wizard of the Order. A full member is a bit far-fetched.¡±


    ¡°Really now?¡± Argrave¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ thank you very much.¡±


    ¡°Why are you thanking me?¡± she said. ¡°It should be her that does,¡± she pointed at Anneliese.


    ¡°It was my idea to begin with,¡± Argrave said before Anneliese could speak. ¡°And it¡¯s mostly so I won¡¯t be expelled for teaching her spells.¡±


    ¡°I see. You do much for the people you call your friends.¡± She nodded. ¡°Consider it a favor for the business you¡¯ve thrown my way. Those enchanted things from that elven tomb you gave me¡ªI¡¯ve got them in the right hands. In time, their worth will be evaluated. I can¡¯t promise it¡¯ll be quick. You said you were here for three weeks? So, two more left? I don¡¯t think they¡¯ll be done by then, feasibly.¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°That¡¯s fine. If they¡¯re not done appraising by that time, I¡¯ll leave them in your hands. In time, I¡¯lle back and get them. Might be months. I¡¯m a busy man.¡±


    Argrave was not particrly concerned about the result. The majority of the items he knew could be found in those ruins were not especially jaw-dropping¡ªthe king¡¯s crown was the most notable item, and Argrave nned to hold onto that for a very long time. This venture was merely squeezing the most wealth he could out of what he did in the elven tomb.


    ine¡¯s green eyes gazed at him unwaveringly, and she spoke seriously, ¡°That¡¯s a lot of trust to show to the sister of a smuggler.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re right. On second thought, let¡¯s cancel all of our ns and never speak again,¡± Argrave said sternly, then broke into a chuckle. ¡°Joking, naturally. Unless you n to steal them all, I think it should be fine.¡±


    ine pursed her lips, and then finally smiled. ¡°You¡¯re a very strange person.¡±


    ¡°So I am often told,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°Now, I have a temperamental old elf to wrangle in the morning, and I need my beauty sleep to retain my razor wit. I bid you goodbye,¡± Argrave waved, walking towards the door.

 Chapter 69: Lions Paw

    Chapter 69: Lion¡¯s Paw


    Stain straightened the ribbon he wore around his neck. His entire outfit¡ªa gaudy thing of red and white¡ªwas quite stifling, in his mind. The stifling came from two aspects. It was mentally difficult because Stain loathed wearing the red and white of House Jast. It was physically difficult because the outfit had been made for him one year ago when he was fifteen, and it did not fit as well as it had then.


    It had taken some time, but Stain had managed to track down Elias. It was important that he talk to him as Argrave had said, and even more important that he did so before Rivien. Stain wanted to be paid well for this job. The pay was nice, naturally, but the connections he might earn were more important. This ¡®Argrave¡¯ seemed important.


    ¡°Damned bastard. <em>Better</em> pay me well,¡± Stain muttered as he walked into the vige. He kept his eyes on a white banner bearing a golden lion on it. ¡°Better line my pockets with velvet and gold and fill my mouth with caviar and cream. Him and his two elves. Thin-wristed, dead-eyed¡­¡± Stain continued to mutter as he walked down the simple dirt road of the vige.


    The vige was quite a humble ce, with only dirt roads and wooden homes. The streets were filled with the asional spilled grain from the recent harvest. The remainder had been ced into the granaries or kept in wooden barrels for temporary storage. Stain knew enough of themonfolk to know that the harvest this year had been quite bountiful. It was a strangely optimistic portent for a nation on the eve of a civil war.


    The militiamen watched the harvest warily, for it was their vige¡¯s lifeline in essence. What was watched more warily, though, was therge contingent of white-armored knights standing just out front one of therger ces in the vige. Stain loosened the white ribbon around his neck once, and then tightened it again, knowing he should appear presentable.


    When the white-armored knights saw Stain, they knew immediately to pay more attention to him only by the way he dressed. Their gazes stayed all but locked on him as he approached, and even the vigers gave him a wide berth.


    <em>If my brother were here, he¡¯d say I look noble. ¡®Oh, Vdrien, you project a veritable aura of righteous honor.¡¯ </em>Stain made himselfugh as he imagined his brother¡¯s voice inside his head.<em> If I was watching myself, I¡¯d say that even pigs can dress ince and pearls. </em>


    Stain came to stand before the four white-armored knights just out front of the building. He felt very short in front of them¡ªa feeling he was well used to. Within, he could see many more knights enjoying a humble, if grand in size, banquet. Stain took some pleasure in seeing their white capes stained with mud, and their white metal bootscking a shine.


    ¡°Hold,¡± the first knight addressed. ¡°State your business.¡±


    Stain put his hand to his chest in a somewhat out-of-practice noble salute. ¡°I am Vdrien of Jast,¡± Stain said smoothly. ¡°I would speak to Elias of Parbon.¡±


    ¡°The young lord has already received the invitation for the banquet in Jast. His reply is not yet ready,¡± the first knight answered, clearly the talker amongst the four of them.


    ¡°Ie regarding more important matters,¡± Stain said, doing his best to use more formal, proper speech. ¡°Something concerning your young lord.¡±


    ¡°¡¯Something?¡¯¡± Another knight repeated Stain¡¯s vague wording. ¡°You might be more specific.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I might, if you¡¯d just let me past so that I can speak to the one whose ear is worth bending,¡± Stain said a little gruffly, then added in a more polite tone, ¡°My words are for the young lord¡¯s ears only.¡±


    The two shuffled on their feet and looked at each other.


    ¡°Gods,¡± Stain said impatiently. ¡°I¡¯m only one person. Search me if you must, have a mage examine me if you¡¯re paranoid. I¡¯m sure your young lord has plenty of those in his honor guard. Parbon has nock of toady mages, unless your fortunes have shifted dramatically.¡±


    ¡°You two,¡± the first knight said. ¡°Escort him to the young lord. Watch him closely.¡±


    Two of the knights nodded, and then moved to stand beside Stain as he proceeded into the room. Several gazes turned their way. The white-armored knights weaved through tables, leading Stain somewhere. Though his escorts were especially mindful not to step on the white capes draped across the floor on ount of the knights sitting on benches, Stain took no small pleasure in deliberately stepping on a few of them.


    They went to the second story of the building, making their way down the hall until they reached a door. One of the knights knocked on the door, waiting a few seconds before opening up. There, Stain saw a new group of people.


    <em>Ah. These are the important ones in House Parbon, whose asses are kissed on the daily by those below. </em>Stain saw costly clothes, glistening jewelry, shimmering weapons, and well-polished armor. Everything in here was very expensive, and Stain¡¯s fingers twitched. After seeing their clothes, Stain saw the people that wore them.<em></em>


    All of Elias¡¯ retinue sat by a round table with empty tes, having just finished eating. There were three knights present, and Stain could tell they were dangerous. Their armor was quite grandiosepared to those downstairs, bearing a golden imprint of a lion decorating the front. Their swords shimmered red and cast light, obviously enchanted. Stain recognized one knight¡ªa blonde man with a broad build and a handsome face who had earned fame and wealth warring with the southern tribes: Baron Abraham.


    The other two in the room besides the knights were more lightly-armored. One wore fanciful white clothing, and his red hair made Stain recognize him as Elias.


    The other was a skinny, middle-aged man in heavy leather robes. His hair was dark and had a sharp widow¡¯s peak, while his beard was cut to a sharp point. His eyes glowed with light and swirled with ever-shifting purple vortexes. Stain had seen high-ranking wizards before in Jast, and he knew almost instinctively this man was one of them. He gave Stain a great deal of difort.


    ¡°Who is this? Why have you brought him here?¡± asked Elias, the first to speak. All heads had moved to the door long before they entered. Stain felt a little nervous¡ªonly a little. He tried to think about his brother, attempting tobat his nervousness with resentment.


    ¡°This one ims to be Vdrien of Jast, and has some words for the young lord,¡± a knight introduced, touching Stain¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Both true,¡± Stain said clearly, stepping forth away from the knight¡¯s grip. Baron Abraham adjusted his seat until it faced Stain, watching cautiously.


    Elias leaned forward, cing his elbows on the table. ¡°Vdrien. The name is familiar. You¡¯re the youngest in Jast, if I remember right,¡± Elias noted.


    ¡°He may be lying. He has no magic, young lord, and House Jast is renowned for producing mages,¡± the spellcaster with the purple eyes spoke.


    ¡°I have magic, Helmuth, despite being the heir to a martial house. Let us hear him out, at the very least,¡± Elias spoke with a natural authority that reminded Stain very strongly of his brother. The spellcaster Helmuth nodded, casting his gaze at his empty te before him.


    Elias continued. ¡°Thank you for bringing him here,¡± he addressed the knights. ¡°You two may leave.¡±


    The knights nodded and left.


    ¡°Now,¡± Elias gestured, offering the sole empty seat to Vdrien. ¡°You may speak as though those present are absent. Anything you tell me will reach their ears regardless, so do not bother asking to speak with me alone.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll stand,¡± Stain refused. ¡°Brief message, anyway.¡± Stain cleared his throat, then said simply, ¡°Argrave is in Jast. He wants to speak with you before you make it there. Real important.¡±


    The name alone elicited a muchrger reaction than Stain had been expecting. Baron Abraham¡¯s face grew taut and angry, and he leaned forward on his chair. The mage Helmuth lowered his head, chuckling, and Elias¡¯ face grew stern and serious.


    ¡°What does that bastard want?¡± one of the well-armored knights said angrily.


    ¡°Don¡¯t call him that,¡± Elias said quietly.


    ¡°What?¡± Abraham turned around in his chair, facing back towards Elias. ¡°All due respect, young lord, but he crippled your sister and humiliated your father. We of House Parbon have no reason to speak politely of him, be it in front of his face or behind his back.¡±


    Stain tugged at his cor, feeling the room growing hotter. <em>Crippled his¡­? Gods. What have I gotten myself into? </em>


    Elias looked at Abraham passively. ¡°I havee to know him. I will not say he is respectable, but¡­ he is not worthy of disrespect. Indeed, he has earned some good-will from me.¡±


    ¡°What in the gods¡¯ name are you speaking of?¡± Abraham stood, the chair thrown back to the ground. Elias also rose. The two stood across from each other, eye to eye. ¡°¡¯Come to know him?¡¯ Do you mean you¡¯ve fallen to honeyed words? Actions speak louder than words, young lord. He has brought only shame to Parbon,¡± the Baron continued.


    ¡°Your tone is bordering on insolence, Abraham,¡± the spellcaster Helmuth cautioned.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, Helmuth,¡± Elias interjected. ¡°What happened to Rosalie was an ident. Argrave has made that clear to me, and I believe him,¡± Elias tapped on the table insistently. ¡°Regarding other matters¡­ my father was the first to wrong him. He escaped from my father to perform a greater duty¡ªending the Veidimen invasion. A task which, need I remind you, he seeded at.¡±


    ¡°You believe those ridiculous rumors of him ending an invasion?¡± Abraham¡¯s voice rose in volume.


    Stain took a step back, trying to blend in with the scenery. <em>Another reason to hate gaudy clothes. They¡¯re designed to make you stand out, </em>Stainmented.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°They aren¡¯t rumors,¡± Elias thundered. ¡°Don¡¯t speak of things you have no knowledge. I was in Mateth. I saw the measures he took.¡± Elias stared at the great knight in the eyes unflinchingly, then harshly pointed at the chair. ¡°Now sit down, Baron Abraham.¡±


    The Baron stared at Elias, eyes alight with a fiery wrath. Elias held his gaze just as unflinchingly, his ruby eyes seeming all-too-calm in the face of the renowned warrior¡¯s presence. Eventually, Abraham took his seat once more and finally broke his gaze off Elias.


    Elias shot his cuffs, and then slowly lowered himself into his seat. As calmly as though the confrontation had not happened, Elias looked to Stain and asked, ¡°What did Argrave want to say?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ right.¡± Stain stepped forward cautiously. ¡°Erm¡­ he¡­¡± Stain paused, unsure of how much he should share. ¡°He didn¡¯t give me any details at all, only that it was urgent and that it should be done before you enter Jast.¡±


    ¡°I see. It¡¯s like him, sharing so little.¡± Elias nodded once, then looked to Helmuth. ¡°I can agree to that. He did not ask me toe alone, I trust?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Stain shook his head after a brief moment of thought. ¡°It might be hard to do it quietly if you bring the whole party with you, though. All the boys downstairs¡­¡± Stain pointed. ¡°Not exactly stealthy. White sticks out, especially against the ck Jast.¡±


    ¡°You know this region. Where would be best, Helmuth?¡± Elias questioned.


    ¡°Mmm¡­ there¡¯s a vige I know. Karrel, it¡¯s called. Should be fine to meet. Plenty public, but quiet enough to avoid attention. With me present, few can threaten you, young lord.¡±


    ¡°Sufficient,¡± Elias concluded with a nod. ¡°Can you convey this to Argrave, Vdrien?¡±


    Stain was slow to respond because he wasn¡¯t used to being called that name. ¡°Yes, I can. When would you be there?¡±


    ¡°Tomorrow morning, I think.¡± Elias looked to Helmuth to confirm, and the spellcaster nodded.


    ¡°Right. I¡¯ll tell him.¡± Stain nodded. ¡°And, uh¡­ sorry about your sister. And your dad, whatever happened there,¡± Stain added. The people in the room stared, saying nothing, and Stain nervouslyughed before exiting the door.

 Chapter 70: Anneliese

    Chapter 70: Anneliese


    Despite Argrave¡¯s concerns, Rowe caused no significant disturbance. By the time Argrave had arrived at the inn they were staying, Rowe had already elected to rent a room and spend the night. Gmon decided to spend some time to be sure he caused no trouble and attend to his own blood-rted needs. Like that, Argrave and Anneliese retired to their dormitory, ready to sleep.


    As Argrave sat in his bed, holding the spellbook that contained the [Electric Eel] spell, Anneliese walked over. Argrave looked up at her.


    ¡°Something you need?¡±


    She crossed her arms. ¡°Do you have a¡­¡± she paused, and then rephrased her question. ¡°Are you tired?¡±


    ¡°Always,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°What do you need? Happy to help.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like to talk.¡± She stared at him seriously.


    ¡°How fortunate. I¡¯m good at that.¡± Argrave gestured to his bed. ¡°Sit, if you want.¡±


    Anneliese hesitated for a moment, but then did so. Argrave looked down at her as she gathered herself. She was visibly nervous, as though she was preparing to give a speech in front of a great crowd. Argrave furrowed his brows in confusion, waiting for her to speak.


    ¡°As you said, you are good at talking,¡± she finally began. ¡°In fact, your ability to manipte with conversation is enviable.¡±


    ¡°Hah. Not a positive trait, usually.¡± Argrave scratched the back of his neck. ¡°I have a crutch. I know a lot of people more than they would expect me to. It¡¯s hardly fair for them.¡±


    ¡°I disagree.¡± She shook her head. ¡°At our first meeting, youpared our two situations. My empathic nature, and your vast knowledge of many people and things¡­ they have some simrities. But on my end, despite being able to understand people well, I have never been able to manipte well.¡±


    ¡°But one hand washes the other,¡± Argrave countered. ¡°In this short time, you¡¯ve already been a tremendous help. I do the talking; you do the discerning.¡± Argrave held his hands out as though they were scales. ¡°Partnership for the centuries. I¡¯m the Watson to your Hol¡ªwell, you wouldn¡¯t get that one.¡±


    ¡°I have been thinking about how you dealt with ine,¡± she continued. ¡°I believe you used a phrase to describe it. ¡®To receive trust, one must show trust.¡¯¡± Her amber eyes locked on Argrave¡¯s face. ¡°And it worked, by my estimation. ine came around.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re trying to make my cheeks turn cherry-pie red, you¡¯re on the right track,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°Like I said, I know her. I have a crutch. Anyone could have done what I did. I¡¯m nothing.¡±


    ¡°Despite your asional shows of arrogance, you are rather terrible at epting praise¡­ or taking credit,¡± Anneliese noted. ¡°No matter. I digress.¡± She ced her hands on her knees. ¡°To the point, then. Lacking maniption skills myself, I have decided to shamelessly steal yours. I will show you my trust to receive yours.¡±


    Argrave nodded, things falling into ce. ¡°The first move to open the puzzle box that is me, I see.¡± Argrave put his hand to his chin. ¡°I don¡¯t think you understand the finer points of maniption. Generally, you don¡¯t make people aware of what you¡¯re doing.¡±


    ¡°Back when we were on Veiden, despite my grandmother¡¯s admonishment and my mention of my familial situation, you did not ask me questions. You restrained your curiosity. I assumed that you, perhaps, already knew of my family. It would not be beyond you.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± Argrave shook his head.


    ¡°That is good,¡± she nodded and smiled. ¡°I have something to offer, then. My own situation. Perhaps¡­ indeed, it may well be a pointless thing to bring before you. But I wish to share it, if you are open to hearing it.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t deny I¡¯m interested,¡± Argrave nodded.


    ¡°Then I shall begin,¡± she nodded resolutely.


    Argrave waited patiently. Anneliese rubbed her hands together, staring at the ground.


    ¡°I apologize. I have never shared this,¡± she said quietly. ¡°My name, as you may have noticed, is unusual amongst Veidimen. I was given a name from Berendar, because I was born in Berendar.¡±


    ¡°I heard people mention that,¡± Argrave nodded.


    ¡°My mother was married to my tribe¡¯s best hunter,¡± she began. ¡°They established a contract before Veid to only love with each other. It is amon practice.¡± She finally turned to Argrave. ¡°That man, though, is not my father. Instead, my father was the tribe¡¯s chieftain.


    ¡°I do not know the details, for it was the day of my¡­ conception,¡± she said bitterly, as though the word bothered her. ¡°¡­but while my mother¡¯s husband was away on a long hunt, the tribe¡¯s chief raped my mother, Kressa.¡± She turned her head back to the ground. ¡°In the months toe, the tribe came to know she was pregnant. My mother¡¯s husband had been hunting such a long time that the whole tribe knew he was not the father.¡±


    Argrave listened in silence, teeth clenched as his mind followed what probably ended up happening.


    ¡°Held in judgement of adultery by the very man who raped her, she was given a choice¡ªacknowledge who the father was and join with him in matrimony or be exiled.¡± She looked at Argrave. ¡°My mother chose exile.¡±


    ¡°Did she not say what happened?¡± Argrave inquired.


    ¡°She did. But the man was the chief, and power is power.¡± Anneliese¡¯s eyes wandered, scanning the ceiling. ¡°My mother¡¯s husband believed her, though he was powerless to change the inevitable result. My mother was exiled. Her husband remained, forbidden from leaving as he provided much of the tribe¡¯s food. Pregnant and penniless, she wandered through Berendar. A kind vige couple showed mercy on her and allowed her to stay until she gave birth. She named me after one of the people there in return for their kindness.¡±


    Argrave took a deep breath. There was much in his head, but he knew it would be best to stay silent and wait for her to finish.


    ¡°We spent seven years in that vige,¡± Anneliese eventually continued. ¡°My features¡­ my mother, Kressa, has blonde hair and white eyes. I inherited all of my father¡¯s features. In that vige, I learned the curse of my empathy.¡± She ced her hand on her knees. ¡°When my mother looked at me, there was always some hatred in that gaze. And there was fear, anger, sadness¡­ she showed love and hate in equal measure. Much of it was physical.¡± Anneliese looked off to the side. ¡°I cannot me her. Not exactly.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    <em>Yes you can,</em> Argrave wished to say, but he stayed quiet.


    ¡°It was the worst when I asked her about it. ¡®Why do you hate me? Why do you fear me?¡¯ Often she did not realize herself she felt those emotions. Being confronted with them would inspire her wrath.¡± She started to blink quicker, and Argrave spotted a faint glisten in her eyes that Anneliese tried to hide. ¡°That way, I learned to suppress what I expressed.¡±


    Anneliese closed her eyes altogether, sitting in quiet silence. ¡°Six years, it took for my mother¡¯s husband to seed in having the exile revoked. Not forck of trying, mind you,¡± she added. ¡°Our tribe was thest conquered by Dras. It fell because my mother¡¯s husband gave an offer to Patriarch Dras; reveal the truth to the world, and revoke Kressa¡¯s exile. In return, he would betray his tribe.


    ¡°Kressa¡¯s husband butchered his tribe¡¯s chief in the battle toe. Without leadership, they fell to Dras quickly. When the exile was revoked, he left to retrieve Kressa. It took him months to find her, and months more to persuade her to return to Veiden.¡±


    ¡°So, I spent the remainder of my childhood in Veiden, unwee both by my peers and my parent. To Kressa and her husband, I was the fruit of the worst moment in their lives. To my peers, I was the strange girl on the fence between human customs and Veidimen customs. My ability to know when they lied or how they felt only earned their enmity. In time, though, I found my ce. Though I earned no friends, if I remained useful, I was given esteem,¡± she finished. Her words did not sound sad or bitter, merely hollow.


    ¡°That is why I have endeavored to be the best spellcaster I can, and to learn as much of the world as I can. I know it was empty, and I know there was no love behind it, but the few times that my mother gave me praise was when I achieved acim as a spellcaster.¡±


    Anneliese gazed at the floor vacantly for a time, then she finally turned to Argrave. ¡°There you have it. I have never confided that with anyone. It is nothing special and perhaps entirely undeserving of the ceremony I gave it, but it is my past.¡±


    Argrave stared at her for a long time, blinking in silence as his brain worked on what to say. Finally, he furrowed his brows, and then leaned forward, cing his hand on Anneliese¡¯s shoulder. She was tense for a moment, but she rxed in a second.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry you had to experience that,¡± Argrave said quietly as they sat there. ¡°Having heard that, I can say this confidently; you¡¯re one of the strongest people I know. Despite having endured all of that, you¡¯re brilliant and open-minded. I don¡¯t know how you managed. I don¡¯t think I could have.¡±


    ¡°I doubt that.¡± She gazed at him. ¡°As child to King Felipe, your experience could not have been any easier.¡±


    Argrave pulled away his hand from Anneliese¡¯s shoulder and turned his gaze away. The whish from that statement was somewhat overwhelming. It was a stark reminder that everything he was in this world was empty and hollow, and he was living a life that he had not earned. It was easy for him to y the role of Argrave, but if he stripped away the veil, nothing of substance stood beyond.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry overmuch,¡± Anneliese¡¯s voice broke past the haze of Argrave¡¯s thoughts. ¡°I did not do this expecting reciprocation. I merely thought it would be something I might share to demonstrate that I trust you.¡±


    Argrave turned his head to look at her. ¡°Why do you trust me?¡±


    ¡°Because you want me to,¡± she returned. ¡°I am not ignorant that you speak especially warmly to me and Gmon. Notions ofplete trust, friendship, consideration¡ªI am not saying you do not hold these thoughts towards us, but I doubt that you would voice them were you not trying to earn our faith. You spoke that way towards ine, too, when you decided that she needed to be¡­ cated.¡±


    Argrave straightened his back after being called out but did not deny it. ¡°It¡¯s natural for a leader to try and earn the trust of those following him,¡± he defended.


    ¡°I am not admonishing you,¡± she reassured. ¡°I am only acknowledging¡ª¡±


    Three knocks came at the door, drawing them both from the conversation. Gmon would not knock, Argrave knew¡ªhe would enter without a word. Argrave stood, cing what spell matrixes he knew at the front of his mind. He was d that the Blessing of Supersession had recovered.


    Argrave peeked open the door. He had to look down. There, a brown-haired man wearing worn red and white clothing waited.


    ¡°I found Elias,¡± Stain greeted, a little out of breath.


    ¡°I hope you spoke to him as well,¡± Argrave returned, opening the door.


    Stain walked inside. ¡°Yeah, naturally, you pisser.¡± Stain only realized what he¡¯d said after he said it and looked at Argrave warily, fearing retribution.


    ¡°Pisser, huh?¡± Argrave chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re not wrong. Well, good work. Who all was with him?¡±


    ¡°Ehm¡­¡± Stain hesitated, clearly taken aback by Argrave¡¯s demeanor. ¡°Well¡­ don¡¯t you think I¡¯ve earned some of that money you were talking about?¡±


    Argrave smiled, then reached into his pocket, pulling out a pink coin. ¡°Suppose you¡¯ve earned it.¡± Argrave tossed it, and Stain frantically tried to grasp at it.


    Eventually Stain got his fingers on it, and he held it up to the moonlighting in through the windows. ¡°Gods, you just carry one of these around?¡±


    ¡°Now, who was there? Any names?¡± Argrave pressed.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Stain gingerly wrapped the coin up in a cloth, and then stuffed it into his pockets. ¡°A weirdo mage with purple eyes, Baron Abraham, and more knights than he probably needs.¡±


    Argrave stepped forward. ¡°Did you hear the name Helmuth?¡± he asked insistently.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Stain confirmed. ¡°Set up at meeting at some ce called Karrel. I know where it is. Date¡¯s tomorrow morning.¡± Stain popped his fingers. ¡°Wish you¡¯da told me you crippled this man¡¯s sister. Would have been nice information to have. Could¡¯ve ended sourly.¡±


    ¡°Helmuth?¡± Argrave said out loud as though it was unbelievable, entirely ignoring Stain. ¡°Why is he¡­¡± Argrave paused and shook his head. ¡°Damn it.¡±


    ¡°What, did you cripple his children or something?¡± Stain asked sarcastically. ¡°He seemed reasonable, just had some spooky eyes. A lot of high-ranking mages have weird stuff like that.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the eyes that are the problem.¡± Argrave took a deep breath and sighed. ¡°That one can see a lot of things he shouldn¡¯t.¡±


    Gmon opened the door, entering. He looked at Stain somewhat perplexedly. Stain returned his gaze with a good deal of fear.


    ¡°Rowe is sleeping,¡± Gmon contributed. ¡°But I heard what you were discussing.¡± When Gmon said that, Stain was even more afraid of him.


    Argrave was ready to dismiss Rowe, but then a thought came to his head. ¡°Might be we need to wake Rowe up early. He mighte with us somewhere tomorrow morning.¡± Argrave smiled wide. Anneliese shook her head, and Gmon looked confused.

 Chapter 71: A Princes Example

    Chapter 71: A Prince¡¯s Example


    At the top of a ridge, five horsemen stared out across the moonlit grassy fields. Their faces were wrapped in simple brown cloths, and baggy bup concealed steel armor. The shade from a mountain behind hid them from sight. The one at the highest point of the ridge, evidently being followed by the others, was of formidable stature and had bright blue eyes. His helmet dangled from his horse¡¯s saddle, bound by a rope.


    Their eyes stayed locked on a castle. It was a simple thing¡ªa pentagonal stone fort built atop a hill, with a simple yet spacious keep in the center. Knights roamed the ramparts, bearing torches or magicmps even despite the abundant moonlight. It overlooked a town. The ce was quite poor, most of the houses being shanty wood or packed straw.


    ¡°To think that a vassal of House Parbon lies so close to Elbraille,¡± their blue-eyed leader said.


    ¡°My prince, there should be no issue in passing,¡± one of the other horsemen spoke. ¡°There are no night patrols, and even us royal knights can pass as mercenaries when bearing steel and bup.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± replied Induen, tone dismissive. ¡°They seem¡­x, don¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°The knights, prince?¡± one of the royal guards asked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± returned Induen, tone pensive. ¡°The most they deal with is probably the average vige ruffian. A peaceful existence.¡± Induen extended a hand out. ¡°They watch over this dank hovel, polishing their armor and passing day by day. They might deal with minor disputes, or they might be called to war elsewhere, but here? Dreadfully boring.¡±


    The royal knights remained silent, leaving their prince to his thoughts.


    ¡°It would be best if someone let them know they are truly at war.¡± Induen reached down, retrieving his helmet off his horse¡¯s saddle. He unwrapped the cloth around his head, and then put the helmet on. ¡°It would be better if that person were me.¡±


    ¡°My prince¡­ we are only five,¡± one of the royal knights said concernedly.


    ¡°Rest easy,¡± Induen assured, voice calm. ¡°Someone told me I should be less impulsive, and so I thought for a long while atop this ridge. Perhaps she was right. But Elbraille needs a demonstration, and my enemies need to know fear.¡± Induen urged his horse onwards, descending down the hill they were on. The knights followed without hesitation¡ªsuch was their duty.


    When they neared the vige, Induen slowed their horses into a steady trot, scanning the vige. He roamed without purpose, it seemed, but the footfalls upon the gray autumn grass were soundless and none of the sleeping vigers roused at their presence.


    After a time of wandering, Induen brought his horse to a stop in front of a ce where straw roofs were abundant. His eyes roamed for a long moment, and then he nodded. ¡°Enter quietly. Secure all the residents the same way.¡±


    The royal knights dismounted wordlessly, walking around the perimeter of the house. Induen watched from the outside, still on horseback, as his men signaled each other and entered simultaneously through the house¡¯s entrances. A brief scuffle could be heard within alongside a muffled scream. Something ceramic broke within. After some time had passed, Induen came down and moved into the house.


    The royal knights had the four residents of the home arrayed on the floor, muffled by sheets and clothing likely taken from the house. Two were children, and the other two were their parents. Induen stepped forward kneeling down.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to remove your gag,¡± Induen said, voice passive. ¡°Scream, I¡¯ll butcher your children.¡±


    He reached down and pulled the cloth out of the man¡¯s mouth. At once, the man began begging iprehensibly, the mostmon word being ¡®please.¡¯


    ¡°Stop talking,¡± Induen said, grabbing the man¡¯s hair. ¡°Answer my question. Under what circumstances do the castle gates open?¡±


    ¡°T-t-they open when the lord leaves, when the knights go on patrol, whenever the lord is travelling,¡± the man babbled frantically.


    ¡°When else?¡± Induen shook the man¡¯s head. ¡°Use this thing I¡¯m holding.¡±


    ¡°To help the vigers, to put out fires, to¡ª¡±


    ¡°Fire. A good idea. Enough,¡± Induen said, releasing the man¡¯s head. He stood up, nodding. ¡°You want your children to live?¡±


    ¡°Yes! Yes, I do!¡± the man shouted at once, and the woman beside him writhed, screaming blocked by her gag.


    ¡°Good.¡± Induen pointed to his men. ¡°Take the children outside.¡± Induen kneeled again. ¡°If you want your children to live¡­ once this ce sets ame, scream for help. Scream like your life depends on it. But mention me or my men, I¡¯ll kill your children myself. Understood?¡±


    The man started crying, but he nodded frantically. ¡°Don¡¯t kill them. Don¡¯t. Please. I beg of you!¡±


    Induen came to his feet. ¡°Then do as I say.¡±


    With the children in tow, the royal knights left the building alongside Induen, mounting their horses once more. The prince held his hand out and a spell matrix swirled in the air. After a second, a geyser of me erupted forth, immediately consuming the entire home and some of the ones closest to it. Their horses, not expecting such a sudden appearance of fire, reared and rushed away without the consent of their riders. Induen surrendered himself to where the horse led him, and before long they were far from the vige.


    Induen raised his hand and a bit of green light burst from his hand like a firework. The scattered light drifted down like green embers, and as they fell, they gave the animals a sudden and profound serenity. Behind them, the mes started to spread out of control, the straw a natural elerant and the wood a tremendous source of fuel. It was not long before the corner of the vige was consumed in mes. People rushed out of their homes, burning and screaming. Loudest were the screams of the house they¡¯d left.


    The royal knights were somewhat uneased by the disy of wanton arson, but Induen remained calm with his breathing steady beneath his helmet.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°They¡­ they opened the gate, prince Induen.¡± One of the royal knights pointed. True to his observation, the gate had opened, and a great many riders rushed out.


    ¡°Release those two, then,¡± Induen gestured towards the children, who kicked and screamed. ¡°Such a big fire. They¡¯ll need all of their mages to quell this¡­¡±


    As though prophesied by his words, some of the riders came to the mes and began casting water magic. It brought a smile to Induen¡¯s face beneath his helmet, and he urged his horse onwards after leaving behind a simple directive for his escort.


    ¡°Circle around opposite me. Kill the mages. Once done, wait for me. We¡¯ll head for the castle.¡±


    Induen led the charge back towards the vige. Their calmed horses showed no fear towards the mes. The riders from the castle, spellcaster or no, were too distracted by the fires to see others bearing a different uniform weaving in their ranks. Induen drew his sword, rushing past a few mounted knights to stab a spellcaster in the chest. The man was pushed back, caught on his stirrup, and Induen pulled free his de cleanly. The enchanted de left a cauterized wound.


    Though a great many knights saw what urred and attempted to intercept Induen, the prince merely raised his hand and conjured another geyser of me. He waved his hand as the spell hurtled forth, creating a cone of fire. What few of the castle¡¯s knights not hit by the spell had difficulty controlling their horses, and Induen continued unperturbed.


    When Induen reached the second lightly armored spellcaster, the woman had already been alerted to his presence. As Induen approached, she held her hand out and conjured a spell. At once, spears of ice hurtled up from the ground forming a makeshift barricade of pikes. The horse could not cease its charge, and Induen abandoned it, jumping into the air. It impaled itself on the ice, and Induennded nimbly on the other side.


    The woman cast lightning magic at Induen, but it slipped off his enchanted armor. The prince rushed forth, stabbing towards her gut. Though the spellcaster conjured a ward, it broke when met with the enchanted de. Induen pierced her stomach and she cried out painfully. He grabbed her arm and mercilessly pulled her from horseback, dispatching her with a stomp to the neck. Without a moment¡¯s pause for breath, he remounted and calmed the horse with a spell. He led the animal around the growing mes, where ahead his royal knights had cleared a path for themselves.


    When Induen sped past them out of the vige and into the open ins, the royal knights disengaged, following after him. Induen looked back, watching for more traces of magic, but the royal knights were brutally effective killers and Induen did not watch for long.


    They sped across the ins, the knights of the castle torn between dealing with the mes and dealing with the intruders. The vigers of the unaffected portion of the town emerged from the homes, trying to aid with quelling the me using dirt and water to little effect.


    Induen and the royal knights entered the castle¡¯s open portcullis, the gateman evidently unprepared to shut the gate. Ahead of them, a set of wide stairs led to the main keep. Induen dismounted, and then yelled out to the knights.


    ¡°One of you, go up the walls and find the mechanism for the gate. Make sure it remains open. The rest of you, stop the pursuers from entering.¡±


    Leaving with those words, Induen left the horse there and ascended up the stairs leading to the keep. Ahead, two men worked to shut the massive wooden doors of the keep, but Induen stepped forward and pushed them away. They scattered to the ground, and Induen made short work of them with two simple stabs. They were left with smoldering holes in their chests.


    Induen proceeded into the keep, trampling on the velvet carpet without much care. Blood still dripped from his de for a time. Three knights rushed down the stairs ahead, each bearing a metal kite shield with a dog on the front and a simple broadsword. They jogged across the carpet, and then stood across Induen warily. He towered over the three of them.


    The prince stepped off the carpet and knelt down, taking it in his hand. He pulled it mightily, and though it eventually tore, one of the knights did stumble. Induen tossed the velvet carpet at them and rushed forth. He grabbed the first¡¯s shield and thrust at his visor. The man managed to pull his head aside, but Induen kicked his knees and the man stumbled. With a push, the knight was sent a great distance away.


    Without pause, Induen stepped forward and stabbed the one who¡¯d fallen earlier in the neck, dispatching him. Thest knight still on both feet stepped forward and thrust. Induen swatted the de up with the back of his gauntlet, incautious on ount of his enchanted armor. He pulled his de free of the fallen knight¡¯s neck and stepped forward with a straight kick in one fluid motion. The metal boot nged against the metal shield, echoing out in a deafening ring across the hall.


    ¡°Annoying,¡± Induen muttered. The two knights came to stand side-by-side, shields at the ready.


    The prince held a hand out and sent forth a spell. A bolt of lightning struck one¡¯s shield, and the man spasmed and fell to the floor. Induen decisively severed his head. The other backed away in fear. Induen walked forward casually, then dropped down and swept the knight¡¯s legs. The knight fell, dropping his sword. Induen stabbed him in the visor. His struggles ceased immediately.


    ¡°That shouldn¡¯t have been that hard.¡± Induen pulled free his de, and then ascended up the stairs.


    Once at the top, he was greeted by a sorry sight. The lord of the castle had not had time to put on his armor¡ªhe wore naught but gauntlets, a helmet, and boots. His weapon was a halberd. Induen could tell the halberd had been taken from a wall mount, for the thingy littered on the floor. The lord waited in the middle of the hallway, and behind, Induen could see a decadent bed.


    ¡°This ends here!¡± the lord said, a middle-aged man with fiery red hair. He was probably a cadet branch of House Parbon, the prince suspected.


    Induen removed his helmet with one hand and stepped forward slowly. The lord stepped forward, thrusting at Induen with considerable skill. The prince, though, side-stepped it easily, and caught the haft of the halberd in the crook of his arm. He mmed his helmet against the lord¡¯s face, and the man released the weapon, falling back dazed.


    After dropping his helmet, Induen grabbed the lord¡¯s leg and pulled him up the hallway, the man barely offering any resistance on ount of the blow to his head. Before long, Induen entered the man¡¯s bedroom. He looked around and saw a woman cowering with a child in her arms. Induen tossed the man on the bed, and he scrambled vainly away, face bleeding.


    Induen raised his de, pointing it at the woman. ¡°Let this be a lesson to you¡­ this is what urs when you oppose Induen of Vasquer,¡± he said harshly, emphasizing his name.


    He stabbed the lord. The woman screamed, and the child cried. Induen smiled. He turned on his heel, retrieving his bloodied helmet. He put it back over his head. Only then did he pull out his de. He walked out the door slowly. There, two of his knights came rushing up.


    ¡°My prince,¡± one greeted. ¡°The pursuers chasing are all dead. The remainder are dealing with the fire. What now?¡±


    ¡°We leave,¡± Induen said. ¡°Few nobles will forget the lesson I taught here today. None are safe, not even Parbon¡¯s own.¡±

 Chapter 72: Grandfather Acquired

    Chapter 72: Grandfather Acquired


    ¡°What is this? I¡¯m on human soil not a day and already I have you groveling at my feet?¡± Rowe asked mockingly. All of Argrave¡¯s party was crowded into his room, and the aged elf himself still sat at his bed, walking stick leaned up against his shoulder.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s warranted. All I need is for you toe with me to meet with these people, keep the peace.¡± Argrave spread his arms out. ¡°You want me to help with your business here in Jast, I think you should return the favor first. Where I¡¯m from, we call this a ¡®transactional rtionship.¡¯¡±


    ¡°You owe help to me,¡± Rowe refuted. ¡°Practically handed all the secrets of Veiden¡¯s magic to you, and that warrants some gratitude. You think I¡¯m a fool? Been around too long to be yanked about. This stick here is older than you,¡± Rowe tapped it thrice.


    ¡°We¡¯ve established that it¡¯s got a sword inside. It¡¯s more a concealed weapon than a stick.¡± returned Argrave, which made Rowe frown once more. ¡°And as far as I¡¯m concerned, I don¡¯t owe you anything. We had a trade. You did me no favors. When all is said and done, you and Veiden got more out of the deal than I did.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not stupid, boy,¡± shot back Rowe.


    Argrave shook his head in annoyance. ¡°Yes, we¡¯ve¡ª¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re ying both ends against the middle,¡± outlined the old S-rank spellcaster. ¡°Extorting both sides¡ªhuman and Veidimen¡ªfor your own needs. You used the books from Veiden to secure liberties in your mage order. Just because that ¡®middle¡¯ is Gerechtigkeit doesn¡¯t change the fact that we¡¯re being yed.¡± Rowe pointed a bent, arthritis-deformed finger. ¡°That¡¯s why you owe me.¡±


    Argrave said nothing for a time. He considered if Rowe was trying to get a confession out of him by presenting spection as fact.


    ¡°Where¡¯s your proof?¡± Argrave denied, trying to feel out if it was a bluff.


    ¡°You think Veiden wouldn¡¯t pay attention to you after what happened on our soil?¡± Rowe questioned. ¡°We have people keeping tabs on you. We¡¯d notice, naturally, what you did.¡±


    In the silence, Argrave heard Anneliese whisper something to Gmon, but he couldn¡¯t distinguish what it was.


    ¡°Listen, the meeting is this morning,¡± Argrave said with some urgency. ¡°There¡¯s an A-rank mage there. He chose an unusual method to be an A-rank mage, and he has [Minor Truesight] consequently. He might notice either Gmon or me being out of the ordinary, cause problems. I¡¯m happy to help you after, but I need this now.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t see how this is my problem,¡± Rowe shook his head. ¡°Offer me something or give it up.¡±


    Argrave pushed his tongue against his cheek, brain working quickly. A grating, guttural voice drew him from his thoughts.


    ¡°Rowe. Do this for me as a favor,¡± Gmon asked.


    Argrave turned his head back to Rowe, waiting to hear the response. The old elf looked perplexed. He scratched one of the liver spots on his bald head.


    ¡°A favor? Really?¡± Rowe repeated disbelievingly.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Gmon nodded.


    ¡°Fine,¡± Rowe grunted, standing from his bed. ¡°I¡¯ll call in that favor now. You have to answer that question I asked you all those decades ago before you were exiled. That one you refused to answer.¡±


    The sound of Gmon¡¯s teeth grating was audible, and Argrave took a step away, unpleasant memories surfacing. After a few seconds, Gmon slowly nodded.


    ¡°So it shall be.¡± After Gmon¡¯s answer, Rowe looked pleased, and the elven vampire added, ¡°But only once the task is finished.¡±


    Argrave looked back to Anneliese and muttered, ¡°That your idea, his interjection?¡±


    She said nothing in response, merely smiling. Argrave nodded and gave her a thumbs up.


    #####


    Argrave¡¯s party walked across the ins towards a distant riverside vige¡ªKarrel. Argrave could think of few quests that went there and could not recall a single named NPC in the vige. Rowe was with them,gging slightly behind on ount of his walking stick.


    ¡°So, what question will he ask you?¡± Argrave spoke to Gmon, whispering very quietly.


    The elf¡¯s only response was a fierce, white-eyed gaze lined with warning.


    Argrave held up his hands. ¡°Only curious. I just can¡¯t imagine anything Rowe could ask you, let alone something worth a favor,¡± Argrave pointed with his chin towards Rowe.


    ¡°Rowe intends to ask a question I loathe enough that he felt it worth a favor,¡± Gmon said icily. ¡°And yet you think I will sate your curiosity simply because you asked?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t me me for trying, at least,¡± Argrave shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ve got some curiosity in me. It¡¯s in my blood. Not as bad as Anneliese, of course, but it¡¯s there.¡± Argrave pointed at her.


    ¡°You are overly curious too,¡± she shook her head. ¡°But your knowledge has stagnated that desire somewhat, I think.¡±


    Argrave frowned. He supposed she was right. Arge part of why he had contributed so much to the ¡®Heroes of Berendar¡¯ wiki was on ount that he loved the discovery process¡ªboth delving into the mechanics of the game and the lore supporting it. Few other worlds captured his attention so raptly. Berendar seemed almost a real ce, back then. Now, it didn¡¯t seem¡ªit was.


    ¡°This ce¡ªshoddy,¡± Rowe called out as though in response to Argrave¡¯s thoughts.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Argrave questioned, turning back to the old elf.


    ¡°These roads must have been made decades ago, and they¡¯re just ttened dirt.¡± Rowe dragged his stick along the road. ¡°That city back there, Jast¡ªit was dense with mana, but beneath it all was bureaucratic corruption and rampant crime on ount of mages chafing beneath ack of support from the government and their organization.¡±


    Argrave was surprised that Rowe had managed to gain such a solid view of the city so quickly, but before he could say anything, Anneliese said, ¡°Yet despite all that, they managed to achieve more than we have.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± Rowe trailed off, head lowering until his jowls pressed against his neck. ¡°It¡¯s vexing. We Veidimen are physically superior, longer-lived, harshly raised, and thrive in unity. Despite that¡­¡±


    ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s the environment,¡± Argrave posited.


    ¡°Were the environment the issue, our attempts to establish ourselves on different continents would have seeded. Patriarch Dras was not the first to attempt to invade greenernds. None before him have seeded.¡± Rowe quickly shot down Argrave¡¯s half-baked theory.


    ¡°Civilizations here are like moon cycles,¡± Argrave responded seriously, resuming the trek towards the vige of Karrel. ¡°They wax, they wane. You¡¯ve caught us when we¡¯re but a sliver of moon, near absent in the sky.¡± Argrave shrugged. ¡°In time, perhaps, that will reverse.¡±


    ¡°You believe humans will resurge, even after the advent of Gerechtigkeit?¡± Rowe questioned. Argrave was surprised the aged elf could speak so amiably.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Who¡¯s to say?¡± Argrave replied vaguely.


    Rowe stepped up to Argrave, walking alongside him. ¡°You have no ns for what lies beyond Gerechtigkeit?¡±


    ¡°I take things as theye.¡±


    ¡°And you are not certain that what lies beyond wille,¡± the elf followed Argrave¡¯s logic.


    ¡°I¡­¡± Argrave hesitated. ¡°Could die,¡± he admitted. ¡°All I do is tackle things beyond me. If you¡¯ve noticed, this body is not so fit for tackling.¡± Argrave shook his hands about, demonstrating his wrists.


    ¡°It¡¯s good you realize this,¡± Rowe said, uncharacteristically passive. ¡°You should not be merely nning to deal with Gerechtigkeit. You should be nning for what happens should you perish.¡±


    At that, Argrave¡¯s breath stopped. He saw the sense in Rowe¡¯s words immediately. Though Argrave knew that his death was very well likely, he took no measures to counteract Gerechtigkeit should that actually happen. His lungs felt tight, and Argrave took a few quick breaths to gain his bearing.


    ¡°What kind of¡­¡± Argrave paused, then mustered some cheer to say, ¡°A bit ridiculous to make ns to die, no?¡±


    Rowe shook his head. ¡°I thought there might be sense yet in you. How foolish of me.¡± He looked out to the vige. ¡°I can feel that mage you spoke of. His mana is¡­ unusual. Warped, dancing, like mist or fog. He did not be an A-rank mage by ordinary means.¡±


    ¡°No, he didn¡¯t,¡± Argrave agreed. ¡°I don¡¯t know how it is in Veiden, but each A-rank mage is different than thest depending on how they advance. They attune their body to the magic they use.¡±


    ¡°There is only one method of advancement in Veiden. The spellcaster embraces the ice magics throughout their veins. Some brazen fools discover more, at times, but such is a rare urrence.¡± Rowe shook his head. ¡°Despite its bulk, his mana is less substantial than mine. I am confident should things go awry.¡±


    They grew ever closer to the vige. The homes in Karrel were made of stone¡ªa rarity amongst viges, but being in such close proximity to the hub of most magical activity for miles around definitely had its benefits. Doubtless some earth-focused elemental mage had made these viger¡¯s homes of stone in order to earn a quick bag of gold.


    ¡°Good that you¡¯re confident,¡± Argrave nodded to Rowe, and then looked back to Gmon. ¡°You. Chug some blood, disguise your features.¡±


    Gmon obeyed Argrave¡¯s directive. Rowe looked at him perplexedly. ¡°What¡¯re you¡­?¡±


    ¡°Vampirism is all but indistinguishable if the vampire is fully sated,¡± Argrave exined. ¡°Helmuth has [Minor Truesight]¡ªhe channeled most of his mana into his eyes during his ritualistic ascendance to A-rank, and it allows him to both cast spells from them and see the truth behind some things. We have two secrets that need to be kept¡ªmy association with Erlebnis, and Gmon¡¯s vampirism. Hopefully what Gmon is doing will be enough to trick Helmuth¡¯s eyes. As for myself¡­ well, it¡¯s hopeless.¡± Argrave shrugged and shook his head.


    ¡°You keep strangepany,¡± Rowe shook his head.


    ¡°You¡¯re now part of that,¡± Argrave noted.


    ¡°I am strange. Regardless of the esteem behind the title, S-rank spellcasters are outliers, and thus, strange.¡±


    Argrave considered that for a moment, eventually nodding. They walked past the first of the buildings in Karrel, and Argrave looked about, searching for the people they were to meet. Soon enough, he spotted a few men with exceptionally stocky builds wearing rtively inconspicuous clothes. Argrave could see white steel boots poking out from their robes and approached.


    ¡°Appointment with Elias,¡± Argrave greeted politely as though he was speaking to a receptionist at a doctor¡¯s office.


    The two knights craned their neck to look up at Argrave. ¡°Come,¡± one said, leading them away. Argrave followed withoutint. Soon enough, they were led behind a building, where Elias waited with two people Argrave recognized: Baron Abraham and Helmuth. Elias sat on a stump and rose when Argrave came into view.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while,¡± Elias greeted, pulling back his hood to reveal his red hair.


    ¡°Probably not long enough, in your eyes.¡± Argrave returned.

 Chapter 73: Purple Haze All in His Eyes

    Chapter 73: Purple Haze All in His Eyes


    Argrave¡¯s eyes lingered on the man wearing reddish-brown robes slightly behind Elias: Helmuth. ck hair, a widow¡¯s peak, a dour face, and a beard trimmed to a point all lent the spellcaster an appearance of harsh sternness. His eyes were constantly in motion, twisting and beckoning like there was an abyss beyond those orbs. It had been merely another interesting thing when viewing it from the perspective of a yer, but now that those eyes were real, it somewhat disturbed Argrave¡ªboth their appearance, and the knowledge of what they could do.


    It was difficult to distinguish where, exactly, Helmuth was looking, but Argrave was certain he had seen <em>something </em>out of the ordinary, for Helmuth disyed considerable caution gazing upon them. Perhaps it was Rowe, magical titan that he was, or perhaps it was Argrave, possessed of the blessing of a God of Knowledge. Worst yet, it might be Gmon, the vampire.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Regardless, the spellcaster stepped up to Elias¡¯ ear and whispered something. Elias frowned as he listened, and then eventually turned an eye back to Argrave.


    Argrave did not know what, exactly, Helmuth said, but eventually Elias looked to him and said simply, ¡°I won¡¯t. There¡¯s no need.¡±


    ¡°I strongly advise against that course, young lord,¡± Helmuth said insistently, slightly louder. He lowered his voice again.


    Argrave turned to Gmon as Helmuth whispered to Elias, conveying to the elf he wished to know what they were saying.


    ¡°He wishes to leave,¡± muttered Gmon beneath his breath. ¡°He believes you are a danger, and fears that you have an S-rank spellcaster in your retinue.¡±


    Argrave nodded, but his question soon turned out to be a waste of time. Baron Abraham said loudly, ¡°I also think we should leave, young lord.¡± He raised a hand and waved it at Argrave and his threepanions. ¡°You said this bastard stopped the Veidimen invasion¡ªwhy, then, does he keep only theirpany?¡±


    ¡°Because words are stronger than swords in ending wars,¡± Argrave supplied smoothly, interjecting himself into things to speed the conversation up. ¡°Things were resolved diplomatically. I was named friend to the Veidimen.¡±


    ¡°Hah.¡± Abraham shook his head. ¡°More likely you were the puppeteer behind the invasion to begin with. Start something and end something with the same hands, fabricate glory from nothing¡ªnot unlike most in Vasquer,¡± Abraham said, voice low.


    Argraveughed. ¡°Conspiracy theories, now?¡±


    ¡°Baron Abraham, you forget your ce,¡± Elias said.


    ¡°Margrave Reinhardt made it clear to me my ce was to advise you,¡± Abraham turned. ¡°And you¡¯re going down a foolish road even conversing with this lowlife. That is my advice to you.¡±


    ¡°Lowlife? You¡¯re not worth a tenth of him, even were your flesh made of gold,¡± Rowe said provocatively, sparking Argrave¡¯s panic.


    ¡°Now, let¡¯s just¡ª¡± Argrave tried to begin.


    ¡°Is that right?¡± The Baron ced his hand on the pommel of his sword, taking a step forward towards the four of them. ¡°de or spell, he¡¯d be dead within ten seconds if we came to blows.¡±


    Argrave felt magic stir within the air and took an instinctive step back. Something rushed from Helmuth¡¯s hands, winding about Abraham like a tetherball. When things settled, it was revealed to be a purple mass of air coiled around Abraham¡¯s body. The knight struggled with it, wing at it with his hands. Argrave recognized what had happened¡ªHelmuth used the B-rank spell [Tempest Grip]. The spell, a wind-type elemental spell, had been tainted purple by Helmuth¡¯s unusual magic constitution.


    The enchantments on Abraham¡¯s armor sparked wildly, keeping the magic from crushing him outright. ¡°Be silent,¡± Helmuth said loudly, not quite yelling. ¡°You know naught. You tempt wrath beyond your ken, and should you proceed, I will cast you to the dogs. I would sooner carve your headstone myself than join you in death.¡±


    Helmuth clenched his fist, and the spell matrix shining in his hand dissipated. Abraham copsed to one knee, his legs braced as though the knight was ready to lunge and seek revenge. He stared at Helmuth indignantly, breath quick. Argrave feared that things would continue to escte.


    After a time, Abraham stood, running a gauntleted hand through his messy blonde hair. The Baron walked a fair distance away, refusing to continue the conversation. Elias stared at the Baron, saying nothing.


    ¡°One of you has some sense, it would seem,¡± Rowe said. ¡°But they say if a dog has a fault, it¡¯s the master¡¯s¡ª¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s not, Rowe,¡± Argrave interrupted, voice tense. ¡°I have an exercise for you¡ªif you don¡¯t have anything nice to say, don¡¯t say it at all.¡±


    Rowe grumbled something inaudibly, and Argrave sighed, rubbing his hand against his face. ¡°Well, since the possibility of an amiable conversation has died on the vine, let¡¯s get to the point, Elias.¡± Argrave lifted his head up, meeting Elias¡¯ gaze.


    ¡°That suits me fine,¡± agreed Elias. ¡°But first, Mateth¡ªwhat happened there? News is inconsistent and vague in Parbon.¡±


    ¡°Mateth survived,¡± Argrave said seriously. ¡°A lot of people died, all of House Monti¡¯s fleet was destroyed, the harbors have been entirely wiped out, and the Dukedom is essentially crippled, but¡­ the Duke, Nikoletta, and Mina persist yet.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Elias processed Argrave¡¯s sinct exnation of aplex situation. ¡°Then this rumor of you stopping the invasion¡ªhow did that happen? How did you repel the snow elves?¡±


    Argrave wished to im it was fabricated, but with three snow elves at his side and Argrave having already confessed being named friend to the Veidimen, he was not confident enough to maneuver his way out of this one. Worse yet, Rowe would probably force honesty from him.


    ¡°I resolved a misunderstanding between Veiden and House Monti. End of story,¡± Argrave shrugged. ¡°Anneliese here helped me.¡± He tapped her shoulder, and after a moment¡¯s pause, she nodded. ¡°Most of the credit goes to her. She was the bridge between the two sides.¡±


    Rowe looked back perplexedly but said nothing, to Argrave¡¯s relief. Elias sized Anneliese up as she stared down at him. They locked eyes for a moment, and Anneliese gave a brief nod.


    ¡°It¡¯s good that things ended, then,¡± Elias concluded, turning his gaze away. ¡°But I¡¯ve forced a digression. What is it you wanted to speak to me about?¡±


    ¡°The Duke of Elbraille intends to support Vasquer,¡± Argrave dered inly.


    Elias frowned and lowered his head. The news was simrly disquieting in Elias¡¯pany. Helmuth looked surprised, and he brought his hand to his beard, stroking it idly. The knights looked at each other, exchanging emotions with nce alone. Even Abraham was pulled from his sulking, and he turned back to them with some anger still present in his posture.


    ¡°And by extension, Jast, his vassal, will support Vasquer as well?¡± Elias questioned further, half-lost in thought.


    ¡°That is the natural order of things, yes,¡± Argrave nodded.


    ¡°And you know this how?¡±


    ¡°You spoke to him,¡± Argrave pointed. ¡°Vdrien of Jast. He confirmed some things for me. Good kid.¡±


    ¡°Then where is he?¡± Abraham questioned from far away.


    ¡°Absent,¡± Argrave said after a pause. He had neglected to ask Stain toe along. ¡°But I have these letters detailing exchanges between the Duke and the Count, speaking of the war toe. It contains strategy, the like. Here.¡± Argrave reached into his satchel, pulling out a tightly wrapped bundle of letters. Elias stepped forward and took it, breaking the string binding them.


    Elias read through the letters in silence. Argrave kept his eyes on Helmuth. He could not be certain of it, for the mancked both pupils and irises, but he was near certain the man was staring at him.


    ¡°Letters can be forged,¡± Abraham stated. Argrave was rather impressed the man could still be so annoyingly opposed to him even after being threatened by an A-rank mage¡ªhis own ally, no less.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think they are,¡± said Elias as he read through them.


    ¡°How?¡± Abraham asked incredulously.


    ¡°Intuition. You should be well familiar with the Parbon instinct, Baron Abraham,¡± Elias reminded Abraham. He looked up at Argrave. ¡°Besides, the information contained within these isn¡¯t something that can be forged.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m d you see that. Even still, I can get Vdrien if you doubt me. Would just take a snap of the fingers, more or less,¡± Argrave emted the motion.


    ¡°A boy of unconfirmed identity,¡± Abraham said, shaking his head.


    ¡°The man¡¯s stubborn adhesion to his own mental deficiencies is very admirable,¡± said Rowe sarcastically, disguising an insult withpliment.


    Argrave said nothing so as not to draw more ire, but internally agreed with thement. Abraham walked away and sat on a stump.


    ¡°So you wish to stop me from entering Jast,¡± Elias followed Argrave¡¯s logic. ¡°It could be dangerous for me there.¡±


    ¡°Not necessarily,¡± Argrave pointed to emphasize his point. ¡°I think things would be better suited if Jast came to the aid of House Parbon, instead. Anneliese and I have been discussing how we might make that happen.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d do that¡ªturn Jast against Vasquer? You intend to support House Parbon against your own family?¡± Elias tried to confirm.


    ¡°Family? I¡¯m not a Vasquer,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°And most bearing that name do nothing good for the world by continuing to live.¡±


    Elias seemed taken aback by that statement. ¡°Even still, King Felipe is your father.¡± Elias sighed, and then shrugged his shoulders defeatedly. ¡°Well, I¡­ I¡¯m not here to teach you morals. What exactly did you have in mind? I¡¯ll hear you out, at the very¡ª¡±


    ¡°Young lord Elias,¡± Helmuth interrupted, grabbing Elias¡¯ shoulder. ¡°Let¡¯s speak privately for a moment.¡±


    Elias looked at the spellcaster for a moment, then nodded.


    #####


    ¡°What is this about?¡± Elias inquired from within the confines of the warding spell Helmuth had created.


    ¡°You should not work with this man,¡± Helmuth said inly.


    ¡°And why not?¡± Elias inquired neutrally.


    ¡°There is a foul ckness within him.¡±


    ¡°Even you opine on his morals?¡± Elias looked away as though disappointed. ¡°I know him better than¡ª¡±


    ¡°No,¡± interrupted Helmuth, uncaring of Elias¡¯ station on ount of their privacy. ¡°I don¡¯t speak of his morals. I speak literally. An abyss resides within his chest. As you know, I see more than most,¡± Helmuth pointed to his eyes.


    ¡°You do,¡± Elias nodded. ¡°And there¡¯s a¡­ an abyss? Within Argrave?¡± the young lord repeated uncertainly.


    ¡°Yes. I might use more specific wording, but even looking at it is¡­¡± Helmuth dared a nce, then quickly turned his head away. ¡°There is a hole within him. It is the touch of something ancient¡ªolder than Vasquer, perhaps even older than the soil we stand on.¡±


    ¡°What does that mean?¡± Elias leaned in. ¡°What exactly did you see?¡±


    ¡°I but nced at it, and it threatened to consume my mind,¡± Helmuth stated. ¡°It is a connection to something unknown, perhaps unknowable. There are few words I can use to describe it besides¡­ an abyss. A void. I suspect that whatever it is rests beyond the limits of my mind. Were I to guess¡­ it must be a connection to a god.¡±


    Elias tapped his fingers together, lost in thought. ¡°Could Argrave be blessed by one of the gods in Vasquer¡¯s pantheon?¡±


    ¡°No. Whatever resides in him is far older than any of our gods,¡± Helmuth shook his head. ¡°I must reiterate, young lord¡ªbe wary of this man. Stay far away. If he belongs to one of the ancient gods, their callous disregard for life will surely be mirrored in him. We gain nothing by associating with him.¡±


    Elias turned his head towards Argrave, gaze distant as it was lost in deliberation.

 Chapter 74: Negotiations

    Chapter 74: Negotiations


    ¡°What are we doing here?¡± asked Gmon, looking around at outfits hung on simple carved mannequins. The majority of them were quite grandiose, studded with jewels of all denominations and made of the finest silk.


    ¡°Why does one generally go to a shop?¡± answered Argrave absently, staring at a set of clothes. ¡°To buy, of course. And to avoid Rowe, lest he hound you about repaying that favor. Elias has ced things on hold until tomorrow, so Rowe¡¯s duty is not yet done.¡± Argrave paused, then fearing Gmon¡¯s judgement, quickly added, ¡°We¡¯ll do it in time, of course, but not now.¡±


    ¡°Here, one can only buy frivolities,¡± stated Gmon judgmentally.


    Argrave touched a piece of clothing, testing its texture. ¡°Pageantry is important if one is to be participating in a pageant. It¡¯s in the name, after all. A banquet of nobles is simr enough to a pageant¡ªall lights and colors, only serving to mask the reality of the people behind them.¡±


    Gmon frowned, and Anneliese beside him exined, ¡°Argrave intends to attend the banquet alongside Elias in order to persuade Count Delbraun to support the rebellion.¡±


    ¡°The boy was undecided, yet you¡¯re already nning for what happens if he agrees? He said he needed a day to think. Not a good portent,¡± Gmon argued.


    Argrave stopped at a suit with poofy parts on the arms and legs, musing, ¡°People actually think this looks good¡­?¡± He looked back to Gmon. ¡°Elias will agree.¡±


    ¡°Predicated on what?¡±


    ¡°I think he is somewhat positively predisposed towards me, and Anneliese agrees with that assessment. He¡¯s a bold person, and he likes his family quite a bit. He¡¯s also smart enough to realize how disastrous the Duchy of Elbraille supporting Vasquer would be. Jast is the main pir of Elbraille¡¯s power¡ªif it wavers, Elbraille will likely follow suit.¡±


    Gmon considered this, then asked, ¡°Why? If Jast swears fealty to Elbraille, the Duchy should be much more powerful than it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d ce the two at around equal strength,¡± Argave shook his head. ¡°Once upon a time, Elbraille was much more powerful than Jast, but this ce has been growing in strength decade by decade on ount of shrewd management and a focus on magic.¡± Argrave pointed at Gmon. ¡°The point to remember, though: Elbraille would be nked by both the territories of Parbon and Jast if this city of magic pledged support to the rebellion. The Duke is a coward and would never risk this.¡±


    ¡°But what of Jast¡¯s honor? They swore fealty to Elbraille. Does this mean nothing?¡±


    Argraveughed. ¡°No. Such a thing might matter in that winter wondend you call home, but you¡¯re far from Veiden. Honor and loyalty are the words that noble houses preach, but beneath it, the true light shines through: appearances. As long as they appear honorable, nothing else matters. Elbraille has not yet gone public with their support of Vasquer. Provided this goes through, they never will.¡±


    Argrave stopped at a neat ck outfit with a long yet thin coat. The cor andpel had been fitted with a resplendent gold fur, and Argrave ran his hand against it. ¡°Huh. Soft.¡± The cuffs were studded with small rubies, and flourishes of gold thread decorated the outfit tastefully.


    ¡°They¡¯re Vasquer colors, but¡­ well, it¡¯s hardly their fault these colors work so well together.¡± Argrave looked back to Gmon and Anneliese. ¡°I think I¡¯ve found what I¡¯ll wear.¡±


    ¡°It will look nice,¡±mented Anneliese.


    ¡°I should hope so,¡± said Argrave. ¡°Would you like something while we¡¯re here? A lovely dress, perhaps? It¡¯s only fair. Most of this business regarding Elias was your idea, anyway. I just supplied the knowledge¡ªyou came up with the n,¡± he gestured towards Anneliese.


    ¡°We agreed I should not attend,¡± Anneliese shook her head. ¡°The presence of Veidimen at the banquet would only be a detriment to your ability to persuade those present.¡±


    ¡°No personal interest?¡± Argrave inquired.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°No,¡± sheughed.


    ¡°Shame,¡± Argrave shrugged. ¡°You¡¯d look fantastic in something like this,¡± Argrave walked up to a slender white dress on disy decorated with lines of gold and silver running along its length. Foremost on its decorations were myriad ambers, each shining against the light.


    ¡°Well, no matter. I should find the tailor, get my measurements done¡­¡± Argrave walked away.


    Anneliese stared at the dress for some time after Argrave had left, head tilted as she examined it. Her brows furrowed in thought, but then she smiled faintly. She turned her head back at Argrave who¡¯d walked some distance away and hastened to catch up.


    #####


    A day passed, and Argrave met with Elias once more as was agreed. They met at the same spot¡ªKarrel. It was early morning. Rowe was present again¡ªthey had only managed to get him toe once more because Gmon promised to answer his question immediately after this meeting. As if in protest, the aged elf was considerably less engaged this time, sitting on a stump off in the distance.


    ¡°After considerable deliberation, I¡¯ve decided to hear you out. After that, I¡¯ll decide. I can¡¯t make a judgement without the full picture,¡± said Elias.


    ¡°Okay,¡± said Argrave tiredly. He had spent the entire night trying to learn the [Electric Eel] spell, but it was considerably more archaic andplex than the vast majority of the spells in the Order of the Gray Owl. He had very nearly grasped it, but it would still take some time. Another sleepless night, perhaps.


    ¡°Well,¡± Argrave rubbed his eyes, ¡°It¡¯s very simple. You have to get married, Elias.¡±


    Elias stared at Argrave nkly, and Helmuth frowned off to the side. Abraham threw up his hands and walked away.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°You won¡¯t be marrying me, Elias. I don¡¯t think such an arrangement is legal in Vasquer, and it also would be entirely useless. I don¡¯t think we¡¯re fated, either. Sorry.¡±


    ¡°What are you¡­?¡± Elias began dryly, Argrave¡¯s sarcasm sparking only confusion. ¡°Forget it. Who would I marry?¡±


    ¡°Lydia of Jast, Count Delbraun¡¯s sister,¡± Argrave said clearly.


    ¡°You mean Ridia,¡± said Elias.


    ¡°Was it Ridia?¡± Argrave frowned. ¡°Quite a gaffe. A forgivable one, I hope. Indeed, in somenguages, R and L are the same thing¡­ well, never mind,¡± Argrave shook his head to dispel errant thoughts. ¡°Yes, you¡¯ll be marrying Ridia of Jast.¡±


    ¡°She is five years Elias¡¯ senior,¡± Helmuth interrupted. ¡°Hardly a suitable bride for the heir to House Parbon.¡±


    ¡°Twenty five?¡± Argrave questioned, which Helmuth nodded to. ¡°It¡¯s a reasonable gap, I believe.¡±


    ¡°Even if the young lord agreed, one of Count Delbraun¡¯s daughters would be more fitting. The oldest is nubile.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t she thirteen?¡± Argrave said, grimacing after hearing the word ¡®nubile.¡¯ ¡°I know they say ¡®if their age is off the clock, they¡¯re ready for the¡­¡¯ I¡¯m not going to finish that,¡± Argrave admonished himself. ¡°To your point: the age gap is bigger there. Seven years. And I think that would be a rather¡­ sickening choice, personally speaking.¡±


    ¡°The choice is unimportant,¡± Elias interrupted. ¡°Some facts stand in our way. My father is not here¡ªhe is the patriarch of House Parbon, and he decides these things.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say you¡¯d be swearing your vows on the morrow,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°Get a betrothal, then get your father¡¯s permission. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll agree, given the circumstances. This is the best course for your house¡¯s future. You¡¯ll get a steadfast ally in Jast, and Elbraille will likelye around the exact same way.


    Elias turned around, hand to his chin as he thought on the matter. Helmuth contributed, saying, ¡°Elbraille supporting House Parbon should this union happen is a¡­ reasonable oue, young lord,¡± he advised.


    ¡°And doubtless Jast would lend Vasquer considerable support. Father sent me here to obtain aid from any mages¡ªa union with Jast would facilitate that,¡± Elias reasoned. ¡°They have a closer rtionship with the Order than any other noble house.¡±


    ¡°Politically speaking, it is a shrewd move,¡± Helmuth nodded.


    ¡°But practically speaking,¡± Elias followed, turning on his heel to face Argrave. ¡°How do you n to achieve this? That friend of yours, Vdrien of Jast? Does he have the count¡¯s ear?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a card, but he¡¯s not the full hand,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°That banquet you were invited to¡ªwe should attend. From there, I¡¯m confident in persuading the Count.¡±


    ¡°We could be walking into a cage,¡± Helmuth shook his head.


    ¡°Come with him, then,¡± Argrave pointed at Helmuth. ¡°You¡¯repetent enough, Helmuth, I know that much. The Count has no S-rank mages in his service, and perhaps two A-rank spellcasters, both of whom are High Wizards in the Order of the Gray Owl. Need I remind you that the Order is a politically neutral entity? They won¡¯t act.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s still dangerous,¡± Helmuth retorted, taking a step back.


    ¡°So mind your step, watch what you eat,¡± Argrave advised. ¡°Nothing risked, nothing gained.¡±


    Helmuth pondered this, and Elias clearly waited to hear his thoughts on the matter. The silence stretched out, and Argrave turned to look at Anneliese, about to question her opinion on the situation.


    ¡°This is ridiculous!¡± a shout broke the silence, and Argrave whipped his head to its source. Baron Abraham stepped forward. ¡°All this usible nonsense is just to get our foot in the door. This bastard¡¯sthered honey on a poisoned de. Why are we here?¡± he stretched his arms out in exasperation.


    ¡°If Argrave wanted you dead, I¡¯d know. It¡¯d be easy, like crushing a grape,¡± Rowe said happily, emting the motion with his finger and thumb.


    ¡°Baron Abraham,¡± Elias said loudly. ¡°You were warned time and time again. You came as an advisor, not as amander. I will give you two choices: leave, return to Parbon, whereupon I will returnter and report your repeated disobedience to my father.¡± Elias stared down Abraham, then added the second choice. ¡°Your only other option is to remain quiet.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll speak the truth unto death,¡± Abraham said. He stepped forward, gaze flitting between Helmuth and Elias. ¡°You shan¡¯t muzzle me. I¡¯ll return to Parbon and tell your father what¡¯s urring here myself, young lord Elias,¡± the Baron veritably snarled.


    He walked away from the group, stomping with every step. Rowe watched him go, a smile on his face.


    ¡°I apologize for his behavior,¡± Elias said sincerely. ¡°He is a man well used to being on the battlefield¡ªgiving orders, never receiving them. A terror, my father calls him, but an untrained one. It is as your old friend over there said¡ªif a dog goes bad, it is the fault of the master. I should have handled him better.¡±


    ¡°Humility. I did not think humans could possess it,¡± Rowe said glibly. ¡°Well, some dogs are born stupid, too. You must take this into ount.¡±


    ¡°He is hot of temper, but not stupid,¡± Elias disagreed. ¡°Argrave¡­ we¡¯ve had our disagreements.¡±


    ¡°So we have,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°Most of which were my fault, admittedly,¡± he found the words easy to speak¡ªit was like admitting someone else was at fault.


    ¡°Still, I think that this would be the best course of action.¡± Elias nodded, stepping forward. ¡°This banquet¡ªI¡¯ll attend. Where should I go to find you?¡±


    ¡°The Knight¡¯s Pawn,¡± Argrave said. ¡°I¡¯ll be bringing some friends. They¡¯ll help facilitate things.¡±


    ¡°Then I shall meet you there,¡± Elias held out a hand.


    Argrave shook his hand. ¡°I¡¯m d this went well, despite the boisterous one.¡±

 Chapter 75: Castellan of the Empty

    Chapter 75: Casten of the Empty


    ¡°Now that is done,¡± Rowe said, stepping in front of Argrave and his party. ¡°I won¡¯t be denied my answer any longer, Gmon. Do you intend to break your word? Has your time in this ce of twisted morals sullied the honor I know you once had?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll answer,¡± Gmon refuted, shaking his head. ¡°Ask.¡±


    ¡°Then let us go somewhere private,¡± Rowe waved.


    ¡°No,¡± Gmon stopped Rowe. ¡°Ask here. These two would never cease pestering me if you ask elsewhere.¡±


    ¡°Gmon ¡®the Great,¡¯ brought to heel by children not a quarter his age,¡± Rowe mused. ¡°Fine. It¡¯s your business, anyway. I¡¯ll give our audience context, then.¡± Rowe tapped his staff against the ground and a white magic ward spread out, enveloping the four of them.


    ¡°That day they found you having sumbed to vampirism, your brother¡¯s head was crushed,¡± Rowe began. ¡°Most believe you killed your brother Berran in feral rage after he turned you into a vampire. You always refused to answer. How did your brother die?¡±


    Despite the ceremony behind the question, Gmon did not seem deeply rattled as he answered, ¡°When I awoke, Berran apologized for what he had done and killed himself. He used a wedge to lift a boulder, ced his head beneath it, and then allowed it to fall. His death was instant.¡±


    ¡°Then it¡¯s as I thought,¡± Rowe said. ¡°Your brother was coerced into turning you.¡±


    ¡°His children were at risk. I do not me him,¡± Gmon shook his head. ¡°And it matters little. Those responsible are dead. Dras promised me he would uproot them before he sent me away, and I know he kept that promise.¡±


    ¡°Who was responsible?¡± questioned Anneliese, a query which made Argrave nod in solidarity.


    ¡°The Ebon Cult,¡± said Gmon, his guttural voice carrying a pure hatred that made Argrave shudder.


    ¡°Aye. They were before your time, girl. Dras ughtered them like the dogs they were,¡± Rowe lowered his head. ¡°They were once the Ebon tribe. They discovered Ebonice. Some people abhor using the stuff for that reason.¡±


    Argrave stepped forward, then turned to face Gmon. ¡°The Ebon Cult existed in Veiden?¡±


    Gmon¡¯s pupils fell on Argrave, their whiteness seeming especially cold today. ¡°What do you mean, ¡®existed in?¡¯¡± he questioned.


    ¡°It could be a cult of the same name¡ªdarkness, ckness, and other such stygian descriptors are trendy in cult circles, I hear¡ªbut the Ebon Cult is alive and well in Berendar, living deep in the crust of the world.¡±


    Gmon grabbed Argrave¡¯s shoulders, which dredged up some unpleasant memories and made Argrave freeze. ¡°Describe them,¡± he said insistently, pulling Argrave closer.


    Anneliese put her hand on Gmon¡¯s wrist. ¡°Let go, first,¡± she said.


    Gmon took a deep breath and then released Argrave. ¡°Forgive me. I need to hear their descriptions.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Argrave rolled his shoulders, still feeling a soreness where Gmon had grasped. ¡°They¡¯re a multiracial group, which is perhaps their most inclusive trait. They dwell in the old dwarven cities, whose creators have long ago migrated deeper into the earth. They use necromancy, shamanic magic, and blood magic, all of which they are masters at. In truth, they are more a nation than a cult¡ªa religious state beneath the earth.¡±


    ¡°What are their ideals¡ªwhat do they worship?¡± Gmon said impatiently.


    ¡°A false god,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°They¡¯re trying to turn that falsehood into reality¡ªnot that that¡¯s even possible. His name is Mozzahr, the Casten of the Empty. I¡¯d say he¡¯s a spellcaster at Rowe¡¯s level.¡±


    ¡°A bold im,¡± snorted Rowe.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. Mozzahr is probably stronger,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°Shamanic magic is a pain, after all.¡±


    Rowe raised a bushy brow, gritting his teeth. Gmon turned his head away, silent. When the awkward silence stretched out, Argrave followed up, asking, ¡°What? Does that name mean anything to you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s unfamiliar,¡± Gmon said musingly. ¡°Rowe?¡±


    ¡°Sounds like nonsense to me. Casten of the Empty? What does that mean? Did he go to an open field and dere himself its governor?¡± The S-rank spellcaster shook his head. ¡°I did not review what was taken during the razing of the Ebon tribe. Patriarch Dras might know better. I can inquire.¡±


    ¡°Casten of the Empty could mean a lot of things. ¡®Empty¡¯ meaning ¡®empty people,¡¯ or meaning ¡®void.¡¯ Hard to govern either, I¡¯d suspect. We can ask him when the timees, if indeed he¡¯s amenable to conversation at that time.¡±


    ¡°Ask him? What does that mean?¡± Gmon demanded.


    ¡°He has to die, eventually. He¡¯ll cause problems in the future,¡± Argrave dered. ¡°This cult rivals Vasquer in power. They¡¯ve done us a favor by going to the dwarven cities, deep underground, but we still have to bury them. We have to make sure they nevere out of their holes.¡± Argrave shrugged, then added, ¡°In time, of course. We have other priorities.¡±


    ¡°Do you have a n for every step until Gerechtigkeit manifests?¡± Rowe asked curiously.


    ¡°I do,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°I have a very, very busy schedule, which scarcely offers time even to sleep. I¡¯ve divided it into phases, recently. First, I solidify my power and deal with immediate problems¡ªlike Vasquer, for instance. We¡¯re on that phase,¡± Argrave pointed to the ground. ¡°Second, I gain support and alliances. It¡¯d be impossible to persuade the human world of Gerechtigkeit¡¯s existence presently, especially with an all-consuming civil war urring. We¡¯ll have to wait for Gerechtigkeit to make itself known¡ªand believe me, it will.¡±


    ¡°And the third?¡± queried Rowe.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°I am be Death, the destroyer of the destroyer of worlds.¡± Argrave held his hands out in faux grandiosity. ¡°We end Gerechtigkeit. This won¡¯t be a battle. It¡¯ll be a war.¡±


    Rowe gripped his staff tightly. ¡°You have the odd and decidedly dangerous habit of rousing my blood, Argrave,¡± he said. It was the first time the old elf had said his name, Argrave was sure. ¡°Most times in anger, and now, in¡­ vigor, I suppose.¡±


    Argraveughed. ¡°Let¡¯s hope it persists for three more years. You¡¯ll need it then, not now.¡±


    ¡°I am aware, boy,¡± the elf reprimanded. ¡°Now, all this talk has reminded me of the duty that the Patriarch has given to me. We¡¯ve tended to your needs, and after hearing your little speech, I can concur it was worth my time. That said, my task strengthens Veiden, and your aid is long overdue.¡±


    ¡°Then I suppose I am at your disposal, provided this won¡¯t take too long,¡± Argrave nodded.


    ¡°That depends on your capabilities,¡± Rowe said, dispelling the ward around them as effortlessly as he had created it.


    #####


    ¡°Do you bring a library everywhere you go?¡± questioned Rowe as he stepped into their dormitory. ¡°Books here, books there, books on the bed, books on the chair,¡± he rhymed. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t be surprised. You seem the type that would like to own books for the sole purpose of decoration.¡±


    ¡°Books do look nice, but I¡¯ll learn all of these eventually,¡± Argrave picked up a spellbook and waited for the rest of his party to enter before shutting the door. ¡°It¡¯ll merely take some time.¡±


    ¡°Mmm¡­ if your willpower doesn¡¯t fail first, your memory will,¡± Rowe disagreed. He moved some books off a chair and sat down, letting out a huff of air. He leaned his staff against the table.


    ¡°I¡¯m not an old man at the cusp of losing his mind. My memory is good,¡± Argrave countered. ¡°So, things have been settled with Elias thanks to your help. What could the unfathomably powerful S-rank mage want with the weak and altogether not-helpful me?¡± Argrave sat down adjacent to Rowe. ¡°Frankly, I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re here. Don¡¯t you have important functions in Veiden?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but I hate doing them,¡± Rowe said tantly. His gaze wandered to Anneliese and Gmon, who took their seats at the table. ¡°Patriarch Dras chose me specifically for two reasons¡ªof everyone in Veiden, I¡¯vee to understand enchantments the best.¡± Rowe held up one finger. ¡°And two: he wishes to pass some¡­ untraditional reforms, shall we say, and doesn¡¯t want my meddling.¡±


    ¡°Despite knowing that, you¡¯re here?¡± Argrave asked curiously.


    ¡°I get tired of making sure people don¡¯t hurt themselves,¡± Rowe shook his head. Seeing Argrave¡¯s incredulous expression, he added, ¡°You try holding the line against the younger generations for hundreds and hundreds of years. There¡¯s only one me, but they keep making more damned babies. Hard to see the value in life when you realize it¡¯s a renewable resource.


    ¡°Time was I had some ideological allies in Veiden, but I¡¯ve outlived all of them.¡± Rowe shook his head, and then waved his hand as though shooing something. ¡°Besides, Dras is reasonably intelligent. He won¡¯t ruin things too much, and I can fix what he does when I return.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Argrave didn¡¯t think too deeply into the matter¡ªnow that Veiden had ceased its progress into the maind, his business with them would be done for a time. ¡°You mentioned enchantments earlier. Is that rted to your business here?¡±


    ¡°Aye.¡± Rowe tapped his finger against the table. ¡°Our attack on that city¡­ Mateth, was it? It was illuminating.¡±


    ¡°Did you have a moment of epiphany where you realized the foolishness of war?¡± Argrave asked drolly. ¡°That would be the best oue. Embrace pacifism, live peacefully.¡±


    ¡°No. What we realized was the foolishness of the way we warred,¡± Row shook his head. ¡°Some mages tried attacking the enchanted walls with magic, you know.¡± Rowe gestured to Argrave, then continued bitterly, ¡°The spells rebounded, exploding in the ranks of our own men. Dozens dead, so I¡¯m told.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. House Monti is¡ªwell, was¡ªstrong,¡± Argrave amended. ¡°Their walls have never fallen, and their navy had never been beaten before. Some say their sigil should have been a golden turtle. But Veiden annihted their navy; at that, at least, you can take pride. Your extremely poorly timed invasion was well done.¡±


    ¡°What does it matter whether their navy had been beaten before? To Veiden, they¡¯re all the same¡ªenemies to be conquered in time.¡±


    ¡°All the same? With that approach, Veiden¡¯s bound to fail. There¡¯s a reason I killed your druids, Rowe. Intelligence is paramount.¡± Argrave ced his elbows on the table. ¡°Know thy self, know thy enemy. A thousand battles, a thousand victories. Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win,¡± he spoke, acting up the part of the sagely schr for his own amusement.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care to hear your titudes,¡± Rowe shook his head. ¡°And knowing our enemy is precisely the reason why I am here.¡±


    ¡°Will you keep speaking vagaries or get to the point?¡± Gmon ced his arm on the table.


    ¡°Hmph. Impatient as ever,¡± Rowe red at Gmon.


    ¡°No. You like to speak too much. I know that well.¡±


    ¡°Those whose words are worth hearing should make them heard,¡± Rowe responded to Gmon, then turned his gaze back to Argrave. ¡°Putting it inly, we need to correct our insufficiencies inparison to humanity.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°You¡¯ve still yet to tell me what to do.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you extrapte things? Must I spell everything out?¡± Rowe shook his head. ¡°I wish to know of enchanted architecture of note. I intend to visit and examine it. Furthermore, I must more closely examine illusion magic and enchantments. You taught Veiden how to create low-level enchantments, but none of those are capable of what was achieved at Mateth.¡± Rowe leaned in. ¡°It is not enough. Veiden must be strengthened. This serves your interests, too¡ªwe will aid you against Gerechtigkeit.¡±


    ¡°Then perhaps you should have been nicer to ine,¡± Argrave said, a faintly amused smile forming his face. ¡°I can¡¯t be your tour guide, nor can I give you all the secrets you need. She can, though.¡±


    ¡°I did not expect one so weak to hold a powerful position. But she won¡¯t help now, no question,¡± Rowe followed. ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    ¡°No, she¡¯ll have a question, I¡¯m sure,¡± Argrave disagreed. ¡°The question will be¡­ how much can you pay for her help?¡±


    ¡°Dras has given me the liberties of using Veiden¡¯s coffers, if need be,¡± Rowe stated as though it was the natural course of things.


    ¡°Then your answer to that question should be ¡®a hell of a lot,¡± Argrave smiled. ¡°If you¡¯re nice, I¡¯ll try and mark down the price. I think I can civilize you yet. Fortunately, I intended to meet with her shortly. She¡¯ll being with to the banquet, and I need to invite her.¡± Argrave stood up from his chair. ¡°If you¡¯d like, you maye along now. Two birds, one stone.¡±

 Chapter 76: Proper Eating

    Chapter 76: Proper Eating


    Dusk light washed over the city of Jast, the orange giving the somber city an amber hue on its ck stones. The towers seemed less dark and foreboding as high as Argrave was, though he was not fond of the stronger winds here.


    ¡°I¡¯m done,¡± Anneliese¡¯s voice broke his thoughts.


    Argrave turned, feeling some gold fur rub at his cheek. He wore the fancy ck outfit he had had retailored a few days ago. It had taken some extra money to have it done in such a timely fashion, but he wasrgely satisfied with the results.


    ¡°And?¡± Argrave pressed her further. The rest of thepany gathered around¡ªine, Stain, Elias, and Helmuth. Gmon was present, too, but he did not need to move from his spot to hear Anneliese.


    Everyone save the two elves wore very borate clothing. Stain¡¯s outfit was still the tight-fitting white one he¡¯d donned when visiting Elias, and the young lord of Parbon wore his house¡¯s colors. ine had donned a simple but vibrant crimson dress that seemed to meld with her hair. She most often wore the baggy gray robes, but in this dress, her statuesque figure was especially evident.


    ¡°I scanned the Count¡¯s estate thoroughly,¡± Anneliese began, gaze jumping from person to person as she recounted her experience scouting with druidic magic. ¡°Guards patrolled the outer walls and garden, but no more than usual. None of the rooms seemed to have anyrge gathering of troops. Of the areas I was able to explore with my pigeon, none of them seemed to be anything more than well-prepared for a banquet. I cannot ount for secret rooms or hiddenpartments, but the Count is not overtly preparing to take action inside.¡±


    ¡°I seriously doubt my brother would vite your right as a guest,¡± Stain spoke to Elias. ¡°People would be speaking of it until the end of time. He can¡¯t have that. People can only speak kindly of Jast, elsewise he¡¯ll toss and turn in his sleep, crying and moaning in twisted agony at his sullied honor.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re doing a lot for this to happen, Vdrien,¡± spoke Elias to Stain. ¡°Are you sure of it? I won¡¯t fault you if you renege now.¡±


    <em>This is why I hate goody two-shoes, </em>Argrave dialogued internally. <em>They always try to take less than what they need, even at their own detriment. Don¡¯t give him an out, you fool¡­</em> he wished to say, but Argrave was not genuinely concerned. He expected Stain¡¯s answer, and it came just as he thought it would.


    ¡°Call me Stain. It¡¯s the name I chose¡ªthe one I want,¡± he insisted. ¡°After tonight, Vdrien won¡¯t <em>be</em> any more. If it¡¯ll help this little deal work out, I¡¯ll formally renounce my heritage. I¡¯m sure Count Delbraun will leap forth like a dog towards a treat at the prospect of removing me from his family. Bastard. Er, no offense,¡± he quickly added towards Argrave, having recently discovered his identity.


    ¡°None taken,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°Alright. So, seeing no immediate danger, I think it¡¯d be best if we decided on a n as to what should be done once we¡¯re inside Delbraun¡¯s estate.¡±


    ¡°We just need to get a private conversation with the Count,¡± Elias shook his head. ¡°We y it by ear.¡±


    ¡°No, we don¡¯t,¡± Argrave quickly refuted. ¡°Our ears aren¡¯t capable of much thought. This is too important to delegate to an organ which some people live without. The stakes are a lotrger than you can see, and I¡¯m not talking about the beef which we might find served in these gilded halls.¡±


    ine snorted, but most others were unamused by Argrave¡¯s pun.


    ¡°Firstly, it¡¯s imperative that we stick together. We can function better if we remain closer to each other, and in the event that something unsavory is genuinely waiting for us in the banquet hall¡­¡± Argrave bunched his hands together. ¡°Strength in numbers, no? Moreover, we can¡¯t say when or where we¡¯ll encounter Delbraun, and so we all need to be by each other.¡±


    ¡°The Count is sure to greet us,¡± Elias argued. ¡°He is the host, and we are the guest he specifically invited.¡±


    ¡°Do you think it would be prudent to show his face if he genuinely intends to move against you?¡± ine asked. ¡°I see, now, why Argrave asked me along. I¡¯m a shield. The Count won¡¯t act against Elias easily if he risks offending the branch manager of the Order in Jast.¡±


    ¡°No, not a shield. Just your presence with Elias gives a lot of credibility to our offer. And now, Elias owes you a favor. He¡¯s rather rich, if you didn¡¯t know.¡± Argrave tapped his shoulder. ¡°Look at this outfit. Silken white, gold threads¡­ can¡¯t have been cheap.¡±


    ¡°You take many liberties, putting the young lord in debt to another,¡± criticized Helmuth.


    ¡°What can I say? I¡¯m a free-spirited man,¡± Argrave deflected.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Elias waved a hand. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Helmuth,¡± he interjected. ¡°Alright. Say the Count doesn¡¯t arrive. Say he¡¯s not even present. What¡ª¡±


    ¡°He is present,¡± Anneliese shook her head. ¡°I have seen him wandering.¡±


    Elias rubbed his fingers together. ¡°How do you know what he looks like?¡±


    ¡°Argrave described him. Ashen hair kept slicked back, middle-aged, tall, orange eyes.¡±


    ¡°And how does Argrave know?¡± Elias prodded further. ¡°The Count scarcely leaves his estate, let alone Jast.¡±


    Argrave quickly supplied, ¡°Stain told me,¡± cing his hands on the teenager¡¯s shoulders.


    ¡°I did¡­?¡± He looked at Argrave, then quickly caught on. ¡°Oh, right, I did,¡± he said with certainty.


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Argrave nodded, quickly pulling free his hand. ¡°And to answer your earlier question, Elias¡ªthe beauty of a banquet is that other people will be in attendance. Most prominently, the local nobility of Jast will be present. It takes but a few pointed inquiries to incite their own curiosity; soon enough, they¡¯ll be mirroring our own sentiments.¡± Argrave put his hand to his chest. ¡°Why isn¡¯t the host present? When will the host be present? That sort of thing is insulting to the nobility, as you know. Might be they¡¯ll make a fuss for us.¡±


    Elias bit his lip, thinking, then nodded. ¡°It seems a reasonable solution. I don¡¯t think I would have been able toe up with that on short notice. Perhaps it was na?ve of me to think that people were fundamentally unpredictable.¡±


    ¡°Of course, if they are fellow conspirators working with the Count, nothing wille of it,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°That alone should tip us off. It would be a good warning bell.¡±


    ¡°Then is that all?¡± Elias questioned.


    ¡°No,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ll be doing most of the talking¡ªit¡¯s what I¡¯m good at, as I¡¯m sure you agree¡ªbut this next part is very important, because he¡¯ll likely be seeking you out for responses.¡± Argrave stepped forward, pointing at Elias¡¯ face. ¡°Do not allow him to decide at ater date. He must decide on this betrothal at this banquet.¡±


    Elias looked up at Argrave, meeting his gaze. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°You would make a terrible merchant,¡± Argrave shook his head, then held out two hands to represent two examples. ¡°Let¡¯s say you have two buyers of your product. One offers a very good deal. You know, however, the other buyer might be capable of offering even more. What do you do to maximize profits?¡±


    Elias mused, and then bitterly answered, ¡°I would tell the other buyer about the good offer, trying to get more out of him.¡± He shook his head. ¡°You think the Count will go to Elbraille¡ªor perhaps even Vasquer¡ªand look for a better deal.¡±


    ¡°Precisely,¡± Argrave tapped his temple. ¡°Like I said, I¡¯ll be talking. I don¡¯t want you botching this entire thing by saying something foolish. If you¡¯re unsure, consult me. Don¡¯t do any ear-ying or gut-following. Think with your gut and you¡¯re acting out of your ass.¡±


    Helmuth shook his head in disapproval at Argrave¡¯s insolent words, but ine seemed quite amused. A silence stretched out as Argrave thought of more he could say, but he came to the conclusion that there was nothing more to add.


    Argrave stepped away, shooting his cuffs and straightening his coat. ¡°I hope the food doesn¡¯t blow. I hate fancy dishes.¡±


    ¡°Is there nothing more? If so, we should probably head for the main gates,¡± Helmuthmented.


    ¡°Some few guests have already arrived,¡± noted Anneliese, looking out across the hill leading from Jast up to Count Delbraun¡¯s estate. ¡°I will remain here, keeping an eye on things with my druidic magic. Should anything seem awry, I will fly into the banquet hall and perch on someone¡¯s shoulder.¡±


    ¡°Be careful,¡± Argrave cautioned. ¡°If your pigeon is shot with a quarrel, god forbid, there will be a good deal of bacsh.¡±


    ¡°Best I suffer some than let everyone be unwitting of what ising,¡± she rebuked.


    ¡°If that¡¯s your choice,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°Alright. If there¡¯s nothing more¡­¡±


    ine raised one hand. ¡°Do you need nothing from me? Should I merely stand around looking pretty?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d have no difficulty with that, I¡¯m sure,¡± Argraveplimented smoothly. ¡°I gave you no direction because I have no issue with any interjection you might have. Unless it¡¯s a deliberate sabotage, of course. That would not be ideal.¡±


    ¡°No, you have my full support,¡± she shook her head. ¡°This matter with that elven spellcaster, Rowe¡ªthe deal is not yet finalized, but this could be huge for me. I have to thank you for bringing him to me.¡±


    ¡°I thought you might like that,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°It¡¯s no trouble. We can talk of itter, if you wish. For now¡­ let¡¯s go, shall we?¡± Argrave spoke to everyone.

 Chapter 77: One Percent

    Chapter 77: One Percent


    Argrave and his entourage of well-dressedpanions stepped past the open set of gargantuan carved marble doors, entering into the banquet hall just behind their footman. Two sets of stairs branched to either side, leading down below into a veritably sparkling room.


    Their escort stepped to the balcony atop the stairs, announcing, ¡°Now entering: young lord Elias of House Parbon, heir to the Margravate of Parbon,dy ine of Vyrbell, young lord Vdrien of Jast, and Argrave, son of King Felipe III.¡±


    Argrave scratched his cheek as most gazes within the hall turned to them. Perhaps the title ¡®son of King Felipe III¡¯ had been intended to acknowledge his bastardry, but it seemed far more grandiose than ¡®Argrave of Vasquer.¡¯ Helmuth had been entirely excluded from the introduction. Perhaps it was because of his rtively baseborn status, or perhaps he was simply included in Elias¡¯ retinue.


    Argrave¡¯s gaze wandered around the grand banquet hall belonging to Count Delbraun of Jast. The yer did not often have cause toe here, so the ce was mostly unfamiliar to him. The wide and open hall was a vainglorious testament to the power and wealth of House Jast. The ce had an air quite simr to a basilica, though perhaps that could be solely attributed to the two prominent colors¡ªwhite and red.


    The room was near fifty feet high, and silver chandeliers bearing bright red candles illuminated the room much better than they had any right doing¡ªmost likely, they were enchanted. Marble pirs held up the ceiling, lined up all along the side of the rectangr room. The center of the hall was empty, upied only with some chatting guests. The birch tables had been ced against the walls and were already filled with food, covered partially by red cloths. Vibrant crimson banners covered the windows, borate white suns embroidered in their center¡ªJast¡¯s heraldry.


    Obsequious servants reced what was taken and tended to the guests ably. Though they were some of the first few to arrive, the hall was already quite filled, and curious eyes watched them readily. After a brief scan, Argrave could not spot Delbraun.


    ¡°These ces make me nervous,¡± Elias muttered to Argrave.


    ¡°Do they?¡± Argrave asked rhetorically. He stepped towards the stairs, continuing, ¡°Don¡¯t let it bother you. I can¡¯t hold your hand, you realize.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t know what it is. The big crowds, the open spaces¡­ well, banquets and balls have their fair share of tragic endings,¡± Elias mused. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s only reasonable to be nervous.¡±


    ¡°I know why it bothers you,¡± Argrave said, cing his hand on the rail and walking down the rightward flight of stairs as he assigned names to those present. ¡°You care what people think about you.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± he paused, then said defensively, ¡°Everyone does.¡±


    ¡°There will always be some, sure. It¡¯s never pleasant to be hated. It generally only leads to sadder days.¡± Argrave nced back. ¡°You can care less about what they think, though.¡±


    ¡°How?¡± Elias questioned.


    ¡°View things with arger perspective,¡± Argrave stated simply. ¡°Me, or you, or anyone in this room¡ªwe live rtively meagre existences. We¡¯ll live, we¡¯ll do things, and then we¡¯ll die. First, we¡¯ll die physically. Then, as time passes, people will forget us, and we die spiritually. On this ne, at least,¡± Argrave added. ¡°Who knows what happens after? I don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Your solution forbatting anxiety is to contemte death?¡± Elias frowned as they came to the final steps before the banquet floor.


    ¡°Recognize the unimportance of your actions,¡± Argrave urged. ¡°Being disliked by another is nothing on a cosmological scale.¡±


    They came to the banquet floor. Already, some people stepped towards them. ine asked Argrave, ¡°You truly believe this?¡±


    ¡°Of course not,¡± Argrave said incredulously. ¡°My vying heart battles my logical brain, and oft wins, I find. I wouldn¡¯t be doing this if I thought my actions didn¡¯t matter. Rather, I n to leave an indelible mark before I leave this earthly realm¡ªif indeed I leave it at all. Living forever is not so far-fetched for one of my talents.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a real headcase, huh?¡± Stain mused.


    ¡°It¡¯s a joke. I¡¯ll probably die young,¡± assured Argrave. He watched Elias, who fidgeted noticeably less. Argrave had given that little monologue only to ease his nerves, and by his estimation, it worked splendidly. There was a small group of people headed their way, and Argrave stepped forward, assuming the role as their leader.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Look at this,¡± he said levelly. ¡°So many beautiful people so busy looking so good. Let¡¯s mingle, shall we? Follow, and remember¡ªour host is not present, and we must ask why that is.¡±


    Argrave greeted those approaching with a convivial smile, assuming a neat dignity that integrated itself naturally. While a discerning viewer mightment that Argravecked noble graces, it proved to be no barrier to his inclusion in the conversation, and he very quickly drew the rest of hispany into the fray.


    #####


    Count Delbraun, a tall, ashen-haired man with somewhat animalistic orange eyes, looked through what appeared to be a simple ssless window. If one were to peer through on the other side, though, they would see only stone¡ªit was an illusion enchantment of the highest order, and the window itself was so small that it did not draw much attention even should the magic fail. Few save the Count of Jast knew of the existence of these windows, spread throughout the entire estate. Sights and sounds both passed through the portal, and the hall was so spacious that voices echoed well.


    The Count watched an extraordinarily tall ck-haired man converse with a very sizable crowd of people, his every word drawing them in. Delbraun watched the man with such scrutiny it was as though he was trying to decipher how a magician performed a magic trick. He listened to his words just as thoroughly.


    Eventually, he closed his eyes and nodded. He stepped away, moving through a confined passageway of marble poorly lit by magicmps. He pushed on a wall, and it flipped open. An empty bedroomy beyond. He made sure the hidden door in the wall was in perfect alignment, then he moved to pull a string beside his bed. Just outside the door, one could hear the faint ringing of a bell.


    Some time passed as the count removed his white, silken vestments. After a few moments, three knocks came at the door, and then someone entered. A servant waited.


    ¡°Fetch me something in a muted red,¡± Delbraunmanded naturally. ¡°My younger brother is here, and I do not care to match with him.¡±


    ¡°At once, Count,¡± the servant bowed, then stepped off into another room.


    #####


    ¡°¡­you have been pleasantpany thus far, and if you might allow me to step outside my bounds and inquire about something of a political nature, good sir Argrave, I would like to ask a question of you,¡± a well-dressed man spoke. He had rather well-groomed facial hair, perhaps to amodate his quickly balding head.


    ¡°The intent of the question is the important part,¡± Argrave raised a brow. ¡°No need to stoke tempers at a pleasant banquet, yes? We¡¯re all waiting for our host to arrive, and I¡¯d prefer not to have hime to some petty squabble regarding the civil war.¡±


    Many present agreed, taking drinks from their sses. As Argrave hade to discover, this ce was a banquet mostly in name alone. The food wentrgely untouched, and the majority of people were standing and speaking. Argrave was veritably surrounded by a wall of silks and suedes, so entrapped he was in well-dressed people. Hispany had been pushed to the fringes of the crowd.


    ¡°Yes, of course, I agree fully,¡± the man returned. ¡°I simply wished to inquire about rumors abounding, their origins in Mateth.¡±


    All present paid attention, waiting for Argrave¡¯s response. ¡°Mateth, is it? What do you wish to know? Yes, it¡¯s true¡ªthe walls are truly a hundred feet tall, and the seafood is unmatched.¡±


    A mixture of fake and realughter spread out in the crowd. Someone offered Argrave wine, but he acted as though he didn¡¯t notice. It wouldn¡¯t be prudent to drink here.


    ¡°We wished to hear about your role in the invasion,¡± a woman spoke up.


    ¡°I don¡¯t recall invading Mateth,¡± Argrave deflected with a smile.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard Duke Enrico calls you the ¡®Hero of Mateth.¡¯ And a good deal of people tell me that you came from Mateth.¡±


    ¡°I came from Mateth to here, yes,¡± Argrave nodded.


    ¡°So it¡¯s true?¡± the initial well-groomed questioner asked. ¡°You stopped the invasion with the help of Tower Master Castro?¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t in Mateth when the invasion was happening,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s hard to end an invasion when you aren¡¯t at the site of the invasion. Unless, of course, people think I sailed from the shores, into the frigid seas, and set foot on the snow elves¡¯ homnd. A bit far-fetched, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°I cannot make sense of this,¡± someone shook their head. ¡°Why does the Duke praise you, then?¡±


    Argrave sighed as though in remorse. ¡°It all stems from a misunderstanding, you see. Master Castro initially came to Mateth seeking me out, and¡ª¡±


    A click echoed out across the banquet hall, and Argrave¡¯s head turned to the side, seeking its source. The door across from the main entryway slowly opened, and a servant stepped out,ing to the balcony. He opened his mouth, beginning the word ¡®announcing,¡¯ but the Count¡¯s hand grabbed his shoulder, silencing him.


    Count Delbraun stepped to the balcony. He wore a pleasant dark red outfit, lined with threads of white and silver links. His back was indomitably straight, and his gray hair was neatly slicked back. Shimmering jewels lined his fingers, a testament both to his wealth and his desire to disy it.


    ¡°Everyone,¡± Count Delbraun¡¯s voice thundered out. His voice was deep and powerful, yet it had a certain tenseness to it that made each word seem measured. ¡°It brings me great pleasure to see you all assembled here today, giving wee to Elias, heir to the Margravate of House Parbon. I apologize for my tardiness. Unexpected issues kept me.¡± His eyes scanned the room.


    ¡°Though this banquet may seem to have political undertones, I hope that everyone is willing to set aside whatever allegiances or doubts they may have of the current state of the realm and enjoy a night of fine conversation and pleasant amodations.¡± He sped his hands together, and dipped his head slightly. ¡°When the sun fades beyond the mountains, the banquet doors will open, and anyone may roam the gardens. House Jast has been maintaining them for hundreds of years.¡±


    ¡°Utter trash. He had the garden re-donest year,¡± Stainmented quietly to Argrave. ¡°Uprooted the trees our mom nted.¡±


    ¡°For now,¡± Delbraun continued, ¡°Please enjoy the food and drink. I have scheduled some musicians forter. You may look forward to that.¡±


    ¡°I thank you for weing me into your home, Count Delbraun,¡± Elias called out. ¡°I offer a toast to our host. I am d of the opportunity to give you thanks,¡± he raised his wine ss.


    The rest of the crowd mirrored Elias¡¯ toast, then took a drink. Elias looked to Argrave.


    ¡°So, what now?¡±


    Argrave watched as Count Delbraun stepped down the stairs. ¡°He came, as I expected. We should go and greet the host. It¡¯s only polite.¡±


    ¡°Just like that?¡± ine asked.


    ¡°Just like that,¡± Argrave confirmed. He took the wine ss from Elias¡¯ hand and ced it on a nearby table. ¡°Come on. The gardens will open soon, and undoubtedly we will have our privacy with the Count then.¡±

 Chapter 78: One Job

    Chapter 78: One Job


    Argrave stared out beyond the hedge maze. He was just tall enough to see over the well-trimmed bushes. Night had fallen, bathing Count Delbraun¡¯s estate in pearly moonlight. The wind had grown colder yet, and Argrave was d of the golden fur lining hispel and cor. He pulled his gloves a bit tighter and turned around, watching thest of hispany for the banquet take their seats. Count Delbraun sat at one end of the table, back straight as an arrow.


    They had moved to a marble terrace just beside the banquet hall. An abundance of greenery made it quite the secluded ce, though the nts were kept well enough that the privacy appeared deliberate. The tables and chairs were a gray stone and had been marked with hand-carved floral designs.


    Argrave pulled back the chair opposite Delbraun, taking his ce at the head of the table. His gaze quickly jumped between ine, Stain, Elias, and Helmuth, finallynding at the Count. The man reminded Argrave of Duke Enrico, somewhat¡ªa cold, business-like atmosphere, though Delbraun seemed tock what little warmth the Duke had.


    ¡°To begin with, I¡¯d like to thank you for giving us your time,¡± Argrave began amiably.


    Delbraun stared at Argrave in silence, only blinking and waiting. Stain tapped his nails against the stone table, biting his lips in the quiet terrace. Elias seemed to wish desperately to interject, but he only watched Argrave, eyes pleading.


    Being met with all the response a statue might offer, Argrave shifted in his seat. Delbraun was not especially involved in ¡®Heroes of Berendar,¡¯ so it was difficult to get an urate bead on his personality. The yer had but a few brief interactions, most of which were insubstantial. In the game, he had remained neutral with Elbraille until the war was all but finished. That told Argrave only of caution.


    Argrave tilted his head, meeting Delbraun¡¯s gaze. ¡°Perhaps you would like me to skip the niceties and get to the point, Count Delbraun.¡±


    This got more reaction, but only just¡ªthe Count raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°Doubtless you¡¯re curious about why Elias woulde here. He has no good reason to ept your invitation, ostensibly.¡± Argrave leaned forward andid his arms on the table. ¡°I¡¯lly it out inly. This civil war is rather concerning. With Mateth crippled as it is, Jast stands to be the primary military power at the edge between the north and the south.¡±


    The Count held up a hand, a spell matrix swirling about. Argrave knew the Count was a B-rank mage, and so tensed, prepared to move at but a moment¡¯s notice. Looking at the spell, Argrave quickly deduced it was a warding spell. A bubble expanded outwards, enveloping them.


    ¡°Some letters of mine were missing,¡± Delbraun¡¯s gaze fell on Stain. ¡°Something woulde of it, I knew.¡±


    ¡°Ahah,¡± Argraveughed awkwardly. ¡°I hope you won¡¯t pay that any mind. A necessary act.¡±


    ¡°Is your intent to coerce me, Argrave of Vasquer?¡± Delbraun¡¯s orange eyes switched back to Argrave, not a hint of fear on his expression despite his words. ¡°You bring an S-rank spellcaster into my domain. As a mage, you can¡¯t be ignorant that people would take notice of a veritable monster walking about. You arrive at my banquet unannounced. If you <em>do </em>intend to coerce¡­¡± he closed his eyes and shook his head. ¡°¡­Imprudent.¡±


    Elias reacted strongly to the word ¡®coerce,¡¯ adjusting in his seat and looking urgently to Argrave. Perhaps contrary to Elias¡¯ desires, though, Argrave did not immediately deny it.


    Argrave rubbed his thumb against his palm. ¡°You¡¯re taking a course that¡¯s against the best interest of the realm. That¡¯s why Elias and I are here today.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Using the phrase ¡®the realm¡¯ made his words ambiguous, and deliberately so on Argrave¡¯s part. ¡®The realm¡¯ might mean Vasquer, or it might mean Jast. Argrave trusted that uncertainty would get under Delbraun¡¯s skin.


    The Count took a deep breath and exhaled, gaze now locked on Argrave unblinkingly.


    Argrave proceeded after a moment¡¯s pause. ¡°Perhaps ¡®taking a course¡¯ is the wrong term for this.¡± Argrave held his hands out, open-palmed. ¡°You stand at the beginning of a path. Or, better yet, a crossroad,¡± Argrave amended quickly.


    ¡°Your liege lord, Elbraille, fears the might of Vasquer, and has decided to ept the meagre benefits thrust upon them by King Felipe III. As of now, you obey the words of your liege, unheeding of the righteousness of the situation. I cannot fault you for this¡ªyou swore an oath of fealty, and you are a man of honor.¡± Argrave gestured towards Delbraun, expression serious. ¡°Elias, however, has a proposal for you.¡±


    Elias opened his mouth to speak, but his voice failed on ount of his prolonged silence. He cleared his throat and continued, saying, ¡°Correct. I believe it would be in everyone¡¯s best interest to forge a union between House Jast and House Parbon, by way of myself and a woman of your house¡ªyour sister, Ridia, perhaps.¡±


    The Count did not rx, but Argrave thought some of the tension in his face fell. He looked to Elias, letting the silence hang once more. Argrave waited patiently.


    Delbraun spoke evenly. ¡°Noble houses rise and fall with the passing of time. House Jast is five centuries old. We are the oldest house in Vasquer, barring the royal family itself. Over centuries, this ce rose from a barren wastnd of ck stone into a city of magic famed across the realm. Why?¡±


    Delbraun leaned in. ¡°As one house of wizards surrounded by a thousand others in thisnd of dense magic, my house learned well when to fight and when to endure. Powers great and small all fell, but when the king chose a Count of this burgeoning city, he named it Jast.¡± Delbraun leaned back. ¡°I see no need to stick my neck out. In times like this, it makes it only easier to cut.¡±


    ¡°In a war of honor and righteousness, you¡¯d eschew your duty to your people to retain your position?¡± Argrave criticized. The words were mostly for show¡ªDelbraun¡¯s resistance was only ceremony, Argrave suspected.


    ¡°Who is to say who is right or just?¡± Delbraun questioned coldly. ¡°Vasquer has ruled for 872 years. The realm has only prospered during this time, growing and expanding ever further.¡±


    ¡°And yet it falters now,¡± Argrave countered. ¡°Vasquer¡¯s king is ruthless and upromising, sowing misery where he treads. Its heir is worse yet¡ªcruel, taking pleasure in suffering.¡±


    ¡°We all swear fealty to the king,¡± Delbraun shook his head. ¡°I bear the title of Count only by his grace.¡±


    ¡°And the king swore to protect you in turn. At this, he fails miserably¡ªindeed, he actively harms your people and your realm in vainglorious grasps at power to strengthen House Vasquer.¡± Argrave leaned in, entwining his hands. ¡°Nothing is ck and white, Count Delbraun, but do you recall a history where a viin won? Never, considering who writes it.¡± Argrave unwound his fingers. ¡°Furthermore, should a new king be enthroned, with Parbon as the sole decider, doubtless that new king would bestow you a title with equal¡ªif not greater¡ªgrace.¡±


    Their heated back and forth slowed for a moment as each stared the other down. Finally, Delbraun asked, ¡°You believe House Parbon to be the victors?¡±


    Argrave was tempted to confess that things looked dire without Jast¡¯s aid or neutrality, but doing so would damage his position in the exchange.


    ¡°Unnecessary death is always a tragic thing. Whether it¡¯s Veiden attacking Mateth or Elbraille supporting Vasquer, both create only havoc. You won¡¯t experience much of it. The people will, though. Your soldiers, your civilians¡­ they¡¯ll bear the brunt.¡± Argrave pursed his lips. ¡°I stopped what was beginning in Mateth before it could spiral out of control. I cannot stop this civil war. I hope that, by facilitating this, the war can end quickly with a crushing victory.¡±


    ¡°Yet Parbon cannot protect their own. Word came today that five men under prince Induen stormed a castle and killed its lord. This was in House Parbon¡¯s territory no less.¡± Delbraun waved his hand.


    Argrave frowned, ignorant of this happening. Realizing his mistake, he smoothed his face and deflected quickly, saying, ¡°An assassin can achieve much if the receiver is unprepared. If this does not illustrate Vasquer¡¯s treachery thoroughly, I am unsure what will.¡±


    Delbraun returned to the silence he¡¯d cultivated at the beginning of the conversation, staring at Argrave. His gaze was lost in deliberation, and Argrave waited for him to process things.


    ¡°You wish to speak of coercion?¡± Argrave continued. ¡°Vasquer has practically forced Elbraille into support. The Duke fears reprisal on ount of being so close to the bulk of Vasquer¡¯s power, and Vasquer has leveraged that fear well with minute rewards.¡± Argrave shook his head as though disappointed. ¡°I believe that, in times like these, it is a vassal¡¯s ce to advise their liege to take a different, more mutually beneficial course of action.¡±


    ine ced her hand on the table. ¡°The Order of the Gray Owl presently maintains its politically neutral stance under the leadership of Master Castro. Individual mages, however, are free to hold their own allegiances. As are the nobility of Jast. Something you might wish to consider, Count Delbraun.¡±


    Delbraun did not look at ine, eyes staying locked on Argrave.


    ¡°Another matter,¡± Argrave held Delbraun¡¯s gaze. ¡°Your brother, Vdrien of Jast. I am well aware there exists some hostility between the two of you,¡± he pointed two fingers at each of them. ¡°Elias, though, is rather impressed by his talents. Should this betrothal ur, perhaps Vdrien might, as a show of good faith, renounce his family name and enter into service under Elias?¡±


    ¡°Hah.¡± Delbraunughed once, a smile splitting his stern demeanor for the first time in the conversation.


    Stain had been watching passively throughout the whole conversation, but that briefughter made his face shift. It was like watching somest holdout fall¡ªsomest hope that, just maybe, his brother still had some love for him. The teenager¡¯s gaze drifted to the floor, as though his triumph was stolen from him.


    ¡°You came well prepared, Argrave,¡± Delbraun watched Argrave, uncaring of his younger brother¡¯s plight. ¡°You wear your House¡¯s colors, yet you work against their interests. A rather baffling thing. I do not like proceeding with uncertain variables. Where is your stake in this?¡±


    Argrave touched the gold fur on his coat. ¡°I merely like these colors. There is no deeper meaning behind it. This outfit is rather nice, by my estimation.¡± Argrave adjusted his clothing.


    ¡°As for my stake¡­¡± Argrave searched for an answer, brows furrowed. ¡°I was being genuine earlier. A loss of life is a tragic thing, to be prevented by any means necessary. If war cannot be stayed, let it end quickly. The war has not yet begun and both sides seem even, but should Vasquer keep power, things will be¡­ unpleasant for the popce,rgely. If those ruling are unjust, it is the people¡¯s duty to step up and remove them from power. There are others more suitable to the throne, with a im to it or no.¡±


    This was his true position on the matter. Should the rebellion seed and should Argrave possess a pivotal position in said rebellion, he would be in a good position to enthrone a new ruler without significant unrest. He might achieve a better end than existed in ¡®Heroes of Berendar.¡¯ Not all deviations from the normal course needed to be negative. Even a game as dynamic as ¡®Heroes of Berendar¡¯ was not without limits in terms of options, and now those limits were gone.


    Delbraun nodded. ¡°If you phrase it like that, I think I see.¡±


    ¡°I am d to hear it. Now, then, unless you have more questions, all present are very eager to hear your answer.¡± Argrave ced his elbows on the table and leaned against it.


    Delbraun shook his head. ¡°This is not something I, alone, can decide. I must consult with my vassals, few though they may be, and ensure that everything is considered before making such a decision.¡±


    ¡°If you can¡¯t decide here, we¡¯ll take your answer as a ¡®no,¡¯¡± Elias spoke up, and Argrave hid his smile upon seeing Elias¡¯ disappointment. Evidently the young lord of Parbon did not like that Argrave¡¯s advice had been urate.


    ¡°I do not like being forced to answer.¡± Delbraun raised a hand to the table, gripping the side.


    ¡°Need I remind you that you are, nominally, our enemy?¡± Argrave smiled. ¡°I have read the letters. We came here in good faith to try and pull you away from the path you¡¯re about to tread at the risk of Elias¡¯ life. I believe this is the least that you can do,¡± Argrave stated seriously. ¡°You hold the most authority in Jast¡ªany decision you make will be followed.¡±


    Delbraun¡¯s gaze locked on Argrave, resuming its silence. After a few moments, he looked to Elias and asked, ¡°You would give me, at the very least, until the end of this banquet?¡±


    ¡°That¡­¡± Elias paused, ¡°¡­should be fine, I think.¡±


    Argrave hid his expression with his hand. <em>Jesus, Elias. One job. </em>

 Chapter 79: It Cant Happen

    Chapter 79: It Can¡¯t Happen


    ¡°I see no reason to think that Delbraun would cheat us on this matter,¡± Elias said with a determined stare at Argrave. ¡°He will give us his answer at the end of the banquet, just as he said.¡± He still sat in the stone chair beside the table they¡¯d spoken to Delbraun at. Argrave leaned up against the terrace¡¯s railing.


    Argrave sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger. ¡°I wonder, then, why he can¡¯t be found anywhere in the banquet hall.¡± Argrave lowered his hand. ¡°What did I tell you? I specifically told you not to let him answerter. I didn¡¯t think I needed to specify if the quantity of time was hours or days. Evidently I was wrong,¡± Argrave said exasperatedly.


    ¡°Count Delbraun wille back,¡± Elias insisted.


    ¡°Here¡¯s what I think will happen. Hours will pass, and then the banquet will end. Servants will refuse us, citing some annoyance the count must deal with¡ªor perhaps he¡¯s simply fallen asleep in deep contemtion.¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°There¡¯s a term for this. Stonewalling.¡±


    ¡°You are too cynical,¡± Elias said finally, refusing to argue the point further. Elias¡¯ retainer, Helmuth, seemed to share Argrave¡¯s sentiments, but he did not voice them.


    ¡°Fine. Whatever. I did my best,¡± Argrave shrugged in defeat. ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯re at risk anymore, and Anneliese will still be watching for suspicious happenings. Let us wait to see who is right.¡± He looked to Stain, who sat at the table still. ¡°Stain,¡± he called out, and the teenager raised his head. Argrave reached into his pockets, retrieving a small pouch. ¡°Here. Well-earned,¡± he tossed it.


    Stain caught the pouch, perplexed. He opened it, peering within, then quickly shut it and looked around. ¡°Gods, you have to stop carrying this much around. Four rose gold coins?¡±


    ¡°Hope you like it,¡± Argrave said, falling into thought.


    ¡°Well¡­ whatever happens, I¡¯m no longer a Jast.¡± Stain pocketed the pouch. ¡°Every bit helps. I have to leave this ce. Leave this city. I want to vomit.¡±


    ¡°Try not to puke, please,¡± Argrave advised idly, busy thinking.


    <em>I think I can finish my business in Jast without a problem. Elbraille doesn¡¯t seem to intend to go public with his support of Vasquer for a while yet. </em>


    ¡°Argrave,¡± began ine. ¡°Perhaps you might simply enjoy the rest of the banquet for what it is?¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Argrave lowered his gaze to meet ine¡¯s. He considered her point for a moment, then shook his head. ¡°The food is likely cold by now.¡±


    ¡°The servants are adept,¡± she countered. ¡°And I see something fine over there. Would you like toe?¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Argrave finally agreed.


    ine and Argrave walked back into the mostly empty banquet hall, heading to a table full of fine foods. Argrave looked around at the various foods, puzzled, before finally settling for a piece of bread with a shake of his head.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what half of this stuff is,¡± hemented, tearing the bread and taking a bite. Once he¡¯d finished chewing, hemented, ¡°At the very least, this is certainly bread.¡±


    ¡°You could try something new,¡± she suggested, retrieving a te of strangely cut meat sloshed with some yellow sauce.


    ¡°And risk making a bad night worse? I¡¯ll stick to this any day.¡± Argrave waved the bread about.


    ¡°Consistency is key. Hard to ruin bread.¡±


    ¡°The night was not so bad. You speak well. I learned much about you,¡± she stared at him.


    ¡°Most of it was made up,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t care what these people think of me. I¡¯d prefer they didn¡¯t think of me¡ªthat would be best.¡±


    ¡°I must say, I have never been asked to a banquet on business before,¡± she looked around the hall.


    ¡°Would you prefer to have been asked for other reasons?¡± he inquired, taking a bite of bread.


    ¡°Generally, no,¡± she shook her head, and then fixed her red hair. ¡°Were it you, though, I think I would have liked it very much.¡±


    Argrave stopped chewing for a moment, tempted to break his rule of never speaking with food in his mouth. ine smiled at him as he chewed quickly, swallowing. He asked cautiously, ¡°Are you being serious?¡±


    ¡°If I am?¡± she returned a question.


    ¡°That would be very surprising,¡± Argrave set the bread down, feeling it was out of ce for this conversation.


    ¡°It would be. Many men have tried to court me. I have considered some. And now, I am considering one in particr.¡±


    Being confronted with this, Argrave could not help but size ine up. She was a beautiful woman, undoubtedly¡ªbright red hair, unblemished skin, and enchanting green eyes. She had a certain fierceness to her face that betrayed some of her personality. The dress she wore tonight only served to entuate her prominent features. She was a bright woman, too¡ªa B-rank mage at her rtively young age.


    ¡°You want me to¡­ court you?¡± Argrave asked, but ine only crossed her arms and smiled. ¡°We have not known each other long. Why?¡±


    ¡°Is that not the purpose of courtship, to get to know each other?¡± She waved her hand towards him. ¡°You¡¯re intelligent, but you¡¯re not pretentious. You don¡¯t care about what my brother does to earn money. That alone means more to me than you know. I know that you treat the people close to you well¡ªthose two you would call ¡®friend,¡¯ Anneliese and Gmon, are evidence enough of that. And I think that¡­ I think I would like it very much if I was one of those people.¡±


    ¡°Their case is a bit different, but¡­¡± Argrave trailed off, lost in thought. He let the silence fester in the air for a time as his thoughts ran in his head.


    When his thoughts came to a conclusion, he turned to ine. ¡°Listen. You¡¯re a very beautiful woman, ine, but beyond only that, you¡¯re intelligent and ambitious. I would be lying if I said anything else.¡±


    Her face grew a little tense. ¡°It doesn¡¯t sound as though you¡¯re about to say ¡®yes.¡¯¡±


    Argrave scratched his cheek, wondering how best to phrase this. ¡°Let me ask you this. Could you, tomorrow, set aside everything that you¡¯ve built and leave Jast to go wandering for years on end? This is no journey of self-discovery, either,¡± Argrave cautioned. ¡°It will be a journey fraught with perils, and there will be no time for frivolities or luxurious amenities.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± she frowned.


    ¡°Jast is but one stop in my long, long journey. I lingered here far longer than I wanted to. There is¡­ something that I have to do. Something that I have to achieve. I might die. I almost expect it.¡±


    ¡°Are you toying with me?¡± she questioned somewhat indignantly.


    Argrave sighed and shook his head. ¡°If only. When I leave Jast, I¡¯m headed to the Burnt Desert. I¡¯ll be crossing the mountains using the abandoned Low Way of the Rose.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re being serious,¡± she realized. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ immeasurably dangerous.¡±


    ¡°I know. I might take a more respectable road, but I need something there.¡± Argrave shrugged. ¡°When my business in the Burnt Desert is done, I have to head to the northeast of Vasquer. Maybe you¡¯ve heard rumors of the gue beginning there?¡± Argrave smiled bitterly. ¡°It¡¯s more dangerous than this civil war, I believe. I have to quell it. My schizoaffective half-brother blessed by many gods will be there, provided nothing too strange happened.¡±


    Argrave continued, waving his hands. ¡°After that, more, more, and more. I cannot rest. I cannot afford it. All the money in my pocket can¡¯t buy the time I need to fix this continent¡¯s misery.¡±


    ¡°I see. Then, that earlier, was you¡­¡± she trailed off. ¡°How long will you do this?¡±


    ¡°Three years and some months, as a rough estimate.¡± Argrave stated inly, leaning up against the table. ¡°You see, now, why your offer is difficult for me to ept.¡±


    She turned away from Argrave, arms crossed as she lost herself in thought. Eventually, her green eyes fell back upon Argrave. ¡°I felt that you were being¡­ especially considerate of me. Was I wrong, then?¡±


    Argrave was taken aback. It was true¡ªhe had been nicer to her than most, but that was only to ensure she caused no problems. He had wanted a transactional rtionship more than a genuine one. In the end, she had been a great help: the matter with Rowe, rmending Anneliese as an honorary member to the Order of the Gray Owl, and showing up here today.


    ¡°You weren¡¯t wrong,¡± he stated hesitantly.


    She seemed hopeful given his answer. ¡°Then, when all is said and done¡­ when those three years have passed¡­¡± she said the words slowly, as though she herself found them ridiculous.


    People started to enter the banquet hall quickly, led by servants. Argrave looked around perplexedly¡ªit seemed as though all of the guests had had been led back. ine shifted ufortably on ount of their privacy being so quickly disturbed. The doorway opposite the entryway opened once more, and Count Delbraun stepped out. Beside him was an ashen-haired woman with orange eyes. She was slender and seemed rather meek in front of the crowd.


    ¡°Everyone,¡± Count Delbraun called out. ¡°I apologize for having my servants retrieve you all so suddenly. I have a very important announcement to make.¡±


    Elias came out the door just behind them. Delbraun ushered him in, until the two stood side-by-side.


    ¡°As of today, I am very proud to announce a union of two great noble houses. My sister, Ridia of Jast, is now the betrothed to Elias of Parbon, heir to the Margravate.¡± Delbraun smiled, and sped Elias¡¯ shoulder.


    Argrave¡¯s mouth fell open. He could not help but say, ¡°What?¡± His voice was rather clear in the silence of the hall. Very quickly, though, pping drowned out his voice.


    #####


    ¡°So, he spurned her,¡± said Elenore, setting the teacup down.


    ¡°It seems to be that way, my princess,¡± a maid said, lowering the paper. The princess was surrounded by many maids, each of them with papers in hand. They seemed more like bureaucrats than servants as they were. The maid continued, adding, ¡°The remainder of ine¡¯s writings only reports what we already know¡ªJast is allied to House Parbon.¡± The maid straightened the papers. ¡°It is unfortunate she could not grow closer to him.¡±


    ¡°Not necessarily.¡± Elenore pulled at the blindfold hiding her empty eye sockets, briefly exposing scarred flesh. ¡°I believe her affection was genuine. She would not have cooperated had he agreed.¡±


    The maids looked among each other, uncertainty clearly on their mind. None voiced their concerns, though.


    ¡°Should we send ine the usual payment we provide for new informants?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Elenore shook her head. ¡°Pay her generously. Make sure she knows we are being generous. Compensate Rivien, too, for his part in this.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure, princess? Money is tight after recent investments¡­¡± one of the maids asked.


    The princess remained unoffended by the questioning of her judgement. ¡°These investments will pay for themselves in months. There is money to be made in war¡ªone needs only to be flexible. We will be fine, my little Wings, fret not. This bat is not yet done soaring.¡±


    Most present nodded in quiet acquiescence. The princess mused aloud, ¡°I did not think I had anotherpetent brother.¡±


    The maids looked amongst themselves, somewhat surprised. Their princess did not give praise easily.


    ¡°He killed my designs in infancy,¡± she noted passively, more an observation than anything. ¡°Unknown motivations, unknown allegiance¡­ and many more unknowns. I am decidedly perplexed.¡±


    ¡°ine thinks he wishes to be king,¡± one of the maids noted. ¡°He ns to achieve great fame for various deeds, all the while aiding the rebellion.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ not sure. Perhaps she misunderstood him. Or she¡¯s trying to mislead me deliberately.¡± Elenore scratched at her chin. ¡°I need to think. I need to n.¡± She fumbled briefly for the teacup, and then took another drink.


    ¡°Set the rest of the documents aside for now. Fetch my prosthetic feet. I must walk to work my mind lest my thoughts escape me.¡± She shifted in her wooden wheelchair. The maids stood rapidly, scattering, leaving Elenore in quiet.


    ¡°How sad,¡± the princess whispered aloud in the empty greenhouse. None but her could know what she was referring to.

 Chapter 80: Wrapping Up

    Chapter 80: Wrapping Up


    The worst part about Elias being correct had to be the fact that he <em>wasn¡¯t </em>smug about it, Argrave hade to realize. Were it anyone less decent, Argrave was sure they¡¯d be rubbing his error in judgement in his face, and he¡¯d be able to confront it squarely. A week had passed, and yet Argrave could still not feel unbothered by it.


    House Jast and House Parbon had entered into an alliance. Elias would soon be returning to Parbon to get his father¡¯s approval, alongside a contingent of mages sworn to Jast¡¯s service. The true effects of that pact would surely be felt in the days toe as it spread throughout thend¡ªArgrave would need to see if Elbraille did indeed fall in with the rebels as he and Anneliese had theorized. He had many doubts regarding whether or not things would proceed as nned, but he tried not to dwell on them. As Argrave hade to understand, many things were beyond his control.


    Yet the uncertain future was not the sole thing disturbing Argrave. ine seemed content to never again bring up what she¡¯d mentioned at the banquet, and Argrave was not exactly eager to broach the subject. It had made the business between Rowe and ine a good deal more awkward.


    ¡°Why are you sulking, boy?¡± Rowe¡¯s voice broke Argrave¡¯s thoughts. ¡°Bothered you¡¯re still dealing with my requests?¡±


    Argrave, who was sitting in a chair, looked up to the aged elf. He had not especially liked Rowe in the game, mostly because he was very difficult to fight. Rowe alone was hard enough, but the fight was cheap¡ªtwo on one, Rowe and his dragon, Crystal Wind. Now, after some time spent with him, Argrave started to view him as a senile old uncle with outdated ideals. It was difficult to dislike that.


    They were in the Vyrbell manor. Argrave was waiting for ine to return from the bathroom so that things could proceed. Gmon was busy at the cksmith, finalizing the reforging of his armor, and Anneliese remained at their inn, wrapped up in study.


    Argrave rubbed his hands together. ¡°How could I be bothered by that? It seemed like things were wrapping up. We¡¯ve worked out an equitable illicit exchange of knowledge between Jast and Veiden. I¡¯m sure your pride as an honorable Veidimen must be direly wounded.¡±


    Rowe grinned. Despite his age, he had a rather clean set of teeth. ¡°To think that Dras thought this would be difficult.¡±


    Argrave frowned. ¡°Meaning what?¡±


    ¡°Dras is a smart man. I don¡¯t say this lightly.¡± Rowe tapped his staff against the ground, and then pulled up a chair. ¡°I didn¡¯te here to tour your continent, looking at your ridiculous gaudy enchanted architecture,¡± Rowe waved his hand. ¡°This deal was precisely the reason I came here.¡±


    Argrave was perplexed. ¡°What are you talking about? This is what you wanted all along?¡± Argrave leaned back in the chair, crossing his arms. ¡°Why not just ask? Seems simpler.¡±


    ¡°Dras knew if I came to you, asking to set up contact between me and an influential person in this city, you¡¯d wring us dry. Money. Books. Whatever other damnable things you can conjure in that dome of yours,¡± Rowe shook his head, lips curled. ¡°So, Dras gave me some lines, instructed me to lead you to where he wanted, and¡­ well, here we are.¡±


    ¡°Smart. Be stingy with the guy fighting against everyone¡¯s enemy.¡± Argrave nodded drolly.


    ¡°You seem to misunderstand something.¡± Rowe leaned his staff against the wall, and then pulled his chair a touch closer towards Argrave. ¡°To Dras, you are merely the one who made him aware of He Who Would Judge the Gods. You made all of Veiden aware of hising.¡± Rowe shook his head. ¡°To the Patriarch, and to Veiden, that is the end. You do not matter. If you die, our fight continues. Whatever you achieve is of no consequence. At best, you could facilitate an easiernding on Berendar.¡±


    Argrave was a bit offended at first, but his reason shone through and he epted Rowe¡¯s words with a quiet nod.


    ¡°Even if you¡¯ve a god at your back, Dras doesn¡¯t see what you can reasonably achieve as one man. Despite the two formidable allies following you about like little ducklings, you¡¯re not much to him.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s only one person, too. Why is he forgetting that?¡± Argrave shook his head, then examined something about the way Rowe was speaking. ¡°You¡¯re separating yourself from them,¡± Argrave noted. ¡°You¡¯re not saying ¡®we,¡¯ but ¡®Dras¡¯ or ¡®Veiden.¡¯¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, I can¡¯t disregard you. You seem to worm your way into important people¡¯s ears with ease. Not just that, your mana grows too quickly, for reasons I cannot understand,¡± Rowe veritably grumbled. Argrave had not made the existence of the Amaranthine Heart known to any outside of Anneliese and Gmon, after all.


    ¡°When you aren¡¯t doing something to benefit yourself or yourpanions, all you do is read spellbooks. At the very least, you have aptitude and drive. You remind me of others I¡¯ve known. More talented than me, more hardworking than me. That girl with you, Anneliese, is one of those number.¡± Rowe gripped his staff. ¡°They¡¯re mostly dead, though. Some I watched die. Some I killed when they overreached. Don¡¯t forget that. Talent and hard work cannot bring you everything.¡±


    ¡°Real heartwarming talk, Rowe,¡± Argrave said exasperatedly. ¡°What¡¯s your point?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get stupid. Don¡¯t get cocksure,¡± he said sternly. ¡°Had I the time, and were you less insufferable, I might teach you some things. As it stands, your jokes make my head ache and I¡¯m to be very busy dealing with that red-haired one¡­ what¡¯s her name¡­ ine.¡± He came to his feet, using his staff to lift himself up. ¡°I¡¯ll say it inly. Keep as you are, but know your limits. One mistake, one misstep, and you might end all your progress. You can¡¯t restart life, boy.¡±


    Argrave blinked, taking in Rowe¡¯s words. ¡°This is a very strange way to express concern.¡±


    ¡°Whatever. I¡¯ve said my piece. Live or die, it¡¯s not my concern. It¡¯s yours. We probably won¡¯t speak again for some time. I understand most of your business is near done in Jast.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡ª¡± Argrave was about to confirm, but the door opened and ine reentered.


    ¡°Apologies,¡± she said, adjusting her gray robes. ¡°I believe we were finalizing things?¡± she questioned, tonepletely business-like.


    ¡°Right,¡± Argrave agreed, standing up.


    Argrave thought that it would be for the best if they continued like this, ignoring what had been said. At the very least, things could continue as they were.


    #####


    ¡°Here are the first two outfits,¡± the tailor introduced obsequiously. She was a short woman with neatly cut short brown hair. ¡°It was very pleasant to work with such strange dimensions. A tall, thin figure like yours¡­ umon. As you requested, I left room in case your physique should change somewhat. Thedy, too, was an enjoyable challenge,¡± she gestured to Anneliese.


    Both of the outfits had beenid out across the table, likely because they had no mannequins that could reasonably fit either¡¯s size. Argrave stepped forward, removing his gloves. Both leather outfits were a dark steely gray, lined with white at points subtly. Argrave could faintly feel the enchantments as he ran his hands across it.


    ¡°It consists of the base¡ªleather boots, leather pants, and the leather shirt, long-sleeve. Overtop that, you may wear a heavier duster lined with fur on the inside, in case the weather should grow cold¡­ or if more protection is needed. It has a hood to protect the head, too.¡±


    The tailor stepped up beside Argrave as he examined their new gear. ¡°Each is made of leather and fur from the Snowstrider Bears in the north¡ªvery durable leather, shrugging off des by itself. The fur is soft and warm, and mostly lines the inside. The enchantments, too, should ward off much magic. The materials and the enchantment you chose work well in tandem, sir. Mypliments,¡± the tailor nodded.


    ¡°Excellent work,¡± Argrave said, withdrawing his hand. ¡°Anneliese?¡±


    ¡°It is¡­ very overwhelming,¡± she said, staring at the outfit as though she were staring at a pile of gold. ¡°Oh¡ªI do not mean this negatively. I am simply in awe,¡± she quickly added.


    The tailor smiled amiably. ¡°The other set, then. This way, if you would.¡±


    She led the two of them to another table. There, a ck set waited. It was distinctly different in design from the other.


    ¡°Here it is. You mentioned that this would be for the Burnt Desert, sir, and so I prepared it with this in mind. I took some liberties that I hope will not be contrary to your preferences.¡± She grabbed some of the joints of it. ¡°It¡¯s made of the very breathable Krell leather from the distant jungles, so I felt as though some areas could be blocked off to prevent sand from entering the boots or other parts of the clothes.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Argrave grabbed the sleeve of the outfit, weighing it. ¡°Feels light.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, sir,¡± the tailor agreed. ¡°A very lightweight set. Just the same as the other, it consists of boots, pants, a shirt, and a duster¡ªthe duster will likely be needed sorely in the Burnt Desert. I included some face wrappings, free of charge,¡± she picked them up. ¡°The enchantments on this are split between protection against physical and magical attacks. All said, I think these outfits will serve you both for decades.¡±


    ¡°You should wait until you see what we have to do before you make that judgement,¡± Argrave said, and the tailor took it in jest and smiled. It was no joke, though.


    Argrave reached into his pocket and pulled free a bag. ¡°I¡¯m very satisfied with your work. Here¡¯s the remainder of the payment.¡±


    The tailor held out her hands, receiving the bag. She opened it quickly. ¡°Ah¡­ my apologies, sir, and meaning no offense, but I would like to count these.¡±


    ¡°I understand. You¡¯re right to be cautious,¡± Argrave dismissed. ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your understanding, sir,¡± the tailor bowed, then stepped away elsewhere.


    ¡°So,¡± Argrave turned to Anneliese. ¡°Thoughts?¡±


    ¡°They look rather hardy. The first one, in particr, would be right at home in Veiden.¡± She looked back to it. ¡°I feel guilty that Gmon receives no such thing.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s getting a killer sword and a dagger. He wears armor, anyway. And if he gets hit, it matters less,¡± Argrave shrugged. Anneliese looked at him strangely. ¡°Uhh¡­ I¡¯m not saying he¡¯s less important, but only that¡­ well, you know what I mean,¡± he shook his head. ¡°He¡¯s got a unique constitution. A regr tough guy, that one.¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± she nodded. ¡°Thank you very much for doing this. Even if you do not seem to expect it, you deserve gratitude.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I know, I¡¯m a saint,¡± Argrave waved his hands dismissively. ¡°The other thing. ine gave me this, for you.¡± Argrave retrieved a silver badge and handed it to Anneliese.


    ¡°What is this?¡± she took it, moving it about. ¡°An owl? I¡ªoh. This is that matter you mentioned earlier,¡± she quickly put the pieces together.


    ¡°Congrattions, Anneliese, honorary Wizard of the Gray Owl. I will no longer be risking expulsion from the Order when I lend you the books from the library.¡± Argrave pped quietly. ¡°You can also enter the Order buildings without being suppressed by the myriad enchantments in the ce.¡± Argrave tapped the badge gripped in her hands. ¡°It¡¯s a nk canvas now, but you should will some of your magic inside. It¡¯ll mark you as the owner.¡±


    She nodded and did so. The badge shone. She held it up in the air, pointing it at Argrave. ¡°Yet another thing to thank you for.¡±


    ¡°Benefits me more than you. Like I said, no more risk of expulsion,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°Well, we have but a few more things to do on my list.¡± Argrave retrieved the paper, from which many things had been crossed out. ¡°We have the two enchanted rings to get, there¡¯s Gmon¡¯s enchanted weaponry¡­ plus his enchanted arrows¡­¡± Argrave briefly looked up to Anneliese. ¡°See, he got plenty¡­¡±


    ¡°And after your list is over and done?¡± Anneliese pressed.


    Argrave lowered the paper, stashing it back away in his pockets. ¡°We buy what we need for travel, and we leave.¡±


    ¡°Back to the road once more,¡± she nodded, gaze distant as though preparing herself for that.


    Argrave shifted. ¡°I won¡¯t lie. Given your experience in the Thorngorge Citadel, the ce we¡¯re going to next may be¡­ very difficult for you. The Low Way of the Rose abounds with creatures made by the same magely order. These ones aren¡¯t impotent, though. These are well-oiled machines made by the Order that far outlive their masters.¡±


    ¡°Well-oiled?¡± she questioned. ¡°Meaning¡­?¡±


    ¡°Er¡­ they¡¯re tried and tested. Effective, meaning dangerous. They were intended to be patrolling guards for the underground roadways bridging the Burnt Desert to thends of Vasquer.¡± Argrave turned his head to see the tailor returning. ¡°We¡¯ve done a lot of preparation for this trek. Whether it¡¯ll be enough¡­ we¡¯ll have to find out.¡±


    ¡°I will not see your journey stalled by my own issues,¡± Anneliese said resolutely. ¡°Even if creatures resembling those at Thorngorge Citadel should frequent this Low Way, I will ovee it.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t push yourself too much,¡± Argrave advised. He was ignorant of Anneliese¡¯s eye roll at his hypocrisy. ¡°We¡¯ll have to associate with a group called the Stonepetal Sentinels. I¡¯m not too sure about what to expect.¡±

 Chapter 81: Farewell Once Again

    Chapter 81: Farewell Once Again


    ¡°What do you mean, ¡®the Duchess won¡¯t being?¡¯¡± Induen pronounced each word very deliberately, teeth clenched tight in anger. The prince was in a small, shabby room that seemed to be abandoned. It was poorly lit by moonlight through covered windows. Just behind him, his escort of four disguised royal knights stood alert. Their focus was devoted to the man adjacent to their prince, each very wary as though the man was likely to lunge at any second.


    ¡°Just that, Prince Induen,¡± the man replied. He was smaller than Induen, but his presence had an indomitability one might liken to a rock. He wore rounded steel armor that seemed especially thick and heavy, so one could not see his face. A warhammer hung from his waist. His helmet was wrought in the shape of a boar.


    ¡°The Duchess will not being,¡± the man repeated.


    ¡°Why?¡± Induen insisted. ¡°Has somethinge up? Something more important than her prince?¡±


    ¡°The situation has changed. The Duchess does not feel it is in her best interest to meet,¡± the boar-masked knightid out inly.


    ¡°House Parbon does not think it is in their best interest to give faithful service to my father.¡± Induen stepped forward, moonlight dancing across his face until he came to stand before the man, peering at his eyes inside the helmet. ¡°Are these two things rted, I wonder? I should hope not. If you need an example of what defiance brings, you need only look to Parbon¡¯s vassals. That should be clear enough message.¡±


    Despite Induen¡¯s formidable presence, the boar-helmet knight did not move at all. Though the prince¡¯s breath came close enough to fog the well-polished steel helm, his hands stayed at his side, disciplined and unafraid.


    ¡°The situation has changed,¡± the knight repeated.


    Induen seemed to have some difficulty restraining his irritation. When he seemed liable tosh out, he turned away quickly, leaving his back to the boar-masked knight. ¡°How has it changed? What¡¯s changed?¡± the prince asked coldly.


    ¡°The Duchess said it is because Jast has allied with House Parbon.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Induen¡¯s breathing grew quicker, and he reached at his side, pulling free a white dagger gilded with gold. It was the same dagger that Margrave Reinhardt had used in their fight together, and it still shone with enchantments. He stared at it, fixated, slowing his breathing until it was calm. ¡°This is¡­ news to me.¡±


    Induen put away the knife, and then turned around. ¡°You. The Duchess belongs to House Cael. The sigil of House Cael is a boar. Are you a scion of that house?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± the knight said.


    ¡°A champion, then?¡± the prince pressed.


    ¡°Once,¡± the knight said. ¡°Now, I am someone the duchess is willing to let die.¡±


    ¡°It seems she is quick to discard things,¡± the prince noted.


    ¡°Yes,¡± the knight agreed.


    Induen ced a hand on his hip. ¡°What is your name, knight?¡±


    ¡°Unimportant. If you need a name, most call me Boarmask.¡±


    ¡°Hah.¡± Induen scoffed. ¡°Which came first¡ªthe name, or the helmet?¡±


    ¡°Helmet,¡± the knight replied seriously.


    ¡°Well, Boarmask.¡± The prince stepped closer. ¡°I dislike the idea of going to fetch something and returning with nothing. You said you were once a champion of House Cael. Do you care to champion your prince?¡±


    Boarmask stared at Induen. ¡°No.¡±


    Induen raised his head, evidently not expecting that answer so quickly. ¡°¡¯No,¡¯¡± Induen repeated. ¡°I often like brevity, but yours infuriates me. Why do you refuse me? Do you not realize your situation?¡±


    ¡°I am leaving Elbraille tonight,¡± Boarmask said. ¡°In search of the ideal master.¡±


    ¡°Yet you decline me, a prince,¡± Induen said.


    ¡°Would you die for me?¡± Boarmask asked.


    Induenughed. ¡°A master to die for their knight? Perhaps you¡¯ve the order reversed. You will die an errant knight if that is what you seek.¡±


    ¡°So it shall be,¡± Boarmask said. He stepped forward past Prince Induen, past his royal guards, and opened the door, leaving.


    A silence settled in the abandoned room, the moonlight moving ever so slowly and reflecting off the dust hanging in the air.


    ¡°Prince¡­ if you wish, we can¡­¡± one of the knights alluded, knowing well their master¡¯s vindictiveness.


    ¡°No. I know that one. He had another nickname, but it seems that it¡¯s changed. He was the Romantic Warrior. Perhaps he disliked the implication and donned that helm. It seems he is ever in search of the ideal master.¡± Induen shook his head. ¡°A fool. He¡¯ll die one, too, but not by my hand. I doubt you are capable enough to dispatch him, anyway.¡±


    Induen pulled out the Margrave¡¯s dagger. ¡°I will not return to the capital with empty hands.¡± He ran his gauntleted finger across the de, scratching the steel armor. ¡°Neither the Duke nor the Duchess will break cleanly. What I bite, I hold ¡®til I die.¡±


    #####


    Argrave adjusted the things on their carriage, settling everything into ce. Beside him, Gmon lifted one more chest and put it in the luggagepartment. Argrave looked behind him, but there was nothing more to put on the carriage. Argrave did onest examination to be sure everything was secure, tugging on what was there and testing it. Content, Argrave turned his head back towards the distant ck walls of Jast.


    They had gotten everything they needed from Jast. Gmon¡¯s newly forged greatsword hung from his hip, just opposite his dagger. Both were enchanted. Argrave could not deduce the quality by sight alone, but he supposed they would soon have asion to test them out. In addition, his armor had been remade, covering the gaping hole in the torso. The crown taken from the ruins near Barden rested in Gmon¡¯s helmet, hidden beneath steel. The elven mercenary had always been potent, but with the crown enhancing his physical abilities, he would be a force to be reckoned with. To top all of that off, Gmon had both Ebonice arrows and enchanted arrows, each numbering near twenty.


    Argrave and Anneliese had donned their enchanted gear, clothed in fine leather and wearing rings with B-rank warding magic engraved into them. They could cast a B-rank warding spell twenty times before a recharge was necessary. Argrave hoped to learn how to recharge enchanted gear himself eventually, but that was a distant goal.


    Andstly, the Amaranthine Heart had given Argrave gallons of liquid magic over the course of days. It had been an expensive endeavor. All of the liquid was stored within the main portion of the carriage where he and Anneliese would sit. With so much excess, he had decided to have Anneliese drink the stuff as well. Provided she was diligent in expending magic in practice, it would enable her magic capacity to grow faster just as his did.


    ¡°That¡¯s quite a lot of stuff you have,¡±mented Elias from behind.


    Argrave looked to him, and then shut the luggagepartment¡¯s lid. ¡°So it is.¡±


    Perhaps if the bronze hand mirror in his pocket had any use beyond telling him things he knew, it might not be so troublesome to bring his books and the liquid magic produced by the Amaranthine Heart. It was a wonder the protagonist of a game could haul so many things around.


    Then again, a protagonist did not need to sleep, eat, or drink, and was incapable of feeling fatigue. A yable character was quite a terrifying figure, bluntly¡ªthey blindly rush into any danger, they never fail, and each has a single-minded drive towards achieving just about anything.


    That role had been delegated to Argrave.


    ¡°Now¡­¡± Elias¡¯ voice brought Argrave from his hazy thoughts. The red-haired young lord rubbed his hands together as though they were cold. ¡°I have to get my father¡¯s permission for all of this.¡±


    ¡°Incorrect,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t think he can reasonably renege. It would do too much damage.¡± Argrave poked his chest. ¡°All you have to get is his forgiveness.¡±


    Elias blinked for a few seconds. ¡°But you said¡­ I could always get permissionter.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve been cheated. Duped.¡± Argrave pped his hands together. His newly worn metal ring beneath his gloves struck his knuckle, and he winced. <em>Damn. Not used to that. </em>


    Argrave parted his hands, rubbing his tender knuckle. ¡°I only said that so you would agree. I¡¯m sure Margrave Reinhardt will be furious at the liberties you¡¯ve taken.¡±


    Elias did not know how to process this, standing there mouth agape.


    ¡°Let me teach you a valuable lesson imparted unto me by sages of old. It is better to seek forgiveness than ask for permission.¡± Argrave nodded, and then patted Elias¡¯ shoulder. ¡°On that note, please forgive me. It had to be done. If you wish,y all the me on me. I am perfectly willing to ept yet more of your father¡¯s loathing.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡­¡± Elias looked at the ground. ¡°It was still my decision. I cannot let you suffer for it.¡±


    ¡°I knew you would say that,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°It¡¯s why I even brought up the idea: I knew you¡¯d never do such a thing. It¡¯s too reasonable.¡±


    ¡°You are¡­¡± Elias paused. ¡°A real bastard,¡± he finally said, with briefughter.


    ¡°So I am often told,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°One more thing. Be careful on your journey home,¡± he said sternly, stepping closer to Elias and staring down at him. ¡°I¡¯m not telling you to drive safely, but rather make sure you don¡¯t end up in a ditch with a knife in your gut. Just because it feels like things have settled down doesn¡¯t mean you can rx. Delbraun might have other ns for that contingent of mages following you home, if you catch my drift.¡±


    ¡°Gods, you sound just like Helmuth.¡± Elias shook his head. ¡°All near me have made that clear. And besides, my¡­ betrothed¡­¡± he stumbled over the word, evidently unused to saying it. ¡°¡­will being with us. I doubt Delbraun would try anything.¡±


    Argrave spread his arms out. ¡°Good. In that case, I¡¯m leaving. If you don¡¯t hear about me for months, assume I died horribly. Hold a funeral, maybe.¡±


    ¡°What are you¡­?¡± Elias trailed off confusedly, but Argrave had already turned to walk to the carriage. Gmon followed just beside him. ¡°Hold on. I have more.¡±


    Argrave turned. ¡°Is this about Stain? He¡¯s a tough kid. He¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Elias stepped closer so he did not need to shout. ¡°I decided to take Vel¡ªerr, Stain, with me to Parbon. He has some insights about subterfuge that I think would be helpful to my father.¡±


    ¡°Good idea,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°What, then, is your question?¡±


    Elias bit his lip, brooding on where to begin. ¡°My mage, Helmuth¡­ he told me not to associate with you. He told me he saw something within you¡­ an abyss,¡± Elias outlined. ¡°It may sound strange, but Helmuth¡¯s ascendance to an A-rank mage gave him unusual abilities. His eyes¡ª¡±


    ¡°He has a touch of Truesight. I know.¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°And I knew what he would see. That was why I brought Rowe¡ªso things wouldn¡¯t get out of hand.¡±


    Elias swallowed. ¡°So¡­ you knew, this whole time. Maybe you know my question.¡±


    ¡°Not hard to guess, exactly,¡± Argrave chuckled. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ll see youter.¡±


    Elias¡¯ face morphed in confusion, and Argrave turned once more. Argrave opened the carriage door, and Anneliese lifted up her head from within, looking at Argrave. He took one step into the carriage when Elias called out, ¡°Wait!¡±


    Argrave waited, leaning off the carriage while holding the door¡¯s handle.


    ¡°What is it? What did Helmuth see?¡± Elias asked.


    ¡°Like I said, I know what you wanted to ask me.¡± Argrave sat inside and started to shut the carriage door. ¡°This is called stonewalling. I taught you about it a while ago.¡±


    Elias stopped the door. Gmon stepped closer, standing over Elias and looking down at him, as if in warning.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you wish to tell me?¡± Elias insisted, unintimidated.


    Argrave sighed. ¡°You¡¯re the ¡®honest to a fault,¡¯ type. You¡¯d make a good friend, but a poor confidant for that reason. I have secrets. I¡¯d like them kept.¡±


    Elias mulled that over for a time, staring Argrave down. Eventually, he released the carriage door. Argrave took the opportunity to shut it.


    ¡°Here we are once more,¡± said Argrave to Anneliese, quickly dismissing the former conversation from his mind to dispel the guilt he felt. ¡°Long drives, nothing to do but read and talk. in, tasteless, but preservable food. And at the end, a promise of misery and hardship.¡±


    Anneliese nodded, a book already open on herp. ¡°The first part is not so bad.¡±


    Argrave raised a brow. ¡°I¡¯m d you agree.¡±

 Chapter 82: The Wider World

    Chapter 82: The Wider World


    ¡°She is too old,¡± Helmuth said, sitting just beside Elias.


    ¡°You¡¯ve said this,¡± replied Elias, cradling his head with one hand. ¡°You¡¯ve said this many, many times. My father marriedte. This is no different. Stop talking about it.¡±


    Elias, Baron Abraham, Stain, and Helmuth sat around a table, each eating quietly. Stain was more than a little ufortable in theirpany. He felt like he had traded one well-dressed noble family for another, but Elias insisted on having him return to Parbon. At the very least, his presence assuaged his sister Ridia¡¯s fears about her new would-be-husband.


    Helmuth set his spoon down, and it sunk into the bowl of soup. ¡°It¡¯s different now. House Parbon will need many heirs. She is too old.¡±


    ¡°I should marry half a child instead?¡± Elias lowered his hand. ¡°I want someone to share life with, not someone whom I can make more children with.¡±


    ¡°Delbraun¡¯s daughter would have grown older.¡± Helmuth crossed his arms. ¡°After this war, Parbon will be at the peak of prominence. If you have fewer heirs, Parbon cannot capitalize on this advantage.¡±


    Elias mmed his fist on the table. ¡°Did you forget why my father started this war? This isn¡¯t about benefits, isn¡¯t about advantages or disadvantages. My uncle sits in the dungeons, bound in chains and starved. The people suffer under Vasquer, who grasps for power like no other.¡± Elias shook his head. ¡°Get out, Helmuth. I don¡¯t want to hear any more of what you have to say.¡±


    Helmuth stared for a moment, and Elias held his gaze. He picked up his bowl of soup and went for the door, leaving quietly. Elias picked up his spoon, ready to resume eating, but Baron Abraham also stood.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to go join him,¡± the Baron said quietly, then left just the same way.


    Once the door had shut behind them, Elias lowered his head and sighed.


    ¡°You¡¯re wound awfully tight,¡± Stain noted. ¡°I guess I get it. Scary thing, marriage. My sister¡¯s a nicedy, though. She¡¯s shy, and that¡¯s probably perfect for someone like you¡ªall chivalry, all honesty, all sweetness. You¡¯ll have her wrapped about your finger soon enough, don¡¯t worry.¡± Stain held his fist up as though cheering him on.


    ¡°It¡¯s not¡­¡± Elias was about to refute, but then sighed once more. ¡°I suppose there is some of that in there. But the reality of what¡¯s happening is setting in. War. One of my father¡¯s vassals was in by unknown assants, half his vige burned down. And¡­¡± Elias tapped his fingers against the table. ¡°¡­I¡¯m starting to question if being honest and good is even worth it at all if someone you trusted your future with can¡¯t return the favor in the slightest.¡±


    ¡°Heh.¡± Stain rubbed beneath his nose. ¡°You¡¯re starting to see. It¡¯s simple¡ªtrust yourself and no one else. That¡¯s how I was raised. I turned out okay.¡±


    Elias snorted, then crossed his arms. His brows furrowed as though he had a realization. ¡°I guess¡­ I can¡¯t really know how Argrave was raised. He might not be a trusting person, and we haven¡¯t exactly been close in the past¡­ maybe¡­.¡± He trailed off, and then shook his head. ¡°Forget it. I need to put this behind me. These next months will be busy for me, I suspect.¡±


    #####


    Duke Enrico hunched over a book, his study dimly lit by candlelight. His blue hair was uncharacteristically disheveled, falling over his face in greasy strands. The book was a very old thing, veritably crumbling, and the Duke flipped to the final page. A few moments passed as he read through it. Once he finished, he closed it, sighing.


    He leaned back into his chair, eyes closed as he lost himself in thought. The candlelight flickered, wax dripping down the tall white stick in the silent study. A knock came at the door, drawing Enrico from his thoughts.


    ¡°Enter,¡± he called out, voice hoarse from fatigue. The door opened, and his daughter, Nikoletta, stood there, magicmp held in hand.


    ¡°Are you busy, father?¡± she questioned.


    ¡°No, no, never too busy for you,¡± he said, some vigor returned to his tone at the sight of his daughter. He stood, gesturing to the chair opposite his desk. ¡°Have a seat. What¡¯s the matter? It¡¯s awfullyte.¡±


    After shutting the door, Nikoletta walked in and took a seat as her father had instructed. ¡°I just¡­ couldn¡¯t sleep.¡± She looked across his desk. ¡°What are you reading? Looks¡­ old.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°I¡¯ve been looking into that thing Argrave told you of. Gerechtigkeit. Most of these books are from distantnds, tranted into our tongue.¡± Enrico picked one book up. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ very difficult to read, poorly tranted¡­ yet despite these facts, I have found mention of this entity,¡± the Duke said seriously. ¡°That, alone, is concerning.¡±


    ¡°So, do you believe it exists?¡± she questioned. ¡°This ancient cmity?¡±


    ¡°The tales are consistent, the dates are consistent, and the tumult before its appearance¡­ is consistent with what we experience now.¡± The Duke set his elbows on the table and leaned in, bloodshot pink eyes glowing in the candlelight. ¡°The only thing that isn¡¯t exactly consistent is <em>what </em>Gerechtigkeit is.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t answer my question, father,¡± she insisted. ¡°Do you think it¡¯s real?¡±


    Duke Enrico said nothing, gaze growing distant as he thought on her question. After a long time of silence, he finally answered, ¡°I think it would be best if we preserve and build our military strength. Because everything that I¡¯ve read¡­ concerns me.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ see,¡± she said quietly.


    Enrico¡¯s eyes stayed locked on her, and eventually his gaze softened. ¡°Speaking of concerning¡­ why are you having trouble sleeping?¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± she rubbed her eyes, reminded of her tiredness. ¡°Just¡­ my mind won¡¯t stop working. You¡¯ve recovered, father. Why must I remain regent, especially during the rebuilding of Mateth? I keep stressing, and worrying that I might do something wrong, or¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s precisely because you¡¯re rebuilding that you should remain regent,¡± the Duke said firmly. ¡°I am old, and grow older yet. One day, you will be Duchess in your own right¡­ or perhaps even Queen. It is important that you know rulership well, and there are few better ways to know it than to rule.¡±


    ¡°But if I make a mistake¡­!¡±


    ¡°I never said you could not ask me anything, Nikoletta,¡± the Duke smiled. ¡°If you are uncertain, or if you have doubts, I will impart to you all that I know.¡± Enrico rubbed his hands together, and then, as if reminded of something, added, ¡°I believe it is important to give your children responsibility. This is a lesson you should learn, I think, before Argrave returns and this war is settled.¡±


    ¡°Haha¡­¡± sheughed awkwardly, lowering her head.


    ¡°That business in Jast established him as firmly opposed to Vasquer, in my eyes.¡± The Duke leaned back in his chair. ¡°It is a good thing, too. I¡­ after the battle, after nearly dying¡­ it would mean a great deal to me to be able to hold my grandchildren in my arms. I hope you know I¡¯m proud of you, Nikoletta.¡±


    Nikoletta stared at her knees, and Enrico noticed something was amiss. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± he asked, leaning forward.


    ¡°I-I¡­ I have something to tell, you, father.¡± She lifted her head and met the Duke¡¯s gaze. Her lower lip trembled as she proceeded. ¡°I don¡¯t think¡­ I¡¯m not like¡­¡± she trailed off, unable to finish the words.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± the Duke insisted concernedly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think¡­¡± she lifted her eyes to the Duke¡¯s, examining his features. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I¡¯m¡­ ready for this,¡± she finished.


    ¡°Is that what¡¯s bothering you?¡± the Duke stood, walking out from behind the desk. ¡°Listen. When I was betrothed to your mother, I had these exact same thoughts. It was stifling, it was overwhelming, and I felt unprepared.¡± Enrico kneeled down and hugged his daughter. ¡°The truth is, though, you can¡¯t ever be ¡®ready¡¯ for something like this.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± she muttered weakly.


    ¡°But you can¡¯t let it consume you,¡± he said with conviction. ¡°Put it behind you. Move forward. Once you ept it, embrace it, you¡¯ll realize that all your fears were for nothing.¡± He pulled away, gazing into his daughter¡¯s eyes. ¡°Okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± she nodded.


    The Duke nodded in turn, and then stood up. ¡°Maybe you should leave tomorrow to me, take a break. Some time to rx may do you some good. I am still here, despite my ns for the opposite,¡± the Duke assured. ¡°Maybe you can enjoy some time with Mina? You two are still good friends, from what I know.¡±


    ¡°Mina is going to be leaving soon,¡± Nikoletta said hollowly, staring at the ground. ¡°She should probably go back to her father¡¯s estate. It would be for the best.¡±


    ¡°Really? I had no idea she would be leaving.¡± The Duke walked back to his desk. ¡°Such a thing would be sensible, given all that¡¯s going on. She¡¯s wee to stay as long as she likes, you know.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Nikoletta nodded. ¡°Even still, it would be for the best.¡±


    #####


    Argrave and Anneliese sat across from each other. Their postures were uncannily identical¡ªboth had a bottle partially full of ck liquid at their side, their legs crossed over the other, with a book supported by their knee. That, coupled with their all-too-simr gray leather outfits made quite the picturesque scene in the small carriage, but both of the passengers within seemed to be ignorant of that.


    Anneliese looked up from her book. ¡°Did you know about the founder of House Vasquer?¡±


    ¡°What about him?¡± Argrave answered absently.


    ¡°Apparently, he led his armies alongside of a host of snakes, who bit his enemies at hismand.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. His ¡®Legion of Ten Thousand Snakes.¡¯ Interesting stuff,¡± Argrave nodded, but then frowned. ¡°But where did you hear about that?¡±


    She shrugged. ¡°I read it.¡±


    ¡°From what? Where did you get the book?¡± Argrave insisted.


    ¡°I sold some things I brought with me from Veiden, and I bought it.¡± She shook her head. ¡°I know I should have been learning more spells, but I needed something to break the monotony. Forgive me.¡±


    Argrave was more amazed than irritated, so he shrugged his shoulders and said, ¡°I don¡¯t mind, as long as it doesn¡¯t take up too much of our time. You might¡¯ve asked. I would have bought it for you.¡±


    ¡°I know. But it was my interest, not yours, and you do enough already.¡± She looked down at her book again. ¡°After reading it, I thought to ask you¡­ I wonder if he used druidic magic. I am not so arrogant as to think my people were the first to¡ª¡±


    ¡°Argrave,¡± Gmon interrupted loudly, tapping the side of the door. ¡°That belltower you mentioned. I see it.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Argrave pulled aside the curtain blocking the window, and looked outside. After adjusting to the sunlight briefly, he saw beyond.


    ¡°Ah. There it is. Ritmont.¡± Argrave proimed, leaning out the window. ¡°Take a good, long look. These are to be thest vestiges of civilization we take with into our memory before traversing the treacherous Low Road of the Rose.¡±


    ¡°Have you any escapades nned here?¡± Anneliese inquired somewhat sarcastically.


    Argrave returned back into the carriage. ¡°If you consider spending money an escapade, sure. This time, we¡¯ll be buying supplies for the Low Road. Shouldn¡¯t take long, and we¡¯re still loaded with lucre.¡± Argrave looked to his lockbox. ¡°We¡¯ve twenty-seven rose gold magic coins remaining, and much more gold coins in hand. A little higher than I expected, honestly, after the money-sink that was Jast.¡±


    ¡°I know what to buy,¡± contributed Gmon, driving the carriage outside. ¡°Caving¡­ we¡¯ll need plenty of things.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll trust you for a lot, but the Low Way isn¡¯t your average cave. It¡¯s hardly a cave. I¡¯d call it an underground world,¡± Argrave cautioned. ¡°We¡¯ll need to prepare differently than you might think.¡±

 Chapter 83: Backpacking

    Chapter 83: Backpacking


    Gmon hefted a giant pack over his shoulder. With both his armor and the pack, he could not weigh less than five hundred pounds presently. The well-built snow elf rolled his shoulders, testing the weight. Argrave wondered if the straps would snap, given time.


    ¡°You look somewhat pitiful,¡±mented Argrave, wearing his own pack. It was mostly full of water and other such essentials, and quite lightpared to Gmon¡¯s or even Anneliese¡¯s.


    ¡°It would be more pitiful watching you try and lift this pack,¡± refuted Gmon. He tapped his fingers against his helm. ¡°With that crown from the ruins, this will prove no burden. Even still¡­ low food, low water¡­ for a long trek as you im this to be, we are woefully unprepared. You should return more books, pack more essentials.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s like I told you¡ªstop thinking of it as a cave.¡± Argrave fit his thumb beneath the strap of his backpack, adjusting it. ¡°If you can confidently hunt for food in a forest, we¡¯ll have no trouble staying alive and well-fed in the Low Way. Even you, strange eating habits that you have. This ce has a river, and many springs. I even know what foliage is edible. Anneliese and I can munch on mushrooms if need be.¡±


    Gmon turned his head away, unconvinced, and Argrave looked about the quaint settlement of Ritmont. It was a rtively humble walled town, mostly relying on agriculture for prosperity. Its proximity to a river and its position crammed between the territories of Jast, Elbraille, and Parbon made it a minor hub of trade, and the ce was moderately well-developed. The roads were paved, the guards were well-equipped, and the buildings sturdy. That said, it had no lord¡ªthe people walking about were under the Duke of Elbraille directly.


    Argrave had stopped here because it was thest vestige of civilization that had a connection to the Order of the Gray Owl, and he had some books to leave behind. It was costing him a good deal to have the tomes delivered back to Jast, but he was notcking in money. There were many books to return on ount of the fact that Argrave and Anneliese both had made tremendous strides in magic.


    In their time at Jast and in the road to Ritmont, Argrave felt he¡¯d covered all of his bases. He had examined the statistics on his bronze hand mirror for the first time in a while.


    Traits: [Tall], [Sickly], [Weak], [Intelligent], [Magic Affinity (High)], [Insomniac], [Blessing of Supersession (MAX)]


    Skills: [Elemental Magic (C)], [Blood Magic (C)], [Healing Magic (C)], [Illusion Magic (D)], [Warding Magic(C)], [Druidic Magic (C)], [Inscription (E)], [Imbuing (E)]


    He¡¯d learned C-rank healing spells in case of emergencies, C-rank warding spells to deal with lesser attacks, and C-rank elemental spells of some variety to cover all his bases as ording to each element¡¯s strengths. Anneliese had done much the same, though her array of spells was already quite diverse as she had been at C-rank longer than Argrave.


    Beyond that, Argrave had learned one blood magic spell at C-rank: [Pain¡¯s Thorn], a long-range bolt not dissimr to the D-rank spell of the same school, [Pierce]. Blood magic was most effective at quick bursts of extreme power, in Argrave¡¯s estimation, and until he was ck Blooded, he did not intend to learn any more blood magic.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Will you keep with tradition and inform us of our objective only once we have arrived at this Low Way?¡± Anneliese asked pointedly.


    Argrave clicked his tongue, drawn from his thoughts. ¡°Awfully cheeky, but you¡¯re not wrong. I¡¯m tempted to do just that when you paint me as such a monster.¡± He adjusted the backpack on his shoulder. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve never been a traditionalist, and for this journey, there¡¯s a lot to exin. We¡¯ve got everything packed in our bags. Let¡¯s return to the carriage and discuss things.¡±


    They walked out the gates of Ritmont, and Argrave set his bag inside the carriage, just beside the many satchels full of the ck liquid magic created by the Amaranthine Heart. He sat on the side of the carriage, while Anneliese and Gmon both stowed their backpacks in the luggagepartment of the carriage.


    ¡°Okay. Before we begin, I¡¯m going to consult you two about this. Frankly, I¡¯ve been torn this entire journey.¡± Argrave rubbed his hands together, and then eventually conjured a ward to block out their conversation for caution¡¯s sake.


    ¡°So¡­ there¡¯s a coven of vampires within the Low Way. They¡¯re mostly reclusive barring the asional gruesome murder, but they also have something that I need. We have two options.¡± Argrave raised one finger. ¡°Entreat them for the thing.¡± Argrave raised the second finger. ¡°Annihte them.¡±


    Gmon and Anneliese had been with Argrave long enough to follow his train of thought. Gmon was the first to respond, saying, ¡°For vampires, there is only one option. Pull them out by the root. Take no chances.¡±


    Argrave crossed his arms. ¡°You might see why those words are somewhat dubiousing from you, Gmon, if you introspect.¡±


    ¡°I am aware of the irony. My own existence is an antithesis to my ideals. I should kill myself¡­ but I value my life over my values.¡± Gmon stared Argrave down. ¡°It is a source of shame and guilt to me. But I know the beast that chains vampires just as they do, and I know also that scant few of them can be trusted to control it. Even I have faltered before the hunger¡­ as you well know, Argrave.¡±


    Argrave pushed his tongue against his cheek, surprised by hispanion¡¯s upromising answer.


    Before he could offer a response, Anneliese questioned, ¡°Do you truly believe you can reason with this coven?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s forty of them,¡± Argrave brought his hand to his chin. ¡°Maybe less. Some of them may have died, hunted by the Stonepetal Sentinels. You might think such a size would be difficult to sustain, but a literal river of blood runs through the Low Way. It tastes foul, supposedly, but it sates their hunger.¡±


    ¡°And the answer to my question?¡± Anneliese pressed.


    Argraveughed. ¡°As I¡¯m sure that you¡¯ve discovered, I can reason with a lot of people that seem difficult to reason with. The infamously unruly Rowe ¡®the Righteous¡¯ even confessed his admiration towards my abilities¡­ in between calling me a ¡®wormy bastard,¡¯ or something like that.¡± Argrave spread his hands out. ¡°I can do it, I think.¡±


    ¡°But you won¡¯t,¡± said Gmon. ¡°You won¡¯t even try.¡±


    Argrave frowned, and Anneliese contributed, ¡°I am inclined to agree with Gmon on this matter. Most vampires¡­ are not worth risking our lives for.¡±


    ¡°Careful. You¡¯ll make Gmon shed tears of blood,¡± Argrave said, voice distant. ¡°Alright, alright,¡± he said, raising his hands in surrender. ¡°You outnumber me. I submit. In that case, we¡¯ll be working closely with the Stonepetal Sentinels. These guys¡­ aren¡¯t pleasant. It¡¯s why I even considered the option of diplomacy with vampires.¡±


    ¡°Who are these Sentinels?¡± Anneliese questioned.


    ¡°They call themselves ¡®thest remnants of the Order of the Rose.¡¯ There¡¯s truth to that, I guess. They¡¯re knights and mages who have pledged themselves to ridding the Low Way of the abominations created by the Order of the Rose. Thest sentinels against the tide of abominations. Ofte, they¡¯ve been trying tobat this vampire coven.¡±


    Anneliese nodded. ¡°They do not sound so terrible.¡±


    Argrave looked off to the distance. ¡°The Stonepetal Sentinels retained all the unpleasant traits of the Order from which they descend. They don¡¯t like outsiders, who they view as people seeking to steal their wealth and knowledge. They¡¯re arrogant, because even after all the abominations the Order of the Rose has brought to the world, their magic is still pretty potent. Of course, they lost most of the important magic. Faded glory, all that,¡± Argrave shook his head.


    ¡°They¡¯re brash and rough on ount of years of patrolling the Low Way, and they view everyone who isn¡¯t descended from the Order of the Rose as lesser.¡± Argrave gaze jumped between the two of them. ¡°Especially those who aren¡¯t human. Unlike in Jast, where the biggest enemy was themon man, the Stonepetal Sentinels have many mages in their number, so a simple Circlet of Disguise will not be sufficient to disguise your elven heritage.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Anneliese nodded. ¡°After what urred at Mateth, they may not be especially weing to us.¡±


    ¡°True enough, if news of it has even reached them. Let¡¯s hope not.¡± Argrave directed his attention to Gmon. ¡°I hope you¡¯ll rein yourself in, Gmon. No matter what they say, just ignore it. Just because we¡¯re going on the Low Way doesn¡¯t mean you can¡¯t take the high road.¡±


    Gmon frowned in confusion, Argrave¡¯s idiom lost on him. He said nothing to Argrave¡¯s warning.


    Anneliese followed up, asking, ¡°Once we retrieve this item, we will proceed into the Burnt Desert?¡±


    ¡°Nope,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°Well, yes, technically, when you consider that the item we need is on the path. Along the way, we¡¯ll fetch the Crimson Wellspring. This object is what creates the rivers of blood flowing throughout the Low Way, and is yet another ingredient to make me ck Blooded. Coupled with the item the vampires have, it¡¯ll be three out of four. Thest is in the Burnt Desert.¡±


    Anneliese processed what Argrave had said. ¡°One item to draw magic from life¡­ another to create ceaseless blood¡ªceaseless vitality,¡± she connected the dots. ¡°And this item from the vampire coven¡ªwhat exactly does it do?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a scalpel to be used for the surgery to make me ck Blooded. I¡¯m not sure of the specifics¡­ but it doesn¡¯t actually cut. It modifies and morphs flesh, and even bends the spirit¡­¡± Argrave thought about it and had a spontaneous shudder. ¡°The vampires call it the Unsullied Knife. They tried to use it to cure their vampirism¡ªexcise the beast out of them. After failing, they hoard it. I suppose there¡¯s nothing else they could have done with it, but it is still unfortunate.¡±


    ¡°What foes will we face beyond the vampires?¡± Gmon questioned.


    ¡°Now that¡¯s the important question,¡± Argrave pointed his finger at Gmon. ¡°It¡¯s important to know how to deal with the Guardians in the Low Way. This¡¯ll be a long one, folks, so let me wet my throat and getfortable¡­¡±

 Chapter 84: Stone Vigil

    Chapter 84: Stone Vigil


    A vast mountain towered overhead, like a sheer wall of gray stone warding off all who would dare approach. At its base, a great opening gave way into sheer darkness. The hole was sorge that it could be seen far in the distance¡ªindeed, if one could see the mountain, one could likely see the gaping entrance.


    The opening was a perfect half-circle. Perhaps one hundred men could walk side-by-side and enter without issue, and its highest point was about three hundred feet tall. Briars carved from stone seemed to emerge from the tunnels, wing up the side of the mountain before blossoming into brilliant stone roses. The years had defaced both the briars and the roses, many chipped or discolored by the elements.


    A great wall of stone formed a half-ring fortress around the tunnel, and though formidable, it still paled inparison to the entrance it protected. Much of the stone fortification had crumbled, yet people still persisted within, pitching tents and hosting fires in the vacant courtyard of the ruined castle. Much of the fortifications had been repurposed¡ªinstead of protecting against invaders that woulde <em>to</em> the tunnel, they protected against that which might emerge <em>from </em>it.


    Heavily armored knights roamed the entrance, keeping watch on the inky darkness beyond. Their armor bore a surcoat with a rose on the front, though all of the colors had faded to gray, and many bore miscolored patches as a consequence of repair. Despite the poor look of the surcoat, the steel was polished and glimmering. Magic persisted on the armor¡¯s surface, each set thoroughly enchanted. Many of the knights bore sashes across their chest. These sashes had roses carved of stone pinned to them, each of identical quality. Some knights had many stone roses, while others had only one or two.


    Light flickered in the darkness inside the tunnels. Most of the knights quickly came to attention. One, a knight bearing at least twenty stone roses on his sash, grabbed a horn from his side and raised his visor. He stepped past the simple stone fortifications, scarred face deathly still and serious as though awaiting a threat. The light came ever closer, dancing out of the darkness.


    The sound of steel nking echoed out. It soon became clear the light was torchlight, and the ones bearing it were knights just the same as those watching outside. The old knight rxed somewhat, and then raised the horn to his lips, taking a deep breath. The sound echoed out across the ruined castle, and at once, people came from their tents, most armed and ready.


    The old knight took off his helmet entirely, letting his unruly and matted gray hair fall to his shoulders. He stepped towards the entrance of the tunnel with slow, measured steps, moving to meet the emerging party. Once he had moved close enough to them, the emerging party slowed, and then pounded their fist against their heart.


    ¡°Greetings to Master Sentinel sdair!¡± they all shouted, somewhat synchronously.


    ¡°Rx, men,¡± sdair said, raising a hand. ¡°Where is Knight Dirk?¡±


    One of the sentinels stepped forward. ¡°Reporting, sir. Knight Dirk died.¡±


    ¡°A Knight of a Dozen Roses died on a simple culling trip?¡± sdair said incredulously. ¡°Have the beasts grown bolder yet?¡±


    ¡°No, sir.¡± The knight removed his helmet. ¡°A portion of the road copsed beneath him as he led. He fell and broke his neck.¡±


    sdair sighed, raising a gauntleted hand to his mouth. ¡°The fool. Too skilled, but overeager.¡± sdair looked up. ¡°His body?¡±


    ¡°Lost, sir.¡± The knight could not look up. ¡°He¡­ his body fell too far. It tipped into the canals.¡±


    sdair looked to the rest of the knights. None of them looked aplished, merely weary and defeated. Deciding there was no point in harping on the matter, sdair nodded.


    ¡°It was unavoidable.¡± He grabbed the knight¡¯s shoulders. ¡°We must fight on with Dirk in our memories.¡±


    ¡°My memories of the dead are starting to rece each other,¡± a Sentinel said, stepping forward and removing his helmet. He had dark hair, barely green, and a mischievous look about him coupled with shrewd eyes. ¡°I¡¯m starting to confuse them. Was Dirk the one with one-eye, or that scar across his forehead?¡±


    ¡°Ossian,¡± sdair said coldly. ¡°Show respect.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need to obey you, not anymore. I lived another journey: I receive another rose. We¡¯re both Master Sentinels, you and I, sdair.¡± Ossian walked forth, his hand held out. ¡°Do the honors.¡±


    sdair red at the younger knight. ¡°Do it yourself, if you¡¯re my equal.¡±


    Ossian clenched his outstretched hand and smiled. ¡°With pleasure.¡± He looked around, then moved to a rock. He picked it up, weighing it in his hand, before tossing it aside and picking up another. Satisfied, he cast a spell. He shook it, and stone fell away from the rock, revealing a perfect rose. He raised it and pinned it to the top of his sash.


    ¡°There we have it. Twenty journeys, twenty survivals. I do believe I am the youngest Master in the Sentinels.¡± Ossian smiled.


    ¡°You¡¯ll never be givenmand, you know,¡± sdair said coldly.


    Ossian waved his hands. ¡°I don¡¯t need such a thing.¡± He spared onest nce at the group he¡¯d emerged from the tunnels with, and then shook his head. ¡°Well, I¡¯m going to eat and sleep. The rest can do the report.¡±


    sdair red at Ossian, veritably trying to bore holes in the knight¡¯s helmet with his gaze alone. The younger knight walked away, helmet dangling from his hands.


    ¡°sdair, sir¡­¡± the knight who¡¯d reported Dirk¡¯s death began. ¡°Ossian led us out of there. After the copse, he took us all out and made sure we met our quota of kills. Not one of us died.¡±


    sdair looked to the knight, brows furrowed. He opened his mouth, ready to say something, but a horn sounded across their encampment. They came to attention, looking at the wall the sound came from. The horn blew twice more.


    ¡°Visitors?¡± sdair muttered, stepping away.


    #####


    ¡°Jesus. Did they really need to blow the horn?¡± Argraveined, nervously adjusting the pack on his back. ¡°Three people, they blow a damn horn. Can¡¯t I just have a quiet entry? I¡¯m tired of a host of well-armed men greeting me whenever I go somece.¡±


    Argrave trudged ahead, while Anneliese and Gmon marveled at the vast tunnel behind the half-ring fort. Argrave found that the entrance was sorge it was vaguely unsettling.


    ¡°I go to Veiden, there¡¯s a bunch of warriors and a damned dragon sitting there. I return from Veiden, Nikolettamits battery against me with a parade of steel trailing behind, and now here¡­¡±


    Argrave watched as more and more people showed up to the walls. They peered down. The gates of the fort were already open, as the walls of the fortress had deteriorated to the point where keeping it closed would be pointless.


    ¡°Not many humanse to Veiden. Fewer return from it. Both noteworthy events,¡± Anneliese rebutted. ¡°And now, not many people are brazen enough to approach a ¡®paramilitary organization,¡¯ as you called it, in their fortress.¡±


    ¡°Just let mein. It makes me less nervous,¡± said Argrave distantly, focused on whaty ahead of them.


    A man stepped beneath the open portcullis at the front of the fortress, his helmet off. His hair was gray and unruly, matted and stifled from being suppressed beneath a helmet for so long. He marched deliberately towards them, alone barring the three waiting at the gate. As Argrave advanced, he started to recognize the man: Master Sentinel sdair.


    ¡°Great. Of all the people to greet me, I get sdair¡­¡± Argrave muttered, then stepped forward, greeting warmly, ¡°Hello!¡±


    ¡°Halt. Keep your distance,¡± sdair held out his hand. ¡°Outsiders are not wee. If you seek shelter, leave now. This is a knightly order, not a ce for refugees.¡±


    ¡°Are you¡­¡± Argrave trailed off, as though grasping for a name. ¡°Master Sentinel sdair?¡±


    sdair, not anticipating being recognized, ce his hand on the pommel of the sword at his waist. The motion earned Gmon¡¯s caution, who came to attention. Argrave tried to warn the vampire with his eyes, but little could bemunicated with nces alone.


    ¡°I am. How do you recognize me?¡± He frowned, pondering. ¡°One of the servants for the merchants we use for supply, perhaps?¡± His gray eyes scrutinized Argrave. ¡°No¡­ your clothes are too well-made for that. Enchanted leather. And elvenpanions. Who are you?¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°It¡¯s an honor to meet you, sir. I¡¯ve heard tales of you, sir,¡± Argrave said excitedly. He was doing his best to put on an act reminiscent of an overexcited, na?ve nobleman fed stories about the Sentinels. ¡°I am Argrave of ckgard. I hail from the distant north. My family once presided over the ckridge Citadel, in the times when the Order of the Rose still held prominence in Vasquer.¡±


    ¡°How¡­?¡± sdair trailed off, then looked away, shifting on his feet. ¡°I don¡¯t know ckgard, but the name ckridge Citadel is familiar. I think I get it. You¡¯re a fallen noble from a house with connections to the Order of the Rose.¡± sdair shook his head. ¡°My answer is unchanged. We don¡¯t ept refugees. We don¡¯t get involved with politics, either. If you¡¯ve any delusions¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not here for refuge. I¡¯m here for the Low Way, sir,¡± Argrave said seriously. ¡°I¡¯ve been marching for months. I thought myst stop would be Thorngorge Citadel¡ªperhaps you know of it, sir?¡±


    sdair bit his lips, looking vaguely as though he didn¡¯t care. Once the name clicked, he looked to Argrave suspiciously. ¡°It¡¯s that ce near Jast¡­ I don¡¯t think it¡¯s publicly known.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, it isn¡¯t,¡± confirmed Argrave. ¡°I went there in search of a relic of antiquity¡ªan heirloom of my family. I didn¡¯t find it in Thorngorge Citadel. I did, however, find documents that spoke of its transfer. It was given to a group known as the ¡®Wayward Thorns.¡¯¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± sdair said coldly. ¡°This heirloom¡ªwhat was it?¡±


    ¡°My family called it the Unbloodied de. It¡¯s a scalpel.¡± Argrave used a false name for the artifact. It would be too suspicious if he gave it the moniker the vampires had assigned to it. ¡°It¡¯s elven in origin. It¡¯s useless forbat, and indeed may be useless in general¡­ but it is my family¡¯s, and thest ce it was seen was here.¡±


    ¡°And you wish to march into the Low Way and die young?¡± sdair shook his head. ¡°Live longer, boy. Leave us here to our vigil.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t do that. You have your pride, and I have mine¡ªI¡¯ll match you piece for piece, and still be left with some,¡± Argrave challenged, matching arrogance with arrogance. ¡°That name, ¡®Wayward Thorns¡­¡¯ I thought about it. I know there¡¯s a coven of vampires within the Low Way. And I know their origins¡ªapprentices of the Wayward Thorns.¡±


    ¡°Then you should know well to leave this ce alone. I don¡¯t know what your family taught you of this ce, but¡ª¡±


    ¡°My family is dead. I am thest ckgard. All I have left is what I wear, and my father¡¯s servants who walk with me even still,¡± Argrave interrupted. ¡°I know the dangers of the Low Way. Necromantic abominations, vampires, and even the very ground itself are all enemies abounding within. Even if I should die, I wish to try and reim my family¡¯s legacy, meagre though it has be. Will you deny me?¡±


    sdair was taken aback. He ground his teeth together, staring at Argrave. The silence festered for a time, enming the anxiety in Argrave¡¯s chest. He waited, biding his time, and then struck with the killing blow.


    ¡°I can even take you to where the Wayward Thorn¡¯s apprentices are likely hiding.¡±


    sdair craned his head back, looking at Argrave in the eyes. Their gazes stayed locked for a time, and then sdair looked back to the half-ring fortress behind them.


    ¡°Come,¡± he waved his hand, gesturing Argrave to follow as he turned and walked.


    Once he passed through the threshold of the fortress, though, hemanded a nearby knight, ¡°Fetch Jean. I have something to check, eliminate any uncertainty.¡±

 Chapter 85: Thorny Hospitality

    Chapter 85: Thorny Hospitality


    Argrave and Gmon sat around a campfire, engaging with the Stonepetal Sentinels. One Sentinel seemed to be recounting a story, and Argrave was asking him questions. Though there was a cautious distance between the two parties, there was also an undeniable curiosity from both¡ªby all ounts, an engaging conversation.


    Meanwhile, though, far out of either¡¯s sight, something else was happening.


    sdair leaned on a table with his arms crossed, standing just across from a woman who examined a long piece of parchment with spell light. The woman was old, with wrinkled skin and thinning gray hair, all concealed by robes bearing a rose on the shoulder. They were in a tent that had been enveloped by a ward to block out any would-be listeners.


    ¡°The lords of ckridge Citadel were the Tullens. Even the minor nobles in the regions¡ªthe casten, the treasurer, et cetera¡­ none of them were named ckgard, sdair,¡± the old woman looked up at the Master Sentinel.


    sdair sighed, then kneaded his forehead. ¡°Is there even a noble house with the name ¡®ckgard¡¯ affiliated with the Order?¡±


    ¡°These records aren¡¯t perfect, but they¡¯re just about so. ¡®ckgard¡¯ was never a house associated with the Order of the Rose.¡±


    ¡°Slippery bastard. Had everyone under his thumb the whole time. yed us like an instrument, now I¡¯ll string him like one¡­¡± sdair muttered. ¡°Thank you, Jean.¡±


    ¡°What will you do with him?¡±


    ¡°Confine him. Find out why he¡¯s here, why he knows so much about the Stonepetal Sentinels, and¡­ after that, I¡¯m unsure. Depends on what he says. We¡¯ll probably confiscate his things. Both he and that female servant of his have items worth at least a year¡¯s supply.¡±


    ¡°Those two are both mages,¡± Jean contributed. ¡°The she-elf is probably B-rank, judging by how much magic she has. Argrave, or whatever his real name might be, is likely C-rank.¡±


    ¡°What about the big snow elf?¡± sdair pressed.


    ¡°A warrior alone. You¡¯d know better than me about his skills,¡± she shook her head.


    ¡°Alright. Thank you.¡± sdair leaned off the table, walking about the tent. ¡°We¡¯ll gather some people before they fall asleep. Veterans, mages¡­ all our men are here, and I¡¯ll take no chances. Can¡¯t be sure what these people want. I¡¯ll be sure they rue this deception, though.¡±


    ¡°Acting without the approval of the other Master Sentinels?¡± Jean clicked her tongue. ¡°You¡¯re taking liberties with the leader gone, sdair. I thought you were the honest one.¡±


    ¡°You know as well as I do that ude would do the same were he here,¡± sdair refuted passively. ¡°We¡¯ll keep them engaged, make sure they feel wee. It¡¯s important we find out why they¡¯re here, and who sent them, if anyone. ude would agree with me.¡±


    Jean rolled up the parchment. ¡°Not my ce to argue. I¡¯ll return to thedies¡¯ tents, gather some spellcasters to help.¡±


    #####


    It was night. With the moon behind the mountain, the fort in front of the Low Way of the Rose was deathly dark. In one of the tents closest to the walls, a set of white eyes peered out into the darkness, watching ever carefully. Gmon drank from a sk quietly, guarding and waiting.


    His gaze flitted from the work in his hands¡ªmaintaining his armor¡ªand watching the outside. He continued like this in rtive silence, the silence of the night broken only by Argrave and Anneliese¡¯s quiet breathing.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    After a time, though, Gmon brought his busy hands to a stop, his eyes focused solely on the night beyond. He watched for a time, bodypletely still, and then put the gauntlet he had been cleaning back on his hand. He stood and moved to Argrave, kneeling down beside the sleeping bag. He grabbed Argrave¡¯s shoulder and shook him gently.


    Argrave, ever the light sleeper, woke immediately. He mumbled something iprehensible, blinking quickly.


    ¡°Be quiet,¡± Gmon insisted.


    Argrave mumbled something to the effect of, ¡®Is it morning already?¡¯


    Gmon flicked his forehead, and Argrave winced in surprise. ¡°A lot of people moving outside. Something¡¯s happening.¡±


    ¡°Probably just preparing to enter the tunnel,¡± Argrave dismissed, too tired for a proper response.


    ¡°Did they mention these ns in your long talk with themst night?¡± Gmon said sternly. ¡°They¡¯re giving our area a wide berth and muffling their noises with spellcasters.¡±


    Argrave blinked, thinking. ¡°You don¡¯t mean¡­¡±


    ¡°This is what I would do if I wanted to capture potentially dangerous people without casualties,¡± Gmon nodded.


    ¡°You¡¯re sure? Not jumping the gun?¡± Argrave asked, some awareness returning.


    Gmon frowned. ¡°Do you know me to be paranoid?¡±


    ¡°This damn¡­¡± Argrave blinked quicker, still evidently very tired. He pped his face twice, then shook his head as though to jolt himself awake. ¡°Alright. Alright.¡± He pulled out of the sleeping bag, rising to his feet. Themotion awoke Anneliese, who turned over to look at the both of them.


    Gmon walked back over to the tent p, watching outside. Argrave looked around frantically. ¡°Already dressed, everything¡¯s packed¡­¡± He took a deep breath. ¡°Okay, what the hell am I doing?¡± he asked himself, trying to gather his thought process.


    ¡°What is wrong?¡± Anneliese asked, sitting up.


    Gmon said nothing, but Argrave replied distantly, ¡°Our hosts seem to have taken issue with us.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re right by the wall. I remember where there¡¯s a caved-in portion. Can¡¯t sense any people blocking it. We move quickly, we exit without issue,¡± Gmon said, nning everything out thoroughly. ¡°We¡¯ll lose this tent, but nothing else.¡±


    ¡°Right. Right,¡± Argrave nodded at first, but it quickly turned into a headshake. ¡°No, no¡­ this won¡¯t do. I don¡¯t know what the hell happened, but I need to get into the Low Way. All the other entrances are miserable to get to.¡±


    Gmon turned his head away from the outside. ¡°You¡¯re thinking about this now? We have a quick and easy out. We take it,¡± he refuted.


    ¡°And then we have to sneak in when they¡¯re ready for us? Forget that. These guys are some of the best-equipped knights in the kingdom of Vasquer. It¡¯d be ridiculous to even try. We have them unaware. They won¡¯t be focused on the entrance. We have to go now,¡± Argrave whispered intently.


    ¡°And instead we should rush past when they¡¯re prepared to apprehend us?¡± Gmon¡¯s voice held disdain. ¡°Ridiculous. Cut your losses, Argrave. Acknowledge when you have no other options but retreat.¡±


    ¡°Hold,¡± Anneliese said, pulling both of their attention. ¡°We can¡­¡± she rubbed her eyes. ¡°¡­weave out the nearby hole, and then follow the wall until the base of the mountain. There is another copsed portion there. We can enter right next to the entrance to the Low Way and walk the rest of the way rtively unmolested.¡±


    Argrave pointed insistently to Anneliese, feeling his point supported. Gmon questioned, ¡°You¡¯re sure there¡¯s another copsed portion near the base of the mountain?¡±


    ¡°I am,¡± Anneliese nodded, getting up from her sleeping bag. ¡°While Argrave was speaking to the Stonepetal Sentinels, I was examining the walls and the tunnel. It was difficult to be around them. I could tell they were not fond of me,¡± she justified herself.


    ¡°Okay. That¡¯s enough for me,¡± Argrave said eagerly. ¡°Gmon, you have everything?¡±


    Gmon put his helmet back on. ¡°It¡¯s dark. Light will attract attention. I will lead you two through the darkness.¡±


    ¡°As ever,¡± Argrave retorted, his mind starting toe alive.


    Argrave and Anneliese moved urgently to put what few things of theirs remained unpacked back in their bags. Soon enough, the tent was left with only their sleeping bags on the grass, and Argrave put the backpack over his shoulder. He checked to be sure everyone else was ready, and then Gmon opened the tent, leading out into the darkness.


    Chest aze with anxiety, Argrave took a deep breath and followed. He could hear nothing beyond the sounds of hispanions and his own feet hitting the ground, and the night was so dark he could only follow after Gmon. True to Gmon¡¯s word, it did not take long before their feet left the courtyard¡¯s grass and stumbled over fallen stone bricks.


    They emerged from the half-ring fortress, standing before the ins. Argrave felt the wind at his cheek, and his hair moved. Realizing this might be thest time he felt open air for a long, long while, he felt another wave of nervousness.


    Gmon grabbed Argrave¡¯s shoulder, pulling him from his daze. They followed along the wall as it winded, taking quiet yet quick steps. With the wall to guide them, Argrave felt some confidence return.


    ¡°Damn it all. It had to be something I said. What did I say, Gmon? Where did I ruin things? I thought I did pretty well¡­¡± he whispered, knowing well hispanion¡¯s sharp hearing would catch his mutters.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. You spoke a lot, and the acting you were doing was insufferable,¡± Gmon returned. ¡°I tuned much of it out.¡±


    ¡°Gee, thanks. Real helpful.¡±


    ¡°Be quiet,¡± Gmon veritably growled. ¡°Focus on what to do, not how it happened. Dwell on thister, when we stand with stone over our heads and the Low Way beneath our feet.¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t exactly how I wanted to enter it,¡± Argrave muttered, but then heeded Gmon¡¯s advice and remained quiet.


    They followed along the wall with the sheer gray mountain base looming closer after every step. Though they passed by multiple copsed portions, Anneliese urged them onwards, insisting she knew of one closer to the entrance. Argrave trusted her, but at the same time felt uneasy, numerous ¡®what if¡¯ scenarios echoing in his head.


    Eventually, they did indeed find a copsed portion of the wall all but touching the base of the mountain. Argrave breathed a sigh of relief, trying to peer out into the darkness beyond. He saw a few torches lit near the entrance to the Low Way, but all else was covered in shadow. He saw a few people and felt terribly exposed with them in sight.


    ¡°It¡¯s dark. Can¡¯t see a damn thing. I¡¯ll just follow your lead, Gmon,¡± Argrave shook his head.


    Gmon nodded. ¡°Grab onto me if you must.¡±


    Shouts sounded out across the night, making Argrave freeze. He listened, trying to discern their voices. It was a fruitless effort, though, but it helped confirm one thing¡ªthey were indeed targets. The voices came from where they had been sleeping.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go now,¡± Argrave said insistently, trying to suppress his fear with action.


    Gmon stepped back into the fortress, and Argrave followed just behind. After a few steps, a horn sounded out, the sound bouncing off the mountain walls and echoing dreadfully.


    <em>Damn it all, </em>Argrave despaired silently, following after Gmon.


    They proceeded across the empty courtyard towards the entrance to the Low Way. All those that had been guarding turned their heads to the sound of the horn. None of them seemed to move. Just as they neared the perimeter near the tunnel, though, someone broke away, taking the torch off its sconce and rushing towards the blown horn.


    Gmon drew his dagger and rushed away. Argrave called out weakly, ¡°Wait!¡± but to little avail. The elven vampire caught the man¡¯s wrist which held the torch, pulled him forward, and then plunged his dagger beneath the man¡¯s helmet. The fiery enchantments on the dagger burst from the visor, and then Gmon pulled it away. The man¡¯s body dropped.


    ¡°Gmon¡­!¡± Argrave called out quietly. ¡°If they didn¡¯t have a reason to pursue before, they do now!¡±


    ¡°The man would have seen us¡ªshouted, called for help. That alone would ruin things. We can make a clean break. They won¡¯t find out where we went for some time. By then, we¡¯ll be deep within.¡± Gmon grabbed the man¡¯s torch and smothered the me. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Argrave spared onest nce at the man¡¯s body. He shook his head, swallowed, and went after Gmon, entering the Low Way of the Rose.

 Chapter 86: Stone and Bone

    Chapter 86: Stone and Bone


    Argrave looked back, seeing none of the moonlit night beyond. The Stonepetal Sentinel¡¯s encampments was far beyond them. ¡°Gmon¡­ anyone behind us?¡± he asked uneasily.


    ¡°No,¡± the elven vampire answered after a moment¡¯s pause.


    Argrave breathed a sigh of relief, and then conjured an E-rank spell for light. It jumped into the air and Argrave¡¯s eyes closed instinctively, adjusting to the new brightness. Soon enough, his eyes opened, and he saw the spell light reflecting off the gray stone around them.


    The beginnings of the Low Way of the Rose were well-made, each stair descending downwards in perfect order. The pirs were carved in the likeness of rose stems, thorns poking out along their surface. Torch sconces were cleverly disguised into the thorns, but they had neithermp nor torch in them at this point.


    ¡°What a disaster,¡± Argrave said, both to himself and hispanions. ¡°Flew too close to the sun, and the gods burnt my wings.¡±


    ¡°We should be moving,¡± Gmon said, unheeding of Argrave¡¯sments. ¡°No telling if¡­ or when¡­ pursuit wille. We need afortable distance ahead.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ yeah,¡± Argrave nodded, and then they continued down the stairs. Their pace was a moderate one¡ªa little slower than a jog. Each stair was veryrge, and it was difficult to proceed down them quickly. Argrave was certain that his knees would ache tomorrow. ¡°In a while yet, the tunnel will open up into the real Low Way. There, we can reassess things,¡± he called out to both as they proceeded.


    The briars about the ceiling and walls gave the impression the room was twisting and writhing as they proceeded downwards. Had Argrave not known the name of this ce, he might¡¯ve assumed the thorns everywhere were spikes, and this ce the abode of some fell creature. Thinking of what was ahead, Argrave realized that impression was not entirely false.


    ¡°Rowe was right. I got cocksure, and now look where we are¡ªenemies ahead, enemies behind.¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°The ns I had¡ªup in smoke.¡±


    ¡°Neither of us questioned your judgement, Argrave,¡± Anneliese argued as she moved beside him. ¡°The fault is not yours alone.¡±


    ¡°How could you question my judgement?¡± Argrave said interspersed withughter. ¡°I didn¡¯t share it. I just insisted you follow along. Everything went so damned well in Jast, I thought the world was my oyster. Fat chance of that if I keep counting chickens before they hatch. Things went to hell in a day.¡±


    Gmon spared a brief nce backwards but said nothing. Silence settled over them as they proceeded.


    Anneliese finally broke the silence. ¡°After Thorngorge Citadel, when I could hardly stand, you asked me a question. I will return it to you now, in hopes you understand the point I intend to make.¡± She pulled ahead of Argrave, stopping him. ¡°What do you want to do about it?¡±


    Argrave stared down at her, regaining his breath. After letting her words sink in, he slowly nodded. ¡°You¡¯re right. Should reflect on mistakes, not dwell on them.¡± He looked down the tunnel. ¡°Probably getting close to the end of this stairway.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°Yes. The air shifts ahead, and I hear the rush of water echoing against cavernous walls,¡± Gmon said. ¡°Not much further.¡±


    Anxiety rose up as a tide within Argrave¡¯s chest as they resumed their journey downwards. Faint, reddish light greeted them, draped like a mist over the cold gray stone of the stairs. A horrifically potent and sharp smell reminiscent of truffle oil and iron invaded his nostrils, but Argrave shook his head and pushed past the feeling. The sounds of rushing water grew louder as they approached the red light.


    The tunnel that led into the Low Way was grand in scope, its ceiling towering hundreds of feet above them. That, though, seemed small inparison to the grand chamber that opened up before them. The Low Way of the Rose was truly massive, enough to house the grandest of cities¡ªand indeed, at some point, it had.


    ¡°Wee to the trading city of Nodremaid,¡± Argrave announced.


    Nodremaid had been, once, a city of impable order. That order remained in the architecture. Several terraced pyramids held tall stone buildings, residential andmercial both. Stairways led from terrace to terrace and pyramid to pyramid, giving Argrave an impression not entirely dissimr to a teocalli. These terraced pyramids were divided byrge canals that moved beneath sets of stairs, each flowing to the center.


    The order brought by the angr paths and canals was entirely destroyed by that which had grown over it. The walls and the ceilings housed vines of bone and flesh that wound in and out of the stone, flowers blooming at points that held the image of twisted faces. They had seen one of these ¡®nts¡¯ at Thorngorge Citadel¡ªthese in the Low Way were intended to support the ceiling and provide light. Their eyes, ever open and shining like spotlights, illuminated the dead city of Nodremaid with red light.


    Though the waterways were mostly clean, pure water, at points they merged with viscous flows of blood pouring out from a waterfall in the far end of the cavern opposite them. Over the years, strange nts had begun to grow by the canals, and much of Nodremaid was consumed by foliage. The majority of the growth was hued red, offering little reprieve from that color.


    Gmon and Anneliese both looked around with some confused mixture of awe and horror. Even Argrave felt some, despite knowing fully what to expect. Few people save the Stonepetal Sentinels understood just what the Order of the Rose had left in their wake.


    ¡°This ce¡­ how could people have lived here?¡± Anneliese gazed at the flesh nts in the ceiling. ¡°How could anyone feel at ease here?¡±


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t always this bad, I don¡¯t think.¡± Argrave looked about. ¡°Even were that not the case, if you see something every day, you get used to it, I suppose.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re out in the open here,¡± Gmon said. ¡°I smell the same rotten blood as in Thorngorge Citadel. It¡¯s in the water, the buildings, the ceilings¡­ this ce reeks of debased flesh.¡±


    ¡°I know¡­¡± Argrave began confidently but trailed off. ¡°I know somece that¡¯s <em>likely</em> safe and secluded enough that the Stonepetal Sentinels won¡¯t be able to find us¡­ if indeed they are pursuing. This ce is full of secrets. I know a great deal of them.¡±


    ¡°Then let us go and reassess what we must do,¡± Anneliese said.


    ¡°Right. Don¡¯t let your guard down.¡± Argrave adjusted the cor of his gray enchanted duster, then pulled his hood over.


    #####


    ¡°Looks to be an enchanted weapon that killed him, not magic. Fire-based. Probably a dagger,¡±mented Jean, kneeling beside a body. The corpse had been stripped of its armor barring the helmet, which had partially fused with his face from the heat.


    ¡°Can you recover the helmet?¡± sdair questioned, standing at the head of a crowd of people.


    Ossian scoffed. ¡°Nice priorities, old man,¡± he rebuked.


    sdair cast a reproachful nce at Ossian while Jean shook her head and said, ¡°No. The enchantments on the helm are ruined anyway. Meant to protect against threats without, not within, and the person who attacked knew this.¡±


    sdair nodded, then directed his voice to the crowd. ¡°On the morrow, he¡¯ll be buried, the proper hymns sung to send him to the gods¡¯ hands.¡±


    ¡°What of the three that did this?¡± one of the knights asked, clearly emotional for the person who¡¯d died.


    ¡°Why are you asking him?¡± questioned Ossian. ¡°He¡¯s a Master Sentinel, not our leader. Why was this done without approval from anyone, sdair? You mobilize men without a majority vote from the other Master Sentinels?¡±


    sdair turned and spat angrily, ¡°You mean to tell me you wouldn¡¯t have done the same?¡±


    Ossian pointed at sdair. ¡°Don¡¯t deflect. Doesn¡¯t matter what I would have done. You aren¡¯t our leader, sdair. ude is. Until a month passes, and he¡¯s dered dead, we¡¯re in a state of interregnum.¡±


    sdair waved dismissively. ¡°They may have already intended to enter the Low Way.¡±


    ¡°Oh, and they happened to do so just before you stormed their tent while they slept,¡± Ossianughed. ¡°Just rich timing on their part, then?¡±


    sdair crossed his arms, metal armor creaking. ¡°We should strengthen the guard around the tunnels. In pairs, something like this won¡¯t happen again.¡±


    ¡°Hold on a minute,¡± Ossian interrupted. ¡°It sounds to me like we aren¡¯t going to be chasing after them.¡±


    ¡°You were the one most eager to wee those three,¡± sdair deflected. ¡°Now you wish to hunt them down?¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t answer my question,¡± Ossian shook his head, undeterred. ¡°Are we going to chase after them? Time is of the essence.¡±


    sdair red at Ossian. ¡°It¡¯s not reasonable. The Low Way is vast and dangerous. If they aren¡¯t killed by us, they¡¯ll be killed by the dangers within. Few save us Sentinels can survive for long in there.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe this,¡± Ossian said, too surprised for indignance. ¡°They kill one of our own, and you¡¯re simply going to wait them out?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re dead men walking,¡± sdair insisted. ¡°Those on the surface are ignorant of what lies beneath these mountains. If they return at all, it will be from where they entered.¡±


    Ossian stepped towards sdair. ¡°And Argrave, did he seem ignorant? Not at all. On the contrary, he seemed to know too much. I¡¯ll admit he was suspicious, but was <em>this </em>the way to handle things?¡± Ossian held up a finger. ¡°No¡ªdon¡¯t answer. I don¡¯t care to hear you justify yourself. You want to do things on your own because of ude¡¯s absence? Fine. I¡¯ll do just the same.¡±


    Ossian made to leave, but sdair called out, ¡°Stop.¡±


    Ossian ignored him. ¡°I won¡¯t leave justice unmeted.¡± He spread his arms out. ¡°Anyone that wishes toe with, follow me. Elsewise, I¡¯ll go alone.¡±


    Though the knight¡¯s words were brash and passionate, the sentiments resounded with many within the crowd, who stirred on their feet as though their bodies told them to follow. Ossian simply walked towards the tunnel with purpose, then turned on his heel, waiting for any who would step forward.


    ¡°Ossian. This is foolish,¡± sdair reprimanded, stepping out in front of the crowd. ¡°Gathering men to confine a potentially dangerous individual was reasonable. Scouring the Low Way for a fugitive is simply¡­ foolish,¡± the aged knight repeated, unable to think of another word to describe the situation.


    ¡°Time is of the essence. Who wille?¡± asked Ossian, ignoring sdair entirely.


    When the first stepped forward, he was soon joined by others. Ossian stared at sdair passively. Soon enough, he was nked by many others. Some of the female spellcasters even moved to join him, too.


    ¡°Then I am off. Wish me luck,¡± Ossian said neutrally.


    ¡°Ossian!¡± sdair shouted urgently as the man started to move towards the tunnel. ¡°Be reasonable!¡±


    But sdair¡¯s words were not answered. Their group, numbering near twenty, proceeded into the Low Way of the Rose. As they entered, six pigeons perched atop a cliff above the Low Way watched, each far more focused on their party than the birds ought to be.


    sdair clenched his gauntleted hands. ¡°Reckless, Ossian¡­¡± he muttered. ¡°But that¡¯s what I¡¯d hoped to see.¡± His traces of displeasure were nowhere to be seen.

 Chapter 87: The Lame Will Walk

    Chapter 87: The Lame Will Walk


    The point of Nodremaid closest to the tunnel entrance from which Argrave and hispanions had entered was the most thoroughly ¡®cleaned¡¯ by the Stonepetal Sentinels. It wasrgely devoid of danger or foliage, and the city retained some of the order it attempted to create in the distant past.


    These facts made it dangerous. It would be the first ce pursuers might look.


    Argrave was certain there were pursuers. The six pigeons linked to him via [Pack Leader] had been keeping an eye on the tunnel entrance, per Argrave¡¯s directions¡ªthey could not follow into the tunnel through the darkness and the link between them grew faint, but Argrave knew that a sizable group had entered. He could not be certain of how many, nor theirposition, but knowing they existed was a very valuable piece of information.


    The three of them had moved to a building temporarily, to seek shelter for a time and to decide their course of action. It was an abandoned merchant¡¯s stop, though the furniture within had rotted over the centuries that passed. It was just a wreck of rotten wood and cold stone, now.


    ¡°Alright. Given my recentck of sess, I¡¯m going to float to you all the ideas running in my head, and then we can decide from there.¡± Argrave said, leaning up against a wall that faced the open doorway so as to keep watch. It was a pointless gesture, he knew¡ªGmon would notice interlopers long before he did.


    ¡°Be concise. We should hurry, lest we lose our head start.¡± Gmon urged.


    Argrave nced at Gmon. Though acknowledging this bothered him, Argrave had to admit he felt some frustration Gmon had so quickly disposed of the Stonepetal Sentinel guarding the tunnel. Of course, without him, they may have all been killed. A simple fact kept his frustration in check; all of this was Argrave¡¯s fault to begin with. He was the reason that man guarding the tunnels was dead.


    ¡°Right,¡± Argrave nodded, dismissing his errant thoughts. ¡°We can¡¯t stay here, where the city is least heavily influenced by the abominations left by the Order of the Rose. The Sentinels know this area best. Only a matter of time before we¡¯re found.¡±


    Gmon and Anneliese both nodded, and so Argrave continued. ¡°That said, going into that jungle of flesh and bone is all but suicide. The Guardians roam Nodremaid inrge groups. If one of them should find us, it¡¯ll be difficult to escape unscathed even if I call upon Erlebnis¡¯ power. These creatures are fast, ruthless, and intelligent¡ªfar different from those we witnessed in Thorngorge Citadel.¡±


    ¡°Leaving us with what option?¡± Anneliese inquired.


    ¡°The way I see it, we should move into the vampires¡¯ territory¡ªthe headquarters of the Order of the Rose. They hunt the Guardians just as the Sentinels do, and we need to engage with them eventually, be it on friendly terms or¡­ otherwise. It¡¯ll be safer there than here, and it¡¯ll ce us closer to our goal.¡±


    ¡°Given what you disclosed to the Sentinels, they¡¯ll be expecting us to go there,¡± Gmon pointed out.


    ¡°I thought the same,¡± Argrave crossed his arms. ¡°Before recent events, I had intended to use the Sentinels as a cudgel against the vampires¡ªwin them to my side, talk them intoing with me.¡± Argrave scoffed at himself. ¡°Guess I learned that you shouldn¡¯t mess with the crazy. Regardless, if they¡¯re pursuing us, the only thing I can think of is trying to force a confrontation between the vampires and the Sentinels. Maybe diplomacy, maybe just shepherding¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an obvious thing to do. If the leader of the group pursuing you ispetent, he will notice that intent immediately,¡± Gmon shot down quickly. ¡°That said¡­ it¡¯s not a bad idea to head into the vampire¡¯s territory. At the very least, I understand how they might be better than dealing with these¡­ Guardians. I can keep watch better.¡±


    ¡°Okay. We can refine things further as we journey, but for now, we head to the headquarters of the Order of the Rose in Nodremaid, where the vampires reside. We¡¯ll stick to the perimeter of the city¡ªfewer areas the Guardians might approach from if we¡¯ve a wall on one side.¡±


    ¡°We will have less maneuverability,¡± rebutted Anneliese.


    ¡°True, but that¡¯s only if we¡¯re caught.¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s possible for the six pigeons linked to me via [Pack Leader] toe down through the darkness. I wish I had thought of this when we were escaping, but¡­ well, what¡¯s passed has passed. As such¡­¡± Argrave raised a hand, a spell matrix forming. The link between him and the birds shattered. He felt a strange emptiness in his chest, as though an emotional piece of him had been torn away. ¡°If possible, forming a druidic bond with local fliers is paramount.¡±


    ¡°There are birds down here?¡± Anneliese asked incredulously.


    ¡°¡­no,¡± Argrave said after a pause. ¡°Bats.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right,¡± she nodded, somewhat embarrassed. ¡°Stupid¡­ question.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Argrave smiled, finding some sce in amusement amidst the constant uneasy dread. ¡°Can¡¯t me you. ce is big enough for birds. I suppose we should count ourselves lucky there are no flying Guardians in this hellhole,¡± Argrave mused. He looked at Anneliese for a while. ¡°How are you holding up?¡±


    ¡°I knew what to expect. I steeled myself. And¡­ we have only barely begun,¡± Anneliese shook her head.


    ¡°Alright. Things ever get too much, don¡¯t hesitate to stop us,¡± Argrave said.


    Argrave felt a hypocrite saying that to Anneliese when uneasiness and anxiety gued him so terribly. A voice echoed in the back of his head, saying, ¡®This is it. This is where the skies end, and where I plummet into what I knew wasing.¡¯ Try as he might not to dwell on it, Argrave had a fear of death as sharp as mint on his breath.


    Argrave stepped to the doorway. ¡°Let¡¯s get going. Gmon, keep an eye out for bats, would you?¡±


    ¡°Bats, people, vampires, necromantic abominations¡­ anything else?¡± he shook his head bitterly, adjusting his helmet.


    ¡°Not yet,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°Soon, though.¡±


    #####


    A servant poured water over a nt in the greenhouse. The flowers resembled poppies, but they were a deep and rich purple that shimmered in a way that was not entirely mundane.


    ¡°That is enough,¡± Elenore said, standing just behind the servant. She wore a white and green dress, as ever. The dress was long so as to cover the stumps that were once her feet. She wore white prostheses that barely showed beneath the dress. They were urate imitations of feet, with the nails made of gold.


    ¡°But¡­¡± the servant said. ¡°I only just began watering this one, my princess.¡±


    ¡°These are the Imperial Poppies¡ªI remember their smell. You overwatered them yesterday, and they don¡¯t need much water to begin with. You were distracted. I remember,¡± Elenore said neutrally.


    The servant seemed surprised the princess even knew where they were standing. She opened her mouth and started to say, ¡°I¡ª¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t argue,¡± Elenore interrupted. The princess turned her head to the side. A maid walked down the aisle of greenery.


    ¡°My princess. You called for me?¡± the maid greeted, curtsying. Despite the fact that her master was blind, the maid had been quite diligent in maintaining her appearance¡ªher orange hair was neatly bound in ring-braids, and every part of her uniform was impable. The princess¡¯ head stayed idle, facing the maid as though watching her, despite the blindfold hiding her empty eye sockets.


    ¡°I did call.¡± Elenore held out her arm. ¡°Walk me back to the fountain.¡±


    The maid hurried to obey, gingerly grabbing the princess¡¯ arm. She walked forth slowly, the princess¡¯ steps beside her confident. One could not be certain if it was trust in her servant or confidence in her abilities that made the princess¡¯ steps so sure.


    ¡°Induen has declined to return from Elbraille. He intends to¡­ do something. He did not specify what,¡± the maid ryed quietly once the servant was beyond them.


    ¡°I see,¡± Elenore said. ¡°Keep in touch. Watch over him. Inform me of his doings.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my princess,¡± the maid nodded. ¡°One of the royal knights at his side is one of your Ears.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Elenore said. ¡°Make suremunication is infrequent and discreet. I cannot risk my brother learning I have one spying on him.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my princess,¡± the maid said once more.


    ¡°Therese,¡± the princess stopped walking.


    The maid was surprised that the princess knew her name, and her eyes widened. ¡°Y-yes, my princess?¡±


    ¡°Many of the other maids that serve me have loose tongues, and loose fingers. They take money where they can. If I did not so ruthlessly punish traitors, they would doubtless sell my information to the nobility.¡±


    ¡°P-princess, I have never¡­¡± the maid stuttered.


    ¡°I know. As I said, the maids have loose tongues, especially for each other¡¯s misdeeds. Most thefts, I am aware of. I make an example of some that cannot be ignored without an adverse impact on my respectability. Yet you¡­ for years, you have never been dishonest. That is why I intend to give you a position of importance.¡±


    Therese¡¯s eyes widened.


    The princess turned her head towards the flowers nearby, stepping close. She inhaled sharply through her nose, and then exhaled. When that was done, she looked back to the maid. ¡°Things must happen in theing months. The opening I saw to fly away from this ce has closed. Elbraille has folded. I must find another path. If no opening exists¡­ I must create one. To create one, I must poke holes in that which has been built around me.¡±


    ¡°I live to serve, princess,¡± Therese said, cing her hand to her chest.


    ¡°Live for yourself,¡± the princess shook her head. ¡°But know that beneath my wings is the best ce for you.¡±


    ¡°I-I have never heard you speak like this, princess,¡± Therese said uneasily.


    Elenore stepped forward. ¡°And you will be the only that does, I believe.¡± She fumbled about, but eventually her hands grabbed Therese¡¯s shoulders. ¡°There must be upheaval, chaos. The box that contains us must shake until it tears. You are capable, you are loyal. I wish for you to do this.¡±


    Therese took a deep breath, and then exhaled. ¡°What must I do, princess?¡±


    Elenore leaned in and whispered, ¡°Margrave Reinhardt¡¯s brother, Bruno of Parbon. He still lies in my father¡¯s hands.¡± Elenore paused, and then continued, ¡°We must begin the process of nting one of our own in the team that tends to him. My father has him guarded well¡ªhe is of great value to securing victory for Vasquer. That is why he must die, and the whole world made aware of his death.¡±


    Therese shook, but eventually nodded. Realizing the foolishness of the gesture in front of a blind person, she quickly said aloud, ¡°I will, my princess.¡±


    ¡°Do not rush things,¡± the princess said sweetly. ¡°Be slow, be quiet. Leave no loose ends. Inform me before you take any action. Can you promise me this?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Therese said at once. ¡°Yes, I can promise, my princess.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± Elenore smiled. ¡°And¡­ when we are alone, call me Elenore.¡±


    ¡°T-thank you for this grace¡­ Elenore,¡± Therese said somewhat awkwardly.


    The princess reached to her ears and fiddled for a moment, before pulling free both of her earrings. They were studded with many diamonds, their base gold. ¡°Take these. Sell them. It is but a beginning to a long and fruitful rtionship. In time, you will be my right hand.¡± Therese looked overwhelmed, and Elenore ced the earrings in her hands. ¡°Now, go.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my princ¡ªElenore,¡± Therese corrected, then curtsied and moved away. Elenore stayed facing her as she left, smile on her face. The maid had already long gone, yet it remained. Only after a great deal of time did her smile fall.


    She took a deep breath as though taking in her surroundings. She felt around, feeling the nearest flowers.


    ¡°The white roses¡­ three hundred steps to the square,¡± she recited in a low mutter.


    The princess walked forth with no escort by her side, perfectly in the center of the pathway.

 Chapter 88: Oppressive March

    Chapter 88: Oppressive March


    If there was one thing that Argrave hated above all, it would be ignorance. More specifically, his own.


    Seeing something he had no clue about made him squirm. When he encountered such a scenario, Argrave took two routes: ignore the thing in question entirely or learn itpletely. Perhaps that was why he had taken up the role of editing the wiki for the game¡ªto seek remedy for his ignorance by learning every detail that there was to be known about ¡®Heroes of Berendar.¡¯


    This trait had helped him a great deal, both in the past and after his arrival at Berendar. It allowed him to focus on magic far beyond a point most would deem normal. Argrave found magic interesting, and it was alsorgely foreign to him. It had be a conduit that his efforts could be directed to, just as his fascination with ¡®Heroes of Berendar¡¯ had been in the past. In essence, he had reced one outlet with another.


    In the Low Way of the Rose, his dislike of his ignorance served as prime kindling for the all-consuming me of anxiety. Uncertainty was Argrave¡¯s primarypanion, being both pursued by the Stonepetal Sentinels and nked by the horrors of the Low Way.


    Their trek through Nodremaid was harsh. The stone beneath their feet was hard and wore out the back, and much of the path was stairs. The way forward was often blocked by dense foliage, forcing awkward maneuvering. The air reeked of foul, unnatural smells at all times. Prevailing above all was the scent of iron, yet beneath it was strange, exotic, and earthy smells¡ªmushrooms and other foul things lined their path, much of it growing atop equally rancid fertilizer.


    That alone was challenge enough, but at times, Argrave could see <em>them</em> beyond the wide leaves and towering buildings<em>.</em> The Guardians of the Low Way. They were brutal creatures with a cold simplicity. Their body resembled a human head, though with the jaw removed. Two muscr arms sprouted from erged ears. Eight ck eyes with golden irises stared off in all directions. Weapons of varying types had been buried in the back of their hands, held secure by metal bolts. Lack of maintenance over centuries left near all of them badly afflicted by rust.


    Every time Argrave spotted one of these creatures, his blood would run cold and his body would shake. They crawled on the cavern walls, on the roofs of buildings, and even swam through the canals, fighting against the current like some twisted mockery of salmon. The three of them moved cautiously enough to avoid being seen, Argrave reasoned. Gmon ensured their party never strayed too close. Still, their fleeting presence bred uncertainty within his mind.


    The oppression of the Low Way wore at Argrave¡¯s sense of time. The unceasing light from the flesh nts above furthered that effect. The rays would flicker at times as the faces blooming on the flowers blinked, casting ever-dancing shadows that gave one the impression the entire city was constantly moving.


    Worse yet was the constant noise. The streams flowing through the canals emitted an unceasing roar. The sound would shift in volume as they moved, rebounding off the stone corridors and growing more or less intense as they moved up and down stairs. Buzzing or chirping insects upied everywhere, making even the areas away from the canals constantly awash with sound. At times, the constancy of these noises would be supnted with howls, screams, and roars¡ªthey were infrequent, and that infrequency only increased Argrave¡¯s uneasiness as he tensed, waiting for the next toe, fearing what it might be. He had guesses, of course¡ªhe knew what was in the Low Way. But there was no certainty.


    Argrave tried his damnedest to suppress all of that. Anneliese was with him¡ªshe would certainly be having a rougher time than he. Gmon remained constant, leading their advance as ever, undaunted and steady. Argrave had no ce to be held back by these things. He tried to find the same courage that he¡¯d mustered within Thorngorge Citadel, only to realize that had been confidence, not courage. He had known what to expect. Now, though, he felt exposed. He felt his feet were metaphorically bare and cut as he trod through a salt mine.


    The solefort he found in this ce was the distant sight of the headquarters of the Order of the Rose, brightly lit by the red lights of the flesh-nts winding in and out of the stone on the cavern walls and ceilings. Of all the buildings, the headquarters was the only one that broke the uniformity in Nodremaid. It resembled Petra vaguely, if only by its entrance alone. All of the vines of flesh and bone originated from the building, and as such, the light was most intense there. Beyond the entrance was darkness, though.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Argrave crested the top of one of the terraced pyramids, eyes fixed on their destination. Breathing heavily, he raised his hand to his mouth and a spell matrix swirled, conjuring water that he drank sloppily. Gmon stopped, waiting. Anneliese stepped up beside Argrave, significantly fatigued but nowhere near as badly as he.


    ¡°Haah¡­¡± Argrave exhaled after he¡¯d finished drinking. He spent some time to catch his breath, then said hoarsely, ¡°Not much further. Let¡¯s keep going, end this quickly.¡± Argrave veritably dragged his legs forward.


    ¡°No.¡± Gmon stopped Argrave. ¡°I smell the foul blood of the Guardians ahead. It¡¯s moving away. We can take another path¡­ or wait. I would advise thetter.¡±


    Argrave was secretly relieved for the opportunity to rest and looked about for a ce to do so. The higher portions of the city were mostly crossroads, so there were few buildings about. After some time, they decided to descend down the stairs a small amount further to enter a decrepit residential building.


    Once within, Argrave sat on a solid piece of rubble. It wobbled briefly, but he settled it and leaned back. His knees, feet, and back all ached horribly, and the pain surfaced as he stopped his motion. Gmon stood at the doorway, watching and waiting, while Anneliese found a ce near Argrave to rest.


    ¡°You¡¯re damned reliable, you know that, Gmon?¡± Argrave said, wiping some sweat that leaked into his eye.


    ¡°Hmm,¡± he grunted half-heartedly.


    Argrave brought his feet up, removing his gray leather boots. He cast low-ranking healing magic to relieve some of the pain. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Anneliese moving about. He raised his head, watching her. She had a book in hand.


    ¡°You¡¯re reading?¡± Argrave inquired.


    ¡°I need a distraction, anything,¡± she answered quickly, voice taut. ¡°I¡¯m at the cusp of learning B-rank magic. I will press towards that.¡±


    ¡°Not good to distract yourself in a ce like this,¡± Gmon said, though his tone was not especially judgmental.


    ¡°This ce is utterly devoid of all that is good,¡± she rebutted quickly. ¡°Escaping from it, if only with my mind, will keep me sane.¡±


    Gmon had no rebuttal. Argrave took a deep breath, feeling some measure of guilt well up within. He finished healing his feet, and then removed a vial of ck liquid from his backpack. He downed it quickly and felt the magic resurge within.


    Argrave sat in silence, his taxed mind and shaken body regaining some rity. He rummaged in his backpack, pulling free the bronze hand mirror to strengthen his resolve. Something came to mind, like a bolt from beyond.


    <em>I¡¯m the reason these people are here. They¡¯re following me. </em>


    His gaze turned away from the mirror to each of his twopanions in turn, examining them. They were battered and weary¡ªthey had endured the same things that he had. They did this willingly. They did so because of conviction, because of duty, and because they should. They were people willing to die for these simple facts.


    What did he give them in turn? Empty words. Absolute trust¡­ but at arm¡¯s length. He told them nothing beyond what they needed to know. <em>Why was that?</em> he wondered. And Argrave knew the answer. Beneath all the veneers, his refusal to examine his own reality led to an inability to ept these people as people at all.


    The realization set in like a chill, and Argrave shuddered. It was a difficult thing to stomach, and he didn¡¯t really want to think about it now. He cast another nce at Anneliese and Gmon. <em>Things have got to change. You¡¯ll only fail if you keep on as you are. You have these people by your side for a reason¡ªbecause they¡¯re capable. Let them in. You, alone, have proven insufficient.</em>


    Another voice argued against him, admonishing, <em>Where would you even begin? You keep them in the dark for a reason. Better to be a false apostle than a madman. Honesty doesn¡¯t earn any friends. You might not be able to see through it, but stone is harder than ss.</em>


    Rowe¡¯s words came back to him¡ªthe fact that he had no n if he should die. <em>It would be for the best if I convey all that I know to these two. This way, even if I die, I¡¯ll leave a sessor¡ªsomeone that can be sure the world doesn¡¯t end. Anneliese would be perfect. Smart, capable¡­</em>


    Yet again, another voice argued, <em>If you die, what¡¯s the point of anything? Let them die without you. </em>


    ¡°They¡¯ve moved on,¡± Gmon¡¯s voice split into Argrave¡¯s thoughts, and he flinched.


    ¡°Oh,¡± he said quickly. ¡°That¡¯s good. That¡¯s great,¡± he stood, quickly putting his boots back on. ¡°Come now,¡± he said, mustering false cheer. ¡°The road has been long and hard, yet every step we take, we grow closer to our goal. Struggle begets growth.¡± Argrave walked towards the doorway.


    <em>Set this aside for now. Listen to Gmon. A distraction in a ce like this will kill you. </em>


    Argrave walked back out into the city of Nodremaid. Just as before, it was a harsh and grating ce. Nothing offered reprieve¡ªthe dreadful atmosphere was suffocating. Argrave took a deep breath. His chest felt strangely tight.


    ¡°I wish I could say we¡¯ll be moving to safety. Instead, we¡¯re just embracing another threat,¡± Argrave mused, staring out at the headquarters of the Order of the Rose. ¡°At least this one is more manageable. Vampires sound nice at this time of day.¡±


    ¡°One who is dehydrated would be remembered as the greatest fool if they drown in the first spring they find,¡± Gmon said, stepping past Argrave and moving to the stairs. ¡°Do not rest easy. I am not infallible.¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°But you¡¯re damned reliable, like I said. Let¡¯s go.¡±

 Chapter 89: Fewer Options

    Chapter 89: Fewer Options


    Darkness loomed ahead, starkly contrasting with the red lights shining behind. Argrave tried to peer beyond to little effect.


    ¡°I don¡¯t sense anything ahead,¡± said Gmon. ¡°Only¡­ debased viscera,¡± he contributed after pausing a moment to find the word. ¡°The vampires may be using magic to disguise themselves. You mentioned they were apprentices of a mage group¡ªthe Wayward Thorns,¡± Gmon turned to Argrave.


    ¡°Doubtful. They know rudimentary magic, nothing beyond that. Centuries mean very little if you don¡¯t have ess to spellbooks, or the genius needed to make your own spells. They have ridiculously deep magic pools, but no spells beyond D-rank. There are reasons for that, but¡­ I¡¯ll share them when we aren¡¯t caught in a vice.¡± Argrave raised up his hand, a spell matrix forming. A ball of light jumped into the air, banishing some of the darkness before them.


    The headquarters of the Order of the Rose in Nodremaid may once have been grand, but its residents had changed it. Much of the ce had been dyed red from centuries-old blood. It wasn¡¯t the site of some bloody ughter¡ªinstead, the roses of flesh that gave off light winding about the ceiling had been torn down and destroyed by the vampires to shroud the ce in darkness. The ¡®bodies¡¯ of the flesh nts were much less frightening than the things themselves. Once the flesh rotted away, all that was left was long stalks of ivory.


    ¡°Is light wise?¡± Anneliese questioned, staring at the ball of me cautiously.


    ¡°They¡¯re vampires, the majority of them older than Gmon. Darkness means nothing for them.¡±


    Anneliese stepped forward, contributing her own light and further illuminating the ce. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ quiet here. Figuratively and literally.¡±


    ¡°You mean¡­ not picking up any feelings? Empathy meter goes cold just ahead?¡± Argrave inquired.


    ¡°Yes.¡± She spared a nce back, then examined the bottom of her boots. Her eyes stayed locked on the corpse of one of the Guardians. The thing¡¯s arms had been torn off. It had been drained of blood. ¡°Still¡­ I cannot say this ce is particrly soothing.¡±


    ¡°Right with you,¡± Argrave agreed, stepping up beside her. The harsh and piercing smell of iron still persisted here, but most other scents died. No insects made noise in the darkness beyond. Indeed, the only noise still present was the barely audible sound of the canal outside, but once they proceeded deeper, Argrave was sure it, too, would fade.


    The central lobby was quite arge ce. A statue fountain about ten feet tall stood decorating the center, but the fountain had been rendered useless, the faintest bit of polluted red water spouting pathetically out of the statue¡¯s chipped mouth. This ce wasrgely free of the foliage consuming all of Nodremaid.


    The main square branched off into three paths, yet there were also two sets of spiral stairs leading up to a second floor. One of the stairs had copsed midway. The ceiling was quite high. The light of their spell did not illuminate beyond the central lobby, so nothing could be seen of the second floor or beyond.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get to a safer ce, finally,¡± urged Argrave with a tired sigh. ¡°Go right. There are some bigger rooms that way that only have one doorway. Good ce to hole up. Anyone disagree?¡± He made sure to seek their opinion out this time.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    No one dissented, and Argrave¡¯s directive was obeyed. Gmon did not proceed as quickly as he had back in Nodremaid. The hallways were tall and ornate. Nodremaid had been unadorned, but the halls here were lined with jade and silver, and the walls were much more finely carved. Argrave kept imagining things in the shadows waiting with teeth bared, but no such things existed.


    They first passed by an open area that was once a dining room, though like all other ces in Nodremaid, it had fallen into ruin, the ceiling partially copsed. Gmon examined the room for enemies a long time before he wasfortable proceeding.


    After passing by many rooms that Argrave could not discern the purpose of, they finally came to the rooms that had only one doorway. They looked to be storage areas, for they were often blocked with thick iron doors and filled to the brim with shelves and crates. Gmon examined the insides of many, deeming most unfit for reasons Argrave did not begin to guess.


    Finally, Gmon pushed open one door and looked around slowly. ¡°This ce¡­ looks to be sufficient,¡± he said after a time.


    Argrave pushed past him, eager to sit down and rest his feet once more. When his spell light trailed into the room after him, it illuminated a fairly empty storage room. Argrave was looking at one of the crates, when something caught the light of his spell, reflecting back at him. It took him a second to process that they were eyes.


    The vampire started to close the gap between them quicker than Argrave could even recognize what it was. Once Argrave realized it was a vampire, bad memories resurfaced of Barden, of him calling out for Gmon moments before being seized, his very blood stolen. He froze. The vampire didn¡¯t seek to seize Argrave, though¡ªits long nails aimed for his neck, hunting for a quick kill.


    Gmon pushed Argrave aside, casting him to the ground. He met the vampire¡¯s charge, seizing its arm and stopping its attack. He took two steps back before its momentum ceased. Once he had stable footing, he overpowered it easily, tossing it away. It staggered back, falling to one knee. Gmon drew his greatsword from his waist and swung in one fluid motion. The steel missed, but the wind de created by enchantments leapt out, cutting it across the nose. It cried out and scrambled away quickly, knocking over a crate.


    ¡°You hid yourself well,¡± Gmon said.


    Argrave came to his feet as quickly as he could. His arm hurt where he¡¯d fallen, but in front of the task at hand, he barely noticed it. The vampire, who Argrave now recognized as a man, retreated further, joining up with two others.


    All three of the vampires wore rich crimson robes. The passage of time had decayed them, though, and most of them were missing sleeves. The main robe itself was full of holes, some of it covered with patchwork cloth. It was all the same color, though¡ªa deep red. Argrave considered that it was probably easy to keep clothes red in the Low Way of the Rose, but quickly dismissed that errant thought.


    ¡°Not the others?¡± one said, a woman, voice low and urgent.


    ¡°No. Not the Sentinels, either,¡± the one who¡¯d attacked answered, wiping his face free of blood. Once he¡¯d done so, the wound was already closing.


    Argrave preemptively cast a C-rank ward in case one of them shouldsh out with spells. Once that was done, he caught his breath, rubbing his arm to dispel the pain. An uneasy silence stretched out between them as each waited for the other¡¯s actions.


    ¡°¡­I think the choice of diplomacy or confrontation has been made for us. We must block the door. They cannot tell others,¡± Anneliese said quickly.


    ¡°Maybe we can¡­¡± Argrave started to suggest diplomacy, but his voice did not go beyond the ward and he did not trust he would not be attacked. ¡°To hell with it. Toote for that. They attacked us the first time they saw our faces.¡±


    Gmon removed his backpack, setting it on the ground alongside his greatsword. He quickly strung his bow and retrieved an arrow, nocking it. Seeing this, the vampires shifted on their feet, ready to move.


    ¡°Split them up,¡± urged Argrave. No noise reached outside the ward. ¡°I¡¯ll stun one with lightning magic, and Anneliese, follow up with something that¡¯ll kill.¡±


    Gmon nodded, drawing back his bow. Stepping free of the ward, he released, and the arrow shot towards the one in the center. They cast a ward to block the arrow, but Gmon chose an Ebonice arrowhead. Their low-rank ward shattered, and the three scattered. Argrave sent out the D-rank spell [Writhing Lightning] towards the one that split from the group. The vampire reacted quickly, trying to form a ward, but even its supernatural speed could not contest the fastest elemental magic. The [Writhing Lightning] struck the ground, travelling to the vampire¡¯s legs and causing her to stumble.


    Argrave saw Anneliese¡¯s hand glow in his peripheries, and soon enough the powerful boom of thunder echoed out¡ªthe C-rank lightning spell [Skysunder]. A white bolt struck the vampire, and she was cast to the ground, smoke rising from her waist where she had been struck. Argrave followed up, casting the same spell Anneliese just had. Argrave lowered his hand, watching the vampire spasm, only for an arrow to fly by and pierce her head, ending all struggles.


    ¡°Gods!¡± one of them shouted. ¡°Damn it all! Just break through! Rush! Rush!¡± he insisted, urging his fellow towards them.


    They strafed through shelves and crates, heading towards their position. Gmon set down his bow and drew his dagger, waiting. Argrave waited nervously, stepping back behind Gmon. He held his hands out, and a C-rank spell matrix manifested. A blue eel sprung from his hand, dancing about within the ward¡ªthe C-rank spell, [Electric Eel]. It waited for Argrave¡¯s direction as he conjured more.


    The two vampires broke out from the shelves, rushing towards them. One conjured a D-rank blood magic spell, and his wrist split open, a knife forming in his hand from his own blood. Gmon grabbed a crate and threw it into his path with one hand while retreating back behind the ward, but the vampire nimbly dodged it, thrusting his dagger through the magic barrier. After some strain, the C-rank ward shattered. Gmon advanced, catching the hand that held the dagger of blood. Gmon thrust his dagger at the vampire¡¯s neck, but it was caught, and the two struggled.


    The other vampire rushed forward, but Argrave had been devoting his attention towards that possibility. One of the [Electric Eels] struck out towards the it, but the vampire ducked back behind the shelves. While Gmon grappled with the first vampire, the second tipped over one of the shelves towards the two of them.


    Gmon ducked low and disentangled himself, shoving the vampire towards the falling shelf while stepping back nimbly. The shelf struck the first vampire, and the one who had pushed it tried to rush past Gmon. The elf held out an arm to stop him but failed.


    Anneliese grabbed a crate and slid it into the vampire¡¯s path. He slowed for a second, and then eventually leapt forth, jumping right over it. Anneliese had been expecting this, evidently¡ªshe ducked low, spell matrix forming as he descended. Unable to change his path, the C-rank spell [Wargfire] rushed from her hand and mmed into the vampire. She fell forward, narrowly avoiding a ball of fire.


    Argrave stepped around the crate and held his hand out, and all of the [Electric Eels] he¡¯d conjured swarmed down, meeting the vampire all at once in a grand disy of light. The vampire spasmed and writhed in agony, and Argrave watched, hesitant to use more magic. Eventually, its movements became slower and less intense, and Argrave dared a nce back towards Gmon.


    Gmon and thest vampire faced each other. The vampire clearly wanted to rush past, but Gmon waited patiently, refusing to advance. Eventually its patience broke first, and he lunged at Gmon, preparing to grapple. Gmon stepped and thrust his foot out, mming its knee. The vampire howled in pain. Gmon caught it by its shoulder and jammed his dagger into its neck. It grasped at his arm, but he ruthlessly tore the dagger upwards. It died in a most gruesome manner.


    Breathing heavily, heart beating quickly, Argrave kept alternating his gaze between the ball of me and Gmon. The entire exchange had taken no longer than two minutes, perhaps, but it had felt far more stressful than their entire trek through the Low Way.


    ¡°Christ,¡± Argrave said, throat dry. ¡°Are we safe?¡±


    Gmon said nothing, cautiously examining every bit of the room. After an insufferably long period, he nodded.


    Argrave let off a variety of curses, leaning against the wall. As he began to calm, he felt vomit rise in his throat as the smell of burnt flesh invaded his senses once more. He breathed slowly, trying to calm himself. He saw Anneliese still on the ground and offered his hand to help her up. She epted his help and stood, and after gathering herself, moved to extinguish the me.


    ¡°No diplomacy,¡± Argrave heaved out a long sigh.

 Chapter 90: Poor Timing

    Chapter 90: Poor Timing


    ¡°They were more experienced with this life than I am,¡± Gmon stated, before pushing up a shelf loaded with rocks in front of an iron door. The thing could not have been light, but he pushed it very casually. With both the enchanted crown from the elven tomb and his vampirism, his raw strength was something to marvel at.


    After the battle had finished, the three of them elected to find another ce to seek refuge. Argrave thought it might be a bad idea as they might run into more of the vampires, yet Gmon persuaded Argrave when he mentioned some mighte seeking the source of the sound. Lightning-based spells were not quiet. They had decided to barricade the doors for the night, leaving room enough only for air.


    Certainly, it would be difficult to survive an assault against every vampire within Nodremaid. That said, there was a tenuous bnce of power in Nodremaid between the Stonepetal Sentinels, the Guardians, and the vampires. The three were always wary of the other¡ªneither of the two sentient groups would risk such an overt move for what might be a trap by the other.


    ¡°You overpowered them pretty easily,¡± Argrave responded to Gmon, feeling a bit guilty watching the elven vampire do all the work while he sat atop an overturned shelf. The presence of Anneliese, who was reading just beside him, assuaged that feeling somewhat. ¡°Vampires grow in strength when they kill by feeding¡ªthey call it drinking the Lifeblood. Considering most of the blood they drink doesn¡¯te from that, they can¡¯t be exceptionally powerful vampires.¡±


    ¡°Experience isn¡¯t strength,¡± Gmon shook his head, dusting off his hands against each other. ¡°And vampirism isn¡¯t just a passive state. The beast, the curse within¡­ some vampires suppress it, resist it¡ªlike me,¡± He tapped his chest, the gauntlet ringing out against the metal chest te. ¡°In return, we receive minimal benefits whilergely retaining moral reasoning.¡±


    ¡°Others embrace it,¡± Gmon stepped forward towards Argrave until he stared down at him. ¡°They court the curse within, unable or unwilling to resist it. They sumb to bloodlust, lose their sense of morality¡­ but in return, they gain the power of the curse.¡± His gaze turned back to the door. ¡°Back there¡­ They stopped their heartbeat, ceased their breathing, eliminated all trace that they were alive¡­ embraced undeath fully. I have to be more vignt,¡± he scolded himself, voice low.


    Argrave tilted his head, looking up at Gmon. ¡°How do you do it?¡±


    Gmon removed his helmet, and his matted white hair fell to his shoulders. ¡°Do what?¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°You never sleep. You¡¯re always vignt, always watching, always ready. You never falter. Despite all that¡­ I never hear youin,¡± Argrave said. Anneliese looked up from her book, evidently intrigued by the line of questioning.


    Gmon stepped away, turning his head. ¡°¡­it¡¯s different than what you think.¡±


    ¡°Help me understand,¡± pressed Argrave.


    ¡°I don¡¯t get tired. I don¡¯t get headaches, or aches, or fatigue. I only grow¡­ unsated,¡± he raised his helmet, looking into the twin sockets. ¡°There is but one need I must monitor.¡±


    Argrave leaned back, resting his elbow against the shelf to support himself. ¡°If you¡¯re trying to turn me, you¡¯re doing a great job selling it.¡±


    Gmon¡¯s head snapped towards Argrave, and he took two quick steps forward. ¡°The curse is not to be trivialized. The vampire¡¯s very existence is a scourge upon the living. Their life is sustained by misery and death. All of them deserve death,¡± he said intensely. Argrave tensed.


    ¡°Yet before bing a vampire, you campaigned at the head of Dras¡¯ army, killing tens of thousands of your own kind in warfare,¡± Anneliesemented, closing her book. ¡°Is that not an utmost disy of this ¡®misery and death¡¯ you speak of?¡±


    Argrave¡¯s face cked at the unexpected contribution. Gmon turned his head towards her, brows furrowed.


    ¡°Do not misunderstand me. I am not admonishing you,¡± she raised her hands innocently. ¡°I am merely questioning if it is truly misery and death you have a problem with. You united Veiden alongside Dras. You even expressed that, if you had not be a vampire, you would have aided him in invading Berendar,¡± Anneliese stared up at him.


    ¡°¡­that was different. It was for the greater good,¡± he said, his back straightening. ¡°For Veid. For the good of all Veidimen.¡±


    ¡°Therein lies the true answer, I think,¡± Anneliese said calmly. ¡°You take issue with vampirism because Veid fashions vampires as an abomination before Her eyes, to be purged.¡±


    Gmon took a deep breath, and then turned away. He raised up the helmet once more, gazing into it. ¡°Aye. I hate that which I am. I hate myself¡­ and my cowardice.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re a coward, I have to seriously reevaluate my own standing on the spectrum of bravery,¡± Argrave rebutted incredulously.


    ¡°I am good at fighting because I fear death,¡± he told Argrave, slightly shaking his head. ¡°Fear spurs me towards martial perfection.¡± Gmon hefted the helmet in his hand, and then looked back at the two of them. ¡°And because I fear death, I vited the thing I was most proud of¡ªmy faith in Veid.¡±


    <em>¡®Most proud of?¡¯ You have a son, remember? </em>Argrave was tempted to say, but felt it was better left unsaid.


    ¡°You¡¯re right, Anneliese. The curse lies not in the hunger, the beast. The true curse is what it deprived me of. My homnd. My wife, my son. My friends. The Patriarchate that I helped create¡­¡± Gmon clenched his hand tight on his helmet. ¡°There are nights when I think of what is behind me¡­ and I think of what I did to stay alive that day. I just want the day to end.¡± He looked to Argrave. ¡°But sleep neveres. I am left alone with myself, who I hate.¡±


    Argrave said nothing. He wasn¡¯t sure there was something he could reasonably say to that.


    ¡°And yet¡­ despite what has happened to me¡­ Veid did not abandon me,¡± Gmon said finally, tone lightening somewhat. ¡°She gave me a path to atonement. Gerechtigkeit. He Who Would Judge the World. A desperately pitched battle, and one that I must throw myself into fully.¡±


    Gmon walked up to Argrave. ¡°Dras knew I was afraid of death¡­ and he used that to secure victory, cing me in impossible situations time and time again. And now, another fool of the same nature hase along,¡± Gmon said somewhat bitterly, white-eyed gaze locked on Argrave. ¡°I will atone. I will prove myself before Veid. That is the truth of how I do not falter.¡±


    Argrave was a bit taken aback by the abrupt shift of the conversation¡¯s tone. His mind harkened back to his thoughts earlier this day.


    ¡°Even if¡­¡± he began, his voice shaking. He took a deep breath and began again. ¡°Even if I¡¯m not who you think I am? Even if all that nonsense about Erlebnis is made up?¡± His gaze moved back and forth between the two of them. ¡°Because it is,¡± he continued when neither spoke. ¡°I¡¯m no ¡®agent of Erlebnis.¡¯¡±


    In the silence after his confession, Argrave¡¯s heart was beating rapidly. Both stared at him, saying nothing. Gmon eventually broke the silence, asking, ¡°At Mateth¡­ you went to that shrine,muned with Him. What was that, then?¡±


    ¡°That was to receive the Blessing of Supersession. It was a business deal¡ªnothing more, nothing less. Second time I¡¯d had contact¡ªand thest, if I have my way.¡± Argrave spread his hands out. ¡°I strung you two along with nonsense, acting like I had the world in the palm of my hand. Now we¡¯re here, and I¡¯ve proven my ipetence.¡±


    Argrave¡¯s uneasiness spiraled further upwards in the silence that followed. Gmon stepped away.


    ¡°Even barring your punishment of me, the ¡®indentured servitude,¡¯ as you called it¡­¡± Gmon crossed his arms. ¡°Not six months have passed since I was hired. I am still bound by contract. I would be here regardless.¡±


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t exactly honest about the terms and conditions,¡± Argrave shook his head.


    ¡°You wanted me to stay by your side and protect you and perform the asional menial task. The fault lies with me for not inquiring more about who you were and what you intended to do.¡±


    Argrave found those words a little difficult to swallow. Eventually, he only nodded when no words came up to counter Gmon¡¯s words. He looked to Anneliese.


    ¡°What about you? You left your home, your family¡ªterrible though they may be¡ªto go off with someone who concocted a tale.¡±


    ¡°It does no good to speak of this now,¡± she shook her head. ¡°We are here, now. What happens after can be settled once we make an ¡®after.¡¯¡±


    Argrave sat in the silence. ¡°This doesn¡¯t bother either of you?¡±


    ¡°You had all but confirmed it,¡± Anneliese shook her head. ¡°And now you <em>have</em> confirmed it. But let me ask you this: do you intend to fight Gerechtigkeit?¡±


    Argrave took her question in, examining it beyond a mere token confirmation. After a brief moment, he nodded. ¡°I do.¡±


    ¡°You have proven your knowledge is real time and time again. I will likely keep following even after you reveal its source, so long as you stick to that goal.¡± She ced her hands on her knees neatly. ¡°I have had my moments of doubt. I will not deny I considered leaving silently, one night. But the way you act¡­ it is as though you are being chased.¡± She paused, then smiled as though an amusing thought came to her. ¡°In a way, you and Gmon are rather simr. Both of you struggle desperately because you fear death.¡±


    Argrave exhaled deeply. He felt like some of what was gnawing at his chest was fading.


    ¡°It is curious, though. You talk to people as if you know them, not merely knowing <em>of</em> them,¡± she emphasized. ¡°And you travel through dangerous ces like you¡¯ve been there before. I considered if you <em>had</em> been there before. But then¡­ you balk at some things within them. Death. Killing. It is as though you have read about these ces¡­ or studied about them. To be frank, the notion that Erlebnis had nted this knowledge in your head held credence, given these discrepancies.¡±


    Argrave was taken aback by her insights. Once again, he confronted the difficulty of properly conveying what, exactly, had happened to him.


    He opened his mouth, but before he could speak Anneliese interrupted.


    ¡°You did drag us into this. I am still deeply rattled by this ce, both physically and mentally. I cannot say I hold no enmity¡ªI am no saint. But there is a time and a ce. I am exhausted. I wish to sleep. We can confront this squarely at another time.¡±


    With things phrased like that, Argrave felt foolish.


    Gmon put his helmet back on. ¡°She¡¯s right. You¡¯re too¡­ <em>introspective</em>,¡± he emphasized, ¡°at pivotal times like these. Before Barden, in the Cavern of the Lily¡¯s Death¡­ instead of thinking, you should just sleep. I will keep watch.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Argrave said nkly as the elven vampire turned and went to the door, sitting on the wall and closing his eyes.


    He had to admit, he had not been expecting the conversation to proceed in this manner. Perhaps they might yell or simply leave. <em>Then again, maybe it wasn¡¯t that I was expecting it¡­ it was that I wanted something like that to happen. A little bit of punishment for my failure. </em>


    Argrave sighed. He felt deathly tired, but he wondered if sleep would even find him tonight.

 Chapter 91: Dependent Thought

    Chapter 91: Dependent Thought


    Argrave awoke feeling refreshed. Sleep hade easier than he expected it to. At the very least, his body could sleep when he needed to.


    All of that changed when he tried to move.


    At once, his legs and back groaned, sore and achy from the intense yesterday. His shoulders felt bruised from the backpack, his feet still vaguely protested, and his thighs and calves were both taxed beyondpare. He tried to sit up, but even his core was sore.


    ¡°Jesus,¡± he huffed while leaning up. He felt something stuck in his throat and coughed. His cough was wet and unpleasant, and after he¡¯d finished hacking, he spent some time clearing his throat. He was only able to breathe normally again after he pounded his chest.


    ¡°You okay?¡± Anneliese asked.


    Argrave looked up at her. She had a book in herp as she leaned up against the wall. She looked a mess, just as Argrave felt¡ªher long white hair was braided tightly, yet still dirtied and matted.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Argrave waved his hand. ¡°Just my throat, I think. Probably slept with my mouth open.¡±


    Anneliese nodded. ¡°Rare for me to wake before you.¡±


    ¡°Wish it would happen more often, frankly,¡± Argrave said, rubbing his eyes. ¡°Any notable urrences, Gmon?¡± he raised his head, looking towards the doorway.


    ¡°Nothing I could hear. Gave up on the smelling. Useless here¡ªthe debased blood of the Guardians consumes that sense,¡± he answered, returning to his usual brevity.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Argrave raised himself to his feet, and a piece of a broken shelf that had stuck to his clothes fell off him, ttering against the stone. ¡°Part of me wishes someone would just break down the door. Kill off some of the uncertainty, at the very least.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s tempting to think like that,¡± Gmon stood. ¡°Spent two days in a cial cave, once, hiding out from enemies after things¡­ went awry. Wanted nothing more than to do something stupid, force something to happen. You can¡¯t, though.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Argrave sighed. ¡°Alright. We have quite a conundrum on our hands, the way I see it. Kept me up a long while, thinking about how I was going to pull my head free of this vice before it mmed shut.¡±


    ¡°Given the circumstances¡­ perhaps the aforementioned diplomacy with the vampires would be our best option,¡± Anneliese posited. ¡°I am not sure they know three of their own died at our hands.¡±


    Gmon looked ready to protest, but Argrave interjected himself before he could do so.


    ¡°I don¡¯t really care to find out what the vampires know,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°My overconfidencended us in this situation in the first ce. We left ourselves in the hands of a greater power, and this greater power proved to be unreasonable. The same might happen again, and I doubt we¡¯d have an easy go escaping from vampires.¡±


    Gmon nodded contentedly, and Anneliese looked to have no rebuttal. Argrave stepped away, cing his hand on the shelf blocking the door. He drummed his fingers on it, lost in thought. With a sudden realization, he frowned and turned around.


    ¡°I¡¯m doing it again,¡± he said in annoyance. ¡°nning on my own. Seeking no advice.¡±


    The two said nothing but did not meet Argrave¡¯s gaze. That, alone, told him that he was right in what he said.


    ¡°Alright. Let mey down some things we might be able to use to force either side¡¯s hands¡­¡±


    #####


    A man wearing a crimson set of patchwork robes stared through a set of thick iron bars, one hand held against a bar for support. His face looked locked in a permanent scowl, and when coupled with his bald head, he strongly resembled a vulture. His eyes were cold and hazed, resembling a set one might find on a corpse.


    The bars he stood before were each as thick as the man himself, and the metal shone with dancing light¡ªenchantments. They were wide enough to amodate entry. Though the area the man resided in was filthy, stained with blood and battered by debris, the area beyond the bars was pristine. It shone with golden light from chandeliers dangling from the rafters even now, illuminating a decadent library shrouded by a thick haze of dust.


    The man reached a hand through the bars, and once it reached the halfway point, his fingers bent as though meeting an invisible wall. He kept pushing his hand forward until his fingers formed a fist, and then he pulled his hand back, punching. His skin shook, impacting against something invisible.


    The man did not blink or breathe, staring at his hand. He raised a nail up, scratching at the barrier between the metal bars. Though his nails slid along what was blocking passage, no sound came, as though what he scratched was immaterial.


    The faintest sound echoed out in the room, and the man quickly turned his head towards it. A ne of stone roses dangled from his neck, numbering three.


    ¡°Who?¡± the man called out, voice almost a bestial growl.


    ¡°It¡¯s Vizer, Namara.¡± Another slowly walked into the room, taking his ce just behind Namara. He had a shrew-like look to him.


    ¡°What?¡± Namara questioned sharply, turning his head back to the bars before the library.


    ¡°A group of Stonepetal Sentinels have encamped out front the headquarters.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Namara uttered, voice a low rasp. ¡°Their reason?¡±


    Vizer shook his head. ¡°Unknown. They¡¯re watching the entrance. Their leader is Ossian.¡±


    ¡°Ossian,¡± Namara repeated. ¡°The unpredictable one.¡±


    ¡°Some people heard a noise,¡± Vizer said, walking up beside the bars. ¡°Thunder, they said. Only a few heard it.¡±


    ¡°Where?¡± Namara questioned.


    Vizer sped his hands together. ¡°Within. And neither Raid, Ardis, nor Gavin have returned.¡±


    ¡°No coincidence.¡± Namara said. He finally turned away from the metal bars, some vigor returned to his eyes. ¡°Something¡¯s in here with us. But that something¡­ the Stonepetal Sentinels are looking for it.¡±


    ¡°None of the others know,¡± said Vizer. ¡°We can move before they do.¡±


    ¡°And do what, exactly?¡± countered Namara, voice a disdainful snarl. ¡°No. We need noplications. Send one of our own out, rouse the blood of some of the Guardians. Lure the creatures inside. Have them flood the upper levels. We¡¯ll wipe away the dirt with a tide of flesh and blood.¡±


    ¡°¡­it may be difficult to emerge from hiding in a timely fashion,¡± Vizer countered, wringing his hands tightly. ¡°If we lure Guardians, those things will settle inside the higher floors. They¡¯ll need to be purged once more.¡±


    ¡°Centuries we¡¯ve stayed, our numbers dwindling more and more as the years pass by. It¡¯s intolerable.¡± Namara nced at Vizer. ¡°See it done. Use someone reliable¡ªsomeone used to trekking in the Low Way. The Sentinel, the intruders¡­ let them sumb.¡±


    Vizer nodded obediently, then walked away. Namara turned back towards the metal bars, staring at the library beyond.


    #####


    ¡°So, it¡¯s decided,¡± Argrave nodded. He sat atop a crate, speaking to Anneliese and Gmon. ¡°We¡¯re headed into the heart of the vampire¡¯s territory¡ªthe lower levels.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like it,¡± Gmon shook his head. ¡°But I dislike this entire situation. It¡¯s the best option.¡±


    ¡°And our first genuine group decision,¡± Argrave said with a positive spin. ¡°Won¡¯t exactly be easy to get inside.¡± Argrave reached into his back pocket and pulled free a medallion bearing an owl on the front. ¡°Remember this? Gave one to you, Anneliese.¡±


    Anneliese nodded. ¡°I do. It is a badge signifying membership to the Order of the Gray Owl. It allows one inside the Tower of the Gray Owl or its subsidiary branches in various cities.¡±


    ¡°d you have an understanding,¡± Argrave stowed his badge away. ¡°The important thing is that it links to your magic fingerprint. This tradition of using one¡¯s magic signature¡­ it wasn¡¯t started by the Order of the Gray Owl.¡±


    ¡°So,¡± Anneliese mused, cing a finger on her chin. ¡°¡­the lower levels require a badge of that sort, just the same as the Gray Owl.¡±


    ¡°Not quite,¡± Argrave raised a finger. ¡°The Order of the Rose had a more primitive system. The doors themselves only open to those with a magical signature recognized by the Order of the Rose. All of the vampires are apprentices from the Order of the Rose¡ªhence, they have ess.¡±


    ¡°Then we need only capture a vampire alive,¡± Gmon crossed his arms.


    ¡°I suppose we <em>could,</em>¡± Argrave nodded. He had not been considering that as an option because it didn¡¯t exist in the game¡ªanother bit of evidence towards his limited perspective, and another reason he was d he had sought out hispanion¡¯s perspective. ¡°Hell, that might be the better option. The way I had intended¡­ You remember those screaming heads on a stake at Thorngorge Citadel?¡± Argrave pointed at the two of them.


    ¡°The ones we should not kill,¡± Gmon nodded.


    ¡°There¡¯s this ce called the Menagerie of Morbidity on the upper levels. Has a lot of creatures out on disy¡ªgrandiose abominations disying alleged ¡®necromantic achievements.¡¯ Most of them are¡­ pretty disturbing,¡± he admitted, gaze lingering on Anneliese. ¡°One of them is a screaming head made of a Wizard that used to belong to the Order of the Rose. His magical signature is fully intact. As is his cognition.¡±


    Gmon frowned and looked towards Anneliese. ¡°That sounds¡­ a bit ridiculous,¡± he eventually said. Anneliese nodded in agreement.


    When put to examination, Argrave supposed they had a good point. This screaming head was a key item the yer needed to ess more of the headquarters¡ªthe yer needed a way to progress, after all. It was an item of convenience ced solely for the sake of the game. Such conveniences would not exist inmon reality, surely¡ªbut then, this had be his reality, and most other things remained the same.


    Argrave¡¯s head spun as he tried to wrap his head around it. Realizing he let a silence hang in the air for far too long, he quickly said, ¡°I mean, we can probably just try and capture one of the vampires, but I <em>think </em>this should work¡­¡±


    ¡°Not used to youcking confidence,¡± Gmon noted. ¡°Be in. Do you think this is worth the risk?¡±


    ¡°Compared to the prospect of capturing a vampire alive, yeah,¡± Argrave shrugged. ¡°You saw the way those three were. Almost frenzied, unreasonable, and still dangerous despite all of that.¡± Argrave tapped his finger against his leg, thinking. ¡°But with the Menagerie, there¡¯s Anneliese to consider¡ªcan¡¯t imagine the sights will be easy on her, what with her empathic talents.¡±


    Anneliese shook her head in quick protest. ¡°Thank you for your consideration, Argrave, but I refuse to be a hindrance. Even still, I¡¯d like to know what waits within this Menagerie of Morbidity before I make a decision.¡±


    Argrave nodded in understanding, leaning back on the crate he sat on. ¡°A lot of the things within are locked up, or they¡¯ve already been killed. The rest¡­ they¡¯re imitations of grander life,¡± Argrave described as best he could. ¡°Of the ones still alive¡­ there¡¯s a wyvern, a mammoth, various types of big cat¡­¡± Argrave tried counting, but he realized the list was growing quite long and waved his hand.


    ¡°Too many to list, but they¡¯re all malformed, each and every creation corrupted. The magic used to create them was imperfect, and they¡¯ve morphed over the years into terrible things. Of course, they¡¯re locked away. I doubt there will be much trouble. Best yet, there¡¯s edible things there. We can replenish our food supply, if only just.¡±


    Argrave waited as they both thought over what he¡¯d said. Capture a vampire, or head into a necromancer¡¯s zoo¡ªneither seemed particrly fun options, but this was the hand they¡¯d been dealt. He would be fine with either. As fine as he could be, at least.


    ¡°Considering the noise we made yesterday¡­ it may be difficult to actually find a vampire, let alone capture alive,¡± Anneliese posited. ¡°Though I am not fond of saying this, I believe we should head into the Menagerie.¡±


    ¡°Gmon?¡± Argrave gestured. ¡°You¡¯re fine with this?¡±


    ¡°Aye,¡± he nodded. ¡°We should probably move quickly. No telling how things will proceed.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Argrave agreed, lowering himself down from atop the crate he sat on. ¡°Let¡¯s get going.¡±

 Chapter 92: Menagerie of Morbidity

    Chapter 92: Menagerie of Morbidity


    Gmon had his hands on the handles of a turn wheel. As he turned it, a heavy iron gate rose upwards, the sound of chains echoing out into the spacious central lobby. Argrave kneeled low, trying to peer into the opening that appeared to little effect¡ªthe ce beyond was dark. Argrave gave up and turned around, peering out down to the first floor of the headquarters of the Order of the Rose. He felt exposed in the open ce, having grown used to the constancy of the stone walls in the room they¡¯d slept.


    ¡°There,¡± Gmon finished with a grunt, looking up at the iron gate which hung suspended.


    Argrave turned around. ¡°Nothing¡­ lurking out there, right?¡±


    Gmon took his hands off the wheel and moved to look around. After ten or so seconds, he nodded. ¡°Nothing near. But still¡­ be cautious. Don¡¯t want you freezing up as you didst time if I missed something.¡±


    ¡°Nor do I,¡± Argrave agreed, stepping forth. The magic light he¡¯d conjured to light the way followed with him, illuminating some beyond. Anneliese evidently felt the light was insufficient, for she conjured a spell of much grander light. A ball travelled forth from her hand, dispelling the darkness.


    The Menagerie of Morbidity lived up to the ¡®morbid¡¯ part of its name at once. Compared to the lobby, where one might see the asional body of a Guardian or the ivory stalks left behind by the destroyed flesh nts that illuminated the area, this ce was quite intense.


    Despite being a bit ominous, the entrance was quite a stunning sight. The skeletal remains of a dragon hung down from the railings of the second floor of the Menagerie, cracked and decayed but nheless glorious. A tree with red, oak-like leaves grew out from its left eye socket. Dozens of other skeletons surrounded the dragon¡¯s corpse. Some bore rotten crimson robes and were decidedly humanoid. Others consisted only of a skull and two arms protruding from where the ears might¡¯ve been¡ªthe remains of some Guardians of the Low Way.


    The ce was wrecked far more so than the other areas of the Low Way. The tile was cracked, both from battle and from growth. Moss covered most of the floor beyond the entrance, ranging in color from purple to blue to red. Trees with red leaves filled up much of the ce, at times so dense it was difficult to tell they were inside a building. Their roots disturbed the stone, making the path uneven and awkward. Some of them had white berries growing from their branches. The fruits had rings on the bottom, making them look a bit like eyes from a distance.


    ¡°This is why I didn¡¯t eat,¡± Argrave said, stepping up slowly and pulling a berry from a tree. He put it in his mouth and chewed. He hadn¡¯t been sure what to expect, but it actually tasted quite pleasant. Then again, after the day he¡¯d had yesterday, anything would likely taste pleasant.


    ¡°Are you sure that¡­?¡± Anneliese trailed off when Argrave swallowed.


    ¡°Pretty good, actually. Kind of like¡­ grapefruit, I guess, but less tangy.¡± Argrave pulled a few more off.


    Anneliese watched with obvious concern. ¡°I do not know what grapefruit is.¡± When Argrave swallowed another, she quickly said, ¡°Maybe you should not eat so many.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s safe, don¡¯t worry,¡± Argrave assured. Argrave held his hands out, the white fruits bnced atop his bony palm. ¡°Try some. Every bit helps. Besides, we don¡¯t want to cut into our rations too deeply.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Anneliese said hesitantly, staring at the berries. ¡°I think I will stick to our preserved meat.¡±


    ¡°Do not be frivolous, Argrave,¡± Gmon said. ¡°The gate. I think it would be best to leave it open, even if it might attract attention.¡±


    Argrave considered that. ¡°Let¡¯s break it down. Even if someone discovers it, which is unlikely, who says they¡¯re to assume it¡¯s us? Better to leave the possibility of speedy exit open, in my estimation,¡± Argrave nodded.


    Both agreed with his assessment of the situation, then spent their time examining the surroundings.


    ¡°Seems a straightforward path,¡± Gmon noted.


    ¡°For now, it is,¡± Argrave nodded, peering out into the crimson forest beyond. ¡°It opens up into a grander areater¡ªmuch more open.¡±


    ¡°Do you have an idea why there are so many of the Guardians of the Low Way dead here?¡± Anneliese questioned, noticing the abundance of their corpsesying about.


    ¡°Because the Guardians and the things within the Menagerie aren¡¯t exactly allies.¡± Argrave pushed one with his toe. ¡°This ce¡­ ufortably crowded, a lot of ces to hide,¡± Argrave looked ahead. ¡°We should probably be more cautious than normal.¡±


    Gmon stepped ahead without a word, proceeding in silence. Argrave followed just after him, and Anneliese took the rear. This ce was much more difficult to traverse than even Nodremaid. The growth of moss and nts made the strain of walking less on the back and feet, but the uneven terrain made watching one¡¯s step paramount¡ªtwisting an ankle would be less terrible than on Earth because of the presence of healing magic, but Argrave still did not wish to use magic for something that was ostensibly easily avoidable.


    Argrave and hispanions walked through the red forest in single file. Though the berries had only vaguely resembled eyes from the entrance, inside the forest, Argrave got the chilly feeling that a thousand gazes were on him at once. Argrave tried eating more of the berries to dispel that feeling, but the taste was ruined when he perceived them as eyeballs and he found them a little more difficult to swallow.


    They passed by many stone cells with the corpses of creatures within. It was difficult to perceive what exactly they were. The things within the Menagerie of Morbidity had been made of human parts. Because of the imperfect spell used in their creation, they slowly morphed back into the shape they had been molded from. They would see the body of a tiger, for instance, yet the head had been morphed back into an arm or leg. Even as bone, it was a disturbing sight.


    Sound started to echo out across the crimson forest of the Menagerie, and eventually, the stone cells housed the still-living. A great ck bull huffed at them as they passed by, the horns on its head morphed into two skeletal arms that moved with an apparent will of their own. The creature approached the steel bars that held it, and the two arms reached out, bony fingers grasping the bars as any human prisoner might. It unsettled Argrave more than he cared to admit, and he did not feel at ease walking by it. He checked behind him at times to be sure Anneliese was coping, and she seemed stable enough.


    Sounds and smells grew more intense as they proceeded. Ape-like noises, barking, yelping¡ªit was enough that each and every step was ever more uncertain. The smell of rot made Argrave nauseous. The hallway they had been travelling on opened, and the forest of red trees thinned, opening into arge room. Cages were ced equidistantly throughout the grand room, holding up the ce like pirs.


    Though many malformed animals made noises from within their cages, the centerpiece drew Argrave¡¯s attention at once. A wyverny within. Though it was normally proportioned, where it might¡¯ve had scales, veiny skin covered instead. Uneven patches of hair grew at random portions, with varying colors and lengths. Cuts and scratches marred its body, many of them leaking pus. Seeing it now, he was certain it was the strongest smell in the room. Argrave grabbed at his throat, feeling like something was rising. Fortunately, he managed to suppress it.


    Gmon kneeled, casting his eyes about the room to be sure nothing was amiss. A dog-like animal of indeterminable species barked at them, and Argrave felt like every animal locked in this room was watching them.


    Argrave leaned on Gmon¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Maybe we don¡¯t need to go so slow,¡± he suggested, only half in jest.


    ¡°Don¡¯t see anything out of sorts, but¡­ hard to hear. Hard to smell,¡± Gmon reported.


    ¡°Then¡­?¡± Argrave pressed.


    ¡°Then we proceed. Cautiously.¡± Gmon looked up at him, white eyes shining within his helmet. ¡°Where do we head next?¡±


    ¡°That hallway over there,¡± Argrave pointed out. ¡°Right side. We follow it until the end. Whether we weave through the cages or follow along the wall¡­ I¡¯ll leave it to you.¡±


    Gmon nodded, rising to his feet. ¡°Along the wall.¡±


    The elven vampire stepped forward. The animals watched them as they passed. They passed by the monkeys. Their tails had turned into human arms, which made their movements awkward and jerky. They screeched horribly as the three of them passed. The sight that made Argrave most uneasy, though, was an empty cage. Its bars had split like something had burst out from the cage.


    Though moving through the area was unbearable, it passed quickly and without esction. They entered the second hallway, moving along to the end of the line. This ce was much more open than the entryway andrgely free of obscuring vegetation, which assuaged some of Argrave¡¯s fears. This ce was the personnel¡¯s branch of the Menagerie, if Argrave recalled correctly.


    ¡°End¡¯s not too far. Third on the left,¡± Argrave eventually broke the silence.


    Gmon nodded, and Anneliese let out a sigh of relief. They proceeded upwards, and Argrave stopped them at the door. It was made of iron andrgely intact, though spots near the doorknob had rusted.


    ¡°Alright. Let me do the talking,¡± he whispered.


    ¡°Talking?¡± Anneliese repeated, confused. ¡°Is someone in there?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be loud,¡± Argrave said, lowering his hand as though urging her to lower her volume. ¡°I told you that the head we¡¯re looking for retained its cognition, right? And the ability to use magic?¡±


    ¡°You said it retained its magic signature, not its ability to use magic..!¡± she whispered back, a bit louder.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, alright?¡± Argrave apologized. ¡°It¡¯s not that big of a threat, honest. I didn¡¯t consider it because it¡¯s not worthy of consideration.¡±


    She stared at him with mouth agape like he was a fool.


    ¡°Come on. No use dwelling on this,¡± he tried to dismiss. ¡°Let¡¯s just get ready.¡±


    Anneliese looked at the door, face taut, while Argrave pushed his tongue against his cheek. ¡°Alright. Now¡¯s a good time to test out the B-rank wards conjured by our rings, I suppose. I¡¯ll use mine when we pass through the door.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Gmon,¡± Argrave gestured towards the doorknob.


    The elf reached a hesitant hand out and turned the doorknob slowly. He made sure Argrave was prepared with the ring, and then swung the door open. With will alone, Argrave conjured the B-rank ward before the door had even left his vision. A semi-visible golden shield filled his vision at once. He had expected to see a room beyond it¡ªinstead, a blinding sh of light filled his vision as mes hurtled towards them.


    Argrave could not help but jump back. The golden B-rank ward stayed strong, though, and the mes hurtled upwards. The fire battered against the ceiling, floor, and walls. They continued for a great length of time, and then slowly began to diminish. Once they had faded, what was left beyond was a scorched mess of a room. It the center of it, untouched by anything, stood a stake. This stake had a head atop it.


    ¡°You bastards had a trick, I see,¡± the head said.


    ¡°Nice to meet you,¡± Argrave said, stepping forth through his ward despite the earlier disy of power. He remained ready to jump back at a moment¡¯s notice. ¡°We got off on the wrong foot, I think, but we have much to discuss.¡±


    The head squinted.

 Chapter 93: Heads and Tails

    Chapter 93: Heads and Tails


    The severed head stared at them warily from its position atop a stake. Despite the utterly destroyed room around it, where every wall had been scorched ck from fire and other spells, both the stake and the head were unblemished. They were shielded by a sheening ward that Argrave knew was rtively low-ranking.


    The head itself had quite an ordinary appearance, once one looked past the ¡®disembodied¡¯ part. It seemed young, with mostly smooth white skin and short brown hair. His expression had a general air of arrogance and defensiveness, though perhaps that came from the situation it was in. His eyes were ck and gold, like most other creatures born of the Order of the Rose.


    ¡°You¡­¡± the head¡¯s brown eyes moved up and down, sizing Argrave up. ¡°Show me your teeth.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Argraveplied, pulling back his gums. After a moment, he let his lips fall back into ce. ¡°There. Nice and pearly white, none of them sharper than they need to be.¡±


    ¡°Then who are you?¡± the head asked. ¡°Why are you here? Are those¡­ elves?¡±


    ¡°I am Argrave,¡± he ced a hand to his chest. ¡°And who are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­¡± its eyes rolled back into its head. It stayed silent for a long while, and Argrave shifted on his feet patiently. ¡°¡­that¡¯s who!¡± it said suddenly, eyes drawn back to attention. ¡°And you¡­ you¡¯re¡­¡± his gaze flitted back between Anneliese and Argrave. ¡°Both of you are wearing the same thing. A uniform. You¡¯re part of a group,¡± it said usingly.


    Argrave was taken aback for a moment, and he spared a nce at Anneliese. Indeed, just as Argrave did, she wore gray leather gear covered by a duster.


    ¡°You¡¯re part of a group exploring the grand city of Nodremaid. I get it¡­¡± it licked its lips. ¡°You¡¯re pigers,e to wrench free the knowledge of thete great Order of the Rose,¡± it spat angrily. ¡°You¡¯re no different from the blooppers. You¡¯re¡ª¡±


    ¡°Shut up for a minute,¡± Argrave interrupted, holding a finger out. ¡°You can¡¯t even remember your name. Do you even know your own situation?¡±


    ¡°Of course I can remember my name!¡± it shouted out. ¡°I¡¯m¡­¡± its eyes rolled back into its head again.


    ¡°And your arms, your legs¡­ hell, your whole body,¡± Argrave spoke to it despite its trance-like state. ¡°Where is it all? Think about it. Break free of your mental constraints. Remember who you were.¡±


    Its eyes twitched, its face scrunched up, and its lower lip began to spasm.


    ¡°Think long and hard,¡± Argrave said insistently, stepping further past his ward. ¡°Who were you? What did you do? Why are you here?¡±


    It opened its eyes again, its face scrunched up in fear as it stared at Argrave with bloodshot eyes. Blood started to trickle down its face like tears.


    ¡°Your breathing, your heartbeat¡­ you can¡¯t feel them, can you? You¡¯re not paralyzed. They¡¯re just not there,¡± Argrave said smoothly, as though trying to hypnotize.


    The head started to spasm and twitch as it gazed up at Argrave. Gmon tried to stop Argrave from advancing further, but he shrugged off the elf¡¯s grip.


    ¡°I¡¯ll say it again,¡± Argrave said, standing just before the head. ¡°Who were you?¡±


    The head ground its teeth together, veritably growling at Argrave.


    ¡°You weren¡¯t always just a head on a stake,¡± Argrave said conclusively.


    The head¡¯s eyes widened, and all its movements stopped. Then, its face sagged, as though it had fallen asleep. The ward surrounding it dissipated, the magic shattering like ss. Argrave held his hand to his chest and let out a sigh of relief.


    ¡°Nerve-wracking,¡± he muttered to himself.


    Argrave dispelled the B-rank ward so that Anneliese and Gmon could enter the room. Anneliese stepped forward cautiously, arms crossed. ¡°Is it¡­ over? What happened to it? I saw immeasurable distress, and then¡­ nothing.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s breaking free of the magic that kept it servile,¡± Argrave exined. ¡°It¡­ no, <em>he</em> should wake up in a few minutes. I would advise plugging your ears when it does so.¡±


    Argrave was quite relieved that had worked. He had recited what the yer said to the head in-game. It had worked out in Veiden when he talked to Dras, and now it worked out once again. To be frank, he wasn¡¯t entirely sure his memory of the dialogue was spot-on, but he got the gist of it right, and it worked out.


    ¡°Would¡­ something like this be possible for others?¡± Anneliese inquired.


    Perhaps it was Argrave¡¯s imagination, but he detected some hopefulness in her tone. He felt the answer was ¡®no,¡¯ but he gave the truth.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Argrave shook his head. He stared at her amber eyes as she turned away, quietly nodding and epting his information. ¡°How are you handling this ce?¡±


    She looked at him and gave a faint smile that had some bitterness beneath it. ¡°Let us say simply I will be d to put it behind us.¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°You and me both.¡±


    Gmon shut the iron door. Argrave used the time that the severed head was inanimate to settle his frayed nerves and catch his breath. It was strangely hard to breathe, and his chest felt tight. It was probably because of where they were, he reasoned¡ªeven with all the foliage in Nodremaid, it did not change the fact that they were underground.


    Anneliese, once more, took the time to read her B-rank spellbook. Her diligence had been especially high in recent days¡ªArgrave assumed there was a spell that caught her interest. He kept his eye on the head on a stake. When a few minutes had passed, it stirred, and Argrave was the first to greet it.


    ¡°Hey, you. You¡¯re finally awake,¡± Argrave greeted, standing just in front of it.


    The newly and truly awakened head looked up at Argrave. It blinked for a few moments. Without so much as a word of warning, it let out a deafening scream. Argrave had been well-prepared, and had his hands already ced over his ears. Anneliese heeded his warning and had done the same. Gmon, though, took a step back and frowned in annoyance.


    He screamed for a very long while¡ªhe had no lungs, after all, and his voice born of magic couldst near forever. Argrave might¡¯ve casted a ward to muffle him, but that might¡¯ve earned his ire, and the iron door muffled the sound well enough that nothing outside woulde to investigate. After a long while, its abject terror settled into a panic-ridden mess of curses, obscenities, and general confusion.


    When the head became aware that there were three people in the room with it, it sought out answers. Argrave spent a long while trying to console it, offering calming words while trying his very best to ignore the oddity of the scenario.


    ¡°Hooh¡­¡± it breathed out. ¡°Gods damn it all. That bastard Macheid¡­ he got me. He got me, gods damn it all,¡± it said, face scrunched up as though it were about to cry. ¡°So¡­ who are you people? What in the gods¡¯ name do I do next?¡±


    ¡°Considering that everyone you¡¯ve ever known is dead, the Order of the Rose is entirely defunct, and you haven¡¯t left this ce in, oh, six hundred years?¡± Argrave guessed drolly. ¡°I think it¡¯s about time we get you out of this ce, for your health if nothing else.¡±


    The head looked overwhelmed.


    #####


    ¡°Ossian!¡± a knight shook the man he mentioned, and the Master Sentinel was immediately roused.


    ¡°What¡¯s happened?¡± Ossian said immediately, already awake. He sat up from the cold stone floor, rising to his feet quite adeptly despite the te mail armor he wore. ¡°Report,¡± hemanded.


    ¡°There¡¯s a huge swarm of Guardians headed this way. Biggest I¡¯ve ever seen,¡± the man stood with Ossian, walking towards the doorway and exiting into the city of Nodremaid.


    Ossian followed, and then stepped outside. The knight pointed off to the distance.


    The Guardians of the Low Way stormed through the city like monkeys, leaping from building to branch adeptly. Barring the noise of their metal weapons scraping against the stone of the city, their approach was soundless.


    ¡°Gods,¡± Ossian breathed out. ¡°How was this missed?!¡± he demanded, stepping forward. ¡°Gather everyone,¡± hemanded swiftly.


    ¡°They were two separate groups, sir, and moving away from us, chasing something. They converged, and¡ª¡±


    ¡°I told you to pay attention for anything odd,¡± Ossian said angrily. ¡°The fact that they were chasing anything at all was an oddity. Gather everyone,¡± he repeated, grabbing the knight¡¯s arm and pushing him away.


    Everyone moved frantically, waking those that were sleeping and retrieving those that were on watch. Before long, Ossian scanned the group, and seeing everyone was there, began givingmands.


    ¡°We have to move quickly. The group of Guardians is toorge to avoidpletely. We go into the headquarters of the Order of the Rose.¡±


    ¡°Sir,¡± one of the female spellcasters protested. ¡°We should hole up in a nearby building, prepare fortifications and traps,¡± she rmended.


    ¡°Not enough people to resist that wave,¡± Ossian shook his head quickly. ¡°No arguments. Spaces are confined there, but there¡¯s still room to move. Even if the vampires are there, they are enemies to the Guardians just as much as we are. Now, let¡¯s move,¡± he repeated, shouting.


    Ossian was the first to move, pushing past and heading down a flight of stairs that led to the headquarters. The others obediently followed, even the woman who disagreed. All knew well enough that to disobey orders in the Low Way meant to potentially cause the deaths of all.


    #####


    Argrave watched as many of the Stonepetal Sentinels swarmed into the entrance. He, Gmon, and Anneliese were all on the second story. Argrave held the severed head like a staff, and now he used it to support himself as he kneeled.


    They had very nearly walked down the stairs, but Gmon heard somethinging and moved them to a safer location where they could watch without being seen. Argrave and Anneliese had dispelled their lighting spells, but the spellcasters in the Sentinel¡¯spany lit the ce up with their own.


    ¡°They¡¯re being chased,¡± Gmonmented. ¡°A swarm of guardians. We should move back inside the Menagerie, lower the gate. It should be sufficient to ward them.¡±


    ¡°Who are those people?¡± the head atop the stake in Argrave¡¯s grip asked. ¡°Friends of yours?¡±


    ¡°No, they¡ª¡± Argrave cut himself off. ¡°I suppose they <em>could</em> be.¡±


    ¡°You are not thinking of¡­?¡± Anneliese looked at Argrave.


    ¡°I am thinking of it,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°I find people are much more amenable to suggestion when they¡¯re in a desperate situation. We can help them, lead them into the Menagerie. We win them to our side, everything goes back to the way it should have.¡± He looked back at Gmon and Anneliese. ¡°Thoughts?¡±


    ¡°Their leader¡­ the one called Ossian, if I remember right,¡± Gmon contributed as he watched. ¡°Don¡¯t remember much hostility from him.¡±


    ¡°They might grow suspicious, considering how fortunate this timing is for us,¡± Anneliese reasoned. ¡°And¡­ once more, we surrender ourselves before power.¡±


    ¡°Good points, both,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°At¡­ twenty, just about, I think I can take them if I use Erlebnis¡¯ power¡­ but I wanted to save that. Won¡¯t be able to use the Blessing of Supersession for the rest of this venture if I do.¡± He sighed. ¡°I¡¯m leaning towards helping them¡­ but I won¡¯t do it unless you two give me the okay. Learned my lesson, I think.¡±


    ¡°Gods¡­ the headquarters of the Order of the Rose¡­ reduced to this,¡± the head mused, looking about the ruined building.


    Anneliese and Gmon both nced at the head, then back at Argrave.


    Gmon was the first to nod. ¡°Help against the vampires will be important, even with Erlebnis at your back.¡±


    ¡°This scenario is different from what urred in their camp,¡± Anneliese nodded, agreeing.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Argrave took a deep breath. ¡°Guess I get a chance to salvage things,¡± he handed the stake over to Anneliese. ¡°Probably best if they don¡¯t see me holding a head,¡± he reasoned, rising to his feet. ¡°Wish me luck,¡± he said, about to move to the balcony.


    ¡°Good luck,¡± said the head. He was the only one who did so.

 Chapter 94: Butting Heads

    Chapter 94: Butting Heads


    Ossian stood at the doorway of the headquarters of the Order of the Rose, siphoning thest few members of his band inside the cold stone halls. He did not feel at ease being here, but the sight of the Guardians of the Low Way moving through the ruined city of Nodremaid made what little unease he had about the ce negligible. Their escape had been speedy, so they had plenty of time before the abominations reached them.


    ¡°Ossian!¡± he heard a voice echo out across the stone halls, and his head turned quickly, thinking it was one of the people in his party.


    Ossian¡¯s misunderstanding was quickly corrected, though. Their very purpose for being here, Argrave of ckgard, leaned out on the railings of the second floor, his face grimly illuminated from beneath by spell light from Ossian¡¯s group of spellcasters.


    ¡°How in hell did you manage to get that many Guardians on your tail?¡± Argrave questioned.


    Ossian stepped away from the doorway, wading through the crowd until he stood at the front of his group. He did not know what to say¡ªhe had not expected to meet Argrave in this manner, let alone at all.


    ¡°Guess it¡¯s not important. Listen¡ªyou probably came here for shelter,¡± Argrave reasoned. ¡°I know of a ce big enough and secure enough that even that horde outside won¡¯t be able to bother us. Despite all that¡¯s transpired between us, I can take you there.¡±


    ¡°Where are your two menials?¡± Ossian looked about.


    ¡°Menials?¡± Argrave repeated, confused. ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡­ oh,¡± he came to a realization. ¡°Mypanions are nearby.¡± Ossian watched the man¡¯s eyes, trying to see if they would betray their location, but Argrave¡¯s gaze remained fixed ahead. ¡°There¡¯s no ambush, if that¡¯s what you¡¯re worried about.¡±


    ¡°I should trust you? You killed one of our own,¡± Ossian shouted out. ¡°You marked yourself an enemy to the Stonepetal Sentinels.¡±


    Argrave lowered his gaze. ¡°I¡­ I never wanted that to happen. We were just trying to enter the Low Way. Things were panicked, chaotic¡ªyou gathered men to attack me in my sleep, without any provocation whatsoever,¡± he used.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Not attack. To confine you,¡± Ossian shook his head, but did not rebut further. He had been against the idea from the beginning, but sdair took liberties that could not be retracted. ¡°We don¡¯t have time to waste for this. Everyone, let¡¯s¡ª¡±


    ¡°Just hold on,¡± Argrave interrupted. ¡°I saw youing. Could have avoided you, left you ignorant of my continued existence entirely. I don¡¯t want that. I have no ill-will towards you or the Sentinels, despite what transpired. My stated goal remains my true goal¡ªiming the Unsullied Knife from the vampires. I¡¯ve already got the key to entering the lower levels, where they reside.¡±


    ¡°You called it the Unbloodied de before,¡± Ossian noted quickly.


    ¡°Whatever,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°If I¡¯m right, the vampires have killed a lot more Sentinels than I ever have, and theirs were purposeful. After we deal with that Horde, we can put the vampires to the sword.¡±


    The Master Sentinel shifted on his feet, sparing a nce back outside. ¡°You¡¯re taking a lot of liberties,¡± Ossian said harshly.


    ¡°I know, and it¡¯s because I never wanted things to be like this. I have a lot of respect for each and every one of you. What happened¡ªit¡¯s gutting,¡± Argrave said, cing his hand near his chest. ¡°Give me the chance to right my wrong. Let me help you.¡±


    ¡°We should move, sir,¡± one of the knights said, grabbing Ossian¡¯s shoulder.


    Ossian looked down at the ground, lost in deliberation. <em>We outnumber them, but they¡¯ve had plenty of time to prepare for our arrival. Could be walking into a trap. The horde behind us¡ªcould be something Argrave forced to happen. But how? Would he be working with the vampires? </em>Ossian dismissed the idea. <em>No, that¡¯s ridiculous. </em>


    The Master Sentinel looked up at Argrave, trying to discern his motivations. Beyond eliminating enemies, Argrave had little reason to see them dead. Indeed, things only started to deteriorate once sdair moved against him. That said, his intent to use them as a cudgel against the vampires was quite obvious. He had stated as much, though in nicer terms.


    <em>Is it so bad to be used, as long as things get done? The vampires have gued the Low Way for centuries. You could put an end to that. Be a damned hero,</em> Ossian¡¯s vying heart spoke.


    Ossian broke free from the knight¡¯s grip on his shoulder and asked Argrave, ¡°Where is this holdout?¡±


    Argrave smiled. ¡°Up here. There¡¯s a big iron gate, about a foot thick, operated by a turn wheel. Come up the stairs, follow me.¡±


    #####


    Gmon lowered therge gate to the Menagerie of Morbidity, and it let out a loud sound when it met the stone, dust jumping up into the air. The party of Stonepetal Sentinels kept a cautious distance from Argrave¡¯s group. The hostility was all but tangible between them.


    ¡°This ce isrgely safe. I can¡¯t be sure there aren¡¯t some creatures roaming about within¡ªthis ce is a Menagerie after all,¡± Argrave said, paying little attention to the tense atmosphere. ¡°But that iron door right there can surely hold back any Guardians. Even if they¡¯re smart enough to try the turn wheel, it¡¯s an easy enough task to keep the gate from moving.¡±


    ¡°So <em>these </em>are my descendants?¡± the head, still on its stake, spoke from Anneliese¡¯s hands. ¡°What do they call themselves?¡±


    Ossian looked to Anneliese, who held the head.


    ¡°The Stonepetal Sentinels,¡± Anneliese answered.


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s rich,¡± the head said amusedly. ¡°I remember them. They were the border guard for the northern part of the Low Way¡ªconsidering it was Vasquer territory and safe as a chick in a coop, it was where they sent the rejects and useless ones.¡±


    Ossian¡¯s head turned back to Argrave, some of his men bristling behind him. ¡°What is that thing? Why is it alive?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not alive, technically,¡± Argrave said. ¡°It¡¯s¡ª¡±


    ¡°I am Garm, youngest ever High Wizard of the Order of the Rose,¡± he introduced himself loudly. ¡°Now, I am a head on a wooden stake.¡±


    Argrave nodded, stepping up to Anneliese. ¡°Adapting awfully quickly, I see.¡±


    ¡°I have to,¡± Garm said, raising his eyes to look at Argrave. ¡°Considering how long I was in there, youring is the only opportunity I might get to escape this ce. I have to be adaptable. Can¡¯t exactly walk, in case you haven¡¯t noticed. Can¡¯t even point a hand to emphasize that.¡±


    Argrave pursed his lips, thinking. ¡°Garm¡­¡± he set his hand on Garm¡¯s brown hair, turning back to Ossian, ¡°¡­is our key into the lower levels of the headquarters¡ªand in turn, where all of the vampires reside. He can get us into the inner levels of the headquarters, where actual members of the Order of the Rose reside.¡±


    Garm looked very annoyed at Argrave¡¯s touch but could not exactly shake his hand off.


    All of the Sentinels stood near the iron gate, facing Argrave and the three of them. Recognizing the rising tension, Argrave took his hand off Garm and faced them. They were greatly outnumbered, but Argrave did not feel fear. Even still, he kept the B-rank warding enchantment in his ring at the ready and kept the spellcasters in his vision.


    ¡°Tell me,¡± Argrave stepped forward. ¡°Which way is the wind going to blow? Even if you¡¯ve agreed toe here, now that we¡¯re standing in front of each other, a lot of things must be running through your head.¡±


    ¡°You tell me, mind-reader,¡± Ossian crossed his arms.


    Argrave nodded at the jab, thinking his next words very carefully. ¡°What¡¯s transpired between us¡­ I can say I never wanted it to happen, that I have nothing but respect for you¡­ and you might believe me. Might not,¡± Argrave reasoned. ¡°But I can say for sure that neither of us really want to fight right now. Coming to swords in a ce like the Low Way¡­ it¡¯s one of the Stonepetal Sentinels least favorite things, if I know your group well enough. Why?¡±


    Ossian said nothing, so Argrave continued.


    ¡°It¡¯s because down here, the true enemy¡ªthe enemy to us all¡ªis the Low Way itself.¡± Argrave pointed to the floor. ¡°Disunity ends in death. A group divided is easy prey to a predator.¡±


    ¡°You aren¡¯t part of our unit,¡± a female spellcaster said. ¡°You are the enemy.¡±


    ¡°Can nothing be put to bed? Had I not done what I did, I¡¯d be dead, or worse yet, bound in chains while your people did¡­¡± Argrave threw up his hands. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯d have done. I can say for certain I probably wouldn¡¯t have liked it.¡±


    ¡°You were suspicious,¡± Ossian said back. ¡°You knew too much about things. You travel with elves.¡±


    ¡°That excuses things?¡± Argrave questioned.


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t my call,¡± Ossian retorted back. ¡°sdair did it, without seeking approval from the other Master Sentinels.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t bring you here to cast me, to point fingers. The whole situation was just an unfortunate tragedy, and one I¡¯d prefer never happened. But you¡¯re here now. I didn¡¯t set a trap. I let you into this ce that has food for weeks, a ce that¡¯spletely safe from the Guardians outside¡­ lot of big risks on my part. We¡¯re only three,¡± Argrave waved between everyone in his group.


    ¡°I¡¯m not a person, you see,¡± Garm added. ¡°I don¡¯t count.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not,¡± Argrave agreed, deting the head¡¯s sarcasm. ¡°I won¡¯t act like I came here for some sightseeing or another such benign reason. I have a purpose. You know that purpose¡ªthe Unsullied Knife. That said, we can help each other.¡±


    Ossian stared up at Argrave, unblinking. Eventually, he turned his head away. ¡°I have to confer with my people. Give me some time.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Argrave agreed, though he did not feel entirelyfortable doing so. Persuading Ossian would be much simpler than winning the entire group over to his side, and he wasn¡¯t certain things would go in his favor after their conference.


    Anneliese, Gmon, and Argrave put some distance between them and the group of Stonepetal Sentinels. Once they were far enough way not to be overheard, Argrave spoke.


    ¡°Garm,¡± Argrave said. ¡°You said you were a High Wizard once, right?¡±


    ¡°Indeed. Youngest in history. Promising future,¡± he said. ¡°Jealousy put an end to that¡­ a tragic tale of woe, dating¡ª¡±


    Argrave interrupted, ¡°Can you discern how much magic their spellcasters have?¡±


    Garm didn¡¯t miss a beat in answering. ¡°They have one B-rank, at best. The rest are all nothing.¡±


    Argrave looked down at Garm. ¡°¡¯Nothing¡¯ to you might be ¡®something¡¯ to me.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ the other three are probably C-rank. Mid, I¡¯d suppose.¡± Silence stretched out, and Garm examined the other group. ¡°The Stonepetal Sentinels¡ªonce vagabonds andckwits, now forming thest bastion of the Order¡­ they¡¯re a dim vestige of even dimmer glory. What a sadmentary.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°I think I can deal with them, should ite to that.¡±


    Saying that dredged up some ufortable nervousness. It would be stranger if he was eager to fight them, he supposed, but he did not enjoy the feeling.


    After a long time of uneasiness, Ossian broke off from the group, walking up to Argrave. ¡°We can agree to cease hostilities, at least until this horde is gone.¡± Ossian nced back to his group. ¡°As for cooperating further¡­ I think we¡¯ll need more time to decide that. That said, most of us are tired. We¡¯d like to set up camp.¡±


    ¡°Sure. Not like I own the floor,¡± Argrave shrugged, then pointed to a rtively t spot. ¡°The entrance is probably best. This ce¡­ was a Menagerie, once. Some creatures roam deeper in. We didn¡¯t encounter any, but¡ª¡±


    ¡°Spare me the advice,¡± Ossian held out a gauntleted hand. ¡°We¡¯ll decide on our own where to sleep.¡±


    Facing such a distinct reminder of theck of trust between the two of them, Argrave said nothing for a time. ¡°Alright. Sleep well, I guess. The berries are edible.¡± Argrave pointed to a tree. ¡°I can eat some first, if you don¡¯t trust me.¡±


    Ossian turned and walked away, leaving Argrave feeling dissatisfied and uneasy.

 Chapter 95: Moving Hearts of Stone

    Chapter 95: Moving Hearts of Stone


    The first day of cohabitation with the Stonepetal Sentinels proved to be tense.


    The horde of Guardians of the Low Way reached the great iron door, eventually¡ªthe sounds of their bodies and metal weapons bumping up against the gate and testing it echoed throughout the Menagerie, adding to the grimness of the ce a great deal. Gmon had wedged arge rock beneath the turn wheel, preventing it from turning to allow entry. Even still, the creatures tested it, obviously aware that it was the mechanism to open the door¡ªthat alone was terrifying enough.


    Argrave had wished to spend the time endearing some of the Sentinels to himself, but that proved a difficult task. The Sentinels were very clearly wary of him and hispanions, and that alone established a strong obstacle in obtaining something important in conversation¡ªnaturalness.


    If he approached them in the heart of their camp and ttered them or otherwise tried to sway them, his intent would be obvious and the opposite effect would be achieved. Argrave believed that though people might say they don¡¯t like brown-nosers, that isn¡¯t necessarily true¡ªthey just don¡¯t like overt, shameless ttery, especially when the intent behind it is obviously selfish.


    Bearing that in mind, Argrave gave the Stonepetal Sentinels and Ossian ample space. He could not deny the powerlessness he felt in this situation was extremely nerve-wracking, but he was confident in his assessment that any attempt to persuade them might be an active detriment. Argrave and hispanions were outsiders and murderers, in their eyes¡ªhe did not wish to mark himself as two-faced to boot.


    <em>Even still¡­</em> Argrave tapped his boot against the ground rapidly, sitting at attention on arge root of a crimson-leaved tree. ¡°Hate sitting around like this.¡± Anneliese lifted her head from her book at Argrave¡¯s words. ¡°We¡¯re wasting time sitting about for some people that might be our enemies. What a terrible situation.¡±


    ¡°Mmm, yes,¡± Garm agreed, standing upright on his stake jammed in the ground a fair distance away. ¡°At least you have the luxury of standing. Of sitting, even. I can do neither. I just have to wait for someone to pick me up, carry me about, like some kind of¡­ man-baby. An intelligent mind trapped in a useless husk.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps you will grow to be ambtory, too, like a baby,¡± Argrave said as he caressed his forehead to dispel a headache. ¡°Just don¡¯t like being on other¡¯s time.¡±


    ¡°The Sentinels are weary. Even if they intended to support us, they would need to rest today. They experienced the same journey we endured, and some of them spent the night on watch,¡± Anneliese turned her gaze towards their camp.


    ¡°Today?¡± Argrave repeated that word. ¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s night or day. I certainly can¡¯t sleep, not with all these people nearby¡­ and that banging,¡± Argrave gestured towards the door. ¡°Nothing can ever go smoothly, can it?¡±


    ¡°The vampires are as trapped as we are. The Guardians are enemies to all, not just us. It would not surprise me if the vampires orchestrated this, in some attempt to clear their hunting grounds of enemies,¡± Anneliese outlined, her calmness returned in the rtive quietude and safety of the Menagerie.


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Argrave shrugged and shook his head. He felt something in his chest and coughed harshly, spitting out an unpleasant glob of what looked to be snot off to the side. Argrave grimaced and turned away quickly, but then froze.


    ¡°They are trapped,¡± Argrave said out loud, looking to Anneliese. ¡°Locked tight. They fight with the Guardians, just as we do,¡± he said slowly, as if in revtion.


    ¡°What are you thinking?¡± asked Anneliese, shutting her book.


    ¡°I¡¯m thinking¡­ I have an excuse to talk to Ossian.¡± Argrave stood. ¡°And I think I have a way to turn this curse outside our door into a blessing. And it may just be the defining point I need to win the Sentinels over to my side. Allow me to exin,¡± Argrave beckoned Gmon and Anneliese closer.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    #####


    ¡°You wanted to speak to me?¡± said Ossian, his hands held on his hips. He was not alone, but he was present, and that was enough for him. To be fair, Argrave was not alone, either¡ªAnneliese and Gmon were just behind him, the former holding Garm. Argrave might¡¯ve left Garm back at their camp, but he didn¡¯t trust one of the Sentinels wouldn¡¯t meddle with him as he rested there. Though the severed head wasn¡¯t defenseless, it was better safe than sorry.


    ¡°I did,¡± said Argrave, some of his confident spark returned to his voice. For the first time in a while, he felt that things were going right.


    ¡°So?¡± Ossian held his arms out. ¡°Speak, then.¡±


    Argrave was somewhat dissatisfied by the brusque tone, but he began unaffected, ¡°I¡¯ve been doing some thinking. Themon problem that unites us, right now, is the mass of Guardians just outside our door.¡±


    ¡°And this revtion is what you call ¡®some thinking?¡¯¡± Ossian said drolly. ¡°I trust that¡¯s not all.¡±


    ¡°Peripherally, though, we both want to deal with the vampires,¡± Argrave carried on as though Ossian had not spoken at all. ¡°And I¡¯ve been thinking, you see, that the two would be best pitted against each other,¡± Argrave said with a smile.


    Ossian said nothing, so Argraveunched into an exnation.


    ¡°I have in my possession what the Sentinels havecked for centuries¡ªa key into the lower levels of the headquarters,¡± Argrave pointed to Garm. ¡°The vampires think that they¡¯re safe in the lower levels, because they¡¯re tightly warded by enchanted doors. I say we set the horde of Guardians against them. I say we open the doors to the lower levels and leave them open. We let the Guardians rush in, tear them apart.¡±


    ¡°And how do you suppose that¡¯s possible?¡±


    ¡°The only issue in this n is that we would need to leave safety,¡± Argrave said. ¡°I¡¯m not suggesting that you guys go and do everything for me. I¡¯d lead the charge outside, have no fear.¡±


    ¡°Lead us into a trap, more like,¡± a Sentinel at Ossian¡¯s side spoke.


    ¡°You have an awfully high opinion of my capability,¡± Argrave noted amusedly. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m the master of the Low Way, capable of setting traps in every corner of this ce to lure the unwitting paragons of justice like yourself to early graves,¡± Argrave waved his hands about with grandiose sarcasm.


    Ossian sighed and shook his head. ¡°Traps don¡¯t need to be set by yourself. The point is¡ª¡±


    ¡°Listen,¡± Argrave interrupted. ¡°You don¡¯t agree, I go alone. Simple as.¡± Argrave shrugged. ¡°I hope you¡¯re honorable enough, at least, to open the gate for our return.¡±


    ¡°Hah. That would be worth watching, if only for the spectacle of your inevitable death,¡± the same Sentinel beside Ossianmented.


    Argrave pushed his tongue against his cheek, frustrated by their obstinance. ¡°The only reason I let you inside my little sanctuary here was because I was confident I could defend against all of you. A B-rank mage, a couple of C-ranks¡­¡± Argrave pointed them out, remembering Garm¡¯s insights. ¡°I¡¯ve got my own bag of tricks. Be it all twenty of you, or that horde banging on the door¡­ I can handle it,¡± he said calmly, careful to make his words sound like stated fact more than bravado.


    Ossian snorted in disbelief but did not rise to challenge the statement. ¡°If you¡¯re willing toe with, I don¡¯t see the problem with this idea of yours. The problem lies in that thing your menial is holding,¡± Ossian pointed. ¡°You say it opens the lower levels, yet I¡¯ve never seen that.¡±


    ¡°A fair point,¡± Argrave admitted begrudgingly.


    ¡°To hell it is,¡± Garm snarled out. Argrave stepped aside, giving the floor to the severed head. ¡°Listen here, mutt descendent of mine,¡± he ranted. ¡°The doors to the lower levels of the headquarters only open to a magic signature registered with the Order of the Rose. Those vampires, blooppers and bastards though they may be, are indeed members of the Order of the Rose. They¡¯re mere apprentices, but they have ess to the basic level.


    ¡°I, too, am a true scion of the Rose,¡± Garm continued. ¡°The doors will open for me. If you doubt me¡­¡± Garm¡¯s eyes opened and glowed, and then a burst of me shot out towards Ossian. The Master Sentinel leapt back warily, but the mes stopped short of where he had been standing.


    ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± Garm finished conclusively.


    Argrave enjoyed the silence that followed, but the entire camp of Sentinels now watched their conversation warily. Argrave stepped forward, walking up to Ossian once more.


    ¡°Not sure if that suffices. Maybe you can quiz him on some things only a member of the Order of the Rose would know,¡± Argrave suggested in jest.


    ¡°That thing should be put down,¡± one of the Sentinels pointed at Garm. ¡°Sentient or not, it can¡¯t be controlled, obviously.¡±


    ¡°Like how you tried to put me down, because I couldn¡¯t be controlled?¡± Argrave questioned. ¡°I don¡¯t understand why you feel the need for absolute control.¡±


    ¡°Confine you, not put you down,¡± Ossian corrected again, teeth clenched tight in irritation.


    ¡°The point stands,¡± Argrave shrugged. ¡°Don¡¯t get all pissy with me. I keep trying to help you, and you keep spurning me. We¡¯re at a crossroads, the way I see it. Distrust me, and continue fading as you are,¡± Argrave pointed to them as he said so. ¡°Trust me, and prosper once more, eliminating the biggest obstacle to your progress into the Low Way.¡±


    Ossian turned away, lost in thought.


    #####


    Gmon turned the turn wheel for the gate to the Menagerie, raising it upwards just slightly. Ossian crouched low, peering beyond into the darkness appearing in the door¡¯s small crack. Their entire party was silent, everyone listening carefully. Argrave had a spell at the forefront of his mind, ready to conjure [Skysunder] at a moment¡¯s notice to st away any two-armed creatures that came scuttling beneath the iron gate.


    Ossian held his arm out to stop people from advancing further, then held up two fingers. Argrave looked to Gmon, and surprisingly, the vampire nodded, confirming the Sentinel¡¯s sense. His observation did not have much time to be doubted, though¡ªa hand shot out, grabbing the gate and trying to force it open.


    The creature raised the door slightly, allowing sufficient time for another Guardian to slip through. Each of its eight ck eyes darted around independently, looking for a target, before locking on the closest¨C Ossian. The Master Sentinel stepped back, drawing his sword as he rose to his feet in one fluent motion. Argrave elected not to cast, considering the sheer bulk of people nearby who could do the task without magic.


    The creature swung its arm, and a il attached to its hand whistled through the air. Ossian nimbly dodged with a backstep, then ced his foot on the il¡¯s chain once it impacted with the ground. Another Sentinel stepped forward, stabbing the creature with a short spear. It grabbed at the spear for a moment before sagging limp with a soundless death. The hand holding the gate struggled to win against Gmon, who held the turn wheel patiently and kept the door suspended.


    Ossian crouched and kicked the creature holding the door, then stood. Argrave heard the creature¡¯s hands pping against the ground as it fled. Ossian waited for a time, then said to Gmon, ¡°We can open it all the way. We waited for their numbers near the door to thin, and we were right to do so. None are near.¡±


    After Argrave nodded to confirm Ossian¡¯s order, Gmon raised the gate up.


    ¡°Right. Down the stairs, through the central hallway, then down the stairs to the right,¡± Argrave outlined aloud, mostly for himself.


    ¡°You¡¯ve said that plenty,¡± Garm noted from Anneliese¡¯s hand. She held the head like a staff, though it was much too short to meet the ground.


    ¡°You said you¡¯d lead the charge,¡± Ossian turned back to Argrave.


    One of the spellcasters stepped forward, conjuring a ball of light that illuminated much of the room. At once, Guardians on the walls and railings turned their heads, eyes locking onto their party.


    ¡°¡­so lead quickly,¡± Ossian finished.


    Argrave took a deep breath. Gmon stepped up beside Argrave, grabbing his shoulder.


    ¡°Be calm,¡± he soothed. His deep, grating voice did not make it especially so.


    ¡°Easy to suggest, hard to enact,¡± Argrave muttered. After another breath, he stepped out into the central lobby of the headquarters, a thousand ck eyes watching him from every corner of the room.

 Chapter 96: Death in his Breath

    Chapter 96: Death in his Breath


    Ossian and Argrave did not enter the headquarters of the Order of the Rose without proper nning. What they intended to do was already established long beforehand, both offering some contributions based on experience.


    For Ossian¡¯s part, he knew how the Guardians would attack. They had all the reckless abandon of a locust gue¡ªthey had numbers, and knew well how to take advantage of them. Despite this, they were not unintelligent in their attacks. They had weapons bolted to the backs of their hands, and they knew how to use them effectively. They would lurk in corners or hang off ledges, waiting for an opportunity to capitalize on a mistake or simply surprise an unwitting wanderer.


    Argrave knew simply that being encircled would be the least ideal situation, and the rough path that they needed to take. Beyond that, he left the strategizing to Ossian. The man waspetent, and he could be trusted to see their n to fruition despite hisck of trust in them.


    The key in this situation was simply this¡ªa burst forth. They would need to move quickly, never allowing the creatures to obtain an advantageous position.


    Argrave took the first step forward, Gmon just beside him, sandwiched between him and Anneliese. They moved in a steady jog, heading across the balcony of the second floor that overlooked the central lobby towards the stairs. The spellcasters working with the Sentinels strove to light the ce as best they could, uncaring about the attention attracted¡ªthey wanted to attract attention, at least somewhat.


    Gmon served as the protector, warding off stray attacks from Guardians lurking in ces unseen. Anneliese and Argrave served as the wedge to open a gap. Whenever a group of Guardians would block their advance, they would need to use magic to dispel them forcibly. Despite their fierceness, the Guardians were lightpared to humans¡ªa sufficiently powerful spell would knock them away. Fire, lightning, and wind elemental magic danced through the air, sending the creatures flying.


    Their initial rush from the Menagerie to the stairs proved to be no issue. Yet as the sounds of the elements echoed out across the stone building, fell noises returned¡ªmetal grating against stone, flesh pping against the ground¡­ all signs the Guardians heard their advance and already moved to stop it.


    Progress slowed at the stairs. The Guardians climbed up the side, thrusting at the three of them through the railings like wolves nipping at the heels as a pack. The Sentinels, though, moved forward with unity, pushing back against the tide that rose up the stairs. With their parties grouped closer together, Argrave proceeded further once again, careful not to stumble on the stairs.


    Once Argrave¡¯s feet stepped off the stairs and met the ground floor, he thought the anxiety might be relieved somewhat¡­ but looking out across the room only stoked his unease ever higher. Despite the haste Argrave had endeavored to achieve, the creatures already pooled in the central lobby. Gleaming ck and gold eyes moved towards them, so numerous they were uncountable.


    ¡°Gods be damned,¡± Ossian cursed, stepping up beside Argrave. ¡°There¡¯s too many. Cut our losses¡ªwe return to the Menagerie.¡±


    ¡°Fuck that,¡± Argrave disagreed, panic making his tongue crasser than normal. ¡°I¡¯ll carve a path.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Ossian said in disbelief.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t want to use this at all,¡± Argrave shook his head. He gestured his hand backwards. ¡°Don¡¯t send anyone forward.¡±


    Argrave triggered the Blessing of Supersession. It felt as though his whole being was being flooded, magic welling up from his chest like a spring freed from the rocks. Erratic thoughts about preserving his magic and minimizing his debt vanished to the wind, whisked away by the tornado of panic disturbing his guts. He stepped past Anneliese and Gmon, conjuring a B-rank ward with his enchanted ring to protect them from errant magic. With the central hallway in the distance in his mind, he held his hands out, spell matrixes forming.


    White lightning, fiery wolves, spears of ice, and des of pressurized wind danced out across the central lobby, sending debris and flesh every which way. The entire ce became awash with spell light. The sheer sound, sight, and smell of it all consumed Argrave¡¯s senses until nothing else upied his thoughts. He sought out the creature¡¯s ck eyes as his targets, conjuring spells as an indiscriminate butcher. The sheer sense of power he felt in that momentbatted his anxiety, crushing it utterly.


    He could feel the heat before him, as though he were standing before a st furnace with hands outstretched. Every bolt of lightning that sounded out resounded in his chest like a giant drum. Spears of ice hurtled forth, meeting flesh or stone and shattering into a fine blue mist. The wind cut all it moved past, setting anything loose within the room in motion.


    It was only once he felt a hand on his shoulder did Argrave remember himself. His ears rung, and he turned to see Anneliese mouthing words. As the ringing faded, he made sense of her words.


    ¡°¡­over. We have a path, Argrave.¡±


    Argrave nodded, shaking. ¡°Yeah. Yeah, right. Let¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°What in the gods¡¯ name are you?¡± Ossian spoke, looking out across the carnage.


    Argrave clenched his fists, feeling the leather gloves soaked in sweat tight in his grip. He slowly gathered himself as the feeling of invincibility began to fade. <em>If these are C-rank spells¡­ the carnage I could wreak at A-rank? </em>He briefly thought. Not even a minute had passed, and yet he had achieved this.


    Realizing he left Ossian unanswered, he quickly said, ¡°What am I? I¡¯m just in a hurry. Let¡¯s go, before more take their ce. They are legion, after all.¡±


    Argrave stepped out into the central lobby, passing the sight of carnage. A strange quiet had settled over the ce. As he stepped into the sight of his attacks, he felt the damage he¡¯d caused directly¡ªthe heat beneath his feet, the icy mist in the air, the still-spasming Guardians writhing with electricity¡­


    The Blessing of Supersession lent Argrave¡¯s advance a sense of urgency. He was the first to rush into the central hall. Before long he was joined by Gmon and Anneliese, who kept up easily on ount of being more athletic than he was. Some Guardians stopped their advance. Argrave dispatched them, using the C-rank lightning spell [Skysunder] with reckless abandon, uncaring of how deep he grew in debt to Erlebnis.


    They reached the stairway that led down, and Argrave caught the wall just before it, pausing to catch his breath.


    ¡°Chest feels tight¡­ think my cardio got worse, actually,¡± he huffed. He looked back, watching the armored Sentinels still rush to catch up to them. ¡°Alright, Garm. If this doesn¡¯t work¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t let the thought enter your head,¡± Garm assured, breaking his silence from his ce in Anneliese¡¯s hands. Anneliese took the first few steps down the stairs. Argrave followed just behind, where ahead, he saw a stone door that shimmered with lights. It was circr and had no handles.


    ¡°You¡­ have done your task,¡± Garm said as Anneliese stepped to the door. ¡°I will do mine. Your presence, now, is¡­ well, overpowering. The magic within you¡­¡± it muttered. ¡°I can hardly bear to look at you. Just press my head to the door, sweetie,¡± he spoke to Anneliese.


    Anneliese did so. At once, a ck, flower-like pattern bloomed across the door. It slid to the side. Someone had been leaning against the other side, and they fell backwards. Gmon mercilessly dispatched the vampire before he had a chance to recover. He looked beyond, watching for more enemies.


    Ossian stepped down the stairs, leading the other Stonepetal Sentinels. ¡°Gods¡­ it opened. The lower levels¡­I can¡¯t believe¡­¡± he trailed off.


    ¡°You can¡¯t believe, yet you came with us?¡± Garm questioned.


    ¡°We can celebrate at ater date. Did you forget the next part?¡± Argrave pressed, almost having recovered his breath. His inhtions still felt shallow, and he felt some measure of pain. He knew something was wrong but did not have time to address it.


    ¡°Right.¡± Ossian directed one of the spellcasters with his hand. The woman stepped forth, conjuring something, and a hunk of stone moved to block the door from sliding back in ce. It would likely not be sufficient for long term, but it was only to prevent the door from moving long enough to allow the Guardians to enter.


    Ossian stepped back up the stairs, watching the hallway beyond. ¡°Plenty of Guardiansing, following the noise. We enter, lead them in, and go to this other exit you talked about.¡±


    ¡°Watch for falling vampires,¡± Argrave said glibly to disguise his own unease, then stepped into the lower levels of the headquarters of the Order of the Rose.


    The lower levels had the same darknessmon on the entry floor, yet here was different in a way Argrave found difficult to wrap his head around. Rather than simply being dark, it felt like light had not touched this ce in a long while. It was mostly free of dust and dirt and had the same borate carvings as in this first floor. The hallway stretched on for a long time. Argrave hurried down it as fast as hisbored body would allow.


    Eventually, the hallway opened up into an open space. The room was massive, its ceiling stretching high into the air. It seemed split into halves¡ªthe front room was an administrative center, housing desks and reception areas that had long ago been repurposed to the vampire¡¯s needs. The other half was blocked off by thick iron bars, and housed a grand library still illuminated by light even after the centuries since the Order¡¯s fall.


    ¡°S-SENTINELS!¡± a shout echoed out across the room, abject terror in the voice unbefitting the vampire which it came from.


    ¡°Go left. Ward off attacks¡ªonce the Guardians get in, they¡¯ll screen our escape, more or less,¡± Argrave said to Ossian. Despite his position as the Master Sentinel of the group, he did not object to Argrave¡¯s directive, nodding in quiet agreement.


    They went left. The vampire¡¯s home soon became a veritable hive of activity as the things moved to tackle the situation. Shouts simr to the one that first echoed out filled the ce as people adapted to the unforeseen urrence. Though some vampires tried to stop them from proceeding or generally assault them, the attacks were easily enough repelled.


    Argrave dared a nce backwards once they were sufficiently far from where they¡¯d first entered. He saw the first of the Guardians enter the lower levels. True to Argrave¡¯s prediction, they started to flood in great numbers, quickly emerging from the hallway. The vampires that had moved to deal with the Sentinels and Argrave¡¯s party were quickly confronted by a wave of Guardians.


    Argrave whipped his head back ahead,ughing slightly. He held a hand to his chest once the pain he¡¯d felt earlier reignited. Ahead, there was another hallway.


    ¡°This is the other exit,¡± Argrave wheezed out.


    ¡°What?¡± Ossian said, having not heard him.


    ¡°The exit¡¯s there,¡± Gmon finished for Argrave.


    Some joy seeped into Ossian¡¯s tone as he said, ¡°Gods¡­ this¡­ this is an unparalleled¡­¡±


    Argrave broke away from the group, putting his hand against the wall to support himself. He coughed, each one setting the pain in his chest afire. At the final cough, he felt the tang of iron in his mouth, and he spat out blood. Argrave stared at the redness nkly, still short of breath.


    Gmon grabbed Argrave¡¯s arm. ¡°Veid¡­¡± he cursed. ¡°Don¡¯t have time for this. I¡¯ll carry you.¡±


    Argravecked the breath to protest as Gmon sheathed his sword and lifted Argrave, throwing him over his shoulder. Ossian paused, looking back.


    ¡°What is he¡­?¡±


    ¡°Just move,¡± Gmon pointed ahead. ¡°Considering all he¡¯s done, it¡¯s only fair you take the bulk of the burden in the escape.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Ossian looked at Argrave, then nodded, moving ahead. They entered into the hallway, where a circr stone door identical in appearance to the one they¡¯d entered through waited. Anneliese stepped past the Sentinels, opening the door with Garm once more. Beyond, the hallwayy empty.


    ¡°Alright. Things seem calm¡ªthe bulk of the Guardians followed us. They¡¯ll be dealing with the vampires,¡± Ossian narrated. ¡°We just head back into the Menagerie.¡±

 Chapter 97: Selling Air

    Chapter 97: Selling Air


    Gmon set Argrave up against the wall, while the Sentinels behind them lowered the iron gate to the Menagerie. It copsed against the stone, letting out a puff of dust that expanded out across the empty space. Everyone breathed heavily, catching their breath, yet above it all was a short, shallow breathing¡ªArgrave¡¯s.


    Gmon knelt by Argrave. ¡°You have a fever. I can smell the blood on your breath even still, along with¡­ rot. An infection.¡±


    Argrave touched his chest, saying nothing. His chest felt painfully tight, and he couldn¡¯t inhale as much as he normally could. On the bright side, his enchanted leather gear had made Gmon¡¯s pauldrons dig into his ribs less.


    Ossian stepped forward, standing just before Argrave¡¯s foot. ¡°I thought you were experiencing some rebound from that disy of magic you pulled out earlier, but it seems I was wrong.¡±


    Argrave coughed a few times. ¡°It¡¯s gotta be¡­ pneumonia¡­ though that¡¯s a symptom, not the illness¡­ or is it a¡­? Can¡¯t remember what it¡­ is,¡± Argrave shook his head, then touched his chest. ¡°Pain¡¯s subsiding a bit.¡±


    ¡°Pneumonia?¡± Ossian repeated. ¡°I don¡¯t know about that. I know what you have, though. We call it Redlung¡ªit¡¯s caused by some of the nts in Nodremaid, though it doesn¡¯t bother most people this severely. Coughing blood, pus, trouble breathing¡­ I suspect the physical strain made it worse in this case. It affects mostly children or the elderly.¡± Ossian fixed some of his matted dark hair, having recently removed his helmet. ¡°This case¡­ it¡¯s quite severe. Probably fatal.¡±


    ¡°Do you know how to treat it?¡± asked Anneliese, urgency evident in her tone. Garm stayed silent in her hands.


    Ossian nodded. ¡°The B-rank healing spell [Cure Disease] suffices.¡±


    ¡°And you have a B-rank mage,¡± Anneliese pointed at the woman in question. ¡°If this is somon an issue, surely she knows the spell¡­¡±


    ¡°She does,¡± Ossian confirmed with a nod. He ced his hands on his hip, moving his sword further back on his belt.


    None made any moves, standing around Argrave in silence. Anneliese pointed to the woman once more and said, ¡°So, why are we letting him stay like this? Please, treat him!¡±


    Ossian pursed his lips and stepped away from Argrave. ¡°I can have him treated¡­ but I have some conditions.¡± He turned his head back.


    Argrave lifted his head up. ¡°Oh, yeah?¡± he asked, some vigor returned to him. ¡°Go on, then.¡±


    ¡°You would have to surrender that thing,¡± Ossian pointed to Garm. ¡°And moreover, you would have to submit yourself to the Stonepetal Sentinels for judgement. We would give you safe passage back to the surface¡­ and use your deeds in revealing the vampire¡¯s location to us in this judgement,¡± he said enthusiastically, as though lightening the blow of his words by pointing to a bright side.


    ¡°We would keep you under¡­ house arrest, I suppose¡ªnot a prisoner, but a detainee. Thereafter, the three of you would be presided over by a council of all the Master Sentinels.¡±


    Argrave started tough. It broke off into a wet cough. After, he looked up grinning, blood on his teeth. ¡°Can hear the gratitude in your voice. Real heartwarming.¡±


    ¡°I would speak for you. I¡¯m sure most of the other people here with me today would, as well,¡± Ossian waved around, and his words were met with some nods¡ªthey didn¡¯t seem overly enthusiastic, though. ¡°In the Sentinels, though, there are rules and orders that have to be followed, even by me. I can¡¯t simply give you favors for the sake of them.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a bastard¡­ after my own heart, heh,¡± Argrave chuckled briefly. ¡°Let¡¯s say, for the sake of argument, I don¡¯t want to be held in judgement by people who hate me. What would happen then?¡±


    Ossian shifted on his feet. ¡°¡­I would leave you untreated and return to the Sentinels. That¡¯s going to happen very shortly regardless of your choice. Though the Guardians collided with the vampires, this is an advantage that needs to be pressed. I¡¯m going to return to the entrance of the Low Way and gather more of my brothers to finally wipe the vampire menace out of the Low Way¡ªuproot thempletely.¡±


    ¡°Ossian¡­ just leave him?¡± another Sentinel asked, stepping forth. ¡°That¡¯s not right. We have them here¡ªwe outnumber them.¡±


    Gmon stood up, stepping forth until his towering presence was made known. ¡°Try,¡± he said simply. ¡°After some of what you cretins have said, I¡¯d relish the chance to prove why your numbers mean nothing.¡±


    ¡°Easy, now,¡± Ossian said, holding his hand out. ¡°And you¡ª¡± he turned back to the Sentinel that had spoken. ¡°Attack Argrave or hispanions, I¡¯ll kill you myself. Let¡¯s not escte things without reason. I¡¯ve made my stance known. Wouldn¡¯t sit right with me, returning help with hostility.¡±


    ¡°Girl,¡± Garm whispered. Anneliese, expression worried, looked down at Garm. ¡°I would speak to you. Privately.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± she questioned, then stared at Garm¡¯s face. He stared back at her, unspeaking. After a time, she nodded, and stepped away.


    #####


    Behind, the conversation continued tensely while Anneliese walked to a distance, nting Garm down in the ground. She was not eager to leave behind the two of them in front of the Sentinels, but she was rtively confident things were not yet at the point ofing to blows, simply judging from the states of the Sentinels.


    ¡°You¡¯re a snow elf, aren¡¯t you?¡± asked Garm, staring up at her.


    ¡°A Veidimen,¡± she corrected. ¡°¡¯Snow elf¡¯ is what humans call us.¡±


    ¡°And your traditions¡ªhonor, contracts, loyalty¡ªthey remain intact? Unchanged?¡±


    Anneliese nodded. ¡°They do. I still follow them.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± Garm looked satisfied, though he was unable to nod. ¡°I¡¯ve been watching you. Watching all of you. I¡¯m not ignorant of my position. I¡¯m a tool¡ªa useful one, but one that each and every one of you is willing and able to discard. What happens to me is beyond my hands¡­ not that I have them, anyway.¡± He closed his eyes. ¡°That B-rank spell book you¡¯ve been reading in the camp¡­ it¡¯s the tome for that spell they mentioned. [Cure Disease].¡±


    Anneliese crossed her arms, saying nothing. After a time, she nodded. ¡°It was. I thought something like this might happen¡­ only¡­ it doesn¡¯t matter,¡± she shook her head in defeat. ¡°I wasn¡¯t able to learn it in time.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Garm grunted. ¡°From what I have gathered, these Stonepetal Sentinels are not on the best of terms with your group. The idea of going with them is not ideal for precisely these reasons. The way things are shaping up, your friend will die if you do not. Coughing up blood, barely able to breathe, a high fever¡­ ill omens.


    ¡°However,¡± Garm continued, ¡°These Stonepetal Sentinels, inparison to your group, are much less ideal for me. I have been in a haze for so long, my thoughts not my own, and only now have I regained them. I am not one for giving up. I am destined for greatness. I always have been,¡± Garm said with utter confidence. ¡°Were I to be surrendered to the Sentinels, I would surely perish¡­ or meet a worse fate.¡±


    ¡°Argrave is more important than you,¡± Anneliese said bluntly. ¡°If it will save his life, I am sorry, but¡ª¡±


    ¡°I know. You three have¡­ a strong bond, I think, with him at the center of things¡­ like some kind of sinewy glue. Hmm¡­ Perhaps willowy might be the better word.¡±


    ¡°What are you¡ª¡±


    ¡°However, I am a High Wizard of the Order of the Rose,¡± Garm continued loudly. ¡°I long ago mastered A-rank magic. This limited husk prohibits me from using higher-ranked spells, yet the knowledge remains.¡± Garm gazed up at Anneliese. ¡°I can help you learn this B-rank spell. I know it¡ªI¡¯ve used it. I might even use it on Argrave, had I the capability¡ªs, I am but a head on a stake, and my capabilities are miniscule inparison to what they used to be.¡±


    Anneliese took a deep breath and looked back towards the group. ¡°I understand where this is going. You mentioned contracts, loyalty, at the beginning of this. What would you expect in return?¡± she looked at him. ¡°Your freedom? Your safety?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t have freedom. Look at me,¡± Garm¡¯s eyes rolled about in his head. ¡°But yes, you are right. I want you to ensure my life. I want you to take me with you out of this hellish ce and ensure my continued existence. I was great, once. I will be great, again. I need only the opportunity.¡±


    Anneliese looked down at Garm. ¡°You merely want to travel with me?¡±


    ¡°I will ask for no more than my continued protection. I am in the position of weakness now. I have no delusions about this,¡± Garm shut his eyes. ¡°But as long as I continue to stay alive¡­ there will be an opportunity. Especially so with people as¡­ intrepid, shall we say, as you three. There wille a time when you need my knowledge once more. And then, we will strike another deal.¡±


    Anneliese took a step away, lost in thought. Garm waited patiently, staring up at her. She turned her head back. ¡°I cannot decide this alone, you realize. This is Argrave¡¯s life we speak of. I cannot be its arbiter¡ªhe must decide whether or not to risk things.¡±


    ¡°Yet you are amenable to the idea?¡± Garm raised a brow.


    ¡°I am,¡± she nodded. ¡°I am at the cusp of advancement; I am sure of it. If your help is as good as you say, I believe I can ovee the barrier to reach B-rank. But as I said¡­¡±


    ¡°Then let us bring my idea to our patient,¡± Garm said.


    #####n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Go on. Get,¡± Argrave pointed to the gate.


    As soon as Anneliese had pitched the idea to Argrave, he was more than willing to give the Sentinels the boot. Anneliese was one of the fastest-progressing spellcasters in ¡®Heroes of Berendar,¡¯ and he fully trusted her capability to reach B-rank, especially with the help of a High Wizard. Anneliese was more than a little bbergasted by his total confidence in her abilities.


    ¡°Without treatment¡­¡± Ossian cautioned, ¡°¡­I am near certain you will die. Even in the best case scenario, your lungs will suffer significant scarring, and you will never be the same again.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve got my own bag of tricks, like I told you,¡± Argrave said, still leaning on the wall. ¡°Last time I ever decide to be nice to members of a paramilitary organization. I thought you were one of the decent ones, Ossian, but you were the biggest snake in the grass.¡±


    Ossian took a deep breath and sighed, but the people behind him seemed somewhat bothered by Argrave¡¯s words. ¡°Fine. Don¡¯t understand how you can be so flippant with your own life, but¡­ I¡¯ll honor my words. You¡¯ve done a good service for the Sentinels. Even if you do not live¡­ you will be remembered.¡±


    The Stonepetal Sentinels moved to the iron gate, one of their number moving the turn wheel.


    ¡°Hah. Right,¡± Argraveughed as the gate rose. They started to move outside, one by one. Ossian was thest to leave. He gave a quiet nod to Argrave, and then the iron gate lowered once more. Gmon walked forth and wedged the rock beneath the turn wheel, ensuring it would not open again.


    ¡°Hoo¡­¡± Argrave breathed. ¡°Safety¡­ rtively speaking.¡±


    ¡°You made the right choice,¡± said Garm, stabbed into the ground some distance away. ¡°We¡¯ll have you on your feet in no time.¡±


    Argrave clenched his hands tight. ¡°Yeah. Hope so. Can barely keep my eyes open. This hit me hard.¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll prepare somethingfortable,¡± said Gmon, looking around.


    ¡°Right,¡± Argrave said idly, leaning his head against the stone. ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting.¡± His whole body felt heavy. He felt a haze growing in his brain, and he slowly surrendered to it, drifting into darkness.

 Chapter 98: No Rest for the Wicked

    Chapter 98: No Rest for the Wicked


    Argrave grabbed Anneliese¡¯s wrist weakly. ¡°When I die¡­you go see Orion. You¡¯ll need his help for the jester,¡± he mumbled. ¡°After, you should deal¡­ with the war. I think. If you like Orion, help him. If you don¡¯t, help the rebels. You¡¯re a smart¡­ cookie. You¡¯ll do it fine.¡±


    All while Argrave was talking, Anneliese was repeating his name time and time again. He didn¡¯t seem to hear it at all.


    ¡°Just remember to get Elenore on your side¡ªshe¡¯s the Bat,¡± he continued, slurring. ¡°After that¡­ the steppes. Go there. The centaurs¡­ and the elves¡­. You¡¯ve gotta deal with the malfeasance¡­ and the dryads. Side with the centaurs¡­ they¡¯re better. Cooler.¡±


    Anneliese finally shook Argrave, and his bloodshot eyes came to focus on her, open wide in surprise. ¡°Argrave. It is over. You have been treated. You are not dying.¡±


    He stared for a moment, mouth agape. He smacked his lips together, and his eyes rolled back into his head beforeing back to attention. ¡°That can¡¯t be right. I feel terrible.¡±


    ¡°Just let him be,¡± Garm spoke, causing Anneliese to turn her head back. ¡°That spell drains a lot from the one subject to the disease¡ªhe¡¯ll probably need to eat and drink a lot before he¡¯s back to working order. Even then¡­ his lungs probably have some scarring. Minor, though, and it should heal given time.¡±


    Anneliese lowered him back into the makeshift bed that Gmon had constructed. Argrave spoke, staring at Garm. ¡°What are you¡­ a doctor? An¡­ anesthesiologist?¡± he spoke the word incredibly slowly, as though he could barely remember it. Once heid back in his bed, he shifted. ¡°Shitty hospital bed¡­ I want to go home. The HOBwiki is nothing¡­ without¡­¡±


    Anneliese looked up at Gmon. ¡°What is he talking about?¡±


    ¡°Doubt anyone could answer that.¡± Gmon crossed his arms and shook his head. ¡°He¡¯s delirious. Let him be. We should prepare some easily-chewable food for him¡ªcrush those berries, dice some of our rationed meat.¡±


    Anneliese leaned away from Argrave, letting out a deep sigh of relief that caused the stress to veritably drain from her face. Her eyes were sunken and bloodshot, with deep dark bags beneath them.


    ¡°I hope you won¡¯t forget our deal, sweetie, now that your little friend isn¡¯t one toe into the grave,¡± Garm spoke from behind her.


    Anneliese¡¯s expression tensed once more, and she looked back to Garm. ¡°I will honor that arrangement. And¡­ thank you for your tutge.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t expect more¡­ unless I benefit, somehow.¡± Garm smiled. ¡°If you think that¡¯s selfish, realize you¡¯re speaking to someone worse off than a cripple.¡±


    She turned her head away and nodded, then rose to her feet. Gmon was staring at her.


    ¡°You should rest,¡± he stated. ¡°Hard to tell time here, but I estimate you¡¯ve gone two days without sleep¡­ your job is done, and now you muste back to form. I will take care of things from here. Nothing will disturb us.¡±


    ¡°But you must be near devoid of blood¡ªperhaps I should¡ª¡±


    ¡°Sleep,¡± hemanded. ¡°Do not be as bad as him about taking care of yourself.¡±


    Anneliese nodded. ¡°Wake me should anything happen. You said the Sentinels are still clearing out the lower levels of vampires¡ªan unideal time to be found here.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Gmon said. ¡°Bad for them, at least. After what we did, to be extorted like that¡­¡± Gmon clenched his fist, his gauntlets creaking against one another.


    Anneliese held a hand out. ¡°Please, do not dwell on it. Everything turned out fine.¡±


    #####


    ¡°So¡­ a talking head, huh?¡± Argrave said. His voice was hoarse and speaking still hurt. His mind had gathered somewhat¡ªenough for conversation, at the very least. ¡°Most kids bring home a pet, it¡¯s something like a dog¡­ or a cat, maybe, if you¡¯re lucky. But Anneliese¡­ a head,¡± Argrave outlined, then nodded his head as he let the words hang.


    Anneliese let out a few smallughs through her nose.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    It had taken some days for Argrave to recover enough to speak, and she seemed to be d he was back to snuff. Gmon was off collecting some of those berries from the trees. Argrave and Anneliese sat near the wall, Argrave well-supported by a bed of cloth that Gmon had foraged from the Menagerie.


    ¡°You¡¯re pondering this now?¡± shot back Garm.


    Argrave scratched his chin. ¡°Didn¡¯t really have much room for thought when the idea was pitched. Anneliese takes the next step on the path of magic, it got me out of debt to the Sentinels¡­ good enough for me.¡± Argrave frowned. ¡°How are we¡­ going to bring you anywhere? Not exactly easy luggage. You pass through any city gates, the guards won¡¯t know how much to charge for the toll. Three and a quarter? And that¡¯s assuming they let us in.¡±


    ¡°The mind makes the man. They¡¯d charge for four,¡± Garm said bitterly. ¡°Yes, very funny. Mock a head on a stake. Do you mock amputees? Cripples? The mentally deficient? Are you merely a ssless man, or has the standard of propriety in Vasquer dropped so low after my death?¡±


    Argrave was a bit taken aback, and he frowned, genuinely considering Garm¡¯s situation. After a time, Argrave looked him in the eyes and nodded. ¡°You¡¯re right. It¡¯s just¡­ so ridiculous. Impossible to even think about.¡±


    ¡°Try living it,¡± Garm said poignantly. ¡°Picture it. I can¡¯t turn my head. The only thing I can do is move what¡¯s on my face. If I think there¡¯s something behind me? All I can do is wait¡ªmaybe conjure a ward to block. Any itch, any sensation¡­ I¡¯m powerless. I have to be carried everywhere.¡±


    Argrave let his imagination wander as Garm set the scene and could not help but shudder. ¡°You¡¯re right. It¡¯s terrible,¡± Argrave raised his hands in surrender. ¡°It¡¯s just not going to be easy to bring you anywhere. I¡¯d say we pull out the stake, wrap you up in a¡­ a nket, or something, but even that¡­ what if brain falls out? Or¡­ or¡­¡± Argrave shook his head, dispelling unpleasant thoughts.


    ¡°Why is it so strange?¡± Garm questioned.


    ¡°Are you being serious?¡± Argrave asked, genuinely unsure.


    ¡°Lots of Wizards walk about with their necromantic creations. I knew this man¡­ he had¡ª¡±


    ¡°Necromancy is illegal, now,¡± Argrave said inly, finally realizing the culture gap. ¡°After the Order of the Rose fell, their creations started going out of control, and¡­ well, things have been extremely unpleasant for everyone involved. You¡¯ve seen this ce,¡± Argrave waved his hands around. ¡°Every ruin of the Order of the Rose is like this.¡±


    ¡°Everywhere?¡± Garm narrowed his eyes. ¡°That doesn¡¯t make sense. Unless they all vanished overnight, something like this¡­ makes no sense,¡± Garm repeated, bbergasted.


    Anneliese looked over at Argrave, curious for his answer. Argrave looked between them, then raised his arms up. ¡°Why are you looking at me? I don¡¯t have <em>all </em>the answers.¡±


    Garm closed his eyes, looking disappointed, and Anneliese nodded as though it was the natural course of things.


    ¡°I can tell you about thest thing that I know the Order did collectively, though,¡± Argrave said, sitting a little straighter.


    Garm opened his eyes, and Anneliese also straightened her posture, both listening intently.


    ¡°Thest recorded meeting of the Order of the Rose was called by itsst Grandmaster,¡± Argrave began. ¡°This was when the southern tribes were invading the Low Way. He called together all of the High Wizards of the Order to the Low Way, in a gathering now known as the ¡®Night of Withering.¡¯¡± Argrave¡¯s gaze switched between Anneliese and Garm.


    ¡°No one knows the purpose of the meeting, or what actually happened in it¡­ but that night, when the southern tribes made it deep into the Low Way, trying to push into Vasquer¡­ what awaited them was a river of blood. Everything in the Low Way was submerged in a great tide of blood. Some drowned¡ªothers were torn to bits in the flood, cut apart by debris carried by the tide.¡±


    ¡°Had to be something Grandmaster Astran did. He was a master of blood magic and necromancy, both,¡± Garm contributed.


    Argrave shrugged. ¡°No one knows what happened. Some people say the Grandmaster and the High Wizards both gave their flesh to wash away the invaders with blood strengthened by their own magic. Others say they were a victim of their own project and died in the flood just as the southern tribes did. But¡­ there aren¡¯t any witnesses.¡± Argrave finished.


    ¡°I¡­ can¡¯t picture the Wizards of the Order sacrificing themselves like that to stop a mere invasion,¡± Garm looked down. ¡°I don¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°We have to move again¡­ tomorrow,¡± Argrave looked to the door of the Menagerie.


    ¡°What?¡± Anneliese questioned, surprised. ¡°You are still unwell.¡±


    ¡°Gmon mentioned the Sentinels moved to clear out the vampires,¡± Argrave said, gaze distant. ¡°They can¡¯t get their hands on the Unsullied Knife. They¡¯ll take it back to their fortress. We can¡¯t hope to match them there.¡± He looked back to Anneliese. ¡°You think I want to get up and move around? I feel like death itself. This conversation¡¯s killing me, but I like talking too much.¡±


    Anneliese sighed, rubbing her forehead. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ if you think there¡¯s no other choice.¡± She shook her head. ¡°Promise me you won¡¯t overexert yourself.¡±


    ¡°I mean¡­ it¡¯s a little beyond my¡ª¡±


    ¡°Just promise,¡± she insisted.


    Argrave met her eyes. He found himself unable to say ¡®no,¡¯ and so he nodded quietly.


    ¡°I think the Sentinels and I will have to enjoy another conversation,¡± Argrave said, tightening his hand into a fist. ¡°This time, though¡­ this time, I¡¯ll be the one stepping on their neck.¡±


    #####


    ¡°Look at this,¡± sdair spread his arms out. ¡°All the knowledge of the Order of the Rose, within eyesight. The vampires stared at this for years, unable to move past¡­ unable to im it.¡± sdair reached a hand forward and tapped between the thick iron bars thrice, where the metal gauntlets met with the invisible barrier. ¡°And unable to ruin it, naturally.¡±


    ¡°The important bit is that the vampires are wiped out, don¡¯t you think? It took four days, and a lot of lives, but¡­ it¡¯s finally done, barring two or three that luckily managed to escape,¡± Ossian said, stepping up beside sdair. ¡°This victory is a lot more important than some ancient library we can¡¯t touch.¡±


    ¡°And if we could touch it?¡± sdair turned his head back.


    Ossianughed. ¡°You see, this is why I didn¡¯t want you toe. You say a bunch of stupid stuff all the time. The vampires have been here for centuries¡ªif it was as simple as that, this ce wouldn¡¯t be undisturbed as it is.¡±


    sdair inhaled sharply, then looked back to the library. ¡°Maybe so. But you did something very stupid. You left that murderer roam free. I intend to correct that.¡±


    ¡°Are you serious?¡± Ossian tilted his head. ¡°He¡¯s the reason we made it here to begin with, and you¡¯re going to ¡®correct that?¡¯¡±


    ¡°That head he has,¡± sdair looked back. ¡°If it¡¯s the key to these doors, it might be the key to this library. Argrave said the Wayward Thorns were mere Apprentices in the Order of the Rose, but that head¡­ it was a High Wizard, no? There has to be something to that. Even if it can¡¯t get rid of this barrier¡­ it definitely knows how to break it.¡±


    ¡°Gods¡­ you¡¯re being serious. The man hands us the biggest boon to our knightly order in centuries on a silver tter, and you want to make his life harder than it already is¡ªif, indeed, he¡¯s even alive?¡±


    sdair stepped up to Ossian. ¡°What happened to your bravado, Ossian? You chased after him with the intent to kill, and then you find him and make nice? If ude were here, I¡¯d petition to have you stripped of your rank.¡± He pressed a gauntleted finger against Ossian¡¯s chest.


    ¡°You do this¡ªgo to the Menagerie¡ªI won¡¯t stand for it,¡± Ossian swatted sdair¡¯s hand away. ¡°And I won¡¯t let you do it secretly during the night, either. All I did, I did for the Sentinels¡¯ honor. You, though¡­ I¡¯ve got no idea what you¡¯re thinking.¡±


    ¡°You want to start a mutiny, Ossian?¡± sdair tilted his head.


    ¡°It¡¯s no mutiny. You¡¯re not my leader,¡± Ossian said loudly and clearly. ¡°This is a joint expedition, for the purpose of wiping out the vampires. Nothing more,¡± he emphasized.


    ¡°Fes, no need to argue over me,¡± echoed out a hoarse voice.


    The two Master Sentinels turned their heads to the side, where three figures walking beneath a ball of light slowly stepped out of the darkness and into the lower levels. sdair raised his fingers to his mouth, and despite the gauntlets, sounded out a perfect whistle. At once, all of the Sentinels that had been idle came to attention, facing towards the new arrivals.


    ¡°Gods¡­ Argrave?¡± Ossian said, brows furrowed in confusion and surprise both.

 Chapter 99: Night of Withering

    Chapter 99: Night of Withering


    Argrave stared out, once again, into Nodremaid. The bleak and inconstant red lighting from the ceiling seemed a salve for the constant darkness they had been subject to inside the Menagerie. Argrave¡¯s party hade here only after Gmon had done significant scouting. Ossian had returned to the fortress in front of the Low Way some days ago, and returned with a second party, numbering near forty¡ªamongst them was sdair.


    ¡°Do you know a very interesting principle about water?¡± Argrave quizzed Anneliese, staring out into the distance.


    ¡°Could you ask a vaguer question?¡± Anneliese shot back.


    ¡°Water always runs downhill,¡± Argrave looked at Anneliese, brushing her sarcasm aside.


    ¡°¡­I think that is true of most liquids,¡± she said after a time.


    ¡°Very good,¡± Argrave turned his head away. ¡°Just checking to be sure you knew.¡±


    She breathed out lightly in some amusement, then pressed, ¡°Why are you bringing this up?¡±


    ¡°The canals,¡± Argrave raised a finger, pointing at them. ¡°They have sluices. They¡¯re part of the path that I need to take to get the Crimson Wellspring¡ªdivert the water right, you get a dry path you can take to get up to it. But then¡­ I got to thinking. We opened the lower levels, didn¡¯t we?¡±


    ¡°¡­oh,¡± she nodded, understanding things.


    ¡°These Stonepetal Sentinels¡­ they¡¯re real nasty people. I was thinking real hard, running things through my head I might say to win them over to my side¡­ and maybe I could,¡± Argrave looked up at the ceiling. ¡°But these people¡­ I think I got them wrong from the start.¡±


    ¡°How so?¡± asked Gmon.


    ¡°They¡¯re cowards,¡± Argrave said, looking at Gmon. ¡°Like you, apparently.¡±


    Gmon frowned. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean that I¡ª¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get mad,¡± Argrave looked back to the canals. ¡°I just mean¡­ they live in fear of the outside, and they live in fear of what¡¯s in here. They don¡¯t trust anything¡­ because they¡¯re scared.¡± Argrave sighed, then frowned when he felt some pain in his chest.


    ¡°Fear keeps people alive,¡± Garm rebuked.


    ¡°Just let me make my point,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°You can¡¯t reason with these people. Hardly even worth it to try. And¡­ well, I¡¯m damn tired of acting nice to people who couldn¡¯t spare but a single spell for my welfare. The scraping and the bowing, the false ttery¡­ it has its uses, but I think I¡¯ve been relying on it too much.¡±


    ¡°So you intend to flood the lower levels, kill them?¡± Anneliese asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s possible. Despite its current state, this city was well-made. Even if the canals overflow, a drainage system will correct things quickly enough.¡± Argrave looked around. ¡°I just need to¡­ well, I¡¯ve said it. I need to scare them. I know that¡¯s possible. I intend to turn their caution against them. Especially sdair¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Gmon pressed.


    ¡°That one wants to be leader of the Sentinels, no matter what. He needs a good achievement. Wiping out the vampires¡­ that was mostly Ossian¡¯s thing, and he¡¯s young and bold. I imagine sdair sees him as his chiefpetition to rece their missing leader, ude. As such¡­¡± Argrave looked at Garm. ¡°I imagine he¡¯ll want to get into the library. And quickly.¡±


    ¡°Why are you looking at me?¡± Garm asked concernedly. ¡°I can¡¯t open the library. It was well-managed by select Order members. Now that they¡¯re dead¡­ well, I can¡¯t imagine anyone can get in, unless they destroy the enchantments entirely. Near impossible to do, you know.¡±


    ¡°sdair doesn¡¯t know what you know. He probably thinks you¡¯re invaluable. If you¡¯re absent, he won¡¯t act against us as easily. He wants you above all, I suspect. You¡¯re another card in my hand,¡± he gestured towards Garm.


    ¡°I want a royal flush if I¡¯m betting against the Sentinels this time.¡± Argrave looked to hispanions, and all looked confused by the expression. ¡°Er¡­ I mean, I want things heavily weighted in my favor,¡± he borated.


    Garm sighed. ¡°I wish people with a sense of self-preservation had found me.¡± He stared up at Argrave. ¡°I won¡¯t do anything dangerous. Anneliese, tell him.¡±


    ¡°You want dangerous? I imagine sdair will try doubly hard to have us killed if you¡¯re present,¡± Argrave ruffled Garm¡¯s hair. ¡°You stay near the final sluice, and you raise it to start and stop the flooding after a little bit. You¡¯ll be safe, don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°¡­fine,¡± Garm eventually agreed. ¡°Don¡¯t forget, though¡ªthis is a favor.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, sure,¡± Argrave waved his hand dismissively. ¡°I go in. I act bold, I act unafraid¡ªmake it seem like I¡¯m in control. After some happenings, some well-ced words, everyone falls into ce. So¡­ any objections to this n, you two?¡±


    ¡°You should borate a bit more,¡± urged Anneliese. ¡°For rity.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°From the beginning, then¡­¡±


    #####


    Argrave stood before a group of numerous Sentinels once again, with sdair at their head. Though the setting was entirely different, it brought back some memories. Last time things began like this, they ended very poorly. Argrave was a bit more confident things wouldn¡¯t end up the same way.


    Of course, he didn¡¯te without a way out. He had been very cautious before approaching¡ªGmon had confirmed their count, the Sentinels numbering thirty-six, and Garm had confirmed there were no mages beyond B-rank. Should things go sour, Gmon was instructed to pick Argrave up and run away. Unttering, perhaps, but Argrave was confident they could get away easily enough. Indeed, their enemies might not even give chase, considering their paranoia of traps and snares.


    <em>Guess they¡¯re right to fear a trap. Not like they can escape it now, though,</em> Argrave thought, using that to assuage his anxiety.


    ¡°Interesting conversation you two were having,¡± Argrave spoke at a fair volume, his voice ragged and rough. He sounded like a chain-smoker when he spoke loudly, but Garm assured him that would change in a few days. His limbs felt weak, taking deep breaths was still painful, and Argrave could not exert himself, but he had no choice but to be here.


    With things as they were, Argrave knew he couldn¡¯t expect a warm reception. Despite the many days taken for his recovery, he still felt terrible. But the Unsullied Knife would still be here, and Argrave would much rather get it now before the Stonepetal Sentinels could take it back to the entrance of the Low Way.


    With things having progressed as they had, Argrave had only two options. His first option: he could get the Unsullied Knife now by dealing with a group of weary, cautious Stonepetal Sentinels who had already seen the power he possessed. They were, further, ignorant of his Blessing of Supersession¡¯s limitations.


    The second option was to let them have the Unsullied Knife and get it from their fortresster¡­ in the heart of their power, where near two hundred of them would be waiting. In addition, he knew they had at least two A-rank spellcasters at that fort¡ªJean and Kaja.


    Obviously, confronting them here held more appeal. The preparations he had made further sealed that deal.


    Ossian took his hand off the pommel of his sword. ¡°You cured the Redlung? How?¡±


    ¡°I had to unhinge my jaw like a snake, open real wide¡­ then I stuck my hand deep, past my throat and into my lungs¡­ and pulled the disease out, piece by piece,¡± Argrave emted what he described, then stepped forward, continuing in his hoarse voice, ¡°It took southern grit and a sword-swallower¡¯s finesse, but I managed. And here I stand. My heart¡¯s-a-beating, my soul¡¯s-a-singing.¡±


    sdair held his hand out and shouted, ¡°Keep your distance.¡±


    ¡°Say ¡®please,¡¯ maybe I¡¯ll consider it,¡± Argrave said, but he dide to a stop. He looked about casually as though he didn¡¯t care about the armored entourage before him. The ce had been filled by the corpses of vampires, Sentinels, and Guardians. It was gruesome enough that it might¡¯ve bothered Argrave a great deal¡­ but he was starting to grow used to these sights.


    ¡°Nice work in here. I would say ¡®Couldn¡¯t have done it better myself,¡¯ but¡­ well.¡± He looked to sdair. ¡°I think you saw the central lobby on your way in.¡±


    It was very difficult to try and intimidate a room full of knights wearing enchanted armor who were also nked by spellcasters at the same or higher rank than himself. Argrave was happy enough to have gotten through the sentence without stumbling over his words.


    Part of him expected to beughed at in unison by the whole group like some sort ofedy sketch, but instead, a long silence settled throughout the lower levels of the headquarters. The shining lights of the library beyond the iron bars grimly illuminated the ce.


    ¡°¡­why are you here?¡± Ossian eventually asked, one of few of the Stonepetal Sentinels that did not seem to positively bristle at Argrave¡¯s presence.


    ¡°I told you from the beginning, and my purpose hasn¡¯t changed. I¡¯m here to reim my family¡¯s heirloom.¡± Argrave shook his head as though disappointed. ¡°Things could have gone easy for the both of us. I could have taken you here, we could have wiped out the vampires together¡­ yet for reasons beyond me, you decided to move against us as we slept.


    ¡°But!¡± Argrave spread his arms wide. ¡°We¡¯re here now, having achieved what I initially wanted, despite some¡­ significant setbacks. I had to preserve myself, and despite that, I still gave you what you wanted most. I think it would be best for all of us¡­¡± Argrave¡¯s throat failed, and his voice faded away. He paused to take a drink of water. ¡°¡­to put the past behind us.¡±


    His words seemed to dissolve the tension somewhat. sdair stared at Argrave unflinchingly. He seemed disappointed¨Clikely due to Garm¡¯s absence. ¡°I can¡¯t trust you. You were dishonest from the beginning. House ckgard doesn¡¯t even exist,¡± sdair posited.


    ¡°That¡¯s what it was?¡± Argrave raised a brow in surprise. ¡°I see. Guess I shouldn¡¯t have¡­ well, it doesn¡¯t matter. You want honesty from me?¡±


    No answer came, so Argrave continued. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll give you honesty. I am Argrave of Vasquer, son of King Felipe III.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t toy with me,¡± sdair said, stepping forward.


    ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± Argrave said coldly, pausing to allow his lungs to rest. It was starting to hurt to speak. ¡°Everyone should know what their king looks like¡ªa giant of a man, as tall as me, with hair as ck as night and eyes a cold, steely gray. Perhaps this light doesn¡¯t show those features well enough,¡± Argrave adjusted his position so the light from the library fell on his face.


    A grim silence settled over as they took in his features.


    ¡°If you¡¯re a prince, you¡¯d have an entourage of royal knights,¡± sdair countered.


    ¡°They are performing certain tasks for me,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°And it is hard to travel quietly with so many knights.¡±


    sdair took a deep breath, thinking. Ossian asked, ¡°Why not say this from the beginning?¡±


    ¡°Yes, because it would be very prudent for a prince to roam about using his name carelessly when he¡¯s in the heart of the territory of an enemy rebellion,¡± Argrave mocked sarcastically. ¡°Though¡­ with things as they are, I suppose you have a point¡ªthings would have gone easier had I been honest from the beginning.¡±


    Argrave put a hand to his chest. ¡°I came here on behalf of my father to retrieve the Unbloodied de. Our family founded the Order of the Rose, and the artifact belongs to us, by rights. What use he has for it, I don¡¯t know¡­ but being a prince has its responsibilities.¡±


    ¡°This is nonsense. You make up things to suit your needs, and you lie again¡ªeven using the king¡¯s name¡ªto bend us to your will,¡± sdair sliced a hand through the air.


    Gmon tapped Argrave¡¯s shoulder¡ªthat was the cue. Argrave had stalled long enough for the water toe.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Argrave nodded with a smile. ¡°You don¡¯t trust me, that¡¯s fine. How about I prove it?¡±


    ¡°Prove it?¡± sdair repeated. ¡°There¡¯s no way I can think of,¡± he shook his head.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°You remember the Night of Withering?¡± Argrave questioned. ¡°Well, stupid question. Of course you don¡¯t remember it. But you¡¯ve probably read about it.¡±


    sdair¡¯s face hardened. ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°No one knows the cause of the Night of Withering, or so it¡¯s said. The only thing people know is that a tide of blood washed away the southern invaders. There¡¯s spection, of course, but no one knows the real answer,¡± Argrave spoke, stalling for time. When he started to hear rushing water, he sped things along.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s not true,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°The royal family caused the Night of Withering, flooding the Low Way with a river of blood, killing both the southern invaders and the Order of the Rose.¡±


    The rushing of water became louder, crashing against the stone walls and echoing into the room. The Stonepetal Sentinels all shifted uneasily. Argrave stepped forward, raising his hands in the air.


    ¡°Let mey things out clearly for you,¡± Argrave spoke louder, voice rising above the rushing water. ¡°If you refuse me¡­ I will prove my descent. These walls will be awash with blood once more, and all within this ce will be lost. Just as it was near seven hundred years before¡­ if Vasquer cannot im this ce, none shall.¡±


    By this point, red water started to push past Argrave¡¯s feet and into the room beyond. The swell soon rose further yet, battering at his calves. His gray leather duster blocked debris carried by the overflow.


    ¡°So, Stonepetal Sentinels,¡± Argrave continued. ¡°Make your choice.¡±


    ¡°Argrave!¡± Ossian shouted out, stepping back. ¡°We agree! We¡¯ll put things behind us!¡± he shouted in panic.


    Argrave was a bit taken aback. He hadn¡¯t expected an answer toe so quickly. He remained quiet as the tide grewrger yet, approaching his knees. Had the water been moving quickly, it would have been impossible to stay standing. <em>What is Garm doing? I didn¡¯t want this much!</em>


    ¡°I¡¯m unconvinced,¡± Argrave returned, trying to earn some more time for the tide to slow.


    ¡°Gods be damned!¡± Ossian cursed. ¡°sdair, just give it up!¡± he shook the other Master Sentinel.


    sdair stepped back deeper into the lower levels, stepping away from the water. He looked shaken, and most of the other Sentinels seemed equally shocked by the urrence.


    ¡°I¡­¡± sdair began but trailed off.


    Argrave faltered a little, and Gmon put his hand on Argrave¡¯s shoulder to stop him from being knocked over by the tide.


    ¡°Alright!¡± shouted sdair. ¡°We¡¯ll hinder you no more!¡±


    Argrave epted the words in silence. As if divinely ordained, the rush of watering from behind started to slow, and the red water spread out across the lower levels, battering against the walls. It was quite a messy sight, for the blood and gore caused by recent conflicts had all been stirred by the water.


    ¡°I¡¯m d we came to an agreement,¡± Argrave smiled, a ray of light from the library beyond falling onto his grin.

 Chapter 100: Unsullied Knife

    Chapter 100: Unsullied Knife


    Argrave stepped through a pool of dark red water, the sound of the sloshing echoing out across the lower levels. The Sentinels were near, but they gave the three of them a cautious distance. The disgusting wetness at Argrave¡¯s feet made his skin crawl, but he had to bear with it. There was a sense of urgency to his step that spurred his feet forward, yet the persistent aching in his chest made him check his speed.


    Despite Argrave¡¯s grand show of faux power in causing the canals to overflow, what he had created was, in effect, a scarecrow. Upon seeing the ridiculous, people were far more amenable to suggestion. Bloodred water flooding the lower levels coupled with Argrave¡¯s leading words¡ªhis solution had worked for now, but if the Sentinels were to examine things closer, they would see Argrave¡¯s construction was of straw and wood, not ancient royal heritage as he posited.


    ¡°Are you sure the scalpel will be where you lead us?¡± questioned Anneliese quietly.


    ¡°No,¡± returned Argrave happily. ¡°Might be things have deviated. The scalpel may have been moved. If that¡¯s the case, we will be¡­ in an unfavorable position.¡±


    ¡°¡¯Deviated,¡¯¡± Anneliese repeated. ¡°Interesting word. It implies a set course.¡±


    Argrave looked at Anneliese. ¡°You know another interesting word? Deviant. Stop making me out to be one. And stop being one yourself, while we¡¯re at it.¡±


    Annelieseughed quietly, and Argrave felt some his tension dispel with their light banter. He took a deep breath, wincing when his lungs ached, and soldiered on.


    ¡°Some of the Sentinels are watching us,¡± Gmon noted. ¡°They were assigned to do so by sdair. The remainder are giving us a decent distance.¡±


    Argrave nodded, directing hispanion, ¡°Keep me posted.¡±


    As they proceeded further into the lower levels of the Order¡¯s headquarters, the water level slowly dissipated until the only sound echoing out was the squishing of their wet boots against the stone. They kept a respectable pace, heading into the right hallway. Argrave¡¯s spell light illuminated the path ahead.


    After proceeding down the hallway for a time, an opening to the side revealed stairs descending lower yet. Argrave took them, keeping a steady pace and ensuring he kept his hand on the handrail. He wanted to rush, but his feet were heavy with water and he didn¡¯t want to strain himself.


    The sights down the stairs were untouched by the water. The fresh corpses of Guardians, vampires, and Sentinels littered the ce. Argrave did his best to ignore them and press on.


    ¡°Has to be at the farthest point, doesn¡¯t it¡­¡± Argrave muttered to himself.


    The rooms they passed by had once been ces of study, but years being the sole home of the vampires in the Low Way had made those origins almost unrecognizable. There were strange paintings on the walls, with a crudeness likened to what one might see in Neanderthalic cave paintings. They were very obviously made of blood. Some were calendars, while others were strange depictions of people and the sceneries of the Low Way.


    In the game, they had merely been undetailed textures. Now, though, some of the paintings were unimaginably detailed, as though made by an artist who¡¯d had hundreds of years to perfect the craft¡ªand indeed, some of the vampires may have been creating these crude paintings for a time as long as that. But despite the quality of the art, something could be seen beneath each painting¡ªa strange sense of twisted savagery. It reminded Argrave of an exhibit he had seen once: artwork made by the mentally ill. Regardless of what was conveyed by the paintings, knowing who had made it twisted his perception.


    Beyond that, other oddities filled the halls¡ªsculptures, woodcarvings, artwork all and innumerable in count. Each were hobbies taken up by the vampires to pass the centuries. They were all wrong in some varied ways. Faces on sculptures were twisted, for instance. They were alien in the sense that they didn¡¯t seem to be made to appeal to human emotions.


    Argrave noticed, though, that Gmon¡¯s eyes lingered on many of the pieces for an especially long time. Perhaps there was something intrinsic to the art that appealed to the vampiric condition. Regardless, Argrave was d when they turned a corner, and he saw the door he was looking for just ahead.


    Argrave prodded Gmon, pointing to the door. ¡°That¡¯s our destination.¡±


    ¡°¡­Right,¡± the elf responded after an unusually long pause. He had to tear his gaze away from a statue. He moved forward hastily, grabbing the door and pulling it open. He looked around for adversaries, then motioned Argrave in.


    Argrave entered the room, spell light illuminating the ce. The scene was not familiar. There was an altar in the center, but it had been overturned by three bodies¡ªa vampire grappling with two Guardians. All three seemed to have died together. One of the Guardians had been torn in three and scattered, while the other impaled the vampire through the head with a spear. Remnants of spells lingered in the room, frost most prominently.


    ¡°No¡­¡± Argrave said despairingly, walking towards the overturned altar. He saw a ss disy case with a velvet cushion that had been syed out across the room. He kneeled down, picking up the box and looking about. ¡°Come on¡­ where?¡±


    Argrave looked through the ss, searching for a white knife. Behind him, Anneliese noticed something, and bent down to pick it up. She raised it into the air.


    ¡°Argrave,¡± she spoke.


    He turned when his name was called. Anneliese held a white scalpel in two fingers, its de norger than Argrave¡¯s thumbnail. It shone with red inscriptions, like glistening rubies embedded in borate weaving patterns.


    ¡°Haha!¡± Argrave said excitedly, stepping forward. He held one hand out, and Anneliese gingerly handed the thing over.


    ¡°Be careful. I can¡­ feel it,¡± she cautioned in a quiet murmur.


    Argrave looked her in the eyes, then delicately took the scalpel. And indeed, she was right¡ªhe felt a resonanceing from the de, like the repulsion from a ma near another ma. In this case, though, the scalpel seemed to reject everything that was not itself.


    ¡°The Unsullied Knife,¡± Argrave said, taking a deep breath. Despite the pain in his chest, he felt a rising triumph. ¡°Now¡­ we can finally start getting the hell out of here.¡± He clenched the handle tight.


    #####


    An innkeeper cleaned a wooden gon far too thoroughly, scrubbing it clean with a washcloth as he stared up at the roof. His face was cautious and tense, as though whatevery on the second floor made him greatly uneasy. There was a rhythmic tapping sounding out, and each time it came a little bit of dust sprinkled out into the empty first floor.


    The innkeeper could not know, of course, that the man in his room was not merely some well-armored entourage. The heir to the throne of Vasquer had gone through great lengths to remain in Elbraille without drawing attention. No¡ªthe innkeeper merely knew that there was a very angry, and very dangerous person on his second floor.


    Induen of Vasquer held his head in one hand as he sat at a table. His royal knight escort stood before him, silent, as he tapped his foot against the floor. They were tense, as though expecting punishment.


    ¡°My ursed brother,¡± he said, nodding his head. ¡°He¡¯s the reason I¡¯m still here, doing what I am¡­ and I had to learn this secondhand?¡± Induen lifted his head up. ¡°None of you were able to find out this information? No one knew that my half-brother,¡± Induen tapped his chest, ¡°brokered the alliance between Jast and Parbon?¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    None of the royal knights said anything, standing silently with heads lowered and arms behind their backs.


    Induen nodded, tapping his fingers against the table. ¡°Wasn¡¯t Orion. Wasn¡¯t any of my other half-brothers¡ªLevin, Magnus, none of them, no.¡± Induen wagged his finger. ¡°No¡­ it was the half-dead bamboo shoot. The weak-willed one. The weak-bodied one. About as strong as a twig.¡±


    Induenughed and shook his head, feeling as though the entire situation was ridiculous. ¡°That¡¯s my sworn enemy,¡± the prince¡¯sughter grew to a crescendo, and then Induen continued grimly, ¡°He¡¯s dedicated himself to setting the road ahead of me ame,¡± Induen nodded, gaze distant.


    ¡°Should have strangled him there, right in Mateth.¡± Induen raised his hands up, emting what he described. ¡°Choke him ¡®til those beady eyes pop out of his head¡­ fed him to rats¡­¡± Induen closed his eyes and took deep breaths, evidently trying to calm himself.


    After a long time had passed, Induen turned his head over to the knights. ¡°Severin. Take off your helmet, step up,¡± he gestured with his hand, then rose to his feet.


    The knight in question stepped out cautiously, removing his helmet slowly. He was an older man¡ªa grizzled veteran, with a scar across his face. Induen walked up, towering before the man.


    ¡°Is there anything you want to say to me?¡± the prince waved his hand between himself and the knight.


    ¡°My¡­ my prince,¡± the knight said, unable to meet Induen¡¯s gaze. ¡°I-I¡¯m not sure¡­¡±


    Induen raised a hand up and grabbed the knight¡¯s face, pushing the man¡¯s cheeks together ungracefully like he was a small child being punished by his parents. ¡°Enough of this tiptoeing around. I know you work for my sister. I thought it was cute, her little spying mission¡­ and you never hindered me, so I kept you around. Now¡­ it¡¯s different. She knew about this. She could have reached out, but she didn¡¯t.¡±


    Severin raised his hands up, clearly wanting to grab Induen¡¯s wrist but unwilling to touch the prince¡¯s body without permission.


    Induen raised his other hand and pointed it at Severin¡¯s face. ¡°Right now, I¡¯ve got the temptation to go and find that bastard and smash his face into ten thousand pieces, like I should have done months ago.¡±


    The prince released his grip and pushed Severin away in one motion. The knight staggered, then moved his cheeks about, dispelling the feeling.


    ¡°But I won¡¯t. I¡¯ve got the urge¡­ and I won¡¯t. My business here in Elbraille is just starting. I can¡¯t afford to leave.¡± Induen ced his hand on Severin¡¯s shoulder. ¡°But here¡¯s the point to remember. I want satisfaction. I want my sister¡­ to deliver my retribution. I¡¯ll set aside my impulses, my urges, if she can prove to me that it¡¯s worth my time.¡±


    Severin looked up at Induen and slowly nodded.


    ¡°So, next time you go to your little secret meeting, or deliver your secret letters¡­¡± Induen tapped Severin¡¯s chestte thrice. ¡°You get this to her. I expect some good results. Elsewise, well¡­¡± Induen trailed off, and then stepped away. ¡°I¡¯ll have to reevaluate the role of her advice.¡±


    Induen stepped to the window, peering out into Elbraille. Despite the night, the city was well-lit by expensive magicmps that showed smooth cobblestone roads.


    ¡°But I¡¯ll put this behind me, for now. If Duke Marauch is unwilling to support me¡­ then his Dukedom will rot from within, and another will take his ce. I will not let what is mine be taken from me,¡± Induen said, teeth clenched. ¡°Least of all by any brother of mine. My mother died giving birth to me. I killed her,¡± Induen turned back to Severin. ¡°And I can kill my kin again. Tell my sister that.¡±

 Chapter 101: Sentinels Capstone

    Chapter 101: Sentinel¡¯s Capstone


    sdair ducked beneath the iron gate of the Menagerie where a few of the Stonepetal Sentinels awaited him.


    ¡°Nothing, sir,¡± the closest to sdair said immediately.


    ¡°Nothing?¡± sdair repeated. He raised up both hands, kneading his gauntlets together anxiously. ¡°Gods be damned¡­ where would he have put the ursed thing?¡±


    ¡°We searched everywhere. All the rooms, every corner¡­ not a thing,¡± the Sentinel confirmed, shaking his head.


    ¡°Damn it all,¡± sdair muttered, ducking back out of the Menagerie and into the balcony of the second floor. He leaned against the railing, staring out at the soaked floor. Even despite the blood having washed through the ce, traces of the battle where Argrave had supposedly conjured enough magic to kill everything within sight lingered. ording to Ossian, despite his disy of power, Argrave seemed able to use magic¡ªa veritable bottomless well of power well befitting a prince of Vasquer.


    Yet even still, something did not feel right. A deceiver remained a deceiver. Even their efforts to prove the contrary were merely grander shows of deceit. sdair knew this well, because he was a deceiver himself. Though he yed the part of the honorable Master Sentinel, well concerned for the welfare of those beneath him, he truly only cared for the position of Grandmaster. He had wasted his youth in this doomed knightly order¡ªat the very least, he would be its master before his death.


    sdair watched the blood, his old and scarred face tense beneath his stifling te helmet. After a time of staring, his face rxed, eyes locked on the blood. He knelt down, retrieving a rock with a frown on his face. He dropped it, and it impacted with the floor a story below. Ripples spread out¡ªquick and shallow, but present.


    ¡°Mixed with water¡­ It¡¯s not just blood,¡± sdair said aloud in awe as he came to the answer.


    At once, he moved to the stairs, rushing down them as quick as his heavy armor would allow. He walked out to the door, out into the city of Nodremaid, ignoring the confused cries of the Sentinels behind him. Moving alone in the Low Way was ill advised, but sdair was too ovee with excitement to allow his caution to control him.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    He rushed to the side of the tform, leaning out and staring across the canals. As his eyes took in the sights, he started to realize something.


    <em>The flow is different. The sluices have been moved. </em>


    The realization brought a smile to his face, though it could not be seen beneath his helmet. The Sentinels beneath him, concerned for his well-being, caught up to him.


    ¡°sdair, sir,¡± one called out, not overloud because of their location.


    ¡°One of you, return back to the lower levels. Gather everyone serving beneath me,¡± hemanded, removing his sash of stone roses around his chest. ¡°Use this to ensure their obedience. The rest of you¡­ we search the city, checking the sluice control points for the severed head.¡± sdair turned his head back to the canals, where the water rose especially high. ¡°Argrave is no prince. He used the floodgates to create an overflow.¡±


    #####


    ¡°Someone approaches,¡± Gmon informed Argrave, stepping in front of him.


    They were in the final hallway out of the lower levels, and towards freedom, ostensibly¡ªonce they were on the road towards the Crimson Wellspring, their days of dealing with the Sentinels would be over. A fight awaited them to im the artifact, but despite his weakened state, Argrave felt extremely confident it would be easy.


    ¡°Someone?¡± Argrave pressed.


    ¡°A lone armored footman¡ªa Sentinel,¡± Gmon told Argrave.


    Argrave considered this. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s keep going. Tell me of anything more.¡±


    They proceeded forward, Argrave readjusting the backpack on his back. Their food rations were greatly reduced, and it felt much lighter than before. Still, he kept a slow pace, being careful not to overexert his lungs.


    Gmon looked back. ¡°He has a sash bearing stone roses.¡±


    Argrave frowned. ¡°You mean¡­ another one, besides the one on his chest?¡±


    ¡°Aye. It has near twenty.¡±


    Argrave didn¡¯t know what to make of that. Fortunately, Anneliese supplied, ¡°These sashes are a sign ofmand, as you told me,¡± she looked to Argrave. ¡°If so, it would be given to a subordinate to deliver an order with their authority.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Argrave looked at the ground, then at Anneliese. ¡°So¡­ sdair has something important to get to the rest of the group. My cover story¡¯s been exposed, maybe.¡±


    Both said nothing, but that was answer enough for Argrave. Even still, he spent a long while deliberating on the matter before giving his answer. This person <em>might</em> be delivering an order that couldpromise a lot of their future progress. He might not be, though.


    ¡°Stand aside, let him pass.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± asked Gmon incredulously.


    ¡°Let him pass a bit,¡± Argrave amended. ¡°Then¡­ deal with him. In whatever way you deem¡­ most efficient,¡± Argrave finished bitterly.


    Gmon nodded slowly, then patted Argrave on the shoulder as though to reassure him the choice was correct. Argrave didn¡¯t feel any less terrible about it, though.


    Soon enough, the Sentinel approached. Their party of three stood aside, Gmon even giving a polite nod to the Sentinel as he jogged past. As much as Argrave didn¡¯t want to watch, he didn¡¯t dare look away considering the potential danger. Perhaps he should have, though¡ªGmon grabbed the Sentinel¡¯s helmet with one hand and quickly dispatched him by jamming his enchanted knife into his neck. The Sentinel struggled only once before dying. It was hauntingly simr to the way Gmon had killed the one outside the Low Way.


    ¡°¡­I believe we would be best off hiding the body,¡± Anneliese suggested. ¡°Argrave cannot move especially quickly anyway, and it only benefits us. We can dump it into the canal.¡±


    Argrave nodded, and then moved forward. ¡°Not wrong¡­ I¡¯ll try and hurry. sdair is probably looking for Garm. He can take care of himself, but¡­ we¡¯d still better be quick. Quick as I can manage, at least.¡± He touched his chest, then rolled his shoulder, pulling the heavy gray duster over his shoulders. Gmon hefted the body over his shoulder, then moved forward.


    #####


    sdair entered into one of the sluice control rooms. He had been examining the way that the sluices were set up, and by his estimation, this one would be pivotal had Argrave genuinely flooded the lower levels with the canals.


    The sluice control room was narrow and simple, made of stone and filled with an unpleasant mildew. It was dark, no light prevailing. In the center, three rusted chains descended down below. sdair looked into the hole, and he could see rushing red water just beyond it. The sluices could be raised and lowered in this room.


    sdair walked about, scanning the room as best he could in theck of light. He felt along the wall, trying to feel things out. The only source of light came from the doorway. The light of Nodremaid was faint outside, but it was doubly so within buildings.


    Eventually, he came to a turn wheel quite simr to the one just before the Menagerie. sdair tugged at it, and despite the fact that it was quite old, it moved easily¡ªevidence it had been used recently.


    He heard footsteps behind and lowered himself. Soon enough, both of his men entered into the room, and sdair stood quietly.


    ¡°No luck?¡± sdair inquired.


    ¡°No, sir,¡± both replied asynchronously.


    ¡°We¡¯ve searched all of the other nearby sluice gates,¡± one followed up.


    ¡°Then search this one,¡± sdair pointed down. ¡°Carefully. Considering everything, this ce is the most vital. If anywhere, I suspect the head will be here.¡±


    They entered deeper,bing along the walls and heading for the back. Once the two were deep enough in, a light flickered at the entrance. An arrow shot out, glowing in the light. sdair, reflexes trained for decades against vampires and Guardians, nimbly ducked behind the sluice controls, and a burst of fire scorched where the arrow struck the stone.


    ¡°Find cover,¡± sdair directed calmly. ¡°They¡¯re here. They have enchanted arrows.¡±


    sdair breathed out silently as his Sentinels moved to obey. The situation was desperate, he knew, but he had survived much worse. He drew his sword from his waist, holding it at attention.


    ¡°Argrave,¡± sdair called out. ¡°That abominable head of yours¡ªI have it. It¡¯s in my hands,¡± he bluffed.


    ¡°My head is still attached to me,st I checked,¡± a familiar hoarse voice rang out at once.


    ¡°You want it back. You want to gain ess to all of the ces within the Low Way, take all its treasures for yourself,¡± sdair continued. ¡°I can take that away.¡±


    Another arrow shot out, and sdair shrunk away. A yelp of pain sounded out in the distance alongside the crackle of electricity, and sdair clenched his teeth tight. <em>That warrior the boy brought along isn¡¯t for show¡­</em>


    ¡°Rolf?¡± sdair questioned.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ fine, sir. My left arm is shot, though.¡±


    sdair grit his teeth, taking better cover. <em>Damn it all. Why are they out so quick? Thought it would take an hour, minimum, for them to find what they need¡­ Nowhere to escape¡­ think, damn it. </em>


    ¡°Fire another shot, I kill the head,¡± sdair bluffed once more.


    ¡°Oh, yes, I¡¯m sure you will,¡± Argrave said, sarcastic voice betraying his utterck of belief.


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll do as you did. Flood the lower levels. Everyone wille here. Your ruse will be broken.¡±


    sdair pivoted forward, grabbing the turn wheel for the sluice. Remaining in cover, he started to raise it once more. The chains groaned in protest. The sound disguised the sound as another arrow fired out, but sdair managed to avoid being hit narrowly, a trail of magic whizzing by his hand.


    Just as he started to hear a torrent of water rushing by below as the sluice rose, sdair felt hot pain on the back of his head. The blow did little damage on ount of the helmet, but sdair staggered forth. As if expecting this, the gargantuan elf rushed forth, already swinging his de. The blow seemed to fall short, so sdair stepped back. A de of wind leapt out, and sdair, panicked, raised his own to block it.


    The de of wind struck sdair¡¯s sword, and the ferocity of the enchanted weapon¡¯s attack knocked the sword out of his hand. The elf still rushed forth, charge undeterred. sdair fell to his back and thrust his feet out, trying to stop the charge as a pikeman might stop cavalry. sdair barely saw the curved greatsword flying towards his face before it pierced his neck, sliding beneath his helmet.


    The elf pulled out his de mercilessly, stepping past sdair. sdair¡¯s head fell back as he clutched at his neck. In hisst moments, he tried to search out what had struck him. Had one of his own betrayed him? The very idea filled him with an indignant wrath.


    Then he saw it. A brown-haired head, impaled on a stake. Its cold ck and gold eyes stared down at sdair as he writhed. He reached out for it in vain, and it watched passively. When sdair¡¯s hand finally grew near, he felt thest bit of strength drain from his body. He watched as magic swirled about the head, a de of wind appearing right above his eyes.


    ¡°Die, mutt.¡±


    The de descended, and darkness took sdair, Master Sentinel of the Stonepetal Sentinels.

 Chapter 102: Thicker than Water

    Chapter 102: Thicker than Water


    Argrave stared into the rushing red water, watching it rise and writhe against the red-stained stone. He leaned against a railing just before the canal. Anneliese stood just beside him, looking around Nodremaid with Garm in her hand. Evidently she had grown to tolerate the ce much better, for she was less troubled than Argrave.


    He wasing to terms with the fact that Berendar had changed him. Beyond the initial rush of fear, uncertainty, and panic that cropped up in the act itself, he wasn¡¯t bothered by what had happened today. Four people had died, their bodies cast into the canals. He had been the engine behind their deaths, even if he had not killed himself. Despite that, their deaths did not weigh at his thoughts as the druids had. Perhaps it was because he hade to loathe the Sentinels. Perhaps it was merely that he was different, now.


    The smells, the sounds, and the horrors of Nodremaid and the Low Way had already made their effects known, Argrave supposed. Experiencing day after day of the horrible and the bizarre¡­ he didn¡¯t dare think he was some sort of mentally untouchable iron man now, but the tasks ahead seemed less harrowing. Confronting the grim realities of the Low Way, morbid though they might be, might have served as the tempering he needed to continue.


    <em>If I can survive this, I can handle anything, surely?</em>


    ¡°Maybe this was a good thing,¡± Argrave muttered, straightening his back a little. ¡°A jolt to the system to wake me up.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Anneliese asked, not hearing Argrave.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± he dismissed.


    Gmon stepped out from one of the sluice control buildings, stepping up to Argrave. ¡°You said that was thest one?¡±


    ¡°Should be,¡± nodded Argrave, not looking away from the canal.


    The change in the water was not instantly perceptible. It continued to rush along its path, spattering the walls with wetness. Argrave noticed he saw more of the walls, first, and after, the constant flow of the water started to slow. Eventually, as more and more water came by, the flow ceased entirely, the water dispersing across the surface.


    The bottom of the canal was filthy¡ªall sorts of twisted aquatic growth grew from the bottom, unpleasant crimson barnacles blocking most of the smooth stone. Much of the canal had eroded over the years from the constant rush of water, and the terrain was uneven and jagged. That, coupled with years of debris, made a very unpleasant and wet walkway. There were weapons and bones in abundance, likely from the corpses of Guardians that had fallen into the canal.


    Argrave stopped leaning against the railing. ¡°There¡¯s our path. We should move quickly.¡±


    ¡°And if someone raises the sluice?¡± questioned Anneliese. ¡°The remainder of the Sentinels will emerge eventually. If they notice something amiss¡­¡±


    ¡°The whole walkway isn¡¯t on the route of the canal,¡± Argrave disclosed, walking up to a set of stairs leading down into the canal for maintenance. ¡°It branches off into a cave. This cave leads up to the Crimson Wellspring.¡± Argrave looked at the sluice. ¡°Even if we¡¯re really unfortunate, and a tide of wateres rushing towards us¡­ I suspect our B-rank wards in tandem should be enough to buy us time sufficient for an escape.¡±


    ¡°Two wards against a tide of water? Gods, you¡¯re mental,¡± Garm said from Anneliese¡¯s hands. ¡°Throwing everyone into danger time and time again. Perhaps I would have been better with the Sentinels.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Maybe,¡± Argrave adjusted his pack, and then descended down into the canal below. ¡°We¡¯re at the final stretch. A fight awaits us. It¡¯s the one I told you two about, way back when we still had grass beneath our feet instead of corpses and gore. We¡¯re well-prepared for it, despite the setbacks we faced here.¡± Argrave stopped a little down the stairs, ncing between Gmon and Anneliese. ¡°Let¡¯s finish this with the same caution we entered.¡±


    The two of them nodded. Garm raised a disbelieving brow at the mention of ¡®caution¡¯ but seemed somewhat relieved.


    With a quiet nod and as deep a breath as his scarred lungs would allow, Argrave stepped down the stairs, heading for the drained canal.


    #####


    ¡°Induen gave me an ultimatum?¡± Elenore questioned, her legs crossed in her seat at the fountain. One could barely see the stumps where her two feet once were, though they were mostly concealed by her unblemished white dress.


    ¡°He did,¡± Therese, Elenore¡¯s new personal maid, replied. Evidently the orange-haired maid had been training her movements for some time, for she did not nod for her blind master as she had those weeks ago.


    ¡°He must be under great duress,¡± Elenore mused, cing her fingers on her chin. ¡°Despite Severin¡¯s reports, I am unsure of what he intends to achieve at Elbraille.¡±


    ¡°Will we do something about Argrave, as he demanded?¡± Therese questioned, and noticing that Elenore¡¯s teacup was empty, moved to refill it from the dainty white floral pot nearby. ¡°New tea, my princess. Be careful. It is still hot.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know where Argrave is,¡± Elenore shook her head, then felt around until she ced her hands around the teacup, enjoying the warmth. ¡°He left Jast, and then¡­ nothing. ine reported a shipment of books from some fringe town with an Order branch. He is, fundamentally, an unpredictable variable. He ims to know me. Even of that, I am unsure.¡±


    ¡°Then perhaps it would be best to allow Induen his way, punish Argrave when he resurfaces, and stabilize things?¡± Therese moved to suggest, having gained boldness being so close underneath Elenore.


    Elenore smiled. ¡°I told you that I wanted to create chaos. Shake the box.¡± Elenore held her fingers against the lip of the cup to ensure no liquid overflowed as she raised it to her mouth, then took a drink of the tea. ¡°We will do nothing to Argrave.¡±


    Therese looked surprised, but said, ¡°Yes, my princess. But¡­¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Elenore finished. ¡°Induen is growing to be just as unpredictable as Argrave. In times of peace, where none would dare oppose his activities, he was rtively stable. Now¡­¡± the princess paused, cing her hands back on the teacup. ¡°¡­now, he faces widespread disobedience. For someone like him, I imagine that causes great mental stress. His impulsivity manifests more frequently¡ªan unideal trait for someone aiding in my navigation.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ cannot follow, my princess,¡± Therese lowered her head.


    ¡°Provided Argrave is not simply another victim of the coil of war¡­¡± Elenore took another slow drink. ¡°When he resurfaces, and should Induen grow incensed with him once again¡­ I will merely quietly disclose his location. Nothing more, nothing less.¡±


    ¡°To what end?¡±


    ¡°To decide which unpredictability is worth supporting,¡± Elenore turned her head up at Therese. ¡°If Induen should deem it necessary to reevaluate the worth my advice, I find it necessary to test if he is up for whates ahead.¡± Her thin hands clenched a little tighter on the teacup, turning her knuckles white. ¡°It is something I would never have considered, had he not said what he did. But¡­ trust is amodity, it seems, even between kin.¡±


    Therese stared down at the princess, her face sad. ¡°Then, Argrave¡­ you believe he can¡­?¡±


    ¡°Prevail?¡± Elenore picked up the teacup, and then set it down once more. ¡°If they confront each other directly, it seems ridiculous. A prince, apanied by royal knights, versus a bastard with known health problems. I know little of his twopanions, but ine said he trusts them withoutpunction. He is smart, sidestepping and solving problems in a multitude of ways. In the face of all that, Induen is upromisingly relentless and a talented spellcaster and warrior both.¡±


    ¡°We can only wait,¡± Therese concluded.


    Elenore said nothing, and then nodded after a fair amount of time had passed. ¡°Yes. Regardless of the result, it would be best not totch too firmly to any one person.¡± Elenore crossed her arms. ¡°Disappointment is my solepanion, these days.¡±


    ¡°On that note, my princess¡­ perhaps some good news is in order?¡± Therese began. ¡°Two of the guards watching Bruno of Parbon have folded under threat of family. While I suspect they will not do anything major, such as murder¡­ we can get much out of them. The Margrave¡¯s brother isrgely in our hands, my princess.¡±


    Elenore smiled, then reached her hand out. ¡°I knew I was wise to trust you, Therese. Give me your hand.¡± Therese took it, as directed. ¡°Trust is a fickle thing. It fades with the slightest infraction, and repairing it is much harder than building it. Remember this, always.¡±


    Therese¡¯s face grew serious, interpreting the words as both a lesson and a warning. ¡°I will, my princess.¡±


    #####


    Argrave, breathing a little heavy, stared at a mound of red crystals ahead. It was just barely illuminated by the spell light hovering over their heads. The canal had a low ceiling and the descent was quite steep. The overhang was just low enough that Argrave had to crouch a little to proceed, and if he was reckless, he could bang his head against the ceiling¡ªthe enchanted hood over his head had taken the brunt of his mistakes, but his head did ache a tad.


    Deciding that now might be a good time to rest a moment, Argrave looked back behind, seeing the path of the drained canal making its way back up into Nodremaid. He gestured to the others and made a vague utterance signaling to stop. He searched for a safe ce to rest, and then lowered himself onto a patch of stone unmarred by moss, barnacles, or other such generally detestable growth. Feeling a dull ache, he held his hand to his chest.


    ¡°Should have rested earlier,¡± Gmon said to Argrave,ing to stand over him. ¡°Travelling downhill is taxing when the terrain is uneven.¡±


    ¡°This whole ce is taxing,¡± Argrave said in exasperation. He looked around, locking eyes with Garm. He was sorely tempted to make a joke about wanting to be carried, but he didn¡¯t want to lower the head¡¯s opinion of him more yet.


    ¡°Those crystals are familiar,¡± said Garm from Anneliese¡¯s hands. ¡°The work of blood magic,¡± he continued.


    ¡°That¡¯s the cave,¡± answered Argrave without looking back. ¡°Not much further until the Wellspring.¡±


    Garm stared ahead. ¡°I¡¯m d, at least, I get to see it. Might be I can make sense of what happened here if I see it personally¡­¡±


    Argrave felt his magic was full, so he repaid some of his debt to Erlebnis. He took his pack off his back and retrieved a vial full of the ck liquid magic from within. His supply of the stuff was running quite low. Once he made it to the Burnt Desert, he intended to make one more batch of liquid magic.


    After taking the time to rest fully, Argrave rose to his feet. They continued to trek downhill, moving ever closer towards the crystal mounds. They were ruby-like in quality, but quartz in structure. Despite the fact that they were the same eerie red predominant throughout all of the Low Way, their beauty was some wee reprieve from the bleak harshness of the overgrown city of Nodremaid. Indeed, nothing grew overtop them, as though they warded off life.


    ¡°Here,¡± Argrave pointed, spotting an opening in the crystals. He stepped towards it, taking the first step. ¡°An upward trek through this crystal cave. I hope you¡¯ll understand if I take it slowly.¡±


    ¡°The scent of blood grows stronger ahead. The rotten blood in the canals, and¡­ something else. Sweet. Rich. Like wine,¡± Gmon said, inhaling deeply. The elven vampire pulled free a sk of blood, drinking¡ªhe had refilled it from the Sentinels¡¯ corpses.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you fools travel with a <em>vampire,</em>¡± Garm muttered.


    Argrave ignored him. ¡°That¡¯s good. We¡¯re heading towards the source¡ªthe Crimson Wellspring. There, we¡¯ll deal with ude, Grandmaster of the Stonepetal Sentinels. Or at least, he was.¡± Argrave looked ahead, peering beyond into the cave.


    ¡°Now¡­ he¡¯s the current undead Knight of the Wellspring, keeping the thing pumping blood.¡± Argrave turned back to the two of them. ¡°And he¡¯ll be thest.¡±

 Chapter 103: Knight of the Wellspring

    Chapter 103: Knight of the Wellspring


    Argrave steadily stepped up the jagged red crystals that bit at his boots. If there was one thing he had not expected to appreciate, it would be the enchanted boots. There was a limit to the level offort one could offer for footwear on Earth, even with advanced technology. Here, though, despite the sharp, ruby-colored crystals sticking up into his soles, he felt nothing. The only pain he felt was from the gradual wear and tear of walking.


    The confines of the crystal cave were narrow and dark. There was a certainfort to the narrowness¡ªArgrave felt as though he was freed from the constant oppression that the openness of Nodremaid provided. Back there, the vast open space and looming buildings made him feel as though something could swoop down at any moment and end him. Here, he felt walled. This came with its own set of problems, naturally, but they paled inparison.


    ¡°You¡¯re sure this leads¡­ anywhere?¡± questioned Garm, voice ubored.


    ¡°Yes,¡± replied Argrave simply, finding himself annoyed by the head¡¯s presence. Perhaps it was simply jealousy Garm did not need to endure this trek as Argrave did.


    Ahead, the crystals cast eerie shadows like jagged teeth as the spell light dancing above Argrave¡¯s head illuminated the cave. They came to a branching path. Gmon stopped, turning around and silently asking Argrave for direction. Argrave furrowed his brows, a bit uncertain¡ªit was difficult to be certain the way he followed was right. It had been months since he¡¯d been here in-game. He looked for obvious identifiers, and then he spotted a faint difference in the constant red. Movement.


    Argrave knelt down and lowered his fingers. They came up red, and he felt an ufortable warmness seeping into his gloves. He followed the trickle of thick, viscous blood with his gaze, watching from where it flowed.


    ¡°We¡¯re close, I think. Just follow the flow,¡± Argrave pointed, then wiped the blood off on his duster.


    Gmon proceeded. The crystals started to grow from small, sharp things intorge clumps, as though increasing in quality. At times, it made navigation a touch difficult, requiring ufortable stretching and twisting. Argrave had to stop the party to be sure his lungs were not overtaxed multiple times.


    Yet their uncertain advance started to feel like genuine progress as the things around aligned themselves with Argrave¡¯s memories of ¡®Heroes of Berendar.¡¯ The crystals grewrger yet, until the floor beneath them solidified into one giant crystal. The space continued to open, and Argrave greatly appreciated the opportunity to stand straight without fear of bumping his head against something. With it, though, came a whirling sense of nervousness and excitement both. With the Knight of the Wellspring lying ahead, it felt finally time to test his practice¡ªhis efforts over the months he had been here.


    ¡°Gods¡­ the sheer level of power needed to create crystals this¡ª¡±


    ¡°Shut up,¡± Argrave insisted in a whisper, turning back to Garm held in Anneliese¡¯s hand. ¡°Make no noise. I told you a fight lies ahead¡ªdon¡¯t attract attention.¡±


    Garm stared up at Argrave, saying nothing. He turned his gaze away, and Argrave took that as acquiescence.


    Gmon proceeded deeper into the red crystal cave, his metal boots ringing pleasantly against the ruby-red crystals. Argrave could see the flow of blood beneath his feet grow thicker as they neared the Crimson Wellspring. Then, for the first time, there was a light ahead. Argrave stopped Anneliese, canceling his spell light and directing her to do the same.


    They proceeded onwards until the narrow cave opened up into a vast cavern. Seeing a sight he remembered well, he took a deep breath as a strange sort of nostalgic awe rose in his chest.


    This ce had once been a council room of sorts. It was a circr room with a high ceiling, held up by four pirs. Stone chairs were arrayed in a circle around the center, while a chair in the center of this circle stood above the others. The chairs were upied with humanoid figures¡ªit was difficult to distinguish their features from the faint light emanating from the center of the room.


    All of these things, though, had been supnted by the crystalline growth identical to the caverns Argrave hade from. The crystals partially covered the pirs, as though reinforcing them. Many of the chairs were fully obscured by the crystals, the humanoid figures sat atop them encased in the ruby growth. In the center, the Crimson Wellspring floated, suspended in the air while emanating a bright red light that reflected off the surface of the crystals. The light made it difficult to make out its shape, yet a constant pour of blood emerged from it like water from a sink.


    In the back of the room, seated on the main chair elevated above the rest, a distinctly disparate figure sat. It was a knight in armor. A sash of stone roses hung across his chest, marking him as a Stonepetal Sentinel. The stone roses had been turned into the same red crystals decorating the walls, though, and much of the armor was marred the same way, creating a rather ominous looking ruby-gray set of armor.


    ude, former Grandmaster Sentinel, sat in the chair with all the vigor of a corpse, a mace leaning up against his leg. To call him a corpse was an aptparison¡ªhe was a husk controlled by the Wellspring, keeping it flowing until this day. His features could not be made out beneath the armor, but Argrave knew who it was.


    Argrave knelt down, pulling everyone down with him. ¡°There¡¯s our foe. The Knight of the Wellspring.¡±


    ¡°¡­I have so many questions,¡± murmured Anneliese.


    ¡°You usually do,¡± Argrave acknowledged. ¡°It¡¯d be best if we stay focused, though.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± she nodded after a long pause.


    Argrave removed his backpack,ying it against a safe spot as he spoke. ¡°If we step into the room, I¡¯m sure he¡¯lle alive. But, we have the initiative. To begin: Gmon,¡± Argrave pointed. ¡°You¡¯ll hit him with arrows enchanted with fire¡ªhis armor will negate most of the damage, but fire is especially effective against him. After this, you¡¯ll move up to meet him. I suggest bringing your Ebonice axe to dispel his blood magic and the dagger enchanted with me for high damage.¡±


    ¡°You told me never to contest his strength, that he was much stronger than me,¡± Gmon said, looking at Argrave as he removed his own pack. ¡°I¡¯ll use my greatsword in the other hand. The dagger¡­ I need to get too close. Unideal if the opponent is stronger and faster than me, as you im.¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°You¡¯d know best.¡± He looked to Anneliese, who had also set aside her pack for the fight. ¡°You and me¡ªwe¡¯ll stick close, near one of the pirs. Easier to take cover. We can watch each other¡¯s backs, conjure B-rank wards if needed. From there¡­ you aid Gmon. [Skysunder] will be best here¡ªfast, potent, perfect for ude. You¡¯ll see why I insisted you learn lightning elemental magic first. Meanwhile¡­ I¡¯ll do my thing.¡±


    Anneliese nodded. She raised Garm up. ¡°Should I¡­?¡±


    Argrave stared down at Garm. ¡°Leave him somece safe. He¡¯s another variable¡ªunpredictable, and I hadn¡¯t really expected to¡­ well, make use of him, even if he can help.¡±


    Garm pursed his lips, then closed his eyes. ¡°Won¡¯tin at this arrangement.¡±


    Anneliese moved to do as Argrave had suggested, perching Garm in an area that he was facing upright. Argrave took the time to stare at ude. Watching the Knight of the Wellspring sitting there, immobile, made him wish to rush in and start things, if only for the sake of dispelling his unease.


    But eventually, Anneliese returned, Garm ced a fair distance away. Argrave looked between the two of hispanions.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Listen. The only way I can see this going sour is if someone gets hasty. You two are damned smart, and I¡¯d want no one else by my side, so I don¡¯t see that happening. Still, just to reiterate¡­ we stick to what we discussed. Any questions, uncertainties? Now¡¯s the time.¡± Argrave moved his head between the two of them, waiting. When nothing came, he took a deep breath, the dull ache of pain in his chest serving to ground him to reality.


    ¡°Anneliese, let¡¯s move to the pirs. Once we¡¯re there¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll begin,¡± finished Gmon, already readying an arrow that shone with red light on its arrowhead.


    Argrave gave a wordless nod in return, then touched Anneliese¡¯s shoulder to get her attention. They moved along the edge of the room, Anneliese watching the bodies encased within the crystal with an insatiable curiosity even amidst the tension. Argrave knelt up beside the crystal-encased stone pir and spared a nce at Gmon before refocusing on the Knight of the Wellspring, Anneliese just beside him.


    ¡°Wait until I direct you to attack,¡± Argrave whispered to Anneliese. Anneliese had aplex spell matrix in hand, ready to attack at a moment¡¯s notice. Argrave, though, had something else in mind. He held both of his hands out, and eels of blue lightning emerged from his hand, dancing up into the sky in a spiral. Though hecked the Blessing of Erlebnis, their n involved the usage of [Electric Eel]. His magic alone would be sufficient, he suspected¡ªit merelycked a safety, now.


    The few seconds of tense quietude set Argrave¡¯s heart beating faster every second. A <em>twang </em>sounded out in the soundless cavern, and a ming arrow coursed out through the center of the room. It struck into the visor of the helmet, and Argrave could not help but be awed at the elf¡¯s marksmanship in spite of the situation.


    Despite the arrow jutting out of its face, the Knight of the Wellspring immediately sprung to life. It fell forward, sending the mace leaning against its legs rolling out across the floor. ude rolled, then came to his feet in a fluid motion. He pulled free the bloodied arrow, casting it aside, then held both of his hands out. The flowing stream of blood pouring from the Wellspring diverted its course, surging through the air as though alive. It split near ude¡¯s hands, gradually coalescing into two twin des¡ªsimple broadswords with t heads.


    Without a word, the Knight of the Wellspring rushed forth, metal boots ringing against the red crystals beneath its feet. Gmon had prepared another arrow and loosed it at its charge. The knight slowed, doing a pivot-spin on one foot to dodge the arrow with supernatural speed. Gmon set his bow aside, grabbing his Ebonice axe and his greatsword. He stepped forth to meet it.


    When the two were perhaps ten feet from each other, Argrave said, ¡°Anneliese!¡± loudly.


    Two white bolts of lightning shot out from Anneliese¡¯s hand across the room, blinding with light and deafening with sound. Both hit home, striking the Knight of the Wellspring soundly in two points. The undead knight spasmed, and Gmon swung his greatsword with one hand. A de of wind closed the gap, yet ude still managed to block the attack with his des. Blood from the des scattered over his armor, loosed by the attack¡¯s intensity. When the knight recovered, it threw one of its des at Anneliese, and Argrave ducked behind the pir, pulling Anneliese with him.


    The de shattered against the pir, creating a foot-deep gash in the stone and scattering blood against the wall. The blood dripped down, yet then began to bubble, surging back through the air towards the Knight of the Wellspring. ude started to move towards their position, yet Gmon ced himself in its path, swinging his sword once more.


    Argrave continued to use [Electric Eel], feeling his magic diminish as he prepared. He kept the spells just out of sight. A cloud of dancing blue electricity hovered behind the pirs¡ªa lurking leviathan of lightning.


    Gmon kept ude locked inbat, using his enchanted de to maintain a cautious distance. The knight blocked and dodged blow after blow with its one sword, but when the second de of blood reformed in its hand, it rushed at Gmon, keeping a low profile.


    When the two grew near, Argrave emerged from the pir, seeking an opportunity. The knight swept its left hand, cutting horizontally, and Gmon barely dodged. The second de descended in a dreadful overhead blow. Gmon swung the Ebonice axe, meeting the attack. Once the ck ice met the de of blood, it bubbled before dispersing, pouring over Gmon¡¯s armor ineffectually. The axe continued, striking the Knight of the Wellspring in the helmet. It staggered, rolling away with an animalistic haste.


    With distance between the two, Anneliese shot out another volley of [Skysunder] from each hand. The knight had been anticipating her attack, and though it tried to dodge, the raw speed of the magic still managed to strike it. One bolt missed, impacting with the red crystal just behind it.


    Seeing Anneliese as a threat, the Knight of the Wellspring broke off from Gmon, rushing towards them with a single-minded purpose. Argrave smiled, clenching his hands. Gmon rushed across the room as fast as he could, yet the Knight of the Wellspring was much, much faster.


    Anneliese waited, hands at the ready, yet cast no spells. She waited, watching, with Argrave doing the same. Once the creature was near, it leapt, and Anneliese conjured a B-rank ward with her enchanted ring. The two des of blood stabbed into the golden ward, breaking past them. Argrave conjured his own ward with his ring. The attack¡¯s momentum was diminished from the first ward, and the des bounced back.


    Just then, Argrave willed the spells he¡¯d prepared down. The Knight of the Wellspring looked up and frantically tried to move away, but the close proximity removed that option. Near twenty [Electric Eels] surged down, their high-pitched sparking sounding like myriad war cries, and the Knight danced with light and electricity as the enchanted armor it wore shone to protect its wearer. Anneliese, too, bombarded the creature with [Skysunder].


    As it struggled with their relentless barrage, Gmon caught up. He raised his greatsword, thrusting the kriegsmesser into the back of the knight¡¯s neck, pushing down into its torso. The blow was savage enough to force the Knight of the Wellspring to its knees, cracking the crystal beneath it. Gmon pulled his de free, des of wind scattering everywhere, and stabbed once more. He twisted the de, and then freed it of the abominable undead.


    The undead ude knelt there, still sparking with electricity from their earlier assault. The swords of blood in its hands began to melt, falling to the floor. The Knight of the Wellspring slowly copsed against the ground, scattering crystals into the air. Blood started to pour from every hole in its armor, as though a dam had just been broken.


    ¡°¡­it¡¯s over,¡± Argrave said, leaning against the pir. He started tough in triumph.

 Chapter 104: End of the Long Night

    Chapter 104: End of the Long Night


    Ossian leaned over a railing, staring down at the drained bottom of one of the canals. Despite having traversed the Low Way since he was but twelve in secret expeditions away from the senior Sentinels¡¯ eyes, Ossian had not known the canals had a portion that could be dried entirely with the sluices. Why it was drained, or where the dried portion led, Ossian did not care to test. That would be a journey for another day, if indeed it came at all.


    ¡°¡­it¡¯s been a day, Ossian. Rations are running low, and we can only forage the nts in Nodremaid for so long without straying dangerously far from the main group,¡± a spellcaster advised Ossian.


    Ossian did not look behind as he questioned, ¡°And no word, no sightings of sdair?¡±


    ¡°One of the Sentinels in sdair¡¯s group confessed that he left to search for that severed head in Argrave¡¯s possession,¡± the spellcaster disclosed.


    Ossian nodded, lowering his head and slouching against the railing. It was impossible to discern what had happened to sdair with no evidence. That said, the circumstances moved together to leave no doubt in his mind. His own experience in the Low Way told him something, too: those lost in the Low Way rarely return if gone for more than a day.


    As his thoughts crystallized, Ossian lifted his head and straightened his back. ¡°It would be best to ept that he¡¯s lost to us now, just as those that went with him,¡± Ossian said, voice neutral. He had never liked sdair, but the old man had seemed immutable. That he might be gone forevermore disquieted him more than he cared to admit.


    ¡°It¡¯s time to give the order to return,¡± Ossian said, stepping away. ¡°We¡¯ll gather everyone, do a count, and¡ª¡± Ossian paused mid step, something having caught his eyes. He stepped away slowly, walking to the other side of the stone tform they stood on.


    He stared at another, separate canal that still ran with water far below, his brows furrowed.


    ¡°It seems¡­¡± he began, not finishing his thought. He followed the route of the canal with his eyes. The blood-red water changed in tone as his gaze wandered¡ªfrom a dark, rich and gloomy red, to a faint pink. His eyes followed it all the way up¡­ and then, for the first time, he saw clean, white water emerge from one of the canals.


    ¡°Gods¡­¡± Ossian ced a gauntleted hand on his helmet, feeling like the whole world was spinning. ¡°The rivers¡­ the blood¡­¡±


    The spellcaster stepped up beside Ossian, staring out into the distance. For the first time in their memory, both of the Sentinels witnessed the blood constantly dripping from the walls slow and cease altogether.


    ¡°Despite all that happened¡­¡± Ossian gripped the railing tightly. ¡°He knew some vampires escaped. He ended their long night, cutting off their eternal sustenance. No more will they live forever, sustained by the bloody rivers of the Low Way.¡± A fragment of stone chipped off the railing, drawing Ossian away from his thoughts.


    Ossian stepped away, looking around the once-grand city of Nodremaid. ¡°The true heir of Vasquer ended the Night of Withering once and for all. And after death¡­ there is growth.¡± He looked to the spellcaster. ¡°We must return, bearing good news on two counts. As for sdair¡­ he died valiantly to vampires. Nothing more.¡±


    #####


    Argrave held the Crimson Wellspring in his hand. The light it projected had diminished greatly, but it still shone brightly enough.


    The Crimson Wellspring was a ring of ck metal with a diameter of about a foot. The ring itself was as thick as Argrave¡¯s thumb. Eight resplendent red gems rested along its circumference equidistantly, each connected by shimmering red runes that formed long-lost enchantments. Its constant downpour of blood had ceased.


    ¡°I can make no sense of the thing,¡± said Garm, leaning up against one of the pirs with the back of his head supporting him up. ¡°This Wellspring is¡­ beyond my ken, I admit, even were I not severely out of practice.¡±


    Argrave nodded, having not expected much to begin with. His eyes wandered, witnessing Anneliese knelt down beside the corpse of the Knight of the Wellspring. Her thick braid of white hair was matted with blood, which may have worried Argrave had he not known she was uninjured.


    ¡°Your spell, [Electric Eel].¡± Anneliese turned her head to Argrave. ¡°I see its uses, even when you do not use your blessing.¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°Yeah. Used all my magic, though, and didn¡¯t even kill the knight. Gmon had to finish him off,¡± Argrave turned his gaze to the elven vampire, who cleaned his armor and axe while leaning against a pir.


    ¡°Those people encased in the crystal,¡± Argrave began, looking around. ¡°They¡¯re High Wizards of the Order of the Rose. Right, Garm?¡±


    Garm¡¯s ck eyes darted around. ¡°Aye, they are, each and every one. All dead and gone. The bastard who made me like this¡­ can¡¯t find him, unfortunately. No such luck,¡± he veritably spat.


    ¡°Then you know all I do, Anneliese, about the Night of Withering, about the Knight of the Wellspring,¡± Argrave looked to her. ¡°Any more questions?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± she stood. ¡°This Crimson Wellspring¡ªhow did he feed it?¡±


    ¡°Anything living¡­ or once living, I suppose. Corpses. Foliage. The Knight of the Wellspring would roam into the Low Way, hunting down things. Bodies sustained it the best.¡± Argrave held his hands out, staring at the Wellspring in his hands. ¡°Even despite that¡­ ude never roamed Nodremaid, or the other northern sections. He never killed any Sentinel. Some distant vestige of his remaining consciousness, maybe, fighting the husk that the Wellspring made him.¡±


    Anneliese ced one hand on her hip, staring down at the body of ude. ¡°And what is the Knight of the Wellspring?¡±


    ¡°The Knight of the Wellspring¡­¡± Argrave repeated. ¡°There¡¯s only so much I know about it. I know the Wellspring itself chooses them¡ªit selects from the bodies fed to it. Other than that, this whole ce is just a mound of mysteries, uncertainties. There are no records. Nothing left to tell the story.¡±


    ¡°The Wellspring sounds dangerous,¡± concluded Anneliese, stepping away from ude¡¯s corpse.


    ¡°It¡¯s inactive, now,¡± Argrave assured, lifting his head up to look past her. ¡°Something about this room empowers it, amplifies it, especially in the center.¡±


    ¡°The crystals may have that effect,¡± Garm contributed, his eyes closed. ¡°They¡¯re born of blood magic. It stands to reason there¡¯s a resonance.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Argrave shook his head. He held a hand out. ¡°Help me up, please.¡±


    Anneliese helped him to his feet, and Argrave muttered a thanks. He looked around the room.


    ¡°I think¡­ we should sleep,¡± Argrave concluded, rubbing his eyes with his hands. ¡°Feels like it¡¯s been dozens of hours since Ist did that.¡± Argrave looked to Gmon and Anneliese, who both nodded in agreement. ¡°Tomorrow, we have a straight shot to reach the Burnt Desert. ude spent all of this time hunting in that area¡ªit should be safer than Nodremaid.¡±


    The prospect of entering the Burnt Desert made Argrave feel like the path that stretched ahead of him was unending. He hadn¡¯t felt this way for some time. He moved to his backpack, fishing through it before he finally pulled free the bronze hand mirror.


    He kept its surface facing towards the ground, instead staring at the carvings on its back. He ran his finger along them, feeling their surface.


    The sight of the bronze hand mirror reminded Argrave he had promised to be honest with hispanions once this was over.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°God damnit,¡± he muttered to himself, lightly bashing his head against the back of the mirror.


    <em>Don¡¯t think I¡¯m sleeping easy tonight,</em> he epted. <em>Too much to think about. </em>


    #####


    Argrave lowered himself down from a gaping hole, his gray leather duster scraping against the red crystals beneath him. He fell a fair distance¡ªperhaps five feet¡ªand then impacted with the stone, kneeling. He straightened, shaking his legs, then stepped forward to allow those behind him to follow.


    Anneliese held out Garm, and Argrave took him to free up her hands. He offered his other hand to support her way down, which she used minimally. Once she had stepped out the way, Gmon jumped down quickly and gracefully. He moved more adeptly than they did, despite wearing te armor. Argrave handed Garm back to Anneliese and looked around.


    This ce brought back memories. It was near identical in appearance to the tunnel that they had entered the Low Way from¡ªtall ceilings, thorns decorating the walls, with roses of stone winding about the walls and ceiling, and wide stairs that made it awkward to ascend quickly.


    ¡°I can hear the wind,¡± Gmon said.


    ¡°Best damned thing you could have said,¡± Argrave said with a smile, stepping forth and gesturing those with him to do the same. His spell light followed him, and as he proceeded, he started to make out faint light in the distance. He had been expecting blinding sunlight, yet that was not what he got¡ªinstead, pearly white moonlight shone through.


    Argrave contained himself, being sure not to throw his caution to the wind at the home stretch. The walk seemed unbearably long, and his hands were twitching the whole way, but soon enough the smell of the air grew fresher, almost sweeter, and he felt the wind at his cheeks.


    Argrave stepped out of the Low Way, his heart beating faster than it had in the battle with the Knight of the Wellspring. A wave of cold wind met his cheeks, and he took in the vast expanse of the Burnt Desert before him.


    It seemed as though he was at the end of the skies, two vast expanses of dark stretching out into eternity both up and down¡ªthe starry skies on the top, a vast carpet of ck sand on the bottom. The sand was dark enough that it seemed nothing was ahead of them, just an abyss. There was a beauty to it, yet at the same time, there was a horror belying that beauty.


    Argrave stepped forward, feeling as though his feet would hit nothing. When his gray leather boots sunk into sand, he fell to his knees, grasping it like a madman.


    He started tough, and then looked back. ¡°Smell that? It¡¯s air,¡± he said, eyes wide. ¡°Normal air, not goddamn Redlung-ridden air that smells like piss, blood, and whatever other foul tripe in that hell.¡± Argrave pointed up. ¡°A sky above us, instead of redness and stone. Nothing lurking in the shadows, ready to jump at us.¡±


    Everyone was a bit emotional, even Gmon, like some great burden had been lifted from them all. Garm had tears in his eyes, though he blinked quickly to dispel them.


    Argrave threw sand into the air, uncaring when it fell on him. He lowered his head, giggling like a maniac, then rose to his feet. He took a deep breath of fresh air, ignoring his aching lungs. ¡°Let¡¯s enjoy this moment until the suns rise.¡±

 Chapter 105: Two Stars Consume the Darkness

    Chapter 105: Two Stars Consume the Darkness


    Argrave, Anneliese, and Gmon sat around a faintly flickering spell. Garm was there, too, though considering he was stabbed into the sand upright, he wasn¡¯t exactly sitting. Despite being the middle of the night at the end of fall, the temperature was quite pleasant. In the Burnt Desert, the heat would linger in the sand for a long time after the suns set, both because of its color and itsposition.


    Gmon did nothing. He had done all of the maintenance he needed for his weapons and armor the night before. He simply stared at the spell light in silence, legs crossed and boots sinking into the somewhat cold ck sand beneath them. Anneliese did just the same. Though she might¡¯ve busied herself with reading in the past, it seemed even she had to surrender herself to the whim of rxation at times. She braided her now-clean white hair idly.


    Argrave, though, found it difficult to be consumed by the same spirit of rxation. His brain was consumed with a veritable whirlwind of thoughts, foremost above them a simple fact: he had promised to be honest with the people here.


    He couldn¡¯t deny he didn¡¯t want to. Refusing to let his guard down would be much easier¡ªand probably much more manageable¡ªthan telling the truth as he understood it. And indeed, he could probably worm his way out of this one. He had many excuses: Garm¡¯s presence, for one.


    After much introspection, Argrave came to realize something. It wasn¡¯t ack of trust¡ªhe was confident Gmon and Anneliese would keep his secrets until the end of days, if need be. He didn¡¯t suspect they would abandon him, cast him aside¡ªthey had proven time and time again that they were in this to the bitter end. The issue, then, did not rest with them. It rested within himself.


    Argrave didn¡¯t want to tell them where his knowledge came from. But he wished they knew. He valued them beyond simply tools best suited to ending Gerechtigkeit. Argrave couldn¡¯t deny he enjoyed lying¡ªperhaps that was why it came so naturally to him. But his life experience both here and on Earth had taught him constant deception boded poorly for any rtionship, be it as friends or otherwise.


    With this in mind, Argrave raised his head and looked up into the starry sky, where the bright red moon neared the horizon. He took a deep breath and sighed.


    ¡°Garm,¡± Argrave said, lowering his head. ¡°Anneliese has told you what the purpose of our journey is, right?¡±


    ¡°In rough terms,¡± the head replied, unable to nod in confirmation.


    ¡°With that in mind¡­¡± Argrave looked at him, as serious as he¡¯d ever been. ¡°¡­will you set aside any notion of benefits and demerits, any self-interest, and freely share with us what you know?¡±


    Garm¡¯s ck and gold eyes stayed locked onto Argrave. His face was as immovable as stone, and the only sound that could be heard was the howling of the desert wind against the towering mountain above them.


    ¡°No.¡±


    Argrave nodded, expression disappointed.


    ¡°I have always been a man of logic and reason, not of fairytales about the world¡¯s end,¡± Garm continued, voice cold. ¡°What superstitions tribal elves hold has no bearing on my reasoning. If you wish for my knowledge, I expect a return. The girl has promised my protection, and you have agreed to that condition. Until something elsees along, that is the extent of our cooperation.¡±


    ¡°And if you see irrefutable evidence?¡± Argrave continued.


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know what I¡¯d do,¡± Garm admitted. ¡°I won¡¯t say ¡®no.¡¯ Reasonably, I should say yes, if the evidence is irrefutable.¡±


    ¡°Then as long as you refuse to trust in this group, I cannot include you in this next conversation,¡± Argrave shook his head, adjusting his sitting position.


    Garm took that in for a long while, finally closing his eyes. ¡°So be it.¡±


    Argrave nodded, turning his head back towards Anneliese and Gmon. They both stared at him, expressions passive. Argrave thought there was a certain seriousness to their expressions, though¡ªthey understood that Argrave had finally made up his mind.


    Argrave held a hand out, a C-rank matrix swirling in his hand. Arge ward spread out slowly, enveloping the three of them. The sounds of the desert stopped, and they were left alone with each other. Garm kept his eyes closed just beyond the ward, as though refusing to even look at them as they spoke.


    ¡°Don¡¯t know where to begin,¡± Argrave said. He rubbed his gloved hands together. ¡°Let me just say what I¡¯m thinking, cut past all the filters I put over my words. I don¡¯t really want to do this at all. Been dreading it. I feel idiotic.¡± He brought his knees up, then bunched them together with his arms.


    Anneliese and Gmon waited silently.


    ¡°But I can¡¯t imagine you two wanted to go through the Low Way, or the Cavern of the Lily¡¯s Death before that. Yet you did. You ced your trust in this wiseass sitting right here,¡± Argrave pointed to himself. ¡°I owe you an exnation, I think. But beyond just owing you¡­ I guess I care about you, and what you think of me. I don¡¯t know,¡± Argrave shook his head, somewhat embarrassed by his bumbling.


    ¡°Up until¡­ some months ago,¡± Argrave continued quickly, ignorant of the exact date, ¡°This ce¡­ Berendar, Veiden, everything around me¡­ it was fictional. It was as fake as a fairy-tale¡ªmade-up people, ces, cities, happenings. Think of it like a book, or a¡­ a live theatre,¡± he grasped for concepts they¡¯d understand.


    Evidently the conversation had not gone the way either expected, for both donned perplexed expressions.


    ¡°Unlike a book, though, I could¡ªwell, anyone could¡ªinteract with, and change the direction of the story,¡± Argrave outlined. ¡°I would¡­¡± he paused, thinking. ¡°I would interact with this world via an avatar. A proxy. I would take control of something living in this fictional world, and with it, do what I wanted¡ªhunt monsters, go on grand quests¡­ and, well, fight Gerechtigkeit. It was a game.¡±


    Argrave turned his head away, having trouble keeping eye contact with them. In the distance, he saw the first beam of lighte up over the mountain, illuminating the vast darkndscape of the Burnt Desert.


    ¡°You could experience this world¡­ through a proxy?¡± Gmon questioned.


    Argrave nodded. ¡°Yes. I existed in this world, through proxy, thousands of times. The timeframe of my control over this avatar was limited to a few years¡ªthree and a half years before Gerechtigkeit being the starting point, and Gerechtigkeit¡¯s defeat being the ending.¡±


    ¡°But were you¡­ well, were you¡­¡± Anneliese began, unable to vocalize her question.


    Argrave tried to predict her question, saying, ¡°About¡­ three months ago, I guess, I woke up as ¡®Argrave.¡¯ Fiction became reality,¡± he finished, nodding and looked into the distance.


    The light continued to rise further yet, dispelling the shadow over the dark sand. There was a long, long silence¡ªthe longest yet.


    ¡°How?¡± Anneliese finally broke the quiet.


    Argrave didn¡¯t answer, watching the sunlight slowly creep along the desert. Finally, he turned away from the scene.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    Nothing could be said in response to that, Argrave suspected, for both grew quiet.


    Argrave borated, continuing, ¡°I woke up, in a body that wasn¡¯t my own, three months ago. I knew who ¡®Argrave¡¯ was, but he wasn¡¯t me. This world, which I perceived as fiction, gained detail, gained depth, and became my reality.¡± Argrave paused to gather his thoughts.


    ¡°From there, I confronted two facts: Gerechtigkeit wasing¡­ and I might be the only one capable of stopping it. That realization made me set aside all this existential nonsense. Even now¡­ I don¡¯t really want to talk about it. Don¡¯t want to think about it.¡±


    ¡°This is difficult to wrap my head around,¡± Anneliese ced both hands on her temples.


    ¡°Why are you the only capable of stopping Gerechtigkeit?¡± Gmon questioned.


    ¡°When I yed the game with my¡­ avatar, some details remained consistent,¡± Argrave stared at Gmon. ¡°In this world, my avatar was the one who stopped Gerechtigkeit. And in this world, my proxy always possessed one item.¡±


    Argrave pulled over his backpack, rustling through it. He pulled out the bronze hand mirror.


    ¡°I would always possess this mirror.¡±


    Argrave briefly caught a glimpse of it.


    Traits: [Tall], [Sickly], [Weak], [Intelligent], [Magic Affinity (High)], [Insomniac], [Blessing of Supersession (MAX)]


    Skills: [Elemental Magic (C)], [Blood Magic (C)], [Healing Magic (C)], [Illusion Magic (D)], [Warding Magic(C)], [Druidic Magic (C)], [Inscription (E)], [Imbuing (E)]


    Anneliese stared at Argrave, simultaneously enlightened by his mention of the mirror and confused by the entire situation.


    ¡°Alright. That¡¯s the best I¡¯ve got for exnations. Now, ask me questions. Help me make you understand. That¡¯s the only way we can salvage this mess, I think.¡±


    In the distance, the twin suns finally began to rise over the ckness of the Burnt Desert, shrouding the destendscape of ckness in the bright and warm light of a new dawn.


    #####


    Argrave found the entire conversation very unpleasant.


    But then, Argrave reasoned there were many things in life that were unpleasant yet ultimately beneficial. Cleaning out a wound with alcohol, for instance, was excruciating¡ªletting an infection fester was far worse.


    Of course, his analogy to assuage his difort quickly fell t when he acknowledged the existence of healing magic.


    Nevertheless, Argrave answered all of Gmon and Anneliese¡¯s questions for hours as the suns rose ever higher into the air, dispelling what chill had taken the desert at night. The more questions he answered, the more they had¡ªit seemed a never-ending cycle, and yet things did eventuallye to a close, inrge part due to Argrave¡¯s voice giving out.


    Argrave stared out into the vastness of the Burnt Desert, Gmon standing just beside him.


    ¡°A lot of things about you make sense, now,¡± Gmonmented.


    ¡°Yeah?¡± Argrave pressed.


    ¡°Yet even more has stopped making sense.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Argrave repeated.


    A strong wind blew across the desert, sending ck particles drifting through the air.


    ¡°I¡¯ve realized something,¡± Argrave said.


    ¡°What?¡± Gmon looked to Argrave.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have much food,¡± Argrave gazed out into the empty sandscape, eyes unfocused.


    Gmon exhaled from his nose loudly¡ªas close to augh as the elf got.


    ¡°The nearest ce¡­ it¡¯s pretty far,¡± Argrave said neutrally.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± said Gmon.


    Argrave looked at him, hopeful the elf had an idea.


    ¡°If you copse, I can carry you both,¡± he patted Argrave¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s because we¡¯re your emergency food.¡± Argrave sighed.


    They stood in silence, letting the wind wash over them. Anneliese stepped up beside Argrave, standing opposite Gmon.


    ¡°What you told us¡­ I hope you know that your secret will remain with us,¡± Anneliese began.


    ¡°Was never worried about that,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°I know you two well¡ªGmon more so, but you¡­I know enough. I told you from the beginning. You are a person of good character,¡± he looked at her. ¡°Just¡­ didn¡¯t want to think about it. And I didn¡¯t want to ruin things. Too much at stake to do so.¡±


    She nodded passively, evidently lost in thought. After a time, she lifted her head. ¡°Do you dislike being here?¡± Anneliese questioned.


    ¡°I don¡¯t dislike the desert,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°Magic removes all of its inconveniences. During winter, it might be the best time to be here. Of course¡­ if you thought Vasquer was despotic, you haven¡¯t been to the Burnt Desert. The powers that be control every facet of life here, and they¡¯re slowly whittling away any resistance.¡±


    ¡°That is not what I meant,¡± Anneliese looked at Argrave. ¡°Do you dislike being Argrave?¡±


    Argrave raised a brow, a bit taken aback by her question. He looked around, being sure Garm was not near. Seeing that he wasn¡¯t, Argrave let himself be lost in thought.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°I like¡­ this ce,¡± Argrave reluctantly said. ¡°I love its cultures, its people, and its history. I spent years ying the game for those reasons,¡± Argrave admitted. ¡°I like the idea of being here. Magic fascinates me. Discovering things, secrets, about Berendar¡­ even now, it does excite me. But thus far? I think you can know my feelings just looking at me.¡±


    Anneliese nodded. ¡°Argrave,¡± she said.


    Argrave looked over, his gray eyes locking with hers.


    ¡°You will win again. When all is said and done, and when the world is settled¡­ you will have freedom.¡±


    ¡°Bold im, missy. We haven¡¯t even crossed this desert without dying,¡± Argrave pointed to the sandscape with his thumb, keeping his gaze locked on her amber eyes.


    She merely smiled at him. Her eyes were strangely sad, Argrave thought. Eventually, he looked out across the desert, unable to maintain the eye contact.


    ¡°Let¡¯s worry about winningter. After we cross the desert, we have to dance around in a despotic regime directly responsible for climate change. After that Low Way, it¡¯ll be nice to have some fun in the sun.¡±


    Argrave held a hand out, blocking out the two suns. He felt like a mess¡ªhis chest still ached, he had a terrible headache, and he couldn¡¯t stop simply <em>thinking.</em>


    Yet for the first time since he hade here, he didn¡¯t feel entirely alone.

 Chapter 106: And the March Goes On

    Chapter 106: And the March Goes On


    ¡°What do you think?¡±


    Anneliese stared at Gmon, her arms crossed expectantly. Gmon turned around, looking to where Argrave had gone briefly to take care of nature¡¯s call.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter. I didn¡¯t need answers. I had already resolved to follow him,¡± Gmon shook his head.


    ¡°But I want to know what you think,¡± Anneliese insisted.


    Gmon ground his teeth together, saying nothing as the wind blew across the desert. ¡°I¡¯m reminded of when I was young, and I questioned the meaning of life and the validity of Veid¡¯s teachings. I¡¯m wrought with the same sort of¡­ existential ponderance.¡±


    ¡°So you believe Argrave?¡± she queried.


    His white eyes turned to her. ¡°You do,¡± he noted. ¡°That is sufficient for me. You¡¯re a reliable gauge for lies and deception. I¡¯vee to know that.¡±


    She nodded. ¡°I know, at least, he believes what he says. His knowledge, too, is without question. As for what he revealed to us¡­¡± she knelt down, her hair falling to the sand. ¡°It challenges many of my preconceptions about the world. I have many questions to ask.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, ¡®he believes what he says?¡¯¡± Gmon looked down at her.


    Anneliese looked up at Gmon, rising back to her feet. ¡°He, himself, knows nothing of what actually happened to him. This¡­ this other world that he described to us¡­¡± she rubbed her hands together. ¡°Maybe it is real. But the gods work iprehensibly. If the gods did indeed meddle, why would they ce him in a shackled body? Much is uncertain.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°It¡¯ll never be certain. Myself¡­ I believe it is Veid¡¯s will,¡± Gmon nodded.


    ¡°I hate uncertainty. I hate being ignorant,¡± Anneliese shook her head. ¡°Though it may be beyond my ken to know now, it must not always be so. When the threat of Gerechtigkeit does not loom¡­ I think it would be fun to pursue the answer to his question. For now, I will continue on at his side. Now that he has finally cracked, perhaps I can finally learn something genuine about him. He is quite a dodgy one, refusing to answer questions about himself¡ªwho he was before. I have to change that. It wille with time.¡±


    ¡°Hah.¡± Gmonughed, scratching his chin.


    Anneliese gazed up at him, head tilted in curiosity. ¡°You¡¯re feeling¡­ nostalgic?¡±


    Gmon¡¯s mirth ceased when his emotions were so urately ced. He shook his head as though dismissing his emotions. ¡°It is nothing. Merely reminded of my youth.¡±


    ¡°How so?¡±


    ¡°Unimportant. Just something you said reminded me of what she¡­ well, never mind.¡± Gmon closed his eyes. ¡°Want some advice on people like him? How to open his shell?¡±


    Her eyes grew eager. ¡°You have some?¡±


    ¡°Be patient. Be present,¡± Gmon disclosed, opening his eyes and gazing out into the distance. ¡°He keeps his thoughts, his doubts, close. Hates to disy them outwardly.¡±


    ¡°I know that,¡± she nodded. ¡°It¡¯s why he jokes, makes light of himself.¡±


    ¡°One day, he¡¯ll hit a wall,¡± Gmon crossed his arms. ¡°That¡¯ll be your chance.¡±


    ¡°To get some honesty from him?¡±


    ¡°And more,¡± Gmon smiled faintly.


    ¡°Is this what you¡¯ve been trying?¡±


    Gmon¡¯s smile quickly turned into a frown. ¡°No. This is a tactic for you.¡± Anneliese looked perplexed, and Gmon uncrossed his arms, continuing, ¡°At the very least, it is reassuring that Argrave has done this before.¡±


    Anneliese raised a brow. ¡°Can it be considered the same?¡±


    Gmon looked to her. ¡°There is a difference between a fresh recruit who has done nothing, and one who has spent hours beating a training dummy. At the very least, thetter has a feel for what must be done.¡±


    ¡°Possibly. I think not many could do what Argrave has done, thus far,¡± Anneliese posited.


    ¡°Maybe. Maybe not,¡± Gmon responded indecisively. ¡°He is definitely¡­ uniquely equipped for the path he¡¯s on.¡±


    #####


    Argrave crested the top of a ck dune of sand, cing his hands on his knees to catch his breath. He conjured and drank water, appreciating the moisture amidst the incredibly dry air.


    Gmon was already waiting at the top, staring out across thend. Argrave wore something different than yesterday: his set of ck leather he had purchased from the craftswoman at Jast. It was lighter and much more breathable than the fur-lined gray set he¡¯d worn. The few pieces of metal on it were brass, faded so as not to reflect light. It was made to cover his body much better, too, preventing the coarse ck sand from entering into his boots or any crevices.


    Above all, Argrave was clean again. He was getting better about tolerating uncleanliness, yet he did appreciate removing the blood and dirt-stained gray leather outfit that had traversed the entire Low Way without much washing.


    Anneliese caught up with Argrave, stabbing Garm into the sand. ¡°¡­I believed it was ridiculous to bring ck leather to a desert,¡± Anneliese confided, only barely out of breath. ¡°Yet it is not as scorching as I imagined, and this is pleasant. Like the hottest summer day in Veiden. The clothes breathe well yet keep me warm.¡± She pulled at her sleeves.


    Argrave considered this as he stared down at the ck sand, hunched over breathless. The night and dawn both had been somewhat chilly, yet during the day, a pleasant temperature prevailed¡ªmaybe only because it was on the cusp of winter, granted.


    That said, the Burnt Desert was not without its issues¡ªthe sand was heavy and abrasive, making walking more difficult than Argrave expected. The air was incredibly dry. In addition, the ground could grow very hot at times. Fortunately, they had not yet encountered a sandstorm.


    ¡°¡­I woulde here during the winter, at times,¡± Garm said idly.


    Argrave nced at him, still catching his breath, and then rose to his feet. He conjured water in his hands, drinking it quickly.


    Quite frankly, Argrave didn¡¯t know what to make of the severed head that they had taken from the Low Way of the Rose. It was true that Garm had likely saved Argrave¡¯s life¡ªthat said, he did not exactly hide his intents, he was extremely pessimistic, but above all¡­


    Argrave knew nothing about Garm.


    Garm had been a key item to unlock the lower levels¡ªbeyond the initial encounter, one did not engage with him further. He, like hundreds of other key items,nguished in the yer¡¯s inventory, never to be thought about again. Yet now he was here. Anneliese had sworn to protect the thing, though she had made it clear that the other members of the party would take precedence over his life. The deal had seemed incredibly obvious at the time, yet as things proceeded¡­ Argrave was not entirely sure he could trust Garm at all.


    ¡°Never been more grateful for magic,¡± Argrave spoke, dismissing his thoughts for now. ¡°Things get too hot? You can cool yourself down. Thirsty? Conjure water. Sandstorm? Ward it off. All the dangers of this ce are shooed away by one mage.¡±


    ¡°Yet it cannot stay exhaustion,¡± noted Anneliese.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Argrave agreed idly. ¡°My point is¡ªmagic is the best tool for this ce. It¡¯s the supreme power. You catch what I mean?¡± he looked to Anneliese.


    ¡°I¡­¡± Anneliese paused, head tilted in thought. ¡°Oh,¡± she nodded as the answer came to her. ¡°You mentioned a faction has an iron grip over this region. Do you mean to say that they are mages?¡±


    ¡°In a sense. People have baseline needs. If you control those needs, you control the popce. And mages can do that, here. At least¡­ they have,¡± Argrave amended, realizing this situation could be applicable elsewhere. ¡°A lot of unscrupulous people abound here, willing and able to do whatever they need to get power.¡±


    ¡°Who?¡± questioned Garm.


    ¡°There¡¯s no centralized power, but they¡¯re all part of the same faction, more or less¡ªthe Vessels of Fellhorn, the god of floods and rain. These Vessels are probably the only surviving group still worshipping an ancient god.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re kidding,¡± said Garm. Argrave turned to look at him. ¡°The Vessels of Fellhorn¡­ they were a minor group. The Order of the Rose employed their aid in making the canals of the Low Way. They¡¯re masters of water¡ªnothing more.¡±


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you listening?¡± Argrave questioned. ¡°Yeah, they <em>are</em> masters of water. People need to drink water to live, you realize. It¡¯s only natural their prominence would increase in this ce,¡± Argrave waved his hands around. ¡°Couple that with some ruthless practices, and things progress as you might expect.


    ¡°You want to drink water? That¡¯s fine, they say: as long as you submit to us, we¡¯ll give it to you. For a small group, that¡¯s unsustainable,rgely¡ªany wandering mage can do the same. But while you¡¯ve been¡­ indisposed,¡± Argrave waved to Garm awkwardly, ¡°They¡¯ve been growing in prominence. From a position of power, they can control all the water in a given region. Any mage that disagrees? They¡¯re hunted and killed. Non-mages submit to the Vessels, or they die of thirst. The Vessels make sure of that. Oases, wells, springs¡ªthey dry up. Only the water in Fellhorn¡¯s domain persists.¡±


    ¡°Sounds¡­ effective, I suppose,¡± said Gmon with a nod.


    ¡°Might be. But most figureheads in the Vessels are nothing more than regional despots, reveling in the luxury brought by their authority rather than using it for progress.¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°Like this, the savage southern tribes are brought to heel¡ªthe southron elves, the barbaric cannibals that battled against House Parbon since the House existed, reduced to little more than thralls because theyck options. Vasquer¡¯s greatest threat for centuries extinguished by attrition, eroded from within.¡±


    Argrave took a deep breath and sighed. ¡°I¡¯m getting worked up for nothing. I¡¯m not¡ª<em>we¡¯re</em> not here to take a stance. When ites to fighting Gerechtigkeit it serves no benefit to get involved here. Lot of death, lot of misery¡­ and at the end of it all, very little that would aid in the fight against Gerechtigkeit.¡±


    ¡°I see. All that said¡­ are you expecting trouble?¡± Anneliese queried.


    ¡°The Vessels won¡¯t cause trouble for travelers like us, even if we are mages. Bothering wanderers might disrupt their peace. As long as we don¡¯t make trouble, there¡¯ll be none¡ªno giving water to the thirsty, things like that.¡± Argrave smiled. ¡°Coincidentally, I do have to make some. So¡­ yes, I am expecting trouble. But not much. Only enough to get what I need.¡±


    Anneliese crossed her arms. ¡°I do hope you will inform us before acting.¡±


    ¡°Of course. I¡¯ve learned my lesson,¡± Argrave said seriously. ¡°Now that my cat¡¯s out of the bag, so to speak, I¡¯ll tell you two everything¡­ without reservation.¡±


    He pushed the thoughts aside, finally ready to move again. In the far distance, movement caught Argrave¡¯s eye. He saw what looked like a ck ball rolling downhill. The familiar sight made him smile. It was an armadillo-like creature, near the size of a boar, that supposedly hunted the bugs native to the Burnt Desert. To conserve energy, it rolled down the dunes.


    ¡°A cyrello,¡± Argrave pointed with his finger. ¡°Cute little thing.¡±


    ¡°It should suffice,¡± Gmon nodded, shaking some sand out of his gauntlets.


    ¡°Suffice?¡±


    Gmon looked at Argrave. ¡°We won¡¯t make it to this town you spoke of. I can see the tower in the distance¡­ but we aren¡¯t travelling fast enough.¡± The rolling creature came to a stop, the ck mammal emerging from its ball and starting to move up another dune in a slow waddle. ¡°That cyrello creature should suffice for tonight¡¯s food.¡±


    Argrave¡¯s smile quickly faded, but he didn¡¯t exactly protest.


    ¡°The alternative is bugs,¡± Gmon said coldly, observing Argrave¡¯s expression.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything,¡± Argrave raised his hands.

 Chapter 107: Sullied Marble

    Chapter 107: Sullied Marble


    Argrave¡¯s boots met something other than sand for the first time in a long while. The ground beneath his feet was still ck, though it resembled baked y more than sand, and some sparse few nts sprouted from cracks in the soil. They were yellow or gray, though, all dead and decaying. The air was dry to the point Argrave wished to keep his mouth shut constantly.


    Ahead, the vast dunes of sand began to fade away, if only for a brief bit. The first bit of civilization entered into sight: a giant wall of ck y. It was smooth and strong, standing about thirty feet tall. Argrave could just barely see the leaf of a palm tree poking over the walls¡ªthough, instead of green, it was ck and purple.


    ¡°Maybe we can get a wyvern while we¡¯re here, spare me an awful return hike,¡± Argrave ced his hand on his back. ¡°Whatever. We made it. This ce is called Delphasium,¡± Argrave turned around to his twopanions.


    Gmon held Garm, this time, though they had worked out a disguise for the severed head. He had been stuck in the back of Gmon¡¯s pack and wore the elf¡¯s helmet¡ªit was far toorge, but it hid his existence in a mostly convincing manner. A cloth, too, covered his head, so even peering beyond would reveal only cloth. To an onlooker, it probably seemed as though the elven warrior had removed his helmet and mounted it on his backpack.


    ¡°They rear wyverns here?¡± Anneliese questioned.


    ¡°Not here, no,¡± Argrave looked back to Delphasium. ¡°The southern tribes that still rear wyverns live further south, where great mountains surround the desert. They¡¯re thest bastion against the Vessels of Fellhorn, persisting off a spring in the mountains. Dangerous ce. We¡¯ll go near there¡­ but we have no reason to enter the mountains. Ostensibly.¡±


    ¡°Ostensibly,¡± Anneliese repeated, as though asking him to exin himself.


    ¡°It would¡­ be nice to have one,¡± Argrave said musingly. ¡°You heard about Mateth, I¡¯m sure.¡±


    Even Anneliese could not hide that the idea intrigued her, but Gmon put his hand on Argrave¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Look,¡± he pointed out.


    Argrave followed his finger. Far away, there was a great ck cloud visibly writhing despite the distance. It was no thundercloud. And even Argrave could tell that it was heading towards them, not away from them.


    ¡°Our first sandstorm. At least we didn¡¯t leave the Low Way into this. Well, let¡¯s jump into the water, so to speak¡ªto Delphasium,¡± Argrave said positively. He pulled his duster¡¯s hood down, shaking some sand out of it, then started walking towards the wall of ck y in the distance.


    When they neared the wall, a smell that Argrave had been d to leave behind in the Low Way entered his nostrils: death and decay. Fortunately, it was not an all-epassing smell, but rather one originating from a ce in particr. There was a dead body leaning against the walls. The dark-skinned body was male and unhealthily thin, ribs and bones poking out against the flesh as though trying to escape. His was not the only corpse.


    There were other people taking shelter near the walls. Numbering near fifty, they were unmoving, each and all incredibly skinny. Argrave had thought <em>he</em> looked far too gaunt, but these people¡¯s sunken faces and exposed bony frames were ufortable merely to look at. Their loose woolen clothing seemed all the looser on their thin bodies. Their dark skin was lined with deformed tattoos, the ink¡¯s shapes distorted by their starvation. They huddled underneath cloth canopies held up by wooden stakes.


    Rats tried to get at the corpses, yet the people would ward them off with weak rebuttals. The rats stayed near, waiting in the shade, waiting for an opportunity. Elsewhere, a group of four ate something¡ªas Argrave grew nearer, he saw it to be one of the rodents. Nothing was wasted¡ªthey drank its blood for moisture, and they ate all of its bits, even gnawing on the bone with their brittle teeth. Most striking was theck of greed: all of the people divided the rat¡¯s parts in equal portions, prioritizing the youngest.


    These people stayed still, staring from the shade as Argrave and hispanions passed. None seemed to expect or want something from them, and despite their state, there was a proud warning in their gazes. Their eyes were the color of gold: bright, sharp and brilliant. Though theycked the strength to bury the dead man, they seemed insistent to defend him from the rats, both for sustenance and for the sake of the fallen. Anneliese watched them with intense curiosity, and they held her gaze, watching as she passed.


    Once they were far away, Anneliese stepped up beside Argrave.


    ¡°Those are the southern tribals,¡± Anneliese stated.


    Argrave interpreted it as a question in part, and so confirmed, ¡°Yes. The Vessels won¡¯t kill them outright. Against their faith, or some such excuse. Instead, they ward them from the town. The guards throw rats over the walls, directly into their camps. Enough to sustain them, but not enough for them to really <em>live</em>. They want to break them¡ªhave them submit to thralldom, like those within the city.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Anneliese nodded. ¡°Do the southron elves share their skin tone?¡±


    ¡°Darker, actually,¡± Argrave answered. ¡°We won¡¯t see much of them, I suspect. They¡¯re all but wiped out.¡±


    ¡°I had wished to speak to my distant kin. Disappointing,¡± she said, sparing onest nce at the people they¡¯d passed.


    ¡°Try not to dwell on those people,¡± Argrave advised. ¡°Even if we could help them, they are few. Gerechtigkeit will kill all. Picture that, if it helps.¡±


    Anneliese turned away. She could not meet his eyes, but she nodded. Argrave hoped what he said was enough. His words certainly felt empty, even to him.


    They followed along the outside of the walls, Argrave leading them towards an entrance to the town that he knew of. Eventually, they saw an established path¡ªthough partially buried beneath ck sand, the stone road wasrgely well-maintained.


    Six people stood at the gate, guarding the entrance casually. Doubtless they were more numerous to prevent the southern tribals outside from trying to sneak or force their way in. They wore loose-fitting dark gray clothes with chain mail for armor. They wore traces of purple at points, purely for decoration¡ªsashes, tassels, the like. Their helmets were simple domes with a spike on the center, yet they wore masks to protect their face from the sand.


    Argrave saw their weapons¡ªtwo knives on their belt, plus a spear in hand¡ªand once againmented that he had not paid off his debt to Erlebnis. He hadpletely exhausted his supply of liquid magic from the Amaranthine Heart, yet he suspected there would still be two or three days before he regained his ability to use the Blessing.


    Seeing Argrave and hispany approaching, the guards came to attention. Gmon ced himself ahead of Argrave, ever the diligent guard. His presence wasrge enough that the guards looked visibly nervous¡ªdoubtless Anneliese and Argrave¡¯s tall stature amplified that effect.


    They gathered in front of the gate, and seeing their movement, Argrave stopped Gmon.


    ¡°Hold,¡± one stepped forward, using the spear as a walking stick. ¡°State your business.¡±


    ¡°Just travelling, looking to stay within the town. I was told there was plenty of inns here at Delphasium,¡± Argrave stepped up beside Gmon.


    The guard stared up at Argrave, expression mostly indiscernible behind his white mask. His eyes were suspicious, though, and he asked, ¡°Travelling where?¡±


    ¡°Deep south. Argent. Visiting an old friend,¡± Argrave supplied.


    ¡°Some friendship, to travel so far over the Burnt Desert,¡± the guard noted, his suspicions somewhat abated by Argrave¡¯s knowledge of a city deep within the desert. ¡°Youe from the north?¡±


    ¡°Not Vasquer, if that¡¯s what you¡¯re asking,¡± Argrave shook his head, knowing well the hostility between those in the Burnt Desert and Vasquer. ¡°We came from further north, where thend is frozen most of the year. It¡¯s why we¡¯re so pale. Also why we came during the winter¡ªsuspect we¡¯d melt in the hottest time of the year.¡±


    The guard let out a wheezingugh at that. ¡°Alright.¡± He nodded. ¡°You can enter. No tolls here, not for travelers. You know ourws?¡±


    ¡°Pay the taxes. No violence, no theft, and no using magic within the city¡­ unless you¡¯re associated with the Vessels of Fellhorn. Andstly¡­ don¡¯t give water to outsiders.¡±


    The guard nodded. ¡°Merchants will check for this mark on the back of your hand.¡± He raised his hand up, revealing a blue cross with four x¡¯s on the tips. There was something mystical about the tattoo¡ªit shimmered like sapphireke water on the man¡¯s backhand. ¡°Since you don¡¯t have them, you¡¯ll have to pay the taxes.¡±


    ¡°Got it,¡± Argrave nodded. The tattoo marked a person as a citizen sworn to a Vessel. They doubled as constant monitors, ensuring those that broke thews could not do so secretly.


    The man lowered his hand, gaze moving from between Gmon and Anneliese. ¡°Northern elves, hmm? Rumor has it they sacked a city in Vasquer.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard the same,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°Didn¡¯t confirm it, though.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The guard¡¯s gaze lingered on them. ¡°Make sure they cause no trouble,¡± he finally warned, stepping aside.


    They passed by the guards, Argrave leading them ahead. Most of their attention stayed on Gmon. Argrave felt a little nervous, wondering if any would be able to see Garm, but he didn¡¯t dare let that show in his actions or expression.


    They passed beneath the ck y walls of Delphasium, entering into the town beyond. Noment was made about the helmet hiding a severed head on Gmon¡¯s back, and so they entered into the oasis town without issue. The change in scenery was dramatic.


    The outside had been a deste wastnd of ckness, utterly devoid of flora, yet within the walls was a drastic change. The buildings and streets were all made of a clean white rock reminiscent of marble. ck nts lined the walkways, reminiscent of agave or aloe vera, while palm trees with ck leaves bearing bright purple fruits filled vast orchards. Though nts ck in color were most abundant, extremely bright crops persisted everywhere¡ªreds, purples, yellows, and blues. There were peppers, olives, wildflowers, and other such hardy desert nts.


    Though the streets were not exceptionally busy, they were still somewhat crowded. The people wore multicolored loose-fitting robes and were adorned with plentiful jewelry. The denizens of the Burnt Desert were disparate from the pale people of Vasquer, skin tone ranging from a light tan color to a dark brown. Their hair was dark, and much of it was bound with golden ornaments bearing bright jewelry or silken cloth with bright dye.


    Argrave, Anneliese, and Gmon could not stick out more if they tried. They were ridiculously tall, pale, and majority elven¡ªArgrave had grown used to being watched, lumbering stick that he was, but it redoubled in this ce. People openly spoke of them, pointing as they passed. It was a wonder they were not stopped by random people on the street. Perhaps only Gmon¡¯s intimidating presence spared them that.


    Yet Argrave walked by, trying his best to ignore things. Eventually, they came to the central square. There, a great marble sculpture stood tall, depicting a naked woman holding a horn overflowing with fruit. Two spouts of water rose beside her. It was a depiction of Fellhorn¡ªnot the god itself, but of its harvest.


    Argrave paused at the fountain, watching the water spray the central square wantonly. His mind involuntarily conjured images of the southern tribals outside the walls. He had known what to expecting here, but seeing it in person was a different experience entirely.


    He bit his lip, mindful not to express his disapproval visually lest he gain the ire of the watching crowd. He turned to Gmon. ¡°The ce¡ªit¡¯s this way. It¡¯ll be a bit more expensive because we¡¯re using Vasquer coins, but I think we should be able to pass by the night.¡± He pointed to both of them. ¡°Now, something to note¡ªdon¡¯t let people touch your skin easily. If a Vessel of Fellhorn has skin contact, they can do a hell of a lot of damage in seconds. Shake hands, your hand will shrivel in seconds.¡±


    Both nodded seriously.


    ¡°That sandstorm¡ªthink it¡¯s going to upy the south,¡± Gmonmented, staring beyond the walls. ¡°I¡¯m told they canst days.¡±


    Argrave followed his gaze. If he had been ying ¡®Heroes of Berendar,¡¯ a sandstorm simply meant that his vision would be obscured¡ªin reality, though, travelling during a sandstorm was all but a death sentence.


    ¡°We worry about that tomorrow. I need to wash the taste of that cyrello out of my mouth,¡± said Argrave, stepping away from the water fountain. ¡°You can try spicy food, Anneliese. This will be entertaining,¡± he said with a smile.


    Anneliese raised a curious brow. ¡°You must tell me of the food of the ce youe from,¡± she began, following him.


    The three ventured deeper into the oasis town. Near the fountain, a well-dressed man watched them leave. His gaze lingered for a long while, and then he turned, heading for a ptial estate in the distance.

 Chapter 108: The Unexpected

    Chapter 108: The Unexpected


    Elias opened a set of thick stone doors, stepping into a cold hall. His father sat there at his desk. At Elias¡¯ entry, he set down a dagger.


    ¡°Father,¡± Elias greeted a bit stiffly.


    Margrave Reinhardt stared at his son. He said nothing for an ufortably long period, and Elias felt the need to squirm. He managed to stay still, though only with his best effort.


    ¡°Where is your fianc¨¦e?¡± the Margrave asked.


    ¡°I¡­ introduced her to Rose,¡± Elias stepped forward. ¡°I figured she should know my sister if she is to be¡­ a part of the family. They seemed to be getting along when you called me,¡± he said optimistically. ¡°Both enjoy books. The two are simr, I think. Ridia is near as sweet as Rose.¡±


    The Margrave nodded. ¡°I¡¯m d there is some affection forming between the two of you.¡±


    Elias hung his head. ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry. I know I should have¡ª¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t apologize. You did well,¡± Reinhardt interrupted.


    Elias raised his head back up, red eyes wide.


    ¡°You made a decisive choice as a leader to earn a benefit, and to protect your people. This is something that I wanted you to learn, and you learned it.¡± Reinhardt spread his arms out. ¡°The fact that you ignored my authority doesn¡¯t matter, because you considered the people first.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡­ Argrave is the one who made this happen,¡± Elias deflected, his promise of not mentioning Argrave vanishing when me turned into praise. ¡°He was the smart one. He saw what would happen and made it a reality. I just¡­ was led around.¡±


    ¡°That one seems to be the sole force for change in this family,¡± Reinhardt looked away. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Reinhardt grabbed the dagger on his desk, tossing it aside. He retrieved a paper, handing it to Elias. ¡°This came not hours ago.¡±


    Elias took two steps forward, retrieving the paper. He oriented it to read it properly, then furrowed his brows. After a time, he rose his head. ¡°Elbraille dered its support of our cause?¡±


    Margrave Reinhardt nodded.


    Elias smiled. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ that¡¯s great!¡±


    ¡°That boy you brought, Stain¡­¡± Reinhardt continued, not sharing his son¡¯s jubtion. ¡°He tells me of some things. He¡¯s been¡­ he said he was ¡®keeping his ears on the beating heart of the underworld.¡¯ I didn¡¯t know what he meant, but he borated that he was keeping track of rumors.¡± Reinhardt sighed and shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know what he¡¯s saying half the time.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a good one at heart, even if he does like to do some¡­ less than reputable things. He didn¡¯t have a good chi¡ª¡±


    ¡°Let me finish,¡± Reinhardt held out his big hand. ¡°Despite this letter¡­ Stain says a lot of people are talking about unrest in Elbraille. He says people im someone is stirring the people against the lord, bringing to light certain injustices. Unjust taxes, corrupt guards, malfeasance by those near the Duke¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ is that true? These incidents, that is,¡± Elias questioned.


    ¡°I¡¯m not saying Duke Marauch is a saint¡ªfar from it¡ªbut we need his support in the war, and someone is moving against him, trying to oust him from power.¡±


    Elias stepped away, thinking, then turned back and nodded seriously. ¡°What do we do about it?¡±


    Reinhardt leaned back in the chair, his brawny framepletely hiding the backrest. He sighed for a long, long while. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    Elias was taken aback, as though he¡¯d never heard his father say that.


    ¡°But <em>we</em> need to figure it out,¡± the Margrave said. ¡°Tomorrow, I¡¯ll call together some advisors I trust. We¡¯ll discuss this, decide how to act. Personally, I think that you and Stain should go there and maintain order. Doubtless the Duke will wee it.¡±


    ¡°If someone is trying to undermine the Duke, it¡¯s definitely going to be a supporter of Vasquer,¡± Elias said. ¡°It would be dangerous to go there.¡±


    ¡°I will keep that in mind, should thise to pass,¡± the Margrave shook his head. ¡°But this person, or group of persons, evidentlycks the strength for an outright coup.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Elias nodded.


    Reinhardt pointed at Elias. ¡°Tomorrow, I want you up early. Come to me, here. We¡¯ll talk more then. For now¡­ ensure your fianc¨¦e isfortable here.¡± Reinhardt leaned forward once more, picking up the dagger he¡¯d set aside and examining it.


    ¡°Thank you, father,¡± Elias said, lowering his head slightly. He turned and opened the stone door, stepping out. As he made to leave, he stopped.


    Elias turned, grabbing the stone door. ¡°Argrave told me something at the Tower of the Gray Owl.¡±


    Reinhardt kept the dagger in hand, looking up coldly towards his son. ¡°And?¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°He said there was a¡­ smander. On the hills of Vysenn,¡± Elias proceeded carefully.


    ¡°Is this pertinent?¡± the Margrave questioned.


    ¡°Argrave seemed to be under the impression this smander might hold some secret in healing Rose.¡± Elias took his hand off the stone door and stepped back into the room. ¡°I looked into this¡­ and, well, some of it holds true. There are barbarians in Vysenn, known for their regenerative abilities. These smanders, too¡­¡±


    The Margrave turned his ruby eyes away from his son. ¡°If you think it has merit¡­ look into it further.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, father,¡± Elias said once more, a little more excitement on his tone. He left and shut the door quickly.


    The Margrave dropped the dagger, and it ttered against the desk. ¡°This boy¡­ maybe I need to meet him once more.¡± Reinhardt rubbed his forehead, clearly torn.


    #####


    Argrave sat on a table outside in the chilly air of the dawn, warming himself up beneath the sun¡¯s beams. Anneliese sat adjacent to him. The inn they¡¯d stayed at had goat for breakfast¡ªthe cost had been exorbitant, but Argrave did notck money even still. Though Argrave might¡¯ve found the prospect of a new type of meat unappealing, for the first time in a long while, the meat was seasoned¡ªrock salt, peppers, and other such things to give it vor.


    ¡°Those people outside¡­¡± Anneliese spoke, gaze distant.


    ¡°Still thinking about that?¡± Argrave questioned. ¡°I told you, it does nothing for us to get involved. Even if we could change things¡ªsomething that¡¯d take years¡ªit does nothing for the bigger picture. We, alone, should fight an entire region¡¯s religion, fix an entire region¡¯s problems? I feel guilty too, but I¡¯d feel guiltier if I had to watch Gerechtigkeit kill each and every living thing alive because we spent our time tackling something beyond our capability.¡±


    She nodded, refocusing her gaze on Argrave. ¡°Why do they refuse to submit to the Vessels?¡±


    ¡°Revoked liberties, delegated tasks, forced non-violence, forced worship of Fellhorn, and long-standing hatred,¡± Argrave summarized quickly. ¡°They refuse to surrender their cultural traditions.¡±


    ¡°Yet life here does not seem so bad,¡± Anneliese looked around. ¡°If they would simply submit, then¡­¡±


    ¡°Because this is a trading town, sustainedrgely by farming,¡± Argrave summarized. ¡°Beyond forcedbor in the fields, we can¡¯t see much injustice. Elsewhere¡­ mining settlements, ntations¡­ we¡¯ll see the worst of the ce soon enough.¡± Argrave tapped his finger on the table. ¡°Unless you can think of an alternative I¡¯m missing, feeling guilty will just distract us.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± she said with a resigned sigh. ¡°It is difficult to suppress guilt when people starve outside the walls. And you would eat things like this constantly?¡± Anneliese spoke, leaning in close to Argrave.


    ¡°Well, yeah. Bute on,¡± Argrave pointed to her. ¡°You had salted meat in Veiden. It was sea salt, granted, but it¡¯s not much different.¡±


    ¡°We salt our food for preservation, not for taste,¡± she countered. ¡°Yet hearing you describe your home, I suppose I can understand why you detest being dirty so much.¡±


    Argrave tapped his fingers on the table. It still felt a bit awkward to speak of his home so openly, and he somewhat loathed the feelings of homesickness that would swell whenever he confronted it. ¡°I was an outlier, even there,¡± Argrave shook his head.


    ¡°What do you miss most?¡± she asked, cing her arms on the table.


    ¡°Music,¡± Argrave answered without missing a beat. ¡°I¡­ there were so many instruments, it¡¯s difficult to even begin to list them all. Millenia of cultural traditions and developments were distilled into countless types of music, each and all wonderful and unique. And above all, music wasn¡¯t something reserved for special asions¡ªparties, festivals, what have you. Anyone could listen to music, anywhere. We have electricity to thank for that.¡±


    Anneliese¡¯s stared up at his face, bright-eyed. She opened her mouth to speak but Gmon stepped up to them, still wearing his backpack with Garm on it. The elven vampire removed the pack, setting it beside the table, and then sat down.


    ¡°Gmon, you¡¯re back,¡± Argrave greeted.


    ¡°Sandstorm¡¯s still raging, and it shows no signs of subsiding,¡± Gmon reported as he settled himself. ¡°Roads are blocked¡ªno travel to or from the town. Even the merchants refuse to go.¡±


    Argrave sighed. ¡°Damn it all.¡± He looked at Garm, encased in Gmon¡¯s helmet. ¡°How are you, Garm?¡±


    ¡°Fine, I suppose. This one has the steadiest step¡ªthe least shaking. And he¡¯s the tallest, so I can see more,¡± came his muffled voice. ¡°I¡¯m satisfied with this arrangement.¡±


    ¡°You tell me if you think of anything long-term for disguises.¡± Argrave tapped his chest. ¡°Or whoever. I suppose they can transmit it to me.¡±


    ¡°I like the helmet,¡± Garm said. ¡°Feels safe, I suppose. Craft something around the stake, turn it into a walking stick, encase me in a decorative helmet¡­ that might work.¡±


    ¡°Something to consider,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°Just difficult finding a craftsman that¡¯s trustworthy,¡± Argrave scratched his lip, trying to conjure names.


    ¡°As I said, this seems to suffice for now,¡± Garm concluded.


    Argrave nodded, letting the silence stretch out. ¡°Guess we have more time to do nothing. It¡¯s more than a little wee, after what happened in the Low Way, but I feel like I¡¯m wasting time.¡± Argrave leaned back in his chair and crossed one leg over the other. ¡°What should we do? Beyond waiting out the storm, of course.¡±


    ¡°Ideally¡­¡± Gmon looked around, eyeing the passersby. ¡°We should secure a ce with a caravan. It¡¯ll be slower moving, but should a sandstorm hit in the middle of the road, we¡¯ll have plenty of supply and a good navigator. We¡¯ll also have a safer ce to take shelter without draining your magic.¡±


    ¡°Sounds reasonable,¡± Argrave agreed. ¡°But it¡¯ll be difficult to get anyone to agree to that. People around here¡­ they don¡¯t seem especially trusting,¡± Argrave waved his hands about.


    Even sitting, they were still watched. People didn¡¯t bother them overtly, necessarily, but there was an inherent caution of them that marked them as outsiders.


    Gmon leaned back in the chair, and it creaked against his weight. ¡°True,¡± he conceded. ¡°You don¡¯t have any ideas on that front? Something sweet to worm your way onto the back of a luxury carriage?¡±


    ¡°Decided to ease on the genius ns, at least until they¡¯re needed.¡± Argrave tapped his temple. ¡°Let the juices ferment in my head. When they¡¯re needed¡­ boom.¡± He emted his head exploding. ¡°It¡¯ll go as perfectly as Jast. Trust me on this one.¡±


    Annelieseughed and lowered her head into her arms, slouching. Her hair fell over her face, and she moved it aside to stare at Argrave with one amber eye.


    ¡°I am d to see you regained some confidence lost in the Low Way,¡± she said.


    Argrave raised a brow, only realizing that fact when she mentioned it. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Gmon straighten, turning on his chair. Argrave followed his gaze, and then caught sight of four white-robed guardsmen approaching them. Their leader held a piece of paper, while the other four bore only knives.


    Gmon stood, turning, while Argrave remained sitting casually.


    The guards came up to Argrave¡¯s party. The one bearing paper stepped forth, bowing slightly.


    ¡°Gentlemen. Madam,¡± he bowed to each in turn. ¡°Wee on behalf of Mistress Tatia of Delphasium.¡± He held out the piece of paper, holding it above his head as he bowed. It was a small roll, bound by a purple sash.


    Argrave gestured towards Gmon to take the paper. The elven vampire took it gingerly, being sure not to crush it.


    ¡°Why?¡± asked Argrave.


    The man¡¯s back straightened. ¡°Mistress Tatia is curious about your party of three and wishes for you to join her for a feast tonight in her pce, in hopes you might share stories of the northernnds. Little news passes beyond the Lionsun Castle.¡±


    Argrave bit his lip, thinking his response carefully. ¡°Say, purely hypothetical, we can¡¯t make it. What happens?¡±


    ¡°The Mistress would be quite sad, but I am sure she would understand,¡± the man said, expression indiscernible beneath his cloth mask. ¡°Thank you for your time, gentlemen, madam.¡± He bowed once more, and then stepped away.


    Argrave raised a brow, turning to look at Anneliese as the guards walked away.

 Chapter 109: Lure of the Fellhorn

    Chapter 109: Lure of the Fellhorn


    Argrave shut the door to their room, taking a breath before turning around. The rolled-up piece of paper that had been delivered to them sat in the center of a table, each of them hovering about it as though it was something dangerous that needed to be watched.


    After ncing between his twopanions, who remained silent, he stepped up to the paper. He removed the purple sash, unrolling the paper gingerly with his gloves. He read through it.


    ¡°Huh.¡± He lowered it. ¡°It really is just an invitation. Thought there¡¯d be more, maybe. Secret message, a death threat, something¡­¡±


    ¡°Do you know the sender?¡± Anneliese asked.


    ¡°Sure,¡± Argrave nodded. He ced one hand to his chin as he recounted, ¡°This Mistress Tatia is a mage, rtively stable and pacific, yet quite¡­ detached and inhuman.¡± Argrave looked up and added, ¡°Just like most of the Vessels,e to think of it.¡±


    ¡°And her rank?¡± Anneliese pressed further.


    ¡°Not applicable,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°Their source of power isn¡¯t magic. They¡¯re associated with Fellhorn. ¡®Vessel¡¯ isn¡¯t a metaphor¡ªthey¡¯re conduits for Fellhorn¡¯s aspects. They¡¯re capable of taking and expunging waters in oceanic proportions, and with far more freedom than most magic offers. Each Vessel is an oasis in and of themselves, each with variable capacities.¡±


    ¡°Then perhaps mage is not the best term,¡± Anneliese posited.


    Gmon held out a hand. ¡°All that matters¡ªwe can refuse this without consequence?¡±


    ¡°I mean¡­ reasonably, yes,¡± Argrave said, holding his hands out. ¡°But we wouldn¡¯t earn any friends. If I learned anything from Jast, having ine as an ally was helpful in ways I hadn¡¯t even predicted. And with the sandstorm, traveling is impossible anyway.¡±


    Gmon crossed his arms, lookingpletely neutral at the prospect. Anneliese, though, shook her head.


    ¡°Provided there are no ulterior motives, no other forces at work¡­¡± Anneliese looked to Argrave, who confirmed this with a rtively confident nod. ¡°If there are no others involved, we were clearly invited as a spectacle¡ªa passing amusement, just as we were for most of the people in this¡­ Delphasium.¡±


    ¡°Is that really problematic?¡± Argrave questioned. ¡°I can trust that they won¡¯t force us to do anything: Mistress Tatia won¡¯t do anything to threaten her peace. A fewughs, a few jeers¡­ and it isn¡¯t as though we can¡¯t embarrass them in turn.¡±


    Anneliese crossed her arms. ¡°I know what I saw. And those that this Mistress Tatia thinks less of are sitting outside the walls, no food or drink.¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°I see your point. But¡­ harsh as it is to say, those people refuse to bend¡­ and so they break.¡± Argrave held his hands out as though it were a pity and shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m willing to be flexible to get what I need¡ªI¡¯ll work in the system instead of struggling to exist without it. So, unless either of you two disagree, I think we have no reason to refuse.¡±


    Both stood around, considering his words without making any final decisions.


    ¡°Come now,¡± Argrave encouraged. ¡°We have little else to do besides wait out the storm, reading books. We¡¯ll have plenty of that to do in the times leading up to the feast, and plenty more to do after.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Anneliese nodded, and Gmon soon joined her in the gesture.


    ¡°Then it¡¯s settled. Let¡¯s¡ª¡±


    ¡°And what of me?¡± Garm asked. ¡°You don¡¯t intend to bring me with, I hope.¡±


    Argrave looked down at him. ¡°That¡¯s a good point.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d forgotten about me,¡± Garm used.


    ¡°No,¡± Argrave insisted, lying. ¡°I just think that you would be best suited to staying here, watching over our things.¡±


    Garm closed his eyes. ¡°I¡­ could you make it so I can see outside, at least?¡± he looked up at Argrave. ¡°I do not wish to endure the monotony of staring at a wall, or a cloth nket, for hours unending. Let me see people.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    He seemed pitiable in that moment, and so Argrave nodded.


    #####


    Argrave had cleaned up his ck leather gear as best he could, and the three of them walked to the ptial estate of Mistress Tatia. The rest of the city was quite decadent and grand, like a pearl amidst the desert, yet her estate was doubly so¡ªgiant, made of marble, and with a grand tower looming behind it, standing as a beacon for travelers. Its fence and gate were made of gold, it seemed, though perhaps it was a cheaper metal made in imitation. Argrave was no expert.


    The city of Delphasium looked especially beautiful in the night. The moonlight reflected off the marble walkways, giving one the impression they were walking on resplendent pearls. It was a little chilly, but Argrave¡¯s leather more than sufficed for heat.


    ¡°Where do they get all of this rock?¡± Anneliese questioned.


    The question caught Argrave off guard. ¡°I don¡¯t¡­ it¡¯s imported, if I remember right, from quarries further south. More tributaries to the Vessels, I suppose.¡±


    ¡°Quite an ordeal, to haul rocks across the desert,¡± she noted.


    ¡°Anything for a drink, I guess,¡± Argrave looked around.


    Anneliese crossed her arms. ¡°I worry for Garm, sometimes.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Argrave said at once, incredulously. ¡°Why? Worried someone will break in? That¡­ could be a problem, certainly¡­¡±


    ¡°No, not in that way.¡± She waved her hand at him. ¡°He acts like he hase to terms with what has happened to him, but I do not believe he has,¡± she mused, walking towards the gates.


    ¡°He hides it pretty well, then,¡± Argravemented cynically.


    ¡°He was crying,¡± Gmon cut in.


    Argrave turned to look at him. ¡°When?¡±


    Gmon did not look from the gate ahead as he said, ¡°When you two were enjoying the food this morning. Goat meat, I think it was.¡±


    Argrave could not help but widen his eyes in surprise, while Anneliese nodded, her point affirmed.


    ¡°Good lord. That is pretty depressing,¡± Argrave admitted.


    ¡°You wish to speak of winning allies¡­¡± Anneliese looked at Argrave, shrugging. ¡°Garm would be a good ce to start.¡±


    Argrave pointed a finger at her. ¡°He refused, even after we were amply honest with him. He¡¯s made his position on this matter very clear¡ªif he¡¯s going to do anything to help us, he has to receive something in return.¡±


    ¡°I do not know you to take things personally like that,¡± Anneliese refuted. ¡°And I cannot think that, alone, is why you dislike him. It takes much for you to dislike someone. The Sentinels are the only I can think of.¡±


    ¡°Dislike him?¡± Argrave repeated. ¡°Why would you¡­¡± he trailed off, unable to finish the sentence. ¡°Well, fine. Sure. I don¡¯t exactly trust that he has my back. You both can¡¯t deny he doesn¡¯t exude trustworthiness. If he had legs, I¡¯m sure he¡¯d already have scurried off elsewhere.¡±


    Neither responded to that, and they came ever closer to the gate of Mistress Tatia¡¯s estate. Argrave stepped ahead, stopping them both.


    ¡°Why do you think I dislike him, then?¡± he asked Anneliese.


    She seemed hesitant to answer. After Argrave¡¯s unflinching gaze, she eventually relented, saying, ¡°Two reasons. One¡ªyou have told us you know absolutely nothing about him, and that disquiets you. Two¡ªyou see yourself reflected in him.¡±


    Argrave¡¯s mouth fell open for a moment, then heughed. ¡°What, we¡¯ve got a long, thin stick where there should be a body?¡± Argrave questioned. ¡°What do you mean by that, exactly? What do the two of us have inmon? He and Gmon have more inmon¡ªthey both watch other people eat, unable to do so themselves. As for the crying¡­¡± Argrave trailed off, catching a fierce re from Gmon.


    Anneliese continued, saying, ¡°Just as you, he awoke in a world familiar to him, yet entirely unfamiliar to him, with limited capabilities coupled with an array of useful, even unique knowledge. The situations are different, yet simr. Certainly enough to drawparison,¡± she gestured towards Argrave, imploring him to consider what she said.


    Argrave bit his lips, trying to think of something to say in retaliation. He paused, brows furrowing.


    <em>Huh. I¡¯m not trying to consider her point, just trying to think of something to retaliate with. </em>


    That alone was evidence enough that she might have a point, and so Argrave lowered his head, rubbing his forehead bitterly. ¡°Hell of a bomb to drop on me just before we enter a ce where I have to use my head.¡±


    Sheughed lightly. ¡°That¡­ is a good point. I apologize. I simply felt it needed to be said.¡± She lowered her head to lock eyes with him and then continued mischievously, ¡°Besides, I have found that you work well in stressful situations.¡±


    ¡°That right?¡± Argrave lifted his head back up and smiled. ¡°Well, I¡¯m also good at refusing to think about things. I¡¯ll just hide away this ufortable realization for now.¡± He turned on his heel, walking towards Mistress Tatia¡¯s pce.


    Anneliese smiled and followed behind. Gmon paused for a moment, watching the two of them. He shook his head and moved to catch up.


    They came to the presently open golden gates, where two guardsmen waited. Argrave had expected to be stopped, but the people standing there gave them nods.


    ¡°The Mistress told us to expect you. Please¡ªenter. You are expected,¡± the guard gestured politely.


    ¡°Should I hold onto this?¡± Argrave held out the paper he¡¯d been given.


    ¡°Ah, yes. I had forgotten.¡± The guard took it from his hands. ¡°Enjoy.¡±


    Argrave nodded and stepped into the Mistress¡¯ estate. Though the entire city of Delphasium was notcking for decadence, this ce seemed to be a state beyond. The litmps were made of gold, and the walkways were all adorned with vivacious and green life, thriving and beautiful. Purple cloth hung from windows and pirs, though they bore no banner.


    Their party continued on slowly. Argrave found it a little difficult to appreciate the scenery, considering what he had seen outside the walls of Delphasium. He saw a few white-robed people walking about, though there was something off about their skin¡ªArgrave recognized them as Vessels, though he could not get a sufficient glimpse to judge their appearance fully. Evidently Gmon had, for his eyes followed them as they passed.


    ¡°They smell of¡­ nothing,¡± he said in concern.


    ¡°They probably smell like water,¡± Argravementated quietly. ¡°These people wouldn¡¯t have any of the functions to generate the smells¡ªno oils, no sweats, no tears. They¡¯ve transcended a physical form.¡±


    Gmon looked back, gesturing for Argrave to continue. They carried on, heading towards an open entryway, where purple cloth fell down. People pushed it aside and moved to and from. As they neared, the sounds of revelry started to be apparent.


    ¡°About¡­ thirty or so,¡± Gmon spoke to Argrave.


    ¡°Manageable, I think,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°Remember what I said earlier. Allow no one to touch your skin,¡± Argrave warned, stepping forth to push aside the purple cloth serving as the doorway.

 Chapter 110: Empty Vessels

    Chapter 110: Empty Vessels


    The first thing that Argrave noticed when entering the ptial estate of Mistress Tatia was neither a sound, nor a sight, nor a smell. Instead, it was a sensation.


    The air around them felt incredibly dry.


    It was strange, then, that the second thing he processed was the presence of rushing water.


    Argrave stepped past the purple cloth blocking the entrance, staring into the room. Arrayed before him was a decadent marble table iid with gold at the corners. It was low set, falling just short of Argrave¡¯s knees. The top of it had been covered with purple felt. In each corner of the room, there were small waterfalls pouring from golden horns into small pools.


    People sat around the table, though instead of in chairs, they sat atop mounds of pillows in very casual positions. As Argrave entered, most of them came to attention, sitting straighter and casting curious nces at the newly arrived three. They all wore very bright and catching colors. Argrave recognized them to be Vessels.


    Each and every Vessel had a strange, almost aquatic quality to their dark skin. It glistened as though fresh out of a pool, yet not a drop of liquid could be seen anywhere on them. Their hair had a silken quality to it, almost oily, and it seemed to move about, spurred by an unfelt wind.


    Argrave recognized some. Most prominently, he recognized the woman at the head of the table¡ªMistress Tatia. She rested amidst a pile of red and gold pillows, wearing a purple dress studded with gemstones. The dress was loose and exposed much of her dark olive skin. She was a robust woman¡ªnot fat, exactly, but certainly fleshy.


    Argrave locked eyes with her, and she sat up amidst her pillows. She raised both hands in the air. Her actions had a sort of flowing grace to them, each moving to the next without ceasing.


    ¡°Greetings, wanderers from the distant north!¡± she greeted, her voice smooth and pleasant. ¡°My invitation, it seems, was well-received. I am pleased to see you elected to dine with us.¡±


    Argrave stepped forward, allowing room for Anneliese and Gmon to follow him in. Their eyes wandered around the room while the Vessels sitting watched them.


    cing a hand to his chest, Argrave lowered his head a little. ¡°Thank you for weing us into your home, Mistress Tatia.¡± Argrave returned her greeting.


    She beamed, showing perfect white teeth. She gestured towards an empty mound of pillows beside her. ¡°Please,e and sit. You and yourpanions have been arranged a ce at the seat of honor. What may we call you?¡±


    ¡°I am Argrave, and these two are Gmon and Anneliese,¡± he introduced as he took slow, steady steps into the room, somewhat overwhelmed by the sense of hospitality all were projecting. The sense of consideration and kindness was intense enough to feel feigned. Argrave possessed knowledge enough of these people¡¯s characters to believe he was safe, but recent events had proven he was not all-knowing.


    ¡°Most suspected our invitation would be rebuffed,¡± a Vessel spoke¡ªa man with a clean-shaven face. ¡°It is not often that northerners pass through here. The people of the north fear this ce¡ªand of barbarians and heat, nothing more¡­ or so the people of Vasquer think. But we have quelled things, don¡¯t you agree?¡±


    ¡°I made it here without issue,¡± Argrave replied, finally making it to the end of the table. Mistress Tatia fluidly gestured for them to sit, and Argrave lowered himself into the pillows. He found that the closer he grew to the Vessels, the moister the air became, as though they were isted in a bubble of wetness.


    ¡°My chefs are still preparing our meal,¡± Tatia exined as Argrave looked about. ¡°And tell me, gentleman Argrave, how does this town of mine treat you?¡±


    Argrave shrugged while nodding. ¡°Having marble beneath my feet is like walking on cloudspared to that heavy ck sand outside the walls. And the food¡¯s been nice. Part of the reason I was swayed toe, in fact.¡±


    ¡°And the two northern elves?¡± Tatia smiled, turning to Gmon and Anneliese as if prompting them for their answer.


    Gmon crossed his arms and nodded, while Anneliese added, ¡°This ce cannot have been easy to build, isted as it is.¡±


    Mistress Tatia sunk back into her pillows and ced a hand on the top of her chest. ¡°Indeed. My predecessor spent his lifepleting this ce, passing away at 212.¡± She nodded as if in peace. ¡°It is a shame you had to see it sullied by the presence of the tribals. My guards told me you passed by them,¡± she gestured.


    ¡°We did,¡± said Argrave quickly, hoping to move on.


    ¡°There is something I was curious about¡­ regarding the tribals,¡± Anneliese questioned, leaning forth and moving some pillows aside.


    Argrave looked to her, hoping to warn her away from asking an offensive question, but she stared at Mistress Tatia undaunted.


    ¡°Please, I¡¯d be happy to answer your questions,¡± Mistress Tatia beckoned with a smile.


    ¡°Why starve and deprive the southern tribals instead of killing them outright?¡± she tilted her head.


    Argrave straightened his back and scratched the top of his lip, casting a miffed nce at Anneliese. She did not seem tock confidence in her question, though.


    ¡°Ah. I suspect it may be difficult for a foreigner to understand,¡± Mistress Tatia nodded.


    ¡°The eternal downpour of Fellhorn rains only water, never blood,¡± a Vessel spoke zealously. ¡°If they are to die, let them die in the cool embrace of Fellhorn¡­ or at their own hand, in a pool of misery. Either way, His eternal rain will someday wee them into His Vessels.¡±


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Mistress Tatia pointed to the one who¡¯d spoken. ¡°Though the southern tribals waged war unending, we Vessels are but humble servants of Fellhorn. He is the unceasing rain and the constant flood. His will is our will. Ours is a different conquest¡ªa conquest of the mind. And of faith.¡±


    Mistress Tatia held out her hand, and the skin on her palm seemed to liquify before bursting up into the air in a steady spout. It was but a small show of the power of a Vessel, no more than a party trick, but it served to illustrate their power. They embodied the water, taking it in and expelling it at will. Though, perhaps ¡®at will¡¯ was incorrect¡ªit was at the will of their god, Fellhorn. Their power was, in many ways, simr to Argrave¡¯s Blessing of Supersession vested in him by Erlebnis.


    ¡°Each and every living person can be made a follower. Some of these followers will eventually give birth to Vessels. Like this, we bring a peace to thisnd¡ªthat is but one aspect of the great eternal rain of Fellhorn we hope to bring to this destend.¡± The waterspouting from her hand rose, and then she closed her hand and it dissipated.


    Argrave digested those words in silence. They were convincing, almost noble. Had Argrave only seen Delphasium, he might¡¯ve even agreed with them entirely. But the rest of the Burnt Desert was not the same as this ce. Argrave looked at Anneliese, grateful at least that she did not seem especially moved.


    ¡°Well,¡± Argrave said, settling back into the pillows now that things had resolved themselves without aggravating their hosts. ¡°I am thankful for both your generous invitation and the beautiful sights within Delphasium.¡±


    ¡°The pleasure is ours,¡± Mistress Tatia returned.


    ¡°If you worry for your safety, fear not the tribals,¡± one man spoke from the corner of the table. ¡°Their numbers dwindle by the day. Rats feast upon their corpses, and they feast upon the rats, growing diseased from it. They drink blood for sustenance¡­ All of this hardship merely because they refuse to recognize Him, submit to Him.¡±


    ¡°Indeed,¡± a woman agreed. ¡°Fellhorn renders all equal beneath him. The hardships of an uncivilized life¡ªtheft, violence, sphemy¡­ all transgressors are Drained, and society is at peace.¡±


    ¡°Drained?¡± repeated Gmon.


    ¡°It is Fellhorn¡¯s gift,¡± a man exined. ¡°The transgressor has vited Fellhorn¡¯sws, and in doing so, they must surrender all within themselves to a Vessel. We Vessels absorb their souls, offering them to our lord Fellhorn. In return, He vests more of His power upon us. Like this, Fellhorn¡¯s eternal rain spreads, and we Vessels grow to amodate more of His blessing.¡±


    Argrave scratched the back of his neck to hide his expression while Mistress Tatia hurriedly added, ¡°Let us not speak of grim things just before a meal.¡±


    As if summoned by her words, people walked through the purple cloth marking the doorway to the room. They held silver trays of food, and the Vessels mored happily when the servants came into view.


    As the servants continued toy decadent meals before each and every person present at the table, Mistress Tatia spoke to Argrave.


    ¡°Argrave, was it?¡± Tatia asked, and when Argrave nodded, she continued, ¡°Now that we have told you of our home, I wish to hear of yours, if it pleases you.¡±


    Argrave rubbed his gloved hands together. ¡°Do you want to hear of Veiden,nd of the snow elves, or thends north of Vasquer?¡±


    Mistress Tatia mused, leaning forth as food was ced before her. ¡°You passed through Vasquer, did you not?¡± she questioned. ¡°Because, truly, what is urring there at present intrigues me the most. Tumult can spread beyond borders.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a civil war,¡± Argrave stated inly. ¡°House Parbon intends tobat the royal House Vasquer. Their spheres of influencergely constitute the south and the north, respectively.¡±


    ¡°Tell me more,¡± Mistress Tatia urged.


    #####n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°This was an enlightening conversation,¡± Mistress Tatia said, cing her fork down on the table.


    ¡°d I could help,¡± Argrave returned, having left much of his grand steak unfinished. It had tasted delicious, but it was far toorge for someone like him.


    ¡°Perhaps this is the time to forge a rtionship with House Parbon. Doubtless they will be amenable to the people that have quelled the southern barbarian menace that has gued their Margravate for centuries.¡±


    ¡°I cannot be the judge of that,¡± Argrave shook his head.


    ¡°Well, I am pleased that you came to my pce,¡± Mistress Tatia smiled. ¡°I am told you had intended to go to Argent.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but at present, a sandstorm blocks the road south,¡± Argrave clicked his tongue. ¡°Unfortunate thing, that.¡±


    ¡°Indeed it is,¡± Mistress Tatia sympathized. ¡°There seem to be many more of those,tely, for reasons I cannot begin to surmise.¡±


    <em>Perhaps it¡¯s because things have dried up to a ridiculous point, </em>Argrave wished to say, but wisely refrained.


    Argrave paused for a bit, and then discreetly added, ¡°We had intended to travel with a merchant caravan, but many proved unreceptive to outsiders¡­¡±


    Mistress Tatia raised a brow. ¡°Truly? Now that is a sad thing, indeed. Perhaps I can help out some on that front,¡± she suggested.


    Argrave smiled. <em>Now, those words taste much better than the meal I just ate¡­ </em>


    #####


    ¡°That was a little too tense for my tastes,¡± Argrave mused, stretching as they walked down the path.


    ¡°Those people¡­¡± Anneliese looked back at the golden gate.


    ¡°Not exactly paragons, I know,¡± Argrave finished, stopping to speak to her.


    Anneliese turned her head back to Argrave. ¡°What you say is true, but I refer to their deadened emotions. They experience less of everything¡ªjoy, happiness, rage, sorrow. It is all muted.¡±


    ¡°Drowned out,¡± Argrave posited. ¡°It¡¯s why I called them inhuman. They aren¡¯t called ¡®Vessels¡¯ because they¡¯re full. They¡¯re called so because they¡¯re empty.¡±


    ¡°Are they powerful?¡± Gmon questioned.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Argrave said. ¡°Hard to quantify or qualify as it is standard magic. That little trick she demonstrated, spouting water¡ªit can propel fast enough to tear off limbs, and travel for miles. The stronger ones can, anyway. And every moment they touch you, they can Drain you. Steal every bit of liquid inside you. It¡¯s so painful that it¡¯s difficult to stop once it¡¯s started¡­ or so went the lore. Never experienced it.¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°Never hope to.¡±


    ¡°Is it prudent to ept a favor from that woman?¡± Anneliese questioned.


    ¡°Being friendly with these people is for the best,¡± Argrave nodded, resuming their walk back to the inn. ¡°We have to use whatever we can against Gerechtigkeit. Don¡¯t forget this.¡±

 Chapter 111: An Arid Goodbye

    Chapter 111: An Arid Goodbye


    Argrave blinked open his eyes, staring up at the white ceiling above. He took a deep breath. His lungs felt back to working order, finally. He started to move and found his body happy to obey. He sat up, his head clear and everything in working order. He touched his chest, putting on a pondering expression.


    Anneliese looked at him from where she sat at a table, reading a book. ¡°You slept well,¡± she remarked.


    Argrave ran his hand over his face. ¡°Yeah¡­ I guess I did. I feel pretty good, actually.¡± He turned to look at her. ¡°Had a dream. Went to this barbecue ce I always used to go to. You were there. Then it got weird,¡± Argrave shook his head.


    ¡°And you felt this was worth sharing?¡± Garm remarked.


    Argrave turned his gaze to him. He had many choice retorts in mind, but what Anneliese had told him yesterday still stuck with him. He sped his hands together and asked cheerily, ¡°How are you doing, Garm?¡±


    Garm could not move, but Argrave veritably saw him shrink away. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ fine,¡± he responded awkwardly.


    ¡°That¡¯s good. Sorry we couldn¡¯t take you withst night,¡± he apologized. ¡°I hope you understand why, at least.¡±


    ¡°¡­it¡¯s fine,¡± he dismissed, closing his eyes so as not to look at Argrave. ¡°Bunch of people eating, smacking their lips¡ªwouldn¡¯t want to be there, anyway.¡±


    ¡°Even still,¡± Argrave shook his head, then stood, setting aside the woolen nket and grabbing his duster off a chair. ¡°Where¡¯s¡ª¡±


    The door opened, and Gmon ducked through.


    ¡°Speak of the devil,¡± Argrave said, throwing his duster on quickly.


    ¡°The sandstorm has cleared,¡± Gmon reported, and then mmed the door especially loudly.


    Argrave furrowed his brows. ¡°That¡¯s good news, no? Something wrong?¡±


    ¡°¡­nothing,¡± he answered after a time.


    Argrave looked to Anneliese, who returned his nce with an unspoken confirmation that something was indeed wrong.


    ¡°Right,¡± Argrave continued. ¡°Well¡­ we should find that merchant Tatia referred me to¡­ his name was Titus, I believe.¡±


    Anneliese shut her book, then came to her feet. ¡°I shall get my things together.¡±


    #####


    Though Argrave didn¡¯t wish to press Gmon as to what was bothering him, believing it might have something to do with his vampirism, Argrave foundter that they did not need to ask.


    When they made it to the central square, Argrave noticed there was a particrlyrge crowd around there. His first instinct was to avoid it, but curiosity drove him to see what they were gathering around. When he grew close alongside Anneliese and Gmon, he found it easy to look over the crowd of people ahead.


    Chairs had been arranged in a circle around the fountain statue depicting Fellhorn. Argrave saw strange dark lumps on them but couldn¡¯t immediately recognize what they were. They were many, numbering near fifty. He stared for a while, failing to discern what they might be. Gradually, though, he made sense of it.


    They were corpses.


    They looked like husks, in truth¡ªthe skin had be so dry it cracked at every point, curling inwards to reveal whaty within. Their mouths had not a hint of saliva, and they had shrunk so small that they could not weigh more than fifty pounds, even thergest of them. The flesh fell away at points, revealing petrified organs or bone. Wind carried bits of them away as little more than dust.


    It smelled of nothing. Argrave supposed that without liquids in them, it had no reason to smell of anything. It was a vaguely disconcerting sight, but Argrave had been through the Low Way, and was not as fazed as badly as he might¡¯ve been months ago.


    He looked to Gmon, understanding what had made the elven vampire bothered so.


    ¡°They were executing them, earlier,¡± Gmon said. ¡°I see, now, why you warned us against touching others¡¯ skin.¡±


    Argrave said nothing, turning his head back. He intended to look for only a bit longer and then move on, but he spotted someone standing by the chairs, and they locked eyes.


    Mistress Tatia smiled when she saw Argrave and moved forward. The crowd parted for her, and she came to stand before Argrave.


    ¡°Hello!¡± she greeted happily. ¡°A pleasant surprise, seeing you again.¡±


    Her tone was jarring in the wake of the husks on the chairs, but Argrave managed to return her greeting, saying, ¡°Yes, hello, Mistress Tatia.¡±


    ¡°Titus will depart soon, I suspect. He sells much of the dye we use for clothes, so we interact on asion,¡± she noted, touching her purple dress. ¡°You were on your way to meet him, I suspect?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Argrave answered quietly with a nod. He looked past her. ¡°What happened here?¡±


    ¡°This?¡± she looked around, as though it wasn¡¯t immediately obvious what he was referring to. ¡°Ah. The jails were beginning to grow full. I decided to clear them out, stop procrastinating. A terrible habit of mine, you see,¡± Tatiaughed lightly.


    ¡°What did these people do?¡± Argrave questioned.


    ¡°You should know it well,¡± Mistress Tatia returned. ¡°Some stole, some used magic within the city, somemitted violence, some refused to pay their taxes, some dared to spheme against our Fellhorn¡­ yet most tried to provide subsistence to those outside the city¡­ the tribals. Many convert falsely, and then try to subvert our authority.¡± She ced a hand on her hip and turned around.


    ¡°When we wee someone into our cities, we Vessels¡­¡± she strode up to someone in a crowd and tore them from the crowd¡ªa red-robed woman. ¡°¡­make them take Fellhorn unto themselves.¡± She pulled back the person¡¯s sleeve, revealing a cross with four x¡¯s on the tips etched in a strange, shimmering blue ink. It looked like the person had sapphires in their skin, almost, but Argrave knew it was magic.


    Mistress Tatia released the person, who quickly cradled her wrist and returned to the crowd. ¡°We know when they transgress. Yet if they are not reminded of this¡­ they think we do not.¡± She stepped back up to Argrave. ¡°Everyone needs a reminder, wouldn¡¯t you agree?¡±


    Argrave bit his lip for a second, not answering. Then, he slowly nodded. ¡°I think I understand.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± she nodded. ¡°When you return from Argent, I would love to host you once more. Your stories were quite fascinating.¡±


    ¡°Maybe so,¡± Argrave responded in nonmittalnguage.


    ¡°I look forward to it,¡± she beamed, blue eyes shimmering against the dawn light. ¡°Good luck on your journey. Wee to the Burnt Desert¡ªand please, make the most of your time here.¡±


    Mistress Tatia walked away.


    Argrave swallowed his saliva, especially conscious of the fact he had spit to swallow as he stared at those husks. He turned back to Anneliese and Gmon, and said, ¡°Come on. Let¡¯s get going.¡±


    #####


    Argrave sat atop a velvet cushion, a book in his hand. He couldn¡¯t read it, though. He simply stared out across the dunes of ck sand, watching the road pass them by. Their caravan was hauled by four dark brown camels over the sole stone road of the Burnt Desert. They wouldn¡¯t be able to ride this thing the whole way, but it would take them far enough.


    ¡°Comfortable caravan,¡± Argrave noted, turning away from the ck sand.


    Gmon nodded. Anneliese stayed silent, staring out.


    ¡°Look. I think their message was pretty clear,¡± Argrave looked back out across the dunes. ¡°Might¡¯ve been for her citizens, but doubtless Tatia sought to give that message to us, too.¡±


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Anneliese agreed. ¡°Fall in line, obey, and we will be treated fairly, even luxuriously. Transgress but slightly, and no mercy will be shown.¡±


    ¡°And can you do that? Both of you?¡± Argrave sought to confirm.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Gmon answered without hesitating.


    Anneliese did not answer so quickly.


    Garm, though, added, ¡°I have no sympathy for any of them. They¡¯re fools, unable to ept they¡¯ve lost, unable to embrace the winners. The terms are fair, if merciless. Break nows. Submit to Fellhorn. End of story.¡±


    Argrave nced at Garm, acknowledging the point of his cynicism. ¡°Well, be that as it may, I can¡¯t imagine I¡¯d like to live under these people. Delphasium is probably the best among them to live. The deeper we go, the worse it¡¯ll get.¡±


    ¡°It would be difficult to remove them from power. They are deeply entrenched, supported by legions of people, and are possessed of a strange magic beyond magic.¡± Anneliese tapped her finger against her temple as she thought. ¡°And at the end of it, we receive the gratitude of a people who refuse to ask for help, who refuse to ask for aid. I cannot suspect they would express their gratitude easily¡­ nor are they in a position to do so. Indeed, the Vessels may be more likely to offer aid against Gerechtigkeit than any of the southern tribals.¡±


    Argrave furrowed his brows, not expecting this sort of talk from Anneliese.


    ¡°I see why you want to stay out of this,¡± Anneliese looked to Argrave. ¡°And I think that it¡¯s the smart thing to do. We should stay this course. Once you be ck Blooded, we will leave this ce.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ pleased you agree,¡± Argrave said uneasily.


    ¡°But I am not especially fond of it,¡± she said, voice distant. ¡°I liked it here. There is an austere beauty to these dunes. I dislike seeing it ruled by those who could not care about its future, its people.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Argrave replied with one nod. ¡°But part of me¡­ wonders if I¡¯m losing a bit of the big picture.¡±


    ¡°How so?¡± Anneliese came back to attention.


    ¡°We are incapable of changing things here,¡± Argrave said inly. ¡°This isn¡¯t a people struggling against the Vessels. The Vessels have already won. They control the Burnt Desert. There is no ¡®other faction.¡¯¡± Argrave took a breath and exhaled. ¡°And yet¡­ well, who is to say we can¡¯t foster a seed of resistance? Who¡¯s to say this won¡¯t happen at Argent? I did mention I had to cause a little trouble, after all.¡±


    Anneliese tilted her head. ¡°You mean to say¡­ someday, when the world has settled, we will return. And with a different intent in mind?¡±


    Argrave smiled. ¡°Could be.¡±


    ¡°Then I shall hold you to that, Argrave,¡± she stared at him. ¡°I shall hold my tongue and enjoy of this ce what I can.¡±


    ¡°Mmm, yes, you¡¯re all saints,¡± mocked Garm. ¡°Save the poor, downtrodden tribals. Protect them from themselves. Please,¡± he scoffed. ¡°The world doesn¡¯t run like that.¡±


    Argrave turned to him. ¡°And how does it run?¡± he patiently indulged.


    ¡°It runs on selfishness. Everyone¡¯s self-serving. If the roles were reversed, these southern tribals would be trampling on the Vessels like dogs.¡±


    Argraveughed. ¡°Great theory¡­ but funnily enough, the Vessels came to power because the southern tribals weed them with open arms. Over the years, though, the Vessels grew in number and monopolized the resources, subverting tribes with their own towns and cities.¡±


    Garm looked up at Argrave. ¡°All that proves is that selflessness just gets you nothing but misery.¡±


    ¡°I suppose I¡¯ll have to find out,¡± Argrave mused, his mood undampened by Garm¡¯s unrelenting pessimism.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be toote for you by the time you find out,¡± Garm said bitterly.


    Argrave looked at the severed head. ¡°You sound miffed. You want to look out the window?¡± he questioned.


    ¡°What?¡± Garm looked at Argrave incredulously. ¡°And let me be spotted?¡±


    ¡°C¡¯mon,¡± insisted Argrave. ¡°It¡¯s gotta be boring, staring at a velvet cushion all day. Here.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°What are you¡ª¡± Garm trailed off as Argrave picked him up and positioned him just right to see the outside.


    ¡°There,¡± Argrave finished.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t necessary,¡± Garm said monotonously. ¡°It¡¯s unnecessary, in fact.¡±


    ¡°Sure, sure,¡± Argrave agreed. He looked to Anneliese, retrieving one of his books off the floor. He smiled at her. She returned it. They both looked down at their books, and the ride passed by in silence.

 Chapter 112: Ensnared

    Chapter 112: Ensnared


    A fire crackled, sending smoke up into the night sky. For the first time in a long while, Argrave sat before a man-made campfire instead of one born of magic. The me was contained in a bowl of some sort that seemed to be resistant to heat and kept ame by chopped logs. Above it, goat meat sizzled, dripping fatty grease into the fire which would let out a cascade of sparks.


    Argrave and Anneliese sat near, each using the campfire to read. Gmon had his back turned to the me, watching out into the fading light of dusk. His helmet was off, disguising Garm from sight atop Gmon¡¯s backpack. Across from them sat Titus, the leader of the merchant caravan.


    Titus was taller than most, just shy of Anneliese¡¯s height, and had a body clearly adjusted to physicalbor. He had golden eyes and dark skin, marking him as a former tribal. Argrave found that, in the three days they had been journeying, he wore only extravagant red and gold clothing. He disyed the mark of Fellhorn, leaving the blue cross on his backhand exposed.


    ¡°That should be sufficient,¡± Titus narrated as he leaned forward, gingerly seizing the skewered meat¡¯s stake. He lifted it up, taking it off the me.


    Anneliese shut her book eagerly, cing it inside her bag. Argrave took his time, watching Titus set things up.


    Titus reached off the side and retrieved four thin yet wide purple leaves. ¡°These are the leaves of a Bitterbite. It is said if one eats too many, they will lose their taste¡ªyet I have had thousands, and they do nothing. Worry not, gentlemen, madam,¡± Titus spoke smoothly.


    ¡°Just call us by name,¡± Argrave held his hand out. ¡°The term might apply to me, but Gmon definitely isn¡¯t gentle.¡±


    ¡°I would not dare show disrespect to one who dined with Mistress Tatia,¡± Titus quickly refuted at once.


    Argrave didn¡¯t press the issue further.


    Titus wrapped the goat meat in the leaf, and then slowly pulled it free of the skewer. ¡°The leaf of a Bitterbite has tangy juices that go well with the spice. Please, gentlemen, madam¡ªenjoy the first bite.¡± He held out the leaf-wrapped meat, and Argrave touched Anneliese¡¯s elbow, gesturing for her to take it.


    She took it, holding it in hand but waiting to take a bite. Titus diligently wrapped another piece of meat, offering it to Argrave. Argrave took it, refraining as well.


    ¡°The gentleman Gmon?¡± Titus questioned.


    ¡°He has his strange ways of eating,¡± Argrave interrupted. ¡°He packs his own food and throws a tantrum if he cannot eat it his way. Don¡¯t mind him.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ certainly.¡± Titus nodded. He bit into his wrapped meat, and only once he had chewed and swallowed did Anneliese and Argrave do so, as well. Argrave knew the leaf itself was not hazardous, but some caution was warranted with a stranger.


    The leaf added a vor reminiscent of lime to the meat, though it was much fainter than the fruit might¡¯ve been. Anneliese seemed to enjoy it. Argrave didn¡¯t find it terrible, but frankly he¡¯d rather just eat the meat as it was. That said, Titus¡¯ skills were impressive. The Burnt Desert certainly had cuisine far beyond that of Vasquer, at least in Argrave¡¯s opinion.


    ¡°On the morrow¡­¡± Titus looked out across the dunes of sand. ¡°I suspect we will reach Malgeridum by this time.¡±


    ¡°The mining city?¡± Argrave questioned. ¡°That¡¯s good. Fast progress. Hopefully we aren¡¯t blocked by another sandstorm.¡±


    ¡°The gentleman knows the city,¡± Titus noted, minutely surprised.


    ¡°Yeah. Prime example of Fellhorn¡¯s infinite generosity,¡± Argrave said sarcastically.


    Titus said nothing, staring into the fire. Argrave and Anneliese ate in silence


    ¡°You were a tribal once, right?¡± Argrave questioned.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Titus confirmed.


    ¡°Now you¡¯re working underneath Mistress Tatia as a merchant,¡± Argrave followed up.


    Titus nodded in confirmation this time.


    ¡°Your life before, your life now¡ªwhich would you want to go back to?¡±


    Titusughed. ¡°The gentleman asks me to choose between starvation and servitude.¡± He looked up at Argrave, his golden eyes reflecting the fire well. ¡°I was born when our tribe was already dead. The tales my elders spoke of¡ªglorious battle against the men of Vasquer, where strength ruled the desert, where we toppled great beasts and rode wyverns across the sandy skies¡­ they were ever just tales, to me.¡±


    ¡°So you like it underneath the Vessels?¡± Argrave questioned.


    Titus grabbed an iron rod and shifted one of the logs aside, staring at the crackling me. ¡°I know suffering with an empty stomach, and I know life underneath Fellhorn¡¯s eternal rain. They are different in many ways, simr in some.¡± He stabbed the iron rod back in the sand. ¡°In both, you grow used to loss.¡±


    ¡°Death?¡± Anneliese pressed, moving closer to the fire.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Titus nodded. ¡°Random death. Outside the walls, tragedy can strike at any moment¡ªrotting from within, sumbing to that without. The Burnt Desert is not an easy ce to live. Yet within the walls¡­¡± Titus rubbed his hands together near the fire. ¡°The Vessels need to Drain to grow in power, be it from the people or from the world. They constantly hunger for their people to infract, hoping to grow their Vessel with our lifeblood. Some are no different from the ursed bloodsuckers that prowl the night, pressing and pushing the people until a mistake is made. It is a hunt of a different kind.¡±


    Argrave¡¯s gaze briefly flitted to Gmon when ¡®ursed bloodsuckers¡¯ were mentioned, but he had tact enough to not let his eyes linger long.


    ¡°The only way to ensure your continued existence is to make yourself valuable.¡± Titus held out his hand.


    ¡°And the Vessels of Fellhorn¡ªhow are they made?¡± Anneliese inquired curiously.


    ¡°Some babies are taken at birth.¡± Titus rubbed his hands together. ¡°It is rarely a wee thing, and so most resist. It usually ends in the family¡¯s death, especially if they were once tribal.¡±


    ¡°Torchlight,¡± interrupted Gmon loudly. ¡°In the distance.¡±


    Titus came to attention, standing and walking to where Gmon sat. He kneeled, looking out into the horizon.


    After a time, Titus said, ¡°I see them. The gentleman has excellent eyesight. Mypliments.¡±


    ¡°Looks like they¡¯re heading towards something¡­ a spring in the rocks,¡± Gmon noted. ¡°Tribals, probably. They have buckets.¡±


    ¡°Spring in the rocks?¡± Argrave asked, also standing and watching. He could see nothing for a time, until he caught a faintly flickering light in the far distance.


    ¡°Mmm,¡± Gmon confirmed with a grunt.


    ¡°Is it a perfect circle of small stones? Is there one big rock jutting up in the back?¡±


    Gmon moved his head around, scanning. Eventually, he nodded. ¡°Seems so.¡±


    ¡°Maybe I¡¯m wrong, but that¡¯s no oasis. It¡¯s a Brandback.¡±


    Titus did not turn his head away as heplimented, ¡°The gentleman has a deep knowledge of the desert. I am consistently surprised.¡±


    ¡°Brandback?¡± Anneliese asked.


    ¡°Big lizard thing. It burrows into the sand backwards, opens its mouth a little, and lets its saliva pool. When something steps near to drink, it opens its mouth fully and swallows them whole.¡± Argrave scratched his cheek. ¡°Those people are probably done for if they¡¯re going for it.¡±


    ¡°They know it is there,¡± Titus stated. ¡°The Brandback.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Argrave questioned. ¡°What makes you say that?¡±


    ¡°These people have decided to choose death before envement,¡± Titus concluded simply.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°But how can you¡­?¡±


    ¡°No men of a tribe would not know of a Brandback.¡± Titus watched passively.


    In the far distance, a burst of ck sand exploded into the air like a geyser. Once the sand cleared, a thick, fat lizard creature plopped onto the sand, its entire body covered in ck, rock-like bumps. It threw its head with its throat swelled like a pelican, something clearly stuck in there. After a time, it settled, its reptilian head ncing from ce to ce. It slunk off into the distance, using thest light of dusk to find its path.


    ¡°One escaped,¡± Gmon noted. ¡°His bucket is full¡­ yet he isn¡¯t drinking it.¡±


    ¡°He will return to his tribe,¡± Titus stood from where he knelt. ¡°The hunter may only eat when he delivers his prize before the tribe.¡±


    ¡°Saliva? Some prize¡­¡± Garm spoke, causing Argrave¡¯s uneasiness to rise.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Titus looked back.


    ¡°I said, ¡®that¡¯s some prize,¡± Argrave quickly covered.


    ¡°Only they can know their triumph,¡± Titus looked back out.


    #####


    ¡°Elias ising here, is he?¡± Induen smiled. ¡°With his pretty betrothed?¡±


    ¡°Ridia of Jast is noting, my prince,¡± the royal knight shook his head.


    ¡°A shame. Truly a shame,¡± Induen said, though his joy was not dampened.


    ¡°Will we¡­?¡±


    ¡°Try and kill them? Capture them?¡± Induen finished. ¡°Of course not. Why would we do that? All the beautiful work we¡¯ve been doing here would be ruined. Duke Marauch¡¯s reputation is the worst it has ever been. An incident like that might evoke some pity for the fat pig and his whore wife.¡±


    The royal knight seemed a little relieved.


    ¡°Severin.¡± Induen continued, walking across their inn room to another knight. ¡°From what you tell me, two people are spearheading the people in protest of Duke Marauch, no?¡±


    ¡°¡­yes, my prince,¡± the knight answered uneasily. ¡°A local priest of Gael, god of justice, and a prominent merchant who was badly affected by the malfeasance we unearthed.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good. Two will be better,¡± the prince smiled broadly. ¡°Here¡¯s what you two are to do. I wish for all of you to find a knight within Duke Marauch¡¯s retinue with a simr build to your own. If no such person exists, make do,¡± Induen waved his hand. ¡°We¡¯ll have them killed, impersonated by you on another day. Surely royal knights will have no trouble with this.¡±


    ¡°And then, my prince?¡± Severin asked cautiously.


    ¡°The day Elias arrives, and he¡¯s led into Duke Marauch¡¯s castle¡­¡± Induen held his hand out and clenched it tight. ¡°¡­all of you will seize the two dissidents: the priest of Gael, and that merchant. Publicly execute them. Make sure that it¡¯s as brutal and unjust as possible.¡±


    The royal knights had not expected things to take this turn.


    ¡°I learned something at Dirracha,¡± Induen mused, turning around and walking to the window. ¡°The people can be a force greater than the nobles, if angered. The people love the Margrave. And their love¡­ I¡¯ll take it from them. It should belong to me, but it doesn¡¯t. Not yet, anyway.¡± He held his hand to the window. ¡°All love a hero. My enemy is Parbon, with their centuries-old reputation of honor and justice. I¡¯ll take everything from them¡ªmaterial, immaterial, it matters none.¡±


    ¡°That situation will be¡­ dangerous for us, my prince. Even for you. It will surely cause chaos,¡± one knight warned.


    Induen turned and stalked over to the one who had spoken. ¡°Have you gained no courage? We, alone, stormed a castle and killed its lord. And we, alone, will do this.¡± He tapped the knight¡¯s chest piece. ¡°If a spindly bastard can flip the Duke against me, I can undo that just as easily.¡±


    He stepped away, walking about as though to calm himself. He paused and nced at Severin. ¡°And what news have you on that front, Severin? What has my sister promised to do regarding the bastard?¡±


    Severin looked as though he loathed to speak, but eventually, he disclosed quietly, ¡°¡­the princess said that he wasst seen at Ritmont and has no news on that front.¡±


    Induen pursed his lips, and then shook his head in dismissal. ¡°Fine. Inform me of anything new. For now, we will continue to sow dissent while we wait for Elias. Perhaps the Margrave¡¯s son will die. That would certainly be interesting.¡±

 Chapter 113: Malgeridum

    Chapter 113: Malgeridum


    Delphasium, Mistress Tatia¡¯s town, could not be called grand in scale, though the shining marble streets inside made it seem like a pearl amidst the desert. That ce was far behind them, and Argrave felt it had been a suitable wee to the Burnt Desert.


    The mining city, Malgeridum, was giantpared to Delphasium, yet itcked the magnificence the simple trading town had. It stood at the point where the sand dunes began to fade in way of hills of ck rock and dirt, cratered deep into the earth. It had walls, but the city itself was so much lower than the surrounding terrain it was difficult to spot them from a distance. The first thing most would spot was rising smoke from the ever-burning furnaces, and the tarps waving in the wind to ward off sand.


    The road to Malgeridum forked into two separate entrances, each for a distinct district. One district was obviously more maintained than the other, made for residential use, while the other was forbor and production. Argrave and hispany stood beside Titus¡¯ carriage, their bags fully packed. They would separate here¡ªArgrave would head for the residential district while Titus would depart for the production district.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Argrave held a thick round metal disc. It had eight triangles spaced equidistantly on the edge.


    ¡°A parting gift for the gentleman,¡± Titus exined. ¡°I understand that the esteemed persons will be travelling to Argent. Even for those who have travelled there before, the dunes and the hills stretch on forever.¡± Titus looked out to the desert behind Argrave. ¡°Just as a sailor must use the stars and apass to mark their path across the ocean, so, too, must men in the Burnt Desert use apass to traverse this sea of ck sand.¡±


    Argrave finally figured things out, and he flipped open the disc¡¯s lid, revealing a bit of ssware above a simple maized needle. The cardinal directions were marked.


    ¡°This is¡­¡± Argrave looked down at it. ¡°Damn. I feel pretty stupid. I was worrying about how I was going to find my way around in case things went sour, but¡­ guess I forgot these stupid things existed,¡± Argraveughed and shook his head. ¡°I appreciate this. It¡¯s a very considerate gift. I don¡¯t know what I did to deserve it, exactly. Don¡¯t you need it?¡±


    Titus scratched the back of his neck, embarrassed. ¡°It¡¯s an old thing, in truth, one that I used long ago. But it¡¯s reliable, and I believe that¡¯s the most important thing.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Argrave nodded and closed the lid with his thumb. ¡°You¡¯re a nice guy, Titus.¡±


    ¡°The gentleman was entertaining and polite¡ªrarepany for a merchant as me. And¡­¡± he stepped away, retrieving a simple red cloth wrapped around something rectangr. ¡°Here. The madam expressed enjoyment of the Bitterbite leaves, and so I took the liberty to prepare some. Please,¡± he held them out to Anneliese.


    She took them from his hands. ¡°Such a thoughtful gift,¡± she smiled warmly.


    Argrave felt something unpleasant in his chest, and he found himself stepping forward between the two of them. ¡°So, you¡¯re headed to the production district to unload things?¡± he addressed Titus.


    ¡°Yes, my men and I will be headed that way,¡± Titus confirmed. ¡°I apologize, but I could not think of a gift for the second gentleman, Gmon¡­¡±


    Gmon shook his head. ¡°I have all I need.¡±


    ¡°I appreciate all you¡¯ve done.¡± Argrave held his hand out, holding ten gold coins in hand stacked atop each other. ¡°Here. I know you didn¡¯t ask, but don¡¯t refuse.¡±


    Titus blinked for a moment, biting his lips in clear hesitance. Eventually, Argrave grabbed his wrist and dropped the coins in his hand.


    ¡°The gentleman is generous,¡± Titus sighed. ¡°May your days be vigorous, and your nights tranquil,¡± he ced his hand on his chest and bowed deeply.


    ¡°Maybe not <em>too-</em> vigorous,¡± Argrave said musingly. ¡°I wish you well.¡±


    Titus straightened, nodded, and whistled with his fingers. At once, his men spurred the camel forward, and they moved down the road, heading for the production district.


    Argrave watched their caravan move away, feeling a little bit empty.


    ¡°Can talk again, finally,¡± Garm veritably shouted.


    Argrave turned to Gmon and looked past, seeing the gleaming ck and gold eyes hiding behind Gmon¡¯s helmet atop his backpack. <em>He really leaves himself open for low blows. So much mean stuff I can say in response to that. </em>


    ¡°You did well,¡± Argrave said instead, turning away to the mining city ahead. ¡°Even still, we have to get inside quickly, find a ce to stay. Don¡¯t want to linger in this city long. Not the same type of ce as Delphasium.¡±


    #####


    Malgeridum possessed the bare essential qualities of a city.


    The word ¡®barren¡¯ was the best fit to describe the ce. The Vessels in this city were not so liberal with their resources¡ªnot a drop of water could be found anywhere, and every field of crops had tall fences with guards stationed. People lined up outside a stately building, tokens in their hands. The tokens marked hours worked, and the people would exchange them for their necessities.


    The streets were made of hardened ck y and each building was packed very closely together, enough so that people could not walk side-by-side in some areas. A few of the buildings were small enough that Argrave could see the roof if he craned his neck a little. It made traversing the ce difficult, at times, because the poption in the ce was quite densely packed.


    The walls on the outside of the city were not as tall as those in Delphasium, and consequently, the ce was filled with ck sand blown in from the dunes they hade from. There was a strange, industrial scent hanging about most of the air from the mines, furnaces, and forges, and Argrave was d that his lungs had recovered from that disease he¡¯d caught in the Low Way. Most people walked about with cloth about their face to protect their airways, and Argrave found himself doing the same.


    But as they pushed past the decrepit y houses, eventually the streets opened to amodate the wealthier residents of the city¡ªVessels, and their trusted aides. The well-maintained streets lined with orderly estates were like night and day whenpared to the hovels they hade from.


    ¡°Here. This ce,¡± Argrave pointed out a gated area. Tents lined the courtyards, each upied byrge beds. ¡°Luxury brothel, as I remember, but it¡¯ll rent rooms to foreigners. Other ces won¡¯t.¡±


    Argrave walked to the gate, where two men stood on guard. ¡°Hello,¡± he greeted. ¡°Like to rent a room for the three of us. That possible?¡±


    The guard looked up at Argrave, casting a nce to his fellow. ¡°It will cost much,¡± he cautioned. ¡°Foreigners¡­ bring trouble.¡±


    ¡°Name a price,¡± Argrave held his hands out.


    ¡°In the northern coin?¡± the guard questioned, and Argrave nodded. ¡°Hundred gold, including food.¡±


    Argrave widened his eyes. ¡°One night, hundred gold for three?¡±


    ¡°For each,¡± the guard corrected.


    Argrave ced his hand to his forehead. He knew he didn¡¯t have that much, at least not in pure gold. It wasn¡¯t enough to warrant using a rose gold coin, either. Even if he cared to use therger currency, the people here would probably bilk him on that front, vastly understating the value of the rose gold magic coin.


    ¡°You do realize we¡¯re not asking for your primary services, right? Just need a ce to sleep?¡± Argrave questioned.


    ¡°The Master stated this price, gentleman,¡± the guard stated passively.


    Argrave sighed, turning around. He had his hand to his chin. ¡°Gmon, get my lockbox, if you please.¡± He turned back to the man. ¡°Tell the Master Zirun I¡¯d like to work out a price in something other than gold.¡±


    #####


    Argrave sat on afortable cushy chair, sitting straight as he tapped his finger against his temple impatiently. Gmon stood behind him, at the ready, while Anneliese sat in another chair nearby, eyes darting from ce to ce. They were beneath a canopy in the center of the brothel, surrounded by the employees and the customers. To say the very least of the sights, Argrave agreed with the assessment of ¡®luxurious.¡¯


    Argrave tapped her elbow with the back of his hand. ¡°What are you looking around for?¡±


    ¡°I think you should know by now,¡± she returned easily. ¡°Merely interested.¡±


    With no retort, Argrave shook his head, waiting.


    ¡°My mother very nearly took employment at a ce like this once¡­ when she was at Berendar. She was offered a very tantalizing sum, so she said.¡±


    Argrave frowned. ¡°d she didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°You dislike ces like these,¡± Anneliese noted.


    ¡°Empty pleasures and venereal diseases¡ªthat¡¯s all you¡¯ll get here,¡± Argrave said, waving his hand in dismissal.


    Gmon grunted in agreement.


    ¡°But people will always desire this sort of thing,¡± Anneliese rebutted. ¡°It would be best if¡ª¡±


    ¡°Not now, alright?¡± Argrave held up a hand to stop her. ¡°The guy¡¯sing.¡±


    Master Zirun, a short and well-groomed man, strode across the brothel and entered beneath the canopy. He was a Vessel,cking a mark on the back of his hand, and with the same wet skin the others disyed. He wore shy clothing with too many colors and sashes to count, golden jewelry dangling from his neck, ears, and fingers¡ªprobably enough metal to add fifteen pounds to him.


    Zirun held his hands out, jewelry jingling against each other. ¡°Greetings, foreigners. My guardsmen tell me you have something to offer me.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right,¡± Argrave confirmed, standing.


    ¡°Please¡ªsit,¡± he stopped Argrave, himself moving to sit across from their party.


    ¡°Trade is simple. We have plenty of gemstones here,¡± Argrave touched his lockbox as he sat down. ¡°We¡¯d like a room for three. Preferably secluded, preferably quiet. No need for any services,¡± Argrave emphasized. ¡°Just a nice ce to sleep.¡±


    ¡°Gemstones, is it?¡± Zirun leaned back in his chair. ¡°Sir, you do realize this is a mining town, no? Gold, gemstones¡ªwe have been blessed with abundance here in Malgeridum.¡±


    ¡°Not pearls, though,¡± Argrave held out a finger.


    Zirun paused for a long moment, but quickly recovered, added, ¡°Even of pearls¡ª¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t do that,¡± Argrave interrupted. ¡°I know you have gemstones of all types¡ªrubies, sapphires, emeralds¡ªso much so that this little city is a geological miracle. I¡¯m not even sure those jewels are supposed to form so closely together, but what do I know?¡± Argrave spread his hands out. ¡°But pearls¡­ no oceans, no water for miles and miles. Pearls are a very raremodity here.¡±


    Zirun said nothing, and so Argrave took the opportunity to lean in. ¡°Adorn a few of your courtesans with pearls, this ce will be the talk of the city.¡± Argrave flipped open the lockbox, ensuring the lid blocked Zirun¡¯s vision. He retrieved five pearls carefully, cing them in between his fingers.


    ¡°Give us a room, plus a suitable sum of gold coins minted in the Burnt Desert¡­ and I¡¯ve got plenty of pearls.¡±


    Zirun entwined his hands, staring at Argrave.


    #####


    ¡°It was a pleasant trade,¡± Argrave said happily, loading the gold coins into his lockbox. Zirun had given their party coins minted right here in Malgeridum, which would doubtless make things much easier in future visits. The coins were smaller, Argrave found, and they had plenty for the future.


    ¡°A few of my girls will escort the three of you to your room,¡± Zirun informed, wiping the round pearls free of blemishes. ¡°If you¡¯d like, I can send some to provide services, as well. Free of charge, naturally.¡±


    ¡°Not a chance,¡± Argrave dismissed immediately.


    ¡°Yes¡­ most in Vasquer are like that, I find,¡± Zirunmented woefully. ¡°No matter. Be careful not to wander outside. The gates will remain open, but things are not at ease in Malgeridum presently.¡±


    ¡°Not at ease?¡± Argrave questioned. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡¯


    ¡°A revolt in the production district,¡± Zirun shook his head. ¡°The fools seized a supply depot¡ªah, this is where the citizens receive food and water in return for theirbor.¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯tst long, though, will it?¡± Argrave questioned. ¡°Those ces aren¡¯t very big. Three days of supplies, maybe more¡­¡±


    ¡°True,¡± Zirun nodded. ¡°And most Vessels have agreed to wait them out, cordon the ce off and count it as a loss until the fools themselves submit to be Drained, or until they try and move.¡±


    ¡°A bit slow-moving, but it works¡­¡± Argrave said distantly. ¡°Well, I hadn¡¯t nned on going out anyway. Please, take us to our rooms.¡±


    ¡°Certainly,¡± Zirun gestured towards his girls. ¡°East wing. The Hidden Tryst room. Take them, quickly,¡± he directed.


    Argrave followed, feeling a strange sense of unease at the news.

 Chapter 114: Watershow

    Chapter 114: Watershow


    The ¡®Hidden Tryst¡¯ room was, as it turned out, a ce with only one massive bed. It wasrge enough to amodate ten people easily. The three of them had travelled together long enough that such a thing didn¡¯t really cause a problem¡ªthe Low Way had dissolved all boundaries. Argrave set Garm up with a book, and the head used simple E-rank magic to turn pages. The room was well-cleaned, it smelled nice, and the bed was soft. A pleasant ce, by all standards.


    The room wasn¡¯t why Argrave had difficulty sleeping. His mind twisted and turned every which way, thinking about both what was ahead and behind. Once he¡¯d fallen asleep, he¡¯d been disturbed by a nightmare. He had been crucified inside a hole, and the Guardians of the Low Way shoveled flesh-eating worms at him that burrowed into his flesh. By the time he¡¯d woken up, his body looked like Swiss cheese. It had been impossible to go to sleep after that, so Argrave sat beside Garm, reading.


    The bronze hand mirror rested facing upwards on the table to remind Argrave of his duty. Just beside it was another mirror, though it showed Argrave instead of the game¡¯s status interface. It had been a while since he¡¯d studied himself. His obsidian color hair was much longer, nearing the shoulders at this point, yet there was still nary a speck of facial hair. It was difficult to say if he looked more or less healthy¡ªthough his skin was more colorful, his eyes looked tired and his cheeks were as sunken as ever.


    ¡°Argrave,¡± Gmon called out quietly.


    Argrave looked up. Gmon had his breastte over his chest, but it wasn¡¯t strapped properly. Gmon pointed to the strap and beckoned Argrave over. With a sigh, he ced a bookmark in his book and moved to help.


    ¡°Let me help mdy with her dress,¡± Argrave said with half-hearted mockery.


    ¡°Sand is the scourge of steel,¡± Gmon said. ¡°I have to be diligent with my maintenance.¡±


    ¡°There,¡± Argrave pulled the strap tight, then locked it in ce. ¡°Mdy¡¯s corset is tightened, and I tied thece.¡±


    Gmon turned his head back and stared at Argrave. A snicker drew both of their attention, but Garm quickly quieted down.


    Anneliese woke up at that point, sprawled out across the bed beneath its nkets. She blinked for a few moments, taking things in. Deciding tomit to waking up, she stretched out, grunting. She sat up in the bed, her long white hair in disarray and her face ck.


    Argrave found himself smiling. ¡°She is risen. Rejoice.¡± He stepped up to the table, picking up his book and turning around. ¡°We should get ready to go. But before we do¡­ I¡¯d like to check out the production district, get some updates on the revolt that¡¯s happening.¡±


    ¡°What for?¡± Anneliese questioned, voice different in light of her recent awakening.


    ¡°Just bothering me, that¡¯s all,¡± Argrave answered distantly. ¡°Leave our stuff. If there¡¯s one thing we can count on, it¡¯s that no one will steal here in this ce, especially not a Vessel. We saw the fate of those that do.¡±


    ¡°Am I ¡®stuff?¡¯¡± asked Garm.


    ¡°That¡¯s up to you,¡± Argrave answered quickly. ¡°We¡¯ll get ready. Make your choice by then.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°This is fine by me,¡± Anneliese rubbed her eyes. ¡°I hope that man, Titus, did not get embroiled in this.¡±


    Argrave looked at her, sharing her worry.


    ¡°Something tells me he did,¡± Anneliese sighed, crawling off the bed before rising to her feet.


    #####


    ¡°You¡¯re here. Good,¡± Zirun noted, garbed in vainglorious white clothing. ¡°I had intended to have one of my girls inform you, but if you¡¯re here, that saves me the trouble.¡±


    Argrave stepped into the main room of the brothel, hispanions with him. Garm had elected toe along, and so Gmon hauled his pack to give credence to the disguise. The air was strange. Neither guest nor prostitute seemed particrly focused on the other. That was an unusual thing, given the purpose of the ce.


    ¡°What did you want to tell me?¡± questioned Argrave, stepping into the room.


    ¡°Nothing important. I¡¯ll be out to deal with something the city deems necessary.¡±


    ¡°This necessity being¡­?¡± Argrave pressed.


    Zirun¡¯s workers removed the jewelry on his body diligently, fingers running across his face, arms, and a multitude of other ces to free the gold. ¡°My fellow Vessels have deemed that the revolt is necessary to suppress with force. I must obey Fellhorn¡¯s will.¡±


    ¡°What changed?¡± Argrave stepped in front of Zirun.


    The Vessel did not answer, for his workers removed some piercings on his face. ¡°I am unsure. I know only that I was called.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Argrave nodded, mind elsewhere. He stepped aside.


    Atst, Zirun¡¯s workers removed his clothes. Argrave kept his gaze upwards. The Vessel¡¯s body began to shimmer like wind over a body of water. His flesh liquified, bursting out into water. Argrave crossed his arms while Anneliese and Gmon stepped back cautiously.


    The blob of water moved about in front of them, formless yet with purpose. Floating in the middle of the water was a small orb of rapidly moving water. This orb contained a body¡ªa baby, to be precise, and one that seemed to be straight out of the womb judging by size alone.


    The water surged forth with ludicrous speed, leaving nothing behind. The baby in the orb stayed in the center, pulled along with the mass of water.


    Anneliese stepped up the spot Zirun had left, pointing with mouth open wide in surprise. ¡°Was that a¡­ a baby?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think Zirun is especially infantile,¡± Argrave said drolly.


    ¡°You know what I¡ª¡±


    ¡°Yes, that was the figure of a baby,¡± Argrave cut her off. ¡°Titus told you that they choose Vessels at birth. That baby is their true body¡­ and sole vulnerability in that immaterial state. I told you about their magic, didn¡¯t I? I guess seeing is believing.¡±


    ¡°Troubling,¡± noted Gmon.


    ¡°I don¡¯t get it either,¡± Argrave shook his head, staring at Zirun¡¯s workers as they moved away carrying his jewelry and clothing. ¡°The body we see when they¡¯re walking about is what that baby would look like grown. When they¡¯re physically manifested like that, they can be injured normally.¡± Argrave pointed where Zirun had exited. ¡°They go like <em>that</em> when they intend on fighting. I¡¯m told it¡¯s taxing, so they don¡¯t do it often.¡±


    ¡°Is Ebonice truly effective against them?¡± Gmon touched his axe.


    ¡°I told you it was,¡± Argrave said. ¡°The water falls away like¡­ well, water, upon contact. Wouldn¡¯t use it to block attacks, though. Would probably break the axe. Regardless, we shouldn¡¯t need to fight them,¡± he said pointedly, as though in reminder.


    Anneliese took a deep breath and exhaled. ¡°And your n to head into the production district¡­¡±


    ¡°Unchanged,¡± Argrave stepped forward. ¡°All the more reason now.¡±


    #####


    Malgeridum was quiet. The small buildings made it easy to see most of what was happening in the t city. The constantly billowing smoke they¡¯d been treated to yesterday has ceased. In the far distance at the production district, one could see the magic of the Vesselsid inly. Unnatural tendrils of water danced about the air in ways liquid was not meant to move, unbound by gravity. The water imitated innumerable things¡ªdes, animals, hammers, shields¡ªyet mostmon was a simple geyser that tore apart walls, the street, people¡­.


    The harsh industrial scent persisted in the air, and Argrave drew a piece of cloth over his face, tying it quickly. He rose his duster¡¯s hood over his head and then gestured to Anneliese and Gmon, urging them to follow. Garm perched on Gmon¡¯s backpack, disguised by his helmet as per usual.


    All of the people were idle as they watched this suppression happen, so it made traversing the streets difficult. Argrave¡¯s party wove through the idle crowds while watching the distant event happening ahead. It was like some terrible mockery of a water show¡ªless bright lights and beautiful fountains, much more screaming and mayhem.


    After a long while of threading through the crowd, they made it to an encirclement of guards blocking the people from proceeding further. The guards said nothing to calm or move the crowd, merely stopping them from advancing with a braced posture and arge tower shield.


    Argrave stepped up to their encirclement, and all the guards near paid special attention to their group. He ced a hand on the top of the shield, trying to look beyond at the writhing water.


    ¡°Remove your hand from the shield, foreigner,¡± the shield-bearer spoke.


    ¡°I was told the revolt wasn¡¯t worth suppressing,¡± Argrave spoke. ¡°What changed?¡±


    The guardsmen looked up at Argrave, staying silent for a moment before spitting, ¡°I don¡¯t need to answer a northerner.¡±


    ¡°Hurtful,¡± Argrave removed his hand from the shield, covering his chest as though wounded. ¡°Bandying the N word about like that¡­ well, I¡¯m the bigger man. Physically and metaphorically,e to think of it,¡± Argrave mused as he reached into his pockets.


    ¡°Hear me out. You might hate northerners¡­¡± Argrave pulled free some gold coins, having predicted he might need to do something like this. ¡°But you won¡¯t refuse a rich northerner, I hope.¡±


    The guard¡¯s attention was devoted solely to the coins in Argrave¡¯s hand at once, though he didn¡¯t reach to take it. Seeing the inaction, Argrave turned his head to the others nearby, who had doubtless heard the exchange. He waved the gold coins about, as though offering it to each.


    ¡°Alright,¡± the first guard said, freeing one hand from the shield and moving to take the gold. Argrave shut his hand, holding a finger out to urge him to speak first. The guard sighed, and exined, ¡°It wasn¡¯t a problem earlier, because the rebels had limited supply¡­ but they got resupplied.¡± He shrugged. ¡°That¡¯s all I know.¡±


    Argrave stared down at the masked guardsman for a moment in silence, then opened his hand wordlessly. The guard reached up and took the coins, then continued, saying, ¡°Could the gentleman give us some space?¡±


    With a quietugh at the change in politeness, Argrave stepped away. His mirth quickly turned into a frown. They walked a fair distance away, where the crowds were not so dense, and Argrave leaned against a wall.


    ¡°Well, the man might as well have said it,¡± Argrave scratched his chin.


    Anneliese stepped up just in front of him. ¡°You do think Titus had something to do with this.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°If he was¡­ probably not deliberately. He didn¡¯t seem the ¡®conscientious objector¡¯ type. I never saw the cargo he had. We didn¡¯t see him load or unload.¡±


    ¡°When things settle¡­ we should go there,¡± Anneliese said.


    Argrave crossed his arms. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize we were the conscientious objectors,¡± Argrave said incredulously. ¡°Listen, Titus was a nice one¡­ but we can¡¯t be his keepers. If this is his mess, we can¡¯t get involved. Too much at stake. You want to draw the ire of the high-pressure waterjets with legs?¡±


    ¡°Hear hear,¡± spoke Garm from atop Gmon¡¯s backpack. ¡°Get out of this hole in the ground. No use getting your shoes wet for strangers.¡±


    Anneliese took a deep breath and exhaled. ¡°Both of you are right.¡± She stepped closer to Argrave. ¡°¡­at the very least, can we discover what truly happened?¡±


    Argrave stared at her amber eyes. He stayed silent for a while.


    ¡°This is a slippery slope, Anneliese, and I¡¯m not talking about the wet roads,¡± he cautioned. ¡°I won¡¯t agree with doing anything more than a simple walkthrough of the streets after the chaos has ended.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she said sincerely, sping her hands together. ¡°I will request nothing more, nor act out of turn. But this¡­ I need to know more,¡± she stepped away.


    Argrave stayed leaning against the wall, introspecting. <em>Hard to say ¡®no¡¯ to her. At least she¡¯s not asking me to buy a puppy, or¡­ </em>Argrave shook his head. <em>She¡¯s not stupid. If she¡¯s making a request, it has to be important. And truth be told¡­ I want to know, too.</em>

 Chapter 115: Caged Pride

    Chapter 115: Caged Pride


    Once the revolt was suppressed, the people went back to their usual schedule with an odd sense of normalcy, returning to the forges and the mines that they had been operating with an almost routine disappointment. The disappointment didn¡¯t seem to stem from the Vessels¡¯ victory¡ªthat seemed an inevitability. Rather, it was almost as though they had been deprived of an interesting happening.


    As Argrave advanced with Anneliese and Gmon, they were still treated to oddities. The aftermath of the fight left water everywhere in some ces, but the puddles on the ground bubbled as though boiling. Miniscule drops rose into the air, seeking out their origin: the Vessels of Fellhorn from whence they had been born.


    Argrave walked aimlessly for a while, observing the carnage alongside all the others. There were bodies to be sure, but most had been captured alive. The Vessels Drained them. It was a gruesome thing. The Vessel would grip their forehead, and then the victim¡¯s body would shrink, their skin would crack and curl, and dust would scatter everywhere. The screams made it clear it was not a painless thing.


    During these executions, the Vessels remained the picture of politeness. They would smile or bow at Argrave and Anneliese as they stood wrapped in improvised cloth to cover their nude bodies after reversion from their immaterial form. Their propriety served to disy they viewed this suppression of dissidents as a triviality.


    Despite their concerted effort to find Titus, they found not a hint of the man¡ªnot his caravan nor his person.


    ¡°If we haven¡¯t seen any of him, that¡¯s a good portent, no?¡± Argrave asked Anneliese as they walked, the water still dancing in the air around them.


    ¡°There is a reason I asked you to do this beyond the mere concern about his well-being,¡± Anneliese said, keeping her arms crossed as she advanced. ¡°He was especially anticipatory arriving here¡­ as though he had somethingrge nned. Nervous, especially.¡±


    ¡°Meaning¡­ more so than you might expect?¡±


    Anneliese pondered that. ¡°I cannot say for sure. Some people are more nervous than others. It may merely be a¡ª¡±


    ¡°Red herring,¡± Argrave finished, pausing on the road.


    ¡°I do not follow,¡± she paused with him. Gmon stepped ahead, scanning all nearby warily.


    ¡°Something misleading,¡± Argrave exined quickly. ¡°We¡¯ve been walking around for a while now, though. Are you satisfied enough to move on?¡±


    Anneliese sighed. ¡°Yes. Thank you for your indulgence, Argrave.¡±


    ¡°Sure. Let¡¯s just not make a habit of overindulging,¡± he said dismissively, turning. ¡°We should get moving while the weather is clear. Don¡¯t want to deal with another sandstorm.¡±


    #####


    Argrave fell to the sand, ck sand billowing past his face. He held Titus¡¯pass in his right hand, while a spell matrix formed in the other. When it materialized, a thin translucent ward spread out, no thicker than a piece of paper, but the whipping sand ceased. Argrave took a few minutes to clear himself of sand, shaking his face and hood to dislodge the small ck grains. Anneliese and Gmon came to join Argrave, cooped up beneath his ward.


    Above and around, the ck sand billowed about them. The sandstorm made it seem as though a thousand mosquitoes moved past them, or as if the night itself made to consume them. Despite Argrave¡¯s insistency to move quickly, his haste had onlynded them in the middle of the situation he had most been hoping to avoid. The ward abated the sound, creating an odd zone of quiet that was disconcerting when contrasted with the chaos outside.


    ¡°God¡­ damn it,¡± sighed Argrave, out of breath and weary. ¡°I guess we made good progress. Can¡¯t deny I¡¯m struggling, though.¡±


    ¡°Take off the helmet, please,¡± pleaded Garm. ¡°Got sand in my nose. Shake me about.¡±


    Argrave looked over, then stood before either of hispanions could do anything. He lifted Gmon¡¯s helmet off, and then did as the severed head bid, spinning and shaking the head about.


    ¡°Stop, stop!¡± he said at once. ¡°Gods. Somehow, you¡¯re the least gentle one.¡±


    ¡°Are you sand-free?¡± questioned Argrave.


    ¡°Yes. Just set me down. You have shaky hands.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s called a ¡®benign tremor,¡¯¡± Argrave said in faux condescension as he fulfilled Garm¡¯s request, sticking the stake deep into the sand. After, Argrave fell to the sand, opening up the lid of thepass and moving it to line up properly.


    ¡°We¡¯re headed the proper direction?¡± questioned Gmon.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Argrave shut thepass. ¡°If I could keep up with you two, might be we¡¯d be at our next stop by now. Unfortunately¡­ well, you saw.¡±


    ¡°Least you <em>can</em> walk,¡± Garmmented.


    Argrave ignored the head¡¯sment, feeling that nothing could be achieved by responding to him. He settled down, getting asfortable as one could atop the sand dune. ¡°We can only wait this out,¡± Argravemented.


    The other two agreed and took their positions. Silence settled over them as people grew to rx.


    Argrave stared up at Garm, rubbing his hands together as he deliberated whether or not to say something. The head was ignorant of his gaze, for he faced forward.


    ¡°Garm,¡± Argrave broke the silence.


    ¡°What?¡±


    Argrave adjusted himself so that he could look at the head. ¡°What are your ns for regaining your body?¡± Garm¡¯s eyes fell upon Argrave, unshaking. After a long while without an answer, Argrave continued, ¡°Because I don¡¯t see a way forward for you.¡±


    ¡°And what would you know?¡± Garm retorted at once. ¡°Some half-baked C-rank mage, never dipped a finger into necromancy.¡±


    Argrave chuckled quietly, lowering his head. ¡°Necromancy¡¯s all but died out as a school of magic. The only practitioners remaining are criminals and exiles.¡± Argrave looked up to meet Garm¡¯s gaze. ¡°Not exactly people you¡¯d trust with your soul¡­ doubly so when they realize the value of what¡¯s in your head.¡±


    ¡°So what?¡± Garm pressed. ¡°I have nothing but time.¡±


    ¡°My point is¡­¡± Argrave sat cross-legged. ¡°You will never be able to fix this problem on your own. You are limited as you are now.¡±


    ¡°Real keen insight. The severed head has limited options,¡± Garm mocked.


    ¡°Back at the Low Way, you said that you had to be adaptable,¡± Argrave recounted. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen any of that, since. All I¡¯ve seen is a stubborn adhesion to this mire you¡¯ve been forced into.¡±


    Garm closed his eyes. ¡°What do you want from me? Openness? Honesty?¡± he said with disdain. ¡°I can¡¯t teach you spells. I can¡¯t inscribe them, in case you haven¡¯t realized. I can give guidance for what you already have, and nothing more.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what I want from you,¡± confessed Argrave.


    Garm kept his eyes closed, and silence settled within the ward once more. Argrave recast the spell so that no sand would leak, waiting.


    ¡°Why did youe to this ce?¡± Garm finally opened his eyes, staring at Argrave passively. ¡°I can¡¯t discern that.¡±


    ¡°To fix my body. I get sick easily,¡± Argrave answered after a moment¡¯s pause.


    ¡°How?¡± Garm continued.


    ¡°We have to get one more item. The Wraith¡¯s Heart.¡± Argrave flipped open thepass, mentally routing the path to Argent based on his memories of the game¡¯s map. ¡°After that¡­ we have to go talk to an alchemist living elsewhere in the Burnt Desert. He¡¯ll make me ck Blooded.¡±


    ¡°So, this alchemist promised a cure for you, provided you collect some artifacts for him. The Unsullied Knife. The Crimson Wellspring,¡± Garm tried to conclude.


    Argrave shook his head. ¡°Never met this alchemist. Few people remember his name, and he doesn¡¯t know these artifacts even exist. But I know he can and will fix the problems I¡¯m dealing with.¡± Argrave settled backfortably.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re delusional,¡± Garm posited as though he¡¯d finally figured things out.


    ¡°Maybe. Care to make a bet?¡± Argrave smirked. ¡°I know a little too much about a lot of things. What I just outlined¡­ I bet everything will happen the way I say it will. There might be some twists and turns along the way, but by andrge, all that I say is true.¡±


    Garm furrowed his brows, but Argrave was certain there was some intrigue on his face. ¡°What are you trying to convey to me, here?¡±


    ¡°The things I know¡ªand I do mean know¡ªaren¡¯t limited to Gerechtigkeit¡¯sing.¡± Argrave leaned in a bit closer to Garm. ¡°If you want some proof of Gerechtigkeit, I can¡¯t offer that. You¡¯lle to know in the future, naturally, but I can¡¯t give you anything now.¡±


    ¡°Because you¡¯re delusional,¡± Garm concluded, repeating his earlier observation.


    ¡°Believe what you want. If there¡¯s one thing I can¡¯t control, it¡¯s what¡¯s in your head.¡± Argrave tapped his temple. ¡°But there is one thing I can offer you. I can promise you¡¯ll see some proof that my knowledge is genuine, at the very least. You¡¯ve already seen some of it. You¡¯ll see a hell of a lot more in the future.¡±


    For the first time that Argrave could recall, Garm looked overwhelmed. Argraveid down against the ck sand, staring up at the writhing sandstorm. He kicked his feet back and closed his eyes, letting out a self-satisfied sigh.


    #####


    In the corner of a ridiculously luxurious room, there was a man with a ratherrge frame leaning up against the wall. He sat atop a bed, listlessly staring out the window at the setting suns. Despite the luxury of the room, he was extremely emaciated, his skin drawn tight against his bones. His hair was long and uncut, shining like blood against the sunlight. His eyes shone like two rubies.


    The rattling of metal echoed out across the room, and the man¡¯s head turned. He pushed away from the wall, moving to sit at the edge of the bed with a weary caution. After a long time of shaking, a final click echoed out, and arge metal door opened up.


    A knight stepped into the room, each step slow and cautious. He came to stand in the center. For some reason, his breath wasbored.


    ¡°¡­you¡¯re not one of the guards,¡± the red-haired man spoke, his voice hoarse and tired.


    The man removed his gauntlet and pulled free a dagger. He took two unsteady steps forward.


    ¡°I see,¡± said the man sitting. ¡°You¡¯re here to kill me.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t make any noise,¡± the knight said, though his voice was strained and shaky.


    ¡°I can¡¯tply with that,¡± said the emaciated man, though he did not move to call for help. ¡°Why are you doing this? Do you hate House Parbon? Do you have another reason?¡±


    The knight froze like a child caught doing something bad.


    ¡°At least answer the man you¡¯re to kill,¡± Bruno of Parbon said. ¡°Why are you doing this?¡±


    ¡°M¡­. M-my family,¡± the knight sputtered. ¡°I have to,¡± he said with conviction and desperation. ¡°I <em>have to.</em>¡±


    ¡°They threatened them,¡± Bruno nodded, brows furrowed in understanding. ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I¡­¡± the knight stepped forward, holding the knife and breathing quickly.


    Bruno stood up. He was much taller than the man and had great presence despite his emaciated state. ¡°You don¡¯t know, do you?¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The knight wordlessly pointed the knife at Bruno, his training enabling him to keep a steady hand.


    ¡°If you want to save your family, I won¡¯t fight back.¡± Bruno spread his arms. ¡°I never had any hope of getting out of this alive. Let my life save others, at the very least. I know enough of politics to know that my brother will only benefit if I die. Vasquer will lose a card. Chaos will seize the northernnds¡ªa noble murdered under house arrest. Such a thing is an affront to the oaths between monarch and lord.¡±


    The knight¡¯s breathing grew more erratic, and he stepped forward. Bruno turned around, and knelt on the floor. He sat, head held high, neck clearly exposed.


    ¡°Just do it,¡± Bruno said with conviction. ¡°Ensure, at least, you keep your family safe henceforth.¡±


    The knight¡¯s breathing slowed and steadied. He took a step forward, the knife raised into the air. The knight struck out at Bruno¡¯s neck with all the speed of a snake, and the room was dyed crimson.

 Chapter 116: Expedience

    Chapter 116: Expedience


    The Dragon Pce, seat of House Vasquer, moved as though it was a beehive with a bear on the outside. Officials, guards, and royal knights flowed quickly, each with their own purpose and with a sense of urgency. Diplomats met couriers, frantically reading and writing letters to send off to Vasqeur¡¯s supporters. Royal knights obeyedmands from theirmanders, each seeking different leads on the murder of Bruno of Parbon.


    One person waded through the crowd with slow, steady steps. Royal knights bearing golden armor pushed through the crowd, acting as a wedge for their master. King Felipe III towered above all present, and though he was broad already, his veritable mane of graying obsidian hair redoubled his presence. He had gray eyes as steady as stone, and a beard all the way to his stomach. He wore borate ck and gold armor that could nearly be called ceremonial, though enchantments on its surface bolstered its protective ability. A ck mantle bearing a golden snake wrapped around a sword hung from his shoulders, barely touching the ground.


    King Felipe moved through his courtiers, breathing steady and step calm. He stepped through the Dragon Pce, walked up the stairs leading to his throne, and then moved past it into arge meeting hall. A singlerge table stood at the center, with innumerable maps syed out across its surface.


    A thin, tall man waited politely in the room, his hands behind his rigid back. He had ck hair kept diligently trimmed and rich blue eyes. His clothes were fanciful and bore the ck and gold of House Vasquer. He had sharp, sunken features, with a stern air about him thatmanded some mystique.


    King Felipe stepped into the room, looking about. ¡°Guard the room,¡± he directed his knights as he stepped forward.


    The man ced his hand to his chest. ¡°Father,¡± he greeted, dipping his head.


    ¡°Levin. Despite my direction, you¡¯ve still not improved your magic,¡± King Felipe came to stand before his son. ¡°Even my mistake shows better results than you.¡±


    ¡°Some are unsuited for standing on the front lines. I know my ce,¡± Prince Levin said smoothly.


    Felipe stared down contemptuously but shook his head and said nothing more on the matter. ¡°Tell me what you¡¯ve uncovered.¡±


    Levin readilyunched into exnation, saying, ¡°The one responsible for organizing the event has been detained. The one who ordered this¡­ remains unknown,¡± Levin said disappointedly. ¡°The maid, Therese, has some connections to House Parbon. Her house originates from a cadet branch of their house. She served in the pce, attending to many courtiers.¡±


    Felipe moved to stand over the maps on the table, staring down at the uneven rectangr continent of Berendar. ¡°We allowed a cadet branch of House Parbon in the pce?¡±


    ¡°Her rtion was so distant none considered it would hold bearing,¡± Levin exined.


    ¡°And nothing of her backing?¡± Felipe continued.


    ¡°Under torture, she revealed all the information she knew. They led to dead-ends. Her contacts fled, abandoning her. She will be crucified in the city square on the morrow,¡± Levin outlined. ¡°I have sent some more seeking leads, but¡­¡±


    Felipe smacked Levin¡¯s head, and the man staggered slightly. ¡°I give you a kingdom¡¯s resource, you can¡¯t keep one valuable asset safe? You persist on a thread, Levin. I question if it¡¯s worth maintaining your life. You may cause trouble on session.¡±


    Levin shook his head, straightening his back once more. ¡°I know my ce. Induen is my better. I am inferior.¡±


    Felipe stared down at Levin. ¡°Be thankful Orion is your elder. Were he not, I would y you.¡±


    ¡°I must thank my fortune,¡± Levin dipped his head seriously.


    ¡°Regarding your brother¡­ the gue,¡± Felipe stepped around the table, retrieving another map. ¡°Outline its spread.¡±


    Levin leaned forward, retrieving a writing implement. He drew a circle around part of the northwestern region of the kingdom. ¡°Orion has been working diligently to keep it limited to this area. Travel has slowed in the northern regions on ount of winter. When the ice thaws¡­¡± Levin trailed off, setting down his tool. ¡°It will spread.¡±


    Felipe stared at the drawing, saying nothing. ¡°A prisoner under house arrest died under our care. This will be perceived as a foolish act of tyranny. The northern nobles rallied beneath us will waver. We cannot expect them to be as steadfast as before.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been working on¡ª¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Felipe said coldly. ¡°You will recall non-essential men in northern territories. Ensure only that we know that they do not act against us. Now that things havee to this¡­¡± Felipe stroked his long beard. ¡°We are weakened. We must weaken in turn.¡±


    ¡°Then I will direct my attention towards sabotage,¡± Levin nodded.


    Felipe lifted his head up, staring Levin in the eyes. ¡°Send men to the northwestern regions. Collect the corpses of those that sumbed to the gue. Spread them across the south, everywhere.¡± The king leaned over a map of the south. ¡°Make sure Orion remains ignorant. The south will be a hellscape, where dead on the streets will be moremon than clouds in the sky.¡±


    Levin¡¯s breathing grew quick and his eyes widened. Once his breathing calmed, he nodded. ¡°I will see this done, father.¡±


    ¡°At the very least¡­ I can count on your obedience,¡± Felipe looked over. ¡°Go. See it done.¡±


    Levin turned and walked away. As he walked, his expression grew dead.


    #####n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Wind howled against the stone. In the middle of a cold stone cell, the sounds of someone shivering echoed in the empty dungeon. An orange-haired woman, nude, leaned against the wall. Her pale white skin was marred by jagged cuts everywhere. There was nothing in the cell besides stone and iron¡ªnot a single basic amenity. There were only the iron bars of the cell, and a window ten feet above. Not even the tallest could ever hope to reach it, and even then, it was too thin to grant passage.


    As the woman sat there, shivering, waiting, a click echoed throughout the cell. The woman turned her head, peering out into the hallway beyond the bars. Another click came, louder this time, and she flinched. The clicks came again and again, each louder. She came to realize they were moving up the wall. The woman stood, moving to the cold bars of the cell.


    Something shed near the window, and she shrunk away. After a moment, a thin ropedder entered, dropping down. The woman shrunk away in terror, curling into a ball in the corner of the cell. The intruder chipped at the window, sending shards of stone into the cell as the window was forcibly widened.


    Eventually, the passage opened wide enough for entry. Someone crammed their way in, and then dropped down,nding. They wore a thick cloak and light leather armor.


    ¡°Therese?¡± the man spoke, kneeling down.


    Therese looked up, terrified. The man moved forward slightly, and she shrunk away as though he intended to hurt her.


    ¡°Wear this,¡± the man directed, setting something down and stepping away. ¡°No time for terror, no time for dys. I offer help. Sess lies on you.¡±


    Her breathing slowed as she stared at what he¡¯d set down. It was a simple fur robe. She slowly moved towards it, taking it in hand. After she put it on she winced terribly, opening the scabs on some of her wounds, yet she seemed to relish in the warmth offered by the robe.


    ¡°Come,¡± the man directed, moving to thedder. ¡°This little climb is thest thing you¡¯ll need to do. There¡¯s a mage waiting outside.¡±


    Therese walked unsteadily, wrapping her fingers on thedder. She climbed up, shaking terribly. The man stepped up to the bars, peering beyond into the hallway. Once Therese was near the top of thedder, he walked away, following just behind her on the ropedder.


    Therese stalled at the top, having some difficulty making it through the narrow gap. The man gave a somewhat heartless push, forcing her past. An arm gripped her, pulling her to safety. She yelped out and started tremoring once more, but slowly, she realized she was in no danger of falling. The carved side of the Dragon Pce had little room for standing, yet stakes had been stabbed into the side, held up by magic. A big man held her up effortlessly.


    The man who entered into the cell emerged, rising to his feet. He held his hand out. ¡°Let¡¯s go. Don¡¯t make noise,dy.¡±


    Therese nodded frantically, and the one holding her stepped off the stake. His boots lit up, and he slowly descended, gales billowing about his feet. Therese buried her head into the man¡¯s chest, unwilling to watch.


    After a long time, the mannded soundlessly on something. Therese lifted her head up. They were on a ledge on the side of the mountain that bore the Dragon Pce. Just behind them was a cave¡ªit seemed to have been carved by hand, for it was supported with makeshift wooden pirs and showed signs of excavation.


    The big man set her down. ¡°Go into the cave,¡± he directed.


    Therese ced her hand to her chest and walked into the cave, casting nces every which way as though something could leap out at any moment. She spotted someone sitting, though they were of much thinner frames than those who¡¯d entered and retrieved her. She walked up slowly.


    Princess Elenore lifted her head. She was free of her blindfold, and one could see her empty, horrifyingly deformed eye sockets. Therese was used to the sight, so it was not jarring, but she still could not help but hold her breath.


    ¡°Did you retrieve her?¡± Elenore spoke. ¡°Is she fine?¡±


    ¡°Elenore,¡± Therese said, stepping forward.


    ¡°Therese,¡± the princess rose at once, stepping forth. She very nearly bumped into the woman, but Therese caught her arms.


    ¡°You¡¯re alive,¡± Elenore said, relieved. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ I brought a healer. Come,e.¡±


    Therese¡¯s face was a mess of emotion¡ªrelief, indignance, betrayal, joy¡ªbut she stepped forth, still leading the princess even now. A woman stepped forth from deeper within the cave, rushing to tend to Therese¡¯s wounds.


    ¡°Therese¡­ you did well,¡± the princess said lightly. ¡°And I failed you.¡±


    With those simple words, the former maid burst into tears, lowering her head onto the princess¡¯ shoulder. Elenore did not reject her, merely standing there whileforting her.


    ¡°You will be taken from here¡­ to a safe ce, a ce I know will never be touched by the war,¡± Elenore soothed sweetly.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t tell them anything, my princess,¡± Therese muttered into her shoulder. ¡°I did¡­ I did my best.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Elenore touched her head delicately. She pushed the maid away so their faces were before each other¡¯s. ¡°Now¡­ you must abide alone for a time. Live well. Live free. You will be taken care of.¡± The princess deposited a sack of metal coins into the former maid¡¯s hand. The light of the rose gold magic coins sheening could be seen even through the cloth.


    Magic shone at the back of her head. Therese¡¯s body sagged, and she fell onto the healer, unconscious. The healer hauled them away delicately, where yet more joined to tend to her.


    Once Therese was a sufficient distance away, the man who¡¯d entered the cell stepped up to Elenore. ¡°Didn¡¯t know you hadpassion. You pulled a lot of strings to save one little maid.¡±


    ¡°And what would you know?¡± Elenore replied at once, all her sweetness gone. ¡°This isn¡¯t aboutpassion. This is about reputation, power.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah?¡± the man asked incredulously.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Elenore said. ¡°Wanton disys of cruelty befit my brother, not me. Everyone who serves me can guess that I was behind what happened to Bruno. With this, they know that those who serve me faithfully will not be tossed aside when it is expedient. Indeed, I can save my people from any trouble, even the attention of the King and his Kingdom.¡± Elenore turned her head. ¡°It¡¯s a message. Nothing more. High-profile incidents demand proper replies.¡±


    ¡°Guess I expected too much from a Vasquer,¡± the man shook his head.


    ¡°Don¡¯t overstep, Ruleo,¡± she cautioned. ¡°We share a goal, and so we work together. Do not presume to growfortable.¡±


    ¡°¡¯Do not presume,¡¯¡± Ruleo mimicked, then cackled. ¡°Whatever. We¡¯re done here. Give me the payment I asked for, the usual way.¡± He walked into the cave, past the people treating Therese, and vanished into darkness.

 Chapter 117: Myriad Metal Monuments Marring Mountains

    Chapter 117: Myriad Metal Monuments Marring Mountains


    Argrave¡¯s legs gave out as his feet sunk into the top of a sand dune, and he copsed ungracefully onto the ground. As he lifted his face up and shook his head to dislodge sand, a lizard blending in with the surroundings scurried away, heading for the distance. Argrave followed it with his gaze, and far ahead, a great monument loomed above.


    ¡°Are you all right?¡± Anneliese asked, kneeling beside Argrave with genuine concern in her voice.


    ¡°Just¡­¡± Argrave rose to his knees, adjusting his misaligned backpack. ¡°¡­exhausted.¡± He pointed ahead. ¡°You¡¯d think three days of resting while we hid from that damned sandstorm would mean I¡¯d be able to handle a desert hike easily. Whatever,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°I was worried that I got my directions mixed, but¡­ there¡¯s Argent. In the distance. The silver one.¡±


    Thend before them was like a great crater in the earth. The ck sand dunes of the Burnt Desert faded in way of rocky hills of igneous rock, descending down towards a central point. There were marks in the earth where rivers had once flowed, but they were gone¡ªdried up utterly.


    Far beyond, sand dunes ranged once again, and a mountain encircled the sand, seemingly forming a great bowl. A wide waterfall descended down the side of one of these mountains, though it was quickly shielded by another tall peak. Argrave saw a vague silhouette flying about, and after a time, distinguished it as a wyvern. In those mountains lived thest free tribe.


    In the center of the crater, there was a fortress city: Sethia. Its gray walls were every bit as grand as Mateth¡¯s, and perhaps even stood taller. The fortifications formed a perfect half-circle around the city itself. Where the missing half of the circle was, three roads led to three high towers, each structure the color of precious metals.


    Argent was, as its name might suggest, the silver tower. It was polished to the point where it reflected all around it. The reflection created a strange warping effect on its lower half, while the top half reflected the sunlight, rebounding into the air like a radiant crown of gold. It was surrounded by a wall of the same make as Sethia before it. The walls shielded an estate befitting a kind.


    The other two towers, Aurum and Cyprus, varied mainly in their tower¡¯s color. The copper tower, Cyprus, had long ago been covered with patina¡ªits bright green was pretty, yet decidedlyckluster inparison to the two other towers. Aurum shone as brightly as Argent.


    ¡°One of these things is not like the other,¡± Argrave sung. ¡°What you see now in those towers is a good disy of what¡¯s actually happening in Sethia.¡± Argrave leaned closed to Anneliese and pointed two fingers out, lining them up with the gold and silver towers. ¡°Aurum and Argent shine brilliantly, and control most of what goes on within the city. Cyprus has faded, lost its splendor.¡±


    ¡°The mountains beyond¡­ that is where thest independent southern tribes are?¡± Anneliese asked.


    ¡°Well, yeah,¡± Argrave nodded, lowering his pointed fingers. ¡°But don¡¯t you worry about that. Keep your eye on the prize.¡±


    ¡°The prize, is it?¡± Anneliese¡¯s gaze lingered on Argrave as he rose to his feet.


    ¡°That¡¯s correct,¡± Argrave turned around. ¡°We four have to exploit the faction dynamics within the city to get what I need.¡±


    Though Argrave spared a nce at his ce atop Gmon¡¯s backpack, Garm did not react to his inclusion in their party.


    ¡°Outsiders will have trouble gaining influence,¡± Gmon criticized.


    Argrave turned his back to the city. ¡°When people are down on their luck, they¡¯re not going to be choosy with the hand reaching out to help them.¡±


    ¡°So¡­ we aid Cyprus, the one that has lost their luster,¡± Anneliese concluded, walking past Argrave to stare at Sethia.


    ¡°Quick as a whip, littledy,¡± Argrave moved his head, following her as she walked past. ¡°The current Lord of Copper is a young, ambitious Vessel who wants to recover his faction¡¯s power. He¡¯ll do anything to this end. Argent has the Wraith¡¯s Heart¡ªit might seem counterintuitive to go with Cyprus, but as you¡¯ll find, their faction is willing to do just about anything to get ahead.¡±


    Argrave strode away, continuing, ¡°They¡¯ll take suspicious people so long as they¡¯re helpful. They¡¯ll do anything that needs to be done, provided it gets them ahead. I intend¡­ to pit them against Argent. It¡¯s already what the Lord of Copper wants¡ªI merely need to give him the push.¡±


    ¡°Do wyverns visit the city?¡± Anneliese questioned.


    Argrave turned his head. ¡°Look, I know I talked about getting a wyvern, but you might want to curb your¡ª¡±


    Anneliese grabbed Argrave and turned him around to face the city. He staggered a little, but she kept him steady and pointed off into the distance. He followed where she was pointing, squinting.


    ¡°You see?¡± she asked as if validated.


    Argrave didn¡¯t answer, staring at three flying creatures steadily growing closer to the city. He didn¡¯t know what to make of the situation. As the wyverns grew closer, he saw many people on their backs. Argrave started walking down into the crater, keeping his eyes fixed ahead with his brows furrowed in confusion.


    The wyverns narrowed in on one of the towers¡ªArgent. The furthest aheadnded on the wall around the tower. Someone atop its back threw a sling, and the projectile mmed into one of the windows, shattering it. After, the wyvern craned its neck, and the people atop the thing climbed up into the tower. The other two wyverns circled about, one clinging to the tower, all offloading men into the window.


    ¡°What in¡­?¡± Argrave whispered, still walking into the crater.


    ¡°This is beyond your expectations?¡± Gmon questioned, jogging to catch up.


    ¡°What do¡­¡± Argrave stopped. ¡°No¡­ No, I get it.¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°They¡¯re raiding the tower. God damn it,¡± he cursed, moving a little faster. ¡°We¡¯ve got to get down there. I have to see who¡¯s leading them.¡±


    Exhaustion forgotten in wake of urgency, Argrave moved down into the crater quickly enough that he could not afford to keep his eyes on the raid happening ahead. He watched his footing carefully as he descended down the rocky ck hills, sending dirt and dislodged rocks tumbling down ahead of him.


    A bell rung out across the city, loud enough to be heard even distant as they were. As they descended into the crater, Sethia¡¯s wall grew too tall for them to see over its top. Argrave gave the walls a wide berth, not wishing to draw the attention of any of those people guarding outside. Instead, he moved around Sethia, hoping to get the best view of Argent that he could.


    They were not alone in wishing to view the spectacle, it seemed. People emerged out from the city walks, rushing to get a better look at the rare urrence. Argrave felt that was a fortunate thing, for he did not need to be so restrained in his approach. Soon enough, he had a clear view of the incursion.


    The people were southern tribals, as could be expected from the masters of the wyvern. They wore armor made of wyvern scales, each and all beautifully crafted. They offloaded things from the windows, throwing crates and bags of valuables. Gemstones scattered from one poorly tossed bag, and he heard a shouted admonishment from a rider.


    Argrave walked while catching his breath, eye on the wyverns now that he had some leeway. Eventually, he saw the person he expected emerge from the tower. A tall man wearing a gray coat ofmer wyvern-scale armor stepped to the window. His helmet had a grand red plume.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Knew it was you, Durran,¡± Argrave muttered beneath his breath as he watched. ¡°Nobody else would¡ª¡±


    Argrave¡¯s voice caught in his throat as he spotted another person step up. The man¡¯s shining te armor stood out starkly beside the tribals, wearing armor of wyvern scale. The neer bore a mace, and his helmet was made in the shape of a boar with two tusks.


    With words escaping him, Argrave watched silently as the raiders began to emerge one by one, climbing back onto the now-loaded wyverns. They clutched their haul tightly. From the city of Sethia, a mass of water made its way over the walls. The southern tribals spotted this, hurrying their escape. The wyverns braced, preparing to lift into the sky.


    With their powerful wings creating gales and scattering sand everywhere, the wyverns took off into the sky. Argrave shielded his eyes as he watched them go. The mass of water¡ªa Vessel, undoubtedly¡ªwound its way up Argent until it came to the cone-shaped roof on its top. The water swirled in front of it, and a thin line of water shot out like a bullet into the distance after the wyverns.


    Despite the tremendous distance made, one of the wyverns was hit. It swayed, roaring, but managed to rebnce in time to prevent its descent. Argrave could see its blood dripping down into the sand it passed over, gliding for the mountains as it lost altitude.


    Argrave turned around, where Anneliese and Gmon watched with as much interest as he did.


    ¡°Let¡¯s find a ce to talk,¡± Argrave sighed.


    #####


    ¡°Let me exin things,¡± said Argrave to his other three party members. They had elected to wait until things calmed down in the city to go inside¡ªbeing implicated with this happening would be a difficult stain to remove. They sat cross-legged in a rtively secluded part of the crater.


    ¡°The¡­ avatar I told you two about, with which I experienced this world before.¡± Argrave ced his finger on the ground. ¡°I had ten choices each time. A custom-made one, or nine pre-existing ones. Of the ready-made, each was divided into three distinct categories¡ªspellcaster, warrior, or rogue.¡±


    Argrave paused, but all three were listening intently¡ªeven Garm, though he looked confused.


    ¡°Stain was the pure rogue. Nikoletta was the pure spellcaster,¡± Argrave continued. ¡°You two met both of them,¡± he pointed to his two elvenpanions.


    Both nodded.


    ¡°I also mentioned Mnie, as I remember¡ªshe¡¯s got a warrior focus, but she also has some traits from the rogue side of things. Then there¡¯s Ruleo, who¡¯s rogue-focused with magic abilities¡­ now, I¡¯ve seen two more of these avatars.¡±


    Garm frowned. ¡°What in the gods¡¯ name are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°A game,¡± said Argrave, pushing past the head¡¯s interruption. ¡°Boarmask is here¡ªthe pure warrior. Durran is also here¡ªanother warrior with a dash of magic spice. From what I saw, they¡¯re working together.¡±


    The two absorbed the information. Anneliese adjusted her sitting position, then asked, ¡°What significance does this hold?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Argrave paused, trying to discern this for himself. ¡°Both are highly resourceful, and both are very talented. I have no doubt they were the driving force behind the raid that happened today. I can say this with certainty because it falls in line with what the yer could do¡ªone of the ¡®quests¡¯ I described to you.¡± Argrave kneaded his palm, questioning if he was exining things sufficiently.


    ¡°Do you believe these people took the Wraith¡¯s Heart?¡± Anneliese followed up.


    ¡°No. Too well-secured to be seized in such a quick raid.¡± Argrave leaned back, looking to the shining silver tower. ¡°Just¡­ things won¡¯t be predictable.¡±


    ¡°Then let us go based off what you know, and what we have seen,¡± Anneliese suggested, and Gmon nodded, agreeing with the idea. ¡°You know the people in control of this city. What will their response be?¡±


    Argrave looked down, thinking. ¡°The southerners don¡¯t really have a use for baubles and trinkets from the tower. They have more pressing concerns, and don¡¯t value the material as much.¡± Argrave looked up. ¡°The Vessels will respond as Durran probably intended for them to. I suspect he¡¯s working with Cyprus. It¡¯s a provocation¡­ one that won¡¯t work, I believe.¡±


    ¡°But why would he¡­?¡±


    ¡°His brain works in ways I can¡¯t codify in short-form,¡± Argrave sighed. ¡°I could exin, but maybe you¡¯ll have the opportunity to ask. I don¡¯t want to make an enemy of him.¡±


    Garm looked to have much on his mind, but said nothing. They stewed in the silence, before Gmon asked, ¡°What do we do now?¡±


    Argrave turned his head back to Sethia. ¡°Things have probably settled. We can go to a ce that I know¡ªno brothel this time, thank the lord. From there¡­¡± Argrave turned his head back. ¡°We¡¯ll have to adapt.¡±

 Chapter 118: A Hand in Need

    Chapter 118: A Hand in Need


    Argrave had a question: how does one gain the good graces of a faction in a xenophobic cult with enough power to rule over a city?


    As much as he wished to, he certainly couldn¡¯t walk up to any of the three towers, dere his intention to go inside, and be weed. The circumstance in Delphasium had been exceptional, but Sethia was a muchrger city, and its lords were not nearly as gregarious as Mistress Tatia had been. Argrave and co. would be refused at the gate, he was certain, and he did not wish to test the theory.


    In ¡®Heroes of Berendar,¡¯ the yer¡¯s induction into Cyprus had been spurred by a random, coincidental happening¡ªa chance meeting, in essence. The yer would meet a Vessel serving within the tower of Cyprus, demonstrate their prowess, and¡­ things went from there. Argrave could not replicate that. <em>Causing </em>a chance meeting was even further beyond his purview.


    Despite thinking on the matter during the entire journey, Argrave couldn¡¯t answer his question. But with a little refinement from hispanions, some half-baked ideas he¡¯d been ruminating on blossomed into one beautiful little scheme.


    ¡°This is the home,¡± Gmon whispered and nodded. It was night, and few people were out. They stood before a rather humble dark stone house. It had no windows, and its doors were shut tight. ¡°I smell dried blood¡­ and not in small amounts. If things are as you say, this is the ce.¡±


    Argrave exhaled. ¡°Good. I thought it was, but it¡¯s better to be certain¡­ been a couple of months, you know. Things are starting to fade from my memory. So many spells to learn, overwriting what was once there¡­¡± Argrave twirled his finger about his head.


    ¡°Do you have a solution for that?¡± Gmon questioned seriously.


    ¡°Only rerunning things through my head constantly,¡± Argrave admitted. ¡°Whatever. Anneliese is with Garm. Guess you and I just have to wait. Won¡¯t be long. Midnight, I think.¡± Argrave looked up at the sky, staring at the red moon.


    ¡°You don¡¯t really need to be here,¡± Gmon stated neutrally. ¡°Following someone is best done alone.¡±


    Argrave held out his hands. ¡°I¡¯m here, aren¡¯t I?¡±


    Gmon raised a brow, then shook his head. ¡°As you will.¡± He grabbed Argrave¡¯s arm, shepherding him away a great distance. They made their way into an alley between two houses. It was quite dark, and Argrave couldn¡¯t even see the house any longer.


    The wait was long and boring, and Argrave wished he¡¯d heeded Gmon¡¯s suggestion. Gmon¡¯s patience was boundless, though, and Argrave stood there fidgeting his hands until the elf¡¯s whisper broke the silence.


    ¡°Someone¡¯se out,¡± he said. ¡°They¡¯re being especially paranoid.¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you?¡± Argrave questioned, craning his head to see beyond the wall. Gmon forced him back.


    After a while of tense silence, Gmon pushed Argrave deeper into the alley. ¡°Come on.¡±


    They made their way through the alley, emerging on a street on the other side of the one they followed. Gmon was especially alert, taking quiet and deliberate steps in pursuit. Argrave tried to stay just as quiet and didn¡¯t dare speak¡ªhe knew Gmon was tracking with senses other than sight, as the man they were following was not anywhere in the sight.


    ¡°Hmph. Seems he knows the guard patrol routes,¡± Gmon noted. ¡°He¡¯s made it to the farnd. He¡¯s digging.¡±


    Argrave smiled and exhaled in relief. He had been somewhat skeptical this would work without a hitch, but things had fallen into ce. They waited quietly on the street. After a time, Gmon started to move beyond.


    They came to a patch bearing pepper nts. Argrave couldn¡¯t see anything amiss, but Gmon knelt down, removed one gauntlet, and then dug into the earth. The elven vampire had to dig very deep, but eventually, Argrave saw a dim blue mark. As Gmon dug more, the rest of it was revealed: a freshly severed human hand with a mark on the backhand signifying its former owner as a human belonging to a Vessel of Fellhorn.


    Gmon picked up the hand. ¡°This is what you need?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Argrave nodded. The thing was mostly drained of blood, and the dark-skinned hand was much paler than it had any right being as a consequence. ¡°That should get some attention, for sure.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯m to do the next thing?¡± Gmon questioned, rising to his feet.


    ¡°Yep.¡± Argrave nodded, tearing his gaze away from the hand. ¡°Go to the house. Scare them. Make sure they think someone¡¯s onto them.¡±


    #####


    ¡°Excuse me,¡± Argrave greeted, drawing close to therge gates of the wall to Cyprus. Two men stood in front of the great stone doors of the wall. They bore brown silken clothing covering most of their body, and their spiked helmets were made of dull bronze resembling copper.


    ¡°Keep your distance,¡± the guards cautioned. ¡°Turn back. This is the residence of the Lord of Copper. You have no reason to be here.¡±


    ¡°Is this the ce I might report a crime?¡± Argrave said quickly, ensuring he got their attention.


    The guards looked at Argrave and hispany of two warily. They might¡¯ve brought Garm, but he didn¡¯t want to risk anything with this little venture. He was safely in their inn.


    ¡°A crime?¡± the guard repeated.


    Argrave held out a hand¡ªnot his, strangely enough. The guards looked at each other, then back to Argrave.


    #####


    ¡°Funny how offering a hand to someone in need can earn you friends so easily,¡± Argrave mused, sitting cross-legged on a once-decadent couch that had not been maintained or changed for several years.


    Neither Gmon or Anneliese, sitting just beside him, seemed amused by his joke, and so Argrave sighed as they waited.


    ¡°Come on. A bit of levity amidst morbidity is the best way to handle it,¡± Argrave urged them.


    ¡°What we are doing here is beyond merely turning a blind eye,¡± Anneliese said. ¡°We¡¯re involved. It is merely hard to swallow.¡±


    Argrave had no answer to that, so he stayed silent.


    As Argrave had hoped, the hand alone was evidence enough to earn him a meeting inside Cyprus. The guards out front had deemed this matter important, and so they fetched someone more able to handle this matter.


    Argrave looked around the interior of Cyprus, taking in the sights. It was the first floor of the tower, so one might expect that it would be the best-kept and most presentable. ¡®Disrepair¡¯ was the best term for the room Argrave saw, though. There was one long, if decrepit, tapestry winding about the whole of the room, depicting the god Fellhorn and various Fellhorn-peripheral scenarios. After a while examining it sequentially, Argrave realized it depicted their creation myth.


    He was just about to rise to his feet to examine the tapestry when someone came back into the room. Barring his brown-plumed helmet, the man seemed a guard just as those before. Argrave knew who he was: the Lord of Copper¡¯s primary humanmander, Captain Jeralian. He was an old man with the air of a hardened veteran about him. His hair was all gray, and his beard was short and patchy as though he was normally clean-shaven but hadn¡¯t groomed in a few days.


    Captain Jeralian stepped up to them. He had the severed hand, sping it by the wrist. ¡°Foreigners. My men tell me that you discovered a man trying to bury this hand.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Argrave confirmed.


    ¡°And, further¡­¡± he stopped, retrieving a stool off to the side. He set it across from them and sat. ¡°You allege to have discovered an underground smuggling ring where the citizens of Sethia are spirited from the city and taken to the southern mountains?¡±


    Argrave paused a few seconds before nodding and confirming, ¡°Yes.¡±


    Jeralian straightened on his stool, back rigid. He stared at them with cold golden eyes. ¡°Describe what happened.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Argrave paused as though gathering his thoughts, but he had long ago prepared what to say. ¡°The three of us were walking about the city, and¡ª¡±


    ¡°At night?¡± he interrupted.


    ¡°It¡¯s nice out at night,¡± Argrave shrugged. ¡°We¡¯re from the north. We enjoy the cold; the moon is nice.¡± Argrave held his hands out and continued to exin. ¡°Anyway, we turn the corner and stumble upon this guy. He¡¯s digging near a patch of¡­ those spicy, fruit-like crops,¡± Argrave made the shape of a pepper with his fingers, acting ignorant of what they were.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Peppers,¡± Jeralian interrupted. ¡°Go on.¡±


    ¡°He sees us, we see him. I didn¡¯t think anything was amiss at first, but then he takes off, holding a bag or something. He dropped that hand you see there,¡± Argrave pointed. ¡°We start chasing him, and¡ª¡±


    Jeralian held out a hand to interrupt. ¡°Why were you chasing him?¡±


    ¡°Because he dropped a severed hand,¡± Argrave said as though it was obvious. ¡°A fresh one, too.¡±


    ¡°You chased him because of that?¡± Jeralian pressed disbelievingly.


    ¡°You¡¯re acting like that¡¯s unusual,¡± Argrave retorted, equally incredulous. ¡°It¡¯s the duty of the faithful to ensure no crime goes unpunished¡ªsuch is as Veid teaches us.¡±


    Jeralian bit his lips, thinking about what Argrave said, then nodded. ¡°Go on.¡±


    ¡°Once we catch up and he sees that we¡¯re foreigners, he starts pleading with us. He tells us about what he¡¯s been doing. Apparently, peoplee to him¡ªusually former tribals, as he said¡ªand they set things up to send people away to the mountains. They sever the person¡¯s hand to get rid of the Mark of Fellhorn, stage a death where it¡¯s difficult to find the body, and use this underground passage to get far enough from the city to make the journey to the mountains,¡± Argrave concluded, pointing at Jeralian.


    Jeralian furrowed his brows, staring at Argrave as though he was a madman.


    #####


    ¡°¡­and he imed he could take us to the house where this smuggling ring purportedly is, master Brium,¡± Jeralian said, kneeling before a man in a bed.


    The ¡®Lord of Copper¡¯ fit his title well, even if only by virtue of his copper-toned skin. He wore silky orange clothes, which concealed a thin body with arge frame. The wet nature of the Vessel¡¯s skin made his body seem like genuine metal, shining against the light splendidly. All of the jewelry he wore was copper¡ªrings, bracelets, earrings, et cetera. He sat on the edge of the bed, posture straight and tensed. He was a handsome man with tight, stern features, and wavy brown hair descending to his shoulders.


    ¡°Your impression?¡± Brium inquired, voice low and serious.


    ¡°He¡¯s very clearly a foreigner,¡± Jeralian said at once. ¡°His customs, beliefs, and behaviors are far from ours. Regarding the veracity of his words¡­ the information he offers is too easy to confirm and matches up with some urrences noted in the city. I can¡¯t believe he¡¯d lie about this.¡±


    ¡°Yet¡­ stumbling across someone burying a hand? Having that same person disclose the entire operation?¡± Brium asked rhetorically. ¡°If the people involved were that incautious, they would not havested this long.¡±


    Jeralian lifted his head once, then quickly lowered it, saying no more.


    ¡°He¡¯s telling the truth about this thing¡¯s existence,¡± Brium finally concluded. ¡°But he isn¡¯t being entirely honest about his role in the matter.¡±


    ¡°What should be done, master Brium?¡± Jeralian said quickly.


    ¡°Thinking of his character¡­ I believe he was involved with their group, but once he discovered they offered no benefit, came to those he thought would. He¡¯s enterprising. Ruthless, even.¡±


    ¡°Yet he came to Cyprus, master? Meaning no offense,¡± Jeralian quickly added.


    ¡°Argent or Aurum might offer a one-time reward, or none at all¡­ but I think he doesn¡¯t wish to be powerless. He wants room to grow.¡± Brium smiled. ¡°He chose luckily¡­ or chose well. I cannot decide which. What of his capability?¡±


    ¡°He ims to be a C-rank spellcaster, while his elvenpanion is B-rank. Thest, the warrior¡­ is intimidating,¡± Jeralian said with a simple shake of his head.


    Brium stood up from his bed. ¡°It seems I must speak to this man myself, discern if he is ruthless and intelligent enough to be of use in Cyprus¡¯ future. He may be of great use¡­ or a waste of time. I¡¯ll decide that.¡±

 Chapter 119: Contracted Metalworker

    Chapter 119: Contracted Metalworker


    Argrave had been pondering morality the whole time during his journey to Sethia. He supposed it was normal to examine oneself when confronted with the uncaring power dynamics within this southern region of Berendar. Argrave had his own moral code, naturally, and though he might be a bit more flexible than most others, hergely felt he was a righteous person. Everyone did.


    And yet Argrave now found himself exposing a secret smuggling ring that offered people freedom from the Vessels, all to earn the good graces of a cult worshipping an ancient god that used its subservient people as walking water bottles.


    He reckoned it was a little like exposing the Underground Railroad to be friends with Jefferson Davis.


    Of course, Argrave had Gmon scare them a little before exposing them, and hopefully they wouldn¡¯t be genuinely caught¡­ but their operation had gone bust, and there would be no more escapes from the city.


    Argrave was drawn from his haze of thoughts at another person¡¯s entrance. He was a bit surprised to see the nexter¡ªBrium, the copper-skinned Lord of Cyprus. Though Argrave could not deny he was surprised he¡¯d climbed the managerial chain so quickly, he came to attention at once, uncrossing his legs and sitting a bit more politely.


    ¡°Greetings, gentleman, madam,¡± Brium began smoothly,ing to stand before them. ¡°I am the Lord of Copper, Brium. I came here to personally thank the three of you for what you¡¯ve exposed here today.¡± He ced his hand to his chest in thanks but did not bow his head¡ªthat little gesture was a good show of his personality. On the surface he was polite, yet beneath was pride and ambition that did not allow him to bow his head to any.


    ¡°A pleasant surprise, meeting the Lord of this tower. I am Argrave¡­ of ckgard,¡± he hesitated in saying thest part, remembering well what happened when hest used that name. ¡°Mypanions are Anneliese and Gmon,¡± he introduced in turn.


    ¡°¡­of ckgard,¡± Brium repeated. ¡°What is your home of ckgard like, if you don¡¯t mind me asking?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a bustling riverside city, located where many rivers meet. ce has the only bridge for miles, so it¡¯s a rather busy trade city,¡± Argrave supplied smoothly.


    Brium smiled inexplicably. ¡°I see.¡± He moved the stool that Jeralian had set across from them, then sat atop it himself. His back was rigid and unbent, and he surveyed each of the three of them in turn.


    ¡°This smuggling ring you exposed¡ªI am having men examine it as we speak,¡± Brium began. ¡°You¡¯ve done a valuable service. Yet strangely, you came to the tower of Copper.¡± Brium rubbed his fingers together. ¡°Perhaps I am ignorant of yournds, but as I recall¡­ copper is the least valuable form of coinage in Vasquer.¡±


    Argrave nodded, catching the message beneath the Vessel¡¯s words. ¡°Gold and silver are shiny and brilliant. People tend to like those metals for that reason.¡±


    Brium gestured towards Argrave. ¡°And yourself?¡±


    ¡°Copper¡­¡± Argrave leaned in until he was at the edge of the couch. ¡°Copper a strong metal at its core. But when youbine it with something else¡ªa different metal, far from itself¡ªyou get something stronger. You get alloys. Bronze. Brass,¡± Argrave counted the two with his fingers, then waved his hand with a smile. ¡°Both prime examples.¡±


    Briumughed lightly, raising his hand to cover his mouth. ¡°I see your metaphor. You are different¡ªfar from copper, certainly.¡± Brium lowered his hand, expression stern. ¡°But metalworking is aplex business. The wrongponent can weaken the metal instead of strengthening it. How can you be certain you¡¯ll get the results you want?¡±


    <em>Damned metaphors making my hand spin, </em>Argrave thought.


    ¡°It¡¯s as with anything¡ªI¡¯ve done it before.¡± Argrave leaned back to emphasize his confidence. ¡°But¡­ if there¡¯s doubt, you can always stick with the reliable¡ªpractice, testing. Make a small batch of bronze alloy instead of converting all your copper at once. Once you¡¯re sure it works, upscale the process.¡±


    Brium stared down Argrave. His dark brown eyes had an intense sharpness to them that made it clear he scrutinized Argrave carefully. After a time, his eyes lightened and he smiled. ¡°Do you enjoy poetry, Argrave?¡±


    Argrave was taken aback by the conversational turn, but he answered, ¡°Some, certainly.¡±


    ¡°Do you write?¡± he pressed.


    Argrave shook his head. ¡°Not poetry, but yes, I suppose what I¡¯ve done qualifies¡­¡±


    ¡°Perhaps, at ater date, I can share some of my poems with you. I have the feeling you¡¯ll appreciate it.¡±


    Feeling strangely insulted, Argrave nodded slowly. ¡°Another time, maybe,¡± he said withoutmitting.


    ¡°But I digress. Back to this matter of alloys, and power¡­¡± Brium lowered his head, lost in thought. After a time of deliberation, he raised his gaze up to Argrave. ¡°I think things are as you say. An alloy¡­ the thought has never crossed my mind, but I believe it¡¯s worthy of, at least, a test batch.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m pleased you agree,¡± Argrave said, though the words felt empty.


    ¡°But cutting past all this¡­¡± Brium ced his hands on his knees. ¡°A metalsmith¡¯s services can¡¯t be cheap. What do you want, exactly?¡±


    ¡°To make a strong alloy,¡± Argrave said vaguely, ¡°¡­ of which my¡­ metal, is a part of.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s set aside the vagaries and speak frankly,¡± Brium waved his hand dismissively.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Argrave thought of his words carefully. ¡°Beyond eking out a ce for myself in this city, Argent has something I want. It¡¯s not the sort of thing they give away, either, even if I ask really nicely.¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± Brium nodded as if he¡¯d figured things out. ¡°And bronze is more than fitting to break silver.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Argrave simply agreed, tired of this long analogical train.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Brium crossed one leg over the other. He held his hands out, cing the tips of his fingers against each other like some kind of diabolical schemer. ¡°I¡¯m going to have to work something out for you to do. And verify the veracity of the information you disclosed, naturally. That said¡­¡± Brium held a hand out. ¡°I believe this may serve to be a long and fruitful rtionship, gentleman Argrave of ckgard.¡±


    Argrave looked at the Vessel¡¯s hand, acknowledging that the other intended for a handshake. He triple-checked he was wearing thick leather gloves and was quite thankful for the protective enchantment as he reached out and took the other¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Likewise,¡± Argrave concluded.


    #####


    Their party walked from the tower of Cyprus. Argrave¡¯s steps were heavy. He felt guilty, like he¡¯d done something wrong¡ªthe talk with Brium hadn¡¯t assuaged that feeling.


    ¡°There¡¯s something I¡¯m curious about,¡± Anneliese spoke.


    ¡°Are all poets deviants?¡± Argrave tried to guess her question in jest. ¡°The answer may surprise you.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± sheughed while shaking her head. ¡°This name¡ªckgard. You use it consistently. That is what I was curious about.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Argrave scratched the back of his neck, lowering his head.


    ¡°You¡¯re embarrassed,¡± she noted.


    Argrave looked at her. ¡°If I wasn¡¯t before, after that call-out, I definitely am.¡±


    ¡°Your embarrassment only makes me more curious,¡± she pressed.


    Argrave took a deep breath and sighed. He looked between both of them¡ªeven Gmon expressed that he was focused on Argrave¡¯s answer.


    ¡°That city I described, back there¡­¡± Argrave paused in the road. ¡°It doesn¡¯t exist. But I¡¯ve made it before.¡± Anneliese and Gmon looked at him strangely, and he quickly added, ¡°In the game.¡±


    Argrave continued. ¡°A lot of northern and southern Berendar are divided by a big river¡ªin the future, it bes an almost natural border between the rebels and Vasquer loyalists. The biggest bridge between the two is an important ce to hold in the war. It¡¯s located in a valley, too, so it¡¯s quite a defensible ce. There¡¯s a sizable andrgely ungoverned native poption, too.¡±


    ¡°So this city, ckgard¡ªyou founded it in the game?¡± Anneliese questioned.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°Probably the best bit ofnd in the game. Lots of good farnd, choke points preventing raids, pre-existing poption, center of trade¡ª¡±


    ¡°But the name,¡± Anneliese stopped him. ¡°What does it mean to you?¡±


    ¡°Just a name, isn¡¯t it?¡± Argrave answered, turning back to the road.


    ¡°I do not believe it is merely that,¡± she insisted.


    Argrave bit his lip, the answer on the tip of his tongue. ¡°Alright,¡± he surrendered, throwing his hands up in the air. ¡°If Gerechtigkeit wins, the world ceases to exist¡ªit bes a void. A void is ckness. I considered that name¡ªckgard¡ªjust as that. A guard against that endless darkness. A guard against Gerechtigkeit.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°You see,¡± Argrave repeated.


    ¡°I think it is a noble name,¡± she said sincerely.


    Argraveughed. ¡°Well, I should probably stop using it, or it¡¯ll stick.¡±


    She tilted her head. ¡°Is that so bad? It is a fine name, and it does indeed represent what you do.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Argrave scratched the top of his head, thinking on the matter.


    ¡°Do you not intend to establish this ckgard once again?¡± She held a hand out to Argrave as though to encourage introspection. ¡°You said you wish to follow the course you deem best. Is this not part of it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m no lord,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°Can¡¯t press some buttons and make people build a whole damned city for me as I could before. Someone inexperienced like me would do a lot more harm than good.¡±


    Gmon shook his head. ¡°You overestimate the abilities of lords, I think.¡± He looked around. ¡°This ce alone is testament to that.¡±


    ¡°Why does it seem like you two are trying to persuade me?¡± Argrave questioned suspiciously. ¡°We¡¯re thinking about the distant future when tomorrow is uncertain. Let¡¯s stay on task, shall we?¡±


    The two of them conceded with slow nods.


    ¡°Good,¡± Argrave said in conclusion. ¡°I know you two might be blue working with the Lord of Copper back there. He views us as a means to an end. What he hasn¡¯t considered, hopefully, is that he¡¯s the same to us. Argent, Cyrprus, Aurum¡ªI don¡¯t intend this to be some sort of power game.¡±


    ¡°How do you mean?¡± Gmon questioned.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°We¡¯re raising a dog,¡± Argrave said with a little smirk. ¡°A fierce dog, topete in the dog fight. We¡¯ll raise Cyprus up¡­ and then we¡¯ll bring in Aurum and Argent, and the two will snarl and bite at each other. And who, you ask, wins in this bloody sport?¡±


    Argrave waited for an answer, but neither Gmon nor Anneliese supplied one.


    ¡°Definitely not the dogs, I¡¯ll tell you that much. Poor bastards.¡± Argrave shook his head woefully. ¡°No, the spectators win.¡±


    ¡°The people of the city,¡± Anneliese guessed.


    ¡°Them, too,¡± Argrave acknowledged. ¡°But I was really referring to the southern tribals. Guess that guy¡¯s way of talking rubbed off on me.¡±


    Anneliese furrowed her brows, lost in thought. ¡°But how¡­?¡±


    ¡°If I¡¯ve got things right, we¡¯ll soon be involved with Durran and Boarmask. Ask yourself this¡ªwhy weren¡¯t any Vessels at Argent when the raid urred?¡± Argrave spread his hands out. ¡°Because Cyprus used what little influence they have to make that happen.¡±


    ¡°I think I understand now,¡± Anneliese nodded.


    Gmon adjusted the sword on his hip as he thought, then asked, ¡°Why is Durran working with Cyprus?¡±


    ¡°Were I to guess¡­ he hopes to earn a better living situation for the tribals,¡± Argrave pointed to Gmon. ¡°He¡¯s a tribal himself, you see. Brium probably made empty promises. Fellhorn doesn¡¯t like violence, but lies and deception are fair game.¡± Argrave held his hands out. ¡°This is only my spection, of course. I think we¡¯ll find out the truth of things quickly enough.¡±


    ¡°I worry about what the Lord of Copper will ask of us,¡± Anneliese admitted.


    Argrave sighed. ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s the uncertain bit. We have to hurry up and wait once more.¡±

 Chapter 120: Copper Link

    Chapter 120: Copper Link


    Argrave found the city of Sethia to be a mix between Delphasium and Malgeridum. Whilecking the despotism of thetter, and not exactly possessing the abundance of the former, it met in the middle. Perhaps the Vessels were somewhat cautious of the treatment of their people with a threat¡ªthe southern tribals in the mountains¡ªlooming so close.


    Indeed, they had managed to find an inn at a decent price. The coins they¡¯d obtained in Malgeridum had been of tremendous help in securing a non-exorbitant expense. Only a day had passed in the town, but Argrave suspected he would be spending much time in Sethia, so he was d to not spend too much.


    But now they idled and studied, nothing to do beyond wait for Brium to contact them. Only a day had passed, but Argrave appreciated the change in pace very much. Good food, a decent bed¡ªa wee reprieve from their time trapped in a storm of sand.


    ¡°If I might advise you, Argrave¡­¡± Anneliese said gingerly, sitting on a table before Argrave¡¯s bed. He sat half-covered by a nket.


    ¡°You¡¯re smarter than me. Why would I ever refuse your advice?¡± he conceded quickly.


    ¡°Oh. Um¡­¡± Anneliese showed a rare moment of pause, taken aback by his words. Cheeks a little red, she gathered herself quickly and said, ¡°I would hold back trying to learn any B-rank spells yet.¡±


    Argrave leaned back into his bed, looking down at the B-rank spell book. He thought about her words, then lifted his head and asked, ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because it is challenging, especially if you have only a shallow mastery of C-rank spells,¡± she exined patiently. ¡°At the moment, I believe it would be best to focusing on those you are capable of learning, rather than trying to stretch yourself as you are.¡±


    Garm added, ¡°The girl is right. You might have the magic capacity to handle spells of that rank, but if the knowledge is shallow, you¡¯ll only waste your time. It¡¯ll take longer. Much longer. It¡¯s naught but wasted time.¡±


    Argrave bit his lip, then decisively shut the book, setting it on the table where Anneliese sat. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll heed your advice. A part of me questions if you just want more time to ask me questions about my homnd,¡± he pointed to Anneliese.


    She smiled. ¡°I wonder,¡± she replied vaguely, though Argrave knew she was only joking.


    Argrave lowered his finger, then flitted his gaze between the two of them. ¡°But I¡¯m just curious¡ªwhy should I hold back on reaching this milestone? Why would it take longer?¡±


    ¡°Because B-rank magic differs greatly from the ranks below it,¡± Garm said. ¡°Each rank before it addsplexity, both to the matrix and the spell. The increasedplexity amodates increased power. The matrix isrger¡ªit can manifest more raw magic.¡±


    Anneliese nodded as Garm spoke. ¡°But B-rank magic does not add another dimension to the spells. Instead, the previously static matrixes be animate.¡±


    ¡°I know about that,¡± Argrave said. ¡°But why would having a shallow understanding of lower-ranked spells hinder me? For C-rank, I just kept studying, thinking about it¡­ until something clicked,¡± he shrugged, not fully grasping it himself. ¡°I know it¡¯s far from the image of a schrly mage, but it worked.¡±


    ¡°The fact you don¡¯t understand why something clicked is the problem,¡± Garm admonished, and Argrave turned his gaze to face the severed head. ¡°Put simply, you will be adding movement to C-rank spells. If you can¡¯t understand the quintessence of these spells, how will you ever learn how to move them?¡±


    Argrave didn¡¯t respond, and Garm¡¯s face grew serious as he continued.


    ¡°Learn more. Come to understand C-rank spellspletely and utterly¡ªillusion, elemental, healing, it matters not. When you understand <em>what </em>you did different, you will be ready to poke at the next barrier. Until then, refrain.¡±


    Argrave nodded, taking in Garm¡¯s words in silence. ¡°Thanks for the advice,¡± he finally remembered to say.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Garm closed his eyes. ¡°Nothing more unbearable than watching ipetence as an expert,¡± the head dismissed. ¡°Doubly so when I am unable to do much myself.¡±


    Argrave found it difficult to hold back a smile at the head¡¯s attitude. ¡°But I have¡ª¡±


    Sharp knocks disturbed Argrave¡¯s words, and he tensed, immediately looking to Gmon. The elf stood up, holding his Ebonice axe close at hand. Evidently the vampire had not heard whoever was just outside the door, and that set all of them on edge. Argrave quickly lifted Garm and hid him under a nket.


    Gmon opened the door slightly, bracing it with his foot so it could not be forced open. A woman wearing red clothing stood beyond. It took only a few seconds looking at her wet, dark skin to identify the woman as a Vessel. She had sharp, narrow features, and looked so thin as to be starving.


    Argrave immediately recognized her as one of the Vessels sworn to serve the Lord of Copper, though for some reason he could not recall her name. ¡°Gmon,¡± he called out. ¡°She¡¯s one of Brium¡¯s. Let her in.¡±


    The woman seemed surprised, yet not uneased, that Argrave knew her purpose immediately. Once Gmon opened the door, she eyed him and his axe without much caution before taking slow, almost sauntering steps inside. She looked around the room.


    ¡°So you¡¯re the ones,¡± she said.


    ¡°The chosen ones, yes,¡± Argrave said glibly. ¡°Something you need?¡±


    Unamused by his quip, the woman stared at Argrave coldly. ¡°Argrave?¡± she asked, and when Argrave confirmed with a nod, she continued, saying, ¡°The Lord of Copper would meet you. He expects to see you and yourpanions out front of the grand tower of Cyprus.¡±


    ¡°Out front?¡± Argrave tried to confirm.


    ¡°Yes,¡± she confirmed begrudgingly, as though she loathed the question. ¡°The master says to arm yourself, though he isn¡¯t expecting you¡¯ll need to fight.¡±


    Argrave furrowed his brows questioningly, and then nodded. ¡°We¡¯ll be there, shortly.¡±


    #####


    Though Argrave had been worried that Brium¡¯s request to see them out front meant that he would refuse them ess to the tower of Cyprus, that was not the case. Instead, the Lord of Copper stood just outside the walls of his tower, with a small entourage of Vessels.


    The Vessels swearing fealty to the Lord of Copper all wore clothes matching the shades of the metal that was their namesake¡ªoranges, browns, reds, and all in between. None of their outfits could be called ¡®decadent,¡¯ barring Brium¡¯s. Argrave, still in ck enchanted leather, felt out of ce as he approached them.


    Brium had been engaging the Vessels near him, but when he spotted Argrave he tore away from the group without a word and spread his arms wide as though to wee Argrave with an embrace. Finding himself in a predicament, Argrave slowed and raised his hand to wave.


    ¡°Lord Brium,¡± he said cautiously.


    ¡°You¡¯re here. And promptly, too,¡± Brium greeted, not making to embrace Argrave as he feared. ¡°That¡¯s good. Honestly, you¡¯re early. That¡¯s fine. Let us speak some. I will inform you what is to happen.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m all ears,¡± Argrave said.


    Brium ced his hands together, then walked past Argrave, obviously wishing for him to follow. ¡°I found nothing suitable to pass to you on such short notice, unfortunately. These things take time. Perhaps that is why you were surprised to have been contacted so quickly, hmm?¡±


    ¡°If you found nothing, then¡­?¡± Argrave trailed off, unsure where this was going.


    ¡°Ah. My mouth outpaced my mind,¡± he shook his head, walking down the road. Argrave followed him, the two of them walking side-by-side. ¡°I¡¯m sure you remember a certain happening some¡­ two days ago, I believe. It revolved around the southern tribal¡¯s wyverns, and a raid on Argent?¡±


    ¡°It was our wee into the town,¡± Argrave nodded.


    ¡°Was it now?¡± Brium questioned, then continued. ¡°At the time, much of the Lord of Silver¡¯s Vessels were engaged with me,¡± Brium ced a hand to his chest. ¡°Even Lord Quarrus himself was engaging in a discussion with me. It was a minor dispute¡ªwhich of the city¡¯s people belong to who and such. This proved an inopportune time for them to have such a discussion¡ªtheir tower was raided while they were away.¡±


    ¡°Funny timing,¡± Argravemented.


    ¡°Hrious,¡± Brium agreed with a stic smile. He stopped in the road, and Anneliese and Gmon came to stand with Argrave. ¡°Today, the lords of Argent and Aurum have insisted I meet to discuss this matter. They believe I am subverting them.¡± Brium sped his hands together. ¡°I have to correct the misunderstanding.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ what do you want us to do?¡± Argrave questioned.


    ¡°You¡¯re going toe with me to this meeting,¡± he stated inly.


    Argrave didn¡¯t know what to say to that for a time¡ªit had been thest thing he was expecting to hear. He shifted on his feet and questioned delicately, ¡°Don¡¯t you think, if you want to give them the idea that you <em>aren¡¯t </em>subverting them, bringing a foreigner into the meeting might send the wrong message?¡±


    ¡°I have some ns on that front, fret not,¡± Brium shook his head. ¡°You¡¯ll learn them once we¡¯re there.¡±


    Argrave was frustrated by the vagary but could not point it out directly. ¡°This doesn¡¯t really test whether or not we¡¯re trustworthy,¡± Argrave noted. ¡°In fact, it¡¯s really just risking for nothing. I could cause problems for you.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Brium raised a hand to his chin and cradled it delicately. ¡°A part of me likes you. You possess some of the politeness of a gentleman of the Burnt Desert without the obsequious fawning I¡¯m constantly privy to as the Lord of Copper. A pleasant bnce.¡±


    ¡°I trust that¡¯s not all,¡± Argrave pressed.


    Brium put on his best smile once more. ¡°I think you know in your <em>head¡­ </em>what¡¯s at <em>stake.</em>¡±


    Argrave¡¯s features grew taut at once. Between the emphasis, the word choice, and theplete non sequitur, there could only be one thing that Brium was referring to¡ªGarm.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Brium said calmly as Argrave¡¯s mind whirled with a million questions. ¡°I don¡¯t care. Indeed, that kind of thing only affirms my choice. Someone willing to step past the line into the forbidden is precisely what I need at this juncture.¡±


    Argrave suppressed the urge to shout and demand, ¡®how.¡¯ As much as he wished he could believe that Brium was simply bluffing to extract information from him, there was little room for interpretation. It was no bluff. Brium knew about Garm, and beneath that, he could make Argrave¡¯s life very difficult.


    Argrave was certain Brium wasn¡¯t an exceptional schemer or master at espionage. That made the scenario all the more baffling. They hadn¡¯t been incautious with Garm¡ªmeasures were taken at every turn to ensure he couldn¡¯t be easily seen.


    ¡°Once more¡­ don¡¯t let this weigh at you,¡± Brium said, reaching up and grabbing Argrave¡¯s shoulder. It felt like a spider was on his arm, but he stayed still. ¡°We have a meeting to attendter; I¡¯d like you to keep your tongue sharp for that.¡± He removed his hand and waved Argrave forward. ¡°Come. Meet the Vessels beneath me.¡±

 Chapter 121: Metal CLashing

    Chapter 121: Metal CLashing


    With Garm¡¯s existence made known, the Lord of Copper had gained leverage over Argrave. That was an incontrovertible fact. With a word or two, Argrave could be an ouw in most of thends in the Burnt Desert. Fortunately, the significant dys in their travels had enabled Argrave to recover fully from his magic debt to Erlebnis¡ªhe could use the Blessing of Supersession again.


    ¡°What do think we should do?¡± questioned Anneliese. The three of them watched the Vessels speak to Brium. ¡°This is¡­ an unenviable position.¡±


    ¡°He has his hands wrapped around something vital,¡± Argrave nodded, then he looked to Anneliese. ¡°But look at things this way¡ªwe skipped a step.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± asked Gmon.


    ¡°His trust,¡± Argrave lowered his head, staring at the road before Cyprus. ¡°He thinks that he has power over us¡­ and so he¡¯s more willing to implement us in his ns.¡±


    ¡°¡¯He thinks?¡¯¡± repeated Anneliese. ¡°He <em>does </em>have power over us. Perhaps we should make sure that Garm is safe.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that Garm is in danger,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°But if you judge differently, we can go back and make sure right now.¡±


    Anneliese sighed and crossed her arms. ¡°If only we still had our druidic bonds, we might confirm that without needing to move¡­¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll get new ones soon enough,¡± Argrave assured. ¡°Perhaps quicker than I thought. Ones better than that dragon our¡­ he¡¯s our friend, I suppose¡­ better than what Rowe has.¡±


    ¡°¡­what?¡± she looked at him incredulously.


    ¡°In terms of utility, certainly. But for now¡­ I say we go along with what Brium asks of us.¡± Argrave turned to her.


    She looked very torn. But after a while, she gave a slow nod. ¡°Alright.¡±


    #####


    Brium and his escort of four Vessels stopped just before a in gray building that was no more than a simple dome of cold stone. Argrave¡¯s party was off to the side, not fully integrated with the rest of the Lord of Copper¡¯s retinue.


    ¡°Before we enter¡­ allow me to ry my expectations,¡± Brium spoke to Argrave, though did not turn his head. ¡°This ce is called simply ¡®the Stone.¡¯ It is a neutral meeting ground for the Vessels in this city.¡±


    ¡°The ce from which all of the Lords of Sethia were born¡ªmined from the Stone, forged by Fellhorn into metal,¡± Argrave finished. ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s correct,¡± Brium smiled and nodded. ¡°My distant ancestors were pagan lords, but Fellhorn¡¯sing changed that.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s expected of us?¡± Argrave pressed.


    ¡°I don¡¯t suspect you will have cause to speak much,¡± Brium confessed. ¡°Here is your role¡ªyou are mercenaries, hired by me. Your presence is meant to provoke them into action.¡±


    Argrave nodded seriously, then questioned, ¡°Against the tribals? Or¡­?¡±


    ¡°Against me,¡± Brium¡¯s smile faded. ¡°The other Lords¡ªthey are constant, calm, just like the waters of Fellhorn. The southern tribals have been belligerent for years, and yet not once have the Lords retaliated. We Vessels only enforce rules on our subjects.¡±


    ¡°And you are not fond of that refusal to retaliate,¡± Anneliese noted. ¡°Why are you different from them?¡±


    ¡°They are all literalists. Traditionalists,¡± Brium said contemptuously. ¡°They n to be but a Vessel all of their lives¡ªa stagnant pool, a stillke, growing only as rivers deposit their rainwater into them. Their power grows, certainly. But¡­ Fellhorn is the god of rain <em>and </em>floods.¡±


    The Vessels alongside Brium nodded eagerly, his zealous followers drinking in his words.


    Anneliese pointed to him. ¡°And you wish to be the flood?¡±


    ¡°The southern tribals of the mountains have learned, grown, and adapted. Our current ways us nothing. The literalist way¡ªremaining as a stagnant pool, offering drink to those who submit¡ªis insufficient to spread Fellhorn¡¯s eternal rain further,¡± Brium shook his head and clenched his fist, genuinely aggrieved. ¡°I cannot see the faith stagnate like this. Even if I must be the one to stir the waters, they must begin to move.¡±


    ¡°What is the benefit of provoking action against you?¡± Gmon questioned.


    ¡°When is wood weakest?¡± Brium questioned, stepping up to Gmon and staring up at him. ¡°When it is rotten inside.¡±


    Gmon stared unflinchingly. ¡°Your point?¡±


    ¡°When will an enemy attack?¡± Brium held his hands out. ¡°When their foe is at their weakest. And the southern tribals have been looking for an avenue to attack for many years now.¡±


    ¡°Provocation after provocation,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°You certainly have your work cut out for you. All of this just to lure the southern tribals down from the mountains? Seems far-fetched. Too many things left to chance,¡± he baited, trying to get some information out of the talkative Lord of Copper.


    ¡°My people need to wake up to the realities. I am certain Fellhorn will see fit to bestow upon me the luck I need. I am certain that the tribals will be ready,¡± Brium smiled and shook his head.


    <em>Now it¡¯s all but confirmed. Brium is working with some tribals. Even if it isn¡¯t Durran who¡¯s talking with them, if I can get contact with these tribals¡­ I can make this flood hit a dam. Of course, he¡¯s not going to let me meet them easily. He¡¯ll hide their existence until the day of the attack.</em>


    ¡°I see you¡¯re pleased,¡± Brium noted, staring at Argrave.


    Argrave hadn¡¯t realized it, but he was smiling. He ran his hand across his face to suppress his expression, then said, ¡°Just feels like things are finally going my way for once. Long road ahead, but I¡¯m eager to trod it. I have some ideas to swing things in our favor ever more. But those cane at another time, certainly.¡±


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Brium nodded. ¡°What I¡¯ve told you, I will soon tell those inside this building. I feared I might have to use the leash around your neck, but you convince me I was mistaken. It matters not.¡±


    ¡°I am d of that,¡± Argrave said simply.


    ¡°Now, the lords Argent and Aurum have been kept waiting for twenty minutes. I am positive they will be incensed.¡± Brium stepped ahead into the Stone.


    #####


    The three Lords of Sethia were each and all as remarkable as the copper skinned Brium and matched their titles absolutely, embodying them in their appearance and dress. These appearances were not something coincidental. Each of the three had been tailored over generations to better fit their role, and to cement their status as the Lord of their tower.


    Argrave knew how they maintained these appearances¡ªbreeding systems within their towers. People with desirable traits were ¡®hired¡¯ to bear a Vessel for the tower. They were technically free, but realistically forced to remain in the tower, living luxuriously for the purpose of producing heirs with the desired physical traits.


    Now, these three Lords sat at a table in the center of the Stone, nked by their own personal retinue of lesser Vessels. Argrave felt out of ce. He usually did, though.


    The three lords sat in a triangle on the circr table, neither facing the other fully. The Lord of Silver, Quarrus, was a tall albino man¡ªhis skin, hair, and eyescked all pigment, making all of his features resplendently white. He had a sharp look about him and seemed to be angry constantly. He kept his hair long as though to show it off, and wore only silver jewelry and clothing. His status as a Vessel seemed to preclude the usual vision defects associated with albinism.


    The Lord of Gold, Crislia, was a woman with very strong elven features. Her skin was vaguely gold-like butcked the intensity of the real metal and was further muted by the wet skin natural to the Vessels. Her hair, though, was a perfect match for the word gold. On top of all that, she wore enough essories of the precious metal to afford a king¡¯s ransom.


    Quarrus leaned forward into the table, clenching his fists as he stared at Brium. ¡°We agreed to meet here with you out of respect for the long-standing title of the Lord of Copper, and of respect for the greatness that hase out of Cyprus in the distant past¡­¡± Quarrus mmed his fist and stood. ¡°But you insult Argent by bringing a mockery of our features?¡± He pointed to Anneliese.


    Argrave pulled her back and stepped forward almost instinctively, immediately on edge. Brium raised his hands up to pacify Quarrus.


    ¡°You¡¯ve misread me entirely, Quarrus,¡± he said pacifyingly.


    ¡°Silver hair, pale skin¡ªwhat else am I to make of this?!¡± Quarrus shouted angrily. ¡°You would make one with the features of the Lord of Silver subordinate?¡±


    ¡°They aren¡¯t subordinate,¡± Brium said calmly, still holding his hands out. ¡°They¡¯re mercenaries. Above all, they¡¯re a fitting response to what happened to your tower.¡±


    Quarrus breathed heavily for a few moments, staring at Anneliese. After a long time of tension, the Lord of Silver turned, picking up his chair that had been tossed to the ground in his outburst. He corrected it and sat, still a ball of wrath.


    Crislia, Lord of Gold, had been waiting for her time to interject, and did so now. ¡°Let us not forget the purpose of this meeting. Yesterday, you called a meeting between you and Quarrus, for the purpose of¡ª¡±


    ¡°I understand why he brought us here, now,¡± Anneliese whispered into Argrave¡¯s ear, drowning out Crislia¡¯s voice.


    Ear tingling, he turned his head slightly at her voice while waiting for her to continue.


    ¡°To mark us as his¡ªto bind us closer, eliminating our political mobility in the city. It would be all but impossible to cooperate with Argent or Aurum now. Argent views us as a public insult. Aurum would not risk offending Argent.¡±


    Enlightened, Argrave directed his focus back to the conversation ahead. The Lord of Gold had finished summarizing the purpose of this meeting, remaining the calm mediator.


    ¡°What do you have to say for yourself, Brium?¡± Quarrus insisted, leaning in.


    ¡°The meeting¡­¡± Brium began. ¡°It was a coincidence that it matched with the time of the raid.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    His words were met with aplete, almost incredulous silence throughout the Stone. Quarrus leaned back in his chair, face taut as he stared at Brium.


    ¡°Is it so surprising these things should happen?¡± Brium raised his hand into the air. ¡°Every time the southern tribals raid, they receive very little retaliation. At the best of times, we send a party to demand back what was stolen.¡±


    ¡°Retaliation is not the way of Fellhorn. He rains only water, never blood,¡± Crislia shook her head. ¡°All those living may still be a part of His eternal rain.¡±


    Brium leaned in. ¡°Things cannot remain as they are. We <em>must </em>retaliate¡ªwe must flood those mountains they hide upon, wiping them all clean. If we do this¡­ We dirty our hands but once, and Fellhorn¡¯s influence spreads to those damnable mountains once and for all.¡±


    ¡°You verge on sphemy,¡± Quarrus noted, his anger turning to rm.


    ¡°This city was the first to be imed by us Vessels of Fellhorn,¡± Brium tapped the table. ¡°And now¡­ we do not expand. Fellhorn¡¯s rain remains constant, nothing more. We lose as much as we gain by the day. All of this¡­ because we allow a cyst to persist!¡±


    <em>He¡¯s genuinely trying to persuade them, </em>Argrave thought. <em>Ast-ditch effort to wake them up to follow his deluded fantasies of grandeur. </em>


    Yet the two other lords were unmoved by the Lord of Copper¡¯s pleas, both staring at him coldly. Brium stood, bing animate in his passion.


    ¡°We must march into the mountains, induct them into the faith. We have the capability. We have Fellhorn at our backs. If He deems us unworthy, He will make his will known!¡± Brium pleaded. ¡°But until we take that plunge, we remain as we are¡ªconstant, stagnant.¡±


    ¡°Core ts of Fellhorn¡¯s will, both,¡± Crislia noted coldly. ¡°We came here with the impression this was merely the actions of a misguided young Vessel¡­ but the issue seems to be much deeper than that.¡±


    ¡°Issue? There is nothing wrong with me,¡± Brium said defeatedly as he lowered himself back into the chair. ¡°But you two refuse to listen.¡±


    ¡°And you did <em>this</em> as some attempt to wake us up?¡± Quarrus questioned. ¡°A ridiculous notion. I am done here.¡± Quarrus rose to his feet and made to leave.


    ¡°As am I,¡± Crislia agreed. ¡°Things must change, Brium, you are right. But not for the faith. For you.¡± she shook her head, then moved away.


    Brium was left as thest sitting at the circr table of the Stone. Things had gone nearly exactly as he outlined, but Argrave thought he didn¡¯t look the least bit happy.


    ¡°It¡¯s time to get to work, before they decide to handle things,¡± he said, rising to his feet.


    Argrave took a deep breath. The days toe would be turbulent, without a doubt.

 Chapter 122: Burdened We Toil

    Chapter 122: Burdened We Toil


    Argrave returned with Brium to Cyprus alongside his escort of Vessels. Once they were inside the first room, with its decrepit tapestry winding about the walls, the Lord of Copper spoke with a natural authority.


    ¡°The hunt is on. All know what to do,¡± he said, and these words alone were enough to send the Vessels beneath him scattering despite the vagary of themand.


    Argrave stood with hispanions, waiting as the other Vessels left the room. Brium walked to the couch they¡¯d been received on and sat, lounging. Argrave stalked up to him cautiously, waiting until there were none around to speak.


    ¡°Do you have something nned for me?¡± Argrave questioned.


    Brium did not turn his head back to look at the three of them, and responded, ¡°Let me hear about these things that you have in mind.¡± He set his feet on a stool. ¡°If all you offer is your status as a C-rank mage, and the prowess of yourpanions¡­¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t dream of it,¡± Argrave stepped around the couch,ing to stand before the Lord of Copper. ¡°I have deeper ties to this ce than I let on,¡± Argrave began.


    ¡°I had surmised as much,¡± Brium nodded.


    ¡°Against Aurum and Argent both¡­ even if the southern tribals do indeede¡­ it¡¯s a pitched battle, to put it lightly.¡±


    Brium ran his hand across his knee. ¡°How would you know this?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re saying I¡¯m wrong?¡± Argrave asked bluntly.


    Brium stared up at Argrave, then fixed a piece of his wrinkled clothing. ¡°Let us continue as though you¡¯re correct,¡± he conceded, refusing to admit his disadvantage.


    ¡°There are other regional powers,¡± Argrave pointed to himself. ¡°I can make sure they support the right side.¡±


    <em>My side, naturally,</em> Argrave thought.


    Brium furrowed his brows. ¡°What are you referring to?¡±


    ¡°Well, barring the simple fact that the southern tribals are not as near unified as they let on¡­ there are more than simply tribals in those mountains.¡± He looked in the direction of the mountains, though nothing could be seen beyond the walls of Cyprus.


    ¡°borate,¡± the Lord of Copper demanded.


    ¡°The southron elves, for one,¡± Argrave raised a finger. ¡°The dwellers of the caves,¡± he raised another finger. ¡°And¡­ certain others. Foreigners, like me, with whom I have a connection.¡±


    ¡°You have ties with all of these?¡± Brium questioned. ¡°I question if everyone in Sethia would be ignorant of you as they are, were that the case.¡±


    ¡°If one has rope, they can tie a knot,¡± Argrave waxed poetic.


    Brium smiled. ¡°You mean you can make these ties. And you would expect only the rope from me, I presume?¡±


    Argrave shook his head. ¡°I have my own rope.¡±


    Brium looked taken aback by this. ¡°I will warn you¡ªI reward only results,¡± he cautioned. ¡°Overpromising earns you naught but severed trust.¡±


    ¡°If you reward results¡­ I¡¯ll be one rich man, I think,¡± Argrave smirked.


    Brium took a deep breath, obviously affected by Argrave¡¯s ims. He ced his hands on the couch and rose to his feet. ¡°My careless action at the Stone has caused you some trouble¡ªyourpanion is perceived to be an insult to Argent. I may have put her in danger¡­¡±


    <em>Careless my ass,</em> Argrave thought. <em>He knew exactly what he was doing. </em>


    ¡°Anneliese is safe now, and that¡¯s what¡¯s important,¡± Argrave dismissed. The woman in question crossed her arms and nodded, agreeing.


    ¡°And she should stay safe,¡± Brium looked at her. ¡°To that end, you will henceforth be apanied by one of my own¡ªa Vessel by the name of Yarra. You have met her. She retrieved you at your inn,¡± Brium exined. ¡°She is extremely loyal to me, and her Vessel is one of therger in Cyprus¡ªindeed, in all of Sethia. She has absorbed the lifeblood of many transgressors. Most threats¡­ she can handle.¡±


    Argrave pushed his tongue against his cheek, trying his best to hold back a frown. <em>He said, ¡®you will.¡¯ Not an offer, but a mandate. I suppose I should have expected something to link us to him yet further¡ªhe divulged a lot to us. Between Garm, threat of retaliation from Argent, and now this Yarra¡­ he won¡¯t trust us easily. </em>


    ¡°That¡¯s fine by me,¡± Argrave nodded, realizing disying his reluctance earned him no favors. ¡°But some of these peoples I¡¯ll be contacting¡ªthey won¡¯t look at the presence of a Vessel kindly. Getting them to agree to attack Sethia alongside southern tribals is a far cry from getting them to cooperate with followers of Fellhorn.¡±


    Brium walked to the tapestry on the walls, hands on his hips as he lost himself in thought. He turned his head back to them once he¡¯d formed his answer. ¡°She will give you space at her discretion. If you are as valuable as you im to be, though, it is paramount that she protects you at all times. We Vessels need not sleep, eat, drink, and are unfatiguing¡­ in summary, able protectors. Argent may strike at any time.¡±


    <em>Already got a sleepless protector, thanks,</em> Argrave wished to say.


    ¡°Then we wee the extra hand,¡± Argrave instead said jovially, spreading his arms wide. ¡°I hope she is amenable to working <em>with</em> us, instead of merely protecting us.¡±


    Brium huffed out augh. ¡°You must¡¯ve gained an impression of her. She is quite brusque to all but me.¡± He nodded, then walked back up to them. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll tell her to be cooperative. I¡¯ll tell her of your pet project, too, so worry not about exposing your <em>head</em> to her. She¡¯s away, doing some things for me. I will have here to your inn. Expect her shortly.¡±


    Argrave felt bitter with that reminder thrown into his face, but he suppressed those thoughts and nodded. ¡°Then I¡¯ll¡­ what was it you said? Start the hunt,¡± Argrave concluded.


    #####


    Argrave looked back at the patina covered tower of Cyprus.


    ¡°Before we make it back to the inn and meet with Yarra, we should talk. Thoroughly,¡± Argrave said, turning around on the road and speaking to hispanions.


    ¡°What is there to speak of? Despite unexpected urrences, things have gone mostly as we predicted,¡± Anneliese pointed out.


    ¡°I¡¯m unsure how the two of you perceive this whole n of mine,¡± Argrave admitted. ¡°You two¡­ value honor, loyalty, contracts¡­¡± he sighed. ¡°And here I am, entering into employment under someone with the intent to betray.¡±


    ¡°I am contracted only to you,¡± Gmon said at once. ¡°Any stain is on your soul, not mine. I believe Veid granted you this purpose you have. She would not choose one such as you in ignorance. Your personality is part of her expectations. As such¡­ I have no qualms. She has ordained this to happen.¡±


    Argrave nodded gratefully, never disappointed by Gmon¡¯s steadfastness.


    ¡°I am of a simr mind,¡± Anneliese confirmed in turn. ¡°Besides, there is no true agreement towards either of you, and I would not expect that man to be honorable in any dealings,¡± she looked back towards Cyprus. ¡°Speaking personally¡­ I trust you,¡± she nodded with a smile.


    Feeling affirmed and bolstered now that one of his doubts was squashed, he took a deep breath and exhaled.


    ¡°This faith you¡¯re showing¡­ enough to make a man weep,¡± he said, only half-joking. ¡°I¡¯m d we¡¯re all in agreement to ride down this river to the end. But now we have the biggest hindrance to any creative pursuit.¡± Argrave looked between the two, but neither provided an answer. He spoke the next words grimly, saying, ¡°A supervisor.¡±


    ¡°¡­yet with the concession of freedom in our negotiations with regional powers,¡± Gmon pointed out. ¡°She is ineffectual. The Lord of Copper mostly assigned her to prevent our escape, I presume.¡±


    ¡°And to spy,¡± Argrave noted. ¡°That much should be obvious. But I¡¯ve got a hunch about something.¡± Argrave put his hands to his lips, thinking. ¡°I don¡¯t think Brium knows fully what Garm is¡­ only that he exists. We should try and find out what, exactly, they know.¡±


    ¡°The woman seemed tight-lipped,¡± Anneliese pointed out. ¡°It will be difficult to get information from her naturally.¡±


    ¡°Maybe so,¡± Argrave conceded. ¡°Putting all that talk aside, I¡¯m going to be streamlining some of our ns. Brium might have ulterior motives behind Yarra¡¯s ¡®protection,¡¯ but¡­ We¡¯ve got freebor. Gmon should know best. Anyone working for me¡­ I work them to the bone. And since Yarra¡¯s got no bones¡­ I¡¯ll work her ¡®til she drops,¡± Argrave looked towards Sethia, a grin on his face.


    #####


    Argrave was fitting some of his spell books back into his backpack when a sharp knock echoed out into the room. It inspired d¨¦j¨¤ vu, being near the same pitch and volume as thest time Yarra hade to their room. As ever, Gmon readied his axe and opened the door cautiously.


    The sharp-eyed and thin Vessel stood waiting there. Gmon did not need a prompt from Argrave to open the door wider this time, allowing Yarra to walk in as she pleased.


    ¡°Perfect timing!¡± Argrave said enthusiastically. He put thest three books inside of his backpack and cinched it shut. He lifted it up. ¡°Here. Wear this,¡± he directed.


    Her gaze jumped between Argrave and the backpack he held. She made no move to take it from his hand.


    ¡°It¡¯s a backpack. You wear it on your back,¡± he exined sarcastically. When she gave no response, he continued exasperatedly, ¡°Come now. Brium said you are unfatiguing¡ªcertainly better than bone-shouldered me at carrying a pack on your back. I¡¯m a mage, not a warrior.¡±


    ¡°¡­I cannot promise it will be undamaged should we fight anyone,¡± she said, voice dead. Argrave suspected making herugh would the hardest mortal feat.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°I am rather adept at avoiding fights. The ones I find myself in¡­ end quickly, I find. Soon, I¡¯m sure Brium and the rest of Cyprus will agree with this assessment. But for now, here,¡± he dangled the backpack, arms growing tired.


    ¡°He is Lord Brium,¡± she corrected, then took the backpack from Argrave¡¯s hands, throwing it over her shoulder. It had been made to amodate Argrave, and so the straps were quite loose¡ªshe tightened them quietly.


    ¡°Excellent. I¡¯m very proud of you,¡± he nodded. ¡°Now, are those shoes made for walking?¡± he looked down at her shoes. They were no more than red silken slippers. ¡°It seems not.¡±


    ¡°I will manage,¡± she disagreed.


    ¡°Right.¡± Argrave looked around. Anneliese and Gmon had already readied everything. Garm was disguised as he usually was¡ªthe stake hidden by Gmon¡¯s pack, and his head concealed by the elven vampire¡¯s giant helmet. ¡°Well, let¡¯s be off,¡± he made for the door.


    ¡°Wait,¡± she interrupted, and Argrave paused mid step.


    ¡°What?¡± he asked patiently.


    She stepped closer. ¡°I need to know where you intend to go.¡±


    ¡°An underground graveyard,¡± Argrave said inly. ¡°For the southron elves, in their glory days. I make a habit of exploring elven tombs, it would seem. Though¡­ Gmon did thest one, actually¡­¡±


    ¡°So you <em>are</em> a necromancer,¡± she half-noted, half-questioned.


    ¡°On the contrary,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°I am a druid. Among other things,¡± he conceded.


    Her gaze wandered to the helm on Gmon¡¯s back, and then she looked back to Argrave. ¡°Why do you head to this graveyard?¡±


    ¡°Druid things,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s a pretty dangerous ce. Haunted, ostensibly, but in actuality, it has an animal infestation.¡±


    ¡°Dangerous how?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll be fine, I¡¯m sure. Brium¡ªer, Lord Brium talked about his confidence in you. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be able to handle them fine,¡± Argrave repeated with a smile.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t avoid answering,¡± she demanded, a fire of irritation finally bubbling in that dead voice of hers.


    ¡°We¡¯ll talk on the way,¡± Argrave said, undaunted, and stepped out of their room, his gait light and unburdened.

 Chapter 123: Singers of the Brume

    Chapter 123: Singers of the Brume


    Backpacking was aborious thing. Argrave wasing to terms with its necessity, but he could not say that he was fond of carrying a pack on his back with the bare essentials while travelling acrossndscapes of varying types. Without healing magic to ease him of blisters and other things brought about by the journey, he would never have made it across the Burnt Desert. Between its dunes of sand and its rocky hills, it was not an easy ce to traverse, even in winter.


    Now, though, Argrave found great pleasure in the hike they took. They travelled from Sethia to the distant mountains where the southern tribals made their home. The weather was pleasant, the desert was quite beautiful, and the wildlife, terrifying though it might be at times, invoked a dual sense of nostalgia and wonder.


    It helped that he had conned someone into carrying his pack for him.


    ¡°It¡¯s going to be dangerous to travel farther,¡± Yarra warned, who kept pace with Argrave. She seemed to have no trouble with the pack, despite being as skinny as he was while half his size. It was the power of a magical body, he supposed.


    ¡°Because of the tribals?¡± Argrave looked up to the dark mountains towering above. ¡°Meh. We¡¯ll be fine,¡± he waved dismissively. ¡°Not much farther anyway.¡±


    She adjusted the pack with her ire hardly concealed, casting nces at Garm atop Gmon¡¯s pack. Despite her constant curiosity towards the head, she asked as many questions as a mute. Argrave had intended to find out what she knew, but her stubborn silence made that difficult.


    They travelled along a dry riverbed. Though the valley around them evidenced water had once flown through this area, all water had dried, and the y-like soil beneath their feet was hard and cracked into tiles of varying sizes. Argrave kept his eyes on the mountain as he walked slower, looking forndmarks he recalled from the game to guide him.


    After a long dy, Argrave spotted a strangely split rock that was quite familiar to him and smiled. ¡°Folks¡­ let¡¯s set our packs aside. Somece safe.¡±


    ¡°What for?¡± Yarra questioned, while Gmon and Anneliese moved to obey immediately. Gmon freed Garm from his position, holding him in his free hand like a torch.


    Argrave rubbed his hands together. ¡°Time to get to work, obviously.¡±


    Yarra followed Argrave¡¯s gaze to arge boulder down into a gulch.


    Seeing she still wasn¡¯t removing the pack, Argrave chided, ¡°You were so hesitant to put it on, now you can¡¯t bear to take it off? Just listen. Is that hard?¡±


    She begrudgingly took the pack off and sat it alongside Anneliese and Gmon¡¯s. After ensuring that their packs were well-concealed, Argrave proceeded into the gulch, minding his step as it descended slightly. The gulch turned right, driving further into the mountains, but Argrave ignored the turn and walked to the boulder.


    Argrave held his hand out and knocked four times, then said loudly, ¡°Geba, blood of Burgund, hase to pay respects.¡±


    He waited a few seconds¡­ and then the giant boulder, which had been as solid as any other rock, turned to sand. It fell on him, and Argrave reeled away, coughing. He cleared sand out of his nose, his hair, his ears, and his mouth, thenmented, ¡°Forgot about that bit.¡±


    Argrave continued to spit out grains of sand ungracefully as the others near him stared beyond into the cave. Once he was done, he straightened and examined his own handiwork, a smile lining his face. Though the cave ahead was disorderly and uninviting, glowing blue runes shone on the surface of the cave wall.


    Oftentimes games, ¡®Heroes of Berendar¡¯ included, would have restrictions on quests. Even if the yer <em>knew </em>the solution to a puzzle, they¡¯d still need to talk to the right person to be able to proceed. That Argrave had been able to ovee this hurdle without doing so was a deeply satisfying thing¡ªand it doubly confirmed that no one hade here before him.


    ¡°Care to lead, Yarra?¡± Argrave gestured ahead.


    By the look of her, Yarra¡¯s answer was a resounding ¡®no.¡¯ That said, she showed no hesitation in moving forward into the ominous cave. Gmon followed just after, while Argrave and Anneliese proceeded side by side.


    The narrow cave abounding with glowing blue runes was a wonderfully unnerving sight in person. The faint babbling of rushing water echoed out as they walked deeper. The runes provided light enough to walk forward without issue, though, and soon enough, the narrow entrance widened into something much grander.


    The narrow passage widened into a vast cavern. A set of stairs descended deeper down into the cave, meeting the smooth, upward-sloped cave floor. At the very top of this slope, there was a small spring, a single trickle travelling down in a straight line. This small trickle divided the cave into two sections, though the erosion was not especially significant.


    Coffins of ck y rose up along the sloped cave floor. They were packed closely together as they ascended, like stairs built for giants. The coffins had blue runes along their rims, lighting the ce like torchlight. There was an eerie mist about the whole area¡ªdense, almost cloudlike.


    ¡°These runes¡­ are iprehensible,¡± Anneliese muttered, gazing out in awe. ¡°And this ce, so¡ª¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get lost in your head, Anneliese. I can tell you what I know about this ce after we¡¯re done. In fact¡­¡± Argrave turned his gaze to the Vessel, Yarra. ¡°You may wish to prepare to fight.¡±


    Gmon nodded, freeing his helmet from atop Garm¡¯s head and donning it himself. He drew his greatsword, too. Argrave held out his hand, a spell matrix forming. Soon enough, four [Electric Eels] bounded from his palm, illuminating the area better yet as they drifted above his head. He took slow, steady steps down the wide stairs, waiting and watching the entire room.


    Their advance into the tomb seemed to evidence that no danger awaited them, yet the atmosphere of the ce was decidedly not easing. The dense mist, the coffins, the constancy of the babbling stream above¡­ Argrave¡¯s gaze flitted to a coffin.


    Deep within theplex system of caves, a noise rang out¡ªwindchimes, almost. It was pleasant to the ear. This chiming grew in volume, slowly melding together into something moreplete. It formed a soothing melody, almost yful in tone.


    ¡°Be ready,¡± he cautioned.


    And his words of caution proved to be of perfect timing. The mist within the cave began to condense, solidify¡ªin but a second, Argrave found himself facing a ck-skinned warrior withrge ears and indiscernible features. A curved sword whistled towards his face. Argrave willed the [Electric Eels] to move, and they struck their target far faster than his newly formed foe¡¯s sword could move.


    The warrior staggered back, flesh cracking and leaking mist. A guttural and phlegmy howl battered against Argrave¡¯s ears at once, echoing in his head and against the cave walls until it was all he heard. The sound was terrifying enough that he felt all his skin crawl against his leather gear, despite that he had been fully expecting it toe. The pleasant song became discordant ringing.


    Yarra was the first to regain herposure¡­ or perhaps she never lost it, for her hand liquified and thrust forth like a spear towards the warrior¡¯s head as soon as it ceased staggering. Its head scattered like the mist from which it was made, yet the attack seemed ineffectual. It did not walk forward¡ªit merely <em>reformed </em>forward, slicing at Yarra¡¯s stomach.


    Gmon shed at it with his greatsword. His blow struck home, both the metal de and the wind de following it causing another visible impact. With another near identical howl, the mist exploded backwards, blown by an invisible wind. The sight did not distract Argrave from the sound of something scraping¡ªws on stone, Argrave thought, like a fleeing animal.


    ¡°Well,¡± Argrave began, stepping forth. ¡°The first of them knows that we¡¯re here. It¡¯s like I told you¡ªyou can only hit them when they¡¯re trying to hit you. They have to be solid to attack, and as such, that¡¯s the only time they can be hurt.¡±


    ¡°These must be wraiths. Ghosts,¡± Yarra said with conviction. ¡°This mist is not true mist. I cannot absorb it.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you listen? I told you they weren¡¯t,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°Back in the day, the southron elves used to reign supreme here. They had pets they used for war¡­ and intrigue.¡± Argrave looked about the cave. ¡°The Singers of the Brume, they¡¯re called. Brumesingers for short. They subsist on the souls of the dead. The little devils are no ordinary animals, and can be held responsible for the warrior we just dealt with. This fog¡­¡± Argrave held his hand out. ¡°It¡¯s a magic mist. A brume, I guess. They can travel through it, conjure distractions, conjure fighters¡­¡±


    Yarra seemed to be trying to find a hole in what Argrave said, but it seemed after some reflection, she simply nodded.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°Don¡¯t kill them, please,¡± Argrave requested dryly. ¡°They¡¯re very valuable, culturally and otherwise. Though, maybe you don¡¯t care about the cultural part.¡±


    ¡°But how will we stop¡ª¡±


    ¡°Tire them out,¡± Argrave exined. ¡°They expend their energy every time they try and stop us. It¡¯s a game of cat and mouse, chasing these creatures about ¡®til they drop.¡±


    ¡°So we have to continue to fight these mist apparitions until they simply cease?¡± Yarra questioned.


    ¡°Precisely,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°There are plenty of other rooms in this ce. So¡­ let¡¯s get walking, and let¡¯s stay alert.¡±


    Argrave took a step forward, and the mist solidified once again. A hand thrust out towards Argrave¡¯s neck, a dagger in hand. He raised his arm to block, trusting his armor¡¯s enchantments, but Anneliese was ready. A single white bolt of [Skysunder] struck the hand, casting the arm aside. It dispersed and vanished.


    ¡°Should heed my own advice, sometimes,¡± Argrave lowered his arm, then readied four more [Electric Eels]. ¡°Thanks, Anneliese. Someone else should lead, I think.¡±


    #####


    It was not especially difficult to find the Brumesingers throughout the vast tomb. Though the rooms were many, each carved of a vast cave system, they needed only follow the mist, seeking out its intensity. The Brumesingers conjured the remnants of the spirits they had consumed¡ªnamely, southron elf warriors. Vignce alone proved enough tobat the majority of their conjured warriors, fortunately. Argrave worked Yarra tirelessly, making her take the lead at all times.


    The creatures weren¡¯t stupid, though, and they were pack animals. They quickly gathered together,bining their efforts against the party. Cornering them was impossible. The Brumesingers could travel through the brume they conjured¡ªthat was much of the reason Argrave sought them out. In time, they¡¯d make great scouts.


    Soon enough, their party of four¡ªfive, including Garm¡ªfound themselves facing something quite unideal. Ahead, the mist was so thick that trying to see the room beyond was like trying to see through milk. The room had no other exits, so far as Argrave knew, but the fact remained that they had bunched up.


    ¡°Little bastards have been running for quite a while¡­¡± Argrave kneeled down, clicking his tongue. ¡°Hard to get a notion of how many there are, too.¡±


    ¡°ce ahead is like a deathtrap,¡± Gmon noted. ¡°The creatures don¡¯t attack immediately. When we¡¯re in that mist, it¡¯s hard to see¡­ and four, five of the attacksing at once isn¡¯t manageable.¡±


    ¡°Why not make use of that head on a stake of yours?¡± Yarra suggested. ¡°I question why you brought it.¡±


    Argrave looked towards her. ¡°What, do you think it can warn us if it sees something?¡± he pressed, finally seizing the opportunity to learn what she knew.


    ¡°I know it can,¡± she shot back.


    ¡°And how?¡± Argrave questioned.


    ¡°Because Brium told me,¡± she said. ¡°He would not disclose that without conviction.¡±


    <em>So, Brium knows Garm can speak.</em> Argrave tried to ponder what that meant of the situation, but he couldn¡¯t really narrow things down as to how Garm was ousted.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s necessary,¡± Argrave said, pushing past that and focusing on the task on hand. ¡°We¡¯ll just need a good, steady formation¡­¡± Argrave scratched his chin. ¡°¡­and some patience.¡±

 Chapter 124: Death in Toto

    Chapter 124: Death in Toto


    Argrave was the farthest thing from a hunter.


    But the people with him both hailed from a northern ind where hunts made up arge portion of the food supply. Gmon had been a part of many hunts, and Anneliese knew much of the process by virtue of her sheer curiosity. As such, Argrave had learned that their people took two approaches to hunting animals in Veiden: trapping, or cornering.


    They could not afford to make any traps, and so they had worked at cornering the Brumesingers. Gmon had steered them towards that end. Now, the creaturesy beyond a veil of mist, entrenched deeply. As the saying went, a cornered rat will bite the cat. Patience was theirrgest virtue. Their venture to capture the Brumesingers became a siege.


    The four of them would press into the mist¡ªnever enough to leave them vulnerable from all sides, but far enough to evoke a reaction from the animals hiding within. And indeed, time and time again, the warriors of mist would appear, and their party¡¯s patient caution proved more than enough to receive allers.


    Brium¡¯s Vessel, Yarra, proved to be well worth the trust bestowed in her by the Lord of Copper. Once she learned how these warriors summoned by the Brumesingers functioned, she was quite adept at dealing with them. Her control over the water springing from within was masterful, to the point where she left not a drop behind no matter how she attacked. She seemed to have a penchant for manipting the water within herself to weapons. She would reform her hands into swords, spears, and all manner of war instruments.


    This process took an ufortably long time. Argrave felt tempted to leave and ensure their backpacks left outside were <em>truly </em>hidden, but he kept those thoughts inside. Over the course of many fatiguing hours, during which Argrave ran out of magic, the fog that had been near as thick as milk began to dwindle. The ce started to look like a graveyard sauna.


    At a point, the warriors conjuredcked form and distinguishing features¡ªit had been obvious they were southron elves, at first, and their skin had looked truly real. Now, they truly fought warriors borne of mist.


    With a retreating sh of Gmon¡¯s greatsword, thest two remaining warriors finally dispelled not into mist, but into nothingness. Argrave had grown well used to their unnatural and grim howls, yet thisst¡¯s death knell did not echo out across the ancient tomb. The silence that followed was all-consuming.


    ¡°Hoo,¡± Argrave breathed out, some of his tension dissolved in the wake of excitement. The process of getting to the Brumesingers in the game was much the same, though admittedly infinitely more reckless and far less time-consuming. ¡°Alright. Yarra, Gmon, stay near the entrance. Make sure the little ones don¡¯t scamper out.¡±


    Yarra nodded, far more amenable to direction after the nonstop conditioning of the misty siege.


    With the two of them standing near the entrance, waiting, Argrave and Anneliese advanced ahead. The room had coffins lined up on each of its two walls, but in the back of the room, stairs rose up to an elevated portion that housed one single, grander coffin.


    Argrave stepped around, watching the floors for any movement. Neither he nor Anneliese spotted anything for a long time, but then he heard a faint, rapid sound¡ªit sounded like a dog¡¯s squeaky chew toy, almost. It took him a bit to ce it, but then he knelt down, lowering his face to the ground and peering beneath one of the coffins. At once, he smiled in triumph.


    He saw the Brumesingers he¡¯d been seeking crouched low beneath the coffins. The white-furred creatures were canids. Their appearance bore the most resemnce to that of a fox, with especiallyrge ears. Considering they were desert creatures, the fennec fox seemed a close rtive. Their fur was like snow. Their eyes, too, were especially striking¡ªthey were like moving pools of gold, a glimpse into another dimension.


    The Brumesingers were wheezing in exhaustion, all of their energy spent. Argrave lifted his head up and beckoned Anneliese over. She came to the other side, and her presence made the creatures sidle away in panic, moving closer to the center of the coffin.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t they neat?¡± he spoke to Anneliese. ¡°Had we found them earlier, they would¡¯ve been as ck as night. Their fur changes color as the consume the souls of the dead¡ªwhite, gray, to ck.¡±


    ¡°They are fascinating,¡± she agreed, white hair scattered everywhere on the stone as she pressed her face to peer under. ¡°What should we do now?¡±


    ¡°I count¡­ four,¡± Argrave concluded. ¡°A lot of hell raised by four of these little guys. You see why I want them.¡± Argrave tapped the ground, thinking. ¡°You should take one for now,¡± he looked to Anneliese. ¡°Eventually, I want you to have a bird familiar for hyper-effective scouting. For now, though¡­ these guys can travel through the mists they produce. Nothing short of fantastic for scouting, espionage¡­ all-purpose monsters, these little ones.¡±


    Anneliese nodded. She held her hand out and a green light shone from her palm¡ªArgrave couldn¡¯t distinguish the spell, but he recognized it as druidic magic. One of the Brumesingers lifted its head, then slowly and cautiously crawled out towards her.


    Content, Argrave focused back on thest three. Lacking the magic to cast the spell needed, he triggered the Blessing of Supersession, feeling the overwhelming power surge into him. Surprisingly, the Brumesingers reacted to Argrave¡¯s change¡ªone bolted from beneath the coffin, surging towards the exit like a maniac. Gmon kneeled and received it easily, restraining it with his forefinger and thumb.


    When he found it wouldn¡¯t escape, Argrave turned his focus back to the other two. He held out his hand, casting the C-rank druidic spell, [Pack Leader]. At once, he felt a strange sensation in his chest. The feeling was vastly different from when he had linked with the pigeons at Mateth. Then, like a cork, it exploded into him.


    Argrave came to understand death in that moment.


    With this newfound and entirely unexpected epiphany, Argrave¡¯s entire body seized up. His arms lost strength, and he copsed to the ground. His heart started to beat at the pace of a hummingbird¡¯s wings, his skin felt like it was crawling, and he started sweating uncontrobly. He sight failed, fading into whiteness, and all sound vanished behind a loud ringing.


    He did not know when this hade to pass, but Anneliese knelt over him. His vision slowly regained rity, and he felt something warm on his cheek. Two ¡®somethings,¡¯ in fact¡ªon one side, something soft, and on the other, something leather.


    As he got his wits about him, he realized Anneliese held his face while the two Brumesingers sat by his cheek.


    ¡°There. Your eyes are focusing,¡± Anneliese said, her voice growing louder as the ringing in his ears faded. ¡°I had no idea something like this might happen. I should have warned you. The spell I used was not like [Pack Leader]. Animals closely linked to things, like¡­¡± she trailed off, worried.


    ¡°That was¡­¡± Argrave began, voice powerless. ¡°¡­some damn experience.¡±


    ¡°What did you feel?¡± she insisted.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you know?¡± he croaked out augh. ¡°Death,¡± he ryed.


    She said nothing, eyes wide.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to die,¡± he could only say. ¡°I thought I knew that. But now I <em>know </em>that.¡±


    ¡°You hit your head when you fell,¡± she said. ¡°I will turn you over, take care of that.¡±


    Argrave epted this quietly. Anneliese turned him over, and his gaze fell upon the snow-white little creatures that had upied his entire day. He looked into their whirling golden eyes and felt an indomitable bond between the three of them. There was something <em>more </em>between them. These creatures ceased to be mere Brumesingers¡ªthey felt like an extension of Argrave, every bit as important as his arms or legs. He hadn¡¯t felt this intensity when he¡¯d linked with the pigeons in Mateth.


    He only realized the back of his head hurt when the pain faded, likely due to Anneliese¡¯s healing magic. She moved him, leaning him up against the coffin. The little white creatures bounded on top of hisp, all of their timidity vanished¡ªrather, it felt like they were now protecting Argrave. Just the same, he felt protective of them.


    ¡°Why the hell was that the roughest part of this?¡± Argrave questioned, only half-joking.


    ¡°It seems¡­ these animals are linked intrinsically to death,¡± Anneliese stared down at them. The one she¡¯d imed stood near her leg. ¡°Furthermore, it seems there is definitely a strongpatibility between you and them.¡±


    Argrave looked down and raised his hand to rest atop them, some of his energy returned. ¡°You feel anything like this?¡±


    Anneliese shook her head. ¡°[Pack Leader] links your souls. The spell I used merely changes their soul¡¯s disposition towards me. Were I to connect to them with a direct link, as I often did with the bird¡­ I expect I would experience much the same thing, provided I have the same affinity with death as you do.¡±


    Gmon stepped around the coffin,ing to stand before Argrave. He held thest Brumesinger in his hand, and the creature dangled uncooperatively from his hand. It let out small little yelps, though dared not bite at the gauntleted fingers holding it.


    ¡°What to do with this one?¡± Gmon questioned.


    Argrave looked up at it, watching it dangle. He started to think, but then stopped himself, picturing the matter like jumping into cold water. He held out his hand and cast [Pack Leader] once more. That dread came again. The sense of death was lessened in intensity, but present nheless. Once it was done, he took the Brumesinger from Gmon¡¯s hand, and it crawled down Argrave¡¯s arm to join the other two.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Yarra came to stand beside Gmon, her arms crossed. ¡°Are they of the same family? How many are male or female?¡± she questioned.


    ¡°Why?¡± returned Argrave suspiciously.


    ¡°These creatures could be important for Cyprus¡¯ future. Breeding them could be a very lucrative thing.¡±


    The notion of forced breeding from the Vessels set Argrave into a vision-blurring rage at once. With the Blessing of Supersession still active, he felt the bottomless well of magic within him spin and stir, ready to move, and then¡­


    Argrave stopped himself. That sort of primal anger was so ridiculously foreign the sheer shock of realizing he¡¯d been the one to experience it dispelled all the rage he¡¯d felt. He calmed his breathing. <em>Going to have to consult Anneliese, read more about druidic magic¡­ almost made a big damn mistake. </em>


    ¡°¡­they¡¯re all from the same mother,¡± Argrave lied. ¡°Not exactly viable for breeding.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunate,¡± said Yarra with a shake of her head. ¡°I have helped you with your task. Now, I must do my own duty.¡±


    Argrave tensed. ¡°And what is that?¡±


    ¡°That spring in the main hall,¡± she said, looking back towards the door. ¡°I must ensure it ceases to be. Who knows where its waters lead? It cannot be permitted to continue.¡±


    Some of Argrave¡¯s tension dispelled, but then he considered her words more.


    <em>Who knows where its waters lead, she questions. And she¡¯s right. Those waters might sustain a whole vige. And she wants me to stand by, watch that happen.</em>


    The roiling power of the Blessing of Supersession at the tip of his fingers was a constant temptation. But Agrave¡¯s logical mind battled against his vying heart, and he eventually rose to his feet. The Brumesingers clung to his clothes before dropping off on the ground.


    ¡°Fine. Do as you must,¡± Argrave conceded, doing his best to hide his unease. ¡°While you¡¯re doing that, we¡¯ll grab one more thing from this ce¡ªsomething to help win the southron elves over.¡±


    Yarra nodded. Some of her disdain towards Argrave was gone, evidently, after seeing him act. The feeling was not mutual. She walked away, and Argrave ground his fingers against his palm.

 Chapter 125: Beasts Instinct

    Chapter 125: Beast¡¯s Instinct


    The Vessel, Yarra, ced her bare hand in the spring inside the cave. Argrave stood just behind her, watching this act with some degree of curiosity. They had retrieved their backpacks from outside. His Brumesingers were off in the cave, eating some of the still-lingering souls in this ce. The fox-like little creatures actually ate with their eyes¡ªnot nearly as disgusting as it sounded, actually. Their gaze alone could devour souls thatcked attachment.


    The water in the spring branched off at several portions, flowing into separate streams that slid in and out of the rocks, carving into the stone. Once Yarra¡¯s hand met the water¡¯s surface, though, the constant flow started to cease. The streams which had been flowing downhill started to reverse, crawling back up the stone to swell the spring.


    As the spring swelled with returning water, the direction of its flow started to change. The water began to course towards the Vessel¡¯s hand as though it was a hole beneath rather than a hand above. Despite the intense movement, once it met Yarra¡¯s hand, it simply¡­ ceased.


    In a time no longer than a minute, the great spring quickly became a ce of dry rock. Even when drained by a hose, the rock would never look this dry. Every bit of water became part of Yarra, the Vessel of Fellhorn.


    ¡°¡­it was a deep spring,¡± she finally said, rising to her feet. ¡°Further portions will flow until they meet their end, but no more water will emerge. This visit proved to be of great value to Fellhorn and Cyprus both.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m d,¡± Argrave said, lying. His triumph at gaining the Brumesingers was tempered by guilt. Perhaps he had been na?ve to expect that Yarra would do nothing about the spring in this cave. But the guilt didn¡¯t bog him down¡ªit was a reminder to work harder until the time came to turn Sethia to chaos.


    Argrave cast a supplementary spell of [Pack Leader], and the Brumesingers quickly scampered across the room, crawling up his leg and taking refuge in his duster. The creatures were light and small¡ªsomething adapted for the desert, no doubt¡ªand Argrave did not feel especially burdened by their presence.


    Argrave pet one of them, then lifted his head and muttered to Anneliese, ¡°Never pictured me as the ¡®pocket dog¡¯ type of guy.¡±


    ¡°Pocket dog?¡± she repeated.


    ¡°Exin it another time,¡± Argrave dismissed. ¡°Yarra. A question for you.¡±


    She waited expectantly, staring up at Argrave.


    ¡°How much time do you suppose we have before the Lords of Silver and Gold decide to make their move?¡±


    ¡°Lord Brium estimated, at shortest, a week. Other estimates are wildly varied, but the average of these predictions is about half a month,¡± she exined, arms crossed.


    Argrave frowned. ¡°Bit generous, no?¡±


    Yarra shook her head. ¡°If Aurum and Argent were so quick to n an assault against Cyprus, one of three of the lords of Sethia existing for hundreds of years, then this city would never have survived as long as it has. Order and deliberateness are the prime things to expect from the other Lords.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Argrave raised his hands, conceding. ¡°But the day is nearly done, and I don¡¯t fancy walking around a mountain at night. We¡¯ll camp here tonight. Tomorrow¡­ I have to earn the favor of the southron elves.¡±


    The Vessel no longer held contempt towards Argrave, it seemed, for Yarra expressed neither disdain nor anticipation regarding his grandiosements. Instead, she asked, ¡°How do your ties to thisnd run so deep?¡±


    Argrave smiled. ¡°Been here more times than you know.¡±


    ¡°That answer only spawns yet more questions,¡± she noted, eyes narrowed.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got a lot of depth,¡± Argrave spread his arms out, briefly revealing one of the Brumesingers before it sought cover once more. ¡°I¡¯m going to set up my ce to sleep¡ªbeen an exhausting day.¡±


    Argrave walked away, but then paused, turning and pointing to Yarra. ¡°Do you think you could watch the cave entrance, keep guard? If any tribals see it, they¡¯ll notice the new cave and be upon us during the night. The three of us, we need to sleep¡­ but you¡­¡± Argrave trailed off.


    She stared up at him for a long while, and then slowly nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll keep watch.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good. You¡¯re quite reliable. I see why Brium chose you,¡± he ttered.


    She said nothing, then turned, leaving the correction, ¡°<em>Lord </em>Brium.¡±


    Argrave bit his lip as she walked away, questioning if his repeated mistaken address might bring his loyalty to question. He shook his head and turned. He waited a suitably long time and then muttered, ¡°Finally, some time to breathe.¡±


    Anneliese held her Brumesinger in her hands, gently petting its giant ears. ¡°It was a tiring day,¡± she confessed.


    ¡°And another one tomorrow,¡± Argrave continued. ¡°Hell, tomorrow might be the most important day of all.¡±


    ¡°True,¡± said Gmon.


    Argrave looked back to the entrance that Yarra had left from. Though Gmon shook his head, confirming she was no longer there, Argrave¡¯s paranoia was not sated. He conjured a ward around them to be sure that she truly could not listen.


    ¡°You can talk now, Garm,¡± Argrave said.


    ¡°Gods. What have I to say?¡± Garmined at once. ¡°It baffles me how you people manage to reveal me so easily. And who ends up suffering?¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°Didn¡¯t exactly hear any genius ideas about how to hide your presence,¡± Argrave rebutted at once, then sighed. ¡°No, that¡¯s not fair. But hell, I¡¯m just as confused as you. The only times we werex at all were on the roads.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no matter. I have little to say, regardless,¡± Garm closed his eyes.


    ¡°Get your talking in now, I¡¯d advise,¡± Argrave said. Despite that, Garm said nothing more.


    ¡°If you¡¯ve nothing¡­ As it stands, the southron elves are going to be our lynchpin for this entire thing,¡± Argrave outlined. ¡°They¡¯re going to be our contact between us and Durran, and they¡¯re going to be the primary coordinator for this entire little betrayal of ours. As such¡­ it¡¯s very important that Yarra stays far, far away from any inkling of association with them.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve said this enough,¡± Gmon said.


    ¡°But now we¡¯ve had a day with the Vessel,¡± Argrave exined with his hands. ¡°And we know better what we can do to stop any¡­ unfortunate urrences. After how easily Garm was discovered, we have to be extra, extra cautious.¡±


    ¡°I can agree with that,¡± Anneliese nodded. Her Brumesinger let out a whimper and shook, so she knelt and let it to the ground.


    ¡°As such, any conversation about ns that I have with the southron elves¡­ I want it to be underneath a ward.¡± Argrave looked around. ¡°I¡¯m telling you so that the both of you can know how to direct the conversation.¡±


    Gmon shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ll just stay quiet. You two work well enough as a pair.¡±


    ¡°You might not have that luxury,¡± Argrave turned his head. ¡°The southron elves respect warriors, not mages.¡±


    Gmon sighed. ¡°I¡¯m no orator, but I¡¯ll do what I can.¡±


    With a nod, Argrave concluded, ¡°That¡¯s all I can ask.¡±


    #####


    ¡°He¡¯s dead?¡± Elias asked, not fully able to believe it.


    ¡°There can be no doubt,¡± Helmuth confirmed, purple-eyed gaze staring at Elias with some measure of remorse.


    Elias leaned back into his carriage¡¯s seat, bringing his hand to his face. His uncle, Bruno of Parbon, had been in. He felt a deep pit of emptiness within, like something had been torn out within him.


    Bruno of Parbon, Elias¡¯ uncle. The first real loss in this war. He had been the impetus of their rebellion, ostensibly, though his capture was merely the straw that broke the camel¡¯s back. His father had been so certain that the king would not dare harm him¡ªyet now, without trial, without any attempt at ransom, his uncle had been ughtered.


    ¡°Sorry about your uncle,¡± Stain spoke quietly, sitting across from Elias on the carriage.


    Elias didn¡¯t know what to say to that. No, he didn¡¯t want to say anything at all. He felt like the carriage he was in was far toopact and reached for the carriage door. It opened, the carriage still moving, and Elias alighted.


    ¡°Young lord¡­!¡± Helmuth called out, moving after Elias. Stain, too, jumped out.


    ¡°I just want to walk for a bit,¡± he said, stepping ahead quickly. Stain and Helmuth shared a nce, and then pursued the young lord of House Parbon, a fair distance behind so as not to disturb his thoughts.


    Elias kept pace with the horses pulling the carriage, walking very quickly. Their escort of knights was much grander than even the one they had taken to Jast, and many of the knights looked to Elias, pityingly. Evidently, the young lord was thest to receive the news.


    Elias could only watch the ground for the longest time, his mind whirling. It gave him an unfailing sense of dread. But then he grew angry at himself¡ªthis was the reality of war. People died. He should not be so shaken simply because his uncle had died.


    With that bitter thought, Elias lifted his head, staring far ahead down the road. In the far distance, where the ground sunk into the earth, he saw the walls of Elbraille. Walls were meant to evoke a sense of safety, protection, Elias always thought¡ªthe Lion¡¯s Gate just beside the Lionsun Castle had always brought a sense of wonder and safety to his chest.


    Now, though, with death on his mind, he felt a sense of danger. Of entrapment. He was tempted to write it off as the idiotic thoughts brought about by recent grief, but he paused in the road.


    ¡°Young lord¡­¡± Helmuth spoke, saying nothing more beyond that. Any bitterness or hostility that hade between them at Jast had dissipated in this moment.


    ¡°The only danger in war isn¡¯t sword and shield,¡± Elias said, staring at Elbraille.


    ¡°It¡¯s true,¡± Helmuth agreed. ¡°Most snakes kill with poison, not fang and w.¡±


    ¡°And we¡¯re about to enter Elbraille, to help him suppress this matter regarding unrest,¡± Elias turned his head. ¡°I knew that I could expect to encounter some enemies here¡­ now my gut¡¯s screaming at me to turn around and go home. To safety. Never had a stronger feeling than this.¡±


    ¡°No shame in that,¡±mented Stain. ¡°Instinct can save you.¡±


    ¡°Bravery is proceeding in spite of fear,¡± Elias shook his head. ¡°But¡­ I have to remember my uncle. I must be cautious to the point of paranoia. Not for my life¡­ but for those beneath me.¡± He turned his head to Helmuth. ¡°Tell the men that we won¡¯t go to Elbraille today. We¡¯ll camp out here today.¡±


    Elias moved back to his carriage, climbing inside. Stain looked to Helmuth, a question in his gaze, but the old wizard merely nodded and moved to obey.

 Chapter 126: Sleeping Oasis

    Chapter 126: Sleeping Oasis


    Come morning, Argrave had fully repaid the small debt he¡¯d rued to Erlebnis, enabling his use of the Blessing of Supersession once again. Their route to navigating the obstacles ahead was much clearer after a lengthy discussion. And,stly, the Brumesingers spent the night gorging, turning their fur from a snow-white to an off-white.


    The Brumesingers were magic creatures and had been living here for years, feasting on the high-quality souls of the dead southron elves in this tomb. It would be some time before they¡¯d be able to conjure warriors of mist or traverse through the fog to reach any ce imaginable. In time, the five-pound furballs would eventually be true forces of nature, especially if Argrave gave them good souls to eat.


    ¡°¡­so these runes are illusion magic?¡± Anneliese questioned, sitting cross-legged beside one of the coffins with runes across its lid.


    ¡°Yep. Between the sand door outside and the runes throughout this ce, it¡¯s clear the southron elves were masters of illusion magic. Southron elf illusions, no matter if you¡¯re E-rank or S-rank, can¡¯t be seen through. But¡­ they¡¯re a lot more limited,¡± Argrave exined, rubbing his finger across the glowing blue rune.


    She nodded, staring. ¡°¡­you didn¡¯t sleep at allst night,¡± she said quietly, changing the subject.


    ¡°Couple hours, maybe. Not an unusual urrence,¡± Argrave dismissed, standing. ¡°What can I do? Cry?¡±


    She also came to her feet. ¡°You can talk about it,¡± she offered.


    ¡°What are you, my therapist?¡± Argrave shook his head with a grin. ¡°We¡¯ve got stuff to do. Let¡¯s go meet with Yarra, rendezvous with the southron elves.¡±


    ¡°I just worry,¡± she shook her head. ¡°Your habits were improving after we left the Low Way. Now¡­¡± she sighed defeatedly. ¡°Now I question if you sleep worse. If you were sick again, I might heal you. This, though¡­ I can do nothing but talk.¡±


    Argrave bit his lip. He knew she was right, but that was only because he wasn¡¯t blind to his own condition.


    He stepped forward. ¡°You know, they say if you improve your physical health, your mental health will improve in turn. All the more reason to hurry towards bing ck Blooded.¡±


    She smiled bitterly and nodded. ¡°As you say. Let us go.¡±


    #####


    ¡°Are you sure that you¡¯re headed the right way?¡± asked Yarra, some of her confidence in Argrave diminished overnight.


    ¡°Yes,¡± confirmed Argrave brusquely, holding hispass in hand.


    ¡°Certain enough to stake your life?¡± she questioned. ¡°The three of you ran out of food, and there is only wastnd ahead.¡±


    The four ambtory people in Argrave¡¯s party trod across the dunes of the Burnt Desert. The town of Sethia had long faded behind the hills of distant ck sand, and the onlyndmark still in sight was the tall, tall mountains.


    ¡°I¡¯m certain,¡± Argrave confirmed,ing to a stop and ncing around before turning back to hispass. One of the Brumesingers poked its head out just by his neck, ncing around the vast expanse of ck desert excitedly before retreating back into cover.


    ¡°How?¡± she questioned, stopping beside Argrave, her backpack¡ªtechnically Argrave¡¯s backpack¡ªswaying briefly before settling.


    ¡°Eidetic memory,¡± he said, unfocused.


    ¡°What is that?¡± She shook her head confusedly.


    ¡°Photogr¡ªwell, no, that wouldn¡¯t make sense to you either. Doesn¡¯t matter. Was a joke, anyhow.¡± Argrave shut thepass. ¡°Should be around¡­ somewhere.¡± His gaze scanned the distant mountains. After a time, he stopped scanning and his face lit up. ¡°Ahah. I¡¯ve still got it.¡±


    Argrave walked forward again, unburdened and certain. They passed over the top of another dune, and just beyond, there was a rtively t bit of sand. Almost perfect in the center of this t ne, there was a sword overturned and partially buried. The de of the sword had curved barbs and was quite badly rusted.


    With quick steps, Argrave headed downhill towards the center of the t bit of sand. He walked to the sword, and then picked it up, stabbing it into the ground. On the first try, it fell back into the sand. The second time, Argrave used more force, and it stood upright in the sand as he walked away.


    ¡°Alright¡­¡± Argrave took a breath. He held his hand out, and then used water magic. A steady pour of water flowed from his hand.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Yarra asked at once, angrily.


    ¡°Keep your hat on,¡± Argrave said dismissively. ¡°I¡¯m taking us to the southron elves.¡± He turned his head to look at her. ¡°Well, <em>us</em>, actually. As agreed, you¡¯ll stay outside.¡±


    Argrave was, ostensibly, revealing the location of the southron elves. They were a nomadic people by this point, though, moving from abandoned settlement to abandoned settlement. Argrave would be sure that, even if things did go sour, the elves would never be discovered. All he needed now was to keep Yarra far from them.


    She stared at the water, not meeting his gaze. ¡°Fellhorn permits violence against those that would conjure water with magic.¡±


    Argrave kept his gaze steady. ¡°Permitting isn¡¯t encouraging, you know,¡± he noted as the pool of water grewrger andrger, sinking into the sand and spreading out.


    ¡°You encroach on His domain,¡± she pressed angrily.


    With a clench of his fist, the downpour stopped. ¡°Are you going to stop me from doing what I need to do to help Cyprus?¡±


    ¡°I am a Vessel of Fellhorn before a servant of the Lord of Copper.¡±


    Argrave took a deep breath. Part of him would be happy to be rid of this woman. They were alone, miles from Sethia, miles from any witnesses¡­ and the woman was far too inhuman to warrant any remorse. All of the Vessels were.


    But it couldn¡¯t happen. Argrave had to stay close with Brium until the time came to separate cleanly andpletely. No nonsensical excuse would repair the trust severed by his best Vessel¡¯s death. It would be a stupid thing to do, and for the sake of ego instead of logic.


    ¡°And what do you think Brium would do, were he standing here?¡± Argrave questioned, eyes narrowed.


    At that, Yarra looked away at once, almost visibly recoiling. Argrave held his hand out and resumed his task, growing the poolrger andrger. Once that was done, he removed his glove.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± questioned Gmon.


    ¡°We need blood, don¡¯t w¡ªoh.¡± Argrave paused. ¡°I forgot.¡±


    Argrave put his glove back on. Gmon stepped forward, retrieving one of his sks. He removed the lid, then dropped the remainder of the blood inside it. Nothing odd seemed to happen to the pool of water. Its mundanity was enough that Argrave questioned if he was forgetting something.


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget, Yarra. Stay here. Out of sight, preferably. We¡¯ll be back¡­ and when we are, the southron elves will fight at our side when the timees.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll see,¡± she said.


    Argrave took a step forward, towards the pool. Though his body had expected his feet to meet solid, if mushy, ground, it felt like there was nothing but air beneath them. Argrave fell into the water with nary a ssh. Gmon counted to three, and then stepped just after him. Anneliese camest.


    Yarra peered into the water, shocked. She looked as though she wanted to kneel down and touch it, yet she did not.


    Had she been more attentive, Yarra might have noticed a set of golden eyes watching her. A single, off-white Brumesinger crouched low atop a sand dune, watching the Vessel with sublime patience. Its actions were far different from that of an animal.


    #####


    Having fallen to the ground, Argrave rose to darkness. His gloved hand brushed against something hard¡ªa sandy stone, by his estimation. It took him a second to think to conjure a bit of spell light, and at once, the subterranean cave became lit up with light. The cave was made of ck sandstone¡ªa rather eerie sight, like some cavern of hell, but this ce was precisely where Argrave intended to be.


    Gmon joined Argrave, very nearlynding atop him. His quick reflexes spared them both that. The elven vampire growled, ¡°Move,¡± and Argrave hasted to obey. Soon enough, Anneliese joined them, and Argrave supported her so that she wouldn¡¯t fall as he had.


    After she gave a thanks, Argrave questioned, ¡°Is it working?¡±


    ¡°¡­it is,¡± she confirmed. ¡°I can see Yarra.¡±


    Argrave sighed in relief. ¡°That¡¯s good. We can keep an eye on her, make sure she doesn¡¯t try anything.¡± He turned his head around, examining the cave. Recalling his experience yesterday, he questioned, Anneliese, ¡°And¡­ you¡¯re not overwhelmed by feelings of death?¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Not <em>over</em>whelmed,¡± she said, emphasis implying that she was merely ¡®whelmed.¡¯ ¡°And the feeling is fading fast.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Do you think we can move?¡±


    ¡°¡­I cannot, not while maintaining the druidic link,¡± she admitted. ¡°Not without guidance.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Argrave stepped up, then said, ¡°Gonna grab your shoulders, guide you along.¡±


    After she nodded in confirmation, Argrave wrapped his arm around her and moved her along as he walked in the cavern. Fortunately, the ce was spacious enough that they did not need to duck or maneuver significantly. The sandstone was t andcked treacherous obstacles, so the task was not excessively difficult.


    ¡°Gods¡­¡± muttered Garm from atop Gmon¡¯s backpack, just ahead.


    ¡°Something more toin about?¡± Argrave questioned.


    ¡°Oh, nothing,¡± Garm said sarcastically. ¡°Just wishing I was blind.¡±


    ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°Please, don¡¯t distract me, both of you,¡± Anneliese interrupted before Garm could give his answer.


    The both of them heeded Anneliese¡¯s word, and they trekked through the sandstone cave in silence. They trekked a long, long way, Argrave¡¯s spell illuminating the path ahead. asionally, holes of light poked through the cavern¡ªthe surface was not too far above. Piles of sand evidenced that they were still in the dunes.


    Eventually, though, the t ground started to go upwards.


    ¡°Wait,¡± Anneliese stopped them.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°The link¡­ is stretched quite thin,¡± Anneliese said. ¡°If I go further, I fear it will sever. I think you two should go on ahead. If Yarra does anything, I wille and find you.¡±


    ¡°Sure about that?¡± Argrave double-checked. ¡°The exit¡¯s pretty close.¡±


    ¡°Indeed,¡± she nodded. ¡°And if the exit is close, all the better.¡±


    With a nod of surrender, Argrave released Anneliese and pressed on with Gmon, casting nces behind him to be sure nothing would go wrong. Eventually, sunlight started to rear its head more and more, and the cave opened up into a very different sight.


    Grasnd.


    The grass stretched for a great distance ahead. It all led up to a great body of crystal blue water, utterly still and clear and pure. This oasis was nked by many of the palm trees that they had seen back in Delphasium, with ck trunks and purple leaves and strange fruits. Thend was vibrant, full of life¨C a far cry from the deste wastnd outside.


    And just beyond the oasis, one could make out houses carved into the stone, with glowing blue runes carved into the paved walkways. Though suppressed by sunlight, those were sure to light up the ce at night sufficiently.


    ¡°ce is big,¡± noted Gmon, kneeling. ¡°Not many people, though. Sixty. Seventy.¡±


    ¡°Some are out, maybe,¡± Argrave thought aloud. ¡°But this is it. Thest bastion of the southron elves. Seems it¡¯s just us three.¡±


    ¡°Might as well say ¡®us two.¡¯ I know you expect me to keep my mouth shut,¡± Garm said bitterly.


    ¡°You can talk if you want,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°Southron elves don¡¯t mind necromancy all too much. Their warpets ate souls, after all. Nheless¡­¡±


    ¡°You like to keep your cards close,¡± Garm finished. ¡°I¡¯ll stay quiet.¡±


    Argrave sighed. ¡°Thanks, Garm¡­ let¡¯s hope we don¡¯t have another Stonepetal Sentinels situation on hand.¡±

 Chapter 127: Jet-Black Relics

    Chapter 127: Jet-ck Relics


    ¡°Wanted to say¡­¡± Gmon looked at Argrave as they watched the oasis town, far out of sight. ¡°You¡¯ve gotten tougher.¡±


    ¡°The hell does that mean?¡± Argrave asked, worried at Gmon¡¯s praise.


    Gmon shook his head as though telling Argrave to calm down. ¡°You used to never stopining. Couldn¡¯t bear the sight of blood. Hated physical work. Different, now.¡±


    ¡°Not my choice, believe me,¡± Argrave turned his head away. ¡°I like soft hands.¡±


    ¡°Regardless¡­ you¡¯re blind to yourself, at times,¡± Gmon finished.


    ¡°You¡¯re still making potions and poisons next time we need them,¡± Argrave pointed at Gmon without looking.


    ¡°¡­as ever,¡± Gmon said with a sigh. ¡°Enough talk.¡±


    Argrave and Gmon proceeded openly and honestly into the oasis town of the southron elves. It would be difficult to approach any other way with both of them being over seven feet tall, and they also didn¡¯te for deceit and trickery. Ofte, that was a rare thing.


    ¡°Just a reminder¡­¡± Gmon began seriously, and Argrave turned his head to look at the elf. ¡°¡­don¡¯t use the ckgard name,¡± he advised.


    Argraveughed once. ¡°Hadn¡¯t nned on it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been with you too long,¡± the big elf noted, looking around the town. People were starting to take notice of them, and anxiously moved to act.


    ¡°Tired of me?¡± Argrave kept his gaze facing forward, keeping an eye on developments.


    He shook his head. ¡°Used to you.¡±


    Argrave spotted familiar people and kept his eye on them. ¡°So what¡¯s the problem?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t blink an eye at jumping into a pool of water and blood to enter a cave with a dying race within. It¡¯s¡­ concerning, that¡¯s all.¡± Gmon tapped Argrave¡¯s elbow. ¡°Keep your hands up. Demonstrate we¡¯re harmless.¡±


    Argrave obeyed Gmon¡¯smand, keeping his hands in the air. ¡°I just broke one of their illusion spells. Though¡­ that¡¯s not the least crazy thing I¡¯ve done, I¡¯ll admit. Maybe you can help convince Garm that I¡¯m as all-knowing as I im to be.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s seen enough. If he isn¡¯t convinced, my words won¡¯t change him,¡± Gmon answered. Argrave saw Garm¡¯s eyes move around in the helmet on Gmon¡¯s back, and then squeeze shut.


    A great many of the southron elves moved around the oasis, weapons in hand as they moved to confront the two intruders upon their territory. As they came closer, Argrave saw their features clearer.


    The southron elves were far distinct from the pale-skinned Veidimen¡ªthey deviated far from their ancestors, enough so it was near impossible to think Gmon or Anneliese might be distant rtives to those present. Most notable was their jet-ck skin, far darker than that of the southern tribals or other denizens of the desert. Their hair, their nails, and even their eyes were ck. Their ears were muchrger, and their bone structure was altogether sharper.


    The southron elves were a lean and skinny people, and a little taller than the humans Argrave had seen in the Burnt Desert¡ªa couple inches, perhaps, but not to the extremes of the Veidimen. They wore elegant silk clothing matching in color with their skin.


    These elves gathered in front of Argrave and Gmon, most pointing arge ive towards them. They shouted and cried and made demands, but their voices were too many to follow any sort of direction.


    Argrave took an uneasy step back, and then called out, ¡°We aren¡¯t here to cause any trouble.¡±


    But his words were drowned out by a multitude of questions, and the ives in the elves¡¯ hands did not lower. At the very least, the conflict was not escting. Argrave was content to wait until things settled enough for him to speak, but then he spotted someone he knew quite well walking out towards them.


    ¡°All of you, let me pass!¡± a loud voice rose above the rest.


    A grizzled veteran pushed past the crowd, face marred by scars and burns. Half of his nose had been torn off by something, and one of his eyes was blinded by a burn. Even still, he looked no less of a warrior as he pushed through the crowd, using his own ive as a walking staff that he did not seem to need.


    He came to stand a cautious distance away from the two of them. With silence reigning, Argrave pressed the advantage, using his ssic trick¡ªknowing everybody¡¯s name.


    ¡°You¡¯re the warrior Corentin?¡± Argrave pointed.


    Corentin shifted on his feet, nting his ive in the ground.


    ¡°I mean¡­ can¡¯t picture anyone else matching your description,¡± Argrave pressed, lowering his hand.


    Corentin pointed with his ive. ¡°Who told you this? How did you get here?¡±


    ¡°Geba, of the line of Burgund,¡± Argrave disclosed.


    Though the hostility from the southron elves did not evaporate, it did diminish into a steady caution in the silence following. The Brumesingers hiding in his clothes came out at this moment, and the sight of their long-dead warpets evoked gasps of silence and mutterings from the crowd.


    ¡°Geba? Is that right?¡± Corentin said. ¡°And what did she say about me?¡±


    ¡°She said¡­¡± Argrave paused, rubbing his chin. ¡°Well, she said that you¡¯re a real asshole, honestly.¡±


    Corentinughed. ¡°And Geba¡­ why is she not here?¡±


    ¡°Because she¡¯s dead,¡± Argrave said simply. He picked up one of the Brumesingers off his shoulder, holding it in his hand and petting it.


    Corentin stared at Argrave. ¡°Then it seems you have a reason to be here.¡±


    #####


    Corentin entered into arge room, seemingly emerging from nothing but the wall. He looked about, and then went to retrieve something. After rummaging through a bag in the corner of the room, he pulled free a ck cube, etched with glowing runes like those found everywhere throughout the vige. These runes did not glow blue, though¡ªtheirs was a fell purple.


    ¡°Dad?¡± came a voice.


    Corentin turned around. ¡°Don¡¯t leave the room, Iltuda.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± the woman responded. a rather muscr southron elf with a long, braided ponytail. She wore heavy coverings, likely for dealing with the heat of a forge. ¡°But what¡¯s the matter? That¡­¡± she looked at the cube in his hand. ¡°Has dangere to the vige?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Corentin answered. ¡°Not overt danger. Not an attack. But the Vessels taught us those might be the biggest threats.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­?¡± she pressed.


    ¡°Someone iming to know Geba hase.¡±


    ¡°Someone else?¡± she raised her brows.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Corentin nodded.


    Iltuda removed the thick forging gloves she wore and stepped forward. ¡°What do they want?¡± she said insistently.


    ¡°To talk alone,¡± Corentin said grimly, then hefted the ck cube glowing with purple runes. ¡°I¡¯ll find out what he wants, who he is,¡± he said, then moved towards the wall he had entered from once again.


    ¡°This could be dangerous, dad!¡± she tried to grab his arm.


    Corentin dodged her grasp easily. ¡°And I am a warrior of our great empire. I am here to protect. Protect you, protect the vigers, protect the empire.¡±


    ¡°Our dead empire,¡± she refuted.


    ¡°Stay inside,¡± he repeated, pointing, and then walked to the wall. ¡°Step outside, I¡¯ll tan you on that leather rack, youngdy.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re mud,¡± she shook her head.


    ¡°Yeah, love you too,¡± he said with angry sarcasm, then vanished into the wall.


    #####


    ¡°Gods, I¡¯m turning paranoid¡­¡± Argrave tapped his temple rapidly as they waited for Corentin¡¯s return. ¡°Keep thinking about ways this might go wrong. Can¡¯t muck this up.¡±


    ¡°Gods?¡± repeated Gmon, standing just behind Argrave. ¡°You always said ¡®god¡¯ before.¡±


    Argrave looked up perplexedly, then dismissed with a shake of his head, ¡°Whatever. Been here months. When in Rome¡­¡±


    Southron elven architecture was much more refined than most of the buildings they had seen in Sethia. Though Delphasium had been a ce of marble, and was quite beautiful, this ce had a distinct vor and culture to it separating it from anything else. The walls were made of smooth, ck sandstone, polished to the point where it shone. The glowing blue runes decorating the walls and ceiling gave an ent to the ce that made it seem almost mystical.


    The chairs were made of silk and wood¡ªthe wood formed the frame, and silk cloth stretched tight made the seat itself. It was a little like sitting in a hammock. The center sunk the lowest, while the edges held firm. Argrave¡¯s Brumesingers roamed at Argrave¡¯s feet, moving about the ce frically. They were energetic little devils.


    ¡°He¡¯sing,¡± Gmon notified Argrave, bringing him to attention. Soon after, Argrave heard the sound of steady footstepsing up the stairs.


    When he saw the cube with glowing purple runes in the southron elf¡¯s hand, Argrave straightened his back in the chair and ced his feet against the ground, ready to bolt.


    <em>Don¡¯t freak. Don¡¯t freak. It¡¯s just Corentin. He¡¯s just being cautious. Caution¡ªwhy else would he bring a grenade?</em>


    Argrave tried to calm himself, feeling the ring beneath his gloves with the B-rank ward, and thinking of the enchanted leather armor around his skin.


    ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re willing to hear me out,¡± Argrave said, trying to use conversation to ease his nervousness.


    ¡°Mmm,¡± grunted Corentin simply, grabbing a chair from another side of the room and pulling it until he sat across from Argrave and Gmon. ¡°And what brings two Veidimen to thest bastion of the southron elves?¡±


    Argrave tensed at once, worried that Anneliese had been discovered. He calmed and thought on the words further. Argrave touched at his ears¡ªhis hair had grown long enough to cover his ears, he realized.


    ¡°I¡¯m human, actually,¡± Argrave corrected, relieved. ¡°Just a freak of nature.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Corentin nodded. He was being a little polite¡ªa telltale sign he didn¡¯t trust them at all.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to conjure a ward,¡± Argrave said, holding his hands out. ¡°Block out listeners.¡±


    Corentin adjusted on his seat, cing the ck cube on his armrest, clenched tight in hand. ¡°Go ahead,¡± he gestured towards Argrave.


    Argrave went ahead, conjuring a C-rank ward to envelop the three of them. As soon as it was up, Corentin questioned, ¡°How did Geba die?¡±


    Argrave scratched his brow, then said, ¡°¡­badly.¡±


    Corentin stared with his one remaining good eye.


    Argrave swallowed and continued, ¡°She was crushed. Trapped. Removing the rubble would have killed her, and she¡¯d been starving for some days when I found her,¡± he described, going over the situation the yer met her in-game. ¡°Tried to help. Maybe an S-rank spellcaster could have saved her. But I¡¯m not one, and not affluent enough to bring one.¡±


    Corentin ground his teeth together as he stared at Argrave, then he nodded. ¡°Alright. And why are you here?¡±


    ¡°Two reasons. Because Geba came to trust me enough to divulge her tribe¡¯s secret¡­ and because I need your help.¡±


    ¡°Help?¡± Corentin frowned. ¡°And you sought it here? In a ghost town?¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Don¡¯t need your forces, not especially. What I want¡­ is to uproot the Vessels from Sethia,pletely and utterly. My situation demands a third party.¡±


    ¡°Your situation?¡±


    Argrave licked his lips, choosing his words carefully. ¡°The Lord of Silver, Quarrus, has something that I want in his tower. The Lord of Copper is trying to use the southern tribals to wipe out Aurum and Argent before betraying the tribals, absorbing all factions,¡± Argrave disclosed without qualms. ¡°I need what¡¯s inside Argent. But I don¡¯t care to have the Vessels being the only faction retaining power in the Burnt Desert.¡±


    ¡°So, inform the tribals of the betrayal,¡± Corentin suggested simply.


    ¡°I could,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°But I want to be sure that the Vessels in Sethia are purged. To do that, I¡¯ve been working with the Lord of Copper. The southern tribals can¡¯t win against the Vessels¡ªthe Vessels <em>have to </em>fight amongst themselves.¡±


    Corentin took a deep breath and exhaled. ¡°So, you¡¯ll ensure they fight amongst themselves, while you wish us to be a proxy to inform the tribals?¡±


    ¡°Precisely,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°You know as well as I do that without internal dissent, Sethia will never be free from Vessel rule.¡±


    Corentin rotated the cube in his hand. ¡°¡­we will have to speak to the other warriors. They will be returning soon.¡±

 Chapter 128: The Old Guardians

    Chapter 128: The Old Guardians


    Corentin sat in a group of near eight others, in the same house that he had just had his discussion with Argrave. The other southron elves were grizzled, scarred warriors just as he was¡ªobvious war veterans. They were in a loose circle, some standing, some sitting.


    ¡°So, just as Durran did, this new arrival ims to have met my daughter?¡± one asked, a man with a missing nose.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Corentin nodded, looking out towards the door. ¡°Same tale as Durran, too. Geba was crushed beneath rocks. Same ounts. Only difference¡­¡± Corentin turned his head back. ¡°Argrave brought Brumesingers with him. Seems to have tamed them, too.¡±


    The warriors all looked greatly intrigued by this. One, who leaned against Corentin¡¯s wall, asked, ¡°How?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Corentin shook his head.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t ask?¡± the man pressed.


    ¡°What am I, a damned interrogator? You ask him,¡± Corentin crossed his arms and shook his head.


    ¡°What good are you, old bastard?¡± the man with the missing nose asked.


    ¡°Least I can still smell things, Morvan,¡± Corentin returned with augh. ¡°You go outside, that cavity you call a nose fills up with sand. What kind of desert warrior loses to sand?¡±


    Some of the others joined the man inughter.


    ¡°You one-eyed prick,¡± Morvan leaned forward, a smile on his face.


    ¡°Let¡¯s stay serious,¡± another man interjected¡ªthough he seemed the oldest, he was the least scarred. All of the others heeded his words at once. ¡°Save the banter for when we don¡¯t have an unexpected visitor. This man, Argrave, ims to be working with the Lord of Copper. This deserves serious treatment.¡±


    Corentin raised his hands. ¡°Of course, Florimond.¡±


    Florimond looked about. ¡°What is he doing right now?¡±


    Someone stalked to the door of Corentin¡¯s house. ¡°Looks like¡­ he¡¯s letting the Brumesingers y with the children.¡±


    That brief little description immediately made everyone stir.


    ¡°Either he¡¯s not a bad guy, or he¡¯s damned good at tugging the heartstrings,¡± Morvan shook his head.


    ¡°This is someone working for the Vessels,¡± another warrior posited. ¡°With the intent to betray them, too. Maybe he¡¯s a paragon. Maybe he¡¯s a good actor.¡±


    That sobered some of the warriors up, and their smiles faded somewhat.


    ¡°But what he¡¯s saying¡ªthat the southern tribals are going to attack with the help of the Lord of Copper¡ªit does match with what Durran told us. Everything matches,¡± Corentin ceded.


    ¡°Did you tell him anything about Durran? About the proposition the man¡¯s made to us?¡± Florimond questioned.


    ¡°You think I¡¯m stupid?¡± Corentin put a hand to his chest. ¡°I kept my mouth shut, tried to let him say his piece.¡± Corentin lowered his hand.


    ¡°And that warrior with him?¡±


    ¡°Quiet fellow,¡± Corentin nodded. ¡°Looked¡­ I don¡¯t know. Probably the type of guy I¡¯d avoid on the battlefield. Strong, tough, hard. If a man like that would follow him¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d run from anything, craven moron,¡± Morvan crossed his arms.


    ¡°You stand before that damned giant and tell me how brave you are,¡± Corentin gestured towards the no-nosed elf. ¡°His hand¡¯s bigger than your head. Maybe that¡¯s not saying much, considering how small the brain inside is.¡±


    The whole roomughed, and even Morvan sunk back into his chair, shaking his head with a grin on his face.


    ¡°So, what in the world are we going to say to this guy?¡± Florimond looked around. ¡°Do we tell him about Durran?¡±


    ¡°Why would we?¡± Corentin crossed his arms.


    ¡°True, true,¡± Florimond nodded. ¡°Nothing to gain from that. I do think we need to hear more from him¡ªask questions, work out his personality.¡±


    ¡°And we need to hear this ¡®grand n¡¯ of his,¡± Morvan raised his hand. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter if he can manipte the Lord of Copper if he¡¯s a drooling imbecile. If he¡¯s stupid, we should probably migrate. Been too long, anyhow. Don¡¯t like staying in this ce for too long.¡±


    ¡°We should regardless. But¡­¡± Corentin began. ¡°Didn¡¯t want to say this, because it¡¯s just conjecture on my end. I brought this,¡± he pulled out the ck cube with glowing purple runes on it. ¡°He kept his eye on it, like he knew what it does.¡±


    ¡°Geba might have told him,¡± Florimond posited.


    ¡°My daughter had never seen one of those,¡± Morvan disagreed. ¡°Smart girl, but¡­ too young,¡± he shook his head, then lowered his gaze to the ground. ¡°Too young,¡± he repeated hollowly.


    The room grew quiet, as though tofort the man¡¯s loss. Someone patted him on the shoulder, but no words were exchanged¡ªthey didn¡¯t seem needed.


    ¡°Yeah, embarrass me by staying quiet,¡± Morvan finally broke the silence, shaking his head. ¡°Keep talking, you damned idiots.¡±


    People in the room chuckled. Florimond heeded Morvan¡¯s advice, continuing, ¡°So¡ªwe ask him questions, try to get a clearer picture of things¡ªeveryone in agreement?¡±


    ¡°Aye,¡± said the entire room asynchronously.


    #####


    ¡°Sounds travel strangely in this ce. I can hear nothing,¡± Gmon shook his head.


    ¡°Their runes,¡± Argrave exined. ¡°They help with privacy. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    Gmon stood beside Argrave, who sat on a rock in the oasis town. The Brumesingers dashed about the open area like little balls of lightning, the southron elven children watching them and ying with them, tossing things to be retrieved or leading them about with feathers.


    ¡°Do you like children?¡± Gmon questioned.


    ¡°No,¡± said Argrave immediately.


    Gmon looked down. ¡°You surprise me.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ if they¡¯re rted to me, it¡¯s fine,¡± Argrave shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t want to deal with other people¡¯s children. Nephews, nieces, et cetera¡ªthat¡¯s tolerable. Otherwise, forget about it.¡±


    ¡°Sons, daughters?¡± he pressed.


    Argrave scoffed and shook his head. ¡°Wrong time to even consider considering that.¡±


    ¡°You cannot control where the mind wanders,¡± Gmon stated.


    ¡°I¡¯m not ready,¡± Argrave crossed his legs. ¡°End of discussion.¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t ready, either,¡± he chuckled.


    Argrave looked up at him. He bit his lip, considering a question. Before he could ask it, he spotted a decent crowd moving towards them. The old warriors of the southron elves moved from Corentin¡¯s home, striding towards them. Argrave stood, turning around.


    ¡°Despite their age, injuries¡­ these men are full of vitality,¡± Gmon stated.


    ¡°Are they skilled?¡± Argrave questioned, though he knew the answer.


    ¡°I cannot tell a man¡¯s skill by sight alone. None can,¡± Gmon shook his head. ¡°But they¡¯re alive. That is testament to something.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re skilled,¡± Argrave told Gmon. ¡°Frighteningly so.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± grunted Gmon, keeping an eye on them as they moved closer.


    The crowd of old veterans was quite a gruesome sight, but strangely, Argrave could not bring himself to pity any of them. They seemed too proud to be pitied. Some were missing hands or had gruesome scars across their bodies¡ªMorvan ¡®No-Nose¡¯ was here, just as One-Eye Corentin. The de facto leader, Florimund, was simrly present.


    Argrave felt a little nervous, facing them all. The Brumesigners, either sensing his nervousness or simply tired of ying with the southron elf children, rushed across the field and took refuge in his clothes.


    ¡°You must be Argrave,¡± Florimund greeted. ¡°And those creatures¡­¡± he eyed one of the Brumesingers, who kept their golden eyes on the southron elf suspiciously. ¡°¡­they are thest Brumesingers.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Argrave nodded, looking around the group. ¡°And¡­¡± his gaze stopped on Morvan. ¡°You must be Geba¡¯s father,¡± he stepped forward, swallowing. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but¡­¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Morvan held up his hand. He was missing a pinky. ¡°Corentin told me.¡±


    Argrave paused, taken aback by this reaction. At first, he dismissed the thought, presuming that the man had time to process his grief since Corentin had informed him¡­ but Morvan definitely wouldn¡¯t process it to this point, and especially not this fast. His breathing quickened as he came to a rapid conclusion.


    <em>He¡¯s known. He¡¯s known for a while now. </em>


    Argrave tried to think of alternatives, another exnation for this scenario¡­ but nothing came, and the only thing Argrave could conjure was that Morvan had been informed a long time ago. The southron elf locked himself away for a week in ¡®Heroes of Berendar.¡¯ Considering everyone else¡¯s personality had remained the same, there was no good reason Morvan¡¯s reaction to his daughter¡¯s death would change.


    ¡°¡­my condolences,¡± Argrave managed to squeeze out, realizing he¡¯d been silent for far too long. ¡°Your daughter was a woman of honor, thinking only of her people to the veryst.¡±


    Morvan nodded with a bitter smile, and then turned his head away.


    With more time, Argrave tried to think of how he could approach this. There had to be something he could say, some way he could spin this to get into contact with Durran¡ªhell, if he said the right things, his task mighte a hell of a lot easier.


    Then his mind drifted back to the Low Way, where he had stacked up so many lies that it was difficult to keep track of them all. The Unbloodied de, the Unsullied Knife, ckgard¡­ all of that hade back to bite him.


    ¡°By chance¡­¡± Argrave began. ¡°Am I not the first outsider toe here?¡±


    If he was open and honest, he could expect the same in return. Or at least, that was the gambit.


    The veterans acted like experienced poker yers, none of them betraying their thoughts with their expressions.


    Argrave pressed the point, asking, ¡°Have you met a man with a boar mask? Wears full te armor, kind of like my friend here?¡±


    The crowd stayed still. <em>They¡¯re not reacting¡ªa swing and a miss,</em> Argrave concluded.


    ¡°¡­or a golden-eyed southern tribal by the name of Durran?¡±


    That got something out of them. The way some moved, their eyes shifted¡­ Argrave didn¡¯t need to have Anneliese¡¯s empathic capabilities to tell that he had hit the head on the nail¡ªthough he¡¯d feel a bit more confident if she was by his side, granted.


    ¡°Real erratic guy, kind of crazy, really cynical?¡± Argrave followed, drawing more reactions from them to be sure that he was right in this assumption.


    ¡°Why are you asking?¡± asked Florimund. He had the best poker face of them all¡ªhe asked the question with enough confusion that even Argrave doubted if he was on the right track.


    ¡°Because he¡¯s the one that I need to inform Brium ns on betraying the tribals,¡± Argrave said, nervous as all hell he was wrong about the whole thing.


    Silence settled in the clearing. The old warriors looked between themselves, silentlymunicating. After a long while, they nodded between themselves, before atst conveying that to Florimund.


    Florimund turned, facing Argrave, and finally confirmed, ¡°We¡¯ve met Durran.¡±


    Argrave felt like some pressure was released from his chest, and he couldn¡¯t help but sigh. ¡°That¡¯s good. That¡¯s great, in fact.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re friends of his?¡± Florimund gestured.


    ¡°We¡¯ve never met,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°But I know of him. And if he keeps on as he is, trying to work with Brium to take out the Vessels in Sethia¡­ he¡¯s going to get his whole damned tribe killed. Drained by the Vessels,¡± Argrave continued quickly, hoping they wouldn¡¯t ask the details of the rtionship.¡±


    ¡°Durran is a friend of the tribe,¡± Morvan vouched for him. ¡°We can get your message to him.¡±


    ¡°Then that¡¯s all that I need,¡± Argrave sped his hands together.


    ¡°¡­but you¡¯re going to need to tell us a lot more about yourself,¡± Florimund continued. ¡°Namely, your rtionship with the Vessels, your ns¡­¡±


    ¡°Fine by me,¡± Argrave nodded, sweating inwardly. This was going to be difficult to exin, to say the least, and Anneliese¡¯s magic couldn¡¯tst forever. ¡°I will say this. I advise you migrate your people. The Lord of Copper might¡¯ve had eyes on me¡ªI can¡¯t say for sure.¡±


    He felt that exposing Yarra¡¯s existence would only do more harm than good for further negotiations.


    Florimund nodded slowly. ¡°We¡¯d nned on it, anyways. Been too long since we movedst. Bute inside¡ªlet¡¯s talk.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

 Chapter 129: Blades That Lie

    Chapter 129: des That Lie


    Florimund held a pure white¡ªlikely genuine ivory¡ªchisel in his right hand, a hammer in the left. He turned them about in his hand, inspecting them for any ws or deficiencies. The other warriors looked over his shoulder, leaning atop him to see the thing better.


    They sat cross-legged on the floor in a rather strange ce¡ªa silk-crafting room. Above, there were innumerable cocoons, each made of ck silk. It made Argrave quite ufortable, but he hoped Gmon, standing just behind him, would stop him from being hit by any dislodged bugs. There was a loom, too, and a female southron elf attendant, who paid loose attention to the many warriors and two outsiders in her building.


    The conversation had gone passably, and Argrave had exined most of what he needed to the southron elves. They had agreed tomunicate with Durran, though nothing more and nothing less. That was what Argrave needed.


    The chisel and hammer were the items that Argrave had acquired in the southron elf tomb¡ªthough the Brumesingers had been the purpose of their visit then, in ¡®Heroes of Berendar,¡¯ the reason the yer went was to obtain those items. It was a fetch quest to earn the southron elves¡¯ trust. It wasn¡¯t entirely dissimr to how Argrave was using them now, yet different enough Argrave had some doubt.


    ¡°Been near a century since I¡¯ve seen aplete set of these,¡± Florimund noted, and the other warriors in the room nodded, clearly impressed. ¡°Do you know what these are?¡± he raised them up.


    ¡°They¡¯re the tools for your illusion magic,¡± Argrave nodded.


    Morvan No-Nose crossed his arms. ¡°Don¡¯t call it magic, you damned palm tree. It¡¯s artisanship. The Way of Worldbending.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s magic,¡± Corentin shook his head. ¡°Stop being a pretentious twat.¡±


    Argrave might¡¯ve been uneased by the banter bandied about, but he felt it was actually a good signing from these people. If the southron elves hated you, they acted polite. If they weed you, they always said what was on their mind, even if it was incredibly rude.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Florimund handed the tools off to the other warriors, who eagerly took them from his hands and examined them. ¡°Why are you showing us these?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m giving them to you,¡± Argrave held his gaze.


    They all cast a nce at Argrave in that moment¡ªsurprise and suspicion bundled together.


    Argrave held his hand up. ¡°They¡¯re Geba¡¯s, by right. She told me of the tomb. And I¡¯m pretty certain she¡¯d want to give it to you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t pull that noble nonsense,¡± Corentin waved his hand. ¡°You can¡¯t use it, so you¡¯re giving it to us.¡±


    Argraveughed. ¡°Even if I could use it, I¡¯d give it to you. Not because I¡¯m some saint, but because I don¡¯t have a use for it.¡± The people bristled at him when he said that, like he was contesting some point of pride of theirs. Argrave quickly added, ¡°They¡¯rergely stationary things¡ªentryways, traps. I very rarely sleep in the same ce twice.¡±


    ¡°Hmph. Stationary,¡± Florimund chuckled. ¡°You must never have seen our ives at work.¡±


    <em>Think I¡¯ve hooked them,</em> Argrave thought, but feigned ignorance, shaking his head.


    ¡°Warriors have a hard time of things,¡± one of the veteran southron elves spoke¡ªa one-handed man named Yann. ¡°Compared to spellcasters like you¡­ vastly different trajectory. Mages start off piss-weak¡ªa militiaman with a spear could ughter most mages up to D-rank. The spells are slow, then,cking power,cking control.¡±


    Argrave nodded, agreeing with this assessment.


    ¡°But mages¡­ they don¡¯t have the same ceiling,¡± Yann continued. ¡°There¡¯s only so much a warrior can do with his body alone. The spellcasters keep getting stronger and stronger, and before long, they leave the warriors in the dust.¡±


    ¡°Of course, not everyone is cut out to be a spellcaster, elsewise we¡¯d still have a few more eyeballs and limbs, I suspect. None of us can cast a spell for shit,¡± Florimund stood. ¡°At some point, we warriors have to look for other ways to handle things. Ways to exceed the constraints of our bodies.¡±


    Florimund walked to the corner of the room, retrieving a ive. He turned back to Argrave and Gmon.


    ¡°Does the big one care to have a spar?¡±


    Gmon ced his hand on the pommel of his greatsword, adjusting his position. He looked down to Argrave, who gave him a nod of approval.


    ¡°My de is enchanted,¡± Gmon tapped his sword. ¡°I¡¯ll have to use my axe.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m too old for a real spar,¡± Florimund shook his head.


    ¡°Don¡¯t listen to him,¡± Morvan interrupted. ¡°He¡¯s a damned force of nature.¡±


    Florimund grinned, then shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ll use the blunt end of the ive. All you have to do¡­ is block or dodge a swing.¡±


    ¡°Do it outside,¡± the female loom worker chastised.


    Florimund cleared his throat, and then stepped outside. Everyone rose to their feet, following. Gmon drew his axe and moved to stand opposite Florimund. The veteran southron elf twirled the ive about before holding it in front of him, at the ready.


    ¡°If you¡¯ve got enchanted weaponry, you¡¯ve already realized the limits of your body,¡± Florimund called out.


    ¡°Hmm,¡± grunted Gmon.


    ¡°Let¡¯s begin,¡± Florimund said. He stepped forward, swinging his ive towards Gmon incredibly simply. Gmon pivoted, holding the axe out to intercept it.


    Then, in a manner that made no visual sense at all, the back of Florimund¡¯s ive struck Gmon in the neck. Gmon twisted his body, moving with the blow, and stepped away. He stepped back, then raised his head, white brows furrowed in confusion.


    The old southron elf smiled, while some of the veterans hooted and hollered. Florimund nted the bottom of the ive in the ground. ¡°You¡¯ve got damned sharp instincts, quick reflexes. Had I been using the sharp side, I don¡¯t think my blow would¡¯ve killed you. You¡¯d be bleeding bad, though, can guarantee you that.¡±


    Gmon rubbed at his neck. He stepped forward, holding his axe out. ¡°Again,¡± hemanded.


    Florimund kicked the bottom of his ive, setting it spinning about in his hand. With a final flourish, he held it at attention. ¡°Once more, then,¡± he said, moving forward with a snarl.


    The ive moved once more. The blow was not exceptionally fancy or fast, and Gmon braced himself to receive it. Argrave paid special attention this time¡ªthe de of the ive seemed to move with a will of its own, and Gmon twisted the axe about, yet never caught it. Finally, it struck him squarely on the forehead.


    ¡°Ooh,¡± Florimund winced. ¡°A bit worse this time. You get caught up in your own head, make a mistake. Seen it happen a thousand times before.¡±


    Gmon stared at Florimund, unoffended. He hefted the Ebonice axe in his hand, and then took a step back. ¡°Again,¡± he repeated.


    ¡°The man loves to get beat,¡± Corentin crossed his arms, one eye watching the spectacle.


    Florimund took his stance, as serious as the first time. He stepped forward, swung, and Gmon waited. He did not move his axe about wildly. Instead, he calmly moved to receive the blow. It didn¡¯t look like it would catch anything, but then, a ringing echoed out.


    The distortion settled, and the axe had met the ive. Gmon locked the beard of his axe around the de and pulled forward. Florimund was pulled forward briefly but released the ive. Gmon advanced, then held his hand out and flicked Florimund in the forehead.


    The crowd erupted into cheers andughter, and Florimund stopped himself from falling by cing his hand against the ground. He rose to his feet, rubbing his forehead, then took the ive out of Gmon¡¯s grasp.


    Once the uproar had settled, Florimund called out, ¡°I¡¯m impressed.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯d better be!¡± Yann shouted, then broke off intoughter.


    ¡°It¡¯s the de that¡¯s wrong. Had to follow the way your hand, your arm, your wrists moved,¡± Gmon noted, staring at the ive. ¡°That told me where the ive really was.¡±


    ¡°Took Durran twenty tries to grasp that principle, and I thought he was fast at it,¡± Florimund shook his head. ¡°Maybe it was a fluke. Maybe it wasn¡¯t. But you get the point I was making, no? This is what we achieve with the Way of Worldbending.¡± Florimund held the ive up into the air. ¡°des that lie. Arrows that should miss. Oues that shouldn¡¯t be.¡±


    Argrave felt pride in his choice ofpanions, hearing that Gmon outperformed Durran.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t see the de, either,¡± Gmon imed.


    ¡°Very sharp,¡± Florimund nodded. ¡°We have to learn our weapons extensively. The sensation of the weight, the resistance¡ªwe have to use that instead of our eyes. But back in the day, when our empire rode against the tribals, Brumesingers leaving a melody of war in our wake, each swing uncontested, our charge relentless¡­ nothing could stop us,¡± Florimund lowered his head, reminiscing.


    ¡°And what brought you here?¡± Gmon pressed. ¡°What changed?¡±


    ¡°Everything. Everything except us,¡± Florimund shook his head.


    ¡°Not toote for you,¡± Argrave suggested. ¡°Put aside your enmity, help Durran and his people wipe out the Vessels.¡±


    ¡°Hey, there¡¯s a time and a ce, huh?¡± Corentin reprimanded.


    ¡°The kid isn¡¯t wrong,¡± Yann shook his head.


    ¡°We can¡¯t afford to wage war,¡± Florimund stepped forward, using the ive as a walking staff. ¡°There¡¯s maybe a hundred of us. We¡¯re all trained, all dangerous, but¡­ too few.¡±


    ¡°Maybe I¡¯m wrong¡­ but Durran wants equipment, no?¡± Argrave raised a brow. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve told him the same thing you just told me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Florimund nodded. ¡°You¡¯re sharp, too, it seems, though in a different way from that one,¡± he pointed to Gmon. ¡°I¡¯ll work something out with Durran. Settling a thousand-year grudge¡­ can¡¯t be done with an outsider as a mediator,¡± he looked at Argrave deliberately. ¡°But I will tell you this. You wipe out the Vessels from Sethia, as you im¡­ I can make your elvenpanion¡¯s weapons like this ive, here¡ªthe axe, the sword, the arrows, it matters not.¡±


    Argrave raised a brow. ¡°You¡¯re serious?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, are you serious?¡± Corentin questioned. ¡°We¡¯re talking about our people¡¯s secrets, Florimund.¡±


    ¡°Come off it,¡± Morvan interrupted. ¡°Maybe our knowledge will live on. Look at us here¡ªbefore long, we won¡¯t have any choice but to inbreed. Poption¡¯s thin, thins every year. Can¡¯t we see the writing on the wall?¡±


    Florimund turned and half-shouted, ¡°Let¡¯s not have this conversation here, now,¡± he said pointedly, and that seemed to gather everyone¡¯s thoughts.


    Once everyone settled, Florimund directed his attention back to the two of them. ¡°For now, you may consider yourselves to be wee among us. We will spread word of you to our people¡­ though I suspect everyone already knows of your presence. We will speak to Durran.¡±


    ¡°I was hoping you could stand as the point of contact between the two of us,¡± Argrave waved between them. ¡°Difficult for me to do so, in my position.¡±


    ¡°Then we can do that. We will migrate, soon. Take the sword in the desert for us, when you leave¡ªdestroy it. That will sever the illusion magic. We will travel through the mountains, to Otria. Do you know of it?¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll return in some days.¡±


    ¡°Then we will look forward to good news from you,¡± Florimund held out his hand. ¡°I am sure the others will wish to say their goodbyes. Come, won¡¯t you?¡±

 Chapter 130: Dissatisfied Stalkers

    Chapter 130: Dissatisfied Stalkers


    ¡°¡­so, in time, I¡¯ll need to return to them to officiate things. The date of the attack, who they¡¯re coborating with¡­ so on and so forth,¡± Argrave exined to Brium, sitting across from him. Yarra stood behind him, hands behind her rigid back like she was a bodyguard.


    They had returned from the oasis town of the southron elves. It was veryte in the evening, and Argrave was quite hungry¡ªhe had not eaten since morning. Business came before that, though. As Florimund had instructed, Argrave had broken the sword in the desert. The southron elves were soon to migrate, travelling through the mountains to another home of theirs.


    Anneliese had ensured Yarra did nothing out of ce the whole while, and as far as Argrave could tell, no one suspected anything. The manifold uses of druidic magic were making themselves known already, though the Brumesingers were far from manifesting their full capabilities. Argrave needed to feed them souls. A strange need, truthfully, but considering themonality of death, it was much better than your standard pet food.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ the southron elves,¡± Brium mused. ¡°It¡¯s a little unbelievable, but those illusion magics¡­ no one else can replicate them, certainly. They¡¯ve caused the Vessels no end of trouble. How many were they?¡±


    ¡°If you mean ready to fight? Near two hundred,¡± Argrave exaggerated, attempting to bolster Brium¡¯s confidence.


    ¡°Then¡­ excellent work,¡± Brium leaned back into the chair. ¡°But it doesn¡¯t escape me that you used Yarra to bolster your personal wealth¡ªthose pets of yours. They¡¯re certainly more for you than for my cause.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± one of the Brumesingers poked itself out of Argrave¡¯s clothes, and he pet its giant furry ears. ¡°I¡¯m no saint.¡±


    Brium chuckled¡ªit sounded fake. After, he raised his hand to his face. ¡°I think I¡¯ve figured you out.¡±


    Argrave furrowed his brows, thrown off. The Brumesinger, no longer being pet, hid itself away once more.


    ¡°You¡¯re testing the limits. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s of any genuine concern, presently,¡± Brium held a hand out, reassuring Argrave. ¡°I¡¯ll warn you, though. A limit broken before a Vessel will not result in merely a warning,¡± Brium leaned in. ¡°It should not escape you that the punishment for any crime is death. Considering what I know¡­¡±


    ¡°I also know that you¡¯repelled to punish me. Not forced,¡± Argrave returned. ¡°We¡¯re doing great work together, so far.¡±


    Brium stared down Argrave, running a hand across his coppery skin. Eventually he nodded. ¡°You¡¯ve done well. The Vessels have been looking for the southron elves for centuries. Not a single sess, before you came along¡ªonly abandoned towns, ruined ces. There has been little cause to hunt them in recent decades. Their mages are all dead and gone, and we seized and burned their books of spells. Nothing more remains of them to challenge Fellhorn¡¯s authority.¡±


    ¡°Any predictions on when Aurum and Argent will make their move?¡± Argrave probed.


    ¡°They¡¯re gathering guards,¡± the Lord of Copper answered idly at once. ¡°Negating my influence in the city. Trying to stifle my ie, my workers. Vessels beneath me are being tempted with wealth, power¡­ but the core of my power isn¡¯t in Sethia. I keep that which truly belongs to me in Cyprus. In here.¡±


    ¡°But when?¡± Argrave pressed. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be caught unprepared.¡±


    ¡°A week, most likely two,¡± Brium shook his head. ¡°You have time to do more before the fighting.¡±


    Argrave tilted his head. ¡°Not nning on letting me closer into the machinations?¡±


    Brium¡¯s gaze intensified at that moment, as though challenged. ¡°What are you implying?¡±


    Argrave shrugged. ¡°I just don¡¯t think that you¡¯re leaving things to chance with the tribals.¡±


    Brium stared at him for a long while. ¡°I have to speak with Yarra. Go, rest,¡± he finally said, pointing towards the door. ¡°She¡¯ll rejoin you in time. For now, do nothing.¡±


    #####


    Argrave stepped out of Cyprus a little relieved to be free of Yarra, though he was not pleased to be carrying around his own backpack once again. Between the three furballs roaming about in his duster and the backpack, he was hauling quite arge load.


    ¡°Let¡¯s return to our room quickly. We have a little time to talk. Things are going well so far,¡± Argravementated, walking quickly down the road. He felt the old sting of the scars in his lungs.


    He spotted someone ahead, wearing a set of baggy robes. They carried arge stick of sorts, the top of it wrapped it cloth. Argrave merely felt it was unusual, ready to pass it by. The person started to approach, though, and Gmon grabbed Argrave.


    ¡°That¡¯s a weapon. Be cautious,¡± he urged, stepping ahead of Argrave.


    Argrave kept his eye on the man. He questioned if they would simply pass him by, but the robed figure came to stand boldly before them. He didn¡¯t lower his hood, but as Argrave stared, he started to recognize the person.


    ¡°You¡¯re my saviors, is that right?¡± remarked Durran.


    Argrave¡¯s breath caught in his chest at once. Durran had quite an eye-catching appearance. He had a golden tattoo just below his eye, acting like an extension of his golden pupils, and a handsome, confident face that practically screamed ¡®heartbreaker.¡¯ His eyes had a certain wildness to them, and his grin never seemed to fade.


    ¡°The hell are you doing here?¡± Argrave whispered, looking around frantically. No one was near, but that meant little¡ªthey were in the middle of a wide-open road, and anyone could be watching.


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t really like talking through third parties. I like to confront my admirers directly,¡± Durran said, staring uncaringly.


    His words confirmed that the southron elves had already talked to him. It had been such a short time, and Argrave hadn¡¯t expected Durran to talk to him at all. The unexpected situation left him at a loss.


    ¡°You¡¯re tall. They were right,¡± he nodded musingly.


    ¡°Yeah, great observation, hawk-like vision on you,¡± Argrave whispered, eliciting a chuckle from Durran. ¡°Get the hell out of here. You maybe think there¡¯s a reason I went to a hell of a lot of effort to avoid talking to you directly? If Brium sees us talking¨C¡±


    ¡°So you do know me,¡± Durran noted. ¡°Pretty strange. I¡¯m sure I¡¯d remember meeting you.¡±


    ¡°You had too much to drink that night,¡± dismissed Argrave. ¡°Forget this. Keep walking,¡± Argrave directed hispanions, and then moved towards the gate of Sethia.


    ¡°Geba died when Ist saw her. I was thest she spoke to, and I stumbled across her by pure chance. I¡¯m pretty damned sure she¡¯d mention any meeting with a weird looking party like you three,¡± Durran called out as they walked away.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Argrave paused. Durran strode back up to him.


    ¡°Let¡¯s have a little date, us four,¡± he looked between them. ¡°And don¡¯t deny me. You¡¯ve already given me a key to turn your lives upside down. I don¡¯t think Brium would react kindly to the correspondence between you and my elven friends.¡±


    ¡°Probably kill you, too, now that you¡¯ve got some suspicion he¡¯s two-faced,¡± Argrave called out his bluff.


    ¡°I think I could get away with it,¡± Durran shrugged.


    Argrave stared down at him, questioning if the man he knew was crazy enough to do something like this. The worst part was that Argrave wasn¡¯t certain.


    ¡°You¡¯re paying for our meals,¡± he eventually decided.


    Durran grinned. ¡°We¡¯ll see about that.¡±


    #####


    Elias stared out into the distance, where the looming walls of Elbraille were not even visible in the all-consuming darkness. He and Stain sat in their carriage, moving through the night and towards the city. Their cavalry marched quietly towards the gates of the city, but there was a somber air throughout the whole party. The death of Bruno had affected more than simply Elias, he knew, but he needed to put on a brave front.


    ¡°You¡¯re sure about this, Stain?¡± Elias questioned. ¡°Can¡¯t see more than a couple feet away. Maybe we should light things up. We have the¡ª¡±


    ¡°How many times do I have to repeat myself?¡± Stain returned. ¡°The guy in this city¡ªor girl, I suppose, no need for me to be like that¡ªthey¡¯re trying to manipte the popce, stir them against Duke Marauch. If they wanted to do something against you, they¡¯d want to do it in public. In daylight.¡±


    ¡°But what if they don¡¯t?¡± Elias insisted. ¡°This would be the perfect opportunity for them to strike.¡±


    ¡°If they had the strength to strike, they wouldn¡¯t need to work up the people. The force inside can¡¯t be strong. We¡¯ve got the strange purple-eyed one watching for attacks¡ªyou¡¯re safe, future brother-inw.¡± Stain crossed his legs. ¡°Trust me. This is the way to go. Why else did you bring me along, if not to get into the mindset of deplorable bastards?¡±


    Elias ground his teeth. ¡°Not the way I¡¯d phrase things.¡±


    ¡°And that¡¯s why I¡¯m needed. If you can¡¯t even think of saying nasty truths, you certainly can¡¯t predict the nastiness Vasquer¡¯s going to toss at us.¡± Stain shook his head. ¡°You deal with the noble pomp, I deal with the ignoble reality¡ªkiller thing we¡¯ve got going, here.¡±


    ¡°What about once we¡¯re inside?¡± Elias turned. ¡°I¡¯m sure the Duke will wee us, but once we¡¯re inside¡­ what then? There¡¯s still someone trying to turn things against us. We won¡¯t be safe.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll have to win back the people.¡± Stain spread his hands out. ¡°I¡¯m sure red-haired, red-eyed you will have no problem with that. Give a speech, talk about how honorable you are. Wave your banner around. Mention your father. The name of Parbon has weight. Themoners will swoon at the mere sight of you.¡±


    Elias swallowed, then moved back to the window. ¡°Just¡­ feeling pressured. This has to go right.¡±


    Stain crossed his arms, saying nothing as the carriage moved steadily onwards. Inwardly, though, he was considering that the death of Bruno was a break for them, militarily speaking. Killing hostages was against all ¡®noble sensibilities,¡¯ and the northern nobles would not be so steadfast in their support of Vasquer. In turn, more southerners would be willing to support Parbon.


    He kept it to himself, though. Another ignoble reality Stain had to deal with.


    Elsewhere in the city, Induen sat, looking out through the window. Though he could not see the carriage moving by, his men had informed him that Elias, the son of Margrave Reinhardt, was moving into the city during the night. Induen could not provoke the crowd, and as the news of Bruno¡¯s death spread to the people, support for Vasquer would be lessened.


    Induen prodded the tip of a white-gold dagger against his finger. ¡°I nned to deliver this dagger back into the Margrave¡¯s heart, by hand,¡± Induen mused. ¡°Prove that I repay my debts.¡±


    The royal knights behind said nothing, fearing to provoke anger by sticking their heads above the cloud. They knew well when their master was in a foul mood.


    ¡°I am thinking it would be even better if this dagger was returned to the Margrave in his son¡¯s coffin. I¡¯d stab another heart, metaphorically speaking. A heart maybe even more vital to the Margrave than the physical one.¡± Induen looked at the gleaming enchanted dagger, twisting it about in his hands.


    ¡°It appears I must struggle with the young lion.¡± Induen set his dagger on the table. ¡°We¡¯ll carry out the n tomorrow. The executions will continue as nned. I won¡¯t give the boy the chance to work anything out. I¡¯ll keep him trapped in the Duke¡¯s castle, whittling away at him until he¡¯s a knub. Waiting for a mistake.¡±


    ¡°As youmand, prince Induen,¡± said the royal knights asynchronously.

 Chapter 131: Durran

    Chapter 131: Durran


    Argrave, without much option, took Durran to an establishment that he knew had private rooms for eating. Dawn was just arriving, so their timing could not be better. Some Vessels ran the ce, but they worked for Aurum, so Brium would likely never find out about them. Even still, ever cautious, Argrave had warded their conversation.


    Of all the characters in ¡®Heroes of Berendar¡¯ barring the custom-made one, Argrave had definitely yed Durran the most. Mnie stood at a close second. They were fun to y, mainly, but Argrave liked their personalities the most. He understood them well. It helped him n a course of action for this conversation rather quickly, suppressing his panic.


    Durran was a fairly tall and lithe man with light brown skin and wavy brown hair that generally contributed to his natural charm. With his robe set aside, one could see the golden tattoos all along his skin, some marred by scars. Unlike during the raid, he did not wear his wyvern scale armor, instead bearing simple brown leathers.


    ¡°Trying to kill me with the weight of debt?¡± inquired Durran, who¡¯d taken two chairs to both sit and support his feet. ¡°This ce is expensive.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re destitute after raiding Argent, I¡¯ve got to seriously question if you can understand this conversation through your haze of stupidity,¡± Argrave returned, leaving his arms atop the table. ¡°You¡¯d have to be stupid to lose that much money, after all.¡±


    Durranughed, then set his ive against the wall. The cloth wrapped around the de fell away briefly, revealing a ck edge that didn¡¯t look metallic. ¡°Shiny bits of metal don¡¯t mean much in the mountains, unless it¡¯s steel.¡±


    ¡°But I know you spend more time away from the mountains than most,¡± Argrave said, and Durran merely grinned, saying nothing. ¡°Surprised Boarmask isn¡¯t here. Busy feeding the poor, saving people, giving sermons?¡±


    Durran frowned. ¡°Gods above, how much do you know?¡± He took his feet off the chair and leaned in. ¡°What¡¯s my mother¡¯s name?¡±


    ¡°Trick question. You don¡¯t know,¡± Argrave shook his head.


    Durran leaned back. ¡°Was asking as a joke, but¡­¡± he looked to Anneliese and Argrave. ¡°You three¡­ what in the gods¡¯ names are you? Super-spies? Can¡¯t guess your angle. Northerners¡ªnorthern elves, at that, sticking out like pearls in the sand.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the only one you need to worry about,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°So, you want to illuminate me on this genius idea you had to ruin everyone¡¯s ns? Yours, mine? Were you feeling a little suicidal today?¡±


    Durran looked uneased, but he set his feet back on the chair. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I had to know who in the world was talking about something I¡¯ve done my best to keep quiet. I kept thinking about it. The whole thing made me uneasy, had to do something. I just¡ª¡± he started to shake his head, then paused. ¡°Hold on. I came here to ask questions, why am I feeling interrogated?¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯m better at talking,¡± Argrave answered smoothly. ¡°Just because it¡¯s weighing at you, you trod across the desert and cause all of us undue trouble? You have to work on that impulsivity. It¡¯s a liability.¡±


    ¡°Better than sticking about, waiting. You want something, you¡¯ve got to¡ª¡± He stopped, then held his hand out and shook his head. ¡°Whatever. I came here to demand some answers about¡ª¡±


    ¡°And what makes you think you deserve answers?¡± Argrave interrupted at once. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t told you anything, you¡¯d be leading your tribe to the ughter. You¡¯d throw yourselves against Aurum and Argent, dying en masse, and then Brium would butcher your people¡ªor perhaps it¡¯d be better to call it ¡®dehydrate¡¯ your people. Let¡¯s clear the air.¡± Argrave pointed at Durran. ¡°You didn¡¯te here for answers. You came here because you can¡¯t stand that psychopathic wannabe poet with a spray-on tan yed you for a fool, and I stopped you from running off a cliff with your tribe following just behind.¡±


    Durran¡¯s face tensed, anger and defensiveness both seizing him. The door of the room opened soundlessly, and the servers outside stopped at Argrave¡¯s ward. Argrave dispelled the ward with one hand, refusing to break his gaze from Durran. The innkeeper and his serving staff entered.


    ¡°The meal for today¡¯s goat meat, with the house spices plus some gold kes, courtesy of the Lord of Gold, blessed she be,¡± the fat innkeeper exined gruffly. ¡°Some bread from the farms, recently baked, and a soup. Considering you¡¯re mostly foreigners, and one of you is an unmarked tribal¡­ twelve gold.¡±


    Argrave pointed at Durran. ¡°He¡¯ll pay.¡±


    The innkeeper looked down at Durran, holding his hand out. Durran finally broke his gaze away from Argrave, then reached to his pocket. He counted out the coins, then passed them to the innkeeper.


    ¡°Enjoy,¡± the innkeeper left them, then he and the serving staff filtered out, recognizing the tension in the room.


    As soon as the door was shut, Durran began immediately, ¡°First of all, none of that¡¯s been established. You don¡¯t have a shred of proof. If I hadn¡¯t seen youing from Cyprus, even your association with Brium would be up for question.¡±


    Argraveughed as he brought back the ward, blocking out the sound. ¡°What do you want, pal? A journal detailing all of his malice? Maybe a poem or two about sucking your people dry? Sorry, fresh out of incriminating things.¡±


    ¡°Brium promised¡ª¡±


    ¡°Promised what?¡± Argrave interrupted. ¡°That he¡¯d leave your people alone? Maybe liberate some of the people underneath Aurum and Argent¡¯s control, allow them to return to the tribes? And¡ªlet me guess¡ªhe swore under the name of Fellhorn? He¡¯s a Vessel of Fellhorn, you must¡¯ve thought¡ªsurely he can¡¯t break that vow.¡±


    Durran stared wrathfully, and Argrave leaned back into his chair.


    ¡°You trust the guy willing to kill his own people to get ahead? He¡¯s jumping at the idea to get at other Vessels, to get this whole town under his control. It¡¯s not because he thinks the other two are tyrants. It¡¯s because he won¡¯t share power with them.¡± Argrave tapped his temple. ¡°I thought you were a cynic. How¡¯d you fall for this scam? You owe me a hell of a lot more than this meal. You owe me the lives of thousands.¡±


    Anneliese pushed a te closer to Argrave. ¡°You should eat,¡± she urged.


    A bit taken aback by the consideration amidst the heated argument, he picked up the fork without much thought and began eating. Durran stared heatedly, making Argrave find it difficult to enjoy the taste of his food.


    He had time to finish chewing, and so Argrave continued, ¡°Look. Listen. I get where you¡¯reing from. You feel like you¡¯re on a sinking ship, and so you¡¯re desperate to find anything that¡¯s going to help your people.¡± Argrave waved his fork. ¡°Don¡¯t let that desperation make you stupid. If there was any dissent among the Vessels about the southern tribals fate, things would never have progressed to the point they had. You¡¯re dumb, but not that dumb.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Durran crossed his arms, and Argrave continued to eat.


    ¡°Stop holding back. Tell me what you¡¯re really thinking,¡± Durran shook his head.


    Argrave lowered his fork and startedughing, caught off guard. Durran joined him inughter.


    ¡°Gods be damned,¡± Durran wheezed out after they¡¯d finished. ¡°Look what you¡¯ve done to me. How am I to eat when you hit me with a gut-punch like that, you bastard?¡±


    ¡°Truth is a heavy meal, isn¡¯t it?¡± Argrave picked up his fork. ¡°It tastes foul, too. But it¡¯s good for you. Good for all of you.¡±


    ¡°Takes a while to digest, that¡¯s for certain,¡± Durran finally removed his feet from atop the other chair, then leaned into the table, picking up his fork. ¡°I don¡¯t know. You make a lot of sense, but¡­ I¡¯m not sure. Not sure about too much. I have to look into this.¡±


    ¡°Well, whatever you do, don¡¯t pull this little stunt on Brium,¡± Argrave said firmly. ¡°You¡¯ll find that conversation much drier than this one, I promise you.¡±


    Durran chuckled, weighing the fork in his hand before setting it down as though unable to stomach the food before him. ¡°You won¡¯t answer me, though? About how you know Geba?¡±


    ¡°I spoke to her,¡± Argrave shrugged.


    ¡°Where?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Northwestern part of the mountains, crushed beneath rocks.¡±


    Durran bit his lips. ¡°What¡¯d she look like?¡±


    ¡°Uhh¡­ jet-ck skin, ck hair¡­ long-ish, I suppose¡­ sharp, big nose, a bit angry-looking, and a pretty broad chin.¡±


    ¡°And her eyes?¡±


    Argrave paused. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I didn¡¯t gaze into her eyes as she died. Bit weird.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Don¡¯t know why I asked. Can¡¯t remember, either.¡± Durran picked up the spoon, settling on the soup. He looked confused.


    Argrave enjoyed the meal, feeling quite self-satisfied with the contemtive silence that followed. ¡°Pretty good, isn¡¯t it?¡± he nudged Anneliese¡¯s elbow.


    ¡°Very¡­ hot,¡± she confessed. ¡°It is too much.¡±


    ¡°Come on,¡± Argrave pressed. ¡°The more you eat, the easier it gets in the future.¡±


    Durran swirled the bowl of chunky soup around, saying little. Finally, he let the spoon go, and raised his gaze to Argrave once more.


    ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s forget all this other nonsense. I just want to know¡ªwhat¡¯s your position in this? You working beneath someone? Rivals from another town? Interfering for the northern kingdoms? Wandering prophet, maybe, got a god to sell me? Thatst one would exin all the things you know that you shouldn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Argent has something I want. Can¡¯t get it from them directly, so I have to use the tools I¡¯ve got.¡± Argrave took a bite as he allowed Durran to process his words, and once he¡¯d finished chewing, continued, ¡°I could just go along with Brium, but I don¡¯t fancy letting the Vessels run things uncontested. Hence, I want your people toe out ahead.¡±


    ¡°If things are as you say, I think it¡¯d be best to just let Brium throw himself on the sword.¡±


    ¡°You could,¡± Argrave agreed, though he did feel a bit disquieted at the notion of the southern tribals backing out. ¡°I know you¡¯re not the type to do that, though.¡±


    ¡°Pfft. What do you know about me?¡± Durran leaned back, putting his feet up once more.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ your father was a tribal chief, you¡¯re a self-studied mage after you found some stash of spell books¡ªoh, and you¡¯re hiding that fact from the tribe. Especially your father. You like gardening, but this embarrasses you. You killed your uncle because he was¡­ well, worthless, frankly. You hate the traditionalists of the tribes, but you want to see your people flourish nheless.¡± Argrave nted his fork into the meat before him. ¡°Need I go on?¡±


    Durran had grabbed the table while Argrave was speaking, and now he stared wordlessly ahead. Argrave could practically see the thoughts running through his head¡ªArgrave had disclosed things that Durran had never told anyone. He was just shy of having an aneurysm, Argrave suspected.


    ¡°I have some more embarrassing bits, but I spared you from that,¡± Argravemented. ¡°Mostly because I didn¡¯t really want to say them.¡±


    Durran rubbed at his chest. ¡°Never thought the first one to take my breath away would be some weird-looking northerner. Gods, I¡ª¡±


    Durran stood up, stepping towards his ive. Argrave watched him.


    ¡°List¡ª¡± he pointed, then stopped himself, curling his fingers into a fist. ¡°I¡¯ve gotta¡­ I¡¯ve gotta go.¡±


    He grabbed his ive and then made for the exit. Argrave dispelled the ward, allowing him to pass. Once the door had shut, Argrave grinned smugly and hunched over his food.


    ¡°I think the food is splendid,¡± Argrave shook his head wistfully. ¡°Let¡¯s take our time.¡±

 Chapter 132: Intrigue of the Desert

    Chapter 132: Intrigue of the Desert


    Durran stepped into a hovel on the edge of Sethia, leaning against his ive. Once he passed the barrier, he shut the rickety wooden door behind him. He stood there, breathing heavily, almost as though wounded.


    ¡°Did you¡ª¡± a man¡¯s voice called out, and then the sound of te boots against wood sounded out as someone moved up to Durran. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? You¡¯re pale. What happened?¡± the man insisted. He wore a helmet depicting a boar, though most of him was covered by heavy te armor.


    Durran said nothing, merely waving the concerned knight away. ¡°My brain¡¯s on¡­ fire,¡± he said, shaking his head. ¡°Need to sit.¡±


    He pushed into the room, eventually leaning against the wall. He slid down, sitting. Though the knight stood over him, concerned, Durran¡¯s mind was lost in introspection.


    <em>How could he know? My uncle, I¡¯ve never told anyone¡ªnot my father, not any of my friends, not anyone. No one knows. No one knows, I¡¯m sure of it. But he does. I¡¯m d my uncle¡¯s dead¡ªI¡¯m proud I killed him. But no one should know! </em>


    Durran could still recall those gray eyes, cold and dead as stone, staring him down. There was a heartless fury in Argrave¡¯s eyes as he rattled off Durran¡¯s deepest secrets one by one. His words had enough uracy it was as though Durran himself was spilling his secrets. It was a summary of his essential qualities, all from a man he¡¯d never met before.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Boarmask insisted, kneeling before Durran. ¡°Is someone in danger? Is the operation¡­ if so, we¡¯ve no time to waste.¡±


    ¡°In yournd¡­ can any know your thoughts? Can any see your memories? With magic, faith, I don¡¯t give a damn, can they?¡± Durran lifted his head, breathing brought under control.


    Boarmask said nothing. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen you like this.¡±


    ¡°Way to answer the question,¡± Durran growled.


    ¡°No, no one can explore your mind,¡± said Boarmask. ¡°If they can, I¡¯ve never heard of such a thing.¡±


    ¡°No tales, no myths?¡± Durran queried hopefully.


    ¡°¡­that¡¯s the realm of the gods, not mere mortals,¡± Boarmask shook his head.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Durran lowered his head against the wall. ¡°You have no idea how littlefort that brings me.¡±


    Boarmask grabbed the man¡¯s robes, shaking him. ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°He knew you,¡± Durran free himself of the knight¡¯s grip easily. ¡°And he knew me¡ªway too damned well. Ufortably well. Things I¡¯ve never shared with anyone, he knew them like he did them.¡±


    Boarmask stayed kneeling for a moment, and then he sat down. ¡°He knew me?¡±


    ¡°Your name, epithet, whatever. He knew you were at the raid. Not so hard to guess your name, ¡®Boarmask.¡¯¡± Durran settled against the wall, gettingfortable. ¡°Real genius name. Definitely not something a child would conjure.¡±


    ¡°¡­my old title was much worse,¡± Boarmask shook his head. ¡°He knew me¡­? What did he look like?¡±


    ¡°Extremely, ufortably tall¡ªcould touch the ceiling with his head, that kind of tall. Midnight ck hair. Hispanions were elven. The northern elves. Snow elves, I think you people call them. There was a female with him¡ªone more elf than the southron elves said,¡± Durran rattled off quickly and idly.


    Boarmask looked at Durran intensely. ¡°What color were his eyes?¡±


    ¡°Gray,¡± Durran said immediately.


    ¡°Gods above,¡± Boarmask raised a hand to his helmet. ¡°Did he seem¡­ sickly to you?¡±


    Durran paused. ¡°He was¡­ ufortably thin, yeah,¡± he confirmed nervously. ¡°Why? Why are you bringing up your gods?¡±


    ¡°The King of Vasquer, Felipe III, has a son named Argrave. Illegitimate.¡±


    ¡°Illegitimate? What in the world does that mean?¡± Durran questioned, confused. ¡°Is he not a real human? Some kind of freak, half-ghost or something?¡±


    ¡°Born out of wedlock,¡± Boarmask exined.


    ¡°What a stupid thing to call it,¡± Durran shook his head. ¡°All children are ¡®legitimate.¡¯ Whatever¡ªI won¡¯t question your bizarre northern traditions. Get to the point,¡± Durran waved.


    ¡°You asked me¡­¡± Boarmask muttered, then continued, ¡°The king¡¯s son matches your description. And he has the same name.¡±


    Durran sat in silence for a second, digesting that, then questioned, ¡°What does that do for us?¡±


    ¡°It confuses me,¡± Boarmask shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know much about him. He allegedly halted an invasion from the snow elves. I don¡¯t know the truth of that, but I do know that he brokered an alliance between two noble houses.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re speaking a differentnguage right now. These things mean nothing to me,¡± Durran shook his head.


    ¡°Then put it out of your head. I¡¯ll think on it. All you need to know¡ªhe¡¯s the son of one of the most powerful men in the world,¡± Boarmask pointed at Durran. ¡°What did you learn?¡±


    ¡°I learned that we need to talk with Titus,¡± Durran said. ¡°And I¡¯m pretty strongly inclined to believe that Brium ns on killing my people.¡±


    ¡°Titus told us¡ª¡±


    ¡°Not to contact him except in dire cases,¡± Durran finished. ¡°This is pretty dire.¡±


    Boarmask considered this, then posited, ¡°Titus may not be entirely forthright, then. He might be our primary deceiver. How well do you know him? Would it be wise to get in touch with him?¡±


    ¡°Titus?¡± Durran repeated. He rose to his feet. ¡°I know one thing for certain. Titus won¡¯t rest until each and every Vessel is dead or dying. Now I¡¯m thinking that he might be willing to sacrifice anything to achieve that.¡±


    #####


    Argrave stepped back inside the inn, d to be free of Durran. Though he was worried the man might do something foolish, he hoped that their conversation had rattled him enough to help keep his mouth shut and his actions measured.


    Though Argrave was half-rxing at this point, d to be returned to his room, Gmon stopped him, grabbing his shoulder.


    ¡°There are people in our room,¡± he informed Argrave, staring at the wall which hid the room they¡¯d been staying in.


    Argrave took a breath and exhaled. The innkeeper, a non-Vessel woman, seemed to be only idly cleaning her tableware after serving a meal to the others. She did not seem tense or nervous.


    After a time of searching, he spotted the only other person in the room. The man stood as Argrave spotted him and walked closer.


    ¡°Argrave,¡± he called out,ing to stand a fair distance away just before a table. Light from the fire burning in the hearth nearby fell across his face.


    ¡°Titus?¡± Argrave questioned incredulously. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    Titus, the merchant who¡¯d taken them from Delphasium to Malgeridum, looked no worse for wear than when they had left. As ever, the well-built former southern tribal wore an extravagant set of red and gold clothing. He gripped the edge of a chair, staring at the three of them.


    ¡°I believe the gentleman was not expecting to see me again,¡± he greeted.


    Argrave shifted on his feet, the matter of the people in their room still weighing at his mind. That the two were here together¡ªno coincidence, Argrave presumed.


    ¡°You were headed for Malgeridum,¡± Anneliese spoke. ¡°And you work for Mistress Tatia. Why are you here?¡±


    ¡°Madam Anneliese,¡± he greeted her. ¡°Did you enjoy the¡ª¡±


    ¡°Just answer her question,¡± Argrave interrupted, feeling annoyed.


    Titus shifted, adjusting his grip on the chair. He pulled back the chair and sat. ¡°I came to find you three,¡± he disclosed, then gestured for them to sit.


    Argrave stepped closer but refused to sit. ¡°You¡¯ve found us. What happens now?¡±


    Titus¡¯ gaze jumped between the three of them. ¡°Have I done something to offend?¡±


    ¡°Showing up at the ce we¡¯re staying, for starters,¡± Argrave spoke. ¡°The odd time of your arrival. Let¡¯s skip the preambles, shall we? Why are you here?¡±


    Titus ced his hands on the table, tapping his fingers against the wood. Eventually, he lifted his golden eyes to Argrave and said, ¡°Mistress Crislia, the Lord of Gold, would like to speak to you. She is waiting for you now.¡±


    Argrave felt a chill. He was already involved with a lot of people that he didn¡¯t really want to be involved with, and now another had shown up¡ªnot at his doorstep, either, but behind it, already lurking in his room.


    ¡°I thought you said you worked for Mistress Tatia,¡± Argrave crossed his arms.


    Titus held Argrave¡¯s gaze. ¡°I never said that.¡±


    ¡°But we asked, and you nodded,¡± Gmon pointed out.


    ¡°I don¡¯t recall ever¡­¡± Titus rubbed his hands together.


    ¡°I do,¡± the elven vampire said coldly.


    Titus looked up at the giant warrior, then swallowed. ¡°¡­I admit, I was minutely deceptive. But I never imagined you would be so deeply entrenched in the politics of the Vessels. I did not think¡ª¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t think you would ever get caught in the lie?¡± Argrave interrupted, then sighed. ¡°Whatever. It doesn¡¯t matter, not anymore. Do you have anything else to say, or shall we go?¡±


    ¡°You agree toe?¡± Titus questioned cautiously.


    ¡°She¡¯s waiting in my room. Can¡¯t really refuse her,¡± Argrave noted. ¡°But Brium has eyes on me. A Vessel named¡ª¡±


    ¡°Yarra won¡¯t being, not for a while yet. Mistress Crislia made sure of that,¡± Titus shook his head.


    ¡°You know about that,¡± Argrave noted. ¡°I¡¯ve got to question your role in all of this.¡±


    Titus had nothing to say to that. He stood up, pushing the chair aside, and then moved to their room.


    ¡°¡­should we go?¡± Gmon questioned.


    He nodded. ¡°Be ready,¡± Argrave cautioned, following after Titus.


    Argrave did his best to recall every detail about Titus. He could recall little¡ªthe man was not a major yer in the Burnt Desert, at least not in ¡®Heroes of Berendar.¡¯ He had vague recollection of a dye merchant with that name, someone that would recolor the yer¡¯s armor and weapons. Even of that, Argrave was unsure. Months had passed, and he had nothing to reference anymore¡ªno more wiki to search. Titus was never someone involved with two major Vessels, Argrave was certain of that. This entire thing hade out of left field, and left Argrave feeling very unsteady.


    <em>What good am I? Tens of thousands of hours spent on the game, yet variables keep popping up left and right to make sure nothing goes smoothly. Some help I am. Utterly useless, </em>he chided himself.


    He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned quickly.


    ¡°Do not think that way,¡± Anneliese said simply, shaking her head.


    Argrave felt a brief wave of emotion, but he collected himself. ¡°You¡¯re mind-reading now? Trying to spook me, make me forget? Very effective strategy,¡± hemented with augh.


    She smiled, then pushed Argrave forward. ¡°Go on,¡± shemanded lightly.


    Titus stood at the doorway, holding the door open. Though the innkeeper looked at them strangely as they passed, Argrave made it to the door.


    Crislia, the Lord of Gold, sat in a chair at the center of the room. Her features were predominantly elven, and she bore gold in abundance, the same as before. Two Vessels stood just behind her. They had the same features as her¡ªgolden hair, vaguely golden skin, golden eyes¡ªyet they seemed more¡­ imperfect, somehow, like reserves.


    ¡°The mercenary Argrave,¡± she greeted. ¡°If that is indeed what you are. I am d you decided toe without issue. It shows that I am not dealing with someone¡­ unreasonable.¡±


    ¡°If people give reasons, I¡¯m sure to respond with reason,¡± Argrave said, stepping in slowly and cautiously. ¡°So, what brings you to my humble and temporary abode?¡±


    ¡°Address the Lord of Gold with the respect she is due,¡± one of the Vessels at her side reprimanded.


    ¡°Varia,¡± Crislia raised her hand, silencing the Vessel. ¡°Theye from the north. We cannot expect them to be as couth as we Vessels. I take no offense,¡± she shook her head. ¡°Please, Argrave, continue as you were.¡±


    ¡°Why are you here?¡± Argrave repeated, considerably more brusquely.


    Crislia paused, staring up. ¡°I am here to discuss the future of Sethia.¡±

 Chapter 133: Easy Out

    Chapter 133: Easy Out


    Mistress Crislia, the Lord of Gold. Though Argrave was embarrassed by hisck of knowledge of Titus, he knew plenty about the master of Aurum, the golden tower on the outside of Sethia. The knowledge came from facing her as an enemy, though¡ªthe yer could only ever coborate with Cyprus, and Aurum and Argent would always be one¡¯s enemies were that the case.


    The Crislia Argrave knew was narcissistic and greedy. She didn¡¯tck for ambition, both for spiritual and physical matters. She would constantly try and expand both her physical wealth and her Vessel by Draining people, sacrificing their souls to Fellhorn¡ªtypically, both would expand at the same time. She was fond of forcing merchants to infract so she could both seize their wealth and their soul.


    ¡°What did you wish to discuss about Sethia?¡± Argrave inquired, making no move to proceed further into the room towards the three elven Vessels across from him.


    ¡°Brium¡¯s speech, heretical though it may be, did resonate with me,¡± Crislia said, crossing one leg over the other. Her gold ankle bracelets rattled against each other, metallic rings echoing about the room like muted windchimes. ¡°Even if he is misguided.¡±


    Argrave took a breath, and nodded slowly, reminding himself to y the part of a loyalist. ¡°Brium speaks a lot of sense, I find.¡±


    ¡°True. The southern tribals¡ªthey are unruly beasts, obsessed with war and glory and honor. The fools are utterly unable to set aside grudges,¡± she criticized condescendingly. ¡°Well, those tribals still resisting, anyhow. Most beneath our banner have been brought to heel.¡±


    ¡°Someone should do something about that,¡± Argravemented, reflecting Brium¡¯s sentiments outwardly.


    ¡°And that is just the point.¡± Crislia leaned forward against her crossed legs, very obviously trying to make use of her sex appeal. Anneliese frowned and nced at Argrave but calmed quickly when she saw his stoic face. ¡°I tried to broach the subject with Quarrus, but the Lord of Silver cannot be reasoned with. Despite being the one who suffered the raid from the tribals, he is adamant we stay our course.¡±


    Argrave felt an ufortable inkling. ¡°It sounds to me as though you¡¯reing to view things as Brium does.¡±


    She did not confirm it, but from Crislia¡¯s expression alone Argrave knew he was right. ¡°I cannot very well approach his tower in the open. As such, I have deigned toe to you¡ªa mercenary,rgely free of prying eyes.¡± She leaned back. ¡°I wish for you to tell Brium this: if he surrenders to me, I will coborate with him, and be the herald of the flood he so desires to wash away the southern tribals in the mountains.¡±


    ¡°Surrenders how?¡± Argrave tilted his head.


    ¡°If he bes my vassal,¡± she spread her arms out. ¡°It is only the natural course of things. Gold has always stood far above the likes of silver and copper.¡±


    Argrave nodded slowly. ¡°And what of Argent?¡±


    ¡°A city must have a firm central power to properly shepherd the ignorant into doing what is good for them,¡± she said with a smile. ¡°I will tolerate no other to contest my power. Quarrus has already proven¡­ disagreeable.¡± She leaned back further, crossing her arms. ¡°Have you more questions, or will you deliver the message?¡±


    Argrave hesitated for but a moment, then gave a quick nod. ¡°I¡¯ll get this to him.¡±


    ¡°Excellent,¡± she said, rising to her feet. ¡°I will leave you, then.¡±


    The elven Vessel walked past, her two otherpanions eyeing Argrave as they moved past. Titus was thest to leave. His gaze stayed on Argrave as he left¡ªit seemed emotionless.


    Once the door shut, Argrave stood staring at it. The Brumesingers, as though summoned, lowered themselves from Argrave¡¯s clothes and started to prance about the room, ying. Their fur seemed a little darker than before, faintly tan. The souls of the dead were abundant in this ce, it seemed, and they had plenty to eat.


    Anneliese conjured a ward at once.


    ¡°I dislike that woman. Argrave, I¡ª¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the easy way out,¡± Argrave interrupted her. ¡°And it¡¯s walked right into our hands. A lot of the uncertainty¡ªwhether or not the southern tribals are capable of fighting the Vessels, whether or not I¡¯ll be caught ying the double agent¡­ if I persuade Brium to ept Crislia¡¯s offer¡ªand I¡¯m sure I can¡ªI can get the Wraith¡¯s Heart as easy as anything.¡±


    Argrave¡¯s words brought a silence over the group, and whatever Anneliese had to say, she didn¡¯t continue.


    ¡°Brium would agree. I¡¯m sure he would. He might betray Crisliater, but he¡¯d definitely agree now.¡± Argrave turned around, facing his three party members. ¡°We could stroll into Argent and pluck that heart freely. We¡¯d be gone before the sun rises the next day, headed for the Alchemist.¡±


    Gmon crossed his arms, staring down at Argrave. Anneliese remained silent.


    ¡°Do it then, you damned fool,¡± Garm encouraged. ¡°You owe these people <em>nothing. </em>You¡¯re no hero. You aren¡¯t a savior. Stay in the good graces of the powerful. Regardless of if some ancient cmity is actuallying, having powerful friends here only helps you.¡±


    Everyone stayed silent, and so Garm continued.


    ¡°Even if you help the southern tribals and all of the Vessels are purged from this city, their new fledgling government would be of no help to you. They¡¯re small, insignificant, and with manifold enemies on every nk. They¡¯re good for no one. And considering your covert role, I doubt they¡¯d be grateful. They wouldn¡¯t even know you¡¯d helped them!¡± Garm shouted.


    ¡°Garm,¡± Gmon veritably snarled, turning his face to the severed head.


    ¡°Hold on,¡± Argrave finally spoke up, raising his hand. His eyes were bright with epiphany. ¡°Did you get sand in your ears, Garm? Do the Vessels seem the grateful type?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Garm said, voice muffled from beneath Gmon¡¯s helmet.


    ¡°On the contrary. What we¡¯ve seen, it¡¯s shown us that these Vessels don¡¯t see people as people at all. Gratefulness, reciprocation¡ªthose words aren¡¯t in their diction.¡± Argrave stepped around. ¡°Long-term, neither the tribals nor the Vessels seem like good options. Ungrateful pricks, one and all. Might sound like I¡¯m being mean, but it¡¯s true. I¡¯ve met the tribals.¡±


    Gmon furrowed his brows, watching Argrave as he paced about.


    ¡°But here¡¯s the key difference. The Vessels don¡¯t care about life¡ªhell, most of them we¡¯ve seen have an active interest in Draining people¡¯s souls.¡± Argrave paused, pivoting on his heel to face his party once again. ¡°It¡¯ll be easier and safer for us to help force a coboration between Crislia and Brium. But dispel these notions of pragmatism versus morality. There¡¯s no extra benefit. So, should we erase thest pocket of resistance to the Vessels? That¡¯s the only question.¡±


    ¡°You might be saving your life. Does safety mean nothing to you? Don¡¯t be a fool,¡± Garm insisted.


    ¡°I¡¯d sacrifice a bit of personal safety to do the right thing,¡± Argrave summarized. ¡°I think I¡¯m fine with that.¡±


    ¡°Talk is talk. When you dieter, there¡¯ll be no time for regret.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just the thing,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ve been working hard to be powerful, but I¡¯m still walking about like a little yer.¡± He spread his arms out. ¡°The whole point of being powerful is getting what you want, no? And I really want to do things my way. I won¡¯t die,¡± he shook his head confidently. ¡°None of us will.¡±


    ¡°You are a maddening idiot,¡± Garm rebuked.


    ¡°On the contrary,¡± Argrave disagreed. ¡°Every time I look in my mirror, it tells me I¡¯m intelligent. That¡¯s a fact, strangely enough,¡± he shook his head. ¡°Brium and Crislia are going to have an unfortunate mimunication. Aurum and Argent will proceed onwards as they have been, and attempt to wipe Cyprus off the map. Then, in the ensuing battle, they¡¯re going to be removed from power. All of them. Forcibly. Any questions?¡±


    ¡°Not a question,¡± Anneliese raised her hand. ¡°An observation, though, and a hypothesis.¡±


    ¡°Please,¡± Argrave gestured towards her.


    ¡°Titus knew about Garm,¡± she said with certainty. ¡°I gleaned that from his wandering gaze, and his mental state. As for my theory regarding that¡­¡± she hesitated, a bit uncertain. ¡°Titus may have been the one to inform Brium about his existence.¡±


    Her words made Argrave pause, and he stood there in silence for a minute. He thought back to the journey, and to the man¡¯s mannerisms¡ªhe had been very generous and pleasantpany. Hisck of prominence in Argrave¡¯s memory made him lower his guard with the travelling merchant.


    But that journey had been when they were most carefree with Garm. Argrave had set him by the window in an attempt to be nicer to him and win his favor. When they had spotted the Brandback, Garm had spoken up¡ªArgrave had tried to cover for him, but Titus <em>had </em>heard the head, that much was for certain.


    ¡°Hah,¡± Garmughed. ¡°I told you it was unnecessary, giving me the window. Look what happens.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, next time I¡¯ll encase you in y and keep you in a bag,¡± Argrave snapped back at once, then directed his attention to Anneliese. ¡°But what¡¯s the reasoning for him being the one that told Brium?¡±


    ¡°He loathes Crislia. I can guarantee you he does not serve her out of loyalty. It is such aplete and utter loathing as to be ufortable,¡± she stated. ¡°And he felt guilty when looking at us.¡±


    Argrave nodded, putting the pieces in ce. ¡°But anything else¡­?¡±


    ¡°He knew about Yarra, and knew she would being,¡± Gmon supported Anneliese. ¡°Further, he was able to dy her arrival.¡±


    ¡°That might be Crislia¡¯s influence, though,¡± Argrave argued.


    ¡°Crislia never mentioned Yarra. She seemed to be ignorant that Brium did have eyes on you¡ªshe said so inly. She spoke to you precisely because she thought none were watching you, if you recall,¡± Anneliese countered.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­¡± Argrave scratched his chin. ¡°It¡¯s usible¡ªmore than usible. But this guy, Titus¡ªI know nothing about him. That¡¯s why I was getting all moody earlier,¡± he pointed to Anneliese.


    She nodded. ¡°I thought that might be the case. But you cannot know everyone in millions.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°I should know enough to avoid something like that from happening,¡± he disagreed. ¡°Getting blindsided like this¡ªI¡¯m putting everyone at risk.¡±


    ¡°You sought me out because I¡¯m good at handling risk,¡± Gmon pointed out.


    ¡°Can¡¯t rely on you for everything,¡± Argrave dismissed.


    ¡°Why not?¡± Gmon asked simply. Argrave didn¡¯t have an answer for that.


    ¡°Do what you can. Do what you excel at,¡± Anneliese urged. ¡°But do not loathe yourself for asional shorings. I dealt with that, once. It is an unpleasant thing, to constantly undermine yourself.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t becent,¡± Argrave insisted. ¡°Too much at stake to settle for ¡®good enough.¡¯¡±


    Anneliese sighed. ¡°You <em>are </em>a maddening idiot,¡± she repeated Garm¡¯s words with resignation. Strangely, he did not feel the need to contest the point when she made it.


    ¡°Let¡¯s wait for Yarra,¡± Argrave concluded, stepping away. ¡°Then¡­ we¡¯ll set things in motion. Or resume things, I suppose. Crislia¡¯s visit doesn¡¯t change a thing. In fact, it might just speed things up tremendously¡­¡±

 Chapter 134: First Ripple on a Still Lake

    Chapter 134: First Ripple on a Still Lake


    Though Argrave had wished to inform Brium of what Crislia had said immediately, the Lord of Copper had been preupied with something. Anneliese and Argrave spent that time nning for how to handle the changing situation. Ridden with anxiety, he had returned the next day, catching the Vessel early in the morning.


    ¡°She told me to ¡®know my ce?¡¯¡± Brium questioned, one hand ced atop the other on the table as he stared at Argrave.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Argrave trailed off, acting hesitant to repeat it.


    Brium sat there for a while in the silence. He tapped one finger against the back of his hand, gaze distant. Eventually, he stood up, pacing about the room.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll give her an answer. Tomorrow.¡± He turned his head to Argrave. ¡°And things will be expedited because of it. When one is spurned, love can turn to hatred overnight. She must have something prepared for both answers¡ªCrislia ys both sides against each other, she always has. Immediately after my refusal, there will be retaliation.¡±


    Argrave took a deep breath and gaze a steady nod, resolving himself. On this front, he and Anneliese had been correct. He had done everything he could. He could only hope Durran moved as quickly as he did and did not lose himself in indecision.


    ¡°Indeed, we might expect their attack tomorrow, as soon as my answer is given,¡± Brium ced his hand to his chin. ¡°This suits me fine; I have everything in ce. But you¡­ you will head to the southron elves. You will prepare them, and then I will expect to see theming to Cyprus tomorrow morning. Yarra will apany you to gather them¡ªno exceptions,¡± he pointed his finger. ¡°I will stall for your arrival.¡±


    Though hesitant, Argrave did eventually give a nod of agreement. ¡°She¡¯ll have to wear a veil, but I can certainly make this happen.¡±


    ¡°Then make it so,¡± the Lord of Copper snapped. ¡°Rushing water is always cleaner than stagnant water. And Sethia will soon be as clean as ever.¡±


    #####


    ¡°Why did you lie to me?¡± Durran demanded, holding his ive to Titus¡¯ neck. The de was made of a ck bone, and sharpened enough to rival any de. The merchant wearing red and gold sat across from him with hands still, maintainingplete ambivalence to the situation.


    ¡°Because it was easier,¡± said Titus.


    ¡°Easier?¡± Durran repeated. ¡°No¡ªI know that¡¯s not true. Even if you¡¯d been honest that Brium intended to betray us, I would have gone along with it. You¡¯re one of us¡ªyou used to be. You know we would take this chance to liberate Sethia. You just wanted us to be unaware. Wanted us to die.¡±


    Titus pressed his finger to the ive, pushing it away. ¡°I won¡¯t answer,¡± Titus said boldly. ¡°Go. Do your duty. After Crislia¡¯s intervention, the battle wille all the sooner.¡±


    Durran stood. ¡°Answer me, damnit, or I¡¯ll cut your head clean off.¡±


    Titus¡¯ golden eyes remained firm. ¡°You would lose the battle without the men under my control to help you.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care. We haven¡¯t attacked yet. I can call this thing off¡ªI still have that luxury. If you won¡¯t exin yourself, I¡¯ll ruin whatever you had nned.¡± Durran readied his ive.


    ¡°Durran¡­¡± Boarmask interjected, voice cold and cautious. He stepped up beside Titus.


    ¡°I won¡¯t answer,¡± Titus shook his head. ¡°Stop bluffing. Sit.¡±


    Durran swung with all his might, rage fueling the swing. Titus remained still, yet closed his eyes. Yet a ringing sounded out as metal met metal. Boarmask held his hand against the de. It had bit through the gauntlet¡¯s te, cutting into the knight¡¯s hand. Blood dripped out.


    Titus had his teeth clenched, staring at the ive. Sweat dripped down his brow, but he stayed firm.


    ¡°I¡¯ll kill you too, pig. Don¡¯t think I won¡¯t,¡± Durran said coldly. ¡°These are my people¡¯s lives, and he was ready to throw them away. He would see them battered and broken in the streets of Sethia. I need a reason to let him keep breathing.¡±


    ¡°This is not the answer,¡± Boarmask shook his head, voice tight with pain.


    ¡°It is an answer. Even if it¡¯s wrong, it¡¯s an answer. I don¡¯t like leaving questions unanswered, you see,¡± Durran pulled his ive back.


    Boarmask stepped in between Titus and Durran. He drew the mace at his side, holding it in his hand.


    ¡°There is no sense in this,¡± Boarmask shook his head. ¡°I won¡¯t allow things to fall apart. Sethia must be liberated. The injustice here cannot persist.¡±


    Durran took a fighting stance, holding the ive before him. ¡°Tolerate one injustice to end another. Whatever happened to the honor you constantly talk about?¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t an easy choice for me,¡± Boarmask replied. ¡°But we cannot let things fall apart. After things have settled, I will help you bring Titus to justice. But not here. Not now.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t work with him!¡± Durran yelled. ¡°Not until I get answers. So step aside, or I¡¯ll finally answer that burning question of ¡®who¡¯s stronger?¡¯¡±


    ¡°This, here, is precisely why I hoped your people would die,¡± Titus said bitterly. ¡°Fine. I will tell you.¡±


    Durran stood there, not taking his gaze off of Boarmask. The armored knight dropped his mace, raising his hands to the air. Only then did Durran rx.


    ¡°Talk, then,¡± Durran gestured, standing over Titus.


    ¡°The Vessels, the southern tribals¡ªthere is no future in either,¡± Titus said. ¡°The Vessels are merely the current tyrant.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Durran demanded.


    ¡°We work together to end the reign of the Vessels, establish another foothold for your people to fight back against the unending rain of Fellhorn.¡± Titus waved between the two of them. ¡°I have no love for the Vessels. They stole my baby from me, iming it as a Vessel. They Drained my wife, Drained my twelve-year-old child¡­ all because he was ignorant of Fellhorn¡¯sws.¡±


    Durran¡¯s intensity softened a little, a vague semnce of sympathy weakening his anger.


    ¡°Yet centuries before, the southern tribals ruled over this vast desert. They wrested control from the southron elves¡ªburned their cities, butchered their people, destroyed their knowledge.¡± Titus crossed his arms. ¡°And after? The tribals turned their gaze to the north¡ªVasquer. They threw themselves against the Lionsun Castle, hordes dying yearly.


    ¡°Centuries of rule, and to what end? Your people achieved nothing!¡± Titus stood up, staring Durran down. ¡°Ignorant savages, condemning their people to death. A tyranny of a different type¡ªa human tyranny. I would not suffer your people¡¯s control over Sethia. I wished to build something different. Something better. And I won¡¯t apologize for that.¡±


    ¡°No matter who got in the way, is that it?¡± Durran spat.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s it,¡± Titus spread his arms out. ¡°There¡¯s your answer. I kept you ignorant because you are the enemy as much as the Vessels are.¡±


    Durran stared him down in silence, hand clenched tightly against his ive.


    ¡°We will work together to remove the Vessels. With Crislia¡¯s intervention, the battle wille soon. But as far as I am concerned, your people are yet another blight on this beautifulnd.¡± Titus shook his head.


    Durran backhanded Titus, sending him sprawling against the chair. The flimsy wooden thing shattered. He turned in the same movement.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°We¡¯ll do our part, Titus,¡± Durran said coldly. ¡°And then we¡¯ll settle things.¡±


    Titus stared up at him bitterly, slowly rising to his feet amidst the shattered chair. Boarmask¡¯s gaze lingered on Titus for a long while, and then he moved for the door, following after Durran.


    #####


    With a directmand from Brium, Argrave had no choice but to leave Sethia immediately, still sore and unrested from the wearying journey to the elves. Things had mostly aligned with their expectations, barring Yarra¡¯s presence.


    They arrived back at the t stretch of sand they had first entered into the southron elves¡¯ territory. Argrave didn¡¯t know if the elves had time enough to migrate, but the sword stabbed into the sand was broken¡ªtheir magic would no longer function, even if Yarra did the correct ritual. He supposed it didn¡¯t matter anymore, anyway.


    ¡°Break the seal, once more,¡± Yarra directed Argrave.


    Argrave looked to Gmon, who stood behind Brium¡¯s trusted Vessel. ¡°Need to spill some water, first. Time for blood.¡±


    Gmon removed his helmet from atop Garm¡¯s head quietly, cing it over his own. He set the backpack down. His Ebonice axe was the only that could be drawn without making noise, and he did so. Yarra crossed her arms, ignorant, and begin to turn to look around. The elven vampire¡¯s axe descended, cleaving into her head.


    Water burst into the air near a hundred feet as though a hole had been made in a dam. Yarra staggered towards Argrave, who stepped back to avoid her. She fell, but as her body made contact with the ck sand beneath, her flesh turned to liquid and a great mass of water exploded out. The explosion caught all of them, tossing them back. Argravended on his back a fair distance away, much of his face stinging where he¡¯d been cut by high-pressure water.


    A great sphere of water rested where Yarra once was, an infant form encased in the center. Argrave could see blood on the back of the baby¡¯s head through the crystal-clear water. Focused, he raised his hand and started to use the spell [Electric Eel]. Blue eels of lightning emerged from his hand, sparking loudly as though crying out in the silence of the night.


    The sphere of water took on purpose in that moment, going from an unrefined mass of water to a dangerous Vessel¡ªtendrils of water rose into the sky, each and all twisting and writhing towards the three separate targets. The attacks seemed sluggishpared to what they had seen at Malgeridum. That was the effect of the blow to the head, Argrave knew, and he¡¯d long ago instructed Gmon to do just that.


    Anneliese conjured a B-rank ward with her enchanted ring. Jets of water mmed against the golden shield, and it cracked in a multitude of ces. Gmon seized the initiative, pressing against the Vessel¡¯s onught. Each swing of his Ebonice axe made the approaching tendrils lose their animation, turning into harmless water.


    Argrave, though, left himself open, retreating away. Yarra¡¯s attacks were unrelenting and dangerous. He dodged as best he could, though he had little doubt that his enchanted leather gear saved his life many times. With greater distance, the water needed to be stretched thinner. The orb in the center, encasing the Vessel¡¯s infant form, began to thin.


    Common perception dictated that water conducted electricity well. The opposite was true. Water¡ªpure water, unpolluted by dissolved mater¡ªwas actually an amazing instor. Argrave only knew this bit of knowledge because the Vessels were resistant to electricity in ¡®Heroes of Berendar,¡¯ a fact which spurred him to research the science behind the matter. He would need to strike very close to Yarra¡¯s true form to end her, and as such, he needed to stretch her thin.


    A jet struck Argrave in the cheek, casting him to the ground. His vision blurred with pain, but he remembered his role. The electric eels he¡¯d been conjuring the entire time rushed forward towards the Vessel¡¯s physical body. The baby was drawn away by a current, twisting about and away with inhuman speed as it tried to get away from the assault. Argrave hounded it as unrelentingly as it had hounded him.


    The water rushed back, trying to protect the infantile form, but Argrave kept his pursuit up. Blood started to drip into his eyes from a wound he didn¡¯t know he had, but he persisted. Eventually, as the water rose up into the sky, sparking eels nipping at its heels, Yarra ran out of water to flee into. The electric eels surged into the water, and the infant form protected by Fellhorn¡¯s blessing sparked with electricity.


    After an unbearably long moment of suspense, the titanic mass of water sagged like a body losing life. Then, gravity seized it, and it all came crashing down, filling the vast pit where the illusion magic formation had once been.


    Anneliese managed to escape the rushing tide of water without getting wet at all¡ªArgrave was far enough he didn¡¯t have to move. Gmon, though, trudged out, water draining from holes in his armor. His expression was hidden by his helmet, but he seemed incredibly bitter. Once he freed his feet of the water, he walked up to Argrave, patches of wet sand stuck to his armor.


    ¡°Clean,¡± said Argrave, out of breath. ¡°Not as clean as I¡¯d have liked, but¡­¡± Argrave moved to the newly-formed pool, using the water to clean his face.


    ¡°It¡¯s done. These things¡­ are very difficult to deal with. I question our chances,¡±mented Gmon.


    ¡°She was one of the strongest,¡± Argrave reassured. ¡°A wyvern is a great match for them.¡± The Brumesingers emerged from Argrave¡¯s duster, scattering out over the sand and watching Argrave, almost worriedly. Argrave healed his cheek, then searched out other cuts to tend to.


    ¡°We have stepped past the point of no return,¡± Anneliese noted, joining the two of them. ¡°If things go awry¡­¡±


    ¡°If things go awry, then we¡¯ll work something out,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°Let¡¯s get our bearings¡­ and then get ready.¡±

 Chapter 135: Banners

    Chapter 135: Banners


    Argrave¡¯s hand emerged from a still body of water, grasping onto a sandy beach. The sand fell away, and he fell back in. A secondter, his hand came back up, and he used his elbow to raise himself up out of the water.


    ¡°Christ,¡± he gasped, water dripping off his face. ¡°Cold. Didn¡¯t think about how much of a nightmare this ce would be.¡±


    Argrave felt a colder ive pointed against his neck, and he raised his head up, blinking water out of his eyes.


    ¡°That¡¯s because it¡¯s an emergency entrance to this ce,¡± Corentin said, staring down at Argrave with his one good eye. ¡°And I¡¯m questioning how you knew of it.¡±


    Argrave shamelessly grabbed Corentin¡¯s ive, and the old one-eyed veteranughed and helped Argrave out of the pool. Soon enough, Anneliese emerged, having little trouble freeing herself from the pool.


    Lastly, Gmon came up. Weighed down by te armor, he had to climb up the side of the wall, digging his hands and feet into the sand bank. Corentin offered a hand, but Gmon refused it,ing to stand tall.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll have to do rust treatment. Again,¡± Gmon said bitterly.


    ¡°Who¡¯s this one?¡± Corentin inquired, staring at Anneliese.


    ¡°Another friend,pletely trustworthy,¡± said Argrave, rising to his feet while shivering. ¡°Water¡¯s too cold. I hate this.¡±


    ¡°Wee to Otria. You¡¯vee a little too quickly,¡± Corentin shook his head. ¡°We¡¯ve only just migrated here. Beyond telling Durran what you¡¯ve told us, we haven¡¯t had time to do anything else, least of all deliver supplies to the southern tribals.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Argrave nodded, shaking himself about to cast off some of the water. The Brumesingers jumped out of his duster, shaking themselves off of all water. Argrave shied away as he was pelted with water droplets. ¡°That¡¯s because things are moving a little too quickly,¡± Argrave said grimly, shaking cold water off himself.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Corentin stabbed his ive into the sand and crossed his arms.


    ¡°The battle will happen tomorrow morning,¡± Argrave conjured fire, holding his face a little close to ward off the cold. ¡°Things have gone a lot faster than I thought they might.¡±


    Corentin¡¯s one eye grew distant. ¡°Gods above.¡±


    ¡°The Lord of Copper sent me here to gather fighters¡ªsomething I don¡¯t intend on doing, naturally,¡± Argrave assured at once. ¡°I know well that your people aren¡¯t exactly fit for arge-scale confrontation of this sort. I was hoping, though, that I might get some of the war relics you promised the southern tribals. A Sand Courser, most preferably. We have backpacks. We left them outside the illusory entrance, because they¡¯re filled with books. Not exactly suited for water.¡±


    <em>Nor is Garm,</em> Argrave thought, but kept that to himself. It wouldn¡¯t be dangerous, per se, but he still felt hesitant to bring the head into the town in case something unforeseen shoulde to pass.


    Corentin took a deep breath and exhaled, then nodded intently. ¡°A Sand Courser? I can¡¯t decide this. Wait here. I¡¯ll bring the others. They¡¯re checking out the old buildings, making sure the forges and such still function.¡±


    The one-eyed veteran took off in a steady jog, but Argrave paused before sitting down. The enchantments on his gear had warded off the majority of the water from seeping in, but his clothes were still a bit heavier.


    ¡°Do you think these supplies will help, if we even get them?¡± Anneliese questioned.


    ¡°If we get them, they¡¯ll do more than just ¡®help.¡¯ It¡¯ll probably be our lynchpin for the raid on Argent.¡± Argrave sat cross-legged in the sand, waiting. ¡°Maybe I didn¡¯t talk them up enough. I just never thought we¡¯d be the one to use them.¡±


    Anneliese sat down beside him. Gmon was removing his armor, shaking the water off it annoyedly.


    ¡°I¡¯m a bit nervous,¡± he confessed to Anneliese. The Brumesingers came to him, curling up near his legs.


    ¡°A bit?¡± she repeated.


    Argrave furrowed his brows, then shook his head defeatedly. ¡°Fine. I¡¯m really nervous.¡±


    Sheughed, then grabbed his wrist, giving silent support with a gentle grip. Argrave turned his head, locking eyes with her. He said nothing for a time¡ªhe didn¡¯t know what to say. Something finally came to mind.


    ¡°What happened here? We feed a stray dog, it follows us to our new home,¡± Morvan No-Nose shouted out, prompting Argrave to turn quickly and leave his words unspoken. ¡°And it brings friends,¡± the southron elf noted,ing to stand before them.


    ¡°Morvan,¡± Argrave greeted, rising to his feet. ¡°Everyone. Didn¡¯t expect to see me again so quickly, I¡¯m betting.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s like I was telling them. He just missed us too much,¡± Corentin shouted out from the back.


    The old veteransughed, and Florimund came to stand before Argrave. ¡°Corentin informed us of the situation. The battle is to start tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°ording to everything I¡¯ve been told, yes,¡± Argrave nodded.


    Florimund turned around, looking at his men. He said nothing, lost in thought, but eventually turned back to face Argrave. ¡°Alright. We¡¯ll lend our support.¡±


    Argrave smiled and nodded excitedly. ¡°That¡¯s good. That¡¯s great!¡± he praised.


    ¡°The boys and I¡ªwe¡¯ve been talking,¡± Florimund continued. ¡°We¡¯re old. Some of us¡­ well, most of us¡­ we¡¯re almost too old.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Yeah, Florimund has a hard time functioning as a man anymore,¡± Yann called out.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you a crack in the head, ¡®can¡¯t function,¡¯¡± Florimund turned about,ughing. Their easy-going banter seeped into Argrave¡¯s mind, easing his frayed nerves somewhat. ¡°As I was saying, we¡¯re old enough to fight¡­ but too old to be of much use for much longer.¡±


    ¡°What are you driving at?¡± Argrave held his hands out.


    ¡°The southern tribals,¡± Florimund turned back. ¡°There¡¯s bad blood between us. For centuries, there has been. Giving them arms, armor¡ªthat won¡¯t be enough to put that to bed.¡± He looked back to the veterans. ¡°We¡¯ll be joining you.¡±


    Argrave¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Even if the Vessels are wiped out, we have to make peace with the tribals,¡± Morvan noted. ¡°We can¡¯t function if we keep wandering about, isted migrants roaming from hidden town to hidden town.¡±


    Florimund nodded. ¡°We need a ce in this new world. And we won¡¯t have one if we don¡¯t get involved. The tribals need to know we¡¯re their allies, not their enemies.¡± The old elf crossed his arms. ¡°Durran¡¯s a good man, but he can¡¯t control everyone¡¯s actions, everyone¡¯s thoughts. Fighting with them, side-by-side¡­ they¡¯ll never forget that.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll help if they¡¯re afraid of us, too,¡± Yann noted.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Argrave put his hand to his chin. ¡°I¡¯m not in the position to say ¡®no.¡¯ I can take every bit of help I can get.¡±


    ¡°Then it¡¯s settled,¡± Florimund reached up, grasping Argrave¡¯s shoulder. ¡°We¡¯ll prepare. And then, tomorrow, I¡¯ll lead my men into battle at your side.¡±


    #####


    It was a cold morning. Durran sat there, watching the suns rise ever higher above the sky. He had donned his armor¡ªwyvern scale armor¡ªand sat atop rocks, arm wrapped around his ive as it leaned against his shoulder. His wyvern, a great gray beast, lounged nearby, resting.


    ¡°Not a cloud in the sky,¡± Boarmask noted, staring out. ¡°It¡¯ll be a fine day for things.¡±


    ¡°Clouds mean rain,¡± Durran said. ¡°It hasn¡¯t rained in years.¡±


    Boarmask grew silent at Durran¡¯s answer, and the two watched the rising suns in silence.


    ¡°I meant what I said,¡± Boarmask broke the silence. ¡°I¡¯ll help you with Titus, when things are done.¡±


    ¡°And what will you do, hmm?¡± Durran turned his head. ¡°Give him a fair trial? I don¡¯t think we have the same idea of ¡®justice.¡¯¡±


    ¡°Every man deserves a fair trial,¡± Boarmask crossed his arms, te armor creaking. ¡°No matter what they¡¯ve done.¡±


    Durran shook his head. ¡°Life isn¡¯t fair. Don¡¯t bother trying to make it so. You¡¯ll just end up with a gut full of spite, loathing this twisted world.¡±


    ¡°Durran!¡± someone called out, and Durran twisted his head back. A warrior wearing wyvern scale hopped over the rocks, making his way over to the pair of them. ¡°Durran, it¡¯s your father.¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡± Durran rose to his feet. ¡°Has he gotten worse?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± the warrior shook his head. ¡°Better, actually. Best I¡¯ve seen him all year. But¡­ he¡¯s asking to see you.¡±


    Durran ground his teeth together. Then, he held his ive towards Boarmask. ¡°Hold this. If you see Brium¡¯s signal, blow the horn. You know the drill.¡±


    Boarmask took the ive, and then Durran set out, scrambling up the rocks adeptly. Eventually, the mountains cleared up into arge, open valley. The ce was beautiful, overgrown with life, arge river running down its center. Homes had been built into the side of the valley, carved out from the rocks. Nearly each and every home had a wyvern just above it, nesting in a cave. People flew about atop wyverns from ce to ce, and the ce was a hive of activity.


    Durran ran up the center of the valley, moving past the great mass of people as he followed the river. All were readying for war, their weapons prepared forbat and their armor at the ready. People seemed to bubble with excitement, young and old.


    In the back, there was a crude stone pce. Durran paused at its foot, catching his breath, and then entered with slow, steady steps. The stream running down the valley originated from this ce, and consequently, it was well-guarded. Wyverns and men both stood at attention here, watching and waiting. None barred Durran¡¯s entry, and he made his way for the back.


    Inside, there was a bed of stone holding an emaciated man with arge frame. His wispy white hair was silver from age, but the man still had powerful golden eyes. He rather resembled Durran, though seemed much sterner. A young woman attended to him.


    As soon as Durran entered, his father¡¯s golden eyes locked on him. ¡°Boy,¡± he called out, voice hoarse.


    Though his father¡¯s voice was nowhere near as powerful as it once was, his words still had an almost instinctive effect. At once, he ran to his father¡¯s bedside and kneeled.


    His father grabbed his armor and shook him weakly. ¡°What are you thinking?¡±


    Durran offered token resistance, then seized his father¡¯s wrist and pulled it away. ¡°Father, you¡¯ve just woken up. Don¡¯t strain yourself. You may make things worse.¡± He looked to the woman attending him. ¡°Give us some space.¡±


    ¡°Worse?¡± his father repeated as the attendant left. ¡°I¡¯ve got one foot in the grave, how much damned worse can it get?¡± he wheezed, then coughed. ¡°But I hear it. Outside. Men preparing for war¡ªit¡¯s a sound I¡¯d never forget. The nervous cheers.¡±


    Durran took a deep breath and exhaled.


    ¡°Stop this foolishness,¡± his father said at once. ¡°You bear my name, ¡®Durran.¡¯ We don¡¯t have the numbers to do this.¡±


    ¡°But I¡ª¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t hear it. I am still chief. This ends, now,¡± Durran¡¯s fathermanded. ¡°You will go outside. You will tell them my order. I will not have thest of our people, thest of our great beasts of war, perish in this assault.¡±


    Durran stared at his father, saying nothing.


    ¡°Don¡¯t give me that look, boy,¡± Durran¡¯s father reprimanded. ¡°I am still chief. Disobedience will not be tolerated. You have nephews eager and willing to take your ce. You¡¯re my son, true enough, but the tribees before you, before me.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re talking about banishing me?¡±


    ¡°Not talking about. Threatening. Key difference, boy,¡± the chief shook his head. ¡°Now, go. Go!¡± he shouted, pointing out the door.


    Durran rose to his feet, walking to the entrance. The female attendant made to go back inside, but Durran grabbed her wrist.


    ¡°My father said he wished for some time to be alone with his thoughts,¡± Durran said. ¡°Give him some time. He¡¯ll call you when you¡¯re needed.¡±


    The female attendant nodded, and Durran walked outside, staring out across the valley. His gaze was grim and torn, and he clenched his fists tight.


    ¡°All the times he chided me for being weak¡­ now he wants me to back off?¡± Durran muttered.

 Chapter 136: Waves Collide, Amplifying

    Chapter 136: Waves Collide, Amplifying


    Brium stared down at the area beyond the walls of his tower, Cyprus, pushing a curtain aside to look through the barred window. A great abundance of people stood at attention behind him¡ªmost of them were ordinary humans, while two were Vessels. They were all armed for war. The Vessels were in their liquid form, silent and still, water tendrils wound like a snake poised to lunge.


    At the walls surrounding the foot of the copper tower, a great blockade waited, tense and cautious. Soldiers formed the bulk of the ward, while the Vessels, some bearing gold and some bearing silver, acted as themanders. They were organized, divided into three units numbering near two hundred each. The frontliners bore great tower shields burrowed into the ground, mindful of the archers posted on Cyprus¡¯ walls. Those behind the shield-bearers kneeled, watching the walls and the giant gate of the tower between the small cracks in their allies¡¯ shields.


    The industry of Sethia had ceased and many of the people came to watch. Unlike the raid at Argent, the guard was organized, deliberately keeping people inside the walls. But even the guards, too, were consumed with curiosity and nervousness, casting nces towards the tower of Cyprus. People resorted to climbing the walls of Sethia to get a better view. The archers atop the city¡¯s walls did not hinder those people.


    ¡°It¡¯s like two animals snarling in each other¡¯s face, practically at the throat, yet neither doing anything¡­¡± Brium mused. ¡°Neither want the danger. Threatening. Posturing.¡± The Lord of Copper turned his head back. ¡°Though we aren¡¯t equals. One is a lion.¡±


    ¡°My lord,¡± Captain Jeralian spoke. ¡°I don¡¯t think we can dy much longer. They¡¯ve been demanding you appear and be judged for near an hour.¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t as though we¡¯ll struggle in the fight ahead¡­¡± Brium shook his head. ¡°But has he really disappointed me like this? Yarra wouldn¡¯t let him. She¡¯s more than a match for his party.¡±


    ¡°My lord,¡± continued Jeralian, frustrated. ¡°What should I do?¡±


    ¡°Go and join the garrison,¡± Brium waved his hands, not even deigning to look back. ¡°It¡¯ll be another hour yet before they genuinely act. Gold and silver¡ªshiny metals and intimidating besides, but ultimately weak and useless. Everything is in ce.¡±


    The Captain of the Guard moved off, his order received. Brium continued to watch.


    ¡°The Lords of Silver and Gold demand that Brium, Lord of Copper, appear to receive judgement for his heretical ideals!¡± themanding Vessels shouted, remaining in physical form to do so.


    A man wearing red and gold clothing, his face hidden by a red cloth wrap, also climbed up the walls of Sethia. He looked around, watching the soldiers blockade the gate to Cyprus. He reached into his pocket and pulled free a disc. It was silver, polished to the point it reflected the sun nigh perfectly. He held it level with his face, tilting it up and down in the direction of Cyprus.


    The light of the suns above reflected on it, blinking at the archers on the opposite wall of Sethia. Though some were annoyed by the light, one of the archers reacted as though awoken. He stepped away from hispanions, looking around, and went to an empty spot on the wall. He retrieved an arrow from a hidden crevice and nocked it silently.


    Before any of his fellow archers could realize what was happening, the man pulled back his bowstring and fired the arrow recklessly at the blockade. The arrow sung as it travelled, leaving a noise like windchimes in its wake. A purple light trail appeared where it travelled¡ªthose closest saw that this trail of light wasposed of strange runes.


    When the arrow impacted with a soldier¡¯s shield, ck sand exploded in all directions with tremendous force. Screams of confusion and pain both split the air. The watching crowd in Sethia grew tense with uncertainty, murmuring to each other in shock. A sandstorm started to writhe in the wake of the explosion, ck particles twisting about and battering those closest.


    When the initial confusion settled, a single cry dissolved the uncertainty of the blockade.


    ¡°Attack!¡± one of themanding Vessels shouted, moments before their body dissolved into water.


    The cry of war was soon echoed by the othermanders who followed the first Vessel in assuming their liquid form. Great masses of water exploded outwards, coursing towards the walls at the foot of Cyprus.


    ¡°What?!¡± shouted Brium, leaning close to the window. Hisposure was broken, but that did notst for long. He turned his head back. ¡°Send the signal,¡± he directed one Vessel, his confusion and rage vanished in wake of a cold military demeanor. ¡°And you¡ªensure that archer is caught.¡±


    The Vessels could give no affirmative, but both moved at once, one writhing up the tower¡¯s stairs to a higher level. The other moved past Brium, breaking the bars on the window to enter the fray quickly. The soldiers in the room moved, knowing their duty.


    Brium sat on the window, watching the unfolding chaos. His hand gripped one of the broken bars. His fingers swelled as they clenched the metal as though filling up with water. The iron began topress, creaking.


    Below, the soldiers marched to the outer wall of Cyprus. The disciplined archers took fire at them as they approached, their job bing only easier as their targets marched closer. It might have seemed nonsensical. Walls were made to defend¡ªwithout an opening, nothing could be done to those inside.


    One needed a siege engine to break walls. The Vessels filled that role.


    Themanding Vessels flowed past the warriors they led, infantile forms trailing along. Their liquid bodies braced against the walls, tendrils of water gripping into the stone. Then, like great battering rams, tendrils of torso-thick water struck out in unison. On the first blow, the thick iron gates rung out like giant gongs, each Vessels¡¯ blow leaving inch-deep impacts into the metal. The second blow came, wrenching the gates from the walls. The doors barely remained standing, stone crumbling where the hinges had been freed. When the third barrage of water struck the iron, the gates exploded backwards as though sted, crashing into the poorly maintained gardens of Cyprus.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Before the dust even settled, the attacking soldiers marched through the open gateway. The defenders dropped boiling oil at them through murder holes as they passed. It proved to be of varying effectiveness. Many blocked the assault with their shields, while some were hit, screaming in agony as the oil burned them.


    Themanding Vessels did not follow their soldiers in assault. Instead, they writhed up the side of the walls, cresting the parapets and confronting the archers. As soon as the archers spotted the Vessels, they let out a primal screech of fear and ran. The closest chose to jump off the wall rather than confront the servants of Fellhorn.


    The Vessels rampaged unopposed, pressurized jets of water cutting through any opponents with little resistance. They flowed along the wall, leaving a trail of blood and gore in their wake. Yet as one passed over a grate in the wall, a great geyser of water erupted. The assant was one of Brium¡¯s Vessels. The ambusher sought out the infant form of its foe, and the surprise attacknded cleanly. A burst of blood marked the first death of a Vessel.


    At the top of Cyprus, the Vessel Brium ordered to ¡®send the signal¡¯ materialized in physical form. Nude in light of her transformation, the woman stepped up to a strange apparatus, grabbing a bag of loose powder and dumping it into a metal cone. She pulled atch nearby, and then stepped back.


    A great copper me erupted into the sky. The sound was deafening, the crude explosion echoing out for miles. The me was the same size as the tower itself and persisted for only a second or two before dissipating. It left a trail of smoke drifting into the sky, making Cyprus seem like a spent candle.


    Sethia fell into chaos¡ªthe token fighting force assaulting Cyprus was not the extent of the forces within the city. Vessels of differing allegiance moved to action, emerging from their estates and businesses to survey the situation and take action. The civilians in the city ran in a frenzy of fear and dread, their reckless stampede worsening the discord.


    No one seemed to know the meaning of the me signal, but soon enough, astute observers noticed the distant mountains stirring. Flying dots emerged from the rocky peaks, and the people felt their hearts beat faster. Soon, these far-off figures took form, solidity, winged forms resembling a locust guee to ravage crops.


    As the flying figures grew closer, the roars of the dreaded wyverns echoed against the ck walls of Sethia. The people encased knew what those cries meant. To some, it heralded a forgotten past. To others, it was only a call heralding aing flux.


    Yet just as the wyverns told the people what approached, actions within the city made it clear that it was noting¡ªit was already here.


    Cloaked figures bearing daggers glowing with purple runes stayed near the entrance of prominent ces, waiting for Vessels to walk past. When they emerged, the hiding assassins ambushed their prey, stabbing with their daggers. Each blownded sent ck sand dancing through the air. A great many of the assants failed¡ªVessels were difficult to fell.


    Elsewhere, archers fired at the Vessels that had assumed a liquid form. The chiming of the arrows drowned out the panicked screams, and purple runes danced in Sethia. Each arrow exploded just as the first had, killing indiscriminately. Many more civilians were killed than Vessels. Nevertheless, the assault was devastating.


    In minutes, every military force was mobilized. The guards of the city chose their allegiance. Though those belonging to Argent and Aurum were more numerous, the servants of Copper were well-organized, obviously anticipating the rebellion. Brium¡¯s men quickly grouped up, seizing a portion of the city that was well-defended. They were joined by Vessels of the same allegiance.


    A great many of Fellhorn¡¯s faithful were torn between moving to confront the wyvern threating ever closer or the traitors in their midst. The purpose of the entire event¡ªseizing Cyprus¡ªseemed to have been forgotten as the city was torn by infighting.


    Yet beyond the ck rock and dirt hills surrounding Sethia, in the vast sand dunes of the great Burnt Desert, there was a wind stirring. It could not be a normal wind¡ªit picked up ck sand, winding it about as it rose ever upwards into the air.


    This wind continued to speed up, picking up more and more ck sand, until it became a small tornado. Purple light shone within the whirling sand and wind, the twisting force rising ever upwards towards the sky.


    This tornado of ck sand bent downwards, bowing towards the town of Sethia. Like a tensed coil, it sprung forward, scattering purple light and clouds of sand in every direction. The corkscrew headed for the tower of Argent with a singr focus. People manning the silver tower screamed in fear and panic.


    The veritable railgun struck the side of the tower with considerably less force than it appeared to have. A great curtain of sand descended, forming a stairway right up to the broken window of the tower of Argent. Near twelve people stood at the foot of the sand mound. Most striking among them were three exceptionally tall people with pale skin.


    ¡°Thanks for the ride,¡± Argrave called out, purple runes swirling around him.


    ¡°That was thest Sand Courser we had,¡± Florimund shouted. ¡°How you knew of it baffles me.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t think too much. Just focus on the battle ahead,¡± Argrave returned, cing his feet on the sand before him. ¡°You boys have fun!¡±


    Argrave started to climb up the newly made entryway, heading for Argent. Though he tried to run, he soon slipped, and Gmon had to stop him plummeting ten feet to the ground below. After this, the three of them proceeded slowly up to the silver tower of Argent.


    The veteran southron elves turned towards the chaos ahead of them. Their explosive entrance had drawn much attention. Their figures were vague and uncertain, ck armor shimmering against the sand. Each step they left seemed to be jittery, repetitive, and illusory. Their march forward was structured yet seemed unstructured. Such was the power of their magic.


    Argrave made it to Argent and looked out across the vast chaos of Sethia.


    ¡°Christ. Talk about high stakes.¡± Argrave mused.


    ¡°Go inside,¡± Gmon grunted, pushing Argrave into Argent.

 Chapter 137: Golden Lady

    Chapter 137: Golden Lady


    Argent was a decadent ce. The walls and floor were made of silver, polished so as to reflect all within its walls. Just about everything else was an imperial purple¡ªfurniture, carpets, curtains. These decorations had gemstones, and though bordering on gaudy they did further the beauty of the ce. It was truly a home for a lord, by Argrave¡¯s reckoning. It was a shame, then, that such a pretty ce was marred by the heartless bastard owning it.


    The moment that Argrave¡¯s feet met the silver ground of Argent, he activated the Blessing of Supersession. It felt like a cork in his chest had been removed¡ªa cork holding back all the world¡¯s oceans. His own magic supply felt meager and useless as absolute power rushed over him. The feeling was growing familiar, and that disquieted Argrave.


    After a second of allowing himself to adjust to the feeling, Argrave held his hand out, using the C-rank [Electric Eel]. The magic constructs started to form in his hand, then jumped up into the air. One, four, thirteen, sixteen¡ªtheir numbers amplified by the second. He threw away notions of the magic debt he¡¯d rue, focusing instead on one thing¡ªending this quickly.


    ¡°You said it¡¯s on the seventeenth floor,¡± Gmon said, looking towards the stairs. ¡°Is that up or down?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the second highest floor, so up,¡± Argrave rified, stepping towards the stairs.


    The floor they were on was empty. All within had undoubtedly moved to confront the chaos outside and were on a lower floor¡ªperhaps some who had been outside would be moving to confront Argrave, having seen his shy entrance, but he doubted they¡¯d make it here quickly.


    Argrave kept a steady speed, diverting much of his attention to keeping the ever-growing cloud of electric eels from bumping into a wall and dissipating. He was tempted to send his Brumesingers ahead to scout, but he wasn¡¯t confident he could maintain focus if he epted yet more stimuli.


    The stairs were, fortunately, a straight shot to the seventeenth floor. Gmon led, and Anneliese covered the back, her single Brumesinger trailing closely behind. She held Garm in hand, the severed head fully exposed. He watched Argrave, expression pensive¡ªdoubtless he had questions about the Blessing of Supersession. They kept a steady pace for a long while, passing by room after room of varying purpose.


    After a time, Gmon stopped Argrave. ¡°People above. A group. They¡¯re scared¡­ not warriors,¡± he disclosed, voice echoing out from his helmet.


    Argrave paused, brain struggling between maintaining and growing the cloud of lightning above and digesting the information given to him.


    ¡°Oh,¡± Argrave nodded, the answering to him. ¡°The breeders. It¡¯s how the Lord of Silver maintains their appearance. They¡¯re harmless, but there could be guards¡ªVessels. Be cautious.¡±


    Gmon nodded, and then stepped up with quiet steps. Once they got far enough up the stairs, Gmon ducked quickly, dodging a burst of water struck the ceiling behind and dented the silver. Anneliese stepped forward, conjuring a B-rank ward with her ring, and then the party advanced upwards.


    Jets of water assailed the ward, chipping at it, yet it remained firm¡ªthe attacks could not even bepared to Yarra¡¯s. Two bodies of water danced about the luxurious room. A group of people was huddled in the back, but Argrave could not focus on them.


    Gmon stepped out from the ward, his bow readied. He fired an arrow at one Vessel. The thing did not bother moving¡ªthe projectile aimed at a great mass of water and did not approach its infantile form, so perhaps it did not fear the attack. But the arrowhead was made of Ebonice, and where it touched, great portions of its body were rendered useless.


    With its movements hindered, Argrave urged a great deal of the eels swirling above him to pursue the Vessel. It tried to flee, but with a diminished mass it was slow. Near twenty sparking constructs struck the heart of the Vessel, and it immediately lost all purpose, leaving behind only a charred lump. Its water flooded the room, pushing aside beds.


    The second Vessel in the room closed the distance instead of ying defensively. Gmon set aside his bow and retrieved his axe, stepping out to receive it. As it writhed along the surfaces of the tower while heading towards Gmon, it peppered them with small attacks.


    The Vessel engaged with Gmon cautiously, striking out with nonmittal attacks while its infantile form stayed in the back. Argrave looked for another opening, another opportunity to jump in, yet the Vessel remained cautious. Feeling frustrated by the loss of time, Argrave brought the bulk of his electric eels, sending them after the Vessel in a bullheaded rush intended to end things quickly.


    The Vessel retreated, fleeing from the electric eels. Argrave¡¯s attacks were fast, though, and soon enough, they managed to hit home. Writhing like a beheaded snake for but a moment, the Vessel died and its water dispersed, flooding the room. Argrave looked about, assessing for any danger. Eventually, he rxed a little.


    Screams echoed out from the back, and Argrave¡¯s gaze was directed towards the huddled people in the back of the room. The majority of their features were snow white¡ªhair, skin, even eyebrows. There were many women, while only a few males in their number. Nearly all of the females were pregnant.


    ¡°The Lord of Silver is chosen from these people¡¯s offspring. Their appearance is perceived to embody ¡®silver,¡¯ and so they¡¯re kept here,¡± Argrave exined to hispanions with a bitter mutter. ¡°The other lords each have something just like this.¡±


    His voice seemed to spark fear¡ªthe majority of the albinos seemed to have a great deal of difficulty seeing properly, judging by where they looked. Argrave continued to use [Electric Eel], intending to replenish the now-diminished supply.


    No one took action, and so Argrave realized he¡¯d have to do something. ¡°The Vessels are dead,¡± he called out. ¡°You should stay here, out of sight. Soon enough, everything is going to be over.¡±


    ¡°Argrave!¡± he heard Anneliese call out and whipped his head back.


    She conjured a B-rank ward as she moved, then pulled Argrave into its cover. A jet of silver liquid mmed into the golden shield. It seeded in halting the attack only for a second before its sheer power punctured the ward. Argrave tried to pull his head out of the way, but he felt heat on his ear¡ªhe¡¯d been cut. The jet hit the wall behind, puncturing the metal and exposing the sky beyond.


    The Lord of Silver, Quarrus, stood at the stairs, descending from a higher floor. His white hair danced through the air, almost alive, and his pink eyes were cold. Argrave prepared to cast his own ward, but the lord¡¯s hand reformed from silver water into its physical shape.


    ¡°Brium¡¯s mercenaries,¡± he said coldly, lowering his hand. His body began to bubble beneath his silver robes, expanding. ¡°More capable than I imagined. Yet that ends.¡±


    #####


    Battle made Durran forget all else. He¡¯d forgotten his father¡¯s decree that he would be exiled, he¡¯d forgotten theing confrontation with Titus¡­


    Perhaps that was why Durran enjoyed it so. Or perhaps it was in his blood. He was from the proud southern tribes, incubated in the fires of war.


    The wind whipped at his face and he clenched the reins of his wyvern tight in hand as it soared above the city of Sethia. The battlefield had be a site of wanton ughter. The wyverns of the southern tribes attacked the Vessels, leaving those on Brium¡¯s side alone¡ªfor now, at the very least. Durran was nervous with anticipation, having informed his men of the betrayal toe.


    And dealing with hundreds alone, fighting boldly on the outskirts of the city, were the southron elves. Durran had heard tales of their terrifying prowess, and that proved to be true¡ªDurran could not count them because of their strange illusion magic, yet perhaps ten of them faced hundreds, dancing through the ranks of the enemy and leaving innumerable dead in their wake.


    ¡°Durran,¡± shouted Boarmask above the whipping wind. ¡°I need you tond. I need you to let me off!¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Durran returned. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Titus!¡± Boarmask shouted. ¡°His men¡ªthey¡¯re killing civilians!¡±


    Durran looked down to Sethia below. It was difficult to spot Titus¡¯ men. They moved mostly covertly. Yet still, as Durran flew about, he saw archers fire strange, enchanted arrows that seemed reminiscent of southron elf magic. Though aimed at Vessels, the damage caused by each projectile was devastating. People were buried beneath explosions of sand, whipped by sandstorms¡­


    ¡°Alright!¡± Durran shouted back, pressing down on his wyvern¡¯s neck. Recognizing hismand, the great beast descended towards the city. It eventuallynded on the walls of Sethia, and Boarmask removed what was keeping him strapped to the wyvern and jumped down.


    ¡°What will you do?¡± questioned Durran.


    ¡°Help the people get to safety!¡± Boarmask shouted. ¡°And deal with Titus, should I find him,¡± he said grimly.


    In the far distance, a Vessel took aim at Durran. A jet of water pumped through the air. Unable to twist his body, he held his hand out and conjured a D-rank ward¡ªit shattered, yet the jet was diminished enough that water sttered his face harmlessly.


    ¡°Good luck, pig!¡± Durran shouted to Boarmask as he pulled on the reins, and the wyvern jumped free of the city walls, ascending once more.


    As he flew, Durran noticed something emerge from the top of the tower of Aurum. He thought he was hallucinating¡ªthe tower seemed to be growing. Further scrutiny rified the image. Golden liquid poured out from the windows of the tower, rising up into the sky. It was like the purest honey at points, molten gold at others, and before long, Aurum seemed to possess a golden crown to match its splendor.


    ¡°The Lord of Gold¡­¡± Durran muttered to himself.


    Crislia, the Lord of Gold, took her ce atop the tower of Aurum. The sunlight above passed through her form, dappling the ck desert and the war-ravaged Sethia with resplendent rays of gold. The mass of metallic liquid contorted, shimmered, as if adjusting.


    With nary a sound, spikes of gold shot out, each and every directed towards one of the many wyverns roaming about. The attacks were deadly and rapid, killing dozens in seconds. They tore through the great beasts, the pride of the southern tribals, as easily as parchment. Their prized mounts descended en masse in a fountain of blood.


    Durran pulled on his wyvern¡¯s reins, and the beast turned only barely enough to dodge the jet of gold directed at him. It tore through a stone building below, destroying it utterly. Durran felt the fear of death in every facet of his being¡­ and he started tough. He spurred his wyvern onwards, flying towards the golden monster.


    The Lord of Gold¡¯s form began to shimmer once again, and Durran knew it was preparing for another assault. Durran clenched on the reins tighter, roaring in tandem with his wyvern. Then, from Cyprus, a great blur of copper sprung forward as ifunched. Brium mmed into the Lord of Gold, and the seemingly indomitable force was blown backwards.


    The Lord of Copper and Gold remained suspended in the air Aurum, both falling ever so slowly, stunned. Liquid gold and copper rained down, scattered from the intensity of the impact. The metallic liquid drops turned to water once they contacted the earth. Durran pulled his wyvern around, trying to assess the situation better.


    The two stunned Lords surged to life, both masses of metallic liquid writhing, grappling each other. The battle seemed iprehensible to a human eye¡ªtwo masses of liquid contorting, shifting, straining in every direction. The Vessels¡¯ heart¡ªtheir infantile form¡ªwas not even visible. Durran knew only that he saw more gold than copper.


    Brium pushed away suddenly, disentangling from the struggle. The Lord of Gold strained out, remaining fixed on the tower. As if coordinated, several purple streaks shot out from the city of Sethia. Durran was certain they were Titus¡¯ men, but he could not confirm that.


    The arrows struck the Lord of Gold in tandem, and ck sand burst outwards, powerful enough to contest the veritably godlike Vessel. Then, Brium¡¯s assault resumed. The mass of copper liquid collided with the gold once more. A single copper spike shot through the gold form, and Durran barely spotted a sh of crimson on the other end.


    Crislia, the feared Lord of Gold, started to sag. Her golden form turned to sludge, it seemed, ckened and rotted as she was inside. Then, it became water once more, and a great deluge of water fell upon the tower of Aurum, flooding all within its outer walls.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Durran, knew, then, that the Lord of Gold had died.

 Chapter 138: Mirror Room

    Chapter 138: Mirror Room


    Argrave had been preparing for¡ªand loathing¡ªthe possibility of a confrontation with the Lord of Silver, Quarrus.


    One of Quarrus¡¯ attacks had been sufficient topletely destroy a B-rank ward, and even left a hole in the silver wall beyond it. Argrave was confident in his enchanted armor¡­ but he couldn¡¯t deny his heart was beating the fastest it ever had. He pulled his duster¡¯s hood over his head, drawing it tight as he watched the Lord at the stairs.


    The title of ¡®Lord¡¯ wasn¡¯t one fabricated by the minds of men¡ªit was a seat bestowed by Fellhorn. The Vessel¡¯s non-physical forms took on some qualities of the metal they were named after. The liquid was denser, packing a harder punch while simultaneously offering better defense. Those qualities were dangerous enough¡­ yet the true issuey in the fact that the metallic veneer obscured the Vessel¡¯s heart¡ªtheir infant body.


    Argrave had a n. All of hispanions knew it, even Garm. The setting¡ªa room in Argent¡ªwas precisely as Argrave expected. They had all they needed to bring this n to fruition. Yet the fact remained this: they were facing a force vastly more powerful than they were.


    ¡°Gmon,¡± Argrave called out, keeping his eyes locked on the Lord of Silver ahead. ¡°A minute left ¡®til the corkes back on. Use the egg¡ªstall, please.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do my duty,¡± Gmon said before Argrave had even finished speaking.


    Argrave felt guilt and relief twinned when Gmon stepped forth, Ebonice axe in hand. Argrave stepped back with Anneliese, heading towards the center of the back of the room, opposite Quarrus.


    The rings on the Lord of Silver¡¯s hands ttered to the ground. His earrings phased through his ear, passing through his now-liquid body. His ne, bracelets¡ªthey all fell, scattering down the stairs as Quarrus¡¯ flesh faded in way of his silvery water.


    ¡°I need to spend my time readying the eels to capitalize on the opening we¡¯ll make. I¡¯ll trust you to lead me,¡± he told Anneliese bluntly as used the C-rank [Electric Eel], summoning sparking constructs. ¡°The Brumesingers will help Gmon.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± she nodded, not taking her eyes off the opponent ahead.


    Argrave cast a druidic spell¡ªa subset of the spell [Pack Leader]¡ªand his small foxlike druidic bonds mbered down, bunching near his feet. He had given them an order to protect. They raised their heads and sung, their howls like windchimes. Mist started to rise out from their gray fur like steam, spreading across the room.


    Quarrus¡¯ liquid form steadily surged outwards, clinging to the walls so as to surround their party. The already silver walls were reced by liquid, almost as though they¡¯d turned to mercury. The water left by the deceased Vessels flowed towards his form, subsumed into the Lord of Silver¡¯s Vessel. The windows were shrouded, and all sunlight ceased¡ªthe only thing keeping the ce lit was the electric eels dancing above Argrave¡¯s head, bathing the room in an eerie blue light.


    The room¡¯s reflections had been bad enough before, but as the silver upied all of the walls, their reflections stretched on infinitely. Argrave saw himself, the breeder ves, Gmon, Anneliese, and Garm, each and all reflected without end. Theplete inability to stop Quarrus¡¯ advance gave Argrave a sense of dread and powerlessness¡ªnot panic, though.


    Spread out as he was, Quarrus could attack them from all directions. The tradeoff for spreading himself thin meant weaker attacks. ¡®Weaker¡¯ meant he was still strong enough to cut through flesh like butter, though.


    Argrave had been counting on Quarrus doing this.


    Gmon raised up his hand, holding a ck object with an egg-like shape. It had purple runes on its surface. He tossed it on the ground forcefully¡­


    And the room became ck at once.


    Gmon had used one of the southron elves¡¯ war relics. ck sand spiraled out, a great winding tornado shrouding the room in chaos. The sand battered at Argrave from every direction, disorienting him yet further. The only thing visible was Gmon standing in the center¡ªthe sand was least dense there.


    Argrave didn¡¯t know much about the Vessels¡¯ anatomy, but he knew they still needed to see, just as any human or elf. Already, Quarrus sent attacks at the elven vampire. The Brumesingers¡¯ mist warriors appeared at Gmon¡¯s side, drawing attention and causing the Lord of Silver to aim poorly.


    Anneliese led Argrave away, seeking cover behind furniture in the grandiose room. Without sight, Quarrus sent out his attacks randomly. Metal creaked loudly when attacks missed, and screams echoed out from the breeder ves, both rising above the din of the chaos. All the while, Argrave readied his eels ever diligently.


    Twenty or so seconds passed, but they felt like an eternity. As the sandstorm thinned, Quarrus¡¯ aim became better. He ignored the mist warriors, focusing only on Gmon.


    With near forty eels in the air, Argrave shouted, ¡°Ready!¡±


    His words were met by a deadly barrage of silver from the lord surrounding them. Anneliese conjured a ward as she led Argrave along. The Lord of Silver¡¯s attacks, though spread-out and ostensibly weaker, still pierced the B-rank ward. Argrave took hits in the shoulder. The enchantments on his armor protected him, yet it felt like a mule had kicked him.


    Gmon reached into a satchel, retrieving a cube. He was about to press something on its surface, but Quarrus diverted all of his attention to the elf. Numerous jets of silver shot out from the wall, forcing the vampire to dodge. The dodge had been anticipated, though¡ªmore attacks followed, a thick volley striking Gmon just below the shoulder.


    Argrave barely processed what was soaring through the air until itnded a few feet from Argrave. Gmon¡¯s arm had been severed cleanly, the cube still clenched in its hand. The vampire¡¯s cry of agony split the air, reminiscent of the guttural roar of a demon.


    The assault did not relent there. Quarrus sought to finish Gmon, striking from all angles. The vampire moved differently than he had before, dodging more like animal than something intelligent. It proved effective¡ªGmon dodged the next wave of silver spikes, then ran, path unpredictable. The sight of Gmon¡¯s movements brought back repressed memories, and Argrave felt fear as he recalled Barden.


    Quarrus hounded Gmon relentlessly. The elven vampire ran with speed unmatched, blood pouring from his arm. He headed for the back of the room. There, the breeder ves sought refuge. Gmon seized many of the ves, screaming, and overturned a bed, hiding himself beneath it. Quarrus hesitated in the attack, as though fearing to damage the ves nearby.


    Argrave felt repulsion, guilt, horror, as he knew what Gmon was surely doing. With blood, Gmon would regenerate. In his frenzied state, many would surely die. At the same time, beneath all the guilt was a twisted relief that hispanion would not die.


    Anneliese crawled out, grabbing Gmon¡¯s arm and sliding it over to Argrave. Realizing her intent, Argrave kneeled, pulling at Gmon¡¯s gauntleted fingers. His grip proved tenacious, but Argrave freed the cube.


    ¡°Gmon!¡± Argrave shouted, the southron elf war relic in hand. ¡°The arrowheads!¡±


    Yet his voice was returned with nothing. Quarrus devoted his attention to attacking Argrave and Anneliese, evidently unwilling to damage his valuable breeding stock to kill Gmon. It was a symptom of arrogance¡ªthe Vessel did not believe his life was threatened.


    ¡°Gmon!¡± Argrave shouted, conjuring a ward with his ring to block a barrage of silver liquid. He could feel the magic in the ring diminishing¡ªhe was running out of wards to conjure. Four, maybe more.


    ¡°The arrowheads!¡± Argrave shouted once more, his voice joined in chorus with Anneliese.


    Another voice broke through the chaos. ¡°Hold me up!¡± Garm shouted.


    Anneliese looked down to Garm in her hands.


    ¡°Trust in me!¡± the head shouted.


    Argrave nodded vigorously, and Anneliese raised Garm without a second¡¯s dy. A spell matrix conjured before his eyes, and then a ck and red wave scattered about the room. He heard another guttural howl¡ªGmon¡¯s, undoubtedly.


    ¡°Throw the arrowheads!¡± Garm shouted, voice enhanced by a strange magic.


    The Lord of Silver attacked once more, foregoing small rapid attacks in favor of a single strong one. It proved effective, this time¡ªit broke past Argrave¡¯s ward, taking him in the leg. Argrave fell to the ground, screaming. As hey there, a bagnded beside his head, ck arrowheads spilling out.


    Argrave pushed past the pain, grabbing the bag of arrowheads. He pushed an indent in the cube, and it lit up with purple runes. He loaded the spilled arrowheads into the bag, then cast the cube inside, giving the bag a shake.


    In no position to manage a good throw, Argrave held the bag out to Anneliese. She understood what he wanted, taking the bag in hand. She tossed it to the center of the room. As it bounced beforeing to a stop, Argrave feared the bag would open, and the cube would slide out¡­ yet it did not.


    Argrave took cover behind a bed, bringing Anneliese along with him. Purple light exploded outwards from the bag. Argrave felt small fragments batter his body and lost all hearing¡ªall sound was reced by a constant ringing.


    The Ebonice arrowheads had been caught in the center of the war relic¡¯s explosion, fragmenting and scattering about the room. Once even the smallest shard of fragmented Ebonice met with the Vessel¡¯s body, they would dispel his power vested in him by Fellhorn. It was but a moment¡­ but that moment was enough to expose Quarrus¡¯ heart.


    Argrave spotted Quarrus¡¯ true form at once, newborn form suspended in the center of the room as it clung to the ceiling. Though the Ebonice fragments had struck some of Argrave¡¯s electric eels, dispelling them, enough remained¡ªfour. He willed them towards Quarrus¡¯ infantile form. The Vessel saw itsing doom and tried to relocate its body, but it was split apart too severely to flee.


    The electric eels struck home, sparking. Argrave saw something fall. He couldn¡¯t distinguish it at first, but he realized Quarrus had severed his connection with the water to avoid being hit. The Vessel¡¯s infant bodynded atop one of the breeder ve¡¯s beds. It cried loudly, like any infant might.


    Argrave sat up in panic, causing another wave of blood to pour from his leg. He raised his hand, ready to dispatch it with a final spell. One of the ves stood, running across the room. He feared the woman intended to protect the child. She reached her hands out, and Argrave steeled himself to finish things as his hearing returned.


    Yet he did not have to. The Lord of Silver¡¯s ve dealt the finishing blow, screaming out in rage and sorrow. Silence followed, and time seemed to freeze. Then, all of the water in the room turned ck, then exploded outwards, surging out the windows and the freshly-made holes in the wall.


    Argrave copsed backwards, barely able to keep his head above the rushing tide. Anneliese pulled him atop one of the beds.


    ¡°You are bleeding. Stay still,¡± she directed, setting Garm aside. ¡°I will heal you.¡±


    ¡°Just the leg,¡± Argrave shook his head, teeth clenched tight. ¡°Just enough to walk. Then¡­ check if Gmon is fine. Physically¡­ and otherwise. We have to hurry. Not much further yet.¡±


    ¡°I live,¡± cut in a cold growl, and Gmon moved across the room. He held his helmet in hand. His mouth and neck were covered with blood. The stump where his arm once was already twitching and writhing. It grew, reconstituting.


    Argrave tensed as Gmon approached, fearing the vampire. Gmon strode up to Argrave¡¯s bedside and grabbed Garm by the hair.


    ¡°What did you do?¡± Gmon demanded of Garm.


    ¡°Saved everyone,¡± said the head.


    ¡°The hunger¡­ it¡¯s afraid. Afraid of you,¡± Gmon insisted.


    ¡°It¡¯s necromancy. Obviously,¡± Garm spat.


    ¡°Gmon¡­¡± Argrave raised his hand up. ¡°Let go of him. It¡¯s over.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Gmon looked down at Argrave. It wasn¡¯t rage in his eyes, nor bloodlust. It was something else. Argrave couldn¡¯t ce it. But eventually the vampire acquiesced, setting Garm down gently. Argrave¡¯s Brumesingers jumped up to the bed, sitting beside his stomach.


    ¡°I¡­ will watch the stairs,¡± Gmon said, putting his helmet on. He grabbed his arm off the ground, then moved away.


    Argrave looked to Anneliese, seeking her insight.


    She shook her head. ¡°He isn¡¯t fine. But he can get through this.¡±


    Argrave nodded, stifling his uncertainties. He knew the spell Garm had cast. He wasn¡¯t worried about Gmon¡¯s condition. The spell, [Voice of the Corrupt], merely terrified the spirits of the undead¡ªArgrave supposed Garm had used it to bring Gmon back to his senses.


    But that spell was B-rank, meaning Garm was capable of using spells of that rank. That, alone, was rming enough¡­ yet the spell used fragments of souls. Typically, a necromancer would use sacrifices to fuel it.


    Failing that, one¡¯s own soul would degrade.


    Argrave stared at Garm,plicated thoughts disturbing his brain.


    <em>No time for the third degree, not now. He¡¯s an ally¡ªeven if I can¡¯t trust him, his life is tied to ours, and I know he wants to live. The Wraith¡¯s Heart is close at hand¡­ and after that, the Lord of Copper. </em>Argrave lifted his head, feeling the soothing healing magic from Anneliese seize his leg. <em></em>


    ¡°Let¡¯s end this well,¡± Argrave said aloud, looking up at Anneliese.


    She met his gaze, then gave a determined nod.

 Chapter 139: Biggest Prize

    Chapter 139: Biggest Prize


    Argrave grabbed a silver handle from a shelf, pulling free a ck box. It wasrge, and he was unprepared for the weight¡ªAnneliese put her hand beneath it to stop Argrave from dropping it. They lowered it to the ground together. It was a ck cube chest with a silver locking mechanism.


    The four of them stood in Argent¡¯s treasury, entirely unopposed. The ce was a fitting treasury for the Lord of Silver¡­ but quite disappointing for Argrave. Fine art, silver statues, or sculptures of Lords past might indeed be quite expensive, but Argrave would have preferred enchanted items. In ¡®Heroes of Berendar,¡¯ you might be able to sell an expensive painting to a cksmith¡ªthat wouldn¡¯t fly, here.


    Instead, Gmon wrenched free gemstones from statues and poured boxes of jewelry into their lockbox. Once the box was full, he moved on to the backpacks, haphazardly tossing valuables in alongside the books and supplies he held. The elven vampire still had a grim air to him¡ªhe was far paler than normal, and instead of dour, he seemed enraged. His arm had healed to the elbow already, yet it seemed to be taking much out of the vampire. He drank from his sks very frequently, draining them one by one.


    Argrave knelt down to the chest, lifting it open¡ªQuarrus had not bothered to lock it. There was a silver medallion within atop a pillow of purple silk. It was a strange, primitive looking thing, with strange letters on it. In its center, a woman held a horn up, pouring water from it.


    ¡°The inheritance medallion,¡± Argrave raised his head to look at Anneliese. ¡°With this gone¡­ no more Lords of Silver. No one will ever hold this seat again.¡±


    Anneliese looked at him seriously. ¡°Is that¡­ prudent, taking it?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ the ancient gods are a bit more vindictive than the others. At the same time, they don¡¯t pay much attention to the mortal world. I think.¡± Argrave took the medallion. ¡°Destroying it might be problematic. Merely taking it, though¡­¡± Argrave weighed the medallion in his hand, then stuffed it into his pocket. ¡°Every bit helps.¡±


    Argrave stood from the box, walking to a corner of the treasury where things remained more on the curio side of things. He opened a few boxes¡ªmost of them were worthless things, truly just oddities¡ªbut eventually, he saw what he¡¯d been looking for within. He turned the box in question about.


    A gray, slightly transparent model hearty within the in box. Argrave touched it. The thing was lifelike enough that Argrave would not have been surprised to feel heat, but it was dormant. In the wake of the grim battle not moments ago, he could not muster the excitement he¡¯d been anticipating at obtaining the Wraith¡¯s Heart, the final piece he needed to be ck Blooded.


    ¡°Time to go,¡± Argrave turned around. ¡°Leave the rest of the treasure. Maybe the freed breeder ves can take¡­¡± Argrave trailed off, feeling the words weren¡¯t fitting with Gmon¡¯s presence.


    ¡°We should assess things in Sethia, alter our ns ordingly,¡± Anneliese suggested.


    ¡°Getting out is more important than doing some people-watching. Quarrus made a bigmotion, both by fighting and dying¡ªmight be some of his underlings are sauntering up those stairs. While it¡¯s a fight we can win, I¡¯d rather sidestep it altogether,¡± Argravementated, stepping towards the stairs.


    ¡°¡­what of the albinos?¡± Anneliese asked quietly. ¡°They saw¡ª¡±


    ¡°Leave them,¡± Gmon interrupted. ¡°Please. I¡¯ve done enough damage.¡±


    Argrave stared at his vampirepanion. He couldn¡¯t recall him ever saying ¡®please¡¯ before.


    ¡°Gmon¡­ you couldn¡¯t¡ª¡±


    ¡°Walk, Argrave,¡± he interrupted. He raised his severed arm up¡ªthe forearm was already taking shape. ¡°I could¡¯ve done something. I took responsibility for all the pain my hunger causes when I chose not to die all those years ago.¡±


    Argrave could say nothing in response, and so he turned towards the stairs.


    #####


    Durran¡¯s wyvern reared back its head, swinging its horns upwards into the Vessel¡¯s body. The water resisted like taut rope, but eventually the wyvern¡¯s strength prevailed, and water scattered. The Vessel¡¯s heart pulled away, seeking safety. Durran cut the straps on his saddle, freeing his body from the wyvern¡¯s back. He strode up his winged reptile¡¯s head, jumping from its snout in pursuit of the infant form of the Vessel.


    The distance between him and his target seemed too great, even with the reach of Durran¡¯s long ive. As he dropped, he readied a spell in one hand. He threw his ive forward, and then sent out a burst of wind magic to propel his weapon. The ive whistled through the air, striking the Vessel¡¯s physical form cleanly.


    Durran fell more than dozen feet,nding on solid stone. He grunted in pain, ncing down at his leg¡ªblood dripped out of his wyvern scale boots, onto the paved streets. Something had broken, obviously, and badly. Water rained down on him from the dead Vessel. Heughed as it drenched him, teeth still clenched tight in pain.


    He stood on one leg and hopped down the street, keeping a hand to the wall to support himself. He retrieved his ive, then whistled. His wyvern craned its neck down to reach him, and Durran grabbed hold of its horns, maneuvering gracefully until he took a seat on the saddle. He pulled up on the reins, keeping a low profile to avoid being pulled from the back of his mount by fierce winds.


    Durran¡¯s wyvern was one of the few still remaining in the sky. Others had been injured and could not fly. Others were outright killed. Their attacking force had been devastated¡­ yet the city of Sethia more so. At this point, ruined buildings had be moremon than standing ones. Corpsesy everywhere. The streets were buried beneath ck sand and rubble.


    As he flew higher, his gaze went to Argent. Water poured from one of its top floors. The Lord of Silver had been fighting there¡­ and judging by the waterfallsing out of the windows and freshly made holes, he had lost utterly. Durran couldn¡¯t picture what had gone down there. He had seen the Lord of Gold¡ªhe had been seconds from dying to her. He could not picture a way to end her.


    But more presently, he saw the Lord of Copper.


    The copper mass of liquid seemed indomitable as it writhed about the city, dispatching opponents indiscriminately. Brium had not yet betrayed them, but Durran could see iting as clear as day. This well-executed betrayal on Brium¡¯s end showed his true nature¡­ and more simply, Titus had confirmed it.


    The men underneath Titus were much of the reason the city had be as it was. Though Durran did not know how, they brought a great trove of weapons to the field¡ªsouthron elf war relics. Titus¡¯ people destroyed many Vessels, yet their victories came at a great loss of life.


    Durran held his hand to his leg, casting low rank healing magic he knew in some desperate attempt to heal his wound. As he soared above, he saw thest of Brium¡¯s guardsmen storm the final holdout of the forces beneath Argent still standing in Sethia. An overwhelming feeling of dread came over Durran as he realized that things wereing to a close and the truth woulde to light in seconds.


    #####


    Brium took form atop one of the highest buildings in Sethia¡ªthe belltower. The bell had fallen down and crashed amidst rubble, but the top of the building wasrgely intact. Brium, human form reassumed, sat on the edge, observing the battlefield.


    He was furious. Things had gone very well¡ªhis forces had defeated all of those within Sethia with ease. Though he was worried about the confrontation with Quarrus, his worries were unfounded. The mercenary, who he initially thought had disappointed him, proved to be far greater than what he promised, single-handedly eliminating the Lord of Silver.


    Yet Titus had ensured that his conquest earned him not a verdant paradise, but a war-torn ruin. The southern tribals and the citizens both died in numbers far too great. Brium had wanted Sethia¡ªhe seemed likely to obtain a shadow of its glory now, now.


    And even as he watched, the southern tribals moved away from his men, moved away from the heart of the city. Their movements made it obvious¡ªthey knew of what Brium intended to do. Another machination of Titus, to be sure.


    As Brium sat, far removed from the conflict, his vision twisted. He was drawn to the sight at once, for his vision was typically wless. In the far distance, two balls attached by a rope twirled through the air¡ªthey stayed suspended in midair, unmoving, purple light twirling around them. Brium squinted. They seemed to be growing, far in the distance. Brium felt curiosity, but no danger.


    Brium¡¯s head reeled back and he grunted in pain. The balls hadn¡¯t been growingrger¡ªthey¡¯d been growing closer. Magic must have affected his sight. He stood, climbing further up the roof. His vision was dyed red and distorted, and he was near certain his cheekbone had been cracked.


    As he turned, he saw a ive swinging for his chest. Brium raised a hand, but the ive soared over and struck his neck. No blood came, though¡ªhis flesh had already liquified.


    ¡°Damn,¡± cursed a warrior whose words sounded muddled¡ªhis voice sounded like something was wrong with his nose. ¡°Should have gone for the neck first.¡±


    Brium¡¯s flesh morphed into liquid, and his copper body spread out. The southron elves swarmed near him like pests. The Lord of Copper could not distinguish where they were¡ªthey seemed to be twenty and five simultaneously, blinking in and out of existence.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Think we need the biggest prize, boys!¡± Corentin shouted, voice distorted and echoed by the strange illusion magic of his people. ¡°Well, the biggest left unimed. It¡¯s third ce, but it¡¯s on the rankings. Only way the people won¡¯t forget our generous contribution, am I right?¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t make a trophy out of it,¡± Florimund noted, voice simrly garbled. ¡°Turns to water, after all. At least we can drink him. Wonder if he tastes like copper.¡±


    Brium took in the waters vested in him by Fellhorn, letting their nature calm his rage before he blindly attacked the new foe.


    <em>Crislia and Quarrus both died because of arrogance. I will not meet the same fate. </em>


    The Lord of Copper surged down the belltower, striking its base. The thing cracked incredibly loudly, then began to crumble. The bell near the top fell once more, ringing once before being smothered and muted by rubble. His vision was affected by the blow to his eye, but he still had sight sufficient to get to a ce of safety.


    Brium took flesh once more. ¡°We go on the defensive! Follow my lead!¡± he shouted. ¡°Heed my words, as the new Lord of Sethia!¡±


    Leaving this directive, Brium once again assumed his liquid form. The people under hismand obeyed hismand quickly and ryed hismand just as fast. In not a minute, the quieting battlefield once again became consumed by conflict.


    ¡°It runs well,¡±plimented a voice from behind Brium. A mighty sh followed it, meeting the Lord of Copper¡¯s form. It was ineffective, but Brium reeled away due to the fact that he was entirely ignorant of his foe¡¯s approach.


    ¡°This¡¯ll be troublesome,¡± noted Florimund, standing atop a high building. Brium fired a copper jet, yet it seemed to pass through his chest as though the elf wasn¡¯t present at all.


    ¡°We have to hit its heart, don¡¯t we?¡± Morvan said, standing atop Sethia¡¯s walls. ¡°A bit hard to see¡­ but as long as we keep at it, we¡¯re bound to hit something. Or¡­ I guess we¡¯ll die.¡±


    ¡°Told you not to throw that damned sling,¡± Yann rebuked. ¡°Could¡¯ve chopped his head off.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t give him a hard time. That big pale bastard, Gmon, said he axed one on the head¡ªit lived. Wouldn¡¯t have been that easy,¡± Morvan returned defensively.


    The southron elves stood before the Lord of Copper, isted amidst enemies. Yet the Lord of Copper stayed still, cautious of his iprehensible foes.

 Chapter 140: Division of Power

    Chapter 140: Division of Power


    ¡°The dangerous thing about Brium is¡­¡± Argrave trailed off as he stared out over the city of Sethia, standing atop the mound of sand that had been built by the Sand Courser.


    Argrave had chosen what he thought was the ¡®right thing.¡¯ He¡¯d endeavored to liberate the city from the hands of the Vessels, even if it did create some uncertainty and loss of time. Yet now¡­ Sethia was the worst he had ever seen it. ¡®Heroes of Berendar¡¯ never had an oue with such devastation, such loss of life.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Anneliese interrupted Argrave¡¯s thoughts.


    Argrave shook his head. ¡°The dangerous thing about Brium is that he always fights as though the opponent is stronger: cautiously, with contingencies. All the desperation of a cornered rat. Guess that was something taught by being surrounded by two powerhouses¡ªsilver and gold.¡± Argrave kneeled down. ¡°Those damned southron elves¡­ I¡¯d ask what they¡¯re thinking, but I know. Honor and glory.¡±


    ¡°Argrave,¡± Gmon called out. ¡°Skyward.¡±


    Heeding Gmon¡¯s words, Argrave looked upwards, scanning the blue sky marred by drifting ck sand. A gray wyvern cut through the air at them. Argrave stood, readied, yet it began to slow.


    Durran¡¯s wyvern gripped onto the side of Argent, using wings and legs both. The ws against metal creaked unpleasantly¡ªsounded like nails against a chalkboard, almost¡ªyet the creature did stop.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Durran called out, shouts rising above his wyvern¡¯sbored breathing. ¡°I¡¯ve got a trade for you.¡±


    ¡°War profiteering?¡± Argrave returned. ¡°Hardly the time. I¡¯ve got things to do.¡±


    ¡°Heal my leg,¡± he pointed down. ¡°And I¡¯ll take you to the skies.¡±


    Argrave furrowed his brows, looking to Anneliese. She nodded and whispered, ¡°He is being serious.¡±


    Argrave turned his head back. ¡°We want to get near the fight with Brium.¡±


    ¡°Gods above¡­¡± Durran shook his head. ¡°Fine. I¡¯llnd near the bottom of this mounde quickly. Think I feel my damned leg bone pushing against the armor.¡±


    Argrave shed a thumbs up, then turned to move. Behind, Durran¡¯s wyvern soared through the sky. Powerful winds assailed them, loosening sand, and Argrave slipped. He copsed to his back and started to slide down the hill of sand nauseatingly quickly. The Brumesingers in his clothing yelped in terror as Argrave used all of his spatial coordination to stop from careening off the side.


    The terror ended when Argrave¡¯s feet met the ground outside Sethia. He straightened his back and shook his duster free of sand, doing his best to act as though he wasn¡¯t on the verge of vomiting in fear. Durran¡¯s mountnded a fair distance away, walking on its two legs towards them.


    The southern tribal fell off his mount¡¯s back ungracefully,nding on his side. Anneliese rushed down, but instead of tending to Durran, asked Argrave at once, ¡°Are you hurt?¡±


    ¡°Some bruises tomorrow, maybe,¡± Argrave shook his head, very proud his voice didn¡¯t waver. ¡°Deal with him.¡±


    Anneliese moved to Durran and started to treat his wound. The man did indeed have bone sticking out of his leg, but with everything still attached, he could be healed. Argrave and Gmon put their things in the wyvern¡¯s saddle, preparing to ride. They paid special attention to Garm¡¯s situation, ensuring nothing woulde free. In two or so minutes, they were ready to move. It felt like hours to Argrave.


    ¡°Magic¡­ is a thing of beauty,¡± Durran sighed as he tested his leg.


    ¡°Ruminateter,¡± Argrave directed, pointing to the wyvern. ¡°Liftoff, pilot.¡±


    With one final step, Durran moved towards his mount, gracefully assuming the rider¡¯s position. Argrave got atop its back as well, followed by the other two.


    ¡°Heavy load,¡± Durran noted.


    ¡°She can take it,¡± Argrave shook his head.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Durran pulled up on the reins, looking back. ¡°How do you know it¡¯s a she?¡± he questioned as his beast took to the skies.


    ¡°Larger. Horns. Cleft tail,¡± Argrave said at once.


    With a jump and powerful beats of its wings, the gargantuan reptile started to gain altitude. Argrave was fine with heights, but he could not deny he felt nervous.


    ¡°Did you really kill the Lord of Silver?¡± Durran questioned, shouting above the noise.


    ¡°No, I found him like that,¡± Argrave shouted back, holding onto the back of Durran¡¯s saddle. ¡°Genius question.¡±


    Durran asked no more questions, holding his ive in one hand and the wyvern¡¯s reins in the other. He led his mount towards the distant battle between the southron elves and the Lord of Copper, where purple light and echoing booms danced about the air. Titus¡¯ men, coupled with the southern tribals, had taken care of most other resistance.


    Riding a wyvern was a terrifying yet wonderful thing. He could feel the beast¡¯s presence beneath him, and his body shifted slightly every time it moved its wings. The wind battered at him intensely, wearing at his grip constantly unless he kept a low profile. The speed was not ludicrous, yet it was far faster than wasfortable. The experience made Argrave think of freedom, strangely.


    With trepidation, Argrave freed one hand, using his own magic reserve to conjure more electric eels. He stopped at eight, for he felt half of his magic was gone by that point. The sparking constructs easily kept pace with the wyvern.


    ¡°I¡¯llnd with my allies,¡± Durran called out. ¡°They¡¯re preparing to help the elves, looks like. This fine with you?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Argrave answered.


    Durran started to bring his beast down, and Argrave soon realized where he wanted tond. Men cleared out of the way for the wyvern tond atop argely ruined building. The wyvern copsed amidst rubble, and Argrave gingerly hopped down from the creature,nding beside its wings.


    The Brumesingers emerged, finding t ground as sce. One of them climbed up to his shoulder and nipped his ear, as though to express its displeasure at the constant rapid movement¡ªArgrave could not muster indignance.


    ¡°This satisfies you?¡± called out Durran, not dismounting.


    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ll take things from here,¡± Argrave nodded.


    ¡°That¡¯s elven magic!¡± a man¡¯s voice roared out. ¡°All the deaths, tribals and city-dwellers alike, they were caused by southron elf weapons, southron elf interference!¡±


    The voice was loud enough that it could not be ignored, and Argrave turned a tired head towards it source.


    ¡°They may be fighting at our side, but they are not on our side!¡± A grizzly tribal insisted.


    ¡°Belhard!¡± Durran shouted. ¡°Now is not the time. Unity!¡± Many in the crowd echoed Durran¡¯s sentiment, shouting their agreement.


    ¡°Unity cannot bring back my brother!¡± another disagreed¡ªa guardsman from Sethia, likely under Titus. ¡°That elven magic¡ªwe see it happening even now, in their battle against the Vessel! There is a reason our ancestors wiped the southron elves out. Let them fight the Lord of Copper alone. Regardless of the winner, we end them after!¡±


    Argrave felt the need to say something, but he was an outsider nked by elvenpanions¡ªand moreover, none of these people knew him. His voice was a foreigner¡¯s voice. He knew his contribution would be unweed.


    ¡°Anneliese?¡± Argrave questioned, hoping she might think of something.


    ¡°¡­all I can think of is helping the southron elves now, having them speak for themselves,¡± she suggested.


    ¡°Alright. Best we¡¯ve got,¡± Argrave nodded, then grabbed her elbow, moving her along to the distant fight between the elves and Brium.


    But then, a bell rung out, and everyone¡¯s attention was directed to that. Once the loud sound quieted, a voice rose above it, shouting, ¡°People!¡±


    Titus stood at a high point, overlooking the crowd. He held something to help project his speech¡ªonly a cone, but it sufficed.


    ¡°People on the roofs,¡± Gmon noted. ¡°Archers. We should be ready to find cover¡­ especially if they still have those elven arrows.¡±


    Argrave scanned around, barely spotting them with Gmon¡¯s directions.


    ¡°People of Sethia!¡± Titus shouted out. ¡°The magic weapons used in today¡¯s battle were not from the southron elves,¡± he disclosed grandly. ¡°It is their magic¡­ but they did not give them to thebatants!¡±


    A chorus of voice saying a multitude of things followed, but Titus turned around and rang arge bell once again.


    ¡°The southron elves got involved in this fight because of one man,¡± Titus held his hand out. ¡°They gave this man supplies, relics of their people¡­ and even joined the fight themselves! They are our allies!¡±


    Argrave frowned, catching where this was headed. The southern tribals within the crowd, too, caught on at once.


    ¡°Durran distributed the elven war relics to agents within the city!¡± Titus pointed. ¡°The elves trusted that man with their weapons¡­ and he ordered the wholesale ughter of the people within Sethia, to ensure his control of the city would bepletely unopposed!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s nonsense!¡± Durran shouted. ¡°Complete garbage! I didn¡¯t even know the elves wereing to the fight!¡±


    ¡°People of the tribes¡ªwho was the sole point of contact between the elves and the tribes?¡± Titus spread his arms out. ¡°It was Durran! He was the sole person to speak to them!¡±


    Argrave had a bad sensation in his stomach as his brain followed people¡¯s thoughts.


    Durran was the intermediary between the tribes and the elves.


    Durran was one of few tribals to leave the tribes and enter the city, usually secretly¡ªthe tribals had no idea of who he spoke to.


    The elves had promised weapons alone to the people of the tribes. Argrave wasn¡¯t sure if this was public knowledge, but it was a damning thing if brought to light.


    All of these points in tandem with people¡¯s grief and rage¡­ simply put, Durran was shaping up to be public enemy number one. Argrave looked to Anneliese, and she looked very worried.


    Argrave shouted out, ¡°I brought the¡ª¡±


    His voice was quickly drowned out by the thousands of others. He had wished to bring his role in things to light¡ªenough to stall for time to get the southron elves to weigh in.


    ¡°Argrave,¡± Anneliese spoke into his ear. ¡°We should prioritize dealing with Brium. None of the truth can be brought to light if the elves don¡¯t¡ª¡±


    An explosion rocked the earth, and Argrave¡¯s head darted to the side. A st of purple magic of the same magnitude they had caused within Argent filled the sky above Sethia. Copper water showed the streets and roofs, reflecting the sunlight splendidly as they fell.


    Then, the copper water turned to ck.


    ¡°They¡­ won,¡± Argrave spoke as he realized. ¡°We need to hurry,¡± he pulled Anneliese forward. ¡°If we¡¯re to remedy this, the southron elves might be the only way we have.¡±


    Anneliese nodded. She and Gmon followed behind Argrave, hurrying to the site of the battle.


    The ce was utter mayhem. The streets had been torn apart, the buildings were nearly all copsed, and there was a great crater in Sethia where the battle had been centered.


    Many of the veteran southron elves lie dead, their illusory armor still flickering and distorting their figure. Argrave scanned things, horrified, looking for any alive. He spotted one person kneeling before a body, and rushed up.


    Florimund knelt there, hand to his chest. Morvany before him. It looked like he had been cut across the chest. The wound was deep, cutting past the ribs. He was dead.


    ¡°He¡¯s joined¡­ his daughter, now,¡± Florimund called out as they approached. ¡°They¡¯re all joining family members. All except me.¡±


    ¡°Florimund¡­¡± Argrave began, hesitating to ask him for help yet again in wake of the death before them.


    ¡°Don¡¯t call me dead yet,¡± another voice cut in, and Argrave turned his head. Corentin pushed out a piece of rubble, then copsed. ¡°Got my leg. Gods damn it all¡­¡±


    Florimund stood from Morvan¡¯s corpse, moving to help Corentin. He supported the man with his shoulder, and the two rose to their feet. The wound to his leg couldn¡¯t be healed¡ªthe flesh had been severedpletely. Fortunately, the bleeding was staunched.


    ¡°Argrave,¡± Florimund called out. ¡°We won.¡±


    Argrave was stunned, but he replied, ¡°You did,¡± almost habitually.


    ¡°And we won alone,¡± Corentin noted. ¡°None will forget that. Florimund threw one of our relics, smacked it with the side of his ive, right into the copper bastard¡¯s mass. The thing exploded inside him. Devastating,¡± Corentin shook his head.


    Argrave nodded, then decided to bite the bullet and tell them what was happening. ¡°I can¡¯t let you rest yet. There¡¯s¡ª¡±


    ¡°Someone was using our magic,¡± Florimund noted. ¡°I know it. And we need to clear our names.¡±


    ¡°It may¡­ be beyond saving,¡± Anneliese noted, watching the crowd. ¡°The whole crowd is ame. And many of them are coborating with Titus. His people are the most numerous in the crowd¡ªI am sure of it. If he can buy their loyalty in battle, he can buy their words in a crowd.¡±


    Argrave took a deep breath, mind whirling. ¡°Titus wantsplete control of the city,¡± he said.


    ¡°I agree,¡± Anneliese nodded. ¡°He wants to eliminate allpeting leaders. There is only one left, now¡ªDurran.¡±

 Chapter 141: Steel Tempered by Tyrants

    Chapter 141: Steel Tempered by Tyrants


    In the alleyways of Sethia, someone crawled away on their knees, veritably pulling themselves forward using the walls. They pushed aside rubble, heaving, then eventually copsed against a building, breathless.


    ¡°Haah¡­ haah,¡± the man breathed. Covered in grime, dust, and sand, the man was entirely nude. He was ridiculously skinny, appearing both dehydrated and starved. His hair and eyes were brown. His skin was the color of copper.


    If any of the residents of the city saw him, they would know he was unmistakably the Lord of Copper.


    Brium did not consider himself a fool. He knew when he had lost a battle. His enemies waited beyond, letting the elves tear at him like wolves hunting a lion. All of his allies were vanquished. His death was inevitable. As such, rather than perish, he elected tomit the only cardinal sin for Vessels of Fellhorn¡ªsevering his connection with the ancient god.


    Two Vessels before Brium had done such a thing. It was an abominable act, and all who had done it had died miserably. Brium was no more than a mortal man, now. He looked much older than he once did¡ªnear forty, his true age. He was weak, friendless, and surrounded by people hostile to him. But he was alive, and that alone was sufficient.


    After having caught his breath, he tried to rise to his feet. Something stopped him from doing so. Brium raised his head up, only to see a man in te armor holding a boot to his shoulder.


    Boarmask stood there. His namesake, the boar helmet, was badly dented. Part of the mock boar¡¯s eye was caved in. His armor had been ripped asunder in many ces, and even now, the man was bleeding.


    ¡°nning an escape?¡± Boarmask questioned. ¡°You aren¡¯t why I¡¯m stalking these streets. But the world must consider itself fortunate that <em>I </em>was watching. A tyrant such as you cannot escape judgement.¡±


    Brium raised his hand up. He opened his mouth, but his tongue was dry, and he could form no words. Boarmask raised his mace up. Light fell onto his helmet, revealing a blue eye as cold as the deep sea.


    ¡°Reap the misery you have sown.¡±


    Boarmask¡¯s mace descended. After a second, the man pulled away his foot and mace both.


    ¡°Gods above, nurture these souls I send to you, wicked though they may be,¡± Boarmask prayed as he cleaned his mace. ¡°There is one more I must send to meet you. I beg of you¡ªwatch over me, and ensure I walk the righteous path.¡±


    Boarmask limped into the alleyway, where Titus¡¯ voice grew ever louder.


    #####


    Now that Titus had brought his n into light, many of the oddities and inconsistencies throughout their journey started to make sense to Argrave.


    Regarding the weaponry¡­ the only ce where that many elven war relics could be found was in Malgeridum, deep within a cordoned section of the mines. Titus presumably found them there. The revolt was likely a distraction to move them¡ªand it would exin why Anneliese noticed Titus was nervous and anticipatory.


    His strange, uncertain allegiance started to make sense, if only just. Since he knew much about Durran and the tribals, he had likely been the intermediary between them and Brium. He was near certainly the Lord of Copper¡¯s primary agent in this coup, influencing guards and poption alike.


    The mystery remaining, though, was how this dye merchant had grown to this position of prominence. Was it a variation between fiction and reality? Was it a set of coincidences, one after another? Had Argrave brought this about by changing things? Or were powers beyond Argrave¡¯s ken influencing matters?


    Argrave stepped into the square where the victors gathered, listening to Titus. Blue eels sparked and swirled around him dramatically. His Brumesingers nked him, filling the air with their mysterious fog as they sung their chiming song. Following behind was Anneliese, Gmon, the southron elves. Everyone noticed their presence¡ªshing lights and growing mists were eye-catching, after all.


    If they wanted to be heard in arge crowd, they must be seen¡ªand Argrave made damn sure they¡¯d be seen.


    Anneliese held her hand up and cast [Skysunder], the loudest spell that they knew. It achieved the same effect as Titus¡¯ bell¡ªeveryone focused on them.


    Argrave spread his arms out and shouted, ¡°People of Sethia! People of the tribes! All of the lords of this city are dead and gone! The Lord of Gold, in by her own people! The Lord of Silver, felled by my hand!¡± Argrave revealed the silver inheritance medallion¡ªit was a ceremonial thing, and so easily recognizable. ¡°Andstly, the Lord of Copper, in by the heroic elves of the Burnt Desert!¡±


    The crowd greeted this with enthusiasm¡ªit was the sort of friendly wee Argrave hoped to receive, that they might be more receptive to further direction. Durran turned his gaze towards them, too, and urged his wyvern to rest not too far from them.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°Despite what Titus ims, the southron elves did not provide Durran with any weaponry whatsoever.¡± Argrave stepped forward, standing atop rubble to reach a higher ce. ¡°I brought the elves into this struggle for independence¡ªno one else!¡± Argrave waved Florimund up to where he stood.


    ¡°It¡¯s true,¡± Florimund added as he came to join them. ¡°We provided no weaponry to the people here. We were aware of theing battle only days ago¡ªthere was no time to distribute weapons to anyone.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s covering for them!¡± a member of the crowd shouted. ¡°The elves need the tribals¡¯ protection!¡±


    ¡°Do a people who would confront the Lord of Copper alone seem the type to scrape and bow for the sake of protection?¡± Argrave countered quickly, anticipating Titus¡¯ men might try and sabotage things. ¡°No! They seek peace, not protection.¡±


    ¡°I can attest to the southron elves¡¯ innocence in this matter. Yet how can any trust Durran?¡± Titus shouted out. ¡°The tribals know he was the one to discover the southron elves, despite what this foreigner ims!¡±


    <em>He discredits me by naming me foreigner, </em>Argrave deduced quickly. ¡°If none know of this coboration besides the tribals, then how do you?!¡± Argrave questioned. ¡°Where is your proof?¡±


    ¡°Because I was once a tribal,¡± Titus replied quickly. ¡°And I still have friends there. Belhard!¡±


    The man who¡¯d spoken against the elves earlier rose, almost in cue. ¡°Aye! Titus has kept in contact with us. He suffered underneath the reign of the Vessels, fighting for independence from within!¡±


    ¡°Then it seems just as likely that he is the one who armed men with elven war relics as Durran,¡± Argrave suggested at once.


    A few voices rose up, booing, and the power of the few bought voices within a crowd made itself known. A mob was a vtile thing¡ªhumans are reasonable creatures, by andrge, but within a crowd, one can project their opinion infinitely. People join in protest simply to be a part of the group. Self-awareness and personal identity are muted in a mob, and reactions trend towards the emotional side of reasoning.


    Therge majority of the people likely did not know who Titus even was, but the crowd soon joined in expressing their disdain for Argrave¡¯s usation.


    Titus rang his bell and made to speak, but Argrave seized the opportunity.


    ¡°I use no one!¡± Argrave exined. ¡°There is simply no proof in this matter! A proper judgement cannot be made.¡±


    ¡°And why not?¡± another voice chimed in. Boarmask appeared on a roof, holding a man by the neck. ¡°I captured this man. He had these,¡± he exined, holding out arrows that had purple runes etched into the arrowheads. ¡°How did you get these?!¡± Boarmask demanded of the man, shaking him about.


    Argrave nodded at the unexpected contribution.


    ¡°Titus! Titus¡¯ men gave them to us, gave us all our ns!¡± the man shouted, choking from Boarmask¡¯s grip.


    Those words could not be booed, but a silence did take over the crowd.


    ¡°The man¡¯s been badly beaten¡ªhe¡¯d say anything!¡± Titus refuted, and his men nted in the crowd joined in support.


    ¡°Argrave¡­¡± Gmon muttered, stepping up to him. ¡°Titus¡¯ archers are getting twitchy.¡±


    Argrave nodded, feeling a sense of nervousness.


    ¡°What¡¯s more,¡± Titus continued. ¡°Durran, son of the current chief, led his people into war against his father¡¯s wishes!¡± He pointed to Durran, still mounted atop his wyvern. ¡°Your father said he would exile you if you went through with this!¡±


    Argrave¡¯s heart froze. In the game, Durran could reconcile with his father and earn his support if the yer took certain actions¡ªhe didn¡¯t know if the Durran of this reality had. Though Argrave looked to Durran, hoping to all that was holy that wasn¡¯t true, he could glean nothing for the man wore a helmet. Argrave looked to Anneliese.


    ¡°¡­Titus isn¡¯t lying,¡± she shook her head.


    ¡°He led men into war against the wishes of his dying father!¡± Titus dered damningly. ¡°If that proves anything, it shows that Durran is one who would do anything to gain power! By giving elven war relics, ordering indiscriminate ughter, he sought to weaken Sethia, control itpletely with his tribals!¡±


    <em>Dying father?</em> Argrave noted. <em>Durran¡¯s dad never¡­ </em>


    ¡°People!¡± Titus shouted, stepping forth to the edge of the tower he stood atop. ¡°For centuries, the Burnt Desert has been trampled beneath the heel of tyrants! For the first time in ages, we have liberated this ce from the cruel, from the unjust, from the wicked!¡±


    Cheers began to swell, and Titus continued. ¡°In the distant past, the southern tribals waged war unending¡ªwith each other, with the north, with the southron elves!¡± Titus spread his arms out and paced about. ¡°And after them came the Vessels¡ªtyrants of a different breed, religious fanatics fueled by zeal and following coldws of an ancient god. We have suffered beneath them, all of us! They took the very water from the earth, the very blood from our veins, our souls from our bodies! My own wife, my children, both Drained by the Vessels!¡±


    Argrave sought desperately for a point to interject, feeling the crowd slowly slipping away into Titus¡¯ narrative. His words seemed irond, though, and Argrave did not dare force his way into things lest he draw yet more ire.


    ¡°In Delphasium, our peoplebor for hours unending, tending to fields and feeding grapes to their overlords!¡± Titus pointed north. ¡°In Malgeridum, the Vessels prostitute our women to the rich, while the men work in the mines, breathing metal and fire day in and day out to be rewarded with only food and drink!¡± Titus pointed east. ¡°In Candian, people toil away, crafting fineries and papyrus that the Vessels use wastefully. Tyrants all¡ªuntenable, intolerable, unjust!¡±


    Titus paused to take a great breath. ¡°Thisnd¡ªthis greatnd, with its stark beauty, does not need to be ruled by those past!¡± He stepped to the edge. ¡°We cannot allow a man like Durran, a man who would do anything to gain power, to once again lead us towards death and misery! We need a nation to mend the wounds caused by despots! We have that opportunity! Let us go forth into a new age, embracing change! Embracing unity between the southern tribals, the southron elves, and all the people of this vast desert!¡±


    With that, Titus turned and rang the bell. Perhaps he did not need to, though. The great ringing waspletely muffled by the deafening cheers that erupted following Titus¡¯ speech. Argrave could feel their voices shake the air, almost.


    ¡°His archers are all but ready to fire,¡± Gmon said loudly in Argrave¡¯s ear.


    Argrave nodded. It was a game of chicken, now¡ªTitus had no ns to back down. Argrave could tell that the man was willing to do anything to achieve the future he envisioned. That impression was drilled into the crowd¡¯s bones just as well as Argrave¡¯s.


    An incredibly loud noise split the air, sending the mist spawned by the Brumesingers dancing away in a whirl. Durran¡¯s wyvern roared, head held high, maintaining its volume for nearly ten seconds. People stumbled over themselves, afraid, and many readied to fight.


    Durran walked atop his wyvern¡¯s snout and removed his wyvern scale helmet.


    ¡°Let this ¡®tyrant¡¯ speak,¡± he said, wrath in his voice.

 Chapter 142: Left Wanting

    Chapter 142: Left Wanting


    ¡°You,¡± growled Durran. ¡°All of you. Before the battle is even finished, you devolve into base vultures. You pick at a carcass still warm, still pumping blood.¡± He looked about the crowd. ¡°You paint me as a monster with the direction of some snake merchant, who puts forth his own im to the city in the same breath.¡±


    The people beneath Titus rose their voices, but Durran raised his own volume, drowning them out. ¡°I thought to help people. The purest motivation, devoid of politics, of ambition. I left the tribes, saw the people of Sethia suffering¡­ and I knew that something had to be done, even if it cost me my future in the tribe.¡± Durran spread his arms out, and his wyvern rose him up higher. ¡°It seems, though, that good intentions are always marred by opportunists. I should have known better.


    ¡°So go forth,¡± Durran continued, waving his hands dismissively. ¡°Go into your ¡®new age,¡¯ striving for a better future, led by men like Titus who butcher your brothers and sisters to frame another. I¡¯ll have no part of this anymore, even if you beg. But I won¡¯t stand here and let anyone use me of wrongdoing.¡±


    ¡°Durran..!¡± Boarmask called out.


    ¡°Forget it,¡± Durran shook his head. ¡°Titus. If there¡¯s one thing we agree on, it¡¯s that my people offer no future for the desert. But you¡­ you are no different than the Brandback buried in the sand, luring people in with promise of an oasis only to swallow them whole. I won¡¯t endanger myself to save fools¡ªnot any longer.¡±


    Durran strode down the back of his wyvern¡¯s neck. People shouted at him and threw things.


    Titus made a hand signal, and Gmon tensed, grasping Argrave¡¯s shoulder to remind him of the archers. Argrave knew that Titus, ruthless as he was, wouldn¡¯t remain content in allowing hisrgest opponent to simply walk away. Thinking desperately, Argrave willed the electric eels he¡¯d summoned earlier away from his person until they hovered above the belltower Titus stood atop. It was a conspicuous move, but Argrave felt no other option.


    ¡°Durran,¡± Argrave called out, voice tight. ¡°One of the men with me is injured¡ªCorentin. I think I¡¯ll need you to give them a ride¡­ for safety,¡± he alluded.


    Argrave pointed to the roofs where the archers watched, and Durran, with a higher vantage point, spotted them and caught on quickly.


    ¡°Fine,¡± he said, acting bitter. ¡°Hurry things along. If I see these snakes any longer, I might vomit.¡±


    Argrave locked eyes with Titus. The two held their gaze for a long while. Argrave spread his arms out, letting the electric eels dance a little faster. Eventually, the dye merchant lowered his hands, and Gmon¡¯s tense grip ckened. The archers soon slid down the roof quietly and jumped off. Argrave called back his eels, though kept Titus¡¯ position in mind.


    ¡°¡­the bodies,¡± Florimund spoke up. ¡°They need to be delivered home. I don¡¯t wish to leave them in the open sun. Corentin¡ªyou should go with. I¡¯ll stay. I need to speak for my people, should the need arise.¡±


    ¡°I can bring the bodies,¡± Durran said, gaze distant. ¡°But not much else.¡±


    ¡°We can walk back to Otria,¡± Argrave suggested. ¡°Sorry to impose, Durran, but¡­ can you help them out?¡±


    ¡°Might not be wee home, anymore,¡± Durran noted, keeping his wyvern steady as he stared out across the crowd with cold eyes. ¡°Otria is as fine a ce to go as any.¡± Durran stopped scanning the crowd, setting his eyes on Boarmask. ¡°And what will you do?¡±


    ¡°My business here is not yet done,¡± Boarmask said simply. ¡°But I won¡¯t act rashly. Not yet. I refuse to make things worse. So go¡­ Durran, Argrave.¡± The masked knight looked to him as he mentioned his name. ¡°You rather resemble your brother¡­ though much skinnier,¡± the masked knight noted.


    Argrave didn¡¯t know how to respond to that for a time, but eventually he managed, ¡°Hopefully a lot less heartless.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Boarmask shook his head. ¡°Time will make that clear.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true¡­ Rolf,¡± Argrave said the man¡¯s real name, then walked away, content to leave him unsettled. As Argrave left, Boarmask never tore his gaze away from his departure, stunned.


    #####


    ¡°Now you see the merit of your help,¡± Garm noted as they walked across the warm sand. ¡°You leave hated, unwanted. You extend your hand only to have it bitten. If people find you have a heart of gold, they won¡¯t admire it. They¡¯ll mine it until every vein of gold is dry, leaving you only with a withered husk of stone.¡±


    Argrave trod up the dunes silently, turning to look back at Sethia. The ce was badly flooded andrgely ruined. Gmon walked with them, unfocused, while Anneliese led them, her expression indiscernible.


    ¡°You sure know how to cheer everyone up, Garm,¡± Argrave finally responded, voice and gaze both distant. He thought back to the battle against the Lord of Silver. ¡°How¡¯s your soul?¡±


    ¡°My soul?¡± Garm repeated, confused.


    ¡°Spare me the act,¡± Argrave turned from Sethia, facing the head atop Gmon¡¯s backpack. ¡°You used [Voice of the Corrupt]. Barring the fact that¡¯s a B-rank spell you supposedly can¡¯t cast, I know you haven¡¯t done any soul harvesting recently, so you must¡¯ve used a piece of your own.¡±


    Gmon devoted his attention to the conversation, while Garm¡¯s ck and gold eyes stayed fixed on Argrave.


    ¡°The proof,¡± Garm finally said. Argrave raised a brow in the silence that followed. ¡°You¡¯ve given plenty proof.¡±


    ¡°About Gerechtigkeit?¡±


    ¡°What are you, exactly?¡± Garm asked. ¡°The things you know¡­ I have no choice but to acknowledge it. You¡¯re not an extrasensory of some kind¡ªit seems you have a base of knowledge to fall back on. What is it?¡±


    Argrave said nothing, thinking of how to answer this. Garm continued his inquiries. ¡°You mentioned avatars¡­ and other strange, convoluted things. Are you the hand of some god? A prophet? I certainly don¡¯t see you kneel and pray at any time, so it¡¯s doubtful.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re willing to admit, then, that I¡¯m telling the truth?¡± Argrave stepped a little closer.


    Garm¡¯s eyes followed Argrave. ¡°My soul¡­ yes, I used some of my soul. Much of it was to save myself. I die with you, in case you forget.¡±


    ¡°I asked that question a minute ago, and you answer it now?¡± Argrave shook his head.


    ¡°I¡¯m making a point. It¡¯s an analogy,¡± Garm closed his eyes for a moment. When they opened once more, they seemed fiercer, somehow. ¡°I¡¯m a walking¡­ damn,¡± he trailed off, recognizing he used the wrong word. ¡°I embody a contradiction.¡±


    ¡°Embody,¡± Argrave repeated. ¡°Even that word is a bit ill-fit¡ª¡±


    ¡°You think I¡¯m not aware I live only because of your party¡¯s generosity?¡± Garm interrupted, voice cold. ¡°My existence can only be sustained by selflessness, yet I preach constantly about the virtue of self-importance.¡±


    ¡°We brokered an agreement,¡± Anneliese said. ¡°The others agreed. It¡ª¡±


    ¡°A deal maintained only because you people are stupid enough to keep your word,¡± Garm butted in once more, thenughed. It was a bitter, slow chuckle, that slowly trailed off. ¡°I always found the Veidimen foreign. A people who value contracts, honor, loyalty, above even their own life. It seemed ridiculous. Yet here we are. Excluding one notable exception that happened today, my presence has only hindered you. Still, you keep me around.¡±


    Argrave crossed his arms. ¡°Yeah, we keep you around. You think we shouldn¡¯t? I don¡¯t know as much as I want, but even the Order of the Rose wasn¡¯t this¡­ absolutist, shall we say, about these things.¡±


    Garm lowered his gaze to the sand below. ¡°It¡¯s a personal philosophy, not a cultural one. I¡¯ll spare you my tale of woe¡ªI don¡¯t care to relive it by telling it to others,¡± he raised his gaze back to Argrave. ¡°But every time I tried to be generous¡­ I was disappointed.¡± Heughed through his nose, then added, ¡°Evennding as I am¡­ the man who made me this way¡­ I taught him. Hah!¡±


    Garmughed as though it was the funniest thing in the world, repeating the line, ¡®I taught him.¡¯n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°I helped him devise the theory that makes you three drag me about as the burden I am. I was on a selfish streak until that point, but then I decided to be golden hearted once again. Look at me now.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re alive,¡± Argrave said simply. ¡°He isn¡¯t.¡±


    Garm sighed. ¡°I know. Disappointing in some ways, oddlyforting in others. But the point is this.¡± Garm¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°It¡¯s hard for me to muster the will to do something that doesn¡¯t benefit me. Not after what I¡¯ve been through.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± Anneliese prompted him, catching he had more to say.


    ¡°But that boy, Durran,¡± Garm began. ¡°He reminds me of myself. Same sense of humor. And he projects that very same disappointment I feel. That¡­ coupled with how you fools have treated me¡­ I don¡¯t know,¡± the trailed off, taking a pause to regather his thoughts. ¡°All I can do is think¡ªI¡¯m more brain than skin. And I¡¯ve been doing much thinking.¡±


    Garm¡¯s gaze jumped between the three of them. ¡°I¡¯d like to ask a favor. I want to talk to Durran. You said a while ago you want him as an ally. Maybe I can make that happen. Almost¡­ like confronting myself, in a manner of speaking. But¡­ and though I loathe to say it¡­ if you can give me thisst bit of proof, if you can be ck Blooded as you im¡­ I¡¯ll help you. All of you. No more holding back. I¡¯ll cooperate. Fully.¡±


    Argrave smiled¡ªit felt like the first time he¡¯d done that today. ¡°I¡¯m happy to hear it.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t act like it¡¯s earth-shattering,¡± Garm cautioned. ¡°We¡¯ve established I¡¯m a burden who can offer very little genuine help. My magic takes months to replenish¡ªthat one spell I used set me back immeasurably.¡±


    Anneliese raised her hand to draw attention. ¡°Durran may not be as you think, though. His anger is not genuinely towards the people, I believe¡ªit is towards himself. His own weakness, his own inability.¡±


    Garm smiled knowingly. ¡°All the more reason, then.¡±


    #####


    Gmon held his gauntlet in hand, sitting atop a rock. His arm had been cleanly severed, destroying the armor with it. It had been a difficult task to remove the flesh from the metal, but now that it was free, he could not reconnect it with the rest of his armor. It was yet another thing he needed a smith for.


    They were in the oasis town of Otria. Argrave spoke with Durran and the southron elves¡ªhe¡¯d practically ordered Gmon to rest, perhaps in an attempt to allow the vampire to regain his focus, put his self-loathing to bed.


    ¡°Gmon,¡± Anneliese interrupted, and the vampire raised his head up quickly, surprised. ¡°I have nevere this close without you noticing before. You are very disturbed.¡±


    Gmon said nothing.


    ¡°Do you know¡­¡± she began, stepping closer. ¡°I am the reason those ves in Argent are dead?¡±


    Gmon frowned at once. ¡°Don¡¯tfort me with pedantry. Regardless of any mistake you might¡¯ve¡ª¡±


    ¡°Come to think of it, so is Argrave. And Garm.¡± She knelt down, staring at him. ¡°We were aware of your vampirism¡ªaware you are a hungry, bloodthirsty fiend. Yet we travel with you. We refrained from killing you.¡±


    He stared at her, his expression still fierce.


    ¡°You see how ridiculous that sounds, no?¡± Anneliese said tly. ¡°I know you will piece yourself together, given time. But¡­ I simply wished to contribute that to your thoughts. Everyone, it seems, is ming themselves. Durran mes himself. Argrave mes himself. Even me¡­ everyone feels responsible for misery around them. Like¡­ we failed. We were foundcking.¡±


    Gmon dropped the gauntlet he held.


    ¡°I¡­ understand your point,¡± he finally said.


    ¡°Argrave relies on you. Seeing you like this makes him worry. And I do not like him to worry. That is all.¡± She shrugged, then rose to her feet.


    ¡°Cold words,¡± Gmon shook his head. ¡°Fine. Never thought I¡¯d be told to stop whining and suck it up.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not¡ª¡±


    ¡°Rx,¡± Gmon held a hand out. ¡°Joking.¡± He rose to his feet, standing with a straight back. ¡°Let¡¯s go, then.¡±


    Nothing more needed to be said, by Gmon¡¯s estimation.

 Chapter 143: Cushioned Iron Fist

    Chapter 143: Cushioned Iron Fist


    ¡°When you said you had something to show me¡­¡± Durran trailed off, then looked to Argrave. ¡°This is one of thest things I expected. You¡¯re¡­¡±


    ¡°Not a necromancer, no,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°He is, though. And he wishes to speak with you. The southron elves don¡¯t care much about necromancy, so fret not.¡±


    Durran stared down at Garm, brows furrowed and eyes wide. ¡°Not ominous at all,¡± he nodded his head slowly. ¡°Listen¡­ I¡ª¡±


    ¡°You <em>should</em> listen,¡± interjected Garm annoyedly. ¡°Argrave. Let me speak to him alone.¡±


    Argrave looked down at Garm. ¡°Sure about that? What if¡­¡±


    ¡°If he ends me¡­ avenge me, pretty please?¡± Garm mocked. ¡°Just put me in the sand, walk away. The elves need to talk to you¡ªthat much I know. This one¡¯s too bothered to be of much help. I¡¯ll talk to him.¡±


    Argrave shrugged, then nted Garm into the sand. ¡°Alright. Be gentle, Durran¡ªhe¡¯s more sensitive than he looks.¡± He walked away in long strides, casting nces backward asionally.


    ¡°I know this is bizarre,¡± Garm began once Argrave was far away. ¡°But I don¡¯t want to be slowly introduced to you. I don¡¯t have the luxury of patience, grooming you to understand what I am. I need to speak, now.¡±


    ¡°This is some¡­¡± Durran ran his fingers through his matted hair. ¡°What are you?¡±


    ¡°Living misery,¡± Garm introduced himself. ¡°And Garm, High Wizard of the Order of the Rose.¡±


    Durran stared for a moment, then shook his head. ¡°This should mean something to me?¡±


    Garm sighed. ¡°Foolish of me to think one secluded in the mountain would know of my order¡­ It doesn¡¯t matter. I was once an A-rank mage. Still am, technically¡­ but limited, as you can inly see. Argrave has been amodating me the past month.¡±


    Durran shifted on his feet. ¡°Alright. Still not getting the full picture, but¡­ you¡¯re a powerful spellcaster. You<em> were </em>a powerful spellcaster,¡± he amended. ¡°Still don¡¯t see why we should be speaking. Still don¡¯t know¡­ how you speak,¡± he added, obviously disturbed as he gazed at the stake protruding downwards from his neck.


    ¡°I¡¯m speaking to you because we¡¯re alike, and we¡¯ve gone through simr things.¡± Garm paused, then lowered his voice. ¡°Gmon, the big one¡ªhow near is he?¡±


    Durran said nothing, very suspicious. Eventually, he scanned the distance, then said, ¡°Pretty far.¡±


    ¡°How far?¡± insisted Garm in a whisper.


    ¡°One¡­ two hundred feet, I guess.¡±


    ¡°It should be fine, then, but keep your voice down. That one hears all, and I won¡¯t draw suspicion by conjuring a ward.¡± Garm cleared his throat¡ªan action that disturbed Durran¡ªand then continued. ¡°You. I can practically smell it on you. The frustration with other people. The frustration with yourself. Your weakness. Your ineffectual leadership.¡±


    ¡°Are you about to tell me not to feel this way? A head on a stickes to cheer me up because we¡¯re simr?¡± Durranughed. ¡°What is this, a joke? Comedy can¡¯t solve all woes, if this is what you¡¯re getting at.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re also pragmatic,¡± Garm continued in a low mutter. ¡°And after that little awakening back at Sethia, doubtless you¡¯re feeling a bit¡­ disillusioned. You¡¯re realizing how stupid the average person is.¡±


    Durran stared down at Garm, silenced by his words.


    ¡°You¡¯re right to think that. People can be stupid, provided they¡¯re leaded poorly,¡± Garm stated matter-of-factly. ¡°But you¡­ you¡¯re weak. Nothing. No more than dirt, unable to enact meaningful change. You need power to save people from their own stupid decisions¡ªpower the world has proven youck in totality.¡±


    Durran¡¯s golden eyes gained back some of their fire as he stared down at Garm. ¡°In totality? You¡¯re taking the putdown a bit far, totem pole.¡±


    ¡°Do you know why it is I travelled with the three of them?¡± Garm questioned. ¡°I needed options. I needed a way to earn a new body. But things can change. The winds can shift.¡±


    ¡°Sensible goal, I guess,¡± Durran stared down at Garm cautiously. ¡°Can¡¯t imagine life is easy for you as you are now.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s misery, as I said earlier,¡± Garm confirmed. ¡°I need a change, fast. Ever had sleep paralysis? It¡¯s a terrifying thing, and that terrifying thing is my entire life. I feel like I¡¯m losing my mind every day. And now¡­ my soul is damaged. You probably don¡¯t understand the meaning of that, but¡­ it is¡­¡± the head struggled for the words. ¡°It¡¯s bad for the mind, to say the least.¡±


    ¡°Is it my turn tofort you?¡± Durran questioned.


    Garm sighed. ¡°You <em>are</em> just like me. Damned smartass. No wonder people hate me.¡±


    ¡°Hate? Women love me, I¡¯ll have you know,¡± Durran quipped.


    ¡°Love you for a week or two, maybe more, ¡®til they realize they¡¯ve made a mistake. I¡¯ve had my fun in the sun, believe me¡ªyou can¡¯t fool me,¡± Garm answered, undaunted. ¡°You can see why that might be hard for me, now.¡±


    ¡°We can agree on that, at least,¡± Durran nodded slowly.


    ¡°We¡¯ll agree on more, if I¡¯ve read you right¡ªI know I have. You¡¯re weak. You resent this. You¡¯re proud of being talented, of being handsome, of being superior¡­ not for vanity, but because you believe that you can handle the future best because of it.¡±


    Durran didn¡¯t answer, but his pupils shook as if he¡¯d heard a sentence he¡¯d been thinking for years.


    ¡°Imaginecking arms, legs, even a torso¡­cking independence.¡± Garm stared up, unblinking. ¡°I know you don¡¯t pity me. I wouldn¡¯t. But I¡­ I know power. I know power better than any of the people you¡¯ve seen today. Any you¡¯ve seen <em>die </em>today. Brium, Quarrus, that golden one¡­ forget her name¡­ in my prime, they were <em>nothing </em>to me.¡±


    ¡°Seems that worked out well for you,¡± Durran interjected.


    Garm tantly ignored him. ¡°We¡¯re on a limited time frame, so I¡¯ll speak my offer inly. You¡¯ll help me. Quietly. Argrave, Gmon, Anneliese, even your lizard pet¡ªyou¡¯ll tell no one of our arrangement. And¡­ in return¡­ I¡¯ll make you know power, too. Power beyond your conception.¡±


    ¡°Pretty sure it¡¯s a universally bad idea to ept a bargain with a head on a stake,¡± Durran pointed out.


    Garm smiled. ¡°Maybe so. But time is running out fast. Soon, Argrave will be ck Blooded¡ªthe damn boy is so confident, it¡¯d be more surprising if he was lying. He¡¯s under the impression he¡¯s the only one that knows this Alchemist, but the Order of the Rose knew of him, too. You¡¯re going to follow along¡ªhe wants you as an ally, and it should be simple enough.¡± Garm¡¯s smile slowly dropped. ¡°They won¡¯t want this. I don¡¯t n on giving them a choice, though. I¡¯ve been waiting too long for one bit of freedom.¡±


    Durran furrowed his brows, then finally whispered, ¡°What exactly is it you want?¡±


    #####


    Florimund returned to Otria at night. Argrave was ready to receive him¡ªthe other southron elves tended to the bodies that Durran had brought back. Argrave certainly wasn¡¯t going to sleep. The elves of the vige treated Argrave strangely¡ªtreated him as simultaneously a guest and a danger. He supposed it was respect. He wasn¡¯t used to that.


    The leader of the old veterans didn¡¯t give news, first. Instead, Florimund asked Argrave, ¡°Their bodies. They made it safely?¡±


    ¡°Er¡­ yeah,¡± Argrave confirmed. ¡°They haven¡¯t been buried.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do that tonight,¡± Florimund shook his head, hisrge ears swaying with the movement.


    ¡°Maybe you should rest first,¡± Argrave suggested. ¡°Well¡­ not my ce to give you advice. What happened at Sethia? Hated to leave like that, but it¡¯s clear it wasn¡¯t exactly safe.¡±


    ¡°Titus¡­ is already the <em>de facto</em> leader,¡± Florimund shook his head. ¡°He took control quickly. But¡­ well, it did not feel like an armed takeover. He had medical needs tended to, food distributed, water collected, shelters established¡­¡± Florimund retrieved something. ¡°And he gave me this. Instructed me to bring it to my people.¡±


    Argrave looked down. Light was dim, but he recognized it was paper.


    ¡°You¡¯ve read it?¡± Argrave questioned, looking up.


    ¡°It¡¯s a proposal to us. A pact of non-aggression, mutual defense¡­ and promises of supplement, aid, cooperation. Permits free entry into Sethia, gives exemptions from tolls and taxes. Priority in trade. All of it, free, and for the southron elves alone.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Argrave trailed off. ¡°It sounds like a very good thing. And that might be the problem. A honeyed apple hides poison all the better. It asks nothing of you?¡±


    ¡°There are some things,¡± Florimund nodded, unrolling the paper. Argrave conjured light, scanning the document quickly. The ink was old and dry, suggesting the document had been drafted some time ago. ¡°We have to recognize Sethia as independent¡­ support Titus as its leader¡­ and agree to use their soon-to-be minted coins in all of our dealings. Mutual defense, too, might be considered a ¡®condition.¡¯¡±


    Argrave soon confirmed the things Florimund described with his own eyes as he read the paper.


    ¡°But he¡­¡± Argrave hesitated to argue against the document. This was regarding the southron elves¡¯ future¡ªwhat ce did he have to argue?


    ¡°I know what you think,¡± Florimund nodded. ¡°This is a man willing to butcher innocents to gain this power. He tried to frame one of his allies when it was politically expedient.¡± Florimund stepped away. ¡°I cannot make the decisions for my people, though. I will tell them everything¡ªbelieve me, I am as wary of Titus as you are.¡±


    Argrave rolled up the paper and held it back out to Florimund. ¡°Don¡¯t forget he was ready to kill more people had I not threatened him personally.¡±


    ¡°But he does not demand fealty,¡± Florimund noted, taking the paper. ¡°Instead, he suggests cooperation. He seemed¡­ amenable to negotiations, too, if we were unsatisfied with the proposal.¡± The elf held the paper close to his face. ¡°We are isted, protected. With the Vessels gone from Sethia, we are the safest we¡¯ve been in decades. I see no reason we cannot probe, figure out whether or not he can be trusted.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s your decision,¡± Argrave said cautiously. ¡°Regardless, I am eternally grateful for your help. What you¡¯ve done¡­ what you lost,¡± Argrave noted, looking away where he knew the bodies of the veterans lie. ¡°You have my condolences.¡±


    ¡°Morvan would tell you to shove your condolences¡­¡± Florimund lowered his head, thenughed. ¡°They were d to be sacrificed. They fought for hope. Hope¡­ for the first time in a while, I have some. Our future might not be so bleak.¡± Florimund looked at the paper. ¡°But maybe I¡¯m an old man, fooled by a snake merchant.¡±


    ¡°Be careful,¡± Argrave warned. ¡°Titus¡­ I wish I knew more about him. I wish I could give you better advice than that. You might try asking Durran.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t be expected to know everything, everyone.¡± Florimund stepped up to Argrave, looking upwards into his eyes. ¡°Did you get what you needed at Argent?¡±


    ¡°I did,¡± Argrave nodded.


    ¡°Then what is next for you? My people made promises to you¡ªthey remain valid.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave early dawn,¡± Argrave looked to the sky. ¡°Should reach where I need to be in a day. There¡­¡± Argrave took a deep breath and exhaled, as what wasing slowly set in. ¡°Going to get some cosmetic surgery. Change my blood from red to ck. Once that¡¯s done, I¡¯lle back here, call in that promise.¡± Argrave shrugged. ¡°Though, with the war relics you gave us, feels like I¡¯m asking too much¡­¡±


    ¡°Cosmetic surgery? Are you joking?¡±


    Argrave lowered his head. ¡°Well, it¡¯s not cosmetic.¡±


    Florimund snorted. ¡°You¡¯re the sort that likes to be mysterious, I see.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m caught,¡± Argrave smiled.


    ¡°You should sleep,¡± Florimund suggested. ¡°Our homes are open to you.¡±


    Argrave looked away. ¡°Can¡¯t sleep. Won¡¯t bother trying.¡±


    ¡°New to bloodshed?¡± Florimund questioned.


    ¡°No. Not that,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°Sad as it is¡­ gotten a little used to blood.¡±


    ¡°Guilt, then,¡± Florimund concluded.


    Argrave frowned. ¡°How¡¯d you know?¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°It¡¯s obvious,¡± Florimund nodded. ¡°You have the guilt of a leader. You feel that the ns you made are insufficient. All the suffering¡ªit¡¯s on your hands.¡±


    ¡°A bit true,¡± Argrave closed his eyes. ¡°If I had been smarter, better¡ª¡±


    ¡°Pointless questions,¡± Florimund pushed Argrave lightly. ¡°Reflect on mistakes¡ªcorrect them. Ruing your inability is a useless thing.¡±


    Argrave digested the words, thenughed with a shake of his head. ¡°I think Gmon said something like that, in the past.¡±


    ¡°Because he was a leader once, too.¡± Florimund pushed Argrave¡¯s shoulder once again. ¡°I¡¯ve said enough. I must¡­ bury those I lost.¡±


    Argrave nodded. As Florimund left, he called out, ¡°Thank you, Florimund. For everything.¡±

 Chapter 144: Ride and Die

    Chapter 144: Ride and Die


    ¡°You want to give us a ride?¡± Argrave questioned Durran.


    ¡°I do,¡± Durran nodded, spinning his wyvern scale helmet about in his hands. Up close, the armor was quite impressive¡ªa coat of graymer wyvern scales stretching down to the knees, held together with studs of what looked to be brass. His ive was made of wyvern bone. It was done in the style of the southron elves. All-in-all, impressively armed.


    Argrave crossed his arms. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°You probably saved me from Titus,¡± Durran answered at once. ¡°I owe you a debt.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d expect you to default on the first payment of any debt you got,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°And it¡¯s not ¡®probably.¡¯ I <em>did </em>save you from Titus.¡±


    Durranughed. ¡°You act like you know so much about me. It¡¯s a bit perplexing.¡±


    Argrave stared at Durran. The man was obviously in better spirits¡ªhe couldn¡¯t help but spare a nce at Garm.


    ¡°I know an ufortable amount about you,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°Your favorite color is gray¡­ particrly when supported with burgundy.¡±


    ¡°Maybe that¡¯s why I¡¯ming,¡± Durran suggested.


    ¡°Because your favorite color¡ª¡±


    ¡°No, because you know so much about me,¡± Durran interrupted.


    ¡°There is something I don¡¯t know,¡± Argrave confessed. ¡°Your father. You said he was dying?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ he improved in time to dish out some spiteful, life-ruining nonsense, but yeah,¡± Durran nodded.


    Argrave looked to Anneliese, and she nodded, confirming he was being honest. Argrave turned away. <em>Did he just catch an illness randomly? It¡¯s certainly possible¡­ but it could be foul y, too. </em>Argrave juggled the idea, but then realized, <em>Does it really matter, now? </em>


    ¡°How in the world do you know so much about me while being ignorant ofmon knowledge within the tribe?¡± Durran stepped forth back into Argrave¡¯s sight.


    ¡°For reasons you couldn¡¯tprehend or codify,¡± Argrave snapped back to attention. ¡°Listen¡­ the ce we¡¯re going is very out-of-the-way.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine. It¡¯ll be nice to have ast long voyage with my girl,¡± Durran looked to where his wyvern was. Some of the southron elf children yed with the creature cautiously. ¡°She isn¡¯t mine. She¡¯s the tribe¡¯s. She¡¯ll go back to the tribe when I set her loose. She¡¯s still young, and she needs to have children. Not many females left living after the battle.¡±


    ¡°Finders, keepers, maybe?¡± Argrave suggested.


    Durran was confused for a second, but he ced the meaning after a time andughed lightly. ¡°She¡¯s a social one. She won¡¯tst long away from the others.¡±


    Argrave sighed. ¡°Maybe you can get another, then, bring it too. I¡¯ll take it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯d be a sight, watching you try and fly,¡± Durran turned his head back. ¡°But you still never answered me.¡±


    Argrave looked over to Garm. ¡°Ought to have him talk to people more,¡± he noted. ¡°Happy to ept free transportation. I¡¯ll need to get things together, secure them on the back of your wyvern¡­ then we can get going.¡±


    #####


    Durran¡¯s wyvern hovered above endless ckness. They were only a few hours past sunrise, and the suns had not yete over some distant mountains, keeping the ck desert illuminated only by the pale blue light of dawn.


    Even if the ce had been better illuminated, the only thing they¡¯d be able to see better would be the eternal ck dunes of sand. Not a bit of civilization could be seen in any direction, even from their significant height. To be lost in this ce was a death sentence, it seemed¡ªnothing lived here. Even the Brandbacks, titanic predators, did not lure prey in this ce.


    ¡°You sure you aren¡¯t taking me somewhere secluded to do me in?¡± Durran shouted over the winds.


    ¡°Given how many people hate you now, I don¡¯t think seclusion would be necessary,¡± Argrave returned.


    The great wyvern continued to glide onwards, Argrave confidently directing Durran where he knew to go. He used the mountains and thepass as his guide. Beside him, he saw Anneliese struggling with her hair¡ªone of her braids hade loose, and strands of hair battered about everywhere. Argrave leaned in, shielding her from the wind, giving her time sufficient to correct the issue.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Thanks,¡± she said. ¡°Perhaps I should cut it. Given how much we travel, it only causes problems.¡±


    ¡°That would be a tragedy,¡± Argrave stated. ¡°It looks too good to cut. Though, your choice, naturally.¡±


    Anneliese tilted her head but said nothing in response. Argrave turned his attention back towards the dunes of sand.


    Now that they approached Argrave¡¯s final goal, he finally felt the nervousness set in. He had been obsessively checking everything to be sure that nothing was amiss¡ªthe Wraith¡¯s Heart was fine, the Amaranthine Heart still functioned, the Unsullied Knife still retained its power, and the Crimson Wellspring had not a single crack.


    Still, bing ck Blooded as Argrave had a thousand times more weight than it had in ¡®Heroes of Berendar.¡¯ Failure and sess both promised to be monumentally emotional things. If Argrave failed, now¡­ to say the least, the prospect made falling off this wyvern seem not so bad.


    But Argrave was not worried about failure. The Alchemist might be temperamental¡­ but he would be as eager to perform this surgery as Argrave would be to receive it. Such was his nature. Argrave was more worried about whether or not hispanions would get through this unscathed.


    Argrave spotted a shift in the constant sand dunes and tapped Durran¡¯s shoulder. ¡°There!¡± he pointed. ¡°Where the color changes.¡±


    ¡°The lighter shades of ck?¡± Durran questioned, and Argrave nodded. ¡°No, those are just quicksand pits. Must be somewhere else.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the spot, Durran,¡± Argrave insisted.


    Durran turned his head back, staring Argrave down, but then eventually swallowed and nodded. As they neared the pits of quicksand, the wyvern started to slowly descended, spurred downwards by its rider. They circled around, and Durran eventuallynded atop a dune of sand a fair distance away. Thending scattered sand everywhere.


    ¡°Whew,¡± Argrave breathed out, then stepped off the wyverns. His legs, weak from the ride, copsed beneath him, and he slid down the dune a bit in a sitting position. His Brumesingers abandoned him immediately, jumping to safety. Once Argrave came to a stop, he overlooked a vast in of deadly quicksand.


    Well, <em>somewhat</em> deadly quicksand. As long as one wasn¡¯t stupid, they could easily get out, even if theynded in the center of one of the pits. It wasn¡¯t meant to catch humans¡ªit was meant for animals. Indeed, <em>meant. </em>They¡¯d been constructed here, not formed naturally.


    Argrave¡¯s Brumesingers came to his side, their golden eyes glowing. Apparently, they had much to eat here¡ªplenty of souls drifting about, ready for feasting. Anneliese stepped up to Argrave, her own fox held in her hands. It quickly jumped down from her arms and watched the pits ahead, eating souls in silence with its kin.


    ¡°Deste,¡± Anneliese noted.


    ¡°Depressing,¡± Gmon confirmed.


    ¡°Dastardly,¡± Argrave finished the alliteration with an ill-fitting word, then sighed. ¡°Now I¡¯m thinking about Brium, that poet creep¡­¡±


    ¡°This is the treacherous path you mentioned?¡± Durran walked up, too, still holding his wyvern¡¯s reins as he walked. ¡°Hope there¡¯s something I¡¯m missing.¡±


    ¡°Nope. Pick a hole, any hole¡­ actually, that hole, specifically,¡± Argrave pointed one out. ¡°I¡¯ve taken this path too many times to forget it.¡±


    ¡°You want us to jump into quicksand?¡± Durran frowned.


    ¡°¡¯Us?¡¯¡± Argrave repeated. ¡°I thought you wanted to give a ride, nothing more.¡±


    ¡°I still want answers,¡± Durran shook his head. ¡°If I have to tag along until I get them, so be it.¡±


    Argrave frowned, suspicious of that answer. Durran was whimsical, but not to this degree. He had a purpose, certainly. He wondered what Garm had said to the man¡ªit had to be something rted to that. Argrave wished to simply ask, but he feared he might make Garm feel distrusted when things seemed to be improving.


    Still, Argrave knew he didn¡¯t have the luxury to rx his vignce¡ªespecially not when he was at the cusp of bing ck Blooded. Argrave liked Durran. He wouldn¡¯t mind having him tag along, temporarily or permanently. He was talented, diligent¡­ but his loyalty was untested.


    <em>I¡¯ll have a word with Anneliese and Gmon, have them keep a closer eye on Durran,</em> he decided with some measure of guilt. He felt paranoid. He wasn¡¯t about to let guilt ruin months of blood, sweat, and tears, though. He wanted to trust Garm, but their own experience had proven he was capable of deception. Durran was no saint, either.


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t exactly loathe your presence. If you wish to follow, follow.¡± Argrave rose to his feet with a grunt. ¡°But maybe I¡¯m just a madman about to jump into quicksand. Ought to consider that.¡±


    ¡°Some say genius and insanity are two sides of the same coin,¡± Garmmented. ¡°Fortunately, you¡¯re none too genius, and by thew of inverse¡­ I¡¯d say we¡¯re safe.¡±


    ¡°I see Garm has volunteered to enter first,¡± Argrave said with a bitter smile as he walked back up to the wyvern.


    As Argrave tussled with his backpack, unstrapping it from the wyvern¡¯s back, Durran walked up to Argrave.


    ¡°Hold on a minute,¡± Durran said cautiously. ¡°You¡¯re just going to¡­ jump in? I mean, the thing probably isn¡¯t deep enough to even take you. You¡¯ll just get stuck. What is it you¡¯re expecting to happen?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a path below,¡± Argrave exined.


    ¡°A path,¡± Durran repeated.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Argrave nodded, then pulled his backpack free. He put it around his shoulders. Anneliese and Gmon moved to do the same, retrieving Garm and their own luggage.


    ¡°Alright, alright,¡± Durran nodded. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ve got some rope. We can make a stake, stick it into the sand. Should be enough to pull us out, in case things go awry¡­¡± he mused, nning.


    ¡°You can if you want,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°But if you take too long¡­ I won¡¯t be able to guide you. ce isn¡¯t exactly intuitive, though, I warn you.¡±


    Durran frowned. ¡°What do you mean, ¡®not intuitive?¡¯¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Argrave began, then waved his hand. ¡°All these questions,¡± heined. ¡°You talk more than me.¡±


    Durran held his hands out, offended. ¡°She asks innumerable questions¡ªyou don¡¯t seem to have a problem with that!¡± he gestured to Anneliese.


    ¡°She¡¯s an exception,¡± Argrave shook his head, then walked down towards the quicksand. When he reached the pit he¡¯d pointed to earlier, his step didn¡¯t even slow before he plunged his foot in, wading deeper. Already, he sunk. His twopanions were just as unhesitating in entering after him. Even their pets, the light gray creatures resembling fennec foxes, clung to them as they sunk.


    ¡°Gods above¡­¡± muttered Durran. He was stunned for a minute, then he started tough. ¡°Never thought I¡¯d see the day someone made me look reasonable.¡±


    He removed the reins from his wyvern and cast them to the ground. He removed the saddle, too, and threw it aside.


    ¡°Live well, girl. Hope my people treat you better than they did me,¡± he said as he put his head to its face. With a deep breath to gather courage, he turned. Argrave was already leg-deep into the pit.


    Durran took slow, steady steps towards the pit. If it were a normal pit, he suspected they¡¯d already have stopped sinking by now¡ªinstead, they kept drifting lower.


    ¡°Youing?¡± Argrave called out, chest covered. ¡°Water¡¯s nice and warm.¡±


    ¡°You have no idea how much I want to pass,¡± Durran shook his head, but eventually stepped out.


    Argrave lifted his head up as the pit covered his neck. ¡°Joke¡¯s on you. This was all an borate murder-suicide,¡± he left those words before he inhaled, filling his lungs.


    Durran stared as Argrave¡¯s face vanished. He started tough once more.


    ¡°This guy¡­¡± Durran muttered as he watched his body sink ever lower. Eventually, the pressure around his feet lessened. He could move his feet freely, he found. Despite that assurance, he couldn¡¯t hold back the fear from the uncertainty. His wyvern moved closer to the quicksand pit, watching Durran disappear.


    As his face vanished, Durran heard the roar of his wyvern¡ªmaybe it thought he¡¯d died. Durran was half-convinced he did. Eventually, though, he kept descending, and dropped down.


    Durrannded on his feet. He was surrounded by darkness. A light soon filled the room. They seemed to be incased in a cube of obsidian. On each side of the room, there was a portal containing a mass of moving sand¡ªinstead of downwards, though, it flowed sideways.


    ¡°I¡¯m really wondering what Garm told you that you¡¯d genuinely follow,¡± Argrave spoke to Durran.


    ¡°What is this ce?¡± Durran looked around, awed.


    ¡°A path,¡± Argrave repeated his earlier im. ¡°What, that¡¯s not obvious?¡± he said drolly with a smile on his face, then lowered his gaze to hispass. ¡°Alright¡­ follow me, people.¡±

 Chapter 145: The Alchemist

    Chapter 145: The Alchemist


    ¡°Keep watch on Durran,¡± Argrave spoke to Anneliese and Gmon. ¡°I told you before he¡¯d be a good ally, but¡­ he¡¯s volunteering to carry Garm, he¡¯s following us without reason¡­ my scheme senses are tingling.¡±


    ¡°I was going to tell you,¡± Anneliese nodded. ¡°I picked up the same¡­ though without ¡®scheme senses,¡¯ granted,¡± she noted with an amused smile. ¡°For what it is worth, I feel no malice from either.¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°Reassuring. But you don¡¯t need to feel ill-will to put someone six feet under, just an abundance of ambition. I¡¯d say the two of them could qualify.¡± Argrave put his hand to his chin. ¡°Maybe they¡¯re trying to probe for information, get the truth out of me¡­ but damn, whatever happened to asking questions?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take the rear, then,¡± Gmon raised his hand.


    ¡°Right. Thanks,¡± Argrave nodded. Just then, Durran emerged from the portal of sand just beside them, holding Garm in his hand upright. The other hand held his ive¡ªhe used it as a walking stick, somewhat.


    ¡°Took you long enough,¡± Argrave greeted.


    ¡°Why in the world did you send me off alone in this scary ce?¡± Durranined. ¡°Here. Don¡¯t know what this is, but I got it.¡±


    Argrave received what Durran held out¡ªit was a strange obsidian idol. ¡°It deactivates some animated guards ahead,¡± Argrave lied easily. He had just wanted some time alone to speak with Gmon and Anneliese. ¡°Unless you care to fight them?¡±


    Durran was already looking around the new environment, barely heeding Argrave¡¯s admonishment. He supposed he could not me the man¡ªthe ce they were in was ridiculous. The room wound about in ways that seemed to be geometrically impossible. Pirs of flowing ck sand rose into endless abysses. The pathway ahead, which resembled polished obsidian, curved up to the wall, and then the ceiling further down the hallway.


    ¡°To reiterate¡ªfollow what I do absolutely,¡± Argrave informed Durran, his voice being the only disturbance in the absolute silence of the strange dimension. ¡°Don¡¯t <em>ever</em> run or jump unless I tell you to. If both of your feet are in the air at the same time, it¡¯s over for you, most likely. Gmon might catch you¡ªhe¡¯ll be taking the rear, just in case.¡±


    Durran watched everything like it was seconds away from jumping out and biting him.


    ¡°This ce is no petty illusion,¡± Garm noted. ¡°All around, I see it¡ªmagic, twisting, writhing, dancing. I can¡¯t even fathom its purpose. And its creator¡­ Why was this built?¡±


    ¡°Cool scenery, maybe,¡± Argrave suggested, only half in jest. In the game, it had been only that: a neat, if simple, little puzzle to upy the yer¡¯s senses. In reality¡­ who knew?


    The Alchemist knew, Argrave was certain. But the Alchemist wasn¡¯t exactly an open forum.


    Argrave and his two elvenpanions were not devoid of nerves, either. Argrave started to step down the pathway, trying to keep his breathing steady. He constantly repeated the advice he¡¯d given Durran in his head as he started to walk along the wall.


    Transitioning from walking the floor to walking along the walls was a powerfully disrupting sensation. One¡¯s body was ustomed to certain constants, and yet now, before its eyes, these constants were broken. It wasn¡¯t like his feet were stuck to the ground¡ªno, rather, gravity itself seemed to move with the path. It was no illusion, either.


    ¡°Gods above¡­¡± Durran called out as Argrave walked further into the stretching hallway before them. ¡°Though¡­ the gods might not be ¡®above¡¯ in a second,¡± he mused as he followed, with Gmon taking the back of the party just as he¡¯d promised.


    The silence of the dimly illuminated ckndscape was marred only by the sounds of their footsteps¡ªGmon¡¯s metal boots, Anneliese¡¯s and Argrave¡¯s leather, and Durran¡¯s wyvern scale boots each made distinctive sounds. Argrave was hyper-focusing on his steps to ensure that none would be misced, but he felt that focus was making him all the worse for wear. Argrave¡¯s Brumesingers squirmed within his clothes, perhaps sensing his terror through the druidic bond.


    <em>I¡¯m on the floor right now, </em>Argrave told himself. <em>Nothing strange, just floor. Don¡¯t look at the weird sand pirs. Just keep walking. </em>


    Yet his own thoughts felt like dogs nipping at his heels, and Argrave started to talk to ward them away.


    ¡°Durran,¡± he called out. ¡°A question for you.¡±


    ¡°Can it¡­ wait?¡± the man answered from further back.


    ¡°Why are you really here?¡± Argrave ignored, pressing onwards. ¡°To follow someone into something like this¡ªit¡¯s not something you do for answers, especially not when you don¡¯t know the value of them.¡±


    Durran didn¡¯t answer, and the five of them walked through the ever-twisting hallway. Argrave was about to demand an answer when the southern tribal finally broke the silence.


    ¡°Garm told me a lot. About Gerechtigkeit, about why you¡¯re here, about what you¡¯ve done¡­ so let¡¯s not act like the ¡®how¡¯ of these things doesn¡¯t have value,¡± Durran answered back. ¡°I¡¯d have to be an imbecile to miss that there¡¯s something interesting going on with you. Considering I¡¯ve been exiled¡ªself-exiled, I guess¡ªnot like I have much better to do.¡±


    It was Argrave¡¯s turn for the long silence, now. That answer gave him a lot to digest. Garm had divulged much to Durran¡ªthe extent of his knowledge of Argrave, basically. Which begged the question¡­


    ¡°What spurred you to spill your guts, Garm?¡±


    ¡°What, you¡¯re mad at me now?¡± the head answered at once. ¡°As I recall, just outside Sethia, you said you¡¯d prefer to have Durran as an ally. I took a little initiative¡ªwhat¡¯s the problem?¡±


    The polished obsidian pathway opened up into arge square. As they stepped out into, the abyss seemed to extend in all directions. It seemed if one reached their hand out, eternal darkness would eat it. The pathway extended no further.


    ¡°And that¡¯s it?¡± Argrave questioned, stopping and staring Garm in the eye.


    Garm stared back. ¡°I know I kept something from you in the past¡­ but I meant what I said. I will help you. All of you.¡±


    Argrave held his gaze for a while longer, studying Garm¡¯s expression. His ck and gold eyes did not waver as they stared back, studying him in kind. He tried to see beyond¡­ but they were just eyes, ckened or no. He could not see the thoughts in his head.


    ¡°Not what I meant,¡± Argrave finally shook his head, diverting the conversation. ¡°I mean, did you tell him about the Alchemist? That¡¯s another important bit.¡±


    ¡°Told him a little. Not enough for your high standards of caution, I presume,¡± Garm said with a smile.


    ¡°Let me exin¡­ after we jump,¡± Argrave looked upwards. He bent his knees downward, then jumped up, slightly rotating backwards as if doing a backflip. At once, true gravity seized him¡ªor perhaps it wasn¡¯t true at all. He fell towards the abyss above. His stomach churned, and he felt like vomiting. He passed through the darkness¡­


    Andnded on his feet, perfectly. Though uneased, Argrave was surprised by how smooth andfortable thending had been. Durran came next, surprisingly¡ªhended on his knees. Gmon was third. He¡¯d rotated too far, and ungracefully copsed on his back. He recovered quickly, standing before Argrave could offer help. Anneliese wasst. Shended on her feet, though not steadily enough. She fell backwards.


    Argrave supported her with his arm, keeping her from falling. He was flustered, but he said, ¡°Careful now,¡± as he helped her regain her bnce. ¡°How¡¯s that? Been working on the gantry.¡±


    She calmed herself from the frightful fall, thenughed once she processed what Argrave had said. ¡°With whom?¡± she questioned.


    Argrave only smiled in response, then turned to examine the road ahead once he was content she was steady.


    The ce before them made the dreary ckness they¡¯de from seem a lie. Though the path ahead was the same polished obsidian, a vast jungle of uncountable different colorsy before them. All manner of life sprung from every corner of the ce¡ªthe ceiling, the floor, the walls. It was only barely distinguishable they were in a cave.


    ¡°Should be safe, now,¡± Argrave told everyone. ¡°But don¡¯t wander carefully. Anneliese, Gmon, you know what I¡¯m about to say¡­ but still, make sure you listen, just in case.¡±


    ¡°Never seen anything like this¡­¡± Durran said, awed.


    ¡°You¡¯ll get to know this jungle very well,¡± Argrave assured. ¡°All of you will be staying here. There¡¯s wildlife enough to sustain you. I will be in a bed¡­ but I envy you, honestly. But enough about that. I¡¯m to meet the Alchemist.¡± Argrave looked back at Durran.


    Durran pointed ahead. ¡°One man made this ce?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°But here¡¯s the thing, Durran. I know you like getting attention¡­ but in front of the Alchemist, you want to be the least interesting thing in the world.¡± Argrave walked up closer until he loomed over the man. ¡°I expect you to stay outside. Do not talk to him, do not enter his house. Even if he wanders outside, ask him nothing. If he talks to you¡ªdon¡¯t see why he would¡ªanswer quickly, bluntly, and honestly. Be rude, be mean¡ªI don¡¯t care, and he won¡¯t either¡ªbut be honest.¡±


    Durran nodded hesitantly.


    ¡°I¡¯m not fucking around here,¡± Argrave insisted, pointing at Durran. ¡°He¡¯ll end you. Garm was right about the fact that I want you as an ally¡ªI won¡¯t deny that. It¡¯s the only reason I let youe this far, dubious as your motives are. If you want to live, heed these words like they¡¯re the word of every god you hold dear,¡± Argrave pressed his finger against Durran¡¯s chest.


    ¡°Anneliese and Gmon will make sure that you don¡¯t step out of line, even if they have to break your legs. Live like the dead. Capisci?¡± Argrave leaned down closer. Durran looked confused, so Argrave tranted, ¡°Do you understand?¡±


    ¡°I get it,¡± Durran pushed Argrave¡¯s hand away.


    ¡°I¡¯m serious,¡± Argrave reiterated. ¡°I¡¯m not saying this for my sake. I¡¯ll be fine if you mess around. You¡¯ll be paste if you mess around. All of you will stay far away.¡±


    ¡°You intend to meet this Alchemist alone?¡± Anneliese frowned. ¡°You didn¡¯t mention this.¡±


    Argrave turned away from Durran. ¡°Better this way. Less contact. Get in, get out.¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°I want toe with you.¡±


    ¡°Do my words mean nothing?¡± Argrave asked, exasperated.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re serious,¡± she insisted at once, stepping closer. ¡°And I know to listen to your words. But¡ª¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Argrave put his foot down. ¡°You cane after the surgery, when I¡¯m recovering¡­ and when he isn¡¯t around.¡±


    Anneliese looked frustrated and concerned, but after a long time of silence, she surrendered with a nod that made Argrave feel bad.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± Argrave assured. ¡°Hell, doing this alone will probably make it easier.¡± He took a deep breath, then turned over to the vibrant jungle ahead. ¡°Right¡­ everything¡¯s already in my pack.¡±


    At the most nervous he¡¯d ever been, Argrave stepped away.


    ¡°Wait here. You can visit tomorrow, probably. This guy is quick if anything,¡± Argrave waved.


    Everyone waved back. The sight made Argrave feel hesitant to leave, and so he quickly turned, walking down the obsidian path before him.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The jungle ahead, with its constant noise, was just as bad as the unending silence of the distorted entryway. The sights before him were ufortably familiar. He¡¯de here time and time again. Usually, he was excited¡ªthis time, it felt like his task was so monumentally important, his excitement was buried beneath pressure.


    A castle of sleek, sterile obsidian came into view. The architecture was foreign, almost alien¡ªangr where one wouldn¡¯t expect a castle to be, round where it ought to be angr. The door itself was round, almost as if bulging outwards, and stood over thirty feet tall. Argrave paused at the door, removed his backpack, and retrieved the things he needed. He gave his Brumesingersmands with druidic magic, and they took their ce.


    He scrutinized each in turn: the Amarantine Heart, the Wraith¡¯s Heart, the Crimson Wellspring, and the instrument of surgery¡ªthe Unsullied Knife. They were exactly as he remembered them. With them in hand, he pushed open the door. It took some effort, being asrge as it was.


    Argrave didn¡¯t notice the room at all¡ªthe sole figure within dominated his sight.


    The Alchemist was standing, back straight, waiting. He must¡¯ve been twenty feet tall. His ck hair was like silk, and it extended downwards, forming robes around his vaguely humanoid shape. His ivory face was t and squat,cking a nose or nostrils at all, while his eyes were gray. He held his hands before him, crossed over each other. The tips of his fingers were palms, each with five digits of their own.


    Argrave took a deep breath and exhaled. <em>No pageantry, no babbling, Argrave¡ªto the point. </em>


    ¡°I want to trade,¡± Argrave spoke loud and clear, with a will tempered by the constant hardship he¡¯d endured thus far. ¡°I¡¯ll instruct you on how to perform a surgery that allows you to rece a human¡¯s blood with magic blood. I will provide the materials for said surgery. I will also provide a knife that allows for painless alterations of all physical and mystical. In return, you will perform the surgery I teach you¡­ on me.¡±


    The Alchemist closed his eyes, then opened his mouth. Where teeth and a tongue had once been, one giant gray eye watched Argrave. Its eyes, too, both contorted into mouths. The eye focused on Argrave. The Alchemist¡¯s lips lowered, almost as if the eye was squinting, and he leaned in. After a long moment of observation, the process was reverted and his face returned to normal.


    ¡°Shut the door,¡± he said, voice like splintering ice.


    Argrave nodded, saying nothing, then turned to pull the door shut.

 Chapter 146: Apathy

    Chapter 146: Apathy


    The Alchemist living beneath the hot sands of the Burnt Desert was nowhere near as insignificant as his name implied. The master of this obsidian castle was not merely a practitioner of alchemy. He embodied it. Literally.


    His body was alchemy manifest.


    The principle of alchemy¡ªfantasy alchemy, at least¡ªwas that of exchange. The most famous example would be turning lead to gold. In ¡®Heroes of Berendar,¡¯ alchemy was dually a process by which potions were created, and a magic of conversion.


    The Alchemist had disyed these qualities when Argrave had entered. His eyes and teeth had receded back into his head, whereupon they were alchemized within his body to form a single giant eye that better scrutinized Argrave. His body was a constant boiling ocean of alchemy, able to reform what he had into whatever body parts he needed.


    Now, Argrave followed this hulking monstrosity through his abode of sterile obsidian. He was alone. The Brumesingers, Argrave¡¯spanions¡ªall were outside, idle.


    The Alchemist¡¯s silken ck robe of hair sunk into his back as they walked, leaving a nk te of ivory flesh behind. Slowly, lips formed, eyes just after them.


    ¡°You are a servant of Erlebnis?¡± he asked from the newly formed lips, voice harsh and loud.


    The sight of the shifting flesh might have terrified Argrave had he not gone through the Low Way in the past, yet more disquieting was the fact he was being asked any questions at all. He was not surprised the Alchemist had seen through the Blessing of Supersession so easily, though.


    ¡°No,¡± Argrave answered, suppressing the urge to add extraneous details. <em>Answer only the question you are asked, </em>he reminded himself, repeating it mentally like a mantra.


    The lips and eyes on the Alchemist¡¯s back merged into one giant eyeball that shone with green light for but a moment. Argrave could see spell matrixes within the eye¡¯s pupil. Argrave knew not what the monstrous figure was doing, and he didn¡¯t dare ask.


    Soon enough, the eye was reced by the ck robe once again, and Argrave heaved a sigh of relief.


    There was much mystery surrounding the Alchemist. Argrave had dedicated weeks of research to writing the wiki¡¯s article for this character. He hadbed through countless in-game books, looking for references, even symbolic references, to link the Alchemist to anything¡ªa faction, a religion, a god.


    Argrave¡¯s experience with ¡®Heroes of Berendar¡¯ narrowed things down¡­ but gave nothing concrete.


    Firstly, Argrave knew the Alchemist had associated with an ancient god. He didn¡¯t know the details of this association, nor did he know which ancient god, nor any details beyond the fact that the two were linked.


    Secondly, Argrave knew the Alchemist had once been mortal, and that his change was brought about by magic. Details were hazy on this end, too¡ªsome records imed it was a hostile spell, others imed it was a ritual taken willingly for the purpose of embodying alchemy.


    Thirdly, the Alchemist was old. Millennia old, at least. Argrave knew he was aware of Gerechtigkeit. He could be enlisted for the final battle, something Argrave was sure as hell going to do.


    Beyond that, the giant man before him remained a mystery. The Alchemist was not receptive to questions. He was more apathetic than cruel, but he was also entirely intolerant of the most insignificant annoyances, questions being foremost among them. Argrave¡¯s personal conjecture was that the Alchemist lived in such a secluded ce to avoid people, and to avoid harming people¡ªsome of his dialogue expressed dissatisfaction with his rage, and guilt for wanton ughter.


    But that was just that: conjecture.


    The Alchemist came to a giant set of polished obsidian doors. He did not need to raise a hand¡ªthe doors started shifting aside as he neared. Argrave knew what was beyond. He hade here time and time again. Even still, it had been months since he had seen it, and viewing it in-person was an infinitely more captivating thing.


    Shelves of polished obsidian rose up one hundred feet into the air. The walls themselves seemed to emit a steady purple light, making the ce seem infinitely gloomier than it already was. The shelves held books, and every single book, without fail, had a white cover. A great many of them had lettering on the cover¡ªeven more were nk. Spread out across the room were obsidian tables. They looked like altars, in truth, but there was no discernible religious significance to them.


    Argrave had seen many libraries and studies of vast scale in his time on Berendar. He¡¯d seen the libraries within the Order of the Gray Owl¡¯s buildings, the ancient library in the Low Way of the Rose, and the cold stone library in Veiden, managed by Rowe. None couldpare to this ce, at least not in scope.


    The Alchemist stepped into the room. His arms stretched out as he retrieved many of the books with nk covers. The mini-hands at the end of his fingers served to bring precision¡ªwith it, he effectively had ten normal-sized human hands, with which he adroitly maneuvered books and writing implements.


    Before long, the gargantuan robed figure turned to Argrave, five books held in his right hand with five writing implements in the other. Seeing the small hands on the tips of his finger clutch books and pens tightly was vastly disconcerting¡ªso disconcerting, in fact, that he did not understand the Alchemist¡¯s meaning immediately.


    ¡°Exin your trade,¡± the Alchemist instructed coldly once Argrave did nothing. He had already begun writing with two of his hands, perhaps noting his personal observations.


    Argrave straightened his back at once and ran through his nned lecture. He stepped to the closest obsidian table andid out his things, then inhaled, readying himself.


    ¡°This,¡± Argrave pointed down to the gray, vaguely opaque heart. ¡°This is the Wraith¡¯s Heart. It¡¯s a perfect mirror of a real human heart. Moreover, it has the capacity to take aspects of magical artifacts and embody them, if they are alchemized inside <em>your</em> body,¡± Argrave pointed to the Alchemist. ¡°The Wraith¡¯s Heart can be considered empty, at present.¡±


    The fell figure wrote down what Argrave said, each of his five small hands writing and moving diligently to inscribe on the nk books.


    ¡°To that end, these two items stand to fill the Wraith¡¯s Heart emptiness.¡± Argrave touched the purple rock on the table. Sensing the enchantments near it, veins rose and linked to Argrave¡¯s gloves. ¡°This is the Amaranthine Heart. It extracts vitality¡­ or lifeforce, from anything that it links to. It can additionally sap magic. What it absorbs can be extracted as liquid magic.¡± Argrave pulled his finger away, and the veins of the Heart snapped, fading into nothingness. A single dot of ck liquid appeared atop it, like a drop of perspiration.


    Argrave stepped to the side and reached out for the Crimson Wellspring. ¡°This item is called the Crimson Wellspring. It is capable of converting most organic matter into blood. Unlike most other artificial bloods invented in the past, this one is capable of sustaining vampires, meaning it possesses genuine vitality.¡±


    Argrave took a step back and gathered his thoughts. ¡°These two items, working in tandem inside the Wraith¡¯s Heart, will serve to subvert some of my normal biological processes. Together, they can produce magic-imbued blood. You have achieved something simr with chimeras,¡± Argrave said, pointing to the Alchemist. ¡°But the magic-imbued blood proved corrosive.¡±


    ¡°Yes. The body rejects false blood,¡± the Alchemist said¡ªhis first interjection.


    ¡°As such, we look to other creatures for a model,¡± Argrave continued, undaunted. ¡°Creatures that have naturally urring magic within their blood¡ªdragons, wyverns, my pets the Singers of the Brume, certain species of elves¡­ they all share one thing inmon; their blood is not corrosive because their body creates it for them. It isn¡¯t the magic that is being rejected¡ªthe blood is being rejected.¡±


    The Alchemist ceased writing. He set some books down, then reached away, retrieving books that were not nk. Argrave barely saw diagrams of creatures¡ªanatomies of the creatures he¡¯d mentioned. The Alchemist studied them.


    Argrave put his hand to his chest. ¡°To ensure my body does not reject the magic blood¡­ the third thing to be alchemized within the Wraith¡¯s Heart is to be my own heart,¡± he exined, voice shaking somewhat. ¡°And further, it establishes the necessity for the Unsullied Knife,¡± Argrave pointed to the scalpel on the obsidian table. ¡°Crude tools could not extract my heart and rece it with the alchemized Wraith¡¯s Heart without death. And that is the crux of the surgery¡ªheart recement. I know you are capable of that already.¡±


    With those final words, Argrave exhaled. He reviewed what he had said, ensuring that nothing had been left out. The Alchemist said nothing, moving with purpose throughout the library as he examined countless texts and wrote in his nk books. The wait was insufferable, but Argrave could only suffer it.


    The Alchemist finally stopped moving about and stared down at Argrave. ¡°Will you tell me where you found these items?¡±


    Argrave met the Alchemist¡¯s gray-eyed gaze with his own. ¡°No,¡± he shook his head.


    It was pointless to answer. Gratitude and offense were both equally impossible from the Alchemist. Argrave gained nothing by answering, something that the yer in ¡®Heroes of Berendar¡¯ learned quickly. The Alchemist very rarely rewarded the yer for doing anything. One would fetch him an incredibly rare item¡­ and receive nothing in return.


    ¡°What do you believe will happen when this alchemized heart is ced within you?¡± the Alchemist questioned.


    ¡°It¡­¡± Argrave swallowed. The man sounded like a doctor, asking a leading question. ¡°My body will have to reform itself to amodate the magic within my blood. Everything within¡­ will change, and morph. It will be very painful,¡± Argrave finished.


    ¡°Yes,¡± the Alchemist nodded. ¡°It will. As such, I am establishing another condition to our trade. If your screams annoy me, I will take yourrynx.¡±


    Argrave blinked. ¡°Will I¡­ get it back after?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    <em>Can¡¯t you just make a ward around me? You¡¯re an iprehensibly powerful mage! </em>Argrave wished to ask, but he¡¯d already pushed his luck by asking one question.


    He nodded. ¡°Okay.¡±


    The Alchemist raised a hand up, pointing to the door. The mini hand on the tip of his finger pointed, too. ¡°Go. You will be led to a room on the outer wings of my castle. You will stay there during your period of change, so that I might observe these changes. I expect yourpanions to tend to your needs while you are here. They will be given ess and informed of things.¡± He lowered his hand. ¡°Once you arrive, strip. I wille when I am prepared.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Argrave nodded once again, then turned. Beyond, the once-dark hallway had been illuminated with purple lights, leading him down its path. He had been expecting such a sight.


    That conversation had been extremely disorienting and illogical, but Argrave felt that things had gone well. Though, perhaps it was because it was <em>only </em>logical that it felt illogical¡ªit didn¡¯t match a conversation between two normal humans.


    Though Argrave was carrying four fewer things in hand, his steps felt heavy. <em>Heart surgery,</em> he noted. <em>And my surgeon is a whack job. </em>


    #####


    Anneliese kept a close watch on Durran and Garm, sitting amidst the giant bushes some distance away. She held her knees with her arms, and as she sat there, she tapped one foot against the ground rapidly.


    She hated this feeling more than anything she¡¯d ever experienced, she was certain. Her gut writhed, her throat was clenched, and it felt like an ocean of nervousness raged through her chest. Beneath it all was a thin sheet of anger and betrayal.


    All along the way, Argrave had expressed how dangerous this Alchemist would be, and how they would need to be careful. Then, at the end, he tosses ¡®they¡¯ to the wind, and goes to meet the man alone. Anneliese knew he was right about this. It was for the best. Even still, she felt the need to rush in, join him.


    But¡­ she wouldn¡¯t.


    So much had been put into this. Argrave had toiled for months, grinding away at his own sanity, to achieve his goal. It was selfish, fundamentally¡ªcuring his sickly body¡ªbut there was a selfless purpose beyond it.


    Anneliese would be certain that absolutely nothing went wrong. Maybe it was because it was the only thing she <em>could </em>do. Regardless, she kept focused on Durran and Garm, the jungle around her dulling her focus none.


    Gmon touched her elbow. He held something out¡ªmeat, she noticed.


    ¡°Wildlife is abundant here. Argrave was right,¡± he said.


    ¡°I am not hungry,¡± she shook her head.


    ¡°You can only wait,¡± Gmon said coldly. ¡°At least do it with a full stomach.¡±


    She acknowledged his words with a frown and blinked a few times. Eventually, though, her gaze once more settled on the two ahead.


    Anneliese did not pray often. She valued Veidimen culture over its religion. Now, though¡­


    <em>Veid, please protect Argrave, </em>she prayed.

 Chapter 147: Baring Your Heart

    Chapter 147: Baring Your Heart


    Argrave recalled that he had onceined in an online forum about ¡®fade to ck¡¯ cutscenes in video games. The screen would go dark, and then someone would narrate what had happened. ¡®It¡¯szy,¡¯ he recalled writing. ¡®Devs didn¡¯t want to animate a surgery.¡¯ Argrave was sure he¡¯d been about fifteen years old when he wrote those nonsensicalints.


    Now, Argrave wished for nothing more than his vision to fade to ck and a month to pass.


    Instead, a twenty-foot-tall giant wearing robes made of its own hair rearranged furniture to prepare for Argrave¡¯s heart surgery. He secretly hoped he¡¯d have a panic attack and faint.


    The Alchemist moved a table closer and ced a bowl of obsidian there. More and more things piled up beside Argrave, and his breathing started to quicken as he questioned what, exactly, each implement would be for.


    Eventually, Argrave decided it would be best to stare at the ceiling. He saw the Alchemist eat something¡ªa collection of herbs, it looked like. Then, the man¡¯s finger retracted into itself, reemerging as a dripping rod of bone. The Alchemist held up a cup, filling it with a thin liquid the same color as the herbs he¡¯d just consumed.


    When the cup was filled, the Alchemist held it to Argrave. ¡°Imbibe,¡± hemanded.


    Argrave sat up. It was very difficult to refrain from asking what he was to be imbibing. When he drank, it tasted like a subtle, leafy tea mixed with cough syrup. Heid back down, distinctly aware of it travelling through his body.


    The Alchemist stood over him, staring down. ¡°Breathing will slow. Emotions will vanish. Blood will thicken,¡± hementated, watching.


    <em>Should I be awake for this?</em> He questioned internally. As if reading his mind, the Alchemist continued, ¡°I would prefer you asleep oratose, but I obtain more information if you are alive and conscious. Observe my actions. You will write a report when I am finished.¡±


    Argrave nodded, then waited. The Alchemist merely stood over him, staring down. It wrote on nk books off to the side. Argrave realized it was drawing a diagram of him. Minutes passed, and Argrave merely stared around at the obsidian ceiling and the ivory-fleshed monstrosity looming above him.


    ¡°You have the faintest blood of a feathered serpent,¡± he said. ¡°Vestigial remnants will change your period of adaptation.¡±


    <em>What does that mean? </em>Argrave questioned. Strangely, it did not panic him at all. It felt like it didn¡¯t matter, actually. He realized that his limbs felt very heavy. That didn¡¯t matter, either¡ªhe had no desire to do anything buty here anymore. Even blinking was starting to feel cumbersome.


    The Alchemist raised his hand up. One of his fingers grew an eye on its tip. He positioned it directly above Argrave¡¯s chest. It was eerily still, like it wasn¡¯t living at all. Off to the side, the Alchemist¡¯s other fingers prepared implements. Foremost among them was the Unsullied Knife. As Argrave watched, he put things together calmly.


    <em>Ah. He¡¯s using an eye like an endoscopic surgical camera, </em>Argrave realized. <em>And he mixed a potion inside his body that would suppress my functions, to make things easier for the surgery while allowing me to retain my consciousness. </em>


    The Unsullied Knife drew near his flesh. The white scalpel¡¯s red inscriptions shone all the brighter in the Alchemist¡¯s hands. Argrave felt nothing as it approached¡ªfear, panic, all were gone. It touched his flesh, making the first incision.


    Though, perhaps ¡®incision¡¯ was not the right word. His flesh moved aside, bunching like y, revealing bone beyond.


    ¡°The tool puts living things in a state of minor stasis,¡±mented the Alchemist. ¡°Souls, flesh, blood: all suspended. It interacts with all realms of the world. This instrument could even excise the Blessing of Supersession that blooms within you.¡± The man spun the scalpel about in the small hands at the tips of his fingers. ¡°Provoking an ancient god in this manner could be very interesting.¡±


    Something cut past the dull haze that had obscured Argrave¡¯s emotions, and his breathing grew a bit faster.


    ¡°Stop breathing,¡± the Alchemist chided. ¡°My next action will not be further warning.¡±


    Argraveid his head back against the table. The only thing he saw was the sleek obsidian ceiling.


    <em>If I keep staring upwards, it¡¯s like a really long fade to ck, </em>Argrave realized. He found some serenity in the constancy of the ceiling.


    The serenity was broken when one of the Alchemist¡¯s fingers moved into view, a tong-like implement holding something white. It was ced in a bowl. Argrave turned his head, looking at it.


    <em>I think that¡¯s bone,</em> he recognized.


    ¡°Refrain from observing distractions,¡± the Alchemistmanded. ¡°Direct all attention towards the operation. Firsthand experience and testimony add paramount details to all collected data.¡±


    Argrave lifted his head up, staring at the sight below. To say the least of the situation, he saw much more of the color red than before.


    <em>I think I¡¯m going to have a nightmare about thister,</em> Argrave reasoned. <em>I¡¯m sure this would be pretty disturbing if I had all my faculties.</em>


    ¡°Your lungs have scarring. You should have been more careful.¡±


    <em>Huh. Guess he does have somepassion,</em> Argrave thought.


    ¡°You are a terrible subject ofparison,¡± the Alchemist finished. ¡°You deviate far from all human norms, making you a poor control. Tall, frail of bone. Weak, sickly organs. Yet¡­ your body¡¯s adaptations to the magic integrating with your blood and flesh will be far more pronounced.¡±


    <em>That sounds more in character,</em> Argrave concluded.


    Argrave watched his chest be ripped apart quietly, feeling neither intrigue nor disgust. As he sat there in his strange, emotion-free state, a thought came to mind.


    <em>What if Durran and Garm did something to the artifacts? </em>The thought bounced around in his head for a while. <em>Well, I wouldn¡¯t be ck Blooded. But I don¡¯t see how they could have done anything. What could he have done? Inject spirit-goo into them? Ridiculous. Yet¡­ certainly, Garm was alone with them a few times¡­ he¡¯s usually by the backpacks, after all. All of them, save the Amaranthine Heart, were kept inside the lockbox. </em>


    Argrave looked back to the growing pile of bones in a bowl beside him.


    <em>I wonder if the Alchemist would even put me back together if they didn¡¯t work,</em> Argrave questioned. <em>Well, they looked fine. But hell, I barelyprehend them as is. How would I know if something was wrong with any of them? </em>


    Realizing nothing could be done, Argrave turned his head back. <em>Oh. There¡¯s my heart. Bigger than I thought. </em>The Alchemist¡¯s finger-eye lowered into Argrave¡¯s body, while another hand conjured spell light. All the while, the Unsullied Knife grew ever closer.


    <em>I suppose I¡¯m about to find out. </em>


    #####


    Durran stepped out of the jungle, positioning his ive to block the sunlight that buffeted his eyes. As the whiteness induced by sudden sunlight settled, what he saw beyond was not at all what he expected to see.


    They must have been in a cave atop a mountain near its summit, for clouds were just below them, peaks jutting up above. The clouds were thick and dense, almost prompting one to try and stand on them. Nheless, they concealed much of the environment ahead. Durran could only barely make out a field of green. They were definitely far from the Burnt Desert, despite where they had entered from.


    He stepped closer, transfixed. A single giant tree hung out over the ledge, drooping down off the side off the mountain. Durran was close enough to the clouds that he could see them move, but he had seen moving clouds plenty aback his wyvern¡ªinstead, he watched beyond, staring at the fields of green.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Durran had heard tell of the northernnds¡­ but he¡¯d never seen them. He didn¡¯t know where this cave was. He didn¡¯t even know if the sight ahead was real. All he knew was that they were far from the Burnt Desert.


    ¡°Come look at this!¡± Durran turned around, calling out in his excitement. He was greeted by a pair of ever-watching amber eyes.


    Anneliese clearly had not slept at all during their night in this strange realm. She took Argrave¡¯s directive very seriously, obviously. Durran couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit ostracized when their distrust was so tantly disyed, but then¡­ perhaps he had no right toin, considering their distrust was warranted.


    ¡°We¡¯re far from the Burnt Desert,¡± Garm noted from Durran¡¯s hands.


    ¡°I thought the same,¡± Durran turned back around. ¡°Lands of eternal green¡­ I hope to see them some day. Poured sand from my boots enough times, now I¡¯m looking to put my gaze on something new.¡±


    ¡°You will,¡± assured Garm.


    Durran moved up to the edge and sat down,ying his ive out. There was no wind at all, strangely enough¡ªwinds would surely be incredibly harsh this high up provided this was a normal ce. Instead, things remained as pleasant as ever. The giant tree leaning out beside him resembled a willow. Even its branches were undisturbed.


    He watched for a long while. Durran still had much disturbing his thoughts¡ªthe business at Sethia was one that couldn¡¯t be put to bed in a couple days. Fortunately, as things were shaking out, he was to be spending a month here.


    With a final sigh, Durran rose to his feet. As he turned, he spotted something emerge from the jungle behind Anneliese. She must¡¯ve noticed his expression change, because she turned quickly and stepped away.


    A figure of dancing ck smoke stood before her. It had no discernible features, but Durran could¡¯ve sworn that it was looking around.


    ¡°Yourpanion informed me only one of you would suffice for dealing with him,¡± a harsh voice echoed out, and Durran took a step back. ¡°He said he would prefer Anneliese. Go. The lights will lead you.¡±


    The ck smoke exploded outwards as though sted by a great gale, dispersing into nothingness. Durran watched the tall snow elf breathe quicker, probably panicking. Without a word, she rushed out into the jungle.


    Durran adjusted his position, calming himself. ¡°Looks like the time is now¡­¡± he muttered, clenching Garm a little tighter.


    Just then, Gmon stepped out of the jungle. One hand held his Ebonice axe, still dripping with blood. The other held a cat-like creature Durran had never seen before¡ªit resembled a cougar, though with bizarre stripes and much more mass on its frame.


    ¡°What time might that be?¡± Gmon questioned.


    Durran inhaled, then adjusted his footing. He bent down and retrieved his ive. ¡°You¡¯re right. He really does hear everything.¡±


    ¡°Stop being a fool,¡± Garm chided. ¡°Put down the ive. That one is a monster beyond your capability.¡±


    ¡°Who decided that?¡± Durran stepped forward.


    ¡°Gmon,¡± Garm called out, and only then did Durran halt.


    Gmon dropped the body he held, and it fell to the dirt below. The giant elf said nothing, waiting for Garm to continue.


    ¡°I think we should talk,¡± Garm continued. ¡°Because what I wish to do¡­ it can benefit you, if you wish it.¡±


    Gmon took steady steps forward. ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯ve learned anything about me, beginning with that. I am Argrave¡¯s shield. I will tolerate nothing that subverts his goal. No boon will sway me, no opponent will deter me.¡±


    ¡°Hear me out,¡± Garm insisted. ¡°I know you better than you think. I hope we can talk about this amicably, at the very least.¡±


    Gmon stopped moving forward. ¡°Fine. I should warn you, though¡­ I am quite good at throwing axes. Try nothing.¡± He waved the Ebonice axe in his hand.


    ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re the one left,¡± Garm smiled. ¡°You might be the only one who would let me go through with this.¡±

 Chapter 148: Make an Effort

    Chapter 148: Make an Effort


    Anneliese stepped through the bizarre pce of the Alchemist, following the purple lights that shone without an obvious source. They guided her through theplex ce. Typically, her eyes wandered at times like these, consumed with curiosity, but she was led forward now with a single-minded purpose.


    She passed through a threshold into another room. The trail of lights faded. She saw a bed in the back of the room¡ªit was a fancy one, a four-poster bed, hanging curtains of purple fabric with strange designs on them. Its fanciness seemed in stark contrast with the rest of the ce.


    Anneliese stepped forward towards the bed. She saw a pair of feet sticking off the end, and as she grew closer, she ducked low and looked.


    Argraveid there beneath purple nkets, holding a white book in his hands. It was nk, and he busied himself with filling it out. As she stared down at him, he looked up at her.


    ¡°You¡¯re here. Look at this,¡± heined. ¡°The man couldn¡¯t even get me a bedrge enough for my whole body. You¡¯d think a giant like him would have some sympathy for the people on the taller end of the spectrum, but no. He makes me leave my feet hanging.¡±


    ¡°Argrave¡­¡± she stepped closer. ¡°What is¡­ what is wrong with you? I can¡­ I cannot¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh. He gave me some liquid,¡± Argrave exined, voice without much vigor. ¡°Not feeling very emotional right now, to put it simply. Should fade. I hope.¡±


    Her eyes darted around frantically, scanning him as she drew closer.


    ¡°Take a look at this,¡± Argrave pulled down the nkets, revealing his pale, bony chest. ¡°Not a scar in sight. You wouldn¡¯t believe how bad I looked not too long ago. I¡¯m a little disappointed, honestly¡­ wouldn¡¯t mind a nice scar, right down the center¡­¡± he traced his sternum with his fingers.


    Anneliese sat on the purple bed just beside him, eyes locked on him. ¡°But what¡­ what did he¡­ what exactly¡­ how did it¡­ how did it go?¡± she babbled.


    Argrave shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m not sure, really. Apparently, the same potion he gave me to dull my emotions is stopping my new heart from doing its thing.¡± Argrave touched his chest. ¡°My new heart¡¯s a¡­ I don¡¯t know¡­ it¡¯s a magenta color, I guess, and it glows.¡± Argrave looked up. ¡°The Alchemist said he¡¯d be back in a few hours when the blood starts pumping. He advised I eat plenty.¡±


    ¡°But how do you feel?¡± she asked, her speech finally normalizing somewhat.


    ¡°Pretty weak. Can¡¯t move much. And I think¡­ and maybe I¡¯m just being delusional¡­¡± Argrave looked at himself. ¡°I think I can already vaguely feel the paining. The changes.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Well, whatever. I have to write this report.¡±


    As Argrave raised the book, ready to resume his task, Anneliese practically fell forth atop him, hugging him fiercely. Just as quickly, she pulled away.


    ¡°Forgive me,¡± she apologized. ¡°No, forget that. I am not sorry for being d you are well. But¡­¡± she sighed and lowered her head, white hair sying out across the purple nkets. ¡°I was worried. I still am.¡±


    ¡°If the ivory man hadn¡¯t filled my veins with apathy-juice, I¡¯d probably be a lot more worried than you are,¡± Argrave noted. ¡°Well, that sounds a bit dismissive. I¡¯m d you were worried.¡± He paused. ¡°That sounds worse, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    Annelieseughed heartily, like all the tension built within was being dispelled with eachugh. She stood. ¡°You said the Alchemist is to return?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Make sure everything is in order, that sort of thing. If I¡¯m to be given a diagnosis of terminal death¡­ it¡¯ll probablye then,¡± Argrave nodded.


    ¡°I will stay with you,¡± she said. ¡°Who knows what will ur after such a strange happening? You need someone by your side.¡±


    ¡°We discussed¡ª¡±


    ¡°That was my decision. Save your words,¡± she shook her head.


    Argrave stared her in the face. Her amber eyes were steady and determined. He could see how tired she was, yet nheless¡­ he sighed, then set his book down.


    ¡°Alright. If I start moaning and groaning when my body begins to ept the new blood, don¡¯t make fun of me, okay? I don¡¯t need any shame with the pain.¡±


    She knew he was only joking and smiled as she made for the door. ¡°Write your report. I will get you food, as the Alchemist advised.¡±


    ¡°This brings me back,¡± Argrave called out, picking up his book once again.


    ¡°To what?¡± she paused at the threshold.


    ¡°Me, sick in bed. You, taking care of me, going to fetch food,¡± Argrave reminisced. ¡°This time stands tost a bit longer than our time in Veiden. Bringing dried meat again?¡±


    She stepped back into the room a little. ¡°Would you like that?¡±


    Argrave raised a brow. ¡°Anything¡¯s fine, littledy, don¡¯t trouble yourself.¡±


    ¡°Hopefully this is thest time I need do such a thing,¡± shemented. ¡°Though¡­ I have no problem with it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be as hale as a hare when this is done,¡± Argrave assured. ¡°Gmoning, too? The other two?¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°Presumably. I am unsure. I ran off possessed once I was informed of things,¡± she shook her head. ¡°I will keep an eye out.¡±


    Argrave shook his head, then said in faux sadness, ¡°You learn who your friends really are on your deathbed, looks like.¡±


    ¡°Please do not joke about that,¡± she shook her head.


    Argraveughed, then picked up his book. ¡°Ought to get back to the vebor. By the way, could you grab that bronze hand mirror? It¡¯s in my pack just outside.¡±


    Anneliese nodded and moved away.


    ¡°Thanks, Anneliese,¡± he called out.


    She waved as she left. Argrave opened the book, trying to find where he¡¯d left off writing.


    #####


    ¡°Anneliese will not be pleased,¡± noted Gmon, sitting cross-legged. ¡°Your protection is bound to her by honor¡ªa contract.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Honor, is it? She won¡¯t care that I¡¯ll be dead?¡± Garmughed, stuck in the dirt just beside Durran. They sat around a fire, cooking the striped cat. ¡°Whatever. I make my choices. Me. Not her, not our newly ck-Blooded friend. This has nothing to do with Argrave. It¡¯s MY choice. Mine. I will not allow them to interfere in that.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯ll care,¡± Gmon nodded. ¡°Argrave will, too.¡± He shook his head.


    ¡°You won¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°I understand what it¡¯s like to crave death,¡± Gmon said as he stared into the fire. ¡°Was never brave enough to go through with it.¡±


    ¡°Hahahaha!¡± Garmughed. ¡°Shown up by a talking head.¡±


    ¡°Why do you do this?¡± Gmon asked.


    ¡°Because I¡¯m a burden,¡± Garm said contemptuously. ¡°I know what it will take for me to gain a body that I¡¯m satisfied with. It would be as difficult as bing ck Blooded, I suspect¡ªmonths of work, all to give me a barely-passable body, with not an iota of my former power. I¡¯m deadweight.¡±


    Gmon crossed his arms. ¡°Yet you¡¯re selfless enough to go through with this?¡±


    ¡°My whole life, people have disappointed me. My parents. All my friends. My teachers, my students. They never made the effort I made.¡± Garm looked at Gmon. ¡°And now¡­ I¡¯ve met some people who wouldn¡¯t disappoint me. I¡¯m certain all of you would do as much for me as I am willing for you.¡±


    ¡°Found what you wanted¡­ so you¡¯ll end it all, without reason?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s reason,¡± Garm refuted. ¡°Argrave fights some ancient cmity. He needs no deadweight, least of all a snarky bastard like myself.¡± His golden eyes turned to Durran. ¡°At the very least, he¡¯ll have a bitter bastard like Durran, who can carry his weight¡­ and then some.¡±


    Durran scratched his cheek. ¡°Yeah. Fighting a god. Fun hobby, looking to try it out,¡± he nodded.


    Gmon ran his hand through his white hair. ¡°What¡¯s your n for this Alchemist?¡±


    ¡°Argrave probably doesn¡¯t know this¡­ but I know about the Alchemist, too. Some High Wizards engaged with him, at some point. Plenty of writings about the freak.¡± Garm closed his eyes. ¡°My existence is special. A sentient necromantic creation. He¡¯ll have interest in studying me, I¡¯m sure.¡±


    ¡°Is it enough to ask what you intend of him?¡± Gmon adjusted his sitting position.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be eager to test out the Unsullied Knife more,¡± Garm reasoned, opening his eyes once again. ¡°If worsees to worse, the Alchemist won¡¯t let me transcribe every spell I remember. But I¡¯m certain I can bind my soul to Durran¡¯s.¡±


    Durran rubbed at his chest at the mention of ¡®souls.¡¯


    ¡°The soul¡¯s not in the chest, idiot,¡± Garm rebuked. ¡°Don¡¯t act all terrified.¡±


    Durran lowered his hand. ¡°Just nauseated, thinking about merging with you, that¡¯s all,¡± he shot back.


    ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± Garm coaxed. ¡°Let it out, tough guy.¡±


    Gmon looked to the fire. ¡°What will happen?¡±


    ¡°When souls merge¡­ one dominates the other,¡± Garm exined. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ eaten, more or less. Very risky thing for two souls of equal power to go at each other¡ªit¡¯s a game of chance and will at that point, and the loser is erased utterly. This situation is iprehensibly rare. Fortunately for Durran, my soul is damaged. Quite badly. That bodes ill for my future.¡±


    Durran crossed his arms. ¡°Yes, you¡¯re damaged goods. That much is obvious.¡±


    ¡°Then what is the benefit?¡± Gmon tilted his head.


    ¡°Memory,¡± Garm sinctly exined. ¡°When a soul overwrites another, vestiges remain. If it¡¯s a swordsman¡¯s soul that¡¯s eaten, the winning soul will learn the sword very, very quickly, until you catch up with the person¡¯s skill. In the case of spells¡­ any spell I¡¯ve learned, or any tier of magic I¡¯ve breached¡­ Durran will have an easy go of things. Handheld through all the challenges in life, like a kid with rich parents.¡±


    ¡°Sounds useful,¡± Gmon crossed his arms. ¡°Why¡¯s it rare?¡±


    ¡°Well, souls are fleeting things,¡± Garm continued. ¡°Need something like the Unsullied Knife for stability. Things that can facilitate such a procedure are rare, and closely guarded. And not all souls arepatible. If there¡¯s a drastic difference in personality¡­ well, it¡¯s about as useful as doing nothing at all.¡±


    Gmon nodded as though things fell into ce. ¡°I¡¯ll help. But I¡¯lle with you. If either of you requests anything untoward of the Alchemist¡­ I¡¯ll end you there, even if I perish. My primary duty remains protecting Argrave. I sympathize with your plight, but I will notpromise on his safety.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes,¡± Garm said dismissively. ¡°I understand. On the front of Argrave¡­ if you could, I¡¯d like to write a letter. To him, to Anneliese¡­¡±


    Durran looked like he had something to say but refrained.


    ¡°I can do that,¡± Gmon nodded. ¡°You should write of the soul, and merging souls, to Argrave. He¡­ the soul in his body is not the body¡¯s original. I believe he could gain something from your wisdom.¡±


    Garm raised a brow. ¡°I¡¯d ask more, but a dead man doesn¡¯t need to know much of anything. Alright. I can do that,¡± Garm confirmed. ¡°Another thing, Gmon. About that benefit I mentioned.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± the vampire questioned, rising to his feet.


    ¡°My eyes,¡± he began. ¡°They¡¯re valuable. I was an A-rank mage, once. They can see things¡ªpeople¡¯s magic strength, for instance. And they can better discern illusions. No illusion magic will affect you, should you inherit them. Not to mention¡­ my vision is damned wless. Do you want them?¡±


    Gmon frowned, staring at those ck and gold eyes all too simr to those belonging to the abominable creatures within the Low Way. ¡°I¡¯m a vampire. That may cause problems.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a vampire?¡± Durran repeated incredulously. ¡°Is no one in this¡ª¡±


    ¡°Not now, Durran,¡± Garm dismissed. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t cause problems, not if the Alchemist fixes things. Your eye color won¡¯t even change. It might take a couple months, but it¡¯ll correct itself, and you can keep those shining whites you have.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want your eyes,¡± Gmon shook his head. ¡°Another could use them better.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Garm pursed his lips. ¡°Guess I¡¯ll offer them to Argrave or Anneliese.¡±


    Durran looked utterly bbergasted. ¡°Boy,¡± Garm called out, pulling him from his thoughts. ¡°My soul is to be a part of you. Moreover, you¡¯ll inherit my spell collection, provided the Alchemist allows me to write it out. Yet allow me to make one thing clear¡ªeven if I¡¯m gone, bits of me will remain, like a lingering ghost. If you act against Argrave, or Gmon¡ªif you hinder them¡­ I¡¯ll tear you apart from the inside. You will support them with all you have until Gerechtigkeit is dead and gone.¡±


    ¡°Not even sure this mythical being is real,¡± Durran countered. ¡°What if it¡¯s all bogus? What if Argrave¡¯s lying?¡±


    Garmughed. ¡°I thought like you, once. Argrave will change that thinking quickly enough. If he doesn¡¯t¡­ I¡¯ll let you leave.¡± Garm took a deep breath and exhaled loudly.


    ¡°Alright!¡± he shouted. ¡°Time to end this miserable existence.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure you wish to cast your life away?¡± Gmon questioned.


    ¡°I died six hundred years ago. I was merely trapped until now,¡± Garm answered coldly. ¡°I always thought about freedom, trapped as I was. I longed for it. It became an obsession. When I thought of freedom, I thought of flying. But I have flown aback Durran¡¯s wyvern.¡± Garm closed his eyes. ¡°Now I think of freedom¡­ and dream of dying.¡±

 Chapter 149: Unpredictable, Insurmountable

    Chapter 149: Unpredictable, Insurmountable


    Argraveid in bed, staring up at the bronze hand mirror he¡¯d once so loathed owning.


    Traits: [Tall], [ck Blooded], [Intelligent], [Magic Affinity (High)], [Insomniac], [Blessing of Supersession (MAX)]


    Skills: [Elemental Magic (C) {LOCKED}], [Blood Magic (C) {LOCKED}], [Healing Magic (C) {LOCKED}], [Illusion Magic (C) {LOCKED}], [Warding Magic(C) {LOCKED}], [Druidic Magic (C) {LOCKED}], [Inscription (E)], [Imbuing (E)]


    Two ursed traits that had gued him ever since he¡¯d arrived at this ce were nowpletely absent. Something else had taken their ce¡ªsomething glorious and ck and bloody. He might¡¯ve been rmed by the giant words reading ¡®LOCKED¡¯ beside every rank of magic he¡¯d learned but he¡¯d been expecting such a thing. His magic pool had diminished significantly¡ªhe was only capable of casting spells of D-rank, now.


    ¡°What does it say?¡± questioned Anneliese.


    ¡°It says things that make me very, very happy,¡± Argrave answered, setting the mirror beside him on the bed. ¡°Hot damn. I want to dance.¡± He cleared his throat. ¡°¡®When marimba rhythms start to y, dance with me, make me sway,¡¯¡± he sung.


    Anneliese smiled. ¡°You are just as bad as singing asst time.¡±


    Argraveughed. ¡°I know, I know¡ªI¡¯ve got no talent, I¡¯m t. But do you know what I <em>am </em>talented at? Or rather, will be?¡± Argrave pointed a finger.


    ¡°I can think of some,¡± she nodded.


    ¡°ttering statement, littledy,¡± Argrave lowered his finger. ¡°Henceforth, I will grow as a mage with <em>ridiculous </em>speed. Unprecedented. My magic will replenish faster than you can blink. I can diminish it just as fast, repaying that massive magic debt I rued at Sethia. I suspect that¡¯ll happen before we even leave this ce. Each time I do this cycle, it¡¯ll grow a littlerger, a littlerger¡­¡± Argrave held his fingers close together, and then widened them. ¡°Before long, I won¡¯t even need the Blessing of Supersession. My magic pool will berger.¡± Argrave paused, then recanted, ¡°Alright, that¡¯s one hell of an exaggeration. But still!¡±


    Anneliese moved to sit on the bed. ¡°Your emotions are returning. Does that mean¡­?¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Argrave nodded. ¡°I wasn¡¯t being delusional. I feel iting on. It¡¯s like¡­¡± Argrave paused. ¡°You remember, when you were young, you¡¯d feel this weird aching, throbbing, in your legs? Growing pains, some called them.¡±


    She looked to her legs, thinking, and then nodded. ¡°I think so,¡± she confirmed.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s like that¡­ but all over,¡± Argrave moved his hands around, touching various ces. ¡°And¡­ it¡¯s getting worse.¡±


    ¡°Things have only just begun,¡± a voice echoed throughout the room.


    The Alchemist stepped inside. Argrave mmed up immediately and focused his gaze on the returned giant. Anneliese stood from the bed,ing to attention, yet remained quiet otherwise. The bed shook with every step he took.


    Soon enough, he came to stand over Argrave¡¯s four-poster bed, his upper half concealed by the bedframe. He held his hand out, and the fingers retracted within. A great eye opened on the now-fingerless palm. The gray pupil shone with spell matrixes, darting about and scanning Argrave¡¯s body. Anneliese stepped back, startled, then bravely stepped back and sat beside Argrave.


    ¡°If I were to open your chest once again, we might see the heart working. Blood enters it normally and exits changed. Insignificant, now, but in time it will all be reced. ck Blooded.¡±


    The Alchemist walked around the bed. ¡°You must eat much. If you do not, you will be eaten from within and die. Avoid biting your tongue from the pain¡ªbe cautious of seizures, too.¡± The Alchemist rubbed his fingers together. ¡°In addition, waste will be forcibly expelled from the body. At the peak, I suspect you will begin sweating, vomiting, and defecating blood. It will leave nosting damage, I suspect. In addition, your skin, hair, and nails may fall off, regrow. I am uncertain of this. All test subjects and chimeras die by this point, generally.¡±


    Argrave swallowed.


    ¡°Your bones, organs, muscles, et cetera, will all adapt to the changes in time. Bones will growrger, gain strength. Your muscles will exhibit no visible changes, but they will morph as well. Your organs will be much more efficient as magic permeates throughout your body.¡± The Alchemist stepped to the bed¡¯s nightstand and retrieved Argrave¡¯s report.


    ¡°In essence, everything your body does will be better. Exemr, muscle growth: the same effort will produce tremendously improved results. Alcohol, poisons, and many potions will dissolve from the intensity of the magic in your blood.¡± The Alchemist flipped through Argrave¡¯s written report, reading as he spoke. ¡°Infection and disease be impossibilities. Wounds will heal better, and faster,¡± he continued. ¡°That same principle wards away aging to arge degree.¡±


    The Alchemist shut the book with a light <em>pop. </em>¡°Sufficient,¡± was his solement for the report. ¡°I tell you this because I expect you to keep noting these things. You will describe what urs within, daily, and continue to be subject to my scrutiny. In return, you will receive my continued tolerance of your presence within my home and garden. Elsewise, you and yours will be banished.¡±


    ¡°I agree, then,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°Any rules to note for my stay?¡±


    ¡°Do not pester me needlessly. Beyond that, my other condition remains in ce.¡±


    Argrave nodded. The Alchemist set the book back down on the nightstand and left, his exit jarringly abrupt. The both of them sat in stunned silence for a long while. Eventually, Argrave took a deep breath and sighed.


    ¡°Surgeons aren¡¯t much better thanwyers in terms of arrogance.¡±


    ¡°What other condition?¡± Anneliese questioned, ignoring his little quip.


    ¡°If I scream too loud, he¡¯ll take myrynx,¡± Argrave exined, staring at the nkets atop him.


    ¡°Larynx?¡± she repeated.


    ¡°Throat¡­ thing,¡± Argrave held a hand to his throat. ¡°Lets me talk. Breathe, too, I think. Not sure.¡±


    She stared at him. ¡°How loud is ¡®too loud?¡¯¡±


    ¡°Uhh¡­¡± Argrave trailed off. ¡°Loud enough to annoy him.¡±


    Anneliese sighed. ¡°A simple enough thing tobat. I will make sure no sound gets out. Still, what a terrifying man.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m curious¡­ what did you feel from him?¡±


    ¡°It is not¡­ a feeling, per se,¡± Anneliese exined. ¡°It is more of reading their body, their face, than something external. I cannot read animals, nor things drastically different from humans or elves. The only reason I was able to read those creatures in the Low Way was because their basis was human. And¡­ I cannot read him. His movements are all far too foreign.¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°That¡¯s fine. Still, I was hoping for something to make this nonsense less nonsensical.¡±


    ¡°Do not be nervous,¡± Anneliese reassured. ¡°I vowed that absolutely nothing would go wrong. And I will be sure of that, even now.¡±


    Argrave did feel reassured by that, knowing they were more than empty wordsing from her. ¡°No sight of Gmon or Durran?¡±


    She looked frustrated. ¡°No. I saw nothing of them. It is a vast jungle, granted, but I did not think it dangerous. And I did not think they would not care about your wellbeing¡­¡± She shook her head. ¡°I will go look for them, if you wish it. I can fetch more to eat, too. It would be good to stock up.¡±


    ¡°I mean¡­ I got what I came here for. I don¡¯t think they can take that away,¡± Argrave clenched the nkets tight. ¡°But Durran and Garm were definitely being shady.¡±


    #####


    ¡°I refuse,¡± said the Alchemist, inly and loudly, voice ever-grating on the ears.


    Garm stared up at the gargantuan man, his pupils shaking. Durran and Gmon stood within the vast library that Argrave had discussed his surgery in, Garm held in Gmon¡¯s hand. Though the area had been clean and tidy when Argrave left barring some misced books, it was now strewn with innumerable books containing diagrams and long paragraphs of data¡ªsome of them seemed to be wholly numbers.


    ¡°Why?¡± Garm questioned against his better judgement.


    The Alchemist raised his nose up into the air, and vague cracks echoed out around his neck.


    ¡°I will not be party to killing something that I have interest in,¡± he said inly, though his voice was noticeably lower in pitch. ¡°A necromantic creation that retains its sentience, retains its soul in toto, barring foolish, unnecessary damages that seemed to have been self-inflicted by a B-rank spell¡ªthat is interesting indeed. Worthy of study, certainly.¡±


    Gmon shifted on his feet, looking to Garm in his hand.


    ¡°But I told you¡ªI¡¯ll allow you to study me.¡±


    ¡°Until the ck Blooded one recovers. A process taking a month at most. Insufficient time to draw my interest enough to do as you wish,¡± the Alchemist concluded, staring down at Garm.


    ¡°I have other things to offer,¡± Garm continued. ¡°Spells of the Order of the Rose.¡±


    The Alchemist turned around and walked back into the library, saying nothing in response. It was clear he had no interest in further conversation.


    ¡°What would it take, then?!¡± Garm called out.


    Cracking bones echoed throughout the obsidian library, as though the Alchemist was popping his neck or fingers. He came to a stop. Rather than turn, the hair on his scalp receded within, and a face identical to the one on the front took its ce. His frontside carried on unaffected, staring down and writing into a book as he spoke from the face on his back.


    ¡°Surrender yourself to me,pletely,¡± the Alchemist said, voice another pitch lower. ¡°And refrain from this foolishness of merging souls. I can still deliver your eyes to the ck Blooded one. I will allow you to write down what spells you know. In return, submit. The tests willst some years. Depending on how they go, I may allow you to die when they are finished,¡± he finished apathetically.


    Durran lowered his gaze to the ground, raising his brows and shaking his head as if resigned to things. Gmon remained patient, staring down at Garm.


    ¡°But I¡­ I¡¯ll do things myself. Then I¡¯ll be gone forever¡ªno opportunity for anyone any longer,¡± Garm threatened, desperation very evident.


    More cracking and popping filled the room. The book the Alchemist held mmed shut, echoing throughout the library. The face on the back of his head sunk away, reced by hair, and the Alchemist turned to face Garm.


    ¡°How sad,¡± the Alchemist said, voice now as deep and guttural as Gmon¡¯s, though magnitudes more powerful.


    ¡°Garm¡­¡± Gmon cautioned, already stepping away towards the hall.


    ¡°You have to help,¡± Garm said resolutely.


    At once, the odd cracking of bones turned into a deafening noise, like the sound of a giant tree finally breaking and splintering. The Alchemist¡¯s movements were barely discernible, and he arrived before the three of them in not a second. His hair rose and writhed as if alive and his rigid back bent down, face contorting into one giant eye that stared at Garm while shining with green light.


    A mouth opened on the Alchemist¡¯s stomach, wide enough to swallow Gmon whole and with teeth the size of Garm himself. A ck mist poured out of his ears, eye, and mouth, dancing up into the air. His hair surrounded Garm, each strand like threatening needles.


    ¡°Why is that?¡± the Alchemist asked, each word spoken slowly and deliberately. His voice could be likened to the devil itself, so terrifying it had be.


    As the needle-thin strands of hair poked at his skin, drawing blood, Garm¡¯s gaze remained steady.


    ¡°Because you want to stop Gerechtigkeit as much as anyone in this world. And Argrave stands to be the vanguard against him,¡± Garm answered. ¡°I want to help him. This is the best way I have. Besides, you get to use the Unsullied Knife more. Doubtless you¡¯re eager to.¡±


    The Alchemist became still for a moment. Then, he began to pull away. ¡°Gerechtigkeit,¡± said the colossal mouth on his stomach, emphasizing the harsh portions of the word. The mouth groaned loudly, then slowly, the lips sealed shut, fading away into flesh until naught but ivory skin remained.


    Durran had fallen to the floor at some point, and he slowly stood up, head moving about frantically. Even Gmon had shied away.


    ¡°Get out,¡± the Alchemistmanded. ¡°Begone. I must¡­¡± he trailed off, his speech hesitating for the first time any present could recall.


    All were eager to obey this directive, exiting as quickly as their feet would allow. The Alchemist looked up to the ceiling. He stared silently for a long while, then let out a long, contemptuous groan.


    ¡°Annoying,¡± he said, voice returned to its normal pitch.

 Chapter 150: Blood, Bile, and All Things Vile

    Chapter 150: Blood, Bile, and All Things Vile


    ¡°Garm mouthed off to the Alchemist?¡± Argrave questioned while rubbing his chest, taking deliberate and heavy breaths. Anneliese had ced some amodations in the room¡ªthe end of the bed had a chair to amodate Argrave¡¯s dangling feet, and she had ced arge couch just beside the bed for herself. In addition, some food was ready and stocked.


    The pain was beginning in earnest. It was a constant dull ache, rising ever upwards in intensity. It had been manageable at first¡ªignorable, even. But it kept growing and growing, bing all-consuming. It reminded Argrave, strangely enough, of having eaten something iprehensibly spicy. The pain appeared tame for a time¡ªhalf a minute, maybe. But the fire would keep growing, consuming one¡¯s throat, one¡¯s mouth, with such a steady pace that the moment seemed tost forever.


    Unlike a hot pepper¡¯s spice, there was no respite from this pain. No milk, nothing to offer temporary relief. It was just an ache rising ever higher, like a room slowly flooding. The worst part was that Argrave saw no ceiling in sight¡ªit stood to keep growing, eating away more and more at all other sensations. The uncertainty bred nervousness, fear.


    <em>A month of this, </em>Argrave told himself mentally. <em>This is nothing. First step on the stair. Gotta be better. </em>


    ¡°¡­and so they refuse to enter,¡± Anneliese said.


    Argrave looked at her, realizing she¡¯d been talking while he¡¯d been lost in thought. ¡°Sorry, got lost in my own world,¡± he confessed.


    ¡°They ran into the Alchemist, and he told them to get out of their sight after some words,¡± she summarized what she had said quickly. ¡°Now, they fear retribution, so they stay far from the castle.¡±


    A stab of pain seized Argrave¡¯s head, and he inhaled through clenched teeth, veritably hissing.


    ¡°Useless imbeciles,¡± he said loudly, his own voice echoing in his head. ¡°What good are they?¡±


    Anneliese looked off to the side, saying nothing.


    ¡°Damn it all,¡± Argrave cursed. ¡°No¡­ they¡¯re not imbeciles. Pain¡­ pain makes your irritable. Forget what I said.¡± The stabbing subsided in his head, and once it did, he interrogated further, ¡°What the hell did they say to the man?¡±


    ¡°They avoided the subject,¡± Anneliese crossed her arms.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°Christ. I might be pissing blood soon, and they¡¯re ying about with our local twenty-foot-tall psychopath!¡± Argrave stroked his head, his shouting making his headache worse. ¡°I can¡¯t catch a break? Even now?!¡±


    Anneliese stared at him patiently. ¡°Is there anything you need?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°Choke me until I¡¯m unconscious, see you tomorrow,¡± he gave a salute.


    She lowered her head, unamused by his joke.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he apologized. ¡°Maybe you¡­ maybe you shouldn¡¯t be here. I¡¯m just going to be a moody prick for days on end. No one deserves to be subject to that, least of all¡­¡± he shook his head. ¡°Just go, join Gmon.¡±


    ¡°I made up my mind, Argrave,¡± she said simply without a moment¡¯s hesitation. ¡°You expect me to leave you to fend for yourself? Could you? We know not how bad this will get,¡± she pointed out.


    ¡°But¡ª¡±


    The Alchemist entered. His steps seemed heavier than normal, somehow. Argrave tensed, quieting and sitting up in the bed. Wordlessly, the Alchemist came to stand before Argrave. He held his hand out, an eyeball forming within his palm once more. His gray eye shone with spell light.


    Like this, the Alchemist stood there, as still and shiny as a nightstandmp. Argrave stayed silent, doing his best to make even his breathing quiet as he waited for whatever the Alchemist was doing.


    ¡°Mmmm¡­¡± he groaned for nearly a minute, voice low. ¡°I see it now. You descend from that golden serpent. Vasquer. She had a union with a man. Hideous thing.¡±


    The Alchemist began to walk around the bed, hand remaining stationary. It reminded Argrave of the way a chicken¡¯s head could stay totally still as it moved. After a long while where Argrave cast uncertain nces at Anneliese, the Alchemist finally closed his hand.


    A finger extended towards Argrave. The mini hand on the finger¡¯s tip grabbed Argrave¡¯s cheeks, and his eyes widened in surprise. The Alchemist¡¯s skin was surprisingly rough, despite being white and smooth-looking. Argrave tried to keep his face firm, but his cheeks were soon squished by an indomitable force¡ªnot enough to hurt, but enough to move him, certainly. Not that Argrave could notice if it <em>did</em> hurt, what with the all-consuming pain of his ck Blood integrating with his body.


    Anneliese stood and stepped towards the bed, her expression morphed by surprise. She looked concerned but hesitated to act.


    ¡°You talk frequently. The muscles in your face¡ªsigns of non-stop chatter,ughter, smiles,¡± the Alchemist noted. Argrave felt some strain on his neck as he was lifted upwards somewhat. He raised his hand up, hesitant to stop the Alchemist. Before he could make up his mind, Argrave was released suddenly, falling back to the bed. ¡°Every time I listen to this room, I hear your babbling. Inaneints. Witticisms. Delusions of grandeur made grander by gullibility.¡±


    Argrave stared indignantly with brows furrowed and eyes wide, massaging his face in confusion.


    ¡°Words, words, words¡ªthere are too many in the world,¡± the Alchemist said. ¡°Words fail half the time. What good are words in a battle?¡±


    Silence filled the room for a while. Argrave figured it was a rhetorical question, and so he stayed silent.


    ¡°Stop thinking. Answer,¡± the Alchemistmanded, and Argrave scrambled in the bed.


    ¡°Words¡­¡± Argrave trailed off, before finishing, ¡°¡­got me here.¡±


    ¡°A lie. You have feet, legs, all connected to a brain by systems soplex your words fail to describe them. <em>They</em> render you ambtory, not words. You walked here. Words, be they on paper or spoken, carry no one anywhere.¡±


    <em>I really don¡¯t need this right now, </em>Argrave thought, brain dancing to find the answer.


    ¡°It¡¯s a metaphor,¡± Argrave rebutted.


    ¡°Useless things,¡± the Alchemist stated, voice a pitch lower¡ªthis rmed Argrave very much, because he knew it was a sign of anger. ¡°Words are a veneer¡ªmetaphor is yet another fa?ade atop this veneer, another step to remove and obscure the purity of the mind¡¯s thought.¡±


    Argrave noted the irony that the Alchemist had used a metaphor to disparage metaphors, but he focused on what the Alchemist meant.


    ¡°The purity of the mind¡¯s thought,¡± Argrave repeated. ¡°There is no other method ofmunication so universal and sophisticated as words.¡± Pain shot up Argrave¡¯s arm, and he winced, but kept his thoughts focused on the titan looming above his bed. ¡°Words are the best way for themon and the grand to understand each other¡¯s thoughts. And universal understanding¡ªthat¡¯s a powerful thing,¡± Argrave finished through clenched teeth, gripping his arm tightly. ¡°Words foster that.¡±


    ¡°Nnn¡­¡± the Alchemist groaned once again, a vast mouth on his stomach opening up. ck smoke started to rise up into the high ceiling. He walked to the wall. It parted like burning twigs twisting from a me, revealing the jungle beyond.


    Argrave started to worry that he was about to experience an borate eviction because he lost a debate he didn¡¯t understand.


    ¡°I hate talking most of all,¡± the Alchemist said, pure contempt showing on his voice¡ªa rare divergence from the constant apathy. ¡°No different from assault. Why must I suffer your thoughts? I have my own to deal with¡ªthoughts infinitely more important.¡±


    Not wishing to make the same mistake asst time, Argrave answered, ¡°Why n¡ª¡±


    ¡°Be silent,¡± the Alchemist interrupted. ¡°Talking is an assault. Yet it is the strangest form of assault, doing no genuine harm. The spoken word nts itself within your mind like a parasite, worming and changing and feeding on the valuable thoughts within. Corrupting. Morphing. Viting the sanctity, the purity, of the hallowed thoughts within.¡±


    The Alchemist turned and the wall shut, hiding the jungle away once again. ¡°The spoken word is an insidious killer. Harmless, fools say. But in time, the words batter at the mind, until the ¡®you¡¯ that once was is only a memory, and your thoughts of the past be foreign. It kills that ¡®you¡¯ that once was.¡±


    <em>Recluses go to any lengths to justify their lifestyle, </em>Argrave thought drolly, finding some amusement amidst the tense atmosphere and pain wracking his body.


    ¡°But when the time for words has passed, and mindless hordes charge each other, spite in their gut¡­ everything blends into the song of war, and true mettle will be tested.¡±


    The Alchemist walked back to stand before Argrave¡¯s bed. He stayed there for a long while, doing nothing. Argrave could not rx his vignce. He sat there, alert and awake, preparing for any eventuality.


    Without another word, the Alchemist turned and walked out of the room. Argrave stared at the threshold like the man might reemerge at any time.


    A minute passed. Another. Finally, Argrave copsed back into the bed, feeling exhausted.


    ¡°What in the god damn was that about?¡±


    ¡°Argrave¡­¡± Anneliese came to sit in the bed. Argrave kept his eyes on her. She reached out, then touched the back of his neck.


    When she pulled her hand away, blood was on her fingers. Argrave kept his eyes on that for a long while.


    ¡°He said it would happen,¡± Argrave said grimly. ¡°Sweating blood. I guess¡­ time to find out if I¡¯d crack under torture,¡± Argrave concluded.


    #####


    Argrave was certain of only one thing¡ªtime had passed.


    As the pain grew worse and worse, it became difficult to note anything beside the passing of time. Every moment felt eternal. The symptoms ascended beyond mere pain, and Argrave felt like he was losing his mind.


    All that the Alchemist promised would happen, did. All that and more. The once-clean room became a disgusting mess, but Argrave was too consumed with simply getting by. With more pressing concerns, Argrave could not be appalled by his own state.


    He was beset by a constant hunger, eating at him. He drank water and consumed food so frequently the taste of anything became nauseating, but his body never rejected what he ate¡ªindeed, it seemed to desperately take it in. If he didn¡¯t tend to it, the hunger and thirst became another source of pain.


    With everything going on, sleep became an impossibility. Argraveid in his bed, shivering, beset by strange cold sweats. He raised his fiercely trembling hands to the dim light in the room. He saw that his nails were ck and blue¡ªhe suspected they¡¯d fall off, soon enough.


    There was something else constant¡ªor rather, someone. Anneliese. She rested on the couch, taking the time to sleep.


    ¡°Anneliese,¡± he called out, voice still steady despite everything.


    She roused at once, head lifting up and eyesing to attention like she wasn¡¯t sleeping at all¡ªperhaps she wasn¡¯t. ¡°What is it? Do you need something?¡±


    ¡°You should¡­ go outside,¡± he said, interrupted by a shiver.


    ¡°Why? Do you need something? Take it slow,¡± she urged, moving off the couch to kneel by the bed.


    ¡°I don¡¯t¡­ want you here,¡± he managed through clenched teeth.


    Despite the harsh words, she remained steady. ¡°Why?¡± she questioned.


    ¡°Hate being seen like this,¡± Argrave growled. ¡°Most of all¡­ by you, of everyone in the world. Never want <em>you</em> to see me like this.¡±


    Annelieseid her head on the bed and waited for a few silent moments. Then, she lifted her gaze once more. ¡°Argrave. Do you know what I would hate?¡±


    Argrave shook his head. He wasn¡¯t sure if the gesture was conveyed, because he was shaking enough it might be ambiguous.


    ¡°I would hate letting you remain like this, alone, miring in your own misery. I cannot abide that.¡±


    Argrave closed his eyes when she said that. After all that had happened, he was finding it a little difficult not to cry.


    He felt a strange tenseness in his hand. He feared a new symptom and opened his eyes to look. Anneliese held his hand, offering silent support.


    ¡°Empty your head of these emotions of embarrassment, shame,¡± she shook her head. ¡°Focus on yourself. Forget about the world.¡±


    Argrave turned his head away from her, staring off into the room. Nothing needed to be said, by his estimation. She would know what he felt. And he wasn¡¯t sure it would be especially well-received from one covered in blood.


    At least, that was his excuse.

 Chapter 151: Bitter

    Chapter 151: Bitter


    Ringing metal echoed through the obsidian abode of the Alchemist. Gmon took slow, heavy steps, eyes ncing around everywhere. He followed a trail of purple lights, though he didn¡¯t seem to trust thempletely. The uniform hallways and sterile atmosphere of the ce seemed to disquiet him.


    He¡¯d still not had the opportunity to repair his armor after the arm had been severed in the battle with the Lord of Silver, so he raised a bare hand to block his nose as though something ahead smelled foul. He stared down the hall, hesitating to move forward. He reached for his side, retrieving a sk and draining it utterly of the blood within. Once it was gone, he inhaled deeply, and proceeded uncertainly.


    Ahead, someone breathed through clenched teeth. The breaths were shaky, but strong. Gmon kept his hand to his nose as though the smell was unbearable. He neared the threshold, steps quiet. He looked into the room first, eyes peeking around the corner, then stopped at the doorway.


    Gmon¡¯s head turned slowly, drinking in all of the sights. The ce was, bluntly put, horrifying. Sheets and nkets were piled up in one corner of the room. Some of them had enough blood on them to be called ¡®soaking wet.¡¯ Anneliese had set up a makeshift washbasin in another section of the room, which Gmon judged she was using forundry.


    And though Gmon had been worried he had drawn the ire of the Alchemist by hunting so many of the creatures in the jungle, the food waste remaining evidenced that had not been the case. Bones had been picked clean and piled neatly. Gmon recalled collecting fruits¡ªhe saw none, so he presumed they had been eaten fully, seeds and cores included.


    The centerpiece of the room was the centerpiece of the horror. The bed was the stuff of nightmares. Bloody handprints marked the bedposts, the walls nearby. The bed¡­ if the nkets had been bad, the feather mattress was worse. Gmon knew from experience that no man possessed that much blood. It was dark blood, too, looking infected. The obsidian floor was covered, some of it dry, some of it fresher.


    Gmon would have been certain he was approaching a dead man had he not heard the breathing in the hall. He stepped into the room tentatively, Argrave¡¯s form obscured by the tapestries hanging from the four-poster bed. When he came into view, it took a moment for Gmon to notice Argrave was writing in something.


    Argrave spared a nce upwards, then looked back to his book. He double-took, lowering the book.


    ¡°Gmon,¡± he said, voice surprisingly steady given the state of the room. ¡°Thought you were Anneliese.¡±


    Gmon surveyed Argrave. His skin was the palest it¡¯d ever been. His lips were blue. His eyes were bloodshot and sunken. He was missing all of his nails. Strange, jagged abscesses lined his body. The list of symptoms went on and on. Despite this, Gmon felt an intense vitality radiating from Argrave¡ªit was like the heat of a forge, the strongest of any living thing he¡¯d ever seen.


    ¡°It¡¯s been, what, seven days?¡± Argrave continued. ¡°Hard to tell. No windows. Even if there were, we¡¯re in a damned cave¡­¡±


    Gmon nodded in confirmation.


    ¡°Seven days¡­¡± Argrave repeated. ¡°First time I see you in a week. What, you finally get thirsty?¡± he questioned with clenched teeth. ¡°Followed the sweet aroma, looking for a drink?¡±


    Gmon lowered his head.


    ¡°Lying here in blood puddles and you¡¯re provoking the one guy I told you not to engage with!¡± Argrave shouted and tried to point a finger, but he couldn¡¯t raise his arm up. The movement seemed to dislodge something, because he started coughing. It was a terrible, wet hacking, punctuated by Argrave spitting blood out.


    ¡°There¡¯s your drink,¡± Argrave pointed, then let out a long wheezingugh. ¡°Christ. I¡¯m losing my mind,¡± he muttered.


    ¡°I have no defense,¡± conceded Gmon.


    Argrave stared up at Gmon, breathing a little heavy. He adjusted his position, then endeavored to catch his breath, calming himself. As he wiped the blood off his lips, he seemed to be assaulted by pain, because he winced and put his hand to his chest. Gmon furrowed his brows and stepped forward, concerned.


    ¡°Listen,¡± Argrave continued. ¡°Listen. No¡ªdon¡¯t listen. Don¡¯t listen to a word I have to say. I¡¯m in pain, I¡¯m bitter beyond belief, and I¡¯m saying a bunch of words we¡¯ll both regret,¡± Argrave outlined. ¡°I know you¡¯ve been helping with the food. That¡¯s¡­ Christ, that¡¯s been very helpful. Even eating makes me hungry. It¡¯s like I¡¯m trying to gain 200 pounds this month. It¡¯s hell. So, forgive the ranting and raving, please.¡±


    Gmon stepped a little closer to Argrave¡¯s bed. ¡°I make a mistake¡­ and you¡¯re asking my forgiveness?¡±


    Argrave snorted, but then winced as though the action hurt. Footsteps drew both of their attention, and Anneliese entered the room, hefting a sack behind her back.


    ¡°Argrave, I¡ªoh,¡± she paused, spotting Gmon. She stared for a bit, then smiled. ¡°You havee. Good.¡±


    ¡°You make her carry the food in?¡± Argrave gestured. ¡°Couldn¡¯t have carried it inside on your way in?¡±


    ¡°¡­didn¡¯t want to attract attention,¡± Gmon excused weakly.


    Argrave adjusted his book. ¡°Maybe you are an imbecile. I¡¯m starting to question.¡± He moved as though to write again, then stopped. ¡°Durran and Garm, they¡¯re¡­?¡±


    Gmon looked off to the side, thinking about how to answer this.


    ¡°Oh, I see. They¡¯re still running scared from the big guy.¡± Argrave hefted the book, thenughed with a shake of his head. ¡°Morons and cowards. I¡¯m bleeding out my¡­!¡± he began, then stopped himself, taking deep breaths to calm. ¡°Gotta rx¡­¡±


    Gmon looked dissatisfied, like he had something more to say, but he elected to leave it unspoken. He looked around the room.


    ¡°I¡¯ll help clean,¡± he decided.


    ¡°Scavenge for food, you mean,¡± Argrave called out.


    Gmon shook his head, a bitter smile seizing his face.


    #####


    ¡°You came at a good time,¡± said Anneliese as they walked down the halls of the obsidian pce. ¡°Sometimes¡­ he cannot even speak, cannot think. Seizures and worse assail him.¡±


    ¡°Sometimes?¡± queried Gmon.


    ¡°Ites and goes in waves,¡± she exined. ¡°It is¡­ very¡­¡± she trailed off. ¡°Let us simply say I am d I am not to be helping him alone.¡± She paused, then looked to Gmon. ¡°You wille back, yes?¡±


    Gmon nodded. ¡°I will.¡±


    ¡°No fear of the Alchemist any longer?¡± she questioned. ¡°Had I drawn his ire¡­ I understand your position, staying outside. Even still, it was foolish, what you did,¡± she admonished.


    ¡°Nothing to fear,¡± Gmon nodded. ¡°Things were settled.¡±


    ¡°Settled?¡± she questioned. ¡°You make it sound like you talked with him more.¡±


    Gmon stopped walking, staring off to the side.


    Anneliese came to stand some distance ahead, staring backwards. She studied Gmon, then crossed her arms.


    ¡°I know you feel guilty, but it does not stem from leaving Argrave alone for so long, does it?¡± Anneliese questioned. ¡°Something else bothers you.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ and no,¡± Gmon refuted. ¡°I do feel guilty about being away for so long. It¡¯s just¡­¡±


    ¡°What did you do?¡± she demanded quietly.


    Gmon hesitated to speak. He started walking again, and Anneliese followed, casting nces at him.


    ¡°The person who initially wished to speak to the Alchemist¡­ was Garm,¡± Gmon began.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°But he has no legs, so if you intend to cast me¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m telling the full story,¡± Gmon cut her off.


    ¡°It has been a very long week, and I am quite irritable as well,¡± Anneliese continued. ¡°Say what you wish to say.¡±


    ¡°Garm and Durran weren¡¯t afraid toe,¡± Gmon said inly. ¡°They¡¯re doing something with the Alchemist. Don¡¯t know why, but he had a change of heart.¡±


    ¡°And what are they doing?¡± Anneliese demanded.


    Gmon stopped. ¡°Finishing up.¡±


    #####


    Wanting something to end tends to make it end slower. Or at the very least, that¡¯s the human perception of things. That¡¯s definitely Argrave¡¯s perception of things. He certainly hasn¡¯t been bored¡­ merely constantly upied.


    Pain unending. That¡¯s been his life. There was no reprieve from it. It warded away sleep, making each day take longer and longer. And it wasn¡¯t something that could be ¡®gotten used to.¡¯ It would fade in one point, surge in another. Sometimes, it felt like his appendix had burst¡ªother moments, a kidney stone passing.


    Argrave had tried many methods to cope with things. He tried to tell himself that some people lived like this daily; they lived with congenital defects, or were burn victims, things like that. It helped for a bit¡ªhe found some strength in that. After a while, though, it started depressing and angering him worse.


    Elsewise, he often tried to distract himself¡ªwriting the report, for instance, or talking with Anneliese. Days of poor sleep rendered most activities extremely difficult and frustrating, though.


    After a while, things started to get weird. Hepared himself to martyred religious figures, lost in strange delusions that may have been dreams¡ªhepsed in and out of sleep constantly, awoken by new pains or more aggressive symptoms. He started talking to Anneliese or Gmon about things he¡¯d said in dreams, and they¡¯d look at him like a madman.


    After a while, Argrave just stared at the bronze hand mirror, clinging to it desperately and trying to imagine himself ying ¡®Heroes of Berendar¡¯ again, a nice, cushioned seat beneath him. It was sad to long to y a video game when that world had be his reality, perhaps. He was beyond caring about how pathetic it was.


    If Anneliese and Gmon had not been with him¡­ he was certain he¡¯d be dead. Though, perhaps that wasn¡¯t true¡ªthe Alchemist would keep him alive, he suspected, but his price for doing so would be an arm and a leg. Perhaps literally.


    Amidst all the misery and shame from the entire experience¡­ Argrave clung to something. It was a foolish thing to be proud of, he supposed, and he didn¡¯t think he¡¯d ever tell anyone he¡¯d been thinking about this at all.


    Throughout this whole endeavor¡­ he never screamed. Not once.


    Thus far, it had been one hell of a challenge. Argrave might¡¯ve shouted in anger, but he never screamed. It was a small victory in a battle with himself, but¡­ clinging to that kept him sane, he felt. He had a goal beyond ¡®surviving,¡¯ another thing to upy his mind. With Anneliese present, she could conjure a ward and let him scream all he wanted, but this small, pointless victory brought him fulfillment.


    Despite the constancy of his situation, time flowed ever onwards, he knew. This pain would not be eternal. He stopped asking how many days had passed after a while. The Alchemist would visit, examine, read Argrave¡¯s report, and asionally ask bizarre questions. The questions werergely focused on Argrave¡ªpersonality, ethics, not merely factual things as was typicaling from the monstrous man. It was strange, but then the Alchemist himself was too strange toprehend, and Argrave was a little too busy to contemte deeply.


    Like this, the suns passed by time and time again¡­ and the month continued to pass.

 Chapter 152: Standing Proudly Once More

    Chapter 152: Standing Proudly Once More


    Argrave blinked open his eyes. As he stared at the bloodstained purple nket before him, mind nk, it took a few seconds to realize he¡¯d just woken up. And not in pain, too¡ªthe aching was there, still, but hollower. He was used to being woken up by spikes of pain, so it was a wee feeling.


    He took the rare moment of respite to look around. After Gmon had arrived, the ce had be much cleaner¡ªthe vampire was absent, now, probably getting food. Anneliese slept peacefully on the couch. Argrave stared off into space for a few seconds, then was reminded that he had no time to rest.


    Argrave sat up, retrieving the book he¡¯d been writing his reports on. Some blood had gotten on some pages, but such was life¡ªif the Alchemist gave him k, he wasn¡¯t sure he¡¯d care anymore. He wrote, passing the time, observing his own body.


    It wasn¡¯t his imagination. Though the dull aching was still present like boiling water beneath his skin, the spikes of pain were far less frequent, and infinitely less acute. Enough to sleep through, evidently. He was able to focus on the writing better than he ever had, he found.


    After a time, he judged there was nothing more to write. He tapped the writing instrument against his cheek, thinking, then set both the book and the tool down, satisfied with himself. The hunger still gnawed at his stomach, and he looked around.


    There was a tter of fruits¡ªthey looked like dragon fruits. They were too far to reach. He looked to Anneliese, then opened his mouth. He stopped, furrowing his brows. After a long while of indecision, he scooted quietly over to the bedside.


    He wreathed himself in the nket to cover himself, then slowly rose to his feet. He supported himself cautiously at first, almost afraid to leave the bed, but then rose up, back rigid. He shuffled over, then retrieved one of the fruits. It had been peeled already, and as he ate it, he found it tasted all the sweeter than the day before.


    Feeling some joy for the first time in a long while, Argrave walked about the room, careful not to wake Anneliese. Walking brought him immeasurable joy. After a time, he spotted a pile of clothes. They¡¯d been cleaned, he realized. He bent down and retrieved the simple underclothes he wore beneath his enchanted leather gear.


    Argrave watched Anneliese to be sure she was asleep, then quietly clothed himself once again. It made him want to cry, strangely¡ªhe felt human again. Much of the deformities marring his skin had mostly faded, but he still felt the soreness as the clothes brushed against his skin. He tossed the nket back on the bed, then let out a long, self-satisfied sigh.


    Anneliese stirred at the noise, and Argrave froze. When she lifted her head, locking eyes with him, he rxed¡ªno point in staying tense if he¡¯d been caught.


    ¡°Argrave,¡± she called out with a slight early-morning slur, quickly moving to stand. ¡°What in the world are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Preparing for an admonishment,¡± he shrugged.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± she stood up,ughing slightly. ¡°Then you know as well as I do that you should be back in bed.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve got bed sores fromying there for so long. I need to move about, for my mental health if anything. Standing with my back straight on hard rock has never felt so satisfying before,¡± Argrave looked down.


    ¡°You have no bed sores,¡± Anneliese disagreed, striding up to him. She grabbed him by the shoulders. ¡°Come on.¡±


    ¡°Please, I need to walk about. Gonna go mental,¡± Argrave pleaded.


    She stared at him for a bit, surveying him for damages. Her gaze finished wandering at his eyes, and she let out a long sigh. ¡°Alright. I wille along. Hesitate none in asking for help if things get worse.¡±


    Argrave beamed. ¡°I understand how a dog feels, now, feeling this excited for a simple walk.¡± Argrave took steady steps towards the threshold.


    ¡°Take it slow,¡± Anneliese called out exasperatedly, then quickly caught up to him.


    Argrave felt considerable trepidation, but he pressed onwards as though he didn¡¯t. It felt immeasurably satisfying seeing different sights once again, even if they were the same bleak obsidian walls all around.


    Despite feeling a boiling pain within, Argrave felt full of vitality. His steps were easy and quick, and he almost felt the urge to run. He couldn¡¯t remember thest time he¡¯d felt this good, at least physically. Normally, he¡¯d always feel heavy-stepped and fatigued at all times. Part of that was insomnia¡ªmost of that was his body. His old body, that was.


    ¡°Think I¡¯ll go and see where they pitched camp outside the ce,¡± Argrave spoke to Anneliese. ¡°Never thought I¡¯d say this, but it¡¯ll be nice to talk to Garm again.¡±


    It took a few seconds for Argrave to notice Anneliese had stopped. He paused, looking back. He said nothing, examining her. Her arms were crossed, and she stared at the ground.


    ¡°What is this?¡± Argrave stepped towards her. He came to stand before her, and still she said nothing. ¡°Come on, spit it out. What did they do?¡± he demanded.


    ¡°Argrave¡­¡±


    ¡°Asked about them, not about me,¡± Argrave shook his finger. ¡°Did Garm provoke the Alchemist more? Is he that stupid? I have a hard time believing that,¡± Argrave shook his head.


    She looked trouble, mulling over phrasing in her mind. Argrave tried to be patient, but soon enough that patience vanished.


    ¡°Where are they?¡± Argrave questioned. ¡°Come on. Where are they?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re¡­ he¡¯s¡­ he¡¯s here,¡± she couldn¡¯t look up.


    ¡°Here? In the Alchemist¡¯s ce?¡± Argrave confirmed, and when Anneliese nodded, he turned away, shaking his head.


    After letting out many obscenities, Argrave leaned up against the wall. His brain worked, trying to put together what might¡¯ve happened. Then, as if in epiphany, he lifted his head up. In another second, Argrave took off, walking speedily down the hall.


    ¡°Argrave..!¡± Anneliese called out, chasing after him.


    Argrave wound through theplex pce of the Alchemist, passing by and ignoring many rooms. Whether by pure dumb luck or urate deduction, Argrave entered an open room, striding in and moving his head about.


    Durran had beenid across one of the tables. Argrave jogged towards him and grabbed his wrist, firstly¡ªhe felt heat, assuaging some of his concerns. He looked around the room for Garm. He saw arge stack of white books, but¡­ other than that, not a single sign.


    Argrave leaned in, studying Durran. He reached up and pped his face, lightly, hoping to rouse him¡ªno response. He heard footsteps behind him and turned around. ¡°What happened to him?¡± he demanded.


    Anneliese walked closer, and said heavily, ¡°Durran will be asleep for some time.¡±


    ¡°Yeah? And I assume this is no nap. Why?¡± he demanded, trying to keep calm.


    ¡°Garm is¡­¡± Anneliese looked to the side. ¡°Garm decided to merge his soul with Durran¡¯s.¡±


    Argrave stepped away from Durran, his mouth agape. He didn¡¯t know how to respond to that. His mind ran through old lore that he knew, conjuring things he knew of the matter.


    ¡°So they¡¯re¡­ Durran and Garm are¡­¡± Argrave looked back at Durran.


    Anneliese stepped to another table, then picked up a book. Beneath it was a letter. She handed it to Argrave. ¡°Garm wrote this for you,¡± she exined. ¡°It¡¯s a¡­¡±


    Argrave took the letter from her hands, staring at it. His face stayed still for a long while, staring down at that letter without action. His breathing started to get a bit faster¡­ and then he ran for the door, heading for the distant light of the outside.


    #####


    Durran opened his eyes, seeing the blue sky above. He wiped at his face, trying to wake himself up. He felt the all-too-familiar feel of hot sand beneath him. Sometimes, heat could persist in the ck sand of the Burnt Desert all through the night, especially during summer.


    But his thoughts caught up to him, and he quickly sat up, realizing the disconnect. He had expected to see endless sand dunes, but instead, he saw an endless field of ck roses. His head darted around, taking in his surroundings in a half-panic. The terrain was split in half¡ªon one side, a field of ck roses. On the other, dunes of ck sand, with wyverns flying all about the sky.


    He stood, utterly confused, head darting every which way. Then, he spotted a figure wearing red robes. This man sat on arge rock amidst the field of roses, looking down at Durran.


    ¡°Pretty sight, isn¡¯t it?¡± the man questioned.


    Durran sized the man up. He wore luxurious red robes. The sleeves had a strange sewn pattern on them¡ªthey looked like a rose¡¯s thorns, and his shoulder pads were a rose¡¯s petals. The man¡¯s hair was brown, slightly wavy. He had a casual and cynical air to him, with bright blue eyes that made a handsome face sharper.


    ¡°Your half of this ce¡­ a little mediocre, honestly. I can¡¯t say I feel all too sorry for you, though.¡±


    Durran stepped closer. He was starting to realize the voice was familiar.


    ¡°Garm?¡±


    ¡°Sharp as a ball, I see,¡± the man smiled.


    ¡°So that¡¯s¡­ what you used to look like,¡± Durran realized. ¡°Before your run of bad luck.¡±


    Garm spread his arms out. ¡°I was always all there¡­ inside, at least. Feast your eyes on a High Wizard of the Order of the Rose¡­id inly before you.¡±


    Durran said nothing, clicking his tongue as he watched. ¡°Your other look was eye-catching. Now¡­ you¡¯re just a man.¡±


    ¡°Always was, despite what happened,¡± Garm spat, leaning back.


    Durran looked around, sizing up the ce. Slowly, he shifted on his feet.


    ¡°You said that our souls would fight for dominance,¡± he said carefully. ¡°This is our arena?¡±


    ¡°Indeed. We stand amidst both of our souls, manifestedpletely,¡± Garm nodded.


    ¡°Gods above¡­¡± Durran looked about. ¡°You say ¡®soul fighting,¡¯ I pictured two balls of light wrestling, not¡­ this.¡± His eyes locked on something standing amidst the sand¡ªa ive, stabbed into the ground.


    ¡°Balls of light¡ªpfft. Still as ignorant as ever about the soul.¡±


    ¡°Whose fault is that?¡± Durran turned his head back.


    ¡°Mine. But it¡¯s not a fault¡ªat least not from where I¡¯m sitting. It¡¯s just an advantage, now. Obscuring information and giving half-truths are what I¡¯m best at when I¡¯ve only a brain and a mouth.¡±


    ¡°And this ce¡­¡± Durran turned around, staring off into the distance. He could still see wyverns in the distance. The sand dunes seemed to move on endlessly, stretching out like an ocean in a starless sky. Durran could see figures dancing on the edge¡ªvague and indistinguishable, yet simultaneously familiar.


    ¡°For some, it¡¯s a reflection of their personality¡ªI¡¯d say mine takes that side of the coin. For others,¡± Garm pointed out, ¡°It resembles the ce which embodies them most. A boring, dry, and hot desert. I suppose it is fitting, in a way.¡±


    Durran snapped back to attention. ¡°The insult means lessing from you with the field ck roses. What is that? Some kind of childhood fantasy?¡± Durran pointed out. ¡°<em>That¡¯s</em> a representation of your personality? Romantic like a rose, but ck in the heart? Wilted, battered? Please. Spare me.¡±


    Garm let out a long, dryugh, and slid down the rock he sat atop. Durran watched as he walked forward.


    ¡°I¡¯m getting the inkling I should grab that ive,¡± Durran called out, stepping towards it.


    ¡°Hmph. Maybe you¡¯re a little sharper than a ball,¡± Garm admitted.


    ¡°So, we¡¯re to fight?¡± Durran questioned. ¡°No submission, give me the win? That was what we¡¯d nned, anyway.¡±


    ¡°I told you our souls would fight, and that¡¯s the truth. I¡¯m not a fan of suicide, despite what I said. I told you my soul was damaged¡ªwho¡¯s to say? Could be a lie. Could be the truth. How would you know? We¡¯ve established I¡¯m a pathological liar¡­ that I can¡¯t be trusted.¡±


    Durran¡¯s jaw clenched. ¡°Was kind of expecting such a thing, frankly. You give off the vibe.¡±


    ¡°Why¡¯d you go through with it, then?¡± Garm held his hands out.


    ¡°A whim. The Alchemist wouldn¡¯t have gone through with this if you fed me lies. Argrave said that monster loathes deception¡ªhe¡¯d correct you if you were wrong. I¡¯m sure Argrave wasn¡¯t lying, at least. That means¡­ nothing has changed.¡±


    ¡°A fair point,¡± Garm conceded.


    ¡°So, then¡­¡± Durran grabbed the ive.


    ¡°One more thing to take care of, first,¡± Garm held his hands up.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°No tricks. I know them all,¡± Durran pulled free the ive from the sand.


    ¡°So paranoid¡­ bastard after my own heart,¡± Garm shook his head. ¡°Have it your way. Perhaps we can talk as we¡­ take care of things.¡±


    Durran held the ive at the ready. Garm stared back, blue eyes veritably gleaming.

 Chapter 153: Last Will

    Chapter 153: Last Will


    Garm knelt down and picked a ck rose from the endless field. He held it up to his face, twirling it about with his fingers. The ck petals began to twitch¡­ and then exploded outwards as a mass of flesh.


    Opposite Garm, Durran panicked and jumped back at the unexpected sight. Garm could see his face morph with surprise, his sole desire bing getting away. And the man did¡ªhe jumped back near fifty feet, practically flying in the sky. Garm had summoned some of his favorite creations, an Order of the Rose specialty: bats of flesh and skin, knives attached to their wings. Deadly, numerous creatures.


    Fighting was different when souls battled. This battle was a representation of something their minds could notprehend. It was like living in a lucid dream¡ªwill alone could conjure all manner of assaults, oddities. Garm had neglected to inform Durran of this, but the boy was sharp¡ªhe was sure things would be figured out quickly.


    ¡°Back when I was alive, I could make one of these bats with a single arm,¡± Garm called out to Durran. Voices reached everywhere in this strange realm of the soul. ¡°Enough skin for the wings, enough bones for the important bits¡­ I look forward to trying it out again with a different set of hands, this time.¡±


    ¡°Keep looking forward,¡± Durran called back, unbothered. Garm was surprised by his mental fortitude. He iled about in the sky, falling. The boy was as sharp as Garm had expected, though¡ªwind around him swirled, then morphed into a giant gray wyvern, lifting him up into the sky. ¡°When we¡¯re finished with this, I¡¯ll be sure to enjoy it on your behalf,¡± the tribal answered back, vigor, excitement, and fear marking his voice.


    ¡°As green as you are? It¡¯ll be some years before youe near my expertise,¡± Garm refuted with a grin. He held his hand out, a spell matrix swirling. When itpleted, wind billowed beneath his feet, and he burst upwards into the sky. ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯ll lose.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re aged,¡± Durran refuted, wyvern gliding about. ¡°Senile, even. Not a chance for you.¡±


    ¡°Tell me, then,¡± Garm began, his bats rising up alongside him. ¡°What made you as you are? Cynical, bitter?¡±


    ¡°This is a fight, not a spar,¡± Durran cut him off, then threw his ive at Garm. ¡°No time for talk.¡±


    ¡°Fighting like this isn¡¯t as you think,¡± Garm shook his head, then easily maneuvered around the ive. It crashed to the sand below, spreading a ck could of debris across thendscape. ¡°Talk doesn¡¯t distract. We¡¯re souls, now, not brains. The least we can do for the loser is carry on some memories. I¡¯ll remember you, to be sure. To prove my point¡­ how about I break the ice?¡±


    Garm sent forth his summoned bats with another spell, and the creatures frenzied to obey. They sought their target like a locust gue. Garm controlled them, talking all the while.


    ¡°Myself, I learned the world was a hellscape as soon as I was old enough to understand what ¡®hellscape¡¯ means,¡± Garm exined. ¡°Parents dropped me in the canals at Nodremaid. I clung to the walls, not one year old¡ªor so I¡¯m told. It was a long time ago. Probably seven hundred years.¡±


    Durran struggled to contest with the bats, casting impotent magic, killing one or two at a time. ¡°You¡¯ve got me beat there,¡± Durran admitted. ¡°In terms of tragedies, at the very least. My parents were decent. I was thest and eighth child.¡±


    Durran¡¯s wyvern braced, and then spun about in an impossible manner, obliterating too many of the bats. Garm readied high-ranking electric magic¡ªthe knives stuck in the wyvern¡¯s flesh would attract it, making aiming easier.


    ¡°But you were the heir to the tribe?¡± Garm questioned, sending a bolt of lightning as thick as a pir forth. The wyvern howled as it struck its wing. ¡°Unless your tribe has some bizarre, meritorious session, let me guess¡ªthey all died.¡±


    Garm battered his opponent with powerful lightning magic, booms echoing out across the infinitendscape. Magic cost nothing but willpower¡ªmight as well use the expensive lightning magic, he figured. But Durran stepped atop the snout of his wyvern, grasping its horn. He leapt from its maw, and the horn he held morphed into a ive. In not half a second, he closed the vast distance between them with an inhuman jump.


    ¡°They died, yeah¡ªputting it simply,¡± Durran confirmed, then shed at Garm. The High Wizard could only raise his arm up to receive the blow, reeling away a great distance. ¡°My uncle drove my older twin sisters to suicide. Don¡¯t know why, but I can guess. Guy was always a worthless creep. Without proof, without any testimony besides mine, the tribe left him unpunished. He was respected. They didn¡¯t know the details. So, he got off, scot-free. I didn¡¯t like that.¡±


    Durran¡¯s ive morphed back into a wyvern, and he pursued Garm. ¡°I found out, then, that if you want something, <em>you</em> have to make it happen. No one else will advocate for you,¡± he continued, wyvern rushing down at Garm.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°You killed him? Good man,¡± Garmplimented, then prepared a wave of wind to block the approaching pair. ¡°People that toy with kids, they¡¯re like rabid animals¡ªthe best thing to do for all parties, the animal included, is end them.¡±


    ¡°Funny,¡± Durranughed as he approached. Garm sent out his wind magic, and the wyvern rider was knocked off the back, falling towards a field of roses. ¡°Some people would say the same of necromancers. Tell me, then¡ªno parents, one year old¡­ how¡¯d you live?¡±


    ¡°On the streets, obviously,¡± Garm answered. ¡°The streets of Nodremaid, they¡¯re rough¡ªGuardians of the Low Way patrol about. These things,¡± Garm exined, conjuring a spell matrix as hended amidst his field of ck roses. At once, several of the roses blossomed into the Guardians of the Low Way. Unlike those Argrave and hispanions had seen, these had not degenerated¡ªthey looked solemn, encased in iron masks and bearing sharp weapons. ¡°It was a struggle to stay alive.¡±


    ¡°But one year old, no matter how talented¡­ someone had to help you,¡± Durran insisted, copsing just opposite Garm amidst roses. He rose to his feet, ive ready to meet the approaching Guardians.


    ¡°Someone did help,¡± Garm confirmed. ¡°A teenager. Helped me learn the streets, gave me some food¡­ then, when I was eight, he tried to sell me to some High Wizard of the Rose for experimentation. Idiot just got captured alongside me. No one misses street urchins, you see.¡±


    Durran had a captivating, dance-like fighting style¡ªhe would cast magic with one hand, letting it hang in the air for a moment, then he¡¯d cut the spell with his ive. The spell would wreathe around his de, adding significant power to each of his attacks.


    ¡°How do you do that?¡± Garm tilted his head, watching.


    ¡°ive¡¯s de is wyvern bone,¡± Durran exined as he dealt with the Guardians. ¡°Magic is in their body. As such, spells can attach to the de, I found out. It¡¯s a neat trick.¡± He punctuated his exnation by throwing the ive still wrapped in mes at Garm.


    Garm ducked, conjuring a wall of earth to be doubly safe. The ive sunk deep into the earth, poking out the opposite side. Durran vaulted atop the wall, lunging at Garm. The High Wizard was prepared¡ªhe used blood magic, conjuring a bloody sword and thrusting in one swift motion.


    Durran twisted, barely avoiding being impaled, but the sword still grazed his abdomen. Hended atop Garm and forced him to the ground, then grabbed his hair, punching with his free hand. The blows hurt enough to remind Garm that he was alive, and that he still had a chance.


    Garm prepared a powerful spell, but Durran scrambled away, moving back behind the wall. Garm rose to his feet, walking backwards with blood trickling down his face. His injuries soon faded as his body reconstituted itself¡ªanother benefit of the realm of the soul.


    ¡°Since we¡¯re talking, I assume you didn¡¯t get experimented on by that High Wizard?¡± Durran questioned.


    ¡°Wizards get arrogant,¡± Garm exined. ¡°They don¡¯t really expect someone to hit them in the head,¡± he wiped the blood off his face, noting the irony. ¡°I got the jump on him. He never expected an eight-year-old to know how to kill people, but on the streets of Nodremaid, you learn early.¡±


    ¡°And you got away?¡±


    ¡°Framed the kid who sold me,¡± Garm said proudly, stalking around the earth wall. Durran was gone. ¡°Some of the guy¡¯s wizard friends came by to check on himter that day. I told them I was his hidden son, and that my would-be seller had killed him.¡±


    ¡°Terrible lie,¡± Durran admonished.


    ¡°It was a damned great lie. You had to be there,¡± Garm turned his head to where the voice hade from. Just then, Durran lunged out. He conjured sparks, then swung his ive. Garm ducked the lightning-wreathed attack, then tackled the man¡¯s knees. They both fell to the ground, and after a brief scuffle, Garm knelt atop Durran.


    Garm smiled, ready to return what he¡¯d just been given. ¡°As a matter of fact, they inducted me into the Order of the Rose because of that lie,¡± he disclosed, then punched Durran with one hand. The other prepared a spell.


    Durran retrieved his ive and swung it. Garm had been prepared to grab the shaft, stopping it, but it morphed into a dagger midflight, cutting Garm¡¯s throat. With blood pouring out, Garm fell backwards, and Durran got some distance. Garm didn¡¯t neglect the spell he¡¯d been preparing, this time¡ªa greatnce of wind as big as Durran himself surged out, catching the man in the torso.


    Durran flew backwards and copsed. Silence set in as the both of them recovered from the devastating exchange.


    Garm was the first to sit up. ¡°Gods above¡­¡± he rubbed his bloodstained, but healed, throat. ¡°You got far too good at this far too quickly.¡±


    Durran struggled to sit up, his torso still slightly gored by the powerful spell. He red at Garm, not with hatred, but with fiercepetitiveness.


    ¡°Rest of your siblings¡ªwhat happened?¡± Garm questioned.


    ¡°Died in battle,¡± Durran exined. ¡°They died against other tribals more than they did Vessels, can you believe that? We were pushed to near-extinction, and still, they fought amongst themselves. Absolutely moronic.¡± Durran rose to his feet, torso still a wreck. ¡°But¡­ they were family. Made the mistake of thinking I could do something good, for a change.¡±


    Garm stood, brushing his clothes off and readying himself. ¡°Made that mistake once or twice, myself. It¡¯s why we¡¯re here, now.¡± Heughed, then shook his head. ¡°Thought maybe I could do better by my son than I was done.¡± His smile faded. ¡°But he was the one to kill me. Myst student. My only child.¡± He stared at Durran, true emotioning through. Then, as if it was all a lie, that cynical grin returned. ¡°Only child I knew of, at least.¡±


    Durran took a deep breath and exhaled. ¡°I think I get it. All this fighting¡ªit¡¯s just pageantry. End of the day, it¡¯s like you said. This is just a battle of will.¡±


    Garm nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right. Maybe my son wasn¡¯t myst student, after all. You should be honored.¡± Garm fixed his robe. ¡°Unlikest time, there¡¯ll be no dying.¡±


    #####


    Argrave sat by the great willow tree, staring out of the opening in the mountain they resided in at the edge of the world. An endless in of skies waited beyond. He held Garm¡¯s letter in hand. He had read it countless time, but even now, it wasn¡¯t setting in. He started to read it again.


    <em>Argrave,</em>


    <em>You might be furious. You might be feeling betrayed. You might be feeling saddened. Perhaps thatst one is wishful thinking on my end.</em>


    <em>But, at the end of the day, this was my choice. Doing this was my only chance at real freedom. I know that you¡¯ll disagree. You probably would have done much and more to return me back as I was. But that¡¯s just the thing; I hate relying on others, and I hate being in debt. You seem a bad debtor, moreover. Gmon told me of his ten-year sentence to servitude. </em>


    <em>Don¡¯t rip up the page, I¡¯m just joking. </em>


    <em>So, I concocted this little scheme. I¡¯m sure Gmon or someone else exined things to you. Or maybe things have already finished, and one of us told you. Quite frankly, I don¡¯t know how this ends. Might be Durran walks out. I¡¯d give him 99% odds. Might be I walk out. I¡¯d give me 100% odds.</em>


    <em>You can see why I avoided gambling. Too much confidence in the unlikely. </em>


    <em>Regardless, I¡¯m leaving this writing here as a contingency of sorts, to exin things. The Alchemist graciously helped me write out all the spells I know. Just as Durran, you and Anneliese are free to learn from the books.</em>


    <em>The more important matter: my eyes. I¡¯ve had the Alchemist remove my eyes. I suspect the eyes of an A-rank mage will be immeasurably useful to you, for reasons I doubt I need to exin. My ascension to A-rank made them different from others¡¯ eyes, too¡ªyou can cast spells with them. The Alchemist confirmed he would be willing to help you with that. It should work wlessly. You and Anneliese can decide who gets them¡ªGmon has already refused. </em>


    <em>Of course, I promised the Alchemist you¡¯d do something for him. Ask him for the details. It¡¯s nothing big. In fact, you¡¯d already intended to do it.</em>


    <em>I don¡¯t care for sappy stuff, but I wish to let you know I consider you a friend. </em>


    <em>See you soon, or never again. </em>


    <em>Garm, High Wizard of the Order of the Rose</em>

 Chapter 154: Cynical Bastards

    Chapter 154: Cynical Bastards


    ¡°Set aside this fight, for now. Let me ask you a question,¡± Durran hefted his ive, pointing it at Garm. ¡°Say you prevail. What next?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll work at regaining the power I had,¡± Garm answered at once.


    Durran lowered the ive. ¡°You see, I¡¯ve noticed a little problem you have. I ask that question, and you first talk about what you¡¯re going to do for yourself.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t help anyone without power,¡± Garm shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯re doing this, no? I offered you a route to power, and you lunged for the opportunity.¡±


    ¡°More I learn about you, the more I realize how your perception of me is wed. There¡¯s a key difference between you and I,¡± Durran settled back, sitting cross-legged amidst the field of ck roses. ¡°And it¡¯s how far we¡¯re willing to take things.¡±


    Garm raised a brow, and also sat down patiently. ¡°How so?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s reflect on things,¡± Durran raised his hand up. ¡°You deliberately withhold information whenever it suits you. You lie constantly to get what you want. You don¡¯t care about how your actions bother people, nor about those you hurt. Moreover¡­¡± Durran picked a ck rose. ¡°These things you summon. They¡¯re made of human flesh. I can¡¯t just gloss over the fact that death is such a casual thing for you.¡±


    Garm snorted. ¡°You¡¯re denouncing me as a bad person? You joined me in this deception. Don¡¯t get sore when you got caught in your own trap.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t really care about other people,¡± Durran held his gaze. ¡°That¡¯s the impression I get.¡±


    Garm stared in silence, then raised a brow. ¡°Is that a bad thing? I do intend on helping Argrave, if that¡¯s your concern.¡±


    ¡°I know what I¡¯ve seen,¡± Durran said tly. ¡°And I¡¯ve seen that when you want something, you¡¯ll do whatever it takes to make it yours. Person like that with power¡­ well, it¡¯s dangerous. Letting you roam free would be dangerous. If not for the present, for the future. Gerechtigkeit might be a supreme enemy¡­ but whates after, that¡¯s just as important. That was my mistake at Sethia.¡±


    Garm scratched his cheek. ¡°A man can¡¯t change?¡±


    ¡°My uncle was someone who did whatever he needed to get what he wanted,¡± Durran said calmly. ¡°You yourself said people like him were like rabid animals, and that the best thing to do was put them down. For themselves as much as everyone else.¡±


    ¡°I said people that toy with kids are rabid animals. You¡¯reparing me to your molester uncle?¡± Garm veritably growled.


    Durran shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t think you have that twisted inclination, no. But if you did, nothing would hold you back. You¡¯ve got no conscience. No morals.¡±


    Garm threw a dagger at Durran, and the tribal warrior quickly rolled to the side to dodge it.


    ¡°All this guilt I¡¯ve been feeling¡ªit¡¯s suddenly gone,¡± Garm spat.


    ¡°Your life has been miserable,¡± Durran continued as Garm rose to his feet, readying spells. ¡°I¡¯ll admit that. You¡¯ve gotten plenty of life lessons that taught you to be as you are. In your situation, you had to take what you wanted, because no one was going to give it you.¡±


    Garm conjured a whip of lightning and swung it at Durran. The tribal warrior caught it, shattering it with one hand. He stabbed his ive into the earth and walked forward. Garm stepped backwards. With each step he took, the ck roses unfurled into bats of flesh, flying towards Durran.


    ¡°It¡¯s how my people¡ªthe southern tribals¡ªbecame as they were. Life in the desert is harsh, and so they learned how to take what they want by the de. It worked well, for a time. They conquered the empire of the southron elves. But eventually¡­ they hit a wall. And they were eaten from within.¡±


    Durran¡¯s hand liquified¡ªhe was mimicking the power of a Vessel in this lucid dream-like state. Great spouts of water hunted each bat that came towards him, killing them relentlessly. Ahead, Garm used Argrave¡¯s favorite spell, and electric eels danced upwards into the air, forming a great cloud of sparking terror above.


    ¡°Thing is¡­ a hard life is no excuse to trample on the lives of others,¡± Durran continued. ¡°You¡¯re tough. Tougher than me, probably. You¡¯re more ruthless, certainly.¡±


    A cloud of near one hundred electric eels shot downwards at Durran. He pulled an axe out of thin air, and swung it upwards. Garm only realized it was made of Ebonice when everything he¡¯d conjured dissipated, and sparks of lightning scattered across the vast expanse ofnd ineffectually.


    Durran lunged forth and grabbed Garm¡¯s neck.


    ¡°My brothers and sisters were all tougher than me, more ruthless than me. Better embodiments of southern tribal traditions, by all rights.¡± He held Garm there, squeezing tight. ¡°When I was thest living, my father said I was ¡®good enough.¡¯ And that¡¯s just the thing,¡± he continued. ¡°I am good enough. I can get the job done. And unlike you¡­ I won¡¯t leave a wastnd in my wake.¡±


    ¡°Like at Sethia?¡± Garm smiled mockingly, barely resisting Garm¡¯s grasp.


    ¡°If you were Argrave, you would have sided with the Vessels from the beginning,¡± Durran pulled him closer. ¡°Am I wrong?¡±


    ¡°And I would¡¯ve been RIGHT!¡± Garm shouted. ¡°Much less danger, much less sacrifice. Less a battle, more a ughter.¡±


    ¡°But the Vessels would¡¯ve kept their grip over the Burnt Desert for time eternal. And my people would be dead. I owe Argrave¡ªI haven¡¯t forgotten that.¡±


    ¡°I hate this self-sacrificial bullshit you people engage in,¡± Garm snarled. His body started to contort unnaturally, popping and breaking. He seemed to be shrinking. ¡°It¡¯s a damn shame. Work twice as hard to live half as much,¡± he mocked.


    ¡°You grind your fingers to the bone building others¡¯ homes. Absolutely nauseating,¡± Garm continued. ¡°At the end of the day, if you¡¯d stop worrying about what¡¯s right and worry about what¡¯s good, you¡¯d live twice as much and work half as long.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s your problem,¡± Durran shook his head. ¡°You think living well and living right are mutually exclusive. For most people, the two are one in the same.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie to yourself,¡± Garm disagreed. His transformation had finished¡ªonce again, he was but a head atop a stake. His eyes were missing, now. ¡°You would be much happier if you lived as I do.¡±


    ¡°I think you agree with me,¡± Durran shook his head. ¡°And that¡¯s why you did this. Because you¡¯ve changed.¡±


    ¡°But that¡¯s just it. You¡¯ll never know what¡¯s in my head. You¡¯ll never know my thoughts. Mutual understanding¡ªthat doesn¡¯t matter.¡±


    Durran shook his head. ¡°We have mutual understanding. The same kindness you hate so much, Garm, is exactly what you wanted as a kid. Maybe we¡¯re alike in that way. But rather than bing those who mistreated me, I¡¯d much rather be their better. That way, the next generation can be spared of cynical bastards like us.¡± Durran let the words hang, then thought of another example. ¡°Like your son.¡±


    ¡°Stop talking. You¡¯re insufferable.¡± Despite his harsh words, Garm¡¯s voice shook slightly.


    Durran was not sure if it was fear¡­ or something else. And he would never know.


    #####


    Gmon sat near the incapacitated body of Durran. He was unsure of what, exactly, was going to happen. Matters of the soul, of death¡­ simply put, there was a reason Gmon never studied magic. He was smart in many areas, but he had difficulty wrapping his head around things of a mystical nature. Ebonice suited him for this reason.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    He wasn¡¯t looking, but he could feel the body¡¯s heartbeat quicken, as though the person had just woken up. Gmon knew, then, the battle was finished. He stood, walking over to the altar-like table where Durran rested. The eyes were closed.


    ¡°It¡¯s over, then,¡± Gmon said, though the person had given no indication they were actually awake.


    One eye opened, and a golden eye locked on Gmon. Slowly, the man sat up. He looked at his hands like they were foreign objects.


    ¡°Who won?¡± Gmon asked tentatively.


    His head turned, and the two eyes started at Gmon for a long while.


    ¡°Why? Did you make bets?¡± Durran looked around. ¡°Given no one else is here, I¡¯m guessing not.¡±


    ¡°Garm¡¯s gone, then,¡± Gmon concluded, with so much certainty it was not a mere guess.


    Durran sighed. ¡°Yeah. That was¡­¡± he shook his head, then stared off into the distance, as though there was much that he wanted to say. ¡°He was a good man,¡± Durran lifted his head up. ¡°He tried to do what he thought was best, at the end.¡± He lowered his head. ¡°I¡¯ve learned from him. And, in a way, I¡¯ll continue to learn from him, for the rest of my life.¡±


    Gmon stared down Durran for a few seconds, scrutinizing him. Slowly, he nodded.


    ¡°Argrave knows about this¡­ earlier than intended. He improved a lot, today. He went off into the jungle when he found out what¡¯d happened. Anneliese followed.¡±


    Durran ran his hands across his face. ¡°Damn it. I was hoping¡­¡± he stood up off the table, rising to his feet. He swayed for a bit, then steadied. ¡°I should talk to them. Apologize, something.¡±


    He started to walk, but Gmon grabbed his shoulder. ¡°No,¡± he stopped him. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t.¡±


    Durran furrowed his brows, staring up at Gmon. ¡°You really think so? I mean, even if it was Garm¡¯s idea, I still deceived them much more than they deserved. Not to mention¡­ I¡¯ve deprived them of someone.¡±


    ¡°They will talk. Alone,¡± Gmon emphasized. ¡°Interrupting them now would be a great disservice.¡±


    Durran nodded. ¡°If you think that¡¯s best.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Might be I¡¯m hated for this.¡±


    ¡°Might be,¡± Gmon shrugged, taking his hand off Durran¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°How reassuring,¡± Durran noted sarcastically.


    ¡°You made your choice. I¡¯ll offer no emptyforts,¡± Gmon dered. ¡°But you made your vow, too. As long as you hold it¡­ as long as you help¡­ I cannot imagine they will remain frigid towards you. But bear this in mind.¡±


    Gmon stepped closer, looming over Durran. ¡°When you take a life for the sake of duty, I expect that duty to be your single-minded focus.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do more than my part,¡± Durran agreed, nodding. ¡°Garm gave his life for mine. I will never forget that.¡± Durran stepped away, leaning against the table. Thinking of something, he questioned, ¡°What do your people say of Gerechtigkeit?¡±


    ¡°Much,¡± Gmon dered simply.


    ¡°Then it¡¯s about time I get to work, no? Educate me, please.¡±

 Chapter 155: Stupid Heart

    Chapter 155: Stupid Heart


    ¡°Argrave,¡± Anneliese called out, short of breath.


    Argrave turned his head from where he sat beside the great willow tree hanging off the ledge. This was where the cave housing the Alchemist¡¯s home ended, leaving only a sheer cliff at a high point in a mountain. With the unending in of clouds ahead, it appeared like the end of the earth stretched before him. The suns were setting, hueing the white fluffy clouds with reds and oranges.


    Anneliese took some time to catch her breath, and then took slow steps towards him. Argrave turned his head back to the view before him, watching silently. She came to stand beside him.


    ¡°I feel blindsided,¡± he said, gaze wandering the cloud steppes. ¡°Always had a theory about suicide. I thought there were some types of people that just wouldn¡¯t. No matter how rough, they¡¯d never do something like that.¡± He exhaled through his nose lightly¡ªthe smallestugh. ¡°I thought Garm was one of those types.¡± He brought his knees up and wrapped his arms around them. ¡°Thought I was, too. That¡¯s something to note.¡± He paused. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not suggesting anything.¡±


    Anneliese shifted on her feet. ¡°It was not¡­ suicide, exactly,¡± she argued as she sat down beside Argrave, staring out.


    ¡°I know a fair bit about souls. Read a lot of lore about them. Garm used [Voice of the Corrupt]. The damage to his soul would be significant. What¡¯s more, Durran¡¯s got an iron will.¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°It was hopeless from the beginning. Garm must¡¯ve known that.¡±


    ¡°But Garm was arrogant,¡± she pointed out, staring beyond. ¡°Maybe he genuinely thought he could win.¡±


    He shook his head deliberately and slowly. ¡°I can¡¯t believe that. Garm might have had more experience¡­ but in a fight between souls, that really matters none. You can do one such fight in ¡®Heroes of Berendar.¡¯ It¡¯s a fancy fight¡­ but given what I know of the lore, if one soul is damaged, it¡¯s like pitting a bear against a dragon. The bear might be dangerous, but¡­¡±


    She sighed. ¡°Of all people¡­ Garm.¡± She looked at him. ¡°We knew him less than a month. And though it is horrible to say¡­ I do hope Garm lives. But even still¡­¡±


    ¡°Even still?¡± Argrave pressed.


    ¡°He was deeply unhappy. Miserable. Maybe¡­ maybe he jumped at the first chance he saw, no matter how poor his odds were,¡± she mused. ¡°Anything to avoid living as he was for a while longer.¡±


    Argrave said nothing, considering his own position on the matter. He knew Durran better than her, even if it was in a different medium. But, in this reality, he¡¯d known Garm for longer. The man had been obstinate, stubborn, but there was a strange charm to his constant bitterness. He was like Rowe, in a way. Ultimately¡­


    Argrave sighed. ¡°I just want this day to end.¡±


    Anneliese stared at Argrave, watching him. A silence settled in between them for a long, long while.


    ¡°Argrave. Please, break this cycle.¡±


    He turned his head. ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Holding your thoughts inside. Losing yourself in other things until you forget about it. Every time you get like this¡­ it is worse than thest. Then your nightmares get worse, and you keep burdening yourself more and more and more.¡± Anneliese shook her head, unruly white hair swaying.


    His gray eyes stared her down, steady as stone. After a time, he turned back to the view. The suns were setting lower, adding shades of purple and pink atop the clouds.


    ¡°Ignoring these things is a good skill to have, for a guy in my position,¡± he shrugged, seemingly nonchnt. ¡°I can¡¯t let thoughts, emotions, distract from the ultimate goal.¡±


    ¡°Again, you hesitate to speak,¡± she shook her head frustratedly.


    ¡°That stuff isn¡¯t easy for me,¡± he ground his feet against the ground. ¡°Not to mention my current in-agony state.¡±


    ¡°Agony makes people <em>more</em> emotional, typically, yet even now you choke yourself.¡± She sidled closer. ¡°Please,¡± she stared at him intently.


    ¡°¡¯Please,¡¯ what?¡± Argrave looked to her.


    ¡°Stop choking yourself.¡±


    ¡°And do what, spill my guts?¡± Argrave threw his hands up. ¡°What¡¯s the point? I¡¯m positive you know what I¡¯m feeling.¡±


    ¡°But not <em>why,</em>¡± she insisted. ¡°That is the crux of things. There is only so much I can deduce from what I notice. There is so much you keep hidden, private.¡± She pointed at him. ¡°You refuse to disclose even the simplest things¡ªyour name!¡±


    ¡°Argrave,¡± he rebuked.


    ¡°You know what I mean¡ªacting ignorant does not be you,¡± Anneliese gave him a stern-eyed re. ¡°The name of who you were before,¡± she borated.


    ¡°Why is that important?¡± he held out his hands. ¡°I¡¯m here, now. That life is gone. That guy is dead.¡±


    ¡°Is he?¡± she questioned loudly. ¡°I talk to him right now. I grow frustrated at his obstinance. I worry for his well-being when he runs out, barefoot, into a jungle when he was sweating blood and having seizures not yesterday!¡±


    Argrave stared at her, eyes wide when the ever-calm Anneliese yelled. After a time, he found the situation rather funny. He turned his head andughed. ¡°Sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to run out. I got¡­ a little overwhelmed when I heard the news.¡±


    ¡°Yet you will not say why,¡± she noted, annoyed.


    ¡°Why is that important?!¡±


    ¡°In case you have not noticed, I am always fascinated by ¡®why,¡¯¡± she pointed out, grabbing his shoulder and shaking him.


    Argrave rocked with her pushes, then chuckled, much of the tension dispelled.


    ¡°I feel pretty good, actually. The aching¡­ it¡¯s lessening. And that run¡ªby god, you wouldn¡¯t even recognize me.¡± He held up his hand. ¡°My nails are even growing back. I think things are getting better, even if I¡¯m not out of the water.¡±


    ¡°I am d of it. Hopefully, things will¡ª¡± she stopped, then frowned. ¡°You are too good at controlling the conversation. I will not drop this subject.¡±


    Heughed again. ¡°I¡¯m caught.¡±


    ¡°Argrave, I insist on this because I am worried,¡± she said levelly. ¡°You act exactly like Garm.¡±


    Argrave turned his head quickly, almost offended.


    ¡°What did he do? He lied and tricked us all. It may have been for a good purpose, but at the end of the day, he is lost to us.¡± She pointed at Argrave. ¡°Just because it is in a different manner does not change the fact that you are doing the same thing. Self-sacrifice.¡±


    Argrave frowned. ¡°I can¡¯t recall thest time I tricked you,¡± he pointed out.


    ¡°And all that Garm did was <em>withhold. Information.</em>¡± She poked his arm as she said thosest two words. ¡°Does that sound familiar?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± he lied, adjusting his sitting position.


    Anneliese stared at him patiently, waiting for him to speak.


    ¡°Alright,¡± he nodded. ¡°I do¡­ understand your point. I¡¯m not conceding that you¡¯re right,¡± he added.


    ¡°As I recall, you once said I was smarter than you, and you would never refuse my advice,¡± she smiled sweetly.


    Argrave frowned but couldn¡¯t hold the expression for long before he broke off into a chuckle. ¡°People always turn your own words against you in the end.¡±


    ¡°Do you trust me?¡± she questioned.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Argrave answered at once. ¡°That isn¡¯t what this is about. Never was.¡±


    ¡°I think that you do distrust me,¡± Anneliese refuted.


    ¡°Ridiculous,¡± Argrave shook his head quickly. ¡°Honestly, after what happened today, Gmon, Durran, and Garm going behind our backs like that¡­ I think I trust you the most of everyone.¡±


    ¡°Then why do you keep me at a distance, even still?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s precisely because I trust you so much,¡± Argrave looked at her insistently. ¡°Of everyone¡­ hell, I said it earlier this month. <em>I don¡¯t want you to think less of me.</em> I said it, inly. The idea makes me very ufortable. The mundane nonsense that worms its way into my head¡ªif I tell you that¡­ Christ, I¡¯d die of embarrassment.¡±


    ¡°You do not trust I would treat you the same if I knew more about you,¡± Anneliese summarized, tone t.


    ¡°No¡­!¡± Argrave insisted, holding his hand out. But his visceral reaction faded, and he truly processed what she said. His face turned pensive, and his hand lowered. ¡°I¡­¡±


    ¡°You see, now?¡± she raised a brow.


    Argrave could only turn his head away, with nothing more to argue against. Ahead, the field of clouds had been dyed beautiful colors by the setting sun. It was like a painting, so beautiful it was, the dangling leaves of the willow tree only adding to the beauty.


    ¡°Why would you ept me if you knew me?¡± he finally spoke, voice quiet. ¡°Argrave, royal bastard of House Vasquer, powerful mage blessed by Erlebnis, vanguard against Gerechtigkeit¡­ and behind that, there¡¯s just some fucking guy.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Some strange goblin creature who locked himself in his home, writing about a game for fun. How do the twopare at all?¡±


    ¡°Argrave¡­¡±


    ¡°All of this, all of me, everything I¡¯ve done¡­ it¡¯s with someone else¡¯s body,¡± he turned his head to her. ¡°That gnaws at me, every day. I¡¯m an imposter. A phony. I¡¯m wearing someone else¡¯s shoes, and I¡¯m walking about like my feet are massive. My feet are small¡ªI¡¯m just wearing big shoes, Anneliese. My hair, my eyes, my voice¡­ even my skin¡¯s an adornment,¡± he whipped his head back to the skyscape, blinking quickly.


    Anneliese crawled forward a little and grabbed Argrave¡¯s shoulders, turning him around.


    ¡°Argrave,¡± she said insistently, staring him in the eyes. ¡°When you were born, did you choose your appearance?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± he questioned, confused.


    ¡°In your previous life¡­ did you choose how you look? Did you choose your parents? Did you choose your social status or financial status, your physique, your intelligence, your talents? Did you choose your name?¡±


    Argrave wiped at his eyes, refocusing. ¡°Well, no, but I could have chosen thest¡ª¡±


    ¡°No,¡± she repeated, giving him a light shake. ¡°You chose none of that.¡±


    ¡°But I grew into it,¡± he insisted. ¡°I was born, I grew, I had parents, I had a life¡ªnow all of that is <em>gone</em>, and I¡¯m in this slowly spoiling world with a responsibility so heavy¡ª¡±


    ¡°You have no responsibility,¡± Anneliese dered.


    He hesitated a beat, then continued, ¡°But the bronze hand mirror¡ª¡±


    ¡°Everything you have done¡­ you have <em>chosen</em> to do.¡± She took a deep breath and sighed. ¡°Responsibilities are things fabricated by the mind, by society. You have no responsibility to do anything about anything. <em>This was your choice</em>.¡±


    Argrave stared at her amber eyes, throat tight and breathing heavy.


    ¡°I have never known Argrave,¡± Anneliese shook her head. ¡°I have known <em>you. </em>I know the man who chose to throw himself headlong into unimaginable danger with not an ounce of hesitation. Your first response to your situation was to <em>endeavor to stop an invasion,</em>¡± she said inly. ¡°Despite your sickly body, and despite your weakness. <em>And you seeded.</em>


    ¡°From there,¡± she continued, still holding his shoulders, ¡°You braved a cavern full of horrifying bugs. You navigated that city of Jast like it was your own property and negotiated a pivotal alliance between nobles by the end of it all. You went into the Low Way, getting caught between vampires, a knightly order, and twisted abominations, and emerged on top. You spurred a revolution against a tyrannical cult. And now¡­ you have be ck Blooded. I don¡¯t say this to tter you¡ªI say it to emphasize your choices, your actions.¡±


    Argrave¡¯s breathing calmed a fair bit. ¡°Well¡­ each had varying degrees of sess¡­ and I wasn¡¯t alone¡­¡±


    ¡°You were the impetus,¡± she insisted.


    He raised a brow, then conceded with a shrug. ¡°I guess¡­¡±


    ¡°That was not Argrave. That was you. And I know you. You used to hate getting dirty or touching people, but you overcame that. Your response to difort or nervousness is to make jokes. I know that you enjoy exining things, and I know that you enjoy learning magic. I know that you care deeply for the people around you¡ªindeed, all people. You are a man who deceives everyone, most of all himself. You are a prolific liar¡ªastonishingly so. Truly, it is almost unnerving how quickly you can fabricate things.¡±


    His growing smile paused.


    She leaned in a little closer. ¡°I do not know Argrave. But I know you. I like your wittyments and your humorous interjections. I am constantly astonished by your diligence and your willpower. You are admirably tenacious. The tenacity you have disyed these past days¡­ it is unfathomable.¡± She shook his shoulders. ¡°This is <em>you</em>. All of it. You are the tall, confident, handsome man I know¡­ who calls himself ¡®Argrave.¡¯¡±


    Anneliese¡¯s words rattled his cage, bringing up something Argrave had been trying to keep locked away. He felt unbearably nervous as he lifted his hand up to her face. His fingers brushed her cheek, and she took a deep breath of surprise. She didn¡¯t pull away, though, and he stared into her beautiful amber eyes. He leaned in, slowly, heart pounding the fastest it ever had¡­


    Their lips met, and they shared a kiss. Beyond them, the suns continued the set, painting a serene scene of purples, oranges, pinks, and blues across the ocean of clouds.


    Argrave pulled away and rested his forehead against hers, staring into her eyes. Both of them had red cheeks.


    ¡°I¡¯ve wanted to do that for a long while,¡± he admitted quietly.


    Anneliese stared back into his eyes. It felt like the two of them had entered their own private little world, and everything around had ceased to be. Sounds, sights, smells, pain, all gone. There was only the two of them.


    ¡°I know,¡± she said after that long moment.


    Argrave lowered his head to her shoulder,ughing heartily. Anneliese soon joined him, both falling into a disorganized heap of giggles. All the tension, sadness, anger, dispelled at once, and they both held each other. By the end of things, theyid on their backs, staring upwards.


    ¡°Definitely could have chosen a better time for that,¡± Argravemented. ¡°I bet I look terrible.¡±


    ¡°I thought¡­ you were not attracted to me,¡± Anneliese admitted quietly.


    ¡°What?¡± Argrave sat up quickly, supporting himself with his elbow and staring down at her. ¡°Why would you ever think that?¡±


    ¡°I would notice¡­ I suppose¡­¡± she shook her head. ¡°Romantic feelings. But then they would vanish, like you were¡­ disgusted by them.¡±


    Argrave frowned. ¡°Not disgusted, never. Just¡­ I didn¡¯t think it would be a good time for such a thing¡­ and¡­¡±


    ¡°And?¡± she pressed, raising her hand to his face.


    ¡°I felt I was inadequate,¡± he looked off to the side. ¡°Well, correct that¡ª ¡®feel.¡¯¡±


    She sighed. ¡°Need I give you yet another monologue?¡±


    Argraveughed, then turned back to face her. ¡°Look at you. You¡¯re drop-dead gorgeous, you¡¯re probably the most talented spellcaster in the world, you¡¯re way smarter than I am¡­ I don¡¯t think anyone could be a worthy partner for you.¡±


    She smiled, cheeks reddening. ¡°You are,¡± she pinched his cheek. ¡°You nameless man. Will you tell me your name, now?¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Payment for the kiss?¡± he questioned yfully.


    ¡°That would be an unfair barter,¡± she shook her head.


    He grinned. ¡°You¡¯re right. Kiss from you¡ªthat¡¯s worth the world.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± sheughed. ¡°I get both a kiss and a name. That¡¯s too much for me.¡±


    Argraveid back on the ground, joining her inughter. ¡°My lord. Can¡¯t believe you think you¡¯re not smooth.¡±


    She held her hand out. Argrave took it.


    ¡°Vincenzo¡ªVincent,¡± he said.


    She leaned up. ¡°Vincenzo Vincent?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± he snorted. ¡°Vincent¡¯s a shorthand. Vincent, Vince, Vinny, Vin¡­ take your pick. Vincenzo Giordano. That¡¯s my name. I¡¯m an Italian American¡­ though you don¡¯t really know what that means, and my parents were the ck sheep and didn¡¯t care much about heritage, anyhow¡­ don¡¯t even have the ent¡­¡±


    ¡°Vincenzo Giordano,¡± she repeated slowly, and then squeezed his hand a bit tighter.


    Argrave felt strange, hearing that name again after so long. It wasn¡¯t entirely pleasant, but¡­ it wasn¡¯t unpleasant, either.


    ¡°Would you like me to call you that? When alone, or¡­¡± she trailed off, staring at him.


    ¡°No,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°¡¯Argrave¡¯ isn¡¯t bad. I don¡¯t hate it. And frankly¡­ hearing that name again does make me a bit ufortable. Reminds me of things. I¡¯d rather just treat ¡®Argrave¡¯ as my new name.¡±


    ¡°If it makes you ufortable¡­forget it,¡± she shook her head, and thenid back down.


    A quiet silence set over them as theyid there. The suns had vanished, now, leaving only night behind.


    ¡°If you want me to open up a little¡­ honestly, the only thing that kept me going was discipline.¡± Argrave held her hand a little tighter. ¡°Getting up¡­ was the hardest part of each day. Maybe that¡¯s why it was hard to sleep.¡±


    ¡°I hope you say ¡®was¡¯ because that has changed.¡±


    ¡°For the sleeping part¡ªI suppose we¡¯ll have to find out. But¡­¡± Argrave trailed off. ¡°My health is going to better. Ster. Hell, this little moment we¡¯re sharing, it¡¯s easy to ignore the pain. I¡¯m ck Blooded, a monument to health and wealth.¡± He thought of something andughed.


    ¡°What?¡± Anneliese asked, confused why he wasughing.


    ¡°I thought the best gift I¡¯d get here was bing ck Blooded. Turns out I was wrong again. Instead, I got you.¡±


    She shook her head, but Argrave could hear very faintughter. After a while, she sat up.


    ¡°Argrave,¡± she began, freeing her hand and cing it on herp.


    ¡°Yeah?¡± he adjusted his head.


    ¡°When this is all is over¡­ do you want to find out why you came here? What happened to you?¡±


    Argrave raised a brow, then lost himself in thought. ¡°The way things are shaping up¡­¡± Argrave began. ¡°There¡¯s going to be a lot of devastation. Between the gue, the civil war¡­ most of all, Gerechtigkeit¡­ and those are just the ones most immediately obvious,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°If I have arge part in things, as is almost necessary¡­ it stands to reason I¡¯ll need to be a part of the rebuilding, too.¡±


    ¡°A position of prominence¡­¡± Anneliese noted. ¡°Leadership, guidance¡­ perhaps even sovereignty.¡±


    Argrave went silent. He stared up at the stars, just barely visible beyond the ceiling of the cave.


    ¡°The thought had entered my head,¡± he noted. ¡°Royal bastard, heavily involved, hopefully a force for good¡­ maybe people might want that as a king. But bastardry is a heavier stain than you might imagine.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not suggesting you take it,¡± Anneliese shook her head. ¡°The opposite, in fact. You¡¯ll have toiled for three years, sweating blood. Quite literally, after this month,¡± she noted. ¡°Once He Who Would Judge the Gods is gone¡­ maybe¡­ we can abandon it all.¡±


    ¡°Already nning an elopement?¡± Argrave smirked.


    ¡°Be serious,¡± she insisted, grabbing his hand and shaking it. ¡°I see how much you put into this. I said it earlier, but you are astonishingly resilient. Some selfishness would be long overdue once things are over.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re nning for something we¡¯ve yet to do,¡± Argrave pointed out. ¡°The odds are far from being rigged in our favor. Fighting a world killer¡ªnot exactly a guaranteed win, littledy.¡± He gripped her hand. ¡°There¡¯s something selfish I do want to do, though.¡±


    ¡°And what is that?¡±


    ¡°Make the whole world know about us,¡± he suggested. ¡°We have an opportunity to be really unbearable, and I think it needs to happen.¡±


    She smiled. ¡°Unbearable?¡± she repeated.


    ¡°You know the type. Constantly being lovey-dovey, no matter where.¡± He smiled, then shook his head. ¡°Maybe I¡¯m getting ahead of myself, imposing my thoughts like this. I just¡­ I¡¯m happy. And I feel lucky.¡±


    ¡°Me too,¡± she nodded. ¡°But¡­ a position of prominence, as I mentioned¡­ already, Nikoletta¡¯s father wished to engage you to¡ª¡±


    ¡°Stop that,¡± Argrave interjected at once. ¡°If there¡¯s one thing I¡¯m not willing topromise on, it¡¯s you. No political nonsense is going to stop that.¡±


    She said nothing in response, but she did smile. Argrave looked back towards the stars.


    ¡°I think¡­ I¡¯m looking forward to the future,¡± Argrave realized.


    ¡°Argrave¡­ please do not be like Garm,¡± Anneliese insisted.


    Those words felt like Argrave had been pushed back into reality. He felt guilty he had been able to put that aside so quickly¡­ but the mind avoids the negative. His mind more than most.


    ¡°The idea of it makes me nauseous,¡± she continued. ¡°Do not sacrifice yourself for anyone. And¡­ if not with anyone else¡­ at least promise to be totally honest with me.¡±


    The two of them stared at each other. Argrave stayed silent. He found it was a difficult promise to make. There was much he wished to hide from her, much he wished to never again let see the light of day.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Argrave nodded, though the words were difficult to say. ¡°I promise.¡±


    Contended, sheid down, resting her head on his chest. Argrave wrapped one arm around her, feeling full of life.


    <em>Cupid heart, stupid heart¡­ where will you go from here? </em>

 Chapter 156: No Return Policy

    Chapter 156: No Return Policy


    Argrave and Anneliese talked for a long while before Argrave¡¯s hunger started to eat at him, and they elected to return. On the way back, Argrave¡¯s Brumesingers greeted him, climbing all over him like a friend sorely missed. Argrave could almost feel their worry for him.


    Their fur was growing shades darker. It seemed they had food enough to live well in this ce. It was a testament to the Alchemist¡¯s callous nature, he supposed. It also served as a reminder not to step out of line.


    But after a time, Argrave left them outside once more, entering into the Alchemist¡¯s home alongside Anneliese. As they walked through the halls of the Alchemist¡¯s home, faint voices echoed through the halls. They cast a nce at each other, and then Argrave rushed towards its source.


    Argrave turned the corner to where Durran¡¯s body had been resting. Gmon was looking at him, evidently hearing his approach long ago. Durran¡ªor was it Garm? ¡ªtwisted his head to look at Argrave.


    ¡°Argrave,¡± Gmon greeted.


    Without words, Argrave stepped up to the other person in the room. A pair of golden eyes watched him, the purple light of the Alchemist¡¯s abode reflecting off the golden tattoos on his skin.


    He stared for a long while. Eventually, Durran took a deep breath. ¡°Garm is gone,¡± he disclosed.


    The words hit harder than Argrave thought they would. Perhaps he hadn¡¯t epted it. Perhaps he was holding onto the belief that some strange miracle would happen. But now, seeing Durran standing, it was like he¡¯d seen the body in the coffin.


    ¡°I am sorry for deceiving you,¡± Durran continued, looking at Argrave. His gaze shifted to Anneliese as she entered. ¡°For deceiving all of you. But what happened¡­ it was something I strongly feel needed to happen. And Garm wanted this.¡±


    At that moment, Argrave recalled something his father had told him once. He turned his body slightly to the side. Then he rotated again, throwing a punch as though something was behind Durran. His middle knuckle struck the man right in the nose.


    <em>Take a stance, rotate your hips, keep your wrist straight¡­ and punch right through ¡®im,</em> his dad had insisted.


    Maybe his dad was right, or maybe he was lucky. Regardless, Durran¡¯s head jerked back and his knees buckled, and he stumbled backwards before falling against the ground. Argrave stood there, still tense. That was the first time he had ever punched anyone. Durran wasn¡¯t small, by any means¡ªwell built, tall for normal-sized people, but Argrave had downed him. His hand hurt, but he felt a strange rush of relief.


    He heard Anneliese gasp, and even Gmon looked a little surprised. Argrave stepped forward. Durran already regained his bearings. He scrambled upwards, ready to fight. Argrave only pointed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t ever pull anything like that again,¡± Argrave dered.


    Durran rose to his feet, one hand on his bleeding nose. His wide eyes stayed locked on Argrave for a long time, and then he nodded.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to see you for a while,¡± Argrave lowered his hand. ¡°We¡¯ll talk when I¡¯ve got a cool head. Right now, I¡¯m feeling like doing something we¡¯ll both regret.¡±


    ¡°¡­alright,¡± Durran answered, voice nasally.


    Argrave turned and left, storming down the hall. Anneliese quickly moved after him.


    Once they were a decent distance away, Argrave asked, ¡°Why did I do that?¡±


    ¡°Because you were angry,¡± Anneliese answered.


    ¡°I already regret it,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°God damn it all. I can¡¯t be doing stupid things like that. He¡¯s supposed to be another member of our group.¡±


    ¡°It may be good thing,¡± she mused.


    Argrave paused in the halls, turning. ¡°How?¡±


    ¡°He may feel that he has been punished for what he has done. Subliminally¡­ if this can be ovee, he would see you as a leader more naturally. After all, a leader needs to deliver punishment.¡±


    He stared with a frown for a while, and then began walking back to him room once again. Once he passed the threshold to his room, he paused in his tracks, spotting the great Alchemist looming overhead.


    ¡°Refrain from that wandering again,¡± hemanded at once, holding Argrave¡¯s report in his hand. ¡°I do not need unnecessary variables in my observation.¡± He closed the book, then turned his head. ¡°Regardless, your writing has regained some rity. I expect you to describe how your body felt during that foolish outing.¡±


    Argrave nodded slowly, feeling unsettled, tense, and angry. The second he wanted to hold Anneliese¡¯s hand, she was already doing so. He found out her empathic abilities were nicer every day, it seemed.


    ¡°Garm said that he promised I would do something for you,¡± Argrave spoke. ¡°What was it?¡±


    Anneliese looked at him, evidently ignorant of this promise.


    ¡°You will stop Gerechtigkeit,¡± the Alchemist said inly. ¡°At any cost.¡±


    Argrave took a deep breath, almost finding the promise funny. Anneliese had said he had chosen to fight Gerechtigkeit, that it wasn¡¯t a responsibility¡ªyet now, he was making a promise to do so.


    ¡°Yes, I will,¡± Argrave nodded.


    If the Alchemist had a reaction to the vow, he disyed none. He held his hand out. His finger unfurled, revealing a set of ck eyes with golden irises. Argrave flinched a little. Eyes made him ufortable.


    ¡°Who receives these? The head was not clear.¡±


    Argrave stared at them, greatly disturbed. That was the saddest part of all, by his estimation. His throat tightened, and Argrave swallowed to dispel the feeling. The eyes seemed to have some intangible magic swirling about them, barely perceptible.


    ¡°Can I think about it?¡±


    ¡°¡¯Can you think about it?¡¯¡± the Alchemist repeated. ¡°You query me seeking answers regarding something only you can answer. Do I have control of your faculties? I reced your heart, not your brain, and even then both are yours alone.¡±


    ¡°I need time to think,¡± Argrave rephrased, feeling exhausted.


    The Alchemist¡¯s fingers popped as they curled, hiding away the two ck eyes. He walked away without giving a confirmation, leaving Argrave even more battered.


    ¡°I think that¡¯s his way of saying yes,¡± Argrave sighed, releasing Anneliese¡¯s hand. He strode to his bed, recalling only now how filthy the ce was.


    Anneliese walked up, and perhaps noticing his disgust, pulled off the nkets. ¡°I will rece these,¡± she stated.


    ¡°No,¡± Argrave stopped her. ¡°Let¡¯s sit for a minute.¡±


    She held the nkets, frozen, then nodded. They both sat.


    ¡°Garm¡¯s eyes,¡± Argrave said, shaking his head. ¡°Christ. What a blow.¡±


    ¡°¡­they would be helpful,¡± Anneliese conceded. ¡°He wrote a letter to me, too. He described them. Apparently, they¡¯ll function as any other A-rank mage¡¯s eyes, retaining their ability to perceive another¡¯s magic, and moreover¡ª¡±


    ¡°You can cast spells from them,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°He wrote the same to me.¡± He turned his head over to her. ¡°A bit morbid, inheriting someone¡¯s eyes. Since you remembered, can I take it that you¡­?¡±


    ¡°Argrave¡­¡± she looked down. ¡°I am¡­ not entirely sure I can¡­¡± he saw a chill run through her. ¡°The idea of subjecting myself to the Alchemist makes me afraid.¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°Then put the idea out of your head. A good thing, too,¡± he noted, putting his hand to her cheek. ¡°Elsewise I¡¯d never be able to see those beautiful amber eyes again,¡± he said, trying to distract her with apliment.


    It seemed to work, and Anneliese regained some vigor. Argrave fell back to the bed, thinking on the matter. He pondered his eyes, then started tough.


    ¡°First I¡¯m ck Blooded, now I¡¯ve got golden eyes with ck sclera¡­ can¡¯t get much edgier than that. What¡¯s next, I wonder? Cursed arm? Third eye?¡±


    Anneliese looked down at him. ¡°I get the impression you do not want them.¡±


    Argrave bit at his lip. ¡°I stand out enough as is. With eyes like that, covert operations are¡­ well, hell, covert operations were never on the table. I stick out way too much,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°People might distrust me. Might think I¡¯m possessed, or¡­ inhuman, who knows?¡±


    Anneliese watched him. ¡°You feel conflicted. Talk to me,¡± she reminded him.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± Argrave trailed off. ¡°Would feel¡­ very, very wrong to refuse them. A man donates his organs to me, I toss them out because they¡¯re the wrong color? Talk about desecrating the dead, spitting on ast wish,¡± Argrave shook his head.


    ¡°Why not present them to Durran?¡± Anneliese suggested.


    Argrave looked at her. ¡°Garm never mentioned Durran,¡± he pointed out. ¡°And¡­ I don¡¯t know. He¡¯s very free-spirited. I¡¯m not sure if¡­ well,¡± he trailed off, but Anneliese nodded understandingly.


    ¡°Do you recall Helmuth?¡± Anneliese questioned. ¡°The man had eyes like purple vortexes, as I recall.¡±


    Argrave leaned up quickly, ritying to him as soon as she posed the question. ¡°Yeah¡­ yeah, you¡¯re right,¡± he nodded. ¡°I can just say it¡¯s because I¡¯m a spellcaster. Handwave things away, call it magic,¡±


    ¡°Indeed,¡± she nodded. ¡°It will certainly take some¡­ getting used to, nheless.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I can¡¯t even imagine what it¡¯s like, perceiving magic.¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°Honestly¡­ now that I think about it¡­ a little exciting, honestly.¡±


    ¡°I referred to my own adaptation,¡± she shook her head. ¡°I fear I will recall Garm when I look at you.¡±


    ¡°Look on the bright side,¡± he said cheerily. ¡°These weren¡¯t my eyes to begin with.¡±


    She was taken off guard andughed. ¡°One way to look at things¡­¡±


    #####


    ¡°You will have them?¡± the Alchemist questioned. ¡°Annoying.¡±


    Argrave frowned, but had regained his bearings and did not so easily ask questions as he had in days past. He didn¡¯t care to push his luck.


    The Alchemist stepped around Argrave¡¯s bed. A day had passed, and the ce had be much cleaner. The couch that Anneliese had been sleeping on had been moved away. She didn¡¯t need to sleep there, anymore¡­ although Argrave wasn¡¯t sure either of them were ready to do more than actually sleeping. He had been concerned he might thrash in his sleep and disturb her, but their night was peaceful.


    ¡°I will not suffer yet more variables to disrupt my observation of your body. I will imnt the eyes when the process is done¡­ meaning I must preserve them until that time. A taxing,borious task. Annoying,¡± he repeated.


    Argrave said nothing, lowering his head.


    ¡°The worst of your metamorphosis is over,¡± dered the Alchemist. ¡°You may thank the blood of Vasquer flowing within you. Feathered serpents have magic in their blood innately¡ªin other such bloodlines it manifests as a high affinity for magic, generally. Here, it made your transition faster, easier, it seems. Something to note for the future. It may be a corrtion, not a causation.¡± The Alchemist shook his head. ¡°Unfortunately, I can conduct no more tests.¡±


    Argrave brightened at the Alchemist¡¯s words, then paled when he realized what he¡¯d been through was ¡®faster,¡¯ and ¡®easier.¡¯ If he had not been a Vasquer, what would things have been like, he wondered?


    ¡°I think you will fail against Gerechtigkeit,¡± the Alchemist said. ¡°But everyone you brought is very confident in you.¡±


    The words were unexpected¡ªfrankly, Argrave wouldn¡¯t have believed they came from the Alchemist had he not seen the man¡¯s mouth rise and fall and voice them.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I will,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°But that¡¯s why I have to use my words. Make others aware, get them to finish things for me just in case. It¡¯s my specialty,¡± Argrave smiled.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°The cmity changes every millennium,¡± the Alchemist said.


    ¡°I know,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°It¡¯s changed greatly fromst time. It¡¯s sowing dissent. Targeting leadership, my¡­ family¡­ being the primary examples. Gerechtigkeit ys the puppet master. It¡¯s using us for its own end. Has been for years, now.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± the Alchemist turned away. ¡°Then it learned.¡±


    ¡°And just as we won¡¯t fight it alone¡­ it won¡¯t fight us alone,¡± Argrave stated seriously. ¡°When the timees, I will ask you to help us.¡±


    The Alchemist put his hands behind his back, staring down at Argrave. Maybe it was a delusion, but the ivory-skinned monstrosity seemed the most human he ever had. As he always did, the Alchemist left seemingly mid-conversation, leaving Argrave feeling as disconcerted as ever.

 Chapter 157: All Eyes Ahead

    Chapter 157: All Eyes Ahead


    Argraveid his head back against the pillow, blinking rapidly. The Alchemist¡¯s finger curled inwards, stashing away the Unsullied Knife.


    Eye recement surgery had to be one of the most unpleasant operations imaginable, doubly so because the Alchemist was an unfeeling bastard who made him stay awake for the entire process. Even if it was painless, being blinded temporarily was terrifying beyondpare.


    The Alchemist didn¡¯t have the grace to rece each eyeball individually¡ªinstead, he took both of them out, then reced them one after the other. The only thingparably horrifying was confronting death when he¡¯d bonded with the Brumesingers, or perhaps the other thing the Alchemist had done to him.


    ¡°It is done,¡± the Alchemist concluded. ¡°This change will not be inherited by your progeny¡­ unlike the ck Blooded transformation.¡±


    ¡°My eyes feel hot,¡± Argrave rubbed at them.


    ¡°It should be agonizing. Perhaps you are numb to pain,¡± the Alchemist concluded. ¡°The ck Blood must integrate with these eyes. In time, they will ¡®heal.¡¯ The color is brought about by necrotic decay coupled with necromancy. With your body as the temte, you will regain your eye color. Half a year, ording to my estimates.¡±


    Surprised and somewhat relieved to hear his eyes wouldn¡¯t remain like this forever, Argrave dared to open his eyes¡­ and at once, saw for himself just how absolutely powerful the Alchemist was. He could see the magic practically bursting from his skin like a ck cloud of death within him. It felt like looking at the sun, and Argrave quickly turned away.


    He spotted Anneliese. She had magic within her, too, permeating throughout. Though it was the same ck mist, it was nowhere near as dense as the Alchemist¡¯s. He was worried that this change would be eternal¡­ but as soon as he wished for it, the ck mist faded into oblivion like it never was.


    <em>I can see magic with will alone,</em> Argrave noted, finally starting to feel things were worth it.


    Argrave had yet to breach B-rank magic, and A-rank was even further beyond his ken. He had something special in mind for the ascension to A-rank. The increase in power at that point would beparable to his ck Blood. Yet for now, the ability to discern magic power would be immeasurably useful¡­ doubly so now that they were to head back into Vasquer, and once again confront mages.


    His vision felt clear, too. Maybe he was delusional, but he felt like he saw things in better detail. Garm hadn¡¯t been falsely bragging about having good eyesight, evidently.


    ¡°If you lose them, I will not heal you,¡± the Alchemist finally said, acting like losing eyes was as inconsequential as losing a ring. ¡°Our business is done. Begone. Leave no messes.¡±


    Argrave watched the Alchemist leave, then fell back into the bed, acutely aware of his eyes. He turned to Anneliese.


    ¡°How bad is it?¡± he questioned.


    She stared at his face. ¡°Compared to your first two weeks incapacitated, it does not look bad at all. Bloodshot, perhaps.¡±


    ¡°No, I mean¡­ how does it look?¡± he rephrased.


    ¡°¡­unsettling,¡± Anneliese finally said. ¡°A little,¡± she softened the blow.


    Argrave sighed. ¡°Half a year like this¡­ allegedly. Might be helpful some ces. Might cause trouble in others. I¡¯ll have to look for myself.¡±


    He reached for the bronze hand mirror, hefting it up as though to look for a change.


    Traits: [Tall], [ck Blooded], [Intelligent], [Magic Affinity (High)], [Insomniac], [Blessing of Supersession (MAX)]


    Skills: [Elemental Magic (C)], [Blood Magic (C)], [Healing Magic (C)], [Illusion Magic (C)], [Warding Magic(C)], [Druidic Magic (C)], [Inscription (E)], [Imbuing (E)]


    Argrave hadn¡¯t been idle. He¡¯d been saddled with a massive magic debt to Erlebnis after the raid on Argent and the battle with the Lord of Silver. Every single day, he paid close attention to how much magic he had, diligently repaying things. It took perhaps three weeks to fully repay the debt. The rate was utterly ridiculous. His magic regenerated so much faster than before.


    ¡°You think Garm left behind some good blood magic?¡± Argrave questioned Anneliese.


    ¡°None of it is ¡®good.¡¯ It hurts you. Do not use it,¡± Anneliese crossed her arms and shook her head.


    Argrave got up out of the bed, squeezing his eyes shut even still. ¡°ck Blood has an amazing synchronism with blood magic. I¡¯ll heal quicker from any damage, too. I have to use it.¡±


    Anneliese looked off to the side, obviously miffed and concerned.


    ¡°I¡¯ll look for myself,¡± Argrave shook his head.


    ¡°Hold on,¡± she stopped him. ¡°The Alchemist said we needed to leave no mess.¡±


    Argrave looked around at the room. Despite Gmon pitching in, the ce was a mess. The room had been mostly ck, before, but now Argrave found it a tossup between red and ck. Cleaning this up¡­ would be a painful endeavor. Blood doesn¡¯te up easily.


    ¡°Christ,¡± Argrave muttered. ¡°At least there¡¯s no carpet.¡±


    #####


    Argrave stepped outside the gargantuan bulging door of the Alchemist¡¯s pce. The man hadn¡¯te to see them off, and it felt strange to leave without a single word to their host. But their host was weird, and the term ¡®host¡¯ only applied because of the stringent requirements.


    Once again, Argrave was fully ready. He wore his ck enchanted leather armor, the matching duster overtop it. It was a little less loose than it had been before, like he had grownrger. His Brumesingers rushed out from the jungle, and he knelt down to retrieve them. Anneliese¡¯s own fox creature followed just shortly after, running into the pce. Argrave stood up, stroking the giant ears of his sorely missed pets.


    The road ahead made Argrave feel strangely nervous. Anneliese walked up behind him, and he looked back.


    ¡°Iid in bed for a month¡­ but I really want a break,¡± Argrave said quietly, offering his hand.


    She took it. ¡°Take one, then,¡± she suggested.


    He looked sorely tempted, but after a while, he turned his head back to the road. ¡°I¡¯ve got one thing I wanted really bad,¡± Argrave clenched her hand a bit tighter. ¡°That¡¯ll have to tide me over for the next few years.¡±


    With that, Argrave released her hand and stepped forward. They walked past the jungle until it thinned, opening up into a clearing. There, Durran read, leaning up against a tree. Gmon stood there, arms crossed, ready for their approach.


    ¡°Leaving?¡± Gmon said simply.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Argrave confirmed. There was an awkward air between them.


    ¡°I¡¯ll pack,¡± Gmon stepped away.


    Durran stared up at Argrave uncertainly, like he didn¡¯t know where he stood, but then moved to pack as well.


    ¡°Durran,¡± Argrave called out. ¡°Let¡¯s walk for a minute.¡±


    #####


    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re better? You look terrible,¡± noted Durran as they walked through the jungle.


    Argrave touched his face, d to receive some honesty for once. Anneliese always softened her words, and Gmon and Argrave hadn¡¯t talked much at all since he¡¯d enabled Garm to do as he did.


    ¡°I feel good,¡± Argrave confirmed, moving his fingers about. ¡°But my nails still haven¡¯t grown back. Didn¡¯t really know how frustrating that would be,¡± he held his hands out. ¡°Putting the gloves on was painful.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s more the sunken eyes and pale skin than some missing nails. You look like my father did. He was dying, need I remind you,¡± he shook his head. ¡°No such luck, though.¡±


    ¡°Well, you won¡¯t find that luck with me,¡± Argrave stopped, deciding to tear off the band-aid. ¡°Listen. I¡¯m sorry I punched you. Not exactly a good wee.¡±


    Durran paused, staring up at Argrave with his golden eyes. He fixed his dark hair. ¡°Gmon said you lie a lot. Guess he was right.¡±


    Though he was bbergasted for a moment, Argrave started tough once he¡¯d processed what Durran said.


    ¡°Don¡¯t apologize,¡± Durran shook his head before he could recover. ¡°It¡¯s over and done. I won¡¯t act like I would do something else in your shoes. And you did save my life.¡±


    Argrave gave a steady nod, and then stared down at Durran. ¡°You said something back then that¡¯s been stuck in my gears. You said this ¡®needed to happen.¡¯ This business with Garm.¡±


    ¡°That¡­¡± Durran scratched the back of his neck. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking that over myself. Garm wasn¡¯t entirely honest with me, let alone with any of you,¡± he admitted. He seemed to hesitate to say more. ¡°Maybe it was made up¡ªsomething to convince me to do what he wanted. But he said his soul was damaged, and if he did nothing, his memories would fade away regardless.¡±


    ¡°What do you think?¡± Argrave questioned, trying to think of the lore he¡¯d read long ago.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he admitted inly. ¡°But¡­ for what it¡¯s worth, I believed him back then.¡±


    Argrave nodded. Strangely enough, that did make him feel better about things, if only just. He scanned the golden tattoos all about the tribal¡¯s body as he lost himself in thought, then locked gazes with him. He decided to get to the point.


    Argrave crossed his arms. ¡°Why exactly are you tagging along?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m an exile. Even if it hasn¡¯t been made official, it¡¯s inevitable. I was always a bit of an outsider among my people, but after Sethia, I doubt any will wee me. I have no home,¡± Durran shook his head. ¡°Gmon tells tall tales about a taller cmitying to ruin the world. I figure that¡¯s a worthwhile endeavor to set my sights on, if only to disprove its existence. More than that¡­¡± Durran pointed up at Argrave. ¡°It seems to me you¡¯ll be travelling a lot. Meddling a lot.¡±


    ¡°More than I care to,¡± Argrave confirmed. ¡°But you seem¡­ if not a leader, at the very least, heavily independent. Definitely not a follower.¡±


    ¡°Questioning if I¡¯m worth the trouble?¡± Durran raised a brow.


    ¡°I¡¯m questioning if you can be obedient,¡± Argrave shrugged. ¡°I know you¡¯re worth the trouble. You¡¯re talented. And you¡¯re hardworking¡ªa talent on its own. But I know you. You¡¯re pretty whimsical.¡± Argrave uncrossed one arm, gesturing towards Durran. ¡°Hell, once the southron elves told you we¡¯d spoken, you went and found me just outside Cyprus. I can¡¯t abide idiotic things like that.¡±


    ¡°That meeting went fine, no?¡± Durran shook his head. ¡°You act like we¡¯re old acquaintances. Not saying you¡¯re wrong with these assertions, but¡­ whenever I ask questions about how you know so much, Gmon and Anneliese both m up, like there¡¯s some grand conspiracy.¡±


    Argrave juggled the pros and cons of informing Durran of his background. Maybe it was his imagination, but he felt he was thinking much clearer these days. Perhaps physical health <em>did</em> improve mental health, and that wasn¡¯t just something he¡¯d read somewhere ages ago. That rity of mind told him it would be best to keep things quiet, at least for now.


    ¡°You¡¯ll learn when you¡¯re older,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°Listen. Trust wille with time. The three of us are rather amodating. As long as you stay consistent, open-minded¡­¡± Argrave shrugged. ¡°You¡¯ll be wee.¡±


    Durran shifted on his feet. ¡°I know. I¡¯m the tag-along, with all the burdens that follow. But I made a promise to Garm. I¡¯ll keep it.¡±


    Argrave stared down at Durran. The man held his gaze for a bit, but eventually looked away first.


    ¡°Gods above. Those demonmps you got for eyes¡ªgreat reminder of that promise,¡± Durran scratched his cheek.


    Argrave chuckled, then held out his hand. They shook on the matter.


    ¡°One more thing,¡± Argrave raised a finger, then reached into his pocket. He had to pull aside a sleeping Brumesinger, but he retrieved his bronze hand mirror. ¡°Look at this.¡±


    Durran furrowed his brows but took the mirror. He looked at it.


    ¡°What¡¯s this? Some kind of voodoo mirror?¡± he paused. ¡°Am I going to regret looking at this?¡±


    ¡°See anything strange?¡± Argrave pressed hopefully.


    Durran hesitantly moved it about. ¡°Just a mirror, leader man,¡± he shook his head, perplexed.


    ¡°Guess you¡¯re not ready,¡± Argrave said, retrieving the mirror. He stowed it away and walked back.


    ¡°What does that mean?¡± Durran called out as Argrave walked away. ¡°Hey! Wait!¡± he shouted, rushing to catch up.


    #####


    ¡°Feels like I¡¯ve fallen behind,¡± Argrave mused as he examined the books that Garm had inscribed before his death. Or maybe the Alchemist had inscribed them¡ªArgrave was not sure of the process.


    ¡°You had plenty on your te,¡± Anneliese disagreed. ¡°And my studies idled as much as yours.¡±


    Argrave said nothing, opening the book. A spell matrix appeared in the air.


    ¡°A lot of these are¡­ very rare,¡± Argrave noted. ¡°Labels, descriptions¡­ Garm was meticulous.¡± He shut the book and retrieved another. ¡°Holy shit,¡± he eximed. ¡°[Bloodfeud Bow]? My god,¡± Argrave stepped away, eyes wide.


    ¡°Blood magic?¡± Anneliese questioned disapprovingly.


    Argrave examined the spell matrix with wide eyes and mouth agape. Eventually, his open mouth contorted into a cheek-to-cheek smile. He shut the book, then held it up. ¡°This spell¡­ is utterly broken.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t work?¡± Durran questioned.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°No,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°On the contrary, it¡¯s¡­ hoo.¡± He felt lightheaded from excitement. ¡°It¡¯s B-rank, but¡­ it¡¯s so much more than that.¡± Argrave shook his head, then sat down atop a rock. ¡°You can charge it up. Nearly infinitely,¡± Argrave held the book close. ¡°As long as you¡¯ve got life left, this spell can keep getting stronger. Provided you give it enough fuel, it can fire a single devastating attack that can pierce through any damn defense you can even imagine, and then keep going.¡±


    ¡°But that would be¡­ incredibly reckless,¡± Anneliese said concernedly.


    ¡°Well, yeah, but¡­¡± Argrave stood. ¡°Think about it. This thing synergizes perfectly with [Electric Eel]. Shatter defensive wards with one attack, send in the eels at the same time¡­ I wanted to get it, but much, muchter. But now¡­¡± Argrave stared at the white cover.


    His excitement started to fade when he was reminded that he¡¯d never be able to thank Garm.


    ¡°Because of Garm, I have it now,¡± he said tly. ¡°All this and more.¡±


    Silence took over their party, barring Gmon, who still put away books in his backpack. Eventually, Argrave looked off to the side.


    ¡°It¡¯s a long way to the southron elves again,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°And a lot of stuff to carry. Let¡¯s hurry up. I¡¯m eager to see how things changed in our month¡¯s absence.¡±


    ¡°But how do we get out?¡± Durran questioned.


    ¡°Same way we got in,¡± Argrave looked off into the depths of the cave.

 Chapter 158: Stepping Aside

    Chapter 158: Stepping Aside


    Argrave hadn¡¯t spoken to Gmon much at all since Garm was lost to them. Argrave couldn¡¯t deny he was upset Gmon had gone behind his back so tantly. They sat cross-legged amidst the sand dunes, the night sky above. The chill of winter had set in; they were well into the heart of the cold season. There was an awkward air between the two of them. It reminded Argrave of a dispute with his brother or father¡ªthey¡¯d just avoid each other, saying only words that needed to be said¡­


    ¡°You look better,¡± said Gmon.


    ¡­until they started talking again, like nothing had happened at all. Maybe it was unproductive.


    ¡°I feel better,¡± returned Argrave.


    But even if it was unproductive, Argrave liked things this way.


    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± nodded Gmon, white eyes focused on his armor. It was already well-maintained, but he kept it impably so.


    Argrave stared as his hands moved, rubbing sand and oil against his armor for reasons Argrave couldn¡¯t begin to guess. He looked around. Anneliese was taking care of something, while Durran read Garm¡¯s writing, even now¡ªthe tribal seemed to be enchanted with it. Though Garm had left some writings rted to the soul behind, Argrave still felt hesitant to read them for some reason.


    His mind wandered, and he wondered what it was like to wear armor all day. Brows furrowed, he turned to Gmon.


    ¡°You think I should learn how to fight?¡±


    Gmon paused, then turned his head towards Argrave slowly.


    ¡°¡­put Durran down easily enough,¡± he noted with the faintest smile, then focused back on his work.


    Argraveughed a little, feeling some strange mix of pride and shame. ¡°I bet he could take me down twice as quick if the aggressor and defender switched ces. But seriously¡­ It¡¯d be good to be versatile. If things go south¡­¡±


    Gmon polished, but Argrave could tell he was thinking of an answer.


    ¡°The southron elves put it well. Magic has no ceiling.¡± He looked at Argrave. ¡°Focus on it, you¡¯ll keep getting better.¡±


    ¡°But things happen,¡± Argrave held his arms out, then uncrossed his legs. ¡°Good to learn a trick or two, no?¡±


    Gmon took a deep breath. ¡°For you¡­¡± his white eyes scanned Argrave. ¡°Your frame got bigger. I used to be your size¡­ long time ago. I could give you advice for some things.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Even still, I¡¯d focus on learning to be agile. Magic will always be more powerful than a de. Just dodge, get distance, obliterate them.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s hear this advice, then,¡± Argrave suggested eagerly.


    ¡°Eat more,¡± Gmon said inly. ¡°You eat like a bird.¡±


    Argrave hadn¡¯t been expecting that. He¡¯d been shoveling food into his mouth for the past month to the point of vomiting, and the idea of eating more now wasn¡¯t particrly pleasant.


    ¡°Like a bird?¡± Argrave repeated, drawing lines in the sand. ¡°Must¡¯ve never seen a pelican.¡±


    Gmon said nothing in response.


    In truth, Argrave didn¡¯t fancy the idea of learning how to fight. The few hard knocks he¡¯d taken hadn¡¯t been pleasant. He still shuddered when he remembered getting his cheek caved in by Induen, or the battle with Quarrus. Getting up close and personal offered the potential of a lot more of that.


    Besides, Argrave would much prefer to focus on what he was good at. He could read a book for hours and have a st, but exercise was different. Whether before or now, he never cared for weightlifting or running. He didn¡¯t care about looking well-built, either. Dressing nice, wearing jewelry¡ªthat was the easier route.


    Something caught his eye¡ªAnneliese returned. He smiled and waved, and she waved back, walking towards them. His thoughts returned back to exercise, but with Anneliese¡¯s presence now involved. His opinion started to take a sharp turn.


    ¡°I think I want to build myself up a little,¡± he said decisively, watching Anneliese.


    Gmon looked to Argrave, then spotted Anneliese as well. The big elven warriorughed quietly.


    ¡°Something funny?¡± interrogated Argrave, watching Anneliese as she rummaged through her backpack for something. She picked up her small Brumesinger, moving it aside, and then reached deep inside.


    ¡°Sometimes, you do something for someone, and they don¡¯t even know it,¡± Gmon shook his head. ¡°A nice feeling.¡±


    Argrave looked at Gmon, puzzled.


    ¡°Regardless¡­ hope you two stay happy,¡± he concluded.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Argrave scratched his cheek, embarrassed. ¡°You and me both,¡± he finally said. ¡°Thought you might be against this sort of thing.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Gmon asked, genuinely puzzled.


    ¡°You seem like the ¡®you stick with your own people!¡¯ type of guy,¡± Argrave shrugged.


    Gmonughed loudly, startling Argrave. The man had a scary, gratingugh that would be right at home in a horror movie. Eventually, he settled down, scratching his cheek. ¡°Long time ago, you¡¯d have mepletely right.¡±


    ¡°What changed? Living in exile?¡± questioned Argrave.


    ¡°Saw the worst of the Veidimen. War¡­ awakens the worst,¡± he shook his head. ¡°When war consumes thend, rapists, butchers, sadists¡ªthey alle out of the woodworks like rats fleeing from a burning building.


    ¡°Then,¡± he continued, putting his gauntlet back on. ¡°I came here. I realized¡­ things are just the same. You have good people¡­ and terrible people,¡± he finished. Gmon stared at Argrave for a long while, white pupils steady. ¡°That¡¯s part of the reason I let Garm do what he did. I recognized him.¡±


    Argrave tensed when the sore subject was brought up, saying nothing.


    ¡°The two of you are good,¡± Gmon concluded. ¡°Not to mention¡­ quitepatible.¡±


    Argrave didn¡¯t really know what to say, but Anneliese walked up, a book in her hand. Argrave¡¯s Brumesingers jumped free from his clothing, surging before her feet. She stood before him, staring down.


    ¡°It growste,¡± she greeted. ¡°We ought to retire. An early morning awaits, especially if we intend to reach Otria by the end of tomorrow.¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°You¡¯re right, littledy.¡± He stood up and stretched, and his druidic bonds returned to him. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    #####


    Durran stared out at the city of Sethia. Perhaps that was not urate¡ªhe stared <em>above </em>Sethia, at the clouds looming above it.


    Argrave had to prod him to get his attention. The tribal warrior turned his head to Argrave quickly, stunned and blinking quickly.


    ¡°Sorry, sorry. It¡¯s just¡­¡± he shook his head. ¡°Never seen clouds over Sethia before.¡±


    Argrave pondered that. Springs, rivers, and such still existed in the mountains, and it was a bit difficult to believe that clouds couldn¡¯t be blown over Sethia. Presumably, the Vessels¡¯ presence in the city had something to do with that¡ªthe air around them always felt dry, after all. The clouds could be taken as a sign that the city was truly free.


    From such a distance, Argrave could not deduce how well the city was doing underneath Titus. What he could notice, though, was that Aurum, the tower of gold, had beenpletely taken down. The other two remained standing, but construction around them implied that might not be forever.


    ¡°Wait until you see snow,¡± Argrave pulled Durran along. ¡°Crazy stuff. It¡¯s white, cold, and it turns into water.¡±


    ¡°Pfft,¡± Durranughed, regathered. He followed Argrave, and the two of them joined up with Anneliese and Gmon. They passed through a narrow bit of mountain, and beyond, the ce opened up into the small town of Otria.


    The ce seemed much, much busier than before. All in all, the ce didn¡¯t seem as gloomy as before. Argrave looked around. The southron elves noticed them, and though caution was their first reaction, many recognized their party.


    A woman stepped up, crossing her arms before the four of them. Much of her jet-ck skin was concealed by thick equipment, likely intended for a forge.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re the reason my father can¡¯t walk anymore,¡± Iltuda began.


    Argrave turned his head. Once his eyes fell on her, she visibly flinched. He was taken aback by that reaction, but he realized his eyes¡ªGarm¡¯s eyes¡ªmust have surprised her. Considering her own eyes were pitch ck, he was a bit offended.


    ¡°That¡¯s a very pleasant greeting, Iltuda,¡± Durran spoke before Argrave could. ¡°Set a hostile tone right off. Very prudent. It¡¯s like you¡¯re eager to meet your maker.¡±


    Durran stepped forward, and her eyes widened again¡ªevidently, she¡¯d not expected to see the man.


    ¡°Durran,¡± she greeted, taking off her thick forge gloves and holding her hand out. He shook it. ¡°Why are you¡­? A great many people are searching for you.¡±


    ¡°I imagine,¡± he nodded. ¡°They found a spike that fits me perfectly, and they can¡¯t wait to put my head on it. I¡¯ll pass. A friend of mine told me that¡¯s a miserable experience.¡± He looked back to Argrave. ¡°Argrave, this is¡ª¡±


    ¡°Iltuda,¡± Argrave finished. ¡°The best cksmith for the southron elves.¡±


    Though she hesitated, she did eventually hold out her hand to Argrave. He shook it.


    ¡°Durran knows this, but¡­ don¡¯t take the rudeness to heart. Our people only say what we really think to people we trust.¡± She shook her head. ¡°My father said good things about you. All of you. He¡¯s been saying a lot,tely, considering he¡¯s chair-bound. Wants me to forge him a new leg.¡±


    Argrave nodded understandingly. ¡°If it¡¯ll keep him quiet¡­¡±


    Sheughed. ¡°I see you catch on quick. Or maybe you already got used to the way we talk, what with dealing with the old ones.¡±


    ¡°Argrave!¡± called out a familiar voice.


    Responding to his name being called, Argrave turned his head. Florimund strode out of the crowd. Argrave stepped past Iltuda, moving to greet the man. He raised his hand up, and Argrave raised his. They swung at the same time, catching into a handshake.


    ¡°Gods above¡­¡± he noted, staring at Argrave¡¯s eyes. ¡°Those eyes¡­ this is that change you were talking about? Being ck Blooded?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Argrave nodded, though it was only a half-truth¡ªit was easier to let him believe what he wanted than exin things.


    ¡°You look¡­ better, somehow,¡± he continued. ¡°More robust. With those eyes, you remind me of some of the half-elven children. The ones that had kids with the golden-eyed tribals. ck on the outside, gold pupils¡­¡±


    ¡°Sharp instincts,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°I am a great deal healthier.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± He finally released Argrave¡¯s hand. ¡°I¡¯m d you came by. I thought you would refuse our favor, in part.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°I never refuse anything free,¡± Argrave shook his head.


    ¡°Hardly free, considering you dealt with the Lord of Silver,¡± he shook his head.


    Argrave smiled. ¡°Speaking of looking better¡­ it looks a lot more lively around here,¡± he nced about.


    Florimund looked around, taking in the sights. ¡°Things¡­ things are¡­¡± he paused, then looked back. ¡°I told you I felt hopeful, before. That feeling has only gotten stronger.¡±


    Behind, Durran furrowed his brows, but Argrave continued oblivious.


    ¡°How so?¡±


    ¡°That city of Sethia¡­ Titus has emerged as the undisputed leader. He linked the southron elf war relics to other local leaders within the city, used it to seize their assets justifiably. He rounded up all of the relics and returned it all to us as a show of good faith. Might not be all, granted, but¡­¡±


    Argrave raised a brow, surprised.


    ¡°Trading has already begun,¡± Florimund continued. ¡°And it¡¯s been equitable. His men have even protected some of us from the more deplorable, elf-hating humans.¡±


    ¡°What about the tribals?¡± Durran pressed, stepping forth. ¡°What¡¯s happening on that front?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know much,¡± Florimund shook his head. ¡°Apparently, your father has recovered. And¡­ a lot of people are moving to Sethia. The conditions within the city¡­ I haven¡¯t been,¡± Florimund shook his head. ¡°All the people who have say conditions are nice. And that big, golden monument has been torn down. Titus minted coins with it.¡±


    Argrave didn¡¯t know what to think of these developments. It was so far removed from what he was familiar with¡­ and all within a month. The possibilities running through his head were infinite. Durran seemed deeply bothered by the news¡ªthis was the man who¡¯d very nearly framed him dead, and he was hearing nothing but praise.


    ¡°Since you¡¯re here¡­ I take it you¡¯re taking us up on our offer? Imbuing some of your weapons with southron elven magic? Iltuda has been practicing,¡± he pointed.


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Argrave nodded quickly. ¡°And¡­ Gmon¡¯s armor needs repairs, if you can manage that.¡±


    ¡°Done. You are more than wee to stay here while this happens,¡± Florimund spread his arms out. ¡°This new hope I feel¡­ ites inrge part because of your efforts.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Argrave nodded. He had been hoping for this. There was much he needed to do, least of all cement their party of four¡¯s n for the gue.

 Chapter 159: Back to Work

    Chapter 159: Back to Work


    Argrave had wanted a break. In a way, the week spent at the oasis town of Otria became just that.


    The normalcy of opening new spell books and delving into them for hours at a time became a wee respitepared to the unending torture that had urred at the residence of the Alchemist. He felt like someone who had just recovered from surgery returning to their job¡ªand in a way, that wasn¡¯t too far off.


    The Alchemist had said that every function of Argrave¡¯s body would be improved. That statement was entirely true. He could focus for longer without exhausting himself. He functioned better with less sleep. And, moreover, he did basic exercise every morning, and ate plenty of what Gmon suggested. The activity was basic, as mentioned¡ªnheless, the improvements felt tangible, especially endurance-wise. It was like he was on the ssic diet of chicken, rice, broli, and steroids. Hopefully his face wouldn¡¯t swell.


    Durran was restless, constantly inquiring about the state in Sethia. He seemed to have difficulty believing that things were going well under Titus, and though Argrave shared that sentiment, he wasn¡¯t near as invested as Durran. Indeed, despite his unease with the development entirely foreign to ¡®Heroes of Berendar,¡¯ things did seem to be improved.


    Gmon finally got a chance for a break, too. Beyond giving advice to Argrave, he did little as he waited for the changes to his armor. His greatsword was being modified to amodate southron elf magic, and the original enchantment would remain fully intact.


    Though the offer extended to all of his weapons, Gmon imed enchanting the dagger would be impotent, and the Ebonice axe interfered with the southron elf enchantments. Moreover, he needed to see the axe de to dispel magic. However, the enchanted arrows Gmon still had were enchanted with southron elf magic. The arrows would not betray their flight path as they moved¡ªtrivial, considering most people can¡¯t dodge arrows, but it mighte in handy.


    Garm¡¯s gift of sight had proven to be much more beneficial than Argrave had initially predicted. Perhaps the High Wizard of the Rose had predicted such a thing. Not only could Argrave see other people¡¯s magic, he could see his own. Watching it manifest from its raw, almost gaseous state within the body to a genuine spell proved invaluable forprehension. Argrave understood spells of C-rank better, though he heeded Anneliese¡¯s advice and refrained from tackling B-rank quite yet, despite the tremendous increase in advancement lent to him by his ck Blood.


    Regarding his new changes¡­


    ¡°You want me to drink your blood?¡± Durran questioned incredulously.


    ¡°Naturally,¡± Argrave nodded as though it was a normal request, acting deliberately obtuse.


    Durran frowned intensely, sizing up Argrave suspiciously. ¡°Don¡¯t you have someone for that? He¡¯s standing right over there,¡± Durran gestured towards Gmon.


    ¡°You got aboard this ship a bitte, so you probably don¡¯t know about the Amaranthine Heart juice. Magic in liquid form is ck,¡± Argrave exined. ¡°When people talk about me being ¡®ck Blooded,¡¯ it means that I have magic in my blood stream. Hence, I¡¯m curious if ingesting it would produce the same effect as it did previously.¡±


    This wasn¡¯t something that could be done in ¡®Heroes of Berendar,¡¯ and Argrave felt it was long overdue to try out something beyond the game¡¯s purview.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you ask yourdy friend?¡± Durran stepped away. ¡°Snuggling, sharing a bed¡ªfluid sharing isn¡¯t such a big step forward. Little bit of blood drinking might be weird, but I¡¯m told some people are into it.¡±


    Argraveughed and shook his head. ¡°Come on. Don¡¯t be a coward,¡± he insisted, wagging his finger at Durran.


    Durran took a great breath, and then sighed. ¡°Gods above¡­ fine. You got some ready, or¡­?¡±


    Argrave took off his glove and rolled up his sleeve. ¡°Cast some magic,¡± he prompted Durran, then pulled out a knife he¡¯d taken from the kitchens.


    The tribal looked at Argrave like he was mental, but he did cast a spell. Argrave cut his own arm without much hesitation¡ªafter what he¡¯d endured, cutting his arm came quite easily. His blood was indeed much, much darker, yet still decidedly red. Durran drank.


    After a time, the tattooed tribal looked a little puzzled. ¡°Yeah¡­ I¡­ felt something bubbling, near my chest. Felt faint, but¡­ present.¡±


    Argrave drank some of his own blood. Indeed, the feeling was present, but it was far diminished. More importantly, it even worked on himself¡­


    ¡°What is this?¡± Gmon questioned, having arrived before them all but silently.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°Look at this,¡± Argrave spoke to Durran. ¡°He smelled good food, and hees rushing over.¡± Argrave faced Gmon. ¡°Don¡¯t worry your little head. Just testing something.¡±


    The big elven vampire frowned.


    After Anneliese and Gmon caught wind of what he was trying, they quickly put an end to it. Argrave assured them he only intended to use it for emergencies, but even that seemed to make them uneasy.


    #####


    As the days passed by, Durran¡¯s insistence on learning what happened after they left only grew worse. Argrave relented to travelling out with him to get a closer look at Sethia, and hispanions apanied him.


    ¡°If you won¡¯t let me go inside, at the very least let me contact Boarmask,¡± Durran pleaded, one knee in the ck sand of the Burnt Desert as the four of them stared near the crater leading into the city of Sethia.


    Sethia had changed considerably. The vast amounts of sand burying the ce had been removed, cleaning the ce up. Aurum, the gold tower, was gone, and Argent was clearly next on the chopping block. The walls of the city had been badly destroyed, but already, patchwork fortifications had been erected to ward away the elements.


    ¡°How will you signal Boarmask? Shout loudly?¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s been a month. Even if you have some signal system, he¡¯s probably stopped checking for them by now. On the off chance he¡¯s still holding out, we¡¯d still have to wait. I don¡¯t want to risk lingering near Sethia and drawing unwanted attention.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I got annoyed for waiting on him, too, so we worked out something that¡¯d work quickly,¡± Durran exined. ¡°Mounted a mirror some ways away. Come on.¡±


    Durran led them around the crater surrounding Sethia, herding them to a small circle of rocks. He picked up a metal mount that had a mirror attached to the end. He wiped the sand-covered mirror down with a cloth, and then positioned the mount. Light shone off the mirror splendidly. After some finagling, the ray of light struck a prism hidden within a bell tower. A rainbow consumed the interior¡ªthough obviously noticeable to anyone looking for it, it wasn¡¯t excessively eye-catching.


    ¡°Now, we wait elsewhere,¡± Durran exined, stepping away.


    Argrave looked to his other twopanions, consulting them. Based on expression alone, none seemed to protest. Anneliese obviously wanted to follow, as a matter of fact.


    <em>In the end¡­ I¡¯m curious, too, </em>Argrave decided, then followed Durran without words.


    #####


    Argrave sat within a small alcove, where ashes evidenced a fire had once been lit. Durran waited impatiently, tapping his wyvern scale boots against the ground.


    ¡°Much longer, Durran, I¡¯m going to call things off,¡± Argrave spoke up. ¡°No time for¡ª¡±


    Gmon grabbed Argrave¡¯s wrist, bringing him to attention. He rose to his feet, hand on his axe, waiting for someone toe.


    Argrave could hear the faint sound of metal nging against metal. Soon enough, a bulky man entered into view, a backpack slung over his shoulders. Boarmask had removed his armor, and the muffled sounds evidenced he¡¯d hid it within his backpack.


    ¡°Durran,¡± the man greeted. Argrave knew his name was Rolf, but few others did. He had straight blonde hair and bright blue eyes¡ªthe archetypal appearance of a pdin, and the man¡¯s personality matched up well enough. He was once called the Romantic Warrior¡ªromantic meaning ¡®idealistic¡¯ rather than ¡®loving.¡¯ He was just, mostly, and devoted to the Vasquer pantheon. There was definitely no romance in either, a fact his story revolved around.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t think you¡¯d have¡ª¡± he paused when he met Argrave¡¯s gaze, obviously surprised.


    ¡°You see something you like?¡± Argrave interrogated. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about mymps. I¡¯m sure you know high-rank spellcasters can look quite weird.¡±


    Boarmask entered further into the alcove, giving Argrave a wide berth. ¡°I suppose you¡¯d have to be high-ranking to deal with the Lord of Silver as you did. And I¡¯m d of it. Since you came here with Durran¡­ I suppose you¡¯re allies, at least for now?¡±


    ¡°For¡­ever, hopefully,¡± Argrave nodded.


    Boarmask paid little heed to the difference between ¡®for now¡¯ and ¡®forever,¡¯ stepping within and setting down his backpack. The thing ttered noisily. Gmon watched him cautiously, obviously ready to protect Argrave as needed.


    ¡°That¡¯s good. Then I¡¯ll start talking. Titus is always well-protected. He keeps some highly-trained bodyguards with him, some of whom have enchantments from Vasquer to better help protect. In addition, most of the guard within the city are¡ª¡±


    ¡°Rx, steel-ted assassin,¡± Durran interrupted. ¡°Start with the city¡ªhow are things for the people?¡±


    Boarmask leaned up against the wall, putting his hands on his knees. ¡°Titus is very good at winning over the people, and that¡¯s all that I¡¯ll say.¡±


    ¡°¡¯All you¡¯ll say?¡¯ Stop with the bullshit, tell me what¡¯s happening,¡± Durran rose to his feet, stepping up to the unarmored knight. Befitting the pure warrior from ¡®Heroes of Berendar,¡¯ Boarmask wasrger than Durran¡ªnot by much, though.


    Boarmask stared at Durran, then shifted on his feet, crossing his arms. ¡°Sorry. Just been a tense month, prowling Sethia alone. Couldn¡¯t wear my armor. Too easily recognizable. Felt unsafe,¡± he lowered his head wistfully.


    ¡°Are you stalling? Get to the point,¡± demanded Durran.


    ¡°Titus had everything ready for the aftermath,¡± Boarmask said bitterly. ¡°Healers, food, construction supplies¡­ caravans came into the city for near two weeks after the Lords were killed before the neighboring cities heard of what had happened. By that point, Titus had already sequestered enough for the whole of winter.


    ¡°He dered you innocent,¡± Boarmask pointed to Durran, ¡°Instead, he framed other prominent Sethia locals, having them imprisoned and tried. By this point, even though he has no title, Titus is the sole leader of Sethia. The people love him fiercely. He¡¯s been doing his best to establish the city once again, both militarily and economically.¡± The blonde man rubbed his hands together. ¡°That¡¯s why things will be difficult for us.¡±


    Durran looked troubled. He stepped away to the edge of the alcove, staring out across the sand. ¡°Are we sure Titus didn¡¯t get reced by someone else? Maybe it¡¯s a different guy with the same name.¡±


    Argrave lowered his head, concealing a smallugh with his hand. Boarmask took him seriously, evidently, for he asked confusedly, ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s adept, thoroughly prepared, and he¡¯s not exactly ruining people¡¯s lives,¡± Durran said slowly.


    ¡°But he has no problems ruining the lives of innocent people,¡± Boarmask refuted incredulously, as though he couldn¡¯t believe what Durran was saying. ¡°The attacks in Sethia¡ªhe was the main contributor to all the coteral damage! He framed you and would have had you killed. He¡¯s framed more, since. All of this kindness, it¡¯s a ploy to earn support, and nothing more!¡±


    Durran had no response to that.


    ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there,¡± Boarmask continued, stepping up to Durran and grabbing his shoulder from behind. ¡°The man is a monster. A butcher wearing a king¡¯s mantle.¡±


    Durran jerked his shoulder away, turning around. ¡°And we should do what, throw the city into chaos while raving about justice?!¡±


    Boarmask stared wide-eyed, bbergasted by the outburst. Argrave nced around, surveying his party¡¯s opinion. He could practically see it written on their face¡ªboth agreed with Durran more than Boarmask.


    ¡°And what of the future?¡± Boarmask pressed. ¡°We allow someone callous to sit on the throne. No matter how benevolent he may be now, when things go awry¡­ a man like that would do <em>anything </em>to retain power!¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s clear his strategy right now is to make sure everybody is taken care of,¡± Durran said with a droll anger. ¡°Enough supplies for the winter, you said. He¡¯s building an economy, you im.¡±


    ¡°And a military? What might that be for?¡±


    ¡°When your only neighbors are the Vessels, what else?!¡± Durran spread his arms out in emphasis.


    Boarmask stared at Durran, jaw clenched tight and brows furrowed. ¡°Then what is your n? I cannot ept you would suggest letting things be. The man tried to kill you.¡±


    Durran closed his eyes, taking a deep breath to calm down. When he opened them again, they were full of resolve. ¡°I¡¯m not fond of force-feeding people another way of life when they¡¯ve already decided on one. I wanted to lead my people into a new age. As is clear, I¡¯m not good enough to do so,¡± Durran shook his head. ¡°We gave Sethia a choice. Sethia made that choice. Now¡­ I won¡¯t be involved with this. I won¡¯t cause chaos once again.¡±


    Boarmask stepped away, expression stern. He turned around, obviously stunned, and paced about for a time. ¡°You¡¯re going to simply¡­ give up?¡± His gaze jumped to the rest of Argrave¡¯s party. ¡°All of you?¡±


    ¡°Killing Titus solves nothing,¡± Anneliese pointed out quietly. ¡°He is a strong, decisive leader. Without something prepared for the aftermath¡­ all we do is ruin chances of peace in the city. And, from my perspective¡­ Titus does love thisnd. Truly.¡±


    Anneliese¡¯s words swayed Argrave, and all of his indecision vanished. He nodded in agreement.


    Boarmask nced around the room, his expression slowly losing anger and tension both. He walked to his backpack, then leaned down to pick it up. His gaze settled on Argrave.


    ¡°I thought, perhaps, one Vasquer might be worthy of their ancestors,¡± Boarmask said. ¡°It appears I was wrong.¡±


    Argrave felt great indignance at the im, but he kept calm. His Brumesingers mirrored his true emotional state, though, growling at the blonde-haired man. Boarmask slung his backpack over his shoulder and walked out quickly, as though he couldn¡¯t wait another second to leave.


    Silence hung in the alcove. Argrave took a deep breath and sighed, a whirlwind of emotion and thought disturbing his mind.


    He wanted a perfect solution. None existed.


    ¡°¡­I learned what I wanted,¡± Durran broke the silence. ¡°Now I¡¯m eager to leave.¡±


    ¡°Long journey ahead,¡± Argrave said distantly. ¡°After we get what we need from the southron elves, it¡¯ll be ten to twelve days, I suspect, since we¡¯ll be avoiding towns. As we nned, we¡¯ll stick to the eastern mountain ranges¡ªthey have few water sources, but that¡¯s no problem for spellcasters. Plenty to eat along the way¡­ even if it might be bugs.¡± Argrave tried not to shudder, the image of a centipede dangling above his tongue. ¡°After¡­ we¡¯ll take a ruined mountain highway, right into the lion¡¯sp.¡±


    Durran and Gmon looked confused, but Anneliese caught on.

 Chapter 160: Sunset for the Desert

    Chapter 160: Sunset for the Desert


    ¡°Argrave,¡± Anneliese called out, drawing him from a book. He read beneath the shade of a palm tree just beside the oasis. His Brumesingers stood near the buried bodies of the veterans that had fought at Sethia. He had thought the southron elves might be bothered by this, but rather, they saw it as an honor. They hoped the Brumesingers would replicate the forms of their fallen warriors, some day.


    ¡°Hey,¡± he greeted, shutting the book at once.


    ¡°Reading what Garm wrote for you?¡± she questioned, walking up.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°The stuff about the soul. Gmon had said it might interest me, and¡­ well, it certainly sounds familiar.¡± He weighed the book in his hand. ¡°Just as he wrote, whenever I tried to learn a spell ¡®Argrave¡¯ knew, I learned it very quickly. I guess if I ever tried torturing people, I¡¯d be good at that, too.¡±


    Anneliese raised a brow. ¡°I take it ¡®Argrave¡¯ was not a good person?¡±


    ¡°If Felipe was their father, they¡¯re a bother,¡± Argrave rhymed with a snap. ¡°But what do you need? Some questions about our journey back north? About Orion? I was vague about him, but he¡¯s¡­ Christ, he¡¯s my biggest worry. We stand to be here a couple more days. Plenty of time to settle anything that needs settling, I reckon.¡±


    ¡°Yet you are sad,¡± she noted.


    Argrave turned away, then turned back. ¡°I hope that isn¡¯t obvious.¡±


    ¡°To me it is. To others¡­ I know nothing of what they notice,¡± she shook her head. ¡°What troubles you?¡±


    ¡°Just thinking¡­ maybe if I had talked to Garm more, something like this wouldn¡¯t have happened,¡± he admitted.


    Her face fell a little. ¡°Then it is not me alone thinking like that.¡±


    Argrave gave a slow, bitter nod. ¡°Ironically¡­ heh,¡± he scratched beneath his nose. ¡°If I had trusted him less, he¡¯d be alive now.¡± He lowered his head. ¡°Why was I so quick to bring Durran along? I smelled trouble. I knew something was brewing. If I had just¡­¡±


    ¡°I would feel a hypocrite consoling you when I feel the same. But truly, these thoughts do nothing for us. Nothing for Garm.¡± Anneliese held her hand out. ¡°Come with me,¡± she insisted.


    Argrave looked at her hand. He decisively set the book down and took her hand, standing quickly. She led him through the oasis town, and they waved to the few acquaintances they¡¯d made amongst the southron elves. Eventually, she ducked into a cavern. Her Brumesinger was lounging away from the sun there, fluffy ears twitching.


    Argrave was perplexed, but he said nothing. The dark cavern opened up after not ten steps, revealing a teau beyond. He sized up the ce, searching for something she might wish to show him. He soon realized he was looking in the wrong ce, though. The suns were setting.


    ¡°I hoped you would be willing to do this, for me,¡± Anneliese began, stepping towards him. ¡°Every time the suns descend below the horizon¡­ we could watch them, talk¡­ for an hour or so.¡±


    With things falling into ce, Argrave couldn¡¯t stop a smile from appearing on his face. <em>She¡¯s more sentimental than she lets on,</em> he realized. But the fact she suggested this meant that moment back then had meant as much for her as it had for him.


    He held his hand out. ¡°What if we¡¯re underground? That happens a lot,¡± he asked teasingly.


    ¡°Argrave, I¡ª¡±


    ¡°Of course we can,¡± he interrupted her before she could misinterpret his answer as hesitance. ¡°That sounds nice. Something to look forward to at the end of the day.¡±


    Her small frown quickly turned into a smile. ¡°That is¡­ good,¡± she took his hand. ¡°I feared it would be difficult to persuade you, especially since your health has improved. But I think this will be good for you, genuinely.¡±


    Argrave furrowed his brows. ¡°You¡¯re not doing this out of obligation alone, I hope.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± she paused, pulling on his hand slightly. ¡°Even though you constantly joke, all you talk about is how we are to deal with Gerechtigkeit, the gue¡­ how else am I to ask you questions, learn about you?¡± She led him towards the edge of the teau, where she sat. ¡°So, sit. Vincenzo,¡± she said pointedly.


    Argrave scratched the back of his neck, and then obediently sat. ¡°The only person that still called me ¡®Vincenzo¡¯ was my ma. Most people said ¡®Vinny.¡¯¡±


    ¡°Your mother?¡± Anneliese repeated. ¡°A fitting point to start¡­¡±


    #####


    Gmon waved his hand, and his kriegsmesser whistled through the air. The de of wind created by its enchantments seemed to emerge from a location wholly separate from the de¡­ but once Gmon brought it to a stop, the de distorted back into where it actually was.


    The elven warrior held it up, studying it without much emotion. If Argrave willed it to be so, he could see the densely packed magic imbued in the de by the enchantments, ced impressively closely alongside the runes of the southron elves. Garm¡¯s eyes continued to prove their usefulness.


    ¡°Looks impressive,¡± Argrave said as he stepped forward.


    ¡°Of course it does,¡± said Iltuda proudly. ¡°They both do.¡±


    Durran hefted his ive aloft in turn, though he did not swing it as Gmon had. The haft of the ive had runes just as the de, shining purple even in the daylight. The ck wyvern boneplimented the runes well.


    ¡°Never worked with wyvern bone before,¡± Iltudamented. ¡°Had to read some old texts written by grandfather, back when the stuff was in abundance. Despite that¡­ worked out well.¡± She looked at Gmon, jet ck eyes scanning his person. She was examining his repaired armor, not his body, though. ¡°Might¡¯ve worked on adding runes to the armor¡­ but that isn¡¯t something that can be done in seven bloody days.¡±


    Argrave stepped away, satisfied. ¡°You¡¯ve done plenty. In fact, everyone has been far too amodating,¡± Argraveplimented loudly, looking to Corentin, Florimund, and several other southron elves who had treated them well.


    ¡°Gave up a leg fighting for your little coup of Sethia,¡± Corentin noted, and though his words were harsh, he still had a smile on his face. ¡°And now, you made me wait for a new one because your boys needed some little toys.¡±


    Argrave nced down at the man¡¯s leg, where a stump just below the knee had been hidden by white wrapping. The grizzled, one-eyed veteran walked with crutches even now.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t¡­¡± Guilt made Argrave trail off, flustered.


    ¡°Hahaha,¡± Corentinughed, then pushed Argrave. ¡°You should know I don¡¯t care by now.¡± His gaze wandered to a set of gravestones. ¡°I got off light. But each and every one of the men buried there followed with the knowledge such a thing might happen,¡± he finished.


    ¡°They¡­ were some funny guys,¡± Argrave reflected, knowing that empty titudes would earn no respect from the southron elves. ¡°And all of them left descendants behind. If things continue as they are¡­ their line will continue forevermore. And a damned good bloodline it is,¡± Argrave looked about.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get crazy, now,¡± Florimund held out his hand, and several presentughed. That they couldugh amidst grief was a testament to the strength of their people, Argrave supposed, but he felt too ufortable to join them.


    ¡°Then¡­¡± Florimund stepped forth, offering his hand. ¡°Though I hope to see you again, if you say you head to the northern kingdoms once again, I fear that wish may nevere true.¡±


    Argrave shook his hand, and then Florimund did the same for the rest of his party.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like we¡¯re leaving now, but we¡¯ll probably be gone before dawn tomorrow. You might not see me again¡­¡± Argrave stepped away towards the exit of Otria. ¡°But I can guarantee you¡¯ll be hearing my name again.¡±


    Florimund grinned. ¡°Cheeky boy, are we? Well¡­¡± he nodded thoughtfully. ¡°I¡¯ll keep my ears open. Provided I don¡¯t die of old age before then, naturally.¡±


    With a single wave and a wink, Argrave turned and left, steps weighed down by the books in his pack but lightened by the fire in his heart¡­ or so he told himself, at least.


    #####


    ¡°Back to the road again tomorrow,¡± Argrave told Anneliese. ¡°It¡¯s be clear to me the future is unpredictable. Going forth¡­ looks like I¡¯ll have to rely on knowledge of what is, not what should be,¡± he shook his head. ¡°Precisely because of that¡­ this gue worries me. It¡¯s not just a disease, it¡¯s¡ª¡±


    ¡°The point of this time, Argrave, is to avoid discussing these matters,¡± she said pointedly.


    He let out a long sigh, then wrapped one arm around Anneliese. ¡°You¡¯re right. Sorry.¡±


    She rested her head on Argrave¡¯s shoulder, staring out across the vast expanse of ck sand painted by the light of the setting sun.


    ¡°We leave tomorrow, though,¡± Argrave repeated himself. His voice grew quieter, and he continued, ¡°I don¡¯t really want to leave.¡±


    ¡°You will never again be sick,¡± Anneliese pointed out. ¡°And travelling wille much easier to you, now. Moreover, we are not ted to traverse the Low Way again, if I understand you right.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that is true,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°We¡¯ll get those daggers for Gmon, a flying druidic bond for you to scout with¡­ both of which aren¡¯t especially dangerous. Rtive to the Low Way, at least. That¡¯s on the path.¡±


    She lifted her head and rested her chin on his shoulder. ¡°Then perhaps there is little to worry about.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Spending time with friendly people, learning fulfilling things¡­ moments like these,¡± Argrave turned his head to face her. ¡°It¡¯ll be hard to get started again. An idyllic life like this¡­¡±


    ¡°You say that, but you are already prepared to leave,¡± she noted. ¡°You neverck for willpower.¡±


    Argraveughed. ¡°You¡¯re not wrong.¡±


    ¡°Then what is on your mind?¡± she insisted. ¡°Why are you worried?¡±


    Argrave kneaded his palm. ¡°You and Durran stand to be at the highest risk in the northwest.¡±


    ¡°You imed you were going to take measures,¡± she pointed out. ¡°And both of us are healthy. I am young, and I have been travelling with you. We Veidimen are a hardy people. And the winter will stifle the gue, you say.¡±


    ¡°I can take measures¡­ but that isn¡¯t immunity from the gue.¡± Argrave shook his head.


    She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. ¡°Do not worry. Do what you can, and that will be enough.¡±


    He stayed silent, then nodded with a smile. ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯ll do what I can. Not worrying, though? That¡¯ll never happen.¡±


    ¡°I am not so helpless,¡± she refuted. ¡°Mages of higher ranks are healthier than average humans. And despite your recent changes, I am still one rank above you¡ªB-rank.¡±


    He smiled. ¡°I know. And you¡¯ll rise further yet, I know.¡± He paused, staring at her awkwardly.


    ¡°What?¡± she pressed, staring steadily.


    ¡°Honestly¡­¡± he rubbed his hands together nervously. ¡°The fact that you¡­ that I¡­¡± he shook his head. ¡°The fact that ¡®Heroes of Berendar¡¯ existed made everyone feel like an outsider. Everything was something foreign. Even¡­ even you,¡± he said quietly.


    Anneliese shifted but said nothing, waiting patiently.


    ¡°Now, though¡­ it¡¯s starting to feel like I have some connection to this ce. This ne. This whatever,¡± he shook his head. ¡°It always felt like the world was my enemy, and I needed to struggle against it to stay alive.¡± He held Anneliese a bit tighter. ¡°Now, I¡¯ve got a reason to keep living other than just staying alive. And I¡¯ll make sure that we make it through this together.¡±


    She kept her amber eyes fixed on Argrave, then returned his embrace just as tightly. ¡°I understand,¡± was all she said. And that was enough for him.

 Chapter 161

    Chapter 161: Step on Heads to Rise


    Argrave naively estimated the journey back to Vasquer would take ten to twelve days. As it turns out, Argrave was not particrly good at estimating the length of fantasy backpacking trips. The journey took, altogether, seventeen days¡­ and that was only to make it to the mountain highway.


    It was not because of slow movement¡ªindeed, Argrave actually found himself enjoying things when they traversed across the ck sand dunes. Anneliese had described the Burnt Desert as having an ¡®austere beauty,¡¯ before, and Argrave fully agreed with that assessment. Without scarred lungs and weak bones making things agonizing, the hike was pleasant.


    But that was when they were hiking.


    Though the first week had passed quickly, once they strayed far from Sethia, the air became unbearably dry once again. That dryness brought with it sandstorms. They were stalled by sandstorms twice¡ªthe first hadsted but one night, while the secondsted three whole days. They sought shelter within the mountains. Though offering plenty protection, they were too steep to traverse, halting all progress.


    Argrave had been worried the second sandstorm would never end, and they would starve. He¡¯d already nned to eat Gmon first. He was sure the elven vampire would agree. But the relentless barrage of ck sand did end, eventually, and they finished out the journey.


    With a heave, Argrave pulled himself over a cliff onto stark gray teau, pulling his legs up just after. The movement had been quick and smooth, and he felt some pride as he recalled the climb at the druid¡¯s camp where Gmon had needed to help him up. Every day felt like a gift now that his body had gone from a liability to a reliability.


    Anneliese was already waiting with their four Brumesingers, her long braid of white hair whipping about as she turned and examined the architecture of the highway. Argrave turned around, where he received Durran¡¯s backpack. Soon after, the man climbed up, boots scraping against the stone wall. Argrave gestured towards Gmon for his backpack, but the vampire simply climbed up as easily as one might climb out of a swimming pool. Between his te armor and his heavy pack, such a thing was a ridiculous show of strength.


    ¡°Show-off,¡± Argrave said to Gmon, turning to the highway ahead.


    The abundance of gray metal made the highway seem nearly industrial. Metal sconces had once held magicmps, but salvagers hade through here, stripping each and every sconce of their magic light. The closest ones reminded Argrave of exposed rebar. But the road kept winding up the mountain, dangerous cracks and cave-ins marring most of the road. Up high, one could see better maintained bits, where salvagers dared not tread.


    The stone road was steep and required climbing at the points where it had copsed. Iron statues with bizarre faces were half-buried in the rubble. Their faces resembled nutcrackers, though intricately wrought out of now-rusty iron and morphed in exaggerated emotion. They were angry, full of rage¡ªthough rather than terrifying, the expressions seemed like mockery.


    ¡°I cannot fathom how these highways were used¡­¡± Anneliese pondered.


    ¡°Transportation of troops between mountainside forts,¡± Argrave stepped up beside her, putting his backpack back on.


    ¡°Mountain climbing with heavy packs,¡± Durran said, catching his breath as he leaned against his ive. ¡°I missed all the signs. I¡¯m travelling with morons.¡±


    ¡°Other options; abomination-ridden underground passage jam-packed with diseases, necromantic creatures of the Order of the Rose, and a knightly order who has vilified me,¡± Argrave raised one finger. ¡°Or¡­ we can ask the Lionsun Castle to open the gates for us. Barring these highways, there¡¯s no other way over these mountain peaks.¡±


    ¡°Underground passage¡­ this is Nodremaid, that city Garm spoke to me about,¡± Durran caught his breath.


    Argrave nodded, surprised Durran knew more than he thought. Anneliese walked up to a pile of rubble, touching one of the iron statues. ¡°Don¡¯t be so carefree,¡± Argrave called out. ¡°Some of these statues are functioning golems.¡±


    ¡°These are the golems you mentioned?¡± Anneliese asked, surprised. ¡°The Veidimen say golems are myths. And moreover, metal golems¡­¡±


    ¡°The pathways and fortresses were made by men. The sconces, the golems¡­ they were made by the subterranean mountain people I had intended to enlist against the Vessels in Sethia.¡±


    ¡°You did not mention them in our n for this ce,¡± Anneliese noted.


    ¡°They¡¯re gone, at least from here,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°Their creations remain.¡±


    Durran looked quite skeptical. Argrave caught him frowning and took note of it but decided to wait forter.


    Argrave looked at the steep pathway ahead, feeling trepidatious. <em>You wanted to work on your body, right? </em>he gave himself a pep talk internally. <em>This is your chance. Come on. Kill it. </em>In truth, it was less ¡®mountain climbing¡¯ and more ¡®rock scrabbling.¡¯ The falls were not inherently deadly, simply painful. The most cumbersome part of the journey was their packs.


    During the hour, they advanced no more than a half mile. It was strenuous, both mentally and physically, as they needed to n out a path up the uneven road and then execute that n. Durran voiced his skepticism frequently but kept pace with them despite hefting his ive about. It was Anneliese who struggled the most, though not to an excessive degree. Argrave felt strange when he was not the straggler.


    The Brumesingers conjured mist from their fur with a pleasant chiming song, then vanished into it, traversing their brume as they had in the tomb of the southron elves. They would reappear at higher elevations, lounging and ying with each other as though this was a casual stroll rather than a treacherous climb. If Argrave didn¡¯t have such affection for the creatures, he might¡¯ve gotten a headache from annoyance.


    Argrave locked his hands together, and Anneliese stepped on them. He boosted her up, and then grabbed her backpack, cing it up beside her. After, he did the same for Durran and his ive, and then he and Gmon came upst. All save Gmon were breathing heavy. They conjured water with spells, drinking heavily.


    ¡°I must ask¡­ for a break,¡± Anneliese gasped out.


    Argrave didn¡¯t answer, taking his time to catch his breath. After a time, he responded, ¡°Take all the time you need. And rest easy, because that was thest bit of climbing we¡¯ll need to do.¡± He straightened his back. ¡°Now that we¡¯re up here, I¡¯ll stress this¡ªfollow mepletely. No veering off course.¡±


    Ahead, the highway¡¯s winding slopes ttened out, finally reaching level ground. The metal statues were much more abundant, and a few of the metal sconces still bore their enchanted ss orbs, even if they were dead by now. Argrave looked back beyond them. From up high, the Burnt Desert was even more beautiful. The distant and borate cities of the Vessels seemed like stars in the sky or shining lights in the abyss.


    ¡°Long way down,¡± Durran came to stand beside Argrave, leaning forth and cing his elbow on his knee. ¡°Going to be a shame when we have to turn around. No way this makes it all the way across.¡±


    Argrave shook his head, only able to musterughter at Durran¡¯s constant derision. After everyone recovered from their fatigue, they gathered their things and pressed onwards.


    Anneliese kept her head upwards instead of watching the path ahead, examining theically angry metal statues they walked by. Though still rusted, they were upright at this higher section, and most bore metal rods in hand. They took ridiculous poses, again intended to mock the warriors they portrayed.


    ¡°The top of those rods¡­ something was cut off there, severed. You can tell,¡± she pointed.


    ¡°And what was once there?¡± Argrave pressed amusedly, knowing the answer.


    ¡°I am unsure. They could be spears, longmaces¡­ jeweled scepters of some kind, perhaps. It would exin why they have been cut off.¡±


    Argrave stayed silent as they trekked forward, a smile on his face.


    ¡°Why are you so amused?¡± she frowned. ¡°You will keep me in the dark?¡±


    Argrave held up a hand to shrug. ¡°You¡¯ll see what was there. That¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°Some guardian golems, if they just let whatever they held be cut off and stolen,¡± Durran noted a bit sarcastically.


    Argrave nced at Durran, then fished into his pocket. He scanned the nearby statues, then locked his eye on one in particr. He pulled free a silver coin minted in Malgeridum¡¯s style and flicked it towards a close golem. As the coin spun by the metal statue he¡¯d had his eye on, its arm rocketed forth and the rod it held mmed into the ground. The coin had been caught perfectly, smushed around the edge of the rod. Its arm clicked like a wind-up toy, cranking back to its original position. The silver coin hung at the edge of the rod, morphed around it.


    ¡°These ones are stationary. They attack anything that enters into their line of attack,¡± Argrave smiled. ¡°It gives them greater power.¡±


    Durran stared at the coin, and then nced at the silver smudge left behind where it had been beaten around the rod.


    ¡°Nearly poked one of those things to test it,¡± he said a little hauntedly.


    Argrave gave Durran a pat on the shoulder, then kept walking. The path was rough and poorly maintained, and grass growing up through the stone had left great cracks in everything. Harsh winds were shielded by higher peaks around them.


    The path tunneled into a mountain. In that tunnel, the path narrowed, and a thousand statues lined up shoulder to shoulder.


    Durran tapped his ive against the ground. ¡°Not sure anyone alive can maneuver through that, if those things are all like those metal meat crushers we passed by.¡±


    Argrave veered from the center of the road, walking towards one of the statues. ¡°I would never,¡± he scolded, retrieving another coin. He tossed it, and its right arm whirred, mming the rod in hand against the ground. The rod was thicker than most of the others.


    Argrave stepped atop the rod, bncing carefully as it clicked and rose back up. Once it was at its highest point, he stepped off onto the statue¡¯s shoulder, then stood on its head.


    ¡°Gmon, you¡¯rest,¡± Argrave shouted down. ¡°Rescue anyone in case they fall.¡±


    Gmon nodded. Durran seemed thrilled at what Argrave had done, practically beaming in anticipation. He kicked a rock towards the golem, then leapt atop the thick rod once it mmed against the ground. He rode it upwards to the top, and they stayed standing there.


    ¡°Anneliese, you go. I¡¯ll jump off just before it swings,¡± he suggested eagerly.


    Argrave grabbed his ive and pulled Durran off the rod, stepping aside to make room atop the statue¡¯s head. Durran nearly lost his bnce, but managed to correct himself before it was toote. He looked aggrieved, but Argrave could not be bothered.


    Anneliese ascended up next, legs a bit shaky. Argrave moved to the next statue in the long row to amodate her. Just after, Gmon came, reaching the top just as they had without incident.


    Now that they all stood atop the statues, Argrave led. He jumped from statue to statue, stepping on their heads like one might move from rock to rock on a river. They entered into the tunnel, where Argrave¡¯s head very nearly touched the ceiling with every jump.


    Everyone was deathly quiet, realizing all too well the consequences of falling. After a while, Argrave came to a statue that had a missing head and kneeled where its head once was.


    ¡°Gods,¡± Durran eximed,ing to a stop. ¡°Got into a rhythm, almost jumped at you. What are you doing?¡±


    Argrave scanned the statues in the adjacent row. His eyes settled on one that held its rod with two hands. He turned his head to Durran.


    ¡°You¡¯re probably better aim than me. Trigger that one, there,¡± Argrave pointed to it, handing the tribal a coin. ¡°And brace yourself. Ground might shake a little.¡±


    Durran held the coin tightly. ¡°Just throwing away money,¡± he muttered, taking a second. After aiming, he flicked his wrist out, tossing the coin. It rung through the air. The statue triggered, thrusting straight upwards. Its metal stick mmed loudly against the ceiling. A few rocks fell¡­ and then after, the tunnel¡¯s ceiling caved in, including much of the wall close to it. Argrave stayed kneeling, covering his mouth from dust.


    They all stayed still and tense as the dust settled. Once it had, Durran lowered his hand.


    ¡°What was that for? Fun?¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°It¡¯s a secret wall,¡± Argrave responded, rising to his feet. The statue just across from them bent its waist, bowing, and held its hands out as though begging. Though crude, it formed a walkway across. Argrave stepped across without hesitation, heading for the great hole in the wall caused by the cave in.


    In the hole created, stairs poked out from the rubble¡ªit was a deliberate design, not a wed instation of their golem. The subterranean people were masters of tunneling and boring, and enjoyed putting tricks like this in their tunnels. Argrave had been a bit worried this would work, but it did so wlessly.


    Argrave stepped up the stairs, mindful not to stumble over the rubble caused by the cave in. Light shone at the end of the tunnel, and he pressed towards it. He squinted as he entered the outside once again.


    A verdant grove awaited them, surrounded on all sides by tall peaks. The shrubs, trees, and bushes full of berries and fruits were supported by a waterfall in the far distance that separated into two perfectly symmetrical streams. Between these streams was arge pavilion housing a marble statue.


    Anneliese and the rest caught up to Argrave, looking around the ce in wonder.


    ¡°This ce is where¡­¡± she trailed off, awed by the beauty of the ce.


    ¡°We¡¯ll recruit the best scout in the world,¡± Argrave finished. ¡°That¡¯s exactly right.¡±

 Chapter 162

    Chapter 162: Spiteful Sparrows


    The verdant, sheltered grove atop the mountains between the Burnt Desert and Vasquer was not an especiallyrge ce, but it was teeming with creatures thought long dead or shrouded in myth. It was like a little microcosm atop the mountains. Though the winds were harsh and the air cold outside, a pleasant, temperate atmosphere persisted here.


    In ¡®Heroes of Berendar,¡¯ this ce was a hotspot for yers seeking out rarer herbs for potent alchemical potions. Its only superior was Princess Elenore¡¯s greenhouse, but getting there involved a fairly long questline.


    Argrave was hit with a wave of nostalgia as they stepped towards the pavilion of jade stone. He hade here so many times, and now he was back again, physically present. The brightly colored, beautiful flowers, belying their poisonous nature¡­ the animals cries, some of which he recognized¡­


    And shes of gold, flying through the air and disappearing so quickly they appeared to be an illusion. They were far too fast to track with the eyes. At a point, one of the shes ceased just above the jade pavilion. It was a small bird norger than a tennis ball seemingly crafted of gold, wings fluttering so fast as to be nigh invisible. The moment it moved again, it vanished like an illusion.


    ¡°I saw it!¡± Anneliese said excitedly, pointing a finger at where it once was. Once she processed it had already vanished, she amended, ¡°It was just there, I swear it.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like crazy talk to me,¡± Argrave acted ignorant, but he couldn¡¯t fool Anneliese, who gave a small huff of amused annoyance and kept looking around.


    ¡°Fastest thing I¡¯ve seen,¡± Gmon adjusted his helmet. ¡°Can¡¯t track it.¡±


    Durran ced his ive upon a rock and hefted himself up a bit. ¡°A Starsparrow¡­ Closer kin to a hummingbird, no?¡±


    Argrave made it to the pavilion and put his hand on one of the jade pirs holding the roof up. ¡°Just what they called it,¡± he said idly.


    ¡°Who¡¯s ¡®they?¡¯¡± Durran followed up.


    ¡°The subterranean mountain tribes that conquered this ce,¡± Argrave answered at once, only to frown upon further introspection. In the past, his first thought would have been ¡®the game¡¯s developers.¡¯ His way of thinking was changing. It was paradoxicallyforting and unsettling. He was integrating with his new life.


    Shaking it off, Argrave continued, ¡°Most people that leave behind a treasure, we¡¯re talking gemstones, gold. For the people that lived underground, they preserved the beauty of the surface, and the tools they used to conquer. In this case, the golems¡­¡± Argrave stepped away from the pavilion, eyes wandering. ¡°And these sanctuaries. Those are the things they hold precious.¡±


    Everyone drank in the rich atmosphere of the ce. Argrave could swear that even the air tasted better. Steam rose from the pools which the waterfalls fed, marking them as heated springs. It was an intoxicatingly peaceful ce.


    ¡°You have any notion on how you n to catch light?¡± Durran was the first to bring them back. ¡°These birds¡­ unless we¡¯ve got steel-wireds and hands quicker than lightning, I can¡¯t imagine we¡¯ll have much luck.¡±


    Argrave took a deep breath and nodded, steeling himself to keep going. ¡°It could be quite simple, provided we get lucky. Otherwise, we¡¯ll be shepherding a bird into a trap for some hours.¡± Argrave pointed to the waterfall. ¡°There¡¯s a small cave behind that thing that shelters some pools. Some birds might be drinking from it, or there might be a nest in there. That¡¯s what we¡¯re hoping for.¡±


    Durran frowned but gave an acquiescent nod. ¡°Considering we had to cave in the ce to get here¡­ I imagine you haven¡¯t been here before. Yet you know all of this.¡±


    ¡°All things with time,¡± Argrave assured Durran, patting his shoulder. The golden-eyed tribal followed him as he walked away, lost in thought. Eventually, he shook his head and proceeded.


    #####


    As it turns out, they were not lucky.


    The cave behind the waterfall was small, possessing only one entrance and amounting to no more than a thousand square feet at best. Anneliese conjured a ward at the entrance to prevent escape and investigated but could not find any Starsparrows within.


    As a consequence, they began theborious process of trying to force the bird to go into that ce. Anneliese remained by the cave, standing by to ¡®put the lid on the jar,¡¯ so to speak. The three others were relegated to bird-herding duty. Gmon was adept at spotting the Starsparrows, and so Argrave followed his lead.


    The vicious nts of the sanctuary proved to be cumbersome, and Argrave was forced to watch the path they took for dangerous things. Some of them had acidic liquid on their leaves that could eat through steel. Others were genuinely carnivorous. Though Argrave had a solid grasp of herbology even now, he was not perfect. Gmon¡¯s fast reaction times was the only reason he was never genuinely hurt while leading them.


    The first hour was utterly fruitless. Even ignoring the dangerous flora, some of the fauna proved to be quite aggressive. Everything in here was beautiful, true enough, but everything was equally deadly. Simple butterflies spewed poisonous mists when threatened.


    The second hour proved a little better. They chased a Starsparrow for a time, but it was hardly ¡®herding.¡¯ It was more along the lines of ¡®annoying it until it moved a little.¡¯ Argrave fell into a poisonous bush chasing after it. He had panicked a great deal at first, before recalling he was ck Blooded and poison meant little to him. Forget being poisoned¡ªhe didn¡¯t even get a rash.


    The third and fourth¡ªor was it five?¡ªhours, their disorganized pursuit began to resemble a coordinated effort. Argrave took the role ofmander, directing Gmon and Durran to go to certain locations to receive the oing bird. Meanwhile, he directed his Brumesingers to conjure warriors of mist at key locations, further limiting its escape options. He was d it wouldn¡¯t simply leave the sanctuary and go somewhere else.


    Finally, just as the suns neared the point of setting, the bird finally headed towards the cave¡­ and zig-zagged about, evoking nervousness from all of them. As if told to do so, the bird quickly darted down and disappeared into the cave. Anneliese conjured her ward and entered through it.


    Argrave and Durran cheered loudly, and even Gmon seemed quite pleased. They celebrated with each other as Anneliese proceeded into the cave. Argrave tried to pick up Durran, but he hadn¡¯t improved to the point of being able to do that, and only seeded in embarrassing himself.


    When Anneliese emerged without a golden bird in hand, their pleased expressions froze. The bird had escaped before she conjured the ward. None, not even Gmon, had seen it.


    Spirit broken, Argrave called a break to watch the suns set with Anneliese. He would never break this tradition of theirs if he could help it. After, dejected beyondpare, they once again sought out the devilish Starsparrow. The suns fell behind the mountains, but they pressed on. They needed to capture that bird to regain their honor.


    When the moon reached its midpoint, they once again seeded in herding a Starsparrow towards the cave. Durran must¡¯ve got a prophecy from heaven, because he aimed magic just above the cave¡¯s overhang, striking it with lightning. The bird was frightened and sought the cave for cover, and Anneliese once again conjured her ward.


    With bated breath, all watched her enter and search out the cave. They crouched a good distance away, battered and hopeful. Argrave¡¯s heart was beating fast when he saw a sh of white hair emerge out from the cave. She let down the ward¡­


    And a little golden sh darted out from the cave, taking its ce on her shoulder.


    Even Gmon joined them in a primal roar of triumph at that moment.


    #####


    ¡°Gods¡­ I think I twisted something¡­¡± Durranined, stroking his ankle.


    ¡°Should have learned healing magic,¡± Argrave reprimanded, then used a C-rank spell of his own near the man¡¯s ankle.


    It was the morning of the next day. Despite the strenuous yesterday, Argrave still felt ready to go. Durran and Gmon did more physical work than he did as theycked the support of the Brumesingers. Even still, the effects of bing ck Blooded were obvious every day. All it took was a night¡¯s rest, and though he was a bit sore, he was ready to go.


    Anneliese sat in the jade pavilion, seemingly meditating. Argrave and Durran sat on the stairs leading up to the pavilion, guarding her. She was using druidic magic to control the bird directly. Meanwhile, Argrave sat with another little creature in hisp¡ªAnneliese had surrendered her Brumesinger to him, unable to maintain more than one direct bond. With this, he now had four of the little foxes.


    ¡°Whew¡­¡± Anneliese let out a sigh as she fell back, supporting herself with her hand. A sh of gold entered Argrave¡¯s peripheries, and then a golden bird settled on her shoulder. The Starsparrow was a cute thing, a sparrow of solid gold, yet Argrave could not look at the little monstrosity kindly.


    ¡°It flies¡­ so quickly. It feels like my heart will stop every time I move possessing it. If I wish to be somewhere within sight, I can reach it within seconds. And it can see for miles,¡± she described wondrously, eyes still closed.


    The description brought some curiosity from Argrave. In ¡®Heroes of Berendar,¡¯ bonding with the Starsparrow just maximized the yer¡¯s perception, enabling them to see everything on the mini map far in advance. For attacking, it did decent damage, and could dodge nearly everything¡­ but one hit would kill it, and so most yers kept it protected.


    Argrave was somewhat envious, but he supposed grass was always greener on the other side. Anneliese could only bond with one animal at a time, but it enabled herplete control over that animal. Conversely, Argrave¡¯s [Pack Leader] allowed him control over multiple animals, though with a lesser degree of control. It was further limited to creatures of the same species.


    ¡°It should be able to see ants on trees atop other peaks, what with all the trouble we had,¡± Durran muttered.


    Argrave¡¯s Brumesingers strode towards Anneliese, showing affection towards her. His druidic bonds always mirrored what he felt, Argrave wasing to find. The golden Starsparrow jumped atop one of them, and they yed in harmony.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Argrave grunted as he rose to his feet. ¡°My Brumesingers are getting peckish, and they can¡¯t eat here. There are no lingering souls.¡± He looked around the secluded grove. ¡°We got what we needed. Now, we need to harvest some food for the Starsparrow and get out. It¡¯s a picky eater¡ªneeds to eat the seeds of magic nts. We need to get what we can while we can. Fortunately, there¡¯s plenty here.¡±


    Argrave stepped off the jade pavilion, already moving to do as he¡¯d described. Durran looked at him, clearly exhausted, and sighed. He shook his head, dispelling tiredness, and then gave himself a p to wake himself up.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°Hunt it for hours, now we get its food.¡± the tribal muttered.


    #####


    With the matter of the Starsparrow settled in a rtively timely manner, they departed from the mountain sanctuary and back onto the road of golems. Though the beginning was rough for Durran and Anneliese, who were weary, soon enough they caught their stride, and the remainder of the journey through the tunnel was uneventful.


    They exited from the narrow tunnels abounding with stationary golem traps back into the fast-moving mountain winds. The path continued onwards for a time, still surrounded by rusted statues, before opening up into arge central square. This square branched off into several paths.


    Most importantly, one could see over the mountains, beyond into Vasquer territory. There was no clear path down, but that it could be seen was evidence enough their journey across the Burnt Desert was very nearly well and done.


    Durran rushed across the square, gazing out across thend with wonder. ¡°There it is. Thends beyond the northern mountains.¡±


    Argrave stepped up beside him. It couldn¡¯t exactly be called and of endless green¡ªthey were in the heart of winter, and the fields had changed ordingly.


    ¡°Look. You can see some snow further north,¡± he pointed. ¡°I told you about it earlier, it¡¯s¡ª¡±


    ¡°I know what snow is, you damned imbecile,¡± heughed. ¡°You think I¡¯ve never flown to a mountain¡¯s peak with a wyvern?¡±


    Argrave tried his best not tough. Elsewhere, Anneliese called out, ¡°They were spears!¡± as though enlightened.


    Argrave turned his head, following her line of sight. Indeed, at the edge of the square, one of the golems still had its spear intact. The spearhead was strange¡ªit resembled a knife.


    ¡°Indeed they are,¡± Argrave nodded, stepping up to her. ¡°The subterranean people, they had a mythical figure they revered. He was a master thief. Allegedly, he fought a greatmander from Vasquer, and during their battle, he cut off the man¡¯s spearhead. After, he used that weapon as a knife, and led his people to conquer the mountains.¡±


    ¡°Then, these statues¡­ the reason they are missing their spearhead¡­ they mimic the warrior that thief overcame? They stand as a symbol of pride?¡±


    ¡°Sort of,¡± Argrave nodded. He retrieved thest of the coins minted in the Burnt Desert¡ªthey¡¯d have no value in Vasquer, so he was disposing of them one by one. ¡°Gmon, hit the one we¡¯re looking at,¡± he called out, handing the vampire the coin.


    Gmon took the coin, gaze jumping between Argrave, it, and the statue. Eventually, he flourished the coin between his fingers, then flicked it towards the statue. Instead of being struck down, the flying coin struck the statue squarely on the face. Steam blew out of its nose, further exaggerating the angry expression on its face.


    And then, it stepped forward.


    ¡°They¡¯re a test. A trial. Each and every one.¡± Argrave watched as it approached, each step jerky. The ground shook as it walked. Everyone seemed panicked, but Argrave held his hand out, casting a druidic spell. His Brumesingers emerged from his clothing, scattering across the ground.


    Mist spread out from their fur, consuming the square. With another spell, Argrave focused his will on the spearhead. As the brume consumed the square, the warriors conjured by the small foxes appeared, battering at it relentlessly. They took the form of the southron elven warriors in in the battle against Brium. They hacked just beneath the spearhead, and eventually they seeded in cutting through the metal. The spearhead ttered to the ground.


    The titanic golem halted, grinding and clicking to a stop.


    Argrave walked over to the fallen spearhead and picked it up. It was a nice knife, even despite enduring the elements all these years. Even still, it couldn¡¯t bepared to the two that Argrave came here to get.


    ¡°Fortunately, there¡¯s a reason I went so far out of my way to get my little friends,¡± Argrave concluded, holding the knife up.

 Chapter 163

    Chapter 163: The Skyburnt Fortress


    Argrave tossed aside the newly acquired knife. It ttered against the floor. Some of the knives could be good loot, but he had nothing to evaluate them with.


    ¡°Give warning before you do something like that,¡± Anneliese rebuked Argrave, cing her hand to her heart and sighing to dispel her tension. Gmon put away his sword.


    Argrave shrugged without a response, watching Durran walk past the golem while giving it a wide berth. He bent over, leaning on his ive, and retrieved the discarded knife.


    ¡°Good gods. If I¡¯d known your little fes could muster warriors that could cut steel, I might¡¯ve thrown them a snack or two, won their favor.¡± Durran flipped the spearhead knife through his fingers, running his fingers opposite the edge to test its sharpness.


    ¡°They eat souls,¡± Argrave turned to him. ¡°Might be you <em>have</em> fed them, but not deliberately.¡±


    Durran gazed at the four small creatures scamper back to Argrave, seeking refuge in his clothes once again now that their task was done. ¡°Got a miracle pet lined up for me?¡±


    Argrave nked. It was a good point, certainly, but he¡¯d been too distracted to n for what to assign to Durran. He mulled for a moment, then recalled, ¡°You¡¯ll have to get to C-rank if you want any permanence in bonds. Most of the D-rank druidic spells aren¡¯t the type that¡¯ll keep your druidic links lingering by your side for longer than a few hours. Anneliese has the C-rank [Bond], while I use [Pack Leader].¡±


    ¡°And in time, I n on learning the B-rank spell [Progenitor], to bind us in a druidicwork,¡± Anneliese butted in.


    ¡°That spell Tirros used back at the druidic camp in Mateth?¡± Argrave pointed, but then realized she probably wouldn¡¯t know as she hadn¡¯t been there. ¡°Never mind, I know what it is. That¡­ will be useful,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°At that point, you¡¯ll be able to notice what my Brumesingers notice. Between the Starsparrow and them, ambushing us is going to be impossible. And that¡¯s a damn great thing, because we can win most fights we¡¯re aware areing.¡±


    ¡°C-rank spells, huh?¡± Durran clenched his fist. ¡°Alright. Got something to focus on. Might be Ie to you two for pointers.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Argrave walked to Anneliese and ced his hand on her shoulder. ¡°Sure. Anneliese is the best teacher you could ask for.¡± He took his hand off, ncing around the square. ¡°But we¡¯ve idled enough. It¡¯s time to head to Essenza, the Skyburnt Fortress.¡±


    With those words, his gaze rested on the only road remaining that headed upwards. It went along the top of the peak, heading steadily upwards. A giant drum tower was visible in the far distance, like a capstone atop the mountains. Unlike the roads before, this was one adorned with mostly fully functioning golems, their spears still intact. Few of the subterranean people cared to test themselves on golems of that sort¡­


    And barring two, Argrave didn¡¯t n on it, either.


    #####


    Gmon raised his hands to his ears, startled by the deafeningly loud thunder booming out across the peaks. Everyone else was a step slower in reacting, but they all turned to the sky where stormy clouds whirled far above.


    ¡°Lightning on mountaintops? Forget this,¡± Durran shouted out. ¡°We should call it a day, wait for conditions to improve. I like living.¡±


    ¡°They won¡¯t improve,¡± said Argrave loudly. ¡°This ce is always misery weather-wise.¡±


    The Skyburnt Fortress, Essenza, was the only piece of architecture atop these peaks built wholly by the subterranean mountain people. It was octagonal in shape, built around a cone mountain peak. Eight towers marked eight corners, each with a jade pavilion atop them simr to the one they¡¯d seen within the wildlife sanctuary. The cone peak had a great drum tower built atop it, and the peak¡¯s innards had been bored out to make stairs leading up to the tower.


    As they continued to watch the stormy skies, lightning struck again. The lightning arched towards the top of the jade pavilions, where spikes of metal rose up into the sky. The metal spike and jade pavilion both sparked, glowing brilliantly even amidst the shade of the clouds. Despite the size of the apparent storm, no rain fell. Even the winds had ceased.


    ¡°You really want to go in there?¡± Durran asked incredulously. ¡°Even the youngest in the tribes know not to fly a wyvern in a storm. This is no good!¡±


    ¡°This ce isn¡¯t natural. We¡¯ll be fine. Just don¡¯t step on the jade,¡± Argrave warned, stepping forward. ¡°If you don¡¯t step on the jade, you¡¯ll be fine. If you do step on it, you might die.¡±


    Argrave took the first step forward, and his two elvenpanions followed without second-guessing him. Durran hung back, turning in the road as though deliberating between waiting outside and following. Eventually, he let out a lowugh, and rushed to catch up with Argrave.


    They passed beneath the great gateways of Essenza, where two golems three times the size as those on the road stood guard. Their spearheads were fashioned of greatswords. Frankly, those two gate golems were nightmarish whenpared to the weapon they dropped, and Argrave was quite d that he didn¡¯t need to fight them.


    The interior of Essenza was a barren ce, but it seemed busy. That was lending to the pattern running across the floor. The ce was a maze of simple, gray stone and beautifully polished jade. Whenever the p of thunder deafened them, the jade on the floor would spark and glow, gleaming dangerously.


    ¡°The Ice of Balein¡­¡± Gmon muttered.


    ¡°What?¡± Argrave turned back.


    Gmon said nothing, watching the jade writhe with sparks at random intervals. Then, he knelt down, staring a bit closer. ¡°The Ice of Balein is said to conduct electricity in this manner. I thought it only myth, but the appearance, its characteristics¡­¡±


    Argrave raised a brow, thinking on the matter. If he prowled his memory, the term was vaguely familiar. ¡°You¡¯ll have to tell me more of itter,¡± Argrave concluded, and Anneliese nodded in agreement.


    Gmon grunted, rising to his feet.


    ¡°Give me some space,¡± Argrave held a hand out. ¡°I¡¯ll lead¡ªI know the way. We have to walk across this. If we¡¯re closely bunched, someone might bump into someone, cause an unfortunate ident. Whether it be the walls, the floor, the ceiling¡ªbe very mindful of what you touch. Avoid this Ice of Balein. Follow my lead.¡±


    Despite Argrave¡¯s confidentmand, he took a deep breath to fight his uncertainty. Everyone gave him ample space, watching him closely. He set his foot down on the first bit of stone, very mindful of how near he was to the jade.


    Like this, Argrave stepped forward ever so slowly. He took a safe, if streamlined, route, heading around the central drum tower in the center towards where he knew the stairs would be. He was ever mindful of howrge his feet were in this moment, and more than a bit resentful of this fact. He remained cautious with his steps and deliberated long before he touched anything for bnce.


    Whenever the lightning sparked, it was difficult to avoid being distracted by the brightness and the sound of it. Between focusing on the path and avoiding being distracted by the myriad distractions, it was very fitting to call this ce a ¡®test.¡¯ He could not afford any focus to the people behind him.


    Eventually, he looked up and saw an opening in the drum tower. He let out a light sigh of relief. Like this, he took measured steps towards it, refusing to allow his caution to drop even slightly. With his enchantments, he wasn¡¯t sure if the lightning would kill him outright. It definitely didn¡¯t stand to be pleasant, though, and Argrave made sure not to test that theory.


    When Argrave passed the opening, things became easier. A stairwayy ahead. These stairs simply alternated¡ªin every two steps one was made of jade, the other of stone. Considering Argrave took stairs two steps at a time normally, it didn¡¯t prove to offer much challenge at all. Argrave got into a stable position, and then waited for hispanions to get closer.


    ¡°Anyone had any shocking revtions?¡± Argrave called out once everyone had caught up amply.


    ¡°Listen, leader man¡ªnow is not the time,¡± Durran called out with a tight voice.


    Argrave was too tense tough at that, and he turned to the stairs once he was content everyone was well. Despite the ease it offered, he moved very cautiously. The stairs were smaller than his feet, as it turned out, and so he needed to awkwardly maneuver with his feet held sideways to avoid touching the jade portions. That, coupled with the fact that he couldn¡¯t use the walls for bnce easily, made it much more difficult than he had thought.


    After probably the most tiring set of stairs Argrave had ever endured, he saw the storm hovering above. He didn¡¯t dare drop his caution at that point, very carefully making his way up to the top of the central drum tower.


    The top of the drum tower was t, marked by arge jade spiral starting from the center and moving outwards. Each branch of the spiral was thin, and easy to step over. The parapets were tall enough that even Argrave could not see over the higher portions.


    At the opposite end of where they hade from, two golems stood. They were a fair bitrger than most of the ones that had decorated the walkway. They were moreplete, somehow¡ªtheir figures were more intricate, and they bore genuine armor. It seemed to be te mail. Their spears, too, were different, most notably in the spearhead. The knife spearheads were blue, green crystals on their length shining brightly.


    Durran emerged, carefully jumping past thest jade stairway onto the bit of stone that was safe. He held his arms out and smiled in triumph, eyes darting around. He spotted the golems, and his face fell.


    ¡°Gods be damned. You bloody bastard,¡± he looked at Argrave incredulously.


    ¡°Yep,¡± Argrave nodded.


    Durran pointed his ive. ¡°<em>These </em>are the ones we¡¯re to fight, and on this hellscape that sparks every couple seconds?¡±


    Argrave shook his head. ¡°No, I came up here to get a nice view for our pic.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Stupid question,¡± Durran conceded. ¡°Well, I guess I get to sit back while you get your little creatures to ve away.¡±


    ¡°Au contraire,¡± Argrave waved his finger. ¡°The knives these guys have are a little too strong to be chopped very quickly. And they¡¯re a little faster than their jerkier rtives.¡± Argrave took a deep breath. ¡°The master thief I mentioned¡ªin their folklore, he was attuned with lightning. Allegedly, those spears hold the daggers he used.¡± Argrave held his arms out. ¡°Stands to reason that the test to get them won¡¯t be easy, no?¡±


    His gaze passed between Gmon and Durran. Gmon caught on quickly, and after a while, Durran¡¯s face grew somber as he realized what was to be asked of him.


    ¡°We ought to n,¡± Argrave sped his hands together. ¡°Lucky for all of us, I know how these guys fight.¡±


    #####


    As much as Argrave wished he could simply fight these golems from a safe ce, no such safe ce existed. Against these foes, maneuverability was a valuable thing. The area was wide, and though it had one prevailing hazard, the spirals were thin and easily sidestepped as long as one remained cautious.


    Gmon stood at the forefront. Durran was near him, if slightly behind. Anneliese and Argrave stood at the back. Argrave had his Brumesingers prepared forbat, while Anneliese had moved her Starsparrow a safe distance away. It couldn¡¯t be called a formation¡ªthere weren¡¯t enough people. But it was definitely deliberate, and all prepared for the fight with the two golems across.


    The first to make their move, as agreed, was Gmon. He got his bow and arrow ready, taking aim. Without hesitating much, it twanged out, the loosed projectile soaring through the air ordinarily. It struck the golem on their right.


    At once, the whole air seemed to shift. The still ck clouds above them writhed, and all electric activity within ceased. As if reaching down, the center of the cloud descended downwards a single point, heading for the golems. The storm cloud seemed to enter into their nose, their ears, their eyes. Durran clenched his ive a bit tighter.


    After a time, the electricity within the clouds sparked loudly, then rained upon the right-side golem¡¯s spear in suchrge quantity as to produce a boom louder than any that hade before. Everyone flinched from the intensity of the sound even though they had all expected it.


    Both of the golems stepped forward, ck storm clouds billowing from their joints and their eyes. Their eyes sparked with electricity, visible even through the ck mist surging from within. Their exaggeratedly angry expressions seemed genuinely terrifying in that moment.


    Durranughed maniacally. ¡°Gods above. My heart¡¯s skipping beats.¡±


    The golem on the right side hefted its spear. It seemed to be holding a solid mass of electricity.


    ¡°I¡¯ve gotta concur,¡± Argrave shouted back.


    The golem mmed the spear down, and electricity consumed the spirals, sending pirs of lightning up into the sky in the shape of a vortex. When things settled, the lightning had passed to the golem on the left side.

 Chapter 164

    Chapter 164: Giantkillers


    Gmon had taught Argrave a lot aboutbat,manding, and strategy. The man was a great general, and Argrave was eager to learn whatever he could from him. Barring his own personal interest on the matter, as things proceeded, he would be talking to andmanding a lot more than a group of four and their pets. He needed to learn these things.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    He told Argrave of a simple principle¡ªwhen fighting multiple foes, focus on ending one foe quickly so as to upset the bnce in one¡¯s favor. That strategy held up with his knowledge of video games in general. When fighting multiple bosses, or even just regr enemies, it¡¯s best to focus on one and knock it out quickly. After deliberating on the matter, Argrave recalled a phrase that was used to describe that, even if indirectly.


    Divide and conquer.


    It wasn¡¯t a one-to-one match in terms of definition, but the point stood¡ªenemies united are much more difficult to deal with.


    ¡°Gmon!¡± Argrave shouted as the golems approached them. He triggered the Blessing of Supersession for caution¡¯s sake, though he was not sure he would need it. He could not bombard these foes with electric eels.


    The golem on the left side bore lightning on its spear. Its actions were smooth, fluid, and it proceeded towards them in an almost human run. In stark contrast, the golem on the right side without lightning was more withdrawn, and it did not move half as fast as itspanion. Soon enough, it trailed behind its lightning-d ally.


    Gmon received Argrave¡¯smand and rushed forward to meet the lightning-wreathed golem. Though the elven vampire was huge, the golem was titanic¡ªArgrave estimated it was near twelve feet tall, and with the ck storm clouds billowing from its body, it appearedrger. Nevertheless, Gmon approached it without fear.


    Argrave cast a subset spell of [Pack Leader],manding his Brumesingers to attack what he willed. Simultaneously, he shouted, ¡°Durran!¡±


    ¡°I know!¡± the tribal returned as he moved along the edge of the circr tower, heading towards the rightward golem.


    Gmon met with the lightning-wreathed golem, his greatsword at the ready. He kept a safe distance away, not moving to attack at all. The golem raised its spear in one hand, then thrust. The attack was inhumanly fast, yet Gmon returned with an equally ridiculously fast sidestep. The spear impaled the ground, sending a single surge through the jade spiral. None were on the jade, though. It dragged its spear through the stone, sending rubble and sparks flying everywhere, and did a great underhand swing at Gmon, who again dodged narrowly.


    On the opposite side, Durran engaged with the other golem. Though slower, it was still ridiculously potent. Because of its slowness, though, Durran led it away, battering its spearhead with relentless casts of the D-rank spell [Wind de]. It rarely had an opportunity to swing. Argrave and Anneliese followed this fight. Argrave¡¯s four Brumesingers relentlessly battered its spearhead with conjured warriors, the foxes howling their song while writhed in the brume. Anneliese contributed where she could, but without getting dangerously close it was difficult to be urate.


    Argrave¡¯s gaze constantly wandered to the golem battling Gmon. It was a ridiculous show of prowess from both sides¡ªthe golem had a machine ruthlessness, destroying parts of the tower parapet with ferocious swings as Gmon dodged with finesse entirely unbefitting the te armor he wore. The armor served its purpose, though, shielding him from stones whistling through the air after each staggeringly powerful attack.


    Argrave wasn¡¯t watching because of worry. He was waiting for a sign.


    The moment he saw the lightning-d golem put two hands on its spear, he shouted as loud as he could, ¡°SWITCH!¡±


    Durran pushed the back of his ive against the tower¡¯s parapet, narrowly dodging a swing from the golem. He slid beneath its legs and then took off in a desperate sprint towards the opposite side. The golem fighting Gmon raised its spear up and mmed the ground. Just as they had before, pirs of electricity roared up into the sky from the spiral of jade on the floor loud enough to make Argrave¡¯s ears hurt.


    When things settled, the golem that had beenbatting Durran now bore lightning, and Gmon disengaged to go meet it. He and Durran passed by each other, and Durran took the attention of the other golem now bereft of lightning.


    Argrave didn¡¯t know if Durran had fled too well, or if Gmon had disengaged too slowly. Regardless, the twelve-foot-tall monstrosity of angry metal turned towards Argrave and Anneliese. Its first ground-shaking step made it clear that they didn¡¯t have enough time to get away. They both stepped backwards, terrified.


    His mind worked quickly. <em>Anneliese is to my right. Gmon is to my left. He¡¯s the only one that can deal with this golem effectively. She¡¯s furthest from Gmon.</em>


    With rationality and emotions both cementing his decision, Argrave ceased retreating. He stepped forward and pushed Anneliese further back in one motion. He tried to head towards Gmon, kiting the golem, but the thing was so fast it mattered little.


    Its first attack towards Argrave was a wide righthand swing. It was deceptively fast, and the lightning distorted his view, but Argrave crouched and lurched backwards. He could feel heat move near his face as the spearhead passed by. In seconds, the towering thing grew closer. It pulled its hand back, preparing a thrust. Argrave used his enchanted ring to conjure a B-rank ward.


    The golem thrusted with the speed of a snake¡¯s bite, and the attack met the golden ward. The shield didn¡¯tst more than a second before shattering. Fortunately, Argrave didn¡¯t need more than a second. He dodged, and the attack sunk deep into the stone just beside his foot. He saw Gmon very close, and felt some triumph extinguish his panic.


    Argrave tried to move, but it felt like he was kicking air. His eyes darted to the ground to see the stone bricks beneath him crumbling.


    <em>It must¡¯ve hit a weak part of the floor, </em>Argrave realized. He started to see the half-jade, half-stone stairs below as the floor beneath him fell away. Argrave sought out something, anything, to find purchase, but the entire floor was copsing. Gmon was close, but too far to beat gravity.


    There was something solid, though. Argrave grabbed the golem¡¯s arm, ring up at its eyes billowing smoke, sparking with electricity. He felt it move, pulling him back. Argrave yanked himself forward, away from the crumbling floor and the spearhead, and then¡­


    Argrave saw white and felt tremendous pain. For a few seconds, he didn¡¯t know where he was. Slowly, whiteness faded, and his sight returned. He realized he was on his back, staring up at the sky. He couldn¡¯t breathe at all. He grabbed at his chest. It felt like someone had dropped a 300-pound barbell right on his ribs. He¡¯d probably been struck by the shaft of the golem¡¯s spear. If not for his enchanted gear, he was certain he¡¯d be dead.


    As though brought back to life, Argrave sat up, taking in small, pained breaths as his windedness faded. He tried to stand but failed. He was spasming slightly¡ªlikely the electricity from the golem¡¯s blow. When his vision fully returned, he saw the lightning-wreathed golem striding towards him, spear held at the ready. That was motivation enough to stand, pained though he was.


    A ck axe struck the approaching golem in the head. While barely reacting to the blow itself, it did turn from Argrave. Gmon had thrown his axe and stood holding his greatsword in one hand. Argrave watched the axe fall over the edge of the tower, lost.


    Anneliese rushed over at that point, practically tackling Argrave away. She helped him to safety, and once she was content he was there, moved to rejoin the fight. She said something, but Argrave couldn¡¯t hear over the ringing in his ears. He took a few seconds to gather himself, regain his bearings, and then stood straight once again.


    This time, Argrave focused on the golem Gmon engaged, aiming for it because they had already damaged the spearhead heavily. Durran held off the other admirably, luring it far away on his own. With the speed of the lightning-d golem attacks it was difficult tond blows, yet Argrave¡¯s Brumesingers still chipped away at it.


    The golem put two hands on its spear, and Argrave at once shouted, ¡°SWITCH!¡± again. The shout must¡¯ve dislodged something, because he felt a little blood in his mouth.


    As the golem prepared to m its spear on the ground, Annelieseunched herself in the air slightly with a spell of wind. She held her hand out and used the C-rank [Ice Spear]. The spear of ice met the descending m in transit. A crack echoed through the air, and though the lightning mmed into the ground, something metal soared through the air, ttering against the ground.


    The golem halted, and all of the storm cloud within it dispersed, surging towards the other golem. Argrave spotted the severed spearhead, and feeling some triumph, faced the other foe. Though d in lightning and monstrously fast, only one remained.


    Durran fled from the now-empowered golem. His flight was not as fast as the first time, though, and the golem gained on him. It swung just as he neared the now-immobile other golem, and he sought refuge behind it. The lightning-wreathed spear mmed into the other golem¡¯s chest, knocking it a solid ten feet away. Durran narrowly avoided being swept up, putting yet more distance between himself and the golem.


    Gmon confronted thest foe. Though the attacks were every bit as ferocious as before, it seemed different, somehow, as though Gmon had figured something out. His dodges were closer but more certain, and he avoided even the rubble dislodged by the golem¡¯s wild attacks.


    The next minute was a masterful dance. Gmon continued to avoid the golem¡¯s flurry, not an inch away from the spearhead with every attack. Whenever the golem paused, Anneliese, Argrave, and Durran all attacked it. The golem pressed forward, ostensibly on the offensive, yet it felt like they were beating it into submission.


    When it raised its spear far above its head, preparing for an earth-shattering overhand blow, Gmon stopped moving. As soon as it began to swing, he swung. Argrave feared the elven vampire had lost his marbles, but the enchanted de projected out its de of wind. When the two attacks met, the spearhead broke off, retaining most of its momentum. It stabbed the jade spiral just behind Gmon.


    The titanic golem fell to its knees, ck storm cloud pouring out of its mouth. The cloud rose into the sky steadily, like smoke from a failing engine. Then, both of the immobile golems writhed. Lightning shot up into the sky from their mouths. All four of them watched the sky warily. A secondter, lightning descended again. Two bolts of lightning struck each knife in turn.


    Argrave stood, breathing in the silence. A loud ttering drew his attention. Durran had fallen to his back, and his ivey beside him. Argrave worriedly approached, pushing past the pain in his chest. He kneeled beside the man.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Argrave insisted. ¡°Are you hit somewhere? Where?¡±


    Durran started wheezing. Argrave hesitated for a moment, scanning the man for injuries. Considering he was wheezing, perhaps he¡¯d been struck in the chest.


    It took him a second to realize that his wheezing wasughter.


    ¡°¡¯What¡¯s wrong,¡¯¡± Durran repeated, then resumed his wheezingughter. ¡°What in the gods¡¯ name do you think is wrong? Almost pissed myself, not ashamed to admit it.¡±


    Argraveughed in relief, then looked around. Anneliese stood above one of the fallen spearheads.


    ¡°It is over,¡± she sighed, getting her breathing back under control. She covered her mouth with shaky hands and breathed slowly. Argrave rose to his feet and went to stand next to her,forting as best he knew how.


    ¡°Are they safe to pick up?¡± Gmon questioned. Argrave turned his head where the vampire was kneeling over the spearhead that had fallen near him.


    Argrave knelt to the one by Anneliese¡¯s feet and picked it up. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t be much point ining here if they weren¡¯t safe.¡±


    The dagger was a beautiful thing,pletely unworn despite the ferocity of the fight they¡¯d just endured. It had no guard, but its handle was ck. Its de was a resplendent blue metal of some kind and bore barbs near the tip. It had three gems in the center of the de¡ªarge emerald at its base, a smaller one further up, and the smallest just above that. A circle of small rubies encircled each gem. Magic shone in the gemstones.


    ¡°These¡­¡± Argrave held it up. ¡°¡­are the Daggers of Ayazz. But I prefer to call them the Giantkillers.¡±

 Chapter 165

    Chapter 165: Lion¡¯s Lap


    Anneliese and Argrave stood shoulder to shoulder, their arms stretched out ahead. His arms were just a bit longer than hers. Spell matrixes swirled to life in their hands, and then, they proceeded to st Gmon with the C-rank [Skysunder] again and again and again.


    The corridor they were in filled up with sound and white light both as they rained lightning upon the elven vampire. Durran stood at their backs, shielding his eyes. The sound echoed out of the small tunnel dug into mountainside supporting the Skyburnt Fortress, and into the skies beyond that.


    Argrave lowered his hands first, magic entirely spent. A few seconds after, Anneliese ceased as well. Ahead, Gmon stood, both of the Daggers of Ayazz in hand. White sparks danced around both des, their power so intense they illuminated the entire corridor.


    The elven vampire took a deep breath and exhaled. The inside of his mouth was glowing the same shade of white emanating from the daggers. He turned on his heels, then stepped away further down the corridor. The light provided by the dancing electricity lit up a great wall before them, with two gemstone-encircled slots along the center, rather like a plug.


    Gmon thrust both daggers into the wall¡¯s slots, one after the other. A great <em>click </em>echoed out through the corridor once the second was inserted. The lightning writhed in the slots wildly, but then, as if finally epted, it began to dance up the walls. The white electricity morphed into different shades as it travelled along.


    The sparks filled up the wall in a fashion resembling a meter slowly filling up topletion. Argrave thought it was simr to those strongmanpetitions where one would m a hammer upon a button and watch and see how far the light rose up. Everyone watched in awe, and Gmon released the daggers and stepped back.


    An image of dancing sparks took form. It depicted an eclipse. A man stood beneath it, thrusting a sword straight through the sun and the moon.


    ¡°Wondrous thing¡­¡± Anneliese said quietly.


    ¡°Now, imagine we charge up his daggers like that, and then he stabs some big monster. Absolutely devastating. Could kill a dragon. That¡¯s why I call them the Giantkillers.¡± Argrave pointed his fingers, the least impressed of the group by the lightshow on the wall. Anneliese and Gmon didn¡¯t seem to appreciate thismentary, but Durran looked intrigued as he raised his eyebrows at Argrave.


    As they watched, the wall started to depress. Some mechanism came to life, and it clicked horrendously. The grinding it made was like a screech that triggered some primal difort, and everyone tried to cover their ears despite the fact two of them wore helmets and could not necessarily cover their ears. Anneliese¡¯s Starsparrow chirped to express its displeasure.


    The image faded, and the wall moved about. It shifted from ce to ce in simple, borate blocks, moved by hinges and pistons of some sort. When things were done, the sleek stone corridor extended forward into darkness.


    Argrave was the first to step forward. He pulled out the relocated daggers, and then handed them back to Gmon a bit irritated. ¡°Don¡¯t lose these. Took a mighty wallop in the chest for these, let¡¯s not forget that.¡±


    ¡°And I lost my axe over a mountainside saving your life,¡± Gmon rebutted, taking the daggers.


    ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ get you another,¡± he reassured weakly.


    Gmon walked away. Hiding a grimace, Argrave looked to Durran.


    ¡°Have your doubts been quelled, mostly?¡±


    Durran focused his gaze on Argrave. ¡°I never really doubted you. I was just trying to annoy you. You¡¯ve already disclosed some spooky details that makes my skin crawl, and that was more than enough for me to realize your knowledge is real way back then.¡±


    Argrave was a bit stunned, but after a while he smiled and gave a resigned shake of his head, turning to the passage before them. ¡°This¡­ is the Passage of the Last Conquest.¡± Argrave took a few steps deeper into the dark corridor. ¡°Their leader, Ayazz, whose daggers we now wield¡­ he had intended to conquer the Lionsun Castle. He died prematurely. Lacking a leader, the subterranean mountain tribes sealed this secret tunnel and made those daggers the key, so that one day his equal could once again lead the tribes to conquer the vastnds of Vasquer¡­¡± Argrave conjured spell light, his magic having already replenished enough from sting Gmon to do so. ¡°Or so goes the legends.¡±


    Anneliese looked at the daggers in a new light now that Argrave had given their lore.


    ¡°It¡¯s a very long walk, so we had best get to it,¡± Argrave adjusted his backpack. ¡°Once we get into the castle, we just focus on getting out quickly. I know a good route.¡±


    #####


    ¡°You know, even in the mountainspletely opposite the Lionsun Castle¡­ people talk about House Parbon,¡± Durran mused, his ive meeting the stone and clicking out through the stone corridor with every other step he took. ¡°The patriarch of the house is always a fierce, undefeated warrior, but he¡¯s honorable. It¡¯s been like that for centuries, unchanging. One of them spared the leader of a great confederation¡ªin return, they gave him a wyvern.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°Heard that one before. It¡¯s true. He does have a wyvern. Considering this tunnel leads right into where it¡¯s kept, it stands to reason you¡¯ll see it.¡±


    ¡°Mmm,¡± Durran turned his head, intrigued. ¡°Pass right by it, eh? Does the leader man have something interesting nned?¡±


    Argrave smiled. This was why he liked Durran¡ªthe man was crazy enough to consider something like that. In ¡®Heroes of Berendar,¡¯ he definitely would have stolen the wyvern. It was a nice capstone for this route, especially if the yer intended to side with Vasquer. But now, troubling things called ¡®morals¡¯ existed¡­


    ¡°No,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°Even though it might not be the best, my rtionship with House Parbon has improved somewhat. I don¡¯t want a reputation as a wyvern-thief. And <em>everyone </em>will see us fly away. I don¡¯t care to attract that kind of attention.¡±


    ¡°Not stealing. It¡¯s borrowing. After the flight, I¡¯m positive it¡¯ll return to its home. Wyverns always do. Well, that¡¯s fine,¡± Durran shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m much more interested in the current patriarch of House Parbon.¡±


    ¡°Ideally, we won¡¯t see him, even from a distance. In, out¡ªquick and easy,¡± Argrave used his hands to emphasize the speed.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Durran stared at Argrave. ¡°Time was, I thought <em>I</em> was on the taller side, but you people¡­ the prospect sneaking with you divests me of all confidence. Especially with one of you wearing te armor,¡± he pointed to Gmon walking ahead.


    ¡°You¡¯lle to learn Gmon is one of the most reliable people you could ever wish for,¡± Argrave shifted his pack.


    Anneliese nodded quietly in agreement, and Durran shrugged, saying nothing more. They continued their long walk down the corridor.


    #####


    As they neared the end of the hallway, what was a sleek and square ce narrowed into a tight tunnel that forced the three tall people of the group to crouch low, which elicited someughter from Durran before even he, too, was forced to duck low and proceed.


    The stone turned into a rough ce of dirt, hardened by moisture. The only sce was theck of insects. They pressed onwards in silence, remaining sure of step despite the signs of the tunnel ending.


    When they finally came to a solid wall of dirt, Durran noted, ¡°I thought you knew everything, leader man.¡±


    ¡°Never said that¡­¡± Argrave felt along the wall. He ran his fingers against it, brushing aside moist dirt as he searched for something. He bit his lips when his fingers brushed against nothing but dirt. Frustrated, he started to dig. He was growing a bit worried they¡¯d need to excavate personally when his fingers met a bit of string. His face brightened at once.


    He pulled the string out as far as he could and wrapped it around his hands. He leaned back, using all of his body weight and some leg strength to pull on the thing. He hissed as it dug into his hands, pressing onwards.


    Gmon noticed Argrave¡¯s struggle. He reached down and grabbed the string, giving it a pull. Argrave felt like a child who¡¯d been struggling to do something, only to have his parent do it effortlessly,pletely invalidating his efforts.


    Gmon continued to pull the string. It was wound into the walls, and once it was pulled free, things fell away effortlessly. The dirt blocking the path ahead crumbled, revealing a set of slots in the wall near identical to the ones they¡¯d first passed through back at the wall.


    ¡°I was pulling it just fine¡­¡± Argrave muttered.


    ¡°Do you need to charge these once again?¡± Gmon questioned, retrieving the daggers from his backpack and holding them up.


    ¡°No, just put them in,¡± Argrave said bitterly, still wishing he¡¯d been able to pull the string. Anneliese gave him some shoulder pats tofort him, but Argrave only felt more childlike after that.


    Gmon shoved the daggers into the slots. At once, the still walls around them began to shift. A pair of arms pushed forward around them, causing Durran to freak out a little. The arms pushed through the dirt, frighteningly quiet, and jammed it aside very easily,pacting it enough to clear a great deal of room.


    Eventually the twin arms met something more solid. The fingers of the arm pressed forth, though, cutting into the stone easily. Once they dug in deep enough, they rotated, cutting out a square swath of it. Without any warning, the arms ceased.


    Argrave stepped forward and pushed on the square bit of stone. It fell forward, cracking loudly as it hit the floor, and sunlight fell upon their party. Argrave squinted, waiting for his eyes to adjust as he moved beyond. When his vision finally settled, he took note of his surroundings.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    They were on a great teau of gray stone. This teau was surrounded by a wall of the same stone no more than ten feet tall, giving one the impression of an arena. Much of the surfaces was marred with w marks, and animal bonesy about everywhere, the majority of them broken or partially eaten. And in the center of this teau, there was a great mound of red scales, curled into a ball.


    ¡°Gods above¡­¡± Durran stepped out. ¡°What a beautiful creature that is.¡±


    Gmon stepped up to Argrave and grabbed his shoulder. Argrave looked up at him. The elven vampire watched ahead, wrapped up in caution.


    Argrave assumed it was because of the wyvern. The great creature uncurled, perhaps disturbed by the sound of the wall falling. Argrave was not especially worried. It was a calm creature, he knew, and if all else failed, druidic magic could at least ensure their safe passage.


    Just then, he spotted another figure walk out from behind the wyvern, moving to grab its horns. It was a tall man with long, crimson hair, wearing resplendent white te mail and decorated with a long red cloak.


    Margrave Reinhardt stared at them, one hand on his wyvern¡¯s horns, the other on the sword at his belt. Everyone stood, a bit bbergasted. It felt like a tumbleweed might fly by at any moment.


    Argrave raised his hand up and waved. ¡°Hi,¡± he yelled out.

 Chapter 166

    Chapter 166: Tension Before a Plunge


    Argrave stared at the Margrave beside his wyvern. Reinhardt did not advance or retreat, merely stared at them with an indiscernible expression, one hand on the pommel of the sword at his belt, and the other on the horn of his wyvern.


    ¡°Couldn¡¯t have spotted him, Gmon?¡± Argrave whispered to hispanion.


    ¡°There was a wall,¡± Gmon noted. ¡°And you gave no time to scout. Not even with that bird.¡±


    Argrave ground his hands together. ¡°I know. I just want toin.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the patriarch of House Parbon?¡± Durran asked, some excitement on his tone.


    ¡°He is remaining by his wyvern in case he needs to retreat, I suspect,¡± Anneliese noted, ignoring Durran¡¯s query.


    ¡°Alright, alright,¡± Argrave finally turned. ¡°Nobody do a damn thing. Just stay still.¡± After giving thatmand, Argrave let out some curses. ¡°Alright. God damn it all.¡±


    Argrave took a step ahead, and breathed deeply, trying his best to appear confident. ¡°The three of you will wait here. I¡¯ll go alone, resolve things. I¡¯m sure he won¡¯t be spooked by that.¡±


    ¡°That is dangerous,¡± Anneliese protested.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. I got away from him once before unscathed, and I can do it again if need be.¡± Argrave walked away.


    ¡°Argrave¡­¡± Anneliese called out once again, and he heard her step forward.


    Argrave turned and held both his hands out, palms facing her. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    She stared, and then nodded. ¡°Be careful,¡± she cautioned, not entirely satisfied by his assurance.


    With a wink, he turned back to the Margrave and his wyvern. Though he walked confidently and kept his expression firm, his Brumesingers writhed within his clothing, mirroring his own anxiety. He kept his hands in in sight, and far away from any pockets within his gray leather duster. Though the Margrave did not lower his hand from the sword at his belt, he did not flee or brace himself.


    Argrave came to stand across from Margrave Reinhardt. He kept a fairlyrge distance between them, but he was close enough to hear the wyvern¡¯s breathing. The Margrave red up at him with his ruby eyes, expression inscrutable.


    ¡°Hi,¡± Argrave repeated his earlier greeting.


    ¡°Argrave,¡± Reinhardt finally said. ¡°Barely recognized you.¡±


    Argrave brushed one hand through his hair. Certainly, he was tanner, his hair was longer, and his eyes were much, much different. ¡°Hopefully the change is positive.¡±


    ¡°What is this?¡± the Margrave questioned with a growl. ¡°An ambush? A secret meeting? Intimidation?¡±


    ¡°Nothing like that,¡± Argrave quickly shook his head, and then rubbed his cheek with one hand. ¡°If you want me to be honest¡­ we thought you wouldn¡¯t be here.¡±


    Reinhardt clenched his wyvern¡¯s horns tighter, showing possessiveness. ¡°You thought to take from me once again, did you?¡±


    ¡°Forget that. If I wanted a wyvern so desperately, my friend back there could provide,¡± Argrave pointed back. ¡°He¡¯s from one of the southern tribes. Son of a chieftain, actually. And yes, you¡¯re not mishearing things,¡± Argrave continued, falling into his practiced suave rhythm. ¡°He¡¯s from the southern tribes. Meaning I¡¯ve been in the Burnt Desert these past¡­ well, it¡¯s been a while. Two months, maybe more.¡±


    The Margrave frowned, but Argrave pressed on. ¡°There was something I very desperately needed in the Burnt Desert. You can see it right now¡ªdon¡¯t touch, though,¡± Argrave cautioned, pointing to his eyes. It wasn¡¯t the full truth, but it was the easiest example to use in this conversation. ¡°I came to get these eyes, among other things. It¡¯s a very long story, and I won¡¯t bore you with it. But!¡± Argrave raised a finger. ¡°I had to get back to Vasquer. And passing through that big gate beneath the Lionsun Wall¡ªsomething tells me that would never, ever happen. So, I just wanted to sneak through here. I am sorry about the wall, though,¡± Argrave sped his hands together and looked back. ¡°A tragic necessity. I can pay you back,¡± he added positively.


    The Margrave didn¡¯t seem swayed by Argrave¡¯s assurances. He digested Argrave¡¯s words in silence, ruby eyes retaining their cold re. Eventually, his head shifted in revtion, and he questioned, ¡°How did you get to the Burnt Desert in the first ce?¡±


    ¡°I passed beneath the earth. I travelled the Low Way of the Rose,¡± Argrave answered quickly, anticipating the question. He let his answer hang in the air, even though he already knew what he was going to say next.


    The Margrave furrowed his brows, ncing Argrave up and down. The second he opened his mouth to say more, Argrave cut in, ¡°If you¡¯d like, you can confirm with the Stonepetal Sentinels that I travelled through there a little while ago. While we didn¡¯t part on the best of terms, I¡¯m certain you can at least confirm I passed through there.¡±


    The Margrave scanned Argrave¡¯s face, perhaps trying to discern if he was honest.


    ¡°Would take two days at best to send someone to and from the entrance to the Low Way of the Rose,¡± Argrave continued. ¡°While I wouldn¡¯t care for it, if it can abate your worries about me, I can stay here.¡±


    <em>And gather information, </em>Argrave left those words unspoken. As far as he knew, Stain was here, and he was certain the man would be abreast of most happenings throughout Vasquer. He could learn news of the gue, of Princess Elenore, and of any other unusual happenings that might affect the way in which things yed out.


    Argrave had learned from repeated personal experience that things would probably be far removed from what he knew usually happened. He needed to find out how much things had deviated and adjust his ns ordingly, per Anneliese¡¯s advice. And she was right. Slowing down to do things deliberately would always be better, even if it wasn¡¯t optimal. Though he¡¯d nned to gather information at Jast, Parbon could fill that role splendidly.


    ¡°Even if you were at the Low Way, that doesn¡¯t mean what you¡¯ve exined here is true,¡± Reinhardt refuted.


    Argrave held his hands out. ¡°I helped Elias, didn¡¯t I? I secured that betrothal with Jast, helped your whole house. Is that worth nothing?¡±


    ¡°And my daughter. Did you help her, too?¡± the Margrave said, dead-eyed stare returning.


    Argrave¡¯s face fell. That wasn¡¯t the sort of thing he had a response ready for. A father who loved his children would never forget that someone had crippled her.


    ¡°I am¡­ sorry, you know,¡± Argrave said quietly, keeping his gaze locked with Reinhardt¡¯s.


    He heard the Margrave¡¯s gauntlets creak as he clenched the pommel of the sword on his belt tighter. ¡°You always maintained it was an ident.¡±


    Argrave felt a strange sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu as he answered, ¡°That doesn¡¯t change the fact that it was my fault. I cannot change what I¡¯ve done. All I have is my words. So, I reiterate¡ªI apologize.¡± He lowered his head in a bow, but kept his eyes locked with Reinhardt¡¯s. ¡°And if your daughter is willing to ept it, I would extend my apology to her, personally. But if she cannot bear the sight of me, I will respect that.¡±


    Margrave Reinhardt held Argrave¡¯s gaze, pupils trembling. His grip tightened on his sword¡¯s pommel further, and then rxed. He raised the hand to his forehead and caressed it.


    ¡°Ie here to dispel my headache, think clearer. Yet even here, you¡­¡± he took his hand off his forehead and clenched it into a fist. ¡°You have done right by my house, and I wronged you in the past by¡­ unjustly seizing you. Yourpanions. They will be staying with you?¡±


    Argrave brightened. ¡°Yes, they will,¡± he confirmed happily.


    ¡°I will not make the same mistakes asst time, however. You, and all of yours, will be heavily guarded and watched.¡± Reinhardt¡¯s gaze wandered to hispanions. ¡°¡­and that tunnel. How¡­?¡±


    Argrave nodded without protest. ¡°Thank you for giving me a chance, Margrave Reinhardt. I¡¯m eager to talk to Stain and Elias once more.¡±


    The Margrave studied his face when he mentioned Stain and Elias. Argrave was perplexed for a moment before the Margrave said bitterly, ¡°My son isn¡¯t here. Nor is Vdrien¡­ or as you call him, Stain. But I¡¯ve been in contact with him through Helmuth. Things¡­¡± the Margrave trailed off.


    Argrave raised a brow curiously.


    #####


    Though Argrave had only spoken to the Margrave for fifteen minutes or so before he and hispanions were taken away to where they would be residing, what he learned was harrowing. The gue, which Argrave had been certain would remain in the northwest, was ravaging the south at an rming rate. Elias and Stain were locked in in a siege caused by a revolt at Elbraille, where the gue ran especially rampant. The Margrave seemed to have more information to divulge, but they were led to their rooms to rest before more could be asked.


    ¡°Things keep getting further and further out of ce, Anneliese¡­¡± he whispered, sitting beside Anneliese as she rested in bed. He hunched over his knees, staring at the floor.


    ¡°We thought they might,¡± she pointed out as she stared up at the ceiling.


    ¡°A lot of my confidence¡­¡± Argrave lifted up his head and looked at her. ¡°es from knowing what¡¯s going to happen.¡±


    Anneliese poked his ribs, and he flinched in surprise. ¡°Does it? I am skeptical.¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s¡ª¡± Argrave paused. ¡°Forget about that. Are you alright?¡±


    ¡°I am fine,¡± she shook her head at once.


    ¡°Come on,¡± he insisted. ¡°There has to be something bothering you.¡±


    ¡°Why must something bother me?¡± she questioned.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t feel right, constantly talking about my doubts, my problems,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°I want to help you. I don¡¯t want to lean on you for every nuisance that surfaces in my head.¡±


    ¡°I am older than you,¡± she pointed out. ¡°I have had more time to settle myself.¡±


    ¡°Only a few years. Not sure any amount of age can prepare you to handle what we¡¯ve been doing,¡± Argrave said skeptically, thenid down beside Anneliese. She moved over to amodate him. ¡°I just want to be someone you can rely on, that¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°I do rely on you. More than you realize, evidently,¡± she rebutted.


    ¡°How?¡± Argrave stared at the ceiling.


    ¡°I have always been looking for something to herald. A cause, an ideal¡­ something to be a part of. Something to belong in. I never belonged anywhere,¡± she held her hand up in the air. ¡°I thought Veiden was bing that, ever so slowly. It was a nation¡ªeven an empire¡ªto build, surrounded by people I respected who might respect me in turn. I just needed to prove myself.¡±


    ¡°Do you miss it?¡± Argrave questioned, though he was afraid of the answer.


    ¡°I was getting to that,¡± she lowered her hand. ¡°Maybe I could have built a life there. From what you say of the ¡®me¡¯ in your world¡­ it seems I did, once. I cannot speak to my happiness there, of course, nor even of its veracity.¡±


    She moved closer and ced her hand on his chest, and he turned to look at her.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°But I have found something to herald. Your cause, fighting against Gerechtigkeit. And I feel like I am where I belong, now.¡±


    Argrave stayed silent, putting his hand atop her own. After a time, he said, ¡°Let¡¯s see if you sing that same tune when we¡¯re fifty feet underground in a cavern of bugs again.¡±


    Sheughed, disturbing the quiet of their stone room in the Lionsun Castle.


    Argrave turned back towards the ceiling, finally feeling a bit tired. ¡°Now that I know what I do¡­ I feel like I need to rush out, head to the northwest, join up with Orion, and tackle this damned gue immediately. Gerechtigkeit must be cackling at what I have done.¡±


    ¡°Patience,¡± she urged. ¡°Rushing things will do much more harm than good. You will fail if you rush.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± he agreed. ¡°And¡­ as much as I wish to help Elias¡­ it¡¯s difficult to ept that I just have to leave him, trapped in a siege.¡±


    ¡°Margrave Reinhardt said he offered to rescue his son, but Elias refused,¡± Anneliese pointed out soundly. ¡°Elias himself does not wish to be removed from the situation.¡±


    ¡°Not sure if I¡¯ll ept that exnation if he dies because of Vasquer¡¯s scheme,¡± Argrave looked to Anneliese.


    Unlike all his other worries, she offered no answer.

 Chapter 167

    Chapter 167: Captive Audience


    ¡°You are fine with meeting him?¡± questioned Reinhardt, who ate a in, unseasoned cut of beef with only water as a side.


    ¡°I am. In truth, I have a poor memory of the happenings that day,¡± Rose said truthfully, whose decadent breakfast meal stood in stark contrast to the Margrave¡¯s ascetic portion. She shared the Margrave¡¯s prominent features¡ªred hair and red eyes. Her legs were hidden underneath the table, but her chair had two wooden wheels on the side. ¡°What rumors spread say he is much different than when I knew him. But then, it has been near eight years¡­¡±


    The Margrave leaned closer. ¡°Are you certain? Do not push yourself for my sake.¡±


    She gave a nod of confirmation, then picked at her food. Beside her, a gray-haired young woman with bright orange eyes ate in quiet. The three present were all part of or soon to be part of the Parbon family. A small staff of servants tended to them, while knights stood on guard at the doors. As most of the rest of the Lionsun Castle, the ce was made of carved stone.


    The Margrave looked down to a letter just beside him on the table. It had a wax seal on it depicting a swordfish, split from being opened. Reinhardt scanned the closing once more.


    <em>Though I support your cause, you are brash. If you end this war with no ns for whates after, the entire realm will be shattered by would-be kings pressing whatever vague im they might have. Winter has stalled the war. Take this time to find a proper imant. Having an undisputed, supported imant against King Felipe will keep the realm whole and may even attract undecided supporters to our cause. I will make no suggestions through letter, barring that my daughter has refused. I will write, however, that some rumors of grandiose feats from Mateth are truer than you might think, and those you despise may simply be misunderstood. </em>


    <em>When things have settled at Mateth, I intend on visiting. I hope we can discuss this in further detail when I do. </em>


    <em>Until then, be well.</em>


    <em>Duke Enrico of Monti</em>


    The Margrave lifted his head and let out a long sigh, staring at his daughter. His face was wrought byplexity, but he slowly fell into a smile as he watched his daughter eat.


    ¡°If you would, continue to speak to him and judge his character while he is here. Test him thoroughly. Provided he does not make you¡­¡± the Margrave trailed off, judging his daughter¡¯s reaction to the idea.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, father,¡± Rose insisted.


    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± the Margrave nodded, then took a drink of water. ¡°I n on having him stay for some time.¡±


    #####


    Argrave and Anneliese stepped idly around the gargantuan wall blocking the sole valley between the Burnt Desert and thends of Vasquer. Two guards walked behind them, watching, and all the knights stationed obviously had been givenmand to keep an eye on them. His Brumesingers walked a bit sluggishly behind the two of them. They looked like they had overeaten. Evidently there were many good souls to eat in the Lionsun Castle.


    The winds were harsh so high up, and likely doubled in force by the funneling of the valley. Argrave and Anneliese wore their thicker gray dusters, both still dirty from traversing the mountain highway. A long time ago, Argrave would have found such a thing intolerable. But he was used to the roads by this point.


    ¡°I never imagined such wonders existed in the world. Be it in the Burnt Desert, or here in Vasquer¡­ humans make grand things,¡± she concluded, gazing at the gargantuan taupe lion statue with an enchanted jewel gleaming like a sun in its jaw. Her Starsparrow perched on her wrist, eating magic seeds from her hand.


    Argrave paused with her. ¡°That jewel replenishes all of the enchantments on the wall. It looks like a sun¡­ and it harvests the sun¡¯s energy, too. It wasn¡¯t made by Vasquer, though, nor House Parbon.¡±


    ¡°You know much,¡± Reinhardt cut in, and Argrave turned his head. He hadn¡¯t heard the man¡¯s approach past the fast winds atop the gargantuan wall, and he scolded himself mentally. Even if the Margrave had granted him amodation, it did not make them allies. He should have gotten Gmon.


    ¡°Margrave Reinhardt,¡± Argrave paid his respects with a slight bow, and Anneliese mimicked him a secondter.


    The Margrave wore his white te armor even this early in the morning. He came to stand before the two of them. He was just shy of Anneliese¡¯s height.


    ¡°My men tell me that one of the rooms went unused,¡± he noted, ruby eyed gaze alternating between the two of them.


    Argrave raised a brow, saying nothing in response.


    ¡°Rumor has it you are betrothed to Nikoletta of Monti,¡± he continued, his disapproval evident in his words if not his tone.


    Argrave shook his head at once. ¡°That was never officiated. And it never will be, now.¡±


    The Margrave shifted on his feet, perhaps not expecting such a response. ¡°You throw away much. The sole heir of House Monti¡­¡±


    ¡°I throw away nothing at all,¡± Argrave disagreed. ¡°Nothing couldpare to what I¡¯ve already got. I¡¯ll neverpromise on her, no matter what¡¯s offered.¡±


    Argrave said his words boldly, causing Anneliese looked down bashfully. The Margrave stepped away, gazing out over the walls and into the city of Parbon at the foot of the mountains.


    ¡°War has a way of whittling away that steadfastness. I pray that does not be the case with you,¡± the Margrave shook his head. ¡°There are a few things you should know. Most of the lords of the south have locked down the roads, barring any travel, even trade, to prevent this gue from spreading.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Argrave frowned. ¡°Well, we can stay off the roads, then.¡±


    ¡°Maybe. But patrols abound, and you have much cargo to haul.¡± The Margrave looked up into Argrave¡¯s eyes. ¡°And I don¡¯t think you should travel, either.¡±


    ¡°I have things to do,¡± Argrave disagreed. ¡°Too important to not take my chances, at that. And moreover, with things as terrible as they are, your top priority should be reaching out to Jast!¡± Argrave insisted, stepping closer. ¡°That¡¯s the closest thing to a center of magic in the world, other than the Tower of the Gray Owl, maybe. If you want to find ways to abate, tobat this gue¡ª¡±


    Reinhardt raised a hand up to interrupt Argrave. ¡°I am still considering measures. Ordering roadblocks was one of them. For future actions¡­¡±


    ¡°Roadblocks, pfft,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°Why? Do you think refugees spread the disease, when there¡¯s been not a single vige that¡¯s been razed? This is something already in the cities, Margrave. Reach out to Jast. This disease <em>must</em> take your top priority,¡± he insisted.


    The Margrave inhaled and sighed. ¡°I must¡­¡±


    ¡°More will be lost by indecision than wrong decision. This disease is virulent and highly contagious,¡± Anneliese supported him.


    ¡°There¡¯s no proof of that,¡± one of the Margrave¡¯s knights disagreed.


    The Margrave looked torn, but he eventually shook his head. ¡°My daughter has consented to epting a personal apology,¡± he changed the subject.


    It was Argrave¡¯s turn to feel ufortable. He did have a reason to speak with his daughter beyond merely apologizing. Talking with her might be important for dealing with Orion. All that said, he was to apologize for something that he had never done to a person who was badly affected. It weighed at him a little, but not enough to call it off.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Moreover¡­ Elias mentioned you told him of a way to heal Rose,¡± Reinhardt noted.


    Argrave frowned. ¡°He remembered that?¡±


    ¡°Should he not have?¡± Reinhardt questioned coldly.


    ¡°Far from it. I meant what I said, I just figured he would never trust a word out of my mouth,¡± Argrave held his hand out. ¡°Her legs can be fixed.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± the Margrave mused, stepping away. ¡°We will talk againter. Dinner, perhaps. For now, one of my¡ª¡± he paused. ¡°Five of my men will lead you to Rose,¡± he corrected. ¡°I will expect you to go alone. These knights of mine will be mages.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t know why that¡¯s relevant,¡± Argrave acted oblivious.


    ¡°You should. Between that tunnel¡ªgods know how you found it¡ªand my horse, you owe me much,¡± the Margrave shook his head, and then walked away.


    Argrave stood there agape. Anneliese looked at him with one brow raised¡ªhe had never told her the story of stealing the Margrave¡¯s horse. Soon enough, as promised, five men came to Argrave, ready to escort him to Rose of Parbon.


    #####


    Stain opened two double doors stretching up to the ceiling, putting his back into the effort. He fixed his tousled brown hair and looked back, where Elias waited. Together, the two of them entered into a banquet hall. Though the ce was decadent, its decorations were sparse now, and the only bit of furniture in the room was a single gargantuan rectangr table made to amodate a hundred people. Each and every chair was filled, presently.


    A fat man sat at the head of the double, wearing an oversized doublet without sleeves. His shirt¡¯s bright red color made him resemble a tomato. Though still overweight, loose skin on his arms indicated he had once been <em>very </em>fat. He was bald and had genial green eyes. A tall and skinny woman sat beside him. She had a shrewish, stern look to her with great strength in her dark eyes, and she wore her brown hair bound by jewels in a bun atop her head. The man was Duke Marauch of Elbraille. His wife, Duchess Christine of Cael, was the one beside him.


    All of the other chairs were upied by servants of the castle¡ªmaids, male attendants, knights, noble councilmen. There was a great disparity in status between many, but all ate the same thing¡ªa quarter loaf of bread, two slices of meat, and a simple stew of vegetables. The Duke and his Duchess were no exception.


    As Elias nced around, the Duke spotted him. The man had a bright, childlike glee to him as he smiled, half-rising to stand. ¡°Young master Elias!¡± he called out. His wife pped his chest lightly, forcing him to sit down.


    Elias strode over with Stain just beside him. ¡°Duke Marauch,¡± he greeted with a polite slight bow.


    ¡°Have a seat,¡± he pointed to the ce of honor beside him. ¡°I reserved it for you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± he took the seat, and Stain was seated somece not far. There was already a te of food waiting for both of them, untouched.


    ¡°Emm¡­¡± the Duke paused, ncing between Elias¡¯ te and him. ¡°If you¡¯d like, I can get you more food. You are arge man¡­ muscled, and it¡¯d be best if¡ª¡±


    His wife swatted his fingers. ¡°Don¡¯t think of it, Marauch. No exceptions, not even for the lion.¡±


    His jowls tremored as his head quickly swiveled from his wife to Elias. ¡°Emm¡­ forgive me, but¡ª¡±


    ¡°I am fine, thank you,¡± Elias interrupted before the Duke could retract his statement. ¡°I should be subject to the ration as much as anyone else.¡±


    ¡°The young lord is so magnanimous,¡± Duke Marauch blubbered. ¡°Would that more take after you, the world would be a better ce.¡±


    Elias had learned much about the Dukedom of Elbraille in his time here, even if it was not the purpose ofing here. He had no doubts that they would be steadfast allies in the battle toe. The Duke was a kindhearted person, if a bit slow. These two traits allowed his sharp-tongued wife to roll right over him. Though he had met worse people, she was selfish, and desperately grasped for power.


    ¡°Honestly¡­¡± Elias began, picking up the piece of bread. He dipped it in the vegetable soup. ¡°I am impressed by the Duke¡¯s adherence to this ration. It has increased my opinion of you greatly.¡±


    The Duke smiled brightly, his thin lips hidden by fat cheeks turning into a crescent moon. ¡°Well, I¡ª¡±


    ¡°He should strut about, stomach bursting from his doublet, while people outside die to gue? Would only make things worse than he¡¯s already made them,¡± Duchess Christinemented, tearing a piece of bread apart with her wiry fingers.


    Stain tapped his fork against his te, smiling. Elias knew that look¡ªhe was angry. He hated the Duchess. Stain had informed Elias that the Duchess had been the source of most of the corruption in the city that generated initial outrage.


    In addition, she may have been behind the public executions performed by Elbraille¡¯s knights that caused this siege to happen. Though the besiegers were not genuinely a threat, the Duke did not wish to order his knights to suppress things forcibly. Hostile actions at this point would only exacerbate things.


    ¡°Regarding the gue¡­¡± Elias diverted the subject. ¡°I have been having my father¡¯s court mage, Helmuth, examine it.¡±


    Though Elias had been talking to the Duke and Duchess alone, several people quieted to listen to Elias¡¯ next words. He grew nervous and took a deep breath to continue.


    ¡°The disease appears as distorted, waxy skin that feels as hard as stone to the touch. It spreads from there. Anything it spreads to loses all sensation¡ªtouch, pain, both are gone. It appears mostmonly on the hands.¡±


    Elias looked around, ensuring everyone processed what he¡¯d said. ¡°For some people, it spreads very slow, and indeed can stop after a certain point. For the unluckier people¡­¡± he shook his head. ¡°When it reaches an organ and affects that organ¡­ it causes failure. Lungs, hearts, stomach¡­ And the brain¡­ well, the brain is an exception,¡± Elias shook his head.


    The Duke was the only one who remained able to eat as Elias continued. ¡°For the brain, it¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s like rabies. Makes people¡­ act irrationally, even hostile.¡± Elias crossed his arms and leaned on the table. ¡°That¡¯s why it¡¯s spreading so quickly. The worst afflicted spread it. And worse yet¡­ the gue doesn¡¯t seem to be entirely organic. There is something¡­ mystical about it, ording to Helmuth¡¯s sight.¡±


    ¡°Bah,¡± the Duchess waved her hands. ¡°These people¡ªso foolish. They demand my husband¡¯s head for crimes he did notmit, ignoring Vasquer, ourmon enemy, at their doorstep. The snake isughing as we tear each other apart.¡±


    Elias stared at the Duchess, red eyes cold. As he came to know the Duchess better, things fell into ce in his head. The Duke would probably never support Vasquer without her coercion. She was sure that she had been the lynchpin behind their association, and now she so deftly yed the supporter.


    Stain shared Elias¡¯ sentiment, tapping one foot against the ground quickly. Elias pushed his te to draw his attention, then gave the lightest shake of his head to abate hispanion¡¯s rage. Yet as he sat there, he considered something the Duchess had said.


    ¡°Amon enemy¡­¡± Elias repeated. His gaze grew distant. ¡°People always unite against amon enemy.¡±


    ¡°So you would think,¡± the Duchess continued, oblivious to Elias¡¯ true thoughts. ¡°But instead they cry of corruption, unable to ept their ownziness as the source of their misery.¡±


    Stain looked ready to blow his stack, but Elias rose. ¡°Excuse us. I¡¯ve remembered I forgot to do something,¡± he said diplomatically, then pushed Stain¡¯s chair out, bidding him to follow.


    ¡°But¡­ you didn¡¯t finish eating,¡± the Duke said, watching Elias concernedly.


    ¡°You enjoy it,¡± Elias gestured, then strode away while loosening the cor on his shirt. Behind, he heard his wife inform the Duke that he could not, in fact, enjoy it.


    Once they exited back into the hallway, Stain said quietly, ¡°d I¡¯m not the only one that can¡¯t stand that miserable d¡ª¡±


    ¡°Amon enemy, Stain,¡± Elias interrupted. ¡°It was right in front of me, but I never saw it. Instead, we¡¯ve been trapped in a siege for weeks.¡±


    Stain looked at his friend, perplexed.

 Chapter 168

    Chapter 168: Looking Backwards


    Why was Argrave wasting his time talking with the crippled daughter of Margrave Reinhardt? That was a good, if somewhat cruel, question. But the answer to that question was the same as why he was here in the Lionsun Castle at all¡ªinformation gathering.


    The meeting with Orion, though still some weeks away, was looming over his head like a guillotine. As far as Argrave knew, there were few people directly connected with the original ¡®Argrave.¡¯ Rose of House Parbon had spent her early days as a ward in the royal pce. Ruleo, a main character in the original ¡®Heroes of Berendar,¡¯ had a very unfortunate entanglement with Argrave in the past. Beyond those two, only the royal family had any significant connection with Argrave.


    Provided nothing went astray, he nned on extracting whatever knowledge he could about himself from the chairbound girl. Rose of Parbon was a sweet person, and that would make things considerably easy¡­ or so he hoped. Perhaps this was as unnecessary venture. Nevertheless, Argrave thought it might be important to learn some things before speaking with Orion of Vasquer, who was soon to take the top of the list of ¡®most dangerous people Argrave had spoken to.¡¯ That list included the Alchemist.


    The five guardsmen led Argrave to the peak opposite the one housing the wyvern. True to the Margrave¡¯s words, each and every one of them was a mage. Argrave could see the magic within them. He was d to see them, as it gave him the chance to discern what each rank of mage¡¯s magic would look like in his sight. They weren¡¯t exactlybelled with convenient letters. Considering the magic within them was less dense than Anneliese¡¯s, he was sure that they must have been C-rank, or perhaps on the lower end of B-rank.


    Though he debated asking them as they walked along in silence, he never had the chance. One of them stepped forward and opened arge stone door, and then three entered. The remaining two stood behind Argrave, trapping him. He gave a coy smile and entered without aint, careful to duck beneath the door lest he m his forehead.


    The apartment was much more wondrous than those he¡¯d seen elsewhere. The ce had been painted borately, hiding all the bits of gray stone. Bookshelves had been made into trees on the walls, and the rest of the mural depicted vast ins with horses roaming them. Opposite the grand mural, there was arge window that allowed one a grand view of all of Vasquer. This must have been personally prepared by the Margrave and was a good testament to his love for his daughter.


    The daughter in question sat in the center of the room, waiting. She was in a simple wooden chair that had smoothly cut wheels and convenient handles. One of her legs was missing from above the knee. The other looked undamaged, but was terribly small, indicating something was wrong with it. She was small, appearing somewhat frail, and she had the hallmark of House Parbon on disy¡ªbright red hair, brighter red eyes.


    Argrave stepped forward, and his knightly escorts spread throughout the room. All of them faced him, evidently ready to attack him if he tried anything.


    ¡°Hello, Lady Rose,¡± he greeted at once, giving a polite bow.


    ¡°¡­hello,¡± she returned after a moment¡¯s pause, staring up at him. Her eyes didn¡¯t give off an impression of weakness at all. ¡°You have¡­ are you truly Argrave?¡±


    ¡°Is it the eyes that cast doubt?¡± he questioned, cing one hand against his face. ¡°Well, I suppose it has been¡­ many years,¡± he trailed off, not knowing the exact number of years.


    She ced her hands on herp. ¡°My father tells me you are here to apologize.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Argrave confirmed, then nced around. With the presence of the cold knights, he found it a bit difficult to avoid any awkwardness. He supposed this should not be easy for him.


    Argrave cleared his throat. ¡°I have much to say about the matter¡­ but I feel it would be best to get to the point. I apologize for causing the severe injuries to your legs,¡± he lowered his head deeply and ced his hand to his chest. ¡°I altered your life unforgivably, and so I will not dare hope for forgiveness. Nheless, I wish for you to know I harbor deep regret.¡±


    In the silence that followed, Argrave heard her take a deep breath and exhale. He felt he¡¯d been sufficiently glib, and he hoped she¡¯d buy it. He had a lot to learn from her.


    ¡°Do you remember the season in which this happened?¡±


    Argrave lifted his head. <em>No, </em>was what his mind was screaming, but he could not say that. Considering it was a horseback ident¡­


    ¡°Spring,¡± he said with confidence, though it was a total guess.


    ¡°Winter, actually,¡± she corrected, causing Argrave to tense up. The knights seemed to bristle at this discrepancy¡ªit marked he didn¡¯t care enough to remember, or so they would think.


    Perhaps Rose sensed this, or perhaps Argrave merely got lucky, for she continued, ¡°But spring and winter are so close to each other, perhaps it is my memory that is off,¡± she charitably waved her hand.


    Rose¡¯s gaze moved between the knights. She pursed her lips, and then waved. ¡°Please, good knights, give us some time alone.¡±


    ¡°Mydy¡­¡± one of them protested.


    ¡°Give me my freedom to choose, at the very least,¡± she smiled. It seemed to strike a chord with the knights, and they all left quickly. Once they were gone, Rose looked up at Argrave. ¡°You could convince me you were not the same boy I knew all those years ago, during that winter¡­¡±


    ¡°What has changed since then?¡± Argrave politely questioned, smiling somewhat.


    ¡°Well¡­ to start with, you would not so patiently wait to be invited to sit all those years ago,¡± Rose said. ¡°Please,¡± she gestured for an empty chair.


    Argrave said his thanks, then pulled the chair to sit beside a table near the Margrave¡¯s daughter.


    ¡°Do you still hope for a betrothal with me?¡± she began.


    Had Argrave been drinking, he most certainly would have choked just then. Instead, he kept his gaze on her eyes and said inly, ¡°No. I have othermitments.¡±


    She raised a brow, then rolled her chair closer until she sat opposite the table. ¡°Nikoletta of Monti?¡±


    ¡°Anneliese of¡­ you wouldn¡¯t know it,¡± he shook his head. ¡°My travellingpanion.¡±


    ¡°The snow elf?¡± she tilted her head. When Argrave nodded, she seemed surprised. ¡°Then you really have changed.¡±


    ¡°How so?¡± Argrave furrowed his brows.


    She looked out the window into the ins of southern Vasquer. ¡°I recall that you madements about cutting off elven ears when we took a carriage tour of Dirha.¡±


    <em>So, Argrave was a racist, </em>he noted mentally. ¡°Nothing changes one¡¯s opinion of another more than exposure,¡± he dialogued casually.


    ¡°And halting an invasion¡ªthis was your exposure?¡± she looked back to him.


    ¡°No,¡± Argrave shook his head with a smile. ¡°A mercenary. Gmon. He taught me more than anyone besides¡ª¡± he stopped himself from saying ¡®his father,¡¯ because ¡®Argrave¡¯ didn¡¯t exactly have a good father figure. ¡°He taught me about strategy, honor, loyalty, reliability, and¡­ ways to cope,¡± he finished vaguely, hoping she¡¯d catch the bait.


    ¡°Cope?¡± she took the bait.


    ¡°You mentioned your memory of the events was off,¡± Argrave gestured towards her. ¡°There are big holes in my childhood. And¡­ well, I shouldn¡¯t get into this,¡± he shook his head, acting hesitant.


    ¡°Please, I can listen,¡± she insisted.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Argrave bit his lip. ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about how hard I had things. It trivializes¡­¡± his gaze darted to her legs, then off to the side. ¡°¡­trivializes what I did to you. And it isn¡¯t trivial. I did something horrible.¡±


    Rose looked genuinely affected by his words, and Argrave felt guilty that they were all empty. They sat in the silence, neither looking at the other.


    ¡°I heard rumors¡­ that Induen enjoys orphaning children,¡± Rose said lightly.


    Argrave looked at her, trying to act as though she¡¯d struck a sensitive spot.


    ¡°I see,¡± she nodded slowly.


    ¡°Some learned men say that the mind deliberately represses some memories that are¡­ traumatic,¡± Argrave said suggestively. ¡°Like I said, there are big holes in my memory.¡± He finally looked at her, locking his golden-eyed gaze on hers. ¡°People tell me I was a terrible person. And I do remember doing terrible things. But¡­ I would like to turn a new leaf. Can I¡­ no, I shouldn¡¯t,¡± he turned away.


    ¡°You can talk to me,¡± she rolled her chair a bit forward.


    Argrave refused to meet her gaze for a few seconds, then turned over. ¡°Can you help me recount things? I want to make things right. With you¡ªwith everyone.¡± He turned out to the window, eyes distant. ¡°I was so far gone that I didn¡¯t even realize half the things I was doing were wrong.¡±


    Rose looked hesitant, but she did eventually nod. ¡°Alright. I can help you with that. In return¡­ you¡¯ll have to answer some of my questions about your travels,¡± she bartered.


    ¡°You¡­ I don¡¯t know how you can agree so easily,¡± Argrave said emotionally. ¡°Yeah. Anything you want to know.¡±


    Argrave felt the filthiest he had ever been, but the prospect of meeting Orion kept the fa?ade right over his face. He¡¯d be sure to get what he needed to know.


    #####


    ¡°Little Argrave had a stutter?¡± Anneliese questioned curiously. As ever, they watched the suns set together, sitting on the edge of the Lionsun Wall, gazing out beyond the mountains.


    ¡°So Rose says¡­¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°He lost his mother at eight. Induen¡¯s doing. Little Argrave watched, apparently. Unfortunately, Rose never met her.¡±


    Anneliese looked disappointed, but she quickly refocused. ¡°Anything useful for dealing with Orion? Your¡ªhis¡ªrtionship with the man?¡±


    ¡°Rose¡¯s knowledge had an eight-year gap. She left Dirha when she was thirteen. I did learn how old I am, though,¡± he looked to Anneliese. ¡°Twenty.¡±


    ¡°Young,¡± Anneliese raised a brow.


    ¡°Younger than ¡®me,¡¯¡± Argrave put his thumbs against his chest. ¡°Though only by two¡ªno, it would be three years, now.¡± Argrave lowered his hands and sped them together. ¡°Bottom line is, I don¡¯t think Orion hates me. And that¡¯s all I need.¡±


    ¡°Yet something troubles you,¡± Anneliese noticed.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. It was weird,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°She kept asking all these questions about me. Wouldn¡¯t call it friendly, per se, but¡­ I knew something was up. Like father, like daughter, like son¡­ all of the Parbons are terrible at hiding things. It made it difficult to learn what I wanted¡­ but I¡¯d say it was sufficient.¡± He turned his head to Anneliese. ¡°And we were also invited to dinner.¡±


    Anneliese raised a brow.

 Chapter 169

    Chapter 169: Stay Awhile and Listen


    The family of House Parbon ate in a quiet, if harmonious atmosphere. The Margrave ate the same thing he had with every meal¡ªa simple steak, unseasoned, with water. His eyes fell upon the gray-haired woman beside his daughter, still eating quietly. ¡°Is everything alright, Ridia?¡± the Margrave questioned.


    ¡°Oh,¡± she lifted her head, as though drawn from a daydream. ¡°Oh¡ªumm, yes. Everyone has been very kind to me here.¡±


    The Margrave nodded. ¡°I apologize that my son could not be here. I promise you that Elias will make it up to you as your fianc¨¦.¡±


    ¡°He can hardly be¡ª¡±


    The doors to the room opened and Ridia flinched, cutting her sentence off. Argrave stood there, wearing the same gray leather armor as he had the past few days¡ªit was clean now, though. His threepanions stood just behind him. He scanned the room.


    ¡°Thought there¡¯d be more than just us¡­¡± Argrave said hesitantly.


    Reinhardt gestured to the chairs opposite Ridia and Rose. ¡°Sit,¡± hemanded.


    Argrave nodded without protest, then moved to sit. The Margrave took a piece of paper and stowed it away in his pocket, then adjusted some of his cutlery. Argrave hesitated to sit right next to Reinhardt, but eventually he swallowed and did so, sitting quite rigidly and politely.


    He briefly looked at Rose of Parbon. He wasn¡¯t particrly worried about her¡ªhe was sure he left a good impression, even if he wasn¡¯t 100% confident he¡¯d sold her on his ideas. Someone would need to be delusional to guess the truth about Argrave. No one would assume he was a different person entirely, even in a world of magic.


    ¡°Fill four tes.¡± the Margravemanded a serving staff off to the side.


    ¡°Ah¡ªthree,¡± Argrave amended. ¡°Gmon prepares his own food¡ªhe¡¯s very particr. It would be impossible to sustain such a physique otherwise, no?¡±


    The Margrave frowned, then amended, ¡°Bring tters, let them serve themselves. Some are¡­rger.¡±


    Argrave had no protest to this. He greeted everyone sitting at the table with silent gestures, then finally locked his gaze on the Margrave.


    ¡°So, what did you wish to talk to me about?¡± Argrave smiled.


    The Margrave fiddled with his cutlery, then nted a fork in his steak. ¡°I sent men to the Low Way of the Rose to verify your ims,¡± he began. ¡°They¡¯ve been¡­ dyed.¡±


    Anneliese frowned and tapped Argrave¡¯s foot with hers. He didn¡¯t turn his head, but he acknowledged her signal. This was something they¡¯d devised in private. Reinhardt was lying, and her tapping her foot against his was their signal.


    ¡°I will amodate you well as long as you are here,¡± the Margrave continued, ignorant of their exchange. ¡°I bear no hostility towards you. Considering the gue and the war, I think it would be best if you stayed. Things are dangerous.¡±


    ¡°The patriarch of House Parbon is scared of disease and war? Never could have pictured that,¡± Durran interjected.


    ¡°Durran, let¡¯s save the provocations for people who can¡¯tmand a legion of knights to swarm into here,¡± Argrave held out his hand to silence the man, then smiled pleasantly. ¡°You may know that the Burnt Desert is a little¡­ unsafe, shall we say? One might call it a hellish ce. And by ¡®one,¡¯ I mean ¡®everyone.¡¯ A little danger makes life worth living, so I¡¯ll be fine to leave as soon as you feel fit. Besides, I have ces to be urgently,¡± Argrave added.


    The Margrave leaned forward and ced both elbows on the table. ¡°It is¡­ in your¡­ best interest¡­ to stay in my castle,¡± he said awkwardly. Reinhardt was obviously trying to be subtly suggestive, but he was utterly terrible at it.


    Argrave frowned and locked eyes with the Margrave. Unlike that staring contest they¡¯d had long ago, the Margrave broke away first.


    ¡°Rest assured, I will not again mistreat you,¡± he added. ¡°While I cannot say I will ever forgive what you have done to my daughter¡­ she has.¡± He ced one big, gauntleted hand on her wrist. ¡°And that is more than enough for me to set aside any grudge. You are yours will be guests of honor.¡±


    Argrave was half-expecting Anneliese to tap his foot again, but he simply watched Reinhardt meet his gaze.


    <em>He wants me to stay, </em>Argrave realized. <em>What in the world? Why? He¡¯s not aggressive, or mad, he¡¯s just¡­ I can¡¯t make sense of this. I¡¯m having dinner with someone who thinks I crippled his daughter, alongside that very daughter, and they¡¯re trying to persuade me to stay? </em>


    Argrave looked to Anneliese for a moment, then turned back to the Margrave. ¡°Well¡­¡± he swallowed. ¡°I do have much to ask about the war. Do you think I could ask questions on that front?¡±


    The Margrave took his hand off his daughter¡¯s wrist, then said hesitantly, ¡°I try to avoid discussing affairs of state at the family dinners¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Rose interjected. ¡°We rarely have guests, and I am not so fragile that I would copse from a few where you speak of the war. You agree, Ridia?¡±


    ¡°Umm¡­ I have no issue,¡± she said quietly.


    ¡°But it¡¯s your mother¡¯s¡­¡± he trailed off with a weak voice, then sighed. ¡°Never mind,¡± he continued, voice cold once again. ¡°I will answer what questions you have.¡±


    Just then, the serving staff reentered, cing grand tters of food on the center. Argrave eyed the meatier parts of the table.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Argrave nodded enthusiastically, moving to get his own portion. ¡°What are the big happenings of thest two months?¡±


    ¡°My brother was in by Vasquer,¡± the Margrave said heavily, cing both his arms on the table.


    Argrave paused before he touched the food on the table, feeling disrespectful. ¡°What?¡± he asked, and when no answer came, continued, ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±


    <em>Good for the rebels, </em>he left that part unspoken. With no hostage, they had less power over Reinhardt.


    ¡°You have my condolences,¡± Argrave offered. ¡°I didn¡¯t know Bruno, but I know he was a man of character.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± the Margrave grunted gruffly, something Argrave didn¡¯t begrudge him.


    ¡°From what I know of your people and its culture¡­ that must have weakened support for Vasquer greatly,¡± Anneliese pressed. ¡°And swelled your own ranks with new supporters.¡±


    Argrave looked at her curiously.


    ¡°That is true,¡± he said, voice dead and harsh as though he loathed that fact.


    Anneliese nodded, lost in thought. Then, she continued, ¡°And this gue¡ªhas it struck the north as severely as the south?¡±


    Margrave Reinhardt shifted, frowning. ¡°I cannot say with certainty¡­ but people say it has been contained in the northwest.¡±


    ¡°And where did it begin moving across the south?¡± she pressed further. ¡°From one point, or from many at once?¡±


    With her pointed inquiries, Argrave caught onto what she was implying and stiffened. The Margrave was a bit slower and answered her question no more than what she asked. ¡°I am unsure. It simply swept across in an unprecedentedly fast manner.¡±


    ¡°Like it was aided,¡± Argrave suggested quietly, and Anneliese lowered her head, point made.


    Reinhardt turned to Argrave, expression slowly bing more and more stern. ¡°You suggest¡­¡± he trailed off, perhaps realizing the pointlessness of his question. He set his hand upon the table, slowly clenching it into a fist.


    ¡°Would Felipe¡­ stoop so¡­¡± the Margrave couldn¡¯t even finish his sentence, so intense was his rage.


    ¡°He would,¡± Argrave said with a bitter confidence. ¡°That worthless piece of shit definitely would.¡±


    The Margrave pushed away his te of food, all appetite lost. His intense anger was slowly brought under control as he breathed steadily.


    ¡°With this happening¡­ all the more reason for you to entreat your ally, Jast,¡± Argrave said. ¡°Magic is the only solution for something like this. Get healers. Hell, ask for the Order of the Gray Owl¡¯s help. Their neutrality does not forbid them from offering medical aid, and this is an incredibly dire situation.¡±


    ¡°How do you know the gue is dire?¡± Rose questioned. ¡°You¡¯ve been absent.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen it firsthand in the northwest, back when it was in its infancy. I didn¡¯t realize it would spread so far,¡± Argrave shook his head, lying easily. ¡°The skin turns waxy, distorts into bumps. It causes organ failure, irrational behavior when it spreads to the brain¡­ and even if it stops spreading, the person never recovers from the damage. Additionally, even if they heal, they continue to spread it, indefinitely.¡±


    ¡°¡­people say it is the wrath of Moder, the goddess of gue and rot,¡± Ridia contributed. ¡°She is angry at the war.¡±


    ¡°Spread a deadly disease to protest a deadly war,¡± Durran noted cynically. ¡°Very godlike. Fits with my experience of the idiocy of the gods.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not from the gods,¡± Argrave shook his head. <em>It¡¯s born from man, with some meddling from Gerechtigkeit¡­ </em>


    With everything being brought to light, it felt all the more urgent that Argrave leave. He wanted to stand up and run out. As he was consumed by that thought, he felt a hand on his own, and looked to Anneliese. He smiled lightly at her assurance and clenched her hand. The Margrave watched that exchange, though both of them were oblivious.


    ¡°I must go and talk to some people,¡± the Margrave stood. ¡°I¡­ your advice is sound, Argrave, and I will propose it to my council.¡±


    ¡°I did nothing at all,¡± Argrave raised one hand humbly.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°All of you¡­ eat well. I apologize for my abrupt departure. Seek me out should you need anything. And yourpanion¡­¡± he stopped besides Gmon, who nearly stared Reinhardt in the eyes despite sitting. ¡°Should you need it, you may replenish your rations. Ask my staff.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure he will,¡± Argrave smiled, and Gmon gave him a cold-eyed nce before nodding to the Margrave.


    The Margrave left, some knights following him. Argrave turned back to his food. Consuming his thoughts was a strong desire to go and sort some of the information he¡¯d been dealt.


    <em>Only a few things changed, yet it¡¯s all spiraling¡­ </em>

 Chapter 170

    Chapter 170: Dissonance


    In the days that passed, Argrave¡¯s strong suspicion that the Margrave intended for him to stay became a certainty. The head of House Parboncked subtlety and had all but said ¡®you will stay here.¡¯ It definitely did not have the same atmosphere as the first time Argrave had been restrained by Reinhardt¡ªhe was not yanked about by a rope and tied to posts, and though their party of four was guarded strictly, there was never a hostile atmosphere.


    The Margrave continued to insist that the men he sent to the Low Way of the Rose had not yet returned. Argrave had asked some pointed questions to figure out if the Margrave was hiding anything, as though he had something nned for a few dayster¡­ but Anneliese insisted that the Margrave bore them no ill will, which was surprise enough.


    They were watched quite closely. The only ce they had a chance to talk without knights shadowing them was in their assigned quarters, and even there, they waited just outside. A ward was sufficient to stop most of their talk from leaking outside.


    ¡°Never would have pictured the fearsome patriarch of House Parbon is just a family man,¡± Durran shook his head, his iveid out across hisp. ¡°That gray-haired woman was quite the pretty one.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t even try,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°She has a fianc¨¦. And if you mess that up, I¡¯ll y you.¡±


    ¡°Too shy for my tastes, don¡¯t worry,¡± Durran held his hand out. ¡°The Margrave seems an interesting man¡­ but never a chance to talk to him. Such a shame.¡±


    Argrave shrugged, sitting across from Durran in a circle alongside his other twopanions. A ward blocked their conversation from any listeners. ¡°To be fair, he spends most of his times in meeting with his vassals devising measures for the war.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. He goes to work so his family stays safe, and then once he¡¯s home, he spoils them. A family man, like I said.¡± Durran tapped the tip of his wyvern bone ive. ¡°Though¡­ I guess that¡¯d give him reason to fight harder against our invasions¡­ More to fight for.¡± Durran looked up at Argrave. ¡°Why are we milling about here?¡±


    Argrave uncrossed his legs, then recrossed them, anxious. ¡°This guy keepsing up with contrivances every damn day to keep us here. He said there was a cave-in at the lower levels of the castle, and he wasn¡¯t sure it¡¯d be safe to leave. What the hell is that? A five-year-old cane up with better lies than that.¡±


    Gmon locked eyes with Argrave. ¡°Press the issue,¡± he suggested.


    ¡°I may have to, but¡­¡± Argrave lowered his head. ¡°Why is he doing this? The only thing I can guess is that he¡¯s waiting for a response from someone¡­ Duke Enrico, maybe¡­¡±


    ¡°I suspect he wishes to ask you a favor,¡± Anneliese suggested, eyes staring off into the distance. ¡°He is merely probing whether or not you are trustworthy. That would exin why he and his daughter are asking you so many questions¡­ indeed, asking <em>all </em>of us questions.¡±


    ¡°Why not just sneak out?¡± Durran questioned. ¡°Force our way out, even?¡±


    ¡°Difficult,¡± Gmon shook his head. ¡°It was hard enough for me to¡­ replenish my rations,¡± he looked to Argrave as he said those words with a bitter sarcasm.


    Argrave smiled, then supported Gmon¡¯s im, saying, ¡°And I don¡¯t want to make the Margrave toss aside what little goodwill I¡¯ve built up in that icy heart of his. Doing something like that¡­ sneaking out isn¡¯t the problem. Someone¡¯s going to get hurt, I¡¯m sure of it,¡± he said, pausing as he recalled the unfortunate circumstance with the Stonepetal Sentinels. Argrave held his hand out to amend, ¡°Not us, but them. And the Margrave would care about something like that. His heart might be icy, but that just makes it bigger. He cares for his men.¡±


    ¡°Then what do we do?¡± Durran held his hands out in a shrug.


    ¡°Tonight, we¡¯re having dinner with them. Again. And I¡¯ll press the issue, as Gmon suggested.¡± Argrave rubbed his thumb against his knuckles. ¡°Failing that¡­ I definitely don¡¯t n on staying another night. If no answerse, we¡¯ll devise a n the next morning.¡±


    #####


    ¡°I spoke with my councilors,¡± Reinhardt said. ¡°And received some petitioners from the nobles that have thrown in their lot with me. The unanimous consensus is that this gue is a serious matter¡­ and so I heeded your advice. I contacted Jast¡­ and the Order of the Gray Owl, requesting aid,¡± he told Argrave.


    Argrave smiled. ¡°My words finally got into that thick head of yours, eh?¡± he paused, thinking he might be acting overly familiar. ¡°Erm, forget I said that. That¡¯s a good development.¡±


    The Margrave cleared his throat, then cut into the unseasoned beef he ate every meal. Argrave wasn¡¯t sure the man got the proper nutrients.


    ¡°What do you think should be the priority moving forward?¡± Margrave Reinhardt questioned.


    Argrave nced around the table, taking in the expressions of everyone. He hadn¡¯t intended to talk about this, and he briefly considered changing the subject¡­ but in the end, he might be able to change things for the better when he had the Margrave¡¯s ear.


    ¡°The gue, obviously. That has the potential to do the most damage to the people, be they the high and mighty or the weak and decrepit. Until it¡¯s abated entirely¡­ or until better methods are found tobat it¡­ it¡¯s the most harmful to the world,¡± Argrave finished by pointing to the Margrave. ¡°It¡¯s not the pragmatic thing to do. You may suffer in the war effort. But that is why Felipe deserves to be dethroned, and why it must be you that does it.¡±


    ¡°Hear hear,¡± Durran raised his ss of wine.


    The Margrave shifted, perhaps stirred by Argrave¡¯s words. He set his elbows on the table, then questioned, ¡°And what about your priority?¡±


    ¡°The same,¡± he replied at once. ¡°This gue¡ªthe longer it goes unaddressed, the worse things will get for everyone, no matter who they are. That¡¯s why I intend to head northwest, where people have had it longer. Examining them may help me glean some insight into curing people,¡± he suggested¡ªonly a slight distortion of the truth. ¡°And speaking of my priority,¡± Argrave continued. ¡°I get the distinct feeling I¡¯m being kept from leaving.¡±


    The Margrave stopped midbite, then lowered his fork. Then, as if trying to appear inconspicuous, he raised the fork up again, and chewed his cut of in beef all the way through. Argrave waited politely, a bit bbergasted at how bad this man would be at poker.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you speak of,¡± the Margrave finally said. Anneliese tapped his foot to inform of his deception, but it was unnecessary¡ªanyone could tell he was lying.


    ¡°Really?¡± Argrave raised his brows in exaggerated surprise. ¡°So, that cave-in at the lower levels, no one besides you talked about it? None of us felt it? And hell, it happened despite this castle being so heavily enchanted not even one brick has fallen off, once?¡±


    His daughter, Rose, looked away, almost embarrassed as Argrave recounted the excuse her father had used.


    ¡°It¡¯s a¡­ six-hundred-year-old castle,¡± Reinhardt shook his head.


    ¡°Mmmhmm,¡± Argrave nodded with a stic grin on his face. ¡°And those riders you sent to the Low Way¡ªI didn¡¯t realize your men were so bad at simple scouting tasks. No word from them?¡±


    Reinhardt nted his fork in his steak, then took a long drink of water. ¡°No word,¡± he said, setting the cup down loudly. Anneliese tapped his foot again.


    Argrave leaned back into his chair, keeping his eyes on the Margrave almostzily. He looked to Rose, and then to Ridia of Jast, almost as if asking them silently if they believed this nonsense.


    ¡°I think we¡¯re going to set off tomorrow, Reinhardt,¡± Argrave said inly.


    ¡°You can¡¯t,¡± he answered at once.


    ¡°Why?¡± Argrave crossed his arms.


    ¡°A snowstorm¡­es,¡± he said weakly.


    ¡°This far south?¡± Argrave noted, almost mockingly by this point. ¡°And with not a cloud in the sky?¡±


    The Margrave remained firm. ¡°You can¡¯t,¡± he repeated.


    Durran stood up, his chair creaking loudly. ¡°I can¡¯t listen to this anymore,¡± he said. Argrave looked at him with fierce eyes, concerned the man might do something ridiculous.


    ¡°I¡¯m about to burst,¡± Durran continued. ¡°Need to use the privy.¡±


    He left quickly, grabbing his ive leaning against the wall as he left. He practically sprinted out of the room, one hand held to his stomach. Argrave furrowed his brows, then shrugged.


    Just then, Anneliese tapped his foot, and he came to attention. Durran was lying.


    ¡°Father¡­¡± Rose began, reaching her hand out. The dour Margrave looked a bit brighter at that moment, and took her hand. ¡°Give it up. You are worthless at this sort of thing.¡±


    The big warrior looked betrayed for half a second, but he gave a long sigh and took his hand away. ¡°Alright. I suppose I should be honest.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ yeah,¡± Argrave agreed, one eye lingering on Anneliese. She gave him a quiet nod, then looked out the door where Durran had left. ¡°Starsparrow,¡± he directed her quietly, and she nodded in agreement, casting the druidic spell beneath the table. In not a second, the bird perched atop her shoulder vanished. It moved so quickly no one noticed it at all. Well, nearly no one¡ªRidia of Jast had been staring at the bird on Anneliese¡¯s shoulder, and looked around, confused.


    ¡°The truth is¡­ there is something important you should be let in on,¡± Margrave Reinhardt said slowly.


    ¡°Is that right?¡± Argrave anxiously tapped his finger against a fork, casting nces to Anneliese as she focused on watching Durran with her Starsparrow. He had a bad feeling.


    ¡°I had my reservations,¡± the Margrave admitted. ¡°Even barring our past association¡­ your rtionship with Anneliese. I thought it was whimsy, a flight of fancy from a hot-blooded youth¡­ but there is something more, I believe, and despite the difficulties some might have epting an elf, she has keen insight and talent in many fields.¡±


    Argrave nodded, half-paying attention. ¡°We were blessed to meet, and I count myself among the fortunate to this very day.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± the Margrave nodded, fortunately looking off to the side. ¡°Moreover, my daughter agrees that you have changed significantly. You have not met in eight years, as I remember¡­ but she tells me that speaking to you now is like speaking to an entirely different person. I will not presume to know your situation¡­ but considering how Felipe¡¯s other children turned out, perhaps it is no surprise you were as you were. Yet time away from them, it seems, has changed you.¡±


    Argrave stared, more focused on whatever Durran was doing outside than what the Margrave was saying.


    ¡°Tomorrow morning, I will wake you up early,¡± Reinhardt continued.


    The bird reentered the room, perching itself back atop Anneliese¡¯s shoulders. She opened her eyes and took a deep breath.


    ¡°I wish for you to meet my close council¡­ in part to exin what Jast and the Order might help us with, but for other reasons as well.¡±


    Anneliese leaned in and whispered, ¡®wyvern.¡¯ Argrave had been waiting for that word, and he stood up quickly.


    <em>The crazy moron is trying to steal the Margrave¡¯s wyvern.</em>


    ¡°Before we go on,¡± Argrave began, an excuse quickly prepared. ¡°There is something that I have been meaning to give to you,¡± he spread his arms out grandly. ¡°It has slipped my mind the past few days, but if you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯d like to get it now.¡±


    The Margrave leaned back in his chair, then gave a slow, confused nod. ¡°Alright.¡±


    ¡°Come on, then,¡± Argrave led hispanions along. They stood and followed. His Brumesingers rushed into the room, jumping up onto him and scrambling up into hiding within the confines of his clothes. Once they exited, Argrave kept a brisk pace.


    ¡°Send the bird out. m it into that crazy bastard¡¯s skull,¡± Argrave directed Anneliese. ¡°Lead him to a ce we can reach him. Gmon and I will get everyone¡¯s stuff.¡±


    Gmon stopped. ¡°We¡¯re going along with this?¡±


    ¡°What, we¡¯ve got a choice?¡± Argrave pointed out. ¡°Cup our hands, say sorry? That would never work. He¡¯s forced our hand. Let¡¯s move,¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Anneliese quickly agreed, seeking a safe ce to cast her magic.


    Argrave and Gmon proceeded. A phrase was repeating in Argrave¡¯s head, again and again.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    <em>Crazy bastard. </em>

 Chapter 171

    Chapter 171: Out of Containment


    The Margrave leaned back in his chair at the dining table, staring at his now-empty tter of food. He tapped one foot on the ground, ncing towards the door. Argrave had still yet to return.


    Reinhardt¡¯s old friend, Duke Enrico, had been entirely right from the beginning. Having a motive other than mere rebellion would be good for the rebellion, upsetting though it might be. The Margrave did not wish to y the kingmaker. He merely wished to do what was right.


    But part of doing what was right was epting the tragic realities of the world¡ªfew people, least of all the nobles beneath the heel of Vasquer, acted with righteous intentions. For all intents and purposes, Argrave doused their mes of ambition. He would be Reinhardt¡¯s imant, and with an undisputed figure, the opportunists¡¯ influence would be mitigated after the war ended.


    From all that he¡¯d talked about with Argrave, he¡¯de to know the man better. He was far closer in character to someone like Enrico than Reinhardt himself. The Duke of Mateth had transformed his seat into a bastion of wealth. Reinhardt was a man of war. He would win the conflict, but in the wake of a devastating war, the realm did not someone like himself on the throne¡ªthe realm needed someone to rebuild it.


    Of course, as a bastard, Argrave¡¯s education might becking¡­ but character and will were paramount, by Reinhardt¡¯s estimation. Provided the rtionshipsted, his choice of partner might prove problematic for realm stability¡­ but then again, Enrico had told Reinhardt that Argrave had some sort of close rtionship with the tribe of snow elves, and the woman herself seemed quite keen.


    Each issue had its counterpoint. With the situation as miserable as it was, it was a wonder anyone like Argrave existed. Above all, no better alternative existed.


    Margrave Reinhardt foundfort in the fact that the founder of House Vasquer, the leader of the legion of ten thousand snakes, had been known as deceptive, even dishonorable. But the first Vasquer cared about the people, and he built the longeststing human kingdom in the known world. Margrave Reinhardt would be happy to replicate even half of that.


    Reinhardt heard steel nging up the hallway and refocused back on the doorway. One of his knights entered, breathing a little heavily.


    ¡°My lord¡­ there¡¯s trouble,¡± he said quickly. ¡°Your wyvern. It¡¯s¡­¡±


    The Margrave leaned forward, cing one hand on the table. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°In the skies,¡± the knight finished.


    Reinhardt¡¯s eyes danced for a few seconds, stunned. When he gathered himself, the Margrave stood quickly enough to cast his chair to the ground. He wiped his hands with a cloth, and then stepped around the table.


    ¡°Stay here with Rose,¡± the Margrave directed, already half-running.


    The Margrave wound through theplex keep of stone that was the Lionsun Castle. The dining hall was near the center of the massive fortress, and so it took a great deal of time to reach the outside. Eventually, the Margrave ran to a balcony overlooked the Lionsun Wall, ncing about the skies. Just as his knight had said, his wyvern was flying about the sky, controlled by a masterful rider. Reinhardt watched for half a second, teeth clenched tightly.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°The tribal,¡± he finally realized, sprinting away from the balcony.


    The Margrave ran through his keep until he eventually set foot on the great Lionsun Wall. His men were not undisciplined, and a great many of them had gathered. Though many were mages, they were hesitant to attack the Margrave¡¯s personal property.


    Reinhardt spotted one of hismanders and strutted to him. ¡°How did this happen?¡±


    ¡°The men were eating, sir,¡± themander exined deferentially.


    ¡°How did the tribal get to where he was? I assigned guards to them at all times,¡± Reinhardt demanded.


    ¡°He entered the privy¡­ and then he was there,¡± themander shook his head, watching the sky. ¡°Some people think he climbed out of the window, along the mountainside.¡±


    The Margrave nced around at everyone. ¡°Keep watch for Argrave and the others. Give them no opportunity. This is the only ce they can be reasonably picked up¡ªensure it is watched,¡± he directed.


    Just as the Margrave gave that order, the wyvern changed its course in the sky. It headed for the apartments in the central keep. Reinhardt stepped away and entered there, sprinting through the stone hallways while looking out of balconies to follow its movements.


    Eventually, he burst into Rose¡¯s room, which was empty¡­ save Argrave and hispanions. The wyvernnded and dug its ws into the wall, holding its neck inside the room.


    ¡°What in the gods¡¯ name are you doing?!¡± the Margrave shouted. Behind, Margrave heard some knights pursuing him, ready to aid.


    Gmon already stood opposite the Margrave, protecting them as they loaded their things atop the wyvern. Argrave helped Anneliese up and cast nces back to the Margrave.


    ¡°I told you I had to go! Told you it was urgent!¡± he shouted out.


    ¡°And this is your solution?!¡± Reinhardt stepped closer.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get your lizard friend back to you by tomorrow! Probably,¡± Argrave shouted again.


    Margrave Reinhardt stepped closer, but suddenly, mist in the room coalesced into lifelike elven warriors. Reinhardt darted backwards, surprised. It gave Argrave enough time to climb aback the wyvern himself, and then Gmon followed shortly after. Argrave¡¯s four foxlike pets scampered across the room, then jumped up just after him.


    Just like that, the wyvern pushed off, beating its great wings to gain altitude. The Margrave stepped to the balcony and whistled, but his beast ignored hismand¡ªit never had before, so the Margrave stared, shocked by the whole situation.


    The Margrave stood there, staring, for a long while. Eventually, a voice broke his thoughts.


    ¡°¡­Margrave,¡± the voice came, finally breaking his focus. ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    ¡°The third time..!¡± he began, fist clenched, but collected himself. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he waved his hand, cradling his forehead.


    ¡°¡­we found this in Argrave¡¯s room, sir. I don¡¯t feelfortable holding it. Too rich for my blood.¡±


    The Margrave turned his head, where he received a letter alongside five rose gold magic coins.


    The letter was hastily written, and read, <em>Payment for horse, wall, and travel fare. Wyvern back by tomorrow. </em>


    #####


    ¡°I might choke you if you weren¡¯t flying this damned thing,¡± Argrave shouted above the wind. ¡°We¡¯re headed that way,¡± he pointed, looking down at the oldpass Titus had given him.


    ¡°Did you see his face?¡± Durran giggled, then erupted intoughter. ¡°Gods, what a rush. I climbed out the privy¡¯s window¡ªit was about ten feet up¡ªand then scaled along the damned mountain wall, ive tied to my back. The wyvern was a bit fussy, but I used some of that newfound druidic magic to calm it and ride it into glory. Absolutely brilliant, I am.¡±


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have done it at all!¡± Argrave yelled back.


    ¡°Good gods, don¡¯t yell into my ear,¡± he brushed off Argrave¡¯sments easily. ¡°It worked out, didn¡¯t it? We¡¯re free, we¡¯re out and gone. No one died, not a one. I waited until dinnertime so the guard would be upied. It was a perfect little theft.¡±


    Argrave mulled that over and cast a nce back at Anneliese. ¡°If you had brought it up, discussed it with us, we wouldn¡¯t be having this conversation,¡± he admonished. ¡°Say we didn¡¯t notice¡ªwhat was your n? Fly about until we were captured, then fly away into the distance?¡±


    ¡°I knew you¡¯d notice,¡± he said as though it was obvious. ¡°Anneliese would catch on to my lies, she¡¯d send her little Starsparrow out to find out what I was doing, and then you¡¯d speedily get our things,¡± Durran summarized. ¡°Everything worked as I thought it might. Besides, I only decided to do it after I heard the Margrave pussyfooting about as he was. He clearly wasn¡¯t budging.¡±


    ¡°And yet after you left, he did just that!¡± Argrave shouted in irritation, causing Durran to cup his ears once again. He scrambled to grab the reins.


    ¡°It¡¯s done,¡± Durran concluded. ¡°Toote to go back.¡±


    ¡°We shouldn¡¯t have to go back,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°And now, I¡¯ll never hear whatever it was he was going to say. Fly, you fool.¡±


    <em>This can¡¯t be without consequence,</em> Argrave knew at once. <em>I have to talk with Anneliese, work something out. </em><em>And if that doesn¡¯t work¡­ cut your losses, Argrave. </em>


    The whole experience left a sour taste in his mouth, like the sour experience it was.


    #####


    Argrave watched thendmarks they passed by, leading Durran towards Jast. It wasn¡¯t long until the city, with its titanic towers of ck stone, came into sight. Argrave did not dare be known as the rider of the wyvern, and so he directed Durran to a secluded portion far removed from civilization before they dismounted. Once it was released from the rtively light hold of Durran¡¯s druidic magic, it flew away back towards its home like a carrier pigeon.


    Though it was a long walk to Jast¡ªand made longer by Argrave¡¯s refusal to deviate from his ritual of watching the suns set with Anneliese¡ªthey made it at around midnight. The same asst time, Argrave didn¡¯t n on using official channels. Argrave got in touch with the same men who had smuggled him in once before. Things went smoothly.


    ¡°You know smugglers?¡± Durran questioned as they sat there waiting.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°Some loose ends that need to be tied up here. ine of Vyrbell¡ªI had some business dealings with her. I entrusted her with some enchanted relics, had her appraise them. Moreover, she¡¯s the primary point of contact between me and the Veidimen. Hopefully¡­ I can rece Gmon¡¯s axe. That¡¯s wishful thinking, though.¡±


    ¡°Ady runs a smuggling ring?¡± Durran raised a brow. ¡°That¡¯s ady I¡¯d like to meet.¡±


    ¡°Her brother runs this vast criminal enterprise in Jast, actually. Rivien.¡±


    Durran looked around. ¡°Hell of a ce, Vasquer. So many new things. So exciting,¡± he said eagerly.


    ¡°Keep your tattoos hidden, if you would¡ªit was pointless to wear them in the Burnt Desert because the three of us stuck out enough as was, but we¡¯ll need to don our Circlets of Disguise once again,¡± Argrave shook his head, then exined to Durran, ¡°They¡¯ll muddle the features with illusion magic, keep us away from the public¡­ if not the magic¡­ eye.¡±


    #####


    Unlike the first time they¡¯d entered Jast, they were given VIP smuggling treatment¡ªwhatever that¡¯s worth. The four of them were allowed to keep their things, and instead of being led to an abandoned mansion on the outskirts of Jast, they were led directly into the Vyrbell estate. Argrave felt like he was moving up in the world.


    A gruff looking man looked suitably out of ce as he opened a fancy door within the borate mansion of silver, dark wood, and marble. Argrave strutted inside first. Perhaps the guards were better directed, or perhaps Argrave was remembered, because hispanions were not stopped at the door as they had been on hisst visit to the Vyrbell estate.


    Argrave had thought leaving the Lionsun Castle might give him some reprieve from red hair, but instead, he saw it once again¡ªthis time, in the form of siblings. They might be mistaken for Parbons were their eyes not bright green. Rivien of Vyrbell sat at the head of the table, as finely dressed and fierce eyed as ever. ine sat slightly ahead and beside him, one leg crossed over the other. She dressed finely, too; unusual, considering she usually wore the simple gray robes of the Order of the Gray Owl. Argrave didn¡¯t want to presume why she had done such a thing¡­ but the dress was very ttering on her.


    ¡°I dislike being woken thiste in the night very much, you¡ª¡± ine paused when her eyes fell on Argrave¡¯s face.


    ¡°You don¡¯t look disheveled enough to have been woken up. And smuggling is ate-night business,¡± Argrave greeted. ¡°ine. Rivien. Been a while. I have a new addition¡ªDurran,¡± he gestured towards the former tribal, who stood there silently with a smile on his face.


    ¡°Argrave?¡± ine asked, genuinely questioning if it was him.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me. Would this help?¡± he covered his eyes with his hand.


    Rivien ced his arms on the table, ignoring Argrave¡¯s change. ¡°It is nice to see you again. We took you for dead. Not a word of you for months.¡±


    Argrave sped his hands together. ¡°Yes, well, if I don¡¯t wish to be found, no one will find me, not even the Bat¡ªyou can tell the Bat that, both of you.¡±


    ine uncrossed her legs and shifted in her chair. Anneliese scrutinized her expression closely.


    Rivien gave a smile. ¡°I will tell him,¡± he confirmed.


    ¡°I assume you¡¯re here to check in on our business?¡± ine questioned, leaning forward on the table.


    ¡°Among other things,¡± Argrave nodded.


    ¡°What ¡®other things?¡¯¡± Rivien inquired curiously.


    Argrave shrugged. ¡°Same reason as many, I suspect. You want some investment advice? People trying tobat disease with magic¡ªthat¡¯s about to go big, and soon,¡± he snapped. ¡°I might get into the biz myself, but I have other things in mind for my money. For starters¡­ paying you. I¡¯d like the same arrangement asst time¡­ for a week, this time.¡±


    ¡°Protection from my men for you, yourpanions, and your property, while you do business in Jast?¡± Rivien sought to confirm, leaning on his elbows resting atop the table.


    Argrave spread his arms out. ¡°Precisely. Saved me the words.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll allow you to stay here,¡± Rivien suggested.


    ¡°Saved me a walk, too,¡± Argrave raised a brow. ¡°Maybe I left a better impression than I thought.¡±


    ine ced her pale hands on the table. ¡°It will be easier,¡± she posited. ¡°We have business, you and I.¡±


    ¡°More than you might think,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°I hope you still have the Veidimen¡¯s ear.¡±

 Chapter 172

    Chapter 172: When Will You Learn?


    ¡°There¡¯s something you should know,¡± Anneliese told Argrave.


    Argrave set aside his duster, preparing to finally head to sleep. ¡°Something wrong?¡±


    ¡°I believe ine is cooperating with the Bat, too. She felt guilty when you mentioned that name, as though she had informed on you and regretted it,¡± she disclosed seriously. ¡°Although¡­ thest bit is only my personal conclusion. I cannot say with certainty.¡±


    Argrave frowned. ¡°Not entirely unexpected¡­ but good to know,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to watch my tongue.¡±


    ¡°You always do,¡± she noted, finally rxing now that she¡¯d conveyed what she had wanted to.


    ¡°Another thing,¡± Argrave pointed at her. ¡°I need your help with something.¡±


    Anneliese raised a brow. ¡°Magic advice?¡±


    ¡°Durran advice,¡± Argrave said bitterly, then moved to sit on the bed, removing his shoes.


    ¡°Oh,¡± she took off her own duster, casting it atop his.


    ¡°The Margrave had no intent to release us,¡± Argrave stated inly. ¡°From what I remember of the conversation¡­ he had ns for me. He wanted to introduce me to his vassals. That meant we¡¯d be forced to stay, and with the importance of ending the spread of the gue, that¡¯s simply not an option. This was a good oue,¡± he reflected.


    ¡°But I don¡¯t care if everything worked out¡ªhim going off on his own like that, it could cause problems in the future. It can¡¯t happen again. At the same time¡­¡± Argrave shook his head, leaving a question unspoken.


    Anneliese slowly shook her head, then sat down beside Argrave. ¡°I think that is reasonable,¡± she reassured him.


    ¡°He needs to be reined in,¡± Argrave nodded decisively now that Anneliese agreed with him. He trusted her opinion more than his own. ¡°I have to nip this in the bud, especially when dealing with that holy fool Orion. He could get us all killed. I can¡¯t abide him continually doing things like this. If I can¡¯t predict him, he might not be wee. Durran¡¯s a resourceful bastard¡ªcrazy, but smart. He¡¯s got brains, balls¡ªif he¡¯d fucking be straight with me, I could use all that,¡± he said quickly, frustrated with the situation.


    Anneliese shrugged. ¡°Though I loathe to admit it¡­ I do not know where to begin.¡±


    ¡°I know ¡®where¡¯ to begin, just not how,¡± Argrave turned to her. ¡°He doesn¡¯t respect me. That¡¯s the issue. He thinks more of his own opinion than mine¡ªmaybe there¡¯s good reason for that.¡±


    Anneliese shook her head.


    ¡°But even if that is the case, that¡¯s not important.¡± Argrave continued. ¡°With his personality, we¡¯ve got a recipe for disaster brewing on the horizon. I have to show him that there are consequences for doing things like that¡ªhave to show him what I say has weight. He won¡¯t respond to punishment. That might only exacerbate his disobedience.¡±


    Anneliese turned her head. ¡°We just conversed with two people who might help you with that¡ªine and Rivien. Perhaps not entirely honest, staging consequences for his actions¡­ but then, neither are you.¡±


    Argrave kept his gaze locked with hers, expression slowly brightening as he put together what she said. Then, as he pondered it more, his gaze grew distant. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ that seems like something Titus would do. I want him as an ally and confidant, not as some servant cowed by intimidation and subterfuge.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°Titus did win, no?¡± she pointed out quietly.


    Argrave sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll have to think on it more, but it¡¯s better than what I had before. This is why I ask you,¡± he pointed out, wrapping one of his arms around her. She smiled lightly. ¡°Another thing,¡± Argrave continued. ¡°I want you to stay inside until I get the things that¡¯ll help you resist disease better.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± she looked at him. ¡°We had this discussion. It serves no purpose.¡±


    ¡°Please,¡± he pleaded earnestly. ¡°It won¡¯t take very long at all, maybe two days¡­ and it would mean a great deal to me.¡± He swallowed, then rified, ¡°It would ease a lot of the worries I have.¡±


    Anneliese stared for a long while, expression inscrutable. Finally, she sighed, then leaned forward and gave him a kiss. ¡°Alright,¡± she agreed with a whisper.


    Argrave looked as if relieved of a big burden. ¡°Thank you for this. I know you¡¯re pretty far from a fragile flower, but I don¡¯t want to take any chances.¡± He sighed. ¡°If it makes you feel any better, there¡¯s something I want you to do. Talk to Durran, find out what he¡¯s interested in doing. I¡¯m sure if I forbid him from doing it, he¡¯ll do it anyway. That¡¯s what I want.¡±


    ¡°I see you have already made a n,¡± Anneliese noted.


    ¡°Not necessarily,¡± Argrave looked to the door. ¡°I just want to keep the option in mind. Feels a bit dirty, frankly, and it might cost me¡­ but having Durran be truly steadfast will be a big boon. And the alternative¡­ I don¡¯t want to cut Durran loose.¡±


    ¡°It maye to that,¡± she informed him curtly.


    Argrave bit his lip. He wanted things to work out. Durran had ever been his favorite character,rgely for his reckless nature.


    He wasn¡¯t sure someone like that could fit into the party he¡¯d built thus far.


    #####


    Elias found that calming a crowd using amon enemy was not as immediate a task as he suspected it might be.


    He spent five days and five nights on the battlements of Elbraille¡¯s castle,rgely sleepless, shouting out to the people just outside the gates, urging them to settle things amicably. He ate only bread and soup before them. They threw things, made oundish demands, and even threatened to kill Elias and those close to him. Despite this, he was unwaveringly kind.


    Though it seemed he might never be able to get through their outrage, eventually, his endurance ousted their own and they could shout no longer. Like that, he was able to engage in dialogue with the revolt. He spoke to many people of their misgivings with the Duke, patiently listened to the people and their grievances, and tried to rte to them¡ªat the end of the day, they were all human beings.


    All he did was talk, yet perhaps that was all the people needed. Eventually, he stepped down from the battlements, and moved to stand directly across from them, just beyond the gate. He befriended many and remembered countless names just as the people came to know him. The people loved House Parbon¡ªhis reputation aided him in this, just as Stain suggested it might.


    He promised them things that he had already intended to give them. He promised to root out the corruption in the city and ensure that each and every man would be treated fairly under thew. He promised that the people who had been wronged would be given justice¡ªpromised that those people unfairly seized and executed by rogue knights of the Dukedom would have their familypensated and receive vengeance against their killers.


    Yet beneath it all, he wove the narrative that the gue was themon enemy. He drilled that idea into their head ever so slowly and deliberately so that soon enough, the people themselves were suggesting it would be best to focus on the gue and abandon this revolt. Elias never would have been capable of doing such a subtle thing¡ªit was Stain¡¯s idea, and he used Elias to implement it.


    Soon enough, things had pacified enough that Elias dared to open the gates. He was the first to walk among the people. His dialoging had not been without merit¡ªhe¡¯d made friends among the would-be rebels, and they all greeted him without hostility. He could not say it was warm¡ªtheir tempers could not be calmed so quickly, he knew¡ªbut he finally lifted the siege.


    After, the true work began. Though the Duke¡¯s wife pressured Duke Marauch into remaining within the castle, Elias used his own men to organize proper treatment for all of the gue-ridden within Elbraille. At times he got his hands dirty, setting up tents and overseeing the process of organization.


    The disease was a virulent and highly contagious thing. Elias was not foolish enough to think that he could conquer it within the day¡ªeven still, by restoring order in the city, the rate at which it spread diminished greatly.


    ¡°Young lord, with so many infected, the industries within the city have faltered,¡± an old man exined to Elias, who stood in a tent with the gued. Helmuth stood just beside him, guarding him ever-diligently. His purple eyes swirled like vortexes, watching each and all before them.


    ¡°Meaning?¡± Elias pressed.


    ¡°The men that own the businesses¡ªtextile factories, my lord, or dyeing shops, or butcheries, or any number of enterprises¡ªthey refuse to allow people with the disease work in their buildings. ¡®No work for those with the waxpox,¡¯ they say. All of us are idle, my lord, and some people have even resorted to raiding the granaries of the wealthier citizens, for they cannot afford to pay. It is¡­¡± the man gripped his hands together. His fingers were waxy and distorted. ¡°This work block is sensible, my lord, I know it. Yet even still, people begin to starve.¡±


    Elias considered this, nodding. ¡°I will ensure that the merchants do not raise the prices onmon food item, under severe penalty,¡± he promised. ¡°And¡­ I will secure subsidies, even if I need to call upon my father. You may count on that.¡±


    The old man looked greatly relieved. Elias gave him a curt, if gentle nod, and then walked out of the tent.


    ¡°Things havergely stabilized,¡± Elias reflected to Helmuth quietly. ¡°I think the gue might¡¯ve ended the revolt regardless of what I¡¯d done¡­ but even still, it is good to know I have helped curb things, if only slightly.¡±


    ¡°You are your father¡¯s son,¡± Helmuth reflected. ¡°He enjoys helping people, too.¡±


    Elias smiled when he waspared to his father. ¡°Yet now that things have calmed¡­ I should leave this to subordinates. I made promises. I must keep them. The root of most of the corruption in the city is the Duchess, based on what Stain has found me. I will be of better use in improving the city back in the Duke¡¯s castle. Yet how to separate the Duke and the Duchess¡­?¡±


    ¡°I am d to hear of it,¡± Helmuth said, relief on his tone. ¡°I¡ªyoung lord Elias!¡±


    Elias darted his head about from his retainer¡¯s panic. Helmuth¡¯s hand pointed ahead urgently. He quickly ced the pieces and turned to where Helmuth pointed. Arge, badly hunched man ran towards him with metal held in hand, body wrapped in a heavy bup cloak. Elias was not foolish enough to go out without guards¡ªhis knights moved to intercept, yet two more men coordinated with the hunchbacked man, mindlessly tackling his guards.


    This hunchbacked man broke past his distracted guards with skill¡ªhe was nomon cutthroat, and that much was obvious at once. Elias pivoted away, yet this seemingly deformed man at once lunged forth with inhuman speed. Helmuth conjured a B-rank ward in front of Elias, but it shattered once it met with the man¡¯s weapon.


    Something hurled towards the air at Elias, and he raised his hand to block it. Something cold and wet covered his hand and spilled onto his face. He had no time for disgust because his assant still approached. He saw a gleaming metal whiteness approach and remembered his father¡¯s training well. He caught the man¡¯s wrist and kicked his shin. The dagger only barely cut his hand, right where the bulk of the liquid hadnded.


    The man fell from the kick to his shin, and his heavy bup robe fell off of him. He was badly stricken with the gue, his skin waxy and distorted. The man¡¯s wrist twisted as he fell, and the dagger ttered to the ground. Elias recognized it very well. It was his father¡¯s, once. The Margrave had lost it fighting Prince Induen at Dirha.


    ¡°Young lord¡­¡± Helmuth paused. ¡°The blood¡­¡±


    The man Elias had subdued started tough. His skin was so badly morphed his eyes were practically sealed shut, and they seemed to gleam with malice. ¡°A parting gift for the young lord.¡±


    Elias looked at his hand finally, realizing what had been thrown at him. It was ckened, diseased blood.

 Chapter 173

    Chapter 173: Looping Road


    ine watched Argrave as he ate his breakfast. It was more than a bit disconcerting, considering she deliberately chose him out of all his party members to stare at. Anneliese was feeding her Starsparrow, Durran was examining all of the food curiously, and Gmon sat in silence. Of the three, he certainly didn¡¯t picture himself being the most interesting to look at.


    ine had long ago finished her meal, but Argrave still had much and more to eat. Ever since bing ck Blooded, he found his appetite much greater than it was before. Maybe that was just because he exerted himself more.


    Argrave finally stared back at her, chewing through a soft slice of meat. He examined the ck gaseous magic within her, considering it a good exercise to help him distinguish between the different ranks of magic by sight alone.


    ¡°I think you could be A-rank anytime you want, now,¡± Argrave guessed, hoping to break some of the silence.


    She shifted in her chair and crossed her arms. ¡°And how would you know?¡±


    Argrave tapped his temple, indicating his eyes. ¡°You think I got thesemps because I like the way they look? No¡ªI can see your magic. Very impressive.¡± He lowered his hand and shook his head. He deliberately mentioned this ability, hoping vaguely she might report it to princess Elenore. ¡°I got what I wanted from the Low Way¡­ and from the Burnt Desert beyond it.¡± One of his Brumesingers jumped up on hisp, gazing at the green-eyed woman across from him.


    Some of the iciness was dispelled by his conversation, and ine looked down at the gray fox on hisp. ¡°I hope those creatures of yours made no mess.¡±


    ¡°They never do¡­ unless I want that to happen,¡± Argrave pointed his fork. ¡°So¡ªlet¡¯s get to brass tacks. How is business?¡± he took another bite as he waited for her answer.


    ¡°Good. You mentioned that I could be an A-rank mage¡ªthe issue is, I¡¯m too busy to head to the Tower of the Gray Owl to study the process,¡± she nodded with the faintest of smiles. ¡°The Veidimen are a bit stingy. They¡¯re only distributing the lowest-ranked druidic spells. Even still, they sell like nothing else, and I dare not cripple this business in infancy. Rowe is a hostile prick, but I very rarely have to see him. At this point, I very nearly make as much gold as my brother.¡±


    ¡°Do they trade any Ebonice?¡± Argrave got to the matter he cared about most.


    ine shook her head. ¡°Don¡¯t know what that is. We¡¯ve only traded spellbooks and books about enchantment.¡±


    ¡°Do they carry ck weaponry?¡± Gmon butted in. ¡°Crystalline.¡±


    ine looked at him. ¡°Maybe. I seldom go personally anymore.¡±


    Argrave tapped the table, thinking. ¡°Alright. If you can make it happen, I¡¯d like to see some of the Veidimen smugglers.¡±


    ¡°What for?¡± she frowned.


    ¡°Come on. I set you up with this killer business and asked for nothing in return,¡± Argrave held his hands out.


    ine tapped her finger against her elbow as she sat there with arms crossed. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± she agreed after a time. ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do, but if you¡¯re here a week and no longer¡­ you¡¯ll just have to get lucky if you want to meet them. Voyages to Veiden take a while. Might be they stop by. Might be they don¡¯t.¡±


    Argrave nodded. It was the best he¡¯d be able to get. ¡°Alright. The enchanted jewelry that I left with you¡ªI certainly hope they¡¯re all appraised by now.¡±


    ine nodded. ¡°About two weeks ago, thest of them came back in. Very valuable stuff¡ªI¡¯ve got them in our vault. A lot of the appraisers made offers to buy them. I refused, naturally, per our arrangement.¡±


    ¡°Very nice. After I finish up here, I¡¯d like to see them,¡± Argrave tapped his food with his fork. ¡°I¡¯ll pick out what I n on using. Everything else, I¡¯d like to leave to you to sell. 75-25 split, my favor.¡±


    She bit her lip, then bartered, ¡°60-40.¡±


    Argrave ced his hands on the table. ¡°You¡¯re shaking me down.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll be hard to sell them to anyone that doesn¡¯t know what they do. I¡¯m in contact with the appraisers,¡± ine pointed out.


    ¡°Forget that,¡± Argrave ced his elbows against the table loudly and leaned in. ¡°Who did you use as the appraiser¡ªthat old man Mucullen on the edge of town? Or maybe that tower master Quint in the southwestern center of Jast? I know who you might¡¯ve brought this to. I can sell them fine¡ªdon¡¯t cheat me. 80-20. My favor,¡± he raised it.


    ine stared, biting her lip harder as she deliberated. ¡°75-25,¡± she brought that figure back.


    ¡°I don¡¯t <em>need </em>you for this, and I already paid my service fee for the appraisal a long time ago. Those items are mine. I¡¯m trying to do you a favor, yet you keep pping my hand away. 85-15,¡± he raised his share once again, voice stern.


    ine tensed up, staring down Argrave. Durran¡¯s gaze jumped between the two of them, waiting to see what would happen.


    Eventually, her tension dissipated and ine shook her head. ¡°Dealing with you thest time was definitely different. Fine¡­ 85-15, gods be damned,¡± she said defeatedly.


    Argrave smiled as though his sternness never was, then resumed eating contentedly.


    #####


    ine led Argrave to the Vyrbell vault where the jewelry was supposedly kept. She insisted that they go alone due to her brother¡¯s rules, but Argrave only agreed once Anneliese confirmed she held no malicious intent. He thought things might be awkward between them¡ªthey had parted on a strange note. ine never brought her earlier courtship proposal up. Argrave definitely wouldn¡¯t, either.


    The ce was very well guarded by knights and by walls of enchanted steel. The main door was heavy enough to require two men to open it, and the vault itself was divided into cells, each with another heavy locked door. The ceiling was low, and Argrave needed to bend his neck to stand straight.


    After a little run through the maze-like vault, they arrived at one of the cells, and ine retrieved a key. The jewels were kept in a simple box per piece, alongside a detailed dissertation on their effects. Argrave spent a fair while sorting through them, determining which ones were useful and which could be sold.


    What was stopping someone from wearing ten or more enchanted rings, alongside pounds of enchanted nes and bracelets? Nothing¡­ ostensibly. But there was an issue of resonance. For the ring that Anneliese and Argrave wore, it merely contained a spell¡ªone could wear ten of them without much issue. They were portable spells, in essence. The exorbitant cost was the main barrier.


    For other enchantments, though, the matter was different. Enchantments made in the distant past, as those Argrave had appraised, affect the body itself. As such, if the enchantments are ipatible, their efficacy would be reduced by an astonishing degree. If one wears a ring that helps its wearer resist fire and a ring that helps them resist ice, the two wouldbat each other and nullify their effects nearpletely. By contrast,plementary enchantments might supplement each other.


    As such, Argrave needed to choose a good set for each of his threepanions and himself.


    Gmon stood to be the frontliner, always. He had amazing hardiness, and his survivability could hardly be improved more. Argrave chose a set of anklets that augmented speed. Speed and power were not different¡ªthey were one in the same. Gmon would always benefit from more speed. They were anklets¡­ but considering how big the man was, he might need to wear them as bracelets. Additionally, Argrave found him a ne to resist electricity, which Argrave considered the most potent form of elemental magic. The Giantkillers gave him lightning immunity, but only when held. Beyond that, no otherpatible enchantment suited him.


    Durran would likely fill the space between Gmon and the two mages¡ªAnneliese and Argrave. He was capable with his ive, but also capable with his magic. Versatility was his specialty. Something all-purpose suited him. Argrave chose out any enchantments that helped with his defense. Though his wyvern-scale armor was very good, it fell short of what Anneliese and Argrave wore. In the end, it amounted to a steel ring that hardened one¡¯s skin, coupled with a set of earrings that strengthened the bones.


    Considering Argrave did not know if Durran would stick around¡­ he didn¡¯t n on giving them to him immediately.


    As for Anneliese, Argrave couldn¡¯t deny he wanted to give her mostly defensive enchantments. In the end, he knew it wasn¡¯t the right call. He chose a few rings that affected focus and concentration. It would enable her to aim better in battle and ignore distractions easier. She was already a calm person by nature, and he hoped this would capitalize on that strength of hers further yet. On a more personal note, he hoped it might help with some of the more negative aspects of her empathic nature. She seldomined, but Argrave still felt remorse when he recalled her suffering in the Low Way of the Rose and the Thorngorge Citadel.


    Lastly, Argrave himself. He stood to be the heavy hitter of the squad, especially with the Blessing of Supersession. He had hoped for something to augment the strength of any electric spells. Unfortunately, he didn¡¯t get lucky. After that, he¡¯d been hoping for something to aid with blood magic¡ªonce again, no such fortune. In the end, he settled on a ring that strengthened his wind magic. It might be useful for dealing with projectiles.


    The real haul was to be the money he gained from selling all of these.


    ¡°There,¡± Argrave finished, standing up once again with a piece of paper in his hand. He¡¯d recorded everything that was going to be pawned off. ¡°Everything left, I leave to you to sell.¡±


    ¡°How do you know I won¡¯t cheat you?¡± ine looked at the pieces scattered throughout the room.


    ¡°You asked me something simrst time, as I recall. I¡¯ll know,¡± Argrave said inly. ¡°I know a lot of things. It might be that <em>I¡¯m</em> the Bat.¡±


    When Argrave knew to look for guilt, he saw it written on her features clearly.


    ¡°It might be I asked you to report about me, because I was curious what you might say,¡± Argrave hazarded a guess based on what Anneliese had told him. ine¡¯s widening eyes indicated that he¡¯d hit the nail on the head. Princess Elenore had received some information about his actions from ine. That meant the princess was aware of him. He supposed it was inevitable, given that he¡¯d used her alias to enter this city a long time ago.


    ¡°Or maybe these prying eyes of mine can read the mind,¡± Argrave said suggestively, dismissing his own words with a smile. ¡°Who can say?¡±


    She was obviously stunned for a moment, but slowly she settled down. ¡°I¡¯ll get it done,¡± she promised.


    Argrave pped, the sound muffled by his gloves. ¡°Excellent. Now I can stop ying the hardliner.¡±


    ine looked up at him. ¡°You have changed a lot, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    Argrave frowned. ¡°What does that mean?¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she shook her head. ¡°You just seem¡­ harsher. Less¡­¡± she trailed off, leaving a word unspoken.


    Argraveughed and made for the door. ¡°Sore over the split? Come on. I can¡¯t be a doormat. I hope there¡¯s no hard feelings. I still consider you and your brother friends, you know.¡±


    ¡°Never mind. Forget I said anything,¡± she changed the subject, walking ahead of Argrave to exit the cell.


    Argrave stood in silence, neck bent to avoid bumping his head on the low ceiling. He contemted her words for a few seconds. After, he stepped forward, mind refocused on getting all that he needed from Jast.


    ¡°By the way¡ªI might need your help with something. It¡¯s about this newpanion of mine¡­¡± he called out.

 Chapter 174

    Chapter 174: Even the Greatest Fall


    The time spent at Jast passed in much the same way as their first visit¡­ though without the feeling of tension from thest time. Jast was allied to House Parbon, now, and the sentiment was reflected in the streets. g-saluting patriots abounded, whereasst time had the atmosphere of a heated, tense debate. Parbon was well-loved and supported by the Count of Jast.


    Yet the gue was an imminent issue. Count Delbraun was managing things in a stern way¡ªany gued refugees from the viges were kept outside of the city, and the gates were opened only during specific hours of the day. Even during those hours all entries were heavily guarded, and all entering the city were strictly checked. Though this did not prevent the spread of the gue entirely, it did contain it a great deal.


    Residents of the city were given medical treatment. Those that could not pay were given free, if limited, medical treatment, and cordoned off in abandoned buildings. Those that could pay could receive highly specialized medical treatment from spellcasters.


    Entrepreneurial wizards in the Order of the Gray Owl were already developing things tobat the gue. Many of them were utter bogus. Argrave had the good fortune to know which were scams and which weren¡¯t. All of these elements working in tandem kept Jast quite stable.


    Argrave bought twenty masks¡ªtheir seller dubbed them ¡®Humorless Masks.¡¯ They were solemn looking in white masks that shone withplex enchantments on the inside. When worn, the mask would constantly project clean air infused with healing magic into the airways. Its seller said it would ¡®keep out bad humors by ensuring only clean air entered,¡¯ but despite its dubious description, it was a tremendous boon to the constitution. It was like a constant minor healing agent pumping throughout the body, carried by the lungs and then the blood. He bought twenty for reserve¡ªeachsted a week when actively used.


    Though the Humorless Masks would be quite effective for most purposes, Argrave still bought an abundance of ingredients needed to make potions that would helpbat disease. He would be sure to have Anneliese and Durran both drink them whenever they were in high-risk areas.


    Gmon brewed these potions. Naturally.


    While moving through the town, Argrave made it a point to practice using Garm¡¯s eyes to discern what rank spellcasters was at. As he practiced more and more, he grew confident in discerning who was what rank, and his own knowledge of certain people helped verify those results. He felt fairly adept at determining a spellcaster¡¯s rank now, but naturally, it would need some fine-tuning.


    Beyond tending to the issue of disease, Argrave also focused on refueling, so to speak. He sold the jewelry and other valuables piged from Argent, the Tower of Silver. Between the war and the gue, he did not get as much as he¡¯d liked¡ªnevertheless, it was a handsome sum. He used that, plus the remainder of what he still had in his lockbox, to pay for everything he needed.


    Anneliese and Argrave had used most of the B-rank wards avable in their enchanted rings, so Argrave had them recharged¡ªsignificantly less expensive than having them made initially, yet still quite costly. Argrave also had their enchanted gear examined and repaired. Between paying back the Margrave, the Humorless Masks, and the enchantment repairs and recharges¡­ Argrave found himselfpletely out of rose gold magic coins.


    When Argrave recognized that, he did quite a lot of introspection. He had received that money from the sale of the estate of Foamspire, which hade from a bribe by Induen. Anneliese and Argrave could still spot the tower every day when they did their daily ritual of sunset watching. Argrave checked Rivien¡¯s calendar¡ªas he recalled, Foamspire vanished into the ocean ¡®overnight¡¯ on 1/13/873. He prayed he remembered that date.


    ¡°What are you grinning about?¡± Argrave questioned as he ate breakfast with Durran and Anneliese.


    ¡°What, the man with the magic eyes can¡¯t catch on?¡± Durran tapped his fork against the te, then leaned back in his chair. ¡°It seems you and I are on the same level.¡±


    Argrave double-took for a moment, then set down his fork, scrutinizing Durran a little more carefully. The man had always possessed arge supply of magic, well over many C-rank mages. Yet Durran yet to breach the barrier,cking any C-rank spells to learn.


    ¡°You¡¯re C-rank, now,¡± Argrave said, catching on.


    Durran beamed. ¡°Couple of weeks with Garm¡¯s books, I finally break this little limit I¡¯ve had for near a year. Wondrous thing, isn¡¯t it? It seems we¡¯re together now in being midway to the end of the road to mastery of magic.¡± He picked up his fork again.


    Argrave wiped his face off with a napkin as he stared Durran down. He didn¡¯t say anything.


    ¡°That thing I mentioned to you,¡± Argrave turned to look at ine. ¡°You took care of it?¡±


    ine nodded.


    ¡°Make sure they were all delivered,¡± Argrave insisted.


    #####


    Durran sat in his bedroom, sitting on his bed with his back to the wall. Argrave had extended their stay here, for reasons Durran couldn¡¯t guess. One knee supported a spellbook which projected a three-dimensional spell matrix. He studied it, head tilted to one side. As he did so, a knock came at his door.


    ¡°It¡¯s open,¡± he called out, only moving his head.


    Argrave opened the door and entered, lowering his head beneath the doorframe to enter. He was a very physically imposing person, an effect that had only increased as they travelled¡ªck blood was doing wonders for him, evidently. Durran hade to know as they travelled that he was not quite so fearsome. Despite everything, he was still as mortal and fallible as anyone¡ªhe just knew a lot of things that he shouldn¡¯t.


    ¡°Leader man. What brings you here?¡± Durran greeted.


    Argrave sped his hands together. ¡°Want to ride a horse?¡±


    Durran frowned. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Want to show you something,¡± he shrugged, stepping closer. ¡°And horse riding is fun.¡±


    Durran closed the book. ¡°Why not? I love a good mystery. You¡¯ll have to teach me how to ride.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°You know, I learned from Margrave Reinhardt. Quite a tale¡­¡±


    #####


    ¡°¡­and all the horses went wild,¡± Argrave said, hands held over the fire. ¡°The knights roamed about, trying to rein them in¡­ meanwhile¡­ I cut my ropes, snuck over to the Margrave¡¯s horse¡­ and took off into the night.¡±


    Durran broke into a loud, howlingughter that echoed across the ins. It rebounded off a distant white tower on a cliff overlooking the sea.


    ¡°After that, I rode through the whole night¡­ then I sold the guy¡¯s horse to some horse merchant I knew. Could have bought a damn house with what I got.¡± Argrave held up his hand in an ¡®ok¡¯ sign.


    Durran¡¯sughter was stoked by Argrave¡¯s continuation, and he fell on his back, where the two horses they¡¯d rode in on stood behind them, grazing.


    ¡°Gods above,¡± Durran sighed. ¡°Thought I was so special, but I was just carrying out a tradition.¡±


    Argrave chuckled, then handed a skin with a lid on it over to Durran. ¡°You want?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Durran eyed it.


    ¡°Wine. Expensive, I¡¯m told,¡± Argrave moved it, and liquid sloshed within. ¡°Might have stolen it from ine.¡±


    Durran grabbed it. ¡°You had wine this whole time? You greedy¡­¡± he trailed off as he threw the wineskin back, drinking heavily.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t touch it,¡± Argrave protested. ¡°I can¡¯t get drunk anymore. Now it¡¯s just terrible-tasting juice to me.¡±


    Durran frowned. ¡°Because you¡¯re ck Blooded?¡± When Argrave nodded, he shook his head. ¡°What a blow.¡±


    ¡°Better than getting sick every damned month. Abject misery,¡± Argrave disagreed.


    The word ¡®misery¡¯ seemed to remind Durran of something, because he quieted down. He took another drink, staring at the moonlight reflect off the white tower ahead. It was a grandiose piece of architecture. It seemed sturdy¡ªmade for the ages.


    ¡°Do you still think about Garm?¡± Durran questioned.


    Argrave nodded, saying nothing.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Durranid on his back. ¡°I¡¯ve got nightmares of the blue-eyed prick.¡±


    ¡°Blue-eyed?¡± Argrave turned.


    ¡°Saw what he really looked like when we¡­ fought,¡± Durran exined.


    ¡°Oh. The fight between souls. That must have been wild,¡± he said ponderously. ¡°Necromancer like that surely has some imagination.¡± Argrave nodded, turning back to look at the tower.


    Durran looked surprised Argrave knew about it, but he turned his head to the fire. ¡°Always the same dream. We¡¯re on a field of ck roses. He asks me a question. He says, ¡®when you think of freedom, do you think of flying?¡¯¡± Durran shook his head. ¡°Then the roses be hands, they pull me apart¡­ or they try, at least. I always struggle. Then, he asks me another question. Different, this time.¡± Durran looked at Argrave. ¡°¡¯When you think of freedom, do you dream of dying?¡¯¡±


    ¡°It rhymes,¡± Argrave noted quietly.


    Durran drank deeply this time. ¡°It¡¯s like the guy¡¯s still there, tearing me apart. Trying to take what he wants.¡±


    Argrave shook his head. ¡°Not possible.¡± He looked at Durran, but his assurances didn¡¯t seemfort the man. He continued, ¡°I¡¯ve got nightmares, too. Sometimes Garm is in them, sure. Mostly it¡¯s¡­ everything else.¡± Argrave turned. ¡°I told you I have a lot of good stories. Fact is, they¡¯re fun to talk about¡­ but they were hell to experience. The Cavern of the Lily¡¯s Death, the Veidimen invasion, the Low Way of the Rose¡­¡±


    Durran stared at Argrave¡¯s back, then took another drink from his wineskin.


    ¡°Gotten better with Anneliese. She wakes me up when I start muttering, stuff like that¡­ and I do the same for her. I never thought she might be going through the same thing,¡± he said wondrously.


    ¡°Ahhhhh,¡± Durran eximed knowingly. ¡°Nothing quite like a bedmate.¡± He drank more of the wine. ¡°Thatdy, ine¡­ she was a pretty one. Smart, too, and fiery. Exactly the type I like. Wanted to have a chance to chat with her alone, but she was too damned busy.¡±


    Argrave whipped his head back. ¡°Was that why you stayed inside like a good boy?¡±


    Durran smiled.


    ¡°Now¡¯s hardly the time, anyway,¡± Argrave shook his head disapprovingly.


    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re one to talk,¡± Durran said bitterly. ¡°My father always told me the gods love me more than anyone¡­ but no gods love a man like a woman can. And you¡ªyou¡¯re set.¡±


    Argrave said nothing more on the matter, and Durran took another drink out of the wineskin, turning to look at the tower.


    ¡°So¡ªlet¡¯s hear another story,¡± Durran urged. ¡°The Cavern of the Lily¡¯s Death¡ªlet¡¯s start there. You say you¡¯ve got so many stories, after all.¡±


    Just then, the ground rumbled. The fire flickered ahead of them. Argrave shifted, and then rose to his feet. He stepped ahead, then turned around.


    The rumbling began to intensify. Though Durran had been staring at Argrave, he saw movement out of the corner of his eye. He turned to look at the white tower in the distance. Durran rose to his feet. He realized that the tower was lowering. He furrowed his brows, perplexed, and stepped forward.


    Suddenly, great stretches of thend ahead began to distort. It was not so much a catastrophic shaking as it was a simple copse¡ªandslide on a grand scale. The grass-strewn sea arch ahead started to depress in the center, great chunks of stone and dirt falling off into the sea. It gained momentum. As some fell, more joined it.


    A colossal amount ofnd suddenly fell away, making the sturdy tower and its apanying walls seem like nothing more than pretty stone as they fell. The tower bent inwards, crashing into thend, which triggered yet more activity. Durran stepped back, briefly afraid. Miles and miles ofnd ahead copsed into the ocean.


    All of the center of the sea arch fell into the water, creating a colossal mass of water and dust exploding upwards into the air. Once things began to settle, Durran calmed, stepping closer. Just then, the pir of the sea arch began to turn, splitting at the center. It, too, fell, causing another massive ssh of water and debris.


    Durran watched, mouth agape and awed. Argrave had stared at him the entire time, and Durran¡¯s gaze slowly moved to him.


    ¡°Told you I had something to show you,¡± Argrave said, stepping forward. He put hisrge, bony hand on Durran¡¯s shoulder and squeezed tightly. ¡°Let me tell you a story. That bit ofnd up there¡ªI used to own it. I sold it for an exorbitant sum, because I knew this would happen.


    ¡°I had ine send each of the servants living there a letter,¡± Argrave looked to the rubble. ¡°I told them this copse wasing, gave them all the evidence. Some of them believed me¡­ the others¡­ well, I assume they¡¯re dead.¡±


    Argrave neglected to inform Durran that none had disbelieved the letters, and the tower was truly empty.


    Argrave leaned in close to Durran¡¯s face. ¡°They didn¡¯t listen to me, and they died. They thought they knew better. The things I say, Durran, they usuallye true.¡±


    Durran stared Argrave in the eyes, more than a little unnerved.


    ¡°I have a lot of stories. We¡¯ll make a lot more, and they¡¯re only going to get more and more noteworthy.¡± Argrave squeezed tighter. ¡°So, if you want to have fun, and you want to do crazy stuff¡­ just wait. It¡¯ll happen,¡± he smiled genially. ¡°But I don¡¯t need you doing things like what you did at the Lionsun Castle. It throws things off. If I tell you to wait because it¡¯s smart¡­ well.¡± Argrave turned back to the site of the copse. ¡°You should wait.¡±


    Durran slowly nodded.


    ¡°Structure, leadership¡ªthese things are very important for precise operations. Even if you see what you consider a ¡®better way,¡¯ going off alone only causes trouble for everyone else.¡± Argrave released his grip, then pinched Durran¡¯s cheek. ¡°I don¡¯t like dealing with uncertainty, imprecision. We¡¯re fighting a god. There is very little room for error.¡± Argrave stepped away. ¡°Can you handle that?¡±


    Durran lowered his gaze, staying silent. Eventually, he lifted his head up. ¡°Yes, Argrave.¡±


    ¡°I need more than a yes,¡± he pressed.


    Durran blinked, then locked his golden eyes with Argrave. ¡°I won¡¯t go off on my own, and I won¡¯t disobey you.¡±


    Argrave smiled. He gave Durran two light, friendly ps on the cheek. ¡°Let¡¯s ride back. Early day tomorrow.¡±

 Chapter 175

    Chapter 175: Into the gued Lands


    Gmon stood on the docks of the seedy underground Smuggler¡¯s Cove with Argrave, watching the slightly turbulent waters. ine had told them that the Veidimen were going to being by today¡ªArgrave hoped to the pickup some Ebonice here. Considering Jast was a city of magic, it stood to reason the smugglers thate here would bring some for protection.


    Argrave had taken some extra days to do that little disy with Durran. He didn¡¯t like idling about for too long, but he felt this matter was important. It came with a bright side¡ªthey managed to catch one of the Veidimen smuggler¡¯s arrival times.


    ¡°I¡¯m really d I remembered the date of the copse right,¡± Argrave confided with Gmon. ¡°The whole thing could have gone extremely sour. Could¡¯ve taken the guy out drinking, wasted time telling stupid stories. I always thought I had a bad memory. I guess I was very wrong. I just hope it works¡­¡± Argrave kicked the tip of his boots against the ground.


    ¡°He¡¯ll be reliable,¡± Gmon nodded.


    Argrave turned his head. ¡°You think?¡±


    ¡°Had soldiers like him once,¡± Gmon crossed his arms. ¡°Capable, but individualistic. Punishing turns them into troublemakers.¡± His teeth showed in the faintest of smiles. ¡°Develop a rapport, show your own capability. That¡¯s the path to respect.¡±


    Argrave looked to Gmon, feeling a bit more confident now that he¡¯d weighed in. He appreciated Anneliese and Gmon much more now that he¡¯d dealt with a third party member who was not sopliant. Someday, he¡¯d like to do something to show his appreciation.


    <em>A thanks is a nice ce to start, </em>Argrave mused. As he opened his mouth, Gmon shifted.


    ¡°Boat,¡± he said, tone low. ¡°Big. Eight on it. A galley, probably, and rowed.¡±


    Argrave dismissed his thoughts and focused on the matter at hand. Though it was not even in vision, that soon changed¡ªfirst, Argrave saw the disturbed water, and then a galley came into view, just as Gmon had said. It was painted for night travel, barely visible against the ck sky marking the horizon.


    Soon enough, it rowed into view of the lights within the smugglers cove. The giant paddles sticking out of its side were retracted, pulled into the boat, and it slowly drifted. A dockworker¡ªone of ine¡¯s men¡ªmoved to receive the boat. Argrave and Gmon moved towards where it was ted to harbor.


    The lookout of the boat spotted Gmon and Argrave, and her eyes stayed on them curiously. Soon enough, the boat was docked, tied by a thick, hearty rope. One of ine¡¯s men came on and exined the situation. Argrave could barely hear his name, but perhaps it was his imagination.


    Once the situation was exined, the lookout of the Veidimen stepped off her boat onto the docks and moved towards Gmon and Argrave speedily. Gmon tensed, fearing what was about to happen. Argrave remained rxed. The Veidimen soon stood before them.


    ¡°Gmon¡­ ¡®the Great?¡¯¡± the woman lookout asked, standing before him cautiously. She had a certain cheery intensity to her, the effect doubled by her bright blonde hair.


    ¡°Once,¡± he confirmed tensely.


    ¡°By Veid¡­¡± she eximed, putting her hand to her mouth. ¡°I cannot believe it. I never thought¡­¡± she shook her head wildly, like she was meeting a celebrity of some kind. ¡°My brother was an officer beneath you. Taretin¡ªdo you remember him?¡±


    Gmon put one hand on the pommel of the Giantkillers at his belt. ¡°Gold of hair, missing a ring finger? I do remember. A good man,¡± he said cautiously.


    ¡°Aye, that¡¯s him,¡± she smiled excitedly. ¡°I cannot wait to tell him of this.¡±


    Gmon spared a nce at Argrave, perplexed. He only returned with a smile, amused at his friend¡¯s bewilderment. Argrave knew well that Gmon was still revered by the Veidimen, despite both his vampirism and his exile. He was not wee in Veiden, true enough, but the people still loved him fiercely.


    ¡°Then this¡­¡± the lookout continued, turning her gaze to Argrave. ¡°You must be the First Finger of the Hand Reaching from the Abyss!¡±


    ¡°First Finger? What?¡± Argrave asked loudly, taken aback.


    ¡°You were the first human to set foot on Veiden, spurred by the god of knowledge himself,¡± she exined.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Argrave adjusted his cor. ¡°That¡¯s right, I am,¡± he took his credit, feeling a bit proud.


    ¡°They call you a mad fool, fighting alone against the cmity,¡± she continued, causing Argrave¡¯s pride to stop where it started.


    Argrave clicked his tongue. ¡°Hardly alone. But yes, I have that great misfortune.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Not why we¡¯re here, though. We were curious if you would be willing to part with some Ebonice.¡±


    ¡°Ebonice?¡± she looked between the two of them.


    ¡°I hope you¡¯re not asking me to exin what that is,¡± Argrave said drolly.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s¡ª¡± she paused, her cheeriness dulled none by his dryment. ¡°Rowe¡¯s instructions¡­¡±


    ¡°Come now. Gmon had Ebonice¡ª he¡¯s been using it responsibly. An unfortunate happening made it lost to us. This is for Gmon, not for me. An axe, preferably, or whatever you have on hand,¡± Argrave held his hands out, assuring the woman.


    She looked up at Gmon. ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can get from the ship,¡± she concluded.


    Gmon watched as she walked away. Argrave watched him. A little shaken, he looked at Argrave.


    ¡°They should hate me,¡± he said quietly, almost weakly.


    ¡°Should they?¡± Argrave questioned.


    ¡°Yes,¡± he said resolutely. ¡°I am an abomination before Veid¡¯s eyes.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you deliver gold to your wife for decades? You had to know you had friends.¡±


    ¡°I had one steadfast friend¡ªa fellow heretic, in truth, though guilty of lesser crimes than me,¡± Gmon nodded. ¡°But¡­ everyone? They <em>must </em>hate me. It is only right. I betrayed Veid.¡±


    Argrave shook his head. ¡°Everyone knows your circumstances. Everyone knows your tragedy. Even your wife¡ªeveryone respects her, treats her well, because of you.¡±


    Gmon closed his eyes and took a long breath.


    ¡°I told you that you¡¯d see them again one day. I wasn¡¯t just saying things. I <em>can </em>cure you, Gmon. No, that¡¯s not all¡ªI<em> will,</em>¡± he vowed. ¡°Considering all the ridiculously crazy stuff you¡¯ve done for me, it¡¯s the least I can do. And then, you¡¯ll go back to Veid. Everyone will wee you with open arms. You¡¯ll meet your wife again, you¡¯ll meet your son. Maybe I¡¯ll be there,¡± he shrugged. ¡°Maybe we¡¯ll have tea. Could be fun.¡±


    Gmon adjusted his helmet. ¡°Maybe,¡± he conceded. ¡°Would she¡­¡± Gmon trailed off.


    Argrave didn¡¯t know what he was going to say, but he could tell there was some weight to it. Argrave patted him on the shoulder. In the distance, the lookout stepped out of the galley¡¯s deck, holding a ck axe in her hand. Argrave smiled.


    #####


    Theirst day in Jast was quite fruitful. Argrave and Anneliese travelled together into the Order of the Gray Owl to deposit some of the spell books they had finished. She was allowed entry with her badge denoting her as an Honorary Wizard of the Gray Owl. Argrave could carry more than a few books this time. They made an eye-catching pair, Argrave suspected, but they were unbothered. Doubtless anyone interested would know Argrave had been in Jast, unfortunately. An unavoidable tragedy.


    Argrave had broadened his mastery of C-rank spells¡ªthere were few spells of the rank left to learn that he considered vital. He felt that he would be ready to tackle B-rank after they dealt with the gue, and Anneliese agreed with that assessment. His magic pool grew every day with his diligent practice¡ªthough without the debt of the Blessing of Supersession, slower than he¡¯d like. That would be remedied in time.


    On Anneliese¡¯s end, her talent made itself abundantly known. Argrave had counted¡ªshe¡¯d learned seventeen B-rank spells thus far. It was a ridiculous rate of progression. For instance, she learned the druidic spell [Progenitor], binding the three spellcasters in the team in a magicalwork. Anneliese benefited the most, gaining a sort of awareness regarding the two of them and their druidic bonds, but Argrave and Durran would notice if anyone was disconnected from the spell. Considering that typically happened if someone died, Argrave never cared to experience it. Beyond that, she added potent B-rank elemental spells to her arsenal, coupled with helpful illusion magic and potent healing spells.


    After lightening their load of many books, Argrave and hispany left early in the morning. Their pocket was a hell of a lot heavier after the cash from ine¡¯s sale came in¡ªmaybe hisment about being the Bat had gotten under her skin, because she was very deliberate in making it known that he had received the full amount. He doubted that iming to be the Bat would have significant consequences.


    The visit was still a loss in terms of pure capital¡ªthat was fine, naturally. Argrave felt well-prepared for the gue, and money was no objectpared to safety. The Humorless Masks would negate the worst of things, the potions would further eliminate risk¡­ and should someone genuinely grow infected, Gmon was here. His vampiric blood was Argrave¡¯sst resort. The only person who knew that, though, was Anneliese.


    With everythinging together, they finally began heading towards the northwest. Considering that tensions were high and roadblocks were in effect all over the south, they could not travel by carriage as they had before. They travelled by horseback and kept off the main roads¡ªit had been ridiculously challenging to find good mounts. Forests were abundant in the southern territories, and those masked their movements well. Between thepass and the eye-catchingndmarks in Vasquer, Argrave was confident he was leading his party in the right direction. Gmon, who¡¯d been a mercenary in Vasquer for a little over a decade, contributed, too.


    Their party grew ever closer to the heart of the ravaging gue¡­ and Orion, the Holy Fool.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

 Chapter 176

    Chapter 176: The Northwest


    The air grew colder as they moved further north. For Anneliese, Gmon, it was no issue¡ªindeed, it may have been some respite. Argrave wasrgely unbothered. After the experience in bing ck Blooded, it was easy to overlook minor annoyances. Durran, though, who¡¯d spent his whole life in a desert, suffered all throughout the journey, and requested more nkets at night.


    Argrave¡¯s Brumesingers, desert creatures that they were, sought refuge in Argrave¡¯s warmth during the night. At daytime, they scouted when they rode. Anneliese bound all of the spellcasters in the party with the druidic spell [Progenitor]. It decreased the maximum magic that she had, but it remained constantly active without expenditure. Anything Argrave¡¯s druidic bonds informed him of, she would know if it, too. Like this, she became the perfect advance scout, all while remaining in the safety of the party. They had to sidestep roaming horsemen many times. They might not be dangerous¡­ but considering it was avoidable, they took no chances.


    Despite these factors, they made steady progress. As they strayed further from the temperate south, they started to see snow. It was thin at first, but soon it nketed the barren hibernating trees of the forests they traversed. They had chosen to travel on horseback to better conceal their movements, but it made the journey more than a little difficult. Without three spellcasters enabling a little recklessness, the journey would not have been as simple.


    Though they struggled, after about a week and a half, they came into the Midwest portion of Vasquer¡ªthe County of Veden. Though not as grand as the mercantile city of Mateth, Veden was rich. The city had walls perhaps twenty-feet tall, painted white by snowfall. A fortress stood strong at the top of the hill, separate from but overlooking the city. It was the seat of Elgar, the Count of Veden.


    Several rivers passed through the area, making farnd abundant. Veden¡¯s fields were empty during the winter and nketed with thin sheets of snow. Or rather, the <em>unupied</em> fields were snow-covered. The gue brought with it refugees from the rural viges of the Midwest, seeking the aid of the Count of Veden.


    Argrave had been preparing himself to see chaos¡­ but things were better organized than he thought. Instead of being barred from the walls, the people had been divided into orderly camps in the harvested fields, watched over by the city¡¯s guards and knights. There seemed to be no efforts to aid, but the refugee crisis was certainly maintained. In ¡®Heroes of Berendar,¡¯ the chaos had disrupted many of Veden¡¯s vital operations¡ªto see it halted here by efficient handling was a wee, if perplexing, thing.


    ¡°We stopping here?¡± questioned Durran, rubbing the back of his horse¡¯s head. Even without druidic magic, the man had a natural affinity with animals. He wore the Humorless Mask just as Anneliese did.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Argrave watched the camps, gaze distant. ¡°No reason to. We have food enough to make the rest of the journey, and Gmon is an able hunter even if we run out.¡±


    Durran cursed, but Argrave was too distracted to pay him any heed.


    Argrave pulled on his horse¡¯s reins, then said to the rest of his party, ¡°Wait here. I want to go check something out. No more than two minutes,¡± he directed, then led his horse away without waiting for a response.


    He rode near the camps for refugees, not entering them properly. The tents were filled with the disease-ridden and seemed to be given only simple mats of straw. People eyed him cautiously, and eventually, Argrave found what he was looking for¡ªa household knight, bearing a white hare across his breastte. That hare was the symbol of House Veden. He rode up to the man.


    ¡°Hail,¡± Argrave called out, drawing his horse to a stop. ¡°These are camps for the refugees?¡± he questioned.


    ¡°Aye, sir, they are,¡± the man confirmed, voice echoey from beneath his helmet. ¡°Best keep your distance. Dangerous, they are. The gue rots all. Rots away a man¡¯s everything. The waxpox, they call it.¡±


    Argrave shifted. The disease had been given its official name already¡ªthe waxpox. Argrave wasn¡¯t sure if it could be ssified as such¡ªthe waxy skin seen in the diseased might not qualify as a pox¡ªbut the name matched with what it had been called in the game.


    He focused back on the matter at hand, following up, ¡°And the Count of Veden ordered this?¡±


    ¡°¡­aye, that would be the natural order of things. Sir,¡± the knight finished respectfully. Argrave presumed it was the horse that lent the knight that polite attitude¡ªnot many could afford horses in this day and age.


    Argrave looked around once again. ¡°But I know Count Elgar. I don¡¯t think this is something he would do without counsel. Can you tell me anything else about these camps?¡± Argrave fished into his pocket and pulled free a gold coin, holding it up to the sun.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± the knight trailed off, the shine of the coin making him work his head. ¡°People say it¡¯s because of one of his children¡¯s advice. This one, she returned from an academy of sorts, head brimming with ideas¡ªshe¡¯s the one to suggest it, sir, to the best of my knowledge.¡±


    ¡°Does the name Mina of Veden jog your memory?¡± Argrave followed up.


    ¡°That¡¯s it, sir,¡± the knight nodded, helmet nging against his breastte.


    ¡°Then that¡¯s all from me. Catch,¡± Argrave flicked the coin and then rode away, lost in thought.


    <em>She shouldn¡¯t be here. Mina should be at Mateth, with Nikoletta, </em>Argrave reasoned. <em>And even if she were, Mina was never the sort to order something like this built. What¡¯s changed?</em>


    He was curious, and somewhat apprehensive, about the answers to that question. He rejoined his group of three. Hispanions had questions written on their face.


    ¡°It was nothing important,¡± Argrave shook his head. It did nothing to think on this¡ªthought it might be he¡¯d ruined something, the gue still took his priority. ¡°Two more days, I¡¯m certain, till we make it to where I don¡¯t want to be. Let¡¯s ride. There are problems to be fixed.¡±


    #####


    What sort of geography might one associate with disease? Tropical forests, surely; those ces had strange parasites, infectious bacteria, all the works. The continent of Berendar had sprawling jungles, to be sure, but that wasn¡¯t the ce they were heading to. No, the northwest of Vasquer was wends. Argrave wasn¡¯t sure if it was a bog, a swamp, or a marsh¡ªfrankly, he didn¡¯t know the difference¡ªbut it was wends; a little Florida hellscape, though half as hot and a hundredfold deadlier.


    The whole of the northwest had a fittingly gloomy air. Cold fog nketed thendscapes and obscured visibility, and rising waters submerged much of the road, especially during winter. Overnight, the water would freeze at the surface, barely thawing out by midday. It became difficult to travel by horseback¡ªthe horses would either have trouble with their hooves in the water or slip on the thinyers of ice frozen over the road. Still, it was better than being on foot.


    After the two vulnerable people of the group drank a potion to enhance their constitution, they pressed into the hearnds of this deste ce. Anneliese scouted out ahead, spotting a vast camp formed around a ruined castle in the marsh. They headed for that¡ªit matched with Argrave¡¯s memory of where Orion would be. He dreaded the meeting. The environment did little to abate his dread.


    The dead lined the marsh. Argrave had seen many corpses in the months he¡¯d been here; some of them he had made. These corpses were still unsettling, though, even though he knew what to expect. Wherever the gue touched never decayed. Some of them were half-rotten. The waxy, warped flesh marking one as gue-ridden persisted undecayed while the rest of their body rotted, sumbing to death. Though insects were plentiful, the gue-ridden corpses went untouched, like monuments to the diseaseid throughout the road, nketed in low-lying cold fog.


    They passed by abandoned viges. Some of them had been left for so long the wends had already begun to reim them¡ªhouses were caved in, granaries were broken and raided by rats, and fields were left unharvested, imed by the elements and winter. The trees, hibernating for winter, painted a very grim image. The entire northwest told a grave tale¡ªit was even in the air, that constant smell of death. It was a meaty, savory smell, reminding Argrave of¡­ uncooked veal, bizarrely enough.


    As they headed ever-nearer towards the abandoned fortress, he got the distinct feeling that his Brumesingers had noticed something. He was used to this feeling¡ªit warranted further investigation. Nearly in-sync, he and Anneliese said, ¡°Wait.¡±


    Anneliese locked eyes with Argrave, and he gave her a nod. She closed her eyes, holding her hand near the Starsparrow at her shoulder. A spell matrix whirled about in her hand, dissipating into green light. The bird vanished from her shoulder, and Argrave watched her patiently, keeping his horse at heel.


    ¡°I see¡­ footmen. They bear golden armor,¡± she said. ¡°Enchanted, and heavily.¡±


    Argrave took a deep breath. ¡°Orion¡¯s royal guard.¡±


    ¡°They traverse the wends ably,¡± Anneliese continued. ¡°They travel the road. Should we veer off course?¡±


    Durran shook his head, silently expressing his displeasure at the idea of going off-road in this terrain.


    ¡°No,¡± Argrave said, and Durran lifted his head with his golden eyes a bit brighter. ¡°We have to deal with them sooner toter¡ªbest to talk to them now, be escorted to Orion by them, personally.¡± Argrave clenched the reins of his horse tighter. ¡°Like servant, like master¡ªI suspect these men will be as demented as Orion himself. These are armed men. Dangerous.¡± He locked eyes with Durran.


    ¡°I got the message, Argrave,¡± he held up his hands to profess innocence. ¡°I¡¯ll live like the dead.¡±


    Argrave lifted his head. Durran had stopped using the term ¡®leader man¡¯ since that disy at Foamspire, he found. He supposed it had been undermining the entire time.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, then,¡± Argrave spurred his horse onwards. He and Gmon led with Durran and Anneliese travelling just behind.


    Argrave cast a druidic spell. After a couple minutes of travel, Argrave¡¯s Brumesingers returned to him, ready to aid in case he needed it. More minutes after, something golden sheened between the trees. As soon as Argrave saw it, he directed his party to stop, waiting passively in the center of the road.


    Orion¡¯s knights walked into view. They bore the golden armor of the royal guard, undefaced by the harshness of the wends. Their armor gleamed like the sun even still. Their leader had removed his helmet. His face was wrapped in loose white dirty bandages, strands of which swayed in the light winds. The others, too, had bandages on them¡ªsome of it stuck out from the armor, waving like a g in the wind.


    What little flesh of theirs was exposed was waxy. They didn¡¯t seem sick, though¡ªthey were full of vigor and power, every step of theirs seeming to shake the earth. Gmon took a deep breath as they grew closer, uneased.


    Orion¡¯s Waxknights, the game had dubbed them. They were not merely royal guards. They were his own personal order of knights by this point, morphed by the gue and his blessings into something horrifyingly strong and possessed of a devoutness not a bit inferior to his own. He served the gods¡ªand these Waxknights, they served him.


    Argrave spurred his horse a bit forwards, ready to tackle his most important challenge yet.


    ¡°Hail, traveler,¡± the leading knight said, stopping them. ¡°If you¡¯vee here after ignoring the stacked corpses, writhing with waxpox even in death¡­ you must have a purpose.¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°I¡¯vee to see my brother. It¡¯s clear to me he needs help, despite his abundant capability. I¡¯m told Prince Orion is ahead, tending to the gued.¡±

 Chapter 177

    Chapter 177: The Holy Fool


    ¡°I¡¯vee to see my brother. It¡¯s clear to me he needs help, despite his abundant capability. I¡¯m told Prince Orion is ahead, tending to the gued,¡± Argrave spoke to the Waxknight before him, staring at the man¡¯s dead eyes barely visible behind his bandages.


    ¡°Do you mean to say our Holiness is your brother?¡± the leading knight demanded, taking a step forward.


    ¡°Half-brother,¡± Argrave removed his hands from his horse¡¯s reins, holding his palms out. ¡°But a brother nheless.¡±


    The loose bandages wrapped around the leading Waxknight¡¯s face cked, blocking his vision, and he corrected it while pulling it tight.


    ¡°Prince Induen?¡± one at the side questioned.


    Argrave shook his head. ¡°No prince at all, elsewise I might have an escort gleaming as you knights do.¡±


    ¡°Argrave, then, the bastard,¡± the leading knight said.


    ¡°All are equal before the gods¡¯ eyes. That¡¯s what Orion says, at least,¡± he smiled warmly, defusing the situation.


    The Waxknights sized Argrave up, then nced back towards hispanions, examining them in turn.


    ¡°For your own sake¡ªthe waxpox abounds here,¡± their helmetless leader informed him. ¡°We will take you to Orion if you wish it to be so, but even our Holiness struggles tobat the disease, and more refugees show up daily.¡±


    ¡°I have an idea of how bad things really are,¡± Argrave turned his head, looking through the trees from whence they¡¯de. ¡°Things get worse beyond these wends every day. Not all refugees had the good fortune to be tended to by my brother. And that¡¯s precisely why I came here¡ªto help him, and to help those that suffer,¡± he said seriously.


    ¡°Then we will take you,¡± the knight gestured. ¡°Orion epts allers. Whether you are truly his brother¡ªthat will be for him to judge.¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°Mypanions and I will follow you.¡±


    With this, Argrave rode back and rejoined his party. At once, he directed Anneliese and Durran, ¡°Drink your super juice, you two. I know you drank it this morning, but this is the hearnds. Disease flows through this ce like blood through the heart.¡±


    Anneliese obeyed withoutint, removing her backpack from her shoulders and fishing within to fetch the drink. She took off the white, solemn Humorless Mask covering her face, and imbibed the liquid, wincing from its bitterness. Durran cursed too quietly to be heard, and then drank as well, washing it down with some conjured water.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± said Durran, voice tight from his grimace. Anneliese nodded, then put the mask back over her face.


    The Waxknights led them through the northwest, though it was less leading and more so resuming the path they had already been taking. With three of these knights acting as ostensible escorts, Argrave was not worried about anythinging to kill them, so he kept his Brumesingers close. Argrave could not say with confidence that Gmon was these knight¡¯s superior inbat. They were some of the most dangerous warriors on the continent at this stage, exceeding the royal knights they branched from by arge margin.


    Anneliese watched them curiously, eyeing the exposed parts of their flesh where one might glimpse the warped, waxy skin. Argrave had long ago described these knight¡¯s capabilities to his party. Their entire body was affected by the waxpox. This made them immune to pain, and their skin was near as hard as stone. In addition, Orion had blessed them¡ªthey ignored all of the disease¡¯s negative aspects barring the change in appearance.


    Obviously, Anneliese¡¯s curiosity was not satisfied, but with the knights so close in proximity she had tact enough to avoid asking shameless questions. Durran looked diforted with the knights, transfixed with an expression of horror and disgust both. Gmon watched them as though they were dangerous.


    It took no more than thirty minutes for the abandoned fortress, upied by Orion and his gigantic camp of refugees, toe into sight. The wends of the northwest were tenacious and aggressive, and much of the fortress had been torn asunder by growth¡ªtrees, roots, fungi, and vines all consumed the gray stone. Peopley in tents en masse. Despite the seclusion of this ce, the vast majority of these people seemed better fed and better treated than those Argrave witnessed in Veden.


    The knights led them past all of that, heading for a keep in the corner of the fortress. Once at the door, the knights directed them to a makeshift stable that they¡¯d been using, and Argrave left his horse there withoutint. Durran seemed hesitant to leave his mount there, and his eyes nced from side to side as though paranoid, watching each and all of the disease-ridden inhabitants like coiled rattlesnakes.


    The Waxknights took measured and disciplined steps into the keep where more of their colleagues abounded, guarding the man thaty within. Orion received a vast host of themon people, standing a foot and a half above most.


    Orion wore dark te armor, nearly ck, but it was covered by a loose-fitting white toga. His ck hair was all bound into a thick braid that descended to his knees. His eyes were gray, with thick and bushy ck brows giving him a fierce gaze that might remind most of a stern, if loving, father. He grew an unruly beard that was still sharp despite its wildness.


    Argrave waited in the back while the Waxknights went ahead to speak to Orion. They spoke to him, and then pointed. Orion looked at him. He pushed past the crowd,ing to stand a fair distance away from Argrave.


    Argrave was nervous, recalling every experience he¡¯d had with this man in ¡®Heroes of Berendar¡¯ all at once. A great deal of them ended poorly. Even still, Argrave held his arms out and said, ¡°I came to help.¡±


    Orion took long, rapid strides towards him, each step seeming to shake the earth. His presence was intense¡ªhe outsized even Gmon¡ªand he hurtled towards Argrave like a bull. Despite himself, he took a step back. Gmon looked ready to advance, but Argrave stopped him.


    Prince Orion tackled Argrave, lifting him up into the air. His chest screamed out in protest as he squeezed Argrave tight, embracing him. Argrave felt that he¡¯d grown a lot the past month, but now he was being treated like a small child. After a moment of rib-crunching embrace that very nearly triggered his armor¡¯s protective enchantments, Orion put him back on his feet and stepped back, holding both hands to Argrave¡¯s face.


    ¡°Brother! Look at you,¡± he said,ughing heartily. ¡°Tan, strong, hardy!¡± he gripped Argrave¡¯s shoulders as though feeling his muscles, and thenughed again. ¡°And your eyes¡­¡± he paused, all of his mirth disappearing at once. Argrave tried not to show his fear in wake of the vtile shift. ¡°Gold inside. ck without. Much like our house colors.¡±


    He turned, pulling Argrave forward effortlessly. ¡°Everyone!¡± he shouted. ¡°This is my brother,e to help!¡±


    Argrave was met by exultation he¡¯d not been expecting to receive. Orion heralded him proudly before the crowd. Even despite their sickness, they mustered cheers. Orion¡¯s Waxknights changed their disposition entirely.


    ¡°I never expected you toe here from that tower of old owls. You were mired in miseryst I saw you. Now your back is straight, your gait is steady, and your will¡­¡± he whispered into Argrave¡¯s ear, barely audible above the cheer of the crowd. ¡°I see light in you, now. Gold amidst the dark, like Vasquer¡¯s heraldry¡­ and your eyes. Your strange eyes¡­ that vex the voices.¡± He pulled away, wiping his face free of tears. ¡°Family¡­ we unite in despair. Three of us, all the stronger by bound blood,¡± he looked around.


    Just then, someone else stepped out. They stood above the crowd, too, another dark-haired figure. It took Argrave not seconds to identify the man.


    Prince Magnus was tall like all of the Vasquers, though he was the shortest of all save Elenore. Standing at six-and-a-half feet, he stood eye-to-eye with Anneliese. He dressed more like a prominent mercenary than a prince and had a lithe, tightly muscled build to match. His armor was light and scarce at the joints to enable free movement. None of it was especially grandiose¡ªindeed, the only thing identifying him as a royal was a patch of silken cloth hanging from his belt bearing the Vasquer heraldry: twin golden snakes coiled around a sword on a ck field. He had dark, small gray eyes that made him seem tired and angry. All his features were angr and sharp, lending him a suffocating, almost unapproachable atmosphere. His medium-length ck hair was lighter color than most in the family and kept bound in a short ponytail.


    Magnus of Vasquer walked forward, heading for Orion and Argrave.


    #####


    Prince Induen spared a nce back at the city of Elbraille from atop horseback, nked by his royal knights. They wore unmarked gray steel, covered by heavy bup robes.


    ¡°Not what I had intended. But it¡¯s foolish to hold onto something once it¡¯s rotted. Nothing more than fighting for fighting¡¯s own sake, if we stayed there longer,¡± Induen gavementary to his knights, though none of them answered. ¡°At the very least, my parting gift was well-received. Such a shame to lose such a nice dagger,¡± he noted, hand gliding near where he had once kept it on his belt. ¡°The south¡­ it sumbs to the gue. Much more deadly than I¡ªindeed, than perhaps anyone¡ªanticipated.¡±


    ¡°Elenore thinks it was spread¡ª¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need to know what she thinks!¡± he shouted, causing his horse to shift uneasily. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m ignorant of the world around me, that I cannote to my own conclusions? My father did this¡ªhe must¡¯ve.¡±


    Induen calmed himself, taking deep breaths. ¡°I have little doubt Elenore will intend to use this as a wedge against my father. That he¡¯s done something like this¡­ it¡¯ll be his downfall, I¡¯m sure of it. So many things are moving against him.¡± He shook his head. ¡°But Elenore, Felipe, everyone¡­ everyone save Orion, perhaps, that holy fool, barricading himself in the northwest¡­ everyone underestimates the severity of this gue.¡±


    The prince stared out across Elbraille, then ran one hand through his long ck hair. ¡°It¡¯s time for us to move. Time for us to abandon this long venture, painful though it might be to return with nothing. Elias will rot. Even if he lives, he¡¯ll be forever changed¡ªa cripple, a mutant. The people think less of the deformed, no matter who they are. He won¡¯t be as well loved.¡± Induen smiled. ¡°And Margrave Reinhardt will have to look upon his son¡¯s waxy body, dead or crippled. Another of his family, beaten and broken.¡±


    Even the knights were taken aback by the severity of Induen¡¯s words, but none dared to add a word of protest.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°We head north,¡± Induen concluded, pulling his horse away. ¡°Perhaps northwest. Far away from the south, back into the safety of the northernnds. Safety¡ªhah,¡± heughed. ¡°Scheming nobles at every turn, gue in every corner¡­ and the gue is to be our priority. We must stop its spread. Iste it in the south, keep the north separate. This was a huge blunder by my father, but it can still be turned into an advantage. I care not if we must butcher and burn refugees, cast their body to the earth¡­ the north will stay strong.¡±


    The prince was the first to move his horse, riding away into the winter-ridden ins ahead. His knights followed secondster, ever removed from their fickle master¡¯s whims and desperately struggling to keep pace.

 Chapter 178

    Chapter 178: Herald of the Ny Six


    There were a few reasons that Argrave had chosen toe into Orion¡¯s hand and coborate with him. The first was that the Prince did genuinely intend tobat the waxpox and nothing more. He had no ulterior motives, no sinister plots¡ªnothing of the kind. He was dangerous, to be sure, but Argrave was sure he could avoid drawing any of Orion¡¯s ire. The man was quite tolerant as long as one avoided the sore points. What¡¯s more, Argrave wasn¡¯t sure he could seed without Orion¡¯s help.


    Thest thing Argrave had been expecting was to deal with another Vasquer in the northwest.


    Magnus¡¯ sharp gray eyes scrutinized Argrave and those that hade with him as he drew closer.


    ¡°Magnus,¡± Argrave greeted. ¡°Had no idea you were here.¡±


    The prince looked at him. Argrave had grown used to people being taken aback or even flinching when gazing at his miscolored eyes, but he showed no such aversion. Argrave willed himself to see the magic around, and Magnus¡¯ figure swirled with ck gaseous magic. Argrave judged him at well into C-rank¡ªit matched with his knowledge of Magnus within ¡®Heroes of Berendar,¡¯ fortunately.


    The prince entirely ignored Argrave¡¯s greeting, turning to Orion. ¡°I think we family should take some time to speak in private,¡± he suggested. His voice was apathetic yet firm as ever, and he spoke quietly to avoid drawing the attention of the crowd behind him.


    Argrave tensed at the suggestion. He did not wish to be isted from hispanions. Orion alone was no trouble¡ªif he wanted Argrave dead, they probably wouldn¡¯t stand much of a chance¡ªbut Magnus was the wildcard.


    Orion took his hand from Argrave¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Indeed, perhaps it should be so.¡±


    ¡°Mypanions are like my family,¡± Argrave interrupted at once. ¡°I trust it¡¯s no trouble if theye?¡±


    ¡°But they don¡¯t share your blood,¡± Orion noted coldly. ¡°Indeed, only one shares your species¡­ it is good you are open-minded, as many of our ny-six gods extoll that as a virtue, but blood is blood. Blood is sacred.¡±


    Argrave looked back at his party. A n quickly formed in his mind, but he hesitated to go through with it. He locked gazes with Anneliese.


    <em>It¡¯s prudent. And she¡¯d be upset if I keep trying to shelter her. </em>


    Argrave turned his head back, taking a deep breath. ¡°You¡¯ll at least allow my fianc¨¦e to apany me.¡±


    Magnus turned his head away, expression unchangingly cold, while Orion¡¯s whole face seemed to light up. He stepped up to Argrave and grabbed his shoulders, pulling him in. His whole party was uneased by Orion¡¯s actions.


    ¡°Is that her? Wearing the mask?¡± Orion whispered into his ear, staring at Anneliese. He hunched down and stared over Argrave¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Yes. Her name is Anneliese,¡± Argrave confirmed just as quietly.


    ¡°I am embarrassed to admit I do not know her,¡± he continued.


    ¡°It would be more surprising if you knew her,¡± Argrave pushed Orion away a little. ¡°We met recently. I made this choice on my own, as is my right as a baseborn.¡±


    Orion stood straight once more. He strode over to Anneliese and ced one fist over his heart, bowing deeply. ¡°Greetings,dy Anneliese. I am Argrave¡¯s brother, a faithful devoted of the gods¡­ and Prince Orion of House Vasquer.¡±


    ¡°¡­it is pleasant to meet you,¡± she said after some time.


    ¡°I shall endeavor to maintain that pleasantness,¡± he continued, straightening from his bow. ¡°You are my brother¡¯s betrothed?¡±


    She looked at Argrave. ¡°Yes, Argrave and I are¡­ engaged.¡±


    Orion nodded enthusiastically. ¡°Then you are soon to join the family. Even if you may never bear the name of Vasquer¡­ you will still be my sister-inw. Such an exciting thing¡­¡±


    Orion stepped back to Argrave. ¡°Come,¡± hemanded, voice cold, as though whatever warmth he¡¯d disyed seconds ago was just a lie.


    He and Magnus walked away, and Anneliese strode up to Argrave.


    ¡°Fianc¨¦e?¡± she questioned.


    Argrave took a deep breath and exhaled. ¡°Does this bother you?¡±


    ¡°No, but¡­¡± she crossed her arms.


    ¡°It was necessary,¡± he said. ¡°And besides¡­ like I told you, I won¡¯tpromise on you. I know this isn¡¯t a particrly romantic way of going about this, but this is what I want. Let me ask you seriously. Want to get engaged?¡± Argrave shifted, then added, ¡°I¡¯ll understand if you say no¡ªeven if we get along extremely well, it has been a brief time since we met. Thest thing I want is to pressure you into this.¡±


    Argrave barely spotted the edges of her cheek flushing from behind the Humorless Mask, but she quickly gathered herself. ¡°Of course I want to. But now is not the time to be lost in these matters. I certainly wish to discuss this more, but for now¡­ Magnus¡ªhe is an unexpected variable.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s a fitting description for him altogether,¡± Argrave nodded, refocusing himself away from the sweetness and light. ¡°Gmon, Durran¡­ you¡¯ll wait here, cause no problems.¡±


    Both nodded, and Durran gave him a little wink. ¡°Good luck. Seems all you deal with is craz¡ª¡±


    Gmon silenced Durran with a flick of his finger before he could say something that might provoke therge crowd still around them. Argrave gave them both a nod, then departed with Anneliese just beside him.


    ¡°Quick rundown,¡± Argrave said quietly, following where his two brothers had left. ¡°Magnus is the wildcard of the family. He doesn¡¯t care for power, wealth, or his family. He just wants to do what he wants, whenever he wants. That¡¯s why he wanders the continent.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°¡­and you want me to try and discern why he is here,¡± Anneliese followed his line of thought.


    ¡°If it neveres up, yeah,¡± Argrave nodded.


    ¡°Orion is¡­ almost nauseatingly intense. All of his emotions are so powerful, constantly in flux¡­¡± she shook her head. ¡°And he wears them on his sleeve. As such, I will try and focus on Magnus.¡±


    Argrave nodded, agreeing fully. ¡°Exactly what I was going to suggest. Read me like a book, as usual. You¡­¡± he felt a strange surge in his chest, an overpowering positivity that did away with all of his negative thoughts and spurred him to speak. ¡°So easy to work with you.¡±


    He could not see Anneliese smile behind the solemn white mask she wore, but Argrave saw her cheeks move and knew she did. They entered into the room of the keep that Orion and Magnus had disappeared into. It was a bedroom, where most of the furniture had rotted away. A new table had been set up in the center to amodate many different documents, syed out haphazardly. Two Waxknights stood guard inside the room.


    ¡°Loyal knights¡ªleave us be,¡± Orion directed before Argrave had even fully entered. They obeyed quickly and unquestioningly, moving past their pair and shutting the partially rotten wooden door behind them.


    Magnus stared at Anneliese, and Argrave walked to block his line of sight. He locked gazes with Argrave, and then pointed. ¡°She wears a mask. Why?¡±


    ¡°Tobat the disease,¡± Argrave exined, then gestured for Anneliese to remove it. She did for a moment, then put it back on just as quickly.


    ¡°An elf,¡± Magnus said without much inflection. ¡°Queer choice for a queer man.¡±


    Orion¡¯s hand pounded Magnus¡¯ back like a sledgehammer¡ªArgrave hadn¡¯t even seen him close the distance. Magnus staggered, coughing, but Orion held the back of his neck.


    ¡°Hurtful words,¡± Orion said. ¡°Imagine if you hurt either of them with those words.¡± He clenched the back of Magnus¡¯ neck tightly, making the man squirm. ¡°We don¡¯t hurt family. Though men forget, there are ny-six gods in our pantheon, two of whom are patrons to elves. I will not tolerate intolerance, least of all from a member of the royal family. Be a better example to our youngest,¡± he finished, leaning in. His grip released, and Magnus fell to one knee, giving Orion a re as he rubbed the back of his neck.


    <em>Definitely not here out of family camaraderie, </em>Argrave realized, gaining some sympathy for his brother.


    Considering Magnus had ignored him the first time he asked this question, Argrave phrased it differently, directing it towards both Orion and Magnus.


    ¡°How long have you two been here together?¡± Argrave stepped closer.


    ¡°Magnus arrived two days ago,¡± Orion said as he pulled the fallen prince back up. He bent down and personally brushed the dirt off Magnus¡¯ knee once he¡¯d risen to his feet.


    Argrave nodded, then continued, ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s for me to know,¡± Magnus stubbornly refused, even still.


    ¡°If you insist¡­¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°Though I¡¯m sure there¡¯s much that we¡­ family¡­ have to catch up on, we have other priorities. Orion. This gue is the biggest threat to Berendar right now,¡± he got to the point, hoping to sidestep this conversation of family altogether.


    Orion turned back, face solemn. ¡°Indubitably,¡± he concurred. ¡°It is the way of the world that disease should ravage the world. Whether death by de, death by age, or death by rot¡ªall are part of the cycle that the heavens mandate. Yet even still, the gods have ced us on this earth to live!¡± he preached, cing his hand to his heart. ¡°And so, it is our duty to prioritize abating this great loss of life, divinely ordained though it may be.¡±


    Argrave stepped closer to Orion. He felt like he was holding his hand out to a coiled snake, but his steps were steady nheless.


    ¡°Orion, this gue isn¡¯t something made by our gods.¡±


    The towering prince grew still at once. He turned his head ever so slowly towards Argrave, then reached his hand out to rest it on Argrave¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Speak carefully, brother,¡± he said coldly. ¡°You verge on the forbidden.¡±


    Argrave kept his gaze even, staring slightly upwards towards the taller man. ¡°You¡¯ve been in the thick of things, so you know best. The people¡¯s blood¡ªit¡¯s ck. You might just ept that as a symptom of a disease, but it¡¯s a symptom of somethingrger. This disease, this waxpox¡ªit doesn¡¯t spread like normal diseases. You¡¯ve had mages in this refugee camp with the waxpox, yes?¡±


    Orion nodded slowly. ¡°High and low, great and ungrateful, all seeking the blessings of the one blessed by the gods.¡±


    ¡°Then you¡¯ll note it spreads fastest on mages,¡± Argrave raised his hand. ¡°Not a coincidence. Though the disease fuels itself with ambient magic, it also fuels itself on its hosts¡¯ magic. The blood turns ck for this reason¡ªno other.¡±


    Orion took his hand off Argrave¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Nothing escapes my memory. I know you are right in this matter. But you prove none of your earlier words¡ªthe gods have done stranger things than conjure fell diseases.¡±


    ¡°I can prove this,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°Not ten years ago, this region, the northwest¡ªthere were eight noble houses in these wends, each with grand fortresses not unlike this one,¡± Argrave waved around. ¡°This region was conquered from the swamp folk. Practically exterminated to thest. Now, the wends have imed each and every noble house, each perishing under strange circumstances, their seats lost in myriad ways. Now, no one¡¯s ventured into the deep wends since. No one¡¯s returned from them, at least.¡±


    ¡°Youe here to connect coincidence to this gue?¡± Magnus disparaged, but Orion raised his hand to silence his brother.


    ¡°You say you can prove this,¡± Orion continued. ¡°With such certainty on your tongue, with those eyes of conviction¡­ tell me your conclusion.¡±


    Argrave shifted. The other reason he hade to Orion so readily was because he was sure the man could be convinced of things that seemed oundish.


    ¡°One of the swamp people yet lives. And she harnesses the power of their gods to spread this gue. This is the knowledge I came to deliver to you.¡±


    Magnus scoffed, but Orion reeled backwards. He staggered and put one hand against the table to support himself from falling. His wild actions made everyone obviously uneased. Argrave¡¯s gaze was drawn towards Orion¡¯s hand. The ck te gauntlet he wore began to grow red. The enchantments on his armor started to shine, as though resisting being damaged.


    ¡°I knew I should have acted earlier,¡± he said as though haunted.


    The wooden table started to cken, and Argrave realized that this was Orion¡¯s doing. He stepped forward and said, ¡°Orion. Watch the hand,¡± the words flowing almost by instinct.


    Orion lifted his hand up. Small embers persisted on the wooden table. The prince gazed at his red-hot gauntlets, watching as they slowly cooled.


    ¡°Argrave,¡± Orion turned his head, clenching his fist. ¡°You are my brother. The gods teach us to treat our family well, to give them priority¡­ especially we members of the royal family, ordained by the gods to rule over man. Just because you are baseborn does not strip us of sharing fathers. Even still¡­ there are greater things at stake that prevent me from listening to your words without question,¡± he said, voice a low growl.


    ¡°I didn¡¯te here with an expectation of subverting your activities here,¡± Argrave nodded at once. ¡°I¡¯ll do what needs to be done to prove my words, set things in motion. All I need¡­ is to be met halfway,¡± he spread his arms out.

 Chapter 179

    Chapter 179: Purpose Established


    ¡°Met halfway?¡± Orion repeated Argrave¡¯s ims.


    Argrave nodded. ¡°I know your situation. Without you, this camp falls apart. Your blessings are the only thing keeping the vast majority of the people in this camp alive, and moree every day.¡± Argrave stepped closer. ¡°But with this many people, things be more difficult with each new body. Even with spellcasters to create clean drinking water, food is a pressing concern in these wends. You have to dedicate your royal knights to hunting just to sustain this ce¡­ and even then, the creatures of the northwest aren¡¯t the easiest to swallow.¡±


    Argrave stepped just before Orion, staring up at his older brother. Orion pressed more, asking, ¡°What will you do, then?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll get what¡¯s needed to justify action¡ªto justify an expedition into the wends, where we can put an end to the swamp folks¡¯ gods. I¡¯ll set things in motion. All I need is help when the timees.¡± Argrave held out his hand. ¡°Focus on your duty. I will focus on mine.¡±


    A normal person might question all of Argrave¡¯s actions, his ims. Argrave had never before inly stated the root cause of thend¡¯s troubles to anyone besides hispanions¡ªnot with the Veidimen, nor anywhere else. But Orion was far from normal.


    Orion grasped Argrave¡¯s hand. Argrave could still feel some intense heat from Orion¡¯s earlier disy. ¡°The gods whisper true. The tallest trees grown sprout from the smallest seeds sewn. It seems you stand tall as testament to that.¡±


    Argrave tried to parse his meaning, but Orion pulled him in and hugged him once more before he could ponder deeply. Argrave epted it, knowing that refusal was not an option.


    ¡°A herd wanders if left alone for too long. I cannot let them go too astray. I must return to the people.¡± He patted Argrave¡¯s shoulder, then released him. ¡°Wait here. My knights will escort you to a room within the keep for you and my future sister-inw, and a separate one for yourpanions. I will await your proof, Argrave. I hope for your sake you speak truly. Know that the gods do not like lies of such proportions¡­ and I am the instrument to express their displeasure.¡±


    After bowing to Anneliese respectfully, Orion left the room, closing the door behind him. Argrave watched the door, then nced at Anneliese before finally turning to meet Magnus. The prince still stood there with arms crossed.


    ¡°So, l-l-l-little b-b-brother,¡± Magnus said, imitating a stutter. ¡°What is this? Get a new set of eyes, a woman at your arms, and you think that the world will part for you?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t act like you care. Go back to eating, drinking, and whoring yourself to an early grave,¡± Argrave waved his hand.


    Magnus crossed his arms and grew silent. It seemed to finally be dawning on him that things had changed vastly from when Argrave had been ¡®Argrave.¡¯


    ¡°Can¡¯t picture why you¡¯re here. You¡¯re a hedonist. You do what you want,¡± Argrave noted, stepping closer. ¡°Someone like you has no ce at the heart of a gue. Are you gathering information for the Bat, looking for a pretty penny? Heard rumors of something desirable, seeking to make it your own? Maybe you¡¯re trying to use Orion as a cudgel for some scheme?¡±


    The questions were many andrgely unfounded, but with Anneliese¡¯s presence, he hoped one of his wild guesses might bear fruit and draw a reaction from the taciturn prince.


    Magnus stared up at Argrave. ¡°And I should buy your ridiculous story of wanting to help Orion?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t expect you to buy my story. Good thing for me, I¡¯m not selling it to you,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s a waste of time talking to you. Go back to wandering, be a happy man. And if you don¡¯t¡­ well, don¡¯t step on my toes. Might be I have to show you why I¡¯m so confident all of the sudden.¡±


    Prince Magnus scrutinized Argrave carefully. There was tension, and Argrave kept his focus on Magnus¡¯ hands in case the man tried something. Argrave knew that, despite their rtive equality in terms of magic ranking, Magnus had many, many enchanted items vested unto him by his father.


    Even still, he was sure he could win. He partly wished Magnus would try something.


    Magnus walked past Argrave, sparing onest nce at Anneliese before opening the door and leaving. Argrave let out a sigh of relief once the door had closed.


    ¡°Anger should not spur you so easily,¡± Anneliese said at once.


    Argrave walked to the table and scanned the documents on it. They were mostly maps for the region, refusals of requests for supplies, and other such mundane things. Orion did nothing underhanded, so perhaps it was a waste of time.


    After a time, Argrave lifted his head. ¡°Magnus isn¡¯t pivotal for anything. He doesn¡¯t even travel with an escort of royal guards like most of the other princes. No danger, no use¡ªwhy hold my tongue? It felt nice.¡±


    ¡°These things are only certainties in the world you knew,¡± she pointed out, walking closer. ¡°Magnus may not be consigned to just that.¡±


    Argrave¡¯s next words caught. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± he admitted. ¡°There¡¯s deeper meaning for his being here¡ªhas to be. Speaking of, did you¡­?¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°I gleaned nothing of his motivations. He and Orion are like opposites¡ªif one is an explosion of light, the other is a gray te. Magnus felt little¡ªnot anger, not happiness, not anything.¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°Yeah. The oldest and the youngest children of Felipe¡¯s second queen, pr opposites.¡±


    Anneliese stepped around Argrave to look at the documents herself. ¡°Yet despite Magnus, everything went more or less as you expected. We will set the groundwork, and then Orion will¡­¡± she looked up at him. ¡°What was it you said those weeks ago?¡±


    ¡°Putt the ball into the hole,¡± Argrave finished, shaking his head. ¡°Golf, hah. Living in Berendar really puts into perspective howvish the¡ª¡±


    A knock came at the door, cutting Argrave off. Soon after, the door was opened, and some of Orion¡¯s Waxknights entered.


    ¡°Our Holiness has instructed us to assign you and yourpanions a room,¡± the knight said.


    #####


    The northwestern wends were ate-game area in ¡®Heroes of Berendar,¡¯ always. Everything deep in this foggy wastnd was monstrously dangerous. Though putting an end to the gue took ce rtively early in the main quest, that was only because the yer had help. Orion and the Waxknights facilitated things. It was the reverse of an escort quest.


    The issue still stood, though, of the proof that Argrave needed to get. It seemed a fundamentally unqualifiable im¡ªthe only logical way to prove this conspiracy of his was to put an end to it. Considering the danger of the wends, that proved to be an impossible task. Thest of the swamp folk upied the fortress deepest within the vast wends. They couldn¡¯t go without help. Of course, ending the gue alone was possible, theoretically¡­ but realistically? He didn¡¯t care to see any of hispanions dead.


    Even still, there was another way. The gods of the swamp folk were not united in this spread of the gue.


    ¡°You need no time to prepare?¡± Gmon questioned.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°You want to stick around and prepare? Really?¡± Argrave questioned. ¡°Thest thing I need is intense scrutiny from Orion. A tribal from the deep south, two snow elves, one of whom is suffering from a certain bloodborne condition, and me?¡± Argrave shook his head at once. ¡°We establish our presence. We set out to handle our part before we get entangled, and we finish this as quick as we can. I¡¯ve already dyed enough.¡±


    ¡°Not even a day¡¯s rest,¡± Durran adjusted his pack. ¡°And you¡¯re sure we can leave our things there?¡±


    ¡°No one can get past the Waxknights, save perhaps B-rank or higher mages, and they¡¯ll be guarding the keep constantly. Orion is¡­ unique, certainly, but he¡¯s not a petty thief. He¡¯s not even a grand thief,¡± Argrave assured. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m fond of the idea of risking all our books, our horses? I wouldn¡¯t do this without certainty.¡±


    Durran nodded and shrugged. ¡°Fine. I guess they might weigh us down when we¡¯re <em>sieging a god</em>.¡±


    ¡°¡¯God¡¯ is a loose term. It doesn¡¯t denote anything special about anyone. Cultists can worship a man, dere him a god¡ªhe bes a god, ostensibly, but is he really that powerful?¡± Argrave exined, seeking to soften the impact of the word. ¡°All we fight is a unique existence. And I assure you¡ªwe¡¯re capable of this much.¡± Argrave clenched his hands tight.


    Anneliese opened her eyes, and her Starsparrownded on his shoulder. ¡°I think I¡¯ve routed out a good path. I marked the trees with my bird¡ªI¡¯ll tell you what to look for.¡±


    Argrave nodded, then pulled his boots and gloves a little tighter.


    With Argrave leading, their party of four pushed into the vast wends beyond Orion¡¯s makeshift camp. The only to see them leave were the few refugees up so early in the dawn. The ce was still mostly frozen, and all of the four of them could see their breath in the air. Even still, they moved onwards into the frozen-over wastes ahead.


    #####


    ¡°You¡¯re sure that his eyes were ck and gold?¡± Mina of Veden questioned, sitting behind a desk. Her resplendent golden hair had grown a fair bit longer, descending past her shoulders. She had tired eyes, but it seemed to dim her focus none.


    ¡°Aye, mdy,¡± a knight bearing Veden¡¯s heraldry¡ªa white hare¡ªbowed. He held his helmet beneath the crook of his arm.


    She tapped her finger on the desk. ¡°And he mentioned me, specifically?¡± she sought to confirm, to which the knight nodded. She leaned back in the chair, thinking. After a time, she questioned, ¡°His body¡ªwhat did he look like? Was he skinny?¡±


    The knight licked his lips, then adjusted the helmet beneath his arm nervously. ¡°He was a great and imposing man¡ªI am afraid he wore a thick gray duster, so it was difficult to perceive his exact stature. He had midnight ck hair. Beyond that, I told mdy¡ªhis eyes were ck and gold. I ce him as a mage,dy Mina.¡±


    Mina looked dissatisfied. Eventually, she leaned in and questioned, ¡°Did he travel with anyone?¡±


    ¡°He rode away from a group of three. The distance was great, and it was difficult to¡ª¡±


    ¡°Did any among them have white hair?¡± Mina pressed, leaning further forth on her elbows.


    ¡°As I recall¡­ yes, there was one. Though, it was¡­ I question if it was not a shawl, or a cowl, mdy, so long it was.¡±


    Mina fell into a silence, once again falling back into the chair. She pushed her feet against the edge of the desk, bncing on two legs of the chair as she swayed back and forth. She gazed out the window where she could see the refugee camps. She didn¡¯t look content with any of the knight¡¯s answers, which very clearly made the knight ufortable.


    She released her foot from the desk, and the chair bncing on two legs shed to the ground with a loud noise. She fixed the knight with her golden-eyed re, thenmanded, ¡°Fetch other knights that were on guard duty that day. Inquire about this party¡ªget more details.¡±


    The knight looked happy to simply be given orders. He ced his fist to his heart and bowed. ¡°At once, mdy.¡±


    As he made to leave, Mina called out, ¡°Wait.¡± The knight paused, turning. ¡°If you run into any of the castle¡¯s stable workers, have them prepare a horse for me to go out. Just in case.¡±


    The knight stepped back into the room. ¡°Go out,dy Mina? Your father, he¡ª¡±


    ¡°I solved his trade crisis for him. He never showed any interest in his ninth child before¡ªwhy should he protect me now? If I wish to go out, I will go out. Do as I say,¡± she finished, waving the knight away with her small hands. The knight left hastily. It was only once he was a great distance away did Mina sigh.


    ¡°Gods be damned¡­¡±

 Chapter 180

    Chapter 180: Marred Hallowed Grounds


    Having a prenned route makes travel all the faster, especially when good terrain is chosen. When traversing uncharted wends, such a thing wasrgely impossible¡ªwith Anneliese¡¯s Starsparrow, though, they picked out a rtively t and dry route devoid of many obstacles. It facilitated quick travel through the northwest¡­ and their destination was not so far, fortunately. The Starsparrow could only scout so far ahead, though, because a great power restricted passage further ahead.


    As the day neared dusk, the cold, foggy wends bloomed into a scene more befitting a summer retreat, colors of all sort abounding from brilliant, wide-petaled flowers growing off vines and trees and all manner of exotic flora. The temperature of the air did not change, so it was a jarring transition, almost unnatural.


    Yet as they proceeded deeper, the little microcosm of beauty was marred. Though it affected nts nowhere else, here, the waxpox morphed what was beautiful into golden brown pock-marked monstrosities that curled and twisted and writhed in unpleasant ways which, though motionless, gave Argrave the impression of bug legs and tentacles.


    ¡°Everything goes silent ahead,¡± Gmon stopped Argrave from proceeding onwards, hand ced before his chest.


    Argrave pushed Gmon¡¯s hand off of him. ¡°We¡¯re entering another realm. It¡¯d be stranger if you could hear.¡±


    As they proceeded, the sounds did indeed quiet. The entire wends around them had be grotesque¡ªeven the roads they had entered toe here were not so ugly. But as they pushed past, Argrave¡¯s ears popped¡­ and a sight of iprehensible beauty spread out before him, like an illusion shattering.


    Before them was a great crater of rushing waterid out in a perfect circle. Water flowed from every bit of this circle towards the center. Great wooden tforms rested atop the rushing water, but they were not built¡ªinstead, the bridges were formed of natural-grown trees, and hosted nt life uncountable. There were archways of vines hosting bulbous flowers, golden lily pads persisting atop the swift water, and towering trees with beautiful, myriad-color fruits dangling from their leaves.


    There was one thing marring this beauty. A jagged path the same ugly brown rot as thend they¡¯d emerged from cut across the verdantndscape, like a lightning bolt of decay striking at the center of the ce. Even despite that, the beauty was iprehensible, and Argrave took a moment to gather himself. Everyone did.


    The game had called this ce the Marred Hallowed Grounds. Argrave had been here time and time again.


    ¡°If any ce could be called and of the gods¡­¡± Durran stepped out, head turning to appreciate the sight.


    Anneliese stepped forward, her curiosity consuming her, but Argrave stopped her by grabbing her waist. ¡°Careful. This ce is not friendly to us.¡±


    Anneliese nodded, and Argrave released his grip.


    ¡°Shame about the scar,¡± Durran continued, eyes trailing the path of rot that led to the center.


    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for that little bolt of waxpox, we would never see this ce,¡± Argrave noted. ¡°The gue was used for an attack, striking directly at thisnd¡ªwithout it having already broken the barrier to this ce, we¡¯d never enter here. This ce is hidden to the world.¡±


    Durran ground his foot against the ugly brown mess below his feet. ¡°Suppose I should thank it.¡±


    Argrave sighed, and his Brumesingers finally jumped out of his clothing, shaking their graying fur out. Their fur darkened every day as they consumed the souls of the fallen, and their use to the party grew every day. ¡°I want us to keep going. We have fights to get through.¡±


    Reminded of that, Durran¡¯s levity disappeared. He tapped his ive against the ground, pulled his wyvern scale helmet off his pack and ced it over his head, and gave Argrave a nod.


    ¡°Alright. To reiterate¡ªwe move towards the center,¡± Argrave said, stepping forth and turning around. ¡°The Sentinels of the master of thisnd roam this ce¡ªthey¡¯re dangerous. They take the shape of animals, though druidic magic does nothing against them¡­ but they¡¯re weakened by the waxpox, and they¡¯re big and loud. Once the fighting starts, it won¡¯t stop. There¡¯s a ce ideal for¡ª¡±


    Gmon grabbed Argrave and pulled him back, turning him in the same motion. Opposite their party of four, a gargantuan white wolf stepped up atop one of the wooden tforms, front paw on the edge. It lowered its head. Part of its face was consumed by the waxpox, leaving one side of its maw ck as it growled. Argrave shifted uneasily. As he did so, the wolf raised its head and howled. The noise echoed across the great crater, setting the beautiful ce stirring.


    ¡°Good lord,¡± Argrave clenched his fist, brain working quickly.


    Someone else¡¯s brain worked faster, though. Anneliese shouted, ¡°This is a terrible spot. We can be surrounded on three sides. Head for that bridge¡ªwe must narrow the avenues they can approach from,¡± she advised Argrave.


    Despite Anneliese¡¯s words, they waited for Argrave¡¯smand. ¡°Let¡¯s go. Rightward bridge,¡± Argrave confirmed her advice.


    Gmon took point. The great wolf jumped down from the wooden tform, sshing into the shallow rushing water and hurtling towards them with a limp. The beast was threatening enough it was tempting to reach for the Blessing of Supersession¡­ but he dared not use it this early.


    Anneliese was the first to attack, sending forth the C-rank [Ice Spear]. The beast nimbly ducked, the spear grazing against its shoulder and hurtling past. The wolf lunged forth towards Gmon, the leading target. The elven vampire swung preemptively, and his enchanted greatsword summoned a de of wind. It split open the wolf¡¯s snout, and it staggered back. Durran pressed forth, using the only C-rank spell he¡¯d learned, [Tempest]. The spell, a great whirlwind meant for blocking projectiles, hovered before him harmlessly, but he swung his ive through it. The spell clung to the wyvern bone de, and he carried the swing onwards towards the wolf, slicing it in the leg. The attack was devastating, and the beast staggered.


    As the beast faltered, Argrave sprinted forth around Gmon and Durran while he conjured the D-rank [Gore Scalpel]. His wrist split open, and his ck blood surged out from his glove, forming a dark maroon knife in his hand. He sunk it into the wolf¡¯s head and it passed through as easily as butter, dispatching it instantly.


    The spell dissipated in his hand, and Argrave gathered his team with a simple, ¡°Keep moving!¡±


    The once-serene crater became a hive of activity and sound. The wolf¡¯s howl had summoned everything in the vast crater over, and until they dealt with the vast majority of the Sentinels, their progress would not continue. The four of them ran off the rottednds and onto the first of the many wooden tforms forming bridges across the vast crater. Argrave took the rear to ensure that everyone made it safely, his Brumesingers mbering about at his feet.


    They stepped across the wooden tform, doing their best to avoid stumbling over the myriad beautiful flowers in thendscape. As they made their way towards the bridge, a titanic alligator lunged up out of a deeper portion of the water, copsing onto the wooden tform and shaking it terribly. Several man-sized beetles crawled down off its back.


    Panicked, Argrave shouted, ¡°Its tongue is a projectile!¡±


    The words seemed nonsensical until the alligator¡¯s maw opened wide, tongue propelling forth like a chameleon¡¯s towards Anneliese. His warning prepared her, and she managed to conjure a ward with her enchanted ring in time to block the ridiculously fast tongue. The golden shield shook, but held firm, and the waxpox-infected tongue puffed out a cloud of diseased air from the impact.


    ¡°Stay back!¡± Anneliese shouted as Durran moved to punish the enemy¡¯s overextension. ¡°I shall clear a path!¡±


    She dispelled the ward and stepped forth. She held one hand out, feet braced tightly against the ground. Argrave used Garm¡¯s eyes to view the magic within, and he saw the great roiling ck mass of magic within whirl as though a hurricane ran through it. A great bunch of it surged to her hands, forming the lines of the spell matrix¡ªone dimension, two dimension, three dimension¡­ and beyond, into the fourth dimension, whereupon the matrix spun rapidly, forming a B-rank spell.


    Two great des of ice appeared before her, each held by a set of frozen arms attached at the shoulder. They braced for a swing, then spun forth, cutting through whatever was ahead like a sawde run amok. The swarming beetles were sted away, some bisected entirely. It continued past the beetles, striking the alligator¡¯s tongue as it retracted before cutting into the giant beast itself. When the des of ice struck its whole mass, they shattered. The wend reptile reeled backwards, its mouth cut open unnaturallyrge with blood pouring from gaping wounds. It fell off the wooden tform, clearly on death¡¯s door.


    The path to the bridge was clear. Anneliese staggered a little, breathing heavily, and her Starsparrow chirped noisily, flying about her head. Argrave stepped forward and supported her. B-rank magic was where things became truly destructive. She used a spell of her people¡ª[Icebound Twindes]. Veidimen ice magic was always potent, made doubly so by actual Veidimen casting it.


    But destructive meant costly. Argrave could see her magic supply was greatly diminished. As she gained her bearings, he said evenly, ¡°Conserve your energy in case it¡¯s needed. You¡¯ve made a path to the bridge, now let the three of us take the lead.¡±


    She took a moment to catch her breath, and then confirmed, ¡°I understand. I will support with wards from my ring.¡±


    Argrave shouted once more and they began moving again, headed for the bridge. Argrave led Anneliese along until she was fully recovered, whereupon the four of them sprinted to the vast bridge unmolested. Argrave realized it was indeed a good spot for a fight¡ªit was elevated higher than the tform, so nothing could jump from the water, and they had only two directions enemies could approach from. The four took their ce atop the highest point of the natural-grown bridge, where an archway shed rose-colored leaves in the air.


    The Brumesingers spread their fog and song across thend as a great many beasts came out of the woodworks of this beautiful ce. Their party worked in tandem beautifully to confront the tides of waxpox-infected predators. Anneliese yed the role of the defender, warding off the heavier attacks, and all trusted her enough to let her y this role. Argrave¡¯s Brumesingers conjured warriors of mist to function as crowd control, while Argrave himself dealt strategic blows with lightning magic, disrupting to allow Gmon and Durrannd decisive attacks.


    At first, the myriad Sentinels like unnaturally fast snapping turtles and the swooping bats were manageable with simple spells¡­ but soon enough, all of the great beasts within this vast ce began to creep towards the bridge, slowly pushing their line back further and further. Argrave used Garm¡¯s eyes to cast spells¡ªit was the first time he had utilized the ability in genuine battle because it obscured his vision, but it did save his life.


    If not for the fact that many of their assants were crippled by the waxpox, the battle would have been over in seconds with their party¡¯s total demise.


    A snake with a body as thick as a tree wound around the bridge, then lunged forth at Durran. Anneliese blocked the attack, then dispelled the ward moments before Durran counterattacked with a fire spell supnted by a thrust of his ive. The de cut through the snake¡¯s head, making its coil around the bridge go ck and fall into the rushing waters below.


    Durranughed. ¡°Any big ys in mind? You see the writing on the wall, Argrave!¡±


    Argrave¡¯s mind toyed with the trigger for the Blessing of Supersession as heid eyes on a distant pack of gathering wolves, each asrge as the first he¡¯d confronted. They barreled past the other slower predators, heading towards the four of them.


    <em>Can¡¯t use the Blessing of Supersession. You have a bigger fight ahead. You know what would work. It¡¯s just a little pain, </em>another voice said within Argrave, pushing past all his doubt.


    Argrave pushed Durran aside, stepping forth with one hand held out. A spike of pain shot up his arm¡­ but by now, he was used to pain. Once the C-rank spell matrix formed, blood shot out of his wrist like unspooled thread. The threads of blood danced before his hand, shining once the two ends connected to form a circle. He snapped, and a smidge of blood danced from his fingers towards the center of the circle, morphing, before a crescent de of ck blood as thin as a leaf spun towards the pack leader of the approaching wolves.


    The crescent de cut the wolf without stopping, continuing beyond even once it had finished its cut. Though far more contained, it was no less devastating than Anneliese¡¯s spell. A redder shade of blood fountained from the wolf¡¯s body, and Argrave advanced forward. As he moved his hand, the circle of blood followed, and every time he snapped, the thin des of his ck blood felled another approaching enemy.


    The tide of the battlefield shifted immediately as Argrave pressed forth, using a C-rank spell endowed by Garm: [Waning-Cycle Bloodmoon].


    As his enemies fell before him, none resisting the power of his spell¡­ Argrave was reminded there was a reason he¡¯d sought out the ck Blood.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

 Chapter 181

    Chapter 181: Flower in the Wends


    With Argrave tapping into the power of his ck Blood with the use of blood magic, what was a pitched battle quickly inverted in their favor. Argrave had a keen aim, and the constant biting of pain distracted him none¡ªindeed, it only sharpened his focus, tuning him like an instrument to be dead set on his task at every second. He seldom missed. There were too many targets.


    Argrave advanced alone, leaving the protection of hispanions to give him a better vantage point. He knew the tricks of these Sentinels¡ªeven if they were fast enough to attack, he was more than able to guard and dispatch them¡­ yet few did manage that, and he ughtered the malformed animals one after another.


    Something grabbed onto his arm, and he very nearly retaliated before he recognized that it was Anneliese. He dispelled the [Waning-Cycle Bloodmoon], the thread dissipating into nothing. She dragged him back, shouting something, but his ears were ringing terribly and he could discern nothing.


    He tried to advance back onto the frontlines, but Anneliese stopped him, repeating something. As the ringing faded, it slowly came into focus.


    ¡°..tay here. Stay here. Stay here!¡± she said, time and time again.


    ¡°I get it,¡± Argrave finally responded to her. ¡°I¡¯m good. I¡¯m good,¡± he said, half to himself. ¡°Let¡¯s finish things up,¡± hemanded, getting ready once more.


    Though he said that, there was little to finish up. With Argrave single-handedly wiping out one side of the bridge, Durran and Gmon had cooperated ably with Anneliese¡¯s support to make way on the other. The Sentinels were not all annihted, but they were routed¡ªArgrave could see a great many of therger beasts retreating to the center of the vast crater of rushing water. The final confrontation would be there, without a doubt.


    As Argrave nced around, a voice cut into his thoughts. ¡°Remove your glove,¡± Anneliese said, the speed of her voice masking her worry.


    Argrave leaned against an archway adorned with rose-colored leaves on the bridge they stood, adrenaline slowly fading. Durran copsed to one knee. He threw his helmet off and held his face as though nauseous, and Gmon knelt down beside the tribal. The elven vampire cast a nce at Argrave. The vampire¡¯s expression wasrgely hidden beneath his helmet, which covered only his eyes, but Argrave knew that look wasn¡¯t worry alone. Awe, maybe. Or so Argrave hoped.


    Per Anneliese¡¯s direction, he took off the glove. It stuck to his flesh, and he felt skin tear as it came free. His hand had cracked all along its surface, beginning from his fingers. Blood dripped from these cracks, swelling in tandem with his heartbeat. Argrave rolled up his sleeve. The cracks continued up his wrist, his forearm, past his elbow¡­ stopping just below the shoulder. His whole arm was pale, appearing somewhat dead.


    Anneliese clenched her teeth and locked gazes with Argrave. Then, she held both hands out. She cast the C-rank [Mystic Suture], her hands following along the cracks in his flesh. ckness appeared along the edges of the wounds, and the flesh itself seemed to sew together without seams.


    She stood once thest crack had faded in his flesh. ¡°¡­the blood loss will still trouble you,¡± Anneliese said quietly. ¡°That cannot be healed. Not with my magic, at least. You will be anemic for a time, but considering your unique constitution¡­ not as long as most.¡±


    Argrave rolled down his sleeve and gave her a quiet nod. He tested his arm. Now that the adrenaline was gone, it felt stiff, numb, much like one¡¯s fingers when left out in the cold.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± he said, moving away from the archway.


    ¡°I do not like having to do that. But I always will,¡± she returned. She tripped over a root, clearly exhausted, and Argrave caught her before she could fall.


    With Anneliese held in one arm, Argrave called out, ¡°We¡¯ve bought time. Small break, gather ourselves, and then¡­ press to the center.¡±


    Durran looked up and nodded, then quickly lowered his head again as though the act made him more nauseous. Argrave looked towards the center of the crater, where the jagged bolt of rot marring the beautifulndscape rushing water seemed to strike a target.


    #####


    After the time taken to rest, Argrave and hispany proceeded onwards across the wooden tform. His arm regained its mobility after a few dozen minutes, but his whole body felt heavier, sluggish. Barring the sounds of rushing water, thendscape was eerily quiet¡ªthe Sentinels left alive had made their retreat, and now they were holed up in the center of this ce.


    As they neared, what was in the center was made clearer. One might expect a grandiose pce of sorts, but this was not a ce built for man¡ªindeed, it might have been built <em>before </em>man. But perhaps ¡®built¡¯ was the wrong word.


    Once, perhaps, a great tree had stood there. Now, there was only a great circr building of rotted ck wood, half-caved in. Piles and piles of rot and dusty around this circr building, meshed with masses of disgusting and wax-ridden nt matter. The upper half of the tree had copsed, and a great log thicker and taller than any skyscraper was buried beneath the ever-rushing waters of this serene ce opposite where they had entered. Its fall had destroyed many of the wooden tforms and nts growing atop the serene ce.


    ¡°This will be my time to handle things,¡± Argrave looked to Durran pointedly. ¡°Defend me as I do things¡ªnothing more, nothing less.¡±


    Durran did not even muster indignance at being so tantly signaled¡ªhe gave a quiet nod and took a deep breath to steady his hand. He had obviously been affected by the seriousness of the situation.


    Anneliese looked discontented, so Argrave added, ¡°There¡¯ll be no blood magic.¡±


    She nodded, but he could tell his words were not entirely dispelling her sentiments. ¡°I scouted ahead. We know what is within. Whenever you are ready,¡± Anneliese gestured towards Argrave.


    Argrave felt trepidation and anticipation both. He took a deep breath and exhaled. ¡°Gmon,¡± he looked to hispanion, then stepped ahead without another word. The elven vampire took his ce by Argrave¡¯s side, greatsword held at the ready as they walked forward.


    ¡°Should have brewed those potions we used at the druidic camp,¡± Argrave said, trying to draw upon humor to ease his nerves.


    ¡°Considering your blood, they wouldn¡¯t work,¡± Gmon pointed out.


    Argrave snorted, keeping his eyes wide and alert. As he neared the vast opening on the rotten stump ahead of them, Argrave triggered the Blessing of Supersession. That familiar feeling of an ocean welling up within consumed all of his thoughts, and the sole thought upying his mind was his duty.


    Argrave took steady, even steps into the sanctuary of the god within this vast crater. One hand was held towards the sky, and the spell matrix for [Electric Eel] whirled time and time again, sparking constructs dancing up into the air. The other was outstretched, facing the enemy.


    The first to leap at Argrave was a giant lynx. It came with ws first, a waxpox-ridden stinger shortly behind. Argrave cared not what it was¡ªhe saw it move, and he cast a C-rank spell, [Wargfire]. A maw of mes emerged, catching the lynx in its teeth. The second enemy came, a dragonfly¡ªhe met it with a spell of wind.


    His right hand became a shield, and his left became a sword. He warded away allers withrge, powerful spells, while the left conjured the eels of electricity dancing in the air. When enough had conjured, he would send the prepared attacks towards his enemies. Dozens of the lithe bolts of lightning striking at once left most foes dead, and those that lived still stood at death¡¯s door, spasming in agony.


    What few enemies made it past his shield of spells or his ever-vigntpanions, Argrave dispatched with a spell cast from Garm¡¯s eyes. Like this, great or small, all before him fell. What had been a desperate struggle not an hour ago became an overwhelming defeat for the Sentinels of this exaltednd.


    Argrave felt himself drifting away into the feeling of overwhelming power in his hands, as he had times before. It was recognizable, now, like a pull beneath his mind, threatening to consume him. He realized there was something more to this ocean of magic, something deeper. His greater mastery of magic enabled him to see that. He wished to look down, using Garm¡¯s eyes to see the magic within¡­ but he feared what was there. He feared ¡®Supersession¡¯ had more than one meaning.


    Tobat the tugging, the pulling, he conjured images of Orion. The man would shrug these spells off as though they were nothing, then crush Argrave¡¯s skull with his bare hand. The thought helped in sobering him. Argrave cast one final spell, then lowered his hands. His breathing was as steady as it was when he had walked in here.


    Things were quiet, still. Argrave nced around, paranoid and rattled, power still surging from within him.


    ¡°Drezki the Coward is further back,¡± Argrave urged, stepping ahead while the power still sprung from within him.


    Argrave pushed past the horde of dead and dying, not even sparing a nce behind. Gmon kept pace with him, and he heard hispanion¡¯s footsteps further back.


    As they moved deeper into the rotten stump, it stopped making sense¡ªthey walked for far too long without ever meeting a wall. Argrave was not concerned, but he was disconcerted to experience this ce in person. The sound of rushing water filled his ears, growing in intensity until it was a low roar consuming all sound.


    Argrave¡¯s feet met shallow water, and the scenery changed once again. They were in a deep pit washed in sunlight. Vast waterfalls towered above them in a ring, flowing down to the ground. They all formed one giant spring heading to a great blooming flower of pure water. The water shone like emeralds and sapphire, but nothing could be seen within it.


    A lone figure waited before the great flower, kneeling. Argrave did not waste time to admire things¡ªhe stepped forward, the Blessing of Supersession still surging within him. Both of his hands worked diligently to conjure electric eels, and before long, a great horde of them surged above his head. With every that joined them, his steps grew more confident.


    The figure turned her head back and stood. It was a woman. She was short and squat. She looked afflicted with jaundice, but Argrave knew she was not¡ªshe was one of the swamp folk. One of thest, that is. They were a short, squat people, with colorful yellow-green skin tones and mostly brown hair. They were technically human, much in the same way Veidimen and the southron elves were both technically elves despite their drastic differences.


    ¡°One of the gue Jester¡¯s servants,e to put an end to my Lady and Light,¡± she said, grabbing at her thighs. She pulled free two sticks¡ªArgrave knew what they did, though, and could not call them simple.


    Drezki¡¯s body was malformed. She wore armor made of wood. Parts of her were missing and had been reced entirely by wood like a puppet patched together with improper materials. She did not look a dangerous foe¡ªcertainly no more than those animal abominations they¡¯d just put an end to¡ªbut Argrave knew better.


    ¡°On the contrary. I¡¯vee to put an end to the gue Jester. To do that, I need Silvic¡¯s help,¡± Argrave exined, even though he felt this battle was inevitable. He watched for every movement, knowing Drezki¡¯s speed. ¡°So let¡¯s get this started, Drezki.¡±


    Drezki was rattled, but she held her sticks at the ready. Her feet braced, and Argrave¡¯s whole party braced in turn.


    ¡°How do you know us?¡± a voice echoed throughout the vast waterfalls.


    Argrave shifted on his feet, shallow water sshing beneath his boots. ¡°What?¡± he questioned, genuinely surprised.


    ¡°How do you know us?!¡± the voice came again, doubled in volume. Argrave almost grabbed at his ears. Drezki hesitated to rush forward.


    ¡°Reasons,¡± Argrave said simply. ¡°That¡¯s you, Silvic?¡±


    No reply came for a time. Then, the blooming flower of water behind Drezki began to spin outwards, fountaining into the shallow water below as though unravelling. The flower flowed back into the water at their feet, dissipating¡­ and as it faded, a humanoid figure stood there.


    Though Silvic could not be called man or woman, it leaned towards thetter. She had a great crown resembling a stag¡¯s, but it was made of writhing tree roots, half of which had been afflicted with the waxpox. The left half of her body was like a vibrant tree, surging with dancing liquid lights. Much of its right half was the same¡­ but even more had been rotted away by the disease they¡¯d seen all too much of,tely.


    ¡°You speak truly? You are an enemy of the Jester?¡± Silvic questioned.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Argrave realized when he heard those words that he might¡¯ve been too fatalistic about the inevitability of this battle.

 Chapter 182

    Chapter 182: Spirit of the Wends


    ¡°I do speak truly,¡± Argrave confirmed, cing his hand to his chest and lowering his head slightly in a disy of deference. ¡°I intend to stop the gue Jester.¡±


    The swamp god Silvic stepped forth, her radiant body glowing with liquid light. When she spoke, her face remained still. Her voice was decidedly feminine. ¡°And you believe one already infected with the rot the gue Jester has conjured will be of use to you?¡±


    ¡°My Lady and Light, please do not waste words on those present,¡± Drezki said, stepping forth. ¡°They have ughtered your guardians.¡±


    ¡°We were attacked first,¡± Durran pointed out, stepping forth in turn to stand beside Argrave. He gazed at Silvic with distrust. Argrave knew Durran trusted no gods or any faith given what his people had endured at the hands of the Vessels. His distrust was wise, or so Argrave believed.


    Drezki brandished her twin sticks. ¡°Because you do not belong in these hallowednds! They should be forbidden to all save the servants of my Lady and Light!¡±


    ¡°But we can enter your sacrednd,¡± Argrave spread his hands out. ¡°Because the waxpox has broken your powerpletely.¡±


    ¡°The waxpox?¡± Silvic repeated as Drezki bristled at Argrave. ¡°¡­No, I see,¡± she followed up after a second, cing the name. ¡°You say my power is broken by what you call the waxpox¡ªit is true. So I ask again¡ªwhy do you seek my aid against the gue Jester, if you believe Ick power?¡±


    ¡°Because you can help me motivate someone who has power to act,¡± Argrave exined, remaining still. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve felt his presence in the edges of these wends, where one of the fortresses of the invaders once stood,¡± Argrave said, lowering his voice as he spoke.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°The one whom the gods of the serpent kingdom have given their blessing?¡± Silvic questioned, and Argrave nodded. ¡°And what is my role in motivating this human, hmm? I have no treasures to offer, no artifacts for humans. I am merely an old spirit of the swamps who watches over the fools that would mar this beautifulnd,¡± Silvic spread her wooden arms out, and the liquid light flowed within her body.


    ¡°My Lady and Light,¡± Drezki spoke once again. ¡°Even now, this man keeps an attack ready. Please¡ªretreat. I shall stall,¡± she implored.


    Argrave gazed at the electric eels still dancing in the skies above. ¡°¡­the man you speak of¡ªhis name is Orion, and thest thing that he would want is any treasure you might offer.¡±


    ¡°But the men outside these wends are greedy,¡± Silvic tilted her head. ¡°That is why they invaded this ce, built their monstrosities of stone and nted their gs atop our soil. Avarice is what divides people like Drezki from you. And it is why I have protected these wends for six hundred years.¡±


    ¡°Might be,¡± Argrave conceded with a nod. ¡°I have some of that avarice you talk about, I¡¯ll give you that much, but not all men are the same. All this man wants is the prosperity of his religion,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°Orion wants his religion¡¯s propagation, the protection of its people¡­ and right now, this gue stands as the biggest threat to that. He is ignorant about the gue Jester. But you¡­ I¡¯m sure that you can convince him. He¡¯ll have no love for you, but he will trust you.¡±


    Silvic stepped forth,ing to stand before Argrave¡­ though not far enough to attack, he noted. She had two slots in her face where the liquid light in its body flowed especially thickly, and Argrave fixed his gaze on them like they were eyes.


    ¡°Yet you are the aspect most concerning,¡± Silvic¡¯s head lowered, scanning him. ¡°I sense the seed of something ancient within you, something far more powerful than everything in this meagre corner of the world. Do you do its bidding?¡±


    ¡°I do my own bidding,¡± Argrave protested at once. ¡°The continent is falling apart. I have to patch it up to keep myself alive¡­ well, myself and those I care about,¡± he amended. ¡°Things older than you or I stir. They corrupt thend, and they corrupt the people of thend. Something like this happening¡­ it¡¯s not the natural order of things.¡±


    Silvic stepped away. ¡°One who merely intends to stay alive would not know so much of these swamps. My name, the gue Jester¡­ you are foreign.¡±


    Argrave reached into the mind bank, pulling free an old excuse. ¡°Erlebnis knows.¡±


    Though she possessed a wooden body, Argrave swore Silvic shuddered. ¡°¡­I see. Then your presence¡­ I am illuminated, yet more confused than ever before.¡±


    Silence fell, and the sounds of the vast waterfalls at every edge were the only noise that persisted. This conversation had gone vastly different from how it was in ¡®Heroes of Berendar.¡¯ The yer was sent here to investigate the strangendscape, and it led them into the Marred Hallowed Grounds. Once there, Drezki ordinarily diedbatting the yer, and Silvic ultimately revealed the source of the gue before helping the yer.


    The differences didn¡¯t unease Argrave as much as they might¡¯ve before. He was not the yer. This was not ¡®Heroes of Berendar.¡¯ And he was sure that things were going well.


    ¡°Very well. I shall assist you in enlisting this man blessed by the gods of the serpent kingdom,¡± Silvic turned back.


    ¡°My Lady and Light, I must counsel you,¡± Drezki interrupted at once, kneeling before the old spirit of the swamps. ¡°Please, think of the lives lost here today, and make your decision once more.¡±


    ¡°They were corpses walking, and more yet live,¡± Silvic refuted. ¡°My grief for those who have fallen is real, but I can set aside my enmity for the sake of thisnd. These wends are our home, and they are sullied by vengeance and its consequences. If I do not put a stop to that, I have failed as one of thisnd¡¯s guardians.¡±


    ¡°If you step beyond your domain, my Lady and Light, you may die,¡± Drezki continued to counsel, undeterred.


    ¡°I will die regardless, child.¡± Silvic stepped up to its guardian, holding out her arm afflicted with the waxpox. ¡°Look at my arm. Persisting as I do would be just that¡ªpersisting.¡±


    Drezki looked off to the side, obviously not quite satisfied, but she did put her two sticks away. Silvic looked over at Argrave once again. ¡°My answer remains the same.¡±


    Argrave pped his gloved hands together. ¡°Wonderful,¡± he said with a smile. ¡°I am very d that this ended amicably.¡±


    ¡°As am I,¡± Silvic nodded. An awkward silence passed between the two of them. ¡°¡­you may unready your attack,¡± she pointed out.


    Argrave looked up to the sky, where hundreds of electric eels sparked. He felt their connection in his mind. He wanted to cry a little as he realized he¡¯d probably need to dispose of them all. Briefly, his mind pondered ludicrous ways to put them back in the bottle, so to speak, but his mind produced nothing.


    <em>So wasteful,</em> hemented.


    #####


    Mina stared at an extraordinarily tall man with wavy obsidian hair, kept somewhat long. It was <em>not </em>the ck-haired man she thought she would set her eyes upon, but they did share the same father.


    Prince Induen of Vasquer sat at the foot of the grand banquet table, and opposite him was Mina¡¯s father, Count Elgar of Veden. Like his daughter, he had golden hair and golden eyes, though that was their primary shared feature. He was a tall man, clearly a warrior. Mina shared most of her features with her mother, who sat just beside the count.


    Mina¡¯s mother was the count¡¯s second wife, taken not a week after his first had died. Her mother, Louise, was amoner¡ªthe daughter of a merchant¡ªand the marriage had been made to settle a grand debt. Her mother¡¯s lowborn status coupled with therge number of other siblings from the first marriage made Mina¡¯s prominence in her house very low.


    Yet now, Mina, her father, her mother, and the Prince ate at the table alone, none of her siblings present. Her father hade to trust her enough to have her present with a meeting with the prince. It was an honor, ostensibly, but Mina felt far from it.


    ¡°We are delighted to host the prince,¡± Count Elgar said, voice somewhat higher pitched in its ttery. Countess Louise murmured something of the same note.


    ¡°Are you?¡± Induen mused, eating some of the food arrayed before him. ¡°Strange. I don¡¯t recall seeing any soldiers from Veden joining my father¡¯s armies.¡±


    Count Elgar shifted. ¡°Considering recent troubles, it is impractical. My entirend would fall victim to gue, and our food stores for the winter would be rendered useless¡­ plus, the winter makes things¡­¡±


    Count Elgar rambled on and on, excusesing from his lips so quickly that they must have been prepared in advance. Induen ate in quiet, staring at her father. Mina was greatly unsettled.


    ¡°You may rx,¡± Induen eventually interrupted, holding one palm out with a fork between his fingers. ¡°I am not here for any stern rebukes. No, my purpose is much different.¡±


    Mina tensed further upon hearing he had a different purpose. After reports from other knights, she knew Argrave had passed through here. Despite the strange report of his eyes, the rest of his party matched with what she hadst seen of him, barring an additional party member. He had headed into the northwest. Induen appearing might have something to do with him.


    ¡°And what might be your purpose here, Prince Induen, if you do not mind my inquiry?¡± Count Elgar continued. ¡°You¡¯ve called my daughter here, even¡­¡±


    Hearing that, her gaze briefly jumped to her father, but she was a good enough actor to betray nothing more than that. Inwardly, she felt an urge to run. Prince Induen was a horrible man, she knew.


    ¡°Yes¡­ I did,¡± Induen nodded, cing his fork down. ¡°I heard that Mina was the one that devised the idea for those camps outside the walls. As such, I wished to speak with her¡­ and with you, her father, who put the ns into action.


    ¡°You see,¡± Induen continued, cing his hands before him. ¡°I n on making this ce my base for a while. Veden stands as one center between the north and the south, where many rivers converge¡­ a veritable hub of activity. I intend on making it a bulwark against the gue, to stop it from spreading into the north as it has the south.¡± Induen smiled. ¡°I hope you two might be of assistance in this matter.¡±


    Mina didn¡¯t believe those words for a second. Induen¡¯s blue-eyed gaze fell upon her, and she felt the need to squirm.


    ¡°For now, let us enjoy this dinner,¡± Induen said, picking his fork back up. ¡°Afterwards, I hope the Count and his daughter will indulge this n of mine.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Count Elgar agreed immediately, speaking for his daughter. Mina kept her mouth shut. It was a learned skill. ¡°We will aid in whatever way we can.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t threaten your neutrality, fret not,¡± Induen assured.


    Her father did not reply to that, but he did look relieved. Other thoughts were running through Mina¡¯s head.


    <em>Chasing after Argrave¡­ it was just a whim, before, but now it seems like a necessity. He¡¯ll have some inkling of what¡¯s going on here. He always knew what was happening. He knew everyone¡¯s secrets.</em>


    Another thought persisted in the back of her head¡ªa more personal matter. It had stung at her every day for months. She was greatly afraid¡­ but she had to know.

 Chapter 183

    Chapter 183: Coward¡¯s Choice


    Argrave and Anneliese sat in their tent, which had been pitched in a rtively dry spot of the wends. Argrave leaned up against Anneliese as she read, feeling a little exhausted. Gmon sat atop one of the crooks of the tallest trees, keeping watch vigntly, while Durran read a book just beneath him. The two of them had separate tents just by each other.


    There were two other guests¡ªone anticipated, and the other wholly not so. Silvicid down on the ground, doing nothing but merely existing. And Drezki the Coward¡­ Argrave scanned their camp, looking for the woman.


    ¡°What will happen to my Lady and Light?¡± Drezki questioned, somewhat surprising Argrave. She stood just off to the side of the entrance to their tent, holding her sticks in hand. Up so close, Argrave could see the sticks she bore. Their core had been hollowed out and filled with the same glowing liquid light that resided within Silvic. To be struck with them was to be struck by an aspect of an elder spirit of the wends¡ªthat is to say it would hurt very badly.


    Argrave gazed at Drezki, then cast a nce at Silvic. ¡°I suspect¡­ Orion will bring both of you along to aid in the expedition through the wends, and the fight against the gue Jester. He may be zealous, but he isn¡¯t stupid. He¡¯ll know your help is important in traversing the wends, dealing with whatever enemies might abound.¡±


    ¡°And after?¡± Drezki insisted.


    Argrave said nothing, searching for the right words.


    ¡°I will be killed,¡± Silvic answered before Argrave could say anything. Outside of the Marred Hallowed Grounds, her voice did not have the all-epassing power it once did, but it was still bizarre.


    Drezki whipped her head back. ¡°What?!¡±


    ¡°Drezki, sweet child¡­ if you had the opportunity to kill any of the gods of Vasquer, would you take it?¡± Silvic questioned, unmoving.


    The woman stepped slowly to Silvic, wooden armor nking. She knelt down, then copsed to her knees ungracefully before Silvic. Though the wend spirit did not move, the roots themselves curled out of the ground, bunching around Drezki¡¯s legs as if infort.


    ¡°Silvic¡­¡± Drezki muttered, not quite crying but verging on that point.


    ¡°Would you rather I sumb to this disease of the gue Jester, what the human calls the waxpox?¡± Silvic questioned, voice almost amused. ¡°Let me die in service of the wends. This disease ruins all. That it came from this gloriousnd is tragedy enough. I must do what I can to right this wrong. It is not the natural order of things.¡±


    Argrave was d to be spared answering that question. Drezki grieved silently for a time, then went to sit elsewhere not far from Argrave¡¯s tent. He felt sympathy for the woman of the swamps, yet he could not deny being mildly annoyed that he was denied privacy with Anneliese.


    ¡°I apologize for earlier rudeness,¡± Drezki finally said.


    Argrave shook his head at once. ¡°Rudeness doesn¡¯t bother me. And we had not met under the best of terms. Were it something avoidable, I would not have in those I did.¡± The words came easy because they were the truth. It wasn¡¯t as though he hadpromised his morals in killing Silvic¡¯s guardians, but he generally did not like fighting. It was risky, and it hurt.


    ¡°Why do they call you ¡®the Coward?¡¯¡± Anneliese questioned Drezki after a long amount of time had passed.


    Drezki wiped something away from her yellowish eyes, then turned to Anneliese. ¡°¡¯They?¡¯¡± she repeated. ¡°I call myself that. How do you know of it? I never mentioned it.¡±


    ¡°I told her,¡± Argrave closed his eyes. He had neglected to inform Anneliese of the background for the nickname,rgely because it wasn¡¯t important. It seems her curiosity spurred her to learn, anyway.


    He heard Drezki shift, then answer, ¡°It¡¯s to remind me of what I am.¡±


    ¡°Usually nicknames are for other people, not yourself,¡± Argrave pointed out tiredly, and Anneliese nudged him with her shoulder in slight reprimand.


    ¡°Remind you of what?¡± Anneliese continued, trying to suppress Argrave¡¯sment.


    ¡°When the men beyond the swamp invaded, with gleaming metal armor and spells that tore apart the verynd¡­ I did not fight in defense of mynd. I ran, as a coward. I let my family die alone,¡± Drezki said. The words had weight, but she had moved past her grief enough to say them without shaking. ¡°My Lady and Light weed me into her hallowednd. She protected me, sheltered me. She taught me. When the waxpox came and ate away my flesh, she imbued her own body into me to prevent my death,¡± she noted, pointing to patches of her body that had been reced with wood.


    ¡°I vowed not to make the same mistake with my Lady and Light. I vowed to defend her to myst breath. And so, I call myself ¡®coward,¡¯ because it is what I hope to prove I am not.¡±


    Argrave opened his eyes again, looking at Drezki as he leaned against Anneliese¡¯s shoulder. Willingness to die for something¡­ on his first day here, that sentiment might have been foreign to him. He was beginning to understand it, though. Maybe it was because he was around people who would die for a cause¡ªpeople like Titus, Orion, or the southron elves. Or maybe it was because he had something to value in this life beyond himself, now.


    Just as the somber tones were beginning to set in his head, Anneliese tilted her head and rested it against his. It was a simple act, but it made him feel warm.


    ¡°¡­if the waxpox is cured, you don¡¯t need to die,¡± Argrave said slowly. ¡°You can still escape, Silvic.¡±


    Drezki looked towards the wend spirit with hope, but Silvic said at once, ¡°You make it sound like escaping this man you call Orion¡¯s grasp will be something easy,¡± it pointed out. ¡°The wends themselves balk in fear of him. I fear I am powerless before him, even were my power not waned by this rotting disease.¡±


    Drezki looked greatly dispirited.


    ¡°What is your purpose?¡± Anneliese inquired of Silvic. ¡°Why do people worship you?¡±


    ¡°I am simply the wends. I am the advocate of the water beneath us, the trees around us, the beauty and ugliness all. I simply wish to see it prosper, as it always has. I am but a manifestation of the desires of the folk who once lived in this swamp. I am the <em>spirit</em> of the wends.¡±


    With the emphasis on the word ¡®spirit,¡¯ Anneliese nodded as things fell in ce.


    ¡°That is another reason I am not afraid to die,¡± Silvic added. ¡°In time¡­ centuries, perhaps¡­ so long as thisnd persists, another of my kind will be born. Perhaps it will be different from me. Perhaps it will not be called ¡®wends¡¯ any longer. There is something special to thisnd, you know.¡±


    <em>Maybe the wends will progress into coal forests, </em>Argrave mused, recalling useless geographical knowledge.


    ¡°And this gue uses what is special of thisnd to sow discord,¡± Silvic said. ¡°That is why it must be stopped.¡±


    #####


    Mina of Veden entered deep into the wends, riding alone. She wore nothing to identify herself as the daughter of Count Elgar¡ªit was a double-edged sword, she supposed, but she did not wish to announce her presence to any and all who looked. But just because she rode alone did not mean she was alone.


    Golden-armored knights escorted her. Mina watched them ever warily. She could see that their flesh had been afflicted with the waxpox, and though it was covered by bandages, she had no strong desire to contract this disease. Despite their affliction, these knights seemed as capable as any of the royal knights she had seen before.


    As they neared a fortress, the royal knights stopped. ¡°This is as far as we will take you,dy. This is the camp of our Holiness.¡±


    Mina stirred, holding her horse steady. Though she hade here searching for Argrave, having heard from her father¡¯s knights that he¡¯d gone this way, the only reason she riskeding here was because Orion was not near as dangerous as the other princes. Yet seeing his knights and hearing their address¡­ she wondered every second if this was a mistake.


    ¡°May I meet Prince Orion?¡± Mina nheless asked.


    ¡°Any and all may meet the prince, so long as they are willing to wait for him,¡± the knight said inly. ¡°He resides within his keep.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Without another word, the knights parted, and Mina looked towards the keep that they had pointed out. She drove her horse a bit closer, mindful of the great bulk of people wandering. Though she had thought Veden was bad enough, seeing this ce now gave her chills. This disease was brutal beyondpare.


    In the ruined keep, a great horde of people gathered. Between their zealous cheers and their praises, they seemed more a religious congregation than a camp of refugees. In the back, towering over all of them, was Orion of Vasquer. He was free of the disease, and yet he mingled without fear. The people reached for him like he was the most precious gemstones, clutching at his armor. He embraced all of them, speaking and touching and tending to them.


    Mina struggled to keep her horse in line as she pondered this scene. She looked up towards the sky. Night was only just beginning. She looked at the vast crowd, biting her lip and debating herself fiercely. Something drew her eye¡ªmore golden-armored royal knights¡ªand she spurred her horse towards them.


    ¡°Excuse me,¡± she greeted them. They had seemed normal enough, but once they turned their head, Mina saw they were as disease-ridden as those she had seen before. She tried not to disy her disgust outwardly. ¡°I¡¯m looking for someone. Can I ask some questions?¡±


    ¡°Please, mydy. The gods demand we be open and honest,¡± the knight said, voice a low rasp.


    Mina clenched her reins tighter, uneased. ¡°Has a tall man with ck and gold eyese through here? Argrave, he goes by.¡±


    The two knights exchanged a nce. ¡°Why do you seek him?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a friend of his. I need to talk to him,¡± she said, trying to put urgency in her tone to coax information.


    ¡°You must consult Orion,¡± one of the knights held his palm out. ¡°We dare not betray our Holiness¡¯ brother by giving away informationxly.¡±


    Mina nodded, then looked about the camp. She turned her head back to the road, then back to therge congregation.


    ¡°You¡¯re looking for my brother,¡± another voice cut in, even and dead. Mina pulled her horse¡¯s reins and it stepped backwards.


    Once Mina identified who the voice belong to, she kept leading her horse away. It was only once Magnus stopped a fair distance away did she allow herself to rx somewhat. She didn¡¯t know much about Magnus, but she had not heard good things about him. He was the true shame of Vasquer, wandering the continent and engaging in the most base pleasures.


    ¡°I want to talk to him,¡± Mina repeated.


    Magnus put one hand to his clean-shaven chin. ¡°He was here. He¡¯ll return, too, given he left his horses here. Orion has it guarded, but he was sharing a room with his fianc¨¦e.¡±


    Mina blinked quickly, trying to hide her surprise. ¡°His¡­ fianc¨¦e?¡± she questioned, keeping her tone neutral.


    ¡°You say you¡¯re his friend, yet you don¡¯t know this much?¡± Magnus took his hand off his chin. ¡°Curious.¡±


    She felt aplex array of emotions at that moment. The matter of Nikoletta resurfaced again, even though she¡¯d been trying her best to avoid thinking about it.


    ¡°Who was it?¡± she demanded, more harshly than she intended.


    Magnus raised a brow. ¡°Oh? Maybe my little brother is not so in-love with that stupidly tall elf if a pretty girles seeking him, growing angry at the mention of a fianc¨¦e.¡±


    Mina red down at Magnus before softening her features. It seemed she¡¯d be staying after all.

 Chapter 184

    Chapter 184: Testimony of the Divine


    Argrave stepped into Orion¡¯s camp in the ruined fortress, walking past the vast tents and buildings full of refugees. His stride was confident, but the Brumesingers walking at his feet were somewhat frenzied, betraying his true nervousness. Everyone watched him walk¡ªthis time, not because of his imposing height, but because of the two following behind: Silvic and Drezki.


    His entry into the camp was like a great ripple that intensified rather than weakened. Though the sick could not be bothered to stir, those tending to them did, and soon enough, near half the camp was bustling with activity. Nothing would ever abate the nervousness of being the center of attention, Argrave thought.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Two golden armored knights rushed up before Argrave, drawing their glimmering swords from their scabbards. Argrave stepped out to meet them, holding his arms wide as he yelled, ¡°You will stop!¡± His authoritative words did slow them, but they kept proceeding, forcing Argrave to add, ¡°I am Orion¡¯s brother!¡±


    With their Holiness being invoked, the Waxknights did indeed draw to a sliding stop not two feet away from Argrave. Already, mist from his Brumesingers danced in the air, ready to attack if anything threatened him.


    ¡°Orion sought proof,¡± Argrave began, gaze alternating between the two Waxknights. ¡°I have brought it.¡±


    #####


    The camp remained bustling in the time that passed since Argrave had brought Silvic to Orion¡¯s camp. A retinue of twelve Waxknights guarded them. Everyone able enough to walk in the refugee camp gawked at the humanoid wend spirit. Silvic remainedrgely silent and still, but the sight of her wooden body flowing with radiant liquid light was awe-inspiring even when she did nothing. Fewer stared at the short and squat swamnd woman Drezki with her greenish skin and yellow eyes, but her presence only intensified the scrutiny ced upon them.


    Anneliese looked greatly diforted by the attention¡ªshe had once confided to himrge crowds were difficult for her¡ªand so Argrave did his best to keep her at ease while they waited for Orion. Regarding his other twopanions, Gmon was ever unppable while Durran somewhat enjoyed the scrutiny of the crowd, all but striking a pose for those watching.


    It was easy to notice Prince Orioning. He himself stood a foot and a half above the taller people in the crowd, and the people parted for hising like the Red Sea had for another prophet of myth. Argrave kept his gaze on him as he walked closer, Argrave¡¯s dark golden eyes meeting Orion¡¯s gray the whole way through. Eventually, Orion strode past the Waxknights, ordering them to put their swords away with a simple gesture. They obeyed without question and kneeled before him.


    Prince Orion stood before Argrave. His eyes were markedly colder than their first meeting had been. Argrave was d to be spared of a back-breaking embrace, but that was about the only good feeling swirling around in his chest at that moment. Orion stood above him, above even Gmon, and seeing the anger writ in his face was like having the roaring jaw of a Kodiak bear near your throat.


    ¡°What profane thing have you brought into this camp of followers of the faith, Argrave?¡± Orion questioned, his voice cold and unsympathetic. The affectionate calls of ¡®brother¡¯ were gone.


    Argrave kept hisposure despite his fear¡ªhe was growing quite adept at that. ¡°You asked for proof, brother. I brought it before you.¡±


    Orion looked past Argrave, staring at Silvic. He stepped around him, looking down and locking gazes with Gmon briefly. After, he took heavy steps that seemed to shake the earth. Drezki stood between Silvic and Orion, posturing like a child trapped between two adults. She was only barely to Orion¡¯s stomach, but she stood strong nheless.


    ¡°Rest assured,¡± Argrave called out. ¡°I would not have brought Silvic here were she a danger to everyone.¡±


    Orion turned his back to Silvic, his white robe brushing against the muddy ground below as his gaze fixed upon Argrave. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I am Silvic, one of many spirits of the wends, and a god to the swamp folk,¡± Silvic answered, her voice without an obvious source emanating from all directions causing a great stir in all of the people present.


    Orion turned his head back to the wend spirit ever so slowly. His fists were clenched tightly enough to trigger the protective enchantments on his gauntlet, and they shone brightly, barely preventing the metal from folding in on itself.


    Argrave stepped forward. ¡°She¡¯s here for the same reason you are, Orion. She wants to stop the gue. If you care about the followers of the faith, I hope you will hear her out. If you listen, you will learn,¡± he implored Orion boldly.


    Orion¡¯s head remained fixed on Silvic¡¯s form. Slowly, his gaze turned back to Argrave. The insane frigidity in his eyes had faded somewhat, making his expression seem less threatening¡­ but Argrave still noted his fist was clenched tightly.


    Prince Orion gave the smallest of nods, and Argrave let out a sigh of relief just as slight.


    ¡°Then, should we go discuss this?¡± Argrave gestured towards the keep where Orion had taken him, Anneliese, and Magnus. Orion put one hand on his hip and shifted his feet, considering what Argrave said.


    ¡°That which is to be shared¡ªis it something that needs to be kept secret from the people?¡± Magnus chimed in, pushing his way past. The crowd did not part for him as it had Orion, evidently, and indeed, it seemed he had little goodwill among the people here. Even though Argrave thought it was a reasonable enough sentiment to garner support, few in the crowd expressed their backing for it.


    ¡°That is true,¡± Orion said, though, very obviously swayed.


    Anneliese put her hand on Argrave¡¯s shoulder, drawing his attention. This was another signal they¡¯d devised in private, much the same way she would tap his foot if someone lied¡ªif she had something to note about the emotions of those present, she would grab his shoulder.


    She did not have time to say what she needed to say, though. Orion spoke again, asking, ¡°Then tell me, brother, why do you consort with such profane things, such heretics? What can it convey, that should spare it from righteous judgement by the gods?¡±


    Argrave swallowed, trying to discern how best to maintain control of the conversation. With a crowd of zealous followers around and Magnus whispering in Orion¡¯s ear, the odds felt stacked against him¡­ but the fight yesterday had been at a disadvantage before Argrave turned it around. At least, that was what he clung onto to bolster his confidence.


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Argrave agreed with Magnus, seeking to mitigate his influence. ¡°The people have every right to know why they are wrought with this disease. They should understand what Orion and I will fight against!¡± he said boldly. His words drew in support from the crowd.


    As the crowd murmured and cheered, Anneliese whispered in Argrave¡¯s ear, ¡°Magnus is desperately terrified. Of what, I cannot say.¡±


    The words were somewhat difficult for Argrave to process fully¡ªtoo many possibilities abounded in his head¡ªand so he chose to shelve them away and focus on Orion.


    ¡°Silvic hase here to seek Orion¡¯s aid in fighting against a great evil that has taken root in the wends,¡± Argrave preached. ¡°This evil was born of evil¡ªit was born of the extermination of the people of these swamps, when Vasquer conquered this ce decades ago.¡± Argrave turned on his heel. ¡°Silvic. Please, tell all of how this gue came to be.¡±


    Magnus stared down Argrave like he was a fool, while Silvic ced her wooden, rooted hand behind her back in an almost polite, human fashion.


    ¡°Some years ago, the many spirits of the wend took in those people of the swamp that survived the invasion by Vasquer,¡± Silvic exined. ¡°Many of the spirits had died in the invasion¡­ and of those that persisted, one sought revenge against Vasquer for the deaths of many: Rastzintin, the strongest of us wend spirits. He coborated with one of thest great shamans of the swamp folk. She had been taken in as an amusement by humans¡ªa jester, they are called.


    ¡°At first, they struck at the stone fortresses the men of Vasquer constructed,¡± Silvic continued, none daring to interrupt. ¡°One after another they fell, each House established sumbing in a multitude of ways. If you seek proof of the truth of my tales, I will show you the magic they weaved to turn this fortress we stand upon to ruins,¡± Silvic dered.


    Argrave listened patiently, watching the crowd. They were growing a bit incensed, he noted, but they did not seem at risk of exploding anytime soon. Magnus twitched and rubbed his hands together as Silvic spoke, ncing about paranoidly. His distress perplexed Argrave.


    ¡°Yet once all of the fortresses copsed, Rastzintin was content. The jester did not agree with this sentiment. She betrayed him and used his power to conjure this gue. I, and many other spirits of the wends, attempted to stop this folly. Yet Rastzintin was always the strongest of us all, and in my endeavors, the gue Jester struck me and others with her fell disease, leaving me as I am now,¡± she noted, rooted finger tracing the waxpox marring her body.


    The crowd took in her words well. There was an element of sympathy to things¡ªseeing even a so-called god marred as they were by the waxpox surely stirred some emotion in them.


    Orion stalked up to her, arms crossed. ¡°You can prove this fortress fell to this Rastzintin¡¯s magic?¡±


    ¡°I can,¡± Silvic confirmed.


    ¡°And you swear before all you hold dear¡­ that you speak only truth?¡±


    ¡°I swear before the wends themselves I speak the truth. If I do not, may the world itself burn me and all I hold dear,¡± Silvic vowed.


    Orion looked back to Argrave. His gaze wasplicated.


    Magnus strode up beside Orion. Argrave watched him carefully, ready to interject at anything the prince might try.


    ¡°It seems there is no room for argument,¡± Magnus conceded, spreading his arms out.


    Argrave furrowed his brows, taken aback by the support. Magnus leaned in and whispered something to Orion¡¯s ears, and Argrave shifted uneasily.


    ¡°Argrave,¡± Orion said, lifting his head from Magnus¡¯ whispers. ¡°What has Silvic informed you of regarding this¡­ heretical god, Rastzintin, and the jester?¡±


    Argrave stepped a little closer. ¡°Much and more. I can tell you everything you need to know, brother,¡± he said confidently.


    ¡°Then that settles things.¡± He turned his head to Silvic and Drezki. ¡°Will the two of you ept the gods of Vasquer as your own?¡±


    Drezki shook her head fervently. ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°I am of the wends,¡± Silvic responded.


    Orion turned the rest of his body and lunged out at Silvic with inhuman speed. Drezki, ever alert, moved to guard her Lady and Light, drawing the twin sticks at her side. She swung them at the approaching Orion. He raised his forearm to block. When they cracked against the metal, blisteringly blinding light and force enough to conjure winds split across the air.


    When things had settled, Argrave ran forward without hesitation, adrenaline already pumping. Orion seemed undamaged¡ªhe flicked his arm out and Drezki staggered away. He lunged forth again, Drezki his target this time. He grabbed her face, obscuring itpletely, and mmed her into the ground. The earth split, and her body left a crater her shape in the muddy earth.


    After, he squeezed. Her head seemed to offer as little resistance as a ball of hollow paper.


    The Prince lifted his hand slowly. Blood that glowed gold dripped from his forearm¡ªnot from Drezki, but from the wound she¡¯d caused with her weapons. As Silvic stepped back apprehensively, Argrave finally managed to ce himself between Orion and the wend spirit.


    ¡°What are you doing?!¡± Argrave shouted.


    ¡°Doing as the gods demand¡ªending the heretics that refuse to ept Vasquer,¡± he said calmly. Blood dripped from the spot where Drezki had attacked him. His blood suspended midair¡­ and then retracted back within his body. Almost as though shutting the door behind it, the wound closed just after thest bit of blood retracted back within. The enchanted gauntlets he wore had beenpletely sted apart by Drezki¡¯s fierce attack, but already the wound disappeared.


    ¡°Were you not listening? She has much to offer to help!¡±


    ¡°Knowledge you im you have,¡± Orion tilted his head, confused.


    ¡°Silvic has yet to prove the magic Rastzintin cast!¡± Argrave shouted. ¡°And she can help us through the wends with her power, that we might strike at the gue Jester all the easier, without a great loss of life!¡±


    Orion¡¯s face brightened. ¡°That¡­ is a fair point, brother,¡± he conceded at once. He lifted up his hand, covered in blood and gore. The redness bubbled and steamed as though boiling. ¡°I was overeager, it seems.¡± He moved his hand forward, resting it against Argrave¡¯s cheek. ¡°Fortunately, you reminded me before something important could be lost. I am d of it.¡±


    The Holy Fool stepped away from the scene of carnage casually, shaking his hand free of the viscera. ¡°I am d you brought this to me. To wallow in ignorance as I have, for so long¡­¡± he sighed and shook his head. ¡°Such a tragedy. Argrave,¡± he called out, stopping.


    Argrave faced him tensed, saying nothing.


    ¡°Have a rest. You seem to have endured much to bring this to me,¡± he said, genuinelypassionately. ¡°Though¡­ ensure the heretical thing causes no trouble.¡±


    As Orion walked away, Argrave felt like he was going to copse to the ground. He kept his legs firm, thankfully enough. Eventually, his gaze locked on someone skulking away from the still-staring crowd: Prince Magnus. That man had been the cause of all of this. Whatever he¡¯d whispered to Orion had set him off like that.


    He looked to Anneliese. ¡°Let¡¯s go back. But¡­ it seems we can¡¯t rest.¡±


    They started to walk away. Argrave turned his head back to where Drezkiy dead. As he stared at the corpse, something unpleasant welled up within him. He quickly turned away, blinking rapidly. Durran put a hand on his shoulder, staring at the corpse alongside him.


    With silent grief for their briefpanion, Argrave¡¯spanions and Silvic headed for the keep.

 Chapter 185

    Chapter 185: Left Behind, but Catching Up


    Argrave told Gmon, Durran, and the very out-of-ce Silvic that he and Anneliese intended to check up on their books before rejoining the party to discuss what needed to be done. Silvic asked to bury Drezki, and hispanions saw to that task alongside her so that no issues would arise with the Waxknights or other residents.


    ¡°Was almost like things correcting themselves,¡± Argrave mused as he pushed open the door, stepping inside. ¡°Drezki¡­ god damn it. Why did it have to end like that? I should¡¯ve¡­¡±


    ¡°Should have what?¡± Anneliese pressed.


    Argrave stopped beside the half-open door. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Should have known better. Should have taken measures.¡±


    ¡°People tell you time and time again that way of thinking leads nowhere. When will you heed that lesson?¡± she questioned.


    ¡°Lot easier to say that than to do it. Don¡¯t deny you ask the same thing,¡± Argrave refuted.


    Anneliese just grabbed his wrist, giving it a solemn squeeze. It reminded him he wasn¡¯t the only one affected by the things that happened around him. He shed a bitter smile, then said, ¡°Hopefully that little disy helps keep Durran cautious.¡±


    ¡°Durran is different than he was before,¡± Anneliese said. ¡°I don¡¯t think he will cause trouble as he did in the Lionsun Castle.¡±


    ¡°I definitely hope not,¡± Argrave shook his head, stepping within the room and ncing about. He took a mental inventory of all within. Everything was as neat and orderly as it had been left. Then, his eyes fell upon something he had not been expecting to see¡ªa human figure, greatly distorted by illusion magic.


    At once, Argrave raised his hand up and formed the matrix for a fast-acting lightning spell, the C-rank [Skysunder]. With a yelp, the person threw themselves behind Argrave¡¯s bed, shouting, ¡°Wait!¡±


    Argrave kept his hand raised, but said tentatively, ¡°Mina?¡±


    Anneliese stepped within the room cautiously,ing to stand shoulder to shoulder with Argrave.


    Mina gingerly raised her head above the bed, and Argrave lowered his hand with mouth agape. ¡°What in the hell are you doing here?¡± he demanded.


    ¡°Last time it was a book, now you nearly throw a spell at me?¡± Mina said incredulously, rising up a little further.


    Mina of Veden had changed a great deal from when Argrave hadst seen her. As ever, she looked like a cat, but some maturity shone through on her face. Her once shoulder-length yellow hair had grown much longer than that, and her yellow eyes seemed tired.


    ¡°I never expected to deal with this situation a second time,¡± he shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ll ask again¡ªwhat the hell, Mina?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I am! It¡¯s different this time. I was expecting you toe back, wanted to talk to you!¡± Mina said urgently.


    Argrave scratched his cheek. ¡°Yet you still use an illusion spell, just the same as ever.¡±


    ¡°Because I thought I¡¯d win, this time,¡± she shook her head. ¡°Gods be damned.¡±


    He briefly recalled their little game of whether or not she would surprise him and snorted. Argrave stepped away and looked around, and seeing no one was present, shut the door. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you at Mateth?¡± he began, stepping back into the room. ¡°Why are you <em>here</em>? Looking to follow the current trend, catch a life-threatening disease?¡±


    Mina¡¯s yellow eyes gazed up at him. ¡°You don¡¯t know, do you?¡± she questioned, then shook her head. ¡°Hah. I guess it¡¯s my world, but really, no one knows besides me.¡± She shook her head, then looked up at Argrave. ¡°I thought I changed a lot, but you¡­ you changed <em>a lot</em>,¡± she noted, sizing him up. ¡°You look¡­ healthier. Scarier,¡± she admitted.


    Argrave waited patiently. He could tell she was dodging the question because she found it painful to answer. That alone was answer enough, he supposed.


    She stepped around and sat on Argrave¡¯s bed, arms crossed. ¡°Why do people say you call her your fianc¨¦e?¡± she gestured with her chin towards Anneliese. ¡°Why are your eyes all¡­ all wrong?¡±


    Argrave sighed, and Anneliese conjured a ward that the three of them might speak privately. Mina watched her warily.


    ¡°I remember her,¡± she pointed. ¡°She¡¯s the elven woman you brought from thend of the snow elves.¡±


    ¡°¡¯Brought¡¯ is a poor choice of words,¡± Argrave said as he nodded. ¡°Her name is Anneliese, in case you forgot. And yes, for all intents and purposes, we are engaged. I¡¯ve answered one of yours, now time for mine¡ªwhy aren¡¯t you at Mateth?¡± He came to stand over her.


    ¡°You said you were never wrong about these things,¡± she said bitterly, her throat seized up. ¡°Nicky sent me away. She said that¡­ it wasn¡¯t right, and that she was sorry.¡±


    Though Argrave wasn¡¯t exactly blindsided by her answer, it did make him feel much worse than he expected. The fact that Mina was desperately trying to stop herself from being emotional about it made it strike all the deeper, he found.


    ¡°And here you are,¡± she continued, sniffling once. ¡°With a fianc¨¦e, whom you spend the whole night with, keeping the whole keep up with¡­ moans, and¡­¡±


    ¡°Hey, woah woah woah,¡± Argrave held his finger out. ¡°I don¡¯t know what kind of twisted fantasies are brewing in that head of yours, but put them out of your mind. If there¡¯s anything ¡®heated¡¯ going on in this room at night, it¡¯s heated talks about magic and history,¡± he pointed to the books around the room.


    Anneliese hid her face with one hand despite the fact that it was covered by a mask and shook her head. Argrave was still sure he saw a faint smile of amusement, though.


    ¡°Please. Magnus seemed to have mistaken me for your spurned lover, and so he divulged everything about you two,¡± she shook her head. ¡°He was trying to turn me against you, I know. He¡¯s a rude bastard¡­¡±


    ¡°Magnus,¡± Argrave lifted his head up and nodded, face nking as his half-brother¡¯s name came out once more. Argrave spared a nce at Anneliese, and she nodded as though she knew what he was thinking.


    It was very obvious that Magnus was trying to impede Argrave at every turn. It went against what he knew of Magnus¡ªas far as he knew, he and ¡®Argrave¡¯ had no animosity between the two of them. It was clear to him that something needed to be done about this. He just wasn¡¯t certain what, yet.


    Argrave turned his head back to Mina. ¡°You know, Anneliese and I spent one night in this keep. And¡­ well, whatever,¡± he finally surrendered. ¡°Think what you want¡ªI can¡¯t stop you. But why did youe here, of all ces? You don¡¯t appear ill. Not yet, at least¡­¡± he nced around the room. ¡°You ought to wear one of these masks¡­ keep your health up¡­¡± he stepped around, searching for the solemn white Humorless Masks.


    ¡°Induen came to Veden,¡± Mina disclosed, looking at Argrave. ¡°I figured you might have some answers about that whole situation.¡±


    Argrave turned back to Mina slowly, face taut. ¡°I think we ought to spend some time catching up, then. It seems there¡¯s a lot to talk about.¡±


    #####


    Argrave and Anneliese had a long conversation with Mina of Veden. As things proceeded, all of them loosened up a great deal¡ªmisunderstandings were resolved, animosity was put to bed, and mutual understanding was established. Despite everything, Mina knew that Argrave alone could not be held responsible for Nikoletta¡¯s choice. She appeared to be cing her position as the heir to the Duke before her own desire for happiness.


    Knowing it was Nikoletta¡¯s choice didn¡¯t make Argrave feel less guilty, of course. He felt like he¡¯d ruined something. He didn¡¯t tell Mina, but he resolved to repair what had been broken.


    Their conversationsted the entire night. At first, they spoke of Mina¡¯s situation. Apparently, the time she¡¯d spent with Nikoletta and Duke Enrico in a city devoted to trade and administration had enlightened her about the importance of proper management, and she used the lessons about order and efficiency learned to solve the refugee crisis at Veden.


    But inevitably, Argrave had to exin how he¡¯d changed, and what he¡¯d done to do so. That took up the bulk of the conversation, and though Argrave felt it was a somewhat disdainful waste of time to recount something that had no bearing on what they were to be doing, he did so. Not withoutint, though.


    That topic led them to why Argrave was here, something he disclosed readily. Apparently, Nikoletta had long ago informed Mina of his fight against Gerechtigkeit. He resented that Nikoletta could not keep a secret, but Mina told no others, and it was not genuinely harmful if rumor of it did spread. It was, ultimately, one of his long-term goals to propagate information about theing cmity.


    Eventually, Argrave arranged a ce to stay for Mina alongside Durran, Gmon, and the wend spirit Silvic. He gave her a spare Humorless Mask of Anneliese¡¯s. They agreed to discuss things tomorrow, when both were better rested.


    Once things had settled, he was finally alone with Anneliese, a fact he was d of.


    ¡°You say Magnus was scared, terrified earlier?¡± he asked her, sitting on his bedside.


    ¡°Desperately so,¡± Anneliese confirmed.


    Argrave lowered his head, thinking in silence for a long while. As his brain spun for exnations, he half-hoped Anneliese would interject. She always had bright ideas¡ªthings that he¡¯d missed, perspective hecked. But she stayed silent, offering no further insight.


    ¡°Considering the possibilities¡­¡± Argrave began, leading the conversation. ¡°Elenore¡¯s an option. A likely option, too¡ªshe has the resources to make Magnus move. Plenty of money, plenty of non-mary assets. Yet¡­¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know if she could terrify him as you mention. Magnus is¡­ fearless, despite everything.¡±


    ¡°Induen, then? Or the other brother you mentioned, Levin? Even Felipe?¡± Anneliese continued his train of thought.


    ¡°Induen¡­ well, he is nearby,¡± Argrave conceded. ¡°Levin is pretty ruthless, with a certain low cunning to him. Felipe is probably too busy rallying the north and keeping his court in line, but maybe he could. Even still, once again, could they terrify Magnus? And what would be their motive to have him impede me, specifically? On top of all of that, I can¡¯t picture how they would know I¡¯m here. No¡ªMagnus was doing something here before I arrived and wants to stop because I¡¯m interfering.¡±


    ¡°I suppose that is all that fits,¡± Anneliese nodded. ¡°Yet what would be his motive to continue the gue?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. He could just be worthless trash, human scum, that kind of thing¡­¡± Argrave rubbed his mouth with his hand, losing himself in thought. As a stray thought came to him, heughed.


    ¡°What?¡± Anneliese looked at him expectantly.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°Maybe it was Gerry,¡± Argrave posited in jest. Anneliese looked at him nkly, so he rified, ¡°Gerechtigkeit.¡±


    Anneliese did not join him inughter, but rather genuinely considered it, tilting her head.


    ¡°Come on,¡± Argrave said at once. ¡°Just a joke.¡±


    ¡°¡­you must admit it does fit,¡± Anneliese said in quiet ponderance.


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s why it¡¯s funny,¡± Argrave nodded. Seeing she was still on this point, Argrave gave an exhausted sigh and rose to his feet, walking around. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ Gerechtigkeit doesn¡¯t really work with coborators. He just destroys and ruins things at the right time so everything falls apart. He demolishes the most essential pir in a building, and the rest crumbles naturally.¡±


    ¡°In your experience,¡± Anneliese pointed out. ¡°Why else would Magnus be so diametrically opposed to everything you do? Why else would he be terrified? You imed the man is a psychopath¡ªhe does not feel much of anything, searches out for anything that spurs emotion at all¡ªwhat else could terrify that gray te he is more than a god-like entity?¡± she spoke quickly as though a theory formed in her head.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ verging on paranoia,¡± Argrave shook his head a little and then pointed at Anneliese, walking close to her and kneeling right before her face where she sat. ¡°If we take it there, let¡¯s take it further back. Titus. Too much off-course happened in the Burnt Desert for that to be some ripple effect from the little beating of my butterfly¡¯s wings.¡±


    Anneliese furrowed her white brows. ¡°Do you¡­ is that¡­ is that even possible?¡± she questioned. ¡°Can the cmity y such a heavy hand in this world before his advent?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Argrave admitted. ¡°I don¡¯t know the extent of his influence. I don¡¯t know what he can and can¡¯t have a hand in. That was never clearly defined, and all of his schemes in ¡®Heroes of Berendar¡¯ began before the game started. That¡¯s part of the reason I never considered it. Gerry was never reactive. I¡¯m not even sure if this is possible. All of it might just be a red herring, useless paranoia.¡±


    Anneliese nodded, processing his words. ¡°Then¡­ what has he done? What do you know?¡±


    ¡°All I know about his influence on people, specifically, is that he¡¯s responsible for a lot of the craziness in the royal family. The first queen dying in childbirth¡ªthat was him. The second queen¡¯s insanity¡ªall of this was specifically tailored to ruin Felipe¡¯s mental state, cause Vasquer¡¯s decline,¡± he exined. ¡°You might argue he affected people¡¯s minds. But why would he go after Magnus instead of me? Why wouldn¡¯t the big G use 5G to fry my brain, personally?¡±


    ¡°What are you saying?¡± Anneliese said, losing the thread of the conversation.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got no idea,¡± Argrave stood up and paced around. ¡°Alright. Alright. Ultimately, we¡¯re just fumbling around in the dark.¡±


    ¡°Come here,¡± Anneliese tapped the side of the bed, and Argrave obediently walked over and sat beside her.


    Argrave took some time to rx. It felt like a gray curtain had washed over him¡ªmounting stress that had reached its breaking point. ¡°I¡¯m at a loss, Anneliese.¡±


    She wrapped one arm around his shoulders. ¡°All we have presently are suspicions,¡± she said slowly.


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± he nodded, listening intently.


    ¡°Yet we have a method to confirm those suspicions,¡± she continued. ¡°Magnus is still here, within the camp. And given his dogged interference, it would be prudent to deal with him before we set out on this expedition. He is but a man, even still. We need not look for the backer when the agent is in arm¡¯s reach.¡±


    Argrave¡¯s bleak outlook grew a little brighter with Anneliese¡¯s counsel. Eventually, he nodded. ¡°Yeah. Even if it is urgent to deal with this gue as quickly as possible, it¡¯s also best to do it right. I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll take some time for the expedition to get ready¡­ and even if not, I can get Orion to dy. I have to make sure we do it perfectly. This isn¡¯t something we can afford to muck up. If the gue doesn¡¯t end, we can say goodbye to any chances of an easy victory. And while we¡¯re dealing with Magnus, we can identify other factors that might impede the whole thing.¡±


    ¡°Precisely,¡± she nodded.


    Argrave looked up towards the ceiling. ¡°Gerechtigkeit¡­ I wonder if he¡¯s listening.¡± Argrave cracked his knuckles. ¡°That¡¯d be an interesting turn of events. He gets to listen as I shoot his damn ns into the dust.¡±

 Chapter 186

    Chapter 186: Taming of the Prince


    ¡°I can handle it,¡± Durran suggested, raising one hand up.


    ¡°What?¡± Argrave asked.


    The four members of Argrave¡¯s party sat in one of their rooms, two of them with Humorless masks donned. A few empty bottlesy around¡ªthough it did look suspiciously like alcohol, they were the potions Argrave had demanded Gmon brew to give his party more disease resistance. Mina had yet to wake up, but Argrave intended to speak with her about something, too.


    ¡°You want your big brother Magnus to croak some info about the big bad evil¡ªit so happens this is an interest of mine. If he really does have a god whispering in his ear, I¡¯m sure I can figure it out,¡± he suggested, entwining his gray wyvern scale gauntleted hands.


    ¡°And how exactly are you going to do that?¡± Argrave frowned, tilting his head in disbelief.


    ¡°Hey, if you don¡¯t want me to, say ¡®no.¡¯ I¡¯ll get in line. I don¡¯t want to be stepping on any toes with that damned maniac wandering about. You see the way he crushed that poor girl¡¯s head?¡±


    Argrave nodded and looked to the ground.


    ¡°At least Drezki died the way she wanted,¡± Gmon said, his arms crossed.


    Argrave looked to him, frowning.


    ¡°No one can call her a coward, fighting against that man as boldly as she did,¡± he concluded further, closing his eyes.


    Argrave nodded in agreement, but he found himself thinking of the scene once again and shook his head.


    He focused back on the matter at hand¡ªDurran¡¯s suggestion. He mulled over the matter, biting as his lip as he thought, then continued, ¡°You have to keep in mind this is just a suspicion of mine, not a confirmed fact,¡± Argrave held his hand out and pointed at Durran.


    ¡°Which is why you¡¯re asking me to confirm it,¡± Durran nodded, looking at Argrave like he was slow. ¡°That¡¯s kind of how ¡®confirming¡¯ works, you realize. When you¡¯re uncertain, you¡ª¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get all cute about it,¡± Argrave held out his hands to stifle Durran, which made the golden-tattooed tribalugh. ¡°What are you going to do?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Durran shrugged as he shook his head.


    ¡°Very encouraging,¡± Argrave furrowed his brows.


    ¡°I¡¯m resourceful,¡± Durran held both of his hands out. ¡°Look, if you don¡¯t think I can, just say ¡®no,¡¯ and this matter¡¯s closed, Argrave. You don¡¯t need to copse any more towering pieces of architecture to keep me in line.¡±


    Argrave lowered his head, rubbing his chin as he thought about the matter. Certainly, Durran was a main character in ¡®Heroes of Berendar.¡¯ The yer always did all kinds of ridiculously obscure investigation quests without much issue, which said something about all of the characters and their resourcefulness.


    Even excluding ¡®Heroes of Berendar,¡¯ Durran had proven himself. Despite Argrave¡¯spunctions about the matter with the Margrave¡¯s wyvern, the fact remained it worked out well.


    Argrave lifted his head and said decisively, ¡°I¡¯ll allow it. But first¡ªyou¡¯ll have to hear everything I know about Magnus so that you can act easier, make no mistakes, that sort of thing.¡±


    Durran lounged back. ¡°I¡¯m sure you just want an excuse to talk more, but fine.¡±


    Argrave shook his head but smiled. ¡°Alright. Once that¡¯s done, we¡¯ll check on Silvic, make sure she¡¯s settled in without issue, and then¡­ I¡¯ll have a conversation with Mina.¡± His smile grew bitter. ¡°Have to make sure nothing else goes wrong.¡±


    #####


    ¡°How can you be so fine? The suns are barely above the trees, and I¡¯m still half-asleep,¡± Minained, rubbing at her eyes as she sat across from Argrave and Anneliese. They sat at a dining table in an abandoned part of the keep,rgely alone. Anneliese¡¯s Starsparrow ate magic seeds off the table before them, and the elven woman yed with the creature idly. Argrave¡¯s Brumesingers still slept, nestled in his gray duster. All of them sat within a ward of Anneliese¡¯s making, ensuring no sound would leak.


    Gmon stood nearby, remaining standing. Durran was off doing his thing. Argrave couldn¡¯t deny that he was worried. It might be Durran decides that Magnus would be better off unalive.


    The part that disquieted Argrave was that the idea didn¡¯t seem such a poor one, provided it never linked back to any of them. He was changing, it seemed.


    ¡°I can be so fine because I¡¯ve been doing this for months now,¡± Argrave exined. ¡°Waking up when I don¡¯t want to, doing things I don¡¯t want to do, and then going to bed farter than I would like. I¡¯m well ustomed to early mornings.¡±


    ¡°You could call me a spoiled brat in fewer words,¡± she finished rubbing her eyes.


    Argrave smiled andughed lightly. ¡°By the way¡­ try not to rub your eyes. And keep that mask on tight. They weren¡¯t cheap, and they¡¯re very effective at preventing the waxpox. Or any disease, I suppose.¡±


    Mina froze like she¡¯d been caught doing something bad, and then said, ¡°I just washed my hands.¡±


    Argrave simply smiled, saying nothing. As if cowed, Mina quickly put the Humorless Mask back over her face.


    ¡°Well, whatever,¡± she quickly shook her head, voice now distorted from behind the white solemn mask. ¡°Why don¡¯t you wear one? You got so sick so easilyst time at Mateth.¡±


    Argrave ced his hands on the table. ¡°We talked about this. I¡¯m ck Blooded, now. Like dragons.¡±


    Mina tilted her head suspiciously.


    Argrave sighed and took off his glove, then took a small splinter off the table to draw some blood. Mina cocked her head back, a little shocked. Blood started to drip out. It was very dark in color.


    ¡°Argrave¡­¡± Anneliese said exasperatedly, then healed his finger in an almost casual fashion.


    Argrave held his finger out. ¡°If you drank this, some of your magic would replenish, you know.¡±


    ¡°Normal people don¡¯t do something like that to prove a point,¡± Mina said cautiously.


    Argrave turned and very nearly offered his finger to Gmon as a jest, before he realized presentpany might take that poorly. Ultimately, he wiped the blood away and said, ¡°Normal people don¡¯t have magic in their bloodstream.¡±


    ¡°I was more talking about the fact people find it difficult to hurt themselves,¡± Mina shook her head.


    Argrave smiled at that. ¡°It¡¯s been a long journey,¡± he said simply. He saw Gmon nod in agreement in his peripheries.


    Mina stared at him for a time withplex emotions shining through even despite the mask, then shook her head to dismiss errant thoughts. ¡°Well, enough. We can finally talk about why I came here. Induen¡ªwhy in the world is he bursting into my father¡¯s keep, wanting to speak to <em>me, </em>of all people?¡±


    Argrave blinked slowly, a little taken aback. After sparing a nce at Anneliese as she put her hair back into a half-crown braid, he turned his gaze back to Mina and rested his elbows on the table.


    ¡°You see, that¡¯s a funny question. It sort of tailors into what I wanted to talk to you about, you see.¡±


    Mina¡¯s eyes widened in anticipation. ¡°So you know why he¡¯s there? I knew talking to you would be the right idea.¡±


    Argrave scratched his cheek, feeling the conversation had be all the more difficult. ¡°Well¡­ to put it in simple terms¡­ no,¡± he said inly.


    Mina¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Oh,¡± she said quietly.


    ¡°Oh,¡± Argrave repeated.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got no idea?¡± Mina ced her hands on the table, leaning in.


    Argrave straightened his back. ¡°What did he say?¡±


    ¡°Complete nonsense. He said he came here to stop the gue,¡± she spread her arms out in a disbelieving shrug.


    Argrave furrowed his brows. ¡°Come to think of it, you said that you were the one behind that change in Veden,¡± he noted.


    Mina nodded. ¡°Nicky¡¯s smart. The more I stayed by her side, the more I learned. She conscripted me for some things, you see. She¡¯ll be the greatest head of House Monti there ever has been,¡± Mina said proudly. ¡°She had to deal with refugees from the Veidimen invasion¡ªI just applied some of those lessons on a lesser scale.¡±


    Argrave noted she cast a nce at Anneliese as she spoke of the Veidimen invasion. He shelved that observation and focused on the important matter¡ªInduen.


    ¡°You ever think Induen might be¡­¡± Argrave began, biting his lip. ¡°I don¡¯t know, honestly.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps he was being honest,¡± Anneliese suggested as she finished her half-crown braid.


    Mina scoffed, then spoke to Anneliese, saying, ¡°You might not know much about Induen being from that frozennd, but he¡¯s a real monster. A butcher with a princely mantle, nothing more.¡±


    Argrave held his finger out to stop her. ¡°But he¡¯s not stupid. Things have gotten bad in the south¡ªI can attest to that as much as you can, probably. Between the warmer climate and King Felipe ostensibly hastening the disease, it¡¯s tearing the south apart.¡±


    ¡°You think the King¡­?¡± Mina began, then took a deep breath as epiphany dawned on her. ¡°It makes sense.¡±


    Argrave nodded bitterly. ¡°If Induen had seen how bad the south is, he might take it upon himself to keep it away from the north, as Anneliese suggests.¡±


    Mina didn¡¯t look quite satisfied with that answer, but she said nothing.


    ¡°That brings me to a favor I had to ask,¡± Argrave began gingerly. Mina looked at him. ¡°I was hoping that you would be willing to make sure Induen doesn¡¯te here.¡±


    Mina¡¯s face shifted from behind the mask. ¡°I can¡¯t believe this,¡± she said in disbelief while shaking her head.


    Argrave proceeded quickly, sensing her disapproval. ¡°Induening here could set everything I¡¯ve done up in smoke. I¡¯m trying to stop the guepletely¡ªstop its spread utterly¡ªbut if Induen gets his grubby little monster fingers in this beautiful n I¡¯ve got cooking, everything could fall apart.¡±


    Mina stared at him coldly.


    ¡°I know it¡¯s a hell of a lot to ask to get yourself involved with that guy, but this is very important¡ªnot just for the future of the continent, but the future of the world. Remember, there¡¯s a world ending-cmitying, will kill us all, et cetera,¡± Argrave rambled quickly. ¡°Please. Mina. I know you probably don¡¯t even like me that much, but I will definitely repay this favor.¡±


    She blinked, and then turned her gaze away. ¡°Alright,¡± Mina said quietly. ¡°I¡¯ll do it. But this debt¡ªthere¡¯s going to be some heavy damned interest, you know,¡± she pointed fiercely.


    Argrave pped his hands together. ¡°You have no idea how relieving that is. Thank you. Thank you, sincerely.¡±


    Gmon shifted on his feet, stepping up beside Argrave. He ced his hand on his shoulder and said in his low tone, ¡°Someone¡¯sing.¡±


    Argrave shifted his head and turned on the dining table bench they sat on, looking to the sole entrance to this ce.


    ¡°It¡¯s him,¡± Gmon said, eyes closed. ¡°Orion.¡±


    Argrave¡¯s heart had a natural response of panic. He looked around, feeling as though there was something he should hide, but nothing came to mind. Anneliese dispelled her ward just as Prince Orion entered into the room.


    ¡°Brother,¡± he called out. ¡°Finally found you.¡±


    ¡°Orion,¡± Argrave greeted, about to stand.


    ¡°Sit, sit,¡± Orion stopped him, walking up. ¡°Well, perhaps it is poor form of me to say so, considering I wish to speak with you elsewhere.¡±


    Argrave stared up at him nkly from the bench. ¡°About the expedition? Or Silvic, or what?¡±


    ¡°About you. Your future,¡± he said, tone low. ¡°Come. Let¡¯s walk,¡± he patted Argrave¡¯s shoulder.


    A growing nervousness swirled within, and Argrave touched Anneliese¡¯s elbow. ¡°Anneliese,¡± he called out, attempting to bring her with him.


    ¡°Eh¡ªlet us speak alone, brother. I have nothing against my beautiful sister-inw to be, worry not, but I wish to speak with you alone. No one else will be there, not Magnus, not my guards,¡± Orion amended.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Argrave swallowed, then cast a nce at Anneliese. Some nice time alone with his half-brother was thest thing he wanted.


    Nheless, Argrave stood, and he and Orion walked out of the room.

 Chapter 187

    Chapter 187: Bonds of Blood


    To see the ever-diligent Orion neglect his perceived duty to the people was already disquieting enough¡­ but the prince led Argrave further and further away from the camp, heading into the swamps. His onlyfort was the knowledge that Orion wouldn¡¯t need seclusion to kill him. Argrave stayed quiet¡ªhe felt the need to say something, anything, but he was so off-rhythm that he feared to bring up a topic that might cause an issue.


    They came to a great depression in the wends. At the center, many simrly shaped stones had been stacked in an orderly heap that marked it as manmade. Argrave recognized this ce¡ªit had been made by the swamp folk. It was a graveyard of sorts. Each stones marked the passing of one of theirs. Now, much of it had been grown over by moss or carried away by rains.


    Orion stepped ahead of Argrave and stopped. ¡°Argrave. Do you have faith in the gods?¡±


    Argrave digested Orion¡¯s question in an attempt to discern his purpose, yet he wasn¡¯t able to glean why Orion had brought him here with that question alone.


    ¡°I know that the gods are real, and that they affect this world,¡± Argrave said truthfully.


    Orion nodded. ¡°Yet do our ny-six have potential beyond Vasquer, in your eyes? And be honest. Sycophancy earns only my ire.¡±


    Argrave stared at Orion seriously. ¡°Our gods can spread across all of Berendar if the right actions are taken,¡± he said in all truthfulness.


    That was how it was in ¡®Heroes of Berendar,¡¯ certainly. If the yer sided with Orion in the civil war, that fate was inevitable.


    Orion ced both of his hands behind his back and strode towards the stones in the depression ahead. ¡°Indeed, an apt way to put it. ¡®If the right actions are taken,¡¯¡± the prince repeated.


    Argrave stepped a little closer after Orion, before the prince stopped and turned towards him. His eyes were closed as he spoke.


    ¡°Kreit, Achiel, Irae, Tuur, Pilth, Gael, Razan, Wellwin, Mc, Zellum, Moder¡­¡±


    Orion carried on and on, listing what Argrave knew to be all of the gods in the Vasquer pantheon. Argrave could probably say what they governed if he had their names, but he certainly couldn¡¯t remember all of those names.


    After finishing his list, Orion opened his eyes and clenched his fist before him. ¡°Those I speak to, even though I bless them¡ªheal them¡ªas a proxy for the gods, the people¡­ the people sing my praises.¡±


    Prince Orion started to cry. His tears were molten silver, and when they hit the ground, the wends steamed.


    ¡°The people are ignorant of the true agent of their welfare¡­ it makes me weep,¡± he continued, choked up. ¡°I speak to the people¡­ and though they name themon gods, though they pray to Gael for justice¡­ few can name more than five,¡± he lifted his head up the sky.


    ¡°Then, I wonder why I heal them,¡± Orion said, voice colder than the grave. The tears he¡¯d shed rose from where they fell, reentering his gray eyes as though erasing his sadness. ¡°They ce only an idol of Gael in their house and pray for righteous justice to carry them through life. They forget all else yet have the gall to call themselves the faithful of Vasquer. Such thoughts¡­ such impious thoughts¡­¡± he shuddered terribly, and then knelt on the ground. ¡°Do you share them?¡± he looked up at Argrave.


    Argrave looked down to Orion where he knelt and suggested, ¡°Can people be med when they aren¡¯t taught?¡±


    Orion stood and walked towards Argrave, looming above him. ¡°Precisely so,¡± Orion agreed. ¡°And this is the issue I brought you here to discuss.¡±


    The prince turned and walked back towards the cairn. Argrave called out after him, ¡°You wanted to talk about educating the people?¡±


    Orion didn¡¯t answer immediately. He stared at the pile of stones before him, kicking one away. He turned back slowly.


    ¡°One of my own royal knights called me a monster.¡±


    Argrave raised a brow. ¡°Recently?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Orion shook his head. ¡°When the gue first reared its head above the depths from whence it crawled, I expressed to my knights that they embrace the gue. That I would give them my blessing when the time came, and they would be all the stronger for it. Back then¡­ they loathed me. Even the steadfast thought me distant, inhuman.¡±


    Argrave listened patiently.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°I did not understand it,¡± Orion continued, confounded. ¡°All royal knights swear an oath to live and die for the royal family, to shed blood for our sake, to obey our orders without question¡­ and yet, when I expect they fulfill these vows, they deem me monster.¡± Orion ground his foot into arge stone beneath, and it crumbled easily beneath his force. ¡°Would they swear an oath they do not intend to follow? Why? Would they speak lies so easily? For what purpose? Though the founder of House Vasquer spoke lies freely, he never broke his vows! He never lied before the gods! So why?!¡± Orion cried out.


    ¡°Ask them,¡± Argrave suggested.


    Orion turned his head. ¡°I have. They merely disavow their old selves, iming they were fools and idiots to doubt me.¡± He took a deep breath and exhaled, then shook his head. ¡°It is only my actions that earned me their loyalty. The oath they swore, the promises I gave¡­ they were ineffectual.¡±


    The prince ced his hand to his chest. ¡°I have never told another this, Argrave¡­ but I know men fear me, loathe me. The people thate to this camp, theye with eyes squinted tight in suspicion, bodies braced to run in fear. It is only when I deliver them the blessing imparted to me that they bare their hearts to me, that they ept me well and truly.¡±


    Argrave stepped a little closer. He didn¡¯t feel danger, but he did feel quite uncertain about where this was headed. ¡°The people that do love you love you more than anyone, it seems.¡±


    ¡°They do,¡± Orion nodded. ¡°No matter how much I tell them they should praise the gods before me. My own knights call me ¡®holiness,¡¯ when that is not what I am. I am a prince of Vasquer, blessed by the gods. The gods, their power wells within me¡­ and they whisper truths in my ear. What hase to pass. What wille to pass.¡±


    Orion crouched down, then copsed like a corpse onto the mud, staining the white robe he worepletely. ¡°I wish to help the people with these blessings. But I do not understand them. Despite my promises, they trust me only after I help. It makes things¡­ difficult.¡±


    ¡°That might change¡­ as things move along,¡± Argrave said, standing over Orion as he sunk into the mud. ¡°People will spread word of your good nature, your good deeds. That¡¯s what reputation is, you know.¡±


    The prince turned until he was on his side, then lightly bashed the side of his head into the mud, dirtying his long ck braid of hair. ¡°That is limited,¡± he said sadly. He turned to his back, then stared up at Argrave with his gray eyes. ¡°Tell me¡ªwhat gods do you invoke most often, Argrave?¡±


    Argrave took a deep breath, conjuring his old favorites from ¡®Heroes of Berendar.¡¯ ¡°I like Zellum, the god of magic¡­ Tireal, the goddess of wanderers¡­¡±


    Orion smiled. ¡°Of course. Tireal patronizes elves.¡±


    ¡°And Re. Goddess of blood,¡± Argrave finished. That name was easiest to remember. It was important for the future.


    The prince amidst the mud stared at Argrave with nk expression, and for a few moments he worried he had misremembered something.


    ¡°Most I spoke to did not know those,¡± Orion finally said. He started to cry again, and he wiped his face with muddy hands. Argrave stood around awkwardly as the giant man rolled about in the mud and wept.


    Suddenly, Orion leaned up, staring up at Argrave. ¡°You spoke to that crowd yesterday. All the faithful of Vasquer, ostensibly¡­ and yet with your words, you eased their suspicion of that heretical thing¡­ that wend spirit. I cannot say its name,¡± Orion waved his hand away in dismissal.


    ¡°¡­it was necessary,¡± Argrave defended himself quietly.


    ¡°When I see something beyond our ny-six, spite and rage boil within me. The gods, they whisper in frenzy in my ears¡­¡± Orion clenched his head as if remembering something. ¡°I am drawn to action as iron to a ma. But you,¡± the prince lifted his head slowly. ¡°You do not surrender to those impulses.¡±


    Argrave swallowed, worried.


    ¡°I envy you,¡± Orion finally said, abating some of his nervousness. He rose to his feet again. ¡°You possess that which Ick.¡±


    <em>Impulse control? </em>Argrave questioned internally.


    ¡°You understand man, woman¡­ even elves,¡± Orion prodded Argrave¡¯s chest. ¡°Your words can sway them. Not action. Speech. Promises. Just as the founder of House Vasquer.¡±


    ¡°You have a lot of things I envy,¡± Argrave said, hoping to change the conversation away from himself.


    Orion smiled. ¡°Then it is good to know I am not alone in my feelings.¡± Orion looked back towards the cairn. ¡°It is clear to me that this kingdom needs reform. Faith in the gods dwindles. Faith in the royal family has sunk even lower,¡± Orion said, shaking his head in distress. ¡°I will not challenge Induen. By the grace of the gods, he is the divinely anointed heir.¡± He looked to Argrave. ¡°But it is clear a monarch alone cannot satisfy the needs of the people.¡±


    Argrave felt some goosebumps at Orion¡¯s words despite himself. He took a deep breath, then questioned, ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    It was a pointless question, in part. He knew the answer.


    ¡°As you said earlier¡­ the people cannot be med if they are not taught. And that is just it,¡± Orion ced his hand on Argrave¡¯s shoulder and hunched down until their faces were level. He could smell his half-brother¡¯s breath¡ªit was as sweet as a perfume, which only heightened Argrave¡¯s difort.


    ¡°All we have now are priests of Gael, acting as judges in cities, or mages who pray to Zellum seeking wisdom in magic. A few orders train priests that pray to Craiche, seeking bountiful harvests, yet they are all scattered, disorganized, and few¡­ no more than tiny droplets of coloring trying to change the hue of the ocean.


    ¡°There needs to be more. There needs to be structure, order, to our faith,¡± Orion preached, squeezing Argrave¡¯s shoulder tighter. ¡°The people need to be educated in <em>all </em>aspects of our pantheon, of <em>all </em>the gods. <em>That </em>is what I must build. A hierarchy of the faithful, the devout, to read the scriptures, to preach to the masses!¡±


    Orion stepped away, standing straight once more. He attempted to clean his white robes of mud without much sess.


    ¡°Our great ancestor, Felipe I, took the house name of ¡®Vasquer¡¯ after his great serpentpanion,¡± Orion continued. ¡°He established this kingdom, which now spans so much of the known world. He has built the monarchy. It has prevailed for centuries. Now, I must found the second institution to keep this great faith alive¡ªno, to expand it yet further!¡±


    This was no shocking revtion to Argrave, but he had not expected Orion to ever share this with him. The man was ever impulsive, and it seems Argrave had made a good impression. That, coupled with sharing his blood, probably made the Holy Fool confide in him.


    ¡°Felipe I was powerful, true¡­ but his true strength rested in hispanion, the great serpent Vasquer,¡± Orion stepped forth. ¡°I thought myself the seconding of our founder, this entire time¡­ I believe, now, I misinterpreted the whispers of the gods.¡±


    Orion grasped Argrave with both hands. ¡°You must be a part of this with me, Argrave. You must take the role of Felipe I, while I assume the ce of Vasquer.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Argrave said in shock despite himself.


    Orion shook him a little. ¡°It is clear to me, and the gods whisper in my ear affirmation. You possess the elements closest to our founder¡ªbravery, an iron will, and the pragmatism unique to humans¡­ and best yet, the gift to bend them to your words alone. I envy that. Ick that. And as you say, you envy my qualities. Yet if we pool them¡­ what are we, if notplete? We may form the foundation for our faith to tower above all others!¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it a bit too fast, to trust me with this big a task?¡± Argrave said quickly, panicking. ¡°I¡¯ve been here only a few days, now.¡±


    Orion stepped away, biting his gauntleted finger. ¡°Hmm¡­ indeed. Perhaps I am being overeager.¡± He stepped back to Argrave. ¡°But the changes you¡¯ve disyed¡­ you are so different from the skinny boy I once knew, bitter and angry and impious. And the gods that whisper to me¡ªthough I may misunderstand them, they never lie. I believe it has merit.¡±


    ¡°You ought to give something like this time,¡± Argrave said, trying to remain calm. ¡°And more importantly¡ªwe have to tackle this gue.¡±


    Orion smiled, and stepped forth. ¡°That consideration of yours¡­ it gives me hope my judgement in this is not wrong. But it is as you say.¡± Orion grabbed him and pulled him into an embrace. ¡°I love you, brother.¡±


    Argrave nked when he heard those words. This was generally the part where you responded with the same phrase. He very slowly raised his arms up and returned the embrace, then said, ¡°Me too, br¡ªbuddy,¡± he finished.


    Orion didn¡¯t seem to mind. He pulled away, and said brightly, ¡°Come! We must begin things. First of which¡­ is consorting with the heretical thing, once again,¡± he said, voice grim.


    Argrave watched Prince Orion walk away, feeling like he¡¯d just battled his most powerful opponent yet.

 Chapter 188

    Chapter 188: Intrepid Preparations


    ¡°Youe from Veiden?¡± Mina questioned Anneliese, trying to start a conversation.


    Anneliese stared out at the doorway which Argrave and Orion had left, nervously braiding and unbraiding portions of her long white hair. She answered Mina idly, ¡°It depends on how you define e from.¡¯¡±


    Mina ced her hands loudly on the dining table the two of them sat at. ¡°You were born there.¡±


    ¡°I was born on a coastal vige in Berendar,¡± Anneliese shook her head.


    Mina frowned, then tapped her fingers against the table for a time, staring at the white-haired elf. She bit at her lips in quiet deliberation, then questioned, ¡°Why did your people invade Mateth?¡±


    Anneliese was drawn away from her idle braiding and turned to face Minapletely. Though silent for a moment, she eventually answered simply, ¡°They thought it their duty.¡±


    ¡°They?¡± Mina repeated.


    ¡°I do not envision myself returning,¡± Anneliese replied.


    Mina tapped her fingers on the table once again, then questioned, ¡°Who gave them this duty?¡±


    ¡°Veid,¡± Gmon answered. Mina looked at him nkly, and so he borated, ¡°Our goddess.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Mina nodded, then ced her head on her arms on the table. ¡°Of course. Naturally. There must be something higher than yourself giving you a reason to kill, elsewise people will have to confront their deeds.¡±


    ¡°Better for some to die now to establish a thousand years of prosperity,¡± Gmon disagreed at once.


    Anneliese didn¡¯t seem to have any stake in the matter. She rose and exited, walking to where Argrave and his half-brother had left.


    ¡°I don¡¯t see how it is all that different from what someone like Orion does,¡± Mina spoke to Gmon.


    Gmon stared down at her coldly. He was easily twice her size. ¡°This is a pointless conversation. I dislike that man more than anyone else here, I¡¯m certain, but I put that aside.¡±


    ¡°I just don¡¯t want Argrave to forget who he¡¯s helping,¡± Mina said. ¡°This ce¡­ these knights¡­ it¡¯s safe, sure, so long as you don¡¯t step out of line. I just¡­¡± she paused, then shook her head. ¡°No matter. It¡¯s not¡ª¡±


    Mina paused as two people walked through the door. Anneliese and Argrave walked side by side and strode up to the table.


    ¡°It seems it¡¯s time to get to work,¡± Argrave sped his hands together and rubbed them. ¡°Orion wants to talk to Silvic, meaning we¡¯re soon to start nning the expedition. A week, maybe a bit longer, and we¡¯ll leave camp. Going to be a bloody journey.¡±


    Mina looked up at Argrave. ¡°I¡¯d best be going, then.¡±


    Argrave lowered his head in a slight bow. ¡°Once again, nothing but thanks from me, Mina.¡±


    She stood up from the bench. ¡°You¡¯ll pay me back in more than just words, I hope. Risking life and limb for you. Let¡¯s not forget who Induen is.¡±


    Argrave¡¯s face grew serious. ¡°I know the gravity of this.¡±


    Mina kept her yellow eyes on his, then seemed to shudder from a chill. She walked away, preparing to head off.


    #####


    Despite Magnus¡¯ first interference with the introduction to Silvic to Orion, the promised proof offered to Orion was provided without issue. It was a simple thing for Silvic to recreate the magic used to destroy the fortress¡ªit had already been inscribed into the stone long ago. Silvic activated her strange magic usable only by wend spirits of her kind, and the stones began to emit a foul poison.


    Though Orion was enraged by this, it was proof sufficient for the Holy Fool that there was a conspiracy brewing in the wends. With that¡­


    Argrave, Orion, Anneliese, Gmon, and Silvic upied the Holy Fool¡¯s private quarters. There were several Waxknights present as well, but they served merely as guards rather than participants in their meeting. Durran and Magnus were both absent. That was either a promising or an apocalyptic sign.


    A grand map of the wends had been arrayed atop the central table. Argrave moved it about with his fingers and said, ¡°It can¡¯t have been easy to acquire this.¡±


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Orion nodded. ¡°The gods gave me a cartographer who once resided in thisnd in the form of a refugee¡ªonce I spread the word maps were needed, this was delivered readily.¡± Orion took a deep breath with a smile on his face, then exhaled. ¡°Another sign the gods look upon this endeavor kindly.¡±


    Argrave gazed at the map. It was far beyond what one might expect to see in a Medieval period¡ªthough Argrave couldn¡¯t begin to guess how, he was sure magic had something to do in the map-making process. The borders of the wends were unclear, and the primary focus was the eight fortresses that had once resided in thisnd. That was fine. That was all Argrave needed.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Argrave hunched over. ¡°The wends are very dangerous to traverse, especially with the waxpox writhing everywhere within. It¡¯s not just the environment¡ªfoul beasts who can tear a man apart with ease roam the swamps, and poisonous creatures abound.¡± Argrave gestured towards the wend spirit. ¡°Silvic can aid us in travel, but this is still enemy territory. And I do mean ¡®enemy.¡¯ We¡¯ll be facing active opposition, hunted as intruders.¡±


    Orion scratched at his beard as Argrave spoke. When another talked, his gaze jumped to them.


    ¡°A small group of your best men would be ideal,¡± Anneliese noted. ¡°It would facilitate ease of travel, ensure that gathering food is no great ordeal, and keep our movements rtively obfuscated.¡±


    The Prince gave slow nods that seemed more contemtive than anything. He looked at Argrave and questioned, ¡°The enemy¡ªwhat foul manner of beasts must be conquered?¡±


    ¡°On the road? When we¡¯re on drnd, it¡¯ll be rtively safe. I don¡¯t suspect we¡¯ll be on drnd often. The greatest enemy will be the Sentinels of the old wend spirits¡ªthey¡¯re all manners of beasts, natural-born chimeras in part, but they¡¯re only in the deeper portions. Beyond that, there are manticores, cksnout alligators, rockhide hippopotamuses¡­¡± Argrave shook his head as he recalled the most obnoxious two of all. ¡°There are leopards in the trees¡ªthey¡¯re poisonous, too. And gibbons, armed with weapons like Drezki had.¡±


    ¡°Drezki?¡± Orion tilted his head.


    ¡°My child, whom you murdered in cold blood,¡± Silvic said.


    ¡°I see,¡± he nodded, unoffended by the usation. ¡°Yes, I recall. She broke my right gauntlet and my skin with one blow. Powerful weapons, indeed,¡± Orion noted.


    Argrave saw Gmon give Orion a frigid re, hand hovering near the two Giantkillers on his belt. Argrave fixed him with a stare of his own, calming his elvenpanion.


    ¡°The wends are not sorge. How long you do believe this journey will take?¡± Orion questioned further. ¡°Where is this so-called gue Jester?¡±


    Argrave tapped his gloved finger against the fortress furthest from the one they were at. ¡°It¡¯s here. But there¡¯s another factor. There are only a few safe ces to shelter here. The wends¡ªyou try and sleep out in the middle of them, they¡¯ll swallow you whole,¡± Argrave said seriously. ¡°The only ces vaguely hospitable are the abandoned fortresses¡ªand even then, they¡¯re overrun by the nastiest of the Jester¡¯s servants.¡± Argrave stepped away from the map. ¡°As such, we¡¯ll have to n our route around them.¡±


    Orion stepped forward and leaned over the table, nting his hands down. ¡°Barring the one we reside in and the one this Jester resides in¡­ six fortresses. Will this take six days, then?¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not practical,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°We can cut across, skip some. With Silvic scouting, the n is four days.¡±


    In truth, Anneliese and Silvic would be working in tandem. With Silvic partly afflicted by the waxpox, her ability in the wends was greatlypromised. Anneliese and her Starsparrow would be doing the bulk of the work. It was paranoid, perhaps, but Argrave wanted to keep his cards close. Magic animals like the Brumesingers or the Starsparrow could shrug off most of the effects from the wends.


    ¡°Then¡­ four days of travel, during which we will be osted by enemies, followed by a return trip with the same time frame?¡± Orion questioned.


    ¡°Yeah. Frankly¡­¡± Argrave paused, swallowing. ¡°Frankly speaking, you¡¯re the only one who can handle a lot of the things in this ce. You and your Waxkni¡ªroyal knights,¡± Argrave corrected himself quickly. ¡°You¡¯re the only one near a match for the gue Jester.¡±


    ¡°Like the serpent Vasquer for King Felipe I, you would have me act as your sword?¡± Orion smiled broadly. ¡°I can and will fill this role. It brings me great pleasure to put an end to those who refuse to ept the gods of Vasquer as their own.¡±


    Argrave stayed silent, greatly disliking Orion¡¯s reference to Vasquer and his pleasure at the death of heretics.


    ¡°So¡ªyou¡¯ll get your men ready?¡± he finally broke his silence, staring at Orion with his golden eyes.


    Orion nodded. ¡°I must put things in order here, gather rations suitable for the journey, and decide who among my knights is worthy of the honor of ying the foul demon who ruins our beautifulnd with unholy and unnatural rot,¡± Orion stepped forth. ¡°A week, by my estimates, the majority of which will be settling things at camp to sustain itself despite my absence. Please. Prepare you and yourpanions.¡±


    #####


    Argrave sat upright in the bed. Anneliese was already asleep, her head rested against his leg. He stroked her long white hair idly, being sure not to get his fingers tangled and disturb her. He stared down at her with a distant gaze as he lost himself in thought. Orion¡¯s offer, Durran¡¯s actions, and Mina¡¯s task all upied his mind, like a triumvirate of hellish problems solely designed to give him ulcers. He wondered if being ck Blooded could stop that.


    Frustrated, he moved his head about searching for a distraction. There was only one in reach¡ªa book with a white cover, denoting it as one of the books left behind by Garm. Argrave reached forward steadily, ensuring he was quiet and still, and took it in his hand. It was the B-rank spell, [Bloodfeud Bow]. He kept that book by his side, always. He did not dare lose it. In the future, it would be one of the most valuable spells he had.


    Argrave opened it. The enchantments on each page lit up, all contributing to form a B-rank spell matrix in the air. It was only a whim at first¡ªsomething, anything, to distract from the thoughts whirling through his head¡ªbut soon enough, Argrave found himself studying it in earnest.


    A fourth dimension to magic¡­ if Argrave were to analogize his situation with something, it was as though he had stepped through a door into an unfamiliar part of the world. Though he was there, it had taken him a long time of looking around to understand thend. Even then, that was only surface level. He had to walk through this newnd, observe things from different angles, and use all of the five senses to observe it in great detail.


    Argrave believed that he understood this analogous newnd¡ªthat he understood C-rank magic¡ªwell enough. And now that he understood it, he had to learn how to make it move. Make it his. With the task viewed as a conquest, he felt that the moving matrix in the air had a whole different look to it.


    As the night passed by, Argrave was so consumed by his observation that he did not even notice he¡¯d forgotten the problems that gued him. His listened to Anneliese¡¯s steady breathing, stared at the light before him, and passed the night in peace.

 Chapter 189

    Chapter 189: Prospecting


    Though Durran had acted as though discovering Magnus¡¯ intentions would be a simple thing, he treated the matter very seriously. That might suggest it was not, in fact, a simple thing. Durran would probably agree with that assessment by this point.


    Durran had good reasons to do this. He hoped to earn trust in the group. Argrave never doubted Anneliese or Gmon, but he did think twice about anything Durran did or said. Beyond that, Durran wanted to follow any traces of Gerechtigkeit beyond Argrave¡¯s mere insistence it was reality. Andstly¡­ he did genuinely want to help.


    His first order of business in dealing with the hedonist prince was simple observation. Durran had hoped to catch Magnus doing something incriminating. He might have talked to shady people, delivered something, or left the camp in the dead of night, whereupon Durran would follow him and discover what, exactly, the misfit prince was doing trying to fit in. Something convenient like that was his first hope, even if far-fetched.


    Durran had some experience keeping watch on people in crowded ces. He had done just that in Sethia alongside Boarmask in their ns for the retaking of the city. He made good use of the crowd. He could not deny it made him ufortable to weave so closely with the diseased, but he trusted Argrave enough to be content wearing his Humorless Mask and drinking the vile potions that boosted his immunity.


    Yet, after three days, Durran had no luck hoping for a convenience. All he learned was that Argrave waspletely right about Magnus¡¯ character. That lent him confidence for his second idea.


    Magnus pushed open the p and entered one of the tents for dining in the camp.


    ¡°You¡¯re Magnus, right? Argrave¡¯s brother.¡± Durran called out, causing Magnus to pause and nce at him. The tattooed tribal sat on a table with a meal prepared. It was all meat¡ªsome of it seemed to be frog. The food was testament to the state of the camp: they relied on scavenged meat, mostly, with vegetables and all else being quite rare.


    Magnus had stopped when he was called, but he continued his steady walk into the dining tent in not a moment. ¡°Prince Magnus,¡± he corrected.


    ¡°Right,¡± Durran nodded slowly as the prince moved to the person handling the camp¡¯s food. With a slightly worn and stained wooden bowl in hand, he was served much the same of what Durran was eating. Magnus eyed the frog with some disdain.


    Though they were all but alone save the server, Magnus moved to a table quite far from Durran. Before he sat, Durran called out, ¡°Argrave said he was the son of a king¡­ he didn¡¯t mention he wasn¡¯t a prince.¡±


    Magnus stopped, the disinterest on his face waning somewhat. His changed his n to sit far from Durran and stepped up right across from him.


    ¡°And what are you?¡± Magnus asked him.


    ¡°A mercenary from the Burnt Desert, formal tribal chieftain,¡± Durran introduced himself, inting his credentials deliberately.


    Magnus scrutinized him carefully. His eyes moved around his body, as though tracking something¡ªDurran was well used to this gaze by now. Even the princes of thesends of wealth and green could not help but be intrigued by his golden tribal markings, it seemed.


    Magnus ced his te down and straddled the bench, sitting across from Durran. ¡°Bastards are born liars. It¡¯s a stain that affects their whole lives.¡± Magnus poked at the frog with his finger. ¡°Why Felipe didn¡¯t kill him in the crib like the rest, I¡¯ll never know.¡±


    ¡°Kill him in a crib? What¡¯d our bastard do to escape that fate?¡± Durran raised a brow.


    Magnus nodded, then continued emboldened after Durran mirrored his sentiments. ¡°Plenty of other harlots had the good luck to catch my father¡¯s eye. The majority¡­ snuffed out. Levin handles that duty now, from what I hear. Usually kills the mothers before they give birth, even.¡± He grasped both of the frog¡¯s legs and tore it apart. ¡°Good thing, too. It¡¯s like catching a fire just as its starting, before the whole forest can burn down.¡±


    Durran chewed on a piece of meat. ¡°You mean there are others like him roaming about?¡±


    The prince nodded once again. ¡°Some unknown. Some unacknowledged. Argrave was the only baseborn fostered at Dirracha.¡±


    ¡°Who was his mother? That might be reason enough to keep him around,¡± Durran questioned.


    Magnus waved a frog leg. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Some dead whore. One of the few good things that Induen¡¯s done, killing her.¡±


    Durran chuckled but kept his hands beneath the table to hide his clenched fists.


    The prince ced his elbows on the table. ¡°Why do you follow him?¡± Magnus inquired.


    ¡°Why else? Money,¡± Durran emted ribbing coins together between his fingers. ¡°He was travelling here to Berendar¡ªI wanted to see the sights, eat rich foods, behold and hold beautiful things¡­ and people,¡± he said with a sly grin.


    Magnus didn¡¯tugh, but Durran still thought his disposition changed positively. ¡°And Argrave¡ªhow much does he pay you?¡±


    ¡°This week orst? Keeps getting bigger the more I learn about this ce, the more hees to rely on me,¡± Durran held his hands out, emting a widening gap. ¡°He¡¯s well-off. Has those¡­ those pink coins that glimmer, but he usually pays me in straight gold.¡±


    Magnus¡¯ face darkened. ¡°Rose gold magic coins,¡± he concluded. ¡°Probably from father.¡±


    ¡°Those are the ones,¡± Durran nodded quickly.


    The prince gazed at the frog leg as if deliberating whether or not to eat it, then set it down with a grimace. He tapped his fingers against the te as he stared at Durran. ¡°So, you¡¯vee to me looking for someone to offer better future prospects?¡±


    ¡°What, you¡¯ve got something for me?¡± Durran smiled, then shook his head. ¡°Not such a good look to abandon a contract so early¡­ unless things are different out here, and sellswords with poor reputation earn well.¡±


    If Magnus was surprised, he didn¡¯t show it. He stopped tapping his te. ¡°Not such a bad y. If I were to guess, Argrave is here to suck on Orion¡¯s teat, help him with this gue, earn a reputation¡ªhe¡¯s hoping for legitimization, I¡¯m sure. My father might make such a thing happen.¡±


    ¡°Are you hoping for a boon from the king? Only reason I might picture you out in this hellish ce.¡±


    Magnus frowned. ¡°You¡¯d do better keeping more thoughts locked in your head and not spilling from your mouth,¡± he cautioned Durran.


    Durranughed, and the pair ate with a steady conversation going on.


    #####


    A great many knights filtered into a building that did not seem to fit the splendor of what they wore. Some knights were already present¡ªthey bore cold gray steel with a blue swordfish emzoned on the breastte. The knights that entered wore white te with gold trim. Thest to enter was the towering Margrave Reinhardt.


    There was a man sitting in the corner of the room. He seemed small amidst the crowd of brawny knights, but he was truly of average build. His wavy blue hair was kept well-groomed and short, though the first gray hairs were settling in. A sharp beard and cutting pink eyes made him quite handsome, even despite his age. He wore fancy clothes with a swordfish sewn onto the shoulder. Most would recognize Duke Enrico of Monti easily.


    Margrave Reinhardt stepped across the room, and Enrico rose to meet him. The two seemed at ease around each other, yet they were too serious to do anything more affectionate than a simple handshake.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°If youe wearing armor, most people might think something heinous is to ur,¡± Duke Enrico said.


    The Margrave said nothing, and after the handshake finished, sat at the table brusquely.


    Duke Enrico frowned. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± he questioned, sitting opposite the Margrave.


    Reinhardt¡¯s ruby eyes fixed on Enrico. ¡°My son is ill. This¡­ this ursed waxpox.¡±


    Enrico straightened and took a deep breath. ¡°He¡¯s being treated?¡±


    ¡°As best he can be in Elbraille. The fool refuses to return home,¡± Reinhardt said angrily. ¡°Says that he¡¯s still yet to deal with the riots, that he¡¯s making tremendous progress. It¡¯s¡­ abnormally aggressive, Helmuth tells me. Already, it has spread from hand to elbow.¡±


    ¡°If you need anything¡ªanything at all¡­¡±


    Reinhardt stared off into the distance, gauntleted hand held up to his mouth. His gaze refocused and he shook his head. ¡°No. Count Delbraun of Jast called in a favor and has sent an A-rank mage specializing in healing.¡± He turned his gaze to Enrico. ¡°It¡¯s good to speak with you again. You leave your city less than twice a year, it seems, and I expected that number would be less so considering the war.¡±


    Enrico smiled. ¡°I only feltfortable leaving because my daughter has been handling thingspetent¡ªno, more thanpetently.¡±


    Reinhardt nodded. ¡°You must be proud.¡±


    ¡°I am,¡± Enrico confirmed. ¡°On the topic of our families¡­ You have my condolences for your brother.¡±


    Reinhardt nodded. ¡°Thank you. I¡¯d prefer not to dwell on the subject.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Enrico nodded. ¡°If we¡¯re not dwelling, perhaps we should get right to the point. I trust you gathered from my letters who I was suggesting we put at the head of your¡ªour cause?¡±


    ¡°Argrave,¡± Reinhardt nodded, nting his elbows on the table and wrapping one hand around a fist.


    Enrico judged his friend¡¯s reactions, then continued, ¡°You may dislike him, but he¡¯s changed.¡±


    ¡°He stole my mount, directly or indirectly, three times. Once, my prized warhorse. Second, when Elias pursued him. Third, when his tribal friend stole my wyvern not weeks ago,¡± Reinhardt growled.


    Enrico frowned. ¡°Argrave has your wyvern?¡±


    ¡°No, he¡ª¡± Reinhardt paused, and then shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s not important.¡±


    Enrico pursed his lips, then shrugged before continuing. ¡°I won¡¯t deny his deceitfulness. Nikoletta attests to his quick wit herself, and I¡¯ve been subject to it once or twice. Considering his heritage, these might be considered good traits. The founder of House Vasquer, the masterful schemer and monarch with his legion of ten thousand snakes¡­¡± Enrico shook his head. ¡°That isn¡¯t important. What Argrave¡¯s doing is.¡±


    Reinhardt furrowed his brows, and Enrico gestured for his men to bring forth something. A knight stepped before the Margrave and unloaded a pile of books and scrolls tidily. Reinhardt kept his hands at his side, gaze jumping around uneasily.


    ¡°Argrave informed my daughter of a cmity known as ¡®Gerechtigkeit.¡¯¡± Enrico pointed with one hand. ¡°Those books and scrolls are the best documents I have found on the subject. I have more, but they¡¯re in the carriage, and many are foreign, desperately in need of trantion.¡± Enrico tapped the top of the stack of books. ¡°This book, here, contains my summary.¡±


    Reinhardt reached for the books, then paused. ¡°Just tell me,¡± he shook his head.


    Enrico clicked his tongue. ¡°My research leads me to believe¡­ Gerechtigkeit is real. It¡¯s been documented too much, too consistently, in other continents. The situations match extraordinarily well with what we¡¯re experiencing now¡ªmass discord, followed by a weakening of the barrier between nes, followed by a mobilization of harrowing forces, concluded by¡­ Gerechtigkeit¡¯s arrival, which threatens to tip the world itself into oblivion.¡±


    Reinhardt frowned.


    ¡°Somethingrger than everything ising, old friend,¡± Enrico said sternly. ¡°And Argrave¡­ well, he¡¯s been burning himself at both ends trying to make sure the world is ready to handle it. I don¡¯t know how or why he learned of this, but when you examine his actions through that scope¡­ they start to make sense.¡±


    With those words, Reinhardt¡¯s hesitancy for the books vanished. He reached for them and began poring through each as Duke Enrico waited in silence. Seconds turned into minutes as Reinhardt read, parsing through all that had been provided.


    Reinhardt closed shut Enrico¡¯s summative journal, the hard-cover book letting out a p. He set the book down, gazeplicated, and breathing uneven.


    ¡°You think this is real?¡± Reinhardt questioned.


    ¡°I do,¡± Enrico answered.


    ¡°And Argrave seeks to prepare the world to fight it? This is why he roams, putting an end to conflict?¡± The Margrave pressed.


    ¡°Yes,¡± came the answer.


    ¡°That¡­ that fool¡­¡± Reinhardt leaned in. ¡°He¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°The person who¡¯d step forward to do something like this¡ªthis is a man that¡¯s sorely needed to fix things before they fall to hell,¡± Enrico said insistently. ¡°He¡¯s young, he¡¯s brash, and he¡¯s uneducated in all matters but magic, I¡¯m sure. Felipe wouldn¡¯t waste tutors on him. He¡¯s a bastard¡ªit will be difficult to gain support from the higher aristocrats, undoubtedly. Ideally, his betrothal with Nikoletta will abate much of that, coupled with his own positive reputation from his deeds. Nevertheless, <em>there are no better options, Reinhardt.</em>¡± Enrico leaned back. ¡°Considering everything, he could be considered a blessing.¡±


    The Margrave stared at Enrico. ¡°He¡¯s betrothed to Nikoletta?¡±


    Enrico tilted his head, ¡°There¡¯s been no ceremony. But he¡¯s expressed willingness to marry Nikoletta.¡±


    Margrave Reinhardt put his hands together. ¡°He passed through the Lionsun Castle. He seems to have¡­¡± Reinhardt trailed off. ¡°He has a partner. An elven woman¡ªsnow elf. And all I¡¯ve seen tells me this is no whimsical affair. Already, they share a room. And he expressed¡­ he would surrender the betrothal for her.¡±


    Enrico leaned back, pink eyes shaking. He opened his mouth, then shut it. Enrico rose to his feet, then stepped about the room.


    ¡°Gods be damned,¡± the Duke cursed. ¡°Gods be¡­¡± Enrico shook his head, running his fingers through his hair. ¡°Foolish boy. Foolish, foolish, foolish¡­¡±

 Chapter 190

    Chapter 190: Lone Mourner


    Argrave awoke strangely early in the morning. He was used to waking early, but never so early that the sunlight was not yet through the windows. He considered it might be because the expedition began tomorrow¡ªsome psychological nervousness causing him to sleep worse. As his brain gained rity, he heard shouts. He lifted his head groggily, paying more attention, and the shouts continued.


    With that, he roused fully, turning his body and standing. Anneliese stirred due to his actions, and as he pulled on his boots and put on his duster to go see what was happening, she also moved into action without a word. Before a minute could pass, they were ready to go.


    Trailed by his Brumesingers, they left their room in Orion¡¯s keep, moving to see what was happening. Light was dim, and the suns still had perhaps two hours to appear over the horizon. It was sufficient to see without casting a spell, though.


    Arge crowd of refugees murmured as two Waxknights dragged someone to the keep. It took Argrave only a second to distinguish that it was Magnus. It took him seconds longer to distinguish that he was not resisting. Then, he ced it¡ªthe dead don¡¯t offer much resistance.


    The Waxknights set down Magnus¡¯ body in the center of the square before Orion¡¯s keep, and then one went off to fetch Orion. Argrave nced around furiously, looking for Durran. He knew that the tribal had spent some time getting close to the man¡ªeveryone in the camp did, in fact. If Durran had killed him, this was truly a disastrous thing.


    Having no luck in finding Durran, he stepped closer to the body. Argrave knelt down, examining it despite the stare of the crowd around. The cause of death was readily apparent. A knife of wood jutted out of the prince¡¯s neck. The handle was ebony, smooth and polished wood. It sprouted roots in the prince¡¯s neck, which seemed to be absorbing his blood.


    As his mind whirled, what little tiredness still remained vanished. Anneliese put her hand on Argrave¡¯s shoulder and pulled him away. He tightened his jaw.


    ¡°Find Durran. I¡¯ll keep you safe while you look,¡± he told her quietly.


    Anneliese nodded, and the Starsparrow on her shoulder darted up and away into the air faster than the eye could track. He held onto her elbow, keeping her steady. As time passed, the whispers of the crowd continued, and Argrave¡¯s gaze stayed locked on the wooden dagger imbedded in Magnus¡¯ throat. He wasn¡¯t torn up seeing the man dead¡ªit just didn¡¯t feel real.


    A big hand on his shoulder drew him from his thoughts. Gmon looked upon the scene, brows furrowed.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Silvic?¡± Argrave questioned at once.


    ¡°In her spot. Safe,¡± he said, not sparing a nce at Argrave.


    ¡°Get her,¡± Argravemanded. ¡°Be careful.¡±


    Gmon nodded, then stepped away to where Silvic was staying, far from the camp.


    After Gmon had left, Argrave focused back on the scene before him. The Starsparrow disturbed the air as itnded back on Anneliese¡¯s shoulder. She opened her eyes, inhaling deeply, then disclosed, ¡°He was sleeping. I woke him, and he¡¯s on his way.¡±


    Argrave furrowed his brows, then nodded. He briefly considered if it would be better if Durran was found sleeping, but Magnus seemed to have been dead for some time, so finding the tribal sleeping was not evidence he had nothing to do with this.


    ¡°This is very bad,¡± Argrave whispered to her.


    ¡°Perhaps that was¡ªno, never mind,¡± she shook her head. Argrave looked to her, about to ask what she intended to say, but she continued, ¡°We would be best off focusing on how to solve this problem.¡±


    Argrave agreed, turning his head away. Midturn, he spotted someone towering above the crowd, and his head whipped back. Orion stepped out of the keep, passing right by Argrave. He came to stand before Magnus¡¯ corpse. He stood there for a long, long while, as still as a pir of stone.


    Then, slowly, Orion reached for the robe wrapped around his armor. He pulled apart a bit of the silken cloth, and it came free. He knelt down in the dirt, ever-so-carefully wrapping the silk around Magnus¡¯ body until he was but a bundle of white. Then, he scooped his arms underneath him and stood, holding Magnus in his arms as though he weighed nothing at all.


    Prince Orion looked more intimidating by tenfold standing there in his dark gray te armor. His face was expressionless, and he held his dead brother with a delicacy far unlike his usual brutish disys of force.


    He stepped up to two of his Waxknights, andmanded quietly, ¡°Take him to my chambers and ce him on the bed, that he might rest in peace,¡± Orion held him out. ¡°Send a rider out to Dirracha, informing my father of what has happened here.¡± His voice grew cold as he finished, ¡°And ensure not a single soul leaves these wends.¡±


    The two Waxknights move diligently to fulfill their master¡¯smand, one of them taking Prince Magnus¡¯ body in their arms and moving off to the keep. Orion stepped forward and shouted, ¡°Who brought his body here?¡±


    ¡°I did, your Holiness,¡± one of the Waxknights stepped forward and kneeled.


    Orion grabbed his neck and pulled him up like he was a bag of cloth and not flesh and blood. ¡°You drag him before a crowd of onlookers, humiliating the family?! You take him from the site where it urred, that any and all evidence is yet more obfuscated? Why? What were you thinking? Were you thinking?! Are you responsible?!¡±


    The knight sputtered for air as Orion¡¯s gauntleted hands dug into his flesh, drawing blood. Argrave shouted, ¡°Orion, you¡¯ll kill him!¡±


    Orion threw the Waxknight, and the man flew ten feet before copsing like a doll. He grasped at his throat, yet the breath still did note. Durran had appeared just in time to witness this scene, and he took a cautious step back. Argrave red at him, a thousand questions running through his head. He saw only shock and surprise on the tribal¡¯s face.


    ¡°His windpipe is probably copsed,¡± Argrave shouted as he moved towards the enraged Orion. ¡°Any mage, tend to him,¡± hemanded, and some people moved to obey.


    As he neared Orion, the giant of a man staggered towards him, making Argrave¡¯s heart skip a beat. Oriontched onto him, weeping into his shoulder. Argrave was sorely pressed to support the weight of him, back arching.


    ¡°Our brother¡­¡± he cried. ¡°Our brother is gone.¡±


    Argrave said nothing, feeling a headache sprout in his head as fast as it ever had. His brain was scrambling to figure out how to deal with this situation.


    ¡°Your Holiness, I would not embrace that one so readily.¡±


    Just as quickly as it had fallen upon him, Argrave was relieved of the burden. Orion strode up to the person who had spoken¡ªanother Waxknight¡ªand grasped his gorget, shaking the man.


    ¡°What do you speak of? That man is my brother!¡± Orion shouted down at his subordinate.


    ¡°Thepany he keeps,¡± the knight continued, undaunted. ¡°That tribal began hovering near Magnus at all times not days before this urs.¡±


    Orion¡¯s hostility ceased, and he released the knight¡¯s gorget. His head turned to Durran, who stood just behind Anneliese. He took steady, heavy steps towards him, and Anneliese stepped aside in fear. Argrave moved, holding his hands out to stay Orion ineffectually. The prince pushed past him,ing to stand before Durran.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Gmon returned, bringing along Silvic. The Waxknight stepped up behind Orion, continuing, ¡°The weapon used to y Magnus was made of wood, just as that foul and unholy wend spirit,¡± he pointed.


    ¡°Some of your knights and I were both guarding Silvic. Nothing urredst night,¡± Gmon contributed at once, voice low and guttural so as to cow the crowd.


    Orion stared down at Durran, gray eyes frigid and stony. Durran seemed the size of a child before the gargantuan prince, and though the man boldly held his gaze, his nervousness shone through.


    ¡°Your Holiness, all due respect, but who can say what that creature is capable of?¡± another Waxknight contributed. ¡°It¡¯s a foul and unholy being and demonstrated clearly it¡¯s capable of casting fell magic. The weapon, Orion¡¯s chambers¡ªthey¡¯re a mess of evil magics that surely share this wend spirit¡¯s origins.¡±


    ¡°Orion, I can assure you that this is not something Silvic is responsible for,¡± Argrave ced his hand to Orion¡¯s chest, attempting to ce himself between Durran and the prince without sess.


    A refugee contributed, ¡°The tribals don¡¯t share our gods, your Holiness! What¡¯s more, that man hovered near Magnus day in and day out before the attack, as sycophantic as theye!¡±


    Orion stared down at Durran, his breathing deep and powerful. Durran fearlessly said, ¡°I had nothing to do with this.¡±


    ¡°The spirit has motive,¡± the first Waxknight noted. ¡°You killed its underling, that foul heretic that struck you, your Holiness.¡±


    Orion¡¯s gaze jumped to Silvic, and Argrave said in panic, ¡°Don¡¯t do anything hasty, Orion. Take time to think this through. Durran¡¯s like family to me, and I¡¯ll never forgive you if you do something to him,¡± he threatened. ¡°We need Silvic to traverse the wends. Let¡¯s calm down, think rationally.¡±


    The prince stared at Silvic, wrath brewing in his eyes, before he turned his head back to Durran, who still stood boldly before him.


    ¡°Do you believe in the gods of Vasquer?¡± Orion questioned.


    ¡°Of course I do,¡± Durran answered at once.


    Orion reached a hand up and ced it on Durran¡¯s shoulder¡ªthe prince¡¯s hand was bigger than his head. ¡°We shall see,¡± he said, pulling Durran forward. ¡°Men¡ªkeep watch on the heretical spirit.¡±


    Prince Orion walked away, pulling Durran along. Though the tribal resisted, it meant little before Orion¡¯s might, and the best he could do was avoid falling.


    ¡°Orion,¡± Argrave called out, stepping after him. ¡°I meant what I said! What are you going to do?¡±


    Orion said nothing, leading Durran into the keep.


    ¡°Orion,¡± Argrave continued to shout, trailing after him. ¡°Orion!¡±


    Yet no answer came, and Prince Orion led Durran into the keep, heading for a ce Argrave could not begin to guess.

 Chapter 191

    Chapter 191: Coerced Confessions


    Orion pushed Durran forward. The tribal moved with the push, turning and sitting on a chair ahead of him. The chair tipped to one side from the force, but Durran put his foot down and got his bnce quickly. The prince stepped around Durran as he sat there, catching his breath.


    Durran stayed quiet as Orion walked around him, turning his head to ensure the prince was always in his sight, even if only just. There was one thing that life had taught him¡ªyou could always say moreter, but words spoken can¡¯t be taken back. He stayed quiet, waiting, despite the fact his insides were turning with nervousness. The image of Drezki¡¯s skull being crushed yed in his head again and again, and he found himself watching Orion¡¯s hands.


    Orion had taken Durran into one of the deepest parts of the abandoned keep. Here, much of the walls had copsed entirely, but overgrowing nts gave the illusion that they were still inside. He could hear dripping water somewhere, but beyond that, there was only his own breath and Orion¡¯s steady pacing. Some water had flooded the ce, causing the asional ssh as the prince¡¯s feet fell.


    Time passed like this for what seemed like an eternity. Orion simply walked around Durran time and time again, gray eyes staring down at him coldly. Durran thought nearly half an hour had passed, but he still stuck to his n of saying nothing.


    The prince knelt down before Durran, cing his face so close he could feel his breath. It startled him, and Durran reeled back his head.


    ¡°Did you kill my brother?¡± Orion asked simply, voice a low whisper.


    Durran tried to speak, but his voice failed him. After swallowing, he said, ¡°No.¡±


    Orion moved his hand forward slowly and wrapped it around Durran¡¯s neck. His fingers were ufortably long. ¡°I can feel your blood flow. Every beat of your heart. It will tell me if you lie. I¡¯ll ask again: did you kill my brother?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± repeated Durran, neck tight in apprehension.


    ¡°Did you have anything to do with my brother¡¯s death?¡± Orion pressed, fingers steady as steel.


    ¡°No,¡± Durran said again. He swallowed, Adam¡¯s apple pushing against Orion¡¯s hand unpleasantly.


    Orion stared straight at Durran¡¯s eyes, and both held their gaze unflinchingly. The prince¡¯s stare seemed to be piercing into his soul. Orion¡¯s fingers straightened, releasing Durran from their grip.


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t actually tell anything from that,¡± Orion confessed in a dire whisper.


    Durran blinked in a mixture of confusion and shock.


    Orion put his hand on his knee and remained kneeling in front of Durran. ¡°Are you truly a faithful of Vasquer?¡±


    Durran hesitated only a beat before answering, ¡°Yes,¡± with a slow, steady nod.


    The prince¡¯s jaw clenched. ¡°Were you always?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Durran answered quickly.


    Orion stood, staring down at him. ¡°Why did you abandon your old faith?¡±


    Durran stared up at the prince, blinking as he considered his answer carefully. ¡°¡­because of Argrave,¡± he said, hoping to use that man as his saving grace.


    Durran was hanging on by a thread, it felt like. Argrave had told him of some of the gods of Vasquer in case he had to interact with Orion, but the information didn¡¯t stick well. He knew little of the Vasquer faith, any of its gods, or its religious practices. He barely knew his own people¡¯s gods. All he knew was that Fellhorn trampled upon his people, and the gods were not his friend. All he could hope was that Argrave¡¯s name might keep this man¡¯s wrath away from him.


    ¡°What did Argrave say to you?¡± Orion grasped Durran¡¯s chin, angling it upwards.


    Durran took more time to think, then answered in stato speech on ount of his held chin, ¡°Not what he said. What he did.¡±


    Orion pulled Durran forward, and the tribal strained, standing up off the chair. ¡°What did he do?¡± Orion insisted.


    Durran put his hands on Orion¡¯s wrist and managed to loosen his chin enough to speak normally. ¡°He killed a herald for the strongest god in the Burnt Desert. Fellhorn, the god of rain and floods. An ancient god. And more than that, he saved my life.¡±


    The prince released Durran, and he copsed back onto the chair ungracefully.


    ¡°Who did he kill?¡± Orion questioned.


    ¡°Quarrus, the Lord of Silver,¡± Durran said honestly. ¡°He also got others to kill yet more. The Lords of Copper and Gold both died by him, even if indirectly.¡±


    ¡°Yet <em>why</em> did you abandon your faith?¡± Orion knelt once again.


    ¡°Because I lost faith,¡± Durran said quickly.


    ¡°If it is lost already, you cannot be a true faithful now,¡± Orion growled.


    ¡°Argrave brought it back.¡± Durran leaned back. The words came easily, unlike the other lies about his faith. But then, Durran thought it might not be a lie after all. The man had defended him so readily against Orion, even saying he was like family. He had faith Argrave didn¡¯t want him dead, at the very least.


    Orion stared down Durran. ¡°How? What did he say? What did he do?¡±


    ¡°Too many things,¡± Durran shook his head.


    The prince kept his stare steady for another ufortably long while. Then, he sat down, uncaring of the slightly flooded floor beneath him.


    ¡°Tell me,¡± Orionmanded.


    #####


    Durran did not return that day.


    Argrave¡¯s shame at being incapable of stopping Orion from doing whatever he pleased clung to him like a disease. Though the prince had said some time ago he envied Argrave¡¯s ability to persuade people, the reality remained that this weapon had failed him entirely. Durran was taken elsewhere because of something that Argrave had wanted him to do, and he could do nothing to stop that matter.


    Worry made him nauseous. Though he floundered about for a time after, searching for solutions that did not exist, only one thing eventually offered him anyfort¡ªstudying the B-rank spell [Bloodfeud Bow]. The past few days¡¯ eagerness to breach the barrier to a higher rank of magic morphed into an obsession, fueled by his feelings of humiliation, self-loathing, and powerlessness.


    Argrave sat just outside Orion¡¯s keep, the spellbook in hisp as he studied the matrix it conjured. Though Gmon and Anneliese both attempted to pull him from the task to seek rest, he stubbornly refused to listen. After a time, even Anneliese gave up the idea of persuading him, and merely stood guard as Argrave studied. The day passed, and then the night, but he refused to move.


    The Waxknights and the refugees seemed to interpret it as a protest, or a promation of innocence. Argrave didn¡¯t care what they thought of it.


    The morning came and continued on into the noon. As Argrave mired himself in angry thoughts of all kind, Gmon standing a fair distance off to the side, someone emerged from the keep. When he saw golden tattoos, his head swam with haze. His tired eyes could barely stay focused, but he recognized the man.


    In one motion, he cast aside the book and ran towards him. His eyes checked many spots, searching for injury.


    ¡°Durran, you¡­ what the hell did that guy¡­ I mean, what¡­?¡±


    Durran held both of his hands out. ¡°Do not put a damn hand on me. If some giant moron with big hands touches me once more, I¡¯m going to lose my mind.¡±


    Argrave frowned, perplexed.


    #####


    ¡°He¡¯s insane. Something¡­ something that makes humans human is just missing with that guy,¡± Durran pointed back towards the keep. ¡°Good gods. All night we talked. All night I kept thinking about Drezki¡¯s skull getting crushed.¡±


    ¡°What did he ask about, then?¡± Argrave pressed.


    ¡°Your travels, mainly,¡± Durran pointed towards Argrave.


    ¡°My travels?¡± Argrave repeated, perplexed. His gaze went to Gmon, then Anneliese. ¡°He might talk to you, next, then. Corroborate the story.¡±


    Gmon crossed his arms, nodding. He seemed ready.


    ¡°He has insisted Ie to him daily for lesson on the Vasquer pantheon,¡± Durran crouched down by the mud. ¡°What did I do to deserve this?¡±


    Argrave looked down at Durran, feeling great sympathy for the man. Then, his reason resurfaced.


    He stepped over the crouching Durran. ¡°Did you have anything to do with Magnus¡¯ death?¡±


    Durran looked up at him. ¡°Do you think I have soup for brains? I hope you¡¯re saying that because you¡¯re tired, otherwise I¡¯m going to bash my head against a rock until I pass to this promisednd Orion speaks of.¡±


    ¡°So, no,¡± Argrave concluded.


    ¡°Of course I had nothing to do with it,¡± Durran stood. ¡°If I¡¯d known things would end like this, I would never have agreed to this stupid request, finding out Magnus¡¯ stupid motivations.¡±


    Argrave put his hand on his hip. ¡°You offered to do this, as I recall.¡±


    ¡°Choke on your tongue,¡± he threw his hands up in frustration and stepped away, shaking his head rapidly.


    Argrave watched Durran¡¯s back as he paced about, kicking stray leaves and stones in frustration. He looked to Anneliese. He felt the urge to hold her, like she was a feather that could be blown away by any stray wind. This event served as a reminder that he was still fallible, and he needed to learn it well.


    ¡°Durran received the harsh treatment¡ªnot me,¡± she reminded him.


    Argrave sighed, nodding. He was not content inside, though.


    <em>Never again, </em>that thought ran through Argrave¡¯s head again and again, like some mantra vested in him. <em>Never again. You must have the power to say ¡®no.¡¯ If Durran died because of me¡­ Gmon¡­ or Anneliese? I don¡¯t think I could go on. </em>


    Argrave had been repaying the debt to Erlebnis diligently, and he suspected he¡¯ll have fully repaid the debt in two more days. Still, even if he had that power back then, he would have been powerless before Orion.


    Things ended without incident¡­ this time. Orion returned Durran without harming him. But Argrave had another goal, now. He had to make sure something like that could never happen again. He¡¯d been toox¡ªtoo content. He had gained much, and that had led him to rest on hisurels. He had to ensure that nothing could take from him.


    Argrave¡¯s gaze refocused, his tired golden eyes lit with a veritable me as steady as a pilot light. He looked at Durran who still fumed and questioned, ¡°What did you learn from Magnus?¡±


    ¡°What does it matter now? He¡¯s dead.¡± Durran turned his head back.


    ¡°Durran,¡± Argrave said patiently.


    Durran turned around. ¡°I found out that nearly everyone should be d he¡¯s dead. I found out a bunch of knowledge about your family. I found out some very ufortable things, like which mushrooms in this swamnd make you hallucinate. Beyond that?¡± Durran threw his hands up once more. ¡°Nothing. Not a peep of your Gerechtigkeit. What am I, a mind reader? How am I supposed to find that out?¡±


    Argrave said nothing, thinking of the implications. Too much was amiss here, and much of it felt like active sabotage. The fact stood, though, that there was nothing Argrave could do presently to weed out the truth.


    With his mind settled, Argrave nodded. ¡°Alright. I don¡¯t know what this means for the expedition, and I suppose all we can do is wait. Ideally, things will proceed as nned. With Orion¡­ I don¡¯t know if that will happen.¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ll try to press him into hurrying this along. If word of this reaches Induen, he mighte out here. For now, we should stay near Silvic, ensure that Orion¡ª¡±


    Argrave trailed off as he spotted a sh of gold outside their ward. One of the Waxknights roamed about the camp, nging adle against a pot and shouting. It was muffled from beyond the ward, and Argrave dispelled it at once.


    ¡°Gather in the square! Gather in the square! Our Holiness, Prince Orion, wishes to speak! Gather in the square!¡± the man shouted again and again.


    A wave of nervousness passed through Argrave¡ªit seemed that Orion hade to a conclusion. Considering they had not been seized, that spoke well of his half-brother¡¯s decision. Argrave gave a gesture and led the four of them towards the square before Orion¡¯s keep.


    A great gathering of people already waited. They could not exactly blend in with the crowd¡ªwhen people noticed them, they moved away. It was a great irony that the diseased shied away from touching them, but Argrave was notining.


    Soon enough, Orion emerged from the keep. He stepped to the head of the crowd, though the cheers that met him were not as unanimous as they always were, like some heavy anticipation had set over the crowd.


    Orion¡¯s gaze wandered the crowd, and soon enough, all grew silent. His gray-eyed gaze lingered on Argrave for half a second, then jumped away.


    Prince Orion stepped back and shouted, ¡°People! Yesterday, my brother, born of the same father, born of the same mother, was found murdered!¡± he dered.


    Silence met his words.


    Orion held his fist to his mouth, and he appeared to be holding back tears. Then, his grandiosity returned as he moved around, shouting, ¡°There are some who havee to this camp recently, that many believe may have had a hand in this.¡±


    Again, Orion¡¯s gaze stopped on Argrave for a passing moment.


    ¡°But¡­ I listened to them. I listened to those who were used. I listened to the gods,muning with them all through the night¡­¡± Orion bit his knuckle, falling silent. Then, he said quietly, ¡°The gods told me to ask who benefitted from this. And what I came to¡­¡±


    Orion stared at Argrave directly, this time. ¡°Our enemies sought to sow disunity. They sought to throw us into disorder, to cast our unbreakable will against the earth that it might shatter! Indeed, I say it inly: our enemies are behind my brother¡¯s murder! They fear the wrath my brother and I bring upon them!¡±


    The crowd came alive for the first time, some cheering.


    ¡°I will not allow the grasping tendrils of the enemy worm itself into our burgeoning crusade. The sum of their efforts will be dying our righteous wrath by a mere day.¡± Orion held his hands up and decreed, ¡°Tomorrow, my brother and I will lead a force into the depths of the wends. We will strike down the enemy, and all of you will be freed of the great malevolence which wracks your bodies even now!¡±


    As though given permission to cheer, the crowd frenzied. Orion stared up at the sky.


    When the prince spoke again, his voice seemed to split the air, so loud it was. ¡°And as for my brother!¡±


    Orion strode towards Argrave. The crowd had moved away from them, and so there was nothing preventing him from doing so. Argrave stepped ahead of hispanions,ing to stand just before Orion so that they were not so near to him.


    Orion stared at Argrave, gazes locked. The man was stillrger than him, still as intimidating as ever. Yet for the first time, Argrave felt no fear.


    The prince fell to his knees. Then, he bent forward, mming his head into the ground. He was kowtowing, Argrave realized.


    ¡°Brother! I apologize for my distrust!¡± he shouted, voice splitting the air even still.


    As Argrave stared down at him, he could not deny he felt some of the emotions that had been brewing the past twenty-four hours urging him to step on Orion¡¯s head. But¡­


    Argrave sighed, then knelt down. He grabbed Orion¡¯s shoulders and corrected his posture.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°We have work to do, Orion,¡± he said levelly. ¡°It¡¯s an early day tomorrow.¡±


    His words were those of peace. But as Anneliese gazed down at Argrave, concern was evident on her face.

 Chapter 192

    Chapter 192: Foolhunt Begins


    Argrave slept little that night¡ªenough to function without issue, but not much more. All of his time was spent studying the spell [Bloodfeud Bow]. The ¡®how¡¯ of things still eluded him¡ªthe B-rank matrix felt fragile, and his attempts to put it into motion simply made it break. It felt like he was trying to pick up a house of cards and move it elsewhere. It didn¡¯t matter how he distributed the force, or if he applied it evenly across the whole thing¡ªto set the spell matrix into motion was to break it.


    Despite his failures, he was not discouraged. Never again, he repeated mentally time and time again. He could never again rx, never again fall into contentment. Everything could be taken from him in a heartbeat if he was not adequately prepared.


    The expeditionary forces were rallied early in the morning. Orion brought with him ten of his Waxknights, and Argrave brought his threepanions, plus Silvic. In total, that ced them at sixteen. All had plenty of rations. Orion brought a weapon along. It was an ornate nged mace made of ck metal and gilded with snakes on the shaft, and thoroughly enchanted.


    Orion distributed backpacks full of rations to all, including Argrave and hispanions¡ªthey had been diligently gathered and preserved. The Waxknights apanying them were C-rank mages, one and all, and seemed to be skilled with their des.


    The morning was spent by Silvic¡ªin truth, Anneliese¡ªscouting out a proper path. The obfuscation was paranoid caution on Argrave¡¯s part, concealing some of their abilities in case they needed them. Anneliese marked the trees in the vast wends ahead with her Starsparrow. Argrave repaid some of his debt to Erlebnis¡ªthe first hours of the journey would be safe, he knew. He would likely regain his ability to use the Blessing of Supersession the next morning.


    After their preparations¡­


    ¡°If you stray too far from me, my power wanes. Barring Orion, perhaps, all will die. The wends themselves will consume you in hours, and none will find your body,¡± Silvic cautioned.


    ¡°How dangerous can it be for knights of the faithful?¡± a Waxknight rebuffed.


    Silvic turned her head towards him. ¡°I will not make you believe me. I see no reason to stop you from killing yourself.¡±


    Orion crossed his arms. ¡°Heeds the spirit¡¯s words. We are allies against evil,¡± hemanded.


    ¡°Then we may go whenever you are ready,¡± Silvic directed.


    Orion stepped away, peering through the trees into the vast wends beyond. A cold morning mist blocked much vision ahead. This fog seemed different, somehow¡ªthe wind did not affect it.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°Oh gods,¡± Orion sung. ¡°As I walk through hardships, protect me, your Lordships¡­¡±


    Orion stepped ahead first, heading into the wends. Argrave pulled his gloves a bit tighter and then walked forward just after him. Soon enough, the whole party disappeared into the cold morning mist, heading for the foul gue Jester.


    #####


    As they pressed towards the first fortress, the unnaturalness of these wends was made readily apparent.


    Silvic seemed to possess a boundary of protection she could extend. In ¡®Heroes of Berendar,¡¯ it had been an annoyance¡ªthe yer would follow by the side of this slow-moving character, staying within the safe zone as they moved to the first fortress. Now¡­ things were different, death was reality, and Argrave was tense. He and hispanions stayed near Silvic, the Waxknights forming a loose circle around as Orion led them.


    The difference between that within Silvic¡¯s protection and that without was visible and tangible. A cold mist surrounded them just outside a boundary as though they were trapped in a bubble. This mist writhed and twisted into shapes, faces, and let out muffled screams that were horrifyingly intense. Beyond that, the wends themselves twisted and writhed and bubbled, mud and water stretching and contorting like taffy made of rot.


    The first few hours, the howling fog shrouded them as though it were solid, and the light of the sun faded. The Waxknights were forced to light the way with spell light. The waters rose, and before long, everyone waded through knee-high muck. Well, mostly everyone¡ªArgrave was d to be tall more than ever as the ice-cold waters stung at his shins. Experiencing this ce firsthand made the Waxknights take Silvic¡¯s directions very seriously.


    Yet as the hours passed¡­ the enemy started toe.


    The first to press through the boundary were the leopards. Their element of surprise was ruined by Silvic¡¯s presence, who warned their party long before they came. Even still, their assault was a formidable thing¡ªthey came from the trees, jumping down from above, and simultaneously attacked from the ground. The Waxknights on the perimeter intercepted them, but Orion dealt with the bulk.


    If anyone saw Orion fight, they would all probably think of the same thing: he can do whatever he wants. His talk of being blessed by 96 gods was no delusion. It was fact, and that was made wholly evident through the first fight alone.


    As the leopards stalked through the high waters to get at them, Orion raised his foot up and stamped the water. His foot did not sink back in the water¡ªinstead, it met something solid, and he stood up out of the water. In not seconds, a wall of ice formed around their party, isting the leopards that had jumped down at them from the trees. The Waxknights treated this as the natural order of things, dispatching therge cats quickly with their enchanted des.


    The wall of ice abated some of the assault, as all of the cats needed to climb over it to get at their party. Argrave attacked sparingly, making good use of his escort. He had instructed his party members to do much the same.


    After a time, the ground began to shake, and Silvic said, ¡°The rockhidese.¡±


    ¡°Hipposing!¡± Argrave ryed, but none treated this as seriously as they should have¡ªmost didn¡¯t know what hippos were, probably.


    But the shaking grew in intensity, and the waters stirred. A great noise split the air, and Argrave was pelted by chunks of ice. A hippo broke through the barrier of ice Orion had established, bringing with it a tidal wave of water. Its skin was ck, reminiscent of volcanic rock. It mmed into two Waxknights in its charge, tossing them aside with ease. It must¡¯ve been 10 tons of pure mass, towering above all. It pressed towards Silvic, where Argrave and his party waited.


    ¡°Anneliese, Durran, let¡¯s¡ª¡± he started, stepping backwards and preparing spells.


    Orion stepped forth. He held one hand out and caught the top of the hippo¡¯s open mouth. His legs stayed firm, appearing indomitable. His elbow bent as it received and halted the hippo¡¯s charge, enchantments sparking as they protested the great force pressing against them.


    ¡°And though the wicked may be strong¡­¡± Orion said, a foul anger in his tone.


    The hippo loosed a deafening noise like a groan unique to its species, but the prince mmed its jaw shut with one hand, pushing it back in the same motion. His mace whistled through the air in an uppercut. It struck the hippo on the bottom of its jaw. It was powerful enough to send its titanic head into the air, and its front legs rose up out of the water. It copsed back into the ice wall, its jaw out of its hinges. It was alive, but badly wounded from one strike.


    ¡°The righteous always win,¡± Orion finished. He reached out his hand and finished the hippo, pressing through its eye to destroy the brain. Once he pulled his hand free, he looked beyond the breach in the ice wall, where two more of the gigantic creatures approached. Orion stepped atop the corpse of the rockhide he¡¯d just ended, moving to meet both alone.


    Argrave looked away, content that Orion would be able to handle allers from that side. He spotted something atop one of the ice walls, and his gaze locked onto it. A ck gibbon asrge as a man hung from one of the trees, one of its too-long arms clinging to the branch. The other held a stick that hummed with liquid light.


    The gibbon had a pouch on its neck¡ªit inted with air, letting out a quaint sound as it turned pinker. After, it let out a stato call, several high-pitched <em>hoos </em>that filled the air. Argrave tensed, and as the gibbon called, the apes descended on them en masse, swinging from the overhanging trees so adeptly it was impressive despite the danger.


    Recognizing the threat, Argrave used [Waning-Cycle Bloodmoon] immediately. A thread of his blood formed a circle before his hands as the Waxknights confronted the apes, immediately proving his caution warranted. The apes swung their light-imbued sticks with intense ferocity. Their arms were six feet long and pure muscle. These humble sticks blessed by wend spirits cut through enchanted armor easily.


    Yet the Waxknights were not mere knights. Their waxpox-ridden skin was as hard as stone, and they felt no pain. What few blows they did not parry with their enchanted des were returned twofold, and the gibbons fell one after the other. Though they stemmed the tide somewhat, it was not sufficient to stop all.


    Anneliese conjured a B-rank ward¡ªher own magic, this time, and not from her ring¡ªto confront the tide of apes that hunted them. The sticks mmed against the golden ward as the apes cried out angrily, and after not a second, they broke past, screaming ¡°HOOHOOHOOHOO!¡±


    Argrave stepped ahead of his threepanions and greeted the apes with blood magic, sending crescent des of his dark blood towards each and all that pressed further. It was an overwhelming ughter, and Argrave did not need to use even a quarter as many as he had against the Sentinels in the Marred Hallowed Ground. A good thing, too¡ªreceiving a single blow from the gibbons¡¯ weapons could break bones easily.


    When thest gibbon fell, Argrave turned his head about, searching for more foes. Just then, a hippo barreled through the ice wall. Argrave prepared to fight, only to see the hippo scrambled away on its back, feet swinging through the air as it tried to turn and run. Orion stepped forward, nting his foot on its stomach. He pressed his foot down and bashed his mace against its head relentlessly, each blow causing the water to stir and yet more ice to break.


    When it finally stop struggling, Orion stopped swinging. His breath was notbored at all, and he nced around, giant ck braid matted with blood. He looked at his mace¡ªit had bent slightly, and he corrected it with one hand.


    ¡°The faithful cannot be stayed,¡± Orion concluded. ¡°We eat, rest, and then press onwards. No more than fifteen minutes.¡±


    #####


    In their first battle, one of the Waxknights very nearly died from that hippo¡¯s charge¡ªhis spine was broken, and he barely avoided drowning before being rescued. A broken spine was a damning thing on Earth, but magic proved its differences from modern medicine. The broken spine was healed by one of the Waxknights.


    Orion spoke to Durran as he ate, telling him about the Vasquer pantheon¡ªeven now, the prince did not forget his promise to give the tribal lessons on the pantheon. Argrave listened to Anneliese as she disclosed something, and then Argrave stepped away,ing to stand on a tree¡¯s root that was above the water.


    ¡°The fortress is an hour¡¯s walk away,¡± Argrave called out, drawing all¡¯s attention. ¡°There¡¯ll be another fight waiting there. The Corpse Puppeteer, Waqwaq.¡± Argrave looked around, then pointed to Orion. ¡°Like the name suggests, this thing controls the corpses of those fallen. We¡¯ll be fighting against those that conquered these wends years ago¡ªpowerful warriors all, and with numbers no less than the army that took thisnd.¡±


    Orion crossed his arms, listening intently.


    ¡°I¡¯ll need you to stem the tide, Orion,¡± Argrave exined. ¡°You and your Waxknights are the only thing capable of holding back that horde of the dead. What¡¯s more, you need to remember this¡ªif yourrades should die, crush their skulls. Elsewise, they¡¯ll rise again, and fight you.


    ¡°Meanwhile, mypanions and I will deal with Waqwaq. Silvic will help us make a path,¡± Argrave ced his hand to his chest, the other waving to his allies. ¡°If you go, Orion, I¡¯m sure the enemy will try and flee. Can¡¯t have that happen.¡±


    ¡°Can you be trusted with this task?¡± one Waxknight argued.


    ¡°Of course they can,¡± Orion said at once, mming his giant hand against the knight¡¯s back. ¡°I trust my brother and hispanions. Look! Look how he bleeds for us! He uses his own blood to stay our enemies!¡± Orion moved to the in gibbons, where he¡¯d used blood magic to fell his foes. ¡°They have faced fouler ande away fine. Would that you knew of their deeds¡­¡±


    Argrave frowned, staring down at Orion. As much as he wished Durran had not disclosed everything, he could not me him for doing so.


    ¡°I shall obey,¡± Orion ced his hand to his heart. ¡°I look forward to seeing this Waqwaq¡¯s head.¡±


    ¡°It has no head,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°But you¡¯ll get what you want, I suspect.¡±

 Chapter 193

    Chapter 193: Puppet Show


    Swamps were never intended to amodate grand fortresses. That fact became apparent as they pressed onwards into the mire of misery, the screaming mists and twisting grounds stayed only by Silvic¡¯s protection. The wading water lessened, and they nted their feet upon dry ground¡ªor at least, as dry as mud could get.


    Once they saw stone bricks, the harrowing fog around them began to dissipate¡ªthat did not diminish the lightlessness, though, and when Argrave looked up, he spotted branches of a towering tree above. The tree dwarfed skyscrapers, even. It was a verdant thing with bright green leaves. The leaves had patterns on them that looked vaguely like faces. Closest to the tree¡¯s trunk, long and thick vines descended, bearing bright red fruits that looked full of juice.


    Though the crying fog had been a source of great difort, its sudden absence was just as unsettling. They passed by wreckages of stone; one tower sunk into the mud sopletely only its top could be seen, and its ballista had been consumed by algae and other growth. Soon enough, the fortress itself came into view. It walls sunk and rose in random ces, some towering thirty feet while other portions were barely a step above where they stood. The gate to the fortress was crooked, and its iron portcullis looked to have been ripped apart by something.


    Argrave could barely see roots beyond the crooked gate. Orion, who¡¯d been leading, stopped, and Argrave caught up to him.


    ¡°I can feel it. The evil in the air. It¡¯s so thick I can smell it,¡± Orion growled.


    ¡°Ideally, you¡¯ll be able to see it and kill it soon enough,¡± Argrave consoled him.


    Orion looked back, and though the words had been a jest in part, they seemed to make Orion only more eager.


    Argrave took a deep breath and clenched his fists. He still felt a little anemic, both from the battle on the Marred Hallowed Grounds and the confrontation with the gibbons earlier. Nevertheless, there was no time for him to wallow. He was sure he¡¯d be fine.


    ¡°Anneliese, Gmon, Durran¡­¡± he looked back, but his question caught in his throat. They were ready, all of them¡ªDurran with ive in hand, Anneliese with hair braided back forbat, Gmon with his Giantkillers held tight in each hand. He could rely on them.


    But they had to rely on him, too, he knew. <em>Never again,</em> came that mantra once more, ringing in Argrave¡¯s head. <em>Never again let your incapability endanger them. </em>


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Argrave said instead of his question. ¡°Silvic, stay out of the fighting. I¡¯ll need all your help to get to Waqwaq. We¡¯ll wait for Orion and his knights to thin the foes¡­ and I¡¯ll look for an opportunity to rush in.¡±


    Silvic nodded. With that confirmation, Orion and Argrave passed beneath the crooked gate to the fortress, where the trunk of the tree towering above them waited. Their party deposited their packs on the drnd, preparing forbat. The entire interior of the fortress had been subsumed into this great tree¡ªthe keep, the detached houses, all of it. Roots small andrge marred the central square. And as soon as Argrave¡¯s foot brushed against a root¡­ the tree came alive.


    The round, red fruits up high exploded outwards in clouds of red mist. Bodies fell like corpses cut from nooses, tightly packed and uncountable. Theynded on the ground, truly dead¡­ but the roots across the central square writhed, piercing deep into the fallen bodies.


    Then, they rose, all of them. They were steel-armored knights, mages bearing robes with gray owls embedded on their shoulder, and elite archers, each and all undecayed as though they¡¯d died yesterday and not years ago. One would not think them undead, for intelligence still gleaned in their eyes, and their movements were still natural.


    Orion stepped ahead of their group, holding his mace before his face. ¡°That our enemies deny them even peaceful death¡­¡± the shaft of the mace grew red-hot, then the mace itself burst into mes. ¡°The fires of Gael¡¯s justice will burn you through, my brothers and sisters, and I will cast your ashes to the wind. When I am finished, all will be as it should be.¡±


    <em>Don¡¯t burn the tree down. I¡¯ll be in there, </em>Argrave wished to say.


    The battle did not begin with a roar or a screech as that with the animals had. Instead, the blood that had exploded out from the fruits preserving the dead began to rain upon them, and the battle began with nary a sound. The puppeteered mages threw fire, ice, and lightning upon Orion as he pressed forward. The archers, too, rained arrows upon him. The prince dodged the attacks with inhuman finesse. Even those spells he could not dodge¡ªnamely, the lightning magic¡ªdid not slow him in the slightest. The prince did not seem capable of pain, just as the knights who followed him.


    Orion danced past their onught, and the vanquished knights of an invasion past rushed forth to confront him. His ame mace seemed to trivialize his foes. Their shields of steel would crumple like thin tin when struck, oftentimes tearing their arms free outright. Despite this, they only died when their heads were severed or crushed.


    The puppeteered knights swarmed over Orion, a tide of steel and sound that never once seemed able to ovee the terrifying prince blessed by the gods. They were too many to count¡ªto say a thousand would be to underestimate their numbers, and more joined every second, pouring out from the buildings of the keep or the roots of the trees.


    Yet the Waxknights joined the fray. They were royal knights of House Vasquer, chosen from the best knights of the kingdom and given equipment enchanted to the highest possible modern standards. They were more than that, too¡ªthe waxpox made their skin as hard as stone and numbed their pain utterly. More than that, they had been blessed by Orion. Like echoes of their master, they joined the battle.


    Argrave waited and watched, staying far from the conflict with hispanions close at hand. The battle raged louder and louder as more joined. They quickly dealt with what few targeted them, looking for any opportunity to press past the tide of the dead.


    Then, Argrave spotted a thin in the constant trickle of dead pouring from the roots. ¡°After me,¡± he shouted, stepping forth. ¡°Waste no time. Speed is our sole objective!¡± hemanded as his walk transitioned to a sprint.


    The puppeteered dead were not simple undead¡ªthey had a sole strategist behind them, and as Argrave and hispanions neared, that strategy changed ordingly. A wing of troops trying to engage Orion and his Waxknights broke free, attempting to confront them. Yet Argrave and his party moved too quickly, and they surged past before they could be blocked.


    Mages assaulted them as they kept running. Argrave and Anneliese dealt with the slower-moving spells, using their rings to conjure wards freely¡ªas for lightning magic, Gmon caught them all with his Giantkillers. Lightning magic was the perfect counter to other mages, yet they had a lightning rod¡ªand more than that, one that benefitted from their attacks. His azure daggers glowed all the brighter as he caught attack after attack.


    Durran was hit by a stray arrow in his helmet¡¯s cheek, and he stumbled. Argrave slowed for hispanion, but Gmon grabbed him beneath his armpit and hefted him up, and the tribalughed as he picked up the pace.


    ¡°Stings!¡± he shouted. ¡°If not for those enchanted things you gave me at Jast, might be I¡¯d be bleeding.¡±


    That brief moment of pause allowed the dead rising from the roots of the towering tree block them. Argrave looked to Anneliese. She understood his meaning without words, and she prepared a devastating B-rank spell¡­


    Yet before Anneliese could, roots dancing in tandem with liquid light writhed and twisted out of the ground in snake-like spirals, casting aside the crowd of dead with ease. Argrave looked back in time to see Silvic pulling her arm free from the ground, roots retracting back within. He gave her a quick nod, then resumed his sprint.


    They made it to the plethora of tangled roots at the foot of the towering tree. ¡°Silvic! Now¡¯s your time,¡± he called out.


    The wend spirit stepped forth, cing her arm uncorrupted by the waxpox against the tree. The ground began to shake, and the tree itself cried out as though resisting whatever force was being exerted upon it. Then, the roots, thergest of which were twice as thick as Gmon, started to coil. They whipped about, scattering dirt and stone everywhere, and bored through the earth towards the depths of the towering tree ahead.


    When Silvic finally freed her hand, a great tunnel that looked like a path of woven wicker stretched on into darkness. Argrave conjured spell light, then said, ¡°Move quickly. Once we¡¯re in, the dead will flood behind us.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re already flooding,¡± Durran shouted, the first to press into the tunnel. Argrave chuckled despite the situation and ducked low, following just behind him.


    Their party barreled through the tunnel recklessly, practically falling over each other in haste. Argrave mmed against walls and ceilings time and time again from the chaotic and uneven path. He could hear the nging of steel behind him as the knights pursued them every bit as disorderly as they ran.


    Argrave and Durran both came to a steep point, and the two stumbled down the wicker tunnel, bouncing and bumbling their way down. They met air, and both copsed into a mound of dirt and roots. Argrave¡¯s spell light illuminated the area, and at once, Argrave recognized this ce. As he turned his head about, deadly sore from that fall¡­ he saw Waqwaq.


    Waqwaq had once been human¡ªone part of it, at least. Now, it could never be misconstrued as such. It was a mass of roots stemming from a heart with an eyeball on it. Each of the roots formed myriad hands which dug into the trunk of the great tree around them. The fingers moved, each and allmanding the soldiers which Orion confronted outside.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    The eyeball focused on them, then widened and danced about its heart-like body in frenzy, growing bloodshot. Argrave rose to his feet and grabbed Durran, pulling the tribal back. Just as he did so, a great fruit lying above the heart exploded, and seven bodies dropped down. At once, the Corpse Puppeteer took control of them, and they rose.


    A noble-looking man with ck hair and gray eyes rose first, standing tall¡ªhe had Vasquer ancestry, evidently. Four knights with the symbol of an eagle rose up, standing to guard him, while two mages stood just behind the lordly man.


    <em>The lord of this fortress and his retinue¡ªnow, the honor guard of the Corpse Puppeteer, </em>Argrave recognized.


    Gmon and Anneliese descended with considerably more grace than Argrave and Durran had, falling just behind them. Silvic wasst, and she was lowered down, carried by roots.


    ¡°Waqwaq¡­ a human who consumed Predniz,¡± Silvic said in shock.


    ¡°No time for talk. Seal the tunnel, Silvic,¡± he directed.


    The wend spirit wasted no time in doing so, and roots sealed the tunnel woven of wood and dirt so that their pursuers would not so easily make it to them.


    ¡°Excellent! Everything¡¯s going swimmingly,¡± Argrave roared, pleased. ¡°As we discussed¡ªkilling minions is only a waste of our time!¡±

 Chapter 194

    Chapter 194: wless Show


    There was a simple principle in many RPGs, action or otherwise¡ªdon¡¯t kill what the summoner summons, just kill the summoner, and then all the problems will go away naturally. Their strategy hinged on that simple principle.


    There were obstacles, of course. There always were.


    The puppeteered lord and his two mages stayed near the vast heart that was Waqwaq. At once, their party of three conjured wards each and all¡ªB-rank, judging from the golden color alone, and working in tandem to create multipleyers. It served as a great protection against ranged attacks.


    Yet Argrave and hispanions did not blindly rush forth. The tunnel they had entered from had been sealed by Silvic, and they had time. Instead, they stepped backwards, heading for the edge of the room. Gmon discarded his wind-enchanted greatsword and pulled his bow from his back, nocking an arrow quickly. The three spellcasters of the party prepared spells, and attacked the lord¡¯s honor guard of four knights, unprotected by the wards.


    Though the elven vampire still had enchanted arrows made in Jast, he used mundane ones¡ªdeliberately so. Argrave, Anneliese, and Durran all used spells of lesser ranks, some even E-rank. It was a simple onught of attacks that could not be considered deadly but was nheless unignorable.


    And the knights did not ignore it. All four rushed towards Argrave and hispanions in a side-by-side pursuit, as dogged as the dead could be. While they pursued, their party¡¯s attacks continued as ever, barely denting the well-made armor of their opponents. The gleaming enchanted des of their opponents grew ever closer¡­


    ¡°Now¡¯s a good time,¡± Argrave called out levelly, an iron focus on the scene before them.


    Silvic ced her uncorrupted arm to the ground, and the roots in the ground spurred to action. Two hands of roots burst into the center of their small formation, then pushed them aside as though opening a curtain. The knights were thrown aside a great distance, entirely disrupted. A clear path led to Waqwaq and its mage guard.


    No one needed amand to begin the charge forth. Gmon discarded his bow, kneeling to the ground and dropping it as he rushed forth while pulling free his Ebonice axe from its loop on his belt. He tossed it to Durran, who caught it while setting down his ive in one smooth motion. With both hands freed, the elven vampire drew the Giantkillers once more, still slightly sparking with electricity from defending against earlier assaults.


    Anneliese and Gmon slowed¡ªshe charged the Giantkillers with potent lightning magic, firing again and again. Durran and Argrave moved forward. With one hand, Argrave conjured the D-rank [Gore Scalpel], and blood from his wrist formed a knife. With the other hand, conjured [Electric Eels] jumped to the sky.


    Durran mmed the Ebonice axe against the first B-rank ward¡ªit cracked heavily, golden chips of light scattering, but did not shatter entirely. Argrave finished it with his ck Blooded [Gore Scalpel], and then the tribal carried onto the next barrier, roaring mightily with each blow. Once the second broke, roots descended from the ceiling, wrapping around the heart-like body of Waqwaq and lifting it up into protection ever-so-slowly.


    Once the third ward broke, the puppeteered lord of this fortress drew a rapier at his side, lunging straight for Argrave. He could only fall on his back to dodge. The pair of mages chose to attack Durran. The tribal narrowly dodged a spear of ice, but a ball of fire struck his helmet, casting it off. His hair and much of his face caught ame, and he fell to the ground screaming.


    Argrave willed all of the electric eels he¡¯d conjured to attack Gmon¡ªthe elven vampire received them with his Giantkillers and sprinted forth towards the retreating Waqwaq. The puppeteered lord moved to intercept him. The tip of the rapier attempted to impale him with his own charge, but Gmon nimbly dodged and nted his foot on the lord¡¯s shoulder. He used the dead man as a springboard andunched up towards Waqwaq.


    Both Giantkillers struck home. All of that potent electricity surged through the foul Corpse Puppeteer, creating a spark so blinding that Argrave felt he¡¯d lost all sight. His ears hurt terribly, and he could hear nothing. Seconds passed, and only then did things begin to fade. His vision was stained white, yet slowly recovered.


    The heart-like body of Waqwaq had been burnt so badly that charred flesh and roots alike copsed down onto Gmon, who clung to the Giantkillers while shielding his eyes. Argrave saw Durran still writhing in agony as the mes spread across his head. Though he could barely feel his limbs, he knew how to move them¡ªhe rushed to Durran, removing his duster and smothering the mes.


    Argrave looked around, still unable to hear, his vision stained white from the blinding light. The seven puppets they¡¯d been fighting had fallen to the ground, well and truly dead. His gaze jumped frompanion topanion, ensuring all were at least alive¡­ and so they were.


    Exhausted, Argrave settled his head against the ground. As adrenaline faded, pain set into his bones and his skin earnestly. But he was well used to persisting through pain. Argrave was the first to rise to his feet, still deaf as ever. He pulled his duster off Durran and set to work healing the burns.


    It seemed the first day was over.


    #####


    ¡°I¡¯m the smallest one here, yet I get hit the most. Why is this?¡± Durran questioned bitterly. The wounds on his face had healed, but much of his hair had been burnt away, leaving him with half a bald patch on his otherwise perfect set of locks.


    ¡°Maybe takefort in the fact that you¡¯re alive, and the burns are healed. Two died,¡± Argrave reminded him.


    The five of them rested separately from the Waxknights. An improvised funeral was being held¡ªOrion held one of the fallen knights in his hands while the corpse was ame, drifting away piece by piece as ashes lost to the wind. The other Waxknights knelt before Orion, hands sped together as they knelt in prayer. Their two golden sets of enchanted armor had been set aside in a safe ce¡ªarmor was always custom-made, and it could fit no one else that did not already have one. It was to be retrieved as they left.


    ¡°Three died,¡± Silvic argued. ¡°My friend, Predniz¡­ consumed. I cannot make sense of it,¡± Silvic shook her head, voice with a rare disy of emotion.


    ¡°All of the other wend spirits are dead,¡± Argrave told Silvic. ¡°Each and all, consumed by the gue Jester¡¯s loyal servants, their power inehrited. Barring you, actually.¡±


    Silvic lowered her head, crown of stag-like roots moving with it.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand his strength,¡± Gmonmented in frustration as he watched Orion.


    ¡°Join the club,¡± Argrave returned, still cleaning dried blood out of his ears. His hearing had returned. Anneliese had to heal his ruptured eardrums, though.


    ¡°He is only human. I know this to be true,¡± Gmon crossed his arms, shaking his head.


    Argrave looked up at Gmon, then sat against a tree root. ¡°He¡¯s blessed by gods. His strength isn¡¯t his own.¡±


    ¡°My strength is not my own, yet I am still vastly weaker than him,¡± Gmon pointed to his chest, referring to both the enchanted crown embedded in his helmet and the vampiric beast in his blood.


    Argrave looked to the ground. ¡°That¡¯ll change, if things go my way.¡±


    Gmon looked to him. ¡°You have yet more items to give?¡±


    Argrave rubbed his hands together. ¡°In time, the boundaries between this realm and¡­ and <em>other realms¡­</em> will weaken.¡±


    ¡°Meaning?¡± Gmon pressed.


    ¡°Gerechtigkeit is judging gods, going by your culture¡¯s name for him,¡± Argrave pointed to him. ¡°But the gods get their own defense, even if it isn¡¯t an active form. Once the boundaries weaken¡­ Orion won¡¯t be the only one to be blessed by gods. Already, I have my thing, Orion has his blessings¡­¡±


    Gmon stepped over to stand above Argrave. ¡°You mean to say¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s the n for you and Durran, when the timees. Got ns for me and Anneliese, too.¡±


    Gmon stepped away, lost in thought, then turned back. ¡°I will champion none besides Veid,¡± he dered.


    ¡°I know,¡± Argrave nodded.


    ¡°I¡¯m not as picky,¡± Durran contributed. ¡°As long as nothing is expected of me, of course. Don¡¯t fancy ying toady to some tyrannical god just so I can toss asiderge rocks with ease.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Argrave stretched his legs. ¡°Put it out of your mind. This is all far away. It¡¯s why I never brought it up.¡±


    Anneliese said nothing as she stared at Orion¡¯s improvised funeral¡ªhe had already told her of this long ago.


    ¡°We did well today,¡± Argrave rose to his feet. ¡°Things went near as well as they could have. Nevertheless¡­ considering Magnus¡¯ death, and the near active sabotage going on around us¡­ it¡¯d be good to stay alert. Silvic, everyone¡ªwhen the timees for sleep, let¡¯s stick closely together, and with ourpany in sight,¡± he concluded, gaze turning to Orion.


    Everyone tiredly agreed. Only one day had passed, yet already these wends wore away their spirit.


    #####


    The day had not yet concluded. Argrave sat a fair distance from Silvic, leaning against Anneliese as he gazed upon the matrix for [Bloodfeud Bow] even still. Gmon tended to his armor, which sorely needed maintenance after their trek through the wends.


    Silvic¡¯s disys of power today were not without cost. The waxpox had spread across more of her body, consuming parts of her wooden neck and nearing her face. It had begun to encroach upon the uncorrupted side, too.


    He sat near Silvic mostly to ward away Orion. Yet as he read, he heard footsteps. Durran and Orion walked through the square of the castle, Orion fervently exining something to the tribal, who seemed miserable beyondpare, an effect that was only increased by the sad-looking bald patch from his recent burns.


    ¡°¡­I will repeat the names back to you tomorrow, and I expect you to respond in kind,¡± Orion said. ¡°This is but the foundations¡ªhow will you memorize scriptures if you cannot remember the names of the gods?¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± agreed Durran, hollow and dead. Argrave made a mental note to do something nice for the tribal very soon.


    Orion patted Durran¡¯s back, sending him towards Argrave like a child sent off to school. Argrave watched the towering prince warily as he walked towards them.


    ¡°Brother,¡± Orion began, tone cold. ¡°I had questions.¡±


    Argrave closed the book and gestured for Orion to ask without words.


    His gray eyes jumped to Silvic for half a second. Then, he asked, ¡°A Corse Puppeteer, a gue Jester¡ªno mere coincidence, is it?¡±


    Argrave furrowed his brows. ¡°It isn¡¯t, but¡­ I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d care.¡±


    ¡°You know the truth of things, then? I would hear it,¡± Orion insisted,ing to sit cross-legged before Argrave.


    Argrave adjusted his legs, and then set the book for [Bloodfeud Bow] aside. ¡°Alright¡­ well, sure. Sure. Let me think for a moment.¡±


    Argrave tapped his chin as he thought of how to frame the story.


    ¡°The conquest of the wends didn¡¯t end once these fortresses were made,¡± Argrave began, gesturing to the walls around them. ¡°The swamp folk refused to be subjects, refused to abandon their customs and faiths, and refused to integrate into Vasquer society. And so¡­ the newly anointed lords of this area undertook a second conquest. A conquest of spirit.¡±


    Argrave rubbed his hands together, thinking more. ¡°The lords butchered the swamp folk by the hundreds, making violent examples of all troublemakers. Community leaders¡­munity leaders received a different fate. Shamans to the wend spirits were mostly killed. Some, though¡­ they were taken in as amusements to the Archduke of thisnd.¡±


    ¡°Waqwaq, for instance, was forced to y out puppet shows of the conquest of the wends, reliving things time and time again,¡± Argrave looked to the tree that still stood tall, where the Corpse Puppeteer had once lived.


    ¡°There were plenty of others,¡± Argrave continued, looking back to Orion. ¡°A jongleur, a bard, a mummer, a troubadour¡­ we won¡¯t fight them all, of course. Just enough to get to the ringleader. The jester.¡±


    Orion nodded, then locked his gaze upon Argrave. ¡°Is there no room¡­ for other options?¡±


    Argrave raised a brow. For ordinary people, that might mean ¡®diplomacy.¡¯ For Orion, it surely meant, ¡°Getting them to convert?¡± When Orion nodded, he continued, ¡°That option¡­ it was lost long ago. Violence begets violence. The moment you veer from persuasion and debate to open attack, neither side will return until the other is defeated.¡± Argrave pursed his lips in hesitation, then said, ¡°There¡¯s a lesson in that, Orion.¡±


    Orion stared at the ground, gray eyes distant. Then, he looked to Argrave, saying simply, ¡°Rest well, brother. Lady Anneliese. Durran. Gmon.¡± His gaze fell to Silvic. ¡°And¡­ and you, Silvic,¡± he said, though the words sounded forced.


    Argrave watched Orion leave, perplexed.

 Chapter 195

    Chapter 195: Grappling the Powerful


    ¡°At this point, the main challenge is confining the infected to the camps,¡± Mina spoke to Induen, staring out over the city of Veden from the castle. ¡°People that catch the disease spread it indefinitely. Some people, when it stops spreading, resume mingling into society. Like this, the outbreaks never really stop.¡±


    ¡°Just use force,¡± Induen shook his head disapprovingly. ¡°It isn¡¯t so difficult.¡±


    Mina looked to him. ¡°Do you think this tiny county has the manpower to force more than half of its residents into refugee camps or within their own homes? And even then, thest thing we wish is for our military to be infected with this disease. That would only exacerbate the disaster.¡±


    ¡°Who said anything about confining them?¡± Induen¡¯s blue eyes locked with Mina¡¯s, veritably shining.


    ¡°Yes, we can kill anyone that disagrees with us, be the rulers of corpses. It¡¯ll be harder to get them to tend the fields that way, I¡¯m sure, but at least we¡¯ll have gotten what we wanted,¡± Mina challenged him.


    Induen¡¯s jaw clenched as he stared at Mina, eyes narrowing with anger. Then, one corner of his mouth split open, and he startedughing dryly.


    ¡°You¡¯ve a lot of bravery for one so small,¡± he noted as hisughter trailed off. ¡°I¡¯ve killed for less.¡±


    Mina stared back at him, not flinching at all. Then, she nodded. ¡°We established this already. You want to kill people for getting sick.¡±


    Even Induen was bbergasted by her boldness. He onlyughed once more, then turned back to the city, watching out. He could not be both amused and angry, and he was more amused than anything.


    ¡°Fine. Fine¡­¡± he conceded, crossing his arms and leaning against one of the keep¡¯s pirs. ¡°People that resume their tasks despite their sickness¡ªit¡¯s a selfish act, so they¡¯re selfish people. Give them incentive to stay inside, they¡¯ll fall in line. Greed is an easy, base emotion to satisfy.¡±


    ¡°You mean¡­ pay them? Veden is not¡­ exactly¡­¡±


    Induen considered for half a second, then said, ¡°Promise exemptions from taxes. It¡¯s not an immediate boon, but the promise alone will convince many to obey. You don¡¯t even need to uphold the promise,¡± he looked to her.


    Mina nodded, eyes distant as she considered his idea. ¡°No¡­ no, it¡¯s a good idea. Exemptions will be sorely needed after the devastation from the gue, anyway.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°It¡¯s the promise that matters¡ªpromises enough to get them to do what you want.¡±


    Mina walked over to her desk, then retrieved quill and paper. ¡°Nikoletta told me something, once. Even if you view people as tools, well-maintained tools perform a task all the better.¡±


    Induen bit his lip, a bit displeased at the mention of Nikoletta. He stepped towards Mina, arguing, ¡°If people know there are consequences, they¡¯ll work hard.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ll only work as hard as they need to avoid consequences,¡± Mina quickly rebutted. ¡°If people love their ruler, they¡¯ll do what they need to and more. People crave to rise, and as they do so, they¡¯ll bring you up with them. All they need is opportunity and reward.¡±


    Induen stared down at her, but she turned to the document in front of her and began writing in it diligently. The prince opened his mouth once more, but someone entered the door. Induen turned his head back, spotting one of his knights. He strode forward and pushed the man on his chest.


    ¡°You don¡¯t knock?¡± he said coldly.


    ¡°An urgent matter, prince,¡± the knight knelt. ¡°Forgive me.¡±


    Induen stared down at the kneeling knight, then cast a nce back to Mina. Almost bitterly, he said, ¡°Speak, then. Stop wasting time.¡±


    ¡°Prince Magnus is dead, my prince,¡± the knight ryed, bowing all the lower. ¡°Forgive me.¡±


    Induen took a deep breath of surprise. ¡°What? That wandering fool?¡±


    ¡°He was murdered, my prince, in the wends to the northwest.¡±


    Induen frowned. ¡°Where Orion is?¡± He heard Mina set her quill down behind him, paying closer attention.


    ¡°Yes, my prince,¡± the knight confirmed.


    ¡°Any more details?¡± Induen inquired, the only genuine emotion on his tone that of perplexment.


    ¡°The news is only just now being spread, my prince, forgive me.¡±


    Induen scratched the bottom of his clean-shaven chin, turning away and walking about in thought.


    ¡°Mina. Do you think you can handle things? I should probably return to Dirracha.¡±


    Mina blinked quickly, then looked to the papers before her. ¡°It is¡­ I mean, I see no reason why¡­¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll go,¡± Induen interrupted in her, his interest lost once he heard her bumbling. He stepped away, heading for the door.


    ¡°You¡¯ll leave as soon as things get challenging?¡± she called out, almost urgently.


    Induen paused at the door, then turned around. His eyes were frowning, but his mouth was widened in a grin. ¡°What did you say?¡±


    She blinked quickly, obviously flustered, but she kept her yellow eyes fixed firmly on the prince nheless. ¡°I think you heard me,¡± she said.


    ¡°You think this is challenging?¡± he questioned coldly.


    ¡°One of the options you always use is off the table,¡± Mina said, her voice steady. ¡°If that isn¡¯t a challenge, what is?¡±


    Induen startedughing once more, cing one gauntleted hand to hide his mouth. ¡°You seem determined to face repercussions of some sort. I wonder why that might be?¡± He stepped right up to his desk, and the two of them endured a long, tacit staring contest.


    The prince turned back to the knight. ¡°Send word to Dirracha I¡¯ll be preupied with something for a time.¡±


    #####


    ¡°Why have you been working so frenziedlytely?¡± Anneliese questioned as they sat together in the darkness of night. It felt like they were alone, but in truth, Gmon and Silvic both were close enough to hear. Durran was the only amongst them sleeping¡ªa well-deserved rest, by Argrave¡¯s estimation.


    Argrave gazed at the matrix for [Bloodfeud Bow] with his golden eyes distant, as though hesitating. Then, he said, ¡°Durran being taken away for interrogation put things into perspective.¡±


    Anneliese sighed. ¡°I knew it was that. Yet even still¡­ if you overstrain yourself, you will suffer more in the long run.¡±


    Hearing that, Argrave bit his lip in contemtion, yet he did not shut the book. ¡°I¡¯ve got a different sort of bad dream, now, Anneliese. Not about my death. Not the Low Way, not Induen. But¡­¡± he sighed. ¡°The thing I fear most, now, is watching the suns set alone.¡±


    Anneliese grew silent, before noting, ¡°Sometimes, I question if you are simply too sweet, or if you merely know precisely what to say to stop me from dissuading you.¡±


    They bothughed quietly. After, Argrave looked to her and questioned, ¡°Do you think you can help me out? Mentor me, maybe?¡±


    She paused, ncing at the book. ¡°Blood magic¡­¡± Anneliese noted, trailing off.


    ¡°It¡¯s just the one I¡¯ve been studying most,¡± he assured her.


    Anneliese pushed away and moved to sit across from him as quietly as she could. Sitting cross-legged, she gestured towards him. ¡°Try and cast it,¡± she directed.


    Taking a deep breath, Argrave gave onest look at the whirling matrix conjured from the book and then closed it. He set it aside, then held out his hand. He had seen the matrix enough that it conjured as quickly as any spell might¡¯ve. It hovered in the air, inanimate and ineffectual. He tried to set it into motion in the same moment he willed magic into it, making it whole¡­


    It shattered after not half a second. Argrave sighed and lowered his hand, while Anneliese¡¯s amber eyes stayed locked on where his hand had just been. Her face was as steady as stone for a time, and she said nothing. Eventually, her eyes met with his and shemanded, ¡°Again.¡±


    Argrave did so. Once again, it shattered nearly identically.


    Anneliese leaned back, supporting herself with her arms. She spaced out, lost in thought and contemtion. Argrave waited patiently, hands on his knees.


    ¡°You are not moving it from every direction you can,¡± she finally said. ¡°It resembles¡­ it is like if you had a tower, and you tried to move only the first floor. You neglect pushing the tower above. It all needs to move at once, lest it fold and copse.¡±


    Argrave frowned. That was thest thing he thought she¡¯d say. ¡°But what angle am I missing? I feel like I¡¯m applying the force evenly.¡±


    She scratched her forehead. ¡°I cannot say. The force applied is invisible¡ªI can onlyprehend it when I am the one using it.¡±


    ¡°Would it help if I did it again?¡± Argrave pressed eagerly.


    ¡°It would help if you rested, finally,¡± she concluded, moving back. ¡°I will. I hope you do the same.¡±


    Argrave watched her leave, heading to where they slept. Argrave bit his lip, considering joining her.


    <em>Never again, </em>came that voice, fighting against the promise offort and fulfillment he knew he¡¯d feel if he joined her.


    With a sigh, Argrave opened the spellbook, eyes bloodshot but still burning with a steady me of ambition.


    #####


    After a long time with no results, the night passed and morning dawned. Argrave had not slept at all, and he was the only besides Gmon and Silvic awake this early. He stared up at the branches of the tree that Waqwaq had resided in dully. Despite persisting for so long, his ck Blood enabled him to function on a rtively normal level. The reasons why he obtained it, least of all his near exponential magic growth, counted up day by day.


    He ruminated on what Anneliese had advised him time and time again, the book long ago discarded. The matrix was not his problem¡ªhis method was the problem, inly enough. He held his hands out and tried to emte how to move the entire matrix in bizarre motions, then clenched his hands together in embarrassment.


    But then, after a time, Argrave grew still. His brows slowly lowered, his vision narrowing, as he pondered dimensionality and exponentiality. To have something in one dimension could be represented by one number. To have something in two dimensions could be represented in two: 2¡Á2, for instance. For three, this trend continued¡ª2x2x2.


    He rose to his feet, Anneliese¡¯s analogy of his attempts to move the first floor of a tower finally ringing in his head. He strode away from his party, ignoring his own advice for them all to stick together, and moved to an isted ce in the fortress¡¯ courtyard. Gmon watched him go, perplexed.


    Argrave had always viewed himself as something existing only in three dimensions. Maybe it was fact¡ªhe wasn¡¯t so sure, anymore. But the fact remained that the tool that he used was beyond that, and the force that he had to exert upon the matrix had to be beyond that, as well.


    With this new perspective, Argrave held his hand out and conjured the matrix once more. He tried to set it into motion, yet also acted upon that imperceptible, imperceivable fourth dimension to things. It set into motion¡­


    And then shattered. Argrave stood there hollowly for a moment, then looked at his hands in disappointment. His bitterness slowly morphed into a stubborn anger, though, and he held his hand out once more, confidence in his idea renewed.


    The matrix formed, and then whirled¡­ Argrave started to breath faster as it persisted for more than half a second, yet then it shattered once more. He looked at his hand once more, yet not with disappointment¡ªinstead, his eyes were eager and hungry.


    ¡°Have to memorize the path, now¡­¡± Argrave muttered as he ran off, retrieving the book for [Bloodfeud Bow] once again. He studied not only the matrix, but the <em>way </em>it moved, and the path it took. With that, he closed the book, and held his hand out once again.


    The matrix formed. It began to swirl, persisting. Argrave willed his magic forth¡­ and instead of meeting a wall as it always had, the matrix <em>epted it. </em>Then, as though it never was, it dissipated. Argrave was panicked for but half a second before pain seized his arm. Twin spirals of blood pulled free of his arm, moving into position.


    The twin spirals formed a recurve bow in his left hand. He felt power brewing in his other hand, his blood bubbling just beneath the skin. He raised the hand up, and a string descended. An arrow formed, perfectly nocked but small, pumping blood ever so quickly.


    Argrave quickly wrenched his hand away and dispelled the magic, clutching his head as his vision grew white and his world spun with dizziness. The bow fell to the earth, nothing more than mere blood, now. He took a few moments to collect himself, and the dizziness and lightheadedness slowly faded as he breathed quickly.


    Argrave stood straight once again, then looked around. He turned his head every which way, looking for anyone that had seen that. Finally, his gaze fell back to his hands, and he copsed to his knees. He held his hand to his mouth to muffle hisughter for a time, then wiped away flowing tears once theughter had faded.


    Once that was done, he took a few moments to collect himself, steadying his breathing and clearing his face. He cursed again and again in a low whisper, triumph and heartache both making his voice shake.


    Only once he had calmed down entirely did Argrave gather himself, returning back to where hispanions were with only a slight grin on his face.

 Chapter 196

    Chapter 196: Stoked by Righteous Winds


    Argrave disliked looking at the bronze hand mirror. With something¡ªor someone, rather¡ªto find sce in, he didn¡¯t need to use it for motivation much at all anymore. Now, though, the day had passed, and he stared down at its surface in the early morning light¡­


    Traits: [Tall], [ck Blooded], [Intelligent], [Magic Affinity (High)], [Insomniac], [Blessing of Supersession (MAX)]


    Skills: [Elemental Magic (C)], [Blood Magic (B)], [Healing Magic (C)], [Illusion Magic (C)], [Warding Magic(C)], [Druidic Magic (C)], [Inscription (E)], [Imbuing (E)]


    Seeing that ¡®B¡¯ just beside blood magic made him feel quite satisfied. Unfortunately, Argrave had underestimated himself, and brought no B-rank spellbooks with him besides that for [Bloodfeud Bow]. He felt like he was wasting precious time that could be spent learning more and more B-rank spells, yet even still¡­


    His rate of advancement was quite exceptional. Between his high magic affinity, his ck blood, that [Intelligent] trait, and his own diligence in studying, maybe it was to be expected. He felt some fulfillment. His rate of advancement was not unprecedented, lore-wise, but it was quite fast.


    Orion¡¯s presence culled what might¡¯ve been a seed of arrogance, though. With [Bloodfeud Bow], a single-projectile attack with the potential for power far outmatching near all spells, Argrave could seriously injure Orion now. That was assuming the ridiculous possibility the man would stand still and let him charge it for minutes, naturally. The Holy Fool could still crush him and all of hispanions without much issue. Fighting him personally was a long way off.


    Yet with B-rank magic at his hands¡­ he could start nning for the future in earnest. His advancement to A-rank would be as significant as his visit to the Alchemist, he knew. A-rank was when a mage more closely integrated with magic¡ªrather than merely using it, they would assimte into it. It was a vague description, yet the innumerable processes to be A-rank were so varied that only a vagary sufficed for describing it.


    Argrave stowed away the bronze hand mirror and rose, doing brief stretches before he emerged from the tent. Anneliese sat on arge root not too far away, cleaning and braiding her long white hair back in preparation for travel.


    Anneliese turned her head towards him yet remained focused on her task. ¡°Good morning.¡±


    ¡°Is it? I¡¯m not so sure,¡± Argrave questioned, blinking his eyes as he raised his hands to his face.


    ¡°You are pale,¡± Anneliese noted as Argrave wiped away his tired eyes. He¡¯d gotten a few hours of sleep, but his current state of fatigue made him question if he¡¯d have been better off staying awake the whole night.


    ¡°I always have been,¡± he answered quickly.


    ¡°No. You had a healthy pallor not weeks ago, yet you keep¡­¡± she trailed off. ¡°Why are you so pleased with yourself?¡±


    Argrave¡¯s subtle grin broadened into a smile. ¡°You¡¯re a good teacher¡ªanyone ever tell you that?¡±


    Anneliese¡¯s amber eyes grew wide as she ced things. ¡°I see now. You¡ªyou broke into B-rank with that blood magic spell. That¡¯s why you look so terrible, so tired.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s the demerit,¡± Argrave brushed off the remark quickly.


    She stood and moved forth, running her fingers through her half-braided white hair in frustration. ¡°Youin when you are miserable, and yet you never¡­ Why in the world do you never¡­¡± she sighed. ¡°You will not use blood magic for the rest of this journey,¡± shemanded, nting a finger to his chest.


    ¡°I won¡¯t?¡± he raised a brow.


    ¡°This is a concession you must make for me. I will not bend on this matter,¡± she stated inly, amber eyes fierce as he¡¯d ever seen them. ¡°You insisted that I remain inside at Jast for my safety. I insist on this, for your safety.¡±


    Argrave kept the stare going for a little bit. Then, he raised his hand and fixed her messy hair. ¡°As long as it¡¯s not life-or-death.¡±


    Anneliese pouted¡ªa rare expression on her, and one Argrave found quite adorable. ¡°If it is truly life or death, use your Blessing of¡ª¡±


    Argrave ced one finger to her lips, shushing her. ¡°We talked about this. Stay quiet about that while we¡¯re here,¡± he whispered, looking around. Thankfully, neither him nor his Waxknights were nearby.


    She lowered her head with a nod of apology. ¡°Alright. But to that point?¡±


    ¡°Last night¡¯s venture¡­ dyed things,¡± Argrave said in vague terms as he waved his hand dismissively. ¡°[Bloodfeud Bow] is blood magic, but B-rank magic is still B-rank magic, and therefore costly. I suspect night will fall before I can fully repay things, provided I don¡¯t expend much magic today. Fortunately, the battle for the second fortress won¡¯t involve much magic at all.¡±


    She sighed, then looked up at Argrave once again. ¡°B-rank¡­ I am happy for you,¡± she finally congratted him. ¡°Perhaps now, you will rest easier and cease working so hard.¡±


    Argrave only smiled in response, giving no verbalmitments. But in his head, those words still rang¡ªnever again, never again.


    #####


    Argrave went to inform the prince that they were ready to travel but found Orion standing off to the side, one hand held to his forehead. He was just out of sight of the Waxknights, who assembled around a campfire as they ate their rations. Argrave could not recall seeing the prince in distress, so he walked up to him cautiously.


    At his footsteps, the prince raised his head. Argrave tilted his head questioningly, and Orion confided immediately, ¡°Another of my knights vanished.¡±


    ¡°Vanished?¡± Argrave repeated.


    ¡°Gone, disappeared during his watch,¡± Orion exined.


    Argrave looked at the Waxknights. They ate their rations and wrapped their waxpox-rife flesh in clean bandages. Indeed, upon count, only seven of the initial ten they¡¯d journeyed with were present.


    ¡°Deserted, or¡­?¡± Argrave mused.


    Orion grabbed his cor, and Argrave¡¯s heart fell into his stomach. ¡°Deserted? Why would you say such a thing?¡± the prince questioned in a loud, angry whisper.


    Argrave calmly stated, ¡°Look at them. It¡¯s but the first day, yet things are this challenging. I don¡¯t doubt their ability or their faithfulness, but men are men.¡±


    Orion¡¯s grip loosened on Argrave¡¯s cor slowly, and the prince straightened. ¡°Their mes must be stoked by righteous winds.¡±


    ¡°¡­boosting their morale is important, yes,¡± Argrave agreed, feeling a strange difort he could so quickly interpret Orion¡¯s words.


    Without another word, Orion stepped to where they gathered. Their prince¡¯s steady, determined approach towards them caused them all to rise to attention.


    ¡°Faithful knights!¡± Orion began. ¡°Three of our number have left us. They swore an oath to the royal family, and to the gods, to live and die for the sake of the royal family. And now they have. More of you may¡ª¡±


    ¡°Orion,¡± Argrave called out, stepping up just beside him. ¡°I have some things to say,¡± he said quietly, recognizing well that a disaster might ur if this man spoke his earnest thoughts.


    ¡°Please speak, dear brother,¡± Orion gestured.


    Argrave looked out to the Waxknights¡ªif ever before there¡¯d been an intimidating crowd for public speaking, this was it. But public speaking was one of the few things Argrave was talented at, he believed.


    ¡°As Orion said, we stand here today with three fewer than we departed with yesterday. These men¡ªthese brave men¡ªthey marched forth with strength, with ideal, and they confronted the monstrous forces of the Corpse Puppeteer and the gue Jester. And knowing that they are gone¡­ what will you do for their memory?¡±


    Argrave stepped around, eyes jumping around the small crowd of knights before him. ¡°You must never forget why they are gone,¡± Argrave proimed. ¡°Forget not the sea of corpses you fought against yesterday. Forget not the foul beasts that hunted us through the wends. <em>These </em>are our foes. You must never forget that. And when we have won, and when we return¡­ all of us, even the fallen, will return as heroes. Each and every face you see¡­ they will owe you their lives. Each and every face you remember, every face that you long to see again¡­ they will owe you their lives. If there is good, and if there is evil¡­ then <em>we</em> are good, and <em>we </em>fight evil!¡±


    Without giving so much as a single cheer, the Waxknights kept staring on at him. He had confidence enough in his words, though, that he was sure he¡¯d had a positive effect.


    ¡°I shall prepare Silvic and mypanions for travel. Silvic must scout, per usual,¡± Argrave turned to Orion. ¡°We¡¯ll travel less distance, and the battle to take the fortress will not be half as hard, but it¡¯s a better point to begin with the third day.¡±


    ¡°Wonderful,¡± said Orion with vigor, beaming down at Argrave. ¡°Give my regards to Lady Anneliese. And ensure Durran is prepared to recite the gods and their domains,¡± he requested.


    Argrave nodded, making another mental note to do something really, really nice for Durran once all of this was behind them.


    #####


    Anneliese proved herself an able scout once more, picking out a path with her Starsparrow. Were it not for that tiny and resilient bird they¡¯d imed, this journey would have been three times as hard. Though she could not constantly watch for enemies, picking a path that did not have them endure wading through chest-high waters was a blessing enough to be considered miraculous.


    If the journey of the first day had two climaxes¡ªone for the assault on the road, and the other the taking of the first fortress¡ªthe second day was notparable in the slightest. Instead, it was a steady trickle of enemies, like a constant pressure upon their party. They had to keep watch at every moment for gibbons, like assassins paid by the wends, or endure a siege of leopards whilst Orion dealt with encroaching rockhide hippos.


    With the constant pressure came tension¡ªall of them were drawn so thin they were all ready to snap at a moment¡¯s notice, save the indomitable people of the party, namely Orion and Gmon. With morale faltering, Argrave once again assumed the role he¡¯d taken in the fortress. Some might call it amander, but Argrave just felt like a motivational speaker. Soon enough, the Waxknights looked to Argrave for direction as much as they did Orion. Someone more paranoid might think Argrave was trying to subvert them, but Orion seemed pleased that Argrave was taking extra efforts.


    Argrave struggled tremendously, though the extra role he so readily took had nothing to do with it. He was beset by constant headaches, and exertions that caused him no trouble yesterday made him quite exhausted today. It was a familiar feeling, and he was more than able to push past it. Even still, Anneliese provided constant and unconditional support, and ensured that he ate properly during the whole journey. Between his anemia and the constant assault from enemies, he might¡¯ve snapped without her.


    Yet she and all of Argrave¡¯spanions proved more than mere support, especially so on this day. Gmon was ready for battle at every second, and when it came, fought like a man possessed¡ªAnneliese told Argrave in secret that the elven vampire felt as though he had something to prove when confronted with the unimaginable strength of Orion. Though Argrave was worried this might lead somewhere poor, he was grateful for his steadfast ally all the same. Meanwhile, Durran slowly integrated into the party all the better. He worked well with Anneliese, and he and Gmon developed a rapport.


    There was some sce knowing rest would soone as they grew ever nearer to the second fortress. Simultaneously, there was dread. The sce Argrave felt was like a gleaming fruit with unblemished skin that, once bitten, revealed ckened and rotted innards.


    Argrave¡¯s role was not so pivotal as it had been at the first fortress. The goal was simply to get by while the big fish battled it out. Even still, there was danger. There always was, it seemed, and doubly so when they stepped willingly onto a trap.

 Chapter 197

    Chapter 197: Endless Isles


    ¡°Any further steps, and we will be within their grasp,¡± Silvic cautioned their party as they idled.


    Orion nodded. ¡°This was made clear to me earlier. Being within their grasp is unimportant. A weak grip is easily broken.¡±


    His ever-zealous words did not abate Argrave¡¯s fear at all. Silvic continued, cautioning, ¡°This will not be as other ambushes. We enter the distortion, the realm, of a being simr to myself¡ªwe will be in the heart of things, ostensibly surrounded by foes. It further suggests that the wend spirit holding this fortress yet lives. If that is true, you will face more than a tide of corpses.¡±


    Durran ran his finger against his bald patch caused by yesterday¡¯s burns. He had taken the hardest knocks during this journey, yet he did not falter. That steeled Argrave somewhat. Anneliese stayed calm, likely dually from her own tranquil nature and the enchanted items he¡¯d given to her at Jast.


    ¡°I will fight this Intrepid Troubadour Argrave ims to be beyond this distortion. The remainder of you are more than capable,¡± Orion assured.


    ¡°All save you, perhaps, will be unable to leave until the master of this distortion is dead and gone, or until you are allowed to leave,¡± Silvic once again warned.


    ¡°None intend to leave until the enemy is conquered,¡± Orion rebutted at once.


    Without so much as a breath to gather his courage, Orion gestured for them to follow and stepped forth. In but a second, he seemed a chameleon that blended into the environment before he vanished altogether. Silvic was the second to move, and just after the Waxknights. Only once the first Waxknight had entered did Argrave follow, hispanions trailing just after him.


    Just the same as it had been when they travelled through the Marred Hallowed Grounds to find Silvic and bring her before Orion, the scene distorted before Argrave, and he stepped into what might as well be another world.


    Endless isles of green dotted thend before him, thick and tall nts like cattails and reeds growing up out of rich brown soil. These isles wererge, coveredpletely by greenery, like a vast archipgo of verdant growth. They were divided by fast-running rivers that were entirely clear yet seemed to stretch downwards forever as an ocean of water. The sky above was so blue and beautiful it was worthy of admiration.


    On one of the overgrown green isles before them, a four-legged creature armored in shining, strong steel stood. It had a thick, round body easily identifiable as that of a horse¡¯s. Its legs were thick and strong. Where its neck might¡¯ve held an equine head, a man¡¯s torso stood. A centaur, Argrave knew, and equipped in full steel te that gleamed with enchantments. It dwarfed even the titanic rockhide hippopotamuses they¡¯d grappled with during their journey, and held an unstrung bow taller than Argrave in hand.


    Sitting on the centaur¡¯s back was a humanoid figure made of wood and teeming with liquid light within. It was quite simr in appearance to Silvic, though without the waxpox corrupting most of its body. While Silvic was decidedly made in imitation of a female, this rider was male. He bore a crown of roots atop his head, though they twisted and entwined together to resemble two horns. He had a beautifully ornate stringed instrument in his hand most resembling a guitar, though different enough it could not be called so.


    ¡°We seek to kill the gue Jester,¡± Orion called out, stepping forth to the edge of the isle all of them stood upon. ¡°Will you stand down?¡±


    ¡°We stood down once, after you had in thousands,¡± the troubadour aback the armored centaur called out. ¡°You made fools and singers of us, weaving tales and jests that mocked our own people.¡±


    The centaur strung the bow and held his hand up, where part of the troubadour¡¯s wooden body morphed and broke off into a wooden arrow teeming with liquid light. The arrow was nocked and fired at Orion. Argrave flinched involuntarily at the quickly approaching projectile, yet Orion batted it aside with his mace, demonstrating inhuman speed.


    ¡°Now, you will need to kill us all,¡± the troubadour concluded. ¡°Even then, we will not have stood down.¡±


    Deflecting the arrow left the mace badly bent, and Orion corrected it with one hand. ¡°Let it not be said I did not try to sway you,¡± he said coldly as he stepped forth onto the river. His heavy te boots sunk not an inch before ice formed. He stepped across the thick river to the ind where the centaur and the troubadour waited, and every time his feet lifted up, the ice melted behind him.


    ¡°That is a new spirit,¡± Silvic noted. ¡°Like me, but¡­ young.¡±


    It was a vaguely familiar line to what it had been in ¡®Heroes of Berendar.¡¯ Argrave did not have time to marvel, though, and he looked about in paranoia for the first signs of their foes. And he saw it at once. The tall reeds of the inds brushed aside to make way for a new arrival, crawling free from the bottomless rivers dividing the inds. At first, it was one location¡ªthen, all the cattails and reeds on the edge of the ind they stood atop shifted aside, making way for fell arrivals.


    The Waxknights bunched together, ufortable by the fact that they could not see what was approaching. Slowly, their opponents rose above the tall reeds. The Sentinels of this wend spirit were amphibious creatures, thick and long bodies closest in appearance to a crocodile. Their scales did not cover all of their flesh, as though they were immature¡ªinstead, one could see through their pink, translucent skin to spot organs that danced with liquid light, marking them as blessed by a wend spirit.


    ¡°We hole up, endure all that¡¯s thrown at us,¡± Argrave shouted out, attempting to rally everyone as was nned. The Waxknights answered him with a grunted HOAH of assent. Argrave gestured towards Silvic and urged, ¡°See what you can do to block off any of the banks with roots or reeds, eliminate some avenues of approach.¡±


    ¡°At once,¡± Silvic hastened, sinking her root-like hand uncorrupted by waxpox into the reeds.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    The Sentinels of this young troubadour pressed in on them with swaying, almost staggering steps. The closest opened their mouth and spewed poison gas, but their party was well-prepared in advance for such assaults, per Argrave¡¯s cautions. With each of the Waxknights being spellcasters, wind magic quickly swept away the dangerous poison, scattering it and rendering it impotent.


    The reeds of this strange ce slowly twisted and writhed, spurred by Silvic to raise walls at the banks of the verdant isle. Their party did nothing more than hold back the Sentinels, killing those who got too close. Though powerful and poisonous, they were slow creatures. The greatest concern was the others on this ne.


    Dragonflies as big as a grown man¡¯s torso came to assault them. Their movements were erratic, unpredictable¡ªin one moment they would be one ce, in the next they¡¯d dart in a straight line towards one of them, before zigzagging and attacking from the back. Their fangs were like knives, and Argrave, with only the hood of his duster for protection, collected cuts to the face one after the other. Even with magic, they were difficult to defeat. Gmon was the only who could consistently deal with them, but even then, they did not always fall. Elsewise, Argrave¡¯s Brumesingers used their conjured warriors well.


    The battle between the Intrepid Troubadour and Prince Orion raged in the background, the furthest thing from ¡®slow.¡¯ Orion charged the duo of the centaur and troubadour with all the rage and persistence of a bull seeing red. And, fittingly, the Intrepid Troubadour dodged with as much grace as a matador.


    Arrow after arrow soared through the air at Orion, the armored centaur receiving more ammunition from the troubadour sitting on his back. All the while, it nimbly maneuvered around the isles, jumping from isle to isle as the arrows sought their target, leaving trails of green light floating just behind. When the arrows struck the earth or the water, explosions of nt life rose up and targeted Orion, groans and creaks echoing like the sound of timber falling.


    Yet the Prince weaved through the summoned nts and the near bullet speed arrows with far too much grace, doggedly seeking the troubadour as though he had a death grudge to settle. None of his blows managed to hit home, but they left devastation in their wake, and had the power of the elements behind them.


    Blow after blow ruined great swathes of thisnd, this eternalnd of green isles. Orion¡¯s fists left poison writhing on the edges of reeds, slowly eating them from within. His kicks summoned winds, sparks, mes. Sometimes, he seemed to run on the air itself. And as ever, his strength and endurance went far beyond the realm of what was normal. His armor could barely keep up with his prowess.


    And as the fight proceeded, it became clear the troubadour could not keep up, either. When the centaur took to air, jumping to another ind to flee Orion¡¯s pursuit, the prince took his mace in hand and threw it. It spun through the air wildly, yet it was moving so quickly and towards such arge target it did not need to be particrly precise. It hit the front leg of the beast-man, and it crashed to the earth, throwing its rider down.


    Reeds and roots rose to conceal and protect the troubadour, but Orion was faster. He grabbed the wend spirit by the neck and wrenched it free, tearing free copious amounts of writhing greenery with him. Argrave barely noticed this in the distance and felt some relief as he knew things would soon end.


    Yet Orion held the troubadour in the air, the stringed instrument dangling from his hands. Argrave waited for the end toe, and yet it did not. The centaur struggled to rise, incapable of doing so. The troubadour struggled desperately, yet itcked the strength to free itself. All the while¡­


    Is he talking? Argrave questioned.


    Just then, he saw the reeds rise and twist around the injured leg of the centaur, recing the lost flesh with wood and root. The troubadour kicked Orion with a sharp, light-imbued spike on the edge of its foot, and the prince staggered back. He mmed the troubadour to the earth at once, and¡­


    Feeling as though his ears had popped, the scenery jarringly shifted around them. They were surrounded by stark, moss-covered old stone walls, with little else in sight. Orion stood there, pummeling the still corpse of the troubadour. The Sentinels had been brought with them but began to scramble.


    The centaur, though, rose up to its feet. Orion turned his head, prepared to chase, yet already the beast-man, muchrger in close proximity, bounded over the stone walls and fled. Its steps shook the earth.


    ¡°Orion!¡± Argrave shouted, running over.


    ¡°I am fine,¡± he assured, one hand held over the spot that he¡¯d been kicked. A sharp fragment imbued with the liquid light of the wend spirit persisted in the wound, though the lingering light faded quickly as the thing died. Argrave spared a nce at the fallen troubadour, which had be naught but a husk of wood leaking liquid light like oil.


    ¡°What was that? You stood there like a¡­!¡± Argrave began, trailing off.


    Orion pulled free the wood fragment, then crushed it. ¡°I tried to ept his surrender.¡±


    Argrave took a deep, incredulous breath. He¡¯s changing, he knew. And quickly. He doesn¡¯t have normal sensibilities. That centaur escaped because of those changes¡ªwho knows what variables that will cause?


    ¡°We should talk,¡± Argrave said seriously. This might be the first time he¡¯d said something like that to Orion. Hopefully, it would be thest.

 Chapter 198

    Chapter 198: Bizarre Adoption


    Though Argrave knew that something needed to be said to Orion, those words did note to his head immediately as the two of them walked away from the rest of the party. They entered into the keep of the fortress that had manifested after the battle had concluded. Argrave nced around at decrepit wooden furniture covered in equal parts by wood rot and growths from the wends.


    Argrave came to stand over a table. Orion stood opposite it, staring at Argrave with curiosity as he waited for him to speak. Though Argrave briefly contemted sitting in a chair, he saw its thin, shaky legs rotted out and decided against it.


    ¡°That centaur getting away bodes ill,¡± Argrave began, starting at the problem Orion had caused. ¡°Centaurs¡ªthey¡¯re closer to man than beast, and they canmunicate with our foes. He can report to themanders of the other fortresses, or even the gue Jester herself.¡±


    ¡°You fear our enemies will take note of us? They already have¡ªthey harass us during this whole journey, brother,¡± Orion stepped around the table.


    Argrave mirrored his brother¡¯s steps, circling around the table opposite him. ¡°This is different. These beasts that assail as we travel¡­ they sense intruders and hunt them, but little else¡ªnow, you¡¯ve disyed your power, stated your intent inly. If themanders are warned, the final assault will be all the more difficult. They¡¯ll group up.¡±


    Orion lowered his head. ¡°I apologize.¡±


    Argrave sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t get why this is happening. Back at camp, you lunged at Silvic as though she were your nemesis without any provocation whatsoever. Now, someone attacks you first, and you let them stab you? You let their ally get away?¡±


    ¡°I apologize,¡± Orion repeated sincerely, lowering his head further.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want an apology. I want to know why,¡± Argrave insisted.


    Orion raised a hand to the table before him, cing his fingers against it almost gingerly. The battle he¡¯d just endured had destroyed both of his gauntlets, leaving only scraps of loosely hanging metal with broken enchantments behind.


    ¡°Do you ever grow lonely, Argrave?¡± Orion raised his head, gray eyes emotionless.


    Argrave thought for half a second before answering, ¡°Nottely. But I did, once. A lot.¡±


    Orion brushed his fingers against the decrepit table, pushing it lightly and watching the thin wood bend and bounce back into ce. ¡°I cannot grow lonely. I always havepany. The gods apany me through life. Since my birth, they have always been here.¡±


    Argrave had grown rather less afraid of Oriontely, so he dared say, ¡°But that doesn¡¯t answer my question. Why do you act differently from how you did?¡±


    Orion mmed his fist against the table and the wood buckled easily. Argrave didn¡¯t move an inch as wood splinters fell at his feet. ¡°Because I don¡¯t understand,¡± Orion said, voice far too calm in the wake of his outburst.


    Argrave waited for an boration, and it came as Orion continued, ¡°I know the gods. My faith is unshakable. All is part of the natural order, and the world can only truly be perfect when their dominion extends from the tall mountains of Dirracha to the distant corners of the world. I have ny-eight parents, brother¡ªmy mother, our father, and all the gods of Vasquer. Each and all taught me as much of the world as the other.


    ¡°And now, I go out into the world with their teachings in my mind, with the support of all my parents, both within and without¡­¡± Orion clenched his fist. ¡°And I find that learning to do something is wholly different from putting it into action. The task is simple: spread the faith. Yet the ways are manifold, subtle and direct in equal turns. Each path I might take has its own application that excels at different points. You enlightened me to that,¡± he pointed.


    ¡°Me?¡± Argrave questioned. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You abided heretics and enemies to help the faith in tremendous ways,¡± Orion continued, stepping across the wrecked table to stand before Argrave. ¡°The people whisper of you staying an invasion from the Veidimen by treating with them in theirnd. This action saved the lives of thousands of faithful in Mateth. What¡¯s more, Durran described your exploits against the foul heralds of Fellhorn. All of this¡­ I could never have done it. I don¡¯t understand it.¡±


    Orion stepped away and put his hands on his hips. ¡°I am not particrly smart. I confess¡­ I confess I am quite stupid. I have always been slow to read books,st toprehend lectures. Though my instincts and will are second to none, and I have my parents at my back¡­ I am impulsive, easily angered. Yet personality is not a static thing, and wisdom is more than equal to intelligence. Personality changes and morphs based on what happens. I am trying to understand, trying to grow, trying to learn from these experiences. I am trying to be a better faithful.¡±


    Argrave stayed silent in the wake of Orion¡¯s openness. He had never seen Orion express anything of this sort to anyone¡ªcertainly never the yer in ¡®Heroes of Berendar.¡¯ Maybe it was because things had changed. Or maybe it was because the two of them were family, and Orion trusted him easier.


    ¡°There will be better times in the future to try and learn,¡± Argrave said gently. ¡°Right now¡­ right now, we have only allies and enemies. Even I am aware of that. Our foe seeks to genocide Vasquer with disease and rot. Will you let that happen?¡±


    ¡°Then what of that wend spirit?¡± Orion turned back. ¡°She is the enemy, yet you use her to help the faithful. You see? I cannot¡­¡±


    Argrave felt conflicted. On the one hand, he felt some sympathy for Orion. From birth, he was molded and twisted into what he is now. He was a convergence of so many forces, stretched so thin by so many it was a wonder he was functional at all. If Argrave might teach him something to be a better person, shouldn¡¯t he take that opportunity?


    Yet the fact remained this: Orion¡¯s attempts to be a better person might sabotage their journey to cure the gue. Millions could die if Orion continued to act indecisively as he had earlier. It would be tremendously stupid to prioritize Orion¡¯s personal growth over the fate of the continent.


    But then¡­ the two weren¡¯t mutually exclusive. And Argrave could get more time, if he got himself deeper involved with Orion.


    Argrave knew the words he needed to say to get that. He took a deep breath, battling with his desire to be disentangled from the man before him. Orion was dangerous. They had already be too closely bound for Argrave¡¯s liking. Yet that problem, when weighed with the consequences of failing their current task¡­


    ¡°I¡¯ll teach you,¡± Argrave said quietly. ¡°When things are all done, I can help you with that. Experience. Understanding. Growth.¡± He took a step forward, looking up at the prince. ¡°For now, put all of that out of your mind. The world needs you as you are, Orion. The world needs an unwavering crusader. We can work at moreter. Together.¡±


    #####


    Though Orion seemed pleased by his vague offer and his empty assurances, Argrave was not entirely sure that things would resume their normal course.


    Nevertheless, the second day ended. Without a book to consume, Argrave was forced to rx and rest. He did not realize how much he needed such a thing until he had it, but once his mind had rejuvenated he was consumed by feelings of impatience and frustration. He felt the need to do something, anything. As such, he and Anneliese spent the remainder of the day talking.


    Argrave wasing to realize their rtionship was strange. They seldom argued or fought, and their few disagreements were settled in less than minutes. Much of that was due to her, he suspected¡ªshe understood him without him needing to say much at all. Argrave had recalled some people iming that arguments and fights were the sign of a growing rtionship¡ªif they did not argue, it was uninteresting and pointless. Argrave supposed their life was interesting enough to make up for it and was content to let that festering worry die.


    On the morrow, Argrave rose with a headache not quite as severe as yesterday. The Waxknights had better morale, having lost none of their own, and things were prepared in short order. The only truly miserable was Durran.


    ¡°I spend all night fretting and worrying about what Orion taught me, and then I get it right,¡± he exined hollowly to Argrave as he adjusted his wyvern scale helmet. ¡°But then¡­ but then, he dumps just as much as I learned yesterday.¡±


    ¡°You want my advice?¡± Argrave began, then gave it before Durran could answer, ¡°Just keep asking him questions if you¡¯re uncertain. He¡¯ll surely be happy anytime.¡±


    Durran shook his head. ¡°That man has no conception of personal boundaries, and you want me to spend more time with him?¡±


    Argrave put a hand on the man¡¯s shoulder. ¡°When this is all over, I¡¯ve got a n for you. Something you¡¯ll like, if I know you right. And I do.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a different man, now,¡± Durran shook his head, exaggeratedly harrowed.


    Barring that, they began the third dayrgely rejuvenated. And yet, it was not at all the same as the first and second days.


    Their travels began as normal, with Anneliese scouting out a proper route to the fortress they intended to take their respite in before pressing onwards to deal with the gue Jester. Once they began their travels, though, things remained eerily quiet. The only thing to assault them was leeches in the water, which the party did not often have genuine trouble with.


    Theck of assaults was a disquieting thing, and Argrave made sure to remain cautious with every step they took. No matter how paranoid Argrave remained, it did not prove warranted. Even the Waxknights came to rx somewhat. Argrave thought it was a portent that his fears regarding the centaur had been realized, but he kept those thoughts to himself.


    The wend trees, thick and alive with life earlier in their path, became twisted and stiff by the waxpox. They more resembled sculptures of rock made in the shape of trees after they had pressed deep enough. The water was thick with dead fish, dead bugs, dead everything¡ªthe abundant presence of the gue made Argrave ensure hispanions drank potions to boost their immunity every few hours, and he kept checking to be sure their Humorless Masks were tight on their faces.


    As the stone of a distant fortress came into view shining like an angler fish¡¯s light, Argrave once again spoke to hispanions, ensuring they would know the n for the battle well. Their role, just as it had been with the troubadour, was not to be so pivotal. It was precisely why he had been so insistent on correcting Orion¡¯s behavior.


    Yet as they pressed into the heart of the fortress, steeled for battle¡­ the only thing that greeted them was a deste ce. Argrave felt an ambush might be waiting, and had people scour the ce thoroughly¡­ yet no enemies came, not from within or without.


    Argrave stood in front of their warband of Waxknights, Orion, a wend spirit, and his ownpanions, each and all looking for direction. Argrave said grimly but loudly, ¡°It seems that the worst may havee to pass, and victory has be all the more challenging.¡±


    The enemies had retreated and merged. They would not be fighting the gue Jester alone.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

 Chapter 199

    Chapter 199: Askew


    ¡°We should press on as quickly as possible, even if we need to march through the night,¡± Argrave spoke to Orion.


    The prince¡¯s gray-eyed gaze was stern and serious, freezing lesser men in ce. ¡°Do you believe so?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely. The journey this time around was not so exhausting. Allowing the enemy an entire night to group up and prepare for ouring attack with be a disaster,¡± Argrave nodded insistently.


    ¡°My feet can tread for thousands of miles without issue,¡± Orion said, staring him down. ¡°Yet it is not myself I fear for. It is you and yours. Not all are blessed as I am. This speech is not spurred by arrogance, I assure you. I merely worry.¡±


    Argrave put his hands to his hips and looked to the Waxknights, and then his ownpanions in turn. He could not deny travelling so much with anemia weighing upon him had been utterly exhausting. And exhaustion alone was not the issue. They would need to endure a night march when the wends were at their coldest. This final stretch spanned the most distance. What¡¯s more, they¡¯d face an undoubtedly difficult battle at its conclusion.


    ¡°What do you think?¡± Argrave asked hispanions.


    Anneliese was the first to speak, saying in favor, ¡°Strategically¡­ it is a good assumption that arriving early might make the following battle less insurmountable. If Argrave is correct, we will face the gue Jester and more, even foes we¡¯ve avoided thus far.¡±


    Durran opened his mouth to speak, but Gmon cut in, ¡°I have no issue.¡±


    Argrave thought Gmon was reliable enough it was pointless for him to confirm that, but he still nodded in quiet satisfaction. Orion stepped past him, though, walking to stand before Gmon.


    ¡°Take off your helmet,¡± Orion said. ¡°I would look at you.¡±


    Argrave felt some panic seize him¡ªhad the prince noticed something amiss about hispanion? The elven vampire wore a helmet that covered his eyes and the top of his head, yet the mouth was left exposed. Though Gmon¡¯s teeth were not unexinablyrge, it was still noticeable.


    Gmon did nothing, and his white-eyed gaze turned to Argrave formand.


    ¡°¡­take it off,¡± Argrave nodded, preparing excuses in his head for any discrepancies Orion might have noticed.


    Gmon removed his helm, and his white hair fell across his pale white skin. He fixed his hair with one gauntleted hand, then stared at Orion dispassionately.


    Orion put one hand on Gmon¡¯s shoulder, just beside his neck, then said seriously, ¡°You are an able protector, and steadfastly loyal.¡± He looked back to Argrave. ¡°When this is done, I must ensure you are better armored to protect my brother.¡± He patted his shoulder, then turned away.


    Argrave raised his brow at the promise from the prince. He felt he was being yet deeper entangled with the Holy Fool, yet he could not balk at the promise from a royal of better armor. They still had artifactsparable to the crown embedded in Gmon¡¯s armor, if not vastly outmatching it. Their defensive capabilities, too, were much higher.


    ¡°And you, Durran?¡± Orion spoke to him, causing a seemingly involuntarily flinch from the tribal. ¡°Can you handle a night march?¡±


    ¡°If you carry me, I might be able to sleep,¡± Durran suggested. Argrave thought it was a joke and chuckled, but as he stared at Durran, he realized the man might be serious.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Orion scratched beneath his beard. ¡°Yet, it would be unfair to the others.¡±


    ¡°Clear it with them,¡± Durran continued. ¡°I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll be fine with it.¡±


    ¡°Durran¡¯s joking,¡± Argrave cut in after some hesitation. ¡°Considering there may be attacks, no one will be able to sleep.¡±


    The former tribal looked at Argrave bitterly, thenughed. ¡°I¡¯m fine. A bit sore, but I¡¯ve fought battles on less sleep. Once the adrenaline kicks in¡­¡±


    <em>None as fatal as this one promises to be, </em>Argrave thought.


    ¡°I know my men will be capable of this,¡± Orion nodded. ¡°And you, Argrave? We must not neglect you. Though you have grown broader, I still recall your many troubles with disease, broken bones¡­ I would not have you kill yourself for the sake of this. If need be, I would face all of our enemies by my lonesome, drive them utterly into the earth, and¡ª¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°I¡¯m a big boy,¡± Argrave held out his hand to stifle Orion. ¡°Then¡­ there is no time for breaks, for rest. We must march.¡± He looked to Silvic. ¡°Scout out the final path,¡± he directed her, though the words were for Anneliese.


    #####


    A simple stick waved in front of Elias¡¯ face, back and forth.


    ¡°I cannot see it,¡± Elias said. One hand covered his right eye, while the left eye was free and unblemished. He was shirtless presently, exposing a warrior¡¯s body. Arge streak of waxpox had corrupted most of his forearm, some of his upper arm, while a single streak rose up his neck and consumed part of his face. One of his eyes had gone gray.


    Helmuth, the spellcaster with abyssal purple eyes, stopped moving the stick in front of Elias¡¯ face. ¡°Uncover your eye,¡± hemanded, then set the stick down.


    Elias lowered his hand. ¡°It¡¯s well and truly blind, then.¡±


    Helmuth nodded and stepped away, saying nothing. There was another in the room¡ªa mage belonging to the Order of the Gray Owl. He was quite an old, portly man.


    ¡°I¡¯ve done all in my power to stop it from spreading to the brain,¡± the spellcaster said. ¡°But¡­ it still persists. This disease feeds on magic. Your power hastens its spread. It is truly a cursed thing.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. I appreciate Count Delbraun sending you to help.¡± He took a deep breath and sighed, moving his one good eye about. ¡°It¡¯ll never heal, will it?¡± Elias questioned. His tone was as though he was not discussing his own sight. ¡°I suppose a spellcaster needs sight less than a warrior. It is a good thing I took the path I did, I suppose.¡±


    ¡°Even the princess of this nation remains blind,¡± the spellcaster from Jast informed Elias. ¡°Broken bones, cuts, gouges¡­ easy enough to heal, as all that was there is still present. But severed limbs, rotted or gouged eyes?¡± the spellcaster shook his head.


    Elias nodded passively. ¡°The riots are mostly suppressed by this point, and the people are cooperating. But¡­ I still have to keep moving, root out the corruption in this city. I promised as much to the people.¡± Elias rose. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Helmuth put his hand to his temple, greatly frustrated. The focus of his frustration appeared to be himself. Nevertheless, he straightened and followed.


    #####


    Princess Elenore of Vasquer faced the three maids kneeling before her, her raw pink empty eye sockets hauntingly empty. Shebed her long, obsidian hair back, styling it with practiced movements. She wore a ck mourning dress that hid much of her pale, smooth skin.


    ¡°If Induen won¡¯t return, something must be done,¡± Elenore mused. ¡°If he is in Veden, whatever I order done will happen much slower.¡±


    ¡°Mina is his sole influence for staying, my princess,¡± one of the maids counseled.


    ¡°Yet if she is removed, Induen will take centuries to return to the capital. He is stubbornlymitted to seeking vengeance on whatever deprived him of an amusement or a gain. Elbraille is proof enough of that.¡± Elenore shook her head. ¡°Mina, who visited Orion¡¯s camp for the sole purpose of speaking to Argrave¡­ Mina, who is close friends to Nikoletta¡­¡± she sighed ponderously, then set her hairbrush down on the table before her.


    ¡°¡­you might leave the capital, my princess,¡± another suggested. ¡°You might manipte things all the better, while allowing Induen to remain where he is.¡±


    Elenore turned her head a different direction as though her empty eye sockets still saw. ¡°I cannot leave the greenhouse. I cannot disentangle from Dirracha. King Felipe III has forbidden such a thing,¡± she said, saying no words that hinted at genuine treason. ¡°Well, even if it is a clumsy hand, I can think of no way to pull Induen away from his task without ying my hand overtly. Perhaps it is better this way. This gue is even more dangerous than the war, I suspect.¡±


    She lowered her head. ¡°Encourage Induen in his efforts to fight the gue,¡± she finally directed, lifting her head up quickly and sharply. ¡°I believe¡­ I believe that Argrave was not boasting when he organized his expedition into the wends. The strange spirit he pulled from the wends¡­ the reports are too numerous and consistent to be fake. And Argrave¡­¡±


    ¡°He worries you, my princess?¡±


    Elenore tilted her head. ¡°I think he knows. Or at least suspects. ine¡¯s reports¡­¡±


    ¡°Suspects what?¡±


    The princess shifted in her chair. ¡°Suspects me. What I do. What we do, here in this greenhouse.¡±


    The maids looked between each other, disquieted.


    ¡°Orion¡¯s royal knights all ceased giving me reports once he¡­ I don¡¯t even know what he¡¯s done to them, exactly. My informants say they are monsters. Regardless, things must be brought to a head. When Argrave returns¡ª<em>if</em> he returns sessfully,¡± Elenore amended, ¡°Induen must be fullymitted to solving this gue. Get him invested. Get him involved. Make it feel important to him, special to him. All the while¡­ subtly stroke his hatred towards Argrave. When Argrave is heralded as a savior, the one who fixed the problem Induen had been trying to desperately to solve¡­ well, I¡¯m sure you know how my dear brother might react. I need instability. There is no better way to make it than with this.¡±

 Chapter 200

    Chapter 200: Siege of the Pce


    As far as Argrave was concerned, the primary difference between marching during the day and doing so at was merely that they had not slept. At least, that was his opinion before they began it.


    Argrave was tired and felt a little clumsy, probably doubly so because of his anemia, and the cold water of the wends soaked into his bones. Spell light lit their path ably, and the boundary where Silvic¡¯s protection ended was still as dark and unknowable as ever. They were unharried on their march just as it had been during the day¡ªa small blessing that spoke of ill fortune in their future. Though everyone present was hardy, tempered by battle and long journeys both, it was an unprecedently exhausting thing.


    The wend spirit Silvic had been consumed by the waxpox more and more as their journey progressed, just as it had been in the game. Their boundary of protection grew weaker as she did so, and the splendor of the liquid light humming within her wooden body died by the hour. Considering Orion¡¯s recent changes¡­ he did not know if her death was certain, anymore.


    Nor did he know if the gue Jester¡¯s death was certain. Hopefully his words got through to Orion.


    Nheless, they marched ever onward. The waters thinned as they did, and instead of wading through thick puddles, they stepped through no more than wet mud. The waxpox thrived here, stronger than ever. The rotted nts and trees all took on a taupe tone, ented by red. It was as though they walked through a forest of flesh and blood, and once the idea took root, it was nearly urate enough to make Argrave nauseous.


    Yet that did notst forever. In time, Argrave saw the ever-present mist around fade away, and the wends ahead were revealed in earnest. Stone roads were paved into the mud, each and all so uniform they were likely made by mages. None wereplete, though, most either buried in mud or abruptly ending. They all led to the same point¡ªa toweringplex of buildings, dimly lit by the burgeoning light of dawn.


    A beautiful pce rose up out of the wends, so impably preserved most might think it an illusion. Its walls of gaudy marble and gold still stood strong, nearly fifty feet tall. Spikes and statues of silver stood on the walls, each and all monuments to great warriors or mages. It had a central gate with a breathtaking archway, just over which thergest statue stood. It was a golden statue of King Felipe III, at a time when he was perhaps thirty at most.


    A near-ck polished granite pathway began at the central gate, stretching all the way back to the main pce. The courtyard beyond had an impably maintained garden, where the nts bloomed splendidly even now. borate water fountains dotted small pavilions. All of it radiated luxury and decadence, persisting amidst the harsh wends which had be a wastnd of death, rot, and despair as if a mockery to it all.


    ¡°This was the pce of the Archduke,¡± Orion stepped forward, gazing up at it. Everyone else nearly doubled over in exhaustion. ¡°Built after my father¡¯s first war, and given to Archduke Regene, his brother.¡± He looked back to Argrave. ¡°My uncle, his children¡­ Have they all died?¡±


    <em>You¡¯ll learn their fates soon enough, </em>Argrave wished to say, but he nodded, still breathless.


    Orion nodded, then looked back, examining each statue. ¡°They conquered thisnd with a pledge to weed our heretics, to spread the faith¡­ yet they build statues of men and women, warriors and spellcasters.¡±


    ¡°¡­this was a pce for the Archduke Regene, not a temple for the gods,¡± Argrave pointed out, finally catching his breath.


    Orion did not answer. His gaze wandered the walls, the towers, and the distant main building. ¡°The gate is open,¡± Orion said slowly. ¡°The walls are unmanned.¡±


    Argrave had noticed the same things, but the statues standing on the marble battlements made it seem as though they confronted a fortress manned by giants and gods. Maybe that was true, in part.


    ¡°We proceed carefully, lest more arrive,¡± Argrave looked around slowly. ¡°We¡¯ll know what we¡¯re facing before we face it. Silvic?¡± he turned, though his gazended on Anneliese. She nodded, and he held her steady as she took control of her druidic bond.


    Minutes passed as Argrave waited, and Silvic acted as though she were scouting. Then, suddenly, Anneliese took a deep breath and grabbed out. Argrave caught her arm and said, ¡°You alright?¡±


    The bird fluttered back to her shoulder, but Anneliese took a moment, hand held near her heart as though to calm its throbbing.


    ¡°Just tired,¡± she said, not rejecting his support. ¡°And¡­ the¡­ the Jester. I saw her. I saw her face. I have never experienced such¡­ absolute hatred.¡±


    Argrave had not experienced what she had, but he shuddered when he heard her say those words. After giving her a reassuring squeeze, he asked, ¡°Did you manage to scout, even still?¡±


    She nodded, then stepped away to speak to Silvic to ry the information.


    As Argrave feared, the enemy had rallied here. Even now, they hid in the walls and in the outer buildings, waiting to ambush them once they entered the pce¡ªprudent, considering a mere gate could not bar them from the pce walls for long and the animals they led could not manage sophisticatedmands. Two of the gue Jester¡¯s servants had made it here, it seemed¡ªthe bard and the jongleur. They were not staying by the side of the gue Jester, but rather took the east and west wall respectively, likely to ambush them from behind if they proceeded too far in. The centaur was absent. Given his speed, Argrave supposed he was off gathering the more distant reinforcements. All the more reason to hurry.


    The Jester waited in the Archduke¡¯s throne room. If Orion decided to stick around and help them deal with the two servants of the Jester that were formerly manning their fortresses, he couldn¡¯t say for sure the Jester would note out of the throne room and attack them.


    Orion needed to iste them from the gue Jester. She was so potent that merely being in the crossfire might mean death. Yet if Orion fought the whole force alone, even he might die. Hell, if the whole bulk of their enemies rushed out and attacked their party, they¡¯d probably sumb then and there. But the Jester didn¡¯t seem to be confident in that. She was not aware of her inherent advantage, so she waited. The troops she led could not handle tasks like scouting andplex strategies were off the table. One small fortune in this miserable situation.


    Argrave saw only one option in all of this. They would need to face the bard and jongleur, while Orion dealt with the Jester alone. That meant they¡¯d need to fight two bosses that Orion typically dealt with, alongside a vast horde of the same harrowing opponents they¡¯d encountered in the wends. Worse yet, they¡¯d need to do things quickly, so as to avoid confronting more foesing in from behind as reinforcements.


    The gue Jester was only a shaman empowered by a wend spirit, not a strategist. The fact that she had divided her forces in this manner demonstrated that. Even if she knew she held the advantage, which was dubious, Argrave wasn¡¯t certain she¡¯d be able to capitalize on that. This formation of hers was crudely effective and relied on their party proceeding in ignorance.


    Yet Argrave was not stupid enough to brute-force things, relying on his Blessing of Supersession. Their opponent had employed their strategy and ostensibly held the advantage, but they had tremendous knowledge of their opponent. Argrave, Gmon, and Anneliese discussed the matter in great detail, all the others standing by as council. They worked to dismantle theing battle piece-by-piece.


    #####


    Orion led them all into the pce of the Archduke, his Waxknights supporting him from behind in apact and orderly formation. Argrave and his party followed, too, just behind the royal knights serving Orion. He was certain all of them were being watched. The enemy was prepared to jump out in ambush once they moved to deal with the gue jester.


    Once they reached a certain point, Silvic broke away from the party, weaving into a pavilion overflowing with nts. Her presence disappeared into the well-maintained gardens in seconds, and none of their party betrayed that she had even left by giving a reaction. Just after, they reached the central square of the pce, where the path branched to the east and west, or continued north straight to the gargantuan main pce.


    The Waxknights halted. Orion looked back and nodded to Argrave.


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget, Orion. Nopromises,¡± he called out, hoping to ensure things would go well.


    ¡°I will defeat the enemy,¡± he agreed, then turned towards the main pce, rushing upwards towards the stairs.


    The Waxknights turned east and rushed just as Orion did. Argrave and Gmon moved towards some of the buildings arrayed against the wall, while Anneliese and Durran followed after the Waxknights.


    ¡°Be careful,¡± Anneliese whispered to Argrave before she left.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I like living,¡± Argrave returned. ¡°I¡¯d like you to live more. Be more careful than you want me to be,¡± he called as she left.


    Like that, they parted, her white hair shrouded as she pulled up the hood of her duster to better protect from stray assaults.


    Their strategy hinged on two principles¡ªthe first was that they would need to defeat the two powerful enemies as quickly as possible so as to avoid being attacked by two opponents far beyond them. The second principle would be to use the chaos caused by undermining the enemy¡¯s strategy to dismantle them.


    Argrave felt confident their n was the best they had. He¡¯d taken everything he could into consideration, especially the personalities of the bard and jongleur. He wasn¡¯t confident in sess, though, and being separated from two of hispanions made him more nervous than he cared to admit. He channeled Gmon¡¯s steadfastness, moving into one of the buildings of the pce with the elven vampire just beside him.


    They walked into a simple, two-story building. At once, the ce was filled with rancorous <em>HOOS</em>, and the gibbons that had gued them during their journey came flooding out of a basement and the second story, swinging atop the rafters towards Gmon and Argrave. The uproar set the whole pce alive just outside.


    Argrave conjured a ward with his enchanted ring yet angled it precisely so it stemmed the tide rather than stopping it altogether. With the number of foes lessened for but a moment, Gmon danced past the gibbons¡¯ sticks pulsing with liquid light, dispatching one after another. Argrave conjured [Electric Eels] while hispanion did his work, searching for an opening.


    They were overwhelmed for but a moment, and Gmon shielded Argrave with his body. He took harsh, bone-breaking blows, but delivering a swing of his greatsword in response so powerful it clove through two foes. After, Argrave split his electric eels into a deadly surge, dispatching near a dozen of the gibbons.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    This small assault chipped away much of his magic. He still had enough to do what needed to be done.


    ¡°Second floor,¡± Argrave directed, breathing steady as Gmon finished off thest gibbon. ¡°They should be fighting the bard by now.¡±


    Gmon nodded as he drained blood from one of his sks, and then the two of them raced up the stairs. One gibbon had waited in ambush, but Gmon mmed his sword¡¯s pommel into its face before it could even swing. After it fell, he stomped on its neck, dispatching it.


    There was arge bay window on the second floor, overlooking much of the pce grounds. Specifically, Argrave could see where Anneliese, Durran, and the Waxknights confronted a tide of chimera-esque Sentinels, and the animals of the wends that had so gued them during their journey.


    After looked around, he spotted a pink flower on one of the well-maintained hedges. ¡°Silvic is in ce,¡± he concluded. Argrave took a deep breath to steady himself, then said, ¡°Guess we wait for our grand entrance.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll make sure you¡¯re safe,¡± Gmon nodded.


    Argrave held his hands out. The B-rank matrix of [Bloodfeud Bow] took form, and a recurve bow of dark blood took shape in his hands. He cast another spell, and his Brumesingers finally came out, stepping up to defend him alongside Gmon.


    ¡°Not sure I <em>can</em> be safe,¡± Argrave concluded, blood dripping from his other hand as the arrow took shape.

 Chapter 201

    Chapter 201: Conflict in Paradise


    Anneliese felt as though she had returned to the invasion of Berendar, where she stood at the helm of a Veiden longship leading men towards a great throng of foes defending their homnd. There was nervousness, anticipation, and a dim hum of fear beneath it all,rger and stronger and more consistent than any feeling. This was war, she felt. And the stakes went far beyond merely her life. She stayed calm despite these sensations, aided by her own nature and the enchanted items Argrave had given her.


    The Waxknights marched ahead of Durran and her, armor nging against the granite path beneath them. They fearlessly cut their way towards the legion of monstrosities ahead. Leopards with the heads of cobras shot out their fangs as poison projectiles, while badger-like creatures pped their wings, ready to assail them from the sky. Laughter cut above all the sounds: Durran¡¯s, she knew. The man usually had a haze of cynical depression at most times, but in life-or-death battle, he came alive.


    <em>The bard is the passive one, </em>Argrave¡¯s voice rang in her head. <em>If you attack him, he¡¯ll remain level-headed. He won¡¯t attack you immediately. He¡¯ll do nothing but hold you back, using his own men while he aids them passively and waits for reinforcements. Silvic will be interfering with his abilities, so it shouldn¡¯t be as deadly as it normally is.</em>


    Anneliese could see the bard in the back. The Barefaced Bard, Argrave had dubbed him. He was a wend spirit, the same as Silvic, though more massive than the other they¡¯d seen, standing at perhaps ten feet. His head was like a spearhead, though unlike Silvic or the Intrepid Troubadour, it had a face of flesh. It was a child¡¯s face, pale and smooth, and jarringly ced amidst wood so unnaturally it seemed to be painted on. Its eyes were closed, as though it were dead.


    The Waxknights charged into the horde of unnatural Sentinels with practiced deadliness. The reason that Orion had insisted on bringing those of his knights that were also mages became obvious¡ªthey became a storm of spell and sword that made their charge increase in devastation tenfold as fire, ice, lightning, and the earth tore through the battlefield.


    Their charge cut through the Barefaced Bard¡¯s retinue with seeming ease for a time. The strange hybrid animals fell one after the other before effective attacks could be made. But the bard ced his hands against the ground, and his childlike face came to life, eyes opening to reveal empty sockets. He began to sing. The borate gardens of the pce became animate, the hedges and trees contorting in impossible manners to assail and obstruct their rush. Much of the granite pathway was turned over as roots bit at the Waxknights feet.


    ¡°Step back!¡± Anneliese shouted, using hermander¡¯s voice again after so long.


    As had been agreed before the assault, the Waxknights obeyed her orders. They retreated slightly, tangling with the bard¡¯s assault of greenery. As if on cue, the Sentinels began a countercharge, the true heavy hitters of the opponent revealing themselves in earnest. A giant python twice as thick as a man¡¯s torso lunged out, seemingly seeking to swallow the knights whole. A squad of gibbons rushed out, swinging so quickly from hidden ces it was shocking.


    <em>Conserve your magic. Considering how many opponents you¡¯re dealing with, big B-rank spells are best, so whenever you feel it¡¯s prudent, use that B-rank spell you used in the Marred Hallowed Grounds. You know, with the twin icedes,</em> Argrave¡¯s voice echoed like a reminder.


    And she did. She advanced past the retreating Waxknights, towards the lunging python¡¯s gaping maw, and conjured the B-rank matrix for [Icebound Twindes]. Two des of ice appeared before her, each held by a set of frozen arms attached at the shoulder, and each taller than her. The python¡¯s jaw caught on one de, but the two arms braced themselves undisturbed.


    When the des of ice began spinning and moving forth, the python was ripped free from the wall it clung to. It hung on for but a second before releasing its bite. It mmed against the outer wall of the pce, dislodging a gargantuan statue that toppled down, killing the giant python and several other creatures. All the while, the [Icebound Twindes] cut through countless foes before her.


    Anneliese staggered from the powerful spell, and when the icy mist settled, her gaze locked with the Barefaced Bard¡¯s empty eye sockets. A chill ran through her. Roots surged up out of the ground, grabbing at both of her legs. She was pulled into oing enemies, yet resisted stubbornly. Just then, Durran stepped past. He cast a simple me spell then stabbed his ive through it, and the unique properties of the wyvern bone carried the spell with the attack. Durran cleanly severed the attacking roots. She was freed.


    ¡°Conserve your magic, Anneliese,¡± Durran reminded her. She could practically hear his grin through his gray wyvern scale helmet. ¡°And good job.¡±


    Grateful to him, she stepped back,manding the Waxknights to advance once more. As she retreated behind them, she looked into the far distance. There, she saw an overwhelming presence approaching them all too quickly.


    <em>The jongleur is aggressive and foolhardy. I have no doubt he¡¯ll rush towards you blindly as soon as he figures out that the bard is under assault, </em>Argrave¡¯s words came to her.


    The Jolly Jongleur, as Argrave had called him, did not match his description particrly well. It was an ape, kin to the gibbons that had assaulted them during their journey through the wends. It was giant, though, and white. It ran atop the triangr rooftops of the buildings within the pce as though bncing on a tightrope, its arms as thick and long as the titanic python she¡¯d just in. It held a true sword in its right hand, and though the de was thick, ck, and crude, the liquid light teeming on its surface told of its true power.


    The jongleur tore a spike off the tip of one of the roofs and threw it towards Anneliese with astounding ferocity. She barely had the time to use her ring to conjure a B-rank ward, and even the ward barely stopped the projectile.


    She dared a nce to where Argrave waited, but the way light fell made her unable to see beyond the window.


    <em>It¡¯s up to him, then,</em> Anneliese noted mentally.


    #####


    Argrave watched the Jolly Jongleur prance about the rooftops erratically. His head was swimming in pain, and he felt such an intense power in his fingertips it felt as though he was holding back the ocean. Even now, blood danced from his fingers, his eyes, his nose, his ears, all fueling the spell in his hands. Behind, Gmon and his Brumesingers dealt with what few foes entered the buildings.


    ¡°Come on, you fucker¡­nd,¡± Argrave muttered.


    The [Bloodfeud Bow] had grown in volume and intensity so much it was astounding. The air around Argrave was filled with a dark red mist, so faint it was barely noticeable. Dust and air swirled about from the tip of the bloody arrow, which had grownrger than his arm.


    As if answering his prayers, the ape vaulted over one of the rooftops andnded in the center of the pathway, rushing towards Anneliese and her party with an intense ferocity. Once it passed by the pink flower above the hedges, it was as though a trap had been sprung. Roots exploded upwards, and the jongleur howled in primal surprise as they curled around him, ensnaring him.


    Triumph and nervousness filled Argrave so intensely his head grew light. He tried to aim as best he could, but the emotions made his head dance. He fell to one knee, his vision only whiteness. When the ringing settled and his vision cleared, the jongleur thrashed about, breaking free of its snare.


    Argrave felt aplete dread as the monkey wrenched free its gargantuan crude sword out of the trap and rushed towards Anneliese. He followed it with the bow, shaking as he stood on one knee. He saw its legs brace, and his focus intensified to a ridiculous degree. He raised the bow upwards, howling in agony as his body protested.


    The monkey jumped up into the air, sword held above its head. Argrave released the power he¡¯d been holding in his right hand and finished casting [Bloodfeud Bow].


    The dark red arrowhead tore through the bay window, the wall, and passed through the sky so quickly it was not all visible. It was a streak of crimson that spurred intense winds as it travelled, and the hedges close and distant both blew, shaken by the intense power. Argrave did not see the arrow hit the jongleur.


    But the arrow did hit the jongleur. It had to have done so, elsewise the gaping hole in his chest and his missing head were quite the coincidence.


    The jongleur¡¯s body spun about wildly from the tremendous force, the sword still held in hand. It twisted through the air, falling atop the Waxknights and Sentinels both as they fought. The jongleurnded in the middle of the battle, like a statement to their foes.


    Argrave gasped, half augh and half a groan of pain. He tried to rise to his feet, ready to shout, ¡°Time for a Blessing!¡±


    He quickly found rising to his feet was a mistake. His vision went white once again, his hearing vanished¡­ and soon, the white was reced by ckness. He felt his feet leave the ground, his head leaning forward.


    #####


    Anneliese gazed upon the corpse of the Jolly Jongleur. His hands were near asrge as she was, and still clung to the sword it held. Much of its torso and all of its head had simply¡­ vanished, transformed into naught but a fine red mist, still scattering across the battlefield even now. She felt a fool, but nced back to where the shot hade from.


    She found she was not a fool rather quickly, as Argrave tumbled off the gaping hole in the wall, body limp and unconscious.


    Her mind very nearly shut down as she juggled variables¡ªshe was themander of the battle, the Barefaced Bard was behind her, yet Argrave had nned to use the Blessing of Supersession, and he¡¯s unconscious and could be vulnerable¡ªall these thoughts came so quickly.


    When she saw Gmon jump down from the hole in the wall anding to Argrave¡¯s side, she felt immeasurable relief. She spared a nce back towards the Waxknights and Durran, then said, ¡°Step back!¡± once again. ¡°Silvic! Full attention!¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn


    With thatst order given, she ran towards Argrave in a panic far unlike what she was used to experiencing. When she neared, she slid towards him recklessly. Gmon already attempted to rouse him, shaking him lightly but intently.


    ¡°Don¡¯t shake him,¡± she scolded, yet felt a fool not moments after¡ªshe merely did not wish to see him hurt.


    Gmon stood and said, ¡°I will guard.¡±


    His eyes blinked open, unfocused, and she felt immeasurable relief. Trying her best to remain calm, she scanned his body for injuries. His armor had scuffs on it, likely preventing genuine harm from the fall.


    ¡°One shot,¡± she heard him mutter. ¡°Air shot. One shot.¡± He giggled deliriously.


    Anneliese used the B-rank healing spell [Bounteous Vitality], an all-purpose general heal that might solve some issues, even if it did nothing for the loss of blood. It seemed to have an immediate effect. His blinking lost its drowsy nature, and his ck and gold eyes regained sharpness.


    ¡°You¡¯re okay. You¡¯re okay,¡± she insisted, hoping to all she held dear it was true.


    He looked at her, confused. When Gmon slew something behind them, he shouted, ¡°Christ!¡± and sat up quickly.


    Anneliese wished to tell him he should take it easy, ensure he was not harmed¡­ yet she knew she could not say that. Instead, she stood and pulled him to his feet. Behind, Silvic stepped free from where she had been hiding, moving to aid the Waxknights and Durran, who fell back even still.


    ¡°We move,¡± she grabbed his arm.


    Argrave looked to the battle ahead, clutching his head in pain and trying to retain his bnce. She supported him. He looked around. Though the Jolly Jongleur was dead, his servants began to catch up with him, and the battle with the Barefaced Bard was not yet won. ¡°Still got¡­ work to do, looks like,¡± he concluded.

 Chapter 202

    Chapter 202: Done Enough


    Argrave felt a fog within all of his body. His actions were stiff and vague as though he had just been thawed out after being frozen for years. He could barely focus on the task at hand, and even keeping his head held up was difficult. All he wanted to do was go to sleep. But he¡¯d long ago set aside what he wanted. This was about what needed to be done.


    <em>Kill the enemy, kill the enemy, kill the enemy, </em>he repeated again and again, half of the time saying it aloud, and the other half saying it in his head. It was the only way he could stay focused on the task before him. He felt as though he was fumbling for a light switch while drunk as he tried to recall how to use the Blessing of Supersession.


    Yet once he felt the spring of limitless power vested in him by Erlebnis permeate his being¡­ he felt like a dull knife that had finally found a whetstone, and everything fell into ce.


    His vision sharpened, and his ears felt as though earplugs had been removed from them. His golden-eyed gaze fell upon the scene before him, and he straightened, now aware Anneliese had been the only reason Argrave was standing up.


    The Waxknights, alongside Durran, struggled against a tide of vicious Sentinels and supporting animals. More had joined since Argravest saw them¡ªthe towering rockhide hippos, the gibbons in no small numbers¡­ now, the Barefaced Bard fought directly against Silvic, their war a proxy battle of twisting roots and writhing nts. Silvic was losing, and badly.


    Argrave straightened his back and held out both of his hands. Sword and shield, he remembered: sword and shield. His right hand conjured [Electric Eels], and the C-rank spells danced upwards into the sky, awaiting hismand. His left became aze with wide, sweeping spells that carved a path before him.


    He pressed deeper and deeper into the thick of things, adrenaline keeping his mind utterly focused despite his aching mind and body. He never wanted for foes¡ªtheir rush at him was unending, and even though the animals feared him, they charged. He called upon every resource, using Garm¡¯s eyes to cast spells with abandon. He felt he could not stop walking forward, strangely.


    ¡°Guard the back! Reinforcements approach!¡± he heard Anneliesemand. That meant she had confidence he alone was enough to handle all before him. That stuck in the back of his head, making his task seem all the more urgent.


    Teeth, w, fang, and nature itself sought to tear into Argrave¡¯s throat and end him. Drawing upon instinct, he met them with teeth and w of his own. He conjured great maws of me from [Wargfire], the icy ws of [Wraith¡¯s Grasp], thick [Windswept des] cutting through them all. The enemies were sted away, some dying outright. Those that did not die met his sword¡ªdozens of [Electric Eels] striking from the sky like lightning, dispatching any hardy foes.


    Argrave felt like he could not stop¡ªhe felt as though he held on to a machine that was running wild, and that if he released it, it would spell his death. He felt ash beneath his boots, frozen corpses, and the faint shock of still-sparking electricity, yet still he pressed. At some point, his vision became a mix of so many lights, he questioned if he was still in the Archduke¡¯s pce.


    Yet then, the Barefaced Bard came into his view. The former wend spirit towered over him, and yet <em>it </em>was the one shying away from him, childlike but eyeless face looking as though it was going to cry. It regarded him like a hedgehog, a pufferfish, or a burning me, backing away cautiously. Yet like a cat hunting a scorpion, it swung out its hands, giving testing blows.


    Argrave moved to the side, and the Barefaced Bard moved opposite him, the two circling each other. In truth, Argrave merely wished to have his back to the wall so that no foes could circle around him. All the while, he warded his foes away, still using his tried-and-true strategy¡ªa sword and shield. He was an indomitable giant of a knight, he told himself.


    The Barefaced Bard climbed to the wall of the Archduke¡¯s pce, almost in a panic. It sought refuge behind a tower. As it fled, Argrave¡¯s [Electric Eels] grew all the more numerous in the sky, and the attacking force grew demoralized from their leader¡¯s retreat.


    Silvic, who was badly beaten from doing battle with the Barefaced Bard, did not remain idle. She assaulted the bard even still, staying his retreat. As the number of sparking eels neared the hundreds¡­ Argrave¡¯s blessing wore out.


    His shield of wide, sweeping spells faltered as the limitless magic within dissipated¡­ yet his sword persisted still. He spurred the electric eels, and the countless sparking constructs pursued the Barefaced Bard as was his will. The bolts of lightning rained down upon the childlike face embedded in the bard¡¯s wooden body. The attacks were relentless and seemingly unceasing, and the bard became a great glow of light before emerging changed, naught but a smoking pile of wreckage.


    The bard still lived, yet barely. It tumbled over the wall, falling in the courtyard while scrabbling desperately to move. Silvic disentangled her roots from the ground and sprinted across the badly destroyed granite pathway. Her hand morphed into a spike¡­ and she put an end to the Barefaced Bard, plunging her arm right into that childlike face.


    Argrave leaned against a wall, all fight lost. His foes, unaware of theirmander¡¯s death, rushed at him. All Argrave could do was curl up, relying on his enchanted duster to shield him while protecting his neck and his head.


    Blows and bites and scratches rained upon him, and pain assailed every part of his body. It never overwhelmed him, though, as much as he waited for it to end. Gradually, the sensation faded. He was vaguely aware of people trying to move him, help him. They received blows in his stead. Nevertheless, he faded away.


    <em>I¡¯ve done enough. Everyone else can handle the rest,</em> he thought, happily embracing the grayness.


    #####


    Orion stepped upon a purple velvet carpet, walking down the center of it. In stark contrast to all that was around him in the pce, his steps left dirt and mud tracking, and he appeared to be the filthy thing in this pce amidst the wends.


    The throne room was a vast ce, held up by six thick pirs of ck marble veined with gold. ck and gold filled the room with abundance, so much so it was difficult to refrain from calling it gaudy. ck sconces held golden mes, the ck walls were trimmed with gold, and even the stained ss windows had been stained gold. It was a decadent ce, yet had a grim air to it nheless.


    Banners hung from the walls just beside the windows. The field was ck, and it depicted a golden snake. It was not the banner of the royal family, though¡ªthis golden snake curled around nothing, and stood before a shield. Orion recognized it as the personal sigil of his uncle, the Archduke Regene.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    At the end of the velvet carpet where the stairs moved up to the throne room, there was a majestic golden stag, with shining antlers stretching up ten feet into the air. It lied on the floor, legs copsed beneath it and snout against the ground, eyes dead and lifeless. Its antlers had perfect symmetry, forming a strange, webbed pattern.


    A woman sat atop the stag¡¯s head, its snout seeming a perfect seat, its antlers a perfect throne. Her skin was the light green color of the swamp folk, and her eyes a rich and piercingly light yellow. She wore a motley outfit of a dark purple contrasted with a lighter purple. Arge jester¡¯s hat rested above her brow, three points poking out the top like a half star. Golden rings hung at the end of these points, half a dozen bells on each ring. One leg was crossed over the other on her stag throne. She held a scepter with a miniature version of her face wrought of silver, hat and all, smiling brightly as it dangled from the loose grip of her left hand.


    ¡°If you¡¯vee seeking the lord,¡± the gue Jester began in a sneering act, ¡°I am afraid he is rather busy. Considering everyone else is either dead or in a simr state, I happen to be the regent of this Archduchy. Funny thing, a fool being named regent. My favorite jest, and that¡¯s speaking as a jester. Nevertheless, I¡¯ve kept the ce well-maintained.¡±


    Just beyond the stag, where the stairs rose up, three thrones stood. One held the Archduke, his body so well-preserved he seemed alive. The other held his wife¡ªOrion vaguely remembered the blonde woman but could not recall her name. The Archduke¡¯s son sat in the third throne. They all sat upright like they were alive, but were so unmoving they could not be.


    Orion pointed his mace. ¡°Will you repent, gue Jester, and kill yourself?¡±


    The jesterughed. She had a fast-paced, wry giggle that sounded fake. ¡°Only a fool would do that¡ªthought a different sort of fool than the one you people made me. Why do you point a mace? It is not a sword, and can¡ª¡±


    Orion threw his mace, and it travelled through the air incredibly quickly. The jester uncrossed her legs, kicking the bottom of the fast-moving projectile and sending it upwards into the air, whereupon it fell into her right hand.


    ¡°I¡¯m d you came, scion of Vasquer,¡± the jester said, voice smooth and calm, her tittering jester¡¯s act dropped entirely. ¡°Once I defeat you, I will put you beside your kin. They¡¯re alive, you know. Well, alive enough to understand things, at the very least. You, the Archduke¡­ all of those outside¡­ all of you will watch as your kingdom and its people rot away, turned as ugly outside as they are within. You will despair for decades, as I had.¡±


    ¡°The gods will be the judge of that,¡± Orion dered, entirely unaffected. ¡°Yet your god lies beneath your feet, sapped and drained by your¡­ antics. You are no faithful, and you have no righteous cause. You are an abomination, and the whole world wishes you dead.¡±


    ¡°Just as I wish the world dead,¡± the jester rebutted, tossing aside Orion¡¯s mace.


    The gue Jester rose to her feet, stepping off the stag¡¯s head. Bells on her jester¡¯s hat and her pointed shoes rang as she moved, chimes echoing against the empty marble walls. She was half the height of Orion, yet she did not seem smaller at all.


    ¡°They say the one who grows irate at the jester¡¯s jests is the biggest fool of all,¡± she noted, holding her scepter out as she strutted forward, ringing and chiming.


    Orion rushed forth, far too fast for one armored in metal, and the gue Jester let out another fakeugh before preparing to fight.

 Chapter 203

    Chapter 203: Fight of the Fools


    ¡°Here he is,¡± said Durran, his breathing heavy. He handed Argrave off to Gmon, his body limp. ¡°Lighter than he looks.¡± They were in the small house Argrave had been holed up in. His Brumesingers stayed by his side, protecting him by shrouding the environment with their mist.


    ¡°Because he has little blood,¡± Gmon concluded. ¡°You¡­¡± he looked down at Durran¡¯s hands. His left hand was covered in blood and seemed misshapen.


    ¡°Just a few fingers gone,¡± Durranughed, though his voice was tense and betrayed his pain. He gazed at his hand¡ªthe middle, ring, and pinky finger were all gone, torn off by a bite. ¡°Someone had to save him. Couldn¡¯t trust the Waxknights. A few fingers is a small price, in my eyes. He¡¯s¡­ quite the scary one, looks like. Conjured that magic show,¡± his gaze lingered on Argrave, who looked half a corpse. He had countless cuts, yet they did not bleed.


    Gmon looked at Durran, judging. Eventually, he nodded. ¡°Rejoin the fight,¡± he directed. ¡°I will ensure Argrave is safe.¡±


    Durran nodded. He ran outside, grabbing his ive. He cast healing magic on his hand¡ªthough the fingers did not regrow, the wound did close. He awkwardly handled his ive, possessing considerably less grace than he typically did.


    Anneliese strode towards Durran. She looked a mess, hair wild and unruly, enchanted armor damaged in half a dozen ces¡­ yet her steps were strong and decisive. ¡°How is he?¡±


    ¡°Gmon is keeping him safe,¡± Durran assured her at once.


    She did not seem quite relieved, yet Anneliese contented herself with that. ¡°That centaur has returned with reinforcements,¡± she informed him curtly. ¡°You are needed.¡±


    ¡°Argrave gave youmand,¡± he reminded her.


    ¡°I know this. And I have a n,¡± Anneliese nodded. ¡°The bulk of the forces within the pce are routed. Not dead, mind you¡ªI suspect they will join up with the host approaching the pce alongside the centaur. They acted reasonably, meaning another one of the fortressmanders is with them,manding them.¡±


    ¡°How many got away, do you think?¡± he questioned, looking around. The ce was a mess of inhuman corpses, and even now the Waxknights stood diligently, waiting for more toe. Their numbers had thinned. Some were badly injured.


    ¡°Hard to say. I must assume over one hundred, for the sake of surety,¡± Anneliese looked around. ¡°Neither the gate nor the walls are enchanted. Even if they were¡­ that centaur wasrge enough to bound over them.¡±


    ¡°And you said he brought one of themanders from the fortresses,¡± Durran noted.


    Anneliese put her hands on her hips. ¡°This ce was not made for defending. Only four of the Waxknights are still capable of fighting, even. I have little magic left, and the Waxknights are the same. We could not even heal Argrave.¡±


    ¡°Yet you have a n?¡± Durran took off his helmet, wincing as sliced flesh stuck to it.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°First¡ªdestroy the host¡¯s morale,¡± she stated inly. ¡°We must take the corpse of the jongleur and bard both, string them up above the gates. It will have little effect on the animalistic creatures¡­ yet the leaders are the ones we target, here. We must instill caution in them. Considering their clumsy strategy on disy in this pce¡­ they are not capable of scouting.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the bottom line?¡± Durran pressed.


    ¡°Stall desperately,¡± Anneliese admitted. ¡°Orion can turn the tide, I believe. Failing that, I am considering retreating. Either will be immensely challenging, to be sure. I may¡­ need to disobey Argrave.¡±


    Durran looked to the distant main pce, taking a deep breath. ¡°Good gods¡­ I never thought I¡¯d be hoping to see that man desperately.¡±


    #####


    Orion seldom fought foes that could keep up with him. His father had been one¡ªthough that had been ten years ago, and the king had never deigned to do it again.


    This Jester, though¡­ she could.


    On their first exchange Orion bullheadedly rushed in, intending to contest strength with strength¡­ yet the gue Jester yed a different game. She charged forth just as he did, yet when they neared confrontation, she darted down, sweeping his legs with the scepter in her hand. When he stepped over her blow, she nted a palm against his chest powerfully.


    The metal shone, bursting into sludge, and Orion staggered from the power. The gue Jester darted away. He made to pursue once more, yet that sludge took the shape of a nt and thrust towards his neck. Orion caught it with one hand, quickly shattering it. When he looked at what had broken off, he saw a wooden knife. It was familiar, and memories of Magnus surfaced.


    ¡°Did you kill my brother?¡± Orion demanded.


    ¡°The man Matesh saw with you? I cannot say. Why not go check?¡± the Jester straightened.


    Orion shattered the knife in his grip, discarding shards of wood. He could not determine if she was feigning innocence. Though he had already been angry, he stepped forth with an icy cold and intense rage. His hand caught fire, and he thrusted it out. The gue Jester stepped back, yet Orion opened his palm and shards of fiery wood flew out, pelting the gue Jester.


    She staggered back, and Orion punched as he stepped. The Jester nimbly ducked, then swung her scepter towards Orion¡¯s knee. He caught the scepter with his free hand and liquid light danced out, cutting deep into his palm. He put power in his legs and kneed her in the face. She caught air for half a second before rolling gracefully anding to a standing stop.


    Orion¡¯s palm bled slightly, yet soon enough the blood flowed back into his hand, and the wound slowly closed. ¡°The gods do not let me bleed,¡± he dered, palm held forward.


    The gue Jester stared back. Her light green nose was broken, yet she did not bleed. She fixed it with one hand.


    Orion pursued once again. Yet as he stepped¡­ the room burst into color. Everywhere the gue Jester had touched burst forth into nt life, like a spring dpressed¡ªwhere her feet had stepped exploded into vines, where Orion¡¯s kneepad met her face writhed with thorny flowers, and even his own hand burst into grasping, carnivorous nts.


    The room became chaos at once, everything attacking Orion fiercely. His struggle was an intense surprise at first, yet then became coordinated. All he touched became me, and he twisted about like a mongoose wrestling a cobra. Then, with a tremendous rush, he pushed past all that.


    The jester did not approach, this time. She danced about the room with grace. With every step that she took, the ce became more and more alive. The mes grew just as quickly, Orion fanning them deliberately to free himself of his pursuit.


    In not seconds, the once dead throne room became unrecognizable¡ªa jungle of biting and tearing nts, burning and growing in equal measure. Yet when the jester stepped atop one of her own roots, she winced and spasmed, shocked by electricity from one of Orion¡¯s numerous blessings. Orion took that brief moment to close the distance.


    A spear of ice simply formed in his hand from the moisture in the air, and he thrust it towards her with caution, giving herbat prowess ample respect. Though she attempted to deflect it, the spear broke off at the tip, creating only another spike. She pulled her head aside, yet it cut into her ear and pushed the jester hat off, revealing silken brown hair.


    With Orion close, she reached for his face. The jester seeded only in brushing his beard, which immediately turned to nts resembling fly traps. The nts bit at his face with teeth far too sharp. As he tore them free, the jester fled once more, her bells ringing and chiming like an unspoken taunt.


    She ran alongside the wall, running her hand against it as she moved. Innumerable obstacles rose to meet Orion as he rushed, yet he barreled past them like an industrial machine. She wove in between the pirs holding up the ceiling, changing her direction with practiced grace as she dodged around Orion.


    Orion could not say how much time passed. His determination never waved, and he pursued the fool as intensely as he knew how. He brought all of his blessings to heel, seeking to catch up¡­ yet he felt like a dog led about by the nose.


    Eventually, the jester came to the center of the room. The pirs, which had been still, writhed to life. Four giant wooden hammers thrust out with tremendous speed, and though Orion dodged two, he could not dodge all. One struck him into another mallet that mmed him from above. He managed to stay standing, holding up a tremendous mass of wood. He threw it up, casting it aside with his tremendous strength, and moved to catch the jester.


    Yet he did not foresee the ceiling copsing. A great wave of stone and brick fell upon him. The main pce¡¯s roof had been heavily ornamented, and the great weight of all these ornaments fell upon him. The jester dodged the bulk of it, having predicted this, and closed the distance.


    She jammed the sharp back of her jester scepter into his gut. It sunk deep, piercing out his back. He saw her smile.


    Yet Orion smiled too. ¡°Finally,¡± he said, spitting blood.


    He grabbed her arm so fiercely her smile faded in not half a second. He pulled, mming his foot into her knee so hard it bent backwards. The movement made him cough yet more blood, and he deliberately spat it into her face.


    Orion fell atop her, the jester¡¯s scepter still lodged in his gut. He grabbed her neck and mmed it against the stone. The granite cracked, but her head remained intact. Greenery assailed him from all sides, piercing his back, his shoulders, his arms, his neck and head¡­


    Yet Orion did nothing but m his fist against her face time and time again. The ground cracked and dust scattered everywhere with each blow. She tried to hit him and hurt him, yet no damage deterred Orion. As his own flesh writhed into nt life and ate at him, it became a struggle simply to see who could kill who first.


    The gue Jester¡¯s head gave into gore, and the struggle ceased. He kept mming again and again, ensuring nothing remained. Only after a long while did he stop.


    Orion rose to his feet, blood pouring from his mouth and staining his beard. Much of his flesh had been turned to nts from the jester¡¯s touch, now dead and wilting after her demise. Hundreds of gashes and gouges in his back tried to heal, each doing so very slowly. He fell to one knee and spat yet more blood on the gue Jester¡¯s corpse.


    As he knelt, he caught sight of the jester¡¯s scepter still embedded into his gut. The mock head atop it made of silver still smiled up at him. He grabbed it with bloody hands and pulled it free. He stared at the scepter, doing nothing but catching his breath.


    Ahead, something stirred. Orion lifted his head and stood at once. He had a hole in his gut the size of a fist, and his armor was so terribly damaged it was astounding it did not fall from his body.


    The golden stag rose up out of the copsed ceiling. It struggled against rubble, rocks and debris falling from its body. Most of the mes had been suppressed by the copse, and the greenery died with the gue Jester.


    Orion walked forward towards the stag, his steps steady. Even now, his blood tried to make its way back inside of his body, dancing through the air from various portions of the room. Ahead, the stag¡¯s golden fur turned to white ever so slowly, and its eyes regained its light. It watched Orion as he approached.


    When Orion came to stand before it, expression inscrutable, its voice echoed out.


    ¡°Kill me,¡± Rastzintin asked earnestly, voice old and pathetic.


    Orion probably did not need to be asked. He jammed the jester¡¯s scepter between its eyes, and then its legs lost its power. It copsed into the fallen pce, then turned all white. From its spot pierced into the stag¡¯s skull, the mock head atop the jester¡¯s scepter still smiled at him, half-covered in a bloody handprint. Orion¡¯s gaze fell to where his uncle the Archduke sat.


    Orion fell to one knee. Without so much as a grunt of pain, he rose once more. His gaze turned back where he knew Argrave and the rest of the expedition was.

 Chapter 204

    Chapter 204: Omniscient Commander


    Though Anneliese knew that Argrave had not explicitly given her permission to show her hand¡­ she felt it was necessary, and she knew that he would agree. It was not so drastic a measure, of course. Indeed, exposing her druidic magic was quite a simple thing, and she had kept hidden only because Argrave was overcautious. Nheless, she was sure it¡¯d be very effective. Though she had considered simplymanding everyone to hide in the buildings¡­ that relied too much on chance. Instead, she¡¯d be controlling things from beginning to end.


    As Anneliese hadmanded, she¡¯d had the bodies of the jongleur and the bard disyed over the gate. The giant jongleur¡¯s ridiculously long ape arms were staked between two of the golden statues on the front gate, and it hung with its head and part of its chest missing. The Barefaced Bard¡¯s body was too badly charred to be disyed effectively, yet its face was still intact¡ªthey cut it free of the wood and hung it from a rope. It dangled like a ne from the body of the jongleur.


    Anneliese watched the approach of the disorganized horde with her Starsparrow, getting an urate evaluation of the foe they faced. Argrave had not told her of all the entertainers in the gue Jester¡¯s list, but she found it nheless¡ªit stayed aback the centaur, taking the ce of the troubadour. It was a grotesque mass of muddy roots that wound together like a ball of eels, and did not look mobile.


    When the enemy arrived at the gates¡­ four of the Waxknights stood in front of it, just below the massive marble archway. They confronted a host numbering probably half a thousand, yet the knights stood fearlessly. Anneliese watched from a distant ce, using thest of her remaining magic to control her Starsparrow to oversee the situation.


    Between the jongleur and bard hanging from the gate and the obviously exposed knights before them¡­ anyone capable of reasoning, especially an inexperienced strategist, would suspect a trap. And that was what she wanted.


    Even an inexperiencedmander would know a little of how to deal with a trap when there was no option but to proceed. They would not proceed blindly. They would probe, sending less important detachments to sus out what might lie ahead.


    When she saw the tangled mass of roots on the centaur¡¯s back call out with a strange, clicking howl, she feared what was going to happen. When the horde of enemies behind the centaur pushed back the two of them as they waited, Anneliese very nearly smiled. She directed her Starsparrow in front of the Waxknights, giving them their signal. There was no better utility at her disposal tomand them from a safe distance.


    The n remained as simple as ever. Anneliese was going to stall.


    The pce of the Archduke was aplicatedplex, filled with pavilions, buildings serving many different purposes, and borate structures that stood as grandiose disys of wealth. Though there was a straightforward central path that led to the main building where the throne waited¡­ the rest of the ce was not so straightforward. There were winding paths that looped in on themselves, some of which looked near identical. Better yet, they were thin, hindering the coordination ofrge crowds.


    The four Waxknights divided up and took different paths. With their gleaming golden armor, it was easy to keep an eye on each of the four from the sky, and Anneliese¡¯s Starsparrow could maneuver quickly enough that it did not often matter if she lost track of one or more of them at a time¡ªshe could find them if only a few seconds.


    The creatures sent out as probes,rgely dumb animals or Sentinels, pursued in a disorganized if ruthless manner. Nevertheless, they were divided. Though much faster than the Waxknights, Anneliese had them deliberately move into thin, tight spaces like alleyways between buildings.


    Durran and Silvic had their role in this. She had them lying in wait in secluded ces, picking off isted pockets of enemies when she directed them to. Gibbons armed with divinely blessed weapons would wander into an overgrown pavilion, and Silvic would swarm up from hiding, ensnaring and ending foes with her wend magic. Rockhide hippos would barrel through crowded alleyways, only to be stabbed repeatedly from above by Durran¡¯s ive. Though a bit clumsy in light of his missing fingers, he managed the task ably enough.


    Though they had a set path for a time, the Waxknights eventually reached the end of that road. Thus began Anneliese¡¯s second duty¡ªshe guided the four knights through ces that had no enemies ahead of them, like an overseer directing mice through a maze. She used her bird¡¯s tremendous speed to its fullest extent, keeping each of the four winding through the ce in perfect harmony. They never confronted friend nor foe.


    Between guiding Durran and Silvic to hunt foes, herding the Waxknights away from danger, and keeping her eye on the mass of enemies so that none managed to get near where she hid, this task of Anneliese¡¯s was a massive mental strain. There were so many variables to keep an eye on, and the simplest mistake might make anyone perish.


    Anneliese did not know if this was because of the enchanted items Argrave had given her to help with her concentration, or simply her own personality¡­ but she found she was very good at this. Commanding people and predicting the response of the enemy was something she had a strange, almost unnatural confidence in, even despite the fact her foes were animals whose emotions she could not read. Despite the urgency, despite the threat to their lives¡­ she enjoyed doing this.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Yet then, the wend spirit and the centaur took slow, steady steps up to the gate, hoofs ttering against the stone walkway leading to the gate. The centaur¡¯s gaze lingered on the Barefaced Bard¡¯s head and the Jolly Jongleur¡¯s corpse¡­ and then scanned the pce beyond.


    At the same time, a great tremor rocked the whole pceplex. Anneliese took her Starsparrow to the sky to see the vast building that Orion and the gue Jester fought within copsepletely. The dust was so intense she could see nothing beyond, even with the bird¡¯s fantastic eyesight. Yet when the dust fell¡­


    She saw a vast jungle rapidly growing and writhing out of the dust, so many various types of ntsing into being that it was both beautiful and horrifying. This continued for near half a minute¡­ then, all of the nts ceased, straining as though stretched to their limits. She could not ce exactly what changed, but the vibrancy and intensity of the jungle waned before beginning to curl inwards, wilting half as quick as they had grown.


    The centaur stepped back, staggering as though he could not believe the sight before him. He stuck his arm through his strung bow and wore it over his shoulder, then broke into an intense gallop towards the main square. He stopped in the center, while in the distance, someone pushed past the dust.


    Orion emerged from the devastation¡­ though seeing as how devastated his body and armor were, perhaps he merely brought the devastation with him. One hand dragged along a massive white stag¡¯s body, holding it by its borate antler crown. The other held a badly dismembered corpse by the foot, the body wearing a bloodstained motley outfit of two distinct shades of purple.


    ¡°I cannot be stopped,¡± Orion dered, his voice loud and smooth. ¡°I cannot be stopped by any heretics. I will carve through your numbers piece by piece until none of you remain. My body will never tire. My mind will never waver. I¡¯lle for you step after step, day after day, night after night.¡±


    The centaur trotted backwards, removing his bow from his back. The wend spirit on his back reformed part of its body into an arrow, yet Orion heaved his body and threw the great stag¡¯s body forth. It hurtled through the air with tremendous speed, and the centaur tried to rush aside. He was not quick enough¡ªinstead, he dropped his bow and caught its antlers, sliding back from the tremendous power from the throw, hooves cracking against the uneven granite pathway. The stag¡¯s massive crown of antlers poked at his armor and flesh, leaving cuts or scrapes in many ces.


    Anneliese was so awestruck by Orion¡¯s appearance and tremendous strength she nearly forgot her duties.


    <em>Now that Orion is here¡­ guide everyone to him, have him handle things. </em>


    With that judgement, she made to do precisely that. Yet the wend spirit on the back of the centaur let out its clicking howl once again, and all of their enemies halted. When another call came¡­ they all frenziedly made for the walls, entirely ignoring their quarry.


    The animals and wend spirit Sentinels that had entered the pceplex flooded out into the wends with an intense desperation. The centaur retrieved his bow, and then bounded back towards the main gate. Orion stepped forth near casually, stepping atop the corpse of the great white stag he¡¯d thrown as he watched them leave.


    Anneliese brought her Starsparrow back to her person and broke the direct connection between her and the bird. It was strange to be viewing things from her own eyes again, and she took a moment to gather herself before she pushed out of the building she¡¯d hid within to the pce, still cautious of any and all enemies.


    When she strode to the central square where Orion had been, the remainder of their party had already gathered.


    ¡°What was that?¡± Durran questioned.


    ¡°They flee, like cowards,¡± Orion said coldly. ¡°But I wille to them.¡±


    ¡°They don¡¯t flee. That call¡ªI can interpret it,¡± Silvic interjected. ¡°They intend to marshal their forces yet more. A strategic retreat, to be returned with greater numbers.¡±


    Orion looked to the wend spirit. ¡°It matters not. I will defeat all challengers.¡± He looked around. ¡°Where is Argrave?¡± he demanded.


    ¡°Unconscious. He used blood magic to defeat one of themanders, while personally dispatching the other with¡­ tremendous magical aptitude,¡± one of the Waxknights reported quickly.


    ¡°Unconscious?¡± Orion repeated, finally dropping the corpse of the jester. He stepped to his knight and grabbed his shoulders. ¡°Where is he?¡±


    ¡°He is safe. His guardian, Gmon, protects him, alongside those small creatures he keeps as pets.¡±


    ¡°I will go to him, take care of him,¡± Anneliese decided aloud. ¡°But Orion¡­ all of us are drained and weary. You are needed most as a warrior and defender,¡± she informed him curtly.


    He stepped up to her. He was like a radiating ball of worry and concern, so she could not muster fear. All he did was take a deep breath and nod.


    ¡°Yes. Go to him,¡± he said. ¡°Focus only on him. He is my brother¡­ but he is to be your husband. So go,¡± he directed her.


    The word ¡®husband¡¯ left a strange feeling within her, yet she could only nod to show her assent.


    ¡°I will deal with the enemy,¡± Orion stepped away. ¡°I will tear through them, as I was meant to. If they should charge me, I will tten them. If they should flee, I will hunt them. And then¡­¡± his gaze turned to Silvic. ¡°I will decide what happens next.¡±


    Silvic disyed no fear, even though the words might ostensibly be a threat. She merely walked up to the body of the white stag and ran her uncorrupted hand against its fur.


    ¡°The gue will stop spreading and growing all around the world. No¡ªit already has,¡± Silvic dered. ¡°I have done all I wished¡ªwashed away a stain. So you may decide as you will.¡±


    Orion stared at her with his gray eyes for a few seconds. Then, he turned, battered but unbroken, and proceeded towards where the enemy had fled.

 Chapter 205

    Chapter 205: Family


    ¡°I did it as best I could, prince Levin,¡± a man garbed in brown robes spoke. He was short, and his skin green. He was one of the swamp folk.


    ¡°No, I can see that,¡± Levin soothed casually, staring down at the dead body of Magnus. Levin was dressed befitting a prince. He was thin and tall with a sinewy strength to him. He kept his hands politely behind his back.


    A few days¡¯ travel had made Magnus¡¯ body somewhat worse for wear, but he deemed it would be good enough for the funeral. They would need ample perfumes, he judged. He stayed fixated on the hole in his neck.


    ¡°¡­but nothing came of it, my prince,¡± the man said anxiously. ¡°I mean, beyond the murder itself¡­ he is your younger brother, so the murder was not necessary for session¡­¡±


    Levin turned his head back. His rich blue eyes seemed like ocean water, almost innocent. ¡°You¡¯re trying to assume my reasoning for this,¡± he noted. ¡°Don¡¯t.¡±


    The man lowered his head obsequiously. ¡°Of course, my prince.¡±


    Expression inscrutable, Levin turned back. ¡°My father hasmanded I make the funeral arrangements, alongside the investigation. He¡¯ll need to be dressed better. A¡­ a high cor, to be sure, to hide the wound. And something sleeved. Traditional Vasquer colors.¡± He turned to the man. ¡°You¡¯ll get it done?¡±


    The man looked back up. His expression was obvious¡ªhe was no funeral director, his face seemed to scream. But he nodded. ¡°I will take care of it to the best of my abilities.¡±


    He made to leave and pulled the door inwards to step out. Four ck-garbed men lunged in, stabbing him in the chest and neck quickly and efficiently. Levin watched them work. When they finished, the four knelt before him.


    ¡°Did you hear what I said?¡± Levin questioned.


    The ck-garbed men looked up, then looked between each other, confused.


    Levin freed his hands from behind his back. ¡°The clothes. Do you remember what I asked?¡±


    ¡°Yes, my prince,¡± the quickest among them said.


    ¡°Take his measurements. See it done,¡± hemanded naturally, then walked out of the open door.


    #####


    ¡°Frankly, he¡¯s lost enough blood that a normal man would surely have died,¡± Gmon said to Anneliese. As her heart dropped, he continued, ¡°But¡­ he¡¯s no normal man. He¡¯s ck blooded. He still has a strong heartbeat, if a bit rapid, and none of his functions seem seriously impaired. Above all¡­ he has vitality. I know this,¡± he looked at her, leaving ¡®why¡¯ unspoken.


    Anneliese gazed down at Argrave, a mess of worry and thought. Though his wounds had now been healed, he still refused to rouse after hours. ¡°Healing magic cannot rece his blood,¡± Anneliese said. ¡°What should be done?¡±


    ¡°¡­all I know is first aid,¡± Gmon said cautiously. ¡°But¡­ well, we¡¯ll have to tend to him constantly. You should use healing magic on a regr basis tobat organ failure, I believe. That¡¯s what gets the men that bleed. As far as I know, healing magicbats that. All the while¡­ he¡¯ll need to be fed, hydrated, and his body allowed to work at self-rejuvenation.¡±


    Anneliese held her hands out. ¡°Fed? How?¡±


    Gmon bit his lips. ¡°Healers I knew¡­ used honey on a cloth. I remember a few other things. I can show you how to administer it, but I¡¯ve never done it personally. If we have no honey or anything like it, it¡¯ll have to be something liquified. We might ask Silvic about the nts that are edible, or for something that resembles honey in the wends.¡±


    Anneliese put her hand to her forehead, overwhelmed. Gmon said as tenderly as he knew how, ¡°He¡¯s strong and stubborn. I¡¯ll give him a day to wake up, especially with magic in his blood. People tell tales of how resilient dragons are, and mages drink dragon blood for health and vitality. That¡¯s because of the magic in their blood. Failing that¡­ as much as I loathe him, Orion would not let his brother die. This I firmly believe.¡±


    ¡°How many times must this happen?¡± she asked quietly.


    #####


    Argrave grew aware of the sensation of something sweet in his mouth. It was like a patch of sce amidst nothing but an utter soreness. His eyelids stubbornly refused to obey his directive to open. He could not move his hands or arms. Even his tongue was weak, yet as he moved it, he realized there was a cloth barely in his mouth. He heard a voice, sweet and light, and then faded away.


    His consciousness returnedter, like the tide against the shores. He barely remembered looking at someone, saying something, and then going out once again. He had many of those memories¡ªbarelypsing back into being, and then fading out just as quickly.


    He didn¡¯t know exactly how long thissted, yet eventually, the world crystallized around him. He finally felt aware enough to make observations.


    Argrave lied in a ratherfortable bed, but he was certainly notfortable. He was well used to pain, and soreness, and weakness, and his present state brought back rather ufortable memories. He tried to move his arms and sit up¡­ and seeded, yet it was a tremendous strain. He fell back to the bed. The feeling was strange, and heughed from the soreness.


    Someone strode in, and he turned his head towards them.


    ¡°By¡­¡± Anneliese trailed off, then stepped towards him with a relieved sigh. ¡°Thank the gods,¡± she said as she came to kneel by his bedside.


    ¡°I feel like¡­ a bag of grain,¡± he confessed, his mouth far too dry.


    She shook her head and chuckled, then stroked his hair with a gloved hand. ¡°You don¡¯t need to move. Everything¡¯s been taken care of. The Jester, all of it¡ªit¡¯s dealt with.¡±


    Argrave felt like a needle had been poked into his brain to wake him up. ¡°Oh. I forgot about that.¡±


    He tried to stir, but Anneliese needed only to put her hand atop his chest to utterly suppress him. ¡°You will eat. And then you will sleep.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t negotiate with terrorists,¡± he pointed a finger at her.


    She gazed at him tenderly. ¡°Wait,¡± she directed, before moving to get something.


    Argrave found themand rather sensible, and so waited.


    #####


    After a hearty meal and a long rest, Argrave found his mind far clearer than it had been¡ªclear enough to refrain from rambling nonsensically about negotiating with terrorists. rity brought with it a heightened awareness of his state. He could move, but walking would still be difficult. The ck blood in his veins would make his recovery all the quicker, he hoped.


    ¡°You had half a dozen broken bones,¡± Anneliese informed him. ¡°So many cuts¡­ some of them left scars, because they were not healed fast enough.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Argrave asked with his hoarse voice. ¡°That¡¯s not so bad. Scars are¡­ well, forget it.¡±


    ¡°Scars are a point of weakness in tissue,¡± she disagreed, knowing well what he¡¯d refrained from saying on the matter. ¡°They are not decorations like tattoos or jewelry.¡±


    Argrave lowered his head, not having a response on-hand. ¡°So¡­ the Jester is dead.¡±


    Anneliese nodded.


    ¡°The gue won¡¯t end, but it¡¯s stopped. It won¡¯t spread at all anymore. Everyone who has it, has it. Everyone who doesn¡¯t¡­ got lucky, I guess.¡± Argrave turned his head to the side. ¡°After this, both of us need to be registered as High Wizards in the Order of the¡­ well, ¡®after¡¯ cane when we¡¯ve left this swamp.¡± He looked to Anneliese. ¡°You said that a day and the night passed.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± she confirmed. ¡°It¡¯s morning. And Orion has yet to return from his¡­ hunt. He said he¡¯d deliver judgement to Silvic then, or something to that effect.¡±


    He heard a door swing open, and footsteps sound out. Durran stepped in, saying, ¡°Hey, I¡ª¡± he paused. ¡°You¡¯re up again,¡± he noted.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Argrave greeted hoarsely. Anneliese looked back to him.


    Durran stepped in. ¡°And not mumbling incoherently. Surprising, given how much of a knock you took. You put on quite the disy, though. I thought Orion was the scary one.¡±


    ¡°He is,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°And¡ª¡± he stopped, noticing something.


    Durran knew what Argrave was looking at and hid his hand.


    ¡°You lost fingers,¡± Argrave noticed before he hid them.


    Durran sighed, and resignedly brought his hand out once more. ¡°It happens.¡±


    Argrave stared, more than a bit horrified. ¡°You only have your forefinger and thumb.¡±


    ¡°Sharp,¡± Durran said sarcastically. ¡°Enough to cast spells with, enough to make a grip¡ªit¡¯s enough.¡±


    ¡°Enough?¡± Argrave repeated incredulously. ¡°I can¡­ we¡¯ll make a visit to Vysenn right after, fix this. I¡¯ve been meaning to go there, and¡ª¡±


    ¡°Were you nning on going there immediately?¡± Durran stopped him.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Mouth agape, Argrave rebutted, ¡°That¡¯s beside the point.¡±


    ¡°I can wait,¡± Durran disagreed. ¡°Don¡¯t stop in your tracks to help me.¡±


    ¡°You lost fingers,¡± Argrave repeated. ¡°Your spearmanship, your grip¡ªeverything will be way different, way harder.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my problem. I appreciate the thought, but really, we¡¯ll take care of it when it¡¯s best.¡± Durran smiled. ¡°If you¡¯re worried about my performance, don¡¯t worry¡ªI mostly cast spells with this hand, anyway, and that¡¯s not impaired in the slightest.¡± He stepped back towards the door. ¡°I¡¯m going. Just wanted to check in.¡±


    Argrave looked at Anneliese as the door shut behind Durran, stupefied.


    ¡°He does not wish to burden you,¡± she exined. ¡°And¡­ well, I can vouch he is not hindered by the loss. Not inbat.¡±


    Argrave covered his eyes with his hand, rubbing his face to dispel a growing headache. ¡°I mean¡­¡±


    ¡°We seeded, Argrave. Do not lose track of that,¡± she reminded him.


    ¡°By a thin margin,¡± he pointed out. ¡°And once again, because I failed to predict the influence I have on things.¡±


    She leaned in a bit closer. ¡°Yet you salvaged things.¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t good enough. Wasn¡¯t clean,¡± Argrave insisted.


    Anneliese lowered her head, and her dirty white hair fell over her amber eyes. ¡°Clean,¡± she scoffed. ¡°This is not a ce of numbers and variables, anymore, where the result is always sess or failure.¡±


    Argrave grabbed her wrist, shocking himself by his own speed. She lifted her head up, and they locked eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking a lot,tely, after Orion took Durran away¡­ and even before that, since Garm did that stupid thing he did,¡± Argrave told her quickly. ¡°I don¡¯t want to just ¡®seed.¡¯ I want all of those close to me to make it to the end. I want to be happy. Whole and happy. That¡¯s what I want,¡± he told her. ¡°I can¡¯t keep squeaking by. It maddens me. Any closer, ¡®whole and happy¡¯ is gone.¡±


    ¡°Never again,¡± she said. ¡°You kept muttering that while you slept¡­ and earlier, even. You think I do not know how you feel? You think I do not think the same way, about you, about Gmon, and even Durran, now?¡±


    Argrave realized his foolishness and released her wrist, then ced his hand on her knee. ¡°Sorry,¡± he shook his head. Quiet settled over them. ¡°We couldn¡¯t watch the suns set this whole week,¡± he pointed out after a time.


    She chuckled lightly. ¡°That is fine. Breaking a tradition once does not mean it needs to remain broken forever.¡±


    ¡°You know¡­¡± Argrave began, but his throat choked. These simple words were quite hard for him to say. ¡°You know I love you, right?¡±


    Anneliese looked at him with amber eyes as warm as sunlight. She didn¡¯t need to say anything to convey her message, he found. ¡°As I love you,¡± she said, even still.


    ¡°All of you. You¡¯re my real family. I wasn¡¯t just saying that for the sake of convenience back at the camp. I haven¡¯t exactly determined how we¡¯re rted quite yet¡ªGmon¡¯s an uncle or a dad, I know this much¡ªbut I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll figure it out.¡±


    ¡°We <em>have</em> established one,¡± she disagreed. ¡°I am your fianc¨¦e.¡±


    Argraveughed, then grew serious once again. ¡°I mean it, though. Whole and happy. We will get through this. I have to make sure of that.¡±


    ¡°We have to make sure of that,¡± she corrected with a shake of her head.

 Chapter 206

    Chapter 206: Fate of the Wends


    Argrave finally dared try his hand at walking once the prospect of lying in his bed began to bore him. With no books to study and only thepany of hispanions to keep his mind sharp, he eventually did wish to step outside and examine things.


    Though he stood firm, Argrave still held onto Anneliese¡¯s arm in case his legs gave way. ¡°Difficult to believe I did this,¡± he noted, staring at the site of carnage. ¡°Almost as difficult to believe you pulled off that n of yours with only four knights at yourmand.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°It was rather skillful, on both of our ends,¡± Anneliese nodded.


    Argraveughed at her unabashed confidence but did not contest the point. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to get back to the camp, see if things are working. The disease has been stayed, but it still persists in those that had it. There are ways to ward away the symptoms, regress the disease, but they¡¯re few and far between. I¡¯ll have to¡­¡± he stopped.


    ¡°What?¡± Anneliese pressed.


    ¡°I was going to say, ¡®spread these methods in the southern territories.¡¯¡± Argrave looked at the great stag¡¯s corpse, where Silvic still knelt. ¡°The fact that she¡¯s still alive¡­ I think Orion is malleable. I think that he¡­ he might¡­¡±


    ¡°Be a better option than the rebels?¡± Anneliese finished.


    Argrave sighed. ¡°Didn¡¯t say that. It would definitely be an easier time. The south is poised to have a massive disadvantage once winter ends and the war begins in earnest. Ending things smoothly and quickly will save the most lives. Working with Elenore is essential for my ns, but if I can include Orion in that equation? Teach him mercy, leniency, good rule, and basic morality? Steamroll the opposition, unite the continent against Gerechtigkeit?¡±


    Anneliese rebutted neutrally, ¡°But you would have to cooperate closely with his family. He loves Felipe, Induen, and all the others just as much as you. It is why he is as he is.¡±


    Argrave rubbed his fingers together. ¡°I know. Not to mention the ties I¡¯d be severing¡ªMina, Nikoletta, Elias, and more. All of that, thrown at the foot of the Holy Fool in a desperate gamble that I can make him a good ruler. Frankly¡­ not too fond of religion, holiness, all that. I guess it¡¯s different, here. Gods are indisputably real. Some of them give genuine power¡ªone of them does so right now,¡± Argrave rubbed at his chest. The magic debt he¡¯d rued was thergest yet, but with the near exponential growth brought about by his ck blood, he couldn¡¯t say it would take the longest amount of time to repay it.


    ¡°If you wish me to be honest¡­¡± Anneliese adjusted her arms, and Argrave, who¡¯d been leaning on her, adjusted with the movement. ¡°I view the gods like nobles or kings. They have their systems in ce, and you might engage with them sometime to get what you want. Elsewise¡­ let them be. Veid is no different¡ªthough do not speak a word of this to Gmon.¡±


    Argrave nodded with her words, feeling them resonate somewhat. ¡°Didn¡¯t take you for a cynic, given how calm and kind you are to most anyone.¡±


    ¡°I try to show kindness to those I can rte to,¡± Anneliese refuted. ¡°It is difficult to rte to a god.¡± She turned her head. ¡°Silvic, perhaps, is the only one I¡¯vee near that point.¡±


    ¡°What do I do?¡± he asked her.


    ¡°You think about it,¡± she told him. ¡°You¡¯ve told me what must be done, and that does not change based on the side you support¡ªwe gain a reputation as minor heroes after halting the gue, we gain status by bing High Wizards in the Order of the Gray Owl, and then we work at winning Elenore to our side. You have all this time to think, to discuss, to n.¡±


    Argrave rubbed at his face. His skin was not so smooth and unblemished, anymore¡ªhe had a scar just above his lip. ¡°I promised Orion I¡¯d teach him things.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± she trailed off. ¡°That is something to deal with. Postpone it, perhaps. Maintain good rtions, until¡ª¡±


    A loud whistle cut through the air. Gmon had been watching the walls, waiting for signs of Orion¡¯s return or approaching enemies. After sharing a brief nce, Anneliese and Argrave slowly made to where the whistle hade from. Gmon stepped down out of a tower that led up to the top of the wall, and they walked to him.


    ¡°Orion,¡± Gmon told them as they approached.


    They needed to hear nothing further. Argrave walked to the gate with slow movements, whereupon Durran and the Waxknights joined up with them. The mist enshrouding the wends had grown lighter and lighter in the time that passed, yet it was still sufficient to shroud the form that walked towards them.


    Orion emerged from the mists looking like some sort of berserker knight. He was covered in dirt, mud, and blood, and his typically braided hair was now a bushy obsidian mane that made the giant prince seem all therger. Most of his armor had worn away, leaving him with few patches of metal atop his underclothes. Despite all of this¡­ he still retained a strange dignity. He seemed more a conqueror than a savage.


    Orion walked straight to Argrave and put his hand on his shoulder. The prince had always towered over him, but now more than ever, Argrave felt like a child before him. ¡°Look at you,¡± he said. ¡°You look half a corpse.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll recover quickly,¡± Argrave assured him, hoping to escape whatever Orion might suggest of him in way of treatment.


    ¡°I am proud to call you brother,¡± he dered. ¡°And I hope you are proud of me. The enemy is vanquished. As many as could be, at the very least. The armored centaur escaped my grasp once again, and not because of somepse of judgement on my part as it had beenst time. I believe the jester named him¡­¡±


    ¡°Matesh,¡± Argrave finished.


    Orion nodded. ¡°Correct. I considered pursuing, yet¡­ he is faster than me. I do not know where he is headed.¡± Orion finally took his hand off Argrave¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You and I must visit uncle¡­ or what remains of him¡­ in his throne room soon, discuss what must be done.¡± Orion¡¯s gray eyes finally moved past Argrave¡¯s face, beyond into the pce. ¡°But I still have yet to pass judgement.¡±


    Orion pushed past all of them, walking towards Silvic with a determined gait. Argrave tried to move quickly to walk side by side with him, yet his legs very nearly failed him. Anneliese supported him and stopped him from falling, and then wordlessly helped him along.


    ¡°Orion, I¡ª¡±


    The prince raised one hand up as he walked. ¡°I have thought much about this, Argrave. You will watch. I do not forget your words or your actions.¡±


    <em>Which ones? </em>Argrave thought. <em>I hope it¡¯s not, ¡®nopromise,¡¯</em> he considered as he hurried to catch up, looking for an opportunity to interject.


    Orion walked across the pce grounds, moving towards where Silvic still leaned against the corpse of the wend spirit Rastzintin. The gue Jester¡¯s body rested off to the side, somehow spared from the ravages of dposition as of now. The wooden wend spirit,rgely consumed by the waxpox, did not stir as Orion came to her.


    The prince stood above her as she sat there, body leaned up against the dead white stag. The wooden spirit¡¯s light had faded so much it appeared dim in the light of day. Orion appeared like some fell god of ware to judge Silvic, strands of his jet-ck hair whipping about from a light breeze.


    ¡°Silvic. A long while ago, I asked you to embrace the gods of Vasquer as your own. The one you called child refused, and so I ended her. Yet now¡­ I change my offer. The people here in these wends¡ªthey were wronged by our conquest. False followers of the faith came here, seeking not to spread the reach of the gods, but to expand their domains of power.¡±


    Orion held his fist out and clenched it into a fist. ¡°I will not ask the people here to worship Vasquer. You will take over as the shepherd of thisnd, leading it back into what it once was. You will teach the people of what once was here, and what was lost. Vasquer will cede thisnd to you, utterly¡­ so long as you, alone, devote yourself to the pantheon. The swamp folk will be given thisnd, and they may worship you, follow your customs¡­ so long as you worship my gods¡ªour gods. The gods of Vasquer.¡±


    Argrave caught up fully with his slow pace yet did not interject both out of a sense of shock and a ponderance for what Orion said. This was a generous concession, to be sure, and one he never thought Orion would be capable of making.


    Silvic lifted her head from where it rested beside the corpse of the white stag Rastzintin. She turned her face to Orion, and though most of it had been consumed by the waxpox, the liquid light in her eyes still persisted.


    ¡°Do you know why I fought against the gue Jester? Because it stepped beyond the bounds of what we were as protectors of the wends,¡± Silvic said. ¡°She sought to wreak vengeance and misery upon all thends of Vasquer in retaliation. I opposed this, and so I was stricken as you see now. And yet¡­ I fought alongside her and Rastzintin, before all of this folly. I fought to drive Vasquer out of the wends. I sought independence just as they had.¡±


    Orion lowered his clenched fist. ¡°That can be forgiven,¡± he told her, further surprising Argrave.


    ¡°This gue was not the natural order of things,¡± Silvic said. ¡°But you of Vasquer¡ªyou never had any im to these wends. We have always been the people of thisnd ever since the dawn of time. Thousands of other spirits before me have tended to thisnd, protected its people. Your ancestors stormed in driven by greed and ughtered my friends, ruined my children, and made this ce but a genocidal footnote in Vasquer¡¯s history. Now, you seek to give it back to us? It was never yours to give,¡± she said, voice echoing throughout the pce.


    Orion ced his hand against his hip, jaw clenched tight in restraint.


    ¡°You act the merciful saint, but I do not trust you. You speak of never resting until any and all heretics are wiped out. To that I say this¡ªI fought against the gue, oh yes, I did! But just as you killed myrades, my lover, my children¡­ I am d your uncle has be as he is. I am d your brother, Magnus, had that knife driven through his neck. Nothing brought me greater joy than looking upon his corpse, and¡ª¡±


    Orion¡¯s boot mmed down upon her face. He stomped again and again, yelling and screaming in rage. Argrave stepped back fearfully, yet soon enough the rage turned to sorrow, and Orion stood there shouting defiantly at a corpse, tears streaming down his face.


    He fell to his knees, crying into the cold, shattered granite pathway beneath him. No one seemed able to move besides Orion. He cried there for minutes, body shuddering as he slowly subsided into mute sobs. After what felt like time eternal, he stopped shaking. He finally lifted his body up straight and stared up at the sky above.


    ¡°Argrave,¡± Orion said, voice dead. ¡°We must go see our uncle.¡±


    The idea paralyzed him with fear after that vicious disy of emotion. Argrave stayed silent for a few moments, then said, ¡°I¡¯m still quite weak. I¡¯ll need to trouble you.¡±


    Orion stood and walked towards him. Anneliese handed him off hesitantly. Ever so slowly, he and Argrave walked towards the distant main pce, where a wilted jungle of browning greenery and stone awaited them.

 Chapter 207

    Chapter 207: Departing Changed


    Argrave walked to the site of the tremendous battle between Orion and the gue Jester, the prince supporting him as he walked. Seeing the devastation wrought here was like a reminder of his powerlessness before Orion. Decay and destruction surrounded him on all sides. The smell of flowers fortunately masked the scent of gore emanating from Orion.


    ¡°He¡¯s here,¡± Orion finally said, just before the wilting jungle opened up to reveal a staircase up to a throne room. They stepped over rubble and low-lying nts, and then came to stand at the foot of the staircase.


    A man sat on the throne. He had all the hallmarks of Vasquer ancestry¡ªobsidian ck hair, stony eyes, and a formidable presence. His son sitting just behind him inherited some of that, while his blonde wife must¡¯ve had no rtion other than marriage. They were strangers to Argrave. Their deaths were inevitable in the game¡­ and Argrave did not think he¡¯d be able to reverse whatever magic had them in its hold. The magic at y was too powerful for Ebonice, and he did not have other means at hand. He could see the faint rise and fall of their chests as they breathed, but otherwise, they seemed totally dead.


    ¡°Uncle Regene was assumed dead. No expeditions sent into the wends returned, so that theory was never confirmed,¡± Orion mused. ¡°He used to¡­ tell me stories about the war to take this ce, I remember. I thought he was a model faithful.¡±


    ¡°Thought?¡± Argrave noted.


    Orion started to step up the stairs ever so slowly, leading Argrave along with more consideration than Argrave thought he¡¯d receive. ¡°After observing this ce, observing the people that lived here¡­ doing more than merely fixate on the act of spreading the faith, as I always have¡­ I concluded that my uncle did note here with the faith in mind.¡± Orion looked up at the Archduke. ¡°Even when I think back, I never once recall him mentioning the gods.¡±


    Orion and Argrave reached the top of the stairs. ¡°Now that the Jester is dead¡­ they are not sustained,¡± he noted. ¡°They¡¯ve begun to die. Can you think of a way to save their lives?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Argrave said honestly. He took his arm off Orion¡¯s and came to stand on his own. His legs still felt weak, but he could manage for now.


    Orion nodded. He stepped before the throne and knelt. ¡°Uncle. I am unsure if you hear me, know me.¡± The prince ced his hand to his chest. ¡°The enemy is defeated. Those that wronged you are dead and gone.¡±


    Their uncle gave no response. He simply kept staring at nothing with his dry, dead gray eyes. Orion stared back for what must¡¯ve been a full minute. Then, with a resigned sigh, he rose to his feet.


    ¡°I will not burden you by asking for your help. I will be the one to deliver uncle home,¡± Orion said to Argrave. ¡°Though it pains me¡­ returning with all of their bodies at once will be difficult. I would not put that burden on you or yourpanions, nor would I carry them haphazardly and stain their bodies with poor handling. I will bring uncle. I will have to send men to retrieve them after we return. Perhaps they can be saved by those more learned than you or I.¡±


    Argrave doubted it, but he said nothing.


    Orion stepped up to him. ¡°Have you considered my offer further?¡±


    ¡°To help you build a religious institution for the country?¡± Argrave questioned.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Orion nodded. ¡°This expedition¡­ affirmed my choice tenfold, one hundredfold!¡± Orion dered boldly, then paced away. ¡°We need a true arm of the gods on this world. You and I¡ªwe are of the blood of the royal family. Who else should the role fall upon but the divinely anointed representatives of the gods?¡±


    ¡°I am baseborn,¡± Argrave pointed out, stalling for time as he thought of his real answer.


    ¡°Byw. But the king, our father, isw. Your status may change. You have the light of the gods within you, Argrave. Your feats here have shown me that no other of my brothers are asmitted to righteousness and goodness as you are, as much as it chagrins me to say so,¡± Orion put his hand on his hip and shook his head.


    As Argrave stared at the man who was now his brother, covered in gore and seemingly unharmed after fighting against dreadful enemies for days on end, he confronted his feelings and thoughts objectively.


    <em>He scares me, </em>Argrave noted. <em>I can¡¯t ever be at ease around him. He¡¯s easily manipted, and he might be taught how to be genuinely good¡­ but he is so vtile and impulsive, I don¡¯t think I could ever be fullyfortable near him. I don¡¯t like Vasquer as a whole. Orion won¡¯t ever betray Vasquer, I don¡¯t think.</em>


    When Felipe dies¡­ indeed, if things remain as they were in ¡®Heroes of Berendar,¡¯ and the king <em>does </em>actually die¡­ Argrave might be able to put Orion on the throne. Induen was the main barrier to that¡ªa barrier that would need to be broken regardless. He might try and negotiate with the Margrave, end this civil war with minimal bloodshed. Then, there would be a strong leader at the helm of Vasquer, more than able to confront Gerechtigkeit¡¯s many trials surfacing in theing years.


    The task was ridiculously beyond what Argrave felt he was capable of. It sounded like a delusional fantasy even as he thought of it.


    Argrave¡¯s role in the civil war would not be active. Elenore was the most important party in the whole thing¡ªif he gained her support, the whole situation could be upended. She was a schemer and strategist beyond reproach. With her help, she might make such a thing happen¡­ and yet Argrave was not sure she would be amenable to the idea.


    And still, Argrave found he could not deny Orion outright. Even if he could not achieve this perfect solution to all of Vasquer¡¯s troubles, if he could create a force for good on the side of the royalists¡­ if he could make Orion see the error of wanton bloodshed and mindless crusading¡­ shouldn¡¯t he take that opportunity?


    Wasn¡¯t it the right thing to do?


    The question was enough to make his head explode, yet Argrave felt he had an answer.


    ¡°¡­this idea of yours is in its infancy,¡± Argrave said slowly and deliberately, as though each word might cost him his life. ¡°I promised you I¡¯d teach you. Teach you about my ways, about my methods. About a way to deal with things that doesn¡¯t call for mindless violence, as we saw here in these wends.¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°I¡¯d like to stick to that. And along the way¡­ we can n more. About the future. For us, and for Vasquer. For the faith.¡±


    Orion brightened and stepped forward. He looked like he wished to crush Argrave, but then held himself back. ¡°I would embrace you, were you not so weak presently,¡± he said eagerly.


    ¡°I have some things to take care of, first,¡± Argrave held his hand up. ¡°Anneliese and I will be registered as High Wizards of the Order.¡± Pragmatism slipped back into his brain, and he questioned, ¡°But¡­ you mentioned better outfitting Gmon with enchanted gear.¡±


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Orion nodded. ¡°I must pay a visit to royal cksmiths regardless, as you can inly see,¡± he pointed to his tattered armor with a heartyugh.


    ¡°Do you think¡­ you might have the armoring done quickly, delivered to that town not too far from the tower? Kin¡¯s End, I think it was called, where Acolytes officially abandon their noble name when studying at the tower. And¡­ well, even for Durran, and his equipment¡­¡± Argrave dared push his limits.


    ¡°Absolutely. If I have my way, and you are named prince well and truly¡­ I can think of no more fitting candidates for your first two royal knights.¡± Orion pounded his chest. ¡°Once we arrive back at camp, I will see that it is done immediately. There will surely be some armorers among the refugees that might take their measurements, and then I will have that delivered to the royal armorers and enchanters.¡±


    Argrave was somewhat surprised how easy that request had gone. ¡°And weapons?¡±


    ¡°Naturally,¡± Orion nodded.


    Suddenly, Argrave did not feel so weak anymore. He was vaguely tempted to ask his brother for all of his gold, but he was afraid the answer might be ¡®yes.¡¯ Which reminded him¡­


    ¡°Then everything is settled. We should leave soon,¡± Argrave said. ¡°Tomorrow, perhaps?¡±


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Orion nodded once again.


    Argrave turned his head away, almost feeling like he was in a dream. He¡¯d have another task for hispanions¡ªrobbing this luxurious pce of anything that might be worth anything during the night. It was a thankless task, but Argrave felt somewhat jealous of them. His task was all the more dangerous¡­ his task would be distracting Orion while they did so.


    #####


    They left the next morning. Three of the Waxknights remained in Archduke Regene¡¯s pce, mostly to ensure the Archduke¡¯s family was not disturbed until they could be retrieved. The pce was a harrowing ce as ever, and somehow made drearier by the Jester¡¯s death. Orion severed Rastzintin¡¯s stag head and carried it with him¡ªa proof of conquest. It was somewhat brutal, but Argrave supposed it was better than returning empty-handed and iming they¡¯d saved the world.


    The journey was slow-moving to amodate Argrave¡ªa fortunate thing, too, because it made the pounds of jewelry in hispanion¡¯s packs clink less as they travelled. Theycked Silvic¡¯s protection, but with the gue Jester¡¯s death, it was no longer necessary. No powers held a grip over the region anymore¡ªit was as harmless as anynd they¡¯d traversed in the past, barring some few nasty creatures. Once they left the parts that had been consumed by waxpox, it seemed almost ordinary.


    Argrave had resolved to remain at the abandoned keep Orion had made his camp and rest, at least for a day. He felt, for the first time, there wasn¡¯t some looming threat above that demanded he take things two steps at a time at all times. He could rx, eat some terrible swamp food, read some dull spellbooks, and enjoy thepany of hispanions. Then, he¡¯d delve into the heart of things with a clear mind.


    After four days of utterly exhausting travel, Argrave saw rows upon rows of tents. He let Orion take the lead, because he was sure that the people would shower him in praise and cheers. His part would be remembered, to be sure¡­ but he was not the one who had done the most. He did not deserve the des as much as Orion, nor did he especially want them.


    Things went as expected when they returned. A few noticed Orion with the towering stag head on his back, and then the crowd snowballed from there. After exining that the disease had not been cured, but would cease spreading, Orion gave a grandiose speech which Argrave was too tired to remember. This speech eventually culminated in a crowd cheering his name.


    Yet then Argrave himself was dragged to the front, pale and exhausted. Orion raised his arm up in the air and spoke of his deeds. The prince spoke of how Argrave spilled his blood to kill the enemy, and nearly died to dispatch foul enemies and heretics.


    And then¡­ they cheered his name.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    As he listened to the cheers of, ¡°Argrave! Argrave! Argrave!¡± and ¡°Bastard of Vasquer! Bastard of Vasquer!¡± his tired and exhausted mind had some difficulty processing it. He was mostly waved around like a puppet by Orion, epting his praise half-heartedly.


    For the longest time, he had always thought of crowds of people as an enemy. Certainly, the confrontation with Titus had exacerbated that¡ªhe¡¯d used a crowd against them. And yet¡­


    He¡¯d done something good, and people had recognized that. He certainly hadn¡¯t done it for the recognition. Having a good reputation with people was something he wanted, not for the sake of des, but because it¡¯d make his job easier in the future.


    Overwhelmed, Argrave did his best to get away from the crowd as soon as possible. As heid in bed, leaving the logistics of things to Anneliese because of his exhaustion¡­


    <em>People are fickle, </em>Argrave thought. <em>But I guess I like them. </em>

 Chapter 208

    Chapter 208: Rising Tension in Rest


    ¡°You said we would rest,¡± noted Durran, though he did notin as he put the white books written by Garm back into his backpack. He fumbled a little on ount of his missing fingers, which made Argrave feel guilt once again.


    ¡°We will,¡± Argrave confirmed, resting off to the side while Gmon packed his things for him, amodating his weakened state. ¡°We¡¯ll take a nice, long rest¡ªbelieve me, my legs ache much worse than yours, and I want to rest. But half the damn continent knows or will know we¡¯re in this camp, and I don¡¯t care to be a sitting duck so that Induen or anybody elsees here and ruins my day. We¡¯ll go to a secluded ce without any watching eyes.¡± He turned his gaze to Anneliese. ¡°Speaking of, there¡¯s something I want you to do.¡±


    ¡°Alert Mina, have her get away from Induen,¡± she guessed.


    Argrave smiled. ¡°If only everyone could guess my ns as well as you.¡±


    ¡°That might be a problem, actually,¡± Durran shook his head. ¡°Might make future deceptions a bit more difficult.¡±


    Argrave chuckled but said nothing.


    ¡°Alerting Mina will not take long. Half an hour, perhaps,¡± she nodded, and her Starsparrow jumped to her finger.


    ¡°I¡¯ve already told Orion we¡¯re leaving. He¡¯s to return to the capital, put affairs in order, get some ster armor for the two of you to wear¡­ and then rejoin us at Kin¡¯s End. I don¡¯t n on travelling again until I¡¯m fully prepared to defend myself¡ªI¡¯ve earned something of a reputation, and all of my brothers are a bit trigger happy. Moreover, I¡¯ll need a B-rank spell to demonstrate to the Order of the Gray Owl that isn¡¯t blood magic. Ancient, forgotten blood magic, at that. Part of the advancement process to a High Wizard, you see.¡±


    Anneliese seemed the most pleased by this news. She was the one constantly encouraging him to take a rest, and stop using blood magic¡ªnow, he promised to do both.


    Argrave stood. ¡°I know a ce. Small vige, maybe six houses. Doesn¡¯t receive travelers often, and the residents leave less often. We pay them a few gold, they¡¯ll shine our shoes and feed us grains, I¡¯m certain¡ªbut it¡¯s a safe ce to hole up, and that¡¯s all I need.¡± He looked to Anneliese. ¡°But first¡­¡±


    ¡°I will send the Starsparrow out,¡± she finished.


    #####


    ¡°Another day without more deaths, nor registered refugees,¡± Induen noted, staring down at a document. Mina, standing across from him on the death, tried to read the document upside-down in vain. ¡°It seems we¡¯re doing well.¡±


    It felt strange for Mina to hear the words ¡®we¡¯ing from the crown prince of the Kingdom of Vasquer. She could not deny she had been dreadfully apprehensive about this task that Argrave had given her. Rumors of the crown prince¡¯s temper and cruel tendencies persisted in every territory from the Parbon Margravate in the far south to the vast forests of the Archduchy of Corsare, furthest north in Vasquer.


    Mina could not deny that Prince Induen was brilliant. She had spent near two weeks with him by this point, tending to the refugee and gue problem in Veden and beyond. He had a natural affinity for management and rulership. He was adept at predicting how people would act, and how to force people to act. He had an astonishing aptitude with numbers, and anything that entered his memory did not leave it. He could keep track of innumerable factors at once, always maintaining a full picture of any scenario and thereby generating a solution that matched.


    But the prince was limited. Sorely limited.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Induen only knew fear and punishment. He would prefer to uproot a dying nt and put something new in its ce instead of simply changing the way it was tended to. There were no half-measures with him. Though he could see the merit in other methods, and could apply them if pressed, he never went for bloodless solutions. Part of it was habit, Mina suspected.


    The other part¡­ she supposed he simply enjoyed ruthless methods more.


    ¡°The disease doesn¡¯t subside,¡± Mina noted. ¡°We have to keep working at it until people start to get better.¡±


    Thus far, she had managed to avoid his temper by staying business-like. Despite the rumors of his temper, he did notsh out at her when she suggested other methods. She wondered if they were overexaggerated, or if she was simply doing something right.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. The disease doesn¡¯t subside,¡± Induen said. ¡°Same phrase, different meaning. Those that catch it won¡¯t lose it. It¡¯s a permanent affliction, this waxpox.¡± Induen stood up straight until he towered over Mina. ¡°That¡¯s why they must be killed. It¡¯s the only solution¡ªsurely you see that?¡±


    ¡°You have no evidence for that,¡± she pushed back. Something golden moved in the corner of her eye, but she didn¡¯t dare nce away from Induen.


    ¡°There has been not one report of a single recovery,¡± Induen noted, half-mockingly. ¡°But indeed, I have no evidence they will not recover. I suppose we must wait for everyone to fall sick and die before we take action? Surely one of them will recover¡­¡± heughed.


    As he reared back his head inughter, Mina caught sight of another golden sh. She dared nce away, whereupon she spotted a beautiful golden bird by the window. She was prepared to dismiss it from her mind, too upied with the temperamental prince to pay attention to a pretty sparrow. Then, she thought back.


    That¡¯s Anneliese¡¯s bird, she noted. And as her eyes tracked it, she noticed its action were far too deliberate in drawing her attention to be those of a simple-minded creature.


    ¡°I must visit the privy,¡± Mina dered, standing up.


    Induen stared down at her. ¡°A very udylike deration,¡± he derided. ¡°Why do you tell me? Just go.¡±


    Mina did not need to be told more than once. She kept herself from sprinting only because of herpany. She opened the door, passing by the royal guards Induen had stationed outside, and entered the courtyard of the castle. She made to a secluded ce, whereupon she nced up at the sky, waiting.


    The bird appeared before her as though it had always been there, and Mina¡¯s head jumped back involuntarily. Once the bird settled on her arm, staring up at her, she questioned in a low whisper, ¡°Argrave seeded?¡±


    The bird nodded¡ªit was a rather adorable action, Mina thought, but the topic was too serious for her to act upon it. The reason that the waxpox had not spread at all the past while was because Argrave had stopped it, she was certain.


    ¡°I can go?¡± she confirmed in paranoia, to which the bird nodded again.


    At that, Mina took a deep breath and sighed. ¡°Tell Argrave that his debt is tenfold what he imagined,¡± she told the bird. Maybe it was her imagination, but it looked amused before simply vanishing. It must¡¯ve been some sort of magical bird, she suspected.


    Where to go? Mina mused. I¡¯ll not stick around here once Induen learns the news. Argrave will surely be leaving.


    As the answer came to her, she took a deep breath. South. The Margravate, perhaps. Safest ce, I¡¯m sure.


    With no further thought, she left.


    #####


    Orion gazed out at the refugee camp. Though the people afflicted with the waxpox still persisted¡­ it caused no more deaths. The steady trickle of refugees seeking his blessing thinned every day. And though he was less busy because of it¡­ he was d to be less busy.


    A convoy had already left, bearing many of his instructions and messages for people at the capital in Dirracha. Soon enough, he would be joining them. Though he had put it out of his mind while focusing on this task¡­ there was much for him to learn of. He knew naught of this rebellion beyond the fact that it existed. Yet rebelling against the divine-anointed royal family¡­ this matter must be resolved.


    Yet followers of the faith were not meant to ughter followers of the faith. He saw no way to proceed without bloodshed. And yet¡­ Argrave might. He had some of Elenore¡¯s cleverness when she had been younger and more vibrant, not crippled as she was now. He still did not understand why she had to be harmed in such a way, yet it was his father¡¯s decree.


    Orion would tend to the duties as a Prince of Vasquer and consult his brother Argrave for advice. His family was the most important thing to him. All of his many parents, his brothers, his sister¡­ yet they were not without issue. They might be mended.


    Someone stepped up to Orion as he was lost in thought and knelt before him. He wore heavy bup robes, mud stained and battered by fast travel.


    ¡°My prince,¡± the man sat, panting.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Orion questioned, not ungently.


    The man held his hands up, not daring to look at his face. He held a parchment, some minor enchantments on its surface protecting it¡ªstandard practice of the royal family¡¯s messages. Orion took it.


    ¡°From Prince Induen, if it please you. I deliver this to you on his behalf.¡±


    Orion pulled free the binding with his big fingers, then read through the document. It took him a long time to read through it all, yet once he did, he lowered it and helped the man before him to stand.


    ¡°My brother sent you?¡± Orion questioned, his tone cold. He gripped the man by the shoulders so firmly he seemed liable to pop.


    The man looked scared, but he answered, ¡°Yes, my prince, yes he did.¡±


    ¡°Why is he in Veden? Why does he wish to see me?¡± Orion demanded.


    ¡°As to that¡­ I-I could not say, my prince,¡± the man said hastily. ¡°I am but a servant to the Count Elgar of Veden. One of Induen¡¯s royal knights pulled me aside, demanded I deliver this.¡±


    Orion narrowed his eyes. ¡°Did you see my brother himself?¡±


    ¡°Y-yes, my prince. He has been in Veden for some time, now, dealing with the influx of refugees and preventing its spread. My prince,¡± the man added once again, as a show of respect.


    Orion finally released the man¡¯s shoulders. He patted him on the shoulders. ¡°You were a good man to bring this to me,¡± hemended loudly. ¡°Here. Take this.¡±


    He shoved five gold coins into the man¡¯s hand, and then stepped around him without another word.


    Orion had a bright smile on his face, white teeth barely showing past his ck beard. Induen, of all my brothers, helping to curb the gue? I knew I was not misguided. I knew the gods had a n for all of us. I must tell him of Magnus, and of Argrave¡¯s triumph. It is not toote for our family.

 Chapter 209

    Chapter 209: Softly


    Argrave set down his backpack and sat in the guest bed that had been offered to them. Dust jumped up off it, but Argrave could hardly be bothered by dust anymore considering all that he¡¯d endured. Anneliese sneezed¡ªhe thought it was a cute sound, and Argrave found himself staring at her.


    She wiped away her nose, oblivious to him as she examined the room. ¡°Unused for a time¡­ yet it seems sturdy enough that I have no worries. The people here hate me. Me and Gmon, I suppose. They only allowed us to stay because of our generous payment¡­ and our weapons.¡±


    Hearing that made Argrave frown. ¡°There¡¯s perhaps twenty people in this town, and they go to a big city maybe once a year,¡± he reasoned. ¡°I suppose elves are as mythical and as feared as dragons to them. Nothing will bother us, here. We can rest and recuperate. Enjoy an idyllic life¡­ for a couple weeks, maybe.¡±


    They were in thergest house in this small town. The only resident was an old widow, whose children had all left the vige or built houses of their own elsewhere. Durran and Gmon had their own room just nearby. The widow was the only one who didn¡¯t seem to be highly suspicious of his elvenpanions.


    Argrave¡¯s Brumesingers started to sneeze, too, and heughed.


    ¡°Perhaps we should dust up,¡± Anneliese suggested.


    ¡°Absolutely,¡± Argrave rose to his feet.


    Once Argrave began cleaning again, he remembered how much he enjoyed doing it. He was very methodical in his approach, and before long the ce was noticeably brighter, freed from a nket of gray lying atop it. Once that was done, the two of them sat there on the bed in silence.


    ¡°Only crickets, endless ins of winter grass in most directions¡­ no noises, no distractions,¡± Anneliese mused. ¡°I like ces like this.¡±


    Argrave thought about it, soaking in the quietude. ¡°It does have its charms,¡± he conceded. ¡°But I still like big cities the best. Constant noise, always drowning things out, distracting.¡± He paused, taking in the sounds¡­ orck thereof, he supposed. In time, his gaze found Anneliese again. ¡°Of course, if you¡¯re with me¡­ that¡¯s a constant distraction. Can¡¯t stop my eyes from wandering to you.¡±


    Anneliese scoffed half-heartedly and looked at him with affection. No¡ªthere was something a little bit more intense that just affection between them. He took off one glove and put a hand to her cheek. It wandered across her cheeks, her lips, and then down her neck until her hand rose up to meet his. She held it close to her chest.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°It¡¯s nice and quiet,¡± Argrave said. ¡°And we have plenty of time.¡± His fingers fiddled with a strap on her leather armor.


    ¡°Argrave¡­¡± she said quietly, yet there was some nervous excitement in her voice. Her amber eyes stayed fixed on his hand.


    ¡°I know we agreed it was a bad idea¡­ but sometimes I¡¯d like to have a bad idea. Or two,¡± he said suggestively.


    Her eyes finally lifted from his hand to his eyes. ¡°You are unwell.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m perfectly capable,¡± Argrave stared back at her.


    Anneliese held his gaze for a long time, as though deliberating on something. With a swallow, she said quietly, ¡°I think¡­ it should be fine, now. It is a safe time.¡±


    Argrave raised a brow. ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Anneliese nodded, leaning closer to him. She took her hand off of his and moved it towards him.


    ¡°Music to my ears,¡± he whispered, before leaning in to meet her. It was a gentle and soft kiss. They slowly fell back into the bed, growing more emboldened in every passing second. Their hands wandered naturally,pletely in-tune with each other now as they always were.


    Indeed, it was a quiet night. Gmon took Durran out of the house, ensuring they remained on the porch with the old widow. Argrave¡¯s Brumesingers curled in the corner of the room, the Starsparrow using them like a nest. And like that, it became a night without distractions.


    #####


    The morning came as it always did. There were no windows in the room they¡¯d been given, but Argrave felt things were a little brighter nheless. His Brumesingers curled around the Starsparrow, shielding it from the elements. Their fur was a dark gray, now¡ªthe creatures had eaten many souls without an excessive expenditure. The bird nested in their fur as though it was natural.


    Argrave stared down at Anneliese, half-covered in their nket as she leaned up against him. The nket could not fully cover either of them and the bed was a bit too small for Argrave¡­ yet despite these annoyances he felt well-rested. Maybe she had already been awake, or maybe they were simply in-tune, but Anneliese lifted her head up to look at him. Despite the exhaustion in their eyes, it seemed like neither could stop themselves from smiling, both grinning like fools.


    ¡°Good morning,¡± Anneliese greeted him.


    ¡°That¡¯s never been truer,¡± Argrave agreed.


    She chuckled and buried her face on his chest. Argrave stroked her long white hair, enjoying her warmth in the early morning chill. He was tired. It was a good exhaustion, though.


    ¡°We cannot make a habit of this,¡± she said,

 Chapter 210

    Chapter 210: Privilege of the Younger


    ¡°I¡¯m sure that she¡¯ll turn up sooner orter, my prince. That child, Mina, she¡¯s¡­¡± Count Elgar of Veden shook his head.


    Induen tapped his fingers against the dining table, staring Elgar down with his cold blue eyes. The Count had golden hair and eyes just as Mina did yet shared little with her beyond that. Induen did not like him. ¡°Your daughter is missing, yet you don¡¯t seem to care.¡±


    Elgar ced his elbows on the table and clenched his hands together. ¡°She¡¯s been doing that since she was very young, my prince. She¡¯ll disappear for days, sometimes weeks on end. Typically I need only send a message to Duke Enrico¡ªshe always heads there, the foolish girl. I apologize for her discourtesy.¡±


    Induen narrowed his eyes. Though anger was there, something else marred his features more¡ªconfusion, perhaps, or curiosity. ¡°You¡¯ve not sent her away?¡±


    Elgar raised a brow. ¡°Why would I do that, my prince?¡±


    ¡°Stupidity, maybe,¡± Induen mused, leaning back in the chair and scratching his temple. Count Elgar clenched his jaw tightly at the insinuation yet did not rise tobat it. ¡°Do you hate your daughter, I wonder?¡±


    Elgar furrowed his brows. ¡°Who would hate their child?¡±


    ¡°Well, my father, for one. He never liked me much. I killed his wife, you know. The whole childbirth incident,¡± Induen pointed out. Both looked serious, but then Induen started tough. ¡°Joking, joking. Of course. Of course,¡± Induen smiled widely.


    ¡°Mina is missing, Prince Induen. I don¡¯t know what else to tell you,¡± Elgar stated once again, leaving no room for argument.


    Induen leaned back in and mmed his hand against the table. ¡°Yet you send not a single knight to look for her?¡±


    Elgar stared back. ¡°I have exined my reasonings. That girl had wasted enough resources in frivolous searches throughout her whole life. The waxpox still abounds, and I¡¯ll not have my guards contract it in a fruitless quest to collect her.¡±


    Induen¡¯s gaze was cold and dead. Elgar swallowed as they stared at each other, alone in the dining hall. Just then, the great double doors burst open. Induen turned his head, surprised. The confidence in his posture veritably withered away as his eyes widened.


    ¡°Brother!¡± Orion shouted out cheerily, moving towards Induen with long strides. The prince wore thin casual clothes, rich and ck, yet even still he made the formidable Induen look small.


    Induen rose to his feet and stepped back, cing the chair between himself and his brother. ¡°Orion. Why are you¡­ here?¡±


    Orion pushed the chair aside with his foot and embraced Induen. The elder prince¡¯s face visibly contorted in displeasure and anxiety, and his hands hovered a fair distance away as though he feared to touch his brother.


    Prince Orion pushed away, holding Induen by the shoulders. ¡°I¡¯ve heard of what you¡¯ve been doing here. Working with the sick, stopping the gue from spreading¡­ I cannot describe the joy that welled within once I heard of it. It brought tears to my eyes. And seeing outside¡­ you have done so well.¡±


    Induen swallowed. He never knew what to say when he talked with Orion. He always did his best to avoid his younger brother. He never felt older when they spoke. He always felt deeply ufortable, almost belittled, after any interaction with him. Induen tried to avoid his father, too, though never for the same reasons.


    ¡°How did you get in?¡± Count Elgar inquired. ¡°I did not hear the guards open the gate.¡±


    Orion released Induen and turned, expression and tone cold. ¡°I climbed the walls. I trust this is no problem, Count Elgar. The royal family is not barred from anywhere in thends of Vasquer, and I wished to visit with my brother. On that note¡­ give us some time,¡± he directed the Count curtly.


    The Count looked as disconcerted as Induen felt. He gave a stiff bow and made to leave. Orion¡¯s stern gaze followed his every step, making the Count hurry. He shut the doors behind him. As though his sternness was a fa?ade, he turned to Induen happily.


    ¡°I wished to speak with you direly! Of course, I always enjoy speaking with my family, yet now it was especially so¡ªthere is so much to speak of, so much to do. It has been too long since west spoke, brother. We must change that in the future.¡±


    ¡°Why are you here?¡± Induen reiterated insistently.


    Orion raised a brow. ¡°You wished me toe, did you not? Ah, but¡ªeven if you did not, I wished to talk to you. Let us begin¡­¡± Orion pulled a chair back and sat, facing away from the table. ¡°¡­with the more dire news. Our brother, Magnus, was murdered in cold blood.¡±


    Induen took a mental note of everything Orion said and stepped forth cautiously. ¡°So close to you, I hear,¡± he said, implying negligence.


    ¡°I know,¡± Orion said, and at once broke into tears. He ced his elbow on his knee as his hand supported his face, tears of molten silver pouring between the cracks of his fingers. ¡°I was foolish. My brother died not minutes away from me, and I was entirely ignorant. The thought will haunt me for time eternal.¡±


    Induen watched the molten silver tears smoke and burn the Count¡¯s carpet once they fell. His brother¡¯s strange tendencies and constant oddities were arge part of Induen¡¯s difort at his presence.


    ¡°But I am near sure we have caught his killers,¡± Orion continued, voice now filled with an icy anger. ¡°Foul things persisted in the wends. I have finally ventured deep within them, and I have discovered the truth of the fall of the Archduchy.¡± Orion rose up. ¡°Foul beings with vengeance in their hearts wreaked havoc across the wends¡­ and then, the entire continent. Their magic killed Magnus, I am sure of it. But I killed them. Killed them all to thest. Extinguished them with my bare hands.¡±


    Induen stared at Orion¡¯s hands as he clenched them into fists.


    ¡°This gue¡­ the heretics of the wends caused it,¡± Orion growled. ¡°Thousands of lives burnt, scarred or simply withered away entirely by their revolting rage. But I¡ªno, that is not fair to say. Argrave recognized this! Argrave put a stop to the gue!¡±


    Prince Induen¡¯s vision swirled. ¡°What?¡± he asked, low and insistent.


    ¡°Perhaps you¡¯ve noticed the spread has ceased,¡± Orion ventured. ¡°Argrave found out the root cause. He heralded a traitor, used her to put an end to this virulent vendetta! And now, the disease will never spread again!¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Induen demanded, voice tense.


    Orion held his hands out. ¡°A non-believer and would-be ughterer called the gue Jester harnessed the power of the wend gods to conjure and spread this gue all across thend. Argrave tore this information from the hands of an enemy, and then led a crusade forth by my side to vanquish the enemy.


    ¡°Vanquish the enemy?¡± Induenughed twice. His vision was all white as myriad emotions assaulted him from the news. Before he realized it, he was stepping away from Orion, heading to where he and Mina had nned out their tackling of the gue.


    As soon as it was brought up, Induen knew it had to be true. The fact that the waxpox had not spread at all in a week was such a bizarre thing. It had struck him as odd the first day he¡¯d seen it. He thought it mere luck¡­ yet this strange happening persisted. He remembered wondering if, perhaps, Mina had been right all along. He wondered if he could rule in this manner.


    He made it to Mina¡¯s study and leaned out across the balcony, gazing out at all of the work he¡¯d put in the past few weeks. Innumerable tents, messages, edicts, all to curb the gue¡­ and all of it overshadowed by Argrave¡¯s grand achievement. All of his efforts entirely wasted. He would receive nothing in return for it. No recognition. No praise.


    <em>Mina, </em>Induen reflected. <em>She¡¯s Argrave¡¯s friend. And now she¡¯s gone. She was strangely insistent I stay here. </em>


    Induen gripped the stone railing tightly enough to hurt his hands. He turned back to the desk, over which he and Mina had drafted out ns for days on end. He stepped to the table, fists clenched, wishing to take his anger out on something.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    <em>It was all a lie, </em>he thought, his breathing heavy. But then he paused. He looked at a half-finished piece of writing, and then reflected.


    <em>No¡­ no, something is off, </em>his mind noted. <em>She worked as hard as I did. She was desperately attempting to stop the gue in Veden and beyond. Those were not the actions of someone who knew it was to end. </em>Induen lifted his head, his breathing growing steady. <em>And her departure¡­ it was soon before Orion arrived. None saw her leave, and even her father is ignorant. </em>


    <em>What¡¯s more¡­ I was never informed of this victory. Elenore has eyes everywhere¡ªif she wished to inform me urgently, she could. She wanted me to return to the capital not weeks ago, now she keeps me ignorant?</em>


    Induen turned his head back as Orion entered the room once more. Induen took slow, steady steps towards him.


    ¡°Induen¡­ what¡¯s wrong? Why did you storm off so?¡±


    ¡°You said I wanted to see you earlier,¡± Induen said, his voice surprisingly calm. ¡°What gave you that impression?¡±


    Orion raised his brows, then thought back. ¡°You sent a messenger to the northwest, no?¡±


    Induen smiled. ¡°Me, personally, or someone under mymand?¡±


    ¡°Someone under yourmand,¡± Orion reflected, brows furrowed. ¡°I believe¡­ a royal knight, the man said.¡±


    Induen took a deep breath, his smile widening. Heughed in revtion. Everything seemed to fit together so well. ¡°I see. I see. Yes, I see it now,¡± he said, and then beganughing once more.


    Orion looked confused. ¡°Did you not?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I did,¡± Induen lied heartily, for the first time feeling d of his brother¡¯s presence. His sister had likely deliberately sent Orion here to rattle him, make him emotional¡­ make him do something impulsive. ¡°Tell me, do you know where Argrave is heading?¡±


    Orion answered proudly, ¡°After I head to Dirracha, I intend to petition my father for legitimization. Regardless of the result, we nned on meeting him at Kin¡¯s End. He has asked I deliver some armor and weaponry to hispanions¡ªI intend on outfitting them with equipment from the royal armory.¡±


    Induen pursed his lips at the mention of legitimization. ¡°Petition father, hmm? Well, ending the gue is a meritorious achievement, well worthy of something like that.¡±


    ¡°I am pleased you agree,¡± Orion concurred happily. ¡°He is a changed man. A B-rank mage, seeking to be a High Wizard of the order¡­ him and his fianc¨¦e. A lovely woman, hispanion. Incredibly smart, resourceful. True love blossoms between them.¡±


    Induen raised his brows, and then stepped up to Orion. He prodded his chest twice. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you what. Father has been quite upset at your absence, you know¡ªI suspect he will not be so pleased if youe back to the capital and then leave so quickly.¡± Induen stepped away, retrieving a document. ¡°I will give my magic signature to a document advising Argrave be legitimized. While you persuade father,fort him with your presence¡­ I will deliver the royal armory¡¯s equipment to Argrave.¡±


    Orion frowned. ¡°Yet I promised I would meet Argrave there.¡±


    ¡°You can,¡± Induen held his finger out. ¡°But I¡¯d like to meet him first, let me tell him how proud I am. I think it would be best you spend a fair amount of time at Dirracha with father. Even if he doesn¡¯t say so, he sorely misses you.¡±


    ¡°Certainly, if it¡¯s only a few days, I am sure Argrave would not mind if our meeting is dyed¡­ doubly so if you exin things¡­¡± Orion took a deep breath.


    ¡°Oh¡ªand tell no one. Absolutely no one,¡± Induen coaxed quietly. ¡°I wish to surprise our dear brother. A surprising reunion is all the more joyful, no? Like this reunion. Surprising, joyful, and very, very enlightening¡­ about the true nature of my family members.¡±


    Orion looked pleased. ¡°That sounds like a wonderful n, Induen.¡±


    ¡°Come here,¡± Induen said, initiating a hug for the first time he could recall. As his head rested beside Orion¡¯s, he smiled.


    He thought back to Mina¡¯s words.


    <em>A well-maintained tool performs a task all the better. </em>

 Chapter 211

    Chapter 211: Rigging the Odds


    The time that Argrave spent with hispanions in the vige without a name was probably the happiest Argrave had ever been in Berendar. Though the food was exceedingly simple, their neighbors were unhappy at their presence, and the days were cold and stiff, he¡¯d never known finerpany than those Argrave travelled with. Being in life-or-death situations made their trust unbreakable, their honestyforting, and their presence easing.


    Durran practiced with Gmon, trying to adapt to only having a forefinger and thumb on his left hand. When that wasn¡¯t happening, the tattooed tribal delved into books. Ofte, he seemed to be inspired about something¡ªhe spent a particrly long amount of time focusing on previously untouched necromantic spell books written by Garm. Argrave was somewhat concerned, but he trusted Durran was a good enough person to use necromancy wisely.


    Anneliese and Argrave focused on their magic studies. She was half-tutor, half-peer, and Argrave learned much and more studying with her. Never once did it feel like a chore. Indeed, it felt like a blessing, probably because they¡¯d been enduring deadly struggles for weeks on end. Or maybe the blessing was simply the fact he got to spend time with Anneliese.


    His study into a particr spell bore fruit after a while.


    An invisible tempest swirling in Argrave¡¯s hands syed the grass t against the ground. He held his hands out, and the power freed itself. The wind took visible form, though it was like a pane of ss against grass. It was the shape of an armored knight holding a gargantuan tower shield perhaps eight feet tall. The knight braced, then swung the shield from left to right with tremendous force.


    Wind split through the vast in ahead of him with tremendous force. Grass and the dirt in the tempest¡¯s path were both torn asunder, upturned by the seemingly indomitable force pushing past. In only a few seconds, a vast area of wintry grass had simply been removed, much of the dirt beneath it simrly uprooted. The knight vanished, yet the wind kept travelling across the ins before them, sying the grass t and slowly losing power.


    ¡°Heheh¡­¡± Argrave raised his hand to his mouth, hiding a smile as he giggled. Dirt and grass peppered the area of ahead of them. ¡°Good gods.¡±


    ¡°Quite a potent wind spell,¡± Anneliese remarked, standing with arms crossed behind Argrave.


    ¡°Compared to most of the other B-rank spells of different elements¡­ it might be a little less potent,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°My [Pavise Gale] wouldn¡¯t do near as much damage as the [Icebound Twindes] you used at the Marred Hallowed Grounds. The strongest point is the initial swing of the pavise, and after, it weakens by the second.¡± Argrave turned his head back to her and walked up. ¡°But it¡¯s a lot cheaper than most B-rank spells, it can protect me while it¡¯s active, it forces foes away from me, and it¡¯s fitting when you consider I still have that ring that augments wind spells I got at Jast. Moreover, I intend on keeping my tried-and-true strategy.¡±


    Anneliese tilted her head. ¡°And what is that?¡±


    ¡°Sword and shield,¡± Argrave said. ¡°Keep my opponents away with one hand, while I conjure [Electric Eels] with the other to do concentrated bursts of attack. Lightning magic is precise and deadly. Most other spells are more¡­ wide range. I might cause more devastation if I use innumerable powerful fire, ice, or earth spells, but I can learn thoseter. For now¡ªthis is highly efficient.¡±


    ¡°And what of B-rank lightning magic? [Electric Eel] is still C-rank,¡± Anneliese noted.


    Argrave put his hand to his chin. ¡°They exist, certainly. You¡¯ve learned some,¡± he pointed to her. ¡°They¡¯re the deadliest I could learn barring blood magic, but¡­¡±


    ¡°None are as precise as [Electric Eel],¡± she finished.


    Argrave nodded. ¡°Yeah. I can direct eight eels to attack different targets, and they do so with pinpoint uracy. No coteral damage, too. Spells like the B-rank [Cloudborn Chain] are incredibly long-range and ufortably fast, yet it can only strike one target, whereupon the electricity spreads out for a short distance,¡± Argrave summarized. ¡°Very deadly, butcking versatility.¡±


    Anneliese took a deep breath and sighed.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Argrave stepped forth.


    Anneliese looked at him with sad eyes. ¡°We¡¯re to be facing foes capable of spells like that in the future.¡±


    Argrave raised his hand to her face and brushed aside a strand of her long white hair. ¡°Our armor is better than you might think. And the whole reason I had you get the Starsparrow was so that we can scout ahead, avoid fights entirely. The only way I see us losing against most normal opponents is if we¡¯re ambushed.¡±


    ¡°Our own capability does not diminish danger entirely. One misstep¡­ one ambush unforeseen¡­ that is all it takes to meet the end. And the likelihood of that is greater now that you are a target of public interest. You are known as a contributor in stopping the gue. A hero to some, yet a target to others¡­ others, who¡­¡± She shook her head. ¡°I apologize. It is not like me to be rattled so.¡±


    Argrave took her into his arms at once. ¡°I hear you,¡± he said, chin resting gently atop her head. ¡°And I worry too, believe me¡ªI don¡¯t have to tell you. I can¡¯t deny I want to stay in this little vige with you, living happily until we expire.¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°But there¡¯s a big obstacle to that in the shape of a world-ender¡­ and a bunch of little obstacles along the way. We¡¯ve got stupid people grasping for power at the wrong time, ancient evils waking up, and a whole lot of chores to do before we can rest.¡±


    Annelieseughed quietly into his shoulder. ¡°I cannot picture how you managed that all this time.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    He finally pulled away and held her face before his. ¡°I think you do. Because you¡¯re doing it too, now. You have been for a while. We¡¯re racing headlong to oblivion¡ªwhether we stop it or embrace it, I guess we¡¯ll figure out.¡±


    #####


    Durran was so engrossed in reading on the house¡¯s porch that he did not hear Argrave approach. Naturally, the opportunity was not wasted¡ªArgrave crept up behind him and grasped his shoulders suddenly and fiercely. Durran cried out and thrust his elbow at Argrave¡¯s face in reflex. With a step back, the elbow whizzed by his face, and Argrave stood thereughing.


    ¡°You mother¡­¡± Durran held his hand to his face, then eventually joined Argrave inughter. ¡°Good gods. Next time, I won¡¯t miss, you know.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll see,¡± Argrave stepped forth and sat beside Durran. ¡°You¡¯ve been working hardtely,¡± he noted.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s hard to stand about twiddling my thumbs when everyone else is working night and day. I me you freaks,¡± Durran shook his head. He picked up the book he¡¯d thrown aside after the scare. He was still a bit rattled, and he took some time to calm himself, cursing at Argrave.


    ¡°But, uh¡­ necromancy?¡± Argrave noted the book¡¯s cover. Though still a low-rank necromantic spell, it was necromancy nheless. The spell Durran read only allowed him to take notice of spirits¡ªharmless, ostensibly, but it was a gateway spell.


    ¡°Yeah. Had some ns for a couple people that I dislike,¡± Durran nodded.


    Argraveughed, knowing he was joking. ¡°Orion might not go down so easily.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll see,¡± Durran repeated Argrave¡¯s earlier im. ¡°Anybody dies if you drop something heavy enough from a high ce. Get a wyvern¡­¡± he finally broke intoughter, unable to keep a straight face.


    ¡°But seriously,¡± Argrave cut into the amusement. ¡°Why now? You avoided the stuff earlier.¡±


    Durran scratched beneath his chin. He hadn¡¯t shaved recently, and stubble had formed. ¡°Well¡­ seeing the Corpse Puppeeter, that whole scenario, really got me thinking. That was power. Incontrovertible power. Beyond that, I thought¡­¡± Durran raised up his left hand. ¡°Maybe there¡¯s some freaky magic I could pull.¡±


    ¡°Freaky magic?¡± Argrave raised a brow.


    ¡°You know. Reanimate fingers, sew them back on,¡± Durran waved his left hand about. ¡°I even asked Gmon if he¡¯d be willing to donate.¡±


    Argrave stared at him in awe.


    ¡°What? He¡¯d be fine overnight,¡± Durran said defensively. ¡°Maybe I could give back some blood, I don¡¯t know. Whatever,¡± he shook his head. ¡°His fingers were too big, anyway, and things don¡¯t work that way. They¡¯d either wriggle at their own will if I gave them souls or stay stiff if I didn¡¯t, and neither suit my needs.¡±


    Argrave wrung his hands together ufortably, acutely aware of the fact he had fingers. ¡°Like I told you¡­ we can make an early trip to Vysenn. Forget fingers, you can regrow entire legs if you head out there,¡± Argrave advised.


    ¡°Forget it. I don¡¯t need it, and it¡¯s a significant detour,¡± Durran shook his head. ¡°Whenever you nned to go is when we¡¯ll go.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just¡­¡± Argrave clenched his hands a bit tighter against each other. ¡°Anneliese told me you got that saving me after I passed out.¡±


    Durran stared ahead. ¡°Doesn¡¯t really matter ¡®when.¡¯ It just happened, bottom line. I¡¯m fine with it.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Argrave said. ¡°I¡¯m grateful.¡±


    ¡°Better be,¡± Durran said. Argrave knew his arrogance was spurred by embarrassment, so he onlyughed at the former tribal¡¯s response.


    They stared out across the countryside of wintry grass in silence, nothing but the sound of the wind on their ears.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be heading to a big city after the Tower of the Gray Owl. Dirracha,¡± Argrave turned his head.


    ¡°Yeah?¡± Durran met his gaze.


    ¡°You deserve a break. I¡¯ll give you some money¡ªdo whatever the hell you want, so long as you don¡¯t draw any attention. Significant attention, at least.¡±


    Durran¡¯s eyes brightened. ¡°How much money?¡±


    ¡°More than you¡¯ll need,¡± Argrave said simply.


    Durran smiled. ¡°I deserve it,¡± he said, poking his chest. ¡°Maybe I can wash out some of those prayers Orion taught me with good memories.¡±


    ¡°I hope so,¡± Argrave rose to his feet with a grunt. ¡°I still have to talk with Gmon soon.¡±


    Durran watched Argrave as he walked away. ¡°Trying to have a heart-to-heart with everyone?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Argrave stopped. ¡°We leave soon. Maybe I¡¯ll talk with him on the road.¡±


    Durran put his elbows on his knees. ¡°I feel less special.¡±


    Argrave chuckled, then walked away.


    #####


    They spent a total of two weeks at the isted, sparsely popted vige on the edge of the northwest. It might¡¯ve been shorter, but the stay was extended by Argrave¡¯s studies into magic, as casting a few B-rank spells consequently dyed the rate at which he was able to repay the debt to Erlebnis. He dared not leave before he was certain he was capable of defending himself and hispanions to the best of his ability.


    Argrave felt he was snowballing. Bing ck Blooded was no minor thing, and the edge it gave him over others made itself known day by day. Already he had more actual magic than Anneliese, despite the fact she was both several years older and had been at B-rank longer than he had. At A-rank, their next objective in terms of personal power, magic capacity did not matter¡ªit was more about knowledge, talent, andprehension, all three of which Anneliese had in spades. She knew infinitely more spells at each rank than he did. He nned their route around that.


    And so, after the ample amounts of rest and preparation they¡¯d undergone, the four of them departed in the early morning, saying their goodbyes only to the widow who had generously allowed them to stay for a minor payment. Emboldened and well-rested, they headed towards the Tower of the Gray Owl cautiously. The titanic building became visible very quickly, serving as an easyndmark to guide their travels.


    For some reason, Argrave felt a sense of paranoia during the whole trip. He had been happy these past two weeks¡ªit was well past time for the other shoe to drop.


    He¡¯d be sure to catch it.<!--


    -->

 Chapter 212

    Chapter 212: Advantage y


    Though Argrave had imed he would have a heart-to-heart with Gmon¡­ the task proved considerably more difficult once he actually found himself riding his horse next to the elven vampire as they travelled in a rtively safe area.


    ¡°Don¡¯t bother,¡± Gmon said, riding his horse diligently. ¡°No need to make sure I¡¯m fine.¡±


    Argrave pulled his horse up to Gmon. He was starting to learn to ride horses better, yet he still found himselfcking whenpared to the experienced rider that was Gmon. Argrave would assume that hispanion would ride infrequently, being asrge as he was, but apparently such was not the case.


    ¡°You heard what I said to Durran, then? Not fond of a heart-to-heart?¡± Argrave questioned, riding closer.


    Gmon looked to him for a moment, his nce alone confirming what Argrave asked.


    After deliberating for a long while, he finally constructed something he was rtively sure would work. ¡°Have you thought about what you¡¯re going to do once I cure your vampirism?¡±


    Gmon finally kept his gaze on Argrave. His white eyes betrayed little, doubly so beneath his helmet, but eventually he let out the lightest of chuckles.


    ¡°It depends on whether my ten-year period of servitude is up,¡± he said.


    Argraveughed. ¡°I¡¯d very nearly forgotten about that,¡± he admitted. ¡°I don¡¯t really know what you like to do, though. I don¡¯t know what you want out of life.¡±


    ¡°I am simple,¡± Gmon shook his head.


    ¡°Simple how?¡± Argrave pressed, lowering his head as they passed beneath bare branches. Winter was past its prime, and the hibernating trees seemed to be a little livelier. Perhaps, in time, leaves would adorn them once more.


    Gmon slowed his horse to pass by a treacherous part of the terrain. ¡°All I¡¯ve ever wanted¡­ is to do something decent that secures my family¡¯s future, and then retire with them.¡± Gmon took a deep breath and sighed. ¡°The people around me always made me do more. Demanded more of me. First Dras, now you.¡±


    Argrave looked vaguely ufortable. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine with it,¡± Gmon assured at once. ¡°I am proud of what I¡¯ve done. I just never nned to do it.¡± Gmon stroked the side of his horse¡¯s neck tofort it. ¡°Veid charts my fate. If this is what she decided for me, I will rise to meet the task.¡±


    Argrave nodded, thinking more on what Gmon said. ¡°Why do you have so much faith in Veid?¡±


    Gmon considered that. ¡°My parents taught me to.¡±


    Argrave had not been expecting such a simple answer.


    ¡°You¡¯re dissatisfied?¡± Gmon noted. ¡°I fought in war after war alongside Dras. That tested my faith time and time again. After I¡­ contracted vampirism, I wandered Berendar. My faith was challenged constantly. No challenge ever bested that faith my parents instilled in me.¡± Gmon examined his gauntleted hands as they clenched the reins. ¡°I know other gods are real. I have seen the ways of other people. And what I concluded¡­ is that I love the Veidimen. I love our ways. I am partial to my kind¡ªI wish to see them prosper before others, I will admit it. And Veid¡­ she protects those I love. Such is her sole purpose. She molded our society, our people, our ways. And so I love Veid.¡±


    Argrave always had some difficulty understanding Gmon as a person. Now, though¡­ now, he felt like he got a glimpse into the man he truly was. He hadn¡¯t intended to, but it happened nheless. This might be the most Gmon had talked about himself before.


    ¡°I respect you,¡± Argrave said inly. ¡°And I admire you. I wouldn¡¯t be here if not for you¡ªnot just because you saved my life. You were a model for persistence.¡±


    Gmon nodded. ¡°I¡¯m d. I try.¡±


    Argrave bit his lip, deliberating on whether or not he should say something. Eventually, he asked, ¡°How would you feel if I supported Orion?¡±


    Gmon¡¯s mouth noticeably tightened. ¡°Supported?¡± he questioned.


    ¡°I think he can be a genuinely good person¡­ if he has the right influence. As it is now, his family life¡­ it¡¯s part of the reason he is who he is.¡± Argrave rubbed his hands together. ¡°Instead of a crusader, maybe I can make him a proselytizer. A peaceful proselytizer,¡± he posited.


    ¡°Can you?¡± Gmon asked sharply.


    Argrave sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    Gmon looked guilty at his sharpness. ¡°I don¡¯t like him. I think he¡¯s a danger to the Veidimen. I would sleep easier if he died.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t sleep anyway,¡± Argrave pointed out.


    The elven vampire furrowed his brows for half a moment before he caught on andughed. Augh from Gmon was a rare and scary thing, so Argrave smiled.


    Feeling he should leave on a positive note, Argrave tried to conclude the conversation. ¡°I¡¯m d you told me honestly,¡± he told Gmon. ¡°And I¡¯ll take your counsel into mind. Believe me.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Gmon only grunted.


    ¡°Another day or two of covert travel, we¡¯ll make it to Kin¡¯s End,¡± Argrave changed the subject. ¡°There, we can get you and Durran better outfitted, get better weapons. From what I remember, you didn¡¯t ask for much, did you?¡±


    ¡°My greatsword is more than enough,¡± Gmon shook his head. ¡°I asked for replenished enchanted arrows, plus specific armor requests. Durran had the ostentatious orders.¡±


    ¡°Excellent,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°Things are looking up. But we¡¯ll proceed carefully, as always. Now more than ever, caution must be the sole thing we trust in. This civil war can be resolved splendidly¡­ and it might just be time for me to step outside of myfort zone.¡±


    ¡°Meaning?¡±


    ¡°Doing things I¡¯ve never done before. Not in ¡®Heroes of Berendar.¡¯ Creating options that weren¡¯t there for me,¡± Argrave said inly. ¡°I¡¯ve caused things to go out of control. That, alone, tells me I have an effect. But if I y things wisely¡­ maybe it won¡¯t be all bad.¡± Argrave smiled, his gaze distant. ¡°In fact, it might be fantastic.¡±


    #####


    Argrave and hispanions took shelter just behind a hill. Beyond, there was arge town nestled between hills. It was notrge in the sense that it was populous¡ªindeed, with rocky terrain and sparse natural resources, it was in an inopportune location, and consequently could not support arge poption. Yet the houses and buildings in it were each and all grand and impably constructed, and the tall wall around made it seem even formidable.


    Anneliese opened her eyes and took a deep breath, while the Starsparrow perched itself on her shoulders. ¡°Alright. I have examined things thoroughly.¡± She adjusted herself, gathering her bearings after using druidic magic for so long.


    ¡°Take your time,¡± Argrave eased her.


    ¡°I spotted Orion¡¯s royal knights. They were standing outside a building, guarding. I presume Orion is within,¡± she began. ¡°Beyond that, I believe things are as you said. I searched for those wearing the uniform of a High Wizard but found none. I noticed no sizable military force beyond militiamen and guards for important Order buildings.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Argrave nodded, parsing through what she said. He let his paranoia run rampant as he considered everything he knew about Kin¡¯s End. ¡°Orion¡¯s royal knights?¡± he said. ¡°Are you sure of this?¡±


    Anneliese paused. Without a word, she cast the druidic spell again and the bird vanished from her shoulder. Argrave waited patiently, and she spoke again after a time.


    ¡°They are not those we travelled with, the Waxknights. I¡­¡± Guilt vored her tone, as though ashamed of herck of awareness.


    Argrave took a deep breath and exhaled. ¡°It¡¯s fine. We caught it, and that¡¯s what¡¯s important.¡± He nodded carefully. ¡°I¡¯d like you to see what you can glean about those within the building. They might still be Orion¡¯s knights¡ªhe may have simply changed them out.¡±


    As Anneliese carried out Argrave¡¯s directive, he shared a nce with Durran.


    Though Anneliese said nothing for a long while, she eventually contributed, ¡°There is a man within. He looks¡­ he looks somewhat like you. Tall¡ªtaller than me, but shorter than you.¡±


    ¡°Blue eyes, and a lithe build,¡± Argrave finished, recalling Induen¡¯s appearance all too well. ¡°Am I right? Or is he quite skinny? It could be Levin.¡±


    ¡°No¡­ no, your first descriptor was more urate. He seems a warrior,¡± Anneliese noted. ¡°Though he is dressed in fine clothes, clearly not meant for battle.¡±


    Argrave took a deep, long breath, obvious questions rushing to his mind at once as he struggled to grasp why Induen might be here. He felt his heart beat a little faster and brushed his cheek that had been wounded by Induen months ago almost by instinct.


    ¡°Survey the whole town once more,¡± Argrave directed her. ¡°The inside of each building, every nook and cranny. Any ces ambushers might be.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Anneliese agreed readily, and then the party settled back into quietude.


    Argrave felt anxious, so he rose to his feet and gazed over the hill.


    After a much longer time, Anneliese¡¯s bird returned once more. She held her forehead as though pained. ¡°The homes all seemed¡­ ordinary. None were waiting in ambush. There are only four royal knights down there¡ªtwo without the home, and two within. I cannot speak to the presence of magic users within the town.¡± She shook her head in regret.


    Argrave nodded. ¡°You¡¯ve done enough.¡± He took a deep breath. ¡°If Induen has no agents in the town beyond the four royal knights with him, he won¡¯t notice if I search the town for magic users so long as I avoid where he is. If he does have more there¡­ A-rank mages, for instance¡­ we cut our losses, move past Kin¡¯s End.¡±


    ¡°Argrave¡­ this is the man that attacked you, right? The man who gave you Foamspire?¡± Anneliese questioned, and when Argrave nodded, she continued, ¡°Yet he is not dressed to fight¡­ I do not believe he bears a sword, even. Nor does he seem particrly incensed.¡±


    Argrave took her observation into consideration. ¡°Four royal knights¡­ and Induen. That¡¯s¡­¡± He rubbed his thumb against his palm.


    He could not deny Induen still intimidated him somewhat. Yet the more he thought of it¡­ the more he felt he would be capable of fighting against that. Induen was unarmored¡ªhe might have some enchanted items, but spells beyond B-rank did not work well as enchantments. That was the reason Argrave and Anneliese only had rings that conjured B-rank wards. Induen himself was B-rank.


    ¡°I¡¯ll survey for spellcasters in hiding,¡± Argrave said. ¡°Gmon, you¡¯lle with. Keep an eye out for anything suspicious. I won¡¯t step foot near Induen unless I¡¯m one thousand percent sure this isn¡¯t some ambush. Orion might have his reasons for sending Induen, or¡­¡±


    ¡°And if you don¡¯t find anything wrong?¡± Gmon questioned.


    ¡°I¡¯ll¡­¡± Argrave rubbed his hands together.


    Induen. He was a man far toofortable with death. He enjoyed it¡ªreveled in it. Acts of cruelty and entricity weremonce from him. That, coupled with being the crown prince of Vasquer, boded ill for the future. On top of that, he had a great deal of Princess Elenore¡¯s support, even if she did only view him as a tool. So long as he remained around¡­


    ¡°Induen is a problem for the future,¡± Argrave concluded aloud. ¡°A problem for the realm. A problem for us.¡±


    Argrave had been merely avoiding the problem this whole time, but in the back of his head, he knew what it might eventuallye to. Could someone like Induen be redeemed? Moreover, <em>should </em>he be? Argrave thought the answer was no on both counts. The man enjoyed orphaning children, senseless violence, and waspletely intolerant of anyone with agendas divergent from his own. Worse yet, he was talented enough to do real damage in a position of leadership.


    Durran adjusted the way he sat. ¡°You mean¡­¡±


    ¡°Provided I find nothing amiss in the town¡­ he¡¯s far from Dirracha. Alone. Isted. Not prepared forbat, on top of that.¡± Argrave tried to make sure his nervousness didn¡¯t bleed into his voice. ¡°There might not be a better time. You have to seize an opportunity, some would say.¡±


    A grim silence set over them as Argrave all but confirmed what he had been implying.


    ¡°That would end your association with Orion permanently,¡± Anneliese counseled.


    ¡°I know,¡± Argrave nodded, looking to Gmon. ¡°But no matter how much I juggle it in my head, I cannot see supporting Vasquer as an option. They¡¯re too far gone.¡±


    Anneliese looked to the town below. ¡°I do not believe he means to kill you. Hees unarmored, he brings few guards,¡± she said simply. ¡°And¡­ he has knowledge of your mother.¡±


    ¡°What does that matter?¡± Argrave furrowed his brows. ¡°I¡¯m sure plenty do. And I don¡¯t care all that much anyway.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I do not know,¡± Anneliese shook her head. ¡°Ignore my thoughts if you wish.¡±


    Argrave looked at her, then nced to Kin¡¯s End. Though it was a savage sentiment¡­ he would be morefortable fighting Induen than talking with him.


    ¡°I won¡¯t risk walking into a trapped building. I don¡¯t see why it¡¯s worth the risk just to hear him out. But¡­¡± Argrave took a deep breath. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m not confident in killing him from afar. Royal knights are royal knights for a reason¡­ and Induen wouldn¡¯t hesitate to involve the popce to save his skin. If I get close, maybe I can restrict his movements¡­¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°Gmon and I will scout things out. From there, I¡¯ll make a judgement call.¡±<!--


    -->

 Chapter 213

    Chapter 213: A Prince¡¯s Gamble


    There was a thin line between caution and paranoia. It was thin enough that Argrave lost sight of itpletely. Maybe it was never tangible to begin with.


    He felt half a fool as he wandered around Kin¡¯s End, looking for any single person who might be a threat to him or hispanions. He and Gmon scanned the building Induen stayed in from afar, checking for other people within or secretpartments where enemies might hide. They checked everywhere inside, and miles outside the town. And the conclusion?


    This was likely the best circumstance he could encounter Induen.


    He had only four guards¡ªroyal knights, and perhaps the finest quality in all Vasquer. All four were mages of B-rank, though low within the rank at best. Induen had not advanced to A-rank, and he was unarmored and unsupported. The only armed men in the town consisted of a militia, perhaps twenty, and all attended the wall. There were two attending Wizards of the Gray Owl, both of which manned an administrative center opposite where Induen stayed. The Tower was not epting Acolytes at this date¡ªthey had no reason to man this ce thoroughly. Even if they were Induen¡¯s people¡­ they were C-rank.


    As that conclusion settled upon them, Argrave confronted the reality of what he was going to do. Though he spoke about putting an end to Induen permanently¡­ the fact remained that it persisted in his mind like a dark cloud. Everything, from the irony of the town¡¯s name to the fact he might be known as a kinyer¡­ it clung to him, pushing aside important thoughts.


    After an hour of walking, thinking, searching¡­ the bottom line came to him. Argrave had to face his fears for the good of the future.


    He¡¯d done it time and time again the past few months. This one, though¡­ it felt markedly different. Maybe it was because he was premeditating a murder if he didn¡¯t hear what he wanted to hear. Maybe it was because he had already faced Induen before and walked away with his teeth cut.


    No answer came to his question as he took slow, steady steps towards the two golden-armored knights standing out front the quaint house that Prince Induen was waiting for him in. The knights caught sight of the three of them at once¡ªArgrave, Durran, Anneliese. Gmon was elsewhere, his bow readied. Durran had the Ebonice axe. Everyone was ready for any oue.


    The knight¡¯s eyes followed them from behind their gleaming golden te helmets. Argrave took the lead, his finger rubbing against the enchanted ring that conjured B-rank wards just beneath his glove.


    When Argrave stepped up, the two knights looked at him for a time before saying anything. He saw them focus on his eyes like they jewels then pass to hispanions, evaluating.


    ¡°The prince is inside,¡± the royal knight on the left told Argrave.


    ¡°The bastard is outside,¡± Argrave returned.


    The royal knight stared up at him, eyes steady.


    ¡°He¡¯ll receive you now,¡± the right-side knight directed.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Argrave smiled. ¡°You see, that¡¯s the first mistake. Orion wouldn¡¯t ¡®receive¡¯ me. No¡ªI suppose that¡¯s the second mistake. You left the windows unblocked.¡± His gaze jumped between the two of them. ¡°I¡¯m trying to recognize either of you. Were you there thest time Induen and I spoke? I can¡¯t remember.¡±


    Induen¡¯s knights were so good at ying it straight that Argrave might¡¯ve believed them if he had been bluffing.


    The knight on the left side stepped forward. ¡°You should go inside.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s such a good idea,¡± Argrave said inly.


    ¡°Why would we care what you think?¡± the knight on the right side stepped forward in turn.


    Argrave held his arms out. ¡°Care to find out?¡±


    He could practically feel the tension of hispanions behind him, ready to fight. Argrave himself had all of his will focused on the ring around his finger, ready to conjure something at a moment¡¯s notice.


    The door opened quickly, nearly spurring Argrave to action. He found someone looking up at him¡ªPrince Induen, with his icy blue eyes and manufactured smile. Memories came back¡­ and Argrave might have reacted to them, had there been any fewer people at his back.


    Induen wore all white, which contrasted starkly with his obsidian hair. It was an borate, somewhat ceremonial suit, with tassels of gold on the shoulders and gemstones for buttons. He had long sleeves. It was far from anything used forbat. Argrave studied his hands¡ªthree rings, no fewer. He looked for nes and found one.


    <em>Assume all three rings are enchanted, plus the ne. Assume he¡¯s got plenty of spells on hand¡ªdefensive and offensive both. </em>


    ¡°Argrave,¡± Induen sped his hands together. ¡°You ruined my surprise. You¡­¡± he stared at Argrave¡¯s eyes. ¡°Orion didn¡¯t lie about you.¡±


    Argrave shrugged. He felt like he could not blink. ¡°I don¡¯t like surprises.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re good at ruining things,¡± Induen smiled. ¡°You had father¡¯s eyes, and now you¡¯ve ruined that with some¡­ freakish things.¡± When a silence set in, heughed. ¡°I kid, I kid. So, will youe inside?¡±


    Argrave was somewhat surprised by the question¡ªInduen didn¡¯t ask many questions that left room for refusal.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we take a walk?¡± Argrave suggested.


    ¡°A walk,¡± Induen reiterated, clenching his hands together a bit tighter.


    ¡°It¡¯s like standing, but you move your legs and travel elsewhere,¡± Argrave nodded, deliberately incendiary to draw a reaction from Induen. ¡°There¡¯s an old fountain just outside town. Dried up, but it¡¯s a pretty view. Nice ce. No one around to hear.¡±


    This was one justification Argrave had for talking to Induen instead of simply killing him outright from a distance. Though he nned things to be clean, perhaps a single shot from himself or Gmon¡­ there might be other casualties. The prince was still in a residential district. If things weren¡¯t clean, and Argrave and Anneliese start using B-rank spells, coupled with the royal knights¡­ people might die. Induen or his royal knights might use people. Closer up, he could minimize damage.


    Despite Argrave¡¯s provocations, Induen only stood there, staring. His gaze jumped around. ¡°This is that tribal¡­ and your fianc¨¦e,¡± Induen noted, eyesnding on Anneliese.


    ¡°Order reversed,¡± Durran joked, holding his ive like a walking stick at his side. His hand hovered near the Ebonice axe at his waist.


    Induen¡¯s gaze lingered on Anneliese far too long for hisfort, and then jumped back to Argrave. ¡°Alright. A walk.¡±


    Induen brushed past Argrave, walking down the street. His four royal knights hurried after him, and Argrave watched them for a bit. Induen turned, walking backwards as if taunting Argrave. With a deep breath, they followed.


    Despite Argrave¡¯s paranoia, they simply passed the gate of Kin¡¯s End and walked up the hill where the old, decrepit fountain waited. It was a grand, giant bowl that had once been filled with water spawned by magic. Now, it was in disrepair. Induen sat on the edge of it, his four royal knights off to the side in loose formation.


    ¡°So¡­ we¡¯re here,¡± Argrave called out, standing a decent distance away from Induen as he sat on the edge of the fountain.


    Induen crossed one leg over the other. ¡°I brought your armor. The one Orion had custom-made for yourpanions.¡± Induen shrugged. ¡°Unfortunately, my little brother is a bit paranoid, so I can¡¯t show it to you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s nice,¡± said Argrave, caring little in light of the situation.


    ¡°I also sent Orion with a document bearing my magic signature,¡± Induen continued. ¡°It petitioned father for legitimization. Yours, namely. You¡¯d be named Prince Argrave of Vasquer.¡±


    Argrave frowned. Seeing that, Induen tilted his head back and smiled. ¡°I¡¯ve caught your attention, have I? Ahh¡­¡±


    A wind passed through their party, and Argrave said nothing as he thought of what this meant. ¡°Usually you hit me before giving me nice things,¡± Argrave noted.


    Induen crossed his arms. ¡°I made¡­ a mistake,¡± he said hesitantly. ¡°I should not have hit you.¡±


    Now Argrave was well and truly befuddled. He adjusted his feet, taken aback. He¡¯d never seen Induen so¡­promising. He hadn¡¯t expected to win any ground with this man¡ªall he¡¯d hoped for was a quick end to the battle.


    ¡°From the beginning¡­ I was led about by the nose,¡± Induen disclosed. ¡°Both of us were.¡±


    Argrave frowned. ¡°By whom?¡±


    Induen smiled. ¡°Perhaps you¡¯ve already guessed,¡± he ventured. ¡°It all started with her, didn¡¯t it? She probably gave me Foamspire precisely intending I give it to you. She constantly stoked my anger against you. Yet now¡­ she got heavy handed. She¡¯s been driving me against you since day one, but she got rushed.¡±


    ¡°Elenore?¡± Argrave frowned. ¡°What are you¡­?¡±


    ¡°You know things. You have friends, agents. Mina of Veden¡ªI thought she might be Elenore¡¯s, but I¡¯m certain she¡¯s yours, now,¡± Induen said quickly. ¡°You travel from ce to ce, achieving things that are¡­ obscure.¡± Induen tapped his temple. ¡°And then it came to me. It might be my sister¡¯s not as irreceable as she makes herself out to be. It might be¡­ the Bat has a predator every bit as skilled as she does.¡±


    Argrave didn¡¯t feel the point Induen was making was as cogent as he sold it to be, but he was stunned enough by the development words did note to him right away.


    ¡°If Elenore wanted me dead¡­ there¡¯s a lot easier ways to do it than by using you,¡± Argrave posited.


    ¡°She wanted to damage me,¡± Induen said. ¡°She¡¯s always wanted to undermine me. A kinyer¡ªthere are few worse crimes in Vasquer. This rebellion¡­ people wouldn¡¯t attack me in Dirracha so brazenly. She must¡¯ve spurred people in the city to attack, provoke a reaction from my guards.¡±


    As Induen said it, Argrave thought there might have been some truth to his ims. It was only a nugget of truth amidst misinformation, though.


    Induen stood up off the fountain and stepped forward. ¡°I¡¯ve been looking for a way to sever from her¡­ the truth is, she offers a valuable service, and she¡¯s incredibly wealthy. The information is more important than the wealth. But you¡­¡±


    As Induen stepped closer, Argrave maintained a cautious distance. Induen looked briefly incensed, but it faded in a sh.


    ¡°I know you have more than you let on. All I¡¯ve heard¡ªit¡¯s the only way. You have information. Real, valuable information, perhaps beyond even her purview.¡± Induen pointed at him. ¡°Mina of Veden. She stalled me by your directive, didn¡¯t she?¡±


    After a deep breath, Argrave gave a slow, steady nod.


    Affirmed, Induen nodded. ¡°But even if you¡¯re not as great as I suspect¡­ it doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Induen shook his head. ¡°Elenore is a problem. She needs to go. And I need¡­petency, when Ie to reign. And before it,¡± Induen said with a smile.


    ¡°I travelled covertly, with few guards, to avoid her eyes,¡± Induen exined. ¡°One of my knights, an informant, I¡ª¡± he paused. ¡°Well, he¡¯s not a problem anymore. Don¡¯t worry about the details. The fact is, Argrave¡­ brother¡­¡± Induen put both of his hands on his waist. ¡°I want you to help me deal with Elenore. Deal with¡­ other obstacles. And then, I want you to help me utterly annihte this rebellion. In return¡­ Mateth, Jast, and Elbraille. Anything you name in the south that¡¯s not already promised to my brother¡­ I¡¯ll make it yours. Wealth unimaginable.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Argrave said despite himself.


    ¡°You heard me,¡± Induen nodded. ¡°Anynd, no matter howrge. Just not Parbon. Felipe has decided that is Orion¡¯s, and publicly. Even if father dies¡­ well, let¡¯s not get into that.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Argrave furrowed his brows.


    ¡°I needpetency!¡± Induen exined heartily. ¡°You get things done yourself. It¡¯s all I¡¯ve seen. You went from some skinny, malnourished youth to a B-rank mage and newly praised hero! When I seed father, I need a new generation of power to build. A new elite as my pirs.¡±


    Argrave crossed his arms. ¡°What would happen?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Induen turned around, deliberating. ¡°We would return to Dirha. Deal with¡­ pressing matters I mentioned earlier. There¡¯d be a ceremony to wee you as a prince. I¡¯d establish you in a position of power¡ªfather¡¯s close council, for instance¡ªand once springes¡­ we¡¯d end the rebels.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Argrave noted.


    ¡°Yourpanions would be well-treated,¡± Induen assured. ¡°Orion suggested the tribal be named your first royal knight¡ªI have no objections to that. And your fianc¨¦e¡­ she should stay in the capital, be intimately acquainted with the family. Perhaps a period of six months.¡±


    ¡°Intimately acquainted?¡± Argrave smiled broadly, taking a step forth. ¡°Six months?¡±


    As Argrave drew near¡­ he was acutely aware that he wasrger than Induen.


    ¡°You wed an elf, brother. This is something that will take time. She must be introduced to father, the court¡­ everyone,¡± Induen exined.


    Argraveughed out his nose, a big smile on his face. ¡°No. This is just another form of control, another form of threat. You can¡¯t trust me, can¡¯t surrender one iota of power over me. I¡¯m¡­ yeah, you had me for a minute. I thought, ¡®what the hell? Does he deserve a quick death instead of a slow one?¡¯¡±


    Induen gazed up at Argrave. ¡°You¡¯ve gotten bold, brother.¡±


    ¡°A little,¡± Argrave concurred.


    ¡°Do you understand your situation?¡± With those words, the royal knights moved to support Induen. ¡°These men are royal knights.¡±


    Argrave stepped forward. ¡°I know them. Many of Orion¡¯s knights died fighting things I killed.¡±


    For the first time, Induen stepped back. Argrave held both his hands out and conjured [Pavise Gale] on either side. The two mage royal knights pushed Induen back and conjured wards in the same motion, and the gargantuan rectangle shields of wind bashed against a golden ward, sending air bouncing in all directions wildly.


    A noise split the air, and a bolt of fire travelled towards Induen. It was an enchanted arrow, fired by Gmon. Induen looked liable to be struck¡­ but he conjured his own ward almostzily, and it bounced off.


    ¡°I brought two sets of armor here, one too big for any of those present¡­ you think I¡¯d gloss over the fact you had a man lurking?¡± Induen shouted over the ward.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Argrave returned, his conjured knights still pushing and cracking the wards. ¡°I get things done myself, as you said.¡±


    Argrave triggered the Blessing of Supersession.

 Chapter 214

    Chapter 214: A Prince¡¯s Arbiter


    Five B-rank mages versus two. It was an overwhelming disadvantage, if viewed without knowledge of who they were.


    In reality¡­ there was a reason Argrave had confidence enough to talk to Induen.


    With the power of the Blessing of Supersession welling within his being, hepsed into his strategy as though it were a habit. Four royal knights and Induen stood before him¡ªhe loosed [Pavise Gale] time and time again from his hands and Garm¡¯s eyes both, preparing [Electric Eels] intermittently. The titanic conjured knights mmed their shields of wind into B-rank wards, chipping them away as quickly as they were ced. Argrave¡¯s Brumesingers remained at his legs to defend him in case of stray spells. The rampant disy of power left the royal knights only one option¡ªa frantic defense. Even Induen, reckless as he was, remained safely behind their wards.


    They thought to oust him. It was standard for fighting mages¡ªmost B-rank mages could only cast just a few B-rank spells before being drained. That wasn¡¯t an option for them, though. More and more eels joined up in the sky, sparking, waiting for an opening. Durran joined in, dropping his ive and hacking with the Ebonice axe to aid in tearing down the wards before them. Eventually, they broke past the rightward knight¡¯s ward, and a pavise struck the golden-armored man squarely in the shoulder. He took to the air towards Kin¡¯s End, flying away dozens of feet while half-spinning from the power of the blow. Gmon, who¡¯d jumped down from the walls of Kin¡¯s End, fired an arrow at this knight when hended, yet Argrave could not tell if it hit.


    Induen shouted amand, and in a few seconds the strategy shifted. The royal knights pressed forwards with their wards, pushing Argrave back slightly so they could not draw near. When one ward broke, a knight pushed past with it, conjuring two des of blood magic¡ªthe C-rank [Putrid Paramerion]. He thrust both towards Argrave as fast as Gmon might¡¯ve. Mist warriors conjured by his Brumesingers rose to defend him.


    Durran swung the Ebonice axe down before the mist warriors could do anything, catching one de with the beard of axe. It dissipated in seconds before the magic-breaking axe. The knight was surprised the weapon could contest his own, but all too quickly grabbed Durran¡¯s arm with his now-free hand. The other de stabbed towards his back.


    Yet Anneliese had not been twiddling her thumbs behind them. She cast the C-rank [Skysunder], and a bolt of white lightning struck the knight squarely on the chest. Durran winced as the lightning travelled into him, but he was not as severely affected as the knight. After disentangling, Durran pushed the spasming knight away, and Argrave finally rained dozens of [Electric Eels] on the man. To finish him, Argrave cast one more [Pavise Gale]. The tower shield swung by the knight struck his foe squarely in the breastte, caving it in and sending the knight far away from the fight.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    In a moment ofxness, Induen stepped forth. A guillotine de of ice formed before the prince far too quickly, likely conjured by an enchanted ring, and hurtled towards Argrave. Anneliese stepped beside Argrave and conjured a ward to block it, yet the spell was powerful enough to shatter the ward in one blow. Though exposed, Argrave only tried to punish Induen for his overextension. His eels in the sky came down, but Induen retreated, reced by B-rank wards conjured by his knights. Argrave abandoned the attack, and the eels danced gracefully backwards like a ssh upon the surface of water without striking the ward.


    Argrave suspected the only reason his foes had not fallen was because they used enchanted items to conjure their wards¡ªthey were faster and more numerous. Even still, he trusted in the Blessing of Supersession more than their enchanted items.


    Argrave resumed his unrelenting assault once more. He felt like amander of giants and a leader of titans as the countless knights of wind assailed his foes with earth-shattering blows. He was a Romanmander amidst his Legion, each and all battering against a foe that desperately clung to safety. And above it all, like a cloud of divine judgement¡­ his eels grew in numbers by every passing second.


    He barely heard an ordered series of whistles. Argrave saw the knight that had been sted towards Kin¡¯s End running behind Induen and continuing past him, heeding thatmand. He would be retreating, looking for allies. <em>It¡¯s fine,</em> Argrave thought. <em>Let him run. Anneliese made sure there were no forces for miles. One of his knights is dead or dying, the other is retreating. Fewer foes to contest. </em>


    The assault was noisy and eye-catching, and the residents of Kin¡¯s End came to the walls to watch this happen. He could not hide what was about to happen from the world. Countless pointed to the eels above Argrave, and yet more watched the relentless battering of conjured knights, blowing winds across the ins of wintry grass and disturbing the very earth.


    Despite the relentlessness of Argrave¡¯s assault¡­ his opponent¡¯s desperation was no less intense. Even with Durran aiding with the Ebonice axe, his foes seemed to have an unending supply of wards to block his spells. They were better equipped, without a doubt. He felt like a hammer striking down on an anvil.


    As time passed, Argrave felt some urgency. Gmon rejoined them, taking the Ebonice axe from Durran and increasing the efficiency of the attack. Though strained¡­ their foes refused to fall. He could see Induen desperately struggling to hold back the tide, both casting spells and using the enchanted items he wore on his person alongside his knights.


    And then¡­ the Blessing ended.


    Great howling winds moved across the ins as the effect of the numerous [Pavise Gales] faded. Argrave stood there, his hands held out as Induen waited behind a shield of gold, breathing heavy with panic. He slowly rose to his feet, and he and Argrave locked eyes.


    ¡°Defend me,¡± Argrave said loudly yet evenly. It felt unnecessary, for hispanions and his Brumesingers were already doing that. In time with hismand, the [Electric Eels] in the skies came to nket them, swirling about through the air. They were like divers in the midst of an ocean surrounded by a school of swimming fish. As they were umbreed by the eels, the ce grew all the brighter. The fountain and grassy hills were illuminated by bright blue light.


    Argrave held his hand out and cast a spell with his own magic. Two thick strands of blood erupted from his wrist. They took form in his hands, solidifying into a great recurve bow as tall as Argrave himself. He raised his other hand up, and an arrow took shape. He nocked the arrow for his [Bloodfeud Bow].


    Induen could only wait on the other side of the ward, the thousands of [Electric Eels] swirling about around Argrave and the whole battlefield like some grim curtain of white death. He barked somethingmands, questions, to his knights. He looked around panicked for any opportunity¡ªany escape, any freedom. But escape was out of the question; Argrave would rain lightning upon them the second they were freed from the ward. As Induen looked for options, the dark red arrow on Argrave¡¯s finger grewrger andrger. The pain kept Argrave focused.


    Eventually, Argrave met Induen¡¯s eyes. He had never seen this type of expression before. It was panic, anger, indignance, fear, all bundled so tightly together as to be another emotion altogether. The prince was tense, coiled like a rabbit ready to bolt. His eyes were pleading, almost, painted yellow by the golden wards he hid behind.


    The eels swelled outwards, then surged inwards towards the ball of golden light protecting Induen. As they passed by Argrave, he released the arrow. The scene ahead became a great blur of power, shattered golden wards, and white light. The electric eels struck the royal knights in the hundreds, turning them into sparking beacons. Dirt and grass scattered upwards and everywhere, as though a missile had struck the earth.


    ¡°If he¡¯s not dead, cut his hands off, take his ne,¡± Argrave said somberly, knowing Gmon would hear. It was not cruelty¡ªhe had to restrain Induen, for he was a spellcaster.


    Gmon obeyed immediately, pushing into the great cloud of dust. Argrave could hear nothing at all. Dirt and grass peppered him from above. As the dust settled, there was a great gash in the earth ahead that extended for hundreds of feet. Induen stood at its beginning. The arrow of blood had struck the prince in the thigh, and his right leg had been severed just below his hip. He seemed to be unconscious. As Gmon ruthlessly obeyed Argrave¡¯s orders, though, the prince awoke, screaming in agony.


    Argrave stepped up to Induen, past his two dead royal knights. He was dizzy from using [Bloodfeud Bow], butpared to his first use, it was entirely manageable. Hundreds of the eels still persisted, whirling in the air around Argrave as he walked. Induen gazed up at him with eyes full of hate, pain, and fear. Argrave scanned his body for enchanted items, ensuring he was at no risk.


    ¡°Search the bodies,¡± Argravemanded loudly. ¡°Take all of their enchanted items, barring the armor¡ªwe can¡¯t carry that. After, move to the gates of Kin¡¯s End.¡±


    Everyone moved to obey Argrave¡¯s order without a word, still consumed by the rush of battle. Induen breathed heavily, his eyes fluttering as he struggled with consciousness. Death hung over him.


    Argrave picked up Induen¡¯s detached hand and began removing the rings from it, stowing it in his pocket. Induen tried to crawl backwards into the crater created by the [Bloodfeud Bow], but Argrave put his foot on Induen¡¯s chest.


    ¡°You¡­¡± Induen said, voice hoarse and pained. ¡°You¡¯re no¡­ brother of mine. You were useless. A waste of life,¡± he tried to shout, yet it was weak. ¡°You¡¯re not my brother!¡±


    Argrave cast a simple D-rank ice spell that was no more than a spike and jammed it into Induen¡¯s eye. It prated deep, well beyond the eye and into the brain beyond. The prince spasmed, his body losing focus, and then he sagged back. Argrave pressed his foot against the back of the ice spike, pushing it deeper until it came out the back of his head.


    With a hole the size of a fist through his brain¡­ Induen was dead. There was no room for doubt.


    Argrave removed all the enchanted rings from Induen¡¯s hands, and then moved back to hispanions. They robbed the dead as quick as they could, and then moved for the gate.


    ¡°Get the armor from Orion as fast as we can, if Induen wasn¡¯t just lying,¡± Argrave said to hispanions as they moved. ¡°If people try and stop us, subdue them¡ªdon¡¯t kill anyone.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Durran answered, everyone else responding simrly.


    Argrave shouted warnings and assurances, and that was enough to cow the terrified crowd. They treated the four of them like cmities, doubly so because of the cloud of [Electric Eels] above Argrave. Yet the fact remained that everyone saw them, each of them. In time, this event would spread across all of Vasquer. <em>Let it, </em>thought Argrave. <em>Induen is hated. </em>


    Though Argrave took his time, weakened from casting [Bloodfeud Bow], they made it to the building Induen had been in. The two sets of armor were sitting on a stand within the room. Gmon¡¯s was a set of bleak gray te armor that shone with protective enchantments on every portion. It seemed ridiculously thick and heavy, yet its prowess could not be questioned. After tossing aside the helmet, knowing his own was better, Gmon started putting everything on, aided by Argrave.


    Durran¡¯s was a set of lightermer scale armor. It was still made of wyvern scales, to Argrave¡¯s surprise¡ªhe had not known Durran had requested it to be as such. It looked quite formidable, gleaming every bit as intensely as Gmon¡¯s. Durran put it on with Anneliese¡¯s help.


    ¡°Don¡¯t see the weapons I asked for¡­ damn,¡± cursed the tribal. ¡°Do we change our course, travel elsewhere?¡± Durran questioned as they armored up.


    ¡°Dozens of S-rank mages enforce the neutrality in the Tower of the Gray Owl,¡± Argrave said. ¡°Felipe can¡¯t afford making them an enemy, even for his son¡¯s killer. If we get in before news reaches¡­ they¡¯ll protect us, even if dozens of mages break their oath of neutrality to earn favor with the king.¡± Argrave stepped to the window, looking at the tower. ¡°So, we travel without sleep. Ride our horses ¡®til they die.¡±


    ¡°What about getting out?¡± Anneliese asked. ¡°The king will surely have the ce encircled on every side¡ªhe¡¯ll ensure there is no way for us to leave.¡±


    ¡°Magic,¡± Argrave said. ¡°I¡¯ll have to¡­ curry favor with some people, Castro being the primary candidate¡­ but others exist.¡±


    ¡°¡­are you okay?¡± Anneliese said with concern as she finished up with Durran¡¯s armor.


    He looked back at her. He was trying not to think of what he¡¯d done. ¡°I can figure that outter,¡± he said simply. ¡°For now¡­ let¡¯s go. This will have consequences. I¡¯d like to get ahead of them.¡±<!--


    -->

 Chapter 215

    Chapter 215: Unexpected Guest


    Argrave fled from Kin¡¯s End as fast as the horses would carry them. The scouting they did was less detailed than usual in their haste¡ªit would be more important to make it to the Tower of the Gray Owl than it would be to dodge potential ambushes, and much of the area ahead was simply a vast in that required no scouting.


    But the tower was not so far, fortunately. As they grew nearer, it loomed over their head more and more, like a great gray rod nted in the ground by the gods. Even from a great distance, Argrave could see the sparking enchantments holding such a titanic piece of architecture upright, the magic grappling with both the fast winds at high altitudes and the great weight of the tower itself.


    There were stables a fair distance away from the tower. Argrave and hispanions moved their horses near them, the creatures panting with exhaustion. They had very nearly ridden them to death. Once there, Argrave dismounted, legs stiff and unwieldy after the breakneck ride.


    ¡°You there,¡± Argrave told a stable worker. ¡°Take care of our horses. Just remember my face, give our horses back when we leave,¡± he said, handing the boy five gold coins. ¡°Five more when we return,¡± he promised. He didn¡¯t know if they¡¯d leave by horseback, though.


    The boy nodded quickly, seemingly terrified of Argrave. With that, they removed their luggage from their spot atop the horses and left, heading to the entrance of the tower. Argrave felt an urge to sprint.


    ¡°Can they enter without badges?¡± asked Anneliese, referring to Gmon and Durran. ¡°As I recall these ces have magical restriction for those without them.¡±


    ¡°First couple floors have stupidly expensive temporary lodgings, yeah. Nobility study here¡ªsome of them bring servants, retinues of knights¡­ the Order makes money by charging hefty rent,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°Beyond those first floors, no. The restriction will kick in.¡±


    Once Argrave¡¯s foot met the stone of the tower¡­ he took a deep breath and exhaled. ¡°Christ¡­ we made it. Most terrifying horseback ride of my life. Or maybe it was the first one,¡± Argrave conceded.


    ¡°What now?¡± questioned Gmon, directing their attention back to the important matters.


    ¡°Now¡­¡± Argrave nodded, recalling what he had nned. ¡°Now, we head to the fourth floor, get you two registered for temporary lodging, establish the purpose of our visit. From there¡­ I don¡¯t know how long we¡¯ll stay. Ideally, it¡¯ll be a very short time. Realistically, I¡¯m not sure how easy Castro will be able to win over. If that fails, we might have to turn to another S-rank mage for aid, which would take¡­ I don¡¯t know,¡± Argrave shook his head, exhausted.


    Already, people were staring at them from their eye-catching appearance alone. Once news of Induen¡¯s death reached here, he was sure they¡¯d be the center of attention. He¡¯d probably be doing no favors for his reputation in the Order of the Gray Owl by tantly abusing their policy of neutrality, but he didn¡¯t especially care. He¡¯d be paying them back for this favor in time.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, then,¡± Argrave nodded, steeling himself. He felt like a lion among sheep¡ªhe¡¯d just killed a prince, and now he was preparing himself to have a pleasant conversation with a receptionist.


    Yes as he walked, he noticed someone distinctly moving towards him. At first, his frayed nerves made him interpret the action in a negative light. As the person grew closer, however, his paranoia morphed into surprise.


    Elias of House Parbon approached Argrave. Argrave stared at his waxpox-scarred eye in shock, yet the heir to the Margravate of House Parbon was smiling.


    ¡°And here I thought Stain would be wasting all of our time,¡± Elias said. ¡°Argrave. I¡ª¡± he paused. ¡°Your eyes. My father told me about it, but I didn¡¯t think that¡­ I suppose seeing is believing.¡±


    Argrave recovered from his shock quickly. ¡°Yeah. It seems we both had some changes on that front. What the hell are you doing here?¡±


    Elias¡¯ finger brushed just beneath his eye. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about this. I made a mistake, that¡¯s the bottom line.¡± He studied Argrave¡¯s party. ¡°Nikoletta and Mina are both here, as well.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Argrave¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°We have to talk about the future,¡± Elias said inly. ¡°My father sent me here to talk to you. Nikoletta¡¯s father, too. And Mina¡­ it was a coincidence we met up at all.¡±


    Argrave shifted on his feet and looked back to Anneliese. She nodded, confirming Elias¡¯ sincerity. He crossed his arms and looked back to Elias. ¡°I just recently had a talk about the future. It ended very poorly for the other party.¡±


    Elias frowned, not catching Argrave¡¯s meaning. ¡°Is that a¡­?¡±


    ¡°No, just a stupid joke,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°I mean¡­ Christ, you caught me at a poor time.¡±


    ¡°We didn¡¯t think to catch you at all,¡± Elias admitted. ¡°Stain said he heard rumors you broke into the B-rank and predicted you might head to the Tower to seek advancement into a High Wizard.¡±


    Argrave scratched the bottom of his chin, embarrassed he had been so easily predicted. At the same time, he thought of an opportunity. ¡°By any chance¡­ are you staying in a temporary lodging?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Elias nodded, perplexed. ¡°We have guards with us, so it was necessary. Why?¡±


    Argrave smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll talk only if we can stay with you. The lodging is stupidly expensive.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°As long as you answer us honestly, done,¡± Elias confirmed.


    ¡°You may regret that,¡± Argrave cautioned.


    #####


    Prince Levin strode through the vast greenery of Princess Elenore¡¯s greenhouse, admiring the vibrancy of the garden. Or at least, so it seemed¡ªthough his face smiled, his eyes seemed almost bored.


    As he wandered, he eventually made it into the central square, where a great fountain dominated the center. He stepped past small streams that flowed out of the water show, walking towards a pink metal table just beside it. Princess Elenore sat there, wearing green just as ever. She heard his steps and faced him as he walked.


    ¡°Hello, sister,¡± Levin greeted.


    ¡°Levin,¡± she returned passively.


    Levin took a deep breath. ¡°It always surprises me that you recognize my voice, considering how infrequently we speak.¡±


    Elenore said nothing. Levin pulled back a chair and sat without asking.


    ¡°I take it you will not be attending Magnus¡¯ funeral?¡± Levin began, setting his hands upon the table.


    The fountain continued to babble and bugs in the greenhouse chirped as both of them let the silence hang.


    ¡°I cannot leave the greenhouse,¡± Elenore finally said.


    Levin nodded. ¡°Or so father decreed.¡±


    She smiled pleasantly. ¡°I imagine Magnus¡¯ murderer will not be attending, as well.¡±


    The princeughed and smiled in kind. ¡°Have you not heard? Orion killed his murderer. So he ims, anyway. Who am I to doubt him? I was not there. He died by strange magic foreign to Vasquer. But I will be going, if that¡¯s what you were asking. I arranged the event, after all.¡±


    He said that he arranged the event with such pride the phrase took on double meanings.


    Elenore tilted her head, eyeless sockets seeming to gaze into Levin¡¯s soul. ¡°Magnus went to the wends to discover why the gue was spreading so fast in the south, you know.¡±


    ¡°And such a queer thing,¡± Levin said, leaning back in his chair. ¡°Our selfish brother does something entirely selfless, for reasons I could not begin to guess.¡±


    ¡°If only he¡¯d told someone what he¡¯d discovered before he died,¡± Elenore mused. ¡°That someone might inform me. And I might know.¡±


    Levin smiled, but it was bitter. ¡°If only.¡± He took a deep breath and sighed, then leaned in and ced his elbows on the pink table. ¡°So many tragedies and near-tragedies to those close to you.¡±


    ¡°Are they not close to you?¡± Elenore raised a brow.


    Levin shrugged. ¡°Well, who can say. But I do wonder why my sister expends so much effort to bring Argrave and Induen closer.¡±


    ¡°Who can say,¡± she parroted.


    Levin turned his head to the side, admiring the fountain as it poured. ¡°It is simply vexing as to why you go to such lengths for a baseborn. So many cards used, favors called¡­ maybe all the favors you¡¯ve made, trapped here in this greenhouse.¡±


    ¡°Maybe,¡± she conceded.


    ¡°Something in the air tells me that I may be called upon for my funerary services sometime soon,¡± Levin pondered as he admired more of the greenhouse. ¡°Orion was rather fond of Argrave. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be devastated by the news. He may do something foolish. How unfortunate.¡±


    Elenore simply faced forward, remaining quiet. Levin turned his gaze to her missing eyes. He did not seem to be appalled in the slightest.


    ¡°A person is driven by needs and wants,¡± Levin posited. ¡°Safety and sor are foremost among those needs. Men and women will do anything for both. Yet wants¡­ they determine all else. Once safety is obtained, people dedicate all of their time to their desires. If you know what someone wants, you know how to make them move. People might seek empty pleasures. They might seek fulfillment.¡±


    Elenore crossed her arms. ¡°An interesting theory.¡±


    Levin nodded. ¡°I am wondering who might want Argrave dead.¡±


    ¡°You generally dispose of the bastards of the family,¡± Elenore pointed out.


    ¡°Well, I was quite young when Argrave was born,¡± Levin shook his head regretfully. ¡°And Felipe forbid it when I was old enough to assume that duty, for reasons I cannot guess.¡±


    ¡°Yet you want to?¡± Elenore questioned.


    ¡°Not especially,¡± Levin said ponderously. ¡°Not any more than anyone else, I suppose.¡±


    ¡°What do you want, Levin?¡± The princess finally asked outright.


    Levin smiled¡ªit seemed to be his first genuine smile. ¡°Now that is the age-old question, hmm? If you knew what I wanted, you might be able to make me move, as you¡¯ve made so many others. I¡¯d be in your web. Or your¡­ bat¡¯s nest? I can¡¯t think of a good metaphor for bats, tragically.¡± Levin leaned forth. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you what I want. I want to know what you want, dear sister.¡±


    ¡°Well, you¡¯ll need to persuade me to tell you,¡± Elenore said casually.


    ¡°See? You get it. You know what I want, and now you¡¯re trying to make me move as you wish,¡± Levin shook his head. ¡°You were always bright. I question how someone as smart as you ended up blinded and crippled by father, locked up in this borate cage. Oh¡ªbut then, father didn¡¯t do the deed personally, did he? A certain special someone did¡­¡± Levin¡¯s smile was cruel enough to move people to tears.


    Princess Elenore said nothing in response.


    At her non-reaction, Levin looked sorely disappointed. He looked off to the side, then said, ¡°By all rights, you¡¯re the weakest in the family. Blind, no feet, no magic to your name, no swords at your side¡­ yet sometimes I wonder if you¡¯re more dangerous than me¡­ than anyone.¡±


    Elenore leaned back in her wheelchair. ¡°Such a thing to say. You could kill me right now, brother.¡±


    Levin leaned in. ¡°I wonder,¡± he said, looking around. ¡°I must be going now. We both have each other¡¯s weakness, so things will continue on as they are for time eternal. I do wonder how long that eternity willst, though. Allegiances are changing like the weather, and the royal family dips in number day after day. Oh, provided Archduke Regene stays asleep, of course.¡±


    Levin walked away quietly. Elenore¡¯s eyeless sockets seemed to follow him, watching as he left.


    ¡°You are slower to hear than I am, it seems,¡± she whispered, half to herself. Her face had the slightest of smiles. ¡°The jackal surprises once more¡­ a legion of ghostly snakes¡­ hmm.¡±<!--


    -->

 Chapter 216

    Chapter 216: Deration of Spring


    Argrave stepped through the door, mindful to duck beneath the doorframes now that he¡¯d returned to the Tower of the Gray Owl after all these months. Within, numerous recognizable people waited for him alongside arge retinue of knights. Mina and Nikoletta sat near each other, but there was an awkward air between them. Stain sat by the windowsill. Elias walked to a table in the center of the room, standing before it with his hands hovering just above the wood.


    ¡°Crowded ce. Not enough for a party,¡± Argrave noted as hispanions filtered in behind him. ¡°Are you sure we can stay here? And I mean physically.¡±


    ¡°Mina and Nikoletta have a room next door,¡± Elias nodded.


    ¡°Ah,¡± said Argrave, looking at them pointedly.


    Both of them frowned, though one for different reasons¡ªNikoletta seemed diforted by his eyes. ¡°You¡¯ve¡­ changed a lot, I see, cousin.¡±


    ¡°Heard that plenty,¡± he nodded. ¡°We can talk about itter. To business,¡± Argrave ordered.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Elias began, taken off-bnce by the speed of the conversation. Eventually, he nodded in agreement, his one good eye fixing on Argrave. ¡°Yes¡­ to the point, then. It would probably be best toy it out inly.¡± Elias cleared his throat. ¡°We¡¯d like you to fight at our side in the war against King Felipe. Not as amander ormon spellcaster¡ªas a imant. <em>Our </em>imant, to Dirha and all thends of Vasquer.¡±


    The words were somewhat surreal, so Argrave did not have a visceral reaction. He looked back to Anneliese, and she smiled bitterly. Durran nodded intensely just behind her to encourage Argrave, while Gmon merely kept his eyes on the knights of the Margravate throughout the room.


    ¡°Your father isn¡¯t blowing steam at the mention of my name?¡± Argrave turned back.


    ¡°My father thinks you seeded at stopping the spread of the gue,¡± Elias returned. ¡°And Mina corroborates that.¡±


    ¡°So do I,¡± Stain finally interjected. ¡°People walking from the northwest are singing about you, Argrave.¡±


    With a shrug, Argrave made his way to a chair and pulled it up to the table Elias stood before. He sat. ¡°Orion did most of the work.¡± His gaze wandered to Nikoletta. ¡°imant? Make her do it.¡±


    ¡°I refused. I don¡¯t want it. Besides, I am a woman, and that alone would stifle support,¡± Nikoletta shook her head. ¡°I only wish for peace and prosperity in Mateth. I am not made for dealing with court intrigues and management of a vastnd. Acting as regent for my father alone stressed me beyondpare. To go beyond that in scale? I would rather not.¡±


    Argrave rubbed his forehead. ¡°What in the hell¡­ why would you think this is a good idea?¡±


    ¡°Your actions the past few months have been tremendous,¡± Elias told him inly. ¡°Going to Veiden, allying us with Jast, stopping the gue¡­ and from what you told Nikoletta, it seems you know of a lot of future tragedies. You will be hailed as a hero by the people¡ªand the people, they¡¯re what¡¯s important.¡±


    Argrave ced Induen¡¯s royal si ring on the table. It depicted Vasquer¡¯s heraldry¡ªa sword, with twin snakes coiled around it. ¡°I killed Induen, you know.¡±


    The room went quiet. Everyone studied him and the ring as though he was joking.


    ¡°You heard me,¡± Argrave continued. ¡°Kin¡¯s End. He was waiting for me there. Ironic name for the town, I suppose, or maybe it was fate. Tried to name me Prince Argrave of Vasquer, offer me great stretches of southernnd. Once Induen tried to suggest keeping Anneliese hostage, negotiations broke down. That was the breaking point, but I killed him for¡­ various good reasons,¡± Argrave summarized shortly.


    Everyone stared at him in pure shock. Argrave couldn¡¯t fully describe the emotion he was feeling. He felt pride in his aplishment supnted by guilt at that pride. He felt relief at Induen¡¯s death coupled with fear at possible reprisal. He felt both hopeful and deeply uncertain of the future. All of it melded together to create a strange, careless apathy.


    Argrave looked from person to person. ¡°I imagine the enthusiasm of your offer has dulled somewhat. King Kinyer is not as appealing a prospect as the heroic bastard, protector of the weak.¡±


    Nikoletta stood and walked forward to him. ¡°You killed him?¡± When Argrave nodded, she continued, ¡°You, personally? You used no proxy, like a¡­ a higher ranked mage? A military force?¡±


    ¡°I jabbed an ice spike through his eye about a foot long,¡± Argrave described sinctly. ¡°After some¡­ magical dueling.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Nikoletta put her hand on Argrave¡¯s shoulder to support herself from falling. ¡°Gods above¡­ I need¡­¡±


    One of her knights came over and helped her to find a seat.


    ¡°How many¡­ I mean¡­ who saw this?¡± Mina asked, aghast.


    ¡°Few hundred people. A royal knight escaped¡ªInduen sent him for reinforcements. I imagine word will spread very quickly. That¡¯s why I came here,¡± Argrave spread his arms out.


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t he¡­ I mean, I heard Induen was¡­ not weak at all,¡± Stain noted from the windowsill. ¡°Gods be damned.¡±


    ¡°World¡¯s a better ce without him sucking air,¡± Argrave crossed his arms. ¡°I saw an opportunity. I took it. Induen deliberately orphaned children for pleasure,¡± he said loudly and deliberately. ¡°Frankly, he got off easy.¡±


    ¡°And you should be so lucky,¡± Elias said, his voice urgent. ¡°If Felipe catches you, you won¡¯t get off easy at all. All the more reason we should hurry. The Margrave sent us to bring you back¡ªsoe back. We can protect you. Moreover, Duke Enrico is prepared to allow¡ª¡±


    ¡°Do not mention that,¡± Nikoletta cut in. ¡°We are trying to persuade, Elias. Recall what triggered Induen¡¯s demise.¡±


    ¡°¡­right,¡± Elias nodded, then stroked his chin briefly. Argrave was perplexed at their exchange, but he could not ask before Elias continued. ¡°The south is prepared to utilize every force at our disposal to safeguard you. Soe with us, Argrave.¡±


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Argrave put his finger to his lips. ¡°I like the sound of ¡®dozens of S-rank mages¡¯ better than ¡®Parbon Margravate.¡¯ Tempting, but I think not.¡±


    ¡°The Tower? You¡¯ll stay here?¡± Elias sought to confirm. ¡°King Felipe will have this ce encircled, and he¡¯ll demand you be given to him. He won¡¯t¡­ at least, I¡¯m rtively sure he won¡¯t attack the Tower, but you won¡¯t be able to leave.¡±


    ¡°You think I did this on a whim?¡± Argrave looked to him. ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting to meet any of you. I have a n. If it falls through, I have other ns. And besides¡­ going to Parbon once again is not in my calendar.¡±


    ¡°You do owe me a favor still, Argrave,¡± Mina pointed out. ¡°A big one. And I surely won¡¯t forget that fact.¡±


    Elias put his hand on his hip and stared down at Argrave. ¡°So¡­ you refuse our offer. You won¡¯t act as imant. Won¡¯t even consider it.¡±


    ¡°When did I say that? Rx, both of you,¡± Argrave looked between Mina and Elias. ¡°Give me a moment to think.¡±


    As Argrave sat there in contemtion, Elias walked away, everyone still reeling from the news of Induen¡¯s death. Anneliese put her hand on Argrave¡¯s shoulder, and he looked up. He put his hand atop her own and returned the resigned smile she shed him.


    The two of them had already talked about this at length. And the conclusion?


    ¡°When springes¡­ when the fighting begins in earnest¡­ I will be your imant,¡± Argrave finally said. ¡°Provided my status as a kinyer doesn¡¯t make the Margrave rethink things.¡±


    Elias stepped back up to Argrave, his one good ruby eye fixed on Argrave. ¡°You speak seriously? No lies?¡±


    ¡°On my terms,¡± Argrave put a finger to his chest. ¡°Nikoletta. How much did you gab about Gerechtigkeit?¡±


    ¡°Err¡­¡± she looked up from where she sat. ¡°I told my father. It spread to the Margrave, and to Elias.¡±


    ¡°Once things get worse¡­ a title like king or queen has a hell of a lot less meaning. It¡¯ll be a desperate struggle for just about everyone,¡± Argrave informed them, gaze distant. ¡°If only for the sake of stability after the war, I¡¯ll do it. I can¡¯t promise I won¡¯t abdicate when it suits me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Elias bit his lip.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Argrave pointed to Elias. ¡°You have no idea the magnitude of problems that we face. The civil war is just one medium-sized checkbox on my list of ¡®shit that¡¯s wrong with the world.¡¯¡± Argrave tapped his finger against the table. ¡°I¡¯ll fix this kingdom. I¡¯ll make sure it stays fixed. I¡¯ll utilize my status to the best of my ability to stop the world from turning upside down. But when all is said and done?¡± Argrave threw up his hands. ¡°I can barelyprehend being a king. I can think of a hundred better candidates. I won¡¯t deny wealth and power are enticing, but after all the things I¡¯ve been through, peace and happiness rank a lot higher in my hopes for the future. A king¡ªa good king, which I¡¯m sure you want¡ªthat¡¯s a busy job. Early retirement sounds peachy to me.¡±


    Elias seemed cowed by Argrave¡¯s intensity. After he shifted on his feet a few times, he gave a slow nod. ¡°Alright.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Argrave repeated, finally rxing.


    ¡°It might not matter anyway,¡± Elias noted tiredly. ¡°Odds are stacked against us. Most of the south was ravaged by gue. A lot of our fighting force died out, and though the harvest went smoothly¡­ saboteurs burn granaries and assassins attack local lords constantly. It¡¯s be a struggle to persuade undecided nobility, while Vasquer does not have the same issue at all.¡±


    ¡°Eh,¡± Argrave waved his hand half-heartedly. ¡°We¡¯ll win. But I¡¯m starving,¡± he noted. ¡°Do they have food here?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll win? On what basis?¡± Nikoletta demanded, standing from her chair and stepping up.


    ¡°Rx,¡± Argrave held his hand out. ¡°I told you I have a n.¡±


    ¡°I want to know why you¡¯re confident,¡± Nikoletta insisted, crossing her arms. ¡°It¡¯s past time for you to include us in this.¡±


    ¡°I trust Mina to keep quiet, but you expect me to spill my guts about military ns to people notoriously terrible at keeping secrets? In front of half a dozen knights, all of whom may be enemy informants, no less?¡± Argrave scowled, then rose up until he stood over everyone. ¡°You learn a lot risking your life day-by-day, foremost among those lessons being caution. I expect you to save your indignance for a better time, Nikoletta.¡±


    Nikoletta stepped back from Argrave, not able to meet his eyes. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry,¡± she said.


    Argrave pushed his tongue against his cheek, now aware he was being unnecessarily intimidating. ¡°Don¡¯t apologize,¡± he patted her shoulder. ¡°I get your perspective. You¡¯re gambling a lot¡ªall of you,¡± he said heartily. ¡°Some bastard-turned-kinyer being your only hope, I can see why you might want a lot of assurances. So let me give you some,¡± Argrave said, mind pushing past his fatigue as he worked out a speech.


    ¡°I won¡¯t go into specifics, for the sake of ensuring they fall through,¡± Argrave dered, gaze jumping from person to person. ¡°But there are forces within Vasquer thaty untapped¡ªforces which surpass all of what the enemy¡¯s got. I know the inner workings of many factions within and without this kingdom. You want assurances? That¡¯s good. Then know this¡ªI want a quick end to this war. I turned down Induen, killed him and four of his royal knights in singlebat. That should tell you what I think of Vasquer¡¯s chances,¡± Argrave pointed around the room.


    ¡°When springes¡­ I¡¯ll bring a spring of my own. A new beginning, fresh buds that¡¯ll make the south and all of Vasquer flourish like never before. Some people you called ¡®enemy¡¯ yesterday¡­ when I return, they¡¯ll be at my back.¡± Argrave pumped his fist. ¡°The rot within Vasquer¡¯s leadership¡­ I¡¯ll make it fester. So you can focus on building an army, Elias, Mina, Nikoletta¡ªand you can keep it. I don¡¯t need it. I¡¯ll bring an army of my own. And I can damn well guarantee you it¡¯ll be bigger and better. So rest easy. I certainly am,¡± Argrave finished, taking a good look at everyone¡¯s reactions.


    <em>Missed my calling, </em>Argrave concluded. <em>Went to college¡ªshould have just been a motivational speaker. </em>


    ¡°On that note, I¡¯m tired, I¡¯m hungry, and I¡¯ve got things to do,¡± Argrave rubbed his eyes. ¡°So, are we done?¡±


    No answer was vocalized, but then Argrave supposed that was answer enough.<!--


    -->

 Chapter 217

    Chapter 217: Golden Ticket


    ¡°What do you think?¡± Argrave questioned Anneliese. The two of them sat on ratherfortable chairs just before a table. Despite the safety of the tower, neither removed their enchanted armor¡ªthe Tower was safe, but it was still better to be overcautious. They were in a private room, warded to block soundmonce in the tower.


    Anneliese crossed one leg over the other. ¡°Of the tower?¡± she asked, and when Argrave nodded to confirm, she said, ¡°It is a bit¡­ ostentatious, if I am honest.¡±


    ¡°Got that right. It¡¯s no coincidence it¡¯s in the middle of a in. It¡¯s a big, useless monument to pride. I think Castro would agree. You met him before, now that I think back,¡± Argrave settled into his chair, then sighed. ¡°Induen¡¯s dead.¡±


    ¡°You feel relieved,¡± she said¡ªa statement, not a question.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Argrave said, voice distant. ¡°The provisional route I made at the beginning of¡­ whatever the hell you call my presence in this realm, it¡¯s veered quite far off course. And now, I¡¯m nning to take us further from it.¡±


    ¡°I will help as best I can,¡± Anneliese only assured him.


    ¡°How are you handling these developments?¡± Argrave asked her.


    Anneliese shifted in her chair ufortably. ¡°I have been trying to focus myself on this ce, this tower, and what might be within¡­ I suppose that should tell you enough. I am nervous. I am afraid. We have angered something very powerful.¡±


    Argrave snorted. ¡°Hearing you¡¯re curious about this ce just tells me you¡¯re the same person at root.¡± He looked to her. ¡°But forget about who we¡¯ve angered. Induen¡¯s death wasn¡¯t a crime of passion¡ªit was a great damned opportunity. King Felipe¡¯s angry, I¡¯m a kinyer¡ªall of these consequences pale inparison to the good that one act did, pragmatically and morally.¡±


    ¡°I never said I doubted your actions,¡± Anneliese soothed.


    ¡°I know you didn¡¯t. I said it half to myself, honestly. But¡­¡± Argrave adjusted his sleeve. ¡°Hearing him make that suggestion about your future¡ªthat got under my skin like nothing else. If I could have made him¡ª¡±


    The door to the room opened, cutting Argrave off. A short man with a straight back and a wrinkled, almost leathery bald head entered. He seemed kind and harmless. He looked far too small to threaten or intimidate, and the amiable smile practically writ on his face spoke to his kindness. Calling him kind was true enough, but Castro was light years away from being harmless.


    Argrave rose to his feet at once. ¡°Tower Master Castro,¡± he said eagerly. ¡°Thought we¡¯d be waiting longer¡ªnned for a long conversation with Anneliese.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± his eyes jumped between the two of them.


    ¡°I¡¯m Argrave,¡± he put his hand to his chest. ¡°We spoke at¡ª¡±


    ¡°Did you think I¡¯d forgotten?¡± Castro interrupted, then stepped a bit closer after he shut the door. ¡°No, I was simply¡­ deeply awed by your progress. Both of you¡­ my memory is not perfect, but your improvements seem utterly tremendous.¡±


    Castro¡¯s words had an intense sincerity to them that practically forced both to smile. The fact he was happy eased Argrave¡ªit likely meant he had not heard of Induen¡¯s fate quite yet, nor had the rest of the tower.


    He stepped up to Argrave, his smile faltering. ¡°Your eyes, though¡­ reminiscent of certain products from certain schools of necromancy, Order of the Rose-era creatures¡­rge portions of both soul and magic power crystallize in the eye, preventing decay while retaining sight. The crystallized soul is the gold color, while the ckness is the magic.¡±


    It was Argrave¡¯s turn to be awed when Castro so quickly identified the source of his eyes.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s¡­ not why we¡¯re here,¡± Argrave redirected, trying not to act nervous.


    ¡°Necromancy is illegal. I won¡¯t insult you by implying you don¡¯t know that,¡± Castro said, raising one finger above his head until he tapped Argrave¡¯s chest. ¡°But beyond that, I would not like to see such promising growth sullied by¡ª¡±


    ¡°You know an awful lot about necromancy. Can pinpoint exact details,¡± Argrave noted.


    Castro pulled his finger back. ¡°I am a curious person, and I enjoy learning.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯d consider myself the same. But for the record¡ªthese,¡± Argrave pointed to his eyes. ¡°These are from surgery and alchemy, not necromancy.¡± Argrave shook his head, then sat back down at the chair. ¡°Can we sit, talk? Like I mentioned in the message I sent you, I have more druidic books to offload.¡±


    Castro nodded, though Argrave couldn¡¯t tell if he was quite content. He turned to Anneliese. ¡°Ah. We meet again, youngdy Anneliese. Though your friend here drew my eye¡­ you are no less the achiever, I see. Both of you are well into B-rank. Such a thing.¡±


    ¡°Hello again, Master Castro,¡± she greeted with a nod.


    ¡°Both of you have grown¡­ and not merely in terms of magic, that is evident.¡± Castro bobbed his head as he thought of something. ¡°Well, I imagine you had other matters to discuss,¡± he said as he sat. ¡°Come to milk me more, hmm? Another offer to turn a profit? How is business in Jast?¡±


    Argrave smiled. ¡°If only I saw a penny of it,¡± hemented, realizing denying things at this point would just be insolence. Castro did not lead the Order of the Gray Owl because he was powerful alone¡ªhe was a shrewd and capable leader, under whom the Order hade to prosper greatly.


    ¡°I¡¯m not particrly pleased at what you¡¯ve done, illicitly distributing spellbooks through Jast,¡± he leaned back into the chair. ¡°But, at the end of the day, more members of the order are learning druidic spells. In time, they will permeate throughout the Order. All is well that ends well. And nothing concrete traces back to you¡­ or your smuggler friends, there. After all, ine of Vyrbell might not have rmended Anneliese to be an honorary Wizard had you not done what you did. That would be a shame indeed, being deprived of a talent.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Argrave rxed back into the chair. ¡°You might start unnerving me if you know what we¡¯ve done in the Burnt Desert, too.¡±


    Castro only smiled. It seemed a little less genial, now. Only a little. ¡°So, what is it you want from me? Do you wish me to expedite your ascendency to High Wizards of the Order? I am afraid that is impossible, even for me.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re aware,¡± said Anneliese. ¡°And we did note for that.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve got two things I¡¯d like to ask of you,¡± said Argrave. ¡°I¡¯d like help with a gift for my sister. I¡¯m going to be visiting her soon, you see, and I can¡¯te empty-handed. And on that note¡­ I¡¯d like a ride to the gift store, and to Dirracha.¡±


    ¡°A gift for your sister?¡± Castro looked surprised. ¡°That¡¯s a sweet sentiment. I¡¯m sure it will be appreciated. But how do I factor into this?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ the gift store in question is a Rose-era living fortress,¡± Argrave disclosed. ¡°Plenty of things of archaeological interest, as well as preserved books from the Order of the Rose that might be recovered. That¡¯s my offering to you,¡± Argrave held his hands up. ¡°But within¡­ there¡¯s a little artifact that can help my sister out immeasurably.¡±


    Castro tapped his finger against the armrest of the chair, staring at Argrave with wonder. ¡°And how did you learn of this fortress?¡±


    ¡°Well, I went through the Low Way of the Rose,¡± Argrave exined. ¡°Hellish ce. Wouldn¡¯t wish it on anyone. But I learned a lot. Gained a lot.¡± <em>And made some unexpected acquaintances, </em>he left thatst part unspoken, mind wandering to Garm.


    Anneliese nodded in agreement, and Castro¡¯s eyes jumped between the two of them.


    ¡°You have been busy, I see,¡± Castro remarked. ¡°Well¡­ certainly I can organize a team, have theme with you to this¡ª¡±


    ¡°I was hoping it would be you, personally,¡± Argrave leaned forward, trying to appear as earnest as possible.


    Castro frowned, bushy white brows descending. ¡°I cannot. I have pressing matters to attend to here, unfortunately.¡±


    ¡°We were nning on going to Magister Moriatran to ask, next,¡± Argrave said¡ªthe man was ostensibly Castro¡¯srgest rival, a councilor on the ruling body of the Order of the Gray Owl who opposed him frequently.


    ¡°That one? Well, that is an entertaining notion, young man. Do you suppose he will even agree to meet you?¡± Castroughed, then scratched his cheek. ¡°I do not say I have matters to attend to for the sake of dodging this request¡ªI am genuinely busy. My duties are light as the Tower Master, and this tower mostly runs itself¡­ but I do still have duties.¡±


    ¡°What if I give you other locations?¡± Argrave insisted, leaning yet more forward ¡®til he nearly fell off the chair. ¡°I can tell you ces¡ª¡±


    ¡°Argrave,¡± Anneliese cut in. When he looked at her, she shook her head to indicate it was hopeless. Argrave slumped back into the chair, finally admitting defeat.


    ¡°I am sorry, truly. Living fortresses are few and far between, and I would jump at the opportunity if I did not have other concerns. s, the trappings of power.¡± Castro scratched the back of his neck. ¡°I am told the Margrave sought aid from the Tower for the gue by your advice,¡± Castro noted. ¡°And I¡¯ve heard other whispers, too, from the northwest. I am not ignorant of the good you¡¯ve done, and you have earned something.¡± Castro smiled, then pointed. ¡°Speaking of the good you¡¯ve done¡ªyou¡¯ve yet to receive your reward for the dissertation on [Blood Infusion] you submitted.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t think of much I want from the Order they¡¯d be willing to part with,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°But¡­ listen. If you can¡¯t help me, can you at least make it easier for me to meet with the other S-rank mages in the tower? The Magisters, the researchers?¡±


    Castroid his hands on the armrests. ¡°My word to Moriatran may make it more difficult to meet him¡­ but yes to all the others. I will think of something. It is the least I can do. Why are you so insistent on being escorted by an S-rank mage, though?¡±


    ¡°Convenience. Ease. Reliability,¡± Argrave said sinctly. ¡°Less variables to keep track of. One person to keep happy, and nothing more.¡±


    ¡°It takes a certain insanity to be S-rank,¡± Castro said bluntly. ¡°Be careful who you choose, young man.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°That¡¯s why I wanted you. Well¡­¡±


    ¡°Master Castro,¡± Anneliese cut in. ¡°The enchantments that keep this tower upright¡ªthey must be something very special.¡±


    ¡°They are,¡± Castro indulged patiently.


    ¡°Do you think I might¡­ learn about them? How they¡¯re powered, how they function, the methods used to inscribe them. Oh¡ªand the strange moving tforms in the center of the tower¡ªI am greatly interested by those. Anything you might give to illuminate me would be greatly appreciated.¡±


    Castroughed quietly. ¡°I can see why you advanced so quickly through the ranks of magic, youngdy. Well¡­ certainly, if it¡¯s only that, I can give you a pass to the lower levels of the tower, where these things are managed. What you learn there¡ªthat¡¯s up to you.¡±


    Anneliese nodded eagerly, then fixed her long white hair. ¡°I would have it no other way.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s all¡­¡± the old man rose to his feet.


    ¡°Have a nice day, Master Castro,¡± Argrave said his goodbyes.


    The Tower Master nodded and left through the door. Argrave raised a hand to his face once he left, scratching his cheek with a somber look.


    ¡°Gods be damned,¡± Argrave sighed. ¡°Our golden ticket to the blood factory just walked out the door¡­ and we have to find a new one. What¡¯s more, they¡¯ll have learned of Induen¡¯s death, by then. Things are going to be difficult, Anneliese.¡±


    ¡°I cannot recall whenst they were easy,¡± she returned.


    Argraveughed, then looked to the window. ¡°Almost sunset time.¡±


    When Anneliese smiled at his words, he couldn¡¯t help but do the same. She stood.


    ¡°Let us go, then. Rx, speak of things alone for precious few moments,¡± she held out her hand to help him up.<!--


    -->

 Chapter 218

    Chapter 218: Shadows


    ¡°What do we do about this?¡± Elias began. He sat at a table consisting of Nikoletta, Mina, and Stain. Their guards were absent, and they were in a rtively clean room within the Tower with little in the way of decoration or even windows¡ªa private room, warded to block all sound. Spellcasters were well-educated and engaged in more intrigue than most, so such rooms had a good ce within the Tower.


    ¡°I think Argrave¡¯s right,¡± Mina interjected. ¡°Losing Induen¡­ it¡¯s a blessing. I can say having worked with him, he¡¯s an untrustworthy ally¡­ but a far worse enemy.¡±


    Nikoletta crossed her arms. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have done that for him. It was too dangerous.¡±


    ¡°What does it matter to you what I do?¡± Mina rebuked defensively.


    Elias¡¯ good eye moved between the two of them, obviously hesitant to touch this quarrel at all. ¡°What does this mean for the kingdom? For the future?¡±


    Stain lifted his leg up and left his foot hanging off one of the table¡¯s edges. ¡°I can tell you now¡ªArgrave¡¯s not going to lose any goodwill from the people that matter.¡±


    ¡°What people are those?¡± Nikoletta pressed, unbothered by hisx nature.


    ¡°<em>The </em>people,¡± Stain finished, pointing two fingers at Nikoletta. ¡°Your everyman has been hating the royal family for a long time, and Induen¡¯s the face of all that. King Felipe¡¯s had him managing things for a while, and all the harsh taxes, all the injustice? Induen made it happen. So, grand scheme of things?¡± Stain shrugged, leaving the answer unspoken.


    Everyone gave half-hearted nods of agreements.


    ¡°¡­but realistically speaking,¡± Nikoletta cut in, ¡°If this is to affect anyone, it is to be the nobility. There, kinying holds the most¡­ negativity. People that hold stock in blood care more when one is willing to spill the blood of their own kin.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s ways around that,¡± Mina noted. ¡°Ultimately¡­ if we get on this ahead of time, influence the direction of rumors¡­ Stain?¡±


    Stain raised his head and fixed his brown hair. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You could spread rumors that it was self-defense¡ªthat Induen intended to kill Argrave. He only acted in self-defense,¡± Mina posited.


    ¡°Sure, sure. And I will. But¡­¡± Stain bit his lip as he deliberated on whether or not to say something. ¡°¡­did he?¡±


    Quiet set in once again.


    Elias leaned forward on the table and ced his elbows down. ¡°I think that¡¯s what we should be talking about.¡±


    ¡°Pedantry about who started the fight?¡± Nikoletta asked incredulously.


    ¡°No, no,¡± Elias shook his head. ¡°Is Argrave who he once was? Is he worth¡­ supporting?¡±


    Stain raised his hand. ¡°Who he once was? Seemed the same to me. Scary bastard through and through, a little maniptive, but ultimately a decent guy.¡±


    ¡°Your father made that judgement already, Mister Firebrand,¡± Mina leaned back in her chair. ¡°As far as you told me, you¡¯re just here to bring him back. We¡¯ve already got his answer: ¡®I¡¯ll do what I want,¡¯ though in more words.¡±


    Nikoletta looked troubled. ¡°Argrave is¡­ different. Whether physically, or the way he talked, he is not what I remember. At core he remains recognizable, but he has a whole different air, attitude, and appearance.¡±


    Elias nodded in agreement. ¡°But¡­ these changes, they might not be negative.¡±


    Everyone considered that for a moment, looking between each other.


    ¡°My father doesn¡¯t want to put a puppet on the throne. He¡¯s told me as much himself. Argrave is firm, decisive, and I believe we all agree that he seems an able leader,¡± Elias looked between everyone, searching for protest. ¡°But Induen was all of these things. Orion is all of those things. Felipe is all of those things. What¡¯s important¡­ is the core. Their heart.¡± Elias ced his hand to his own.


    Nikoletta nodded in agreement, but Mina and Stain seemed to think Elias¡¯ speech was corny and grimaced.


    ¡°Our main priority moving forward should be to find more out about Gerechtigkeit,¡± Elias said. ¡°Argrave is right on that¡ªit is important. My father showed me the evidence, and gods be damned, it¡¯s very important.¡± Elias pointed a finger to stress his point. ¡°But it¡¯s important to learn why he¡¯s taken on this task. And it¡¯ll be very important to hear what he wants from the future. Elsewise, we might be putting our support behind yet another snake that¡¯s naught but a poison to thend.¡±


    ¡°So, what, talk to him?¡± Stain furrowed his brows but smiled as though the idea wasughable.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Elias confirmed. ¡°But just as important as Argrave is thepany he keeps. So, here¡¯s my suggestion¡ªwe should help Argrave with his business here. We should support him as best we can. All the while, we learn everything that we can from him¡ªhis ns, his nature, and why he keeps thepany he does. It¡¯s clear he trusts only hispanions. As such, we should be hispanions, his shadows, if only for a brief time.¡±


    ¡°Your grand idea is for us to be hisckeys?¡± Mina leaned back in her chair.


    ¡°If that¡¯s what it takes,¡± Elias said, noddingpletely unoffended. ¡°We must ensure a good future, Mina. I¡¯ll bow to anyone, lick their shoes even, if it might ensure I¡¯ll save people¡¯s lives. I must know Parbon throws its support behind a imant good for the realm. Even a temporary good king would be better than what other options are before us.¡±


    Stain crossed his arms. ¡°I¡¯m not licking anybody¡¯s shoes, but I¡¯ve done enough bowing to do that decently. Besides, officially, I work for you,¡± Stain pointed to Elias. ¡°If you want me to do it, I¡¯ll do it.¡±


    Mina did not answer right away¡ªshe looked to Nikoletta, waiting for her to speak. Even while they were ostensibly arguing, Mina still valued her friend¡¯s input.


    ¡°¡­I can think of nothing else,¡± Nikoletta eventually conceded. ¡°Besides, I do not wish to see Argrave dead. If I can help him get what he needs to escape from the Tower, I will.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m with Nicky,¡± Mina nodded.


    Elias nodded eagerly. ¡°Good. Then let¡¯s put this into action.¡±


    #####


    The next morning, Argrave was awoken by a knock at his door. Without giving him time for answer, Elias bolted in.


    Anneliese and Argrave stirred. Elias paused after seeing them together, but after a brief scan to be sure he wasn¡¯t intruding on anything, heunched into his message.


    ¡°The news is here. It¡¯s spreading like fire over dead grass, Argrave,¡± Elias said feverishly, his good eye jumping between the two of them. ¡°A legion of ghostly snakes? A thousand giant knights of an age past fighting at your side? What in the gods¡¯ name?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Argrave asked tiredly, the word mixed with disbelievingughter. He threw the nket off himself and Anneliese and stood up, already fully armored barring his duster.


    ¡°People say you conjured ten thousand snakes¡ªghosts of some sort. Thereafter, innumerable titanic knights joined your side, battering Induen and his knights into the ground,¡± Elias exined quickly.


    ¡°They¡¯re eels,¡± Argrave said. ¡°Electric eels. Not ghosts.¡±


    Elias held his arms out. ¡°Does that matter? It¡¯s what people think!¡±


    ¡°Well, what do people think? Have you heard people talking?¡± Argrave insisted.


    Elias put his hand to his forehead. ¡°There are so many rumors it¡¯s difficult to keep track of. We¡¯ll have to wait a bit for one to prevail. In the meantime, I¡¯m having Stain spread rumors of his own¡ªthat you acted in self-defense.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Argrave nodded, his tired mind awakening. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ good.¡±


    ¡°You must add that Induen killed Argrave¡¯s mother when he was not yet ten,¡± Anneliese contributed, rising as well. ¡°That is all butmon knowledge in Dirracha and many ces beyond, but it must reach the people.¡±


    Elias nodded. ¡°Good thinking. It¡¯s a good narrative. I will tell him that,¡± Elias vowed. ¡°Gods, I¡­ I guess it¡¯s real.¡±


    ¡°You really think I made it up?¡± Argrave stepped aside and picked up his boots, sitting to put them on. ¡°Well¡­ damn, early day. Any breakfast?¡±


    ¡°Sure, I can get my people to make something,¡± Elias agreed readily. ¡°Are you nning on going somewhere?¡±


    ¡°Castro will call me, soon. It might be I¡¯m called to an official meeting with all the Magisters and the Tower Master, but I doubt that.¡±


    Elias reached into his breast pocket. ¡°Here,¡± he pulled free a letter. ¡°It¡¯s a letter of advisement. Give that to Castro.¡±


    Argrave took it, looking at it. It had no wax seal, so he opened it and reviewed its contents. It had magic signatures from Mina, Elias, and Nikoletta, and in brief summary, reminded the Order of its vow of neutrality.


    Argrave looked up, brows furrowed in confusion. ¡°Thanks. Every bit helps, I¡ª¡±


    A knock echoed out from the front door beyond the room they stayed in. Argrave chuckled. ¡°That might be the inquisition.¡±


    As Argrave walked to answer the door, Elias stopped him. ¡°Anything we can do to help?¡±


    ¡°Not¡­¡± Argrave paused, not expecting such earnest aid. ¡°No, Castro will probably want to meet me alone. Ask Anneliese, though¡ªwhen I¡¯m not here, she¡¯s the one who takes charge. If anything is needed from you, she can handle the distribution.¡±


    Anneliese stepped to Argrave, holding a thick packet of papers. ¡°We spent all this time preparing this. Best not forget it,¡± she prodded it against his chest.


    ¡°Alright. Good luck,¡± Elias patted his arm as Argrave took the papers.


    Another firm knock at the door drew Argrave from questioning Elias¡¯ actions. He stepped up to the door and answered it.


    The brown-haired woman standing there raised her eyes up to Argrave in a nearical fashion, evidently not expecting to see someone so tall. Argrave examined her in kind¡ªshe was not a high-ranking mage, meaning this was a request rather than a demand.


    ¡°Wizard Argrave?¡± the woman asked.


    ¡°Yep,¡± he nodded.


    ¡°Tower Master Castro wishes to see you right away. He is on the top floor of the tower, sir.¡±


    <em>Top floor treatment, huh? Ster. Might be Castro¡¯s apprentice is there. </em>n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om<!--


    -->

 Chapter 219

    Chapter 219: Monitors


    ¡°What have you done?¡± was the question that greeted Argrave when he stepped out of the mystical elevator to the top floor of the Tower of the Gray Owl.


    It had been a long, long way up to the top of the Tower, his feet fixed to a b of stone as it maneuvered around other passengers taking simr rides, each going to the various floors in the tower. The ride was wondrous when one wasn¡¯t expecting an interrogation at the end of it.


    Argrave stepped out of the elevator and onto the top floor. ¡°What was that?¡±


    Castro stood before him. Whatever warmth his face usually had was gone, and his lips were drawn thin in a stern scowl. It was intimidating only because Argrave knew what the man before him was capable of.


    ¡°You killed Induen? You killed the crown prince, and youe <em>here?</em>¡± Castro pointed to the ground beneath him. ¡°Do you have any idea the consequences¡ª¡± Castro trailed off. ¡°Why am I asking? I know you do. You have to know how much trouble this would cause for me, because it¡¯s trouble that you¡¯re deliberately cing at my feet.¡±


    Argrave stared down at Castro for a few seconds as the old spellcaster stared at him in a fury. Then, he nodded. ¡°Yes. I know.¡±


    Castro let out one incredulous, shockedugh. ¡°What do you have to say for yourself?¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Argrave smiled.


    Castro turned and walked away in shock and awe, raising his hand to his forehead as though to ward off a headache. Argrave took the time to better examine the ce.


    Each of the lower floors amodated dozens of rooms, with one central room connecting them all to the elevator. None of the rooms were especially small, and there was plenty of space within the tower everywhere; it was wide at all portions. The top floor, though¡­ it had no other rooms. It was one grand apartment: the abode of the Master of the Tower of the Gray Owl.


    Castro had decorated it to his whims. The back walls were all covered by bookshelves, and barring a giant bed well beyond king-size, everywhere else was filled with tables filled to the brims with oddities and riches. It was iprehensibly disorganized, resembling a hoarder¡¯s stash more than a grand wizard¡¯s vault, yet everything within spoke of practicality instead of luxury.


    In the very back, there was a small cluttering of things where he could faintly see a shadow moving. The shadow was a person¡¯s, but the person was hidden behind a stack of objects.


    <em>Ingo is here, </em>Argrave noted. <em>Then Castro doesn¡¯t think I¡¯m dangerous. </em>


    ¡°What is this they speak of?¡± Castro stepped back to Argrave, drawing him from his observations. ¡°A legion of ghostly snakes? And don¡¯t think to lie to me!¡± Castro shouted, his voice containing power belying his age. ¡°I¡¯m at my wit¡¯s end with you!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a spell. Can I demonstrate?¡± Argrave held his hands out, and when Castro didn¡¯t protest, demonstrated [Electric Eel]. ¡°An eel, not a snake. I can see how people might be confused.¡±


    ¡°An elemental spell. Work from the Order of the Rose,¡± Castro identified at once. ¡°They always fancied using animals, other grandiose constructions like knights or¡­ or mythical creatures.¡± Castro stepped away, shaking his head in exhaustion. ¡°Argrave, you¡­ you will be the death of me.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a healthy man. You¡¯ll live a while yet,¡± Argrave quipped.


    His quip incited anger, and Castro stepped up to him. ¡°Do you feel no remorse, no shame for so tantly using the Order for your own end?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Argrave said at once. ¡°Because what I use, I¡¯ll return tenfold.¡±


    ¡°Hah!¡± Castroughed. ¡°You made my tower a proxy for a struggle of power with King Felipe. How will you return that tenfold? Will you make ten kings my friend? I am not sure ten exist on Berendar, and if they did, not a one couldpare to the influence Vasquer wields! Some¡­ some thesis, you think that willpare at all? The locations of some fortresses from the Order of the Rose?¡±


    Argrave reached into his coat and pulled out a packet of letters, handing them to Castro. ¡°Anneliese and I put this together. It¡¯s a collection of evidence that leads to irrefutable proof of something you¡¯re just beginning to look into. They¡¯re all leads you can follow up to find out the truth.¡±


    Castro took the packet and held it up. ¡°I don¡¯t care what this says, Argrave.¡±


    ¡°I guess we¡¯ll all die, then,¡± Argrave smiled.


    Castro frowned, then looked back to the packet. ¡°Wait here,¡± hemanded, then walked away to go read the document.


    #####


    ¡°I am not sure what this has to do with helping Argrave¡­¡± Nikoletta noted as they walked around the lower levels of the Tower of the Gray Owl.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°It has nothing to do with that,¡± Anneliese confirmed. ¡°Stain and Durran will coborate to control public opinion in whatever limited capacity is possible confined in this tower. Gmon will go along with Elias and Mina as they talk to various Magisters in the tower, using his influence as the heir to House Parbon¡­ and I hoped for your insights as to the constructions down here,¡± she said, turning to look down at the woman. ¡°What do you know about the Tower¡¯s enchantments?¡±


    Nikoletta crossed her arms. ¡°Argrave said to speak to you about what to do to help his cause.¡±


    ¡°You might go with Elias,¡± Anneliese said calmly. ¡°Add the name of House Monti alongside Parbon and Veden, sway yet more opinion. But considering you hoped to learn more about all of us, I thought it would be more fitting to bring you along with me here in my own endeavor.¡±


    Nikoletta froze. ¡°I¡­¡±


    ¡°I will not betray any of Argrave¡¯s confidences, but I will answer what questions I can. And in return¡­ you will tell me about this ce,¡± Anneliese looked around, where towering stone statues projected purple light throughout the walls.


    ¡°How did you know?¡± Nikoletta asked at once.


    Anneliese smiled. ¡°Curiosity is an emotion, you realize. Deliberate curiosity with a motive is easy to read. From there¡­ I tracked its source, deduced things. Your forthright support was thergest giveaway. Yet none of you are insincere, and that is the important part.¡±


    Nikoletta nodded, impressed by Anneliese. ¡°Okay, then¡­ let¡¯s do that. Your arrangement.¡±


    Anneliese smiled. ¡°Then, please.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Nikoletta nodded, crossing her arms and gazing at the stone statues all around. ¡°This ce¡­ it¡¯s a catb. When a Tower Master dies, or a notable Magister, their bodies are interred here. Old enchantments allow them to draw magic from the surroundings, keeping their bodies preserved while still constantly refueling the enchantments.¡±


    Anneliese looked at the statues in a new light. ¡°Are they kept alive?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Nikoletta shook her head at once. ¡°Only their bodies are preserved.¡±


    ¡°Yet the statues¡­¡±


    ¡°Those aren¡¯t the bodies,¡± Nikoletta shook her head. ¡°They¡¯re deeper down. The doors only open for important rituals, like naming a new Magister or Tower Master.¡±


    Anneliese nodded, looking to the floor. ¡°Argrave told me necromancy was forbidden in the Order, and illegal in all Vasquer.¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t necromancy. It¡¯s something else,¡± Nikoletta shook her head.


    ¡°Have you confirmed that personally?¡± Anneliese tilted her head.


    ¡°I¡­ no, no I haven¡¯t. But¡ª¡±


    Anneliese held her hand out to stifle defensiveness. ¡°I do not use, worry not. I am merely questioning.¡±


    Nikoletta gave a slow nod after a few moments of uncertainty. ¡°Then, no, I haven¡¯t confirmed it personally. But everyone who is down here are hailed as heroes, and they agreed to be interred to further the Order. Even if it was necromancy, I don¡¯t suppose it matters.¡±


    ¡°I see. Noble, to surrender even your body to the Order,¡± Anneliese noted, then resumed walking down the catb.


    Nikoletta nodded, then looked up to the elven woman as they walked. ¡°Then¡­ I¡¯ll ask now. What does Argrave actually do?¡±


    ¡°He has told you,¡± Anneliese pointed out. ¡°He is trying his best to ensure this world is prepared for Gerechtigkeit.¡±


    ¡°What does that entail?¡± Nikoletta pressed.


    Anneliese tilted her head. ¡°Well¡­ he preserves life, mostly. The Veidimen invasion, the gue¡ªboth prominent examples.¡±


    ¡°But why does he do it? What exactly set him on this path?¡±


    Anneliese turned to her. ¡°We share that curiosity. I do not know what set him on this path, but he travels it willingly.¡±


    Nikoletta was surprised at that. ¡°Has he not told you?¡±


    Anneliese fidgeted with her hands. ¡°Argrave never keeps me in the dark, not anymore.¡±


    Nikoletta processed that. ¡°Then¡­ he doesn¡¯t know,¡± she deduced.


    ¡°Infer what you will,¡± Anneliese responded simply. ¡°The elevator in the center. Is it powered by this catb?¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s actively maintained by a select few Wizards,¡± Nikoletta shook her head. ¡°High-concentration, diligent work that requires a lot of activity.¡±


    Anneliese sighed. ¡°I wonder if I might try it¡­¡±


    Nikoletta wondered if Anneliese was being serious, but she could not find any trace of anything besides earnest curiosity on the Veidimen¡¯s features.


    A question came to Nikoletta, yet she hesitated to say it. She swallowed, gathering her courage, and asked hesitantly, ¡°Is Argrave really your¡­?¡±


    ¡°Fianc¨¦?¡± Anneliese smiled. ¡°We have had no ceremony. I am unsure of this custom¡¯s proceedings in Vasquer¡ªin Veiden, these arrangements need only be mentioned to a chieftain to be made official. But¡­ he is unwavering on this matter. Sometimes I wish for him to be pragmatic, such as the matter with your betrothal, but I cannot deny it makes me selfishly happy whenever he expresses his unwillingness topromise. <em>He </em>makes me happy. He has done much for me. I think he would do too much for me¡­ if I let him. I have never had someone who is unwaveringly supportive before.¡±


    Anneliese spoke her feelings so unabashedly Nikoletta was the one who got embarrassed.


    ¡°Is¡­¡± Nikoletta trailed off. ¡°Is Argrave bluffing about the civil war? Lying to make us all feel better?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Anneliese answered at once. ¡°He does have ns in line with what he mentioned.¡±


    ¡°Good ns?¡± Nikoletta pressed.


    ¡°We are all Argrave¡¯spanions, but we are not sycophants, nor are we eager to follow him to his grave,¡± Anneliese stated inly. ¡°He has had bad ns before, bad ideas¡ªwe counsel him against those, and he listens. He has had ns that surprise me. And now¡­ now, I feel that once we get out of the Tower, things may well go very smoothly.¡±


    Nikoletta looked at Anneliese for a long while, her pink eyes meeting the elf¡¯s. Then, she nodded steadily. ¡°Think it¡¯s your turn for a question,¡± she said levelly.


    #####


    ¡°We understand that your time is precious, Magister Yurent, and I assure you that this meeting will be worth it.¡±


    A man sat with his arms crossed. His features were incredibly eye-catching, perhaps because they caught the light. His nails seemed to be made of gold¡ªnothing covered them, but rather, they grew from the finger gold. His hair, his eyebrows, his eyshes¡ªthey all grew gold as well, shining against the light from the window as true as any ring or ne might. His A-rank ascension focused in earth-elemental magic, and he willingly imbued gold into his features. He was, quite literally, a walking gold mine.


    ¡°I only entertain you because the time spent listening to you is less of a loss than offending Parbon would be,¡± Magister Yurent noted, with a deep voice that seemed ill-fitting on his soft, fair features. ¡°Why should I entertain your pet bastard, a kinyer hiding in the tower? His fate is not a good one, I can promise you.¡±


    ¡°We can both ensure that this will be more than worth your time. Argrave is many things, but wasteful he is not. I am absolutely sure he¡¯s fully prepared to give you much and more for your time,¡± Mina pleaded diplomatically.


    ¡°I just¡­ don¡¯t see it,¡± Yurent shook his head. ¡°You give me nothing solid. Empty assurances.¡±


    ¡°Please, Magister, I¡ª¡± Elias began again.


    ¡°This is a waste of our time,¡± Gmon cut in. ¡°Thest thing Argrave wants is some copper counter. Let us find someone who will not wring us for all we are worth, so that someone worthwhile might be advanced in the Order.¡±


    Elias looked to Gmon, then nodded and made to leave. Mina followed just after.


    ¡°Hold on,¡± Yurent called out. ¡°I¡­ fine. If it is only a meeting, I suppose learning firsthand about Induen¡¯s death cannot be a loss.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯ll find you when he¡¯s ready,¡± Gmon answered, then shut the door behind him.


    #####


    ¡°That¡¯s three of six,¡± Elias noted. ¡°Much better turnout than I thought. Magisters, they¡¯re prickly things.¡±


    ¡°She gives good direction,¡± Gmon looked to Mina.


    Mina shook her head. ¡°You carried the whole thing twice now.¡±


    ¡°¡­you learn things in people¡¯spany. The months with Argrave¡­¡± Gmon shook his head. ¡°There is more to do. We talk needlessly.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Elias nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s get four of seven.¡±<!--


    -->

 Chapter 220

    Chapter 220: Talk of the Town


    Casto returned after a longer time than Argrave was expecting. He was worried that hispanions would grow worried about his long absence, but did not fear he himself was in genuine danger. The S-rank mage and Master of the Tower of the Gray Owl did eventually return, appearing a little more tired than before.


    ¡°What you¡¯ve shared,¡± Castro mused as he stepped closer, his explosive anger from before gone. ¡°It¡¯s a ridiculous scenario.¡±


    ¡°Life is often ridiculous, I find,¡± Argrave nodded, sitting atop one of Castro¡¯s tables filled with all sorts of metal oddities from the same elven civilization he¡¯d once had Gmon lure metal undead from. Most were bizarre, unnatural metal shapes, each and all standing as testament to that civilization¡¯s metalworking skills, and Argrave sat gingerly to avoid crushing anything beneath him.


    ¡°I endeavored to follow one lead you wrote of, one that seemed simple¡­ I could not finish the path without leaving the Tower. Even still¡­¡± Castro shook his head. ¡°Just as important as knowledge is its source. How did <em>you </em>learn of this?¡±


    Argrave scratched his face. ¡°Doubt you¡¯ll believe me, but I trust you enough to know you¡¯ll keep quiet. I learned in another life,¡± he said sinctly.


    Castro¡¯s expression was inscrutable, and he did not even mention Argrave¡¯s assertion, perhaps thinking it mere misdirection. ¡°So, these rumors, these movements of yours, from Mateth to the Burnt Desert to the northwest¡­ this is why? You move to facilitate our defense against this¡­ Ger¡­¡± Castro grappled with the word but gave up pronouncing Gerechtigkeit. ¡°This cmity?¡±


    Argrave nodded without hesitation. ¡°Somebody has to.¡±


    ¡°You could have brought this before the Order immediately,¡± Castro shook his head.


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t have achieved anything if I didn¡¯t take matters into my own hands,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°I think the only reason you even entertained what I wrote is because of what I¡¯ve already done. Mateth, the gue¡­¡±


    ¡°You could have tried to rely on others,¡± Castro stepped forth.


    Argraveughed, then stood up off the table he sat on. ¡°Took me long enough to trust the people with me now. I don¡¯t think¡­ I trusted anyone, not until recently. As recent events have proven, I have family issues,¡± Argrave spread his arms out. ¡°But things are finally reaching the point of overflow. I have to start getting the word out. And if I die¡­ you¡¯ll have to pick up the ck.¡±


    Castro held up Argrave¡¯s packet of letters. ¡°I can¡¯t ept this without significant scrutiny.¡±


    ¡°I hope you do scrutinize it,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°Nothing would make me happier than being wrong. But I¡¯m not.¡±


    Castro nodded, then stepped in the direction of a distant door. ¡°Come,¡± he called out to Argrave.


    Argrave followed, and then the Tower Master opened the door. A great howling wind sounded outside, none of it prating the door. Argrave stepped outside, greeted by a chill. The air was thinner and colder up here, it seemed. Even still, walls of stone kept the balcony from being too cold. There was a walkway leading out to nothingness, where Castro generally mounted his wyvern. Or he had, at least.


    Argrave could see for hundreds, maybe thousands of miles in every direction. The balcony extended along the whole tower, and Castro stood near the railing, waiting. Argrave stepped up to him.


    ¡°In time¡­ elite troops will encircle this ce. High-rank mages, elite knights¡­ not an army, but more than enough to catch any fugitive. These will be experts at catching and hunting people.¡± Castro shook his head. ¡°Our rtionship with Vasquer will be strained tremendously.¡±


    Argrave looked down at the old man. ¡°There¡¯s a reason why the Order can afford to be neutral, Castro. If Felipe storms this ce, not only will his army be obliterated, Vasquer will lose ess to thergest repository of magical knowledge in the known world. He¡¯d make enemies with every Magister¡ªmust be, what, a dozen here alone, fifty of them across Berendar, each and all S-rank mages? You have a monopoly on higher magical knowledge here in the Tower. Most A-rank and higher mages are loyal to the Tower first, not Vasquer, simply because they can¡¯t get the spells or the knowledge they need anywhere else. No, Felipe will not dare actively hinder the Order¡­ so long as you don¡¯t harbor me.¡±


    ¡°Trying to force me to escort you out, hmm?¡± Castro smiled andughed. ¡°I meant what I said. I cannot leave.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll get someone else,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°Just¡­ more costly. And less surefire. And I can¡¯t form a closer bond with one of the most powerful spellcasters in Berendar.¡± Argrave rubbed his hands together, still slightly cold despite his gloves. ¡°Even still, what is holding you here?¡±


    ¡°Active trouble with a¡­ rtive,¡± Castro shook his head.


    ¡°Ingo?¡± Argrave raised a brow.


    Castro turned, his face intense. ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°I know about him,¡± Argrave shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t care, so don¡¯t worry. But he¡¯s proof enough¡ªVasquer will not antagonize you.¡±


    Castro stepped from the railing, moving close to Argrave. ¡°What do you know?¡±


    ¡°Felipe wanted to use Ingo¡¯s unique constitution for¡­ cruelly effective purposes. You saved him, brought him here¡­ and the king bent,¡± Argrave held his hands out, demonstrating his point. ¡°He let you have Ingo.¡±


    ¡°He was a boy,¡± Castro said angrily. ¡°And Felipe did not ¡®let me have¡¯ him. He stays here because he wants to, and because the world is dangerous to him. No one should own a person, not even a king, and especially not if they would grow and harvest him like wheat his entire life.¡±


    ¡°We agree there. But Felipe¡¯smitted far more monstrous crimes than owning a person, and I don¡¯t see any conscientious retaliation from you. Regardless, we¡¯re getting off topic,¡± Argrave held his hand out. ¡°It is Ingo having problems, right?¡±


    Castro was briefly taken aback by Argrave¡¯s mention of his inaction but did not object to it. He bit his lip, then turned to look over the balcony, out to the vast ins of wintry grass before them. ¡°Yes, it is.¡±


    Argrave wanted to say that he could help him¡­ but he couldn¡¯t, not yet. Not until the boundaries between realms grew weaker. Ingo was someone like Orion¡ªsomeone chosen for a blessing from birth. Only¡­ Ingo¡¯s god was not so understanding of human fragility, and until more opportunities opened themselves up to Argrave, nothing could be done.


    ¡°I understand, then. Focus on him,¡± Argrave said. ¡°Was there anything else?¡±


    Castro leaned out over the balcony. ¡°I want you gone,¡± he said, letting that hang for a while. ¡°¡­so, whenever you choose a Magister you deem worthy of escorting your noble self¡­ I¡¯ll pressure them.¡±


    ¡°What about my reward for my thesis on [Blood Infusion]? That is why you brought me here, no?¡± Argrave said, trying not to let his joking smile seep into his voice. As Castro turned his head back slowly, Argrave cut back in, ¡°I¡¯m going, I¡¯m going.¡±


    #####


    ¡°It¡¯s that same guy again,¡± Stain noted, lounging idly against the stone wall of the Tower. He wore a rtively inconspicuous gray robe that, upon close scrutiny, was obviously not that of an Order member.


    Durran, who was just beside Stain, wore near the same thing. They appeared like nothing more than two Acolytes of the order engaged in conversation. The person they spoke of was entirely ignorant of their presence and spoke to a fairly sizable group of people, each and all Acolytes or Wizards of the Order.


    ¡°He¡¯s saying the same thing,¡± Durran noted with a quietugh. ¡°Same tale. ¡®Legion of snakes.¡¯ This man¡¯s either quitemitted to uracy in this little game of rumor spreading¡­ or he¡¯s feeding the people something. Him, and the four other people we¡¯ve seen doing the same thing.¡±


    Stain gave the man an inconspicuous nce, then joined Durran inughter. ¡°Yeah. You¡¯ve got a good eye. Never would¡¯ve noticed this trend.¡±


    Durran crossed his arms. ¡°Much as I wish I could agree with you about how ster I am¡­ Anneliese and Argrave told me to look out for something like this.¡±


    ¡°Huh,¡± Stain noted, taken aback. ¡°What does it mean?¡±


    ¡°Got some propagandists in our midst. People putting ingredients in the pot, stirring the soup,¡± Durran crossed his arms and exhaled, his golden eyes appearing to grow brighter. ¡°Problem is¡­ hard to tell what the intent of the person behind them is. Doesn¡¯t seem wholly negative. There are a lot worse ways you could spin our confrontation of Induen than talking about ghostly snakes.¡±


    ¡°How did¡­ how did things go down, there?¡± Stain asked, hesitating. ¡°Induen, I mean. We¡¯ve been spreading rumors, but you were there.¡±


    Durran looked at Stain. ¡°Well¡­ I wanted to just hit the man from afar, be done with it¡­ but Argrave went to talk to him, led him out of town.¡±


    Stain furrowed his brows. ¡°Why? Was Induen¡¯s death not the original n?¡±


    ¡°Argrave was hesitant to sever his rtionship with Orion, the other psycho brother, so he heard Induen out. More than that¡­ our leader man wanted to try and be sure no one in Kin¡¯s End died. Other than his kin, I guess.¡± Durran shrugged. ¡°I thought it was stupid¡ªbest idea would just be to kill them all quickly and efficiently. But I guess it worked. No one innocent died. We got out unharmed.¡±


    ¡°You thought it was stupid?¡± Stain noted.


    Durran nodded. ¡°Argrave is¡­ dangerous, and precise. I think he could have killed Induen without any risk at all¡ªkill the prince and all four B-rank royal knights simultaneously. He wasn¡¯t as confident, so he took the risk.¡±


    Stain nodded, then watched as a crowd dispersed. ¡°You disapprove?¡±


    ¡°Nope,¡± Durran said immediately. ¡°I stay in line, do what I¡¯m told. Haven¡¯t felt misled yet. Well¡­ amendment: I do what I¡¯m told when told by Argrave. Or Anneliese, if he tells me to listen to her.¡±


    Stainughed. ¡°You don¡¯t strike me as a yes-man.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen some things,¡± Durran said. ¡°What Argrave says usuallyes true. Might be fuzzy <em>how¡­ </em>but yeah, he makes it happen. Don¡¯t get me wrong, he makes mistakes. He can be pretty stupid sometimes¡ªman can¡¯t tie a good knot to save his life, and he¡¯d probably be dead thirty times over without Gmon. He¡¯s a bit of a fool for love¡­ luckily for him, he picked well. Or got picked. Whatever. But I lost fingers for him, and I¡¯d do it again with the other hand.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Stain stared down Durran. ¡°Any more smoke to blow up his ass?¡±


    Durranughed loudly, hunching over breathless. His action drew eyes from everyone in the lobby.


    ¡°Good gods¡­ I knew this would fall t in seconds,¡± Stain turned away exasperatedly. ¡°Let me rify¡ªthis whole thing was Elias¡¯ idea, not mine. All these questions are ones he wanted answered.¡±


    Durran finally stoppedughing. ¡°Ah¡­ gods, I had you for a few good minutes, I¡¯m sure of it.¡±


    Stain looked frustrated but gave a good-naturedugh after a few seconds. ¡°Yeah, yeah¡­ eat it up, you pisser.¡±


    Durran stood up straight, standing a good deal above Stain. ¡°Here¡¯s a point to remember, though.¡± Durran leaned down, his golden eyes and tattoos veritably gleaming. ¡°I didn¡¯t have to make up that much. Arge part of deception is telling the truth. If you¡¯re smart¡­ this earnest support you¡¯re giving Argrave? You keep it up. He remembers friends. He repays generosity. And this guy¡¯s got some deep pockets, I¡¯ll tell you.¡±


    Stain nodded. ¡°I got my taste from him. Even still, I¡¯m just a bird perching on the big branches of House Parbon. I can¡¯t do much.¡±


    ¡°Argrave valued you too much for that to be true,¡± Durran shook his head. ¡°Well, we¡¯ve wasted enough breath on him. I¡¯m around that tall bastard way too much to want to talk about him constantly.¡±


    ¡°Should we go back to spreading rumors for him instead?¡±


    Durranughed. ¡°Gods be damned, you¡¯re right. What a bleak existence¡­¡±<!--


    -->

 Chapter 221

    Chapter 221: King¡¯s Bearing


    Ofte, Argrave had been perfecting the art of looking unapproachable. Having be a trending figure for his recent deeds and already being taller than near everyone around him, he attracted people to him like nothing else. He¡¯d rather avoid people when he was as busy as he was. The fact he was infamous for murder helped with looking unapproachable, fortunately, as did Garm¡¯s ck and gold eyes.


    When Argrave saw a woman he did not recognize skulking near the doorway to his room, he approached quietly and made his voice deeper than it normally was. ¡°Can I help you?¡±


    The woman jumped, then looked up at him, shocked. ¡°I-I¡­ I came here looking for you.¡±


    ¡°Why is that?¡± Argrave kept a stern face.


    ¡°The application for¡­ for your status as High Wizard has been approved. Em¡ªand¡­ and for one ¡®Anneliese.¡¯ A conve of High Wizards will witness you cast a B-rank spell, and then interview you about magic. The details are here,¡± she said, handing off a rolled scroll quickly as though it were ame.


    Argrave looked down at the scroll as the woman hastily left, then smiled and pushed open the door.


    #####


    ¡°Quite a hefty list of Magisters,¡± remarked Argrave as Elias stood before him, waiting for his thoughts. ¡°Very good. Well done,¡± heplimented Elias.


    ¡°The hardest part was just getting them to agree to meet,¡± Elias shook his head.


    Argrave nodded. ¡°If these people pay attention, they know you¡¯re associated with me, and would know why you want to meet. The Magisters that stay in the Tower are two breeds¡ªones interested in Order politics, or ones interested in Order schrship.¡± Argrave tapped the paper with his hand. ¡°This mental categorization matches up well, it would seem. The schrs could care less about me. Once again, well done, Mina, Elias, Gmon,¡± he thanked each in turn.


    ¡°What now?¡± Mina crossed her arms. ¡°y them against each other, try and get the best service?¡±


    Argrave wagged his finger. ¡°Not a chance. I can¡¯t afford information leaking about my ns. Even with an S-rank mage as an escort, I need to obfuscate my movements. Vasquer can and will tear me apart if Felipe gets a read on my path.¡± Argrave held up the paper. ¡°The fellows here on this page? They¡¯re snakes, each and all. I have to choose well, elsewise I¡¯ll find myself wrapped by a python after they sell me out.¡± Argrave turned the paper back towards himself, gaze growing distant as he thought. ¡°Anyone know when¡ª¡±


    The door to the room opened, and Argrave turned his head quickly. Anneliese and Nikoletta entered.


    ¡°Good timing,¡± Argraveplimented. ¡°Have fun?¡±


    Anneliese stepped closer. ¡°It was an enlightening outing.¡±


    ¡°On two counts, I bet,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°Look at this, Anneliese. I¡¯ve got an approval of our advancement test to High Wizard, and a list of opportunists. Considering you¡¯re an Honorary Wizard only, it seems your advancement stands to be a bit different.¡± Argrave walked to the scroll he¡¯d been given earlier and held it up, double-checking.


    ¡°Interesting,¡± Anneliese nodded, gaze distant as she thought about that. ¡°We can discuss itter.¡±


    Argrave nodded and tossed the scroll aside, watching as the parchment rerolled naturally. ¡°Sure. Right now, I think we should talk about connecting our opportunity with the right opportunist.¡±


    ¡°I can give my thoughts on each,¡± Elias raised his hand.


    ¡°Yeah¡­ sure,¡± Argrave nodded, though internally he was thinking about the fact that Gmon had gone with them and it was an unnecessary addition.


    ¡°Have you any initial ideas?¡± asked Anneliese,ing to peer over his shoulder at the paper.


    ¡°I¡¯m thinking¡­¡± Argrave took a deep breath. ¡°Maybe Mina¡¯s had a good idea. Pitting people against each other.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Mina crossed her arms defensively when her name was brought up out of the blue.


    ¡°Nothing unites rivals likepetition,¡± Argrave lifted his head up. ¡°I¡¯m thinking¡­ maybe two of these meetings coincidentally happen at the same time. And maybe two of these Magisters just so happen to have a heated rivalry with the other. It¡¯ll be difficult to make happen, but it could have some ster results¡­¡±


    Elias frowned.


    ¡°What?¡± Argrave looked down at him.


    Elias said delicately, ¡°You want to put two S-rank mages who hate each other¡­ in the same room? And agitate them deliberately?¡±


    ¡°People are people, regardless of how much damage they can do,¡± Argrave dismissed without worry. ¡°I know what I¡¯m doing. But if you don¡¯t want to be there, that¡¯s fine.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    A look passed through Elias¡¯ eye¡ªit was the look of someone who was about to force himself to eat something foul.


    #####


    A small gathering of people numbering around fifty convened in arge, ornate marble chamber. All the marble was ck, veined with gold. It was a rectangr building, and all of the walls were decorated with giant statues of silver, candles at their feet. The ceiling wasrge and open, a grand image painted across all of it. If one were to follow it, one could see the tale of Vasquer¡¯s founding; Felipe I riding aback the great snake Vasquer, his legion of snakesbatting an army of elves while the 96 gods of Vasquer watched on with smiles on their faces.


    In the center of the room, stairs descended down to a central point where arge granite coffin rested. ck roses budded around the edge of the coffin, their stems bright gold. A banner of Vasquer hung over the coffin¡¯s lid. All gathered bore Vasquer ancestry, though some to a lesser degree than others. Two in particr stood above the crowd, both because of their literal and figurative presence: Orion and King Felipe III.


    Orion, garbed in all ck, had his hands behind his back. His nails dug into his palm, dripping blood that flowed back into his body like some poor imitation of an Ouroboros manifested from viscera. He stood just beside the king, his face disying his anger undisguised. The king, with his long ck beard and longer ck hair growing grayer every day, had no obvious emotions. The two looked very much alike, all the way down to their eyes.


    ¡°There should be thousands gathered to honor him,¡± Orion said. ¡°A private funeral with only family does not befit a prince of Vasquer.¡±


    ¡°I will not sully the name of Vasquer by making royal funerals moremon than celebrations in Dirracha. Induen will have a public funeral, no others,¡± Felipe rebuked, voice t.


    Orion¡¯s fingers clenched tighter, but the prince said nothing. Footsteps echoed throughout the marble room as someone new entered. The steps were quiet so as not to disturb any of the assembled. Levin stepped up beside Felipe.


    ¡°My apologies. I had to receive Induen¡¯s body,¡± Levin whispered quietly.


    The king held his hand up and conjured a ward, blocking off their conversation to nearby people. ¡°How is it?¡± Felipe questioned, looking down at the coffin.


    ¡°Well¡­ it is¡­¡±


    ¡°Do not bumble like a fool searching for kindnesses,¡± Felipemanded. ¡°The royal family does not soften their words.¡±


    Levin held his hands out, rubbing them together to warm them. ¡°The body itself was badly dismembered¡ªboth hands severed, leg hanging on by a thread of flesh. Moreover, no one within the town retrieved the body, and ants got to it. Coupled with dposition from travelling¡­ it is difficult to recognize by the face alone, but I can say with certainty it is Induen.¡±


    Orion blinked away tears after hearing the description. Felipe shook his head.


    ¡°Another unpresentable body. A disappointment.¡± The king shook his head. ¡°Archduke Regene¡¯s body will be disyed in his ce. Make it look younger with makeup and none will be the wiser. Levin, you make the¡ª¡±


    ¡°The Archduke is not dead,¡± Orion said incredulously.


    ¡°It¡¯s inevitable,¡± Felipe said dispassionately. ¡°He cannot be saved. Best to end him now, make good use of him.¡±


    ¡°You cannot do this to¡ª¡±


    Felipe turned back and interrupted, ¡°Do not presume to tell me what I cannot do, Orion. It is my ce tomand, both as your father and the king. You are my heir now, and you must be prepared for rulership.¡± Felipe stepped up to Orion, looking him eye-to-eye. ¡°Listen well¡ªyou will stop speaking of Argrave¡¯s role in ending the gue. You will diminish what you have said, and you will tell all you meet that he is a foul kinyer who brutally murdered both Magnus and Induen.¡±


    Orion red at the king. ¡°I will not lie. Argrave did stop the gue.¡±


    ¡°You will do as you are bid,¡± Felipemanded unflinchingly. ¡°Argrave the Kinying Serpent, they call him. I will not tolerate my issue and heir espousing his virtues. He killed my son, shamed Vasquer beyond measure.¡±


    ¡°An evil does not erase a virtue. I will not diminish his role in the fight with the gue Jester,¡± Orion refused.


    Felipe took a deep breath as though swallowing his wrath. His face was like stone as he stared down Orion. ¡°Induen was a fool who thought he knew better. He wandered Vasquer, doing as he pleased, when he should have been listening to my orders and learning what I taught him. He put his own desires before that of the family, and now heys in some cart, his face half-eaten by ants.¡±


    The king stepped closer until his nose almost touched his son¡¯s. ¡°If you knew better than I did, you would not have allowed Magnus to die at your brother¡¯s hands not minutes away from you. You would not havee here begging me to legitimize Argrave, to give the name of Vasquer to a kinyer and a bastard.¡±


    Orion¡¯s face was trembling in barely restrained anger.


    ¡°Do you want to hit me?¡± the king questioned. They stared eye-to-eye for several seconds, but Felipe finally shook his head, almost disappointed his son restrained himself. ¡°You won¡¯t. I had other ns for you, but it¡¯s clear to me you have an issue that needs to be settled.¡± Felipe nodded steadily. ¡°You will find Argrave. And you will be the one to deal with him.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Orion¡¯s anger gave way for confusion.


    ¡°This will put to bed these disgusting validations you¡¯ve given the bastard,¡± Felipe prodded Orion¡¯s chest. ¡°And you can be taught a little more of what it means to be king. You will learn what it means to ce the dynasty before the self.¡±


    Felipe finally turned away, leaving Orion standing there.


    ¡°Levin,¡± the king said, turning back towards the coffin. ¡°As Orion is now my son and heir, when Parbon is stripped of theirnds, all shall be given to you¡ªtheir mines, their Lionsun Castle, everything. If I catch but a hint of you impeding Orion¡­ you will not live much longer.¡±


    ¡°I look forward to setting foot in the castle,¡± Levin put his hand to his chest.


    ¡°Continue to keep your ears open and your mouth shut, and you may live to do so,¡± Felipe advised.


    Orion stepped away, shattering his father¡¯s ward with the back of his hand with seeming ease. Felipe turned back from the sudden change, watching his son move closer to Magnus¡¯ coffin and kneel down, offering a prayer.


    The discord was obvious to all present¡­ yet even still, none dared to gossip, and none made to leave. All felt fixed in ce by the gray iron gaze of King Felipe III, and none would dare leave before he did.<!--


    -->

 Chapter 222

    Chapter 222: A New Test


    ¡°You¡¯re awfully casual about this whole thing,¡± said Elias as Argrave enjoyed a pleasant breakfast.


    Argrave ate a great heap of eggs. He hadn¡¯t liked them much before, but he found them quite delicious now, perhaps because he¡¯d been eating frog legs and hippo jerky in a swamp not too long ago.


    Argrave chewed and swallowed before saying, ¡°Some people are blessed with great poise in stressful situations. Myself, though, I earned this temperament after dealing with the countless stresses of life facing Gerechtigkeit. I appreciate your admiration. I often feel unappreciated for my calm nature.¡±


    ¡°No, you¡ª¡± Elias shook his head. He struggled with sarcasm. ¡°More and more troops take their ce in key positions around the tower. It¡¯ll be difficult for you to leave.¡±


    ¡°I have to be a High Wizard¡ªnot my fault the test is scheduled a bitte. It might be just a title, but it opens a lot of doors, earns me a lot of prestige. It¡¯ll make negotiations with the Magisters easier, too. On top of all that, a lot of valuable ingredients for alchemy you can¡¯t buy without a high status in the Order. Last but not least¡­ it¡¯ll be good to maintain strong ties with this Tower,¡± Argrave concluded with a shrug. ¡°Besides, leaving¡­ that should be your concern, no? Young lord of House Parbon,¡± Argrave fiddled with his fork, twisting it about in his fingers.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m leaving tomorrow,¡± Elias nodded. ¡°My father is preparing a formidable escort. He¡¯ll take us all out. Once again, I extend the offer to take you¡ª¡±


    Argrave raised his hand. ¡°Forget it. Be careful, though. Vasquer won¡¯t hesitate to attack this escort of yours. It¡¯s practically a godsend to them.¡±


    The act of raising his hand left his te vulnerable, and Anneliese deftly stabbed out. She impaled a whole egg and tore it away ruthlessly. Argrave gave her a betrayed look as she enjoyed the egg but could not help but smile after a time.


    Elias shifted on his feet nervously, then once again counseled, ¡°Every day you wait to meet the Magisters, you¡ª¡°


    ¡°Thanks for your concern, really,¡± Argrave twisted his fork against his te, giving his best reassuring smile. ¡°But go. I¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    Elias nodded. ¡°I hope for your sake that¡¯s true.¡±


    ¡°Bet you¡¯d never thought you¡¯d think that of me, huh?¡± Argrave noted.


    Elias had a ponderous look for a moment, but he said nothing about the matter. ¡°The room is paid up for six more days. You¡¯ll still have to buy food from the ces below¡ªno deliveries, either. Felipe might pay some gullible fool with power but no sense to attack you, so stay wary.¡±


    Argrave nodded and waved to Elias, and then the heir to the Margravate opened the door and stepped out, preparing for the day¡¯s tasks. Just before he left fully, however, he paused.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Oh¡ªMina told me to tell you this,¡± Elias stopped. ¡°You still owe her for that favor, and she¡¯s going to let the interest build up before cashing it in.¡± As Argrave sat there, mouth agape, Elias nodded and left quietly.


    ¡°Oh, gods¡­¡± Argrave nted his elbows on the table, entwining his hands and stewing over the words. ¡°What does she have nned for me? She¡¯s devious. I know it¡¯ll be something awful.¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°No, I can¡¯t think about this now. Let¡¯s focus on the matter at hand.¡±


    ¡°More and more troops areing,¡± Anneliese noted, rxing slightly now that they were alone. ¡°All of them leaving Dirracha,ing here¡­¡±


    ¡°Meaning security in the capital isxer,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°How might that be our concern?¡±


    ¡°I wonder,¡± Anneliese smiled.


    Argraveughed lightly. ¡°I suppose the whole point of stalling like this is that it won¡¯t be our concern. Notter, at least.¡± He took a deep breath and straightened his back, doing light stretches. ¡°So¡ªthe test for High Wizardry. You prepared?¡±


    ¡°It is more you I am concerned for,¡± She shook her head. ¡°You have learnt no spells originating from the Order¡ªboth matrixes you have mastered are foreign to them. Even I have learned some of their spells, but not you.¡±


    Argrave shrugged. ¡°They can see the B-rank matrix. If they give me trouble¡­ well, I¡¯m good at solving problems.¡±


    ¡°Then it seems all we can do is proceed,¡± Anneliese concluded.


    With everything in ce, they enjoyed a pleasant breakfast together in solitude.


    #####


    ¡°We apologize for the long dy for the test,¡± a polite Wizard of the Order spoke to Argrave as the two of them rode up the central elevator, feet fixed to the stone tablets. ¡°Given the extraordinary circumstances of¡­ well, the extraordinary circumstance of your recent¡­¡±


    ¡°Kinying?¡± Argrave finished.


    ¡°Um¡­ yes,¡± the man meekly confirmed. ¡°We had to seek out test-givers that were entirely ignorant of your events, so as to avoid bias in the confirmation. These people have been engaged in schrly research for some time, and are consequently entire ignorant of your recent acts. Rest assured¡ªthe test will be fair and bnced.¡±


    ¡°Fair and bnced, huh?¡± Argraveughed. ¡°Those words are a bit tainted where I¡¯m from, at least for some people.¡±


    The man looked quite confused, but the stone tforms finally reached the floor they¡¯d been trying to reach and Argrave did not need to borate. The man stepped off first, Argrave following just behind. They walked quite quickly, Argrave easily keeping pace with his longer legs.


    Eventually, they made it to a room with a muchrger door than most others. After opening it up, a wide-open room awaited,pletely barren barring a table with chairs in the back. The protective enchantments were far thicker than most anywhere else. It was a testing room, some bizarre cross between an interview room and a colosseum. Here, mages could exercise their spells to their fullest extent without damaging anything.


    ¡°Good luck, sir Argrave,¡± the man bowed, then quickly left, shutting the door behind him.


    Argrave was left alone in the vast open space. With the vision lent to him by Garm¡¯s eyes, he could discern each of the mages before him were certainly B-rank mages of significant prowess, perhaps even beyond B-rank. If they were A-rank, the changes their body underwent by bing A-rank were not outwardly disyed, and so Argrave was uncertain.


    Being alone before four High Wizards in a vast, empty room was a good way to whittle away confidence¡ªperhaps that was the intent¡ªbut Argrave strode forward boldly, doing his best to appear big and confident. The big part was easy because he <em>was</em> big, but the confidence¡­ he couldn¡¯t be so sure.


    ¡°Good morning,¡± Argrave greeted cheerfully, his voice bouncing against the walls loud enough to make anyone self-conscious. ¡°It¡¯s a very pleasant day, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°It is,¡± the man in the center of the four answered¡ªa cold-eyed man with a graying beard. ¡°Let us get down to business, shall we?¡±


    ¡°No time for pleasantries? All the better,¡± Argrave nodded, a stic smile on his face.


    The man nodded, then picked up a piece of paper. ¡°Wizard Argrave¡­ named Wizard a little over six months ago, your thesis marked for ¡®special interest.¡¯ Age¡­ twenty,¡± the man looked up from the paper, staring down Argrave. ¡°I am obligated to say this by the Order. This test has rigorous anti-cheat measures¡ªthe enchantments in the walls and floors are not merely for protection. The penalties for cheating can go up to the point of expulsion from the Order. If you wish, you may call off the test now. You will not be given another opportunity to do so.¡±


    Argrave shook his head and scratched beneath his nose. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°We are aware of your status,¡± a woman by the cold-eyed man¡¯s side said.


    Argrave paused and took a breath. ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°It means that your father cannot have any bearing on the results of this test,¡± the woman continued.


    Hearing theirplete ignorance, Argraveughed loudly. ¡°Old Felipe? I imagine he¡¯d be thest person to sway this towards a positive oue.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± the woman nodded, content. Sheunched into professional instructions, saying, ¡°To begin with, before administering other portions of the test, you must pass a bare minimum rank requirement,¡± she exined. ¡°You will need to demonstrate any B-rank spell that you have learned¡ªone will suffice. If this spell is illusion magic, special measures will¡ª¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s elemental,¡± Argrave cut in.


    ¡°Alright,¡± the woman nodded. ¡°Then, please turn in that direction and demonstrate the spell,¡± she directed, pointing off to her left. ¡°Ensure your hand is outstretched, and the matrix unobscured.¡±


    Argrave pulled his glove off and rolled down his sleeve, then turned and held out his hand as instructed. He formed the matrix ever-so-slowly, so as to give his onlookers ample time to examine it. Once the fourth dimension was put into ce, he set the spell into motion. It whirled about in impossible ways, then, [Pavise Gale] activated. A knight of wind sent out a tremendous gale with a backhand of a great tower shield.


    The wind raged throughout the ce for a time, then the man on the far right of the table immediatelymended, ¡°Excellent. Well done, Argrave.¡±


    Another concurred, but the man with cold eyes interrupted, saying, ¡°Hold a moment. Is that a spell that can be found in Order libraries?¡±


    ¡°Which Order?¡± Argrave asked. ¡°If you mean the Order of the Rose, yes.¡±


    ¡°So, it¡¯s not a spellmonly used by mages trained here,¡± the man continued, his words seeming to draw people¡¯s attention. ¡°It¡¯s something none of us are familiar with. More easily fa¡ª¡±


    ¡°Well, I could bring the book I learned the spell from,¡± Argrave said at once, before the man¡¯s words could make too much sense. ¡°The four of you could examine the matrix in great detail, either in my own hands or from the book itself. And failing that, I know there are many Magisters in the Order that have an interest and specialization of some of the older spells of the olden days. You could call them, ask for assistance,¡± Argrave suggested, waving his hand upwards with a smile.


    <em>Get in line, or I¡¯ll talk to your manager, </em>Argrave thought, half-hoping he could escte things.


    All three of the others looked contented by Argrave¡¯s answer, each looking to the cold-eyed man waiting for his opinion. He bit his lips for a few second, then nodded.


    ¡°Everything seems to be in order,¡± he concluded.


    Argrave nodded politely. ¡°I thought so as well.¡±


    #####


    ¡°The old always have to trample on the young,¡± ranted Argrave indignantly to Anneliese. ¡°Should have seen his face when he read out that I was twenty. I¡¯m sure the guy arranged some harder questions just for me. I¡¯m supposed to be the bastard, not him.¡± Argrave sighed and shook his head. ¡°Whatever. Just have to wait for the conve¡¯s assessment.¡±


    ¡°Mine went well,¡± Anneliese noted. ¡°The test was fun. It was interesting to see how much I know put to the test. The extra requirements as an Honorary Wizard demanded I learn some of this Order¡¯s history.¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°I¡¯m d for you. But now¡­ we have to make arrangements for the meeting.¡± Argrave pulled down the paper that Elias had given him of people that agreed to meet. ¡°Hegazar¡­ and Vera.¡± He looked to Anneliese. ¡°Ever known some couple that broke up and got back together dozens of times, like¡­ like there was something they both hated and loved about each other in equal measure?¡±


    Anneliese frowned. ¡°No,¡± she shook her head.


    ¡°Me neither,¡± Argrave looked back. ¡°We will soon, though. These are our lucky opportunists. Two real pieces of work, feeding off each other like vampires in their ascent to the top¡­ they¡¯ve screwed each other in many ways countless times, some of these acts incredibly cruel, some of them¡­ well, pleasant, I imagine.¡±


    Anneliese stared down at the papers with aplex expression.


    ¡°What?¡± he asked her.


    ¡°I am starting to question if Elias might have been right. Courting such a tempestuous rtionship¡­¡± she trailed off.


    ¡°No, no, trust me,¡± Argrave soothed. ¡°All the other options we have will skin us and leave us out to dry. Only by having two opposing forces can we get through this.¡±


    ¡°Also means we might just get crushed between their quarrel,¡± Anneliese pointed out.<!--


    -->

 Chapter 223

    Chapter 223: Amour Fou


    A lean man of above-average height wearing gray robes opened the door and walked inside. He was bald, though with sharp handsome features that seemed to have an indelible grin. This was not, despite appearances, Magister Hegazar. Instead, Argrave spotted a dim gray silhouette just behind. That would be the man himself.


    ¡°Hello, Magister Hegazar,¡± Argrave greeted, his legs crossed as he waited casually atop a couch. One of his arms rested across the back of the couch just behind Anneliese. Gmon stood behind, arms crossed before him as the ever-diligent guard.


    Magister Hegazar was an S-rank mage whose A-rank ascension was closely linked with illusion magic. He was one of few Magisters in the Order to specialize in that branch of magic. The human figure Argrave saw¡ªthe bald, handsome man¡ªwas a constantly projected illusion. The silhouette was where Hegazar¡¯s body truly was. Argrave suspected the only reason he able to glimpse even a hint of Hegazar¡¯s true form was because of Garm¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Well¡­ if it isn¡¯t our Order¡¯s resident Kinying Serpent, Argrave,¡± Hegazar greeted, his voice husky and deep. It had a certain intonation that dripped with amusement and cynicism. ¡°My, I feel half a child again confronted by so many giants. My neck may hurt by the end of the conversation, craning it to look up at you.¡±


    ¡°Well, you are the true senior here, head and shoulder above us all,¡± Argrave answered at once, almost excessively tteringly. Hegazar had an ego rivalling any A-list actor¡ªArgrave¡¯s strategy was to act as though he was ceding control to him while still controlling the flow of the conversation.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°I¡¯m very d we could meet today,¡± Argrave continued, rising to his feet. ¡°Please, have a seat.¡±


    The door shut behind him, and the lock clicked a secondter. ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Hegazar¡¯s illusory body gave a nod. ¡°Took you a while to reach out. I was beginning to think you were stringing me along like an ugly, kindhearted girl you didn¡¯t have the heart to say ¡®no¡¯ to.¡±


    Hegazar stepped into the room, and though his illusory body took a seat in the couch opposite Argrave, his true body roamed about the room, examining things. He didn¡¯t ask about Anneliese or Gmon¡ªhe didn¡¯t seem to care.


    ¡°But I suspect you were rather busy trimming your nails, cutting your hair, getting yourself presentable for the big crowd forming outside this tower,¡± Hegazar continued, voice projecting from his illusory body wlessly. ¡°Your pa must have a soft spot for you¡ªhe¡¯s gathered so many people that are screaming your name, waiting for the very moment you step out onto the stage.¡±


    Argraveughed politely and sat back down, doing his best to keep his eyes away from the silhouette that wandered the room. ¡°Fortunately for them, I¡¯m not one to disappoint the people. I¡¯d like to step onto the stage soon enough. But¡­ stagecraft, any sort of art¡­ it can be an expensive thing. Sometimes you need a patron. A sponsor.¡±


    ¡°Ahhh,¡± Hegazar¡¯s false body leaned forth very naturally, cing both elbows on its knees. As it did so, Hegazar¡¯s true form finally decided it had seen enough, and went to sit down where the illusory body already sat, lounging while the illusory form remained animate. ¡°I see where Ie in, I think. You¡¯ve got production issues. Bit off more than you can chew, hmm?¡±


    ¡°Sometimes an opportunity¡¯s too good to pass up, even if you have to overextend a bit to seize it,¡± Argrave said, putting his arm back behind Anneliese.


    Argrave knew Anneliese well enough to tell immediately she was ill at ease when faced with Hegazar. It seemed that, despite his illusion, she could tell that the form sitting before them was not real flesh and blood.


    ¡°Mmhmm,¡± Hegazar leaned back, silhouette and illusion ovepping for but half a second. ¡°Not to condescend, but these patrons, these sponsors¡ªas much as you might be fooled into believing they throw money at half-baked ideas for the sake of throwing money, that¡¯s not the case. These fools with gold in their soles¡ªthey¡¯ve got an agenda. Either they like the art, or they see a golden, glimmering treasure mound at the end of the tunnel.¡±


    Hegazar let the words hang for a few seconds. ¡°As for liking the art, well¡­ even if you spin it as something avant garde, the crown prince dying isn¡¯t something I care to hang on my wall. I don¡¯t know you. I won¡¯t stick my neck out. As for profit¡­¡± the illusory figure threw up its hands in a shrug. ¡°Your pockets look a bit light to me. I certainly don¡¯t see any pile of riches in sight. All you¡¯ve got, as I see it, is an angry father. I have enough fathers angry at me¡ªI don¡¯t care to add another to that list. But¡­¡± Hegazar raised a finger up with both bodies. ¡°Maybe I need to look at it with a different lens. Got anything to help me see, Kinyer?¡±


    Argrave kept a poker face, but he could not deny he disliked being called Kinyer. The man had a maic way of speaking, and he felt very much swept along by Hegazar. The fact Argrave recognized that, though, probably meant he wasn¡¯t. And soon enough, the man would be cast off bnce.


    ¡°Let me show the cards, then,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°Back when the Order of the Rose fell, Vasquer issued a ban on exploring their fortresses, and obfuscated many of their locations,¡± Argrave said.


    ¡°A history lesson? That¡¯s a poor start to a trade,¡± Hegazar noted.


    ¡°¡­during that time,¡± Argrave continued undaunted, ¡°Many of the valuable books degraded, rotted, got washed away, or were otherwise destroyed. And many of the locations, well¡­ my dear old dad hoards those jealously, if he¡¯s even got them. But the ban on exploration is up, and yours truly has the location of a cache of preserved books that¡¯ll be a more-than-fitting recement for the pile of riches you might want. And even if it isn¡¯t¡­ if you sell them, you can make your own treasure hoard, Magister.¡±


    ¡°Kinyer¡­¡± Hegazar shook his head and clicked his tongue. ¡°If I wanted sweet promises, I could pay some troubadour to sing me songs about all my virtues, or some fortune teller to tell me what magnificent things I might find on my doorstep.¡±


    Argrave leaned forth and reached under his couch, pulling free arge white book. It was one of seven A-rank spells that Garm left behind, and one of the most valuable things in Argrave¡¯s possession. He needed juicy bait to hook the biggest fish. He set it on the coffee table between him and Hegazar and slid it over. Rather than allowing the Magister to hold it, Argrave opened the book up.


    ¡°Well, if I¡¯m a fortune teller, this is my crystal ball,¡± Argrave leaned back in the couch as the A-rank matrix took shape. ¡°The A-rank spell [Full Bloodmoon]. It¡¯s thest of a series of spells I¡¯ve already studied, somewhat. A devastating A-rank spell of blood magic. After all, necromancy and blood magic¡­ Order of the Rose specialties.¡±


    A-rank spells were almost wholly removed from the confines of all previous ranks. To begin with, to be A-rank was to assimte deeper with magic, make it part of one¡¯s body. Rather than matrixes¡­ these spells took root in the body, too. Rather than conjuring a matrix, the body itself served as a sort of conduit to mold the magic. What appeared from the book was soplex Argrave couldn¡¯t even begin toprehend it.


    It appeared to entice Hegazar, though. His illusory body remained lounging in the chair, but the silhouette that betrayed his true body got off the chair, kneeling before the table and studying the matrix in great detail. It was very difficult for Argrave to act as though he saw nothing.


    ¡°Pretty as a painting¡­¡± marveled Hegazar. The silhouette reached out towards the book briefly, but the sound of a lock clicking echoed in the silent room. Hegazar¡¯s true body came to attention at once, prepared to fight, while the illusory body merely turned its head backwards casually.


    The door opened, and Durran hurtled in as though chased by something. Argrave smiled when he saw the woman step in after him. She had gray hair with orange, predatory eyes, and looked quite young. Argrave thought she was quite beautiful, but he felt no attraction to her. He knew what she was really like.


    Once Vera entered the room, her eyes scanned the ce calmly as she crossed her arms. Wrath set in when she saw Hegazar, and she began, ¡°You. I should have kno¡ª¡±


    But then, sheid eyes upon Argrave, and upon the wide-open A-rank spellbook. It was confusion at first, then ponderance, and then a stirring curiosity, each running across her face as quickly and obviously as Argrave had ever seen.


    ¡°And what might this be?¡± Vera stepped deeper into the room, eyes fixed on the A-rank matrix.


    At once, Hegazar stepped past Vera and shut the door behind her. She followed his true body with her eyes, evidently unaffected by the illusion.


    ¡°And what is this, Argrave? Some ploy by this old witch?¡± Hegazar asked, as off-bnce as Argrave had hoped the suave Magister to be.


    ¡°It¡¯s a¡­ damnit, Durran, what the hell? This wasn¡¯t..!¡± Argrave acted indignant, stirring.


    Durran copsed onto the couch just beside Argrave. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You had the wrong time,¡± Argrave whispered in show, rising to his feet in faux panic.


    ¡°What?¡± Durran asked, then shook his head. ¡°To the zes with that. You don¡¯t pay me enough to deal with these¡ª¡±


    Argrave quickly kicked Durran in the shin as though to silence him. Both Magisters watched this show of theirs. Argrave couldn¡¯t tell if they were convinced, but Vera was too focused on the matrix to care.


    ¡°This¡­¡± Vera leaned over. ¡°This is Order of the Rose work. And this book¡­¡± she reached down. ¡°Not Owl binding, that¡¯s for certain.¡±


    Though Hegazar¡¯s illusory form looked entirely unbothered, he could practically see the unease in the silhouette by the door. Eventually¡­ the door¡¯s lock clicked shut once more, and Hegazar walked up beside the female Magister.


    ¡°So¡­¡± Vera rose up, looking between Argrave and Hegazar. ¡°You two seemed to be enjoying yourself before I arrived.¡±


    Argrave rubbed his hands together as though nervous, and then sat down back where he was. ¡°I was¡­ making an offer to Hegazar.¡±


    ¡°Yes, he was showing me this book, trying to sell it,¡± Hegazar quickly exined. ¡°Now, scurry on back to your spider¡¯s nest so the best of us can continue to have fun, Vera. You¡¯ll get your turn to bid.¡±


    Vera gave an angry smile. ¡°I think I¡¯d like to be here.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a mistake you¡¯re here at all,¡± Hegazar said. ¡°Go, go. The Kinyer will talk to youter.¡±


    Vera plopped down on the couch right atop Hegazar¡¯s illusory form as if in insult. Though the illusion contorted aside naturally as if dodging her, holes were poked in the spell for but a moment and Argrave saw the couch behind.


    ¡°Maybe¡­ I should¡­¡± Argrave faked hesitation.


    ¡°You will tell me what is happening here,¡± Vera stated. ¡°You know it is poor form to offend a Magister, Argrave. Especially considering all you¡¯ve already done¡­ it would be most unwise to do so.¡±


    It was all Argrave could do not to smile.


    Both of the people before him were conniving people likely to use and abuse him. Vera was incredibly vindictive and didn¡¯t care for anyone at all. Hegazar was all-around deceitful, more than willing to take every advantage of someone and then toss them aside like a filled trash bag. Both would sell him out like no tomorrow once Argrave had paid up his side of the bargain.


    They were like <em>all </em>of the Magisters that had agreed to meet Argrave. He was a kinyer, a royal bastard¡ªgood, trustworthy people wouldn¡¯t engage with him on faith alone, it seemed. He was a pariah. Without Castro, there was no single reliable person he could call upon.


    Together, though? They¡¯d keep in each other in check. They¡¯d be too busy fighting with themselves to care about Argrave. All he had to do was y this right. Self-interested people made poor friends¡­ but if one can interest them, they¡¯re much easier to steer the right way. If Argrave couldn¡¯t, though¡­ he might die twice as hard.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you see you¡¯re unwee, Vera? He squirms like a bug just looking at you, the poor child. You always did frighten young men. Probably because they can see you¡¯re some sort of parasitic worm made flesh and filled with low cunning,¡± Hegazar said bitterly.


    ¡°Go on, Argrave,¡± Vera urged.


    ¡°Well¡­ alright,¡± Argrave conceded. It was quite hard to act as though it was begrudgingly.<!--


    -->

 Chapter 224

    Chapter 224: Third Figure


    In an area far away from the Tower of the Gray Owl, enough knights gathered to form a forest of horseflesh and steel-armored knights. Countless banners hung in the sky, swaying against the light winds of winter. Though the heraldry on each was varied and many, the mostmon colors were white and gold, and many gs were derivatives of the golden lion of House Parbon. At the head of this host, Margrave Reinhardt sat aback his prized warhorse. Evidently the white stallion had been recovered from Mateth after its theft.


    Though stationary, the army did not look unprepared for battle. The men kept their disciplined warhorses at ease. Even more diligent were the countless mages in the party¡ªthey had to be, for a magical assault could ur far more silently than a charge of an army. Yet roaming warbands bearing the golden snakes of Vasquer roamed the ins, and none could be said to be truly at ease.


    In the far distance, a party of over a dozen moved across the ins towards their party. A scout shouted, ¡°Two A-rank! Three C-rank! Nine mundane!¡±


    ¡°At ease!¡± shouted the Margrave, his voice a great bellow beneath his gilded white great helm. He spurred his horse forward and proceeded, moving to meet the party that came. The A-rank mages were the men the Margrave had sent to guard his son.


    As the two came nearer¡­ Mina, Elias, Nikoletta, and Stain came into view, and the Margrave hastened his horse. The roaming warbands bearing the g of Vasquer, though far from the host, took note of the detachment. The army prepared to cover the Margrave if he shoulde under attack.


    ¡°Son,¡± the Margrave greeted in a shout, slowing his horse as the two came near. ¡°You¡¯re alone.¡±


    Stain seemed to want to correct that very desperately, but he stayed silent. None of the others seemed to mind.


    ¡°I am,¡± Elias nodded, making Stain all the more frustrated. ¡°We have to talk, father. Who is present?¡±


    The Margrave nodded. ¡°A great deal of those supporting us. Come,¡± he waved his hands, then pulled on his horse¡¯s reins.


    The sound of horns blew across the ins. The Margrave whipped his head about, watching the movement of the enemy hosts scattered about the ins. Once one of the other parties heard the horn sounding, it was echoed to the next party, and like this,munication was quickly established.


    The horses grew uneased by the sound of the horn as though it told of an ill omen. The lesser, poorly trained warhorses stirred, yet most remained firm. The Margrave clenched the reins tight in his white gauntlets, waiting and watching.


    Yet the enemy parties moved out and away, converging towards several designated points. It seemed they were regrouping, yet not attacking. The Margrave nodded. ¡°Come, Elias, everyone.¡±


    #####


    Elias stepped inside his father¡¯s war tent, legs still stiff from such a long and tense ride on horseback. The armies could not proceed past certain geographical points without technically breaking the use of non-interference in Order business, yet there was still an instinctual fear when seeing the roaming bands of warriors willing and able to ughter Elias outside that boundary on his trek here.


    Bizarrely enough, that fear was not abated being in his father¡¯smand tent. The multitude of powerful people present put Elias on edge¡ªhis father, Duke Enrico of Monti, Duke Marauch of Elbraille, Count Delbraun of Jast, and Duke Sumner of Dedsworth from the southeast. There were many other powerful lords that had lent their name to the aid of House Parbon, and all stood before a long rectangr table.


    Elias had told his father Reinhardt what Argrave had said. He had expected to try desperately to persuade the Margrave to ept Argrave, poor though his conditions might be. But then, his father did something that defied his expectation¡ªhe asked Elias to deliver the news to all the gathered leaders himself.


    Margrave Reinhardt stepped past Elias. Everyone followed Reinhardt with their gazes as he walked¡ªit was clear enough just by that alone that he was the leader. Reinhardt walked around the table,ing to stand at the head of the rectangr table. Elias stood opposite him, and the rest of hispanions from the Tower came to stand beside or behind him.


    ¡°My lords,¡± Reinhardt said loudly and clearly, hismander¡¯s voice naturally drawing the attention of what few individuals did not already look at him. ¡°My son has returned from the Tower of the Gray Owl alongside his threepanions, having spoken to Argrave.¡±


    All four¡ªStain, Elias, Nikoletta, and Mina¡ªcame to stand side-by-side, directly opposite the Margrave. Mina seemed diforted, for she had no rtives present whatsoever. She was not so out of ce as Stain, who desperately tried to ignore the fact his brother, who had disinherited him, stood just beside the Margrave.


    Realizing that none would speak first, Elias answered his father. ¡°Indeed, we spoke to Argrave. The rumor of him ying is brother is categorically true. It was the culmination of a feud near a decade old¡ªInduen yed Argrave¡¯s mother in cold blood before his eyes and had been abusing him for years.¡±


    ¡°You speak like his advocate,¡± Duke Sumner of Dedsworth noted.


    Duke Sumner was a mage, and a powerful one¡ªhis family of Dedsworth, like Count Delbraun of Jast¡¯s, were traditionally mages. His A-rank ascension was not particrly out of the norm, and so he seemed rather in¡ªa finely-cut brown beard leavened with wavy hair. He looked as young as Elias, though with a certain maturity about him that would make people second-guess.


    Margrave Reinhardt leaned over the table, and its wooden frame creaked beneath the weight of his body and armor. ¡°I sent Elias to find and retrieve Argrave to introduce all of him to you,¡± Reinhardt disclosed. ¡°I wished to consider him our primary imant against Vasquer.¡±


    Though it was no news at all to Elias, it sent a ripple through the assembled nobles at once. Duke Sumner said, ¡°This was never a war of disputed heritage, Margrave Reinhardt. Felipe has the blood of Vasquer in him, strong as anyone, and his sons each and all inherited it without question. They are in the line of session, indisputably. Even then, Argrave is a bastard¡­ and now, a kinyer, regardless of his reasoning.¡±


    The words were spoken neutrally, but Sumner¡¯s points grew some support from the people that opposed the notion of a bastard.


    ¡°Felipe and all of his trueborn issue¡­ there is something wrong with them, something corrupt,¡± Reinhardt said at once. ¡°I firmly believe, based on their actions and their words, that they have strayed from the righteous path. They have deviated from the path of a king. Felipe, Orion, Levin¡­ they are not fit. And I would not have the kingdom descend into petty states feuding over the throne when we are finished. We need a imant.¡±


    ¡°What about Princess Elenore?¡± Duke Marauch suggested innocently.


    Many present expressed disapproval. Count Delbraun spoke, his voice cutting through the noise to say, ¡°The blind cannot see the path ahead; how will they lead us down it? I will admit she was a bright, vivacious youth¡­ but Felipe cruelly robbed her of all potential and keeps her locked within a greenhouse in the capital. A ruler cannot wholly rely on their servants¡ªany council would haveplete control over her. Besides, a woman has never ruled over Vasquer.¡±


    Stain glowered at the ashen-haired, orange-eyed man that was his brother. Delbraun did not deign to even acknowledge Stain¡¯s presence.


    ¡°My lords,¡± Elias said, voice mustering the same bit of authoritativeness as his father¡¯s. ¡°During the time spent at the Tower, I dedicated much of my time to surveying Argrave¡¯s character. All four of us did,¡± he waved between the four of them that had been present. ¡°My escorts, too, bore witness to his character. I can guarantee each and all of us will attest that having Argrave on the throne after the war is finished is our best option¡ªindeed, perhaps the only option that can preserve the centuries-old monarchy of Vasquer.¡±


    Those words drew the attention of all, and Elias tried to press pass his nervousness. ¡°Duke Enrico¡ªplease describe the events of Mateth.¡±


    Duke Enrico shifted in surprise being called upon, running a hand through his blue hair to gather himself. ¡°Well¡­ after informing me of theing invasion and enabling me to prepare defenses, Argrave aided in the defense of a coastal vige. After negotiating a parley with the snow elfmander, he sailed with them to their homnd of¡­¡± the Duke trailed off, forgetting.


    ¡°Veiden,¡± Mina cut in, crossing her arms.


    ¡°Veiden,¡± Enrico nodded. ¡°While there¡­ he negotiated with the leader of these snow elves. Without his intervention, and without our own good fortune, Mateth and the entire coastline would be upied by them. Their naval forces were vastly superior to our house¡¯s prized fleet, and their warriors very nearly seized the city. Argrave was the one to secure peace.¡±


    ¡°But you have an interest in making him look good,¡± a countess swearing fealty to Duke Sumner noted. ¡°After all, Argrave is supposedly betrothed to Nikoletta.¡±


    Enrico lowered his head, but Nikoletta rebutted, ¡°Argrave and I are not betrothed, nor will we be.¡±


    The Duke shot a surprised nce at his daughter.


    ¡°I see,¡± said Duke Sumner. He seemed ambivalent about the news, but others seemed eager¡ªa bachelor imant to the throne? An enticing proposition, it would seem.


    ¡°He is betrothed to a snow elf,¡± Elias said, tearing the bandage off right away. He knew it would be pragmatic to exclude this detail, but he would not lie to people fighting a war on their behalf. ¡°A B-rank mage by the name of Anneliese.¡±


    One noble presentughed aloud, turning away from the table. Many more sour looks passed through the assembled nobles.


    ¡°Following the invasion at Mateth, Argrave headed to the northwest,¡± Elias continued, hoping to redirect the conversation quickly.


    ¡°Hold a moment,¡± Baron Abraham, vassal to the Margrave, interrupted. He had a slight history with Argrave, having met him at Jast. ¡°Why is this betrothal being glossed over? That is a serious issue, to take one of elven blood to wife. All of this is an ill omen. It speaks of strong ties to foreign powers!¡±


    Elias shifted on his feet. ¡°This was a point I brought up to Argrave. It¡¯s not an issue he willpromise on.¡±


    ¡°Anneliese is a genius,¡± Nikoletta said inly. ¡°She understands magic and people like no other I have met. The Order has epted her as an Honorary Wizard, and she was applying to join the Order officially as a High Wizard. This is not a loss, this betrothal¡ªit is a tremendous boon.¡±


    ¡°Forget the woman,¡± Delbraun said. ¡°Enrico himself imed that this war was lost before Argrave brought it to a halt. A bride of their people? That hints at collusion, of close ties¡ªwho can say where Argrave¡¯s loyalty lies? He travels with two of these snow elves!¡±


    Even those that had seemed positively predisposed to the idea of Argrave being their imant agreed with that statement vigorously.


    ¡°Perhaps he has an arrangement to ur after the war is finished,¡± someone suggested. ¡°When all our armies are weakened and battered, perhaps this invasion shall resume.¡±


    Stain noticed the way things were trending and said loudly, ¡°This is all baseless, unreasonable assumption. The elves were winning¡ªif he were their allies, he would not have gotten peace, not have returned to Vasquer our allies.¡±


    Duke Sumner shrugged. ¡°Who knows what they¡¯ve offered him? Land, vengeance¡­¡±


    Elias nted his fists firmly against the table. ¡°Could anythingpare to a kingship? We lose the plot, my lords! We speak of Argrave and his character. I can assure you on the name of House Parbon, nothing material would motivate him.¡±


    Elias¡¯ words were enough to stifle further discussion as he used his House¡¯s name behind those words. It couldn¡¯t stifle the near undisguised contempt for Argrave¡¯s foreignpany.


    ¡°This man you lords so quickly deem a traitor travelled to the northwest, where he endangered his own lifebatting this terrifying gue. All of us have experienced this fell illness firsthand¡ªsome of us, more than others,¡± Elias gestured vaguely to his eye. ¡°Argrave knew the danger it posed. He took action. Ultimately, he and Orion put an end to it.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°¡¯Put an end to it?¡¯¡± Count Delbraun repeated. ¡°What does this mean?¡±


    Elias swallowed. ¡°Most present might agree on this point¡ªthe gue, this waxpox, it was unusual in many ways.¡± Elias rubbed at his cheek. ¡°This mark, here¡ªit was spreading vigorously across my body before stopping suddenly. The fact is, this gue was an assault from the northwest of a mystical nature¡ªand Argrave, he learned of it and ended it with Orion¡¯s aid.¡±


    The nobles were a mixture of those impressed and those in disbelief.


    ¡°You can talk to people who will personally confirm that¡ªrefugees from the north. Argrave put an end to it with Orion¡¯s help, I swear it,¡± Mina stepped forth, saying so boldly. ¡°He had me stall Induen at my father¡¯s keep to ensure he was not interrupted during this process.¡±


    Duke Sumner leaned over the table. ¡°But all of this¡ªit¡¯s secondhand reports. Where is Argrave? We must see him, speak to him, judge him and this¡­ snow elf with our own eyes.¡±


    Elias had been wondering how to phrase Argrave¡¯s refusal the whole while. ¡°Argrave agreed to act as our imant. However¡­ he believes we are insufficient to fight against Vasquer, weakened from the gue as we all are. He ns to bring his own army to the war.¡±


    ¡°Then there it is!¡± Duke Sumner gestured towards Elias. ¡°If that is not an admission of ties to foreignnds, what is?¡±


    Though the assembled nobles rose in support, Margrave Reinhardt spoke for the first time in a while, silencing the burgeoning uproar. ¡°What do you mean, Elias? What army?¡±


    ¡°Beyond saying there were untapped forces in the north, he refused to divulge more. In my personal opinion, I think he intends to call upon allies in the north to betray Vasquer, and feared the king catching wind of his scheme,¡± Elias said bluntly. ¡°Argrave feared informants, foremost among them being the Bat.¡±


    Evidently, many present had heard that name, for the excuse brought a strange silence with it. That name held weight. It seemed everyone had, directly or indirectly, associated with the Bat.


    Stain contributed, ¡°Informants led Induen to Argrave, after all. Induen wanted to harass him, kill his betrothed. He¡¯s reasonable to be paranoid.¡±


    Elias wasn¡¯t sure if that was a lie or not, but he let it slide because it supported their argument.


    ¡°You learned nothing of this army he mentioned while he was there?¡± Duke Sumner held his hands out. ¡°We cannot risk involving a third power in our war. We cannot back a imant that might tear this realm asunder by involving a conqueror. Do you know nothing of his ties?¡±


    Elias hesitantly said, ¡°Argrave was very cautious.¡±


    ¡°Margrave Reinhardt¡­¡± Duke Sumner turned to him. ¡°I support the idea that Vasquer needs to be overthrown. But such an uncertain variable, such a wild force¡­ can we support it?¡±


    Reinhardt stood up straight and asked, ¡°If Argrave did bring a third army, could we even stop that?¡±


    That set a grim tone to the conversation.


    Delbraun suggested softly, ¡°We might negotiate an armistice with Vasquer to fight the¡ª¡±


    ¡°Do you think Vasquer would ept that?¡± Reinhardt roared. ¡°Felipe would demand all of our heads as the terms for the peace. He would take more than that¡ªhe¡¯d make an example of all the most prominent of us. And even beyond that, the people would continue to suffer beneath the tyrannical reign of this generation¡¯s Vasquers.¡±


    Duke Sumner shook his head. ¡°You do not know that.¡±


    ¡°We have no option, Sumner,¡± Enrico said insistently.


    ¡°We do,¡± Sumner shook his head. ¡°We continue as we were¡ªrebels against tyranny, not rebels supporting a imant.¡±


    ¡°Then we lose,¡± Reinhardt stated. ¡°All the neutral lords of the south will stay neutral with no imant. The undecided lords of the north will eventually support the winning side. All of us¡ªeach and all¡ªwill be stripped of ournds, our families butchered.¡±


    Sumner stepped away from his spot, moving towards Reinhardt. ¡°Our end might be the same if Argrave brings an army of foreigners to this war to fish in these troubled waters.¡±


    The two stared at each other, a battle of ideas. The room was just as undecided.<!--


    -->

 Chapter 225

    Chapter 225: The Troupe Departs


    Anneliese and Argrave raised up their new golden badges and clinked them together. It let out a pleasant metallic sound. Durran and Gmon watched on from another part of the room, both rtively idle.


    ¡°High Wizard Anneliese. Sounds nice. A shame it¡¯s a temporary title,¡± Argrave¡¯s gaze jumped between the golden owl badges in her hand and Anneliese¡¯s amber eyes.


    She tilted her head. ¡°How do you mean?¡±


    Argrave shrugged. ¡°Well, soon enough, you¡¯ll be a Magister.¡±


    Anneliese shook her head with an amused smile, but gradually her expression became serious. ¡°Are you sure of travelling with Vera and Hegazar?¡±


    Argrave stowed away the golden badge. ¡°Bit toote to get out of this gambit now, no?¡±


    ¡°We could just stay in the Tower,¡± Durran posited.


    Argrave looked to him. ¡°If I was going to do that, I would have done it all those months ago. Then Anneliese would be conquering Berendar, you¡¯d probably be dead, and Gmon would be¡­ I¡¯m not sure. He¡¯d be fine, I guess. Meanwhile, everyone else would be dying, and then I¡¯d die, too, once Gerechtigkeites.¡±


    ¡°Fortunate thing, then,¡± Gmon spoke. Argrave knew he hated spection, and likely wished to change the subject.


    ¡°Hegazar makes me uneasy,¡± Anneliese stated. ¡°His emotions¡­ are not human, I think.¡±


    Argrave pointed to her. ¡°You can¡¯t see his real body. Even I can only see a vague silhouette of his form. You¡¯re not seeing emotions at all¡ªit¡¯s illusion magic.¡±


    ¡°You have said that time and time again,¡± Anneliese nodded. ¡°Never mind that. Even Vera sees us only as tools, means to an end. Can we not travel with better people?¡±


    Argrave sighed. ¡°If they existed¡­ sure, I could. But Castro is busy keeping his apprentice alive. Beyond that, appeals to empathy won¡¯t work for any Magister willing to meet us¡ªthe only ones we can get are the ones that are self-interested. At the very least, Vera and Hegazar are consistent in their morals¡­ orck thereof. It makes them predictable. This isn¡¯t another Orion, Anneliese¡ªI have some assurances. So long as these two vipers think I¡¯ve got something interesting in this head of mine, they¡¯ll keep me alive.¡±


    ¡°The rest of us? Tough luck, I assume,¡± Durran quipped.


    Argrave vowed, ¡°I¡¯ll die long before any of you.¡±


    Anneliese looked ill at ease regarding that vow, but Durran joked, ¡°Guess I have to keep you alive for a long while then, for my own sake if nothing else.¡±


    #####


    Argrave rode the central elevator of mystic stone bs to a certain floor, then disembarked. All of hispanions were present, plus another individual¡ªthe ashen-haired Magister, Vera.


    ¡°You came early,¡± she noted politely.


    ¡°I was already up. Don¡¯t like waiting around,¡± Argrave exined, stepping off and making room so as not to crowd things for other people.


    Vera crossed her arms. ¡°You will find it is a wasted effort. Hegazar is alwayste.¡±


    Argrave nodded withoutmitting any words to her im.


    Vera stalked up to himnguidly. ¡°But it is a good thing. I get you to myself.¡± She grabbed his shoulder, standing on the tips of her toes to whisper into his ear, ¡°Hegazar put men out to watch where we head. I caught wind of it this morning. But don¡¯t worry,¡± she said soothingly. ¡°I have my own people watching his. None will see us leave, as you wanted.¡±


    Argrave pulled away. ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± he thanked her. If Vera had wanted to talk in private, she might have conjured a ward, but instead she did that. He wasn¡¯t particrly fond of it, but it¡¯d be best to keep that to himself.


    It seemed that the game had already begun. Vera and Hegazar would turn him into a battlefield of maniption. Vera was subtler than the egomaniac that was Hegazar, but no less spiteful or dangerous. She was the aunt of Count Delbraun of Jast, with the gray-haired, orange-eyed look prominent in the House, but her familial ties had little bearing on her position. One didn¡¯t be a Magister without a certain temperament.


    Argrave walked to the wall beside Gmon, where he slumped down until he sat on the floor. As he examined his beautiful new golden badge denoting his status as a High Wizard, his Brumesingers came out. Their fur was growing a bit darker, and they were growing a bit bigger. Now, their shade of gray nearly qualified as ck. They had been ever-able protectors.


    ¡°Anything new?¡± Argrave inquired of Gmon to pass the time.


    ¡°All quiet,¡± Gmon informed him.


    Argrave took a deep, nervous breath. This might be thest time they had of rtive safety. They¡¯d have to dance a constant game around these two narcissistic Magisters¡­ but there was still no better security than their presence. One an unparalleled illusionist, the other a master of elemental magic¡ªArgrave could infiltrate anywhere with their aid. It would be a week before Argrave recovered his Blessing of Supersession¡ªnot the most ideal situation, but Argrave only had to keep an eye on the two.


    In a few minutes, Tower Master Castro came down the elevator. His eyes scanned his party members. Argrave was briefly worried about Gmon¡¯s vampirism being exposed given how omniscient the Tower Master seemed at times, but nothing unusual urred.


    ¡°Hegazar is not here?¡± Castro questioned.


    ¡°He¡¯ste,¡± Vera informed him.


    ¡°No matter,¡± Castro shook his head. ¡°You twoe forth,¡± he directed Gmon and Durran. When they did, he quickly pressed something against their chest. An owl of teal light took shape on both their bodies.


    ¡°Been a while since I¡¯ve used these. Temporary passes,¡± Castro exined. ¡°They¡¯ll dissipate the moment you leave the Tower. So, if you need anything¡­¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re settled,¡± Argrave informed him. ¡°Left a good chunk of books for you¡ªdruidic magic. I¡¯ll get you the rest in time, as I promised,¡± he nodded towards Castro.


    Unlike before, Castro did not seem so perturbed by this fact¡ªperhaps it was because Argrave had shown he wasn¡¯t lying, or maybe Castro acknowledged Argrave might need them most, fighting against Gerechtigkeit as he was.


    Regardless, his thoughts could not be explored long. Someone came into view in the elevator¡ªHegazar, with his illusory and real self ovepping.


    Anneliese, without the benefit of Garm¡¯s eyes, could not see past Hegazar¡¯s illusion. She had known something was amiss nheless¡ªshe said that Hegazar¡¯s body was somehow wrong, that it projected emotions in an inhuman way. The man made her deeply uneasy because of this. It was like a sense that Anneliese had all her life simply vanished when applied to this man.


    ¡°Well, if it isn¡¯t the old man. He deigns toe down from his silk-carpeted chambers for little old Kinyer? Such a rich respect for the newer generation¡ªvery admirable. Or maybe you simply have a penchant for stepping on the snake, Master Castro,¡± Hegazar said smoothly. ¡°Shame about the drapes,¡± his eyes went to Vera.


    ¡°Keep your eyes off me,¡± she snapped at him.


    Hegazar stepped off the elevator. ¡°My eyes are in my head, fortunately. It¡¯s my gaze that¡¯s on you. I can see why someone slow-witted like yourself¡ª¡±


    ¡°Magisters,¡± Castro cut in, putting power into his voice. ¡°We should not waste time.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Sure, sure,¡± Hegazar nodded.


    Argrave said, ¡°Once again, I appreciate this, Castro.¡±


    Castro nodded. ¡°Be sure it has meaning. I hope we have time to discuss what you brought me at ater date.¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°You will.¡±


    After a brief scan of hispanions, Gmon handed Argrave his backpack, and he hefted it on. They all prepared to leave. Onerge stone tablet descended to amodate all of them, and they stood on it, waiting.


    ¡°You know, Kinyer,¡± Hegazar said as they ascended. ¡°Be careful. Some people, they smile, flutter their eyes, show a little leg¡­ but don¡¯t let it distract you. It¡¯s bad enough that Vera¡¯s forced her way onto this convoy¡ªtrusting her would be thest mistake you make.¡±


    ¡°Hegazar sometimes imitates the forms of loved ones to deceive people into sex,¡± Vera said sinctly. ¡°He¡¯s like an incub¡ª¡±


    ¡°See? All she can say is lies,¡± he interrupted her. ¡°Thest thing I¡¯d need is to imitate another¡¯s form¡ªmy own body is good enough.¡±


    The elevator felt dreadfully long, Hegazar and Vera trading insults back and forth indiscriminately. Most of what each said was lies¡ªAnneliese confirmed that they were lying constantly with cues to Argrave, though after a time he got the message and gave her leave to rx.


    ¡°Argrave,¡± Castro said. ¡°My apprentice wanted to speak with you before you left.¡±


    Being called aside without much warning, Argrave furrowed his brows. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°The prodigal, faceless apprentice?¡± Hegazar noted. ¡°Bring him out, won¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Go to the balcony, Hegazar. And know I keep inventory,¡± Castro warned him tantly. ¡°Are youing, Argrave?¡±


    Though his question of ¡®why¡¯ had not been answered, Argrave nodded and followed along.


    ¡°I¡¯ll set up the illusions while you¡¯re away, Kinyer,¡± Hegazar called out. ¡°No one will know you¡¯ve left, not for days¡­ the things I do for my friends, why, sometimes I make myself proud¡­¡±


    Castro led Argrave away as the rest of Argrave¡¯s party made their way to the balcony, ready to move.


    ¡°If this Gerechtigkeit proves to be real, I¡¯ll lend you my aid,¡± Castro promised. ¡°Unconditionally, at that. This isn¡¯t a matter of politics¡ªthis is a natural disaster, it would seem.¡±


    ¡°You brought me aside to tell me that?¡± Argrave questioned. ¡°I already knew you would. I know you well.¡±


    ¡°¡­no, I didn¡¯t bring you here to tell you that,¡± Castro said, obviously off-bnce from Argrave¡¯s assertion. ¡°Ingo does want to speak to you.


    Though surprised, Argrave was led into a secluded ce in the top floor before he could ponder too deeply. There, he saw a young man hunched over a desk, studying. Argrave dared to examine his magic supply¡­ but it was rather ordinary.


    ¡°Ingo,¡± Castro called out gently. ¡°I brought him.¡±


    Ingo turned. He had light, almost baby-blue hair and eyes, which greatly enhanced the image of naivete the young man projected.


    ¡°Hello,¡± Ingo greeted. ¡°Are you Argrave of Vasquer?¡±


    ¡°Just Argrave, but yes,¡± he nodded, curious as to why Ingo wanted to see him.


    ¡°Oh¡­ um, sorry. Or¡­ yes, I¡¯m sorry,¡± Ingo tripped over his words. ¡°And I¡¯m¡­ I heard you had to kill your own brother. I¡¯m sorry. That must have been very hard.¡±


    Argrave couldn¡¯t deny the words caught him off guard. <em>Was it hard?</em> Argrave wondered. He felt his scale of difficulty had gone a little haywire in the past months.


    ¡°After all, he was still family,¡± Ingo continued. ¡°Despite what he might have done, I know that it can¡­ carry weight.¡±


    <em>Oh, </em>Argrave realized. <em>He means emotionally hard. </em>


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Argrave assured him.


    ¡°Are you?¡± Ingo asked. ¡°Oh¡ªerm, I shouldn¡¯t imply you¡¯re lying. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Ingo shook his head vigorously. ¡°I¡¯m terrible at¡­ well, I wanted to meet you. Castro says we¡¯re the same age, and¡­ he also said your thesis was genius, so I thought¡­ well, a new disciple might¡­ you might¡­ Castro mentioned something about you and being a disciple¡­ ¡±


    As Argrave looked at the Master pointedly, Castro cleared his throat. ¡°I think you misheard, Ingo.¡±


    ¡°Did I?¡± Ingo asked disbelievingly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m getting off the point. I just¡­ I saw something. Something important, and I had to tell you.¡±


    Argrave frowned and stepped closer. ¡°Something rted to your Blessing?¡±


    Castro tensed. Few knew of the nature of Ingo¡¯s affliction¡ªhis body constantly ate itself, degrading into nothingness, and in return Ingo received visions. He could not see the future, but he saw important things urring around the world at present. These visions were often delivered to him in vague imagery.


    Ingo nodded. ¡°Yes. All I can say¡­ all I can say is this. The Bat cannot hear everything, especially not that hiding in its own fur.¡±


    Argrave¡¯s face tensed. ¡°Was there anything else?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Ingo shook his head.


    Argrave took a deep breath, then looked behind him. ¡°Thank you, Ingo. That¡¯s very helpful. I¡¯ll be careful.¡±


    #####


    When Argrave stepped out onto the balcony, Vera stood atop a gargantuan bird formed of wind. It had saddles on its back, enough to amodate even sixteen people, let alone the six their party actually was.


    ¡°Took you long enough,¡± Hegazar noted, lounging against the railing. ¡°Everything is prepared for the journey. Are you prepared to step out onto the stage, start this show?¡±


    Argrave nodded confidently. ¡°Very much so.¡±


    ¡°This spell can only travel in one direction, and we¡¯ll need to jump off at the end,¡± Vera called out. ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s time you disclose where we¡¯re headed.¡±


    ¡°North-northwest,¡± Argrave said at once.


    ¡°But that¡¯s¡­¡± Hegazar noted. ¡°Is this some regret and remorse I hear? You nning to turn yourself in to your old dad? That¡¯s almost directly to Dirracha,¡± Hegazar said incredulously.


    ¡°No,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°I told you this would be worth your time. The biggest of the Order of the Rose living fortresses¡­ they were near the capital. So, let¡¯s go. Please, cloak our advance, Magister Hegazar.¡±<!--


    -->

 Chapter 226

    Chapter 226: Drink What They Bleed


    Riding the strange construct conjured by Magister Vera was a wholly different experience than, say, riding aback a wyvern. There, one had a visual cue¡ªsomething to step upon and hold onto as it soared across the sky, even if it was a flimsy saddle and a scaly reptile. There was no suchfort from Vera¡¯s spell, [Horizon Hunter], an A-rank wind spell solely designed for swift transportation of many people.


    Argrave was suspended by thick, fierce winds as he hurtled across the vast ins. Hegazar¡¯s illusion magic concealed their advance. The spell he used, the A-rank [Pocket of Nothing], hid much from their sight. Under its effects, it was difficult to distinguish Argrave¡¯s fingers not two inches from his face.


    Fortunately, the sense of touch was not disturbed¡ªArgrave held on to Anneliese like she was an anchor to this dimension, much the same as she did to him. He clung on to the idea that Durran and Gmon might be doing the same thing, warding his fears away with humor.


    They passed by Margrave Reinhardt¡¯s great host and the warbands of Vasquer scattered around the Tower of the Gray Owl. Countless cities, viges, and castles that constituted a kingdom passed below them like nothing more than the road beneath a car. Everything in this world seemed so monumental on foot, near insurmountable¡­ yet they passed it all second by second like it was nothing.


    Once the wonder set in, the fear was a little less intense. Being able to do something like this¡­ Argrave could see why the two Magisters were like they were: arrogant, self-centered. Seeing this, one thought dominated him. He wanted to replicate this. He wanted to do all of this and more. This was fun. It made him feel alive. It overshadowed some of the constant bleakness that had settled into Argrave like some parasite.


    ¡°Best keep your eyes open,¡± Hegazar¡¯s voice cut in. Despite the tremendous speed at which they moved, no wind disturbed them, and all sounds carried as they might in a simple, stationary room. ¡°You have to tell us where to disembark. Would hate to crash right into that little Dragon Pce your father makes his home. Would certainly make an awkward conversation. As much as I love to intrude on family drama, that fight might be a bit¡­rge-scale.¡±


    The overworld map of ¡®Heroes of Berendar¡¯ was drilled so deeply into Argrave¡¯s head that he could ce where they were in seconds. Thendmarks were many and varied.


    ¡°Half an hour more, by my estimates,¡± Argrave returned in a too-loud shout. ¡°It¡¯s not the most visible thing, so we might have to search a bit. I know the path,¡± he assured.


    If Hegazar was contented by this response, no answer came. Meanwhile, Argrave was grappling with a newfound worry brought about by Ingo¡¯sment.


    <em>Enemies near Elenore? </em>Argrave thought, holding Anneliese a bit tighter. <em>If she dies¡­ if Elenore is gone¡­ good lord, nearly everything falls apart. Her finances, her information, and just her damn ingenuity; if that¡¯s lost, I¡¯m not sure things can be salvaged. </em>


    Above it all¡­ Argrave thought Elenore deserved better than what she had. Not all of the Vasquers got good hands dealt to them in life, but hers had to be the worst.


    Shaking his head in dismay, Argrave reflected that now was no time to think of such a thing. An absent mind might let the viper find an opening¡ªwith two at his side, he couldn¡¯t afford to think of this.


    #####


    ¡°I do wonder why the Order of the Rose, with their great skill at working the earth into fortresses, might make a prominent base of theirs in a forest,¡± Hegazar¡¯s ever-cynical voice cut into Argrave¡¯s ears. ¡°You might picture a hill¡­ or a mountain¡­ but who am I to wonder?¡±


    ¡°Wonder silently,¡± Veramanded him. ¡°You¡¯re distracting Argrave.¡±


    Argrave walked forward undistracted despite their constant hostile banter. It astounded him how these people could be so unfailingly pessimistic. Magister Hegazar¡¯s presence was like a dark cloud. They travelled along a river¡ªif anything would be consistent from ¡®Heroes of Berendar,¡¯ it would be a river. It was also much easier to remember.


    After a long while of Argrave leading while immersed in self-doubt, the river finally proved itself as an able guide. He spotted arge, too-round rock, and hastened his steps.


    ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± Argrave announced while disguising his relief.


    As they walked, the trees thinned somewhat, and the midday light rained down upon a roughly square stone just before the muchrger, rounder one Argrave had seen earlier. Therge gray rock was perfectly round, and smooth as a rock found within a creek.


    ¡°Neatndmark,¡± Hegazar stepped closer, his true body keeping a cautious distance as though there might be a trap ahead. ¡°Nice, smooth rock. Unless there¡¯s a little door with a keyhole I¡¯m missing, or an illusion that can somehow fool the eyes of both myself and the spider-woman¡­ I¡¯m lost.¡±


    Argrave walked up to the rough-hewn rock before therge stone. His hand hovered near it, but he shied away as though it were something disgusting. ¡°Gmon¡­ has to go hunt an elk, now. That¡¯s the key for this thing.¡±


    Gmon nodded, setting down his backpack and stringing his bow in short order. ¡°At once,¡± he epted, and already marched off towards a location as though his target was already in sight.


    Everyone spread out, examining the area as though looking for the secret hidden in this ce. Argrave had only told Anneliese the full details of this ce, and she kept her distance from the small rock just as he did. Her eyes wandered therger rock, as though looking for imperfections, but she kept her mouth shut.


    ¡°Mmm¡­ ornate rituals, a blood sacrifice? Quite the entrance,¡± Hegazar remarked, stepping to the rock Argrave stood before. His illusory body sat atop it, lounging. ¡°Or maybe you just wanted a nice venison pic, bathe in the sun with your little sweetheart and two Magisters. Well, one and a half¡­¡±


    Vera stepped up before Argrave, crossing her arms and rolling up the sleeves of her gray robes. ¡°You¡¯re keeping an awful lot to yourself, Argrave.¡±


    ¡°The Kinyer can¡¯t trust you,¡± Hegazar remarked with a grin. ¡°In his family, I¡¯m sure he¡¯s had enough experience with deceit, distrust¡­ and you fit those to a T, little spider.¡±


    Durran strode past Argrave, contributing, ¡°He always does this. He keeps everything to himself. Likes to look mysterious, I¡¯m sure.¡±


    Though Durran nearly sat on the stone a little way away from Hegazar, Argrave stopped him subtly. The former tribal got the hint and stood just beside Argrave.


    ¡°Whatever the reasons might be, I¡¯ll be able to protect you best if I know what I¡¯m going to be facing,¡± Vera said sweetly.


    Even Hegazar did not protest to Vera¡¯s im, despite her exclusion of him in this scenario of ¡®protection.¡¯ Evidently he valued what Argrave would say¡ªhe needed to know as much as Vera did.


    ¡°It¡¯s difficult to describe what we¡¯ll be facing, considering I don¡¯t know,¡± Argrave said, acting ignorant. These people didn¡¯t know the extent of his knowledge, and so it was a convenient excuse. When the expressions on the Magister¡¯s face grew discontented, Argrave quickly added, ¡°Perhaps it¡¯d be best if I described what this ce was.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead,¡± Vera encouraged.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Argrave looked off to the side, framing his thoughts. ¡°The Order of the Rose is just like the Order of the Owl in that much of their influence derives from having extensive knowledge about magic of the higher ranks,¡± Argrave exined. ¡°Unlike the Owl, though, Rose didn¡¯t congregate their knowledge in one high-security ce, like the Tower. Their library in the Low Way was the closest thing, but even it can¡¯tpare in the slightest. Instead, they had various strongholds spread out in many, many different ces.¡±


    Argrave paced around as he exined, ¡°Defending them, obviously, became an issue as their stores of knowledge grewrger andrger. This ce¡­ it only really has one guardian. An arbiter of everything within the¡­ fortress,¡± Argrave said the word delicately, like it was somehow wrong.


    ¡°One foe? Of what strength?¡± Hegazar interrogated, his sardonic tone gone to get the information he needed.


    ¡°Ideally, zero,¡± Argrave exined. ¡°The issue isn¡¯t him. It¡¯s that he can destroy what¡¯s within¡ªbooks, artifacts, et cetera. As such¡­ I¡¯ll ry deliberate instructions when the timees. I can end him quickly.¡±


    Hegazar crossed his arms. When he spoke, his usual wry tone was reced with a slow and deliberate monotone, like it was a carefully enunciated warning. ¡°When the timees, eh? I don¡¯t like uncertainties, Argrave. Makes me think I¡¯m being led on,¡± Hegazar¡¯s husky, deep voice lowered into a near whisper.


    Argrave took a deep breath. ¡°We have the luxury to take the time we need. What I¡¯ll tell you is precise¡ªit needs to be¡ª¡±


    Gmon returned at that moment, hauling the corpse of an elk over his shoulder with ease. A single arrow stuck out of its eye, clearly piercing the brain.


    ¡°My, what a capable huntsman,¡± Hegazarmented, his wryness returned as though it had never left. ¡°Now, what to do? I don¡¯t see an elk-sized keyhole about anywhere.¡±


    The elven vampire stepped up to where Hegazar¡¯s illusory form sat, sying the elf¡¯s body across it. He made the giant creature look weightless. At once, he drew the Giantkillers at his belt, lifted its leg up, and pierced deep. The daggers ran through its stomach effortlessly, disying their sharpness.


    Viscera spilled out all across the stone. Once that was done, Gmon stepped away, cleaning his dagger. Hegazar¡¯s eyes lingered on the Giantkillers¡ªevidently he recognized that the two blue daggers were not ordinary.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    A great rumbling originating from the ground killed the Magister¡¯s curiosity in its infancy. The smooth, round rock behind them began to move, upending great mounds of earth in this process. It twisted aside, like a shell slowly exposing itself to the air. Gradually, a mass of red flesh made itself visible¡ªonce it stopped, a gigantic face that looked yed stared them down, chin half-buried and tongue of stone dug deep into the earth.


    ¡°Goods gods¡­!¡± Hegazar raised his hand, ready to cast spells.


    ¡°Don¡¯t attack it, not unless you want to lose all the treasures I promised,¡± Argrave cautioned at once.


    The gigantic face¡¯s stony tongue moved¡­ and the stone that Hegazar had been sitting atop writhed,ing to life. It moved forward a bit, then rose up out of the earth, wrapping around the elk¡¯s body. Then, the face¡¯s tongue retracted back, curling towards its mouth. It received the elk, leaving nothing but upturned earth in its wake. Once it had eaten the elk, the tongue returned. It settled into the earth before them, leaving a path of stone like a road into its mouth. The face¡¯s gaping maw stayed open wide, its ck and gold eyes watching them.


    Anneliese stared at the giant creature, shaken, and Argraveforted her by grabbing her hand. Durran looked a bit nauseous¡ªhe poked at its stony tongue with his boot cautiously. Gmon already busied himself, putting his gear back on to prepare for the expedition.


    ¡°Shall we?¡± gestured Argrave, stepping atop its tongue. Anneliese followed him, linked by the hand. Hegazar and Vera watched the both of them as they walked forward.


    ¡°You must be excited to explore the inside of a yed giant, Vera. Why not go first?¡± Hegazar urged her.


    With Durran and Gmon joining, the whole band had formed. Neither of the Magisters seemed overeager to follow¡­ but seeing Argrave¡¯s certainty, they did. Argrave and Anneliese made it to the beginning of the face¡¯s mouth, where its eyes watched them dispassionately even still¡­ and looked beyond, where a set of stone stairs awaited.


    ¡°This is someone¡¯s dream,¡± Argrave mused.


    ¡°What?¡± Anneliese looked to him.


    ¡°You don¡¯t want to know,¡± Argrave shook his head, then stepped beneath the pearl white teeth of the giant and into the stony corridors of its mouth.<!--


    -->

 Chapter 227

    Chapter 227: Stony Flesh Echoing Whispers


    Argrave came here in part to retrieve a treasure¡ªor rather, a set of treasures¡ªbut it was not something he¡¯d consider his primary purpose. He wanted two things from these Magisters¡ªa safe escort away from the Tower, and then after¡­ well, this living fortress¡¯ head wasn¡¯t the only thing that could move. But then, maybe he wouldn¡¯t need the Magisters for that at all.


    Argrave¡¯s primary concern was getting through this fortress as quickly as he could while securing his party¡¯s position for the second part of his journey. His haste was both for the temperamental Magisters he travelled with, and the disgusting atmosphere he found himself in.


    Both of the Magisters wore illusions¡ªVera¡¯s was acting, a metaphorical fa?ade, while Hegazar¡¯s was his spells. They agreed in advance Anneliese should stay near Vera, while Argrave focused on Hegazar. Only a rough guideline, naturally, but it was sufficient enough. At least, it needed to be, if the n they¡¯d brewed back at the Tower would work.


    Most of what they travelled was a straight corridor of stone, yet parts of it had chipped away, revealing the pink, smooth flesh beyond that resembled the pink, soft flesh you¡¯d see inside a body. He felt like an endoscope. In addition, what was still stone was oddly shaped¡ªthe pathway they walked, for instance, was vaguely reminiscent of a spine.


    ¡°This ce¡­¡± Magister Hegazar looked around. ¡°Magic¡¯s dense. It¡¯s so dense it¡¯s like a gas in the air, pushing against my skin as I walk. There¡¯s danger in a ce like this. It¡¯s like toying with the trigger for a beartrap. Quite a nasty fortress you¡¯vee to¡ª<em>we¡¯ve </eme to,¡± he corrected.


    ¡°If you¡¯re afraid, you might leave,¡± Magister Vera suggested.


    ¡°No, I wouldn¡¯t consider such a thing,¡± Hegazar said smoothly. ¡°I am merely reminded of you, grotesque little spider that you are. Reminds of how disgusting your home in Jast was.¡±


    ¡°At least I have a home and a family,¡± Vera rebuked as they walked.


    Maybe Argrave was delusional, but he could¡¯ve sworn that even Hegazar was not entirely unoffended by thatment. If he was, he didn¡¯t miss a beat in replying, ¡°Soon enough you¡¯ll keep getting older, and they¡¯ll all die one by one.¡±


    ¡°Near the end,¡± Argrave cut in. ¡°Path branches here.¡±


    ¡°Branches?¡± Hegazar noted incredulously, still walking. ¡°No matter. We have plenty of time.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll need to split,¡± Argrave disagreed. ¡°This ce wasn¡¯t meant to be entered alone. To open the way, multiple unique magic signatures are required.¡±


    Vera stopped. ¡°How would you know this?¡±


    ¡°It was true in thest one of these living fortresses I visited,¡± Argrave anticipated the question.


    Hegazar stopped too, and his illusory form grinned broadly. ¡°You¡¯d gamble so much on past experiences, eh? Jerk two Magisters about on a chain?¡±


    Argrave deliberated his response carefully, staring at Hegazar¡¯s form in silence. <em>Let them think I¡¯m gambling, </em>he concluded. <em>Might lower their confidence in me, but it¡¯s better than giving away too much. </em>


    ¡°I didn¡¯t have much choice but to gamble,¡± Argrave said quietly.


    Though Hegazar kept his wry grin, his eyes sharpened like they saw an opening. ¡°A correction, Kinyer. Not ¡®didn¡¯t.¡¯ You still don¡¯t. Best hope the dice you¡¯ve cast don¡¯t end up snake eyes, hmm?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll be fine, Argrave,¡± Vera soothed sweetly. ¡°So, we split, yes? Into how many?¡±


    Argrave looked ahead. ¡°Three is all that¡¯s needed.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll travel with you, Kinyer. I¡¯d like you where I can see you.¡± Hegazar decided at once.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Argrave agreed without hesitation. ¡°Anneliese, Durran¡­ you remember my instructions?¡±


    ¡°Difficult to forget,¡± Durran said, while Anneliese nodded.


    Vera¡¯s predatory orange eyes jumped between all of them, and then she dictated, ¡°I will go with Anneliese, then.¡±


    Argrave narrowed his eyes at once. He didn¡¯t want to disy tant distrust, at least not yet¡ªhe didn¡¯t have them attracted enough to this treasure trove yet.


    ¡°Sure,¡± Argrave agreed, though the words felt heavy in his throat. ¡°But why?¡±


    ¡°Want me to stay within sight?¡± Vera teased. ¡°I merely wish to be away from that one,¡± she exined, looking at Hegazar.


    Argrave nced to Anneliese. She didn¡¯t seem uneased by the idea, but Argrave surely was. ¡°If that¡¯s what you want¡­ alright.¡±


    ¡°A blessing, truly,¡± Hegazar noted. ¡°Come. Let¡¯s enjoy a few moments of bliss, free of the despicable spider¡¯s presence.¡±


    #####n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°So¡­ partner,¡± Hegazar spoke to Argrave as they walked. It was only the two of them. Gmon remained at the point where the paths branched, ready to help any should the need arise. It was only a smallfort. ¡°Finally, a moment alone¡­ a moment to speak frankly.¡±


    Argrave spared a nce to Hegazar¡¯s illusory form, which walked just beside him. His true body walked a fair bit behind Argrave, obviously maintaining extreme caution. The Magister feared a trap, or general danger. He would be disappointed. The pathway of stone and flesh extended ahead of them for a long while, shrouded in darkness broken by spell light.


    ¡°You seem pretty frank generally,¡± Argrave said¡ªa total lie, but Hegazar would probably believe it easily enough. ¡°With how you talk to Vera¡­¡±


    Hegazar groaned. ¡°Bleh. Let us not speak of her¡ªinstead, let us speak of you¡­ and that little elf girl you link hands with. Well, she¡¯s little to you, at least¡ªquite the giant to the rest of us. I think you could learn from my mistakes. One of few, though the biggest blunder of them all¡­¡±


    Argrave couldn¡¯t help but stiffen. The change was reflected in his tone, too, as he asked more monotonously than he intended, ¡°What mistake might that be?¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not one to stick anything where it¡¯s not wanted, be it an opinion or a thought¡­¡± Hegazar wrung his hands together as they walked. ¡°¡­but I will say this. You seem the ambitious sort. When you want something done, you¡¯ll get it done. You¡¯ve got light feet, and you¡¯re running fast towards your goal. Even still, it¡¯s best to travel lighter¡­ partner.¡±


    Argrave looked to Hegazar¡¯s illusory form, studying the bald head and face. ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°Yourdy friend? She¡¯spetent. I can tell that with my eyes alone¡­ quite the beauty, too, though too tall for my tastes. That¡¯s no issue for you, though, and I have nothing butpliments.¡± Hegazar raised a finger to emphasize his counter. ¡°But that¡¯s just the thing, you see. No one gets anywhere without being like us. Driven. Practical. She has a goal just like you do¡­ and you might like that. I don¡¯t care how statuesque some woman¡¯s figure might be¡ªsmart is sexy. I certainly liked that about Vera.¡±


    ¡°You two were¡­?¡± Argrave expressed ignorance.


    ¡°Oh, yes. You¡¯ve seen her. Quite beautiful, even though I wish she weren¡¯t,¡± Hegazar mused, stroking his chin. ¡°When she was but a humble Wizard, and I a High Wizard, I took her under my wing¡­ tutored her, mentored her, raised her up alongside me until we stood shoulder-to-shoulder. A regr power-couple¡ªenvy of all in the Tower. Handsome me and beautiful her, linking arms, walking into the sunset with petals and doves flying in our wake¡­¡±


    Argrave saw the apparatus he¡¯d been looking for up ahead, veritably taking form out of darkness. He responded to Hegazar, asking, ¡°Considering the current state, I assume there¡¯s an ¡®until?¡¯¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Hegazar nodded very slowly. ¡°There always is an ¡®until.¡¯ That¡¯s the point I¡¯m trying to make. We can rely on ourselves and ourselves alone. Things were straight out of a dream¡­ until she decided that walking side-by-side was not good enough. She had taken so much of what I had¡­ and then, she wanted to break free.¡±


    Argrave heard the words¡­ and though he could usually find some position to empathize with someone, he couldn¡¯t find it here. Despite himself, he asked, ¡°But what did she do to you?¡±


    ¡°Do to me?¡± Hegazar halted. His husky voice was low and sharp as he continued, ¡°You don¡¯t listen very well. Makes me think what you have to offer might not be worth my time.¡±


    Argrave stopped and looked back. Hegazar¡¯s true form walked up until it ovepped with his illusory body, and then both stepped to Argrave.


    ¡°I dedicated my time to her. My thought, my effort, diverted from my ambitions to help <em>her. </em>I severed ties with my family because of her insistence. I broke the rules of the Order countless times, <em>because of her. </em>She killed many people, you know¡­ and I helped her hide that fact. She thinks she can trot off on her own, leaving everything before behind like it never was?¡± Hegazar¡¯s voice had an icy fire in it. ¡°I don¡¯t think so, Kinyer.¡±


    As Argrave stared at Hegazar¡­ he saw the dimmest shadow of himself. He was repulsed by the revtion until he examined it further. Hegazar was who Argrave would be if he had not left the Tower when he first arrived in Berendar. Bitter, self-serving, cynical¡­ he¡¯d only do something if he expected a return. He¡¯d be an egomaniac, spouting out empty, wry lines constantly to disguise his nature.


    Despite what Argrave had said when the hypothetical was brought up earlier, Argrave was near certain he could stop Gerechtigkeit if he had remained in the Tower. Ruthless practicality was a hallmark in optimal gamey for open-world RPGs¡ªif an NPC had something you wanted, you¡¯d kill them to get it. Argrave could have let everyone suffer, work things out on their own¡­ all the while he prepared only what was needed to end this world-ending cmity. No danger, no suffering, surefire¡­


    The realization was like a sobering drug to Argrave. He felt validated in his choices thus far, seeing the miserable man that Hegazar was. With spirit renewed, he felt wordse to him as easily as they ever had.


    ¡°At least she proved nothing can bring you down,¡± Argrave ttered. ¡°Now¡ªthe spot to put the signature in is over there. I¡¯ll take care of this. After all, this is a risky thing, relying on degraded enchantments.¡±


    Hegazar looked to the apparatus, then shrugged. ¡°Hmm¡­ I can¡¯t protest. My signature¡¯s got a bit more value, after all¡­ no offense.¡±


    #####


    ¡°Anneliese, I wonder¡­ have you ever been tutored by an S-rank mage?¡± Vera asked of her as they walked down their path alone.


    Anneliese looked down at Vera as they walked, thinking of her answer carefully as she scrutinized the woman¡¯s expression. ¡°Yes, though not for extended periods. There are not as many S-rank mages in Veiden, and as a united nation without a neutral mage Order as Berendar has, each and all are expected to oversee and look after the new spellcasters. So, for a brief time, I received the same tutge.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Vera nodded, and Anneliese got the impression that she was thrown off. ¡°Quite an interesting ce, your homnd.¡±


    ¡°I would agree,¡± Anneliese nodded. ¡°Berendar interests me more, ofte.¡±


    ¡°Yet¡­¡± Vera crossed her arms. ¡°In your homnd, are women allowed to hold positions of power?¡±


    Anneliese turned her head. ¡°Patriarch Dras did not seem to care. But, historically, it is difficult for women to inherit anything.¡±


    ¡°Then it seems our two peoples share something inmon,¡± Vera smiled as though she¡¯d finally found a ce to rest her feet. ¡°The world is not fair to us, would you agree? I was the eldest of six sisters, yet all of us were passed over for the youngest child¡­ a son. A child of ten. Now, my nephew, Delbraun, rules in Jast.¡±


    ¡°The path of magic is fair,¡± Anneliese noted.


    Vera smiled. ¡°And that is why I came to the Order as soon as I was able. That is why I severed most ties with my family. All are equal when magic bes involved¡­ or at least, judged by their true ability.¡± The Magister stopped. ¡°Since then, I¡¯ve been endeavoring to advance women in the Order. I¡¯ve seen your badge and heard news of your promotion to High Wizard. Congrattions,¡± she said.


    Anneliese paused with the Magister. ¡°Thank you,¡± she returned, surprised by the sincerity.


    ¡°I think, given both your already-demonstrated talent and your womanhood¡­ I could be a big proponent for you within the order,¡± Vera suggested. ¡°Despite the Order¡¯s rtive fairness in terms of equality, even for women and elves like yourself¡­ the fact remains most of our members are from Vasquer, and consequently bear its biases. It can be very helpful for us to stick together. And I¡¯m sure you know, having experienced it¡­ the tutge of an S-rank spellcaster can be extremely valuable,¡± the ashen haired woman spread her arms out.


    Anneliese studied the Magister in detail. Despite everything, none of what she proposed was insincere, at least not to Anneliese¡¯s eye.


    ¡°That is very enticing,¡± Anneliese smiled. ¡°¡­but I am travelling with Argrave.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Vera nodded. As Anneliese watched the Magister¡¯s orange eyes, she was surprised by the turbulence of violent emotions hidden beyond them. They shed for but a second, and then the Magister smiled brightly. ¡°There is always room forpromise. Let¡¯s talk more as we walk.¡±


    ¡°¡­certainly,¡± Anneliese agreed, trying to hide her unease as she followed.<!--


    -->

 Chapter 228

    Chapter 228: Caged and Unafraid


    All of them convened back at where the paths branched earlier where Gmon was waiting. A spiral staircase had opened up, leading deeper into the lower levels. There, the name of ¡®living fortress¡¯ truly made itself readily apparent, as the stairs were constantly intruded upon by overgrown flesh and conspicuous bones.


    ¡°This whole ce should be burned,¡± Hegazar concluded as they moved deeper. ¡°I see, now, why necromancy is banned. How many corpses went into this project? Thousands? Such a despicable thing.¡±


    Durran called from the back of the line, ¡°Who says they were human corpses?¡±


    Hegazar either had no response or did not deign to give one, as their advance went quiet once more. The narrow spiral staircase was not so long, and they soon came to a muchrger hall. And this hall¡­ it was precisely what Argrave needed. It was the golden nugget to sh to the ravens to draw their eye.


    The sight before them was not pretty. If Argrave had been shown the room in istion, he might¡¯ve assumed it was the site of some depraved sacrificial cult. The stone room was held up by a giant ribcage, each of the ribs acting as pirs for the building. Each of the ribs had a crucified body nailed on them¡ªthe torsos of these bodies were especiallyrge, and all flesh had been ripped away to leave only bone.


    ¡°Good gods,¡± Vera held her hand to her nose, but despite the horrific scene, there was no smell. There was no blood or gore to make a scent. Anneliese looked perplexed by the Magister¡¯s action, and Argrave knew right away that Vera feigned disgust. After all, she dabbled in necromancy herself. It was why Argrave was sure this journey would entice her.


    Argrave was the first to step forward. ¡°The heart chamber. What we came here for,¡± he exined.


    Upon closer examination, the bodies crucified to the giant ribs were unusual in many ways. Their heads had only ears and mouths, both erged. The torsos were simply a bonelike cage, and the one Argrave examined had books locked behind it. They weren¡¯t bodies at all, actually¡ªthey were necromantic creations that served as lockboxes for the valuables within.


    ¡°What¡¯s in this?¡± Argrave asked.


    ¡°Now, how would I¡ª¡± Hegazar began.


    ¡°Schrly works by High Wizard Anders, detailing his unique ascension to A-rank utilizing necromantic magic,¡± the head just above the skeletal cage answered in a groan of a voice. It raised its head up to answer the question, and once it was finished, sagged lifelessly once more.


    Argrave nodded, feeling a simr repulsion to the sights around that reminded of his time in the Low Way of the Rose. He turned to where the rest of his party was.


    ¡°There you have it, Magister Vera, Magister Hegazar. Ask these what¡¯s inside them. I think you¡¯ll quickly find that this journey was worth your time. I¡¯ll caution, though¡ªdon¡¯t try and open any of them. Try and wrench them open, cast magic? You risk triggering the enchantments nearby, and the contents will be destroyed. Anti-theft measures. Even a Wizard of the Order of the Rose would resort tomon thievery, it would seem¡­¡±


    Hegazar stepped closer, his head tilted. ¡°I think¡­ you might be trying to upsell your value, Argrave. Why would a magely Order dare destroy any of their knowledge? It¡¯s foolish. Nonsensical. No Order would ever install measures like that into their stores of knowledge, the same way no merchant would ever toss gold into the sea. It¡¯s far too valuable to lose.¡±


    <em>Try it, </em>Argrave wanted to say, but he knew Hegazar loathed being challenged or humiliated. He stood before the Magister, smiling as he thought of a way to let him down gently.


    ¡°These are just copies to be sold,¡± Argrave looked to the skeletal cage. ¡°The Order of the Rose was strongly devoted to personal freedom¡ªnecromancy requires such a thing, after all, given how much it intrudes on others¡¯ rights. Wizards pay the one who put these items up, and they¡¯re open. Vo.¡±


    The cage nearby must¡¯ve misheard Argrave, for it rattled off, ¡°Schrly works by High Wizard Anders, detailing his unique ascension to A-rank utilizing necromantic magic,¡± as Hegazar brooded over Argrave¡¯s words.


    ¡°Yet you said there were enchanted items here,¡± Vera stepped up, crossing her arms.


    ¡°Not here,¡± Argrave nodded, ¡°But yes.¡±


    The cage let loose its words once again, and Hegazar looked up to it in annoyance.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Unique ascension to A-rank, hmm? Necromantic?¡± Hegazar held his hand up. ¡°We don¡¯t need that.¡±


    He cast a C-rank wind spell, and it cut towards the bone cage before them. Before it even reached its mark, the cagepressed, sparking. The enchantments on the book and the cage both shimmered violently for a moment before the books were finallypressed to a ridiculous degree.


    The head above the cageughed at them¡ªa long, dry, and wheezyugh that echoed throughout the heart chamber. Theughter was returned by each and every other head, and before long it was as though a whole gallery mocked them.


    Argrave watched the heads. It was difficult not to join them inughter. Vera certainly had no such issue¡ªher voice joined along with theirs in mocking Hegazar. Anticipating the Magister¡¯s rage, Argrave quickly said, ¡°What a useless feature.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Hegazar agreed at once. ¡°It seems there is a reason their Order has died. They waste their time on foolish things like these.¡±


    ¡°Itughs at fools,¡± Vera wiped tears from her eyes. ¡°I think it¡¯s a wonderful addition to this ce.¡±


    ¡°Well, shall we see what we¡¯ve earned from this trip?¡± Argrave suggested, tugging at their greed to distract from the tension.


    #####


    At a certain point on the path of magic in this era, one reached the end of the line. There was only so much that the forefathers of the Order of the Owl had left behind, and consequently there was only so much that one could learn before one had to study independently. Methods for A-rank ascension and spells of the higher rank were quite rare, even despite the Order¡¯s close attention to collecting and preserving them.


    Even if a spellcaster had this knowledge, they might not share it so eagerly depending on their nature. After all, they essentially offered another a key to their power. By sharing knowledge, they ostensibly created a direct rival¡ªa directpetitor. There had to be trust between the two parties, or something binding them.


    In most cases, the motive to share was loyalty to the Order¡ªall helped the Order rise, and in turn, each and all would rise up with it. It was a reasonable exchange that created a natural loyalty¡­ in theory. In reality, the higher-ups enforced strict regtion of resources that allowed only a select few protegees of the elite cadre to advance. Even someone rtively benevolent like Master Castro could not change that system. He was one S-rank mage among many, just with a little more authority and a fancy title.


    The leaders don¡¯t lead, unless they¡¯re creating new leaders to take their ce. An age-old problem, reflected in the Order of the Gray Owl.


    All of these factors lent Argrave a great deal of leverage over people on the path of magic. He had freedom from that system because he knew secrets most could not even dream of. He had his A-rank ascension, Anneliese¡¯s, and even Durran¡¯s all nned out. He knew where to get all the spells he needed. Nothing blocked him from advancement except his own ability, ostensibly.


    But for the two Magisters he brought with him? That wasn¡¯t the case at all. Everything here was an invaluable piece of knowledge that could help them win talented people to their faction within the Order. For the sake of their future, all knowledge was beneficial to have. Magic was only one facet of their power¡ªknowledge was every bit as important.


    Argrave led the two Magisters around like a child through an ice cream shop¡ªthey could see their prize just beyond the ss, reading about all of the delicious vors they might sample. Every new thing they saw made them hungrier. Blood magic vor, earth magic vor, illusion magic with mint¡­ he let them engorge their eyes and ears with everything nice.


    <em>I¡¯ll buy you ice cream, </em>Argrave thought. <em>So long as you behave on the car ride home. </em>


    Argrave¡¯s analogy was a bit diminished by the absolutely vile necromancy around them¡ªit made it a bit difficult to think about ice cream at all. Nevertheless, these two kids he¡¯d brought with him couldn¡¯t get what was behind the ss¡ªthey¡¯d have to ask him.


    ¡°A collection of S-rank spells that deal with earth elemental magic, primarily regarding fine,rge-scale maniption of metal,¡± the head above a skeletal cage described.


    Though both of the Magisters were rather adept at concealing what they thought, after hearing that they were both practically trembling from excitement. Hegazar¡¯s illusory form stalked to Argrave.


    ¡°So¡­ partner,¡± Hegazar began, trying to wrap his arm around Argrave in a friendly, brotherly manner. Given both Argrave¡¯s height and hisrge frame, it was a rather awkward maneuver amounting to a waist wrap. Argrave felt doubly ufortable because of the distinct realization he could <em>feel </em>Hegazar¡¯s illusion, like it was flesh and blood rather than spell. ¡°Now that we¡¯ve taken the tour¡­ perhaps it¡¯s time to divulge how to crack inside these beauties, fulfill your end of the bargain. What do you say?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t coerce him, Hegazar,¡± Vera reprimanded.


    ¡°We¡¯ve all been dancing around the issue like a boy afraid to confess to his first crush,¡± Hegazar said, freeing his arm. ¡°Fact is, you¡¯ve mmed up a little, Argrave. I¡¯m a bit hurt. I thought we shared a moment back there. You can trust me¡­ can¡¯t you?¡±


    Argrave stepped away, joining back up with his threepanions. The two Magisters watched him carefully, their arms crossed.


    Before this whole journey, Argrave had been deliberating about how he was going to y this. He¡¯d talked about it with Anneliese and the others countless time, and the conclusion was this: if he said the wrong thing, these two might unite against them. That was the worst possible oue. And so¡­


    ¡°I know how to open them,¡± Anneliese stepped forth, past Hegazar and to Vera. ¡°Argrave told me everything. And I was there the first time we visited one of these fortresses.¡±


    Vera¡¯s face morphed quickly¡ªsurprise, then pleasure. When Anneliese positioned herself behind Vera, Hegazar¡¯s illusory body remained calm. Seeing as how quickly his true body moved in front of Argrave, he was very far from it.


    ¡°So you do,¡± Argrave nodded, perplexed. ¡°What¡¯s that got to do with anything?¡±


    ¡°Piece it together, Argrave,¡± Anneliese said at once. ¡°If you cannot, perhaps you will finally face the reality that you are not as smart as you think you are.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Hegazar¡¯s illusory form moved to stand beside his true body. ¡°What¡¯d I tell you, lover boy?¡±


    Argrave tensed up. Hegazar had been absolutely one hundred percent correct about what he said.


    <em>Smart is sexy,</em> Argrave thought.<!--


    -->

 Chapter 229

    Chapter 229: Shooting Star


    ¡°We have to make this look real,¡± Argrave told Anneliese. This was many days earlier, back when they were still at the Tower of the Gray Owl. ¡°Part of being deceitful, as these Magisters are, is expecting the same from just about everybody. Vera and Hegazar will both be looking for a ruse from the other. They¡¯re enemies¡ªthe paranoia will already be up and running. The acting is pivotal. What¡¯s more, you have to squeeze Vera hard, like you¡¯re actually on the fringe and looking to be recruited.¡±


    Anneliese nodded, rotating an empty bowl on the table with her hands as she listened. ¡°What is the n if one of them, or either of them, suspect a scheme?¡±


    Argrave looked to the side, then leaned back in his chair. ¡°I expect they¡¯ll go along with it regardless. They¡¯ll just have a n prepared at the end of things to ruin our day. If Vera suspects, she¡¯ll assume this is Hegazar¡¯s ruse. If Hegazar suspects, the opposite is true. If both suspect the other¡­ they¡¯re too mired in hatred to even consider the other innocent, and the whole point of this is to stop them from uniting against us.¡±


    The bowl stopped rotating when Anneliese ceased fiddling with it. ¡°You said Vera is spiteful. If she suspects¡­ there could be danger.¡±


    ¡°With Hegazar on my side? She¡¯d take no chances of esction. These two are both S-rank mages, and in unfamiliar territory¡ªneither want a fight. They¡¯d dly kill each other, but only if there was no risk involved.¡± Argrave leaned forward. ¡°No way in hell I¡¯d ask this of you if I thought you¡¯d be in danger. As things stand, things are more dangerous if we don¡¯t do it. These two can and will cooperate against us for the sake of their own greed. They¡¯d have no qualms capturing and torturing us for information.¡±


    Anneliese stared at the bowl, and then her amber eyes turned to him resolutely. ¡°I see. I will follow your judgement, then.¡±


    Argrave smiled. ¡°d that¡¯s the case. Any improvements to suggest, thoughts?¡±


    ¡°I think¡­¡± Anneliese put her hand to her chin. ¡°I think I am better at fooling people than I once was. Even still, I am not at all confident in doing this wlessly.¡±


    Argrave put his arm up on the chair he sat at, thinking. ¡°Beyond what we already discussed¡­ if you want some advice, a lot of lying is being honest. It¡¯s easier to tell a lie if you can think, ¡®this is technically true.¡¯ A little trick of the mind.¡±


    Anneliese tilted her head, fixing her white hair back into ce when it fell over her eyes. ¡°You have a proposal?¡±


    ¡°Couples therapy,¡± Argrave spread his arms out. ¡°In a sense, at least. If you have any grievances¡­ things you dislike about me, things you disliked me doing, you bring them up right then. Bring that repressed anger and frustration to the surface. I can understand if it might be¡ª¡±


    ¡°I believe I can do that,¡± Anneliese interrupted. ¡°That is very good advice.¡±


    Argrave narrowed his eyes, then cleared his throat and moved on. ¡°Alright then. If you think Vera is buying it, undo the braid on your hair. Between that and Gmon¡­¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Both of their eyes moved to the other person in the room. Gmon sat there, his arms crossed. His stern face was markedly sterner than usual.


    ¡°Really, Gmon. This¡¯ll be a big help,¡± Argrave assured. ¡°Unparalleled.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± he grunted simply.


    Argrave looked to the ground, clearly ufortable. In the corner, Durran threw some raisins into his mouth, looking at Gmon with an incredulous pity.


    #####


    ¡°You¡¯re going with Vera?¡± Argrave asked, voice modting.


    ¡°I am,¡± Anneliese confirmed. ¡°You spared me exining it.¡±


    ¡°But why?!¡± Argrave demanded, stepping forth until Hegazar kept him back with one arm. ¡°This makes no sense. What we¡¯ve done, where we are¡ªyou want to part ways now? Not to mention, you want to leave me holding the bag here?¡±


    Vera¡¯s demeanor had recovered from the initial surprise of Annelieseing to join with her. Now, her face was stone cold and apathetic, and she waited for Anneliese¡¯s answer as much as Argrave seemed to want to know.


    ¡°The why of things isn¡¯t important, now¡­¡± Hegazar cut in, pushing Argrave back a little with his arm.


    ¡°Forget that. I want to know,¡± Argrave said, resisting.


    ¡°Security,¡± Anneliese said inly. ¡°You keep doing things that endanger everyone, no matter how much I try and talk you down from it.¡±


    Argrave nodded, feeling her true thoughts weren¡¯t that bad of yet. ¡°Alright. I see that. And I hear you¡ªyou¡¯ve made your message very, very clear. But let¡¯s¡­ things can¡¯t end like this. I¡¯ll change,¡± he pleaded, surprising himself with the desperation.


    ¡°You hear, but you never listen,¡± Anneliese shook her head. ¡°Can you change? You said your eyes would change back, too, but they remain as they are. I hate looking at them.¡±


    ¡°All change takes time,¡± he insisted, starting to feel it a little. ¡°Anneliese. Come on. What are we doing?¡±


    Anneliese crossed her arms. ¡°I never expressed any of this because I thought it might break you. That I can say it now without fear¡­ you have no idea how therapeutic this is. I have to thank you and Magister Vera for this opportunity.¡± She took a deep breath. ¡°The engagement, the blood magic in the wends, or your constant obsession with gaining power¡­ even this thing happening right now. You consult me for only half of what you do, and actually take that advice half again. You charge headlong towards a wall. I do not wish to be there to witness the crash. I will not.¡±


    Hearing that, Argrave did not have to try and act at all. He had no idea those things were bothering her¡ªjust as Anneliese said, she¡¯d never expressed any of it. He briefly tried to temper her words with the knowledge she was just being considerate, before remembering he was forgetting the point.


    <em>She thought I couldn¡¯t handle hearing that, </em>Argrave told himself, stoking his own me. <em>What does she think I am, sugar ss? </em>


    A mix of indignance and hurt, Argrave remained silent. He was d when Gmon stepped forward, removing his helmet.


    ¡°Anneliese. You made a vow before Veid,¡± Gmon said coldly. ¡°Have you forgotten who you are? Have you forgotten your honor?¡±


    Anneliese crossed her arms. ¡°You are another nuisance, Gmon. Step back. I tire of hearing you preach of Veid and will be d to be free of your reminders.¡±


    Gmon advanced forward once more, his helmet held in the crook of his arm. ¡°You might throw away your soul, but I cannot stand by. You made a vow. You¡ª¡±


    Anneliese held her arm up and cast a spell in one swift motion. A spear of ice hurtled towards Gmon¡¯s head. He jerked to the side, and then copsed to the ground in a fountain of blood. Cursing in surprise at the amount of blood, Argrave ran up to Gmon and conjured a B-rank ward with his ring. Hegazar shouted something, but Argrave couldn¡¯t hear beyond the ward.


    ¡°Good lord,¡± Argrave said in panic. ¡°Your neck¡­¡±


    Gmon sputtered, holding his hand to his neck. Argrave held his hand, casting a healing spell for show. Though such spells did work on the elven vampire, they actually hindered his natural regeneration.


    Argrave leaned in close, whispering, ¡°Thanks for this. Really, thank you. Thanks.¡±


    Gmon spit blood at Argrave in what might have been spite, and he flinched away. ¡°sk¡­ idiot,¡± hemanded, pointing.


    Argrave scrambled to get it and handed it to Gmon covertly, blocking people¡¯s view with his body.


    ¡°You better?¡± Argrave questioned after a while, watching Gmon¡¯s neck. It was too covered in blood to be totally sure it was healed.


    ¡°Until next time,¡± Gmon confirmed. ¡°Damn you. Damn her. What foul union have I created?¡±


    Argrave was perplexed, but he quickly lowered himself to support the elven vampire. ¡°Here, let me help you up. Act all weak.¡±


    Gmon grunted, leaving much of his weight on Argrave. The Veidimen was ridiculously heavy, and Argrave struggled to help him rise. Once he had, he dispelled the ward.


    ¡°You nearly took his head off, Anneliese!¡± Argrave shouted at once.


    ¡°Be quiet, Kinyer!¡± Hegazar shouted above him. ¡°I¡¯ll clean up your mess. Get behind me. Stay ready,¡± he directed.


    Argrave felt Hegazar was amply convinced but had to keep acting his part. He took Gmon off to the side, hauling the great giant of an elf with every bit of strength he had. Once there, he watched Vera and Anneliese like they were lionesses with rabies.


    ¡°You should keep your cool, Anneliese,¡± Vera instructed calmly. ¡°Best not waste thought, emotion, on what¡¯s in the past. And Hegazar¡­¡± the Magister crossed her arms. ¡°Let¡¯s keep things amiable, hmm? It would be a shame if these valuables all around us were destroyed,¡± she looked to the crucified bodies with cages of bone in their torso, each and all holding knowledge of great value.


    ¡°Eh¡­¡± Hegazar groaned. ¡°Well, Kinyer, looks like your little plot, whatever it might¡¯ve been, has been cast to the wind because you tried to be friendly. Told you not to trust her. Told you not to bring her. I could¡¯ve shielded you, backed you up at the Tower! Now¡­ we go to the damn bargaining table. Great work¡­ partner,¡± he said drolly.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s best¡­¡± Vera looked about ponderously. ¡°¡­if we discuss distribution. Distribution of both what¡¯s here, and what¡¯s deeper in.¡±


    ¡°On that note, Magister Vera¡­¡± Anneliese crossed her arms. ¡°I think we should discuss what the future might resemble. I know we spoke earlier, but¡­ I think I need specificity.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± Vera turned back to Anneliese. ¡°Sure. Let¡¯s get some distance, and¡ª¡±


    ¡°Oh, forget that,¡± Hegazar said with augh. He held his hand out, obviously battle-ready. ¡°You¡¯ll walk away, do whatever needs to be done to open these cages? I don¡¯t think so. Neither of us move until wee to a consensus. Make a ward, talk there,¡± he dictated. ¡°I¡¯d sooner burn all of this than be cheated by a clever scheme of yours once again, Vera.¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± Vera conceded at once.


    Argrave watched Anneliese. She undid her braid, signaling she thought Vera had no doubts. With that, Hegazar grabbed his arm.


    ¡°Stop looking. Don¡¯t give her the pleasure¡ªbelieve me, the sooner youe to terms with this, the better,¡± Hegazar advised.


    Argrave tore his gaze away, looking at the Magister. ¡°It makes no sense.¡±


    Hegazar stepped up to Argrave. ¡°Listen, boy¡ªyour star-crossed lover was really just an illusion; a shooting star, nothing more than a wish never to be fulfilled. Now, we made a deal. I¡¯d very much like it kept. I can console, offer kind words, teach you how to cope¡­ <em>after</em> this is finished. But business and Vera are both equally cruel things. So¡­ focus on the task at hand.¡±


    Argrave took steady deep breaths as if gathering himself for the task. After, he opened his eyes.


    ¡°All of these cages can be opened in the brain chamber of this living fortress¡ªit¡¯s a control for the whole ce. There, you can move the fortress, unlock any locks, open the market vaults¡­¡±


    ¡°Move the fortress?¡± Hegazar noted in surprise. ¡°What a ridiculous¡­ well, never mind that. This brain chamber¡ªtell me more about it. How is it operated? Where is it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s deeper in,¡± Argrave said. ¡°It¡¯s got aplex lock, but Anneliese is smart. She¡¯d know how to get the key.¡± Argrave rubbed his chin. ¡°Everything¡¯s operated by raw magic power. I¡¯d nned on using the both of you to move the fortress to a sewer system connected to Dirracha. Might¡¯ve worked, if I could rely on the¡­¡± Argrave trailed off. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡±


    ¡°Vera¡¯s going to be looking for a way to get the most out of this that she can,¡± Hegazar¡¯s illusory body looked back. ¡°And so am I. So, let¡¯s talk about all the options avable to us¡­¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Argrave nodded.


    <em>Point of no return, </em>Argrave noted in his head. <em>Hell, maybe we reached it the moment we left the Tower with these two. </em><!--


    -->

 Chapter 230

    Chapter 230: Museum Tomb


    A giant gray-green humanoid sat in a strange octagonal stone booth in the middle of arge room with eight paths branching out. It seemed to be wearing a bag made of skin over its head, but where the bag met its neck, eight arms shot out, all identical. Its hands toyed with abacuses on the booth. It wasn¡¯t clear what it was using the instruments to count, but it used them adeptly. Stone bead after stone bead slid up and down rods, and the thing¡¯s head swiveled from left to right to monitor all of them.


    Then, all of its hands stopped at once. It slid some of the counting instruments aside, peering into the stony darkness ahead. A figure materialized at the end of the dark-shrouded tunnel ahead, illusion magic dissipating. Argrave stood there, holding a great red bow. He released the string.


    A dark maroon bolt shot across the giant room. It moved quickly enough to generate winds. With a travel time of perhaps half a second, it struck past the stone, the abacuses, and the humanoid all. It mmed the necromantic creature into the stone behind, digging about five feet deeper even after that. The source of its magic was stored in its chest¡ªwithout so much as a single spasm, it copsed, nothing more than flesh now.


    Hegazar¡¯s illusory form seemed to materialize from nothing, and he ced his hand on Argrave¡¯s elbow. ¡°Good shot, partner. Must have taken some archery sses¡ªyour ma must be proud.¡±


    ¡°Maybe,¡± Argrave answered, breathing a little unsteady.


    The remainder of the group stepped out of the darkness, rejoining up with them. With Hegazar¡¯s help, Argrave had easily dispatched the Cipherer, their sole obstacle to the deeper parts of the living fortress.


    Everyone reached a consensus after things had calmed down after Anneliese¡¯s ¡®betrayal.¡¯ Despite the shifting of the scales, the crux of the matter was fundamentally still one S-rank mage versus one S-rank mage. ¡®Even distribution,¡¯ both Magisters agreed¡ªthey might even keep that agreement, provided neither saw an opportunity. With that settled, things proceeded for their party to discover what, exactly, would be an even distribution.


    Argrave yed the role of the gambler gone bust¡ªhe disclosed what was supposedly all of his ns and knowledge to Hegazar without fuss, acting as though the man was his only lifeline. Argrave couldn¡¯t say for sure what Anneliese was doing, but they had agreed earlier Anneliese would be trying to get as much from Vera as she could, to y her part as an ambitious and enterprising rising star. Whether or not she went with it was irrelevant¡ªhe trusted her judgement.


    There wasn¡¯t much room to maneuver with the position they¡¯d put themselves in. They would have to earn some leeway by force of necessity. Hegazar and Vera did not offer trust¡ªtheirs was an alliance of convenience, and the Magisters viewed them only as disposable tools; Argrave and Anneliese were but gloves with which to handle the other Magister, discarded once dirtied. To get these Magisters to move like Argrave wanted, they¡¯d have to misdirect, misinform, and misguide the two Magisters <em>just </em>right in this living fortress of the Order of the Rose.


    Argrave had always loved these living fortresses when ying ¡®Heroes of Berendar.¡¯ The yer needed three mage characters in the party to open any of them, but once within, they¡¯d be greeted by a hall of locked-off but high-leveled loot¡ªthe heart chamber they¡¯d seen earlier. To get at the treasure, the yer didn¡¯t have to endure a long dungeon crawl with countless enemies or solve some needlessly tedious puzzle. Argrave enjoyed those, to be sure, but they were a bit dull on subsequent ythroughs of the game. In these living fortresses, all the yer had to do was fight a very fun boss.


    Argrave felt no guiltpletely ruining all of that ¡®fun¡¯ by masking himself with Hegazar¡¯s high-ranking illusion magic and dispatching their foe with [Bloodfeud Bow]. He didn¡¯t have the Blessing of Supersession even still, and he didn¡¯t care to take risks, even if it meant showing some of his capability.


    Vera stepped up to Argrave and healed his arms, cracked from the heavy use of blood magic. She looked to Hegazar. ¡°There. You cloaked him, I healed him¡ªall as we agreed.¡±


    Behind, Anneliese toyed with her duster¡¯s hood. The Starsparrow, which she¡¯d been hiding this entire time, rushed off into the deeper part of the fortress. Argrave quickly averted his gaze back to the two Magisters. If they had seen anything suspicious, they did not show it.


    ¡°So, our ountant giant had the key to all the riches in this little slice of flesh and stone made by the Rose?¡± Hegazar stared out with them.


    ¡°Key to all the riches¡­ burning them or getting them,¡± Argrave nodded in confirmation.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go together, then,¡± Vera directed.


    Neither would dare let the other go ahead. And that was precisely what Argrave had been hoping for.


    #####


    Durran ripped the bag of skin off the Cipherer¡¯s head, tossing it aside like a filthy rag. There, a great lump of flesh that barely constituted a head housed several rather conspicuous fleshy bits. Argrave gave his hands a little shaking, steeling his resolve. Then, he reached down, plunging his fingers into its nose.


    Argrave pulled firmly and steadily, doing his best to ignore the slimy noises as he freed a long hollow rod of bone. It had several holes in it, like some sort of poorly made flute. He unscrewed the nose, tossing it aside. Next, he turned the head on its side, then grabbed its floppy, cartginous ear. It stretched ufortably as he tugged on it, and then popped like a cork. He screwed it in ce where the nose had been. Lastly, he opened up the Cipherer¡¯s mouth. He tested each tooth, some of them wrenching free.


    One by one, Argrave fit all the teeth into their correct slot. By the end of it, he had something rather horrifying in his hand. He sighed, marveling at how far he¡¯d fallen from his days as a clean freak. ¡°There we go,¡± he announced.


    Hegazar pointed. ¡°That¡¯s all you need?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°This¡¯ll let us into the brain chamber, where we canmunicate with the living fortress.¡±


    Argrave looked to the ear, staring at it for a moment. There was a hole in the key, and he could see right past the ear into the ground beyond. Shaking his head and shuddering, he held it and proceeded forth.


    #####


    The brain chamber was not so far ahead of where the Cipherer had been. The level of the protective enchantments seemed to make the Magisters on edge, but so long as Argrave andpany were willing to press forward, so were they.


    Before long, a thick circr metal door blocked their advance. Argrave took his cue to step forward, nting the ear key in a slot just beside the door. It took some turning, and then Argrave had to say, ¡°The ear is one key to the mind.¡±


    The metal disc slid aside, and Argrave was reminded of the doors in Nodremaid that they had used Garm to open. As Argrave twisted and pulled the ear key free, Vera and Hegazar came to his side, spell light illuminating their path. They did not proceed until Argrave did, ensuring no trap awaited them. The brain chamber was bathed in light as they stepped deeper in, illuminating its ufortable confines.


    The cramped and damp room did resemble a brain,rgely from the wrinkly stone walls. Argrave was certain that if they chipped at the stone, genuine brain matter would be beyond it¡ªthat was probably why protective enchantments were so thick there. There was a small stone table in the center with a few chairs near it, while arge fleshy apparatus waited in the background. It had a slot in it that obviously matched with the blocky key of bone Argrave held.


    ¡°The key goes in there,¡± Argrave disclosed. ¡°From there, you givemands to the fortress while supplying it with magic power. It can receive and eptmands that it is familiar with. If the key is pulled out, it¡¯ll go back to its current state¡ªthat is to say, all secure doors or vaults will shut, and all sections will be waiting for propermand. Barring this room, of course¡ªit¡¯d be hard to take the key out of the room if the door shut automatically. I assume it was designed this way to prevent negligence, but I cannot say for sure.¡±


    Vera looked to Anneliese, who nodded in confirmation. After, the Magister ran her hands along the stony walls. ¡°This entire thing is alive?¡±


    ¡°If you consider necromantic creations truly alive, I suppose so,¡± Argrave confirmed.


    ¡°Enough of this. Pointless to learn of what we cannot touch,¡± Hegazar waved his hand, stepping past Durran and Gmon. ¡°Put the key in, and let¡¯s get on with this.¡±


    Argrave nodded, then moved to insert the key. As he pushed it past the flesh, he felt like bone touched against bone and shivered. Even still, the key fit snugly. Argrave took a step backwards, but nothing seemed to change. All stood around expectantly. As Argrave turned his head back, a sh of gold passed through Argrave¡¯s vision, so quick it seemed fake.


    ¡°¡­now what?¡± Hegazar pressed.


    ¡°Allow me,¡± Anneliese stepped forth, cing her hand on the flesh beside the key. ¡°Open all vault doors. Open all market cages,¡± Anneliesemanded inly. Argrave could see the magic flowing out of her hand, pulled like wisps out of her body. Vera waited expectantly, and then far behind them, screeching echoed down the stone halls.


    When the two Magisters turned to the sound, Argrave held his hand out and cast a spell. His Brumesingers scampered out of his coat, spreading out and climbing up beneath the table. Their dark gray fur blended near perfectly with the stone, but even then, they stayed incredibly well-hidden.


    ¡°I don¡¯t trust any one of you enough to leave you here within this chamber,¡± Hegazar said frankly. ¡°Be it negligence or malice, you might make things go awry.¡±


    ¡°We agree on that front,¡± Vera nodded. ¡°So, we¡¯ll go to the vaults together. We¡¯ll collect what is within. We¡¯ll bring it to this¡­ heart chamber, we¡¯ll divide things, and then we¡¯ll leave the way we came in. No opportunity for deceit. No opportunity for bloodshed. Fair, Hegazar?¡±


    ¡°It sounds fair. I suppose we¡¯ll find out if it is,¡± Hegazar said disdainfully.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    <em>Yeah. The people who did all the work will get all the goods,</em> Argrave thought.


    #####


    Argrave stared up at the towering vault doors. They were thick, at the very least two feet of dense metal. They had slid to the side enough to allow passage. It wasn¡¯t just the doors, either¡ªthe walls they were connected to were just as formidable. This ce was surely built tost. It could keep out allers for a long, long while, be they S-rank mages or behemoths like Orion. It probably had.


    ¡°I know¡ªyou could stare at them for an eternity,¡± Hegazar pushed Argrave. ¡°But hurry. I¡¯m eager to see what¡¯s within.¡±


    Argrave looked to the Magister, and then into the vault ahead. Even now, the two of them would not enter this ce first. Maybe their paranoia was fitting.


    <em>Not that it matters,</em> Argrave assured himself. <em>Greed brought them here. That greed will keep them going. </em>


    Argrave was the first to step past the vault doors. The area ahead was like a museum entirely divorced from the macabre fortress they¡¯de from. There were rows upon rows of disy cases, each of varying sizes and housing different things. Pushing past his anemia-induced headache, Argrave walked deeper in, eyes wandering for the thing he¡¯de here to get. It was in the same spot it always was.


    Peering down at the matching set of bronze, sharp jewelry locked in its case, Argrave smiled. Just as he turned his head all the others entered the vault, eyes wandering about. Though Argrave¡¯spany looked to the walls, the two Magisters immediately fixated on what was within the disy cases.


    ¡°Argrave, now!¡± Hegazar shouted. Though Argrave stared at him in bewilderment, Vera immediately raised her hands and prepared to cast spells. Durran and Gmon ducked away, ready to take cover.


    After a short moment, the Magister burst intoughter. He stepped deeper in, letting out a satisfied sigh. ¡°Let¡¯s keep things civil, shall we? It¡¯s the final act,¡± the bald man cautioned her, whistling as he ran his finger along the ss of the disy cases. Vera red at him in disdain.


    ¡°The final act,¡± Argrave echoed in agreement.


    Whatever Vera or Hegazar had nned would surely happen here¡­ or so each of them would be thinking. And it might just be Argrave that would give each the push.<!--


    -->

 Chapter 231

    Chapter 231: Partner


    Argrave lowered down the wooden-framed ss disy case containing the bronze set of jewelry he¡¯d came to get. It settled delicately on the uneven stone of the heart chamber, the pieces within staying fixed atop a velvet pillow. Everyone else was simrly hauling things, setting them in uneven heaps. It was impossible to tell the value of much of what they saw¡ªneither Vera nor Hegazar were experts at discerning inscriptions from the Order of the Rose.


    ¡°It seems the thing we really ought to be discussing is logistics¡­¡± Hegazar mused. His body was unused to carrying things and he did not deign to use magic for the task, so his haul was rtively light. ¡°Even if things are divided, how are we to carry this back?¡±


    Vera set down her box, and then said without much care, ¡°A local caravan, perhaps. I have enough to pay for my own passage. If you can¡¯t pay simrly¡­ I could be persuaded to help you if you part with more of this gear. We would return together. This equipment is valuable enough to warrant our personal escort, I should think.¡±


    ¡°Of course I¡ª¡± Hegazar began, but then stopped and shook his head. ¡°We waste time. Let¡¯s get back.¡±


    Once Vera and Hegazar turned back, Argrave covertly cast a spell. He could acutely feel his Brumesingers rush to obey hismand. The two Magisters were still cautious andfortably slow, and Argrave was d of this fact. Considering Anneliese was linked to Argrave¡¯s druidic bond through the B-rank spell [Progenitor], she would surely know what he was doing, and be amply prepared to act in kind.


    Plotting against the paranoid was a mountainous task. But paranoia had a negative reputation for a reason¡ªit was something that could prey upon the one who had it just as easily as it could help them. Anneliese and Argrave had nothing monumental in mind. Instead, something simple and easily done worked best.


    Piece by piece, Argrave¡¯s Brumesingers caused slight disturbances. The limitations of his spell [Pack Leader] by which he bonded the creatures to himself disabled direct control, but he could have them aimlessly move the treasures in the vault about easily enough. Anneliese¡¯s Starsparrow, however, took things here and there. Whenever she had the opportunity, bits would disappear¡ªthe bird was strong enough to spirit away enchanted jewelry, small daggers, even whole books.


    It was subtle. But subtleties were best noticed by paranoid people like the two Magisters with them. Argrave was certain that both noticed the small discrepancies¡ªVera¡¯s face tightened in suspicion at objects disced by the Brumesingers, and Hegazar kept a detailed ount of all that was there.


    Their small changes were like infected wounds slowly beginning to fester. None of it was enough to bear mentioning¡ªthey hauled so much treasure out of the vault that to mention a book having gone missing or a ring disappeared would make the other appear mad. Nheless, Argrave knew that he drilled at their paranoia ever so steadily, inming this instinct and making them eager to take action.


    When they arrived back at the vault for the umpteenth time¡­ Argrave had a little scene prepared for the both of them. It was only a southron elf warrior conjured of mist, appearing for nothing more than half a second at the entrance to the vault. Yet the conjurations of the Brumesingers always had a startling realism to them until they were struck¡­ and the effect was obvious.


    ¡°What in the world was that?¡± Vera said quietly, body tensing. She put some distance between herself and Hegazar.


    ¡°Looked to be a person,¡± Hegazar turned to Argrave. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t happen to know anything about that, would you? You, the only person who knew where this ce was beforehand? You, the only one who might¡¯ve prepared men here beforehand?¡±


    Argrave raised his hands up in innocent surrender. ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything!¡± he protested indignantly.


    ¡°No illusion can fool my eyes. I made sure of that, knowing I would be travelling with this one,¡± Vera said angrily, eyes fixed on Hegazar. ¡°That was a man. Walking, talking, breathing.¡±


    ¡°I saw it just as well as you,¡± Durran contributed. ¡°Didn¡¯t look human.¡±


    Hegazar and Vera both scanned Argrave¡¯s features, looking for an answer written on his face. Argrave felt like a roulette ball was spinning, and he¡¯d put all his chips on ck.


    ¡°There¡¯s one entrance, we all made sure of that.¡± Hegazar concluded with his grim voice. ¡°We¡¯ve seen them. They can¡¯t escape. I trust you won¡¯t change that story of yours, Argrave, once we catch this person. Elsewise¡­ well, their fate will be a kindnesspared to yours.¡±


    Vera eyed Hegazar¡¯s true body. She seemed to be questioning if he was truly sincere. When he turned and started walking towards the vault with a quick, almost furious stride, she seemed to be a little more believing. Hegazar passed by into the vault, and Argrave¡¯s heart started to beat like a whole marching band disturbed his chest.


    Argrave stepped closer. By this point, Vera found Hegazar¡¯s haste rming, and hurried after him like there was some party she¡¯d be missing. She hesitated at the vault¡¯s entrance, and Argrave pressed up just behind her. A dense misty beyond, and Argrave saw Hegazar entering it confidently. Vera inched her way in cautiously, and Argrave stepped with her. Then, he stretched his legs backwards and hastily backstepped.


    As though timed, the doors started to shut right before Argrave¡¯s nose, the Brumesingers appearing out of the mist as they did. In short order, the titanic walls of metal mmed together, enchantments shimmering as if sentencing those within. The sight made him stumble with a revtory realization, and Argrave held both hands to the metal door. After a moment, he started tough and turned around.


    ¡°Hahaha!¡± Argrave shouted, throwing his fist up. ¡°Holy¡­ god damn,¡± he stepped forth to Anneliese, who opened her eyes just as a golden bird perched on her shoulder. They both had the same idea¡ªa hearty embrace, with a sweet and deep kiss of satisfaction following.


    ¡°How sweet,¡± a husky voice entered Argrave¡¯s ears.


    At once, it felt like a maggot had wormed its way into Argrave¡¯s throat. He broke away from Anneliese and stared just beside him from whence the voice came. A bald man leaned his shoulder against the metal vault door, a wide grin on his face.


    ¡°Maybe my lecturing about love being a burden was a bit misguided. Very nice attempt. You certainly fooled Vera like nothing else, though I helped you out at the end there¡­ went along with your scheme, got her inside the vault before quickly stepping out, just like you. How satisfying, seeing her locked away like she belongs,¡± the Magister took slow, steady steps forth. ¡°Bute now. Illusions are my domain. You think I wouldn¡¯t be able to notice you could see my true body, Argrave? It¡¯s hard to act like you <em>can¡¯t</em> see something, Kinyer, least of all for days on end.


    ¡°You think I wouldn¡¯t do my research before I travelled with you?¡± Hegazar continued, gloating. ¡°You think I wouldn¡¯t know you¡¯d contributed druidic magic to the Tower, that you might have¡­ other actors, those animals of yours? A pretty bird, some little foxes¡­ it¡¯s certainly sly. The theatric with your snow elf retainer¡ªamazing! I can see why Vera missed it. She used her people in the Tower to suppress mine, but I spent my time researching you. She¡¯s used to betraying, but not being betrayed. I am, though.¡± Hegazar shook his head. ¡°Commendable. But all that¡¯s done, now.¡±


    Argrave braced himself, waiting for the next move of the S-rank spellcaster.


    Though Argrave was bracing to meet his maker, Anneliese put her hand on his shoulder. ¡°You wear no illusion anymore, do you?¡± Anneliese inquired, with a voice that did not sound afraid at all.


    Hegazar held his arms out. ¡°In the flesh, but just as handsome. Maybe even more so,¡± the Magister mused.


    The fact that nothing was happening made Argravee alive once more. Discrepancies aligned, and he raced to a hypothesis. That hypothesis led Argrave to will himself to see the magic within the Magister. And what he saw within Hegazar was a great mass of magic, far beyond Argrave or Anneliese¡¯s.


    Hegazar¡¯s magic was far beyond them¡­ but also greatly diminished.


    Veritable gears and cogs fell into ce like a clocktower being set into motion in Argrave¡¯s head. Hegazar had realized Argrave was seeing through his illusion magic¡­ yet the Magister wasn¡¯t certain how. As such, to guarantee he¡¯d be able to fool Argrave, Hegazar cast illusion magic of a much higher grade than the one hemonly utilized. Apparently, even Master Castro had needed a few days to recover his magic after using an S-rank spell to use another, and that was a centuries-old spellcaster.


    And now¡­ could they kill Hegazar? Argrave didn¡¯t have the Blessing of Supersession. He didn¡¯t see the necessity to regain it¡ªhe never thought he¡¯d stand a chance against either of these two with or without it, so he decided to rely solely on his abilities to manipte them. With four of them¡ªone C-rank mage, two B-rank mages, and Gmon with Ebonice and his Giantkillers¡­ could they fight and win?


    <em>Maybe</em>, Argrave came to the mental conclusion. <em>Hegazar heard that we killed Induen, plus his four B-rank royal guards. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s thinking the same thing¡ªmaybe he can kill us. But with a vault full of valuables behind us, and a unified party of unknown strength¡­ he wants to look for another solution. A cleaner solution. He¡¯s gambled a lot to get a higher position in this negotiation. If I give it to him¡­</em>


    ¡°So¡­ partner,¡± Argrave straightened his back and stood up tall, yet did not rx. ¡°That vault back there¡ªit¡¯s got an angry S-rank mage inside. I think I can help you with a little pest removal. I¡¯d just need a little bit of your help, a little charity.¡±


    Durran and Gmon, perhaps noting to the same conclusion Argrave had, looked at him as though he was mad. Hegazar put both hands behind his back.


    ¡°Charity?¡± Hegazar repeated vaguely, neither affirming nor denying Argrave¡¯s beginning to an offer.


    ¡°How¡¯s this?¡± Argrave stepped forward, ahead of everyone. Gmon attempted to stop Argrave, but he shrugged the elf¡¯s arm off. ¡°You, me, everybody here¡ªwe coborate to move this fortress to a different location. An old, nearly abandoned sewer system in Dirracha. I mentioned this idea to you earlier. It¡¯ll enable you to bring your people here, get things in order to open the old vault, meet Vera once more with a more powerful party¡­ and get everything within.¡±


    ¡°Why not let her suffocate?¡± Hegazar said coldly. ¡°Swoop in after¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t assume she¡¯ll let that happen,¡± Argrave shook his head slowly. ¡°She¡¯ll y it calm for now, but if things get desperate in there? Expect her to test this vault¡¯s limits. It¡¯s a little less unbreakable from the inside. Even if she can¡¯t get out, you can be sure she¡¯ll destroy everything in spite.¡±


    Hegazar nodded slowly. ¡°A fair point.¡±


    ¡°I only hope you¡¯ll be willing to part with something. A little finder¡¯s fee. Please give me everything we hauled out into the heart chamber,¡± Argrave held his hand out. ¡°There¡¯s a lot of stuff left in that vault. Definitely a lot more than half¡ªa lot better than things were likely to split up.¡±


    ¡°Probably seventy-five percent left in the vault¡ªall of it, yours,¡± Durran contributed, going all-in with Argrave on this gamble.


    Hegazar stared up at Argrave with his cold, dark eyes. ¡°You want the things in the cages, too?¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Argrave stepped away as though thinking, but he was really looking to Anneliese for guidance. She gave the slightest nod. Argrave turned back.


    ¡°Yes,¡± he confirmed.


    ¡°How, dare I ask, did youe up with this offer?¡± Hegazar tilted his head.


    Gmon¡¯s hand hovered near the Ebonice axe on his belt, prepared for anything. Argrave wavered slightly before the tense situation. He swallowed, steeling his resolve. ¡°It¡¯s an offer I thought would make everyone happy. Except Vera, of course. Everything goes back to the way it was. Everyone is rich, happy, and powerful. Not another spell cast¡ªall our worriesid to rest. And you get an undeniable victory of unquantifiable scope against someone who wronged you so much in the past.¡±


    Hegazar stared at Argrave for an ufortably long time. Then, he opened his mouth in a grin and said, ¡°Do you know why you¡¯re not dead?¡±


    Argrave tensed. ¡°Does anyone?¡±


    Hegazarughed. ¡°I suppose not. Well¡­ I think you¡¯ve a bright future. I have an eye for people¡ªVera may be a betrayer, but I won¡¯t deny her talent and skill,¡± the man admitted freely now that she was not here. ¡°You¡¯re already aligned against Vera. Bearing this in mind, I¡¯ll give you what¡¯s in the heart chamber,¡± the Magister nodded.


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised,¡± Argrave admitted.


    ¡°But I¡¯ve learned from Vera¡¯s betrayal, you see. I¡¯ll take everything in the vault, but I won¡¯t kill Vera. She¡¯s had chances to kill me in the past, you know, but she didn¡¯t take them. Call me sentimental, but she can¡¯t die too easy,¡± he said. Argrave couldn¡¯t be sure if he was being entirely honest. ¡°Instead¡­ let me promise you this. You owe me a debt, kinyer. And when I call on you to pay that debt¡­ if it¡¯s left unpaid, Vera and I will both make it our mission to end you.¡± Hegazar¡¯s smiled widened. ¡°That¡¯s why you did that charade, wasn¡¯t it? To keep us divided?¡±


    Slowly, Argrave nodded.


    ¡°I thought so,¡± Hegazar nodded. ¡°Vera will hate you. I can promise you that. She¡¯ll hate you <em>much</em> more than she hates me. And me¡­ well, I can be your proponent, absorbing most of her wrath, or your death sentence,¡± the Magister¡¯s husky, hoarse voice took on a grim aspect that was somewhat chilling. ¡°So, with that out of the way¡ªhow, dare I ask, do you intend to move this giant fortress?¡±


    Exhausted, Argrave said simply, ¡°Just a little elbow grease.¡±


    #####


    ¡°You really had the guts to nearly kill one of your men for this?¡± the Magister said, gaze wandering to the elven warrior. ¡°You were ying a high-stakes game, it would seem.¡±


    ¡°Gmon is¡­ hardy, and reliable besides,¡± Argrave exined weakly.


    Hegazar watched the two in what might¡¯ve been wonder, but his face quickly turned bitter as he noted Argrave¡¯s smile. ¡°Hmm¡­ let¡¯s just get this over with before I change my mind.¡±


    All of them stepped within the brain chamber. Argrave looked to be sure everything was in order, then stepped within. He was acutely aware of Hegazar¡¯s presence, waiting for anyst-moment betrayals. He thought things were put to bed¡­ but they¡¯d only be so once this living fortress started moving.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Argrave cracked his knuckles, looking at the Magister. ¡°I have a rtively straightforward route in mind. Put the key Anneliese¡¯s Starsparrow removed back in, give it amand to move, and we just put our hands to this apparatus. It¡¯ll use our magic to traverse beneath the ground.¡±


    ¡°We?¡± the Magister repeated.


    ¡°If you¡¯re in the mood for charity,¡± Argrave nodded.


    ¡°This thing drains magic, does it not?¡± Hegazar looked at it. ¡°Without magic, what am I? A fleshy bag who¡¯s never been in a fight. At the very least, you can carry much more than I can¡­ I don¡¯t wish to imagine how hard you hit. All of you.¡±


    Argrave¡¯s gaze wandered to Hegazar¡¯s fingers. ¡°I wonder how many B-rank spells you have in those rings, there. And you¡¯ve certainly got more jewelry hidden¡ªhard to see behind the gray robes. I have this,¡± Argrave raised up his own hand, where one could barely see a single ring. ¡°And I got a few more rings from Induen, but none of them fit, and I don¡¯t know what they do¡­ it¡¯s hard topare.¡±


    Hegazar brought his hand up and ran his thumb across the rings on his finger. ¡°Well¡­ even still¡­¡±


    ¡°I can have Gmon wait far away, if itforts you,¡± Argrave assured. ¡°Just consider this¡­ a great equalizer. You can pull your hand free anytime, and I¡¯m not even sure it¡¯ll drain all our magic. These living fortresses¡ªthey¡¯re very efficient at burrowing. The Order of the Rose was the foremost authority on earth magic, after all. The surface won¡¯t even be disturbed.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll get it started,¡± Hegazar said, paranoid to the end. ¡°Provided nothing strange happens, I¡¯ll join after¡­ a second or two.¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°Well then¡­ let¡¯s get going, partner.¡±<!--


    -->

 Chapter 232

    Chapter 232: Moving Past


    Argrave once again felt the familiar sensation of being trapped within something that was in motion. It had been a long while since hest had the experience¡ªthe movement of the living fortress was so smooth it could be likened to travelling on a train or a car.


    Hegazar, Anneliese, Argrave, and Durran held their hands to the fleshy apparatus in the back of the room, siphoning their magic into the vast fortress. It had been given a series ofmands sequentially and burrowed through the earth efficiently. Argrave had done this quest enough to remember themands, fortunately¡ªElenore was the one to give the quest to the yer, funnily enough. It felt like much of the tension had been dissolved, yet the budding nervousness of his eventual meeting with Princess Elenore was recing it by the second.


    The rumbling sensation of movement beneath their feet ended, and Argrave felt the pull of his magic end. Hegazar was the first to retract his hand.


    ¡°Looks like we made it,¡± Argrave said, shaking his hand off. He didn¡¯t like the sensation of touching that thing at all. ¡°It seems this was a worthwhile endeavor for all.¡±


    ¡°I wonder what Vera must be thinking,¡± the Magister mused, reaching down. He pulled free the ear key, holding it close to his person. ¡°Well, it¡¯s no matter. Time is of the essence. Collect all that I promised you, and let¡¯s be off.¡±


    ¡°What will you do to her?¡± Anneliese questioned.


    Hegazar put the ear key into the slot closer to the door and stopped, turning his head back to Anneliese.


    ¡°What business is it of yours?¡± He questioned, tone passive.


    Anneliese shrugged and walked forwards. ¡°I am merely curious.¡±


    ¡°She has many friends. I am not sure what I will do,¡± Hegazar shook his head. ¡°It requires deliberation.¡±


    ¡°I thought you¡¯d kill her immediately,¡± Durran looked impressed.


    ¡°Told you I wouldn¡¯t already,¡± Hegazar shook his head. ¡°Violence is for savages. I can get more from her alive than dead. I just need to decide what state I¡¯d like her alive in. A captive? Who knows¡­¡± he let out a long, almost sad sigh. ¡°She had opportunities to kill me in the past, too. She didn¡¯t take them. Always wondered why¡­¡±


    As Argrave pondered what the Magister was getting at, he spoke the key phrase for the door and it slid open. He walked out with a confident step.


    #####


    Their group had hauled out a great many things from the depths of the vaults, and all of it resided in the heart chamber. It was a great mound of enchanted items of varying value. Though Argrave would have been satisfied with the set of bronze jewelry he came here to get, he definitely would not protest to acquiring more valuable enchanting items. He¡¯d have a very adept broker to sell them off to in short order, too. That, plus the other loot they¡¯d acquired from the Archduke¡¯s pce or Induen¡¯s retinue.


    Gmon offloaded what few books and such he held to Argrave, Anneliese, and Durran, and then stuffed everything within rather ungracefully. The more delicate stuff was wrapped, but altogether his backpack became a misshapen mass of valuables and Order of the Rose books. He had a king¡¯s ransom in his backpack. Altogether, an extremely profitable venture. It wasn¡¯t a wless trip, but it was the best Argrave could scrape together sandwiched between two S-rank mages.


    They departed from the living fortress just after that. Hegazar left with them. Once they reached the entrance, the stone tongue folded out for them, and into a vastwork of tunnels: the abandoned sewers beneath Dirracha.


    The tunnels were extremely narrow and simple. The floor was naturally eroded stone caused by the still-active waterways, while the area above was brown stone that was nothing more than a ceiling to prevent the smell of the wastewater from reaching the city streets. The newer city had been built atop this ce, with new sewers that better utilized waste for fertilizer. Considering this ce was a natural stream originally, the years had mostly purged any smell or sign this had been a sewer at all.


    The confines of the living fortress offered more room to stretch than this ce, though, and Argrave found himself ducking just to stand. ¡°You¡¯re sure¡­ there¡¯s a way out?¡± Hegazar looked around.


    Argrave nodded. ¡°Yeah. Just follow the stream down. Exit won¡¯t be far. It drains off into ake. It¡¯s a rtively secluded ce¡ªjust a few fishing towns. Forest should shield you from prying eyes. Well, not that prying eyes matter for an illusionist.¡±


    ¡°And, eh¡­ no, never mind. I¡¯m leaving, then. This was¡­ a more profitable trip than I thought it might be. You have potential. I suppose the two of you do, however long this thingsts,¡± Hegazar scanned Anneliese and Argrave. ¡°Enjoy the honeymoon phase. That¡¯s all you can enjoy, before it all turns to shit.¡±


    ¡°Good luck, Hegazar,¡± Argrave said simply, disregarding the petty jabs entirely.


    The illusionist turned and walked down into the lower portions of the sewer tunnel, moving quickly and steadily without another word.


    ¡°Good gods,¡± Durran sighed, setting his ive firmly on the ground and leaning on it. ¡°This was an endeavor and a half.¡±


    ¡°A prelude, nothing more,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°But I¡¯ll be damned if it wasn¡¯t a draining one.¡±


    ¡°Do we rest?¡± Anneliese questioned, looking ahead into the tunnel. She cast some light ahead.


    Argrave stepped forward, ducking his head as he advanced. ¡°Not for long. Meeting Elenore is our top priority. Once we get things settled with her¡­ we¡¯ll have true mobility.¡±


    Durran picked up his ive, tapping it against the ground so that it echoed throughout the tunnel. ¡°How scary is this sister of yours that all of this can be considered a prelude?¡±


    Argrave rubbed his hands together. ¡°She¡¯s harmless. She doesn¡¯t even have any guards. But I¡¯m more worried about this than meeting Orion or Induen.¡± Argrave surveyed his party. ¡°Excellent work, everyone. We¡¯ll take a small break, then proceed.¡±


    His gaze lingered on Anneliese for a long moment. She got the message, and as the other two settled in, she walked towards him.


    #####


    ¡°This turned out¡­ okay,¡± Argrave nodded, staring at the rushing stream at their feet. The both of them sat just beside their backpacks, a fair distance away from Durran and Gmon.


    Anneliese looked to Argrave. ¡°You will not fret that things did not end perfectly?¡±


    Argrave chuckled. ¡°No one died. Gmon got hurt the most. I don¡¯t know,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°Ever since Induen died, things have felt less¡­ apocryphal. I still feel rushed, stressed, but I think¡­ I think I can do this. It¡¯s starting to feel like I can do this. I¡¯m still paranoid as all hell about what might go wrong, but it¡¯s different, now.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°I am d,¡± Anneliese said sincerely.


    Argrave let a silence hang. ¡°Looks like my advice helped you out,¡± he finally said. ¡°Certainly had no trouble ying that part.¡±


    Annelieseughed quietly and leaned against Argrave¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Yes, it did.¡±


    ¡°I ought to be careful,¡± Argrave mused jokingly. ¡°Soon enough, you¡¯ll do everything I can, and then I¡¯ll just flounder about uselessly in the back while you save the world alone.¡±


    ¡°I do not think I could,¡± she shook her head.


    Argrave watched the water pass them by, then finally decided to bring up the things that were truly sticking in his mind. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize those things bothered you,¡± he said.


    ¡°¡­to a lesser degree than I dramatized. But yes. They did,¡± she confessed in a quiet whisper.


    ¡°Ending up sympathizing with Hegazar more than I thought I ever would,¡± Argrave responded quietly, putting one hand to her head. ¡°I can see why he¡¯s bitter. Hurt. Paranoid. I don¡¯t want to make those same mistakes. If I did something wrong, I want to fix it. Permanently, ideally.¡±


    ¡°I am happy, you know,¡± Anneliese shifted her head to look at him better. ¡°Everyone has something that annoys the other. The engagement caught me off bnce, at first¡­ and I still believe it is detrimental, practically speaking¡­ but it gives me a lot offort. Above all¡­ I know you well, and I trust you enough to respect the actions you take that we disagree on. We cannot bepared to Hegazar and Vera. From the beginning, both saw each other as tools. Hegazar sought to groom a young Wizard into a perfect partner. Vera sought to use a senior to rise in the ranks.¡±


    Argrave looked at the rushing water for a long while, biting at his lip. ¡°I guess they were perfect for each other.¡±


    Anneliese let out a quiet grunt of agreement.


    ¡°Going to rely on you heavily with Elenore,¡± he brought back the matter at hand.


    ¡°Keeping watch on her emotions?¡± Anneliese lifted her head, alert.


    Argrave nodded. ¡°Yeah. This isn¡¯t something we can afford to mess up. Elenore¡­ she¡¯s apathetic. I can¡¯t deny she¡¯s done a lot wrong, but there¡¯s good in her. Just needs a positive influence, some basic human decency in her life. In Dirracha, human decency is a delicacy that people like Induen and Felipe like to eat alive. I think our blood rtion might hinder things if I y my cards wrong. Nevertheless¡­ the hell can I do?¡±


    ¡°Make contingencies, ns,¡± Anneliese advised at once.


    ¡°Let¡¯s make them,¡± Argrave rose to his feet. ¡°Plenty of time, anyway.¡±


    #####


    Princess Elenore was, by threat of execution, confined to her greenhouse on the distant outskirts of the Dragon Pce. She was not deterred by this. Over the years, she built several hidden passages to amodate her burgeoning empire of business and information. They were dually for her personal use and to allow passage to people who could not freely roam the Dragon Pce. The fact she was able to do this beneath the king¡¯s eye was already testament to her considerable influence and skill. Few knew of them, even her most trusted aides. And one of these passages¡­ it was here, in this abandoned sewer.


    After their short rest and strategy meeting, Anneliese scouted ahead to be sure none wereing. After finding no passengers, the four of them proceeded up into the abandoned tunnel, walking against the stream. At points it grew wider, forcing some difficult maneuvers, yet it was a rather uneventful hike over the slippery rock.


    At a point, they came to a sheer cliff wall. The stream trickled down in a small waterfall, battering them with water. Argrave ran his hand along the wall, searching unsessfully. Durran stepped forth with furrowed brows and pushed a point¡ªit slid in. With a loud <em>click, </em>a portion of the wall behind the waterfall loosened. Though not opening automatically, it did unlock. Argrave pushed it open and ducked through. His Brumesingers shook their fur out after they passed.


    After Anneliese scouted the newly opened path, they proceeded once more. It was a tight and confined space, even more so than the shoddy sewers, and crudely dug. Eventually, it came to a very long flight of steep stairs. Their party climbed them quietly, well used to treacherous paths by this point.


    At the top, a thin b of impable stone bricks blocked their path. Argrave turned to Gmon, gesturing. The elven vampire gave a count¡ªone. That meant whoever was up there presently was alone. He couldn¡¯t be sure it was Elenore, though. This was certainly where she usually was, yet¡­


    Deciding it was a gamble worth taking, Argrave gave a nod, scanning everyone to be sure they were prepared. To show sincerity to Elenore, Argrave intended to bring everyone.


    Argrave pushed up on the stone b above. It was a heavy thing, and he hefted it aside.


    ¡°Who is it?¡± a familiar female voice greeted him as lifted the rock. ¡°This isn¡¯t on the schedule.¡±


    Argrave climbed up, taking a look around the verdant greenhouse. A wave of nostalgia rushed over him as he recognized the many nts around¡­ and the green-dressed person sitting at a pink table beside the fountain. She was thin, with long obsidian ck hair identical in color to his own.


    ¡°Hello, Elenore,¡± Argrave said levelly, rising to his feet and ncing about. True to Gmon¡¯s words, no one was present. ¡°This ce looks beautiful as usual.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t recognize your voice,¡± she said tensely, putting her hands on the arms of her wheelchair.


    ¡°It¡¯s Argrave,¡± he greeted. ¡°I¡¯d like to talk. It¡¯s rather important, so I hope you can forgive the rude entrance.¡±<!--


    -->

 Chapter 233

    Chapter 233: Princess, Locked Away


    Elenore saw nothing at all, as she ever did.


    Yet she could hear them. Multiple strangers, emerging from one of the secret passages she had installed to facilitate her agent¡¯s activities. It felt like her sanctuary had been vited¡ªnot the greenhouse, but her existence as the Bat. Though she always felt disconcerted by Argrave¡¯s unpredictable activities, she was confident it would be a long, long time before she ever spoke to him face-to-face, if at all.


    Elenore did not know why he hade here. Perhaps Induen had told him something. All of her servants would be away for a long while. She might call for help, yet none would hear her most likely¡ªeven if they did, it would only seal her fate. But then¡­ if Argrave intended to kill her, that would already be done.


    Still, she knew she could not wait passively.


    ¡°My servants will be by soon,¡± she lied at once. ¡°If you wish to speak, you might take me to a more private location.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°That seems¡ª¡± Argrave began, and Elenore thought he was agreeing. She heard something¡ªa scrape of leather, what she presumed to be a boot tapped against a boot, and Argrave grew quiet. ¡°No, let¡¯s stay here. I¡¯ll take my chances,¡± he said, leaving no room for argument.


    <em>Someone here knows I lie, and they told him. A traitor? </em>Elenore thought of all near her, listening to the way they breathed, walked, for any hint it might be someone close to her. <em>If it is a traitor, it is no wonder this is so well-timed. </em>


    Someone moved a little closer, and Elenore resisted the urge to tense. Argrave continued, ¡°Well, I think introductions are in order. I¡¯m here with Gmon. He¡¯s a snow elf. There¡¯s Durran¡ªhe¡¯s a tribal from the south, the Burnt Desert. And then there¡¯s Anneliese, my fianc¨¦e. Maybe you knew all this, but¡­¡±


    What he said matched with what Elenore knew, but she couldn¡¯t ce why he was saying this. Maybe he was lying to disguise who was truly here¡­ but his tone didn¡¯t betray dishonesty. But then, all her reports ced him as someone who was skilled at maniption. She couldn¡¯t say for sure.


    All of the people that Argrave introduced greeted her¡ªa deep, guttural voice from a man, a calm and smooth woman¡¯s voice, and a somewhat deep voice from another man. She didn¡¯t recognize any of them.


    ¡°May I sit?¡± Argrave asked.


    Elenore stayed silent for a few moments, then decided to probe his temperament with a minutelybative statement. ¡°Would it matter if I said no?¡±


    ¡°Well, I would have to stay standing. My legs might get tired,¡± Argrave returned. ¡°I suppose that isn¡¯t the end of the world.¡±


    His levity frustrated Elenore. She couldn¡¯t glean any of his intentions. But¡­ given all of his actions, she could assume that he wasn¡¯t here for a wholly negative purpose, such as vengeance for spurring conflict between him and Induen.


    ¡°You may sit,¡± Elenore agreed, seeing no merit to refusing.


    She heard the scrape of the metal chair against the stone, and then the brief movement of the wind as Argrave moved to sit. ¡°Thank you,¡± he said.


    ¡°What did you wish to speak of?¡± she got to the point, ceding the conversation to Argrave¡¯s direction. It was not the thing she was most eager to know¡ªshe wished to learn of how he¡¯d found that entrance, primarily¡ªbut it was the question she thought would yield the most information. Gaining knowledge of the situation was the most important thing to gaining control of it.


    She heard Argrave shift ahead of her, remaining silent. He did not hasten to speak¡ªit showed experience in conversation, she thought. Eventually, he said, ¡°I brought a gift for you. Gmon, could you please¡­?¡± She heard something heavy copse to the ground¡ªby the jingling, a bag or box full of loose metal pieces. ¡°Careful with that¡­¡± Argrave¡¯s voice tightened.


    After a few moments of metal jingling, Elenore¡¯s difort rose. ¡°Perhaps you had best tell me what it is.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll s¡ª¡± he stopped guiltily. ¡®See,¡¯ he had meant to say, Elenore knew. ¡°Well, it¡¯s jewelry. Experimental enchanted jewelry. I¡­ well, I can¡¯t fully describe what it does. This piece¡­ thanks, Gmon¡­¡± she heard the light clinking of metal as something was passed to him. ¡°This piece is a¡­ sort of a bronze w ring, covers the whole finger. A bit ungainly, I suppose¡­ may I put it on you?¡±


    She didn¡¯t know the answer to that question. Was he toying with her? Was it some foul implement? He had called it ¡®ungainly.¡¯ Or was it genuinely a gift?


    ¡°Let me hold it,¡± she requested after an uncertain moment. She held out her hand.


    She heard movement. ¡°Sure,¡± he said, and then something dropped into her hand.


    Elenore held it close, moving her fingers across it. It was a segmented ring that did indeed cover the whole finger, with a point at the end. From the feel and hardness of it, she judged it to be bronze as he said. It had some carvings on the side. She could feel no gemstones. Its insides had no spikes. Whether or not it was enchanted, she could not know.


    After a moment to muster herself, she slid the ring over her finger. Once it slid on¡­


    Pale beige. Her hand.


    Elenore recoiled from the strong sensation she felt, holding the hand with the ring out. Her breathing quickened involuntarily. For some strange reason, she had a sense of the space around her far enhanced beyond what it usually was. She lowered her hand ever so slowly. Her finger hovered. Some indiscernible sensation told her that the table was not an inch away. And after an inch lower¡­


    Steel painted bright pink. A table.


    Elenore held her finger there for a long, long time, taking hold of the sensation. It was not as though she could see once again. And yet¡­ she knew what was there. She understood the table, could grasp itpletely. She could perceive the pink like she truly saw it. It was like some sixth sense that was, in a way, far more urate than she ever recalled her sight being. She could barely distinguish the ground beneath the table, or Argrave¡¯s elbow resting atop it.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Argrave asked. ¡°Maybe you ought to take it off¡­¡±


    Elenore only now reflected back on herself. She was breathing quickly and sweating. Yet even still, this sensation pulled at her. It was like a drop of water to a man who¡¯d hiked the desert without.


    ¡°A book,¡± she said. ¡°Please, give me a book. On the table, over there. My maid was reading from it earlier.¡±


    She heard Argrave move. Now, she was more aware of him¡ªshe had an image of someone leaning forth, stretching their arm out. ¡°Here it is,¡± he narrated, setting it just before her.


    Elenore grasped the book, opening it to a random page. Slowly, tentatively, like everything would blow away if she moved too fast, she pressed her ringed finger against the top of the page.


    <em>Some nobles chose to offload the burden of collecting taxes to agencies. These agencies had tremendous influence in the past, often abusing the power vested in them by the lord to extort subjects out of things not ordinarily taxed, cows being the most prominent example. So long as the arrangement was mutually beneficial, the lords¡ª</em>


    Elenore lifted her finger up. She could read again. She could see the letters,prehend them, process them, all on her own. No longer did she have to rely on another for everything. Her world was no longer one consisting of trusting another. She felt a strong pull at her throat. It had been such a long time since she felt this feeling¡­ parts of it were missing, of course. The tears were the most recognizable part of crying, and she could not spill them.


    But Elenore did not forget herself. Gifts often costed more than gold. She could not allow herself to be ovee, not ever. She could not let anyone see her emote. Being ovee was the reason she had be as she was. It was the reason this ring affected her so to begin with.


    Princess Elenore took a long moment, steadying her breathing and ensuring her voice woulde out clearly. She acted as though she was reading along with the book. When next she spoke¡­


    ¡°Why are you giving this to me?¡± her voice came out smoothly.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Argrave scratched something¡ªshe couldn¡¯t tell what. Almost by instinct, she moved her hand closer, and the perception became clearer. He scratched his chin. ¡°That¡¯s only one piece of a set. The rest of it will augment what you¡¯re feeling now tremendously. Durran, could you put the rest of the stuff down?¡±


    ¡°What, Gmon gets a nice ¡®please,¡¯ but I don¡¯t?¡± Despite his protests, the man quickly ced some things on the table. When his hand moved by hers, she noticed something.


    ¡°You¡¯re missing fingers,¡± she whispered, then scolded herself. She was rattled. She hated feeling this way.


    The manughed. ¡°Huh. Guess the ring does work. Strange ce to see from, but if it works, it works.¡±


    ¡°Be polite, Durran,¡± Argrave reprimanded.


    ¡°Come on,¡± Durran said disbelievingly. ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything bad. Even if I did, she¡¯s a toughdy. She¡¯s gotta be.¡±


    Elenore cradled the ringed finger to numb the new sensations she was experiencing. ¡°You still did not tell me why, Argrave.¡±


    ¡°I need your help,¡± he said outright.


    The words were sobering, and helped Elenore master her emotions. ¡°With what?¡± she pressed, her mind falling back into its usual mode of risk-reward analysis.


    ¡°I need to prove something,¡± he said. ¡°To you. To a select few people besides you. Andter, to everyone.¡±


    Elenore was puzzled. She contemted his meaning¡ªwas it a metaphor? Did he intend to prove his mettle? Did he wish to prove some magical theory? She had heard whispers of something called Blood Infusion originating from Argrave¡ªwas it rted to that?


    Considering his geniality thus far, Elenore asked outright, ¡°What do you want to prove?¡±


    ¡°I know you pretty well. I don¡¯t think I¡¯m as smart as you, but I¡¯ve got a good grasp on what you¡¯ve been doing.¡± She heard the chair shift¡ªhe likely leaned back. ¡°Obviously, you¡¯re wondering how I learned of your secret passage. To that, I say this: I know about all of them. The drainage gate by the ss. The one in the shed for the gardeners. The emergency exit in your bedroom, behind your nightstand. I know you¡¯re the Bat, and I know your principal businesses¡ªthe brewery and alchemist partnerships, the sponsored enchanters, and probably more recently, the smiths and crafters.¡±


    The extent of his knowledge did unnerve her. If his source was a traitor, it was someone extremely close to her. It might be Therese, Elenore reasoned. Considering all that happened to her, it would not surprise.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to be frank with you, because I think you can appreciate that,¡± Argrave said. The chair shifted once again, and his voice grew closer. ¡°I didn¡¯t learn about any of this stuff through subterfuge or research. Everything I¡¯ve done¡ªmaybe I¡¯m getting an ego suggesting this, but I think you¡¯ve noticed how seemingly random and omniscient it is. The Veidimen invasion, that business in the Burnt Desert, or the gue and how to end it¡­ my source of knowledge is not of this world.¡±


    Elenore processed Argrave¡¯s ims quietly.


    ¡°I hope you can give me a chance to prove that,¡± Argrave said. ¡°And at the same time, prove that there¡¯s something extremely biging on the horizon. Something that can turn this entire continent upside down.¡± She perceived Argrave reaching out, but he hesitated to touch her and moved his hands back. ¡°I very desperately need your help. I can keep rattling off obscure factoids we both know to prove I¡¯m being honest, but at the end of the day it boils down to that. I need your help.¡±


    Elenore rubbed her hand against the w ring on her finger. As Argrave said, it was ungainly, and the point was sharp and ufortable. Yet even as she sat there, she perceived her skin. She had grown much paler, she realized. Whenst she remembered seeing her skin, it had been so much tanner.


    Sentimentality at the gift made her wish to say yes, she consciously realized. Yet¡­ she could not think this way. It only led to suffering. Induen had been led by his sentimentality, his emotions. She could not allow herself to meet the same fate.


    Yet¡­ rationally speaking¡­ Argrave, too, was another opportunity. She would have to discern, study, and evaluate how this unexpected happening fit into her ns. She had done so with all of her agents once before¡ªthis was merely another to fit into the design. She could not turn it away. He¡¯d already proven himself to be capable of gaining things of great value.


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk specifically,¡± Elenore finally said.<!--


    -->

 Chapter 234

    Chapter 234: City of Dragons


    ¡°We can get into the specifics of what I intend to prove, of course,¡± Argrave told Elenore. ¡°On top of that, I have some information that leads me to believe there might be a traitor in your group. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re curious about the items I¡¯ve just onloaded onto you. That said, I¡¯ve also not slept for what feels like days. The drainage gate passage¡ªthere¡¯s a safehouse in it. Is it empty? Can we use it? I¡¯d like to stay within Dirracha, and considering what happened with Induen, I can¡¯t exactly roam about freely.¡±


    Elenore let out a shocked chuckle. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s empty. Considering no one has used it before, of course it¡¯s empty. You may use it as you please.¡±


    Argrave¡¯s ims of otherworldly knowledge gained more credence with every new detail he revealed, but Elenore had to remain skeptical. A traitor? Was he hinting at something, or being genuine? She might be drawn into a trap if she too readily epted what he told her. Argrave was a very valuable piece she could utilize¡ªdespite the south¡¯spunctions with his close ties with foreigners, he remained a closely-considered candidate that the rebels might herald. Having him at hand could be very useful for her future.


    ¡°I appreciate it. We¡¯ll convene tomorrow.¡± She heard the chair shift, and presumed Argrave rose up to his feet. ¡°I hope that we¡¯lle to work together closely in theing month. If I know you, you¡¯re thinking that you should go along with me out of practicality above anything¡­ Anneliese?¡±


    Elenore did her best to keep her reaction to his urate words muted. She wondered why he had called out his fianc¨¦e¡¯s name.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Argrave said after a moment. ¡°I hope you enjoy the gift. I think you¡­ deserve it.¡±


    Elenore caught his pause. She wondered what it meant¡ªwas there some drawback to these pieces, a cost of some sort?


    ¡°Well, have a nice day, Elenore. Don¡¯t stay up all night reading. It¡¯s bad for you.¡±


    Argrave walked away, and hispanions followed just after him.


    ¡°Wait,¡± Elenore called out. ¡°Induen.¡±


    Argrave scoffed. ¡°Him? Oh, I imagine you¡¯d like his si ring. Given its uses in forging and the like, I imagine you¡¯ll find more use out of it than I will¡­¡± she heard him rummaging through his pockets.


    ¡°No,¡± Elenore said, moving her head to where his voice came from. ¡°Induen sought to ally with you. He avoided my informants because he sought to avoid conflict with you, opposite my intentions. So, why did you decide to act as you did?¡±


    ¡°He made some very untenable suggestions,¡± Argrave said with some degree of levity. His next words werepletely serious as he continued, ¡°More than that¡­ he was a tumor. I had a chance to excise that tumor before it could cause more damage than it already has. He wanted to kill you, you know. Everybody¡¯s future is a lot brighter without his shadow over it. You can trust that.¡±


    ¡°Without doubt,¡± Elenore confirmed.


    Argrave chuckled. ¡°But¡­ well, Induen is just one limb of Felipe¡¯s shadow,¡± he said grimly, then paused for a long while. ¡°And our true enemy¡­ has yet¡­ to reveal himself,¡± Argrave finished, mimicking some strange ent. His voice trailed off as he grew further away.


    Elenore kept listening as Argrave departed, paying close attention to the footfalls against the stone. It was only after near a minute had passed that her posture rxed somewhat. She ran the w ring across the pink metal table, the book, and then found some of the other pieces ced atop it.


    After a moment¡­ Elenore wheeled her chair forward personally. She could perceive the wheels turning as she touched them¡ªthe coarseness of the wood that had rolled against the ground for months on end, the light brown impably polished. She stopped at a point. She knew where to stop¡ªnot from smell, nor sound, nor touch¡­ but because she could perceive.


    Princess Elenore held her hand out, moving past the flower and grabbing the stem. She made out a bright blue bulb glowing, pulsing. She smiled and tore it free, and the glow doubled in intensity. As she enjoyed the unprecedented sensation, for some reason she was reminded she had not thanked Argrave. Her smile faded. Feeling disquieted, she let the flower fall from her grip.


    Elenore leaned back and sighed. Had she really had that conversation? With whom? Who was Argrave? As ever, her sole need was information.


    #####


    ¡°Big day tomorrow. We¡¯d best sleep immediately.¡± Argrave noted as he weaved through this familiar maze of flowers and greenery.


    Everything here exuded richness and profoundness¡ªthe greens felt deeper, the purples more regal, and the sunlight itself warped through the ss above into something that cast beautiful shadows over the marble walkway.


    ¡°After we put everything with Elenore into motion, start the process of getting her looped in¡­ there are some things that need to be done in Dirracha. I¡¯ll¡ª¡± Argrave nced back as he walked, and cut himself off. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    Durran had paused and examined the nearby nts. As though shaken from a stupor by Argrave¡¯s voice, he shook his head and turned back, walking to rejoin them. ¡°Nothing. Sorry. Move on,mander.¡±


    Argrave¡¯s frown slowly morphed into a slight smile. ¡°I forgot. You like gardening. Of course you¡¯d be interested in a ce like this.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Durran said, voice uncharacteristically loud. ¡°When did I say I liked gardening?¡±


    ¡°When have you needed to tell me things about yourself?¡± Argrave reminded him.


    ¡°Well¡­ it¡¯s not¡­¡± Durran looked to Anneliese, and his words caught in his throat like he realized any denial would be fruitless. ¡°¡­pisser,¡± he cursed beneath his breath. ¡°Fine. Yeah. Whatever. I was just thinking¡­ wasn¡¯t bad enough your dad cut off her feet and gouged out her eyes, he confines her to a ce like this. Some cruel joke, like doing that wasn¡¯t punishment enough.¡±


    ¡°Provided you clear it with Elenore, she can probably work something out about letting youe here often,¡± Argrave said. ¡°And I¡¯ll keep to my word. After the things you did in the wends, I¡¯ll give you some money, let you have a little bit of fun in the city.¡±


    ¡°¡­and if Orion¡¯s here? Bit of a damper for fun,¡± Durran questioned.


    Argrave paused and swallowed. ¡°Well, you¡¯ll have to recite all 96 gods,¡± Argrave said with a smile. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right. We¡¯ll get a handle of the situation with Elenore.¡± His gaze switched to Gmon. ¡°And you. Be careful hunting. There¡¯s somepetition for food in this city.¡±


    Gmon adjusted his helmet. ¡°I am careful.¡±


    Argrave nodded in contentment. ¡°Then¡­ at morning, you and I will parse through the stuff we looted from the fortress,¡± Argrave looked to Anneliese. ¡°We¡¯ll prepare a nice little package for Elenore to sell, earn some additional financing. Returns will be much quicker than with ine, and it¡¯ll be necessary in the further reaches of the north. The princess is¡­ capable.¡±


    ¡°Certainly,¡± Anneliese agreed easily.


    With a nod, Argravemended them, saying, ¡°Excellent. A lot of plots are tightly entwined here. Gmon. The solution to your problem¡­¡± Argrave referred to his vampirism vaguely, feeling no need to take risks. ¡°The ball will start rolling here. And I imagine you¡¯ll be just as eager to see this proof as Elenore is, Durran. As for myself, well¡­ maybe we¡¯ll find out if Orion was right, and I do have a divine right. Something tells me a few key points may have been lost in trantion between the gods, Orion, and me.¡±


    Despite their fatigue, Argrave¡¯s words seemed to rouse everyone, even himself.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°I love big cities,¡± Argrave ruminated, moving to action once again. ¡°Let¡¯s enjoy our stay at the City of Dragons.¡±


    #####


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m certain. Do not bar me further,¡± Orion cautioned.


    ¡°Y-yes, my prince,¡± the dirty-looking man wearing ragged, almost disposable rags lowered his body deeply.


    Orion stepped past the metal gate and down the stairs below. The way was dark, dimly lit by cheap magic lights. After a while, he smelled something foul, and knew he was near.


    Prince Orion emerged into the sewers of Dirracha. This ce, though foul, was well-constructed and well-maintained, unlike the sewers of old. Water was not vital with the existence of mages, but proper harvests were¡ªwaste was generally used for fertilizer, helping ensure the best harvests. Orion had been taught as much in his education as a prince.


    The gods had been whispering at him feverishly, instructing him toe to the sewers in myriad ways, and growing more frustrated as he visited more and more of them. His father had tasked him with finding Argrave, and this was their advice.


    Yet he could not understand it. Every day, he felt himself insufficient toprehend their guidance.


    Orion stepped down the pathways, looking around not knowing for what. His father had directed him to find Argrave and deal with him. He could not disobey an order from his father¡ªit was not right, not holy. Yet even still¡­ his fathermanded him to sin. To y a brother, as Argrave had done.


    The news of Induen¡¯s death felt like the world turning up on itself. He had trusted Argrave. The man had acted selflessly¡ªhe had acted against his own interest, trying and bleeding to put an end to the gue. And now, Argrave had turned his back on his family. He hadmitted a grave sin.


    Was it his fault? Orion felt that it was. He felt party to the sphemy. He should have known better¡ªshould have thought longer. All of this could have been avoided. Argrave promised to teach him how to do these things, and yet¡­


    Orion stopped, closing his eyes and listening to the whispers of the gods. Here, in the silence of the sewers, he could hear them all too clearly.


    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have listened to Argrave,¡± he told them. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have listened to Induen.¡±


    Their whispers returned. They were too many to make sense of¡ªsome offeredfort, some gloated over his poor judgement, some advised him, and some ignored him altogether.


    Orion opened his eyes like epiphany dawned on him, and he leaned against the slick, wet wall. A thought raced through his head. Was that their message? Was that <em>Argrave¡¯s </em>message?


    Should he¡­ stop listening?


    Orion grabbed at his chest, feeling as though his heart would burst free. He felt sick and wrong, entertaining even the notion. Before he knew it, Orion was furiously racing up. He ran out back to where the sewer keeper was, and immediately stepped out. His royal knights were waiting for him outside, yet he ran past them, down the perfect streets of Dirracha.


    To stop listening¡­ to stop being told what to do¡­ Orion felt it was a perverse notion. Yet nothing had ever called to him so strongly. He had been taught enough. Perhaps it was time to learn. Perhaps it was time to be as everyone else and find his answers with his own ability.<!--


    -->

 Chapter 235

    Chapter 235: Help Yourself


    It was early morning. Durran stood near arge bush covered in ck flowers. Though he noticed the blooms, his interest seemed to be focused on how they grew and how they were nted above anything else. He toyed with the leaves, almost testing them. He was so absorbed in the task that he could not hear someone moving towards him.


    ¡°Durran, yes?¡± Elenore asked, her chairing to halt.


    He jumped slightly, but then rose up to his feet. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s me. Just enjoying the¡­ the fragrance of this ce. Never been anywhere like here, before. It¡¯s a bit sparse in terms of flora where I lived, not sure if you know¡­¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Elenore nodded. She was much more decorated than she had been yesterday, having donned much of the bronze jewelry Argrave had brought her¡ªnes, bracelets, earrings, even more of the ungainly w rings. ¡°The Burnt Desert. A long way from home. A long way to travel,¡± she said, a question hidden on her tone.


    Durran stared at her empty sockets for a long while. ¡°It is. He¡¯s not paying me, either. I¡¯m either quite the sucker¡­ or Argrave¡¯s maybe got something special to him.¡± Durranughed quietly. ¡°Gods, even that silent giant Gmon got paid. At least Anneliese is getting some nightly¡­ well, let¡¯s not get graphic.¡±


    Elenore exhaled from her nose¡ªnot quite augh, but near it. ¡°I noticed you don¡¯t like to do that.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that mean?¡± Durran scratched the back of his head.


    ¡°You refrain from talking about what you see near me,¡± Elenore continued.


    Durran shifted on his feet. ¡°Well¡­ it¡¯s a bit distasteful, I think. Hey, I can see all this cool stuff! Wow, it¡¯s so beautiful!¡± Durran waved his hands about. ¡°Like I was telling Argrave, I think that was the point of this ce. Every time someone visits you, they talk about this ce¡¯s beauty. Like a constant reminder of what you¡¯re missing.¡±


    ¡°Maybe,¡± Elenore nodded.


    ¡°Your dad¡¯s a real sack of shit,¡± Durran looked up to the ss above.


    Elenore tilted her head but did not disagree. ¡°Why would you think I would not like to hear I am surrounded by beauty?¡±


    Durran stared at her face. ¡°Surrounded by it, huh?¡± Heughed and scratched his chin. ¡°Well¡­ suppose it doesn¡¯t matter anymore. You can see things again, if I¡¯m understanding Argrave right.¡±


    ¡°I can perceive things, especially if I touch them,¡± Elenore said. ¡°But¡­ yes, I have a rough awareness of the space around me, now. If I had my prosthetics, I suspect I could walk without bumping into anything. But they hurt if I wear them too long. I don¡¯t wear them often.¡±


    Durran put his hand on his armor¡¯s belt, staring at her missing feet with consideration. ¡°You know¡­ Argrave¡¯s said he¡¯s going to help me regrow my fingers.¡±


    Silence reigned for a moment, and then she asked, ¡°Do you believe him?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re supposed to be the master of an informationwork. You tell me,¡± Durran pointed to her with his hand missing three fingers. ¡°You¡¯ve heard of what he¡¯s done. You know what he¡¯s capable of. I get some skepticism, but¡­ good gods, we¡¯ve got a silver tter and you¡¯re still testing the meal for poison. Argrave is being honest with you¡ªthis is an earth-shattering event.¡±


    Elenore ced her hands on herp. ¡°I hope you can appreciate it might be difficult to trust when someone I thought loved me sawed my feet off. He stared me in the face as he gouged out my eyes so that his visage was thest thing I beheld.¡±


    Durran stood still for a time, digesting her point and debating whether or not to say something. ¡°Well, I knew a guy that had no arms or legs. Had to be carried everywhere. His son did that to him,¡± Durran emphasized thest part inparison. ¡°He started off just like you¡ªskeptical of everything, everyone.¡± Durran shook his head. ¡°Key phrase there is ¡®knew a guy.¡¯ He couldn¡¯t trust anyone until the end. Now, he¡¯s dead. Just a memory in my head. I don¡¯t want to see history repeating itself.¡±


    Elenore kept her face towards him, silent. Durran didn¡¯t have Anneliese¡¯s ability, but he thought she was a bit stunned. Eventually, she pursed her lips and said, ¡°Every conversation I share, I am the weaker party. I am always the lesser, and the lesser is discarded <em>without fail</em>. I act this way because I must.¡±


    Durran shook his head. ¡°You did. That¡¯s changed.¡± He let out a long, piteous sigh. ¡°I¡¯ll admit¡ªwhat you¡¯ve built from your position? It¡¯s incredible. I don¡¯t think anyone else could have done it. All you had starting off was a few servants loyal to your father first, and your word. Shoddy tools for building anything¡­ but you¡¯ve built an empire. What now? Stand on your tower alone? Sounds¡­ empty,¡± Durran shrugged.


    ¡°I¡ª¡± Elenore began, her voice with more inflection that it usually had. She turned her head off to the side. ¡°It seems I share too much. Argrave gave good advice to sleep tonight, and it seems I ignored it. I should retire. Forgive me.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°You¡¯re apologizing?¡± Durran furrowed his brows, confused. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t ept your apology. Consider yourself unforgiven. Own who you are. Decide if that¡¯s who you want to be,¡± he pointed to her.


    Elenore did not respond, her head still facing off to the side.


    Durran clicked his tongue and shifted on his feet. ¡°I should get back. You want me to roll you somewhere before I go?¡±


    ¡°If you wish,¡± she answered vaguely.


    ¡°Oh, yeah, I¡¯m jumping for joy,¡± Durranughed. ¡°Do I want to help you? No. You have to want it. That¡¯s another lesson I learned, at a little ce called Sethia.¡± Durranughed again and shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ll leave you be. Get some rest, if you want.¡±


    Durran moved away in a brisk pace. Elenore remained in ce, listening to him leave. After a while, she let out another lightugh through her a nose, a little stronger this time.


    #####


    ¡°I trust you¡¯re familiar with a group called the Rancor?¡± Argrave questioned Elenore, feeling rejuvenated after a good sleep.


    They sat together in a more secluded ce than they had yesterday¡ªinstead of in the main courtyard, they were in Elenore¡¯s room sitting around a table. The ce was just arge undecorated bed and table in a veritable gardener¡¯s shed. Elenore had foregone the presence of servants, perhaps to better hide Argrave¡¯s presence. Gmon stood at the doorway, monitoring the outside.


    ¡°Certainly,¡± Elenore nodded. She had donned most of the bronze pieces that Argrave had gave her. The bronze shed with her obsidian hair but matched well with the green she usually donned. ¡°We have some ties. They¡¯re smugglers, mostly, but a general criminal syndicate here in the capital. Why? Are they the source of this traitor you mentioned?¡±


    Argrave shook his head. Anneliese noticed something on a stand in the corner of the room and stood from her seat, moving to examine it. Argrave followed Anneliese with his gaze as he answered Elenore, ¡°Not likely, no. Maybe I¡¯d best pass on the message directly. ¡®The Bat cannot hear everything, especially not that hiding in its own fur,¡¯¡± Argrave repeated Ingo¡¯s warning. ¡°A little warning from a friend.¡±


    ¡°Prophecy,¡± Elenore noted. Behind her, Anneliese fiddled with a white apparatus that looked to handle water.


    ¡°You can think of it like that,¡± Argrave nodded, furrowing his brows as he watched Anneliese. ¡°Be careful. I know you¡¯re good at what you do, but working with scummy people tends to be challenging,¡± Argrave said, thinking of the journey with the two Magisters. ¡°Even if you think I¡¯m just a nut, better safe than sorry.¡±


    ¡°This brews tea,¡± Anneliese said in revtion.


    Argrave smiled. ¡°Anne¡­¡±


    ¡°Forgive me,¡± she set it down. ¡°It just drew my attention.¡±


    Argrave was surprised by her uncharacteristic absent-mindedness. They had discussed the meeting with Elenore in great detail this morning, and both felt things were going well. At the very least, they were going ording to n. Even still, she usually did not lose herself to fancy as she had in months prior. This was the first time in a long while.


    ¡°She¡¯s fine,¡± Elenore held up her hand, the bronze bangle on her wrist clinking about. ¡°I¡¯ll limit visits from non-essential personnel, have people watch key entrances,¡± she decided. ¡°It is as you say. I cannot be too cautious.¡±


    ¡°You can be too cautious,¡± contributed Durran. Argrave looked at him, puzzled, but saw Elenore smile faintly and decided to drop it.


    ¡°The upper echelon of Rancor,¡± Argrave brought the topic back to the matter at hand. ¡°Noticed any incongruities?¡±


    Elenore shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡±


    ¡°You should doublecheck that,¡± Argrave tapped the table. ¡°Get some of your best guys on it. I think you¡¯ll be surprised by what you find¡­ and once you find it, we can proceed from there.¡±


    Elenore nodded. ¡°Alright. If I find nothing?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Point andugh at me, throw me out,¡± Argrave shrugged, running out of ways to say that he wouldn¡¯t be wrong.


    Elenore retrieved some paper and a writing implement and wrote things down. The lines were sloppy, but legible. A smile came to his face as he watched her write¡ªit felt fulfilling.


    ¡°And what will you do?¡± she questioned, setting her implement aside.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Argrave leaned in a bit closer. ¡°What have you heard?¡±


    Elenore¡¯s lips twitched as she debated what to say. Eventually, she decided. ¡°Build your own army. A better one.¡±


    ¡°Yep,¡± Argrave lightly pped the table and rose. ¡°Lot of untapped forces in the north. I need to tap them. And I think I can. Anneliese and I will work things out.¡±


    ¡°Like Veiden?¡± her head turned to Anneliese, eyeless sockets dark.


    Argraveughed. ¡°Oh yeah. And the Burnt Desert, too. Got an army of wyvern-riding tribals.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Just a bunch of people who want something. Some people have power but want prestige. Others, the inverse. Speak the right words, the north folds. Doubly so if rumors of Felipe¡¯s spreading the gue to the south gets out.¡±


    ¡°The self-governing city,¡± Elenore turned her head back to Argrave. ¡°The merchant oligarchs.¡±


    Argrave furrowed his brows but smiled. ¡°You¡¯re pretty smart.¡± Argrave tapped the chair a few times, then said, ¡°Thanks for your hospitality. Send for me anytime you want to talk further.¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± Elenore said as Argrave made to leave, the others rising to follow. Argrave paused and looked back¡ªElenore looked flustered, like she hadn¡¯t intended to say ¡®wait.¡¯


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she said quietly.


    ¡°Yeah, sure,¡± Argrave epted it easily.


    ¡°For what?¡± Durran pressed sternly. Argrave looked at him, perplexed.


    ¡°For¡­ these,¡± Elenore gestured to the w rings over her fingers. ¡°I¡­ have never received anything that¡­¡± She shook her head and ran her fingers through her hair. ¡°I like it very much,¡± she said quickly.


    ¡°Well, that was the hope. Kind of why I got it,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°Enjoy. You deserve it.¡±<!--


    -->

 Chapter 236

    Chapter 236: First Breath of a Titan


    Elenore heard approaching footsteps. She had a clock on the table before her. The set of jewelry that Argrave had given her augmented the sensation she felt from the first ring¡ªwith each new piece, it was like a bubble of absolute perception expanding outwards. She had a dim cognizance of everything around her. It was more than sight¡ªit was understanding. She could read a closed book, perceive the gears working in the small clock, or even delve into someone¡¯s anatomy if she so wished it.


    And she had. Argrave¡¯s heart¡­ it pumped ck blood and shone like an amethyst. His eyes were ck and gold, though bits of the gray she remembered still showed on them. She had enough questions about him before that revtion¡­ yet now, they were doubled. She had not known him very well, but he had evidently changed too much.


    A man opened the door and stepped into the shed that was her room.


    ¡°Ruleo,¡± Elenore turned her head. ¡°You¡¯re early.¡±


    ¡°Never hurts to be,¡± he stepped in closer.


    As he stepped into her range of perception, Elenore perceived Ruleo for the first time. She had always figured him to be a gruff, ugly man. He was gruff, but she could not call him ugly in good faith. He had dark hair and a well-trimmed beard, with bright white eyes that were especially striking next to his dark features. His heavy, jutting brows make him look naturally angry.


    Elenore gestured to the chair across from her. ¡°Have a seat.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s with the getup?¡± Ruleo¡¯s eyes wandered the various bronze pieces she wore. ¡°Did you have a change of maids? It¡¯s not very¡­ not like usual,¡± he said, softening the criticism.


    ¡°It¡¯s a gift from a¡­¡± Elenore shook her head. ¡°Just sit.¡±


    ¡°You actually have people that give you gifts?¡± he pulled back the chair and sat, letting out a grunt. ¡°So, you¡¯ve got another job you can¡¯t afford to fail? Best pay well. I have some arrangements to keep. I haven¡¯t been idle.¡±


    ¡°You align rather well with something I¡¯ve been looking into,¡± Elenore said at once. ¡°And I had some questions for you.¡±


    Ruleo leaned back, squinting at her suspiciously. ¡°Go on, then.¡±


    ¡°Rancor. I need your investigative capabilities. You¡¯re already fairly close with them,¡± Elenore said at once.


    Ruleo swallowed, looking more annoyed than anything. ¡°They put a lot of money in my pocket.¡±


    ¡°They help you find Order of the Rose ruins to explore, you mean,¡± Elenore said. ¡°They grow your unorthodox list of spellsrger every day.¡±


    Ruleo tapped the table, smiling. ¡°Well, well. I¡¯m ousted. Given what they offer an unaffiliated spellcaster like myself, you can see why I¡¯m not eager to jump ship.¡±


    ¡°It puts some things in perspective,¡± Elenore nodded. ¡°Why you know so many spells, despite not being a member of the Order of the Gray Owl.¡±


    Ruleo shook his head quietly. ¡°What¡¯s the counteroffer, then?¡±


    ¡°I can give you every bit of information they have,¡± Elenore said. ¡°If it¡¯s documented, you¡¯ll get those documents. If its members have it memorized, they¡¯ll recite them to me. On top of that¡­¡± Elenore pursed her lips. ¡°I know someone who might be able to help you find all the Rose ruins you could ever want.¡±


    Ruleo raised a brow. ¡°That right?¡±


    ¡°It is,¡± Elenore nodded in confirmation.


    Ruleo scratched at his eyes drowsily. ¡°Alright,¡± he enunciated deliberately. ¡°Tell me what to do.¡±


    ¡°In time,¡± Elenore nodded. ¡°I want to know why you¡¯re interested in Argrave.¡±


    Ruleo cackled. Hisugh was quite unusual¡ªrapid and loud, like a hyena. ¡°Interested? Was that my phrasing?¡±


    ¡°¡­not quite,¡± Elenore said after Ruleo¡¯sughter died down. ¡°You must¡¯ve heard of recent happenings.¡±


    ¡°Mmm. When one snake eats another, the rats rejoice,¡± Ruleo noted, lounging. ¡°Kinying Serpent, they¡¯re calling him. News has been spreading that Induen¡¯s body was eaten by ants. Rumor got distorted¡ªapparently, Argrave devoured the corpse himself.¡± Ruleo cackled once again, and then scratched the top of his lips. ¡°Now, he¡¯s the Kineating Serpent. Kinyer, Kineater¡­¡± Ruleo trailed off.


    ¡°You don¡¯t sound happy,¡± Elenore stated.


    Ruleo looked down at his hands. ¡°People hated Induen. He was Felipe¡¯s hand. Suppressed dissidents, crushed revolts, took a hand in things personally. That hatred was on a perfectly bnced scale, the other side weighed down by fear and respect. That was probably Felipe¡¯s design. He¡¯s preparing for session.¡± Ruleo sighed. ¡°Argrave put an end to that. Combined with the already-swirling rumors about his heroics¡­ the gue, the Veidimen¡­ the legion of ghostly snakes, supposedly a blessing from the founder of House Vasquer¡­ it¡¯s nauseating to hear them praise him like he¡¯s some hero.¡±


    ¡°Why do you hate him?¡± Elenore asked bluntly.


    Ruleo turned his eyes towards her. ¡°You have ns for him,¡± he noted.


    ¡°You can imagine why I need to know,¡± she said, disguising her intent. ¡°A new variable. Another piece, with ripples to follow.¡±


    ¡°Is he a piece anymore?¡± Ruleo questioned.


    ¡°Everyone is. I am. You are. King Felipe is. No one is removed from things. No one can simply watch while things unfold. All are affected,¡± Elenore shook her head. ¡°To that point¡­ talk of your history with Argrave.¡±


    ¡°My father was the royal keeper of the hounds,¡± Ruleo said grimly. ¡°Managed all of the dogs for hunts, searches, and other such excursions.¡± He leaned in a fair bit closer, white eyes sharp. ¡°That should tell you enough. Jog your memory.¡±


    Elenore did recall a major incident involving the keeper of the hounds. Her memory was not absolutely clear about the matter, so she pressed for more, saying, ¡°You certainly concealed that detail well.¡±


    Ruleo looked surprised, but he quickly corrected his expression and said neutrally, ¡°I took some measures.¡±


    ¡°Did you know Argrave at all?¡±


    Ruleo had a hate-filled smile and said through clenched teeth, ¡°All too well. Nobles and other royals refused to associate with a bastard. But he was weed, amodated, and nearly worshipped by the children of the royal servants.¡± Ruleo rubbed his hands together. ¡°Awkward. Towered above some adults even when young. He stuttered and wasn¡¯t particrly assertive. Made him feel¡­ innocent, na?ve. But all of that was just a mask for the same vindictiveness and cruelty the rest of you snakes have.¡±


    Elenore thought to what Argrave was now. It was such a far cry from the young boy Ruleo described. All of his people seemed undyingly loyal to him¡ªnot out of fear, or low maniption¡­ but respect and even love. He reined in someone like Durran. Someone like him must¡¯ve surely been a nightmare¡­n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°I regret bragging,¡± Ruleo continued with another sigh.


    ¡°Bragging?¡± Elenore repeated, brought back to the matter at hand.


    Ruleo nodded. ¡°Yes. When my father found out I might be capable of using magic, he toiled to earn me a spot in the Order. I bragged to people¡ªfriends. Those friends told Argrave. And Argrave¡­ took all of that toil.¡±


    ¡°He took your spot in the Order? How?¡±


    Ruleo crossed his arms, looking ill at ease. ¡°Noble children were having an outing in the forests. Something stupid¡­ can¡¯t remember,¡± he shook his head. ¡°Argrave released all of the dogs, set them into a frenzy. med my father.¡±


    Elenore tilted her head. ¡°I don¡¯t recall deaths.¡±


    ¡°Of course not. My father was a good trainer,¡± Ruleo threw up his hands. ¡°But piss-for-brains aristocracy listened to Argrave. They believed him when he stuttered out that it was some sort of assassination attempt. Even when the bastard so tantly asked to receive what was mine¨C!¡± Ruleo tapped his chest, anger rising, yet it waned quickly as he brought himself back under control. ¡°My father was executed. Mother¡¯s still kicking¡ªshe¡¯s too bitter to die. And Argrave was on the fast track to bing a Wizard of the Order. A joke, this kingdom of ours.¡±


    Elenore nodded. ¡°It is.¡±


    ¡°Listen¡­¡± Ruleo looked around. ¡°Rancor¡ªthey¡¯re particrly attached to a headquarters of theirs. They utterly refuse to give it up, reveal its location, or allow anyone inside. It¡¯s not like your ordinary syndicate, ready to migrate at any moment. I can start there. Your people can, too.¡±


    ¡°That sounds promising,¡± Elenore nodded.


    #####


    ¡°An army, like a serpent, goes upon its belly,¡± Argrave dered. ¡°Vasquer is a serpent already, so it¡¯s a fitting little quote from someone¡­ I can¡¯t remember who,e to think of it. Maybe Sun Tzu. Or was it¡­?¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°Whatever. Neither Parbon nor Vasquer have idled throughout the winter. The bulk of that time has undoubtedly been spent preparing provisions for the war.¡±


    All of them were in Elenore¡¯s safehouse¡ªa quaint ce with plenty of storage and sleeping space, though little in the way of privacy. Shelves had been carved out of the stone, and the ce had been made into a little home for them to stay. Argrave sat in a bed just beside Anneliese, while Durran sat cross-legged and Gmon stood. All were surrounded by a ward of Anneliese¡¯s making.


    ¡°It¡¯s true. Grand armies¡­ difficult to sustain. An army of ten thousand might eat twice as many meals a day,¡± Gmon contributed. ¡°It¡¯s a blight upon thend, constantly eating food without providing any in return. Such is why armies resort to raiding.¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°Early winter finished off the harvest, preserved the food properly. Now we¡¯re nearing the end of winter. Spring ising. Snow everywhere is melting, and the fighting is sure to bloom just like the flowers.¡±


    ¡°Strategy and flowerynguage don¡¯t mix. Wax poetic another time,¡± Durran chided jokingly. ¡°What¡¯re you getting at?¡±


    Anneliese leaned in on Argrave. ¡°Argrave and I think that Felipe¡¯s handling of obtaining provisions presents an opportunity.¡±


    Argrave nodded, a grim smile on his face. ¡°This is only a theory of mine. Elenore¡¯s going to be important in helping to confirm it. More than castles and ancestry, money is power. Money is the most tangible form of power¡ªthe ability to get others to do what you want. Parbon might¡¯ve bought extra grain and crops en masse, but Vasquer certainly wouldn¡¯t. They¡¯d seize it by force. A lot of people with a lot of money are sorely angered.¡±


    Anneliese continued, saying, ¡°Though we already had ns to head to a city called Relize, an effectively self-governed city and financial engine for the north, Argrave thinks there is merit in looking for more opportunities. If Relize is discontent, there are certainly many more experiencing the same.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s say you need to build a supply system in short order,¡± Argrave continued excitedly. ¡°One winter, perhaps. The easiest way is tomandeer what already exists. Caravans, supply ships, baggage trains and beasts of burdens¡­ these people and possessions will undoubtedly be conscripted for the war effort. Vasquer strikes at the supplies of the south directly, but I think our point of focus should be these means of conveyance. Elenore can offer that opportunity.¡±


    Gmon crossed his arms and looked around. ¡°It would work,¡± he said. ¡°Doing it¡­ organizing mass coordination between parties of varying interests¡­ execution is always different than theory. Always harder.¡±


    ¡°Elenore is rather adroit at that,¡± Argrave said. ¡°Mass coordination, that is.¡±


    ¡°I thought we were building an army,¡± Durran leaned back on his hands. ¡°Not that I dislike this notion. I mean, it might turn around on us¡­¡±


    ¡°Turn around?¡± Argrave furrowed his brows.


    ¡°Might make them pursue the south more aggressively. Our northern adversaries might raid viges for food, attack incautiously for supplies¡­¡± Durran shrugged. ¡°My people often went to war for that reason. Rather than starve, we fought. From what I talk about with Gmon, his people are simr. Their way is more so hunting parties and fishing journeys than raids, though.¡±


    ¡°The south is disadvantaged. They have to fight defensively. Foolhardy aggression from their enemies might be what they need,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°And if they¡¯re harried by others on a different front? Well¡­¡± Argrave smiled. ¡°We will bring an army, Durran. Mingling with the patricians in Relize is the most important part of it. In a ce dominated by the merchant ss, ample muscle is needed to protect their interests. If they can be interested in fighting on my behalf?¡± Argrave raised his hands up. ¡°Well. That¡¯s quite the kickstart for resistance in the north.¡±<!--


    -->

 Chapter 237: New Inner Circle

    Chapter 237: New Inner Circle


    ¡°You controlled me,¡± Durran said, his brows furrowed and eyes staring at the ground. They sat in the saferoom, the other two busy with their own tasks. A ward concealed their conversation.


    Argrave scratched the back of his neck. ¡°Well, let¡¯s not make it weird.¡±


    Durran looked up. ¡°Bit toote for that, Argrave. Are you¡­ you didn¡¯t take anything strange this morning?¡± He scanned his eyes like he was looking for dted pupils. ¡°Keep going. How?¡±


    ¡°Well, with a¡­¡± Argrave held up his hands, fiddling with his thumbs. ¡°A controller. A little object, with buttons and a rubber stick that could move in all directions. That¡¯s how I moved you.¡±


    Durran stared at Argrave,pletely silent.


    ¡°Sometimes I¡¯d use a keyboard. It was a little board with a lot of buttons, one for each letter and numeral. Plus some¡­ symbols,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°Listen¡ªjust think of it like this. I¡¯ve done all of this before. I know this world very well. I experienced things through you and some others.¡± Argrave leaned and patted Durran on the shoulder. ¡°Just thought it was long overdue to tell you. You¡¯ve been doing good work. And that brings us to the reward I promised you,¡± Argrave continued quickly, retrieving a prepared package that jingled.


    Argrave threw the bag at Durran, and the man quickly threw his hand up and caught it with his left hand. It slid out of his two remaining fingers, but the other hand quickly caught it so adeptly he seemed used to doing so.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Argrave apologized. ¡°But that¡¯s¡­ well, it¡¯s a lot of cash. Two pink coins, fifty of those gold ones.¡±


    Durran¡¯s face brightened at once. ¡°You¡¯re kidding.¡± He grabbed the string binding the bag closed and pulled it, opening it up. At once, some of the sheening rose gold magic coins veritably shone out of the bag, as though the leather concealed rainbows instead of metal. ¡°This is¡­ good gods. This is a lot of reward. I¡ª¡± Durran paused. ¡°Forget that. You can¡¯t just cut me off at that point. What in the world is ¡®Heroes of Berendar?¡¯ This is thest damn exnation I expected!¡±


    Argrave looked around as though someone might hear, but the ward blocked all sound from escaping. ¡°Well, it¡¯s just like I said.¡±


    ¡°This ce was a game for you,¡± Durran pointed to the ground. ¡°I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s a pretty far cry from some card game or¡­ or a weaved ball you¡¯d kick about on a dune of sand. I don¡¯t get it.¡±


    Argrave leaned back, exasperated. ¡°The reason I dragged my feet is because I hate talking about it. It¡¯s¡­¡±


    Durranughed. ¡°I get it¡ªit kills the mystique a little. But I¡¯m just¡­ trying to wrap my head around this. A game that recreates¡­ a different reality.¡±


    ¡°Creates a reality. Or maybe it does recreate, given I¡¯m here, now.¡± Argrave shook his head in frustration. ¡°I don¡¯t understand half of this nonsense myself. I hate talking about it because I don¡¯t like thinking about it. I¡¯m here. I¡¯ve got you, Gmon, Anneliese¡ªthe three of you keep me grounded. I have to focus on the present. But¡­ I think you deserve some honesty, so I¡¯m telling you.¡±


    ¡°You trust me,¡± Durran stated.


    Argrave nodded. ¡°I do.¡±


    Durran looked off to the side. ¡°Just had to give up a few fingers, huh?¡±


    Argraveughed, but immediately ufortably assured, ¡°That¡¯s not¡­¡±


    ¡°Rx, you bastard. I know,¡± Durran assured him. ¡°So you, uh¡­ you weren¡¯t ever really ¡®Argrave,¡¯ huh? Never lived in this ce. Didn¡¯t even have magic.¡±


    Argrave shook his head. ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°No wars. No life-or-death. No cults, ancient gods¡­ no struggle to find a meal every day,¡± Durran continued, waving his hands as he rattled off hardships.


    Argrave stared at Durran. ¡°I was lucky, yeah. My biggest concerns were social.¡±


    Durran nodded and looked off to the side with a nk stare. ¡°I guess mettle must be in the blood. No other exnation for how you got through unscathed.¡±


    Argrave looked down. ¡°I just yed things safe.¡±


    Durran focused back on Argrave. ¡°You¡¯ve a strange definition of safe.¡± Durran weighed the back of coins in his hand, then said, ¡°Well, gods be damned. This is a nice bag to spend. I can do a lot. Try northern liquor, your food, maybe your women,¡± Durran said with a smile, but for some reason his smile faded. ¡°Maybe¡­ maybe not.¡±


    ¡°Hey. Do what you will,¡± Argrave held his hands up. ¡°I can¡¯t pass judgement. Ever since my body got better, I¡¯m constantly¡­ well, forget that. The point is to take a break. After you handle some things for me, of course.¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± Durran pointed. ¡°I knew it.¡±


    ¡°Of all of us, you¡¯re the least recognizable,¡± Argrave pointed to him. ¡°So long as you dress inconspicuously, you should be able to get a fair bit done without raising eyebrows. And you¡¯re reliable about matters like this.¡± Argrave retrieved a paper. ¡°Got a small shopping list for you. While Elenore snoops on Rancor, I have to prepare for the immediate future. We¡¯re in the capital¡ªplenty of shops that have things I need, things only High Wizards of the Order can buy. Specifically¡­ some ingredients. Gmon and I are going to be brewing some things.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the High Wizard, not me,¡± Durran shook his head. ¡°How can I buy anything from these shops?¡±


    ¡°Wizards are busy and wealthy. There¡¯s a system for servants to buy things,¡± Argrave waved his hands.


    Durran smiled and tapped his knees. ¡°Alright, master. As youmand. This servant will go and do your bidding. I am infinitely humbled by the grace you¡¯ve shown in allowing me to spend whatever remains.¡±


    ¡°You forgot to bow,¡± Argrave rose to his feet. ¡°Thank you for this. Have fun. And if you have any more questions about what I disclosed to you, about my past¡­¡± Argrave put his hand on Durran¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Ask Anneliese, please. I hate talking about this.¡±


    Durranughed, then stood as well. He wrapped the string back around the bag and closed it, hooking it to his belt. ¡°How would you function without her?¡±


    ¡°Poorly, I suspect,¡± Argrave smiled.


    #####


    Ruleo ate a loaf of bread as he sat surrounded by a cluster of rocks, waiting and watching. His piercing white eyes stayed on a drainage exit, watching the water pour out and out of a thin, rust-corroded iron grate.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Elenore was acting remarkably human whenst he met her. That was an unusual thing indeed. Typically, she dealt with everyone, even her closest agents, in an entirely business-like fashion. Something must¡¯ve excited her¡ªbrightened her day, brought some color to her world of unending dark. On top of that, she restricted ess to many important areas. Even now, her men watched and guarded these entrances.


    Ruleo knew something big was brewing.


    In truth, Elenore¡¯s request to examine Rancor could be considered a good break for him. Considering the strange nature of the information the crime syndicate had delivered to him, he had already been looking into them on his own¡ªone of their lieutenants, a shrewish man by the name of Wayn, had seemed remarkably suspicious. From there¡­ he¡¯d looked into things on his own, already got some conclusions. ¡®Vampire¡¯ was a word that came to his mind.


    Rancor was concealing something gargantuanly profitable in their headquarters. Whatever it was, it was part of the Old Dirracha¡ªthe ancient sewer systems, the old streets, all covered by the finely-paved roads of this beautiful city around them. This city was built atop a city after a devastating event in the distant past. It was a baffling thing, and more than a little confusing.


    Ruleo would tell her this in due time, of course. He knew every detail about their headquarter beyond what was inside it, and he was certain Elenore would be satisfied with that. The work she¡¯d given him¡ªhe¡¯d already done it. Once he told her, she¡¯d order her own men, possibly apanied by Ruleo, to check things out.


    Now, though¡­ the reasons for her restrictions to entrances was far more interesting. Ruleo had been through the drainage grate ahead and recalled that its pathway moved right by a safehouse. Provided she was keeping someone safe, it was his best lead to find out what was going on with her. Elenore had big designs¡ªhe was interested in being part of them, even if he needed to be a bit underhanded.


    And¡­ she had mentioned Argrave. So far as he knew, Argrave was still locked up in the Tower of the Gray Owl, and that hadn¡¯t changed. Ruleo hoped he¡¯d die there. Even still, Elenore brought him up all the same. That warranted his attention.


    Ruleo had some of his other men watching other entrances to the greenhouse. They were all skilled, and he trusted them to do the task ably. But instinct told him he¡¯d want to be here, watching this part. Instinct was something without basis, but it had worked for him so many times in the past that Ruleo was content in having faith that trend would continue.


    The suns continued to pass over the sky as Ruleo ate, until he was finished and done. He kept watching, legs snug in a nook of a rock close by. He watched and waited, shaded by arger rock nearby. Eventually enough time had passed that he was hungry again, and the light of the suns was just beginning to fade.


    Yet then¡­ the men guarding the hidden exit both moved towards it. Ruleo remained still, watching attentively. A man wearing a baggy set of robes walked out. He carried a walking stick of some sort¡ªor at least, so Ruleo thought at first. Cloth wrapping was dense at the top. It was a spear of some kind.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Ruleo remained still, doing nothing to draw anyone¡¯s attention. He examined the attitude between the guards and the man¡ªit wasn¡¯t fully cooperative. ¡°Might be my man.¡±


    His eyes followed the tall man with the spear walking towards the city of Dirracha.

 Chapter 238

    Chapter 238: Dog on the Heels


    Argrave took a long drink of the mildly warmed tea, having let it cool for some time. Elenore watched him¡ªwell, perhaps ¡®watched¡¯ was the wrong word, Argrave supposed. Anneliese was present, too. She held the teapot she had been rather obviously fascinated by. Her fascination probably stemmed from the fact that it needed no external heating. It was a self-contained enchanted item that could heat whatever water poured in it, and probably cost an exorbitant sum.


    ¡°You¡¯re quite incautious,¡± Elenore said. ¡°Or am I mistaking you?¡±


    ¡°Incautious?¡± Argrave put the cup down, enjoying its warmth. ¡°I¡¯m lost.¡±


    ¡°The tea,¡± she gestured. ¡°Snakes are venomous, you know.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°Oh,¡± Argrave nodded, enlightened. He was content to stay silent, let her think him incautious. As something came to mind, he asked curiously, ¡°Do you actually have any poison on hand? Potent poison.¡±


    Her brows furrowed. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Just wanted to try something,¡± Argrave shrugged. Anneliese red at him, and heughed. ¡°Well, never mind. She won¡¯t let me.¡±


    ¡°Do not act as though this is some overbearing interference,¡± Anneliese chided him, setting the teapot down. ¡°You speak of poison.¡±


    Argrave sighed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± He stayed silent for a bit, then poked her in the ribs. ¡°You can¡¯t deny you¡¯re curious, though. What would happen?¡±


    Anneliese swatted his hand away yfully, and then Elenore cleared her throat to break them up. ¡°You wanted to discuss something with me?¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Argrave spun the cup about with his hands, unembarrassed. ¡°Want to make money?¡±


    ¡°Usually,¡± Elenore nodded. ¡°I think everyone can say that, though.¡±


    ¡°I got some other stuff from the ce I got your little gift from,¡± Argrave said. ¡°I need some discrete appraisers to take a look at them. Order of the Rose items, enchanted? Some items from the Archduke¡¯s Pce, too, in the wends. Some of them will be incredibly valuable, both personally and financially speaking. I¡¯d like to entrust them with you. Ideally, they¡¯d be turned around in a week. What I don¡¯t keep, I give to you to sell.¡±


    ¡°A week?¡± Elenore ced her hands on the table, bronze tapping against the wood. ¡°That¡¯s¡ª¡±


    ¡°More than manageable for you. Don¡¯t act as though it¡¯ll be costly,¡± Argrave interrupted. ¡°You make the bulk of your money from unlicensed spellcasters who can¡¯t get into the Order of the Gray Owl. You¡¯ve got¡­ I don¡¯t know. Probably hundreds here,¡± Argrave waved his hands. ¡°The majority of what I need isbat-oriented. There¡¯ll be a lot of utility enchantments you can sell at a very high price.¡±


    ¡°Combat-oriented,¡± Elenore repeated. ¡°Commanding troops into battle, perhaps?¡±


    Argrave smiled. ¡°Later, certainly.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take a look at them,¡± Elenore nodded.


    ¡°Good. I presume Rancor will crack open soon. Beyond that, I was wondering if you had any seeds that grow more mystical nts on reserve for this ce. Food for Anneliese¡¯s bird, you see,¡± Argrave pointed to her with his thumb. ¡°I¡¯ll pay.¡±


    ¡°Certainly. I don¡¯t have details¡ªyou¡¯ll need to speak to someone else. I trust them, worry not.¡± Elenore nodded, then pursed her lips. ¡°Speaking of animals¡­. what do you think of dogs?¡±


    Argrave frowned. ¡°Is this code? Are you talking about House Quadreign? That¡¯s their heraldry, after all.¡± Argrave shrugged. ¡°One of their daughters is an exceptional mage, but other than that¡­ not much of note.¡±


    ¡°A dog doesn¡¯t remind you of anything else,¡± Elenore continued, leaning in a bit more.


    Perplexed, Argrave looked to Anneliese¡ªshe gave no obvious signals of what Elenore might be driving at, implying the question wasn¡¯t an emotional one.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. A bit messy, overfriendly¡­ they¡¯re fun sometimes. Hard to stay sad when you¡¯ve got a big dog to hug.¡± Argrave cast a spell, and his Brumesingers dropped out of his coat, moving to stand up on the table. ¡°Look at these guys, though. Food¡¯s easy to get, no mess, quiet, ridiculously adorable¡­¡± Argrave ran his hands across their face, scratching between their giant ears. The four of thempeted for his hand. ¡°Hardly a contest.¡±


    Elenore kept her hand on the table, observing in silence. ¡°They are cute,¡± he heard her say, so quiet it was almost inaudible.


    Argrave heard it, though. He sent the Brumesingers towards Elenore, causing her to lean back cautiously. After a second, her hand stretched out. One of the foxes practically shoved its head into her hand.


    Then, the princess pulled her hand back. ¡°It would be best if you head off before others arrive. I have some things to attend to, and this was promised to be a short meeting,¡± she said neutrally. ¡°I will send some trustworthy people to handle what we spoke of. If you¡¯d like to minimize contact with other parties, I can arrange that.¡±


    Argrave smiled and tapped the table. Perhaps he should have been expecting this sort of reaction.


    ¡°Until our next scheduled exchange of stiff business propositions, then,¡± he rose while quipping, and the Brumesingers scurried back to hide away in his heavy gray duster. Her question of dogs lingered on his mind. He did not feel he could dismiss it so easily¡­ and yet nothing came to mind. ¡°Be careful. Remember what I warned about,¡± he said as he left.


    Anneliese and Argrave exited out into the greenhouse. As they walked, Argrave asked, ¡°What was the dog thing about? Any ideas?¡±


    ¡°Curiosity. Uncertainty. Beyond that¡­ little else.¡± Anneliese looked to Argrave. ¡°I cannot say it is something major.¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°I can¡¯t, either. That¡¯s what bothers me.¡±


    #####


    Ruleo sat on a railing, watching the man with the spear wander throughout the gray stone city of Dirracha. This settlement was giant¡ªit was a great ring that encircled a mountain, the Dragon Pce of the royal family overlooking the buildings like some guardian¡­ or prison warden. This man, whoever he was, had clearly not been around here before. He wandered, following some directions to various locations. It might¡¯ve been difficult to follow, but the spear he bore made him quite identifiable and Ruleo kept track of him without issue.


    Hisck of direction marked him as foreign to the city, and as much was evident from when Ruleo saw his face. Though his quarry wore baggy, concealing clothing and blended in with the crowd very well, Ruleo had caught a few glimpses of the man¡¯s face. His skin was darker than those of Vasquer and bore golden tattoos, some marred by scars. Ruleo travelled frequently and had seen his kind before¡ªhe was from the Burnt Desert. Not many of them made it past the Lionsun Wall, and even fewer of them were tame enough to survive very long in Vasquer.


    Ruleo catalogued what this wayward tribal was doing. The ces that he entered all had the markings of the Gray Owl, and he bought materials from them. Considering that he was a foreigner, Ruleo found it quite unlikely that this man was a Wizard of the Order. Perhaps he was a mage of a high caliber, and Ruleo simply saw an illusion. The notion was far-fetched, and so he dismissed it.


    If the wayward tribal wasn¡¯t part of the Order, he was buying something on someone¡¯s behalf¡ªafter all, each time he left an Order-marked shop, he had something new. Ruleo knew of this process. The Wizard of the Order would imprint their magical signature on a document using their badges, and servants would use it to purchase items in their stead. It was a rtivelymon thing.


    And since it wasmon, it was Ruleo¡¯s primary lead.


    If he could get his hands on the document bearing the magical signature¡­ even if he wasn¡¯t part of the Order himself, Ruleo had a few trustworthy contacts who might be able to get the signature checked, see who it belonged to. It might be a dead-end. Or¡­ it might tell him a lot. He supposed it was solely chance.


    Instinct told him Elenore was preparing for something. The way she talked, the matter with Rancor, the questions about Argrave¡­ the more he thought about it, the more it stuck in his mind. She¡¯d offered an incredibly generous offer for information on Rancor. Ruleo felt that a storm wasing. Gathering information had kept him alive in the past. And right now, he saw a sort of a lifeline.


    The obstacle to that was lifting it off this wayward tribal. Considering the man brought a spear, he was probably a warrior, not at all used to dealing with covert operations. Even then, if he came from Elenore¡¯s greenhouse, he was probably associated with her. Ruleo wanted to get information quietly, not provoke a good business partner.


    Ruleo opened his pouch, reaching in. He pulled out a severed hand. Where its wrist began, an eyeball roamed about, searching. He set it down, and it scurried away. He had made that necromantic creature with Order of the Rose spells. It knew his will, and could reason well enough to do this job risk-free.


    Ruleo turned around, content to let his creation do his work or fail. He crested a corner, looking for a safe ce to rx, when an unexpected sh of ck tinged with purple entered his view at eye level. He raised his arm instinctively¡ªhis gauntlets were artifacts and could take blows well.


    Yet whatever wasing at him distorted in the air, warping as dancing purple lights faded in its wake. The thing¡ªRuleo now realized it was a ive¡ªstruck him right beneath the armpit. The power behind the blow was tremendous and Ruleo took to the air, mming into a nearby building. He expected to feel warm blood flowing down his side¡­ yet didn¡¯t.


    ¡°Look at that. Felt like hitting straw. Guess well-enchanted armor does make you stronger,¡± the tribal mused, spinning his ive until it was ready to strike again. Ruleo saw he was missing fingers. ¡°You¡¯re following me. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s to ask me for a drink, either.¡± The man braced, ready to swing. ¡°Talk. Elsewise, the next blow won¡¯t be with the blunt side.¡±


    Ruleo rose up, crouching while remaining non-threatening. That one blow might¡¯ve shattered his ribs if not for his armor. Winded, Ruleo held his hands out, watching the ive while remaining silent. His eyes darted around, looking for the bag that the tribal had been holding¡ªit was sheltered in a small alcove, fully blocked by the tribal¡¯s body. In other words, difficult to snatch easily.


    ¡°White eyes, dark hair¡­ definitely a memorable appearance. You can talk now, or I can ask a certain Bat, and I¡¯ll learn everything I need to know about you. Maybe you¡¯re already acquainted, and that¡¯s why you¡¯re following me.¡± The tribal took another step. ¡°You can talk to me. I can be a nice guy if I get what I want. Think of me like your dad. One of your siblings has been naughty. If you tell, I won¡¯t punish you.¡± He smiled. ¡°Not a bad deal, huh?¡±


    Ruleo eyed the ck ive with bizarre purple runes on its surface, then the bag just behind the tribal. In his peripheries, the ive started to move. Its very figure was blurry. Rather than try to block again, Ruleo kicked off the wall into a roll, dodgingpletely. The tribal adeptly redirected his ive so it wouldn¡¯t m against the wall. He stepped in pursuit of Ruleo, cornering him once again. Ruleo had to admit¡ªno options for retreat, no witnesses¡­ this tribal had chosen his battlefield well.


    ¡°Let¡¯s put the ive down, yeah?¡± Ruleo held his hand out slowly. ¡°I¡¯m not following you. I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re taking swings at me.¡±


    ¡°Uh huh, yeah,¡± Durran nodded. ¡°You pull that innocent act with the olddies, not with me. It¡¯s no coincidence I see you lurking, eyeing me from blocks away. I made circles around the damned streets to be sure I wasn¡¯t being paranoid¡ªyou were so caught up in admiring my strut you didn¡¯t even realize we¡¯d been looping the same ce. I¡¯m ttered I¡¯ve got an admirer, but I think it¡¯s about time for the confession.¡±


    Ruleo shifted on his feet, realizing now that the wayward tribal might not have been lost in Dirracha after all. He watched the man, debating what happened next. Deescte the situation? Stick with his n, try and distract the tribal while his necromantic creation stole the paper? Whatever it was, he needed to choose quickly.<!--


    -->

 Chapter 239

    Chapter 239: The Controlled Meeting


    ¡°I¡¯m thinking you and I work for the same person,¡± Ruleo waved his hand between the two of them, keeping his eyes far off the ck bag that was his target. ¡°Let¡¯s just take it easy.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Durranughed. ¡°I highly doubt that. But since you think so, why don¡¯t you spill your guts to me? Who do we work for, mister colleague?¡±


    ¡°The Bat,¡± Ruleo held his hands steady.


    Durran studied him, running that through his head. Had Elenore sent this man to watch him? Something about it sounded wrong. He¡¯d spoken to her guards as he left¡ªthey¡¯d seemed more cooperative than suspicious, and he¡¯d told them precisely what he intended to do. And besides¡­ this man would know Durran worked for Argrave, not Elenore. Elsewise, why would he be watching him?


    ¡°How about we go to her together, then?¡± Durran nted his ive on the ground. ¡°We can sort out this misunderstanding, ease my suspicions. Might save your life.¡±


    On the other side of the confrontation¡­


    Ruleo felt he was getting a handle on things. What were his options? Try and escape, for one. He felt he could. He had plenty of tricks up his sleeve. Or two¡­ he could y along with this tribal, return to Elenore, confess his sins. Ideally, his necromantic creation would do its duty, steal the paper with the magic signature. But if Ruleo¡¯s hunch was right, and this was something big she was keeping secret¡­ Elenore might not let him walk away unscathed. She might not let him walk away at all.


    <em>ying along is too dangerous,</em> Ruleo concluded. <em>You made a mess of things. Cut your losses. Get away. </em>


    ¡°Let¡¯s go together, then,¡± Ruleo nodded, lowering his hands to his side.


    ¡°Really? Well¡­ not what I was expecting,¡± the tribal seemed surprised. ¡°Let¡¯s¡ª¡±


    Ruleo thrust his hand into his pocket and threw out powder. At once, Durran raised his hand and cast a spell of wind. Before the two could meet, Ruleo cast a spell of his own¡ªa simple E-rank ignition spell. The powders roared to life, exploding into loud yetrgely ineffectual sparks that scattered from the wind spell. It was only a distraction. Ruleo circled around, rearing his arm back for a punch. Durran was, as Ruleo had expected, prepared for that.


    The tribal blocked the punch with the shaft of his ive and a deafening ring echoed out. Durran quickly kicked at Ruleo¡¯s gut, and the two disentangled. The tribal cast a spell at Ruleo as he retreated. A wolf of fire roared out, and Ruleo felt he had ample time to get away.


    The ck ive cut through the spell, though, and the spell wreathed around the de unnaturally. The mes carried with the swing of the ive far beyond where they typically might, and Ruleo desperately shielded with his gauntlets. The fire whipped at his face, and he heard his skin sizzle.


    Pushing past the pain of the burn, Ruleo covertly tossed a hook attached to a very thin line at the closed bag the tribal had been carrying.


    ¡°Quite some gauntlets you got,¡± Durran looked at the dent in his ive¡¯s shaft from it had been struck earlier.


    ¡°We made a lot of noise. Militiamen and maybe royal guards will be here if we keep at it like this,¡± Ruleo said as he healed the burn on his face. ¡°I¡¯ll tell them you tried to steal my bag. They¡¯ll believe me over you¡ªI might look like a thug, but you¡¯re from the Burnt Desert. Nothing against you, but I¡¯ll take whatever opportunity I can get.¡±


    ¡°A convincing argument,¡± Durran said without hesitation.


    The tribal stepped away and grabbed the bag, closing it and rushing away. Ruleo was surprised the man so quickly believed him. Even still, Ruleo pulled tight on the string with the hook. It caught on the bag, opening it up and causing the contents to explode out. Durran was caught off-guard, but Ruleo had been the initiator and sought his target with razor-focus. The thin paper with a ck splotch across it danced in the air like a leaf, and Ruleo seized it quickly.


    Triumphant, Ruleo turned to flee. Yet the second his sprint began, two armored men walked up before him, swords ready. He tried to stop himself quickly, but one reached out and caught his wrist. The other coordinated well, seizing Ruleo beneath the shoulder in a way that immobilized his arm. He felt cold steel at his throat and craned his neck to avoid being cut.


    ¡°The Bat would like a word,¡± one of the men said,xing the tightness of the de. ¡°Let¡¯s go together.¡±


    His breathing heavy, Ruleo dropped the piece of paper. He gritted his teeth and stared at his captors as they helped him to his feet. Behind, the tribal walked up to him.


    ¡°Good fight. Clever thing you did, using a fisherman¡¯s line¡­ call me a coward if you will, but the moment I saw you, I sent a signal to these lovely gentlemen just as they asked me to,¡± Durran retrieved the paper with the magic signature and held it up in the air. ¡°Like you, I take any opportunity I can get. Maybe we¡¯ll talk again soon.¡±


    #####


    Elenore observed Ruleo, bound to a stake before her andrgely stripped of personal possessions. She was not in her greenhouse¡ªrather, she was at another private location. Though bound, Ruleo was still a mage, so spellcasters she trusted were nearby in case he tried something. Additionally, his hands were bound in such a way they could only face downwards.


    Argrave had insisted that Elenore watch out for traitors, and Ruleo was one of the first suspects that came to mind. He had no genuine loyalty to her beyond the fact that she offered him significant wealth at times. Indeed, he probably bore some dislike towards most of Vasquer given what had been done to him. She supposed she couldn¡¯t deem this a true betrayal of her, not until she verified things¡­ it was merely curiosity of what she had hidden. Ruleo had good instincts, it would seem.


    ¡°Last I checked, following people under my protection is not at all rted to looking into Rancor,¡± Elenore began, leaning forward somewhat until her eyeless sockets loomed over the man.


    Ruleo looked up to her. ¡°What do you want, an apology? I¡¯m only sorry I got caught,¡± he concluded, turning his head away. ¡°I¡¯ve already got all the details about Rancor you need. I can give them to you whenever. I think I¡¯ve forfeited my payment¡­ and owe you a debt, now. Would take make us even?¡±


    ¡°Why would you do this?¡± Elenore continued, crossing her arms. ¡°We¡¯ve been working profitably and consistently for a few months, now. I valued you enough to reveal my identity. So¡­ why?¡±


    Ruleo stayed silent a few moments, then closed his eyes. ¡°It was a gambit to get involved in high politics. You were being heavy-handed. You were hiding something important. You were asking about Argrave earlier¡ªdrew my suspicions for long-term moves you might be enacting after Induen¡¯s death. Mostly just a hunch, something to upy my time. I overestimated myself¡­ or maybe underestimated you. Either way, I¡¯m only sorry I got caught,¡± he repeated in closing, opening his eyes once more.


    Elenoreid her hands t against one another, her bronze rings ttering. ¡°I find it difficult to continue a rtionship in which there is little trust. Considering how much you know of me and my operation¡­¡±


    Elenore trailed off as something entered her hearing. She sat up straighter, paying attention. Her hearing was better than most, having been honed over the years in light of the loss of one of her senses. It became more sinct¡ªwhistling, and footsteps.


    Soon enough, Durran entered. Elenore turned her head to him and said in annoyance, ¡°Must you make so much noise?¡±


    ¡°Just happy. Is that a crime?¡± he said, undeterred. He waved a bag in his hands. ¡°Hey. Told you we¡¯d meet again. You gave me quite a bit of heartache. Broke my bag. You have no idea how difficult it is to haul things about in a torn bag.¡±


    ¡°Altogether, things ended much worse for me,¡± Ruleo said, his light cackle escaping for a few moments.


    Durran clicked his tongue. ¡°True enough. Can¡¯t be too bad if you¡¯reughing, though.¡±


    ¡°What did our mutual friend decide?¡± Elenore asked Durran, cutting into their conversation. She had no time to waste on banter. ¡°It concerns his privacy. I¡¯ll leave the decision to him.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Durran trailed off, rubbing his hands together. He pointed at Ruleo, bound on the floor. ¡°You¡¯re Ruleo, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Elenore hid her surprise by covering her mouth. She had deliberately told her people not to disclose Ruleo¡¯s name to Argrave, doubly to preserve the man¡¯s life and to answer a question she had. Elenore had gotten her answer; Argrave knew Ruleo, meaning he did recognize him by Durran¡¯s description alone. Had he been lying about being ignorant of the incident with the dogs? She could not puzzle that out.


    ¡°I am,¡± Ruleo answered unaffectedly, likely assuming Elenore had simply told Durran.


    ¡°So you are,¡± Durran nodded. ¡°Well, that simplifies things. Leader man wants you to live. He thinks you¡¯d be of great use in this matter with Rancor.¡±


    Elenore observed Durran, using her newfound perception to scan his body. She did not see the wisdom behind Argrave¡¯s decision, at least practically speaking. Though she preferred to make no enemies, disagreements like the one between Argrave and Ruleo were inevitable. It was better not to leave active antagonists alive, in Elenore¡¯s experience¡ªthey could deal damage in the future. Ruleo could certainly be an impediment for Argrave¡¯s future, minor or major.


    Ruleo sized up Durran. ¡°So, you¡¯re the ones spurring the Bat towards Rancor.¡±


    ¡°She has a name. A rather nice one, too: Elenore.¡± Durran stepped forward and kneeled down. ¡°I think I understand leader man on this one. You¡¯re like me. Someone who was controlled. At least, so he ims.¡±


    Ruleo frowned. ¡°Don¡¯t be vague. What do you mean, ¡®like you?¡¯¡±


    ¡°If I¡¯m not vague, he¡¯ll get mad at me. When he¡¯s mad at me, buildings tend to fall down,¡± Durran shook his head. ¡°If you really are like me, I think you can get a lot done.¡±


    Ruleo looked to Elenore. ¡°Well¡­ hard to sell my skills when I¡¯m bound to a stake after getting my efforts tossed to the wind, but yeah, I¡¯m fairly confident,¡± he smiled.


    Durran rose to his feet. ¡°Do you know how old Rancor is?¡± Durran spread his hands out, letting the silence fall. ¡°It¡¯s 873 years old.¡±


    ¡°Old as the kingdom,¡± Elenore noted.


    ¡°Where is this iming from?¡± Ruleo said disbelievingly.


    ¡°You probably know¡­¡± Durran kneeled once more. ¡°Rancor¡¯s base is in the old city. The buried city. The city this one was built atop,¡± he pointed to the ground.


    Elenore focused on Ruleo for his reaction. After a second, he shrugged. ¡°If you know so much, why do you want people like me to look into it? Doesn¡¯t make sense.¡±


    Durran looked at Elenore pointedly. His words confirmed that Argrave¡¯s knowledge had been correct from the beginning¡ªsomething was suspicious about Rancor¡¯s inner circle. Her question now was why Argrave had pointed her in this direction.


    ¡°I know that look,¡± Durran pointed at Elenore. ¡°It¡¯s the look that says, ¡®how does he know so much?¡¯ I probably had that on my face quite a few times.¡± Durranughed and waved his fingers. ¡°I think that¡¯s going to be the least bizarre thing you hear this week. Let me ask¡ªwho¡¯s the oldest person you¡¯ve ever spoken to?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Some Magister, most likely,¡± Elenore shook her head, growing irritated by how rapidly the conversation jumped from subject to subject. ¡°Are you implying¡­?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Our mutual friend¡ªhe wants you to talk to someone very old in Rancor¡¯s base. Other than him, you¡¯re the only one here who canmunicate with this fellow.¡±


    Elenore shifted her head to the side. She didn¡¯t like the vagary, but she felt it best to y along for now. ¡°Perhaps you¡¯d best tell me all you know, Ruleo. Even if Durran¡¯s friend wants you to live, I¡¯m not so forgiving. I see no reason to let a liability free. And even if Rancor has a base in the old city, I see no reason to disrupt my dealings with them of yet.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough,¡± Ruleo nodded. ¡°I gambled. I lost. Now, I pay up.¡±<!--


    -->

 Chapter 240: Imprisoned Snake

    Chapter 240: Imprisoned Snake


    ¡°Things were as you imed,¡± Elenore told Argrave, her hands entwined as theyid across the table before her. In the past few days, she had integrated the bronze jewelry into her movements, and now already had a practiced grace even with the ungainly objects on her fingers and wrists.


    ¡°I see,¡± Argrave said nonchntly, smiling at Anneliese as she filled his cup with tea.


    ¡°Rancor is heavily involved in human trafficking. Captured victims never left the city, though, so it was difficult to monitor. On top of that, they were the primary exporters of a vicious alchemical drug. These were both matters I was looking into already¡­ they were attracting undue attention from authorities, disrupting things.¡± Elenore tapped her fingers against the table. ¡°Yet you gave me their source directly. Rancor is being dealt with as we speak, with Ruleo heading things per your rmendation. I appreciate you cing him in debt to me. Now, I¡¯d like to know why you asked me to clear my schedule today.¡±


    Argrave sipped the tea at once, savoring the warmth in the cold winter morning. He never liked fruity teas like this one, but the warmth itself was nice. ¡°I think Durran told you,¡± he said as he set the cup down, staring Elenore in the face.


    ¡°I will speak to someone old,¡± Elenore nodded. ¡°As though that exins anything at all.¡±


    ¡°Not just that,¡± Durran chimed in. ¡°Someone only you two canmunicate with,¡± his fingers waved between the two of them.


    Argrave ced his elbows on the table as he leaned in. ¡°Vasquer. What do you actually know about her?¡±


    Elenore frowned. ¡°Don¡¯tunch into a story to defle¡ª¡±


    ¡°The snake, not the kingdom,¡± Argrave held his hand out to interrupt. ¡°She fought alongside Felipe I. Why? For what purpose? What happened afterwards? It¡¯s just a hole in the histories.¡±


    Elenore¡¯s brows rose, and she took a deep breath. ¡°You mean to say with these allusions¡­ Rancor houses Vasquer itself?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°The majority of its upper-echelon members captured her, once. They¡¯re vampires. A very old coven. Once your men deal with them, we¡¯re going to talk to her. You¡¯re going to get some answers. I¡¯m going to confirm what I already know to be true.¡±


    Elenore looked greatly disturbed. She turned her head to the side, then faced him again with conviction. ¡°What happened to you?¡±


    ¡°Me?¡± Argrave ced his hands to his chest.


    ¡°Livia. Does that name mean anything to you?¡±


    Caught off-guard by the non-sequitur, Argrave ran the name through his memory.


    Elenoreughed as Argrave stayed silent. ¡°That¡¯s your mother¡¯s name you¡¯re struggling to remember. Or Argrave¡¯s mother¡¯s name, at least.¡±


    Argrave frowned. He did recognize the name now, but it was toote¡ªthe milk had been spilled. Trying to salvage it, he said calmly, ¡°She died when I was young.¡±


    ¡°Eight. She died when you were eight. You¡¯re twenty, perhaps twenty-one now,¡± Elenore told him. ¡°I¡¯ve been looking into you, Argrave. People knew you here in Dirracha. But no one knows the person I speak to now,¡± she shook her head. ¡°The profile is entirely different. Your character does not match.¡±


    Argrave remained steadfast. ¡°People change,¡± he suggested. ¡°I was at the Order of the Gray Owl for two years.¡±


    ¡°Your heart is unnatural. Your eyes¡­ I¡¯ve observed Ruleo¡¯s necromantic creationsst he was here. Their eyes have the same color,¡± Elenore listed out. ¡°Now youe to me with these unnatural knowings¡­ you slip into the heart of this ce without being challenged and tell me the secrets of Rancor as though you are a part of it.¡±


    Argrave shook his head. ¡°These are far-fetched conclusions, Elenore.¡±


    ¡°My logic is sound,¡± she disagreed. ¡°What is your game? What do you want from me?¡± she asked, voice trembling slightly.


    Durran leaned in and said firmly, ¡°We¡¯ve told you from the beginning. Argrave wants you as an ally.¡±


    ¡°You give me vague warnings to build my trust¡­ treat me kindly to curry favor¡­ reveal secrets to establish usefulness and reliability¡­ I cannot afford to trust it. Gifts are the most expensive things,¡± she shook her head.


    Argrave took a deep breath. ¡°Elenore, we¡¯re on the verge of putting all the obfuscation to bed. I just need you to follow along a little longer. After, I can divulge everything. I fear you won¡¯t believe me if I tell you now.¡±


    Elenore rose¡ªshe was wearing her prosthetic feet. ¡°I appreciate your gift, Argrave, both of this jewelry and of Rancor¡¯s activities. However, I think this will be the end of our association.¡±


    Argrave felt battered by the vtile shift. ¡°What?¡± he asked, though she was already moving to leave.


    Gmon stood aside to let her pass. Argrave stared at the doorway in shock, trying to piece together a course of action.


    Durran leaned back in the chair. ¡°I wonder if she realizes she left her own bedroom,¡± he mused. ¡°Wonder where she¡¯ll go.¡±


    Argrave looked to Anneliese for guidance. ¡°She was scared. Terrified,¡± Anneliese told him.


    Hearing that, Argrave could only rub his forehead in confusion. He feared chasing after her might exacerbate the issue¡ªperhaps when she discovered Vasquer in Rancor¡¯s base, she woulde to him again. That might be his opportunity.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s enough for me.¡± Durran rose to his feet and grabbed Argrave¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Hey. This time, destroy a smaller tower,¡± he joked, then ran out of the room.


    ¡°What¡­?¡± Argrave began, but Durran had already left. ¡°That¡­! Anneliese? Starsparrow,¡± he said, scrambling to his feet. He knocked over the wooden chair.


    ¡°My advice? Let him go,¡± Gmon contributed.


    Argrave looked at Gmon. ¡°Why in the world would I do that?¡±


    Gmon stared at Argrave without any words to offer in answer. bbergasted, Argrave looked to Anneliese.


    ¡°I would agree,¡± Anneliese said after a second.


    Argrave looked between the two of them,pletely lost. Gmon picked up the fallen chair and corrected it, gesturing kindly for Argrave to sit.


    #####


    ¡°Hey. Hey!¡± Durran shouted, rushing after Elenore.


    The princess barely paused, turning her head from right to left with tightly clenched teeth. She stopped and turned. ¡°Why do you follow me?!¡± she demanded.


    ¡°Why else?¡± Durran questioned, stepping slower and breathing heavily as he stopped his run. ¡°To fix things.¡±


    Elenore shook her head and turned, resuming walking down the path. Her prostheses clicked out in angry haste against the stone pathway. Durran rushed ahead of her.


    ¡°Come on. You don¡¯t even know where you¡¯re going, and you know it,¡± Durran insisted, holding his hands out.


    Elenore scoffed and stopped fully now that she was blocked. ¡°What would you know of me?¡±


    ¡°I know you¡¯re scared. You¡¯re not scared you¡¯ll get hurt¡ªwell, not physically. You¡¯re afraid of epting anyone in, allowing yourself to be vulnerable,¡± Durran pointed to her.


    Elenoreughed angrily. ¡°Don¡¯t speak such shallow, rehearsed lines intended to enchant some feisty barmaid with father issues. You speak to a person who was blind not days ago,¡± she said, temper ring. ¡°Have you any idea what that is like? Every person thates before you leaves you vulnerable. You can hear them, smell them, feel them¡­ but that does nothing for you.


    ¡°They could stab you, and you would have no opportunity to even see the attacking. They could set your hair ame, or hurl boiling water at you, or any number of terrible things you might concoct. I sat alone in the unending sightlessness, waiting for the world to do as it pleased to me. ¡®Allowing myself to be vulnerable?¡¯ My existence was vulnerability itself. I have courted it for over a decade now,¡± she finished, voice a tight whip.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Durran shifted on his feet. ¡°Did people do those things to you, set your hair ame, the like?¡±


    ¡°That-that¡¯s beside the point,¡± Elenore waved her hand, bronze bracelets ttering against each other. ¡°You have no idea what I¡¯ve been through. I got where I am by avoiding ill portents like those that surround Argrave, if that even is his name.¡±


    ¡°Does anyone know what you¡¯ve been through?¡± Durran questioned. ¡°Other than yourself, I¡¯m betting the answer is no.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re correct,¡± she said with a droll anger. ¡°So step aside, and let me continue as I always have.¡±


    ¡°Blind in a greenhouse of beauty?¡± Durran snapped back. ¡°I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s toote. You can¡¯t go back. Like you said, gifts can be the most expensive things. The price is suffering our presence as we help each other.¡±


    Elenore swallowed. Then, she reached for her fingers, prying free the bronze w rings. She collected them in her hand, then removed the bracelets, the ne, the earrings¡­ each and all ttering to the floor.


    ¡°There,¡± she said. ¡°I think that puts an end to things.¡±


    Elenore walked forward, expecting to bump into Durran and push him aside. Instead, nothing was there. Perhaps he¡¯d stepped aside, or perhaps she¡¯d guessed wrong. She proceeded forth with unduly confident steps in ckness, trying her best to roughly maintain a straight line. Suddenly, a branch bumped her head and she ducked. Her prosthetic feet offered poor maneuverability, and she slid and fell. Her body turned in a manner she could not ce, and before she knew it her legs were propped in the air by some bush and the back of her head was nted to the ground.


    The princess struggled vainly to get up, but her position was quite awkward. After a time of struggle, a voice cut in. ¡°You want some help?¡±


    Elenore said nothing. She tried to feel out her surroundings, and once she had a decent feel for them, approached the task smartly. She grabbed a low-hanging branch and started to pull herself up¡­ yet with a snap, all her effort was undone, and she came crashing back down.


    ¡°Do you want some help?¡± Durran asked again, tone dry.


    ¡°Yes, damn you,¡± Elenore finally said.


    At once, she felt an arm wrap behind her waist and pull her up, propping her on her feet. She was dizzy and staggered a little, and before she knew it, Durran led her somewhere to sit.


    Elenore sat in embarrassed silence, waiting for the speech toe. ¡®See? Just like I said, you need to ask for help,¡¯ Durran would say. She could predict the whole speeching. ¡®You cannot walk alone. Together, we can both walk forward, aiding the other. It¡¯s what they do in the Burnt Desert, to keep each other from veering off course. There¡¯s no shame in asking for help.¡¯ She could not recall thest time she¡¯d lost herposure so much. She felt ashamed, humiliated beyond measure.


    ¡°Here,¡± Durran said. ¡°I picked them up.¡±


    Elenore felt cold metal against her hand and grasped the w ring once more. She didn¡¯t want to put it on. She didn¡¯t want to be here. She didn¡¯t want to be dealing with this situation.


    ¡°Fine,¡± Durran said, taking it back. They sat in silence for a moment. Then, she heard a buckle unfasten, heard something fall to the floor, and tensed for what might be happening. ¡°Woah. Good gods. This is a weird experience.¡±


    Elenore turned her head but saw nothing as ever. ¡°Are you¡­ are you wearing it?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I am.¡± He gasped. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ gods, I can perceive my blood flowing through my hand. How the hell did you adapt to this so quickly?¡±


    ¡°Why are you wearing it?¡± she asked incredulously.


    ¡°Why am I not wearing it? You don¡¯t want it,¡± Durran rebuked. ¡°Huh. With my eyes closed, it¡¯s¡­ wow.¡±


    Elenore turned her head to the side, listening as Durran rattled off his experiences with the relics. After a while, he just kept repeating, ¡®wow.¡¯ Something about the way he said it started to get to her. Finally, sheughed and fumbled out, ripping it from his finger after a brief struggle.


    ¡°You stole from me,¡± he said, wounded.


    ¡°I hate you,¡± she said, slipping the ring back on.


    ¡°I think you¡¯re okay,¡± Durran retaliated. ¡°Only okay, though.¡±


    Elenore took some time to gather herposure and wash away the shame from that encounter. Finally, she turned and said, ¡°Thank you for helping me.¡±


    ¡°Hey, alright,¡± he said nonchntly. ¡°Let¡¯s talk hypotheticals for a minute, though. Let¡¯s say, for the sake of argument, Argrave isn¡¯t your brother, despite the fact he¡¯s got the same freakishly tall body that most of you Vasquers have.¡±


    Elenore took more of the discarded pieces of bronze out of Durran¡¯s grasp. ¡°Yes?¡± she pressed.


    ¡°Considering your family, shouldn¡¯t that be a point in his favor?¡±


    Elenoreughed and said nothing for a while after. As they settled into silence, Elenore asked, ¡°Why do you follow him? Really?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s doing something important,¡± Durran said. ¡°And my family disowned me. I¡­ I don¡¯t know.¡± Durran clicked his tongue. ¡°Sometimes it feels like he¡¯s my brother.¡±


    Elenore watched Durran for a while. The distant look on his face was quite sincere. Yet then, Elenore heard rushed footsteps. She rose to attention, trying her best to fix her appearance.


    ¡°Princess Elenore!¡± a man she recognized shouted,ing to a stop while breathing heavily. ¡°Thank the gods I found you¡­ while we were storming Rancor¡¯s headquarters¡­ Ruleo discovered a gargantuan golden snake, still alive, and imprisoned. Rancor had been keeping it there. The thing is as thick as an elephant and miles long, my princess!¡±


    Elenore clenched her hands into fists.

 Chapter 241: Vasquer

    Chapter 241: Vasquer


    ¡°It¡¯s a wonder you three fit at all,¡± Durran noted as they rolled down the road in a tightly packed and humble carriage.


    Moonlight made its way through the thin decrepit cloth that covered the top of the carriage, illuminating a group crammed left-to-right on one side: Gmon, Argrave, and Anneliese respectively. Argrave was awkwardly holding his shoulder up so it was not jammed against Gmon¡¯s te armor, while Anneliese contentedly peered out at the city,fortably nestled against an amodating Argrave.


    Opposite them was Durran and Elenore. Elenore wore a hood and apletely ck mask to disguise herself. The bronze jewelry she wore didn¡¯t need exposure to work¡ªit could see through walls, even. As if taunting them, Durran put one of his legs up. There was ample room on his side. Argrave didn¡¯t care one whit if Durran put his feet anywhere¡ªafter his talk with Elenore, she returned with a change of heart. That meritorious feat would not soon be forgotten.


    ¡°Better than driving,¡± said Gmon.


    Argrave chucked quietly, briefly reminded of the days back when they travelled and fought with the Lily Lurkers. ¡°That week was something. Remember running from that horde of the bugs?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Elenore turned her head. ¡°I don¡¯t remember.¡±


    ¡°What, you don¡¯t want to hear me reminisce?¡± Argrave¡¯s smile was undampened. ¡°Sourpuss,¡± he called her.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡ª¡± Elenore began fiercely but paused and took a deep breath. When she spoke next, her tone was businesslike once again. ¡°Since you¡¯ve been proven right already, can you at least tell me what we¡¯ll find down here?¡±


    ¡°Vasquer,¡± Argrave told her inly once again, then winced when the carriage bounced and Gmon¡¯s pauldron dug into his shoulder. He was not especially worried about how this meeting might go¡ªNikoletta could converse with Vasquer, so he had some experience about this matter to rely on. Things might go differently¡­ but the giant snake was not dangerous.


    Argrave saw Elenore was annoyed by his simple answer, so he smiled and continued, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, things aren¡¯t dangerous. No traps. I imagine Ruleo has been thorough in his cleansing¡ªhe always is. I think some of the older members of the vampiric coven will still be alive deeper in, but they¡¯ll never leave their little sanctuaries. They have defensive measures in an old catb¡ªpoison. Your men will be stopped there, I guarantee it. I have something in mind for that.¡±


    Elenore gestured towards him. ¡°And what of Ruleo, your history with him?¡±


    Argrave shrugged. ¡°Has to be resolved someday. Put a stop to any conflict.¡±


    ¡°You essentially murdered his father,¡± Elenore said dryly.


    Argrave scratched his chin. He always hated hearing about his old self. ¡°I did,¡± he agreed.


    ¡°You want to stop any conflict? Stop his heart,¡± Elenore suggested to him.


    ¡°Not my way,¡± Argrave shook his head.


    ¡°Mmhmm. Yet you agree to having murdered his father. And these rumors of kinying are baseless, I suppose?¡± Elenore asked wryly.


    Argrave bit his lip, realizing he¡¯d been called out. ¡°Induen¡¯s dead because he tried to solve all of his problems by domination or destruction. He was cancer growing on the world.¡± Argrave turned his head to meet her eyes, but his gaze fell upon only her jet ck mask ¡°I think Ruleo can do good work if kept alive.¡±


    Elenore kept her head facing forward. Maybe it was only Argrave¡¯s imagination, but he thought she was observing him, judging him¡­ maybe it was her reputation, but Argrave thought all of his secrets might be revealed in seconds.


    ¡°Ruleo will be kept away. I¡¯ll send him to the pce to observe things up there before we enter,¡± Elenore concluded. ¡°I think my answerse before this potential resolution. I hope I get them,¡± she said pointedly.


    #####


    After their lowkey carriage travel through the dead of night in Dirracha, they arrived at a ce at the foot of the mountain leading up to the Dragon Pce. The mountain wall was steep here, forming a natural barrier from the higher reaches of the mountains. The mountain was not what was interesting¡ªinstead, they headed underground, wearing cowls and robes to hide their identities. Little use, given their size¡­ but every bit helped.


    Though Elenore¡¯s servants were prepared to lead the princess down to Rancor¡¯s conquered territory, she relied on Argrave to give her an escort to disguise the effects of the new jewelry that she had received. The princess seemed insistent to keep her partially recovered sense a secret for the time being¡ªArgrave thought it reasonable, being that he had done much the same thing in the past. Keeping her cards close at hand even with her own loyal servants proved she was taking Argrave¡¯s advice to be cautious seriously.


    Rancor¡¯s headquarters was a cleverly disguised ce, seeming an ordinary gentleman¡¯s club on the outside¡ªas they walked through, Argrave saw it had all manner of high-ss drinks, plenty of books for the average high-ss aristocrat of the capital to read, and ample lounge space for all to socialize. An enchanted ss disy meant to keep high-ss liquor secure and disyed hid a stairway down into Rancor¡¯s base of operations.


    At the head of the stairway down, Gmon scratched at his nose behind the cowl. ¡°Blood¡¯s thick ahead. Mostly fresh, but some centuries old.¡±


    ¡°Well, no need for thementary,¡± Argrave told Gmon, hoping that Elenore wouldn¡¯t ask too many questions about why hispanion would say such strange things.


    It appeared that this ce had some strange effect on Gmon just as the area housing the vampire coven below Nodremaid had: his tongue was looser than normal. Gmon nodded, catching Argrave¡¯s point, and they began their trek into the underground.


    Argrave kept his arm upright so that Elenore could hold on as he escorted her. The fact she remained silent unnerved him a bit, but he only remained arm up and avable. She didn¡¯t like touching people all that much, Argrave knew. He rted and acted amodatingly, even if that dislike of his had subsided the past few months.


    The ce was a grim and winding stoneplex. It was well-maintained, though gruesomely decorated. If the upstairs had been the aristocrat¡¯s gentleman¡¯s club, this ce was much the same: a gathering spot for well-to-do vampires with pompous attitudes harboring a desire for close rtions with simrly well-to-do vampires. Instead of high-ss liquor, they kept high-ss people.


    To say the least of the scene¡­ Argrave was d he had not arrived at this ce first.


    Elenore¡¯s people were tending to the former captives of the vampires. The majority of them seemed mentally unstable, having been used as veritable drinking taps for years. Other, fresher victims showed relief and remorse. If only all could be so lucky.


    Argrave studied Elenore for her reaction to the horrific happenings around them. Though her face was blocked by a cowl and mask, he noted her grip on his arm was a bit firmer¡ªa subconscious reaction, perhaps, though of anger or unease he could not say. She would likely try and find a use for the people who were still sane. Elenore might ransom them back to their families, put others to work. The rest¡­ Argrave could not say. Could they even rejoin society?


    Making a mental note to ask Elenore her thoughtster, they proceeded deeper. Past the entrance, the more business-like operations were revealed¡ªdistilleries, alchemybs, great collections of weaponry, and yet more cages. These rooms were littered with corpses, each and all badly mutted. Vampires did not die easily, and their corpses reflected that. Having seen the earlier rooms and the broken people, he thought being butchered might be a bit too merciful.


    ¡°Turn right ahead,¡± Elenore whispered to Argrave.


    ¡°What?¡± Argrave turned his head. ¡°But the path¡­¡±


    ¡°Do it,¡± she said. ¡°And shut the door.¡±


    Argrave obeyed. Durran was thest to enter shut the door behind him, and Elenore moved to sit on a crate. Fortunately, this room was only a storage room of some kind. Argrave wondered what this was about¡­ until he saw her holding her stomach. She was nauseous, Argrave finally ced.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Her disy of humanity shattered some of the image of the ruthless spymaster Argrave had in his head. That wasn¡¯t necessarily a bad thing. He wanted to say something to help, thinking back to the things he¡¯d endured at the druid¡¯s camp. That was his first taste of gore. First taste of killing.


    Before Argrave could act, Durran strode up and crouched before her as she held her stomach. He stared at her face, saying nothing.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Elenore broke the silence first.


    ¡°I can see that,¡± Durran nodded drolly.


    ¡°The long stairs were exhausting. I am unused to exercise,¡± she excused. Argrave thought she said it naturally enough it wasn¡¯t a lie, but Anneliese tapped his foot with her own to indicate she had been lying.


    ¡°Exhausted, huh? I can carry you,¡± Durran offered.


    Elenore lifted her head up. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± she repeated, making Durran shake his head andugh.


    They waited patiently for Elenore to get herposure once more, and then they left the room. There was one final steep stairway downwards. As though she had some sort of sixth sense, Elenore stalled like something tremendous lurked below. Their descent was slow and cautious. This final stairway was not as well-constructed as the others, and Elenore¡¯s prosthetic feet offered no grip or control. It was aborious and slow process, and Argrave¡¯s arm started to grow tired of supporting her.


    Yet soon enough¡­ the stairway¡¯s ceiling became low enough to see beyond, opening up into a gargantuan room lit by magicmps on the wall. The majority of Argrave¡¯spanions had vocal reactions to the sight before them.


    ¡°What? What is it?¡± Elenore said, panic lining her voice. Her jewelry offered only aplete perception of what was near¡ªshe could see nothing that was far away.


    ¡°It¡¯s Vasquer,¡± Argrave said.


    The golden serpent before them was the biggest living thing that Argrave had ever seen. Her shining head alone was the size of an adult elephant, and her body wound in a tightlypacted S-shape for miles and miles. A great mane of feathers began at the back of her head, lining all of her body. These feathers seemed like genuine gold. Her body was trapped, bound by thick steel rings linked to the ground and inscribed with enchantments. Each ring had about ten feet of distance away from the other. A particrly heavy ring kept her mouth contained, and all the others kept her bound nigh immutably. Precise, surgical cuts lined the golden body of the serpent, slipping in between the scales. There, blood was harvested.


    A silence slowly settled over the ce even with the presence of Elenore¡¯s men. A faint stir echoed throughout the room, like a broom against the floor. After a while, Argrave ced what it was. Vasquer was breathing. When he realized that, his eyes met with the serpent¡¯s. Like her scales, they were bright and golden¡­ and he swore they saw him.


    ¡°Is it¡­¡± Elenore began. ¡°Is it before us?¡±


    ¡°It is,¡± Argrave nodded.


    He heard Elenore swallow. ¡°Is it¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s safe,¡± Durran assured.


    ¡°We have to make contact,¡± Argrave told Elenore. ¡°Then, we can speak to her. You¡¯ll know what¡¯sing.¡±


    He could feel Elenore shudder as she held his arm. Her grip tightened, and she said, ¡°Let¡¯s go. Let me see what you so desperately wanted to show me.¡±


    Argrave looked ahead at the serpent. He had been so confident entering here¡­ yet now, faced with the centuries-old beast, he found it a wholly different experience. As ever, Argrave only steeled his courage and advanced, the serpent¡¯s breathing growing closer and closer. He was reminded that he, too, could speak with the ancient snake before him. After all, he shared the bond of blood.


    And Vasquer might answer.

 Chapter 242: Golden Conduit

    Chapter 242: Golden Conduit


    Elenore stepped forward, and more of the gargantuan golden snake that was Vasquer entered her range of perception. Though the jewelry Argrave gifted to her had enhanced her life tremendously, she once again felt envy for those that could still see. She could only judge the size of the snake based on what she saw¡­ and its head alone wasrge enough that she felt cowed.


    ¡°Just touch her snout,¡± Argrave instructed her.


    She wished to tell him to shut up, but she kept those words locked in her head. She could feel the air move as the snake inhaled into its two nostrils. This snake could eat a wyvern, she was certain¡ªshe did not know how the beast was sustained over the years. In truth, she was deathly afraid of touching Vasquer.


    Nheless, Elenore reached her hand out and rested it upon the tip of her nose. Her first impression was that it felt like touching real gold.


    The second impression was a rush of cognition unlike anything she had ever experienced before. Her fear red, realizing toote this might¡¯ve been a trap by Argrave¡­ yet as she examined this cognition, she slowly started to grasp what it was. It was not a second internal monologue, per se, but rather a second consciousness¡ªat the very least, a branch of a second consciousness.


    Elenore could explore this branch as easily as her own memory. It did not possess words. It was only base thinking without the structure offered by words and numerals to shape and refine memories. Though it took her some time to grasp it¡­ the snake offered Elenore unadulterated curiosity. These branches of curiosity swam about in her mind like sprites, not daring to harm her. And once she perceived that, Elenore found she could offer her own answer.


    And so she did. Elenore sent forth her own thoughts, memories, emotions¡ªa summation of her existence as understood by her mind. She surrendered the idyllic years of her childhood, when her father was firm yet generous. She offered the years after Induen¡¯s birth, where her father grew cold and distant yet still remained proud of her. And she recounted his descent into low sadism, where she was blinded and awakened to the world in the same turn.


    Once these thoughts had been conveyed, a great resonance formed between the two of them. Elenore¡¯s emotions echoed back, redoubled by Vasquer¡¯s own empathy. She cared for Elenore. She felt sorry for her. She wished her to feel better. The feeling of love was so incontrovertibly real as to shatter many of the barriers she had built. At once, Elenore¡¯s throat seized, and she nearly started to sob. Hearing boots scrape around her kept her grounded, though, and she remained steady and stoic.


    With the sadness came an indelible connection to Vasquer. Elenore felt more tied to this snake than any other person she had ever spoken to. She pressed forth once again, mimicking the curiosity Vasquer had sent into her mind¡ªhow had this titanic snake ended bound so? Why was she trapped in this den of depravity?


    The answer came, detailed and segmented unlike Elenore¡¯s crude deluge of thought. Vasquer had been betrayed by her own blood, the second son between Felipe I and herself. This man feared death and envied Vasquer¡¯s immortality. The thread of memories led from one to another, each soplicated it made Elenore¡¯s head throb.


    But she gleaned valuable information. Vasquer had never intended to found a kingdom. She only ever led an order of warriors, each and all dedicated to overthrowing elven cruelty in a time past and preparing for a future Vasquer had only barely survived once before. Elenore questioned what this future was, exactly.


    Elenore received her answer in the form of a single scene. In it, the hands of gods and demons both reached down from the skies, grappling with titanic, malformed creaturesrger than mountains. Strange men wearing feathered armor Elenore had never seen before battled against armies of unparalleled scale. They battled demons, elementals, golems, corrupted men, elves, and towering mobile trees that formed a roving jungle of carnage. A million men alone must¡¯ve been fighting¡­ and her vision blocked off at points, so she could not be certain. Behind it all, lording over all this carnage¡­


    Elenore could only distinguish a humanoid form before absolute horror set in and she reeled away, falling to her knees and bloodying them. Argrave knelt down in concern just beside her. There had been no words exchanged with Vasquer until then, yet now, one existed on the tip of her tongue so absolutely it was impossible to forget.


    ¡°Gerechtigkeit,¡± Elenore said loudly, cutting past Argrave¡¯s words of concern.


    Argrave stopped fussing and rxed his hands. He sat on the floor just beside her. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°That¡­ thing. That event, that cataclysm. That is what you want my help for?¡± Elenore asked, feeling the answer was already set in stone.


    Argrave adjusted his position until he sat cross-legged. He healed Elenore¡¯s bloodied knees with a healing spell as he said, ¡°Precisely so.¡±


    Elenore raised her hands to her head, utterly floored by this new knowledge. Her breathing started to quicken as she saw the monumental task he was asking of her. Part of her wished that this truly was some trap designed by Argrave to brainwash her¡ªthe alternative was that it was all true, and they would be fighting that thing. Could they¡­?


    ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking,¡± Argrave said, lowering his hand as he finished healing her. ¡°Can we even beat Gerechtigkeit? Seems like a tough customer,¡± Argrave leaned back on his hands. ¡°My answer would have to be, ¡®Christ, I hope so, elsewise we¡¯re all going to the promisednd.¡¯ Do you see another option?¡±


    Even thinking of that horrific scene spawned revulsion, Elenore found. She took some time to gather herself and her breathing, then felt guilty for leaving Vasquer in silence after parting.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°How did you learn of this? Why are you¡­ why are you trying to stop it? How did you know this would work?¡± Elenore rattled her questions off one after another, finding they¡¯d only increased now that Argrave had shown her what he intended to.


    ¡°So many questions,¡± Argrave mused as he shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ve got a lot of answers¡­ but how will you know if I¡¯m being honest? How can you tell how I might actually feel about you?¡±


    Elenore¡¯s mind, though overloaded, still worked quickly. She got what he was driving at.


    ¡°You want to use Vasquer as a conduit for tacit understanding. Can that¡­?¡±


    ¡°Since we¡¯re of her bloodline, yes,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°Durran, for instance, would just feel a big angry snake and nothing else.¡±


    Elenore thought the im was dubious at best. As she deliberated on whether or not to go through with it, she realized there was a third party she could ask. She rose again and stepped up back to Vasquer. The branch of cognizance returned. At once, Vasquer disyed sorrow for having shown such a gruesome scene. Elenore, too, offered her sorrow for backing away without a word of goodbye. This amused the giant snake, and even Elenoreughed at her own foolishness.


    Elenore conveyed her conversation with Argrave in the strange, mysticalmunication. The snake returned with an answer, and Elenore pulled her hand away.


    ¡°She does not know if you are truly of her bloodline,¡± Elenore said. ¡°You¡¯ll need to touch her, first.¡±


    Argrave rose to his feet and wiped his gloved hands off. He pulled one glove free without a word. His fingers danced with hesitance, and then he jutted his hand out. At once, his face contorted bizarrely¡ªsurprise, shock, difort, curiosity¡­ it made Elenore amused until she supposed her face had probably gone through much the same ritual.


    After a time of silentmunication, Argrave pulled his hand away. His face was that of anger and trepidation, and Elenore wondered what had urred. His breathing grew a little heavier, and he clutched at his chest.


    ¡°Unpleasant¡­ that resonance. Made me confront some things.¡± Argrave turned his head to Elenore. ¡°Not sure I¡¯m ready for as long a talk as you endured. But¡­ we can gain that tacit understanding you wanted.¡±


    Elenore touched Vasquer once again, and the snake expressed sympathy for Argrave. She did not know if it was merely a sympathetic creature, or if his past was hard¡­ though she kept those thoughts contained. Nevertheless, the snake confirmed what Argrave had said¡ªthey couldmunicate with each other the same way as she had with Vasquer.


    A fear and anxiety stronger than any other welled up from an unknown source, and Elenore removed her hand. For some reason, the prospect of learning Argrave¡¯s true intentions was a greater source of anxiety than confronting Vasquer had been.


    ¡°Ready and waiting,¡± Argrave held his hand to Vasquer. ¡°No holds barred. Time to learn the ugly truth of things.¡±


    Elenore didn¡¯t reach her hand out at all. She felt paralyzed.


    ¡°Gods above¡­ you threw such a fit and now you¡¯re taking minutes to get the answer you wanted,¡± she heard Durran call out behind her. ¡°Hurry up. I can¡¯t wait for you to see how wrong you are,¡± he said confidently.


    Durran¡¯s words ignited a quiet fire of anger within her, burning away some of the unease. It did not disappear¡­ but it faded away enough to free herself of that paralysis. Elenore reached her hand out, touching the gold scales of Vasquer.


    The feeling did note instantly. That stoked her anxiety, nearlypelling her to pull her hand away¡­ yet then, she sent an inquiry into Vasquer. All of her hesitancy, doubt, about this situation. It carried with it her fear of abandonment. Even Induen had expressed he would discard her if she displeased him¡ªwhy would Argrave be different? Why had hee to her?


    Uneasy seconds passed. Then¡­ she felt a branch reach out. Though carried by Vasquer¡­ it was not quite Vasquer¡¯s. Elenore epted it and felt human emotions spring in her mind.


    Argrave¡¯s thoughts of her unfolded like a brilliant flower. Pity loomed overhead, like a raincloud over thendscape. He knew her situation¡ªnot themon perception given to those atrge, but how she was truly butchered. He knew the utter depths of her betrayal¡ªnot her father, but the other. She could not deny he understood her situation. That terrified her.


    Anxiety was next. Argrave was anxious he would ruin things with Elenore. He feared that if he could not gain her support, all would be lost, and those he loved would perish. He loved all of hispanions, she could tell. Barring that¡­ no others.


    Dozens of other feelings existed in equal measure. He respected her abilities. He felt nostalgia looking upon her. He felt some minor affection towards her. There was greed, too¡ªhe knew the extent of her finances, and how it might service his goal. There was awkwardness. He was her brother, but hesitated to call her his sister in case it might not be appreciated.


    Elenore turned her face straight to Argrave. ¡°I tried to kill you. I tried to use Induen to kill you.¡±


    She watched Argrave¡¯s face change¡ªa raised brow, tightened lips¡­ and the emotions came back again through Vasquer. They were unchanged. And running beneath it all, like a river formed of the various currents of emotion¡­ Argrave wanted her to be a part of his journey so that both of them might have a happy ending in this miserable situation.


    Elenore¡¯s hand slipped off of Vasquer, like she could keep her arm up no longer. Argrave stepped back, too, staring at her. Having experienced what she had, it felt like she couldprehend every expression he made and what it might mean. She stepped up to him and fell forward, wrapping her arms around his back.


    It was quite an awkward embrace. Elenore was a fair bit shorter than he was, reaching only the bottom of his chest. After a time, though, he hunched down and wrapped his arms around her. Durran turned away and scratched at the back of his neck as though he was looking at something he shouldn¡¯t.


    ¡°¡­guess I¡¯m not as big an ass as I thought,¡± Argrave said quietly.


    Elenore could think of nothing to say. She merely felt that this was what she wanted to do¡­ and she could do so without repercussions.

 Chapter 243: Unexpected Truths

    Chapter 243: Unexpected Truths


    Argrave had always been an only child. Well, not ¡®Argrave,¡¯ but rather Vincenzo. From the beginning, he hadn¡¯t been quite sure how to treat Elenore. He hadn¡¯t dealt with either sisters or brothers before. On the other hand, he had at least eighty cousins, and their parents had insisted on numerous asions wherein he was forced to interact with his ridiculouslyrge extended family. Those asions were probably the reasons he turned out the way he had.


    Thus far, he had been treating Elenore much like his cousins. Though he was never rude or unkind, they had always been strangers who happened to be closely rted. As far as he was concerned, that was where it ended. Books¡ªandter in life, games¡ªhad always been infinitely more interesting and convenient to him than people. Much less likely to disappoint, too. That isn¡¯t to say he didn¡¯t want a reliable friend. The key word there, though, was ¡®reliable.¡¯ People are fickle.


    Argrave¡¯s hand hovered just above Elenore¡¯s back as she hugged him. He was happy that things had gone as he wanted them to¡ªElenore didn¡¯t sever things irreparably and seemed more than amenable to close association in the future. He merely hadn¡¯t expecting things to go quite this well. He was expecting some significant buildup before things came to this point.


    ¡°You¡­ seem to like it there,¡± Argrave noted, a little unsure of what to do.


    ¡°I tried to kill you,¡± Elenore said, her voice muffled in his duster.


    Argrave raised a brow. ¡°You said that already, I hope you know.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you care?¡± Elenore pushed him away and lifted her head until her eyeless sockets seemed to gaze upon him.


    ¡°Anneliese and I put things together on that front from the beginning,¡± Argrave scratched his arm, and then put a hand on her shoulder. She was quite bony, he found. ¡°And Induen¡­ well, he wasn¡¯t exactly subtle when we talked. He¡¯d suspected the same, tried to use that fact to win me to his side.¡±


    ¡°Induen¡­ hah, of course,¡± she lowered her head, biting her lip. After an ufortable silence she lifted her head again, fire in her features. ¡°Then why in the world do you trust me so much?¡± she questioned, voice quiet and tremulous. ¡°Why do you hinge everything on me? Do you expect a different result? Why don¡¯t you care?¡± she repeated.


    I¡¯m thest person to deride others for fratricide, Argrave wanted to say, but he knew most didn¡¯t like those kinds of jokes and felt it was inappropriate given the situation.


    Hiding a smile, Argrave said, ¡°Because I know you can still be good. To me, to the world, to whoever the hell,¡± Argrave shook his head.


    ¡°Good,¡± she scoffed, turning her head.


    Argrave shook her shoulder a little to draw her attention back, then said, ¡°You might think it¡¯s a joke, but yeah, you can do good. If there was ever a line in the sand between good and evil, I think ¡®fell cmity that endeavors to destroy everything¡¯ is quite obviously on the evil side. Thwarting that is good. Not a particrlyplicated equation. I can¡¯t afford to hold grudges. I know you¡¯ve done some pretty cruel things, but now you can do something to outweigh thatpletely.¡±


    Elenore looked like she found it difficult to wrap her head around that. She stepped away, and Argrave spared a nce to Anneliese¡ªshe confirmed things were going as well as he thought they were with a thumbs up.


    ¡°What is the future you want?¡± she asked Argrave, back facing him.


    ¡°Pretty simple. In my hypothetical future, I¡¯m alive. Everyone I care about is, too.¡±


    Elenore turned. ¡°I mean, what is it you hope to achieve by allying with me?¡±


    Argrave nodded, understanding her question now. He deliberated on his answer, running through what he and Anneliese had discussed.


    ¡°There is much you don¡¯t know, much that Vasquer can tell you,¡± Argrave pointed to the snake, though hesitated to touch her once again. ¡°Much of my aims are in preparation for theseing events. I¡¯ll give you the brief version of things: my priority presently is putting an end to this civil war¡ªa decisive victory that minimizes loss of life. Vasquer is a part of that n. If I can secure her help, she is an undisputed signal of legitimacy that will wipe away almost any stain on my name¡ªbastardry, kinying, you name it,¡± Argrave said, keeping his eye on the snake. ¡°She can fight no longer, but then I don¡¯t need her to fight.¡±


    Elenore crossed her arms. ¡°Then you¡¯ll assume the role of king. You¡¯ve agreed to it already.¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll need your help to get the title, obviously, but I¡¯ll need it much more after. I don¡¯t know what you¡¯ve seen of Gerechtigkeit, what Vasquer has actually shown you¡­ but thousands of problems of his making brew in all of Berendar, like blisters pushing against the skin. There are things that I have to confront in-person for any hope of sess. Consequently, my intent was to have you serve as my regent in those absences.¡±


    Elenore took a deep breath of surprise, and her fingers danced as she toyed with the notion. ¡°You would have me as regent?¡±


    Argrave stepped forward. ¡°You¡¯re hyperpetent. You have the status for the role. No one else fits better.¡±


    ¡°A regency is a dangerous thing for a newly crowned king,¡± she warned subtly.


    ¡°Yes, a disloyal regent could ostensibly take control of the kingdom,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°But the stakes are too high to risk disunity. I trust you.¡±


    Elenore gestured towards him. ¡°You trust the sister who tried to kill you.¡±


    ¡°Tried to have me killed,¡± Argrave waved his hands to dismiss it like it was no big deal. ¡°And you didn¡¯t do the best job at it. If we¡¯re talking about kinying, I¡¯ve got the better record, here,¡± he said with a smile, then added awkwardly, ¡°That¡¯s not a threat, I hope you know, just a joke¡­¡±


    ¡°Why not the Margrave? Why not Duke Enrico? Nikoletta, or¡­ or even yourpanions?¡± she said, searching for more names. ¡°Why in the name of the gods would you choose me?¡±


    Argrave didn¡¯t skip a beat in answering, ¡°You¡¯re better at the job than they are.¡±


    ¡°Do you even want to be king?¡± Elenore questioned, catching on to something. ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯d actually care if I took the kingdom. That¡¯s my impression of you based off what I¡­ what we experienced with Vasquer.¡±


    ¡°Sharp,¡± Argrave noted, giving an impressed nod. ¡°I¡¯m a selfish man. I want to live wealthily and do so with those lovely people behind me every step of the way. Out of most jobs, ¡®king¡¯ doesn¡¯t sound bad¡­ but it¡¯s still a job. Do it poorly, rx a little bit too much¡­¡± Argrave ran his finger across his neck. ¡°I¡¯ll end up fired.¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know what happens after Gerechtigkeit is gone. But all I need is a temporary position of supreme power, and nothing more.¡±


    Elenore swallowed. ¡°You¡¯repletely serious.¡±


    ¡°Completely? Hardly,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°Levity is my favorite spice of life. But I am resolved to fight until I die. If I don¡¯t fight, I die anyway. Bum deal,¡± Argrave shrugged.


    ¡°But what¡­¡± Elenore turned away, running her fingers through her hair. ¡°Why is this happening? Gerechtigkeit¡ªwhat¡­ why?¡±


    Argrave turned his head back to the gargantuan golden snake that seemed to be patiently listening to their conversation. ¡°Those are questions for her. She¡¯s the reason I asked you to clear your schedule today¡ªshe can exin things far more sinctly and in much more believable terms than I can ever hope to. We have all of the time in the world.¡±


    Elenore crossed her arms, and looked to grow quite ufortable. ¡°¡­time in the world,¡± she said quietly.


    ¡°What?¡± Argrave asked, stepping closer to hear her better.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have all the time in the world,¡± she said a bit louder. ¡°I¡­ what you told me, about a traitor near me. I managed to iste one leak, managed to draw some information out. Coming here, personally, was intended to spur them into action so that I might get more information. Induen¡¯s death led some to believe that my position was greatly weakened, but whoever this leak is connected to¡­ the force they¡¯re working with isn¡¯t small.¡±


    Argrave frowned and sped his hands together. ¡°That sounds suspiciously like you¡¯re saying some people areing to hunt you down.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°That¡¯s precisely what I¡¯m saying,¡± Elenore turned her head to him. ¡°I had intended to¡­ well, never mind. No, I have to say. It¡¯s important I be honest,¡± she said, debating with herself. ¡°I wanted to test how strong your party really was and get information of my foes in one fell swoop. It was also a probe of your loyalty¡­ seems pointless now,¡± Elenore crossed her arms and shook her head. ¡°The forces I have are abundant. You can stay back, let me subdue them. I¡¯m eager to get to the bottom of things, even if this is most likely to be a dead end.¡± Elenore sighed. ¡°Still, we¡¯ll have to wait and see if I¡¯m right about this at all.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll help,¡± Argrave held his hand out. ¡°Perhaps I ought to show you something, bolster your confidence in me. I can show you why I¡¯ve got a fair bit of resolve fighting against Gerechtigkeit.¡± Argrave turned his head to the distant entryway.


    Elenore tapped her foot against the ground. ¡°Overconfidence got Ruleo bound before me, fearing for his life. Always assume you¡¯re worse than who you fight.¡±


    ¡°Such a sweet thing to say,¡± Argrave said, distant gaze still on the steep stairway that led to this room.


    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m sorry,¡± Elenore grew flustered. ¡°Be careful. I¡¯ll help if you need it.¡±


    Argrave put his glove back on. ¡°Rather the opposite of what you used to feel with me, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m no longer sorry,¡± Elenore decided, realizing now he was being sarcastic.


    Argrave smiled andughed, and after a second Elenore did, too. ¡°You stay here with Vasquer,¡± he told her good-naturedly. ¡°She can answer your questions. Then, we can reconvene.¡±


    ¡°Certainly. My men know what could being, and when¡ªI¡¯ll tell them to cooperate with you,¡± Elenore nodded, and both directed their attention towards the big snake. ¡°I think¡­ I would like to help her. Help her as you helped me.¡±


    ¡°See?¡± Argrave lightly patted her shoulder. ¡°Who says you can¡¯t be good?¡±


    Elenore scoffed and walked towards Vasquer once again. ¡°Let me inform Vasquer, then we can go and deal with things.¡±


    Argrave nodded, then turned back to his waitingpanions. Durran had sat down and lounged, while Anneliese and Gmon both waited diligently. ¡°I take it you heard?¡± he asked them.


    ¡°Indeed. Touching little thing you two had,¡± Durran called out. ¡°More hardships for us, too. Been a while since I¡¯ve fought normal people.¡±


    ¡°It may be respite, even,¡± Gmon noted, eyes closed.


    Argrave was surprised his usually stoicpanion would express such confidence. Both Durran and Gmon walked past him, moving to Elenore. Anneliese stepped up to Argrave.


    ¡°When you touched Vasquer¡­¡± Anneliese began, leaving words unsaid.


    Argrave nodded. ¡°Elenore wasn¡¯t the only one who found unexpected truths.¡±


    Anneliese inched closer. ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°Not sure. I got out of there quickly. It¡­ was overwhelming,¡± he excused weakly. ¡°Something to do with ¡®Argrave.¡¯ And maybe, something to do with the Brumesingers¡ªwhy I had the reaction I did, all those months ago. My affinity with death.¡±


    Anneliese touched his shoulder. ¡°You want to deal with the matter at hand first, I understand. But this might be key to some of the questions you have.¡±


    Argrave raised his hand to her own and took a deep breath. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± he said stoically, trying to push past the apprehension of this new discovery.

 Chapter 244: Forced Hand

    Chapter 244: Forced Hand


    Argrave had grown familiar with making use of whatever he had on hand to get through all his problems¡ªoftentimes, all he had on hand was himself and hispanions. At the vige near Mateth versus the Veidimen, or versus the Lily Lurkers, or the battle at Sethia¡­ he¡¯d always felt like he was at a disadvantage. He¡¯d carved advantages from his own wit and the great blessing that was foreknowledge.


    Working with Elenore, things felt fully reversed.


    Once aware a threat might be approaching, Anneliese scouted out for approaching foes with her Starsparrow immediately. Elenore seemed quite impressed with druidic magic¡ªshe saw its tremendous utility just as Argrave did. And just as Elenore promised, a group did indeede to ambush them. Elenore was quick in adapting strategy to amodate the Starsparrow¡¯s utility, contacting some of her people on the outside to better coordinate an encirclement.


    The attackers were cautious and numerous¡ªperhaps thirty elites poked near the entrance near the entrance to what was Rancor¡¯s base. They took residence in a nearby building, waiting. Perhaps they waited in ambush, or perhaps they waited for an opportunity. Either way, they were ignorant theycked the element of surprise.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want a fight between armed men out in the city, even if we can get them inside that building,¡± Elenore said in irritation once Argrave informed her of this development. She had set up a bedroll beside Vasquer, where she¡¯d been conversing with the snake while they kept watch. ¡°Thest thing I need is attention from the guard anywhere near the gentleman¡¯s club marking the entrance to this ce.¡±


    ¡°I believe we might draw them inside to the lower levels,¡± Anneliese suggested.


    ¡°Why would you think that?¡± Elenore asked, suspicious of the notion.


    ¡°The impression I get, and the things I overheard,¡± Anneliese continued confidently. ¡°These men are decently trained but have a strange sense of urgency. So long as weakness is shown¡­¡±


    Elenore looked uncertain.


    ¡°Anneliese knows people,¡± Argrave backed her. ¡°Do you have people that can act well?¡±


    Elenore nodded hesitantly, seeminglycking confidence in Anneliese¡¯s ability.


    Argrave directed Elenore¡¯s men to take guard on the second floor as watchmen but leave parts undefended deliberately. The opposing party stayed steady as steel until night fell, whereupon they got antsy and sent a man to probe things out. Seeing a route to the hidden entrance, they all mobilized, proving Anneliese¡¯s hunch right once again.


    When the enemy pressed deep within, Anneliese sent direction with her Starsparrow, and encirclement urred rapidly and optimally. Their foes proceeded down the long, narrow flight of stairs thatprised the entrance. Those on the outside took position at the top of these stairs quickly, preparing bow and arrow before peppering their foes with projectiles.


    The foes, though disciplined, had fallen into the trap. They smartly tried to retreat back, the mages in their number screening the archer¡¯s fire as they pushed towards the top. Gmon and Durran, freshly d in armor forged for royal knight standards, took the bottom of the stairs. Their foes panicked, clearly not expecting this level of coordination nor resistance.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Surrender!¡± Durran shouted at them.


    Surprisingly¡­ they did so almost at once.


    Once captured, interrogation revealed these men were quite out of their depth. Whoever employed them kept them in the dark, downyed the numbers they were facing, and had essentially sent them headfirst into failure. Their leader asked too few questions, took a risky job¡­ and now, he was here.


    When Elenore, still by Vasquer¡¯s side, received this news, she deliberated for a few seconds before asking for paper. She quickly scribed a note which she requested Anneliese deliver to a certain ce with her Starsparrow and wait for the reply. News came back quickly.


    ¡°I see,¡± Elenore said, enlightened. ¡°It was a distraction. A royal messenger came by the greenhouse, inviting me to Induen¡¯s funeral. Undoubtedly some ploy designed to reveal the fact that I¡¯m absent,¡± she said scornfully. ¡°They seek to use Felipe as a cudgel. Not the first time this has been tried against me.¡±


    ¡°Then nothing wille of it,¡± Argrave nodded.


    Elenore turned her head, once again ufortable at the depth of his knowledge. ¡°¡­yes,¡± she said after a time, rising to stand. ¡°I have people able to impersonate me. Plenty have hair color this shade of ck, and with a blindfold¡­ I¡¯ve gone out before, and I know how to avoid risks. This person, the betrayer¡­ they¡¯re not inner circle enough to know my tricks, but they know my identity. They¡¯re a fearless soul, too¡ªI¡¯ve made examples of organizations that tried to do something like this in the past¡­¡±


    Anneliese tapped her fingers against her elbow, a frown on her face. Argrave took notice of that and questioned, ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°If Felipe is not the royal this traitor intends to draw in?¡± Anneliese asked a leading question.


    ¡°Levin knows of me, but if he exposes me, I can end him in the same fashion¡ªFelipe would want him dead as much as me if he knew what Levin has been doing behind the scenes. Levin isn¡¯t willing to go for mutually assured destruction, given how safe andfortable he is at Felipe¡¯s side,¡± Elenore shook her head. ¡°Orion¡­ he¡¯s been missing for two days. He hasn¡¯t visited in years, so I doubt he¡¯d recognize me. And I suspect the traitor would simply send Orion directly here, instead. I don¡¯t think my men could subdue Orion.¡±


    Argrave mused on her words, looking for a hole in her logic. Orion¡¯s absence worried him. ¡°Things don¡¯t normally go this easily¡­¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Elenore raised a brow. Gmon, Anneliese, and Durran nodded to confirm her query.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got some stories,¡± Argrave shook his head.


    Elenore walked around. ¡°Well, things aren¡¯t going easily. I suspect it¡¯s a probe rather than an attack.¡± Elenore shook her head. ¡°The worst has yet toe. The malice is exposed¡ªthey think I¡¯m aware of them, now. They¡¯ve shown their hand, and now they have to y it all. Things will get louder, messier¡­ this is to be a sustained assault that¡¯ll draw unwanted attention from the royal guards, and no one can remain secret forever. Maybe that¡¯s their intent.¡±


    Elenore stopped walking and shook her head. ¡°But I don¡¯t like card games. I¡¯d much prefer to burn the table. I hadn¡¯t nned to do this so early¡­¡± she took a deep breath, like her excitement was rising. ¡°Gods. I¡­¡± she paused, swallowing. She looked more alive than Argrave had ever seen her. ¡°Argrave. You¡¯re going to Relize next, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Argrave smiled, realizing what Elenore was getting at. ¡°Indeed I am.¡±


    ¡°I think that I¡¯m ready to leave Dirracha,¡± she dered. ¡°My original intent was to wait until the civil war advanced some, profiting from both sides until I eventually chose the winning team¡­ yet I cannot afford to do that now. No, that¡¯s not true.¡± Elenore walked up to Argrave. ¡°I don¡¯t want to do that now.¡±


    Argrave reflected on things, thinking back to the game that he knew. In ¡®Heroes of Berendar,¡¯ Elenore¡¯s questline was one of the first points the yer could discover Gerechtigkeit. Discrepancies with Rancor led her to the great feathered serpent, Vasquer¡­ from there, things progressed as one might expect. Elenore discovered and understood the danger of Gerechtigkeit and worked alongside the yer to prepare for his advent.


    Yet it took a great deal of time for Elenore¡¯s shell to crack. She certainly coulde to a point where she would trust the yer, yet it took time, and one had to make the right choices. Now, things seemed different¡ªbetter, even. Not just for her, but perhaps for all of Berendar. For the first time in a long while, Argrave had a sense he might be able to take things in a direction not simply matching but exceeding what he perceived as the best ending to ¡®Heroes of Berendar.¡¯


    ¡°Life is no game,¡± Argrave said, referring both to his inner monologue and her analogous card game. ¡°Let¡¯s work this out together. With Vasquer discovered, I imagine your ns have beplicated, somewhat¡­¡±


    Elenore caressed her forehead as his words crossed her mind. ¡°You¡¯re right. A clean departure will be difficult to arrange¡­ I suspect this will take time.¡± She appeared absent for a moment, yet then she lifted her head up. ¡°I¡­ I am d you came. And¡­ to answer a question I know you have¡­ yes, you can call me sister.¡±


    With that, Elenore gave him another, slightly less awkward hug. Argrave was still as unprepared as he had been the first time.


    #####


    With Elenore¡¯s new n in mind, she decided to remain at Rancor¡¯s base near the feathered serpent Vasquer until the time came for departure.


    ¡°You¡¯re sure?¡± Argrave questioned. ¡°I mean¡­ there¡¯s only one entrance. You saw what happened with the vampires.¡±


    ¡°I have much I would ask of Vasquer¡ªa full grasp of the situationing,¡± Elenore said. ¡°Besides, the force here with us is not small. They were meant to suppress a vampiric coven, some of whom were high-ranking mages.¡±


    Argrave could not begrudge her those answers. And besides, the remnants of the vampire coven were still an active issue deeper within, holed up within a catb shielded by poison smoke as Argrave predicted. Even with its pest issue, this underground base was a rather defensible ce, and Argrave joined Elenore in settling here temporarily. Their party retrieved all their possessions from the safehouse.


    After resting what remained of the night, Elenore¡¯s people intended to pursue and rout the vampires in detail. A good thing, too, because Argrave needed what was within. He could help with the smoke problem, too. That would happen tomorrow.


    He had much to discuss with Elenore, but she was asleep now. Just about everybody was. Argrave and Anneliese sat a fair distance away from Vasquer, watching the great snake. It was a bit awkward staring at a sentient being, but he supposed she had been through worse than being stared at.


    ¡°Can you tell me what you saw when you touched Vasquer?¡± Anneliese questioned curiously.


    ¡°Not ¡®saw.¡¯ It just¡­¡± Argrave trailed off, rubbing his palm. ¡°Vasquer can know things. I perceived¡­ her recognition. Her recognition of death, of the fact my soul was not Argrave¡¯s. Vasquer is old¡ªthousands of years old. Maybe she has answers about my situation. Maybe this sort of thing isn¡¯t unprecedented. Maybe I¡¯m not the first like myself that¡¯s been here.¡±


    ¡°Maybe, maybe not,¡± Anneliese agreed. ¡°But you remain ignorant so long as you avoid this.¡±


    Argrave let out a sigh and copsed on his back, staring up at the ceiling embedded with magic lights. ¡°If I had a gold coin for every time you¡¯ve been wrong, I¡¯d be destitute.¡±


    ¡°I think you would be well off,¡± Anneliese disagreed with augh. ¡°Admitting ignorance and acknowledging when you are wrong is a very important trait for growth.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need to grow. I¡¯m tall enough,¡± Argrave rubbed his face warily.


    Anneliese straddled him and sat on his stomach, and he curled inwards in surprise. ¡°Just do it,¡± she said frustratedly. ¡°Gods be damned, I want to know what Vasquer has to say of you.¡±


    Argraveughed, grabbing her thighs to prevent her from putting her full weight atop his gut. He got his body into a good position then sat up, nting his feet to the ground. He rose, picking her up at the same time. Anneliese gasped in surprise and apprehension, fearing to fall, but Argrave came to his full height without issue.


    ¡°Fine,¡± Argrave said, voice strained from the lift. ¡°You¡¯ve given me no option.¡±


    ¡°Careful not to hurt yourself,¡± Anneliese said in concern, one arm wrapped around his neck to support herself.


    After a kiss, Argrave lowered Anneliese back to the ground with a huff and stood straight, fixing his clothes. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s get this over with.¡±


    With those words, Argrave moved towards Vasquer like he was about to jump into an icy coldke and simply wanted to do it as quickly as possible. Anneliese trailed closely behind him. The giant golden snake awaited them both, eyes following him as he came closer.

 Chapter 245: Behind the Veil

    Chapter 245: Behind the Veil


    Tentatively, as though he would be sparked by electricity if he touched it, Argrave raised his hand up to the golden scales of Vasquer. His fingers met her scales. The feeling was nearly identical to touching cold metal. He could practically feel her presence rushing into his hand like water running through a hose after the nozzle was turned.


    Argrave did not like interacting with Vasquer, admittedly. His mind had always been his temple¡ªall anyone else could see of him was only what he showed them¡ªhis words and deeds could be adjusted as he wanted. In a way, his mind was the only thing he viewed as his. His body, his clothes, his mannerisms¡­ they were borrowed, and could be changed. That feeling had faded over the months he¡¯d grown more connected to Berendar, but he still valued the privacy of his mind. And that privacy was being vited.


    In terms of invasions, Vasquer was quite a polite invader. She acknowledged that he was ufortable by the act and did nothing sudden or jarring to stimte that feeling of unease. Argrave took some time to limate to the feeling, steadying his breathing. He felt Anneliese grip his hand. He hadn¡¯t known how much that would help until she did it¡ªit felt like an anchor to the world, something keeping him grounded in this bizarre mysticism.


    Argrave first addressed hisrgest concern¡ªhe inquired Vasquer¡¯s thoughts on his ownership of this body despite not being the original soul belonging to it. This thought of his echoed out to the branch of consciousness extended to him.


    Vasquer barraged him with her philosophy on the matter. For her, the origin of the soul was less important than the body. The soul is, after all, a cumtion of experiences, thoughts, memories¡ªin essence, it made no difference to her the origin of the soul, as she had never known the original owner. Argrave supposed it was a reasonable stance to take. He questioned if she viewed him as a thief, yet she merely reminded him she could see him as he truly was and knew him to be as much as victim of circumstance as the old Argrave was.


    Argrave sent his worry at how much Vasquer could see, fully exposing his feelings of his sanctity being vited. In response, a wave of reassurance and panic came. Vasquer could not see all of his thoughtsid bare¡ªshe received things he sent consciously, or things he wanted her to know subconsciously. This process revolved around the soul, and consequently, she had great insight on the makeup of all souls she saw in general. To see the processid out was immensely reassuring, and Argrave finally found some measure of rxation.


    With the process codified, Argravefortably expressed his curiosity about her knowledge of his affinity with death. For the first time in a while, the constant flow of thoughts stopped. The branch of consciousness seemed to wriggle and worm. Argrave grew anxious, yet before he could express that his answer finally came.


    Argrave was shown a scene¡ªone person viewed through Vasquer¡¯s senses. To view life through her perspective was wildly jarring. He saw fewer colors, and light was difficult to distinguish. Sounds, meanwhile, were vastly enhanced, and he could feel vibrations in the ground. Smells were so potent as to be offensive. And this person before her¡­


    Vasquer¡¯s mind guided him towards a particr spot of the image she disyed: the soul. It was a nebulous thing permeating the body, and Argrave thought it was reminiscent of the way magic existed in a strange, almost mist-like state beneath the skin. The soul Argrave saw was golden and shining. In contrast, Argrave was shown another¡¯s soul. It was still gold, though shone not half as bright as the former¡¯s. Then,stly, Argrave saw himself and his own soul. As the first, his shone brilliantly.


    Memories not Argrave¡¯s own shed through his mind. This bright-souled person was once close to Vasquer, and their journey passed by like Argrave was recounting things that he¡¯d done. And at the end of it all¡­ the man changed. He was human no longer¡ªhe was immortal, bound to a vessel and possessing various bodies of his choosing. He was a lich, Argrave recognized. He had continued to coborate with Vasquer long after bing immortal, yet at Gerechtigkeit¡¯s advent, his lich form was vulnerable to influence. He became corrupted and fought on the side of the cmity.


    Like this, the memories ended. Argrave found he was crying and wiped away his tears in shock. He didn¡¯t feel sad, and even now the tears ceased. It appeared this method of conveyance was not without side effects. Argrave searched for the meaning in what he¡¯d been shown, and Vasquer sent another image to borate.


    A tall, obsidian-haired man with stony gray eyes held a corpse. Vasquer¡¯s memory influenced him, and he knew at once the man¡¯s name: Felipe. The corpse he held was the bright-souled man.


    ¡°Braulio was a man who had a gift. He was one for whom death was not an end.¡± Felipe lifted his head to Vasquer. ¡°Yet he turned it to a curse. An ident of grave proportions¡­¡±


    As the final memory settled into his mind, everything clicked into ce. Argrave, just as Braulio, possessed a different kind of soul.


    He was one for whom death was not an end.


    What did this mean? Argrave recalled the term from ¡®Heroes of Berendar.¡¯ His soul was resilient, persistent. If he was stabbed through the heart and perished, he might be a specter of some kind. Or, just as Braulio, he could be a lich if he underwent the proper ritual. In terms of necromancy, his soul was a hotmodity about as valuable as red diamonds.


    In-game lore dictated it was an incredibly rare thing that no yable character possessed. It wasn¡¯t decided by strength of will, or presence of mind¡ªindeed, it was solely dumb luck¡­ or poor luck, depending on how one looked at it. For Argrave, it only led him towards one question.


    Was that why he was here?


    Argrave ryed everything to Vasquer¡ªhow he¡¯de to be here, what he experienced before. It was the first time he¡¯d shared his previous life with anyone beyond his inner circle, but what was Vasquer going to do? Tell Elenore? That¡¯d just save him a conversation. If anything, it was a boon.


    It truly was throwing caution to the wind¡ªast-ditch effort to see if anything more might be learned. Argrave felt the ground stir beneath his feet, and heard Anneliese call his name. He opened his eyes to see Vasquer writhing somewhat, yet the great rings of metal holding her down kept secure.


    Though her reaction was visceral and obvious, it came repeated to Argrave a few seconds afterwards through their link. The revtion of a potential other dimension entirely, wherein their current reality was one simted rather than simply existing, was no less of a shock to the gargantuan feathered serpent than it was any other person. Vasquer expressed much the same stupefaction that Durran, Gmon, or Anneliese had. Though Vasquer was thousands of years old, never before had she encountered such a thing.


    Argrave asked his true question, perhaps already knowing the answer. Did she know why he was here?


    The answer was as he expected. No, naturally¡ªshe had not a single clue as to why he was here, how he hade to be here, or if there was even any purpose to it at all. Though hypotheses persisted about his unique soul for which death was not end the end, in the end, they were only guesses to fill the void of ignorance.


    After all, Vasquer posited such a thing as taking a soul from one dimension and putting it in another would be the realm of the gods. The why and how of things was unknown, perhaps unknowable.


    Argrave sighed, getting the answer he expected. Though he had feared finding the truth, it was just as disappointing to step away empty-handed. It seemed he would be moving forward with more questions than before.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    One more matter remained. Argrave was certain Elenore woulde and speak to Vasquer first thing in the morning¡ªas he recalled, she was obsessed with the snake. Perhaps she saw something of herself in the creature. Both had been betrayed by their blood and confined powerlessly.


    Argrave expressed a simple desire to Vasquer. He hoped the snake could ept some of his thoughts as a parcel of sorts and convey it to Elenore. He had no desire to obscure the truth from his newly found sister. It might simply be easier if Argrave could once again use Vasquer to convey his honest intents.


    Expressing sympathy for his situation, Vasquer sent forth a wave of affirmation. An image shed in his head: both Elenore and Argrave faced the darkness together, side by side. Argrave understood what Vasquer was trying to convey¡ªshe wished for the two of them, brother and sister, to cooperate in theing years. It was a genuine reassurance that wiped away much of Argrave¡¯s unease.


    After a long while of deliberating what to leave for Elenore to parse through, he left memories and knowledge he felt would best exin things. Argrave said his goodbyes and pulled his hand away. The bizarre sensation of interconnected consciousnesses faded, and Argrave found that the whole world seemed to be spinning. He clutched at his head with one hand, and Anneliese steadied him.


    ¡°Be careful, now. You emit heat as a furnace might,¡± Anneliese said worriedly.


    Argrave realized she was right¡ªhis whole body felt hot. ¡°I feel fine,¡± he assured her, the dizziness fading with every passing second.


    ¡°What did you learn?¡± she asked him.


    ¡°I don¡¯t¡­¡± Argrave blinked. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. Something new to pursue in the future, maybe. The vaguest hint of a lead. My soul is¡­ one for which death is not an end.¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°I need to sort through my thoughts. Let¡¯s return.¡±

 Chapter 246: Intent

    Chapter 246: Intent


    Argrave and Anneliese sat at a table. Argrave had his head supported by one hand, his gaze looking off into another dimension. Anneliese waited for him to speak patiently, her hands ced before her almost politely.


    ¡°I feel lost about this development for the first time in a while,¡± Argrave told her inly, waving his free hand about to support his vocalization. ¡°I had a general route of how I wanted to grow stronger, prepare for fights¡­ and I can¡¯t see how I might slot this in.¡±


    Anneliese nodded, her hands moving to braid her long white hair back. ¡°Then perhaps you ignore it. Shelve it away.¡±


    Argrave sighed. ¡°But¡­ that¡¯s unambitious. There¡¯s a lot of potential for this. People could die if I don¡¯t do everything I can to be stronger.¡±


    ¡°You would jeopardize everything for a vague chance?¡± she said quickly, hands braiding faster. ¡°What Vasquer told you¡ª¡±


    ¡°Obviously, lichdom, things like that¡ªthey¡¯re off the table,¡± Argrave said, holding his arms out wide. Anneliese agreed at once with a nod. ¡°Gerechtigkeit can corrupt necromantic creations, turn them against their creators¡ªsomething to do with the nature of that magic. I¡¯m thest person who¡¯d want to fight against any of you, least of all because you¡¯d all put me in the dirt.¡±


    Argrave rose to his feet, pacing around to work his mind. ¡°But a soul like mine¡­ it¡¯s a valuable thing. It might be I can get something good from the gods from it. An unparalleled blessing.¡±


    ¡°Please do not profane your soul for strength,¡± Anneliese pleaded so earnestly Argrave felt a tug of guilt at his throat.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Argrave walked up to her, pulled his chair closer and sat down. ¡°My soul¡ªa deathless soul¡ªit¡¯s really, really damned resilient. Liches are incredibly hard to kill. Specters born of deathless souls are nightmarish to deal with. Thest thing I want is to corrupt myself, or¡­ or whatever you might be thinking. I¡¯ve just got a valuable thing I might leverage. A strength¡ªsomething that¡¯s actually special about me. A real talent.¡±


    ¡°It is not ¡®a valuable thing.¡¯ It is invaluable,¡± she disagreed. ¡°So, please do not try and assign value to it. You know little about this matter, and I know less¡ªbut I do know you should treadcarefully,¡± she said deliberately.


    Argrave scratched his forehead. ¡°Think about how much I benefitted from the Alchemist and bing ck Blooded. That was leveraging my knowledge to gain a tremendous boon. My heart was torn from my chest¡ªit defied all logic, threw caution to the wind.¡±


    Anneliese leaned in, abandoning her task of braiding her hair. ¡°Would you like to do it again?¡± she asked, the first hint of anger bubbling up.


    ¡°Damn it all, I don¡¯t want to do any of this,¡± Argrave leaned back in his chair, slouching exhaustedly. ¡°The n I had so far¡­ strive for a particr A-rank ascension pertaining to blood magic, as that¡¯s a prerequisite for Blood Infusion¡ªthat is, infusing all spells with blood magic. After, I try to earn the goddess of blood¡¯s favor, alleviate the side effects of blood magic by performing sanctioned sacrifices,¡± Argrave told her. ¡°All of this¡­ you knew.¡±


    ¡°And what is wrong with it? We kill plenty. Sacrificing our foes is not so big a step away, and alleviating your blood loss is no minor thing. Do you recall how utterly dominating [Bloodfeud Bow] was? Imagine suffering nothing for using that spell,¡± she urged him. ¡°On top of that, your A-rank blood magic ascension would change the wholendscape. Every spell you cast could be imbued with blood. A simple C-rank spell could destroy B-rank wards and tear through countless foes with ease.¡±


    Argrave stared at the stone ceiling of Rancor¡¯s headquarters, saying nothing in response. Internally, he was running through his head the people he knew in ¡®Heroes of Berendar¡¯ who had a deathless soul. There were three liches, each and all terrifying fights. The Alchemist might be another, though that detail had only been discovering from datamining ¡®Heroes of Berendar¡¯ and was dubious at best.


    Argrave paused, running through his head the reason deathless souls were valuable in hopes of gaining some insight. He knew they could handle burdens that other souls could not tolerate. They were pliable. If used to reanimate something, they could be reused, and retained experience. Memories of obscure lore came rushing back as he thought more¡ªa deathless soul had been used to reanimate a dragon, he recalled.


    More and more memories came back. These deathless souls had many purposes, mostly in helping stabilize vast amounts of magic. All of them¡­ unusable. They required him to be dead, to be devoid of a body, and even then, he was but a tool by that point. He wasn¡¯t fond of the idea of being utilized after death to make an undead dragon, and it didn¡¯t serve his ends.


    ¡°For the first time, I am d to see you disappointed, hopeless. It means you have thought of no foolish venture to gamble your soul on,¡± Anneliese said, irritated.


    ¡°Anne¡­¡± Argrave leaned in intently. ¡°I would never do a damn thing this serious without consulting you first. But if we¡¯re foundcking in the final stretch¡­ nothing else matters,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°I have to look into this. Please understand.¡±


    Anneliese crossed her arms and looked away, blinking a little quickly. Her amber eyes were a bit watery. ¡°Sometimes, I want to¡­ seize you, freeze you. Anything to keep you safe.¡± Sheughed at her own words and looked back to him. ¡°I apologize. As much as I try to remain calm and objective¡­ the stress has been eating at me,tely.¡±


    Argrave softened at once, feeling a fool. ¡°Tell me. Let¡¯s talk about it,¡± he grabbed her forearms. ¡°What you¡¯ve done for me, letting me talk to you about my time as Vincenzo¡­ it¡¯s been helpful. It can work for you, too, you realize.¡±


    She ced one hand atop his and smiled warmly. ¡°I¡­ no, I think you¡¯re right. I like helping you, supporting you. Didn¡¯t want to talk about things. My problems, my concerns¡­ I wanted them to be background.¡±


    ¡°You have no idea how much I want to help you,¡± Argrave told her sincerely.


    ¡°I think I do,¡± she disagreed. ¡°Argrave¡­¡± she sighed, lowering her head until her hair covered her eyes. ¡°We are setting things up to move to the world stage. You n to be crowned king. I will be at your side.¡± Anneliese shook her head. ¡°The idea has never made you seriously nervous. It terrifies me, frankly.¡±


    Argrave rose his hand up and brushed away some of her hair to better see her face. ¡°What is it? The idea of scrutiny from so many people? I know you dislike crowded ces,rge crowds¡­¡±


    ¡°Inrge part,¡± she nodded. ¡°Yet¡­ I was taught a monarch, or ruler, or tribal chief¡­ they have a responsibility to the people far heavier than the people do to them. Some I¡¯ve seen disregard that rule, but I value it above all others. That responsibility¡­¡±


    ¡°Anneliese. You are a brilliant strategist, and a genius in most senses of the word. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re too blind to see how damn amazing you¡¯ll be?¡± Argrave asked her incredulously. ¡°Need I tell you more stories about the Anneliese in ¡®Heroes of Berendar,¡¯ how much of a badass she was?¡±


    Anneliese lowered her head and smiled embarrassedly. ¡°I believe you have told me quite enough.¡±


    ¡°Do you know what¡¯s the most important thing in leadership?¡± Argrave questioned. Anneliese looked at him curiously, and he poked her cheek. ¡°Intent.¡±


    Anneliese swatted his hand away, saying, ¡°Intent can only¡ª¡±


    ¡°Intent can carry you everywhere when leavened with diligence and wisdom. If you intend to help the people, and you diligently apply yourself to that goal, using the wisdom of yourself and trusted council¡­¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s a recipe for sess. After all¡­ it¡¯s a position of power. And power is the means to get something done.¡±


    Argrave rose to his feet. ¡°You already have the intent to do well. If you weren¡¯t diligent already, this half year of travelling has certainly made you so. And wisdom?¡± Argrave spread his arms out. ¡°You¡¯re infinitely curious. Gods be damned, if there¡¯s one thing I¡¯m confident about, it¡¯s being king. Especially if you¡¯re here.¡± Argrave brushed his fingers against her cheek affectionately, then knelt and hugged her.


    Argrave stayed kneeling a long time, and after a while, Argrave grew used to the quiet pattern of breathing. Then, Anneliese whispered in his ears, ¡°I think you should check Garm¡¯s writing.¡±


    Argrave leaned back. ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°You avoided them, but I perused some of them. I recall mentions of things that burden that soul¡ªnon-necromantic spells, other rituals. I believe that would be a good starting point. I did not read them all as it all made me rather sad, yet Garm had invaluable knowledge on the soul.¡±


    Argrave smiled broadly. ¡°This means you don¡¯t object to looking into this matter?¡±


    ¡°Someone has to ensure you do not harm yourself,¡± Anneliese rose to her feet, seeming a bit more alive than before.


    #####


    Argrave woke up quite groggily, having stayed upter than usual perusing Garm¡¯s writings. They were dense books, and frankly, the man had a rather esoteric way of putting things that made it difficult to read through them quickly.


    After recognizing the stone ceiling of Rancor¡¯s base, Argrave felt a rush of nervousness when he was reminded Elenore had probably spoken to Vasquer by now. His grogginess faded. He cast a nce to Anneliese beside him, and seeing she still slept soundly, decided to go off and see if he might speak to Elenore about things.


    Slipping out quietly, Argrave passed by Gmon and gave him a slight nod. The elven vampire was brewing some ingredients that Durran had fetched in his outing. Elenore¡¯s men were bing more and more abundant in this ce. He passed by a room of wounded. Some bore bite marks, and he knew at once what had happened.


    Argrave went down the steep stairs leading to Vasquer¡¯s great prison. He saw Elenore standing beside Vasquer, her hand held to the golden snake as she spoke to a group of her people. Two were pce maids, likely greenhouse attendants, while most were the gruff men under her employ. Some of them he recognized¡ªhe¡¯d received side quests from them, he remembered.


    Elenore was entirely oblivious to Argrave¡¯s approach until he entered a certain distance from her, whereupon her head jumped to face him immediately.


    ¡°Leave me for a moment,¡± he heard her say distantly.


    At once, her men dispersed without so much as a word. Argrave watched them go, then came to stand above her.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°Good morning,¡± he greeted, keeping both hands at his side.


    ¡°Good morning,¡± Elenore returned, not unkindly. From the way her tone and posture were, he could tell she had received the message he left with Vasquer. She would know his soul was not Argrave¡¯s. ¡°Youe alone.¡±


    ¡°Hoping to see someone?¡± Argrave raised a brow, keeping afortable distance in case he made her ufortable.


    Elenore frowned at once and denied, ¡°Of course no¡ª¡± she paused, shaking her head. ¡°You seldom move alone, that¡¯s all. Maybe you thought I¡¯d want to talk alone.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t want to wake Anneliese,¡± Argrave shook his head.


    Elenore rubbed her hand against Vasquer. ¡°Your message was ryed.¡±


    Argrave observed her. ¡°Awfully¡­ calm.¡±


    ¡°I had already been given hints and had my suspicions. I cannot deny I was shocked¡­¡± her eyeless sockets turned to his eyes, seeming to gaze upon his face. ¡°Vasquer ims the blood is more important than the soul. But I wonder¡­ having never known Felipe, can you truly im to¡­?¡±


    ¡°You know how I feel,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°As far as I¡¯m concerned, the blood rtion is the most important thing. This situation is no different than finding a long-lost sister I didn¡¯t know I had. I¡¯ll endeavor to be a good brother.¡±


    Elenore turned her head to Vasquer, then said, ¡°You left much out.¡±


    ¡°¡­I made it easily digestible,¡± Argrave rephrased.


    ¡°My stomach is quite strong. I wish you had told me everything.¡± She took her hand off Vasquer. ¡°But no matter. If we are family, we have time for these thingster. There is a more urgent matter. Today, we have to seize this ce fully, make it our own. The vampires struck backst night. Vasquer tells me of artifacts within the deeper portions rted to the founder, and¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like you to allow me and Gmon to lead a group of your men down to purge the vampires,¡± Argrave requested. ¡°Rancor won¡¯t fight fair. Gmon and I can endure poison, things of that nature¡­ Anneliese and Durran can¡¯t.¡±


    Elenore crossed her arms. ¡°There¡¯s poison smoke at the entrance. Are you certain?¡±


    Argrave smiled. ¡°Quite.¡±

 Chapter 247: Unwanted Wanderer

    Chapter 247: Unwanted Wanderer


    Orion wandered for a long, long while, much of it aimless. As a prince¡ªnow crown prince, he reflected¡ªof Vasquer, his lone outage was somethingrgely intolerable. His presence was noted and reported everywhere he wandered. Though he could wander as he pleased, he could not do so alone¡­ or so his father decreed.


    But Orion ignored that. He ignored them, avoided his pursuers at every turn, and simply wandered. He drank water conjured by his blessings and ate animals raw in the snow-covered forests. He wished to be alone with his own thoughts. He did not have the same sess at avoiding the voices of the gods. They hounded him every waking minute, intent and instructive. At the very least, Orion was growing better at shutting them out.


    Yet this relentless escape made his introspection dubious in quality. Often, he thought more about avoiding people than the problems that gued him. Eventually, he knew he would need to get to a ce that Vasquer could not reach. This conclusion gave him a destination¡­ and the infancy of an objective.


    And so, wearing an ill-fitting ratty robe given to him by a mendicant priest, Orion chose his direction and walked it relentlessly. The environment changed from the wintry forests and sprawling hills of northern Vasquer to long ins of dead grass with mountains miles off watching like guardians.


    Though the royal knights seeking to persuade him to allow their apaniment briefly redoubled their efforts once his route was more predictable, eventually¡­ their pursuit began to taper off. They had little reach in thesends. Their number was fewer and fewer, and then soon none at all.


    Orion swam with the rivers, walked through the hibernating forests, crawled through the ins, only taking pause for food and rest. He hunted stags, eating his fill and donating the remnants to local viges. He slept sparingly, as the time needed to sleep forced him to hear the whispers of the gods clearly.


    The prince stepped to a hill a fair distance away from arge city, one hand held up to block the light of the early morning suns. The settlement was t and wide, and housed innumerable people. Even now, caravans came into and out of its walls. At the foot of the mountains, miners began their day, heading into the depths while followed by an overseer earth mage. Walking opposite them were others ending their day in the mines, hauling ore and debris.


    Orion¡¯s gaze fixed on something beyond that. At the point where two mountains ended, a miles-tall wall of taupe stone bridged the gap, two keeps wrought out of the stone of each mountainside. A gargantuan metal door rested at the bottom of this manmade wall, a great golden lion emzoned on it. Just beyond a mountain cliff, one could see a lion statue, an orange sphere clutched in its jaws.


    Seeing the wall, Orion took a deep breath and smiled. With certain steps, he walked towards the Lionsun Castle.


    #####


    ¡°No matter how much wind magic we cast, the smoke returns. It¡¯s being actively piped from ports in the ceiling, I believe. It would make sense, given how long they¡¯ve been holding this ce. This must be theirst-measure fortification,¡± Elenore noted, standing behind arge gathering of ck-armored men. They were wrapped up in Argrave¡¯s ward to block sound from leaking. ¡°Other means tobat the smoke would just result in heavy casualties. Getting proper gear for an assault will take time¡ªtime our foes might take to better prepare, or even try and escape.¡±


    Argrave nodded along with Elenore¡¯s words, staring beyond into a vast dark space from which a beige smoke steadily poured out, dissipating in the vast openness of the room meant to keep Vasquer. It was difficult to imagine how much smoke would be needed to fill this room, but it would certainly take a long while.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°How¡¯s the situation in the rest of Dirracha?¡± Argrave questioned, staring ahead. ¡°ns for Vasquer, too? The snake, not the kingdom.¡±


    ¡°I gathered,¡± she said. Elenore remained silent for a minute, gathering her thoughts. ¡°I think we¡¯ll be fine to remain within this ce. Worst case, we cave in the upper levels. Enemies might try and flood us out if they¡¯re smart. ce is too big to flood, though. Doubt they realize that. Regarding moving Vasquer¡­ it¡¯ll take a long, long while to take off those bindings. They¡¯re centuries-old, enchanted, and some of them are trapped. I have to be cautious. Vasquer has been through enough.¡±


    Argrave nodded distantly, aware of this already. In ¡®Heroes of Berendar,¡¯ Vasquer was only liberated after the civil war ended. He pressed on, asking, ¡°And the royal guard: any trouble on that front?¡±


    ¡°As I mentioned already, a royal messenger went to the greenhouse under the guise of permitting me toe to Induen¡¯s funeral. There was no incident. Our foe remains well-hidden, annoyingly,¡± Elenore scratched her forehead with the bronze w ring. ¡°They aren¡¯t capable of getting the royal guards to cause us trouble. At least, they haven¡¯t tried it.¡±


    ¡°His funeral¡­¡± Argrave scratched at his chin. ¡°I still have Induen¡¯s si ring. Do you want it?¡±


    Elenore shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s not as useful as you might think, I¡¯m afraid. I can sell it for a handsome sum if you wish. On that front¡­ my appraisers came through. You can look at that gear from the Order of the Rose fortress and the Archduke¡¯s Pce in the next few days, I suspect.¡±


    Argrave rubbed his hands together, d to change the subject. ¡°That¡¯s excellent. Could be some valuable stuff in there¡ªRose enchantments are quite varied from what we can make today, and Archduke Regene was rich. A shame I can¡¯t get my hands on them before we enter this little poison zone.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re certain of doing this?¡± Elenore turned her head to Argrave. ¡°You cannot be poisoned?¡±


    Argrave nodded certainly. ¡°Nor can he,¡± he looked to Gmon. ¡°We¡¯ll go first, put an end to the smoke. Once the flow ceases, we¡¯ll return. Your people can press in and clean up.¡±


    Elenore nodded along slowly, then said, ¡°¡­I don¡¯t like it.¡±


    ¡°We have that inmon,¡± Anneliese agreed, looking quite dissatisfied. Durran didn¡¯t seem to mind, though. He seemed happy he was about to see a good show.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not too fond either. But it¡¯ll work. I¡¯ve fought vampires before¡ªthese were spellcasters, too, not piddly thieves with blood diluted over centuries.¡± Argrave popped his fingers.


    ¡°You nearly died,¡± Gmon looked to him.


    Argrave pushed his tongue against his cheek. ¡°That¡¯s beside the point.¡±


    Gmon looked back to the entrance, unaffected. Argrave scratched his cheek and said, ¡°Anneliese is a more-than-suitable recement for me while we¡¯re busy with this. Please, talk to her. She knows all of my ns, and I trust her to make any adjustments. She can catch you up to speed on what I wanted to do¡ªshortly put, we¡¯re going to try and erode the north from within, then stage a devastating strikeprised of forces in Relize to further sow discord.¡±


    Elenore gave slow, steady nods, digesting his words. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to focus well while you¡¯re assaulting this ce alone. I¡¯ll wait for your return.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°Well, still, feel free. After all, it¡¯ll be good to know your future sister-inw.¡±


    Argrave patted Elenore on the shoulder and walked away, dispelling his ward in a fluid motion.


    ¡°Be careful,¡± Anneliese called out. ¡°Be safe.¡±


    ¡°What she said,¡± Durran called. ¡°Have fun, too.¡±


    Gmon joined at his side, matching his stride perfectly. As he walked, Argrave brought a Humorless Mask to his face. They had used these solemn white masks tobat the gue, yet now it sufficed as something of an oxygen mask. It wouldn¡¯t prevent poison from entering, but its air-generating enchantments would supply sufficient oxygen in ces where it was otherwise absent.


    ¡°It¡¯s like the good old days,¡± Argrave mused once they stepped past all of Elenore¡¯s men, walking alone to the dark and foreboding entrance. ¡°You and me, overwhelming odds¡­¡±


    ¡°They were terrible days,¡± Gmon disagreed.


    ¡°Suppose you¡¯re right,¡± Argrave reflected, reminded of illness and deadly fights and approaching armies. ¡°I guess¡­ right now is the good old days. You never know what the best time was before it¡¯s passed.¡±


    ¡°Stop talking,¡± Gmon informed him curtly. ¡°Need to hear.¡±


    Argrave grew silent, and they came to the great curtain of rippling beige smoke. Gmon knelt, reaching into a satchel at his side and pulling free a potion. He hefted it carefully. Argrave retrieved his own brew¡ªa foamy substance locked in a bottle. The liquid had stained the entire bottle orange.


    ¡°You¡¯re sure this affects vampires?¡± he asked Argrave uncertainly. ¡°When brewing it, I felt nothing when it touched my skin.¡±


    Argrave nodded, swishing his bottle about. ¡°Only poison that does. Stops regeneration when it meets their blood, and only that. Used some high-end ingredients Durran picked up¡­ but considering our newfound wealthy patron, don¡¯t be afraid to use it all.¡±


    Gmon lowered the substance, peering ahead. ¡°Don¡¯t notice anyone. Confined area¡­¡± Gmon pulled free one of the blue daggers at his side¡ªthe Giantkillers. He opened the bottle and poured it generously on the de, emptying half of it. After, the elven vampire rose to his feet, looking to Argrave.


    Argrave raised his bottle of orange liquid to eye level, grimacing, then passed it to Gmon. Neither potions nor poisons would affect him. The elven vampire popped the cork free and downed the liquid. It smelled like drain cleaner in the brief second it was exposed to the air, but Gmon didn¡¯t even grimace. He was practically drinking pure gold, that potion was so expensive¡­ but it enhanced the senses and reflexes, and Argrave would sorely need his protector to be beyond able.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Gmon took the first step forward. ¡°Slow, steady. When we encounter enemies, pounce on them and end them. Big groups¡ªyou¡¯ll handle them.¡±


    Argrave nodded, growing serious at Gmon¡¯s methodical approach to things. Vampires were no simple foes¡ªintelligent, and monstrously strong, and often with years of fighting experience. Argrave felt good about having one of them on his side, doubly so when that vampire wore armor made for Vasquer¡¯s royal guards and bore a crown of elven enchantments.


    Gmon paused just before the smoke. ¡°These vampires¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡± Argrave stopped.


    ¡°What are their origins?¡±


    Argrave rubbed his hands together. ¡°They¡¯re betrayers of a betrayer. Vasquer¡¯s second son started a war, killed his older brother, killed his father and stole his possessions, imprisoned Vasquer, dered himself king, became a vampire¡­¡± Argrave shook his head, reflecting how terrible this guy really was when his deeds were lined up one after the other. ¡°But he was betrayed by the very vampires that turned him. The kingdom was assumed by the third son, and the second brother¡¯s ¡®legacy¡¯ is¡­ Rancor. One of the oldest groups of vampires in all of Vasquer, kept alive by their ancestor¡¯s deeds.¡±


    ¡°¡­you meant what you said. About a cure,¡± Gmon looked to Argrave.


    ¡°No, I made it up,¡± Argrave said drolly. ¡°You¡¯re asking that as a joke, I hope. Of course. It¡¯s one piece of arger whole, but it is a piece.¡± Argrave waved him ahead. ¡°Look at that potion drip off the de. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Gmon turned wordlessly and walked. Argrave couldn¡¯t tell what he was thinking. Times like this, he was reminded how much he relied on Anneliese for things. Yet as he stepped into the poisonous chamber, Argrave was d she would be far away from this ce.

 Chapter 248: Siege of Smoke

    Chapter 248: Siege of Smoke


    Gmon pressed forward a fair bit ahead of Argrave, his metal boots impacting with the cold stone impressively quietly. Their strategy for the advance was quite simple¡ªthese vampires would rely on their senses to search out living things. Gmon, being a vampire, would have a better chance at surprising his foes. Argrave would serve as the eye-catching distraction.


    To that end, Argrave had three electric eels swirling around his body, illuminating his surroundings through the beige smoke that assailed from direction. The smoke stung at his eyes, the sensation reminding him of swimming eyes-open through a pool with chlorine in it. He remained ready.


    This ce was a catb. It appeared to be a warrior¡¯s tomb specifically, with statues depicting armored knights erected just behind stone sarcophagi. The opening section was a long, long hallway of stone coffins. Primitive traps, detectable even by Argrave¡¯s unskilled eye, lined the floor¡ªsnares, caltrops, the like. It was the beginning of the vampire¡¯s preparation. They thought the smoke would be able to stop any from entering for a long while, evidently.


    Deep in the tomb, Argrave could hear the faint scrape and stir of scrambling. The long hallway opened up into many arger chamber divided by a pir down the center, and Gmon knelt down, gaze intent. He scanned the ce. Argrave counted six openings, each leading into different rooms¡ªoffering rooms, he recalled, where the living could leave gifts to the departed. After a long silence, Gmon pointed to each opening, disying on his fingers how many people were in each room.


    Heaviest on the right side, was Argrave¡¯s conclusion. With that in mind, he gestured right, and Gmon gave a nod of confirmation. He moved slowly and quietly, while Argrave remained in ce. Once Gmon took his position just beside one of the rightward entrances, Argrave advanced.


    Once he passed a certain point, a great roar echoed out, and three pale-skinned people wearing clothes too fine for a tomb stepped out of their recess, tossing daggers adeptly. They did not seem like monstrous beings¡ªthey appeared like ordinary men and women, and even resembled particrly well-dressed aristocrats.


    But their daggers flew through the air as quickly as any arrow. Having been given ample warning, Argrave conjured a B-rank ward with his ring. Metal shing against magic and battle cries echoed across the tomb, giving signal the battle had begun. Argrave scanned the three foes for any spellcasters but found none. Not all had the magic affinity for such a vocation, fortunately, elsewise vampires would be a much more potent force.


    Gmon lunged and grabbed the closest, clutching his wrist. He pulled the vampire forth effortlessly, mming him into one of his partners. The third reared back, retrieving more throwing daggers. Gmon¡¯s speed had always been astounding, but with royal-forged armor and the crown both empowering him, he seemed naught but a dark gray blur. He jammed his Giantkiller in the vampire¡¯s neck before he could ready another attack, then turned and cut it out, severing his head.


    Vampires on the rightward side emerged from the other two prayer rooms¡ªArgrave counted seven besides those Gmon engaged with, and once again found no spellcasters. One barked something about getting help, then fled deeper into the tomb. Argrave was pleased his enemies would be gathering closely together, but quickly dismissed the thought when the six rushed towards him and Gmon.


    Though Argrave considered this a fine time to use [Pavise Gale], he knew it was important he conserve his magic. Argrave remained behind his ward and sent the electric eels swirling above his head forth, using their presence to suppress the six rushing at them. It worked¡ªthey stopped in their tracks. It gave Gmon ample time to deal with the three he¡¯d surprised.


    With one¡¯s head severed and the other two reeling from his m, they proved no match for Gmon. He was faster, stronger¡ªthe two he¡¯d thrown recovered and tried to throw more knives, but Gmon ducked low, grabbing one by the foot and tripping him. The other he mmed against the wall with his forearm, suspending him in ce for a dozen lightning-quick stabs to the stomach. The poison was working¡ªthe wounds did not heal, and he left the vampire to bleed. He turned back, kicking the vampire he¡¯d tripped in the teeth. It was a devastating blow that sent the vampire sprawling, and yet Gmon pressed forth and snuffed out his life as one might step on a cockroach.


    Seeing both Gmon¡¯s butchery and Argrave¡¯s magic before them, the six vampires lost their boldness. They were thieves¡ªeven as vampires, they had mostly subsisted on captors rather than actively hunting. They did not seem ustomed to struggles where death was a possible, even likely, oue.


    When the seven from the left side¡¯s rooms joined up with them, that battlefield fervor was reignited. One of them was a spellcaster¡ªC-rank, by Argrave¡¯s heat-of-the-moment estimation. Given their regenerative qualities, vampires were a prime candidate to use blood magic. C-rank blood magic could break through his ring-conjured ward. Argrave regarded this new arrival cautiously.


    After putting an end to thest of the three, Gmon turned, bracing for theing horde.


    ¡°Green tunic, spellcaster,¡± Argrave informed him with a shout. At once, Gmon pulled free the Ebonice axe, holding it at the ready.


    Rather than target Argrave holed up behind his ward, the spellcaster directed his attention towards Gmon. He shouted amand to halt, then advanced before his vampire kin. Two C-rank [Skysunder] spells surged out of his hands, yet the Giantkiller in Gmon¡¯s hand attracted the white lightning, absorbing it harmlessly.


    Gmon advanced, Giantkiller faintly sparking. The spellcaster, panicked, conjured a wave of fire and retreated. The elven vampire batted the mes aside with the Ebonice axe. Argrave urged his [Electric Eels] forth and rushed in, forcing the vampire to conjure a ward. With the ward up, the vampire was sealed in ce. Gmon lunged and swung his axe again. It stalled at the ward, yet broke past. Even still, the vampire managed to fall backwards and dodge. He scrambled to the protection of his kin.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Not content to let his foe get away unpunished, Argrave stepped up beside Gmon and cast [Pavise Gale]. A knight of wind formed before him, swinging a thick and tall shield. The vampire had reflexes fast enough to conjure a C-rank ward, but it shattered like sugar ss before the giant knight of wind. The pavise struck the spellcaster directly, mming him against the right wall. The group of vampires he¡¯d been seeking protection behind scattered before Argrave, tossed by the powerful gust to the walls, the floors¡­ one even managed to hit the ceiling.


    With the twelve of them tossed aside so effortlessly, they were routed. Those quickest to gain their bearings did not dare rejoin the fight¡ªthey fled. Gmon seized the initiative ruthlessly. He severed the dazed spellcaster¡¯s head with his Ebonice axe and pursued those fleeing with his Giantkiller. He dealt haunting wounds that would not heal, but it was difficult to stop all from fleeing. He killed two more and injured several, yet they didrgely escape.


    Once he dared not pursue any longer, Gmon returned to Argrave. ¡°They¡¯ll group up,¡± he informed Argrave with a voice too-calm in the wake of their ughter. ¡°Whether they retaliate or fortify themselves, I cannot say. Their leader will decide.¡±


    Argrave nodded, adrenaline still pumping through his body. ¡°Our goal remains the same: deal with the poison smoke. We break their bellows, put out the fires, the smoke stops flowing. If they chase, I¡¯ll deal with them. If they don¡¯t, we¡¯ll do our job, join up with Elenore¡¯s men, and then I¡¯ll deal with them.¡± Argrave nced around at the gore, mind scrambled. He shook his head to gather himself. ¡°Come on. We head deeper, then turn right at the second hall. You take point.¡±


    After a quick moment to clean his weapons of blood, Gmon nodded, reapplying the vampiric poison on his Giantkiller. Argrave paced around, driven to constant motion by the adrenaline. Once finished, Gmon advanced, and they proceeded deeper into the tomb with him far ahead just as it had been the first time.


    They were unharried in their quick advance to the furnace rooms. The moment they turned right to proceed into them, Argrave saw movement at the opposite end. Through the smoke, it was difficult to distinguish how many there were. Yet lightning surged across the gap directly at them, gravitating towards Gmon¡¯s Giantkiller.


    ¡°God damn it,¡± Argrave cursed¡ªa long corridor was the worst ce to be caught in, and he couldn¡¯t afford to endure a protracted magic battle: it would cost too much magic. ¡°Rush. Just rush!¡± Argravemanded, sending his electric eels darting forth to assault whoever was opposite them.


    Both of them sprinted, Gmon slightly ahead. It became immediately obvious there were multiple spellcasters on the opposite end as the attacks came very quickly. Lightning, des of wind, balls of fire¡ªeven despite Gmon¡¯s diligent protection, Argrave took painful blows that cut past the haze of adrenaline. When they finally made it to the other side, their foes rushed at them with des of blood in hand: two spellcasters, both using the C-rank blood magic [Putrid Paramerion].


    Though more skilled than those they¡¯d fought earlier, Gmon still effortlessly outskilled his foes, breaking the blood magic with his Ebonice axe and stabbing one through the eye. Argrave delivered three C-rank spells in quick session on the other¡ªthree loud white bolts of [Skysunder]. Though kept alive by his vampiric blood, the spells stunned him long enough for Gmon to crush his head against the wall.


    Argrave leaned against the wall, finally with the liberty to inspect the damage dealt. His gut had been pierced slightly by an ice spike that still persisted. Without his armor, the wound would have been incapacitating, he was sure. He pulled it free and healed it and tended to another cut on his thigh.


    ¡°No more ahead. I hear fire, though,¡± Gmon informed Argrave.


    ¡°That¡¯ll be the furnace,¡± Argrave said, rubbing the now-healed spot on his gut. He had other, lesser wounds, but those could be healedter. ¡°Let¡¯s hurry.¡±


    Pushing past things, Argrave stepped over the fallen vampires and proceeded into a room that felt as hot as a volcano. Twelve iron furnaces persisted here, fires zing hot within them. There was a vast pile of herbal bundles in one corner of the room, while now-unmanned bellows beside the furnace collected the beige smoke and pumped it into ports that undoubtedly distributed it throughout the whole ce.


    ¡°I¡¯ll douse the mes. Destroy the bellows just in case,¡± Argravemanded.


    With that, Argrave conjured water into the furnaces, flooding them out. They hissed in defiance as they died, and the heat persisted in the air long after they¡¯d left¡­ but the smoke immediately began to thin. To ensure those herbs could not be burnt more, Argrave doused them in water, too, all but flooding the room. Meanwhile, Gmon ripped apart the bellows by hand. Once that was done, Gmon grabbed the furnaces and pushed them over. They were mounted to the wall, yet the elven vampire easily ripped them free.


    ¡°Excellent work,¡± Argravemanded as thest iron furnace fell to the ground. ¡°They might salvage this¡­ but all we need is a window of opportunity to press in. Back to Elenore¡¯s men¡ªtime to begin the real assault. And I can get my hands on some ancient relics that¡¯ll help quite a bit for the task ahead¡­¡±


    Gmon nodded, and Argrave adjusted the Humorless Mask over his face. They both ran to where they¡¯de from.

 Chapter 249: Relic Regalia

    Chapter 249: Relic Regalia


    Argrave and Gmon emerged from the thinning beige smoke. Judging by the reactions they received by Elenore¡¯s gathered men, they struck quite a harrowing pair. He saw Elenore beside hispanions¡ªthe princess crossed her arms in uncertainty, for she could not perceive things a long distance away. Argrave walked confidently forward.


    ¡°Mages! Gather,¡± Argravemanded. ¡°The pump of poison in the air has stopped. The vampires are preparing for our assault¡ªwe dispel the smoke, then press through to put a stake in the chest of these foul bloodsuckers before they can prepare!¡±


    Elenore had already given Argrave significant authority, and his words themselves had amanding atmosphere. Her people rushed to obey, the mages taking the head of the pack to dispel the smoke. Argrave stepped up to Elenore.


    ¡°Things went well,¡± Argrave told her, watching the mages as they worked. ¡°I¡¯ll take the helm for the second assault. They¡¯ve grouped up¡ªperfect for me.¡±


    Elenore studied him, evidently unsettled. ¡°You¡­ encountered trouble?¡±


    ¡°Not enough,¡± Argravemented. ¡°Anneliese, Durran. You¡¯re ready, I trust?¡±


    Durran hefted his ive. ¡°Naturally.¡±


    Anneliese did not answer, but instead came to his side to tend to the wounds he¡¯d left untreated wordlessly. Argrave smiled at her.


    ¡°Perhaps you should hang back, let me handle things from here,¡± Elenore suggested.


    ¡°You¡¯ve done enough. Barely let me participatest battle. Besides, they have spellcasters in their number. I still have something to show you,¡± Argrave grinned broadly.


    Anneliese gave him a sideward nce for his words but did not protest.


    ¡°The smoke clears!¡± one of Elenore¡¯s men shouted.


    Spurred to action, Argrave turned on his heels. ¡°Won¡¯t be long, now. I¡¯m looking forward to getting to brass tacks when wee back,¡± Argrave left her, then ran speedily to take the vanguard as he¡¯d promised.


    ¡°Gmon¡ªgive Durran the axe. Durran¡ªhere,¡± Argrave removed his glove and his ring, then gave the thing to him. ¡°You cast wards to defend. I imagine they¡¯ll try something they already have¡ªholding a chokepoint, like a corridor. I¡¯ll break past, but I need you to defend me.¡±


    ¡°¡­right,¡± Durran acknowledged, then turned to Elenore. ¡°Hey. Keep this safe, will you? I appreciate it,¡± he thanked before her answer, then tossed his ive towards her.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡ª!¡± she shouted, rmed, yet caught the ive all the same. ¡°That was dangerous!¡± she admonished him.


    ¡°Hey,e on. Look after it well and you¡¯ll go from me being okay with you to me liking you. Big step up!¡± Durranughed.


    ¡°I hope you¡­!¡± Elenore began to curse him but deted in half a second. ¡°Treat this task seriously, lest you perish.¡±


    Durran waved her goodbye, and then with his new equipment, advanced alongside them.


    ¡°Ladies, gentleman!¡± Argrave shouted with bravado as he stepped past Elenore¡¯s band, hispanions at his heel. ¡°Your role is simple¡ªcleaning duty. Now, I know you might hate cleaning¡­ but this time is a bit different than scrubbing floors. I¡¯ll kill everything that moves, and you catch anything I miss.¡±


    Argrave felt he was tempting fate with such arrogance. Argrave knew people, though. A confident, arrogant leader who¡¯d already proven himself in battle was a great boost for morale. They¡¯d seen him emerge from a poison waste covered in gore¡ªif that was not a proven fighter, what was?


    And so, with fighters of renewed confidence at his heel, Argrave once again dove into the catbs. The smoke had thinned tremendously already, and the mages still worked to dispel it. Despite that, all the warriors bore cloth wraps over their face for added protection. For a long while, only the sounds of their footfalls echoed through the stone halls¡­ yet after a time, they spotted vampires. They were scouts setting traps, and once their warband was spotted, they retreated.


    ¡°How kind. They lead us to where they¡¯re gathered,¡± Argrave said sarcastically.


    Gmon gave Argrave a signal¡ªa great bulk of them were gathered ahead. Argrave triggered his Blessing of Supersession and began creating [Electric Eels]. Gmon held his Giantkillers at the ready, prepared to protect from errant lightning cast by distant spellcasters. At first, he heard surprise behind him, and nothing more¡­ yet as the eels became dozens, hundreds, there were disbelieving murmurs. He heard his newfound sobriquet muttered: Kinying Serpent.


    They passed by where Argrave and Gmon had halted their initial assault and entered a long and wide corridor lined with stone sarcophagi. Lightning attack spells bridged the gap almost at once, yet Gmon caught them with the blue lightning rod daggers in his hand. Long passages were the best ce to restrictrge group of foes, and their foes intended to hold this spot so as not to lose an advantage¡­ but they¡¯d done Argrave an unwitting favor.


    The spells changed form, soon enough¡ªspells of other elements came, coupled with blood magic. Anneliese and Durran took the role of defense.


    ¡°Stop here,¡± Argravemanded the men behind him. ¡°Wait for my signal to advance.¡±


    The menplied, fearing the barrage of magic ahead of them. Their party advanced steadily into the constant barrage, dispelling and conjuring wards in short bursts of movements. He kept the eels at their back, and they illuminated all ahead with light blue light. He was sure the spectacle would appear as though they were standing in front of the sun¡ªto dark-ustomed vampires, it would be blinding.


    Argrave stopped midway through the corridor, unable to press further without dispelling their wards. Argrave held his hand out, and two thick strands of blood took the shape of a recurve bow. It was as tall as Argrave, and heid one point against the ground. In his other hand, an arrow of blood took shape. He nocked the arrow.


    Echoing impacts struck their wards again and again, less urate on ount of the wall of blinding light behind them. Argrave spotted a few mages possibly of A-rank in their number¡­ but given the price of failure, each of their foes would use an A-rank spell as ast resort. Prevailing magic wisdom dictated spells were to be conserved and used at the right opportunity.


    Prevailing magic wisdom didn¡¯t ount for the Blessing of Supersession.


    Argrave¡¯s arrow grewrger, and his vision danced as he put yet more blood into the attack. Once he was content it would be able to shatter any defense the foe might form, A-rank or no, he spurred the electric eels at his back past him. They swarmed like a beam of unimaginable power, hissing and sparking past Argrave¡¯s ear. They were so many, he could see nothing beyond them¡­ yet once they reached a certain threshold, Argrave released [Bloodfeud Bow].


    The area ahead became naught but chaos and lights. [Bloodfeud Bow] was used to shatter any wards, allowing passage for the [Electric Eels] to kill en masse. Confident in this theory, Argrave started to walk forward before the scene had settled, using what little time remained in the Blessing of Supersession to spawn more electric eels at his side. He felt a little woozy after using the blood magic, but he was certain he¡¯d be fine.


    Sparking electricity danced along the walls and the ceiling from the attack of eels. Most of what remained of the enemy could only be described as charred corpses. A great gash of overturned stone lined the floor and wall, until his arrow of blood hit a stop and dug ten feet through. What few living dead remained were in no condition to mount a serious defense, and even the unharmed fled in a panic deeper into the tomb.


    Argrave turned and called, ¡°Cleaners! Advance!¡±


    The spellcasters had congregated here to stall them in the corridor and had paid the price. Elenore¡¯s men could handle what few remained. If they couldn¡¯t¡­ well, even now, near a hundred eels swirled above Argrave¡¯s head, and Anneliese and Durran were unspent. He was sure he would think of something.


    #####


    ¡°Seems thest of them locked themselves inside here,¡± Argrave said, looking around. He knelt down, examining the lock to the vault before them. ¡°Doesn¡¯t look like part of the construction of this tomb. Some kind of puzzle lock.¡±


    Argrave stayed staring at it. He was sure that Ruleo would be able to handle something like this¡­ but that would take time, and he wouldn¡¯t be able to be present for the opening.


    ¡°¡­sir,¡± one of Elenore¡¯s men said respectfully. ¡°Jerard might be able to handle this. I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m not sure where he is, sir, but things have nearly finished up. Sir,¡± he lowered his head, out of both fear and deference.


    Argrave rose back up to his feet. ¡°The two of you¡ªgo looking for him. Stick to areas that¡¯ve already been cleared, and be careful,¡± he directed them seriously.


    When the two of them departed, Argrave was alone with hispanions once again. Looking around, one could see the bodies of vampires everywhere. Elenore¡¯s men were quite skilled. He would have to ask her how she assembled so many talented and reliable people. She had never borated on that in ¡®Heroes of Berendar.¡¯ He supposed there were a lot of questions he had that could finally be answered.


    ¡°I can feel it,¡± Gmon said abruptly.


    Argrave turned to him. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°A tugging. At the heart, the mind.¡± Gmon rubbed his breastte of dark gray steel. ¡°At¡­ the beast. The relic is ahead. It¡¯s exactly as you said.¡±


    Realizing he was referring to his vampiric nature, Argrave looked around to be sure none were listening. ¡°Well, now¡¯s not the time to let others know about that. I¡¯ll handle it.¡±


    Gmon¡¯s white eyes refocused, as though he had been drawn from a haze. He shook his head and pped himself in the face, to Argrave¡¯s surprise.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he finally said.


    Argrave looked to Anneliese and Durran, giving both a silent signal to keep an eye on Gmon. They waited by the vault. Not much time passed before the two he¡¯d directed to find this locksmith returned. They were out of breath, obviously not wishing to keep Argrave waiting.


    ¡°You¡¯re Jerard?¡± Argrave asked.


    ¡°Yes. Yes, sir,¡± the man lowered his head.


    ¡°You know locks?¡± Argrave crossed his arms.


    ¡°I do, sir.¡±


    ¡°You know enchanted locks?¡± Argrave pressed once again.


    ¡°Yes sir,¡± Jerard nodded confidently.


    ¡°Take a look,¡± Argrave gestured.


    Jerard shifted on his feet, then slowly walked up to the lock. He hunched over, examining it, then knelt to get a better view of it. After a time, he reached into his satchel wordlessly, pulling free some bizarre-looking instruments. Judging by the crude nature of the tools, they were handmade. That alone was promising.


    He watched Jerard as he worked. Though he caught a few sideways nces, once the man began to get involved in the work, he could not stop. He started craning his head, muttering observations. After a time, he drew out more tools from his satchel, some of them with enchantments gleaming on them. After his preparations, he stuck two thin metal tools into the hole.


    He counted numbers up, then paused after a certain point, shifted the tools, and started again. Anneliese knelt down to see what he was actually doing. She seemed ready to ask a question, yet then a louder click echoed, and Jerard rose to his feet.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Opened,¡± he dered.


    Before Argrave could give amand, Gmon grabbed the thick handle to the vault door and turned it. He yanked it open, and Argrave had to jump aside to avoid being mmed by the thick reinforced door. Three people waited within. Though most they¡¯d seen before were passably human¡­ these people had extended fangs, pale skin, and eyes that glowed red. They seemed inhuman.


    Gmon rushed towards them with reckless abandon. They, too, surged at him like rabid dogs. He did not meet them with his typical efficiency¡­ instead, he engaged in a simple and ruthless struggle with all of them at once.


    The vampires tried to overpower him with brute strength¡­ and seeded for a time, unprecedentedly. Durran hacked one foe in the back as they grappled, and that brief moment of pause was enough for him to break free. Gmon ruthlessly seized one, mming the vampire to the ground and crushing his head with bare hands. The other two buffeted his helmet with blows, trying to return the favor, yet he rose back to his feet and disemboweled one with his bare hands. The other he seized by the neck¡­ and then grasped something at the vampire¡¯s chest.


    Gmon pulled free a ck de, holding it up in the air. A simple elbow to the face dispatched the vampire he still held, and before the body even fell, Gmon stared at the ck knife with runes along its surface with a terrible, inhuman fascination¡­ and something changed in his expression.


    ¡°Gmon,¡± Argrave stepped forward, more than ready for this situation. Ever since he¡¯d been seized by the vampire all those months ago, he¡¯d been preparing for another situation like this. ¡°Remember Muriem. Remember Rhomaden,¡± he listed off Gmon¡¯s wife¡¯s name, his son¡¯s name.


    Gmon¡¯s gaze broke from the ck dagger for but half a second.


    ¡°Come on. Think,¡± Argrave urged. ¡°How old would Rhomaden be now? Do you remember the day Muriem gave birth to him?¡± he urged, trying to ground him back to reality.


    ¡°It was¡­¡± Gmon said, voice shaking. ¡°Seventeen years ago.¡±


    Argrave stepped a little closer, hands outstretched. ¡°Remember how you felt that day?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Gmon swallowed, his intense grip on the ck knife ckening.


    Argrave took the moment, gingerly pulling the knife from the vampire¡¯s grasp. He looked to Argrave, anger rising¡­ yet then, his face grew ck. He briefly held the wall for support.


    Argrave stowed the gleaming ck de in his duster¡¯s inside pocket, hoping the enchantments might muffle the dagger¡¯s primal effect. Once it was, he looked around. His eyes fell upon something in the back of the room¡ªa set of ck ceremonial regalia, many pieces missing. The most prominent pieces remained, though¡ªa royal mantle, adorned with a giant golden snake on ck silk, and a crown. The crown of the first king of Vasquer.


    ¡°It¡¯s over,¡± Argrave stepped forward cautiously.

 Chapter 250: Weight of the Crown

    Chapter 250: Weight of the Crown


    Argrave gazed up at the pitch-ck regalia. The set was enchanting enough to make him forget what Gmon had done not moments ago. The fact that a stand had been made to amodate all its pieces hinted at the true value of it all. There was a spot for a scepter, bracelets, gloves, a ring, a ceremonial sword¡­ much of that was gone, however, having been sold of centuries ago to sustain Rancor in times of poor management. The primary pieces remaining were the royal mantle and the crown.


    The royal mantle was an ostentatious thing. The cor was ck ermine, and even from here the fur appeared soft. The cloak proper was made of a flowing ck silk, a snake of gold emzoned on the back. It was giant, amodated for someone of a simr height to Argrave.


    The crown, though¡­ its central band was a ck metal, though it was concealed by gold at many points. Gold encircled each studded jewel¡ªdiamonds of various colors, sapphires, rubies, and emeralds all pushed its frame to the brink. Some of the jewels were the size of chicken eggs. Though this vault was filled with riches, they all paled before this single crown.


    Argrave reached forward and took the crown. Everyone watched him, waiting to see what he would do. It made him far too self-conscious to genuinely put it on. He pulled off the mantle, too, putting it beneath the crook of his arm. When Argrave turned, Durran stared at him disappointedly.


    ¡°What?¡± Argrave frowned.


    ¡°Coward,¡± Durran dered, then shook his head and turned around.


    Argrave felt insulted. His mind whirled for aeback, and then he reached out and put the crown over Durran¡¯s wyvern-scale helmet. The tribal jumped, and Argrave ensured the crown didn¡¯t fall off his head.


    ¡°Hold that. You break it, you¡¯re paying for it,¡± Argrave decided, then turned back to Gmon. ¡°You alright, Gmon?¡± Argrave asked loudly, so that Elenore¡¯s men who¡¯d seen the scene could hear him clearly. ¡°That knife¡ªit possesses people. Probably turned those vampires crazy. I know how to handle it, don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Gmon¡¯s head turned to him. Some redness remained in his eyes, yet they were fading back to white quickly. He gave a curt nod. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ fine.¡±


    Argrave grabbed beneath Gmon¡¯s arm. ¡°Come on. Let¡¯s get you out of this ce. The cleaners can do the rest. Here, have a drink.¡± He pulled free the sk at Gmon¡¯s side and handed it to him.


    Gmon took the sk and stared at it for a moment before drinking it like it was some foul swill. Once done, he closed his eyes, gathering himself. He stood straight once again.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Gmon repeated. This time, Argrave believed him a little.


    #####


    Argrave and hispanions headed back to where Elenore was waiting, leaving her people to clean things up. He felt he¡¯d demonstrated his prowess sufficiently. Durran walked with the crown in his hands, holding it gingerly and walking slowly like it was fragile ss.


    Before they reached outside, Argrave stopped, looking around. He nodded towards Anneliese, and she conjured a ward for them to speak privately.


    ¡°Alright. That knife you held¡ªI¡¯m sure you curious about it,¡± he said to Gmon.


    ¡°You said that would happen. I tried to be ready¡­ but it was stronger,¡± the elven vampire shook his head. ¡°I apologize.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± Argrave waved his hands. ¡°This knife¡­ a vampiric relic. Althazar, it¡¯s called. It¡­¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°It partially actualizes the vampiric ¡®beast¡¯ you describe. Even being near it frenzied you somewhat. If you stab yourself in the chest¡­ some of the dormant powers of your vampiricy awaken. Every ability you already have will be enhanced greatly¡ªregeneration, strength, senses¡­ and the side effects, too. They¡¯re enhanced.¡±


    Gmon lowered his head, eyes growing distant. ¡°They were.¡±


    ¡°These vampiric relics were meant to enhance you as a vampire. They¡¯re generally intended for those who intend to lean into their powers, rely on them more.¡± Argrave tapped at his chest. ¡°Considering how much you hate that aspect of yourself, perhaps it¡¯s best I hold onto it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s useless. No, it¡¯s worse than useless¡ªit¡¯s harmful. I¡¯ve spent years reining this side of myself in¡­¡± The elven vampire lifted his eyes back to Argrave. ¡°How will this cure me?¡±


    Argrave stared back despite Gmon¡¯s intensity, knowing hispanion would not harm him. ¡°This relic, inbination with others, can fully actualize the beast you have. If it¡¯s made real, it¡¯s somewhat separate from you. And if it¡¯s separate, we can kill it without killing you. You¡¯ll be cured¡ªfreed of the beast forever, made mortal once again. These relics will be rendered impotent. And¡­ well, a bunch of other stuff will happen,¡± Argrave waved his hand, feeling now was not the time.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like it,¡± Gmon growled.


    Argrave frowned. ¡°Well, it¡¯s¡­ I mean, there are other¡­ what? Why?¡± Argrave asked, puzzled.


    ¡°No, not¡­¡± Gmon sighed. ¡°Not your proposition. The knife. I dislike its mastery over me.¡±


    Touching his chest where the knife rested, Argrave said, ¡°I¡¯ll keep Althazar hidden, fret not.¡±


    ¡°No. In time¡­ at another date, I hope to train myself to resist it. I cannot afford to act as I did,¡± Gmon said determinedly.


    Argrave looked to Anneliese for guidance, but she seemed just as undecided as he did. He looked back and said, ¡°I hope you won¡¯t be offended if I say I need to think about that.¡±


    It did look like a difficult pill for Gmon to swallow. He stared back, then eventually sighed, seeming more disappointed in himself than anything. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s get going. I don¡¯t want to hold this million-gold exhibit any longer,¡± said Durran tensely.


    Argrave looked back. He reached down and took the crown from his hands, then left behind the word, ¡°Coward.¡±


    #####


    Argrave emerged from the catbs a second time, some of the fatigue of the battle finally settling in. He had taken the lead role in most of this,rgely by his own design. If Elenore had an adequate grasp of his abilities, she would be able to manipte things in their favor better. He would need her to be at her best, and people functioned at their best when they had as much information at their disposal as possible.


    Elenore waited not as nervous as she had been thest time¡ªtheir departure had taken some time, and Argrave supposed news had already reached her of what had urred within. nked by hispanions, he stepped up before her.


    ¡°We went through, cleared them out,¡± Argrave reported. ¡°They hid in a vault, but we managed to get them out without incident. Not sure how many casualties, but¡­ not many. Not on our side, at least.¡± Argrave held the crown up a little higher. ¡°Got a crown, a royal mantle. You might see how these items help bolster our cause.¡±


    Elenore crossed her arms and nodded. ¡°Of course I do.¡± She tapped her foot against the ground, then suggested, ¡°Let us take a walk.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Argrave raised a brow.


    Elenore held out her arm, and Argrave took it. They started to walk away. Elenore was leaning on him quite heavily, and exined in a whisper, ¡°These prosthetics are digging into my legs. I apologize, but it¡¯s difficult to stand. I cannot be seen to be so weak before my people.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t apologize,¡± Argrave assured quietly. ¡°Happy to help. Maybe I can carry you.¡±


    ¡°Those rumors¡­ I thought they were exaggerations,¡± Elenore proceeded, changing the subject to hide her embarrassment at the notion. ¡°Most firsthand testimonies came from peasants in Kin¡¯s End, or a defeated royal knight. Both had reason to talk up your power. Yet¡­ none of it was lies. A legion of ghostly snakes¡­ what sort of power is that?¡±


    ¡°Just magic,¡± Argrave exined, adjusting his arm to better support Elenore. ¡°I have a blessing from a god. Erlenbis,¡± Argrave told her readily. ¡°Got it in a trade. Knowledge for power. Power for power, some might say. For five minutes¡­ I can tap into a god¡¯s magic power. After, I repay a debt of magic.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡± muttered Elenore in awe. ¡°It is¡­ as I recall, Erlebnis is an ancient god of knowledge. That is certainly an interesting arrangement. And considering your origin, it makes sense why he might wish to do such a thing¡­¡± she paused. ¡°Should you be telling me this?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s best you know. You¡¯re part of my inner circle, now. The people I trust most,¡± Argrave said while looking ahead.


    Durran scoffed. ¡°Good deal you got. I had to lose a few fingers for him to ept me.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Elenore trailed off, then sighed. ¡°I am d this happened.¡±


    ¡°Me too,¡± Argrave agreed.


    ¡°Let us discuss Vasquer,¡± Elenore changed the subject. ¡°I have been speaking to her, and I believe she may be able to aid us in removing the bindings¡­ it will take time, much time, but she may be freed. I had hoped to¡ª¡±


    Shouts echoed across the vast stone chamber housing Vasquer, and Elenore¡¯s fingers dug into his arm in rm. He heard someone swear, ¡°It¡¯s important! It¡¯s important!¡± and though people tried to stop someone in the distance, he broke past them.


    Ruleo rushed out into the big stone chamber, pursued by a few people. Spotting Elenore, he sprinted over. Gmon stepped ahead of Argrave.


    ¡°He¡¯s bleeding,¡± the elven vampire noted, his stoic nature returned. ¡°Badly.¡±


    ¡°Who is it?¡± Elenore questioned.


    ¡°Ruleo,¡± Argrave said, voice tight.


    ¡°Gods be damned¡­ he was meant to be keeping an eye on things in the pce.¡± Elenore released her grip on Argrave. ¡°You may have time enough to return to the catbs¡­ I¡¯ll try and¡ª¡±


    ¡°Elenore!¡± Ruleo shouted. ¡°The king!¡±


    Hearing his words, Argrave was not so eager to slink away. Argrave still wore the solemn white Humorless Mask, but his height and hair alone were enough to guess who he might be. Argrave pulled his duster¡¯s hood a little lower and decided to remain. He used Gmon to hide himself somewhat and decided to listen.


    ¡°You were meant to be watching the pce,¡± Elenore said coldly, stepping away from Argrave.


    Ruleo came to a stop, his breathing heavy. ¡°Gods be damned¡­ why else would I be here? Barely got away alive.¡±


    Elenore crossed her arms, adapting her callous persona of the Bat. ¡°Speak. What urred?¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°The mole you had us looking for. Levin¡¯s talking to the king¡­ and he brought that little orange-haired maid you had me rescue.¡±


    ¡°Therese?¡± Elenore said in surprise. ¡°That¡¯s impossible. She was¡­ she was sent thousands of miles away. She had guards, even, and many of my people near her.¡±


    ¡°I saw her with my own eyes, damn it all,¡± Ruleo cursed, then leaned against the wall, cackling. ¡°Your men were caught in a. Levin initiated a purge, wiped them all out. I barely got out alive.¡±


    Elenore¡¯s men finally caught up with Levin, yet the princess stopped them from apprehending him. ¡°You¡¯re certain it was Therese? Absolutely certain?¡±


    ¡°Positive. She looked¡­ worse than before. Not that you¡¯d care,¡± Ruleo slumped against the wall, gaze finally wandering. ¡°Looks like Levin is telling the whole story. Seemed to leave out that you were the Bat, but he¡¯s told Felipe that the Bat is here¡­ and told him about that big damn snake, too.¡±


    ¡°That¡­!¡± Elenore bit her lip. ¡°He¡¯s going to destroy himself. I have evidence that¡¯ll make Felipe execute him, take away everything that he values. What the hell is that fool¡­!¡± she started, then paused. ¡°What¡¯s going to happen?¡±


    ¡°This is just a second-hand report¡­¡± Ruleo began hesitantly, clutching at his wounded leg and healing it with magic. ¡°But Felipe knows about Vasquer, so it makes sense. Sounds like the king ising personally with the bulk of the royal guard.¡±


    ¡°Therese couldn¡¯t know about Vasquer¡­¡± Elenore paused. ¡°No. Pointless thoughts,¡± she stepped away, head clenched in thought. ¡°That meagre assault in Rancor, that pointless attempt to expose me with a royal messenger¡­ distraction. Distraction and misdirection, stalling for time¡­¡±


    Ruleo let out a sigh of relief as the bleeding stopped. His gaze wandered¡­ and fell upon Argrave. His white eyes changed quickly, and he slowly stood up.


    ¡°Well,¡± said Ruleo. ¡°Hello there.¡±


    Ruleo stalked up to their party. Though Argrave had some ns for how he might handle confronting Ruleo, he felt it was best to see how things would y out. Given the situation, it was difficult to predict.


    ¡°Nice eyes, masked man.¡± Ruleo turned his head to Elenore. ¡°Seen them before plenty of times in Order of the Rose ruins. Some of my little necromantic friends I made have them, too.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Rumors started spreading that Induen¡¯s corpse got eaten by ants and couldn¡¯t be disyed¡­ these rumors spread fast, too. Inorganically. Wonder why that might be.¡± Ruleo rolled his shoulders. ¡°Where might Induen¡¯s body have gone?¡±


    ¡°Ruleo, you¡ª¡± Elenore stepped forth.


    ¡°No, don¡¯t bother,¡± Ruleo held up his hands and walked away. ¡°I see snow elves, too. Big mystery, ooh,¡± he shook his hands. ¡°Who the hell that is, who you¡¯re working with¡ªnone of it matters anymore. I¡¯m getting ten thousand miles away from this ce. But I guess it makes sense. How else could Argrave have done so much without someone bigger backing him¡ªsomeone like you?¡± He shot his thumb towards Argrave. ¡°I don¡¯t care if that¡¯s Induen revived or some Argrave meat-puppet. I fought the damned royal guard in the pce¡ªI¡¯m a top-priority wanted criminal now. Whole thing¡¯s falling apart.¡±


    Ruleo walked backwards as he talked, arms spread out. ¡°So forget you, forget this. You didn¡¯t kill me for spying on you, and so I came back here to tell you Felipe ising. As far as I¡¯m concerned, that settles things; we won¡¯t have anything to do with each other in the future. I¡¯m leaving. Given that you have time, I suggest you do the same. This information empire of yours¡ªits capital is about to be razed. Twenty minutes, maybe less. All in all¡­¡±


    Ruleo pointed both his index fingers at Elenore. ¡°It¡¯s over for you.¡±

 Chapter 251: Order in Chaos

    Chapter 251: Order in Chaos


    Ruleo pointed both his index fingers at Elenore. ¡°It¡¯s over for you.¡±


    With that, Ruleo didn¡¯t hesitate a second in running away. The men that hade to restrain him simply let him pass, obviously more concerned with the news that the king wasing than trying to restrain someone from leaving.


    Argrave¡¯s mind felt like it restarted after Ruleo left,ing back to focus on the task at hand. Given what the man had just leaked, all those present would be rattled. Elenore¡¯s troops were her lifeline, and having them lose faith, having them choose between the king of their country and her operation? He wasn¡¯t sure of their answer.


    Elenore stepped forward boldly into the space Ruleo left behind. ¡°That fool would be better off with us. The kinging here¡ªit¡¯s unexpected, but well within the realm of what we can handle. Have you forgotten who I am? Have you forgotten this man, who stormed those catbs of vampires not minutes ago?¡± she moved to Argrave. ¡°Gather everyone. I must set some things into ce, and then we¡¯ll leave together.¡±


    The effect of Elenore¡¯s confident words was like a spell that warded away their doubts, and her men set off to gather people. Even Argrave felt soothed somewhat, but when he looked to Anneliese, the uncertainty on her face told him it was mere bravado to keep all in line. Elenore held her arm out, gesturing for Argrave to escort her. Argrave took her arm.


    ¡°Take me to Vasquer,¡± she told him.


    Without another word, Argrave took off towards the giant golden snake in the back of the giant room.


    ¡°Are you oka¡ª¡±


    ¡°Save it,¡± Elenore interrupted. ¡°Do you know of any other exits to this ce?¡±


    ¡°The vampires would have used it,¡± Argrave told her at once. ¡°As far as I know, front door is the only door.¡±


    ¡°Felipe ising here personally¡­ and I know him, I know how he thinks,¡± she said, a grim calmness to her. ¡°Therese wouldn¡¯t know of Vasquer¡­ so there¡¯s another traitor in our midst. No, no¡­ forget that. Felipe is the pressing matter.¡±


    Elenore didn¡¯t look daunted by the prospect as she continued, ¡°We have to leave here as soon as we can. Felipe seeks possession of Vasquer. He wouldn¡¯t dare harm her¡ªa symbol of legitimacy as valued as the founder¡¯spanioning to harm under his watch would mar his reign indelibly. He would never take such a risk. Though it¡¯s best we ask her thoughts on the matter, I believe she would agree¡ªwe cannot stay here, yet Vasquer will remain safe if we leave her.¡±


    ¡°Agreed,¡± Argrave nodded, following thus far.


    ¡°In a small group, we could leave now¡­ but escaping the capital would be impossible without my people. My men aren¡¯t loyal by cause¡ªthey¡¯re loyal by benefit alone. They won¡¯t die for me, won¡¯t screen our escape. On top of all that, a lot of people here are very valuable links to distant ces. Lastly, let¡¯s not mention the blow this would have on my reputation. It¡¯d cripple my capabilities. I¡¯d be of much less help to you in the future.¡± Elenore outlined to him. ¡°Levin¡­ I was not expecting this. He¡¯s captured Therese.¡±


    Her footsteps faltered, and Argrave stopped. ¡°What?¡± he asked.


    Elenore appeared briefly distressed, yet she resumed walking not a momentter. ¡°Ruleo said she looked worse than before. Presumably, despite torture, she¡¯s not surrendered truly valuable information¡­ elsewise, I would have no opportunity. She¡¯s given me time,¡± she noted, voice faintly tremulous.


    ¡°Can we dy the king, evacuate?¡± Argrave questioned, moving steadily towards Vasquer.


    ¡°If he knows of Elenore¡¯s capability, he would immediately know it¡¯s a diversion,¡± Anneliese chimed in on the opposite side of Argrave. ¡°Given the Bat¡¯s reputation, he¡¯ll know what¡¯s happening.¡±


    Elenore nodded. ¡°Yes¡­ he wouldn¡¯t dy his arrival. Owning Vasquer would be too valuable for him to dare dy. But nheless, now is not the time to be frugal. I¡¯ll send a few talented people out immediately to work at causing distractions around the city. It will divide the guard, make our escape easier. Even Felipe would not let his city burn to the ground before his eyes¡ªhis paranoia might make him think this is all just some diversion to ruin Dirracha.¡±


    ¡°No. You can send messages quicker with my Starsparrow,¡± Anneliese suggested. ¡°It will be nigh undetectable.¡±


    Elenore nodded, brightening somewhat. ¡°That¡¯s right. I can¡­ yes, that¡¯s the best way. All I need is to deliver one message to a trusted agent¡ªMerren. From there, he can get word to all of the others. A mass of arson, a series of minor attacks in the royal pce, calling in what few favors I have in the royal guard¡­ we have to sow disunity, ensure theye here divided and uneasy.¡±


    ¡°With the royal knights leading a siege against this ce¡­ I mean, it¡¯s as though we¡¯re taking the ce of the vampires we just wiped. The knightmander, Jezuit, is an A-rank mage and master warrior well-equipped with old relics. We don¡¯t stand a chance,¡± Argrave counseled.


    ¡°These favors aren¡¯t mere trifles, Argrave,¡± Elenore said coldly. ¡°The sway I have in the capital is enough to cause serious damage.¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°I believe that. But even if only ten royal knights holed up in the stairs, can we win? They¡¯re some of the best-equipped and best-trained fighting forces in Berendar. It¡¯d be impossible to assail, impossible to escape. We¡¯re in the heart of the kingdom¡¯s power. They can leisurely starve us out, if they want.¡±


    ¡°¡­I know this,¡± Elenore said after a moment of silence. They stopped before the gargantuan golden snake, still bound as ever. Her golden eyes followed them. ¡°Things are as I said. The king wants to possess Vasquer. There is a reason everything happens so quickly, so recklessly. The king¡¯s greed, his desire for Vasquer¡ªthat will be our best bet of manipting things in our favor. Once he knows this is no fool¡¯s quest, he will stop at nothing toe inside and secure this ce.¡±


    Elenore slowly slid out of Argrave¡¯s grasp,ing to stand on her own. Argrave rubbed his hands together and asked, ¡°Vasquer is the crux of your n?¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°Probably,¡± Elenore nodded. ¡°Do you know why those in central Vasquer remain loyal to Felipe? In war, he always led the charge, fought side-by-side with his vanguard. Trust me, I know him. We can bait him in. As for Vasquer¡­¡± Elenore turned to the snake. ¡°She¡­ I still need to talk to her, work things out. But before I do that, I need to know one thing. Levin¡ªdoes something like this have precedent? Precedent in this game of yours?¡±


    Argrave¡¯s gaze narrowed as he thought. ¡°Levin is¡­ a bit power-hungry, but he¡¯s a coward. He stays by Felipe¡¯s side because he doesn¡¯t think that his father is capable of being usurped, of being defeated. He¡¯s an opportunist. He¡¯ll take risks, but only if he can mitigate any harm that mighte of them. Simply put, no. I don¡¯t understand why he¡¯s doing something like this.¡±


    ¡°Nor do I. My people have evidence of underhanded things he¡¯s done¡ªMagnus¡¯ murder, embezzlement, abuses of power¡­ he hired men to provoke Induen¡¯s royal guard into attacking the people here at Dirracha, effectively starting a battle between the Margrave and the royal family, and by extension this whole war. Thatst one has no proof, but a woman under my employ testifies as much¡­¡± Elenore shook his head. ¡°The first order of business is to get that all of that evidence out there. But given what he¡¯s just done, I have to assume he¡¯s nned for as much. Not to mention¡­ he has someone nted among my men, getting word out. The traitor still needs to be dealt with.¡±


    Argrave frowned sharply at the revtion Levin was behind Magnus¡¯ murder. Elenore either didn¡¯t catch or didn¡¯t care about his expression, for she turned to Vasquer and reached out. ¡°Quickly. No time for thoughts, feelings, distractions. It would be best if you talked to her with me,¡± Elenore urged.


    In truth, the prospect of speaking to Vasquer again brought Argrave pause. Nheless, he pulled free his glove and reached out, hand resting against the metallic-feeling scales of the gigantic golden snake.


    Once again, the nearly viting presence seeped into Argrave¡¯s mind. The snake was once again quite amodating of his difort¡­ yet Elenore must have sent some knowledge of the situation over, for an inquiry came about their present situation.


    Argrave simply inlyid out thest conversation he¡¯d had in its entirety, offering it to Vasquer. Understanding and concern returned. Argrave felt strangely nostalgic. It was like having a phone call with his mother where he¡¯d told her some of his problems, and he¡¯d receive a genuine offer of help. At once, understanding fell upon him¡ªunderstanding of why Elenore valued this big snake so much.


    That made him hesitate to leave her to Felipe¡¯s clutches.


    Yet before the thought could take root, something came¡ªhuman thoughts, this time, and human feelings. Argrave epted them. At once, Elenore¡¯s n of action came rushing into his mind, soon after supnted by Vasquer¡¯s promise of cooperation.


    Argrave stood there for a moment, grinding his teeth. Then, he slowly took his hand off, and turned back to hispanions. ¡°It seems I¡¯ll need your help. The binding around Vasquer¡¯s jaw¡ªit needs to be removed. And we¡¯ll be needing a sharp de.¡±

 Chapter 252: Kingfish Lured

    Chapter 252: Kingfish Lured


    Felipe stood at the mouth of his Dragon Pce, looking over his city. A multitude of golden-armored knights gathered around him, like gilding to his own ck armor. His long, ck hair flowed down his back like a cloak, a patch of gray atop his head. His beard showed yet more gray hair¡­ yet his stony eyes were alert, sharp, unburdened by the ravages of age.


    Myriad voices bubbled around him. People pushed past his knights, offering letters or speaking reports¡­ some diplomat had been exposed for epting bribes, some noble secretly harbored rebellious ambitions, the recement steward was working for House Parbon¡­ and back within the pce, Felipe heard distant screaming.


    ¡°Jezuit,¡± Felipe said loudly.


    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± a knight at his side answered, bowing his head in deference. His golden helm bore a dragon crest just above its visor¡ªa recognizable symbol of authority that marked him as the knightmander.


    Felipe reached to his side and drew his de. ¡°Choose your best men¡ªfifty, as many spellcasters as you can. Form around me. Push aside any who approach; diplomats, nobility, it doesn¡¯t matter. The rest¡­ send them to quell the chaos.¡±


    ¡°Of course, your majesty,¡± the knight responded at once. ¡°Yet if I may offer counsel, we must screen¡ª¡±


    ¡°The name of the Bat inspires near as much fear as mine. All of this¡­ death throes. It is a sign Levin has not disappointed. I have to be there, personally¡ªI cannot leave this task to another to muck it up. And Jezuit¡­¡± Felipe turned his gaze down, finally, looking upon the knightmander. ¡°Do not forget I served as knightmander beneath my father before you took the position. My orders are absolute, and not to be questioned unduly.¡±


    The knightmander pounded his fist against his breastte and lowered his head. ¡°Your Majesty. At once,¡± he said, voice betraying no offense.


    Jezuit went off, barking orders. The royal knights, though tightly packed, rearranged themselves as efficiently as a well-oiled machine. Only one remained near Felipe¡¯s side¡ªa small man, bearing a helmet that was far toorge for his head. He held it up to the king.


    Felipe took the helm and put it over his head. His helm was made in the image of a cobra. Though its base was a functional great helm, ck metal concealed the hard steel beneath it, and a cobra¡¯s face seemed to supnt his own. Its mouth seemed designed in imitation of a demon¡¯s, though, for it possessed far too many teeth and an aspect of terror beyond that of a mere snake.


    Before a minute could pass, a guard of the best of the royal knights surrounded Felipe, and Jezuit bowed to inform the king. Just then¡­ a great fire roared to life in the furthest point of the city walls. Felipe adjusted his helmet to block its light.


    ¡°The Bat squirms beneath my boot. March!¡± Felipe shouted, voice echoing.


    #####


    ¡°If I¡¯d known we¡¯d use these, I might¡¯ve watered them less,¡±mented Argrave, watching as people quickly ran, carrying drenched bundles of nts. These had been used not an hour ago to suppress their party from advancing into the catbs. Time had dried them somewhat, fortunately.


    ¡°It¡¯ll require more fire, but it¡¯spletely manageable,¡± Elenore said calmly. ¡°Barring Vasquer, these herbs are the best thing we¡¯ve got to get out of this. I know the royal guard¡¯s enchantments well¡ªI had them studied before. Their enchantments certainly don¡¯t ount for poison like this. But then again¡­ neither can my men resist them. It¡¯s a double-edged sword. All we have is the benefit of holding that sword.¡±


    Argrave nodded, feeling nervous. He wasn¡¯t sure if everybody could make it out of this situation unharmed¡­ and he wasn¡¯t simply speaking of Elenore¡¯s men. Gmon took on much risk.


    ¡°He¡¯s entered the central square,¡± Anneliese reported, monitoring Felipe.


    ¡°Central square¡­¡± Elenore grasped her chin. ¡°Five more minutes, perhaps.¡± Elenore turned her head to Argrave, expression dire. ¡°Your pets. Yourpanion. There¡¯ll be no issue cing them in such¡­?¡±


    ¡°Took me eight hours to catch these Brumesingers,¡± Argrave said, reaching into his pocket where he knew one was. He grabbed its neck, holding it up. Its fur was all but ck by this point, matching well with his own appearance. ¡°And that was knowing exactly what I fought against. Our foes will fight warriors of mist pointlessly, expending themselves. These guys have gorged on souls for months¡ªtime to put all that umtion to good use. As for Gmon¡­ he¡¯s survived the worst of everything. He¡¯ll be able to do his part.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re trying to lure them in and create an opportunity for escape, not hold them off. Holding them off is the worst oue,¡± Elenore said pointedly.


    ¡°Should¡¯ve just left in a small group,¡± Durran said quietly. He knelt on the floor, ive leaning against his shoulder as he stared at the distant set of steep stairs. ¡°Winged it from there.¡±


    ¡°Of all people, the man who lectured me about using my abilities for good suggests we simply leave?¡± Elenore said angrily.


    Durran looked back. ¡°You¡¯re no good to anyone dead.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°Durran. If leaving quietly was the best n, I¡¯d have taken it. We have no wyvern on hand, in case you forget, and there isn¡¯t one to steal. Elenore¡¯s men are our only avenue of escape. Keep your ears open and your mouth shut,¡± Argravemanded him in a low voice. ¡°Now is thest time forints like that.¡±


    The tribal looked away, then rose to his feet. Argrave could tell he felt a bit embarrassed. Then, his eyes jumped off to the side.


    Gmon stood there, a pile of what appeared to be gold in his hands. ¡°Got them. This enough?¡±


    ¡°Probably too much. Vasquer insisted, though,¡± Argrave nodded, stepping forth to examine the scales and feathers from Vasquer¡¯s body. ¡°You¡¯re certain seeing these will make Felipe go along with things?¡±


    Elenore crossed her arms and nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve spent the majority of my adult life doing my business right under the king¡¯s nose. I understand all it takes to make him step forward or make him stay quiet. He values Vasquer. He thinks everyone is ipetent besides himself. The moment he¡¯s certain Vasquer is present¡­ he¡¯lle personally, secure her.¡±


    Argrave tapped one golden scale, then looked to Vasquer, giving the big snake a nod of respect. ¡°Good enough for me. We¡¯ll take our spot,¡± he said, leaving Elenore behind with a wave.


    ¡°So¡ªwe¡¯re on traitor-stopping duty?¡± Durran turned back.


    ¡°Protection,¡± Elenore nodded. ¡°Whoever Levin has nted might make their move, and I¡¯d rather not be undefended.¡±


    Durran thumbed at Anneliese. ¡°She can see through anyone¡¯s thoughts, let me tell you. You¡¯re in good hands.¡±


    Elenore took a deep breath and exhaled. ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡±


    #####


    ¡°It¡¯s clear, your Majesty,¡± Jezuit reported to Felipe.


    ncing around the city of Dirracha, the king saw people running and screaming. Any that came near the royal guards pleading for help were cast to the ground just as Felipe had instructed. His gaze briefly lingered on the smoke rising from the Dragon Pce atop the mountain this city surrounded, yet he turned his head and ducked into the building.


    Though once a bar of some sort, a gentleman¡¯s club of good enough repute to enter even the king¡¯s ear, the ce had been trashed. In the back, royal knights stepped down into a set of stairs concealed beyond a liquor vault. The king took steady and slow steps deeper within, his caution not fading.


    ¡°Your Majesty. There¡¯s a small force, thoroughly entrenched deeper within,¡± Jezuit exined. ¡°They hauled away these,¡± Jezuit pped his hands, and one of his knights stepped forward, kneeling and offering up something.


    Felipe took off one of his gauntlets, running his hand across the scale. His eyes paused when he noticed something¡ªck blood on the bottom of the scale. He caught a drop with his finger, then pulled back his helmet to taste it. His eyes wandered, catching sight of golden feathers.


    At once, Felipe¡¯s gray eyes hardened. ¡°They have Vasquer, I have no doubt. Report! What was happening within?¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± one knight stepped forward, kneeling. ¡°All of the men hauled these scales to a room. It seemed to have some sort of escape in it. I witnessed many more people deeper within with scales of a simr make as this.¡±


    Jezuit briefly turned his head to the guard in confusion but did not contest the point. Felipe¡¯s breathing quickened.


    Those words seemed to make up his mind. Felipe stepped forth to the knight that had given his report. ¡°You¡ªlead ten men to this room. Seal it off, proceed down this escape to catch any who might¡¯ve gone. Jezuit¡ªyou and I shall lead an assault with the rest of these men.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, this report is the testimony of one knight. This entire situation reeks of entrapment. We should proceed careful¡ª¡± Jezuit began.


    Felipe grabbed his knightmander¡¯s gorget. ¡°I¡¯ve killed Magisters of the Order personally. I¡¯ve fought against the gods of the wends. I marched at the front of our vanguard into the northern kingdoms, bringing each and all under heel. I am to be feared, not afraid. I am not going to stand idly by while they defile my forefather¡¯s heritage. Already, they tear her apart,¡± Felipe gestured to the scale.


    ¡°You are older now,¡± Jezuit maintained firmly.


    King Felipe released his knightmander. ¡°I can fight as well as I always have. I bear all of what I wore to fight in the wends¡ªI will not rest on myurels while they desperately scrape Vasquer of whatever value she has in their desperate escape.¡±


    The king marched forth, putting his gauntlet back on as he walked. Jezuit looked bitter even though his face was hidden by his helmet, but he quickly moved to walk ahead of the king. The matter was decided¡ªthey would proceed. The knightmander barked an order, and the guard swarmed around Felipe, ready to head deeper in.


    The king maintained a constant pace down the stairs. On the opposite end, their foes fired enchanted arrows that glowed with magical light as they travelled through the air. The guards were diligent and constant in their protection, yet even as fire and lightning red near the king, he was unflinching. An arrow struck his shoulder yet bounced harmlessly off, an explosion of me rendered impotent before whatever magic protected him.


    They reached a room that branched off. Several people remained within, one of them an incrediblyrge man bearing dark gray te armor.


    ¡°I shall catch the escapers, your Majesty!¡± the knight who¡¯d reported of this escape point earlier promised then ran off, bringing a fair number of the knights along with him.


    ¡°Halt!¡± Jezuit shouted, yet Felipe grabbed his shoulder.


    ¡°It is mymand, Jezuit. Proceed,¡± the king directed.


    The group of royal knights escorting their king pressed forth incredibly quickly. Shield-bearers at the front had grown ustomed to the manner in which their foes attacked, and used their enchanted guards to great effect. Each room was checked for enemies. As they came close enough to ughter those archers they fought, a milky white mist started to form around their party, dense enough to block sight.


    The frontline began to face dark-skinned elven warriors of a kind Felipe had never seen before. They were quite skilled, yet without enchanted weaponry, they fell quickly. Even still, there was such a great bulk of them that progress began to stall. As soon as one fell, they retreated for another to take their ce.


    Felipe held his hand out. ¡°Clear!¡± he shouted, and the royal knights looked back. In seconds, they ducked aside. And seconds after, a great wave of white proceeded forth, an icy mist coupled with biting fangs. It tore through all foes ahead, dispersing the mist and leaving a wide-open stairway.


    ¡°A magic of some sort,¡± Felipe dered. ¡°Proceed.¡±


    One final set of stairs awaited deeper within. Though Felipe had his men scan each room they passed by, none wererge enough to amodate a snake of any kind, nor did any lead deeper. Instead, they finally made it to onerge, too-steep set of stairs. Felipe could inly see the enemy retreating. Those conjured elven warriors had screened their escape.


    With Jezuit leading, they quickly proceeded down the steep stairs. Once they descended below a certain point¡­ a vast room opened up before Felipe. It must¡¯ve beenrger than even the Dragon Pce, though it was simply and crudely carved. Illuminated by white magic lights, it had a sterile atmosphere.


    Yet it was impossible to miss the gargantuan golden snake bound in the back of the room, its great bulk coiled up. This room was made for it, Felipe could tell at once. It consumed far more than half of it.


    ¡°Send one man back, Jezuit. All royal knights shoulde, no matter how devastating the outside remains,¡± Felipe dered.


    Yet back where they hade from, a thick beige smoke danced against the floors, the walls, and the ceiling.

 Chapter 253: Poisoned Bait

    Chapter 253: Poisoned Bait


    Vasquer watched Felipe the second she spotted him on the distant steep stairway leading to her prison of centuries. Though Elenore had questioned how she had managed to remain sane here, bound and tortured by vampires over centuries to extract value from her blood and scales, she was not truly imprisoned.


    So long as her mind was alive, she could wander where she pleased. Such was the ability of her kin, the Gilderwatchers.


    And she had. The past centuries, she had wandered the streets of Dirracha, watching as her descendants built the small settlement that had been the home of their Warrior¡¯s Order into a grand city. Though founding this kingdom had never been her intent, she could not deny some measure of pride. To build, create¡ªthere could be no greater act. Perhaps it was merely selfforting bargaining in her grief at betrayal.


    Yet the past thirty years¡­ though the city remained beautiful, the people grew miserable. Taxed to destitution, forced to work by those that had protected them in years past¡­ all of it was the domain of this man before her, this man walking down the stairs. Compared to the vampires, she could not say who would be the worse captor.


    Argrave¡¯s pets had given Elenore¡¯s people ample time to get to their ce. Already, the beige smoke fell down the stairs, much denser than air. Gmon, the elven vampire, had remained in a room near the top of the stairs, setting the herbs ame so that reinforcements could not enter¡­ and those within could not leave easily.


    Vasquer¡¯s role in this was simple. She was to be that which lured Felipe into this chamber. It was simple enough it left room for something else. Vasquer had to know the man who could be lowered to the point that he had¡ªshe had to know what sort of man could watch as his daughter was maimed so. She had to know who could debase all of his sons to the point of irreparability.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    King Felipe III, who bore the name of her partner, set foot at the bottom of the stairs. She could see his gray eyes behind the cobra helmet he wore. That cobra was a mockery of what Vasquer actually was, she felt. His royal knights scanned the ce for threats, yet the king was unceasing in his advance.


    Ever closer he walked. Vasquer herself craned her neck forward, having been freed of one of her bindings. Felipe stalled as she stretched¡­ yet ever so slowly, the two inched nearer. The king removed his gauntlet and ced it against Vasquer¡¯s nose.


    The Gilderwatchers were never numerous, but they shared amon trait. Their talks, their debates¡­ all was directly transmitted from mind-to-mind. This ability extended only to those sharing the blood of the Gilderwatcher. She had not done this to Argrave or Elenore¡­ but if she wanted to know all within, she could obtain what she pleased.


    The simple branch of consciousness she extended to Argrave or Elenore became a gleaming golden jaw as she wished it to be and ittched onto the king¡¯s thoughts. She tore away all his defenses, pulled at his mind as though it was simply meat instead of something precious. It would not hurt him unless it was prolonged, yet it would give her a glimpse of his true nature.


    Vasquer witnessed the core of Felipe III. His thoughts towards his people, his family, his children¡­ the quintessence of that had been rotted away. His ambition had been twisted into a grotesque avarice. His love had been wrought into a possessive w that would sooner shred something to pieces than lose it. His diligence fueled both of those like the sun upon nts. And the sole sustenance for this all?


    Life itself had long ago lost all meaning to Felipe. An apathetic nihilism dictated his actions¡ªa demon of self-sabotage that hurt himself, hurt his children, and hurt the very world. He did what he pleased, caring little for death of any kind. Indeed, Felipe wanted to die. His contradicting greed for life barred him from simply withering away¡­ and instead, it made the world wither with him.


    Felipe reeled away, holding a hand to his helmet in shock. His breathing was heavy. Vasquer stared down at him, and his royal knights drew in front of him to bar the giant snake from approaching further. None of that mattered anymore, she felt. She had seen what she needed to. There was no salvaging her descendant, no pulling him free of the brink.


    So, Vasquer opened her mouth.


    #####


    Argrave, crouching within the giant¡¯s snake mouth alongside two others, kept a link to her mind going at all times to see what she saw. So, when light crept past her jaw and illuminated all before him¡­ he knew exactly where to aim this [Bloodfeud Bow] he¡¯d been preparing. He directed Vasquer to reposition her head in the perfect spot.


    The royal knights shouted in rm as soon as they saw Argrave within, yet it was toote to act. Argrave released the arrow that he¡¯d been preparing. Jezuit, the knightmander, cast a warding spell, and a white mana ripple split the air. Mana ripples formed when A-rank or higher spells were cast. The ward coalesced from the ripple and took shape before them, and the knightmander ced himself just before the king in stalwart defense.


    Yet [Bloodfeud Bow] was a spell that could defy ranks, and Argrave had put plenty of his ck blood into it.


    The dark maroon bolt sped out of Vasquer¡¯s mouth, striking the resplendent silver A-rank ward. It pierced straight through the magic, entirely obliterated Jezuit¡¯s arm and shoulder, and struck the king in the stomach. Felipe shouted in rm, clutching the bolt with his gauntleted hand as he slid back. His armor was the stuff of legends, and the bolt¡¯s ferocious speed had been weakened from piercing the ward and Jezuit. The bolt finally broke in the king¡¯s hands, sttering into ck liquid.


    Felipe fell to one knee, then coughed up blood¡ªhe¡¯d been struck in the stomach, and though the blow had not broken flesh, the impact was tremendous. Argrave stepped out of Vasquer¡¯s mouth as the royal knights scrambled to protect their king. Having cast [Bloodfeud Bow] twice today, as soon as his feet met the stone, he felt his knees buckle.


    Yet there was a reason Argrave was not alone. Two of Elenore¡¯s best men remained with him¡ªAnneliese had vetted them, and they were surely not traitors. They set bundles of herbs ame and tossed them at the royal knights, who still desperately surrounded their king and waited for further attack. The beige, poisonous smoke started to rise up quickly, and they seized Argrave.


    A great cloud of the poisonous smoke surged out of the catbs, directed by Elenore¡¯s mages. Though much of it spread out across the vast chamber instead of falling upon the royal knights¡­ it had been meant for two purposes. One¡ªto force the knights on the defense. Two¡ªto screen their escape.


    The initial element of surprise gave them a great advantage immediately. With their knightmander missing an arm, and their king ostensibly in grave danger, the royal knights initiated the same tactic that Argrave had seen with Induen¡ªshielding all of them beneath wards. It was as though a great, golden shell emerged to protect the king.


    Elenore¡¯s people threw more ming bundles of herbs at the wards, and though they bounced off ineffectually, they seeded in one thing¡ªpolluting this chamber with yet more of the poisonous smoke.


    Argrave, verging on cking out, did his best to walk along with Elenore¡¯s men as they carried him. Ahead, Anneliese headed the remainder¡¯s charge out of the catbs and to the stairs. The surprise had given them significant advantage. Durran was just behind her, carrying Elenore. The surprise of that sight was enough to push past the dim haze pressing against Argrave¡¯s mind.


    Anneliese held her hand out and cast a B-rank wind spell, [Roaring Wind]. The great curtain of beige smoke that had descended over the steep stairs bounded upwards once hit with the winds. It was like the Red Sea had been parted, and all charged upwards as fast as they could, carrying valuables looted from the vault in the catbs.


    When Argrave finally arrived at the foot of the stairs, he dared a nce back. The king had risen to his feet, one hand held to his stomach. Argrave had a strange sensation that they locked eyes. He dismissed the thought a momentter, feeling it was the effect of his delusions from blood loss.


    As Argrave and Elenore¡¯s escort stepped up the first flight of stairs, the curtain of poison smoke lifted by Anneliese fell over them. The men took a deep breath, yet the climbing remained slow-going. One inhtion of the smoke made one wince with pain and cough.


    ¡°Go ahead,¡± Argrave informed them. ¡°Send Gmon back for me.¡±


    ¡°Sir?¡± the man asked in surprise.


    ¡°Don¡¯t waste your breath. Valuable in the smoke,¡± Argraveughed. ¡°Go. Get him.¡±


    Though the men expressed hesitance, they hurriedly sat Argrave upon a stone step once they¡¯d made up their minds. Exhausted, Argrave half-crawled forward, listening carefully to what was happening behind him. Even still, the royal knights grappled with the poison screen set around their formation. The stairs were steep enough even climbing one step took all of his energy.


    Argrave¡¯s Brumesingers ran down the stairs, finally able to rejoin with him. The poison didn¡¯t affect them, either, but the smoke was dense enough they could breathe no air. He had not cast a spell¡­ and yet their mist emanated from their fur, surrounding him. At once, southron elven warriors conjured of mist helped him along in a clumsy, bestial way. The foxes did not know how best to help him walk.


    Feeling tumultuous winds stir behind, Argrave turned saw some royal knights attempt to cast aside the smoke on the stairs with magic. It was dense, though, and grew denser every second. Time was once again on their side, yet the royal knights pursued quickly.


    Ahead, heavy nging sounded¡ªsomeone ran down the stairs in te armor. The second Argrave processed who it might be, Gmon already knelt by Argrave.


    ¡°Fool,¡± he cursed him, cing his arm beneath Argrave and lifting him up easily. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    The ascent, though not smooth, was very rapid. Much of Gmon¡¯s armor was slick with blood, yet the vampire kept a firm grip on him. Argrave barely glimpsed bodies¡­ royal knights, Elenore¡¯s men. Some struggled with the poison smoke, coughing and hacking, yet Gmon passed them by.


    They arrived at the destroyed gentleman¡¯s club, passing through the hidden door behind the liquor vault. Elenore, Anneliese, and Durran awaited, while Elenore¡¯s men had mostly copsed, coughing up smoke on the floor and taking long drinks of water.


    ¡°Anneliese scouts a good route to an escape I know, and my men facilitate our escape,¡± Elenore informed Argrave. ¡°You¡­ by the gods, you¡¯re pale.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Argrave said, feeling the phrase had less impact when he was held in someone¡¯s arms.


    ¡°Most of the royal knights¡­ are returning to the pce. Somemotion,¡± Anneliese said, her Starsparrow returning to her shoulder. ¡°There¡¯s a routepletely clear of knights. I¡¯ll lead us.¡±


    Elenore took a deep breath and exhaled. ¡°A lucky break. We move.¡±


    Durran stepped in front of her and prepared to carry her once more, but Elenore held her arms out.


    ¡°Stop. I can run,¡± Elenore refused.


    ¡°You¡¯re slow. Your legs are bleeding from those prosthetics,¡± he disagreed, then picked her up despite her protests.


    After a while, Elenore let out a resigned huff. ¡°A merchant caravan is waiting for us. More of my men wait there. We must hurry.¡±


    #####


    ¡°¡­so the king was injured, Prince Levin, but not killed,¡± a man reported to Levin, out of breath. ¡°Elenore and her entourage escaped, short a few dozen. More than enough to escape the city. They should be en route presently, my prince.¡±


    ¡°A shame. I set everything up for things to be easy for them,¡± Levin cupped his chin. ¡°These days, it seems if you throw Argrave against something, he defies logic and kills it¡­ but very well. Looks like a protracted war is the only way.¡± Levin reached forward and patted the man¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Good work. Not many trifle with the Bat and get away.¡±


    The man copsed onto his back, breathing heavily. ¡°Thank you, my prince.¡±


    Levin nodded and stepped away, only for a golden-armored knight to enter the room. ¡°The royal vault has been breached, my prince.¡±


    Levin smiled. ¡°Wonderful. If Felipe had died, we¡¯d be staying¡­ but he hasn¡¯t. So, give my men their directive. We¡¯ll empty the vault, and then depart.¡± Levin walked over to a balcony, watching the barely restrained chaos still raging in Dirracha. ¡°It seems my father is to be the only Vasquer remaining here.¡±

 Chapter 254: Rats in Grain

    Chapter 254: Rats in Grain


    A man pulled free a wooden hatch, tossing it to the side. He offered his hand to help up someone down below, but a big, gauntleted hand grabbed onto the wood. Gmon pulled himself up, then reached down and grabbed Argrave, hauling him second. Thirdly, Durran offered up Elenore, and he lifted her gently and set her aside. She winced when her prosthetic feet met the ground, and blood dripped down them slowly.


    ¡°Gods. Never seen the princess bloodied,¡± noted a woman standing by the door. She wore a wide-brimmed and plumed tellerbarret that partially hid long red hair, and cast a nice shadow over her pretty, scarred face. She bore lightweight chainmail, though much of it was concealed by ostentatious, puffy clothing. Argrave¡¯s gaze lingered on her, vision dancing from his haze of blood loss.


    ¡°This is Mnie,¡± Elenore said, leaning against a wall. ¡°She¡¯s a native of Relize. She¡¯ll be leading our caravan there, establishing contact with trustworthy people.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Argrave straightened, feeling like every part of him was sore. Mnie was yet another protagonist from ¡®Heroes of Berendar,¡¯ and he wasn¡¯t eager to deal with this. ¡°Clothes give it away.¡±


    Gmon helped Durran and Anneliese up next, then knelt, peering down below. The elven vampire¡¯s armor was bloodied and scratched, but any wounds he might¡¯ve taken in his task of lighting the fires and fending back the royal knights had healed. The man who¡¯d taken off the hatch put it back on, then wiped his hands away.


    Argrave looked to be sure that Anneliese was watching, then questioned Mnie, ¡°You¡¯re working solely for Elenore?¡±


    Mnie frowned, yet the scars near her eyes made her seem oddly amused nheless. ¡°Don¡¯t answer to you.¡±


    ¡°You do. Answer him,¡± Elenore said harshly, kicking off where she leaned against.


    ¡°No one else funding me, sweetie. The trust you¡¯re showing is utterly flooring,¡± Mnie said in irritation.


    Anneliese gave no indication the woman was lying. Argrave nodded and said, ¡°Let¡¯s be off.¡±


    ¡°Ought to have someone look at that bleeding,¡± Durran stopped Elenore.


    The princess looked ready to refuse, but eventually she nodded. ¡°Once we¡¯re settled in the caravan.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    #####


    The caravan they entered was quite a nice one. It was entirely enchanted wood, made for transportingrge quantities of grain. The caravan they travelled with had many other carts, each and all identical to the one they resided. It would be a good veil for concealing their movements. Relize constantly had food transported to it¡ªits poption was toorge to be sustained by local agriculture alone. They would raise no gs travelling this way. Mnie handled all operations outside.


    Argrave sat beside Elenore and Anneliese, sandwiched between the two of them on a cushioned bench. He leaned with his back to the wall, utterly exhausted. He slowly ate biscuits that Anneliese gave to him. Gmon and Durran upied the side opposite them, though without a bench.


    Durran held Elenore¡¯s leg and unwound a small iron rod. As he did, a metal mp around Elenore¡¯s leg slowly loosened. It reminded Argrave of a manual vice. Her leg had been cut by her prosthetics at various points.


    ¡°Probably doesn¡¯t need to be so tight,¡± Durran told her.


    ¡°If it¡¯s not tight, it can shift¡ªunimaginably painful if my leg shifts off bnce, and I crash to the floor,¡± she said through clenched teeth. As Durran wordlessly tended to her feet, sheid her head back against a bag of grain.


    Argrave chewed, growing content with the sound of the caravan travelling and Durran tending to Elenore. He was unimaginably thankful things had gone as well as they did, considering the circumstances. He had been very worried of parting with someone here.


    ¡°The enchanted items you gave me for appraisal¡­¡± Elenore said in a sigh. ¡°It¡¯ll take some time for me to get them, I¡¯m afraid. I don¡¯t think they¡¯ll be lost. My men¡ªthey¡¯re smart, they know how to hide things. They¡¯ve been hiding from the Order for¡ª¡±


    Argrave leaned up. ¡°Just¡­ thinkter,¡± he told her simply, patting her shoulder and offering a smile. With that, he leaned his head back.


    Silence reigned for a time¡ªanother minute.


    ¡°We¡¯ll need to keep an eye on what Levin is doing, at least for a few days,¡± Elenore cut back in. ¡°I suspect he was therge cause of themotion in the royal pce that caused our lucky break. If this is true, he may be¡ª¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you put something soft beneath this metal, then?¡± Durran interrupted. ¡°Look at this. These mps leave bruises, cut open your skin. And this material itself¡ªit¡¯s heavy. And by the gods, why is it gilded? Get some light, sturdy wood. Disgraceful.¡±


    Elenore grew silent at Durran¡¯s lecturing, growing quiet for another minute.


    ¡°The chaos itself is an opportunity. I can think of half a dozen ways to turn a huge profit based on what just urred. I can turn ten rose gold coins into one hundred based on what happened in Dirracha. It is a disaster, but we should¡ª¡±


    ¡°Elenore,¡± Argrave lifted his head up. ¡°Just say it honestly.¡±


    The princess slowly turned her head towards Argrave. The bottom of her lip was trembling. Her face seized up, and she leaned forward onto Argrave. He was puzzled for a few seconds, but her back started to heave. He realized what it was¡ªshe was crying.


    ¡°Therese, Vasquer¡­ I can¡¯t¡­ I can¡¯t just¡­¡± she babbled, the words muffled beneath his duster. ¡°Why did she do that? Why didn¡¯t she just give me up? I¡­ all I¡¯ve brought her is pain, yet she wouldn¡¯t just sell me out. And now they¡¯re with him, they¡¯re both with HIM. I can¡¯t. I can¡¯t just¡­ Why do I get to go, when they¡­ they¡¯re both better than me, both suffered more than I have¡­ why couldn¡¯t¡­¡±


    Argrave put his hand to her back, holding her gently. He did nothing but soothe and wait, letting her speak. He listened intently, offering whispered words offort where he thought they fit. She deserved this much, he thought. After a time, Elenore went quiet. Argrave briefly questioned if she was asleep, but her breathing was too erratic for that.


    ¡°I want to stay,¡± she finally said, voice fried. ¡°A few days¡­ do what I can, try to help them. Try to make sure I can save Therese, protect Vasquer¡­ but it¡¯s stupid. I can¡¯t. We waste time, we risk exposure, we risk losing more.¡±


    ¡°Put that nonsense behind you,¡± Argrave told her. ¡°So we stop for a few days to get apprised of things. So what?¡±


    She finally pulled away. ¡°Staying in the city is a surefire way to be found,¡± Elenore disagreed at once.


    ¡°Never said anything about the city. Plenty of secure and remote locations.¡± Argrave adjusted himself to turn his body. ¡°Doing the right thing, doing the most pragmatic thing¡ªmore often than not, they¡¯re not mutually exclusive. This person¡­ Therese, the one that got captured. You care about her, right?¡± Argrave asked, holding his hand out. When Elenore nodded, he snapped his fingers. ¡°Then let¡¯s make the attempt.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s ridiculous,¡± Elenore said firmly. ¡°She¡¯s in the heart of the pce. She¡¯ll probably be executed now that her usefulness is at an end, or maybe disposed of quietly by Levin.¡± Elenore shook her head. ¡°And Vasquer¡­ I know Felipe won¡¯t harm her. I know it. Why am I caught up in this?¡±


    Argrave put his hand on her own, and she looked over. ¡°So you learn that. You do what you can¡ªall that you can. It might be that what you learn sticks with you¡­ but I can guarantee doing nothing will haunt you for the rest of your life.¡±


    ¡°¡­what would you know¡­¡± Elenore leaned her head back.


    ¡°You forget already?¡± Argrave leaned in. ¡°I know a lot more about you than probably anyone.¡±


    Elenore freed her hand from his grip and crossed her arms defensively. She stayed quiet for a long while, and Argrave started to settle back into his ce. Anneliese gave him a smile and handed him another biscuit.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry,¡± Elenore eventually whispered. ¡°For getting emotional. I can¡¯t do that. It¡¯s not right. It doesn¡¯t have its ce. I¡¯m meant to be a boon in your fight, not a child.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not wrong. It¡¯s a fact of life. Durran cries himself to sleep every night, muttering about Orion,¡± Argrave kicked the tribal lightly across from him. The tribal looked at him with a resigned, bitter eptance, not even bothering to deny the lie.


    Elenore let out a slow, chokedugh, her throat obviously blocked up. ¡°I hate crying.¡±


    ¡°Me too,¡± Argrave agreed.


    ¡°It¡­¡± Elenore began, then cut off. ¡°When my¡­ when that bastard gouged out my eyes¡­ it was messy. The tears¡­ how they¡¯re made¡­ I don¡¯t know. Something got damaged. People talk about phantom limbs¡­ I don¡¯t know,¡± Elenore trailed off again.


    ¡°It¡¯s painful,¡± Durran finished. ¡°Literally hurts.¡±


    Elenoreughed, then wiped away snot from her nose. ¡°Yeah. Guess Argrave must have told you.¡±


    ¡°Nah. Maybe he told Anneliese¡­ but I could tell.¡± Durran looked off to the side. ¡°You try too hard not to cry, you don¡¯t address why it¡¯s happening in the first ce.¡± Durran said, then nced around to realize everyone was looking at him. Embarrassed, he continued, ¡°Why do I bother saying anything? This touchy nonsense¡­ not good with it. I don¡¯t know.¡± Durran scratched the back of his neck, then said optimistically, ¡°But maybe it¡¯s good. If my sisters cried more, maybe I wouldn¡¯t have had to kill my uncle.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Elenore questioned incredulously.


    Durran threw up his hands. ¡°Forget this. I¡¯m sleeping.¡±


    The former tribal rolled over and sprawled across the floor, burying his face in an empty bag used to transport grain. He covered himself with a nket meant for horses, then rested quietly.


    Elenore looked to Argrave, clearly wanting an exnation.


    ¡°Well¡­ he¡­¡± Argrave began.


    ¡°You say a damned word, Argrave,¡± Durran lifted his hand up, voice muffled beneath his makeshift pillow. ¡°I know where you sleep, damn you. I can get to you. Watch yourself. My seven fingers still have a deadly grip. Crush your throat like straw.¡±


    Argraveughed, then leaned back. ¡°It¡¯s no big deal. One kinyer, two kinyers¡­ it won¡¯t make the journey any less safe, I promise.¡±


    Elenore¡¯s tense body finally settled into the cushioned bench they sat upon. In time, the sound of the caravan¡¯s wheels and the horses pulling it forward were the only sounds prevailing.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Elenore said deliberately. ¡°All of you.¡±

 Chapter 255: Loss

    Chapter 255: Lossn/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Levin walked a bridge from the Dragon Pce, heading to a lone tower with a cone roof. Two royal guards stood in front of it. They wererge men, just short of Levin¡¯s height, and their golden helmets swiveled as they followed the prince¡¯s approach.


    The prince paused just before the door. ¡°She¡¯s awake?¡± he questioned.


    ¡°Yes, prince,¡± the rightward knight nodded.


    Levin nodded curtly and shot his cuffs. He fixed his cor, swallowed, then pushed open the door. In the distance, the sound of chains swaying rattled out. The room was dark, the windows mostly blocked by curtains. Levin stepped within hesitantly, then shut the thick door he¡¯d pushed open.


    Levin cast a spell, and a ball of light rose up into the air. A woman ahead flinched and gasped, and tried to crawl away.


    ¡°Mother. It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s me,¡± Levin said, stepping closer very slowly with his hands spread out to show he meant no harm.


    Light from his spell illuminated the woman. She was pale, dreadfully thin, and bound in a straitjacket. She had blonde hair, but it was unwashed, matted, and greasy. Her bright blue eyes shone back against the light like sapphires. Felipe had married Valeria because of those eyes, so the tale went¡ªthey reminded him of his first wife¡¯s.


    ¡°Where¡¯s my husband?¡± the woman asked. ¡°He¡¯s the king. Once you¡¯re found¡­ cut your losses. Let me go, I can let you live. I can give you a pardon. My husband listens to me. Once you¡¯re found¡­¡±


    Levin paused, studying her face. Though she had been bound in a jacket to protect her from harming herself, it hadn¡¯t stopped itpletely. Her lips had been bitten into tattered shreds. Her fingers couldn¡¯t grow back¡ªshe¡¯d eaten those. But her lips could be healed.


    Feeling encouraged by her rity, Levin knelt. ¡°You¡¯re here for your own good, mother. Let me treat your face.¡±


    The woman flinched away as Levin extended his hand¡­ yet when healing magic started to close the cuts on her lip, she gradually epted things.


    ¡°My baby¡­¡± Valeria said.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m here,¡± Levin nodded, smiling excitedly.


    ¡°Where is Orion? Where is he? Where¡¯s my baby?¡± she demanded harshly. ¡°I want to see him.¡±


    Levin¡¯s smile morphed subtly, and he looked to the ground, eyes dead. He bit his lips hard enough to draw blood, then shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m going to be leaving, mother. For good.¡±


    Valeria red at him, bloodshot eyes darting around in a frenzy.


    Levin lifted his head up. ¡°I¡¯ve been working together with a coalition of northern nobles unhappy with my father. We¡¯re going to split from Vasquer¡­ form the Kingdom of Atrus. I¡¯m going to be crowned its first king.¡± Levin sped his hands together. ¡°Really¡­ never thought to call myself that.¡±


    If the woman he called mother heard and understood him, she hardly showed it.


    ¡°But I don¡¯t think this willst. Maybe I¡¯ll be proven wrong¡­ but really, it¡¯s just an excuse not to get involved in the war. These northern nobles, they want to stay out of the fighting. I offered that opportunity. And then, when the fighting dies down¡­ I¡¯ll negotiate a spot in the new Vasquer from a position of strength. Whether Orion¡¯s running things, or Argrave, or Elenore¡­ doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Levin shook his head, then sat.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to be king. Never expected it. Never sought it,¡± Levin continued. ¡°But¡­ more and more, I see my father slipping away from what he usually does. He¡¯s losing it. And Argrave¡­ to see his progress¡­ if even he can seed as he has, I realize now that it¡¯s time for me to do something.¡±


    ¡°My husband will stop you,¡± Valeria said, pushing away from Levin with her feet. The chains that bound her rung. ¡°Wait. This rebellion of yours¡­ another footnote in our history.¡±


    Levin turned his head back to his mother. ¡°I can get you out of here, mother. I want to help you. Your son wants to help you. If I¡¯m your son¡­ just say it. I¡¯ll help.¡±


    Valeria stopped trying to crawl away. ¡°I saw the lilies dance upon the grave of a dead world. I saw them. I saw theing terrors. He will end you all. The ck one ising for you. The ground will split for his wrath. Time itself will end. We must be united. Stop!¡± she screamed manically.


    Levin rose to his feet and spoke over her screams, dering, ¡°Felipe isn¡¯t going to be doing anything. He¡¯s going to wait in this fortress of his, more and more allies forsaking him day by day. I¡¯m going to ruin him. All that he¡¯s had me do over the years¡ªmurders, abductions, hiding his sexual escapades, spreading the gue¡­ I kept records of it. Everyone¡¯s going to get their hands on it: incontrovertible proof. His allies will abandon him. His espionagework will wither,¡± Levin tapped his chest. ¡°And after his vault is emptied, after Relize joins Atrus¡­ he¡¯ll have no money. So¡­ it¡¯s over.¡±


    Queen Valeria started to sob hysterically. Levin clenched his teeth together tightly, looking down at her. Then, with a quiet rage, he turned on his heel and left. He pushed open the great door to the tower, and mmed it shut behind him.


    ¡°Come,¡± he told the royal knights as he passed by. ¡°We¡¯re done.¡±


    #####


    The cart that Elenore hadmandeered for their journey to Relize stopped at a quaint little vige a fair distance away from Dirracha. The excuse used was that the cart had a destroyed wheel, and it would take some time for repairmen to arrive as the wheels were enchanted. Well, that alibi was made reality when Mnie destroyed the wheel¡­ but that was the pretext.


    In theing days, Elenore eagerly made use of Anneliese and her Starsparrow to transport messages long distances. With her help, she could operate effectively for hundreds of miles near instantaneously. The princess saw the full use of such a thing, and constantly spoke of sending word to ine to acquire some of these spells, integrate them into her personnel. Argrave was excited of the potential of druidic magic integration as well.


    A full assessment of the damage done by the king¡¯s untimely visit was made after the first day. The damage to Elenore¡¯swork was significant. In essence, Felipe¡¯s attack told the world atrge two things¡ªthe Bat was not a friend to the king, and the Bat had been concealing thepanion of the first king, the great snake Vasquer.


    The assault had effects beyond the body count numbering near fifty. People that were closely entwined with Vasquer and the royal family would be less likely to do business with the Bat, now¡ªshe was an open enemy of the kingdom. Yet even so¡­ the public would likely be equally focused on another shocking thing.


    Levin released a record of all the king¡¯s wrongdoings. Argrave noticed immediately that most of these wrongdoings Levin himself had perpetrated¡­ yet it was the nature of things. The prince departed from Vasquer, iming he could not bear to support his father anymore after what hade to light. This movepletely batted aside the mutually assured destruction Elenore had hoped for. Levin got away having piged the royal vault, and he brought a vast retinue of royal knights to the north. They numbered near one hundred.


    Rumors swirled that Levin intended to put himself forth as a imant to Vasquer, or that he sought to break free of Vasquer and form an independent realm, or that he would merely retire to a simple estate in the north. Barring that thest one was far-fetched given his knightly escort, Argrave didn¡¯t know which held any truth. Elenore couldn¡¯t parse through them any better.


    As for Vasquer¡ªthe snake, not the kingdom or the dynasty¡ªtheir prediction proved to be urate. It was impossible to avoid leaking to the public that Vasquer had been found. Felipe had the giant snake tended to by mages and paraded this fact to the public enthusiastically. Even still, the purge in the pce had been thorough, and Elenore could not get any genuine details as to what the monarch intended to do with the snake.


    Yet the princess had another reason for staying. Therese. Elenore told Argrave the girl had been a maid that had been a bit na?ve, yet steadfastly loyal and willing to get her hands dirty with some simple tasks. Elenore had trusted no one more.


    Now, the princess stood before a simple wooden coffin, head turned downwards.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to¡­ open it?¡± Durran questioned, standing off to the side.


    ¡°Pointless. I can perceive that within with these items,¡± Elenore gestured towards her jewelry. ¡°Therese is dead.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Durran nodded. ¡°Forget I¡­¡± he trailed off, realizing it would be best to stop talking.


    Argrave gently rubbed her back as Elenore stood before the coffin. Argrave didn¡¯t know what else to do. In a family with many cousins, uncles, and other such distant rtives, he¡¯d been to many funerals where other people were sad while he knew nothing. It was best to stay quiet, offer nothing more than warmth. So he thought, at least.


    ¡°She was tortured,¡± Elenore said hollowly. ¡°Long while. Long enough it nearly killed her on its own. Then¡­ once Levin presented his story, everything he got out of her¡­ he killed her quickly.¡± Elenore shook her head. ¡°All I could get.¡±


    ¡°You have my condolences,¡± Gmon offered her, head bowed.


    Elenore nodded. ¡°I killed her. I ruined her. Took something white, made it ck. Covered her in blood. And until the end¡­¡± Elenore knelt down, cing one hand atop the coffin for support. ¡°I should be in there.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re trivializing what she did, then,¡± Durran informed her coldly. ¡°She made her own choices.¡±


    Elenore lifted her head up, her face flushed. ¡°I trivialize nothing. Honest people get ruined by scum like me¡ªthat¡¯s the way of the world. I¡¯m¡­¡± Elenore swallowed, then rose. ¡°She¡¯s dead because of me. I told her to trust me. She did. And now¡­¡± Her chin tremored. ¡°How am I any different than my father?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say things like that,¡± Argrave said with a quiet strength. ¡°You never harmed her. You didn¡¯t abduct her. Levin did. Felipe did.¡±


    ¡°But I did. She had her youth, she had her innocence, and I tore her away from all that, used her, tossed her aside,¡± Elenore said, voice growing in speed and intensity by the second until she suddenly stopped. ¡°I need¡­ alone,¡± she said an iplete sentence, and then stepped away.


    Argrave watched as she walked away, feeling his gut wrench. He bit his lip and then looked back to the coffin.


    ¡°Nice job, Argrave,¡± Durran said.


    Argrave looked towards the tribal. ¡°What did I do?¡±


    Durran held his hand in the direction Elenore had walked away. ¡°Really necessary to force this to happen? What good does it do? Does it build character? She¡¯s got plenty of that, you little bastard.¡±


    Argrave stood there, mouth agape. He didn¡¯t have a response ready. Durran stared back at him for a long while, then shook his head and turned away.


    Argrave felt someone walk up beside him. ¡°Please¡­ treat his words as wind,¡± Anneliese said quietly. ¡°He does not mean it. He is merely frustrated.¡±


    Argrave looked to her. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe he¡¯s right.¡±


    Anneliese said nothing. Even the elf, empath as she was, seemed just as lost as Argrave in moments like these.

 Chapter 256: Profligacy and Corruption

    Chapter 256: Profligacy and Corruption


    Orion wandered through this unending ck desert, lost once again. Though he had known he wanted toe here, now that he was here¡­ he was once again adrift, utterly lost to his next direction. All he did was walk towards the distant white pce he saw, half-thinking it a mirage.


    The prince hade to the south to speak with the Margrave of Parbon, Reinhardt. Once he arrived, Orion realized things would not be so dreamy and simple. At the time, the Margrave had actually been away¡ªwar was a busy time, and as things neared their beginning, the castle became ast resort rather than a constant home.


    With his size and recognizable features, Orion was not confident of remaining long enough in Parbon territory for the Margrave to return¡­ nor was he confident in tracking the man down without hostilities erupting. And so, instead of persisting as the crown prince in the midst of enemy territory¡­ with a heavy heart, Orion abandoned the idea.


    Instead, Orion passed over the mountain in the middle of the night, and as he crested their peak, a scene of two skies spread out before him¡ªone in the sky, and one on the ground. It took a moment for him to realize that he saw sand¡ªck sand. It was and of beauty that he had never devoted his time to study¡­ and and in which the gods of Vasquer were foes, not friends.


    Now, Orion wandered that ck sand. The sun beat gently on his skin. It was neither boring nor harrowing¡ªindeed, as the voices constantly whispering in his mind grew lesser and lesser, there was a strange tinge of the foreign that both terrified and excited Orion. The blessings were within him¡ªhe could not be parted from them¡ªbut it seemed that things were as the gods imed, and thends beyond Vasquer were truly untouched by their presence.


    Before Orion realized it, he walked upon caked ck y, and the pce of whiteness before him was no mirage. Orion saw two men garbed in strange, foreign clothing, standing guard at the gate. He walked towards them. He saw the all-too-familiar sight of fear within their eyes¡­ and they held their spears to block him.


    ¡°Stop right there. No outsiders allowed,¡± one of the men informed him.


    Orion regarded them coolly, feeling a strange calmness. They had skin a different color than his¡ªa different color than most in Vasquer. It was darker, tanner. Beyond, he saw a great assemge of people walking, talking. Their manner of dress was foreign, and their appearances were unlike any had seen before.


    ¡°Why?¡± Orion asked.


    ¡°An outsider wreaked havoc in the distant south. Our mistress has forbidden us from allowing any outsiders to pay for food or water in fear of such a thing happening once again,¡± the spearman informed him curtly. ¡°Now, step away. The Vessels of Fellhorn protect Delphasium. You shall join His eternal rain if you dare try anything,¡± he threatened.


    Orion felt his wrath stir, yet without the whispers of the gods to spur him he was able to calm himself. He stepped away from the spearman, mind whirling with the new information conveyed to him. This outsider¡ªbased on all Durran had told him of their journeys, he knew it had to be Argrave. And then, Orion spotted another.


    The man, who sat cross-legged beneath a tarp beside the pearly white walls, was in such poor health as to appear dead. He was more skeleton than flesh. And yet¡­ as he watched, Orion saw he had golden eyes. It reminded him of the tribal from thisnd that he had taken under his wing. Orion stepped up to this man.


    Kneeling, Orion asked quietly, ¡°Are you an outsider, too?¡±


    The man regarded him with his eyes but seemed to offer no answer.


    ¡°I can give you water if¡ª¡± Orion paused. He was about to ask the man to convert. ¡°Do you want water?¡± he instead asked.


    The man¡¯s golden eyes swam, appraising Orion more thoroughly. ¡°You¡¯re one of them?¡± he asked, voice a clicking rasp.


    Orion looked to the side where the spearmen watched them. ¡°No,¡± he answered.


    ¡°I¡¯ll not¡­ take charity,¡± the man told him with a bitter snarl that brought life back into his face. ¡°I¡¯d sooner die¡­ than take it. Like the others¡­ gone southward¡­ empty promises.¡±


    Orion blinked, trying to think of what the man might mean. ¡°What happened in the south?¡±


    ¡°Lords¡­ dead,¡± the man said. ¡°A new hope. A new city. A false¡­ hope, I say. Fellhorn¡­ all gods¡­ eat man.¡±


    Orion rose to his feet. He looked back to the spearman, deliberating on whether or not to ask them more questions. He considered forcing his way past those men, or climbing the walls, or any number of things¡­ yet at the end, this talk of lords enticed him. He still remembered well the tales that Durran had told him.


    ¡°Which way is south?¡± Orion asked the man.


    ¡°Just¡­ leave,¡± the man said, his dry mouth failing even now. ¡°This ce is lost. Eaten by the sun, like a man copsed in the desert.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°I just want to learn,¡± Orion said neutrally.


    ¡°Learn?¡± A dryugh escaped the man¡¯s cracked lips.


    ¡°Learn where I looked towards,¡± Orion exined, looking down at the man once again.


    The tribal looked up at him, eyes like golden rings against the light of the suns. ¡°Opposite wall,¡± the man responded finally, lowering his head. ¡°Road¡­ a partial one.¡±


    Orion nodded and walked away, leaving nothing behind.


    #####


    Elenore remained distant for a day. She was unapproachable, quite literally¡ªArgrave didn¡¯t know where she was for the whole day, but he didn¡¯t see her. He might¡¯ve sent Anneliese and her Starsparrow scouting but felt such a thing might be rude¡ªElenore must¡¯ve merely wished to be alone with her grief. He could see inly that she was working, for her people came and went and messages were sent and received. Argrave and hispanions, well used to sleeping outside, did so. In truth, Argrave was d to be resting.


    Nevertheless, the next day, the wheel for the cart was finally repaired. It had merely been an excuse to stop, but now it quite literally did stop their advance. Not too long after that, Elenore reemerged. She walked up to Argrave beside Mnie as though nothing had urred between them at all.


    ¡°Good morning,¡± Elenore greeted. Her voice was somewhat hoarse.


    ¡°Sister,¡± Argrave greeted. The word felt unnatural on his tongue, but he was forcing himself to use it.


    Mnie raised a brow when he said so. She held her zweihander in one hand, its de leaning against her shoulder while its point stood towards the sky. ¡°You¡¯re¡­¡±


    Argrave looked at her. ¡°Probably who you think, yes,¡± he nodded. ¡°Saw you at Mateth. You were working for my cousin, then. Or maybe you were still under Elenore.¡±


    ¡°The Duke Enrico,¡± Mnie corrected. ¡°Well¡­ well, well.¡± The red-haired mercenary took a deep breath, then adjusted her wide-brimmed tellerbarret. ¡°Suppose I should have guessed, looking at how big you are and all. Don¡¯t remember seeing you at Mateth. Just never thought¡­ hah. You were in Dirracha while the funeral of the crown prince you murdered was happening. What a spectacle.¡±


    ¡°We have a n for entry into Relize,¡± Elenore exined, brushing past their introduction. ¡°Mnie¡­¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± the mercenary nodded. ¡°My family are patricians in Relize. I¡¯d call them failed businessmen. They¡¯re trustworthy, though, and this cart is marked by them. The biggest problem might be other patrician families trying to rob us¡­ but Elenore has plenty of men.¡± Mnie scratched at her chin. ¡°Relize is¡­ have you ever been?¡±


    ¡°Coupled hundred times,¡± Argrave nodded.


    Mnie smiled. ¡°Suppose that saves me some trouble.¡±


    ¡°Things should be simple,¡± Elenore continued. ¡°Her family owns a warehouse. Once we¡¯re inside, we¡¯ll have toy low. While Relize may not be hostile to us, as soon as our existence inmon knowledge, we¡¯ll be the target of every family within the city¡ªtheir ambitions, their hostility¡­ this is still the north, after all. On that note, I think it¡¯s past time you caught me up to speed on what you wanted to do there.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Argrave nodded, his gaze lingering on Mnie.


    Elenore caught his signal. ¡°Mnie, go and make sure everyone is ready to depart.¡±


    Mnieughed¡ªshe wasn¡¯t slow-witted and knew why she had to go and make sure. ¡°Alright. I get it. High-level talks, not fit for lowly ears.¡±


    She turned, the thin chains on her wrists dangling as she did so. Once she was gone, Argrave cast a ward and walked closer to Elenore.


    ¡°You¡¯re really alright, sister?¡± Argrave asked her at once.


    ¡°Can¡¯t afford not to be,¡± she nodded. ¡°Just had to¡­ reframe things in my mind.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps you ought to take a few more days before you jump back in,¡± Anneliese cut in.


    Argrave pointed to Anneliese. ¡°She¡¯s rarely wrong about these things.¡±


    Elenore crossed her arms. ¡°I¡¯ll have time. The road is long. For now, I wish to have something to upy my mind, n for the future. I won¡¯t forget what Levin is done. I need to reflect how this might¡¯ve happened, avoid him outsmarting me as he did once again.¡±


    Argrave shrugged, admitting she had some point. ¡°Alright. Well¡­ you know about the Rescindment of Profligacy and Corruption?¡±


    Elenore lowered her head for a moment, lost in thought. Just as Argrave was about to exin, she lifted her head back up and said, ¡°It was a mandate passed down by Relize¡¯s Grand Council. It barred people from buying the status of a patrician for their family.¡±


    ¡°Correct,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°Now, no matter how much money you have¡­ there won¡¯t ever be any new patrician families in Relize. If you aren¡¯t a part of a patrician family, you can¡¯t participate in District Councils, nor can you be voted into a seat on the Grand Council.¡±


    Elenore nodded. ¡°It was passed eighty years ago, as I recall.¡±


    ¡°You really are a genius,¡± Argrave marveled.


    Elenore frowned. ¡°You remember this just as well as I do.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t have a life,¡± Argrave said to dismiss her point. ¡°Back on subject, though¡­ ordinarily, you¡¯d think a measure to prevent corruption would be a good thing. But Relize¡ªtrade is its lifeblood, and meritocracy is its lifeblood. This Rescindment strips away a part of what makes Relize powerful as a self-governing city. There¡¯ve been eighty years of ster merchants who remain second-ss citizens because of this Rescindment. Ambitious, wealthy people¡­ who want the best for their families and want to participate in local politics.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s stagnating,¡± Elenore nodded. ¡°It¡¯s certainly apelling theory¡­ but what, you hope to overthrow the Grand Council with this merchant ss?¡±


    Argrave wagged his finger. ¡°Not a chance. You know the Dandn family? Its family head isn¡¯t blind to the city losing its edge. I think he¡¯d be amenable to an alliance. We help him gain power, revoke this Rescindment of Profligacy and Corruption ¡­ he¡¯s got a powerful base of newly made, extremely wealthy patricians indebted to him. He¡¯s indebted to us.¡± Argrave held his arms out. ¡°All of the military and economic might of the wealthiest city in Vasquer is at our fingertips. And we get it all bloodlessly.¡±


    Elenore stood there for a moment, contemting silently. ¡°Much depends on this Dandn family head. I¡¯ll need to look into him.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it,¡± Argrave wrung his hands together.

 Chapter 257: I Decide

    Chapter 257: I Decide


    Argrave had been to cities in Vasquer like Mateth, Dirracha, Jast, or Parbon. They had awed him, but nothing could really bepared to Relize. Mateth, for instance, was one of thergest trading ports in the kingdom, and probably thergest city in the southern reaches. Even still, its poption could not be more than forty thousand. Dirracha was probably near the same number. Jast and Parbon both had difficulties in terms of agriculture, so they were smaller.


    Yet Relize¡­ it was a tremendous metropolis. At a point, the cart that Argrave and hispany were riding stopped to spend the night, and they had a chance to walk and stretch their legs. Even at that time the city had been awake, dancing lights illuminating its splendor in a subtle, almost mysterious manner. It did not have towering constructions like Jast, nor gigantic walls like Mateth. The city simply sprawled across so muchnd.


    In the morning, the city was revealed in earnest. In the crispness of dawn, half-hidden by sea fog and half-revealed by the early suns, its grand gothic design made it seem like some sort of hidden city. Relize was a ce of unimaginable wealth, and as much was reflected in everything down from its material: marble. It was a low-lying seaside city without a wall, wrapping around a great bay and split in two by a river that had to be as wide as the Nile.


    Even from afar, one could see the pride of the city¡ªits docks. It was like a continuous marble crescent moonid t against the coast, connecting all parts of the city to the bay. One could walk from one edge of the docks to the other, all on one wless marble path that was probably five miles long. There were countless ships bothing and going from the bay, each of them bearing a multitude of heraldries on their sails. Argrave recognized one sail¡ªsix silver stars in a circle on a ck field, all connected by a silver chain that converged in the center. It was the Dandn family¡¯s symbol.


    Three gargantuan bridges connected the parts of the city split by the thick river, thergest of which was part of the docks. These bridges were elevated to allow passage for small boats on the river. These boats were plentiful¡ªfishing vessels, vessels with shipments, vessels with other goods¡­ to say the least, business was good.


    If Argrave were to estimate the poption, he¡¯d ce it at around two hundred thousand. Located in the center of northern Vasquer, ess to the ocean, arge river with plenty of upstream agriculture¡­ Argrave didn¡¯t think he knew too much about geography, but he could tell why this city prospered as it had. It was a jewel that befit the capital of a nation. Its people were too fiercely self-governing to ever allow that to happen, though, and the Kings of Vasquer were content with their highly defensible city of Dirracha.


    ¡°Why are you gawking? Said you¡¯d been here before,¡± Mnie asked, having walked up to Argrave as he was admiring the city.


    ¡°Long time ago,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°It was¡­¡±


    It wasggy. ce had too many damned NPCs in it. He couldn¡¯t really say that, though.


    ¡°Shame we can¡¯t wander,¡± Argrave looked at Mnie. ¡°Running the docks, looking around¡­ even the warehouses are gilded. There¡¯s Felipe II¡¯s summer residence, too. Nice ce.¡±


    ¡°No ce quite like it,¡± Mnie nodded. ¡°You¡¯ll be visiting the Scarlet District, I assume.¡±


    Argrave¡¯s face grew cold, and Mnieughed at once.


    ¡°Guess you really have been there,¡± Mnie said, nting her zweihander against the ground. ¡°They say every lord visits a brothel. Don¡¯t worry¡ªI won¡¯t tell yourdy friend.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d know, wouldn¡¯t you? Having grown up there and all,¡± Argrave jabbed, disliking her teasing.


    This time, Mnie¡¯s face contorted in displeasure, almost mirroring his own cold re. Then, like it never was, she smiled. ¡°Goodeback. Didn¡¯t think a royal bastard could have banter. Wonder if it¡¯llst.¡± She ran her fingers across the plume on her tellerbarret. ¡°Well, anyway, Elenore wanted to see you.¡±


    Argrave felt guilty for his cruelty¡ªhe had always liked Mnie, and it was a bit uncalled for to bring up her past in such a manner. Anything regarding Anneliese made him have a short fuse, he knew. Before he could apologize, the mercenary woman was already walking away, seemingly unaffected by his cold words.


    She¡¯s important. Mends things, Argrave made a mental note. In a ce like Relize, maintaining her loyalty would be important. Fortunately, Mnie¡¯s rough-and-tumble nature wasn¡¯t merely an act¡ªhe imagined she wouldn¡¯t genuinely hold a grudge for what he¡¯d said.


    Shelving the issue forter, Argrave walked, searching for Elenore. He found her with the rest of hispanions by a fire. As he approached, the princess turned her head towards him. The fire cast eerie shadows on her eyeless sockets, but by this point Argrave had gone used to her face.


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised by you,¡± Elenore said. ¡°Couple of days ago, you could barely walk. Now¡­¡±


    Argrave rolled his shoulders. ¡°Still feel a little off. But I¡¯m ck blooded.¡±


    Elenore ced her hands on her knees and then rose. ¡°Yes. Anneliese told me of it,¡± she nodded. ¡°I¡­ you¡¯ve done a lot. I realized that long before we met, but now that I know the totality of it¡­ having your heart reced? I can¡¯t¡­¡± Elenore lowered her head, then turned to pick something up off the ground. ¡°Anyway, here.¡±


    Elenore held out a sack to Argrave. He reached out and took it in his hands¡ªit was something metal. Opening it up, a rainbow greeted him¡ªtheir source was about five pink coins, and thirty other golden ones.


    ¡°Good god,¡± Argrave eximed, then quickly sealed the bag shut and looked back up at her. ¡°I didn¡¯t get you anything, I¡¯m afraid. I still have that Vasquer mantle and crown, if you want it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s pocket money,¡± Elenore said. ¡°Told you I could turn a profit in Dirracha¡ªI did. Salvaged mywork, contacted old and new people alike. A few enchanters I do business with could use earth magic¡ªshady businesses needed reconstruction after the riots and couldn¡¯t go to the¡­¡± Elenore shook her head. ¡°Sorry. Details don¡¯t matter.¡±


    ¡°Pocket money,¡± Argrave repeated. Viewing her as a big sister seemed markedly easier when she casually unloaded this much gold on him. ¡°Thank you. Not sure I¡¯ll need it, considering we n to stick together the whole time.¡±


    ¡°Best to be prepared,¡± the princess dipped her head towards him. ¡°As for those enchanted items you entrusted to me¡ªthey¡¯re enroute to a warehouse I own within the city, along with a manifest detailing what each does. My enchanters were quite excited about some of them. I¡¯m sure we can sell those you don¡¯t use off in Relize.¡±


    Argrave smiled, then stepped forward and hugged her. She was surprised but eased up after a moment. ¡°Lucky to have you with us,¡± he told her. ¡°Don¡¯t ever think I¡¯m not grateful to you.¡±


    ¡°¡­yes, well¡­¡± she said quietly. ¡°Get off me. I¡¯m hot enough from this fire.¡±


    Argraveughed and pulled away, then moved to sit by the fire beside Anneliese.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s well past time that you tell me what you withheld from me in that message to Vasquer,¡± Elenore decided, going back to sit in her spot.


    Argrave¡¯s happiness dimmed somewhat when he heard her words. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right.¡±


    Elenore waited in silence for a few moments, then said, ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve gotta ask,¡± Argrave told her. ¡°I¡¯ll answer what I¡¯m asked.¡±


    ¡°He made me ask Anneliese,¡± Durran pointed at Argrave. Despite his earlier outburst at Therese¡¯s coffin, things had been fine between the two of them since. ¡°Looks like family gets special treatment.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t make you,¡± Argrave disagreed. ¡°I politely requested you direct inquiries to Anneliese, so that she might give her perspective on this whole thing.¡±


    Elenore put her hands on herp. ¡°How do all of you take this matter, this¡­ ¡®Heroes of Berendar?¡¯¡±


    Everyone grew silent. Argrave looked at each of them in turn, curious himself.


    ¡°Don¡¯t care,¡± Gmon said first.


    ¡°Of course you don¡¯t,¡± Durran nodded. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Way I figure it, it¡¯s probably just some way of a god imnting a prophecy in someone. Doubt all that nonsense is real.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Elenore turned her head to Anneliese beside Argrave. ¡°And you?¡±


    ¡°I am unsure,¡± Anneliese said distantly. ¡°I think I would enjoy finding the truth of the matter.¡±


    ¡°Me too,¡± Argrave concurred.


    ¡°I see,¡± Elenore said, nodding her head. ¡°Well¡­ it¡¯s another day yet before Relize. All of my affairs are in order, and everything is set up for a smooth journey. And so¡­ you will tell me everything, Argrave.¡±


    Argrave looked into the fire, resigned to his fate.


    #####


    King Felipe stood before a giant mirror, his back straight. He wore ck fine clothes, embroidered with golden snakes on the sleeves. Slowly, with his breathing heavy, he undid the bottom buttons. When the buttons were undone, he pulled the shirt away. It resisted slightly, clinging to something wet.


    Beneath, there was another ck undershirt. Felipe lifted it up, the fabric clinging to the wound beneath. It was not so dire a gouge¡ªhaving prated not even half an inch on his stomach, it could be healed by magic near instantaneously. Nevertheless, he refused to have it treated.


    The great serpent Vasquer, near synonymous with the founding of this country¡­ she had sided against him. He felt her presence in his mind, felt the revulsion. His daughter, Elenore, and another¡­ he thought it was Argrave, but the golden eyes the man bore made him uncertain. All of his royal knights had seen the serpent¡¯s rejection, seen her assault. On top of that¡­ Levin had betrayed him, released a manifesto. Had the legendary Bat even been there? He could be certain no longer.


    Felipe dropped the shirt and stepped away from the mirror. A young womanid across his bed, naked body covered by purple sheets. She was asleep, and Felipe sat down in a chair just beside the bed. Felipe¡¯s gaze lingered on the wound in his stomach. He ced his fingers against it.


    He had thought Levin might attack his brothers¡ªexpected it, even. But if there was one thing he hadn¡¯t anticipated, it was his betrayal. Dirracha¡¯s riches were gone, plundered. A great mass of royal knights left with the prince, and many others had seen Vasquer reject him. Orion was missing. Much of the north would follow Levin in forming his Kingdom of Atrus. The south would rally stronger than ever before at the divided north.


    Felipe dug his fingers into the wound, pushing. All the while, he remained silent, eyes closed. When his fingers were knuckle-deep, he opened his eyes.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t end like this.¡±


    He pulled his fingers free, a fresh wave of blood pouring out of the wound. Calmly, he reached for a goblet on a table beside him. He took a long drink, then set the goblet down. His gray eyes had a cold fire to them.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t end like this,¡± Felipe repeated. Then, he serenely set to work healing the wound on his stomach with his bloodied hand. ¡°I decide how it ends.¡±

 Chapter 258: Siblings in the City

    Chapter 258: Siblings in the City


    ¡°So¡­ would you want to rebuild a world like the one you lived in once you¡¯re king? One of peace, personal freedom, great luxury for all¡ªnearly post-scarcity, as you called it?¡± Elenore asked Argrave.


    They were all once again on the grain cart, though having entered Relize itself, the smooth roads made for a nice ride. Argrave looked at his sister, thinking over her words in detail.


    Argrave rubbed his eyes. ¡°Anneliese asked me if I¡¯d like to run away and look for answers about my situation once Gerechtigkeit is stopped.¡±


    ¡°Well?¡± Elenore tilted her head. ¡°Which would you want to do?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you the same thing I told her,¡± Argrave lowered his hands. ¡°We have to get there first, you damn dunce.¡±


    ¡°Things advance with the passage of time. Great progresses at unexpected times,¡± Elenore said, tone distant.


    Though Argrave was about to question, Anneliese drew him away, saying, ¡°I cannot recall you calling me a damn dunce.¡±


    ¡°I got much more¡ª¡± Argrave began but was cut off by the cart shifting.


    The shifting ceased, and eventually the cart came to a stop. The back doors opened, shining light down upon the five of them. Mnie stood there, waiting. Elenore¡¯s guardsmen swarmed throughout the warehouse, attending to various things. ¡°Wee to Relize,dy and gentlemen,¡± Mnie greeted.


    Elenore was the first to stand. ¡°Excellent. Mnie¡ªare the enchanted chests I sent for here? I want a ce to store some of our valuables, like the regalia we retrieved.¡±


    ¡°Saw some shiny metal boxes, so maybe,¡± Mnie nodded, looking back.


    Elenore epted Mnie¡¯s help and descended down to the warehouse floor. Argrave made sure that everyone else had got out before he did so.


    Elenore looked around at the wide-open stone warehouse. It wasrgely empty¡ªthere was plenty of space. ¡°I¡¯m going to have some beds delivered. I know it¡¯s not ideal sleeping in a shared area, but its best we minimize exposure to the streets. Inns are hotbeds for rumors. If we¡¯re seen, it¡¯ll get to all the people we don¡¯t need to know.¡±


    ¡°Well used to sharing sleeping areas,¡± Argrave held out his hand to stop her from continuing. ¡°I appreciate what you¡¯ve done.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Elenore nodded, and ced one hand on her hip as she continued, ¡°I have to take care of Mnie¡¯s parents¡ªthis arrival was abrupt, and they want some sort of exnation why their daughter is wantonly using their warehouse. Beyond that, I¡¯d like to get apprised of the situation here in Relize, look into the Dandn family, and possibly establish contact.¡±


    ¡°Durran will be handling some things for me outside,¡± Argrave said, cing his hand on the tribal¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°I will?¡± he turned his head.


    Argrave nodded. ¡°Yeah. You¡¯re the one least likely to attract attention to all of us.¡±


    Elenore crossed her arms. ¡°He was followed by Ruleost time.¡±


    ¡°Bit different, no?¡± Argrave raised a brow. ¡°Just don¡¯t bring the ive this time, Durran.¡±


    ¡°How am I to protect myself?¡± he said indignantly.


    Gmon pointed at him. ¡°You¡¯re a spellcaster.¡±


    ¡°I need a sidearm, that¡¯s what I need,¡± Durran shook his head and sighed.


    ¡°Buy one,¡± suggested Argrave.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    As Durran nodded at his suggestion, Elenore asked curiously, ¡°Why do you need him to go out?¡±


    ¡°Just a little survey of my own. A promise for Gmon,¡± he looked towards the vampire. They were fast-tracking his cure, by this point. Relize, a populous city, was a naturally nice ce for vampires to congregate, and some had. ¡°Beyond that, I have an idea that might make us a lot of money, and I need to see if there are viable partners in Relize as I recall,¡± Argrave exined.


    ¡°Alright¡­¡± Elenore stepped closer. ¡°Pitch it to me.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the biggest limiter for enchanters regarding imbuing magic into enchanted items?¡± Argrave questioned. ¡°What¡¯s stopping them from producing thousands of items a day?¡±


    ¡°Magical capaci¡ªoh.¡± Elenore paused, her brows rising. ¡°Do you¡­ know how to imbue? Your blessing matters little if you cannot do so properly. Imbuing is a difficult and time-consuming, art.¡±


    ¡°Elementary stuff. Did a little with Gmon way back in the day on ss bottles,¡± he looked to the elven vampire. ¡°I can¡¯t exactly break the world economy by releasing one thousand enchanted items onto the market, but I think it¡¯s time to learn something new. I need to hone my magical supply, and this seems a productive way to do so. The burden lies on you, though. Getting inscriptions will cost plenty of money.¡±


    Elenore turned around and paced for a bit. ¡°Let me think on it while I take on tasks.¡±


    #####


    Argrave andpany settled into Relizefortably, even despite the fact that they were staying in a warehouse. Having Elenore on his side was such a huge boon that even Argrave felt briefly overwhelmed. For example, he recalled mentioning in passing that he would enjoy some chicken¡ªbefore night fell, he had some.


    Even despite the luxury afforded by having his rich big sister on his side, Argrave did not growx. He spent his time delving into the B-rank spells that he had not mastered, Anneliese acting as his tutor. He was worried he would be holding her back, but she imed that teaching actually made her work harder at something¡ªshe felt she had to press herself to stay ahead of Argrave.


    After the first day¡­


    ¡°You never told me the head of the Dandn family was one hundred and fourteen years old,¡± Elenore said, interrupting Argrave as he read on his bed beside Anneliese.


    Argrave took off his glove and put it in the book, then shut it. ¡°Didn¡¯t realize you hated old people.¡±


    ¡°No, what does tha¡ªoh. You¡¯re joking,¡± she realized,ing to stand over the both of them. ¡°One hundred and fourteen years old, nearly sixty children, and an absurd number of grandchildren¡­ it¡¯s like some bad fairytale joke.¡±


    Argrave ced one hand atop his book and sat up. ¡°The man¡¯s a B-rank mage, so he looks much younger than that. Seventy, maybe. He¡¯s a¡­ he¡¯s a character.¡±


    ¡°He was thest beneficiary before the Rescindment of Profligacy and Corruption,¡± Elenore continued. ¡°You really think this man can help us?¡±


    Argrave ced his elbow on his pillow and leaned against it, staring up at the princess. ¡°He¡¯s very good at hiding it, but I know for a fact his family is the wealthiest in Relize. The Dandns are high in number, steadfastly loyal to their patriarch, and more than willing to marry for power. He profited tremendously from the Rescindment. He¡¯d marry his children off to the wealthy in exchange for favors and money. They wanted their grandchildren to have patrician status, he wanted power. He made this thing into a cash cow,¡± Argrave shrugged. ¡°Match made in a ledger.¡±


    ¡°I was going to bring that up,¡± Elenore nodded. ¡°Given how powerful his family has grown from the mandate, would he really want to kill off his¡­ cash cow?¡± she repeated, evidently liking the phrase.


    Argrave pointed at her. ¡°We¡¯ll talk to him. I¡¯m sure he will.¡±


    Elenore took a deep breath. ¡°I need to borrow Anneliese. I need her for something.¡±


    ¡°I need her for everything,¡± Argrave frowned. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve secured a meeting with a Dandn,¡± Elenore exined, waving her hand. ¡°I¡¯d like her to be there, gauge things. Won¡¯t take long. Just passing on a written message.¡±


    Anneliese ced her hand on Argrave¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I can be there,¡± she promised.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go too,¡± Argrave decided.


    ¡°You should stay,¡± Anneliese disagreed. ¡°You cannot risk being seen.¡±


    ¡°And you can?¡± Argrave rebutted. ¡°She can?¡± he pointed at Elenore.


    ¡°I won¡¯t be going,¡± Elenore shook her head. ¡°Anneliese won¡¯t even be visible. Ideally, she¡¯ll watch with her bird. Gods, but you are a lovestruck fool.¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯m proud of it,¡± Argrave said, then buried his head in his pillow. ¡°Well¡­ damn. Lonely afternoon, I guess.¡±


    ¡°In theing days, my workload is to lighten. I¡¯d like to begin talks about how you n to approach this war,¡± Elenore informed Argrave.


    Hearing those words, Argrave was reminded of the reality of what he was doing. ¡°I¡¯ll be there. Anneliese and I dide up with something.¡±


    ¡°That something may have shifted,¡± Elenore informed him. ¡°I have it on good authority that the rumors of Levin intending to found his own kingdom are entirely true. The northern region of Atrus will split from Vasquer and form the Kingdom of Atrus. That¡¯s most of the northwest. They¡¯re bordering Veden on the Midwest.¡±


    Argrave fell into deep thought, closing his eyes.


    ¡°This is something new to you?¡± Elenore pressed.


    ¡°The kingdom itself¡­ No.¡± Argrave rubbed his forehead. ¡°No, the nobles in that region were always closely linked. After the civil war was won, and Felipe was killed¡­ if it was the rebels that had won, that kingdom would form. It was one of many sessor states after the balkanization.¡±


    ¡°Balkanization?¡± Elenore repeated.


    ¡°That is¡­ a separation of one country into several smaller sessor states.¡± Argrave opened his eyes. ¡°I never imagined Levin would cause this much trouble. He¡¯s¡­ he¡¯s convinced Felipe will lose. That¡¯s the only reason I can picture why he¡¯d do all of this.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not difficult to imagine why. I don¡¯t think he has a single ally remaining. His knightmander isrgely crippled. Even his royal guard must question his legitimacy after what we did,¡± Elenore said, not able to disguise some measure of pride. ¡°I¡¯m thinking a riot may happen, end him independent of our actions.¡±


    ¡°Orion is still around,¡± Argrave reminded her.


    ¡°Still missing,¡± she disagreed. ¡°This kingdom of Atrus may yet prove to be a boon. I would much sooner face Levin than Felipe¡­ and I may do just that.¡± The princess let out a long sigh. ¡°Even still, it is impossible to avoid anxiety. We make our move.¡± She stepped away. ¡°I ramble. I will send for you, Anneliese, giving you some advance notice of when I will need your aid. Until then.¡±


    ¡°Take care, Elenore. Do not overtax yourself,¡± the elf counseled.


    ¡°Take care,¡± the princess repeated back, not addressing Anneliese¡¯s concern.


    Argrave watched Elenore walk away. After she had long departed, Anneliese sighed.


    ¡°What?¡± he asked her.


    ¡°She drowns herself in work to bury her grief,¡± Anneliese said. ¡°She is just like you.¡±


    ¡°More like you. Too smart for her own good,¡± Argrave picked up his book, ready to resume reading.


    ¡°I know people better than you do,¡± Anneliese asserted.


    Argraveughed. ¡°Alright, take it easy. It was apliment.¡±


    Anneliese pushed his book away from him. ¡°I think this deserves attention.¡±


    ¡°If she is like me¡­ I turned out alright, didn¡¯t I?¡± Argrave leaned close to her face.


    ¡°Because I forced the issue,¡± Anneliese said, giving a pointed frown.


    Argrave paused inches from her face. ¡°Well¡­ you¡¯re going to be spending time with her.¡±


    Anneliese raised a brow. ¡°This is true.¡±


    ¡°I trust you,¡± he told her, then gave her a light kiss and grabbed his book once again. ¡°You tell me to do something, I¡¯ll do it. Just tell me how I can help.¡±


    ¡°I will think on the matter,¡± Anneliese decided.

 Chapter 259: Establishing Contact

    Chapter 259: Establishing Contact


    ¡°What, precisely, do you experience when you use the bronze jewelry? I have heard you use the word ¡®see.¡¯ Is it simr to sight, or wholly different?¡± Anneliese asked Elenore.


    Elenore observed the simply dressed snow elf across from her. Anneliese, just as Argrave, wore exotic, hardy gray leathers with protective enchantments along all its length¡ªduster, pants, and shirt all. They had another ck set of lighter make designed for travel in the Burnt Desert. Allegedly, the fact they matched was coincidental¡ªElenore wasn¡¯t so sure.


    The woman was rather like an unending river of questions. Upon examining the ostentatious, puffy way in which the people of Relize dressed, she had questioned Elenore of how such a thing came to be. She inquired about construction, ship craftsmanship in Vasquer, the size of the sea Relize neighbored, and now it hade to Elenore. Anneliese asked her questions with an open-minded curiosity that came without judgement, so it was difficult to brush them off.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°You may understand it as a sphere of perception around me,¡± Elenore described briefly.


    She was not averse to answering questions¡ªthere was some time before the meeting with the Dandn woulde. They waited within the warehouse a fair distance from the meeting ce in a private area so as to talk without fear of distraction. They had been amply cautious in setting this up, and now they merely needed to wait. Elenore wished to be able to receive firsthand reports from Anneliese as she observed things¡­ among some other motives.


    ¡°I recall you mentioning being able to observe something hidden within a box without opening it,¡± Anneliese continued, amber eyes veritably glowing.


    Elenore nodded.


    The elven woman leaned a bit closer. ¡°Does this extend past protective enchantments? Safes, vault, et cetera? Could you view inside those chests you brought to the warehouse, for instance?¡±


    ¡°Magic interferes, but does not block entirely,¡± Elenore shook her head.


    ¡°Can you perceive my insides? What I have in my pockets?¡±


    Elenore crossed her arms. ¡°Yes, I can. Why did you not try these things out when Argrave had possession of them?¡±


    Anneliese leaned back against the warehouse¡¯s wall, bringing one hand to her long white hair. Elenore observed her fingers move very adroitly, forming a braid. ¡°I wish I had.¡±


    Much of Elenore¡¯s focus was devoted to Anneliese¡¯s fingers as she braided. It was so practiced as to be habitual¡ªAnneliese seemed capable of doing it in her sleep.


    ¡°You watch me braid, no?¡± Anneliese cut in.


    Elenore, surprised, cocked her head back. ¡°I¡­ I was, yes.¡±


    ¡°I knew it,¡± she smiled, pleased with herself. ¡°Even despite your unusual manner of sight¡ªif it can even be called so¡ªthe face retains certain habits.¡±


    Elenore didn¡¯t know what to make of that, but she found herself smiling back. After a time, she found her own curiosity rising. ¡°Why do you keep your hair long? It must be a hindrance.¡±


    ¡°Argrave likes it,¡± she responded simply. ¡°I do, too. But it¡¯s impractical, I agree.¡±


    ¡°He asked you to keep it like that?¡± Elenore tilted her head.


    ¡°No. I merely know,¡± Anneliese shook her head.


    Elenore took a deep breath and sighed, ruminating on things in silence. She hade to trust Argrave more than she thought herself capable, yet the fact remained it felt like there was still a certain distance between him and his inner circle.


    ¡°I tried to kill Argrave the first time we met,¡± Anneliese spoke.


    Elenore came to attention, feeling like her mind had been read.


    ¡°You looked disheartened, so I thought I might share something,¡± Anneliese continued. ¡°We were enemies on the battlefield. I could tell at once something was amiss¡ªhe felt no hostility towards me. He recognized who I was. He wished desperately for peace. Nevertheless, I fired a spell at him with the intent to kill. Fortunately, he is quite skilled at fighting with magic.¡±


    Elenore grew silent. Anneliese put her finger atop the braid she¡¯d made¡ªit was two feet long, by this point¡ªand unwound it all with a whisk of her finger.


    ¡°Did you¡­ think about it? Does it haunt you?¡± Elenore asked.


    ¡°Yes. I brought it up with him. He had forgotten it,¡± Annelieseughed.


    Elenoreughed too¡ªthat was thest conclusion to things she thought she¡¯d hear.


    ¡°He¡¯s forgiving?¡± she pressed. ¡°Has he ever¡­ been betrayed, or at least felt betrayed?¡±


    ¡°Certainly. Durran¡¯s presence was¡­ not without its issues. I would like to tell you of it sometimes,¡± Anneliese continued. ¡°Not just that¡ªVeiden, the Patriarchate, everything.¡±


    Elenore was puzzled, and she rubbed her hands together. ¡°Why? Is there something I should know? I received reports of Veiden military strength from Mnie herself¡ªI know well the threat your people pose.¡±


    ¡°I hope for a confidant. A friend,¡± Anneliese smiled. ¡°As much as I enjoy those I travel with, it is difficult at times to be the sole woman in a party of four. There are fundamental differences between us that are difficult to bridge.¡±


    Raising a brow, Elenore gave a slow and steady nod. ¡°I imagine so.¡±


    ¡°I am d of it,¡± Anneliese pped her hands together.


    ¡°But let¡¯s not forget the reason we came here in the first ce,¡± Elenore waved her hand to caution Anneliese. ¡°This meeting with the Dandns is important.¡±


    #####


    Mnie strode through an open door, passing by a servant who gave her a light curtsy. Anneliese thought the mercenary looked a lot smaller without the gargantuan sword she carried around. Anneliese viewed the scene from atop the mercenary¡¯s wide-brimmed hat, camouging her golden Starsparrow amidst golden plumes on the red hat.


    The man waiting beyond the door looked to be quite old for human standards¡ªif Anneliese were to guess, sixty, with a long white beard to match. The brim of his blue hat was remarkably even wider than Mnie¡¯s. He wore mboyant clothes that puffed up on the sleeves and pants, varied red and blue stripes running along the lengths. His cuffs were frilly bolts of white, and he bore a rich-looking ermine cor. A ck half-cloak covered one of his arms, bearing the six silver stars in a circle connected by a chain that was the symbol of the Dandns.


    Mnie came to stand opposite the Dandn man, who himself stood just before a table. Chairs awaited them both.


    ¡°I have agreed to meet with the full knowledge of my family,¡± the man began, ¡°Though I cannot speak on behalf of my father, Leopold, I can convey whatever message you wish to get to him.¡±


    Anneliese directed her Starsparrow to lightly peck Mnie¡¯s head, signaling the woman to continue.


    ¡°No trap awaits?¡± the mercenary pressed.


    ¡°None whatsoever,¡± he said with an indignant harrumph.


    Anneliese bid Mnie continue once again.


    ¡°Well, do you have a name?¡± Mnie said, sitting down abruptly.


    ¡°I am the twenty-seventh son of my father, Ansgar,¡± the man flourished his hat somewhat.


    Mnie ced one hand on the table, leaning back into the cushioned seat casually. ¡°Whole thing is a bit long. I¡¯ll call you Ansgar. You can call me Mnie.¡±


    Anneliese could tell Ansgar was actually amused, but he hid that fact very well¡ªan experienced actor. He pulled back his seat elegantly and sat in one fluent motion. He stared Mnie down, making all of his actions deliberately slow. It took him near half a minute to settle in, his hands entwined before him on the table. Mnie remained unppable.


    ¡°My father is a very busy man, miss Mnie. As the years pass him by, he delegates many of his business ventures over to the hands of his children¡ªthat is to say, myself and my siblings.¡± Ansgar inhaled and let a silence hang. ¡°Though I must note miss Mnie fits in rather well around here, it has not escaped our attention that youe with many people foreign to Relize.¡±


    Mnie reached down, and Ansgar followed her hands. She pulled out a piece of paper and slid it across the table, then set down a hefty bag atop it.


    ¡°Bribe. Message to Leopold. Don¡¯t bother wringing us for more,¡± Mnie said at once. ¡°Don¡¯t know why I sat down, frankly. Any questions?¡±


    Ansgar eyed the two things ced before him, then looked back up to Mnie. A smile slowly split his stoic expression.


    #####


    ¡°Always knew there was a reason I kept this,¡± Argrave said proudly, running his fingers along the golden fur that lined his cor.


    These were the ck and gold fine clothes he¡¯d had tailored at Jast to attend the banquet. That banquet had probably gone the best out of everything he¡¯d ever tried to do. He might as well call them his lucky clothes. Then again, it was like flipping a coin once and dering it his lucky coin.


    ¡°There¡¯s a hole in them.¡± Elenore reached forward and put her finger in it to demonstrate her point.


    Argrave looked down, baffled. ¡°How in the¡­? How could this happen?¡±


    ¡°Probably the fighting, the mountain-climbing, the desert-crossing, the swamp-wading¡­¡± Durranmented off to the side. ¡°Take your pick.¡±


    ¡°Just let me have something tailored for you,¡± Elenore crossed her arms and sighed.


    Argrave put a hand to his forehead. ¡°Those puffy shirts and frilly cors here in Relize look ridiculous¡­ this, this here is ssy,¡± Argrave grabbed at his cor. ¡°Well, whatever. At the very least, I get to see Anneliese in something nice.¡±


    Anneliese shook her head as Elenore asked, ¡°I had no idea you cared so much about this nonsense.¡± She shook her head and continued, ¡°Anyway, I have some news. Levin is having a coronation. Invitations are already heading everywhere across the region of Atrus, so it¡¯s not exactly hard to discover.¡±


    Argrave frowned. ¡°Seems he¡¯s serious about this.¡±


    ¡°Thinking more on it¡­ I think he wants to negotiate. Thus far, his intent is to disentangle Atrus from the battle between Parbon and Vasquer. It would line up with his character.¡± Elenore rubbed her hands together to warm them up. ¡°Despite everything, he¡¯s never one to want to lead.¡±


    ¡°Negotiate,¡± Argrave repeated. Some thoughts bubbled up. ¡°And what are your thoughts on that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a good thing. It minimizes Felipe,¡± she said objectively. ¡°Apparently, a great deal of Felipe¡¯s core guard, ones I thought utter Vasquer loyalists, defected to Atrus. The king himself has remained silent, saying nothing¡­ to the public, at least.¡±


    ¡°And you don¡¯t¡­¡± Argrave began, choosing his words.


    ¡°No. I have nopunctions,¡± Elenore shook her head decisively. ¡°I¡¯ll admit, remaining at Vasquer wasn¡¯t necessarily a bad move¡­ but against Gerechtigkeit, it¡¯s morepassionate to be dispassionate. I didn¡¯t get where I am being ruled by grudges. Going along with Levin, provided he does intend to do as I think, is the best path for the future.¡±


    Argrave swallowed, realizing that the point Anneliese had made became more cogent the more he pressed the issue.


    ¡°The first signs of spring areing in the warmer south,¡± Elenore continued, unaware of Argrave¡¯s thoughts. ¡°The Margrave¡¯s most steadfast allies march to arge war camp in the center of the south. The upper echelons have not yet dered support for you. They fear you have ties to foreigners. I imagine you had designs for this?¡±


    Argrave took a deep breath. ¡°I kept them ignorant because I didn¡¯t want Relize to bepromised. So long as I can get a message to Elias, tell him my ns¡­ that should sway. Regardless, even maintaining neutrality is good enough. Once our army takes the field, they¡¯ll coborate. Common enemies, all that nonsense. Doesn¡¯t matter whether they support me now or when the war is done¡ªI can make it happen.¡±


    ¡°I suppose so. Failing that, if Duke Sumner is¡­ well, never mind. We still have to discuss your strategy,¡± Elenore reminded him, ¡°But I¡¯m worried about this present situation. This Leopold is a no-nonsense man, by all ounts. He¡¯s¡­ well, he¡¯s also very old.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a reason he¡¯s lived this long,¡± Argrave assured her. ¡°He¡¯s wise. He¡¯ll listen.¡±


    ¡°It seems you spend half your words convincing us we aren¡¯t all going to fail miserably,¡± Elenore tilted her head, the words said in sarcasm.


    ¡°Oh, I have my doubts,¡± Argrave shook head. ¡°I just never voice them.¡±

 Chapter 260: Family Patriarch

    Chapter 260: Family Patriarch


    Multiple servants pushed aside two gargantuan marble doors that marked the entrance to a vast estate. The ce did not have a grandiose garden or a walkway that housed statues as Argrave had seen elsewhere. Indeed, it was quitepact, fitting in alongside several other markedly unique yet simrly ostentatious mansions. Innumerable patricians made their home along the riverside, and the Dandn family was no different. To make one¡¯s home beside the river was a matter of prestige.


    Argrave nced around the inside of the mansion. The marble on the floor had patterns marked¡ªgolden flourishes so well-integrated as to appear part of the marble. From the main hall, one could see the other three stories of the mansion, each and all overlooking the main portion just opposite the doorway. Several members of the Dandn family looked down on Argrave, Anneliese, Elenore and Mnie. If this visit did not go well, their presence would surely be announced to the rest of the city.


    Argrave grabbed the wide-brimmed tellerbarret with two fingers, adjusting it. Though he did not like the clothes that had puffed up sleeves and legs, he had to admit the hat was quite nice. He felt like some sort of desperado, dressed in all ck and bearing a golden plume on his hat. A desperado or a pimp, he supposed.


    The dress for women was not as bizarre as that for men. Mnie came as a guard, so she wore the same things as ever. Elenore looked nice, bearing a modest green dress that had gold markings at points. Relize was still the colder north, so dresses were not so exposing. And Anneliese¡­ Argrave could hardly take his eyes off her. With her long white hair bound in a half-crown braid, her amber eyes shining even more brilliantly than the jewels of the same color lining her white dress¡­ in Argrave¡¯s eyes, she looked like someone right out of myth.


    Their party of four stepped within the mansion, and the servants once again strained to shut the heavy marble doors behind them. Argrave felt quite exposed without Gmon and Durran with him for this, but bringing so many people might antagonize the Leopold in some way. It didn¡¯t matter too much, though¡ªAnneliese had scouted the mansion thoroughly, and no one waited in ambush.


    A prominent Dandn family member, Ansgar, waited in the central hall before them. He stepped forward towards their group, and gave a polite, almost ritualistic bow.


    ¡°Wee, princess Elenore. And¡ª¡±


    ¡°If we go by status, you should greet the two beside me first,¡± Elenore interrupted.


    Argrave said nothing¡ªthis had been premeditated. If they were to present Argrave as the imant to the throne, it had to be clear that Argrave was not a subordinate, and rather it was Elenore that was hierarchically beneath him.


    Ansgar looked up and ran a hand across his long beard. ¡°Then I offer my greeting to Argrave and his fianc¨¦e, and to the princess Elenore.¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°Well met.¡±


    ¡°I would take you to meet the patriarch now,¡± Ansgar said formally.


    ¡°Lead,¡± Argrave nodded.


    The Dandn bowed once again, turned on his heel, and walked into the heart of the mansion. Elenore held Argrave¡¯s arm with her own, still insisting she never expose the fact she was no longer hindered by her loss of sight. Ansgar, fortunately, was quite amodating of this.


    They headed down a long, straight hallway, right towards the opposite side of the mansion. Many of the Dandn family had gathered here¡ªArgrave could spot some simr traits in their face. The Dandns had thick brows, did not seem to grow bald no matter the age, and were generally of average height. They all seemed to have angry faces, man or woman.


    Argrave arrived at a familiar double door of dark wood. Leopold Dandn was beyond. Ansgar stepped up, and gingerly knocked thrice.


    ¡°Enter,¡± a gruff, powerful voice answered back.


    Ansgar grabbed both handles of the door and pushed it open. At once, light from an open window peeked past the doorway. Leopold Dandn stood behind his desk. Instead of a back wall, tworge ss doors exited out onto a balcony that overlooked the river. The Dandn patriarch did not seem to be much more than a vaguely angry-looking old man, his back slightly hunched from age. He had a well-kept white beard and kept his vaguely long hair slicked back with something that made it shine.


    ¡°Wee,¡± Leopold spread his hands wide. ¡°Princes, princesses,e to the estate of a glorified bureaucrat with too many children. Come in,e in. Ooh¡ªcareful now, watch the head,¡± hementated as Argrave entered.


    Mnie waited outside, stopped by Ansgar. The three of them entered.


    ¡°Look at this. All I get around here is angry faces, yet now two bright youngdies grace my halls like balm to a burn.¡± He ran a hand across his beard, looking to Anneliese. ¡°Well, perhaps you are young¡ªthis one is elven, and one can never be too sure. Ansgar! Shut the door,¡± hemanded.


    ¡°Call if I am needed, father,¡± Ansgar said, shutting the door.


    ¡°They all say that,¡± Leopold shook his head as he sat. ¡°If I do call, I suspect all of them will rush from the second and third stories, stepping over each other and causing more problems.¡± The man¡¯s brown eyes jumped between the three of them. ¡°Well, sit. No time for ceremony, politeness. One of you has broken their mandate to stay locked up in a little greenhouse, and the other is wanted all throughout the north for killing his brother. While I¡¯m not sure how you got in touch with me so quickly, we¡¯re well beyond the point of pretending we don¡¯t know what¡¯s happening.¡±


    ¡°I appreciate your time, Leopold,¡± Argrave said, the first to sit.


    ¡°Do you?¡± he scratched his cheek, staring down Argrave.


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t have asked to meet otherwise,¡± Argrave continued.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Suppose that¡¯s true,¡± he nodded, eyes unflinching. ¡°You are a big one. And a High Wizard of the Order already. Would that half my children had your magical talent. And your fianc¨¦e¡­ some more big people on the way, it would seem. Big people with strangely colored eyes. A good thing, you two breeding. There are enough dull-witted children in the world. You will be having children, I hope.¡±


    Argrave smiled, reminded of ufortable meetings with his grandparents. ¡°Maybe in the future, certainly.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Leopold grunted. ¡°So, what do you want? Hope you don¡¯t need ships. If you came all this way to ask me for passage on a ship, or to borrow my vessels for something¡­ I¡¯d have to question if you have water in your head.¡±


    Elenore ced her hands on herp. ¡°You read our message. What did you gain from it?¡±


    ¡°I gained that you want to stir up this little peaceful trading city into a machine of war,¡± Leopold tapped the table. ¡°Machine for your war against Vasquer, that is. You would think royally educated people, bastards or not, would know that war is bad for business.¡±


    ¡°Hardly a peaceful little trading city,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°With the amount of guards you patricians alone have, you can rival any army.¡±


    Leopold leaned forth, pulling free a toothpick and putting it in his mouth. ¡°Eh¡­ you¡¯re right. Stupid Pedreddin twats tried to raid one of my ships, yet again¡­¡± Leopold took a deep breath. ¡°Alright. What¡¯s your bid? Not your offer, but your n,¡± Leopold waved his hand, rifying the word ¡®bid.¡¯ ¡°Get right to it. No preamble.¡±


    Argrave cleared his throat, running his words through his head onest time. ¡°Relize is run by its Grand Council, but there is precedent for that body to be set aside in times of war or crisis in favor of an absolute leader. This is decided by vote. You¡¯ve built up arge powerbase here in Relize¡ªinstead of going after prestige and status, you¡¯ve been working with the merchant families who can¡¯t obtain patrician status after the Rescindment of Profligacy and Corruption. I think you can be established as that leader, and I think you can revoke the Rescindment. That would secure your future in Relize. And you would use your newfound position to help overthrow my father.¡±


    ¡°You would name me owner of Relize?¡± Leopold asked neutrally. ¡°Its count? Or duke, perhaps, given its poption?¡±


    Argrave almost smiled¡ªthe question was a trap. ¡°No. Relize will revert to its old system after the war is finished. The only reason Relize has be asrge as it is stems from its mercantilist,petitive roots. I don¡¯t think a hereditary position suits it.¡±


    Leopold leaned in, pulling the toothpick out of his mouth. ¡°You would not name me a noble?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Do you want that?¡± Argrave asked him.


    Leopold stared at Argrave for a few moments, then cracked a smile, cing the toothpick back in his mouth. ¡°Not of Relize, that¡¯s for certain. This ce would wither under an overlord, of that you¡¯re correct.¡±


    Leopold leaned back in his chair, crossing one leg over the other. ¡°¡­yeah. Yeah, it¡¯s reasonable. It¡¯s possible. People are scared¡ªthey want a leader. I¡¯m respected, I think. Maybe I¡¯m an out of touch, delusional old man¡­ but I don¡¯t think so. And you can pay people to respect you, despite what moralizers might say.¡± His brown eyes fell back upon them. ¡°Issue here¡­ is you three.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s solve this issue,¡± Argrave suggested, and Anneliese nodded with him.


    ¡°The two of you¡­ your ims are weak,¡± Leopold said bluntly. ¡°Could fracture the realm further if you ever sit in the Dragon Pce. And sustained hostilities are truly terrible for business.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the sole imant here,¡± Argrave said. ¡°And the south will support me. With Relize on my side, the war will be quick and decisive.¡±


    ¡°Saying something is so¡­ doesn¡¯t make it so. If that were the case, I¡¯d be king,¡± Leopold leaned in on his desk. ¡°All I see¡­ is two very well-dressed exiles, and an unfortunate soul roped along with things.¡±


    Anneliese smiled. ¡°I consider myself a very fortunate soul. And I think you would be wise to consider all of what we have achieved even without significant backing.¡±


    Leopold stared at Anneliese. ¡°Awfully confident.¡± He leaned back. ¡°Heartwarming thing to see, lovers-at-arms fighting against an old man¡¯s words. Well¡­¡± Leopold sighed. ¡°I am d that Induen is dead. More of a bastard than you are, Argrave. Took thousands of gold from my pockets. And I¡¯ve heard the tales of him. Killed your mother, I hear.¡±


    ¡°In theing days, you¡¯ll hear of an incident within the capital,¡± Elenore said smoothly. ¡°Felipe¡¯s legitimacy is at an all-time low. Orion is missing. Levin fractures the realm again, naming himself king of an independent realm of Atrus. Argrave alone can unite the realm. And of all living descendants, he is the best suited to rule this nation well.¡±


    ¡°Who decided that?¡± Leopold protested at once. ¡°You¡¯ve got¡­¡± his face slowly turned into a frown. ¡°Yeah, I guess they¡¯re all terrible. Or dead. Or insane. Eugh¡­¡± the aged patriarch rubbed his face. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have to think about this. Why can¡¯t you idiots just make a system that works? No session issues, peace at all times?¡±


    ¡°Maybe we can work that outter,¡± Argrave suggested.


    ¡°You,¡± Leopold looked at him. ¡°You want to be king?¡±


    ¡°I have to be. Too much is at stake,¡± Argrave shook his head.


    ¡°Hmm.¡± Leopold stroked his beard. ¡°Can¡¯t decide if it¡¯s bad to want it or not. I¡¯m not¡­¡± Leopold sighed, then shook his head. ¡°I need to consult with my family. Don¡¯t worry¡ªugly they might be, but they¡¯re not stupid. I love them, and I will make sure they¡¯re taken care of. In addition, I have some terms.¡±


    ¡°Name them,¡± Argrave gestured.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need nobility. It makes us weaker, unambitious,¡± Leopold leaned in. ¡°Key northern territories will fall under Relize¡¯s rule¡ªnot my family¡¯s. I can outline these for youter. They are, in my opinion, ces that could be developed into trading hubs.¡±


    ¡°Until you outline, I cannot agree,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°But I am amenable to the idea.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m d you can¡¯t, yet. Shows prudence,¡± Leopold nodded. ¡°Alright¡­ you¡¯ll have to lift some restrictions on trade Induen imposed. My pockets are bleeding, here.¡±


    ¡°So long as they¡¯re reasonable, done,¡± Argrave nodded.


    ¡°I¡¯d like a bride of fairly high status,¡± Leopold continued.


    Argrave narrowed his eyes. ¡°For your children?¡±


    ¡°For me. I¡¯ve still life in me yet, and myst wife died some three years ago,¡± he nodded seriously. ¡°And not same ancient, 60-year-old widow. A woman to bear more children.¡±


    Argrave grew quite ufortable at the prospect.


    Before he could answer one way or the other, Elenore said, ¡°I can see that done.¡±


    Argrave cast a nce at her, but the words had already been said. With that, Leopold leaned back. ¡°Well¡­ I have nothing else. It seems we¡¯re in agreement. Talking with my family won¡¯t take long¡ªyou may remain within my¡ª¡±


    The door opened, and Ansgar entered. ¡°Forgive the intrusion, but I feel that, given present circumstances, the news must be delivered.¡±


    The Dandn walked up to the patriarch, who red at his son but did not rebuke him. Ansgar leaned in, whispering. He stood straight.


    ¡°Given our talk¡­ I assume the arrival of delegates from Atrus is beyond your expectation?¡± Leopold questioned, then nodded when he looked at their faces. ¡°I thought so.¡±

 Chapter 261: Vying for Primacy

    Chapter 261: Vying for Primacy


    Orionid his gaze upon towering gray walls. He was no stranger to such sights¡ªbe they in Mateth or in Dirracha, he had seen walls standing near hundreds of feet tall, enclosing all that within and protecting it in the same turn. But this was not Vasquer, and yet these gray walls stood like giants in this endless ck desert, nestled at the bottom of a crater. He had always been proud of his people¡¯s feats. He did not expect to see their equal in this unforgiving, if beautiful, desert.


    The prince stepped closer. Orion had gone south, south, and south again, running into vige and town and city in equal turns. All rejected him, yet at all stops he received yet more tales of thisnd of Sethia¡ªa ce that was free of the burden of the leadership of the Vessels of Fellhorn. All was as Durran described, even the great curtain walls before him.


    When he neared, he spotted a caravan of a strange people lingering outside the gate. The gate guards, though nearby, did not seem to bristle at these people¡¯s presence. Their skin was as ck as night, their ears were half the side of their head, their height was greater than that of man, and their guardsmen had a familiar looking weapon in hand. They wore strange and luxurious silken clothing.


    Orion walked to them with slow, heavy steps, an innocent curiosity driving him forward. As he neared, their heads turned towards him, watching, waiting. They prepared themselves for anything, yet as he neared, one broke off.


    ¡°Argrave?¡± one asked, half in disbelief.


    Orion paused, standing before the southron elves of the Burnt Desert.


    #####


    ¡°Your brother was a savior to us all,¡± said Corentin. He was a one-legged, one-eyed veteran, and he kindly handed the prince a cup billowing steam.


    Orion epted the cup from the southron elf, turning towards the fire. They encamped within a small, secluded alcove on the edge of the city Sethia.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°Why do we camp away from the city?¡± Orion questioned. ¡°Are your people barred from entering?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Corentin answered, walking with a limp on ount of his missing leg. He used his ive like a walking stick as he moved around the various others sitting around the fire. ¡°No, we can enter. But all that most know of Argrave is that he was ck-haired and gray-eyed. You might be mistaken for him.¡±


    ¡°Is that a bad thing?¡± Orion looked down at the cup, taking a drink. It was a tea of some sort¡ªa strong, fruity vor that left a strange tingling on his tongue.


    Corentin paused his walk. He ground the bottom of his ive against the sand, then tossed it aside, awkwardly moving to sit. He syed his iron peg leg out before him, sighing as he sat.


    ¡°Argrave saved the city. But a lot of people were too blind to see it. Misled by someone named Titus,¡± Corentin shook his head. ¡°But¡­ even still, it all turned out alright in the end.¡±


    ¡°Argrave killed the Lords of thisnd¡ªthat¡¯s what I know,¡± Orion said, half-questioning.


    ¡°Aye. He killed the Lord of Silver, a hand of a god,¡± Corentin said, somewhat proudly. ¡°The Lord of Copper was in by my people, and the Lord of Gold was in by the Lord of Copper.¡±


    Orion frowned¡ªa lot of simr-sounding names came at him at once. ¡°And these people¡ªthey were tyrants? They were cruel to their own?¡±


    Corentin nodded. ¡°Unimaginably so. They could Drain people¡ªthat is, absorb their very essence to strengthen themselves. They bore Blessings from their god that made them control water absolutely. Beyond that, they kept ves, breeding them for desirable appearances.¡± A nearby southron elf handed the old warrior a cup of his own tea, and he drank from it. ¡°But all that¡¯s done now. The ves to Copper and Silver rejoined the humans at Sethia. We epted the elven ves of the Lord of Gold into our tribe¡­ but that¡¯s not been easy.¡±


    Orion nodded and downed the drink that he¡¯d been given. He sat there for a moment, thinking. very was something that was wrong¡ªthis he had been taught by the gods. And even by his own reasoning, he would not like to be forced to do something for another; consequently, he should not force another in that manner. Yet¡­


    ¡°Why did Argrave get involved here?¡± Orion questioned.


    ¡°So far as I know, he needed something that belonged to the Lord of Silver,¡± Corentin said musingly. ¡°He simply needed to create some chaos to obtain it.¡±


    Orion¡¯s grip tightened around the cup. ¡°So this¡­ was a by-product?¡±


    Corentin frowned, burnt eye seeming monstrous in the shadow of the me. ¡°No. Argrave could have chosen to have us all killed, remained safe by siding with the Lord of Copper. But he infiltrated that man¡¯s tower, subverted him, and liberated this city. Now¡­ you see it prosper. There were three giant towers of precious metal there months ago. They¡¯re gone, now. They¡¯ve been melted, minted into currency. Titus builds up this city day-by-day, preparing for theing reckoning.¡±


    Orion nodded, somewhat contented by this answer. ¡°But why¡­ why might Argrave be unwee, if he truly did all of this?¡±


    ¡°That would be Titus¡¯ fault,¡± Corentin noted. ¡°It¡­ he framed Argrave and Durran. It was aplicated situation,¡± the southron elf shook his head. ¡°I cannot bring myself to hate the man, though. Titus treats us elves fairly, promotes our interests in turn with his own. He¡¯s done right by us. Both of our peoples prosper. And his city epts refugees, builds itself up, promotes expansion¡­¡± Corentin sighed. ¡°Much as I hate it, I must overlook what he did.¡±


    ¡°But why? Why did Titus frame Argrave?¡±


    Corentin lowered his cup and set it down. ¡°I could tell you what I saw. I was there when it happened. But¡­ there¡¯s another I know, one who¡¯s been in contact with us. He knew Titus quite well, from what I understand. The man wears the mask of a boar. Perhaps you¡¯d best talk to him.¡±


    #####


    Though Argrave felt some urgency as soon as he heard the news that a delegate from Levin¡¯s burgeoning kingdom of Atrus had entered Relize, after a brief discussion with Elenore and Anneliese he decided it would be best for them to remain within the Dandn estate. After all, even despite the presence of potentially hostile foes, their goal did not change¡ªwinning over Leopold.


    The head of the family went off to the second story to convene with his ridiculouslyrge family, escorted by the diligent Ansgar. Elenore, meanwhile, sent off Mnie to gather information. Undoubtedly her agents were paying attention, and even if they weren¡¯t, the arrival of such a delegate could not avoid attention. The Dandns were not opposed to allowing Mnie¡¯s reentry¡ªit was a good sign. Still, Argrave felt sorry for the servants who would have to move aside those two giant marble doors each time.


    ¡°I¡¯m thinking this is not good,¡± Argrave told Elenore.


    They had been given a private ce to wait inside the mansion. It was afortable longue room with little in the way of decoration, but much in the way offort. Argrave sunk back into one of two couches ced opposite each other, one foot tapping against the ground anxiously.


    ¡°I think you¡¯re wrong,¡± Elenore shook her head.


    Argrave leaned in quickly. ¡°We¡¯re on Levin¡¯s side? I missed the memo,¡± he spread his arms out. ¡°I think a kingdom has more to offer than we do, balkanized state or no. If Levin is here to bring Relize under Atrus¡­¡±


    ¡°This was an inevitable confrontation, if a poorly timed stage,¡± Elenore admitted. ¡°But¡­ if Levin does genuinely intend to remain neutral and renegotiate peace with the victor¡­ we might find that out now. And we might iron out simple terms of alliance. It¡¯s best to seek out that opportunity.¡±


    Argrave sunk back into the couch as she spoke. Truth be told, he didn¡¯t like Levin. Whether in the game or in his present reality, he was someone to be despised. Even still¡­ much the same could be said of Elenore. She had done terrible things. The difference, he felt, was that one could be redeemed. And one had never been needlessly cruel¡­ only pragmatically so.


    Levin was closer to Induen in that way. And someone like Induen¡­ Argrave had made his thoughts on the matter rather clear.


    ¡°I agree with Elenore on this,¡± Anneliese said quietly.


    Argrave lifted his head up and looked to her. The elven woman had a bitter but resigned look to her.


    Pushing his tongue against his cheek, Argrave said slowly, ¡°Alright. If I¡¯m in the minority¡­¡± he left his ession unspoken. ¡°Still, I¡¯m not sure how you intend to get words to these delegates. Even if you do, Levin might not even be present.¡±


    ¡°Provided Leopold agrees¡­¡± Elenore trailed off.


    ¡°I think he will,¡± Anneliese contributed. ¡°Just judging from the state of him when we parted.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s true,¡± Elenore nodded, ¡°I think we might use Leopold¡¯s connections to speak to this party. These delegates will surely visit patrician families¡ªLeopold might have ties we can use to our advantage. Or, if we¡¯re lucky, the family they seek out will already have some of my people in some positions. It¡¯s not likely. Patrician families have proven difficult for me to get a handle of in the past.¡±


    The door opened, and all turned their head. Mnie entered confidently, ncing around before shutting the door.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got a bead on the delegate,¡± Mnie announced. ¡°They rode by horses, elsewise we might¡¯ve gotten advance notice¡­ they¡¯re currently meeting with the Yiasten family.¡±


    ¡°Gods¡­ I can¡¯t integrate druidic magic fast enough¡­¡± Elenoremented. ¡°Yiasten¡­ as I recall, this is but one branch of the family. Another holds the title of count in the distant north. In Atrus, as I recall. That would mean the delegate likely has Count Edgar Yiasten¡­ he¡¯s a shrewd diplomat, as I hear.¡±


    The door burst open, and Mnie narrowly dodged it with a quick step forward. Ansgar and Leopold stood there. His sixty-year-old son helped him stand¡ªit made quite an awkward scene, seeing as how both looked near the same age.


    ¡°The delegates visit Yiasten,¡± Leopold said with a fire that belied his age. Half out of breath, he fumed, ¡°Those pencil-pricks¡­ turning up their damned nose at all the other patricians¡­ and now, they have yet another thing to brag about at Grand Councils. Well¡­ well, let¡¯s see if they can brag.¡±


    Argrave rose to his feet and opened his mouth to ask a question.


    ¡°Don¡¯t ask a stupid question. Yes, I¡¯m on your side. I¡¯ll not see Atrus promote Yiasten to lord over this city, as I¡¯m sure will happen if I do nothing. My children agree, because they¡¯re smart.¡± Leopold broke off into a cough and waved away Ansgar when he tried to help him. ¡°But damn it¡­ this won¡¯t be easy. Yiasten¡­ gods be damned, Yiasten¡­¡±


    Argrave straightened. ¡°You can getfortable, Leopold. Working together, I can say we¡¯ll prove to you we¡¯repetent.¡±


    ¡°Is that why you looked all anxious and were muttering between each other when I burst in?¡± Leopold coughed a little once more. ¡°Ridiculous¡­ stairs. Why is the council on¡­ second floor,¡± he said, catching his breath. ¡°Boy¡­ or should I call you king already? There is a huge difference between putting a notion to the Grand Council for voting¡­ and having an active opponent. We¡¯ll be fighting for leadership.¡±


    ¡°And if we can make Yiasten¡¯s primary proponent hinder him?¡± Anneliese said. ¡°Have a seat, Leopold.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, but there¡¯s something I must do first,¡± Leopold shook his head. ¡°The Grand Council will convene for this matter. But we¡­ we have two advantages. None know of your presence here,¡± Leopold pointed to Argrave with his arthritic fingers. ¡°And that leads to our second advantage. We¡¯re going to host the Grand Council. I can pull some strings¡­ and hosting the event, that¡¯s the most important thing.¡± Leopold took a deep breath. ¡°The host controls the flow of things, after all.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t change the fact that Atrus has more to offer,¡± Elenore said. ¡°Don¡¯t be so certain we have an opponent, Leopold. Who knows what Levin wants? He could wish to ensure Relize¡¯s neutrality, win them to his side, or simply stir up the waters¡­¡± Elenore leaned back in the couch. ¡°Regardless, everything is an opportunity if examined in the right light.¡±

 Chapter 262: Logistics of a Battle

    Chapter 262: Logistics of a Battle


    ¡°Not much has changed,¡± Argrave said as he read down the list. Anneliese rested her head on his shoulder, reading with him. With their alliance secured, Leopold amodatingly allowed them to move their agents and things into the mansion. Though many of the people hade, many remained outside for the sake of caution. ¡°All of these families were pretty prominent. It¡¯s no surprise they¡¯re on the Grand Council.¡±


    ¡°You think you¡¯ll be able to get them to support us?¡± Elenore asked Argrave.


    Argrave put the paper down and rose to his feet, looking out the window of Leopold¡¯s mansion. He could see the river that split the city, the waters still alive with boats even thiste at night. ¡°Certainly. I know most of them well enough, and these days I think of myself as quite the idealogue.¡± Argrave scratched at his chin. ¡°I¡¯m more concerned about who might be on the delegate¡¯s side.¡± Argrave looked to Elenore. ¡°You really have nothing? Who¡¯s missing in Atrus?¡±


    ¡°My agents in Atrus werergely preupied with another matter,¡± Elenore shook her head wistfully. ¡°I don¡¯t know who was sent.¡±


    ¡°And what is that other matter?¡± Argrave pressed.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± she paused, turning around. ¡°Levin purged a good majority of my agents in the pce, if you¡¯ll recall. Don¡¯t worry about it, though¡ªall will be fine. Put it out of your mind,¡± she brushed it off then quickly added, ¡°As for the matter of that marriage Leopold requested, I think I can work something out.¡±


    Argrave frowned as she changed the subject to that. He hadn¡¯t been especially pleased that she¡¯d so readily volunteered to handle the marriage.


    ¡°Who?¡± he pressed, stepping forward.


    ¡°A debt of mine. No one you¡¯ve associated with¡ªa southern family swearing fealty to Duke Sumner. Count Suchaz¡¯s daughter.¡± Elenore shook her head. ¡°He owes me too much to reasonably pay back. I¡¯ll wipe some of his debt for this.¡±


    ¡°You were the one so off-put by his age, now you¡¯ll consign some young woman to this one hundred- and fourteen-year-old man?¡± Argrave said forcefully.


    ¡°You protest,¡± Elenore noted, turning back around.


    Just then a door opened, and Gmon and Durran entered. Durran gazed around wondrously, while Gmon moved to sit on the couch in the room they¡¯d been given.


    ¡°Quite a ce, wouldn¡¯t you¡ª¡± Durran said, then trailed off when he caught the confrontation between Argrave and Elenore obviously brewing. ¡°I¡¯m going to go sit,¡± he dismissed tiredly, stepping past them.


    ¡°Would you like to marry Leopold?¡± Argrave asked her.


    ¡°Of course not,¡± Elenore shook her head. ¡°We talked about this, no? In the face of Gerechtigkeit, it is morepassionate to be dispassionate. This is what the man wants¡ªwe give it to him. It¡¯s for the good of the realm. The good of the world.¡±


    ¡°I hate that you¡¯re right,¡± Argrave shook his head, hands moving about frustratedly. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ can¡¯t we choose someone who thinks the same thing? Someone who isn¡¯t just being sold off by their parents to settle a debt?¡±


    Elenore put one hand on her waist, the bronze jewelry on her finger nging as she thought. ¡°Argrave, I don¡¯t think¡ª¡±


    ¡°I think I know someone,¡± Anneliese cut in.


    Argrave turned his head towards her. ¡°Who? I can¡¯t think of anyone we¡¯ve met,¡± he shook his head.


    ¡°You have never met them. She was an old friend of mine back in Veiden,¡± Anneliese shook her head. ¡°She is¡­ a bit of an entric. She was friends with me, after all. I think she¡¯s seventy-two this year. She had strange thoughts about marriage and life. I imagine an arrangement with Leopold might actually entice her, provided he refrains from limiting her freedom.¡±


    Argrave frowned. ¡°Does that¡­ I mean, will Leopold really¡­¡±


    ¡°You heard him speak of us,¡± Anneliese said pointedly. ¡°He seems to bear Veidimen no ill will. Indeed, he expressed interest. At the very least, it is worth broaching.¡±


    Argrave stared, a little stunned, thenughed. ¡°Yeah¡­ I mean, yeah,¡± he turned his head back to Elenore, who seemed to be having simr thoughts as Argrave was.


    ¡°Then it¡¯s settled,¡± Elenore concluded. ¡°For now, we focus on this uing Grand Council meeting.¡±


    ¡°Less time for imbuing practice,¡± Argrave said in resigned dismay, then picked back up the paper he¡¯d discarded. ¡°Guess we focus on currying favor with the one percent.¡±


    #####


    Leopold¡¯s powerbase within Relize was not merely a theoretical thing. The man moved efficiently to do exactly as he had promised Argrave.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Generally, the Grand Council met at a building known as the Assembly Chamber of Commerce and Governance. Before a single day had passed, a mysterious ident took ce within the Assembly Chamber¡ªthere was an unforeseen incident regarding the sewage system, and much of the ce would reek of things most foul for a long, long while. Following this tragedy, by letter and by delegate, Leopold volunteered to host the Grand Council in his home.


    The patricians of the Grand Council were not blind¡ªthey could smell something foul afoot beyond merely the sewage in the Assembly Chamber. Elenore and Leopold coborated to spread a rumor this was done after the slight of Pedreddin raids on Dandn ships. Leopold wanted to raise his family¡¯s prestige and ensure a fitting punishment for the Pedreddin family. Before long, that rumor reached all in the city.


    And so, in time, Leopold¡¯s suggestion was epted. They would hold the Grand Council in his home, on the second floor generally reserved for personal meetings with his family. This was a great victory¡ªcontrolling the grounds that they met would enable Argrave to speak to prospective council members easier and would simrly allow them to suppress Yiasten.


    Yet regarding their rivals, and the delegate from Atrus¡­ it was impossible to tell what Yiasten did and did not know. Their family had entered a state of rtive lock down¡ªthe delegates did not leave, their servants betrayed nothing, and no news of their intents spread beyond their estate. It cut off Elenore¡¯s ns to make early contact. Nheless, the stage for the first battle had been set splendidly.


    With the groundwork done, all that remained was the actual politics. Between Leopold and Elenore, Argrave had two keys to the beating heart of Relize. He took full advantage of that. He knew much about many of the patricians within Relize, but he wasn¡¯t so foolish enough to think that he could get by coasting on his now months-rusty knowledge.


    ¡°These two cannot be sat near each other,¡± Leopold tapped the document firmly. ¡°It¡¯s best to remember everyone¡¯sst names, ensure they never meet¡ªsomething about them¡­ it¡¯s in the blood, their feud. My family will do what it can to keep them separate. Typically, one can only have one family member at a council meeting¡­ but many of my children will be attending as servants. They¡¯re good at this game,¡± Leopold assured.


    ¡°Alright. I can do that,¡± Argrave nodded, alreadymitting the names to memory.


    Leopold nodded, straightening his back. ¡°Yes¡­ from all I¡¯ve seen, you¡¯ll be quite good at this. But¡­ and know that I mean no offense, Argrave¡­ is it necessary to bring your fianc¨¦e? I have no issue with your elven bride. Most of the patricians are rather uncaring much the same: discrimination is bad for business, after all. We haverge minorities within Relize itself, and they are given a vote to decide the District Council every bit the same as any other citizen. Even still¡­ these things are best brought to light slowly. Perhaps Anneliese ought to remain aside.¡±


    Argrave shook his head at once. ¡°Anneliese is invaluable in ces like this. She has a knack for understanding people, and she gives counsel that cannot be rivalled. Besides¡ªI¡¯m told the south misconstrued our engagement as me having ties to Veiden. Business-wise, wouldn¡¯t that be promising for you patricians? A whole new business partner?¡±


    ¡°I can attest to Anneliese¡¯s acumen¡­ for what it¡¯s worth,¡± Elenore contributed.


    Leopold stroked his beard. ¡°I suppose I could pitch it like that¡­ and even then, you have that reform you mentioned to me. Your trump card,¡± he shook his head. ¡°But we trade by sea, not by the ocean. A great mass ofnd divides the North Sea from the ocean. If it were practical¡­ it would already be happening.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a shame,¡± Argravemented. ¡°I suppose this means you won¡¯t be interested in this prospective bride? A prospective trade route with an untapped market?¡±


    Leopold raised a brow. ¡°What do you speak of?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ let¡¯s talk about Veiden for a bit, Leopold. I¡¯ve been travelling with two Veidimen. I have some ties, you see.¡±


    #####


    Ansgar fixed Leopold¡¯s attire diligently. They looked like two elderly brothers, and Argrave stared at the merchant, tapping one finger against his temple. Everything was going well¡ªthough the merchant had not outright agreed to taking a Veidimen as a bride and said he would obviously need to meet her first¡­ Anneliese said the idea enticed him greatly. He was a merchant, though, and hid that fact well enough Argrave almost disbelieved her.


    ¡°If you keep tapping, your finger might break,¡± Leopold said, obviously annoyed.


    Argrave stopped. ¡°It helps me think.¡±


    ¡°These Grand Council meetingsst twelve hours on the least busy days. Today¡­ I¡¯ve enough food for two days. It¡¯s half a party, half a political meeting,¡± Leopold told him. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to give yourself the runs on ount of anxiety.¡±


    Argrave shrugged. ¡°I suppose you¡¯d have me just stop being anxious, like magic. Well¡­ don¡¯t worry. Not sure I can get the runs anymore.¡±


    Leopoldughed just as Elenore entered. ¡°The delegates are with Yiasten. They¡¯re bringing them here,¡± she told them.


    ¡°Suppose that¡¯s proof of things, as though we didn¡¯t have enough already,¡± Leopold said, pushing away Ansgar¡¯s hands and fixing things himself. He pped his face lightly and shook his body, and his whole demeanor seemed to change. Altogether, he seemed half amander.


    ¡°As nned¡­ Elenore will remain here and help organize things. It does us no good to have her seen,¡± Leopold said, slicking his gray hair back with some gel andbing with his other hand. ¡°I will keep things contained in the council room. Ansgar will be my main point of contact with you, keeping you apprised of situations within the meeting. You and Anneliese will be introduced to key figures slowly, and then brought out into the main party when we all agree is the best time.¡±


    ¡°Seems I¡¯m not the only one that¡¯s anxious. How many times have you told us that?¡± Argrave questioned.


    ¡°Well¡­ I can¡¯t imagine my anxiety canpare to yours, even with that trump card of yours. If I fail, I remain a wealthy patrician¡­ nothing really lost other than face. But you¡­ I¡¯m not sure what would be next for you,¡± Leopold looked back. ¡°I have guests to greet.¡±


    Leopold stepped out, leaving only Ansgar left behind.


    ¡°Your dad sure is great at raising the mood,¡± Argrave noted.


    Ansgar looked to Argrave. ¡°Putting his face on the line alone shows how much faith he has in you. He is a merchant¡ªhe is predisposed to taking risks. But note that he is a sessful merchant. The risks that he takes¡ªthey often pay off. And so, it would be best if you are less nervous.¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°A good point.¡± He stepped around, then picked up the ck tellerbarret on a chair. He put it over his head and fixed it until it was just right in the mirror. ¡°We look pretty good, Anneliese.¡±


    Anneliese stepped into the mirror¡¯s frame. ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°You know it is,¡± he shot back, then turned. ¡°Alright. Time for a protracted battle.¡±

 Chapter 263: Skirmishes

    Chapter 263: Skirmishes


    ¡°And how would backing you benefit Relize?¡± an old man with a clean shave asked Argrave, sitting across from him on the couch. His name was Victor. Ansgar poured them both a cup of wine. ¡°The king has ever had little bearing on our city. We members of the council dictate all.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true. Most kings think it¡¯s beneath them to consort with the merchant ss. But as this city is testament¡­ money makes the world move,¡± Argrave exined, sitting just beside Anneliese. He leaned forth and picked up the goblet Ansgar had poured wine into, then raised it to toast Victor. ¡°And I can promise¡­ Relize will benefit marily like never before,¡± he dered, then clinked his ss together with the man opposite him.


    The scene changed¡ªthe shadows were cast a little differently from the windows, and the man sitting adjacent Argrave had changed.


    ¡°How might my house of Fetrullen benefit if you were to be king?¡± this new man asked¡ªbroad of shoulder and thick of brow, with clothes so bright pink it was hard on the eyes. Fabian, this one was called.


    Argrave watched as Ansgar filled his goblet full of wine once again, andmended the man, ¡°A good question. But and as vast as Vasquer¡­ it needs proper management. Merchant families like yours of Fetrullen¡ªyour education rivals, if not exceeds, that of the great noble houses of thisnd. A new king needs capable, reliable members in his council¡­¡± Argrave picked up the filled goblet once again, raising it to the pink-dressed man. ¡°Well-educated and ambitious people like those found in Fetrullen? I think you will be a wee addition to my council, bringing this kingdom¡¯s management to a higher level.¡±


    Their two goblets clinked together once more. Time passed as Argrave finished drink after drink, answering concerns and making offers to many members of the Grand Council.


    ¡°What makes you think you can win this war? Relize is a strong force, make no mistake, yet even still¡­¡± a new patrician asked of Argrave, the young man sitting rather uptight.


    Argrave knew him well¡ªDrudeth of House Rotswell. He gave the yer pirate-hunting quests and was quite the renowned seaman himself. Argrave hoped to recruit him as the head of their naval forces.


    ¡°What makes you think we can¡¯t?¡± Argrave shot back, holding his goblet up for Ansgar to fill it.


    Anneliese, sitting just beside Argrave, pinched his side¡ªDrudeth didn¡¯t like hisment. He¡¯d have to change his approach.


    ¡°I know howrge of an undertaking it is to tackle Vasquer, Drudeth. In truth, I¡¯ve been moving frantically the past few months to deal with this,¡± Argrave said seriously, handing his cup off to Anneliese and leaning in close. ¡°I¡¯ve forged strong ties with the south. Coupled with the forces we have in Relize, we¡¯ll be trapping the north in with a vice grip. I want this to be fast and decisive¡ªan encirclement that quickly tears out the roots of Vasquer power and restores stability in the realm for all.¡±


    Argrave held one hand out. ¡°I¡¯ve heard of your abilities at sea. You broke the pirate fleet at the Myresh archipgo. The Mideast coast of Vasquer remains firmly in my father¡¯s grip¡ªI believe you¡¯re the best candidate to blockade them and prevent further supplies from reaching in the event of sieges. I¡¯m working hard to make this war work¡­ but I won¡¯t deny I need someone like you. So, Drudeth¡­ can I count on you? We have to restore thisnd back to peace and prosperity.¡±


    After a few seconds, Drudeth reached forward decisively and shook Argrave¡¯s hand. Argrave stood and walked the man to the door, speaking firmly and decisively¡­ and not ten minutes after Drudeth had gone, another patrician took his ce. Argrave led him to the seat.


    ¡°More wine,¡± the big, hearty man demanded, after a time. Ansgar stepped up and filled his cup. Despite being a head shorter than Argrave, this patrician must¡¯ve been twice his weight. He was like a bear¡ªa big, hairy bear. He drank wine like a bear might honey, too.


    ¡°More for me, too,¡± Argrave directed. Ansgar gave him an uncertain look, but Argrave gave him a certain nod.


    Being challenged, the bear of a man grew brieflypetitive¡­ but Argrave¡¯s tongue and mind moved as fast as ever while his dimmed. Before long, the man was dering Argrave his brother. Ansgar prudently did not reintroduce him to the party, but rather led him to a room where he might sleep.


    ¡°None for me,¡± the next patrician refused Ansgar¡¯s offer of wine. Kretthan was an old, shrewd-eyed man who defied traditional Relize standards of dress, wearing instead almost monastic robes. Argrave noticed his eyes lingered on Anneliese¡­ and not out of admiration.


    ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± Argrave said, shing a bright smile. ¡°I imagine Leopold has already brought you up to speed, somewhat?¡±


    ¡°We have nothing to discuss,¡± Kretthan decided, looking back at Argrave. ¡°I entertained this offer merely to avoid straining my rtionship with Leopold.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not concerned about the future of the realm?¡± Argrave tilted his head.


    ¡°Spare me sanctimonious ramblings, kinyer. One who would end their kin has strayed from the grace of the gods. Taking a foul inhuman to wife, on top of this? You will never be king.¡±


    Argrave leaned back in the couch. ¡°There has to be something I can do,¡± Argrave said with a pleading sarcasm. ¡°Oooh¡ªI know. I¡¯m told your nephew is rather fond of a curious drink ofte. It¡¯s rathermon, I¡¯m told¡ªeveryone alive has some. If I send him a bottle, do you think that might change your mind?¡±


    Kretthan¡¯s face hardened, and Argrave leaned in.


    ¡°Straying from the grace of gods? I appreciate your close ties to family¡­ but you can do too much for your family, you know. Sometimes, they drink your blood like leeches until you die,¡± Argrave said, with a pointed low voice and a crooked smile.


    Kretthan¡¯s breathing quickened, and he looked to Ansgar. ¡°You¡¯re ckmailing me?¡±


    ¡°Very astute,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll pay your family a visit soon, but for now¡­ I think you should keep in mind what we talked about. Since you don¡¯t want to talk, you¡¯re free to leave.¡±


    Kretthan stared back indignantly. Argrave briefly questioned if the man would try and strike him as his hands clenched into fists. Then, the patrician rose to his feet and stormed out. As the door shut, Argrave rubbed his temple.


    ¡°Those are always the rough ones,¡± Argrave noted.


    ¡°You¡¯re doing very well, in my humble opinion,¡± Ansgarmended Argrave. ¡°I believe it won¡¯t be much longer before father intends to introduce you. I can still introduce a lighter wine, Argrave.¡±


    Argrave raised his hand. ¡°Don¡¯t bother. There are heavyweights, and then there¡¯s me. Worst part is the constant trips to the bathroom. Still¡­ best to get ourpany a little tipsy, a little loose.¡±


    And then, without a beat to rest, Ansgar went off to receive his father¡¯s next directive. Argrave supposed it was much like a king receiving petitioners.


    Yet then, just before receiving another, Ansgar leaned in and whispered, ¡°Father intends to bring you out after this. He says to remind you to be ready to receive challenges.¡±


    The words weren¡¯t respite¡ªall it meant was that Argrave would be standing and walking while he talked instead of sitting. Even still, Argrave nodded.


    ¡°How do you intend to approach the war?¡± thest one asked¡ªa woman. Nicolesa was the sole female patrician on the Grand Council, and one of three in Relize. ¡°Relize is not in a particrly strategic location.¡±


    Argrave leaned in, rubbing his hands together as he began, ¡°Well, I had intended to¡ª¡±


    ¡°If I may?¡± Anneliese cut in.


    Argrave smiled. ¡°Go ahead,¡± he directed her, catching on right away¡ªAnneliese felt it best to demonstrate to this woman that her voice would be valued regardless of gender.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°To begin, we are going to utilize a well-oiled industry in Relize. This city¡ªall of it was built by industrious earth mages. Indeed, the architects in Relize are renowned across Vasquer,¡± Anneliese summarized sinctly. ¡°There is a key location in the Mideast¡ªa river valley known as the Indanus Divide.¡±


    Anneliese used her fingers to emte what she was talking about, though Argrave thought it was of dubious effect. ¡°The divide is blocked off on the northern side by a great mountain. This mountain¡­ it prevents passing from north to south and hinders the rtively isted Indanus from prospering by trade. All the same, it has the potential to be an excellent natural fortification rivalling the Lionsun Castle. We intend to use the architects of Relize to sculpt this mountain into both a fortress and bridge across the river. This would create a strategic location to both supply and garrison our troops in a position utterly disastrous for Vasquer. It is a knife at their throat.¡±


    Anneliese leaned back and smiled, and Argrave added, ¡°Furthermore, this would open a new trade route between north and south. Relize would have anothernd route from which to prosper from.¡±


    Nicolesa took a deep breath, obviously catching on to what this meant for Relize. Seeing the culmination of his efforts, Argrave felt rather proud¡ªhe felt he offered an objectively amazing deal to the patricians at Relize. They would prosper if they helped him. That was as much of a truth as it was a negotiating point.


    ¡°So¡­¡± Argrave leaned in. ¡°What do you think?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll save my thoughts for the council,¡± Nicolesa said.


    ¡°I¡¯ll save my thoughts for the council,¡± Victor had said.


    ¡°I¡¯ll save my thoughts for the council,¡± so many of the patricians had said.


    Argrave and Anneliese engaged with allers until their throats hurt from talking, and even then kept at it for a couple hours afterwards. There was no shortage of council members. Despite everything, it was important to build the groundwork with people¡ªif they showed proper respect and built rapport before he was introduced, he would face less opposition and consequently have more opportunities to sell himself rather than defend himself.


    And now¡­


    ¡°Leopold thinks now is the best time to introduce you to the council,¡± Ansgar told Argrave. ¡°He would like you to put on something new. Please,e. My attending staff will help this be fast for both the lord and thedy.¡±


    ¡°What about Elenore?¡± Argrave asked as he rose to his feet.


    ¡°Elenore is doing fine. I am told she managed to get in contact with the delegation,¡± Ansgar said.


    ¡°What? I¡¯m hearing of this only now?¡± he stepped up to Ansgar.


    ¡°I felt it best not to distract,¡± Ansgar excused at once, stroking his beard. ¡°Worry not. She reports that things have gone very well. Edgar Yiasten, Illyn Rodreign, and Mattheu Portant are the primary members of the delegation.¡±


    Argrave nodded, recalling their characters. ¡°Right¡­ right. It went well, huh? Of course it did. She¡¯s a natural,¡± Argrave shook his head.


    ¡°It would be best to change quickly, sir,¡± Ansgar advised.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. Anne¡­¡± Argrave looked back. ¡°Great work. Only a little bit longer.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Anneliese assured. ¡°Go now. Let¡¯s be prompt.¡±


    Like this, the two of them were spirited away by myriad servants. Argrave¡¯s tired mind lingered on curiosity¡ªwhat exactly had happened in the meeting with the delegates? Elenore¡¯s report had been brief. Was it simply poormunication on the end of the Dandn family, or had she neglected details beyond merely who was present? The uncertainty fanned the mes of his nervousness.


    Argrave quickly waved the thoughts away. He had spent the entire day making sure certain elements of the council would be positively predisposed towards his proposal¡­ now it was time to find out if he had a future in politics. Hopefully, the energies of all the cult leaders past would infuse him with charismatic energy¡­ and he¡¯d have a beautiful revolution on his hand.

 Chapter 264: Reform

    Chapter 264: Reform


    The double doors to the council chamber opened to a grand room that beckoned Argrave in with a deafening silence. There must have been three hundred people in Leopold¡¯s council room. It was certainly a ce built to amodate banquets and councils. The Dandn patrician stood just beside the door, gesturing for him to enter in the reigning quietude.


    Looking around, Argrave felt he was in some sort of Roman senate. Four marble pirs held up the ceiling twenty feet above. There was a great mahogany ring table in the center of the room, split at four sections as if by a cross to allow people to move past. Inside this ring, there was arge round table bearing a parchment map of Vasquer, masterfully painted and tied to the table. If viewed from above, the arrangement probably looked like a target.


    ¡°This man is the reason I believe Relize should have a leader at present,¡± Leopold dered loudly. His voice had a markedly different intonation to it than it had in normal conversation¡ªthis was his political tone, Argrave supposed. ¡°Gentlemen of the Grand Council, I introduce to you Argrave¡­ the man who will be king of Vasquer.¡±


    Argrave scanned the room as people stared and talked. The expressions were many¡ªrevtory, shocked, or simply the smugness that came with knowing this wasing. But there was judgement. Judgement was all they had, for now. And Argrave, standing arm-in-arm with Anneliese, stood proud in the ck and gold garb of Relize, his fianc¨¦e beside him in white and amber like contrast to his own figure.


    ¡°Leopold,¡± Argrave dipped his head slightly, feeling a bit small without the tellerbarret he¡¯d been wearing. A bare head would add dramatic effectter. ¡°Leaders of Relize. I am d of the opportunity to speak with you here today.¡±


    Leopold nodded at Argrave and then turned back to the council. ¡°By now, you¡¯ve gleaned why I sought to host this council after the unfortunate ident in the Assembly. I will not apologize for what I¡¯ve done, but I must beg forgiveness for concealing my intent. But given what Trumat Yiasten has brought here¡ªor rather, whom¡ªI believe I am wholly justified in doing so.¡±


    The patrician that Leopold called up raised his head up and shifted, obviously ufortable at being called out.


    ¡°I mean no offense towards the delegates of Atrus. You are wee here,¡± Leopold said amodatingly.


    Count Edgar Yiasten, a white-haired older man Argrave recognized, held his hand up. ¡°Thank you, Leopold. But allow me to rify¡­ Atrus did not send us here to gain Relize¡¯s allegiance to our kingdom. We merely sought¡­ to verify your position. We hope our presence here won¡¯t impede things in your leadership,¡± he said diplomatically.


    So¡­ Elenore persuaded them to stay neutral, or that was their intent from the beginning. They aren¡¯t backing Trumat. Wish I knew more, Argravemented in his head.


    ¡°Wonderful,¡± Leopold nodded and sped his hands together. ¡°We have been discussing minor disputes in Relize¡ªtolls charged improperly, rivals raided, petty thefts, embezzlements¡­ but now, it is time to speak of the elephant in the room. We need leadership for the war. If we do not have it, this city will tear itself apart by feuding factions, each backing different sides in the war. This cannot happen,¡± Leopold dered firmly.


    Silence took over the council room. Then, Trumat Yiasten stepped forward, asking somewhat haughtily, ¡°Are you done, Leopold? If you are, then I will simply dere this¡ªI agree with you in that Relize needs a leader. Disunity in war could devastate the city, its poption, and many burgeoning industries. Yet we of Relize stick to our own devices. We need, just as Atrus has established, a figurehead to keep us far from the war. ying kingmaker is folly. We do not need a leader who has already sworn fealty to a imant.¡±


    ¡°I agree,¡± an aged patrician contributed. ¡°We have no ce in war. We are traders. Outside of Relize, our status is that of amon man. And themon man does not mingle with the elite.¡±


    ¡°And how long must things remain the same?¡± Drudeth of House Rotswell contributed, making Argrave hide a smile. ¡°You must be blind to think Leopold would act without an intent to benefit. He was made a patrician in his lifetime, yet already his family stands shoulder-to-shoulder with us of the Grand Council. We meet within his home. I trust Leopold. And I hear the south is strongly predisposed to Argrave already¡ªwould it not be best to support the inevitable victor?¡±


    Trumat shook his head and said, ¡°Leopold acts to benefit himself, not Relize. I¡¯m sure¡ª¡±


    ¡°I have worked out arrangements with Argrave, yes. What did I request of you?¡± Leopold interrupted and looked to Argrave.


    Argrave held up his left arm as he talked, the other linked with Anneliese¡¯s. ¡°Leopold requested I lift trade restrictions, tolls, and tariffs imposed by Induen and Felipe. I agreed. Leopold requested I grant the Grand Council of Relize governance of certain ports in the North Sea. I agreed. Andstly, he requested a marriage for himself¡ªsomeone of my choosing. I agreed.¡±


    Some of the patriciansughed at hearing Leopold¡¯s request for a marriage¡ªthe man had a reputation, it would seem.


    Argrave held his hand up and dered, ¡°It¡¯s not my ce to meddle in your politics. This city is self-governing, and I would not change that. But all of you have suffered beneath the yolk of my father and his former heir. I, alone, have the capability and the desire to change that. No others vying for the throne can offer that.¡±


    ¡°No one has paid these tariffs since the war started,¡± one patrician pointed out.


    ¡°And after?¡± Nicolesa jumped in and pointed out. ¡°Like it or not, we are beholden to the might of Vasquer. If we choose prudently, we can benefit. If we remain neutral, things remain as they are¡­ or grow worse, depending on who the throne falls to. Their military has always protected us. It can devastate Relize just as easily.¡±


    ¡°Things are different now,¡± an old man spoke quietly, and though others spoke at the same time, they fell silent for the man in a show of respect. Argrave recognized him¡ªPotien of House Contini, one of the more respected patricians. ¡°Relize has grown and prospered. Our city isrger in poption than the greatest of those in Vasquer, and each of us patricians have retinues that rival those of maind nobles. We are a pivotal part of Vasquer. Any that take the throne must respect us¡ªindeed, two would-be-kings or their delegates have sought us out of their own volition.


    ¡°If we remain as we are¡­ the lives of our own will be spared. Our ships will head not to war, but to trade. And at the end of it all, we rejoin the fold, weed. And we will be weed because we are needed,¡± Potien finished, voice a thin whisper.


    The respect the man¡¯s word had was clear. Everyone seemed to digest his words like they had great meaning, even the ones Argrave thought firmly in his camp.


    ¡°And¡­ meaning no offense, Argrave,¡± Potien continued. ¡°So long as the south has not openly dered their support, their ¡®positive predisposition¡¯ towards you means nothing.¡± The patrician shook his head. ¡°In addition¡­ the one at your side. There has never before been an elven queen in Vasquer history. This speaks ill of your chances.¡±


    Argrave looked to Anneliese, and she nodded. Argrave released his grip and she stepped away, heading off to a door.


    ¡°Your concerns are justified. It¡¯s easy to remainfortable, keep the status quo alive. And yet¡­ since the war began, none of you can deny the fact that it has hurt Relize,¡± Argrave spread his arms out, walking around. When none protested, he continued, ¡°Regardless of theck of tariff collectors, or taxes, or tolls¡­ the war has given rise to a great loss of business. It¡¯s not safe to travel¡ªno doubt your goods have been seized, either by bandits or feudal lords seeking tomandeer supplies for theing difficulties.¡±


    Argrave saw bitter looks pass through the faces of some¡ªno doubt he¡¯d brought up some bad memories.


    ¡°Relize has grown powerful. I will not blunt my words¡ªI am here because this city has a great impact on the direction of the war. The south wille to support me, yet Relize is a force every bit as potent as the Margrave¡¯s army. That is why I havee here,¡± Argrave put his hand to his chest. ¡°When I met with Leopold, he expressed disdain for having to get involved in this at all. And I agree with him.¡±


    Argrave stepped past the segmented ring table, moving around as he dered, ¡°The fact is, my father, the king of Vasquer, broke his vows as a king to protect the people. For years, he has trampled on the people using his son as a cudgel.¡± Argrave pointed to a man who¡¯d spoken earlier. ¡°You imed themon man does not mingle with the elite. And you, Potien¡ªyou rightfully pointed out that many of the patricians present here today rival maind nobles in terms of military might. This has arisen because of changing times.¡±


    ¡°I believe in the king¡¯s vows¡ªto protect the people, to govern them justly, and to strive for prosperity in the realm. The fact remains, though¡­ these vows were broken. And not for the first time.¡± Argrave pounded his chest. ¡°I say that this cannot happen ever again. And consequently, I have a reform in mind.¡±


    Doors opened, and Anneliese returned bearing two things¡ªa ck mantle with the symbol of Vasquer on it, and the ornate crown of the first king of Vasquer.


    ¡°I have recovered the crown of the first king of Vasquer, alongside the regalia that he wore throughout his reign. And yet¡­ I will hold no coronation, not yet. Something needs to happen, first.¡± Argrave held out his hand and received the objects from Anneliese. He set them upon the table and looked around.


    ¡°A king needs wise council. Not just from his noble base, nor from the gods¡­ but from all the people of his realm. Despite your influence in this city, and despite your contributions to the crown and the people, themon man does not mingle with the elite. This must change.¡± Argrave nted one finger atop the crown.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°I intend to establish a Parliament of Vasquer,¡± Argrave dered loudly. ¡°In it, men of influence will have a say in governance. Seats in this parliament will be open to all, regardless of the nobility of their blood or the divinity of their station. And above all¡­ this parliament will retain the right to confirm a new king¡¯s session.¡±


    There are a lot of amazing administrators here. You think I¡¯m not going to make use of you? You¡¯re going to turn Vasquer into an economic powerhouse, and you¡¯re going to like it, Argrave thought of the real purpose behind this decision. He genuinely felt this parliament could do a great deal in developing Vasquer.


    Argrave lifted his finger off the crown. ¡°To prove mymitment to this reform, I have a request. I intend to have a coronation. I hope it to be a public affair, with many of the people I intend to protect and govern in attendance. And I hope that all of you members of the Grand Council will be the ones to ce this crown upon my brow and promulgate my desire to all willing to hear. To that end¡­ I leave this ancient relic here, until you decide to ce it upon my brow.¡± Argrave stepped away from the crown. ¡°Please, make the right decision for the realm and the people.¡±


    It seemed none dared to speak in the silence that followed. Leopold took light steps up to Argrave. ¡°Do we all agree to reconvene in a week to decide this matter?¡±


    Slowly, a vote was taken. With Argrave¡¯s closing speech and Leopold¡¯s suggestion, all seemed willing to step aside and get a hold of things. The council promised to send someone to retrieve the crown for safekeeping, and Argrave agreed. Before long, the councilors cleared out, and a tired Leopold stepped up to Argrave.


    ¡°You did well. As much as I wish I could force them to make a decision now, such is not how the Grand Council works. It is a slow-moving behemoth of an organization, which suitably demonstrates why a leader is necessary in times of war,¡± the old patrician said tiredly. ¡°Now¡­ the real politicking begins. Gods, but it will be busy¡­¡±


    Argrave raised a brow. ¡°Busier than today? I¡¯ve got brain pain.¡±


    ¡°Busier for me. I have to show the more financially interested patricians why exactly it was I married my children off tomon merchants.¡± Leopold straightened his back. ¡°I¡¯ll put the squeeze on them, offer opportunities to them, bribe them¡­ and you¡¯ll go door-to-door, selling your monarchy like amon good. I¡¯m sure everyone is desperate to pick your brain about this parliament.¡± Leopold eyed him. ¡°You¡¯re serious about being coronated by the Grand Council?¡±


    ¡°I am,¡± Argrave nodded.


    Leopold stroked his beard. ¡°Then perhaps I should call you more than a mere imant.¡±


    Argrave frowned. ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s for me to know,¡± Leopold dered. ¡°Go on, sleep. Ansgar told me how much you drank¡ªdon¡¯t know how you¡¯re holding together, frankly¡­ that was my good wine, cost me a lot¡­¡±


    Argraveughed. ¡°I¡¯m perfectly sober. I¡¯m built different, you see.¡± He dipped his head to the older man. ¡°As for going door-to-door, selling things¡­ I have a different idea. I think I¡¯m going to make it impossible for them not to choose me. Everyone loves a hero, after all.¡±


    It was Leopold¡¯s turn to frown. ¡°Don¡¯t ruin things with that big head of yours. People that speak like that end up in a gutter, in my experience.¡±

 Chapter 265: Return to Form

    Chapter 265: Return to Form


    ¡°Levin is going to be coronated soon,¡± Elenore informed Argrave. They were alone in a lounge, save Ansgar¡ªAnneliese had not yet awoken. ¡°Two weeks¡¯ time, perhaps less. Your coronations may end up being at simr times, as things end up. I sincerely hope one ends better than the other.¡±


    Argrave took a drink¡ªit was quite potent. He swallowed it and winced, then looked to Ansgar.


    ¡°A tea suited for dispelling the morning sickness from alcohol,¡± the aged man exined. He had be the intermediary between Leopold and their party, despite the fact both resided within his mansion. ¡°Leopold thought you might need it.¡±


    Argrave shook his head. ¡°I appreciate it, but no.¡±


    ¡°Shall I get something else?¡± Ansgar asked.


    ¡°Thank you, but no need to trouble yourself,¡± Argrave waved his offer away.


    Ansgar put his hands before him. ¡°You ought to get used to epting help of this sort.¡±


    Argrave looked to him, realizing he had a point. ¡°Then¡­ something minty, and sweet. Leave this for Anneliese¡ªshe¡¯ll need it.¡± Argrave directed his attention back to Elenore as Ansgar left. ¡°Speaking of¡­ Anneliese told me you two drank together. It was rather hard to understand that from her slurred haze, and she was impossible to rouse this morning, so I thought I might ask you.¡±


    Elenore watched the door shut behind Ansgar and said, ¡°Yes. She had never gotten drunk before and expressed interest. I may have urged her onwards to gain some¡­ candid details. She may have a rough time today.¡±


    ¡°Candid details?¡± Argrave repeated. ¡°And what did you learn?¡±


    ¡°I learned sometimes it is better to remain ignorant,¡± Elenore said at once.


    Argrave grinned, feeling rather pleased they were getting along. After a moment of silence, he leaned in, scratching his nose as he asked, ¡°That¡¯s good. But what exactly did you learn from those delegates? Things were too busy for us to talkst night, it seems.¡±


    Elenore¡¯s face grew serious as she recounted, ¡°Levin wanted Relize on Atrus¡¯ side¡­ or merely opposing Vasquer. He was prepared to offer them some great deals, but upon hearing of our intent, the delegates decided topletely renege on their intent to back House Yiasten.¡±


    Argrave leaned back into the couch. ¡°Good fortune for once. Things are going well. Now is usually the time that things turn to hell.¡± Argrave scratched the top of his lip. ¡°I¡¯ll be careful with my publicity stunt, I guess. What will you be doing?¡±


    ¡°I have to go away for a time. Until I can have some of my key operatives learn druidic magic, I¡¯m limited in my influence based on distance. Things in Atrus need to be stabilized¡ªgiven how things went with the delegates, that¡¯s possible. So, I¡¯ll be travelling closer,¡± Elenore exined evenly.


    ¡°Going away?¡± Argrave leaned in, putting one hand on his knee. ¡°Kind of¡­ ufortable with that, honestly. But if you say it¡¯s necessary, I trust you. Just be safe. If you want, I can have Anneliese screen the people you¡¯re with for traitors. I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll agree.¡±


    Elenore shook her head. ¡°Like I said, I need to leave today. Doubtless she¡¯ll have a rough morning. That won¡¯t be necessary¡ªshe¡¯s done it once before, after all.¡±


    The door opened, and a greatly disheveled Anneliese stood there, still inst night¡¯s attire. Argrave rose, uneased, until he saw her rubbing her eyes and clutching her head, shying away from the early morning light.


    ¡°I ought to be off,¡± Elenore rose to her feet. ¡°The caravanes to take me early. Argrave, Anneliese¡ªgood luck.¡±


    ¡°Be safe,¡± Argrave reiterated, then stepped to Anneliese. ¡°Look at you. Are you alright? Wouldn¡¯t fault you for resting.¡±


    ¡°Be quiet,¡± she hushed him at once, and Argraveughed, waving to Elenore as she walked out. ¡°My head is throbbing. I feel sick.¡±


    Argrave put his hand on her shoulders and guided her. ¡°Here. Drink this¡ªit¡¯s supposed to help with that. Failing that, I suppose healing magic could remedy your pain,¡± he suggested.


    ¡°Did that,¡± she said, obeying him.


    ¡°Really, you of all people look like this? I¡¯m surprised.¡±


    ¡°Elenore gave me a bottle,¡± Anneliese said. ¡°Never been drunk before¡­ curious what it was like.¡± She drank the tea, then grimaced. ¡°Eugh. Terrible.¡±


    ¡°Down it all in one go,¡± Argrave said, his voice distant. ¡°You drank with Elenore? However did thate about?¡±


    ¡°To celebrate, I think. Talk.¡± Anneliese shook her head, then downed it all as Argrave suggested.


    Argrave thought back to Elenore¡ªshe didn¡¯t seem particrly affected. ¡°Seems like I¡¯ve already been beaten. She likes you more than me,¡± Argravemented. ¡°Not that I me her. You¡¯re like¡ª¡±


    ¡°Stop talking for once,¡± Anneliese quieted him.


    Argrave did his best not tough loudly.


    #####


    The streets of Relize were alive with people. Ever since the announcement, word had spread of Argrave¡¯s presence in the city like wildfire, and sentiments that had quieted since the outbreak of the war redoubled. With the news out, Argrave could walk without fear of being discovered¡­ yet ¡®freely¡¯ was not quite the right word. He had an escort¡ªGmon, Durran, and many of Leopold¡¯s personal guard. Argrave bid Anneliese rest, and she agreed to that.


    Leopold made the city even busier. He was calling in all of his family and business ties to show what, exactly, would be the price of refusal. Some of the patricians couldn¡¯t care less about politics, preferring to leave that matter to others¡­ yet Leopold showed them that the two were nearly perfectly entwined, ensuring that all would be forced to vote. Coercion in part¡­ yet negotiation by name.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    It was a little simr to what Argrave was about to do. Kretthan, a prominent patrician, had a rather dark secret. His nephew had been afflicted with vampirism¡ªa botched attempt at infiltrating a patrician family by the local vampiric coven. Though Kretthan announced his death, in truth, he harbored and sustained the young man.


    It felt like Argrave had been dealing with too many vampires ofte. He supposed it was inevitable, given Gmon¡¯s presence¡ªhis promise to cure the man spurred him towards the things. Only this time, they wouldn¡¯t being for his throat. He¡¯d being for theirs¡­ at least, in a metaphorical sense. Not all were bloodthirsty fiends. And some people were more than happy to y the enemy for the right price.


    It made him feel a bit dirty, frankly¡­ but he was doing a good thing, even if he was going about it in an immoral way. At the very least, that was what he told himself as Durran stepped ahead, knocking on the great oaken doors marking the entrance the Kretthan¡¯s estate.


    #####


    ¡°So, Argrave¡­ left?¡± Orion asked the man who went by the name of Boarmask.


    The both of them sat by an oasis in the town of the southron elves. The helmet that gave the man his name leaned against his foot as he sat cross-legged, gentle winds rustling his short blonde hair.


    ¡°He did. They all did,¡± Boarmask confirmed. ¡°And even despite Titus using his people¡¯s ancestry as a cudgel, the southron elves do not care. The people don¡¯t care. After all¡­¡± Boarmaskughed. ¡°Someone else¡¯s fate doesn¡¯t affect them. And Titus does the ¡®right thing,¡¯ at least now. I suspect even if damning evidence was posted right before their face, nothing would truly happen. A few grievers might seek vengeance for the deaths that Titus caused, his deliberate ughter¡­¡± he shook his head. ¡°Won¡¯t work. He¡¯s well-protected, well-loved, and paranoid. An unbreakable defense.¡±


    Orion looked to Boarmask. ¡°I could end him.¡±


    The man¡¯s blue eyes met Orion¡¯s, and the two held their stare for a minute.


    ¡°Durran¡¯s outburst¡­ his exile, his departure with Argrave¡­¡± Boarmask shook his head. ¡°I understand it. Who are we to decide what people want? Who are we to decide what people should do? Who are we to chart their fate?¡±


    Orion thought at that a moment. ¡°¡­the gods ordain all. That¡¯s why Argrave did this.¡±


    Boarmaskughed. ¡°Argrave didn¡¯t do this for the gods.¡± He looked to the prince. ¡°The gods don¡¯t ordain a damn thing. This isn¡¯t a matter of faith. Fellhorn¡­ these Vessels have blessings the same as you do. They im that theirs is the right way.¡±


    ¡°Yet it isn¡¯t,¡± Orion posited. ¡°I know you are a faithful of Vasquer.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t pray to Vasquer alone. I adopt whatever gods I feel are good for this world, no matter their pantheon. If you were born here, would you worship Vasquer¡¯s pantheon?¡± Boarmask suggested.


    Orion stood and kneeled before the oasis, peering into the water. ¡°¡­but the gods¡­¡±


    ¡°You said their voice has left you,¡± Boarmask reminded him.


    Orion sat, eyes still fixed on the pool ahead. ¡°Then¡­ no. I would never learn, and so could not worship.¡±


    Boarmask nodded, saying nothing more. He left Orion alone with his thoughts. After a time, he watched him. ¡°Why did youe here, Orion?¡±


    ¡°To learn. To think. To grow on my own,¡± the prince described at once.


    ¡°Ever since Argrave left¡­ I¡¯ve been feeling much the same way,¡± the man said, leaning back onto his hands.


    Orion jerked his head back. ¡°I need a moment of enlightenment.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t exist,¡± Boarmask rebuked. ¡°Or¡­ maybe it does. People say it does. But for me¡­ plenty of others¡­ we just go through life, trying to puzzle things out. We aren¡¯t gods. We aren¡¯t demons. We are men. However we got here, whatever we are¡­ we can make our own decisions,e to our own conclusions. Things aren¡¯t clear. You can choose your gods, offer your worship, or refrain altogether. It¡¯s¡­¡± Boarmask shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I can¡¯t tell you anything.¡±


    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t choose. I am stupid. Slow-witted, my father always called me. Slow-witted people should listen to their parents,¡± Orion said.


    ¡°Why?¡± Boarmask pressed.


    ¡°Because they know better,¡± Orion replied at once.


    ¡°Why?¡± Boarmask repeated.


    ¡°Because I am s¡ª¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not stupid,¡± Boarmask shook his head. ¡°It¡­ your father is one of the worst humans I have ever heard tell of. He is a blight on thend far worse than the gue you and Argrave stopped.¡±


    Orion¡¯s hands clenched into fists in rage, yet after a few seconds, as though some voice had reminded him to calm, he rxed. ¡°Why is that?¡±


    ¡°Do you enjoy suffering?¡± Boarmask asked.


    ¡°No,¡± Orion answered at once.


    ¡°Your father has made hundreds of thousands suffer. Lightly for some, unimaginably for many.¡± Boarmask looked up to the sky. ¡°What ces you above them? Why should they suffer when you should not?¡± The man looked at Orion. ¡°It¡¯s all in your mind. It¡¯s all what you think.¡± His gaze was certain for a few seconds, but then he broke offughing. ¡°But who am I to preach? I am only a hypocrite and a failure.¡±


    Silence reigned between them, and Orion fell into deep thought, studying his own reflection in the oasis.


    Boarmask stood up. ¡°Well¡­ it¡¯ste. Thest thing I expected was to speak to you all the way out in here in the middle of nowhere¡­ but at this point, I¡¯ve epted all the weird nonsense urring around me. Springes, then summer¡ªit is to be blisteringly hot. I depart this ce a failure, returning to where I failed once before: Vasquer. Even if I fail again, I must try and make things right.¡±


    The man bent down and retrieved his helmet, putting it back over his head. He left no parting words, merely walked away. Orion stood up quickly and called, ¡°Hold.¡±


    Boarmask looked back.


    ¡°How do you intend to make things right?¡± Orion questioned.


    No expression was betrayed beneath the iron boar mask, yet the man shifted on his feet uncertainly. In time, he simply said, ¡°¡­there is a reason that the Margrave, a man of honor, rebelled against your father.¡±


    Orion closed his eyes. ¡°I will return. And I will judge for myself.¡±

 Chapter 266

    Chapter 266: Eat the Rich


    The ring of keys in Kretthan¡¯s hands jingled as he fit them into their slot. The cell door opened, and the aged patrician stepped beyond. The cell looked seldom-used. He walked to a spot just beside the bucket in the room for privy use and pushed at the wall. One brick sunk in, but nothing happened. He dug his fingers against the stone beside it and pulled. The wall turned, knocking aside the bucket and leaving two entrances.


    ¡°Durran, please wait here,¡± Argravemanded with a smile.


    Kretthan eyed them begrudgingly, and then walked into the chamber. Argrave and Gmon followed. The humbly dressed patrician marched forward silently, and the path sloped downwards. They walked on and on, deeper into the cells.


    The patrician grabbed a rod from a wall at a certain point. Gmon eyed him as though he meant to strike Argrave, and yet the patrician turned a knob on the rod and it came alive with light¡ªa magicmp, Argrave recognized. Now illuminated, another cell awaited them. There was a person in this one.


    ¡°Must¡¯ve been difficult to keep him fed,¡± Argrave noted as he watched.


    The man lifted his head, his iron fetters jingling. He bore a slight resemnce to the shrewd-eyed Kretthan. There was a lot of blood in that cell. Some of it had caked on the vampire¡¯s face, but the areas around his mouth had been licked clean. Despite being in brown, his eyes had an uncanny resemnce to Gmon¡¯s in certain unpleasant moments of vampiric frenzy.


    ¡°¡­what do you mean to do?¡± the patrician asked angrily. ¡°It¡¯s done. My secret is found, and now confirmed. You will have my support at the council. All I ask¡­ he¡¯s my nephew. His mother, my sister, she¡­ she died. I cannot. I will not,¡± he said emotionally, unable to even voice the idea of killing him.


    Argrave rubbed at his chin. ¡°Someone did this to him, you realize. Someone made him a vampire,¡± he pointed out. ¡°Your nephew¡­ I¡¯d like to make use of him. These vampires in Relize¡ªthey overextended. Your vote at the council is nice, but what I need¡­ is a little bit of help in catching that overextension.¡±


    Kretthan eyed him warily.


    #####


    Argrave looked around. He was in another decadent mansion. Maybe it was just imagination on ount of knowing the family well, but this ce seemed quite grim. There was much more gray and ck everywhere. It seemed he travelled from fancy ce to fancy ce without end ofte.


    Kretthan, his nephew, Gmon, and Durran apanied Argrave. The nephew, whose name was Wulfgan, was kept firmly at heel by both of hispanions. Durran was a littlex, but Gmon kept his hand on the back of the vampire¡¯s neck at all times. Wulfgan was fully sated, though, and looked like a terrified young man more than a dangerous vampire at present.


    ¡°That we have not been cast out is miracle enough,¡± Kretthan said. ¡°The usation you¡¯ve made against House Wratson will not be forgiven, even if they do not sit on the Grand Council,¡± the patrician said quietly. ¡°They are one of the founding houses of Relize. Their word bears immeasurable weight.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re listening to us, I hope you know,¡± Argrave informed him. ¡°Gmon, where are they?¡±


    ¡°One in the ceiling, just above that painting there,¡± the elven vampire said gruffly as ever. ¡°One¡¯s been waiting in front of the door for a time. Ceiling one has started moving now,¡± he gave livementary.


    As though to block hismentary, the doors swung open. A tall pale blonde man stood there, his expression stern and his green eyes cold. He looked quite neat. It was hard to guess his age just by appearance alone¡ªor at least, his age when he was turned into a vampire.


    ¡°I see we¡¯ve decided to skip the song and dance, get right into the heat of things,¡± Argrave said pleasantly. ¡°Wee, Mn Wratson. I¡¯m pleased that things could be kept amiable.¡±


    The vampire studied him. His green eyes were sharp yet warm, like a freshly bloodied knife. There was a strange presence to him and a deception to his appearance that was deeply unnerving. This was a man who had been cultivated and tempered over centuries. Being both an S-rank mage and a powerful vampire, he could be considered one of the most powerful men in Berendar. His bearing alone reflected that.


    ¡°You frightened my great-great grandson. I had no choice but toe,¡± Mn said. He had a rather concise voice, speaking words quickly and authoritatively.


    With no greeting returned, the vampire stepped quickly and sat across from Argrave and his party. Though alone and far smaller than Argrave was, Mn seemed to exude poise. It rather reminded Argrave of Castro. A fittingparison, too¡ªthey were likely the same age.


    ¡°Why did youe to my home?¡± Mn prompted. ¡°With so few guards¡­ you im to know me.¡±


    Argrave smiled, an answer prepared. Before he could give it, Kretthan insisted, ¡°Who is this? What is going on?¡±


    Feeling this was a good opportunity, Argrave shifted on the couch. ¡°Mn here is one of the former patricians of House Wratson. He was a C-rank mage, a long, long time ago¡­ but he turned himself into a vampire. I don¡¯t know the details, sadly,¡± Argrave shrugged wistfully. ¡°Now, he continues to watch over his house, keep it strong, rule it from the shadows. Sometimes he makes more vampires from among his family¡ªusually talented people. Like this, they¡¯ve been steadily expanding their influence. Time was, Mn was content with life eternal. Ofte¡­ the morose side of your family has gotten a bit greedy.¡± Argrave turned his head to Wulfgan. ¡°Case in point.¡±


    Mn studied Wulfgan. Argrave knew the vampire was ignorant of this newborn vampire¡¯s existence¡ªmost of this overextension wasn¡¯t his doing. But a big family is difficult to control, and doubly so when they¡¯re talented, often ambitious vampires.


    ¡°Why did Ie to your home?¡± Argrave leaned forward. ¡°Didn¡¯t have to. Could¡¯ve left this riskless¡ªgotten proof, sent word to any number of S-rank mages that are actively hunting vampires. An army of willing participants could¡¯ve swarmed into everything you own, annihted all of your still-dead family.¡±


    ¡°Yet you¡¯re here,¡± Mn said.


    Argrave nodded. ¡°Most of your family¡­ I¡¯ve seen a lot of vampires. Some use people like livestock. You¡­ keep it in the family. The feeding, that is.¡± Argrave leaned back. ¡°Still, the fact is, your fat needs to be trimmed, or you won¡¯t fit into what you¡¯re wearing currently.¡±


    Mn became a lunging blur in Argrave¡¯s eyes. Gmon moved in the same instance, nting one hand against Argrave and pushing him backwards. The couch skid back, weighed down by Argrave and Kretthan both. The two vampires met. Mn was monstrously strong¡ªfar more so than a normal vampire. Even still¡­ Gmon handled him like nothing, bashing him against the floor with both of his arms in a simple m.


    Once the vampire was subdued, Gmon drew and prodded the tip of his Ebonice axe against the vampire¡¯s stomach. If it pierced his flesh, Mn would have great difficulty casting spells below A-rank. And A-rank spells¡­ well, they were quite eye-catching. Thest thing a vampire coven in a big city wanted was attention. Despite all that, the vampire didn¡¯t know many truly devastating spells. The moment he became a vampire, he withdrew from the Order out of paranoia, and had only be S-rank after spending vast quantities of wealth.


    Argrave rubbed his chest where Gmon had pushed him briefly, expecting pain but feeling none. After experiencing that assault, he was somewhat d Anneliese was resting at the Dandn estate. Argrave rose. Kretthan stood up and ran for the door, but Durran stopped him from exiting. The nephew Wulfgan crawled to one corner of the room, eyeing everyone warily.


    ¡°Thought that might happen,¡± Argrave said steadily. ¡°Little show of intimidation, is it? I get it. You want to minimize losses. After all, this is quite the big happening¡ªanything you can do to get a better position, unnerve me¡­ you¡¯ll take it.¡± Argrave stepped a bit closer where Mn had been nted into the ground by hispanion. ¡°Let me inform you, though¡ªit¡¯ll take some of your best spells to hurt me. And even if you do, this information is already in the hands of some trusted and well-connected friends of mine. Sorry¡­ but this is no negotiation. It¡¯s a shakedown. Extortion.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Mn stared up at Argrave. Despite his outburst, and despite the axe almost piercing his stomach, his face was calm.


    ¡°Trim the fat? You ask me to kill my family?¡± the vampire said with eerie calmness.


    <em>They¡¯re dead already</em>, Argrave thought somewhat sarcastically.


    ¡°Most of them aren¡¯t your family, don¡¯t y that card on me,¡± he instead said, dismissive of the vampire¡¯sment. ¡°This overambitious distant kin of yours¡ªdo with them what you will. What I want is those <em>beyond</em> the family, those like Wulfgan. Your family is turning people into vampires that have no rtion to your family. You have an interest in seeing them dead as much as I do.¡±


    ¡°I should jeopardize the existence of my family by starting a crusade against vampirism in the ce I live?¡± Mn rebuked.


    ¡°I think your family is much more jeopardized by people like Wulfgan than any ¡®crusade¡¯ we might initiate,¡± Argrave looked to Kretthan¡¯s nephew calmly. ¡°And it isn¡¯t as though you¡¯re tied to this ce. Once we¡¯re done, you can go where you please.¡±


    Kretthan recovered from his fear somewhat and said, ¡°You want to kill my¡ª¡±


    ¡°I said those <em>like </em>Wulfgan,¡± Argave interrupted Kretthan. ¡°I¡¯ll keep my promise, fret not.¡±


    He caught a brief nce from Gmon¡ªthe elven vampire hated his own kind, and surely must¡¯ve disliked all Argrave was saying. Even still, it was necessary for his cure just as much as Argrave¡¯s cause. He couldn¡¯t feasibly kill all of the Wratson family in a reasonable amount of time¡ªin terms of military strength, they were the strongest family in Relize by far. He would need that.


    Mn eyed Gmon. The elf kept a close watch on the subdued man¡¯s hands, ready for spells of any kind. Then, Mn¡¯s gaze switched to Argrave.


    ¡°What do you suggest?¡± he finally asked.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to help me gather these wayward vampires up. I¡¯ll do the killing myself. And once Leopold is elected as the leader of Relize, you¡¯ll need to protect a contingent of mages heading into enemy territory,¡± Argrave exined. ¡°On top of that¡­ you¡¯ve a certain bowl that I require. ck as my hair, runes on its surface?¡±


    ¡°¡­you want that,¡± Mn said, voice low. ¡°What need have you of it?¡±


    ¡°Are extortion victims always so inquisitive?¡± Argrave raised a brow.


    Mn¡¯s green eyes moved to Gmon. ¡°And if I hold you hostage? Where does that fit in your n? You know I¡¯m an S-rank mage¡­¡±


    ¡°With things as they are¡­ I say, try,¡± Argrave invited.


    Mn raised his hand and cast a spell, and Gmon jammed the axe into the vampire¡¯s abdomen. The spell matrix fizzled then shattered, and Mn roared, struggling with Gmon without much effect. Royal-forged armor, an ancient crown with powerful enchantments on his head¡­ the elf was truly a force to be reckoned with.


    Argrave stepped a cautious distance away. ¡°Can we go back to a friendly extortion? Things don¡¯t have to be like this,¡± he said, almost pitying the man by this point.


    Mnid back against the ground, letting out a sigh as he gazed at the axe embedded in his stomach. ¡°You came well prepared,¡± he admitted calmly. ¡°I have never seen this axe¡¯s like.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve seen a little of my preparations, yes,¡± Argrave nodded, lying freely. ¡°But how might you answer, I wonder?¡±


    The vampire looked at him, his eyes calcting. ¡°I thought myself above extortion,¡± he said quietly. ¡°Well¡­ it seems I was wrong.¡±<!--


    -->

 Chapter 267: Big City Life

    Chapter 267: Big City Life


    With so much upying all of their time, the week in Relize moved faster than time seemed able to.


    Despite being disemboweled by Gmon, Mn seemed to bear no ill will in further discussion. The two of them quickly came to a consensus¡ªthat is to say, Argrave¡¯s extortion was wholly sessful. Once he¡¯d confirmed the root of the problem¡ªhis nephew¡¯s grandson¡¯s cousin, or some such distant rtive¡ªthe patrician that controlled his family in the shadows quickly acquiesced to Argrave¡¯s request.


    By the very next day, this problem child¡¯s body was found in the street drained of all its blood. No one recognized the man, but then that wasn¡¯t the point of it. Even without Elenore present to do some behind-the-scenes work, by the end of the day, talk of vampires preying on people reached every corner of Relize. Some spun it as an ill omen, seeing it as Argrave¡¯s doing. Argrave couldn¡¯t deny he was hurt by the notion but had some strange sort of satisfaction in knowing what he would be doing soon.


    For a few days, the rumors built. Argrave had much to upy his time¡ªbesides studying imbuing, he spoke to patricians at Leopold¡¯s direction¡­ all the unsavory aspects of politicking. The patricians needed to know that Leopold¡¯s leadership would ensure their future. Argrave was a cornerstone of Leopold¡¯s campaign, and so needed to sway on his behalf.


    Yet on the fourth day of the city¡¯s vampiric scare, Mn¡¯s family had assembled things. Argrave couldn¡¯t deny he wished Elenore was still present¡ªhaving her confirmation would be quite nice¡ªbut Argrave hade far enough without her. And so, Argrave met with Mn once more, a three-day-sober Anneliese with him this time. Her empathic confirmation that Mn did not intend to betray was good enough.


    Their purge was more ceremony than battle. Mn¡¯s overambitious descendent had taken control of nonessential and seedy parts of the city of Relize¡ªsmuggling and theft operations, for instance. These ces were the only ones vampires could operate undetected. The merchant families of Relize counted all their possessions down to single copper coins, and that included people¡ªcriminal enterprises were the only homes for them.


    Rivalries and outright war between patrician families or even simplymon merchants weremon. They raided each other, disrupting business and earning plunder. Captives were another good to be sold, another profit to be made¡­ and these offshoots of the Wratson vampire family had been more than happy to buy them. Vampires had a poor reputation around Berendar for a reason. Argrave felt no qualms in ending all of them.


    With Dandn retinues taking a central role, they initiated their purge early in the morning. These vampires, though strong and experienced fighters,cked equipment, preparation, and half-decent magic users. Mn provided ample magic users, while Leopold provided arms. With these two working in tandem, their disparate and spread-out bases were easy to dispatch.


    Argrave himselfmanded one assault, gathering them all up with hispanions and ten of Dandn¡¯s guards. Knowing death was near certain, they fought like cornered animals¡­ but knowing they were hard to kill, Argrave did not pull any punches. The vampires were easy to restrain with missing legs and arms.


    Once they were gathered¡ªnear fifty bloodsuckers¡ªDandn retinues brought them to the square just before the Assembly Chamber of Commerce and Governance. Some of the vampires burned beneath the daylight¡ªtheir regenerative abilities drew away the veil of life that hid their vampirism, just as it might for Gmon if he were to lose an arm or a leg without drinking blood enough to tame the beast after.


    Argrave did not wait for people to gather to give some grand speech¡ªthat might hint this was premeditated. A small crowd started to form as Argrave¡¯s people restrained the vampires againstrge, hastily brought stakes. He heard questions asked, people demanding answers from them.


    Argrave said only, ¡°I heard rumors spreading about me. I thought it best to correct the record by deed rather than word. Here are your vampires¡ªthey won¡¯t trouble you any longer.¡±


    Perhaps fifty people heard, but Argrave knew that was enough. Rumor had spread fast enough about these vampire¡¯s presence, and their demise would spread just as quickly. By the time they departed, the things were already turning to ash.


    Later that same day, back within the Wratson family home, Argrave dined with the vampiric patriarch.


    ¡°You could have drawn a lot more eyes to that,¡± Mn had noted to Argraveter, the two of them drinking from cups with very different liquids in each. ¡°For all that effort¡­ it¡¯s a rather humble showing.¡±


    Argrave smiled. ¡°It¡¯ll be inorganic if I have to force people to acknowledge what I¡¯ve done by screaming it from the rooftops.¡±


    The blonde vampire nodded. ¡°A fair point.¡±


    Argrave stared at the man expectantly, waiting. The vampire stared back, then slowly retrieved something.


    ¡°You thought I¡¯d forgotten?¡± he said, handing Argrave a ck bowl with strange red runes on it.


    Argrave received it, casting a nce back at Gmon. ¡°The thought never even entered my head,¡± he assured. ¡°I look forward to further dealings, Mn. Provided your family can be civilized¡­ I¡¯m not an enemy to vampires, necessarily.¡±


    Mn nodded, moving his cup about. His gaze went to Gmon. ¡°I see that.¡±


    Argrave didn¡¯t linger long in conversation.


    With Argrave¡¯s connections with the Wratsons and the Dandnsrgely secured, Argrave felt he could rx somewhat. These two had unquantifiable sway in the city. But despite feeling he could rx, he didn¡¯t. Instead, he became little more than a glorified schmoozer for the few days until the next council meeting.


    He and Anneliese attended party after party by invitation of concerned patricians. It was a challenging thing to keep in mind the attitudes and persuasions of each of the patrician families in all of Relize¡ªthere were thousands of names to keep track of, and each of them with their own story and desires. All that said, it was an intensely fulfilling thing. Part of it was doing so with Anneliese, yet therger part was simply because he enjoyed it.


    It wasn¡¯t the luxury of things, Argrave knew. He liked the architecture of their estates well enough, but small portions of too rich food and what amounted to foul-tasting grape juice called wine had little appeal to him. Instead, Argrave found himself engrossed in the people. The majority of them were horrible people, and he would never truly think them his friends¡­ but learning how they worked, what they wanted, and how he might win them to his side was a deeply satisfying thing.


    This realization bothered Argrave and stuck in his mind. On a particrly fruitful night wherein they made a wonderful impression on a patrician family, Argrave asked Anneliese what she thought of it.


    ¡°Some people enjoy thepany of others,¡± Anneliese suggested, leaning out over a stone balcony and staring down into the rushing river below.


    Argrave stared at her neatly braided white hair, tantly admiring her. ¡°That¡¯s the thing. I don¡¯t. It¡¯s not about them. I don¡¯t even like most of them. But persuading them, swaying them¡­ manipting them?¡± Argrave finally said. He felt it was an ugly word. ¡°I do enjoy that.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re worried there¡¯s something wrong with you,¡± Anneliese looked to him, her brilliant amber eyes as piercing as ever.


    ¡°I guess,¡± he admitted.


    ¡°Elvenkind, humankind¡­ we are animals. We are the strangest animals to ever walk. Few others act as we do. And¡­ because of that¡­¡± she looked around. ¡°We built this city. We built that great wall of ice in Veiden, that lighthouse of ck me on its coast¡­ we built Dirracha, Sethia, the Lionsun Castle¡­¡± Anneliese settled her gaze against Argrave. ¡°We are strange animals. And all of this progress was brought about by strange people that had strange tendencies. Whether divinely ordained or mere happenstance, our oddities make us great.¡±


    Argrave felt a chill from her words, caught off guard. ¡°Did you have that speech prepared? Damn.¡±


    Annelieseughed. ¡°No, no. It is something I thought about a lot when I was younger. ¡®Why am I this way?¡¯ I asked that question so many times. I was a strange person. Those thoughts¡­ just the summary of years of introspection. I felt that they fit your dilemma.¡±


    Argrave gazed at her, feeling a resurging warmth in his body. Being here, now¡­ he could say he was d things had gone as they had.


    The next day, just the night before the council was to reconvene¡­n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°¡­and here¡¯s thest one,¡± Mnie dered, setting a chest down at Argrave¡¯s feet.


    ¡°Forgot how much this was,¡± Argrave reflected.


    The enchanted items from the living fortress near Dirracha, the items pilfered from the Archduke¡¯s Pce, and the gear taken from Induen¡¯s retinue¡­ it made a great haul suitable for a dragon to nest upon, at least by Argrave¡¯s estimation.


    ¡°Here. The manifest,¡± Mnie handed another box to him with a key atop it.


    ¡°Another enchanted lockbox. Elenore remains secure as ever,¡± Argrave received the box. ¡°Well¡­ gods. This¡¯ll take some time to go through. Thank you, Mnie. You¡¯re reliable, too.¡±


    The scarred mercenary seemed to dismiss the praise easily, saying, ¡°If I wasn¡¯t, I¡¯d be paid less.¡±


    ¡°Well, you deserve that much. I hope you stick by my sister for a long, long while,¡± Argrave said.


    Sincerity seemed to put Mnie ill at ease. She quickly turned around, grabbing her discarded de. ¡°You¡¯ve given me cause to ask for a raise.¡±


    I¡¯m hoping for your sake, not hers, Argrave reflected, but kept those words to himself. He wasn¡¯t quite sure how to win genuine loyalty from Mnie. She was a protagonist, her choices dictated by the yer. It made who she truly was a little pliable, just as Nikoletta, Stain, or Ruleo.


    ¡°Ask for it,¡± Argrave implored. ¡°Grow old working under her. And, uh¡­ speaking of¡­¡± Argrave furrowed his brows. ¡°When¡¯s Elenore going to be back? She¡¯s been gone an awfully long while.¡±


    Mnie shrugged. ¡°Couldn¡¯t say,¡± she said simply, casting a nce at Anneliese. Like she waste, Mnie quickly exited.


    ¡°She could say,¡± Anneliese disagreed once the woman was far away. ¡°She lies.¡±


    Argrave frowned, turning about. ¡°By Elenore¡¯s direction, I would guess¡­¡± Argrave sighed. ¡°Can¡¯t help but be worried.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s tough,¡± Durran assured Argrave. ¡°She¡¯ll fix things, return quickly.¡±


    ¡°I wonder,¡± said Argrave musingly.


    Durran kicked at the chests that had been arrayed before them. ¡°You said we might make use of some of these?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. If we¡¯re lucky¡­ all of these will be a considerable upgrade. They can open up new ways of fighting, even. What we don¡¯t use, we either sell or outfit some of our troops. Might be we even sell them to our troops,¡± Argrave knelt down. ¡°I¡¯m thinking we¡¯ll go through them tomorrow while the council reconvenes.¡±


    ¡°Won¡¯t be there?¡± Gmon asked.


    ¡°No,¡± Argrave stood back up. ¡°They¡¯re meeting in their Assembly¡ªthe sewage problem¡¯s been fixed. We¡¯ve been barred along with the delegates from Atrus in order to avoid ¡®undue foreign influence¡¯ on decisions.¡± Argrave looked around. ¡°It¡¯s long overdue for us to rx, talk, do something menial. I say we make this a group effort. We¡¯ll go through these while we wait for the council results¡ªelection results, I guess.¡± Argrave looked at Gmon. ¡°We can talk about this bowl, Gmon¡­ and further, your trajectory.¡±


    None protested, and so Argrave nodded happily.

 Chapter 268: Acquisitions

    Chapter 268: Acquisitions


    ¡°Come on, check it out,¡± implored Durran, gesturing towards Argrave.


    ¡°No, I won¡¯t ¡®check it out.¡¯ Where the hell did you get a hand, anyway?¡± Argrave said incredulously, looking at hispanion¡¯s hands. All three of them, that is.


    Durran waved the hand, its fingers stiff and floppy. ¡°From the vampires. One of them lost it, and I kept it. Not like they need it anymore¡ªthey all burned up beneath the sun.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to be performing necromancy here,¡± Argrave said decisively. ¡°Just give it up.¡±


    ¡°Come on,¡± Durran urged, moving to the trunk in the center of the room. ¡°The manifest said this little bracelet stores souls¡ªthat it¡¯s full of them. We have everything we need. I really want to try this out,¡± the former tribal said, golden eyes veritably glowing. ¡°I¡¯ve learned so much from what Garm wrote.¡±


    Argrave caressed his temple, casting a nce at Anneliese. In light of the morbidity, it was difficult to treat this with any degree of amusement. Finally, hemanded, ¡°Gmon, take the hand, please.¡±


    The elven vampire moved to action. Durran backed away, holding his hand close to his chest¡ªthe detached one, that is. Rather than grab at the hand, Gmon grabbed Durran¡¯s wrist and the tribal winced in pain. His grip loosened, and the vampire took it.


    ¡°Not in the city,¡± Argrave pointed at Durran as Gmon hid the hand somewhere. ¡°Once we¡¯re not in a city any longer, I¡¯ll consider it.¡±


    Durran shook his head. ¡°If not now, then not ever. It¡¯ll rot,¡± he said inmentation.


    ¡°There¡¯ll be more hands, and soon,¡± Argrave assured. ¡°Felipe¡¯s force might be crippled, the north and south arrayed against him¡­ but the central stretch of the kingdom is still firmly in his hands. Our first priority is that fortification in Indanus Divide. And all of this is assuming that Leopold is indeed elected leader,¡± Argrave said slowly.


    Everyone looked around, offering no response. Despite being in Leopold¡¯s mansion the entire day, no news reached them. The Assembly was irond, and no information leaked from the Grand Council. It was impossible to tell how things were going. Of course, Anneliese could keep tabs on the meeting with her Starsparrow¡­ but Argrave asked her not to. He couldn¡¯t influence things¡ªthe prospect of knowing what was happening made him deeply uneasy, regardless of whether it was positive or negative. All he wanted was the result.


    ¡°So¡­ to summarize¡­¡± Argrave warded his thoughts away by shaking his head and walked over to the things they¡¯d been examining. ¡°Durran¡­ you are now the best-equipped out of everyone here.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± the man rubbed his head in embarrassment. Perhaps Argrave should be mentally referring to him as ¡®their necromancer,¡¯ now. ¡°You still have that crazy blessing. Gmon¡¯s got his axe¡ªdon¡¯t have one of those. Maybe I can get one, soon.¡±


    As was to be expected of loot lifted from the necromantic Order of the Rose, much of it pertained to necromancy. There was that bracelet, for one. It was capable of binding impermanent souls within forter use. It kept them safe for a long while¡ªcenturies, even, given that it was partially filled even now. Souls stored in that manner lost all of their subtler touches, though, and were incapable of recreating creatures like those in the Low Way.


    Maybe Argrave¡¯s soul wouldn¡¯t degrade in that manner if it were kept in that bracelet. He didn¡¯t care to test the theory.


    Beyond that, the artifacts contained many useful instruments for necromancers. Much of them could be replicated by spell¡ªsoul harvesters, flesh sculpting knives, that sort of thing¡ªbut the fact remained that Durran had all he needed to create whatever manner of creature that he wished. That bracelet might be useless for creatures like those in the Low Way, but¡­ others weren¡¯t.


    Argrave had little doubt Durran could recreate the Guardians of the Low Way if he had the time, inclination, and the raw materials. Considering they were about to go to war, the raw materials were about to be a rathermon thing. Even still¡­


    ¡°Necromancy is hated in Berendar,¡± Argrave told him. ¡°Most everywhere you go, you won¡¯t be able to make use of it.¡±


    ¡°I think I can be the judge of that,¡± Durran refuted. ¡°I¡¯ve been reading these books. I know what I can make.¡±


    Argrave nodded, knowing he was right. In the distant future, necromancy was to be an incredibly useful skill, its potency doubled by some of the gods¡¯ blessings. Argrave¡¯s Brumesingers were testament to the strength of necromancy¡ªthey provided bodies, shields. The higher body counted necromancy offered was invaluable on its own, even excluding its other practical applications.


    ¡°Do you know what¡¯ll happen when the boundaries between our realm and the gods¡¯ realm weakens?¡± Argrave questioned. ¡°It¡¯s called corruptive magic for a reason. All these Order of the Rose fortresses¡­ their creationsy idle. They guard what they were bid to guard. But Gerechtigkeit will bend their purpose, subvert their creators. And every abomination wille surging up from the depths of the earth, sowing discord by ughter.¡± Argrave gestured towards Durran. ¡°The necromantic things you make¡­ you¡¯re still alive, so they won¡¯t be taken from you right away. But you¡¯ll be fighting against that corruption. Knowing that, is this the path you want to take? I¡¯m not trying to dissuade, just¡­ give advice.¡±


    Durran stared back at Argrave, seeming uncertain himself. Then, his eyes hardened, and he nodded decisively. ¡°Be a shame to let Garm¡¯s legacy die with him.¡±


    Argrave looked to Anneliese, raising his brows up as he acknowledged the man had a point. ¡°Alright. Don¡¯t say you didn¡¯t know,¡± Argrave concluded, deciding to drop the subject and move on. ¡°Besides those things¡­ we got some items for me. Like this nice little bracer that can makes me into a cutter,¡± Argrave reached down and picked up something silver.


    Argrave held a silver bracer. It had dark grooves all along its surface with ss that presently only disyed silver. The thing had a magic formation on the inside. It didn¡¯t fit far up Argrave¡¯s arm because of how thick his wrists had be, but it did fit. He wasn¡¯tfortable putting it on all the way quite yet.


    Its appearance was new, yet even still this bracer was quite familiar to him. It slowly drained HP¡ªor now in reality, Argrave¡¯s blood¡ªuntil charged. Once charged, any blood magic would draw upon its supply before harming the yer. In ¡®Heroes of Berendar,¡¯ it had been useless. Far better things could go on your wrist, and the equipment slot had never been justified¡ªyers would suffer the HP hit from blood magic dly. Now, though¡­ casting blood magic without repercussions even once? That was a huge thing. No risk of anemia, no discoordination¡­ they were rare, so he hadn¡¯t hoped to find it. Then again, that qualified for many items¡ªhe guess he¡¯d just gotten lucky.


    Argrave set the bracer aside. ¡°That bracer, then this.¡± He raised a pair of ratty gray gloves, slightly worn from centuries of neglect.


    These gloves, while not exactly protective, coordinated extremely well with his preferred element¡ªelectricity. They were like Gmon¡¯s Giantkillers in a sense, but rather than catching whole spells, they collected a small charge from all lightning spells cast. The effect was like a tiny me before the two blue infernos that were the Giantkillers they¡¯d collected from the mountains in the Burnt Desert, but it could certainly help Argrave out in a hand-to-hand pinch.


    Argrave set the gloves atop the bracer. ¡°For Anneliese¡­¡± Argrave knelt and picked up some boots. They were man¡¯s boots, but they fit her¡ªshe was quite tall, after all. Argrave was too big to wear them, and Durran ceded them to her.


    These boots were for mobility. They had wind enchantments¡ªstrong wind enchantments that were quite durable and used the caster¡¯s supply of magic instead of their own. Anneliese had used some magic of that sort in the past, so they probably fit her best in terms of aptitude. Whether moving faster, moving upwards, slowing a descent¡­ these boots could do it all. They were best for thieves that utilized magic like Ruleo, but Anneliese would make ster use of them, Argrave had no doubt.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Argrave looked at the heavy leathers, feeling d it was Anneliese who would have them. Anything that kept her a little more able to avoid harm made him happy.


    ¡°I look forward to trying them,¡± Anneliese said honestly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t doubt it,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°The stuff from Induen¡¯s retinue will take a little longer, ording to this manifest¡­ our battle with him depleted them, and they need to be recharged now that they¡¯ve been identified,¡± Argrave picked up the paper. ¡°Even still, once we have them? You all saw how long Induen held out against us. We¡¯ll upgrade our defensive capabilities massively.¡±


    Argrave prepared to move on to Gmon and his ck bowl, taking the thing in his hand.


    ¡°Induen held out against you,¡± Durran corrected him. ¡°Monster that you are. If we¡¯re getting his gear, well¡­ looking forward¡ª¡±


    Durran turned like he¡¯d seen something. Perplexed, Argrave turned too. Just outside of the ward blocking off their conversation, someone stepped through a now-opened door.


    Argrave dispelled the ward. ¡°Elenore,¡± he called out. ¡°Sister,¡± he said, reminding himself to use that word. ¡°Wee back!¡±


    ¡°Good afternoon, Argrave,¡± she greeted. She dressed in ck, today.


    Argrave gave her a hug¡ªit was starting to feel natural, he found. After, he pulled away and held her thin shoulders. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you again,¡± he said, smiling.


    ¡°I was gone but a short while,¡± she shook her head dismissively.


    ¡°And you returned at a perfect time,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°The Grand Council is going to decide how much it likes me and my ancient adoptive grandfather Leopold today,¡± he said with some swagger. ¡°I am definitely not nervous, not a whit, not a speck¡­¡± he finished with sarcastic anxiety, sping his hands together. ¡°So, your troubles in Atrus¡­ they¡¯re over with?¡±


    Elenore did not smile, saying simply, ¡°The situation in Atrus is being resolved. I am rather confident in its sess.¡±


    ¡°Excellent! Let¡¯s¡ª¡±


    ¡°Your agents faced no troubles in Atrus, did they?¡± Anneliese stated out of the blue. ¡°No one was hunting them.¡±


    Elenore remained quiet, lips pursing as she wandered for an answer. Then, she said, ¡°I never imed they did.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Anneliese shook her head. ¡°As I recall, you said Levin was hostile to you in the pce, implying that was the same in Atrus. But if Atrus was truly a negotiating tform as you thought¡­ Levin would not be hostile to you, would he? And he cannot be hostile. Those delegates would not coborate if he was,¡± she continued. ¡°Those delegates that we never met.¡±


    Elenore stepped a little further into the room. ¡°We ought to continue this conversation under ward,¡± she implored them.


    Argrave took a deep breath and exhaled. Anneliese¡¯s conviction came out of left field, but he knew she did not mention things like this she was not certain of. This woman dressed in ck that he gazed upon¡­ he felt he was back in the past a few weeks, meeting the Bat for the first time. Nevertheless, he conjured his ward to shield the room once again.

 Chapter 269: Lesser

    Chapter 269: Lesser


    ¡°The mantle will look splendid on you, prince Levin,¡± the male tailorplimented, both of them admiring his figure in the mirror.


    Indeed, Levin agreed with the assessment. Rather than traditional Vasquer colors, he had elected to don new colors¡ªa rich burgundy, ented by gray and golden buttons. Three days from now, he would form the Kingdom of Atrus, and take the name Levin of Atrus¡ªhis new house bore gray and burgundy as its colors. It signified his intention to abandon his im on Vasquer.


    The colors didn¡¯t go quite as well with his physical features as ck and gold, but it was more than sufficient. He wore a heavy ceremonial garb, overtop it all a thick royal mantle. Somehow, the tailor had managed to make a gradient on the fabric, from a dark maroon to light on the lower portions. It had cost a fortune¡­ but then, the king¡¯s treasury had ample coin to pay any and all.


    ¡°This will do nicely,¡± Levin adjusted the mantle. He would, ostensibly, only wear this once¡­ perhaps it was a waste. Even still, he did like the way it looked.


    Amotion broke out in the hallway, and Levin¡¯s head jerked to the side. The tailor stepped away from Levin, rmed, and set his scissors down on the nearby table. He stepped to the door, yet before he could open it burst open.


    ¡°Bernard! Wait for the soldiers!¡± a voice called out from deep down the hall, but a fully armored knight burst past. His sword rushed out at the tailor, piercing the unarmored man¡¯s throat easily.


    Levin braced himself forbat, staring upon this new assant. He was a knight of Duke Rizzart, the man whom he¡¯d coborated with in forming the kingdom of Atrus. Levin was betrothed to his daughter. Either he¡¯d been betrayed, or there was an infiltrator amongst the Duke¡¯s man. He mentioned soldiers, so Levin thought it might be the former.


    ¡°I won¡¯t wait,¡± the man called back to his friend in the hall, pulling his de free of the tailor. ¡°He¡¯s seeing the tailor, got no weapons¡­ if I get his head, I¡¯ll be moving up in the world. So, little rebel¡­ die nice and easy.¡±


    The other knight joined up with them. Levin eyed them both, eerily calm despite the situation. He grabbed at his royal mantle, unsping it from his shoulder. One of the knights rushed, preparing to cast a spell. Levin pulled off the mantle and threw it at him, his other hand casting a me spell to set it alight.


    The fiery cloak wreathed the man, and Levin darted towards the table, grabbing the tailor¡¯s scissors. He split them in two, now bearing in hand two improvised knives. The other knight took a cautious stance, ready for Levin, yet the prince ran towards a window. With a spell of wind, he broke the ss. Managing the scissor de awkwardly, he pinched his fingers together and whistled through them¡ªloud and shrill, it echoed out the window.


    ¡°Jump,¡± the knight suggested to Levin. ¡°Do a flip, even. Might be you live, little wayward prince.¡±


    With his signal sent, Levin faced his two opponents neatly. He ced one finger in the hole on each scissor handle and spun them about, silently taunting his opponents. One of them seemed capable of casting spells, and Levin watched this man warily.


    Hide your hand. Wait for an opportunity, he judged even as the man prepared a spell.


    Lightning struck his chest in a moment too fast to process, and the distance was narrowed. Levin returned the spell then cast a simple ward¡ªa quick barrage from the opposing knight broke it. Emboldened, they both pressed forth. Just then, Argrave used the ring on his finger to cast a B-rank ward, splitting them in two.


    Levin dropped one scissor de and caught the wrist of the right-side knight as he swung his sword, then jammed the other de into the knight¡¯s helmet socket. The de wasn¡¯t long enough to prate deep, but the man roared in pain, half-blinded. Keeping his grip on the de, Levin kicked the man away.


    Changing targets, Levin tackled the other knight, using his superior size to his advantage. The cold metal of his foe¡¯s steel te made the tackle hurt dreadfully. Landing atop the knight, he pushed past his pain, grabbed the man¡¯s helmet to expose his neck. Levin knifed the man in the neck half a dozen a times, only turning when he saw movement in the corner of his eyes¡ªthe other knight swung his sword.


    Levin flinched away, yet the tip of the sword cut deep into and out of his shoulder. He hissed in pain yet grabbed the de of the man he¡¯d killed and rose to his feet. His shoulder felt as though it was ame, yet the prince could give no time to the pain. Steel met steel second by second as they shed, each parrying and attacking with all the ferocity of men who felt they might die. What few breaks each gave the other were soon filled by magical assaults.


    Eventually, the half-blinded man,cking depth perception, made a fatal miscalction of the length of his de,ing just short of slicing Levin¡¯s face off. The prince stabbed his sword into the man¡¯s knee where the joint of the armor offered entrance. The man was forced to kneel. Levin seized the opportunity, stabbing the man in the neck with the de of the tailor¡¯s scissors. He pushed on it hard, then pulled it free. The man gurgled, then copsed to the floor.


    Levin stood there for a moment, eyes jumping between the two of them. He gazed down the long hallway, his breathing heavy and his heartbeat erratic. Remembering his ce, he healed the wound on his shoulder with his magic and stepped to the window.


    The prince¡¯s personal guard¡ªnot the royal guard, but those he¡¯d picked personally¡ªwere locked inbat with some of the castle garrison. And beyond the castle, beyond the town¡­ a steady stream of soldiers made their way to the gate. They did not prepare for siege¡­ but rather walked towards the wide-open entrance. Everything was executed perfectly. If not for these overeager knights, he would not have known the threat came.


    #####


    ¡°Levin made a few fatal mistakes,¡± Elenore exined dispassionately. ¡°To begin with, he didn¡¯t tell Felipe that I was the Bat. I assume he wanted to retain the possibility of an alliance between Atrus and us. His second mistake¡­ was assuming I would not work with Felipe.¡±


    Argrave looked at Elenore sitting opposite him. ¡°Fatal,¡± he repeated. ¡°You¡¯ve killed Levin.¡±


    ¡°It may have happened, yes. But that wasn¡¯t my target,¡± Elenore exined. ¡°Felipe had royal knights defect to Levin deliberately. The prince didn¡¯t trust them, of course¡ªthey weren¡¯t his people. But he didn¡¯t reject them or execute them. He let them ¡®maintain the peace¡¯ in Atrus¡ªa minor task, but it gave them purpose and action in the kingdom and kept them far away from himself. Another of his mistakes,¡± Elenore shook her head.


    Durran sat down beside Argrave. ¡°Just tell us what you did,¡± he insisted.


    Elenore took a moment to collect her thoughts. Before she could, however, Anneliese said, ¡°That time we stopped in the outskirts of Dirracha¡ªyou got in contact with Felipe. That was the day we didn¡¯t see you,¡± she imed.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Elenore nodded. ¡°The king may have guessed who I was, but he didn¡¯t know. So, Felipe was amenable to working with me,¡± she exined. ¡°I approached as the aggrieved Bat, insisting the incident had been a misunderstanding. And I offered my help against Levin. This was done through agents, naturally.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°But what did you do?¡± insisted Argrave through clenched teeth. ¡°Why the secrecy?¡±


    ¡°I helped Felipe establish contact with certain traitorous elements within Atrus. He promised pardons to them, arge share of the riches plundered from the royal treasury, and increases in territory. Mostly lies. I doubt he has the capacity to enforce those promises,¡± Elenore stated, crossing her arms. ¡°And I helped his ¡®defected¡¯ royal knights get in position to assassinate certain key figures.¡±


    Argrave took a deep breath. ¡°Who?¡± he pressed.


    ¡°Most of them,¡± she said simply. ¡°Most of the leading nobles of Atrus. Any figures that were key to the kingdom¡¯s cohesion. People were raised to take their ce¡ªDuke Rizzart¡¯s brother, for instance, will assume control of the Dukedom of Upper Siluz. Levin may die¡ªI think it likely he¡¯s captured, honestly¡ªbut regardless, there will be no King of Atrus. That realm has shattered. Balkanized¡­ I think you called it,¡± she finished, sinking back into the couch with a joyless look about her.


    Argrave turned his gaze to the silver bracer he¡¯d examined earlier today, thinking of what to say.


    ¡°You deliberately spent more time with me to convince Argrave you hid nothing from him,¡± Anneliese suggested.


    ¡°I had to y around your talents, yes,¡± Elenore nodded. ¡°I felt I had a decent grasp on them. I never lied, not really. And this wasn¡¯t an emotional decision.¡±


    Argrave¡¯s gaze jumped back to her. ¡°Why did you do this? Why didn¡¯t you bring it up? Do you distrust me, distrust us?¡±


    ¡°Because I knew you would not sanction it,¡± she said at once. ¡°And because I knew it would be the most beneficial resolution to Atrus¡¯ problem. And¡­ I did tell you¡­ that I wouldn¡¯t forget what Levin had done.¡±


    ¡°How does this benefit us?¡± Argrave demanded of her.


    ¡°Do you think all of those nobles in Atrus will simply fall in line with Felipe? Some were offered pardons, sure. These ones are inconsequential to our future¡ªI made sure of that. Even more will join our side once you are coronated, seeking vengeance for the foul crimes perpetrated by Felipe. The king¡¯s hands are dirty, not yours,¡± Elenore shook her head, bronze jewelry ringing. ¡°It¡¯s on his te. His royal knights did it. His rule is further undermined.¡± She tilted her head at him. ¡°As I recall¡­ you had intended to win the allegiance of some northern nobles before Atrus was formed. Levin¡¯s actions disrupted those ns. Now the course is corrected.¡±


    Argrave stared at her for a long, long while. She offered no apology. Indeed, all she said belied an insistence that she was right. Everyone in the room looked ufortable with the situation, save perhaps the ever-stoic Gmon.


    ¡°So, you decided to kill hundreds of people¡­ because you thought I wouldn¡¯t like that,¡± Argrave summarized.


    Elenore remained silent for a few moments, then nodded. ¡°Yes.¡±


    Argrave nodded. It was a slow, bitter nod that repeated time and time again, like he was shaking his brain to move his thoughts about.


    ¡°I recall seeing something¡­ something Vasquer showed me, about your psyche. Your memories,¡± Argrave began. ¡°And I know enough about you, personally. Induen said that he wasfortable abandoning you if it suited him,¡± Argrave said, letting the words hang. ¡°I remember that hurt you. And now¡­ despite everything you¡¯ve seen¡­ you push me away. Push us away,¡± he said quietly.


    Elenore didn¡¯t respond.


    ¡°I don¡¯t get it,¡± Argrave said with a sigh. ¡°I feel¡­ sad.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t kill them, Argrave. Felipe did. I did,¡± she said quietly, almost infort.


    Argrave looked Elenore in her eyeless sockets. ¡°And that¡¯s why,¡± he returned. ¡°You made yourself lesser¡­ for me,¡± he finished, his voice a quiet whisper that still filled the room.


    Argrave rose to his feet and dispelled the ward. Blinking quickly, he wiped at his eyes. He stepped towards the door, saying nothing, and left. He stepped down the hallway of Leopold¡¯s estate, thinking about nothing at all. He turned a corner, passing by Ansgar. Startled, the man stopped and chased after Argrave.


    ¡°Argrave! Argrave,¡± Ansgar said,ing to stand before Argrave. ¡°I was justing with the news. The council decided to elect Leopold as leader!¡± the Dandn said excitedly.

 Chapter 270: Uncrowneds Council

    Chapter 270: Uncrowned¡¯s Council


    ¡°What exactly do I call you now?¡± Argrave questioned Leopold, his tone somewhatcking its typical vigor. He genuinely did not know. Relize never gained a leader in ¡®Heroes of Berendar.¡¯ This was a new development entirely divorced from what Argrave knew¡­ just as Elenore¡¯s actions were.


    The two of them sat alone in the Dandn patriarch¡¯s study. Things had simply ended up this way. He was unused to being anywhere without Anneliese, but right now he felt fine with it.


    ¡°The leader has no title,¡± Leopold shook his head. ¡°This position has been taken only once before. It has no name because it is fundamentally transitory. The Grand Council would not abide giving legitimacy to the position by assigning it a title¡ªI am merely the leader of Relize.¡± The aged patrician looked to Argrave. ¡°Soon enough, I¡¯ll be calling you ¡®your Majesty.¡¯¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°You¡¯ll put the crown on my head, most likely.¡±


    Leopold leaned into his desk. ¡°Less excited than I thought you¡¯d be.¡± The patrician pulled back a drawer, retrieving a casket. He pried it open with his knife, then retrieved a purple bottle. ¡°Want some wine? This is fine stuff, and I know you have quite a thirst.¡±


    Argrave shook his head. ¡°Enjoy it,¡± he said somberly. ¡°So, I suspect you¡¯ll be revoking the Rescindment of Profligacy and Corruption?¡±


    Leopold nodded. ¡°On the day of your coronation. Bit of¡­ sleight of hand. Hide something monumental behind something even more monumental.¡± The man thumbed at the cork, looking around for something to remove it. ¡°First thing¡­ we have to send the Relize magic architects out to that site you spoke of. They¡¯ll examine the mountain and determine if this fortress you intend to construct in Indanus is actually feasible.¡±


    Argrave¡¯s brain cleared for a moment, reminded of his duty. ¡°That¡¯s good. Don¡¯t forget to bring Mn along for that¡ªhe owes me.¡±


    ¡°Not sure how you managed that thing with the vampires¡­¡± Leopold shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m especially not sure how you got the Wratsons to help you with that. They¡¯re¡­ standoffish. It¡¯s aforting development, nheless. I never knew they had an S-rank mage in their service¡­ they¡¯re the only in Relize, I think¡­¡±


    ¡°Mmm,¡± Argrave nodded, not feeling his typical urge to show off or act grandiose. ¡°Leopold. If one of your sons killed someone, what would you do? And not in self-defense, not in passion¡­ but cold-bloodedly.¡±


    Leopold had been fiddling with the bottle¡¯s cork with his knife, but he stopped and looked at Argrave. ¡°What do you mean, ¡®if?¡¯ Rex did.¡±


    ¡°Rex?¡± Argrave repeated.


    Leopold nodded. ¡°Yes, Rex. He was¡­ well, he was a grandson,e to think of it¡­ but I loved him well enough to call him my son. His father died in a raid, you see, so I mostly raised him. He¡­¡± the patrician paused. ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about it. This is supposed to be a happy day, you damned fool,¡± he rebuked. ¡°Shortly put, I disinherited him and turned him over to the Council¡¯s hands.¡±


    ¡°Immediately?¡± Argrave pressed.


    ¡°¡­no,¡± Leopold admitted. ¡°It took¡­ some time. Had to change my mind¡­ see him for who he really was. See how I failed. Steel myself.¡± He shook his head, then stroked his beard once. ¡°Enough of this. Move on.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Argrave nodded slowly, staring at the windows behind Leopold and into the rushing river.


    #####


    ¡°I think you should give her a pass,¡± Durran said to Argrave. ¡°Maybe if you¡¯ve got another natural disaster on your radar, you might show it to her like you showed me that tower falling down. Got me in line, didn¡¯t it?¡±


    Argrave was in no mood for jokes, and he stared Durran eye-to-eye, waiting for the man to speak further. Though they sat in the dining hall, alone at dusk, neither touched the food before them.


    Durran¡¯s face hardened slightly when Argrave didn¡¯t even crack a smile. He exined himself seriously, saying, ¡°The people she disposed of¡­ cowards and opportunists. They¡¯d be the first to back out once it came time to fight Gerechtigkeit. She¡¯s established new leaders in Atrus¡ªones that she chose, ones that can help us.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d have traitors instead of cowards,¡± Argrave pointed out frankly. ¡°That¡¯s certainly reliable.¡±


    Durran shook his head. ¡°Most of them weren¡¯t aware of what Elenore is doing. Even the delegates that came here¡­ they didn¡¯t have any clue of Elenore¡¯s ns. She couldn¡¯t risk them telling you, after all.¡± The former tribal leaned in closely, moonlight shimmering against his golden tattoos. ¡°And she¡¯s right. Felipe orchestrated this, not her. She just¡­ helped him along.¡±


    Argraveughed, but not out of amusement.


    ¡°And think of it. Now, the king has spurred the north into opposition against the crown. They¡¯re further dividing their forces because more foes actively antagonize the loyalists,¡± Durran exined heatedly. ¡°This was the smart thing to do. We have to win this war.¡±


    ¡°All I see is more deaths on the board,¡± Argrave finally spoke his thoughts earnestly. ¡°So, Atrus was staying neutral¡ªgood. Fewer people die. More are ready to confront the true threat, Gerechtigkeit, unscarred by war and battle.¡±


    Durran leaned away a bit. ¡°Instead, you¡¯d have more of our people die fighting a stronger opponent?¡± He lifted his hands up. ¡°If we win easier, Argrave, much less of our people perish. Our people, with proven loyalty and steady allegiances.¡±


    Argrave shook his head.


    Frustrated, Durran pounded the table. ¡°Don¡¯t give me that ¡®defiled saint¡¯ act,¡± he said insistently. ¡°I talk with Gmon more than you might think. He talks. I know that you killed those druidic scouts. How was that situation different? These people hadn¡¯t harmed you, hadn¡¯t harmed anyone. But they were pivotal in gaining an advantage in battle, in war. You ughtered them all.¡±


    That gave Argrave pause. Was the situation different? He thought it was, but he had long agoe to terms with the fact that he¡¯d done that. Maybe his own bias was blinding him to the fact that Elenore had good reason to do what she did, no matter what line she¡¯d crossed.


    ¡°¡­if it was the same, why did she think she had to hide what she was doing from me, from all of us?¡± Argrave asked, not knowing the answer himself.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± even Durran, devil¡¯s advocate that he was being, couldn¡¯t answer that. ¡°I don¡¯t know, Argrave.¡±


    Argrave nodded,ing to much the same conclusion himself.


    ¡°The whole time I¡¯ve been travelling with you¡­ say what you will, but you always act as though you know best,¡± Durran said. ¡°You deceive people¡ªeven your allies¡ªto get them to do what you want. You started out deceiving Elenore. You think you have their best interests in heart. Like sister, like brother. You¡¯d be a hypocrite, parting ways with her.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Argrave began, but then realized he was just trying to defend himself of the usation of hypocrisy. ¡°Keep talking.¡±


    ¡°I wanted¡­ want,¡± Durran corrected. ¡°I want things to work out between the two of you. I¡­ well, you know me. You know my twin sisters, what they did,¡± he threw up his hands. ¡°They killed themselves. One in particr¡­ Chinusa. She did some terrible, terrible things to a lot of people before she went. It was¡­ I don¡¯t know. Maybe she was making everybody hate her before she dove to the other side. Or maybe she was seeing if there was anybody who¡¯d actually stick with her when all she did was test. Test, strain, and hurt.¡±


    Argrave looked at him, lost for words.


    ¡°Elenore¡¯s not really like Chinusa. I don¡¯t think¡­ I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any chance of her¡­ doing what she did,¡± he said, evidently having trouble saying it aloud. ¡°Their personality¡­ way too different. Regardless, Argrave¡­ I¡¯ve said my piece.¡±


    #####


    ¡°There is no guilt. No shame. Only conviction,¡± Anneliese told Argrave. ¡°She truly believes in what she did.¡±


    ¡°And how does she feel knowing she deceived?¡± Argrave pressed.


    The both of them sat on their bed. Gmon was there, too, standing near the door. As ever, he acted as their guard.


    ¡°If it bothered her overmuch, she would not have done it,¡± Gmon was the one to answer.


    Argrave turned his head to the usually stoic man. ¡°You have thoughts on this?¡±


    ¡°In war¡­ if you innovate, move the line on the bounds of what you¡¯re willing to do¡­¡± Gmon looked back, white eyes cold. ¡°The enemy will do it too.¡±


    Argrave furrowed his brows. ¡°Margrave Reinhardt didn¡¯t spread the gue in northernnds even once he¡¯d learned that¡¯s what was happening,¡± he disagreed at once.


    ¡°As was demonstrated today¡­ a leader doesn¡¯t control their subordinates absolutely,¡± Gmon pointed out. ¡°One of his people likely would have. The news never spread. And we stopped the gue. Something like this changes the culture of the war. Honor is needed for the future. With honor, you ensure what depths you sink to will not one day be returned to you redoubled.¡±


    Argrave lost himself to silence. He thought Gmon was right, at least partially. But then, Felipe would sink to any depth, so it was a somewhat pointless argument. And Gerechtigkeit¡­ no honor existed there. He was a bottomless pit.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry about this, Argrave,¡± Anneliese spoke. ¡°I was unalert. I noticed incongruities, but she had exnations on hand for each. I allowed myself to growx. Getting drunk¡­ what was I thinking?¡±


    Argrave shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s my fault. I didn¡¯t convince Elenore that we¡¯d be able to win without doing something this drastic. I didn¡¯t earn her trust well enough.¡±


    ¡°You absolve her too readily. She chose,¡± Gmon reminded him.


    Argraveid back against the bed. ¡°I¡¯ll need to talk to her again¡­ tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°What about?¡± Anneliese pressed.


    ¡°I think we should figure that out,¡± Argrave looked to Anneliese.


    #####


    Argrave knocked on a solid wooden door, then put his hands behind his back. A woman opened it¡ªArgrave recognized her. She often attended to Elenore. She cast a nce back, opened the door wider, and then stepped past Argrave. He walked inside the room.


    Elenore sat on her bed. She was leaning down, turning the cranks on her prosthetic feet to tighten the mps. Having donned much of the bronze jewelry, Argrave knew she saw him¡­ or perceived him, whatever the proper term was.


    ¡°You¡¯re here,¡± she greeted him normally, like whatever had happened was all but a dream. She finished her task and stood up. ¡°I have some tea. Mint, sweetened, just as you like it,¡± she stepped towards a table. ¡°I¡¯m surprised that Anneliese isn¡¯t with you.¡±


    Argrave shook his head and shut the door behind him. ¡°I don¡¯t need her here. Not for this.¡±


    Elenore did not spare a nce back. ¡°You¡¯ll have tea, I hope.¡±


    ¡°Sure, we can have tea,¡± Argrave agreed amiably. ¡°But I think I should get to the point right away.¡±


    Elenore stopped walking, turning back. ¡°Is that right?¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°Yes, it is. Simply put¡­ I don¡¯t think we can work together moving forward.¡±


    Elenore leaned against the table, and Argrave briefly thought he had surprised her so badly she lost her bnce. Her face was steady, though, telling him he might be wrong.


    ¡°¡­what do you mean?¡± she asked him, voice monotone.


    ¡°I made a mistake,¡± Argrave said. ¡°My parents always told me not to get into business with family. Guess they were right,¡± he broke off into a chuckle.


    ¡°So, you¡­¡± Elenore paused a long while. Her face shifted as she digested things. In the end, her face settled and she asked, ¡°What¡¯s going to happen?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ the ball is already in motion. I¡¯ll be going through with the war, the coronation¡­ but I can¡¯t, in good faith, involve you in things. I won¡¯t be consulting you. I won¡¯t be asking you for any more favors.¡± Argrave spread his arms out. ¡°I can¡¯t put it any other way. We won¡¯t be working together.¡±


    Elenore exhaled, crossing her arms and lowering her head. ¡°So¡­ I expect you¡¯ll want me out of Leopold¡¯s mansion, then?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Argrave corrected her at once. ¡°Far from it. You¡¯re as wee here as I am. I¡¯lle by asionally, talk, have some tea¡­ so long as I¡¯m wee. So long as you¡¯re willing to stay.¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m not following,¡± Elenore said after a time.


    Argrave sighed. ¡°Elenore¡­ sister,¡± he said somewhat forcefully, walking closer. He put his hands on her shoulders. ¡°I like you. I do. I know¡­¡± Argrave trailed off, gathering himself. ¡°I know that you wanted to help. I know that you don¡¯t feel like you did anything wrong. But I can¡¯t condone what you did. I can¡¯t work with someone who doesn¡¯t have faith in me,¡± he put it inly.


    ¡°You don¡¯t trust me,¡± she raised her head up to him, eyeless sockets seeming to fix him in ce.


    ¡°You would never harm me. You would never harm any of the people I care about. I believe that whole heartedly. Personally speaking, I think I could¡­ overlook what you¡¯ve done,¡± he admitted. ¡°Maybe that makes me a pushover. Even still, I believe you when you say what you did was in my best interest,¡± Argrave said confidently.


    Argrave took his hands off her shoulders. ¡°But there¡¯s a lot more at stake than me and mine. I¡¯m not going to weep over the people you helped Felipe assassinate. I didn¡¯t know them. But this is as far as we go. You knew I wouldn¡¯t want this result, yet you did it anyway¡ªno, that¡¯s not right. You did it secretly because of that.¡± He sighed once more and shook his head. ¡°Getting angry about it, trying to punish you¡­ that would be a ridiculous waste of time. I don¡¯t want to alienate you. But you have, it seems, a different destination in mind. If we both steer in opposite directions, we¡¯re bound to crash.¡±


    Elenore swallowed, turned her head to the side, then turned back. ¡°But what will you do? I mean¡­ we talked about your ns¡­¡± her voice was wavering slightly.


    ¡°That¡¯s my concern,¡± Argrave informed her with a sad smile. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, though¡ªall will be fine. Put it out of your mind.¡±


    The words clearly shook Elenore. Both of them knew she had said those exact words to Argrave in the past. ¡°But I came here¡­ I did what I did, to¡­¡± she couldn¡¯t finish her sentences.


    Argrave took a deep breath. ¡°I know. You gave up a tremendous amount. That¡¯s why I¡¯ll tell you this; if you need anything from me, I can help you. As a matter of fact, the time we travel to Vysenn to engage with the barbarian tribeses closer every day. I¡¯d like you toe with me so that you might be healed fully. I¡¯m not severing ties,¡± he assured her, giving her a hug. ¡°I just¡­ overestimated myself.¡±


    When Argrave felt Elenore shake slightly, he felt some twinge of guilt in his heart. But¡­ well, it was best to fight deception with deception, after all. Elenore would never see if he didn¡¯t do something drastic like this¡ªsomething that made her really reflect. After all, she still thought she did fundamentally nothing wrong.


    And once she had reflected? Well¡­ he¡¯d wee her back. Until then, he was the concerned yet disappointed family member.


    Argrave pulled away. ¡°Let¡¯s sit down, have some tea. How have you been feeling these days?¡±

 Chapter 271: Realities of War

    Chapter 271: Realities of War


    In the days toe, the news of Leopold¡¯s election to the position of leader of Relize washed across the coastal city. Argrave¡¯s thoughts of Elenore and their dilemma were washed away like a sandcastle overtaken by the tide. The tide, in this case, was the great deluge of work that Argrave involved himself in.


    Three days after Leopold assumed his office, news spread of his support of Argrave as a imant. Rumors had been whirling and many people were already privy to this information, but it was another thing to have it directly confirmed. The support of the people was not a rancorous uproar, per se¡­ but it was not a rejection. Argrave was liked well enough,rgely due to his actions with the vampires here in this city.


    The coronation was set to happen in five days after this announcement. It was to be a public ceremony right before the Grand Council¡¯s Assembly. Argrave would make a pledge to the people followed by a pledge to the Grand Council and Leopold. Following that, he had to make hundreds of pledges day by day. After all, he¡¯d promised to make a parliament that represented the interests of the realm, and it needed seats to fill it.


    ¡°This Parliament you intend to found is clearly going to be quite the grand institution¡­¡± Leopold noted, biting from an apple. ¡°How many seats will there be?¡±


    ¡°Promised a lot. At the very least, it¡¯s going to be¡­ hundreds,¡± Argrave shook his head, leaning over a nk draft document. ¡°I would just use the three estates as my model, but we¡¯recking one of them¡­ and things are quite different here in Berendar in general.¡± Argrave looked up, seeing Leopold¡¯s confusion. ¡°Ah, the three estates¡­ I travel a lot, you see. It¡¯s a system from elsewhere,¡± he exined.


    Anneliese put one hand on Argrave¡¯s shoulder, looking at the draft herself. ¡°The most influential people are the wealthy, the nobility, and the magic users of the realm. These match up well enough with your three estates, I should think.¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°I know. Even still, I don¡¯t want this to be some kind of council that promotes self-interest. We need good people on the seats¡ªpeople that I can trust to focus on the betterment of the realm.¡±


    Leopold scoffed. ¡°You¡¯d be better off putting dogs on the seats, then. At the very least I can promise that dogs love people. People that love people other than themselves are few and far between.¡±


    Argrave disagreed, straightening his back and gazing at Leopold determinedly. ¡°An assembly¡¯s culture is decided by itsposition. If we choose enough good people to take the seats¡ªdiligent and dedicated people¡ªthey could set the atmosphere of the Parliament for years toe. I¡¯ll take however long it takes to get the right people. And trust me¡ªthey exist.¡±


    Leopold grumbled but helped Argrave ably in finding these candidates. Much of their time was spent searching for people to ce in prominent positions. In the patrician families, there were only too many people trained in administration and management that were underutilized because of a variety of reasons. He might¡¯ve left the task to Elenore. Something of that nature was her specialty. Nevertheless, asking no favors of her was important for self-reflection. Even still, it cemented the importance of this n of his going well. He desperately needed Elenore.


    Nights were upied with studying imbuing, learning other B-rank spells with Anneliese¡¯s tutge, and helping out a certain vampire.


    ¡°You pour your fresh blood into this, then you drink,¡± Argrave exined. ¡°I just need you to do it every night, nothing more. If you do it more often than that, it¡¯ll be¡­ difficult to get you to stop.¡±


    ¡°It makes me feel bestial,¡± Gmonined, staring down at the ck bowl with runes on its surface. ¡°After I drink of it¡­ I feel stronger, sharper, true¡­ but I feel as though I value life less.¡±


    Argrave scratched the back of his neck. ¡°Well, I¡¯m sorry about that, but maybe takefort in that it¡¯s thest piece that we need for this ritual. It¡¯s on someone¡¯s person, and this individual wanders. They¡¯re not some bystander, either¡ªthey¡¯re a vampire, themselves. Drink your own blood from this bowl, you¡¯ll start to gain an intrinsic knowledge of where this piece is. In essence, you¡¯re imbuing your blood with some of the magic in this bowl,¡± Argrave shrugged. ¡°That¡¯s the only way we¡¯re to find this next item, the ss eye.¡±


    Gmon sighed, removing his gauntlet and setting it aside. He held his right hand over the bowl and stuck his finger into his wrist, letting blood drain out.


    ¡°I¡¯ll, uh¡­ I¡¯lle back when you¡¯re done,¡± Argrave inched towards the door.


    ¡°You¡¯re not telling me something,¡± Gmon looked at Argrave. ¡°You¡¯re always a little vague, but you¡¯re avoiding talking about this ritual itself.¡±


    Argrave paused, watching the blood drip from Gmon¡¯s wrist. ¡°You¡¯re not wrong,¡± he confirmed.


    ¡°Just tell me,¡± Gmon said inly. ¡°You owe me that much.¡±


    Argrave scratched at his chin, then stepped forward and sat in a chair. ¡°Well¡­ this ritual. When it¡¯s done, you won¡¯t be a vampire. But you won¡¯t be¡­ exactly like you were,¡± Argrave exined.


    ¡°Get to the point,¡± Gmon pressed.


    ¡°You¡¯ll retain certain¡­ beneficial qualities,¡± Argrave said hesitantly. ¡°Like¡­ regeneration, your senses, your strength¡­¡± Argrave held his hands out. ¡°But rest assured¡ªthe vampiric ¡®beast¡¯ you talk about, the need to drink blood, the inability to consume food: all of that will be gone. You will be elven again. Not normal, but¡­ elven. Trust me on this.¡±


    Gmon closed his eyes and pulled his finger out of his wrist. The wound closed up second by second. He opened his eyes, stared down Argrave, and drank of the ck bowl filled with his own blood.


    ¡°¡­we should get back to preparing,¡± the vampire said, betraying none of his thoughts on the matter.


    Ignorant of hispanion¡¯s thoughts, Argrave did just as the vampire suggested. Gmon was pivotal in the most important undercurrent to all of their preparations: the realities of war.


    Argrave¡¯s suspension of Elenore¡¯s services meant that they wouldn¡¯t have top-notch abilities to sabotage as Argrave had hoped for, at least not until Argrave decided to stop with this charade. It did leave him a fair bit ufortable about his n. He desperately hoped this time apart would help Elenore reflect¡­ otherwise, he¡¯d just be a huge fool.


    Leopold and all of the patricians of the Grand Council began the process of marshalling their forces. Mn Wratson, S-rank mage and vampire, escorted the architects contracted by the Grand Council of Relize to the Indanus Divide. They would examine the spot that Argrave had marked to determine whether or not it was truly a viable location for a fortress.


    Beyond that¡­ logistics upied the bulk of their time. Securing food, supplies¡­ fortunately, the patricians had a well-trained and well-equipped retinue, so they did not need to worry about arming their men, only feeding them. Leopold, who had arge hand in the non-patrician merchant ss that traded inmon items like grain, was more than capable of filling that role. Beyond trading, there were several viges nearby that would eagerly join for protection. Between Relize and these subsidiaries, they upied most of the Mideast.


    The newly-elected leader of Relize issued a mandate requesting a certain number of trained guardsmen from each patrician family. He offered incentives for exceeding this number, as well as the promise of possible advancement in the face of military sess. Those who lent high-rank spellcasters to the cause were given something very special¡ªexemption from Council and crown taxes. Argrave lent his name to this mandate to give legitimacy to the promises.


    That said, Argrave was very worried about their spellcasters. Mn Wratson was the only S-rank mage in the city. Beyond that, not many high-ranking spellcasters upied the Mideast. There were thousands of powerful spellcasters in the north¡ªa legacy of the former northern queendom that had been conquered¡ªand more in the south, which had both Jast and the Tower of the Gray Owl. Their spellcasters, in contrast, were sorelycking.


    For now, the only thing they received from the patricians was the promise of support, both in soldiers and spellcasters. But the promise was loud and the numbers significant. Leopold did not seem to doubt the numbers, and so Argrave elected not to, either. Things were shaping up to have a vaguely feudal army structure, wherein each patrician or their representative acted asmander of their own troops. Argrave briefly considered waiving this and establishing a military hierarchy of some kind, but he decided against it when he considered the scope of the task and hisck of military knowledge.


    Non-essential trading was halted altogether, and the docks became full of ships preparing for a war rather than a simple voyage. Seeing the changes happen day-by-day was like a weight shackled to Argrave that grew in size without an end in sight. He was telling these men to stop trading, stop living their lives¡­ and die for him. That pressure was enough to break a man, Argrave felt. The only thing that abated that overwhelming pressure even a little was knowing that their death was inevitable if they could not stand up to Gerechtigkeit.


    Without Elenore¡¯s help, engaging the fractured state of Atrus was a fruitless effort for now. Ideally, whoever left would engage in battle against Vasquer all on their own. Perhaps Elenore might take a hand a things¡ªArgrave wouldn¡¯t stop her. It was her prerogative. Even still, their n remainedrgely unchanged. They¡¯d secure the Indanus Divide, make contact with the south to see if they were amenable to coordination, secure the north, and strike at Vasquer. In rough, oversimplified terms, they¡¯d seize key strongholds piece-by-piece until they made it to Dirracha itself.


    In truth, Argrave was surprised Felipe still drew breath. In ¡®Heroes of Berendar,¡¯ the king always died rtively quickly. Sometimes Induen was responsible. Sometimes the king got himself killed. Sometimes he died from the gue. The yer could even have a hand in things directly. Unintentionally, Argrave had managed to extend the king¡¯s life the longest he¡¯d ever seen it.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    But the king remained in Dirracha. If the capital was seized, that would likely spell the end of Vasquer resistance. The nobility would be willing to fall in line, and the south would surely follow the Margrave if Reinhardt decided to ept Argrave¡¯s new position. Even if they didn¡¯t, Argrave could reach out to Castro. He¡¯d nted the seeds there¡ªthe Tower Master of the Order of the Gray Owl would likely be investigating Gerechtigkeit. His support alone would lend him unprecedented authority.


    Ostensibly, they stood at a position of impending sess. Even with the setback of Elenore¡¯s imposed and ongoing self-reflection, Felipe had so desperatelyshed out against Levin because he was in dire straits. Levin¡¯s exposure of the king¡¯s misdoings likely cemented the righteousness of the Margrave¡¯s rebellion and swelled his forces with new supporters. Relize was firmly under Leopold¡¯s control.


    This position of impending sess was generally where things went belly up. Wildcards remained. Orion remained absent, and Argrave did not yet know Levin¡¯s fate. Both of these uncertainties might be remedied by keeping Elenore¡¯s counsel. He couldn¡¯t, though. He had to make sure that she would keep him in the loop. And this method¡­ it was the best that he knew.


    Yet Elenore did not reach out. That fact stung at him even when the day of his coronation came.

 Chapter 272: King of Vasquer

    Argrave did not sleep on the night before his coronation. This, naturally, worried him to no end¡ªhe didn¡¯t want to be seen before all as a tired-eyed monarch with dark bags beneath his eyes. That worry did nothing to help him sleep, of course.


    Very early in the morning, before the suns had even risen above the distant mountains, Ansgar of Dandn came into Argrave¡¯s room. He told him of the n for today, and Argrave listened diligently despite already knowing how things would y out.


    When it was done, Ansgar left, leaving Argrave alone with Anneliese once again. Sheid against the bed, still-half-asleep. She had slept well, despite everything.


    ¡°Wish I could make a third pledge,¡± Argrave said once he was gone. ¡°I¡¯ll make my pledge to the people, make my pledge to the Grand Council¡­ and then my pledge to you,¡± he leaned down until his nose brushed against hers.


    ¡°No,¡± she said in a yful, yet tired haze. She bopped him on the nose with her finger. ¡°Bad. Terrible idea. I will be up there with you, per your insistence. That is bad enough.¡±


    Argrave¡¯s face hardened. ¡°Christ, Anneliese, you¡¯re more than half of the reason I¡¯m here today. If you¡¯re not¡ª¡±


    ¡°I know. Please, do not take that seriously,¡± she quieted him calmly. ¡°I need no honors, prestige. But if you insist on giving them to me¡­¡±


    Argrave leaned down and kissed her, then whispered, ¡°I do. I can¡¯t be the only one that suffers in this. Going to drag the rest of you into the spotlight with me.¡±


    Sheughed, then pushed him. ¡°Go on. The preparations for this will take some time.¡±


    #####


    The day was quite fair. Some light snowfall came and went during the night, but all it achieved was slightly nketing the city in white¡ªan ill attempt by whatever gods had called the snow, for the city was already mostly made of marble and needed no nket of white. Still, by the time Argrave departed for the Assembly Chamber of Governance and Commerce, the snow was already being cleared.


    Once there, Argrave was greeted by Leopold and the selection of people that had been designated for the coronation ceremony. They had all prepared an borate set of clothes for him. Fortunately, it was not done in the style of Relize¡ªthe kings of Vasquer had never historically donned that style, and they felt it might damage his reputation for others if he did.


    Four patricians would ce the royal mantle over Argrave¡¯s shoulder. After, he would kneel, and Leopold would ce the crown over his head. That was the short and simple of what was to ur, yet even now the patricians argued amongst themselves about specificity and ceremony¡ªirrelevant posturing, all of it.


    Still¡­ their self-serving words grounded Argrave in reality. He was not to be named king because he was great¡ªhe was to be named king because of these men before him. And why these men? These patricians crowned him because they had men supporting them. These men served these patricians to further their interest. And like this, the line went ever downward. A hierarchy of self-interest. He could see it all so clearly, syed out in his mind like some sort of diagram.


    Strangely enough, recognizing this set a sense of peace over Argrave, and the budding nervousness dissipated to arge degree.


    ¡°So, what is our king-to-be thinking of?¡± Durran asked him as he sat there, staring out the window at the slowly gathering crowd.


    ¡°Wish Elenore could be here,¡± Argrave told him. ¡°I don¡¯t think she would be, even if things weren¡¯t as they are presently. She doesn¡¯t seem the type to like ceremonies. Besides, she¡¯d probably insist on staying behind because being her presence might be bad publicity for me,¡± he scoffed.


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Durran nodded. ¡°I do hope this idea of yours works. It¡¯s a far cry from sending a tower in the ocean, I¡¯ll tell you that much. That certainly stuck with me.¡±


    Argrave put his hand on Durran¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Keep your voice down,¡± he said in irritation. ¡°She could hear everything, capisce? What if what you said got to her ears?¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright,¡± he pushed Argrave¡¯s arm off of him. ¡°Gods, you¡¯re a tyrant already.¡±


    Gmon stepped up to them as they spoke. ¡°We could hold this coronation at higher grounds. Here¡­ there¡¯s tall buildings everywhere. Archers could take position there. I¡¯ve got Leopold¡¯s guards stationed, watching, and what few magic users we have on hand to watch for threats of that nature¡­ yet even still. A higher vantage point eliminates threats.¡±


    Argrave looked at the elven vampire, questioning if that was mere paranoia or a good point. Finally, he shook his head. ¡°The point of holding it here is to show mymitment to the people¡­ and to Relize. I trust your capabilities, Gmon. You¡¯re why I¡¯m standing here, still fully intact.¡±


    Gmon nodded and stepped up to Argrave. He said nothing more about the matter. Argrave turned his head back to the window, continuing his crowd-watching.


    A door opened and Anneliese stepped out. She wore a decadent gown of the smoothest-looking white silk that Argrave had ever seen. Amber iys trailed along much of it, like the trails of shooting stars. Her long white hair was bound back in a half-crown braid. Parts of her hair had been woven around a simple silver tiara that did not demand much attention, yet nheless entuated the beautiful woman before him.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Argrave stepped away from the window. ¡°It seems I have my reward foring this far.¡±


    Anneliese smiled bashfully, her amber eyes sparkling far brighter than the gemstones on her dress. ¡°The time approaches,¡± she told him. ¡°I imagine the servants will tend to you as they tended to me. Someone must make those dark circles disappear, no? Come on.¡±


    #####


    A grand crowd had formed on the square just before the Assembly Chamber of Governance and Commerce. It was only a natural thing¡ªall hade to see the man who would be king. Even more came for the promise of festivities and food. Commonborers and middling merchants filled the square, talking amongst themselves. The wealthier sat behind windows, having rented rooms from nearby inns or perhaps more simply owned the buildings outright.


    The gathering ce wasn¡¯t made to amodate so many people¡­ but it did. Thousands gathered in the square, and thousands more spilled out onto the alleyways beyond. All wanted to see the Kinying Serpent, the Bastard of Vasquer. Perhaps he had horns and a devil¡¯s wings, some suggested. Perhaps he was a saint, walking about with a golden aura. Others imed he was a but a man, and they¡¯d seen him in the city.


    Eventually, the great bell atop the Assembly Chamber rung out. It was loud enough to deafen, and several people winced ufortably after hearing it. Yet its purpose was achieved¡ªthe great crowd grew silent. The time hade for them all to see the Kinying Serpent properly.


    A procession emerged from the Grand Council¡¯s meeting area. Heading it were guards, many of them nked by patricians. They were dressed rather modestly¡ªor at least, at modestly as the garb of Relize could be. The people half-expected to see someone being carried out on a tform.


    Instead¡­ they saw a towering man step forward in the center of that formation of guards. He was over seven feet tall and did not need to be carried atop a tform to stand out¡ªhe did so naturally, like the gods themselves had deemed he was above lesser men. His well-trimmed ck hair glistened like obsidian might. His fanciful garb, entirely ck and gold, instilled a sense of regality in his already confident walk.


    Slowly, the procession reached the edge where the crowd awaited. The guards and the patricians stepped aside, alling to kneel before him. More and more people emerged from the Assembly Chamber, prostrating before the man in their disy of fealty. Yet the man all knew as the Kinying Serpent stepped past them, stopping just in front of the crowd.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°People of Vasquer!¡± he shouted. His voice was powerful, needing no magic to carry it. ¡°The kings of Vasquer have, since time immemorial, made a pledge. This pledge is to the people¡ªto protect them, to govern them justly, and to strive for the realm¡¯s prosperity. My father has broken that pledge!


    ¡°And so, in his ce, I, Argrave, must make things right under the eyes of the gods,¡± Argrave continued. ¡°I pledge to you, proud citizens of the realm. I will protect you. I will govern you justly. And I will strive for the realm¡¯s prosperity!¡±


    Trumpets red before the crowd could decide whether or not they should cheer for his promation. Argrave turned, stepping back towards the kneeling procession. A great many more swelled its numbers¡ªmost eye-catching was a tall elven woman garbed in a beautiful white gown.


    ¡°And you, the Grand Council of Relize¡­ I pledge to you that your great city shall remain forever yours. I pledge that this loyalty to the ideals of Vasquer shall not be forgotten. And I extend to you the same pledge¡ªto protect, to govern you justly, and to strive for the realm¡¯s prosperity.¡±


    Leopold rose to his feet. ¡°Then we, the representatives of the people, dere you King of Vasquer, master of its rivers andnds, divinely anointed ruler of its ins, hills, and mountains. Borrowing the authority of the gods, I ce this crown upon your head¡ªthe very crown the first king of Vasquer donned.¡±


    At once, in practiced ceremony, four patricians rose, the royal mantle stretched out between them. Argrave knelt, and the royal mantle was sped upon his shoulders. Leopold stepped forward, the crown held gingerly in hand. Argrave dipped his head, his eyes closed. The crowd witnessed the cold gold crown touch his ears, settling upon his head.


    ¡°Rise, King Argrave of Vasquer!¡± Leopold shouted, then knelt as well.


    Argrave rose to his feet a king, the crown and royal mantle weighing heavy upon his person. The elven woman, still kneeling, offered him a jeweled scepter denoting his authority. He seized it, turned, and rose it up high into the air.


    At once, a noise far louder than that of the Assembly Chamber¡¯s bell split the air as the thousands gathered voiced their exuberant support. Yet the man standing there was not shaken¡ªArgrave waited, basking in their voices, his scepter raised high. When he finally turned, the cheers of the crowd had not yet dimmed.


    The king walked away as confidently as he had entered, the cheers still following him. Yet once he left, the festivities began. The trumpets red once again, and entertainment of all kind came out of the woodwork to make this day utterly unforgettable. Just then, servants exited the Assembly Chamber, each and all carrying tables of food or barrels of drink.


    It was clear, then, that the king would not allow them to forget this day. Under the heel of Vasquer, saying as much often took a sinister tone¡­ yet perhaps as much would not be the case with this new king.


    Perhaps that pledge was more than empty words of ceremony.

 Chapter 273: Introspection

    Elenore felt aimless both in the days preceding and seeding Argrave¡¯s coronation. Even now she sat in bed well past midnight, a stack of books beside her. She had been reading for days on end, educating herself on matters where she found her knowledgecking. All the while, the veritable gears of this machine she¡¯d built as the Bat spun ever onwards, advancing her interests. At this point, ¡®her interests¡¯ had be vague.


    She took the actions that she did fully expecting some manner of repercussions. The day that she established contact with Felipe as the Bat, it had merely been to keep a potential avenue ofmunication open. Yet as time went on, the opportunity began to take shape. She knew Argrave, had seen his soulid bare with Vasquer¡¯s assistance. He wouldn¡¯t agree with wanton assassination of Atrus¡¯ leadership.


    Elenore turned her legs, freeing her stumps of the nkets she hid beneath. What had she expected toe of her actions? A stern rebuke, perhaps. A lecture. Paranoia from Argrave or hispanions. Less responsibilities. Or maybe¡­ just a quiet eptance. A shift in perspective.


    Elenoreughed at herself. ¡°You are a fool, aren¡¯t you?¡± she said aloud.


    She never had been able to predict Argrave, no matter how much information she collected on him. Instead of all she expected, Argrave simply took a quiet step back. The newly-coronated king did not argue about what she did. He didn¡¯t even mention it much at all. Though she hade to know he travelled most everywhere with Anneliese, he only visited her alone. True to his words, he did note to her asking for favors or seeking information. Instead, he made inquiries about her well-being and talked about a variety of mundane, if nheless interesting, things.


    Elenore thought Argrave had decided to keep Anneliese away from her. She sought the elven woman out, testing this theory. Contrary to her expectations, Anneliese received her amiably and was more than willing to talk. This only further baffled her.


    Elenore even briefly questioned if this whole experience was some bizarre method to change the way that she thought about things. Argrave still acted warm, after all¡ªhe still demonstrated that he cared about her. Perhaps this was all just some venture to make her self-reflect. She felt amused at the notion yet could see that being the case even still. If it was, it worked.


    Elenore opened the drawer on the side of her bed, retrieving the heavy white prosthetics. She fit her stump into one, then slowly turned the handle until the mps tightened around her flesh. The other followed shortly after. Once they were on, she rose to her feet.


    Regardless of whether this was deliberate on Argrave¡¯s part, Elenore had ample time to consider things. And in time¡­ the question she asked changed. Rather than what she had been expecting¡­ what had she been hoping for?


    Perhaps it was self-destructive. Perhaps she knew subconsciously that this was folly, and drove herself towards it nheless. She had tested the limits with Felipe, and he cast her aside. She had tested the limits with Induen, and he imed he would cast her aside if he wanted to. And now, once again, she tested the limits with another of her kin that she hade to trust to see if the result was the same.


    Fear and paranoia¡ªwas this truly what drove her? Did she act out her fears of being discarded?


    ¡®The lesser is discarded without fail,¡¯ she had told Durran once. She truly believed that, then. Argrave¡¯s words haunted her,tely.


    You made yourself lesser¡­ for me.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Elenore thought herself someone driven by pragmatism and rationality. She had toiled long and hard to morph herself into that. Yet this idea of her self-destructive paranoia, once formed, took root in her mind and chipped away at the rationale behind her decision. And even as it took root, other ideas took form.


    Levin had been captured. Word reached her on the day of Argrave¡¯s coronation. She had attempted to tell Argrave this news, but he would not allow it. Though an unfortunatepse in judgement by some guards had allowed the would-be King of Atrus to escape for a time, he was caught, bound, and escorted back to Dirracha for judgement. The fate Felipe had in mind for Levin was likely unimaginably cruel.


    Was that what Elenore had been hoping for? Base vengeance?


    Self-doubt crept its way into the cracks of the unsteady wall she had built. She did loathe Levin. She hated herself for allowing Therese to be so simply caught. She had been looking forward to seeing Therese, perceiving her with the sight Argrave had gifted her once again. Yet Levin made Elenore¡¯s first vision of Therese a cold, decaying corpse.


    epting these primal and intense emotions made it difficult, if not impossible, to view her actions in the same light as she had. A pragmatic decision, setting them on the path to a decisive victory in war¡­ she thought it almost a joke, now. She had long ago stopped viewing Felipe as king, yet she had extended that discourtesy to the one she hoped to rece him.


    But Argrave was not Felipe. He was not Induen.


    How he dealt with Ruleo was proof enough of that. The man had spied on her, followed Durran through Dirracha as he did Argrave¡¯s bidding. Yet he was caught. Elenore was well-prepared to kill him for breaking her trust. Indeed, at the time, she thought it was Argrave¡¯s best move. She felt like such a hypocrite, thinking of it now. What Elenore did to Argrave was no different than Ruleo''s behavior¡ªno, it was worse.


    Elenore had walked a long way through Leopold¡¯s mansion as she ran these thoughts through her head, and now stood before a simple mahogany door. She stepped away several times, thinking herself a ridiculous fool time and time again. The jewelry Argrave lent her allowed her to see beyond, and she knew the resident was awake. Finally, she sighed defeatedly and knocked on the door. Not secondster, it opened.


    A pair of gleaming golden eyes greeted her, shining like candles in the dark. ¡°Bitte. Something wrong?¡± Durran asked her.


    ¡°I wanted to ask you a favor,¡± Elenore said simply.


    Durran leaned against the door, his brows furrowing. ¡°At midnight. What kind of favor are we talking about?¡±


    ¡°The opposite of what you might assume,¡± Elenore shook her head. ¡°May Ie in?¡±


    Durran said nothing, walking away. Still, he left the door open. Elenore proceeded in, shutting the door behind her.


    ¡°Hope it¡¯s nothing regarding Argrave or my other allies. I won¡¯t hear it, you know,¡± Durran rubbed at his eyes,ying down on his bed.


    Elenore looked around. It seemed, like her, this man spent much of his time engrossed in books. She scanned through some of them with her field of perception, seeing the diagrams and the neat writing in the closed books. Spellbooks, research¡­ the crude-looking tribal was much more erudite than she thought. His field of study was a bit more gruesome than hers, granted. Necromancy, it seemed to her.


    ¡°Are you snooping?¡± his eyes focused on her. ¡°Well¡­ whatever. Not like I¡¯ve anything to hide.¡±


    ¡°I remember you mentioned making a proper, lighter prosthetic that wore at the flesh less,¡± sheunched into her request, deciding to ignore the unusual circumstances. ¡°Do you have any knowledge on the subject?¡±


    Durran raised his brows, evidently surprised, thenughed. ¡°You¡¯re being serious?¡± he cleared his throat. ¡°Well, sorry Iughed. That isn¡¯t funny. I was thinking about something else,¡± he assured, shaking his head in quite the obvious lie. ¡°I mean¡­ yeah, I made some faux limbs for the warriors of my tribe when I was a kid. Prettymon thing where I¡¯m from, loss of limb. I¡¯d carve them out of this lightweight stone.¡±


    ¡°Do you think you could make one? A good one,¡± Elenore asked him. ¡°With more sophisticated methods and materials than stone.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ they¡¯re mostly temporary things, not at all like the ones you wear. I said they wore at the flesh, and they¡¯re heavy¡­ but the ones you¡¯re wearing are durable,¡± he conceded. ¡°And¡­ don¡¯t know if Argrave mentioned this¡­ but in a couple months, he¡¯s looking to deal with your loss of limb altogether. Sight, too.¡±


    ¡°Could you?¡± she repeated.


    Durran scratched at his neck. ¡°¡­you know what? Why not. I can do a little research, change up the material, the way I did things¡­ fun little project. Argrave, Anneliese, and Gmon prepare for war, but little old me is just wasting my days here.¡±


    ¡°I do mean a good set,¡± she cautioned, uneasy hearing the carefree way he said ¡®why not.¡¯


    ¡°I don¡¯t do half-measures. If I say I¡¯ll do it, I¡¯ll do it, and do it well,¡± he said confidently.


    Elenore took a deep breath and exhaled. ¡°That¡¯s good. It¡¯ll be nice to be¡­fortable, for once.¡±


    Durran rose to his feet. ¡°But I don¡¯t work for free, princess.¡±


    Elenoreughed lightly. ¡°Well, what did you want?¡±


    Durran hesitated to speak, clearly debating whether or not to ask at all. ¡°Felipe didn¡¯t gouge out your eyes personally, did he? Someone else did. Who?¡±


    ¡°¡­Argrave knows,¡± she answered, hesitating a beat.


    ¡°Could ask him, yeah. Don¡¯t want to. Don¡¯t need a name, just a rtion,¡± Durran shook his head. ¡°You don¡¯t want to answer, forget it. Be some divine coincidence if I genuinely knew them, anyway.¡±


    Elenore sighed, stepping deeper into his room. ¡°I¡¯ll only say it once. It¡¯s a small price for this, I should think. I expect you to do this project right even still.¡±


    ¡°Done,¡± he promised, sitting back on his bed.


    ¡°The man I eloped with,¡± she said at once, giving no ceremony to her exnation. ¡°My father gave him an ultimatum when we were caught. Gouge out my eyes with his own hands, and he would be spared. He chose to be spared,¡± Elenore shook her head and smiled. ¡°My father cut off my feet personally, though. He said it was to ensure I never ran away again.¡±


    Durran stared at her a long while. In the silence, the sounds of the river just outside Leopold¡¯s mansion disturbed the night. She could barely see the edges of the water battering the marble, water flowing unending. It reminded her of her ce beside the fountain back in the greenhouse.


    ¡°You¡¯re not so good at telling stories,¡± he tapped his knee with one finger. ¡°I think you have more to say than that.¡±


    ¡°No. I don¡¯t. You wanted to know what happened: you know. I¡¯m not obligated to share anything beyond that,¡± she said icily.


    Durran tilted his head, thinking about what she said. ¡°I guess you¡¯re right. But it was an unsatisfying tale, andrge bits of it are missing¡­ well, whatever. Should¡¯ve been more specific in my request, I guess.¡± He fixed his gaze on her. ¡°Since you¡¯ve asked so kindly, I¡¯ll help you.¡±

 Chapter 274: The Past Answers

    Orion stepped in front of arge wooden house that was guarded by a great contingent of royal knights. For a few moments, they braced in anticipation of the big man that entered before them. Yet when recognition dawned, one stepped forth.


    ¡°Prince Orion?!¡± the man shouted, infinitely surprised. ¡°You¡­ you¡¯ve returned?¡± The man took a deep breath, and duty came to the front of his mind. ¡°The king informed us to send you to him as soon as you were found.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°People say Vasquer is down there,¡± Orion looked at the man.


    Orion and Boarmask passed back through the Burnt Desert, travelling quickly. As time proceeded, Orion felt a sense of urgency¡ªhe even carried the knight on asion to make the journey go faster. And once they passed over the mountains dividing Vasquer from the desert of ck sand¡­


    Vasquer. Not the kingdom nor the house, but the snake from which so much of both derived their legitimacy. Though Boarmask had said there was no such thing as a moment of enlightenment and Orion had never found one himself¡­ as soon as he heard the news, his urgency to return to his home redoubled. It felt like a light amidst the tunnel of darkness he walked. This must be the answer he sought.


    If any could free him of doubt and indecision, it was surely the one who had started this all: Vasquer.


    Once Orion stepped back on the kingdom¡¯s soil, the whispers returned¡­ yet now, they felt strangely alien to him. Indeed, it was difficult to adapt, difficult to sleep. And he did not listen to them. He had another he might receive answers from, another he might find the truth from. And he pursued that goal relentlessly, readily epting Boarmask¡¯s help to this end. Now, the two of them had been led here by rumors and whispers.


    All of that led him here.


    ¡°My prince, how did you get here?¡± another asked, stepping towards Orion. ¡°The king and the guard have been searching for you. Your presence is desperately needed at the pce.¡±


    ¡°Is Vasquer in here?¡± Orion repeated, unheeding.


    ¡°Yes,¡± one royal knight finally answered, almost off-handedly.


    Another knight looked at him angrily, yet quickly stepped up before Orion. ¡°The king has forbidden all to enter here. Please, my prince, return to the pce.¡±


    ¡°The royal family is barred from nowhere,¡± Orion dismissed, stepping past.


    ¡°Orion¡­!¡± Boarmask protested, yet followed behind nheless.


    A struggle ensued, yet Orion was too deeply entrenched in anticipation to heed the words shouted at his ears. Soon enough, he barreled past them all, for none were willing or able to harm him. His feet moved so quickly he seemed to fly down the stairs, leaving light footsteps and disturbed air in his wake. The royal knights soon abandoned their efforts to subdue Orion, and he heard some mention that they should go speak to the king about this.


    Soon enough, he came to a final, incredibly steep flight of stairs. He took them as quickly as the others¡­ yet once he passed a certain point, a gargantuan figure entered his view. Golden, coiled, and bound¡­ he saw Vasquer in all her glory. Her size and majesty were so awe-inspiring that Orion¡¯s breath quickened.


    His boots, ratty and worn after travelling through the Burnt Desert and back again, impacted with the stairs time and time again, echoing across the vast stone chamber. His steps were slow, and a great nugget of nervousness writhed in his chest like a mole digging through the dirt.


    ¡°Orion!¡± Boarmask shouted, still following. ¡°Or¡ª¡± his voice cut off as he, too, witnessed the great serpent of Vasquer.


    The prince¡¯s feet met the stone chamber housing the great serpent. Rumors dictated she had been trapped and bound by the Bat until very recently. Yet from what Orion saw¡­ she was still bound, still trapped. His feet moved forth almost unwillingly, spurring Orion towards the golden serpent.


    Vasquer¡¯s golden reptile eyes followed Orion as he walked, and he knew she saw and perceived him. He felt no horror, no fear, despite the sheer scope of this majestic serpent. It felt as though he walked towards a great protector¡ªa figure of myth that he¡¯d read of for years, manifest in flesh and blood. Boarmask still followed yet made no noise beyond the sound of his te armor boots pounding against the floor in a steady walk.


    Orion¡¯s pace slowed as he neared Vasquer. In turn, the snake¡¯s neck craned, her snout reaching out for his body. He felt drawn to her as iron to a ma, and his hand raised to meet her. His flesh finally brushed against her scales, and it felt as though he touched gold.


    Something strange pushed against his mind. The touch was entirely foreign to him, like a thought not his own persisting in his mind. It was different from the gods¡¯ way, different than his own thoughts¡­ yet even still, its method was familiar. It was like his mother¡¯s touch¡ªcurious about him and who he¡¯d be, yet infinitelypassionate.


    Nothing had ever felt so right as surrendering to that touch.


    All of Orion¡¯s woes exploded out of his mind. It was not like a bursting dam; instead, it was like the dam ceasing to exist in less than a second. His questions, his uncertainties, his self-doubt, his confusion, and his emotional turmoil spilled from his brain, their stagnant waters bing a flooding river in seconds. He felt a child again, grabbing at his mother¡¯s shins and seeking herfort from whatever had hurt him.


    Vasquer received that all as upromisingly as a mother ought to.


    What came back to him was a sympathy and empathy so sweet and pure that Orion felt small once again. Unlike the words of men, unlike the whispers of gods¡­ he knew this all was real, he felt it in his very being. He did not know when, but he had copsed to the ground and huddled against the giant snake like a child, curled up into a ball.


    It¡¯s okay to be confused, thefort came, though not in words. The world is a confusing ce. No one can know anything for certain. You¡¯ve had a hard time.


    For the first time Orion could ever recall¡­ he felt understood. It was like anodyne to an affliction that had gued him his entire life. He did nothing but bask in the glow of this unprecedented relief. Vasquer¡¯s scales were cold to the touch, yet the warmest experience he¡¯d ever had. He felt alive, and he felt human. Both were things he did not realize hecked.


    For a time, Orion lost himself in this microcosm of his ancestor¡¯s making. Minutes passed. But as was human nature¡­ contentment alone soon lost its appeal. Orion remembered why he hade here, what had spurred this confusion, and the answers he sought. And he asked Vasquer all of them¡ªhis doubts about the pantheon, his doubts about Argrave and his family, and above all¡­ his doubts about his father.


    Vasquer showed him caution, nted an image of disaster in his head. The information she gave might hurt him. Orion did hesitate. He had thrown himself into danger on behalf of his ideals in the past, but Orion liked pain and suffering no more than any. Vasquer had given him hisfort. Now was the time for truth, painful though it might be.


    And so the truth came.


    Felipe I¡­ Vasquer, this great serpent before him¡­ they had nevere to Berendar to forge a kingdom. They came as protectors, defenders of the world. They sought to establish a bastion against the great evil of Gerechtigkeit.


    Orion saw the great cmity they had endured. To call it an apocalypse was to undermine its power. It was, more than anything, death, destruction, and loss. It was the cold scrutiny of judgement. It decided whether this world was worth its continued existence.


    And Orion saw how their pure defense of the world was undermined by their own kin. Felipe I and Vasquer¡­ their own children betrayed them. The first son craved dominion over men. He turned protectors into enforcers of his will and dered a kingdom. The second son craved dominion over life. He embraced the unnatural magic of vampirism and went to war with the first son over the kingdom.


    Yet the third son¡­ he craved a good, fulfilling life. He pitted the first and second sons against each other, causing betrayals in their ranks and continued disunity until they both perished in their foolish, overreaching ventures. He embraced the help of ny-six spirits who gave him power. In return, he helped them be gods.


    And this union¡­ from him, the great illusion of the Kingdom of Vasquer was born. The war against the elves, the origins of the gods¡­ this third son twisted an ambitious conquest into a war of liberation, and a pact of mutual benefit between himself and the spirits into a blessing from gods divinely anointing him as king.


    From the beginning until now, Orion had been basing his life on fiction. The ideals he held so close to his heart were nothing but fabrications to disguise a treachery.


    Yet Vasquer did not hate this third son of hers, despite rotting away for so long. He did not know she was bound here. And even beyond that¡­ she did not hate her other children. Vasquer, instead, ced the me on herself. She knew of the darkness within her children¡¯s hearts yet could not solve their troubles.


    She did not wish to make the same mistake with her modern-day descendants. Vasquer hoped that Orion could be pure and righteous, despite all that he¡¯d done at the behest of deceivers.


    Once that hope was conveyed, new information came rushing through their link. Orion embraced the souls of his kin¡ªElenore and Argrave, and their journey here. The truth of them all wasid bare before him. He experienced Elenore¡¯s anguish, her suffering. He experienced Argrave¡¯s desperate struggle against Gerechtigkeit, where every day was fought to prepare against the judgement of the cmity.


    And then¡­ he felt something else conveyed through the link. The rottenness of Felipe¡¯s soul. The malice behind everything that he had done. The hatred he bore for himself and others. The pure, unadulterated malevolence behind all his actions.


    ¡°Orion!¡± Boarmask shouted, shaking the prince. ¡°Orion! Please, move, do anything! Royal guards¡­¡±


    Orion finally opened his eyes and turned to the masked knight.


    ¡°Oh, gods,¡± Boarmask exhaled in relief, half-slumping over the prince. ¡°Finally, you move. Don¡¯t know why in the world I came with you. Royal knights are¡ª"


    Orion rose to his feet, seeming to ignore what Boarmask said. Ahead, royal knights entered the chamber.


    ¡°I need to speak to my father,¡± Orion dered levelly.


    Boarmask removed his helmet, face full of despair. ¡°You¡¯re sure about that?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± Orion nodded.


    The knight looked prepared to weep, but he quickly put his helmet back on.

 Chapter 275: Coddled Children

    Orion stepped through a dark dank corridor, alone. Innumerable empty cells persisted along this pathway, blocked by thick iron bars. The stone, some of it stained by blood, told stories of past atrocities. The puddles of oil and water made unpleasant noises beneath his boots, the sound echoing throughout the cold confines. Even still, his approach was disguised by fierce, howling winds battering against the walls of the Dragon Pce¡¯s cliffside dungeon.


    Prince Orion saw two blue magic lights shining past the rusted iron of a distant cell. He could hear uneven, wrathful breathing, and some strange sounds of metal against metal and against fabric. He stepped ever closer, his chest tightening as he did so. Someonerge stepped out of the cell, wiping their gauntleted hands down with a wet cloth.


    King Felipe paused mid step when he caught sight of Orion. He was in full armor. Jezuit, the knightmander, had informed Orion the king did not travel anywhere without his armor, now. At all times, he was prepared to war, equipping all of the kingdom¡¯s most powerful relics. Jezuit also informed Orion that the king was here, refusing all visitors.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    The king looked surprised to see Orion, but he nted both of his feet down, and his back straightened to assume his regal posture. The blue light of the magicmps cast a grim shadow over his now extraordinarily gaunt face and graying ck beard. In short order, the king resumed wiping his gauntlets down.


    ¡°My son,¡± the king said slowly, the word ¡®son¡¯ dripping with disdain. He dropped the cloth, which was wholly red. ¡°Back, after gallivanting through southern territories just like your older brother. I do hope you achieved something with that foolish outage of yours.¡± He shook his head slowly. ¡°Considering I now know Argrave is in Relize, I doubt that.¡±


    Orion stepped around the king as he talked,ing to the cell that he¡¯d just left. He grabbed the iron bar, peering beyond at Levin. His brother was chained to the wall and looked unharmed. The copious amounts of blood pooling around him indicated the truth of what had happened. Orion nced around. He saw implements¡ªhooks, barbs, knives, all syed out across a simple iron bench.


    ¡°You tortured him,¡± Orion said quietly, turning around. ¡°Your own son.¡±


    Felipe stared at Orion. He stepped into the cell, and Levin recoiled away from him, whimpering like a beaten dog. The king grabbed a long iron rod with a hook at the end. ¡°I disciplined him. It¡¯s a father¡¯s duty.¡± He stepped towards Orion. ¡°I took no pleasure in it. Even still, a king must¡ª¡±


    Orion stepped towards Felipe, using one arm to push him against the cell bars with until their enchantments sparked in protest. ¡°Stop lying to me. Stop lying to us. How could you?¡± his voice tremored both of sadness and anger.


    Felipe got a better foothold and pushed Orion away. The prince staggered back. ¡°I don¡¯t need to justify myself to you. Levin was erring, and¡ª¡±


    ¡°I spoke to Vasquer!¡± Orion shouted back. ¡°I know all of what went through your head. I want to know how you could be driven to that.¡± He took steps forward. ¡°Your first wife dies, my mother changes after I¡¯m born¡­ why would you choose to spread misery? Why did you feel the need to drag others with you in pain?¡±


    ¡°You know nothing of what urs in my head,¡± Felipe spat back viciously. ¡°You believe the foul machinations of some serpent over your father¡¯s word? This is why I called you slow-witted, Orion.¡± The king stepped forth. ¡°It took you two years to learn how to read, and longer still for basic arithmetic. Even if you could see inside my head, could you understand what goes on in there? What a joke.


    ¡°By your age¡­ my father was long dead,¡± Felipe ranted, stepping past Orion. ¡°I tripled our nation¡¯s revenue in a year, conquered vast stretches of territory until Vasquer was the sole major power on this continent north of the Burnt Desert. I gave my brothers great pces, wealth unimaginable! Regene, Monganno, Tirisan, Archdukes all. I handed this to them, asking nothing in return. They were my kin.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re all dead,¡± Orion reminded him. ¡°Their lines were extinguished.¡±


    ¡°No fault of mine,¡± Felipe turned his head back. ¡°I try to do the same for you¡­ make you Archduke of the Margravate of Parbon, prime Vasquer for expansion into the Burnt Desert. My children¡­¡± he spat the word. ¡°All of you could rule realms the size of kingdoms past. Yet Induen ruins things, you ruin things, Levin ruins things, Elenore ruins things, and Argrave ruins things. At every turn, none can simply obey. I always try to do right by my family.¡± Felipe¡¯s face grew tight with rage. ¡°Unfortunately, those gods you pray so fervently to have cursed me with idiotic children whom I must coddle at every turn. No matter what, all of you fail simple guidelines.¡±


    Felipe spread his arms out. ¡°You push me to this. Elenore and her foolish elopement, Induen practically killing himself¡­¡± he grabbed another implement of torture, turning back towards Levin. ¡°This one, trying to fracture the realm and name himself king. Argrave, nipping at my heels like a jackal in a vainglorious attempt to tear down a giant in his pursuit of something not his.¡± Felipe brandished the implement, walking closer to Orion. ¡°And you, now, with this foolish confrontation. You give me no choice.¡±


    Orion¡¯s face slowly lost sadness and anger both in the prolonged silence as Felipe let his words hang. ¡°¡­you¡¯re gone. You¡¯ve been gone a long while.¡±


    Felipe held the instrument out. It was a jagged pair of scissors. ¡°You can fix this, Orion. Start obeying. Stop thinking. I am your father. You saw how well I treated your uncles. They practically drowned in wealth. If not for the gods¡¯ whims, they¡¯d still be doing so. You can still salvage things. To start¡­¡± Felipe looked back to Levin, bound and chained. ¡°You must learn the lesson of a king.¡±


    Orion shook his head. ¡°I cannot learn. You teach untenable lessons.¡±


    Felipe took a deep breath and sighed. ¡°Then, what? Will you hit me? You¡¯ve proven time and time again to be incapable of such a¡ª¡±


    Orion thrust his fist at Felipe¡¯s face. The king, well-enhanced by his armor and whatever relics he wore, was more than sufficiently prepared to block the blow. He received it on the elbow, and magic sparked as enchantments resisted the force of his attack.


    ¡°Guards!¡± Felipe¡¯s voice echoed out across the cells as he backed away from Orion. ¡°Guards!¡±


    ¡°My Waxknights will tend to whatever guards you call. Boarmask retrieved them. They¡¯re infected with the gue you spread across the southernnds,¡± Orion said calmly, walking forth.


    Felipe threw the set of scissors at Orion, yet they were deflected easily with a simple swat. The king rushed, one hand conjuring an axe of pure wind. He swung it overhead wildly at Orion, the axe shearing through the stone of the ceiling in its brutish path.


    Orion freely utilized the blessings still within him, raising his hand. The moisture in the air gave him ample fuel to spawn ice, and a block of ice manifested in his outstretched hand. The axe of wind tore through it yet slowed it enough for Orion to grasp it firmly. The wind tore at his flesh, yet he was uncaring. He pulled the king forth, mming his other fist at Felipe¡¯s face.


    Even still, Felipe blocked with his forearm, handling the powerful attack gracefully. Orion, thinking quickly, unclenched his fist and grasped Felipe¡¯s forearm. His other hand released the axe,ing to grapple with Felipe. Orion got his arm beneath his shoulder and lifted the king up, then turned and tackled him through the bars of an adjacent cell. They were enchanted and did not break easily.


    The king struggled vainly against Orion as he ran through one, two, three, four iron bars, wheezing every time his back struck one. Felipe, an A-rank mage, fought like Induen did. He utilizedbat spells at long distance and conjured magical weapons at short distance, provided he had no enchanted weapons on hand. Grappling, even with the serious strength offered by the armor and relics he wore, was not his forte.


    The king and the prince copsed to the ground once they¡¯d broken through five different cells.


    ¡°How could you do this to us!?¡± Orion shouted.


    The king struggled to protect his unarmored face as Orion rained blows down upon him¡ªheadbutts, punches, elbows. He used his blessings to imbue his blows with electricity, fire. He breathed poison out of his mouth. Despite this, Felipe¡¯s defense remained unbreakable. After a time, Orion tried to restrain his father¡¯s hands to get a solid hit. The change in strategy gave the king time to cast a spell.


    A burst of wind tossed Orion back hard enough to m him against the corner of the ceiling. The king rose to his feet as Orion fell through the air. A mana ripple lit up the dim, dank cell as the king prepared to use an A-rank spell. The moment that Orion¡¯s feet met the ground, he lunged at the king as quickly as a cheetah. The spellpleted first.


    A great curtain of ice erupted out of Felipe¡¯s hands, blocking vision of all before the king. The spell moved like andslide, breaking the iron bars of all nearby cells like twigs and burying all in front beneath crystalline ice. The spell mmed against the stone wall, and though the enchantments shined in protest as they desperately tried to hold back the tide, the wall broke. The ice pushed out into the open sky, like a blue-white crystal sprouting from the pce atop the mountain in Dirracha.


    Ice shattered on the right side, and Felipe quickly turned, using blood magic to conjure a wicked greatsword. Orion stepped out, arge chunk of his right shoulder missing and his right leg so badly mangled as to be unserviceable. Despite all of that, the prince ran, each step making his wound worse.


    The greatsword of blood moved through the air with inhuman speed to intercept Orion. The prince¡¯s leg nearly bent in half as he put weight on it to pivot¡­ yet the maneuver worked, and the de barely missed. Orion made as though to punch Felipe¡¯s face once again. The king remained a bastion of defense. So, instead, Orion grabbed at the king¡¯s arm, got a firm grip, and mmed his knee into the king¡¯s gut.


    The king¡¯s knees bent and he coughed violently. The armor was an old relic, and though it had been reforged, the spot where Argrave¡¯s [Bloodfeud Bow] struck remained weak. Orion seized on the opportunity, finallynding a solid elbow against the king¡¯s nose. The greatsword spawned of the king¡¯s blood fell from his grip yet did not dissipate.


    Orion fell to one knee and grabbed the weapon. Something Vasquer had shown him of Argrave¡¯s journey came to his head, and as though possessed, he re-enacted Gmon¡¯s treatment of Induen. The weapon of blood was deadly sharp and powerful, and it even cut through the relic Felipe armored himself in. In seconds, Orion had deprived the spellcaster of his hands.


    His energy gone, Orion copsed back. He stared at the wound on his leg as it slowly sewed itself back together piece by piece. His blood and flesh returned to him as it always did. Though he¡¯d utilized them by habit in the battle¡­ he felt disgusted by his blessings.


    Felipe crawled away already, nevercking for endurance. His route led to deeper within the cells. With his leg nearly healed, Orion rose to his feet. Regaining his strength ever so slowly, he advanced, leaning on the bars. Ahead, the king simrly stood, stumbling away while bleeding profusely. Catching onto where the king headed, he hastened.


    Moments before the king could re-enter Levin¡¯s cell and possibly take him hostage, Orion caught up. He grabbed the king¡¯s long mane of hair and threw him against the bench where the torture implements rested. The bench turned over, and the tools ttered atop Felipe. Orion watched for a moment, waiting for movement, but the king remained face-down against the stone.


    Orion stepped to where Levin was bound. He undid the shackles, and the broken prince slumped down, freed yet hollow.


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to¡­ kill me,¡± Felipe said, coughing. ¡°All you want¡­ all this misery you im I¡¯ve sewn¡­ kill me now. Take your ce as king. You know it¡¯s the only way,¡± Felipe said, almost joyously. ¡°You will kill me, Orion. And you will learn. You will learn what it means to be king.¡±


    Orion watched as Felipe tried to stand in vain, his strength draining fast. ¡°If you don¡¯t kill me¡­ the war rages. Then, Argrave will have to kill me. Either way¡­ either way, I won¡¯t stop until you¡ª"


    Prince Orion grabbed his father¡¯s neck, silencing him. ¡°You are done. You no longer decide.¡±

 Chapter 276: Sign of Things to Come

    Argrave stared at the silver bracer around his forearm. It fit quite snugly, and it was difficult to tell that it was sapping his blood away if not for the slowly-filling ss meter atop it. He sat atop his bed, preparing for his day. Today would be the first day he wore this bracer, and he was curious to see how it affected him.


    ¡°¡­why are you so unsure?¡± Argrave asked Anneliese.


    Argrave had be a king, now. People would refer to him with the prefix ¡®king¡¯ or call him ¡®your majesty¡¯ to his face¡­ provided they bought the whole idea, at least. Argrave wasn¡¯t sure he did. He didn¡¯t feel particrly kingly. Gmon and Durran addressed him that way. Durran said it was only so he didn¡¯t make a mistake publicly. Anneliese had been addressing him as such, too, until Argrave managed to persuade her that she would be a queen, so the address was unnecessary.


    Not much changed in private, though. Argrave went to sleep beside and awoke with Anneliese. They watched the suns set when they could, although recent times had kept them quite busy. They talked about magic, their ns for the future, their experiences in the past¡­ Argrave was very d of the normalcy in their private life. It kept him grounded, reminded him that he was but a man. Still, he might need someone to mutter ¡®memento mori¡¯ in his ears before long.


    ¡°Because you posit A-rank ascension will be as simple as walking for me,¡± Anneliese held her hands out exasperatedly. ¡°It could take months after we find it.¡±


    ¡°And we¡¯ll find it a month from now. Not seeing the issue,¡± Argrave said with a cheeky smile.


    Anneliese caressed her forehead then sat beside him. ¡°You have be a little bit too unppable these days, Argrave,¡± she noted, though her voice betrayed some affection. ¡°You, yourself, have been studying A-rank ascension, reading through the textbooks we pilfered from the Order of the Rose and Garm¡¯s personal writing. Surely you know the difficulty by now?¡±


    Argrave sighed at her reminder. In ¡®Heroes of Berendar,¡¯ most A-rank ascensions were passive abilities. Magister Hegazar passively projected an illusion, for instance. As Argrave recalled, Magister Vera¡¯s allowed her to substitute elements in spells while retaining their form¡ªelectric fire, for instance. Rowe had the ssic Veidimen A-rank ascension, imbuing ice into all spells. Garm¡¯s¡­ Argrave wasn¡¯t sure of it fully, but one facet of it allowed the man to cast spells from his eyes. There was the man in the Margrave¡¯s service, too¡ªHelmuth. He had Minor Truesight.


    Argrave was trying to implement his undying soul into his A-rank ascension. He wanted to improve upon the Blood Infusion he had in mind. He felt it could be done. A resilient soul, as he possessed, could surely implement into his magic. Thus far, he¡¯d considered substituting the blood in blood magic for a strain upon his soul. The idea was tempting, and even feasible. But it negated the benefits of his ck blood in blood magic¡ªin essence, his blood magic would lose some of its punch. He wasn¡¯t so eager to delve full-heartedly into that route.


    ¡°You¡¯re a genius. I¡¯ve also been studying imbuing, too,¡± Argrave pointed to her. ¡°You learned that ten times faster than I did. Back at Veiden, you managed to do it in seconds after following my instructions.¡±


    ¡°A simple F-rank spell on a page? Youpare that to your studies into imbuing?¡± she asked incredulously. ¡°What have you mastered by now?¡±


    Argrave turned his head, reaching over to the bronze hand mirror.


    Traits: [Tall], [ck Blooded], [Intelligent], [Magic Affinity (High)], [Blessing of Supersession (MAX)]


    Skills: [Elemental Magic (B)], [Blood Magic (B)], [Healing Magic (C)], [Illusion Magic (C)], [Warding Magic(B)], [Druidic Magic (C)], [Inscription (E)], [Imbuing (C)]


    ¡°C-rank imbuing, ording to the mirror, mirror on the wall.¡± Argrave turned his head. ¡°Until I can replicate B-rank spells as enchantments, what¡¯s the point?¡±


    ¡°See? I have not progressed whatsoever on that field. I dislike it when youpare me to you. You always undermine yourself to make me appear more than I am,¡± Anneliese said.


    Argrave set the mirror back on the nightstand. ¡°Alright, alright. I think I have a pretty damned urate gauge on your skills, though. I think you can realistically be A-rank in the timeframe allotted. After all, we¡¯ve got notes from ages past. When you and Garm coborated¡­ you became B-rank in a matter of days.¡±


    Anneliese turned her head to where the Brumesingers yed, and soon enough Argrave was watching too. Anneliese¡¯s Starsparrow sat atop their snouts, and they took turns gently tossing the bird to the air and catching it on their noses. It was such a bizarre thing, but the animals seemed to be genuinely enjoying it. Soon enough, the both of them were smiling.


    ¡°I can only try not to disappoint, Argrave,¡± Anneliese eventually said, resigned. ¡°So, this ascension¡­ Life Cycle, you called it,¡± she turned her head. ¡°You can think of none better? None that synchronize with you, perhaps?¡±


    Argrave shook his head. ¡°Considered finding you one that matches with my battle strategy, but¡­ I¡¯d prefer you be capable in your own right. Life Cycle somewhat matches up with me, anyway.¡± Argrave smiled as he thought of it. ¡°Bottom line, though, it focuses on remedying a universal problem for all spellcasters¡ªthe supply of magic.¡± Argrave rose to his feet. ¡°We¡¯d best get going. I¡¯m told my personal heraldry would be finished this morning.¡±


    #####


    ¡°I picked this one personally from numerous others, Your Majesty. I believe it is the best artistry,¡± Leopold exined.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Can¡¯t exactly see it,¡± Argrave pointed out, staring at the rolled ck cloth before him.


    ¡°Apologies, Your Majesty,¡± Leopold said, stepping forth. He grabbed the cloth and held it up, securing it on the top of the shelf and rolling it out.


    Argrave took a step back to get a better view of what might be sewn into thousands of war banners. His eyes wandered the image, considering it.


    ¡°Considering we fight against Vasquer, an identical symbol might be confusing, as Your Majesty said. We took your request. A sable field, with an or sun in the center. Four rays of the sun end in the head of snakes, while the four remaining rays heading diagonally end in points.¡±


    Leopold described precisely what Argrave saw, though with terms of traditional tincture rather than color. The base of the cloth was ck, with a golden sun emzoned on the center. The sun had eight wavy rays¡ªthose upying the cardinal directions ended in snake heads. Those heading diagonally tapered off to a point instead.


    ¡°It¡¯s distinct from the snake of Vasquer, while retaining some of its original elements. In battle, it should be easy to distinguish. And the sun¡­ even if it is one instead of the two above, it remains a universal symbol of power and life, Your Majesty,¡± Leopold noted smoothly. ¡°If this does not match with Your Majesty¡¯s vision, I can retrieve some of the others.¡±


    Argrave shook his head, still feeling ill at ease with his new address. ¡°I do want to see some others just in case¡­ but I like this one quite a bit.¡± Argrave turned. ¡°Do you like it?¡±


    Anneliese tilted her head as she stared. ¡°It inspires a certain morale. Yes, I do like it. I think it is a curious custom, these banners. And the terminology¡­ sable is ck, correct? What is white?¡±


    ¡°Albus, maybe,¡± Argrave suggested, knowing that word¡¯s trantion only because of a certain wizard.


    ¡°Argent,¡± Leopold corrected. ¡°I am unsure where His Majesty got ¡®albus¡¯ from.¡±


    ¡°Good work, Leopold,¡± Argraveplimented, unbothered by the correction.


    ¡°Thank the craftsman, Your Majesty,¡± Leopold deflected. ¡°I¡¯ll put together some others for you to look at.¡±


    Leopold stepped away. As he opened the door, his son, Ansgar, very nearly collided with him.


    ¡°Careful now, son,¡± the leader of Relize said, stepping past him.


    Ansgar entered, nodding at his father as he passed. ¡°Your Majesty¡­ Elenore would like to have a word with¡ª¡±


    Just as the door was about to shut, Elenore stopped it with her hand, pushing it open.


    ¡°Argrave,¡± Elenore called out. ¡°No, that¡¯s not right, is it? Your Majesty,¡± she greeted. Argrave stared at her passively. Her breathing was a bit fast, he noted. Had she run here?


    ¡°You¡¯re my sister. Call me as you always do, please.¡± Argrave looked to the Dandn family man. ¡°Give us a moment, Ansgar,¡± he directed.


    The man bowed, and quickly left. Once the door was shut, Anneliese noted, ¡°You¡¯re quite rattled, Elenore.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fi¡ª ¡°she paused, then nodded finally, realizing lying before Anneliese was fruitless. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s true. I have been rattled. I know you don¡¯t care to hear, Argrave, but I must tell you.¡± She took some steps closer. ¡°Felipe has been captured by Orion.¡±


    ¡°What did you just say?¡± Argrave¡¯s face slowly shifted as he processed what she¡¯d said. ¡°That doesn¡¯t even make sense. They¡¯re not enemies.¡±


    ¡°Rumors are flying everywhere, but¡­ from what I could piece together, Orion visited Vasquer¡ªthe snake, that is. From there, he went berserk¡ªattacked Felipe, maiming him badly. I don¡¯t know specifics, but it was about Levin. His personal guard remained loyal to him and seized the pce. The city is in chaos¡ªthey don¡¯t even have the numbers to retain order.¡±


    Elenore took another step, but staggered. Anneliese caught her, then helped her to sit. Argrave could see blooding at the bottom of her leg where the prostheses mped.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t need to run here,¡± Argrave kneeled, ready to heal her.


    ¡°This is terrible, Argrave. Disastrous,¡± Elenore told him bluntly. ¡°I know¡­ I know why you don¡¯t want to work with me. You¡¯re right¡ªI am naught but a hypocrite. I didn¡¯t trust you, wanted to take matters into my own hands. But I can¡¯t leave things ruined like this. Even if you don¡¯t want my help, you¡¯ll get it.¡±


    Argrave stayed kneeling, then healed the wounds caused by her mad dash. Anneliese sent no signal Elenore was lying¡­ but Argrave didn¡¯t think he needed one.


    ¡°I treated you like you were¡­ like other members of the family, despite knowing you¡¯re not,¡± Elenore continued. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s no excuse, but I¡¯m not used to being underneath someone. I¡¯m used to going my own way. All that said, I cannot allow you to walk into treacherous futures alone. I have to¡ª¡±


    Argrave held his hand in front of her mouth to quiet her. When she paused, Argrave said, ¡°I¡¯m no saint either, you realize. You¡¯re smart. Surely I don¡¯t need to spell it out for you.¡±


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t dare say it, for fear of being wrong,¡± Elenore said quietly. ¡°But can I¡­ I mean, can we¡­¡±


    ¡°Past week has been nerve wracking beyond belief without you,¡± Argrave admitted. ¡°I¡¯d already gotten it into my head that this was to be a permanent thing, you and me working together. But if the left leg can¡¯tmunicate with the right? It¡¯d be a disaster.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I think I knew that. I certainly made many decisions towards that end. Ruleo, heh¡­¡± she shook her head. ¡°And others. Many others. People I couldn¡¯t trust, that thought they knew better than I did. What I¡¯ve done to get where I am¡­¡±


    ¡°I know. Put that behind you,¡±forted Argrave. ¡°World¡¯s ending, sis. No time for permanent rifts. We can put all of this stuff behind us. I just need you to promise that you¡¯ll never again deceive me like this.¡± Argrave grabbed her hands. ¡°I don¡¯t want, or need, someone to do my dirty work. I don¡¯t want a pet Bat. I want my talented little sister.¡±


    ¡°Older sister,¡± she corrected.


    ¡°You¡¯re quite small, at leastpared to me,¡± Argrave rebuked, stone-faced.


    She shook her head, the faintest of smiles ying about the corners of her mouth. ¡°Then¡­ if you¡¯re alright with me¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°We need to decide our course of action after Orion¡¯s¡­ I don¡¯t even know what to call it,¡± Elenore shook her head. ¡°So much will change. And he¡¯s still yet to take action beyond capturing Felipe, so far as I know.¡±


    ¡°Maybe this is a change for the better?¡± Argrave suggested hopefully. ¡°What¡¯ll happen, you think?¡±


    ¡°Madness,¡± Elenore said. ¡°Madness and opportunism.¡±


    Argrave turned his head to Anneliese. She gave a slow, steady nod of agreement. Argrave¡¯s face grew grim.


    ¡°I¡¯ll strike up the band,¡± Argrave rose to his feet.

 Chapter 277: Price of Pledges

    ¡°You¡¯ve already dered your intent to take the throne, Your Majesty,¡± Leopold reminded Argrave. ¡°This revtion doesn¡¯t change that, so far as I¡¯m concerned. And need I remind you¡­ of the promises you made?¡±


    The six of them stood around Leopold¡¯s grand council room¡ªArgrave¡¯spanions, Elenore, and Leopold. The room was far toorge for them alone, but no one else was around to take their seats. At the very least, not for now.


    ¡°My brother¡¯s actions did not shock me so badly as to make me forget promises. All I promised Relize will be delivered,¡± Argrave said pointedly. ¡°If Orion is in Dirracha¡­ if he¡¯s spoken to Vasquer¡­ that means he probably knows our intent,¡± Argrave spoke to Elenore.


    Leopold frowned. ¡°Vasquer? Your Majesty means¡­ the tales of that snake being unearthed are more than simply tales?¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°Yes, Vasquer is real. We¡¯d hoped to keep her hidden, but not all went as nned.¡±


    ¡°Do you truly believe Vasquer would trust Orion enough to disclose our intent?¡± Elenore questioned. ¡°She might not have shared everything. Or anything, even.¡±


    ¡°Orion, erratic as he is, genuinely wants to do good,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°I think I can say with rtive confidence Vasquer shared¡­ something. It¡¯s the only exnation for why he might do something so drastic. The Orion I know would never harm family. He was blind to Induen¡¯s malevolence, and would not rebel against Felipe just the same. He has to have learned.¡±


    ¡°If he has, the way he¡¯s gone about it is simply madness,¡± Elenore shook her head.


    ¡°Does the possibility of cooperation exist?¡± Argrave posited. ¡°I think, at the very least, it¡¯s worth making contact with him.¡±


    ¡°I can try and do so,¡± Elenore nodded confidently. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ hesitant, given his nature.¡±


    ¡°More important than Orion¡­¡± Anneliese cut in. ¡°The king, alone, is one man. The kingdom is the key. As Elenore said, even if Orion deres that Argrave is well and truly king and his intentions match perfectly with our own¡­ I cannot see this lessening the burden of war. Indeed, it may intensify things. Naming oneself king does not grant one the kingdom, after all.¡±


    Durran stepped into the conversation, sitting atop the table. ¡°Our enemy¡¯s leadership has crumbled. I should think this is a good thing for us.¡±


    ¡°So long as Felipe lives, things get¡­ murky,¡± Elenore said grimly. ¡°Orion¡¯s actions will win him no support. They are¡­ bluntly put, reckless and rming. Orion already has a reputation for unpredictability and has no steadfast allies. I imagine the nobles of central Vasquer will reject any orders he might give and take this as opportunity rather than hazard. In essence, the authority of the monarchy¡­ it¡¯s been subverted, and very nearly dissolved. All Orion has is his personal guard¡ªWaxknights, he called them. He has no allies, none that would support him. And so¡­ this is why I imed things would be madness.¡±


    Argrave raised a brow, surprised that name for Orion¡¯s knights had been adopted. So far as he remembered, he¡¯d never said that name out loud to Orion specifically. Either he misremembered things¡­ or Orion had seen into his memories. Slowly, he crossed his arms and stepped into the center of the council room.


    ¡°We¡¯ll wait for Orion¡¯s response to Elenore,¡± Argrave dered. ¡°But¡­ Gmon. You and Patriarch Dras conquered all of Veiden in a time past. And all of these conquests¡­ were they by the sword?¡±


    Gmon shifted once he¡¯d be called upon. ¡°No, Your Majesty. As many were by promise and alliance as by sword and spell.¡±


    ¡°Precisely so,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°Consequently¡­ if they¡¯re disillusioned by the idea of Orion as a monarch, it¡¯s our time to reach out to them. We may be able to win over many heads bloodlessly.¡± Argrave looked at Elenore. ¡°This is somewhat what you intended at Atrus, but at a grander scale, yes?¡±


    ¡°¡­reasonably so,¡± Elenore nodded, hesitating a beat. ¡°But the nobles of central Vasquer¡ªthey have not experienced chaos or a loss of leadership. Many have strong ties with each other. Above all, they¡¯re upstarts¡­ and the most loyal to Felipe, personally, as a consequence. If we advance too strongly, they may federate in some manner. Indeed, a federation is probably inevitable.¡±


    Argrave nodded, digesting her words. ¡°The bottom line remains, however, that Vasquer must be reunified. Relize is risking nearly everything on this war of ours¡ªthey¡¯ve suspended trade, turned their galleys into vessels of war, marshalled all of their forces, and gathered enough supplies to provision that army,¡± Argrave fixed his gaze upon Leopold. ¡°I cannot betray that faith. They ce all on the line. I have to give them a return on their investment.¡±


    ¡°I am d Your Majesty keeps this in mind,¡± Leopold dipped his head, stroking his beard.


    ¡°We have long agomitted to this path,¡± Argrave stepped around. ¡°I will not forsake the promises I¡¯ve made because of this new development. If I can win some to my side without bloodshed, good¡ªI will treat these people as generously as I am able. If Orion is willing to ept these promises, I will treat him well in turn. But I made a pledge, and I must keep it.¡±


    ¡°Inspirational,¡± Durran said drolly. ¡°Maybe save that speech when there¡¯s more than five people listening. Er, Your Majesty,¡± Durran amended at the end.


    Argraveughed lightly. ¡°Perhaps I should.¡± Argrave stepped up to the head of one of the tables, all five of those present in his eyesight. ¡°So, we tread delicately. We approach things optimistically yet maintain the realistic aspect of things.¡± Argrave adjusted his cor. ¡°I think some delegates to central Vasquer are in order, for starters. I know these nobles well¡ªI¡¯ll take a personal hand in that arrangement. Once the fortress at Indanus Divide is established, we move a great bulk of our troops to take position there. Regardless¡­ this civil war must be brought to an end. We still must prepare to do just that.¡±


    #####


    ¡°Gods be damned,¡± said Durran as he and Argrave walked down a hallway. ¡°Every day, this feels¡­ more and more real,¡± he noted. ¡°What¡¯s your n for the rest of the day¡­ Your Majesty?¡±


    ¡°Have to scout out this guy that¡¯s been giving Leopold¡¯s men some trouble. He has a handle on the shipyard better than anyone, so I¡¯m told, but he¡¯s being a bit resistant to the changes. Nothing out of the ordinary, I guess. I¡¯m a negotiator with a fancy title. After that¡­ don¡¯t know,¡± Argrave stretched. ¡°Probably unwind with Anneliese, study magic. These are thest precious days of peace before we start marching, ostensibly. I am still worried about ourck of spellcasters¡­¡±


    Durran grabbed Argrave¡¯s elbow. ¡°Talk to you a minute?¡±


    Argrave turned. ¡°Sure. What is it?¡±


    ¡°Over here,¡± Durran said, leading Argrave to a quiet window far from the areas of heavy traffic.


    ¡°Something wrong?¡± Argrave raised a brow.


    ¡°Thought you should know¡­ huh,¡± Durran trailed off. ¡°I¡¯m seeing a little bit of gray on your eyes, again.¡±


    Argrave touched his cheeks almost by instinct. ¡°Really now? That¡¯s¡­ wow, yeah, that is good news.¡± Argrave was smiling, but it slowly faded. ¡°Something tells me you had other things on your mind.¡±


    Durran looked out the window. ¡°Yeah. I¡­ thought you should know, considering your rtion and all¡­ even if it is a bit superficial, given the whole ¡®Heroes of Berendar¡¯ thing, whatever in the world that¡¯s about¡­¡± Durran turned his head a little further away as though Argrave had suddenly be Medusa and meeting his eyes would turn him to stone. ¡°I¡­ n on going after your sister.¡±


    A rush of surprise took Argrave. He had the presence of mind to avoid patting Durran on the shoulder enthusiastically as a little something entertaining took root in his mind.


    ¡°You can¡¯t kill her,¡± Argrave said, keeping his face solemn. ¡°She¡¯s a very valuable member of this team¡ªyou know that. What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°No¡­!¡± Durran looked around to be sure none overheard, then held his hands out. ¡°Of course I¡¯m not talking about that. You think I¡¯m stupid?¡±


    ¡°So¡­ what do you mean, ¡®go after?¡¯¡± Argrave pressed.


    ¡°I mean¡­¡± Durran gestured, the word noting to him whatsoever. ¡°I mean¡­ she and I¡­ gods, I don¡¯t know what the hell I mean.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Argrave¡¯s lips were twisting as he tried to keep the smile off his face.


    ¡°Like you and Anneliese, I guess. Seeing that¡­ something like that, it would be¡­¡± Durran finally looked at Argrave, his brow lowering as he caught sight of Argrave¡¯s barely concealed smile.


    When the realization dawned that Argrave knew precisely what he was talking about from the beginning, Durran kicked him in the shin. Argrave stepped away to protect himself, finally letting free hisughter as he cried, ¡°Ow, ow! You¡¯re wearing armor, that hurts!¡±


    ¡°Pouring my heart out to a mocking mannequin,¡± Durranmented, stepping away. After a time, he found the humor in the situation and turned around, pointing at Argrave as he dered, ¡°You¡¯ve got problems, you know that?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard it said,¡± Argrave rubbed his shin. ¡°In all seriousness¡ªI appreciate the heads up. Go for it. Just¡­¡± Argrave straightened. ¡°Far be it from me to give advice about the potential drawbacks¡­ but don¡¯t muck things up.¡±


    ¡°Wow. I¡¯d nned on doing just that until you reminded me,¡± Durran said mockingly.


    A door opened, and someone stepped out. When the woman caught sight of Durran and Argrave, she meekly bowed and said, ¡°Your Majesty,¡± then moved away speedily.


    ¡°Gods,¡± Durran said after she left. ¡°Completely forgot. I just¡­ I just kicked a king.¡±


    Argrave smiled bitterly. ¡°Yeah, well¡­ try not to make it a habit, I guess.¡±


    Durran moved to the window. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ a little surreal, what I¡¯ve been doing. We¡¯ve been doing,¡± he corrected. ¡°Gulf between us¡­ gets bigger and bigger. Can¡¯t act so freely. Always thought I would be the main figure in the story. Now¡­¡± Durran shook his head. ¡°Not that I¡¯mining.¡±


    ¡°Looks like I¡¯ll have to make you a duke, since you¡¯re so worried about the gulf between us,¡± Argrave said.


    Durranughed at the notion, until his face froze when he realized Argrave wasn¡¯tughing with him. ¡°Well¡­ uh, I¡¯ve said all I need to. Thanks for your time, King Argrave. Enjoy the rest of your day.¡±


    #####


    ¡°Thanks for all your helptely, Gmon,¡±mented Argrave spontaneously. ¡°Though¡­ guess it¡¯s not justtely, is it?¡±


    ¡°No, Your Majesty,¡± agreed Gmon.


    Argrave smiled at his candor. ¡°And things with you¡ªhow have they been? Hopefully you have more to say than just ¡®I¡¯m fine.¡¯¡±


    Anneliese and Argrave both looked to him, curious for his answer.


    ¡°I feel¡­ like I¡¯m back decades ago,¡± admitted Gmon.


    Argrave paused, running that through his head. ¡°You mean¡­ back at Dras¡¯ conquest?¡±


    ¡°Precisely,¡± Gmon nodded. ¡°You are well-suited to the role you have, now.¡±


    Argrave was taken aback by this. It was one thing to hear that from Leopold or any number of the others¡­ but Gmon saying that had a strange weight to it. Ironically, it didn¡¯t fill him with confidence. It felt like he met a standard he¡¯d have to desperately try to uphold.


    ¡°I feel like a fraud,¡± Argrave confessed. ¡°Feel like it¡¯s a matter of time before I fail, and everyone realizes that I wasn¡¯t meant to be king.¡±


    ¡°You are¡ª¡± Anneliese began.


    ¡°You will fail, Your Majesty,¡± Gmon nodded in agreement, cutting her off. ¡°Minimizing the effects of that¡­ remaining standing despite failure¡­ that is the mark of true sess. To be sessful is easy. To ovee failure decides one¡¯s true potential.¡±


    Argrave stared at Gmon, feeling the man had said something quite profound.


    Gmon cleared his throat, and Argrave briefly questioned if he was embarrassed. ¡°¡­or so I have been thinking, these past few months. The notion of a cure to my ailment¡­ though I cannot say I feel a fraud, I do question if I deserve such a thing. If that is what Veid truly has in mind for me.¡±


    ¡°You do deserve it,¡± Argrave assured him.


    ¡°Considering you feel like an imposter even now, Your Majesty, you should know how little those words change my mind.¡±


    Argrave scratched at his cheek. ¡°I guess all that¡¯s left to do is to walk the path ahead.¡±

 Chapter 278: Start of an Era

    ¡°One king is torn down before he can be crowned¡­¡± Duke Sumner, the young, brown of hair, and finely groomed mage of the south walked around a table where a map of Vasquer had been arrayed. He nted a crimson pin in the center of northern Vasquer, then lifted his head up.


    All of the grand nobility of the south had gathered today. Margrave Reinhardt, leader of the southern rebellion, stood at the head of the table, nked by his half-blind son Elias. Closest beside him was the ashen-haired Count Delbraun of Jast, the shrewd Duke Enrico of Mateth with his daughter Nikoletta, and the once-obese Duke Marauch of Elbraille. Each and all were avid supporters of the Margrave. Theyprised the majority of the southeast of Vasquer.


    Opposing them was another faction in the southern rebellion. These people,rgely free of ties to the Margrave, had rallied behind Duke Sumner. They staunchly opposed the notion that Argrave should be their backed imant. Fittingly, theyprised the southwest.


    ¡°One king is crowned by jumped up merchants who would y at being lords¡­¡± Sumner continued, retrieving a yellow pin and nting it in a city at the foot of the North Sea¡ªRelize. ¡°And now¡­ one king has been maimed by his own son. Who knows? We may yet have a fourth, should the situation in Dirracha change.¡±


    The Margrave took a deep breath and exhaled. ¡°Are you here to joke, Duke Sumner?¡±


    ¡°Only a little,¡± the Duke shook his head, wavy brown hair swaying slightly. ¡°But¡­ more so I came to voice the concerns of some of the people within this party. Revoice, rather. I think it¡¯s well past time for us to set this matter aside, to mend the small crack of disunity that¡¯s formed.¡± The Duke spread his arms out. ¡°Everyone has assembled. All the armies of the south willing to fight against Vasquer are here. But¡ªunity in purpose is key.¡±


    The Margrave nodded, leaning forward as he gazed across the map. His red eyes jumped from person to person. ¡°You cannot be persuaded to back Argrave,¡± Reinhardt concluded. ¡°Despite his deeds.¡±


    Silence reigned¡ªnone voiced their thoughts openly, but it was clear that was the consensus from those opposite the Margrave¡¯s party.


    ¡°Elias tells me of the boy,¡± Duke Marauch said, his voice a sonorous thing, not at all like the cloying, almost blubbering tones he¡¯d had when he had been overweight. ¡°I would agree that he¡¯s a rather attractive proposal. And I trust Elias,¡± Marauch said.


    People seemed to pay his word little heed. A shrewish man spoke, suggesting, ¡°It is not the man himself so much as thepany he keeps. Though he¡¯s not involved a third party into this war as we feared, but rather merchants in Relize, the bottom line of our worries has not changed.¡±


    ¡°¡­those worries being?¡± Reinhardt pressed.


    ¡°Usurpation,¡± Sumner said sinctly. ¡°I am sure many of us, indeed most of us, have engaged with some of the patricians in Relize or their hands. The Relizeans are a¡­ hmm¡­¡± Sumner paused. ¡°They are an upromisingly avaricious people. They do not act without a motive to profit. I am sure that this war is viewed more as an investment from their oligarchy rather than a genuine rebellion against malicious authority.¡±


    ¡°And why do you assume Argrave would be willing to strip territory from his allies in efforts to repay the patricians at Relize?¡± Duke Enrico rebutted smoothly, his daughter Nikoletta nodding in agreement. ¡°I have been doing business with the Relizeans in a peaceful and profitable way for much of my life. Though mboyant and gaudy, they do not overreach¡ªthe south is beyond them. If we ally with this force, it is much more sensible for them to seek acquisition of territories in the north and central Vasquer¡ªterritories which, I might remind you, are in direct opposition to both our armies.¡±


    ¡°Is it sensible to allow Argrave to distribute these forces to¡­ mere merchants?¡± another on Sumner¡¯s side questioned.


    ¡°All of our ancestors were merely humans with big egos before theirnd was bestowed upon them by the crown,¡± Delbraun of Jast pointed out. ¡°Why should the victor receive no spoils? If they can conquer, so be it.¡±


    Elias¡¯ gaze wandered the crowd. ¡°I will say why,¡± he suggested. ¡°All of you have heard of the devastating blows to the north¡ªAtrus¡¯ fracture, now Orion¡¯s coup. It¡¯s no coincidence our ranks have swelled¡ªyou see this as an easy victory, and you seek benefits for your own house in the event of victory. Argrave¡¯s army poses problems to your advancement. You cannot receive the wealth you seek if Argrave promises it to his merchant supporters.¡±


    ¡°Elias,¡± the Margrave protested, though weakly.


    ¡°But let me remind you¡ªin its centuries of existence, the kingdom of Vasquer has prevailed against tremendous threats,¡± Elias continued. ¡°The walls of Dirracha have never fallen, and dozens of fortresses stand between us and the capital. This is to be no easy victory. We must take every advantage we can get. And, above all, we cannot harm the people of the realm by splintering the kingdom. This is not a war of conquest and spoil¡ªit is one of righteous justice.¡±


    As people bristled, the Margrave quickly spoke, ¡°My son is right in that this is to be no easy victory. And Duke Sumner presents a good point in mentioning the disunity this matter has caused. Consequently, I dere this¡ªArgrave will not be our imant. As suggested, we proceed as champions against injustice and tyranny, seeking to overthrow Vasquer.¡±


    The Margrave stood straight. ¡°What happens after the war¡­ we will consider it only once we have breached the walls of Dirracha once and for all.¡±


    #####


    Two people walked through the door to one of the mystical transporters filling the center of the Tower of the Gray Owl, hauling arge, tall object between the two of them. They looked around, fascinated by the area they entered. Unlike most other areas of the Tower, this ce was wide-open, and amodated only one person.


    Tower Master Castro cleared his throat at the two as therge disc they held, wrapped by cloth, wobbled dangerously. The men refocused on their task.


    ¡°This way,¡± the Tower Master instructed them.


    The twoborers led the giant cloth-wrapped disc to one corner of the room, bending their knees as they lowered it to the ground. Once done, they gave a polite bow then made for the transporters, eyes still wandering about the gigantic room atop the Tower of the Gray Owl.


    Castro stared at the disc, its form hidden by arge white cloth. He took a deep breath and exhaled, as though what he was about to face required him to steel himself. He walked to one corner of the room and retrieved a booklet. He read it as he walked back to the disc, and then raised one hand to unwrap it.


    Just then, the baby-blue haired Ingo stepped out from his room, and Castro turned his head.


    ¡°Should you be up? Do you feel well?¡± the Tower Master questioned, holding the booklet open.


    ¡°I¡­ you¡¯ve been fretting about this thing for days, Master. I was¡­¡± Ingo¡¯s voice faded.


    Castro pursed his old lips. ¡°If you feel fine¡­ it is no trouble for you to look upon it.¡±


    Ingo smiled his innocent smile, then walked closer. It was clear from his steps that he was not totally well. ¡°What is it, Master Castro?¡±


    ¡°Proof, or so I¡¯ve been told,¡± Castro said cynically, reading the booklet one more time. ¡°Went through a lot of effort to retrieve this. Called in many favors. From what I read, it¡¯s¡­¡± he shook his head. ¡°Well, enough.¡±


    Castro shook himself briefly, then stepped to the wrapped disc. He grabbed the cloth, slowly unwinding it bit by bit. The white fabric copsed to the floor, revealing ever more of the image. It was carved stone, and difficult to make out without the full image before the person. The disc was held in ce by two mps on either side¡ªit looked as though it could be rotated.


    As thest bit of cloth fell away, Castro stepped back to where Ingo stood, craning his neck to get a full grasp of it. The stone itself was gray green, almost like patinaed copper though with more of gray than green. The image depicted was disturbing. The centerpiece was an eye, undisturbed. On its fringes, abominations of all kinds wrapped around it, as though the eye was the centerpiece of a vortex.


    ¡°Eye of the storm,¡± Ingo said at once.


    Castro turned his head. ¡°A vision?¡±


    ¡°No¡­ well, not one right now. But this¡­ I¡¯ve seen it before,¡± Ingo exined. ¡°I see what exists, not what will be.¡±


    Castro nodded, and gently touched the boy¡¯s shoulder. He stepped away, heading for a tall piece of sswork in the back of the room: a bottle. The bottle¡¯s bottom resembled a diamond, while its neck was long and tapered off to a dropper that limited how much liquid could escape. Castro seized the bottle by the neck and walked back to the stone disc.


    The tower master tilted the bottle to one side, holding its dropper against his finger. A single drop of deep ck liquid the faintest hue of red came out. Castro looked at the droplet briefly, then craned up. He rubbed the liquid right in the center of the eye, then stepped back.


    The ck liquid seeped into the stone almost unnaturally. Then, the liquid spread throughout the eye, giving it depth. It spawned veins where one might expect to see them on the eye, and in seconds, the image became three-dimensional. The eye started to move, looking about. Castro watched it warily.


    The eye met Castro¡¯s gaze¡­ and then, the Tower Master knelt to one knee.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Like the eye had never been, the image faded back to simple gray-green stone. Ingo knelt beside the old man, shouting, ¡°Castro! Castro!¡± in a desperate panic.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Castro assured at once. ¡°I¡¯m fine. All is¡­ all is okay.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure? That eye¡­!¡± Ingo looked back up towards the stone, but it appeared to be nothing more than what it had been.


    ¡°Damn¡­ Argrave¡­¡± Castro exhaled. ¡°I saw what you wanted me to. Why¡¯d I¡­ trust¡­¡±


    The Tower Master copsed to the floor, the booklet falling as he held it. Ingo shook the wizened man almost hysterically.


    Near the end of the instructions written on the booklet, the final line read, ¡°If you¡¯re a real man, use one droplet of dragon blood. If not, I¡¯d advise portioning it out to ridiculously small amounts.¡±


    Slowly, the Tower Master¡¯s eyes opened, fluttering about like slots on a slot machine before they focused. ¡°Gerechtigkeit,¡± he whispered softly.

 Chapter 279: Wonders of Time

    Argrave picked up a ring and poured the well of magic bursting within him into the confines of the inscription wrought into the metal. Imbuing enchantments felt like he was handling red hot liquid metal, pouring it into a cast with his will alone. He attempted to speed it up¡­ yet as one might expect, the magic danced dangerously, and Argrave quickly directed things so as to seal them off. Just as he did so, he was sealed off from the near limitless supply of power springing from the Blessing of Supersession.


    ¡°That should be five minutes, Your Majesty,¡± Gmon said gruffly. ¡°Forty rings, by my count.¡±


    ¡°¡­I messed this one up,¡± Argrave set the ring down in a pile alongside many others. Each of the rings had Argrave¡¯s personal symbol on them¡ªthe sun, with four snake heads at the edges of four rays.


    ¡°Then thirty-nine,¡± Gmon amended.


    ¡°Not good enough,¡± Argrave shook his head.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°You¡¯ve managed to imbue thirty-nine B-rank enchanted items, Your Majesty. Less than a month ago, you had done zero,¡± Ansgar reminded him. As Leopold Dandn¡¯s most trusted son, Ansgar had be a sort of aide to Argrave in the past month. Though sixty-two, he was still quite able on many fronts. Above all, he was trustworthy. ¡°Your efforts are astounding.¡±


    Indeed, one month had passed. It had taken Argrave a month of learning to get to the point to do this. Granted, his time had be much more limited ever since taking on his duties as king, but the point remained. One month, thirty-nine rings. It could be said that it was far above normal production rates¡­ but far below what Argrave wanted with this venture of his.


    ¡°¡­hmm,¡± Argrave grunted discontentedly. This enchanting business was his sole reprieve from the mundanity of administering things in Relize. Once the politics were well and settled, he felt useless.


    ¡°These cast B-rank warding spells, do they not?¡± Ansgar eyed the rings. ¡°I would advise that you distribute them first to your newly formed royal guard. Perhaps your knightmander can handle this matter, Your Majesty,¡± Leopold looked to Gmon.


    Gmon had be Argrave¡¯s knightmander of his royal knights. Indeed, Argrave had his own royal knights, now. Though only twelve, each and all were masters. Gmon had chosen the most skilled out of people in the army. From there, Anneliese had evaluated their loyalty. That number ended in twelve. Argrave disliked bringing them everywhere¡ªeven now, they waited outside.


    ¡°I had intended to distribute them to meritorious performers in the battlefield,¡± Argrave said. ¡°Giving them to my guard¡­ mighte off as selfish, no?¡±


    ¡°I believe it would show that being loyal and steadfast brings rewards, Your Majesty,¡± Ansgar disagreed.


    Argrave rubbed his chin. ¡°Alright. It¡¯s only twelve¡ªthe rest will be distributed as I originally intended. Gmon?¡±


    The elven vampire nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll see they¡¯re handed out.¡±


    Argrave rose to his feet, content. ¡°Alright. Now, before we depart to evaluate the fortress¡­ Leopold¡¯s waiting.¡±


    Ansgar dipped his head. ¡°I believe my father is eager to meet his bride-to-be.¡±


    ¡°I can only imagine,¡± Argrave said with a droll nod. ¡°Send for Elenore before we meet. I have things to discuss with her, and she should be there when I talk to Leopold.¡±


    #####


    ¡°Avoiding a federation in central Vasquer turned out to be an impossibility,¡± Elenoremented to Argrave, her voice loud even when she spoke quietly on ount of the ward surrounding them, blocking all sound from escaping. ¡°They still remain firmly loyal to Duke Rovostar. In the south they¡¯ve begun to call Rovostar the king¡¯s dog. I underestimated his charisma and capability. They possess a far greater number of spellcasters than we do. That remains¡­ a ring weakness of ours.¡±


    The two of them walked down the halls of Leopold¡¯s estate, guarded by six guards on each side. Gmon stood just behind the two of them. Even here, these men remained diligent¡ªif they weren¡¯t, their knightmander quickly corrected their behavior. Gmon took his role seriously. Argrave sustained the ward around them with one hand¡ªhe¡¯d learned a spell that allowed the ward to move with him, yet he needed to sustain the spell. Fortunately, it was low-ranking, and his still-growing magic supply amodated him ably.


    ¡°Rovostar is an A-rank mage, isn¡¯t he? Felipe did a good job earning their undying loyalty, it would seem, if they should fight for him crippled and imprisoned,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°Orion still refuses to¡­ change things on that front?¡±


    ¡°Felipe lives, and Orion won¡¯t change that. He keeps the king under house arrest. We can consider ourselves fortunate only in that Orion does not trust Levin, and has arranged simr treatment for him,¡± Elenore sighed. ¡°But still, things have stagnated somewhat. The central federation of nobles briefly attempted to siege down Dirracha. The walls were meant to withstand devastating spells, though, and Orion has proved an able defender. He sallied from the walls alone and direly injure a Magister of the Order that Duke Rovostar managed to entice to join his side.¡±


    Argrave was surprised and was about to ask who. Before he couldment, Elenore continued.


    ¡°Now that the south under Margrave Reinhardt has started to move, they can¡¯t afford to dedicate attention to Dirracha. The force Orion has is too small to do anything beyond maintain their position. On paper, he¡¯s on our side. He¡¯ll surrender Dirracha to us once we arrive. His only condition is sparing Felipe and Levin.¡±


    Argrave stopped as his royal guards surveyed around the corner, then proceeded once they did. ¡°I suppose I can only hope that central Vasquer will receive our delegation well and stop this madness. I cannot understand why they fight so hard for someone so¡­¡± Argrave sighed. ¡°No use dwelling. What of the north? What of Atrus? We¡¯re direly insufficient in magic prowess, and they might remedy that.¡±


    ¡°I believe we¡¯ve extracted all we could. Many were hesitant tomit troops to our cause in light of unrest in their regions, but we¡¯ve gotten supplies enough to double our provisions¡­ but as for spellcasters¡­ we remain utterly without support,¡± Elenore shook her head. ¡°Many have turned to low banditry after loss of leadership. Some central nobles outright invade the formernds of Atrus, razing viges and seizing lesser fortifications. Thend is¡­ not in a good ce. Orion¡¯s coup made so many venues ofmunication fall apart, and the situation spiraled¡­¡±


    Argrave could hear some guilt on her tone. She viewed that fact as her responsibility.


    ¡°We have the fortress in Indanus Divide,¡± Argrave said quickly. ¡°Provided I feel it¡¯s up to standard, that frees us to engage with the north without losing a position to attack central Vasquer. We can restore order in the north, bolstering our forces in the process¡­ we have to be able to get magic users, then. After, we fold on central Vasquer, north and south both,¡± Argrave suggested. ¡°I imagine Rovostar will have to listen to reason, then, unless he¡¯s a fan of martyrdom. Few people are.¡±


    ¡°It has merit,¡± Elenore nodded slowly. ¡°Even if I know you say it only to get my mind off my failure.¡±


    Argrave smiled andughed. ¡°We can work it outter. But before we meet Leopold, I have to ask¡­ how is working with Durran?¡±


    Argrave had been prepared to name Durran something like junior knightmander¡ªa made-up position to ensure the man could have status and stay near his side justifiably. Instead, the tribal requested to work with Elenore. The man did have some ulterior motives, but it suited Argrave fine. He was quite curious about how things would go.


    ¡°I thought he was your watchdog¡ªa trusted eye to keep an eye on me after my big faux pas,¡± Elenore said. Argrave opened his mouth to protest, but Elenore cut him off with a waved hand, saying, ¡°I know he¡¯s not, at least now. In fact, I see why you wanted him toe with you. He is rather capable,¡± she said. ¡°Though I would never tell him such. He would be insufferably pleased by that fact.¡±


    ¡°Is that right?¡± Argrave pressed.


    ¡°It is,¡± Elenore nodded. ¡°He made these at my request¡­ granted, this was before you¡¯d assigned him to work with me¡­¡± Elenore pointed to her feet, where Argrave only now noticed she wore genuine boots over new wooden prostheses. ¡°Wooden, though with an enchanted metal core. He¡¯s good with his hands, it would seem. That, or he hired a craftsman to carve it.¡±


    ¡°I doubt it,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°Well, it seems he likes you well enough. I¡¯m d of it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve had him teaching personnel about druidic magic, preparing some scouts for the war¡­ and for personal use, I admit,¡± Elenore moved past Argrave¡¯s leading observation. ¡°In essence, we have an advantage of superior espionage over our foes if we can integrate druidic magic,¡± Elenore said, voice speeding up as they strayed onto a topic that interested her. ¡°It¡¯s nice to have someone capable and trustworthy. I¡¯ve been weaning responsibilities off Mnie and giving them to Durran.¡±


    ¡°Because thebor¡¯s free, I imagine,¡± Argrave noted sarcastically. He dispelled the ward around them. ¡°Leopold should be here.¡±


    Argrave¡¯s royal guards opened the doors for them, and Elenore moved closer to Argrave after the ward around them disappeared, crossing her arms as though to guard herself. Beyond, only Leopold waited. Argrave stepped in.


    ¡°Anneliese isn¡¯t here yet?¡± Argrave questioned.


    Leopold held up a note. ¡°She sent this, Your Majesty,¡± he said.


    Argrave took it, reading it quickly. It spoke of a slight dy. At once, worry festered. He didn¡¯t like being away from Anneliese for long at all. If he were near, he could at the very least ensure that they¡¯d face whatever troubles came together. Apart, things were beyond his control.


    ¡°It is rather interesting watching Your Majesty when you part from your fianc¨¦e for more than a few minutes,¡± Leopold noted. ¡°I¡¯m not sure this sort of¡­ dependency, shall we say, is healthy.¡±


    Argrave¡¯s worry turned to wrath at the insinuation¡­ but he kept his wits about him, having reined in some of his impulsive tendencies regarding her. It was something he¡¯d been working on, per Anneliese¡¯s request. He knew as well as she did it was a vulnerability that people might learn to exploit¡ªas a king, he had to keep such things tightly under wrap.


    ¡°Perhaps you might rte to worrying about your fianc¨¦e soon enough,¡± Argrave dered, setting down the note and stepping closer.


    ¡°Hmph,¡± Leopold grunted. ¡°We have very different perceptions about¡ª¡±


    A knock came at the door. Argrave¡¯s royal guard came to attention, and then Gmon moved to open the door.


    Anneliese stood there in her gray enchanted duster, an unfamiliar Veidimen by her side. Wearing light white furs, this new arrival was a little taller than Anneliese and kept her light gray hair short. She had bright blue eyes that had an almost predatory aspect to them. Argrave regarded her curiously¡ªthis was someone Anneliese called friend. He¡¯d heard stories from Anneliese, but now he met her. Her name was Hirn.


    Anneliese smiled at Argrave when their eyes met and she stepped into the room. The royal guards regarded Hirn cautiously but acquiesced to her presence as she advanced at Anneliese¡¯s side. Argrave embraced Anneliese, and Hirn stood silently off to the side, hands neatly ced before her.


    ¡°Wee back,¡± Argrave greeted her.


    She pulled away, smiling, then turned to her friend. ¡°Hirn¡ªArgrave, his sister Princess Elenore, and his knightmander Gmon¡ª¡±


    ¡°Gmon the Great,¡± she interrupted. ¡°He serves Argrave now?¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± Gmon answered.


    Hirn nodded. ¡°He earns good allies. Speaks to his character. He truly does not mind his condi¡ª?"


    ¡°Not here,¡± Anneliese interrupted. ¡°Andstly¡­ the man I think you should meet. Leopold,¡± she introduced.


    Hirn stepped up to the old man immediately. He craned his neck up to keep her eye-contact.


    ¡°I¡¯m told you hope for a mutually beneficial partnership,¡± she said at once.


    ¡°¡­a marriage,¡± Leopold nodded.


    ¡°This is your home?¡± she looked around.


    ¡°It is,¡± Leopold nodded.


    ¡°I am told you are a wealthy man,¡± Hirn continued. ¡°I see that is not untrue, judging merely by this ce.¡±


    ¡°I can confidently say I am the wealthiest man in this city¡­ and presently its leader, at least during war time,¡± Leopold said steadily.


    Hirn nodded. ¡°Good. Things are simple, as I see it¡ªI want to live more than simply ¡®well.¡¯¡± Hirn sped her hands together. ¡°You are wealthy and present a good business opportunity. We can forge new grounds, establish trade between Veiden and Berendar that makes both of us profit tremendously. There is no more trustworthy bind than marriage, I find¡ªeven better if we should have children. I do question if you still can, though.¡±


    Leopold seemed amused by the notion. ¡°I¡¯ve done so enough, and still can well enough. But I question if there is genuinely profit to be had.¡±


    Hirn smiled. ¡°A good question. We were dyed because of my cargo¡ªa shipment of goods from Veiden, plus a tribute for the king,¡± her blue eyes turned to Argrave. ¡°Something to make your men a little more equal to the army of the Veidimen. Enough to arm these men, perhaps?¡±


    Ebonice, Argrave realized. That might help their severe deficiency of magic users, and brightened Argrave¡¯s mood tremendously.


    ¡°Call him Your Majesty,¡± Gmon instructed her.


    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± she adjusted quickly, unoffended. ¡°A bit unwieldy¡­ but I will adapt.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s see this shipment,¡± Leopold said, some excitement shining through. ¡°After¡­ we can talk details.¡±


    ¡°Good enough,¡± Hirn said. ¡°I hope you don¡¯t expect me to help you walk.¡±


    ¡°I can walk,¡± Leopold said, stepping forth on his cane with more vigor than Argrave generally saw him with.


    Once they left, Argrave looked to Anneliese. ¡°She¡¯s¡­ exactly as you said, huh?¡±


    ¡°The sincerest person I have ever met,¡± Anneliese nodded. ¡°Not a good thing, often. But still, I am proud to call her my friend.¡±


    ¡°Think they¡¯ll stick?¡± Argrave questioned.


    ¡°Oh, yes. She was practically glowing at all the gold on the walls,¡± Anneliese nodded. ¡°And it¡¯ll help secure some Ebonice, even if not as much as we need.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°We leave to inspect the fortress today. You¡¯ll be fine? You¡¯ve just returned from a fairly long journey.¡±


    ¡°We set out once again. In truth, I am somewhat excited,¡± Anneliese confessed. ¡°Apprehension, though, looms.¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°I know what you mean. I can finally get away from here. Elenore doesn¡¯t need me. She does everything near perfectly, and I just sit around looking big.¡±


    The prospect of a brief getaway from all of this did excite Argrave. He had to admit¡­ he wasn¡¯t built for mundane administration. Moreover, he wasn¡¯t sure he¡¯d make apetentmander in the slightest. As the days went on, he felt stagnant. Hopefully, heading to the Indanus Divide would revitalize him. Certainly, it would set Anneliese on a new path of magic¡­

 Chapter 280: To Work

    A couple linked arms as they ascended up the mystic stone elevator in the center of the Tower of the Gray Owl. One was a fairly tall bald man with lean features and a grin that seemed markedly bitter. The one beside him was quite the enchanting woman with gray hair and sharp orange eyes. She wore tall heels¡ªtall enough to be the exact same height as the man beside her. There was a strange air between them. It was not quite the harmonious aura one might see in a couple, yet it could not be likened to a couple who had fought.


    ¡°I wonder why the Tower Master calls all Magisters in the Tower to assemble,¡± Vera said, breaking the silence.


    ¡°And you voiced that thought out loud,¡± Hegazar answered back, staring ahead.


    ¡°Well, yes,¡± Vera said. ¡°This is generally the part where we discuss things, like civilized people who can cooperate, and share a simrck of understanding regarding the present situation. Unless you know something?¡±


    Hegazar turned his head. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m hiding something from you?¡±


    ¡°The irony hearing that from you, the illusionist. Historically, that is the case,¡± Vera mused.


    Hegazar shook his head and faced forward once again. Two people passed by on another tform, and both Magisters adapted smiles on their faces like nothing was wrong at all. Once they¡¯d gone, both went stony.


    ¡°Listen¡­ part of being a happy-go-lucky couple is being nice to each other. I started this conversation rather normally, don¡¯t you think?¡± Vera questioned. ¡°A simple question, which, though mundane, was perfectly normal. Don¡¯t you think you owe it to me to respond in kind?¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Hegazar questioned. ¡°I released you from that vault without a hitch. We split the loot as we had intended to before the star-crossed lover betrayal¡ªas equal partners. If anyone owes anyone anything, it¡¯s¡ª¡±


    ¡°Is that why you did it?¡± Vera questioned. ¡°To get me in debt? To have me as a partner once more, out of obligation?¡±


    ¡°No, I--!¡± Hegazar stopped as another set of people passed them by.


    The smiles came to their face once more. Once the people hade and gone, Hegazar startedughing.


    ¡°You¡¯reughing, now,¡± Vera noted.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Hegazar said. ¡°Not about theughter, mind you. I did answer a bit harshly.¡± Vera gave him a nce, a little surprised. He carried on, saying, ¡°Do you know what our favorite little kingling did once he¡¯d locked you in that vault? He embraced that girl of his, Anneliese. You should have seen how nauseatingly pleased he was¡ªboth of them were. The entire time, they¡¯d been ying us.¡±


    ¡°What, you¡¯d prefer I¡¯d be like her?¡± she rebuked, still moderately upset.


    Hegazar sighed. ¡°No. Just¡­ look at it this way. Together, the two of thempletely outwitted you¡ªno, outwitted us,¡± he corrected begrudgingly. ¡°Two B-rank mages, with no one to trust other than themselves, and a king¡¯s army poking at the door to the Tower. Now, one¡¯s a king with an army to match¡­ and the girl is bound to be a splendid queen, if I¡¯m gauging things right. Two B-rank mages. That¡¯s what they achieved. If we could work together like that¡­ imagine,¡± he said with an unmistakable, almost primal avarice. ¡°So, I¡¯m sorry. We have to get as close as conjoined twins, you and me. And then we can ascend together.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Vera admitted, enticed by the fantasy just as much as Hegazar was. ¡°And I¡¯m¡­ sorry too,¡± Her face slowly lost some tenseness. ¡°¡­then, my question?¡±


    ¡°I have no clue why Castro is calling us,¡± Hegazar answered. Just then, their stone tform reached the floor they¡¯d intended. ¡°But we¡¯re soon to find out, aren¡¯t we¡­ partner?¡±


    And so, the couple advanced onto the floor a little morefortable linked arm in arm than they had been before. Beyond, a simple room waited them. It was little more than a conference room, but then not much more was needed to amodate so few people. The two Magisters looked around the room.


    About seventeen others were assembled, including the new arrivals¡ªsix men, eleven women. To call them only ¡®people¡¯ was perhaps a bit demeaning¡ªthese were true movers and shakers, Magisters of the Order of the Gray Owl. Some of them could wipe small cities off the map if they really put their mind to it. They had presences to match, each and all. Some of them had presences in a more literal sense¡ªone man¡¯s shadow danced with wisps of smoke, while another woman left crystals of ice wherever she touched.


    Of course, so many in such close proximity created a nigh palpable tension. These were people with grudges, alliances, and rtionships spanning decades. The tension was higher amidst some, while others seemed rxed: the political and apolitical Magisters respectively. Hegazar envied the rxation of the schrs, at times¡­ yet he loved the politics far too much to do as they did, poring over tomes and researching day after day. That tension was excitement. And that tension was here, today.


    Eventually, Hegazar rested his eyes on a strange piece in the back of the room. It was a gray-green disc, ced conspicuously close to the head of the conference table. It depicted an eye in the center, strange abominations on its edges like some sort of vortex or portal.


    ¡°Hmm. Look at the decoration,¡± Hegazar whispered.


    Vera did as he asked. ¡°It would seem Master Castro has been scammed by some new age artist,¡± she concluded.


    ¡°Hmm, yes it does,¡± Hegazar nodded. ¡°Or maybe the man has finally gone senile, and that is the thing he intends to show us all.¡±


    Veraughed under her breath. ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s his apprentice¡¯s work. Let the old man brag¡ªhe doesn¡¯t have many other opportunities.¡±


    Hegazarughed, beginning to see how this idea of theirs might work¡ªinstead of making mocking each other, they¡¯d make fun of everybody else around them. Hisughter died as he felt the wind stir behind him, and another person entered.


    ¡°Seventeen here?¡± Master Castro questioned, already having moved to stand beside Hegazar and Vera. ¡°Who¡¯s¡­? Oh. Moriatran is missing. I suppose this is some grand show of his to one-up me by ignoring my summons,¡± the man said, stepping past. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve called everyone here today for probably the most important thing I am to deal with in my lifetime.¡±


    Hegazar furrowed his brows. Castro had a vigor to his step unlike anything that he¡¯d seen from the Master in decades. Though old, bald, and shrunken as ever, Hegazar found himself wondering how the man could move that fast and confidently at his age.


    ¡°Look at him. He¡¯s found a cure for arthritis,¡± Vera whispered in jest.


    The man with dancing shadows watched Castro as he walked. His name was Traugott. He had long hair like ink that entuated his sharp and grim features, and cast shadows as though light obeyed his whims. His skin was quite dark, too, hinting he might hail from the Burnt Desert. Hegazar could not say as much for certain, though.


    ¡°Is this about the war, Master Castro?¡± Magister Traugott spoke respectfully, having a measured tone and a deep voice. ¡°We¡¯re all well aware of your close ties with Argrave.¡±


    ¡°Could care less about the war,¡± Castro said disdainfully.


    Traugott raised a brow, surprised that the usually even-keeled Castro would speak so tersely.


    ¡°I brought all of you here¡­ for this,¡± Castro dered, setting a bottle with a dropper on its cap atop the table and walking up to the gray-green disc.


    Hegazar and Vera shared a bemused and amused nce, then looked back. ¡°Is this atest art investment of yours, Master Castro?¡± he dared ask.


    Castro¡¯s gaze was enough to chill Hegazar¡ªhe¡¯d seldom seen this side of the Tower Master. ¡°It¡¯s an investment,¡± Castro agreed. ¡°But not art. It¡¯s an investment in truth.¡± The Tower Master stepped away from the disc, grabbing up the bottle. ¡°I¡¯m going to make this rather simple for all of you¡­¡±


    Behind Hegazar, the stone tform stopped once again. The couple turned their heads, where the Magister Moriatran stood. He was a man every bit as old as Castro. His hair was present, but its wispy whiteness made him look worse. His teeth were pristine, granted, and his eyes retained a sharp, if bitter, intelligence.


    ¡°It seems I¡¯mte,¡± Moriatran dered loudly.


    Castro turned his head back almost disaffectedly. ¡°You are. I don¡¯t care to talk to you right now, Moriatran¡ªsit down, shut up,¡± he dered, then walked forward to the disc, tipping the bottle over until a drop of ck liquid formed on his finger.


    Moriatran stepped forth, his face tight at the harsh words. ¡°It seems I¡¯ve finally gotten to your head, at least somewhat, if you would be so wantonly disrespectful.¡±


    Most of the others were captured by Castro¡¯s actions, wondering what it was that had made the old Master so fiery today. He stood up on the tips of his toes, craning up until his finger dabbed the ck liquid into the center of the eye.


    Tower Master Castro stepped away, moving to the head of the table. ¡°Like I said, today is very simple. All of you are going to learn some ufortable truths. You¡¯re going to put aside your petty differences, your grasping avarice, your useless apathy¡­ and then, we¡¯ll use those esteemed heads of yours to figure out what, exactly, we¡¯re going to do about this.¡±


    Behind, Hegazar watched the ck liquid seep into the stone. The eye, once t, gained depth, dimensionality. The ck liquid formed veins in the now-alive image until the eye seemed bloodshot, almost drugged. Then¡­ it moved, seeing. Hegazar¡¯s eyes widened¡ªhe could see no magic, no sign of anything he was ustomed to. He could notprehend that simple bit of stone.


    The Magisters in the room took note of this, some rising ufortably, the others looking to Castro and asking for exnation. Yet the eye¡­ it wandered, looking for something. And eventually, it seized upon Moriatran. Hegazar saw the wizened Magister¡¯s eyes widen, then convulse until they were mirror images of the gray-green and bloodshot stone eye on the disc. When that was done, the image on stone faded, and the Magister copsed to the ground.


    ¡°The first knower of the truth,¡± Castro dered, stepping around the table. ¡°Perhaps this will shut him up.¡±


    Castro walked up to the Magister. All present looked between each other, somewhat panicked one of their own had been cast to the ground. They looked ready to defend themselves against this seemingly mad Tower Master and his strange artifact.


    Castro kicked Moriatran in the shoulder lightly. ¡°Come on. Get up. You¡¯re a real man, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Moriatran did eventuallye to, and he quickly scurried away from Castro like a spider. ¡°What¡­!¡± he trailed off. ¡°What was that?!¡± he demanded.


    ¡°That, my former friend, is the problem at hand,¡± Castro dered. ¡°Gerechtigkeit.¡±


    The Tower Master reached into his robe¡¯s pockets, and people prepared themselves to react to whatever this new Castro might throw at them. Instead, he pulled out a booklet, and cast it on the ground before Moriatran.


    ¡°That vision not enough for you? I¡¯ve got half a dozen leads you can pursue to find the truth of things, each and all every bit aspelling as this.¡± Castro turned back to the rest of them. ¡°We have a problem of massive proportions, Magisters. I¡¯m here to remind you of the responsibility of those in power¡­ even if I, myself, need to use mine.¡±


    Hegazar looked at Vera and whispered, ¡°Usually, he¡¯s supposed to mediate things, make the situation less tense, right?¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°Usually,¡± she agreed.


    ¡°So!¡± Castro pped. ¡°To work.¡±

 Chapter 281: First March

    Argrave stood just beside Gmon, Anneliese on his other side. He felt a sense of relief no longer being surrounded by twelve additional warm bodies. This was because the twelve warm bodies that generally guarded him were instead training. At present, they trained in archery. Even the morning before they departed, Gmon insisted they receive basic training.


    ¡°They¡¯re decently equipped, Your Majesty,¡± Gmon told Argrave. ¡°Ebonice daggers, brought by Anneliese¡¯s friend Hirn¡­ I prefer axes, myself. Most Veidimen infantrymen do. Handles can be wooden without hindering the ice¡¯s effect, they offer additional reach to keep the spell away from your body, and they¡¯re still effective as instruments of war.¡± Gmon crossed his arms. ¡°Nheless, these daggers they¡¯re equipped with will suffice against lesser mages. I¡¯d like to request some spellcasters to perform training with genuine spells.¡±


    Argrave nodded, more focused on the archery disy. ¡°I¡¯d like to request that, too. We don¡¯t have many. Spellcasters like to avoid the big cities, generally¡­ it makes it difficult for practice, et cetera. We¡¯recking woefully,¡± He shook his head. ¡°Only the Wratsons have some to spare, I should think. I don¡¯t like the idea of owing a debt to their vampiric patriarch¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Gmon grunted. ¡°The armor¡­ certainly not the same quality as those in the royal forges of Dirracha. Metal¡¯s fine, but the enchantments¡­ they¡¯re only protective. It¡¯s not the same.¡± Gmon grabbed at his old armor. ¡°The forges in Dirracha use old enchantment techniques that enhance strength, speed¡­ that, coupled with the crown Your Majesty had me retrieve from that elven tomb, and I am far and away the best equipped. I can fight six of them at once.¡±


    ¡°I think that¡¯s more because of you than them,¡± Argrave turned his head. ¡°Afraid I can¡¯t do anything about their enchantments. Dirracha reforges old elven artifacts into armor, you know. They don¡¯t forge new equipment. Most of it is locked away in Dirracha. After Levin¡¯s betrayal, I¡¯m not sure the forges even have material.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Gmon nodded. ¡°They¡¯ve a lot to learn. At swordsmanship, most excel. It¡¯s amon weapon here. But archery, spears, axes¡­ pitiful.¡±


    Argrave watched as an arrow hit in the center of a dummy¡¯s head. ¡°Pitiful?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re standing still on a windless field,¡± Gmon shook his head.


    ¡°Maybe specialization isn¡¯t so bad,¡± Argrave suggested. ¡°Using so many weapons¡­¡±


    ¡°The best must be versatile. Knowing how to use a weapon means knowing how to fight against it, too. To guard a king? To guard with their lives? They are stillcking,¡± Gmon dered, voice a low growl. ¡°But they have good spirits, and they are willing to learn. Anneliese was right about their character. And once they learn, they can teach others. Twelve can be twelve hundred. The foundation of a structure is the most pivotal for building high.¡±


    ¡°¡­let¡¯s not get carried away,¡± Argrave said quietly.


    ¡°Let me advise Your Majesty as one who stood beside Dras in his conquest¡ªas someone with grand ambitions, one cannotpromise for anything less than perfection,¡± Gmon said loudly, showing hismitment to his words. ¡°The quality and cohesion of the kingdom¡¯s forces are paramount, especially considering whates in the future.¡±


    Argrave looked at his vampiricpanion, staring at his white eyes. ¡°Alright. I trust you on this. I made you knightmander not just to keep you close, but because I knew there is no one better fitting for that role on the continent.¡±


    Gmon turned his head away. Argrave couldn¡¯t tell if the words pleased him.


    ¡°On another front¡­ how goes the self-drinking?¡± he asked.


    Anneliese sighed. ¡°Please do not call it that.¡±


    ¡°¡­I do feel it. I feel that artifact, the eye you wanted me to look for. The ss eye,¡± Gmon said, his voice low and dangerous. ¡°No¡­ I see it. And it sees me. It watches, peering through the world at me like the ground and the walls are all ss themselves.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ I think you can lessen on using the ck bowl if the feeling is so intense. It if starts to fade, maybe pick it up again. In the future, you might use it before battle,¡± Argrave suggested.


    Gmon looked vaguely discontent, and eventually asked, ¡°¡­what is the eye? What are these vampiric artifacts?¡±


    ¡°Fragments from the source,¡± Argrave exined quickly. ¡°That¡¯s all I know, really. Could be the original vampire. Could be whatever brought vampirism about. I¡¯m not privy to such details, even as obsessed with this world as I was. Sometimes, the answers just aren¡¯t there. They like to keep us guessing.¡±


    ¡°Obsessed¡­ that¡¯s a fitting word. There¡¯s obsession in these artifacts,¡± Gmon said, voice low. ¡°The knife, Althazar¡­ it¡¯s self-hatred. The bowl¡­ I¡¯m not sure, not yet. Self-perfection? Narcissism? Purification?¡± the elven vampire popped his knuckles.


    ¡°Well, on that matter, perhaps it¡¯s best not to get too absorbed into what they are,¡± Argrave said pointedly. ¡°These are a means to an end. A means to get you well.¡±


    ¡°One of many means, yet we pursue this one,¡± Gmon said. ¡°One that excises the vampiric beasts yet retains its powers.¡±


    ¡°This upsets you,¡± Anneliese noticed.


    ¡°I¡­¡± Gmon closed his eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t wish to be more than mortal. I want to live a good life and die amongst family. Nothing more.¡±


    Argrave stared at the training royal guard for a time, listening to the sound of their bowstrings twanging, their arrows hitting the wooden dummies.


    ¡°Won¡¯t act like I understand that desire. In your shoes, I¡¯d be jumping at the opportunity for vampirism with no downsides¡ªnot even the whole ¡®drinking blood¡¯ part,¡± Argrave said evenly. ¡°As it happens, though, you live in a time where the peaceful family life you want is threatened by a cmity hoping to end the world.¡±


    ¡°That justifies all? That justifies these Wratsons, a family of vampires in the heart of a city?¡± Gmon asked. ¡°Don¡¯t mistake me¡ªI will follow you until death, Your Majesty. These are merely my thoughts ofte.¡±


    Argrave sighed. He hadn¡¯t minded that title at first, but when someone he considered one of his best friends used it, it put distance between them he didn¡¯t like. ¡°You¡¯ve been travelling with me a long while, Gmon. Longer than anyone else. I can say only Anneliese knows me better, and that¡¯s because she¡¯s made a very concerted effort. You¡¯ll know this, then: I¡¯m quite good atpartmentalizing. And at this stage¡­ do you think I can reasonably stop working with the Wratsons? Do you think that¡¯s prudent, in my new role?¡±


    Gmon thought about that question for a long while, giving it a thorough examination. His body shifted, and he lowered his head once the answer was reached.


    ¡°No,¡± Gmon said. ¡°The Wratsons help us at every turn, despite their nature. Without them¡­ the war would be harder, and more lives would be lost.¡±


    ¡°I do want¡­ to be a good person,¡± Argrave said. ¡°I do want to be a good friend, too. To you, to Durran. Sometimes, though¡­ we can¡¯t choose just for ourselves. Do you think your wife, your son, would care about these new abilities of yours? They love you even as you are now.¡±


    ¡°¡­that makes it¡­ easier to swallow,¡± Gmon finally said.


    Argrave smiled bitterly at his maniptive mention of family. ¡°I hope you¡¯ll continue to give me honest counsel, honest thoughts. And if I need to do something I don¡¯t want to for the good of the realm¡­ please, help me see.¡±


    #####


    ¡°So, while Your Majesty is off delving into a brand-new fortress and living life up, we¡¯ll be doing the hard logistics of the march to restore order in the north,¡± Durran said with a smile.


    ¡°Already ¡®we,¡¯ is it?¡± Argrave said, looking over a map that Durran hadid out across the table. ¡°You¡¯re doing a war of a different kind. How goes it with Elenore?¡±


    Durran frowned. ¡°You want me to discuss my tactics against your sister? Odd. A bit more debauched than I took you for.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re dodging because you¡¯ve made no progress,¡± Argrave decided.


    ¡°Think what you will, Your Majesty,¡± Durran shook his head, unaffected. Argrave couldn¡¯t determine whether it was because it was untrue, or if Durran was just unbothered by that fact. ¡°Killing your digression in its infancy¡­ I don¡¯t see supply being an impeding factor. Felipe, saboteur extraordinaire, is rotting in a cell a few blocks away from Levin, the second impediment¡­ even so, Elenore is being cautious on that front. Our supply won¡¯t bepromised. Indeed, it grows every day.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Argrave nodded. ¡°Do you have actual troop counts, I wonder?¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Durran stood up, then walked away to look for something. He pulled out several scrolls, then syed them out across the table. ¡°Elenore¡­ was really quite meticulous¡­,¡± he said, voice trailing off as he bent down and retrieved things. ¡°She wanted to determine which patricians were threats to Leopold, you see.¡±


    ¡°And so?¡± Argrave pressed.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ arithmetic¡­¡± Durran¡¯s eyes wandered the pages. ¡°Twenty-two thousand men, it would appear, give or take a few hundred. Leopold¡¯s portionprises five thousand men. This doesn¡¯t ount for spellcasters, or leaders. Central Vasquer possesses about twice our number, presently, but there are great disparities in how well they¡¯re equipped¡ªsome are conscripted levies, while some are knights with glowing swords that cost thousands. Our force is well-rounded, well-equipped¡ªcrossbowmen, efficiently armed and armored infantryman. We have very little cavalry and fewer magic users. Ideally the expedition into the north will mitigate both.¡±


    ¡°Five thousand from the Dandns? Leopold¡¯s force is that strong?¡± Argrave raised a brow.


    ¡°Uhh¡­ yeah,¡± Durran nodded. ¡°You underestimate how much he benefitted from revoking the Rescindment of Profligacy and Corruption, Your Majesty. Merchant families were willing to sell most everything they owned to be named patricians and be granted the dubious privilege of participating in city politics.¡±


    ¡°His son leads my escort to the new fortress, another of his sons is my personal aide, he¡¯s the most wealthy man in Relize¡­¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°The Dandns are on the rise.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Well, if you¡¯re feeling some spontaneous rise of paranoia, Your Majesty, rest assured¡ªElenore monitors the family closely,¡± Durran put the page on the table. ¡°I guess it shows that loyalty to you is rewarded. It¡¯s a fitting disy for the rest of them.¡±


    ¡°A lot to keep track of,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°Oh, well. I just wanted to check in before we left. Well, enough¡ªeveryone else is waiting.¡±


    #####


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep things well at hand here,¡± Elenore informed Argrave. ¡°But you should travel safely going to the fortress. Things can go awry in ways you might not ever expect,¡± she reminded him pointedly.


    ¡°I have new, capable knights protecting me, each and all now armed with Ebonice weaponry,¡± Argrave looked back to his royal guard, Gmon heading them. ¡°And you¡ªyou¡¯ll be equally cautious, I hope? Things are different than they were in that greenhouse. You¡¯ve poked your head out of the ground. People know you¡¯re important to my operations. And important people, figureheads¡­¡±


    ¡°Make important targets, yes,¡± Elenore nodded.


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep the princess safe, Your Majesty. Simply go off and conquer,¡± Durran gave him a wave.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ve taken measures regarding my safety, don¡¯t worry,¡± Elenore said, brushing off Durran¡¯sment. ¡°I¡¯ll be in Relize, the center of our power. It¡¯s you who should be worried of their safety. Only one thousand troops¡­¡±


    ¡°We have scouts that use druidic magic, and I know how to avoid battles,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°If this goes on, we¡¯ll get into a worryingpetition.¡±


    ¡°Should take ten days to there and back, given the majority of our troops are on foot,¡± Gmon noted, and Argrave turned his head to listen. ¡°We¡¯ll garrison the ce, take care of Your Majesty¡¯s side business, and then return. We¡¯ll establish supply lines, provision the ce, and keep a close eye on the nearby fortifications. Once we return here, the true danger begins¡ªrestoring order in the north,¡± Gmon reminded them.


    Argrave stepped forward and hugged his sister. ¡°I think he speaks to hurry me up,¡± he reflected. ¡°Take care,¡± he said, stepping away.


    ¡°And you,¡± Elenore smiled. ¡°I will be in contact if anything should arise.¡±

 Chapter 282: Blossoming Spring

    ¡°Duke Rovostar heads south, Prince Orion, tobat the approaching forces of the south. Though we can still see the dust clouds from their horses, we long ago lost sight of the army itself,¡± a kneeling royal knight said to Orion. Bandages peeked out from ces in his golden armor, marking him as a gued Waxknight. ¡°We would need to send scouts to confirm where they are precisely.¡±


    Orion patted the man on the shoulder. ¡°I would not risk lives by sending men out on foolish scouting missions. I trust what we can see from the walls of Dirracha,¡± he assured his man.


    The knight knelt a little lower and continued, ¡°Our conjecture, my prince, is that the army of Rovostar heads to reinforce the southern fortresses. By now, the Margrave will be heading out to begin his war. Winter has passed, after all, and the snows melt from north to south.¡±


    Orion nodded. ¡°Good, good. Felipe has stocked this city well enough tost a year with its provisions¡ªeven the city¡¯s residents itself can be fed. Distribution fares well, does it not?¡±


    ¡°It does, my prince,¡± the knight confirmed.


    ¡°Excellent. The people will not starve under my watch,¡± Orion dered. ¡°Carry on. I must visit with Vasquer.¡±


    The knight walked away, leaving Orion alone in the royal pce. At once, he clutched his head.


    Ny-six voices raged against his mind constantly, battering at the walls of his consciousness. Orion had always been whole and hearty and remained so, yet dark circles underneath his eyes indicated both stress and fatigue that were foreign to him. Just as he had gone against his parent, defying the wisdom of the gods, so too had they gone against him.


    The gods¡ªfor indeed they were still gods, even as deceivers¡ªdid not allow Orion a moment of repose. He was acting against their instructions, and for this, he was constantly beset by their pleas and demands. Their whispers became notfort nor guidance as they had always been, but an insidious punishment. He was kept from sleep, kept from focus.


    They could not take away the blessings they¡¯d bestowed upon Orion, even rogue as he had gone. Instead, they constantly insisted upon the debt that he owed them, the rtionship that they shared. It was like a leash tugging at the neck. Worse yet was that the gods of Vasquer were not in unity¡ªsome wished for him to kill Felipe and take his ce as king, while others yet wished for him to resume the status quo. It wore at Orion¡¯s sanity, day by day.


    Before he could even realize that he had travelled, Orion opened his eyes and found himself gazing upon Vasquer. The snake moved, coiling around Orion in greeting. At once, like a balm upon his wounds, some of the intensity of the pressure pushing at his mind was alleviated, the burden shouldered by Vasquer like a parent taking a child¡¯s backpack. He stayed, wrapped in the embrace of the great serpent that was his ancestor.


    And then, he began his duty¡ªhis sole task locked in this City of Dragons before his other kin coulde and relieve him. He strode to the metal rings binding Vasquer. They were numerous, thoroughly enchanted, and took tremendous effort to remove¡­ but all Orion had was his effort. He¡¯d already removed enough to give Vasquer some measure of mobility, yet thousands more remained. He battered, kicked, and tore at them, slowly endeavoring to free his great ancestor.


    Gerechtigkeit wasing. Orion would prepare for its advent. He would mend his shattered family, right all of the wrongs in the world, and be a hero to the masses.


    It was as Argrave said in the visions shown to him by the great serpent: ¡°If there was ever a line in the sand between good and evil, I think ¡®fell cmity that endeavors to destroy everything¡¯ is quite obviously on the evil side.¡±


    Orion did not know right and wrong. It was a difficult concept for him to conceive of, and so he had always been told. But as Argrave said, he knew of what was toe and the evil behind it. And now, lost spiritually and breaking down day by day¡­ all Orion wished was to leave something good behind.


    #####


    A sh of crimson soared through the sky, leaving a roar in its wake that shook the sky like thunder. Then, a mass of red scales mmed against the walls of the castle. Margrave Reinhardt¡¯s wyvern clung to the stone, its breath a low roar of defiance as men on the walls scattered in fear. The Margrave himself stepped atop his mount¡¯s head, gazing at all below with a battleax in hand.


    A mage on the walls cast a spell, and a mana-ripple indicating an A-rank spell wasing split the air. A great de of fire manifested, swinging towards the wyvern¡¯s head and the Margrave both. But Helmuth, the dark-haired spellcaster with eyes like purple vortexes, stepped up to defend his liege. His own spell created a mana ripple in turn, a silver streak spreading out.


    A solid shield of silver met the de of fire, and mes billowed up into the sky like some kind of sr re. By the time the mes subsided, the Margrave had already dismounted and charged into a crowd of men nked by his white-armored knights.


    The Margravate¡¯s knights mmed into the men manning the walls like the tide during a storm, their enchanted des cutting through the defenders with practiced skill. Bodies fell into the inner courtyard of the castle, some of them in pieces. The Margrave himself rushed after the mage. As the man prepared another spell, Reinhardt grasped at his belt and threw a dagger. It stabbed through the man¡¯s wrist, ending his spell prematurely. Margrave Reinhardt fell upon him, cleaving him in the neck with his axe.


    At the foot of the walls outside the castle, the now-unmanned walls could not even attempt to stop the approaching force. Numerous brave men carried arge and sturdydder, preparing for an escde. Thedder was tilted, fitting into a spot between the parapets so naturally it seemed to be engineered to fit there¡ªand perhaps it had.


    More and moredders fit against the walls of the castle. Knights began climbing up them. By now, mages on other sides of the walls moved to reinforce the point of assault, but mages on the side of the rebels countered whatever magic was thrown at the invaders. Like this, the fortress was breached¡ªknights under Duke Sumner, Duke Enrico, Count Delbraun, or Duke Marauch flooded the walls, soon outnumbering the defenders.


    Better-trained, better-equipped, better-supported¡ªthe rebel knights swarmed into the fortress and dealt with the invaders. Soon enough, thergest problem became the cramped spaces. One unlucky soul was pushed by those behind him and fell into the courtyard where the defenders had retreated.


    The assault was quick and bloody. Soon enough, the defenders that were not in surrendered. Highborn captives were quickly isted, secured, and brought to the courtyard. Spellcasters received the same treatment. All others were seized and forced to provide directions to what had been their castle¡¯s dungeon, where a harsh fate likely awaited them.


    ¡°The castle is ours, Margrave Reinhardt,¡± one of his knights reported as he walked the walls, his breathing still heavy and his ax still held close at hand. ¡°All our captives bementing the fact that they had not surrendered when given the opportunity, I should think.¡±


    ¡°Do not treat them cruelly. They are men of the realm just as you or me, and we have put them all in a difficult position by our act of rebellion,¡± the Margrave instructed. ¡°Take five good men and scour every inch of the castle, interrogate all staff. I would not have this ce trapped or harbor some assassin in our midst because of negligence in the wake of victory.¡±


    The Margrave¡¯s knight received his order and stepped away. A knight in gray, a white moon as his sigil, stepped up beside the Margrave. His armor was quite ornate.


    ¡°A splendid assault, Reinhardt,¡± the man said, removing his helmet. The knight was Duke Sumner. Judging from the blood on him, he¡¯d not shied away from battle, heading into the thick of it just as the Margrave had. ¡°Your mage, Helmuth¡ªa capable one.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± the Margrave agreed. ¡°It was only possible because the walls were low enough for an assault. These fortifications are meagre.¡±


    ¡°Yet we need them all the same, unless you would have our armies sleep in the fields,¡± Duke Sumner reminded, looking into the distance. ¡°Fine prey for an army of armored horsemen.¡±


    Far away, a great dust cloud filled the sky; a telltale sign of an approaching army. Margrave Reinhardt had received some information from Stain, formerly Vdrien of Jast, about this opposing force that came to meet them¡ªhelmed by Duke Rovostar, they were mainly highly-trained cavalry of central Vasquer. Armored cavalry were unmatched in the field, and so these fortifications would be vital to resist them.


    ¡°We hold the advantage, ostensibly, but I will not throw lives away in a reckless assault on the field,¡± the Margrave continued. ¡°We hold the fortifications we¡¯ve seized, and we slowly push at vulnerabilities.¡±


    Hopefully, this will give the north time to rally under Argrave, invade from the opposite side, the Margrave thought, though he left those words unspoken before Duke Sumner. We can yet end this war without thousands of souls dead. Rovostar cannot throw away his men¡¯s lives so foolishly if he knows defeat ising. And Argrave can win men like Sumner over, I¡¯m sure of it¡­


    ¡°You might be used to holding a fortification, having held the tide against the barbarians of the Burnt Desert in your Lionsun Castle¡­¡± Duke Sumner said, cing his helmet back on. ¡°But I fear the rest of us will not be so content in passing the seasons by behind walls. You are our leader, and we follow your order¡­ but still. Spring has just arrived. Summeres, and then fall. I would not like to see another winter with this war unended. Something to keep in mind,¡± Sumner contributed.


    Margrave Reinhardt nodded, having experienced the zeal with which these men conquered firsthand. Victory felt close at hand for them, and they lusted for battle, glory, and wealth. But Reinhardt knew that no war was won through confidence alone. Rovostar had campaigned alongside Felipe in his many conquests of the past. He was not a foe to fall easily, not a foe to cede even the smallest advantage.


    And spring had just begun.N?v(el)B\\jnn

 Chapter 283: Untamed Valley

    Argrave gazed up at the towering ck rock dominating all of his vision. Their darkness gave the impression that one might find a gaping hole at the top of these rocks that led down into pits of magma. Despite that appearance, they weren¡¯t volcanic rocks, Argrave knew. And their party, numbering over one thousand, headed for a new addition on the face of these rocks¡ªa fortress.


    The travel had been at a brisk pace the whole four days. It had felt natural to be travelling again¡ªArgrave and Anneliese donned their enchanted leather gear from Jast once more, wearing the more breathable ck set from their journey in the Burnt Desert. Nothing felt better than finally getting the opportunity to get out. Elenore handled things every bit as well as he did¡ªfigurehead was the best descriptor for him.


    The troops Relize offered were not cavalry. Instead, they were footmen, one and all. The only horsemen were Argrave¡¯spanions and his royal guard. He didn¡¯t like being on horseback while others walked, and that feeling did not fade throughout the whole journey.


    One of Leopold¡¯s sons, Vittan Dandn, led the footmen. Anneliese had assured Argrave of his loyalty to his father and their cause. It was vitally important that whoever held this particr fortification was loyal; both the leader and the troops were sourced only from Dandn¡¯s ties. Passing by, Argrave could see castles he knew belonged to central Vasquer, ostensibly their enemy. It was unnerving, but their days passed without so much as a skirmish.


    Argrave had a rather strong image of the fortress he would be seeing in the Indanus Divide. The preconception came from ¡®Heroes of Berendar.¡¯ He had, rather uncreatively, chosen a location he¡¯d already used in the game. He was intimately familiar with this ce and its strategic importance. But the fortress that had been built in the past month¡­ it was both entirely unfamiliar andpletely astonishing. It was difficult to picture something of this scale being built in one month.


    From this side, the fortress seemed an imprable wall of enchanted ck brick a shade darker than the rocky mountain it protruded from. Its walls were half an octagon nestled up against the mountain, and their polish surface gleamed like metal against the sunlight. It seemed as tall as the walls of Dirracha¡ªthe only fortifications he could recall being taller were those at Mateth, Sethia, or the Lionsun Castle. Angr bastions protruded from the four corners of the wall.


    Parapets lined the whole of it, with some artistic ir the same as he¡¯d seen at Relize. This had been built and enchanted by their architects, after all. Altogether, this ce reminded Argrave somewhat of the ruined fortifications before the Low Way of the Rose¡­ yet these were intact, and their walls far taller. The sole entrance was a doorway of enchanted stone probably twelve feet tall¡ªa doorway that opened as they approached.


    ¡°Rather wondrous,¡± Anneliese said to him as he gazed upon the structure ahead.


    ¡°I¡¯d¡­¡± Argrave turned away, looking at her as she smiled broadly. He couldn¡¯t bring himself to disagree.


    As Argrave watched, ck banners unfurled down the bastions, revealing a g with his gold sun-and-snake heraldry on it. The past month at Relize, with Argrave being called Your Majesty and nning out his strategy for a war¡­ nothing had ever struck home his newfound status so much as seeing this fortification. He had ordered it built, and so it was. Now, his banner swayed in the wind, lowered by men sworn to him.


    Anneliese leaned off her horse and grabbed his wrist, and he looked over in surprise. ¡°Remember what you said, Argrave, when I was worried about what we were to be, the path we headed down? I think you need to remember those words. Diligence, intent, and wisdom.¡±


    Argrave chuckled. He hadn¡¯t realized it himself, but panic had been rising in his chest as he realized the responsibility he now had. Her words were like a needle to that balloon, popping it before it could do real harm. When she had worried about being queen, he told her that those three traits were the most important.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Argrave agreed, looking towards the structure once again. ¡°My own advice turned against me. Do as I say, not as I do, huh? Let¡¯s go meet Mn, get a tour of this ce¡­¡±


    #####


    Mn Wratson, S-rank spellcaster and ancient vampire, escorted Argrave through the fortress with his hands behind his back. Gmon stayed near him, hand hovering near the Ebonice weapons. Indeed, all of the royal guard were suitably alert.


    ¡°The architectsined a great deal about this duty assigned to them, but I believe they relished the challenge. The ce was well-chosen, and the stone from the mountain sturdy as can be,¡± Mn exined, his stride quick. ¡°Creating a stable tunnel through one hundred feet of stone with a bridge near three times the length on the other side, ensuring the integrity of the mountain above, and making a fortress fit to resist a military assault on one end¡­ well, it was much to ask, Your Majesty. Their earth-working magic was pushed to its limits.¡±


    Argrave looked around the vast courtyard of this fortress. The architects had set up tents as they built this ce, and now, the garrison set up theirs. Beyond, there was a great tunnel bored into the mountain that could amodaterge wagons and carriages. There were some apartments built into the side of the mountain, plus a central apartment built directly above the tunnel that offered a view of the whole ce.


    ¡°It¡¯s excellent,¡± Argrave decided. ¡°Though a bit¡­ fanciful at ces. Nothing they did willpromise the integrity of the defenses?¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°The architects have worked at Relize, Your Majesty. They¡¯re used to building fancifully. I oversaw the process and tested many of their enchantments with spells of my own. They held up,¡± Mn nodded. ¡°Many of them were inspired by this project and worked harder than they typically might. Moreover, this ck stone¡­ as you said, it works well with earth magic. They could shape it easier than anything they ever had before. I wonder how Your Majesty knew of that,¡± Mn wondered, looking about.


    Argrave nodded, ignoring Mn¡¯s curiosity as he said, ¡°Good. That apartment above the tunnel, carved into the stone¡ªthemander¡¯s apartment?¡±


    ¡°Correct, Your Majesty,¡± the blonde vampire nodded.


    ¡°And¡­ I received news you found the structure I spoke about within the mountain,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°It¡¯s ready for us?¡±


    ¡°It is,¡± Mn nodded. ¡°The architects were utterly puzzled by it. Not Order of the Rose architecture, not old elven ruins¡­ they had never seen anything like it.¡±


    Argrave smiled. ¡°I should hope not, elsewise what¡¯s within might have escaped long ago.¡±


    Mn cocked his head curiously but did not ask questions on the matter. ¡°On the other side, where the bridge spans the valley¡­ there¡¯s a fishing settlement downhill. They¡¯ve been antsy about the construction work.¡±


    ¡°I know of the vige. Wurthen, the ce is called,¡± Argrave nodded.


    ¡°I cannot confirm that, as we¡¯ve had little interaction with the locals. Just informing you of their presence, Your Majesty.¡± The blonde vampire stepped forward, and Gmon stepped in front of him threateningly. Mn kept his hands behind his back, green eyes sharp as he asked, ¡°So, Your Majesty¡­ my duty¡­ can I consider it over and done, or do you have more to ask of me and my family?¡±


    Argrave shook his head. ¡°You gave spellcasters to the war effort, you guarded these architects, and you helped me back at Relize with those terrible, no-good vampires,¡± he said somewhat facetiously. ¡°You¡¯ve done more than your part,¡± he concluded.


    Mn stood for a long while, eyes hovering near the Ebonice axe at Gmon¡¯s waist. ¡°¡­it puts me ill at ease that someone knows the Wratsons as intimately as you do. How can I be sure my family is not¡­ put upon, in the future?¡±


    ¡°So long as the people of Relize are never ¡®put upon,¡¯ I see no reason to get involved,¡± Argrave informed him smoothly. ¡°That said¡­ if you feel Relize to be unweing, or if you feel better opportunities exist elsewhere, you might simply leave.¡±


    Mn¡¯s green eyes stared at Argrave. Then, slowly, he gave an acquiescent nod. ¡°I will return to Relize with the architects with your leave, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Safe travels,¡± Argrave nodded.


    With that, Mn disentangled from Gmon and the royal guard, and made for the tents in the far distance.


    ¡°Keep a close eye,¡± Gmon informed the royal guard. ¡°Especially during the night.¡±


    The knights returned with an affirmation and a respectful call of ¡®sir¡¯ in a multitude of ways.


    ¡°So, this is to be a hub for our future activities?¡± Anneliese asked.


    Argrave gave a slow nod, eyes lingering on the distant entrance to the tunnel. ¡°Let¡¯s go check out the other side.¡±


    #####


    The whole of the tunnel had been embedded with magic lights from Relize, illuminating it all with faint blue light. Argrave made sure that Vittan Dandn set to work establishing the garrison at the fortress, and then travelled with his guard to the other side of the mountain. Once there, a bridge of ck stone awaited them. This bridge stretched over a long valley that housed a powerful river down below.


    Beyond this bridge, a great and beautiful vale stretched out as far as the eye could see. It was like a little pocket of naturergely untouched by human hands. It sported bright green grass, beautiful wildflowers, and the asional tree popping up out of the ground. Rocky mountains thousands of feet tall surrounded it on all sides, some rivers cutting through thend. To the right¡ªeast, by Argrave¡¯s memory¡ªthe elevation decreased steadily until thend melted away in way of a coast. There, civilization made itself apparent. A small road cut through thend, emerging from an opening in the surrounding mountains. This road led to the coastal fishing settlement Mn had described.


    ¡°This is your ckgard,¡± Anneliese said.


    Argrave turned. Her grin was so broad he could not bring himself to feign ignorance. ¡°Yes,¡± he admitted, regretting having ever disclosed that. ¡°Yes, it is.¡±


    ¡°Well-protected on all sides by these mountains¡­ one of thergest rivers I have ever beheld¡­ yet no agriculture,¡± she wondered.


    ¡°Most of the rivers in Vasquer converge a little bit upstream,¡± he said, looking left down the valley, where the river flowed for miles. Argrave stepped off the bridge. ¡°As for farming¡­ the soil is nonarable.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± Anneliese said, brows furrowed in confusion.


    ¡°I know¡ªthe grass, the flowers, they seem to refute that.¡± Argrave turned, letting the wind blow across his face. ¡°It¡¯s all poison. Even if you uproot it, nt wheat or other crops¡­ it never grows. The vigers live off fish alone. It¡¯s why the ce is so small, poption-wise.¡± Argrave stepped through the grass. ¡°This ce is in the center of Vasquer. With the bridge and the tunnel, it now connects north and south, opening up its potential as a hub of trade. The soil¡­ it¡¯s only conventionally nonarable.¡± Argrave took a breath. ¡°We fortify the valley that holds the road, over there¡­¡± Argrave pointed to the road leading to the vige of Wurthen. ¡°It¡¯s practically designed to hold out against armies. Or hordes of foul monsters.¡±


    Some of the royal knights looked at Argrave strangely, and he quickly silenced himself. As ever, he felt burdened by their presence.


    ¡°Everything¡¯s in order,¡± Argrave decided, mood soured somewhat. ¡°Let¡¯s go see this structure the architects unearthed.¡±


    #####


    Argrave stared upwards at a great b of stone. The architects had revealed much of it with their magic, yet none of the sleek stone structure itself had been changed. In stark contrast to the dark stone surrounding them, the stone before them was light gray¡ªnearly white. It reminded Argrave of concrete. There was a metal door at the front of it. It depicted a red crescent room and two bright stars opposite it¡ªthe suns. It was quite a small door, barely six feet tall.


    ¡°This is it,¡± Argrave nodded.


    ¡°What is it, Your Majesty?¡± one of his royal knights asked, unable to restrain their curiosity.


    ¡°A reception room of sorts,¡± Argrave said ponderously. ¡°And also the ce where Anneliese might begin to go far, far ahead of me in the race of magical prowess.¡±

 Chapter 284: Entropy in Order

    Argrave pushed into the red crescent moon on the front of the metal door, and it clicked a few times. Once enough of it had been pushed in, it made space enough to get a grip. Argrave fit his fingers into and pulled. He was rather pleased with himself when the door shifted¡ªhe¡¯d half-thought that he¡¯d need Gmon¡¯s help to yank this thing open. The door itself was four inches thick, and quite heavy. Still, it shifted well enough.


    Beyond, pure darkness awaited them. Argrave knelt down, getting a better look. ¡°I am only now reminded how much this is going to hurt my back.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re entering, Your Majesty? Should we not get people to¡­ scout this ce out?¡± one of the royal guards asked innocently.


    ¡°Nonsense,¡± Argrave waved his hand behind his back, and not wishing to have their presence kill his fun, he quickly ordered, ¡°Come on, then.¡±


    As Argrave awkwardly shambled in a half-crouch through the door, he heard some of the royal guard call out in protest. Soon enough, everyone was pressed into the hallway. Argrave cast a simple spell to light the path, holding it below his face. It was a long and ufortable hallway, and his feet felt like they were walking on concrete once again. Yet soon enough, the hallway opened into a room, and Argrave cast the light away with abandon to illuminate the ce.


    The vast room ahead reminded Argrave somewhat of old architecture Rome and Greece, both from the symmetry of it all and the strange antiquity to the style. The room was round and tall, and rather than stairs, the balcony they stood on wound around the walls, slowly sloping downwards in a spiral towards the bottom floor. The railings were intricately carved white marble with statues on them¡ªstatues of bugs, faces, bats, each and all facing towards the center. There were many rooms along the winding spiral ramp downwards.


    The ceiling was high and round and painted so borately as to put the Sistine Chapel to shame. They were portraits, each divided from each other by winding patterns that served as frames. The people depicted on the paintings were unusual¡ªshort of stature, brawny, and dressed in unorthodox clothing. They had curly, dark hair, and wreaths of gold atop their heads. And on the bottom floor, there was a marble statue dimly lit by Argrave¡¯s spell. He couldn¡¯t help but smile looking upon it. The statue depicted a dwarf.


    ¡°Knightmander, should we be¡­?¡± one of the knights questioned, before trailing off when he entered the room.


    ¡°His Majesty has survived enough trips of simr nature,¡± Gmon confirmed, perhaps the least impressed of everyone. ¡°Our duty is only to protect, not to decide.¡±


    Argrave walked to the marble railing. It barely came up to his knees, and it felt more a hazard than anything. He sat upon it, keeping one hand firmly grasped in case he teetered, then dered, ¡°Wee to one of the abandoned nexuses of dwarven civilization.¡±


    Anneliese¡¯s eyes jumped about quickly enough it seemed they were malfunctioning. The pure, almost child-like wonder in her expression made Argrave d he had been somewhat reticent regarding what they would be dealing with here. Argrave was not divorced from the wonder, either¡ªit felt like he walked in the Athens of old in the height of its power, suspended in time and devoid of life.


    ¡°In time, we¡¯lle to upy this ce in greater numbers. Today, though, we¡¯re here for one thing alone before we seal it up again.¡± Argrave stood up. ¡°We¡¯re not the first non-dwarf toe here. Come along.¡±


    Argrave started to walk down the winding ramp along the wall, staying close to the walls, yet Gmon and his royal guards insistently took their ce ahead of Argrave. He let them do their duty, despite knowing danger was not toe quite yet.


    They passed by room after room, and Anneliese poked her head inside each one. There were only statues, tables, and chairs within each of them, and before long she was curiously asking, ¡°What is this ce? What purpose does it serve?¡±


    ¡°This was a diplomatic meeting area¡­ and an entrance to a fortress. Considering the paranoia of the dwarves, they thought the two weren¡¯t mutually exclusive,¡± Argrave exined. ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯ll make something very clear¡ªunder no circumstances do we try and press beyond the door at the bottom of this ramp,¡± Argrave said insistently. ¡°To do so is to invite death upon us all.¡±


    ¡°What is death?¡± Anneliese asked, overwhelmed, then rephrased, ¡°I mean, what would we invite?¡±


    ¡°The corrupted constructions of the dwarves,¡± Argrave said simply. ¡°And worse things. The Ebon Cult.¡±


    Gmon stopped abruptly at those words. ¡°You mean to say¡­¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn


    This was another reason that Argrave had not been too detailed about this ce¡ªGmon¡¯s focus might be swayed. A group by the name of the Ebon Cult had been responsible for turning his brother into a vampire, and after, turning him into one. Argrave couldn¡¯t say for sure that this Ebon Cult in the old dwarven cities was the same, and nor could Gmon¡ªfrankly, Argrave thought it dubious. He couldn¡¯t see the connection between the two.


    But they were a threat for the future. They were a religious state persisting underground headed by a man named Mozzahr, the Casten of the Empty. Comprised of elves, dwarves, subterranean humanoids, and regr humanoids, they worshipped Mozzahr as though he were a god. He viewed Gerechtigkeit as an opportunity for expansion rather than a genuine danger to the world. Consequently, he was a problem to be dealt with ordingly.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Argrave nodded, stopping. ¡°This is the staging grounds for the war toe against them. And though I can¡¯t promise anything, we may get answers for you, Gmon. But for now¡­ let us focus.¡±


    The royal guards looked lost. Argrave gave them a pleasant smile and kept walking down the ramp.


    They¡¯ll learn to stop questioning in time, Argrave decided. Or maybe Gmon will loop them in. I doubt it. But for now¡­ let¡¯s see what it is they can do.


    #####


    ¡°The stone changes here,¡± Anneliese noted, looking down at the light gray floor. Things were as she said¡ªthe stone held the faintest hints of ck streaks, each emerging from a room deeper within.


    Argrave was fixated on the door behind them. It was a fortified door, with the same sort of mechanism locking the first door they¡¯d entered¡ªa red crescent moon, plus two suns opposite it. It was bigger, though, and there was something ominous about it. Maybe it was that the suns seemed to make a smile when next to the moon. Or maybe it was because Argrave knew what lurked beyond there.


    But their destination was another hallway opposite the fortified door. Ahead, the stone went from light gray to darker like a gradient across the ground. Argrave cast a spell of light and sent it into the corridor ahead. It illuminated a different sort of room¡ªwider and longer, it could amodate many more people. It seemed like a gateway into something hellish, hued ck as it was.


    Argrave stopped at the precipice. ¡°Why is the soil above nonarable? Why are these mountains ck, and easy to work with earth magic? The answer to that lies beyond.¡±


    Anneliese stopped just beside him. ¡°It¡¯s safe?¡±


    ¡°It is,¡± Argrave nodded.


    As he walked forward, so too did his royal guard advance. The area ahead had a strange, almost entropic aura entirely separate from the orderly stone of dwarven make not ten feet behind them. It was difficult to tell from afar on ount of the dark color, but the walls had scrawling on every inch of them. There were statues and tables in this room too, but the stone had be so dark it was nearly impossible to perceive them as separate. It was the darkest ck Argrave had ever seen, and it made him feel as though he stepped on an abyss even despite the light swirling about the room.


    Anneliese studied the writing on the walls with particr interest. Ever so slowly, her eyes roamed it, reading and attempting to absorb the information left behind. Finally, she took a deep breath.


    ¡°This is magical theory,¡± she decided. ¡°I cannot make sense of it, because I¡¯ve been ced in the middle¡­¡± she stepped back, as though following an invisible line.


    ¡°Don¡¯t bother trying to find the beginning,¡± Argrave said. ¡°This text is iplete. It was a frantic effort to inscribe a method of A-rank ascension as its creator slowly sumbed to death because of it.¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°He found a better method to convey the information before he met his end.¡±


    Anneliese turned to him. Argrave, ufortable knowing what he was to ask, said quickly, ¡°I know it might difort you knowing the one who wrote this method of ascension died¡­ but trust me, I¡ª¡±


    ¡°I do trust you,¡± Anneliese nodded. ¡°Where is it, then?¡±


    Feeling a bit emotional at those simple words, Argrave looked deeper into the room then cast another spell of light. The ball danced into the room, slowly illuminating what looked to be a statue of a man hunched against the wall. It wasn¡¯t a statue, though¡ªit was a corpse, preserved in time.


    Argrave and Anneliese walked to this corpse together. She knelt down, looking to him. He gave her a nod, and she touched the flesh. Argrave could see that it was hard to the touch, like stone. He spotted something else on the floor and touched her shoulder.


    ¡°There. See that cube?¡± he pointed.


    She looked around, lost. It was difficult to distinguish objects from one another because of the absoluteness of the ck color. Eventually, she felt around until her fingers brushed it and picked it up decisively. The cube looked strange in contrast with the gray leather gloves she wore, like it wasn¡¯t real at all.


    ¡°Should be an indent in the¡ª¡±


    A click interrupted Argrave, then the cube made a horrible screeching noise. The royal knights all scrambled, panicked, yet the noise settled into a dim hum.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if this will work,¡± the cube sounded out¡ªa recording of some sort. ¡°The dwarves gave this to me near a century ago, long before the advent of the thousand-eyed demon drove them deeper beneath the earth. Meant for¡­ music, I think. I can¡¯t remember. But I can¡¯t move anymore, and I long ago ran out of space to write¡­ so, all I can do is try.¡±


    ¡°He recorded his voice,¡± Anneliese looked to Argrave. ¡°How is that possible?¡±


    Argrave said nothing. In the game, the yer merely used the item and got a quest¡ªhe¡¯d never recalled hearing a voice.


    ¡°My name is Llewellen. I had a terribly low affinity for magic my entire life. It took me ten years to reach D-rank spells, and the ranks after¡­ far too long,¡± the man said, that fact still bitter in his voice despite the time that must have psed. ¡°My method of A-rank ascension was meant to alleviate that fact, give me ess to limitless magic that Icked all of my life. I have seeded in this. But people have limits for a reason, and even now the boundless magic pouring within me kills me slowly. The only way I have sustained my life whatsoever is by projecting some measure of magic into the earth around me. I came here to avoid corrupting the entire realm with magic.¡±


    Anneliese sat down on the ground, listening to the device as though enthralled.


    ¡°I hope to leave behind a modified version of this method¡­ for the dwarves, perhaps, should they ever reim this city. If not, for whomever should stumble upon me¡­ no, my body. Hah¡­ the person might not even be a mage¡­¡± There was a long pause, and Argrave could practically hear this Llewellen epting his death once again.


    ¡°You will need to remedy the mistakes that I made. It will not be a simple task. But if you can¡­ you can take what is not yours. You can harness the magic of the living. You can turn the attacks of your foes into your strength. You can circumvent the cycle of magic, be the first among equals. And so long as you never tap into the force I have¡­ you can avoid my fate.¡±

 Chapter 285: Trust in Him

    ¡°Knightmander, sir,¡± one of the royal guards said in a quiet voice as Argrave spoke to someone about sealing up this tunnel until the time came to deal with it fully.


    Gmon turned his head and looked. His white eyes were chilling enough, but his size and proven skill made all of the guards beneath him both fearful and respectful of him¡ªexactly the qualities one might need in a position of leadership.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°Speak,¡± he directed his subordinate.


    ¡°The king, sir¡­ His Majesty¡­¡± the knight looked at the king.


    Most of them had jumped at the opportunity to guard the man who would be king of all Vasquer. Beyond the personal glory and prestige of the post, they all personally had a great measure of respect for Argrave and his deeds. Their unit had a tight cohesion because of this shared respect. And yet, ofte¡­


    ¡°How did thingse to this?¡± the knight asked. ¡°I mean¡­ how did His Majesty know of this ce? How did His Majesty know what would be within?¡±


    Gmon turned around and stepped towards the knight. ¡°That¡¯s like asking your gods what came before or after life. For your sanity¡­ don¡¯t ask.¡± The elf turned his head towards Argrave. ¡°I¡¯ve been travelling with His Majesty for a long while¡ªnearing a year after a little while longer. He is seldom wrong about what he knows. But how he knows it¡­ that is a question you must content yourself with leaving unanswered, unless he deems it something worth sharing.¡±


    The knight stared nkly, hismander¡¯s answer only leaving him more confused.


    ¡°Right!¡± Argrave pped, the sound and his voice echoing against the tunnel. ¡°This tunnel is going to be sealed off for the time being to avoid any¡­ unnecessary idents. It¡¯s a nice grave, but I don¡¯t want to be buried here¡­ so, let¡¯s go. Gmon, you can inspect the garrison and whatnot, and then we¡¯ll be on our way.¡±


    Their knightmander turned and dipped his head. ¡°At once.¡±


    #####


    Arge and burly tattooed man struggled with the cork on the wine bottle. His thick arms and brawny shoulders made the bottle in his hand look small. He unsessfully used his knife to attempt and pry the cork free, seeding only in cutting away some of the brown matter. He sighed, a low growl behind it, then pinched the neck of the bottle between two fingers until it broke off quietly. He poured the wine into a nearby ss, then stepped out to the balcony where he sat at a chair.


    ¡°Duke Rovostar,¡± a voice rang from the room behind just as he raised the ss to his lips.


    Rovostar turned his head. The duke was a bald man and had a formidable size to him. Scars lined his face, some from burns while most from wicked cuts. He looked more a strongman or a thug than a duke, and his jutting brows cast a harsh shadow over his ck eyes that made him seem further ignoble.


    ¡°The bastard has manned that gargantuan fortress he¡¯d been constructing,¡± the new arrival said. ¡°Reports from local fortifications suggest their force is a thousand strong. Positionally, it¡¯s a nightmare. If they march in force, we cannot hold many ces for long at all.¡±


    Rovostar downed all of the wine in one go, then set the ss down, twisting it about with his hand. ¡°Weak stuff,¡± he muttered, then focused on this new arrival. ¡°Your information is appreciated.¡±


    The person stepped out onto the balcony. He was a middle-aged man whose borate facial hair only gave him dignity because of the rich clothes he wore. ¡°I think it¡¯s best I speak frankly.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead, count,¡± Rovostar said with mock enthusiasm as he looked off into the distance.


    ¡°King Felipe is captured. Despite this, you firmly herald him. Is this best for the kingdom?¡± he insisted carefully.


    ¡°Is fighting for the king¡­ best for the kingdom. What an insightful question,¡± Rovostarughed and poured some more wine into his ss.


    The count looked somewhat taken aback. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean¡­¡± the man sighed, running his hand across his moustache. He decided to change his approach. ¡°The situation is hopeless for us. Outnumbered both in terms of sword and spells, assailed from two fronts¡ªnot to mention, with Dirracha lost to us¡­ there are other ways to end wars than by the de. And from our position, they seem rather appealing.¡±


    ¡°My king is not dead. He won¡¯t be anytime soon. The situation is fine,¡± Rovostar shook his head.


    The count could not help but stare mouth agape. ¡°If the roots are pulled from the earth, the tree will wither!¡± the count insisted. ¡°How can you be so unfailingly faithful to a dying tree?¡±


    ¡°King Felipe¡­¡± Rovostar took another long drink. ¡°He is a little more than most men.¡±


    The count looked perplexed.


    ¡°You¡¯re alone in your doubts, Count Agnil,¡± Rovostar dered. ¡°Thesends, the fertile fields of central Vasquer¡­ at one time, they were all crownnds, managed by crown administrators¡ªour king¡¯snds, in essence. His Majesty gave them to us. And he gave them to us because we did as we were bid, and because we were talented enough to do more. Myself and all the men beneath¡ªwe are King Felipe¡¯s men.


    ¡°I was a war orphan in the far northern kingdoms in that region of Atrus that existed before Felipe¡¯s conquests. I scavenged the battlefields for years, collecting and selling weapons and armor for paltry scraps of food. But then¡­ King Felipe came, putting thend and its overlords to the sword. I saw it inly¡ªthose that submitted were treated well, and those that resisted died most brutally. Hanged, drawn, and quartered.¡± Rovostar let out lightughs through his nose as though he was recalling something. ¡°I decided I¡¯d rather do that from now on than watch it happen again.¡±


    ¡°Just that? But¡­ he is beaten, duke. The king has been torn from his seat by his son. And despite his meager force, we cannot take Dirracha.¡±


    ¡°Nor will I try again,¡± Rovostar shook his head. ¡°You don¡¯t seem to understand, Agnil. The reason why you stand here, gritting your teeth at me yet unable to say what you really want to, is because of His Majesty. The men around you¡ªtanners, butchers, farmhands. We were all lowly, yet he evaluated us by talent alone, raised us to take our ce by his side. He put me through the Order of the Gray Owl with his own funds, named me Duke of Whitefields.¡±


    Rovostar rose to his feet. ¡°When we marched into the valley of Quadreign, His Majesty was the first to set his foot upon the warpath. He engaged whoever came side-by-side with his soldiers. Whenever that man made a promise, he delivered it shortly after: soldier¡¯s pay, rewards,nd, or titles, it mattered not. He¡¯s earned our loyalty, our trust. So long as we obeyed, we were always given what we wanted. The nobility of your blood mattered none; all were beneath Vasquer.¡±


    Rovostar stepped up to the count until he towered over him. ¡°Things are very simple: if you do as His Majesty wishes, you are rewarded. If you fail to do so¡­ your punishment will be far crueler than you can ever imagine. Time and time I saw it happen¡ªthe king on the verge of defeat, the guillotine hanging over his head. He¡¯s been poisoned, buried beneath a mountain, and hurled into the North Sea wearing te armor, yet still he lives. Call him a cockroach if you will, but he¡¯s a gilded one,¡± Rovostar said amusedly. ¡°And yet you ask why I remain faithful? Because something can happen only so many times before it bes a predictable oue.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll say it inly, Count Agnil¡ªthings are fine,¡± the duke prodded the count with one thick, meaty finger. ¡°The north will not soon forget the message taught in His Majesty¡¯s conquests. That promising new herald of the crown is there,pleting His Majesty¡¯s project for Atrus. As for the south¡­ I have designs of my own. The Margrave lives on borrowed time.¡±


    #####


    The shadowy Traugott stood before the gray-green stone disc that held dark secrets. He held a bottle in one hand¡ªit had been the bottle that Master Castro had brought to this meeting chamber. The dragon blood within activated this disc and convinced all of the Magisters of the existence of Gerechtigkeit. The Tower Master needed their unity for the battle ahead.


    Traugott tipped the bottle onto his finger to get some liquid, then put the dragon blood in the center of the disc. The eye became animate once again. Traugott stared at it with his dark eyes, his shadow dancing behind him like a twisted tail of some sort that betrayed his anticipation. The eye locked onto him, and he convulsed. His shadow became frantic and inhuman, morphing into twisted spikes and unnatural shapes. Then¡­ it solidified once more, a patch of darkness across the ground.


    The Magister stared up at the gray-green disc, then closed his eyes. His breathing was irregr. After a time, he opened his eyes once more. He tipped the bottle onto the palm of his hand, and the ck blood came dripping out noiselessly, creating a puddle of inky liquid on the man¡¯s hand that stained his already dark skin.


    Then, he held the bottle upright, staring at the puddle of ck liquid. Traugott knelt ever so slowly, setting the bottle upon that ground as he watched to ensure that none of the delicately bnced liquid spilled. His shadow wrapped around the bottle, shrouding it, and then it disappeared.


    Magister Traugott straightened his knees, then took a deep breath and pped his hand against the disc. It sttered against it. He rubbed his hand onto the disc, spreading out the liquid. Slowly, ever so slowly, the ck blood seeped into the surface of the stone. It consumed the eye, and they beyond into the eyelid. The abominations depicted received some of the blood.


    The eye came to life once again¡­ yet to call it only an eye, now, was insufficient. It was but the eye of a giant body peering into this world. And this body¡­ its eye moved about the room, seeking. Then, it met gazes with the awaiting Traugott.


    The Magister spasmed soundlessly and then crashed onto the ground, his inky, long hair sying out across the floor. His ck eyes shifted and twisted until they were the same gray green as the disc before him. He clutched at his eyes, fingers not daring to gouge them out. Even still, his nails dug into his cheeks.


    Then whatever force that seized him had gone, and Traugott copsed against the ground. His breathing heavy, he slowly rose up, supporting himself with his elbow. The silence of the room was disturbed only by his breathing. The disc had gone silent once again, whatever message it intended to convey gone.


    ¡°Hah¡­¡± Traugottughed slightly. ¡°There is something¡­ beyond the curtain.¡±


    Sound disturbed the room that was not his own. Traugott looked up towards the central elevator. In less than half a second, his shadow mirrored his own shape. The Magister tilted his body back into it. He fell through his shadow as though he¡¯d just fallen off a cliff. Then, the darkness crystallized, shattering into air. Not a single hint remained of the Magister.


    Master Castro stepped off the elevator and into the council room. He looked around intensely and saw nothing. A few others entered behind him.


    ¡°Get that, bring it to my room, please,¡± Castromanded. ¡°I¡¯ll need¡­ hah,¡± the Tower Master sighed.


    Castro stepped around as his men got to work in wrapping up the stone disc. He spotted something on the table, then stepped up to it. It was a bottle with a dropper atop it. He picked it up. He expected it to be fuller, heavier¡ªhe used undue force and it flew up quickly.


    ¡°Someone¡¯s¡­¡± Castro started but trailed off. He furrowed his old bushy brows, looking towards the disc. He reached into his pocket to retrieve Argrave¡¯s booklet, then flipped to a bookmarked page. He read all that was written about the disc.


    Isn¡¯t harmful¡­ just a means of conveying information, Castro read in his head. He looked around the room, looking for any incongruities, anything or anyone out of ce.


    ¡°Tower Master?¡± the movers hauling the disc asked. ¡°Should we go without you?¡±


    Castro bit his lip, then shook his head. ¡°No, I¡¯ll lead the way.¡±


    He watched the disc as his movers carried it across the room. Shaking his head, he stashed away the booklet and followed.

 Chapter 286: Ancient Wisdom

    Argrave pushed aside the tent canopy and entered inside. There, Anneliese sat at a table, a few royal guards standing around her.


    ¡°Wait outside, guard there,¡± Argrave directed them, reminded once again of how cramped these guards made him feel.


    They gave affirmation and left, and Anneliese did not even lift her head from the notebook she wrote in. Argrave noticed the ck cube, dormant and silent, just in front of her hand. He walked behind her and peered over her shoulder, feeling d she was so entranced in this. Her notes¡­


    ¡°Filter essence, nascent force, right side¡­¡± Argrave furrowed his brows as he read, his hands idly ying with one braid of her long white hair. ¡°Are you having a stroke?¡±


    Anneliese looked up at him. ¡°This is how I take notes.¡±


    Argrave read it more. Her notes consisted of mostly two-word phrases ced nonsensically without punctuation or direction.


    Her fingernded on some of the words. ¡°I just need something to remind me of what I was thinking when I wrote this. These are just triggers for my mind to recall what was important.¡±


    Immediately giving up on any attempt at understanding how that might function, Argrave grabbed a makeshift portable chair and sat opposite Anneliese. ¡°So¡­ I can assume you¡¯re grasping what¡¯s in there?¡± his eyes fell upon the ck cube of dwarven make.


    Anneliese leaned back in the chair, crossing her arms. She looked deep in concentration¡ªthat was a rare look on her. It wasn¡¯t because she rarely studied so diligently, but because concentration was seldom necessary.


    ¡°Could you tell me what it is you expect from this method?¡± Anneliese asked him earnestly, amber eyes focused with eager intent.


    Argrave ced his hands before him. ¡°Llewellen described it pretty well from what I heard. You can take magic from those you touch. You¡¯ll have a stronger resistance to all spells, and you¡¯ll be able to actively absorb them¡ªnot so useful for things like fireballs or lightning bolts, which are concentrated masses, but it can degrade wards or protect you from wide, unfocused attacks. You canpletely wipe away lesser enchantments with extended contact. And any spells you cast, provided they hit something living, return a measure of their magic as yours.¡±


    Anneliese listened in silence, then picked up her booklet and wrote a few more things down. Argrave waited patiently. Finally, she leaned back, massaging her temples.


    ¡°Headache?¡± Argrave questioned.


    ¡°Yes,¡± she admitted. ¡°This method is¡­ ridiculouslyplicated, yet so insightful to the fundamentals of magic as a whole as to overturn many of my preconceptions. But¡­ perhaps that is merely Llewellen in general.¡± Her amber eyes locked with his own. ¡°I think you should listen with me some¡ªoh.¡± She stopped, leaning in. ¡°I can see the whites of your eyes again, even if only barely.¡±


    Argrave touched at his cheek almost involuntarily, then ced his hands down. ¡°That¡¯s good, I suppose. It¡¯s been¡­ what, four,ing on five months since I got these eyes?¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°Back to the subject.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Anneliese nodded, then hunched over her notebook. ¡°It¡­ Llewellen deemed it would be impossible for the body to handle the possibility of all ambient magic entering within at once. As such, rather than contain it within what already exists, another vessel needs to be made. Once this vessel is made, the body would change in kind. It would be part of me, but separate¡­ an envelope inside the body¡­¡± she sighed deeply. ¡°It is quite difficult to wrap my head around.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s troubling you?¡± Argrave pressed.


    ¡°Llewellen used¡­ a primal force of nature deep beneath the earth, he called it, to gain a recognition of the fundamental bits of magic. It was in the hearnd of the dwarven cities that he encountered it. He called it ¡®an overwhelming force beyond anything else.¡¯ Its power was so overwhelming, he said it ¡®put everything in small quantities that wereprehensible,¡¯ which allowed him to both ascend to A-rank and tap into this force. It was the reason why he perished. This force, whatever it was¡­ its power overwhelmed him,¡± she exined. ¡°I cannot observe that force as he did¡ªit¡¯s in dwarven cities, and I cannot risk his fate. As such, I must find my understanding elsewhere. A difficult, almost impossible task without this enlightening experience, I must say. If it were easy, others would have done it already¡­¡±


    Argrave scoffed. ¡°It¡¯s been two days, Anne. You¡¯ll get it.¡± He tapped at the table. ¡°Is Llewellen really¡­?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a genius,¡± she said at once. ¡°Thanks to you, I have spoken to many high-ranking spellcasters¡ªHegazar, Vera, Rowe, Mn, Castro¡­ each and all have tremendous insights into the field of magic, but none have ever enlightened me with such sinct and poignant diction.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m d for you,¡± Argrave said sincerely with a smile. A silence fell as both had nothing more to say on the matter. After a few moments, Argrave dipped his head and closed his eyes, deciding to speak his heart. ¡°I have to bring war to the north. Time was, I set out to stop one.¡±


    ¡°Restore order to the north,¡± Anneliese rephrased, changing her tone to match the new subject. ¡°You heard of the situation there. There are bandits and veritable warlords reigning over the peasantry and taking what they will. It is a good thing. The right thing.¡±


    ¡°The American way,¡± Argrave nodded with a cynical, bitter smile. ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯ve never really felt at ease with this.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps this will put you at ease,¡± Anneliese said, rising to her feet in turn and walking over to their bed. She retrieved a letter and held it out to Argrave. ¡°From Elenore.¡±


    Argrave took the letter and read it. Within, it said that Castro had gathered together all of the Magisters within the tower and informed them of Gerechtigkeit¡¯s existence. Though he still needed to get the information to the other Magisters beyond the confines of the Tower of the Gray Owl, in time they would all know.


    Looking up, Argrave said, ¡°That old man went ahead with things?¡± As Anneliese nodded, he kept reading the document. ¡°She predicts¡­ they¡¯ll announce public support of my coronation?¡±


    Anneliese nodded again with a smile ying about her lips. ¡°Did you read it all? Someone is alreadying to rouse support. A Magister,¡± she pointed at the letter.


    Argrave set the paper aside, stepping around the grass of the tent. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ it is great news,¡± he admitted. ¡°But¡­ it¡¯s also going to cause a big wave.¡±


    Anneliese¡¯s smile faded as she considered his point. ¡°Will it cause a bigger wave than the sudden advent of the first wave of Gerechtigkeit¡¯s influence when the boundary between this realm and the realm of the gods weakens?¡± she stepped after him then rested one hand on his shoulder. ¡°I think not.¡±


    Argrave stood in silence for a few seconds as Anneliese offeredfort. ¡°If you¡¯ll remember¡­ the reason I sought out Elenore was to have a regent so that I would have greater freedom,¡± he recalled, staring off into the distance. ¡°She¡¯s doing a splendid job, thus far. I don¡¯t have anyints. But¡­ I¡¯m wondering more every day why I¡¯m here.¡±


    ¡°You feel constrained,¡± she guessed.


    ¡°Not really,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°I can do what I want. But I¡¯m starting to wonder if I¡¯m really doing the best thing I can by staying with everyone in Relize.¡±


    Anneliese took her hand off his shoulder and stepped around until she was in vision. ¡°I have no confidence anyone could create such cohesion in the patricians¡­ barring you. I think you are a good leader.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the pretty face of the operation,¡± Argrave nodded with a smile. ¡°But Elenore¡¯s the one really handling things. Administration, facilitation¡­ all of it. Maybe¡­ maybe I need to shake things up. Take a bigger hand. We still don¡¯t have the spellcasters we need. Maybe there¡¯s something I could do.¡±


    ¡°Have you forgotten Castro¡¯s support already? What, do you wish to head to another far-flung region of the world, explore some terrible cavern, and fight against things barely within our ken?¡± Anneliese shrugged and looked away, then rested her finger atop the ck cube. ¡°Perhaps you need a distraction.¡±


    Nodding with her words, Argrave looked at the cube. ¡°Well¡­ alright, let¡¯s have a listen. Maybe I can see why it is you praise this guy so much. Maybe I can get some insight into my own A-rank advancement.¡±


    ¡°Now?¡± Anneliese asked, yet she was already stepped towards it. ¡°I can almost guarantee it will help. Come, let¡¯s sit. Listening from the beginning might help me¡­¡±


    #####


    ¡°You¡¯re sure about this?¡± Durran asked Elenore.


    Elenore nodded, counting coins and cing them into a box. ¡°I am. Unless you¡¯d stop me by Argrave¡¯s directive?¡±


    Durran put one thumb through a loop on his belt and hung it idly. ¡°Argrave didn¡¯t give me a directive to help you, nor moderate you. I volunteered. He gave you the opportunity to refuse my presence, as you recall.¡±


    ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t like helping others. You made me beg for it when I fell down at my greenhouse, from my memory,¡± she said scornfully.


    ¡°Made you beg? I asked you if you wanted help, and didn¡¯t help until you said yes,¡± Durranughed and shook his head. ¡°This selective memory of yours might pose problems for yourpetence. Listen¡­¡± Durran shook his head, stillughing somewhat, then continued, ¡°The only reason I ask if you¡¯re sure is because I¡¯ve met Magisters before. No one in this city can defend you from him. These people are monsters, and damned weird besides.¡±


    ¡°Magister Traugott ising to the north to spread word to the other Magisters of Gerechtigkeit, and ensure they will fight on the right side,¡± Elenore shook her head. ¡°He¡¯s already arranged to meet one here: Magister Vasilisa. He is a proponent of ours. It¡¯s perfectly reasonable for him to request a meeting with Argrave. Since he¡¯s not here, I¡¯ll sit in for him.¡±


    ¡°Ostensibly,¡± Durran nodded. ¡°I knew a guy that was a steadfast cooperator to us in the fight against the Vessels, but he had a whole different agenda the entire time. You said Magister Traugott volunteered toe to the north?¡±


    ¡°He did,¡± Elenore nodded. ¡°Listen, Durran¡ªthe north has many, many valuable spellcasters in its midst. They are, of yet,pletely undecided. The south, central Vasquer¡ªthe majority of their mages have thrown in their lot with the local armies. The northern mages remain¡­ reticent. Magister Traugott was sent by Castro, and this could be a huge boon. Spellcasters can make sieges trivialities. We need all we can get, especially when we¡¯re ringly deficient in magical support.¡±


    Durran scratched his chin. ¡°Alright. What do you know about this guy?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a schr, fascinated by the unknowns,¡± Elenore summarized sinctly. ¡°Apparently, his A-rank ascension has something to do with¡­ shadows, or darkness. Reports vary. If only Argrave were¡­¡± she shook her head. ¡°But he¡¯s not. Traugott is travelling quickly by magic. Apparently, he¡¯ll arrive very soon.¡±


    Durran looked off to the side. ¡°¡­yeah, it seems reasonable to meet. But do you have to go personally?¡±


    ¡°If he¡¯sing here to help us, I think it would be best to show proper respect, and help his task here,¡± Elenore nodded. ¡°I want you toe, too¡ªapparently, he might be from the Burnt Desert. Having you there might lower his guard.¡±


    ¡°Traugott¡¯s hardly a Burnt Desert name,¡± Durran said suspiciously. ¡°But¡­ sure, I¡¯ll go. I¡¯ve got an idea, too, something to¡­ mitigate some worries of mine.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll send out someone to receive him,¡± Elenore nodded. ¡°Mnie can handle this, I should think. When Argrave returns¡­ I should hope it would be to good news.¡±

 Chapter 287: Unknown Factor

    Durran opened a door, beholding the man waiting on the other side. His name was Traugott. As Elenore said, his skin was darker than most people in Vasquer. Even still, Durran had seen darker men in the Burnt Desert, and his other unusual features drew attention first. His hair was as ck as ink, appearing soft and inhuman. It looked more like grafted strands of ck silk than hair. And his shadow¡­ it looked solid, almost tangible, and did not move with the light of the room.


    Despite that, he had a pleasant and somewhat round face. That, coupled with his ordinary gray robes bearing the insignia of the Order of the Gray Owl, somewhat grounded the Magister Traugott back in the mundane.


    With a white-toothed smile, Traugott inquired of Durran, ¡°Hello. Who might you be?¡±


    ¡°Just some help for the princess,¡± Durran answered, opening the door wider. ¡°Please,e in. We¡¯re happy to have you here, Magister Traugott.¡±


    ¡°The princess? I see,¡± the Magister said evenly, stepping within the room. ¡°Greetings, Princess Elenore. It¡¯s currently rather nice to make your acquaintance despite the circumstances around us.¡± His eyesnded on another person in the room, and his expression slowly lost some of its cheer. ¡°And¡­ Magister Vasilisa of Quadreign.¡±


    Magister Vasilisa stood in one corner of the room. She was a tall woman, blonde of hair and blue of eye. She came from the very distant north, part of the noble family of Quadreign¡ªapparently, the majority of their members were renowned spellcasters. Elenore was happy to have this Vasilisa¡¯s presence, but Durran was not.


    Elenore, despite her haste in arranging this meeting, had not done so without some precautions. The princess had called in a lot of favors and spent a lot of money to merely have this woman present with them. Durran hadined that having two Magisters was more dangerous than having one, but Elenore had rebutted that at least this Magister was of proven character.


    In the end, though Durran was not entirely content about this precaution, he had to admit it was better than nothing. Traugott came as an ally on paper, but he was still an unknown quantity. Indeed, theck of information she was able to find was rming. No one seemed to know anything about him. Vasilisa, contrarily, had an upstanding reputation. Traugott had already arranged to meet with her, too, so it wasn¡¯t a disrespectful measure.


    ¡°Traugott,¡± Vasilisa greeted. Though she had beenpletely unenthusiastic before the meeting, now that it came she was at full attention, ying the part of a diligent escort.


    ¡°I¡¯m d I managed to get in touch with you,¡± Elenore spoke to Traugott kindly. ¡°I thought I might facilitate your journey here. You intended to spread the word of Gerechtigkeit to your fellow Magisters, didn¡¯t you? But some of my sources say that you had a personal support of Argrave¡¯s cause. Please, have a seat.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ you¡¯ve saved me some travel.¡± His face recovered from its change in demeanor quickly, and Traugott smiled as he sat down upon his chair. ¡°I should ask¡ªmight I meet His Majesty, the King Argrave?¡±


    Elenore raised a brow at his grandiose address. ¡°His Majesty is absent from Relize at present.¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± Traugott nodded. ¡°Such a shame.¡±


    Durran walked to stand behind Elenore, keeping his arms before him as he kept a close eye on the man ahead. Traugott didn¡¯t seem to mind.


    ¡°I was rather interested in meeting a man who could write something like this,¡± Traugott reached into his robes and pulled free a booklet. ¡°So many¡­ proofs, truths, each and all leading back to Gerechtigkeit. His Majesty must have made a formidable study of the situation. With this level of detail¡­ that¡¯s only natural.¡±


    ¡°He was quite diligent,¡± Elenore nodded simply. ¡°Castro gave you that?¡± she pressed curiously.


    Traugott smiled. ¡°How else would I have gotten it?¡± He opened the booklet, fingers turning the pages gingerly. ¡°I do wonder how it is the king managed to find all of these leads. I, myself, am quite a schr, yet all of these things¡­ passed right under my nose,¡± he said, tone deepening as he said each word deliberately.


    Durran tensed, prepared for anything. Would the Magister try something in the heart of enemy territory? So many were aware of and prepared for this visit, Vasilisa foremost among them. Durran looked, but the blonde female Magister seemed unworried.


    ¡°Because Gerechtigkeit has been deliberately suppressing things,¡± Elenore posited.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Traugott exhaled slowly. ¡°Then how, I wonder, has King Argrave managed to find the truth?¡±


    ¡°You must have heard the news,¡± Elenore said without skipping a beat. ¡°Vasquer has been discovered. She was held by the Bat. Argrave has long been aware of these things.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. It¡¯s a very reasonable, usible answer,¡± Traugott nodded.


    ¡°My sources tell me you had a personal support of Argrave¡¯s coronation,¡± Elenore said quickly, hoping to change the direction of the conversation. ¡°I thought you might be amenable to detailed cooperation, considering you volunteered toe to the north to convince your fellow Magisters of Gerechtigkeit¡¯s existence.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a good justification,¡± Traugott nodded with a smile.


    ¡°¡­bluntly put,¡± she continued, ¡°I wanted to discuss how you might use your sway in the Order of the Gray Owl to recruit some undecided spellcasters in the north and beyond to our cause.¡±


    ¡°Certainly, I dide to offer some help,¡± Traugott tilted his head. ¡°But I¡¯m only a schr¡ªa seeker of the unknown. What sway have I?¡±


    Durran felt greatly uneased by the way the man talked. He spoke of how things were ¡®usible¡¯ or ¡®good justifications,¡¯ as though he knew some sort of truth and was mocking them to their face.


    ¡°I think you and I both know that¡¯s not true,¡± Elenore shook her head. ¡°Your title alone, your visit alone¡­ they¡¯ll have ramifications: namely, positive results for us. The title of Magister has weight, you know that. Your vocal support for our cause would be immeasurably valuable, I think you know. Right, Vasilisa?¡±


    Though the blonde Magister did give a slight nod, another spoke first.


    ¡°I know nothing,¡± Traugott shook his head. ¡°That is a fundamental truth I long ago epted. Everyone would be better off if they admitted they know nothing. The past¡ªhow are you sure it happened? Because you can recall memories? How do you know they¡¯re yours? What is ¡®knowing?¡¯¡± He grinned again. ¡°Who knows?¡±


    Elenore furrowed her brows, sitting in silence for a few seconds. She seemed just as perplexed as Durran was. Was the man trying to avoid answering them in an borate way? Durran could not be sure of his intent.


    ¡°If you spend too much time asking those questions, you stagnate,¡± Elenore said, deciding to engage with what he said.


    ¡°And why is stagnating bad?¡± Traugott answered back. ¡°Ah¡ªI¡¯ve made a mistake. I¡¯ve made an assumption that you meant ¡®stagnate¡¯ negatively.¡± Traugott shook his head. ¡°But going with that assumption I made¡­ how should one live their life? What is bad, what is good? What¡¯s the point of doing or not doing? What¡¯s the point of these questions?¡±


    Elenore stayed silent for a few moments, then answered, ¡°You¡¯ve stumbled onto why people have faith, I should think.¡±


    Traugott chuckled. ¡°Precisely so. These questions¡­ a lot of people go around iming that they have the answer to it all. They know how we get here, and they know how it¡¯ll all end.¡± He shook his head. ¡°But the word you used¡­ it¡¯s faith. People don¡¯t know. They cling to assumptions, reasonable or unreasonable, without ever truly knowing.¡± The Magister leaned back. ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯m not satisfied giving up. I am rather deeply fascinated by the unknown.¡±


    Traugott¡¯s shadow spread throughout the room, entirely enveloping it and shrouding it in darkness in not half a second. Durran didn¡¯t even had time to panic before he stopped being able to see anything. Quickly, he cast a spell of fire, but it, too, was consumed by darkness. What was up, down, and all around ceased to make sense.


    ¡°People fear the dark because it¡¯s unknown. Myself, I¡¯ve always wanted to be steeped in it. Rather than leaving it be, nothing entices me more than heading into the lurking shadows and what lies within them.¡±


    Just as quickly as it consumed them so did the darkness release them. When it was over, Vasilisa stood before both of them, holding her hands out towards Traugott with a spell swirling about that ate away the darkness. Durran struggled to stay on his feet¡ªwhatever this darkness was, it was not so simple as an absence of light. It consumed the senses¡ªtouch, smell, sound. To have them so abruptly returned was jarring.


    Durran looked down at Elenore to be sure that she was unharmed. She sat there, the same as ever. But could Durran be sure that nothing had happened to her? Tearing his gaze away and back to the Magister, he knew one thing¡ªthis man maddened him.


    ¡°But now¡­ I¡¯ve seen something almost¡­ incontrovertible,¡± Traugott said wondrously, one leg crossed over the other in a casual disy. One might not think a Magister had spells prepared in his face. ¡°And all of the information¡­ I thought it came from Castro at first, but that isn¡¯t the case, is it? No¡­ it came from Argrave,¡± he said, the honorific address dropped. ¡°There are so many ces to visit in this little booklet. So many leads to follow, so many other proofs. Or so is imed¡­ I¡¯ve yet to verify them. The arbiter of the world? Such an unknown quantity¡­ so, let me ask you something. Where is Argrave?¡±


    Elenore didn¡¯t respond to the question immediately. The Magister did not rush her for an answer, staring back with that white-toothed grin of his.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°He¡¯s not in Relize,¡± Elenore repeated. Durran cast a nce at her, wondering where her boldness came from. ¡°I don¡¯t believe I need to answer someone being so tantly hostile and insincere, Magister Traugott.¡±


    Traugottughed. ¡°I see.¡± His gaze settled on Elenore. ¡°You¡¯re right. I was being insincere. I don¡¯t have any interest in your war. I really only came here to meet Argrave¡­ but he¡¯s not here. Or if he is, I certainly won¡¯t have the luxury of searching for him.¡± His eyes rested upon Vasilisa.


    ¡°Try nothing like that again,¡± the female Magister said in warning, hands still prepared to cast a spell.


    ¡°I don¡¯t n on it. Conflict is something I mostly prefer to avoid,¡± he said in disdain. ¡°Really, all I wanted was answers. But if they¡¯re not to be found here, I¡¯ll be moving on once again. There are many ces to visit in this booklet. If they¡¯re more than mere guesses¡­ well, I will be most interested in learning more.¡±


    Elenore rose to her feet. ¡°I think it¡¯s time for you to leave.¡±


    Traugott¡¯s shadow danced, and Durran braced for another wave of whatever hade before. Instead, Traugott fell away into his own shadow. Vasilisa lowered her hand once his shadow vanished.


    ¡°Is he¡­?¡± Durran questioned after silence reigned for a time.


    ¡°He¡¯s gone,¡± Elenore nodded. ¡°Whatever that darkness is, it can¡¯t fool these,¡± she tapped at her bronze jewelry. ¡°He¡¯s reappeared outside. Vasilisa¡ªplease, ensure he leaves.¡±


    The Magister gave a cautious nod, then stepped towards the door. She paused. "Don''t forget what you owe my house," she reminded Elenore.


    "I won''t," Elenore shook her head.


    Vasilisa nodded and left, moving after Traugott.


    ¡°Imagine if I had been cheap,¡± Elenore looked to Durran pointedly once the Magister had left.


    Durran stared at the shadows in paranoia. ¡°I was wrong, alright?¡±


    ¡°Still¡­ I don¡¯t regret this. It confirmed things. If we have a saboteur, it¡¯s best to confirm his presence as soon as possible.¡± Elenore shook her head. ¡°If that even describes Traugott. I need to speak to Argrave, find out what the hell just happened.¡±

 Chapter 288: Reignition

    Argrave returned with a much smaller entourage than what he¡¯d left with, and he was d to have it that way. Elenore waited outside Relize with a simrly small escort, and when he looked upon her, he could tell she did not bear happy news. They joined somberly, and Elenore caught him up to speed as they walked through the city.


    ¡°Traugott was looking for me?¡± Argrave repeated, turning to Elenore as they walked through the streets of Relize. They headed for Leopold¡¯s mansion, escorted by his royal guards.


    ¡°I¡¯m worried for your safety,¡± Elenore said. ¡°A man like that is as easy to predict as a grasshopper¡ªnamely, not at all.¡±


    ¡°We should first tell Castro that his choice of aid wasn¡¯t exactly ster,¡± Argrave said.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°Already done, though I put more politely than that,¡± Elenore confirmed. ¡°Even still, Durran has been eyeing the shadows like they¡¯re diseased, and I am simrly paranoid.¡±


    ¡°Rx. With vignce, we can be prepared for anything might try. Traugott¡¯s shadow is only a link to the Shadonds, another realm beyond this one,¡± Argrave said evenly. ¡°Beings far greater than you or I roam in that senseless abyss. He can travel short distances, maybe transport the odd object. It¡¯s too much of a risk for him to do much more. His shadow itself has the same offensive capability as a nket; resist, and you can get out fine.¡±


    Elenore nodded, somewhatforted by that.


    ¡°Anything happen while I was absent? Papers to sign, troubles to solve?¡± Argrave pressed somewhat hopefully.


    Elenore thought for only half a second before responding, ¡°No. Some matters did arise, but I handled them in short order. We can talk detailster, but for now¡­ we should talk about safety measures.¡±


    ¡°You seem to have run this ce well,¡± Argrave noted. ¡°That shouldn¡¯t surprise me. All along, you¡¯ve been the engine and the oil for this machine.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Elenore looked to him, perplexed.


    ¡°I told you long ago that I wanted you so that you could be regent in my ce while I handled other matters,¡± Argrave told her. ¡°You remember, right?¡±


    ¡°Argrave?¡± Anneliese asked worriedly, recalling their conversation.


    ¡°You want to go into hiding?¡± Elenore guessed. ¡°I¡­ can certainly run things in your absence, but¡­¡±


    Elenore paused, hesitant to mention that she¡¯d facilitated his arrival.


    ¡°Hiding? Far from it.¡± Argrave smiled. ¡°I think that¡¯s been my issue, why I¡¯ve felt in such a rut about this uing war. I lost a bit of my proactivity. I¡¯m just waiting for reports from you, acting ordingly,¡± Argrave looked at Elenore. ¡°Not like I¡¯m ungrateful, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Walking around with an escort¡­ leading armies¡­ it¡¯s unwieldy,¡± Argrave said, looking around at all around him. He conjured a ward to hide their conversation, then bunched everyone together. ¡°All these resources are weighing me down.¡±


    ¡°Argrave, you¡¯re not suggesting¡­¡± Elenore stepped back to him.


    ¡°What if I am suggesting? You said yourself that Traugott was very curious where I am. If I stay here, if he knows that I¡¯m here¡­ if I can say one thing about that man, it¡¯s that he endeavors to learn things that fascinate him.¡± He rubbed his hands together as he gained momentum. ¡°We have a problem with our spellcasters. So far, all I¡¯ve done is wait around for old man Castro to send some support¡­ when I¡¯m forgetting how I got here in the first ce.¡± Argrave looked at Elenore. ¡°Has Magister Vasilisa left yet?¡±


    ¡°No, she hasn¡¯t. As far as I know, she leaves by ship soon,¡± Elenore shook her head, then got closer to him and asked with urgency, ¡°Will you tell me what¡¯s going through your head?¡±


    Argrave looked to her. ¡°You said you always had trouble predicting what I¡¯d do. I¡¯d say that worked to my advantage a lot of the time.¡± He took a deep breath. ¡°I think it¡¯s long overdue for me to take a personal hand in the north. So, I¡¯m going to see Vasilisa. She¡¯s almost definitely returning to Quadreign.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Elenore¡¯s brows rose in shock. ¡°Argrave, we¡ª¡±


    ¡°We need spellcasters on our side. It¡¯s our biggest weakness, currently. Our army can stand up to our enemies, I¡¯m sure of it. Once we have sufficient magic, it¡¯s all but a straight shot to iming the fortresses of central Vasquer, and then heading to Dirracha. Why should I rely on whoever Castro sends to earn support? Have I forgotten how I got here? On top of that, Gmon tells me the man with the ss eye is in the north right now.¡± Argrave gestured to the knightmander.


    Gmon gave a hesitant nod of confirmation.


    Anneliese touched Argrave¡¯s shoulder. ¡°We should discuss this more, I think.¡±


    Elenore nodded in agreement, but Argrave continued, saying, ¡°Sure, alright¡ªwe can talk about it. But I don¡¯t think anything¡¯s missing. I head to Quadreign, work a little magic, and it all falls down like dominoes. Elenore handles the army, that side of things¡­ while I patch up our biggest weakness, solve our issue ofcking spellcasters. Once that¡¯s settled, we reconvene near Vysenn, get that business taken care of, and then finish this war.¡±


    As Elenore¡¯s face betrayed skepticism, Argrave continued, ¡°Rather than me sitting at the helm doing very little at all other than looking handsome, we can be working on two problems concurrently. I deal with the far north, you deal with the near north¡­ and we converge in the middle. What happened in Atrus¡ªit¡¯s something I haven¡¯t been taking ample advantage of. I haven¡¯t been using my knowledge to my advantage.¡± Argrave tapped his temples.


    ¡°I-I¡­¡± Elenore sputtered before gathering herself and saying calmly, ¡°You¡¯ve stayed here thus far because it¡¯s not safe outside of Relize. Even the small journey you just went on¡­!¡±


    ¡°But that¡¯s the thing,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°It isn¡¯t safe. I got some of my best work done when it wasn¡¯t safe.¡±


    ¡°What is this, superstition? Don¡¯t be ridiculous,¡± she shook her head. ¡°How will it look if you depart for Quadreign on the eve of our army¡¯s march?¡±


    ¡°Who says anyone has to see at all?¡± Argrave held his hands out. ¡°This is all going to be very low-key. It might be for the best if I stay out of sight, out of mind.¡± Elenore¡¯s face remained steeped in disbelief, and so Argrave hurriedly said, ¡°I think Anneliese is right. Let¡¯s go somewhere else, talk about what I had in mind¡­ for starters, let¡¯s talk about how Magister Vasilisa¡¯s presence is a boon and a half. A good thing, too¡ªI think I rather liked being a nobody.¡±


    #####


    At early morning, the bars were not so rowdy. Indeed, any that were there this early in the morning were likely looking to leave quietly as their heads would be pounding. A few sat at the bar: among them, a tall blonde woman. She drank slowly and seemed more lost in thought than revelry.


    ¡°Excuse me, miss,¡± a voice interrupted Magister Vasilisa¡¯s thoughts as she drank.


    She turned her head to a party of three, then raised her head to get a better look at them. They were ridiculously tall, all three. One was a brawny man with long white hair wearing sailor¡¯s clothes. The other was a woman wearing some heavy white furs that concealed most of her. And the third¡­ a man just shorter than the first, with some mass about him with long, wavy, almost snow-white hair.


    ¡°Not interested,¡± Vasilisa said at once, turning back to her drink. ¡°I have passage.¡±


    She had seen these people about¡ªapparently, Leopold Dandn, elected leader of Relize, had taken a snow elf to wife. Beyond that, the king kept one aspany¡ªrumor whirled she was his fianc¨¦e, but those mutterings were never confirmed officially. Regardless, elves wandered the docks at Relize frequently, and Vasilisa had seen some of them about. Their goods were in very high demand, foremost among them being fur. The Relizeans certainly did not discriminate how coin entered their pockets, and so these new arrivals were weed.


    ¡°I am told you¡¯re from Quadreign,¡± the man continued. ¡°Your house ruled the region as queens before Felipe III came and conquered yournds.¡±


    Vasilisa turned her head to look at the man once more. She considered harming him then and there to silence him, but further scrutiny exposed this man as a mage. She could not say for certain what rank he was, but his magic pool was certainly capable of being A-rank. The woman beside him, too, was not particrlycking.


    The Magister straightened on the bar stool, then turned her whole body. ¡°Speak carefully,¡± she warned the man. ¡°If you have something to say, say it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m told that your region was home to spellcasters entirely unaffiliated with the Order of the Gray Owl,¡± the man continued. Vasilisa looked at his eyes¡ªthey were peculiar. His iris was dull gold and gray at seemingly random points. ¡°Furthermore, you assured your supremacy over regional powers because of a magical me¡ªa me that¡¯s now extinguished.¡±


    Vasilisa inhaled and exhaled slowly, hiding her interest as best she knew how. ¡°Continue,¡± she gestured with her chin.


    ¡°I am rather interested in this me,¡± the man continued.


    ¡°This concerns me how?¡± Vasilisa set one arm on the counter loudly, fed up with how slow this conversation proceeded.


    ¡°With Veid as my witness, I¡¯d like to enter into contract with you, Magister Vasilisa,¡± the man said. ¡°My wife¡­ her ascendency to A-rank may hinge oning into contact with that me. As such, I would re-ignite it. In return, I hope you can take us as guests to Quadreign¡­ and allow us to do so.¡±


    Vasilisa ground her teeth, but then leaned back in the stool, contemting. ¡°Fifteen years, I¡¯ve been investigating this matter. Suffocating a fire of that nature is much easier than starting one, elf.¡±


    The man nodded, then reached into his pocket. Vasilisa eyed him cautiously, but he pulled free a stone tablet and set it upon the table. Looking at it, recognition dawned on her. It was but a simple stone tablet, but the rune stained on its surface in strange blue ink was very familiar.


    ¡°That fire¡­ you¡¯ve been unsessful because you¡¯re ignorant of its origins. It isn¡¯t your heritage. It¡¯s ours.¡± The man crossed his arms. ¡°But, please, let¡¯s have a conversation. I¡¯m sure I can answer some questions that you have.¡±


    Vasilisa bit her lip in the quiet, then scanned the three before her. ¡°Your names?¡±


    The man smiled. ¡°I am Silvaden ¡®the Smiler.¡¯ I answer to my name or my sobriquet¡ªwhichever pleases you. This is my wife, Sanora, and my father-inw, Vulras.¡± He sped his hands together. ¡°Can I take it you have a positive predisposition towards this arrangement?¡±


    #####


    Argrave watched as sailors loaded shipments onto the galley that Vasilisa was taking. Things had gone rather smoothly with Vasilisa. The bigger headache had been justifying everything to Leopold¡­ and getting this wig on such short order. It was difficult to avoid adjusting it constantly, yet the person beside him swayed him against doing so. He caught her eye.


    ¡°Are you disappointed I ride on a merchant vessel?¡± Vasilisa inquired. ¡°Were you expecting more grandiose treatment, elf?¡±


    Argrave turned his head. ¡°My father-inw is a merchant. I have great regard for the profession,¡± he disagreed.


    Was this n of his ridiculous? Perhaps. But Argrave earned Elenore¡¯s support to name her regent¡ªhe¡¯d fully expected to do things like this. He hadn¡¯t expected to do so exactly in this manner, nor so suddenly¡­ but Traugott¡¯s unexpected arrival and change in character in light of his revtions of Gerechtigkeit¡¯s existence could pose problems. He had to be proactive before the problems mounted and overwhelmed him.


    Above all, he felt the only way to ensure things were done perfectly in the north was to get personally involved. Quadreign was a domino in a long line¡ªhe firmly believed this. More issues spurred him forward: Anneliese might gain insight from the me in Quadreign of a simr nature to what Llewellen experienced, and Gmon might manage to find the bearer of the ss eye rted to vampirism.


    Good reasons, one and all¡ªenough so that Elenore had even agreed with Argrave. And frankly, his sister would handle things better than he might be able to. Their army was restoring order, not going to battle¡ªthey¡¯d subjugate bandits,municate with local lords, earn allegiances through trades and promises. The majority of that was something Elenore was overqualified to deal with.


    Argrave¡¯s royal guard would be remaining here. Bringing them along would take too much in the way of preparation and would only rouse suspicion from Vasilisa. Indeed, their continued presence and protection of Elenore gave credence to the idea that Argrave was simply avoiding the public. Honestly, Argrave felt free without them.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be leaving as soon as they¡¯re done loading the cargo,¡± Vasilisa informed him. ¡°Apparently, they spun Traugott¡¯s meeting with Elenore as an assassination attempt with me as the savior. I won¡¯t have them use my presence as some sort of sign of allegiance. It¡¯s bothersome, these games of theirs¡­ but I needed the money,¡± she sighed. ¡°I talked to your kind, Smiler. They say you¡¯re important in yournd.¡±


    Argrave nodded, looking back to the ship. He¡¯d used a real name to make the story a bit more credible, and he was rather d to have done so. ¡°I¡¯m only a servant of Veid, as all Veidimen are.¡±


    Vasilisa nodded. ¡°So long as you don¡¯t think you¡¯re important, you won¡¯t need to be checked. You¡¯ll be in my family¡¯snd. Conquered we might be¡­ but thisnd is torn asunder, and you are foreign to our soil. Am I clear, Silvaden?¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°Absolutely. Don¡¯t forget¡ªwe Veidimen hold contracts sacred.¡±

 Chapter 289: Embers in the North

    ¡°Feels like I can think again,¡± Argrave said loudly into the wind, one arm wrapped around Anneliese.


    He hadn¡¯t realized how much being stagnant in Relize had been weighing at him until he was gone. He hadn¡¯t been doing anything too grandiose. His time had been spent giving his name to things, ordering that things get done in his name¡­ but real, genuine progress? It was hard toe by. Certainly, this maneuver might damage his reputation somewhat¡­ but Argrave was sure that would be overshadowed when they returned with an army of spellcasters under hismand. Already, his mind worked quickly to pull himself up out of the situation.


    ¡°You elves enjoy the cold that much?¡± Vasilisa spoke to him suddenly, and Argrave turned his head. Whenever she came around, he felt an urge to be sure his white-haired wig was on properly and concealed his ears well, but he resisted it. It was secured with adhesive¡ªit was fine, he reminded himself.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Argrave looked to Anneliese. ¡°What do you think, Sanora, Vulras?¡±


    ¡°We were made for it,¡± Gmon nodded quickly, showing no reaction to the alias.


    Vasilisa stepped on the railing and looked over the sea as it passed on and on, an endless in of tumultuous water that whipped up winds. Her blonde hair danced as she noted, ¡°I should hope you travel the cold half as well. We¡¯ll be on foot.¡± Her blue eyes fixed on them¡ªshe didn¡¯t seem particrly happy, but then maybe that was her natural disposition. ¡°What business have you with the me of Quadreign? It¡¯s for those beginning their journey on the path of magic¡­ not midway through it,¡± her eyes lingered on Anneliese.


    ¡°I feelprehending something borne of magic sufficiently grandiose may give insight into something I research,¡± Anneliese described sinctly.


    ¡°Do you even know what the me does?¡± Vasilisa stared at her coldly.


    ¡°We know what your house used it for¡­ and we know what it does,¡± Argrave answered for her. ¡°The two are separate. It burns away the magic inside¡­ but more than that, it burns away mental fatigue, stress, fear, and some insecurities. Physically, it improves fertility, fights disease, and generally improves health¡­ for a time. These are the things your house used it for,¡± he shook his head.


    Quadreign used the me much like Argrave used the Blessing of Supersession¡ªin repaying his magic debt, he drained the magic within himself quickly. Continued depletion and replenishment was pivotal to growing one¡¯s magic supply¡ªthat, coupled with his ck blood, was why Argrave had been advancing so quickly.


    House Quadreign used the me on their family and their loyal vassals¡¯ families since birth. In essence, by the time they reached adulthood, they had already been performing highly efficient training as spellcasters for nearly two decades. Those that they favored became magical juggernauts, while those that they didn¡¯t had to struggle just as all the rest. Like this, Quadreign secured hegemony over the region.


    ¡°But that¡¯s not the sum of what it is. You called it¡­ the me of the Tenebrous Star?¡± Anneliese looked to Argrave, and he nodded in confirmation.


    Vasilisa took her foot off the railing and crossed her arm. ¡°Then, what can this me of the Tenebrous Star do, exactly?¡±


    Argrave took his hand off Anneliese. ¡°I see no need to tell you. That information is valuable. We have our contract. If you¡¯d like more from me, I believe it only fitting I¡¯m suitablypensated.¡±


    Vasilisa tapped her foot against the deck as she looked at the two of them. ¡°So be it,¡± she decided levelly, then turned her head to the side. ¡°I see the shore.¡±


    Argrave looked where her eyes went. Just as she said, the shoreline was in sight. The ce they saw wasn¡¯t Quadreign. It was quite a stunning sight nheless¡ªthere were pine trees as far as the eye could see, nketed by a thinyer of melting snow. Like a pocket of civilization amidst the wilderness, a river ran through a small city that verged on being demoted to a town.


    ¡°Prenviania,¡± Argrave recognized, sitting on the railing and looking at it with a smile.


    Vasilisa turned her head to him as he sat. ¡°¡­correct,¡± she said begrudgingly. ¡°These lords here, House Prenvia¡­ they were once vassals to the Queen of Quadreign. Now, they rule most of the coastal settlements here as its duke.¡±


    There was bitterness in Vasilisa¡¯s voice. It was part jealousy, part longing, part sad defeat, expressed so clearly Argrave did not need to look to Anneliese to ask what it was.


    ¡°Wend, sleep the night, then move,¡± Vasilisa said. ¡°I won¡¯t travel by night.. too risky,¡± she decided. ¡°You and your father-inw can handle traversing the pine forests, I trust?¡±


    ¡°On the contrary. It will be wee,¡± Anneliese nodded. She grabbed at Argrave¡¯s shoulder as he sat in admiration of the coastline. ¡°Let us prepare to take our things¡­ and then spend whatever time is left studying what master Llewellen left, shall we, Silvaden?¡±


    #####


    The north of Vasquer was dreadfully cold, even in the middle of spring as they were. Argrave and Anneliese donned their heavier gray enchanted leather gear, and Gmon put his armor back on, making some effort to conceal it with fur. Vasilisa looked at him peculiarly but did not question that¡ªArgrave imagined Vasilisa viewed it as inconsequential if he failed during their travels. Such a thing would be their problem, not hers. If she asked why theirpanion remained stalwart, Argrave would exin merely that his armor was enchanted.


    The towns of the north had a separate culture from all those of the south or central Vasquer. It was densely forested, and many creatures of yore still roamed night and day, dangerous and mythical both. The soil was poor, and the cold made it poorer. Here, the people were primarily hunters and herders. Exceptions existed, naturally, yet the point stood. They traded in rare hides and mined the earth, but beyond that few other industries existed here.


    To that end, Argrave was d Anneliese had long ago mastered the B-rank [Progenitor] spell of the druidic family¡ªshe could bring an animal other than her Starsparrow about, even if in limited capacity. It would facilitate getting a little souvenir for their friend back in Relize. On the matter of their druidic bonds, the Brumesingers loathed the cold, and stayed nestled deep within Argrave¡¯s backpack.


    Vasilisa, true to her word, allowed them only one day of rest at Prenviania. While they were leaving the next morning, Anneliese spotted a familiar building.


    ¡°That is one of the branches of the Order of the Gray Owl, is it not?¡± Anneliese asked of Argrave.


    Argrave hardly needed to look to answer, but he did. ¡°It is,¡± he confirmed.


    It was a stone building, two owls looking over the entrance like gargoyles. It stood in stark contrast to the homes made of pine logs all throughout the city of Prenviania. Even the grandest estates were wooden. This stone building, a branch of the Order¡­ Argrave had been to one a very long time ago at Mateth, and now here another stood. As he recalled, the ce had few facilities in ¡®Heroes of Berendar,¡¯ nothing more than the bare essentials. It stuck out, to say the least.


    ¡°Just an abandoned building, now,¡± Vasilisa said, overhearing them. ¡°People tore it down not too long ago. Inside is in pieces.¡±


    Argrave furrowed his brows. ¡°What? Why?¡±


    ¡°Order isn¡¯t well-loved everywhere,¡± Vasilisa said. ¡°Might have heard grand tales in Relize¡­ but they¡¯re a new presence here, a foreign presence. This building was like a token of the north¡¯s fall. I think it¡¯s a waste, but the people did what they did.¡± She stepped down the simple dirt road. ¡°Don¡¯t gawk, elf. People seldom see your kind here. It¡¯d be best if we¡¯re on the road. I won¡¯t trouble the people of the north. They have it hard enough.¡±


    Argrave spared one look at the building, then followed. He supposed nothing like that could happen in the game because the yer always needed those facilities. It gave some insight as to the culture of spellcasters in the north, though¡ªmany of them weren¡¯t Order-reared, merely converts after Felipe¡¯s conquest. Vasilisa hadn¡¯t been taught in the Order, for instance. Already, an element of the disparity started to make sense.


    How, then, would he win them to his side? How could he build momentum here? These were ideas he pondered as they trekked through the pine forests, their party following only a simple dirt road that was more a trail formed by game than humans. He engaged in conversation with Anneliese and Gmon, feeling of greater spirit today alone than he had in the past month. He saw bizarre snow formations as they melted for spring, and they passed by hunters, babbling brooks¡­ a lively, yet markedly different,munity.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Soon enough, though¡­ Argrave could not afford to be so carefree. The path started to grow steeper, more treacherous. The path beneath their feet went from densely packed soil with pine needles scattered everywhere to hard stone and rock, slick with the water from the melting snow at many points. With both breathbored and mind taxed, he devoted himself to the task fully.


    Anneliese had a much different experience. After all, she had her special boots with wind enchantments¡ªlike Argrave¡¯s silver bracer that stored his blood for blood magic, the boots were one of the things that Elenore had appraised. They¡¯d been obtained from one of the various ces they¡¯d looted. Whether moving faster, moving upwards, slowing a descent¡­ her boots could do it all. Anneliese used them sparingly, testing and training herself to use them best. The steep path made a good opportunity for that, even if Argrave did find it somewhat bothersome when he was hit by snow.


    At a point, Argrave heard her yelp and retreat, and he looked up to see what was going on. He saw a white paw moving through the air where she left, and he immediately turned, prepared to confront whatever wasing. A truck-sized beast chased after her. It had white fur, and a squat, low-lying body. Its mouth was clearly that of a predator¡¯s, but could not be called dog, cat, or anything familiar. Argrave recognized it¡ªa lyr, one of the many wild beasts of the north. He prepared a spell.


    ¡°Stop what you¡¯re doing,¡± Vasilisa grabbed his wrist, fingers wrapping around his silver bracer.


    ¡°What?¡± Argrave protested.


    Vasilisa stepped forth, and then conjured a simpler spell of fire. She held it before the creature asrge as a rhino and warded it away as one might any other wild animal. And it behaved as a bear or wolf might, snapping at her with its strange bark before retreating back whence it came.


    ¡°Unless you intend to skin and eat it¡­ you kill nothing in the north unless absolutely necessary,¡± Vasilisa turned to Argrave. ¡°I will not deprive the people of what might one day fill their bellies. I would think snow elves of all people would understand that.¡±


    Argrave straightened. ¡°I apologize. It¡¯s difficult to remember such things when they concern A¡­¡± very nearly saying Anneliese, he quickly salvaged things, finishing, ¡°¡­a person very precious to me.¡±


    Vasilisa clicked her tongue and shook her head. ¡°Quadreign is not so far. Let¡¯s proceed.¡±


    Argrave pulled his pack up over his shoulders, casting a nce at a guilty-looking Anneliese. He could not bring himself to me her, and merely bid she continue as they pressed forward through this snowscape.


    Familiarndmarks and mountains marked Argrave¡¯s vision as they neared Quadreign. When they crested the top of a particrly steep incline¡­a city spread out before them, nestled deep within a valley. To put things simply, it appeared like an istedmunity of the rich. All of the buildings within sight were so grand as to suffice as a noble mansion back in the south. And in the back, above it all, was a towering pce. Its furthest wall supported arge clocktower, overlooking the valley and city both.


    And yet¡­ further scrutiny revealed many oddities. The streets were quiet and ill-kept, some of them entirely blocked off by snow. The clocktower did not move. So many parts of the pce had been destroyed as to make it worthless in any defense. A lot of the grand estates were abandoned¡ªeven more had been partially torn down to make room for a burgeoning pasture of cows.


    ¡°Onest steep decline, and then we¡¯re in Quadreign. I¡¯d like you to get to work right away,¡± Vasilisa looked back. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Silvaden, Sanora, Vulras.¡±

 Chapter 290: Time On Our Misery

    Vasilisa grabbed the iron gate that stood out front the pce in Quadreign. She fit in a key and opened it wide. Argrave eyed the gate¡ªit was cheaply made, and the iron had grown rusty and brittle. The Magister had led them through the city with purpose, and they¡¯d diligently followed behind their escort. It wasn¡¯t as though any people blocked their way.


    The quest line in Quadreign had always described the city as failing, as a fragment of its former glory. Certainly, the yer could observe the failing houses, the decrepit pce, and the stagnant clocktower. Even still, Argrave felt as though he was seeing the city for the very first time. These were living people enduring hard times in thisnd of bitter cold. He saw how thin they were, how they shuddered in their poorly heated homes, and how they slowly withered away in this isted valley.


    There was an old man waiting for them in the pce¡¯s courtyard. He wore clothing that once might have been brilliant blue but was now faded and worn and lined with fur to ward away the cold. Vasilisa stepped right up to him.


    ¡°Youngdy,¡± he greeted. Argrave recognized him¡ªhe was the steward of this pce. Befitting an elder member of House Quadreign, he was a mage with quite a formidable magic pool.


    ¡°That title is no longer applicable, Ferrel,¡± she said coldly. ¡°Here.¡±


    Ferrel took a bag from her hand, and Argrave heard metal clinking within. The steward looked inside, then looked back to Vasilisa. ¡°But¡­ mydy¡­ all of what you earned?¡±


    ¡°I am still part of this house. Take it. I will brook no protest,¡± shemanded him.


    The steward acquiesced with a quiet bow. ¡°It will help alleviate some of the debt.¡±


    ¡°Forget the debt,¡± she disagreed. ¡°That money is for supplies. The Lous family lost half their herd. We need to buy food, other essentials, distribute them.¡±


    ¡°Of¡­ course, mydy,¡± Ferrel bowed a little deeper.


    ¡°These elves are my guests,¡± Vasilisa looked back, blue eyes steady. ¡°I want them to meet my sister. They¡­ are here about the me.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°Your sister is¡­¡± Ferrel¡¯s lips twitched. ¡°I¡¯ll speak to her. It might be difficult. You know how she is.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Vasilisa nodded, her stern voice lightening up somewhat. ¡°You three. Come along.¡±


    #####


    Vasilisa escorted the three of them to a guest house within the pce. It was poorly maintained, and this fact seemed to embarrass the Magister greatly. She promised it would be cleaned, but Argrave insisted it was something they¡¯d be willing to handle themselves. She seemed insulted at first, but gradually she epted the proposition.


    They didn¡¯t have the chance to do much, though. Ferrel returned after a time, and they were escorted within the pce proper¡ªspecifically, the great hall beneath the clocktower. Though there was a great ascending set of stairs leading to a throne that seemed to be made for a giant, the person they had been brought to meet¡ªVasilisa¡¯s sister¡ªsat in a simple chair at the foot of these stairs, the steward standing just beside her. Her name was Diana, and she was the present baroness of Quadreign. She looked quite like Vasilisa, being blonde and blue-eyed, yet age marked her a little more than it had her sister.


    As they approached, he heard Diana question Ferrel quietly, in a voice almost too low to hear, ¡°Do I know them?¡±


    ¡°No, mydy. They are new to us. Your sister brought them,¡± the answer came, just as quiet.


    Diane nodded, then leaned her head against her hand and massaged it gingerly as they approached.


    ¡°Vasilisa says that you came here to look at reigniting the me,¡± Diana said at once.


    ¡°That¡¯s correct, baroness,¡± Argrave dipped his head. ¡°It is Veidimen work. Consequently, we are the only able to help restore it.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Diana said. Her eyes weren¡¯t quite focused on their faces, but they were in their general direction. ¡°And¡­ reigniting this me. What¡­¡± she paused for a few seconds. ¡°¡­actions do it¡­ does it require from me?¡±


    ¡°The way I understood it, sister, was that he would need only my aid with this matter,¡± Vasilisa interjected. ¡°I merely wanted to keep you informed about things and get your approval.¡±


    Diana¡¯s eyes wandered for a few moments, then refocused. ¡°Then you have my leave,¡± she finally said.


    ¡°Thank you for your graciousness in this matter,¡± Argrave lowered his head once again. ¡°I can promise confidently that you won¡¯t be disappointed by this.¡±


    ¡°If there is no thing¡­ nothing more, I¡¯d very much like to be left alone with my duties,¡± Diana said.


    Her hand twitched, and she gripped the arm rest of her chair firmly. Anneliese took note of this and stared for a long while.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Argrave said. ¡°Thank you for your time.¡±


    With that, Vasilisa very eagerly shepherded them back towards the courtyard of the pce. ¡°Diana is very busy and overworked with things, otherwise I¡¯m sure she¡¯d ask for more,¡± she exined as they walked. ¡°The territory is¡­ not what it once was, and my sister has been working very hard to curb our decline. There are many troubles with being isted as we are¡ªtroubles that were once addressed by this me. On that matter¡­¡± she eagerly drove the subject away from her sister. ¡°I think it¡¯s best that we start discussing what it is you n to do.¡±


    ¡°Then we can do so,¡± Argrave agreed. ¡°Indeed, I think things would be for the best if we got to work immediately. To that end¡­ I¡¯d like to see the site where the me is kept. From old Veidimen records, I believe it was stored underground.¡±


    Vasilisa scanned Argrave¡¯s face, then nodded slowly. ¡°Yes, it was. I need to take care of a few other things before we go there. Return to the guest house a moment while I prepare things.¡±


    #####


    ¡°Feels odd, being left behind,¡± Durranmented as he watched the docks of Relize from Leopold¡¯s estate. One didn¡¯t have a clear view of the sea, and even if there was, Durran didn¡¯t know which ship they left on. It hadn¡¯t even returned to the docks, yet.


    ¡°It¡¯s odder that they¡¯re going,¡± Elenore said.


    Durran turned his head back. ¡°Things will turn out. You¡¯ll see.¡±


    ¡°All I know¡­ is that Argrave has saddled us with a lot of work,¡± Elenore said. ¡°We have to maintain respect for Argrave when he won¡¯t be marching beside his army. And the spellcasters we have, meagre though they may be, have to be kept in check by someone.¡±


    Durranughed. ¡°Well, shouldn¡¯t you be well-ustomed to earning respect, no matter the situation? You earned a ce in the world with a name alone. A rather unintimidating name, at that. I hardly think of bats as the foremost authority, yet here you are.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s get to work,¡± Elenore changed the subject. ¡°The army moves. I think the first order of business¡­ shall be a show of strength for the soldiers of the north who went bandit.¡±


    #####


    Argrave hunched over a set of runes, doing his very best to make it look like he was doing some important deciphering. As a point of fact, though, it was all just acting. An investigation quest had little meaning when one already knew what it was they were looking for.


    He rose to his feet and turned around, where Vasilisa stood expectantly. ¡°Well? Were you all talk?¡±


    ¡°The me isn¡¯t extinguished,¡± Argrave said.


    Her blue eyes narrowed into small slits. ¡°That¡¯s a bit difficult to ept when we¡¯re standing in the brazier it used to burn.¡±


    Argrave looked around, making a point to survey the ce. ¡°¡­still, the runes are working. They¡¯re maintaining the me.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to maintain,¡± she shook her head. ¡°If they are active, they¡¯re faulty, and need to be fixed.¡±


    ¡°They don¡¯t need to be fixed,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°The me isn¡¯t here anymore. The runes are somewhat degraded because they¡¯ve been sustaining the me from quite a long distance away.¡± He looked up. ¡°Given the nature of sending energy through the air¡­ you might have noticed some people getting sick. Muscles seizing up. Vomiting up blood. These runes weren¡¯t made for long-distance maintenance, and the energy travelling through the air probably brought many unwanted afflictions to anyone above ground.¡±


    Vasilisa took a deep breath and stepped away, and Argrave suspected many pieces were falling into ce in her mind. Her eyes trembled in rage, and she swallowed deeply. Gmon eyed her cautiously, keeping his hands near his Ebonice axe.


    ¡°It was stolen, then? Pilfered, taken away, used by another?¡± the Magister asked.


    ¡°¡­yes. If someone knowledgeable enough came in close contact, they could steal it away,¡± Argrave confirmed.


    ¡°Can it be reversed?¡± Vasilisa spoke through clenched teeth. ¡°The connection¡­ severed?¡±


    ¡°Certainly,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°But it would take around a year to reignite the me. The runes would need time to rebuild its essence from the ground up. Though I should note the thief would lose the me, wherever they might be. As such, if you can wait¡­ it might be worth it.¡±


    Vasilisa stood there, breathing heavily in the quiet stone chamber. Argrave looked to Anneliese, yet the fact that she remained calm said that there was probably no chance the Magistershed out rashly. She looked to pity Vasilisa.


    ¡°Alternatively, we could recover it,¡± Argrave gave her the second, much better option.


    ¡°Recover it?¡± sheughed. ¡°It had to be the king that stole it,¡± she stepped around the cold stone chamber, practically fuming. ¡°Do you think us capable of heading to the pce and doing such a thing? As I understand it, that ce is a hotbed of activity. Even if I coborate with one of the¡­ the foolish imants, Argrave, or¡­ or the south¡­¡± she trailed off.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it was the king that stole it,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°If the capital of this kingdom is further south than Relize, the runes could not sustain it so. In addition, as I mentioned¡­ it would have to be someone knowledgeable about the me. I¡¯m not sure the king fits that criterion.¡±


    Vasilisa turned. ¡°It¡¯s close, then? It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s far enough to still be in the north?¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°Almost definitely.¡±


    Vasilisa¡¯s blue eyes took an icy calm to them. ¡°You said it would have to be someone who came into close contact,¡± she noted.


    ¡°I did.¡±


    The Magister seethed silently, her eyes closed harshly. Her right hand clenched and unclenched into a fist as she stood there, wrapped up in her own world of rage.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to y him,¡± she decided with a calm voice that disguised her anger. Then, she stepped off towards the exit.


    ¡°Not sure that¡¯ll help,¡± Argrave called out as she stormed away.


    ¡°It¡¯ll help me,¡± she called back, then stopped to punch the wall. Argrave winced as he heard something crack that wasn¡¯t stone, but Vasilisa kept punching the wall.


    Since it was evident she wasn¡¯t going to be leaving, Argrave walked closer slowly. Anneliese joined him.


    ¡°That man¡­ took the me of our house for his own,¡± she said, voice trembling in anger. ¡°Since birth, we gave him its gift freely¡­ and not only did he betray Quadreign to join Vasquer¡­¡± Vasilisa turned back. ¡°He made it seem like he was the only reason our family was not killed.¡±


    Argrave crossed his arms. ¡°I take it you have an idea who the me might presently belong to, now?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± she said with a hoarse voice, blood dripping from her now-disfigured hand. ¡°Yes, I know exactly who. And he¡¯s had quite a time on our misery¡­ not only are we deep in debt to him, but he also holds most of the ind territories that once belong to Quadreign,¡± she said, almost hysterical by this point. ¡°And he¡¯se by every single month to collect the interest for his debt, seeing this ce fall into disrepair, seeing our people starve and freeze to death, seeing my sister¡­!¡± she trailed off, her eyes wandering to Argrave and Anneliese to remind herself she was not alone. It seemed she still wished to keep some things hidden from them.


    ¡°So, this person¡­ they¡¯re influential here,¡± Argrave nodded calmly.


    Sheughed like it was the funniest joke, then slouched against the wall, sliding down until she sat. ¡°Yes, Silvaden. Yes, you might say Margrave Ivan, Magister of the Order, owner of most of the former Quadreign crownds, leader of a potent coterie of northern spellcasters, and possibly the richest man in all the north¡­ is slightly influential in the north,¡± she said drolly.


    Vasilisa sat there, despairing.


    ¡°Is there anyone else it might be?¡± Anneliese asked innocently.


    That brought some vigor back to her for but a few moments, until she shook her head with gaze distant. ¡°No. Not possible. He, alongside the king, were thest within this ce before the me was exting¡ªno, stolen.¡±


    Argrave scratched at his chin. ¡°Well¡­ a contract is a contract, Magister Vasilisa,¡± he said.


    The blonde-haired woman looked up at him, eyes wide.


    ¡°A traitor and a thief¡­ in Veiden, such a man should be eliminatedpletely,¡± Argrave said, smiling. ¡°So long as you¡¯re willing, of course¡­ I think all we have is a new obstacle. One that Veid would view righteous to tackle.¡±


    And if some of that influence Ivan possessed might find itself in another hand that might be more positively predisposed towards helping Argrave¡¯s army? Well¡­ that would certainly make that king that was definitely in Relize right now very happy.

 Chapter 291: Enemies of a Different Measure

    Magister Vasilisa watched the man beside her pour a drink into her cup. Cups, rather¡ªthe bartender filled multiple tankards, each and all just beside Vasilisa¡¯s wrist. Her eyes jumped between the brown alcohol and their party of three, sitting adjacent from her and waiting expectantly.


    ¡°You sure you don¡¯t want anything?¡± Vasilisa questioned.


    ¡°Alcohol does nothing for me,¡± Argrave said vaguely while the two beside him shook their head.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The drink finished pouring, and she handed a set of gold coins to the man. He tried to refuse her, but she insisted until he took it.


    ¡°Just, uh¡­ feels a bit¡­¡± her blue eyes jumped between them, then she shrugged and tipped the tankard back. ¡°Whatever. You don¡¯t want it, that¡¯s your business. But what¡¯s my business¡­¡±


    She snapped. Though no matrix formed, she¡¯d cast a spell, and a ward enclosed them. Casting spells without matrixes¡ªthat was one facet of Vasilisa¡¯s A-rank advancement. None of the other customers in this tavern in Quadreign seemed to react to the spell, perhaps well-used to Vasilisa being here.


    ¡°What¡¯s my business is what in the hell you¡¯re speaking of when you talk about taking down Magister Ivan,¡± she said, sipping at her drink slightly. ¡°You might not get things, being from where you are¡­ but me, my sister¡¯s territory? They¡¯ve be nothing before what Margrave Ivan owns, Silvaden. We¡¯re dust before a castle. Maybe they call you ¡®Smiler¡¯ for your endless optimism, but I see things clear, and they¡¯re clearly impossibly bleak.¡±


    Argrave mulled over her words for a bit while the Magister let the silence hang, drinking deeply from her cup. She¡¯d very nearly finished the first from what Argrave saw.


    ¡°Do you know how I discovered you were in Relize?¡± Argrave questioned. ¡°I was speaking to a northerner¡­ something mundane, I think it was about furs that weremonly traded to Relize¡­ we wanted to avoid somepetition, you see.¡± Argrave leaned in, entwining his hands. ¡°This woman, she was a little old. Still robust and firm, though, like a great deal of the people we saw on the way here. And she started talking about the good days beneath the reign of the queens of Quadreign.¡±


    Vasilisa stared at Argrave as he spoke, so wrapped up in his fabricated story she couldn¡¯t think of anything to interject.


    ¡°She spoke of your traditions here,¡± Argrave continued, locking eyes with her. ¡°How your women ruled, because only those that create life can justly preside over it. She told me how the mes of Quadreign once flowed through this city, giving warmth even in the winters of this northern valley. She spoke of the queen¡¯s mageguard¡ªchosen from birth among loyal vassals, tempered by the me, and holding two ideals at heart.¡± Argrave raised his hand, counting as he listed them. ¡°Protect the queen¡­ and protect her people. And this woman spoke of how they died to thest against the forces of Vasquer.¡±


    Vasilisa blinked quickly then looked off to the side, obviously hiding tears. She grabbed a new gon and drank it all, then set it down quietly. ¡°What does it matter?¡± she questioned, her voice hoarse. ¡°My mother was thest queen. My sister has a brain tumor, and though it can be cured, all those capable of such a feat would wring us of ourst coins. We have an obligation to the people¡ªif my sister is cured, we couldn¡¯t afford to feed them. All of the queen¡¯s guard died, as you said. Those you would have us fight against possess all of what we once owned.¡±


    Quiet set in as the Magister opened her heart up. Anneliese leaned in, almost a mirror of Vasilisa¡¯s emotions, and said, ¡°The people live, and the people remember. And even if you disbelieve that im¡­ no one seeds if they content themselves with defeat.¡±


    ¡°You seek the me both for the people of this city and your sister,¡± Argrave said. ¡°I think that¡¯s clear.¡±


    The Magister looked back. ¡°Yes. And?¡±


    ¡°People that honor their obligations are few and far between,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°I greatly respect that.¡±


    ¡°Respect my ass,¡± she shook her head and fixed her blonde hair behind her ear. ¡°I don¡¯t do what I do for respect.¡±


    Gmon chuckled, and Argrave briefly turned his head at the unexpected noise. Before long he turned back, continuing, ¡°¡­but honor can blind you to a lot of opportunities you have at your disposal,¡± he said, pushing past herment.


    ¡°That¡¯s not a bad thing. I¡¯d rather die than do something against my principles. If that¡¯s what you¡¯re suggesting¡­¡± the Magister¡¯s eyes focused on him.


    ¡°Of course not,¡± Argrave leaned back in the chair. ¡°Fact of the matter is, though¡­ people like Magister Ivan will piss on your honor. They¡¯ll exploit your integrity, and the only thing they¡¯ll feel is disdain¡­ disdain that you¡¯re so gullible, so easy to use and abuse. He thinks you¡¯re lesser than him.¡±


    Her jaw clenched tight, and she took a slow drink of alcohol once again.


    ¡°Silvaden does not try and offend,¡± Anneliese quickly soothed. ¡°This is merely to raise a point, Magister Vasilisa.¡±


    Her words did unwind the tense Magister a bit, and so Argrave continued, ¡°And the worst part of all this? After his betrayal¡­ after he let Quadreign fall to Vasquer, after he stole the me of the Tenebrous Star from your house¡­ what do people view him as? Not a traitor, not a thief, not a callous usurper¡­ but rather, they view him as Margrave Ivan. They view him as a man not to be trifled with. He¡¯s just the winner.¡±


    Vasilisa¡¯s jaw tightened once again¡­ but her eyes dipped downwards from Argrave¡¯s, growing distant and introspective.


    ¡°Sanora¡­¡± Argrave put his hand on Anneliese¡¯s shoulder. ¡°She¡¯s right. If you content yourself with defeat before you try¡­ I don¡¯t need to spell out the results, I should think.¡±


    Vasilisaughed exasperatedly and threw her head back, slouching against her chair. ¡°And what can we do? Four of us? You, maybe A-rank. Her, verging on A-rank, and him¡­¡± she threw up her hands in Gmon¡¯s direction. ¡°Ivan can match us person for person, spell rank for spell rank, and still have a territory¡¯s worth of people at his disposal left over.¡±


    Argrave took his hand off Anneliese¡¯s shoulder and set it on the table. ¡°I don¡¯t think that northern woman I spoke to was particrly unique. I don¡¯t think the people, low or small, have genuine affection for Margrave Ivan. His poweres from the throne of Vasquer, not the people. And the throne¡­ it¡¯s clearly in no state to protest. Perhaps that king in Relize is justified in what he does.¡±


    ¡°Hah,¡± Vasilisa leaned back in, tracing her finger around the rim of her third cup. ¡°Argrave and his coalition of merchant princes ying at war?¡±


    Argrave smiled broadly. ¡°Even still, that man was able to get swords in people¡¯s hands. So far as I know, he was not even in the line of session for the throne. And you? House Quadreign, reputed rulers, heralds of the good days of Quadreign? That cause has much more legitimacy than his, I should think.¡±


    Vasilisa took a deep breath and sighed, eyes wide in reluctant realization as she acknowledged that his point had some merit. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t¡­ know where to begin,¡± she admitted.


    Argrave nodded. ¡°People with honor generally don¡¯t. But¡­ as it so happens¡­ I¡¯ve gotten a fair bit of experience in this sort of thing. I can¡¯t say I¡¯ve made no mistakes, but I¡¯ve learned as much from each one.¡± He sped his hands together. ¡°If you agree, we could leave Quadreign by the morrow, head to wherever this Ivan might be. From there, I¡¯d be able to figure out where we might begin.¡±


    Vasilisa looked at Argrave and his twopanions in turn. Then, she took another drink. ¡°My mother taught me to be careful about how I answer strangely forward men when I¡¯ve been drinking. Give me the night to decide.¡±


    Argrave nodded and gathered his coat as he prepared to stand. ¡°If you want my cardsid out inly, I have a vested interest in getting the me of the Tenebrous Star returned to you quickly. I can¡¯t really afford to wait a year. And¡­ your sister¡­ can she? Well, never mind,¡± he shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ve made my pitch. The decision is yours.¡±


    #####


    ¡°¡­bandit forces were grouped up and herded by our armies. Upon this scourge being driven into core territories, much infighting broke out until theyrgely consolidated. In light of this, Count Pomten surrendered his fortress to our army and allowed us to suppress what remained in tandem with his forces, lest hisnd be turned into scorched earth. In other words, the soldiers are off to a ster start,¡± Elenore summarized, wearing a ck dress and a golden blindfold over her missing eyes. ¡°We have a base of operations that serves as a foothold into the north, a cooperative ally, and a good example of what surrendering can bring to Argrave¡¯s would-be enemies. I suspect we¡¯ll bergely unimpeded until we reach this ce¡­ Castle Cookpot, located in a valley.¡±


    Leopold nodded while looking over the map of Vasquer. ¡°You say ster start¡­ I say that all the patricians are breathing down my neck, wanting to speak to Argrave.¡±


    Durran stepped in, presently armored in his wyvern scale. ¡°Any matters they have, Princess Elenore can handle,¡± he reminded the patrician.


    ¡°You think I haven¡¯t said as much?¡± Leopold shook his head. ¡°Where is he? Why can I no longer speak to him? Is he even in Relize anymore?¡±


    ¡°He spoke to you before he went into hiding,¡± Elenore reminded him. ¡°After Traugott¡ª"


    ¡°Yes, yes, he was nearly killed, and he¡¯s at risk. So were those soldiers,¡± Leopold nted his finger upon the recently captured fort on the map. ¡°Nearly each and every patrician has a stake in this war, yet the head of our operations isn¡¯t open tomunication.¡± The old man shook his head. ¡°I feel for His Majesty, I do. But¡­ it makes one wonder, simply put. Indeed, certain people wonder why some of their men have died. Why¡­ and for whom,¡± he finished.


    Leopold stared at Elenore as she stood passively, his gaze unflinching on her golden blindfold.


    Finally, the patrician looked away. ¡°I¡¯ve said what I wanted to say¡­ and now I have an appointment with my wife,¡± Leopld scoffed the word ¡®appointment.¡¯ ¡°The woman is quite demanding. I¡¯ll be off. But all said, I don¡¯t think this matter is going away.¡±


    The leader of Relize walked to the door, opening it and leaving swiftly. Once it was shut, Durran clicked his tongue.


    ¡°Happy marriage,¡± he noted.


    ¡°¡¯It¡¯ll all work out,¡¯ you said,¡± Elenore turned her head towards him, removing the golden blindfold around her head and ruffling her hair. ¡°Do you still have that optimism after that conversation?¡±


    ¡°Optimism? I¡¯m the wrong person to say that to. I just trust you can handle things, no matter what,¡± Durran said inly, eyes fixed on her eyeless sockets.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Elenore crossed her arms then hurriedly turned her head away. ¡°The patricians wonder why they fight? I think we can give them ¡®why.¡¯ I think it¡¯s well past time that our investors received some returns.¡±


    Durran leaned on the table. ¡°Yeah? How so? nning to put some of that influence you have to good use?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Elenore shook her head, turning back around. ¡°There¡¯s money in war. A gruesome trade, but there¡¯s a reason Felipe grew so wealthy.¡± She came to sit on the table just beside Durran. ¡°I¡¯ve never had a position like this where I could so directly influence matters. It leads to new opportunities. None canin if they¡¯re wellpensated for their losses under the name of the king¡­ certainly not Relizeans.¡±


    Durran lifted his head up from the map and turned to her, face a foot away from hers. ¡°Well¡­ one detail¡¯s missing. The money¡¯s from the king¡­ and his regent.¡±


    Elenore grew still for a moment, and the only noise in the room was faint breathing. Then, her hand clenched around the golden blindfold she held, and she stood and stepped away.


    ¡°Can¡¯t forget your role in this,¡± Durran continued. ¡°People have toe to respect your position as regent. You have to show your hand. It¡¯ll make the future easier.¡±


    ¡°¡­you¡¯re right, yes,¡± Elenore admitted. ¡°To that end¡­ I need to increase my presence in Relize. There¡¯s someone I want you to check out¡­ details cer, but I know you¡¯re reliable and can take care of it. After you do, we can start bringing things to heel, maximizing the war effort in our favor.¡±

 Chapter 292: Lord of the March

    A knock came at the door to the guest house, and Gmon stepped away to answer it. Once he did, Vasilisa stood on the other side. She looked about the room and then dered, ¡°I won¡¯t act unless I¡¯m confident in what you n to do.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Argrave had been reviewing some of his writing in his notebook about Llewellen¡¯s lecture on the dwarven musical cube. He closed the book, rose to his feet, and stated, ¡°That was rather prompt. Not as though that¡¯s a bad thing, of course. I don¡¯t think confidence in my n is going to be a problem, unless you¡¯re someone who is unusually timid. I made it this far.¡±


    The blonde Magister shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t get your optimism, Silvaden. I do hope it¡¯s worth more than just words. They¡¯re all you¡¯ve given me thus far¡ªpromises that Ivan stole the me, promises that we can take it back, promises that we can beat the Magister in his own territory¡­¡± Vasilisa trailed off as she spotted Argrave putting a backpack over his shoulder. ¡°Are you¡­ already packed?¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°Well, I was rather optimistic about your answer. And would you look at that? I was right.¡± He smiled broadly. ¡°I think you can take that as a sign of what¡¯s toe.¡±


    #####


    They traversed back over the mountains outside Quadreign on foot. It was a harsh journey and the steep climb brought Argrave close to exhaustion. By this point, it was obvious Vasilisa had some regard for their abilities, for she did not slow her pace at all for any reason. Her regard was warranted, though, for they kept pace all of the way.


    Beyond a certain point, the road levelled out. There was a small vige they passed by that had a stables¡ªthough they briefly contemted buying horses, none of the ones they had wererge enough to amodate the sheer size of either Gmon or Argrave.


    And so, with nothing but determination, they travelled the roads south. Eventually, the North Sea entered into sight once again. There was a settlement in view¡ªnot Prenviania, where they had initially docked. No, instead this was a low-lying ind just off the coast, a grand tower rising up out of the center of it. Even from a distance, one could see the abundant farnd and the well-constructed homes. It was clearly a ce of the wealthy.


    ¡°That ind¡­ it¡¯s called First Hope. Ivan makes his home in that tower,¡± Vasilisa pointed. ¡°It was constructed in the same manner as the Tower of the Gray Owl by the Order after their organization was permitted ess to thesends. Well¡­ you probably haven¡¯t seen that, being from Veiden,¡± she considered. ¡°Needless to say, each and every stone is enchanted. The building was meant to withstand earthquakes, storms, magical assaults all.


    ¡°The coast,¡± she continued. ¡°It¡¯s lined with settlements, each quite wealthy individually. Fishing and trading make them their living. Right there¡­ that¡¯s Whiteden. They collect pearls there,¡± she outlined. ¡°Ofte, a great deal of spellcasters have made their home on the coast and on the ind. This ce is secluded enough to allow them tomit to their research and close enough to a center of Order activity to make it ideal for other magically oriented activities.¡± Her eyes wandered. ¡°I can think of half a dozen High Wizards that make their home here. No other ce is particrly conducive to the Order.¡±


    Argrave could see why. The coast was quite the beautiful ce to live. The North Sea, at least in this area, was rather bright blue and beautiful. The pine trees were not so dense as they were elsewhere, but their snow-covered needles still made an interesting sight. In the far distance, there was a view of ridiculous scale. They were grand towers of wood, so high that it baffled the mind. It seemed and made for giants ced in and made for humans.


    ¡°Are those¡­ trees?¡± Anneliese questioned. ¡°There, in the distance. They¡­ make the tower look stunted. They must be hundreds of feet tall.¡±


    Vasilisa followed his gaze, then nodded. ¡°Indeed. You see redwood trees. Most call that forest the Bloodwoods. Thosends¡­ they don¡¯t belong to Vasquer. They belong to the centaurs and the elves. They were the only peoples able to repel King Felipe III in his conquests. People that wander there seldom return. It¡¯s said that giants and worse still roam those woods. Most learned long ago not to test that theory.¡±


    ¡°We stray from the subject,¡± Gmon reminded them.


    ¡°Vulras is right,¡± Vasilisa agreed. ¡°The point is this: this prosperous territory you see before you? There¡¯s much more of it ind, and all of it belongs to Margrave Ivan. Those castles in the mountains¡­¡± she pointed them out. ¡°Lords of the local viges, and all sworn to Ivan. Say what you will of loyalty, but know this: contentment beats it out at most every point. Wealthy and happy¡­ what chance do we have of prompting people to break the peace even if the truth shoulde out?¡±


    ¡°First Hope¡­¡± Argrave said the ind¡¯s name. ¡°Does it bar our kind entry?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t¡­ I think not. I¡¯d never considered it,¡± the Magister admitted.


    ¡°Only one way to find out, isn¡¯t there?¡± Argrave said, stepping forth.


    ¡°Hold on a minute,¡± Vasilisa called out. ¡°Should I¡­ I mean, if Ie with, Magister Ivan might¡­ every time I enter the city, he insists I visit. The ferrymen all know me.¡±


    ¡°Would you normally hide away? He might think things are suspicious if you remain a little reticent,¡± Argrave reminded her. ¡°Tell you what¡­ let¡¯s see if we can¡¯t get in the city, look around for a bit, perhaps secure lodging¡­ and then we¡¯ll go speak to Ivan.¡±


    Her brows narrowed, and she said darkly, ¡°Speak to him?¡±


    Anneliese stepped up to the Magister. ¡°Please¡­ try and look at the bigger picture,¡± she urged. ¡°I know it might disgust you to feign ignorance of what he¡¯s done to you and your house, but if things go poorly¡­¡±


    Magister Vasilisa rxed somewhat, then looked up at Anneliese. ¡°I¡¯m beginning to see how this works. Silvaden says something provocative, and then you soften the blow with sweeter words. Well¡­ fine,¡± she conceded. ¡°I guess we haven¡¯t even established that Ivan has our me. Once again, we¡¯ve only your promises.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s how you want to look at it, that works for me,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°So long as you don¡¯t use him to his face, I don¡¯t see the problem. Shall we go?¡±


    #####


    They took a ferry across the sea from a local vige. It was a rtively serene ride with none recognizing any of them besides Vasilisa. Argrave rather enjoyed being one nameless face amidst many. Everyone stared at him because the three of them were tall, but none stared at him because he was king, and that was a wee reprieve. As Vasilisa predicted, the ferrymen requested that Vasilisa go visit Ivan as soon as she was able.


    Despite the fact that three of them were ostensibly snow elves, they were not barred entry from the city. They walked by the farnd on the outer portions of the ind, heading towards the denser urban area near Ivan¡¯s tower. Once there, Vasilisa led them all to an inn. She went off to her own room, while Argrave and them set up theirs.


    As they settled their things in a local inn, Gmon grabbed Argrave¡¯s arm and said, ¡°You.¡±


    ¡°Me?¡± Argrave repeated, perplexed. ¡°What¡¯s this about?¡±


    ¡°The ss eye¡­ I think it¡¯s on a ship in the North Sea,¡± Gmon told him. ¡°And I think ites here, to this ind.¡±


    ¡°A ship?¡± Argrave repeated. ¡°Well, that¡¯s¡­ I suppose that could be good for us. That could also be terribly inconvenient,¡± he shook his head. ¡°Keep me posted.¡±


    ¡°The bowl¡­ drinking my blood from it¡­¡± Gmon left a question unspoken.


    Looking at Gmon, Argrave could tell it made him ufortable. Gmon hated his vampiric beast, and loathed being better connected to it¡ªthe bowl did precisely that.


    ¡°I know what the guy who has it looks like,¡± Argrave patted his arm. ¡°If he¡¯sing here¡­ you cany off. Anneliese and I can find him.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Gmon nodded. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Giving a curt nod, Argrave resumed what he was doing, but Anneliese spoke to him next.


    ¡°Are you certain Vasilisa will ept your n of action?¡± Anneliese asked quickly. ¡°I mean¡­ not to be condescending, but it is difficult to see it working.¡±


    Argrave considered her point. ¡°I made all of Veiden believe I was an agent of Erlebnis. What¡¯s the big gulf between that and this?¡±


    ¡°Fair point,¡± she conceded, releasing him.


    ¡°Besides, it¡¯s best we speak to Magister Ivan. I want to see if Traugott came by here,¡± he nodded. ¡°If he¡¯se north with that booklet I wrote for Castro, I can think of a few ces he might visit. I¡¯m not sure of his intentions¡­ and I¡¯d like to find them out as quickly as I can. Coming here like this gives me a unique opportunity to do so.¡±


    #####


    Once their things were settled, Argrave and hispanions went downstairs. Vasilisa waited for them there, already with drink in hand. He was starting to realize the game Heroes of Berendar had not done her alcoholism justice. Or maybe it just hadn¡¯t existed, there. They walked up to her table.


    ¡°Ivan has agreed to having you threee along to our meeting,¡± Vasilisa said before Argrave even came to stand beside her. ¡°I arranged a conversation under the pretext of a conversation of the debt Quadreign owes. I mentioned you three, and his messenger said it would be no problem.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good. When?¡± Argrave asked, making it to the table.


    ¡°Whenever,¡± she shook her head. ¡°That¡¯s why I drink.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Argrave said amodatingly, tapping his fingers against the table to vent his desire to stay moving. ¡°So¡­ when shall we go?¡±


    ¡°When I finish my drink,¡± she looked at him with cold eyes, as though daring him to protest.


    Argrave bit at his lips, choosing his words carefully. ¡°Aren¡¯t you¡­ don¡¯t you have a loose tongue when you¡¯re drunk?¡±


    ¡°Not from one cup,¡± she shook her head.


    Argrave took a deep breath, feeling a bit nervous now.


    #####


    With Argrave¡¯s feet growing colder the more brew Vasilisa downed, they did eventually depart from the inn and head for the tower. Unlike most of the other ces associated with the Order, this ce was a private residence, meaning it did not have the same restrictions that barred non-members from entering within. They were granted entry without a fuss, and quickly boarded the central elevator.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen something like this,¡± marveled Argrave as the central stone elevator transported them up the floors of Ivan¡¯s tower. They were packed quite tightly on one tform. He was lying, of course. He was good at that.


    ¡°Just enchantments,¡± Vasilisa said almost idly. ¡°Certainly nothing to gape at.¡±


    The elevator reached the floor that they desired, and the stone tform clicked against the side of the wall beforeing to a stop. Vasilisa took a certain step off.


    The room on the other side was fairly ostentatious. The great majority of it had been lined with decadent furs and fine fabrics from further south¡ªvelvet, cottons, silks, and the like. It made the ce seem stuffy visually, yet the inside was quite a pleasant temperaturepared to the coldness outside.


    Magister Ivan sat on a couch, leaning far back into it. A table straddled his body, both of his arms resting atop it as he read. When Vasilisa entered, he turned his head towards her but did not make to rise. Like many in the north, he had blonde hair and blue eyes. From the look of him, he was rather tall and slim. He wore loose-fitting robes, well-fit for this temperate room of rxation.


    ¡°Margrave Ivan,¡± Vasilisa greeted stiffly.


    ¡°Vasilisa,¡± he returned. ¡°I thought I told you to call me Ivan?¡±


    ¡°You did,¡± she admitted.


    Ivan chuckled, setting his writing implement down. ¡°These three¡­ your friends, you said?¡±


    ¡°They are,¡± Vasilisa confirmed.


    Letting out anotherugh, Ivan picked up the table over his body and moved it, delicately bncing the paper and writing implement atop it. He set it on the floor and stood. He seemed to pay the three of them little regard, being interested in only Vasilisa.


    ¡°I¡¯m told you came here to talk about Quadreign¡¯s debt to me,¡± he said, then raised a finger before Vasilisa could respond. ¡°Before you say anything¡­ I want to offer you something.¡±


    Vasilisa frowned. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I want to give you an offer to reduce your house¡¯s debt,¡± he exined, holding his arms wide. His robes came loose a little, and he quickly corrected that before anything untoward could ur.


    ¡°Reduce it? Why? What would I have to do?¡± Vasilisa frowned.


    ¡°A Magister ising to visit soon,¡± Ivan continued. ¡°Now¡­ I¡¯m not sure of this person¡¯s nature. All I¡¯d like for you to do is mention your house¡¯s debt while they¡¯re present. This person¡­ if it were me, alone, they might get some overambitious ideas. They¡¯ll surely get no such greedy mindset if they know I have a Magister under debt.¡±


    Argrave took a deep breath, shocked that his gambit to locate Traugott worked out so well. The Magister surely wouldn¡¯t recognize Argrave or hispanions¡ªhe¡¯d never seen them before. Given how Vasilisa and he had interacted¡­ it might pose problems, though. Argrave looked to the Magister. Her jaw was clenched tight. Btedly, Argrave realized this wasn¡¯t about safety at all. Ivan allowed the three of them toe up alongside without issue. All he wanted was to get word of Quadreign¡¯s debt to a Magister.


    ¡°¡­who ising?¡± Vasilisa questioned.


    ¡°Ah, good question.¡± Ivan waved his hand, then stepped away. He walked up to a curtain and then tossed it aside, revealing a desk just beyond. After opening a drawer, he retrieved a paper. ¡°Looks like¡­ ah. I even misremembered it. Must¡¯ve been because I got another note earlier about Magister Traugott¡­¡± Ivan looked up. ¡°Magisters Hegazar and Vera areing, under the direction of Master Castro himself.¡±


    And in moments, Argrave was shocked his gambit worked out so poorly.

 Chapter 293: Avenues of Approach

    Magister Traugott, wearing the gray robes given to him by the Order of the Gray Owl, sat atop a parapet on the walls of Dirracha, legs dangling over the side. He peered down at the first level of the multi-segmented city, eyes wandering its streets. It was dark out and the red moon above was barely visible at this time of month. Unless one shined a light upon him, he was all but invisible to all below.


    ¡°You,¡± a voice cut in, and Magister Traugott turned his head in surprise.


    Orion of Vasquer stood there, looking worn and tired. His long ck hair had lost its signature braid and devolved into a messy tangle atop his head, and his beard grew longer by the day. His gray eyes were firm, though, and they watched Traugott with every willingness to kill.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± Orion asked, voice cutting above the wind of the high altitude.


    Traugott lifted his legs and slowly turned his body around. ¡°Me? I am only a schr with an interest that has revitalized me,¡± he answered.


    ¡°You are more. We both know this,¡± Orion responded, stepping forth. ¡°If you cannot answer¡­ you must leave.¡±


    ¡°For now, a schr is all I am,¡± Traugott stubbornly refused. ¡°I came here¡­¡± he jumped off the parapet he sat upon. ¡°¡­because I heard the great serpent beneath this city has knowledge. She has answers to some of my questions.¡±


    Orion did not look pleased, but neither did he rush to attack Traugott. ¡°Who told you this?¡±


    ¡°Princess Elenore,¡± Traugott said, shing a smile with white teeth.


    ¡°Elenore?¡± Orion repeated cautiously. ¡°¡­my sister? What did she say to you?¡±


    ¡°That the reason the king knew what he did¡­ of Gerechtigkeit, of theing cmity¡­ was because of Vasquer,¡± Traugott outlined earnestly, stepping towards Orion. ¡°I could not find the king. He was absent. So¡­ I came here, to another thing that has drawn my interest.¡±


    Orion¡¯s tension finally dispelled somewhat, and he told Traugott coldly, ¡°Vasquer speaks only to her descendants. Even were that not the case¡­ I am uneased having one who offers such dubious answers so close. Who are you?¡±


    ¡°Magister Traugott of the Order of the Gray Owl,¡± the man answered, almost begrudgingly.


    ¡°A Magister¡­¡± Orion acknowledged, his wariness returning. ¡°I killed one of yours outside these city walls. I don¡¯t trust your ilk, your political motivations¡­¡±


    ¡°Good prince¡­¡± Traugott shook his head. ¡°You have forgotten one detail of this conversation. I know about Gerechtigkeit,¡± he said, spreading his arms out. ¡°As do you. Why would I ever seek to do harm? That would be an unreasonable conclusion. The cmity ising, and most wouldn¡¯t dare risk strife in such¡­ dire times.¡± Traugott smiled.


    Orion gave a steady nod after a time. ¡°Even still¡­ what are you here for, then?¡±


    Traugott stepped up to the parapets of the wall, then ced one foot atop it. Leaning an elbow on his knee, he said, ¡°You im I cannotmunicate with Vasquer¡­ which is sad if true,¡± Traugott admitted. ¡°¡­but who says I cannot? We have not tried, my prince. And even then¡­¡± Traugott turned to Orion, his dark eyes lingering on him. ¡°I have other reasons to stay in this city.¡±


    ¡°I see no reason to let you stay,¡± Orion decided. ¡°I cannot risk any danger. You are a foreign element. I cannot allow myself to be swayed. I know the righteous path.¡±


    Traugott pursed his lips. ¡°Even if I can offer reprieve from the voices of the gods?¡±


    Orion stepped forward, the power in his gait seeming to rock the great wall they stood upon. ¡°Do you know the consequences of that statement?¡±


    ¡°I do, prince Orion. You are another interest of mine,¡± Traugott admitted, backing away a step. ¡°Until you have tried it, you cannot deny the enticement, can you? I believe you suffer. From how I hear your royal knights speak, I believe that it is a reasonable conclusion. You have turned against the gods, haven¡¯t you? But what is a god?¡±


    Orion paused, staring down Traugott. Then, he clenched his fist. ¡°Begone.¡±


    ¡°You are the prince,¡± Traugott conceded, holding his hands up. ¡°But if your mind should sway¡­ I¡¯ll return soon.¡±


    Traugott¡¯s shadow whirled, and he fell into it, heading into the terrifying Shadonds. Here, no sight, no sound, no sense existed¡ªyet Traugott fumbled, seeking an exit like a man pounding against ice from below. Something told him of things lurking beyond, and the supposedly powerful Magister felt as though a great leviathan of this ocean of shadows sought to eat him alive.


    And then¡­ he reappeared on the mortal world, near the bottom of the wall of Dirracha. He spared a nce upwards.


    ¡°Your gods serve more than just you,¡± Traugott said, then stepped away from the wall.


    #####


    As Argrave¡¯s brain was whirling, operating under the pretense that Hegazar and Vera might strut through the elevator any minute, Vasilisa asked a very reasonable question.


    ¡°When will these two being?¡± Vasilisa watched Ivan as he put the paper back in the drawer and slid it shut.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. They might note at all¡­¡± Ivan said, walking back to them. ¡°Considering Traugott didn¡¯t, that might even be the expected oue. All I need is for you toe by when they do. If you stay close at hand, it won¡¯t be a problem. Perhaps you can stay in my tower? Certainly, there is ample lodging. This ce is ridiculouslyrge¡­¡± the blonde Magister said, his tone verging on bragging.


    Argrave very nearly breathed a loud sigh of relief. The Magisters¡¯ arrival wasn¡¯t imminent. That gave them some breathing room to figure out what, exactly, they could do about the arrival of Vera and Hegazar. Wait it out, perhaps? No, Argrave reasoned. Castro had sent Traugott to inform the other Magisters about Gerechtigkeit and have them return to the Tower to confirm support of Argrave¡¯s im to the throne. That meant that after they talked to Ivan, they woulde to Vasilisa.


    It seemed a confrontation was inevitable. Everyone else could be easily fooled¡­ but Hegazar and Vera both would surely recognized Argrave by face alone¡ªif not him, then the two others alongside him. To say the least, they didn¡¯t have forgettable faces or statures.


    ¡°Can you give me some time to think about it?¡± Vasilisa responded amicably. ¡°I¡¯ll return to my inn.¡±


    ¡°Inn? Come now¡­¡± Ivan held his arms out. ¡°It¡¯s truly no trouble for you to stay here. Your friends are wee just as well,¡± he said, for the first time looking upon Argrave and the rest of them. ¡°Separate quarters can be arranged for them.¡±


    ¡°My things are in the inn,¡± Vasilisa said.


    ¡°So bring them,¡± Ivan insisted. ¡°Come now¡­ you can¡¯t insult me,¡± he said, tone somewhat low.


    Vasilisa stared at Ivan, expression tense. Argrave finally contributed, ¡°She¡¯s hesitant to agree because of us. We agreed to meet someone at the inn. They¡¯re expecting us to be there,¡± he exined. ¡°Vasilisa simply doesn¡¯t wish to leave us behind to meet with this man alone.¡±


    Ivan pursed his lip, then tapped one finger against his leg as he stared down Argrave. ¡°Well, fine. But once that¡¯s done?¡±


    ¡°Of course we¡¯ll ept your offer,¡± Vasilisa seized the opportunity Argrave offered. ¡°You¡¯ve made a lovely home for yourself here. I would be remiss to lodge here.¡±


    Ivan smiled brightly. ¡°Wonderful. I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡±


    #####


    I¡¯m indebted to Hegazar, but Vera is surely going to want to eat my spleen. What exactly does this mean? Why are theying together? Argrave¡¯s brain asked a lot of questions, but few answers were given. Though Argrave wished to immediately return to privacy with Anneliese and Gmon and discuss what, exactly, they were going to do about the twoing¡­


    ¡°Good gods,¡± Vasilisa fumed as they walked the streets. ¡°Now that I know¡­ every word thates out of that slug¡¯s mouth is like poison. I want to crush him like a bug.¡±


    Though Argrave was amply distracted, he still managed, ¡°I thought you said it wasn¡¯t proven.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need proof,¡± she said. ¡°Just looking at him¡­ just the reasoning of it all, it all makes sense.¡± She crossed her arms as they walked. ¡°Everything he does, everything he says: it¡¯s all measured for personal benefit. He wants me to show proof of debt to two Magisters, wants me to stay in his home to show rtions between his house and Quadreign are strong¡­ it¡¯s all calcted. For the me to be in his hands makes too much sense.¡±


    ¡°Still¡­¡± Anneliese said. ¡°Finding proof would be the best way to go about things.¡±


    ¡°But how?¡± Vasilisa said, frustrated.


    ¡°The me of the Tenebrous Star has to be stored somewhere,¡± Argrave pointed out. ¡°I know a few methods I might utilize to find out where it could be hiding away. Problem is¡­¡± he stopped on the street, just ahead of Vasilisa. ¡°It seems he¡¯s going to be keeping a close eye on you. He wants you for this meeting.¡±


    Vasilisa considered that, and then nodded. ¡°I know. But it isn¡¯t as though you two can go about snooping on your own¡ªthat¡¯s just as eye-catching. And¡­ we¡¯re losing the plot. I don¡¯t see any avenue of attack,¡± she said, somewhat hopelessly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you?¡± Argrave raised a brow. ¡°Two Magisterse to the city¡­ evidently, Magisters that concern Ivan.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Vasilisa narrowed her eyes. ¡°What are you suggesting?¡±


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s best that we get ahead of this meeting,¡± Argrave sped his hands together. ¡°We have time. I¡¯m not sure how much, but it¡¯s time¡ªtime that can be spent nning, looking for opportunities. Maybe, just maybe, these Magisters will be more a windfall than a hindrance.¡±


    Argrave felt he might be going mad¡­ but if there was a way to swing this in their favor, a way to meet with Hegazar and Vera before Vasilisa? Presumably, they came because of Gerechtigkeit¡ªthat was why Traugott had been sent. Well¡­ Argrave already owed Hegazar. He had a debt to Vera, too, though that was one of revenge. What could entice them?


    ¡°Alright,¡± Vasilisa said. ¡°Let¡¯s see how this ys out.¡±

 Chapter 294: Debt of Blood

    ¡°You¡¯re sure this will work?¡± asked Vasilisa as she sat on one of the beds in their inn¡¯s room.


    Anneliese held the Starsparrow atop her finger. ¡°It is most certainly our best bet of finding the two Magisters ahead of time. What else could we do? Ask questions around the city? They have not yet arrived, so that would be a pointless endeavor. You cannot call upon any friends that might know, yes?¡± Anneliese questioned.


    Vasilisa slowly gave a begrudging nod. ¡°Alright. I suppose it is a reasonable way of going about things. Still¡­ I think it¡¯s far-fetched this will work, to be frank.¡±


    Argrave looked to Anneliese, nodding. ¡°I trust Sanora. She¡¯s very good at finding things with that bird of hers.¡±


    Or rather, ¡®Sanora¡¯ could get word to Elenore¡¯s people with this bird of hers. Argrave didn¡¯t know how Vera and Hegazar would be travelling. The sole time they¡¯d travelled with the two in the past, they¡¯d done so with a spell of Vera¡¯s designed to traverse long distances. If that was the case once again¡­ well, then their whole n might crumble. But would Vera do such a thing again while travelling with Hegazar, presumably alone? More importantly, why exactly was she with Hegazar?


    Questions bred more questions but seldom offered answers. The only thing left to do was the doing.


    While Anneliese was preupied with that, Vasilisa, Argrave, and Gmon devoted their attention to another matter upying them: thwarting Ivan. The Magister sought to illustrate a point, and so took the two of them walking through the city.


    They stepped through a busy marketce where people sold manymodities gathered from the coastal viges. The city on First Hope was remarkably t. The water served as natural defenses, so no walls had been erected. One could often see for many miles in the same direction. To say the least of the ce, it was thriving. First Hope contained the majority of the arablend in the entirety of the North, despite being a small and isted ind.


    ¡°You see?¡± Vasilisamented as they stared down at a stall, far out of earshot for anyone. ¡°They sell pearls here, Silvaden. Pearls. People have grown old, gotten fat off fish and caviar, and remain satisfied and rich underneath the reign of Magister Ivan. Let it not be said, at the very least, that Felipe III was not generous after his betrayal. All of Ivan¡¯s territories are the richest in the north. What could possibly change the status quo here?¡±


    ¡°¡­and we already established you didn¡¯t care for worsening people¡¯s lives to get them to rebel, yes,¡± Argrave agreed readily.


    Vasilisa nced around uneasily when Argrave said the word ¡®rebel,¡¯ obviously not entirely at ease with the notion. ¡°So? Then, what?¡±


    ¡°In the end¡­ all power is a hierarchy,¡± Argrave said with authority, watching that stall of pearls even still. ¡°Patriarch Dras, for instance. He conquered all of the tribes of Veiden and unified our people into one cohesive nation. Yet even still¡­ even still, he¡¯s one man. He delegates tasks to a select few underneath him. Like this, his power is divided and vested into those directly beneath him. These men further divide their power to yet more subordinates. Like this¡­ a hierarchy,¡± Argrave illustrated with his hands, forming a pyramid. ¡°Right, Vulras?¡±


    After skipping a beat because he was unused to the alias, Gmon nodded. ¡°It¡¯s true. Vasquer grants more power to fewer than Veiden does, though. Most chiefs retain a great deal of power in¡­ ournd.¡±


    Vasilisa crossed her arms, nodding steadily. ¡°Your point being?¡±


    ¡°The person selling those pearls¡­¡± Argrave said, watching them with one hand beneath his chin. ¡°They¡¯re at the base of this hierarchy. It isn¡¯t them we should be talking to. It¡¯s the ones higher up.¡± Argrave focused his gaze down on Vasilisa. ¡°Not the person selling the pearls, not the people collecting them, but the people who own the pearl¡­ farms, I suppose would be the word. A coup d¡¯¨¦tat is what I¡¯m talking about. We need a small, coordinated group of powerful people to oust Ivan, not arge group of uncoordinated revolutionaries. As you said, the people are content¡­ but they¡¯re not loyal to Ivan. They won¡¯t bat an eye if he goes under, so long as things aren¡¯t disrupted for them.¡±


    The Magister gazed at Argrave for a long time. Then, her eyes wandered to the pearl stall. By this point, the woman who owned the stall seemed quite ufortable at being so tantly watched.


    ¡°¡­what exactly did you do for Veiden? What was your role there?¡± Vasilisa finally asked, evidently ill at ease with how easily he came tot his conclusion.


    Argraveughed, rubbing at his upper lip. ¡°Well¡­ the patriarch didn¡¯t conquer every tribe through battle alone. I have certain specialties.¡±


    Gmon frowned and disagreed, ¡°Dras is an honorable man.¡±


    ¡°And the Ambers? What was that, then?¡± Argrave rebutted, recalling the story of Anneliese¡¯s past. Her mother¡¯s husband had betrayed his tribe¡¯s chief to seek revenge. The betrayal was Dras¡¯ scheme, and came to fruition because of his scheming.


    The elven vampire grew silent without a rebuttal. Vasilisa nced between the two of them, clearly hesitant to get engaged in this discussion. The sounds of the marketce washed over them.


    ¡°If I were to suggest something, we need to start integrating ourselves¡ªno, rather, integrating you with local powers,¡± Argrave pointed, diverting things back to the subject. ¡°I think¡­ provided you can follow instructions well, something I don¡¯t doubt¡­¡± Argrave rubbed his hands together, pondering. ¡°I think you can get all of what you want. You can find where the me of the Tenebrous Star is, and you can prepare to take it back in the same fell swoop. All you need is a pretense to reach out to them. And we already have it: your debt.¡±


    Vasilisa furrowed her brows. ¡°House Quadreign¡¯s debt, you mean.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s say¡­ if House Quadreign had a way to repay their debt in full¡­ a new mine, perhaps, or something else of simr value¡­¡± Argrave spread his arms. ¡°I can work with that.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t,¡± Vasilisa answered.


    ¡°Not yet,¡± Argrave agreed. ¡°But they don¡¯t need to know that. You can consider it a risky loan, of sorts, with the prospect of repaying your debt and regaining your me in one fell swoop.¡± Vasilisa looked at Argrave nkly, clearly skeptical. ¡°I¡¯m not denying it¡¯s going to be aplex beast to navigate. But I¡¯ve learned from what I¡¯ve done in the past. I¡¯m confident in juggling this.¡±


    Between things in Sethia, Jast, and the months of experience in Relize of politicking, Argrave had learned a lot. He¡¯d learned from Leopold and Elenore both, and he¡¯d learned from his own experiences negotiating with the various patricians as king. This? Argrave had to try it. He wanted to. He knew a great deal of the powerful people in First Hope.


    Above all, Argrave couldn¡¯t deny that seeing Quadreign had been a somewhat profound experience. To see Diana and Vasilisa¡¯s selflessness even in the face of their personal tragedy, and to see how their territory had declined since Vasquer conquered thend¡­ he loathed seeing them taken advantage of without any recourse. He felt in his bones that restoring them to power was the best hope for the future of thisnd. He wanted people like Vasilisa at the helm in the futureing to this world.


    ¡°¡­why do you do so much?¡± the Magister ced her hand on her hip. ¡°A vague hope for Sanora¡¯s magic advancement?¡±


    ¡°Is that so strange?¡± Argrave answered.


    Her blue eyes narrowed. She pursed her lips, appearing to debate mentioning something. Going cold as steel once her mind was made, her gaze jumped between the two of them. Vasilisa said inly, ¡°I know who you are. What you are.¡±


    Argrave¡¯sposure went from fully rxed to utterly strained in a heartbeat. Magister Vasilisa watched, silent and still, waiting for a response.


    ¡°¡­and what might that be?¡± Argrave asked, dreading the answer.


    Vasilisa stared at Argrave for what seemed to be time eternal. Then, her eyes shifted to Gmon. ¡°He¡¯s a vampire.¡± Her gaze came back to Argrave. ¡°And that¡¯s why you seek the me.¡±


    Argrave¡¯s mind went nk for a solid ten seconds. The sounds of the marketce muffled out all that came to mind, the distant chattering of people and wheeling of barrows washing over them like a flood. Beside him, Gmon tensed. Magister Vasilisa remained only still and silent, just as she was before.


    ¡°If that were true, what happens?¡± Argrave asked, still in disbelief at the unexpected turn.


    Vasilisa looked off to the side, thinking. ¡°Will it work? Will the me cure him?¡± she questioned.


    Argrave swallowed, choosing his words carefully. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he said.


    And he didn¡¯t, truthfully. Maybe it would. He didn¡¯t n to test the theory.


    The Magister looked at him. ¡°You had best hope it does.¡±


    Argrave said nothing. Was that a threat? He wasn¡¯t sure.


    ¡°I hope I won¡¯t need to mention this again,¡± Vasilisa continued. ¡°I hope it neveres up.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°It won¡¯t,¡± Argrave promised.


    Vasilisa gave a curt nod. ¡°Let¡¯s get back.¡±


    #####


    A boat rocked steadily across the sea in the clear weather. It was a huge ship designed to carry passengers and cargo both in massive amounts. In a seaside cot, a man sat with a very particr posture. His legs were crossed, his back was straight, and his hands gripped the pommel of two des sheathed horizontally on his back. The des were made for chopping, being short, curved, and especially wide at the point.


    The man was tall and lean with skin the color of light honey. His hair seemed like gold stretched into thin threads and was kept bound in a high ponytail longer than his own body. His eyes were wholly red, the only variance from that being the ck dot fixed on the center. He kept those eyes fixed firmly forward on something enshrined before him.


    The shrine was a simple thing¡ªfour metal discs that converged to hold up a small crystal ball, candles of red wax just beside them. But then, close scrutiny would reveal that the ball wasn¡¯t just that¡ªit was a ss eye. Yet the eye moved strangely, darting about like apass needle seeking north with the rocking of the ship. It jumped between two targets¡ªwhenever it chose one, the eye¡¯s color changed. At times, it had a white iris. At others, it had a blue. Whenever its iris became white, it fixed on the direction the ship headed.


    ¡°What a bizarre specimen,¡± came a male voice.


    The man turned his head. There, a woman with gray hair and orange eyes and a bald man stood side-by-side, looking within his room from the window.


    ¡°What do you suppose he¡¯s doing?¡± the woman questioned, making no effort to disguise their gawking.


    ¡°Some fetishistic ritual, perhaps,¡± the bald man mused.


    The man rose to his feet in smooth motions, then stepped to the window. The two on the other side didn¡¯t look bothered by this, staring back with amused smiles. The man quickly pulled shut the curtains, then stepped away. Beyond, the pair outside mumbled something about his cowardice.


    The man sighed, brushing aside some of his hair. It revealed dominant elven ears. Jewelry hung from them: pearls at first nce, but they were truly teeth¡ªvery long and very sharp teeth, bundled in pairs. The elf nced at the ss eye once again, watching as its iris grew white. He grabbed his des once more, perhaps to reassure himself.

 Chapter 295: The Spurned

    In the days toe, Argrave amply demonstrated the fragility of Ivan¡¯s hold over the region to Vasilisa.


    From the outside looking in, a fortress might seem unassable. From the inside, one could see the deficiencies the outside hid. Ivan was lord of all the wealthynds of the north. And yet¡­ the things that he had done did not pass unnoticed, and his manner of rule paled inparison to Quadreign significantly. Vasquer was shattered, and people took note of that. Andstly, a lord¡¯s vassals often mirrored their lord. Ivan was an opportunist and so surrounded himself with the like-minded.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Argrave first made mental notes of who he recalled being prominent in First Hope. Once these were established, he offered vagaries to Vasilisa suggesting ces they might check out¡ªit was just an excuse to confirm that things were as Argrave remembered. Though it wasn¡¯t easy to get in contact with these prominent people, everyone knew who had the power on the ind: all they had to do was ask around.


    In many cases, they were just the same as Argrave¡¯s memory. For instance, Margravine Sophia, n¨¦e Drawnwater. She was the estranged wife of the margrave who lived on an estate outside Ivan¡¯s tower. She maintained a prominent position in the aristocratic social world which Ivan refused to take part in. That prominence lent her cousin Pavel of Drawnwater significant mercantile clout. He had a monopoly over luxury goods because Sophia ensured all would-be buyers went to him first.


    Ivan and Sophia¡¯s marriage remained childless¡ªa point of heated contention between husband and wife. With the right poison to an already strained rtionship¡­ with the right assurances from a third party¡­ to say the least, Argrave didn¡¯t need to spell out the n to Vasilisa. Though he¡¯d need to speak to the margravine to be sure, Argrave believed these two could form the cornerstone of their faction.


    Beyond that pair, there were many others. The margrave¡¯s knightmander handled most military matters, as Ivan had no interest and no expertise in the matter. The mayor of First Hope handled the entirety of the city¡ªadministration, taxes, tolls, the city guard, and tariffs. He was in close contact with the margravine. On top of that, there were the many nobles swearing fealty to Ivan. They controlled the dependent settlements on the coast. Many of them were part of the aforementioned aristocratic social world dominated by the margravine¡ªif not them personally, most had rtives involved.


    Vasilisa and Argrave sat alone in their innte at night. The magister was enjoying a drink as she often did. Gmon was out, refilling his sks of blood.


    ¡°By now, I think things should be clear to you,¡± Argrave told her as he tapped his fingers on the table.


    ¡°You¡¯ve all but said it¡ªmost things link back to the margravine,¡± she shook her head. ¡°I still don¡¯t see a way she can help us, beyond giving more insight as to where my house¡¯s me might be.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s see if we can¡¯t talk to her. This is where that link of yourses in¡ªI think we can leverage the idea of something profitable in Quadreign to arrange a meeting with Pavel, and then in turn the margravine. Provided she¡¯s trustworthy, that whatever we talk about won¡¯t reach the margrave¡­ I think we have our in,¡± Argrave spread his hands out on the table.


    Vasilisa bit at her lip. ¡°I¡¯m not exactlyfortable with the idea of promising something I don¡¯t have. Now that I know why you¡¯re trying to get the me, I don¡¯t doubt your genuinemitment. Even still¡­¡±


    Argrave nodded, thinking of alternatives. Then¡­ it felt like a moment of genius hade to him.


    ¡°Do you have any friends you might call upon? People that would be willing to go above and beyond¡­ or perhaps someone who owes you a favor? Someone very wealthy?¡± Argrave asked, leading her to a conclusion.


    Vasilisa looked down into her empty cup. ¡°¡­I do. Unfortunately.¡±


    Argrave asked with a nk face, ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°The person in question is somewhat unsavory. And she¡¯s close to the imant king, Argrave,¡± Vasilisa said bitterly. ¡°But¡­ she does owe me a favor. Owes my house a favor, to be specific.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Argrave raised his brow. ¡°Where¡¯s the problem?¡±


    Vasilisa raised both her hands to her temples and massaged. ¡°I had hoped to avoid involving external powers in this¡­¡±


    Argrave remained silent for a few moments, choosing his words carefully. ¡°Frankly put, involving external powers might just be the thing that can unite the powers here easiest.¡± Argrave ced his elbow on the table and rested his head on his hand.


    Vasilisa squeezed her head tight, and then fixed her blonde hair back. ¡°¡­I¡¯ll do it. But only once I know for certain that my house¡¯s me is actually here.¡±


    Argrave gave a nod, suppressing his happiness. He had been deliberating how to tie their endeavors here to their base of power in Relize, and now it hade to him.


    ¡°Once Sanora¡¯s bird isn¡¯t tied up, she can deliver a message within the day,¡± Argrave informed her. ¡°For now, let¡¯s focus on arranging things with the margravine.¡±


    #####


    After discussing a few more things with Vasilisa, Argrave returned to their shared room to find Anneliese pacing about. As soon as he opened the door, her head whipped to him. She stepped to the door and shut it quickly so their conversation could not be heard.


    ¡°You return. Vera and Hegazar made harbor on a passenger ship some time ago,¡± Anneliese dered at once in a quiet, frantic tone. ¡°I managed to get a message to them in hopes of arranging a meeting, but I cannot be sure how effective it will be. Hegazar concealed the both of them with an illusion once he received the message, and I could not follow them further. You know both of their personalities better than I do, and I am unconfident in turning their heads as easily as you¡ª¡±


    ¡°Rx,¡± Argrave said at once, cing his hand on her shoulder. ¡°You said you arranged a meeting?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± she confirmed, taking a breath. ¡°I mentioned the living fortress to draw their attention. I could think of only one ce in such short order¡ªthe ferry wended here on. It was secluded enough, but far from town. Would they go to such a ce?¡±


    Argrave ground his teeth together, stepping towards their room¡¯s open window and peering out. ¡°Only one way to find out, isn¡¯t there?¡±


    ¡°But Gmon is still out¡­¡± Anneliese pointed out, hesitant.


    ¡°Gmon can find us,¡± Argrave turned. ¡°He¡¯s steadfast. For now, I need to know these two on our side. Twisted though they might be, Castro has persuaded them of Gerechtigkeit¡¯s existence¡ªthat must make them more willing to help.¡± Argrave took a deep breath, calming himself. ¡°Vasilisa drank a lot, so I imagine that she¡¯ll be going to sleep for certain. So¡­ let¡¯s go.¡±


    #####


    Gmon walked through the streets of First Hope. He never liked to return immediately after he¡¯d finished filling his sks of blood. It felt like there was some part of him that needed to be exercised until it calmed¡­ though, perhaps ¡®exorcised¡¯ was the more fitting description. It had been a long time since he¡¯dst killed while feeding and today had been no exception, yet the self-resentment remained no matter how he got his blood.


    In sizable cities like this one, he preyed on the drunk or the beggars. He would knock them unconscious in a secluded area, then cut precisely to drain their blood into sks. He never used his fangs¡ªhe hated doing so. Though he loathed admitting it, he had grown rather skilled at draining the unwitting of their vitality without harming them seriously.


    Gmon found himself in one such secluded ce: an alleyway, devoid of any but rats. He was feeling his mind begin to calm from the act, and so tried to remind himself of what he should do. It was time to return, his head clear.


    A noise from above spurred Gmon to turn. He narrowly avoided something whizzing through the air towards his head. It sunk into the stone wall of the alleyway. Yet another projectile came just as quickly, this time grazing his helmet. He spotted two thin wires tied to each projectile. They quickly closed in around his neck.


    Gmon grabbed the Giantkillers at his waist and raised them to the wires, catching them both. They sparked with hostile magic, yet the nigh-indestructible daggers resisted ably. Gmon was d his instincts had not failed him, for he was certain his hands and gauntlets could not resist whatever these wires were made of.


    After freeing himself of the precarious position between the wires, Gmon looked to who¡¯d thrown those projectiles. They¡¯d avoided even his senses. Something sounded behind him¡ªa rock hitting stone¡ªand Gmon pretended to be fooled by what he perceived as a distraction. On cue, a foe stepped out of shadows at another point, swinging a wide curved de towards his neck.


    Gmon whipped around, elbowing the t of theing de to redirect it. His foe took the hit, arm reeling backwards from the tremendous impact. The assant had another identical de in his second hand, though, and it struck out towards Gmon¡¯s stomach. He tried to dodge the de by leaning backwards, yet the de still met him. The royal-forged armor stood strong, though. The sword nced off the armor with a spark of magic and a loud ng, leaving behind a sizable dent.


    Seizing the opportunity, Gmon thrust out the Giantkiller in his other hand. His foe was agile¡ªremarkably so¡ªand managed to duck away. Undeterred, Gmon stepped forward, mming his boot on the ground hard enough to shatter the road. He¡¯d been aiming for his foe¡¯s foot but managed only to graze his boot. Still, the ncing blow did set his foe off bnce. Gmon crouched low, then lunged forward with another stab.


    At thest moment, the attacker pulled on the wires once again which remained bound to his arms. He pulled himself to the side, dodging Gmon¡¯s deadly thrust. The would-be assassin rolled gracefully,ing to a stop just beside his thrown projectiles. He yanked the items¡ªGmon saw they were strange, barbed throwing knives¡ªfree of the stone, and then wrapped them back around his wrists.


    Gmon prepared for morebat, sizing up his foe. Whoever it was wore pitch ck light armor, and the only detail visible was the man¡¯s eyes¡ªthey were wholly red. The man rose to his feet, jumped up, and climbed up the alleyway with uncanny speed. Gmon briefly considered giving chase, but then decided now would be the best time to get away just as his opponent. Both fled, leaving no witnesses other than the two of them.

 Chapter 296: Calling All Cars

    A window jerked open quietly on the second floor of an inn, and then someone slid into the room: a man armored in ck. Someone else upying the room sat up anxiously at the sudden entrance yet let out a sigh of relief when sheid eyes on the person. She threw off her sheets and rose to her feet.


    ¡°You¡¯re supposed to look out windows, and walk out doors, Ganbaatar. When will you do things normally?¡± she said, wreathing herself in the discarded sheets.


    Ganbaatar stumbled a little,ing to lean up against the wall. ¡°When the term ¡®normal¡¯ applies to me.¡±


    As he slouched down and pulled off his boot, the woman stepped up to him with brows furrowed in concern. In the light, one could see her blonde hair and sharp blue eyes. She knelt down just as she wrenched his boot off. One of his toes had beenpletely crushed.


    ¡°You searched the vampire out, didn¡¯t you?¡± she said, voice sharp as a whip.


    ¡°I found him, actually. He had white irises¡ªthe eye was as helpful as ever,¡± Ganbaatar countered with a pained voice, pulling off the ck wrappings around his head to reveal his golden-thread hair and elven ears. ¡°He was alone. I took my chances.¡±


    ¡°And lost, from what I see,¡± the woman knelt down.


    ¡°Svena¡­¡± Ganbaatar trailed off. ¡°I surprised him. I took him off guard. Even despite that¡­ I only barely avoided death thrice. Now¡­ now he knows.¡±


    Svena held her hand out, a magic matrix swirling before her hand. Slowly, his crushed toe began to regain some of its structure. Once it was done, she lowered her hand. ¡°Had Ie with you, this would not have happened. Had you allowed me to help, this would not have happened.¡±


    Ganbaatar flexed his toes, then rebutted, ¡°You don¡¯t know these fiends as I do. I left the sacred forests of my people to hunt them down. The ss eye¡ª¡±


    ¡°I wish you¡¯d never found the damn thing,¡± Svena shook her head and rose to her feet. ¡°The past two months since you¡¯ve gotten it, all you¡¯ve done is seek out those it disys.¡±


    Ganbaatar looked away. ¡°I won¡¯t ask you to continue on if you don¡¯t want to.¡±


    ¡°All I wish is for there to be a reason you brought me along, Ganbaatar,¡± she said, blue eyes fixing on his own. ¡°My aunt is a Magister of the Order of the Gray Owl, and I heard tell that she¡¯s here, visiting with Margrave Ivan. What¡¯s more, vampirism is illegal within all the cities of Vasquer. You need not go about this alone.¡±


    ¡°But I¡ª¡±


    ¡°Could you beat him?¡± Svena interrupted. ¡°You surprised him, and yet you lost.¡±


    Ganbaatar seemed to debate that internally. ¡°No. I don¡¯t think I could, especially not if he¡¯s alert, now.¡±


    ¡°Is he recognizable? Any distinguishing features?¡± Svena pressed.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Ganbaatarughed. ¡°It¡¯s harder to forget him. A great hulk of a man, taller than me by two heads. He had elven ears¡­ though he could not be of pure elven blood. Perhaps he is one of the offshoots, those born outside the sacred forest¡­¡±


    ¡°Then we go to my aunt. Failing that, we seek out the margrave,¡± Svena dered.


    ¡°Innocent people may die,¡± Ganbaatar disagreed. ¡°We cannot involve the uninvolved: this is the first principle taught in the Sunscourge Monastery. This vampire is not an active threat¡ªI saw him feed. He knocked a man unconscious and drained him of some blood, then let him be. To involve others would be to guarantee deaths. I cannot say I saw the extent of his abilities.¡±


    Svena lightly pressed her foot against Ganbaatar¡¯s recently healed toe, and he winced.


    ¡°You¡¯d just as soon die on the streets?¡± she said pointedly. ¡°You ambushed him, yet you came away wounded. Was he as badly affected?¡±


    Ganbaatar rubbed at his toe, no responseing to his mind.


    #####


    Argrave and Anneliese left from the inn they were staying at with Vasilisa as quietly as they could manage. Both moved with great haste towards the distant ferry on the edge of the ind, eager to see if the Magisters had heeded the vague letter. As they approached, they saw the seaside docking house had no lights on at sote an hour.


    ¡°Do you think¡­¡±


    Argrave turned to where he thought Anneliese would be standing beside him. Instead, a great dragon¡¯s maw lunged out towards him, roaring. Every muscle in his body surged to action, and he triggered the Blessing of Supersession. Before he could conjure a ward to block the attack, though, the dragon¡¯s teeth met him¡­


    Yet nothing else happened.


    As the illusory dragon¡¯s head scattered into nothingness, Argrave realized btedly what had just urred. He took deep breaths to calm himself, then looked towards where he heardughter over the beating of his heart.


    Hegazar sat atop the docking house, his legs dangling precariously as heughed. Vera smiled at the scene, but she wasn¡¯t quiteughing as hard. Instead¡­ there was some caution in her eyes. Slowly, Hegazar came to regard Argrave much the same.


    ¡°What a perplexing sight,¡± Hegazar noted as he stared down Argrave. ¡°I thought to question why exactly the great and mighty king might be out here in this dreadfully cold wastnd, his hair having gone white¡­ yet now I find a more urgent question on the tip of my tongue: why does His Majesty possess such a terrifyinglyrge pool of magic?¡± he used a respectful address, but the words seemed to have a different intonation on his tongue that lent it none.


    ¡°It¡¯s no illusion?¡± Vera asked, a question Hegazar answered with a simple nod.


    ¡°Nice to see you, too,¡± Argrave called out. His eyes darted about as he looked for Anneliese. Once he found her, he rxed somewhat. She was just as off-kilter as he was, likely having been hit by Hegazar¡¯s illusion in the same fashion.


    ¡°What in the world are you doing here?¡± Hegazar asked, leading the conversation. ¡°When we passed by, it seemed like the stage was set for you to head to war¡­ yet you¡¯re here? You seem rather out of your element¡­¡±


    Argrave looked to Anneliese, silentlymunicating her analysis of their disposition. She gave him a nod¡ªthat was answer enough. They weren¡¯t hostile.


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk,¡± Argrave called out. ¡°It¡¯s quite a long story.¡±


    #####


    ¡°You really have some¡­ get up and go, eh? Not a fan of letting others do your work for you, Your Majesty?¡± Hegazar remarked of their story.


    They sat on the sandy coast just outside the ferry in a small circle, the two like a smaller mirror of them. As though to demonstrate a point they wished to make, Vera sat on Hegazar¡¯sp, wrapped in his arms¡ªevidently, something had brought them back together. Argrave wasn¡¯t exactly sure how long that wouldst. And frankly¡­ it did make him a bit ufortable. He didn¡¯t like their unity.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Argrave grabbed both of his knees, rocking slightly. ¡°Things needed to be done. And there was something worth getting out here. I certainly feel of much better use¡ªthings are starting toe together. I think I know why you¡¯re out here. You came to speak to Magister Ivan about spreading word of Gerechtigkeit, right?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Hegazar said, staring him down. ¡°I don¡¯t like admitting you¡¯re right.¡±


    ¡°But you are,¡± Vera answered for him. ¡°Let¡¯s get down to business. You asked us to meet you here. I trust it¡¯s for a reason, yes?¡±


    ¡°It is,¡± Argrave admitted. ¡°You see this thing over my head?¡± he pulled at his ¡®hair,¡¯ which was in actuality the wig of white hair he¡¯d donned to feign being a snow elf. ¡°My hair hasn¡¯t gone white. I¡¯m wearing this for a little deception of mine. And it¡¯s my hope that you can y along.¡±


    ¡°With what?¡± Vera pressed, and Hegazar nodded in agreement of her question.


    ¡°As you might expect, I don¡¯t walk around here calling myself ¡®king,¡¯¡± Argrave said, cing his hand in the sandy banks. ¡°The people here don¡¯t know what I look like. The Magister I¡¯m travelling with¡­ she definitely doesn¡¯t. I¡¯m working something to make this city¡ªand in time, most of the north¡ªsupportive of Vasquer. If I have your cooperation, this can be greatly facilitated. I was hoping the two of you would be amenable to the idea, given that you¡¯ve been persuaded of Gerechtigkeit¡¯s existence.¡±


    Hegazar scoffed, ¡°Persuaded? The old man beamed knowledge into our mind with some strange stone disc. Practically locked us all inside until we were brainwashed¡ªno ¡®persuading¡¯ done at all. Maybe that¡¯s why Traugott went off the deep end.¡± The bald man raised his brow. ¡°And I¡¯m told you were the one to give the old man his lead to that disc. That doesn¡¯t matter, not for now. What exactly is it you hope to achieve here?¡±


    Argrave bit his lip, deliberating. ¡°The one thing my factioncks is spellcasters. The north remains staunchly undecided. The former Quadreign crownds have an abundance of magic users¡ªmagic users that can be swayed and brought to the war. That was my intent,¡± he decided to disclose inly.


    ¡°Then let¡¯sy it out,¡± Vera said. ¡°Hegazar¡¯s already told me of the great favor you owe him¡­ to speak nothing of what I believe you owe me,¡± she said, her orange eyesmon in House Jast seeming rather fearsome in the moonlight. ¡°Isn¡¯t that right, Hegazar?¡±


    ¡°It is,¡± he agreed casually, smiling.


    ¡°But¡­ the two of us put our grievances to bed,¡± she said as she gripped Hegazar¡¯s leg. ¡°And there is quite a pressing matter to deal with: namely, the nightmare we are all aware looms on the horizon.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m d of that,¡± Argrave said honestly. ¡°Not the nightmare part, but the cooperating part.¡±


    ¡°Cooperation is paramount. I think Vera and I both agree that we shouldn¡¯t do something so foolish as fishing in troubled waters¡­ right, dear?¡± Hegazar looked down at Vera, and she nodded back at him. ¡°Right. I don¡¯t know what came over Traugott, but I much like living. Given the breadth of your knowledge and Castro¡¯s predestined support, we can offer support.¡±


    Argrave raised a brow. ¡°Just like that?¡±


    ¡°No. You¡¯re going to make a few promises to us. You¡¯re going to sign them with your magic signature, so we at least have a document offering proof,¡± Vera shook her head. ¡°We¡¯ll help you win. We¡¯ll help you build up your kingdom. But given our situation¡­ I think it¡¯s best we leverage a future. For the both of us.¡±


    ¡°Maybe a city. Or two?¡± Hegazar looked down at Vera, and she nodded with a smile.


    ¡°Maybe three,¡± Vera continued. ¡°Or four. A nice, even number. Archduchess Vera, Archduke Hegazar¡­ it has a nice ring to it, doesn¡¯t it? Once the war is over, of course.¡±


    Argrave remained silent, looking between the two of them. They were right¡ªthey had great leverage in this scenario. Even still¡­ was he content to let things go their way?


    ¡°How about one?¡± Argrave proposed, and their faces hardened. ¡°How about Dirracha?¡±


    Hegazar frowned. ¡°The¡­ capital? What?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m serious,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°How would you like to own the former crownds?¡±


    Vera looked up at Hegazar, then jerked back to Argrave. ¡°You¡¯re not¡­ nning something, are you? Is the city going to be crushed by a meteor in the near future?¡±


    ¡°Of course not,¡± Argrave replied, offended. ¡°I just don¡¯t n on keeping it as the capital.¡±


    ¡°What, will you move to Relize?¡± Hegazar questioned. ¡°Did the frilly clothes and feathered hats rub off on you?¡±


    ¡°Hardly a fitting ce, considering their insistence on independence,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°Once Gerechtigkeites, the wealth of a region won¡¯t matter. It¡¯ll be a desperate struggle to survive. I have a more defensible location in mind.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Hegazar let out a noise of discontent deliberation. ¡°I don¡¯t like letting him decide things,¡± he muttered to Vera.


    ¡°Even still¡­ to gain the capital?¡± Vera muttered back.


    Argrave sat in the sand, waiting for them to decide on things.


    ¡°I suppose¡­ it would be a fitting seat,¡± Vera begrudgingly admitted.


    ¡°But once this journey of yours is done, you need to announce us as the owners immediately,¡± Hegazar added.


    ¡°That¡¯ll lower my legitimacy some¡­ but sure, done,¡± Argrave agreed. ¡°We¡¯re in agreement? Your help in exchange for the capital?¡±


    Hegazar seemed to squirm. ¡°No. I don¡¯t know. Yes?¡± his answer changed quickly. ¡°Fine. It seems¡­ fair. And that¡¯s why it¡¯s hard to take from you. You agree, dear?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ do,¡± Vera agreed, hesitating a beat.


    ¡°Then, shall we get to work on the north?¡± Argrave picked up sand, letting it fall between his fingers.

 Chapter 297: Borrowing to Invest

    Argrave and Anneliese made their way back to the inn rather satisfied. Argrave felt things with the Magisters had gone quite well, which gave amplefort for the tasks ahead. To show theirmitment to their work together, the Magisters agreed to refrain from visiting Ivan until asked by Argrave. And in turn, Argrave gave them a document signed with his magic signature, detailing his promise to bestow Dirracha upon them after the war¡¯s end.


    He had half-expected the two to quibble about the precise details, yet they only wanted one adage¡ªthat the city should be granted to them as a single unit. That is, the package was bound byw as a family. In essence, it was nothing less than ownership by a married couple. It perplexed Argrave and did stir some anxiety¡­ but he abided by this condition, despite his gut questioning how long this couple might stay as such.


    Before they coulde anywhere near the inn, Gmon lunged out and seized the both of them. Argrave was amply surprised, but the vampire¡¯s voice calmed him at once.


    ¡°I was attacked,¡± the elven vampire dered as he dragged them away into seclusion.


    ¡°You were?¡± Argrave furrowed his brows, pulling free his arm. ¡°What? By whom? A mage?¡±


    ¡°No. A man garbed in ck,¡± Gmon looked around in paranoia, then knelt down. ¡°The only distinguishing features I noted were his eyes¡ªwholly red, no white at all.¡±


    ¡°Then he¡¯s elven,¡± Argrave decided at once, adapting quickly. ¡°Or at least partially so. But¡­ what¡­¡± Argrave took a deep breath to gather himself and looked around in paranoia. ¡°Tell me everything you can of the encounter.¡±


    The big elf nodded, still kneeling. ¡°I will.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°Maybe not here,¡± Argrave decided. ¡°Let¡¯s return to our room.¡±


    ¡°And if I¡¯m watched?¡± Gmon pressed.


    It was a fair point, Argrave had to admit. He bit his lip as he deliberated. ¡°Anneliese, could you¡­?¡±


    ¡°At once,¡± she agreed before he could fully voice his request. As though reading his mind, she sent her bird out to scout for any watchers.


    Finally, her search offered nothing, and Gmon was content none around could see them go. They returned hastily, being mindful that they did so quietly. Once inside, Argrave sat on his bed and listened to the report of happenings.


    Gmon described with more words and more details than he often spoke with so as to provide Argrave with the best assessment of the situation. That said¡­ not many details existed. The fighting strategy only confirmed the assant was elven¡ªonly elves used wires of that sort, so far as Argrave knew. They were crafted in the Bloodwoods, and often used to traverse the often thousand-feet tall redwoods and the structures built upon them by the elves.


    No words had been exchanged during or after the battle. No justification was given for the attack¡­ and it was far too methodical to be a simply robbery, at least by Argrave¡¯s estimation. It was a targeted attack¡ªan assassination, almost. The person was professional enough for the term to apply.


    Once Gmon¡¯s report was given, Argrave sat still and utterly perplexed on his bed. ¡°The only thing I can say for certain is that the man is not under the employ of Margrave Ivan,¡± Argrave decided.


    ¡°This is an elf from the Bloodwoods that Magister Vasilisa described?¡± Anneliese questioned, kneeling beside Argrave lost in just as much thought. ¡°The ones that held out against Felipe, retained independence?¡±


    ¡°He has to be,¡± Argrave nodded in answer, then rose to his feet. ¡°And I can¡¯t picture why he¡¯s beyond those Bloodwoods of his.¡±


    ¡°To think of why he attacked¡­ Gmon said the ss eye was aboard a ship,ing here,¡± Anneliese reminded him. ¡°He said that the eye saw him just as he saw it. Gmon?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± he stepped away. ¡°I have not been drinking of the ck bowl anymore. The days have been busy, and closely monitored¡­ I had not been paying close attention to the matter.¡±


    Argrave took a deep breath, about to criticize before he recalled he had given Gmon leave to lessen up on the drinking. His anger deted in a resigned sigh as he asked, ¡°The one who holds the ss eye is a vampire in my memory, not an elf. Was this person¡­?¡±


    ¡°No. Impossible,¡± Gmon shook his head. ¡°The wound I caused on his toe did not heal quickly, or at all. He was strong, but not unnaturally so.¡±


    Argrave shook his head with a bitter chuckle. ¡°Then we might be dealing with someone who hunts vampires,¡± he reasoned. ¡°But¡­ an elven vampire hunter? I can¡¯t think of anyone. No, I can say for certain there aren¡¯t any, at least not in Heroes of Berendar. Something like that isn¡¯t easily forgotten.¡±


    Quietude took over when Argrave announced he had no answers to this conundrum.


    ¡°If Gmon was attacked, we should stick together,¡± Anneliese finally reasoned above the silent din of uncertainty.


    ¡°Perhaps not,¡± Gmon suggested. ¡°That man¡­ I cannot guarantee he will not harm the two of you. I cannot guarantee my protection should he attack one other than myself.¡±


    ¡°Vampire hunters are generally self-righteous,¡± Argrave pointed out. ¡°It¡¯s a thankless task, quite often, and not¡­ implicitly legal. So, I think I¡¯m willing to risk it.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± Gmon said at once. ¡°You named me your knightmander. I do not wish to bring risk upon you.¡±


    Argrave stepped to him and grabbed his shoulder. ¡°You¡¯ll just have to be more alert than normal. And by the way¡­ it¡¯s Silvaden. Don¡¯t forget that.¡±


    #####


    Their only lead on the matter of the elven attacker was Anneliese¡¯s suggestion it might be linked to the ss eye. Argrave had Gmon once again drink his own blood from the ck bowl to get a lead on where the eye might be, but beyond that they had nothing to go on. They asked around about elves in the city, but nothing came back to them, and Anneliese¡¯s scouting revealed nothing. Still, they remained on high alert.


    Concurrent with that matter, early the next morning Argrave knocked on Vasilisa¡¯s door. They were very, very loud and insistent knocks, yet even after them he waited about half an hour for the hungover Magister to rise. On top of all that, she would not speak to them until she¡¯d had a drink that morning. It was quite the unproductive start to things.


    Yet once she came to form they started moving, keeping Vasilisa entirely ignorant that the two Magisters had already arrived. They already had their fingers in the pie, so to speak, and that was sufficient enough for them. Now, they were to be introduced when they were most effective. Vasilisa¡¯s favor from Elenore alone wasn¡¯t enough to tie the north to Argrave¡¯s faction in Relize, yet the two Magisters¡­ to say the least, Argrave had some ideas for their role in things.


    At Vasilisa¡¯s direction, Anneliese sent out a message to Elenore¡ªin actuality, they sent it alongside a message of their own¡ªintending to secure the promised favor. Per their direction, Elenore answered positively, with a small stipend sent to demonstrate earnestness. That promise leavened with physical proof put Vasilisa¡¯s mind at ease enough to venture into the riskier strategies Argrave had in mind.


    Their goal was to arrange a conversation with Pavel Drawnwater to get a lead into the meeting with the margravine, and in turn wrap their fingers the whole of First Hope. Argrave had a good feeling about a conversation with them, and yet he and Anneliese would need to meet them to be certain of their character. ¡®Heroes of Berendar¡¯ only revealed so much about people, and Argrave would not like to have another Titus on his hands.


    And so¡­ Argrave spoke to a dock worker, bringing Vasilisa along as a trophy Magister. This shipyardborer directed him to the dock¡¯s manager. This overseer directed Argrave to his manager, Bran Livermore¡ªa fairly rich bureaucrat under the employ of Pavel. It was such a short chain, yet one advanced so quickly that Vasilisa was baffled.


    In not a week, they sat in a well-decorated office of a prominent citizen within First Hope, speaking of a future investment that had no other details than ¡®it involves House Quadreign¡¯ and ¡®it¡¯ll make a lot of money.¡¯ All of it stemmed from the power of fear: namely, the fear of making a huge mistake. The dock worker didn¡¯t want to offend someone speaking about big money, and even the dock manager found things beyond his paygrade. Could either afford to rebuff a Magister¡ªmoreover, one who spoke of making their employers vast quantities of money? The answer was clear based on their actions: no.


    And because of that fear, Argrave sat on a velvet cushion across from a portly man wearing luxurious white furs that made him seem half a seal. Vasilisa stood just behind him, still the ever-diligent trophy Magister, with Anneliese and Gmon just beside her.


    Argrave proposed, ¡°If you can work things out with us, there could be goods worth hundreds of rose gold magic coins moving through these docks¡­ by the week,¡± Argrave exined to Bran. ¡°Mister Livermore¡­ I¡¯m sure I don¡¯t need to exin the value of these coins to someone like yourself.¡±


    Bran swallowed, one of his chins trembling. ¡°Hundreds of them, sir?¡± he looked to the side, where Vasilisa stood mute. ¡°And¡­ Magister Vasilisa, he speaks for you? He speaks the truth?¡±


    ¡°He does,¡± she confirmed stiffly.


    ¡°The fortunes of House Quadreign are shifting,¡± Argrave continued. ¡°So much so, Mister Livermore, thatdy Vasilisa can afford to hire us to speak in her stead. I¡¯m only a humble trader and administrator. We have a great deal of business that we¡¯d like to do¡­ but given thepetitiveness of the market, and the necessity for secrecy¡­ we¡¯d like to speak with someone who can handle the great bulk of what we offer.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ sensible, sir,¡± Bran nodded, though he seemed perplexed at the mention of a ¡®necessity of secrecy.¡¯ Nheless, he continued, ¡°Given the flow of this conversation, I imagine you have an idea in mind?¡±


    Argrave nodded pleasantly. ¡°An associate of mine rmended someone. Pavel Drawnwater? I¡¯m told you work for him¡­¡±


    #####


    ¡°What in the name of the gods have you gotten me into¡­¡± whispered Vasilisa urgently as the four of them¡ªArgrave, Anneliese, Gmon, and herself¡ªwalked towards the Drawnwater estate.


    ¡°I gave them nothing but words that were vague and meant little at all, and now we¡¯re walking into the Drawnwater estate,¡± Argrave replied back.


    It had taken three days for Pavel Drawnwater to reach out, but he had. During that time, they¡¯d not been idle. Vasilisa¡¯s feet got colder and colder, and Argrave had to speak more words to stop them from freezing solid and stopping their progress. All the while, the two other Magisters working with Argrave endeavored to get in contact with local powers of a more mystical nature: the wizards belonging to the Order.


    ¡°Yes, yes¡­ you just staked my entire reputation on this, nothing more¡­¡± Vasilisa rubbed her hands together as though cold. ¡°Why should I worry? Of course not¡­¡±


    ¡°If things don¡¯t go right¡­ I got us in, and I can get us out just the same, no loss of reputation,¡± Argrave assured. ¡°I promise things will be fine. A vow from a Veidimen is not light.¡±


    Ahead, the doors to the estate opened. Two men stepped out into the cool midday sunlight. He was rather lean, well-groomed, and fair of hair¡ªrather the opposite of the white-furred seal that was Bran Livermore beside him.


    ¡°Pavel Drawnwater, I presume?¡± Argrave greeted.


    ¡°Vasilisa¡¯s man, Silvaden, and hispany¡­ a pleasure to meet you all.¡± Pavel greeted in kind. ¡°Has the day treated you well, Magister?¡±


    ¡°As well as could be expected, Pavel,¡± she answered politely.


    ¡°Good,¡± Pavel nodded. ¡°Well¡­ it would be my honor to invite you into my home. I am most interested to hear the two of you out.¡±

 Chapter 298: Underhanded Handyman

    How does one profit from war? That was a question that Elenore had asked a lot throughout her life. Her father, King Felipe III, warred throughout most of his reign, expanding the already significant holdings of the kingdom of Vasquer to a level beyond what it had ever been before. She had learned how to profit from therge industry in that generous allotment of time.


    Those doing the warring received some of the profit, of course. Looting wasmonce in war, but that was a crude thing, and difficult to control or moderate. In terms of appeasing the patricians of Relize and elevating their faction¡¯s reputation simultaneously¡­ it was of no help to her. Above all, it was bad for the future of the realm. If Relizeans soldiers looted Atrus in the process of restoring order, Argrave¡¯s faction effectively spent lives and money to gain a wastnd. The short-term benefits vastly paled before the profit lost in the future. The older patricians had an intrinsic grasp of that concept.


    Those of the fractured kingdom of Atrus would naturally be opposed to looting, too. If Relize¡¯s army had a reputation of incontrovertibly damaging thends they marched across, resistance from the lords of Atrus would be fiercer the deeper they pressed. On the contrary, if more merciful options were presented consistently, resistance might lessen as they proceeded. Acquiescence would be amon alternative to battle, better both for the realm, the people, and Argrave¡¯s future prospects.


    Altogether, looting was an unideal form of war profiteering for the future.


    The way that Elenore profited from war in the past was rather simple: she bought industries the war needed. Metalworking and criminal enchanting¡ªnamely, non-Order enchanting¡ªformed the core of her profits. Land¡ªagriculturally developednd, that is¡ªwas also another coreponent, but her status as the Bat had limited her ability to own saidnd.


    Now,nd was falling into Elenore¡¯s hands day by day as the army advanced.


    The lords of Atrus wanted two things: to maintain control of theirnd, and to keep its value. The patricians in Relize wanted a return on their investment of bodies and ships. Both wanted a future, even at the detriment of the other. Yet Elenore believed the two weren¡¯t necessarily mutually exclusive. With her agents in Atrus and her position of power as Argrave¡¯s regent, the two could be all but forced to cooperate.


    To that end, Elenore developed a system that was partly based off anecdotes she had wrested from Argrave about the difficulties of the financial system in the world he came from. It was a concept that had technically existed for a long time. Elenore merely formalized it and distributed it ording to merit, with ample exnation to pitch the benefits.


    Upon surrender, thends of the lords of Atrus remained theirs. It was, however, deemed a debt owed to the crown. This debt¡ªElenore had named it a resistance debt¡ªcould be owned by anyone, regardless of status. Consequently, Elenore distributed them as rewards. This resistance debt was to be paid off in increments twice a year. Failure to meet payments meant that whoever owned the debt could seize the allottedndwfully with the permission¡ªand even aid¡ªof the crown.


    It was not in favor of the nobility of Atrus. But then, such was the power of leverage. The theory behind it was that the people in Atrus would be willing to enter into this resistance debt that potentially stripped theirnds, as the alternative was resisting mindlessly and definitely losing theirnds. And in the time since Argrave¡¯s absence¡­ she had been proven right.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    On the other end of things, many patricians realized the implications of such a debt. It bound each and every recipient of such a reward to the crown almost absolutely¡ªthis debt of theirs was secured by the crown, so all had a vested interest in keeping Argrave and his sessors in power. And yet that didn¡¯t matter. A biannual payment of significant quantity, with the potential of turning into realnd should their debtor default¡­ and that wasn¡¯t even mentioning the fact this debt could be sold to others freely. It was undeniably appealing.


    Elenore was certain it would work because the people she was dealing with were business-minded. The patricians, near one and all, were traders: the title of ¡®patrician¡¯ came only from the Grand Council of Relize. Outside of it, they were nothing. The promise of either great wealth ornd was eptable to them. Land was hard to acquire as amoner, and wealth formed the cornerstone of Relizean power. That was why she had taken this path. Had the makeup of their army been nobility, such a resolution would never have sufficed.


    That isn¡¯t to say the resistance debt hadn¡¯te without its problems. The administration and codification of the matter was a tremendous burden¡ªcalcting debt, dividingnd, and negotiations alone were monumental duties, not to mention the thousands of other minutiae. The number of people that Elenore employed seemed to be increasing exponentially¡ªin turn, the strain on her pre-existing financing had to bear that weight.


    And yet Argrave still asks me to send money to that god-forsaken northern wastnd while he ys dress-up, Elenore reflected as she travelled in a carriage, some of Argrave¡¯s royal knights escorting her just outside. To say the least, Argrave was not one to hesitate in asking for more of people. In time¡­ we need a far more centralized army, Elenore noted. If we¡¯re to tie people to the crown, there has to be a way of enforcing that tie beyond the armies lent to us by our vassals.


    All that said, her handling of the matter had worked thus far. Theints lessened. People started to heed Elenore as Argrave¡¯s regent, seeking her out as they had him in the past. It was war, and people would never be fully content¡­ but Elenore knew enough of the situation to deem dissatisfaction a non-imminent issue. Elenore, herself, was not dissatisfied with things. She merely viewed her financial losses as the transition between a business and a government.


    Yet now she travelled to the northwest, following the coast of the North Sea. Durran would be waiting for her there, facilitating her arrival. The beginning of this northern expedition had gone very well¡­ but the initial push was always the strongest point. Their numbers swelled slightly from surrendering lords, but enthusiasm and unity both suffered as a consequence. And as they headed further, their most striking weakness would be put inly on disy: theirck of quality spellcasters.


    The carriage Elenore rode slowed steadily until it stopped. Outside, someone new entered her field of perception¡ªit took her only a heartbeat to recognize the dark hair, tan skin, and golden eyes as Durran. He opened the door.


    ¡°Princess,¡± he greeted, offering his hand to help her down.


    Elenore took his hand, alighting as gracefully as she could. ¡°Is the opposition as we feared from Castle Cookpot?¡± Elenore asked at once, sparing her own greeting.


    ¡°Worse, reasonably,¡± Durran replied without hesitation. ¡°As a matter of fact¡­ I¡¯m getting a rather bad feeling about things.¡±


    Elenore took a deep breath and sighed as they walked along a well-worn road that had been trampled down by a marching army. ¡°Why is that?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ve made a name for themselves. It¡¯s always bad when they unify enough to decide on a name,¡± he said half in jest as he made a show of leading Elenore along. ¡°The Unhanded Coalition stands ahead. All of the reports I read from your people suggest this isn¡¯t a headless organization. Indeed, they¡¯re rather well-headed and unified in purpose, despite theck of support from local lords. And worst of all¡­ they¡¯ve gotten very adept at using the taiga around the mountains to their massive advantage. Forget taking fortresses¡ªwe can hardly advance an inch more. More diedst night than the first week of the war. Our casualties aren¡¯t astronomical, but ambushing, covert operations, sabotage¡­ we¡¯re fighting an enemy of a different sort, now.¡±


    Elenore gripped Durran¡¯s arm a little tighter. ¡°It seems like things are finallying to a head.¡±


    #####


    Vasilisa, Argrave, and hispanions followed Pavel into the Drawnwater estate without encountering much fuss at all. There were guards, but the only discourtesies they offered were somewhat awed nces at the presence of three people asrge as the snow elves. No words were exchanged between any as they were led to a private room with only two ck couches with a table between them.


    Argrave took the central seat of the couch, Gmon to his left, Vasilisa and Anneliese to his right. Pavel Drawnwater sat across, scrutinizing. He had eyes as green as freshly printed dor bills. Once the niceties had passed he spoke with the principle that time was precious: namely, briefly. He had no guards with him. Even Bran Livermore, their initial point of contact, had left along the way.


    Was it boldness, or arrogance? Argrave didn¡¯t think so. Maybe Pavel was merely sensible enough to realize not much could be done in the face of a Magister if they wanted him dead. It matched with the man¡¯s personality well enough: he was quite shrewd.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to hear what exactly this business opportunity of yours offers, Magister Vasilisa,¡± he said, respectfully though insistently. ¡°Even now, I know nothing of it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because it demands secrecy,¡± Argrave spoke for her. Only then did Pavel¡¯s eyes focus on him.


    Pavel leaned forward to the edge of his couch. ¡°Yes¡­ I¡¯m told you¡¯ve been speaking for Magister Vasilisa. Why is that?¡±


    ¡°Because he handles the business side of things for me,¡± Vasilisa summarized.


    Pavel nodded. ¡°And are you certain that he has your best interest at heart?¡±


    Argrave said decisively, ¡°Our interests are closely tied. You might say they¡¯re one in the same. And she needs my specialty¡ªor rather, my people¡¯s specialty¡ªto ess this wealth.¡±


    Pavel nodded. ¡°Not my concern, anyway. What does concern me is a need for secrecy. I don¡¯t break thew.¡±


    ¡°The need for secrecy stems from the fact that I¡¯m in debt to Margrave Ivan,¡± Vasilisa answered. ¡°Frankly put, I think this business might have a way of freeing me from my debt in short order. I am convinced Ivan prefers to have my house in his debt than to have the money we owe him. As such, I¡¯d like to earn the money quietly and expediently, then pay him back all at once.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Pavel nodded, wrapping his hands together. ¡°I think I¡¯m obligated to inform you my cousin is married to the margrave.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Vasilisa nodded. ¡°That¡¯s part of the reason I decided to reach out.¡±


    ¡°How do you like your cousin¡¯s marriage to the margrave?¡± Argrave pressed.


    Pavel frowned, evidently confused. ¡°Is this pertinent?¡±


    ¡°Very,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°So¡­ your answer?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been a blessing to my house,¡± Pavel said simply.


    Anneliese coughed. It was a premeditated signal¡ªshe felt confident in proceeding.


    ¡°But that isn¡¯t the whole of it, is it?¡± Argrave pressed. ¡°Everyone wants to be happy. Everyone wants a happy family life.¡±


    Pavel looked unamused. ¡°Are you specting about something?¡±


    Anneliese coughed once more.


    ¡°No. Maybe I can state a few facts, though,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°Margrave Ivan has a history of unfaithfulness. He turned his back on Quadreign all those years ago. Maybe we¡¯re trying to justify the need for secrecy¡­ or maybe there¡¯s something more,¡± Argrave suggested calmly. ¡°A lot of new details havee to light in Quadreign¡ªdetails that could shake many foundations.¡±


    ¡°What kind of details?¡± Pavel pressed evenly, well-used to vague situations like this in the circles he travelled.


    ¡°Old secrets to confirm. New secrets to deliver,¡± Argrave shrugged. ¡°They¡¯re both rted and unrted to the matter at hand. But like I said¡­ your cousin Sophia is a point of interest.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Pavel leaned back into the couch. Then, he reached over, tapping his knuckle against the table. A man walked in, and Pavel whispered some words into his ear. Once the man left, Pavel continued, ¡°She¡¯s here, as it so happens. Considering the things you¡¯re mentioning, I think it¡¯d be best to involve her.¡±


    Argrave shared a nce with Vasilisa. Just like that, the woman they¡¯d wanted to involve would being here.


    ¡°Well¡­ that¡¯s good to hear,¡± Argrave said enthusiastically.


    Pavel gave a tired-looking smile in response, then sat quietly on the couch doing nothing other than staring. Soon enough, the door opened. A tall, blonde, green-eyed woman entered, dressed in furs of vibrant colors. Behind her, another woman stood¡ªshe was blonde, had blue eyes, and looked much like the person sitting just beside him.


    ¡°Pavel,¡± Margravine Sophia greeted. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±


    ¡°A few guests. I believe my man told you who they are,¡± Pavel answered sinctly.


    ¡°He did,¡± Sophia nodded. ¡°That¡¯s why this one came along,¡± she stepped out of the doorway, allowing the other woman passage.


    ¡°Svena?¡± Vasilisa rose to her feet. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    Svena of Quadreign stepped into the room. ¡°It really is you. I thought there must be some mistake. You¡¯re here by chance, auntie? I thought you might¡¯ve received my letter, but that can¡¯t be right.¡±


    ¡°Letter? What about?¡± Vasilisa stepped forward. ¡°Nothing¡­ nothing¡¯s wrong, is it? I thought you were in the south, in the Tower of the Gray Owl.¡±


    ¡°I was, but¡­¡± Svena¡¯s eyes fell upon the three of them in the room with curiosity. ¡°¡­some things came up. I made a friend. As did you, so it seems.¡±

 Chapter 299: Poison Upon Poison

    Argrave surveyed Svena of Quadreign. She wasn¡¯t exactly a main character, but she was apanion the yer could recruit¡ªthese reasons alone made her notable. She regarded the three of them with the same curiosity. In particr, she studied Gmon.


    ¡°Svena¡ªwait for me outside, please,¡± Vasilisa said. ¡°I have some business to discuss with the Drawnwaters.¡±


    The Magister¡¯s niece gave a slow, steady nod. ¡°¡­sure, I can do that. I do have something rather important to talk to you about. As a matter of fact, I was going to discuss it with the margravine.¡±


    ¡°Later, then,¡± Vasilisa said somewhat urgently. ¡°I¡¯d like to finish up here.¡±


    Hesitantly, Svena stepped back outside and shut the door behind her with a small wave before it shut.


    ¡°d you¡¯re here, cousin,¡± Pavel called out to Margravine Sophia. ¡°Our guests were discussing something rather interesting¡ªsomething I think you should be part of.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°I¡¯m not certain what the Quadreigns might need to speak of with us,¡± Sophia said as she moved to take a seat on the couch. ¡°Perhaps they mistook ¡®margravine¡¯ with ¡®margrave.¡¯¡±


    ¡°Half-right. Secrets new and secrets old¡­ about your husband, it seems,¡± Pavel described sinctly, making room for her. Sitting side-by-side, they seemed brother and sister more than cousins.


    The margravine¡¯s green eyes narrowed. ¡°You want to discuss Ivan,¡± she repeated. ¡°If you want me to change his mind on a matter, you¡¯re wasting your time. My husband likes as few words from me as possible.¡±


    Argrave took a deep breath and sighed. ¡°I understand things have been strained between you and your husband. As such, I¡¯m going to take arge risk, and ask to speak with you frankly,¡± Argrave exined.


    The margravine looked at him. ¡°Who exactly are you?¡±


    ¡°Here? No one,¡± Argrave sped his hands together as he shook his head. ¡°In mynd, they call me Silvaden ¡®the Smiler.¡¯ Now, I¡¯m merely one working beside Magister Vasilisa. She and I have been handling an important matter together. And this matter hase to directly concern you and your family.¡±


    The margravine frowned. ¡°Alright. Then¡­ even if you speak frankly, since Vasilisa of Quadreign brings you into my home¡­ I will allow it.¡±


    Argrave cleared his throat. ¡°As you know, House Quadreign bears a significant debt to Margrave Ivan. Without the me Quadreign once owned, the city cannot function: the clocktower has ceased, the homes are unheated, and things have be unsustainable all around. This debt has been increasing month by month, as I understand things.


    ¡°Despite the fact that Margrave Ivan could send another to collect the debt, hees himself every time,¡± Argrave continued quickly, before his listeners could grow confused. ¡°We¡¯vee to find that this is because he has a mistress in the city.¡±


    The Margravine¡¯s fair skin grew paler, and she took a deep breath. Argrave her stew in the silence for a time, yet felt deeply ufortable looking at the rapid changing of emotions in her face. Vasilisa, too, looked quite tense.


    ¡°Quite frankly, we would have let the information be at that,¡± Argrave continued. ¡°But¡­ we have reason to believe that this union bore a child. Margrave Ivan took this child with him quite recently, which allowed us to discover key secrets from the mother.¡±


    Margravine Sophia rose to her feet. ¡°What are you talking about?! Youe to my home to speak of this?! This¡­ this baseless nder?¡±


    ¡°Margrave Ivan took this child from its mother for one simple reason¡ªto use the me that he stole from House Quadreign to enhance the child¡¯s magical capability,¡± Argrave continued stoically. ¡°And that is why we havee here. Margravine¡ªI¡¯m certain that Ivan has never allowed you into the lower levels of the tower. Indeed, no one we¡¯ve spoken to has been there. This is because it harbors the me of Quadreign¡ªthe me that Margrave Ivan stole all those years ago, and the me that Margrave Ivan uses to train a sessor in the magical arts. This sessor, namely, is that child born of his mistress.¡±


    ¡°Do you have any idea the implication of what you¡¯re saying?¡± the margravine questioned hysterically. ¡°Have you any notion the consequence of a lie of that magnitude?¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± Argrave said without flinching. ¡°The fact is, Margravine Sophia, I¡¯m sitting here today because I¡¯m absolutely certain of this usation. And if you disbelieve me, you need only head into the lower levels of your husband¡¯s tower. Within, you¡¯ll find a me as ck as the night sky. A me he hid from you, his wife. A me he hid from all.¡±


    Margravine Sophia¡¯s breathing was quick andbored. ¡°¡­get out,¡± she said quietly. ¡°Get out.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡± Argrave rose to his feet. ¡°I did what I felt obligated to. We¡¯ll be in the city a while longer. We¡¯ll see ourselves out.¡±


    Vasilisa looked distraught, but she rose to her feet just after him. Their party followed Argrave as he made to leave. Pavel looked thrown off bnce, looking between his cousin and their party with some concern. The margravine sat back on the couch, clutching her stomach as though it was upset.


    Once they came outside, Svena was gone. Though Vasilisa briefly looked for her, given the atmosphere they¡¯d just caused they decided it would be best to leave quickly.


    ¡°Is your heart made of stone?¡± Vasilisa asked once they stepped outside.


    ¡°Among other things,¡± Argrave responded. The joke was understood only by Gmon and Anneliese and found funny by neither.


    ¡°That¡­ good gods¡­¡± Vasilisa rubbed at her stomach, seeming just as upset as the margravine. ¡°This is what you intended by ¡®poisoning their rtionship?¡¯¡±


    ¡°The margravine will find the me. She¡¯s resourceful, and distrustful of her husband already,¡± Argrave dered calmly, walking down the road. ¡°The me alone will be proof enough to sway the margravine, I¡¯m sure. Then, they¡¯ll reach out to us.¡±


    Vasilisa grabbed his shoulder, stopping him. ¡°But what you said¡­ is it real?¡±


    ¡°What do you think?¡± Argrave turned, looking down at her.


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t see how you could know any of that,¡± Vasilisa said.


    ¡°I know the me is down there. It¡¯s the only ce it could reasonably be. The rest, it¡¯s¡­ merely spective,¡± Argrave lightened his words.


    The Magister stared him down. ¡°You take many liberties, Silvaden.¡± She grew silent, perhaps expecting a response from Argrave. He offered none. ¡°But then¡­ I let you take them. I gave you this role.¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t regret doing so,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°I have as much¡ªno, I have more reason than you to see this work out in our favor.¡±


    ¡°Seeing all you do so easily¡­ it does make me question how much you¡¯re being honest with me about other things,¡± Vasilisa replied.


    ¡°You know the most dangerous secret we have,¡± Argrave answered without skipping a beat, looking to Gmon. ¡°Any other secrets I keep from you¡­ it¡¯s only for the safety of me and mine. And in time, I hope they can be revealed to you. I dislike keeping secrets from people I would like to call friend.¡±


    Vasilisa¡¯s blue eyes seemed cold almost always, but Argrave swore they warmed somewhat. ¡°I drink with friends, but I¡¯ve not shared a drop with you.¡±


    Argraveughed, then cautioned, ¡°You will sink even deeper into debt trying to get me drunk.¡±


    ¡°Is that a challenge?¡± she raised a brow.


    ¡°Besides, considering what your niece mentioned¡­ perhaps now isn¡¯t the best time,¡± Argrave reminded her. ¡°It seemed rather urgent.¡±


    Vasilisa looked sobered. ¡°Yeah¡­ you¡¯re right. Let¡¯s wait for a little bit for her toe out, then return. I want to be sure she¡¯s not still inside.¡±


    #####


    Days passed withplete silence from the estate of Drawnwater. On the other front, Vasilisa did not hear from Svena again, either. This fact concerned the Magister greatly. Argrave, curious himself, offered to have Anneliese scout for the young woman around the city. In the end, nothing came of their searching.


    On the fourth day since their visit, however, they received a visitor: a woman and a man, the former wearing a veil over her face. It was quite easy to tell who they were, and their party took them to their room in the inn and warded the ce so that they might speak privately without any listeners.


    When Margravine Sophia pulled back her veil, Argrave judged their might have been another reason she¡¯d been wearing it. Her eyes were quite puffy-looking and red as though raw. There was something else, there, too. Her face was tight in anger as she sat at the table prepared for her, hands neatly sped atop it.


    ¡°I visited the lower sections of the tower,¡± the margravine began, staring at the wall.


    Argrave nodded, pulling a chair up and sitting down quietly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he started.


    Sophia kept staring at the wall. Her cousin, Pavel, put a hand atop the both of hers, offering silentfort.


    Vasilisa pulled up her own chair and sat. ¡°You mean to say, Margravine Sophia¡­ the me was there?¡±


    ¡°Of course it was,¡± Sophia snapped. ¡°You told me it was. Why do you ask me?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t share Silvaden¡¯s confidence,¡± Vasilisa shook her head. ¡°But I¡­ what did you see, exactly? How did you get there?¡±


    ¡°It was hard to get there,¡± Sophia shook her head,ing to attention now that she was asked for details. ¡°I had to sneak in. I stayed overnight in the library, then went down on the mystic lift when the guards were less¡­¡± sheughed. ¡°I feel such a fool. I was content never visiting a ce simply because I had no interest and hated the man inside, not knowing that was the whole point.¡±


    ¡°And once there?¡± Vasilisa pressed.


    ¡°It was on the bottom floor that my search bore fruit,¡± she continued. ¡°Once there, I looked around, finding nothing¡­ until I found something. A staircase. It went lower. And I found a great zing ck fire, sustained by lesser mes and kept bound by some strange, ck rock carved in a pit.¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°He doesn¡¯t know the runes to contain it. He uses lesser means.¡± Argrave looked to Vasilisa. ¡°Anything else?¡±


    ¡°What did it smell like?¡± Vasilisa asked.


    ¡°Ah¡­ it had a very distinct smell,¡± Sophia¡¯s eyes focused, recalling. ¡°It was like¡­ vinegar.¡±


    Vasilisa took a deep breath and nodded. She set her elbow on the table and stared off into the distance, distraught just as the margravine. That she could say the smell uncoached was nigh incontrovertible proof.


    ¡°Given what you disclosed, I imagine you have designs on Margrave Ivan,¡± Pavel continued evenly. ¡°I feel for my cousin. She is pragmatic as I am. Even setting aside his betrayal all those years ago, Margrave Ivan stole from House Quadreign. He has kept such arge secret from his wife, while having an alleged affair.¡±


    Margravine Sophia clenched her hands together tighter. ¡°This woman¡­ who is she?¡±


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t even know who Margrave Ivan really is,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°We only learned of things through pure, dumb luck¡ªshe sought House Quadreign¡¯s help after he seized the child, and eventually we extrapted the details.¡±


    Sophia fixed her eyes on Argrave. ¡°You would keep her from me?¡±


    Argrave sighed, searching for more made-up details. ¡°She¡¯s a young girl, barely of age, that made a mistake when manipted by a man decades older than her. She never knew he was married,¡± he described sinctly. ¡°Would you kill her? Punish her otherwise, cut out her tongue?¡±


    Margravine Sophia tensed. Pavel spoke next, asking, ¡°So, you can offer no genuine proof?¡±


    ¡°Ivan can prove things,¡± Argrave suggested. ¡°When he¡¯s overthrown, that is.¡±


    Both of the two¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°Vasquer is in civil war,¡± Argrave leaned into the table. ¡°The north stagnates under the poor rule of Margrave Ivan. House Quadreign can avenge the betrayal Ivan wrought upon its queendom and regain the power lost by the theft of its me. And at the end of it all¡­ the faithful of Quadreign here would not be forgotten. And unlike Ivan¡­ Quadreign is generous.¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m tired of being vague. We want Ivan¡¯s downfall. And we want your help.¡±


    Argrave let his offer hang, sparing a nce to Anneliese who stood off to the side. She gave a nod that lent Argrave confidence things would go well.


    ¡°That is quite the offer,¡± Pavel concluded, swallowing. ¡°Can we¡­ have time?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need time, Pavel,¡± Margravine Sophia shook her head. ¡°Ivan has never loved me. He hates even touching me. He refuses to let me into our bed, as though I¡¯m some animal. And¡­ I have little doubt he¡¯s willing to debase our marriage. A traitor once is a traitor always, whether in marriage or in politics,¡± she said decisively. ¡°I will geld that animal myself.¡±


    The talk of gelding killed some of the satisfaction Argrave might have felt that things went well. Nheless¡­ it was time to set things into motion. It was time to involve Hegazar and Vera.

 Chapter 300: Intruded Sanctuary

    Ganbaatar slid a thin wire into a door¡¯s keyhole, Svena kneeling just beside him while watching an adjacent door. Something clicked from within the hole, and then the elven man tried the doorknob. It opened, creaking slightly. Svena¡¯s head whipped back around, and then the both of them entered quickly, shutting the door just behind.


    Svena cast a simple spell, and light illuminated the room in the form of a ball of light. In one corner, Magister Vasilisa slept rather soundly on her bed. Ganbaatar remained by the door, alert, while Svena stepped up to the Magister.


    ¡°Auntie,¡± Svena called out in a terse whisper, shaping the woman. ¡°Auntie, wake up.¡±


    The force that Svena used graduallypounded until she was practically tossing Vasilisa about like a doll, yet the Magister did eventually wake. She was still half-drunk, drooling, and altogether unfit for a conversation.


    ¡°Ganbataar,¡± she called out. ¡°The smelling herbs.¡±


    Ganbaatar reached into his pocket and threw a small jar at Svena. She caught it, unscrewing it as quickly as she could while Vasilisa mumbled something. Svena¡¯s face twisted as soon as the jar opened, and she held it near Vasilisa¡¯s nose. The jar was glowing.


    ¡°Ah!¡± Vasilisa winced, recoiling away. She shuddered as something came over her, then her eyes gained some rity. ¡°What in the gods¡ªSvena?¡±


    ¡°Those are magic herbs tobat drug-induced slumbers,¡± Svena said, screwing the jar tight again until the glow faded. ¡°Rather effective at purging the blood near instantaneously. It¡¯s used for drugs that vampires employ to subdue victims, but it works on alcohol, too.¡±


    Vasilisa rubbed at her nose. ¡°That was the worst smell I¡¯ve ever experienced. What are you¡­ why are you here, Svena? Who is¡­ he?¡± She stopped rubbing. ¡°I¡¯m almost certain I locked my door.¡±


    ¡°He¡ªno, we picked the lock. Ganbaatar is a vampire hunter,¡± Svena said at once. ¡°Auntie, I¡¯ve been looking for an opportunity to talk to you in private. The men you¡¯re with, the Veidimen¡ªI don¡¯t know how you¡¯re associated with them, but one is not as he seems.¡± She fixed her blue eyes on her aunt¡¯s own. ¡°One of them is a vampire.¡±


    Vasilisa grew rather still. ¡°Svena¡­¡±


    ¡°Please, hear me out,¡± Svena continued. ¡°Ganbaatar came here in search of a vampire possessed of certain powers¡ªstrong powers. He fought with this man. That man was sitting beside you in the Drawnwater estate¡­ and we know he¡¯s been staying here the past while, in the room over. He was the one in the heavy armor. Ganbaatar can even point out the dent in the armor that he caused during their battle.¡± She shook her head quickly. ¡°I¡¯m not sure the others are vampires, but we can say for certain that the armored snow elf is.¡±


    The Magister slowly sat up in her bed. ¡°Svena, I know.¡±


    Her niece slowly edged away from her on the bed. Ganbaatar raised a judgmental brow from his spot beside the door.


    ¡°You¡­ know?¡± Svena repeated.


    ¡°I know,¡± Vasilisa nodded. ¡°I didn¡¯t initially, but I do now.¡±


    Ganbaatar leaned against the wall, crossing his arms. ¡°Why is he still alive?¡±


    ¡°Because of the two with him. And because of the intent of their actions,¡± Vasilisa said at once. ¡°Silvaden, their leader, is helping me recover the me of Quadreign¡ªactually called the me of the Tenebrous Star. And he intends to use it to cure this man, Vulras, of his vampirism.¡±


    Ganbaatar looked mightily perturbed, but Svena asked, ¡°Can that be done?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Vasilisa admitted. ¡°Silvaden has brought to light many truths about the me. It is something crafted by the snow elves, not by House Quadreign. As such¡­ there may be truth to that.¡±


    Svena and Ganbaatar both were stunned into silence. In the stretch that followed, Vasilisa rubbed at her nose, still bothered by those smelling herbs. Then, she paused abruptly.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been here for days. Why did youe in here now?¡± Vasilisa asked, looking between the two of them.


    Ganbaatar answered, ¡°Couldn¡¯t be sure the vampire wouldn¡¯t hear our approach. He is sleepless and vignt.¡±


    ¡°Like I said earlier, auntie,¡± Svena touched Vasilisa. ¡°We needed privacy. But now¡­¡±


    ¡°Privacy?¡± Vasilisa repeated. ¡°You mean to say we have it now?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Svena nodded. ¡°After all, the three of them went out.¡±


    Vasilisa¡¯s face hardened. ¡°They went out?¡±


    #####


    Elenore awoke to noises. She lifted her head up as they crystallized in her senses. It was shouting¡­ and the sound of crackling and popping.


    At once, her attention diverted to the sphere of sense offered by the bronze jewelry gifted by Argrave. She saw the familiar¡ªthe royal guards that Argrave had left in her care. They were just outside the tent, but their focus was on something else. She heard a word repeated time and time again, both distant and near: fire.


    At that, she rose to action, moving off the bedroll she slept upon and reaching for her prosthetic wooden feet that Durran had carved for her. The royal knights just outside stepped away, speaking about collecting water. And then¡­ others entered her sphere. The way they travelled was clever, taking full advantage of camouge offered by the flourishing spring taiga. They crept towards Elenore¡¯s tent.


    Their approach bred panic within Elenore. Her main guards had just walked away, outside of the sense offered by the jewelry¡ªif she called out, could they hear her? Or would those closer hear her, those she feared sought her out only to end her?


    In the end, Elenore felt frozen, her hands trembling too fiercely to even put the prosthetics on her feet. They came ever near to her tent, and she could see des in their grasp. Trying hard to stay quiet, she crawled away, seeking out a portion of her tent that had been upied with supplies. Just as she hid beneath a stretch of unused tarp, she saw the men tugging at the tent, trying to lift it up. It had been staked firmly, though, and eventually they merely cut the canvas with their des, entering inside.


    Elenore felt she was staring death in the eye as they spread out across her tent, searching for her. She held her breath, tried to stay her shuddering, tried to hide her existence as best she knew how. Just as she feared being discovered, so too did she desperately search for something to enter her senses, someone to call out for help to.


    And then¡­ she barely saw a peculiar gray scale boot enter her sense, then exit just as quick. Nevertheless, without hesitation she screamed as loud as she could, ¡°Durran!¡±


    Elenore¡¯s presence was exposed, and all of the men in the tent were quick to react, moving towards the pile of supplies she had hidden herself under. She kicked out at things in the pile with the stumps that once had been her feet, casting a barrel at them¡ªfoolishly, it only exposed her more.


    Yet then, Durran burst into the range of her senses, running with determination as he emptied a bucket of water onto the ground. He pushed through the tent p,ing to stand and survey the scene.


    ¡°Durran, help!¡± she called out again, trying to move closer to him.


    Without hesitation, Durran cast the bucket he held at the nearest assant, then rushed towards her. Magic was already swirling in both of his hands. Just as a man took a swing at her, Durran fired a spell¡ªa lightning spell. It struck the man squarely in the chest, and he dropped the de. Even still, it had momentum from the swing, and the tip pierced Elenore¡¯s thigh deep.


    After crying out, she swallowed her pain and kept moving towards Durran. She pulled the de free of her thigh and offered it to him, and he seized it without missing a step in his sprint. Two men were closest to her, and Durran became a whirlwind of steel to the both of them. His attacks were wild, serving only to create space.


    The men were coordinated. Rather than foolishly rush Durran, they surrounded him, then prepared to press inwards and crush him with a coordinated attack. With his body shielding Elenore, his maneuverability was severely crippled if he wanted to keep her safe. He faced five foes.


    ¡°Why¡¯d you stop screaming? Am I alone enough?¡± Durran quipped even here.


    ¡°¡­could be more of them,¡± she said, pained. ¡°You¡¯d best be.¡±


    As though that were a finish to their conversation, Durran conjured a B-rank ward to his right with his ring. While it held off two, he worked on the other three¡ªhis de darted towards one, yet just before it met his foe, he sted them with a wind spell from his left hand. It was a mere wave of force, but it disturbed enough to lend Durran an opportunity.


    After sinking his de deep into the leftmost man¡¯s neck, he released the handle and turned to the others who¡¯d already recovered and came at him fiercely. He caught the next man¡¯s de with his bare hand, and his royal-forged gauntlet chipped slightly from the blow yet remained sturdy enough to stop the attack. He grabbed the man¡¯s shoulder with the other hand and pushed him on top of his ally. They both stumbled, and Durran finished his attack with a C-rank spell even Elenore recognized¡ª[Wargfire], a maw of a wolf-like me that consumed the both of them. Now ame, they were hardly stiffpetition.


    Durran took a step back as thest two circled around the ward he¡¯d made. He pulled free the de he¡¯d jammed in the other¡¯s neck, then stood back before Elenore. Thest two both rushed synchronously. Durran prepared another spell, yet the man threw something ahead. Electricity exploded outwards from a simple enchanted charm, catching Durran and sending him reeling.


    The two took the opportunity not to continue the assault on Durran, but to approach Elenore. One pulled his de back to stab her through¡­ yet Elenore had not been remaining idle. She threw a fistful of dirt she¡¯d dug at the man¡¯s eyes, and used all the strength she could muster to get away.


    She was sessful in staying away long enough for Durran to recover. With a strange lightning scar marring his face, he stepped up to the blinded man and seized his hair, jamming his de through his neck. The other backed away, panicked and undecided, until his back met with the still-active ward Durran had conjured. He looked back for but a moment¡­ but it was long enough for Durran toe at him. Their des met¡ªoverhand met underhand, a stab met a hilt, yet Durran surprised his foe finally with a simple punch to the face with his free hand. Staggered, the man met a quick end with a de into his chest.


    The battle was ostensibly done, but Durran moved and mercilessly dispatched the two men that had been caught on fire. Only then did he walked towards Elenore, kneeling before her.


    ¡°Those worthless idiots¡­ center of the camp, they let this happen¡­¡± he muttered as he kneeled before her, healing her leg.


    Just then, the two royal knights that had left the tent returned, stepping inside. They grabbed at their des when they saw Durran,pletely bewildered by the scene before them.


    ¡°Where were you?!¡± Durran rose to his feet and shouted with wroth. ¡°Where in the gods¡¯ name were you?! The king¡¯s sister was ambushed, and where were you?!¡±


    ¡°The¡­ the fire, sir¡­¡± one of them mumbled.


    ¡°Durran,¡± Elenore called out. ¡°Leave them.¡±


    Durran paused, then continued, ¡°This is inexcusable. This is an embarrassment. This is a disgrace of the highest magnitude. I don¡¯t see any reason why these men should still be breathing after such a useless disy.¡±


    ¡°Durran,¡± Elenore repeated. ¡°Send them out.¡±


    Durran¡¯s jaw clenched, then he looked back. ¡°Princess¡­¡±


    ¡°Send them,¡± she repeated.


    Durran¡¯s anger did not quiet, and he stewed in silence for a time beforemanding in a harsh bark, ¡°Get out of my sight.¡±


    The men were all too happy to leave. Durran stepped back to her.


    ¡°They don¡¯t deserve to live. The center of camp. The center of camp,¡± he repeated, shaking his head. ¡°What kind of drooling imbeciles popte our military?¡±


    ¡°My men were here, too. They got past all the guards. It¡¯s more a testament to their skill,¡± Elenore said. ¡°Durran¡­¡±


    Durran knelt down. ¡°Are you alright? You¡¯re shaking.¡±


    Elenore used thest of her strength to lean out towards Durran, wrapping her arms around him. His armor was stiff and ufortable, and unpleasantly cold¡­ yet even still, she wanted nothing more. Durran let out a light exmation, then resigned himself to the role, returning the embrace.


    ¡°I thought I was dead,¡± she whispered, trying to calm her trembling.


    Durran said nothing, holding her in the quiet. ¡°We don¡¯t get that luxury. Argrave decreed it was so.¡±


    ¡°I underestimated this Unhanded Coalition,¡± she continued. ¡°You told me of their skill, yet I was still incautious. We cannot me our subordinates when improper instructions are given.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Durran shook his head. ¡°Good subordinates know what to do.¡±


    ¡°Hah,¡± Elenoreughed. ¡°Were that true, the world would be a paradise unto itself, all simply ¡®knowing what to do.¡¯ Leaders are important.¡± She finally pulled away, still trembling. ¡°And we need to know who leads this Unhanded Coalition. Elsewise¡­ things will spiral out of control long before Argrave returns to remedy ourck of spellcasters.¡±

 Chapter 301: Revealing Conversation

    Argrave opened the door to the bottom floor of the inn, expecting to find it empty. Instead, Magister Vasilisa sat in an otherwise empty dining area, a great many tankards before her. Argrave was taken aback for a bit, and doubly so when he saw the blonde woman staring at him with clear and focused eyes. She certainly wasn¡¯t drunk.


    Anneliese and Gmon entered behind Argrave, the two of them taking in the sight much the same as he had. There were few other sources of dread so intense as being caught returning after sneaking out. Nheless, Argrave remained calm and kept his facial expressions under lock and key.


    ¡°Have a seat, take a drink,¡± Vasilisamanded. She snapped her fingers, and a ward surrounded the room so that no noise would escape. As ever, her magic needed no matrix to cast¡ªa peculiarity unique to her, he knew.


    Argrave stepped within. ¡°Vasilisa, I¡ª¡±


    ¡°Have a seat,¡± she picked up a tankard and set it down loudly. ¡°And take a drink.¡±


    Argrave shifted his bnce on his feet a few times as he thought about his options. Then, he pulled back the chair and sat. He sized up the liquid on the table, grabbed the tankard, and tipped it back. It was a potent, sharp brew¡ªhe¡¯d been expecting something earthy like a beer or ale, but it tasted more like alcohol designed for nothing more than to make one drunk. He might as well drink paint thinner if he wanted a simr experience.


    ¡°That¡­¡± Argrave set down the empty bottle, mouth contorting involuntarily into a grimace. ¡°¡­is very foul.¡±


    Across, Vasilisa sipped at her own drink leisurely. She showed no such displeasure. Argrave wondered if she¡¯d chosen a different drink.


    ¡°Have another,¡± she prompted, pushing a new tankard over by his hands.


    Argrave sighed. He wish he had a cherry or something nearby to mitigate some of the difort, yet he obediently took the drink and drained it as quickly as he could. Once it was done, he set it down.


    ¡°We found Magisters Vera and Hegazar,¡± Argrave began. ¡°You were rather asleep, so we took the courtesy of confirming their presence.¡±


    ¡°Took you three hours,¡± Vasilisa nodded, her eyes seeming especially sharp at present.


    Argrave furrowed his brows. He was about to y innocent, yet then Anneliese interjected, ¡°You met with the man who is hunting Vulras.¡±


    Argrave cast a nce to her as she pulled a seat up beside him,pletely perplexed how she hade to that conclusion. Having a near-supernatural empathy was one thing, but that im¡ªif indeed it was true¡ªwas far beyond. It was virtually mind reading.


    Vasilisa looked taken off beat for a brief instance, yet she hardened in not a few moments. ¡°My niece has allied with him. They thought to inform me I was keeping a vampire in mypany. If you should put that forward as usation, you cannot say I am being dishonest. I question if you can say the same.¡±


    That Anneliese¡¯s bold, out-of-the-blue usation was correct surprised him more than the fact she had made it. Yet the Magister¡¯s words did strike a chord with him. Their journey, brief though it was, had lent Vasilisa a newfound respectability in Argrave¡¯s eyes. He didn¡¯t enjoy lying to her. It had a necessity to it, though. And revealing the truth now might make the entire operation backfire terribly.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Even still¡­ you can¡¯t forget the lessons you¡¯ve learned in matters like these.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°If you want honesty, I¡¯m prepared to give it.¡±


    Gmon looked to him. ¡°Are you sure that¡¯s prudent?¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡± Argrave turned his head. ¡°I like Vasilisa. I¡¯m tired of keeping things hidden from her. This whole time, she¡¯s been risking things time and time again. She showed us to her city, her sister. She exposed her house¡¯s debt. She trusted us in all our endeavors here in First Hope. She let us have the lead in the conversation with the Drawnwater family. Trust goes both ways, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    Vasilisa stirred in her seat. ¡°¡­it¡¯s not my city. Quadreign belongs to my sister, and always will.¡±


    ¡°Sanora? No¡­ Anneliese, what do you think?¡±


    Anneliese looked to him. ¡°I agree. To her, and only her, I believe it more than deserved.¡±


    Argrave smiled, then turned to a still-perplexed Vasilisa. ¡°Alright. You two¡ªgive me a hand, would you?¡±


    #####


    Vasilisa watched, utterly confused, as those she knew as Sanora and Vulras stood up to grab at Silvaden¡¯s hair. They pulled at it gingerly, and she saw the white slowly tear away with an ufortable noise. Soon enough, it was rather obvious that the long mane of white hair was a wig. She had seen their like before in the distant past, though mostly on balding or bald men.


    Soon enough, a set of short, recently cut ck hair of a particr dark shade revealed itself¡­ and distinctly human ears just beneath them. For a moment, she didn¡¯t know what to think. The more she stared, though, the more another face came to mind. If she removed the eyes¡­ elongated the hair a great deal¡­ then¡­


    No, Vasilisa reasoned. The conclusion that she wasing to was ridiculous. What was she missing? Still, no matter how she tried to dismiss the thought, more and more evidence came creeping in. The moment before she left Relize, the king had allegedly returned to the city and gone into hiding. He was rumored to have wed a snow elf, and stood at seven feet tall himself. And the man before her, his hair¡­ it was unmistakably like obsidian, just as all rted to House Vasquer were purported to be.


    As the implication of that thought set in more, her denial only increased. A king had abandoned his army on the edge of war to head to the north? Why? For what purpose? Moreover, her thoughts wandered back to the things she had said on the journey. She¡¯d thought Silvaden neutral in the conflict in Vasquer, and so she¡¯d spoken freely¡­ what exactly had she said about Argrave?


    Some words came to mind¡ªcraven, coward, opportunist. Had she said them about him? What had she said while drunk?


    ¡°You¡¯re getting red,¡± Argrave noted. ¡°Is your liquor that strong? Do I look that much handsomer with ck hair? Or¡­ and this is probably the most likely answer¡­ do I not need to exin myself?¡±


    Vasilisa raised her hand to her forehead. ¡°No, I think you do need to exin yourself. I think that¡¯s needed now more than ever.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Argrave ran his hand through his hair, fixing it from its time matted beneath the wig. ¡°Magister Traugott was an unpredictable element. We don¡¯t really have the long-term support needed to defend against him at all times. We didn¡¯t really know what he wanted. On top of that, there was the northrgely neutral, extremely valuable in terms of magic potential, and with the me of your House Quadreign lurking there, idle.¡±


    ¡°So¡­ your first thought of solution was dropping everything you were doing, travelling with a Magister under the guise of a snow elf, anding here?¡± Vasilisa ced both her arms on the table.


    ¡°Not my first thought,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°¡­but among the first, I will admit. I was feeling useless cooped up in Relize. I thought I¡¯d feel simrly useless leading an army into battle, considering how utterly ignorant I am of the matter.¡± Argrave leaned in. ¡°But the matter with your house¡¯s me? A cure for Gmon¡¯s vampirism? That¡¯s his name, by the way¡­¡± Argrave nced off to the side where the hulking elf stood. ¡°Those two reasons were just as contributory to mying here.¡±


    ¡°Your father-inw,¡± she said under her breath, stilling to grips with things.


    Argraveughed. ¡°No, no,¡± he shook his head. ¡°He¡¯s¡­ a very good friend, and my knightmander.¡±


    Vasilisa cast a nce at the man called Gmon, and he gave her a slight dip of his head.


    ¡°My head is swimming,¡± Vasilisa said disbelievingly.


    ¡°I do apologize for the deception,¡± Argrave said. ¡°But from the beginning, I never bore you or your house any ill-will. I just wanted to get a more direct hand in things, and I was a bit tied up with my current role.¡±


    Vasilisa stood up from the chair and walked away, pacing back and forth for a bit as her mind quickly worked to figure out how this factored into things. It was still near impossible for her to ept this manner of king¡ªa king who would simply up and leave the seat of his power in some far-fetched scheme.


    Yet as her mind quieted, she came to confront a fact: his ns had been working. He had already gotten to talk to Margravine Sophia, and already convinced her to take part in his reckless coup d¡¯¨¦tat. What¡¯s more, he had left today to speak to two Magisters.


    Argrave¡¯s designs on the north were more than feasible. They wereing to fruition.


    When Vasilisa turned back, Silvaden was gone. King Argrave sat there¡ªa shrewd diplomat, a maniptor unlike any other she¡¯de across. He had oundish ideas and umon sense that made theme to being. Someone like that getting what they want¡­ getting all of the north¡­


    Maybe there was something in her gaze, but the knightmander Gmon ced himself in her line of sight, and Vasilisa raised her eyes up. That brought another point to her mind. This man, this king¡­ he¡¯de here for a reason. Argrave hade here, even if only in part, seeking some vague hope to cure his good friend of an ailment.


    Vasilisa stepped forward slowly once again, putting her hand on the edge of her vacant seat. ¡°What do you want with the north?¡±


    Argrave considered his words. ¡°I want its spellcasters. Whether in Atrus or the former Quadreign crownds, they¡¯re a great untapped force. That¡¯s my sole weakness, at present. If we engaged with central Vasquer, we¡¯d lose because of that.¡±


    ¡°And after?¡± she struck at what was important to her. ¡°What do you intend for the region?¡±


    Argrave sped his hands together. ¡°I think you should speak to Vera and Hegazar.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d make those two the north¡¯s overlords?¡± she pressed.


    ¡°No,¡± Argrave said. ¡°If I didn¡¯t have bigger concerns, I¡¯d offer to restore the Queendom of Quadreign under Diana¡­ once her tumor is dealt with. But I do have bigger concerns, so I can¡¯t promise that. This kingdom needs to stay united more than ever. As such, I¡¯d like for you to speak to Vera and Hegazar.¡± He rose to his feet. ¡°War isn¡¯t the only probleming. Things will climax only once this war is over.¡±


    Vasilisa crossed her arms. ¡°Can I trust that meeting, with two Magisters?¡±


    Argrave spread his arms out. ¡°Hold me hostage,¡± he suggested. ¡°I trust you well enough to offer that.¡±


    The Magister raised her thumb up, biting her nail in anxiety. ¡°I¡­ alright, I¡¯ll talk to them.¡±


    Argrave smiled. ¡°This won¡¯t take long at all.¡±

 Chapter 302: Weeding

    Elenore heard a knock just outside her tent, and her head darted to the side. It was strange for anyone to knock given the fact her residence was cloth, and the knock itself sounded like a knuckle tapping against metal. Only one person knocked like that, and she could perceive him wholly just beyond the tent with her extrasensory jewelry.


    ¡°Come in,¡± Elenore called out.


    Durran pushed aside the p and walked in. He walked in his gray wyvern scale royal-forged armor with his wyvern bone ive. Ever since the attack, he remained ever vignt.


    ¡°I think I¡¯ve parsed through all the inconsistent reports your agents have been collecting,¡± Durran said. ¡°The leader of the Unhanded Coalition has been in close contact with the people in Central Vasquer, even Duke Rovostar of Whitefields. And I think I¡¯ve figured out their name, at least. Georgina.¡±


    Elenore raised a brow at once. ¡°That¡¯s one of the yer characters in ¡®Heroes of Berendar.¡¯¡±


    ¡°It is?¡± Durran scrunched his face together as he vainly tried to recall that detail.


    ¡°It is,¡± Elenore nodded. ¡°I made a point of remembering the names once I learned of Argrave¡¯s knowledge. Each and all have tremendous potential. Nikoletta, Durran, Ruleo, Dimocles, Boarmask, Ganbaatar, Georgina, Mnie, and Stain.¡± The princess rose to her feet and stepped around the tent. ¡°Georgina¡­ she was a spellcaster primarily, a rogue secondarily¡­¡±


    ¡°The memory on you,¡± Durran stepped closer, shaking his head as though to dismiss his admiration. ¡°She¡¯s heading the Unhanded Coalition. From what I can tell, even if they aren¡¯t officially supported by the lords of Atrus, they¡¯ve been receiving arms, armor, and supplies from them on the down-low. Were I to guess, the various lords of the region want to destabilize things to earn more favorable positions in negotiations.¡± Durran smiled. ¡°But this coalition struck at you. So I¡¯ll end them.¡±


    Elenore crossed her arms and said waggishly, ¡°Is that right? Can I expect that done by tonight?¡±


    Durranughed. ¡°You can expect that, but you might be disappointed.¡± His smile wiped away quickly. ¡°In all seriousness¡­ something needs to be done about them. They¡¯ve been attacking foraging parties, hunters, messengers, and camp followers with great sess. They target our vulnerabilities so adroitly it¡¯s uncanny. Even with your men scouting with druidic magic, they avoid capture.¡±


    ¡°Ending them won¡¯te easily,¡± she nodded, following his thoughts.


    ¡°Maybe,¡± Durran nodded. ¡°Maybe not. They target vulnerabilities. Let¡¯s give them one,¡± he suggested, leaning his ive against his shoulder as he popped his knuckles beneath his gauntlets.


    ¡°Should wey on the ground, show them our bellies?¡± Elenore waved at him for a continuance, knowing he had more to say.


    Durran looked to the p that marked the tent¡¯s entrance, making no point to lower his volume as he dered, ¡°I think Argrave¡¯s royal guards have a chance to make up for their disy of ineptitude. I¡¯ll go with them into a rather ambush-prone location deep in enemy hearnds. When theye to gut us, we¡¯ll turn the tables on them.¡±


    ¡°We should deliberately risk some of our best troops¡­ and you, a vitalponent by this point¡­ for what, exactly?¡± Elenore asked with an almost mocking tone.


    Durran grabbed his ive and walked about frustratedly. ¡°An end to this stupid stalemate, this uncertainty. Whether we kill a lot of them or we learn something useful, it doesn¡¯t matter¡ªsomething changes, and it makes me feel¡­ I don¡¯t know. It makes me feel the good feeling,¡± he said with a bitter jokiness. ¡°We can¡¯t afford this stagnation. Argrave left to be proactive¡ªI think we should be much the same.¡±


    ¡°Proactive, is it?¡± Elenore bit at her lip. ¡°I think walking out into the taiga waiting to be ambushed is rather reactive, but then I¡¯ve been told I¡¯m insufferably semantic. Well¡­¡± she sighed. ¡°You can¡¯t just walk out into the wilderness like a duckling lost from its mother. There needs to be purpose. I think we can figure out something for you to do, a genuine task¡­ and moreover, I won¡¯t tolerate you alone leading them. Mnie wille with,¡± she said with finality.


    Durran frowned. ¡°That one? The mercenary?¡±


    ¡°We lead an army of mercenaries,¡± the princess waved her hand as though dismissing the point. ¡°Mnie has fought in more battles than most veterans, yet still she lives. She¡¯s a formidable ally, and one I¡¯ve underutilized considering how much I pay her. Much of that is your fault,¡± she noted, eyeless sockets fixing on him as though they saw.


    Durran stared at her face unflinchingly. ¡°My apologies for being so talented and freely avable,¡± he responded, clearly not sorry. ¡°It¡¯s something of a curse of mine, being so good at what I do. But the way you¡¯re talking¡­ it sounds like you¡¯re in agreement with this idea I had.¡±


    ¡°I am,¡± Elenore nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s start making some ns for this excursion of yours. I don¡¯t care if Georgina is a yer character. We have an undesirable to be weeded out¡­ and a battle toe.¡±


    Even still, as she thought of the notion of sending Durran into such a risky conflict¡­ something about it bothered her, made her stomach uneasy. Was there a detail that she was missing? That would be revealed in the days toe, she supposed.


    #####


    Argrave led Vasilisa to meet Vera and Hegazar, supposedly a ¡®hostage.¡¯ The blonde-haired Magister of the north had a rather big heart, so her idea of taking him hostage was merely standing behind Argrave as they had a conversation with the other two. The dialogue between the two of them unfolded rather smoothly, fortunately for Argrave.


    As the two Magisters had been sent to the north to spread word of Gerechtigkeit, they naturally had something denoting Castro¡¯s authority¡ªa peculiar badge. To learn that Castro intended to dere the Order¡¯s support for Argrave was surprise enough, but Vasilisa was doubly shocked when they discussed the reason: namely, Gerechtigkeit and Argrave¡¯s opposition to said cmity.


    Vasilisa had already been put off-bnce by the news Argrave was the true identity of the man she thought named Silvaden. To hear of this cmity nearly turned her brain to mush. Despite the surprise, she was convinced of as much as was possible with no evidence for the im beyond Castro¡¯s word. She agreed to two things: to return to the Tower of the Gray Owl to see the proof, and to support Argrave in his endeavors here. It was a tremendous victory.


    Once the talk was over, the two Magisters said consolingly to Vasilisa, ¡°Fret not. Argrave¡­ he makes a habit out of fooling Magisters, it would seem. Perhaps we ought to tell you about the circumstances we first engaged with their party¡­¡±


    Though Argrave was pleased the three of them seemed to be bonding, he was a little unnerved it was under the pretense of his habitual duplicity. Lying was supposed to be a bad thing. He didn¡¯t wish to be remembered as Argrave, the pathological liar. That was a poor reputation to have as a king¡­ and even worse, it might make people finally wise up to his pathological lying.


    With the crisisrgely averted, Argrave returned to the inn where the four of them were staying with an increased understanding fostered. Argrave felt some burden lifted, even if he would need to wear that damnable wig for another long while to keep up with the persona he¡¯d projected to the others.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never needed a drink more than I have now,¡± Vasilisa dered as the door opened.


    Argrave held the door for her. ¡°It¡¯s early morning after dealing with all this. I think the both of us need sleep.¡±


    ¡°Maybe you¡¯re right,¡± Vasilisa nodded, rubbing her eyes as though she¡¯d been reminded she should be tired.


    Anneliese and Gmon had been left behind, as dictated by the ¡®hostage¡¯ situation. Now, both stepped towards Argrave, eager to reunite. Argrave hugged Anneliese, then extended the same courtesy to Gmon, if a bit less intimately.


    ¡°I have news,¡± Anneliese said. ¡°Someone working for the margravine stopped by. She¡¯d like to have another meeting today¡ªwith more parties present, this time.¡±


    Vasilisa sighed. ¡°Good gods¡­¡±


    Argrave, unlike the Magister, was pleased. He had felt things were moving too slowly, and now it seemed the new addition to their scheme wasmitted to her role. ¡°No rest for the wicked. Did she ask for a reply?¡±


    ¡°I do need a drink,¡± Vasilisa decided, stepping off into the room in search of the innkeeper.


    Argrave watched her go, pleased as punch with this start to the day no matter how fatigued he felt.


    ¡°No, Sophia needed none. I assume things went well?¡± Anneliese asked. ¡°Looking at you, the answer is yes¡­ but details?¡±


    ¡°The talk went as well as it could have, reasonably,¡± Argrave looked to her. ¡°Vasilisa is still with us, but now fully and totally.¡±


    ¡°Excellent,¡± Anneliese sped her hands together. ¡°Shall we go join her, then?¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Hold on,¡± Argrave stopped her. ¡°Out of curiosity¡­ how¡¯d you figure out she met with that vampire hunter?¡±


    Anneliese paused, then said somewhat proudly, ¡°Just¡­ a little gamble based on spection. You mentioned Svena was a yerpanion. You also mentioned the attacker was elven. I recall you mentioning one yable character was elven¡­ and given the liberty the yable characters had in their life paths, I assumed that might be our vampire hunter.¡± She strolled to him bouncily and then said, ¡°I just did what I think you would have done. It was a little risky¡­ but it was reasonably risky. Just like you like it, I think.¡±


    Argrave clicked his tongue as he beamed at her, reminded once again why he loved this woman. His face started to fall as he thought of another matter. ¡°yable character¡­ then it¡¯s Ganbaatar,¡± he said, looking at Gmon. ¡°Looks like the owner of our ss eye was looking for you as much as we were him. Problem is¡­ I don¡¯t see a good way to get it off him. Little bit more difficult to justify murdering and taking it from his corpse when he¡¯s a reasonably good person.¡±


    Gmon crossed his arms. ¡°I¡¯ve been drinking of the bowl again, yet the feeling has not yet returned.¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°Maybe¡­ you don¡¯t need to bother anymore. We can probably deal with this matter through Svena.¡±


    ¡°Can we?¡± Anneliese tilted her head. ¡°So far as I know, she still thinks the cure you have in mind is the me of the Tenebrous Star.¡±


    Argrave nked for a moment, then held his hand to his face. ¡°Good lord¡­ I think you¡¯re right.¡±


    ¡°You are amply tired,¡¯ Anneliese grabbed Argrave¡¯s shoulder. ¡°We had best focus on the imminent matter¡ªthe meeting with Margravine Sophia. After, we can disentangle thisplex issue.¡±


    ¡°If the opportunity passes us up?¡± Argrave rebutted.


    ¡°Even a juggler can fail if he leaves too much in the air,¡± Anneliese said proverbially. ¡°Come. Vasilisa waits.¡±


    #####


    ¡°Good, you¡¯re here,¡± was the first thing Margravine Sophia said to Argrave andpany when they arrived to the Drawnwater estate. She had been waiting for them just out front. ¡°I do hope that you¡¯ve nothing else to do today.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Vasilisa questioned somewhat brusquely, her fatigue catching up to her.


    ¡°Because I intend to do much today¡ªthe persuasion and the nning both, or at the very least the beginning of it,¡± the margravine exined, turning on her heel and heading for the door. ¡°We have an undesirable leading us, and he needs to be weeded out. Wouldn¡¯t you agree?¡±


    ¡°I would,¡± Argrave answered. ¡°I appreciate your eagerness, Margravine Sophia.¡±


    ¡°Just call me Sophia,¡± the green-eyed woman answered back with a coy smile.


    ¡°Alright, Sophia,¡± Argrave smiled in turn. ¡°But¡­ let¡¯s make sure we¡¯re as cautious as we are quick.¡±


    The margravine¡¯s back straightened somewhat, making it seem like the borate furs she wore puffed up. ¡°But of course. We have a battle toe. And I have some good news, about two new arrivals¡­ Vasilisa might know them, being as they¡¯re colleagues.¡±


    Argrave¡¯s already-wide grin widened further. ¡°Oh? Who might they be?¡±

 Chapter 303: Elaborate Self Advocacy

    Margravine Sophia stepped into a lounge in the Drawnwater estate, leading Vasilisa, Argrave, and his twopanions. He¡¯d once again donned the white wig to disguise himself as Silvaden, and thus far things had proceeded without issue.


    Margravine Sophia pointed to a pair in the room and said to the Magister, ¡°I believe you may know these two.¡±


    Vera and Hegazar stood there, smiling at the new arrivals. Pavel Drawnwater was just beside them, silent but alert.


    Vasilisa shut the door behind them as she said, ¡°I do. Nice to see you two again.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°This room is warded. We can talk freely.¡± Margravine Sophia nodded as she ced herself just beside her cousin, Pavel. ¡°I exined everything sufficiently, I hope? You know why they¡¯re here?¡±


    Vasilisa nodded. ¡°They¡¯re supporting Argrave.¡±


    ¡°Not just them,¡± Sophia shook her head. ¡°The entire Order is likely to, given Tower Master Castro¡¯s predisposition to the idea. And they came here to broach that subject with us.¡±


    ¡°I understand. But¡­ they came here?¡± Argrave asked, trying his best to act ignorant. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Well, His Majesty is very adept at finding out things,¡± Vera answered. ¡°He knows well the situation in the north. And his information led him to believe that the margravine might possess not only the disposition, but the influence needed to make a foothold in the north.¡±


    Argrave narrowed his eyes. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ a little suspicious.¡±


    ¡°As I said, His Majesty is very adept,¡± Vera continued. ¡°He has eyes and ears everywhere. He might as well be in this room right now¡­¡± she said coyly, grinning.


    Hegazarughed at her joke but quickly added, ¡°And with us present, King Argrave is here, in effect. We have been authorized to handle things on his behalf. Indeed, we¡¯ve been given a document marked with his magic signature.¡±


    Argrave bit his lip, feeling that the Magister was tempting fate with her jokes. ¡°¡­Vasilisa?¡±


    ¡°I know Elenore,¡± she said. ¡°I have a connection with her. All things considered¡­ if we can secure the Magisters¡­¡± she left her agreement unspoken. Despite her good-nature, Argrave felt the Magister was a decent actor.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s in your best interest, Magister Vasilisa,¡± Hegazar smiled, then looked to Sophia. ¡°His Majesty¡¯s n was rather simple. He intends to restore House Quadreign to power, and earn their allegiance.¡±


    Sophia¡¯s eyes narrowed. She opened her mouth to say something, then looked to Pavel. Her cousin seemed simrly bothered by this notion, yet they had more tact that to say so in the presence of Vasilisa.


    ¡°¡­House Quadreign has no power here,¡± Vasilisa said, and the two Drawnwaters nodded eagerly in agreement. ¡°What¡¯s more, our house always reigned as independent queens, not vassals to Vasquer.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s correct,¡± Sophiatched on to that eagerly. ¡°House Drawnwater has near a thousand men-at-arms in our employ¡­ and connections to many of the houses in the region. The reason why Margrave Ivan married me was for our house¡¯s influence over the region.¡±


    Vera nodded. ¡°Our liege understands that. As such, His Majesty intends to reward your house appropriately for your aid. However, there is one detail we must consider: if House Drawnwater was made lord of the margrave¡¯snd, that can only be interpreted as a usurpation. If House Quadreign was restored, however, and then swore fealty to Argrave organically¡­ that is a righteous cause that offers just support. Indeed, that Vasilisa is entangled in things was a pleasant surprise, as this is what was always intended. It saves us some trouble.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ their authority over the region¡­¡± Pavel began.


    ¡°You told me their me would be returned to them,¡± Hegazar noted. ¡°Their authority will be unrivalled. Thousands will flock to their banners if the me is returned. All in the north remember well the power Quadreign wielded with the me burning, with their clocktower ticking.¡±


    Sophia and Pavel both looked distraught.


    ¡°Margrave Ivan is a Magister of the order,¡± Hegazar reminded them. ¡°Vasilisa¡­ do you think you, alone, can face him?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s far stronger, and more experienced in battle,¡± Vasilisa shook her head. ¡°I could not.¡±


    ¡°Then a bloodless coup, as you wish, would be out of the question without our aid,¡± Vera nodded. ¡°Indeed¡­ you might not seed at all.¡±


    ¡°The Drawnwaters have to be amply rewarded,¡± Argrave insisted, introducing himself in the conversation. ¡°Without them, this endeavor would be impossible.¡±


    At the unexpected support, the two seemed to brighten.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Hegazar rubbed his chin. ¡°How about¡­ sovereignty over this ind, named Counts of First Hope?¡±


    The two Drawnwaters looked between each other. Argrave looked to Anneliese, and she shot him a thumbs down indicating the family¡¯s thoughts.


    ¡°That¡¯s not enough,¡± Argrave dered. ¡°The coastal viges nearest, too, must swear fealty.¡±


    ¡°Silvaden¡­!¡± Sophia said, shocked.


    Hegazar lowered his hands. ¡°That is asking much.¡±


    Argrave shook his head, acting defiant as he dered, ¡°I think it¡¯s proportional.¡±


    ¡°Proportional to what?¡± Vera pressed.


    ¡°To their contributions to Argrave¡¯s effort,¡± Anneliese backed him.


    Hegazar took a breath and sighed. ¡°Do you agree?¡± he looked to Sophia.


    ¡°We¡­ certainly will not disappoint,¡± Sophia nodded.


    With their support dered, Pavel added, ¡°His Majesty can rest assured.¡±


    ¡°And you, Vasilisa?¡± Vera looked to her. ¡°This concerns your house¡¯s welfare.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ have no objections,¡± Vasilisa nodded.


    Vera and Hegazar spared a nce, then stepped off to the side to speak in private. They stepped back a momentter and said, ¡°Then it¡¯s decided. The Drawnwaters will be named Counts of First Hope, lording over the whole of this ind and its dependent coastal viges on the maind. In return, we will aid in this coup to return House Quadreign to power. Thereafter, Diana of Quadreign will swear fealty to Argrave as the first Archduchess of Northern Vasquer, passing along the female line as is Quadreign tradition. You can speak for your sister on this matter, I trust?¡±


    ¡°I can,¡± Vasilisa said without hesitation.


    Margravine Sophia smiled broadly. ¡°I am d to hear of it. As my cousin said, His Majesty will not be disappointed.¡±


    ¡°I should hope not,¡± Vera spared a nce at Argrave. ¡°Well, let¡¯s discuss out strategy.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± Hegazar nodded. ¡°To begin with, I¡¯m curious how you chose who woulde to this meeting.¡±


    Margravine Sophia sped her hands together. ¡°All present have been filtered carefully. They have personal and political dissatisfaction with Margrave Ivan and have expressed so publicly. Ivan detests them. On top of that, they have sway with those that matter.¡±


    ¡°That should be helpful,¡± Vera stepped closer. ¡°Still, let¡¯s y things out before we move¡­¡±


    #####


    A good deal of people sat in the dining hall of the Drawnwater estate. They numbered perhaps thirty. All seemed to know each other quite well, as the general temperature of the room was that of a rxed party. People joked and talked freely, flitting about in conversation like old friends, all. They wore decadent furs, fine silks, and shining rings, nes, and earrings asfortable disys of affluence. They feasted on food every bit as fine as their dress.


    A harsh chiming echoed throughout the room, and all faces turned towards Margravine Sophia as she tapped a silver spoon against a crystal-clear ss. Soon, the conversations of the assembled in the room came to a stop.


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen¡­ I¡¯m pleased that you were able to gather here under such short notice,¡± Sophia began once the voices had quieted enough for hers to be heard without question. Her head swiveled as she scanned the crowd, continuing, ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll regret being here at all, today.¡±


    ¡°Of course not,¡± one man cut in. ¡°With such fine food, we could never be regretful.¡±


    A fewughed, but not enough to disrupt the proceedings. The margravine smiled icily, then continued, ¡°There is a very pressing matter looming over all the citizenry and nobility in the north. My husband has not deigned to address this matter. As to why that is¡­ I cannot say.¡±


    Margravine Sophia paused, perhaps for dramatic effect.


    ¡°Must we speak of politics at all times?¡± a tired-looking young man spoke up.


    Many looked at him, nodding in agreement. His dissent was some sort of social proof that others heeded.


    ¡°The war hase to our shores,¡± Sophia dered to kill the dissent in infancy. ¡°If you would like to have the end result of the war culminate in the deaths of your parents and children, you may stuff wool in your ears and walk onwards mindlessly. I, however, believe ignorance and stupidity are sure ways to end up in the gutters. Look at Atrus¡¯ fate¡ªthey wished for neutrality, and so King Felipe III had them all assassinated.¡±


    The tired-looking young man crossed his arms defensively, but said nothing more on the matter.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to introduce two other guests,¡± Sophia sped her hands together, then stepped forward to the table to retrieve a bell. She rung it, and a few momentster, the door opened. A pair walked in¡ªMagisters Vera and Hegazar, both wearing fineries of ck and gold. There was a rather peculiar symbol worn where their heart was. It was a sun, four snakes forming from its sunbeams. A few raised their brows in recognition of the symbol.


    ¡°I have the honor of weing Magister Vera and Magister Hegazar, both of the Order of the Gray Owl,¡± Margravine Sophia held one hand out in demonstration, as though she was disying an exhibit to auctioneers. ¡°Everyone, please treat them courteously¡ªthey havee a long way, and we should show them northern hospitality.¡±


    As the greetings came, Hegazar said simply, ¡°Charmed.¡±


    People sat up in their chairs, both out of respect and cognizance of the situation. If people did not recognize the symbol, they did not remain ignorant for long. Soon enough, the meaning of the snake-sun symbol on the Magister¡¯s chest gained meaning: it was the symbol of the imant, Argrave.


    ¡°The Magisters were kind enough to share me their knowledge of the inner circle in the Order of the Gray Owl. Simply put, the Order will dere its support for Argrave¡¯s im,¡± Sophia said simply.


    If people were already at attention, now they were enraptured by this development.


    ¡°I know that I am in thepany of friends and the like-minded, so I will speak inly. The fact is, we of the north were betrayed,¡± the margravine dered. ¡°Ivan, vassal to House Quadreign, betrayed the queendom and tore out our nation¡¯s heart. After, he forced our house of Drawnwater into a political marriage, then spurned us in the same month.¡±


    Sophia looked around as faces turned to shock, then continued, ¡°But I am not content to let things remain like this. And I invited all of you here, today, because I know you share that sentiment. I have a proposal to share.¡±


    A third person entered into the room¡ªMagister Vasilisa, walking just behind the other two Magisters. They made way for her. And just as the other two¡­ Vasilisa bore a golden sun on her chest, four snake heads biting out of the sunbeams.


    ¡°I believe it is time to restore prosperity to the north,¡± Sophia continued. ¡°And I believe we are the ones to do it. The only way, dear friends¡­ is to restore the proper rulers of the north. We must restore House Quadreign.¡±

 Chapter 304: Stroke of State

    Argrave had d¨¦j¨¤ vu to something that had urred not months ago¡ªnamely, Margravine Sophia¡¯s campaign to sway the northern nobles rather strongly reminded him of Leopold¡¯s to sway the patricians of Relize. Things were markedly different in the aristocratic circles of the north, yet they remained the same as the patricians in many ways. Instead of wealth and value being the primary concern, it was prestige,nds, and social security dominating their attention.


    Argrave had a new, and rather valuable, perspective. He was not operating as King Argrave. Rather, he took up the role of Silvaden, a foreign encroacher and supposed employee of Vasilisa. In effect, he was at the bottom looking up rather than the top looking down. At the same time, he had his hands in the pockets of three of the leading figures¡ªthe Magisters present.


    Argrave felt like a fish returned to water. Back at Relize, things had been too easy, too safe¡ª he¡¯d achieved his aims, and now he had to sit atop what he¡¯d built and maintain it rather than build it. Here, though, he felt dynamic, alive, and entrepreneurial. And on top of that, he argued for another¡ªHouse Quadreign. To say the least of things, it was a very personally enriching thing, and Argrave absorbed all that he could.


    But the day could notst forever, and eventually many returned to their estates.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be keeping a close eye on all of them,¡± Pavel Drawnwater promised Vasilisa. ¡°We¡¯ll make sure that none of them speak to anyone they shouldn¡¯t be speaking to. We¡¯ll keep a tight ship.¡±


    ¡°¡­I wasn¡¯t expecting things to end up this way,¡± Vasilisa shook her head. ¡°Even still¡­ I hope you know House Quadreign will not soon forget the Drawnwaters. My sister is even more generous than I am.¡±


    Margravine Sophia smiled. ¡°I think we will prosper under Argrave¡ªah, King Argrave, I mustn¡¯t forget. I¡¯ve heard whispers of an institution he intends to establish¡ªa parliament. I believe the king would be willing to give a seat to¡­ well, never mind,¡± she shook her head, perhaps reminded of Vera and Hegazar¡¯s presence only then. ¡°I¡¯ve heard tell that Vasquer loyalists in the center have gained a slight advantage in the stalemate with the south, while Argrave¡¯s faction subdues Atrus with a mechanical efficiency. It seems these two are destined to sh. With the Order¡¯s support¡­ victory seems preordained for Argrave¡¯s side.¡±


    Argrave furrowed his brows but said nothing on the matter. This talk of the loyalists beating out the south was concerning¡­ but Argrave would have to speak with Elenore to have any certainty on the matter.


    ¡°Soon enough, we¡¯ll have a battle of our own,¡± Vera noted. ¡°I think the n is rather simple. Hegazar and I will go to meet him, under the ordinary circumstances¡­ you¡¯ll arrive, Vasilisa, as he wants you to¡­ and then we¡¯ll cut off the head. A simple, concise battle.¡±


    ¡°It is his home,¡± Argrave reminded them. ¡°He¡¯ll have the advantage. His tower was built by the Order of the Gray Owl, and the protective enchantments within more than match those without. Three-on-one isn¡¯t necessarily an advantage.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯reing too, lest you forget. With surprise and numbers¡­ I¡¯ll say it is an advantage,¡± Hegazar rebutted. ¡°But I¡¯ll take your concerns in mind¡­ Silvaden.¡±


    ¡°On that note¡­ perhaps we ought to n,¡± Argrave suggested.


    #####


    ¡°I have some insider information about the make of the tower Ivan resides in. And, quite frankly, all of us ought to be very concerned.¡± Argrave dered to the three Magisters once they were in a private ce¡ªanother room in the Drawnwater estate. It seemed to be a guest room and had many exhibits out on disy coupled with luxury goods to please guests. The family had generously offered to lodge them, but after this conversation they¡¯d all be leaving in order to minimize some risk.


    ¡°Why?¡± Vera stepped up to a drawer in the room, opening it and pilfering a bottle of perfume hidden within. She quickly stowed it in her pocket.


    Argrave looked to Vasilisa, trying to act ignorant of Vera¡¯s petty theft. ¡°When you and I went to his tower¡­ you saw that all the walls were covered, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Vasilisa nodded, thinking back. ¡°The walls were covered in furs, silks, all that sort of stuff. The room was so stuffy and warm it was hard to breathe.¡±


    Argrave pointed at her. ¡°My sources tell me these ¡®decorations¡¯ are hiding rather borate enchantments.¡±


    Hegazar frowned. ¡°We can try and have the meeting elsewhere,¡± he suggested, examining some of the shelves in the room. He picked up a wooden figurine, twisting it about in his fingers.


    ¡°Considering he¡¯s meeting not one, not two, but three Magisters¡­¡± Argrave trailed off, leaving his disagreement in the air.


    ¡°He¡¯d never hold it elsewhere,¡± Vera concluded, shutting the drawer and leaning against the table. ¡°What a rather unsavory man.¡±


    ¡°Have you any idea what the hidden enchantments do?¡± Anneliese asked Argrave, taking a seat on the couch politely.


    Argrave sat beside her with a huff. ¡°Enchantment quality has diminished over the years on ount of jealous hoarding of precious techniques, and the extinguishment of certain elven civilizations. Order of the Rose stuff, like this¡­¡± Argrave raised his arm up and tapped the silver bracer there that stored his vital liquid for blood magic. ¡°Can¡¯t be made anymore. I don¡¯t know specifics, but let¡¯s guess: they¡¯re probably protective, perhaps wards. They won¡¯t be able to enhance his attack, but they can improve his defense. He might be able to use trap spells woven into the stone. On top of that, if he¡¯s sensible, there will be some rms to notify people of an attack.¡±


    Though Argrave knew those facts from the game, he disguised it under the veil of deductive reason to avoid inquiry. He still felt it best to keep the source of his knowledge closely under wrap¡ªit did him no favors if his past spread, both to his legitimacy as king and his respectability in widespread circles. The peasants might decry him as a body-snatcher, and the prominent would possess a weakness they might exploit. He didn¡¯t trust Vera and Hegazar to keep the secret close.


    ¡°I want to talk to Ivan,¡± Vasilisa said. ¡°I want to ask him some questions¡­ about the ¡®why¡¯ of things.¡±


    Argrave sat there, agape. ¡°You want to monologue before the fight? That generally gets people killed, despite what stories might suggest.¡±


    ¡°I want to dialogue,¡± she crossed her arms. ¡°Haven¡¯t I earned this, Silvaden¡ªno, Argrave?¡±


    ¡°Bottle that foolishness up,¡± Gmon cut in brusquely from his spot just behind Argrave. ¡°I won¡¯t tolerate a stupid risk because of your unanswered questions. If you talk out of turn, I¡¯ll consider that a cue to start the fight. His Majesty¡¯s safety is paramount. Even his presence is too great a risk.¡±


    Gmon¡¯s deep, guttural voice coupled with his firm words had an authority to them that was psychologically difficult to dispel, and all fell silent.


    ¡°Gmon¡¯s seen more battles than all of usbined, then multiplied by five,¡± Argrave finally broke the silence. ¡°I trust him on this. We go in with a n, we adapt to any incongruities in this n, and we execute it as best we¡¯re able.¡± He rose to his feet. ¡°But we have days to n. It¡¯ll take some time for Margravine Sophia¡¯s people to prepare to mitigate all of the chaos of Ivan¡¯s death.¡±


    #####


    Finding the people suitable for the coup was considerably less time-consuming than preparing for the act itself. Even still, time was of the essence, and they all moved quickly.


    For her part, Vasilisa met with Ivan and agreed to expose her debt to Vera and Hegazar to reduce some of it. Apparently, the figure wasn¡¯t small. Nevertheless, Ivan¡¯s supposed generosity did not sway her: Vasilisa was firmly set in her decision.


    Argrave was kept abreast of things through Hegazar and Vera. Sophia¡¯s people, amply persuaded, set to work inpromising key positions. The captain of the guard was instructed not to interfere. Prominent spellcasters who had taken residence within Ivan¡¯s tower were supposed to be ¡®indisposed¡¯ on that day. Administrative positions were either on the side of the Drawnwater family, or ready to be reced in the same manner. Ivan¡¯s vassals would be persuaded both by his death and their quick seizure of First Hope, plus a few other¡­ persuasive measures. A coup was less about securing forces more than it was ensuring no opposition arose in the new regime¡¯s infancy.


    Vasilisa did make some difficulties on that front¡ªshe insisted that no people were killed because of nonpliance. Argrave did agree with her assessment and supported her as best as he was able. It was clearly a point of disagreement between the Drawnwaters and Magister¡ªthe margravine had no issues killing the innocent. Aspromise, prominent people that did notply¡ªeither from fear of exposure or simple refusal to cooperate¡ªwould be imprisoned, to be released once things were settled.


    As things were established, the day the act would ur crystallized. So, too, did their method of disposing of Ivan. And now¡­ the day and the method came to them. Consequently, they went.


    #####


    Argrave had never truly been afraid of the mystic lifts in the various towers belonging to the Gray Owl, yet as he rode up the center of Margrave Ivan¡¯s tower, Vasilisa standing behind him, his trepidation was quite great.


    You signed up for this, Argrave reminded himself. You wanted to leave the safety of Relize.


    His fear did not have long to build. Soon enough, the stone tform met the inner wall of the tower¡­ and a familiarly decadent room waited beyond, three within its walls. Vera and Hegazar chatted amicably with Margrave Ivan, far from the picture of the ruthless murderers they intended to be.


    Ivan looked to them as they stepped within the room. He stayed sitting, as uncordial a host as the first time.


    ¡°Vasilisa,¡± he called out. ¡°You got my message. As expected, you¡¯re here quickly.¡±


    Magister Vera watched them enter the room. Then, she calmly raised her hand in Ivan¡¯s direction, whose gaze faced Vasilisa. A mana ripple split the air, signifying aing high-rank spell. Ivan¡¯s head whipped around in surprised shock, and he quickly rose to his feet and tried to step back, shouting, ¡°HAAH!¡±


    By the time his shout left Ivan¡¯s lips, Vera¡¯s spellpleted. Deafening crackling filled the room as thousands of thick ice bolts exploded from her hands in a steady, continuous surge of power. Her A-rank ascension had a special property that imbued each of the ice spells with another element¡ªon this asion, she chose lightning. The white spikes and icy blue lightning flew towards Ivan¡¯s face with unrestrained fury and speed, battering the man¡¯s figure in an unrelenting assault. The spell was called simply [cial Torrent] and was one of few A-rank spells that could be used in rtively close quarters.


    In tandem, golden lights struck out from the walls like lightning of Ivan¡¯s own, and sparking yellow fragments danced everywhere as he was warded from the attack. Lights shone brilliantly behind the furs and silks shrouding the walls as the enchantments came to life, strained. As Vera attacked from her spot, Hegazar rose to his feet and stepped to Argrave, a spell of his own whirling.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Argrave was shielded by illusion magic, and so stepped to a corner of the room discretely. He held his hand out and cast [Bloodfeud Bow]. For the first time, he felt no pain¡ªinstead, the spell took from the bracer in his arm, the arrow growingrger andrger in preparation for a deadly attack.


    Vera¡¯s spell came to an end, and Ivan rushed away to one corner of the room. Despite that deadly attack from Vera, his forehead was only barely bleeding. The intense glow of the enchantments in the room faded as Vasilisa, Vera, and Hegazar took their ces opposite him. Gmon and Anneliese waited just behind, taking no risks.


    ¡°Time to die, thief,¡± Vasilisa dered.


    Ivan healed the wound on his head and straightened. ¡°You¡¯re in my tower.¡±


    He pulled back some of the fabric on the wall and touched the stone. At once, all of the fabric was burnt away in a burst of me. Complex enchantments wound from the ceiling, the walls, and the floor.


    ¡°I¡¯ll demonstrate what that means,¡± Ivan continued.

 Chapter 305: The Gang Floors It

    Argrave seemed to have a penchant for fighting powerful people in high towers with the intent of subverting their governance. This was the second time¡ªnot a lot by any measure, but even still, it was strange that it had happened twice. This time, Argrave had a lot more at his disposal than a bag of Ebonice arrowheads and a gutful of spite.


    Magister Vera held both of her hands out, palms whirling with spell matrixes as she contested Ivan with her magic. The margrave became aglow with golden sparks as he took blow after blow as though they were nothing. Bolts of lightning exploded into pirs of frost, mes soared out like gusts of wind¡­ yet still he resisted, taking them all with the aid of the enchantments inscribed along the wall, the floors, and the ceiling.


    Vera¡¯s A-rank ascension, [Two-Faced], imbued all of her elemental spells with another element of her choosing. It defied the conventional logic of all the elements, yet its effect was undeniably powerful. She could send lightning-fast projectiles that exploded into ice or send fire through the air with the structure and force of wind magic.


    Margrave Ivan, her target, was far from a static target. He stepped about the room,manding the spells writ into the stone in magic to assault them at no expenditure to himself. Spears of ice came from the walls in relentless waves, lightning rained down from above, jaws of fire bit from below like wolves nipping at the heels¡­


    But then, Vera was not alone.


    Closely bunched with the others, Vasilisa handled all attacks with the grace of a figure skater. With a snap of her finger, a stomp of her foot, a clench of her fist, a whistle from her mouth, or even a turn of her head, wards rose to confront each and every attack like the woman had an enchanted array just like Ivan¡¯s hidden out of sight. Hegazar and Anneliese¡¯s magic defense, though robust, seemedcking sorely beside hers.


    Vasilisa¡¯s ascension was singr in effect and somewhat underwhelming by simple observation. She needed no spell matrix to cast magic. She needed only vague gesture and clear intent: as such, her ascension bore the name [Matrix of the Body].


    Even then, Hegazar, Vera, and Anneliese together were not enough to resist Ivan¡¯s relentless barrage. Gmon was the only able to deal with the faster magics¡ªwith one Giantkiller held in his right hand to ward lightning and the left hand upied with his Ebonice axe, his weapons soared through the air as though he fought ghosts. Their position was so unfavorable even the four of them could not block all attacks, and the wounds mounted¡ªslight, yet building.


    ¡°You won¡¯t oust me. It was over the moment you attacked me in my tower,¡± Ivan dered in a moment of quietude.


    Then, the margrave¡¯s assault resumed. Powerful gusts of wind dominated the room, sending mes and ash billowing about in every direction. Lightning rained down once again, redoubled in intensity¡ªGmon had to drop his Ebonice axe and retrieve the other Giantkiller to receive the sparking assault. Anneliese, once idle, had to join in the defense. Vera¡¯s attacks cut through this storm of chaos like a sword, yet Ivan¡¯s wards defended him effortlessly.


    Ivan was doing his best to win. His foes were hard-pressed to defend, and his reserves of enchantments within the tower were without an end. With so many variables in this battle, though¡­ it was forgivable to forget a few. And Argrave had been counting on that.


    Argrave stood in the corner of the room, keeping a low profile to avoid stray attacks. He was concealed by Hegazar¡¯s magic. Maybe if Ivan hadn¡¯t been trying to end three Magisters, he would¡¯ve seen through the illusion quite easily. But locked in mortalbat as he was¡­ he could hardly be pressed to acknowledge the B-rank mage in the corner, preparing only one spell.


    With an eerie calm over him, Argrave watched as the silver bracer on his arm slowly lost the essence within it¡ªnot blood in its liquid form, but rather the core mystical constitution of blood magic. This essence had been gathering for well over a month. He poured all of it within the [Bloodfeud Bow], its power growing and growing. It was starting to distort the air near Argrave with a reddish-ck mist, and the illusion spell wavered slightly.


    Finally, though, biting pain started to course through his wrist, and Argrave winced. The bracer was drained. Even still, he held. Argrave rose from his crouching position and walked as the spell tore at his vitality. Hegazar¡¯s illusion magic shattered from the intensity of the spell, revealing Argrave in earnest. Ivan¡¯s gaze rushed to Argrave, his recognition slowing turning to caution as he witnessed the prepared spell distorting the very air around him.


    Ivan eyed Argrave, prepared to move any direction as he concurrently redirected attack efforts towards him. It was only one attack¡ªif Argrave were to fire it, the man would have to dodge or defend and then it would be nullified. One shot, one opportunity¡­ if the Magisters restrained him long enough to get an attack off, it would be over. But Argrave remembered well nearly missing his target the first time he¡¯d use [Bloodfeud Bow] all those months ago in the wends. Ivan was far smaller than the giant ape in that foul ce, and smarter as well. Argrave preferred a surer target.


    Argrave craned his back forward, shifting on his feet back. He took aim¡­ and released the arrow towards the floor below.


    The maroon bolt of pure destructive power tore through all below them with speed far beyond any other times Argrave had ever used it. To describe it simply¡­ the first few floors beneath them merely vanished as soon as the arrow left Argrave¡¯s bow. Far below, the other floors folded inwards, a gaping hole punched straight through the center.


    When facing a foe with an undeniable advantage¡­ Argrave didn¡¯t believe it was prudent to engage in a slugging match. Instead, he¡¯d rather strip them of their advantage.


    The suddenck of anything beneath his body subjected Argrave to the whims of gravity. The sound was so deafening his hearing vanished in wake of a simple ringing. He looked back up, dazed and full of adrenaline, to witness the utter shock and dismay on Ivan¡¯s face as he saw his tower gutted. His reliance on the tower¡¯s enchantments left him out of his element and unprepared to call upon his own magic.


    His adversaries were not so off-bnce.


    Vera conjured a familiar spell of transportation, and a bird of wind took shape beneath them. It mmed into Ivan with all the speed of a car, pinning him to the still-stable wall while suspending everyone except Argrave in the air. Theplete destruction of all the tower¡¯s floors weakened the protective enchantments, but did not diminish them totally¡ªstill, Ivan coughed up blood from the blow, disying his weakness inly. As Argrave fell down, he witnessed Gmon jam both Giantkillers into Ivan¡¯s chest. The tower¡¯s enchantments still worked to defend him as brilliant blue lightning exploded in all directions¡­ yet then Vasilisa joined the attack, and Hegazar next, contributing spells of their own.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Argrave fell too far to see what happened after. As he tumbled through the air without purchase, he briefly wondered if he should be concerned about the rapidly approaching floors below. Above, he spotted someone diving towards him. Anneliese caught Argrave, maneuvering with her wind-enchanted boots through the air. She couldn¡¯t stop their fall, but she could slow it, and so they descended downwards ever so slowly.


    While gathering his bearings and straining to get into a more amodating position, Argrave¡¯s ears slowly stopped ringing. The mostfortable position was still awkward¡ªhe stood atop her feet, hands holding her shoulders for bnce. Even with the wind enchantment, their descent was quite rapid from the weight of the two of them.


    ¡°The tower walls are holding. Now, it¡¯s just like a big chimney,¡± he said, barely able to hear his own voice over the fading tinnitus. ¡°Thanks for the save, Mary Poppins,¡± hemended, adrenaline manifesting as triumphant exuberance.


    Anneliese was not so quick to speak, clearly still locked in the battle. She stared at the scene above. After a few seconds¡­ something started to fall down, liquid draining from it as it fell. A touch of warmth sshed on Argrave¡¯s cheek, and Ivan¡¯s body fell just after¡­ down, down, and down, apanied by a small shower of blood.


    ¡°The walls were always sturdier than the floor,¡± Anneliese said after the body had passed, looking down at Argrave. ¡°Castro let me study the make of the Tower of the Gray Owl somewhat. I am d the knowledge was useful.¡±


    Argrave looked down, feeling some anxiety as the adrenaline washed away. Great clouds of debris dominated far below, rising upwards even still from the momentum of the crash.


    ¡°The me will be down there,¡± Argrave noted, turning his eyes back up to study Anneliese¡¯s face. ¡°And potentially¡­ the key to your A-rank ascension.¡±


    Anneliese had been looking down and raised her head back up to stare at Argrave. Her amber eyes filled with hesitant anticipation as they descended ever lower.

 Chapter 306: Geriatric Pal

    Their party of six stood at the bottom of the now-useless tower amidst the rubble spawned by destroying all its floors. Vasilisa kneeled over a body: Margrave Ivan¡¯s. Or¡­ just Ivan, now. In death he lost all, even his title. He was covered and dust and debris and mutted half a dozen times but remained recognizable enough.


    ¡°That sort of power isn¡¯t normal,¡± Vera said, staring at Argrave with her arms crossed. ¡°To do this much damage? To destroy a tower made to code by the Order of the Gray Owl?¡±


    ¡°What does it matter?¡± Argrave replied. ¡°We¡¯re in this together. The job is done,¡± he emphasized, using the term ¡®we¡¯ to build a sense of unity. ¡°I think you could do the same thing if you went all out.¡±


    Vera shifted on her feet. ¡°¡­no, I couldn¡¯t.¡±


    Argrave forget what he going to say, genuinely surprised by that confession. Vera wasn¡¯t the strongest spellcaster, not by a long shot¡­ but she was an S-rank spellcaster. Argrave had sought out blood magic because he knew it could be powerful if used in tandem with his other boons, and he needed this sort of destructive potential for the fights ahead.


    You¡¯re ck blooded, true enough, but you used near a month of ruement from your bloodsucking bracer, Argrave reminded himself. Don¡¯t get a big head.


    ¡°This sort of power is what you reaped from the living fortress, is it?¡± Hegazar chimed in.


    Argrave held his hand out. ¡°Not at all,¡± he assured.


    ¡°Maybe we¡¯re owed a little more than what we got,¡± Vera continued. ¡°Maybe¡­¡±


    Vasilisa rose to her feet. ¡°I¡¯m more concerned with the me. We¡¯ll have to dig through some of this debris. And we still have an unsettled matter¡ªthe margravine needs to be informed of the result of our actions.¡±


    ¡°You two are good with people,¡± Argrave pointed to the Magisters, ttering. ¡°I can trust you to get this news to them,¡± he said, stating rather than asking so as to brook no room for disagreement. ¡°I¡¯ll help Vasilisa clear a path to the me. I¡¯m rather unspent, after all.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Hegazar slowly nodded. ¡°I know what you¡¯re doing here by saying that, but¡­ alright.¡±


    #####


    Argrave had a rather difficult time helping with removing enough debris to clear a path. He never learned any earth magic, as its primary uses manifested in architecture, siege, or the higher ranks of magic. As such, he awkwardly used his hands, wind magic, and grit. Perhaps staying in thefort of Relize for a month had stripped him of some of his grit, because Gmon worked far faster than he did without the boon of magic.


    Still, with many working in tandem, a path was cleared to the unbroken lower levels of the tower, and thereafter to a set of stairs that headed deeper. Just as Margravine Sophia described¡ªand just as Argrave remembered¡ªthe path took them to a room. Rather unlike Argrave remembered, it smelled faintly of vinegar. And deeper in¡­ they saw the me of the Tenebrous Star.


    The ck me was held in a great pit of dark metallic rock, almost like a cauldron of fire burrowed into the earth. A stairway led into this pit, winding along the edges of the rock. Crude runes had been etched into its surface. They seemed to have some effect on the me that kept it bound. Four other fires burned in the corners of the room, drifting towards therger me as though feeding it.


    When Vasilisa stepped to the edge of the pit and stared at the me, one of her knees gave out and she knelt there, shaking slightly. Argrave knew there must¡¯ve been a lot going through her head. She¡¯d found a cure for her sister¡¯s ostensibly terminal disease¡ªit¡¯d be stranger if she didn¡¯t get emotional.


    Argrave grabbed her shoulder and said, ¡°Looks like your sister will be fine.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say things like that,¡± she shot back at once. Argrave looked down at her, perplexed at how he had erred. She continued, ¡°Thest person I want to cry in front of is you.¡±


    Argraveughed, then stepped forward. He put one foot on the ck rock and leaned in, looking at it. Gmon grabbed his shoulder to prevent him from falling, but Argrave waved him away. As he stared at the waving ck me, an unpleasant memory surfaced. It was a dream he¡¯d had long ago. He had been on a chair suspended by a chain above a fire. I guess I must be having fun, it whispered at him.


    ¡°I suppose you¡¯ll be trying to cure Gmon, now?¡± Vasilisa asked, rising back to her feet withposure already returned.


    Argrave turned his head, but his mind was still upied by that dream. ¡°No,¡± he said, almost by instinct.


    Vasilisa narrowed her eyes. ¡°What do you mean, no?¡±


    ¡°I mean¡­¡± Argrave trailed off.


    ¡°Now is an unideal time,¡± Anneliese contributed, covering for him.


    Argrave nodded, turning his back to the me. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    Vasilisa crossed her arms and took some steps closer, eyes peering down into the fiery pit. ¡°How is now not the time? Isn¡¯t that why you did this?¡±


    Argrave had his mental bnce at this point, and so said quickly, ¡°Why would I ever do something so foolish? This me is still a me¡ªit burns away. If it burns away the beast in Gmon and he dies as a consequence, could you take responsibility for that haste?¡±


    Slowly, her gaze wrenched away from the fire and up to Argrave. ¡°No¡­ you¡¯re right,¡± she admitted. ¡°But my niece is unrepentant in her support of the vampire hunter Ganbaatar, and I havepromised my principles more than I am usually willing. I won¡¯t forget your help, but¡­¡±


    Vasilisa said nothing, yet everything¡ªthis matter with Gmon wasing to a head. It was only so much longer that things could be dyed. To them, a vampire was still a vampire.


    ¡°Let¡¯s check on the me, then work on how we get it out of here,¡± Argrave decided, stepping towards the stairway winding down. He offered his hand to Anneliese, and they descended together.


    ¡°Argrave¡­¡± Gmon called out.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± he answered at once, taking the first step downwards. ¡°I know that this is safe.¡±


    There was no heat from this me, and that did not change as they grew nearer. The me had no fuel, and so did not crackle or pop or make any sound at all. The smell of vinegar was strangely pleasant where they had been before, but as they descended lower it grew intense and overpowering. The potent, vaguely chemical smell was enough to make Argrave¡¯s face contort into a grimace.


    Prevailing over the smell, though, another sensation surfaced. As Argrave had already noticed, the me emanated no heat. As he neared, though, he felt a strange happening to the forces within him. The almost gaseous pocket of magic within him¡­ it was usually so inactive and stagnant, yet now it moved within his body like a pool disturbed by a gust of wind.


    Argrave spared a nce at Anneliese, hoping that this would be beneficial to her understanding of the A-rank ascension he¡¯d gotten her. Her amber eyes were wide, and she was utterly fascinated by the me that came ever nearer the further they descended. He smiled with nervous excitement as they pressed on. Before long, the magic roiling within him became so difficult to ignore Argrave entirely forget about the smell of vinegar.


    The two of them came near the end of the stairs. The bizarre juxtaposition between the wild and unkempt me and theck of heat around it was extremely jarring. This experience could not be likened to gazing upon a candle held close to one¡¯s face¡ªit was like having one¡¯s head buried in the ashes of a fire, looking up upon it as it roared and twisted.


    Anneliese released Argrave¡¯s hand and stepped within. Argrave watched her, and called out uncertainly, ¡°Anne.¡±


    She paused, shed a smile, and then proceeded once again when Argrave gave her a nod. As she was enveloped by the me, Argrave swallowed nervously¡­ but the elven woman remained standing there,pletely fine.


    ¡°My word,¡± Anneliese exhaled until she was out of breath. ¡°I¡­ my head¡­ I have never felt anything like this, Argrave! I feel¡­ I feel so strange. My magic, my stress¡­ I feel as though aches I never knew I had are vanishing,¡± she said in abject wonder.


    ¡°It¡¯s House Quadreign¡¯s me, after all,¡± Vasilisa dered from behind, and Argrave jumped slightly. The Magister held her hand up to the me as though she held her fingers to an old beast that had faithfully served her.


    Argrave looked back to the me. He realized his palms were a bit sweaty despite theck of heat. Nevertheless, curiosity drove his feet forward. It was against all instinct to step into a me as he did, but he did it¡­ and the me seeped into his being.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    His magic shied away intensely, yet once it was caught, it was like fuel for a fire started within his body. It burned away so much, so quickly. The mounting stress, anxiety, doubt, and insecurities of his journey here faded into nothingness, leaving his head with a satisfying emptiness that gave his thoughts ample room to stretch. His mind felt pure, as though a haze was lifted. He felt no thought beyond him, no challenge above him.


    Yet then¡­ the me reached a certain point in his body, and Argrave opened his eyes wide.


    All sounds died. Taking their ce was a presence. Argrave¡¯s head shot about wildly in panic, feeling as though there was something hostile to him at every point in the room. Vasilisa, Anneliese, and Gmon felt it, too¡ªtheir mouths opened and closed, yet no sound came out. Argrave stepped away from the me in shock, yet embers still persisted within him.


    A great wave passed throughout Argrave¡¯s body, extinguishing all of the me of the Tenebrous Star that had permeated his being. And then¡­ something new surfaced in his mind. It was a thought not entirely his own.


    Erlebnis didn¡¯t like that.


    All sound returned, and Argrave sat on the stairs winding around the outside of the pit. Vasilisa let out a shout, almost as though to test her own voice.


    ¡°What the hell was that? A trap?¡± Vasilisa questioned the moment she was certain her voice returned, stepping to Argrave. ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure,¡± Argrave answered, actually entirely sure. ¡°But it¡¯s gone now, whatever it was. We¡¯d best thank it.¡±


    ¡°Argrave¡­¡± Anneliese stepped up to him and kneeled down, scanning his face and holding him steady. ¡°Take your time.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he answered back with a half-hearted smile. ¡°Little heart failure, that¡¯s all.¡±


    Anneliese¡¯s gaze grew distant, and she kept both hands on Argrave¡¯s knee. Argrave had been around her enough to catch what her expression meant, so he pressed, ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Nothing,¡± she shook her head.


    ¡°What?¡± Argrave demanded.


    ¡°That¡­ no, forget it,¡± she insisted.


    ¡°Please, just tell,¡± Argrave sighed.


    Anneliese looked torn, and Vasilisa looked curious as she stared upon the two of them. Anneliese eventually sighed. ¡°Promise to do nothing,¡± she said.


    ¡°Can¡¯t promise that. I have to breathe to live, and that¡¯s something,¡± he argued jokingly.


    ¡°Promise to do nothing with this information,¡± Anneliese insisted.


    ¡°Alright, I promise,¡± Argrave nodded.


    ¡°That presence¡­¡± Anneliese trailed off. ¡°It felt exactly as Master Llewellen described.¡± She looked back at the roaring ck me. ¡°It was exactly the sort of thing that helped him reach A-rank with his special method.¡±


    Argrave stared at her white hair nkly until she turned back, and then he still stared at her amber eyes for another long while.


    Ever so slowly, Argrave took a deep breath and whispered, ¡°God damn it.¡±

 Chapter 307: Run Back Home, Boy

    ¡°Are you¡­ sure this won¡¯t do anything unwanted?¡± Vasilisa asked. She knelt just before one of the runes on the walls of the pit containing the me of the Tenebrous Star.


    Argrave crossed his arms as he looked over her. His mind was still on the unexpected and unwanted disturbance from Erlebnis, and so he answered crassly, ¡°Of course I¡¯m sure. Just do it, yeah? We don¡¯t have all the time to be lingering about.¡±


    Vasilisa cast a nce at him, then back at the rune. Then, she snapped her finger. A simple pick of ice dug into the stone, wearing away the rune. Something shifted in the wind almost palpably, and the both of them looked up. The me, as though freed of a bubble, rose up into the air and through the stone. The Magister rose to her feet, concerned.


    ¡°Take it easy,¡± Argrave assured her. ¡°It¡¯s returning to Quadreign. When we go back¡ªideally soon¡ªit¡¯ll be there.¡±


    And I¡¯ve got until then to deal with so much. The yer character, Ganbaatar, turned vampire hunter¡­ the coup here, and gathering together the spellcasters¡­ and the more secr side of things, with Margravine Sophia and the Drawnwaters. And as for the mystical side¡­


    Argrave was utterly certain Erlebnis was the one that extinguished the me inside of him. Evidently, he greatly disliked the me touching the Blessing of Supersession¡ªhe disliked it enough to purge it from Argrave¡¯s body and make his displeasure known personally. And Erlebnis¡¯ presence here had been precisely what Anneliese had been looking for to help with her A-rank ascension.


    God damn it, Argrave repeated in his head. Well¡­ he didn¡¯t say I couldn¡¯t do it again, he just said he didn¡¯t like it, he coped, wanting to help Anneliese but also grappling with the notion of angering one of the most powerful gods. Most lesser gods were incapable of manifesting or providing blessings. The ¡®gods¡¯ of Vasquer had only managed to bless one person¡ªOrion. He was their only gambit.


    Erlebnis, though¡­ Argrave knew of many humans and elves besides himself blessed, though admittedly not to the same degree as he was. Those blessed by him were the schrly and secluded type, fortunately. Even barring the blessing, most gods couldn¡¯t spontaneously manifest their power anywhere as Erlebnis just had. Perhaps Argrave¡¯s Blessing of Supersession had been a conduit. That might¡¯ve been the scariest idea¡ªit meant he was a conduit for an ancient god.


    ¡°Argrave,¡± Anneliese¡¯s voice drew him from his stupor. ¡°We must devote time to think and discuss thister. For now, order must be restored.¡±


    Argrave scratched his chin and was about to nod, but Vasilisa cut in, asking, ¡°You know something about what happened? That soundlessness, that presence? I don¡¯t think anything changed, but it still made me uneasy.¡±


    Argrave bided his time as he thought of his answer, then answered honestly, ¡°Yes. It¡¯s nothing to do with the me¡ªit¡¯s something to do with me. A certain¡­ protection, I suppose, nullified the me. It was unexpected, but not harmful to me or the me.¡±


    Vasilisa only tilted her head as she stared. ¡°More secrets?¡±


    ¡°I can tell you,¡± Argrave shrugged as though it was no big deal. ¡°It¡¯s a god¡¯s blessing. I don¡¯t share because I like to keep my cards close to my chest¡­ but I think we¡¯re to be allies for a long while, so I don¡¯t see the harm in letting you know.¡±


    The Magister hesitated half a heartbeat, then nodded. ¡°Whatever. I¡¯m going straight back to Quadreign as soon as things are finished up here¡­ maybe even before.¡± She sighed, then walked towards the stairs. Before she set her foot upon them, she stalled. ¡°Argrave¡­ no, Your Majesty.¡±


    Argrave¡¯s face grew sterner at the formality.


    ¡°You¡¯re a crazy mutt,¡± she dered, letting the words hang. Argrave stared at her, puzzled. ¡°I don¡¯t know how you¡¯ll do as king. And honestly, I don¡¯t know if my sister will agree with what I¡¯ve done¡­¡± she shook her head. ¡°But from what I see¡­ I extended my trust, and you didn¡¯t leave me to rot. Might be that¡¯ll change. But every other time I¡¯ve taken a risk like this, I get used and abused. I keep doing it even still, holding out hope that someone decent wille along.¡±


    Vasilisa stopped talking, then put her hand over her face like she was embarrassed. ¡°What in the world am I saying¡­¡± she sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Thanks. Thank you. You could be a terrible king, but I think you¡¯re a decent person.¡±


    Argrave chuckled a little. ¡°I hope you¡¯re wrong about the king part. And I didn¡¯t exactly do this selflessly. I practically forced you into a conspiracy against Ivan.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± she nodded. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ a simple woman. Before Vasquer conquered Quadreign¡­ I just let my mother decide what I do. After, I let Diana decide. I¡¯ve got a tendency of following, even if I am supposedly a trailzer on the path of magic. It¡¯s why I get screwed often, I think.¡± Her gaze narrowed. ¡°Diana¡¯s not like me, though. She¡¯s one of the shrewdest people I¡¯ve ever met. Keep that in mind.¡±


    Argrave smiled. ¡°I think she¡¯ll be pleased at the prudent choices you made on behalf of your house, then. And I look forward to her recovery, as well.¡±


    Vasilisa¡¯s eyes brightened visibly at those words, then she looked away. ¡°Yeah.¡± She started walking up the stairs, leaving behind the whispered words, ¡°So do I¡­¡±


    Her kind but clumsy words struck a chord in Argrave. He¡¯d learned a lot vis-¨¤-vis interpersonal rtionships, and instinct was screaming at him that this was an opportunity.


    ¡°Hold on,¡± Argrave called out.


    Vasilisa stopped, staring down at Argrave. ¡°Something else?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Argrave began, then took a deep breath. ¡°I think I ought to mention something. It¡¯s about your niece¡­ but primarily, that vampire hunter.¡±


    #####


    When Argrave finally left the tower with everyone else in tow, they were greeted by a rather gruesome sight. Ivan had been strung up by a pole before the tower. The string was attached to a nail embedded in his head, and gravity wore at his body. Already, the news was spreading of the theft of the me of Quadreign, and the re-establishment of House Quadreign as the supreme power.


    In front of everyone, Vasilisa cut down the pole that held Ivan, and reprimanded the people for their disrespect of the dead¡ªnamely, the former margravine, Sophia, who they discovered had been behind this act. Argrave made a strong mental note of this fact. Argrave knew Diana to be shrewd¡ªnaturally, the yer could cure her in the original game. Argrave had used decidedly different methods, but the point stood. He¡¯d have to make Diana aware of the Drawnwater¡¯s capacity for both treachery and cruelty.


    What came after the battle felt infinitely more taxing and long than the fight had been. People were called upon to ept the authority of the Drawnwater family. It was a mundane, but vital, task. Ivan¡¯s administration had been ratherx, so things were facilitated quite easily. It was a difficult thing to spot true dissent in a realm, though, and only time would tell if loyalty persisted to House Quadreign. Diana¡¯s skill as a ruler would be tested. She never became Archduchess of Northern Vasquer in Heroes of Berendar¡ªonly time would tell if she was up to the task. For what it was worth, Argrave had faith in her.


    Things seemed stacked against them. But Vera and Hegazar¡­ they hadn¡¯t been idle. Argrave had them focus on the magic users. The north had many powerful spellcasters, that was true. Argrave hade here for that very reason. They were powerful because they were the ones that had benefited from the me of House Quadreign in the past. But now time had passed, and they were looking to start families of their own. The promise of House Quadreign¡¯s resurgence would be ample persuasion to get them in line.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The north would surely be aplex ce, politically. But Argrave felt he¡¯d established steadfast proponents here in House Quadreign, and between Diana and Vasilisa, he felt they had ample capability to restore order. On top of that, Gerechtigkeit¡¯s quickly approaching advent would be a cohesive force.


    With things settled, Vasilisa intended to return to Quadreign at once to see the me. Vera and Hegazar would stay put to keep the Drawnwaters in line, while also marshalling spellcasters to swear fealty to the new House Quadreign. Argrave intended to travel with Vasilisa to personally witness Diana¡¯s cure¡­ and potentially do something more with the me.


    But before that¡­ there was something else to do.


    Argrave stepped up a flight of decrepit wooden stairs gingerly. They squeaked beneath his and Anneliese¡¯s weight, and then soon after for Vasilisa just behind them. Once there, they stepped past several other doors, heading for one in the back. Once there, Argrave raised his hand and rapped his knuckles against the door thrice.


    After a few seconds, the wooden door peeked open. A set of blue eyes peered up at him, surprised by his height.


    ¡°Svena,¡± Argrave greeted. ¡°We meet again, but speak for the first time.¡±


    Her eyes widened with recognition, then calmed once she noticed Vasilisa.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to speak with you about Ganbaatar, and the¡­ minor disagreement he¡¯s had with a friend of mine.¡± Argrave said.

 Chapter 308: Four Horsemen of the Protagonists

    Elenore, Durran, Mnie, and some assortment of Argrave¡¯s royal guards surrounded a table in a tent. Durran and Mnie were both fully armored, just as the royal knights. Elenore pointed to a crude map of the region¡ªit depicted no terrain, but did roughly sketch what looked to be a choke point in a valley.


    ¡°These are the main structures staying our advance,¡± Elenore¡¯s index and middle finger straddled between two marked points. ¡°They¡¯re located within the edges of the valley and surrounded by high mountains on three of four sides. Thus far, it has been entirely impossible to even begin the process of sieging them. They have old tunnels leading to the other side of the mountains that form uninterrupted supply lines. Unlike the rest of Atrus, the Unhanded Coalition has dealt with the other impediments to the regions past the valley¡ªbandits, imant lords, et cetera. The lords can afford to supply and replenish the garrison as needed. We don¡¯t have the spellcasters for a proper assault¡ªto attack directly would be to spend thousands of lives.¡±


    Elenore¡¯s finger travelled further up the choke point where arger marking prevented passage. ¡°This structure, here, is Castle Cookpot. Despite its humble name, we can¡¯t take it before these two fortresses, either. To be pinned here¡­¡± she added her other hand to the equation, then formed a triangle. ¡°Any army sieging this ce would be pinned on all side. It¡¯s a zone of certain death.¡±


    ¡°So, we go around the mountains, move elsewhere,¡± Mnie suggested.


    ¡°We could. But then we¡¯d starve,¡± Durran answered before Elenore could say anything, and the princess nodded.


    ¡°Precisely so. Without seizing Castle Cookpot, we cannot supply further north. The mountains make the journey difficult. This valley is a very necessary shortcut.¡± Elenore lifted her head up, eyeless sockets falling upon Mnie. ¡°And that¡¯s where youe in. Durran is already privy to the details, so I¡¯ll spare you the in-depth analysis. But your role is to take a small party around the mountain to disrupt the supply line¡­ and, depending on the situation, perhaps you might even seize the two minor forts through their supply tunnel. From my reports, that side is poorly defended.¡± Elenore¡¯s back straightened as she stepped away from the diagram. ¡°But primarily¡­ Durran hopes to lure out the Unhanded Coalition so that we might work at ending them.¡±


    Mnie ran a hand through her long red hair, her thumb tracing a scar across her right temple. ¡°I see how it is. You invest what you¡¯re willing to lose, eh? Better a small party than an army. We¡¯re only ten, you said¡ªfewer people that¡¯ll miss us, and fewerints lodged to the regent.¡±


    Elenore frowned briefly, but her stoicism quickly took over. ¡°You¡¯ll be travelling with Argrave¡¯s personal guard, eight of them¡ªfar frommon soldiers.¡±


    ¡°Yet they¡¯re here, not protecting His Majesty,¡± Mnie rebutted. ¡°How useful can they be?¡±


    Durran suggested, ¡°Fight them yourself, if you want. Test their mettle.¡± He waved his hand. ¡°They¡¯re standing right there. You¡¯re willing, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Mnie stared at Argrave¡¯s royal knights as they expressed their willingness. ¡°A fine idea. I think I¡¯ll take them up on that when this is over. But we won¡¯t be fighting them,¡± Mnie pointed out. ¡°We¡¯ll be fighting the Unhanded Coalition, apparently, who¡¯ve been chipping away at our numbers rather adeptly.¡±


    ¡°I assume you¡¯re wanting amplepensation,¡± Elenore guessed. ¡°This mission is to be highly publicized in order to weed out informants. You¡¯ll get plenty of prestige. With prestige, no one couldin if you were rewarded in kind. When we conquer Castle Cookpot, I n on levying the same resistance debt, and you¡¯re wee to¡ª¡±


    Mnie held up a hand to interrupt and said, ¡°Forget that. I¡¯m not blind to the way things are trending, princess. Durran¡¯s getting a lot of the responsibilities I used to have. I¡¯m losing my position, here. Things are being structured around His Majesty more and more. I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d ever work for someone else¡¯s benefit. I bet wrong, and so I¡¯m being pushed out.¡±


    Durran raised a brow. ¡°You joke around a lot, but I guess you¡¯ve got a head in there after all.¡±


    ¡°Maybe you¡¯d have noticed that sooner if you spent less time staring at me and more listening to me,¡± she said with a joking arrogance, then gave a wink.


    Durran raised a brow at her tant flirting, but Elenore crossed her arms and said in a harsh tone, ¡°Durran doesn¡¯t have time to listen to you, because he¡¯s listening to me.¡± She stepped a little closer then demanded, ¡°Just say what you want, Mnie.¡±


    ¡°A parliament seat,¡± she turned her head. ¡°And to work directly under His Majesty Argrave.¡±


    Elenore tapped her finger against her elbow and then said bluntly, ¡°I can¡¯t decide that.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you?¡± Mnie tilted her head, her red hair falling over her blue eyes. ¡°I think if you wanted that to happen, you could make it happen. What brother would refuse the earnest pleading of his favorite sister?¡±


    The princess turned her head to the side, her rhythmic tapping of her finger almost audible in the silence between them. Elenore looked like she swallowed a bitter draught as she finally mustered the word, ¡°That is fair.¡±


    Mnie beamed, her blue eyes veritably shining. ¡°Well, that¡¯s great. I always work harder with the right incentive.¡±


    ¡°Durran can give you the details of the travel, as I said,¡± Elenore said. She seemed to pause on those words, mulling over them like something was amiss in what she said. ¡°Ideally, you¡¯ll leave by morning tomorrow. Plenty of time.¡±


    ¡°Fine by me,¡± Mnie nodded. Her gaze wandered over to the royal knights, still guarding diligently. ¡°But first¡­ I think I made a date with these gentlemen, something about ¡®testing their mettle.¡¯¡± She took light strides to the corner of the tent, then retrieved her gargantuan zweihander. ¡°Shall we go?¡±


    Mnie and the knights walked away, seeming eager at the proposition. The knights and Mnie traded a bawdy joke. Durran started to step away, and Elenore said, ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°Watching the fight,¡± he pointed with his thumb.


    ¡°You want to watch her?¡± Elenore¡¯s brows furrowed.


    ¡°If I¡¯m going to be fighting alongside her, it¡¯s prudent,¡± Durran answered at once.


    ¡°I see,¡± Elenore said. ¡°I¡­ maybe I¡¯lle.¡±


    Durran¡¯s face started to shift peculiarly, ending on a smile before he wiped his face with his hand as though to disguise his expression. He shifted his body towards her and stepped closer. ¡°Why did you ask? What were you thinking about my intentions?¡±


    ¡°Nothing,¡± Elenore shook her head. ¡°I was thinking about another matter I needed you for, but this operation is more important.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Durran nodded. ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯m going. Are youing?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Elenore sighed. ¡°No. I have some letters I need to send out.¡±


    Durran looked vaguely disappointed but turned and walked away. Elenore looked at the diagram, then muttered, ¡°¡­willing to lose?¡±


    #####


    ¡°Gina,¡± a man called out, stepping into a simple log cabin well-concealed by shrubbery.


    A brte woman sitting at a wooden table looked up, a spell of light swirling above a book she held in her hands. She sat in a rather polite, dignified, almost aristocratic way, in harsh contrast to the simple and lightly armored leather she wore. She rose to her feet, going from dignified to statuesque in a few moments. Hers was a beauty difficult to hide, and the man stared for half a second before raising his eyes to her face.


    ¡°Georgina,¡± she corrected him, cing a leak in her book as a makeshift bookmark. ¡°What news do you bring?¡±


    ¡°Apparently, some big happening. A small group of elites is travelling around the mountain, looking to disrupt supply for the subsidiaries to Castle Cookpot,¡± the man said, holding out a scroll. ¡°The informant reported who was going.¡±


    Georgina took the scroll and turned her back to the man, striding away until she ced the table between herself and him. She turned her head and questioned, ¡°Durran and Mnie¡­ who are these?¡±


    ¡°I know them,¡± a voice came from down below. In the corner of the room, someone stepped up. He wiped blood free of his hand. ¡°Durran was one of Argrave¡¯s men, though I know this only in hindsight. I¡¯ve crossed paths with him once before and fought him when we did. Mnie was Elenore¡¯s woman, though. I can¡¯t speak much about her.¡±


    A dark-haired man with white eyes emerged from the basement. He had a beard that had not been trimmed for a while, and a heavy brow that made him appear quite angry.


    ¡°You¡¯ve fought him, Ruleo?¡± Georgina pressed.


    ¡°I have,¡± he nodded. ¡°Remarkably tough fellow. A spellcaster. Much as I hate to admit it¡­ he had the upper hand on me.¡± Ruleo set down the cloth he held, examining his hands to be sure they were clean. ¡°On top of that, if Elenore ising, she¡¯s going to be imnting her new favorite toy¡ªdruidic magic. Anywhere they go, the birds will be watching our every move. Even if we do ambush them, they¡¯ll get a bead on where we are.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re highly mobile,¡± Georgina shook her head. ¡°We¡¯ll be ready for that.¡±


    ¡°So are birds, and doubly so when controlled directly by men,¡± Ruleo counseled. ¡°This is quite the thorn, all things considered.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re only ten,¡± Georgina¡¯s eyes fell to the paper once again.


    ¡°That should inspire caution,¡± Ruleo noted. ¡°Would you care to have a go with ten people that can fight with me?¡±


    Georgina looked up, then bit her lip. ¡°Then¡­ your project. Is it ready?¡±


    Ruleo looked back to the basement. ¡°If it was, I¡¯d be a lot happier,¡± he chuckled briefly. ¡°No, my main project isn¡¯t ready. But I have a lot of little unused parts of the greater whole lying about¡­ and attrition is especially effective on the living.¡±


    Georgina took a deep breath. ¡°That is an excellent point,¡± she admitted. ¡°Why are you so willing tomit so much resources to this?¡±


    ¡°This?¡± Ruleo repeated, not following.


    ¡°You worked with Elenore,¡± Georgina stepped towards him. ¡°Now you¡¯re hindering her. And I don¡¯t see how you benefit from this.¡±


    Ruleo pursed his lips. ¡°Let¡¯s say your idea of abolishing the monarchy appealed to me. Or¡­ we could say that I hate Argrave enough to work for free.¡±


    ¡°You and I both know that¡¯s not true,¡± Georgina shook her head.


    ¡°Well¡­ you won¡¯t tell me about your project,¡± Ruleo pointed out. ¡°I recently found out some new information. And I¡¯vee to realize there¡¯s some bigger stakes in this world. As such, the stars have aligned, and we work together. Don¡¯t press further.¡±


    She smiled, yet her eyes remained serious as she said, ¡°That¡¯s fair.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

 Chapter 309: Tree Hugger Armistice

    When Svena of Quadreign opened the door and Argrave¡¯s gaze fell upon Ganbaatar, memories came rushing back just alongside his n for how to deal with this situation.


    Ganbaatar¡ªa fairly tall individual with golden hair, pure red eyes, and sharp ears¡ªwas the only elven yable character in the game, so he naturally had arge constituent of loyal fans that hoped to betray humanity and instead hug trees. The elven rogue-warrior protagonist hailed from what the humans in Vasquer called the Bloodwoods.


    The Bloodwoods was one of the most dangerous ces in the continent¡ªa fitting fate for tree-huggers. Not that Argrave was in any ce to criticize; he had wavered between liking and disliking the woond elves quite frequently himself. He¡¯d always liked the Veidimen, and the ancient, nowrgely extinct elves were even cooler.


    In the redwood forests the woond elves called their homes, even the smallest of their big trees rivaled skyscrapers. The danger of the ce came from the fact there was another speciespeting for dominance, one Argrave andpany had encountered before: centaurs. The centaurs and the elves were natural enemies after generations of feuds. The elves had been winning for a long while, yet Vasquer¡¯s invasion hurt their numbers terribly and gave the centaurs an opportunity for resurgence.


    Why was this history relevant to the conversation? Because Ganbaatar wasn¡¯t from a human culture, and therefore had far fewer traditionally human values. Argrave hade to Veiden relying on their adherence to their forefathers prophecies of old, and it had worked splendidly. In convincing the elf turned vampire hunter, he couldn¡¯t use the same tactics that had carried him in Relize and elsewhere.


    Yet extreme cultures were the easiest to y.


    ¡°Vasilisa¡­¡± Argrave looked back and lightlymanded, ¡°Get the door.¡±


    The Magister stepped within, cast Argrave a perplexed nce, then shut the door. Argrave had yet to say a word to Ganbaatar, and nor had the vampire hunter said anything to him. They both just stared. Anneliese stood just behind him in steadfast support.


    As soon as Argrave heard the door shut, he reached at his head and pulled off the white wig, dropping it to the floor. Svena raised a perplexed brow, and even Ganbaatar could not help but show some surprise.


    ¡°I am King Argrave,¡± he dered at once. ¡°I reign over thends of Relize and have an army of twenty thousand swords willing to fight for me.¡±


    Svena¡¯s face twisted at those words. She looked to Vasilisa, yet when she saw her aunt was deadly serious, what had been humor twisted to shock.


    ¡°I am Ganbaatar,¡± the elf replied, conditioned by years of service to answer. ¡°I fought in the Holy Army of the Wind, and now travel as a lone vampire hunter taught by the Sunscourge Monastery.¡±


    At once, Argrave was pleased with the dynamic established in this conversation. The elves of the woods had a militaristic society. Hierarchy and rank were important to them. Leaders were to be obeyed without question and revered both on and off the battlefield.


    ¡°I have a grievance. You attacked my knightmander without provocation,¡± Argrave spoke quickly and strongly.


    Vasilisa stepped into Argrave¡¯s line of sight and started, ¡°Argrave, what are you¡ª¡±


    ¡°He is a vampire,¡± Ganbaatar interrupted. ¡°That is provocation against all life.¡±


    Silence set in between the two of them. Ganbaatar had a wariness in his red eyes, and all of his attention was devoted to Argrave. Doubtless he was wondering why and how Argrave was using speech customary in his people¡¯s armies. While they stared, Anneliese stepped to Vasilisa and exined what Argrave was doing.


    ¡°Is that your defense? Will we bring this to your superior?¡± Argrave pressed in the same tone.


    ¡°¡­I have no superior,¡± Ganbaatar said after a time. ¡°As I said, I am alone here.¡±


    ¡°And as king, I have no superior,¡± Argrave followed up, keeping his arms rigidly at his side. ¡°As such, it is within my right to suggest a resolution to this dispute.¡±


    ¡°¡­what game are you ying?¡± Ganbaatar said, finally breaking free of the rigid guidelines of their conversation. ¡°Are you toying with my people¡¯s customs?¡±


    ¡°Far from it,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m employing them to end this in a way that can satisfy everyone. Your people resolve disputes by escting the matter to a superior so that any disputes that arise are resolved without adversely impacting both groups. These resolutions are meant for preservation of the species.¡±


    ¡°That is because we, as elves, have amon interest,¡± Ganbaatar refuted. ¡°That doesn¡¯t exist here. You are a man¡ªhe is an offshoot of the pure branch.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t havemon interests?¡± Argrave raised a brow. ¡°I think we do. You want to eliminate vampirism. I do, too.¡±


    Ganbaatar¡¯s eyes briefly nced at Vasilisa, who had settled to watch this exchange after Anneliese¡¯s exnation. Presumably, she had told Ganbaatar why Argrave had been seeking the me: to cure Gmon¡¯s vampirism. Allegedly.


    ¡°You¡¯re in possession of a ss eye that locates vampires that meet certain specifications,¡± Argrave imed.


    Ganbaatar¡¯s defensiveness increased a fair bit, and his gaze remained unflinching so as not to betray anything. Both served topletely rify that Argrave was right, ironically.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about,¡± Ganbaatar yed ignorant.


    ¡°I think you do,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°And I think it¡¯ll match well with these two items.¡±


    Argrave reached into his coat and retrieved the unnamed ck bowl with strange red runes, then the knife called Althazar that had much the same appearance. While resting the bowl in the palm of his hand, Argrave ced the knife atop it.


    ¡°If you¡¯ve been hunting vampires, these will be familiar in appearance,¡± Argrave said.


    ¡°Vacant vampiric relics,¡± Ganbaatar stared at him, then raised his gaze back up.


    Argrave wagged his finger. ¡°Not vacant. These artifacts still work. And I¡¯m certain these two are responsible for helping Gmon show up on the eye.¡±


    Ganbaatar shifted on his feet and crossed his arms. ¡°Is this¡­ true?¡±


    ¡°It is,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°You killed a vampire to gain possession of that ss eye, didn¡¯t you? A wandering bard, who carried an instrument stringed with his victims¡¯ hair.¡±


    Ganbaatar¡¯s caution rose to a new peak, but he did eventually admit, ¡°I¡­ did.¡±


    ¡°Just as you¡¯ve been seeking vampires to kill, we¡¯ve been seeking that ss eye,¡± Argrave exined. ¡°The eye¡­ it helped him project himself, didn¡¯t it? He didn¡¯t even need to touch someone to feed from them. And it led him to the victims with the richest blood.¡±


    Ganbaatar took a deep breath of shock. Meanwhile, Svena cut in, saying, ¡°Auntie, what¡¯s¡­? What is this?¡±


    ¡°¡­just let them speak,¡± Vasilisa urged quietly, putting her hand on her niece¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Trust in this.¡±


    ¡°Now that all the variables are established, I believe we cane to a resolution,¡± Argrave dered. ¡°These artifacts¡ªthe ss eye, the knife, and the bowl¡­ they all serve to actualize the vampiric beast within the vampire. Rather than some dread instinct, it can make them more than that. It can make them tangible. And what is tangible¡­ can be stripped away and killed.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re mad,¡± Ganbaatar said, eyes widening.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Not yet,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°This idea of mine is backed by thousands of hours of cold, hard research. I¡¯m confident enough to promise you this: you can keep my neck wrapped in one of those wires of yours while we do this. If I¡¯m wrong, take my head.¡±


    Vasilisa stepped forward and said, ¡°Hold a minute. What?¡±


    ¡°You heard me,¡± Argrave looked to her. ¡°I¡¯ll stake my head on this.¡±


    ¡°But you¡­!¡± she began, then trailed off. ¡°You¡¯re king, Argrave. You cannot make promises like that.¡±


    ¡°Gmon is my subordinate,¡± Argrave stared steadfastly. ¡°Amander should stake his life on his decisions, just as his men have their lives staked on his decisions.¡±


    Vasilisa raised her hands and said, ¡°The people¡ª"


    ¡°You may rx, Vasilisa,¡± Ganbaatar interrupted. ¡°I have no intention of holding someone unrted hostage.¡± His red eyes fixed on Argrave. ¡°I would hold only the vampire hostage.¡±


    Generally, Argrave would delegate the decision to Gmon, personally. He didn¡¯t have any right to volunteer the man¡¯s life. And¡­ he had. Long before this meeting, he broached the idea with the elven vampire. His response?


    ¡°You can do so,¡± Argrave nodded.


    The woond elves didn¡¯t respect individual choices¡ªmost matters were delegated to the leaders. Argrave could only earn respect from Ganbaatar by acting in this manner. He didn¡¯t need the man¡¯s respect, only his cooperation¡­ but respect would be amply useful nheless.


    Ganbaatar took a deep breath and stepped away until he stared out the window. Svena walked up to him.


    ¡°If my aunt would speak for him¡­¡± Svena began to counsel.


    ¡°Say nothing,¡± Ganbaatar interrupted her. ¡°Let me think.¡±


    Time stretched out. Argrave looked to Anneliese, hoping to get her input. Instead, he met Vasilisa¡¯s cold, blue eyes, obviously greatly displeased by this development. Argrave was sure her anger would fade with time.


    Ganbaatar turned back. ¡°This is a suitable resolution that serves ourmon interests.¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°I think so, too.¡±


    #####


    ¡°Gmon¡­¡± Argrave looked up at his knightmander. ¡°Are you sure about this? I mean, really sure?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± the vampire responded, taking off thest of his armor¡ªhis helmet. He wore simple brown clothes beneath, little more than rags.


    ¡°If you want to call it off¡­ I¡¯ll do it,¡± Argrave continued despite Gmon¡¯s assurances. ¡°It¡¯s your head at risk, not mine. If he¡¯s not true to his word like I think he is¡­ the moment that wire¡¯s around your neck¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± Gmon nodded, stepping away to set down his helmet. ¡°If he beheads me once the wire is in ce, his life would be forfeit. It¡¯s againstmon sense.¡± He looked back. ¡°And I trust your judgement.¡±


    ¡°I trust my judgement, too, but I might balk at the whole hostage idea¡­¡± Argrave put his hands on his waist, distraught.


    ¡°Just do it,¡± Gmon closed his eyes, his voice shaking for the first time Argrave had ever heard. ¡°I¡­ want finality. I havee long enough.¡±


    Argrave looked at him. The idea crossed through his head, very briefly, that Gmon might not care one way or the other whether he was cured or killed. All doubts vanished in that moment, and Argrave¡¯s face hardened. ¡°You¡¯re not going to be a vampire anymore, Gmon. If you have any final meals you want, I¡¯m willing to do a blood drive.¡±


    Gmon stepped away and out the door. Argrave bit his lips, frustrated at himself that he¡¯d chosen to joke instead offort. With no other option, he followed just after.


    They were far on the outskirts of First Hope, in a simple abandoned ranch house. Ganbaatar stood with Svena and Vasilisa. Anneliese was waiting just outside the house, and smiled at the two of them as she joined them in stride.


    ¡°The eye?¡± Argrave asked.


    Ganbaatar stared at only Gmon. ¡°You¡¯ll get it when the wire¡¯s around his neck.¡±


    Gmon needed no more words to step forward. He knelt down. After hesitating a beat, Ganbaatar twirled his fingers adroitly, his two wires glimmering in the moonlight. He wrapped them around Gmon¡¯s neck ever so slowly, then pulled them until they pushed against the vampire¡¯s pale skin. He saw the flesh bulge over the top and bottom, and felt his own neck grow ufortable.


    Then, Svena stepped forward. She handed Argrave the ss eye. Off its shrine, it looked more like an obsidian eye, with its strange runes glowing red.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Argrave nodded, looking up. Doubt overcame him for a moment, and so he hastened to do as he remembered. He reached into his pocket, retrieving the ck bowl. Anneliese handed him the knife¡ªonce it was out, Gmon¡¯s body tensed, the beast stirring within him.


    Argrave put the tip of the knife against the now-inanimate eye¡¯s iris. Then, after taking a deep breath, he handed the bowl to Anneliese. She held it beneath as he ran the eye through.


    ck mist seeped out of the eye. Ganbaatar watched this ordeal, hands tight against the wire. Slowly, a bloodlike liquid started to condense out of the eye, filling the bowl beneath. It went from a trickle to a stream, then back to a trickle before it trailed off as drops. Anneliese held the bowl with steady hands. When Argrave took it from her, he realized his were shaking.


    Argrave turned to Gmon, knelt, and held the bowl to him. The elven vampire received it, staring at his reflection in the bloodlike substance. Then, like downing medicine, he raised it up and drank deep. Down and down it drained, until nothing remained.


    Gmon lowered it, white eyes staring ahead. Then his breathing quickened breath by breath. By the tenth, red mist started toe from his nose. His body seized up, and blood started to drip from his mouth as his teeth dug deep into his lips.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Svena asked, panicked.


    Gmon opened his eyes¡­ but the whites were gone, and instead glowed red. Argrave, alert and knowledgeable, watched this misting from Gmon¡¯s nose with steady caution. Though formless at first¡­ it was slowly taking shape.

 Chapter 310: Piercing Thoughts

    Argrave stared at Gmon as red mist poured out of his body. He was running things through his head in a panic, yet held out his hands to follow his course of action.


    ¡°Remember what we talked about, Gmon,¡± Argrave called out. ¡°Stay conscious. All your years of experience in fighting this thing¡ªuse it. You are stronger than the beast.¡±


    A spell matrix whirled in Argrave¡¯s hand¡ªone of C-rank. Then, his ck blood started toe free of his hand, bringing the pain that came with blood magic all too familiar to Argrave. He used the spell [Putrid Paramerion], summoning a potent weapon of blood that took the form of the curved sword from which the spell took its name.


    The red mist responded to this spell like piranhas smelling blood in the water. It started to flow towards Argrave, coalescing into biting fangs that threatened to chip away at the impable surface of the bloody de.


    ¡°Muriem, Rhomaden,¡± Argrave repeated. ¡°What do those names mean to you?¡±


    Looking at Gmon, whose eyes had beenpletely obscured by the glowing red mist pouring out of his orifices, it was difficult to feel as though he was talking to a person.


    ¡°How did you meet Muriem?¡± Argrave asked, expecting no answer. He pulled the de close to him and knelt until his face was level with Gmon¡¯s. ¡°And how did that lead to that little boy you named Rhomaden? I don¡¯t need the details, just think about it.¡±


    No noise came from Gmon, either way. The people nearby stared at Argrave strangely¡­ all except Anneliese. In his free hand, Argrave cast another spell¡ªa druidic spell. His Brumesingers scampered out of his clothing, surprising both Svena and Ganbaatar. The elf, who still held his wire around Gmon¡¯s neck, had the forbearance to refrain from anything stupid. The small fox creatures hated the cold, yet they obeyed Argrave¡¯s order nheless. Their mist spread out around them, prepared forbat.


    ¡°Keep him steady,¡± Argravemanded all nearby. Then, he plunged the de forth.


    The curved sword of blood pierced Gmon¡¯s abdomen, and the snow elf naturally writhed for a moment. The mist pouring from Gmon started to coalesce¡ªnot around the de, but back into Gmon.


    ¡°Fight it!¡± Argrave shouted. ¡°You don¡¯t want this blood. The beast wants the blood. Let the beast have it¡ªlet the beast take it! But Gmon, you must refrain, because that¡¯s not what you want,¡± Argrave said through clenched teeth, fighting past the enormity of his instincts that screamed at him not to hurt hispanion.


    Gmon¡¯s body was contracting. His hands, rigid by his side, clenched and gripped and spasmed in so many ways. Yet then¡­ Argrave started to notice something else beyond his movements. There was something else¡­ a red echo, so faint it was almost indiscernible. Yet as the time passed, it became so obvious anyone could observe it.


    To call the redness emanating from Gmon¡¯s body an echo was not quite right. It did not merely follow what he did¡­ indeed, it had different desires. It wanted the blood, the valuable ck blood, ced right directly through it. And Argrave seized on that.


    ¡°Yes!¡± Argrave shouted. ¡°Gmon, think of it! Think of food, of breathing, of drinking water again! Think of setting foot upon the frozen shores of Veiden! Think of stepping past the great ice wall, and setting foot in your home once again!¡±


    The more Argrave spoke, the more this redness started to differ from what Gmon was doing. As though craning against invisible bindings, it reached, pulling against the force, trying to bring its hands inward to grasp the de of blood plunged into its stomach. The surface of the de started to chip away, and Argrave could only supply more blood to sustain it.


    ¡°What put death in your mind?¡± Argrave shouted at him. ¡°Your end¡¯s not in sight. Not until you¡¯ve done what the world needs you to do. Your family, your friends¡­ Damn you, you¡¯re going to do what I need you to do. I got a big burden, and I ain¡¯t so tough¡­¡± Argrave rose to his feet and put his boot on Gmon¡¯s shoulder. ¡°But you¡¯ve got enough grit for the both of us. me fate, me Veid¡­ but you¡¯reing with me, Gmon.¡±


    Argrave pushed down with his boot and pulled with both arms. Unlike how it entered, the paramerion fought dreadfully to stay stuck, and Argrave knew he¡¯d hooked the fish he¡¯d been baiting. All watched Argrave with shock and awe¡­ then, the de shot out, and Argrave staggered back. Gmon slumped over, no strength left in him, and Ganbaatar kneeled as he fell so as not to cut his head off.


    When Argrave finally gained his footing¡­ he abruptly realized he wasn¡¯t the only one holding onto the de of blood that he¡¯d conjured. There was another, and they wererger than even him. With indiscriminate red features, Gmon¡¯s vampiric beast looked at Argrave. And the red construct was most definitely alive. Anneliese had a spell matrix prepared, but obviously feared to cast when the beast was so closely entangled with Argrave.


    Argrave barely processed this before the de in his grip shattered beneath its intense strength. It lunged at Argrave, both hands rushing for his stomach. Argrave tried to retreat to the defense of his Brumesingers as was nned, but it was far faster. One of its hands pierced Argrave¡¯s stomach. Extreme pain exploded from his gut. The other hand¡­


    A southron elf warrior stabbed the vampiric beast through the arm¡­ or rather, a mist warrior conjured by the Brumesingers had. Their chiming howls echoed and their mist spread out, and before long five spears held by five warriors thrust towards the vampiric beast. Recognizing the situation, it disentangled and leapt away with supernatural speed.


    Argrave was no stranger to pain and kept his wits about him as he kept his eye on the vampiric beast that was Gmon¡¯s double. As he healed the dreadful wound, Argrave was protected by the Brumesingers. The beast changed targets to Anneliese. The thing moved so ridiculously quickly that the only thing she could do was conjure a ward with her enchanted ring. The humanoid beast mmed against it, then gained its bearings and kicked off towards Vasilisa.


    Vasilisa, even with her A-rank ascension [Matrix of the Body], could not react in time to its speed. She, too, barely managed to get a ward up. The creature learned from its brief encounter with Anneliese and was prepared to dart away, using both its legs and arms for tremendous speed. It made no sounds and left no trace, and that made it only more terrifying.


    As it changed targets to Svena, Argrave was ruing underestimating the beast itself. It was a rtively weak, if speedy, construct that he assumed would be dispatched the moment people saw it. Even Anneliese, who had been informed beforehand, could not act fast enough. He neglected to make the proper preparations. As it neared Svena, Gmon, and Ganbaatar¡­ he feared for the worst.


    Anneliese feltfortable to release her spell by this point and cast the B-rank [Cloudborn Chain]. It was a bolt of lightning that manifested as a quick moving chain. It struck the vampiric beast, and though a great bit of it was blown away, it reformed just as quickly. The lightning from the spell spread out along the ground, conducting through and shocking Svena. She staggered to the ground, yet managed to cast her own spell¡ªa wave of fire.


    The beast reeled away from the mes. Its head darted around quickly¡­ yet then, seeing opposition from nearly every direction, made the most unexpected choice. It started to run away, heading away from the abandoned ranch house and towards the city. Anneliese cast more lighting spells, and Vasilisa joined in as well¡ªthe thing was so fast it could barely be tracked, let alone hit.


    ¡°Damn it,¡± Argrave cursed, his wound finally healed. He started conjuring [Electric Eels], yet already the creature was getting away. He feared some damage being done to anyone nearby.


    A brief explosion of dirt puffed near the creature, and it rolled away. Argrave spotted a glint in the air, and realized Ganbaatar was standing¡­ and his wires were free of Gmon¡¯s throat. He threw out his left hand, and another knife flew through the air. The creature dodged again, and then made to keep running. Ganbaatar manipted his hands, and the wires closed in. In not a second, the manifestation of the vampiric beast was cut in half.


    Argrave, still fearing the worst, ran up beside Ganbaatar. The creature, utterly severed in half, persisted in solid shape as the two of them walked towards it. Its lower half was regenerating ever so slowly. Argrave felt like he was staring at an echo of Gmon. He was reminded of the time he¡¯d seen the man frenzied by intense blood loss¡­ this creature had fought much like him, then. It crawled away with its arms yet was not even half as fast as it had been.


    ¡°You undid your wires,¡± Argrave noted, breathing slightly heavily. He put his boot on the back of the creature, ceasing to conjure [Electric Eels].N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°I felt his heartbeat,¡± Ganbaatar returned. The creature tried to reach at Argrave¡¯s foot yet could not.


    Argrave nodded. ¡°I made a mistake. Didn¡¯t realize this would cause us problems.¡±


    ¡°This is new ground. You couldn¡¯t be expected to know,¡± Ganbaatar returned.


    The vampire hunter retrieved his daggers with the wires attached, then knelt. He wrapped one wire around the vampiric beast¡¯s neck and pulled it tight. Its head fell off¡­ and then, exploded into mist. As he watched the elf, Argrave left out the part where he did, as a matter of fact, know this wasing. Thatck of precaution nearly cost lives. If his allies had been lesspetent, it would have.


    Ganbaatar looked back. ¡°What¡¯ll happen to him?¡±


    Argrave also looked back, where he spotted Anneliese and Svena both running to catch up with them. Staring at Gmon, he only answered, ¡°I¡¯m not fully sure.¡±


    Argrave knew numbers¡ªthe regeneration buff, the strength buff, et cetera¡­ but those numbers were gone, now. This was reality. Argrave truly couldn¡¯t say what would change of Gmon. All he knew was that his vampirism was gone.


    Ganbaatar stepped away. ¡°He must be exposed to the sun. Only then¡­ will I be sure.¡±


    Argrave nodded distantly as Anneliese caught up to Argrave. ¡°I apologize,¡± she said at once. ¡°You told me to be ready to kill it, and yet I was not. I feared hitting you¡­¡±


    ¡°It was my fault,¡± Argrave returned. ¡°Didn¡¯t retreat fast enough to give you that opportunity. It poked through my armor like cardboard.¡±


    ¡°I cannot say how my heart dropped¡­ are you okay?¡± she questioned, looking down at his stomach.


    ¡°You know¡­¡± Argrave mused, feeling disconnected with reality as the adrenaline in him slowly faded. ¡°Maybe this is the wrong time for inspiration¡­¡± he looked at her. ¡°But I think I know how I¡¯m going to ascend to A-rank.¡±

 Chapter 311: Blood Bender Hangover

    Gmon blinked open his eyes and turned his head. Sunlight fell upon him, and instinct spurred him to move quickly. His hands reached for where he kept his sks of blood, but then cognition returned to him as unconsciousness released its hold. He remembered what had happened to put him on the ground here.


    ¡°Good morning,¡± Argrave, to Gmon¡¯s left, greeted. He had a stack of papers pinned atop a simple wooden b and had clearly been writing diligently not moments before. ¡°How do you feel? Enjoying the sense of the sun, the beating of your heart?¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    At Argrave¡¯s words, Gmon put his hand to his chest. Indeed¡­ the beat came and came again. Gmon¡¯s breathing quickened¡ªanother autonomic function that was vital once more. Recallingst night¡¯s events, Gmon touched at his stomach, but the wound was gone.


    ¡°How does it feel to be alive again?¡± Argrave pressed.


    As Gmon processed things, he noticed more around him¡ªAnneliese near Argrave, or Ganbaatar and Svena to his right. The Magister Vasilisa was far off, sitting on a rock and watching all of them. And¡­ Gmon looked straight at the sun, then lowered his eyes so as not to blind himself. He had always felt some aversion to the light. Even if drinking blood suppressed the potent reaction vampires endured, it felt like cold steel against his skin.


    Yet now¡­ in this cold, northernnd, the sun was only warm. What did Gmon feel, now?


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­¡± Gmon paused. ¡°I want¡­ to eat,¡± he said it only as he recognized what this was.


    Argraveughed, perhaps not expecting that response. ¡°Well, I think we can certainly arrange that! I think we can all enjoy a gargantuan breakfast before we head back to Quadreign. Everyone¡¯s fine with that, right?¡± As people answered in the affirmative, Argrave rose to his feet. ¡°Then, let¡¯s. Tell me¡­ what do you want as your first meal after your long fast? Probably not a rare steak,¡± he quipped as he offered his hand to help Gmon up.


    Gmon stared at Argrave¡¯s hand, still somewhat in shock.


    ¡°Did you think you weren¡¯t going to wake up?¡± Argrave asked. ¡°You must¡¯ve forgotten what I told you. No rest for the wicked, Gmon.¡±


    #####


    Gmon took a long while to choose what his first meal would be, and in the end Argrave chose for him: rye bread, eggs, and some soup. Food was scarce this far north, so Argrave could not treat him to anything better without heading deep into the city. That said¡­ the snow elf had an appetite. He probably ate three pounds of eggs alone.


    Even despite the massive and sudden change in Gmon¡¯s life, the former vampire remained incredibly stoic. He wasn¡¯t shy about expressing his gratitude, certainly¡ªhis earnest appreciation was somewhat overwhelming, even¡ªbut in eating food once again, breathing as a necessity rather than a habit, and generally being alive¡­ well, not even a tear was shed. He did things slowly and deliberately as though it was unfamiliar, but he did them without raising a fuss whatsoever.


    Ganbaatar, who had been skeptical of the change, gradually epted that the vampirism had truly been cast out. He still insisted on following to be sure that remained the case, even if only briefly. Still, the vampire hunter could not deny the facts: whether it was the desire for blood, the general rejection of sunlight, or the beast within that urged to hunt and consume¡­ these traits were gone in Gmon. Other aspects of the curse remained, all generally in line with Argrave¡¯s expectations.


    Through some testing and observation, Argrave confirmed two things. One: Gmon retained his prowess, be it his senses or his strength. Two: Gmon retained his regeneration. Argrave had expected another mechanistic principle to take its ce¡ªperhaps Gmon would need to eat food to regenerate, or perhaps his body would self-cannibalize other parts of the body to heal itself.


    None were true. Gmon regenerated his body seemingly without a cost.


    It was a mind-boggling discovery that truly confounded Argrave. But then, he reasoned, maybe it wasn¡¯t that there was no source¡­ only that Argrave couldn¡¯t perceive the source. Perhaps whatever brought on the vampirism was being drawn on without necessarily paying the tithe of blood vampires paid. If so¡­ Argrave was amply pleased to be scamming whatever force had brought vampirism to the world. The thought he might be conning something that had created vampires conversely worried him greatly, granted.


    After their meal, they prepared to travel. Once Argrave was satisfied that Gmon was whole and hearty, he was content to leave him be and delve into a task that demanded his attention¡ªnamely, writing down his inspiration for his own A-rank ascension. They would depart on foot shortly, leaving Magisters Hegazar and Vera to handle things with the Drawnwaters and the aftermath of Ivan¡¯s death.


    Vasilisa had obviouslyplex feelings about the whole situation. Though Argrave had not confirmed it with a question, he thought she felt as though he¡¯d misled her about the reason for speaking to her niece and Ganbaatar. She was right¡­ but then, things worked out as she wanted them to. Gmon was no longer afflicted with vampirism. Argrave hoped on making sure that everything was mended between them on the journey back to Quadreign. After all, he hoped for her advice on his theory of A-rank ascension.


    Still, Argrave felt one more thing needed tending to.


    #####


    The room their party of three had stayed at in the inn was empty, now. Gmon had removed his armor for the ritual, yet now it was back on. He was ready to set on the road again like nothing had really happened. Instead of hauling blood, he hauled normal things¡ªrations for the road, water to drink. He sat on one of the beds and stared at his hands, his gauntlets unworn just beside him.


    The Veidimen turned his head moments before someone entered the room. Anneliese looked around, then settled her eyes upon Gmon.


    ¡°Having trouble epting things?¡± she questioned, stepping up to where he sat.


    Gmon grabbed his gauntlets, saying nothing in response to her question. He slowly slipped the first on, tightening and sping the straps.


    Anneliese stepped around the bed until she stood just in front of him. ¡°You think that, because you retain the benefits of vampirism, people might not think you free of the curse. And by people¡­ I mean the people of Veiden.¡±


    At her words, Gmon stopped what he was doing and looked at her. ¡°¡­I know there¡¯s no point denying it. Not to you.¡±


    ¡°It was merely a guess of mine. You seemed to doubt all that Argrave was saying,¡± Anneliese noted. ¡°That consistent skepticism led me to that conclusion.¡±


    His white eyes fixed on her face. ¡°Should my curee so easy? Should it be so beneficial?¡±


    ¡°Easy?¡± Anneliese raised her brow, then went to sit on another bed a fair bit away. ¡°Do you think any but Argrave could have made this happen? I certainly cannot imagine so. I think you forget what a tremendous boon his knowledge is.¡±


    Gmon lowered his head and picked up his other gauntlet, putting it over the other hand.


    ¡°You will learn what you truly want to know in time, I think,¡± Anneliese continued. ¡°We have to return to Veiden soon enough¡­ and our tribesmen can confirm your cure.¡± Anneliese¡¯s amber eyes were unshaking as she continued, ¡°And when the boundary between realms weakens, Veid Herself can judge if you are truly a sinner even still.¡±


    Gmon closed his eyes, looking distraught.


    ¡°So, fret not. You will have an objective measure soon enough,¡± she consoled.


    Gmon stewed in silence. Content to leave him with that, Anneliese rose to her feet and walked for the door.


    ¡°Wait,¡± Gmon turned his head.


    ¡°Yes?¡± Anneliese looked back, stopping at the door¡¯s threshold.


    Gmon stared at her, narrowed his eyes, then started tough out his guttural, haunting chuckle.


    Anneliese stepped back within the room and inquired, ¡°What amuses you so?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯se to trust and rely on you far more than me,¡± the elven knightmander reflected. ¡°It¡¯s funny, that¡¯s all. Now that I see it, I¡¯m a little relieved. To think I was admonishing you not to question him all those months ago, when you first joined¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡­ do not follow,¡± she tilted her head.


    ¡°Argrave told you toe talk to me, didn¡¯t he?¡± Gmon raised a brow. ¡°Well¡­ hah.¡±


    Anneliese crossed her arms defensively. ¡°He¡­ did, yes. And I agreed with him on this,¡± she added in defense of Argrave. ¡°I do not think you realize just how much he admires you. He respects you so much that he thinks himself incapable of giving you worthwhile advice.¡±


    Gmon¡¯s mirth died. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Just what I said,¡± Anneliese held her arms out in a shrug. ¡°Argrave respects you more than anyone. He wishes he was more like you.¡±


    ¡°No, he doesn¡¯t,¡± Gmon disagreed with a strong frown.


    Annelieseughed this time. ¡°I thought you knew better than to deny it.¡±


    Gmon opened his mouth, then closed it without a response. With a smile, Anneliese turned and walked out of the room. Gmon looked back at his now-gauntleted hands, staring at the dark gray steel. Then, he rose to his feet, retrieving his weaponry. He hung them where they belonged one after another. Then, with a deep and rich breath, he walked towards the door with steady steps.


    #####


    ¡°Think of it,¡± Argrave spoke to Vasilisa as they walked the mountain path, his breathing slightly thin. ¡°I do agree it was wrong, but at the end of the day, it led to reiming your house¡¯s me and curing your sister. I was a bit deceptive, and the more Ie to know you the more it makes me guilty,¡± Argrave admitted, pausing as he stepped up a particrly tall incline. ¡°But¡­ that¡¯s no more. I can disclose anything you want to know, without any holds barred,¡± he said, holding his arms wide as though to proim his innocence.


    Vasilisa came to stand beside him, her breathing a little bit heavier than his. ¡°I want to know¡­¡± she paused, retrieving a canteen to take a drink. ¡°I want to know what you want from me now.¡±


    ¡°Beyond the whole ¡®northern spellcaster army¡¯ thing?¡± Argrave pursed his lips, slowly regaining his breath. ¡°I just want your thoughts on a theory of A-rank ascension.¡±


    ¡°I thought you were A-rank,¡± Vasilisa raised a brow as she looked up at his face.


    ¡°No. I just have a lot of magic,¡± Argrave shrugged.


    Vasilisa fixed her blonde hair as Anneliese caught up to them. ¡°Alright. Talk.¡±


    ¡°I have an undying soul,¡± Argrave said at once.


    ¡°What?¡± Vasilisa said scornfully at once. ¡°Nonsense. That¡¯s impossibly rare. How would you even know?¡±


    ¡°Vasquer. The snake, that is,¡± Argrave pped his hands together. ¡°Anyway¡­ I saw Gmon¡¯s vampiric beast, and it struck me with inspiration. That, Hegazar¡¯s illusory projection, and this,¡± Argrave raised his arm up, pointing to his silver bracer. ¡°What if I can use my undying soul as an anchor for magical constructs spawned of blood magic? Barring the multitude of uses I might get from such constructs¡­ what if I can use the dormant magic in my ck blood to replicate spells I cast?¡±


    ¡°Vasquer? Dormant magic in your ck blood¡­?¡± Vasilisa started, utterly confused.


    Argrave clenched his hands together tightly, then pointed ahead. ¡°Come, it¡¯s a long road. Let¡¯s walk and talk¡­¡±

 Chapter 312: No Pain, Only Gain

    Argrave nted his foot down and crested over the top of a hill he¡¯d travelled once before. The snow had melted a little more on their return, and the pine trees seemed a little more robust. Another detail was far more striking¡ªnamely, the moving hands of the clocktower overlooking the pce in Quadreign.


    Vasilisa caught up with Argrave. The moment her eyes fell where his did, her brain worked topute the implications. To cement her realization, Argravemented, ¡°Seems the me is already doing its work. The people must be pleased.¡±


    The Magister muttered something iprehensible, words mashed together in her excitement, and then she took off towards the city isted in the valley.


    As Anneliese crested the hill next, she called out to Vasilisa in concern, ¡°Watch your footing.¡±


    Svena was the next toe, then Ganbaatar. Svena, another member of House Quadreign, had much the same reaction as her aunt, and set off back towards the city with the same disbelieving haste. They were both like treasure hunters that had finally found what they¡¯d been hunting for all these years.


    Gmon was thest toe¡ªnot because he was the slowest, but because he generally held the back of the line. Argrave stared at him as he came to stand. He was no expert on emotions as Anneliese was, but the man seemed to be in a strange state. Forget jubtion, relief¡ªGmon appeared to be in a state of frozen grief, of emptiness. It deeply worried Argrave.


    ¡°Anne,¡± Argrave called out, turning his head back to the city. ¡°Diana of Quadreign is going to be cured. Unlike her sister¡­ I think she¡¯ll want more concrete terms of vassge. We ought to talk about that, among other important things. I learned a lot from the Magister¡­ I hope you did, too. We ought to discuss our findings.¡±


    Anneliese nced at Argrave as he looked over the valley city, then gave a knowing nod. ¡°That is prudent.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Good. Let¡¯s head down, get settled.¡± Argrave looked at Ganbaatar and inquired, ¡°What¡¯s your n?¡±


    ¡°To remain with the¡­¡± Ganbaatar trailed off, realizing he couldn¡¯t call him a vampire anymore. ¡°To observe Gmon a while longer. I think Svena will amodate me.¡±


    ¡°I hope so,¡± Argrave nodded, then set off down into the valley. ¡°Even if she doesn¡¯t¡­ sleeping on the streets might not be so bad anymore. The heat¡¯s back on.¡±


    #####


    Vasilisa tossed open the poorly maintained iron gates of the pce of Quadreign and stormed inside. The steward Ferrel stood in the courtyard as he didst time, but stepped towards the returning Magister with an urgency to him.


    ¡°The me,¡± Vasilisa called out. ¡°Is it there?¡±


    The old Ferrel nodded intently to his words as he said, ¡°Yes it is,dy Vasilisa. It reappeared one morning, like a trail of fire across the sky¡­ I thought it was some sort of rift in the world itself, yet it flowed back into the old fire basin! Does this mean¡­?¡± he looked nervous and excited in equal measure. ¡°I¡­ everyone was cheering, but I feared to act¡­ I feared¡­¡± his words faltered as though he had so many fears he did not know where to begin.


    Vasilisa took a deep breath of exuberant triumph and exhaled. ¡°Fear no longer. Get Diana at once, lead her down. I will go ahead and confirm things¡­ and then¡­ Ferrel¡­¡± she closed her eyes. ¡°And then, House Quadreign can repay everyone¡¯s steadfastness.¡±


    The old steward¡¯s eyes lit up with a fire of his own, and he gave a steady, certain nod. ¡°I will speak to the baroness.¡±


    Vasilisa sprinted inwards, heading for the path that led deeper within. As he walked into the confines of the tunnel heading deep within the earth, she slowed her pace slightly to breathe through her nose. And she smelled the sour-sweet tang of vinegar just as had been before.


    Vasilisa nced back, worried her sister wouldn¡¯t be able to make it down that descent. She went very deep until the decades-empty chamber that once housed the me entered her vision. It was empty no longer. The me, more vibrant than she could ever remember it being, persisted defiantly deep in this chamber. All of the runes inscribed in the stone worked to sustain it, worked to grow it, and worked to fuel the entirety of the city of Quadreign.


    The Magister stepped forward, holding her hand out to the me. Her heart was beating quickly as she recognized it remained exactly as it had. Something scraped behind her, and she looked back to see Ferrel escorting Diana down. She leaned upon him heavily, yet both the wizened steward and her near-incapable sister walked with steady steps.


    Once Diana¡¯s eyesid upon the me, her blue eyes lit up like the midday sky and she tried to step away from Ferrel¡¯s aid. Vasilisa stepped out to meet her.


    ¡°I had¡­ forgotten what this looked like,¡± Diana said in wonder.


    As the baroness left Ferrel¡¯s assistance, she stumbled¡ªby then, Vasilisa was nearby to catch her. ¡°Easy,¡± the Magister cautioned her, holding her by her arms. ¡°Ferrel¡­ I can handle things from here. There are guests you might have to greet.¡± She turned her head. ¡°The ones who restored the me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Diana apologized as Ferrel moved to obey. ¡°You catch me¡­ at a bad time. I¡¯m just¡­ quite dizzy. And my legs¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s thest bad time,¡± Vasilisa said, helping her older sister walk forward. ¡°Come. We must burn this all away.¡±


    Diana and Vasilisa walked into the me, the younger supporting the older. Though the me seemed to do nothing¡­ after a time, it was as though the ck me had found both kindling and fuel within their bodies. The me within burned brightly, devouring whatever fuel it could find. Vasilisa held her sister steadfastly, yet Diana¡¯s change was more drastic.


    The baroness let out a groan that trailed off into a wince as the fire burning within her rose ever higher. Her fingers clenched tightly around Vasilisa¡¯s arms as she put more and more of her weight upon her. She seemed to be a bright ball of the ck me far exceeding her sister¡¯s. At its apex, Diana¡¯s fingers clenched tightly¡­ then rxed all at once. Diana fell limp.


    Vasilisa caught her sister, and the two of them slowly lowered to the floor. Despite the sudden event, the Magister merely held Diana, a rxed and eased smile on her face. Though the me was said to burn through stress and anxiety, Vasilisa questioned if that could truly be the sole source of the sense of peace she felt. The bright me burning out of Diana not moments ago persisted like a dying fire running through thest of its wood.


    Another set of footsteps resounded throughout the old fire basin. Vasilisa looked up for a new entry¡ªSvena.


    ¡°Auntie? Mom?¡± the young mage called out, short of breath.


    ¡°You¡¯re here. Good,¡± Vasilisa answered back. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I cannot carry your mother alone. I think it will be some hours before she wakes up¡­¡±


    #####


    ¡°If you¡¯re well and content with the amodations¡­ I would most like to return to the baroness,¡± the steward, Ferrel, bowed to Argrave.


    ¡°Please,¡± Argrave waved his hand. ¡°Do so at once. We can settle in here.¡±


    Ferrel needed no further encouragement to leave. Once he did, Argrave looked around at the familiar guest house they¡¯d stayed in when they first arrived at this city of Quadreign. Someone new was with them¡ªGanbaatar.


    Argrave grabbed Anneliese¡¯s elbow and gently moved her deeper in the room. ¡°Let¡¯s take the chance to talk. I imagine it¡¯ll be some hours before things are settled with them¡­¡±


    Soon enough, the two of them were enclosed within a ward. While staring at the wall, Argrave inquired, ¡°Am I out of my depth, or is Gmon not really improving?¡±


    Anneliese stared at him steadily. ¡°You say that like he is dysfunctional.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ of course not. But I was thinking¡­ I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s like nothing has really changed for him.¡± Argrave rubbed his chin. ¡°I wanted to help him while keeping his edge over our foes, but did I¡­ make a mistake, pursuing this line of cure?¡±


    ¡°I cannot imagine so,¡± Anneliese counseled. ¡°I think he merely needs time. Day after day of living cured will change his mentality. And perhaps¡­ a jolt, when the timees¡ªand it will, considering we need to enlist Veiden¡¯s aid eventually. Gmon is not the sort of person to change his disposition so quickly. He is too strong to bend, if that makes any sense.¡±


    ¡°Things that can¡¯t bend are often brittle,¡± Argrave pointed out. ¡°And they break because of that.¡±


    Anneliese put one hand on her hip. ¡°Should we make him a vampire again, try another method?¡± Her snidement broke the tension and Argrave chuckled. As he did, Anneliese continued, ¡°We stay the course, and we help him where we see the opportunity. That would be the case even if he had turned jubnt, I think.¡±


    Argrave scratched at his cheek, understanding her point about the futility of his train of thought. ¡°Yeah. Yeah, you¡¯re right,¡± he admitted, taking a moment to rpose himself. ¡°But on another note¡­ I don¡¯t think what I said back at the hill was wrong.¡±


    ¡°About Diana, the vassge?¡± Anneliese grew serious.


    ¡°Precisely so,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°Diana¡­ she doesn¡¯t know us as Vasilisa does, and she¡¯ll be able to think clearly about the situation. Objectively.¡±


    ¡°Yet we still healed her,¡± Anneliese pointed out.


    Argrave looked back to the door of the guest house. ¡°She¡¯s fiercely shrewd, and she¡¯ll definitely want the best for the people of the north. She¡¯ll know that Vasilisa helped us as much as we helped Quadreign.¡± Argrave rolled his shoulders and stretched. ¡°I do wonder what Vasilisa is saying¡­¡±


    #####


    ¡°So, our future king did all that, did he?¡± Diana asked.


    The baroness rested in bed, a heavy nket atop her. Her daughter, Svena,y just beside her and hugged her fiercely with little regard for anything else besides the joy that her mother was better. Vasilisa sat in a chair off to the side, lounging idly with a drink in hand. An observer might think the three of them were all sisters, considering how young they looked.


    ¡°Among other things,¡± Vasilisa confirmed, perhaps not catching the undertone Diana put out.


    ¡°That¡¯s a very interesting tale, Vasilisa,¡± Diana confirmed, her voice quicker and sharper than it had been not hours ago.


    ¡°Please, mother¡­¡± Svena urged, voice muffled beneath the nket. ¡°Let us just enjoy things. I never thought this day would evere¡­¡±


    Diana did soften for a brief moment, and her thin hand rested atop her daughter¡¯s head. ¡°Vasilisa tells me you¡¯ve grown a lot. Already a B-rank mage, yes? And even without the me¡­¡±


    Svena looked up. ¡°Well¡­ yes,¡± she admitted shyly.


    ¡°Then you take after her,¡± Diana¡¯s eyes turned to Vasilisa. ¡°My sister¡¯s magic pool grew faster than mine. And even as my magic size continued to grow, I could never breach into A-rank. Icked the talent.¡± She sighed deeply. ¡°I¡¯m proud of you. I¡¯m sure your father would be, too. But I regret¡­ missing so much.¡±


    Svena hugged her mother tighter. ¡°You¡¯re better, now. Think of that, instead. It¡¯s much happier.¡±


    ¡°Yes. I am better, now.¡± Diana¡¯s eyes grew focused. ¡°Archduchess of the North¡­ he¡¯d give me that? It¡¯s because he expects the people to fall in line with Quadreign rule once again. Vasilisa,¡± she called out.


    ¡°Yes?¡± the Magister answered at once, almost as though conditioned.


    ¡°There are thousands of spellcasters just like me in the north. People that benefited from the me of House Quadreign, butcked the talent to breach beyond B-rank. It is the great limiter, the great divide. Yet that force of B-rank spellcasters that make their home in the north is so substantial as to draw a king here, personally,¡± Diana pointed out quickly. ¡°It is an army so potent that the only thing that brought our loss was betrayal.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Vasilisa nodded in agreement.


    ¡°If people do rally under the banner of Quadreign once again¡­ if indeed they would ept me as Archduchess¡­¡± Diana looked to the door. ¡°I will repay that loyalty. I must. And to that end¡­ I must ensure we live well.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ Diana¡­¡± Vasilisa began. ¡°What he did for us¡­¡±


    ¡°I know. I know,¡± Diana nodded. ¡°But the north is cold in weather and spirit, and people live short, hard lives. Think, too, of that.¡± She grabbed the nket and threw it off, turning her body. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve been more excited about the prospect of seeing a Vasquer in my entire life. And now¡­ I need a n of action. I won¡¯t go into negotiations empty-headed.¡±


    ¡°Mom¡­!¡± Svena called out, yet Diana was already moving off the bed with a renewed vigor.

 Chapter 313: Used Kingdom Salesman

    Argrave stared up at a gargantuan moving gear that clicked every second. One might think the clocktower of Quadreign would be rather borate on the interior, but no¡ªit was onerge gear with a much smaller one at its center. The smaller received the directed power of the me of the Tenebrous Star. Anneliese watched right alongside him, both showing their curiosity openly. Argrave knew this ce by design, but neither of them knew how the me made the clock count the seconds.


    Footsteps echoed into the room, and Argrave turned his head. The top of the clocktower was more a living area than a lookout. There was only one window from which to see all of Quadreign below, and the room itself was upied with homey wooden furniture¡ªa rocking chair by the window, a small table in the center, and a small library nestled in a corner. It looked a private and informal ce. Argrave was very curious why Diana had requested to meet here.


    Baroness Diana of Quadreign stepped up the stairway and into the clocktower¡¯s highest point. She paused for a moment, examining their party¡ªArgrave, Gmon, and Anneliese¡ªand then stepped in.


    ¡°We meet again, ¡®Silvaden,¡¯¡± she called out. Diana had a rich voice and a fair face. Now that she was tumor-free, she reminded Argrave a little of Elenore in demeanor. Just behind her, the other Quadreigns walked up¡ªVasilisa and Svena.


    ¡°You look well,¡± Argrave said as he walked closer, followed by hispanions. ¡°And those aren¡¯t empty words, either. I¡¯m very d that you¡¯ve made such an astonishing recovery. Vasilisa has told me of how you¡¯ve toiled to keep the people in your territory prosperous despite the tremendous devastation the war wrought to yournd,¡± Argrave looked to the Magister, giving her a nod. ¡°I very much wished to have a longer conversation with you at the time, but¡­ I cannot exactly fault that it was dyed until today.¡±


    Diana¡¯s steps slowed as she neared Argrave, staring up at him with some measure of caution in her face. And she was right to be cautious¡ªArgrave had a battery of psychological tricks in his sleeve he¡¯d learn in negotiating with the patricians. He¡¯d already used one¡ªttery. Argrave found people loved ttery when they didn¡¯t know that¡¯s what it was.


    The baroness held out her hand. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s so astonishing a recovery given our me¡¯s nature¡­ but yes, it¡¯s nice to speak with the three of you once more with my wits about me.¡±


    Argrave shook her hand. ¡°I agree. On that note, I have something for you.¡± Argrave reached into his coat with his free hand and pulled something out¡ªthe second of his tricks. ¡°A little gift to celebrate your recovery.¡±


    It was a golden ring with a sun wrought atop it, four snakes as its rays. It was one of the enchanted rings Argrave had made. It was nothing special, but it was a gift. Human nature is that of reciprocity. Thus came the old proverb, ¡®there is nothing more expensive than something free.¡¯ By giving a small, inconsequential gift, Argrave had gotten people to agree to much more beneficial dealster in the conversation.


    ¡°I made this¡ªan enchanted ring that conjures a B-rank ward,¡± Argrave described as he held it in his palm. ¡°Perhaps you might consider it in poor taste to bear something with my personal heraldry¡­ but I hope to change the rtionship between Quadreign and Vasquer. I won¡¯t deny that my family, and more specifically my father, ravaged thisnd. What¡¯s been done can¡¯t be changed, but I hope that it can be remedied. I thought this ring might stand as symbol to that. Let my symbol be a shield for you and yours.¡±


    Diana was caught off-bnce. Argrave left out key details, making the ring seem a personalized gift when it was really something Argrave had made far prior for another reason.


    Hesitating, the baroness held out her hand in rejection. ¡°That is far too expensive. Please, keep it.¡±


    ¡°I insist. Your protection is important,¡± Argrave held it out further.


    Diana pursed her lips, then slowly epted the ring. ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty.¡±


    Argrave didn¡¯t reject the title in favor of acting closer to Diana, as retaining authority was another trick of the mind he¡¯d learned. His title of ¡®king¡¯ had weight, he found. But he wasn¡¯t about to let up the pressure.


    ¡°Vasilisa has already volunteered you as Archduchess of the North.¡± Argrave smiled. ¡°Something I¡¯m sure she told you of.¡±


    Diana found a foothold in the conversation, and butted in, ¡°That¡¯s precisely what I wanted to talk to you about, Your Majesty. I¡ª¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Argrave interrupted her. ¡°Wandering through this northernnd, I learned a lot. I can¡¯t say that I have the knowledge a local might have, but I think I understand what historical good your house of Quadreign has done for thisnd. I greatly admire your dedication to the people of thisnd. Food is scarce, the wilderness is dangerous, yet the Queendom of Quadreign served as protectors for all. I think it¡¯s the duty of a leader to do precisely as much¡ªI think we have simr mindsets on this.


    ¡°Furthermore,¡± Argrave turned his gaze to the window. ¡°I believe the north has unique needspared to the rest of the continent. The taxes levied here aren¡¯t quite right. Your viges cannot afford to give their harvest like those of the south. To that end, I think that any agreement we reach in terms of vassge should differ ordingly.¡±


    ¡°I agree,¡± Diana managed to get a few words in. ¡°Food is valuable here.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. As such¡­ I believe it would be best for both if this newly established Archduchy needs only pay something it has less need of¡ªcoin,¡± Argrave suggested. He had more in mind, but he would leave it out until Diana pushed back.


    ¡°Coin?¡± Diana furrowed her brows. ¡°But what of military responsibility?¡±


    ¡°I would take no soldiers,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°I have need of spellcasters, Diana, and nothing more. I would take all magical forces you can muster, but your men are needed for hunting and tending the herds. I could not pull them from that in good faith.¡±


    ¡°But coin¡­ Vasquer coin is not that present in the north,¡± Diana crossed her arms. ¡°It¡¯s here, certainly, but not as integrated as it is in the southern territories.¡±


    ¡°Yes. I hoped to foster trade,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°By necessitating coin, the people here can be incentivized to trade with the south¡ªI believe there are many opportunities. You have beautiful furs that could be luxury products in the south, coupled with gemstones from precious mines in the hills and pearls from the coast.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ a little¡­¡± Diana hesitated. She turned her head back to her daughter and her sister, but none could offer advice.


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Argrave mused, touching his chin. ¡°How about this, then? In trading foodstuffs or seeds¡ªthings the north sorely needs¡ªthere will be neither tariffs nor taxes. The people of the south wille here with food aplenty if things turn out that way. And¡­ you will be exempt from all taxes for the five years.¡± Argrave spread his arms out. ¡°I believe we have a deal. You need only ept these terms,¡± he said, implying she might lose out if she refused now.


    Generous terms? Perhaps. But if the deal finished here, Argrave earned all of the northern spellcasters, a very positively predisposed figurehead, and an amply loyal popce. Above all, he did want the north to prosper. What he¡¯d said wasn¡¯t wrong. Someone foolish might think he was losing a lot, but he hade here with three people, and earned the entire northern portion of Vasquer.


    Diana had been hit with a vast array of tricks Argrave had rued over his life, and it showed. Her face betrayed that she was desperately looking for a way she could reasonably get more, yet various factors at y in her head screamed at her to say something in particr.


    ¡°We have a deal,¡± Diana agreed, like someone conceding defeat in the face of overwhelming force.


    Argrave beamed. ¡°Wonderful.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    #####


    The Quadreign family and Argrave¡¯spanions, with the negotiations settled, enjoyed a pleasant time in the clocktower¡¯s chamber. Though Argrave had been a bitpetitive when it came to negotiations, he rxed and found himself enjoying thepany of the three people in the new Archduchess¡¯ family. Anneliese got along with Diana splendidly. Gmon, though he was still more reticent than usual, enjoyed Vasilisa¡¯spany.


    They talked of much¡ªArgrave¡¯s ns for the kingdoms, Gerechtigkeit, and the war. More mundane topics came up as well, like simple hobbies. At the end of it all, Argrave and his coterie left before the moon grew too high above. Once they were well and truly gone, Diana plopped in the rocking chair by the window.


    ¡°By the me¡­¡± she sighed.


    ¡°Mom?¡± Svena questioned,ing closer.


    ¡°I never stood a chance,¡± Diana reflected.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Vasilisa, slightly sloshed, didn¡¯t follow.


    ¡°Svena¡­ I think you should go with them,¡± Diana said. ¡°I think you have to be a part of that parliament our new king is building. You can learn a lot more from him and those he keeps near him than you can me. I can at least be smart enough to realize¡­ a new order ising to this continent,¡± she looked out the window, watching as the three of them moved across the courtyard.


    #####


    ¡°That was pleasant,¡± Argrave reflected as they walked back to the guest house. ¡°Isn¡¯t that right, Gmon?¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± he grunted back, nodding.


    Argrave bit his lip, seeking conversation points. ¡°You seemed to like Vasilisa,¡± he noted.


    ¡°I¡¯m married,¡± he said at once.


    Argrave scoffed. ¡°You can be friends, no?¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± he grunted once again.


    Argrave looked for something more to say but found nothing. As they walked in silence through the courtyard, dormant thoughts upying his attention rose to the surface. Before long, he found himself thinking about the A-rank ascension he¡¯d been obsessing over.


    ¡°Hey, Anneliese,¡± Argrave called out. ¡°I learned a lot about the general makeup of A-rank ascension from Vasilisa. I think I can learn about projected constructs from Hegazar. And I can learn about specialization into a field from Vera,¡± he pointed out, turning his head to look at her.


    ¡°All true,¡± she nodded, following.


    ¡°There¡¯s something missing in that equation,¡± he pointed out. ¡°Involving the soul. And I¡­ well, I¡¯m getting a crazy inclination that I can¡¯t shake.¡±


    ¡°Let me help you shake it,¡± Anneliese insisted, knowing well that when Argrave said ¡®crazy,¡¯ it generally meant dangerous.


    ¡°Well, I know about a shrine. It¡¯s far, but not exactly across the world. We¡¯ll have to wait regardless for the spellcasters to gather, so we¡¯re not wasting any time,¡± he said hopefully.


    Anneliese closed her eyes as they walked. ¡°¡­we will have to stay in this region for another few days regardless,¡± she admitted hesitantly.


    Pleased she agreed, Argrave continued rapidly, ¡°It¡¯s guarded by a ferocious creature that I think Durran would like very much. And this shrine¡­ I¡¯ve been to one like it in the past. I¡¯m thinking my A-rank ascension, your A-rank ascension, and Durran¡¯s druidic bond... we might knock them out in one fell swoop. We get that pet, we get knowledge about using my living soul as an anchor, and you experience that presence Llewellen insisted helped him so much.¡±


    Anneliese stepped ahead and stopped. ¡°You cannot mean¡­?¡±


    ¡°I can,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve got an itch to visit an old friend. And the more I think of it, the less of a bad idea it sounds.¡±

 Chapter 314: Knocking Heads

    ¡°Your Majesty won¡¯t be attending as¡­ well, as yourself?¡± Diana questioned Argrave.


    Diana had donned different dress than the casual things she had been wearing the days before¡ªnow, she wore an borate dress of white fur. She had arge silver circlet embedded with sapphires and pearls resting atop and partially weaved into her blonde hair. She stood alone with Argrave and Anneliese in the spacious yet warm pce of Quadreign. The warmth was new¡ªthough the me of the Tenebrous Star projected no heat, the Quadreigns of ages past had engineered it in some way to manifest as such. That was another bizarre oddity Argrave had no answer for.


    Dismissing his thoughts to answer her question, Argrave shook his head with a pleasant smile on his face. ¡°No, I¡¯ll be staying in the shadows for a while longer. No need to draw undue attention just yet. When we march south into the former kingdom of Atrus to converge with Elenore¡¯s force¡­ I can have the grand reveal then. For now, you have people to greet,¡± Argrave looked to the door of the castle.


    Diana sighed. ¡°Indeed. It¡¯s been some time since such arge number have gathered in Quadreign.¡±


    ¡°And in the days toe, yet more will gather. Then, we head south in force,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°For now¡­ good luck, archduchess.¡±


    Diana nodded evenly. ¡°I hope that my daughter Svena receives the same well wishes from the crown when she takes my ce, and even her daughter after her.¡±


    ¡°I have meant to ask¡­ why does Quadreign disqualify its males from session?¡± Anneliese asked curiously.


    ¡°The only way to ensure purity of bloodline is through the female line,¡± Diana exined. ¡°The woman cannot bear a child not her own, unlike a man. That is the crux of it, despite what rumors persist about the woman¡¯s role as a life bringer engendering benevolent rulership.¡±


    ¡°Really? I thought¡­¡± As he spoke, Anneliese looked at him, and Argrave scratched the back of his neck. ¡°Guess I had things wrong.¡±


    ¡°If only you admitted your wrongs on other ounts so easily,¡± Anneliese said pointedly, still ill at ease after their conversation regarding visiting Erlebnis.


    Diana looked between the two of them, probably not wishing to get involved in their dispute. She prudently changed the subject, asking, ¡°And this outing you mentioned¡­¡±


    ¡°Provided we can enlist Vera¡¯s aid, it¡¯ll be no more than a day,¡± Argrave nodded his head. ¡°We¡¯ll be back before nightfall.¡±


    ¡°Then I have nothing more to stall with,¡± Diana took a deep breath, then looked outside. ¡°I should greet my¡­ new vassals.¡±


    The newly established archduchess walked towards the exit of the castle. Once she left, a few seconds passed before her voice rang out once again. She gave a speech to the people outside, updating them as to their new liege¡ªnamely, Argrave¡ªand their duty ining to the south. She promised protection under Quadreign and Vasquer both, and further the blessing of the me of Quadreign.


    Many of the assembled were the old guard of Quadreign that had been disbanded only by Vasquer¡¯s conquest. Diana was able to work them into a fervor easily. Argrave smiled when the first cheer came.


    ¡°I forbid you to smile until your idea works,¡± Anneliese punched Argrave in the arm.


    The punch was gentle, but Argrave feigned being injured as he retaliated, ¡°Hey,e on now. That¡¯s too tall an order. I¡¯m the Smiler, or did you forget?¡±


    ¡°What if Erlebnis does not want the knowledge you offer?¡± she pressed worriedly.


    ¡°Then nothing is lost,¡± Argrave dropped his levity, realizing he needed to answer her worries seriously. ¡°Therger point to this all is allowing you to be exposed to whatever Llewellen says that you need to grasp his method of A-rank ascension. It¡¯s but a day¡¯s detour. It¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    ¡°I am not superstitious, but do not tempt fate by saying such brash things,¡± Anneliese grabbed her forehead and walked about aimlessly.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Another person walked in not so aimlessly¡ªtwo people, to be precise. Gmon led Vera to Argrave, then dipped his head and fell in behind him.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like being fetched¡­ first, your man Durran brought me, and now this Gmon.¡± Vera bit at her lips, then surrendered, ¡°I suppose it¡¯s a bit different now. You¡¯re my king. Well, what did you need me for?¡±


    ¡°I need to make a visit somewhere,¡± Argrave exined sinctly. ¡°It¡¯s far enough to be inconvenient, but if I can count on your help¡­ it ceases to be troublesome. We can be back before our small army of spellcasters assembles.¡±


    ¡°You want me to be your coachman?¡± Vera¡¯s orange eyes narrowed. ¡°Fly you across the skies?¡±


    ¡°With a Magister¡¯s pay, and some moderately influential passengers,¡± Argrave corrected. ¡°I imagine it¡¯ll make the job bearable.¡±


    #####


    A two-armed head jumped at Durran, an inhuman and airless shout bursting from its bleeding lips. He cast a spell of wind and then swung his ive in a wide arc. The wyvern bone ive caught and wreathed itself in the spell, and de and magic both tore straight through the necromantic abomination with ease. Though it was with ease¡­ doing it dozens of time was wearing at him, and his breath was heavy. His magic was thinner than his breath, too.


    Wheeling around, Durran looked at the rest of the battlefield. These creatures were twice their party¡¯s numbers, and though he¡¯d never seen their like before, he recognized them at once from all of Garm¡¯s writings. These were necromantic creatures from the Order of the Rose. They outnumbered the royal guards and Mnie two-to-one, yet almost an hour ago it had been ten-to-one. As soon as they entered a stretch of the taiga, these things started to gue them and hunt relentlessly.


    Mnie had set aside her zweihander as the massive weapon tired her out. She fought with the hooked chains she concealed ably, and they whipped throughout the air tearing chunks of flesh out of her foes. She looked exhausted, and her legs were shaking. Durran didn¡¯t feel much better himself, and he had royal-forged armor unlike her.


    One of the Order of the Rose creatures got hooked onto her chains without dislodging, and it whipped throughout the air as she swung the metal around. It crawled up her chain with determination only the dead could possess, and the seasoned mercenary, battle-experienced though she was, seemed ill-prepared to deal with this.


    ¡°Swing it at me!¡± Durran shouted, wielding his ive.


    Mnie, though panicked, could listen to orders. She swung her chain about with the necromantic abomination attached, and when it neared, Durran used both his own power and the force of her swing to bisect the foul thing.


    ¡°Hah! Used to y this game as a kid!¡± she shouted, stepping back as more approached her. ¡°Have a few more, then!¡±


    Durran almost found it funny, yet Mnie was true to her word¡ªshe used her long chains to hook the creatures, casting them at Durran one after the other with such skill it was awe-inspiring. He¡¯d only seen better weapon control in Gmon. To his part, he cut them down one after the other, yet resisting the force and weight of the swung abominations wore at his arm.


    One of the creatures that Mnie hooked came free and flew at Durran awkwardly. The two-armed head grasped the haft of Durran¡¯s ive with one hand and reached to strangle his neck with the other. Durran grabbed its wrist with his left, finding his hand insufficient for the task with its missing fingers. He dropped the ive and mmed the head down, pummeling its face with his freed right hand until its skull gave into gore.


    Utterly exhausted, Durran grasped at his discarded ive and rose to his feet. Things were winding down, and the royal guard dispatched thest of them. But then, they¡¯d been winding down for hours¡ªthese necromantic creatures seemed toe without an end as they advanced to lure out the Unhanded Coalition.


    There had been no casualties. But this was but the second day, and the numbers came more and more as they advanced behind the mountain to seek an opportunity to allow the army to advance. The royal guard were good at what they did and were well-protected by their armor and Argrave¡¯s gift of enchanted warding rings. But things couldn¡¯tst like this forever. Sooner orter¡­ someone would slip up. Then another. And before long, this expedition of theirs would end in utter failure.


    ¡°Mnie!¡± Durran managed to shout. ¡°Catch one alive!¡±


    ¡°What?¡± the red-haired mercenary questioned, short of breath. ¡°They, uh¡­ we can¡¯t exactly interrogate them. Unless you want something to¡­ relieve some anger on.¡±


    Durran shook his hand free of gore. ¡°There¡¯s more than one way for them to talk. Argrave taught me something¡ªrather than killing the summons, kill the summoner.¡± He looked at her intently. ¡°I know some necromancy. It¡¯s enough to learn where the bastard that¡¯s sending these might be hiding.¡±


    ¡°Hah,¡± Mnieughed. ¡°Looks like there is a dark side to you, huh? Alright. I¡¯m itching to get my sword in someone that bleeds hot blood, and better yet if it¡¯s the corpse-wrangler behind these things.¡±


    As Mnie went to do that, Durran looked back at the corpses of these necromantic creatures. Unlike Argrave, Anneliese, or Durran, he¡¯d never dealt with these things before. But seeing them, they were markedly familiar¡ªit must¡¯ve been Garm¡¯s soul influencing him. And moreover¡­ something told him that these creatures weren¡¯t newly made.


    Durran¡¯s intuition screamed they were from Order of the Rose ruins. And that meant they might be nearly unending.


    ¡°Gods be damned¡­ wish Orion was here,¡± Durran muttered. ¡°He wasn¡¯t so bad after all¡­¡±


    The only hope for their expedition rested in dispatching whoever was sending them forth.

 Chapter 315: Abyss Attraction

    A bird of wind tore through the skies, keeping its mystic wings steady in its glide. A party of many sat atop it¡ªArgrave¡¯s coterie and the Magister couple of Hegazar and Vera. It brought back some memories. Argrave watched the terrain disaffectedly, focused more on the dutying ahead than the scene before him. This ride had inspired awe the first time, but the second time not so much so, even with the time gap.


    ¡°Dispel it here,¡± Argrave looked back and told Vera.


    The Magister nodded and the bird supporting them exploded all around in a great gust of wind that gently lowered them all downwards. Soon enough, theynded in a portion of the taiga that seemed remarkably simr in all directions. Even still, Argrave trudged forward.


    There was an unusually somber air over their party, and even Argrave did not break the silence with his voice as he generally did. The area, much as the first shrine to Erlebnis, inspired an air of quietude and reflection. Things seemed gloomier in this stretch of the taiga.


    Argrave did not fear betrayal from Hegazar or Vera once they learned of why he was here, not anymore. He¡¯d won their loyalty by ensuring their future under his wing. Anneliese, empath that she was, had confirmed loyalty from Vera, though Hegazar was still the wild card with his illusory projection. Nevertheless, Argrave felt confident. Argrave¡¯s association with Erlebnis would give the two Magisters no ammunition. They sailed on the same boat, and the two Magisters would never be so foolish as to sink it. Mutual interest was inextricable.


    They walked far through the taiga, trudging through melted snow and densely packed soil. At a point Argrave had been searching for, thend sloped downwards ahead of them and ventured into the depths of the earth, half-hidden by the melting snow of a winter past. Argrave stopped at the mouth of this entrance, peering beyond.


    ¡°The magic is thick within,¡± Hegazar said as they made their first step downwards. ¡°It¡¯s dense all throughout this ce. It almost tints the air ck.¡±


    Even Hegazar¡¯s words lost some of their typical glib. There was something in their sixth sense that told them of the true nature of the power within this ce. Argrave supposed that was a good feature to have for a ce of worship. Argrave, too, could see the wisps of magic floating about the air with the sight offered to him by Garm¡¯s eyes. He considered that the shrine in the south probably had the same features, but now he could simply see them clearly.


    They pressed onward. Though they passed beneath the earth briefly, soon enough the scene once again opened up into an expansive cave with a hole in the top that allowed light to fall in. Most obvious was the gargantuan bear resting in the center of the beam of light pooling in. Argrave had seen grizzly bears and pr bears before, but none couldpare to the sheer size of the ck-furred beast ahead. It was fearsome enough Gmon stepped in front of Argrave, prepared to handle it should the thing stir.


    Less immediately obvious were the walls of the cave. There was a single sculpture carved out of the stone and repeated in perpetuity until the stone cavern waspletely filled with countless replicas. The carving depicted a great eye peering down into the cave, and just below it an arm held a book in its hand for the eye to read. In the back, like a nexus for all of these eyes, was arge head. It was perhaps fifteen feet both in height and width. It had no distinct features from this far away.


    The bear slept¡­ or hibernated, perhaps, given the winter that had just passed. Argrave cast a nce to Anneliese, and she took the signal to step forward. This bear had been born in this cave, had eaten its food in this cave, and had lived in this cave its entire life. Unwittingly, it had taken in many of the energies of this ce throughout its life. Both in size and intelligence, it was iparable to any of its species. Yet its fatal failing was its bestial nature¡ªit had no resistance to simple druidic magic. Its soul remained mundane, unlike those of elves or humans.


    The bear opened its eyes and raised its head as Anneliese approached. It began to prepare a roar, but a spell manifested in her hand¡ªa B-rank subsidiary of [Progenitor], called [Family Tree]. Faint roots of green energy came from her hand and gently surged into the bear, like the faintest whisper of benevolence. At once, Argrave felt a new presence in the druidicwork that he and Anneliese were bound in. Doubtless Durran would feel it, too.


    ¡°I was expecting¡­ a smaller bear to transport,¡± Vera admitted. ¡°The spell might not¡­ well, it might,¡± she reasoned, sizing it up with her orange eyes.


    The spell did nothing but improve the creature¡¯s disposition towards them tremendously. Argrave hoped it would prove easy to direct¡ªAnneliese could not control it directly with [Family Tree] alone.


    ¡°What in the world is this ce?¡± Hegazar looked around. ¡°How did you know of it?¡±


    ¡°Stick around long enough, you¡¯ll learn,¡± Argrave answered simply and stepped forward, running his hand along the bear¡¯s coarse dark fur. The creature rxed as though it was among members of its family instead of potential threats. Argrave¡¯s nose curled¡ªthe animal would need to be washed, definitely. As its ck nose curled, Argrave suspected it thought the same of them. Gmon paid the creature cautious attention as Argrave made his way to the head, joined by Anneliese in short order.


    Argrave looked upon the stone head in front of him. Unlike the shrine he recalled near Mateth, this one was both grandly carved and decently maintained. Though the stone had gone green, many of its features remained. Though bald, Argrave gradually distinguished from facial features that this statue depicted a woman, not a man. Other than that, it was hard to say more¡ªit was, after all, but a statue.


    Kneeling, Argrave retrieved a stone tablet off the ground, and picked up a stone quill. He looked back to Hegazar and Vera.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to speak with an emissary of an ancient god,¡± Argrave said with a face of stone. ¡°I thought you might want some forewarning.¡±


    Hegazar let out a small chuckle from his nose,tching onto the statement as humor. Vera, though, recognized at once that Argrave was being serious.


    ¡°borate,¡± she demanded, and Hegazar looked at her before refocusing on Argrave. Both looked concerned.


    ¡°Erlebnis, one of the ancient gods of knowledge,¡± Argrave said, not expecting them to know the name. In a vaguely religious state like Vasquer, other gods weren¡¯t widely remembered. ¡°And there. You know one of my secrets.¡±


    ¡°An ancient god?¡± Hegazar repeated. Even though the name sparked no memory, they knew enough for that alone to spark some unease. Ancient gods were not viewed kindly in Vasquer. Much like the Hellenic gods were viewed by Greeks or Romans, the ancient gods of Vasquer were viewed as temperamental, selfish, and prone to rampant destruction in the face of hubris.


    Most matched those descriptions, granted.


    ¡°Leave if you¡¯re ufortable. Stay if you aren¡¯t,¡± Argrave summarized briefly.


    ¡°Argrave,¡± Anneliese looked at him. ¡°Do not manifest your tension to create a poor situation.¡±


    Argrave realized only then how tense he truly was. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and sighed. ¡°She¡¯s right. I asked you to escort me here, but I didn¡¯t hope to involve you in this. If you want to leave while I take care of this, I will think nothing of it.¡±


    ¡°I suppose this exins the tremendous strides you¡¯ve taken in magical growth,¡± Vera reflected. Argrave felt she was misunderstanding things, but she was right in a sense.


    ¡°I know one other Magister who consorts with an ancient god,¡± Hegazar continued. ¡°He¡¯s mad. None associate with him. He lives in the sea.¡±


    ¡°This is transactional,¡± Argrave exined. ¡°I offer knowledge for knowledge.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s how it all begins,¡± Hegazar noted. ¡°I hope, for your sake, you understand what you¡¯re doing.¡±


    ¡°But we should go,¡± Vera nodded. ¡°We will wait far beyond this cave.¡±


    Hegazar nodded in agreement, then turned, regarding the multitude of sculptures cautiously as he walked out. Their quiet footsteps were deafening in their conviction as the two walked out. Argrave was left with Anneliese, Gmon, and the bear. He held the stone tablet in his hands, feeling it was a bit heavier than before.


    ¡°Argrave,¡± Anneliese knelt. ¡°We have the aid of three Magisters. They gather an army of spellcasters, prepared to head south to remedy a severe deficiency we¡¯ve been struggling with. We will have all the north, the majority of central Vasquer, and Orion prepared to surrender Dirracha once we arrive.¡±


    ¡°And no one seems to have faith in this idea of mine,¡± Argrave finished. ¡°I could use Erlebnis¡¯ knowledge. And you¡¯d benefit, too.¡±


    ¡°I will do as you do. But I think you should take a minute to reflect why you have chosen this, then examine the choice once more,¡± Anneliese said. ¡°Once you have¡­ I will rxpletely. All I fear is that you act brash for my benefit. Self-sabotage is a real phenomenon, and I do not want you to engage in folly.¡±


    Argrave touched her cheek, then nodded. He rose to his feet and stepped around the cave, reflecting.


    To start, a simple question came: what did Argrave want? At his core, he wanted this war to end so that they could focus on Gerechtigkeit. He hade to the north to personally facilitate that development. But no, that wasn¡¯t the crux of things¡ªhe wanted to be prepared for Gerechtigkeit. Even deeper than that, he wanted those near him to make it all the way. Anneliese¡¯s strength was his, too. He did wish to help her.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    But there was something deeper than that. In Relize, Argrave felt stagnant¡ªA-rank loomed above, almost unreachable. Now, he¡¯d seen a light. He enjoyed progressing in the ranks, enjoyed the feeling of growing both in knowledge and power. Working with Elenore, who¡¯d assumed most administrative duties, he felt his importance in the fight against Gerechtigkeitgging behind. He was envious of her intelligence, he realized.


    Argrave closed his eyes, doing his best to strip away both desire to advance and envy of someone better than he was. He tried to frame things logically. Erlebnis had no history of malevolence. Argrave had already met with the ancient god¡¯s emissaries once before. If they failed to make a deal, nothing would happen. At the same time, other repercussions might rear their head¡ªArgrave had used Erlebnis¡¯ name, and he had allowed the ck me of House Quadreign to affect the Blessing of Supersession.


    But¡­ no, Argrave refuted with a shake of his head. Erlebnis had demonstrated clearly in Margrave Ivan¡¯s basement the god could cause repercussions whenever he wanted, and they had note to him yet. There was no logical reason this could be dangerous. Erlebnis didn¡¯t need Argrave to knock on his door to kill him.


    Argrave had a desire for sess, true enough. But a desire wasn¡¯t wrong, and Argrave¡¯s logic was sound. There was arge divide between those who achieved sess and didn¡¯t: that divide was having the courage to act when the n was sound. No one seeded sucking their thumb.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to do it,¡± Argrave opened his eyes and dered.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Anneliese nodded neutrally. ¡°Then there is nothing more to say.¡±


    Argrave stepped back to the stone head and picked up the tablet once again. He grabbed the quill, heart pumping blood as he wrote, ¡®I seek wisdom beyond my years.¡¯ The stone quill left no markings, just as the first time.


    He set the tablet down and waited. Slowly, he noticed a shift in the surroundings. The ck mist pervading the air swirled and danced, then started to whirl near the entrance to the cavern. Argrave turned his body to watch his development. Before he could process what was happening, he saw a hand materialize out of the air¡ªa tan female hand, with long nails that were wholly ck.


    A spell matrix manifested in this hand, and a mana ripple spread throughout the cavern. Argrave¡¯s eyes widened, and as he opened his mouth, his whole world was shrouded in darkness. His head whipped about in panic, and yet his head felt heavy and incapable of thinking. How did he defend himself, again? Who was he?


    As these questions resounded, humanoid figures rose up, their arms held in a triangle pointed at their head. Their heads were strange symbols, and they whirled around Argrave, slowly converging. He recognized them. They were spirits of other nes. Those symbols marked them as spirits capable of transferring people vast distances. This was shamanic magic¡ªmaniption of spirits to achieve near anything the caster desired.


    Argrave couldn¡¯t think of how to attack. He didn¡¯t know what was wrong with his brain, but he could think of no way to resist. His heart pumped quicker as he questioned how he had miscalcted. Yet then¡­ calm set over him. He didn¡¯t need to defend himself. This was just a misunderstanding. All he needed to do was stop the spirts of the other nes from transporting him.


    And to do that, he needed to be too heavy to lift.


    Argrave activated the Blessing of Supersession and the shamanic magic exploded, unable to contain the vastness welling within him. The spirits howled out and rushed away from him. Argrave staggered forth and grabbed Anneliese and Gmon, who both confronted the new arrival ahead of them.


    In Argrave¡¯s brief absence, a tan woman¡¯s arm had formed of the magic mist whirling about the air. Now, a face and eye converged from pure magic, and he recognized who exactly this person was. This was the champion of Erlebnis,st of the living ancient elves, and a mage of unparalleled strength who had mastered the art of transforming her body into magic.


    ¡°Why do you resist?¡± the woman¡¯s voice asked, her mouth formed from the whirling ck wind. It looked like true flesh. ¡°You cause me problems. My spirits¡­¡±


    ¡°I made a clerical error,¡± Argrave said, clenching Anneliese and Gmon tight before they did something untoward. ¡°This deal involves all of us here,¡± he exined, and managed augh at the ridiculousness. ¡°Sorry. We seek wisdom beyond our years. Bring all of us.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± the woman¡¯s full body started to emerge from the whirling magic mist. ¡°So be it.¡±


    She held her hand up, and the magic mist whirled up towards the hole in the top of the cave offering light. It whirled around the walls of the cave, spiraling downwards. Where it touched, the inanimate eye and hand sculptures on the wall came to life as eyes and hands both. Before long, each and every sculpture became flesh, including the gigantic head just behind them.


    The eyes all focused on them. The hands closed the books they held all at the same time with a deafening pop, almost signifying court was in session as thousands of eyes fixed upon them. The woman took full form before them¡ªwhite of hair, tan of skin, and with ears near one feet long, she was thest of the pureblooded elves alive in this world. She was ufortably bare, to put it kindly. Her eyes were amber and reminded Argrave strongly of Anneliese¡¯s, to his great difort.


    ¡°Hello,¡± she greeted.


    ¡°Hello,¡± Argrave responded in kind, straightening. ¡°Nice to meet you, Onychinusa.¡±

 Chapter 316: Atrophy of Neglect

    Ining into this cave, Hegazar hadmented about the thickness of the magic in the area. Argrave had thought nothing of it at the time, but thinking back, that had been a mistaken assumption. Onychinusa, pure-blooded ancient elf and mortal champion of Erlebnis, must have been in this area, waiting and watching. She could disperse her flesh into pure magic and stay hidden in that manner. That meant either she or the god she championed anticipated this meeting. And that bode terribly for its oue in Argrave¡¯s favor, he predicted.


    Argrave looked around what had once been stone, wondering if each of the statues around them had be an emissary of Erlebnis individually. Hundreds of eyes the size of his head peered down, each varied in slight ways and nted atop stalks of flesh. The head in the back of the cave remained still, eyes and mouth closed. The hands carrying the books the eyes had been reading moments slid away into an abyss that betrayed nothing of what hid beyond. On top of all that, the nude elven woman standing in front of them¡­ to say the least, she did little to settle the nerves.


    Onychinusa had already demonstrated mastery of shamanic magic¡ªnamely, a magic that allowed one mastery over spirits. But as the champion of Erlebnis, that could be considered one small portion of the pie of her abilities. She was well over eight hundred years old, and all of that time of hers had been spent in service to Erlebnis. With that pool of knowledge, the support of Erlebnis¡¯ blessings, and the sheer quantity of time in her favor¡­ it was a form for sess that made her one of the most powerful mortal spellcasters in the entirety of Berendar.


    A good person for an assassination, Argrave supposed. But sticking to his thesis that had led him to this choice, he reminded himself that if Erlebnis wanted him dead he would have bitten the dust long ago. Even still, she had not responded to his greeting just yet, and Argrave wasn¡¯t sure where this conversation was heading.


    ¡°What is this ce?¡± Anneliese inquired, staring around at the eyes on the wall and the giant head in the back of the room.


    Her rtive state of normalcy calmed Argrave greatly¡ªit meant she gathered the woman ahead was not an active threat. The newly tamed bear, still animalistic, seemed ill at ease with the change in scenery. Gmon, too, held his Ebonice axe in his hand. Tension persisted.


    ¡°I have been tasked with one thing alone,¡± Onychinusa brushed past her question. Her voice, her demeanor, her bodynguage¡­ they were all off, and not because she was an elf of ancient lineage. She wasn¡¯t raised around those simr to her. Since shortly after her birth, she was under Erlebnis¡¯ wing. That sort of environment led to a very warped person, ill-suited for normal conversation or society. ¡°Argrave must allow himself to be taken.¡±


    ¡°Taken where?¡± Argrave asked.


    ¡°To the lord¡¯s realm,¡± Onychinusa said simply, frustration already seeping into her tone.


    Argrave swallowed, unease returning as soon as it had left. This woman¡¯s life¡ªall nine hundred years of it, thereabouts¡ªhad been one twisted psychological experiment. Her parents were dead, and this fact was exined to her from an early age before she could even understand concepts like life and death. Indeed, her adoptive parents answered any question withplete candor. Her caregivers were simply elven-shaped amalgams made by Erlebnis, and thus possessed no emotions. Her needs were attended to and her purpose as Erlebnis¡¯ champion was exined, but beyond that, her life was one of cold logic and constant insistence on betterment. No affection was given, and any she gave was disregarded. That sort of neglect made her a very stunted individual, emotionally speaking.


    Like ack of inhibition, for starters, Argrave reflected, making a point only to look at her eyes even if the party in question wouldn¡¯t care. She didn¡¯t want to stare at him back, he found.


    ¡°This is for the best. Once the lord¡¯s blessing wears off, we must go,¡± Onychinusa continued quickly. ¡°My spirits cannot transport you with such massive power welling from within.¡±


    The best for whom? Argrave wanted to press, though he didn¡¯t care to step on the dragon¡¯s tail. He didn¡¯t intend to be taken anywhere. He¡¯d hoped that Erlebnis would manifest here in some manner, not that he¡¯d be taken to the god. He needed more information.


    ¡°Since you were waiting for me here, I can assume that Erlebnis has an offer for me, personally,¡± Argrave guessed. ¡°If you can tell me what this deal is about, you can save him some time exining things.¡±


    Onychinusa¡¯s eyes focused on Argrave for a moment, and then quickly darted to the side. ¡°I was meant only to bring,¡± she resisted inflexibly.


    ¡°Regardless, we have to wait,¡± Argrave said quietly, still basking in the power of his Blessing of Supersession. ¡°There cannot be any harm.¡±


    The tan elf¡¯s eyes narrowed, though she still resisted meeting Argrave¡¯s gaze. ¡°You will employ your considerable knowledge of unknown origin to help the lord break the cycle of judgement.¡±


    It was Argrave¡¯s turn to narrow his eyes. He wasn¡¯t surprised that Erlebnis had learned of the breadth of his knowledge¡ªwittingly or unwittingly, the ancient god has ways of learning from different people about arge variety of things all around the world. No doubt he had heard of what Argrave had done, and deduced that the things that urred were no coincidence. Still¡­ the fact he¡¯d garnered attention uneased him.


    ¡°¡­surely he should know I already endeavor to do that?¡± Argrave asked.


    ¡°No. You prolong the cycle,¡± Onychinusa said angrily, long ears swaying as she shook her head. ¡°Lord Erlebnis intends to break it.¡±


    Understanding dawned on Argrave at once. What Erlebnis proposed was not defeating Gerechtigkeit, but destroying it permanently, thereby ending the cycle permanently. That notion defied all of Argrave¡¯s knowledge, and so he rashly said, ¡°That isn¡¯t possible.¡±


    ¡°How do you know?¡± she asked. ¡°The lord is capable of anything.¡±


    ¡°Because¡­¡± Argrave stopped himself.


    ¡°I answered your questions,¡± Onychinusa insisted. ¡°You must respond in kind.¡±


    ¡°Argrave,¡± Gmon interrupted, his voice steady.


    Argrave looked back, only to notice Gmon watched behind them. When Argrave followed his gaze, he saw the gigantic head behind them hade to life, somewhat. Its eyelids had opened for familiar reddish mercury portals. Argrave expected something to emerge from them¡ªan emissary, perhaps¡ªbut instead, the eyes closed.


    ¡°It seems we¡¯ll learn no more. Others were an unexpected variable that greatly hindered the effectiveness of this idea,¡± the head said, its voice that of a young woman¡¯s. ¡°The lord wishes you to return.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± came Onychinusa¡¯s response, genuine annoyanceing through in her voice.


    When Argrave turned back, Onychinusa was already dissipating into magic once again. It seemed that the woman could not wait to get away from the situation.


    ¡°The lord wished to establish the goal in your actions,¡± the head exined as Argrave turned back. ¡°And further¡­ He wished for some insight as to the depths of your knowledge. Considering you brought this woman here to glean insight from His presence, such actions can be forgiven for the trade ahead, I trust.¡±


    Argrave released his breath, not realizing he¡¯d been holding it. ¡°So¡­ there is a trade in mind. And all of that¡­ what, information gathering?¡±


    ¡°You no longer speak to His mortal champion. You speak to us. And in most nonessential questions asked to us¡­ there is a price associated,¡± the head continued solemnly.


    Argrave pushed his tongue against his cheek, choosing all of his words carefully. All of that¡­ there was no way Onychinusa had been acting. Anneliese would have seen through it. Given her nature, Onychinusa¡¯s acting could not be especially good, so maybe even Argrave would have seen through it.


    ¡°Hey, Anne¡­¡± Argrave said, still staring at the head. ¡°Do you think Onychinusa was even aware of this plot?¡±


    ¡°Umm¡­¡± Anneliese looked at Argrave confusedly, questioning if she should respond.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°We can¡¯t offend these emissaries. No point hiding our words,¡± Argrave turned his head to her. ¡°Even if we made a ward, I imagine they could still make out our words. Reading our lips, the flow of the wind¡­ whatever. They¡¯ve got eyes everywhere,¡± he noted, gaze flitting from the eyes all about the wall and ceiling.


    ¡°Then¡­¡± she hesitated even still. ¡°No, she wasn¡¯t. Not in my opinion.¡±


    ¡°Then she¡¯s still just another tool to him,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°Let me guess what the idea was from the beginning. Once you had written permission, you intended to bring me before Erlebnis. Maybe you thought it¡¯d be harder to refuse if I was in his realm¡­ and I think you¡¯d be right on that front. Failing that, you wanted her to draw information from me, expecting I¡¯d try to do the same for her. But that still tells me one thing¡ªthe boundary between realms has weakened enough that spirits can break through them, even transport people between them. And that means¡­ time is running out fast. And your lord recognizes that.¡±


    ¡°Running down, perhaps,¡± the emissary confirmed¡ªin a rare show, it was frank. ¡°The being you call Gerechtigkeites, yes. The lord sees and admires your efforts on that front¡­ and He sees your knowledge, too. In the face of the cycle of judgement, coboration is necessary.¡±


    ¡°Coboration?¡± Argrave¡¯s eyes brightened. ¡°I¡¯m hoping that means you¡¯re amenable to a trade. Or rather¡­ Erlebnis is.¡±


    ¡°An offer,¡± the head shook. ¡°You have attracted the eyes of many gods, young and old, Argrave. The gods of Vasquer pay attention to you for corrupting their champion and jeopardizing fragments of their being. Fellhorn, even in his perennial haze, has not been blind to how you harmed his endeavors in the Burnt Desert. And the words you speak¡­ there are ears to listen everywhere, and the gods pay greater attention to the continent soon to be their battlefield. Greater gods of magic, of life and death, of natural order¡­ many eyes fall upon you. If you think the eyes surrounding you now are many¡­ they pale inparison to the watching gods.¡±


    ¡°Is that really an offer?¡± Argrave questioned. If the emissary was trying to unsettle him, it was working. Underhanded or deceptive they might be¡­ but liars they were not. Their word was gold. He¡¯d caught some attention.


    ¡°Our lord Erlebnis does not wish to receive scraps of knowledge whenever you should need Him,¡± the head shook. ¡°He is loath to give away his secrets and blessings so freely.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t put that aside?¡± Argrave raised a brow.


    ¡°If you are as knowledgeable as we think, Argrave, you know that is not the case,¡± the head shook, slowly this time. ¡°The gods define the mortal world as much as the mortal world defines the gods. To act against His nature and reputation is to fade away.¡±


    Argrave put one hand on his hip, then gave a resigned nod. ¡°¡­alright, I¡¯m following.¡±


    ¡°Be Erlebnis¡¯ second champion,¡± the emissary suggested. ¡°Give your knowledge¡ªall of your knowledge¡ªfreely, and you will be simrly rewarded and blessed.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯ve been paying attention to me as I think, I imagine you¡¯ve predicted my response to that,¡± Argrave guessed.


    ¡°All of you and yours would be protected. Anneliese. Your sister. Durran. Gmon. Elias of Parbon. Nikoletta of Monti. Any name you mention can be sheltered within His realm. He is not the sole power there, but He is the dominant one. No harm could evere to them, and the whole of you could work towards dying the cycle of judgement for yet another round. The lord wants what you want,¡± the head continued, voice as level as it always was.


    ¡°I¡­¡± Argrave did hesitate a beat. ¡°I don¡¯t think that can happen. Couldn¡¯t convince the people in question to fall in line with that idea. And I can do much better here than at Erlebnis¡¯ side.¡±


    ¡°Then herald our lord,¡± the head continued. ¡°Bring His name to your people. Supnt the half-spirits that would y at being gods of Vasquer. Build shrines in His name. You know well the value of reverence of knowledge: you cannot lose in this. In return, you would be suitablypensated.¡±


    Argrave looked off to the side, but only watching eyes awaited his answer.


    ¡°Diligence, wisdom, and intent,¡± Argrave said, looking back. ¡°If you¡¯ve got all three, you can be a good ruler. But if you have the first two, and not the third¡­ well. That¡¯s a recipe for disaster, in my opinion.¡±


    ¡°Meaning?¡± the head pressed.


    Argrave turned his head around, looking to be sure something was still present¡ªor rather, someone. He was beginning to see the way this was going, but he thought there might be one thing he could do toe out ahead in this.


    ¡°Let¡¯s take an example: your current champion,¡± Argrave began. ¡°Her parents gave her to you in return for two things¡ªpreservation of elven knowledge, and preservation of the elven bloodline. Even though you could have saved more of the ancient elves, you kept her alone and isted, raising her as your ageless champion and keeping the knowledge of the elven ancients to yourself.¡±


    ¡°Are you implying our lord Erlebnis deceived, did not keep His promise?¡± the head asked. Its utterck of fury was even more terrifying than if had howled with anger.


    ¡°You kept your promise,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°And a finger on the monkey¡¯s paw curled.¡± Argrave let some silence hang as he thought of the Burnt Desert under Fellhorn, then said decisively, ¡°I greatly appreciate your lord for his consideration, but I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll take either of the offers.¡±

 Chapter 317: Going Where the Dead Have Gone Before

    ¡°If the only thing you¡¯ll offer to our lord Erlebnis is bits of knowledge that may interest him, then this meeting is over,¡± the gargantuan head continued after Argrave¡¯s refusal to ept its offer.


    Argrave stared at it resolutely and confirmed, ¡°It¡¯s over, then.¡±


    The emissary stared ahead for a few moments, unblinking. ¡°Perhaps you did not understand the implication of what we said earlier,¡± the emissary continued. ¡°Many gods have a vested interest in you, many of them negatively predisposed. Those of Fellhorn, or the Vasquer pantheon¡­ Erlebnis is of simr or far greater strength, has a vested interest in you, and is positively predisposed. In the times toe, when the great curtain dividing the mortal from the immortal falls away¡­ these powers will have freer reign.¡±


    ¡°I realized what you meant when you first said it,¡± Argrave stayed his course. ¡°I appreciate and recognize the magnitude of the offer, but I must refuse.¡±


    The head continued to stare for another few moments, and then shut its eyes. When it opened its lids again, the reddish mercury substance that appeared whenever the emissaries wereing took the ce of its eyes. Argrave stepped back almost by instinct, only to notice something simr happen in all the eyes around¡ªthey closed as though a wave passed through them, and then opened supnted by the gleaming red liquid. In perhaps a dozen second, the entire room became a glow of red orbs on stalks peering down on them. The bear roared out in defiant fear, and Gmon whirled about as though expecting to defend from an assault at any moment.


    Argrave¡¯s breathing grewbored from panic and his heart drummed fast. Then, like topping to this dreadful meal, something familiar returned. It was a presence. It was the same sort of presence as Argrave had felt back when he allowed House Quadreign¡¯s me to burn its way to the Blessing of Supersession. Its existence felt like nothing at all, but every part of Argrave¡¯s body screamed that there was something here. Whatever part of him was not mundane could feel it. It was like gravity upon his very soul, weighing his being down.


    And then¡­ stone.


    The cavern returned to normal. Everyone in the party whirled their heads about in a panic, anticipating an attack of some kind. Yet the eyes had returned to rock sculptures and the hands beneath these carvings once again held books for them to read. The bald, detached head that had spoken to them moments ago turned gray and inanimate. All had returned to the still and lifeless state it had been when they entered. The ck mist permeating the ce was gone.


    Argrave thought of something so suddenly it seemed toe from nowhere: the offer would remain.


    When he realized that thought might not be his own, it did little to settle his pounding blood. As the bear roared out deafeningly, Argrave steadied himself and looked to Anneliese. She, too, was dreadfully pale and looked like to faint. Yet she gave three quick nods, confirming an unasked question.


    That was what she needed to experienceing here, Argrave reflected in his head. Erlebnis showed himself. What was that? A gift? A message? Adrenaline began to fade, and he took stock of his faculties. Whatever it was¡­ it made me sweat enough that I need to wash.


    ¡°¡­let¡¯s get out of here,¡± Argrave said after a while.


    ¡°Rejecting those offers¡­ a choice well made, Your Majesty,¡± Gmon said, the first of them to fully regain his bearings.


    ¡°No. Not quite,¡± he reflected, grabbing his chin. ¡°Coming here¡­ it wasn¡¯t a mistake, not at all. I made the right judgement: we lost nothing. But it was one of those failures you prudently advised I need learn how to ept and carry on,¡± Argrave harkened back to Gmon¡¯s advice he¡¯d imparted long ago, stepping towards the entrance. ¡°I didn¡¯t learn what I needed to move forward on my path of magic.¡±


    Anneliese tapped the bear behind its ears, and itrgely ceased fussing. Gradually, the great lumbering creature moved forward on its paws, its weight great enough to be felt through the ground with every step it took.


    ¡°You must not discount the tremendous amount we learned as a whole,¡± Anneliese said, striding behind the bear while using it as support for her unsteady gait.


    He could not me her for being rattled¡ªArgrave had gone through this once before, even if in lesser magnitude, and he still found this particr experience harrowing.


    Argrave¡¯s eyes wandered, but seeing that the ck mist was gone, decided that Onychinusa probably was as well. He departed towards the exit eagerly as he responded, ¡°We learned that I have enemies in the immortal realm as well as the mortal one, and that the boundary between realms is so weak that spirits can break through them.¡± He looked to Anneliese, who trudged forth beside that great bear. ¡°Quite a potent reminder to get back on track. But more important than what we learned¡­ is what you learned.¡±


    Anneliese closed her eyes and stopped her walk for a moment, and Argrave paused with her. After a few moments, she opened her eyes, their amber projecting the sharp lucidity within. ¡°I gleaned what I must to attempt the advancement to A-rank. That¡­ Erlebnis¡¯ presence¡­ experiencing it for so long, in such a concentrated way¡­ Llewellen described it as ¡®being shown the bigger picture.¡¯¡± Anneliese focused her gaze on him. ¡°And right now, I can see the magic around me in a way I have neverprehended before. I have seen something so broad that all before cannotpare, and so my vision my widened to amodate that.¡±


    Argrave gave her a nod despite not understanding, and they started walking out again. They dipped beneath the earth, the bear¡¯s breathing echoing throughout the small cavern. Once outside, Vera and Hegazar sat on a rock, waiting. They looked ill at ease, but some relief showed on their face when Argrave and his coterie reemerged.


    ¡°When will you be ready?¡± Argrave asked Anneliese.


    ¡°¡­tonight,¡± she said after hesitating a beat. ¡°I understand the whole of it, and with the final piece¡­ I should do it while it burns fresh on my mind.¡±


    Argrave nodded as Vera and Hegazar approached them. ¡°Then I¡¯ll see to it you have three Magisters to help in this.¡±


    Together, they stepped out towards the approaching Magisters. In the darkness behind lingering in the caves, two faintest shes of amber receded to darkness like embers fading away into nothing.


    #####


    Durran stepped through the wet taiga of thends of Atrus, doing his best to keep a low profile and his left hand steady in casting the magic spell. He kept his breathing light, his steps silent, and his movements inconspicuous. Mnie, keeping close beside him, managed an even quieter gait while wrapped up in magic just as he was. She had set aside her gargantuan sword for this task. Durran had thought illusion magic would be a waste to study, but now he was d that he had. Had he not, this n of his wouldn¡¯t work at all.


    Durran had easilypleted the task of tracking the necromancer that sent forces to harry their party. The problem that arose was how to act on that information. If their entire party went, both Mnie and Durran reasoned that whoever was causing this issue might be able to relocate. It was an untenable problem that might force their total retreat¡­ or defeat.


    Mnie, however, clearly did not trust Durran to go alone. It was both in the fact of being incapable to handle things, and the possibility he might simply abandon them. In the end, the two of them went while the royal guards kept the creatures busy. Durran had to admit¡­ Argrave¡¯s guard had not been ill-chosen, both in resiliency and loyalty.


    Now, Durran stared at smooth walls of stone that called out to him like nothing else¡ªdoubtless Garm¡¯s influence still persisting in his soul. As soon as he had seen these walls, he knew that there would be a fortress of the Order of the Rose nearby. And moreover, he knew that the necromancer was meant to be in this area.


    Hefting his ive closer with his tired arms, Durran bit at his lip indecisively. Could he, with Mnie alone, head into this ce, make it past all of whatever awaited beyond, and then dispatch the necromancer? He was but a C-rank mage¡ªeven with an Ebonice dagger he¡¯d borrowed from Argrave¡¯s royal guards, his armor, and the element of surprise¡­


    Something broke past the brush, hurtling out near them. Durran tensed, waiting and watching, only to see a small horde of the same two-armed heads crawl past in their unnaturally fast movement. The creatures clearly had not spotted them, and Durran calmed gradually and kept himself still.


    ¡°We¡¯ve got a winner,¡± Mnie whispered. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°Eager to join the dead?¡± Durran returned, grabbing her shoulder as she moved to head forward. ¡°Think about what we might encounter within. Even without your stupidly big sword, in those close quarters the little crawlers have all the advantages.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve got some tricks I¡¯ve been saving,¡± Mnie looked at him evenly, brushing off his hand with her own. ¡°Not because I wanted to hide something, but because they¡¯re valuable. I¡¯ll shed no tears about using them to turn the bastard causing all this into pulp, though. After all, you¡¯ll put some good words into the right ears.¡±


    Durran stayed focused on her, surprised at how well her brashness reassured him. ¡°I thought you were a waste of money. d to know I was wrong. Let¡¯s talk details, though.¡±


    ¡°Hah. And I thought you were a product of nepotism,¡± she struck back, her levity making Durran smile even out of their depth as they were. ¡°I¡¯m less d than you might be. Your skill makes it harder to get my job back. Anyway¡­ I¡¯ll tell what I¡¯ve got in my purse, even if it is rather improper for ady of Relize¡­¡± the mercenary mused, blue eyes focused on the entrance ahead.


    #####


    ¡°So, you know everything you need to know?¡± Argrave asked Anneliese.


    Anneliese sat in a room, surrounded by Vera, Hegazar, Vasilisa, Argrave, Gmon, and a bear. The ck beast looked fretful, clearly unustomed to human surroundings, but it was doing its best. Fortunately, it had been washed. It looked markedly less ufortable than Anneliese, who had been fussed over the past few hours.


    ¡°I believe so, yes,¡± Anneliese nodded confidently.


    ¡°Your Majesty acts as though she¡¯s giving birth,¡± Hegazar noted. ¡°Take it easy.¡±


    Argrave looked at the bald Magister, and nodded despite not fully agreeing with the assessment. The ascension that Anneliese would be enduring was dangerous, as evidenced by Llewellen¡¯s demise. Death was the most severe consequence¡­ yet she might lose all her umted magic. She reconstructed her vessel: to fail was to lose all her progress throughout life. In this way, it differed greatly from other methods.


    ¡°I would most prefer privacy,¡± Anneliese said, looking around. ¡°Everyone¡­ thank you for your contributions, but would you step outside?¡±


    Everyone looked between each other and then nodded. All of the least interested walked towards the door without hesitation. Gmon eventually did, too, and Argrave hesitantly made to leave with him. Anneliese grabbed his wrist, though.


    ¡°Not you. Please, stay. I want something to keep me grounded,¡± she exined.


    Argrave took a deep breath and quipped, ¡°The bear won¡¯t help?¡±


    Annelieseughed. ¡°No, I think not.¡±


    As though responding to her words, the bear rose to its feet and pushed past the door, its great bulk shifting through the stone of the pce in Quadreign. Gmon watched this happen, then stepped after it. ¡°I will guard,¡± Gmon said, closing the door after his departure.


    Alone, Argrave looked at Anneliese. ¡°You sure you don¡¯t want to review Llewellen¡¯s words once more before you do this?¡±


    ¡°Just take a seat,¡± Anneliese directed him. ¡°Where did your utter confidence in me vanish to? All of this talk about me bing a Magister, the youngest S-rank spellcaster¡­ was it ttery?¡± she teased.


    Argrave stepped away from her, putting his hand atop a chair and nodding seriously. ¡°You¡¯re right. But you¡¯re also a liar.¡±


    Anneliese blinked innocently. ¡°What?¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°You don¡¯t need me here. You want to help me for my own ascension by observing things firsthand,¡± Argrave pointed out.


    Anneliese couldn¡¯t stop a smile from taking over her face. ¡°And so?¡± she defended. ¡°Is that so wrong?¡±


    Argrave smiled in kind. ¡°Good luck.¡±


    Her grin continued for a bit, then faded as he sat before her. ¡°Then¡­ I¡¯ll begin.¡±

 Chapter 318: Drinking Deep of the World

    Though Anneliese put up a strong front before Argrave, the truth was she was greatly nervous about this. Hiding as much was a habit she had picked up from Argrave. She had not lied about being confident in understanding Llewellen¡¯s lectures, yet even still, the hound of trepidation followed her as Argrave gazed with expectancy and nervousness both. As though to shut away the world, Anneliese closed her eyes and focused only on the knowledge she had rued regarding A-rank ascension during the past months.


    For a spellcaster to ascend to A-rank was not as simple asprehending another form of spell matrix with greaterplexity than the ones before. Instead, it was a fundamental reconstruction of the magic and body to amodate handling mystical forces beyond what most mortals were capable of. There were two kinds of processes to break into A-rank: active and passive processes. Active processes reformed the body directly. Passive processes made a change in their magical makeup, and then their body itself changed to match. The body was the essential part that had to change. In essence, the body became a part of the matrix forming the spell.


    The methods of ascension were unique to each strategy¡ªtraditional Veidimen techniques, for instance, focused intensely on the cold their people survived in. Anneliese did not know details, but what few she had ferreted out from her teachers back in Veiden suggested intimate contact with ice to change the nature of the magic inside the body.


    Llewellen¡¯s [Life Cycle] was a passive process. His instructions were simr to Veidimen techniques only in that both sought to advance to A-rank.


    The first part of the process was something that Anneliese was well-practiced in. Magic permeated her being¡ªthough many spellcasters grew ustomed to interacting with this force only when casting spells, Llewellen¡¯s obsession with his insufficient pool led him to constantly examine it and manipte it. The first part of his technique revolved around getting a full grasp of one¡¯s own magic and priming it for movement.


    Anneliese did so. Her experience both in seeing liquid magic from the Amaranthine Heart and seeing Onychinusa¡¯s magic in mist form allowed her to easily visualize and seize the mystical force throughout her body. In short order, she felt she had a sufficient grasp of it. She wrapped her will around the ck storm of power like an envelope, and her bindings held firm and strong.


    The next part, too, Anneliese was practiced at. In anticipation of this day, she had done it many times before. She used her will to direct the power within her to stretch and crane and thin, testing the boundaries of the veritable vessel that housed her magic. Llewellen had taught this might be used to gain an objective measure of the magic within any one individual. Now she needed to do precisely that, in preparation for the reformation.


    Anneliese tested the limits of her vessel time and time again, her magic fumbling about like a hand grasping in darkness to find the walls. Before long, she knew where the magic would stop and where it could proceed¡ªit was a familiar process, after all, and did not take any longer than half a minute. The next part, though¡­ this was where her progress had ceased before.


    Yet it was an impediment no longer. Erlebnis¡¯ presence, that experience¡­ the second encounter she had been expecting and anticipating the feeling, and as though caught, it left an indelible mark on her perception of the world around her. The first time had an effect, true enough¡­ but it was faint enough that Anneliese doubted it. Now, she was certain of its existence.


    So much projected its presence outwards. Living things, magic spells, even the ground beneath her feet¡­ they were all constant suppliers of magic, taking it in and expunging it concurrently in one grand cycle. Llewellen had changed his vessel that held magic to amodate these suppliers. He could harness the magic within spells, from living things, and from the world itself. Ordinarily, the body and its vessel rejected these things: Llewellen changed that.


    Llewellen¡¯s fatal mistake had been epting the magic of the world. It projected too much for his body to amodate¡ªno matter how high he went, no matter where he travelled, it assailed him like an unending river that eroded his vessel from within. His inevitable fate became death: the torrent was simply too great in magnitude to handle. His revised A-rank ascension rebuilt the vessel, though made a notable exception for the magic emanating from the world. If she allowed the magic of the world to pass by, she would meet the same fate he did.


    With these emanating forces all around her¡­ Anneliese felt she had a grasp of what must be done. But the task remained before her. She had to destroy her own metaphorical vessel¡ªa culmination of well over a decade of effort¡ªand rebuild it to amodate foreign magic. If she should fail in this, she would not die¡­ yet she would no longer be a mage. Decades more would have to be spent rebuilding this foundation.


    The nervousness had been quelled by starting the task, but now it rushed up once again, fluttering within her chest so fiercely she could hear her blood pump in her ears. Time was of the essence¡ªonce she broke her vessel, the magic within her would drain. She had to maintain its form by willing her magic in shape before it all escaped, all the while rebuilding what had been broken in a new manner.


    Anneliese hesitated a while. A long while. She recalled Llewellen¡¯s description of how to break the vessel, and it yed in her head again and again¡­ yet still, she dared not do it. She stood on the edge of a cliff before a pool of water, yet she dared not jump. Her mind wandered¡­ until a burst of courage found her.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    A burst was all Anneliese needed. She jumped, and then she was in the sky.


    At once, she could feel the magic escape from her body like air escaping from an airtight bag. She heard a sharp intake of breath from Argrave as something urred outside her body, yet she was already on to the task at hand¡ªrebuilding what she had shattered. Llewellen had described this process in the best detail he could, and his words rang in her head as she followed the procedure.


    As the magic flows out of you, that once within will briefly intermingle with that currently without. It remains within your will. Grasp it, seize it, and mold it around what you have broken, Llewellen¡¯s words filled her head. You must filter out the strongest energy, though. Pick for what is not harmful.


    She did precisely as he instructed¡­ and felt a rush of triumph as she realized it worked. The walls of her vessel, once gone, now returned. Her magic did not escape from all points as it once had. Her will moved and moved with the magic like a craftsman digging wet y from the ground to build the beginnings of a wall. It was constructed perfectly: stable, strong, and capable of epting that without.


    Yet as Anneliese persisted¡­ though the make was perfect, she realized her speed might becking. Filtering the magic of the world out of the construction was a trying task. The rate at which she reced the broken wall did not match with the speed at which her magic escaped. She tried to hasten yet found that a trying task. She pushed and pushed to go faster, faster, then made a mistake andpsed back into an even slower speed.


    I¡¯m not fast enough, Anneliese realized, though had the bearing to remainmitted to the task. Once all the magic escapes, the construction will be hollow and copse in on itself before it can finish.


    Anneliese stubbornly resisted against what she saw written on the wall. Still, no matter how hard she tried, the reconstruction remained perfectly slow. As she confronted this, tears started to well in her eyes, distracting her even further. The thought of failure loomed.


    ¡°d I paid attention to Llewellen¡¯s instructions¡­¡± a voice came, then she heard something move before her. She opened her eyes only to see pale skin before her face¡­ and a dark redness pooling out. Argrave held his wrist out, a great cut open. Dark red blood already fell on her chest. ¡°Don¡¯t make me bleed for nothing, now.¡±


    He would replenish my magic with his own blood.


    Anneliese blinked away her tears, but realizing no other option existed, obeyed. She struggled to swallow the warm, metallic-tasting liquid, nausea further enhanced by her fear of failure¡­ yet then, a new and steady trickle of magic already her own returned to where her vessel was, replenishing what escaped.


    On the verge of vomiting, Anneliese drank Argrave¡¯s ck blood. The wall built and built and built, dreadfully slow. As things neared their end, Anneliese felt the flow start to cease. Argrave pulled his wrist away, and she thought it was truly over with failure¡­ yet in seconds, his other arm took its ce, bleeding afresh.


    Finally, Anneliese finished building the vessel anew. She pulled her mouth away and fell over, gagging and spitting up his blood. Argrave knelt down beside her and she looked up at him, utterly ashamed and embarrassed. She wished to heal his wrists, yet he¡¯d already tended to that¡­ and she was in no state. He only smiled, reached out, and held her.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Anneliese muttered into his arm. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±


    ¡°I should be saying that,¡± Argrave said softly. ¡°Pushed you too hard.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± she protested weakly, feeling faint. Her body had undergone fundamental changes, and it had to change. Her vessel could take in foreign magics: her body had to change to match. She could not yet be called an A-rank mage¡­ yet the worst was over. Unconsciousness threatened to consume her. ¡°I wanted this¡­ as much as you did.¡±


    ¡°Shh,¡± he soothed. ¡°It¡¯s over. Take it easy. You did it, Anne. It¡¯s over and done. And you did it.¡±


    ¡°Not me. We.¡± Anneliese looked at his wrists and saw the copious amounts of blood spilled everywhere. With what little strength remained, she clenched him tight and said, ¡°I love you¡­ so much.¡±


    Argrave smiled. ¡°As I love you.¡±


    With that exchange¡­ Anneliese drifted off.


    #####


    Gmon opened the door to the room, feeling that things were over. The Magisters pushed past him and inhaled sharply when they saw the state of the ce, Argrave holding a bloody Anneliese.


    ¡°Did she¡­?¡± Vera began, utter shock on her tone.


    ¡°She fell asleep,¡± Argrave exined. ¡°I¡¯ll bring her to bed. I think¡­ a quiet night would be best.¡±


    With that, Argrave rose to his feet, carrying Anneliese even despite the state of his arms. The Magisters looked about the room, and then slowly acquiesced, filing out with their concern unalleviated. Argrave gave a nod to Gmon. The big Veidimen looked around the room¡­ at the blood spilled just about everywhere¡­ he¡¯d heard the exchange, and he knew what happened. But Argrave¡¯s blood had missed its mark more than met, it seemed.


    And Gmon realized he felt nothing at all, looking upon so much blood. With that realization, the snow elf turned and shut the door. He stared at his hand wrapped around the doorknob for a long while. Then, a faint growl sounded beside him, and Gmon turned his head to the bear. He stared at the big ck beast for a moment.


    ¡°You¡¯re hungry, aren¡¯t you?¡± Gmon spoke to it.


    The bear stared back.


    ¡°I am, too,¡± Gmon said. ¡°I heard the vigers ughtered cows.¡±


    The bear tilted its head.


    ¡°Are you¡­?¡± Vasilisa asked.


    Gmon snapped out of his haze, realizing others were present. ¡°I have to guard His Majesty. Have someone send a meal,¡± he asked, acting as though he had a purpose in his ramblings.


    Slowly, the Magisters left, talking amongst themselves. Gmon leaned up against the wall just beside the bear, vigntly watching the hall. He stewed over his realization. Both he and the bear were enduring great changes, it would seem. They would have to be ustomed to living civilized lives once more, free of their bestial natures.

 Chapter 319: Magic Migration

    Anneliese awoke with a sharp intake of breath. She sat up with surprising energy, then looked around the room. Most notable was Argrave, sitting by her bed in a chair. He looked tired, yet locked eyes with her all the same.


    ¡°You alright?¡± Argrave questioned.


    ¡°I¡­¡± Anneliese grabbed at her chest. ¡°I feel so strange.¡± She paused, questioning if she was still covered in blood. Looking around past him, it seemed Argrave had cleaned everything.


    ¡°Strange how?¡± Argrave leaned in intently, cing his elbows upon his knees.


    ¡°I¡­¡± her gaze lingered on him. Dancing wisps of smoke poked around his body, and she watched them perplexedly. ¡°I think¡­ it works. I can see the magic within you. Faint, but¡­¡± Anneliese lifted up her hand and looked at it in wonder. As she saw her wrist, rity returned. She looked at Argrave. ¡°Are you alright? What exactly happened?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. It¡¯s morning, now. You took less blood than Gmon did that one time, I think,¡± he joked. Seeing Anneliese was not amused, his smile faded quickly and he continued seriously, ¡°I healed the wounds pretty quickly. I do feel a bit sluggish, but I got ustomed to that on ount of using blood magic so frequently. To summarize, don¡¯t worry. As far as I¡¯m concerned, it was just a littlepse back into my usually scheduled programming,¡± Argrave shook his head.


    ¡°I¡­¡± Anneliese looked to the ground, feeling guilty, embarrassed, and ashamed in equal measure.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not waste time with this routine,¡± Argrave reached forth and put his hand on her leg. ¡°I wanted to help, so I did. It seemed you needed it. I¡¯d sooner lose a pint of blood than watch you lose all your hard work because of my insistence,¡± he noted pointedly. ¡°And I wouldn¡¯t have insisted so hard if I didn¡¯t think this was an option.¡±


    Anneliese covered her face with her hands, ill at ease with what had happened. ¡°I¡­ underestimated the difficulty of filtering out the magic of the world in reconstructing my vessel. Llewellen was able to do it quicker than I was because he had no such limitation, I think. Or perhaps¡­ he is simply more talented than I am.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t fret on the why,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s over, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Anneliese slowly uncovered her face and nodded. ¡°¡­yes. Yes, I suppose it is.¡±


    Argrave leaned in a little further and grabbed her hand. She was puzzled, yet after a few moments felt a strange sensation travelling up her arm. She realized that she was draining him of magic.


    The moment she recognized what was happening, Anneliese yanked her hand away. ¡°Argrave¡­!¡± she called out, distressed.


    "Given that reaction, I can assume you took some magic from me,¡± Argrave said, sinking back in the chair. ¡°Either that, or we¡¯re not as sound as a couple anymore. Don¡¯t break my heart, now.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ drained you,¡± Anneliese looked at her hand, rubbing it in distress.


    ¡°My personal supply remains untouched,¡± Argrave informed her. ¡°In Heroes of Berendar, a few things would change. Your melee attacks would recover your magic, while spells would actually drain magic from targets. You¡¯d have¡­ I think it was about 30% spell absorption,¡± he mused, scratching his nose. ¡°Not a grand list, but a formidable, all-purpose A-rank ascension that puts you far ahead of just about every magic user. As for what it does now in this reality¡­ I suppose we have to test it out, won¡¯t we?¡±


    ¡°[Life Cycle] is a passive ascension,¡± Anneliese noted. ¡°I don¡¯t think my body has fully adapted to the change. I cannot cast any A-rank spells¡­ yet I can say I am soon to be an A-rank spellcaster. I¡­¡± she closed her eyes. ¡°We did it, Argrave.¡±


    ¡°I just filled up your tank once. You were driving the car,¡± he dismissed with a shake of his head. ¡°And speaking of driving¡­ Diana says that the bulk of the spellcasters we¡¯re going to get are assembled. All that remains is marching through northern Atrus and converging with Elenore¡¯s force. And given the situation there, I think it¡¯d be best if we hurry.¡±


    ¡°The situation?¡± Anneliese looked at him concernedly. ¡°One so bad you hear of it oversea?¡±


    ¡°Elenore¡¯s men sent a bird here with a message. She¡¯s already facilitating the move to grow her position in the north¡ªshe wants to be in position to secure the bulk of the profit for the trade concessions I gave the archduchy,¡± Argrave exined. ¡°Insider trading¡­ it¡¯s a little grimy, but I trust her to be fair at the very least. She understands the situation.¡±


    Anneliese nodded intently. ¡°What did the bird¡¯s message say?¡±


    ¡°Georgina, one of the protagonists, is heading a gueri force against our army and seeding quite splendidly,¡± Argrave said without hesitation, recalling the message well given how much it caught his attention. ¡°Without spellcasters, the army¡¯s advance is nigh impossible. Durran has led out an expedition with Mnie to take care of things.¡± Argrave rose to his feet. ¡°The two of them are capable, but they stillck something we have: good magic users. Consequently¡­ I think it¡¯s long overdue to remedy that problem, isn¡¯t it?¡± He held out his hand. ¡°How are you feeling? Good enough to stand?¡±


    Anneliese turned until her legs were off the bed, then took his hand lightly and rose to her feet. ¡°Like I said, I feel strange¡­ and the most dramatic of the changes has yet toe. Nevertheless, I feel well,¡± she confirmed.


    ¡°You can rest longer if you want,¡± Argrave suggested, watching her to be sure nothing would happen.


    ¡°No. Vasilisa¡¯s ascension was a passive method of change as [Life Cycle] is¡ªI want to speak to her about what to expect for this process.¡± Anneliese stepped about, retrieving her footwear. ¡°Let me¡­ eat breakfast, reflect and process what happened. My mind is rather messy at present.¡±


    #####


    After Anneliese had some food and some time to think alone, she was able torgely gather herself. Argrave was not entirely sure what to expect of the aftermath of this event. When she began to expel the magic from her body, it had been a rather harrowing thing to witness¡ªthe magic escaped from her body much in the same way Gmon¡¯s vampiric beast had manifested, scaring him to no end. From what Argrave could see, things went well.


    Anneliese judged that she would much prefer keeping busy as opposed toying idle in bed with only her changes to think about, and so Argrave confirmed that he would be meeting with Diana today. With the core of their forces gathered, it was time to n things. To that end, the figureheads of their spellcaster retinue had gathered: the Magisters and Diana.


    Gmon opened the door, holding it open for Argrave and Anneliese. For now, the bear that was a gift to Durran had been relegated to the outside after they received someints from the people within the Quadreign pce. Argrave took confident steps into the room, mindful of Anneliese just beside him.


    Archduchess Diana of Quadreign turned around from the table she stood at. Her gaze jumped between Argrave and hispanion beside him. ¡°Your Majesty, Anneliese,¡± she greeted politely. ¡°People tell me your ascension was a sess,¡± she locked eyes with the elven woman, looking up at her.


    ¡°Perhaps in a few days I can im things are fullyplete,¡± Anneliese nodded, watching as Gmon closed the door and stood behind him vigntly. He seemed¡­ brighter, somehow. Argrave was perplexed.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°A passive ascension, I see,¡± Diana nodded. ¡°My ancestors passed down their method of A-rank ascension¡­ yet I could never grasp it. Icked the affinity for magic,¡± she said wistfully, blue eyes growing distant. Then, her face turned to her sister just nearby. ¡°Vasilisa, contrarily, made her own method up entirely spontaneously.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still young yet,¡± Vasilisa defended.


    Diana scoffed. ¡°You¡¯re the younger of us, you forget.¡±


    ¡°I hadn¡¯t even realized I had ascended to A-rank for a long while,¡± Vasilisa recounted. ¡°I just thought I could cast spells without matrixes for no reason at all. As it turns out, I was pioneering a new method.¡±


    Argrave absorbed the information. The topic was aplex one, it seemed, which only made him more and more fretful about his future on this matter. Anneliese had described what she experienced¡­ and it seemed like something soplex it made his task impossible. He was not someone like Llewellen or Vasilisa¡ªhe was only someone who relied on foreknowledge and luck toe this far. He didn¡¯t feel he couldpare to people of this magnitude on the field.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not reminisce,¡± Hegazar cut in. ¡°We have a bunch of lovely men and women with fire in their blood, and I think it best to solidify their course before snow falls and turns mes into embers.¡±


    ¡°Congrattions, Anneliese. I see I was wrong in assuming you needed my help all those months ago,¡± Vera said. ¡°But Hegazar is right. Time wastes.¡±


    ¡°It sort of marches on as ever,¡± Argrave disagreed, stepping up to the table. ¡°But fine, let¡¯s get to it.¡±


    Anneliese joined to the right of Argrave, and then Diana to the left.


    The archduchess peered over at various papers, sorting through them with nimble fingers. ¡°I think you¡¯ll be rather pleased, Your Majesty. My steward Ferrel has taken a tally of all those that heeded the call. The party rued consists of four hundred and twelve B-rank mages. Additionally, there are seven A-rank spellcasters¡­ I think it¡¯s a rather rming number.¡±


    ¡°rming how?¡± Argrave looked to her.


    ¡°Wemand a force ostensibly far more powerful than the known loyalists that will be leading,¡± Diana looked between the Magisters in the room.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think¡­¡± Vera began. ¡°Being outnumbered won¡¯t be a problem,¡± she decided, looking at Argrave and Anneliese both. ¡°Those two are strong. And forgetting strong, they¡¯re leaders I think can control those beneath them well¡­ even if they are personally weaker. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± She smiled crookedly.


    ¡°¡­sure,¡± the archduchess agreed hesitantly. ¡°Do you intend to expose your identity, Your Majesty?¡± Diana asked.


    ¡°Mid-journey,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°Little morale booster. But what of the lower ranks of mages? They factor in just as powerfully. C-rank, D-rank, et cetera.¡±


    ¡°I hoped to have them defend Quadreign,¡± Diana said, speaking slowly and cautiously as though she feared to offend. ¡°Many are young sons or daughters of those already in the force. The vast majority of those that join hope to elevate their family as direct vassals of the new archduchy, as it was before the queendom fell.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯ll build their magic supply with the me so that they can be ready to defend this territory,¡± Argrave guessed.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Diana nodded.


    Argrave considered that. The potent force they brought with them¡­ it was already incredibly powerful. Still, Argrave had been given a stark reminder yesterday that Gerechtigkeit was therger issue.


    ¡°Anne?¡± Argrave turned his head. ¡°Thoughts?¡±


    Anneliese, despite her own troubles, remained sharp as she answered quickly, ¡°The sheer number of B-rank mages vastly outnumbers both central and southern Vasquer. Combined, they may have more. I would add that qualitatively, both sides have a greater number of A-ranks or above¡­ but that was when we left. Given Castro¡¯s efforts, that may well change.¡±


    Argrave nodded, then looked back to Diana. ¡°Alright, then. Focus on building your defenses with this young blood.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty,¡± Diana said. ¡°Yourrgesse will¡ª¡±


    ¡°Now, the path,¡± Argrave interrupted, feeling there was no time for praise. ¡°I¡¯m thinking we employ something I did ining here. Travelling is made easier if we do it low-key¡­ along the coast, perhaps. Where¡¯s a map?¡± Argrave looked around. ¡°I have something in mind that¡¯ll lead us right to where Elenore needs us.¡±

 Chapter 320: Surprise Drop-in

    Ruleo stepped through the stone confines of the Order of the Rose fortress he inhabited with one other beside him. This ce was far more borate and long than most fortresses of theirs he¡¯d visited¡ªfrom all he¡¯d gathered in old books, this ce had been the site of a prolonged war. The fortifications, and concurrently the number of undead, was astronomically high in this ce.


    Ironically, that war was mirrored centuriester¡ªArgrave¡¯s army stood opposite the valley, while their Unhanded Coalition defended the valley with Castle Cookpot. The exact same situation had urred long ago, with the Order of the Rose building these fortresses beneath the earth for a strategic advantage. It had led to their victory, evidently. And Ruleo felt somewhat confident it would lead to theirs, this time.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    He looked to Georgina. For some reason, she¡¯d brought arge backpack with her. She fought for King Felipe III, but Ruleo didn¡¯t care who won this war.


    ¡°What?¡± Georgina looked at him scornfully. She didn¡¯t like being looked at, he¡¯d found, and anypliments about her beauty might as well have been insults in her ears. Worse yet, any sort of attention she got was assumed to be lecherous. In truth, he didn¡¯t like her at all.


    ¡°You¡¯re wasting your timeing here, Georgina,¡± Ruleo told her curtly.


    ¡°The undead you¡¯re sending out could kill tens of thousands of soldiers. I let you go unsupervised, but this could be just as big a threat to the Unhanded Coalition as it is Argrave¡¯s forces. And you send them out¡­ especially recklessly.¡± She paused, peering ahead into the darkness. ¡°You¡¯re throwing away a precious fighting force with such little regard for what they might be usable for in the future. I wanted to see why.¡±


    Ruleo paused, too. ¡°I send them recklessly because they need to die.¡±


    ¡°A necromancer thinks the undead are abominations?¡± she crossed her arms.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about necromancy,¡± Ruleo shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s only another form of magic in my eyes, same as any others. In fact, it makes corpses just a bit more useful. Might be considered a boon,¡± he mused. ¡°But¡­ I know something ising. Something that corrupts all of these things against the living¡ªmakes them weapons of war in a cmity. I have to get rid of them before that happens.¡±


    ¡°What is this, a fairy tale?¡± Georgina said disdainfully.


    Ruleo felt the frustration that came with someone acting arrogant when they were only ignorant. ¡°You want to talk fairy tales? Then let¡¯s talk about King Felipe¡¯s prospects. Him taking the throne once more¡ªthat¡¯s a fairy tale.¡±


    Georgina scoffed and smiled brightly. ¡°If you really think that, why are you here?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d be here regardless. These things would be chewing through northerners instead of Relizeans, though. The only reason I work with you is because I¡¯d like Argrave on the throne the least of everyone, and you gave me the information I needed to ruin his advance,¡± Ruleo cracked his knuckles. ¡°Bigger things areing than this civil war. This is a month¡¯s work, wholly insufficient¡­ but I can¡¯t do nothing when I¡¯ve seen what¡¯sing.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t need the see the undead,¡± Georgina put her arms to her side, and Ruleo watched to see if she drew a weapon or cast a matrix. ¡°My intuition alone is enough. You¡¯re dangerous.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re dumb. Not dumb enough to start a fight here, though,¡± Ruleo chuckled beneath his breath. ¡°I don¡¯t care for your little coalition. I don¡¯t care for you¡ªnot one bit. But I¡¯ve hurt some people I like a fair bit, and I¡¯ve helped some people I didn¡¯t. So long as you keep feeding me information, I¡¯m no double-edged sword. Just an ugly looking one,¡± he finished, white eyes veritably glinting.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got a sword of my own. And your designs might interfere with that. If I¡¯m the dealer, I¡¯ll pay attention carefully to all cards that leave my hand,¡± Georgina watched him. Then, her gaze looked beyond him, and she cried, ¡°Look out!¡±


    Ruleoughed, refusing to take his gaze off her. ¡°Like I said¡ª¡±


    Pain assailed the back of Ruleo¡¯s head for half a second, and then ckness took him.


    #####


    Mnie hadn¡¯t been arrogant when she mentioned she had valuable tricks up her sleeve. Durran used but one¡ªshe called it a Windflesh Brew, and it changed the body so that any movements didn¡¯t disturb the air. The ce was dark already and he employed illusion magic on top of that. With all those factors in tandem he¡¯d been able to sneak through all of this so adroitly it felt unfair. Mnie still had other things hidden away, too¡ªweapons of mystical origin.


    Yet the deeper they went, the further Durran felt this situation was nightmarish. Though they¡¯d only been gued with fast-moving heads with arms emerging where their ears ought to be, fouler things had been gathered here into newly-made cages¡ªchitinous humanoids with des embedded in their flesh, gargantuan thousand-armed creatures. Durran suspected Ruleo controlled only batches at a time, sending them to fight piecemeal. Death by attrition. He had no idea how Ruleo controlled these creatures¡ªGarm¡¯s writings never spoke of co-opting things already made.


    But that was over, now. Durran stood over Ruleo, brandishing his ive nimbly after hitting him with the blunt end. The blow was still powerful enough to draw blood, and he stepped over the unconscious man to confront this brte woman¡ªfrom their conversation, Georgina. He hoped to end her now. He¡¯d intended to kill Ruleo, too, but after what he overheard he decided an interrogation was in order before they came to that. Even despite things, Durran was still strongly in favor of putting him to death.


    ¡°Mnie,¡± Durran called back, kicking the man¡¯s body as he cleared him. ¡°Take him, secure him. Too early for his death.¡±


    Georgina pranced down the long corridor cautiously. Then, she held her hand out and prepared a spell. Durran perceived the matrix¡¯s potency at once¡ªit was B-rank. A wave of frost erupted, obscuring all vision in front of him. Thinking quickly, Durran reached to his side to retrieve a dagger of Ebonice. He threw it where hest saw her, then used one of the rings that Argrave had made. A ward of matching rank with the approaching spell emerged to shield him. It wasn¡¯trge enough to cover the whole hall, so frost wreathed about it, coating all but a cone behind him in crystals of ice.


    Once the vision cleared, Durran looked beyond his ward to see what was happening beyond. Georgina tried to cast another spell, but the matrix wobbled and shattered. Durran saw it, then¡ªthe knife had stabbed into her shoulder, barely getting past her armor. Seizing the opportunity, Durran dispelled the ward and sprinted forth.


    The woman panicked as Durran ran, backstepping to put distance between them. She vainly attempted another spell, but when it failed once again her hand reached for the Ebonice dagger. By then, Durran was nearly upon her. Then, her body shifted dramatically¡ªone foot nted steadily, and her momentum rotated from moving backward to forward without any loss of speed in a strange, serpentine technique. She pulled the dagger out of her shoulder and lunged towards him.


    Durran shifted his grip and used the haft of the ive as a quarterstaff, swiping at Georgina to contest her quick speed. She ducked low and stabbed at Durran¡¯s knee, aiming for a gap in his armor. He shifted his leg backwards to dodge, yet the moment his leg was off the ground she raised free hand to cast another spell. It was a quickly-forming low-rank wind spell, and with only one foot on the ground his bnce was dreadful. Durran staggered, very nearly falling to his back.


    Georgina stepped back, dropped the dagger, and used both her hands to grab her backpack. She got her arms out of its straps quickly and mmed it to the ground. It nged noisily, then howled as though something within had been hurt. She tried to reach for the Ebonice dagger, yet Durran cast the C-rank [Skysunder], striking her with white lightning. Spasming once, as soon as he had her faculties she gave one final push of her backpack and ran like a burnt dog.


    Durran stepped to pursue, prepared to bound over whatever she¡¯d set down. The fabric of the backpack exploded outwards, revealing a battered cage. Three blue ethereal paws rushed towards Durran, swiping at him with long ws. He ducked low and jumped backwards, but one shed across his thigh. He expected his armor to work as well as it usually did, but instead his flesh seared in pain while his armor remained untouched. He felt warm blood pooling in his boot.


    Maintaining a healthy distance, Durran swiped at the ws emerging from the cage with his ive, yet it passed through them as though he held nothing at all. He cast a spell of me, and though that had some effect, his magic was running low after their long journey. He dodged another swipe, then used his ive to sweep up the discarded Ebonice dagger. He took it and ran back.


    As he slid the Ebonice dagger back into his belt, he saw Mnie. As he asked, she¡¯d bound Ruleo¡­ though in a crueler manner than he¡¯d expected. She had his hands tied behind him and further bound by stabbing his palms with barbed tent stakes. Durran supposed it was a mercy the man was unconscious.


    ¡°What is this? This is the guy, right?! The necromancer? Good gods, he¡­ he worked for Elenore¡­¡± Mnie looked down at him angrily. ¡°We need to end him, get out of here! That woman is definitely going to bring reinforcements.¡±


    ¡°He has valuable information,¡± Durran disagreed, kneeling down and healing the wound on the back of his head. ¡°I¡¯ll carry him if you¡¯re worried about breaking your back. He¡¯s worth more alive than dead.¡±


    Mnie looked back at the cage, still writhing with those ethereal paws. ¡°I¡¯m only worth anything alive. I¡¯ll leave you here if you¡¯re slow.¡±


    ¡°No, you won¡¯t,¡± Durran said, grunting as he hefted Ruleo over his shoulder. ¡°You couldn¡¯t leave me here if you tried.¡±


    #####


    Ruleo opened his eyes and winced in pain that surged from several ces. He tried to move his arms, but that exacerbated the pain in his hands and he cried out in pain. He realized something bore through his palms.


    ¡°Long time no see,¡± a voice greeted him, and Ruleo whipped his head up.


    Ruleo exhaled, and the fear of death fell over him as he met familiar golden eyes.


    ¡°Should¡¯ve guarded all your entrances. Got careless,¡± Durran told him. ¡°Never thought we¡¯d take the fight to you, alone and isted, huh? Did you forget about cornered rats?¡±


    ¡°Hah,¡± Ruleoughed. He could alwaysugh at the wrong times. ¡°Rats that don¡¯t know that¡­¡± He winced. ¡°¡­that they¡¯re rodents.¡±


    Durran leaned in, and Ruleo feared the torture was to begin. ¡°We¡¯re going to talk about that cmity you mentioned. Among other things.¡±


    Ruleo narrowed his eyes, surprised that of all things, the cmity would be the first topic of conversation.

 Chapter 321: Reserved Parking

    Their party was soon to depart on foot to First Hope from Quadreign. When Argrave had gone there originally, he¡¯de with only Vasilisa and her personalpanions. Now, he returned with a rtively vast force of spellcasters¡ªwell over four hundred, all expertly trained and with vast reservoirs of magic. On top of that, he¡¯d secured Vasilisa, Vera, and Hegazar as steadfast allies. But rather unexpectedly¡­


    Svena of Quadreign stood before Argrave, her bags packed. Another was by her¡ªGanbaatar. He had no such luggage, only his des.


    ¡°You don¡¯t want to stay with your mother?¡± Argrave asked Svena.


    ¡°Of course I do,¡± the woman responded at once. ¡°But this is work. And work isn¡¯t doing what you want, Your Majesty. My mother wants me to stay by your side and help you where I can.¡±


    Argrave held his hand out to stop her from talking, then pointed to the white pile of hair atop his head. ¡°I¡¯ve got the wig on. Call me Silvaden,¡± he reminded her. ¡°Well¡­ alright. I can think of some things I could use you for. But you, Ganbaatar. You¡¯reing too?¡±


    ¡°I intend to depart shortly after we head back south. I think it would be best to travel with you for a brief while longer,¡± the elf nodded.


    Argrave nodded. In truth, he did want to enlist the elf. Well, the journey was to be a long one¡­ and doubly so when they first needed to find a way to transport a bear and over four hundred men and women. He turned away from Svena and looked out across hisrge force of spellcasters, newly acquired. They were a mismatched bunch, and uncoordinated¡­ but nothing could be done. Each was potent enough to kill hundreds on their own, provided no other spellcaster interfered.


    All these new spellcasters heeded Diana¡¯s words, which in turn meant Vasilisa¡¯s. The prospect of gaining ess to the me of the Tenebrous Star was too appealing for them to show any disobedience. It was a relic of the legendary Queendom of Quadreign, a nation which only fell to Vasquer because of a betrayal. Some had benefitted personally from the me in the past, yet others only knew legends. All knew it was returned, and all knew that Argrave had facilitated it. Still, none knew that he travelled among them. And he intended to keep it that way.


    ¡°Let¡¯s move, then,¡± Argrave dered. ¡°I¡¯d like to get there quickly.¡±


    #####


    Bringing the spellcasters into First Hope was meant to intimidate the Drawnwaters into obedience to the new regime, yet it had other purposes as well. Argrave checked in with progress there, ensuring everything advanced as he wished. After, they secured passage on a boat, cutting through the North Sea to a settlement further south. As Argrave suspected, it was troublesome getting passage for a giant bear and four hundred men. They had to wait a day for a suitable vessel¡ªa day which Anneliese reported slight changes to her body on ount of her passive A-rank ascension. Still, they found a grand passenger ship, and with a high fare, they even allowed the bear on.


    The voyage through the mild North Sea passed without trouble. Argrave had first considered walking, but sailing was faster by arge degree. Regardless, their destination was deep ind, and they made harbor at a small vige which seemed miniscule before the ship they rode on. Nheless, travelling by boat for a small distance had saved them some days of marching.


    After resting for a night at this vige, they moved onward by Vasilisa¡¯s order¡ªin truth, Argrave was giving her these directions. Their destination was the hills of Vysenn. There, Argrave would finally make good on many promises¡ªhealing Elenore, healing Durran, and if it was possible, securing future healing for Elias and his sister. Vysenn was a little beyond where Elenore had reported their army made camp. It wasn¡¯t the same inhospitable taiga that constituted most of Atrus¡ªinstead, it was extremely inhospitable, and almost impossible to enter inrge numbers.


    Vysenn was an extremely deceptive ce. At its edges, one would see extreme vegetation¡ªthriving nts, flowers, all in a great circle. The soil seemed fertile and rich, and able to house life in abundance. Yet deeper within, beyond the verdant hillsides, there was a stark ck formation billowing smoke: a cinder cone, the remnants of a prior eruption from the active volcano beneath the ground. This volcano had not erupted for some time, though Gerechtigkeit would poke it with a stick and make it blow sometimeter. As of now, it still emitted deadly gases that stagnated in the hills surrounding it, making traversing there all but impossible.


    The active volcano did not make Vysenn so unique, though¡ªArgrave had read about Cerro Negro and Kikhpinych, the two volcanoes that inspired this ce. Such a geological formation was not so far diverged from that on earth. Its animals, on the other hand, had diverged far from normal evolutionary paths. And so had its people, Argrave might note.


    Once the gigantic cinder cone was in sight, Argrave went to find Vasilisa at once. As soon as they were out of earshot, Argrave told her, ¡°We should camp here.¡±


    ¡°Here?¡± Vasilisa looked to him as they walked and narrowed her eyes. ¡°Everyone knows about this ce, Ar¡ªSilvaden. Barbarians roam the hills, the air itself kills you¡­ I had hoped to give this ce a wide berth. Food tastes worse drenched in poison gas.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, well, I have to meet some people,¡± Argrave nodded, slowing his pace. ¡°I have to bring Elenore here, anyway. I figure, while we pass, I might¡­ ingratiate myself with the locals. I can¡¯t exactly roam as I please in this ce, and there¡¯s a culinary masterpiece that might raise my Michelin star rating if I put it on the menu. It¡¯d be best if I get this out of the way now.¡±


    Vasilisa stared up at him, somewhat bbergasted. ¡°It seems you are loathe to lead from the front. You would rather lead in the enemy¡¯s heart, at all times. You leave Relize to handle things personally in the north, leave Quadreign to go exploring, and now this¡­? If you crave excitement, why not gamble? Dice, perhaps. I never thought I¡¯d say this, but it¡¯s less risky and equally thrilling.¡±


    Argraveughed. ¡°It¡¯s not like that, but¡­¡± Argrave trailed off when he realized Anneliese was staring at him. ¡°Well, maybe it is like that. You can rest assured¡ªplease, lead these people far, far and away from Vysenn. We¡¯ll rejoin when we¡¯re done. Don¡¯t worry. Elenore knows this group ising, and with a word to Anneliese I can find you anywhere.¡±


    ¡°And the bear?¡± Vasilisa looked at it, stopping her trek for a moment.


    Gmon was feeding the bear slices of meat from a moose that he¡¯d hunted. Argrave¡¯s Brumesingers nestled atop its back, enjoying the warmth of its fur. Maybe it was Argrave¡¯s imagination, but he felt both Gmon and the bear seemed somewhat happier in recent days. There were cat people, dog people, and then¡­ bear people, he supposed. And rather unlike nature documentarists in over their head ¡®bear whispering,¡¯ Argrave felt Gmon could take the bear in a fight.


    Without looking away from the ck beast, Gmon vouched, ¡°The bear will be fine,¡±


    ¡°I trust him,¡± Argrave decided at once, though still looked to Anneliese for confirmation. She, too, nodded decisively. ¡°Who knows? Maybe having a big bear at our side will help with the barbarians.¡±


    #####


    A man and a woman sat in a dark stone chamber. The woman was Georgina. She was heavily dressed, even more so than usual, and wore a mask over her face. The man across from her was unusual in appearance. His skin was like baster¡ªwhite and glossy, it didn¡¯t even appear to have the texture of skin. This made the paint he bore on his body especially noticeable. Threadbare clothes of primitive make covered him.


    ¡°The burden upon your people might be a bit heavier,¡± Georgina said. ¡°The force I talked that might be supporting you¡­ that¡¯s off the table, now.¡±


    ¡°The burden?¡± the man shed a smile. His teeth were almost less white than his skin. ¡°Iron and steel have been greater seeds than wheat, and you¡¯ve delivered them to us. My people do not die easily, yet these weapons facilitate injury to a far greater degree than we thought possible. If we are armed, foes that enter our sight will be corpses by the time they leave it.¡± He waved his hand in Georgina¡¯s direction. ¡°You have helped build our homes, restore our strength, ward off disease, and establish our position amongst the other tribes. To repay is not a burden, Georgina.¡±


    ¡°¡­they number twenty-five thousand,¡± Georgina continued, quiet voice further subdued by the mask about her face. Seeing as the number brought on no reaction, Georgina borated, ¡°For every one of your able men, they have ten.¡±


    ¡°And decades ago, when we werest strong enough to try ande into the richer, fertilends¡­ we were outnumbered even greater,¡± the baster-skinned man said. ¡°If I have the opportunity to go far ahead of our rivals and seize this opportunity, do you think I should take it?¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Georgina nodded. ¡°I simply thought it¡¯d be best to tell you, in the interest of full disclosure.¡±


    The baster-skinned man scoffed. ¡°Interest of full disclosure? We call that sort of speech Brightrat tongue. Sweet, but the body stays empty.¡±


    Georgina stared nkly for three seconds, then rose to her feet. ¡°I¡¯ll be heading out now. We¡¯ll get things ready on our end.¡±


    The baster skinned man leaned back. ¡°Alright. Impatient as ever. Do you still need help with the door?¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Her face flushed slightly as she rose. ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡±


    Georgina walked to what seemed to be a sheer rock of basalt. She fit her fingers into slots that seemed a little too big, and with both her strength and the full weight of her body, shifted it forward. Like a fridge opening, white gas came into the room slightly. Beyond, a vast verdantndscape of rising steam and infinite green waited, in stark contrast to the ckness of the ground just before them. Georgina held the mask tight to her face and walked out, leaving the baster-skinned man to his home.

 Chapter 322: Ashen

    Once everyone had set up camp, Argrave stole away from the encampment just before dusk and headed for the ring of verdancy beyond Vysenn. It was difficult for them to do so because their forces performed their duty of night watch seriously. Argrave tookfort in that fact, seeing it as a sign that these new spellcasters would be able to follow orders well.


    It was extremely strange the way the temperature shifted hotter as they walked deeper. Distant plumes of gas rose up into the sky like smoke from chimneys that marked no homes. Argrave intended to keep one principle in mind¡ªavoid low elevations, as it was there the heavier volcanic gases would pool. Some of the wildlife might prove troublesome, but Argrave was well prepared to home in on their objective¡ªthe smanders needed for regeneration of body parts.


    Argrave ran various strategies through his head, recalling details about the dozen or so tribal chieftains he might use to his advantage. This would be his first time navigating a situation with so many characters of varying interest with roughly equal factional strength. The tribes of the baster-skinned men in the hills were not especially small in number, yet the culture varied between each so much.


    ¡°The ground shakes,¡±mented Gmon as they neared.


    Argrave paused, holding Anneliese to stop her as they tried the same thing. After a few seconds of nothing, he suggested tentatively, ¡°¡­perhaps it just does that. As you recall, even if I¡¯ve been here, I¡¯ve never been here.¡±


    Gmon walked ahead, saying nothing. ¡°No,¡± he finally said. ¡°This¡­es rhythmically. Mining, or hammering.¡±


    Argrave furrowed his brows. ¡°I¡­ let¡¯s hurry,¡± he said, instinct ring to tell him that this might be bad.


    They proceeded further. As they did, Gmon¡¯s ount of what he felt solidified. It had a set rhythm¡ªeach shake that came did so synchronously, yet it wasn¡¯t unified in origin. That cemented Argrave¡¯s thoughts, and he hurried to take a high elevation to confirm them. When they did, Argrave spotted something visible even in the low light of dusk.


    There was a cloud of what looked to be bugs. In actuality, it wasn¡¯t¡ªit was basalt, crushed into fine particles and writhing about around people who were barely visible behind the cover of the storm.


    ¡°Tephramancy,¡± Argrave said as he stared at the cloud. ¡°Their shamans prepare for war. They¡¯re gathering the loose basalt at the base of the cinder cone.¡± As his eyes danced across the scene, Argrave calcted things. ¡°It looks like we¡¯re just in time for a battle between tribes. And if they have an enemy, we might gain a friend.¡±


    ¡°Tephramancy?¡± Anneliese repeated.


    Argrave knelt atop the hill, gaze wandering the base of the cinder cone in search of another simr storm of ash. ¡°It¡¯s a gic magic, like a dragon¡¯s breath, particr to bloodlines within the barbarian tribes¡ªgenerally chieftains or their families. It uses fine particles spewed by a volcano and collects them in an intangible, manipbletticework of magic. Given that this magic is limited to one region, I can¡¯t say much more than that. I know the methods of attack or defense in tephramancy, but not details about how it works.¡±


    Anneliese listened and watched in fascination as Gmon stared out across thendscape. ¡°I see them. They¡¯re¡­ unusual in appearance. They distribute steel weapons and hearten their forces for theing march.¡±


    Argrave rubbed his knee as he knelt. ¡°Alright. I think it¡¯s reasonable to assume these people are the aggressors. We need to find the defenders and see if they¡¯re a cause worth supporting. Some tribes will never tolerate an outsider, and I won¡¯t endanger us with a lost cause. Anneliese, any thoughts?¡±


    Anneliese stepped around the hill, then narrowed her eyes. ¡°Steel weaponry, Gmon?¡±


    Hearing her repeat that drew to attention the fact it was out of ce. Not to mention theck of development in these people, Argrave wasn¡¯t sure they had ready ess to steel. Argrave looked to Gmon, looking for his confirmation now just as much as Anneliese¡¯s.


    ¡°It is,¡± Gmon nodded. ¡°Unless¡­ other metals exist.¡±


    ¡°Not here,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°Deeper underground, yes, but not here. Even if it wasn¡¯t steel, the point stands¡­¡±


    ¡°They should not have it,¡± Anneliese finished. ¡°Not by your recollection.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Argrave confirmed. ¡°Anneliese, could you¡ª¡±


    ¡°Already nned to,¡± she confirmed, her Starsparrow taking off faster than the eye could see the moment she cast the spell.


    Argrave waited anxiously, trying to exin things in his head. Perhaps the barbarians had looted the battlefields¡ªbut then, Argrave heard the fighting in Atrus was not especially intensive, and Elenore had been upied more with negotiations thanbat. Other exnations came, but only one prevailed¡ªthey had been supplied these weapons by an outside force. And given that Elenore had not told Argrave of such an arrangement¡­


    ¡°Argrave,¡± Anneliese¡¯s voice cut in as he came to a hypothesis. ¡°I overheard something. They intend to march to an encamped army south.¡±


    It would seem that rather than gaining a friend from an enemy¡­ their only gain was a potent foe.


    #####


    ¡°Commander Lottherf,¡± a young soldier stepped into the room, bowing before the man. ¡°Lady Georgina is here to see you.¡±


    ¡°Send,¡± the man said with a wave of his hand. He was a tall, middle-aged man who, though formidable in stature, had a rich and full face that did not seem to have suffered much hardship. He sat at a table beside the balcony¡ªanother meal was already prepared,plete with candles with blue mes that contrasted starkly with the dusk outside.


    Georgina entered shortly after, stepping to Lottherf who sat beside the balcony. He didn¡¯t touch his food, only stared at the woman ahead.


    ¡°You need to prepare to sally,¡± Georgina said at once.


    ¡°What?¡± Lottherf furrowed his brows. ¡°Have a seat, eat. Exin.¡±


    Georgina looked at the table and the candles, and her brown eyes hardened further yet. ¡°No. I have things to prepare of my own, and you need to be prepared to sally from Castle Cookpot when the timees. Soon enough, a storm of ash will poke over the hills, heading for the army encamped on behalf of the imant, Argrave. The force wreathed in ash is formidable alone, but with the Unhanded Coalition and all the men at your disposal¡­ we can wipe out their army in one fell swoop.¡±


    Lottherf touched the cor of his shirt, some frustration on his face. Then, his nose wrinkled. ¡°You smell of sulfur. Then, these barbarians¡­ they¡¯re finallying?¡± He rose to his feet. ¡°I thought His Majesty needed something else from them beyond mere bodies in war.¡±


    ¡°No longer,¡± Georgina shook her head. ¡°I retrieved what I need to heal His Majesty, so they¡¯re no longer of any use. I intend to deliver the cure to him personally once the war is finished. And if you wish to remain in his good graces, I suggest you prepare,¡± she emphasized.


    ¡°You¡¯ll heal him? Then I suppose you will be the Unhanded Coalition no longer.¡± themanderughed, but when Georgina did not join him he trailed off awkwardly.


    ¡°A battlees.¡± Her eyes scanned him. ¡°I expect you to wear steel instead of satin. If you want to impress me, you might lead the charge.¡±


    With that, Georgina turned and walked away. Lottherf watched her walk away with a clenched jaw. Once she shut the door behind her, he backhanded the candles away, cursing under his breath, ¡°¡­stuck up, pretentious¡­¡±


    With one arm on the table, themander stewed in silence for a few moments. With a decisive m on the table, he rose, retrieving his belt with his sword attached. He strung it over his shoulder as he walked towards the door with heavy steps.


    #####


    ¡°So, Elenore knows what¡¯sing. And Vasilisa received the message?¡± Argrave asked Anneliese, who nodded, Starsparrow atop her finger. ¡°And she responded in the affirmative?¡±


    ¡°She cursed at you a lot, but by the time I left she was getting everyone together for the march.¡± Anneliese crossed her arms and looked to the tephra storm, which by now was almost entirely shrouded by the transition from dusk to night. ¡°Vera¡­ elected not toe. She said that her spell of transportation was too costly to provide real help in the fight after, and I can say she was not lying. She will arrive with the others.¡±


    ¡°And what of bringing other people?¡± Argrave held his hands out. ¡°Hegazar, Vasilisa, the other A-rank mages?!¡±


    ¡°¡­if you intend to respond¡­¡± Anneliese began. ¡°I can send the message. Personally, I do not think she will bend on this. Her personal safety is paramount to her. She will not head to an armed conflict with poor reserves of magic.¡±


    Instead of growing angry, Argrave closed his eyes and focused on more important matters. After a few moments, he opened them. ¡°If Vasilisa is moving¡­ we should go, get ahead of the barbarian¡¯s march. If their warriors are within the storm, my lightning will be useless¡ªit¡¯ll dissipate on the tephra long before it makes contact with anyone. With only Elenore¡¯s forces as support, the best we can manage is holding out. Even with B-rank spells at our disposal, tephramancy can¡¯t be underestimated. Until the spellcasters arrive, we¡¯ll be at a massive disadvantage.¡±


    Anneliese kept her gaze focused ahead and dered, ¡°I believe they move, now.¡±


    ¡°They do,¡± Gmon confirmed.


    ¡°Good lord¡­¡± Argrave stepped down the hill slightly. ¡°The only benefit we have is our small number¡ªwe can move quicker than they can. So, let¡¯s go.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°Hold,¡± Anneliese grabbed Argrave¡¯s arm. ¡°I am certain Elenore will be expecting this, too, but¡­ what if the force that supplied these barbarians attacks at the same time?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think we have another choice, here. The barbarians, especially when they have weapons on hand, will cut through our army like volcanic rock through butter. And losing limbs is hardly a deterrent to these freaks,¡± Argrave said, freeing his arm gently. ¡°Whateveres¡­ all we can do is deal with it. We¡¯re the closest.¡±


    Anneliese took a deep breath. ¡°Alright. Then let us hasten.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Argrave said, then set off down the hill.


    Anneliese stood still for a few moments, then looked at her hand. She moved her fingers gingerly, then looked to the cloud of ck debris shrouding the warriors as they marched away. With a determined nod, she followed after. Unlike Argrave, she seemed confident in what was toe, as though there was some secret she bore.

 Chapter 323: Alone Against the Storm

    The staves of the tephramancers beat down upon the soil of the earth, sending an echoing boom out into the world. It was a marching drum of war that stirred the spirit and could be felt for miles. Every time their rods met the ground, the basalt storm about them whirled faster, then died down until the next drum came. In the darkness of night, the ck mass about hid their advance. The only sign of their approach was the rumbling noise erupting from the beaten magic.


    Argrave could feel it pounding in his soul. The drumming was heavier than his heartbeat, heavier than the giant bear at their side, and heavier than fear. It sounded as though some giant, four-legged monstrosity had been freed on the earth and ran to hunt its prey with the primal rhythm of a predator. But just as much as that sound emboldened the baster warriors of the tribes of Vysenn, so too did it spur Argrave¡¯s steps ahead.


    They crested a hill and set eyes upon a great horde of troops¡ªtheir troops, Argrave reflected. And his banner¡ªthe sun, with four snake heads emerging from its rays¡ªhung in the sky, repeated again and again and again. And so, Argrave called out, ¡°Only a little further!¡±


    But his words were unnecessary, and his colleagues rushed past him as they headed for the army. It might be a dangerous proposition to approach an encampment so quickly, but Argrave had sent foreword. They headed for where the torches were thickest. Soon enough, people shouted. In a blur, Argrave exchanged words with several people, getting his point across as quickly as he could. And before long¡­


    ¡°Argrave!¡± he heard a familiar voice, then turned to watch Elenore moving the fastest he¡¯d ever seen her. Durran¡¯s prosthetics, it seemed, helped her greatly.


    ¡°You¡¯re here,¡± he greeted her, sparing no time for a warm reunion. ¡°Have you any ideas?¡±


    ¡°None beyond what Anneliese shared,¡± Elenore shook her head at once, breathing a little thin as she came to a stop. ¡°The soldiers at Castle Cookpot are moving. People are emerging from the mountainside¡ªthe gueri force of the Unhanded Coalition. We face attack from two sides. We outnumber them, but¡­ qualitatively¡­ it¡¯s in the air,¡± she said quietly, then asked hopefully, ¡°Your force of mages¡­?¡±


    ¡°They march, but¡­ it will be some time before they arrive.¡± Argrave looked out to the distance. ¡°You cannot see it from here, but you can just barely feel it. That¡­ drumming. The barbarianse.¡± He turned to her. ¡°The prospect of a peaceful venture into Vysenn seems to have died on the vine.¡±


    ¡°Argrave, your pack,¡± Anneliese interrupted them.


    Though Argrave was curious what she referred to, he did set his pack down. She rummaged through it and retrieved a white mask¡ªthe Humorless Mask, which spawned pure air mixed with healing magic. He watched, puzzled, as she pulled its strap behind her head and wore it.


    ¡°Elenore¡ªyour men will be torn to bits fighting against the tribals,¡± Anneliese dered boldly, setting her own pack down and ensuring her gray duster fit well on her person. ¡°The storm of tephra¡ªI have seen it, felt it, and I know its power well. Crossbowmen will be useless against it. Send them and all lightly armored troops to engage with the other force. We need heavily armored units and nothing else.¡±


    Elenore digested that but still looked to Argrave for confirmation of the order.


    ¡°Do as she says,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°Gmon¡ªyou¡¯ll takemand of the heavily-armored units. But Anneliese¡­?¡±


    ¡°You wear one too,¡± shemanded, handing him a Humorless Mask. After, she braided her long white hair with incredible speed so that it would not hinder her in battle, then pulled her hood up to cover itpletely. ¡°I know you are our leader, Argrave, but I see only one way out of this with minimal losses. Namely¡­ with the two of us against the enemy, backed by the forcemanded by Gmon.¡±


    Argrave narrowed his eyes, seeing the strategist he knew bursting from Anneliese in this dire situation. He saw the sense in what she said. But¡­


    ¡°You intend to test your ability here?¡± Argrave asked.


    ¡°I do,¡± Anneliese nodded.


    Argrave gave her a confident nod. ¡°Then¡­ us, alone, against the storm. My blessing¡­¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Anneliese interrupted. ¡°I think that you might find a better use for it. Hear me out, please¡­¡±


    #####


    They ryed their drastic orders with startling efficiency,rgely because Argrave had sent warning to this encampment ahead of time and all were prepared to move. Though dividing the forces in this unorthodox manner was challenging, Elenore seemed to have a great handle on the camp.


    Now, Argrave stood at the top of the hill. Anneliese held her hand out, and a great ball of light appeared from a spell matrix. It danced upwards into the night like a star, bathing the battlefield ahead with light. One could barely see the distant storm of basalting their way, hiding all within its mass.


    Behind, a great many armored infantrymen numbering perhaps two thousand crouched behind the hill, taking cover in case their foes had ranged weapons. Gmon headed them, five under him as officers. They seemed uneased just as much by the approaching force as recognition of Argrave. The giant ck bear beside Gmon undoubtedly contributed, too.


    ¡°People of Vasquer, of Relize¡­¡± Argrave called out, then said simply, ¡°Calm your nerves. I intend to make good on my promise to protect you, today. As you support me, so will I lead us to victory.¡±


    He said nothing more, and Argrave wasn¡¯t certain it had the intended effect. Nheless, he looked towards Anneliese. With an exchanged nod, the two of them stepped forward towards the ck tempest.


    As they neared, the steady drumming changed¡ªthe tephramancers beat their staves upon the earth faster as though their song of war reached its crescendo. Argrave¡¯s Brumesingers stepped down from their hidden ces, their eerie chiming echoing as their warriors of mist mimicking southron elf warriors joined to march by Argrave¡¯s side. As the volcanic storm roared to match the furious rhythmic drums, a horn from far behind echoed across the battlefield.


    The tephra cutting through the air writhed, merging and gaining solidity. The war drums of their foes became the sound of a thousand horses running across the ins, and a charge of cknces surged towards them, seeking to break Argrave and Anneliese and all beyond them to begin a momentum that utterly annihted. The spring grass and the earth beneath it shattered in the wake of the deathly force approaching, gashes marring the earth in their wake. The pair in front held out both of their hands, spells taking shape.


    Anneliese advanced ahead at theing charge, then ducked low and cast her spell. A towering, wide wall of ice erupted, near two feet thick¡ªa simple spell of C-rank. The moment the charge met the wall, the structure splintered, cracked, and broke¡­ yet it did slow what came. And by the time the magic broke past, both Anneliese and Argrave had their next spell ready. With momentum slowed and the heart of the attack closer, they could move forth with power of their own.


    ¡°Charge!¡± Gmon bellowed from behind.


    As he did so, their two spells unleashed. Argrave used the B-rank wind spell [Furor], and a howl like a crowd¡¯s rage surged from his hand in the form of an unstoppable gale travelling in a straight, directed line. Anneliese concurrently cast [Rip Current], and twin geysers of water burst free from her hands, gaining in size and swirling to form a cone.


    Under the vast pressure from both their spells, the tephramancers deadly charge¡ªtheir favored tactic to begin a battle¡ªhalted. The squall of basalt reared back like a panicked horse, its battle of force briefly lost to their spells. baster skinned warriors, steadfast in their march, briefly appeared in vision. But drum, drum, drum¡ªagain the tephramancers beat their staves on the ground, reforming their magic into a deadly force.


    But as it was the tribal¡¯s shield, so it could be theirs. Before their tephramancy could be fully realized once again, Argrave and Anneliese stepped forward. They headed into the writhing debris. Anneliese stepped boldly, Argrave cautiously, and before long¡­ the sound of metal boots nged behind them. Gmon, his officers, and all their knights walked into the darkness of the storm of pyrostic rock. The squall sheathed them, and they were gone.


    Within the storm was vastly different than without it. Here, the deep drums of the tephramancers echoed in such a way to inspire a brash hot bloodedness unlike anything Argrave had ever experienced before¡ªperhaps this inspiration was a part of their magic. As Argrave entered alongside his men, the tribal warriors rushed to expel them.


    The warriors of the hills of Vysenn rushed fiercer than the storm surrounding them. Whether individually or in groups, their steps never faltered. Five rushed Argrave, and the mist warriors of his Brumesingers rose to defend him. The des of the elven warriors fell upon the tribals¡­ yet their pale skin was as tough as rock, and the tribals did not seem to feel pain. They pushed past the Brumesingers conjurations, rushing at Argrave deliberately. They knew he was a mage.


    The great bear from Quadreign barreled into them, casting them to the earth. Gmon and other knights advanced in at that point, contesting the foes. Whether they were stabbed, crippled, or maimed, the tribals did not cease their attacks until their body ceased to function. Their vitality was so overwhelming that, despite the advantage in armor, the knights of Relize were pushed back. It took three of theirs to kill one barbarian.


    Argrave noticed the storm above shift slightly and turned his head towards its source. A man with a staff strode towards Argrave, banging his staff against the ground rhythmically. Each time it struck the earth, it sounded as though a bass drum had been struck. As he neared, he raised his staff up, and the tephra gathered into a weightless de near ten feet long atop his staff. He struck the earth again, and it solidified. By this point, the Brumesingers mist guardians rushed at the man. With one too-fast swing, it sheared through all of them.


    Argrave had not been idle¡ªas one hand prepared a spell, his enchanted ring quickly brought a ward to defend. The ashen de cut straight through the golden shield. Argrave narrowly dodged, and the de cut a foot deep into the earth. The de began to disperse into dust, yet the man raised and mmed the bottom of his staff on the ground once again to reform the magic. The tephramancer prepared to swing once more, using the tremendous reach of the weightless de to attack Argrave without much risk.


    Realizing his disadvantage, Argrave rushed forward. As the de came, he finished a spell¡ª [Pavise Gale]. The knight of wind conjured by the spell mmed its giant tower shield into theing ash de, shattering it. The tephramancer seemed to feel none of the attack¡¯s force, though was forced a few steps back from the fierce wind generated. He drummed his staff against the ground twice in a steady rhythm. A shield came down to defend him, while an axe head the size of a person formed atop his staff.


    Argrave tapped into the barely-refilled reserves of his silver bracer to use blood magic¡ª the C-rank [Putrid Paramerion]. A curved de of blood filled his empty hand, and he sliced at the ck shield without any expertise. It felt like he cut through air¡­ yet when it was done, the shield had been cut in twain. The tephramancer had lost both his staff and his hand. His wrist bled for half a second before stopping, and then he charged Argrave in a reckless tackle. Five swords pierced his body then, wielded by the misty apparitions of the Brumesingers. The man spasmed, then fell. Argrave watched him for half a moment. Even dead, his wrist writhed and healed. Remembering his ce, Argrave whirled back to confront whatever came next.


    ¡°Argrave!¡± he barely heard above the din. Anneliese rushed to him, some blood staining her gray duster. ¡°The magic¡­ it pools within me so quickly. It abounds in this storm, bolstering my power every waking second. And with every drum, I can feel them. I was right. I know where the tephramancers are. I can find them,¡± she said confidently as she removed the Humorless Mask on her face.


    Argrave briefly grabbed her wrist, then stared out into the storm beyond. He could hear the drumming, its constancy.


    ¡°Then go. When the storm ends¡­ I will be ready,¡± Argrave shouted grimly.


    Anneliese put the Humorless Mask back on, then nodded. ¡°This is my time,¡± she said simply.


    With a final squeeze of his hand, Anneliese turned and rushed into the storm. Her enchanted boots came to life, wind bursting and hastening her advance deeper into the chaos. She headed for the closest drum.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    The storm of tephra prevented reckless use of spells. Only powerful B-rank spells could break past it, and even then, Argrave doubted being able to kill their entire force. Argrave¡¯s favored [Electric Eel] and Blessing of Supersessionbo would bergely ineffective here, for the lightning constructs would dissipate on contact with the particles in the air. But if the storm were to vanish, if the tephramancers were to fall¡­ Argrave would be free to act recklessly.


    And so Anneliese intended to kill each and every one of them to make that happen.

 Chapter 324: A Dance for a Song

    If Anneliese were to analogize being in the tephramancer¡¯s storm of basalt with Llewellen¡¯s [Life Cycle] empowering her, a perfect example came to mind at once. If she had been walking on thend as a B-rank mage, now she was swimming through a still ocean as a fish might. Up, down, or any direction she pleased¡ªif she made the effort, she could reach it.


    With magic pouring into her being faster than she could hope to use it, Anneliese sped alone through the ck clouds of tephra. Partially concealed by illusion magic, she used her enchanted boots to propel her advance, heading closer and closer to the pounding boom of the tephramancers striking the earth. Her heart beat with their primal rhythms, stoking her boldness further and further like a me in a dry forest. Anneliese prided herself for remaining calm, but that had no ce here.


    What few tribals blocked Anneliese¡¯s advance she broke with a relentless barrage of magic. The tribal¡¯s steel sung in tandem with their cries of war, cutting, stabbing, and gouging¡­ but none met their mark. She danced beyond their range, employing illusion magic to further confuse them, then sent cold des of her own. The Veidimen were born in the ice, and the sheer cold of her people¡¯s ancestral magic sent them to an unmarked grave with frozen soil.


    When Anneliese¡¯s spells met flesh, she felt her magic flourish like a cut stem budding another a thousand times over. Their death fueled her life. Her focus was sharp enough that nothing seemed to escape her notice¡ªnot a soul came near to harming her. Such a thing was only possible because of herplete mobility in the confusion of the storm.


    Her unrelenting advance towards the drumming led her to its first source. The woman readied for Anneliese the moment she was spotted, and her staff banged against the earth. Anneliese sent a spear of ice at her foe the moment she was able, yet a basalt shield rose to defend. The spear pierced it¡­ and the ash degraded, the magic keeping it solid now sapped away by Anneliese¡¯s spell.


    Anneliese continued her unrelenting assault, sending wind, fire, and ice in waves at her foe who defended with that unyielding tephramancy booming against the earth. What magic she called forth was soon reced. This is how Argrave feels, Anneliese realized, recalling well his state of destructive focus when he used his Blessing of Supersession. It feels as though the strength of the world is at my back, making all bend before me.


    Eventually, the enemy slipped, and Anneliese finished the tephramancer with the B-rank [cier¡¯s Garrote]. Innumerable knives of ice bound in a chain sprung from Anneliese¡¯s hand and wrapped around the caster, then squeezed inwards until she was pierced a hundred times over. The moment she died, the storm waned slightly, and Anneliese felt the ambient magic dim slightly.


    The roar of a crowd alerted her to foesing. She turned and cast [Icebound Twindes] without a moment¡¯s thought. Two ice arms bearing des as tall as a person appeared, then spun in a deadly whirlwind that cut through them all with ease. What few that did not lie dead fled immediately back to where the storm was denser.


    Anneliese continued onwards without a beat for rest, hunting the next with the same reckless abandon. Cutting through dozens more and routing twice as many, she found the next. This one¡¯s defense was a little weaker. As their number faded, so too did their power wane. She sent the cold ice of her ancestors, the roaring fire, the howling wind¡­ and froze them, burnt them, cut them. Her adept maneuvering and skillful illusions ensured her safety¡ªa costly feat of magic sustainable only because of the great wealth of ambient magic spawned by this tephramantic storm.


    As Anneliese¡¯s hunt continued, her foes grew ready for her assaults. They resisted Anneliese, trying strategies against her. Two tephramancers grouped, their song of war beating in tandem as they used the tephra to kill her. Yet for every de they sent at her, Anneliese could return one of her own. The warriors threw their weapons or tried to surround her. Every one of them only met their end, replenishing her fluctuating magic.


    The dancer, they called her in fear. The Stormdancer. The title came from foe and friend alike, both witness to her feats all the same.


    The tephramancers and their beating staves dimmed in numbers again and again and again¡­ yet as the tephramancy waned, so too did the surge of magic pouring into Anneliese. She fought weaker foes with feebler defenses, yet she herself was weakened in kind.


    It mattered not. Their great booming magic was three, and still she hunted. The battles began to blend together in her head. She sent an illusionary form of herself towards her foe, then stole around from the back and ended him with a spike of ice through the head. When he met the ground, dead, they were two. The twisting ckness shrouding all vision faded, and Anneliese already moved towards her second tost quarry.


    The next attacked her with weak, rapid attacks aggressively, mming his staff upon the ground in a desperate march of fear. She blocked patiently, receiving the now-weak blows with lesser wards. Each time the ward was hit, her magic was replenished. She caught a gap in his rhythm, then struck him down with the B-rank lightning spell [Cloudborn Chain]. Then, the drums were one.


    The tephramancy began to die, the writhing mass unable to persist from the magic of one man. It shrunk in size, focusing around thest drumming tephramancer in the far distance. With it shrinking so, all around were revealed¡ªhundreds of tribesmen and knights locked inbat. They saw her standing alone, and she turned her head waiting to see which came¡­ but none approached.


    Soon enough, even thest beat faltered. When the curtain of basalt fell to the earth, its power gone, it revealed the one beyond. A man leaned on his staff, staring at the scene with wide eyes. The barbarians of Vysenn fell into disarray with their song of war gone. Basalt fragments fell to the earth, nketing the ground until nothing below was visible.


    To take the ce of their foe¡¯s song¡­ the first crackle of electricity echoed out, following by a scream of pain. Anneliese, unharried, looked to the distance. Sparking constructs rose to the night sky, recing the storm lost with another. There, it was another¡¯s time. It was Argrave¡¯s time.


    #####


    The barbarians of Vysenn were only human.


    It had been difficult to remember that fact earlier. Their skin looked glossy and hard, truly like baster. They didn¡¯t flinch at losing limbs, and they were so unrelenting in their assault as to appear inhuman. Their strength was difficult to contest, and doubly so with their blood pumping hot from the tephramancy whirling about.


    ¡°Fall back!¡± Gmon shouted, his voice so loud as to cut past all the noise Argrave made. ¡°Everyone, fall back!¡±


    With theirmander¡¯s words, the men obeyed in mute shock, pliable in wake of the sudden end of the storm. The barbarians of Vysenn had charged towards their line relentlessly. But now, Argrave advanced into them, the Blessing of Supersession fueling his frenzy. And as they bled, burned, screamed, and fled, their humanity was abundantly clear.


    Argrave called his strategy ¡®sword and shield.¡¯ His right hand¡ªand Garm¡¯s eyes, when needed¡ªwere his shield, sting away all that came near with powerful magic. His left hand conjured [Electric Eels]. The constructs of electricity would attack whatever he willed. And in the ck field of basalt fragments before him, targets were plentiful.


    Their party had faced foes with an overwhelming advantage in power before. But humans thrived using tools, cunning, and intelligence despite rtive weakness. Hunters of the past took down even mammoths with smart strategies on Earth. With the barbarians¡¯ tool broken, their strategy cast to the wind, and their n dismantled¡­ the human weakness was in to see.


    Argrave wrought great destruction upon the battlefield, warding away the darkness of the night with fire and lightning. He used the knowledge they intended to kill those that would fight for him as fuel for his advance. If they had seeded¡­ Elenore, Durran, all of them would be dead. And that was a fine fuel for the fire he needed. The men tried to resist him, but it was like trying to extinguish a bonfire by blowing on it or plugging a hole in a dam with their arm. Soon enough, they realized that the man that came to ughter would not stop.


    The fear of one tribal became the fear of two. As two ran, four joined them. With four, the barbarians had social proof retreat was the best option. And like this, the force that had battered against theirs so relentlessly turned and ran back for the hills, blindly stumbling in the dark. But Argrave did not give them an easy escape. If the tables had been turned, the barbarians would give no mercy.


    Soon enough, Argrave was alone in a field of basalt and bodies, steadily fueling the giant star of lightning above him as thest surviving barbarians fled, broken. The Blessing of Supersession died, and Argrave ceased adding to the mass of magic above. He looked up, bearing witness to the gargantuan ball of electricity, hundreds of eels swimming in and around each other. It looked like a second moon in the sky. Then, he looked down, searching for someone.


    Argrave found Anneliese quickly enough, standing tall and somber just as he was. He walked to her, bathed in the blue light of his magic above.


    ¡°Anne,¡± he said simply, touching her shoulder.


    She looked at him, saying nothing.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    There was a shared camaraderie in their gazes. Neither spoke, nor wanted to speak. They turned back and walked towards the line of infantrymen. The countless infantrymen stared at him¡­ but far more stared at the great mass of electricity far above him. The bear roared at it as though it was a moon.


    ¡°People,¡± Argrave called out, staring out beyond where torchlight persisted. He could hear the song of war repeated there, though yed in a different pitch. Elenore would bemanding the front there. And from their position, he could tell they were losing. ¡°We cannot rest just yet. Your brothers and sisters fight against other foes.¡± Argrave stepped ahead of them. ¡°Our duty is not done yet. Follow!¡±


    Argrave¡¯s feet felt like stone¡­ but still he moved, striding to fulfill the pledge he made to lead them as their king. His most trusted allies joined beside him, and just behind came their troops.

 Chapter 325: Vice

    On the front opposite the barbarians, the battle was pitched to the point of hopelessness. The army of Relizeans outnumbered their foes, true enough¡­ but the garrison in Castle Cookpot had one advantage over them: spellcasters. They were not of grandiose rank or stature, but they had many. That, alone, was enough.


    The crossbowmen, numbering near four thousand, werergely invalidated by the presence of mages. Wind elemental magic, wards¡­ their bolts were deflected or neutralized with ease, and the marksmen had no such defense to the retaliation that came. They had ughtered the bandits and minor lords upon their march here, yet now true resistance came harder than they could handle.


    This was inrge part due to the constant skirmishes from the Unhanded Coalition. Though small in number, they were fierce, quick to move, and nigh impossible to punish. They used the hills and nearby forests to their advantage. They set fires, traps, and all manner of deterrents.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    What few spellcasters were in the Relizean army were heavily pressed to defend, and from their results, they were found wanting. The lightly-armored infantrymen, though well-trained and capable of holding their own, could not achieve a decisive victory over the army as they had in the past. And without decisive victory, thousands could die¡ªdeaths Argrave¡¯s faction could not afford to take. Even if victory came, their grip over Atrus would be weak, and the other forces in the war would decide the terms, not them.


    Elenore knew all of this to be true before the battle began. She could not see the field of battle, but her knowledge of the opposing force was deep. In her time as the Bat, she came to believe a good business mind knows what it can and cannot handle, and tackles what it can do while avoiding what it cannot. She believed long-term sess relied not so much on relentless opportunism as it did avoiding folly. And engaging with these foes? It was folly.


    Argrave wished for her to stall for time, awaiting the arrival of the spellcasters he¡¯d brought from the far north. But whether they fought the foes or ran from them, time flowed the same.


    So Elenore ordered again and again simply this: fall back. Abandon the tents, the supplies, the encampment. Abandon the soil they hadid im to, abandon the siege. It was an order not manymanders would be willing to give. But Elenore did not consider herself amander.


    This n of hers¡­ it was a simple one, but Elenore was not certain she would have been able to make it a few months ago. After all, it relied too much on someone else. It ced her future in the hands of another, trusting Argrave and his coterie would handle things ande to help. Yet strangely¡­ she was never once nervous.


    Elenore noticed the situation changed not from seeing what wasing, but from perceiving the change in the men around her. They told her what they saw: a writhing star of electricity took shape in the sky like a great beacon for the weary retreaters. She could not witness it, but she felt the hopelessness and despair from the forced march veritably melt away as people recognized what came to their aid. The rumors of their king and his legion of ghostly snakes were reborn anew, recited to exin what they saw. She heard the morale rising from the depths as men called out in relief¡­ and knew, then, that their king marched to defend.


    Elenore saw nothing, but she remembered well her brother¡¯s figure. Argrave¡¯s steps were not certain, nor confident, nor indefatigable. Indeed, he had a rather unremarkable air. But he always took those steps, moving from ce to ce to fulfill pledges he had made. And to his army, taking the steps was all that mattered in that moment.


    A vision took form in Elenore¡¯s mind to substitute herck of sight. It was as though a great giant hade to the head of their army, wielding a torch to ward away the monsters biting from the dark. Argrave¡¯s legion of ghostly snakes¡ªelectric eels, Elenore knew¡ªwas his torch. Try as they might to advance, none of the beasts wished to throw themselves upon the sword.


    Elenore knew, then, the fortunes of war had reversed. And she was certain it was just the beginning.


    #####


    Durran stood with his hand held to a railing, staring out into the darkness of the night. He was atop one of two towers far before Castle Cookpot. These ces had tunnels heading all the way through the mountain¡ªimpregnable from the front, but wide open in the back. Durran had forced his way through the tunnels, seeking to force out the residents of the tower. Six royal guards came with him. The other six went with Mnie, seizing the other tower. The resistance was startlingly frail, and Durran realized only once they upied this ce that it was because the defenders had sallied out.


    ¡°You¡¯re seeing this?¡± Durran turned his head. ¡°That¡¯s your king¡¯s work, you know.¡±


    The royal guards stood one and all, watching the battlefield transfixed. Ruleo, captive and bound, desperately craned to see without sess. King Argrave, together with Anneliese, slowed the advance of an army of thousands. But Durran was far more interested in another spectacle beginning opposite the king. There, distant spell light flickered through the dark night, barely perceptible beyond the veil of an illusion. He furrowed his brows.


    It seemed a force of a few hundred came. Were they friend, or foe?


    #####


    ¡°For Quadreign!¡± Vasilisa shouted.


    Her war cry was the signal to a devastating onught. Magic burst from the fingers of eager hunters, tearing through the unsuspecting enemy force with a terrifying boom that heralded their allegiance. Fire, frost, lightning, wind, water, blood¡­ it fell upon their foes in droves, as though all the resentment in their night march poured forth as a wave of mystical destruction.


    The sudden arrival of rampant devastation from the rear sent panic through ally and enemy alike. The earth shattered, the wind howled, and the trodden grass became alight with fire and sparks. No matter the method, the oue was the same: unrelenting defeat for Argrave¡¯s enemies.


    In the span of minutes, what had been a pursuit of fleeing foes turned into a desperate defense. The spellcasters grappling with Argrave¡¯s legion of ghostly snakes attempted to head to the back to offer resistance, but in quantity and quality both, they were overwhelmed at once. Commanders on the enemy¡¯s side blew horns calling for retreat. As though attempting to drown it out, a far greater noise split the air¡ªthough horns all the same, they came from Argrave¡¯s army. And they signaled a unanimous charge.


    Their enemies were hounded on one side by magic users bringing the cold resentment of the north. Concurrently When the Relizeans were given leave to charge, they drove into their opposition with bloody vengeance in mind. And trapped between these two¡­ the oue for the Unhanded Coalition and Castle Cookpot¡¯s garrison was inevitable.


    Complete defeat.


    Thest bastion of resistance in Atrus, its every advantage torn away, shattered. They had overextended far beyond their fortress. Retreat was no longer an option at their disposal. The force of soldiers and spellcasters came together like a hammer upon an anvil, crushing whaty between without mercy.


    When that deed was done, they rallied, merging into a cohesive if disorganized force and advancing forward to Castle Cookpot. The two towers¡ªonce formidable bastions for archers to fire upon them¡ªalready bore the sun-and-snake heraldry of Argrave¡¯s house, and the gates to the towers rose to receive them.


    Their force soon reached the main castle. Argrave prepared to deliver themand to attack¡­ and yet before the words could leave his lips, the gate rose. The gs atop the parapets sunk, lowered. In their ce was a clean white g, showing total surrender.


    And so¡­ their force advanced. It was a cautious push at first, but as they saw their foesying down their weapons, the men cheered and celebrated. These remaining few that had the sense to yield were taken prisoner, hauled off to their own dungeons in a matter of minutes.


    ¡°People!¡± Argrave shouted, his voice loud and booming. He hade to stand atop the battlements, overlooking the great many of his soldiers in the castle¡¯s courtyard. Everyone paid attention to him, and cheered when they saw who it was. Some¡ªthe spellcasters in Quadreign¡ªrecognized the man, though were puzzled by his reception. Soon, the images of Silvaden and King Argrave ovepped.


    Amander handed Argrave his horn, and he blew it. A silence set over the crowd, waiting for his words.


    ¡°All of you¡­ I am proud to have fought beside you in battle,¡± the king dered. ¡°This was our greatest test yet, but you have endured many more before this. We fight to secure a future far better than that which we experience now. I will live or die amongst you all to fulfill my pledge toy down the prosperity we deserve!¡±


    The cheers were so deafening that even the king took a cautious step back from atop the battlements.


    ¡°For now, celebrate!¡± his voice rose again. ¡°Let us enjoy well the fine foods stocked in this castle!¡±


    Their voices came again, louder yet. Their fervor had never been higher than in that moment. The men had been doubtful of their king while marching through the taiga. The easy spoils had contented them, but there was a fire in their hearts that died by the day during this stalemate. Yet then, on the hour of their need, the king himself took the field, moving from front to front in avid defense of his people. And so that me of loyalty burnt the brightest yet.


    #####


    ¡°You certainly know how to create a spectacle,¡± Elenore spoke to Argrave, standing at the doorway. She stepped within and shut the door.


    They stood in a spacious room¡ªthe previousmander¡¯s quarters. Anneliese picked up a candlestick that had been tossed to the ground, where two uneaten yet decadent meals sat cold on a table nearby.


    ¡°Just seized the moment,¡± Argrave dismissed, pacing about the room and examining things. ¡°And there¡¯s more of that to do. I had nned on being diplomatic with the barbarians¡­ but now, I think we have an excuse to be more forceful. If we march into Vysenn with righteous anger, they¡¯ll have to abate our wrath. Doubtless rumors of that tribe¡¯s demise will spread rapidly. I was upset at letting some escape, but now I think it¡¯lle in handy.¡±


    ¡°On that point¡­ rumors already are spreading everywhere,¡± Elenore continued. ¡°Of you. The king who headed to the far north, disguised. The king who brought all of Quadreign under his heel. The king who arrived like a guardian angel at thest possible moment.¡± She pointed at Anneliese. ¡°They speak of her, too. The Stormdancer, hunting hundreds through the basalt storm like a demon. Defending her king from assault as he held back thousands of troops.¡± She shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s sickeningly positive. You have a cult on your hands, I¡¯m afraid.¡±


    ¡°They should be singing your praises,¡± Argrave dismissed, ufortable with this whole debacle. He pulled off his silver bracer that drew his blood and set it on a dresser. ¡°You did all the hard work. I really just swung by and stole your glory.¡±


    ¡°True,¡± Elenore nodded without argument.


    Argraveughed. ¡°Ah¡­ I missed you, I hope you know.¡±


    Elenore fidgeted in hesitation, then decisively stepped forward and hugged him. ¡°Well, you can stop doing that now.¡±


    Argrave said nothing, holding her for a moment. Then, she pulled away.


    ¡°I regret that,¡± she admitted. ¡°You should wash.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. Very touching reunion,¡± he said wryly, unable to muster indignation.


    ¡°Rest, now. I am going to go find Durran, get caught up on thest of things. On top of that, we have to prepare to consolidate the rest of Atrus. Given your disy here, I believe the whole of them will be willing and able to surrender in an orderly fashion.¡± Her eyeless sockets rested upon him. ¡°You look liable to faint from exhaustion, so I will leave you be. For now.¡±


    Argrave rubbed at his face. ¡°Long day.¡± As he spoke, Anneliese walked up to him, resting her head upon his chest tiredly. Whether it was to seek or offerfort, he didn¡¯t know or care¡ªhe embraced her all the same, d to put the battle behind him. They had much to talk about, but sleep awaited them both.


    ¡°Then, rest well,¡± Elenore dipped her head, perhaps seeing their embrace as her cue to leave.


    As Elenore turned to walk away, Argrave called out, ¡°Elenore.¡± She turned around, waiting for his next words. ¡°I want you toe with me to Vysenn, tomorrow. Durran, too. And when we leave¡­ you¡¯ll be able to see across the verdant hills with your own two eyes and feel the grass beneath your own two feet. I promise you that.¡±


    Elenore inhaled deeply. ¡°I¡­ see.¡±


    ¡°So you should rest well, too,¡± he told her, staring at her squarely.


    The princess stood there for a few moments, doing nothing. With a nod, she swallowed and stepped out of the room somewhat clumsily.

 Chapter 326: Reparations

    ¡°We cannot afford to make this a long journey,¡± Elenore informed Argrave as she slipped on some heavy gloves suited for travel. ¡°Given the recent influx of spellcasters you brought, we have no excuses tonguish within this fortress. Any wounds have been healed by magic, any supplies lost have been regained from therder here, and we sit at the precipice of total consolidation of all the north. The officers and patricians beneath us are eager to move. They salivate like bears who happened across a beehive without bees.¡±


    Argrave, Anneliese, Gmon, and Elenore stood atop the battlements of the fortress. There was a rather peculiar difference in what Argrave saw¡ªhe witnessed a lot more of his personal heraldry everywhere, the sun-and-snake. Before, it had been wielded as a force of necessity¡ªthe soldiers needed a banner. Now, in but a night, many wore it proudly. Argrave had mixed feelings about this.


    ¡°Is two days fine?¡± Argrave asked her, turning his head.


    The princess paused, deliberating. ¡°I¡­ it will be difficult. And you have plenty of matters to settle today.¡±


    ¡°Do you really need me to settle anything? Seem to have done fine, and I liked my absence more than I care to admit,¡± Argrave looked about.


    ¡°Now that people have seen you, I can hardly provide the same excuses I have,¡± Elenore reminded him. ¡°And¡­ Durran told me he captured someone. Ruleo,¡± she said gravely. ¡°Durran can tell you details, but¡­ the man seems to have gained an inkling of Gerechtigkeit. Their expedition narrowly averted a disaster with undead created by the Order of the Rose. I think it best you decide his fate.¡±


    Argrave took a deep breath and exhaled. ¡°¡­let him wait,¡± he decided. ¡°Keep him prisoner.¡±


    Elenore narrowed her eyes. ¡°So he can break out and cause us problems again? The man is nothing if not resourceful. Procrastinating with prisoners because of the headache-inducing moral quandaries generally leads to poor oues. Kill him, spare him¡­ best to decide now.¡±


    Argrave was unpersuaded and opened his mouth to disclose so.


    ¡°Your Majesty!¡± someone called out cheerily, and Argrave turned his head. Durran walked towards them, arms outstretched.


    Argrave smirked and stepped to greet him. Gmon and Anneliese came along as well.


    ¡°Look at you, gray eyes once again,¡± the former tribal greeted him. ¡°Anneliese¡­ looking healthy. And Gmon¡­¡± he searched for the words.


    ¡°Looking mortal,¡± Argrave finished.


    Durran narrowed his eyes, then widened them. ¡°Well, is that right? I was a bit worried about getting these fingers of mine back¡­ but I feel a little better about my chances, now. Show me your teeth, maybe?¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Gmon stared without movement.


    Argrave gestured towards the encampment below. ¡°We can do all the catching-up on the road. For now, there are a few things to put in order, and then we have to head out.¡± He looked to Anneliese. ¡°One thing in particr deserves your attention.¡±


    ¡°We got you something,¡± Anneliese smiled at Durran.


    ¡°A souvenir?¡± Durran looked genuinely surprised.


    ¡°Come on. Let¡¯s get ready to move,¡± Argrave beckoned with his hand as he set into motion.


    #####


    The affairs in the camp were not so many. Argrave got Svena and Ganbaatar settled in, coordinated things with the current army and the new arrival from Quadreign, and affirmed a few promises made by Elenore to skittish patricians or their subordinates. He also announced two days of rest for the soldiers, while diplomats were dispatched to those beyond the valley requesting surrender from all remaining lords. These diplomats brought prisoners with them¡ªthey were to spread the story of Argrave¡¯s one-sided victory to any¡­ undecided parties. The other prisoner¡ªRuleo¡ªwould remain under captivity. Mnie was assigned to guard him for their absence of two days, and all had ample confidence in her.


    Durran finally got his gift¡ªthe great bear from Quadreign. He¡¯d learned the proper druidic spell to bind its soul to his, and did so eagerly. The thing was giant, fierce, and imbued with power beyond even its formidable size. Anneliese told Argrave that Gmon was envious of Durran, bogglingly enough. Argrave was right¡ªhis old elven friend was a bear person.


    A little before midday, they set out to Vysenn with a sizeable escort. Including two A-rank mages Anneliese deemed suitably loyal, Argrave was reunited with his royal guard.


    ¡°Sometime soon¡­ I intend to test your progress,¡± Gmon spoke to the guard as they marched for the distant cinder cone.


    The guards seemed chilled by this notion. Durran, riding atop his new bond, spoke in their defense. ¡°They really held their own. Held out against hordes of the undead without losing a man, then still had the mental and physical wherewithal to charge into a fortified structure while towing along a prisoner.¡±


    Gmon nodded, and then they continued their walk. Elenore rode with Durran, Argrave and Anneliese walked side-by-side, and the knightmander guarded them diligently with the knights and A-rank spellcasters under hismand. He resumed his position as though he¡¯d never left it.


    Argrave rxed, for he roughly knew the n heading into Vysenn¡ªbluster, make demands, seek retribution. All the tribes would be on high alert, and none would be eager to defy Argrave or the one at his side.


    ¡°We finally have a moment to talk,¡± Argrave looked to Anneliese.


    She looked a little more tired than normal, and the events of yesterday still showed on her. Then again, Argrave surely looked much the same. A battle like that didn¡¯t fade from the memory in a day or two. Argrave wasn¡¯t entirely sure the adrenaline was all gone.


    ¡°A moment seems insufficient,¡± she looked back at him, then minded the path ahead once again lest she fall. ¡°I wish I had two mouths¡­ and you four ears.¡±


    ¡°Without an extra brain for each, seems pointless,¡± he responded dryly.


    A small smile weighed down by the lingering somberness of yesterday rose to her face. ¡°It is well enough. Some things¡­ I do not care to discuss them publicly,¡± she said. Argrave was about to ask what she meant, but she continued quickly, ¡°[Life Cycle] is not as you remember it, Argrave. It is much more.¡±


    Argrave raised a brow. ¡°Meaning?¡±


    ¡°As you say, touching people, or ambient spells, does gift me their magic,¡± she nodded, pausing to step up a steep incline. ¡°My spells, too, sap magic from the targets they hit. But it is more than that. My wards replenish my magic when struck by spells. In turn, what wards¡ªindeed, any spells¡ªI strike are simrly fractionally absorbed.¡±


    He blinked, the various uses for that running into his head. ¡°That¡¯s¡ª¡±


    ¡°Tremendously empowering,¡± Anneliese finished for him. ¡°Llewellen said I would be the first among equals. I think he undersold it.¡± She raised her hand up, moving her fingers about. ¡°I feel as though my natural magic regeneration has improved. On top of that¡­¡± she put her hand on his arm. ¡°You radiate magic more than most.¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s you, I¡¯m an all-you-can-eat buffet whenever you want,¡± he looked at her. ¡°But you don¡¯t sound happy to me.¡±


    ¡°Stormdancer, they called me,¡± Anneliese said, looking off to thendscape ahead. She paused and looked back, where a vast field had been covered with basalt particles and traces of battle by magic. Bodiesy crated in it everywhere. It looked like a pocket of hell ced on earth. ¡°I want you to tell me of Gerechtigkeit again, please. I think I need¡­ a reminder. Of why this is the right thing.¡±


    Argrave watched the scene, same as her. ¡°Certainly.¡± In his peripheries, he saw Durran and Elenore chatting. Their conversation looked somewhat lively.


    ¡°¡­a greater asset than I thought,¡± Durran told Elenore, the two of them riding on his bear. ¡°I thought she was a waste of money. I told her as much. But¡­ Mnie¡¯s not so bad,¡± he admitted. ¡°I kind of like the shameless greed. So long as she¡¯s in the right position, I think she could be a big boon.¡±


    Elenore¡¯s face grew stern from her spot behind Durran. ¡°Time and time again, you think I make bad judgements. Asking Vasilisa to protect us. Having Mnie apany you. I picked both for a reason, and both have proven their capability.¡±


    ¡°When did I say you make bad judgements?¡± Durran looked back briefly. He looked somewhat miffed for a few seconds, then his face broke and he chuckled. ¡°Oh. I know that face.¡±


    ¡°And I know when someone is going to make a snidement,¡± she said with a sigh.


    ¡°You¡¯re nervous,¡± Durran pinpointed. ¡°The idea of getting your sight back has really rattled you, huh?¡±


    At the unexpected usation, Elenore¡¯s poor mood was somewhat disarmed. She said nothing as they rode onwards for a little while.


    ¡°Should I feel as though I¡¯m putting a bandage around a bad cut?¡± she said indignantly. ¡°This deserves anxiety.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s snide now?¡± Durran pointed out. ¡°Listen¡­¡± he turned his body around until he faced her, letting the bear lead without his guidance. ¡°Something I learned going with Argrave. You can ask him questions to help refine his ideas¡­ but he¡¯s usually right about things. Just follow along, you¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    Elenore furrowed her brows, not fully content with that advice.


    ¡°And by the way¡­¡± Durran lowered his head. ¡°I follow the same exact principle with you, more or less. I throw questions your way, help you refine your ideas¡­ but generally, you¡¯re always right.¡± He reached out and put a hand on her shoulder, consoling.


    Elenore did look a little better. Then, she squeaked and shifted forward rapidly, headbutting Durran in the chest in panic. The bear paused and tilted its head back. She reached into the back of her tunic, retrieving an ice cube that Durran had nted. She berated him, calling him childish as heughed.


    #####


    Once they crossed a certain point into Vysenn, their leisurely approach could remain so for no longer. Argrave put everyone on alert, while Anneliese scouted ahead for the baster-skinned tribals making their home in the base of the volcano. As expected, all were on high alert, anticipating retaliation.


    Rather than mindlessly rush into the hills and wait for an ambush to find them, Argrave allowed Anneliese to search out a secluded and small party unaffiliated with those they¡¯d deal with yesterday. It was a trying task¡ªAnneliese had to describe the tattoos, and from that Argrave had to extrapte allegiance. He only remembered a few distinct markings, so it took quite a while to find proper candidates.


    In the end, they did find a group that might help. And rather than be ambushed¡­ they ambushed them, stealing upon them from a high vantage point. Argrave hung just before the top of the hill, Anneliese beside him. They exchanged a nod, and then stood to walk over the hill.


    ¡°Hello there,¡± Argrave greeted, causing an immediate reaction of fear among the five below. ¡°I think it¡¯s time for amends. And I think all of you are going to make that happen.¡±

 Chapter 327: Feed the Earth

    A small party of four navigated across a treacherous and narrow valley road where rockslides seemed liable to happen at any point. Their feet crunched when they fell upon with the loose basalt fragments beneath. They had the inhuman, baster-like skin of the people native to Vysenn. Their wizened yetrge leader bore a staff which he leaned upon heavily to walk. Most of his body was exposed to the elements, though not indecently so. His red tattoos were densely packed as to give the impression he was wrapped in something.


    The narrow pathway did eventually open up. An austere temple was the first thing to greet them. The structure was made of polished volcanic rock and made to seem a natural fixture to the mountain. The volcanic gases expelled from most of the earth had been pathed through loose stone bricks so as to grandiosely shroud some of the building. The three escorting the old man looked up in wonder, yet he led on without sparing a nce like he¡¯d seen it all before.


    Inside, the old man¡¯s staff echoed through the halls, and they all walked in silence through the dark and poorly lit halls of the temple. The walk was quite a long one, and as it carried on, the man leaned on his staff more and more. In time, a brighter light emanated out ahead, and a wave of heat assaulted the four of them. It was powerful enough that it seemed to distort the air. The three escorts paused before entering, kneeling down and cing their heads upon the ground.


    The room ahead was known as the heart chamber. It was a ce of worship where only tribal chieftains could enter without special exception. The heart chamber was carved from the earth, fashioned into a crude circle. There was arge ring that acted both as railing and a table. It blocked any from falling into the titanic, uneven hole bubbling with magma far below.


    The old tribal chief looked about, witnessing all present. There were many other chieftains here, but none so old as he. They sweated from the all-consuming heat of the heart chamber¡­ but not all of their sweat seemed toe from that, he thought. There was nervousness and fear in the air. His eyes fell upon a young boy, who had the least tattoos of all present. He looked hollow and shaken.


    ¡°Why are you here, boy?¡± the old chieftain asked before any words were exchanged. ¡°Where is the ckweb?¡±


    Another man stepped in, almost shielding the young one with his staff. ¡°The ckweb died, Firevein. The boy has abandoned his old name and taken his father¡¯s position, now.¡±


    The Firevein narrowed his eyes. ¡°The next ckweb was not so young.¡±


    ¡°They all died,¡± the other continued. ¡°He¡¯s the oldest male of his bloodline.¡±


    The Firevein clenched his staff a little tighter. ¡°He cannot even wield a weapon¡­¡± he sighed and stepped inward. ¡°And we must deal with the Webspinners¡¯ folly? Ridiculous! They deserved what they got. Their tribe is dead, scattered to the wind, to be absorbed by the others.¡±


    ¡°But we have to deal with the repercussions,¡± another called out from across the gaping pit of fire between them.


    ¡°And why?¡± the Firevein rebutted.


    ¡°Because when disease infects one member of the family, the rest are sure to grow ill. We may me the sick for their weakness, yet the disease must be dealt with all the same,¡± he said proverbially, leaning onto the table until the light from the magma illuminated his blue eyes. His tattoos were white, and so provided a very peculiar effect upon his already-pale skin that made it seem textured. ¡°The chief of the greennds beyond hase seeking retribution. His spirits imed hundreds of the Webspinners, and he brought with him the one who hunted their tephramancers¡ªthe Stormdancer.¡± He stepped back and mmed his staff upon the earth. ¡°Gather, everyone, and let us discuss.¡±


    Everyone focused and shifted closer to the table with light, uncertain steps. The Webspinners were among the strongest of the tribes in the region. Despite this, their numbers had been culled until they were the weakest overnight. All survivors of the battle in the greennds spoke of the Stormdancer. Equally pervasive was the one who¡¯d in them after with all the rage of nature, yet he had not been given a name.


    ¡°Their leader is the one who called the spirits?¡± another chief asked.


    ¡°What does it matter?¡± the Firevein waved his hands. He had a grudge with the blue-eyed chief, the current Snowrock, who¡¯d spoken and did not care to see his point taken so seriously.


    ¡°History rhymes,¡± the Snowrock said simply. ¡°What happened before can happen again¡­ on a grander scale.¡±


    ¡°Can two alone repeat such results indefinitely?¡± the Firevein scoffed. ¡°Then why have the greennders not conquered the world by now?¡±


    ¡°They hold all we know, except Vysenn,¡± the blue-eyed chief rebutted. ¡°Do you care to see that change, Firevein?¡±


    The two stared fiercely at each other. Before they came to blow, someone with off-yellow tattoos stepped in front of the Firevein, breaking his gaze. ¡°Come. Cease this bickering. The chief of the greennds hase seeking amends for the intrusion upon hisnds. Unless others have alternatives¡­ we approach this chief and see what he wants, or we prepare to fight.¡±


    The Firevein looked off to the side, and the heart chamber settled into silence.


    The new speaker stepped around the table. ¡°Those in favor of repelling him, say aye.¡±


    None spoke in favor.


    ¡°Then we have our decision,¡± the Snowrock leaned away from the table. ¡°All that remains is picking who goes.¡±


    With this, a great deal of debate erupted. All seemed to loathe the idea of this duty, but concurrently all realized its importance. In the end, the heads of the most prominent and ambitious tribes elected to go, if only so that they would be able to influence the oue of things.


    ¡°The Snowrock of the Snowfalls, the Firevein of the mes, and the Tender of the Grasses,¡± the final decision was repeated.


    ¡°I have something to say,¡± the new ckweb stepped to the table. The young boy spoke words that sounded rehearsed. ¡°In order to stay the wrath of Vysenn, and tobat the misery my tribe has brought upon our people¡­¡± he stepped up to the ringed table, then climbed atop it. ¡°I would feed the earth.¡±


    A mixed reaction spread in the room. The Firevein nodded in approval, while the Snowrock looked greatly diforted by this fact.


    ¡°What?¡± the Snowrock asked incredulously. ¡°Boy¡­ step away from the heart. Would those you¡¯ve left behind want that for you?¡±


    ¡°He is no boy,¡± the Firevein interrupted. ¡°He is a chief and has a duty to thisnd and its people!¡± he pointed his staff. ¡°A chief whose tribe is dead, at that. The best he can do is offer repayment to those his forefathers wronged. We must do penance¡ªso should he. If he can calm the earth and appease the gods beneath, that would be the greatest service. Am I wrong?¡±


    ¡°¡­that is your right as a chief,¡± the Snowrock hesitantly admitted.


    Thest bit of life drained from the current ckweb¡¯s youthful face. The Firevein lifted his staff up and drummed it upon the earth. In time, all gathered in a rough ring around the pit in the earth, striking their staves upon the ground. The boy stepped up to the pit, nervous and shaking. The ground beneath him seemed to rattle.


    And then¡­ he stepped in.


    #####


    The party of three chieftains stepped over the hills andid eyes upon the waiting greennders. Prudently, they had chosen to meet outside of Vysenn. Things might have gone differently had these ounders recklessly gone into the tribes¡¯ hearnds.


    Snowrock¡¯s chest became ame with nervousness when he set eyes upon their party, and he breathed deeply to calm himself. Barring the guards armored in metal, the people there were more than what was described. Tall, formidable, and calm: that was the impression they exuded.


    ¡°Swallow your pride,¡± the Tender, chieftain of the Grasses, reminded them. Unlike most of their brethren, he did not bother with tattoos and kept his hair long. ¡°Standing can be regained, but death is forever. I don¡¯t want either of you doing something foolish because you can¡¯t bear to lower yourself before a rival.¡±


    The Snowrock and the Firevein looked at the strange chief, then nodded their heads in turn. And then, they stepped out across the grassy hills on the edge of Vysenn¡­ moving headlong towards their fears.


    ¡°We greet the chieftain of the greennds,¡± the Snowrock said,ing to one knee. He saw no point in putting on airs, and did not trust the Firevein to do the same¡ªso long as he offered obeisance, so too would the others.


    The other two returned the greeting in much the same fashion. The Snowrock dared a nce at them. The Stormdancer was incredibly tall, and the chieftain even more so. His hair was like the ck ss formed from the volcano. He had eyes gray as stone¡­ and they jumped between the three of them casually like they were animals that had strayed upon his path.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°You intruded upon mynds,¡± he began in a clear, somber voice. ¡°You sought to kill my people. You coborated with rebels.¡±


    ¡°Chieftain¡ª¡±


    ¡°You will call him Your Majesty,¡± a titan armored in steel dered, guttural voice more terrifying than the rumbling of the volcano.


    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± the Tender lowered his head obediently, bowing until his hands needed to support his weight. ¡°Please. One of our tribes acted alone. We ask for merc¡ª¡±


    ¡°You deflect me?¡± the Stormdancer spoke.


    The atmosphere grew tense. ¡°No, we¡­!¡± the Firevein tried to exin indignantly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care to hear exnations. The people that assaulted us came from thisnd,¡± the chieftain of the greennds pointed beyond. ¡°The Snowfalls, the mes, the Grasses, the Waterfallen, the Mistwalkers¡­ I¡¯ve known of your people. But yournds are useless to me, and so I have left you be,¡± he dered coldly. ¡°But you spilled the blood of mine. And that has drawn my interests.¡±


    If things had been tense moments ago, they were suffocating now. All waited as though a guillotine hung over their head.


    ¡°But death begets death. If you pay just rpense¡­ we can end the cycle before it concludes your people¡¯s history,¡± he said confidently.


    ¡°¡­what could one so mighty want from us?¡± the Firevein questioned bitterly.


    ¡°Your livestock,¡± the chieftain of the greennds held his hand out. ¡°The smanders you rear. The secret to your resilience.¡±


    The Snowrock lifted his bowed head up in shock.


    ¡°You ask¡­!¡± the Firevein began loudly, but lowered his voice when Gmon took a step nearer. ¡°We live on thesends because of those creatures¡­ Your Majesty. If we give them up¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t ask for them all,¡± the chieftain of the greennds said in annoyance. ¡°Just rpense, I said. And I meant just.¡±


    ¡°And if we refuse?¡± the Firevein said. The Snowrock looked at him furiously, but he understood the man¡¯s position¡ªthe bulk of the smander herds were kept by the mes, after all, so this request impacted him the most.


    The chieftain of the greennds looked back to two rather inconspicuously dressed people. They held their hands out, and a great ripple of teal spread out from their bodies. Something iprehensible danced in their palms.


    And then¡­ a giant de ofpressed wind formed in the sky on either side. They reeled back, their points barely meeting. Then, they swung. A powerful gale shook the earth. Their twin des tore through a hillside each¡­ and cut through it cleanly, leaving a t stretch of earth that quickly crumbled into a more natural shape as the now-dislodged earth slid in a dangerousndslide.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tten these hills,¡± the king turned back and dered before the winds and tumbling rock had settled. ¡°You can pay a few pounds of flesh¡­ or a river of blood. It¡¯ll be more difficult, but I can get what I want regardless.¡±


    The chieftains were deeply rattled, and the Tender even fell to his knees in shock. That damage¡­ they could achieve it, perhaps. And by ¡®they,¡¯ the Snowrock meant all of his people, all of his tephramancers working in tandem. This man had achieved that with two.


    ¡°It shall be done, Your Majesty,¡± the Tender lowered his head. The Snowrock was soon to follow. Andstly, gritting his teeth¡­ the Firevein bent the knee, too.


    ¡°Excellent,¡± His Majesty dered happily.

 Chapter 328: Hot Blooded

    Argrave eyed a wriggling bag made of poor cloth handled by one of the men of the tribes of Vysenn. Some animal lovers would undoubtedly take umbrage with the treatment of the amphibians, suggesting that they would be traumatized being transported in such a manner.


    ¡°Your Majesty¡­ what are your ns for these creatures?¡± the Firevein, standing off nearby, questioned as he looked into the distantnd of greenery where the spring taiga reigned. ¡°Do you intend to raise them?¡±


    Argrave looked to him. ¡°It would be hard to prepare an environment for them. They live in heat and need volcanic gases to get proper nutrients, something that Ick on both fronts. I might sustain them for a time, but I cannot keep them.¡±


    ¡°What of the crystals?¡± Anneliese suggested. When Argrave furrowed his brows, she borated, ¡°From my homnd. They were embedded in the roads to ward away snow and keep the path clear.¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡± Argrave said, pointing to her. ¡°A brighter idea than I could ever hope to think of. But¡­ the other point remains true.¡±


    ¡°You say that you do not desire ournds¡­ yet these creatures are the only reason we can persist amidst the harsh rocks and dense miasma,¡± the Firevein asked without asking.


    Gmon stepped up and took the bag from the other¡¯s hands, holding it out before his body as though he didn¡¯t care to have the smanders touch his body.


    ¡°I have other uses for them than preparing a force for colonization. I¡¯m not exactly sure why you¡¯re so protective overnd near a volcano,¡± Argrave said ponderingly. ¡°If you¡¯re smart, you¡¯ll heed this. You probably won¡¯t, but here¡¯s the advice anyway: migrate. That volcano will erupt once again. Your homes will melt and fuse with the earth, and your flesh and bones will be unrecognizable in the liquid rock. Doesn¡¯t matter who you sacrifice to appease the volcano or what measures you take to prepare¡ªunless you migrate, you¡¯ll die.¡±


    ¡°Those of the greennds have been saying such a thing for hundreds of years,¡± the Firevein shook his head, then respectfully appended, ¡°Em¡­ Your Majesty.¡±


    The Snowrock, however, was somewhat more serious. ¡°Where would we even migrate? Thends beyond all belong to Your Majesty, and we are strangers in appearance. How would we survive?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Argrave thought for a few seconds, then continued, ¡°Your people are well-suited for the earth. Most of your homes are built from it. Miners are always wee. As a matter of fact¡­ I can think of a few areas they¡¯d be in rather high demand in theing years, to the point where I¡¯d ept migrants myself.¡±


    ¡°As ves?¡± the Snowrock guessed.


    ¡°That custom is long gone,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°And even if it wasn¡¯t¡­ it¡¯s better than death, I think. Life outside Vysenn is of much higher quality than that within it.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ it is better than death, Your Majesty,¡± the Snowrock nodded slowly.


    ¡°Given your leave, Your Majesty¡­¡± the reticent Tender of the Grasses spoke. ¡°We would return, our matter¡­ settled?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s settled,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t soon forget the lesson taught here.¡±


    Taking that as their cue to leave, the three chiefs and their small entourage that had delivered the smanders made to leave. As they left, the Snowrock paused.


    ¡°Your Majesty¡­ those smanders¡­ though they can be eaten¡­¡±


    ¡°Speak not another word!¡± the Firevein shouted at hispatriot.


    ¡°I¡¯d agree,¡± Argrave nodded, holding his hand out to stop the other. ¡°I already know the ritual, so save your words.¡±


    The Snowrock blinked, and the Firevein grabbed the man¡¯s arm to shepherd him along. The tribal chieftain resisted the older man, then asked, ¡°Is there aught you don¡¯t know?¡±


    Argrave smiled. ¡°Only how this world came to be.¡±


    With this, their parting was final. Argrave turned away, trusting Gmon to watch his back. Anneliese joined him,menting, ¡°What strange naming customs. Did they have true names before they became ¡®the Firerock,¡¯ or whatever such title?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Argrave responded distantly, already thinking of what was ahead as heid eyes upon Elenore and Durran.


    Anneliese grabbed his hand to draw his attention¡ªa rather effective strategy, Argrave noted. ¡°The blue-eyed one¡­ I think we have not seen thest of him.¡±


    Argrave took a deep breath. ¡°Meaning?¡±


    ¡°I could be wrong,¡± she shook her head, then fixed some of her long white hair behind her ear. ¡°I just noticed¡­ turmoil.¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°He and I are in the same boat, it would seem. I appreciate your vignce. We¡¯ll have to ry that information to my sister, too. But maybe¡­ after things are truly settled.¡±


    #####


    ¡°You have two options,¡± Argrave exined, hands on his knees as Durran and Elenore sat before him, cross-legged just as he was.


    The stars and the red moon were especially bright tonight, almost to the point the campfire was necessary only for warmth. They decided to camp here¡ªit was far from Vysenn, yet nevertheless Argrave¡¯s royal guard kept watch. After Anneliese¡¯s disy of prowess with her A-rank ascendency, he was markedly less worried about the barbarians offering any genuine threat. Their strength was their tephramancy, yet that power of theirs had proven to be arger boon to Anneliese.


    ¡°One,¡± Argrave looked back at Gmon, who still held the bag. ¡°You start a new diet. A lizard a day invites your bones to stay,¡± he tried his best to rhyme, though he wasn¡¯t confident the mnemonic would stick. ¡°A live lizard, as a matter of fact. Apparently there¡¯ll be an itching sensation in the affected parts as your body starts to change.¡±


    ¡°Are smanders lizards?¡± Anneliese questioned. She actually held one already¡ªit was a rather unassuming ck creature with moist skin. Whatever it breathed out was visible as some sort of ck mist. It squirmed ufortably in her hand, yet she held it firm. ¡°I recall you mentioning they were kept in heated pools in Vysenn.¡±


    Argrave nked, the answer noting to him readily. Then, he answered unconfidently, ¡°¡­no.¡±


    Elenore sighed. ¡°I am instilled with confidence by your considerable knowledge base. As for that option, my jaw is rather weak and my stomach not so strong. What is the other option?¡±


    Argrave looked in her eyeless sockets. ¡°The ritual. You will be covered in fresh smander blood and set ame. Their blood is highly mmable, but it won¡¯t burn you. It¡¯ll seep into your skin and set to work immediately.¡±


    ¡°Ha!¡± Durran reeled back andughed. ¡°I think that¡¯s enough for me. Unpleasant though it might be, I¡¯ll take a few scales trapped between my teeth and an ufortable meal any day over being set alight.¡± He pointed at Argrave. ¡°I got set on fire in the wends, and I still have nightmares about that. No thanks.¡±


    ¡°They have no scales,¡± Anneliese noted, observing the creature. ¡°That was why I questioned if they were lizards.¡±


    Durran spared a nce. ¡°Even better. No self-immtion for me, thanks.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do the ritual,¡± Elenore nodded.


    Argrave wasn¡¯t surprised. Elenore had chosen the same option in Heroes of Berendar. The person who was surprised, though¡­


    ¡°What in the world did you say?¡± Durran leaned in. ¡°You, uh¡­ you¡¯d prefer being set on fire than eating smanders? I thought you were smart.¡±


    ¡°He said it was painless,¡± Elenore pointed out.


    ¡°Coming from the guy who let somebody pull his heart out of his body, does that mean much? He was puking blood and turning inside out a couple months ago,¡± Durran waved at Argrave. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t use him as a good scale for pain.¡±


    Elenore crossed her arms. ¡°Who said today that Argrave was usually right, and following along with what he did wasn¡¯t a bad idea?¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s¡­¡± Durran trailed off, scratching the top of his head where his dark hair was thick. ¡°I was talking about what I do, not what you should do.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m doing it,¡± Elenore shook her head, then rose to her feet. ¡°Let us prepare immediately.¡±


    Durran stood too. ¡°Elenore. What¡¯s the matter with a little deferred gratification? We have what we needed. No need to throw caution to the wind. I¡¯d think you, being a business tycoon, could grasp that concept.¡±


    ¡°You should care a little less about what I do, and focus instead on what you do,¡± Elenore said simply, then stepped away.


    Durran¡¯s mouth closed and his expression turned stoic. He looked as though he was choosing his words. Then, his bear roared loudly in rage, distracting all present. He stepped away to tend to his druidic bond, seeing what precisely it needed.


    ¡°Can we do this now?¡± Elenore asked, crossing her arms. She fidgeted, betraying her nervousness.


    ¡°I thought you¡¯d be mostfortable with Anneliese doing it, given the nature of the, uh¡­¡± he gestured towards her body. ¡°¡­the ritual. I¡¯ll be nearby if I¡¯m needed, but I think she should do it.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± she said neutrally. ¡°I hadn¡¯t considered that. Thank you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re sure this is the choice you want?¡± Argrave questioned.


    ¡°I am certain,¡± Elenore nodded. ¡°I want this over and done with.¡±


    Argrave rubbed his palms together. He didn¡¯t have as many qualms as Durran did, nor did heck confidence in the n. Eventually, he said jokingly, ¡°It seems my sister is a picky eater. Well, you¡¯re rich enough to be, so I suppose it¡¯s fine.¡±


    Anneliese stepped forward, smander still in hand. She offered her arm to Elenore. ¡°Shall we?¡±


    Elenore stayed silent for a moment, shuddered, and then walked with Anneliese, heading for a distant and private ce.


    #####


    Darkness consumed Elenore¡¯s world. It had been some weeks since shest felt the total vulnerability that came with blindness. The bronze jewelry that Argrave had gifted her became a constant presence in her life to the point where being without them was a deeply ufortable thing. Even in changing clothes or washing, she never removed them all.


    Now, though¡­ she had to, and the night air felt cold upon her skin as she removed thest of her clothes. The only fabric left was a small sash binding her hair above her head, wrapped tightly. Even her prosthetics had been set aside, and Elenore sat on a rock she could not see.


    ¡°This truly is a tribal ritual,¡± Elenore noted with a shivering voice, ill at ease from the howling of the wind beyond the hills that shielded them from sight.


    ¡°Yet there is wisdom and magic in it. I will be with you every step of the way,¡± Anneliese said calmly.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    The snow elf was extremely amodating to Elenore, doing nothing to heighten her difort. She was kind, Elenore knew¡­ but she wasn¡¯t sure her unease could entirely be abated.


    ¡°There are some things to remember. You will need to hold your breath for a long time, initially. Do not panic and inhale. Beyond that, I will take care of everything. Your body will undergo the changes overnight. Argrave ims this is extremely ufortable, though not painful. You will not sleep, he suspects,¡± Anneliese finished evenly. ¡°Are you prepared?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Perhaps the fire will expel this damnable chill,¡± she said dryly.


    ¡°I¡¯ve put the first smander above. In three, two, one¡­¡± she said, narrating her actions so as to be kind to Elenore.


    Elenore expected warm liquid, but it wasn¡¯t. Anneliese avoided her head, dripping the blood down her torso and legs. It was cold and got colder yet as the wind blew against her skin. The noises were disturbing and ghastly, and they carried on for some time methodically. Elenore thought to question Anneliese¡¯s efficiency, but she was too cold to speak normally.


    ¡°There. I have done as best I could. I will set you ame. To repeat¡ªdo not panic, do not inhale. Take a deep breath when I reach two in my countdown. I will ignite you on one.¡± The elven woman took a deep breath. ¡°Three, two¡­¡±


    Elenore inhaled deeply.


    ¡°One,¡± Anneliese finished.


    Elenore felt as though she had opened the door to a cksmith and stepped within as a wave of heat seized her. The natural, human response to sudden heat was fear, but Elenore was well prepared to suppress that. One second, two seconds, three seconds¡­ she held her breath diligently, adhering to the instructions given.


    The heat reached a crescendo, and Elenore thought pain was soon toe. But just as the apex came, so did the decrescendoe.


    ¡°Astounding¡­¡± Anneliese said.


    Elenore held her breath, waiting for the nextmand.


    ¡°It¡­ is already over. I will help you get your things,¡± Anneliese said, the awe still on her tone.


    Elenore stood there nkly, basking in the heat as thest bit of it faded away. Perhaps she was delusional¡­ but her blood felt hot. When she felt Anneliese¡¯s touch, only then did she exhale.


    ¡°It¡¯s done?¡± Elenore asked. ¡°Did it work?¡±


    ¡°So far as I know,¡± Anneliese said. ¡°Here. Come. Let us return you back to the others. I know well the security of loved ones when your body undergoes significant change. So does Argrave. Or Gmon. So,e. Let us get you moving¡­¡±


    Elenore obeyed nkly. Before long, everything was back as it had been before, down to the prosthetics on her feet or the jewelry on her body granting her vision. Only¡­ as they walked, Elenore realized she was not delusional. Her blood was hot. It was not as though the fire had burnt out, but rather¡­ it had gone inward.


    Her jewelry offered her a range of vision into ces typically unknowable. And when Elenore gazed upon her blood with its magic¡­ she saw it bubble and boil already.

 Chapter 329: Blood Makes the Body Whole

    Argrave and Anneliese sat atop some temporary bedding¡ªspecifically, arge tarp syed out across the t grass with some fur nkets atop it. Anneliese was already delving into A-rank magic. She had two books on her knee¡ªone projected the strange, iprehensible full-body matrix exclusive to A-rank spells, and the other was a more mundane book. Argrave, however, was poring through letters. He rubbed his forehead to ease his headache.


    Elenore was there, too, lying down just before them with a blindfold over her face to keep the sockets clean. She squirmed, continually raising her hands near her eye sockets and then pulling them away. They were in a private tent, Gmon just outside on guard with the others. Durran was sleeping with his bear.


    ¡°It itches so bad,¡± Elenore said with clenched teeth, then grasped the nket over her body to relieve some of her frustration. ¡°I can¡¯t stand this. I feel like my blood has beenced with pepper. It¡¯s like my hands need to sneeze¡ªmy whole body.¡±


    Argrave narrowed his eyes. ¡°There¡¯s worse,¡± he promised her, ncing at Anneliese. They¡¯d promised to keep herpany until this was over.


    ¡°Tell me, please. Give me anything to distract from this,¡± his sister pleaded earnestly, much more emotion on her tone than usual.


    ¡°But you know the story behind my heart,¡± Argrave pointed out, adjusting his posture until he wasfortable. ¡°Anneliese told you.¡±


    Anneliese closed both of the books on herp as she said, ¡°She heard it from my perspective. I empathized with your pain, but I never felt it.¡±


    ¡°You were probably more conscious of things than I was, then,¡± Argrave pointed out, searching for another topic. What Elenore needed most, he felt, was something that made her think hard, something that consumed the mind.


    ¡°How about we talk about Atrus, the ns for the future?¡± Argrave suggested.


    ¡°You know them. ce those who surrender in resistance debt, sell these debt contracts backed bynd to patricians to repay their stake in the war. Beyond that, we distribute thends along the North Sea that we promised to Relize,¡± Elenore recited mechanically. ¡°Refining that n further would be frivolous until we have all information on-hand.¡±


    Argrave sighed and fell to the ground, looking up at the tent above them. ¡°Well¡­ okay. How about Traugott? Any news?¡±


    ¡°None,¡± Elenore said simply. ¡°Even if there were, I would not trust work from one whose blood is boiling. Usually I¡¯d mean that metaphorically¡­ but let¡¯s stray from long-term nning. I can¡¯t make good decisions right now.¡±


    ¡°You are picky,¡± Argrave reflected. ¡°Anne, do you have any ideas?¡± he asked, looking towards her.


    ¡°Let us talk about He Who Would Judge the Gods, and theing change to the world,¡± Anneliese said. ¡°You have informed me amply. Elenore knows much¡­ but she could always know more.¡±


    Argrave rubbed his face. ¡°Old Gerechtigkeit, huh? Part of me hoped we could talk about something happy.¡±


    ¡°You say that when you mentioned both Atrus and Traugott first?¡± Elenore pointed out, her constant writhing somewhat lessened already even after brief conversation.


    ¡°So sassy,¡± he clicked his tongue. ¡°Well, you should know. We found out not too long ago that the boundaries between worlds have weakened enough for spirits to break past.¡±


    ¡°Spirits?¡± Elenore repeated. ¡°Like dead souls?¡±


    ¡°Not mortal souls,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°Spirits are broken gods¡ªyou might consider them the souls of gods, but the two don¡¯t reallypare mechanically. If you ask me how they broke, I¡¯d say it depends¡­ but they¡¯re little fragments of a god, broken into symbols they bear atop their head. You might consider them fragments of power. They exist here, there, and just about everywhere. Some of them are small, powerless, and dumb. Others are intelligent and ambitious. The ones here on this realm are usually the dumb kind, controble by shamanic magic.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Anneliese inched closer to Argrave, sitting above him cross-legged as he stared at the tent¡¯s top. ¡°What makes them different?¡±


    Argrave focused on her. ¡°Strength,¡± he said. ¡°Silvic, the wend spirit¡­ when Orion killed her, I¡¯m sure she left some spirits behind. What they¡¯d do, I can¡¯t really say. Maybe they¡¯d linger here. Maybe they¡¯d reform on another realm. What defines a god isn¡¯t entirely clear.¡±


    ¡°What were the game mechanics?¡± Anneliese pressed, her own curiosity leading her to forget that they talked to calm Elenore.


    Argrave stared at her funnily now that she adopted terms like ¡®game mechanics.¡¯ ¡°Well¡­ there¡¯s shamanic magic, like I said. It was mid-game content. Beyond learning the spells, you have to manage your supply of spirits. You could only find them in certain areas, and they didn¡¯t respawn¡­ so, it was a big money sink to sustain them. The spells are good,¡± he admitted.


    ¡°Does it have broader implications?¡± Elenore chimed in.


    Argrave put both hands behind his head as a pillow. ¡°For us mere mortals? Hardly. The gods like spirits. Some spirits like to be gods¡ªsee the Vasquer pantheon. Although¡­ some might argue they¡¯re not gods quite yet. Who knows? I certainly don¡¯t. Spirits were almost a sort of currency at times, to trade with higher powers. Though from my perspective as someone who now lives, breathes, and eats in this realm¡­ it¡¯s not worth getting overly involved with the gods. I can¡¯t predict them.¡±


    Anneliese looked like she had more to ask, but she closed her mouth when she noticed something. ¡°Elenore¡­ what troubles you?¡±


    Argrave looked over at his sister. He couldn¡¯t really see what Anneliese was pointing out, but he trusted her.


    ¡°What do you think?¡± the princess shot back too quickly.


    ¡°Come on,¡± Argrave touched her elbow lightly. ¡°We¡¯re just talking here.¡±


    Elenore didn¡¯t answer. Argrave said nothing, and nor did Anneliese. The silent waiting must¡¯ve gotten to her, because she started squirming faster before she eventually said, ¡°I hate how much you know.¡±


    Argrave sat up. ¡°Why is that?¡± he asked.


    ¡°It feels like I¡¯ve been¡­ stolen from,¡± she said quietly, then huffed. ¡°Forget it. You won¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°If you give up trying so quickly, yeah,¡± Argrave agreed.


    Elenore raised her hand up to her face, tugging at the blindfold she wore as she resisted the urge to itch near her eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t know, gods¡­!¡± she said in frustration, clearly infuriated by the feeling pervading her body. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ I don¡¯t know. Whenever I share something personal, I always regret it. Could be my favorite book, could be something that happened in the past¡­ I just hate it after. But you¡­ you already know it all. And I hate it. I feel I can¡¯t look you in the eye.¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t yet,¡± Argrave pointed out, then wondered if that joke was a bit mean-spirited.


    Elenore sighed deeply. ¡°Forget it. Go back to talking about spirits instead of my ridiculous idiosyncrasies. I¡¯ll get over it. I always do.¡±


    Argrave thought about the merits of going along with that advice¡­ but when he looked to Anneliese, her face clearly demonstrated she didn¡¯t wish to drop the matter.


    Bunching his knees together in his arms, Argrave said, ¡°Hey, I get it. You trade in information. Maybe that¡¯s why you feel stolen from. You have been, in a way.¡±


    ¡°Maybe,¡± she admitted. ¡°It¡¯s a bad mindset. I¡¯m yourckey now, not some bird trapped in a cage.¡±


    ¡°Lackey,¡± Argrave repeated beneath his breath,ughing slightly. He stared at her quietly. The way she¡¯d phrased it¡­ it wasn¡¯t merely about him, he realized.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t shared much of anything with other people. Anneliese has gotten fragments, I suppose,¡± Argrave admitted, scratching the back of his neck in embarrassment. ¡°I should apologize for that. But she¡¯s the soul of discretion.¡±


    Elenore tilted her head sideways. ¡°Don¡¯t you look to her every time you want to gauge someone¡¯s reaction?¡±


    ¡°I like to think I¡¯m the lone exception to her policy of discretion,¡± Argrave coped.


    Elenore huffed once, then turned away. ¡°Whatever. What¡¯s the point¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re concerning me, talking like that,¡± Argrave narrowed his eyes.


    ¡°I meant the point of thinking about it,¡± Elenore turned back. ¡°Don¡¯t waste your concern. If I chose to live after getting my eyes and feet removed, I can certainly keep choosing to do so when my know-it-all brother bs to his woman.¡±


    Argrave shook his head. ¡°Such a way with words. You must get that from me.¡±


    Elenore opened her mouth, then closed it again, hesitating. ¡°Do you really¡­ view me as your sister?¡±


    Argrave hadn¡¯t been expecting that question, but he quickly managed, ¡°Considering how much I know of you, it¡¯s almost like we grew up together.¡±


    ¡°Or¡­ you watched me grow up, from afar, through a window,¡± she said. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine how you could view me as family, experiencing me in such a manner.¡±


    ¡°I view Anneliese as family. Durran and Gmon, too,¡± Argrave said calmly. ¡°You¡¯re not so different.¡±


    Elenore swallowed. When next she spoke, her voice was tight. ¡°And if you had to choose between us?¡±


    Argrave was taken aback by the words¡­ but then felt rather sad for Elenore. She always acted so indomitable, but she was rather insecure deep down. He¡¯d seen that in the visions Vasquer gave him, and he knew that from his own experiences. All he could feel, then, was a deep sadness.


    As the silence lengthened, Elenore shifted and turned her body away. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I shouldn¡¯t say things like that. That¡¯s a child¡¯s question, not an adult¡¯s.¡± She rubbed at her face, then muttered, ¡°What¡¯s on my¡­?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re tears,¡± Anneliese said curiously.


    Elenore stopped moving. She rubbed just below her eyes, then pressed her fingers together. Argrave could see the glistening wetness now, too, just below her blindfold. The princess¡¯ fingers started to shake even fiercer than before.


    ¡°That¡¯s not¡­¡± Elenore began. Then, with her body trembling, she sat up and reached for her blindfold. She lifted one eye up, and Argrave saw eyelids flutter close¡ªa flinch. Her breathing started to quicken as she pulled the whole thing off.


    Elenore¡¯s eyes were not fully reformed, yet¡ªthey were red and raw on the edges, and seemed milky gray as though they were blind. Argrave could tell immediately, though, that she could see something. She reached a hesitant hand out and tapped Argrave¡¯s knee.


    Elenore choked up immediately. Argrave leaned in, slowly, so as not to rm her, then gave her a hug. ¡°Congrattions, sister,¡± he whispered quietly as she trembled like a frightened animal.


    She shook once again, strongly¡­ then clenched him tightly, like she held on for dear life.

 Chapter 330: First Steps of Progress

    ¡°You didn¡¯t have the foresight to bring boots?¡± Elenore asked Argrave as she leaned on his arm.


    Argrave looked down at Elenore, smiling with bitter patience. She wore cloth pants for travel, and he could barely see her pink feet. Indeed, pink¡ªthe new flesh was like a newborn¡¯s, markedly different from the leg just above it.


    ¡°We,¡± he rephrased. ¡°We didn¡¯t have the foresight. You might be myckey, but you haveckeys of your own. We¡¯ll get you some footwear once we get outside¡ªone of the two mages has some to spare, maybe.¡± He adjusted his arm slightly and she moved nervously. ¡°How do you feel?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she sighed. ¡°I get a chill in my spine anytime I feel my¡­ feet¡­ fall upon a surface.¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°But no pain?¡±


    Elenore looked to him, and his eyes fell upon hers. They were still red and raw¡ªit looked like she¡¯d been hit by pepper spray, or something¡ªbut the bulk of her eyes had been fully restored. She had gray eyes, the same as he did. Seeing the change made him feel indescribably good inside. In the wake of the tremendous hardships of the past few days, he felt like he¡¯d found a great buoy of happiness to draw him from the somber ocean he¡¯d found himself in.


    ¡°No pain,¡± Elenore confirmed. She blinked rapidly, then closed her eyes and squeezed them shut tightly. ¡°Ugh. Dizzy,¡± she said simply.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be with you the whole way,¡± he assured. ¡°Your bones could still be fragile, so try not to put your whole weight down. Just lean on me.¡± He turned his head, vaguely gesturing towards Anneliese. ¡°If you want, I could get Anne on the other side.¡±


    ¡°Why not carry me on your back, spare me any strain at all?¡± she said sarcastically. ¡°No. I¡¯m fine.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°Then¡­ move anytime you want,¡± he suggested gently.


    Elenore stayed frozen in ce. She took several deep breaths, but her knees stayed locked in ce and she made no attempts to move.


    ¡°¡­anytime,¡± Argrave repeated teasingly.


    ¡°Yes, anytime. That includes now all the way to eternity, maybe even until Gerechtigkeit himself blows away this tent,¡± she retorted, clearly flustered.


    Another while passed. Argrave waited for her first step with a patient smile on his face. Slowly, she lifted her foot up and stepped forward. Argrave advanced slightly with her as she gingerly settled upon the ground.


    ¡°There you go,¡± Argrave said encouragingly. ¡°I would p, but that might cause problems. Anne, you want to?¡±


    Anneliese prudently decided not to p, but she looked on with a smile. Elenore looked deep in concentration as she moved the next foot forward for her second step. Slowly, surely, her confidence started to return and her pace increased. Argrave followed her about as she tracked a rough circle about the tent. Before long, she was walking at near half that of a normal pace.


    ¡°Hoo¡­¡± Elenore exhaled, clearly starting to feel a rush of various emotions. The corners of her mouth rose, bringing some bright life to her tired face. Sheughed lightly. ¡°Feels¡­ funny,¡± she said. ¡°Tingly.¡±


    His sister¡¯s happiness seemed so innocent that Argrave stifled another tease. She kept walking carefreely, enjoying every moment of it with such enthusiasm she seemed a whole different person. The only thing that slowed her exponential growth of confidence was a slight slip, but Argrave steadied her gracefully.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she said, thenughed once again. ¡°I didn¡¯t think¡­ it would be so different from the prosthetics. But¡­¡± she struggled, her tongue tied. ¡°I don¡¯t have the words for it.¡±


    ¡°Ready to go outside?¡± Argrave asked her.


    Elenore took a deep breath and looked towards the tent ps marking the entrance. Faint dawn light barely peeked beyond them, offering inviting illumination. Though she looked nervous, she did eventually nod an affirmative.


    Anneliese first lifted the tent ps aside, offering more entrance to light. Gmon stood there patiently, guarding them. He was eating some rations¡ªdried meat. Elenore shielded her newly formed eyes, blinking rapidly and slowly adjusting. Only after a long while did she feel confident enough to remove her hand and step forward into the light.


    Once they stepped outside, he heard Elenore inhale sharply. Their tent was situated atop a hill, and it offered a fantastic view of the rising suns. The two balls of fire illuminated the spring beauty of the region of Atrus. Near Vysenn, civilization was especially absent¡ªthere was ake, a beautiful field of wildflowers, and long stretches of taiga further north.


    Elenore¡¯s eyes watered from the bright light, but she still seldom blinked, her gaze wandering the countryside with unabated enthusiasm. It overwhelmed her to the point her breathing grew uneven, and she leaned upon Argrave even heavier.


    ¡°I need to¡­ sit,¡± she said.


    ¡°Over here,¡± he pointed with his free arm, then shepherded her until they came to the rock he pointed to. She sat down eagerly, then Argrave right beside her. Anneliese came to stand behind them, watching the view.


    ¡°Even once you gave me that set of jewelry¡­¡± Elenore began. ¡°I always missed seeing the distant sights. When we walked down to Vasquer¡¯s holding area, I could not see the snake until I grew very close. During that battle, I could not see the gigantic mass of snakes you conjured. It was so unsettling.¡±


    ¡°Eels,¡± Argrave corrected. ¡°They¡¯re eels.¡±


    Elenoreughed, wiping away some of the wetness on her face as she smiled brightly. ¡°I remember¡­ when I was young. I went traipsing through the royal gardens in my bare feet. When I returned, one of the royal maids chided me for acting udylike.¡± She ced her hands on her knees. ¡°When I told my father, he came with me the next day. I climbed trees and jumped down, where he caught me in his arms. Sometimes, he¡¯d even toss me back up onto the tree.¡±


    Argrave listened silently.


    ¡°Heh¡­¡± sheughed again. ¡°I don¡¯t think I deserve to see again.¡±


    Argrave wrapped his arm around her and jostled her about. ¡°Deserve? Nobody gets what they deserve. Who decides what you deserve?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she said, then sighed. ¡°There I go again. Sharing something personal, then regretting it.¡±


    ¡°Regret all you want,¡± Argrave said dismissively. ¡°I¡¯m here. You¡¯re my sister, and that won¡¯t change.¡±


    Elenore didn¡¯t say anything back, her watery eyes still wandering thendscape. Her eyes settled upon something. ¡°Our army is a bit of an eyesore to this scene.¡±


    Argrave didn¡¯t respond, looking upon the distant tents just barely visible beyond the mountains that formed the valley Castle Cookpot resided in.


    ¡°We had best prepare to return,¡± Elenore looked to Argrave, her gray eyes sharp and focused. ¡°There is much to do.¡±


    #####


    Within the hour, their party was prepared to leave. Rather than rely on Argrave for support, Elenore, her bones still somewhat weak, rode with Durran on his bear once again. That was not as carefree a ride as it had been the first time¡ªsome tension still persisted between them after Elenore had told Durran to mind his own business. The unresolved conflict manifested as a silence between them¡ªboth said only what needed to be said the entire time.


    Gmon reported, though, that Durran had spent the whole night without sleep and had privately asked about Elenore¡¯s well-being multiple times. Elenore also still kept the prosthetics Durran had carved. Argrave didn¡¯t have the confidence to y cupid, so he banished the matter from his mind. He had already ruined his first attempt, and he didn¡¯t care to try another.


    When they arrived back at Castle Cookpot at dusk, another wave spread through the camp. Argrave goes on a short journey with his sister, and they return the next day with the princess healed¡ªsurely such a thing didn¡¯t need to be spelled out. Argrave gave no concrete answers to what few people asked him questions, and Elenore didn¡¯t stoke the rumor¡­ but then, she didn¡¯t need to.


    Argrave was ufortable where these dramatic rumors were headed. Between his recruitment of the northern spellcasters, the actions in Quadreign to win the whole of the north to his banner, the battle with the barbarians and the Unhanded Coalition, and now the miraculous recovery of his sister¡­ the talk spreading was unterally positive. Argrave was certain he could head to Guyana and build a nice little cult settlement. He didn¡¯t like the prospect, but at the same time saw no way to lower their expectations without failing them. And Argrave didn¡¯t intend to fail them, problematically.


    Regardless, they all went to sleep, as it was dusk by the time they arrived and each of them had very little rest throughout that whole ordeal. The next day, well-rested, they rose early to tackle the various problems before them.


    Early in the day, the first of the diplomats they¡¯d sent out to various lords in thends beyond Castle Cookpot returned. They had been seeking an unconditional surrender from the various lords, and total submission to Argrave as King of Vasquer. They¡¯d brought prisoners who¡¯d witnessed the battle to spread stories. These had only managed to visit the closest lords beyond.


    The response? For this initial batch¡ªthose closest to their influence¡ªthe lords gave a resounding submission to their request. Elenore wasn¡¯t certain the results would be same further, but the encroaching presence of their army as they settled things coupled with the rise of the Archduchy of Northern Vasquer under Diana would undoubtedly facilitate a quick consolidation of power.


    Then, by dusk¡­


    Elenore opened the door, walking into Argrave¡¯s temporary quarters where he ate with Anneliese while they watched the suns set from the balcony.


    ¡°The front on the south has shifted dramatically,¡± Elenore dered. ¡°One side won¡­ and two weeks ago, at that! My damned scouts¡­¡± she stepped closer to them, cradling her head in dismay.


    ¡°Tell me what happened,¡± Argrave said calmly, cing his fork aside.


    ¡°Duke Sumner leads a force to Dirracha,¡± Elenore said.


    Argrave narrowed his eyes. ¡°Not the Margrave?¡±


    ¡°So far as I can tell¡­¡± Elenore stepped about the room. ¡°I¡¯m just now getting reports. I don¡¯t know what happened. But the south won, and Duke Sumner leads the charge to seize the capital.¡±

 Chapter 331: Race to the Finish

    In response to the news that Duke Sumner, not Margrave Reinhardt, led the triumphant army of the south to seize Dirracha, Argrave gathered everyone important for the decision-making despite thete hour. All talked idly around the table waiting for thest arrival: Elenore. Beyond Argrave¡¯s inner circle, there were new arrivals: Leopold Dandn Jr., eldest grandson of the Relizean leader andmander of most of the forces here, all three Magisters of the Order, andstly¡­ Mnie.


    Argrave regarded the scarred red-haired mercenary curiously as she stood beside Durran. The two talked quietly as they waited for Elenore to return. Apparently the mercenary had asked Elenore to work directly under him, and further to earn a seat in Argrave¡¯s parliament. It seemed that she thought Argrave was a good investment for the future. Important positions in leadership, however, could be as much of a detriment as they were a boon. He didn¡¯t care to be exploited.


    I¡¯m being paranoid, Argrave thought, looking around at the others at the table. Yesterday I was worried about a cult following, and now I¡¯m worried about insubordination. Things are going well. He rubbed his tired eyes, but the feeling of impending trouble didn¡¯t dissipate. Then what am I worried about? What am I missing?n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The door opened and Elenore entered, finally. Argrave straightened and looked to her. His gray eyes met her own, and she walked towards him with decisive steps. He was proud to see her walk every time he did but was disturbed by how urgently she moved. She sandwiched herself between Argrave and Anneliese. For a moment, her eyes lingered on Mnie and Durran chatting. Perhaps she was having simr thoughts as Argrave was.


    ¡°Time to talk,¡± Argrave said loudly, drawing everyone from their conversation. ¡°Gather around,¡± he waved his hands, drawing everyone inwards. As the people moved to obey, he pointed to Mnie. ¡°We have someone new with us: our royal auditor, Mnie. She¡¯s here in an advisory capacity. She works under me.¡±


    Durran lightly elbowed her as the red-haired mercenary smiled. Some people gave congrattions despite the empty title¡ªAnneliese, Gmon, all those familiar with her. Elenore was notably quiet.


    Some, though, were not so interested in this announcement. Vera could not take her eyes off Elenore and inquired, ¡°Will you exin how the princess recovered her eyesight, Your Majesty?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not pertinent,¡± Argrave shook his head. To step past the issue, he brought up something he knew would shut them up. ¡°But I made a promise. I¡¯ll announce it publicly, but you should know now¡ªHegazar and Vera will be named Duke and Duchess of Dirracha.¡±


    The two could not help but smile. Argrave let them bask in the glow a bit before continuing, ¡°On that front, there¡¯s somendscape-changing news from the south that we all should hear.¡± He turned his head to Elenore and nodded, signaling her to begin.


    Despite the curious gazes from most not privy to her recovery, Elenore crossed her arms and said, ¡°Duke Rovostar tried to strike directly at the leadership of the southern rebellion in an ambush staged in a surrendered fortress. Duke Enrico of Monti is missing, likely captured. Margrave Reinhardt suffered a blow to the head but has since recovered. During this recovery time, Duke Sumner split off with a force of his own and pursued the ambushers. After routing them, he carries onwards to Dirracha.¡±


    Nikoletta¡¯s father was captured. Argrave thought that didn¡¯t bode well.


    ¡°They routed the loyalists?¡± Leopold Jr. repeated. Rather unlike his grandfather, he was sizable in stature, middle-aged, and had dignified air to him. With heavy te armor and a stately white beard, he appeared every part the noble lord. He was Leopold¡¯s sessor, but Argrave thought the man was nothing like his father. ¡°How sizable is this force to defeat the loyalists so soundly?¡±


    ¡°About five thousand,¡± Elenore said. ¡°They¡¯re heavy cavalry, mainly: knights. More worrisome is therge contingent of spellcasters travelling with them for the siege. It¡¯srgelynded nobles who had the most discontentment towards the margrave.¡± Elenore looked towards Argrave. ¡°However¡­the Magisters in their service have parted from the army and returned to the Tower of the Gray Owl. Castro pulled through, and they¡¯ve been recalled to vote on an urgent matter,¡± she said with a slight smile.


    ¡°Surprised he can pull through that at his age. Any more details?¡± Argrave pressed.


    Elenore looked back to the assembled. ¡°Tower Master Castro has been calling Magisters back to the tower to initiate a vote. He¡¯s been an advocate of Argrave¡¯s, and I¡¯m told the assembled council is one vote short of deringplete support for Argrave¡¯s cause.¡±


    ¡°Those old monsters?¡± Leopold Jr. looked surprised, and stroked his beard as he inquired, ¡°The council of the Order of the Gray Owl has many more reclusive owls than it does social birds. Will there be enough for a full vote?¡± he vaguely gestured towards the three Magisters with them. Argrave was surprised at his bold talk right before S-rank mages.


    ¡°The head of those reclusive owls, Castro, sent us out to the north to persuade the Magisters there to return for the vote¡ªVasilisa among them,¡± Hegazar exined calmly. ¡°We may have¡­ been distracted by another matter,¡± his in eyes settled on Argrave briefly. ¡°The majority of the northern Magisters live in ces so secluded they¡¯re impossible to find, anyway. I think we can win it.¡±


    Leopold Jr. sped his hands together. ¡°Well¡­ by the gods. The Order, breaking its neutrality,¡± he said wondrously. ¡°I will admit, Your Majesty¡­ when I was marching into battle without you at our backs, I had some doubts. But now we¡¯ve all of the far north under our banner, the majority of Atrus consolidated, and the Order of the Gray Owl on our side.¡± He lowered his head. ¡°I apologize for harboring these doubts.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re still a vote short of the Order¡¯s full support,¡± Argrave reminded him. ¡°On that note¡­ maybe one of you should return.¡±


    ¡°Hold on a minute,¡± Vasilisa held her hand out. ¡°If the vote hasn¡¯t been called, how can you deduce that we¡¯re one short?¡±


    ¡°I know with surety who will vote in what way,¡± Elenore said simply.


    ¡°There¡¯s, what, fifty-two Magisters?¡± Hegazar looked to Vera.


    ¡°Fifty-one,¡± she corrected him. ¡°Did you already forget what we did?¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Hegazar smiled with a self-content little noise. ¡°Still¡­ based on Elenore¡¯s word¡­ perhaps all three of us should go, make sure the vote can swing in our favor.¡±


    Argrave¡¯s voice was stoic as he asked, ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Risk management,¡± Hegazar said.


    ¡°Besides, Elenore said the Magisters on the south¡¯s side have all returned to the Tower,¡± Vera held her hand up to emphasize the point. ¡°With the forces you have with you, it should be fine.¡±


    Anneliese crossed her arms and said calmly, ¡°You take Elenore¡¯s word for the Magisters in the opposing force, yet not the count of the vote?¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s¡­¡± Hegazar began, searching for words.


    ¡°No need to argue,¡± Argrave held up his hands. ¡°Hegazar, Vera, you can return to the tower if you want. If you travel with your transportation spell, it should be no issue to rejoin uster.¡±


    Leopold Jr. leaned in. ¡°Rejointer? What does Your Majesty intend?¡±


    Argrave looked to all present. ¡°It¡¯s obvious we need to head to Dirracha. Orion controls it. Correspondence indicates he¡¯ll yield it to us upon our arrival. His only condition is preserving Felipe and Levin¡¯s lives.¡± He sped his hands together. ¡°Provided we reach Dirracha, upy it even with a small force¡­ I think we can convince the south toy down arms, even if its Duke Sumner instead of Margrave Reinhardt at the negotiating table.¡±


    Durran held his hands out. ¡°There¡¯s the matter of the fortifications barring us from Dirracha.¡±


    ¡°I thought of that. As such, I did some tracking¡­¡± Elenore looked around, then spotted a scroll. She grabbed it and syed it across the table. It disyed a map of Vasquer. ¡°Some few soldiers got away. We tracked them to see what they would do. They¡¯ll spread rumors of what happened here to all thends they run across, I have no doubt.¡± Elenore¡¯s finger drew a line. ¡°I suggest we use the fear caused to seize on the advantage and offer generous terms. Doubtless the total victory here and the advance of Sumner¡¯s force will make them more amenable to surrender¡­ if the terms are right.¡±


    Leopold Jr. stroked his beard, eyes distant as he looked upon the map. ¡°What of Atrus?¡±


    ¡°We should take a small force to travel faster¡ªthat leaves plenty to wrap things up here,¡± Anneliese pointed out.


    Themander nodded slowly, but his gaze was still unfocused.


    ¡°There¡¯s the matter of delegating that duty,¡± Mnie stated. ¡°I bet the princess will travel with Argrave. Her system of negotiating and administration isplex.¡±


    All looked to Argrave, and he quickly made a judgement call. ¡°Gmon, you¡¯ll pick out the soldiers you think shoulde with us and takemand of them. Anneliese, you¡¯ll do the same for the mages,¡± he looked back at his twopanions. They nodded, and so he looked back. ¡°Elenore, you know the situation here better than I do. Who should stay?¡±


    ¡°I think Durran and Mnie would be fine for the logistics of things here,¡± the princess waved to them. ¡°Leopold Jr. did a fine job ofmanding the troops, too. I can think of no one better to stay on.¡±


    The man pounded his chest with his fist. ¡°The princess gave fine orders for me to ry, nothing more.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Elenore nodded, clearly not taking the praise to heart.


    ¡°You want me staying here?¡± Durran tried to confirm as he stared at Elenore.


    Elenore didn¡¯t blink. ¡°Is that a problem?¡±


    Durran stared for another few seconds, biting his lip until it grew a little redder. Finally, he shook his head. ¡°No. No problem.¡±


    ¡°A mercenary and a tribal giving orders here¡ªyou don¡¯t think that¡¯s going to cause a little dissent?¡± Mnie leaned in on the table.


    ¡°You wanted more responsibility,¡± Elenore stared at her coldly. ¡°Cold feet?¡±


    Mnie smiled, then leaned away. ¡°I think the princess likes me a little less than she used to, Durran. Or maybe it¡¯s just that her eyes can finally show it.¡±


    ¡°Just run your orders through Leopold Jr.,¡± Argrave shot his thumb at the man. ¡°So long as the orderse through him, it should be no issue.¡±


    The heir to the Dandn family nodded, content with his role.


    ¡°Alright. We get onest good rest before everything goes up,¡± Argrave nted a finger on the table. ¡°Elenore, let¡¯s work out a path.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve forgotten something,¡± Elenore looked at him. ¡°Ruleo. And Georgina, wherever she went. That matter is unfinished.¡±


    Argrave pushed his tongue against his cheek. She was right¡ªhe had forgotten, almostpletely. The jubtion at Elenore¡¯s recovery made that matter an easy thing to shelve. He closed his eyes and said, ¡°No use putting that off. Let¡¯s go deal with that now.¡±

 Chapter 332: An End to Things

    Argrave walked down cold stone stairs slowly, his big feet forcing him to take the steps slowly lest he fall. He very nearly bumped into Mnie at the bottom. She stood holding an iron gate. Argrave entered, ducking beneath the low-hanging iron bars and entering into the dungeons of Castle Cookpot. Anneliese followed just behind.


    The cells had been cleared out a great deal in the past few days on ount of their fearmongering efforts in Atrus and beyond. Ruleo¡¯s cell was close, likely so that the guards could keep a close eye on him. Argrave waited for her to fit the key in and unlock it, then looked back as his royal guard spread out across the room.


    ¡°Where¡¯s G¡ª¡± Argrave trailed off when he saw the big snow elf rush down the stairs, rejoining them. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± he asked him.


    ¡°Nothing, Your Majesty,¡± the Veidimen dismissed. When Argrave stared and waited for more information, he borated, ¡°Something was broken. No one else seemed to be trying to fix it, so I spoke to someone.¡±


    Argrave shrugged dismissively, then looked to the cell ahead. Opposite him, in the corner of the cell¡­


    #####


    Ruleo leaned his body forward against his chains, using them to support his weight. It tugged at his body, butpared to the stake driven through both of his hands, the pressure was nonexistent. The sound of many footfalls made him lift his head up. He saw his keeper, Mnie, holding a torchlight. There was someone huge at the cell door, though. Ruleo focused his failing eyes.


    ¡°Good lord¡­¡± the man said, stepping within. The shadows changed, and Ruleo¡¯s eyes widened as he recognized Argrave. ¡°Trying times for you, looks like.¡±


    ¡°Heh¡­¡± Ruleo managed augh as some of the vigor he thought would never return red. ¡°Got the guts¡­ to talk to me? Never thought I¡¯d see the day.¡±


    Argrave fell to one knee. ¡°It¡¯s taking more guts to smell you than talk to you. I think your hands are infected.¡±


    Ruleo wanted to spit at him. Behind, someone else entered the cell¡ªa vaguely familiar white-haired elf. She stood in the corner, watching.


    ¡°Durran told me you gathered necromantic things in an Order of the Rose ruin. That you intended to send them against us tobat Gerechtigkeit¡¯s eventual advent, weaken his arrival,¡± Argrave began without ceremony.


    Ruleo only stared with hate. ¡°What do you want?¡±


    The imant king sighed. ¡°Do you have any idea where Georgina might have gone after the defeat?¡± he asked.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°Hard to see through stone. Last I saw, most of her men fell to sword or spell. Might check underneath the corpses you made,¡± he suggested.


    Argrave put one hand atop his knee and clenched. ¡°Guess not. I had hoped having a couple days to think about theing cmity might make you reasonable.¡±


    Ruleo closed his eyes. ¡°When people leave you in a cell for days to rot, you give up on the hope of a reasonable world.¡±


    Argrave¡¯s voice came quieter as he said, ¡°If I¡¯d known your hands were bound like this, I might¡¯ve given this more priority.¡±


    When Ruleo opened his eyes again, Mnie pointed at him from behind the king and said defensively, ¡°I did nothing wrong, Your Majesty. See if you¡¯re so merciful when he¡¯s been trying to kill you for near half a week. The man is a dangerous spellcaster.¡±


    Ruleo looked at Argrave squarely and asked, ¡°Given we¡¯re talking¡­ is there a way out of this for me?¡± his voice carried some desperation, and he scolded himself inwardly.


    Argrave looked back. ¡°You sent thousands of creatures at Durran, Mnie, and my royal guard. You were nning for worse¡ªhaving thousands of men pledged to my service ughtered by unthinking monsters.¡±


    ¡°Cut off my hands, that path closes for me forever,¡± Ruleo said gravely. ¡°In fact, that¡¯s about the end of my career in everything. I¡¯ll go live with my mother peacefully. You¡¯ll never see me again.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that would stop you,¡± Argrave stared with his cold gray eyes. ¡°Fact of the matter is, I have a rather high regard for your resilience and capability.¡±


    ¡°Is this ttery supposed to raise my hopes for a royal pardon?¡± Ruleo narrowed his eyes, suspecting this was another of the sadist¡¯s games the royal bastard so loved to y. ¡°You¡¯re toying with me, even now.¡±


    Argrave rose up to his full height once again, looking back to the white-haired elf. She shook her head, and he seemed to make up his mind in that moment.


    ¡°¡­no. I can¡¯t trust you to set aside the grudge you hold. I don¡¯t want to kill you¡ªyou¡¯ll be of great use when the sky starts to fall. At the same time, you tried to kill someone I love like a brother,¡± his tone grew low and cold.


    Ruleo¡¯s fear rose, yet he could onlyugh in response¡ªa wheezing, breathless whistle of exhtion from his lungs.


    ¡°But I¡¯ve got a lot of people I could make use of, and a lot of opportunities that are being unrealized,¡± Argrave continued. ¡°Me and my coterie alone can only travel to so many locations. There are ruins I¡¯d love to visit, but can¡¯t. And with people like you, Mnie, Ganbaatar, all at my fingertips¡­ that¡¯s a fine little team forming. A team I trust to keep you in line until they can catch you up to speed on the truth.¡±


    Ruleo tried to lift his head to look the king in the eye but couldn¡¯t. Where was this heading?


    ¡°Your situation is going to change. You¡¯ll remain a prisoner, but under less¡­ strenuous conditions,¡± Argrave said kindly. ¡°And in time, you¡¯ll bepelled to do certain things to the world¡¯s benefit.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re enving me?¡± Ruleo lowered his head, his strength leaving him. ¡°Given how well you regard my abilities¡­ how, exactly, will youpel me to work on your behalf?¡± he challenged.


    ¡°If you want to die instead, talk to your manager,¡± Argrave said dryly. ¡°I think you¡¯ll be pleasantly surprised by this oue. Over time, you¡¯lle to see things my way¡­ because you¡¯re smart and I¡¯m right.¡±


    Ruleo stared up at Argrave¡¯s smile, and felt it was markedly wickeder than he remembered.


    #####


    Durran stared at his bear¡¯s closed jaw as it slept within this abandoned stable. He leaned up against its stomach, almost entirely buried in its thick fur. His face and body were covered in blood, and he wore a ratty shirt with his armor removed and ced off to the side. The man held a smander in his hand and tore bits of it off, chewing it with a grimace on his face. Even now, with so much of its body missing, the thing still twitched. He sighed despairingly as he chewed.


    ¡°What in the world are you¡­? Oh,¡± someone said, and Durran whipped his head up to spot Elenore. ¡°I see,¡± she raised her hand to her face, trying to hold back herughter as she realized what she saw. ¡°I¡¯m interrupting your meal.¡±


    The tribal rose to his feet quickly. ¡°What are you doing here? I thought you said you¡¯d talk to Mnie and me in a few hours,¡± he said as he cleared his face with his sleeve.


    ¡°And I wouldn¡¯te personally if that had changed,¡± Elenore nodded, stepping in closer with her arms crossed. ¡°Gmon said you were curious about my eyes.¡±


    Durran stopped cleaning the blood from his face. ¡°He told you that?¡±


    ¡°He did. I think he wants us to mend things,¡± she looked to the red crescent moon in the sky. ¡°I don¡¯t disagree with that. I¡­ was rude to you, I think.¡±


    Durran took a deep breath. He lifted up the smander in his hand and pointed it at her. ¡°And you made the right choice. Eating these things to fix my fingers is a mistake. You¡¯d think I¡¯d learn by now to imitate you. Just¡­ fire¡­ it¡¯s hard for me.¡±


    The princess shook her head. ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter.¡± She stepped closer. ¡°So, can we set aside the stiff conversation?¡± she held out her hand for a shake.


    Durran held out his hand, but then paused and pulled it back. ¡°I¡¯m a bit bloody. But yeah, I¡¯m done pouting. So long as you realize that I said what I said because I don¡¯t want you hurt. And not because you¡¯re important to the team, but because you¡¯re fun.¡±


    ¡°¡­why?¡± she asked quietly.


    ¡°Why? Because¡­¡± Durran looked for the words.


    ¡°Did you think that I¡¯d be dense enough to ignore your teasing forever?¡± Elenore asked evenly, walking over to his bear.


    Durran didn¡¯t quite smile but came close. ¡°Yes, honestly. I guess the ice in the shirt was pushing it a bit much.¡±


    Elenore sighed, saying nothing.


    ¡°Honestly¡­ didn¡¯t want to push things,¡± Durran exined. ¡°You¡¯ve had your problems, to put it lightly. Maybe you¡¯re disillusioned in the romance department. I got the distinct impression you weren¡¯t interested in me, so I was thinking about pulling back before I ruined things forever. Was I wrong? Since it¡¯s out in the open, give it to me straight.¡±


    Elenore closed her eyes and searched for words. ¡°Argrave being infatuated with Anneliese is a problem, but one that I¡¯ve kept quiet about because I can handle the future fallback,¡± Elenore said, then turned to look at Durran. ¡°If I¡¯m tied up, it¡¯s even worse. All will want marriage ties to the new king. I had intended to keep that as a constant card. Keep me unwed, unpromised, and chaste. I can utilize the promise of blood ties unimaginably well, I¡¯m certain. It¡¯s for the best.¡±


    Durran lowered his head and smiled. ¡°Well, that¡¯s straight alright.¡±


    ¡°No, it isn¡¯t,¡± she shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t dislike you, Durran. The thing with my old fianc¨¦¡­ that was over a decade ago, and I¡¯ve long ago moved on. I think part of the reason I told you to mind your own business was because I came to realize what¡­ you wanted. I don¡¯t think you can get it from me, though. A family, a happy life¡­¡±


    Durran tilted his head. ¡°I¡¯m curious what the future you have envisioned for yourself is.¡±


    Elenore was taken aback by the seeming non-sequitur. ¡°Isn¡¯t that set for the both of us?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve got dreams for long after Gerechtigkeit,¡± Durran shrugged and walked closer. ¡°Dreams for my homnd, myself, and the people close to me.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I suppose my answer would be whatever Argrave wants me to do,¡± she looked to the side. ¡°If he wanted to tie me to him, he has¡ªinextricably, at that. What he does, I do.¡±


    ¡°What a sad future,¡± Durran shook his head with a sigh. ¡°A ve to that nutcase.¡±


    ¡°Maybe it is. But so long as I am bound to him, I won¡¯tpromise on remaining unwed. It¡¯s pivotal for stability,¡± she told him. ¡°I don¡¯t think you could stand by and wait for that to end. In eight years, I¡¯ll be forty. I imagine things will be fine by then, but you¡¯ll have moved on.¡±


    Durran tilted his head, and his golden eyes gleamed. ¡°You never know. Maybe I could wait. You¡¯ve caused a problem for me, you see. Whenever I look at other women, I think about how they fall short of you.¡±


    Elenore¡¯s face flushed slightly, and she turned away from him. ¡°You like thin, tall, and spindly women, do you? With my eyes returned, perhaps you¡¯re simply going for the closest thing in appearance to Argrave,¡± she suggested.


    Durranughed loudly and stepped away. Elenore smiled at her own joke. The tribalughed until he was breathless, stirring his bear from its slumber. It huffed noisily, then squirmed in annoyance.


    ¡°Well¡­ alright,¡± Durran nodded as he winded down from hisughter. ¡°I didn¡¯t get the answer I wanted, but I feel relieved all the same. Our little talk has changed the direction I intend to take, somewhat.¡±


    ¡°In what way?¡± Elenore asked.


    ¡°Well¡­ I think you¡¯ll see,¡± Durran told her simply. ¡°Stability, huh? You¡¯ve given me an idea.¡±


    Elenore crossed her arms in disapproval, then said in a business-like fashion, ¡°Since we¡¯re already together, let¡¯s walk back to the castle and discuss some things about what you need to do in Atrus¡­¡±


    #####


    Argrave looked ahead, past the forests of Atrus to the long ins of central Vasquer. The blooming of spring showed itself in bright greens and golds. He clenched the reins of his mount tight, then looked back to his small army. Gmon had chosen the best of their infantrymen that knew how to ride¡ªjust short of a thousand¡ªand Elenore had procured horses from Atrus. That, coupled with the bulk of the spellcasters from Quadreign, formed the core of an elite force vastly better than Argrave thought they¡¯d manage. It might pale to Sumner¡¯s army in count, but bloodshed was not the way Argave hoped to end this war.


    Argrave held his hand up and pointed to central Vasquer¡­ and Dirracha beyond it. ¡°We ride!¡± he shouted.


    And so they rode, leaving a great cloud of dust in their wake. Argrave, Gmon, Anneliese, Vasilisa, and Elenore all moved to put an end to things. Durran and Mnie watched them go, then turned back to the north.

 Chapter 333: Keys to the Kingdom

    A big man with long red hair opened his eyes. Margrave Reinhardt stared at the stone ceiling above before suddenly leaning up. He grabbed his neck and grunted in pain from the sudden movement. A serving woman in the room froze in her tracks. The margrave opened his mouth to call out to her, but she quickly exited the room.


    As Reinhardt leaned back into his bed, his son¡ªa red-haired man quite simr in appearance to himself¡ªentered the room, led by the serving girl who¡¯d left earlier. One of his eyes had been rotted away by the waxpox, leaving a glossy useless eye in its spot. The other was rich and red like a ruby, and the two stared at each other.


    ¡°What¡¯s happened?¡± the margrave demanded of his son upon sight.


    Elias stepped to his father¡¯s bed, and though his relief was evident, he did not hesitate in exining, ¡°You took a blow to the back of the head in the ambush. We won the battle, but the Duke Enrico was captured.¡± He looked at his father and narrowed his one good eye. ¡°We had this same conversation yesterday. We thought you were better, but then you¡­¡±


    The margrave looked stunned. ¡°Last I remember¡­¡± he closed his eyes. ¡°Walking into the fortress, and the ambush.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t remember thatst time,¡± Elias sat on the bedside.


    Reinhardt closed his eyes. ¡°Enrico¡­ was captured?¡± He opened his eyes. ¡°And I wasn¡¯t hit by an enemy.¡±


    Elias¡¯ concern grew. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I was in a tight corridor. There were no traps above, and no ce for any enemy to attack from. You said¡­ I was hit in the back of the head?¡± The margrave rubbed the spot, yet his fingers found no scar to trace past his mane of red hair.


    ¡°¡­you were,¡± Elias nodded after hesitating a beat. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re remembering this clearly? When you woke upst time, you passed out about eight hourster.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m certain. Gods be damned, how many days has it been?¡± Reinhardt grabbed the sheets over him and threw them off, then turned his body slowly. ¡°You look grim. What else has happened?¡±


    ¡°Duke Sumner chased after the routed forces with about five thousand menrgely cavalry, partially spellcasters. A very potent force,¡± Elias moved to his father¡¯s side, helping him stand as though the patient was liable to copse again any moment now. ¡°On top of that¡­ Nikoletta and Mina took off the day after, too. I had Stain inmand of the scouts, but even they lost track of the pair.¡± Elias looked up at his father as he came to full height. ¡°She¡¯s pursuing her father, I¡¯m certain.¡±


    ¡°A quick defeat despite an ambush¡­ Duke Sumner gathering forces to chase¡­ someone attacking me from behind¡­¡± the margrave stepped away from his son, standing without assistance. ¡°I feel¡­ bare. I need my armor. I need to talk to my people.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not alone in your suspicions.¡± Elias stopped offering to help his father stand, knowing well his pride. ¡°I¡¯ve been having Stain look into things. He found one thing¡­ it was a letter about someone who had a way to grant an army ess to the walls of Dirracha. The letter ties back to Sumner. This person the duke corresponded with seemed to be very confident in their idea, whoever it was.¡±


    The margrave looked at his son, brows high in surprise. Then, his face grew stoic and he nodded. ¡°You¡¯ve grown up,¡± he said simply, then walked towards the door. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    #####


    Argrave¡¯s small force of elites rode as fast and hard as they were able. Elenore had some trouble adjusting to the horse as it had been decades sincest she rode. Nevertheless, she was quick to remember how, and after the first few hours progress towards the first stop urred efficiently.


    They passed back through all of thends that Elenore had subjugated under Argrave¡¯s name, with the princess making brief checks on the various fortifications to be sure that everything was up to her standards. It was only there that they could eat, drink, and rest. Each of those experiences were short-lived, as they could afford no long breaks. Where it was reasonable, they exchanged horses for ones with calmer hearts and unworn legs.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The spellcasters with them facilitated unreasonably quick travel. When it was dark, they could light the way. When water was required, it was easily produced¡ªthis enabled them to travel lightly. Anneliese¡¯s scouting made their path highly efficient. She ensured they travelled onrgely level ground, enabling the horses to show their full potential.


    In one day and one night, they had cleared all of southern Atrus. Next on their mind was Relize. They arrived there at dusk. Though Argrave wished only for a brief resupply, Anneliese and Elenore prudently advised that pressing into central Vasquer might mean armedbat, so the men would need to be well-rested. On top of that, they could spread word of the victory at Castle Cookpot while they were here.


    Argrave chose to sleep in a tent just outside the city with the soldiers, yet even still he couldn¡¯t avoid a select few from inside the city. Or rather, avoid a specific person.


    ¡°We had deserterse here, Your Majesty,¡± Leopold told Argrave as the king ate tiredly, trapped. The old patrician didn¡¯t seem to care about Argrave¡¯s need for rest.


    ¡°Hope you sent them on to the fortresses,¡± Argrave said once he finished chewing. ¡°It was important to our strategy they spread fear. That¡¯s how the Mongols did their thing, inrge part¡ªfear,¡± he told Anneliese. They¡¯d discussed that topic before.


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t send them on, seeing as how they came from those fortresses,¡± Leopold shook his head.


    Argrave brushed his hands off of crumbs as he contemted that, then looked to his side where Anneliese ate arge loaf of bread. While she had the loaf in her mouth, he tore it in half and took away the new piece. She didn¡¯t seem to mind.


    ¡°We executed them,¡± Leopold continued, stroking his white beard. ¡°No room for deserters, Your Majesty.¡±


    Argrave frowned as he chewed bread, then swallowed a spoonful of meat broth. ¡°It¡¯s your city. You want to kill freebor, that¡¯s your business. Did you at least ask why they deserted?¡±


    Leopold sighed. ¡°Of course. They gave answers, but the truth of it¡­ they sought to spy, perhaps? This was long before Rovostar¡¯s apparent ¡®defeat,¡¯ and your tremendous victory in that chokepoint at Atrus. Regardless, they can¡¯t be trusted. Nor can the news from the south.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Argrave stopped eating briefly. ¡°Speak clearly.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m an old man,¡± Leopold craned his body as though he ached. ¡°I¡¯ve seen a lot throughout my years. I followed your father¡¯s conquests as they happened, drinking in all news eagerly. And Duke Rovostar is not amander that is so easily beaten by one like Sumner, who hastily assumedmand after the margrave was injured. Perhaps if Margrave Reinhardt fought him squarely, the duke could lose. Otherwise¡­¡±


    Argrave nodded slowly. ¡°You think they¡¯re coborating. Then why not rout the south? Why this show of pursuit? What would they be hoping to achieve? Defeating the south is much more valuable than¡­ whatever it is they could be doing.¡±


    Leopold lowered his gaze and shook his head. ¡°That is what I cannot say, Your Majesty. This is why I present to you only what I know, in hopes you might have greater insight. Despite my doubts, our forces have prevailed in the north greater than I thought possible. This was due to your re¡ªyour efforts, Your Majesty,¡± Leopold caught himself.


    ¡°Recklessness works, if it¡¯s done smartly,¡± Argrave gestured towards Leopold, knowing well what word he¡¯d stopped himself from using. ¡°Now, I haven¡¯t slept for two days. Unless there¡¯s something else, I¡¯ll think about what you said.¡±


    Leopold bowed and left the tent with nothing further to say, evidently as eager to sleep as Argrave was. Once he was gone, he looked to Anneliese. She stared at him with unkempt hair and tired eyes.


    ¡°Seems it¡¯s a pattern for us. Stay up two nights in a row, sleep for ten hours,¡± Argrave noted.


    ¡°I could go for twelve, now.¡± Anneliese sighed. ¡°The day is long tomorrow, and we must check with Elenore about what Leopold told us.¡±


    Even with Leopold¡¯s words weighing at Argrave¡¯s mind, he didn¡¯t let it stall him in his tracks. Elenore had no answers for Leopold¡¯s concerns. The next morning, their army fed and tense, they once again took to horseback and advanced onwards towards the first of the fortresses between them and Dirracha. Elenore sent word to the new structure they¡¯d built in the Indanus Divide ahead of time, requesting they posture with soldiers to raise rms on one end while their force approached.


    With their approachrgely undetected, they managed to get near to the walls of the first fortress without much fuss. The garrisonmander was all to eager to call for parley. To spark the garrison¡¯s fear, Argrave sent one [Electric Eel] dancing about in the sky above the fortress. In the parley toe, he stood with Gmon, Vasilisa, Anneliese, and an Elenore with feet and eyes recovered.


    Hit by such a battery of negative omens, it took no time at all to work out a favorable deal. Perhaps themander had been banking on their inability to enforce the fortress¡¯ seizure¡­ but when the soldiers stationed at the Indanus Divide arrived, the castle was secured.


    Their path towards Dirracha might be considered a dire overextension, but the aim of the operation wasn¡¯t to secure the region¡ªit was to secure the capital, and thereafter secure the support of Margrave Reinhardt. That would lead to aplete consolidation of all Vasquer as their two factions folded inwards on the center. Argrave felt, given Leopold¡¯s warnings, he would need to be prepared for significant improvisation once the full situation was at hand. Nevertheless, Argrave was ready for whatever trickery the other armies would throw.


    In time, theyid im to thest fortress blocking their path¡ªnothing more than a rudimentary wooden keep with fifty soldiers, but it was sufficient for resupply. And in the far distance¡­ one could see the Dragon Pce atop the mountains, and the great walls of Dirracha shielding the city like precious jewels from the banners pitched just outside its gate. That city was the current key to all Vasquer, he felt. The snake, the kingdom, and the heir apparent¡­ Orion.

 Chapter 334: Haste to Judge

    Orion stepped into the throne room of the Dragon Pce. He didn¡¯t especially likeing here. It had grandiose carved marble walls depicting the gods, but that was about the only part of this ce he¡¯d ever liked. Ever since he¡¯d learned the truth, nothing of this ce appealed to him. And now, he entered armed and armored. The point of the sword in his right hand dragged just above the floor.


    The banners of Vasquer hung above the gilded coal-ck throne. A velvet carpet filled the center of the room and up the seat of the king. Here, before the king, Orion recalled that no one acted truly. Maybe they had, once, in golden ages past. That time was long ago gone. Perhaps his brother could bring a just reign back. Still, Orion¡¯s steps were especially heavy as he headed for the seat of kings. It was not for the throne itself, but for the man sitting upon it.


    ¡°You always find me,¡± Magister Traugott said curiously. He sat sideways in the throne, legs and back propped up against opposite armrests as his ck silken hair descended to the floor. ¡°Do the gods¡ªor should I say spirits¡ªof Vasquer tell you?¡±


    ¡°I have refused your every offer, Traugott. And now you sit upon the seat I have promised to my brother,¡± Orion said with a firm yet reasoned anger, ignoring the question.


    Despite the passage of time, he did not feel the broken man Traugott had once predicted he would be. He had endured well the whispers of the false gods. Vasquer and Boarmask had aided him through this. And the ancestor snake aided him in finding this man, too. Every time, Orion sent him away like a woodpecker returning to peck the same house time and time again.


    ¡°This will be thest time you see me,¡± Traugott looked at him calmly, dark eyes mild and curious. ¡°All I meant to ask is why you refuse to take my help, to allow me to help you part from the spirits of Vasquer.¡±


    Orion stepped closer to the throne. The steps he took left burns in the velvet carpet as his unwanted blessings surged by ident.


    ¡°Good counsel from a wise man,¡± Orion dered. ¡°I will not fall into temptation. Boarmask tells me what is too good to be true often is. You do not have pure intentions.¡±


    Traugott nodded earnestly. ¡°I recall hearing, by rumor¡­ you believed you would ascend to godhood, Orion. The gods of Vasquer told you that.¡± The words did not mock at all.


    ¡°It is known,¡± Orion nodded. ¡°I do not believe them any longer.¡±


    Traugott smiled. ¡°But you should. Because the ¡®gods¡¯ of Vasquer do intend to grant you divinity. The part they neglected to mention is that you would be one part of ny-seven. You are the culmination of a centuries-old gambit to ascend from spirits to gods¡ªa deal struck between the third son of Felipe I and the powerful spirits that whisper in your ears. Parts of them exist in you like parasites even now. But you still have freedom.¡±


    ¡°I hear, but do not listen. Say what you will and begone,¡± Orion said.


    Traugott usually had a good-natured look about his face, but that mien fell away in but a moment. ¡°It is as I feared. I am reminded why I seldom interacted with others. Brutes respond to brutality,¡± he sighed.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Traugott¡¯s shadow danced until it covered himpletely. He vanished into darkness, and Orion rxed, knowing from experience this meant the Magister had given up or been chased off. Then, his uncanny sense told him of an attack. He whirled around to spot a gleam of whiteing for his chest. Orion whipped his sword up and turned his shoulder to protect his face. A spear of ice shattered before his steel, ice fragments peppering Orion¡¯s face and cutting shallowly.


    Before Orion could retaliate, Traugott fell back into his shadow. He crawled out a fair distance away, stepping free of a shadow beside the wall.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. The things I want are in ce,¡± the Magister said somberly, his inky shadow dancing around his feet. ¡°Even you.¡±


    Prince Orion stomped his foot on the ground as he advanced towards Traugott, creating a great burst of me against his will. The Magister remained even despite that. It seemed this time the renegade spellcaster would not part so simply.


    #####


    Argrave had been preparing to begin their advance to Dirracha by having Anneliese get a message to Orion, wherever he might be. But now¡­ a lone cavalryman advanced towards them. Argrave used Garm¡¯s eyes to get a good view of his magic reserve, but the man was no mage at all.


    ¡°He bears a white g, Your Majesty,¡± Gmon, who was also watching, informed Argrave.


    ¡°Really now?¡± Argrave turned his head, and when Gmon nodded he shifted on his saddle ufortably. ¡°Send someone out to retrieve him.¡±


    Gmon barked out an order loud enough to make Argrave want to cup his ears. While waiting, he looked to Elenore and Anneliese for insight. Neither said anything, and so they waited in silence as morning winds howled across the horse-trampled ins of central Vasquer.


    Soon enough, one of Argrave¡¯s royal guards received the man and brought him before Argrave, unbound but still closely watched. Once he got near, the man dismounted and kneeled before him.


    ¡°Your Majesty!¡± the messenger dered loudly. ¡°The Duke Sumner of Dedsworth requests parley!¡±


    Argrave narrowed his eyes, puzzled. The fact that the man called him ¡®Your Majesty¡¯ implied much. It also heightened his suspicion. ¡°For what purpose?¡± he pressed.


    The messenger lowered his head further and shouted into the ground, ¡°The Duke Sumner hopes to establish terms of cooperation against King Felipe¡¯s loyalists, Your Majesty!¡± he shouted, his voice hoarse and nervous.


    #####


    Argrave waited on horseback in the center of the ins between his forces and Dirracha. In the far distance, an armored horse carried a well-armed lord forward, escorted by two others. Argrave saw the familiar heraldry of House Dedsworth on the escorts¡¯ shields¡ªtwo gray towers joined by a bridge with a green background.


    Gmon held his horse slightly ahead and beside Argrave. Anneliese and Vasilisa nked both of his sides. Elenore rode behind, supported by four royal guards. To say the least of things, Argrave was not worried about an ambush. Vasilisa could cast magic faster than any others, and Gmon was stronger than any humans Argrave could think of. Whether from sword or spell, he feared nothing. In fact, the words exchanged would be the scarier part of this.


    Duke Sumner, armored in steel, removed his helmet and slowed his horse as he grew nearer. Argrave remembered the A-rank spellcaster as a neat man with a trimmed beard and short hair, but now he was a somewhat unkempt man with medium-length hair sweaty and matted from the road. Not that Argrave could disparage his appearance¡ªundoubtedly he looked much the same, though without the beard part.


    ¡°Given that your man called me Your Majesty, can I expect this to be a fruitful conversation?¡± Argrave began without greetings.


    Duke Sumner brought his horse to a stop and called out, ¡°I believe so. I¡¯d like it to be like that.¡±


    ¡°So would I. But at the same time, I have some concerns,¡± Argrave continued. ¡°Like the bizarre oddities in the south that led to you chasing Duke Rovostar across the countryside.¡±


    ¡°I had to. Duke Enrico was captured,¡± Sumner said. ¡°I came here today to ask for your help in that matter, with Your Majesty being both a friend to House Monti¡­ and the King of Vasquer.¡±


    Argrave stayed silent, waiting for any signal from Anneliese that either statement was a lie. To his surprise, none came. He gripped the reins tighter and pressed, ¡°I find it difficult to believe any of this. Margrave Reinhardt is apetentmander. The only way I could see something like this happening is a betrayal of some kind. And given the extraordinary circumstances¡­¡± Argrave trailed off, letting his gaze tell all.


    The Duke Sumner lifted his head. ¡°I won¡¯t waste time on a fruitless discussion where my guilt is prejudiced. My House of Dedsworth will not bear such an usation without protest.¡±


    Argrave said stoically, ¡°You deny it?¡±


    ¡°Categorically. Whether the south or the margrave, I am no traitor,¡± Sumner said fiercely, then grabbed his horse¡¯s reins. ¡°I¡¯ll end the breath spent on this parley if this is the goodwill I am shown.¡±


    Given how incensed the duke was, and the fact that Sumner was already technically a traitor by rebelling against Felipe, Argrave expected the usation to be true. But when he looked to Anneliese, she shook her head with a serious expression. As the duke turned his horse to return to his camp, Argrave called out, ¡°Hold on.¡±


    ¡°I see no reason to,¡± Sumner said, continuing on as he was.


    ¡°I apologize,¡± Argrave called out, more than willing to lower his face. ¡°I was overcautious.¡±


    That brought the duke pause. He looked back for a few moments, then slowly turned his horse back and trotted it some steps closer. ¡°I will ept that apology, then.¡±


    ¡°But what happened?¡± Elenore spoke up, riding somewhat closer. ¡°Why did you split off? How did any of this happen? I cannot make sense of it.¡±


    Sumner turned his head, then stared for a few moments. His face shifted rapidly, then his eyes widened as he asked incredulously, ¡°Princess Elenore? I¡­ am I seeing¡­?¡± His gaze shifted around rapidly for confirmation, appearing totally bbergasted by her recovery. Still, the old A-rank mage was quick to recover hisposure.


    ¡°I¡­ was frustrated with the margrave¡¯s slow advance,¡± Sumner admitted, still off-bnce from seeing the princess. ¡°And I was looking for options. None of those included coboration with an enemy, I assure you. Count Delbraun of Jast had ess to druidic magic. I learned and used that to deliver messages far and wide. My theory is that some were intercepted.¡±


    Argrave tilted his head. ¡°I know druidic magic. You would definitely know if the messages were intercepted.¡±


    Sumner nodded. ¡°Yes. And if¡ª¡±


    Something veritably seized Argrave¡¯s heart and squeezed it. Profound panic welled up in his being, then dispersed not a secondter. By the time he¡¯d processed this, he was struggling with his rearing horse. He was tied to his saddle and his legs were squeezed ufortably, but Argrave thought quickly and cast druidic magic to bring the beast back under control.


    Argrave feared an attack from any direction. Everyone else, too, struggled with their horse. Elenore, who was not tied, teetered dangerously on the back of her horse. Argrave craned and steadied her, helping her horse rx. Everyone managed to recover quickly enough, and Argrave¡¯s search began anew.


    The possible source of this anomaly fell into Argrave¡¯s sight quickly. Atop Dirracha, within the Dragon Pce¡­ the only suitable description for what Argrave saw was that light was being sucked away. Beams of light stretched, almost as if vacuumed, and entered through the windows and doors of the pce. It was reced far slower than it was stolen, and a strange dark aura emanated outwards from the mountain pce.

 Chapter 335: These Shadows Grow So Tall

    Duke Rovostar crouched at the top of a hill, watching the Dragon Pce radiate shadow with morbid fascination. He, just as all his men, had felt the strange force that emanated outwards¡­ and now witnessed what seemed to pull the world inwards. And as he did, he recalled the conversations with Traugott.


    #####


    ¡°Why are you doing this?¡± Rovostar had asked, his scarred face dancing in and out of light as a single torchlight flickered.


    Traugott, the dark-skinned Magister, had smiled. ¡°You attended the Order. You know of forces beyondprehension¡­ but you¡¯ve never experienced them.¡± His eyes wandered to the torch he held. ¡°I had shelved trying to understand the gods, trying to bear witness¡­ but I realize, now, I struggled on that field because I stared at a shut door. I have been enlightened, recently, by a chance encounter with someone who knows more than I do. Perhaps ¡®encounter¡¯ is the wrong word¡­ but I was enlightened nheless.¡±


    Rovostar recalled narrowing his eyes back then as they met in the loyalist camp. At the time, he¡¯d thought this was just nonsensical ramblings.


    ¡°This realm is just as dangerous to the gods as the gods are dangerous to us,¡± Traugott said with a smile. ¡°Spirits, gods, souls¡­ all three are interconnected parts of arger whole. One is transitory¡ªa key. The other two are¡­ symbiotic,¡± he exined. He examined Rovostar¡¯s face, thenughed. ¡°You don¡¯t have any idea what I¡¯m talking about, do you? Well, it doesn¡¯t matter. Orion is the key to what we both want. I will distract him for your ends, which ultimately serves my ends. That¡¯s the end of the matter.¡±


    ¡°This is a dangerous man we¡¯re talking about,¡± Rovostar had cautioned. ¡°He crushed the head of some pompous Magister with his bare hands. He makes a habit of brutalizing the arrogant. When he was on my side, it was reassuring. As an enemy, Prince Orion is nightmarish.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not intending to fight. I¡¯m intending to distract,¡± Traugott shook his head. ¡°And I assure you¡­ Orion will have his eyes on nothing else.¡±


    #####


    As Rovostar stared at the pce in recollection, Georgina walked up beside him. ¡°I¡¯m ready,¡± she dered.


    ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± Rovostar said idly, questioning only now if he had too eagerly epted help because of their desperate position. ¡°But I never have been ready to fight, not really. Let¡¯s recover His Majesty.¡±


    #####


    From the beginning of the fight, Orion had the upper hand against Traugott. The Magister was no fighter¡ªthe spells he cast were not done at opportune times, his uracy was off, and his general situational and spatial awareness were not especially high. The only thing enabling thisbat tost more than a minute was the Magister¡¯s adroit use of his strange shadow portal.


    The longer it went on, the more frustrated Orion became. Even despite calling upon the blessings he loathed, ncing blows alone were a rarity. Perhaps Orion should¡¯ve realized that something was wrong with this strange tactic of his opponent. But under pressure from both Vasquer¡¯s pantheon speaking to him and the Magister¡¯s constant attacks, the cooler head prevailed.


    Traugott stood before the throne of Vasquer, arms held wide. ¡°Is this all you¡¯ll amount to?¡± he questioned calmly, his breathing only slightly uneven. ¡°I wait, Orion.¡±


    Orion rushed angrily. He ran his hands along the ground and waved them forward as though he sshed through an ocean. In response to his whims, ice waved across the floor. Traugott fell backwards gracefully, shrouding his body in shadow once again.


    As Traugott disappeared, Orion did not stop his pursuit. Where the man¡¯s body disappeared, he reached, trying to catch him. He had expected his fingers to meet stone¡­ yet instead, they sunk through. Shocked, Orion tried to grip beyond and seize Traugott. His hands wrapped around something solid, and he pulled.


    To Orion¡¯s great surprise, and for the first time in recent memory¡­ what he grabbed resisted his strength. And unlike normal, the darkness Traugott had fallen into persisted like a puddle of abyssal ink. Orion put his feet to the ground firmly and pulled with all of his strength, yet still his arms did not budge.


    ¡°There we have it,¡± came Traugott¡¯s voice from behind Orion. ¡°I was beginning to worry this wouldn¡¯t work.¡±


    Orion whipped his head around and prepared to attack as needed, yet suddenly a great scream pierced his ears. It had no source. The prince fell to one knee in shock, and for the first time he could remember, feared what was toe.


    ¡°You should be happy,¡± Traugott continued, his arms still at his side. ¡°You will get what you want, Orion. I never lied. You turned me away all the same.¡±


    ¡°What¡­¡± Orion said, not able to say anything more as the screaming echoed through his head. It was a chorus of voices, each and all in extraordinary pain. He released his grip entirely and fought back, yet still his arms refused to move. Pain manifested on his fingers as something ate away at them.


    ¡°I have carried with me a door to which only I have the key,¡± Traugott said calmly. ¡°Yet you, parasite-ridden host that you are¡­ are a skeleton key, Orion.¡±


    Orion managed toe to both feet again, and put all of his full body strength into pulling his arms free. His back, his legs, his arms¡­ all fought to no avail even as a hundred voices screamed in agony in his ears. Then, without warning, he felt a sudden deprivation. His mind felt like a hourss turned over¡ªas each grain of sand fell, all of the other grains scrambled to fill the space left, each and all pouring out.


    Traugott noted, ¡°The spirits leave you, having opened the border. I was right.¡± The Magister watched in a self-satisfied yet pacific manner.


    The screams lessened by the second as Orion¡¯s mind shifted dramatically. The resistance from beyond the inky portal of darkness failed, too, and the prince managed to wrest his arms out somewhat. Slowly, he gained momentum. As thest scream became an echo, Orion came free and copsed back onto the stone with heavy breath. Most of his fingers were missing, yet they reconstituted as they always did.


    Then, from the portal he¡¯d just left behind¡­ a shadowy protrusion jutted out. The light warped around it as though being sucked inside. Whatever emerged writhed. The more light it absorbed, the more clearly defined its form became. Orion barely recognized it as a gargantuan colorless finger with a long uncut nail. It tried to widen the opening, like a finger stuck through a hole in a cloth shirt. And eventually¡­ it seeded, and a second protrusion rose up. Yet more light rushed to feed it and give it form.


    Traugott stepped closer, obviously fascinated. ¡°The opening created by the spirits¡­¡± he kneeled down. ¡°The creature struggles, but the opening tries to revert to the mean.¡±


    Orion scrambled to his feet and lunged at Traugott as he stared in fascination. The Magister widened his eyes and tried to step away, but the prince thrust his hand out at his chest. He managed to get a ward up, but Orion broke straight past it and punched the man in the shoulder. He heard cracks and pops as Traugott¡¯s shoulder twisted unnaturally. The man barely grunted in pain, but a mana ripple spread from Traugott¡¯s hand. Orion stepped away as a st of wind exploded outwards.


    The fierce spell put distance between the two of them, and Orion¡¯s armor had been torn to shreds. Traugott held his right shoulder with his left hand, healing magic already working.


    ¡°It seems I got overexcited,¡± Traugott said, coughing up some blood¡ªperhaps the blow had damaged his lungs. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯ve proven a theory of mine with your help,¡± he said as his shoulder corrected back into ce. His eyes nced back at the opening on the ground, where a full hand started to free itself. ¡°Now¡­ I¡¯ll watch and learn.¡±


    Traugott fell away into his shadow once again yet did not appear again this time. Orion stood there with a clear mind. The whispers that had troubled him¡­ they were gone,pletely and utterly. In this clear weather, he was able to focus on the pressing new issue.


    The hand of shadow, now that it had gotten purchase, struggled to fit another appendage. It grabbed onto the portal of inky darkness and pulled, struggling greatly with its unformed body that absorbed all light. Orion started to walk forth, feeling that whatever tried to escape from this opening could not be allowed to do so. He raised both of his hands up, preparing to try and m it back down. As he neared, something lunged at him, and he instinctually grabbed at it to try and stop it.


    Orion held a strange tentacle in one hand. As he held it, all of the color and sensation in his hand drained away. Panicked, he released it. That gave the creature time enough to free itself. As soon as it came through, the opening shut, disappearing into nothingness. The new arrival rose up and kicked at Orion defensively, and the prince jumped back.


    The creature of shadow rose to its feet. It was humanoid, standing as tall as the giants of myth. At full height, it nearly broke through the ceiling. Its body was ck, gray, or white¡ªthe light around it shifted so much as to make it impossible to tell. It arms were long, nearly touching the floor even as it stood straight. Its t, corklike head was eyeless and noseless, but had a long tentacle as its mouth that pulsated impossibly with a thousand folding teeth.


    As Orion watched it, the creature bent its knees and ran its hand along the stone. Whatever it touched turned to ck, then regained color when the touch was released. It bunched its fingers together until they formed a single point¡­ then mmed into the stone, overturning a tile and sending it at Orion as it rushed at him soundlessly.


    He swatted away the stone tile with one hand, then awaited theing abomination with braced feet.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    #####


    Argrave stared at the pulsating darkness emanating out of the Dragon Pce. As recognition of the consequences dawned, his breathing grew faster and his grip around his horse¡¯s reins tightened.


    ¡°What in the gods¡¯ name¡­?¡± Duke Sumner said, one of the only others to bring his horse under control in a timely fashion. Even Gmon struggled to calm his.


    Something from the Shadonds is here, Argrave knew. That sight was too memorable to ever forget. Beings from the Shadonds were veritable vacuums¡ªliving spaces devoid of matter. And now that it was free of its foul realm of origin, it would be made whole. It would take in light to obtain sight and sounds to obtain hearing. It would consume flesh to obtain touch and souls to obtain taste. As for sound¡­ that, it forevercked. Consequently, no matter what it consumed, it felt an all-consuming emptiness and would never stop its activities until stopped forcibly.


    And to stop one forcibly¡­ Argrave expected to have years to prepare for these things. This was one of the things the yer fought at the end. But one was here now. He didn¡¯t know what kind it was, or whether it was alone¡­ but one of those creatures alone was enough to make him shake.


    Just then, a great rumbling shook the earth, and Argrave whipped his head to its source. There, a great puff of dust rose up into the air. There was arge opening in the earth, and a small force moved inside. Old bricks fell from a structural weakness in Dirracha where the old sewers and cityy dormant.


    ¡°Duke Sumner,¡± Argrave said loudly. ¡°I am going to seize Dirracha. If you wish to cooperate, I ask you join me. If not¡­¡± Argrave turned his horse. ¡°If not, then I fear the city will be lost forever.¡±


    Argrave looked back at hispany as Duke Sumner asked for boration. Elenore, Anneliese, Gmon, Vasilisa¡­ before he had felt this entourage impossibly secure, but with the new arrival, all he felt was inadequacy. He could not deny the thought of fleeing dominated his mind¡ªwith his Blessing of Supersession empty, how could he hope to defeat a foe meant to appear so far in the future?


    But the trusting eyes looking to him¡­ that grounded him back, reminded him of what he¡¯d done. And so Argrave said simply, ¡°A problem came up. We have to change ns somewhat.¡±

 Chapter 336: Return of the King

    ¡°It¡¯ll be hard,¡± Argrave stared at Anneliese as he spoke, the both of them now on foot. ¡°Not to mention the other problems we might encounter in the city. Everyone will need heavy security.¡±


    Argrave¡¯s whole inner circle had gathered, and everyone sent nervous nces towards the distant ckening Dragon Pce. There was someone else with them¡ªDuke Sumner.


    ¡°But it could be all we have,¡± Anneliese reminded him. ¡°Orion¡¯s presence is the only reason this thing has not spilled out onto the streets, if I understand you right.¡±


    Argrave nodded at her, eyes lingering on the walls. ¡°Then we don¡¯t have any time to lose. Sumner, that breach in the walls you mentioned orchestrating¡ªyou¡¯re sure you can get your army in position at the right time?¡±


    ¡°Definitely,¡± Sumner nodded. ¡°If your people have to scale all the way up that mountain, we¡¯ll be there long before it happens. I have questions about¡­ whatever in the world that creature was,¡± the veteran mage shuddered, for he, too, had scouted out the Dragon Pce with druidic magic alongside Anneliese. ¡°But if Your Majesty is confident enough to lead at the front into battle to vanquish it, I will follow.¡±


    Argrave patted his shoulder as he walked past him. ¡°Good,¡± he left the duke that praise. The others fell in line beside him, moving to begin their advance. ¡°Elenore, don¡¯t take any risks. You¡¯ll be well-protected, but things can still happen. We experienced what happens there once before, trapped¡­ and now someone¡¯s behind this. Maybe someone familiar to you.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± his sister answered back. ¡°But you won¡¯t be well-protected. Perhaps you ought to worry about yourself.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Argrave repeated the same thing she¡¯d said. ¡°I¡¯m used to this sort of thing, in case you forgot.¡±


    ¡°Go, then,¡± she nodded patiently, gray eyes ill at ease.


    Elenore remained behind, Argrave¡¯s royal guards and two loyal A-rank mages staying by her side to protect her as they advanced.


    ¡°Is there something else troubling you?¡± Anneliese asked as they walked onwards.


    Argrave clicked his tongue once, then said, ¡°Hegazar and Vera are going to think I knew this would happen.¡±


    ¡°Did you?¡± Vasilisa asked pointedly.


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t have sent them away if I had,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ll be relying on you, Vasilisa. On all of you.¡± He adjusted the silver bracer on his arm, then pulled up his enchanted gray leather sleeve over it. ¡°Fortunately, I¡¯ve surrounded myself with reliable people. Some small relief in this hell.¡±


    #####


    Georgina looked up at the Dragon Pce as she and Rovostar climbed up the side of the mountain. As she watched, a detached tower shook mightily. With another rumble, one brick fell free, shimmering with broken enchantments. Then, they all started to fall one after another, cascading down the mountain and dislodging yet more rock until they fell down into the city of Dirracha. Even from far away, she could see something foul and ck leaking out. She saw what she thought were royal knights, and briefly thought she spotted the king¡¯s figure. No, she reasoned. That must be Orion.


    ¡°What is Traugott doing?!¡± Georgina called up to the duke.


    ¡°What do I know?¡± the crass man responded back. ¡°But look at us. We¡¯re climbing without being peppered by insane princes or arrows. Take advantage of this. Talk less, and climb more,¡± he ordered her.


    Growing silent, the two of them led near a dozen soldiers up the mountain, using mountain-climbing gear to speed their ascent. Though they might¡¯ve taken the Royal Road, the sole normal entrance to the pce, the two of them needed to reach the ce where King Felipe was kept hostage. This mountain path was both covert and direct.


    Their whole ascent was marked by tremendous rumblings from the devastating battle in the pce. Georgina felt something was very wrong, but she did not voice her thoughts in wake of hermander¡¯s words. Eventually, a stone overhang blocked them from proceeding further. Georgina used a rope with a hook at the end, aiming for a railing she knew was on the other side. Once it hooked, their party climbed up one at a time.


    ¡°The queen¡¯s old garden,¡± Rovostar said, thest to climb up the rope. They all stood on a balcony overlooking the city, beyond which there was a brown and dying garden that had thrived, once. ¡°Looks like Orion hasn¡¯t been maintaining it. Alright,¡± the duke looked back. ¡°The king and Levin are held in one of the detached towers, near the queen¡¯s tower. That isn¡¯t far from here.¡±


    Georgina looked to the tower in question¡ªit was just barely visible. There, the wicked warping darkness that ate light thrived. She could not help but grow nervous.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    #####


    Orion stood before the titanic shadowy creature, his breath heavy. He bled from half a dozen slowly-healing wounds, and his armor had been torn in so many ces. Opposite him, the humanoid from the realm of darkness bore not a single scratch. Its gray lean body was whole and solid after having absorbed much light, and its tentacle mouth swung through the air like a pendulum.


    It held one hand out as it walked forward with heavy steps. The rity of its body warped as a flexible weapon of shadow took form in its hand. It sent it forth like a whip, and Orion darted to the side. Once its weapon settled it flicked its wrist at the prince in a fluent motion. The flexible strand of darkness jumped again and Orion barely ducked low enough to dodge. The whip-like weapon tore through the walls and the ceiling as though the bricks were only wheat before a scythe, sending stone crumbling on the both of them.


    It advanced further still in an unceasing assault. The weapon became rigid or malleable at its will. It thrust, cut, and mmed it as a staff, or sent it whipping inhumanly fast as it tore apart this ancient pce with ease. The creature was intelligent, brutally powerful, and impossibly fast despite its size; Orion found no openings. Instead, he was forced on a desperate defense that called upon all of his blessings. He tried to shock the earth, create shields of ice, set the air ame, fill the ground with acid¡­ none of it sufficed to do anything beyond protecting his life.


    It tore up the castle without a care. It was as though the being found itself surrounded by unlimited power, and now reveled in its ability. And perhaps it did. Orion saw that whenever it conjured its weapon again, its body lost rity and needed to absorb more light to be solid again. But now, with light in such abundance¡­


    Orion did not have time to lose himself in fanciful thoughts. The abomination struck out with its foot, hitting the prince squarely in the chest. He staggered back, winded. Before he could get his bearing, the thing raised its weapon up, stabbed it into the ground, and used it as a lever to open a great gash in the floor. It fell away, revealing bare mountainside. Orion, without purchase, floundered impotently as this pce wing fell out from under his feet.


    The prince¡¯s stomach lurched as he fell further, but in an act of desperation he jutted out his foot and managed to find a foothold in the cliff face. He didn¡¯t manage to stabilize himself but flipped upside down dangerously. He slid down, barely clinging onto thest bit of stone before a titanic drop. With all the strength he had left, he crawled his way back up.


    The great beast stood there, staring out across Dirracha. It turned its head about, looking at the wide ins and the city before it. Its corklike face began to unwind, revealing a soulless purple eye. Orion climbed up onto the ledge, staring up at it as he spit out blood to the wind. With a bestial lunge, he leapt forward and grabbed its hanging tentacle mouth. He pulled it down and mmed his fist into its eye. It reeled back, clutching its eye with both hands.


    ¡°I will die before I allow you to walk beyond this ce,¡± Orion dered, ignorant of if it could even understand him.


    The creature was soundless as ever. Its face rippled, hiding its now-bloodshot purple eye. Orion put his back to the cityscape as the wind howled behind them. And in the city streets, out of the prince¡¯s sight¡­ ck banners bearing a sunburst with snakes as its rays moved up the streets as the citizens watched with unease.


    #####


    ¡°I see it,¡± Gmon dered, just beside Argrave as he led the soldiers up the Royal Road. Duke Sumner¡¯s men would be joining him, he was sure. ¡°And Orion. He¡­ struggles.¡±


    Argrave didn¡¯t look up. ¡°You¡¯ll remedy that. Sumner and his troops have their job, Elenore has hers, and we have ours.¡± He briefly spared a nce, watching as parts of the pce crumbled away even still. People in the city panicked, watching their troops with bad memories of the past. ¡°So long as it¡¯s day¡­ so long as this Shadonder has flesh and blood to eat¡­ it¡¯ll be near impossible to kill. Remember that. Try nothing stupid. Stick to the n.¡±


    Gmon clenched his Ebonice axe grimly, looking ill at ease.


    #####


    Elenore stepped down the stone stairs beneath Dirracha in a ce familiar yet wholly unfamiliar to her simultaneously. Though she still wore the bronze jewelry¡­ now she could see. One sight in particr awaited her, and she moved towards it eagerly even despite the situation.


    ¡°Watch your step, princess,¡± one of the royal guards said as he hastened down the stairs.


    The princess barely heeded the man, keeping her hand to the wall as she moved quickly down. Blue light entered into her vision, and in time the stairway¡¯s ceiling became low enough to see beyond. All was as she remembered, yet more¡ªshe saw every magicmp in the gargantuan room.


    And she saw Vasquer. The golden serpent, thergest living thing she¡¯d ever seen. With her limited perception, she had seen bits and pieces. Now, she saw the whole of her¡ªher ancestor, stretching for miles and miles. And unlike before¡­ she was unbound, uncaptured, unfettered. Elenore managed a smile.


    ¡°I made it back,¡± she whispered.

 Chapter 337: Ground Control

    Elenore stepped into the grand chamber housing Vasquer, ancient ancestor of all the royal family of House Vasquer. The now freed serpent appeared emotionless, but it curved its huge body slowly around, snout facing Elenore. It was like some sort of embrace, and Elenore held her hands out even as her royal guard seemed nervous from the prospect. A small white bird settled on her shoulder, and though it turned its head from side to side it did not flee.


    As soon as she touched therge snake, jubtion filled her head¡ªnot her own, but the golden snake¡¯s. It was like a mother¡¯s pleasure at seeing a child thrive, and it was particrly directed towards her full recovery. Elenore briefly lost herself in that pure feeling, reliving her own enthusiasm for her sight, but she had other purposes that more urgently demanded attention.


    Elenore sent forth a memory to Vasquer. She could not remember the background, and so the people involved strode atop formless fog as they spoke.


    We faced a pitched situation once before in the distant past, Anneliese mused. We were at a huge disadvantage, but I used my Starsparrow to quickly ry directions. Effective management of arge force and intelligence on the entire battlefield has unimaginable benefits. Since Argrave needs me on the frontlines, I cannot do the same here, nor would it be practical now¡­ but you can do something better, the elven woman pointed to Elenore in this memory-scape.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Anneliese is on to something. It¡¯ll be like ying a top-down strategy game, Argrave said. You and Vasquer will link up. You¡¯ll use her enhanced perception to view the battlefield, and then you¡¯ll ry orders to Sumner¡¯s druidic bond, whereupon he will act ordingly. He¡¯ll be able to position his troops to adapt to whatever the Shadonder does. Like this, we shepherd it into the kill zone, barrage it with the deadliest assault we can muster.


    Duke Sumner¡¯s face twisted. That¡¯s¡­ unconventional, he said, though whether it was apliment or a criticism was not certain. Couldn¡¯t I achieve the same thing by simply watching from above with my druidic bond?


    You¡¯re limited even still, Argrave held his hand out. But with Vasquer aiding Elenore¡­ the insides of the pce, any secluded streets, all the walls of the city¡­ she can keep an eye on them all concurrently. If someone like Traugott is behind this, she can keep watch. She can be our ground control.


    Duke Sumner slowly nodded. Where would this kill zone be?


    It¡¯d have to be in the city, Argrave stroked his chin. The pce won¡¯t ever offer a clear shot for many people. And considering the strength of this abomination, we¡¯ll need a shot for many people.


    I saw a ce when I scouted, Anneliese volunteered. Though¡­ it is densely popted: arge garden square in the city, surrounded by tall buildings.


    Argrave took a deep breath. I think I know the ce you¡¯re talking about. But¡­


    We have time to evacuate, Anneliese suggested. Or at the very least, encourage people to take shelter.


    It¡¯ll be hard. Argrave stared at Anneliese. Not to mention the other problems we might encounter in the city. Everyone will need heavy security.


    The memory faded from her mind, and Elenore waited for Vasquer¡¯s response anxiously. The link between their minds was silent, and the princess feared the response would be negative. A dim me of caution came¡ªVasquer informed Elenore that the burden on her mind, though survivable, would not be without consequence. Orion had used it but seldomly, and yet his headache had been unbearable for days toe. And this was Orion. The prolonged contact of such a bulk of information might do genuine damage to Elenore¡¯s brain.


    The princess did waver after learning that. Then, as she recalled all she already lost and regained, that hesitance vanished to the wind. And so¡­ after some coaxing, to ease her into the process¡­ Vasquer granted her perception unto Elenore fully. The new sensation was so intense that she lost her footing immediately, yet Vasquer¡¯s body wrapped about her tighter to keep her propped up.


    The sensation¡­ it was not entirely new, per se. Part of it was an enhancement of what already was: namely, her sense of touch. It came with such a profoundlyrge and delicate machination as to make her numb. She felt all the vibrations on the earth¡ªnot just things walking, but the wind against buildings, the water against the ground, or the sounds against the earth. All of this worked in tandem to give her a total sense of all that was above or below, and all of what they did.


    This gray and lifeless scene was given life by a more mystical perception. Elenore saw the previously unknown forces of the world¡ªpeople¡¯s souls, the magic in the air, or the foul rupture emanating outwards from the Shadonder. Just like wind or sound, these left echoes that could be perceived. If the vibrations against stone brought shape, this mysticism brought color to this world. And like that, Elenore saw all of Dirrachaid inly before her.


    This scene overwhelmed to the point Elenore forgot the reason she was here to begin with¡ªto speak, to ry. It took time¡ªa long time, in fact¡ªbut she eventually remembered how to work her mouth. But then she remembered speaking required breath. If breathing didn¡¯te naturally to her, she might¡¯ve died.


    When Elenore realized she could perceive herself curled up in Vasquer¡¯s embrace, she shuddered. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ prepared, Sumner. Our task is twofold: relocation of Dirracha¡¯s citizens and positioning of your troops.¡± As she took note of the pce atop the mountain, she added grimly, ¡°And we should hurry. Argrave has already begun.¡±


    #####


    Argrave thought cheese was a rather fun thing in video games. Of course, that wasn¡¯t referring to dairy, but rather the exploitation of certain mechanical oversights to defeat a foe or ovee a challenge with rtive ease. One could lure or cajole enemies into spots where they couldn¡¯t move and then pepper them with projectiles, for instance. If these video-game enemies had non-artificial intelligence, such a thing would never suffice.


    Even despite that, intelligence had historically made people do stupid things in the right circumstances. Argrave rather liked that fact. It meant that he, average as he was, could still ovee the monstrously smart people that abounded in Heroes of Berendar if he orchestrated things properly. Furthermore, he might just stand a chance against the monstrously smart monsters. He intended to put that theory to the test.


    Prince Orion fought valiantly against the gargantuan Shadonder. It clearly tried to disengage, heading for the entrance to the Dragon Pce for a safe descent down the mountain to the city¡ªnamely, the Royal Road, the ce they¡¯d entered from. Every time it separated in its attempt to find the easier prey in the city, he chased it down. The Shadonder outssed him without a doubt¡ªit left wound after wound on his body yet bore few itself. But just as a man could not ignore a feral cat entirely, so too could it not ignore him. And unlike a feral cat, Orion actually had nine lives¡­ or something roughly equivalent, at least.


    When they first arrived at the Dragon Pce, Argrave sent out his Brumesingers to assist Orion in his struggle even as they desperately struggled to get in proper position for their n. It didn¡¯t matter if the Shadonder was strong enough to rend stone¡ªagainst their mist warriors, each swing would do precisely nothing until their reserves of magic were worn down. Their months of consuming souls might be expended in this battle, but Orion alone could not resist forever.


    Argrave and Anneliese followed this fight closely, leading some of the mages as the others took their proper position. Gmon and Vasilisa were absent, alongside a great portion of them. He peeked his head through the hallway, but the battle was difficult to perceive through the absolute darkness warping around the creature. It was like trying to stare through thin cloth close to the eyes.


    Argrave looked back and waved everyone forth. They headed for the outside wall with their own party, giving the battle a wide berth. Anneliese brought her forefinger and her thumb to her lips and blew, and a shrill, deafening whistle echoed out across the halls. It was returned in short order¡ªonce, then twice, each one in different locations. Their only physical advantage here was that the Shadonder could not hear nor make sound, and they used it amply.


    They followed along the outside wall, using the noise to roughly track the battle. Every so often, a whistle was sent out, then shortly returned. Argrave found a point where arge window overlooked the city,rgely ss. He examined the area, then looked down therge corridor beyond. This ce was thestrge intersection before the exit.


    ¡°Alright. Now¡­ we y the matador, boys and girls,¡± Argrave said confidently, though swallowed nervously in a betrayal of his true thoughts. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the two down there. They can take it,¡± he assured. ¡°Anneliese, thest.¡±


    Anneliese brought her two fingers up once more, clenching them together. She whistled once, twice, then thrice. Like birds chirping to birds, the signal was returned. Argrave thought he might need to practice this skill.


    Argrave stepped a little ahead of the group, listening for the slowly approaching battle. He cupped his hands to his mouth and shouted, ¡°Orion! It¡¯s Argrave! If you can hear me, don¡¯t bother responding. Up ahead there¡¯s an intersection! I want you to step back for a beat for our attack, then resume! Don¡¯t worry about letting it escape any longer!¡±


    He repeated his directive thrice, ensuring that it would be heard. Once that was done, he rejoined the ranks of his mages. Anneliese took to the back of the crowd, sending ahead her Starsparrow with druidic magic to gather intelligence on the scene. All waited for her signal¡­ yet all could hear, too, theing mayhem.


    The seconds that passed felt like minutes, and it grew ever closer. Anneliese watched, eyes closed and silent as she observed things through her bond. The darkness grew ever closer, corrupting the air and the stone around them with its warping refractions of light. The chiming of his Brumesingers made the scene eerier, as though some grim reaper came with bells portending his arrival.


    ¡°Attack!¡± Anneliese shouted urgently, breaking the silence.


    It was sufficient to spur all to action. Their mages cast lightning magic of the most potent kind they knew. Though varied in power and rank, they were uniform in speed. The spells illuminated the lightless hall at once, traversing the distance too fast for the eye to see. The Shadonder was caught in many, but many more passed by it. It flinched in pain, but only just. As it looked to them, it failed to notice where, precisely, the missed bolts had struck: on Gmon¡¯s Giantkillers.


    Holding two knives that sparked brighter than the sun, Gmon lunged forth and stabbed the Shadonder in the leg. As the sparks discharged, the intersection was lit up, illuminating the creature and Gmon both. It staggered backwards with great burning cuts on its legs, but as it prepared to retaliate their mages sent out yet another wave of lightning magic. Gmon reeled back, catching bolt after bolt in his knives as he prepared for the second attack.


    What was the intelligent thing to do in its situation? The answer was obvious: get the hell out.


    And so it did. Without Orion constantly restraining it, the creature ran out towards the Royal Road, into the daylight. The moment it did, something more greeted it. The rest of the mages, and Vasilisa.


    Vasilisa led the charge, a great teal mana ripple splitting the air. Befitting her A-rank ascension, the S-rank spellpleted near immediately. The spell was exceedingly simple, cing all of its emphasis on a powerful spear-like thrust of wind designed to do nothing more than pierce. Even despite its raw destructive power, the Shadonder caught the spear in hand, sliding back against the stone. Darkness erupted out from its hand, and with a wave of its hand, shattered all of its power. A great wind raged against the Dragon Pce¡¯s outside wall.


    Following up her opener, the remainder of their mages peppered the titanic creature with spells. It dug its long arms into the ground and resisted stubbornly¡­ and indeed, became immovable. Yet as it stubbornly resisted, Gmon ran into the spells and tackled the creature¡¯s neck. He seeded in dislodging it, and when the two were caught by a spell, both hurtled over the edge.


    Argrave watched with wide eyes through the window, and then ran up to the Royal Road in a heavy-breathed frenzy. He eyed below, watching for Gmon. All he could see was the titanic Shadonder, plummeting into the city¡­ where Sumner¡¯s force waited, ready to herd.

 Chapter 338: After All This

    Elenore had absolute focus on the area where the Shadonder had tumbled down the mountainous path to the Dragon Pce. Sumner¡¯s men were hardened warriors, fiercely loyal, well-equipped, and prepared for what was toe¡ªprepared enough to stake their lives. That dedication to a leader did note easy.


    And these factors working in tandem were the only reason they did not break against the Shadonder immediately.


    The moment the titanic creature of darknessnded on the streets, those stationed nearby leapt at it decisively even in their fear. Their des¡ªsome enchanted, some simple steel¡ªwobbled and shook when they met with the Shadonder¡¯s flesh as though they struck stone instead of meat. The weapons and enchantments did some damage, but the utter non-effect inly demonstrated Orion¡¯s superior stature to normal men.


    The creature, stunned from the fall, came alive as it was attacked. It rose to its feet and swiped its too-long arms at the attackers. It was a motion no moreplex than pushing away an annoying pet, yet powerful enough that all five knights took to the air, shing into theirrades or meeting the stone walls of Dirracha. Despite the show of insurmountable prowess, those behind advanced¡ªthere was no moral gray in this battle, only honor and duty. And Sumner¡¯s men rose to their task, shouting in defiance and mming their boots upon the earth.


    Elenore ryed its position to the duke but could do nothing more beyond that. She sighed a breath of relief when she noticed Gmon suspended higher up on the mountain cliff, if only because she knew his death would crush Argrave. Some of his bones were broken, yet he stubbornly clung to the mountain. Further up, within the Dragon Pce, she watched Argrave¡¯s actions.


    ¡°Come on. Let¡¯s go, Mary Poppins¡ªuse your magic boots to take me down,¡± Argrave demanded of Anneliese, clearly worried for his friend and the situation down below. ¡°Anyone who has healing spells¡ªwork on getting Orion back to fighting shape,¡± he pointed beyond.


    Orion crouched there. With his fight done, he barely managed to keep his eyes open. ¡°I wear this pain as an honor, brother. Leave me. Go,¡± he said weakly, some blood in his mouth.


    Argrave shook his head in disbelief at the prince¡¯s words and looked to Vasilisa. ¡°You used S-rank magic. I can¡¯t expect you to do more than that. So, please stay here,¡± he told her.


    The blonde woman knelt beside Orion. ¡°I¡¯ll keep your brother alive. Do whatever the hell you did back then with Margrave Ivan.¡±


    ¡°Read my mind,¡± Argrave nodded, then turned to Anneliese. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± he said, offering his hand.


    Elenore watched as the two of them took a running start and leapt off the mountainous stretch of the Royal Road, her heart leaping just as they fell. Soon enough, Anneliese half-carried Argrave as the two of them relied on her enchanted boots that projected wind. Even as they fell daintily through the sky, the Shadonder¡¯s influence crept through the streets of Dirracha as hundreds of soldiers pressed against it. Though Sumner had managed to disperse most citizens, in the distant reaches of the city people panicked and fled for the tightly shut gates to the wall.


    As more and more poured into the fight with the Shadonder, the foul monster demonstrated it was no easy quarry. The tide of steel arms raged against it unabated, and it did not fall back¡ªno, it was forced back. Though every swipe of its wed hand tore through steel and flesh, and though it cleaved them in twain whenever it used its unnatural magic¡­ Sumner¡¯s troops proved theirmitment to the kingdom of Vasquer was not rooted in mere opportunism or base greed. They fully intended to die for their cause. And many did. Dozens. Hundreds. Elenore could not even count.


    Argrave and Anneliese alighted atop a distant building, staring down at this fight. Argrave took a deep breath, then cast a spell. A bow of blood took shape in his hand. Elenore had heard of this attack several times, but had never before seen it¡ª[Bloodfeud Bow], it was called. Up ahead, all of the mages of Sumner¡¯s force, the majority of his archers, and Sumner himself waited for the creature toe within striking distance.


    Even despite theirmitment, numbers were thinning faster than they could be reced. Argrave was not blind to this¡ªpanicked, he tried to step into a better position so as to force it into the kill zone.


    Just then¡­ Elenore felt a disturbance. It was so simr in make to that of the aura the Shadonder emitted it nearly escaped her notice. Atop a building, almost opposite Argrave, a shadow manifested. Someone crawled out of it. It was someone Elenore remembered all too well¡ªTraugott. His eyes scanned the scene. Then, he held his hand out. She could see his body light up with mobilized power, and then a great ripple of mana split the air.


    It all happened so quickly Elenore could not help but scream, ¡°No!¡±


    Traugott¡¯s spellpleted. A great mass of ice erupted outwards like an unending deluge from a burst dam. As it took shape, a gargantuan w raised above the scene. It craned, cracking and splintering mightily as all on the battlefield stared in awe at this baffling arrival. Then, it descended.


    When it mmed against the Shadonder, Elenore briefly lost herself to confusion for a moment. The beast crumpled from the surprise attack. Just as suddenly as it had formed, the w of ice pulled back, dragging an unbnced Shadonder straight into the city square. It rolled, tumbling, and then the ice shattered. It fell amidst thousands of ice crystals,pletely exposed.


    Panicked and befuddled, Elenore barely remembered to shout, ¡°Attack! Send the order!¡±


    But her order did not need to reach Sumner¡ªhe waspetent enough to know when his opportunity hade. He gave the signal¡ªa single blown horn. And with that, unrivalled destruction rained upon the Shadonder. Ice, fire, frost, earth, lightning, and even simple crossbow bolts ripped across the wide-open square. The Shadonder did not have time to react, let alone resist.


    Even as it was being barraged, Argrave held his [Bloodfeud Bow] ready, waiting for an opportunity. Opposite him, Traugott cast another spell. Another mana ripple split the air, signifying another high-rank spell soon came. Elenore¡¯s heart dropped again as she feared he would change targets. A gigantic hammer of wind took shape in the air, craning backwards. The Shadonder could not escape the barrage of spells, yet still the hammer came down, pounding it into the ground to cement its fate. Its legs failed, and it copsed. Argrave seized on the opportunity, releasing his blood magic.


    The bolt of blood struck the Shadonder firmly on the chest, digging in a few inches before dispersing. Even that attack was not enough to pierce it fully, and so the barrage continued for a while longer. Anneliese cast B-rank spell after B-rank spell, her A-rank ascendency [Life Cycle] enriching her magic supply with the constant discharge of magic nearby.


    After what must¡¯ve been a minute, the relentless barrage slowly faded away as thest of the power was expended. The Shadonder reached one arm out, making all watching step away in despair. Then, thin curtains of light pushed past the grasping darkness, falling onto its hand. More light poured in, illuminating the city and warding away the foul darkness as its hand fell to the earth, still and dead. Everyone cheered in jubtion, but Argrave swayed, fell to one knee, and looked across from him with caution.


    Traugott and Argrave locked gazes.


    #####


    Georgina and Rovostar stared at a teetering detached tower barely clinging on to the Dragon Pce, their men just behind. The battle between Orion and that foul, shadowy creature had raged through here, very nearly casting this tower to the city below. Georgina sized it up.


    The path ahead was thin¡ªvery thin. It had once been a railed bridge, but that had crumbled away leaving a path no wider than one person. The tower itself was tilted at a harsh, perhaps forty-five-degree angle, barely persisting on a thin pir of enchanted stone. There was no break from the wind, and it raged against the tower and the walls both, creating a treacherous path only the mad would walk.


    ¡°At the very least, it¡¯s unguarded,¡± Georgina said optimistically, looking at the treacherous and wind-blown bridge.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like it,¡± the duke said. ¡°You go across. It looks unstable. Too much weight, it might finish what those two monsters started.¡±


    Georgina looked at Rovostar, trying to disguise the contempt in her eyes. Even until this moment, themon-born duke did not trust hermitment to King Felipe III. Perhaps it was because she had never shared her reasons for support. That distrust only gave her more reason to hide those reasons.


    ¡°Fine,¡± she said brusquely. ¡°Not like you¡¯d be useful, anyway.¡±


    The bald, scarred freakughed, then angled his head sideways towards the copsed bridge. ¡°Just walk, beautiful.¡±


    Georgina headed for the bridge without hesitation. She¡¯d learned long ago to disy no weakness in front of anyone. The path was thin, and every step that she took she feared it might crumble beneath her feet. Consequently, the few times it did crumble away, she was quickly able to correct herself. And before she even realized it, she stood at the door to the tower. It was angled as severely as the tower.


    She tested the door, then chuckled beneath her breath when she realized it was still locked even tilted as dangerously as it was. She braced one foot against the wall, then retrieved her lockpicking kit. One small fortune of the mayhem meant any enchantments on the lock had shattered. She stuck a ridged stick and thin hook inside the keyhole. In not five seconds, the lock clicked. Georgina adjusted to get out of its way and pulled the door open.


    On the opposite side of the door, Georgina first saw the cityscape. Most of the floor had fallen away, leaving few ces for anyone to get a foothold. Her heart sunk as she realized this meant Felipe¡¯s survival was unlikely. Still, her eyes wandered, then lit up as she noticed someone trying to stay out of sight.


    ¡°You?¡± King Felipe said. He had been shackled to the wall by the window by his legs, and even now sat on the angled windowsill. ¡°Hah. And to think I doubted your loyalty. You¡¯ve served me much better than my own kin.¡±


    By this point, most of the king¡¯s hairs had gone gray. Georgina hadn¡¯t seen him in a long while, but this still stunned her. He had been graying before¡­ but this? He was an A-rank mage, slow to age. It made little sense before that he should have grays, but now it was simply baffling. Perhaps there were other causes. Looking at him, Georgina judged the rumors were true¡ªhis hands were gone.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Levin?¡± she asked.


    ¡°He was kept on the second floor. I don¡¯t know, or care, of his fate. Given what¡¯s happening, we should leave quickly,¡± he said, adjusting.


    Georgina nodded. Slowly, she crept along the wall. C-rank wind magic was sufficient to break the shackles around Felipe¡¯s legs. Then, as chains dangled precariously, she helped him across. The tilt of the tower was treacherous, but not so much so the king couldn¡¯t walk. His simple stumps where his hands had been proved little help to walking, and Georgina dedicated most of her time to keeping the king steady.


    Slowly yet surely, they made it to the door of the tower. They climbed out of the entrance, then Georgina advanced to the thin stone pathway. Behind, Felipe mbered up while she supported his arms. She advanced across the path first, turning her head back and eyeing Rovostar with a smug sense of superiority.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    The duke raised his head up and widened his eyes. Georgina took the signal and turned her head just in time to see someone jump out of the tower¡¯s window. The assant howled, mming into Felipe as fast as gravity would allow. As Felipe tried to grapple with this new foe to support himself, Georgina very quickly realized she would need to release the king or fall with them. And the choice was easy.


    Georgina let go of the king, and the other two fell off the side. She realized only as they did that the attacker was Levin. Despite the suicidal fall they experienced, he jammed his fingers into the king¡¯s eyes as they fell. One screamed in pain and the other in rage as gravity imed both of them. And in time, the wind drowned out the both of their screams, and there was nothing more of them.


    ¡°No¡­¡± Georgina said in quiet disbelief. Instead of sorrow, rage bubbled up. She fell to the ground, pounding her fist against the stone pathway, sending bricks crumbling away to the city below. ¡°No. No, no, no! After all this?!¡±

 Chapter 339: Incomprehensible Mind

    Argrave judged Traugott with cold, calcting eyes, the two of them standing atop opposite roofs with the city square between them. Though they¡¯d not had time sufficient to interrogate Orion as to the source of the humanoid monster lying dead between them, no one else could reasonably be responsible for bringing the Shadonder to this city. That he helped put an end to it after it¡¯d killed hundreds of Sumner¡¯s men and devastated both the city and the pce only stoked his rage.


    But he¡¯s got no magic left, and all my men are around him. I don¡¯t know what effect Ebonice will have on his little shadow, but¡­ Argrave¡¯s eyes jumped around, searching for a way to neutralize this man. He didn¡¯t trust him. When the Magister reached into his pocket and pulled something out, Argrave watched cautiously even as people below cheered for their victory over the Shadonder.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Traugott folded a piece of paper into a ne, then gingerly cast it forward. It glided perfectly towards them. Argrave was skeptical to the point where he considered conjuring a ward to block it, but Anneliese grabbed his arm.


    ¡°It¡¯s harmless,¡± she assured him quietly, then caught it out of the air.


    In that second of distraction, Traugott vanished. Even as Anneliese unfolded the paper, Argrave jerked his head about in paranoia. ¡°This guy¡­¡± he muttered beneath his breath.


    ¡°Your Majesty!¡± a voice called out, and Argrave looked down to lock eyes with Sumner. ¡°Elenore has told me about some rats trying to escape from the pce. With your leave, I would catch them,¡± he promised.


    ¡°Rats?¡± Argrave repeated, kneeling down. ¡°Those loyalists, I imagine. Did she mention anything else? Have they seeded in their activity?¡±


    ¡°She mentioned nothing of it,¡± Sumner shook his head.


    ¡°Alright. Time is of the essence. Hurry,¡± he nodded, then rose to look to Anneliese. ¡°What¡¯s on it?¡± he questioned her, looking at the paper fearfully.


    ¡°It is¡­¡± Anneliese trailed off, confusion causing her to err. ¡°He wrote an apology.¡±


    Argrave frowned at once. ¡°You¡¯re serious?¡±


    Anneliese handed it to him in way of exining it, and he took it after hesitating a beat. As her eyes scanned the city, she said, ¡°We have much to do. I saw Gmon on the way down. He might need assistance. And Elenore¡­¡±


    Argrave read through the letter. Just as Anneliese said, it was an apology. In it, Traugott imed responsibility for what he did, expressed willingness to make amends, and further hoped that he and Argrave could talk about the information he wrote on the booklet he¡¯d given to Castro someday. If they talked, all would be made clear.


    Even as he read, Argrave crumpled the paper in his tight grip. ¡°Total sociopath¡­¡±


    His eyes danced between the words, looking for purpose or reason behind his actions. What exactly did Traugott want? How much was he responsible for? And squirming in the back of his head, Argrave considered that all of this might be his fault. He had exposed Traugott to things he had no business knowing, and as consequence¡­


    ¡°The day is young, and there is much to do,¡± Anneliese reminded him.


    Argrave took a deep breath and exhaled. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± he nodded. ¡°But this can¡¯t go on. Once things have settled down here¡­ I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ll put out a bounty, spread word, enlist Castro¡¯s aid¡­¡± Argrave turned his head, where he witnessed a soldier kneeling before a body cleaved in twain by the Shadonder. ¡°Thest thing we need is someone who can do this, then send an apology like it¡¯s nothing at all. He needs to go, and for good.¡±


    #####


    Elenore walked through the streets of Dirracha, escorted by some guards of her own capable of casting magic. The city felt such a foreign ce in her eyes now, even after her experience with the ancient snake Vasquer. It had been so long since she saw it with her own eyes. She had travelled through and around the city time and time again, blind and maimed¡­ yet now she was back again, whole and healed.


    Elenore thought seeing the city again might bring back unpleasant memories of childhood, but the city was devastated to the point it was hard to recall any memories of it at all. Falling debris had either crashed through some roofs or crashed into the cliffs of the mountain. Thetter was more dangerous as the debris dislodged other rocks, provoking chain reactions that took dozens of lives in minorndslides. Some buildings were entirely buried. One detached tower had fallen away entirely, copsing arge bazaar. People picked through its wreckage for one hundred percent discounts alongside others who tried to retrieve bodies for burial.


    Despite her quick advisement, Sumner¡¯s forces had not managed to catch Georgina or Rovostar. Not that she med them¡ªdealing with the Shadonder was the pertinent matter, and she would sooner focus all efforts to that front for an assured victory than restrain two decidedly less dangerous people while endangering the other front. And besides¡­ the loyalist incursion had turned out rather well, despite everything.


    Elenore fiddled with a golden ring on her hand. It had a sun with four snake heads as rays. Argrave had enchanted it with B-rank wards and distributed it to key military members. This one was Durran¡¯s, but he had given his to her after he returned from his expedition to break the stalemate in Atrus. She thought that was stupid of him¡ªeven with this ring, she stood no chance in a real fight. But still, it made her feel safe as she proceeded towards a specific location in her memory. Her head throbbed with every step she took. She¡¯d had migraines, but this pain felt far harsher¡ªthe blowback from connecting with Vasquer, she knew.


    She came to a set of stairs, and descended down it slowly into a portion of the city that drained off into the sewers. She spotted a pair of big, dirty feet as she moved around, and took her hand off the ring to prepare for whatever woulde. As she walked around the rest of the way, she saw a body. Easily seven feet tall, broad frame, emaciated, missing hands¡­ it was Felipe, no doubt. His long gray hair drifted with the light winds, his face towards the sky. The top of his head had caved inwards, and his eyes had been gouged outpletely. His body had broken in innumerable different ces from the fall. He looked like a doll assaulted by a sadistic child, his limbs bent and broken in impossible manners.


    Elenore¡¯s breath escaped her when sheid eyes on her father, dead. Her already-pained head danced wildly, and she held her hand to the wall to ensure she didn¡¯t pass out then and there. She had seen it all from her connection with Vasquer, yet now¡­ now, it was different. But there was another body, too.


    Levin had fallen. Tall, pale, and somewhat emaciated¡­ he hadnded face-down. And unlike Felipe, he breathed. She watched him with her gray eyes gleaming with caution. After a few moments, his voice came.


    ¡°Is someone there?¡± Levin called out.


    Elenore stood, frozen. She looked to her escort, then back to Levin. He remained still. Puzzled and angered, she took some steps forward.


    ¡°Someone is there,¡± he concluded. His voice was weak, barely audible.


    ¡°That was quite a funny thing you did, Levin,¡± Elenore said, embarrassed as her voice shook despite her mocking. ¡°You looked like a flying squirrel with a vengeance. It was very satisfying watching you two fall through the air like stones.¡±


    ¡°Are you¡­ that woman?¡± Levin asked, still remaining eerily still. ¡°No¡­ I¡­ is that Elenore?¡±


    She walked near and put her foot atop his fingers, trying to make sure he could not cast a spell underhandedly.


    ¡°Felipe¡­ father¡­ is he dead?¡± Levin asked.


    Elenore put her full weight on her foot, but Levin did not even stir. Slowly, she answered, ¡°¡­he¡¯s dead.¡±


    ¡°Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaaaa!¡± Levinughed with a wild satisfaction, then took a deep breath andughed again.


    As Elenore observed his body, she made sense of what happened. She took her foot off his fingers, then nudged his leg with her boot. With no response, she kicked him and turned him over, still remaining cautious of his hands in case this was some trick to cast a spell. Levin¡¯s body flopped limply over. She didn¡¯t know much, but she had heard tell of this affliction. His spine had been injured in the fall. With healing magic, it could be fixed. But she did nothing.


    ¡°Oh,¡± said Levin in surprise. He seemed capable of moving his head, but not much more. ¡°It is you. I don¡¯t really know what¡¯s happening, but I don¡¯t really care, either.¡±


    Elenore observed him carefully. There was a huge cut on his leg. Though somewhat staunched previously, it reopened from the movement and poured blood fiercely in rhythmic pulses. It looked like an artery had been opened.


    ¡°You have eyes. That¡¯s not right,¡± Levin said. ¡°I must¡­ I must be beyond mortality.¡± He chuckled again. ¡°It¡¯s over for me. That exins why it doesn¡¯t hurt.¡±


    Elenore stared, feeling at a total loss as to what she should do.


    ¡°Does this mean you died, too?¡± Levin continued. ¡°I thought you had things rather well in hand at Argrave¡¯s side. Such a shame,¡± hemented. A few moments of silence passed, then he rambled, ¡°I always wondered¡­ what separates me from you? Why did hee to you? We had the same father, and we¡¯ve both killed hundreds to achieve our aims. But I guess¡­ I¡¯m a little less pitiable than you. And a little less useful, to boot. Whether under Felipe¡¯s or Argrave¡¯s assessment, in the end, I¡¯m disposable.¡±


    ¡°You went along with whatever Felipe asked of you. You reveled in your task, murdering infants, pregnant women, and innocent people without batting an eye,¡± she looked at his blue eyes sternly, unwavering in her hatred. ¡°All for Felipe.¡±


    ¡°I did. I mean, look what happened to you,¡± Levin said, his words starting to slur. ¡°My big sister¡­ invincible that you are, smart and vital¡­ what choice did I have? Induen, Orion¡­ all of them my betters, and all of them subject to him all the same. I had to do what I did to survive.¡±


    Elenore briefly nced to Felipe¡¯s corpse. ¡°Then what was this?¡±


    Levin giggled deliriously. ¡°My crowning achievement. I never had my coronation, so¡­ this will¡­ do,¡± he finished, lips barely moving as the blood left him.


    Stepping to her brother, Elenore opened her mouth to speak. As she did, his eyes rolled back and his head fell limp. She stood there, words left unsaid and actions untaken as the pulses of blooding from his leg lessened in pressure. And at some point¡­ he died.


    Elenore stood over Levin, feeling a bit empty. Then, she looked back to her escort. ¡°Let¡¯s go. We can get their bodiester,¡± shemanded monotonously.

 Chapter 340: Settling Dust

    Anneliese held her finger up to the air, and her Starsparrow settled atop it as a perch. Argrave looked out where he could see the dust clouds left by the retreating army.


    ¡°I think they head to Rovostar¡¯s fiefdom,¡± Anneliese guessed. ¡°Whitefields. I remember seeing it on the map.¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°It¡¯s a poorly defended ce, considering it¡¯s both newly constructed and in central Vasquer. But... they still have Enrico of Monti. And Nikoletta, Mina, those two¡­?¡±


    ¡°I saw naught of them,¡± Anneliese shook her head as the bird walked down her wrist, up her arm, and to her shoulder. She reached into her pockets and retrieved some ck seeds, feeding the golden Starsparrow.


    Argrave sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll tell Elenore to¡ª¡±


    ¡°Tell me what?¡± a familiar woman¡¯s voice called out.


    Argrave turned his head to see Elenore return. He waved to her and greeted, ¡°Sister.¡± As he watched her, he followed up with, ¡°Are you alright? Look a little¡­¡±


    Elenore shook her head. ¡°My head is burning. This pain won¡¯t go away anytime soon, I think. I can barely think.¡±


    Argrave shifted on his feet and said guiltily, ¡°I am thankful you did that, you know. You¡¯re the only reason this worked.¡±


    ¡°Levin and Felipe are dead,¡± Elenore said, locking eyes with him. ¡°They¡­ fell.¡±


    Argrave took a deep breath in surprise. He looked off to the scenery, soaking in the atmosphere for a moment as he processed this information. Reluctantly, he admitted, ¡°Tell you the truth¡­ I¡¯m relieved. What a blessing. I was dreading dancing around that issue with Orion.¡±


    Elenore joined him in looking out across thend. ¡°It¡¯s a benefit to us. Rovostar¡¯s primary driving force for maintaining cohesion in his ranks just crumbled. He has a lot of personal charisma, but not enough to send his men to their deaths against an overwhelming force with no cause.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d agree,¡± Argrave nodded. He could tell she didn¡¯t wish to linger on the subject of Levin and Felipe. ¡°Rovostar in Heroes of Berendar had been a Felipe loyalist, too. After his death, he was still firmly on the Vasquer camp, however. Now¡­¡±


    ¡°With Sumner having offered his aid, I see nothing preventing the whole of the south from joining us. The north is under Quadreign¡¯s reign, and by extension yours¡­ though I do wonder how firm their grip is. Either way, any weakness they might have can be remedied, and we already have their spellcasters regardless. Durran and Mnie are subjugating the rest of Atrus, and I see no reason why they would have trouble. You, as king, have a great deal of personal fame: the gue, the battle at Castle Cookpot, and now here. Once things settle at the Tower of the Gray Owl¡­¡± Elenore looked back to the city. ¡°We¡¯ve won. The only problem, as I see it, is that Duke Enrico is held captive.¡±


    ¡°We were just talking about that,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°Do you have any ideas?¡±


    ¡°Widespread pamphlets, delivered to Whitefields by bird,¡± Elenore nodded slowly. ¡°If Duke Rovostar¡¯s head is delivered to us, Duke Enrico is released, and they surrender to the crown, their treason will not be punished by death.¡±


    Argrave looked at her, raising a brow.


    ¡°What?¡± she asked. ¡°It¡¯s inevitable. Would you trust Rovostar to stand at the same table with people like Reinhardt, Enrico, or Sumner? He stood by Felipe despite everything. He stood by Felipe because of everything,¡± she said, her voice wavering with emotion. ¡°He would never have changed. He couldn¡¯t have changed. He was indoctrinated, and he believed all he did was justified. It¡¯s no use thinking about it, dwelling on it.¡±


    Her appearance presently reminded Argrave of how she had been in moments past. He feltpelled to put his hand on her shoulder and say, ¡°I agree with you. Don¡¯t get worked up. And don¡¯t think this is your responsibility alone. I took on this role¡ªI have to stomach the ufortable truths, too.¡±


    Elenore closed her eyes. Her lower lip trembled, and she nodded. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡±


    Argrave bit his lip musingly, then suggested, ¡°We can¡¯t deal with this today. There are more pressing things. Why don¡¯t you get some sleep? You¡¯ve been running about, straining your mind, and riding on horseback for days, now. You need some rest.¡±


    ¡°I have things to do,¡± Elenore shook her head.


    ¡°Your kingmands you to sleep,¡± he pointed his finger at her face, then pushed her nose. ¡°I can finish things up around Dirracha. Got enough talent at hand to fill the whole city. Imand thee, sleep. Do not make me say it thrice.¡±


    As Anneliese nodded to show her support, Elenore stared at him nkly. ¡°I wouldy down on the ground here as a joke, but I¡¯m much too sore.¡± She sighed. ¡°Fine. Fine, Your Ever Gracious Majesty, sovereign of all Vasquer. I will heed yourmand,¡± she amended.


    Argrave smiled. Then, he hugged her.


    ¡°You always do this after battles,¡± she noted dryly, yet did not rebuff him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t ever think you¡¯re alone,¡± he told her, clutching her head with his hand. She seemed small and fragile after today¡¯s events. Maybe she always had been. ¡°You¡¯ll only be alone if you want to be. And even then, I¡¯ll still pester you.¡±


    She pulled away. ¡°You¡¯ll have to talk to Orion,¡± she reminded him. ¡°And¡­ you¡¯ll need to know about Levin and Felipe, by consequence.¡±


    #####


    ¡°You sure you¡¯re okay to walk?¡± Argrave asked Gmon. They were in a simple stone home that had been lent to Gmon as he recovered. They all stood about in a dining room, nning things out. The owners of the home were staying with rtives who¡¯d lost family.


    ¡°Yes,¡± the knightmander responded simply, picking up his gauntlet from the table in the dining room. His armor was badly damaged. It had been bent in many ces to the point where some of it had to be bent back into ce to fit. Still, he was fine. His regeneration still worked overtime, even despite his vampirism being banished. Certain parties present¡ªnamely, Sumner¡ªweren¡¯t privy to that.


    ¡°There is such a thing as working too hard,¡± Vasilisa noted, eyes, darting around the stone house as though it might cave in. ¡°You tackled that thing off the mountain road. Probably saved all of our lives.¡±


    ¡°Traugott lives,¡± Gmon disagreed as he slid the gauntlet on firmly. ¡°Until I change that¡­ I will follow His Majesty.¡±


    Argrave sighed. ¡°I miss you calling me Silvaden, somewhat.¡± He pounded the man¡¯s shoulder with his fist. ¡°Thanks, friend. As much as I hate to admit it¡­ I do need your help.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a lucky man, surviving that fall with only wounds that could be healed by magic,¡± Duke Sumner noted.


    ¡°Luck had no part,¡± Anneliese shook her head. ¡°Gmon is strong.¡±


    Sumner looked at her, seeming a bit disconcerted at her presence. Back when they first spoke, they¡¯d had no times for introductions¡­ but now the duke knew hispany and knew their rtions to Argrave. He hadn¡¯t protested yet, but it was obvious he wasn¡¯t exactly jumping for joy that the knightmander and the king¡¯s future queen were both elven.


    ¡°I had a proposition for Your Majesty,¡± Sumner changed the subject, turning his gaze to Argrave. ¡°I¡¯d like to propose a summit between your people and all those of the south, here in Dirracha.¡±


    Argrave walked up to the table and tapped his finger against it, testing it. Content it was steady, he sat atop it. ¡°A summit?¡± he repeated.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Sumner nodded. ¡°Consisting of all nobles at the rank of count or above, to discuss what happens after this war¡ªno, rather, how Your Majesty intends to rule his kingdom. I¡¯ve heard rumors of parliament and other such things, but¡­¡±


    Argrave crossed his arms and looked to Anneliese. She brooked no protest, so he faced Sumner and said, ¡°You¡¯re getting a bit ahead of things. Rovostar still runs free. I have a n to deal with that, but it¡¯s still in the development phase.¡±


    ¡°The people of the south are uncertain about the future,¡± the duke shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Holding this could officiate support and guarantee wless cooperation in catching that bastard.¡±


    ¡°And guarantee some nice rewards,¡± Argrave smiled. ¡°Well¡­ considering how many of your men died against that thing, I think it¡¯s only just that they be rewarded.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t deny many will probably posture fornd in central Vasquer. Not the margrave, certainly, but others,¡± Sumner nodded.


    Argrave pulled back the silver bracer on his wrist and scratched it fiercely. ¡°There¡¯s going to be some news in a few days. It¡¯s going to¡­ change the field rather significantly,¡± he alluded vaguely. ¡°I do think this summit is necessary. But I¡¯d like to wait for certain information toe to light. And given Leopold¡¯s age, he can¡¯t exactly arrive quickly.¡±


    ¡°Leopold?¡± Sumner furrowed his brows.


    ¡°The leader of Relize,¡± Argrave said. ¡°He¡¯s well over a hundred. Bute to think of it¡­ he might not be the oldest there,¡± Argrave realized. ¡°But now I¡¯m getting ahead of myself. There¡¯s still a lot to do vis-¨¤-vis restoring order to this city. And I definitely can¡¯t manage that alone.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Duke Sumner nodded. ¡°I¡¯m d to have been wrong about you, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Hopefully I¡¯ll hear a lot of people say that,¡± Argrave nodded as he stood up off the table.


    #####


    The duties of re-establishing order in the city were not small. Housing had to be provided not only for those disced by the battle, but to the soldiers. Argrave, Anneliese, Gmon, Vasilisa, and Sumner spent a great deal of time working on this. Fortunately the popce were cooperative, as the soldiers in the city weren¡¯t conquering invaders but rather people who¡¯d saved them from the monstrosity of darkness that came down from the pce.


    Rumors abounded. Some of them reached Argrave¡¯s ears¡ªsome said that shadow monster was King Felipe III himself, and that Argrave had known about the demon that had possessed his father the whole time. Rumors on the opposite end existed, too. Argrave had spawned this demon himself, apparently. Regardless, no one mounted a resistance. Orion¡¯s Waxknights, even though fiercely diminished after attempting to aid Orion in the battle against the Shadonder, still helped facilitate ease of transition and distribution of supplies. By the time that was finished, it was well past midday. But another task awaited him. Namely¡­ greeting Orion, who had recovered from his wounds.


    #####


    Argrave¡¯s hand hovered near a heavy wooden door. He clenched his fingers into a fist and then ckened them time and time again, taking deep breaths all the while. He nced backwards where Gmon and Anneliese stood by as silent, if impatient, support. Argrave rolled his shoulders, and then as if he was jumping into cold water, hastily knocked thrice on the door.


    Instead of a vocal response, the door opened. Argrave looked up at the man beyond¡ªnot something he was used to doing¡ªwhere Prince Orion stood in an ill-fitting cloth robe.


    ¡°Brother,¡± Orion greeted. ¡°I¡­¡±


    ¡°You looked healed,¡± Argrave said optimistically. He very nearly asked if he coulde inside but lost himself in indecision as he wondered if a king was supposed to ask if he could enter. Royal etiquette was foreign to him.


    ¡°There is much to talk about,¡± Orion nodded. ¡°What happened here. What happens next. And most importantly¡­ why you are in my brother¡¯s body,¡± his meaty finger pressed against Argrave¡¯s chest. ¡°Our ancestral matriarch informed me of the truth of things.¡±


    I don¡¯t want to be in this body right now, Argrave rued. Without other options, though, all he could do was nod and enter inside Orion¡¯s recovery room in the Dragon Pce.

 Chapter 341: Rightful Heir and Usurper

    As Argrave looked at Orion, who sat rather unassumingly on the edge of his bed, he wondered if he¡¯d chosen the timing wrong. Perhaps he¡¯d have been better served delivering the bad news to this infamously temperamental prince if he had still been beaten half to death by a Shadonder. At the very least, Gmon might be able to go toe-to-toe with him while everyone else escaped.


    No, Argrave reasoned. A lot of stuff has happened. I need to distract him by bringing it up, and hopefully he¡¯ll forget all about my possession of his brother¡¯s body until I can make sure this is done diplomatically. Even as Argrave thought it, he thought it was a bit absurd¡ªwas possession of another¡¯s body something so easily forgotten?


    ¡°You should know¡­ we killed the Shadonder,¡± Argrave began before Orion could interrogate. ¡°It killed a great many, sadly, but it¡¯s gone now.¡±


    ¡°The dead¡­ it is a sad thing,¡± the bearded prince said, ¡°But I¡¯ve waited many months for this day, and there is gold in the mud,¡± he dered. ¡°My head is clear of interfering voices. All of Vasquer¡¯s bindings have been broken.¡±


    Argrave rubbed his hands together, eyes moving in cautious assessment. Orion didn¡¯t seem to despise him. He grabbed a chair in the corner of the room and pulled it up, then asked slowly, ¡°Elenore already saw Vasquer¡­ but the voices being gone¡ªis that true?¡±


    Orion nodded steadily. ¡°Traugott¡¯s actions summoned that foul giant of shadow, but simultaneously dispelled the whispering voices from my mind like antern might ward away darkness. Now¡­ their silence buoys my calm.¡±


    Argrave brightened almost inadvertently. Before he could speak, Anneliese asked, ¡°It was Traugott that caused this, directly? You¡¯re certain?¡±


    ¡°I am certain. I tried to chase after his flesh when he fled inside that shadow of his, and as consequence¡­ that thing bubbled free,¡± Orion bitterly spat, clenching his hands against the bedframe. ¡°But it did benefit me. Vasquer¡¯s false gods¡­ they trouble me no longer, yet I retain their false divinity. It astounds.¡±


    Anneliese ced one hand against her chin, mulling his words.


    Feeling he should continue to divert away from himself, Argrave said, ¡°I think you should know something. Georgina and Duke Rovostar snuck into the pce during the chaos. They were trying to free Felipe.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Orion stood. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Levin stopped them. He¡­ tackled Felipe off the mountainside,¡± Argrave said quietly, looking up at Orion. ¡°They both died from the fall. Elenore saw this happen.¡±


    Orion raised his hands up to his head as his gray eyes widened in shock. He turned away, running his fingers through his hair, damaged after the fight with the Shadonder. He turned fast enough to stir the air stomped on the floor, shaking the room. ¡°How could you let this happen?!¡±


    The prince loomed dangerously over Argrave, but Gmon grabbed his arm fiercely and fearlessly. ¡°You¡¯re shaking the room. The Pce is already crumbling. Don¡¯t cause more problems for His Majesty,¡± the knightmander said, guttural voice low and threatening.


    Argrave stared. He was good at acting calm. The key word there, though, was acting. His Brumesingers mbered out of his coat and growled at the towering prince in a tense moment.


    ¡°How can you sit there like that?¡± Orion continued. ¡°They were still¡­ your blood¡­¡±


    Argrave briefly panicked when Orion mentioned they were his blood, but words came to his mouth and he quickly said, ¡°You have to carry on. Do you think your mother would like it if you sumbed to grief while the kingdom burns?¡±


    ¡°Mother¡­¡± Orion closed his eyes.


    To his relief, this contented the prince and Orion nodded at Gmon before backing away. ¡°But¡­ Levin?¡± the prince sat back on the bed, clearly distressed. His fingers ran through his hair in abject despair as tears fell. ¡°Why would he do this? No matter what father had done, his own life¡­?¡±


    The prince sniffled while everyone else stayed quiet for a long while. Anneliese looked in deep thought even now, amber eyes moving between the two of them in consideration.


    Orion froze suddenly, then whipped his head up and narrowed his red eyes. ¡°Did you say that Elenore saw this?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Argrave paused at the unexpected question, petting his Brumesinger¡¯s floppy ears. ¡°It was through Vasquer, but yes.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Orion lowered his head once again. ¡°I thought for a moment that Elenore had regained her sight.¡±


    ¡°Ehh¡­¡± Argrave scratched his neck, and the Brumesingers disappeared back into his coat. ¡°She did.¡±


    Orion leaned in, totally alert. ¡°Meaning¡­ her eyes?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°She¡¯s got it all back. The feet, the eyes, all of it.¡±


    Orion reached forth and nted both of his hands on Argrave¡¯s knees, eximing, ¡°That¡¯s wonderful! I¡­!¡± his enthusiasm dampened. ¡°She¡­ cannot want to see me, being as she is absent at present. I do not me her. I listened for father for too long, and left her isted, alone¡­even Induen visited her, yet not me¡­¡±


    When Orion pulled his hands off his knees Argrave rubbed the spots they¡¯d been, feeling that a bruise was inevitable from that tight grip of his. ¡°I can¡¯t speak for Elenore,¡± he said decisively.


    Orion grew reticent, digesting both the negative and positive news in thetest edition of Keeping Up With the Vasquers. The reports would be considerably smaller henceforth, Argrave supposed.


    ¡°Traugott intended to use you as an experiment in testing the boundaries between realms,¡± Anneliese said suddenly.


    Argrave looked to her. ¡°What¡¯s this now?¡±


    Orion, too, looked at Anneliese. ¡°How do you mean?¡±


    Anneliese crossed her arms and came to stand behind Argrave, gathering her thoughts. After getting things in order, she took a deep breath in preparation for a long talk. ¡°Traugott was the original emissary designated to sway the Magisters in far northern Vasquer to support Argrave,¡± she began, her confidence lending her speech speed. ¡°It stands to reason that he knew of Gerechtigkeit. But what is more interesting is that he stopped in Relize to speak to Argrave, specifically.¡± She put her hand on his shoulder. ¡°He knew you were the source of that knowledge. And expanding upon that¡­ he may have even read that booklet you and I designed for Master Castro. Given the utterck of constraints his ascension grants him, he could steal that booklet, or even copy it, without issue.¡±


    Argrave followed her words, eyes distant as he contemted. Slowly, he nodded. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ reasonable.¡±


    ¡°There was a lot of information on that booklet, if you recall,¡± she squeezed his shoulder to emphasize her point. ¡°There was certainly enough to extrapte that spirits are one of the few things that can presently bridge the realms between worlds if he had done independent research on the matter. You¡¯ve told me in private that Traugott is a schrly sort¡ªfascinated by the unknown. A scientist.¡± She pointed at Orion. ¡°Traugott had an idea. Orion was the key to testing that idea¡ªnamely, if spirits could be something that opened the boundary between the Shadonds and this realm.¡±


    Argrave turned his head around and looked at her. ¡°¡­and it worked. The spirits of Vasquer froze the man¡¯s portal of shadow in ce long enough for a Shadonder to escape.¡±


    ¡°And the fact he sent that ridiculous apology is evidence enough that he knows how knowledgeable you are,¡± Anneliese continued. ¡°When I observed him back then, he had intense curiosity about you. I suspect he genuinely bears no malice towards you.¡±


    ¡°But what he did¡­!¡± Orion began loudly.


    ¡°People can cause great harm without acting in malice,¡± Anneliese interrupted Orion. ¡°Did he say anything to you, Orion?¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Orion held his head. ¡°I have¡­ a poor memory, generally. Hmm¡­¡± he thought back long and hard. ¡°I remember only thest thing he said to me before vanishing. ¡®I¡¯ll watch and learn.¡¯¡±


    ¡°My current best idea is that this was some sort of test for him,¡± Anneliese nodded, affirmed.


    ¡°That¡­¡± Orion pointed at her. ¡°He said something like that. I can¡¯t remember exactly what. If only my ursed brain did not keep such delible memories, I could offer better recollection. Forgive me, future sister-inw.¡±


    ¡°Fret not. I have aplete enough picture,¡± she waved her hand, then stepped to the window and looked out across Dirracha. ¡°Regardless, something more remains. Traugott must have arger goal. That is the pertinent issue.¡±


    ¡°Is it?¡± Gmon asked her seriously. ¡°From Argrave¡¯s ount, greater evilse. That is our focus, lest we sumb to them.¡±


    ¡°My intuition tells me that Traugott will not settle down and calmly read books as he did in Heroes of Berendar. He has changed,¡± Anneliese looked to Argrave. ¡°And as we saw, he has the potential to be extremely dangerous. One rock in the road can halt an entire caravan, no matter how long the train trailing behind.¡±


    Orion rose to his feet. ¡°I will crush his skull in my bare hands,¡± he dered, moving to the window as though to jump. Anneliese stepped aside in caution.


    ¡°Hold on a moment!¡± Argrave stood, too. ¡°One¡ªuse the door. And two, don¡¯t leave at all. Gmon is right in that we have a different focus right now.¡±


    Orion, hand on the windowsill already, stopped and looked back. ¡°Lady Anneliese speaks sensibly. Traugott causes problems. I can kill him.¡±


    Argrave spread his arms out. ¡°You couldn¡¯t kill him earlier in home territory¡ªnow you hope to hunt him down?¡±


    Orion turned and sat on the windowsill, looking depressed.


    ¡°As much as I appreciate your enthusiasm, there are more important matters. Namely, this entire kingdom,¡± Argrave gestured broadly. ¡°Hostilities have died down, but the war is not over. Terms have not been drafted. Consequences and rewards have not been meted out. For the sake of people¡ªfor the sake of rebuilding, and preparing for what¡¯s toe, this needs to happen.¡±


    The prince looked sobered. He crossed his arms and stared at Argrave evenly. ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡­ have been adrift, somewhat, since learning the truth of my pantheon. But Boarmask taught me a simple principle: how would I like to be treated were the positions reversed? Thus far, it has made me feel good in choosing.¡±


    ¡°Boarmask?¡± Argrave repeated incredulously.


    ¡°Ah,¡± Orion looked at Argrave. ¡°I forget. You two have met. Well¡­ you would know him better than that, too, I suppose.¡± His face hardened somewhat. ¡°We still¡­ have not discussed you.¡±


    Argrave felt a jolt as what he¡¯d been avoiding came up so suddenly.


    ¡°How did you get in that position?¡± Orion asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Argrave answered honestly.


    ¡°What happened to Argrave¡¯s true soul?¡± Orion pressed, undeterred.


    Argrave caught onto the trend of answers and dictated, ¡°I¡¯ll save us both some trouble and answer any questions you might have; I don¡¯t know anything about why I¡¯m here, why this happened, or anything. I woke up, I was here, and that¡¯s all I know.¡±


    Orion¡¯s gray eyes stared for a long, long while, boring into Argrave¡¯s eyes of the same color. Eventually, the dark-haired prince lowered his head. ¡°I have more to say. But things are as you say: the people wither as we do nothing. Blood, kin, and family¡­ three words with myriad meanings. My world has turned upside down in ways I pictured impossible months ago. We must speak againter, privately, when things do not threaten to fall apart around us. But I do believe you act for the good of the kingdom. All that Vasquer showed me confirms that opinion¡ªno, that fact.¡±


    Argrave was taken aback at the praise. Strangely, it made him feel good¡ªit was a validation of so much of his efforts. Orion was thest person he thought might inspire that feeling.


    If Orion knew he hit home, he didn¡¯t show it as he continued, ¡°Now, how do you intend to put these hostilities to bed once and for all?¡±


    ¡°Sumner mentioned a summit with all the nobles of the realm,¡± Argrave continued, d to be past that. ¡°I like that idea. I¡¯d need Elenore with me to really set things in stone, but I have a general n¡ªnamely, confirmation of my status as king, distribution of rewards and punishments, and dictation of where this kingdom will head. But first¡­ a certain old man needs to send out some good news to all the lords anddies of the realm,¡± Argrave smiled.

 Chapter 342: Everyone is Here

    Crackling from mes echoed against stone walls, the sound rebounding countless times throughout the vast chamber. These mes burned in braziers before grand statues of stone owls, illuminating the stony birds and casting twisted shadows on the walls behind. Active enchantments kept the braziers alight. These enchantments all came from ck chairs in a tight circle at the center of the room, each upied with gray-robed figures with owls stitched on their shoulders. Some braziers were unlit corresponding to what chairs were empty.


    ¡°Can we all acknowledge what sort of power this would give him?¡± a man with dwarfism asked, dressed rather grandiosely in gray and gold. A maroon cloak draped across his chair, definitelyrger than he was.


    ¡°I think that¡¯s the point, Artur,¡± Vera responded with unusual respect from her seat beside Hegazar.


    Tower Master Castro, opposite Artur, put his hand to his bald head and rubbed his forehead to ward away a headache. ¡°It¡¯s the whole point. We¡¯ve seen what¡¯sing, all of us. King Argrave was the one to show it to me¡ªshow me all the proofs collected in this booklet,¡± he continued, retrieving it from his coat and waving it in the air. ¡°With a strong¡ª¡±


    ¡°I know the necessity,¡± Artur interrupted, holding out his short, wide hand bedecked with many borate golden rings. Their gemstones of myriad color danced with light from the burning mes, almost unnaturally so. ¡°And I agree that it¡¯s Argrave that should do it.¡±


    ¡°Then what¡¯s the problem?¡± another Magister spread his hands out, confused.


    ¡°Every time I pause for breath, some imbecile thinks I¡¯ve run out of things to say,¡± Artur leaned up in his seat, voice calm despite his insults. ¡°We have to leverage this for the Order¡¯s advantage, Master Castro. I want you to promise us all that, here in this exalted hall.¡±


    ¡°Leverage,¡± Castro repeated. ¡°Do you care to borate?¡±


    Artur ced his hands together, fiddling with one of the loose-fitting rings. ¡°I think it¡¯s long overdue that the royal family finally unload all the of the knowledge that its withheld from the Order¡ªenchantment knowledge, general magic knowledge, methods of A-rank ascension privy only to the Vasquers¡­¡± he spread his hands out. ¡°All of it.¡±


    Castro peered ahead seriously. ¡°That would need to go both ways, wouldn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Artur trailed off, taken aback. ¡°Not¡­ not necessarily. Much of the Order¡¯s knowledge is private property.¡±


    ¡°Argrave intends to establish a parliament that holds genuine power,¡± Hegazar cut in. ¡°Now, for some of us, the prospect of having the king¡¯s ear might not be especially appealing. But the king does need magical advisement for the benefit of the realm. And if this position was toe with certain¡­ academic advantages, shall we say, to incentivize this?¡± He sped his hands together. ¡°Who could say no?¡±


    Moriatran, the old man who¡¯d been ring at Castro most of the meeting, cast his re towards Hegazar. ¡°Everyone knows the two of you are owned by him.¡±


    Just then, something shifted behind Castro and someone new entered. The woman walked hastily and nervously to Castro, then whispered into his ear. He listened intently, then waved her away. Everyone focused on the Tower Master.


    ¡°Argrave seized Dirracha with Duke Sumner¡¯s aid,¡± Castro summarized at once.


    The more politically interested Magisters shifted in their chairs. Taking the capital¡ªand furthermore, in cooperation with a primary proponent of the south¡ªwas ostensibly the end of this war.


    ¡°Apparently, they fought against a giant ck demon. The death toll was around five thousand, of which a little over half were civilians. Levin and Felipe died in the fighting. It took thebined efforts of hundreds of mages, many of whom were A-rank, to put it down. Argrave ims this to be the beginning of things,¡± Castro said pointedly. ¡°He¡¯s invited all Magisters of the Order to a summit held at Dirracha, where he will disy the creature¡¯s corpse, exin whates, and decide on a course for the future.¡± Castro looked around. ¡°We¡¯ve talked this through enough. It¡¯s time to hold the vote,¡± he decided.


    Castro looked around, but none brooked protest. ¡°Based on what I¡¯ve heard, there are fourmon choices. One: support Argrave against Gerechtigkeit unconditionally. Two: support Argrave against Gerechtigkeit under the condition of mutual exchange of knowledge. Three: support Argrave against Gerechtigkeit while leveraging our power for the Order¡¯s benefit. Four: abstain totally, remaining neutral. Are there any additional policy stances?¡±


    ¡°Five: oppose Argrave,¡± one added, half in jest.


    Castro sighed. ¡°Yes¡­ then, there are thirty-seven of us here, with a total number of fifty-one councilors after Ivan¡¯s death. With fourteen¡ªless than half¡ªmissing, we can still proceed. The first round of voting will eliminate one option, until thest is decided.¡±


    A woman walked forth, distributing a small slip of paper and a writing implement alongside it. By the time she gave thest, she went back to the first and retrieved the vote. The votes were counted, and the woman announced, ¡°The fourth choice¡ªabstention¡ªhas been removed.¡±


    The man who¡¯d proposed opposition of Argraveughed that his was not the first choice marked off, and the process began again.


    ¡°The fifth choice¡ªopposition of Argrave¡ªhas been removed,¡± the woman announced next.


    Some of the more enterprising Magisters nced about the room, sizing up theirrades as the next round proceeded. This time, the woman took more time in counting things up.


    The woman lowered a piece of paper and dered, ¡°The first choice¡ªunconditional support¡ªhas been removed.¡±


    Castro closed his eyes and sighed, but the vote went on. When the papers were delivered this time, they were not immediately filled. The woman handling the voting waited patiently as people leaned to each other and whispered. Then, slowly but surely, the whispers died down and papers were turned in.


    The woman tallied the papers, setting them down one after the other. Finally, after a certain number, she stopped. One number had met neen votes, evidently.


    ¡°The third option¡ªsupport Argrave while using the Order¡¯s leverage for its benefit¡ªis thest remaining option. As such, it is the Order¡¯s policy on this development,¡± she dered.


    Some murmuring spread throughout the room¡ªhalf celebration, half-disappointment, and a silent portion who seemed not to care either way.


    ¡°The council has chosen,¡± Castro said tightly. ¡°As Tower Master, I am duty-bound to uphold this choice.¡±


    His gaze ran across them, making his displeasure tant.


    ¡°Though all were invited, not all wish to attend, surely,¡± Artur spoke, unheeding of Castro¡¯s disposition. ¡°We must decide a delegation. And furthermore, promulgate the news.¡±


    #####


    Margrave Reinhardt delicately set aside a paper bearing a broken wax seal on it. This gray wax depicted an owl. He looked to his advisors¡ªnamely, Count Delbraun of Jast, his son Elias of Parbon, and Duke Marauch of Elbraille.


    ¡°The Order of the Gray Owl has announced public support of Argrave as king¡­ and furthermore, this letter vaguely promises cooperation in light of an unprecedenteding cmity.¡± Reinhardt walked around. ¡°Gerechtigkeit.¡±


    ¡°Is this¡­ what is that?¡± Marauch said ponderingly.


    Delbraun strode past Reinhardt and picked up the letter himself, scanning it with his orange eyes. ¡°It says nothing more,¡± he noted, fixing his gray hair back into ce. ¡°But it does promise further details after the summit.¡±


    Reinhardt looked troubled, though for different reasons. ¡°If there was word of Enrico¡­ we might be able to talk about this more.¡± The margrave turned his head. ¡°He knows far more about it than I do.¡±


    Elias looked off to the side, already somewhat privy to the details, but Delbraun asked in concern, ¡°He knows more than you do¡­ meaning you know something?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± the red-haired margrave nodded. ¡°This cmity isn¡¯t some contrivance to justify Order support. It¡¯s the real thing.¡±


    ¡°Could you¡­ tell us more?¡± Duke Marauch pressed hopefully.


    ¡°Not really,¡± Reinhardt shook his head. ¡°Cmity should tell you all you need to know. But this thing has wiped out civilizations. Argrave has long been privy to it. It¡¯s why he¡¯s done what he has.¡±


    ¡°You kept this from people?¡± Delbraun narrowed his eyes.


    ¡°I had no proof, only Argrave¡¯s words,¡± the margrave shook his head, long red hair swaying. ¡°Without an authority like the Order weighing in, you would disbelieve me even now.¡±


    Delbraun stepped closer. ¡°But we¡¯re to be family by marriage. Your son knew, didn¡¯t he?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s beside the point,¡± Reinhardt said through clenched teeth. ¡°My best friend is imprisoned. He¡¯s practically the king¡¯s family, given his rtion to Nikoletta¡ªand that cousin of his is missing, searching for her father.¡± Reinhardt clenched his gauntleted hand, then stepped away in irritation. ¡°A summit with most of the influential people in this continent approaches. We have more pressing concerns. Dirracha is within sight.¡± Reinhardt looked to the tent ps, where beyond one could see the grand city in the dawn light only just.


    ¡°If you want me to ignore this issue¡­ then perhaps we ought to discuss what it is the south wants from the king,¡± Delbraun continued, finally revealing his true aim.


    Margrave Reinhardt hesitantly nodded, realizing Delbraun had yed up his offense at being excluded to force him to acquiesce to this talk of negotiations. ¡°The war did much damage. We endured prolonged battle¡­ what should be done, then?¡±


    #####


    Leopold Dandn watched a caravan leave from the city of Relize, holding his hand to his back and grimacing as he stretched somewhat awkwardly.


    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re fit to travel?¡± Hirn, Leopold¡¯s Veidimen wife, asked of him in a neutral tone. She had pale skin, bright blue eyes, and short gray hair that did not hide her elven ears. She stood a foot taller than the patrician, and he had to crane his neck.


    ¡°You¡¯re always asking if I¡¯m fit,¡± the old man said bitterly. ¡°Have I ever been unfit to do what I want?¡±


    She tilted her head. ¡°I suppose not. By some miracle, you¡¯ve not had your heart expire in coitus. I do wonder how long that willst. I¡¯m told you¡¯re well over a hundred, but you look three hundred. The aging in this society is rather perplexing to adjust to.¡±


    He fixed her with a bitter gaze. ¡°Waiting for me to expire?¡±


    ¡°If it happens, it happens. But I like our business arrangement,¡± she said with a shrug.


    Leopold sighed. ¡°And here I thought I was the rationalist. Well, it¡¯s true. Profits have been good, even despite the war¡­¡±


    ¡°Because of it, perhaps,¡± his wife suggested. ¡°But that¡¯s ending.¡±


    ¡°Ostensibly. The things written on that note¡­ something else is waiting for us.¡± Leopold thought back to that paper he¡¯d received. ¡°I have to get the best benefit I can. And on that tune¡­ your allies will be helpful. You got a letter from them, didn¡¯t you? Who ising?¡±


    ¡°It was His Majesty¡¯s directive, not my idea. And¡­ only twoe across the ocean,¡± Hirn said. ¡°Patriarch Dras and Rowe the Righteous.¡±


    ¡°Two?!¡± Leopold repeated. ¡°How is that going to inspire respect, establish them as allies? They need a grand procession, a host of soldiers, not¡­ two!¡±


    Hirnughed. ¡°The vessel they¡¯re taking is rather awe-inspiring. I imagine few on this continent have seen its like.¡±


    ¡°A big boat is hardly pertinent. Dirracha is ind,¡± he reminded her condescendingly.


    Hirn looked at Leopold. ¡°I did not mention boats, husband.¡±


    The aged patrician frowned, bushy brows almost concealing his eyes.


    ¡°Time wastes. His Majesty is expecting us, and given our rtionship as allies, it would be best to arrive before the summit begins,¡± she dictated, walking back towards their estate in the city.


    Leopold thought back to his father, strangely. Something the man once said stuck in his ears more and more, these days.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Son¡­ his father said, in that tone of his that made it difficult to distinguish if he was disappointed or not. Marrying for money¡¯s probably a dumb idea, but it¡¯s even dumber if you¡¯re already rich.


    Leopold sighed and walked after her, leaning on his cane. Curiosity lingered in his mind, reying those words of the vessel that Hirn mentioned again and again.

 Chapter 343: Bloods No Bond

    Argrave stared at the dark gray corpse of the Shadonder from his ce at the entrance to the Dragon Pce. The monstrous humanoid had beenid across a makeshift wooden tform and secured by ropes, and now twenty men carried it by wooden poles fixed to the tform. Despite the days gone by, its corpse had not decayed even slightly. Nothing, not even the ants, would touch it willingly. Even after death, its flesh felt as hard as stone. Facing two¡­ indeed, facing hordes of these creatures, as they would have to in the distant future¡­ he was reminded of why he rushed so hard for strength and power.


    ¡°I know just the person to disy it in a¡­ frightful manner, so as to cow our guests,¡± Elenore broke into Argrave¡¯s thought. ¡°In addition, we¡¯ll have it in the throne room. That¡¯s the ce worse affected by the fighting, and it¡¯s big enough to host everyone that will being. I remember how much you like psychological tricks like those.¡±


    Argrave nodded without much consideration, his mind wandering elsewhere. His royal guards and Gmon stood behind him, watching and waiting.


    ¡°I¡¯ve sent out those royal decrees to Whitefields demanding Rovostar¡¯s head. In addition, I helped news of the Order¡¯s deration get into¡­ certain people¡¯s hands,¡± Elenore stepped in front of Argrave, perhaps hoping to get his attention better. ¡°Perhaps once Vera and Hegazar return, we can take a more personal hand in retrieving Duke Enrico, provided he is not returned already.¡±


    Argrave considered that, looking up. As he did, he failed to notice Elenore¡¯s gaze settle upon someone behind him.


    ¡°Rovostar¡¯s A-rank. Hegazar¡¯s illusions won¡¯t help much, and¡ª¡± Argrave paused as he felt a presence near. He thought it was Gmon, but when he turned he spotted Orion.


    ¡°Elenore,¡± the prince greeted her first. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ I cannot describe how warm it makes me feel to see you walk once again.¡±


    Elenore nodded and crossed her arms and said nothing in response.


    Orion¡¯s eyes fell upon the Shadonder. ¡°You should have asked me to help, brother. You¡¯ve asked so little of me¡­¡±


    Argrave looked at Orion squarely. Despite his grief, he¡¯d shown himself to be stable¡ªthe prince had not harmed anyone in the time they¡¯d been here, and his emotional outbursts improved day by day. That said¡­ the man himself did not look good. His eyes were sunken and dark, and he looked¡­ ill, frankly. Argrave wasn¡¯t sure Orion could get ill, so he must have felt truly terrible to look this bad.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t needed your energy. Well, not until now,¡± Argrave said, dismissing his thoughts. ¡°Leopold is bringing along some people from Relize¡ªarchitects. But I think I¡¯ll need your help, too.¡± As theborers bearing the Shadonder grew near, Argrave lightly shepherded the two of them out of the way, and his royal guard moved with him. ¡°You¡¯ll have to work fast and hard. This needs to get done before everyone else arrives.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ certainly, I can help.¡± Orion contributed with a strangely dull brightness.


    ¡°On that note, I¡¯ve just remembered I need to take care of something,¡± Elenore said stoically. ¡°Please, excuse me.¡±


    Though Elenore spoke kindly, her haste to leave was all too obvious¡­ to Argrave, at least. Orion seemed totally ignorant that Elenore did not want to be around him.


    ¡°So, this matter¡­ I¡¯m excited to help,¡± Orion nodded. ¡°Where is Lady Anneliese?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s been helping Elenore with scouting things out¡ªkeeping track of armies and such,¡± Argrave said dismissively. ¡°Just helping get a timeframe for us to prepare everything for this summit. This is a big event, and a lot rides on it. But as for that thing¡­e on, let¡¯s walk.¡±


    When Argrave finished talking, he watched Orion briefly when he didn¡¯t move. The man rubbed his eyes and blinked rapidly.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Argrave asked, confused.


    Orion fixed his gray eyes upon him. He only now noticed they were bloodshot. ¡°These nights¡­ sleep does not grace me.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Argrave pressed. He grabbed Orion¡¯s arm and moved him forward, and the two set off down the Royal Road.


    ¡°Noise. The wind. I never knew it was so loud,¡± Orion looked out across the city as they walked down. ¡°Up atop the mountain, the wind rages especially hard. Yet even then it does not drown my thoughts as I hoped it to. Without the others speaking to me, my thoughts are all I hear anymore. They are a dreadful sound.¡± Orion shuddered. ¡°Have you ever¡­ had trouble sleeping?¡±


    Argrave slowed his pace to talk better, keeping his eyes on the steep, partially damaged path as he repeated, ¡°Trouble sleeping? All the time. I just have to do something to upy my mind until I¡¯m tired enough I have to sleep, usually.¡±


    ¡°And if that doesn¡¯t work, what else could I do?¡± Orion pressed.


    Argrave frowned. ¡°¡­it always has worked, I¡¯m afraid.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡± Orion nodded, his unkempt ck hair blowing about in the wind.


    ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Argrave asked curiously.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know who I am, anymore,¡± Orion said heavily. ¡°And without the buzzing voices of the deceivers¡­ without somerger purpose¡­ it¡¯s all I can think about. I think of my actions, of what I did and what I should do, and of the family that left me¡ªboth my deceivers and my blood. These damnable thoughts are more persistent than starving rats near a granary, and I hate it,¡± he finished venomously, clenching his hands into tight fists. ¡°It¡¯s worse than having their whispers pollute my mind. I thought the rot was gone, but it persists in a different form. I don¡¯t know what to do anymore.¡±


    Argrave took a deep breath, not knowing what to say for a few tense moments. He lightly suggested, ¡°I think Boarmask gave you some sound advice regarding what to do. In all your dealings, just ask, ¡®how would I like to be treated in their position?¡¯ I don¡¯t think you can err too far if you heed that advice.¡±


    ¡°I think¡­ you and I, our situation¡­ it¡¯s not so different,¡± Orion noted, gaze fixed to the road. ¡°I¡¯ve had months toe to terms with the Argrave I knew being reced, months of exnation from Vasquer, and months to parse through what you did with my half-brother¡¯s body. But one thing defies myprehension: how did you¡­ keep moving? How did you handle your awakening?¡±


    They finally came near the city, and Argrave pointed off to the side as they worked to their direction. ¡°I didn¡¯t. I kept my head down and kept moving, striving to get what I wanted.¡± Argrave shrugged.


    Orion looked frustrated, and he put his hand to the back of his head and asked, ¡°How do you know what you want?¡±


    Argrave stopped briefly. ¡°Don¡¯t you enjoy certain things?¡±


    ¡°All I enjoyed has turned to poison in my mind. All I¡¯ve ever done¡­¡± Orion stepped away, searching for words. ¡°I was but a vessel to another¡¯s will. Though I loathe it now, I never felt more alive then.¡±


    ¡°But you went south, disillusioned with Felipe,¡± Argrave pointed out. ¡°You met Boarmask. You met Vasquer. You defied your father, and you kept this city whole. Didn¡¯t you do that because you wanted to?¡±


    ¡°If I truly wanted this, why do I feel so empty?¡± Orion asked.


    ¡°Invert the problem,¡± Gmon said.


    Orion and Argrave both looked to him.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°If you don¡¯t know what you want¡­¡± Gmon continued. ¡°Think about what you don¡¯t want. Work from there.¡±


    Argrave nodded slowly. ¡°He¡¯s right,e to think of it. The whole reason I set out to stop Gerechtigkeit was because I didn¡¯t fancy dying. Along the way, things just sort of¡­ fell into ce.¡± He set back along the road, walking a bit closer to Orion. ¡°I¡¯m going to posit two things. Maybe you agree, maybe you don¡¯t. One: I think a lot of that emptiness is stemming from Levin and Felipe¡¯s death.¡±


    Orion¡¯s face twisted, and he looked away. ¡°¡­I heard people celebrating father¡¯s death. Heard people suggest that he was actually that foul creature Traugott summoned, his true form revealed to stop you from taking his kingdom.¡±


    Argrave nodded slowly. ¡°I think all you can do is nothing, at least about that. You might not believe me, but those feelings will fade as time passes. I think the fact you feel empty right now is evidence that you aren¡¯t. If you really were empty, I don¡¯t think you¡¯d care. Empty people don¡¯t feel empty, they just are. At least, that¡¯s my reasoning. Can¡¯t speak from experience.¡±


    The prince closed his eyes as they walked through the street. Argrave realized only now that a great deal of the people watched them. He seemed to have built up some good will in the city. Ideally, that¡¯d be maintained for a long while.


    ¡°Without something guiding me¡­ I can¡¯t see the point of any of this,¡± Orion shook his head.


    Argraveughed, though he felt somewhat guilty for doing so. Orion looked at him, bewildered. Eventually, he stoppedughing, grabbed his brother¡¯s shoulder and said, ¡°That¡¯s the most normal thing you¡¯ve ever said, Orion. Nobody sees the point. They search for it. Where they find it¡­ that varies. There¡¯s no wrong answer, necessarily. And I think I¡¯d be doing you a disservice if I told you what I think the point is, because the whole idea is that it¡¯s your point.¡± He looked up to the sky for a moment and muttered, ¡°You¡¯ve made me get all philosophical. I don¡¯t like doing that.¡±


    ¡°My head is even more disturbed,¡± Orion walked along with him, arms crossed. ¡°But¡­ you said you had two things to say?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. I just think there might actually be something you do want to do. And that¡¯s because you¡¯d already been doing it.¡± Argrave tapped his shoulder, then led him along, saying, ¡°Come on.¡±


    Argrave led Orion quickly through thest bit of the street, heading for a familiar ce. It had been sorely changed sincest they were here. Argrave supposed he had to count himself lucky that it was not buried beneath the falling rubble of the Dragon Pce, being as it was located at the base of the mountain.


    ¡°Vasquer¡­!¡± Orion realized, stepping forth away from Argrave¡¯s side. ¡°Gods, how could I have been so stupid?¡±


    ¡°You were injured, and had a lot on your mind,¡± Argrave reminded him, stepping after. ¡°Still do have a lot on your mind, it seems. It¡¯s perfectly understandable.¡± Argrave looked at the partially destroyed gentleman¡¯s club where a stone staircase was inly visible. Some men stood guard¡ªElenore¡¯s. Argrave stepped closer. ¡°This summit, the capstone for this war¡­ it¡¯s the grand culmination of a lot of different things. I¡¯ve already conversed with Vasquer about how she can help out. Do you want to?¡±


    Orion looked back, then nodded. ¡°I do.¡±


    ¡°And what¡¯s more¡­ do you want to see her free?¡± Argrave smiled.


    ¡°You¡¯ve made your point,¡± Orion stepped towards the staircase. ¡°I only wish you¡¯de to me, forced me to realize what I was forgetting.¡±


    Argrave kept smiling, swallowing his thoughts¡ªnamely, that he was too afraid to approach Orion. Strangely, even though Orion had lost none of his ability¡­ Argrave did not hesitate much in taking the next step forward. The giant man that¡¯d gone up against the gue Jester, the Shadonder, and all manner of abominations seemed a little more approachable than he had before. Argrave sincerely hoped this was asting trend.


    ¡°Clearing a pathrge enough for her will be a bitplex¡ªthe Dragon Pce is above, and thest thing we need now is some sort of cave-in. That¡¯s why we need the architects,¡± Argrave began, following Orion along. ¡°But there are some things I know we can take care of now¡­¡±

 Chapter 344: The Summit

    Argrave hefted a crown in his hand¡ªit had a ck metal band, chicken egg-sized gemstones at several points, and gold decorating it gaudily. Everything seemed to be in order with it, so he looked up and said, ¡°Thanks for bringing this, Leopold.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± the wizened old man grunted. ¡°Let¡¯s not forget I provided even more manpower for those forts you took. Some of them had only seven loyal men inside. You really overextended to seize this ce.¡± He wore ck clothes in Relizean style, with a wide-brimmed ck tellerbarret with a golden feather. He had Argrave¡¯s snake sunburst on his doublet. ¡°I don¡¯t intend on being a paper tiger at this summit, Your Majesty. The people of Relize expect me to represent their interests, regardless of our alliance.¡±


    ¡°Be as papery or fleshy a tiger as you want,¡± Argrave nodded.


    Leopold sized him up. As he did, two more footsteps echoed across the battered Dragon Pce, and Argrave turned his head. Hirn and Anneliese walked side-by-side, catching up.


    ¡°I promised to show Hirn the city. She almost made me write it down,¡± Leopold said quietly. ¡°That one wants so many agreements in writing. It¡¯s astounding.¡± The aged patrician sighed. ¡°I should go do that. The road was long, there is time yet before thest arrive, and we can talk about how to approach this summit tomorrow. With your leave, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Sure. Go.¡± Argrave waved him away.


    The man walked away, speaking to the three of them while Argrave awkwardly held the crown. He didn¡¯t want to wear the thing, but he didn¡¯t have a ce for it, either. Eventually, Anneliese broke off from the two of them and joined Argrave as they departed to see the city.


    ¡°Hirn is fun. She says what she thinks, always,¡± Anneliese reflected. ¡°I think¡­ with the architects working on freeing Vasquer, we have all we wanted.¡±


    Argrave nodded intently. ¡°And Rovostar?¡±


    Anneliese¡¯s amber eyes darkened somewhat. ¡°¡­no news, I fear. Elenore and I can only attest that discontent has settled there once the letters were sent.¡±


    Argrave took one hand off the crown and rubbed his temple. ¡°I had hoped to have Duke Enrico present for this¡­¡±


    He left out his worry about the potential of Nikoletta¡¯s loss. It bothered him to leave a matter unfinished for so long. Last time something bothered him this much, he¡¯d gone to the north disguised as a snow elf. He didn¡¯t think that particr solution would work this time.


    ¡°Oh,¡± Argrave said, drawn from his haze. ¡°I got something for you.¡±


    He handed the crown off to Gmon, who received it wordlessly. Then, he reached into his pocket and retrieved what appeared to be a wooden box. Upon further inspection, there were some intricacies to it. He held it out to Anneliese.


    ¡°Here,¡± he said.


    Anneliese tilted her head, taking it in hand. She fiddled with it, quickly grasping what it was. It had moving parts that rearranged.


    ¡°Some vendor was selling it,¡± Argrave exined. ¡°A testament to people¡¯s resiliency if they¡¯re trading even now, I guess. It¡¯s not exactly like the one you described, but you said something about a puzzle box a long time ago that stuck with me. I¡ª¡±


    As she fiddled with it, it clicked, and the puzzle wasplete. The top of it came open.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Argrave scratched the back of his neck, embarrassed. ¡°Maybe¡­ I should have gotten a moreplex puzzle. I enchanted it with an active ward, so it should be quite durable.¡±


    ¡°You remembered.¡± When Anneliese lifted her head up, she was beaming. ¡°I love it.¡±


    Argrave smiled in kind, then quickly diminished her praise, saying, ¡°Probably should¡¯ve actually put something inside there¡­¡±


    ¡°I think it better you did not. I want to fill it,¡± she decided.


    ¡°Then it all works out,¡± he held his arms out. ¡°Wish I could do simple things like this more often, but it¡¯s not to be. We have to meet the music.¡±


    Anneliese nodded. ¡°And the musices louder every day.¡±


    #####


    Castroid eyes upon Dirracha, perhaps four miles away. Despite the distance, the city was tall enough to be seen above the horizon. Their party of Magisters travelled by foot or horse,rgely, to preserve their magic for this summit. Even this far, certain details were distinguishable. Argrave¡¯s banner, with its ck g and golden snake sunburst, hung from the walls to demonstrate its holder. Yet another gold shone even brighter: the scales of the giant feathered serpent curled about the city.


    The tower master had always thought the mountain in that city toorge, yet the snake curled around it many times with her miles-long body. Despite the size of the rock she seemed hard pressed to fit, winding upwards in a great spiral that coiled around the mountain and the pce both. Her proud head stood tall at the apex of the building, gazing about thend as though to see all as her great mane of golden feathers moved with the wind.


    ¡°It would seem that the rumors spread were not all false,¡± Artur, the Magister with dwarfism, noted. Castro had never seen him walk¡ªinstead, his mantle carried him off the ground, supporting his body as though the fabric was a solid thing. ¡°That must be the royal family¡¯s ancestral serpent, Vasquer. I never thought toy eyes upon it. Then again, I never thought it was real.¡±


    Castro looked back towards the city. He felt, then, that this kingdom had woken up from his slumber. ¡°I think you will be more surprised just how many of the rumors were true in totality.¡±


    ¡°Is it just me, or¡­¡± Vera began, trailing off. ¡°The pce looks a bit¡­¡±


    ¡°Damaged?¡± Hegazar finished, concern on his voice.


    ¡°They did have a battle with a demon,¡± Castro reminded them. ¡°I¡¯m told this so-called Shadonder devastated the ce.¡±


    Hegazar and Vera exchanged a nce of restrained terror. Hegazar suggested, ¡°Perhaps we can¡­ move a little faster? Even much faster?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Castro refused bluntly. ¡°Margrave Reinhardt and his forces are moving past. It¡¯ll only be a hassle if we rush to arrive at the same time they do.¡±


    The couple looked greatly disconcerted, and Vera even muttered beneath her breath, ¡°¡­that bastard.¡±


    #####


    As Margrave Reinhardt and his trusted council rode at the head of their forces, a man followed by a dozen golden-armored troops stepped out of the capital. For a brief moment, Reinhardt swore he saw Felipe, and his hands tightened around the reins of his Redsnow. But as the person came closer¡­ he realized it was Prince Orion.


    His grip ckened slightly when he realized the man wore fine clothes instead of armor. ¡°Let¡¯s meet him,¡± the margrave decided, looking to Delbraun, Elias, and Marauch.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    They gave words of confirmation, then followed behind as he rode forth. Slowly, their two parties converged. Standing, Orion was perhaps a foot lower than Reinhardt¡¯s height on horseback. He had a dominating presence.


    ¡°Greetings, Margrave Reinhardt,¡± Prince Orion greeted, pounding his fist against his chest. ¡°His Majesty Argrave sent me out to retrieve you and the other guests. You¡¯re wee to bring a sizable escort, but the host must remain outside the walls.¡±


    The margrave stared sternly, though inside he was surprised that the infamous Orion was acting so docile. His eyes wandered to the golden-armored knights behind him. They had the dreaded waxpox, he realized. He spared a nce to his son, then looked back to Orion.


    ¡°Let us get things in ce,¡± the margrave nodded.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Orion nodded. ¡°I will wait.¡±


    The margrave cast a nce at the Dragon Pce far above where the great serpent Vasquer waited. It was his time to enter this ancient city once again, it seemed.


    #####


    Elias looked across the city of Dirracha with his one good eye as they traversed the mountainous Royal Road leading to the Dragon Pce, following Orion. Their party consisted of all Reinhardt¡¯s close council, and those sworn to Duke Enricoing to speak in his absence. The devastation in the city was far beyond what he had been expecting. Helmuth, the margravate¡¯s wizard, seemed tense, and his dancing purple eyes jumped from patrol to patrol.


    ¡°Margrave Reinhardt¡­¡± the wizard stepped ahead and said quietly. ¡°We should not be here. There are enough high-ranking mages to wipe us out without a thought,¡± he finished with urgency. ¡°Not to mention¡­ Sumner¡¯s men are here, too.¡±


    Margrave Reinhardt did pause at that. ¡°Sumner¡­?¡± he paused. ¡°Could he have¡­ worked with Argrave, ambushed us?¡±


    They did stop at the road, but a new voice speaking caused them all to look ahead.


    ¡°Wee, Margrave Reinhardt,¡± a woman greeted. Elias stared at her. He thought she resembled Nikoletta a little, but the more he stared the further the simrity faded. She had stony gray eyes and a cool, calm demeanor.


    ¡°Princess Elenore?¡± the margrave said in hardened disbelief, stepping forth.


    ¡°I see your sight is as good as mine,¡± she said dryly. ¡°That used to be an insult, but not so anymore. It has been a while, hasn¡¯t it?¡±


    Recognition dawned on Elias, and his eyes widened in shock. Elenore was rumored to be blind and maimed, yet here she stood. His breath quickened.


    ¡°You¡­ recovered?¡± Count Delbraun of Jast asked cautiously.


    ¡°I wish I could im that, but no. I was healed,¡± she shook her head. ¡°And before you ask¡­ it was by His Majesty, obviously. He is rather d you¡¯vee here today. The summit will be held in the throne room¡ªuntil then, you might rest in some prepared chambers. I am to host you until that timees if it pleases.¡±


    As hope blossomed within Elias¡ªhope that Argrave did not mislead, and that Rose truly could be treated¡ªhe made up his mind to press on, no matter Helmuth¡¯s caution. And looking to his father, he saw the same answer writ there.


    ¡°Lead on,¡± Margrave Reinhardt said evenly.


    #####


    In due time, the Magisters of the Order of the Gray Owl were simrly received and brought to a separate room where Vasilisa hosted. They offered rich, if simple, meals, and gave the guests the opportunity to rest from the long road. Elenore dealt with reintroducing Duke Sumner to the southern nobles, and attempting to both gather information and mend the rift of mistrust that might¡¯ve formed.


    After a suitable amount of time passed, they were all led into the throne room of the Dragon Pce. To say the least, it was not as most remembered it.


    The majority of the ceiling was simply missing, having copsed. And the cause of that was inly on disy, suspended on the sole standing pir in the room. The Shadonder hung, crucified. Its giant purple eye had been kept forced open, and it seemed to peer across all who entered ominously. People viewed it with equal parts curiosity and revulsion. There were no seats or tables, only the still-standing throne in the back of the room, empty.


    As everyone gathered, they divided into distinct groups: the southern nobility and the Magisters of the Order. Some mutterings about being forced to wait echoed in the groups, but the leaders¡ªnamely, Reinhardt and Castro¡ªseemed patiently optimistic. Then, at the front, Elenore rang a bell.


    ¡°His Majesty Argrave enters with his betrothed, Anneliese.¡± she dered.


    Everyone looked towards the two identical entrances behind the throne expectantly for movement. Then, they turned their heads upwards as shadows danced across the room from the wide-open ceiling. People stepped away, rmed, as something gargantuan entered inside.


    The great serpent Vasquer¡¯s head lowered into the room,ing to hover above the throne. Her golden eyes watched them all. King Argrave sat atop her head, bearing a resplendent crown and kingly ck mantle. The one introduced as Anneliese stood behind him, her hand on his shoulder.


    When people were adapting to the new change, others started to emerge from the rooms behind the throne. On the left came a towering knight armored in dark gray steel, leading an entourage of steel-armored knights that bore daggers of what appeared to be obsidian on their belts. On the right came Prince Orion, leading his golden-armored royal knights. Both groups took disciplined positions slightly ahead and beside the snake Vasquer¡¯s head, waiting and guarding.


    Argrave¡¯s gray eyes surveyed the room. ¡°Wee,¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯vee a long way,rgely for the purpose of putting an end to this war. My hope is that this is productive for all present, and for all the people of Vasquer.¡±


    People shifted on their feet uneasily at the new king¡¯s grandiose appearance and unabashed confidence. He continued unaffected, saying, ¡°Today, we have Magister Vasilisa here, representing the interests of the Archduchess of the North, Diana of Quadreign,¡± he pointed. ¡°We have Leopold Dandn, representing those of Relize and Atrus. There is Margrave Reinhardt, representing the south. And Tower Master Castro, representing the Order of the Gray Owl. And¡­ myself, representing all the people of Vasquer as king. If there are any corrections to be made, it¡¯d be best to make them now. I want this to be orderly and efficient,¡± he dictated domineeringly.


    Time passed, but none made any protest. Eventually, Margrave Reinhardt asked, ¡°Then¡­ we can begin?¡±


    ¡°Not yet,¡± Argrave held his hand out to stop him. ¡°Thest party hasn¡¯t arrived yet,¡± he noted, looking up towards the ceiling.


    People followed the king¡¯s gaze, not understanding what he looked for. Then, they started to hear calls of rm outside from the distant city. People shifted about in confusion. Then, with no warning at all, something filled the empty spot in the ceiling, colliding with the Dragon Pce and setting the whole building shaking.


    People panicked once again, and this time their rm was not so quick to fade. Two titanic scaled hands clutched onto the partially destroyed ceiling, ws holding tight to keep itself up. Where open sky had once been, a snow-white dragon filled the void, hanging onto the pce wall and craning its neck so that its head fit within.


    ¡°There we go,¡± Argrave nodded contently, crossing one leg over the other as its wingspan hid the sky. ¡°I was wondering how we might plug that hole in the roof. Very considerate.¡± The serpent Vasquer moved her neck just as the dragon lowered its, the twoing to meet. Argrave held his hand out and greeted, ¡°Patriarch Dras. So nice of you toe. You too, Rowe.¡±


    A bald snow elf grasped Argrave¡¯s hand, shaking it as a bridge between the two reptiles. Dras had resplendent ceremonial armor on, and all of the nobles of the south regarded him cautiously. The Magisters of the Order, however, kept their eyes firmly fixed on the old snow elf behind the patriarch, seemingly awed and afraid of his presence simultaneously.


    ¡°We are allied, after all,¡± Dras said with a grin. ¡°Of course I woulde.¡±


    Vasquer and the dragon both pulled away,ing to their previous spots in the room. From afar, the scene seemed like a painting of old; the king and queen in the position of prominence, the gray-robed Magisters on one side, the nobles of the south on the other, the distant and foreign patriarch watching from above, each and all gathered for an event to be recorded in history.


    Argrave exined, ¡°Patriarch Dras is the master of Veiden, and my ally. He invaded Vasquer some time ago, but we¡­ resolved that misunderstanding,¡± he said simply. ¡°With that, everyone is here,¡± Argrave nodded serenely.


    Elenore walked before Vasquer, cing her hand on the serpent¡¯s head. ¡°The summit can begin,¡± she dered loudly.

 Chapter 345: Terms for Survival

    After Elenore¡¯s deration that the summit could begin, there was a prevailing indecision in the parties arrayed before Argrave. Despite not having been dered the leader of this summit, his bombastic disys made all defer to him despite the undeniable fact the group of Magisters held the most personal power in the room.


    And so the king seated on his living throne spoke first. ¡°To begin, I will clearly establish something for all parties. It¡¯s the reason that the Veidimen turned away from their invasion of this kingdom, the reason the Order of the Gray Owl is here today, and the reason I endeavored to mend this shattered kingdom after King Felipe III¡¯s prolonged misrule.¡± Argrave¡¯s gaze scanned the crowd. ¡°Gerechtigkeit, a living cmity, is going to manifest on this continent. Our mortal realm is to be the yground for gods, spirits, and all their servants. This malignant entity endeavors to cause the end of all.¡±


    It was amon enough prophecy to draw ire under normal circumstances, but not days ago people had thought the ancient serpent Vasquer was but rumor and myth. Most thought perhaps she had existed once, but those days of legend were long gone. Dragons, too, had not been seen in many centuries. Now both loomed above, and the forever-neutral Order of the Gray Owl all but promised to break its neutrality. None mocked what Argrave said in the face of this unprecedented event.


    ¡°You make these ims on what basis, Your Majesty?¡± Leopold Dandn, ever the cynic, asked.


    ¡°On our history,¡± Rowe the Righteous interrupted. ¡°Your kind are young, your records stretching back only centuries. I¡¯ve read what few books of history you have. What ounts persist from your oldest records are grossly inurate, either taken from biased sources or written as myth. It¡¯s little wonder important events like this dodge your eye. Veidimen scriptures, and unbiased Veidimen records, tell of whates once again.¡±


    Some of the prouder nobles in the margrave¡¯s retinue bristled at the snow elf¡¯s disrespect, but Argrave raised his hand. ¡°Rowe is right, but he forgets a simple principle: the young can¡¯t be med for ack of wisdom. Our civilization has advanced fast enough we¡¯ve never before endured something like this,¡± the king said, putting a positive spin on what was obviously not meant so.


    ¡°Fortunately, Rowe is an S-rank mage, and so has ess to these important documents,¡± Argrave gestured to the wizened snow elf atop the dragon. ¡°He brought these records he mentions at my request. They aren¡¯t brief, but they also aren¡¯t the only source at our disposal¡­ nor the only witness to these sources.¡±


    People noticed that Argrave deliberately mentioned Rowe was an S-rank mage, but purposeful or idental, the knowledge was conveyed: not merely this Patriarch Dras, but also an S-rank Veidimen mage heeded his request.


    ¡°We have those records with us,¡± Dras confirmed on Rowe¡¯s behalf. ¡°I hoped to copy and distribute them here.¡±


    Some people looked to Patriarch Dras atop the dragon¡¯s head, then to Anneliese behind the king, muttering something as the two werepared. Theories formed by the second, and Gmon furrowed his brows as he listened.


    ¡°I can take care of copying and distributing those documents after this first meeting,¡± Elenore confirmed, looking up to Argrave for approval.


    ¡°So it is,¡± Argrave nodded back contentedly. ¡°But I imagine many of you will feel discontent looking at Veidimen history alone.¡± Argrave gestured towards Castro. ¡°Some months ago, I delivered Castro a bookletpiled by Anneliese and myself. You should illuminate everyone present as to what you discovered.¡±


    After being so abruptly called upon, the tower master was not quick to respond. He looked around, shifting on his feet before stepping ahead of the rest so as to speak better.


    Castro took a deep breath and said, ¡°The first thing discovered, initially, was an ancient stone disc. When dragon blood was ced upon it, it showed someone nearby a vision. I was the first¡­ user¡­ of this disc.¡± The old man¡¯s eyes scanned the room, vital and alert. ¡°As the Tower Master, this was concerning¡­ but not enough proof.¡± He looked back to the Magisters behind. ¡°I assigned several people with the duty of confirming the rest of the leads Argrave supplied. Gesche, you begin,¡± he directed a woman.


    Gesche, a woman who looked middle-aged, was quickly singled out as the crowd of Magisters distanced themselves from her. She described quickly, ¡°I was given a group ofborers and mages and directed to an area in midwestern Vasquer¡ªa mountain just before the wends, so wild as to be inhospitable for all but the most monstrous creatures. It was a mausoleum of sorts, partially flooded and overrun with these gargantuan aquatic reptiles. They spewed acid powerful enough to break through B-rank wards and cut through or dissolve a man entirely.¡±


    Gesche looked at Argrave. ¡°Fortunately, the directions given prepared us for that. At a certain point, we found a great record room¡ªdozens of sculptures, records etched into stone, each and all describing the cmity Argrave mentioned. Specifically, it spoke of the Divine¡¯s Feudalism. Of how gods descend upon thisnd, bncing opportunism with fierce resistance to the greater evil, Gerechtigkeit. The people, human and elf both, king and queen all, be serfs or ves to the divine and their servants. Mortals are viewed as proxies in this great war on the rebncing scales of cmity.¡±


    People drunk in Gesche¡¯s words eagerly as the king watched on as though he knew all of what she would say.


    Before her words could be dissected, another male Magister contributed, ¡°I learned of the same. I was sent beyond Vasquer to the mountains that divide thisnd from the Burnt Desert. There, I walked in the imperial pce of the southron elves of old. Their people were embittered by gods, turning against each other in holy wars and fruitless rebellions until their empire emerged to fight the malignant judge.¡±


    Margrave Reinhardt crossed his arms and nodded, but Duke Sumner stepped forth and inquired, ¡°Have either of you two any genuine proof of any of this, or merely your words?¡±


    ¡°I brought the sculptures back to the Tower,¡± Gesche rebutted proudly. ¡°I brought the stone etchings containing myriad writings. I brought genealogies, histories, each and all discussing how their society was shaped by the cmity of the past. I even brought record of how the great serpent Vasquer led people against Gerechtigkeit,¡± the magister finished, pointing to Vasquer. ¡°All these incontrovertible proofs can be here tomorrow, if it is necessary.¡±


    ¡°I imagine you also brought home a lovely haul of treasures, too,¡± King Argrave cut in, causing Gesche to grow quiet immediately. ¡°But that¡¯s only two ounts. We have more, I trust?¡±


    Another Magister came forth, describing the next far-flung ruin¡ªan exposed dwarven settlement lying beneath the sea.


    ¡°¡­these people had a trophy of one of their victories in the great war,¡± the Magister exined grimly. ¡°It¡­ was human-like, but¡­ near the size of a mountain. Its bones were propped upright by an borate mechanical structure. Opposing it was a marble sculpture of a chariot ridden by dwarves, each of them with aurel wreath on their heads and thunder as their weapon. It¡­ few things can describe the sheer scope of the scene.¡±


    ¡°Dwarves?¡± said Artur in dissatisfaction. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re a different race,¡± Argrave cut in. ¡°I hope you retrieved the records there.¡±


    The Magister nodded, and soon enough the next spoke. The tyranny of the divine, the great battles raging across thend, the undeniable paleontological evidence, all with amon thread of the arbiter known as Gerechtigkeit. The tales and testimonies piled up, convincing the secr nobles of the validity of this cmity by the second. Some even brought minute proof with them, having anticipated their experiences would be called to question. It was no sweeping proof, but it was nheless additive.


    By the end of it all, only one dissenter persisted: a baron sworn to Delbraun of Jast. ¡°Apocalyptic tales persist in every culture,¡± the man insisted¡ªthin yet shrewd-looking, most thought him a schr. ¡°Near all religions describe the creation of the world, what happens after death, and how the world will end. These unanswerable questions have been answered in every faith and every culture time and time again. Who¡¯s to say there¡¯s nomon¡ª¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t embarrass me, Christoph,¡± Count Delbraun said, cing his hand on the baron¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I think all of what was posited needs to be reviewed, Your Majesty,¡± he continued. ¡°But¡­ I amfortable proceeding with the notion all of this is true¡­ for now. Everyone?¡±


    ¡°I am content.¡± Margrave Reinhardt looked across his people. ¡°Is there anyone else who would protest?¡±


    None came forth, though from the urgent mutterings it could be gathered that it was not forck of trying. The sources were reputable, varied, and unterally consistent. No hole could be poked without the records the Magisters imed to have.


    ¡°I¡¯m d I¡¯m with reasonable people,¡± Argrave nodded, pleasure apparent on his face. He lifted his hand up and pointed to his left. ¡°This creature you see hanging here is from a ce known as the Shadonds. Intervention from spirits bridged the thinning gap between the gods¡¯ realm and ours, allowing this monstrosity toe forth. It took a little over a dozen A-rank mages, and hundreds of B-rank mages to take this thing down.¡± He lowered his pointed finger. ¡°Creatures like that are among the least of what we face¡­ and steel alone barely chips its skin. Magister Traugott was responsible for its¡­ early summoning.¡±


    Some of the Magisters present muttered in surprise, but none tried to defend the used; Traugott had no friends.


    ¡°With that extensive preamble out of the way, I¡¯ll get to the point,¡± Argrave rested both hands atop his knee and leaned forward. Anneliese¡¯s hand slid off his shoulder. ¡°This kingdom needs cohesion now more than it ever has. We cannot afford to waste time with some internecine conflict. King Felipe III is dead. His heir, Orion, and his daughter, Elenore, both support my im, as you can inly see.¡±


    Elenore remained calm when she was called upon but Orion smiled somewhat, remaining vignt in his role as a guard.


    ¡°I was coronated in Relize. There, I promised the people to right the wrongs my father caused, and to form a parliament for the good of the people.¡± Argrave grew stern as he said in a low voice, ¡°I intend to make good on both vows. As such, it¡¯s long overdue to bind all of Vasquer together under one centralized force with the intent of fighting against what I know ising. The army, the economy, the government¡­ all must be reformed to adapt to whates. What does not bend in the wind will break from the gale, and a tornadoes to rend thisnd.¡±


    Argrave rose to his feet. ¡°If you wish it, the most important and eligible of you here will form the core of my parliament,¡± he said. ¡°This new organization will have legitimate power. You will have the ear of the monarch, true legitive and governmental authority, and the key point¡­ the right to confirm coronations, now and forevermore.¡±


    Some people were swept up hearing that promise despite vaguely knowing that Argrave had dered as much back at Relize. This reform would change the kingdom forevermore, and whether stirred by the promise of power or the prospect of positive reformed, they were stirred.


    Magister Vasilisa kneeled down and dered, ¡°Your Majesty, Archduchess Diana of the North long ago dered her unconditional support. I will reaffirm that here today.¡±


    ¡°Yes. And a great many seats are already filled by people in northern Vasquer,¡± Argrave nodded.


    Leopold Dandn bowed, Hirn supporting him on one side as he leaned on his cave heavily. ¡°Relize and Atrus offer their humble support, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°And so, too, will the loyal people of Relize be rewarded,¡± Argrave continued. ¡°So, Margrave Reinhardt, Tower Master Castro? What say you?¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Margrave Reinhardt closed his eyes and sighed but stepped forth and knelt. ¡°Your Majesty, the south would ask something of you before submission.¡±


    Argrave looked down upon him from his spot atop Vasquer. ¡°What might that be?¡±


    ¡°War has wrecked the closest regions of the south due to prolonged battle against Felipe¡¯s loyalists,¡± Reinhardt began. ¡°We seek war reparations.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fair,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°And it benefits the realm, furthermore, if all within it are taken care of.¡± The king lifted his finger in caution, adding, ¡°But I will not give gold or other suchpensation. Instead, this will be a reparation in the truest sense of the word. I will see to it that all troubles in the south caused by this war are duly remedied by action.¡±


    Margrave Reinhardt gave no thanks, merely continued, ¡°There are those in my number who wish to be rewarded for their battle against Felipe¡¯s loyalists.¡±


    Argrave slowly sped his hands together. ¡°I have promised certain gains to others already. Relize, for instance, has territorial gains along the North Sea. The lords of Atrus have been rewarded for bending the knee, and I cannot renege on my promises to allow them to keep their territory¡­ and further, I cannot end the debts sold to the patricians for repayment. Dirracha will go to Hegazar and Vera for their service in bringing House Quadreign to my fold.¡±


    A great degree of shock spread throughout the room at that deration. People looked to the couple, but the two seemed oddly unhappy, like they¡¯d been cheated somehow.


    ¡°And territorial gains in central Vasquer?¡± Margrave Reinhardt pressed with bitter duty to his followers.


    The king stayed silent for a few moments. Dras and Rowe watched this scene curiously, and the Order Magisters waited to see what would happen.


    ¡°They¡¯rergely unpromised,¡± Argrave hesitantly nodded. ¡°And, indeed, you did defeat the loyalists. Duke Sumner was instrumental in purging that foul abomination,¡± he gestured towards the Shadonder. ¡°This is eptable. I can distributends seizednds in central Vasquer, provided these grants are based on genuine military merit.¡±


    Margrave Reinhardt nced up in surprise, then lowered his head slowly. ¡°Then I have nothing more to ask on the south¡¯s behalf, Your Majesty. But if I may make a personal request¡­¡± his head fell lower, until the margrave was practically kowtowing. ¡°Please, heal my children as you healed Princess Elenore.¡±


    People watched the king for his reaction to that brazen request, and some were surprised to see he shed a genuine smile. ¡°Rose and Elias, huh? One eye and two legs¡­ it¡¯ll be a little easier than Elenore, then. I can make that happen. It¡¯ll need to be rtively soon, though.¡±


    The margrave tremored, then said quietly, ¡°¡­thank you, Your Majesty. I¡­ have nothing more.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Argrave nodded, then turned his body to the Magisters. ¡°Then, Tower Master. Will the Order support my kingship?¡±


    Some of the Magisters looked eager now that their turn hade to the negotiation table after that disy of generosity. Castro looked back at Artur, who seemed the most expectant of them all. The wizened tower master craned his neck, popping it, then stepped ahead to stand before Elenore, Argrave, and the two sets of guards arrayed before the serpent Vasquer.


    ¡°The Order of the Gray Owl¡­¡± Castro began slowly. ¡°It requests that all magical knowledge possessed by the royal family¡ªbe that of A-rank ascensions passed down, spells of any rank, or any and all knowledge of Order of the Rose ruins¡ªare relinquished to the tower.¡±


    Argrave blinked, showing no reaction.


    ¡°Furthermore¡­¡± Castro closed his eyes, reciting these words strangely mechanically. ¡°The Order desires all enchanted items kept by the royal family that are unknown. This consists of the royal guards armaments, all elven heirlooms, and any other such relics kept under its control. If these two things are delivered in totality, and an audit confirms this¡­ the Order would offer its upromising support against the foul evil of Gerechtigkeit.¡±


    The throne room grew silent, the only noise dominating being the breathing of the two giant reptiles in the room. Argrave watched Castro, then looked beyond at the Magisters who waited expectantly for his answer.


    ¡°No,¡± Argrave said calmly. ¡°That is uneptable.¡±

 Chapter 346: Puppet Chain

    King Argrave¡¯s unequivocal denial of the Order of the Gray Owl¡¯s terms sent the throne room into a brief silence. Castro, who¡¯d been keeping his eyes closed and stating his demands mechanically, opened them wide. When the old spellcaster set eyes upon Argrave¡¯s cold gray eyes, a smile rose to his face. He quickly hid it with his hand until he regained control of his features.


    ¡°What about the offer was uneptable, Your Majesty?¡± Castro followed up, hard-pressed to hide the pleasure in his voice.


    ¡°Most of it,¡± Argrave settled down into a sitting position on the serpent Vasquer once again.


    More silence followed in the stalemate that persisted between the king and the Magisters, and the nobles of the south watched on cautiously. Rowe and Dras continued to observe with interest, like they watched some kind of amusing y.


    ¡°Specificity might help allow all parties toe to a suitablepromise,¡± Artur hovered closer from his sitting perch atop his magic mantle. He held both of his hands together, popping some of his knuckles rapidly.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Argrave looked up to Anneliese, then back down to Artur. ¡°You talked a lot about what the kingdom should do for you, but not any about what you intend to do for the kingdom that warrants those sacrifices. All of our enchantments? All of our knowledge? Why?¡±


    Artur choked in awe briefly, then looked to Castro who had decided to remain silent. Gradually, the man¡¯s face settled into a cold, calcting calm as he continued, ¡°The support of the Order of the Gray Owl¡¯s forces alone is¡ª¡±


    ¡°Is guaranteed,¡± Argrave interrupted monotonously. ¡°Do you think Gerechtigkeit will respect your neutrality? Do you think the gods and their Divine Feudalism will see that giant tower of yours poking up miles into the air ande to the conclusion that it¡¯s off limits byw? Indeed, I can think of several gods that would love nothing more than piging everything that¡¯s inside. Then¡­ it won¡¯t matter whether you supported me or not.¡±


    ¡°The south received great stretches ofnd for their cooperation,¡± Artur pointed out.


    ¡°Because they have already fought and died,¡± the king said pointedly. ¡°Besides, what am I going to do withnd? For it to have value, there needs to be people to stand upon it, till the soil, and build the cities. If someone should be granted that right, why should it not be those who fought my enemies, and those who put down their swords when presented with reason?¡± Argrave shrugged.


    Artur fiddled with one of the many rings on his fingers. ¡°It would seem His Majesty favors the nobility over the Order. The Order, which housed you without protest when King Felipe III sought to take your head. Some might consider that a debt. A life debt, even.¡±


    ¡°I have offered you representation in my parliament equal to that of the nobility and the burghers,¡± Argrave said calmly, taking no provocation. ¡°I have given your Magisters countless leads to vast troves of treasure, some of which have already been collected. I can promise continued ess to knowledge of that nature, provided the same is returned.¡±


    Castro looked to Artur. ¡°His Majesty has provided the Order with a significant quantity of druidic magic already. I see no reason to doubt why he cannot deliver more.¡±


    ¡°There is no reason to doubt,¡± Argrave added, nodding. ¡°What can I give? Shamanic magic, or the secrets to the elven enchantments of old. I can offer the dwarven techniques of melding magic into metal, birthing weapons sharp enough to cut through things like that,¡± he pointed to the Shadonder. ¡°I can give you the secrets of the stone constructs of the subterranean people in the south, or the methods to rebirth eyes and limbs. But what the Order is asking for presently? It is uneptable.¡±


    Artur lowered his arms onto his wreathing mantle, and it appeared like the small man was sat atop a throne. ¡°You have all of these things you mention?¡±


    ¡°Some,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°Others I can obtain in short order. You¡¯ve seen my directions.¡± Argrave gestured to those who¡¯d spoken earlier about their expeditions to various ces of proof. ¡°All of you must know that what I say isrgely urate.¡±


    A great many of the Magisters did seem enticed by all of what Argrave promised, while others yet remained hardened to the notion¡ªmost of all Artur.


    ¡°We should break the founding principle of Order neutrality based on promises?¡± Artur said pointedly.


    Argrave grew silent, shifting his legs from his spot atop Vasquer. After he mulled the question, he dered simply, ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Haha!¡± Arturughed with derision. ¡°The Order of the Rose was thest spellcaster order to be a subsidiary to the crown. They butchered perhaps a dozen million people throughout their existence in cruel practices of necromancy and blood magic. They proved that a king cannot be trusted with direct sovereignty over a group of mages. Even if Your Majesty understands the dangers and powers of magic, your sessors will not.¡±


    Argrave listened patiently, then nodded. ¡°That¡¯s a fair point. Then how is this: let this breach be an exception rather than a change. The Order can remain a separate institution, but cooperation must be maintained for extenuating circumstances: namely, Gerechtigkeit.¡±


    Artur was briefly deted, but he countered, ¡°By then, you¡¯d have all the knowledge of the Order at hand.¡±


    The king let out a long sigh. ¡°I think that a demonstration is in order. Rowe, cast an S-rank spell at the Shadonder¡¯s corpse.¡±


    Rowe looked to Patriarch Dras, who gave him a nod. People looked at the Veidimen uneasily.


    ¡°I¡¯d advise everyone step back,¡± Rowe called out. ¡°I would hate to sour a burgeoning alliance.¡±


    People did so quickly, and Rowe stepped to the edge of his Crystal Wind¡¯s snout. He held his hand out, and an ice-blue mana ripple split the air, sending teal sprites dancing everywhere. His spell manifested in a quickly condensing icy spiral. Argrave leaned in.


    The ice quickly condensed into a long, thick spear with a sharp point. When Rowe pushed his hand forth, it spiked forth, spinning so fast that the wind it generated picked up loose pebbles and sent them everywhere. It drilled into the Shadonder¡¯s body furiously, pinning it against the pir it was secured against. The whole throne room shook as it bore deep into its flesh, and bits from the ceiling fell down.


    Yet even still¡­ the Shadonder¡¯s body persisted. As it spun rapidly the spear of ice wore itself down, steadily decreasing in size as it grinded down into nothingness. Even Rowe, who¡¯d cast the spell, looked utterly surprised at the resistance.


    By the time its intense power died and thest bit of ice faded, the S-rank spellcaster muttered, ¡°The damn thing didn¡¯t¡­?¡±


    ¡°That was [Winter¡¯s Awl], wasn¡¯t it?¡± the king nodded, staring at the damage done¡ªit had dug through the flesh to bone, and then stopped after digging through perhaps an inch. ¡°A spell designed for boring through just about anything¡ªmountains, walls, or an entire enemy line.¡± Argrave ced his hands on his knees and leaned in slightly. ¡°Does anyone else care to test its body?¡±


    No one stepped forward.


    ¡°If you think you¡¯re indomitable and invaluable because you¡¯re an S-rank mage¡­ that¡¯s a bad mindset,¡± Argrave leaned back. ¡°The world changes. You need to change with it.¡±


    Whether they were distraught, offended, or frightened¡­ thosest words stuck deep in the heart of the Magisters present.


    ¡°Brother,¡± Elenore called out. ¡°Given all that was revealed, and the evidence that needs to be distributed¡­ I believe we should reconvene tomorrow to finish this, whereupon we can delve into specifics.¡±


    ¡°My sister has a point,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°All of you have much to think and talk about, so we¡¯ll return here tomorrow. You can stay within or without Dirracha¡ªyou¡¯ll be wee in either.¡±


    #####


    Argrave flopped onto a bed, staring up at the ceiling in exhaustion with Anneliese in his peripheries. She stepped up to him and said, ¡°That¡¯s a rather unkinglike position.¡±


    He smiled at her teasing and took her hand. He couldn¡¯t recall whenst he¡¯d been so nervous. To begin with, he¡¯d been standing atop Vasquer¡¯s head as all the important people filtering in, enduring the biting cold and fierce winds atop the Dragon Pce all for the sake of appearing in an unexpected and surprising manner. He felt like some kind of cartoon viin, descending on a snake¡¯s head with a crown on his head. It was very difficult to remain cool and collected after that disy. It was doubly difficult to keep his voice from shaking when he was both freezing and deathly worried about mucking up this once-in-a-lifetime resolution of a civil war.


    ¡°You did well,¡± Anneliese assured him.


    Argrave focused on her. ¡°I have to wait a day for the resolution. Even if you¡¯re right, I am very far from feeling well.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The concept behind what Argrave did was simple. Even if Castro was the leader of the council in the Order, he was still subject to it. In nning with Anneliese and Elenore, they devised this strategy that hoped to eliminate choices with a blunt refusal. With an option taken off the table, it would ideally allow Castro to better guide his people towards a favorable oue.


    It had another effect: precedent of leadership. Argrave had been reasonable with the south, as they asked for reasonable returns. But if he was to be an effective leader, especially when he established a parliament, he also had to be unyielding in the face of things that were negative to the realm. The parliament would be a positive for the future, Argrave was certain: simultaneously, until Gerechtigkeit was over and done, he could not allow it to control him. There was nothing more demonstrative of the fact he would not be a puppet than defying dozens of S-rank spellcasters.


    Anneliese sat beside him. ¡°Come now. We have to meet the patriarch once again.¡±


    Argrave let out a long sigh. He felt like he¡¯d done that a lot today.


    ¡°I have confidence in Castro and Elenore working in tandem to subjugate the Order,¡± Anneliese said quietly. ¡°And many of the Magisters have had a thorough demonstration of the breadth of your knowledge when venturing to parts unknown with only your writing as their guide.¡±


    ¡°¡­yeah,¡± he whispered tiredly, then leaned up. He shook his head fiercely to wake himself up. ¡°Alright. From one negotiation to another one¡ªthe Veidimen. Let¡¯s go, damn it all. To Rowe, to Dras. How much are they going to charge, I wonder¡­¡±


    Anneliese stood. ¡°I think that you will be pleasantly surprised. Our sensibilities regarding selfishness are different in Veiden; you probably won¡¯t call this a negotiation, even. And hopefully¡­ Gmon will get something out of this reunion, too.¡±


    Argrave looked at her, then rose to his feet with renewed energy and a smile at the prospect of reuniting two friends. ¡°I had almost forgotten¡­ Gmon gets to meet old friends of his.¡±

 Chapter 347: Guests from the Motherland

    Gmon opened the door for Argrave and stepped through it ahead of him. Argrave followed after warily, keeping his eye on the knightmander as though searching for a reaction. Within, Rowe and Dras sat on pristine purple couches that looked out of ce in the battered and worn stone pce. They had been talking, but with Argrave¡¯s arrival their exchange stopped.


    ¡°There he is.¡± Rowe turned his body and rose to his feet, leaning on his staff. ¡°I see you had to upstage me by bringing a bigger lizard to the meeting.¡±


    ¡°Lizard? That¡¯s my grandmother you¡¯re talking about. Be respectful.¡± Argrave rubbed his palms together, making way for Anneliese to enter. ¡°Rowe. Dras. It¡¯s good to see you.¡±


    Rowe scoffed. ¡°Look at him. He wins a war, now suddenly he¡¯s ordering me about in front of everyone and forgetting the patriarch¡¯s title. I suppose that¡¯s what happens when you¡¯re the tallest among the short. I forgot how small everyone was here¡­ and before you think otherwise, I¡¯m not speaking of height.¡±


    As they spoke, Dras rose from the couch and stepped around it, walking up to Gmon. The knightmander took off his helmet and looked down at the slightly shorter Dras.


    Gmon said simply, ¡°Patriarch.¡±


    ¡°Over a decade, and that¡¯s all you can say?¡± Dras stared at him stoically, then he smiled. ¡°Haven¡¯t changed a bit, have you?¡±


    ¡°I have.¡± Gmon looked to Argrave. ¡°I¡¯ve¡­ been liberated.¡±


    Dras frowned for a moment, then looked to Argrave for exnation. To demonstrate to the patriarch, the king tapped his teeth.


    ¡°What?¡± Dras whipped his head back. ¡°You¡¯re serious?¡±


    Argrave pointed to Gmon. ¡°He doesn¡¯t joke often.¡±


    ¡°But that has never been done before.¡± Rowe stepped forward, looking upon Gmon. ¡°Smile, would you? You know how to do that, right?¡±


    Gmon slowly brandished his teeth. He had sharp canines still, but certainly not to the point of vampirism.


    ¡°I¡­¡± Dras closed his eyes. ¡°By Veid. This¡­¡± He ran his hand across his mouth. ¡°When you came to me, I thought you nothing more than a messenger liable to die months after our ships delivered you home,¡± he said, turning to gaze to Argrave as he spoke. ¡°I have more to say to you, but¡­ Rowe, please brief Argrave on the details. As for Gmon¡­ can we talk? Alone.¡±


    Gmon said inly, ¡°I am knightmander to His Majesty.¡±


    ¡°And you are defenseless as knightmander before me, so go,¡± Rowe waved his hand.


    Gmon did not move at all until Argrave said, ¡°You can talk with him if you want to, Gmon.¡±


    The elven warrior took a deep breath. ¡°Then¡­ thank you.¡±


    Dras put his hand on Gmon¡¯s shoulder, and the two moved to the door so that they might speak in private.


    Once the door had opened and shut, Argrave turned his head to the remaining guest in the home¡ªRowe the Righteous, S-rank spellcaster. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you make sure your patriarch¡¯s safe?¡±


    ¡°What am I, his father?¡± Rowe stepped away, heading back for the purple couches. ¡°He¡¯s got enough magic-imbued jewelry to kill an army, and a trick or two besides. You should have seen what happened after enchanting was introduced to my lot. All the wizards of Veiden lined up, bent their knees, and demonstrated theirtest enchanting craftsmanship while delivering their best brownnosingpliments.¡± Rowe plopped down on the couch, then fixed Argrave and Anneliese with an icy look. ¡°Either way, don¡¯t you have control over your troops, Your Majesty? No harm will befall my glorious leader, surely.¡±


    Argrave walked over to the couch opposite Rowe and sat. ¡°It¡¯s not my troops I¡¯m concerned about.¡±


    ¡°Ah yes, the little rats in this granary of yours. There¡¯s something to be said about your kind¡¯s ability to be self-interested even when the sky threatens to fall on their heads,¡± Rowe set his staff down and put his feet up on the couch just beside Argrave.


    Argrave only smiled. ¡°It¡¯s only some of them. I gave them the push, and I think they¡¯ll bend. They don¡¯t know the extent of what¡¯sing, not really. Even that little vision imparted to them by the stone disc Castro got is insufficient. Should you whip a child that misbehaves because of ignorance?¡± Argrave held his hands out, eyeing Rowe. ¡°Don¡¯t answer that. I forgot who I was talking to.¡±


    ¡°A child? No one there was younger than you,¡± Rowe said as heughed, watching Anneliese as she sat. ¡°Speaking of children¡­ the two of you, hmm? You can¡¯t actually like humans too much, judging by your choice of partner.¡±


    Argrave put his arm behind Anneliese on the couch as they both only smiled, saying nothing further on the subject.


    Rowe¡¯s expression slowly soured into a grim stoicism. ¡°Neither of you died.¡±


    Anneliese quipped, ¡°You were always quick to grasp the situation, Rowe.¡±


    ¡°And both of you exceeded what I thought would happen, be it magically or¡­¡± Rowe waved to the pce and everything around them. ¡°Materially.¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°Hard times create strong people.¡±


    ¡°Nothing is more maddening than seeing someone I think far dumber than me doing far better than me,¡± Rowe stared at Argrave. ¡°What is it with you? Did you eat magic berries? Was your mother some kind of mutant? You should not reasonably advance so quickly on the field of magic.¡±


    Argrave chuckled, then pointed his thumb at Anneliese. ¡°She¡¯s the real giant among pygmies. Anne¡¯s at A-rank already, you know.¡±


    Rowe looked at her. ¡°Eh. I expected her to do great things. Sometimes you talk to people and you just know they¡¯re going ces. But you¡­¡± Rowe stared hard, the cynical wizard reced by Patriarch Dras¡¯ loyal servant doing his duty to his tribe. ¡°Assuming you consolidate this uselesslyrge and fertile kingdom of yours¡­ what next?¡±


    ¡°Prepare,¡± Anneliese said on his behalf. ¡°Spread word among the people. Change their way of living to adapt for whates before necessary. Build the fortifications needed to hold and defend. Position all loyal to us to capitalize on benefits, and ruthlessly crush opposition spurred by Gerechtigkeit.¡± She entwined her fingers. ¡°All of that was Argrave¡¯s idea, not mine. I would appreciate it if you did not disparage his talent.¡±


    ¡°His idea? That would exin the inadequate reasoning,¡± he said, taking his feet off the couch and nting them down firmly on the floor. Seeing Anneliese re at him with fiery amber eyes, Rowe added in annoyance, ¡°It¡¯s a joke, girl. That one was, at least. I meant what I said earlier.¡±


    Before things got out of hand Argrave interrupted, ¡°Dras said he had something he wanted you to debrief us on.¡±


    ¡°Well, things in Veiden haven¡¯t been easy. While we don¡¯t think it¡¯s to the point of asking for help¡­ we would like to ask for advice.¡± Rowe said those words bitterly, and then hesitantly continued, ¡°He Who Would Judge the Gods is unfond of allowing us time to sharpen our des and work our spells. And I think the same will be true for you, too. We have an interest in working together. I won¡¯t wring you dry, either, unlike your loyal subjects. Don¡¯t you just love elvenkind?¡±


    #####


    ¡°I never thought we¡¯d speak again,¡± mused Dras as he and Gmon walked down the battered halls of the Dragon Pce. ¡°We said our goodbyes.¡±


    ¡°We did.¡± Gmon nodded, then looked to the patriarch. ¡°My wife and Rhomaden¡­¡±


    ¡°Not a thought to spare for me?¡± Dras scratched the top of his bald, scarred head. ¡°They¡¯re fine, as far as I know. Things keep me too busy to check on them more than once a month. Perhaps you¡¯d like toe visit them for yourself.¡±


    Gmon stopped walking, and Dras looked back.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°What?¡± the patriarch asked.


    Gmon stared with his cold white eyes. ¡°I was exiled.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d be tested in the old way¡ªtied to an iron pole and left there for three days in the sun.¡± Dras stepped closer. ¡°And if that¡¯s done in the view of all¡­ no one would protest if I lifted your exile. You¡¯d clearly be free of the stain of vampirism.¡±


    ¡°The exile was done before Veid.¡± Gmon looked down at Dras unaffectedly.


    Dras stared back. ¡°Exiles have been undone.¡±


    ¡°Undone for the innocent. I was cursed, incontrovertibly.¡± Gmon reminded him.


    ¡°You were,¡± the patriarch nodded, then stepped forth. ¡°Your homnd needs you, Gmon. Stopping the Veidimen conquest of Berendar has note at an easy price. A swung sword suddenly stopped hurts the arm; you taught me that.¡± Dras looked around, then stepped closer. ¡°I¡¯m notining. I did not err in heeding Argrave¡¯s warnings. But I cannot teach men and women as you can. I cannot instill that sense of duty and pride to the army.¡±


    ¡°Tens of thousands were dying of starvation before you came and made what changes you did,¡± the knightmander defended his former master. ¡°You unified us and built an enviable empire.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Dras shook his head. ¡°We did that. You don¡¯t need to prop me up, old friend. I have pride enough for the both of us, but I know my limits all the same. I could not have won that war without your ferocity and strategy. And now¡­ I need it once more. He Who Would Judge the Gods is not idle, and now that we know of him, he is bold. I¡¯m half-convinced he aided me in conquest and the subsequent invasion of Berendar to destabilize this continent, but I fear that might be my paranoia.¡±


    Gmon closed his eyes and clenched his hands together until the metal gauntlets he wore creaked in protest. ¡°You know I want nothing more than to go home.¡±


    Dras nodded. ¡°But you have obligations.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Gmon looked off to the side, where a window let in dim light. ¡°Argrave needs me. If I built your army back then, I must do the same here. And our foe is not so simple this time. You saw what Rowe¡¯s attack did. I saw that same spell remove the top from a mountain in our battles of old, yet that thing¡¯s body held firm. That is what we fight.¡±


    Dras tilted his head. ¡°Even if the Ebon Cult has resurfaced?¡±


    Gmon¡¯s heavy and quick steps shook the ground, and Dras took a step back as Gmon towered over him. ¡°Do not toy with me by bringing up that name.¡±


    Dras chuckled nervously, hands hovering near Gmon¡¯s chest. ¡°There¡¯s no damning evidence, but I swear I¡¯m being honest. I would not mention your brother¡¯s killers without having ample evidence to believe it¡¯s so.¡±


    Gmon ground his teeth for a few moments, then turned away as quickly as he hade. Dras rubbed his chest and muttered, ¡°Still scary.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ apologize,¡± said Gmon after a few moments.


    ¡°Well, how sorry are you?¡± Dras questioned cheekily.


    Gmon walked to the window and looked out across Dirracha. ¡°We should involve Argrave in this conversation,¡± he finally said.


    Patriarch Dras took a deep breath. ¡°Alright. I guess it was inevitable.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard some strange mutterings from the southern nobles.¡± Gmon turned around. ¡°If you want my cooperation¡­ I think you have a daughter, now.¡±


    Dras blinked in confusion.

 Chapter 348: The Little Things

    ¡°As it turns out¡­ I was right the entire time,¡± the brown-haired Duke Sumner said with dignified triumph as he looked out across all the nobles of the south arrayed before him. ¡°Argrave was allied with the Veidimen.¡±


    ¡°But wrong in all the ways that mattered.¡± Margrave Reinhardt, who was standing across from the duke, rebutted. ¡°The snow elvese as our allies, not conquerors.¡±


    A great many sat and parsed through documents, some Veidimen in origin, and many others brought by those in the Order of the Gray Owl. They looked confused and disturbed, as though what they read was some sort of abominable horror fiction. They feared. And the more they read, the more that fear felt justified.


    Count Delbraun ran his hands through his ashen hair as he suggested, ¡°That woman behind the king¡­ she must be that dragon rider¡¯s daughter. It exins how the invasion of Mateth ended.¡± He looked between all present.


    ¡°You¡¯re already calling him king.¡± Duke Reichard of Birall looked up from what he read. He was a rather unassuming and shrewish man that seemed out of ce amongst great warriors and spellcasters thatprised the southern nobility.


    ¡°Do you think we can afford not to? These snow elves are fierce warriors. As a mage, I can attest that the spell cast was powerful beyond belief.¡± Delbraun rebuked as he stepped away to the window. ¡°But even despite that alliance¡­ that¡¯s not the extent of his forces.¡±


    The count pranced about the room as he thought aloud. ¡°Making Relize fold, destabilizing Atrus with his brother Levin¡¯s help, and winning all of the far north to his banner¡­ it was masterfully executed. This bid for the throne was probably years in the making. And all for this prophecy. I never thought myself superstitious, and yet¡­ perhaps the great serpent Vasquer chose him.¡±


    ¡°This oue may have been more organic than that. Why not simply tell his father?¡± Duke Reichard suggested.


    ¡°I heard a rumor,¡± Elias of Parbon spoke up, his one good eye jumping between the two of them. ¡°That the creature in the throne room¡­ that was King Felipe¡¯s true form. That would exin the drastic change in personality, the years of misrule¡­ and why Argrave couldn¡¯t trust his family for this. His father had already sumbed to Gerechtigkeit.¡±


    Margrave Reinhardt frowned. ¡°Why would Argrave not simply say that?¡±


    ¡°I can think of a dozen reasons why a son wouldn¡¯t want to portray their father as a demon.¡± Delbraun shook his head. ¡°And it¡¯s beside the point. We have a new king¡­ and a queen, an elven princess of sorts.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­¡± Margrave Reinhardt closed his eyes. ¡°I met them once before. He loves her, I¡¯m certain. It did not seem an arranged marriage.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s sensible,¡± Duke Sumner nodded. ¡°Incredibly talented, pretty enough, and of high pedigree; can you ask of more from a woman? Anyone with decent sense would realize the good hand they¡¯ve been dealt and avoid mucking that up. Our new king is sensible.¡±


    ¡°But they were on a dangerous journey,¡± Reinhardt pointed out.


    ¡°We¡¯re specting from ignorance.¡± Delbraun turned to them. ¡°Our new king is poised to be the most powerful monarch in Vasquer¡¯s history. That was my point.¡±


    ¡°But he¡¯s been even-handed,¡± the previously reticent Duke Marauch spoke up.


    The room grew silent, all staring to look at the duke. Some of them didn¡¯t recognize the man: they remembered the Duke of Elbraille being a fat and battered husband, nothing more.


    ¡°He¡¯s right.¡± Duke Sumner looked around. ¡°And¡­ he doesn¡¯t want to position the crown as an absolute power forevermore. That¡¯s what this parliament of his is: ensuring that what happened with Felipe can never happen again. And ensuring that we, the people of Vasquer, can confirm the monarch¡­ what is that if not a tacit disy of goodwill towards the kingdom?¡±


    People slowly agreed. Elias of Parbon said inly, ¡°Gerechtigkeit or not¡­ I¡¯m in full favor.¡±


    That sentiment was echoed more than it was not. Eventually, someone raised a drink.


    ¡°To Argrave,¡± the woman suggested.


    ¡°The even-handed.¡± Duke Sumner retrieved his own ssware and clinked it against hers. ¡°May the gods save us all from whateveres¡­¡±


    Some people joined in cheer, but it did little to dispel the gloom of learning of the approaching cmity. Margrave Reinhardt stepped away, moving to the window. His son joined him.


    ¡°Thinking about Rose?¡± Elias asked. ¡°I want nothing more than to break down the door and find Argrave, but¡­¡±


    ¡°In time. He made a pledge before all. That will not be forgotten.¡± Reinhardt nodded. ¡°And yet¡­ Duke Enrico stillnguishes in Whitefields.¡±


    Elias joined his father in peering out across the city, the two of them lost in the silence of unending worry.


    #####


    ¡°You would just fold before him?!¡± Artur angrily used Castro, leaning forth on his billowing throne of cloth that floated in the air.


    ¡°Fold?¡± Castro replied, remaining calm. ¡°I applied as much pressure as I could in this situation. I pressed for what the council wanted, to the word. And His Majesty refused.¡±


    Artur leaned back. His eyes seemed to shimmer, moving between colors as the light danced across the room unnaturally. Castro narrowed his eyes, almost daring the small man to do something.


    Eventually, Artur gripped his mantle tight as he imed, ¡°You said more words in support of Argrave than words in support of the Order.¡±


    ¡°Are you implying I didn¡¯t act in ordance with the Order¡¯s interests?¡± Castro took a step forward. ¡°Say what you will of my personal allegiances, but never let it be said that I do not heed what the Order votes upon. I have done things I found undeserving for the Order, and I have passed edicts I found distasteful for the Order. But I did all of that in service of our organization, because I fully believe that this institution serves as a force for good in this world.¡±


    Artur closed his shimmering eyes and took slow, deep breaths. The other Magisters looked between them¡ªthe only ones that did not seem to be paying attention were Vera and Hegazar, who muttered in the corner while looking at the cracks in the walls and ceiling.


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± the dwarf finally conceded calmly. ¡°You invited Argrave to your room because of your adherence to Order neutrality. You visited Mateth to see him because of that adherence. And you made Magisters heed his directions because of this strongmitment to this organization¡¯s principles.¡±


    ¡°Once again, you imply my personal beliefs are influencing the way I represent the Order. If I had, I would not have even mentioned the greedy practices we voted for.¡± Castro shook his head, then popped his neck as though this conversation was inconsequential.


    ¡°The effect is the same as though you had,¡± Artur pointed out,ying down on his mantle by this point. ¡°The option is off the table for us.¡±


    ¡°You act as small as you are,¡± Moriatran stepped forward until he stood beside the Tower Master. ¡°I hate Castro more than anyone, but I don¡¯t think he¡¯s acted out of turn as a leader. There¡¯s only you. I am near positive most others would not have voted for this foolish initiative if not for you, Artur. They all feared to lose ess to your enchantments. They all feared making an enemy of you.¡±


    Artur lifted his head up, utterly incensed at the insult Moriatran levelled. His eyes wandered, looking around at the other Magisters. They refused to meet his gaze, he found. No matter where he looked¡­ he found no support anywhere. They all looked at him like an arrogant fool¡­ those few that did look at him, at least.


    ¡°I¡­¡± Artur closed his eyes. ¡°Hah. I see. Now that Argrave¡¯s made promises, you think I¡¯m useless to you. You won¡¯t care if my services are blocked to you, because you¡¯ve found someone else to offer sweet things. You¡¯ve been waiting for a moment like this to finally toss me aside.¡±


    ¡°If you cooperate, you can learn all you need to advance with us,¡± suggested Castro. ¡°You know enchantments better than anyone. You can learn what Argrave offers first and change with the times. Whether the tide is high or low, you must keep swimming. You must know this, having endured all you have.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wasting your words on an egomaniac,¡± Moriatran pointed out as Artur opened his mouth to respond.


    ¡°Moriatran¡­¡± Castro put his palm to his face.


    ¡°Forget that. Let him taste his medicine,¡± Hegazar called out from the back, standing up. ¡°The moron¡¯s been wearing stilts long enough that he¡¯s forgotten he¡¯s not really ten feet tall. It¡¯s about time he knows where he stands, I¡¯d say. And that¡¯s a couple feet shorter than the rest of us.¡±


    Vera and some othersughed, and many others were amused and did not bother to hide it.


    ¡°Hegazar.¡± Castro¡¯s voice echoed out powerfully.


    ¡°I¡¯m just kidding about,¡± Hegazar stepped a little closer until he came to stand with the rest of them. ¡°Look. Argrave¡ªhe¡¯s a devious guy, but if you do right by him, he¡¯ll do right by you. He trapped mydy friend over there in a vault: she got over it. Don¡¯t be too upset you got the short end of the stick. Cheer up, little guy.¡±


    Hegazar tried to pat him on the knee as people shook their head at his puns, but Artur¡¯s mantle moved the man aside. When he looked upon Hegazar, Castro, and the rest, his once light-filled eyes werepletely dark.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Don¡¯t get all mad,¡± Hegazar said, holding his arms out. ¡°You¡¯re just a little more down to earth than the rest of us. No one¡¯s looking down on you, you just have a little growing up to do.¡±


    Veraughed rancorously, and some others joined her in catharsis. Artur¡¯s eyes scanned the room, unblinking in their stoicism.


    When things died down, Artur¡¯s voice spoke up, quiet and monotone. ¡°I¡¯ll ede to Argrave¡¯s request, then.¡±


    Castro stared at the man with dwarfism. He was one of the few who had notughed. Then, he gave a slow nod. ¡°It¡¯s the right thing.¡±


    Artur only stared. He watched Castro and all others in the room, as though burning them to memory.

 Chapter 349: A Malleable People

    Argrave crossed his arms as he stared at Dras. ¡°You¡¯re poaching my talent? Really?¡±


    Dras held his arms out as he sunk back into the purple couch. ¡°I¡¯m borrowing an old friend for a few months.¡±


    ¡°A few months.¡± Argrave nodded intently, then countered, ¡°Just when I¡¯m at the pivotal moment, you want to borrow Gmon for at least a month?¡± he pointed his hand at Gmon. ¡°He¡¯s my knightmander! He¡¯s pivotal for developing our standing army! As much as I want him to see his wife and kid¡­¡±


    Dras pursed his lips for a moment as he looked for a response, but then Gmon contributed, ¡°That¡¯s not true. You know as well as I do that the first month, at least, will be dedicated to reorganization. It¡¯ll be a long while before there¡¯s mass training in Vasquer.¡± He looked to the patriarch. ¡°And there are some things the patriarch offered to supply.¡±


    The patriarch looked up to Gmon from his seat. ¡°Are you keeping distance between us by calling me ¡®patriarch,¡¯ huh? How hurtful. Don¡¯t intend to rejoin me in a more permanent fashion?¡± He waved his hand away. ¡°Well¡­ yeah. Gmon tells me this royal guard of yours is understaffed. I¡¯m thinking¡­ I can supply you with an honor guard of my finest men, loyal to you until their death. These would be veterans trained by Gmon personally and equipped with enough Ebonice to choke a dragon.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯d be capable men,¡± Gmon added. ¡°Capable of holding their own, or capable of training others. I can think of veterans that I know that I would trust to serve as officers beneath me,¡± he noted, tapping his chest. ¡°These men have fought in wars for seventy years, some of them. And they¡¯re still well in their prime.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been more than a decade. That might not be true,¡± Rowe pointed out. When Dras red at him, the old mage quickly added, ¡°But yeah, Gmon¡¯s right. They can train your troops, lead your armies, whatever you need. They¡¯re perfect in every way. That enough of an endorsement?¡± he looked at Dras in irritation.


    ¡°While I¡¯m away, there¡¯s a more-than-fitting recement for your personal guard: Orion.¡± Gmon gestured at Argrave and Anneliese both. ¡°He would never harm his family. He visits his mother daily.¡±


    Argrave¡¯s face tightened for a moment as he thought of it. ¡°How many men?¡±


    ¡°Three hundred.¡± Dras put his hands on his knees.


    Argrave leaned back onto the couch. Three hundred Veidimen, each and all trained by Gmon, equipped with Ebonice¡­ and in time, each and all outfitted just as the royal knights of Vasquer. He looked at Anneliese, the two of them sharing the same thought: that was truly a boon. Not to mention, Gmon personally endorsed them. Argrave¡¯s thoughts clogged as he processed something.


    Argrave looked at his knightmander. ¡°It sounds like you¡¯re championing this.¡±


    Gmon looked down at the floor. ¡°He hasn¡¯t said everything.¡±


    Dras scratched his scarred head. ¡°I would also adopt Anneliese as my daughter.¡±


    Argrave leaned far back into the couch in surprise, then looked over at her. Her white brows were raised high and she sputtered as she asked, ¡°W-what?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯d be a big boon for the two of you, politically speaking. All those beneath you would feel confident in your alliance, and you¡¯d likely face no political pressure.¡± Dras¡¯ gaze jumped between the two of them. ¡°For my part, it¡¯srgely inconsequential. I suppose you get a solid stake in the Patriarchate when I pass, but historically chiefs are elected from all the family members, so it doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯m nning on making my session a grander electorate consisting of all Veidimen. That¡¯s one virtue of conquest: you can make up new rules.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ I would¡­¡± Anneliese began. Even she struggled to find words in this situation.


    ¡°As my kin, you¡¯d be second in the tribal hierarchy. The only person who could order you around is me. You could even order Rowe around,¡± Dras put his hand on the man¡¯s shoulder, and the S-rank spellcaster frowned. ¡°I think it matches well with this honor guard I¡¯d be sending. It¡¯s a good justification for weing them into your ranks.¡±


    ¡°You really value Gmon a lot, huh? You¡¯d offer this much from the get-go.¡± Argrave leaned in closer.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Dras scratched his cheek. ¡°It¡¯s one thing to have an emissary of the Hand Reaching from the Abysse to Veiden. It is another entirely if that man is king of the nation, there. I do not care to make an enemy of you. There are othernds beside this continent of Berendar.¡±


    Argrave was pleased, and about toment on the idea ofsting peace. Before he did, someone else spoke.


    ¡°It was your idea, was it not? This adoption?¡± Anneliese looked at Gmon.


    The big man closed his eyes and looked away, saying nothing. Argrave was shocked. He didn¡¯t know the old man had it in him to be this conniving. Maybe Argrave was rubbing off on him, teaching him the virtues of extorting friends and rtives.


    ¡°So, what do you think?¡± Dras held his hands out. ¡°Is this a good enough trade?¡±


    Argrave looked to Anneliese. ¡°I would never decide for her.¡±


    Dras looked a little surprised, but then he looked to Anneliese for his answer.


    ¡°I need not think for more than a heartbeat,¡± Anneliese said. ¡°Of course.¡±


    The patriarch nodded as though it was expected. ¡°Then, Argrave?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Argrave looked to Gmon. ¡°Good lord. I guess I¡¯m selling my friend for three hundred men and a father-inw. Sounds like the start to a joke, but¡­¡± he held out his hand for a handshake. ¡°Take good care of him. He¡¯s high maintenance. Whines a lot.¡±


    Dras chuckled and took Argrave¡¯s hand. ¡°Yeah. I remember it well. He yapped my ear off in the past.¡±


    The twoughed as both looked at Gmon. Then, in a rare show¡­ the man smiled slightly. It was slight enough no one took notice.


    #####


    The next day, Argrave appeared before the nobles of the south, the allied representatives of both the north and Veiden, and the Order of the Gray Owl. He came in on foot, this time. Vasquer was still in the room, but Patriarch Dras and Rowe walked as well. Rowe left his druidic bond to roost atop the Dragon Pce. It would be ridiculously ufortable to negotiate on the back of a snake¡¯s head, and things promised to be long and meticulous today.


    Argrave took his ce on the throne. It was cushioned, warm¡­ already a much better start than yesterday.


    Reinhardt was the first to step forward. He kneeled. ¡°We¡¯ve read through the great majority of what was delivered to us,¡± the margrave began. ¡°The decision of those beneath me is unanimous. With the conditions offered yesterday¡­ we would all be d to wee you as king, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Good. Good!¡± Argrave said, tapping the armrest of the throne. He felt that this result was the most assured, but he was still d to hear it. ¡°I am happy to have the whole of you as my vassals, too. Elenore can handle the details of the ceremony of fealty¡ªyou can speak to her after. And on the other note¡­ Elias, Rose, that promise I made¡­ she¡¯ll send you to talk to me after this summit is done, today. We can talk about getting the both of them healed.¡±


    Margrave Reinhardt lowered his head almost to the ground. ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty.¡±


    Argrave felt a bit strange seeing a man that had held him captive some months ago kneeling before him and calling him king, and he stared for a few moments. Anneliese tapped his shoulder, drawing him back to attention.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Argrave turned his gaze, drawn from his haze. ¡°So, Castro. Have you and your people had time to think about things,e to a conclusion?¡±


    The tower master stepped away from his crowd. ¡°We submit to Your Majesty¡¯s terms,¡± Castro lowered his head. ¡°The Order will coborate with the crown¡¯s wishes. I cannot speak to what each individual will do in way of support, but if Your Majesty offers seats on the parliament, I am sure many will be d to take them. We will grant ess to our knowledge as needed. For my part, I will¡­ greatly incentivize detailed cooperation with the crown, but each member of the Order is not bound to it.¡± The old man dipped his head. ¡°I hope Your Majesty recognizes this.¡±


    ¡°Of course I do. I benefited from Order neutrality, and so I¡¯d be a fool to infringe upon it.¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°We¡¯ll have to discuss how people might be rewarded for cooperating with the crown. I have my own set of incentives that might draw people to offer aid. But¡­ I¡¯m d that your people came around. I can assure all that you will gain much if you offer faithful service.¡±


    Argrave took a deep breath and sighed with a smile ying about his lips, pleased that things had gone so well. He spotted the Magister afflicted with dwarfism in their bunch, but he didn¡¯t see resentment in his gaze. Deciding to shelve the matter, he looked to Anneliese and then Elenore, giving each a light nod in turn.


    ¡°Excellent. I¡¯m d to put that behind us. I do intend to get to the specifics of how the parliament will y out, but there¡¯s another matter. Namely, our allies the Veidimen.¡± Argrave looked to Dras.


    The patriarch held his hands behind his back and stood straight. ¡°Argrave will marry my daughter in one month. An honor guard and dowry will be sent overseas to guard and protect her. This will signal the beginning of a long and fruitful alliance between our two peoples so that we might struggle against He Who Would Judge the Gods.¡±


    The southern nobles stirred at this news, but the reaction could be said to bergely positive. After the arrival of a dragon, the disy with Rowe¡¯s magic, and the sheer physical size of the Veidimen, few wanted to make genuine enemies of the snow elves.


    Argrave nodded. ¡°I want no bad blood, no enmity. I saw lynchings of Veidimen at Mateth after the invasion. If anything that barbaric urs again¡­¡± Argrave¡¯s gaze went to the Shadonder staked to the wall, crucified. He stared for a long while. When he finally looked away, people had gotten the message.


    ¡°Good!¡± Argrave said loudly, gently mming the armrest. ¡°Elenore, you take the floor. She¡¯s to be named the first Head of Parliament. Thereafter, it¡¯ll be an elected position, the time in office being eight years. Let¡¯s discuss the finer details¡­¡±


    #####


    Elenore wrote quickly on a piece of paper, working by the light of a magicmp on her desk. This room had a balcony, and Vasquer had rested her head just behind Elenore. The snake¡¯s golden eyes gleamed in the darkness.


    Elenore¡¯s desk shook lightly, and she looked up. She leaned back suddenly when the door burst open. Orion stepped inside, then shut the door and looked at her.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Elenore put her writing instrument down.


    Orion stepped to her desk, saying nothing.


    ¡°I¡¯m busy with Whitefields, and now this business with the parliament. Get to the point, Orion,¡± she waved her hand to hurry him along. ¡°If you¡¯re here to visit Vasquer, she¡¯s right there. Just be quiet. I need to focus.¡±


    ¡°It was you,¡± Orion said quietly. ¡°That rumor about Felipe. About him being that Shadonder that devastated the city.¡±


    Elenore tapped the desk a couple times, then said boldly, ¡°So what?¡±


    ¡°So what?¡± Orion put his hands on the desk and leaned down. ¡°My mother heard it. My mother,¡± he repeated. ¡°She thinks her husband became a demon. She was mentally wounded enough before, but now?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m at a pivotal point in the situation with Whitefields. I don¡¯t need this right now,¡± Elenore shook her head.


    Orion stood there, unmoving. ¡°We need to talk. Not you and me.¡± He looked up at Vasquer. ¡°All of us, as a family. All of what remains of this bloodline.¡±

 Chapter 350: Dynastic Troubles

    ¡°I know that it might seem ridiculous,¡± Argrave said, one hand hovering near the other which held a wriggling smander. ¡°But these things¡­ they¡¯re the key.¡±


    Reinhardt shook his head. ¡°We¡¯re the ones to ask you for help, Your Majesty. Why would we doubt what you do?¡±


    Argrave looked down at the margrave. It had been perhaps three or four months sincest they spoke, and now the situations between them had reversed entirely. It was a very strange thing to see Margrave Reinhardt and think of the past. That point ofparison struck home how much had changed. Argrave had done a lot. Some of it was worse than in Heroes of Berendar, and some of it was far better.


    ¡°Your Majesty?¡± Elias asked politely.


    Argrave was drawn from his thoughts. ¡°You¡¯ll have two options. The first is to eat these things, daily¡­¡± he began.


    Argrave exined the intricacies of the process to the two members of House Parbon, calling upon Anneliese to ry her experiences treating Elenore when necessary. When it was done he asked, ¡°Any questions?¡±


    ¡°None.¡± Reinhardt shook his head.


    ¡°Good. Then, these things aren¡¯t immortal. You¡¯ll want to get this over with quickly.¡± Argrave looked down at the smander. ¡°You¡¯ll either want your wyvern, or you¡¯ll want to leave now. I¡¯m curious where it is.¡±


    Reinhardt looked instinctually defensive. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ safe.¡±


    Argrave smiled at the margrave¡¯s paranoia. As he stared, he heard a knock on the door. Gmon, who was still acting as his knightmander for now, stepped to the door and opened it up.


    ¡°I need your help,¡± Elenore said, her voice entering the room before she did.


    ¡°That¡¯s rare. What is it?¡± Argrave tossed the smander at Elias, and the one-eyed man grappled with it frantically in his surprise. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, margrave¡­¡±


    ¡°Nothing more, Your Majesty.¡± The man dipped his head respectfully, and his mane of red hair covered his face.


    Argrave bit his lip, reminded once again of how much he enjoyed being undercover in the far north. It was hard to make fun of someone when they treated him like a king. It felt unfair. He turned to Elenore, and then he and his entourage walked out.


    ¡°You looked distressed,¡± Anneliese noted at once, and they walked down the hall following the princess¡¯ fast pace.


    ¡°I have news,¡± Elenore began. ¡°Rovostar¡­ he¡¯s abandoned his forces. On the bright side, they¡¯ve surrendered to us and sent his family as hostages. His eldest son was killed while resisting.¡± She looked at him, gray eyes somewhat bright. ¡°No more armies oppose you.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Argrave raised a brow. ¡°I only care about Duke Enrico by this point.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the thing.¡± Elenore crossed her arms as she walked. ¡°Rovostar took Duke Enrico with him alongside his small force. They marched right past ckgard and Relize¡ªthe garrisons tried to stop them, but they travelled light and our sallying defenders were unable to even wound any of them. They have a spellcaster with them, I¡¯m told. Last word I got¡­ they¡¯re headed for the Bloodwoods. It might be they enter, or it might be they look for a way out of this.¡±


    Argrave sighed and ced his palm against his face. ¡°I can¡¯t¡­ good lord. I knew I should have acted personally¡­¡± When he thought of what he might say to exin things to his cousin, he quickly asked, ¡°What about Nikoletta?¡±


    ¡°We did find her,¡± Elenore nodded. ¡°She was injured chasing after Rovostar¡¯s party. She¡¯s taking respite at ckgard with another¡ªMina of Veiden. Her wounds are already healed, but the garrison is retaining her. For her own safety,¡± Elenore added positively.


    Argrave nodded. ¡°We¡¯re due to head to ckgard again soon, anyway. Damn it all. Everything was going so well¡­¡± he looked to Elenore. ¡°What did you need my help with? Where are we going?¡±


    Elenore sighed. ¡°We¡¯re here.¡±


    She opened the door, then moved into the room. Argrave saw Orion sitting on the left, Vasquer situated on the balcony, and Elenore moved to sit opposite Orion. Vasquer barely fit: it was extremely evident that she needed much more room generally. Argrave looked about the room, perplexed.


    ¡°Have a seat, Argrave,¡± Orion gestured to a couch. ¡°We¡¯d like to talk.¡±


    Argrave furrowed his brows. ¡°Is this¡­ an intervention? What¡¯d I do?¡±


    Elenore gestured her hand at Orion. ¡°This man has been bothering me ceaselessly. He insists that we all should meet as a family.¡±


    ¡°Vasquer agrees with me,¡± Orion said defensively. ¡°A good family is open andmunicative. That¡¯s what she told me. I insist we meet monthly, to update the others on what we¡¯re doing, and to air any grievances.¡±


    Argrave leaned up against the doorframe, feeling a bit dizzy. Even here, he could not escape forced family fun.


    ¡°Come on, have a seat,¡± Orion repeated, pointing. ¡°You as well, Lady Anneliese. This is important.¡±


    Argrave hesitantly dislodged himself from the doorframe and walked over to the couch between Elenore and Orion, and then sat until he sunk into the cushions. He stared at Vasquer as she fit awkwardly into the room. Gmon shut the door as Anneliese sat beside him.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Orion said happily, running one hand over his beard. ¡°I¡¯ll start.¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± Argrave raised his hand. ¡°Why don¡¯t we just get mutual understanding through Vasquer?¡±


    ¡°She cannot be everywhere,¡± Orion pointed. ¡°She cannot travel as she used to. Her body is old and ailing. It was trouble enough for her to move from the underground position after years of suffering. We have to develop these family skills now.¡±


    Argrave sunk further into the couch, then fiddled with his ring as he stared off into space. The silence persisted for a few seconds.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Orion said. ¡°Then¡­ I¡¯ll start.¡±


    ¡°Why are we wasting time with this whole ordeal?¡± Elenore interrupted. ¡°All of this is just a pretext to moralize about the fact I¡¯m disparaging our dead father. I don¡¯t care, and you can¡¯t convince me to care. Don¡¯t bother.¡±


    ¡°No, I want to know why you don¡¯t care. This is about understanding,¡± insisted Orion.


    Argrave sunk a little further into the couch, fiddling with his ring faster. He looked up at Vasquer, pleading for her aid.


    Elenore scoffed. ¡°You don¡¯t even know what you want. All of this nonsense about family¡ªI don¡¯t want to hear it. You were father¡¯spdog for years, jumping to his whim just as eagerly as Levin. Even now you¡¯re defending his image. What am I to take from that? Can you even conceive of what he did to me? To Levin, Magnus, to all of us?¡±


    The two of them continued to stubbornly bicker, and Argrave¡¯s gaze jumped between the two of them. Orion has mellowed out so much, he noticed. Ordinarily, he¡¯d be stomping and getting close to her face and looming and ranting about the gods. I guess he really did have some bad influences.


    His gaze slowly switched to Elenore, who was saying something about how Orion probably enjoyed all of what he¡¯d done in the past. And Elenore¡­ she¡¯s getting a lot more emotional than she normally does. Anneliese told me she¡¯s been feeling very guiltytely. That¡¯s why she¡¯s been working so hard.


    Anneliese ced her hands on herp and leaned up, looking down at Argrave as he attempted to escape inside the couch. Her amber eyes watched him almost expectantly. On the other side, too, Vasquer stared with what seemed to be hope. Argrave slowly sighed and closed his eyes as he realized what they wanted from him.


    Argrave nted his hands on his knees and leaned in, saying loudly, ¡°Alright, alright, enough!¡± He looked between the two of them. Elenore crossed her arms and leaned back onto the couch defensively, and Orion sat there rigidly, surprised.


    ¡°You two aren¡¯t getting anywhere. Forget Felipe, forget what Orion¡¯s done, let¡¯s just start with simple, ground-setting crap.¡± Argrave looked between the two of them, then pointed both hands at Orion. ¡°Orion: why do you want to have this meeting, personally?¡±


    Orion looked at Argrave inly, then took a deep breath. ¡°Gmon told me to invert the problem to find out what I want.¡± The big man closed his eyes. ¡°I cannot keep making¡­ no, I cannot be as I was. And most of all¡­ I don¡¯t want to lose more than I already have.¡± A silver tear ran down his cheek.


    ¡°I must make right what I made wrong.¡± Orion opened his eyes, gray pupils bright. ¡°I want¡­ a family. A true family. I wish for what was illusion to be reality: love, respect, mutual struggle for prosperity. I thought I had these things, but I wronged Elenore, Levin, Induen, and Magnus in service of parents that did nothing more than weave a tapestry of falsehood. I enjoyed the lie I lived, as much as it disturbs me. But now I want to make that lie a truth.¡± Orion lowered his head. ¡°Please, Elenore.¡±


    Elenore stared for a few moments, then looked away, blinking quickly. ¡°Please, what?¡±


    ¡°Please allow me to be a true brother to you, as I never was.¡±


    Elenore pursed her lips and said, ¡°I can¡¯t exactly stop you.¡±


    ¡°Listen,¡± Argrave cut in. ¡°These next few months are going to be busy. With Gmon going away, the two of you are going to be my primary people for facilitating things. I need you two to be utterlyfortable with each other. And so¡­¡± Argrave tried not to sigh as he finished, ¡°I think we should do this until we¡¯ve figured it out.¡±


    #####


    The Tower Master Castro opened the door, stepping in. Argrave and Anneliese, who were eating breakfast, both turned their heads at his arrival.


    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± Castro greeted. ¡°You look¡­ tired.¡±


    ¡°I feel worse,¡± Argrave returned. ¡°Don¡¯t do the majesty stuff. It¡¯ll make what I¡¯m going to ask of you awkward.¡±


    Castro shot his head back. ¡°What might that be?¡±


    Castro was about to shut the door, but another hand caught it. Rowe the Righteous stepped in, and the two men locked eyes. Rowe wasrger than Castro by a far bit, but both held staffs, walked with a slight hunch, and had bald, wrinkly heads.


    ¡°You¡¯re that Tower Master,¡± Rowe said, his white eyes brightening in curiosity. ¡°Saw you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re Rowe. We¡¯ve interacted indirectly. I read a spell book you wrote,¡± Castro began evenly.


    ¡°Made an impression, I see.¡± Rowe¡¯s sagging lips curled in a rare smile.


    ¡°Before you two rent a room, hear me out,¡± Argrave interrupted them. ¡°I stayed up all night writing this, but I think I need both of your perspectives.¡±


    Argrave stood and retrieved a thin stack of papers, loosely held together by a thin, pliable metal clip. Argrave set it on the table, then ate another bite of food off his te. Castro eyed the documents curiously, but Rowe picked them up without a care.


    ¡°Since we¡¯re allies and all¡­ I was hoping you¡¯d help with my A-rank ascension,¡± Argrave said with a fatigued smile once he¡¯d finished chewing.


    Rowe read for a small amount of time, then looked up at Argrave. ¡°You¡¯re¡­ serious?¡±


    ¡°Who better?¡± Argrave spread his arms out. ¡°I do wonder who¡¯ll be more helpful. The two of you are at the top of your field, after all¡­ but which of you can do the better job?¡±


    Rowe chuckled dryly. ¡°Does he think we don¡¯t know what he¡¯s doing, manipting us like that?¡±


    ¡°No, he knows,¡± Castro took the papers. ¡°He just doesn¡¯t care.¡±


    #####


    ¡°Would you look at that,¡± Mnie said, looking down at a map. She brushed aside her long red hair, then looked up at Durran with a grin. ¡°Thest one standing.¡±


    ¡°Really now?¡± Durran, too, leaned over the map. He surveyed things, then leaned back. ¡°They really folded like a house of cards after what Argrave did.¡±


    ¡°Certain jobs are just peachy when you¡¯ve got the right boss,¡± Mnie rolled her shoulders, then stretched. ¡°Wee change after that damned crusade into the taiga, fighting severed heads. We¡¯ll contact this count tomorrow, get his submission one way or the other¡­ and then all of Atrus will be Argrave¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°We still have to finish that crusade,¡± he reminded her. ¡°I don¡¯t intend on leaving those necromantic abominations in the ground, just waiting to be unleashed on the world. Before we head back, we should kill them all.¡±


    Mnie narrowed her eyes. ¡°I see you¡¯re volunteering.¡±


    ¡°Feelingzy? Whatever. My bear has to eat somehow,¡± Durran stepped away from the table.


    ¡°I¡¯ll help,¡± Mnie disagreed. ¡°We¡¯ll bring the whole party, make a festival out of it. Oh, you¡¯re leaving?¡± she looked back. ¡°Sleep well, I guess.¡±


    Durran left the tent, returning Mnie¡¯s farewell. Once outside, he looked up at the red moon above. He walked through the arrayed tents, reaching into his pocket. He pulled out a small metal object. After a few seconds of prying with his thumb, the top of it came back.


    It was apass. Specifically, it was the mundanepass that Titus had given Argrave all those months ago. It was in Durran¡¯s possession, now. It pointed north faithfully even still, but Durran looked opposite where it was pointing. That was his intended direction.


    ¡°Not long now,¡± Durran muttered, then flipped the lid shut. ¡°How to deliver the news¡­? Maybe I shouldn¡¯t¡­¡±

 Chapter 351: First Session

    A few dozen people upied a spacious stone hall. They looked about the ce and spoke to each other in hushed tones so as not to send their voices echoing on the unadorned and immacte walls brightly lit by yellow magicmps. There were three sections to this room, divided by two separate and gently sloping stairways. These sections had long, thin, continuous tables in rows with chairs just behind them. They all faced a tform that had two chairs beside each other and a podium before them. There was one double door behind the rows of tables and chairs made of simple, heavy ck wood. Its surface bore a carving of a sun with its four rays turning into snake heads at the end.


    The door opened, splitting the symbol down the middle as it parted for a new arrival. ¡°All take your ces for His Majesty Argrave, sovereign of all Vasquer,¡± dered a red-headed woman with a scarred face dressed in mboyant fashion.


    The small crowds dispersed, some of them casting nces at the woman and muttering her name¡ªMnie. She walked into the leftward section, taking a seat of her own beside some people dressed simrly to her. The ce she¡¯d just left was soon filled with new arrivals.


    The first to step into the hall was a giant knight wearing golden armor. His long and thick single braid of ck hair came out the back of his helmet, swaying in the air as he scanned the room. Soon, other royal knights joined him, taking their ce in various strategic positions around the room. Content it was safe, Prince Orion stepped aside for the second arrival.


    A pale woman with long, straight ck hair in a simple green dress followed, escorted by a few knights of her own. She walked quickly, heading down the right aisle with certain steps. People watched her, but she paid them no mind. Princess Elenore took her ce at the podium on the tform, and her knights joined the others.


    Lastly, an extremely tall man wearing simple clothes of ck and gold entered. He was of average build even despite his height and had medium-length wavy hair colored like obsidian. His skin was somewhat pale, but his sharp jaw and strong gaze gave an impression of vitality. King Argrave took the left aisle nked by half a dozen knights.


    Beside the king was a woman shorter than he was, though still taller than most of the knights escorting them. She had long, straight white hair descending to her waist, some of it brushing past elven ears. She wore a modest white dress with amber decorating it at points,plimenting her eyes of the same color. Queen Anneliese had a dignified calm to her, though when she saw the many people watching took a step closer to Argrave almost by instinct. The Magisters of the Order of the Gray Owl watched her curiously, and the nickname ¡®Stormdancer¡¯ was muttered by a few.


    The king and queen made their way to the tform in the back of the room, and then took the two seats set out for them behind the podium. Orion came to stand between the two thrones, diligently watching as he stood prepared to guard the king and queen at any moment. With the royal family so closely gathered, one could tell by their obsidian-like hair and sharp gray eyes that these three were well and truly kin.


    ¡°The king is here.¡± Princess Elenore looked about the room. ¡°Parliament is in session.¡±


    Many adjusted in their spot in nervousness or anticipation. Argrave stared at the back of Elenore¡¯s head while Anneliese¡¯s gaze wandered the room. A golden birdnded on the queen¡¯s shoulder. On the stone arches supporting the ceiling, ck foxlike creatures with big ears loungedzily, golden eyes half-closed.


    ¡°There are forty members in attendance on this day.¡± Elenore finally continued, her eyes wandering until they fell on a tan-skinned man with golden eyes. Durran smiled brightly at her. She continued disaffectedly, saying, ¡°Some are temporary members. Some are standing in for their liege, who may be busy with governance or other duties. Some represent townships and cities. And some represent the interest of magical practitioners. Nevertheless, each and all of you are bound by a duty to represent the interest of all the people of Vasquer and ensure just governance. Do you so swear?¡±


    A vague chorus of, ¡®I do,¡¯ echoed throughout the hall. Loudest of all was Magister Artur. He sat in the front row beside his colleagues, unadorned with fine jewelry and hanging mantle as he usually was. He simply sat, eyes dancing with many colors.


    ¡°Before we begin, His Majesty would like to say some words.¡± Elenore stepped away from the podium, cing her hands behind her back.


    Argrave rose from his seat and stepped to the throne. He looked throughout the room for a moment. ¡°I will be brief. The purpose of this institution is very simple. It is stability. It is the beating heart of the country. No matter what urs elsewhere in the body, the heart must keep pumping. It must stand as the representative of the people before the king, letting their voice be heard and their will felt. In the event of dynasticplications or extended misrule, it must keep beating ever onward.


    ¡°Here,¡± Argrave continued, hand held out grandly. ¡°I will make my will known. And in turn, you will make the will of the people known. Like this, the kingdom governs as it vows to: on behalf of the people. Though you are forty now, that number will expand as this instrument of governance spreads its roots throughout thend. You must ensure lifeblood from the heart enriches every inch of thisnd. Remember this, if nothing else.¡±


    With that, Argrave gave one final look to the parliament, then stepped away back to his seat. Elenore stepped up and resumed her position.


    Elenore looked ahead and said loudly, ¡°The first matter for the parliament¡¯s decision is confirmation of His Majesty¡¯s ession to the throne of Vasquer. If any protest, speak now.¡±


    Silence reigned throughout the hall. Elenore waited a few moments.


    ¡°Then His Majesty¡¯s ession is undisputed, and King Argrave is confirmed as the sovereign of all Vasquer.¡± Elenore grabbed the edge of the podium, then continued, ¡°The second matter for parliament¡¯s decision is the unprecedented situation that urredst week. The first advent of Gerechtigkeit has reared its head in the edge of the Bloodwoods.¡±


    #####


    Argrave and Anneliese were thest to leave the Parliamentary Hall, barring his personal guards. The wide-open vale of what was alreadying to be known as ckgard awaited him, blooming with wildflowers at the beginning of summer. At the distant edges of the valley, the magic architects of Relize worked to fortify this ce in preparation for what was toe. They had made tremendous strides. The mountain was a natural shield, and now the sole path from the south was well-guarded, too.


    Argrave¡¯s mind whirled as he stared. As things awaken, spurred and controlled by Gerechtigkeit, refugees wille from poorly defended settlements. Bynd or ocean, we¡¯ll take them all. This ce will have to scale from empty ins to megalopolis very, very quickly. If we can¡¯t¡­ tens of thousands will die. And they might anyway, given the unexpected problem in the Bloodwoods¡­


    There were very many concerns to address about ckgard. This soil was conventionally nonarable at present. Even once Argrave solved that problem, the food supply would have to scale to the massive poption influx to be sustainable for at least two years, until the crisis was finished. epting so many refugees en masse came with its own slew of administrative problems, most of all the prospect of tensions from uneasy people. Furthermore, it promised to be incredibly difficult to establish a new center of administration for a kingdom that¡¯d focused around Dirracha for several centuries. Coastal ess would be a boon, but the coastal vige already here would have to be expanded to amodate grander harbors.


    ¡°Are you going to keep staring off into space?¡± Elenore asked him.


    Argrave looked down at her. ¡°Maybe I am.¡± He looked back at the wooden double door behind him. ¡°I think that went well. You directed them any which way you pleased.¡±


    She crossed her arms. ¡°It wasn¡¯tplicated. They¡¯re scared. Furthermore, your would-be worshippers of the Relizean army are spreading word of your exploits to anyone who listens¡ªyou¡¯re well-liked. On top of that, our parliamentary seats don¡¯t want to exercise too much authority¡ªthey¡¯re testing the boundaries of this newfound institution.¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°I used to be envious of how damned smart you are.¡±


    Elenore narrowed her eyes. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Now, I¡¯m hoping you¡¯re a little smarter than I thought,¡± Argrave finished. ¡°I haven¡¯t made things easy for you.¡±


    ¡°Could anyone have made it easy?¡± Anneliese asked.


    Elenore shrugged. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. I can handle it. I can handle them,¡± she turned her head, watching the distant parliamentary seats disperse. She looked back. ¡°You¡¯ll be off to your wedding, then.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Hardly a wedding,¡± Argrave said somewhat bitterly. ¡°More a business trip than a day of festivity. I finalize things with Dras, get Rowe¡¯stest revision of my A-rank ascension theory. After all that, we depart to meet with Nikoletta at the edge of the Bloodwoods the day after. Not exactly a honeymoon.¡±


    ¡°You may always renew your vows at ater date, brother,¡± Orion said, bright voice filled with optimism.


    ¡°Veidimen tradition does not call for festivity,¡± Anneliese reminded Argrave, grabbing his wrist. ¡°And we are not in a position to want for more. Imagine how it would seem, holding some grandiose ball when you preached about Gerechtigkeit¡¯sing.¡±


    Argrave took a deep breath and sighed, knowing full well she was right. Still, he couldn¡¯t dismiss it from his mind.


    ¡°On another note¡­ Durran wishes to speak with you,¡± Elenore said, her voice tight.


    ¡°Did he upset you, somehow?¡± Anneliese asked, in tune with Elenore¡¯s emotions.


    ¡°He always does,¡± Elenore said with a smile. ¡°I¡¯ll be off. I have to get back to the matter of roads.¡±


    ¡°Good luck,¡± Argrave left as she walked away.


    #####


    ¡°You¡¯re leaving?¡± Argrave asked, somewhat in disbelief.


    They were in a small party consisting of Argrave, Anneliese, Orion, the royal knights, Durran, and Mnie. Their group travelled across the grass of the vale, heading for the bridge that led back north so that they could head off to the edge of the Bloodwoods.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m asking permission to leave,¡± Durran rephrased it, pointing both of his hands gauntleted in wyvern scale at Argrave¡¯s chest. ¡°If you can think of a better use for me, I¡¯ll stay. That said, I think my best use would be gathering together some allies and treasures in the Burnt Desert to provide aid.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t get it,¡± Mnie shook her head. ¡°You do all that work getting Elenore¡¯s trust, now you want to head off?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s got minions of higher pedigree, now,¡± Durran shook his head, disagreeing. ¡°What do you say, old pals king and queen? Am I permitted to leave?¡±


    Argrave looked to the distant bridge, then sighed. ¡°At least Gmon had a wife toe back to. But you? Looks like everyone¡¯s going home. Did I miss the trend?¡±


    ¡°The trend is that the demons havended, and everyone is trying their best to pitch in,¡± Durran walked ahead and spread his arms out. ¡°After that stuff from the Bloodwoods spread around, everyone knows that something is very, very off. From what I hear, your cousin is lucky to be alive. I think I¡¯d do better as a liaison with the Burnt Desert than a glorified assistant to your sister.¡±


    Anneliese looked at him. ¡°Is that all?¡±


    Durran clicked his tongue. ¡°No, it¡¯s not. I was hoping you could brief me about the ins and outs of the Burnt Desert, so that my time there can be¡­ especially fruitful,¡± he alluded vaguely.


    ¡°It¡¯s your homnd,¡± Mnie pointed out, still ignorant of Argrave¡¯s depth of knowledge. ¡°Why are you asking him?¡±


    ¡°She keeps questioning me,¡± Durran pointed his thumb at her. ¡°Could you give a royal prerogative to muzzle?¡±


    ¡°I guess I can tell you what I know,¡± Argrave sighed, ignoring Durran¡¯s joke. ¡°Supposed to be my wedding, but I have to talk about that sandy ce. You¡¯re asking a lot.¡±


    Durran frowned. ¡°What¡¯s the big deal? It¡¯s just a marriage.¡±


    ¡°Is nothing sacred here?¡± Argrave caressed his forehead. ¡°Nobody¡¯s ever heard of grand marital ceremonies?¡±


    Durran responded back with banter of his own, but Argrave barely heard him. upying his mind was theing meeting with Nikoletta¡ªthe first in many months, and with her father¡¯s whereabouts still unknown. And even more than that¡­ what happened in the Bloodwoods loomed above, like Gerechtigkeit¡¯s personal response to all Argrave¡¯s efforts.


    And the worst part¡­ is that it might be just that.

 Chapter 352: Familial Mending

    Argrave stepped into the courtyard of the grand fortress that had been constructed at his behest some months ago. It marked the northern entrance to ckgard where they¡¯d tunneled through the mountain to bridge the Indanus Divide. The garrison had made the ce much more habitable since hest visited, building ramshackle if effective homes like some sort of castle town. He didn¡¯t intend to stay long. Still, someone waited for him: the two-eyed, red-haired Elias of Parbon.


    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± Elias greeted, lowering his head.


    ¡°Don¡¯t do that. You get a pass,¡± Argrave waved his hand. ¡°You and your father can call me whatever you want in private, as far as I¡¯m concerned.¡±


    Elias raised his brow, and Argrave couldn¡¯t help but stare at his two ruby-like eyes. A month ago one of them had been rotted away by a diseasemonly known as the waxpox, but now they were whole and healthy again.


    ¡°Why¡¯d you ask me to meet at the north side? I have to travel south to return home,¡± the man reflected.


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°Slipped my mind. But Durran and his fingers are back, and your eye looks whole¡­ so I have to ask, how¡¯s your sister?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s singing a lot,¡± Elias said brightly. ¡°And she says she¡¯s happy. I¡¯m not inclined to doubt her.¡± He scratched just above his forehead, then began, ¡°Argrave¡­ I can¡¯t thank you enough. Me, my sister, both of us¡­¡±


    Argrave held his hand out. ¡°So don¡¯t thank me at all. I don¡¯t want to hear it. I¡¯m more interested in that other thing I asked you and your father to deal with.¡±


    Elias shook his head lightly. ¡°You¡¯ve¡­ never mind. Alright, well¡­¡± Elias looked off to the gate. ¡°Things are just like you said: the people that had the gue have a lot of trouble returning to their lives. People won¡¯t employ them, and sometimes their old homes reject them. A lot of fear in the air. Most of the nobles were d to have us expel the gue-ridden from theirnd. They viewed it as a personal favor from His Majesty,¡± the man finished bitterly.


    ¡°Then you¡¯ve been rounding them up, sending them to Dirracha?¡± Argrave pressed.


    ¡°Yeah. Most of them got into the temporary housing.¡± Elias nodded. ¡°I never thought you the charitable sort. Why are you doing this?¡±


    Argrave frowned. ¡°Am I so horrible?¡±


    Elias stared.


    ¡°I¡¯m making some changes to the military,¡± Argrave sighed in defeat. ¡°Whenever the kings of the past needed an army, their options were three¡ªtheir personal forces, their vassal¡¯s forces, and a widespread levy. Separate, they¡¯re insufficient. Together, they¡¯re rather grand.¡± Argrave waved his finger and shook his head. ¡°That structure is a mistake, long term. I¡¯m tossing it aside, making something wholly new.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll make them soldiers?¡± Elias looked taken aback. ¡°Argrave, these people¡ª¡±


    ¡°They won¡¯t be treated like levies, don¡¯t worry.¡± Argrave interrupted Elias once again. ¡°You might not know this, but the waxpox fed on magic to sustain and grow itself. Because of the disease¡¯s attraction to magic, I can imagine there¡¯s going to be a great many diamonds in the rough, so to speak. Beyond that, those young and malleable enough will form the core of my new personal force¡ªnot royal guards, but professional soldiers. They¡¯ll be paid. Then, they can take care of their families. And when it¡¯s feasible¡­ House Quadreign will treat those it can with its me.¡±


    Elias scratched at his cheek. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ rather noble.¡±


    Argrave said nothing. He wasn¡¯t doing this to be noble¡ªhe was doing it because everyone avable needed to be used in the fight ahead. And he¡¯d stolen the idea from Orion and his Waxknights, regardless.


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep sending them to Dirracha, then.¡± Elias¡¯ voice was a little more optimistic than before.


    ¡°Elenore can handle the next part. Don¡¯t worry¡ªshe¡¯s been briefed,¡± Arrgave shook his head.


    Elias nodded. ¡°So¡­ you¡¯re getting married?¡± he looked at Anneliese, who had been quiet during this exchange. ¡°Me too. That¡¯s what I¡¯ming home to.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re having a wedding?¡± Argrave pointed.


    ¡°Sure, I think,¡± Elias shrugged.


    Argrave looked at Anneliese pointedly.


    #####


    They departed from the fortress at a little past midday. They travelled small, their group consisting only of Argrave, Anneliese, Orion, and some of his Waxknights. The journey from the fortress to Relize had taken four days in the past, but that had been with a sizable force of somewhat uncoordinated infantrymen on a steady pace. With fast-moving horses, the marble city of Relize came into sight by dusk. But Dras¡¯ encampment, their true destination, was long before that. That ce was more visible in many ways considering Rowe¡¯s dragon, Crystal Wind, rested on the ground with its pearl-like body.


    When they neared, Argrave recognized Patriarch Dras from a distance. He spotted another person at his side, and hastened the horse even more before Orion chided him to be more cautious. Once the two met, Argrave dismounted, walking forth with a smile.


    ¡°Gmon!¡± Argrave called out, walking to the man quickly.


    Gmon stepped ahead of Dras, taking off his helmet. His white hair was usually long, but he¡¯d trimmed it. He stood there, stoic as ever. Argrave gave him a hearty hug.


    ¡°It¡¯s damn good to see you.¡± Argrave pulled his head away.


    ¡°I thought it best toe.¡± Gmon looked to the side. ¡°Anneliese.¡±


    ¡°Hello again, Gmon,¡± she waved, smiling too.


    ¡°This guy treating you alright?¡± Argrave pressed, pointing his thumb at Dras as he stepped away. ¡°Things going well in Veiden?¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m d I asked for him,¡± Dras said seriously. ¡°And I¡¯m sorry to see these men go,¡± the patriarch looked back.


    Argrave frowned, then looked to Gmon to seek confirmation. The snow elf gave a somber nod, agreeing that things were indeed as dire as the patriarch imed.


    ¡°There are mountains and ciers in Veiden that are uninhabitable. Most people thought there was nothing beyond them, but¡­ a Twisted Twin of the Winter descended, driven mad by¡­ well, you can imagine what. The beast killed half a hundred before he was in.¡±


    ¡°A¡­¡± Argrave struggled to remember Veidimen lore from Heroes of Berendar. ¡°A frost ettin?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what an ettin is, but you¡¯re probably right,¡± Dras let out a long sigh. ¡°It¡¯s not just that. Things thought long dead are reappearing. On top of that, Gmon is still investigating the supposed reemergence of the Ebon Cult.¡± The patriarch closed his eyes for a few seconds, then opened them again and fixed his gaze on Argrave. ¡°Hah. It must sound like I¡¯m guilting you into letting me keep my men.¡±


    ¡°I am incapable of feeling shame,¡± Argrave shook his head.


    Drasughed loudly. ¡°Well, that¡¯s good. I¡¯ve found that to be a very valuable trait as a leader.¡±


    ¡°Gmon,¡± Orion said, stepping ahead of Argrave. ¡°The royal knights you drilled¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡± the snow elf said evenly, staring Orion eye-to-eye.


    ¡°They¡¯re very skilled,¡± Orion said earnestly. ¡°You have the soul of amander, and that shines through in their eyes. I¡¯m looking forward to seeing how these men of yours will transform Vasquer.¡±


    Gmon furrowed his brows, confused, then dismissed that and said simply, ¡°Thanks.¡±


    The sound of a heavy piece of wood meeting the grass attracted Argrave¡¯s attention, and he turned his head to watch Rowe walking over.


    ¡°Gmon¡ªget everyone together, bring them here,¡± Dras directed him. Gmon nodded and walked off as Rowe took his ce in front of their group.


    ¡°Look at you,¡± Rowe said, sizing him up. ¡°You¡¯re getting fat.¡±


    Argrave was taken aback and looked down at his stomach. ¡°No, I think I was just quite skinny before.¡±


    ¡°Not your body. Your head. That has to be what¡¯s inside there, considering how utterly shoddy this thesis of yours remains,¡± Rowe retrieved a stack of papers, waving them about in the air. ¡°You¡¯ve been eating the low-hanging fruits, and now you¡¯ve found yourself too fat to jump to get the harder ones.¡±


    Argraveughed, Rowe¡¯s brutal criticism wee reprieve from being called ¡®Your Majesty¡¯ by each and all. ¡°I think I¡¯m almost ready to put that shoddy thesis into action, ascend to A-rank. Just have to get everything in ce.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve been ready to do so for weeks, now. You¡¯re just a coward. Everything has to be perfect for you to take the slightest step forward. Rather unlike your woman, here.¡± Rowe looked to Anneliese.


    ¡°He is younger than I am,¡± Anneliese defended. ¡°And he bled for me, elsewise I would have failed utterly.¡±


    Rowe snickered, but as he did, a great rumbling shook the earth. Argrave craned his neck, looking beyond cautiously. Orion¡¯s royal knights came to attention, too, cing their hands on their swords. Then, Argrave realized what it was.


    Three hundred Veidimen warriors stepped out of their tents in a refined and practiced order, marching almost in lockstep before they took a formation behind Patriarch Dras. They had Ebonice axes on their waists, swords as tall as grown men in their hands, and shields big enough to cover their whole torso strapped to their arms. Many wererger than Gmon¡­ and each had an icy discipline in their eyes.


    ¡°These are your men,¡± Gmon dered, stepping out of the crowd until he came to Argrave. ¡°I chose them, personally. Each and all signed contracts in blood to serve you, and only you, until their deaths. They will do whatever you ask of them. I will introduce you to the three officers of their numberter.¡±


    Argrave looked at them just as they looked at him. They seemed like proud lions, each and all. Just as they would be devastating on the battlefield, so too would they be hard to tame. Their loyalty was assured by contract, but Argrave wanted their respect. He¡¯d have to think of how to earn it.


    Dras put his hand on his waist, looking them down. ¡°Three hundred and three¡ªmore than was asked for. My three best officers are here, and I hate to lose them. But I made a promise, and it will be kept.¡± He looked at Anneliese. ¡°They¡¯re a fitting honor guard to be gifted for my daughter¡¯s wedding, I should think.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°How is the adoption ying in Veiden?¡± Argrave asked curiously.


    ¡°People understand,¡± Dras shook his head. ¡°And Rowe¡­ spoke on her behalf,¡± the patriarch alluded vaguely. ¡°Regarding her¡­ before we begin the ceremony, there¡¯s something Anneliese should hear.¡±


    Anneliese¡¯s face grew amodating as she asked, ¡°Yes? What is it?¡±


    ¡°Your mother and younger sister are here,¡± Dras said evenly.


    Anneliese¡¯sposure faded for a moment as her features twisted in surprise. ¡°What? You cannot be serious,¡± she said, blinking quickly as her hands moved anxiously. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Is it so strange?¡± Dras tilted his head. ¡°They¡­ well, your mother wanted to speak to you before the wedding,¡± he corrected. ¡°Alone, preferably.¡±


    Anneliese stood there agape.


    ¡°I see this might not be as innocent a request as I thought it was. I took you as my daughter,¡± Dras continued. ¡°If you say no, they will not speak to you. Still, I¡¯ve delivered the message.¡±


    Anneliese looked at Argrave. He offered her his hand, and she took it. For a few seconds, she said nothing. Then, after swallowing, she said, ¡°I will meet them.¡±

 Chapter 353: The Reunion Union

    Anneliese pushed open the fur p of a traditional Veidimen tent, walking within. The first thing she saw was a wood-burning iron stove, its makeshift chimney piping smoke through a hole in the top of the circr tent. These dwellings could be constructed in thirty minutes by veteran Veidimen, and the fur padding outside and wood stove could stave off the coldest conditions. It brought back memories, and seemed far out of ce in the warmth of the summer they found themselves in.


    Next, her mother fell into sight: Kressa. She was short for a Veidimen, not at all like long-legged Anneliese. Even still, that ced her a little above six feet. She had bright white eyes and golden blonde hair kept at shoulder-length. She looked a little heavier than Anneliese remembered. The probable exnation for that sat in her hands¡ªa newborn child.


    ¡°Anneliese,¡± Kressa said, her voice bright with genuine surprise. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯de. Much less alone.¡±


    Anneliese kept her feet firmly rooted to the ground as she replied, ¡°Dras said you asked me toe alone.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ yes, I did. But you never listened to me in the past,¡± Kressa shook her head, then when the baby in her hands made a noise, soothed it quietly. ¡°Look. Your baby sister, Rache,¡± she said, holding the child out slightly.


    Anneliese looked at the little girl wrapped in furs. Though she had Kressa¡¯s eye and hair color, she recognized bits and pieces of her mother¡¯s husband in the facial features. She refocused on her mother and said, ¡°I thought that Dras was talking about Jire.¡±


    Perhaps I set myself up for disappointment thinking that she woulde, Anneliese reflected, but left those words unspoken.


    ¡°The day you left without a word was the day we found out I was pregnant with Rache,¡± Kressa continued. ¡°You can¡¯t me Jire for being upset.¡±


    Anneliese sighed and turned on her heel towards the entrance.


    ¡°Don¡¯t go,¡± her mother called out with some urgency, stepping forward. ¡°Don¡¯t go, please. I didn¡¯te here to fight.¡±


    Anneliese paused and looked back. Her mother¡¯s genuine plea brought her pause, and she hesitantly stepped away from the entrance.


    ¡°It was very difficult for me to muster the courage toe here again,¡± Kressa said with a tremoring voice. ¡°This ce brings back only bad memories. The unending green, the people¡­ we barely survived.¡±


    Annelise swallowed, looking down at her mother. ¡°Then why did you, exactly? I have some trouble understanding it.¡±


    ¡°Because I don¡¯t want to part,¡± Kressa said simply. ¡°You¡¯re my daughter. You¡¯re my family. We can¡¯t just never speak again¡ªthat¡¯s not right.¡±


    Anneliese stood silently, blinking as she waited for her mother to continue.


    ¡°Word of you reaches home very often,¡± Kressa continued, looking to her child and lightly swaying. ¡°And look at you. You look wonderful. Apparently, Rowe the Righteous tells all those he teaches that they¡¯re drooling imbecilespared to you. He gave my mother a real dressing down when she fought back,¡± sheughed.


    Anneliese chuckled quietly.


    ¡°I was really d that she got taken down a peg. I can¡¯t remember how many times she did the same to me. Ah, but¡­ don¡¯t mistake me,¡± Kressa said. ¡°I¡¯m not here to ask you for anything, or¡­ or take advantage of you, or anything like that. I just¡­ I was very sad when you left. I cried enough your father thought I would miscarry.¡±


    ¡°My father¡¯s dead,¡± Anneliese shook her head.


    Kressa¡¯s face tightened. ¡°You know what I meant. My husband.¡±


    Anneliese nodded calmly.


    Kressa stared for a few moments, then said, ¡°Dras ims you¡¯re getting married.¡±


    ¡°In the Veidimen way,¡± Anneliese nodded.


    ¡°To the king, no less,¡± Kressa smiled. ¡°I remember in my time here¡­ anyone that spoke ill of the king was hated. Everyone answers to him. But you¡­ you¡¯re so talented, smart, beautiful¡­ I think you¡¯re the reason he is where he is, hmm?¡± She smiled up at Anneliese sincerely, the spitting image of a proud mother. ¡°Your father¡­ your real father, he was that way, too. Even if he was living scum, he was talented.¡±


    Anneliese crossed her arms and shifted away on her feet.


    ¡°So, do you think I can meet your husband-to-be?¡± Kressa pressed. ¡°If not, perhaps you could tell me about him? We can spend the day, maybe.¡±


    Anneliese raised a brow, minutely surprised. She slowly lowered her arms and said, ¡°He¡¯s¡­ his name is Argrave.¡±


    ¡°Argrave¡­ definitely a name from thisnd,¡± Kressa nodded, stepping back towards the stove. ¡°Shall we meet him? Or maybe we can sit down, talk? I¡¯d love to hear an update from you. We can take the day to catch up!¡±


    ¡°I, uh¡­¡± Anneliese stepped a little more inside the tent. ¡°I fear I cannot, today.¡±


    ¡°Oh, how forgetful of me,¡± Kressa shook her head. ¡°Your wedding. Then, tomorrow, certainly?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Anneliese shook her head. ¡°Not just that. I have other things I must attend to with Argrave. I¡¯m afraid that it¡¯s just not feasible to linger for too long.¡±


    ¡°When, then?¡± Kressa tilted her head.


    ¡°Things are very busy,¡± Anneliese shook her head. ¡°Perhaps I can write, but we head off to the Bloo¡ª¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t bear to see my face, is that it?¡± Kressa said with a tight voice. Anneliese eyed her cautiously as her mother continued, ¡°I fed you, clothed you, kept you safe, and you don¡¯t want to even look at me, talk to me more than a few minutes?¡±


    Anneliese suddenly felt very exhausted, and she rubbed between her eyes to ward that away. Old patterns realigned in her head, and as they did, she remembered the best solution. ¡°Goodbye, Kressa,¡± she said decisively, stepping towards the door.


    ¡°Where are you going? Don¡¯t go, Anneliese!¡± Kressa called out. This time Anneliese did not change course, and so she spat, ¡°All I did for you, and you¡¯ll never show me one ounce of affection? That man, he¡¯s not your blood!¡±


    The baby, Rache, started crying as Anneliese¡¯s steps quickened. She pushed past the tent ps, then walked through the camp with quick steps.


    #####


    ¡°It was¡­ strange,ing home,¡± Gmon said. ¡°So much has changed. So much stayed the same.¡± The elf took a deep breath and sighed. ¡°Rhomaden was a tiny little bundle when I left. Could fit him in my hand. Now¡­¡± Gmon looked off to the side. ¡°I think I¡¯m just a big man called ¡®father¡¯ to him. Missed so much. So much I can never do with him.¡±


    Argrave listened patiently but didn¡¯t know how to respond. Instead, he asked, ¡°But Muriem¡­ she was happy to see you, right?¡±


    Gmon lowered his head and grinned. ¡°¡­yes.¡±


    Argrave raised his brows. ¡°See? I told you it¡¯d all work out.¡±


    Gmon fixed his cold white eyes upon Argrave. ¡°But it hasn¡¯t. It¡¯s only begun.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true,¡± Argrave admitted. ¡°That¡¯s why I was hoping to get some details about what¡ª" he trailed off as Gmon¡¯s head whipped to the side.


    Anneliese pushed open the ps to the tent and stepped in quickly. She paused when she saw Gmon and Argrave sitting together.


    ¡°We can finish another time,¡± Gmon said, rising from his chair. He left quickly.


    Anneliese slowly walked to Argrave as he rose to his feet. She rubbed her eyes hard, looking as though she was utterly exhausted. She nted her head against his shoulder, sighing deeply.


    ¡°That bad, huh?¡± he said, wrapping his arms around her.


    ¡°You noticed? How empathic,¡± she replied drolly. ¡°My head feels full of rocks. I struggle to keep it above my shoulders.¡±


    Argrave put his hand on the back of her head and jostled it lightly. ¡°Seems normal to me. Might be cement brain, though. Harder to detect.¡±


    Annelieseughed once, staying still. ¡°I cannot make sense of it,¡± she said quietly, voice muffled. ¡°In one moment, she acts so kind, so loving¡­ and it is genuine, I know it. She feels these things as surely as she expresses them. The next¡­ her tongue turns to acid. Such a hatred, just as pure as the love had been. I got out before it got as bad as it usually does, but¡­ hah. Historically, I know it is best to avoid her. Still, afterwards¡­ I always wonder if this time, things would have been different.¡±


    Argrave kissed the top of her head, holding her quietly.


    ¡°It was like that when I was younger, too,¡± Anneliese recounted distantly. ¡°She would cry, call me precious, hold me tight¡­ but the inverse came just as quickly. And if I avoided her, she would say she was going to hurt herself, jump into the ocean¡­¡±


    Argrave basked in the silence, then thought of something. ¡°Is that why you hated those jokes about suicide¡­?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Anneliese finished.


    He took a deep breath. ¡°Damn, I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m sorry, Anne.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± she grunted into his shoulder. ¡°Maybe I was just being sensitive.¡±


    Argrave shook his head. ¡°Don¡¯t think that way.¡±


    Anneliese lifted her head up and looked at him, amber eyes shining against thest light of dusk. ¡°I like thinking that way. I saw countless people that, when faced with one tragedy, turned it into five or six by weakness of will.¡± She shook her head. ¡°Self-pity does nothing for no one. No matter whates, you cannot pity yourself.¡±


    ¡°Is that a lesson for me?¡± Argrave tilted his head.


    ¡°If you had ever truly pitied yourself, you would not havee this far,¡± Anneliese told him, then closed her eyes. ¡°I think I am preaching. I apologize.¡±


    ¡°I like hearing the way you think,¡± Argrave disagreed. ¡°But put all that nonsense with your mother behind you, Anneliese.¡±


    ¡°And my sister,¡± Anneliese pointed out. ¡°My baby sister.¡±


    ¡°Your mother had another kid?¡± Argrave furrowed his brows, and then when Anneliese nodded he looked to the side and said, ¡°Wow.¡±


    ¡°We should get ready,¡± Anneliese reminded him.


    #####


    The red moon was directly overhead, full and bright. Anneliese and Argrave sat atop a hill, peering up at the moon.


    ¡°So¡­ we just stay out under the moonlight, ande morning, we¡¯re married? This would be kind of dangerous in Veiden, no?¡± Argrave asked Anneliese.


    ¡°Barring the vows, you¡¯re correct. You would think it is dangerous,¡± Anneliese agreed. ¡°These joining ceremonies seldom end in harm, though, and then it¡¯s supposedly a sign of a poor match.¡± She looked at him. ¡°It¡¯s quite rare for people to actually do this. Typically, the couple simply tells the chieftain or makes a public announcement. Like I said¡ªVeidimen culture is not especially grand.¡±


    ¡°Vows, huh?¡± Argrave lied down against the grass. ¡°I¡¯ve got a lot in mind. I could make the vow to never love another woman¡­¡±


    ¡°That might make having daughters troublesome,¡± Anneliese reflected.


    Argraveughed. ¡°Fair point.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to vow anything,¡± Anneliese said, and he looked at her in confusion. ¡°I know how you feel.¡±


    ¡°What if I want to?¡± Argrave looked at her.


    Anneliese stared back for a few moments. ¡°Well, I suppose Veid would hear these vows. Then, you¡¯d be punished if you broke them.¡± She looked back at the moon. ¡°Given that Veid might being to this realm soon enough¡­ perhaps it¡¯s best to keep that tongue sealed.¡±


    ¡°Erlebnis told us that a lot of gods are keeping their eye on us, not just Veid,¡± Argrave reminded her. ¡°Hmm¡­ if that¡¯s the case¡­¡± heughed.


    ¡°What?¡± she looked at him funny.


    ¡°I vow¡­ that if any of you godly pieces of shit hurt Anneliese, I¡¯ll personally see to your death,¡± Argrave dered, pointing to the sky and shooting finger-guns.


    Anneliese looked extremely embarrassed and hid her face. ¡°You are practically inviting disaster, you realize.¡±


    Argraveughed, then wrapped his arm around her waist. ¡°Well, you pointed it out. That neutralizes it.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    She resisted briefly as he tried to pull her towards him, but in a moment fell atop Argrave and rested against his chest. After a moment ofughter, the two of them settled down in peace.


    ¡°Since you made a vow¡­¡± she said quietly. ¡°I vow¡­ that I¡¯ll make sure you and I live long and happy lives.¡±


    Argrave smiled broadly. ¡°You¡¯ve outssed me yet again. I think I¡¯m gonna steal your vow, make it my own. And since we¡¯re both saying it, it¡¯s definitely going to happen.¡±


    ¡°You pointed it out,¡± Anneliese said. ¡°That neutralizes it.¡±


    ¡°Ah, damn,¡± Argrave yed along. ¡°Quick, think of another one.¡±

 Chapter 354: New and Old

    The night came and went very quickly. Argrave and Anneliese spent a lot of time together, but they seldom did so while doing nothing more than enjoying each other¡¯spany. In this manner, the joining ceremony was a precious opportunity that reminded him of the good fortune he¡¯d had in meeting her. Argrave had beenining about not having a proper wedding, but by the morning he came to realize that this was a far nicer way to celebrate than with expensive pageantry andrge groups of people obsessing over the two of them.


    They returned in the morning. The Veidimen warriors were eating their rations¡ªsalted meat constituted the bulk of that. They were big and fierce, but that meant they ate nearly twice as much as a normal person to maintain that strength. Gmon had assured Argrave that these men were used to dealing with food shortages and foraging, but it still elicited some concern.


    After some time to eat of their own, Argrave and Anneliese rejoined with Orion and then met with the patriarch once again. He was with Rowe and Gmon in his tent, dismantling some equipment to pack for their journey back.


    ¡°Congrattions,¡± were Dras¡¯ first words to them as he deconstructed a chair. ¡°The two of you are now husband and wife. Dare I ask what vows you made?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Argrave scratched his ear. ¡°We made a lot of them. Couple hundred, maybe.¡±


    Annelieseughed quietly in remembrance ofst night.


    Dras gave confused nces between the two of them, but he prudently shook his head and dismissed it. ¡°Then we¡¯ll be going. The men I promised are yours¡ªthe rest will be sailing back to Veiden today.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m thankful for your support. These men will be well-utilized.¡± Argrave nodded, then turned his head to Rowe. ¡°And I appreciate your refinement of my A-rank ascension. I think the next time we meet, you¡¯ll be very surprised.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, sure.¡± Rowe nodded. ¡°I think you¡¯ll still be dragging your feet when next we meet. Or maybe I¡¯ll be looking down at a corpse in a coffin. That would be a little less surprising than your sess. Your ascension is an active body reformation¡ªthose are the most dangerous kind, you realize. Not many of those are discovered¡­ without incident.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve gotten advice from so many people, it¡¯d be embarrassing if I failed,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°And besides, I¡¯ll be doing it in a ce that minimizes my risk.¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes. The ssic coward¡¯s tactic: take risks only when it¡¯s not risky.¡± Rowe nodded knowingly. ¡°If you seed, though¡­¡± the old S-rank wizard shook his head, eyes a little wide. ¡°I¡¯ll have to make far fewer jokes at your expense.¡±


    ¡°I question if that day will ever trulye.¡± Argrave shook his head, and then stepped up to Gmon. ¡°I think it¡¯s time you introduce me to those officers so we can get on the road.¡±


    ¡°Come,¡± Gmon said, stepping past Argrave.


    Along the way, Gmon exined what he¡¯d promised to the day before: namely, the situation in Veiden. It was more or less as Argrave expected it to be. Fear and panic were high, and the problem was exacerbated by asional assaults of things that fell under the waxing influence of Gerechtigkeit. The same thing prevailed here in Berendar, too, though Veiden was being hit harder¡ªperhaps it was because of their unity, or perhaps there were simply more things for Gerechtigkeit to throw at the Veidimen.


    Eventually, they entered into the officer¡¯s tents. The three of them in question knelt on the ground, cleaning up thest of the interior of their tent. When Gmon and Argrave entered, they rose and came to attention. Though uniform in equipment, they all looked a little different.


    ¡°This is Bastal.¡± Gmon gestured towards a white-haired, white-eyed man. He was the smallest of the three and kept his hair long yet bound into a ponytail. ¡°That¡¯s Grimalt.¡± The next was a shaven man with amber eyes¡ªthergest of the three, standing taller and wider than even Orion. ¡°And then Rasten.¡± Thest was a lithe man with golden eyes and hair. He reminded Argrave of Durran, and not from eye color alone. ¡°Each of these threemand a unit of one hundred.¡±


    Gmon looked at the men. ¡°You will call him Your Majesty,¡± he informed them, then pointed at Anneliese. ¡°And her, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± the men confirmed in bold unison.


    Gmon nodded. ¡°In time, I¡¯ll return as knightmander. For now, you answer to the king and queen first, and this man second.¡± He looked at Orion.


    ¡°They seem like good fighters,¡± Orion said, voice echoey from behind his golden helmet.


    ¡°And spellcasters,¡± Argrave noted. ¡°Dras went far beyond what I asked.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re B-rank, all three. They stagnated there,¡± Gmon nodded. ¡°I may have insisted Dras allow me to choose them in particr.¡±


    Argrave smiled and stepped closer. ¡°I¡¯m going to ask a lot of you. Not just you three, but each and every man beneath you. If you know the prophecy, then you know whates. And if you know whates, then you¡¯ll know that what we have is insufficient to fully contest who you know as He Who Would Judge the Gods. You¡¯re going to have arge number of men beneath yourmand, in time. Not only that, but they¡¯ll all be fresh¡ªyou¡¯ll have to bring them from the ground to the skies.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re prepared, Your Majesty,¡± answered Bastal, quickest to adapt.


    ¡°I hope so,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°Tell me¡ªwhat do you think about fighting Gmon?¡±


    The three of them hesitated, saying nothing. Gradually, Grimalt managed to say, ¡°He¡¯s unbeatable.¡±


    ¡°Even with magic?¡± Argrave pressed.


    ¡°If he has Ebonice, almost definitely unbeatable, Your Majesty,¡± Rasten confirmed. ¡°The man¡¯s a fish in waterpared to a baby in the sea. As a matter of fact, I¡¯d prefer to be a baby against a fish than fight against Gmon.¡±


    Argrave spread his arms out. ¡°Some of that is him. But some of that is this, also.¡± Argrave tapped Gmon¡¯s armor.


    Gmon crossed his arms, nodding.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to be heading to a ce called the Bloodwoods. But first, we need to make a stop at a city called Relize. Each and every one of you are going to be sized for new armor. It enhances your physical prowess, wards you from lesser attacks. And then¡­ I think you¡¯ll find Gmon a little less unbeatable.¡±


    The three looked at him stoically even despite his uplifting words. Disciplined, professional, stoic¡ªthese men exuded the same qualities that Gmon did. It was precisely what he needed to make the sort of force that he wanted.


    ¡°Tell the men to gather their things and prepare to march,¡± Argrave directed them.


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty,¡± they replied asynchronously, then gathered some things efficiently and stepped outside.


    Once they were gone, Orion said cautiously, ¡°I think it will be impossible to find enoughrge horses to carry these men. Preparing one for you and I and a few others¡ªcertainly, it¡¯s manageable, but¡­ three hundred? Few horses are bred stalwartly enough.¡±


    Argrave stepped towards the tent¡¯s p, parting it. Once outside, his eyes wandered the camp. Grimalt barked out an order. And then¡­ it was like a beehivee alive. Their tents could house five, and each group of five worked with startling efficiency to prepare for travel. In one minute, all the fur lining was gone. In the second, everything within was stowed away. In the next, the wooden constructions were dismantled. By the fourth, they were packing these materials away into backpacks. And before the fifth minute passed, all three hundred stood arrayed. A vast iny empty where the camp had been.


    Gmon and Anneliese watched with pride, and Argrave looked at Orion. ¡°Something tells me that won¡¯t matter much.¡±


    Orion looked back. Even the tent they¡¯d just been in moments ago was gone, stripped and packed away. Argrave was very much looking forward to seeing them pitch these tents.


    #####


    They parted for Relize not too long after the men had finished preparing¡ªfunnily enough, it took longer for Argrave¡¯s party to prepare than it did the troops. After saying a final farewell to Gmon, they left at midmorning. Along the way, Anneliese and Argrave discussed how best to utilize these new elven forces to build up the army he envisioned. Having the snow elves¡¯ disciplined coordination permeate his army would be a greater boon than one hundred thousand men.


    Their troop was received by Ansgar Dandn on behalf of his father, Leopold. Once there, a great many of Elenore¡¯s men were ready and waiting to receive the Veidimen. They took their measurements, wrote down names, and then prepared to send those into Dirracha. There, the royal smiths would reforge royal knights¡¯ gear into armor that fit them. For practicality, Argrave requested that the armor not be ridiculous and shiny gold. Orion didn¡¯t like this, but unfortunately for him he¡¯d abdicated to Argrave and so was not king.


    Argrave oversaw things for a little while, ensuring that the Veidimen would be taken care of here in Relize in way of food and such. Rather than disturb the citizenry, hemanded that they pitch their tents outside the city. He intended to join them to build the beginnings of camaraderie. But first¡­


    ¡°Elenore sent something for you both, Your Majesty, Your Highness, alongside a report,¡± Ansgar informed Argrave and Anneliese after a while. ¡°It wasn¡¯t urgent, so I refrained from immediately telling you. Still, I think you should see it.¡±


    After nking for a few moments, Argrave ced what she might¡¯ve sent and smiled. ¡°Right, right. Let¡¯s see it, then.¡±


    Argrave followed Ansgar into the city with Orion as his escort, heading towards Leopold¡¯s estate by the river. Once there, they were led into a side room.


    ¡°Leopold around?¡± Argrave questioned.


    ¡°I believe so, Your Majesty. Shall I get him for you?¡± Ansgar gestured towards the door.


    ¡°No, no,¡± Argrave waved his hand, looking towards the table as Anneliese walked towards it. She picked up a breastte and held it up in the air. As she examined it, he pressed, ¡°These are the items?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty,¡± Ansgar confirmed. ¡°Shall I send for someone to help you wear these?¡±


    ¡°I think that Anneliese and I can take care of it,¡± Argrave said, waving Ansgar away. ¡°Thank you. You can go now. Orion, please wait outside the door.¡±


    The prince nodded, stepping out alongside Ansgar. Once the door was shut, Argrave walked up to stand beside Anneliese.


    ¡°They are rather pretty,¡± she said, looking at them.


    ¡°Pretty?¡± Argrave watched her, then looked to the armor on the table.


    Argrave¡¯s leather armor made in Jast had served him very well throughout his journey¡ªserved Anneliese, too. Both of them might be dead without it. Even still, it was only made to modern enchanting standards, and thus far inferior to salvaged elven gear that the royals worked with. Elenore was going to remedy this rather simply, but in an unexpected turn of events, Artur, a Magister of the Order, had offered to add his own personal enchantments to the gear atop the elven enchantments of old.


    Needless to say, this made Argrave paranoid at first. From what he recalled, Artur had argued vehemently against Vasquer¡¯s equal cooperation with the Order. Measures were taken, however¡ªCastro personally monitored the process of making the gear. Anneliese even verified Artur¡¯s sincerity. With those two assurances, Argrave let it happen.


    Artur was the best enchanter in all of Heroes of Berendar, barring an enchantment-focused yer. He knew a few old elven methods, even¡ªlore dictated he¡¯d discovered them on his own, entirely independent of their civilization. The man had promised a very appealing piece of armor, and Argrave couldn¡¯t deny him.


    This new armor was not too far removed from what Argrave worked withst time. It was two sets of leather¡ªone ck, one gray. The gray one was heavier, the ck lighter. They both had heavy, fur-lined dusters. Beyond the fact they were fully repaired, Argrave saw much more metal at points¡ªthis was to amodate the new enchantments, no doubt, as leather couldn¡¯t carry magic as well as metal. The most significant addition was arge metal breast te.


    Argrave could see the magic pulsing along the metallic armor¡¯s surface. The front of the te was indented intricately with his personal heraldry¡ªa sun with eight rays, the four on the cardinal directions ending in snake heads. It was a dark, brassy color. As Anneliese said, the magic made the breast te look rather beautiful.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Argrave picked it up.


    ¡°Would you help me put it on?¡± Anneliese looked at him.


    Argrave looked at the armor, then at her. ¡°No. I¡¯ll wear it first, test dummy it.¡±


    Anneliese scoffed but listened. He removed his clothes, putting on the new ck leathers first and then the breastte over it. Anneliese had to help him with that part, naturally. Last was the duster. Argrave rolled his arms about once it was all in ce¡ªat once, he felt some difference. When he jumped, it was much higher than he remembered.


    ¡°Damn. Watch me on the b-ball court,¡± Argrave noted, kicking his legs outward and inward. ¡°I feel pretty powerful.¡±


    Anneliese threw something at his face. Argrave flinched involuntarily, yet nothing struck him. He saw what she¡¯d thrown rebounded, cast to the ground harmlessly.


    ¡°What was that for?¡± he demanded.


    ¡°It seems Artur¡¯s enchantments are in ce.¡± Anneliese picked up what she¡¯d thrown¡ªan acorn of some kind. She threw it again. Argrave didn¡¯t flinch this time¡ªwind manifested, batting the projectile aside. ¡°Amazing. I wonder how it works¡­¡± she mused, stepping up and examining her own piece. She looked back at Argrave after a moment. ¡°It seems we are a little better equipped than we were. And Artur¡¯s to thank.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Argrave looked down at his armor in wonder. ¡°Looks that way,¡± he agreed. ¡°I wonder what else is on this thing¡­?¡±

 Chapter 355: Sea of Land

    It was the morning of the next day. They had slept in a separate tent with the Veidimen. Argrave stared at a piece of soft bread with distinct finger marks. That had been his doing¡ªin grabbing the bread, he underestimated his strength and crushed it. There had been several other simr incidents this morning alone to the point where Orion had even given him advice. That wasn¡¯t something he thought he¡¯d ever be dealing with.


    Fortunately, he wasn¡¯t alone in this. Anneliese, too, wore her reforged armor. She adapted quicker, but she also broke a doorknob in Leopold¡¯s home. The power that these enchantments granted was overwhelming. As Argrave got the ball rolling, he intended to specialize his enchantments to those rting to magic. For now, this was a wee boon.


    On top of all of that, there was what Artur had added to the armor¡ªprotection from mundane weapons and projectiles on the whole body, temperature moderation, and slow fall. Each and all would be immeasurably useful, though frankly, Argrave did debate leaving it off despite the total confidence from Anneliese and Castro both. The incident with Traugott still rung in his mind, and even today the man¡¯s whereabouts were unknown.


    In the end, Argrave¡¯s reason won out. Artur was a very prideful person and hated being looked down upon. He waspletely obsessed with personal standing. Unlike Traugott, who found no worth in what people thought of him, Artur only cared what other people thought of him. He wore shy jewelry, showed off his enchanting prowess by hovering in the air with his mantle, and made sure that his products were far superior to anyone else¡¯s. All that Argrave knew of him suggested that he would never deliberately sabotage some of his work.


    Still, the decision was close enough Argrave brought out an old doubt-assuager, perhaps hoping it might magically have new entries.


    Traits: [ck Blooded], [Intelligent], [Magic Affinity (High)], [Blessing of Supersession (MAX)]


    Skills: [Elemental Magic (B)], [Blood Magic (B)], [Healing Magic (B)], [Illusion Magic (B)], [Warding Magic (B)], [Druidic Magic (B)], [Inscription (B)], [Imbuing (B)]


    Argrave had the bread in his right hand, a piece of paper to his right side, and the bronze hand mirror to his left hand. It had been a long time since he looked at the mirror. It now had B¡¯s all across the board. It reminded him of high school¡ªall B¡¯s, consistently below great grades.


    Whatever the mirror said, he hadn¡¯t needed it to bolster his courage in a long time. His brain adapted to this world fully¡­ hell, he was married, even. If that wasn¡¯t adaptation, what was? And frankly, his nightmares had all but vanished. He did wonder if that might change in short order as Gerechtigkeit started making himself known. Nightmares from beyond the void were rather adept at creating nightmares in the head.


    ¡°Hmm. It looks like Vasquer is going to be ready to move, soon,¡± Anneliese said, hunched over the paper to his right as she read.


    Argrave chewed and swallowed, then said, ¡°Really? That¡¯s good news. She¡¯ll be a lot safer in ckgard, I think. Fewer people around. Big mountain range to hide in. Nothing really dangerous to bother her, barring the stuff that¡¯s deeper under the mountain.¡±


    He took another bite, and Anneliese turned her eyes away from the paper. ¡°Would you like me to dictate Elenore¡¯s report for you, considering you¡¯re busy stuffing your face?¡±


    Argrave smiled as he chewed, then swallowed. ¡°Just give me the summary.¡±


    Annelieseughed and seized the paper. ¡°Well¡­ okay. Elenore is erging the parliament, giving them more official and active roles in overseeing governance. With the money from taxes and the trade from the Archduchy, she¡¯s looking into expanding her informationwork a bit more, and also branching out into businesses that she was unable to as the Bat.¡±


    He nodded as he ate.


    ¡°Vasquer will be¡ªoh, already read that¡­¡± Anneliese listed. ¡°The foundation for the army is being set. She hopes to have arge body of fresh troops prepared by the time we return, with basic fitness seen to. She¡¯s establishing provision agents for purchasing supplies more efficiently¡ªthat is rather smart,¡± she remarked. ¡°Repairing and building roads for faster transportation¡­ and the first extermination and retrieval team has been sent out, with Mnie heading it.¡±


    ¡°Which ruin will they be exploring?¡± Argrave focused.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ off the coast, near the mountains of House Parbon¡­¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Leviathan Ruins, probably,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°I think¡­ oh, I remember what¡¯s there. Rudimentary golem knowledge, and another something far more important: the first piece to the puzzle that is the nightmarish Iron Giants.¡± Argrave tapped Anneliese¡¯s hand. ¡°We¡¯re going to be d we don¡¯t have to deal with those things when the timees. Fun to fight, though. Err, forget I said that.¡±


    ¡°Your knowledge¡­¡± Orion spoke up, and Argrave turned his head. ¡°Sometimes, it overwhelms my mind.¡±


    Argrave shrugged. ¡°Try remembering all of it. You conte fiction with reality, reality with fiction, all in this strange homogeneous memory porridge that makes you doubt yourself at every turn¡­ I guess it¡¯s an advantage in the end, but still.¡±


    ¡°Elenore seems to have things at hand,¡± Orion noted. ¡°We head to the Bloodwoods, thend of the wood elves. Only they prevailed against my father on the field of battle. Though ancient evils reawaken on our exalted soil today, they never died in those forests. Giants and worse roam. Even the trees themselves are thousands of feet tall.¡± He focused on Argrave. ¡°What might transpire there?¡±


    Argrave blinked nkly for a few seconds¡ªthe way Orion talked caught him off guard, sometimes. He shook his head and said, ¡°Well, I want to figure out exactly what happened. I heard about some¡­ natural disaster¡­ that wiped out a fortress, perfectly coinciding with arger-scale attack from Yettles¡ªlittle warriors made of wood, about ye tall,¡± Argrave demonstrated, holding his hand about three feet off the ground. ¡°Pretty dangerous. They can attach to you, drain your blood. And their thorns usually have disease.¡± He looked to Anneliese. ¡°You learned that B-rank [Cure Disease], though. Should be fine.¡±


    Orion nodded, then tilted his head. ¡°What can you learn bying here? And depending on what you learn, what can you do?¡±


    Argrave turned around on his chair. ¡°If you¡¯ll notice, Gerechtigkeit has never yet had a personal hand in things. That timees farter. Everything he¡¯s done has been through third parties. He¡¯s corrupting various powers, employing them to his ends in subtle ways.¡± Argrave scratched his chin. ¡°Felipe was one such example.¡±


    Orion nodded, having been told this long ago.


    ¡°Other divine parties will descend before he does¡­ and ruin things,¡± he said, voice distant and eyes zed over. He focused and continued dismissively, saying, ¡°Anyway, I just want to find out what it is and whether or not it¡¯s a bigger concern,¡± Argrave exined. ¡°Like you mentioned, the Bloodwoods prevailed against Felipe in the past. That wasn¡¯t a coincidence. There¡¯s the wood elves¡­ numerous, very deadly, and with a society that¡¯s militarized enough that most kids say ¡®kill¡¯ instead of ¡®mom¡¯ first. Then there¡¯s the other major group there. You fought versus a centaur, Orion¡ªhe was a hard opponent, no?¡±


    The prince crossed his arms. ¡°He was¡­ hard to strike, yes.¡±


    ¡°They roam the bottom of the Bloodwoods inrge ns¡ªusually one hundred or more,¡± Argrave began. ¡°They hunt in packs, preying upon giants, great beasts, elves¡­ they only eat meat, you see, and they¡¯re not particrly discriminating as to whether or not what they eat is intelligent. When their numbers were higher, they advanced out into Vasquer to capture humans.¡± He looked around, and both Anneliese and Orion were entranced. ¡°They were so fierce the elves took to the trees for shelter, building homes far above the ground. The centaurs adapted to hunt with marksmanship, building great bows far taller than you or me¡ªthen, the elves adapted again, so on and so on. It¡¯s a very brutal ce with a long history of internecine warfare between the two intelligent species of thend. If they didn¡¯t fight with each other, perhaps they¡¯d have taken over this continent by now.¡±


    ¡°Is that whates?¡± Orion asked seriously. ¡°A great conqueror, born among the nomads?¡±


    Argrave smiled. ¡°A universal ruler, you might say. No. The centaurs have a lot of trouble doing that whole unification thing.¡± He turned back around to finish his meal. ¡°And if I have it my way, we¡¯ll approach this through diplomacy instead of hostility. Might be difficult, but what isn¡¯t? No way we head in immediately¡ªuntil those Veidimen are equipped with gear on the level of royal knights, it¡¯s a fat chance I¡¯d ever risk walking into the Bloodwoods. I¡¯m liable to get sniped by an eight-foot arrow flying at the speed of sound. And even if Artur¡¯s gear is nice, I don¡¯t trust it to stop that.¡±


    ¡°Why go at all? I think you could achieve this with Elenore¡¯s men,¡± Orion said, still confused.


    Argrave tapped the table for a few moments. ¡°Nikoletta¡¯s father is still missing,¡± he said quietly. ¡°She did a lot for me way back when. So did her dad. It wasn¡¯t¡­ prudent¡­ for me to head here, this past month. Still, it¡¯s been weighing on me this entire time, making me feel like dirt. But now I have more time.¡± He looked up. ¡°In the grand scheme of things, she got the worst end of things. I want to try and fix that.¡±


    Anneliese leaned in a little closer. ¡°I remember what you said to me about this ce when you thought you were dying. You mentioned steppes, dryads, malfeasance¡­ about how I should side with the centaurs after the civil war because they are cooler.¡±


    Argrave raised his brows, then shook his head. ¡°I promise you that¡¯ll make sense. I just¡­ I never expected to be king back then, I guess. Thought we¡¯d be here earlier.¡± He yed with a fork. ¡°I¡¯m d I have Elenore.¡±


    Orion opened his mouth to ask more questions, but then someone pushed into the tent.


    ¡°Your Majesty, the baggage train is prepared,¡± Ansgar told him. ¡°It has enough non-perishable supplies tost a group of three hundred about a month. Given the¡­ unusual nature of your men, it mightst considerably shorter, but it should suffice for the trip.¡±


    Argrave looked back. With a decisive nod, he turned back and shoveled thest bit of food into his mouth, overstuffing himself. He rose, using gestures in way of words. It was time to depart.


    #####


    When Argrave departed from Relize, he did so with energy and confidence. He didn¡¯t care to fall intoxness, but he felt confident enough in advancing to the edge of the Bloodwoods. It was a greatly foreboding ce. The trees, though concealed by some mountains near Relize, towered high enough to make it seem like they moved toward a great living city.


    As they grew closer, Anneliese thought she understood why Argrave had mentioned steppes¡ªthe scenery thinned a lot, all trees and shrubbery dying away until there was nothing but empty ins and a single grass-overgrown road. Argrave had to tell her that this was not actually what he had been referring to, which stoked her curiosity further.


    And Argrave¡¯s curiosity was stoked as he came upon the scene of the natural disaster. He could understand why the reports had been so vague. It resembled an earthquake, perhaps, or a terriblendslide. Thick, long roots jutted up and out of the earth from the beginnings of the redwood forest, having overturned vast portions ofnd until the meagre fortress Felipe had left at the edge of the Bloodwoods had been mostly consumed by dirt and root. He saw a great many bodies even from this far away. Some were human¡ªothers, the aforementioned Yettles.


    A new structure stood a fair distance from the old. It was made of stone, newer, and far better manned. Argrave could spot some mages, probably at B-rank. And waiting outside on horseback was Nikoletta. She already rode towards them on horseback. A bird asrge as she was trailed behind, and Argrave slowed his horse.


    Nikoletta of Monti rode a fair distance away from Argrave, slowing her horse. She wore the gray leather armor of House Monti, a faded blue swordfish emzoned on the front. She¡¯d had long ck hair, but it was now cut to be only a little below her head. He thought merely looking at her that her demeanor had changed greatly. A predatory brown bird that resembled an eagle soared about, circling her far above.


    ¡°I have to wait months to speak to you?¡± Nikoletta said first.


    ¡°Be respectful,¡± Orion reminded her.


    ¡°I¡¯m talking to my cousin,¡± Nikoletta fixed her pink eyes on him fearlessly. ¡°And with my father in a ce only the gods know, I¡¯m feeling quite foolish,¡± she said with a tense and exhausted voice as she looked at Argrave, clearly emotional. ¡°Why evene here, now?¡±

 Chapter 356: Coast to Coast

    Argrave stared at Nikoletta without batting an eye even as her eyes wavered on the point of frustrated tears. He couldn¡¯t me her for being distraught that he¡¯d note to help when her father had been captured. Were his reasons understandable, logically? He thought so. He had to prioritize stabilizing the country over saving one man. But with her father caught by Vasquer loyalists and dragged across almost the whole of the country, reason probably didn¡¯t factor into the equation for her, presently.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Nikoletta,¡± Argrave said earnestly. Earnest apologies had solved a lot of his problems in the past.


    This time, the apology seemed to make her angrier. ¡°That isn¡¯t what I asked,¡± Nikoletta shook her head, and the bird above her cried out, drawing Argrave¡¯s eyes away. ¡°Why evene now? Had you forgotten? Did my father and I jump into your head as an afterthought one night, Your Majesty?¡±


    Argrave shifted on the back of his horse, looking to the Veidimen behind him before focusing ahead on her. ¡°I came to help.¡±


    Her firm posture crumpled somewhat, and her head nearly met her horse¡¯s as she bent over. ¡°Well, you¡¯re probably toote to do that. The only thing missing to pronounce his death is his body. If indeed we can find that¡ªperhaps he¡¯s been eaten by the centaurs.¡±


    With thosest words, Nikoletta turned and rode back towards the fort that she¡¯d juste from. Argrave watched her ride away for some time, then looked to Anneliese somberly. She gave him a sympathetic nce.


    Orion rode up beside Argrave. ¡°Cousin or no, that was disrespectful. She should be reprimanded, Your Majesty.¡±


    Argrave side-eyed Orion. ¡°Her father is missing. Don¡¯t tie the noose yet.¡±


    ¡°Does that give her total amnesty?¡± Orion¡¯s gray eyes seemed sharp even through the small holes in his golden helmet.


    Argrave looked at him pointedly. ¡°Think about how you acted when you lost family.¡±


    Leaving the prince to stew on that, Argrave directed his horse forward after Nikoletta. They took things at a slower pace, giving the garrison of the fort ample time to see the approaching honor guard of Veidimen. As had been the case at Relize, they watched with awe at the sight of the hulking warriors.


    There was a small stable established at the side of the fort, and their party trusted their few horses with the people there. They walked through the gate to be greeted by three: Nikoletta, Mina of Veden, and Magister Vasilisa. The blonde sister of the Archduchess of the North was a little taller than Nikoletta. Mina had grown her golden hair out long¡ªit was as though she and Nikoletta had traded hairstyles, with Mina¡¯s long and Nikoletta¡¯s short.


    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± Mina bowed her head somewhat. It was strange hearing her refer to him as something other than her nickname for him, ¡®Grave.¡¯ She looked to the next, greeting, ¡°Prince Orion. And your friend, Anneliese.¡±


    ¡°Wife,¡± Argrave corrected tly, trying not to sound proud.


    Mina stared at him with her greenish yellow eyes. ¡°So she¡¯s not your friend.¡±


    That reminded something he¡¯d said to Nikoletta long ago, and he looked at her to see if she thought the same. It did, evidently, because a small smile yed about her lips. Soon enough mncholy took its roots in her head again, and the air between them grew somber as it had been.


    ¡°Congrattions,¡± Magister Vasilisa told Argrave, then looked at Anneliese. ¡°I suppose I should call you Your Highness, now. I think you¡¯ll be a good queen. You make this man¡¯s scheming antics seem almost noble, somehow.¡±


    Anneliese smiled. ¡°Thank you, Vasilisa.¡±


    ¡°And my niece,¡± Vasilisa continued. ¡°Is she representing my sister well on the parliament?¡±


    Argrave blinked, trying to think. ¡°Svena? I haven¡¯t gotten anyints.¡± He looked back at Nikoletta. ¡°To the point, though. That little natural disaster I saw on the way in¡ªit was the roots that disturbed the earth, right? Not the other way around.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Nikoletta paused. ¡°I was busy fighting those damnable woond creatures. They nearly killed me. But I¡­ yes, I think so.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re called Yettles.¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°Anne, I want you to scout out the roots, tell me what you see. Orion¡ªhelp me get the Veidimen situated here at camp. I want to make some observations before I press any further,¡± hemanded, feeling it was starting toe naturally to him.


    ¡°I can save you some time,¡± Nikoletta called out as Argrave started to walk away. ¡°I¡¯ve been scouting with my bird.¡±


    ¡°So it was druidic magic.¡± Argrave looked at the bird still circling about above the fort¡¯s courtyard. A golden sh flew by it as Anneliese¡¯s Starsparrow surged out, already moving to scout as he directed. ¡°Very impressive. That means you have reached C-rank. I thought so, but¡ª"


    ¡°There are a lot of elves on the opposite side of those roots. They very nearly killed my eagle.¡± Nikoletta looked in that direction, lifting her head upwards towards the top of the redwoods. Even behind walls, one could see the trees nearly anywhere. ¡°They¡¯re building strange structures atop the offending trees. More of theme every day¡­ but I haven¡¯t seen a single one on the ground, yet.¡±


    Argrave took a deep breath. ¡°I¡¯ll figure things out,¡± he promised.


    Nikoletta stared at him. He wasn¡¯t sure what she was thinking at that moment.


    #####


    Anneliese¡¯s scouting deemed it safe to approach a decent way closer. Argrave was beyond curious. Enemies couldn¡¯t dynamically transform the terrain in Heroes of Berendar¡ªnot enemies you could fight, at least. He had his suspicions, but nothing more. He wasn¡¯t sure a closer look could give him any insight, but he looked closely nheless.


    ¡°Are you going to taste the soil?¡± Nikoletta asked him as he stared at the great mound of roots that had overtaken the old fortress like a tide. ¡°Will you cut open a pig, read its entrails? However will you magically learn what happened?¡±


    Argrave¡¯s gaze wandered the roots, acutely aware of Mina¡¯s gaze boring a hole in his head. Orion and Vasilisa both stood in front of him as though the thick wooden tendrils mighte alive again and assault their party. He wasn¡¯t ruling out the judgement himself. Anneliese watched with a curiosity that suggested she might not be opposed to that happening.


    ¡°I see them.¡± Orion spared a brief nce back to Argrave. ¡°Wood elves. And mayhap they will see us.¡±


    ¡°That big tree in the wends¡­¡± Anneliese mused. ¡°Where we fought that thing that puppeteered corpses. Waqwaq. These trees look quite simr now to it now that wee close. That one was corrupted, but the point stands.¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°It was nted by that centaur Orion fought. Matesh. He was an exile.¡±


    Nikoletta¡¯s gaze wandered between the two of them. ¡°When do you intend to go into the woods?¡±


    Argrave focused on her once again now that she¡¯d said something oundish. ¡°When I can be sure it¡¯s safe.¡±


    ¡°If that won¡¯t be soon, I¡¯ll go myself,¡± Nikoletta shook her head.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°When did you be so aggressively stupid?¡± Argrave narrowed his eyes. ¡°Do you think your father would like it if you died searching for him against the advice of people that care for you? This ce is dangerous. You almost died. I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d be the one that reminded you of that fact, but here we are.¡±


    Mina nodded in agreement, but Nikoletta was undeterred. ¡°What do you know?¡± she turned her head away, seemingly undaunted.


    ¡°About losing a father?¡± Argrave looked at her.


    Though technically true, the words were empty. He supposed he did miss his real father on Earth, but it felt¡­ different. Regardless, it seemed to strike home for Nikoletta, and she looked guilty. Argrave thought her behavior was rather odd.


    In Heroes of Berendar, Nikoletta had changed after the Veidimen sacked Mateth. Many of the people she knew and loved died. She was colder, harder, and more vengeful in that timeline. He saw stripes of that now¡ªthe irreverence, the cynicism, the drive. He hoped to turn the car around before she came to that point. But frankly¡­ he shared some of her pessimism about the situation. The prospects for Duke Enrico were slim if he was in that hell with Rovostar and Georgina as was suspected.


    In the middle of the silence, Anneliese abruptly walked away. She headed for the somewhat distant shore. Argrave watched her, puzzled. ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°Checking something,¡± she said.


    Argrave furrowed his brows, then followed after her. Her steps were hurried, and he had to move a little quickly to catch up with her. They walked along the wave of roots emerging up from the ground, and though Argrave was curious about what she intended he was sure she¡¯d exin in due time.


    Eventually, they came to the shore. Anneliese peered out into the slowly crashing waves of the North Sea. Argrave looked behind¡ªon the opposite side was therger ocean, but the North Sea was contained withinnd without ess to the wider ocean much like the Caspian Sea. Her eyes wandered the coast. Argrave waited, knowing well to let her mind wander where it was going to wander.


    Then, she knelt, dipping her head into the water. Orion arrived by this point and cautiously inquired, ¡°Your Highness¡­?¡±


    ¡°Be careful. There¡¯s some nasty stuff in those waters. Don¡¯t want to get an infection or something like that.¡± Argrave knelt down as he offered that reminder.


    After a few moments, Anneliese lifted her head up. She conjured magical water of her own to wash out her eyes, then exhaled. She looked at Argrave. ¡°I saw roots poking out all along the coast. I do not speak of little thin tendrils of roots, either¡ªthey are long, thick tendrils, as vast as the pile of wood that we see here.¡±


    Anneliese rose to her feet. ¡°I had always been curious why nts do not ept saltwater like freshwater. I could never find the answer, but I did some tests when I was younger before I was scolded for sabotaging crops. And though different, what I guess¡­ what I guess is that these roots are taking in a lot of salt.¡± Her eyes wandered back where they¡¯d just walked. She walked up to a root, then looked to Orion. ¡°Cut this,¡± she directed him.


    Though puzzled, he drew his sword and cut it. She collected the severed root and licked it. ¡°Mmhmm,¡± she said, grimacing. ¡°Tastes exactly like seawater.¡± She tossed the root to the ground, wiping her hands free. ¡°I observed a simr expansion around everywhere in the forest, not just here. This was no coordinated attack. Something has gone awry.¡±


    ¡°Awry? Very astute, Your Higness.¡± Mina¡¯s breathing was a little heavy. She had the shortest legs of all of them and seemed bitter about the fact she needed to run to keep up.


    ¡°I do not recall you mentioning anything of this scale in ourte-night talks,¡± Anneliese looked at Argrave, amber eyes serious.


    ¡°Something of this grandiosity¡­ the closestparison I might draw is that of the gue Jester.¡± Orion stepped to the coast beside Anneliese.


    Argrave closed his eyes, thinking hard. ¡°An event this massive¡­¡± he opened his eyes and looked to the Bloodwoods beyond. ¡°So suddenly, so powerfully, and with wood-based creatures moving in tandem¡­ forget the gue Jester¡ªit could be an ancient god.¡±


    ¡°You speak truthfully?¡± Orion said grimly.


    ¡°¡­yeah.¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°I wish I was lying, believe me. But¡­ yeah, it could be.¡±


    ¡°What does that mean? What are you even talking about?¡± Nikoletta stepped in front of Argrave.


    Argrave looked down at her. ¡°It means that Divine Feudalism might be here, already. And if it¡¯s here¡­¡±


    He couldn¡¯t finish that thought, he found.

 Chapter 357: A Measured Response to the Unmeasurable

    When Grimalt¡¯s new liege returned, he thought that the king looked rather trepidatious. He always had a keen intuition about how others felt, and the times he was wrong was more so misinterpretation than mistake. Nevertheless, Argrave had a strongposure in wake of whatever crisis he faced, and he gave orders to the three Veidimen officers¡ªnamely, himself, Bastal, and Rasten.


    King Argrave¡¯s order was simple: fortify this frontier fortress better against the Bloodwoods. It stressed the importance of haste as though some enemy might bear down on them at any moment. Bastal and Rasten thought that this was a test, but Grimalt wasn¡¯t so sure. They dug arge moat in front of the fortress, using magic to aid in this task. When that was done, they left it dry¡ªapparently whatever enemies mighte didn¡¯t use siege weapons or tunnels, so filling it with water was unimportant. The king himself joined in this task. Though nonemented on it, Grimalt could tell that endeared him in the eyes of his fellows somewhat.


    But then, all the Veidimen were already quite endeared to the king considering he took one of their own to wife. The queen was named Anneliese. They shared a distinct eye color, so Grimalt felt a certain kinship with her. It made him question what tribe she hade from. He did not recognize her name, but then supposed she had adopted a name from thisnd when she became queen.


    And in time, they might all take names from thisnd. Those here had been chosen by the patriarch and Gmon based on several criteria. They were all veterans of many battles, they were all faithful of Veid, and they all had not yet started a family. Ining here, they brought with them hopes¡ªhopes that they might make this fertile continent their home, hopes that they might spread the glory of Veid. There could be no higher honor than fighting against He Who Would Judge the Gods, standing in defense of the Mother of Veidimen. And from all they had heard, there was no one closer to the van than King Argrave. Whether they ended this war in a fire of glory or settled into a life of prosperity after victory, none could deny they lived.


    That night, however, the king called the three of them to his tent. The king¡¯s closest council was there, plus the new faces¡ªNikoletta, Vasilisa, and Mina.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to say some stuff. I don¡¯t want it spreading around, so make sure your lips stayed sealed, all of you,¡± the king began, leaning over the wood stove keeping this ce warm amidst the cold air of the night. With the roots having overrun the ce, there was nock of wood to burn.


    Grimalt and his twopatriots nodded in a soldierly fashion. Anneliese and Orion remained calm, but the other three did not rest so easy.


    ¡°Your men have been scrambling about like ants all day, Your Majesty,¡± Mina said politely, though Grimalt thought he noticed a subtle undercurrent of unease beneath the woman¡¯s well-developed fa?ade. Human or elf, Grimalt was finding their emotions yed the same. Mina continued, asking, ¡°What are you preparing for? What exactly is this?¡±


    ¡°You keep talking, it¡¯s gonna be hard for me to get to that.¡± Argrave looked at her pointedly. After a few moments, he cleared his throat. ¡°Talk to me casually, here, all of you. Your Majesty takes so long to say that it¡¯s a waste of time. But to the point: our ns have changed, somewhat. They might change more depending on what Elenore gets back to me with. Anneliese is going to get her reply tomorrow.


    ¡°I¡¯ll say the facts as I understand them. Once that¡¯s done, we can get into my spection.¡± He raised his hand up, counting as he went. ¡°The first fact: those roots encroached upon a fortification. Second fact:rge numbers of wood elves have gathered near the edge of the Bloodwoods, and they¡¯re building things in the branches of the redwood trees. On top of that¡­ their wire traps are just about everywhere. Third fact: the roots of the Bloodwoods are expanding unnaturally. The forest floor of the Bloodwoods has beenpletely overrun with them. A lot of centaurs are dead or trapped and dying.¡± He entwined his hands together. ¡°Which kills part of my n¡­¡± he said bitterly.


    Grimalt listened intently, though some parts he didn¡¯t quite follow yet.


    ¡°As for spection¡­¡± Argrave rubbed his palms together, as though he didn¡¯t like saying it. ¡°I think a god belonging to another realm has made a breach between its realm and this realm deep in the Bloodwoods. And I think it¡¯s trying to kill the entire forest, so that everything within is forced to migrate into Vasquer.¡± Argrave looked at everyone in turn, letting the silence hang. ¡°I say that ¡®I think,¡¯ but it¡¯s really Anneliese¡¯s idea¡ªI just stole it.¡±


    ¡°After providing the information,¡± she defended him.


    Grimalt leaned in, cing his hands upon his knees. ¡°Your Majesty¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡± King Argrave stared at him with steady gray eyes.


    Grimalt could see his new liege was eager to hear what he had to say. Emboldened by this, he asked quickly, ¡°We are ignorant of thisnd. What would a mass migration mean for the kingdom?¡±


    ¡°The wood elves¡­ we might ept them, somehow. It¡¯d be difficult. I¡¯ve got a guying¡ªGanbaatar. He¡¯s a wood elf. I want to see how I might swing some diplomacy. There¡¯s the centaurs, too. I hoped to make fast friends with them, but the ones not dead or dying have all retreated to the Mother¡¯s Steppe. They¡¯ll be difficult to reach there, but also safe there¡­ still, they need to eat meat. Carnivores like them can¡¯t stay in the Mother¡¯s Steppe forever without resorting to cannibalism.¡±


    ¡°But there are other concerns in the forest they should know about.¡± Nikoletta, the king¡¯s cousin, looked at Grimalt. He spotted some lingering loathing as she looked at the Veidimen, but he couldn¡¯t discern why.


    Argrave nodded. ¡°Migration from the elves isn¡¯t the concerning bit. There are giants¡ªbrutes well over thirty feet tall. Pachamamas¡ªgiant herbivores that live in the branches. Those are the primary two that can eat the fruit and leaves of the redwoods in that forest, and so form the start of the food train. Carnivores are far more abundant. The Amaroks are wolves big enough it takes a whole pack of centaurs to take down¡­ and they can walk with the wind, too, making traps or smart formations all but useless. The wood elves use Amarok tendons to make their wires.


    ¡°Those wolves fight with the Mishis¡ªpanther-like creatures with weaponized tails about fifty feet long, the tip of which are covered in spikes that the centaurs use as arrowheads.¡± Argrave rose to his feet, pacing about the room. ¡°Then there¡¯s the only other nt life in the forest¡ªthe Yateveo, roaming unintelligent nt lifeprised of a digestive core and numerous entwined palpi that eat flesh for sustenance. I could go on to the insects, but looking at your gaping, horrified faces I think you get the point.¡±


    Grimalt swallowed, feeling a bit uneased he could detect no hint of dishonesty in the king¡¯s voice. What he ryed wasn¡¯t rumor¡ªit was as though he¡¯d seen it himself, Grimalt judged. When hisrades looked to him for confirmation, knowing well his judgement of people, he could only nod and listen further.


    ¡°If the trees die¡­ all of thates out of the forests?¡± Prince Orion asked seriously. ¡°You¡¯re certain that¡¯s the result?¡±


    ¡°The trees are utterly essential to all life in the Bloodwoods. You look on the forest floor, you don¡¯t see much shrubbery, grass, or even mushrooms¡ªit just doesn¡¯t grow. The trees there monopolize all resources and nutrients. Without them, the entire ecosystem copses. If the trees fail, there¡¯s going to be mass discement in weeks.¡± Argrave turned around and stopped pacing. ¡°Not to mention that lying at the heart of it all is a god. An ancient god, probably, likely with servants of its own.¡±


    Anneliese nodded while staring at the wooden stove. ¡°What motives do the gods have? Why do they want to establish this Divine Feudalism?¡±


    ¡°This once-in-a-millennia event is a period of opportunism for the gods. Only here do they have unabated ess to rivals and contemporaries, and only here can they grow their power inorganically by subsuming spirits¡ªfragments of gods.¡± Argrave put his hand on his waist and looked up to the hole allowing smoke to pass upwards from the stove. ¡°Depending on how things go¡­ the ¡®winners¡¯ decide how the world is going to shape up until the next run of the cycle. It¡¯s like ck Friday, but trampling on other people is how you get your discount, not an unfortunate side-effect.¡± The king smiled, but then as no oneughed he seemed to remember something and muttered to himself.


    Prince Orion raised his hand to his temple. ¡°My head writhes.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°Bottom line: what needs to be done?¡± Nikoletta leaned in, the fire casting shadows over her eyes.


    ¡°Quadreign is being notified as we speak. Archduchess Diana is smart¡ªshe¡¯ll take this seriously, take measures. The region over there is mountainous and cold, and therefore not exactly easy to traverse. They have an advantage in case of discement. But here¡­ you saw iting in.¡± Argrave pointed to Anneliese, and then to Grimalt and the Veidimen. ¡°ins for miles, dozens of little viges nested beside rivers cozily. All those abominations would tear this ce apart if they came out.¡±


    ¡°So, we prepare for whates?¡± Nikoletta tried to confirm.


    ¡°Elenore does.¡± Argrave sat back down around the stove. ¡°But us¡­ we wait for Ganbaatar. We wait for the royal-forged armor to arrive. We wait for volunteer Magisters. We¡¯ll scout things out with druidic magic as we wait. And then¡­ we¡¯re going on an expedition. A hunt, even. Recover a father, fight a god. Fun stuff.¡±


    Nikoletta looked at Argrave with serious eyes, but Vasilisa interrupted, eximing, ¡°Are you crazy? You prattle off that list of bad dreams then suggest heading in there with your pants down, screaming?¡± She stared, and Argrave slowly nodded. Vasilisa leaned back, crossed her legs, and caressed her forehead. ¡°¡­fuck. I need a drink. No liquor in the god damn frontier¡­ why am I here? Should¡¯ve booked it the moment I heard he wasing¡­¡±


    The Magister stood and walked away, projecting exhaustion from every movement. Grimalt watched her go, confused by the high-ranking spellcaster¡¯s extreme reaction and the king¡¯s state of rtive calm. ¡°You intend to kill a god?¡±


    ¡°Kill?¡± Argrave looked at Orion. ¡°He¡¯s killed a god, technically. A spirit in truth, but a god in practice. I don¡¯t think he¡¯s proud of that. But an ancient god? I said fight, not kill.¡± Argrave rose to his feet again, unable to stay sitting for long. He walked to the tent p and pulled it aside, looking out at the titanic forest before them. ¡°Gerry wants to call in a higher power? Fine. That¡¯s fine. But he should know these things work both ways. And I¡¯ve been waiting for this moment.¡±

 Chapter 358: All Converging

    ¡°I trust your journey here wasn¡¯t difficult?¡± Princess Elenore asked from her desk, staring at the two in front of her. She had four golden-armored royal knights standing behind her.


    The red-headed siblings ine and Rivien Vyrbell shook their heads fiercely. ¡°Not at all,¡± Rivien began, a statement which ine agreed with a mumbled affirmation. ¡°We were osted by the undead. Fortunately, my sister recently ascended to A-rank.¡±


    ¡°I had been meaning to thank you for your help with my magical progress. I was able to get one of those Magister hoarders to give me the knowledge I needed to ascend,¡± ine thanked her with a hand held to her chest, her green eyes earnest.


    Elenore nodded. ¡°Alright. Argrave spoke highly of both your skills, and I¡¯m short of time so I¡¯ll summarize things for now. Rivien¡ªyou¡¯re to be a member of parliament and the minister of Jast. You¡¯re to help deliver the king¡¯s will and the parliament¡¯s will to all within the county of Jast. ine¡ªyou¡¯re to represent the Order on the parliament. Unofficially, you¡¯re a link that I have to keep track of things in the Order. You understand?¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± both confirmed.


    ¡°This is no joke,¡± Elenore stared at them with her steely gray eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t want underhanded dealings or corruption on any level. I keep track of things. You¡¯ll be well paid, but well monitored. Let that be a deterrent from any skimming off the top you might be considering.¡±


    ¡°I under¡ª¡±


    ¡°And that includes your men.¡± Elenore stared at Rivien fiercely. ¡°If there are any rogue agents, your head rolls with them. I trust you know how to spell guillotine?¡±


    Rivien stepped back, eyes narrowed. ¡°Here I thought I was the gangster, Bat. Still hard to believe that it was you I was dealing with this whole time¡­ but I digress. Yeah, we have an understanding.¡±


    Elenore ced her elbows on the table and entwined her pale, skinny fingers. ¡°Good. For the first while, you¡¯ll be helping shepherd gue refugees, facilitate road reparation and construction, and find recruits for the military. You¡¯ll get details¡ªfor now, I have something to attend to.¡± She looked behind her. ¡°See them out.¡±


    One of the royal knights moved to obey, moving the Vyrbell siblings out of the room to prepare for the next guest. Elenore briefly wrote on a piece of paper as she waited, then turned to another parchment that had a long list. After crossing off a point on the list, she stared at the next entry for a long time. She rubbed a golden ring on her finger¡ªthe B-rank warding ring that Durran had given her.


    ¡°Bring him in,¡± Elenore looked back once again.


    The door opened, the royal knight leading the next guest into the room. She stared ahead, her gaze slowly lowering to keep eye contact as the guest entered further into the room.


    ¡°I¡¯m very sure the briefing that was given amply conveyed that His Majesty was seeking S-rank spellcasters for potent, highly dangerousbat.¡± Elenore leaned back in her chair. ¡°I¡¯m wondering why you volunteered to join him, Artur.¡±


    The stunted Magister looked up at Elenore behind her desk¡ªin a rare disy, he walked on his own two feet, the mantle he wore dragging along the ground behind him instead of suspending him in the air. His eyes gleamed as he answered, ¡°Do you think enchanting is only for defense, like that bauble on your finger?¡±


    Elenore instinctively hid the ring with her hand but revealed it again half a secondter. ¡°I think that His Majesty made it clear that the possibility of fighting things like the Shadonder was rather high.¡±


    ¡°Good. Perhaps their bones will make for good materials.¡± Artur spread his arms out. ¡°I do have my reasons. But I assure you that our interests rather closely align.¡±


    #####


    Far up in the branches of the redwood trees that constituted the Bloodwoods, a tan-skinned elven woman with white hair sat on one of the branches. Onychinusa wore clothes that covered all but her head, and as her legs swayed back and forth the outfit changed in color to match whatever it was up against. Theplete camouge made her seem like a head floating up in the tree branches.


    Onychinusa¡¯s eyes were gone¡ªinstead, two tendrils of ck smoke danced out of her sockets, stretching past the branches. Far, far away, at the opposite end of this long trail of ckness, her two amber eyes looked down upon a stone fortress. They moved about, taking in sights. When Argrave emerged from his tent, walking about and delivering orders, they fixed on him. The eyes moved with whatever move he made.


    Suddenly, she inhaled. In not a secondter her entire person, clothes and all, burst into ck mist, dispersing through the air and clinging to the trees and leaves. Just after, a sh of gold came to where she had been. The Starsparrow hovered there for a moment, wings beating fast enough a hummingbird was put to shame. The bird¡¯s head darted about, examining the surroundings. Then, it disappeared deeper into the woods.


    Onychinusa¡¯s body reformed in a different location, wrapped in leaves so as to conceal herself better. She watched where the bird had left for a long while. After a time, her eyes melted away again, reforming elsewhere as they resumed their task of spying.


    A gigantic green creature that had been wound around one of the trees craned its body outwards. It was like a great slug, though thick as an elephant and with an armored carapace. The bottom of its body had sucking teethless mouths that inhaled the leaves of the redwood trees right off the branches and kept it fixed to the trees elsewhere. Its mouths travelled along, inhaling the leaves and fruits of the mutated tree.


    When it neared the elven woman, she held her hand out and cast a spell. Spirits danced out from her hand in the wake of a mana ripple, and with a burst of purple light the creature simply vanished. It reappeared miles away, the spirits tossing it into empty air. It iled helplessly, falling slowly until its body hit the ground and shook the earth for nearly a mile. Predators of all stripes descended on it, fighting it and each other in search of a meal.


    #####


    Svena of House Quadreign opened a door, looking about the room quickly enough her blonde hair became a whip. Someone hailed her, and her blue eyes settled upon that person. She quickly strode towards them.


    ¡°Ganbaatar,¡± she said,ing to sit with the man. ¡°I thought¡­ I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d see you again for a long time.¡±


    ¡°Me neither,¡± the elf confirmed, red eyes watching her passively as she sat. ¡°But¡­ your king summoned me. I was called to this ce.¡± The elf looked around. ¡°I know this kingdom has grander cities¡ªwhy does the king hold his parliament here? Beyond the grand fortresses blocking the entrances, there¡¯s only this coastal vige with one inn alone.¡±


    Svena shook her head. ¡°The king has ns for this ce, apparently. It¡¯s not my ce to judge¡ªmerely to represent mom.¡± She tapped her hand against the table. ¡°We weren¡¯t notified. What¡¯s happening?¡±


    ¡°The king calls upon me for diplomacy, apparently,¡± Ganbaatar shook his head. ¡°Frankly, I would have ignored it¡­ but that letter had contents about my people. He gave ims for betterment I could not ignore and promises of disaster warranting attention.¡±


    Svena stared at him seriously. ¡°So you¡¯re only passing through?¡±


    ¡°Waiting.¡± Ganbaatar leaned back in his chair. ¡°Don¡¯t like all of this waiting. I need to find the blue-eyed vampire¡ªa harder task now with the eye destroyed. But considering the man that hailed me is the one who knew how to banish the scourge of vampirism without death¡­ I would be well-advised to heed him.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re staying?¡± Svena¡¯s pleasure seeped into her voice, and she cleared her throat quickly. ¡°I mean¡­ how long?¡±


    ¡°Few days¡ªa week, probably. Long enough for all others to gather, I¡¯m told.¡± The elf crossed his arms. ¡°Something big ising.¡±


    #####


    Argrave watched as Elenore¡¯s men walked throughout the camp of Veidimen, hauling crates in pairs of two. It had to be two¡ªthe content of the crates was pure metal, and more than that metal made to scale with the Veidimen. Elsewhere, he saw his three officers Grimalt, Bastal, and Rasten already handling their armor. It was dark gray steel, all, and though unpolished the magic on its surface gave it a particr brilliance nheless.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never known the royal smiths to work this fast,¡± marveled Orion.


    ¡°Maybe it was that stupid bright gold metal that made things take so long. No offense,¡± he looked at Orion, who wore exactly what he¡¯d just described as stupid. ¡°More than that, I had Elenore tap into her illegal enchanting operations to speed things up.¡±


    The rest of the train of new arrivals was not far behind the armor delivery. The bulk of them weremon soldiers and spellcasters to better aid in garrisoning this fortress. Regardless of what they did in their expedition, some migration away from the Bloodwoods might be inevitable. Argrave hoped to mitigate damage from beyond this ce while they pressed in.


    ¡°So, how much longer before we leave?¡± Nikoletta stepped ahead of Argrave, crossing her arms as they watched.


    ¡°Tomorrow morning,¡± Argrave told her.


    ¡°It¡¯s morning now.¡± Nikoletta stared at him.


    Argrave frowned. ¡°I¡¯ve expedited things enough. If I was taking every precaution, we¡¯d wait a day after tomorrow to let the Veidimen get adjusted to the new armor.¡±


    ¡°You glimpsed what hid in that forest with your druidic bond,¡± Anneliese spoke to Nikoletta considerably gentler. ¡°The path we routed to the Mother¡¯s Steppe alone is treacherous enough. Caution is well warranted.¡±


    Nikoletta said nothing further. She and Anneliese had scouted together, but without a single sign of her father her harshness grew more severe. Argrave sighed as he stepped ahead towards a familiar face. Ganbaatar hopped off a caravan and took long strides toward Argrave.


    ¡°You meant what you wrote? You can deliver a homnd to my people where they need not fight again? Where no other races vie fornd?¡± the elven rogue demanded at once.


    Argrave held one hand out to quiet the man. ¡°Rx, take it easy.¡±


    Ganbaatar shut his mouth, turning away as he ran his hands through his long golden hair. ¡°You expect that toe easily?¡±


    Argrave was going to say more, but he spotted two others¡ªMagister Artur, and an old, wrinkled, and undeniably powerful man. Normally that might mean Rowe or Castro, but there was a third in that peer group, and he was here now¡­ Magister Moriatran, Castro¡¯s self-proimed rival. The only thing separating him in appearance from the other two was that he was not bald¡­ but his wispy white ¡®hair¡¯ atop his head made him appear only older. Perhaps if he lost thatst vestige, he might be their equal. But as it stood, Argrave was very d to see him. That happiness was overshadowed only by his utter surprise the man would volunteer toe here.


    Artur¡¯s mantle wreathed around him, carrying him down from the caravan until he alighted on the ground and bowed his body slightly. ¡°Your Majesty.¡± He looked up. ¡°I see you wear my armor. I¡¯m very pleased.¡±


    ¡°Artur. Moriatran,¡± Argrave greeted. ¡°d you could make it. I know the two of you will be a big help.¡±


    ¡°And what, exactly, is to happen?¡± Moriatran¡¯s deep blue eyes turned to the Bloodwoods.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°The war against the world is beginning with a thunderous roar instead of a crescendo that leads to one.¡± Argrave put his hands on his hip as he looked up at the branches. ¡°It¡¯d be quicker to list what¡¯s not going to happen. By the end of this, we¡¯re walking away having kicked in the teeth of a god and enriched beyond belief¡­ or not at all.¡± He looked back to the two of them. ¡°It¡¯s an early morning tomorrow. Come on¡ªlet¡¯s talk. I want there to be no dys.¡±

 Chapter 359: Wire Net

    Orion stepped up a mound of roots, using several separate branches like steps of stairs until he crested the top. He looked out across the vastness of the Bloodwoods, then up, up, and up, at its towering branches far removed from the earth. He turned back and waved, shepherding people onwards.


    With the signal given, Argrave¡¯s party advanced fluidly up the mound of roots just after him. The van of the formation was Veidimen bearingrge tower shields, though just as many without shields were wrapped around the core so that both front and back were protected. The core was, namely, Argrave and his closest council, with its new additions being Ganbaatar, Moriatran, and Artur. The Veidimen officers, too, were positioned to receive and deliver orders.


    As they grew nearer, Orion kept his eyes on the branches high in the sky. Everyone else remained utterly silent in anticipation for his order. Just as their party began to near the first trunk of the redwoods on the edge of the forest, he called out, ¡°Movement!¡±


    Anneliese held her hand up. A rift opened in front of her hand, and from it spilled a silver aura that seemed like a cut in the sky. In truth, it was a mana ripple. The queenpleted her A-rank spell. A staff started to crystallize in her hands, spreading out up and down¡ªintricate and borate, it looked like it was made of amethyst ss. Eventually, the top of the staff blossomed outwards into a great covering, shielding their entire party. The spell was called [Amaranthine Sunshade]¡ªan A-rank ward. She held the staff and ward up above like a torch, shielding them all as they marched into the Bloodwoods.


    It was not one second toote, either. The arrows fired by the wood elves high in their tree came in a unified swell, each arrow released within half a second of the other. With both the power of their bows and the gravity pressing down behind them, the synchronized arrows mmed into her spell with intense power. The spell held firm, though it sounded as though a giant gong had been struck. Anneliese seemed to feel no impact in her arm as the arrows sagged off the [Amaranthine Sunshade] like raindrops. Far up in the branches, numerous deep horns echoed, loud enough it seemed to permeate the entire forest. As they did, Orion sprinted away deeper into the heart of things.


    ¡°They blew the horns,¡± Ganbaatar told Argrave as they bounded over a root. ¡°Every elf in half a mile is obligated by threat of death to join into a Tumen to resist us. More than that, the noise¡ª¡±


    ¡°Is meant to summon every living predator within half a mile should they fail,¡± finished Argrave. ¡°Just walk.¡±


    The next wave of arrows pounded upon Anneliese¡¯s mobile ward. The magic only chipped slightly from the numerous impacts, shading all those under it very well. The needlelike leaves and sometimes branches of the giant redwood sprinkled down as hordes of wood elves travelled up above to make their formation. Still, their party was able to press onwards for a time.


    But then, the obstacle that had stalled King Felipe III¡¯s army revealed itself¡ªthough perhaps the term ¡®revealed¡¯ was deceptive. Between the trees, hair-thin wires stronger than steel and sharp enough to rend bone and flesh both barely glinted from the faint sunlight pouring through the trees. They were fainter even than spiderwebs, and far deadlier.


    Rather than mechanical, the wires were magical. They had three points they were attached to something solid¡ªtwo to hold them taut, and another between the two to create high tension. When touched, the tension-generating binding would be released, and the wire would spring into action. They could cut a dozen fully armored knights in half in the span of milliseconds.


    But they had a fatal failing.


    ¡°There. The wire entries are densest there,¡± Ganbaatar said, pointing to a spot on the tree as he spoke to Moriatran.


    ¡°Clear away the right side,¡± Argrave ryed. His order was repeated by the officers, and the Veidimen morphed to amodate the S-rank spellcaster.


    Moriatran, still under the [Amaranthine Sunshade], lifted his hand up to where Ganbaatar had pointed. A B-rank matrix formed in his hand. When itpleted, he crushed it. He turned his hand upside down and snapped. A faint purple light, no more discernable than a fire¡¯s ember, danced from under the sunshade where he¡¯d snapped. It travelled through the air whimsically¡­ yet when it reached its target, it expanded outwards into the prepleted matrix. A roaring explosion of fire rocked the redwood tree. That was Moriatran¡¯s A-rank ascension: [Spell Storage], the ability to store spells, send them elsewhere, and control when they triggered.


    The wires still needed tension to be effective. By dislodging only one of three stakes, a wire trap could be rendered impotent.


    Rather than an advantage, that was one small nullification in the face of an overwhelming battery of disadvantage. They pressed on as quickly as they could, but traversing the roots instead of t ground made the advance difficult. The master enchanter had the least trouble of them all, suspending his body with his mantle as he hovered along with them, uneasy yet alert. Ganbaatar used his knowledge to spot the wires, and Moriatran cast spells to dislodge them, clearing a path. It was a grueling advance, the whole of which arrows rained down upon them, threatening to punish the slightest misstep.


    Soon enough, magic rained down upon the ward, too, as spellcasters joined the archers in defense from the treetops. That proved considerably more effective in damaging the amethyst shield¡­ but in reality, it was a bigger boon to them than the elves could know. Anneliese¡¯s diminished magic power surged with every spell that impacted the [Amaranthine Sunshade] on ount of her innate magic absorption.


    In the far distance, however¡­ even Argrave could see the wood elves, now. They descended down the trees like rappelers in vast quantities, forming their Tumen¡ªtheir unit of ten thousand. Their tactics and organization reminded Argrave of the Veidimen¡¯s efficiency, and his next steps fell heavier than thest in light of that revtion. Even as their army took shape, the rain of arrows and spells did not cease.


    Anneliese raised her left hand up and cast the same spell as in her right hand, [Amaranthine Sunshade]. As it finished, she dispelled the ward, wlessly transitioning between the two to let not even a single arrow fall upon them. They marched, marched, and marched, bounding over uneven roots in their ceaseless advance towards the army that swelled in size with every second.


    Arrows struck the van¡¯s tower shields for the first time, a loud ng of metal audible even above the din of power pounding over their head. It was a few arrows that struck home at first¡­ then hundreds, thousands. They soon faced an assault as fierce in front as below. That stalled their advance greatly.


    ¡°Diversion! Make way!¡± Argrave shouted.


    Anneliese angled the sunshade to better block the van, and the rear advanced to seek its cover. The Veidimen discarded their tower shields, many of them battered beyond belief, as they made way for Moriatran. The S-rank spellcaster held out both hands to the side. His body came alive with light, and a red mana ripple spread out from his right hand. As it ended, he closed his hand. When he opened it again, he held a ball of pure purple light. The other hand repeated this procedure, ending with the same. In tandem, he pushed them away, eyes closed in concentration.


    The [Amaranthine Sunshade] was barely translucent enough to see Moriatran¡¯s stored spells travel to their destination¡ªnamely, two trees closest to the bulk of the Tumen, from which many wood elves rappelled down even now. The mana ripples reappeared¡­ and two pirs of howling me erupted upwards like a lunging snake, catching many rappelers and the whole of the tree ame.


    And then¡­ as if from nowhere, Orion lunged between the ming pirs, right into the heart of the Tumen. He still had his brutish, animalistic speed and unsurpassed power. He collided with the elves, interrupting the rain of arrows for a moment as their formation of archers adapted to the lone juggernaut in their midst. In that moment, Anneliese tilted back the sunshade, revealing the front. As if closing the door behind the prince, Vasilisa finished with a final high-ranking fire spell, filling in the space between the two pirs with mes of her own.


    ¡°Move, move, move!¡± Argrave shouted loudly.


    With that, their force advanced towards the tree wreathed in mes. Argrave could feel its intense heat with every step he took and was reminded of unpleasant memories in the distant past. The intense smoke from the me would hide them from sight¡­ for a time. The redwoods here were not as mmable as mundane trees, so the fire would not spread too far. Still, they took ample advantage of this moment and moved at their fastest pace yet, changing directions to their true destination under the cover of the smoke.


    The arrows and spells falling upon them had been as constant as rainfall¡­ yet finally, finally, it ceased. They managed to advance a great distance without receiving any projectiles at all. When their location was finally rediscovered, the assault that came was nothingpared to what it had been. The forces at the edge of the Bloodwoods were like a¡ªnow that they had broken past that, little would impede their progress.


    Just as he saw that, Artur shouted, ¡°Move the ward aside, Your Highness!¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Panicked, Argrave looked up. There, a wood elf clung to a tree, a teal mana ripple spread out from his hand. Anneliese moved the sunshade aside, exposing them to the open sky for the first time in a while. Artur surged past, floating upwards with his mantle. He held his hand out. A silver streak spread out from his hands as the wood elf¡¯s spellpleted.


    A twisting tornado burst free from the elf¡¯s hand, and Argrave could¡¯ve sworn he felt it manifest. Artur¡¯s golden S-rank ward barely appeared in time to protect him, though it spread out slowly enough some wind seeped past and hammered into Anneliese¡¯s [Amaranthine Sunshade]. Her spell chipped and shattered against even a weakened impact from an S-rank spell. In time, the stalwart golden dome blocked against the whole of the tornado.


    Even with the Magister¡¯s defense, the spell was devastating. The rebounded wind cut deep into the earth and the redwood trees around, changing the terrain greatly. [Maelstrom] was the spell¡¯s name¡ªa simple, destructive writhing wind that seemed toe without an end. Seeing his attack was blocked, at thest minute the opponent redirected the spell towards a tree. The wind bore into the trunk, and as it cut deeper the tree began to fold¡­ fold directly towards their party, that is.


    A tree weighing millions of pounds copsed toward them. The Veidimen didn¡¯t need to bemanded, but nevertheless Argrave gave the order, shouting desperately, ¡°Run!¡±


    With the terrain partially cleared of obstructive roots after the [Maelstrom], their flight was rapid, fueled by desperate panic at the prospect of contesting that falling tree. From where they¡¯de, a pursuing force of wood elves on the ground stopped in their tracks as they saw the tree falling, then started to run the other way. Even the S-rank spellcaster got away, bouncing about like a grasshopper with calcted bursts of wind magic. Argrave recognized the elf¡ªthe Myriarch of a Tumen, his name was Batbayar.


    But Artur stayed suspended in the air, staring up at the tree. Argrave was in no position to tell him to run, so he simply did so himself, feeling very genuinely that this might be the end. When the several thousand-ton tree struck the diminished golden ward, it shattered it like a hammer against ss. Artur surged to its side as it passed, then cast another high-ranking spell. A hammer of wind struck the side of the falling tree, changing its direction.


    The impact as it met the earth was devastating enough Argrave could feel it through the ground. He looked back, heavy of breath, and utterly relieved that he¡¯d lived.


    ¡°Move, Argrave!¡± Nikoletta reminded him, grabbing his wrist and running towards where Mina and the rest were.


    And so they moved. He realized btedly when Artur rejoined them that the ground troops pursuit would be greatly mitigated by that tree. They ran, ran, and ran through the winding roots, still pursued by archers in the trees.


    And yet finally, within the rotted stump of a great tree¡­ he saw a descent into the earth that marked their destination. All of them ran towards it with unabated enthusiasm even in their tight formation, as though it offered some hope of freedom. He heard the howl of wolves far, far behind, signaling theing monsters.


    Once within the cave, all of them copsed to the floor, breathing heavily. Argrave leaned up against a cave wall as thest of the Veidimen entered. Anneliese stood at the entrance, then cast a spell to light the way. Orion was thest to enter. He looked like Argrave felt¡ªbattered, with bent armor.


    Mina, who sat beside him, said as she breathed, ¡°Very diplomatic¡­ talk with those elves. I feel the¡­ understanding. Your friend was very¡­ useful,¡± she finished, then paused to drink water.


    Argrave said nothing as he caught his breath. ¡°They met us with arrows instead of warnings.¡± He turned his head to Ganbaatar. ¡°We need to get them to the table, first. I never expected an immediate talk, elsewise I would¡¯ve used my Blessing. We can do it. That¡¯ll take a little initiative.¡±


    Ganbaatar, also exhausted, gave a few nods at Argrave.


    He rose to his feet, conjuring water to drink. He wiped his mouth after. ¡°You alright, Orion?¡± the prince nodded. ¡°Good work, everyone. Ster work, Artur.¡± He looked to the Magister. ¡°We assess, treat injuries if any, and then we move. This is centaur territory now. More manageable¡­ but not safe at all.¡±

 Chapter 360: Holy, Holy Mother

    The capital of the wood elves in the Bloodwoods was not grand at all. It couldn¡¯t be, for it never stayed in one ce for too long. The only thing notable about it was that it was a true building, and presently surrounded by an army well-prepared for war. It looked like a longhouse ced atop a thick branch, supported by curling branches. It had only two entrances, one on each side. Within itsrgely empty halls, four stood with a rigid posture and alert red eyes.


    A man entered into the doorless entryway of the hall,nding gracefully. He brushed his hands off and stepped toward the waiting four. With golden blonde hair and eyes wholly red, each of them looked greatly alike. One had to study their faces closely for differences, but even then they were remarkably uniform. All save one, that is¡ªthere was one female in their number.


    ¡°We greet the Supreme Myriarch,¡± the four waiting elves said in tandem as he moved to them.


    ¡°At ease,¡± hemanded them at once, and they lowered their hands back behind their back. ¡°I received word that there was a heavy engagement with the Holy Army of the Wind in the south. Batbayar¡ªthat was your station. Report details of this force.¡±


    ¡°Sir,¡± Batbayar began, stepping out of rank and file from the other three. ¡°This group entered from the south at the first quarter of dawn. They numbered three hundred and eleven. Nine of them were spellcasters of probable high ranking. Three were confirmed as A-rank. One was confirmed as S-rank. Others cast no spells, but observation of their magic quantity from myself and my juniors suggests they may be B-rank or higher. Three hundred others were identified as warriors the humans call snow elves. One among their number¡ªone who gave orders¡ªresembled the leader of the invasion against us years ago.¡±


    The Supreme Myriarch clenched his fist at thest part, then nodded. ¡°Report what happened.¡±


    Batbayar did not hesitate a second in responding, ¡°We attempted to intercept, but they managed to reach a forbidden area before they could be stopped. Though we made heavy use of arrow and spell rain, all attacks were intercepted by a ward. My Tumen was diverted by a high-ranking spell of me, and personal intervention from a monstrous warrior caused the formation to copse. My personal attempt to intercept their force with an S-rank spell was met with a counter of the same rank. They sustained no casualties, and the interception was aplete failure.¡±


    The myriarchs looked briefly shocked at the news that not even one of their foes had died, but their military discipline kept their surprise from leaking into their posture. They looked at Batbayar not with disdain, but with sympathy. Their camaraderie was undeniable from their gaze alone.


    ¡°What forbidden area, myriarch?¡± the Supreme Myriarch questioned.


    ¡°They sheltered in the entrance to the holynd of the centaurs, sir.¡± Batbayar stared unflinchingly. ¡°From scout observation, that was their target from the beginning.¡±


    Stress seemed to overwhelm their supreme leader for a moment, and he caressed the ridge of his nose before remembering his ce.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t wanted to do this¡­ but it must be. I have three Tumens locked in dealing with the anomaly in the northern forest. With four Tumens, weck the manpower for a total screen of all exits from the centaur¡¯s holynd.¡± He looked to the myriarch to his left. ¡°Myriarch Otgon. You are to take your Army of the Roots and head to all known exits from the centaur¡¯s holynd. Take whatever measures necessary to block them off.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Supreme Myriarch,¡± the man in question pounded his fist against his heart.


    ¡°Respectfully, sir, I believe another course of action should be taken.¡± Batbayar, too, made the same gesture of fist upon heart. ¡°We cannot risk provoking the centaurs to action while dealing with the forest-wide changes. It may be a message from the old gods.¡±


    ¡°There are no gods in these woods. If there were, they¡¯ve long abandoned us,¡± the female myriarch butted in. ¡°Even if it were, the roots expanding has been a blessing. We can walk upon the ground without fear of centaurs.¡±


    ¡°Silence, Altan,¡± the Supreme Myriarchmanded. ¡°Religion is a personal matter. We all struggle in the same woods, so beliefs are to be kept private. You are to flog yourself twice in private for speaking out of turn in a military meeting.¡± He turned his gaze to the next. ¡°Batbayar. For your failure to intercept foes, you are to flog yourself twenty times while those that were injured in the battle watch. For my failure to properly allocate troops to the south, I will flog myself twenty-two times before you, my myriarchs. Let this pain remind us to never make this mistake again. Such is our responsibility as leaders, and the price of power.¡±


    The Supreme Myriarch stepped away to retrieve a flog. As he walked, Batbayar closed his eyes. A face shed in his mind¡­ an elven face with blonde hair and red eyes, standing just beside the man that resembled the leader of the human invasion years past.


    Ganbaatar¡­ what have you brought to your home? Ruin? Or¡­ something else?


    #####


    The caverns that their party entered were massive andplex¡­ but that worked to their advantage, Argrave supposed. There were many entrances and exits to this ce, each and all leading to holy ground of the centaurs. Maybe in the distant past he would have been able to direct their party through this ce by memory. No longer¡ªthings were familiar, but only that and nothing more. Anneliese¡¯s Starsparrow was an able scout even in the dark, however.


    ¡°Her Highness¡­¡± Moriatran mused as she scouted ahead. Despite his age, he seemed the least exhausted of all of them¡ªthat befuddled Argrave, but he supposed it was enchantments. ¡°Her ascension is powerful. An impressive disy.¡±


    ¡°Impressive only because she uses it better than anyone else could,¡± Argrave nodded, missing no chance to brag about Anneliese. He saw her ears grow a little red as she sent her Starsparrow ahead and smiled broadly as he watched her work.


    ¡°Castro was saying that you intended to ascend to A-rank,¡± Moriatran followed up, staring at him cautiously. At that, Artur and Vasilisa both paid a little more attention. ¡°Did you lie?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it here, probably in a few days,¡± Argrave said, then looked at Ganbaatar. ¡°I had intended to reach the ce in question through a different path at the edge of the woods, but given the troubles I¡¯m forced to do it at a rather dangerous location.¡±


    The wood elf closed his eyes as Argrave spoke and shook his head but said nothing. Neither did Moriatran, for that matter. Argrave couldn¡¯t get a grasp of the S-rank Magister¡¯s personality, whether it had been in Heroes of Berendar or here in this reality. He was Castro¡¯s ¡®rival,¡¯ but the Tower Master ignored the promation and paid him little mind. One might expect a person who proimed themselves another¡¯s rival while being ignored to be boisterous and obnoxious, or perhaps arrogant and sarcastic like Rowe. The old man was neither, thus far¡ªhe was quiet, speaking only when he had direct questions or answers while offering no opinions whatsoever.


    And Artur¡­ his defense of their party had been so stalwart Argrave still couldn¡¯t erase that scene from his mind. What was the man¡¯s game? Argrave couldn¡¯t say. He¡¯d been nothing but generous. Intuition dictated that spelt trouble. Then again, perhaps he was being unduly prejudiced.


    ¡°Artur,¡± Argrave called out. ¡°You used up all of your magic reserves, more or less. Are you fine with that?¡±


    ¡°Did Your Majesty wish to be crushed? My apologies,¡± said the Magister with a facetious smile from atop his mantle.


    ¡°I was more worried that your enchantments might not have magic to draw on.¡± Argrave shook his head.


    ¡°I¡¯ve¡­ enough,¡± Artur said simply. ¡°And others to protect me, besides.¡±


    Argrave nodded stiffly. Spotting a sh of gold move in his vision, he realized what it was and said at once, ¡°Find anything?¡±


    ¡°I did,¡± Anneliese confirmed, her Starsparrow returned. ¡°A path. Heavily patrolled, however. Argrave, that ce¡­¡± she trailed off, awe in her voice.


    ¡°I know. Quite the sight, don¡¯t you think?¡± He put his hand on her shoulder. ¡°As for the patrols, let my pups do their work.¡±


    As though called, the Brumesingers descended down Argrave¡¯s body, scampering out across the floor. They let out their eerie chiming, then vanished into the mist they conjured. Everyone watched with surprise¡ªmost of them didn¡¯t even know Argrave had the pets on him. They had be so omnipresent that he forgot sometimes, himself, almost like they were an extension of his body by this point.


    ¡°I¡¯ll lead,¡± Argrave called out. ¡°Moriatran¡ªyou¡¯re needed for illusions. None of the centaurs are above B-rank, so nothing too grand, please.¡±


    ¡°Hold on¡ªillusions?¡± Mina cut in as Moriatran readied himself. ¡°Your Majesty¡­ you don¡¯t think of me for this?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re C-rank, aren¡¯t you?¡± Argrave narrowed his eyes.


    ¡°B-rank, for illusion magic at least,¡± Mina shook her head. ¡°Even for C-rank, I doubt they¡¯d send people capable of seeing past my illusions onmon patrols,¡± Mina shook her head. ¡°And my spells are fine-tuned, custom made. I swear to you, I can handle this.¡±


    Argrave looked at Anneliese for thoughts, and she gave a quiet shrug. With that ringing endorsement, Argrave looked at her and nodded. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s go, Mina.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    They advanced through the caverns. As Anneliese said, the centaurs patrolled the vast caverns diligently. They were easy to hear, for most were armored in steel. They were easy to see, too, standing at well over ten feet tall. The sheer size of the beasts enabled their party to take smaller, branching paths in the cavern where they could not enter.


    But beyond the asional lucky bout¡­ Mina was hard-pressed to provide illusions thorough enough for their entire party. But regardless of how hard she was pressed, she rose to the task ably. She seemed almost eager to make herself useful. It was a great relief to Argrave, who did not wish to expend his Magisters¡¯ magic supply too much.


    After hours of their steady advance, Nikoletta spoke to Argrave in a moment of rest in a low-ceiling cavern where the centaurs could not enter.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Argrave,¡± she said out of the blue.


    ¡°What, did you step on my foot or something?¡± he questioned, thinking nothing of it. ¡°Didn¡¯t even notice.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Nikoletta said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for acting like my father is more important than the kingdom. I know why you did what you did. It¡¯s just¡­¡±


    Argrave stared at her, but he could think of nothing to say. Just then, Anneliese cut in, saying, ¡°Argrave, something unusual¡­!¡±


    A horn echoed throughout the cavern, interrupting Anneliese before she could say more. It was loud enough Argrave almost covered his ears¡­ and worse yet, it came from deeper within the cavern.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Argrave stepped closer to Anneliese.


    ¡°All of them¡­ everyone in the cavern ising back,¡± she answered quietly.


    Argrave briefly panicked before he remembered they were in a low-ceiling area where the centaurs could not reach. He heard the distant rattle of armor and hooves as the centaurs galloped through the caverns, heading further in.


    ¡°An emergency of some kind. We take this as an opportunity,¡± Argrave decided. ¡°Come. Hurry, everyone.¡±


    Though Grimalt expressed some concern, Argrave knew that an advantage had to be pressed when it was seen. At some point, this arduous advance of theirs would be discovered. From there, things could get very sticky. He needed to take this chance. Argrave led with Orion diligently moving with him.


    They raced through the caverns, following Anneliese¡¯s path without much variation. As she said, no more guards patrolled the area. What might¡¯ve taken hours with their old strategy became minutes, and their advance was untroubled by any. True light poured through instead of false light from magic, and they slowed their advance.


    ¡°This is it,¡± Anneliese told Argrave.


    Argrave hesitated at the top. Then, mustering some courage, he peeked his head up, peering beyond.


    The ce ahead was vast. Though contained by a cavern roof, he could not see a cave wall on the opposite side. There was only an endless sheet of ice, meters thick. The ice was oddly translucent, with faults within making it seem like blue crystals. It was a frozen undergroundke. Centaurs walked across it in thousands, all heading towards arge gathering ce in the center.


    One could see the bottom of this frozenke. Theke floor was a vast grass in frozen in time. One could see creatures caught mid-stride¡ªhorses, herds of cows, pigs¡­ none of the animals of the Bloodwoods, certainly. It looked like a little pocket of grasnd, preserved and maintained. But most eye-catching¡­


    There was a gargantuan woman at the bottom of this frozenke. Argrave couldn¡¯t call her human, but she appeared human. She wore a strange white foreign dress, almost Romanesque. Probably well over seventy feet tall, she rested in serene peace. Notably, she was the only thing in that suspended scene that moved, her chest rising up and down as she breathed in deep sleep. Her hair shone like the sun, dreaded into sixty separate pieces that illuminated the whole cavern from their spot draped across the grasnd.


    ¡°The Mother¡¯s Steppe,¡± Anneliese said.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°Sarikiz. The centaurs¡¯ Holy Mother, and once good ally to the elven gods¡ªenough to link their divine realms together, at least partially. But to us¡­ here¡¯s the boot we need to kick in the teeth of a god. And with Gerechtigkeit meddling, weakening the border between realms, we¡¯re going to try out my idea.¡±

 Chapter 361: Looking Into the Mirror

    Argrave reached into his duster¡¯s breast pocket and pulled free a silver medallion. It was of crude make, with strange letters and a worn image of a woman pouring water from a horn. He twisted it between his fingers as he looked out at the gathering crowd of centaurs, using it to ay his fears. He¡¯d felt it weighing on him the whole journey¡ªa reminder of what wasing as constant as the bronze hand mirror.


    When the half-man, half-equine race gathered in one ce like this, they were intimidating beyond belief. Armored in steel, far taller than even men on horseback, and with bows that could fire arrows as thick as Argrave¡¯s arm... to say the least, it was easy to see why they rivalled the wood elves, forcing them into that ridiculously organized militarized society. The centaurs¡¯ bows were made for hunting giants¡ªhe didn¡¯t care to test how good Artur¡¯s enchantments were at deflecting their arrows.


    ¡°Why exactly did they scurry back home?¡± Argrave looked to Anneliese.


    Anneliese stared ahead as she answered, ¡°The elves block the entrances as we speak. The centaurs are deciding upon a course of action.¡±


    Argrave winced and said beneath his breath, ¡°God damn it.¡± He looked to Ganbaatar. ¡°Might not get your wish.¡±


    ¡°My wish?¡± Ganbaatar repeated.


    ¡°The centaurs and the elves might fight after all.¡± Argrave looked away from the elf, thinking hard.


    Ganbaatar shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t care if that happens. It¡¯s been happening for centuries. It¡¯s why we are as we are. Or have you forgotten that? You, who used my customs to gain my trust?¡±


    ¡°Speak respectfully,¡± Orion reminded the elf, but Argrave waved at the prince to refrain from undue persecution.


    Argrave ced the medallion in the palm of his right hand, then traced the rim of it with his left thumb. Finally, with his mind made up, he closed his palm. ¡°n doesn¡¯t change. If fights happen, they happen. So long as I can make the world whole, it changes nothing.¡±


    ¡°And if you can¡¯t?¡± Mina pointed out.


    ¡°He led us through that assault out there, didn¡¯t he?¡± Artur pointed out somewhat sycophantically.


    Argrave stowed the silver medallion away in his pocket once again, closing it shut with a button he seldom used to ensure it didn¡¯t fall out. ¡°For now¡­ let¡¯s just get to the root of the problem. Grimalt, Rasten, Bastal¡ªtell them to get ready.¡±


    Some people seemed displeased the king could make a joke in the middle of such tension, while others seemed eased by the pun even Argrave would admit was bad. Maybe a prized reaction was the point, though, for Anneliese was the only who could see how nervous Argrave was about this next endeavor.


    #####


    Argrave felt some visceral satisfaction as he watched the Veidimen boost each other up to a high ledge one after the other. Heroes of Berendar didn¡¯t have too many of these moments in the game, but he remembered this one feeling particrly insulting. What was it, exactly? Why, a shortcut. Specifically, a shortcut that took the yer from the end of the dungeon back to the beginning. He didn¡¯t mind using them, of course. He was simply always frustrated that having knowledge of them didn¡¯t allow the yer to exploit them, heading straight from the beginning to the end.


    Soon enough, it was his turn to be boosted up to the ledge. Once up there, Artur waited, suspended in the air as ever. He looked at Argrave peculiarly.


    Argrave rubbed his hands together and sought an update, asking, ¡°What? Have trouble with that door?¡±


    ¡°No, it was easy to remove the enchantment,¡± Artur shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m simply wondering how you learned all of this, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯m wondering why you flipped one-eighty degrees on supporting my kingship,¡± Argrave inly said. ¡°The important thing in both uncertainties is that it¡¯s working out for us. I¡¯m happy with things.¡±


    Artur raised a brow, and his eyes danced with myriad colors. ¡°It was never about you. It was about me, you see.¡±


    Argrave brushed past that, saying, ¡°Well, it¡¯s about all of us now. King or peasant, you can die all the same when the endes. We¡¯re all on the same level. That¡¯s what makes it a cmity¡ªno matter who you are, it affects you.¡± He looked to the side as some people pushed past the cramped crowd.


    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± Grimalt greeted. ¡°None of us can move the door, even with the enchantments gone and the armor bolstering out strength.¡±


    Someone scrabbled at the edge, and then Orion threw himself up. He dusted off his armor¡ªpointless, considering how battered it was¡ªand then walked forward. ¡°I¡¯ll handle it.¡±


    Argrave hastened to follow when Orion confidently dered he¡¯d handle something. The people parted for him, revealing a stone door with ornate floral carvings. It had swirls and vortexes. Seeing the designs alone birthed nostalgia. The Veidimen struggled to open the door, using rocks to employ leverage or more simply scrabbling at a grabbable spot with clumsy gauntleted fingers. Orion pushed them aside, then took his ce.


    First, Orion tried to pull the door open as they did. After a few moments of failure, he moved on to try using leverage. Almost immediately, the rock snapped. Orion stepped back, then looked at the rock still lodged firmly in the gap on the door.


    Argrave began to suggest, ¡°We can just¡ª¡±


    Orion raised his foot up and kicked, hard. The whole cave seemed to shake, and the door cracked and folded inward. It copsed onto itself in two split bs of intricately carved stone. The prince looked back at Argrave, almost proudly.


    ¡°That works,¡± Argrave conceded, stepping forth.


    As Argrave took his third step, he paused when he felt a rumble in the earth. He held the wall to steady himself, but the shaking was even more intense by the wall. It wasn¡¯t a shaking, per se¡ªinstead, it was like a bunch of sharp tremors echoing out through the earth, their source¡­ above.


    And then, the path that had opened up caved in with deafening cracks, and Argrave crouched down to shield himself. Grimalt stepped beside Argrave and conjured a ward above. It proved unnecessary¡ªonly what was beyond the door caved in. Dust filtered through their group, setting some into coughing fits as they inhaled fine particles.


    When it was all over, Argrave stood up straight once again and sighed. ¡°Well¡­¡± he closed his eyes, thinking of the longer path that he¡¯d need to take. Suddenly, he opened them again, their grayness alight with fire. ¡°We¡¯re taking this path.¡± He walked forward, then crouched. He picked up the first rock. ¡°It¡¯s principle by this point.¡±


    #####


    It took a long, long while to clear the way, even with Vasilisa, Moriatran, and Artur aiding with earth magic. Argrave wasn¡¯t sure if taking the regr path would¡¯ve been quicker. Even if the regr path had been years quicker, Argrave wouldn¡¯t have taken it. It was the principle¡ªdoing things for the sake of doing them.


    But the better answer was that it was far safer, too. No enemies, no centaurs, no nothing. Quick and easy, right to the heart. But the reason that Argrave was so nervous about this endeavor was quite simple¡ªhe was putting a theory to the test.


    After a couple hours of careful excavation, the path was clear enough to walk without moving more rocks aside. The Veidimen took the lead, scouting things out. They entered a great circr stone chamber with a high ceiling and a strange altar in the center. It was difficult to see the walls of the room, for the roots of the redwoods pushed past the stone and curled around various circr mosaics. At points, the roots seemed to be stopping the building from caving in.


    The Veidimen filtered in first, looking around the room. Next came Argrave and the Magisters. Argrave stepped right past them, heading for the altar. He came to it and leaned on it. It had a great depression in the center of it, making it seem like a big wash basin. Ganbaatar caught up to Argrave, staring down with him.


    ¡°This is one of my people¡¯s holy sites, certainly,¡± Ganbaatar confirmed. ¡°That altar isn¡¯t familiar, but at times we visited a ce just like this. Still, I don¡¯t see how you¡¯re going to make this get the elves to the bargaining table. The Holy Army of the Wind is the only Tumen in the Bloodwoods that still follows the gods. Most have lost their faith. Even if this bes known, it won¡¯t¡ª¡±


    ¡°Shh,¡± Argrave raised a finger to his lips.


    Argrave¡¯s Brumesingers scrambled up to the altar, the four of them peering down into it like it was a pond they didn¡¯t dare jump into. He felt their fear through his link, and by extension Anneliese stalked up behind them, her arms crossed as she watched with worry.


    ¡°¡­let¡¯s see if I¡¯m right about what Gerechtigkeit is doing here,¡± Argrave said. He held up his hand, a spell matrix whirling. Itpleted, dissipating into nothingness.


    The Brumesingers trembled. Slowly, they started to cough. Argrave felt pained as he watched them hack and cough, and his fingers gripped the edge of the basin altar tightly. After an unpleasant while, one of them lowered its head and seemed to retch. A golden mist seeped out its mouth, so rich it was almost like honey. The gas seemed thick and heavy, and it slowly settled into the basin.


    Argrave stared, incredibly tense. Ganbaatar was watching all of this, and he inquired, ¡°What exactly are you doing?¡±


    ¡°This ce was made by the elves but used by the centaurs¡­ your people weren¡¯t always enemies, you know,¡± Argrave looked at him.


    ¡°That¡¯s nonsense,¡± Ganbaatar shook his head.


    Argrave sighed and looked back. ¡°Believe whatever you want¡­ but the centaurs made sacrifices to these altars in the distant past. Offerings of life. I¡¯m giving these things a substitute¡ªsouls. And I¡¯m praying it works, too, because the alternative is very ufortable.¡±


    And even if we do try the alternative¡ªsacrifice¡ªthat might not work, Argrave recognized.


    As they talked, all four of the Brumesingers continued to puke this golden mist into the basin of the altar. It spread out, pooling inside. As they coughed, the ck Brumesingers lost some shade in their fur, turning from jet to a lighter ck. They were expelling the souls they ate, and so losing some of their power to project mist.


    For a long while Argrave¡¯s hope dimmed like the me of a candle with its lid ced back on. Then, the roiling gas stopped moving, almost as if seized by something. Argrave immediately cast a spell tomand his Brumesingers to stop. Anneliese stepped closer, transfixed, as the mist grew denser and denser and settled into a hazy, honey-like liquid.


    ¡°Hmm...!¡± Argrave restrained fierceughter as his grip tightened on the basin atop the altar. ¡°I knew it. I knew it, you sly bastard.¡± He looked at Anneliese. ¡°I was right. Gerechtigkeit was doing something that he did down in the old dwarven cities, with the Ebon Cult. He¡¯s helping gods escape earlier so they can ruin this ce, make it impossible for us to mount an effective defense.¡±


    Artur looked at Argrave, particrly focused on what he was saying. Moriatran stepped up to the altar and looked down. ¡°Not sure what we¡¯re looking at.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re looking at a portal to another realm,¡± Argrave exined. ¡°This thing shouldn¡¯t be able to open, not now. But since Gerry is meddling, making the boundary between realms weaker¡­ it can open. It can open half a damned year before it ever should have.¡±


    ¡°Another realm?¡± Orion looked into the golden portal.


    ¡°Another realm,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°One side has giant trees. What do you think is on the other side of the mirror?¡± Argrave asked with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m d your knees haven¡¯t given out, Moriatran. This is a big step up.¡±


    Argrave gathered up his foxes and put them back in the pockets inside his clothes. Then, he raised one foot up to the altar, ready to step up.


    #####


    ¡°That¡¯s your solution?¡± a centaur with long ck hair trotted up to his ally, standing eye-to-eye with the other. ¡°Do nothing? Do nothing until they¡¯ve buried us all in the earth, leaving us here with no food? The Mother has given us iron here to forge steel, and tnd to seek refuge, and a peaceful ce where we might gather¡­ but food is to be earned. Such has always been Her message. We cannot stay. Every child must eventually leave their mother.¡±


    The centaurs wererge and proud, and yet this mention of motherhood resonated with all of them. Well over ten feet tall, each and all carried bows far taller than themselves, other weapons dangling from their backs where a saddle might lie on a horse. Their arms were as thick as redwood branches, yet despite their unwieldy bodies there was a civility to their dress. Their legs were armored, andrgely hidden by draped cloths that covered their backs. Their hooves had shoes just as horses did¡ªtheirs were spiked, so as to gain purchase on the ice or the ground. Their human torso, too, was kept hidden by armor and clothes both, and doubly so for the women.


    ¡°If you want to engage the enemy in those root-ridden forests and fall on your side like a fool, be my guest,¡± the other dered, not backing down. ¡°We cannot thrive while the forest is overrun like that. I¡¯ve made my n¡¯s stance clear¡ªwe should focus on one area, clear away the roots there.¡±


    ¡°We have nothing to fear,¡± a woman dered, holding her arms wide. ¡°Each and every day, the ice revealing the Mother grows clearer and clearer yet. This is the disaster before the Deliverance. The elves¡¯ gods have abandoned them¡ªand now ours return. We see her, sleeping even now. The ice grows clearer, melting every day!¡±


    ¡°Melting?¡± one centaur crossed his arms¡ªone of the biggest of them all. ¡°That the Mother is more visible means nothing. Even with more of us here than ever before, the ice does not grow weaker. Perhaps a demonstration is in order.¡±


    The centaur reared back mightily, raising his armored hind legs into the air. They mmed down powerfully, sending a great echoing noise throughout the cavern. People stared at the sight of impact, watching.


    ¡°It remains unbroken,¡± the centaur who¡¯d caused the impact said confidently.


    As people stared, they started whispering among themselves and pointing. Soon enough, the demonstrator looked between everyone, confused, and then looked down. He studied the sight of impact, but the ice remained impable as ever. Then, movement caught his eyes. He squinted¡­ and then changed his angle to get a better look.


    And what he saw¡­ he could make no sense of it for a moment. In the ever-still grasnds beyond the ice, there was¡­ movement. Living movement. And not the Mother, not the animals¡­ but people, hundreds of them, walking about without a care. They stepped across the steppes with reckless abandon.


    So much was said by so many in the moments following this discovery that it was impossible to discern a consensus in the crowd. But one¡­ he stood still, staring with hateful, shocked eyes at the ck-haired leader of the moving people below.


    ¡°Matesh¡­ what does this mean?¡± someone pulled him from his daze. ¡°You¡¯ve seen the gods of othernds and been to their realms. What does this mean?¡±


    Matesh started to breathe quickly, then looked back to the ck-haired leader. Their party moved in the direction of the Holy Mother Sarikiz. And as memories of the past surfaced¡­ he felt a dread greater than anything else he¡¯d ever felt before.


    ¡°That man¡­¡± Matesh muttered, then repeated louder, ¡°That man. In the golden armor, there. He is known to me.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

 Chapter 362: Stepping Outside

    ¡°This isn¡¯t the same continent,¡± Argrave exined as his people looked around the vast open grasnds. ¡°This isn¡¯t even the same world. This is a different realm. Bridges between our realm and others can only form in specific, connected ces¡ªin this case, the bridge was that of a mirror image. On one side, trees as tall as anyone can imagine. On this one¡­ only this,¡± he dered, spreading his arms out and gesturing about.


    As far as the eye could see, brown-green grass spread out endless acrossrgely t ins with a few hills no taller than a few feet. There wasn¡¯t a single tree or nt anywhere within sight. The only disturbance was various altars like the one they¡¯de from, the animals frozen in time, and Sarikiz, the centaurs¡¯ Holy Mother. Above, the sky was a sapphiric blue. Argrave¡¯s eyes wandered above, searching for a sun or a moon that he knew would not be there. Though the centaurs could see past the mysterious ice to glimpse thisnd, the same could not be said on the opposite side¡ªit was a one-way window. Perhaps they stared at Argrave even now. He didn¡¯t know what they¡¯d make of his presence. It didn¡¯t matter what they thought, though.


    Back at that altar, each of Argrave¡¯s party had taken turns getting into the basin of the altar filled with the souls expunged by the Brumesingers. As a disy of confidence, Argrave had gone first. The experience was bizarre. After he dipped his body into the liquid, it was like falling asleep while driving, and then waking up only when the car mmed into a wall. Not as devastating, naturally, but after entering the golden pool the only thing Argrave remembered next was blinking his eyes open, standing here. And one after the other, all came through.


    Everyone was having very different reactions. Orion removed his golden helmet and let his long ck hair flow freely as he walked about in a daze. The Veidimen were the least fazed of all¡­ yet a great many of them lost their discipline and wandered, touching and smelling the grass in confusion. There were animals strewn throughout thisnd, frozen midstride as though locked in time. The Magisters tried to take this development with dignity, observing their new surroundings with curiosity¡­ but Argrave didn¡¯t need Anneliese to tell him they were shocked to see it writ on their face.


    Orion pushed his boot against one of the pigs, yet despite his tremendous strength the thing didn¡¯t budge an inch. He looked to Argrave, confused and rmed. He looked like he sorely needed guidance.


    ¡°Time wastes while the forest dies,¡± Argrave decided, pping.


    ¡°Gather up!¡± Grimalt shouted, drawing everyone¡¯s attention. The Veidimen were brought back to attention, and everyone else was spurred forth by the snow elf officer¡¯s intimidating voice.


    Argrave nodded once everyone was ready. ¡°We¡¯re in no danger, not here. I don¡¯t intend to use this ce as anything more than a junction, taking us where we actually want to go.¡± He turned his eyes to the distant sleeping Sarikiz. ¡°So you can rx, somewhat. Don¡¯t tempt fate, but don¡¯t think the world is out to get you. Let¡¯s go, all of you.¡±


    With that, he walked fearlessly towards the resting god. Anneliese was the first to join by his side, keeping pace with him. Soon enough, everyone moved to follow.


    ¡°How in the zes did¡­? What is this, Grave?¡± Mina asked as she struggled to keep up. ¡°That¡­ that woman ahead, are we going to¡­?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going to split up into five groups,¡± Argrave said loudly, ignoring her question. ¡°Grimalt, Bastal, and Rasten will lead three, Anneliese will lead the fourth, and I thest.¡±


    The people behind Anneliese and Argrave started to falter as they grew near the giant Sarikiz. He could not me them, exactly¡ªeven he balked when seeing that her foot alone was farrger than he was. It was one thing to know that she could not wake up yet, and it was another to test that theory. After all, much had changed.


    ¡°This ce gives an opportunity to move quickly through the forest unmolested, so long as the entrances are not found. Even if they are found, I can¡¯t imagine the elves would be eager to dive in.¡± Argrave paused, looking back at the pausing group. ¡°Hell, when they see Sarikiz, they might want to turn tail as you seem to want to. We¡¯re going to use this ce as¡­ crossroads, I suppose.¡±


    Ganbaatar was the first to break past the fear, followed by Artur. ¡°Five groups,¡± the elf said. ¡°Will we open all of the portals to the different altars, then?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s correct. And then each of you will prepare something for me.¡± Argrave said, turning back and walking forth. They walked around her legs, heading for her head. ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking¡ªall of you don¡¯t have the same pets I do, and you can¡¯t open the altars. Well¡­ look at this, will you?¡±


    Argrave walked past the shoulder of the sleeping giant, to the head. Her face was tilted towards them, and her breathing carried wind out like a steady bellows. Being so close to her brought some trepidation, but it was nothingpared to the prospect of his idea to use the altar failing, and he¡¯d endured that fine. Her dreads of golden, glowing hair cushioned her head. If counted, they would be sixty. Argrave stepped towards her face¡ªspecifically, he stepped towards the roots of her hair.


    He cast a simple D-rank spell of blood magic, calling upon the silver bracer on his arm to supply the blood. Once he had a ckened red dagger in hand, he regarded Sarikiz cautiously and kneeled down, cutting through the hair with the tool. It cut through quite easily, and Argrave watched with morbid curiosity as the blood seeped into the edges of the hair, staining it.


    Once cut, it fell to the grasnds soundlessly. Despite being severed from the source, her golden hair still shone with light. Argrave hefted the weightless blood dagger and said quietly, ¡°Drag that away.¡±


    Argrave stepped after the Veidimen as they hesitantly dragged the long braid of hair away, each of them casting uneasy nces at the sleeping giant. ¡°Listen carefully. The five of you are going to haul the pieces of hair I give you to the altars. You¡¯re going to ce them in the basins, and then you¡¯re going to burn them. This should open things up fine.¡±


    Nikoletta had gathered up to listen, yet her eyes stayed focused on the sleeping mother. Argrave said annoyedly, ¡°I know you like blondes, Nicky, but focus. This is important.¡± At his words, she turned back, miffed and nervous at the same time. Argrave changed the subject once again, continuing, ¡°We¡¯re going to be doing something very dangerous. Gerechtigkeit has made the borders between realms here very thin. He¡¯s deliberately expedited things. Now, something strong enough to poke through the thinning fabric has poked through, and it¡¯s posing a major problem.¡±


    Argrave walked to the dread and began measuring out the size of the pieces he was going to cut. ¡°Now, before whoever breached into this world takes the Bloodwoods overpletely, we¡¯re going to do something very simple. We¡¯re going to open the floodgates.¡± He stuck the knife in a spot and began to cut through it delicately.


    ¡°All of the old gods of these wood elves¡­ we¡¯re going to wake them up.¡± Argrave grunted as he kneeled. Anneliese ran her hand across the dread, her curiosity evident. ¡°We¡¯re going to take them to our realm, and we¡¯re going to set them loose.¡±


    ¡°Hold on a moment,¡± Vasilisa interrupted. ¡°Are you just trying to make the situation more chaotic? How does this help us?¡±


    Argrave stopped cutting, then reached into his pocket with his left hand. After a moment, he pulled free a silver medallion. ¡°Recognize this? Of course you don¡¯t,¡± he said before any could answer. ¡°It¡¯s the medallion of inheritance for the Lord of Silver. I kept it on ark, but it has a very nice purpose here.¡± He stowed away the medallion once again, almost out of fear it might be lost. ¡°Some people say in diplomacy¡­ that it¡¯s not about how smooth your tongue is, but who you know and what they¡¯re willing to do for you. I don¡¯t think the elves we just fought can rightly protest if one of their gods thought long departed vouches for me.¡± His eyes refocused on another. ¡°Sorry if this mellows the importance of your role, Ganbaatar.¡±


    Orion stepped up to Argrave as he worked at cutting apart the hair. ¡°But what of safety? Your safety?¡±


    ¡°Not concerned for yourself?¡± Argrave mused, not looking away from his task. ¡°You¡¯re a capable knightmander. You¡¯ll be with me. But the real dangeres from the A-rank ascension I¡¯m going to attempt. The risk is a bit mitigated in the spot I intend to perform it, however.¡± Argrave waved his hand dismissively.


    ¡°Your Majesty¡­ are you saying we¡¯re also expected to converse with¡­¡± Grimalt said cautiously, hands arranged before him politely.


    ¡°Oh, no,¡± Argrave waved the dagger to dismiss the idea. ¡°Just me. I¡¯m the only one talking, here. And I¡¯ll be speaking to the elven god of flesh and blood.¡±


    #####


    ¡°¡­andstly, Argrave disappeared into the golden portal. All of his allies followed shortly after, and I could not follow,¡± said Onychinusa, lying down on the floor as she spoke in unwitting defiance ofmon mannerisms.


    The emissary of Erlebnis did not seem to care what she did. It was remarkably normal in all but its face, which had tworge eyes and a mouth alone. One of the eyes was missing, revealing a reddish-mercury portal. It looked down upon her and repeated questioningly, ¡°Could not?¡±


    Onychinusa blinked. ¡°He entered a portal into another realm.¡±


    ¡°And you were barred how?¡± the emissary pressed calmly.


    ¡°By fear of death,¡± she said in shrill defensiveness.


    ¡°We see.¡± The emissary crossed its arms, and the reddish-mercury portal disappeared. ¡°Our Lord has no further use for you at this time. Depart back home. Wait for another mission.¡±


    ¡°Those elves in the forest¡­¡± she began, eyes closed. ¡°How could theye from my people? Those pale giants, too?¡±


    Onychinusa waited for an answer, but none came. When she opened her amber eyes again, the emissary had departed. She leaned up, looking at the shrine to Erlebnis. Her face distorted in dramatic anger¡ªshe was unused to managing her facial expressions.


    ¡°Home¡­¡± she muttered to herself. ¡°No.¡±


    With thatst word, she dispersed into ck magic smoke, dispersing through the environment.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

 Chapter 363: Irreplaceable

    ¡°Be careful,¡± Argrave told Anneliese as he held her hand. ¡°I think¡¯s it¡¯s pretty well-established you can take care of yourself, but I always hate sending you off.¡±


    ¡°I know. You want to protect me.¡± She leaned in and kissed him. ¡°But need I remind you¡­ that you still have to catch up to me?¡± With a cheeky smile, she turned away and walked off, and Argrave¡¯s hand slid off hers. ¡°So, go do that. And you be careful.¡±


    Argrave chuckled and smiled, watching as she walked away. When he turned back, his party was waiting. It was the smallest, yet perhaps the most potent¡ªArtur, Vasilisa, Orion, Ganbaatar, and some of the first people he¡¯d met on this realm¡­ namely, Nikoletta and Mina. He¡¯d changed a lot since meeting the two of them. And maybe they¡¯d changed, too.


    Orion carried a glowing section of Sarikiz¡¯s dreaded hair, bound in a red rope that made it look like magical wheat. Artur rxed on the grassy ground, staring up into the sky nonchntly. Mina and Nikoletta talked amongst themselves, and Vasilisa caressed her forehead as though she had a headache. Ganbaatar seemed eager to move.


    ¡°You two are probably wondering why I wanted you with me,¡± Argrave said, directing his voice towards the ducal heir and her good friend. ¡°Well, it¡¯s simple. I didn¡¯t want you to think I¡¯d forgotten about my promise to ask the elves to search for Duke Rovostar and your father.¡±


    Nikoletta looked surprised, and she crossed her arms and said quietly, ¡°That¡¯s¡­ benevolent.¡±


    Argrave stared at her when she gave that response. Things had changed, he was realizing. Now that he was king, people called basic human kindness ¡®benevolence.¡¯ All he was doing was what he thought was right. Maybe that had never changed.


    He rolled his shoulders to dismiss his thoughts and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    #####


    As they walked across the grasnds, Argrave found himself very out of sorts. Gmon, Durran, and now even Anneliese were absent. He wasn¡¯t quite at ease with Orion yet, and though he liked Vasilisa well enough he¡¯d yet to build the same rapport he had with his mainstaypanions. And as they walked¡­n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°Might I steal a moment of your time, Your Majesty?¡±


    Argrave looked to his right, and then far down to spot Artur¡¯s shaggy head of brown hair. The Magister had expended much of his magic reserves in the fight against the wood elves¡¯ Tumen and had asked them to slow so that he might walk with them¡ªhis enchantments drew from his magic supply, after all, and he needed that to replenish.


    ¡°Steal? Didn¡¯t take you for a thief,¡± Argrave said lightly, giving a non-answer.


    Arturughed, though Argrave didn¡¯t think his own joke was particrly funny. When he settled, the Magister cleared his throat and said, ¡°I¡¯m going to be blunt, Your Majesty, because I don¡¯t think you care for delicate speech.¡±


    Argrave spared the stunted man a nce, then turned his head back to the grasnds ahead. His cynicism red, telling him that now was the time the cost of this man¡¯s favor showed up on the bnce sheet.


    ¡°I have a certain fondness for delicate speech,¡± Argrave admitted. ¡°It¡¯s saved my life a few times. And now I¡¯m going to go talk to a god again¡ªI hope I have a talent for it, as I think I do.¡±


    ¡°Again?¡± Artur repeated.


    ¡°Never mind that,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°Say what you want to say.¡±


    Artur focused his eyes on Argrave. They were strange eyes¡ªsometimes gold, sometimes green, sometimes every color one could conceive. It probably had something to do with his A-rank ascension.


    The Magister said seriously, ¡°I hope that Your Majesty will allow me to create an institution subordinate to the crown, focusing on rediscovery, research, and development of new enchantments.¡±


    Everyone in their small group save Ganbaatar turned their heads at this deration. That was a significant statement, to say the least. Argrave took a long time to think about it before he said anything¡ªtime which Artur spent patiently waiting.


    After a long moment, Argrave responded slowly, ¡°The Order of the Gray Owl does that already. Technically, they¡¯re supposed to have a monopoly on all magical knowledge¡­ but such a thing is almost impossible to enforce, given the autonomy of each Order member. Still, it has prevented other rival magical organizations from popping up in the kingdom.¡± Argrave turned his head. ¡°¡­given the request, I imagine you want me to change that.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Artur admitted. ¡°I would prefer to bepletely unrted to the Order. I think that, in the years toe, the title of Magister won¡¯t have much weight to it anymore. And I think you¡¯re to me, Your Majesty. You know things. This journey here is enough to demonstrate that.¡±


    Argrave took a deep breath, thinking. He hoped to dy the conversation and joked, ¡°Well, we still have to talk to a god, first. Might not make it out of that alive.¡±


    ¡°I can guarantee Your Majesty that the armor you wear has no modern equal,¡± the Magister continued, unwilling to allow himself to be diverted. ¡°And as more and more relics of ancient civilizations surface¡­ I can make their secrets mine, I¡¯m sure of it. Physical enhancements, sight in darkness, resistance to poison or disease, or things like that silver bracer on your arm,¡± he pointed up to Argrave¡¯ wrist. ¡°If you allow me, I can give all of that to the crown. All of what you know, I can bring to life.¡±


    Argrave listened patiently, then let the silence hang as they walked towards the distant altar. Argrave could hear their boots cutting through the grass as his mind thought of the matter. He didn¡¯t think Artur was overselling his abilities.


    ¡°Why?¡± Argrave asked. ¡°What¡¯s your angle?¡±


    ¡°I think Your Majesty would realize the value of such an organization¡­ and investments would be made,¡± Artur said diplomatically. ¡°To do away with delicate speech¡ªmoney. Money, manpower, resources, and¡ª¡±


    ¡°Power,¡± Argrave finished.


    Artur looked at Argrave for a few moments, and then back to the grasnds ahead. ¡°I suppose you could call it that, yes. But¡­ no. No, I don¡¯t think it is that. All I want is something very simple. I want to ensure that no one can disregard me. Or, as it was put to me recently¡­ look down on me,¡± he finished with bitter emphasis.


    It was moments like these that reminded Argrave why he preferred to go everywhere with Anneliese. That sounded a usible enough answer, but Argrave couldn¡¯t tell what the man was really feeling.


    ¡°I heard about what happened to you on the day of the royal summit,¡± Argrave said quietly. ¡°If you intend to get back at the Order¡­ I¡¯ll say only that I intend to promote development so long as it doesn¡¯te at the expense of another.¡±


    ¡°As I would expect of a king forged as you were,¡± Artur nodded like that was expected. ¡°When I was young, I learned something. My parents were farmers in the farthest northern region of Atrus, just beyond the southern border of the old Queendom of Quadreign. Farming was tremendously difficult work, and doubly so in that region of cold, infertile fields. They had no use for a child like me. With this stunted body of mine, I was incapable of so much of what they needed¡ªstoutbor, endurance, general physical capability. I learned, then, a simple lesson. If they did not need me, why feed me? To fill my stomach¡­ I had to be needed. Irreceable.


    ¡°Without my body, I had my mind. I took up administration of taxes in the vige. The tax collectors veritably extorted the vigers who were ignorant of how much was in a single bushel¡ªthis was long before Felipe¡¯s conquest of the region. I was¡­ ten, perhaps? From there, I took on more and more¡­ I became literate, helped people with trade, learned medicine¡­ it was a life of constantly striving to fill roles that were needed. It was only at thirty that I learned I had a talent for magic. It felt like a blessing beyondpare¡­¡± he closed his eyes. ¡°But even having learned sote in life, I made it here.¡±


    Argrave listened curiously, having never heard this backstory before. He knew Artur was from a peasant family, but not much more.


    ¡°The point is this, Your Majesty. You might balk at hearing my motivations for founding this institution, but if you allow me, I will be an irreceable help to you. I¡¯ve been doing it my entire life, after all. I didn¡¯t wallow in self-pity. I would have sumbed to starvation long ago if I had. I can be what you need.¡±


    Argrave finally reached the altar, and he put his hands on the altar as everyone else gathered around. If being needed was all that mattered to you, would you have advanced so far? That was the main question he could think of, but he didn¡¯t want to ask it. There was no need to alienate the man.


    ¡°Who do you need to be needed by, at this stage? You¡¯re an S-rank spellcaster,¡± Nikoletta pointed out, voicing Argrave¡¯s thoughts for him.


    Artur regarded her with a nce, then looked back to Argrave in expectation without answering her.


    Argrave leaned against the stone and watched. ¡°Anneliese has a simr sentiment about self-pity.¡±


    ¡°Her Highness?¡± Artur raised a brow.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°I hear what you¡¯re saying. You¡¯ve proven yourself many times over in that engagement back there alone. But it¡¯s not my sole decision, anymore. You¡¯re on the parliament¡ªyou know I intend for a future where it has more importance in day-to-day governance of Vasquer.¡± He looked at Orion. ¡°For now, we take care of all this. And when the timees, your proposal will be put to the parliament.¡±


    Artur looked briefly disconcerted, but he gathered hisposure quickly and wrung his hands together as he nodded. ¡°So it is, Your Majesty. So long as you know my will, I am content for now.¡±


    #####


    Argrave blinked open his eyes. He had returned to the realm he¡¯de from, standing there on stone like he¡¯d always been there. Back in the grasnds, it had been a strange experience to watch something that looked like hair burn and turn into liquids. Sarikiz had the souls of sixty tribes trapped in her hair¡ªthough perhaps trapped is the wrong word, for it implied that it was not a willing thing. Regardless, it suited their needs for bridging the gap between realms.


    Argrave cast a simple spell to illuminate the ce and threw it up into the air so that it might bathe the room in light. This new stone building was much the same as the first underground altar they had entered in many ways. It varied in two ways¡ªnamely, the fact that there were many more entrances, and the fact that it was flooded with blood. Argrave lifted his right foot up and looked at it, grimacing as thick, congealed fluid dripped off his boot like visceral sludge.


    Orion and the rest soon emerged from the portal, blinking open awake just as he did. Orion¡¯s hand went to his sword at once the moment he saw the room lit by spell light. ¡°Easy, now,¡± Argrave told him. ¡°Might be you swing at one of the othersing from the altar.¡±


    ¡°What in the gods¡¯ name is this?¡± Orion asked, stepping up to a slightly elevated ce where the blood had yet to reach.


    ¡°It means one of two things,¡± Argrave said. ¡°It¡¯s going to be far less challenging to rouse our friend, Chiteng¡­ or he¡¯s already woken up.¡±


    Orion looked uneased. ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not quite sure,¡± Argrave said distantly. ¡°All I know is that it smells terrible in here.¡±


    As more and more came through, he exined to each of them what was happening. When they¡¯d all gathered, Argrave waded through the thick, viscous blood flooding the underground altar. He¡¯d thought going through the wends of northwestern Vasquer had been torturous, but to walk through heavy red blood was far more unpleasant. Fortunately, the source was not too far from them.


    Ahead, there was a circr rock wreathed in roots. The blood flowed down the nt life almost artfully, yet it all began from the stone. The rock was unadorned and unmarked, yet blood flowed in three ces. With two side and by side, and oneing out from a crescent between and below¡­ the simple, circr rock looked like a face bleeding from its eyes and mouth.


    ¡°Ganbaatar and Orion¡ªI think you¡¯ve already agreed toe with me to the elven realm. As for the rest of you¡­ what do you think? Who wants to go?¡±


    Artur had elected to use his enchanted mantle to hover above the blood once again. He asked tentatively, ¡°Will you hold it against me if I decline, Your Majesty?¡±


    ¡°If I did, I¡¯d never say that,¡± Argrave shrugged.


    ¡°Then I think that I will take my chances and gracefully decline,¡± Artur tipped his head. ¡°So long as the opportunity is open, of course.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m of a like mind,¡± Mina said. ¡°I like being ignorant of the divine¡­ and if it¡¯s not the divine and you¡¯re wrong, I like staying out of whatever you intend to stick your hand into.¡±


    Vasilisa stepped forward to join Argrave. ¡°Whatever. I¡¯ll go,¡± she told Argrave, fullymitted to this endeavor even despite her crassness.


    Nikoletta stepped forward, too, though offered nomentary. Argrave raised a surprised brow but didn¡¯t intend to dissuade her. She and Mina exchanged some urgent and muttered words, and then the two parted.


    ¡°Right then,¡± Argrave nodded, turning back to the bleeding-face stone. ¡°I suggest the rest of you back away a far distance, lest you get caught.¡±


    They backed away obediently from the shrine Argrave stood before. Back at the other shrines, those four separate¡ªand far more numerous¡ªgroups would be taking much simpler actions. Gods of other realms could be called upon using collective will and intricate knowledge alone. That method could be likened to lighting a fuse. Here, though¡­ Argrave simply intended to light the bomb personally.


    He retrieved Fellhorn¡¯s inheritance medallion and held it up to the bleeding-face stone. Orion handed him the next items¡ªa mallet and stake. The Veidimen had used these to make their tents, but Argrave had a different purpose for them here. He secured the medallion in ce with the stake, feeling a deep sense of nervousness regarding what he was about to do. In Heroes of Berendar, items with divinity like this inheritance medallion could be destroyed before the shrines of deities. That was the sole way the yer had to interact with many of the other realms.


    He was fairly certain this would work¡­ but if his method was incorrect, he¡¯d anger Fellhorn for no good reason and look a fool before plenty of important people. But he¡¯d been both a fool and a king, and the two had their ups and down. He pushed the spike against the silver medallion, pulled the hammer back, and pounded. On the first, it bent. On the second, it sunk in deep. And on the third¡­


    A loud ng ran out as the medallion snapped in half. The noise was far too loud for what had been done, and the two pieces of the medallion tumbled down while releasing ck smoke, before plopping into the blood at Argrave¡¯s feet. It hissed audibly, and slowly¡­ the inanimate liquid began to bubble, churn, as though boiling. No, it didn¡¯t seem to be boiling. It was. Argrave lifted his feet up as he felt a heat in his leg.


    A great hand formed of blood pushed up beneath them, sending them into the air. Argrave saw five spirits in each of the hand¡¯s fingers and knew then that he could resist if he so wished as he had done with Onychinusa and her shamanic magic. But now¡­ now, he didn¡¯t care to. The great hand¡¯s fingers clenched, almost as though to crush them. And then they were elsewhere.

 Chapter 364: No Man is an Island

    Argrave heard a loud, deep rumbling noise echoing across thend, almost like a foghorn. He could feel it through his whole body. It shook the metaphorical cage around his head, and it was only after a few seconds that he remembered to open his eyes.


    As far as the eye could see, a great red ocean twisted and cast waves upon the shore just as the real ocean might have. The sight brought back memories, and he urgently turned his head about as he remembered what he¡¯d been doing. Orion, Ganbaatar, Vasilisa, and Nikoletta had alle with him. They looked around in panic. They were on an ind of some kind¡ªa tropical ind, perhaps, though the trees had bark that looked like flesh and the t, wide leaves were red and veiny. He might¡¯ve called this a hellscape, yet the bright blue skies gave life to the grim ce it sorely needed.


    ¡°Take it easy. Don¡¯t do anything stupid,¡± Argrave told them at once. ¡°We¡¯re in thend of the elven gods, now. Most specifically, in Chiteng¡¯s section of it.¡±


    The deep horn split the air once again, shaking the very earth they stood on. It seemed louder this time. Everyone turned their head towards it source. And when they saw it¡­


    ¡°My¡­¡± Nikoletta trailed off, stepping away in fear.


    Ganbaatar knelt down in the sand, lowering his head in deference that seemed strangely bitter and shocked. Orion walked to the shore, staring ahead in protective defiance of Argrave. Vasilisa took her ce by Argrave¡¯s side. And as for him¡­ he simply beheld Chiteng.


    Deep in the heart of the ocean of blood, a blocky throne stood strong, rising from the deep. It was made of rich, radiant ivory, and tall as a mountain besides. It had to be tall to amodate the giant elven figure resting upon it. Like all of the wood elves, he had blonde hair and red eyes. Garbed in only a crimson robe, Chiteng slouched on his throne decadently¡­ or decrepitly. His limp arms seemed to be the only thing stopping him from sliding further down, and his feet were hit by high waves all too often. Still, his eyes¡­ they saw. He was alive, without question. And unlike Sarikiz, he was awake, too.


    A whale swam away from the throne, every so often rearing above the surface and letting out that haunting call that sounded all too simr to a foghorn. It seemed made of the same ivory as that throne, yet still it swam without issue,ing closer and closer and sounding louder and louder. As Argrave saw the size of it, he wondered if it was the cause of every wave in that vast ocean.


    ¡°Towards thee I roll, thou all-destroying but unconquering whale¡­¡± Argrave said as awe and fear both seized his heart. He stepped ahead as its horn call dominated all thought, standing at the shore with Orion.


    ¡°Your Majesty¡­ be careful,¡± Orion cautioned, but Argrave only waved him away.


    It became abundantly clear as it approached that Chiteng¡¯s whale was farrger than the ind they stood on. When it came close enough, its great horn call stopped, and its ceaseless swim forward slowed so that it mightnd harmlessly by the shore.


    Eventually, it settled by the ind, its great broad head looming over them all. Up close, despite its terrifying nature¡­ it had a beauty to it, Argrave couldn¡¯t deny. It looked more like a marble sculpture than a living creature, yet it moved and bobbed with the waves every bit as alive as any whale he¡¯d seen.


    The whale waited, and waited, and waited. Argrave knew what had to be done, it was simply about mustering himself up to the task. Gradually, he swallowed. ¡°I offered the spirits from the ancient god Fellhorn as a gift. My hope is that it aids you in the years toe, as Gerechtigkeit descends upon this earth.¡±


    No response came from the whale. It floated there, its great tail barely moving behind it as it waited.


    ¡°I hope to ask of Chiteng two boons. The first¡­ I believe it wholly amenable. In this realm of the elven gods, the forces permeating here rejuvenate the body, making death a difficult prospect. I hope that I can enjoy the benefits of this realm as I ascend to A-rank.¡±


    The whale didn¡¯t move¡­ but Argrave saw from people¡¯s reactions that Chiteng, the distant god, did. He could not see past the whale, but he stepped aside and craned his neck just as the giant elf mmed his fist upon his throne. The ocean began to rumble, and a door rose up, settling along the shore. Argrave stared at the door. It looked like the same ivory as the throne¡ªgiven Chiteng¡¯s sphere of influence, it was likely made of bone.


    After witnessing it, Argrave looked back at the whale. ¡°¡­I¡¯m assuming you¡¯re telling me I can leave when I like.¡±


    There was no answer in return. Argrave supposed that so long as he didn¡¯t receive a clear refusal, the answer was yes.


    ¡°I thank you for your grace,¡± Argrave dipped his head. ¡°Then¡­ for the other matter. I ask that you forgive my hubris, but I must make a suggestion to you and the other gods of this realm,¡± Argrave said delicately, leaving pause for a blunt refusal. When none came, Argrave continued. ¡°My subordinates travel to the other ancient altars, rousing each of your family in kind. My hope¡­ my hope is that you will ept my direction in the conquest of another god alreadyying waste to your worshippers¡¯ homnd, and further unite my kingdom and the elven society against the true threat.¡± Argrave finished quickly, lowering his head in deference.


    From afar, a deep, gutturalugh echoed throughout thend, louder than even the whale¡¯s horn call. Chitengughed, he realized. The god sounded amused, like a child had said something funny because of its ignorance. Argrave kept his head bowed and lowered, hoping that amusement did not spell anger. The gargantuan whale backed away from the shore, sinking deep into the ocean and fading away into redness.


    It¡¯s over. He won¡¯t hear me out. Despair crept into Argrave¡¯s chest. Yet then¡­ the whale pushed against the shore, moving aside the sand with its broad head as it crept towards Argrave. It seemed liable to split the entire ind, and Argrave took a step back in fear. Orion grabbed Argrave, prepared for anything. Yet the whale settled before them, waiting.


    Argrave stared down at the whale, expecting further movement at any time. His breathing was a bit quick. When he looked up, the elven god he saw was vastly different from the one he¡¯d seen moments ago. He was still slouched, yet his hand had moved to his temple, and he tapped his finger and stared¡­ expectantly, Argrave realized. Impatiently.


    Once he realized what was asked of him, Argrave exhaled loudly, gathering himself. He tried to step forward, but Orion stopped him.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± the prince asked urgently.


    ¡°Let go, Orion,¡± Argrave directed with a calm he did not feel inside. ¡°We¡¯re going to be taken closer.¡±


    Ordered so tantly, Orion obeyed and released his grip. Argrave stepped atop the whale, feeling its dense blubber beneath his boots. Just as it began to rumble¡­ the prince joined him atop its broad head.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Argrave asked him.


    ¡°I must protect you,¡± Orion confirmed. ¡°You are my brother and my king.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    With that, the whale slowly backed away from the shore, keeping its body as level and steady as any cruise ship. Slowly, slowly, it rose up out the water, turned, and began to swim towards Chiteng. The elven god of flesh and blood waited, his red eyes fixed upon the two of them.


    The lone call of the whale had been a haunting thing from the shore alone, but as Argrave and Orion sailed out deep into the open sea that call of theirs became more numerous. A faint red mist shielded one from seeing too far, so the harrowing noise of distant foghorns prated the bloody ocean¡¯s fog as the giant Chiteng watched on from above, staring.


    ¡°No matter what happens, I¡¯d ask that you stay quiet,¡± Argrave said. ¡°It¡¯s safest for both you and me.¡±


    He waited for an answer, and then looked to Orion when none came. The man stood there quietly, his helmet in the crook of his arm, watching Argrave silently.


    Argrave caught on¡ªthe man didn¡¯t intend to speak, just as he¡¯d directed. ¡°Good. Thank you. Both for being here¡­ and for being cooperative.¡± He looked back up to the meeting that awaited them, eyeing the red-robed elven figure.


    Now¡­ how was he to persuade a god who¡¯dughed at his idea? It seemed a very difficult proposition.

 Chapter 365: Coalition of the Unwilling

    The god of flesh and blood, Chiteng, filled the role of a god of fertility primarily. Men were intended to pray for virility. Women were intended to pray to prevent their children from being disabled physically or mentally¡ªspecifically, they prayed that the flesh and blood of their children was sculpted to be both beautiful and strong. Supposedly he made the figures of all men and women. All the elven gods took sacrifices, but Chiteng supposedly used the bodies to craft their children inside their wombs.


    When Argrave looked back from where they¡¯de, he could see the shore no longer. Soon enough, the blocky throne of ivory came into view past the fog. It had been difficult to see from so far away, but there was a small white harbor leading to an entrance with a door well familiar to Argrave. The whale swam up alongside it, nting its broad head against the smooth stone. Argrave and Orion stepped up onto it. When they looked back at the whale, it sunk into the deep and disappeared before their eyes. Argrave wondered what else was lurking beneath in the deep beside that whale¡ªthe yer could never swim in there. He didn¡¯t care to find out now.


    When he looked upwards, Chiteng peered down at the two of them. He seemed to exert pressure with his gaze alone that almost made Argrave want to drop to his knees. Perhaps it was just his size, but maybe there was something more to divinity than mere power. Argrave felt entirely a fraud calling himself ¡®king.¡¯ But he did call himself king, and that came with certain responsibilities. So, he had to begin.


    ¡°Are you interested in an early victory in the struggle toe?¡± Argrave asked boldly. Though he felt intimidated standing closer to the divine figure, the fact he had been brought here suggested there was some leeway he might have.


    The god leaned forward until he hunched, cing his arms atop his knees. He said nothing, but only stared at the two of them, waiting and watching. Orion shifted uneasily, and Argrave gave him a nce, pleading that he would do nothing to provoke Chiteng.


    Argrave looked back up at Chiteng. ¡°I was able to reach you because Gerechtigkeit is targeting the region, specifically. He¡¯s bearing pressure upon the Bloodwoods strong enough that an ancient god has been able to enact its will on thend itself. This has destabilized the situation tremendously, and if left unchallenged, the forest itself will die¡ªthe forest that you and your family made for the elves.¡±


    Chiteng tilted his head from one side to the other, still listening.


    ¡°The god thates is a fell being strong enough to be the first to break through the division between the realms,¡± Argrave continued, speaking slowly and clearly so that his nervousness did not cause him to stutter. ¡°Whoever it is clearly has no interest in cooperation¡ªthey intend to destroy the forest to make way for their domain. I can give you an advantage in this situation. With my presence on the mortal realm, I can facilitate the connection of realms and position your family to strike back against¡ª¡±


    Chitengughed once again. Every time his guttural voice echoed out, the harbor they stood upon shook. The great god leaned back on his throne andid his head back, chuckling. Slowly theughter faded away, and taking its ce was the constant sound of deep horn calls pushing out from the fog as Orion and Argrave stood in uneasy silence.


    ¡°I¡¯m not suggesting you hunt and kill an elder god,¡± Argrave finally started to speak again. ¡°But if someone sticks their hand through a hole, they only have themselves to me when their limb receives an injury from those already present. And if you think me incapable of actually doing what I im to be capable of¡­ know that I opened the altars to the centaurs¡¯ great steppes using Sarikiz¡¯s hair, and that I know the location of your holy artifacts¡ªthe spade, your father¡¯s mattock, your sister¡¯s sword. I can use these to manifest them. I can make good on my promises¡ªI swear on my soul.¡±


    Chiteng silently watched Argrave, all the mirth drained from his elven face. His hand clenched around the armrest of his throne, and then his lips parted, saying two words that echoed across the entire ocean. Two words, yet one name.


    ¡°Kirel Qircassia.¡±


    Argrave took a deep breath when he heard that name. Anneliese and Argrave hade to the conclusion that it was an elder god behind all of the trouble in the Bloodwoods¡ªnothing else coulde close to that kind of power. They were wrong, as it turned out. It wasn¡¯t an ancient god. It was the ancient god.


    Humanity was not alone in conceiving the idea of unity against the threat of Gerechtigkeit. It was a stage of opportunism for the gods, true enough. But just as some people sought protection under Argrave, some gods sought protection under other gods. Kirel was the self-proimed eldest god, who allegedly had been through the judgement cycle hundreds of time before. To be fair, the im was not in question¡ªmany with old ties to Kirel supported that im and obediently fell under his banner¡ªthe Qircassian banner.


    The principles were simple¡ªthose who took the name of Qircassia had total autonomy, but they had to fight together against Gerechtigkeit and all outside threats. Infighting was strictly forbidden. Beyond that, they were free to do as they pleased. It was nothing more than a defensive coalition. When its founder and enforcer was Kirel, a force in and of himself, a defensive coalition was nothing to balk at in the free-for-all Gerechtigkeit enacted. It was stability in insanity.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    It would certainly beughable if a mere mortal wandered into your domain, iming to have the key to deal a crippling blow to the leader of a divine faction that had persisted for many of the cycles of judgement. Argrave didn¡¯t think he was wrong in iming what he¡¯d imed¡ªthat the elven gods, working in tandem with true presence in the mortal realm¡ªcould expel Kirel. Making some roots overturn the earth and suck up saltwater was potent, rtively speaking¡­ but it was a drop in the pondpared to what Kirel was truly capable of. He wasn¡¯t fully manifested. They could push him back before he did.


    Argrave turned away from Chiteng and stared out across the ocean of blood. There was no problem with Argrave¡¯s n. The problems wouldeter. The problems woulde when things really got bad, and when the full force of the Qircassian Coalition hade to recognize Argrave and his godly allies as those who had cut off the grasping hand of their founding member. The gods had long memories¡­ and unforgiving vendettas. Argrave and the elven gods were one blip on the radar to them.


    He listened to the pleasant sound of the waves battering against Chiteng¡¯s throne of ivory as the whales let out their calls, one after the other, in endless ambience. Argrave was running down his list of favorite curse words. He could remember more than he usually could. Even if he had been prepared for this¡­ persuading Chiteng? Persuading all of the elven pantheon to go after the heaviest hitter? Even if he told the elven gods that he knew both their favorite color and who they had a crush on, his knowledge about Heroes of Berendar paled before the overwhelming might of the Qircassian Coalition. Knowing how a gun worked didn¡¯t stop him from getting shot¡ªit just told him to stay away from the line of fire.


    Kirel usually appeared overseas, on another continent, Argrave reflected. If he¡¯s here¡­ when the timees, all his crony godlings wille and make Berendar their territory. If I know that¡¯sing, I can prepare better. I can position us to take the least of the impact. We¡¯ll¡­ have to submit to them. If we¡¯re lucky, we¡¯ll be dealt a good hand. Maybe I can influence the way things shake out. For now, we have to fortify Vasquer for the copse of the Bloodwoods. It¡¯s going to be devastating. God damn it, why¡­?


    As a total defeat settled over Argrave, some words came to him.


    I saw countless people that, when faced with one tragedy, turned it into five or six by weakness of will. Self-pity does nothing for no one. No matter whates, you cannot pity yourself.


    Anneliese¡¯s words rang in his head so clearly he could practically feel her breath on his ear. He wished that she was here. But she wasn¡¯t. And he couldn¡¯t allow this one setback to turn into a spiral toward oblivion because he was weak.


    Argrave turned around and looked back up at Chiteng. He was d the god did not speak much, then¡ªit gave him ample time to choose his next words carefully.


    ¡°I think this situation is rather funny, too,¡± Argrave began with a disciplined calm brought by near a year of constant hardship. ¡°Maybe you think that you¡¯ll be allowed into the Qircassian Coalition, to fight against Gerechtigkeit side-by-side with all of the other members. You think there might be some loss of life, but if you submit you can mitigate the damage. If your family submits, you might not gain as much as wish¡­ but you can survive.¡±


    Argrave stepped slowly down the harbor, heading toward Chiteng. ¡°But Kirel has already staked his g in the Bloodwoods, and already made the trees your family grew obey his will. His emissaries are already fighting your worshippers to im their territory. You and your family have no ties to the coalition¡ªI can¡¯t imagine Kirel even knows your names. Forget allowing you to subsist in his ranks; the raiders already pige and plunder what existence you eked out fighting against the centaurs and the giants in thest cycle of judgement. Why would he stop to negotiate when he can simply have all you own for himself? He is powerful, well-connected¡­ and so why should he respect anything you wish to happen? After all¡­ this is the cycle of judgement. No one would balk if you were shattered and consumed.¡±


    Chiteng slowly leaned forward once again, whatever amusement he¡¯d shown entirely vanished.


    ¡°If you want to make it through this¡­ so do I,¡± Argrave continued,ing to a stop as he stared up defiantly. ¡°And I¡¯m not content to sit by and let every god tten this continent. The cycle of judgement determines who is worthy of surviving another millennia, if any at all. And in theing years¡­ you and yours are just as mortal as me and mine. So, let¡¯s cooperate.¡±

 Chapter 366: Die Trying

    When Argrave finished demanding cooperation from Chiteng, he felt a little lightheaded from the rush that brought on. He managed not to do anything foolish or embarrassing in the wake of that, though he furiously reyed what he¡¯d said in his head to make sure he¡¯d said nothing overtly disrespectful. He hung on every word uttered, thinking of how it might be interpreted¡­ then wondered if his interpretation was fruitless, because he couldn¡¯t think as a god could.


    Still, Argrave did note this far to submit to the advent of the gods so meekly. He fought against Gerechtigkeit¡ªif he bent before the elven gods or the Qircassian Coalition, he¡¯d failed before he¡¯d even begun. If anything, this meant that old Gerry viewed Argrave as a bigger threat than the Qircassians, for he intended to use them to snuff out Argrave. That realization made Argrave only more certain his choice was the right one.


    Still, his brain whirled as he thought of what he¡¯d said and what he needed to do. He barely processed, then, when Chiteng raised his hand up and pointed.


    ¡°Return,¡± the elven god said simply, voice as loud and disruptive as it ever was.


    Argrave stared up, trying to make sense of that. He heard something behind him and looked back to see the great whale that had carried them here swimming back to the ivory harbor, cing its broad head up against the side so as to give them a ride once more. When Argrave looked back to Chiteng for further exnation, he saw the god had closed his eyes, leaning his face against his fist while his elbow braced on the armrest.


    Return. What did that mean? Argrave wished to ask a thousand more questions¡­ but given that Chiteng had thus far onlyughed a couple times, said a name, and said one word, it was safe to say Argrave couldn¡¯t expect a further boration. He took slow steps away, walking backwards until he nearly collided with Orion. The prince grabbed and steadied him, giving him a wordless nod. Then the two walked back to the whale.


    As the beast slowly swam away from the harbor back to the ind, Argrave watched the elven god sit seemingly in stasis. He couldn¡¯t tell whether he¡¯d failed utterly, failed slightly, or simply dyed things for another day. But he was alive. He was alive, and other things needed doing.


    Argrave realized that Orion was staring at him. He was perplexed for a few moments but saw the prince fidgeting with his hands and remembered his earlier order.


    ¡°You can talk again,¡± Argrave told him. ¡°Still¡­ don¡¯t think we¡¯re alone here, ever.¡±


    ¡°What was the oue?¡± Orion asked the question Argrave himself had been pondering.


    In response, Argrave stayed silent. Things weren¡¯t necessarily over vis-¨¤-vis negotiation. There was more that could be said and more that could be done. There were other gods that could be spoken to if Chiteng refused. He wouldn¡¯t stop¡ªcouldn¡¯t stop¡ªuntil things were done right. He¡¯d go, go, and go until they bent or gave in. And if they didn¡¯t bend, if they never listened¡­ he could rouse Sarikiz, rouse other primeval forces. If necessary, he¡¯d be willing to do anything to win on his terms¡­ because Argrave knew that his terms would be better than any that a god would be willing to offer. Anneliese and Artur both had beenpletely right¡ªthere was no ce in life for self-pity.


    When Argrave opened his eyes once more, heid eyes upon that door Chiteng had called to allow him to return back to the mortal realm. That made him remember half the reason he hade here¡ªto ascend to A-rank. Argrave took a deep, anxious breath as they neared the shore once again.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to ascend to A-rank real quick,¡± Argrave said to Orion with bravado he did not feel. ¡°After, we can discuss our next move.¡±


    #####


    Castro sat at his desk, writing something by the light of a magicmp. He waspletely ignorant of heavy footsteps and a single heavy staff sounding through his chamber.


    ¡°Is that the moon I see reflecting all that light, or a bald head?¡±


    Castro looked up, surprised. He narrowed his eyes in the dim light, and then rose to his feet. ¡°Rowe? What in the gods¡¯ name are you doing here?¡±


    Rowe the Righteous, ancient-looking Veidimen of the distant continent of Veiden, strutted through into the Tower Master Castro¡¯s chambers with his staff in his right hand and a book in his left. ¡°You gave me ess to your tower, remember? That elevator you have¡­ took me half an hour to get up here. What¡¯s the damn point of something this tall? You¡¯re surrounded by grasnd¡ªsave yourself some time, build simple, wide buildings. Could have a city here. Instead, you have some stupid monument.¡±


    Castro stepped around his desk. ¡°I didn¡¯t build it.¡±


    ¡°When it¡¯s destroyed by Gerechtigkeit, eyesore that it is¡­ I suggest you don¡¯t rebuild it.¡± Rowe stepped up to him. Though both hunched from age, he stood a great deal taller than the tower master. The elven man held out the book he held to him. ¡°Anyway¡­ here.¡±


    ¡°What might this be?¡± Castro put his hands on the book.


    ¡°Smut,¡± Rowe said sarcastically. ¡°What do you think? What do us two wizened wizards have inmon, hmm? Argrave.¡±


    ¡°This is¡­ oh!¡± Castro said in revtion. ¡°His A-rank ascendency. This wasn¡¯t necessary,¡± he said, but took it off Rowe¡¯s hand nheless.


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t necessary,¡± Rowe repeated with a scoff. ¡°You did as much good work fixing that thing as I did. It needed a lot of fixing, granted¡­¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not here. You can say nice things about him without fear,¡± Castromented as he walked around the desk.


    ¡°I can¡¯t risk it. He might hear about it,¡± Rowe shook his head, then narrowed his eyes. ¡°You seem¡­ off.¡±


    Castro set the book down on the desk. ¡°My apprentice is getting worse. Health issues.¡± The old man took a deep breath, then exhaled.


    ¡°Ask the boy king for help,¡± Rowe suggested. ¡°He¡­ knows many things, sad as it is to say. If it¡¯s uncurable, maybe he can cure it.¡±


    Castro nodded. ¡°He already promised aid. But he is unable, now¡ªnot that he¡¯s busy, but merely that he can¡¯t do it yet. Ingo¡¯s health issues rte to Gerechtigkeit¡¯s advent.¡± Rowe narrowed his eyes and looked liable to press further, but Castro quickly changed the subject, tapping the book he¡¯d been given as he said, ¡°What do you think of this?¡±


    ¡°The boy king¡¯s bid for supremacy on the magic field?¡± Rowe tapped his staff on the ground, then looked about.


    ¡°Supremacy, you say. So you think it¡¯s potent?¡± Castro sat behind his desk.


    ¡°It was made to be.¡± Rowe spotted a chair and pulled it up to the desk, not bothering to make it quiet. He sat down with a huff, then leaned his staff against the desk. ¡°But I¡¯ll tell you what I told him: he¡¯s going too fast. If he tries, he¡¯s going to die.¡±


    Castro nodded. ¡°I am well inclined to agree. But when he left this tower perhaps a year and a half ago, he was only capable of casting D-rank spells. Now¡­ he¡¯s mastered a suite of B-rank spells. As much as any High Wizard of the Order I can think of, at the least.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I know. He was very keen to tell me how talented and great he is.¡± Rowe spotted a bowl on Castro¡¯s desk and craned his head. He reached forward and snatched it¡ªit was full of nuts of some kind. ¡°Anneliese is doing way better than he is. She¡¯s always going to be ten steps ahead, mark my words.¡±


    The tower master smiled at the tant favoritism but didn¡¯t mention it further. ¡°Do you think it¡¯s viable?¡±


    ¡°Paper is worth its weight in gold in Veiden. Might not be saying much, given how light it is¡­ but paper being as expensive as it is, I still made a copy for the libraries, and I don¡¯t intend on throwing it out.¡± Rowe snacked on the nuts from the bowl. ¡°Yes. What he described is viable.¡±


    Castro nodded. ¡°But¡­?¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s an active ascension,¡± Rowe pointed his arthritic finger. ¡°He has to reconstruct his entire body magically, essentially. That sort of ascension requires a mastery over magic spanning decades. Mastery that hecks. There¡¯s a reason why passive ascensions are moremon by the thousands. When he makes a mistake and kills himself, I¡¯ll learn about it and amend the book as necessary.¡±


    ¡°Passive ascensions are difficult, too,¡± Castro pointed out.


    ¡°Not really. Anything you can do by ident can¡¯t be.¡± Rowe chewed on another nut, then raised his hand. ¡°Don¡¯t act like I¡¯m defaming those poor passive ascenders. My method was passive, too. I took that route because it was easy.¡±


    ¡°And what is your A-rank ascension?¡± Castro entwined his hands.


    Rowe stared silently for a few moments, eating nuts by the handful. He set the bowl down empty. ¡°You want to know my secrets?¡±


    Castro stared back, then looked at the bowl. ¡°Well¡­ those were my walnuts you just ate. I deshelled them myself. Salted them personally.¡±


    Rowe wiped his face off slowly and intently. ¡°And they were good. So what?¡±


    ¡°I thought we were allies,¡± Castro said tly.


    ¡°You first, then,¡± Rowe gestured. ¡°Tell me your A-rank ascension¡¯s ability.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Alright,¡± Castro nodded, and Rowe raised his brows. ¡°We¡¯ll y word games, like proper old men. I can give you a one-word riddle. You¡¯ll give me one in turn. We¡¯ll guess.¡±


    ¡°Interesting. Go ahead,¡± Rowe leaned back in his chair.


    Castro thought on it for a long time, then said deliberately, ¡°Age.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Rowe tilted his head. ¡°Limits.¡±


    The two old men stared at each other, thinking hard about the word the other used.


    ¡°What a pointless exercise,¡± Rowe shook his head.


    Castroughed, then as the silence extended between the two of them he seemed to be reminded of another matter. ¡°There is one other thing you should see. I¡¯m wondering¡­ do you think Argrave can still use this?¡±


    Castro opened his desk, rummaging through various papers. Rowe waited patiently, and then received a stack of papers from Castro.


    ¡°Blood Infusion¡­¡± Rowe read it quietly. His face shifted as he neared the end of the first page. ¡°Making all- spells blood magic?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Castro nodded. ¡°This was Argrave¡¯s independent research paper back when he was still an acolyte of this Order. It¡¯s not finished. In conversation, he implied one would need to be A-rank to make use of it. My own thoughts are that it would need to be a blood-magic rted ascension, specifically¡­ but I¡¯m not sure.¡±


    Rowe raised the papers up. ¡°This is a little bit more than one page. I can¡¯t tell you immediately if it¡¯s viable.¡±


    ¡°So when youe back next time, tell me then,¡± Castro nodded.


    Rowe looked a little pleased at the invitation but hid that fact well. ¡°Sure. Next time,¡± he agreed.


    Castro¡¯s face slowly turned into a frown as he thought of something. ¡°I know I gave you ess to the tower as you wish, but¡­ how did you get here?¡±


    ¡°Dragon, of course,¡± Rowe said, looking back to the papers.


    The tower master looked quite concerned. Suddenly, something fell in the other room, nging noisily.


    ¡°Do you have guests? A girlfriend, maybe?¡± Rowe said, the picture of calm.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s¡­¡± Castro slowly rose to his feet. He froze as Ingo, his apprentice, stumbled into the room.


    Ingo¡¯s eyes bled. He clung to the wall as he said in a half-groan, ¡°Twenty thousand hands¡­ traitors, all.¡±


    Then, he copsed on the ground. Castro moved quickly, throwing over the chair as he rushed to the young man. Rowe stood uneasily and stepped over.


    ¡°Ingo? Stay with me. Ignore the visions,¡± Castro directed him as he turned him over and supported his head.


    ¡°Dimocles¡¯ guillotine¡­ a shadow trailing, bigger than the darkness man faces ahead¡­.¡±


    Castro cast a spell. Ingo¡¯s shaking stopped, and the bleeding slowed. The tower master let out a slow sigh.


    ¡°Prophetic visions?¡± Rowe questioned. ¡°Some apprentice.¡±


    ¡°Not prophetic,¡± Castro disputed. ¡°Ingo sees what is. If someone is throwing a punch¡­ he¡¯ll see the punch, but not whether it¡¯ll hit ornd. He sees only that it¡¯s happening.¡±


    Rowe stepped around to get a better look at the blue-haired young man. ¡°Who¡¯s Dimocles?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Castro shook his head. ¡°He¡¯s been having so many of these¡­ fits,tely. All of them¡­ chaos. Chaos, war, and destruction. The fact we¡¯ve seen none of it concerns me.¡±


    ¡°Humans aren¡¯t the only ones on this world, you realize. And the Veidimen have seen chaos enough.¡± Rowe sighed. ¡°Things areing to a head. That¡¯s therger reason I¡¯m here. I¡¯m ashamed to even utter these words, but¡­ we need help. Anything you can spare.¡±


    Castro looked at Rowe, sobered and serious. ¡°By His Majesty¡¯s order, I¡¯ll help where I can.¡±

 Chapter 367: Not the First Time

    ¡°I¡¯ll be watching,¡± Vasilisa told Argrave. ¡°But like I said, it¡¯s not like there¡¯s much I can do to help. This is your battle, not mine.¡±


    Argrave nodded at her, then turned his head back to the ocean ahead. Most of his clothes barring his underclothes had been removed and set aside. He knelt in the sand before the bloody ocean, facing Chiteng. He didn¡¯t know why, but he couldn¡¯t be at ease unless the giant elven god was in his sight. He didn¡¯t think he was in danger, yet even still he couldn¡¯t dispel this idiosyncrasy of his.


    He had gone through this procedure in his head half a thousand times. Even then, he wasn¡¯t quite sure he¡¯d be able to do it right, so he ran through it again. The fundamentals of this A-rank ascension had been peer reviewed by peers that weren¡¯t really peers¡ªnamely, they were people far better than him at magic. People like Anneliese, Castro, Rowe, Vasilisa, Hegazar, Vera, and essentially every powerful friend he¡¯d made had their hands on this process of Argrave¡¯s.


    They had refined the method greatly. Argrave thought that his undying soul was a clear and necessary element for this procedure, but Rowe and Castro had analyzed that idea and applied it to a normal soul. After redevelopment, they made it work with any person, not just someone who so happened to be very lucky and born with an undying soul. Or unlucky, depending on whether or not a necromancer got their hands on them.


    Having an undying soul amplified the power of this A-rank ascension beyondpare, however. Argrave¡¯s base idea was simple, inspired by seeing the vampiric beast within Gmon. He would use his soul as an anchor for what he called ¡®blood echoes.¡¯ Like the silver bracer on his arm currently, these would store the essence of blood magic, eliminating the need for the caster to use their own blood in blood magic. Additionally, they could be projected and used elsewhere.


    With an undying soul¡­ Argrave could create as many of these echoes as he wanted. He had the heaviest anchor in this world for them to attach to. And with his ck blood, forget blood magic¡ªthese echoes could be a store for all magic. He could project these bloody apparitions and make a firing squad of deadly magic¡ªdeadly blood magic, at that. All of this¡­ at zero cost to health and wealth.


    The idea was simple. Was doing it simple? Not particrly. Argrave needed to rewire his veins, essentially. It wasn¡¯t his veins, in truth¡ªit was more so the magic conduits that drew blood from the body when blood magic was cast. He had to link those to his soul, inextricably. The ¡®inextricable¡¯ part was the tricky bit. These conduits were fussy. Blood echoes were foreign to them, and they liked to revert to the mean.


    These conduits would be both the method for the creation of blood echoes, and the path by which A-rank matrixes werepleted. It was simr to other ascensions involving blood magic¡ªArgrave hoped that meant Blood Infusion into other spells would be viable for this method. Regardless, he had to ce his blood pipes into their proper ce.


    Naturally, toying about with the pipes made for blood magic wasn¡¯t risk-free. And so Argrave came here.


    Argrave¡¯s breathing grew heavier as he recognized what he was about to do. He held out his hand and cast an exceedingly simple spell of blood magic. He was cognizant of slight pain as the spellpleted, but ignored that and sought out the conduits that siphoned his blood into the primal power of the sacrificial magic.


    After a time, he found one, drawing away his blood for its purpose. Then another, another, all up and down the vessel that was his body. His will was a tangible thing in his body, like a sparking imagination moving through his body with his hand guiding it. He slowly took a survey of all the spots in his body siphoning his vital essence into magic. One after another, he got his hands on them. He found his soul, too¡ªVasquer had helped him with this part, so it was considerably easier.


    With everything in ce, he pulled the conduits away.


    Fiery pain lit up Argrave¡¯s entire body, yet he stayed firm. He moved these conduits towards his soul, hoping to get them all into rough ce where he might then do a more precise maniption. It was a trying task, like trying to pull fifty separate wires precisely with only two hands. And the pain¡­ the pain didn¡¯t stop. The pressure kept growing and growing, pushing out against the container that held it in¡ªnamely, his mind.


    Argrave felt pulled back to this world with startling rity. He hunched over and puked blood into the already-red ocean. It wasn¡¯t just puking, though¡ªhis eyes, ears, nose, all of him was bleeding. He heard people panicking behind him¡ªVasilisa, Orion, Nikoletta. He sumbed to the terrible sensation. Meanwhile, a great budding warmth spread up within him, mending the wounds as quickly as they came. It was the power of this elven realm.


    After a long, long while, Argrave felt cognizant of the world again. Vasilisa held him, preventing him from dipping headfirst in the red ocean. Her blue eyes were wide, concerned, and trembling.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he told her, blood still leaking through his lips. ¡°Small pipe leak. I¡¯ll get it fixed in no time.¡± He startedughing when he said that. Forget fixing it¡ªeverything he¡¯d done had already been reverted. He¡¯d made no progress.


    ¡°What in the god damn is wrong with you?¡± Vasilisa held him, shaking. ¡°You were crying blood. What is this, some kind of sacrifice?¡±


    Argrave wiped blood from his eyes to see better. ¡°Take it easy. Not my first time bleeding from every part of my body,¡± he told her,ughing again.


    He finally straightened, then looked at his body. Already, the pain was gone¡ªthe elven realm had healed him, just as he suspected. He took an assessment of himself as everyone nearby watched in confused panic.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°Again.¡±


    Nikoletta stepped up beside him. ¡°Again?! Argrave, you¡ª¡±


    ¡°Again,¡± Argrave said firmly, then raised his hand with the spell already formed.


    #####


    ¡°I was surprised when you contacted me,¡± said a tall blonde man, a steel helmet depicting a boar resting in the crook of his arm. The rest of his equipment wasid out before him, polished and ready. All that remained was putting it on.


    ¡°Surprised I could, or surprised I would?¡± Durran asked, leaning up against the wall with his ive to his left. He was fully armored in gray wyvern scale, seemingly ready for war. Off to the side, his gargantuan ck bear slept peacefully.


    ¡°Both,¡± Boarmask said simply. ¡°We didn¡¯t part on the best of terms.¡±


    Durran nodded slowly. ¡°Because of Titus,rgely.¡±


    ¡°¡­yet I ended up leaving the Burnt Desert, nothing done all the same.¡± Boarmask shook his head andughed.


    The golden-eyed man shrugged. ¡°Hey, I wasn¡¯t exactly jumping for joy when I left Sethia. You saw what became of me there. Paraded about through town, mocked, called a traitor¡­ I was ready to do something regrettable.¡±


    ¡°So, why go back?¡± Boarmask stared, curiosity lining his blue eyes.


    ¡°You must¡¯ve heard the news a long time ago,¡± Durran pointed, then fixed his dark hair back with the other hand.


    ¡°Gerechtigkeit,¡± Boarmask nodded, then ced his helmet down. ¡°I thought you worked under Argrave.¡±


    ¡°I did. Do,¡± Durran corrected. ¡°Actually¡­ I was mostly working under his sister in thetter days. Still, she¡¯s got people willing and able to rece me. That¡¯s just the problem.¡±


    Boarmask narrowed his eyes. ¡°Meaning¡­?¡±


    ¡°Bad things are happening. I need to do something that no one else can do. Something no one else is willing to do.¡± Durran looked off to the side. ¡°n¡¯s pretty simple. Argrave told me Fellhorn¡¯s going toe to the Burnt Desert, eventually. Before that happens, I¡¯m going to unite it all under one nation.¡±


    Boarmaskughed, stepping away. Durran only stared with a serious smile on his face, and Boarmask gradually began to understand that his friend wasn¡¯t joking.


    ¡°I hope there¡¯s some pivotal details I¡¯m missing,¡± Boarmask took slow, steady steps forward, disbelief writ on his face.


    Durran nodded. ¡°About half a hundred. But you can learn them as we go, see.¡±


    Boarmask looked a little relieved. ¡°Right. There¡¯s no way you¡¯d do this with just the two of us, of course.¡± He watched Durran¡¯s face, and when he saw the same serious smile as earlier demanded, ¡°There¡¯s no way, right?¡±


    ¡°A nation isn¡¯t one person, so of course not. But Argrave started alone, and look where he is now,¡± Durran waved his hands.


    ¡°He was the royal bastard of King Felipe III,¡± Boarmask spread his arms out.


    ¡°And I¡¯m the sole male heir to thest wyvern-rearing tribe in all the Burnt Desert,¡± Durran pointed his thumb at his chest.


    ¡°Sole disinherited heir,st I checked,¡± Boarmask rapped his knuckles against his helmet, sighing. ¡°What in the zes goes on in that head of yours?¡±


    ¡°The whispers of a severed head,¡± Durran nodded. ¡°Want to know a little secret?¡±


    ¡°From you? I hesitate,¡± Boarmask quipped.


    Durran held his hand up and cast a spell. Boarmask backed away in fear, but Durran never willed magic into the matrix. It stood there, suspended and spinning.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what that is, Durran,¡± Boarmask shook his head.


    ¡°A B-rank spell.¡± He closed his fist, and the magic dissipated. ¡°It was¡­ really, really easy to learn. I have no idea why, but it was.¡± He shrugged. ¡°Actually, I do have an idea why, but I think that¡¯s best left in my head. Mine and Garm¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°Do you n on killing every Vessel in the Burnt Desert with those mighty spells of yours?¡± Boarmask waved his hands up in the air.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Durran chuckled. ¡°I remember you being more somber,¡± he noted. ¡°Well, no. I don¡¯t intend on fighting all of them. I can¡¯t, really, not alone. But with Gerechtigkeiting¡ªgods be damned, with Fellhorn aloneing, the Burnt Desert is at its tipping point. The region can either remain forever doomed to be a wastnd ruled by tyrants or divided into petty warring tribes as it was before my birth¡­ or, better yet, I can make something good out of these existential threats. I can unite all the people of my ckened and burnt desert to fight in the war these gods wage against the world, so that I can hold my head high when I mention my homnd,¡± Durran finished with his voice loud and firm.


    Boarmask went silent at the passion in the other¡¯s voice. He stepped away, thinking. ¡°That¡¯s a nice sentiment,¡± he finally said when he turned back. ¡°But if there¡¯s anything I can attest to, it¡¯s that hot sentiments mean nothing before cold truths. They once called me the Romantic Warrior. I had to learn that lesson the hard way, but I learned it. And our world is quite the cold one, need I remind you. Vessels, Titus, and tribals who think you a traitor. That¡¯s your homnd, Durran.¡±


    Durrna crossed his arms, leaning his ive up against his shoulder. ¡°Believe you me, I know how cold the truth is. I¡¯ve touched that godless ice enough for the both of us¡­ enough to know that I should use it in my favor.¡±


    Boarmask took a deep breath and sighed. ¡°Well¡­ and gods be damned, but I¡¯ll say this: if your n makes sense, I¡¯ll help you.¡± He sighed once again. ¡°Can¡¯t believe I said that. After being with Orion for a little, nothing really feels dangerous anymore.¡±


    Durran¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°You too? You met him?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about it,¡± Boarmask held his hand up. His eyes wandered to the giant bear. ¡°You¡¯re, uhh¡­ bringing a bear to the desert?¡±


    ¡°No. I contacted a friend of mine¡ªhe¡¯s sending someone to pick it up by boat.¡± Durran looked at the creature. ¡°It was a gift. It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t appreciate it, but I don¡¯t want him burning up in the desert. Besides¡­ that beast was made for someone else, I¡¯m certain. The letter Gmon wrote back in reply was the happiest I¡¯ve ever heard him. And this was letters on a page we¡¯re talking about.¡±


    The bear lifted his head up when the name ¡®Gmon¡¯ was uttered.


    ¡°See? Mention his name alone, the beast perks up,¡± Durran gestured.


    Boarmask chuckled. ¡°So¡­ what is your n, then?¡±


    Durran looked at him. ¡°Metal people, dead people, earth people, elf people, et cetera. I learned a lot from a friend of mine. I intend to exceed his expectations. His¡­ and maybe a certain Alchemist¡¯s.¡±

 Chapter 368: Crushed From Within

    Argraveughed enough that it seemed like everything was okay. But with blood pouring from his body in waves every time he threw his head against the wall, and his clearly involuntarily grunts and shouts of pain, Nikoletta could tell that everything was the opposite of okay. What he did caused pain great enough it was hard for him to even speak. Yet every time he crumpled, in perhaps half a minute he raised his hand up and cast that spell once again, renewing the process from the beginning.


    She didn¡¯t know the specifics of what he was doing to ascend to A-rank, as he hadn¡¯t divulged that to her. In the initial confusion of it all, she, Orion, and Vasilisa had pleaded with him to stop, and then to take it slower, and then to take breaks. Even Ganbaatar, unaffiliated with them though he was, cautiously suggested Argrave ease up. None of their suggestions were heeded. Even the gentle cries of his fennec fox pets didn¡¯t sway him from his task. Argrave zed forth with an iron will, bleeding onto the shore again and again.


    With his body still persisting despite the river of blood pouring from it, they settled into an uneasy eptance of what he did. They tried to do their best to ease this period of intense pain for the king. Nikoletta found it incredibly difficult to watch, almost vomiting her meal as she watched¡­ yet her concern for her cousin prevented her from looking away. She helped him the only way she could¡ªkeeping him from falling into the ocean, cleaning the ck blood off his body. And all the while, thoughts poured into her brain one after the other. Questions, in truth.


    Why? Why was he willing to do this? No matter what power he gained, was it really worth torturing himself in this manner? Nikoletta thought no one would be willing to do something like this¡ªthat no one could. Yet second by second, she was proven wrong as Argrave thrust his hand back into the veritable me again and again, repeating that simple word like a mantra: again.


    It was one thing to hear Argrave describe what was going toe, to see the symptoms manifesting all around the world of Gerechtigkeit¡¯s advent. It was another entirely to see his convictionid bare before her. He pursued this path to stop the cmity with conviction enough to turn his body inside out. And why?


    She thought she knew the answer to that. Argrave felt it was his duty.


    Nikoletta felt unimaginable guilt for her bitter attitude towards him these past few days. She had seen Argrave whole and happy, Anneliese at his side, his brother supporting him whole-heartedly¡­ and felt what she recognized now was only base jealousy. With her sole parent missing, likely dead¡­ with her strained rtionship with Mina¡­ she had acted foolishly toward a man who bled enough to turn the red ocean before them redder.


    When Nikoletta realized she was crying, she felt ashamed. She¡¯d thought Argrave had changed when she spoke to him again. And he had. Somewhere along the way, he¡¯d gone from the man who smacked his head on the doorframe because he was too tall¡­ to this. Someone bleeding for his country and for his people.


    Argrave bent over, bleeding once again. Nikoletta held his limp body up as he got ahold of his faculties once again. As the distant horn calls of the ivory whales blew across the turbulent ocean in what was almost sorrowfulment, she felt a fiery resolve worm its way into her heart.


    I must be more, Nikoletta told herself. I must be better. I am a young girl no longer. How many times must Argrave spill his blood for me to realize what is obvious? If I can do even half as much for him as he does for everyone¡­ it might just be that we make it through this.


    Nikoletta¡¯s eyes settled on him firmly, not balking at the blood any longer. Every drop he spills here today is a debt we all owe, she reflected. And I will pay you back, Argrave.


    #####n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    The elven god of flesh and blood, Chiteng, sat on his throne of ivory in solitude. The ocean of his creation crashed against his throne, sometimes sshing his feet. Still he sat, head leaning against his fist. He looked to be lost in thought. His existence was a lonely one, made only lonelier by the haunting calls ofment echoing out from the whales of ivory.


    After a long time ofplete silence, the god opened his eyes once again. His ck pupils settled upon the distant ind before him. The human man the others had called Your Majesty knelt there in the sand, staring directly at Chiteng. Then he raised his hand up, as if in toast. When hepleted that spell of his¡­ pain and blood erupted.


    The human crashed down into the waves, likely having failed at whatever he had been trying to do. When he rose again, they pleaded with him, begged him¡­ yet he did not heed their orders. Indeed, they heeded his absolutely, obeying him no matter how foolish what he did seemed.


    And so the human crashed down into the sand again and again, trying and failing to manipte an intricacy of the fundamental force of the world the humans knew as magic. But every attempt came without hesitation, and in every attempt he stared Chiteng in the eyes even as his salty ck blood stained his vision.


    Soon, the method that the human used began to change in subtle ways. On one attempt it was harsher¡ªon another, more focused. On one it was reckless¡ªon another, measured precisely. He was like an ant before a mountain, yet even still he traversed it looking for a path his small body could proceed. What was it for? His fellows? Or for himself? Nheless, he charged forth without an end in mind.


    Even as minutes turned to hours, the human did not waver. He only said one word¡ªagain. Chiteng stared without passion, yet he did not blink as he watched all the same. He and the human stared at each other with unspoken messages. Slowly, Chiteng lifted his head off his fist, and sat straighter on his throne.


    And then¡­ the human did not copse. His head sank down into his chest, and he spit out thest vestiges of his previous bloody failure down his ruined underclothes. Chiteng watched as an essence of magic¡ªan essence he was well familiar with, having long ago mastered it¡ªpooled into the human¡¯s being. It was the essence of life¡ªvitae. It was blood magic.


    And then¡­ the human lifted his head up again, looking Chiteng in the eyes once again as if in message. A triumphant grimace marked the man¡¯s face. Chiteng¡¯s stoicism wavered, and the debate in his head finally settled.


    #####


    Argrave stared at Chiteng inplicated embarrassment, feeling that his big talk earlier had been invalidated by half a thousand failures. He could practically hear the god thinking, ¡®This is the guy that talked about taking down the Qircassian Coalition? What a joke.¡¯


    ¡°Told you I¡¯d get it eventually,¡± Argrave said lightly, cleaning out his mouth with his tongue.


    ¡°What?¡± Nikoletta leaned into his vision, grabbing hold of his shoulder. ¡°You¡¯re¡­ is it¡­?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Argrave rolled his shoulders, feeling remarkably alive. ¡°It¡¯s over.¡±


    Despite the intense pain and the blood pouring out from his body in volumes enough to fill an Olympic-size swimming pool, the elven realm¡¯s innate healing ability had kept him whole. It enabled him to act with reckless abandon in pursuit of his goal. And that goal¡­ he couldn¡¯t quite believe it himself, but he¡¯d reached it.


    The biggest limiting factor, initially, had been pain. The pain shot up outwards through his body as though slowly building pressure. It became so intense it was almost unmanageable¡­ and then he¡¯d lose concentration, and the conduits of blood essence would return to where he¡¯d wrenched them from. Perhaps ¡®pressure¡¯ was a good term to describe it¡ªafter all, just afterwards blood spewed from his body as though forced out. He was like a very gross espresso machine. His extraction time was far off the mark.


    After his failures at brute-forcing the metaphorical conduits into ce, he¡¯d tried several different ways to fix things. He tried one at a time, five at a time, all at once again, keeping them in ce¡­ so many methods, and some of them repeated identally by failure of will or simple forgetfulness. Argrave found it was hard to stay focused with pressurized pain pushing against his skull, but perhaps that was just him.


    In the end, the method that had worked was abination of several. He anchored the conduits to his soul, and then used these now-anchored conduits to quickly monkey-branch down the line with the rest before they reverted. It made sense in Argrave¡¯s head, but he didn¡¯t think he could conjure words to describe it.


    And¡­ Argrave had done it. After the distinct and involved experience moving them, he was acutely aware of the constant siphoning of his essence away into these echoes. He held his hand up, willing this force forward¡­


    A faint, dark red hand emerged from his, so faint it was almost indiscernible. The others around him said something, but he was too caught up in awe to pay them any bother. It was there. His blood echo was there. Though he kept calm inwardly, his Brumesingers were freed from their subdued state and sprinted about the shore in excitement, mirroring his emotional state.


    ¡°He isn¡¯t even listening,¡± Argrave finally heard Vasilisa say. ¡°By the gods, this man¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Argrave said cheerily. ¡°Maybe I ought to clean out my ears. Bit of a blockage, there.¡±


    When he stood and turned around, everyone stared at him with some mixture of disdain and relief. Nikoletta plopped on her back, and Ganbaatar shook his head in disbelief.


    ¡°You people look more tired than me,¡± Argrave said, then started to realize just how much of his body was covered in blood. ¡°Maybe I should wash.¡± He looked back to the bloody ocean. ¡°Don¡¯t think jumping in there will help, though.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re¡­ really alright?¡± Orion hesitantly inquired.


    ¡°Of course I am,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°Told you it¡¯d be fine, didn¡¯t I? Why do you think I came here, a tropical vacation?¡± He waved his hand. ¡°I¡¯m going to go wash myself with magic. Don¡¯t look for me,¡± he directed them, then stepped for the tree line deeper in the ind.


    He walked a fair distance away until he was out of sight, looking back in paranoia. Then his happy-go-lucky persona crumpled, and he leaned up against a tree in triumphant exhaustion. Heughed, aggrieved yet pleased. He¡¯d done it. He¡¯d done something against what he knew of Heroes of Berendar. He¡¯d carved a new way forward for himself. And going forward, he¡¯d do just the same for the rest of this hellish ce. He¡¯d make a new way.


    Argrave washed himself thoroughly with water magic. The crimson wasn¡¯t especially easy to remove, and he gave up on the stains to his underclothes almost immediately. After a time, he returned to them wet. And waiting¡­ one of the ivory whales pushed up against the shore again, almost inviting them to step on its back with its tail.


    ¡°It came while you were washing,¡± Ganbaatar informed Argrave. ¡°I think¡­ he¡¯s made his mind up. Chiteng.¡±


    ¡°You can take a rest,¡± Nikoletta told Argrave. ¡°I think you deserve that much.¡±


    Argrave walked over to his pile of clothes and looked down at them, thinking her words sounded quite sweet right now. A rest seemed just what the doctor ordered. But he leaned down, picked up his pants, and made to put them on.


    ¡°Nah. I can rest on the ride over,¡± Argrave said determinedly. ¡°That blubber has to befortable.¡±


    Ganbaatar chuckled quietly, but he seemed impressed at Argrave¡¯s willpower. Vasilisa chuckled loudly, but she seemed to think he was insane. Maybe they were both right.

 Chapter 369: Superimposition

    Argrave stared at his hand as they drifted across the sea. Not his first or second, but his third hand. There was one small benefit to active ascensions over passive ascensions¡ªthe effects were immediate. Anneliese had needed to wait a few days, but Argrave already saw the fruits of hisbor before him. It was quite a small and singr fruit¡ªa faint dark red hand projected out from his own, so translucent it was invisible when ced before the red ocean the whale took them across. His entire body had this little echo, and it obeyed his will absolutely.


    He waved his hand in front of his face. The echo followed his movements with a slight dy, fading like foggy breath into the air. Over time, this echo would draw from his blood just as the silver bracer on his arm did. Once it could bear no more, another echo would be born. And another, and another, and another, for all eternity. They were all bound to his soul, and his will alone directed them as he pleased. Everything was just as he¡¯d hoped from his A-rank ascension.


    An idea came to him as he saw the thrashing waves. He started to siphon a great deal of his blood into forming the echo quicker. It was painful, but he still had to make full use of the elven realm¡¯s regenerative abilities to skim a little off the top before he returned to the mortal realm. The echo¡¯s hand gained rity, going from a faint red mist to what was almost a red shadow. Before long, he could no longer see through it.


    ¡°Given how you¡¯re grinning, I can take it you¡¯re satisfied with the results?¡±


    Argrave looked back and down to see Nikoletta anxiously sitting on the whale¡¯s back. His blood echo, without his will holding it separate from his body, fell back in ce inside him. His cousin had elected to travel with Orion and Argrave this time to seek an audience before Chiteng. He didn¡¯t know why she¡¯d decided to do so, but he certainly couldn¡¯t protest.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Argrave nodded simply, not wishing to speak for long.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    And that was no lie. He was very satisfied with the results¡ªit felt like he¡¯d just found some addictive new toy. Of course, he¡¯d made the toy. And this toy was actively killing him, technically. Many things that were addictive did end up killing people, he supposed.


    The blood echo suddenly gained enough of his essence toplete itself, and he felt as though it shifted back to anotheryer within his body as the next took formation. He projected them both from his body, one faint and forming and the other dense and shadowy, its maroon a bewitching color. It required intense concentration to manipte both at the same time, like driving two cars at once. In time, they would be dozens, or hundreds even.


    The whale they rode atop shifted, and Argrave¡¯s attention was forcibly diverted as the creature made harbor at the ivory docks before Chiteng¡¯s throne. He looked up to see the god of flesh and blood staring down at them. He wanted nothing more than to spend all of his time delving into the intricacies of his new advancement, but he couldn¡¯t. Other matters demanded his attention.


    Still¡­ while I¡¯m here, I¡¯ll make as many of these babies as I can, test out if my undying soul really is the best anchor I could hope for.


    Argrave watched Chiteng up above as he stepped back up on the harbor. The god stared down at them, dispassionate as ever. He waited on the harbor with his cousin and brother until he heard a faint stone click and lowered his head toward the noise¡¯s direction.


    The towering white door at the base of the throne slowly parted. An elven woman in a red dress walked outwards, her hands held before her in a dignified manner. Argrave waited patiently for her to approach, making no rash moves.


    She stopped before them, staring. Argrave didn¡¯t recognize her, which was a rarity for important ces like this. But that red dress was quite simr in tone to the robe Chiteng wore, so he made some assumptions. He wasn¡¯t sure enough to voice them, though, so he waited as her eyes jumped from Nikoletta, Orion, and himself.


    Her wholly red eyes finally settled on Argrave. ¡°My father will receive you in his holy temple,¡± she said, not unkindly. ¡°And you alone.¡±


    Argrave spared a nce upwards. ¡°Might we speak here?¡± He made sure to sound polite.


    She made no indication of pleasure or displeasure as she informed him, ¡°That would be ungodlike.¡±


    Argrave nodded slowly. He was well used to dealing with people that needed to be given a lot of face¡ªcounts, dukes, margraves. Even now that he was a king, there was always a bigger fish. Gods ranked a little higher on the social pecking order than kings.


    ¡°Lead on,¡± Argrave said.


    ¡°Are you sure, Your Majesty?¡± Orion asked, his voice tense.


    ¡°If we¡¯re alive now, we¡¯ll be aliveter,¡± Argrave exined, then followed after the red-dressed elven woman as she walked away. ¡°See? Now you just stand out here waiting, Nicky. Told you it wouldn¡¯t be fun toe.¡±


    Nikoletta crossed her arm, hiding the blue swordfish heraldry on her armor incidentally. ¡°Be careful,¡± she called out sincerely.


    Argrave gave a gentle wave behind his back, then kept walking firmly forward. He passed by the two heavy doors, looking at the intricate carvings on them¡­ and then into the holy temple beyond. He came here knowing what to expect. Between Erlebnis¡¯ creations and the Order of the Rose, he had seen many fleshy abominations in his day.


    Chiteng¡¯s house of worship was not like that.


    All of what was within idealized purity of flesh and blood¡ªthe natural body of the elves. All the stone was as white and clean as the throne without. The ivory halls had only one color supporting them¡ªthe deep, dark, and rich red of blood. The two were so starkly contrasting it was a little wondrous when he saw banners of red, carpets of red, and finely dressed elven men and women all bearing red.


    The figures here were all beautiful beyondpare, men and women both. Not all of them were so modest as to wear clothing, either. It was like a cult. He supposed religion was just a big cult, and this one didn¡¯t necessarily seem depraved¡­ indeed, they all knelt in respectful devotion to the figure far down the hall. Argrave kept his eyes fixed firmly ahead, using the pain of making the blood echoes to keep his mind sharp.


    Finally, thedy escorting him stepped away into the crowd of worshippers, and Argrave turned his head back to see the white door shutting behind him. He looked up at what they all worshipped. An elven man sat in a throne sternly, wearing a vibrant red robe. From the look of him, Argrave supposed he was thedy killer of alldy killers.


    ¡°You don¡¯t care to admire all you see?¡± the elven man questioned.


    Argrave put his hands in his duster¡¯s pockets and looked back for half a second. ¡°They¡¯re prettydies. Handsome men, too, I guess, but I can¡¯t judge that half given as it¡¯s not my inclination. Doesn¡¯t matter. I found the prettiest thing a long while ago.¡±


    ¡°Perfection is a falsehood,¡± the elf continued.


    ¡°You say that, but love disagrees,¡± Argrave shrugged.


    The elven man chuckled convincingly enough. But he wasn¡¯t a man, just as all the men and women he¡¯d seen weren¡¯t elves. Each and every one of them were Chiteng¡¯s servants. Supposedly, beautiful men and women that died before their time in honorable service to their people were sculpted to be immortal monuments in these halls.


    ¡°Can I speak to Chiteng?¡± Argrave got to the point. ¡°One on one?¡±


    ¡°That would be ungodlike, as you have been told,¡± the representative said. ¡°We know His will. We can transmit it to you.¡±


    Argrave nodded, half-expecting this sort of treatment. ¡°Dying isn¡¯t particrly godlike. I wanted to try and stop that from happening.¡±


    Argrave barely stopped himself from flinching when that great rumbling chuckle from the god sitting above them shook the house of worship. Argrave¡¯s Brumesingers fell from his coat, looking up above and whining softly.


    Chiteng¡¯s representative stood and walked behind the throne. He grabbed a curtain and drew it across, hiding an area beyond the throne. Just then, Argrave saw gargantuan fingers poke up from above and watched with a frown.


    ¡°Father has deigned to appear,¡± the representative exined. ¡°Though the flesh is beautiful, the act of making itcks propriety. Please wait.¡±


    Argrave watched as the giant hand moved behind the curtain, gesturing precisely as it rolled, kneaded, pulled, and pushed¡­ no, as it sculpted something out of view. In time, the hand straightened once more and slid back into nonexistence. A normal-sized hand poked free from the edge of the crimson curtain, grasping it as though to pull it aside. Then, it pulled the cloth off the rails, and the figure standing there wrapped himself in the soft curtain, tying it with practiced grace until he stood with a neatly tied toga.


    Chiteng walked out of his alcove to his throne, taking his ce atop it. He slouched down until he was a mirror of thezy, lounging figure outside. As ever, he stared passively.


    Argrave thought it would be his turn to speak up, now, but before he could Chiteng said, ¡°You had a bold message.¡±


    His voice had such natural authority that Argrave found himself standing straighter. ¡°I did.¡±


    ¡°You stare me in the eyes and bleed before me, inviting pain and misery unto yourself countless times until you reach your goal,¡± Chiteng noted, finger tapping on the throne¡¯s armrest. ¡°A humanes before me with that message, not moments after dering your intent.¡±


    Argrave blinked uncertainly. Had that been a message?


    ¡°The boldness of your message resonated. I intend to hear you speak in detail,¡± Chiteng said. ¡°The Qircassian Coalition in force is beyond my family¡¯s ken¡ªthis is truth.¡± It was an admittance of weakness, but Argrave did not feel the pressure abate in the slightest. ¡°It is my duty to seek alternatives.¡±


    Argrave tried not to jump in exuberance, using the pain of elerating the process of making blood echoes to ground him in reality. Instead, he took a deep breath and said simply, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Another matter demands primacy,¡± Chiteng said powerfully, leaning forward. ¡°Exin why you bear the taint of another god in your being. Should I take you as puppet for another? Why should one tyrant be weed while another is expelled?¡± his voice grew in volume until it was the same deafening rumble as the giant¡¯s outside.


    As Argrave¡¯s Brumesingers yelped defiantly, the man himself stood as though rooted in ce.


    ¡°Speak,¡± Chiteng said, voice shaking the walls. ¡°Why are you thusly blessed? To whom do you offer allegiance?¡±

 Chapter 370: Collision Course

    ¡°Are you talking about the god¡¯s blessing within me?¡± Argrave asked with a firm voice¡ªhe was proud of himself for staying steady given the walls themselves were shaking.


    ¡°You admit, then, that you have the favor of another god,¡± Chiteng¡¯s red eyes narrowed somewhat.


    ¡°No. I was blessed, but I have no favor from him,¡± he shook his head. ¡°We traded. Bartered. I had something that he wanted, and in return for it he lent me ess to his power. I will admit he did express interest in making me one of his champions, but I refused the offer,¡± Argrave scratched at his ear as he shook his head.


    ¡°And why refuse?¡± Chiteng threw his hand up gently, prompting boration. His voice had quieted, so he didn¡¯t seem as angry as before.


    ¡°The same reason I proposed cooperation with you, not subservience to you.¡± Argrave spread his arms out. ¡°I have a duty. To myself, and to others.¡±


    The congregated servants behind muttered, but Argrave stayed razor-focused on the figure on his throne. The truth of the matter was that Argrave thought he¡¯d be better than the gods at making this world habitable. This little eerie red ocean this throne stood on was a perfect example at why allowing gods with narrow focuses unadulterated ess to the world was a negative. Humans were the best to serve humans¡ªthat was his purpose as king, now. He¡¯d gotten the crown, and now he needed to hold it. It was as much for his future as it was for others¡ªthat¡¯s how these things worked.


    Chiteng didn¡¯t look satisfied by that answer. ¡°Duties are long, thankless threads that can form impeding knots when intertwined. You propose cooperation. I do not intend to subvert my own duty by wrapping it in yours without understanding your intent fully.¡±


    Argrave nodded, filtering past the grandiose speech to get the root of the matter¡ªhe wanted Argrave¡¯s motive. He took a breath and answered, ¡°My duty is simple. I must allow everyone who falls beneath my banner to get through this without painful submission or death. And why? Because I want to live in a nice ce.¡±


    Chiteng watched without judgement. ¡°You don¡¯t care for their fates?¡±


    ¡°As much as about anyone else, yeah I do,¡± Argrave nodded, being quite honest. ¡°The world is better with others living in it. Innovation, structure, safety¡­ that¡¯s what organized and civilized society offers, inrge part. I want to preserve that for me and mine. I¡¯m sure you understand, having watched over the elves for as long as you have.¡±


    Chiteng tapped his finger on the throne¡¯s armrest. ¡°The chains that bind are long and greedy. I once thought it foolish that we divinity should fight amongst each other for territory, for worshippers, but death is the thing we fear. The gods will try and make their mark on your people. I am rooted here in the Bloodwoods because my family and I served the elves, earned their worship, protected them, and gave them a home to live. Your life has been short, but many of us have seen dozens of millennia pass by. The opportunism stems from seeking a staging ground for the next cycle, for it never truly ends. We seek to build a fortress in the hearts and mind of the mortals, so that when next the arbiter raises his judgment we may step upon familiar soil.¡±


    The elven god leaned in. ¡°They wille for all you have. They will try and erode your people¡¯s will with filling pleasures, try and conquer thend by might, try and beat you down with reason honed over centuries. I do not chide your resistance, but they resist all the same against powers greater than they are. In yournd, bodies that meet the earth nourish the crops that grow in years toe. For the gods, we need only eat each other to grow stronger. You know this, having offered that silver medallionden with divinity.¡±


    Argrave listened intently, surprised the impersonal god spoke so personally. At the end of that, he nodded. ¡°Life is hard, that¡¯s what you¡¯re saying. I don¡¯t see that as any reason to give up.¡±


    ¡°No. I say that cooperation is a rare luxury, for the opportunism and base greed of one alone can pervade the attitudes of all into a ubiquitous and internecine struggle for power and supremacy. Such is as we see inly on disy.¡± Chiteng fell back into his throne, lost in thought. ¡°You spoke sense. Kirel Qircassia has no reason to so meekly allow myself and my family to join his coalition when he could establish his presence in these woods both for this cycle and the next. Experience has taught me that people rarely speak sense without another motive behind it, and I find it difficult to cooperate with one who bears the taint of a power well known to me.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The god spoke fast enough Argrave felt the proceeding silence after he finished unbearable. Eventually he defended, ¡°Erlebnis is fair in his dealings.¡±


    ¡°Yes. But mortal beings are not bound as he and his servants are by reputation and expectation. He has earned a powerful ce for himself in this world by trading knowledge between all powers equitably. Nevertheless, many names have been stomped beneath his feet and forgotten in the time of the arbiter¡¯s judgement. For a god to grow, other gods must die. And your swift arrival in an hour of need bears implications. Your pervasive knowledge, too, bears implications.¡±


    ¡°You need me to quell uncertainty,¡± Argrave finally realized.


    No response came. Chiteng watched and waited, his monologue finished.


    ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± Argrave said. ¡°But I can return the favor.¡±


    Chiteng shifted in his throne, saying nothing further.


    Argrave paced as he talked. ¡°I didn¡¯t know whether or not my party would make it through the barrage of elven attacks without being harmed. I didn¡¯t know whether or not I¡¯d be able to lead my people through the caverns where the centaurs patrolled. I didn¡¯t know if I could open the portal to the Mother¡¯s Steppes without sacrificing someone. And I didn¡¯t know,ing here, if I would be received¡­ and if I would live. And I was very far from certain that my A-rank ascension would work.


    ¡°If people only acted when they were certain, then uncertainties would never be eliminated. The future itself is uncertain.¡± Argrave paused, briefly losing track of his point for a minute. He stepped up the stairs toward Chiteng¡¯s throne, then paused before him. ¡°But I see somethinging that¡¯s hard to ignore. And the only way I see crisis being averted is cooperation.¡±


    When Argrave finished, the only reply he received was a steady tapping as Chiteng¡¯s finger thumped against the stone. ¡°You will need to exin how you will aid inbatting Kirel to my family.¡±


    Argrave brightened. ¡°Meaning¡­?¡±


    ¡°I will stride into uncertainty certainly. I will speak to my family. But they were not revitalized with an offering of divinity as I was¡ªthey will be slower to wake. Though your friends have already stirred them, give it time.¡±


    Argrave smiled broadly. ¡°Excellent! Then I¡¯ll wait a few¡ª¡±


    Chiteng¡¯s fist mmed down upon the armrest, and the noise echoed like a giant gong out across the room until Argrave¡¯s ears felt like they would bleed.


    ¡°But I will not rx my vignce. I watch for signs of Erlebnis repeated anywhere,¡± he stressed. ¡°Return.¡±


    #####


    ¡°Your absence was noted.¡±


    One of the emissaries of Erlebnis looked down at the elf Onychinusa as she sat before the shrine. Its too-long arms were crossed before it in what appeared to be disappointment, but the abominations of the ancient god of knowledge never expressed emotion so perhaps it was merely illusion.


    ¡°I was absent only a day,¡± she defended herself, looking up with pleading amber eyes.


    ¡°You were told to return, and yet it took you twenty-five hours to do so.¡± The emissary stepped forward, thin lips speaking harsh words casually. ¡°We cannot stray far from the lord¡¯s shrines of yet. As His mortal servant, you can. This is a privilege granted to you to extend his reach. If you cannot follow His will absolutely, you will be retained and reeducated.¡±


    The woman shuddered and lowered her head, ying with the grass before the shrine in panicked helplessness.


    ¡°You will facilitate His descent, here,¡± the emissary continued as though its gentle scolding never was.


    Onychinusa lifted her head. ¡°The lord¡¯s¡­ descent?¡± She blinked quickly, a mixture of awe, surprise, shock, and anxiety. ¡°The presence¡­ the presence of that king, will it¡­?¡±


    ¡°It is because he is present that the time is ideal,¡± the emissary interrupted. ¡°You will get in touch with His mortal servants. You will direct them to do as they have been bid. And then you will return to the shrines, to hear and wait for his directive.¡±


    ¡°To the shrines? Not to His realm?¡± she questioned.


    ¡°That was not said,¡± the emissary answered neither harshly nor softly.


    She said nothing in response but rocked back and forth on her spot happily. Then, she looked up. ¡°Why does the king¡¯s presence matter?¡±


    ¡°He has insight. His purpose is known,¡± the emissary exined, remaining behind unlikest time. Perhaps it knew the reason she had wanderedst time was because of her frustration that it did not answer her questions.


    ¡°He has knowledge the lord wants?¡± Onychinusa questioned.


    ¡°Yes,¡± the emissary nodded.


    Onychinusa looked pleased her question was answered, then followed, ¡°Why are these elves here, when I¡ª¡± she cut herself off, then smacked her face hard with her hand. When she raised her head up once more, cheek red, her question changed. She instead asked, ¡°Is this insight how he knew my name? Not previous correspondence with the lord?¡±


    ¡°Presumably,¡± the emissary nodded.


    She stood up suddenly. ¡°I will do my duty.¡±


    Then, the emissary was gone. Onychinusa took a deep breath of anticipation, and then stepped toward the exit from the shrine¡¯s alcove.

 Chapter 371: Blood Test

    Argrave rode back on the ivory whale for the ind where the rest of hispanions resided. He was ferrying back and forth often enough it felt like a waste of time, somewhat¡­ but then, this would be thest time they¡¯d step on its back, he supposed.


    ¡°Argrave¡­ I want you to know that whatever happens in this ce, this damnable forest¡­ I¡¯ll always be your woman,¡± Nikoletta said as they neared the ind.


    Argrave narrowed his eyes and turned his head slowly. ¡°I thought we had this talk.¡±


    ¡°No, not ¡®your woman¡¯ like¡­¡± she sighed and rubbed her face. ¡°I want to be of use to you, to the crown. I live to serve.¡±


    ¡°Commendable,¡± Orion praised.


    The whale set upon the shore, and once they crossed back to the ind Argrave grabbed Nikoletta¡¯s shoulder and walked to the door that led to the exit of this realm. ¡°If that¡¯s true¡­¡±


    Nikoletta, led by Argrave, did not have time to be surprised as they passed through the door¡¯s threshold. In a very smooth fashion, they were once again back at the underground altar, their feet sinking deep into messy blood.


    ¡°I can think of something for you to do very soon,¡± he finished telling her.


    She looked greatly off bnce by the sudden shift of scenery and the abrupt request, yet the words still made some eagerness light up on her face. Before she could voice a response, the others that had been waiting back on the mortal realm stirred in surprise.


    ¡°Nicky!¡± Mina said, rushing over to her.


    Artur greeted, ¡°You made it. Had a little doubt, I¡¯ll admit. I guess I need to learn to squash that.¡±


    ¡°Hello, Artur. You¡¯re missing a nice tropical vacation,¡± he greeted the Magister as the two girls reunited.


    ¡°Am I now?¡± he tilted his head, eyes gleaming. ¡°So¡­ did you seed?¡±


    In response, Argrave projected the hands of one of his blood echoes out, and Artur cocked his head back in surprise.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ filled to the brim with magic,¡± he said in wonder. ¡°You seem¡­ your movements are strange, almost floaty. And you seem¡­ fuller.¡±


    ¡°Yep,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°But we can talkter. Things are still in motion. Nicky¡ªlet¡¯s talk.¡±


    Nikoletta nced at him, then walked closer as Argrave finished casting a ward. ¡°What do you need me to do?¡± she questioned while watching Mina who stared into the ward in suspicious annoyance like a cat might watch fish inside a fishtank.


    ¡°If I¡¯m right, Chiteng is going to bring all of us to a certain ce where he and his family gather. There, my tongue is going to be pping enough to put a hummingbird to shame.¡± Argrave pointed at her face. ¡°I need you to steal something for me while that¡¯s happening.¡±


    Nikoletta¡¯s pink eyes went nk, and she blinked a few times in quiet ponderance. ¡°That¡¯s why you stepped outside. Aren¡¯t we¡­ I mean, you intend to make an alliance. Do you often steal from allies?¡±


    Argrave thought about Margrave Reinhardt. ¡°Well¡­ it¡¯s not stealing, exactly¡­ it won¡¯t be missed¡­¡± He sighed. ¡°Look, I know that the prospect is intimidating,¡± Argrave said slowly. ¡°But I¡¯m going to be attracting all of their attention, and this cecks the omniscience that these gods have in their respective territories. I can understand why you might be intimidated after seeing that giant on his throne, seeing the teleportation, hearing the eerie damned whales, and¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± Nikoletta nodded. ¡°I trust you wouldn¡¯t do something to get me killed.¡±


    Argrave looked surprised. ¡°Are you sure? I mean, if you feel it¡¯s unsafe, Orion can take¡ª¡±


    ¡°I will do it,¡± she repeated. ¡°What did I say? I¡¯m your woman.¡±


    Argrave frowned. ¡°Well, I wish you¡¯d stop saying it.¡±


    ¡°Come on,¡± she raised her hands up. ¡°How many times have you heard someone say, ¡®I¡¯m your man¡¯? Don¡¯t make it weird.¡±


    Argraveughed. ¡°Yeah, fine.¡± He spared a nce to Mina, who still peered into the ward ominously. ¡°Let me take some time to tell you what you¡¯re stealing. I¡¯ll be talking quickly, but stop me if you have questions. I want to get back inside¡­ and test things out,¡± Argrave held his hand up, willing one of the many blood echoes blooming inside his body move past his skin. ¡°Remember not to breathe a word of what I¡¯m about to say inside that realm. Betray nothing.¡±


    #####


    Argrave held his arm up in the air. Alongside him, three echoes of identical stature raised theirs up with his. He cast a spell, held it¡­ and then released. In tandem, the blood echoes cast the same spell. Four spiral bolts of blood magic rocketed outwards, tearing through the trees on the small ind. It carried on for dozens of yards, and trees fell down one after the other.


    ¡°You won¡¯t¡­ get in trouble?¡± Mina asked cautiously.


    Argrave looked down at her. She¡¯de to this side, too, after hearing what Nikoletta was asked to do. Only Artur remained behind, unwilling to pass through the door of the elven god¡¯s making. He supposed he couldn¡¯t fault him for that. Besides, it made Argravefortable having someone on the other side. Artur had proven himself reliable. Besides¡­ who would evene down into that altar?


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°Elsewise, it would have happened a long while ago.¡±


    Still, her cautious words did make Argrave change his method a bit for the next task. He projected out the blood echo over the roiling red ocean, where Chiteng¡¯s figure still sat with eyes closed. He made the echo cast [Bloodfeud Bow] while he himself did not. These echoes were easier to use when they were mimicking something that he did¡ªif he cast a spell, it was easier to make them cast a spell. To make them act independently, however, was a trying thing. He pointed its arrow up to the sky.


    As the arrow of the bow grewrger andrger, consuming the blood echo, Mina noted of Chiteng, ¡°He¡¯s just sitting there¡­ watching.¡±


    ¡°And listening. So keep your lips sealed,¡± Argrave told her, and she shed him an annoyed look before turning back to watch Chiteng, immobile yet with eyes open. Argrave felt the god was like a tired adult watching his child in the yground.


    Chiteng and Argrave waited for the elven gods to rouse. Argrave had jumpstarted him with an offering of divinity, but the other members of his family were different. It would take some time to wake them up. Not too long, but enough they needed to wait. Argrave was extremely d to have the opportunity to generate blood echoes. He kept that to himself, though, as all hispanions hated this ce.


    As Argrave watched, the blood echo grew from solid to transparent in a matter of perhaps half a minute. When it finally vanished into nothingness, the arrow of [Bloodfeud Bow] released. It soared up into the sky like a rocket, and Argrave smiled as the gale it generated whipped against his cheeks.


    Not nearly as strong as the one I used at Margrave Ivan¡¯s tower¡­ and maybe a little weaker than the one I used on the Shadonder. Still, that¡¯s easily as powerful as an S-rank spell.


    Every ounce of that agony felt worth it just to see that. Argrave thought thating to this realm would be a boon, but he severely underestimated just how important it was. If he hadn¡¯te here, practicing using these blood echoes would be impossible. They built up over time¡ªvery slowly, unless stimted. If he¡¯d gone into battle without proper practice, he¡¯d have no idea how to make use of them efficiently. And now when he left this area, he¡¯d have both experience and numbers. That was invaluable.


    Vasilisa, Ganbaatar, and Orion watched Argrave like he was putting on a show. Vasilisa looked greatly uneased by his disys of power. She had seen [Bloodfeud Bow] firsthand and knew well its power. Ganbaatar and Orion didn¡¯t understand the magnitude, but they looked at Argrave differently nheless.


    It was extremely powerful. Argrave was proud of that fact. But things were scaling up very quickly¡­ and when thinking of what he¡¯d fight in the next weeks alone, that power seemed like the bare minimum he needed. Even with these echoes on hand, there was no way in hell he could defeat even one Shadonder unless he ambushed it or got lucky. He simply didn¡¯t have the skill or finesse necessary tobat something so fast, durable, and powerful. It¡¯d toss a rock or something at the speed of sound, and his head would turn into a fine red mist before he could react. He was a ss cannon even with warding magic or fancy armor included.


    Reminding himself that the Shadonder had been an endgame threat, Argrave refocused. He next tried casting normal spells¡ªelemental spells. Fire, lightning, ice¡ªit worked, all. It depleted the ckness of his blood, however, and once that was gone the spells failed to cast. Once the echoes were depleted of magic, he could only cast blood magic. And if they were depleted, they drew from his personal pool of magic to cast the actual spell. These spells were weakened.


    It was a very intricate way of fighting, and Argrave questioned if he had the mental capacity to do all of this in battle. He supposed that all things woulde with time.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    As he looked at his Brumesingers sleeping on the rocks, an idea came to him. Using his blood echo, he conjured a C-rank weapon of blood magic, themon spell [Putrid Paramerion]. The curved de manifested in the blood echo¡¯s hand, and Argrave made it swing its arm¡­ but the de passed through, dropping onto the sandy shore harmlessly.


    Argrave sighed and stared at the persisting de in disappointment. The blood echoes were intangible¡ªthey could interact with nothing physical, conjured blood weaponry included. Then, he frowned.


    ¡°Orion¡­ pick that up, will you?¡± he asked eagerly.


    The prince came to attention then rose to his feet. He stepped to the de cautiously, eyeing Argrave¡¯s floating echo, then bent down and grabbed it by the handle. He straightened his back and looked at Argrave.


    ¡°And now, Your Majesty?¡± Orion brandished the de.


    Argrave smiled broadly. ¡°I¡¯m feeling rather d I didn¡¯t ask Elenore to make enchanted weaponry for the Veidimen. Would¡¯ve been¡­ redundant, maybe.¡±


    #####


    Argrave tested things with his blood echoes until he was blue in the face¡ªwhether that was from exertion or blood loss, he wasn¡¯t certain. If only the mortal realm could be as forgiving as these realms of the elven gods¡­ but s, it couldn¡¯t be so.


    There was one thing he couldn¡¯t test, and that was whether or not these echoes could cast spells higher than B-rank. What he had was already fantastic¡ªit decreased his reliance on Erlebnis¡¯ blessing to a tremendous degree, which was something that had been weighing at him especially hard since theirst interaction and doubly so since Chiteng thought him a puppet for the god of knowledge.


    He was so immersed in his testing he failed to notice one of the ivory whales set its broad head up against the shore, one of the red-robed servants of the elven god of flesh and blood on its back.


    ¡°The lord believes it prudent to head to the maind, that we might arrive just as the others do,¡± the statuesque woman told them.


    ¡°Is there no safer ride?¡± Mina questioned nervously.


    ¡°Don¡¯t answer that,¡± Argrave told Chiteng¡¯s servant, then moved towards the whale. Orion, Nikoletta, and Ganbaatar were quick followers. Mina looked trepidatious, but still swallowed her fear and stepped aboard. She clung to Nikoletta sheepishly and redoubled that reliance when the whale sailed away.


    ¡°¡­I may say that the lord¡¯s family reacted rather¡­ poorly, to your suggestion,¡± the servant disclosed. ¡°The lord thought you should know.¡±


    Good, Argrave thought.


    ¡°Unfortunate,¡± Argrave said.


    He had to get them on his side. He needed both their might and the might of the elves that would heed their word. Failure was no option. and if they were unconvinced, all that meant was that there was more time for the duo of Mina and Nikoletta to carry out their mission impossible. Long-term, what they were going to get might be more important than Argrave¡¯s A-rank ascension¡­ not for him, but rather for the entire kingdom.

 Chapter 372: Truth to Omnipower

    They walked through the verdant pce that marked the elven gods¡¯ meeting area, following just behind the red-robed woman. This ce was clearly a coborative effort¡ªthe stones were beige and pleasant, the ce was overgrown with greenery likely furnished by the god of agriculture, and it was all kept temperate by the pyres of the elven god of mes and war. Servants of Chiteng¡¯s make wandered, tending to various things as they kept this ce pristine. borate fountains and streams of water fed the whole of this ce, giving ambience and life to the tiered pce gardens.


    Towering over all, the same great redwoods of the forest on Berendar shrouded this ce in a dim yet pleasant canopy. Argrave felt like he strode through the Hanging Gardens of Babylon reborn in the hearnds of Californian redwoods. Though he followed after Chiteng¡¯s servant, his eyes wandered whenever he caught shes of purple before adjusting back quickly so as not to draw attention toward what needed to be stolen.


    Perhaps ¡®stolen¡¯ was the wrong word, Argrave reasoned. If one is led through an orchard and plucks some fruit from the tree, is that stealing? How about thirty fruits? As it so happened, thirty was the number he¡¯d asked Nikoletta to get¡ªan arbitrary yet satisfactory figure. Argrave needed the purple berries growing in the gardens of his would-be allies. And the beautiful part of the thing was that he was near certain they wouldn¡¯t be missed.


    With Chiteng¡¯s servants wandering, it¡¯d be difficult. He trusted Nikoletta¡¯s resourcefulness, doubly so when supported by Mina. They hadn¡¯t been explicitly told they couldn¡¯t pick berries, but they hadn¡¯t been invited to partake, either. Argrave hoped he never had cause to try that excuse in the event she was caught. Regardless, they were too important to simply pass by. If he asked to take some, these stingy elven gods and goddesses might say no. Refusal wasn¡¯t an option. Those humble purple berries slightly resembling strawberries were the key to supplying food for all of ckgard, and perhaps all of Vasquer.


    How did the saying go? Argrave thought as he followed the elven recreation. Ask for forgiveness, not for permission.


    They came to the center of the borate tiered gardens where a giant metal portcullis rested above them, raised for passage. The servant stopped, turning on her heel. Beyond, what appeared to be a colosseum waited with a distant circle of chairs and people.


    ¡°My lord advises you enter alone. Not all wee humankind, and numbers might draw ire,¡± she said with a stic politeness betraying that she was not mortal.


    Argrave nodded. ¡°Humankind, is it? Then¡­ Ganbaatar?¡± He reasoned that the divinity might be positively predisposed if he entered with one of their children¡ªa nice tokenpanion to prove he didn¡¯t hate elves.


    She turned her gaze towards the elven warrior who looked surprised to be asked toe along. ¡°The lord did not¡­¡± she closed her eyes. ¡°I¡¯ve conveyed all the lord has. Unfortunately, He waits within. I cannot ask more of Him. Another thing He intended to disclose¡­ though the gods within will not know of the seed of Erlebnis vested in your being, He suggests it is in your best interest to introduce this fact subtly. Do not draw any attention to it, but do not exclude it.¡±


    Argrave was mighty pleased to hear that both Chiteng could not be reached, and that Erlebnis¡¯ Blessing of Supersession would remain undetected¡ªthat meant just as it had been in Heroes of Berendar, this ce was free of an active effect called [Omniscience]mon in most gods¡¯ realms. That effect prevented all stealth¡ªanywhere one was, one could be found. Sensible people might hazard a guess as to why that would make stealing something difficult.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, then,¡± Argrave patted Ganbaatar¡¯s shoulder and moved past the raised portcullis. He looked back. ¡°Don¡¯t get eaten by the nts, you three,¡± he told Orion, Nikoletta, and Mina, though the message was truly meant for two. Orion waved as they walked away but didn¡¯t look happy about being left behind.


    He was half-expecting the gate to fall down and some sort of battle to erupt, but nothing of the sort happened. No, they merely walked across the beige stone in even strides, heading for a meeting with the gods every bit as casually as one might a meeting with friends.


    Argrave saw Chiteng standing there beside a chair, his arms behind his back and his red robe billowing in a slight breeze. This area was one of few where the sunlight poured past the giant redwood canopy unabated, and it illuminated arge disc in the center of the vast arena majestically. The light looked like beams of golden dew. Other elven figures stood beyond. Argrave counted them¡­ and fell a fair bit short of the figure he had been expecting.


    He walked up to Chiteng. ¡°Are we waiting on more?¡± he asked quietly.


    ¡°Some did not feel they should dignify this meeting with their presence,¡± Chiteng exined. ¡°My younger brother and sisters being the four absent.¡±


    ¡°And I question if they were right,¡± an elven goddess garbed in gold noted calmly. Though her hair was blonde like all other wood elves, her eyes were blue and vast¡ªshe was Dairi, goddess of water. ¡°Not only do you bring a human into our hallowed ground, but you force indignity upon us by having us converse as mortals do?¡±


    ¡°We did not need to meet here, talk here. Times have changed, Chiteng. We cannot do as we used to. We did not need to leave our territory to converse,¡± an old elven man with long, long blonde hair reaching well past his feet and draping across the floor noted, his whole hair shaking as his head shook. He was Merata, god of agriculture. ¡°Your sister is right. Meeting here is undignified, unsafe.¡±


    Argrave had a response but thought to let Chiteng speak so as not to incense all parties present immediately.


    Unexpectedly, Ganbaatar stepped forth, saying, ¡°Dignity? Will dignity kill our enemies? Can you armor yourself in it? No. It¡¯s only something to make the dignified feel better about themselves. Not only do you abandon us, but now you deem it undignified to converse with us?¡±


    Argrave started at the passion in the elf¡¯s voice. The rogue warrior was usually very low-key, speaking only when spoken to¡­ and Argrave couldn¡¯t quite tell where this outburst hade from.


    ¡°Woodschild, we speak to the one beside you. You are here before your time, but we know you and think well of you,¡± a lithe, tall elven man spoke from a cross-legged position on the colosseum floor, a bow on hisp with a light me burning on its string. He was Gunlik, god of mes and war. ¡°The situation conspired against us.¡±


    ¡°Woodschild?¡± Ganbaatar repeated. ¡°You affirm something I know¡ªmy prayers were not heard. I disavowed all of you, cast aside my worship. And now here I am, following alongside the best hope for my people I have found¡­ and yet you speak of indignity.¡±


    Argrave narrowed his eyes. Ganbaatar had cast aside his worship? He had not known of this.


    Even Chiteng warned, ¡°You overstep.¡±


    ¡°Overstep?¡± Ganbaatar said, voice cold and hard.


    ¡°Ganbaatar¡­¡± Argrave lightly touched his shoulder.


    ¡°If you should y me, curse me to eternal pain¡­ then so be it,¡± Ganbaatar shrugged off his touch and stepped forward. ¡°But I will not stand by and listen to this talk of dignity. The tales of old spoke of how each of you fought among us, bleeding just as we did in defense of what was to be our home. And war does note¡ªit has already taken root. Your dignity will turn to ash when my people burn, as they are even now.¡±


    Good lord, if I¡¯d known¡­ Argravemented, but barring physical restraint didn¡¯t see any way to shut Ganbaatar up. He grabbed the man¡¯s arm and squeezed firmly, but this man was a hardened fighter used to pain and Argrave barely got his attention.


    ¡°And why should we listen to a lone dissenter¡¯s reprimand?¡± Dairi patiently indulged even as the others around her had their faces turn ck.


    ¡°Lone?¡± Ganbaatar repeated. ¡°The Tumen I served in¡­ it is thest army still following the old ways of worship. And even though it is thest, perhaps half of those within it pray genuinely. The other half care not barring the fact they do their duty to protect and feed our people.¡±


    Truth is a bitter drug. The gods here didn¡¯t seem exempt from that fact.


    ¡°Time passes inexorably, and I shan¡¯t spend mine here, being chided by the ignorant,¡± Merata said, waving his hands so as to bunch his hair together that he might walk. ¡°Even now, the mortals do not know what they want until they have it. We shall deliver salvation to them on our own terms, not at the urging of mortals. Come, Dairi, Gunlik¡ªlet us leave.¡±


    Argrave stepped forward in panic and swallowed, then said the first thing that came to mind¡ªwell, the first polite thing.


    ¡°I know what everyone here wants,¡± he imed. ¡°And I can get it.¡±


    Dairi walked with Merata without paying his words mind, but the god of war Gunlik nted his bow upon the ground and leaned on it curiously.


    ¡°And what do I want, hmm?¡± he asked off-handedly, almost a joke.


    ¡°You? You want to settle the score with Sarikiz. It kills you that you barely scraped by on thest cycle, and now the Bloodwoods are polluted by centaurs, giants, the Amarok, Mishis¡­ so you want things to be different, this time. You want total domination of thisnd.¡±


    Gunlikughed, but his tone seemed fake. ¡°The god of war desires domination. A revolutionary deduction.¡±


    ¡°Dairi wants her people to sail the seas,¡± Argrave gestured even as she walked away. ¡°She grows green with envy whenever she sees a seafaring vessel while her people remain trapped on thend.¡±


    The elven goddess did stop and look back¡­ but not at Argrave, but at Chiteng. ¡°You told a human of my dreams?¡± She shook her head in disappointment and walked off quicker.


    Argrave sat there, thinking as quickly as he could. Fearing for Nikoletta, he called out, ¡°God damn it all, you want to go back to the days of the old elves, where your empire spanned the whole of Berendar! And don¡¯t deny it, damn you,¡± he cursed at them, leaving no holds barred.


    Merata, the god of agriculture, paused and turned back, his long golden hair dragging along the floor as he stepped back towards them.


    ¡°You dare presume?¡± he demanded, voice cold wrath.


    Argrave caught his breath, realizing he might¡¯ve misspoken badly in urgency. Despite the fact he was taller than Merata in this form of his, he felt small as he said, ¡°I regret the words I spoke, but not the message behind them. You¡¯ve just heard one of your Woodschildren voice his thoughts, and they¡¯re not pleasant.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Merata red with his red eyes, then looked at Chiteng. The god of flesh and blood defended mildly, ¡°I told him nothing. Not of Dairi, Gunlik, or anyone.¡±


    Merata looked back. ¡°Exin your words,¡± he ordered. ¡°And know I suffer not tricksters.¡±


    Argrave looked around. Well, he mused, heart beating quickly. They¡¯re definitely listening to me now. And it might be I can turn Ganbaatar¡¯s outburst into my advantage.

 Chapter 373: Conspiracy Against the Divine

    Artur sat in the dank and smelly altar, where the iron and rot of the blood pooling on the floor pervaded every inch of this ce. He had refused to follow Argrave into the other realm not once, but twice. He didn¡¯t think the king judged him for that fact, but it still weighed as his mind. He could not quite say why he followed the man into the portal leading to the vast steppes yet not the elven realm¡­ and he hoped that would not make the king hold a grudge.


    But waiting here was dreadfully boring. He was d to have the chance to recover his magic, at the very least.


    As he started to drift off, a voice cracked into Artur¡¯s hearing, rousing him immediately.


    ¡°Artur Nibwyrm,¡± the woman said, and he jerked his head upwards to attention.


    A white-haired woman with amber eyes stood before him. Upon seeing elven ears he briefly thought the queen had returned to him here, but her voice sounded nothing like the calm and even Anneliese¡¯s. This woman¡­ she was a monstrous spellcaster. People like Castro and Rowe were overwhelming, but Artur had never seen an earthly parallel to the sheer quantity of magic this woman exuded. Immediately, he came to attention, fruitless though it felt to try and defend against her weakened as he was.


    ¡°¡­who are you?¡± he demanded cautiously when she did nothing.


    The woman held up a piece of paper and tossed it. It glided like a jellyfish through water, floating down towards Artur with eerie, unearthly grace. He was rmed, but he did catch it. And when his fingers met the page, the woman burst into ck mist, vanishing like she never was. Artur¡¯s breath quickened, and though he looked around in rm saw no sign of her anywhere.


    Artur eventually swallowed and looked down at what she had handed him. It was a decadent thing as far as paper goes¡ªgold trim, a wax seal. But what made Artur¡¯s heart pound quicker was the fact that it was enchanted. This was no cheap enchanted scroll one might buy in a corner shop for a party trick. This was an borate enchantment, deep and rich enough Artur thought its like could only fit onto metal. It was far beyond what he was capable of.


    The Magister looked around once again for the elven woman, but seeing he was alone opened the page. he read through it, and as he neared the end, his hands began to tremble. And when he read thest page and closed his eyes, the thing degraded before his very eyes. He didn¡¯t seem rmed at this¡ªrather, it seemed he expected that. Artur¡¯s eyes gleamed with a thousand colors, and he trembled in uncertainty.


    #####


    ¡°I told you I could get you what you wanted, didn¡¯t I?¡± Argrave said even as Merata seemed liable to mince him. ¡°I can¡¯t rebuild the elven empire of old. But I can give it a second chance in the new generation.¡±


    ¡°Are you fearless or ignorant? I cannot tell,¡± Gunlik joked from behind, leaning on his bow.


    ¡°Ganbaatar said it himself. He thinks I¡¯m the greatest hope for the future of the elves,¡± Argrave pointed to his still-angrypanion with his thumb. ¡°With Kirel Qircassiaing, and his coalition surely nipping at his heels¡­ do you think the way to restoration for your people is to kowtow before overwhelming force? Even now, I have little doubt those you call Woodschildren fight against the servants freed from Kirel¡¯s realm. If one side is winning handily, why would there be a need to sue for peace? This is no equal struggle¡ªthis is his first wave of conquest.¡±


    Merata¡¯s red eyes narrowed. ¡°A mortal younger than my shortest hair knows nothing of the judgment.¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve never been through one. But I¡¯ve spoken to others who¡¯ve been through it, and they imparted vast amounts of knowledge unto me.¡± He looked back to Ganbaatar. ¡°The reason why your gods lost contact with those in the Bloodwoods is simple: their position here was weak. Their primary focus was surviving the cycle, and somunication and presence in the mortal realm suffered. In thest hundred years or so, it¡¯s degraded over the years into no presence at all.¡±


    Argrave felt something against his throat. When he turned his head in surprise, he saw Merata holding a crook, its hook already wrapped around his neck. ¡°Knowledge of our situation should inspire caution, not boldness. You are weak. I could kill you with a twist of my wrist alone, and this is despite weakening myself greatly manifesting in this¡­ limited body. Why do you im to be a help? Why does a human of no grand capability im to be the spark that would ignite the roaring me of a dead empire?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s very simple. I know the mortal realm better than most everyone in it, and I have the freedom to do as I like,¡± Argrave said, making no effort to free his neck from its precarious position. ¡°Whether Erlebnis, Fellhorn, or a Gilderwatcher ancestor of mine¡­ I¡¯ve soaked up knowledge from all like no other. I know enough of this realm alone that reciting it all would take days.¡±


    Merata narrowed his eyes yet kept the crook firm beside his neck. Dairi, goddess of water, walked up behind and listened closely with her arms crossed.


    ¡°The cycle of judgement is the only time everyone is truly mortal,¡± Argrave carried on unflinchingly. ¡°And though you are very far removed from those already living on the mortal realm¡­ there, you¡¯re not all-knowing. But if you know your opponents, if you know thend, if you know weaknesses and strengths, strategies, quantities, qualities¡­ even a small force can best an overwhelming one.¡±


    ¡°Knowledge,¡± Merata said lightly, half a question and half a deriding statement.


    ¡°Knowledge,¡± Argrave nodded, chin bumping against the crook. ¡°You¡¯ve seen some of it. I travelled through the Mother¡¯s Steppe of the centaurs to reach your altars. There, I used souls to open the gates. And I offered a medallion stolen from Fellhorn to rouse Chiteng,¡± Argrave looked back to the still-standing god of flesh and blood. ¡°Do you think that was something I stumbled into by ident? Of course not. I knew how toe here. And I know much and more besides, I promise you. Enough to do exactly as I im and more.¡±


    Merata twisted his wrist, and the crook came free of Argrave¡¯s neck. He hid it back inside his long flowing hair adroitly as though it never was.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°I keep my promises,¡± Argrave continued, though inwardly his heart stopped pounding as his safety felt more certain. ¡°I promised Ganbaatar something. I promised him and where his people would be the only ones within¡­ and where the centaurs and all other foul beasts making the Bloodwoods named thusly are absent, without exception. The centaurs betrayed you nearly a millennia ago, as I remember. It might sting to think of cooperating with another race.¡±


    ¡°Sting?¡± Gunlik repeated, and the fire on his bowstring burned brighter. ¡°No, it itches. It¡¯s a rash that needs to be burned away, utterly. A shame that needs to die.¡±


    ¡°¡­be that as it may,¡± Argrave continued, ¡°The four I sent to rouse the rest of you¡ªyou saw them, surely. Elves, one and all, though of a different descendance than your Woodschildren. One is my wife. I don¡¯t care about heritage, dignity, or pride. I¡¯m just trying to ensure me and mine survive this cycle of judgement. And I hope I can count all of you in that number.¡±


    Words of survival and togetherness seemed to resonate with the gods¡­ though whether it made them angry or contemtive, Argrave couldn¡¯t tell.


    As the silence hung, Argrave suggested, ¡°My first act would only benefit you. Freedom to act on the mortal realm before others is a boon not even Kirel Qircassia might expect, and I can offer it to you without expecting anything in return. When your divine forms alight upon soil beyond this realm¡­ perhaps, then, you will believe my ims of knowledge.¡±


    ¡°I will get the others in line,¡± Merata said before Argrave even finished speaking.


    He blinked for a few moments, confused. ¡°You agree?¡±


    ¡°You im to know so much, but you know not when words spoken inspire agreement?¡± Merata raised a brow.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s just¡­ generally these things aren¡¯t decided on so quickly and unterally,¡± Argrave defended.


    ¡°Because you deal with mortal minds,¡± Merata nodded. ¡°But joining the Qircassian Coalition is no option at all. My family are survivors. We intend to be more. We were like you, once. Leaders of many. Now¡­ the cycles pass us by.¡± He turned. ¡°Who will all of you speak to?¡±


    ¡°The sisters,¡± Dairi said, then walked away.


    ¡°I suppose I¡¯ll speak to father,¡± Gunlik said, hefting his bow up.


    ¡°That leaves me with our brothers,¡± Merata finished, turning back. ¡°Chiteng shall give you an item of our favor.¡±


    Argrave blinked. He had intended to ask for that. ¡°Yes, I¡ª¡±


    ¡°Then go, return,¡± Merata pointed with his crook. ¡°If things are as you say, and you intend to grant us freedom to act on the mortal realm before the arbiter thins the barrier enough for us to pass¡­ then go. Tell Chiteng your n. He has introduced you¡ªhe can serve as intermediary. All of us are in agreement.¡±


    Argrave was pleased things were moving so quickly until he remembered that Nikoletta might need more time. Still, his breath caught in his mouth as the whole of them turned and left, leaving Argrave with Chiteng alone. He turned to look at Ganbaatar, hoping he had yet more to say. The abrupt shift surprised them both, it seemed.


    ¡°Go,¡± Chiteng said, then walked away too.


    ¡°Hold on,¡± Argrave stopped Chiteng. ¡°With Erlebnis¡­ should I¡­? I mean, you told me to be subtle, but was that really alright to leave it like that?¡±


    ¡°Do not mention it again,¡± Chiteng stopped. ¡°Say nothing. Think nothing. Do nothing.¡±


    Argrave was taken aback, but he nodded. Chiteng straightened and added, ¡°¡­it does no good to stir the waters. Put it out of your mind.¡±


    Argrave was surprised that the elven god had justified himself, but could ask nothing more before he walked away. With a heavy responsibility so one-sidedly dumped on him without propermunication, Argrave stood there nearly babbling. But he was reminded of the jeopardy his friend might be enduring, and so stepped back towards where he¡¯de with purpose.


    ¡°You¡¯re content with that?¡± Ganbaatar asked. ¡°Those¡­ vainglorious people threatening, then taking advantage of you?¡±


    Argrave didn¡¯t speak, passing beneath the portcullis where only Orion and Chiteng¡¯s servant waited.


    ¡°Come. Let us return,¡± the red-robed elven woman said, then turned and walked. Argrave looked to Orion, but his brother looked as clueless to their whereabouts as he was. As they followed down the road, Argrave¡¯s gaze wandered the tiered garden in desperation, fearing what he might find¡­ or might not.


    He walked mutely, thinking of some excuse he might have to go out searching in the gardens. Had he asked too much of them? The thought felt like a millstone about his neck, but he saw not a sign of the pair even as they proceeded further.


    As they neared the docks where the whale waited, Argrave¡¯s footsteps slowed, and he looked back. Weak excuses bubbled from his mind, yet he feared to say any of them. But he had to go back, search. He could not leave them.


    ¡°What are you standing about for?¡± came a derisive woman¡¯s voice.


    Argrave looked back and saw Mina step around the corner, emerging from an illusion. Shortly after, he saw Nikoletta¡¯s pink eyes gleaming out of the shadow.


    ¡°We waited near the docks. That ce was ufortable,¡± Nikoletta said, breaking past the illusion.


    ¡°You¡¯re supposed to be A-rank, but you didn¡¯t notice me,¡± Mina chided him. ¡°I think I¡¯m in the lead, Grave.¡±


    He didn¡¯t respond as he stared at Nikoletta, wide-eyed and hopeful. She gave a small, knowing nod with a smile on her face as she tapped a satchel on her side, and unadulterated joy welled up in his chest. She¡¯d seeded. He stepped forth and ruffled her short hair.


    ¡°Had me worried there,¡± he told her enthusiastically. ¡°Didn¡¯t want to fish your skeleton out of some hungry nt.¡±


    As Nikoletta smiled, Mina said, ¡°You would¡¯ve. But I was there.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s get the hell out of here,¡± Argrave walked away, loosely guiding Nikoletta with his arm on her shoulder.


    Despite the delicate situation, everything was going well. Perhaps this disastrous arrival of Kirel would be salvaged splendidly, and he¡¯d earn steadfast allies in the Bloodwoods. The fact remained that, though he¡¯d talked of expelling Kirel Qircassia¡­ that was a monumental task, and bore heavy implications on the future of the whole battle against Gerechtigkeit.


    But surely that would be the worst challenge faced here.

 Chapter 374: Proxy

    ¡°This is our favor,¡± Chiteng said, holding a silver coin out.


    Argrave took it, examining it. It looked old and battered, more like something out of an archaeological dig site than something actually used as currency. Even the image was barely discernible as a face. Perhaps it was something sentimental to them¡ªthest coin of the ancient elves, something like that.


    ¡°That is valuable. If you intend to cheat us, you have already received more than you offered as tribute,¡± Chiteng smiled, then looked off to the distant red ocean they¡¯d returned to. Argrave stood on the white harbors before the elven god¡¯s throne. It was disconcerting seeing both the giant sitting up there and the smaller form right beside Argrave.


    Argrave hefted the coin, looking at Chiteng ufortably. He supposed that meant this coin had more divinity inside it than the medallion of inheritance they had taken from the Burnt Desert after defeating the Lord of Silver. But something about the way he said it made Argrave weary that he might know of the stolen berries, and so he asked, ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    Chiteng kept smiling, but his face slowly returned to the bleak stoicism most of the gods disyed. ¡°Divulge your n. I listen.¡±


    With that, Chiteng stepped away into the red ocean. It looked like his body turned to liquid as it met the ocean, and he made no ssh as though to affirm that theory. When Argrave looked up, the giant Chiteng opened his eyes and gazed down at Argrave, waiting.


    Argrave put the god¡¯s favor in his pocket right beside the bronze hand mirror, then looked up. Orion stepped to the pool¡¯s edge and looked around the red ocean in confusion, while the rest of hispanions listened just as intently as the elven god of flesh and blood did.


    ¡°To begin with, you¡¯ll be set free from this realm. All of you, though one at a time. Anneliese has been working on that side of things¡ªshe¡¯s the white-haired elven woman one of your kin might¡¯ve seen upon being roused. That part takes some doing, but it¡¯ll get done. She¡¯s capable. And with your favor, I¡¯m confident it¡¯s in the bag,¡± he tapped the coin in his chest pocket.


    ¡°Once that¡¯s done, the elves need to be persuaded to ept us¡ªus meaning both my party and your divine selves,¡± Argrave pointed between the two of them. ¡°I think it should be easy to win their loyalty¡ªif gods return on the eve of drastic conflict, the salvation narrative is going to be easy to buy into. When we entered the forest, they were already resisting something foul in the hearnds. I can¡¯t imagine things have gotten easier for them.¡±


    Argrave stepped around, almost thinking aloud by this point. ¡°What was a huge disadvantage for you in the past that prevented elven dominance¡ªother belligerent parties in the woods, backed by gods of their own¡ªcan be a decided strength, now. When we entered the forest, your Woodschildren had this great big horn that could be heard for miles. It was meant to attract beasts just as much as it was signal allies.¡± He tapped his temple. ¡°That gave me an idea.¡±


    Emting his n with his hands, Argrave continued, ¡°The elves have entrenched against Kirel¡¯s advance. He¡¯s a dual aspect god, embodying bothnd and sky¡ªsmall wonder he¡¯s so powerful. His servants can dominate both the ground and the air. Nevertheless, the morend and sky they seize, the thinner they¡¯ll be stretched.¡± Argrave mmed his fist against his hand to emphasize that point, then continued, ¡°The entrenchment should end, with retreat ordered. The elves will fall back, and the further they go, the more they¡¯ll attract the attention of the others in the forest¡ªgiants, Amaroks, Mishis, maybe even the centaurs. All the while, the elves will be coalescing into a single unit; a single unit, where you and your family will be ready to join their forces. There, you can unite, punch a hole through the enemy¡¯s thin ranks, and lead us to victory.¡±


    Nikoletta and Mina had been listening, and now as Argrave divulged his ns they grew uneasy.


    ¡°That would be quite difficult for any army,¡± Ganbaatar said incredulously.


    ¡°Near impossible,¡± Argrave nodded in agreement. ¡°But the elves have a structure and discipline unlike any other army I¡¯ve seen. They can coordinate this¡ªI know it. You must know this, having served in a Tumen,¡± he tapped the elf¡¯s shoulder, then looked back to Chiteng. ¡°All that remains is endearing myself to the elves, making sure that they trust enough to follow this n. I need a long-term alliance.¡±


    Chiteng said nothing more in protest, and so Argrave continued slowly, ¡°I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll face some resistance, especially near the end. But our destination is simple: the breach.¡±


    ¡°And how will you deal with the centaurs¡¯ response? Can you ensure they will stay idle?¡± Chiteng¡¯s booming voice echoed out from his giant form.


    ¡°That¡¯s just the thing,¡± Argrave said, a little less daunted by the gods after what he¡¯d been through. ¡°That¡¯s the magnum opus of this whole n. I¡¯m certain that you and yours were scratching your heads, wondering how exactly you could beat Kirel ck and blue and send him back to whatever idyllic realm he¡¯s crawling out of.¡± He wagged his finger. ¡°Who says you have to get your hands dirty at all? What if there¡¯s a willing participant to charge into a wide-opennd and sky?¡±


    ¡°You speak so grandiosely. To the point,¡± Chiteng waved his big hand.


    Argrave smiled bitterly. ¡°The point is this¡­¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    #####


    Argrave stepped out of the elven realm, back into the harsh and unpleasant reality of the real world. Nikoletta stood waiting on the other side, holding up a vine full of berries.


    ¡°Be careful with those things,¡± he reprimanded her. ¡°I don¡¯t want them to fall on the ground, or in these damned puddles of blood at this altar.¡±


    Nikoletta glowered, but Argrave focused on the small fruits. They looked a little like strawberries, though they were an imperial purple and the seeds outside the fruit¡¯s skin looked like kes of gold. He had to admit, they looked very delicious.


    ¡°Excellent work,¡± he told Nikoletta. ¡°If you wanted to serve the crown, you might¡¯ve just saved us a famine or twelve.¡±


    ¡°It still needs to be delivered, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Nikoletta asked quickly. ¡°On that note, I volunteer to transport these using my druidic bond. I¡¯ve kept him lingering above the earth to track where we were, roughly, and I can say proudly he¡¯s still there.¡±


    ¡°Thinking ahead, I see. Don¡¯t get ahead of yourself. I have something in mind.¡± Argrave patted her shoulder, then looked to Artur. ¡°Anything happen while we were out?¡±


    ¡°Why would anything happen?¡± Artur asked in turn.


    ¡°Fair point,¡± Argrave shrugged. ¡°Now¡­ good lord, I¡¯m certain it¡¯s been days since I slept. Let¡¯s get the color red far out of my sight, and the smell of iron far out of nose¡­ and then rise early tomorrow morning. Or night. Damn, I¡¯ve lost track¡­¡± he rambled, stepping past all of them in good spirits despite his fatigue.


    Artur¡¯s gaze lingered on Argrave as he walked away. His eyes were dark and nervous, but he said nothing more as he followed behind, drifting along wrapped in his mantle of velvet.


    #####


    A pair of two travelled down the dark streets of Relize, which remained brightly lit even in the heart of night. The clean marble streets seemed like gleaming pearls when reflecting the light of magicmps and torches both.


    ¡°This king of yours asks much,¡± Leopold grumbled to Elenore.


    ¡°He¡¯s no king of yours?¡± the princess returned as they walked the marble docks of Relize.


    ¡°I crowned the man, but he¡¯s your brother. It¡¯s more intimate,¡± rebutted Leopold, then came to a stop to look out across the ocean. ¡°Our ships supplied the war in Atrus, doing more than their part¡­ and now they¡¯re being requisitioned again, bound for an even fouler port. Indeed, there¡¯s no port at all¡ªjust savage elves and giants and the gods only know what else¡­¡±


    ¡°Argrave said they¡¯re needed, and so they¡¯re needed. He insisted theye this way. ¡®Water is the enemy tond and sky, so they¡¯ll make it safely,¡¯ he said, whatever that means.¡± She peered down at him, her gray eyes cold. ¡°Don¡¯t act like you don¡¯t receive fair rpense, Leopold.¡±


    ¡°Aye,¡± the aged patrician nodded. ¡°Everyone¡¯s getting fair rpense¡­ you¡¯ve made some very rich people in this city with your conquest of Atrus. Moneyes from that ce like they have tributaries, not indebted people.¡± He looked at her. ¡°But I hear tell of the undead sprouting from every corner of Vasquer. Necromantic abominations, seeking to raze cities and tear down castles. Can knights truly be spared?¡±


    ¡°Why did feudalisme about?¡± Elenore asked him. ¡°It¡¯s simple. To ownnd in a king¡¯s stead. The crown¡¯s armies and administrators could not be everywhere, receiving orders at all times directly from the throne. Whenever insurrection or enemy raids ur, his representatives¡ªhis lords¡ªrise to the asion. In return, they¡¯re entitled to thend they defend.¡±


    Elenore looked out across the ocean. ¡°In simpler terms¡­ the threat of undead arriving everywhere is precisely the sort of threat feudalism was designed tobat. Thend is theirs, and they¡¯ve their own troops to defend it, granted autonomy by the crown to govern and defend. The lords are eager to die in defense of theirnd, precisely because it¡¯s theirs.¡±


    When next Elenore looked at Leopold, her eyes were solemn. ¡°All the while¡­ the crown and the parliament will build itself up. A standing army. Thorough infrastructure. More efficient governance. The first waves of Gerechtigkeit will erode old powers, but when they fail, instead of disaster befalling the people¡­ what we build now shall rise to take the ce of the old, sheltering all within the kingdom beneath our rising wings. And there will be no resistance, only eptance. A new order will be well needed to fight theing threat efficiently.¡±


    ¡°You mean¡­ subverting the nobility entirely?¡± Leopold furrowed his bushy brows.


    Elenore said nothing.


    ¡°This is Argrave¡¯s aim?¡± Leopold continued.


    ¡°It¡¯s my interpretation. In case you¡¯ve missed it, he likes to leave me to handle things,¡± she smiled. ¡°But don¡¯t worry. Those of Relize have a rather prominent position, focused on merit as they are.¡± She began walking down the dock again. ¡°By the way¡ªI¡¯ve heard whispers your wife is pregnant. Congrattions,¡± she told him.


    Leopold shuddered. He had only learned of that himself this week, yet already this woman knew that fact. He scratched his cheek nervously and followed after, saying, ¡°Perhaps House Dandn can spare a few more ships¡­¡±

 Chapter 375: Too Much, Too Late

    Argrave woke up early the next morning. He¡¯d slept very soundly¡ªit was one of those sleeps where it felt like he¡¯d just blinked and the next day came. He stirred to his feet and woke up feeling fresh and pure. He stared at his hands and wiggled his fingers, each of them leaving behind a slight crimson echo that was much thicker than it had been yesterday. He¡¯d rued much practice and quantity with these blood echoes of his in the elven realms. He couldn¡¯t say he was eager to try them, as that would mean he¡¯d be inbat¡­ but he was eager to see what they could do on things other than trees.


    He walked to where his otherpanions slept, pped his hands, and shouted, ¡°So! Who¡¯s ready to manifest some divinity?¡±


    Everyone stirred, most of them grumbling. Barring the untiring Orion, only Artur looked to be awake, but that was only because he hadn¡¯t fallen asleep. Dark circles marred his eyes from a tired night. Argrave sympathized, but he couldn¡¯t slow his trot for the Magister with dwarfism, pitiable though insomnia was. After all, it was do or die time. And Argrave much preferred the do.


    ¡°Get up. Get up!¡± he shouted eagerly. ¡°You can¡¯t sleep while the world¡¯s catching on fire.¡±


    #####


    When they came back to the Mother¡¯s Steppes, Anneliese waited there for him on the grasnds before the first of many altars. They reunited with a hug, and the others stood around awkwardly as they caught up, still waking after Argrave¡¯s greeting.


    ¡°You seeded,¡± she said when she pulled away. ¡°Congrattions.¡±


    ¡°Failed a lot before that,¡± Argrave admitted.


    ¡°Hmm,¡± she stared at him. ¡°I see it. The echoes. Like faint maroon shadows following your movements. It is¡­ rather bewitching,¡± she admitted.


    Argrave smiled¡ªhe¡¯d been nervous about how she might take it, seeing as she disliked Garm¡¯s eyes so much. ¡°Is everything prepared?¡± he asked her.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Anneliese nodded, refocused. ¡°Exactly as you wanted it, I think. Provided you obtained the essence from the other side, then all that remains is creation.¡±


    ¡°I did get it, littledy. Let¡¯s go,¡± he pulled her along, heading for the altar with determined steps. ¡°Let me tell you how deep we¡¯re into this, Anne¡­¡±


    Perplexed, she followed after as he caught her up to speed with the foe they faced.


    #####


    The sole boon they had in rousing the elven pantheon was the ability to travel quickly by utilizing the Mother¡¯s Steppes. Though allowing fast travel, walking across those grass ins frozen in time with Sarikiz sleeping amidst all of it made Argrave ufortable. The Holy Mother uneased him, like she might wake up at any moment and cause problems. But waking gods was rough enough work and doing it identally would be quite the feat. He only hoped that the centaurs paid him little mind from that icyke they took refuge atop.


    The key to allowing gods freedom from their other realm before their time was something well-documented in a side quest down in the old dwarven cities, where the Ebon Cult persisted. The most important factor was giving the gods on the other side an anchor to this one. With an anchor in ce, they could manifest through their own efforts. There, the process of melding the mortal and the immortal worlds would begin for this cycle of judgment.


    An anchor to the mortal realm required two things, primarily¡ªsomething containing an aspect of the gods themselves, like the favor Argrave had been given, and something persisting on this realm that was directly tied to them. It might be, for instance, a weapon they¡¯d used in battle during thest cycle, or a garment they¡¯d worn while manifested on this realm.


    Fortunately for them, finding items they valued had already been attended to. Argrave had merely circumvented the cycle in talking to Chiteng, using spirits from another source to empower him briefly. The other parties had been tasked with the more conventional method of awakening. Grimalt, Bastel, and Rasten, his Veidimen officers, had been assignedrger parties for the purpose of finding, securing, and using these items.


    Anneliese dealt with the minutiae of the ritual for each altar¡ªensuring that the environment suited the god in question properly so as to ensure the process went smoothly, gathering excess items of sentimental purpose to strengthen the anchor, and other such tasks to make sure everything went wlessly.


    The altar she¡¯d visited was Merata¡¯s, and it was the first ce they stopped. The altar had been overrun by small bloodsucking woond creatures, and so retrieving the man¡¯s item¡ªhis crook¡ªhade difficultly, she told him. But Moriatran hade with her, and she said that helped with that task. And in the end, they stood before that altar.


    #####


    Anneliese nted the crook into the ground before the rock altar of Merata, unadorned and unimpressive just as Chiteng¡¯s had been. Wildlife bloomed up it, rising up the rock and onto the grasping roots of the Bloodwoods in a disy of his unchecked yet unwitting power. Elsewhere, there was a sickle, a pair of sandals¡­ all items of Merata¡¯s, ced here to enhance the strength of the anchor.


    Anneliese had done well. Argrave felt rather ufortable seeing the crook that had been ced at his neck not yesterday, but he pushed past that and ced the silver coin acting as the elven pantheon¡¯s favor in ce atop the crook. He bnced it gingerly, then stepped away.


    ¡°Andstly¡­¡± Argrave looked back. ¡°The blood and prayer of an earnest worshipper.¡±


    Ganbaatar returned Argrave¡¯s gaze, then looked to the crook and coin. Everyone looked at him expectantly.


    ¡°¡­maybe we ought to find someone else. I didn¡¯t know your circumstances about the whole disavowal,¡± Argrave sped his hands together. ¡°You can still contact your people, right? You have friends, don¡¯t you? True believers?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it, damnit,¡± Ganbaatar stepped forward, untying the loops on his leather bracers to free his arms.


    Once the bracer was off, Argrave watched as Ganbaatar drew his knife and cut his forearm. He held it out, letting it pour out over the crook and coin both. Anneliese made to heal him, but he waved her away and held his hands together.


    Nothing happened for a time, and Argrave watched the coin expectantly. As time ticked by, he looked at the rejoining Moriatran, who remained reticent as ever. Anneliese imed he had been quite therge boon in clearing a path to obtain this crook. He didn¡¯t quite have the measure of the man yet, but was thankful to him nheless. He looked back to Ganbaatar, but things remained slow.


    ¡°¡­maybe think about why you believed in the first ce,¡± Argrave suggested.


    Ganbaatar exhaled in what might¡¯ve been annoyance. Argrave stepped away, letting him do his work in peace. He looked at Nikoletta, Mina, and Anneliese in turn, waiting patiently. Finally, he looked back and was about to suggest heading back when dancing teal sprites emerged from the silver coin, wreathing around the crook. In time, these sprites jumped to the sickle, then the sandals, and then every other item of import in this room.


    And without so much as a noise, they all vanished, fading away like breath on a mirror. The coin fell through the air, and Ganbaatar quickly grabbed it before it touched the ground.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Argrave said in surprised pleasure. ¡°There you go. That¡¯s done it,¡± he patted the elf¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°¡­I decided to proffer onest chance,¡± Ganbaatar said lightly, handing him the coin back. ¡°Despite their failings¡­ if they can help us, I want that.¡±


    Argrave didn¡¯t know how to respond for a moment, then said quietly, ¡°¡­well, you¡¯ll have to proffer a couple morest chances, considering that was the first of many stops we need to make.¡±


    Ganbaatar sighed.


    ¡°Be thankful you have this chance,¡± Orion¡¯s voice came, hard yet raw.


    #####


    Throughout the whole day, they gradually reunited with the other members of this expeditionary force as they headed for each altar in turn. All things considered, it had been quite a fruitful day and he was proud of the work he¡¯d done. Though he hadn¡¯t done much of anything¡ªhe¡¯d let the others take care of it all. That was the role of the king, he supposed. He talked to the leaders, and now he let his people do all the bleeding.


    Then again, he¡¯d done enough bleeding for all of them yesterday.


    Argrave sat down in the endless grasnd, Anneliese by his side while the rest of the party camped out in the tents of the Veidimen¡¯s making. Though a short while had passed, he was still happy to rest and catch up with her. They¡¯d managed to knock out half of the anchors today, and the rest woulde tomorrow. Now, the burden rested on the gods to manifest themselves. He was a little muddy about the specifics of this, but he was rtively confident it would work out well. If not, he¡¯d figure something out.


    ¡°You were right about that self-pity being useless spiel. Hell of a motivator,¡± he told her absently.


    ¡°You carried yourself well,¡± she praised him. ¡°I cannot imagine going through that.¡±


    ¡°The abandoned dwarven cities faced this scenario previously¡ªthere, Gerechtigkeit used his influence to thin the boundaries between realms, causing gods to emerge earlier there,¡± Argrave exined to Anneliese. ¡°Presumably he sought to curb the Casten of the Empty and his waxing power, as Gerechtigkeit viewed them as a big threat.¡± Argrave stroked his chin. ¡°Little humbling, reflecting on that. Means Gerry¡¯s scared of me enough to do all of this.¡±


    Anneliese nodded, looking at distant rising smoke. ¡°What does this mean for the dwarven cities?¡±


    Argrave blinked for a moment, then shook his head. ¡°No use to think on that. I need help, Anne. The difficult part remains carrying out this ridiculous n of mine tobat Kirel. Any refinements to what I told you?¡±


    Anneliese opened her mouth to respond, but closed it and looked elsewhere.


    ¡°Argrave¡­¡± came a man¡¯s voice, and Argrave turned his head to see Artur standing where Anneliese looked. The Magister continued, ¡°We should talk.¡±


    ¡°Talk?¡± he repeated, displeased to be interrupted. ¡°We¡¯ve been working hard all day, and you didn¡¯t sleep. You should¡ª¡±


    Anneliese grabbed his arm. When he turned his head, puzzled, she shook her head and looked at Artur in concern. Evidently whatever he had to say had gravity.


    ¡°¡­alright, let¡¯s talk,¡± Argrave eventually gave in.


    ¡°When you were in that realm¡­¡± Artur looked off to the side, his eyes dark and colorless. ¡°Someone appeared before me. An elven woman.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, appeared?¡± Argrave asked,pletely caught off guard. ¡°She snuck in, what?¡±


    ¡°I mean she appeared,¡± Artur managed a nce at Argrave¡¯s eye, but could not hold it for long. ¡°She was suddenly there¡ªnot a step, not a sound. White hair, tan skin¡­¡±


    ¡°Amber eyes?¡± Anneliese asked, her mind quicker than Argrave¡¯s by half a second.


    Artur looked at her. ¡°Precisely. I briefly pondered if it was you, Your Highness, for half a second, but she was shorter, with far longer ears¡­¡±


    ¡°Hold on, hold on¡­¡± Argrave stood suddenly, feeling a sinking feeling in his chest. ¡°You¡¯re serious? Wha¡ª¡± he sputtered in panic, then gathered himself to ask deliberately, ¡°When did this happen?¡±


    ¡°After you had returned from the elven realm the first time,¡± Artur managed to look up at Argrave. ¡°She provided me with a letter.¡±


    ¡°A letter,¡± Argrave repeated, then asked quickly, ¡°Where is it? What did it say?¡±


    Artur closed his eyes and rubbed the bridge of his nose. ¡°It was a contact from a business associate of mine. Or¡­ someone who I thought was a business associate, but now¡­?¡± he sighed. ¡°In it, he called in a favor I owed him. It was about your activities here.¡±


    Argrave stepped forward and grabbed the Magister¡¯s arm. ¡°You got a letter from Onychinusa while I was in the god damned elven realm¡­ and you didn¡¯t think to tell me?¡± he said in a low voice. ¡°Didn¡¯t think to inform me immediately?¡±


    ¡°What in the zes was I supposed to do?!¡± Artur ripped his arm free. ¡°A woman appears from mist and bursts into it again in not half a second, delivering an enchanted letter from a man I¡¯ve conversed with for years! Gods be damned, I¡¯ve met this man in person!¡± he yelled defensively, holding his arms wide. ¡°She was a monstrous spellcaster, well capable of killing me before I could even blink. She found me in some dank underground altar where there was more blood than air. Who knows if she was listening? Who knows what she¡¯d have done if I started spilling my guts the moments you got out of that portal? What do you expect from me?!¡±


    Argrave pinched his fingers together before and held them before the man¡¯s face, shouting, ¡°The bare minimum, which is to tell me!¡± He stepped away, throwing up his hands. ¡°Do you know what this means? I¡¯ve got theser focus of over half a dozen gods on me, eagerly watching to see if I¡¯m trying to screw them over, and I¡¯ve just woken most of them up. They¡¯re already suspicious of me, but now you¡¯re¡ª¡±


    ¡°It is already done,¡± Anneliese interrupted him with a firm voice.


    Her voice brought him away from the rising panic and fear pushing out his paranoid thoughts into harsh words. He calmed and quieted, stepping away from the man and walking towards Anneliese before he did anything else that was unbing.


    But the paranoia did not end so quickly. Erlebnis was here, and he knew exactly what Argrave was doing, where he had gone, and who he travelled with. Was Arturpromised? Was this letter some bait to sow dissent? Artur was the only of them who¡¯d refused to enter the realm of the elves¡­ did that have meaning behind it, or was it a coincidence? Were other members of his group part of this, involved in this, informing on him? Moriatran, perhaps, or one of the hundreds of Veidimen under hismand, could all be watching, reporting, and waiting. But to what end?


    ¡°First Kirel¡­ now this?¡± Argrave shook his head, then as he reflected on the whole situation started tough slowly.


    ¡°Why are youughing?¡± Artur asked from behind.


    Argrave turned back, stillughing. After a while, he exined, ¡°Sometimes things are so thoroughly messed up you just have tough.¡±


    Anneliese put her hand on his shoulder, offering quiet assurance in a time of distress. He put his hand over hers idly, trying to focus on how he might get out of this pit. Anneliese hadn¡¯t indicated that Artur had been lying at all. Still, he¡¯d need her insight once this conversation was finished.


    When Argrave was calm enough to think clearly, he asked, ¡°What did the letter ask of you, precisely? Do you still have it?¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°No. It was enchanted better than anything I¡¯m capable of, and burnt the moment I finished reading it,¡± the Magister shook his head, then looked up. ¡°It mentioned what you were doing here,¡± Artur exined, finally able to meet Argrave¡¯s gaze without turning away. ¡°And it asked me to meet him in person.¡±


    Argrave closed his eyes and rubbed the bridge of his nose, at a total loss. This alliance he¡¯d earned was shaky enough as is, but with this¡­ he could onlyugh again, reflecting on how desperate things were getting.


    ¡°Do you think I should meet with him?¡± Artur asked.


    Argrave opened his eyes and looked at him squarely. ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°Dimocles,¡± Artur answered.

 Chapter 376: Collector

    ¡°Should we meet with this man?¡± Anneliese asked, staring out across the sea of grass. ¡°Who is Dimocles, even? You seemed to have knowledge of this name.¡±


    ¡°One of the yer characters,¡± Argrave said shortly.


    ¡°Ah,¡± Anneliese nodded. ¡°Then maybe we¡­¡± she stopped, then rephrased, ¡°As I recall, you once said all of the yer characters are good¡­ more or less.¡±


    Argrave put his hands in his pockets. ¡°This guy¡¯s the more or less part of that.¡±


    Anneliese nodded slowly, then stared at Argrave¡¯s cheek as she asked, ¡°Eliminating the other options we have already encountered, he would be a spellcaster first and a warrior second, correct?¡±


    Though his mind was dancing as he scrambled to think of ways he might deal with this matter with Erlebnis, he turned his head and said, ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re on the money. I¡¯ll tell you what he really is, though¡ªhe¡¯s scary.¡± Argrave took a deep breath and crossed his arms. ¡°If there¡¯s anyone that fits the archetype of the game¡¯s yer, it¡¯s Dimocles. He doesn¡¯t enjoy eating, drinking, socializing¡­ any of the normal human pleasures, basically.¡±


    ¡°Then what does he enjoy?¡± A frown spread across her face.


    ¡°Collecting,¡± Argrave looked down at her grimly.


    ¡°Collecting what?¡± Anneliese pressed for more.


    ¡°Spells. Weapons. Armor. Houses. Talented people. Unique people. Anything and everything that draws his attention, he tries and collect.¡± Argrave looked up at the endless blue sky. ¡°Induen killed his parents, so you might think he¡¯d have some good will towards me for settling that unchecked score¡­ but damn it, I¡¯m not quite sure if such a thing as goodwill exists from that man.¡±


    As he stared up, Anneliese asked, ¡°He collects¡­ people?¡±


    Argrave closed his eyes and sighed. ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s not¡­¡± he grasped at the words. ¡°It¡¯s not like he does anything weird with them. I don¡¯t think he has the desire to do anything with them other than own them. It isn¡¯t about having power over them, it¡¯s just about them being his. That manifests in a bunch of different ways.¡±


    Anneliese blinked for a few moments in confusion, then questioned quietly, ¡°Does not the meaning of owning imply power over another?¡±


    ¡°Sure¡­ sure, I guess,¡± Argrave agreed, his head still swimming. ¡°But he doesn¡¯t abuse that power. Like any collector, he likes to keep everything that he owns in very good condition, mentally and physically. Collection is about preservation, not domination. He¡¯s rich, charismatic as a sociopath, smart, and talented¡­ it isn¡¯t hard to keep a little swarm of people he likes in his vi.¡± He looked back at Anneliese. ¡°The cruelest thing he does is deciding that someone isn¡¯t worth collecting any longer. He spends all this time making the other person totally dependent on him, to where their life revolves around his¡­ then he finds someone better and the Fairy Godmother¡¯s spell wears off, leaving them with nothing but a pair of ss slippers. They¡¯re on the streets, destitute.¡±


    Anneliese still looked like she didn¡¯t get it, so Argrave continued, ¡°Hell, the reason Dimocles might¡¯ve been talking to Artur was that he thought the man was someone worth owning. A master enchanter Magister with dwarfism? Come on.¡± he spread his hands out, his point made.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°Owning a Magister?¡± Anneliese said incredulously.


    ¡°Hey, he¡¯s persistent. This is his sole joy in life. It might be a very expensive collectible, but if he wants it¡­¡± Argrave sighed. ¡°And it makes sense for him to work with someone like Erlebnis.¡±


    Anneliese looked a little overwhelmed, but she rubbed her forehead and asked, ¡°So, should we meet with him? Should Artur go alone?¡±


    Argrave stared off into space. ¡°There are so many angles for this my brain is leaking out of my ears. Did Erlebnis intend this? That letter¡­ Artur said it was about what we did, but not why we did it. How much do they know?¡±


    ¡°All leading back to the same thing¡ªwe need more information,¡± Anneliese said.


    ¡°Yeah, but I don¡¯t trust Artur to go unwatched. The information we get from him might not be the whole truth, even if he¡¯s not lying¡ªhell, perhaps Erlebnis knows about your uncanny empathy.¡± Argrave looked at her. ¡°And that¡¯s the reason I don¡¯t want you near that damned sociopath.¡±


    Anneliese tilted her head. ¡°You think it may be a trap?¡±


    ¡°So long as the meeting ce is far away from any shrine to Erlebnis, I don¡¯t fear a trap overmuch. Maybe Onychinusa might show up¡­ but even then, you¡¯re her antithesis.¡± He looked at her amber eyes. ¡°One touch from you, she melts away. Her body is all magic. She can¡¯t teleport about during the fight at all, or you¡¯ll be tearing bits and pieces of her away.¡±


    Anneliese looked at her gloved hands, seeming disquieted.


    ¡°Either way¡­ you¡¯re right. If we hope to have any chance of dealing with this crap, we have to understand what¡¯s going on.¡± Argrave rubbed his hands together. ¡°But the show has to go on.¡±


    ¡°I can observe with my bird,¡± Anneliese reminded him. ¡°I need not ce myself in harm¡¯s way.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough,¡± Argrave said. ¡°If the meeting is tomorrow, we have more to discuss. I thought we might sleep tonight¡­ but that¡¯s wishful thinking.¡±


    #####


    The ce where the meeting was to be held was somewhat difficult to infiltrate with the Starsparrow without issue. It was the first of the altars that they¡¯d entered inside to reach the Mother¡¯s Steppes. The only way to reach that was by entering inside of it, and given the closed-off and mystical nature of that process, presented problems.


    In the end, it was remedied by having the Starsparrow smuggled in by Artur himself. It was a small thing, easily ced inside a piece of clothing on the Magister¡¯s person. Argrave had almost been paranoid to the point he feared the bird would be killed or stolen, but Anneliese reminded him how ridiculous that would be.


    And so, the time of the meeting came¡­.


    #####


    Artur blinked open his eyes, disoriented from the transference of the altar that resembled a water basin. His eyes adjusted to the dimness somewhat before he cast light into the air with a quick spell. Anneliese observed this all with her Starsparrow, which had already taken its perch in a forgotten corner of this room.


    ¡°Rather bright,¡± Dimocles said, and Artur took an involuntary step back.


    Anneliese looked down at the tall man, who was dressed rather strangely. His robes were a bewitchingbination of dark gray and a dark blue-green that swirled mesmerizingly about each other. Heavy metal baubles dangled from his sleeves, sewn on tightly so as to be a permanent fixture. He had seven rings on his finger, each and all different from the other.


    Dimocles¡¯ eyes were a dark-blue green matching the color of his robes, and unlike the swirls on those his eyes were truly mobile. They danced like a rippling pond. His skin was pale, yet with some scars and a certain roughness to it that made him seem hard. He had a strong jaw with the faintest untrimmed beard on it as though he hadn¡¯t shaved for a few days, and an easy smile that never left.


    ¡°You¡¯ve changed a lot since Ist saw you,¡± Artur straightened. ¡°Gotten¡­ much more powerful, too. What rank are you by this point?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve learned a few S-rank spells,¡± Dimocles nodded. ¡°I can only cast A-rank, however.¡±


    ¡°Is that even¡­?¡± Artur began, butughed and shook his head. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. What is this? That white-haired elven woman¡ªis she your servant, your superior, what?¡±


    The spellcaster stared, blinking with those unnerving eyes of his. Anneliese thought that the whole of what he showed others was fake. But if the whole of him was fake, what was real? She couldn¡¯t answer that question.


    Dimocles didn¡¯t engage with Artur, instead saying, ¡°I want to tell you a story.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Arturughed.


    ¡°It¡¯s a good story. I¡¯ve heard a lot of stories,¡± Dimocles continued, tilting his head. ¡°It¡¯s about a group of travelling merchants.¡±


    ¡°Some parable to convey your intent?¡± Artur narrowed his eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t like this.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s saddening. We exchanged many stories, so I thought you might be interested. Regardless, perhaps you might tell it to someone elseter on the line who will be interested.¡± Dimocles ced his hands together. ¡°These travelling merchants, you see¡­ they were led by two men. Rufio and Lant.


    ¡°They used the mobile nature of their business to profit from war,¡± Dimocles continued. ¡°They travelled from ce to ce, exploiting discrepancies in price between warring nations. It was dangerous work¡­ but for people capable of weathering danger like both Rufio and Lant, nothing was better. They went from humble origins in a farmstead to having children of their own in a gilded pce.¡±


    ¡°Think I know where this is going,¡± Artur cut in. ¡°They incurred the wrath of both sides.¡±


    ¡°Not quite,¡± Dimocles rubbed one of his rings. ¡°I said nations, did I not? These two were quite sessful for some time. They were wealthier than kings, and they died happily with arge family who loved them.¡±


    Artur slowly furrowed his brow. ¡°I don¡¯t follow the moral of this story.¡±


    ¡°But the next generation¡­ they thought to follow in their father¡¯s footsteps. They¡¯d been taught, trained, and raised all of their life to do this. The issue was¡­ the continent was at peace. Their borate tradingwork facilitated this, in part, though that¡¯s a digression.¡± Dimocles put his hands together. ¡°Rufio and Lant¡¯s descendants made a decision, then.¡± Dimocles stepped forward. ¡°They¡¯d have to make a war to profit from.¡±


    ¡°Can we talk frankly?¡± Artur held his hand up.


    Dimocles pursed his lips. ¡°I¡¯m not overfond of the mysterious storyteller act either, but we both have our parts to y as proxies, don¡¯t we?¡±


    Artur looked caught off guard, but the confession made himugh. ¡°Yeah, well¡­ you¡¯ve got a point.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like to give some advice to you, as a friend,¡± Dimocles continued. ¡°Advise your king this. Light the fire¡­ but don¡¯t stay as the building burns, even if your friends die around you. Why? Because fire doesn¡¯t care that you gave it life. It just consumes all that it can.¡±


    Anneliese shuddered at the sight of Dimocles, so perfect in his acting that even she was left feeling uncertain if he was being truthful. And when Dimocles lifted his head to look at her Starsparrow, she knew then that Argrave was right to fear what this man spelled. Then, he turned and left.

 Chapter 377: Boxed In

    ¡°God damn it all¡­ proxies, parables, metaphors, rituals¡ªwhy can¡¯t these damned gods just talk straight?¡± Argrave bit at his knuckle, stewing on what Anneliese had reported.


    ¡°Because then we would know what they intend to do. That might make their ns a little more difficult to enact,¡± Anneliese reminded him tactfully.


    Argrave chewed a few more times, then looked to her. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you one thing, though. Dimocles¡­ or maybe that was Erlebnis¡¯ advice after all, can¡¯t rule that out¡­ he wants us to use the elven gods and then toss them aside let dirty dish rags. ¡®Light the fire, but the don¡¯t stay as the building burns.¡¯ Heh.¡± He looked off to the side, a little disgusted.


    ¡°I think we can say safely, though¡­¡± Anneliese began, closing her eyes. ¡°I do not think Erlebnis knows precisely what we intend to do. I think thates inrge part from your tendency to give out your ns piecemeal¡ªbarring me, none know of your full n. Have you been doing that all along to mitigate the impact of potential information leaks?¡± She looked at him, amber eyes gleaming.


    Argrave swallowed. ¡°If anybody else asks, I would say yes, I did act mysterious to hide my ns. Since you¡¯re asking, though¡ªno, it was just a happy ident.¡±


    Anneliese seemed amused, though the gravity of the situation prevented much exuberance. She grew somber as she asked, ¡°How does this change our ns?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯vemitted, right?¡± Argrave sought to confirm, seeing no way to change course.


    ¡°¡­definitely,¡± Anneliese confirmed after hesitating half a beat. ¡°Metaphorically speaking¡­ we head north, but in going north, one can still go northeast or northwest.¡±


    ¡°Poetic,¡± Argraveplimented, then sighed. ¡°I think overthinking it will be just as dangerous as paying Erlebnis¡¯ presence no mind¡­ but if we consider that changing things up might be precisely what Erlebnis wanted us to do, then staying our course might be the best option to subvert him. We drive on, stay focused, try to learn as much as we can¡­ and whatever he throws, we adapt to it.¡±


    Anneliese heard him out, and then questioned, ¡°Have you considered that might be precisely what Erlebnis is doing to you? Waiting for an opportunity?¡±


    Argrave paused. ¡°Maybe. But what¡¯s that matter?¡±


    ¡°There is no better way to get information than to probe for it. If we bait a reaction¡­ we learn how he moves,¡± Anneliese pointed out. ¡°And how he moves might highlight what he seeks.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re ying a delicate damn game, Anneliese. One move from Erlebnis might make my so-called allies decide they¡¯re not as fond of the pep in my step as they were before. And if we put on a show, overextend¡­. Erlebnis might also move to burn down our building,¡± Argrave held his hand up.


    ¡°Yet it is better than doing nothing,¡± Anneliese argued back.


    Argrave clicked his tongue, staring out across the grasnds.


    #####


    A lone elf wandered into arge grove¡ªone of few ces in the endless Bloodwoods were hills rose tall, obscuring a portion of the ce as a valley cut off from the rest of the ce. She carried what looked to be a bouquet of flowers¡­ but in actuality, they were arrows, their arrowheads branched and split to resemble flowers.


    There were several great stone monuments in this secluded grove. They were in stone rectangles, unadorned and uninscribed. She went to each and brushed it off with practiced grace, clearing leaves and the strange, unnatural fruits of the redwoods away from them all before leaving a single of the arrow-flowers at the foot of them.


    When it was done, she knelt in the center of these monuments to pray¡­ until something caught her eye. It was beige, and situated at the top of a hill. It looked unnaturally smooth. Puzzled, she rose to her feet and walked to it. With some effort, she managed to get up to it. She realized it wasrger than it seemed, and began to clear away some of the leaves that had fallen to cover it. Her eyes widened when she saw what was unmistakably a fingernail. Believing it to be a giant, her instinct kicked in and she ran down the hill she¡¯d ascended moments before. She grasped at a horn at her side, ready to blow¡­ yet then, the owner of the nail sat up.


    With the horn at her lips, she paused abruptly and a weak and pathetic noise came out of the thing as she hesitated in shock. This giant had elven ears, and golden hair all the way down the length of his body. He reached for a crook and nted it in the ground, supporting himself.


    Behind each of the monuments, other elven giants sat up in turn. When one set down a bow with a ming string, the elven woman¡¯s eyes widened in recognition. She pranced about in fear as she was surrounded by ten elven gods.


    One¡ªan old man who was badly scarred, and seemed the only among them with white hair¡ªreached his hand out. The woman tensed, but did not step away. He lightly brushed her cheek, his finger farrger than her entire body.


    ¡°Pitiful Woodschild¡­¡± he muttered groggily, then nted his other hand down upon the hill he sat upon. He began to rise,ing to his full and staggering height. ¡°Be not afraid. We are returned,¡± he dered, both to thest visitor to their monument and to the world itself.


    It was a deration well worth noting¡­ as these were the first true gods to step foot upon mortal soil in preparation for the arbiter, Gerechtigkeit. And more were listening than the elven woman alone.


    #####


    ¡°Looks like it¡¯s go time,¡± Argrave shouted as he came back upon his group.


    They were all reassembled¡ªthe Veidimen and their officers, Grimalt, Bastel, and Rasten, the Magisters Vasilisa, Moriatran, and Artur, his cousin and brother, Ganbaatar, and a small yellow cat. Argrave felt a little different, looking upon them. It was likely someone here was pping their gums to Erlebnis. Who, though? He might have Anneliese go through them piece-by-piece, but there was no time for that, and sowing disunity before meeting with gods invited disaster.


    He suspected either Moriatran or Artur. Thetter wasrgely cleared of suspicion, and Argrave needed the former¡¯s strength enough he didn¡¯t dare ruin things by using him


    ¡°All of you are all packed, but there¡¯s one thing I need you each and every one of you to keep,¡± Argrave began. ¡°I need you to keep your cool. Staying alive in a fight is one thing, but you do not fight unless fought, and you do not instigate anything,¡± Argrave waved his finger between them all. ¡°I know all of you are professional, but this time, it¡¯s different.¡±


    Grimalt saluted. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty! We hear and obey!¡±


    The other two Veidimen officers mirrored that, half a step behind Grimalt. Argrave was starting to like the amber-eyed Veidimen the most of his officers, but the other two were reliable enough. As the others gave less disciplined expressions of support, Argrave eventually called aside Ganbaatar, taking the elf for a walk as they talked.


    ¡°The Supreme Myriarch¡­ has he changed in the past two years or so?¡± Argrave inquired. ¡°Chances are, he¡¯s going to be the one we end up dealing with.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been gone from the woods well over a year and a half,¡± Ganbaatar said. ¡°Even if that weren¡¯t the case, I wouldn¡¯t know. The Supreme Myriarch abandons everything when he assumes the role¡ªname, family, home, pleasure¡­ only the myriarchs of the Tumens even know when the position has changed hands, mostly, and that¡¯s because they elect among themselves. It isn¡¯t hard to guess, but even saying the name of the Supreme Myriarch once he¡¯s in that role is taboo. Unlike kingship, the role isn¡¯t about prestige or power¡ªit¡¯s about duty.¡±


    Argrave patted his shoulder. ¡°All things are about duty with your people. Yourmanders whip themselves more than they whip their subordinates.¡±


    ¡°Because time has proven time and time again that leadership can turn ipetence into unmatched ferocity.¡± Ganbaatar looked back. ¡°Those royal guards of yours seem to know that lesson.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re calling them ipetent?¡± Argrave joked.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m¡ª¡± Ganbaatar trailed off when he caught Argrave¡¯s smile. ¡°I see how it is. If there¡¯s nothing more¡­¡±


    ¡°There is something more,¡± Argrave stopped him. ¡°I want you to know something. If you y your cards right, you could be blessed by the whole of your pantheon.¡±


    Ganbaatar narrowed his eyes, thenughed. ¡°You must be joking. After what I did at the¡ª¡±


    ¡°What you did stuck in their heads,¡± Argrave interrupted. ¡°And each and every one of them heard your voice. It anchored them to this realm, lest you forget. They already liked you starting off, too. And blessings¡­ well, look at Orion. They can¡¯t ever be retracted.¡±


    ¡°Why would that be important?¡± Ganbaatar squinted his red eyes.


    ¡°¡­no, it¡¯s not important,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°Just letting you know about the permanence.¡±


    Ganbaatar stopped as they walked. ¡°If you¡¯re trying to tell me to y nice with these gods¡­ I have my principles.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Argrave sighed long and hard. ¡°Yeah, I know about your damned principles. Good lord, I¡¯m just letting you know a fact.¡± He walked back up to the elf and pulled him along. ¡°You¡¯re going to be vouching for me with the Supreme Myriarch. If the man¡¯s the same man I remember, then I think I know how to y this. Best listen closely, now¡­¡±


    #####


    ¡°The elven gods have awakened. I conveyed what the Lord needed conveyed to the centaurs, but I¡¯m uncertain it took root in the whole of them,¡± Onychinusa exined, speaking to one of the emissaries of Erlebnis. ¡°We¡¯ve contacted all associates in the forest that we could, and measures were taken precisely as instructed,¡± she ryed.


    This emissary was fat and grotesque, far too bulbous to be called human. Yet it still spoke in the same even and passive tone as the rest, saying, ¡°The next two weeks are to be chaotic beyondpare. Alliances shift second by second, faster than can be reasonably perceived. You and Dimocles have been positioned to box in the king. Never forget that role, no matter how the scene changes. And avoid bouts of impulsivity. It would be contrary to our objectives if either the king or queen were harmed¡­¡±

 Chapter 378: Hostage Situation

    The Supreme Myriarch stared ahead at giants moving through the trees, trampling the overgrown roots of the Bloodwoods beneath their feet as though they weremon twigs and not the redwoodsprising their homnd. From this far away, they almost seemed like normal-sized elves walking in one of the small forests beyond thesends, where one determined human with an axe could fell a tree in less than a day. But that image was ruined in seeing what rode on their shoulders¡ªnamely, people.


    ¡°Reporting, Supreme Myriarch,¡± Batbayar pulled himself onto the branch the Supreme Myriarch perched atop, then gave a salute. ¡°My scouts confirm that those riding on the shoulders of¡­ our gods¡­ are the very same who broke past the southern border and sought refuge in the centaur¡¯s tunnel. Should we take further action?¡±


    In thinking what was best for the nation, the Supreme Myriarch often first thought of what would be worst for the nation. And what would be worst for the nation¡­ surely, it would be angering their gods. That would sow irreparable disunity in all Tumens. With the centaurs rampaging, the winged demons seizing their high homes, and the grounded monsters nipping at them from below¡­ many felt it the end times. Already, people thought thising a salvation¡ªa light amidst darkness.


    The gods asked to meet with him. And as a leader, he could not refuse them, even if they brought humans on their shoulders.


    ¡°I shall receive them with the Kheshig,¡± he decided, then reached into his Amarok-leather armor¡¯s pocket.


    The Supreme Myriarch blew a whistle quickly, and then jumped down from the trees. He nimbly maneuvered through the canopy with elven wires in a show of extreme prowess, and in a few moments was joined by a coterie of his kin moving quickly enough to put even his skills to shame. These were the Kheshig¡ªguards of the Supreme Myriarch, and archers skilled enough to strike a man down even if he hid beyond the horizon.


    As they grew near, the elven god with long golden hair stretching down to his feet¡ªMerata, god of agriculture¡ªmmed his crook upon the ground. The nearby redwoods all bent and contorted to his will, and the Supreme Myriarch and his Kheshig slowed in caution. Roots and branches and trunks all heeded the god¡¯s directive, pushing through the forest ahead of where they walked. When they stopped, all the forces called upon converged to make a tform.


    The scarred patriarch of the gods, Ghan, reached up to his shoulder. Those standing by his neck walked out to that hand, and he lowered it to the tform where they stepped off. As the Supreme Myriarch watched, he noted their group was not human alone. There were elves of impure heritage in great numbers coupled with one of their true kin, undoubtedly born in these woods.


    ¡°Do not act rashly,¡± the Supreme Myriarch reminded his Kheshig, and then began his departure towards this tform.


    The wood elvesnded on the sturdy wood tform that felt as alive as any branch one after the other. Even in this extraordinary position, the Kheshigs maintained a disciplined formation that was well positioned to protect the Supreme Myriarch in the event of any danger. And as they watched, four approached.


    Their apparent leader was an exceptionally tall human with obsidian-colored hair reaching his shoulders and calm, confident gray eyes. He had a heavy gray duster on, beneath it a metal breastte depicting a sun with four biting snakes as its rays. His movements left a bewitching maroon trail, lending every action he took an otherworldly dignity and grace to it. With gods standing behind him, all felt small before this single man.


    At his side walked an impure elf of the northeastern continent. Her clothes matched the human¡¯s perfectly. Her long white hair fell past her waist, presently braided back in a half-crown to keep it from blocking her vision. Her amber eyes seemed like a calm that came before a storm¡ªthe Supreme Myriarch had seen their like on greatmanders. His intuition about the measure of a leader had made him sessful asmander of all Myriarchs, and he felt this woman had that measure.


    Beside and behind the both of them walked a gargantuan knight in golden armor and an elf of the forest, still d in Amarok-leather armor and still with wires hidden in his bracers. Though he was well and truly born to this ce without a doubt, the Supreme Myriarch did not recognize this kin of his. He wondered how his name had escaped Myriarch Batbayar¡¯s reports.


    ¡°I am King Argrave,¡± the leading man introduced himself, cing his right fist over his heart. ¡°I reign over all thends of Vasquer with an army in excess of one hundred thousand willing to fight for me, a number growing day by day.¡±


    The king of Vasquer. That title alone invoked enmity, as those who held it caused great wars of ages past and ostensibly stood responsible for the dissolution of the Old Empire. Yet now this title was conveyed in a manner customary to their people, not in the belligerent fashion in which kings reputedly acted. Tumens often had disputes, managing ten thousand soldiers as they did. Disputes or negotiations began with introductions and establishment precisely as the king disyed.


    The Supreme Myriarch raised his brows briefly in surprise, but recovered quickly and responded in kind, exining, ¡°I am the Supreme Myriarch of the Bloodwoods,manding all pure elves alive.¡±


    The king looked pleased, like he was speaking to the person he¡¯d hoped to speak to as he continued, ¡°Standing at my side is my queen, Anneliese, and my treasured brother, Orion. I havee here at the behest of this good elf, Ganbaatar, as the leader of all humans in Vasquer, as the protector of my family, and as the favored of your gods.¡± As though to prove this im, the man held up a worn coin, though the Supreme Myriarch was ignorant of its purpose. The king continued formally, finishing, ¡°I seek peace and cooperation between us, that we might drive out the threats that endanger both your homnd and the entire continent. I have aided your gods in returning to this realm as a show of goodwill¡­ and an act of optimism for the future.¡±


    Though the words were formal and customary in their society¡ªa formal introduction, followed by establishing the purpose of the meeting¡ªboth the purpose behind them and the gravity of the man who spoke them caused the Supreme Myriarch to feel a rising nervousness. Discipline and duty kept himposed, and yet even those two constants were pushed to their limits.


    Now that formality was set aside, the Supreme Myriarch spoke more freely and questioned bluntly, ¡°Can centuries of hostility and war so easily be set aside, even if we both will it to be so? Wounds linger on my people. A little over a decade ago the king of Vasquer led his swords singing into battle, seeking elven flesh.¡±


    ¡°That was my father¡¯s doing, not mine,¡± the king raised and waved his hands, his stiff and proper speech gone. ¡°I won¡¯t make excuses. I love my family dearly¡­ enough to die for them, even, but I hold no love for myte father and his actions were inexcusable. They were unjustified wars of conquest, nothing more. But another god threatens to eliminate all of you in the wake of his descent, and I believe that holds the greatest importance.¡±


    ¡°You must notice that times without a precedente,¡± the queen, Anneliese, spoke. ¡°If your people seek restitution, let us aid in preserving their lives where they were once ended.¡±


    At the impure elf¡¯s words of unique times, the Supreme Myriarch¡¯s gaze wandered to the gods standing behind as silent authority behind the king¡¯s words. Ghan and Ujin, patriarch and matriarch, and Chiteng, Dairi, Gunlik, Merata, Lunho, Orda, Murgid, and Volgar, the five sons and three daughters¡­ this could be no human trick. Even as his gaze wandered, he saw elves filling the canopies to behold this scene.


    As Supreme Myriarch, he favored neither the religious nor irreligious elves in the Tumens. Thew dictated religion was a personal matter, and never to be used as excuse for disputes. But this¡­ this spoke of things afoot grander than what mere mortals were able to contend with.


    ¡°I simply cannot consent to human forces entering the woods en masse, even if theye to our defense,¡± the Supreme Myriarch shook his head. ¡°Our borders must be preserved.¡±


    ¡°Rather fortunately, I don¡¯t intend to bring in human forces en masse,¡± Argrave said with the faintest smile. ¡°Just as you faced winged demons, my people face the risen dead¡ªand soon, far worse. I cannot spare enough to send an army. I must protect my family and my people.¡±


    ¡°Then what do you intend?¡± the Supreme Myriarch pressed.


    ¡°Supreme Myriarch¡ªthough I vited the chain ofmand, I sought Argrave¡¯s aid in securing us, alone, as sole vying species in the Bloodwoods.¡± The one named Ganbaatar stepped out and kneeled. ¡°He intends precisely that.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°You do not kneel,¡± the Supreme Myriarch reprimanded by instinct. ¡°You are a soldier, not a subject. Rise.¡± When Ganbaatar came to his feet, he turned his gaze away and stared at this king for a long while.


    Everything about this meeting had been staged perfectly. The king adhered to local customs, brought one of their kin with them, brought the backing of the gods themselves¡­ certainly, everything was in ce for easy eptance. But the Supreme Myriarch defended against conquest by deception as much as conquest by sword.


    ¡°I need a guarantee of your sincerity,¡± the Supreme Myriarch said.


    ¡°Such as?¡± the king pressed. ¡°An example in battle, perhaps? We have time for nothing else.¡±


    The Supreme Myriarch stared, thinking. From what the king had said of his love for family, and from what he knew of the human kingdoms, they ced much stock on blood rtions.


    ¡°We would take one of your kin with us to establish sounder rtions,¡± the Supreme Myriarch decided.


    The king narrowed his eyes. ¡°Is that necessary?¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re sincere, yes,¡± he nodded, feeling this was all the more pertinent after his hesitation.


    The king stepped away, speaking to his queen in a hushed tone. He looked torn. When he turned back, he said heavily, ¡°¡­I can do this. But this is a very significant gesture. Those beneath me will be greatly unsatisfied to bending, and I can¡¯t be perceived to lose face. If you can help with this¡­¡±


    ¡°What must be done?¡± the Supreme Myriarch pressed, deciding it must be a human custom.


    ¡°My cousin, Nikoletta. She¡¯s here with me today. Over a month ago, her father entered this forest. If you take her in under the pretext of aiding search for her father, and indeed make some effort to genuinely do so¡­¡± Argrave sighed as though this concession weighed on him heavily. ¡°I will instruct her to stay here. But if she is harmed, there will be no forgiveness,¡± he cautioned, voice low.


    ¡°I can spare a hundred good men for a search and give them the authority to extract information from all Tumens in the forest,¡± the Supreme Myriarch suggested.


    Argrave¡¯s lips twitched as though he hid a smile, but the somber expression that soon overtook his face suggested that it was merely a mistaken observation. After a time of mulling, he decided, ¡°Alright. She can stay with your people.¡±


    The Supreme Myriarch sighed, some tension draining from his body. ¡°If this is true salvation, it is weed. We face threats from the north every passing day¡ªwinged demons, just as you said. Now, with the centaurs attempting to raze every part of the forests¡­¡±


    ¡°The centaurs?¡± Argrave pressed. ¡°They¡¯reunching an attack?¡±


    ¡°Aye. A raid like nothing we¡¯ve ever seen before,¡± the Supreme Myriarch nodded, rxing a little. ¡°Their numbers were thinned greatly by the disturbance of the roots in the woods, but when united, they are a force to be reckoned with. If they had our discipline¡­ we would be dead, surely.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± The king closed his eyes. ¡°I haven¡¯t intended on doing this early, but¡­ if things are like that, ns need to change.¡± He opened his eyes again, and faint traces of maroon danced on the grays of his eyes. ¡°I can demonstrate sincerity best by helping you ovee this problem, certainly. And in cooperating, we wille to know each other better.¡±


    The Supreme Myriarch nodded. ¡°Then¡­ it is time for you to meet more than our armies alone.¡±

 Chapter 379: Layered Problems

    Argrave, Anneliese, and Orion followed behind the Supreme Myriarch and half a dozen elite soldiers of the elven army¡ªthe Kheshig, they were called. They didn¡¯t walk on the ground¡­ rather, they walked hundreds of feet above it, standing on the branches of the redwood trees. Down below, the elven gods and the Veidimen marched on foot, but the canopies of this forest were the home of the elves.


    ¡°Maybe it was a foolish thing to try and block the entrances to the centaurs¡¯ retreat,¡± the Supreme Myriarch confided. ¡°I thought to narrow the points they might attack from¡­ but by bunching them closer together, they decided to unify. When the roots churned the ground, bursting free, the centaurs were the hardest hit. They thrive on the open ground¡ªwith the ground obstructed, we are benefitted while they are hindered.¡± He shook his head. ¡°They¡¯ve unified to cope with that hardship. It¡¯s a disaster.¡±


    Argrave agreed, but he thought the disaster was more so that the centaurs were attacking at all. He hoped they just stayed in that cave, twiddling their thumbs. Eventually, Argrave could woulde to rouse Sarikiz, unifying elf and centaur inbatting Kirel Qircassia. But now, between Erlebnis and this¡­


    If the elven gods¡¯ faith in me wavers, it¡¯s over, Argrave realized. I need to put the brakes on these issues, solve them quickly¡­


    ¡°Not much further to home,¡± the Supreme Myriarch looked back. ¡°I¡¯ll be frank with you, King Argrave, as your presence will mark the first time one of Vasquer hase not as a conqueror but as an ally. We are fewer than Vasquer, but having gone through this forest, you should know that means nothing. We live in a forest with Amaroks and Mishis, with giants and centaurs. And amidst all that, we are dominant. I hope you do not mistake our hospitality for naivete.¡±


    ¡°What is this ce called?¡± Anneliese questioned.


    ¡°We do not name our cities,¡± the Supreme Myriarch answered her. ¡°We change their location too often for them to be named. To us, it is merely home.¡±


    With that, the Supreme Myriarch moved ahead. Argrave followed, and as he did he saw light ahead. The canopy grew thinner and thinner until the open sky greeted them, sunlight beaming down splendidly at this high altitude.


    The city of the wood elves was not fixed to one location, but in a way, it always stayed the same. It required something consistent as its foundation¡ªa gathering of four redwood trees, with branches strong enough to support a sizable poption. Once they had that, the elves would clear out a great portion of the branches until it became a t circle. From there, their city was born.


    Though an elven warrior could enter the city from any direction, there were four entrances for the non-limated, or for those who hauled the creatures hunted on the forest floor¡ªfour pulley elevators, crafted of elven wire and wood. Even as Argrave watched, the first of his Veidimen honor guard was pulled up on these tforms. When their tform docked, the snow elves looked out across the cleared canopy in wonder. The floor of this city was held together by a patchwork of rope, wire, and woven branches in an intricate yet sturdy manner that incorporated enchantments at points. Still¡­ one would need to watch their footing.


    Everywhere else¡­ the industry of the wood elves was on clear disy. The primary food in the Bloodwoods was meat, and that showed. Towering wolves¡ªAmaroks¡ªand giant cats with tails as long as ten men wereid out in rows, then disassembled by skilled warriors in a systematic order and distributed to cooks. They extracted tendons, then gave those to mages who made the exceedingly potent wires they used for transportation and trapping. Everyone worked, even the children, the elderly, the pregnant, or the sick. Everyone had to pull their weight, lest the Bloodwoods leave them for dead.


    Traditional houses were nowhere to be found, but Argrave saw people dip below where branches sloped downwards. All of the residences were just beneath this topyer, woven and carved from the branches. It was an exceedinglypact ce. There might be five or six of these cities at a time, each working to support the local Tumen as it defended and hunted for them. When it came under fire, or more simply when the Tumen thought it necessary, the elves would abandon the city and migrate to build another. In time, the redwoods would regrow. Like this, the wood elves moved through the canopies, struggling for dominance in this vast and magical forest.


    But with Kirel¡¯s intervention, his wanton destruction of the forest, this method of city-building would fail fast. If the trees died, this way of life died. And the elves would surely not be ignorant of the forest¡¯s condition.


    ¡°My men will escort you to a building, and treat you with hospitality,¡± the Supreme Myriarch informed Argrave. ¡°Your men will receive much the same treatment. I must confer with my counsel, and with¡­ with the gods,¡± he said in wonder. ¡°In time, I will join you. I ask for your patience, King Argrave.¡±


    ¡°Then you have it,¡± Argrave answered.


    #####


    Argrave, Anneliese, and Orion sat on a wooden floor before a table woven of branches. Orion and Anneliese both looked around in wonder, but Argrave had seen much of this ce before. Some wood elves walked into the room, cing down cups filled with a reddish liquid. They were hospitable, but not servile.


    ¡°This is a tea made of the fruits of the redwoods¡ªfirefruits, we call them,¡± an old female elf exined. ¡°Though bitter and tasteless ordinarily, when roasted, ground, and dissolved in water, they be firemilk. Please, sate yourself with this. We shall prepare arge meal of meat while you wait,¡± she gestured, then walked away.


    Argrave and Anneliese both picked up their cups at once, but Orion sat there unmoving. Argrave took a drink of fruit from a redwood, something that shouldn¡¯t truly exist. He found it was quite a wondrous thing¡ªit resembled cinnamon in taste, though had a natural sweetness to it and a certain resemnce to milk that gave it both a pleasant mouthfeel and an airy pleasantness.


    ¡°Way better than I expected,¡± Argrave said in surprise, then quickly took another drink.


    Anneliese set her cup down, her focus on more urgent matters. Argrave¡¯s praise got to Orion, and the prince was tempted to pick his cup up.


    His queen conjured a ward over them. ¡°Let us discuss strategy,¡± Anneliese said decisively.


    ¡°Yes, let¡¯s,¡± Argrave agreed, leaning backfortably. ¡°We need to examine each and every member of our party for any ties to Erlebnis. Agreed?¡±


    ¡°I was just going to say that,¡± Anneliese nodded. ¡°We cannot ignore this before it springs on us. Whether among the elves, or among our own, the elven gods cannot think we have ties to Erlebnis.¡±


    ¡°Chiteng is the only one that truly knows about my Blessing of Supersession,¡± Argrave pointed out.


    ¡°But he might¡¯ve told them. He is their family. And regardless, that message Dimocles delivered was ominous,¡± Anneliese continued.


    ¡°But what can we do?¡± Argrave took another drink, finishing it. He looked down at the cup in disappointment, but no more liquid remained. ¡°We¡¯re in this, ride or die.¡±


    ¡°We can make sure that we find any problems before they arise,¡± Anneliese insisted. ¡°And perhaps¡­ I believe we should avoid the gods before the timees.¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°They¡¯ll be busy, anyhow. Though they¡¯ve manifested¡­ existence on the mortal realm is a process,¡± he exined. ¡°With their physical form present, the realm that I visited will slowly converge with this one. Their divinity will spread throughout thend, making it theirs. I don¡¯t suspect they¡¯ll make any grand changes to theyout of the Bloodwoods, but once they exert ownership it should prevent any other breaches from another realm¡ªmore urately, breaches from another god.¡± He set the cup down firmly. ¡°They¡¯ll get stronger as time passes. But before they can im the whole of the Bloodwoods¡­ Kirel¡¯s gotta go.¡±


    ¡°And a breach¡ªis it different from what the elven gods do?¡± Orion asked.


    ¡°Great question,¡± Argrave praised. ¡°Yes, it is. The god breaching has no earthly connection to this ce. The elven gods ended thest cycle of judgment here, and their worshippers still abound here, even if greatly diminished. They have a direct im to thisnd, and so can appear fully. Sarikiz could, too. I don¡¯t think any others would qualify. Kirel Qircassia, on the other hand, is forcing his way through. You can picture it¡­ like he¡¯s stuck his arm through a hole, and now works to widen itrge enough to fit his whole body through.¡± He looked at Orion. ¡°One small mercy is that Kirel Qircassia is morbidly obese, cosmologically speaking. It¡¯ll be some time before his physical form appears.¡±


    ¡°Then why do the elves struggle?¡± Orion pressed.


    ¡°Well, Kirel has mortal servants,¡± Argrave shrugged. ¡°As he bes more present, he can field more of them. They¡¯re what¡¯s pushing the elves back, not the god himself. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s worrying. Kirel could kill all of us with ease, but I can¡¯t imagine he has any servants has that are strong enough to resist the elven gods.¡± He looked back at Anneliese. ¡°As you point out¡­ we just need to make sure the elves and their gods stay on our side. Perhaps that¡¯s what Erlebnis meant about starting the fire, but not sticking around to watch it burn. He might intend to sabotage, or¡­ something.¡±


    Anneliese nodded. ¡°Indeed. We must do a thorough review of all our party members.¡±


    Argrave saw movement, and turned his head to see the Supreme Myriarch walk into the room, descending down a sloped branch. ¡°There¡¯s another matter, isn¡¯t there? The centaurs.¡±


    Anneliese turned her head, too, and when she saw that the Supreme Myriarch hade, dispelled her ward.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°I can give you more time,¡± themander offered graciously, hesitating at the end of the branch.


    ¡°No, you¡¯re fine,¡± Argrave beckoned. ¡°I just wished for some quiet time alone with my wife and brother. Please, sit.¡±


    The Supreme Myriarch nodded, then came to sit opposite Argrave. ¡°I¡¯m curious to hear how you intend to help with the centaurs. Those under mymand wish to meet you, but I thought to engage with you first.¡±


    I¡¯m curious too, Argrave thought. How would one put an end to a rampaging mass of centaurs? Ideally, Argrave would make use of them, as the original n entailed.


    ¡°What are they doing, specifically?¡± Argrave asked. ¡°You must have scouts.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s as I said. They have merged into a horde of unmatched size, and roam in a party that razes all ites across. They hunt everything¡ªelves, the wildlife, but of even greater rm, they topple redwoods and burn them.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Our wire traps have been working, but theye without relenting. Ordinarily we would simply take this opportunity to punish their foolhardiness¡­ but with this strange breach from the invaders in the central north, our Tumens are hard-pressed.¡±


    Argrave listened and thought. Though his mind drifted, wondering if there might be something else driving them into a frenzy, he tried to focus on simply solving the problem. After a while of silent thinking, during which the meal was served, Argrave narrowed his eyes and looked up.


    ¡°How densely packed are they?¡± he questioned, eating the meat. To say the least, it was not as pleasant as the firemilk.


    ¡°From my reports, they spread out somewhat, then converge on any resistance they encounter until it is entirely wiped out,¡± the elvenmander summarized.


    ¡°You know the terrain of the forest well, right? You have maps.¡± Argrave leaned in.


    ¡°Very well,¡± the Supreme Myriarch said with some pride. ¡°It matters less now that the roots have disturbed all, but topography will still apply.¡±


    Argrave ced his elbows on the table and entwined his hands. ¡°But how well do you know the underground? Caves, caverns, and the like.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ more difficult,¡± the Supreme Myriarch admitted.


    Argrave chewed over his idea more, then said, ¡°It may be time to improve your cartography, Supreme Myriarch. I think I want to meet the rest of the elvenmanders.¡±


    ¡°Certainly.¡± The Supreme Myriarch stood, and Argrave rose with him.


    As they made to walk out, Anneliese stopped him. ¡°What is your idea?¡± she asked in curiosity.


    ¡°Do you know what roots help prevent? Landslides. Sinkholes. Other such natural disasters,¡± Argrave exined. ¡°They help fix the ground in ce. And all the roots, Anneliese, are out of whack. If we want to stop, but not to kill?¡± Argrave looked ahead. ¡°I think there¡¯s a way. But for now¡­ let¡¯s get involved in elven high society.¡±

 Chapter 380: A Grip of Blood

    To say that the wood elves in the Bloodwoods were an army with a country rather than a country with an army would not be an exaggeration. It would also be a stolen phrase, but Argrave supposed such things didn¡¯t matter if one crossed over to another world. Still, he kept this thought to himself as the Supreme Myriarch led the royalty of the party to meet with the myriarchs. Nikoletta joined them, too, to officiate surrendering the ¡®hostage.¡¯


    They walked across the open clearing of the elven city. The children watched with distrust, but their parents watched with caution or outright contempt. Even still, there were no incidents. The Veidimen were fitting in well, assisting with disassembly of creatures or eating or any number of the thousand tasks to do in the city. The Magisters, however, ate alone with a quiet caution of just about everything near them.


    Finally, the Supreme Myriarch dipped below, heading into one of therge buildings below. Once inside, Argrave recognized this ce as themander¡¯s room. Here, the myriarch of a Tumen wouldmunicate with his officers. Now it served the same purpose, though the Supreme Myriarch would insteadmunicate with his myriarchs. As Argrave made way for Anneliese, Orion, and Nikoletta, he sized all of the elvenmanders up.


    Of the three myriarchs here, two of them were S-rank spellcasters. One they had seening in¡ªMyriarch Batbayar, Ganbaatar¡¯s mentor. He had dropped that tree on them. The other S-rank was Myriarch Otgon. Argrave¡¯s eyes lingered on this one for half a heartbeat¡ªthis elf was the source of the malfeasance in the elven army, the one rotten egg in a batch of wless discipline. His main sin was nepotism, but that sin made him puppet to another far rottener egg: namely, one of his officers.


    Thest, Myriarch Purev, was as magically mundane as the Supreme Myriarch. Still, none of those present could be discounted. Even Otgon, corrupt as he was, had tremendous intellect and leadership capability. Theirs was truly a meritocratic society. With golden hair and red eyes all, they seemed apletely unified n, gathered around a rough square table as if to judge Argrave.


    The Supreme Myriarch took his ce at the head. ¡°These are themanders able to attend this meeting,¡± he exined. ¡°All of the others are direly needed at the north to hold back the tide of winged demons advancing day by day. Myriarch Batbayar engaged with you as you entered¡­ and Myriarch Otgon was responsible for carrying out my order to block off the centaurs¡¯ holynd. Thest is Myriarch Purev, responsible for the Army of the Wire.¡±


    ¡°I hope you do not mean to say the white-haired one is your cousin,¡± Myriarch Otgon began with some disdain. ¡°Even we can tell an impure elf from a human.¡±


    ¡°Anneliese is my queen,¡± Argrave said with some pride, then put his hand atop Nikoletta¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Nikoletta of Monti is my cousin. And hearing your arrogance, I question if you¡¯re capable of holding your side of the bargain,¡± he shot back with equal aplomb.


    ¡°She will be safe,¡± Myriarch Purev assured¡ªhe was a grim and hard man, but exuded trustworthiness. ¡°And her¡­ father, is it? We will make our best effort. But humans do not live long in this forest.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all I can ask for,¡± Nikoletta answered solemnly, seeming resolved to confront her father¡¯s corpse if it came to that.


    ¡°Myriarch Purev¡ªhandle the king¡¯s cousin,¡± the Supreme Myriarch delegated at once, sensing there would be the least problems there. The man stood and walked to Nikoletta, ready to move her along. ¡°Once you have men on this, you may return.¡±


    Argrave gave one final farewell to Nikoletta, saying, ¡°Be safe.¡±


    In response Nikoletta only gave him a brief hug, and then they parted. Argrave turned back to face Otgon, Batbayar, and the Supreme Myriarch.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°When we spoke, you mentioned seeking to learn of Bloodwoods cartography,¡± the Supreme Myriarch began.


    Otgon scoffed. ¡°Supreme Myriarch, if I may¡­ can such a thing be surrendered so easily?¡±


    ¡°Can gods be so easily roused?¡± Batbayar said levelly, though with a force behind his words that was impossible to ignore. ¡°Now is time to put aside disdain. The enemies batter at the north relentlessly, and discrimination earns us no allies.¡±


    ¡°¡­fair enough,¡± Otgon conceded, crossing his arms.


    The Supreme Myriarch nodded in contentment, pleased he did not need to intervene. Argrave stepped to the end of the table opposite him and said, ¡°I don¡¯t need to learn they of thend fully. What I need are portions of thend where it might be vulnerable to copse¡ªces with caverns, caves, or perhaps even abandoned mines from the days of the ancient elves. Without roots in ce to hold it solid, I believe we can cripple the centaur army without expending significant manpower.¡±


    Argrave could think of caves in the region from Heroes of Berendar, but they were not fresh enough on his mind to pull together a n of this caliber on short notice. To lure the centaurs into, or force, andslide would be the perfect way to slow the centaurs¡¯ assault. Broken legs and crippling falls would take some time to heal, and so they would retreat. Ideally, all the elves would have the time to prepare for the assault against Kirel Qircassia.


    ¡°How many men would you need?¡± Batbayar questioned, evidently intrigued.


    ¡°If we can find a proper location?¡± Argrave looked to Orion, and the prince gave him a quick nod. ¡°One.¡±


    Otgonughed, but neither Batbayar or the Supreme Myriarch joined him.


    ¡°My men talked about a monstrous warrior that disrupted them. He could tear apart the ground with his bare hands, and no matter how hard he was struck he continued rampaging.¡± Batbayar rose, then pointed to Orion. ¡°I believe he looked like that. And his armor still bears the marks from battle.¡±


    ¡°I have fought centaurs before,¡± Orion nodded. ¡°Though fast¡­ I am faster, stronger, and tougher. I can serve as the bait around which they rally.¡±


    The Supreme Myriarch shifted on his feet, looking impressed. ¡°That¡¯s a generous offer¡­ but one man alone might not draw their attention. Let my Kheshig assist you, should this truly prove to be a viable idea.¡±


    Otgon looked at his leader. ¡°¡­and what of your safety, sir? What of our southern front, left undefended for an ally of dubious reliability?¡±


    ¡°Our gods walk among us once again,¡± he responded. ¡°Behold their forms as they spread their divinity across thisnd and ask if these people are the opposition that we need fear.¡±


    Batbayar nodded in agreement, and then rose to his feet. ¡°I can help with this task of theirs. Spellcasters that can work the earth are best suited for surveying the underground. I can gather a suitable force. Still¡­ I cannot promise it will be quick. Days, at the very least.¡±


    ¡°Waiting that long will not cause problems for the forest?¡± Anneliese asked. ¡°For your people?¡±


    ¡°Razing takes time,¡± Otgon answered. ¡°It will damage the forest greatly, but the elven city in the area has already begun its migration, leaving wire traps to cover them. Can I order my Tumen to fall backpletely, Supreme Myriarch?¡±


    ¡°You can,¡± he confirmed. ¡°Then¡­ you¡¯ll be working with Batbayar, Argrave. But beyond that, we must refine our n of assault on this breach by the foul interloper, Kirel Qircassia¡­¡±


    #####


    After a long strategy meeting, they exited that building to be greeted by the red moon directly overhead. Argrave watched it for a bit, and then looked to Anneliese. ¡°Thoughts?¡±


    ¡°None of them,¡± she shook her head. ¡°I cannot think any of them have ties to Erlebnis¡ªor at least, not ties strong enough to draw an emotional reaction. We extracted what we could in the situation.¡± Her gaze wandered. ¡°But frankly¡­ the culprit must be among us.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­¡± Argrave sighed, mind running through the list of culprits. The Veidimen extended the list by many magnitudes. ¡°Let¡¯s suss out who that might be.¡± He paused for a moment, and then looked to Orion. ¡°You¡¯re alright with what I asked? I didn¡¯t¡­ push too much on you, did I?¡±


    ¡°I fought the Shadonder, Your Majesty.¡± Orion pounded his chest. ¡°Beastly people will prove little challenge.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t discount them,¡± Argrave said, still feeling guilty. As his mind worked, he said decisively, ¡°I¡¯ll be near, ready to step in. And other than that, you should hold this.¡±


    Argrave sent out a blood echo, casting a spell. It was a B-rank blood spell, and it conjured a huge ymore of blood. Orion took it firmly in hand.


    ¡°This greatsword¡­¡± he began, holding it near his face. ¡°It conjures memories. My father used this in battle against me. And I used it to sever his hands, cripple him as a spellcaster and a human.¡± He swung it once, striking a monstrous image. ¡°I can feel its power. And the ck blood is far different from the nightmarish de in my memories.¡±


    Argrave hesitated to speak again, watching the prince brandish the de with grace. ¡°When the battlees¡­ will it help you?¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡± Orion nodded, nting it down. ¡°Weapons tend to break in my hands. But this¡­¡± he gripped its de, squeezing tight. His gauntlets suffered deep gashes, but the bloody edge held strong. He mmed it against his knee, but even still it stayed straight. He nodded decisively. ¡°With this, I can face allers, Your Majesty.¡±


    Argrave looked at his brother. Once, he¡¯d felt only fear near him. Now, there was a certain security with him around.


    ¡°Like I said, I¡¯ll be nearby,¡± he said, tapping Orion¡¯s shoulder. "Unless you''ve forgotten the power I showed at the elven realm, that shouldfort you."


    Argrave would be sure to preserve this lunatic, even if he seemed determined to face death. It was the least he owed him.

 Chapter 381: Wash Away

    If Erlebnis¡¯ y had been only to inspire paranoia, then he seeded splendidly.


    In the time toe living in the unnamed elven city, they ate meat aplenty and drank that strange brew of firemilk. But their time was upied with darker tasks than eating and drinking, naturally. Argrave and Anneliese made a point of surveying each and every member of their party. They had time to spare while Batbayar assembled a team and prowled thend, determining where there might be a newly-induced foundational weakness caused by the upheaval of roots. The elvenmander assured it would not take long.


    The first subjects of their examination were the Magisters. They were both the most potent and the most suspect. Artur had already been under scrutiny by the both of them, considering that he was the first point of contact by Onychinusa and thenter Dimocles. Vasilisa had long ago proven her trustworthiness, and they saw no way she could be even an unwitting informant.


    Naturally, their lens of scrutiny was drawn to Moriatran. The man stayed in one of the Veidimen tents pitched on the ground beneath a particrly sizable root. They visited him one night.


    They asked him pointed questions¡ªwhy he had decided toe with them, what he intended to gain, what he thought of the direction of the expedition¡­ but through each and every inquiry, the man answered the questions naturally. Eventually, Argrave just decided to ask a very decisive question.


    ¡°Do you have experience with any gods in your days? You¡¯ve lived a while. What do you make of this?¡±


    The old man looked at them, his eyes dark and shadowed from the light on his woodstove. ¡°I avoid the gods. I¡¯ve lost pupils to them, seen even Magisters go mad. But before today, I never thought they¡¯d take physical form¡­¡± the man sat back, and then slowly rose to his feet with a painful grunt. ¡°Perhaps I ought to clear the air, Your Majesty.¡±


    Argrave raised one brow. ¡°Please.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want anything from you. I don¡¯t work for anyone. The fact is, you asked for volunteers to help you in this journey. I came because you impressed me, with word and with deed. That¡¯s it.¡± The old man spread his arms out as though to profess innocence. ¡°I do not intend to so meekly fade into history books beneath greater names. That is all this old man at the end of his days seeks.¡±


    With that, Argrave looked to Anneliese¡­ but her expression solidified there was no room for doubt.


    And so their search began once again. Nikoletta and Mina proved no problems. Ganbaatar was reliable. Orion would sooner die. The Veidimen officers Grimalt, Bastel, and Rasten were uncorrupted¡­ so in the end, they were forced to delve into the ranks of the Veidimen honor guard.


    The Veidimen camped in tents of five, and so Argrave and Anneliese visited them in groups of five. They surveyed group after group, learning names, inquiring about injuries, and asionally slipping in questions about gods and belief. Apparently it proved very effective in earning respect and endearment, but beyond that¡­


    Nothing. Anneliese¡¯s near-supernatural empathy, which Argrave had seen fail only on the Alchemist, suggested that none of their subordinates werepromised by Erlebnis.


    Argrave and Anneliese sat alone in their room, an entire day wasted. ¡°This means¡­ the only option I can think of it that we were followed, spied on,¡± Argrave waved his hand in frustration. ¡°But I swear, what Dimocles said¡­ he had to know what we were doing. And if not our people, then¡­?¡±


    ¡°I would agree,¡± Anneliese nodded, though a look of doubt was on her face. ¡°Maybe¡­ maybe I wasn¡¯t paying enough attention.¡±


    Argrave stared at her amber eyes sternly. ¡°Do you genuinely believe that, or are you just surprised that nothing came up?¡±


    ¡°Just¡­ surprised,¡± Anneliese admitted quietly.


    ¡°Thought so.¡± Argrave rubbed his face, sighing, ¡°Good lord. I am immeasurably d we don¡¯t have to work closely with the elven gods. I¡¯d be sweating enough to fill a tub.¡±


    ¡°If we were spied on by somoene¡­¡± Orion spoke up. ¡°They avoided my senses. That is a difficult feat.¡±


    Anneliese and Argrave both agreed silently, then looked at each other. Both seemed to wait for the other to tell what happened next.


    ¡°The only thing I can think that would help us investigate more is shamanic magic. We could look for any taint of divinity.¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°Shamanic magic employs spirits¡ªfragments of divinity. But weck spirits, and weck shamanic magic. The only ce I can think of finding some¡­ it¡¯s the ce the dryads are, and it has one without the other,¡± Argrave shrugged. ¡°But the dryads don¡¯t have to be found if they don¡¯t want to be. We can¡¯t get there, not without the elves¡¯ guidance. And as things stand, they simply don¡¯t trust us enough to do that.¡±


    ¡°What if your Blessing is the culprit?¡± Anneliese asked in a whisper.


    ¡°Couldn¡¯t be.¡± Argrave shook his head firmly. ¡°Just not what it does. It¡¯s a one-way road. I could fight Erlebnis with his own Blessing¡ªthat is why they¡¯re seldom given to the unaffiliated like myself.¡±


    Anneliese sighed, and then threw up her hands. ¡°Then I have nothing more, Argrave. What can we do but keep our eyes open and our mouths shut?¡±


    Argrave thought for minutes in total silence. Orion turned his head to the right after a time and dered, ¡°Someonees.¡±


    True to his word, an elven warrior came down.


    ¡°Myriarch Batbayar has surveyed out a few locations,¡± the warrior said. ¡°He¡¯d like to speak with you when you are prepared for battle¡ªtomorrow, perhaps.¡±


    Argrave rose to his feet at once. ¡°How about right now?¡±


    #####


    Myriarch Batbayar was sitting leisurely and enjoying a drink when Argrave arrived. Themander paused, seeming surprised, and then rose to his feet.


    ¡°I thought we would talk morning.¡±


    ¡°Forget that. I need to do something useful today,¡± Argrave said, and then came to him. ¡°So¡ªyou have a spot?¡±


    ¡°Spots,¡± Batbayar nodded. ¡°Some of them are far from the centaurs. One of them is close, but somewhat awkward.¡± He stared at Argrave. ¡°You need not rush. Already, I have men working them towards this spot. Come morning, the battle wille. If we fail there, we lure them again to the next spot. And again, and again, if need be. So as I suggested¡­ tomorrow morning.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Argrave scratched his head, somewhat disappointed. ¡°Alright. You¡¯re Ganbaatar¡¯s mentor, so I trust you. I¡¯m going to sleep, then.¡±


    As Argrave made to leave, Batbayar called out, ¡°King Argrave. If I may¡­ can I ask you some questions?¡±


    Argrave turned. ¡°Can you? That¡¯s up to you.¡±


    ¡°What are gods? And how did you awaken ours?¡±


    Argrave paused, then slowly walked towards him. ¡°Big question you¡¯re asking.¡±


    ¡°When I was a boy, I had grandiose images of what the gods were. But they look like us,¡± he said quietly.


    Argrave nodded. ¡°Because they were like you, once. It was Ghan and Ujin, father and mother. Then Merata, the eldest. Chiteng, Dairi, Gunlik, and then the quadruplets Lunho, Orda, Murgid, and Volgar.¡± He chuckled. ¡°Time was, the most notable thing about them was the fact they had quadruplets. But at some point¡­ the mortal that they were became a little blended together with the actions that they took.¡±


    ¡°You mean¡­ they were mortal,¡± Batbayar said, narrowing his eyes. ¡°Certainly, it¡­ it would fit, but¡­ that¡¯s possible?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get your hopes up,¡± Argrave held his hand out to caution the man. ¡°It won¡¯t happen on Berendar. Can¡¯t. But that family, when they took part in the ve rebell¡ª¡±


    ¡°Not another word,¡± Batbayar interrupted, ncing around at others in the room. He lowered his head. ¡°Apologies, King Argrave.¡±


    ¡°Ah. Said something I shouldn¡¯t have, anyhow,¡± he shrugged, knowing the ve rebellion was a secret shared only by the leadership.


    ¡°I should have been more tactful,¡± Batbayar lowered his head further. ¡°That you know our history and our gods well¡­ it surprises me.¡± He straightened. ¡°I look forward to working with you on the morrow. The Supreme Myriarch has promised his Kheshig, but I will offer men of my own. And we will be sure that our grand ambition is not impeded by the centaurs.¡±


    #####


    ¡°You can hear them from here¡­¡± Argrave muttered, peering through the great Redwoods. Ganbaatar and a few other members of the Supreme Myriarch¡¯s Kheshig had carried the royal pair up here, and now Anneliese and he crouched side by side. He watched with his eyes, while she watched with her bird.


    Far below his feet, thousands of foul animals fled from the rampaging horde. The Amaroks, great wolves that they were, resisted fiercely but died or fled before fire and steel. The leonine Mishis fared better, possessing their lengthy spiked tails to ward away foes from a distance, but most thought it more prudent to flee than face harsh resistance. Great arrows as thick as pirs soared up into the sky, leaving wide holes in trees as the centaurs sought to end retreating elves.


    Argrave raised his fingers to his lips, angling them in a peculiar yet familiar way. When he blew, a loud whistle echoed throughout the canopy. He¡¯d learned this trick from Anneliese, and now he was d he had. It was loud, yet quieter than the elven horns¡ªperfect for their needs. Soon enough, the whistle echoed once, twice, and thrice, sending signals to all who needed it.


    But really¡­ only those near the ground did.


    Argrave took a step off the tree, falling through the canopy. Now, it seemed, was the time to use Artur¡¯s slowfall. He drifted daintily down, keeping one hand to the tree trunk as he saw the horde of rampaging beast-mene ever closer.


    #####


    Orion strode over the wild roots of the forest floor. In his left hand, he carried an axe of Ebonice, lent by one of the Veidimen warriors. His right was empty¡­ but a red apparition appeared beside him, a matrix swirling in its hand. When the spellpleted, a maroon greatsword manifested, plummeting toward the ground. The prince caught its handle easily, staring at it even as the centaurs moved forth.


    This greatsword of blood¡­ it had been the same spell his father had cast inbat against him. It was this greatsword that he used to cut off his father¡¯s hands and end his career as a spellcaster. Orion held it near his face, examining the edge of it. It brought back memories, though the uneasy familiarity was slightly quelled by the ck blood his brother possessed, far unlike the de in his memory.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    When he lowered it, he saw only the rampant horde of the centaurs, growing ever closer in their destructive mayhem. He raised his left hand and pushed down the golden visor of his helm with his thumb, and then bounded over the roots steadily. And soon enough, the horde noticed him.


    The first attack came¡ªan arrow as tall as Orion and thick as his arm, headed straight for his chest. He strafed it easily, then took the next step. More arrows came one after the other. Orion raised his foot and stomped down. One of his blessings caused wind to surge, diverting all projectiles upward.


    Soon the whole of them came, their arrows shooting one after the other with meteoric strength. He dodged or blocked all he could and held steadfastly against all those he couldn¡¯t. Their projectiles were fast enough to break his steel-like bones, yet still he came, ignoring all pain from wounds received as he walked right into the heart of his king¡¯s foes.


    Their van cast aside their bows, reaching at their equine backs to draw swords and readynces. Spellcasters stepped forth, casting a wave of fire forth to clear thend ahead of obstructive roots. In unified tandem they began to gallop in the path cleared. The armored man-beasts withnces in arms made the charge of heavy cavalry seem pathetic byparison¡ªtons each, armored in steel head to hoof¡­ they were a roving wall of destruction, ready to roll over the prince.


    Orion held wide the Ebonice axe and the greatsword of ck blood and shouted, ¡°For Argrave!¡±


    The prince rushed towards the firstnce, cutting its tip off with his sword while his axe batted what remained aside. The centaur advanced, thinking to crush him with its body, but Orion braced down, nted his knuckles firmly against its body, and tossed it over his head while delivering a sh. The man-beast shouted in surprise but crashed to the earth in an ungraceful sprawl on the other side, its stomach opened.


    With their initial charge failed, the centaurs abandoned theirnces and took their swords firmly in hand. In an organized yet barbaric fashion, they circled around him, taking turns rushing in and swinging their des to im his head. Orion circled about wildly, batting aside blows of strength enough his arm shook.


    ¡°For Argrave!¡± he continued to shout, again and again.


    And it was his truth. This was for Argrave. He knew not his purpose for existing now that he learned the truth of the Vasquer pantheon, but he knew this¡ªhis brother was a force for good, and someone well worth serving. Perhaps whatever being that conspired to send him here was well worth worship¡­ but until that being was known to him, he would shout his brother¡¯s name until his death, in glorious service. This made him happy, more than anything else. It made him feel alive, feel righteous, and this was all he knew. Even if unhealthy, this was all he could do.


    As the centaur¡¯s des shattered against Orion¡¯s, and as the supporting elves of the Kheshig rained arrows on them down from above, more chargers joined the fray of battle. The fresh blood came hard, rushing at fast speeds and swinging wicked des to im his head. But he met them with his de, with his blessings, and with his battle cry.


    But these were but the van of the horde, and the rest was soon toe. They were toe to this stretch of weaknd.


    The arrows of unearthly power returned slowly at first¡ªone or two slipping past the charges of the leaders, easily enough blocked by blessings or dodged. But as the ground rumbled beneath the approaching steel-toed hooves of the centaurs, what was one arrow became ten. And what came from the front soon came from the left and right both, targeting Orion and the elves supporting him in the trees.


    Orion saw it then, beyond the chaos of battle. The horde writhed around him, splitting like flowing water against a rock in the stream. Their archers circled around, surrounding him. As first they were two thin tendrils of foes, wrapping around the back and firing arrows as they did. But the whole of the horde soon caught pace, and it was as though he stood in the center of a tornado of arrows and magic.


    Arrow after arrow and spell after spell flew so quickly from every direction Orion could think of nothing other than dodging. Each projectile that hit the ground dug into it three feet deep, and even with the wind, fire, and ice of his blessings rising in defense, it was insufficient. He swung his greatsword at one projectile that flew towards his face, and though it cut easily both ends of the arrow struck his helmet, sending him reeling.


    Another arrow struck his calf, breaking past armor and tearing through flesh. He fell to one knee, supporting himself with his sword. He mmed his fist down to call wind, but wind was incapable of stopping spells of lightning, and he spasmed as they struck him one after another.


    He will help, Orion knew. He wille, just as he came to Dirracha.


    Abandoning defense, Orion looked up towards the sky. There, above¡­ he saw eight red figures, hovering just above this spiraling whirlpool of death and destruction. They held vast bows in their hand. And right above Orion¡¯s head, Argrave floated down with bewitching maroon echoes trailed his descent. He mimicked shooting an arrow, and his blood echoes followed this movement exactly.


    And then, with force greater than anything Orion felt before, these echoes released their arrows. Eight maroon bolts struck the edges of the spiral, burrowing deep into the earth. The impact spread through the whole ground, rattling Orion¡¯s whole body with its intense force.


    With eight points struck roughly equidistantly in a circle¡­ the ground finally folded, copsing. As it gave beneath Orion¡¯s feet, he smiled up at his brother.


    ¡°For Argrave!¡± he shouted onest time before the ground gave way into the cavern beneath.


    Orion raised the greatsword given to him and released it. As nned, a knife with a wire flew towards him, and he gripped its de. Though he fell freely for a few seconds, soon the wire was pulled taut. Orion raised his arm pulled himself up, bloody and broken in more ces than he thought he was. Even now his body worked at reconstituting itself.


    Soon enough he copsed at Argrave¡¯s side, peering out across the great hole still crumbling even now. The great mass of centaurs had been caught in this trap of theirs. It was Orion¡¯s duty to gather them just above this low-lying cavern. Their equine forms struggled in heaps of rock and dirt, utterly incapacitated. Even with arms, they were not made for this terrain.


    ¡°You must like doing this,¡± Magister Vasilisa noted, staring at Argrave warily. ¡°Copsing the floor.¡±


    ¡°Ground, this time,¡± Argrave said, his breathing a little rapid from tension. ¡°Excellent job, Orion.¡±


    ¡°It was my honor and my pleasure, Your Majesty!¡± Orion saluted, utterly invigorated. ¡°A joyous experience. Your power is unmatched.¡±


    ¡°Whatever you say¡­¡± Argrave kneeled down. ¡°That¡¯s most of them. And more than enough to convince them to retreat.¡± He looked to the Kheshig, even now returning from this task. ¡°You can tell the Supreme Myriarch that we¡¯ll have no impediments to the n.¡±

 Chapter 382: Funneled and Pressured

    The Kheshig that came alongside Argrave seemed keen to take advantage of the centaurs¡¯ position¡­ but they bent to Argrave in a disy of remarkable discipline. It was true that powerful spells might put an end to the centaurs, so closely gathered as they were. The man-beasts had rudimentary knowledge of magic, but nothing strong enough to defend from S-rank spells. They were generally hardy, and dispersed wide enough that magic alone was insufficient. Having them gathered as such was a rare asion.


    But it wasn¡¯t to be. Argrave needed their strength¡ªhe just needed to turn it against the right enemy. So, they headed back. It was a mutual retreat, with the few centaurs free of the trap struggling to help their fellows out of their hole. With injuries galore, they would certainly take some days to heal¡ªand these days would be time enough to enact all the elven gods intended to.


    When Argrave returned, he had a rather different preconception of the reception that he¡¯d receive. He thought that he¡¯d be speaking to the Supreme Myriarch, brashly and confidently saying that Orion had faced the army of the centaurs on his lonesome and triumphed. His brother deserved a little bit of credit and praise¡ªhe certainly wouldn¡¯t take any himself.


    Instead, when they returned to the location of the elven city¡­ Ghan, patriarch of the elven gods, sat on the forest floor. None of the other elven gods were here, but they didn¡¯t need to be. This man alone had a presence enough to intimidate, and in terms ofbat ability, he was certainly the strongest of them all. Even sitting, the gray-haired deity came to half the height of one of the towering redwoods. The wood elves in the trees far above looked down at him with both reverence and caution.


    Someone was sent out to greet Argrave¡¯s returning party. Instead of speaking to him, the first thing they did was recall the Kheshig back to the Supreme Myriarch¡¯s side¡ªthat unnerved Argrave, and his mind immediately went to the prospect of news about Erlebnis leaking. Next, the messenger spoke to Argrave.


    ¡°King,¡± the man greeted¡ªthat his title was still used boded well. ¡°Ghan has been discussing matters with the Supreme Myriarch. Now, he wishes to speak to you directly.¡±


    Argrave stared at the man nkly. Was this what Erlebnis spoke of? He wondered. Light the fire, but don¡¯t watch it burn? Was it a warning? Was this alliance doomed to fail?


    But from the beginning, he hadmitted to this. The elves and their gods were too powerful an ally to leave to chance, and Kirel Qircassia¡¯s disruption was too damaging to allow to fester. So Argrave nodded and said, ¡°I¡¯ll go.¡±


    Anneliese grabbed Argrave¡¯s arm firmly. ¡°Not alone, though. Orion and I shalle.¡±


    Argrave was torn between leaving her out of this to protect her and bringing her along to gain her insight into the conversation. At the end of the day, she had agreed to face every challenge that came by his side, and he could not rob her of that.


    ¡°Make camp,¡± Argravemanded his Veidimen officer, Grimalt. ¡°If you need food¡­ I¡¯d be a little disappointed if you couldn¡¯t bag a big wolf or two, seeing as the centaurs flushed all the game in the forest in this direction.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re meant to guard you,¡± the bald officer protested. ¡°That interrogation yesterday¡­ was this what worried you?¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Argrave huffed, surprised this man had seen through their intentions. ¡°Could you guard me?¡± He shook his head. ¡°If he wants to stomp me t, I don¡¯t think a few more pointy sticks will help. I¡¯ll be fine. Take care of the men.¡±


    Grimalt seemed to have difficulty swallowing his pride and powerlessness, but his respect for Argrave proved a sufficient chaser for the bitter truth. The amber-eyed Veidimen nodded in confirmation, then went to do Argrave¡¯s bidding.


    With that, the royalty of Vasquer headed to meet Ghan. Looking up at him, Argrave saw the dimmest shadow of Gmon. His white hair clearly came from age rather than birth, and the man had half a thousand too many scars, but there was an air of authority,mand, and solemnity much the same as Argrave¡¯s good friend. From what Argrave remembered, they certainly had simr personalities.


    Ghan¡¯s red eyes followed Argrave as he walked slowly closer. He was wondering when the god might speak, but he never did, not even when Argrave was only a few feet from touching him.


    ¡°What did you need from me?¡± Argrave asked.


    ¡°This is bing more than what I thought,¡± Ghan began. ¡°My children bring to me a harebrained scheme¡­ but the only detail I needed was that one sought to free us from our bonds. Now, it seems I was the one stuck in old thinking.¡± He leaned in closely. ¡°You came to us through Sara¡¯s portals.¡±


    Though the name briefly confused him, he recalled btedly that Sara was an old, abandoned name of the Holy Mother to the centaurs, Sarikiz. ¡°I did.¡± Argrave nodded, then looked to the others with him. ¡°But to talk more¡­¡±


    Ghan held his hand out. Magic manifested, even despite the fact that Argrave could see no magic within the deity. An S-rank spellpleted, and it shrouded them all in a ward from which no light nor sound could escape.


    ¡°She is a traitor.¡± Ghan didn¡¯t seem angry, but he did state that without room for argument.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think she betrayed you. Your two parties had a disagreement about the direction you would take.¡±


    Ghan ground his teeth, and electricity came out of his mouth. ¡°We were allies in our rebellion. And because of that disagreement, as you call it, we did battle. She was cast into a slumber through this entire millennium, while we were left removed enough from our people that they lost their faith.¡±


    Argrave stared. He had plenty to say on the matter. At the same time, his nuanced analysis about the failure in their alliance wasn¡¯t something that needed to be voiced. He was just pleased that this conversation wasn¡¯t about what he¡¯d feared.


    ¡°That¡¯s neither here nor there,¡± he responded decisively after thinking. ¡°What I propose to Sarikiz would benefit her and you in equal ways. Divinity is necessary to close Kirel Qircassia¡¯s breach permanently¡ªsince I know you don¡¯t want to volunteer one of your family members, she is the best fit.¡±


    ¡°Do you still care for her?¡± Anneliese asked suddenly.


    Argrave spared her a nce and then turned back to Ghan. The deity mulled over her words.


    ¡°¡­the rest of my family does not,¡± he admitted quietly, implying that he still did. ¡°She won¡¯te to harm?¡±


    ¡°No. She¡¯ll be isted, but the scope of her divinity will expand, I¡¯m sure of it,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°Istion will matter less for her than it will for you. And the centaurs will be out of your hair. So long as I exin that to her, everything should be fine.¡±


    Ghan raised his hand up and clenched it. The ward fell around them.


    ¡°Then I shall return. Talk to the Woodschildren. Their leader had words for you. I believe the battle is nearing its beginning.¡±


    #####


    Argrave rose up to the elven city, riding the pulley elevator for the first time. He felt a strong sense of relief watching Ghan return to the other elven gods. When the fast-moving tform finally came to a stop, Argrave looked around cautiously before proceeding into the city. Once he arrived, his cousin ran at him.


    Nikoletta voice trembled as she said, ¡°My father, he¡­ they think he¡­ he might still be alive.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re serious?¡± Argrave asked in surprise.


    Nikoletta continued, ¡°Rovostar apparently travelled along the eastern shore. He never even entered the Bloodwoods¡ªfar too scared for that. The elves have been watching him, but thus far he¡¯s stayed far away from the woods, staying on the beaches. He seemed to be trying to make it to Quadreign. Movements along the northern border made him scare, and so he¡¯s¡­ he¡¯s been camped out, five or six days now. The group¡¯s at least six strong¡­ and one of them has blue hair,¡± she finished, her voice tight.


    Argrave smiled broadly. ¡°That¡¯s tremendous news, Nikoletta.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going out with a small party soon,¡± she continued. ¡°Mina cane, right? You don¡¯t need us for anything?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯dfort me to know you were far away,¡± Argrave nodded, then stepped in and whispered, ¡°If you have the opportunity, deliver the berries. I know your hawk can¡¯t fly exceptionally far, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Nikoletta nodded, then bounced on her heels nervously. ¡°Argrave¡­ do people get this lucky? Do things like this really happen?¡±


    ¡°Luckes to everybody. Just have to be ready to seize it fully,¡± he ruffled her hair. ¡°Go on. I have to talk to the Supreme Myriarch.¡±


    Nikoletta stepped to the side, clearly a mess of anxiety. Argrave was pleased for her. He was sure the elves would be more than sufficient to recapture a hostage without bringing harm to him. What remained uncertain was the other struggle.


    Argrave entered back into the Supreme Myriarch¡¯s meeting chamber. Now, only Purev and Batbayar remained.


    ¡°I received a report,¡± their leader said at once, almost before Argrave could see him. ¡°What you two did¡­ it was beyond what I thought achievable. And I hope that remains the case. Even with gods spearheading our assault, the things that we fight¡­ if we wait much longer, it won¡¯t be a feigned retreat, but a true one.¡±


    Argrave stepped inside. ¡°I¡¯m well and ready.¡±


    Batbayar nodded. ¡°More and more men areing to the frontlines. I¡¯d say we¡¯ll be ready to do this in two days. Even still¡­ we must review. Paths of retreat, regroup points, positions¡­ the snow elf honor guard of yours seemed disciplined, and we hope to incorporate them seamlessly into our ns. We would hope for you to take the rear of our formation.¡±


    The Supreme Myriarch nodded. ¡°It might sound safe, but it¡¯s to be a pivotal role. We¡¯re punching through the enemy¡¯s ranks¡ªif ever our march should stall, the rear will face the bulk of the assault. You would be the frontliners in a heartbeat.¡±


    Argrave gave slow, steady nods. ¡°I can manage that.¡±


    It appeared the time grew ever closer for the confrontation with the servants of Kirel Qircassia. Argrave had shed a lot of blood toe here. Perhaps it was time to see how much thicker it was than water.


    He raised his hand, watching the trailing maroon blood echo. After only a day of rest¡­ they would march.

 Chapter 383: Immortal Lockstep

    ¡°Grimalt, Bastel, Rasten¡ªyou have a very simple goal. I don¡¯t want you to even think about advancing outside of the ranks. All that I want you to focus on is taking care of whatever slips past the front. My Brumesingers will be helping, too¡ªI¡¯ll demonstrate their power before the fight begins so there¡¯s no confusion,¡± Argrave told the Veidimen officers. ¡°Still, remember this: protect the Magisters above all.¡± He looked at the lone wood elf among them. ¡°And you, Ganbaatar¡ªI trust you to act independently in defense.¡±


    All of the people that hade with him in this journey stood arrayed before him. Though the results of his scouring for traitors had disappointed him back then, now he felt content with an absolute trust in all of them. The Magisters, the Veidimen officers, Ganbaatar, Orion and Anneliese¡­ the only people absent were Nikoletta and Mina, and they had gone in search of Duke Enrico.


    He decided to send Artur with the ducal heir and Mina. The escort that Myriarch Purev sent was formidable¡ªAnneliese had scrutinized all of them to watch for traitors, and one of them was an A-rank mage. Even still, he wanted one of his own men with his cousin, and Artur was still minorly depleted from protecting Argrave back then alongside maintaining his enchanted gear. If Rovostar proved trouble¡­ Artur would stop that.


    ¡°Orion, Anneliese, and I are going to be standing at the front of the action,¡± Argrave said, tapping his chest. ¡°We have more endurance and power,bat-wise, than anyone else. Even still, I need to receive an immediate response if I call upon your magic,¡± he informed the Magisters. ¡°If I yell your name, and then ¡®S-rank spell, right side,¡¯ I need an immediate action. Inform me about how much magic you have left after so I can make a judgment about who to call upon.¡±


    ¡°Done,¡± Vasilisa assured him.


    ¡°I¡¯m a little spent. Can manage two S-rank spells at best,¡± Moriatran shrugged. ¡°But¡­ done, certainly. Let¡¯s hope you¡¯re not forgetful. And that we live through this¡­¡±


    Argrave looked at Anneliese and Orion in turn. Objectively speaking, they were the perfect fits for the front of the action. Argrave now had power in spades, and had earned some endurance in the elven realm by creating hundreds of blood echoes¡ªplus, he had a backlog of magic in the Blessing of Supersession. He hoped to preserve it, however. Anneliese would gain some magic back for every spell he cast near her, meaning her endurance was near as high as his. And Orion¡­ he¡¯d already proved his monstrous capability. That still didn¡¯t put him at ease.


    Argrave suppressed a sigh before those he led and focused back. ¡°We get one small benefit, being at the rear of the formation¡­ we don¡¯t have to join the initial fighting. Instead, the elves have to do theplicated retreat.¡± He looked around at the redwood trees above them. ¡°We wait here for their arrival. In time, all the forces in the northern Bloodwoods will be stirred, engaged in a life-or-death struggle.¡±


    He looked back down at his men. The Veidimen honor guard remained ready and able, as ever, but he wanted them to be more than that.


    ¡°Know this,¡± Argrave said, feeling inspired. ¡°No one will soon forget that it was us that beat back a god to the realm he came from. And since you¡¯re taller than all those other elves, I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be most of you that are remembered.¡±


    He elicitedughter from a few, and that was enough.


    ¡°Now¡­ hurry up and wait,¡± Argrave looked around him. The trees near seemed to have more depth to them. And that was more than an empty thought.


    #####


    That which came from the breach in the northern forest dominated all sight. They were a disorganized legion of monsters, uniform in purpose but varied in strategy. Whether sky ornd, Kirel Qircassia¡¯s divine servants filled the gap between every tree.


    High up in the branches, a purple fleshy orb with eight white wings on its center and one eye on its front pped up and down, sagging and then rising like a jellyfish in water. Everywhere it went, ck winged creatures poured from its bottom like sand from a cut bag. Though they all fell freely, in moments they took to life and darted towards the elves in the canopy.


    These small ck winged creatures had weak bodies, like frail bats¡­ yet their beaks were sharp and hard as metal, and they dived towards their enemies¡¯ throats, eyes, and other soft parts with tremendous speed, digging in deep enough to sever limbs or pierce heads. They seemed to die upon impact, yet when they did rose up again as ck smoke, returning to the purple fleshy orb. There, they were absorbed and born again.


    The elves were not fools, and their arrows sought the creature that spawned these dive bombers. The purple orb took the blows one and all, seeming to exist without pain. Finally, a mage swung out from the high branches by a wire, a spell prepared that created a mana ripple as it finished. A single forked bolt of yellow lightning mmed upon the top of the demon¡¯s head, leaving a burning gash. The winged orb drifted down, dead and deted. As it fell smoking, the whole of its body disintegrated into the ck dive-bombing bats in one final act of defiance.


    And it was not alone in its hunt, either. One creature of purple flesh formed a torso, arms, and wings, with a great eye upon its chest. It had a bow of wind in hand and plucked the white feathers from its wings to use as arrows. It was a master marksman, pulling its bow back again and again to release deadly volleys upon the elven armies. Whenever retaliation came, it maneuvered all too skillfully in elegant dodges.


    Another airborne servant almost seemed human, though its arms were wings and it held a gargantuan spear with ape-like feet, soaring through the sky and showing prowess with that weapon far beyond what seemed possible. They were Kirel Qircassia¡¯s servants, and befitting the god ofnd and sky, those flying seemed masters of all levels of the battlefield. They hunted the elves without word, without mercy, and without pause.


    With the steady advance of these monstrosities, those in the canopies of the redwoods did not begrudgingly retreat. Indeed, if this invasion were given time to progress, this would be no feigned retreat.


    Things were no different on the ground. Hordes of ant-like creatures swarmed the ground, their bodies thick carapaces that resembled shards of pottery. They acted inplete unity, and whenever resistance was met their bodies came together to form giants of earthenware. Some of these giants were ten feet tall, while others were one hundred. These constructs rained blows powerful enough to punch through steel. Any attacks against them killed one or two ants out of hundreds, and soon enough more took their ce.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    When facing such a flood of opponents, it could be well forgiven that the elves retreated. And given the nature of their foes, it could be, too, overlooked that all the elves moved in a very particr manner. If the elven forces were a line holding against the forces of Kirel Qircassia, that line seemed toe into itself as it fell back, bing thicker and thicker. And all the forces on the outside converged towards one particr point¡­ almost an epicenter.


    In the elves¡¯ retreat, and in Kirel¡¯s haste, the other residents of the forest were pushed back so far they were forced to fight. Great wolves that seemed to be wind tore apart the winged monstrosities. Felines with tails fifty feet long swept at the earthenware giants, killing the ants by the dozen. Giants acted in reckless defense of their children, throwing logs and rocks big enough to crater the earth. The elves seemed adept at navigating this, but Kirel¡¯s forces were not so lucky.


    Ever so slowly, the elven forces that had been spread thin centralized in a single force. Commanders met withmanders, coordinating and organizing. Like a puzzle piece fitting just right, Tumens took their ce in both the canopies and the ground. Elven wire traps, though absent in the retreat, now dismembered foe after foe, giving pause to the divine servants¡¯ relentless hunt.


    Then, deafening cracks echoed through the woods. It spurred instinctual caution¡ªredwoods falling could be a devastating event, killing any no matter howrge. Many looked to the source of the noise. A redwood tree was cracking, though instead of horizontally¡­ this tree split vertically. A gash suddenly split the tree down from the top to bottom just as a hand came out, gripping the side of the tree.


    Soon, the other trees began to split, too, all along the sides of the elven armies. Though the earthenware ants could take forms dwarfing giants, these things that emerged from the trees¡­ they dwarfed all save the redwoods easily, standing far, far above any in the forest. They were the elven gods. Everyone, even the animals, seemed to know this.


    And at once, the momentum shifted.


    #####


    Argrave watched with pride as the elven gods emerged from the redwoods one after the other. Their movements were strong, vital¡ªnot at all like he¡¯d seen them upon their first manifestation. They were here now, well and truly. They could enact much of their power. And that was the only key Argrave had to keeping this vast forest clean.


    All of the Tumens in the forest hade together at this point, and now gathered closely in what was a densely packed formation that vaguely resembled a square. Argrave raised his arm and pointed straight through the center of it.


    ¡°Now¡­ we drive the spike right to Kirel¡¯s breach,¡± Argrave dered to his men, who already moved to take their ce at the back of the elven formation. He followed, Orion and Anneliese at his side.


    As if responding to his words, Ghan, patriarch of all the elven gods, stepped forward. Shortly after, the elves blew their great horns. Like this, god and mortal marched in lockstep, death left in their wake. Though the strategy proved to be a resounding sess now, barging through all opposition without barriers¡­ soon, they woulde to Kirel Qircassia¡¯s lieutenants. The elven gods would do battle with them, but the tide of enemies that they broke past now would surely catch up.


    It would be Argrave to meet them, guarding the backend. And there, the Qircassian Coalition would finally know the Kingdom of Vasquer as its enemy.

 Chapter 384: Two Dozen Eyes

    The Supreme Myriarchmanded five myriarchs, who thenmanded the officers of groups of one thousand, who thenmanded the leaders of groups of one hundred, who thenmanded groups of ten. It was a simple yet brutally effective military hierarchy,bining autonomy of individual leaders with discipline of a drilled army in a show of unimaginable unity. They were a force one could never take lightly.


    And with this elven army came their gods, walking ahead like a divine escort. Ghan, the patriarch, walked in the front. He was a walking storm, and all that flew near fell victim to lightning conjured by his divine power. Deafening bolts appeared from nowhere, smiting any fool that had wings and too much loyalty to their god. The electricity struck without warning or obvious source.


    Merata walked to Ghan¡¯s right, dragging his crook along the ground just beside his too-long hair. The trees responded to him like a pet reunited with their owner. Argrave reasoned that might be more than a metaphor¡ªperhaps it had been Merata that nted all of these great redwoods a millennium ago when these godsst walked the Bloodwoods. Whatever the case, all of the roots that had writhed out of ce at Kirel¡¯s behest scrambled to retract and return and obey the elven god of agriculture. He was their master.


    Ahead of the elven army, the roots entwined together and then sank back into the earth to form a perfect path toward their destination. Though the earthenware ants were thousands and the titans they made enduring, Merata¡¯s sieve of roots was enough to catch them. Catch them and crush them, namely. In but a moment, all of the ground forces blocking their path were forcibly merged with the earth, leaving behind only a wicker path that served as the perfect road for the elven army. With no more impediments, the Supreme Myriarch ordered the march. This path of roots continued as they advanced like a carpetid out for a royal progress.


    Argrave and his coterie were hard pressed to keep up with the relentless elven push north. He felt eager to help these people out, looking for any enemies he might use his magic on. Before long, however¡­ he realized that it was unnecessary. From the beginning, they had one task alone¡ªwatching the rear.


    Few of the winged demons made it past Ghan, walking storm and heart of the battlefield that he was. His lightning rocked the world in precise bursts, killing enemies while leaving even the leaves of the wounded forest untouched. The deity walked forward with conviction. Like a true patriarch ought to, he fought so that those behind him did not need to.


    And what few enemies did escape Ghan¡¯s wrath did not find easy foes in the other gods. Merata, the eldest son, ensured that all walked upon an easy road. The others dealt with any threats that neared¡ªwhether fire, water, the brutal physicality of Chiteng, or the quadruplets¡¯ clever tactics, each of the elven gods protected those they would call Woodschildren with the ferocity of a neglectful parent trying to redeem themselves. Argrave just happened to be caught in the glow, he felt like.


    ¡°Is this what we deal with?¡± Orion said, aghast as he stared at the carnage around this procession of war. ¡°Is that what threat knocks on the gates of our kingdom?¡±


    Argrave looked around with him, taking in the scene. It could be said their n of a feigned retreat to stretch the enemy thin worked¡ªthey were allowed to proceed without facing hordes of Kirel¡¯s servants, as the Amaroks, Mishis, and giants inhabiting the forest were forced to fight to defend theirnd just like the elves. But without the gods¡­ did they have hope of progress?


    ¡°Yes. This is what true gods are, Orion,¡± he confirmed. ¡°But we brought them here. Don¡¯t forget that crucial piece of information.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ how¡­?¡± Orion looked at Chiteng, whose kick mmed a winged monster against a redwood. The tree cracked, breaking in the center. The creature cracked far worse. ¡°How can we survive when thises to us?¡±


    ¡°We can still grow stronger yet,¡± Argrave promised.


    But even as he said it, in the face of these deities standing hundreds of feet tall, the words felt small. And looking at those who¡¯de with¡­ be it Anneliese or the Veidimen, fearless as they were, or Moriatran and Vasilisa, Magisters at the apex of human power¡­ none of them felt at ease beholding the terrible power of the gods.


    They all knew the same was soon toe to their kingdom. Argrave had promised that.


    Orion did not ask any more questions, and though Argrave did not feel he gave the prince a satisfactory answer no one else asked anything further. The march was fast, passing by in an intense blur. He felt like he was trapped in a cage on the back of a car, the bars rattling as they sped ceaselessly toward their destination.


    As they proceeded, Argrave could veritably feel life dying. It wasn¡¯t the elves, but rather the redwoods themselves. The further they went north, the more the forest seemed unwell. The pine green became pine gray, and Merata¡¯s weaving of the roots became sluggish as dying trees struggled to heed his direction. Conversely, light became stronger, and the smells of the forest faded in way of an open in. Kirel had left his mark here, closer to the breach. He wanted to kill this forest, turn it into a expanse of onlynd and sky. And he was seeding, here.


    When Argrave looked past the legs of deities, he realized that he could see no more trees. It ended here, making way for a vast area ofnd and sky. Just then, Ghan looked back, holding his arm toward them.


    ¡°Halt,¡± the godmanded, his voice low andmanding. ¡°Hold the line.¡±


    The Supreme Myriarch ryed thatmand to his Tumen, and only then did the elves obey. As Argrave watched, the elven gods stepped out into the open clearing, leaving the army exposed. At the edge of the forest, a thousand redwoodsy toppled. Argrave thought there were strange twigs atop them, but when wings fluttered he realized they were moths of some kind. Their wings acted as perfect camouge to bark. They chewed through the wood vigorously, but as the gods neared their eating slowed.


    In the center of this moth feast, something rose to a greater height, consolidating. Creeping nts sprawled across the ground rolled inward onto themselves, returning back to their source. They slowly gained form and mass as they bunched together, and before long a wiry figure of nts rose to a towering height. Argrave recognized the figure: the game dubbed him the Sprawling Giant, but his true name was unknown. He was one of Kirel¡¯s lieutenants.


    The Sprawling Giant was likely the one responsible for controlling the Bloodwoods to absorb harmful substances like salt and sulphur¡­ and as one of Kirel¡¯s primary servants, his only match here would be the elven gods. The thousands of moths eating away the toppled redwoods came to life, fluttering around the Sprawling Giant like white petals in a storm. The elven gods walked forth to do battle, entering this storm without fear.


    ¡°Hold the line, he said.¡± Anneliese grabbed Argrave, shaking him as a reminder.


    Argrave was pushed back to reality and turned around, where already arrows soared over his head tobat theing threat. He had no ce in a battle between the lieutenant and the elven gods. Instead, chasing foes awaited him¡­ and though he was at the rear before, with their convoy paused he now stood at the heart of the action.


    An army confronted Argrave, moving forth bravely against a thousand arrows soaring above their heads. Already, the dive-bombing bats birthed by the Sky Mothers assaulted their armies, suicidally rushing into all of them. It was an equal to any force he¡¯d encountered before, be that the druids, the Lily Lurkers, the Guardians of the Low Way, the Vessels of Fellhorn, the abominations of the wends, or the tribals of Vysenn. But in the face of this threat, he did not reach for the Blessing of Supersession. After all, he had his own strength now.


    Argrave walked forward, holding one hand up in the sky where demons flew. And with all of them in the sky, partially hidden between his fingers, hepsed into his practice in the elven realms. He called upon his blood echoes. Argrave became three¡ªhimself in the center, two blood echoes on his side. He walked forward with a confidence backed by desperation, calling upon the spells he¡¯d practiced time and time again.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    A wicked briar whip with nine tails erupted free from Argrave¡¯s hands and from the blood echo to his right. On his left, the other prepared [Bloodfeud Bow], taking ample time to charge as he engaged with the enemy. Bloodbriar spells were B-rank blood spells designed by the Order of the Rose in the likeness of whips, and this one imitated the cat o¡¯ nine tails.


    Harpoon-bearing male harpies lunged at Argrave with their spears as the [Nine-Tailed Bloodbriars] charged forth, each of the nine maroon tails of the whip snapping to intercept a foe. The tails met flesh with a nauseatingly brutal crack that seemed louder than thunder, and the first of the fliers fell. Each tail that struck a foe faded away, but Argrave did not hesitate in casting the spells again and again as more came.


    His nine-tailed whips cracked through foe after foe. Kirel¡¯s servants assaulted from the sky without mercy, and he gave no quarter in kind. They sundered the flesh of harpies and tore into the bodies of flying archers. Dive bombing bats tried to end him, but Artur¡¯s enchantments proved able to ward them off, deflecting the bats with wind. The giant moths joined the fray at some point, and though the moths were lightning-fast the whips could move to match them just as easily, turning them into a puff of broken white wings drifting through the air like paper.


    The cracks of Argrave¡¯s [Nine-Tailed Bloodbriars] seemed a mirror to the raging fight Ghan led at the front, the god¡¯s noise from thunder and Argrave¡¯s noise from his whips. The only break to his ughter was when [Bloodfeud Bow] finished preparing. Argrave would fire its maroon bolt off at a distant Sky Mother so they could birth no more of the dive-bombing bats.


    Anneliese, Orion, and the others were present, surely, and helping as they could¡­ but in the rote chaos of battle, all of Argrave¡¯s focus was directed towards himself and his destruction. If he used his hands alone, there were eighteen whip tails from himself, and thirty-six with the echo. He made certain they struck thirty-six foes as fast as he could manage. This was no time to hold back.


    All before Argrave became a battered mess of inhuman corpses and gashed earth, torn asunder from the sheer force of the countless whips. When he realized he struck at nothing, Argrave paused his relentless assault, panting. The enemies still came, though distantly. And looking back, Argrave had moved far ahead from the main force. He¡¯d need to regroup.


    He spotted movement from above, and Argrave raised his head just in came to see a huge brown handing to crush him. He readied to cast a ward, but before he could Anneliese already protected him. The hand mmed against her A-rank spell, letting out a dreadful noise as it held. Orion came to stand beside him to protect him further, but Argrave¡¯s gaze followed the arm to its source.


    Perhaps Argrave should have realized he killed no ants¡ªall enemies he fought came from the sky. He killed none because they weren¡¯ting around to be killed. Even as he watched, a halfplete titan built itself. The earthenware ants, their carapaces like pottery, coulde together to be as grand or miniscule as they wished. And now a titan was manifesting before Argrave, its face some twisted angry demon.


    Argrave looked back, hoping for aid from the elven gods. They still fought against the Sprawling Giant¡ªthough thin and wiry, it was a true servant of divinity, and fought with its long hammer with ferocity enough to keep the gods at bay. It seemed to be losing solidly, but¡­ Argrave could count on no help, not immediately.


    No divine help, at least.


    ¡°Moriatran! Vasilisa!¡± Argrave shouted. ¡°Hit the big bastard hard!¡±


    Mana ripples shed behind Argrave, and two S-rank spells soared through the air¡ªone of fire, one of wind. The titan of earthenware ants raised its arms to block and took the hit. Hundreds of ants exploded outwards,cerated or ame. But still the y demon stood.


    Seems it¡¯s time to see the extent of my echoes, Argrave thought, looking up at his foe.

 Chapter 385: Reaping a Harvest

    Nikoletta stared down at a head. She had a strong image of Rovostar in her mind¡ªbig, brawny, bald, clean-shaven¡­ but his time on the run made him grow both a beard and hair. And his big body was half-buried in the sand, bleeding even now. He hadn¡¯t even been able to mount a defense¡ªthe elves were efficient. He and all his servants were dead. All they managed was a scream.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    She had been envisioning this as some desperate struggle, but it was aplete ughter. Most of that result was due to the man next to her. He was a wood elf and an A-rank mage, and he had been particrly zealous in helping her recover her father. Her father, Duke Enrico, was sitting off to the side, a little bloodied, malnourished, and ill-treated¡­but decidedly alive. And that was what mattered.


    ¡°Argrave told me there¡¯d be a woman with them,¡± she looked at the elf who¡¯d been so helpful thus far. ¡°Georgina. Did you kill anyone like that? She¡¯d be a mage.¡±


    Every single one of the wood elves she¡¯d seen had red eyes, but this man had rich green-blue eyes that danced like a pool of water. When she¡¯d asked him, he said it had something to do with his A-rank ascension.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid not,¡± the elf said smoothly. ¡°Only men in their number, I¡¯m afraid. Or extremely ugly women. I don¡¯t care to check¡­¡±


    Nikolettaughed through her nose quietly.


    ¡°I can say firmly no one escaped,¡± he added.


    Nikoletta nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll ask my father about it, then.¡± She focused on him. ¡°I have to thank you for trying so hard. I¡¯m not sure that my father would have made it if not for you¡­¡± she trailed off slowly.


    ¡°Perhaps not,¡± the elf shook his head. ¡°But I think it best that elves and humans cooperate. It¡¯s in their best interest, wouldn¡¯t you agree?¡±


    Nikoletta nodded. ¡°Indeed. And¡­ what¡¯s your name?¡±


    The elf smiled broadly. ¡°Dimocles.¡±


    Nikoletta blinked for a few moments. She didn¡¯t know anyone by that name, but¡­ even still, it drew her attention for some reason. ¡°That name¡­ it¡¯s from Vasquer, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Dimocles raised a brow. ¡°Is it?¡± He grabbed at his ears. ¡°It must be some coincidence. You can see these on my head, can¡¯t you?¡± Nikoletta looked at them¡ªindeed, his ears were elven without doubt. The man continued, ¡°You can pull on them if you¡¯re curious.¡±


    Nikoletta took a step back, feeling he might be propositioning her. ¡°No thank you,¡± she politely refused. ¡°Is there some material way I might repay your help?¡±


    Dimocles clicked his tongue. ¡°Well¡­ that chest te with the swordfish you wear does fascinate me, but it seems a family heirloom. I can¡¯t very well ask you to give it up.¡± He pped his hands together. ¡°Why not speak well of me to your cousin?¡±


    ¡°Argrave?¡± Nikoletta narrowed her eyes. ¡°¡­sure, I suppose I can do that. I don¡¯t know how that helps you.¡±


    ¡°Never hurts to have friends in high ces,¡± Dimocles smiled. ¡°Anyway¡­ I¡¯ll give you some time alone with your father.¡±


    Nikoletta watched briefly as he walked off, and then turned back to her father the duke. She walked towards him eagerly, overjoyed to finally put this nightmare behind her.


    Behind, Dimocles reached into his pocket and pulled free a strange purple berry. He twisted it in his hand, then stowed it away. Behind a tree out of sight, he retrieved a mirror to watch as he stroked his ears. As he stroked, they stretched a bit further out. After examining them in the mirror, he squashed them back down, and they shrunk back to where they started.


    ¡°¡­seemed to go fine,¡± he muttered, putting the mirror away.


    ######


    This titanic mass of ants fighting as one giant nullified one of Argrave¡¯s primary strength in dealing with a powerful foe¡ªnamely, his [Bloodfeud Bow]. He might take out arge chunk of the ants, sure enough, but the rest of them could reform to recover from the damage that he caused. Though diminished, they would not be defeated. That was inadequate.


    Those ants weren¡¯t called earthenware ants for appearance alone. They were quite literally earthen. Fire would not affect them as severely as other insects. It had no true weaknesses¡ªnot elemental, at least. And with things like this, it was time for Argrave to fall back into a practiced tactic¡­ with a new bloody twist, of course.


    ¡°Anne, Orion¡­!¡± Argrave shouted. ¡°Need you to focus on watching me, stop me from getting hit or snuck up on. And I¡­ I¡¯m gonna push my head to its limits.¡±


    Anneliese shouted, ¡°Alright!¡± Orion, meanwhile, put his hand on Argrave¡¯s shoulder as silent support.


    With their assurances, Argrave rooted both feet down. He held his left hand t off to the side, while the other faced upward at the giant constructed of ants. Its face seemed terrifying¡­ but after a deep breath, he barely even realized it was there.


    Argrave¡¯s blood echoes spread out of his body. One by one they spread, again and again, until they were twenty. Argrave felt a headache developing from focusing on so many things, and if he¡¯d needed to focus on keeping himself safe this would have failed. He barely saw the earthenware titan¡ªinstead, there was only himself, his echoes, and their task toe.


    And with this sprawlingwork of power¡­ Argrave began. His left hand conjured [Electric Eels]. His right called forth [Bloodbriar Bullwhip], and a thorny tendril hundreds of feet long erupted out of his hand. The blood echoes called upon their essence, while Argrave used the reserve of the silver bracer artifact on his arm.


    The giant of ants had been preparing to move beyond Argrave, attacking the army behind him¡­ but twenty B-rank spells of devastating power met it, cutting straight into the meat of their constructed body. It endured the power of the attacks ably¡ªit had flinched from S-rank spells, but B-rank blood magic would not evoke such a reaction.


    Still, the whips cut deep. Argrave saw ants fall from where the bullwhips struck in droves, one after the other. And this encouraged him to pull his hand back and try again. Twenty more whips came¡ªcrack, they echoed, the sound multiplied by the sheer volume of blows. Crack, crack, crack, they went, maroon tendrils spanning the battlefield to cut down this army of one.


    But Argrave¡¯s silver bracer ran out of reserve blood, and it called upon his blood. As pain exploded up his wrist, he fell to his knees, his concentration broken. All of the blood echoes returned to him. The [Electric Eels] swirled about the air, a small star of lightning. With so much damage already done, he willed all of them towards the enemy with the intent to finish things.


    The eels surged forth, a mass of blue-white destruction more than capable of killing most anything Argrave had fought before. They danced across the battlefield, heading for the giant.


    Argrave thought the eels¡¯ slower speedpared to most electric magic would never be an issue. But these ants¡­ when they saw the lightninging, they must¡¯ve separated. He had intended for the shock to spread through all of them, but they split apart, and only arge clump was hit. Hundreds burst into blinding light, but hundreds more fell to the ground unharmed. They formed into smaller giants, each perhaps ten feet tall, and continued their advance towards the army.


    Argrave had done this enough times that panic did not find him¡ªhe merely thought the situation disappointing. He looked back and called, ¡°Veidimen! Advance!¡±


    The honor guard stepped forward at Argrave¡¯s directive, ready to do battle. Before they did, though¡­ Argrave spread out his blood echoes once more. He cast a final spell¡ªone to summon a de of blood¡ªand all the echoes mimicked his action. His frontliners were armed with weaponsparable to the sharpest dwarven metals in only a few moments.


    Argrave turned back, exhausted, and handed his de to Orion. ¡°Finish up for me, will you? I think I¡¯ve poured enough heart into this thing.¡±


    ¡°My pleasure!¡± Orion shouted, taking the de from his hand.


    Anneliese stayed by Argrave¡¯s side, keeping him steady and healed as the Veidimen swarmed past him. Orion met the giant ants first. He tore through them like a hot knife through warm butter. When the Veidimen arrived, greatly outsized by the giants, they acted cautiously. When the first of their des cleaved through, they realized their advantage. Enchanted armor with old elven techniques, des of Argrave¡¯s ck blood¡­ there was no finer recipe for a deadly soldier.


    The ants had divided to stay alive, but now it proved their downfall. The Veidimen were efficient and deadly, and years of battle had taught them how to press an advantage to its fullest extent. The fight was not without its obstacles, but if a descriptor most fit this fight, it was ¡®ughter.¡¯ Beaten in strength, in number, and in resiliency¡­ what had seemed indomitable moments ago was cut down to size.


    Argrave heard a deafening boom from behind, and turned his head to see what was happening. Chiteng bore an ivory de in his hand, and it was wreathed with lightning from his father, Ghan, and fire from his brother, Gunlik. The god swung the de down upon the wiry Sprawling Titan, cutting past his hammer and splitting the foul abomination in twain.


    Argrave watched as Kirel¡¯s lieutenant crumpled, life finally leaving him. Anneliese healed thest of Argrave¡¯s wounds from the blood magic, and then could not help but be caught in watching as well. Even as its body crumpled, Ghan pushed past his son and raised his foot, mming it down to crush the creature utterly. Argrave could feel the rumble of the powerful attack shake the earth from this far away.


    Without pause, the elven patriarch looked back and shouted, ¡°Forward! We end this.¡±


    With thatmand given, Argrave looked back to his men urgently. Though their battle continued, it was quiet enough for them to disengage. The Supreme Myriarch gave themand to the Tumens, shouting, ¡°March to the breach! March to the breach!¡±


    And Argrave straightened too, calling his men back. ¡°We advance! Advance!¡± he shouted, voice hoarse yet powerful.


    And so they marched to Kirel Qircassia¡¯s breach, that they might put an end to this invasion once and for all.

 Chapter 386: Small and Infinite Universe

    ¡°Now that I know whates, all of this looks so small,¡± Onychinusa marveled, one of the emissaries of her Lord at her side as she witnessed the march of the elven gods. They stood above the canopies of the redwoods, removed from the conflict yet central to it all.


    ¡°Everything can look small from the right perspective,¡± the emissary answered back.


    What urred down below certainly did not fulfill the definition of ¡®small.¡¯ Kirel Qircassia¡¯s breach stood strong. It was a gash in reality itself and existed as a portal to another realm. Rather than a portal made naturally, this was a tear. It connected the two realms in such a way that one could see nothing if they looked at it from behind, but from the front, an entirely separate realm expanded infinitely onwards. Though Kirel already bent this ce to his whims, in time the Bloodwoods would be entirely supnted by his realm.


    If Kirel had his way, the two realms would blend, homogenizing until the mortal world and the divine world were one in the same. It would stay in this state during the cycle of judgment wrought by Gerechtigkeit. And when¡ªno, if¡ªthe arbiter was defeated, both would separate once again, bing two diverging paths subject to different forces. The divine realm would heed the divinity, while the mortal realm would once again heed the mortal forces of nature permeating thisnd. And thus, existence spun millennium after millennium.


    Seeing it in this fashion, the great force of elven gods and mortals rushing to plug up this breach seemed small. Thousands of Kirel¡¯s servants battled against a foe they were not equipped to handle in a desperate but loyal attempt to salvage their invasion. Even Onychinusa could see no way to end any of those elven gods with all of the power at her disposal.


    The gap between worshipped and worshipper was far toorge to bridge. And there were yet more gaps beyond those, of a magnitude Onychinusa could barely even begin to conceive¡­


    Yet still her eyes wandered to the human mage known as King of Vasquer, struggling with his allies with all the same ferocity as the rest. Looking at him, he had reason to be proud of his strength. His spells imed countless lives in this war, and so he had reason to think his actions mattered. He had certainly toiled to embrace as much power as he could. But with all she knew, he seemed the smallest of them all.


    Still, her eyes wandered to the emissary. ¡°You can move beyond the Lord¡¯s shrines, now. Why must we mind things so small? Argrave rejected the Lord once before. Let him die,¡± she suggested after her question.


    The emissary did not respond immediately, but she knew it would. They had been indulgent to her requests these days, in harsh contrast to the coldness they disyed not a week earlier. Even though the back of her mind sometimes whispered this was maniption, she still wished to be indulged to a point she did not mind if it was precisely that.


    ¡°We understand that having other variables around diforts you,¡± the emissary responded sagely. ¡°But ask yourself this: is true mastery of the game eliminating all uncontrolled variables, or mastering them sopletely they bend to your will?¡± The emissary held out its hands, almost as though to seize those fighting on the ground. ¡°The Lord believes it is thetter. Brutality has its ce, as you will soon learn. But why should He care if Argrave has freedom? It does not matter. The Lord is not ying Argrave¡¯s game. Argrave is ying His game.¡±


    Onychinusa felt a chill run down her spine. ¡°And if this king chooses not to y?¡±


    The emissary retracted his hand. ¡°The only way to determine the quality of y is to get it wet, and attempt to mold it. If it keeps its shape when worked, then it is good y. And if it breaks, crumbles¡­¡± the emissary looked over. ¡°Then we move on, leaving it broken. We have not risked much.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn


    As the gaze lingered, Onychinusa¡¯s breath quickened, realizing the emissary might not be speaking of the king alone. She swallowed and said desperately, ¡°I¡¯ll do my part in the battle. I¡¯ll make the Lord proud, I swear it.¡±


    The emissary looked over. ¡°From the looks of things, that part willmence soon. They grow ever closer to the breach¡­ and Argrave will call upon the centaurs¡¯ Sarikiz, if he sticks to his n.¡±


    #####


    Argrave¡¯s mind was frayed with exhaustion as he fought, straining his mind to its limit to control the numerous whips surging out from his blood echoes. Though they grew ever closer to the breach, the resistance they faced increased in turn. He burned through much of the power he¡¯d rued in the elven realms, but it didn¡¯t feel like such a loss if victory could trulye of this. And looking ahead¡­ that seemed to be the case.


    Argrave fell back to survey the scene, mentally exhausted. Though even the Magisters had run out of strength on this death march, Anneliese and Orion picked up the ck he left behind. His queen cast grand spells one after another as though it was as easy as walking, using ice and lightning to fell any that would daree near. Orion warded away all the creatures that avoided her power, and what few he missed were in turn dealt with by the honor guard of Veidimen. Argrave felt proud of them, and even had confidence enough to look away where the true battle happened.


    Ghan and Merata, father and eldest son, walked side-by-side in their advance toward the breach in the world. To the sides of the cut in the fabric of reality, one could only see the mortal world. Looking straight at it, an entirely new realm opened up before the viewer¡ªKirel Qircassia¡¯s realm. The breach was impossible geometry manifest. The area behind the breach seemedrger than the hole itself. And being a portal between realms¡­ it was.


    Even as the battle raged around them, Argrave peered into the rift. All of what Argrave saw of Kirel¡¯s realm wasnd and sky. Thend was ck, burned, and lifeless, its uniformity disturbed only by his servants. Some of that lifelessness already seeped into the ground by the rift, transforming it. The sky was a blinding white, exuding light constantly. Land and sky existed as two parallels, almost like yin and yang.


    It had been so faint from a distance, but Argrave felt something strikingly familiar. It was the same sort of presence that he¡¯d felt when Erlebnis himself had warned Argrave against meddling with the Blessing of Supersession, or when they had visited him in that shrine of his. But this pressure was not Erlebnis¡¯. It was simply the weight of being behind an ancient god, the immutable existence that consumed the mind. It made his steps feel heavy¡­ and seeing how all others slowed, Argrave knew he wasn¡¯t alone in feeling this.


    And more than his pressure¡­ Kirel Qircassia exerted his will. ck hands grabbed the breach from the bottom, straining as they pulled. Opposite them, hands of whiteness worked just as fiercely. Any new servants entering the realm walked on the arms of these hands, using them as a bridge to span the gap between divinity and mortality.


    It came to a point the pressure was so intense Argrave wondered if he could take another step forward. His brain felt crushed, and his limbs felt like jelly. He could move them fine, and was forced to inbatting the waves of servants that still came. But then¡­ Argrave wasn¡¯t the one that needed to advance, anymore.


    When the elven gods grew close enough they could nearly touch the breach, the hands wrenching the breach open fell away, one after the other. Argrave felt some of that unending pressure fade¡­ yet as he rose to his feet, half a thousand of those hands burst free, white and ck pressed together.


    Though Argrave was surprised, the two leading were not. Ghan¡¯s lightning sparked out from his body like a living shield, while Merata called the vastness of life in the Bloodwoods. Both of them engaged this tide of divine will as the other gods circled around them. Lightning and life began to falter¡­ but soon, deadly des of water joined, and then roaring mes.


    Argrave thought for a brief moment that Kirel, even though only a figment of his being, would be too strong for those here. He thought that his fears were right, and he was wholly insufficient for a challenge of this magnitude. With Ghan and Merata utterly overpowered, would the other gods even make a difference?


    But soon enough, Chiteng raised an elegant de of ivory up in the air. It took in Gunlik¡¯s mes, Dairi¡¯s water, Ghan¡¯s lightning, and all the terrible aspects of nature embodied in the elven gods present. A metaphor became clear to Argrave, then. Flesh and blood were formless, molded to the environment around them like y. That was Chiteng¡¯s strength.


    And when Chiteng¡¯s de descended, it cleaved through all the grasping hands to prove that true. As the ck and white hands burst into small, humanoid forms¡ªspirits, fragments of the gods¡ªthat immutable presence became muted. Though the gods had been desperately struggling not moments ago, now they walked into the swarm of spirits as they danced away like a school of fish.


    The spirits seemed like fleeing children, but the gods merely extended their hands and all were pulled from their flight to join with their body. Ghan, Gunlik, or Chiteng¡ªall of them took in the fragments of Kirel¡¯s hands with an easy and eager hunger. They stood stalwart in deep satisfaction, feasting like hyenas before hard-killed prey. It seemed like ambrosia to them¡ªa forbidden nectar bringing pleasure Argrave couldn¡¯tprehend.


    When thest of the spirits faded away, the gods reeled as though injected with drugs. Merata moved with uncharacteristic ferocity, mming his crook on the ground before the breach. Roots buried beneath the earth surged to life, rising upwards and winding about each other as though to stretch to the sky in a grander disy than ever shown before.


    Behind, Merata¡¯s father Ghan turned and raised his sparking fist up in the air. Intensely fierce lightning rocked the earth, so fast and loud Argrave felt their power drumming in his chest. As he looked around, shaken out of his observation, he saw a hellish scene that disyed a power far superior to what was demonstrated earlier. Lightning bolt after lightning bolt killed the vast hordes of enemies fighting against their armies. Where Ghan had been protective before, now he was fierce and hungry, killing for the sake of killing.


    But even still¡­ Argrave reveled in it,ughing uneasily as his ears rang from the booming thunder. On one end, the source of reinforcements was blocked by a great wooden fortress that grewrger every second. On the other, all invading armies were struck down by the surging power of his allies.


    No more enemies woulde, not with the elven gods right here keeping the breach closed. But for things to end permanently, it was not enough. Tears in the boundary between this realm and the realm of the divine were not so easily mended.


    His allies had done their part. It was time for Argrave to make good on his promise. He¡¯d thought this situation desperate, almost unwinnable¡­ but here he was. Now was the time to make his work with the centaurs pan out¡ªnow was the time to rouse Sarikiz and work out apromise between all parties that left everyone walking away happy.


    It was time for the gods to pass the ball to him.

 Chapter 387: All For Clay

    Before Argrave left, he thought it prudent to check in with the elven gods. As he walked, slightly weakened from his use of blood magic without either echoes or reserves, the looks that he received were far different than what he remembered. The elven armies had seen him hold the rear. His whips had chewed through enemies without pausing, and even when the earthenware ants came together as giants, he beat them back all the same. They could not look at him the same way as they once had¡ªrespect, awe, gratitude, even fear¡­ all of them acknowledged him, now.


    But acknowledgement wasn¡¯t Argrave¡¯s alone. Orion and Anneliese had been by his side, every bit as potent and endurant as he had been. Even if the battle was not over, theirs seemed a champion¡¯s procession. Though the Magisters and the Veidimen walked behind them, their party members seemed just as awed as the elven Tumens. That sort of treatment was certainly something that many people found desirable¡­ and admittedly, Argrave did find himself standing a little straighter.


    But when they came to stand before gods, whatever burgeoning pride the royal trio might¡¯ve been building was quickly squashed.


    Ghan had been standing by his son Merata, but he turned around and knelt before Argrave. Even kneeling he was the size of a building, and Argrave looked up.


    ¡°What you saw¡­ was Kirel¡¯s divine will,¡± Ghan exined, as much to Argrave as for the elven armies behind him. ¡°Those hands acted mindlessly in defense of this breach. Merata¡¯s fortification can endure, but not forever. By that time¡­¡± he focused down on Argrave. ¡°You had best have a more permanent solution.¡±


    ¡°That is the n,¡± Argrave said tly.


    Ghan nodded at Argrave, then rose to join the rest of his family. Argrave prepared to move away, but he was stopped by another gianting his way.


    Chiteng came to Argrave, and he nted his ivory de in the ground. He reached his hand out slowly, and Argrave felt strongly that his time hade. But when Chiteng¡¯s finger brushed against him¡­ he saw spirits rush out from his hand, surrounding Argrave. He felt his fatigue and damage from the blood magic evaporate¡ªand more than that, all of his fading blood echoes rejuvenated. It didn¡¯t rece those that was lost, but this alone was an immeasurably valuable gift. And considering Chiteng used spirits, he quite literally sacrificed pieces of himself to give it.


    Argrave looked up at him, puzzled. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ thank you,¡± he managed.


    ¡°Do not deviate from the n,¡± Chiteng said insistently. ¡°No matter how the path veers¡­ you are the key to the Woodschildren safety. Remember them above all, and you will be duly repaid.¡±


    Argrave gave him three decisive nods. Seeming content with this, Chiteng rose to his feet, grabbed his de, and went to join his kin. Argrave turned back to his people and said, ¡°Time to hurry the hell up, I think.¡±


    #####


    Argrave, without ceremony or significant announcement, departed to do his duty. It remained a daunting task after how he¡¯d handled their army, but he dealt with Sarikiz, not the centaurs. He needed only the centaurs¡¯ unwitting assistance to rouse her from her slumber. And once she was roused¡­ he was rtively certain he knew what to say to get her to act as needed.


    On the return journey, however, Argrave saw the scope of the battle they¡¯d been through not as a participant, but as a survivor of it.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The Bloodwoods had been thoroughly devastated. The marching ants had eaten their way through roots and trunks both of the gargantuan trees, leaving unsteady or toppled redwoods everywhere they went. Corpses from both the mortal realm and those of Kirel¡¯s realm had been scattered in abundance. Roving parties of invaders still persisted. They fled from Argrave¡¯s party, perhaps trying to regroup to mount another offensive. It seemed like theirmunication had been cut off.


    Along the way, however, an elven scouting party came upon them. They ryed some news¡ªnamely, that Nikoletta¡¯s father had been recovered, with Duke Rovostar now in. The surprise was somewhat mellowed by the urgency of the task he was attending to, but at Orion¡¯s insistence and his own curiosity, Argrave agreed to regroup with Nikoletta before heading to the centaurs.


    Anneliese quickly scouted ahead, finding his cousin¡¯s party quickly and ensuring that no other dangerous obstacles awaited them. She confirmed what they had been reported¡ªnamely, that a blue-haired, pink-eyed man who answered to ¡®Enrico¡¯ was in their party. Given the small ovep in people sharing those features, it was safe to say that was their man. Argrave thought that fortune favored them, because their party seemed to be heading towards theirs by sheer coincidence.


    Argrave followed behind Orion, walking into a clearing illuminated by dusk light where Nikoletta¡¯s escort of elves and her father waited. When sheid eyes upon him she grinned brightly and happily, rather like someone who¡¯d just won the lottery. Argrave smiled in turn, both at his cousin and Duke Enrico. It almost didn¡¯t seem right that things should end up like this.


    Nikoletta strutted up to him, saying all the while, ¡°I can safely say I should never again doubt you.¡±


    ¡°A little is fine. I¡¯ve made a few mistakes here and there.¡± He walked up to Duke Enrico. ¡°Good lord¡­ you¡¯ve seen better days.¡±


    ¡°Hah,¡± Duke Enricoughed, sitting on a rock. ¡°Had better ones, too. But at the very least, I had them.¡± He focused on Argrave. ¡°You¡¯re probably thinking the same thing I am. I shouldn¡¯t be alive. And you¡¯re right¡­ but I am alive. And I have to thank you for that.¡±


    Argrave didn¡¯t vocally agree, but he was resoundingly supporting that sentiment in his head. He looked back at Nikoletta and said, ¡°What did I say? Luck doese. You just have to seize it.¡± He looked around at the elven escorts, to see who he had to thank.


    Argrave was about to give credit to the elves who escorted her. As he looked at their number, he spotted the A-rank spellcaster Anneliese had mentioned. And as his gaze lingered on the elf¡­ pieces fit where they shouldn¡¯t have, and recognition came where it ought not to. Particrly, on those blue-green eyes of his, dancing like water.


    Nikoletta gave Argrave a hug even as his eyes stayed locked on the elf ahead. She said some words of gratitude, but he couldn¡¯t even hear her.


    ¡°Was that man with you the whole way?¡± he interrupted her, his voice tense.


    Nikoletta pulled away, confused. When she saw Argrave¡¯s face, hers grew serious in turn and she followed his gaze. ¡°That¡­ yes, he was here. He helped me a great deal. What¡¯s¡­?¡±


    Dimocles stood there, hands held behind his back as he smiled at Argrave easily. Though he wore elven armor, had elven ears and elven blonde hair, the face was unmistakably that of Dimocles¡­ the face, and also his rippling green-blue eyes. His features seemed to be contorting, returning back to what he normally looked like. The elves noticed this and backed away from him, drawing their weapons.


    ¡°I came peacefully, Your Majesty,¡± Dimocles began, staying still and unimposing. ¡°And I helped your cousin. Do you think Duke Enrico would truly have been so easily found without my Lord¡¯s help? You say it was luck that he lived¡­ but luck is for losers. The Lord pulled some strings, you see.¡±


    ¡°Polymorphism,¡± Argrave moved Nikoletta aside somewhat forcefully, and then walked forward. ¡°I couldn¡¯t get it from Anneliese¡¯s description alone, but looking at your eyes now¡­ that¡¯s your A-rank ascension, isn¡¯t it? Shapeshifting? No, don¡¯t answer,¡± he shook his head. ¡°So¡­ it was you? Listening to us, spying on us? And now you disguise as an elf, follow my cousin?¡±


    Dimocles smiled a little wider. ¡°Of course not. Mortal polymorphism cannot ever be so good as to imitate another wlessly. I would need wless memory of the person¡¯s features, and wless replication of that memory. Both together are an impossibility. And the eyes¡­ you see they remain unchanged, so how could I fool you?¡± Dimocles raised his hands up to point at his eyes, and Argrave prepared to fight him. The man froze, seeing Argrave¡¯s caution. ¡°Be at ease, Your Majesty. Like I told you¡­ Ie peacefully.¡±


    Orion stepped up beside Argrave. ¡°What is this?¡± he asked quietly.


    ¡°All that matters is that he works for Erlebnis,¡± Argrave answered. He shifted on his feet, and then looked back. Nearly everyone was here¡ªArtur, Vasilisa, Anneliese, Orion, all of the Veidimen honor guard. This was as well defended as he¡¯d likely get. And indeed, Dimocles stood there passively, doing nothing.


    Argrave looked to Anneliese for an answer, a gauge of this man¡¯s emotion. She looked as uncertain and anxious as he did, and then it came to himst time, she¡¯d said this man¡¯s acting was inscrutable. That likely stemmed from his polymorphism. If he didn¡¯t want to, he didn¡¯t need to show emotion. With an option stolen from them, Argrave looked back at a loss.


    Argrave held his hand out. ¡°You want to talk, let¡¯s do it.¡±


    Dimocles raised a brow. ¡°How much do you wish to be public, Your Majesty? I know the Lord would not like his second offer to you publicized¡­ and nor would you, I think.¡±

 Chapter 388: Rules of the Game

    When Dimocles suggested a private conversation and a second offer from Erlebnis, caution red. He wanted nothing further to do with the ancient god of knowledge. At the same time¡­ this couldn¡¯t be ignored, not when things were like this. He reasoned out the situation.


    Argrave¡¯s paranoia subsided with the dousing hose of logic, and he finally epted that this was no murder plot. Onychinusa would be better suited for murder, or perhaps even Erlebnis¡¯ countless emissaries. Argrave walked forward, joined by Anneliese.


    ¡°Hang on for a moment,¡± Argrave told everyone. ¡°I¡¯m going to have a talk with Dimocles. This shouldn¡¯t take too long. Just¡­ keep watch for anything suspicious.¡±


    Everyone looked terribly confused about this development. Orion tried to follow, but Argrave stopped him, shaking his head. He was more worried about what might approach them as they talked than Dimocles himself. Argrave could handle an A-rank mage with polymorphism, without a doubt.


    Once they walked near, Anneliese cast a ward to encircle them. As soon as all other sounds faded, Argrave asked, ¡°Hurry this up, Dimocles. I don¡¯t have all the time in the world to waste.¡±


    ¡°That might not be true. Your schedule has been cleared up a great deal, I should think. You won¡¯t need to visit Sarikiz. You won¡¯t need to rouse her, and you won¡¯t need to draw the ire of Kirel Qircassia in doing so. A lot of things that were true are no longer so, Argrave.¡± Dimocles sped his hands together, dropping his respectful address of ¡®Your Majesty¡¯ now that they spoke in private.


    Argrave¡¯s gray eyes hardened as Dimocles said more and more.


    Before he could speak, Anneliese said, ¡°We never mentioned what our specific plot with Sarikiz was to anyone beyond Orion. He cannot be your informant. That narrows it down to the elven gods alone.¡±


    When she finished, Argrave realized she spoke as much to him as she did to Dimocles. One of the elven gods¡­ betrayed us? But¡­


    As Argrave¡¯s thought coalesced, he spoke his conclusion aloud. ¡°And given that no others knew of Erlebnis¡¯ existence, of the Blessing of Supersession within me¡­ it was Chiteng. He contacted Erlebnis, told him everything.¡±


    Things that felt out of ce fell into ce. Chiteng had not insisted Argrave inform the other elven gods about the Blessing of Supersession. When pressed, he seemed to avoid that question. Argrave¡¯s tie to Erlebnis was a point of vulnerability, so he had not tried to escte things further back then¡­ but because of that, he¡¯d missed a crucial detail. He¡¯d even avoided the elven gods, when they were the source of this trouble. All of it because he was too foolish to think the gods as fallible as mortals.


    Dimocles tsk-tsked. ¡°Me and my tongue. I talk to you in person for a few moments, and you figure things out!¡± He held his arms out. ¡°But it¡¯s fine, it¡¯s fine. I was going to tell you everything right now. After all, there are no secrets between friends. And fate has ordained that we shall walk this path together.¡±


    ¡°What path?¡± Argrave stared him down, suppressing the rising unease. ¡°What¡¯s Erlebnis¡¯ gambit? Don¡¯t dance around this.¡±


    Dimocles¡¯ unfading smile slowly became a bitter one. ¡°Alright. Thest thing I would wish to do is make this meeting undulybative.¡± He straightened his back and put his hands behind him. ¡°I willy out the facts. When Chiteng saw my Lord Erlebnis¡¯ Blessing of Supersession on you, he thought you an envoy, perhaps even an unwitting one. With the threat of Kirel Qircassia looming overhead, he reached out. We established contact with Chiteng a short time after you ascended to A-rank.¡±


    Argrave¡¯s mouth parted as Dimocles continued, ¡°You were looking very desperately for an informant, weren¡¯t you? You seemed to think that Erlebnis knew your ns exactly. Well, you would be wrong in where you searched. Rest easy¡ªnot a one of your men or women have betrayed you. The Lord would not so callously invade your privacy.¡±


    ¡°But why did you im I wouldn¡¯t need to call upon Sarikiz? That implies something is happening,¡± Argrave insisted, trying dually to keep his patience and divert the subject back to what mattered.


    Dimocles focused on Argrave, sobered. ¡°Chiteng and my Lord will ughter all of the elven gods. They will be broken into spirits and consumed. This will be done as a favor to Kirel Qircassia to earn the alliance of his coalition and his good grace in the fight ahead. Kirel is rather angry at you and your elven gods, and he does not forget faces. However¡­ since you¡¯re on our side, Argrave, Erlebnis will make Kirel¡¯s wrath go away. Indeed, you will be his benefactor and friend.¡±


    Argrave took a deep breath. ¡°Bullshit,¡± he said.


    Dimoclesughed. ¡°What? Do you think I¡¯m doing someedy routine? I don¡¯t¡­¡± the manughed again, and then shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s all true, Argrave. But as I candidly outlined for you, it¡¯s not your issue. We¡¯re friends, you and I, you and us, as I established.¡± The man raised his hand up. ¡°When I came to Artur back then¡ªtold you to leave now that the fire was started¡ªErlebnis already had this friendly n in motion. All you had to do was step away, and everything would have gone swimmingly. I¡¯m just here to loop you in, give you a giftbox, and send you home¡­ seeing as you¡¯ve persisted.¡±


    ¡°But Chiteng¡­ he¡¯s their family. He wouldn¡¯t do this,¡± Argrave shook his head.


    ¡°People have prices, high or low, Argrave,¡± Dimocles¡¯ eyes shifted as he spoke.


    ¡°You mean to say that Chiteng turned on his family¡­ for what, exactly?¡± Argrave questioned.


    ¡°Survival,¡± Dimocles answered. ¡°For betrayal, he received survival.¡±


    ¡°I have difficulty epting that.¡± Anneliese stepped forward.


    ¡°Then¡­ ept it. Check, Anneliese,¡± Dimocles urged her. ¡°I saw that bird of yours. A Starsparrow, was it? I keep some in my mountain vi. Fascinating creatures, and able scouts. They could examine the battlefield. Would that satisfy you, Anneliese?¡±


    Anneliese looked to Argrave for guidance, and he nodded to give her the go-ahead. Anneliese was rattled enough she nearly sent her Starsparrow into the ward she¡¯d conjured to block their conversation. After dispelling it, she let the bird go free and Argrave recreated the ward.


    Argrave watched Dimocles. The confidence with which the man acted gave him the strong impression he wasn¡¯t bluffing. Argrave turned his head to the side, looking to where the Starsparrow just left. ¡°Do you mean to tell me Erlebnis is going to aid Kirel Qircassia in butchering everything living here? He¡¯s going to ally with that¡­ invader? Do you even know why I came here?¡±


    ¡°Argrave, my friend, haven¡¯t you been listening?¡± Dimocles smiled. ¡°You are on our side. Those elves¡ªthough inconsequential to Him, they¡¯re a valuable resource to your kingdom, and the Lord knows this. Measures have been taken¡ªlike I said, things will go swimmingly even if you do nothing. The Supreme Myriarch will die when the elven gods are ughtered. One of His servants, the Myriarch Altan, will seizemand. She will retreat, and she will ask her steadfast ally, King Argrave, to shelter her people. You will ept, kind-hearted sovereign that you are.¡±


    ¡°So long as I leave the elven gods to die,¡± Argrave stepped forward.


    Dimocles looked up at Argrave, the two very close to each other. ¡°Leaving? They¡¯re likely already dead. It was an unavoidable tragedy. Please, don¡¯t feel guilty, Argrave.¡± He sighed. ¡°Let me put it this way. At the end of all of this, Argrave, you will gain many powerful allies. Though you are poised to make enemies of the Qircassian Coalition, all of that unpleasantness will simply go away. Kirel Qircassia will call you his friend and seize nothing more than the Bloodwoods.


    ¡°All surviving elves will immigrate to your kingdom, strengthening it further,¡± Dimocles continued. ¡°Are you worried about how people might take it? I implore you, think no further,¡± he raised a finger. ¡°You¡¯re a good king, Argrave. Everyone will know that. A variable appeared that you weren¡¯t expecting, did things you couldn¡¯t anticipate. They¡¯ll know it¡¯s not your fault. Altan will help them understand. From the moment you set foot in the Bloodwoods, you had no idea what you were walking into. You didn¡¯t know the rules of the game you yed.¡± Dimocles gave a consoling smile. ¡°But I¡¯m here to tell you that you aren¡¯t ying alone. Isn¡¯t it wonderful to have our Lord, Erlebnis, watching your back? He knows the rules of this game in and out.¡±


    ¡°And a rtionship founded like this¡ªit just exudes trustworthiness,¡± Argrave said sarcastically, ncing at Anneliese as she scouted. He desperately wanted her answer.


    Dimocles looked at Argrave. ¡°Hmm. May I please have a moment to think about how to respond to that?¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Argrave nodded hesitantly.


    Dimocles closed his eyes, thinking deeply. Then, he opened them again, focusing. ¡°You agree that stealing is wrong, Argrave, yes? Yet you stole Margrave Reinhardt¡¯s horse to escape him, and then sold it for profit. I do not argue you are immoral, but rather that you are moral. You did these things to service a higher cause¡ªputting an end to the Veidimen invasion of Mateth. And your journey in the Burnt Desert, too. Masquerading yourself in service of the Lord of Copper was deceitful and dishonorable, but it was all in the service of the greater good.


    ¡°And your sister, Elenore¡­¡± Dimocles stepped forward. ¡°I don¡¯t think you would be surprised if I told you she¡¯s killed hundreds for nothing more than profit. But you turn the other cheek, don¡¯t you? Why? Because it¡¯s all in the service of something right, something good. You¡¯re fine with a little dishonesty. You can lie to make what you want happen, because you¡¯re doing the right thing¡­ and you know best.¡± He shrugged. ¡°I say that not as a joke. You recognize me on sight. You know so much about this world. That¡¯s why you expect people to suffer your dishonesty and even praise you for it afterwards. You know things, Argrave. You know things that make your opinion matter more than everyone else¡¯s. And though you may disagree, you certainly act like it¡¯s true.¡±


    ¡°All of that is a gross distortion of what truly happened,¡± Argrave defended himself, though his words felt hollow.


    ¡°Is it? I apologize,¡± Dimocles answered, though his gaze didn¡¯t stray from Argrave. ¡°Erlebnis wants one thing alone, Argrave. He wants the continued existence of this world. And he knows so much about this world, and all of whates¡­¡± Dimocles closed his eyes, and what seemed like true exaltation rose to the front. ¡°By all I hold holy, he knows so much. Much and more. I have had but tastes of his insight, but with the small nugget vested upon me, I came to realize how ignorant I truly was.¡±


    The man refocused on Argrave. ¡°I suggest you call Erlebnis friend. I suggest you ept his gift. I suggest that you rub elbows with two of the most powerful deities in every realm imaginable. Because Erlebnis knows things¡­ and he acts in your best interest, Argrave.¡±


    Dimocles held his hand out for a handshake, almost as though to make a deal.

 Chapter 389: Standoff

    Though Dimocles offered his hand to close the deal, Argrave did not move to take it. They persisted in awkward silence for moments, seconds stretching into minutes.


    ¡°Do I have something on my hand?¡± Dimocles pulled it back, studying it with his blue-green eyes.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°You say you know so much about me,¡± Argrave spoke past him, staring down Dimocles. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m someone who likes to look good, or be good?¡±


    Dimocles lowered his hand, returning Argrave¡¯s gaze. ¡°I¡¯m thinking you look rather like you want to hit me.¡±


    Argrave ground his teeth. ¡°Your words, not mine. That¡¯s been the case most of this conversation, looking back.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Dimocles¡¯ face went cold, some of its perennial artificial warmth fading. ¡°You should know that you¡¯re not the only one with the Blessing of Supersession. And unlike you, I¡¯ve been at A-rank for quite some time.¡±


    Argrave¡¯s hot blood grew a little colder. ¡°So, the veneer of friendliness goes away?¡±


    ¡°I would just hate for you to make a mistake,¡± Dimocles answered back. ¡°This isn¡¯t a game that forgives mistakes, Argrave. And when a king errs, it¡¯s his subjects that suffer.¡± His eyes wandered to Anneliese. ¡°Your queen¡ªshe¡¯s going to make some critical observations. Namely, that the emissaries are no longer bound to the shrines as they used to be. And that the Lord can personally manifest in this realm. With those two facts at hand, you should know that the Lord is¡­ emotionallypelled to keep you alive. The same cannot be said for those near you.¡±


    A deep-seated rage almost made Argrave make the mistake Dimocles was warning against. The thought of his closestpanions being hunted by the monstrous emissaries made him nauseous. Perhaps that was precisely the point. He¡¯d grown desensitized to personal danger, but regarding others? Perhaps Erlebnis did have a better grasp on Argrave¡¯s psychology than he gave the god credit for.


    Anneliese grabbed Argrave¡¯s arm, drawing him from his stupor. He saw her Starsparrow sitting atop the ward he¡¯d conjured, locked outside.


    When he looked at her face, he somewhat knew the answer she¡¯d give. Nheless, she provided it, saying, ¡°The elven gods are fleeing from¡­ a swarm of Erlebnis¡¯ emissaries. They rain down S-rank spells endlessly. It¡­¡± she swallowed her despair, but it had already seeped through. ¡°They seem to be retreating capably, but¡­ and the elven armies¡­¡±


    He turned his head to Dimocles, who smiled like a customer service representative even now. He asked Anneliese quietly, ¡°Block him out.¡±


    Anneliese conjured a ward within his, dividing Dimocles from their conversation. The man didn¡¯t look offended.


    ¡°How bad is it?¡± he asked her.


    ¡°They rain down S-rank spells, Argrave. You saw Mateth, the destruction from Castro¡¯s spell¡­ he may be a special case, someone who is especially powerful, but that matters not. They destroy. They tear up thend with their magic¡ªspells I have never seen, let alone heard of.¡± She kept a strong face because Dimocles watched, but Argrave knew hopelessness when he heard it.


    Argrave was angry enough he couldn¡¯t let despair im him. He insisted, ¡°Kirel Qircassia has been here far longer than Erlebnis, if indeed he¡¯s breached through in this area. Even still, he died to the elven gods all the same. Erlebnis can be pushed back, beaten.¡±


    ¡°Like I said, it matters not,¡± she disagreed. ¡°Erlebnis is not making a personal showing whatsoever. His emissaries are the sole reapers, and there is much sewn for them to harvest. Regardless of if their bodies are weak or strong, they have the Blessing of Supersession just as you do. You told me of that boundless strength pooling within you upon its use, do you recall? They have that same strength, Argrave. All of them.¡±


    Argrave stared at her amber eyes, his jaw shut tight. Seeing her grounded him, softened him, and made himpse back into rationality. That was all he needed now¡ªrationality. Anything for an opening, a way out.


    ¡°God damn it, Anneliese,¡± he looked to the side, where everyone else stood. Nikoletta, Duke Enrico, Orion, Mina, Vasilisa, Artur¡ªthey all watched with concern, while the Veidimen stood guarded. That was who Dimocles threatened. ¡°I knew all the way back at the start of this. I knew to stay away from the ancient gods. I knew. I knew that nothing good woulde of unting my knowledge. Now Erlebnis knows I know things, and he¡­ he¡¯s taken interest in me.¡±


    ¡°It was inevitable. If not anywhere else, the royal summit exposed your insight to the whole world. And we cannot know Erlebnis¡¯ purpose ining here.¡± Anneliese shook her head. She almost reached out tofort him, but their position between all parties made her hesitate. ¡°And I¡­ I should be saying ¡®god damn it,¡¯ you fool. I cannot read Dimocles. I cannot help you. If I could tell you where he lies and where he speaks truth¡­¡± She sounded powerless and frustrated.


    ¡°You couldn¡¯t read the Alchemist, either,¡± Argrave pointed out. ¡°And their abilities are simr. Simr, yet different. [Polymorphism], that A-rank ascension¡­ I know its ins and outs.¡± He sighed. ¡°Do you remember why I refused Erlebnis, all that time ago?¡±


    ¡°This is my fault. My A-rank ascension pressured you into seeking¡ª¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t pressure me into anything. You tried to pressure me out of it, but I didn¡¯t listen,¡± he reminded her. ¡°Come on, good looking. I thought you hated self-pity.¡±


    Anneliese managed the smallest of smiles even now.


    ¡°I refused him because I¡¯d seen what Fellhorn had done, and I knew what the gods were capable of as a whole. This Divine Feudalism¡­ I knew I couldn¡¯t let a powerful god get a foothold on Berendar. I just¡­ I thought I had more time.¡± He let out a deep sigh. ¡°I¡¯m not as smart as I thought I was. But supposing that everything Dimocles said here is true¡­¡±


    ¡°There are gaps,¡± Anneliese cut in. ¡°As I said, the elven gods have managed a retreat. They are not ughtered,¡± she pointed out. ¡°They persist, even if on the run. I cannot say how long such a thing willst. And more importantly¡­ would you say Kirel Qircassia is inferior to Erlebnis, in terms of strength?¡±


    Argrave blinked. ¡°His emissaries are definitely stronger. But one on one? Kirel might be stronger, fully manifested. And he has his Qircassian Coalition. That¡¯s another strength.¡±


    ¡°Then why would Kirel agree to only seize the Bloodwoods at Erlebnis¡¯ request?¡± she asked. ¡°It¡­ may be possible that it is true. But at the same time, it is suspicious.¡± She ran her fingers through her long white hair, falling back into the habit of braiding it. ¡°Even if it is true, the deal hinges on Erlebnis¡¯ support. Even if Erlebnis truly does expect nothing from you, he would increase your reliance on him. Kirel Qircassia¡¯s ¡®friendship¡¯ hinges on Erlebnis¡¯ presence. The exiled elves¡ªif indeed that was no lie¡ªwould be led by Altan, someone with undoubted loyalty to Erlebnis.¡± She took a breath as her rapid exnation came to an end. ¡°In the end¡­ everything he offers is but string. If you ept his offer, he will string you up and puppeteer you.¡±


    Argrave listened to all of what she said, dividing things into an orderly chart within his mind. Seconds passed as she let him think.


    Finally, he asked, ¡°Anneliese¡­ no matter what choice I make¡­ you¡¯ll be with me, right?¡±


    ¡°I will die with you, Argrave.¡± Her eyes, once nervous and unsteady, were immediately steadfast. ¡°I will advise, disagree¡­ but your life is my life.¡±


    At the unconditional support offered in this hellish pit he found himself in, Argrave teared up somewhat. It faded as he reminded himself of his responsibility. ¡°Same here, littledy.¡± He looked to Dimocles. ¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡±


    Anneliese dispelled the ward, letting Dimocles back into the conversation. The man waited patiently as ever.


    ¡°Wee back, you two lovebirds, to thend of the living. Have you had ample time to think about things?¡± He let the silence hang, as neither Argrave nor Anneliese offered a response. ¡°All you have to do is nothing, Argrave,¡± Dimocles reminded him. ¡°Take a stroll home. Bask in the changing kingdom, sit on your throne¡­ the lord has done you a huge favor, ridding you of a headache. Though this may hurt to hear, there¡¯s no shame in getting some help from a friend who loves you dearly. Being too proud for charity is a bad thing. When you¡¯re sick, or down on your lu--¡±


    Argrave interrupted, dismissing, ¡°If all I have to do is nothing, then I don¡¯t think we have anything further to discuss. You made it clear from the beginning that I¡¯m already on your side, right? So, there¡¯s nothing more to talk about, nothing to agree about.¡± He raised his hand, dispelling the outer ward around them. ¡°You were very helpful.¡±


    Dimocles looked at Argrave, and then at all around him. Finally his gaze settled back ahead, and he smiled and said, ¡°Then I suppose I¡¯ll leave.¡±


    Argrave waited for Dimocles¡¯ back to turn. When he did, Argrave¡¯s hand started to move, but froze after seeing something.


    There was a hand on the back of Dimocles¡¯ head, its palm facing Argrave t. Two eyes watched just below this hand. As he watched Dimocles cautiously, using his senses to take note of things¡­ the magic power within Dimocles exploded. Argrave felt like he was looking at the Alchemist once again, seeing so much magic exuded from his very being.


    It took him a moment of cautious paranoia for Argrave to realize what that was¡ªnamely, he had triggered the Blessing of Supersession. Dimocles didn¡¯t seem to have any intent to attack¡ªindeed, he only walked away deeper into the Bloodwoods calmly. The hand on the back of his head seemed ready to conjure a spell at a moment¡¯s notice, and the eyes watched him. He was being just as cautious as Argrave was, it seemed. He had triggered the blessing to be ready to defend from any attack.


    Argrave ran it through his head. B-rank blood magic¡ªespecially his B-rank blood magic¡ªcould break A-rank wards, no matter how many of them Dimocles could conjure. But could he kill him? The man would certainly have ways to escape. And once he escaped, word would get out that Argrave was not a cooperator.


    He¡¯s a dangerous bastard, Argrave¡¯s inner voice said. Do him like you did Induen. Stomp his skull in.


    Calm prevailed. Lashing out without preparation would be stupid. Argrave had endured a hit from Induen many months ago. His jaw had been shattered, and he¡¯d been warned and threatened to cooperate. That had been a meeting of the same atmosphere as Dimocles¡¯ conversation.


    And where was Prince Induen now? Rotting in the ground, his ambitions turned to dust. There was a lesson in that.


    Argrave suppressed his indignance, suppressed the feeling that he might not get another chance. Dimocles wasn¡¯t the problem¡ªErlebnis was the problem. And so the collector walked in the Bloodwoods, fading out of sight.


    Silence persisted for a time, and Argrave slowly turned. Everyone looked confused and concerned, but they could tell by bodynguage alone that couldn¡¯t have been a simple conversation.


    Realizing he¡¯d need to speak first, Argrave told them simply, ¡°We have work to do.¡±

 Chapter 390: Salvage

    Before Argrave stood his top ranks in this expedition¡ªeveryone who had some degree of authority. The three Veidimen officers, the Magisters, Mina and the Monti family, andstly his family, Orion and Anneliese. These were all people of proven trustworthiness and skill, and he needed precise delegation and execution at this critical juncture.


    Seeing them all¡­ he felt some degree of self-loathing for having doubted them. To know that betrayal came from somewhere higher up did disquiet him. Simultaneously, knowing that whatever happened moving forward would be with those he trusted absolutely bolstered his confidence.


    Argrave nodded and looked off to everyone else. ¡°We¡¯re going to the coastline of the North Sea, where the ships I called for will be docking tomorrow morning¡ªwe can¡¯t sleep, not tonight. I had intended Elenore to send men to help purging thend of the remnants of Kirel Qircassia¡¯s forces, but we¡¯ll make use of them.¡±


    ¡°Make use of them for what? What¡¯s happening?¡± Nikoletta asked, still out of the loop.


    Argrave looked at her and her father. ¡°For starters, we¡¯ll use their ships. You and Duke Enrico will be going back.¡±


    The old duke had barely had the chance to say even three words, but even still he recognized the situation and gave a steady nod. Nikoletta, however, began, ¡°But I want to--!¡±


    ¡°You need to go to Elenore, and you need to deliver her my words exactly as I say them,¡± Argrave interrupted her. ¡°These are instructions I can¡¯t risk being leaked.¡±


    Duke Enrico put his hand on his daughter¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Listen to Argrave.¡±


    ¡°His Majesty, Duke Enrico,¡± Orion corrected. ¡°But please, tell us what happened to change our ns so.¡±


    Argrave looked at him and took a deep breath, still grappling with that himself. ¡°Another god has hit the forests. We have to change our response ordingly.¡±


    ¡°And the elven gods?¡± Vasilisa questioned seriously.


    ¡°¡­we¡¯recking critical information,¡± Argrave said hesitantly. ¡°There is much to work out. For now, go.¡±


    #####


    ¡°Going back to the battlefield would be a clear uncooperative signal,¡± Anneliese advised Argrave. ¡°And as we are now, we can do nothing. The fate of the elven gods rests in their own hands.¡±


    Their party marched for the coastline. The two of them talked in a ward sustained by Anneliese, ensuring none of their conversation leaked out to anyone listening. They could tolerate no risks, not now.


    As much as it embittered Argrave, he knew she had a point. Rushing back into things would achieve nothing but firmly cing them on one side of things. For now, regardless of how things yed out, it was best to give the image of epting Erlebnis¡¯ unspoken offer. And so they headed for the ships Elenore sent, where some would turn back. Yet even still, Argrave¡¯s mind drifted back to the battlefield¡­


    ¡°You saw the gods¡¯ power,¡± Anneliese continued when Argrave said nothing. ¡°Their enemies are strong, but as are they. And each are made even stronger by the power Kirel Qircassia¡¯s partial defeat gave to them.¡±


    He looked at her. ¡°And if Erlebnis is lying about sparing the elves?¡±


    ¡°I saw their retreat. They fight a few emissaries, who fight half-heartedly, I am sure of it. But even if they did not¡­ could you change their Tumens¡¯ fate?¡± Anneliese said tactfully. ¡°Is there even a way out of this?¡±


    Argrave heard her question and thought it rhetorical¡­ yet nheless, his mind worked to grab at answers. ¡°Mozzahr, the Casten of the Empty, fought against gods deep below the earth in the abandoned cities of the dwarves. Racial dwarves, not like Artur,¡± Argrave told Anneliese. ¡°Mozzahr fought the gods for a year. And in the end, he won.¡±


    Anneliese looked at him. ¡°You said he invades the maind at the dawn of the second year.¡±


    ¡°He does,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°Down there, in those old, abandoned dwarven cities¡­ well, precisely what¡¯s happening here happened there. Gerechtigkeit saw Mozzahr as a threat to his victory, so he weakened the boundaries between realms, casting that ce into chaos with the early advent of gods. And Mozzahr was the victor. That¡¯s one hell of an achievement.¡±


    Anneliese closed her eyes for a brief moment, then opened them again as she almost stumbled over something while walking. ¡°I question why Gerechtigkeit refrained from something like that in Vasquer itself.¡±


    ¡°Maybe he thought I¡¯d respond quickly enough to end it. Kirel had time to build up strength and widen the breach, hidden away in the Bloodwoods as he was. If not for him trying to kill the forest, I might not have noticed at all.¡± Argrave sighed. ¡°Whatever the case, it doesn¡¯t matter. This is what we deal with.¡±


    ¡°What lessons can we take from that?¡± Anneliese questioned. ¡°Did the enemies Mozzahr facepare to Erlebnis at all?¡±


    ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m grasping at straws a little,¡± Argrave paused, looking back to see everyone was following. Their haste had put some distance between him and the main forces, yet Orion still followed afortably close distance away. ¡°Christ, this whole venture was straws to begin with¡­ but now, it¡¯s¡­ I don¡¯t know, half-eaten straws.¡±


    ¡°But you will grasp,¡± Anneliese said confidently. ¡°At what, though?¡±


    Argrave began quietly, ¡°Do you remember when Onychinusa cast that spell on me, the first time we interacted with her?¡±


    Anneliese blinked a few times, then nodded. ¡°You said it was shamanic magic.¡±


    Argrave nodded in confirmation and continued, ¡°And I also said¡ª¡±


    ¡°You also said that the Ebon Cult heralding Mozzahr were prominent users of shamanic magic,¡± she filled in somewhat eagerly. ¡°And shamanic magic employs spirits, which are fragments of gods. Argrave, does this mean¡­?¡±


    ¡°Like I told you, I¡¯m reaching,¡± Argrave cut in a little loudly, hoping to dampen her rising hope. It did no good to raise expectations. ¡°Shamanic magic was useless to me in the beginning. Silvic was the only spirit we saw, and she wasn¡¯t vulnerable to shamanic magic in the slightest. Spirits aren¡¯t abundant. It¡¯s been a thousand years since thest time gods could fragment, and most spirits have found their ce far away from the clutches of mortals.¡±


    ¡°But now things are different,¡± Anneliese followed his train of thought. ¡°Now, we have seen spirits, seen them taken in by the elven gods. But is it enough to turn the tide if we can get them, utilize them?¡±


    Argrave didn¡¯t answer her question. The rest of their force caught up, so Argrave resumed walking, and Anneliese followed eagerly waiting for his answer as he deliberated. ¡°What Onychinusa was trying to do was teleport me to another location. That should give you some indication of how powerful shamanic magic can be. It also uses a highly limited resource that can¡¯t reasonably be obtained until things get¡­ very desperate. Any spirits we¡¯d get, we¡¯d have to make¡ªnamely, by the dismemberment of literal gods.¡±


    ¡°I hope that all of this is a preamble to ¡®yes,¡¯¡± Anneliese said hopefully.


    ¡°It depends on our ability, our luck, but¡­ yes, I do see a way,¡± Argrave said quietly, as though to diminish the impact of his words by speaking them softly. ¡°Did I ever mention what Mozzahr was actually fighting down there in the dwarven cities? He was fighting a god of war. Well, perhaps calling Sataistador ¡®a¡¯ god of war is doing him a disservice. Every god I can think of knows of him and fears him¡­ meaning he¡¯s either survived as many cycles or more cycles of judgement than any other god.¡± He looked at her. ¡°That¡¯s why the gods feared Mozzahr, too, after he killed him. You don¡¯t kill an ancient god with luck alone.


    ¡°On that note¡­¡± Argrave slowed. ¡°I want you to check me if I need checking, Anneliese. Am I making a mistake? Am I¡­ letting pride, letting personal feelings, get in the way of things?¡± He looked to Orion beyond the ward. ¡°I¡¯m responsible for a lot more than myself, now. That¡¯s what power is. Would it be best to swallow this defeat, bide my time, break these shackles?¡±


    She thought, then posed him a simple question. ¡°Do you think Erlebnis will be entirely fair in his dealings?¡±


    Argrave considered her question. ¡°If he says he¡¯ll do something, he¡¯ll do it, I know that much. And if he wants you dead¡­ well, we¡¯re seeing that firsthand. He imed to be our ¡®our side,¡¯ but Dimocles delivered that message¡­ maybe there was a reason Erlebnis used a human messenger,¡± he shook his head in disappointment.


    ¡°Whatever the case, I am of the opinion it cannot be trusted,¡± Anneliese advised. ¡°I think Dimocles is right. Erlebnis does know better than you, and if you fell under his wing Gerechtigkeit would surely perish. But the cost¡­ we would be feeling it for generations. He would leave his cold, unfeeling mark on this entire continent. And all of his actions would be for his benefit.¡± She looked at him with a bitter smile. ¡°If you want that¡­ if you want safety for you, for us¡­ as I said, I will follow you.¡±


    ¡°The easy out,¡± Argrave said. ¡°Be his champion, save the world¡­ and by the end of it all, leave an empty wastnd behind, exploited to nothingness in service of a higher power. You provide good rity, you know.¡± He looked ahead, where the first bit of ocean came into sight. ¡°Then we keep on like this. We can¡¯t kill him, just like we can¡¯t kill Kirel Qircassia. But maybe¡­ maybe he can be repelled. Heh¡­ to think I thought the Qircassian Coalition was my biggest looming enemy.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°So¡ªget shamanic magic, then return,¡± Anneliese nodded, seeming a little brighter with the light of hope. ¡°Where might we get it?¡±


    ¡°Elenore was in charge of the teams exploring ruins to collect useful artifacts and knowledge. Nikoletta is going to check in with her, find out if the teams sent out have picked up anything worth using. If we¡¯re lucky, we can rely upon that¡­ but we¡¯ll need a specific set of spells, so I¡¯m not overflowing with optimism. If that falls through, I know a ce we can enter. It¡¯s tough¡­ damn it all, it is very tough¡­ but definitely not as tough as the emissaries.¡±


    ¡°It must be near,¡± Anneliese assumed. ¡°Elsewise, how can we return fast enough to salvage this situation?¡±


    He looked surprised she asked that question, then said with a smile, ¡°How indeed?¡±


    They passed beyond the trees onto the coastline as dusk finally ending, marking the beginning of night.

 Chapter 391: Kansas City Shuffle

    ¡°All of that work to return without finishing?¡± Ganbaatar stepped to Argrave, concerned but with anger held tightly at bay. ¡°What was that conversation?¡±


    Argrave watched the ship docked with knights and his cousin aboard, then looked to Ganbaatar. Behind, Moriatran and Artur moved off, speaking to each other as they spoke of the battle they¡¯d just endured. Argrave waited a moment, then conjured a ward around himself and the elf.


    ¡°Kirel Qircassia is in league with another god,¡± Argrave said to Ganbaatar t out.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    It pained him to phrase it in such a way, deflecting me from himself¡­ but what he needed most was Ganbaatar¡¯s cooperation. He could practically hear Dimocles saying, ¡®You know best, Argrave. That¡¯s why you deceive this man.¡¯ But then, shame had never been in Argrave¡¯s repertoire.


    ¡°What in the zes does that mean?¡± the wood elf stepped closer. ¡°Why are we here? Why are we standing about? And¡­ ships?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to fix this,¡± Argrave said point-nk. ¡°But I¡¯ll level with you¡ªthings are desperate. We¡¯re on the backpedal.¡±


    Ganbaatar took a deep, angry breath through clenched teeth. ¡°The backpedal,¡± he repeated.


    ¡°I need to get to the dryads,¡± Argrave continued. ¡°And I¡¯m hoping you can help with that.¡±


    ¡°Do you realize what you¡¯re asking?¡± Ganbaatar gestured towards him. ¡°The dryads are the sole thing kept secret, kept protected. Elves can move, relocate, build new homes¡­ but the dryads are linked to the forest, bound by their roots. To give that up¡­¡± he pped his hands together. ¡°I give up everything, everyone.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need to engage with them so much as the ce they¡¯re taking root,¡± Argrave continued. ¡°You¡¯ve been, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I was eight years old. Most everyone that goes there was,¡± Ganbaatar looked to the side. ¡°Blindfolded, carried miles¡­ no way I remember where it is.¡±


    ¡°But the ce you did see¡ªdid it remind you of anything?¡± Argrave gestured.


    Ganbaatar didn¡¯t need to think long before answering, ¡°It was like that ce we met with the elven gods. Those hanging gardens, that colosseum¡­¡±


    ¡°Ancient elven ruins,¡± Argrave told him. ¡°Well¡­ ancient elven style, at least. That¡¯s irrelevant. I need to go there, Ganbaatar. Please, help me.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know how to go there?¡± the elf stared with his red eyes pointedly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± Argrave shook his head. It was half-true. He knew where it was on the map, but the ce was essible only by cutscene, even with the game stretched to its limits. He didn¡¯t care to chance risking his life to defy that principle. The dryads had protection in ce.


    Ganbaatar looked off to the side, debating with himself. Then, with his mind settled, he said idly, ¡°The Supreme Myriarch and his Kheshig know. Contacts among any of them are pointless. The myriarchs know, too. The only contact I have among them is my mentor, Batbayar, but¡­¡± he looked at Argrave. ¡°Is it bad? This¡­ this change in the battle, I mean.¡±


    Lies came to mind, but even Argrave wasn¡¯t that boldfaced. Instead he said truthfully, ¡°There¡¯s been betrayals. Chiteng. Myriarch Altan.¡±


    Ganbaatar looked panicked¡ªnot normal panic, but a soldier¡¯s panic, as though he¡¯d dealt with this a thousand times before. Argrave was impressed despite the terrible situation. ¡°They they¡¯ll all die,¡± he said distantly. ¡°Betrayals like that don¡¯t happen without certainty from the opposition. And given the way you had us abandon our journey to Sarikiz¡­¡±


    Argrave looked at him, feeling the guilt ahead of what he was about to do. ¡°If I could get you to talk to Batbayar¡­ could it be done? Could you persuade him to take me to the dryads?¡±


    ¡°While he¡¯smanding troops in desperation? Not a chance,¡± Ganbaatar shook his head.


    Argrave looked up, steeling himself to admit he brought this upon everyone, unwittingly or not. Then he looked back down and said, ¡°And if it wasn¡¯t in desperation? If it was a meeting in peace?¡±


    Ganbaatar frowned at Argrave. ¡°How would you make that happen, dire as things are?¡±


    Because I¡¯m on their side, Argrave thought. And no matter how he moved the words around, he couldn¡¯t find a way to put it diplomatically. This man hade to him for help, and now it was his time to admit that he¡¯d ruined it.


    #####


    ¡°Are you sure you head the right way, Your Majesty?¡± Orion inquired as Argrave¡¯s gaze wandered the ce.


    ¡°No. Quite frankly, no, I¡¯m not sure,¡± Argrave said in slight irritation. ¡°All thendscape¡¯s been turned around, churned by the roots like raw cookie dough, all thanks to Kirel. These trees are big and impressive, but there¡¯s so damn many of them that they all look the same. It¡¯s been two years since Ist yed the game, and memory isn¡¯t forever.¡± He looked back at Orion, whose concern leaked past his battered golden helmet. ¡°I¡¯ll get it. Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°I think I found it,¡± Anneliese told Argrave, scouting with her eyes instead of her bird in a rare asion. ¡°Big tree, slightly hollowed stump, cavern hidden by roots¡­ it has been disturbed, but it remainsrgely intact.¡±


    The three of them moved alone, separated from the rest of the party. Argrave had the others doing as he bid¡ªand ¡®as he bid¡¯ mostly meant doing whatever to draw no suspicion from Erlebnis. Though he sent Nikoletta along to Elenore, he didn¡¯t have high hopes that his sister acquired any shamanic magic from the search parties sent to loot valuable locations in Vasquer. Locations that had it were in short supply, and not particrly high priority. It was midgame loot, and so Argrave only intended to acquire it before the midgame began¡ªparticrly, the point where spirits became asmon as grass.


    Ganbaatar had agreed to help with surprisingly little fuss. Maybe Argrave was delusional, but the elven warrior seemed to almost feel some relief when he heard of Argrave¡¯s mistake, like it was some sign he was truly human. Regardless, Argrave hoped Batbayar would be as amodating toward his apprentice as he had been in Heroes of Berendar. Elsewise¡­ the n wouldn¡¯t die, but it¡¯d be riskier.


    The three of them made it to the ce that Anneliese had noticed, and upon looking at it some familiarity dawned. Argrave could say the same about most of the ces on this continent, so it wasn¡¯t quite special yet. Nevertheless, they proceeded deeper in. And when they did, Argrave knew he was in the right ce.


    The short cave ended quickly with a stone statue that was all too simr to many that Argrave had seen before, be that in Heroes of Berendar or in this life. The stone tablet and the statue itself had been disced, and Argrave blinked at a loss at how to proceed.


    As his mind settled upon an answer, he opened his mouth¡­ speaking to Erlebnis¡¯ emissaries once again.


    ¡°You need to set up a meeting with Altan and the myriarchs, set up a conversation. I¡¯m not letting thousands of elven refugeese into my kingdom without a proper n,¡± Argrave said decisively, feeling half a madman as he talked to a cave wall. ¡°You said they¡¯re retreating. Let me facilitate that.¡±


    ¡°That can happen,¡± came the answer at once, from behind.


    When Argrave looked back Orion had already pulled back his fist to punch the emissary at the cave¡¯s entrance. The prince paused when he saw it didn¡¯t move, stepping back towards Argrave cautiously.


    ¡°It can happen,¡± Argrave repeated, stepping past them both. ¡°And how does it happen organically?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll need to be away from the coast. Away from those boats of yours,¡± the emissary continued, its thin lips speaking precisely. ¡°Your party could screen the retreat. As I understand, your queen¡¯s A-rank ability revolves around absorbing magic,¡± the emissary looked to her.


    Anneliese crossed her arms, somewhat guarded as she looked at the abominable creature. Though Argrave shared her difort the emissary knew of her power, Argrave answered on her behalf, ¡°Yes, that¡¯s the gist of her ability.¡±


    ¡°She arrives. We lessen the intensity of our magic¡ªnot enough to draw suspicion, but enough for her to endure. She endures, buying time for Altan to give a convincing retreat. Then, you may reconvene with her wherever you so please.¡± The emissary waved his hand grandly.


    Argrave gave no answer, ill at ease with cing the woman he loved in the line of fire. Practically speaking, that would be the right move. Personally viewing the battlefield gave them the chance to survey the betrayal firsthand, make some evaluations about the fate of the elven gods and the future of this resistance n of his.


    ¡°I can do it,¡± Anneliese answered.


    Argrave looked at her, wanting to argue. Upon seeing the fire in her amber eyes, he surrendered and said, ¡°If she¡¯s fine with it¡­ then I am too. But given you¡¯re volunteering Altan, that would mean the Supreme Myriarch is already dead?¡±


    ¡°And all of his Kheshig, yes,¡± the emissary nodded.


    Argrave took a deep breath and sighed. ¡°If that matter¡¯s settled, can I ask a favor from my newfound friend?¡± He used Dimocles¡¯nguage to see if the collector was a sophist or a messenger.


    ¡°You are on our side,¡± the emissary said, not quite answering the question.


    ¡°Part of the reason I came here¡­ other than securing the loyalty of the elves¡­ it was to secure the assistance of the dryads, too,¡± Argrave looked on unflinchingly. He had never told Chiteng this part, and so he divulged it now to earn trust. ¡°I need that assistance for my long-range nning.¡±


    The emissary stared nkly, giving no response.


    ¡°I think I have a way to get the elves to give it up¡ªmore specifically, to take me where the dryads live. I understand this might interest Erlebnis,¡± Argrave said, almost venturing.


    ¡°This forest will die, Argrave,¡± the emissary said inly. ¡°We have promised it to Kirel Qircassia. Nothing can be spared. This must be his territory, and he must be our ally.¡±


    ¡°But the knowledge needn¡¯t die with the forest,¡± Argrave shrugged, hoping to draw upon Erlebnis¡¯ emotionalpulsion to preserve knowledge. ¡°If I can get a line with the elves¡­ if they can take me to the dryads¡­ I could share that with you. You, meaning Erlebnis.¡± He took some steps closer. ¡°As a matter of fact, why not have Onychinusae along?¡±


    ¡°She is in battle,¡± the emissary said.


    ¡°Battles end, don¡¯t they?¡± Argrave cracked a smile.


    ¡°And as escorts go, we emissaries are better suited,¡± he continued passively.


    Argrave raised a brow as if surprised, then bluffed, ¡°You¡¯re wee, certainly. Didn¡¯t think I¡¯d get the privilege.¡±


    After half a second of silence, it continued, ¡°But a mortal touch would be better suited, given that this mission rests on the elves breaking past the dryads¡¯ barrier. We are not so wee in mortal societies. Onychinusa can be called away, certainly.¡±


    The question was half a probe, and Argrave almost smiled when the test came back positive. For this n to work, Onychinusa was vital. She had toe along. As the emissary had said¡­ a mortal touch was necessary.


    Onest matter remained, however.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll see how it ys with the dryads, and stay in touch,¡± Argrave held his arms out. ¡°And on that note¡­ another thing.¡±


    ¡°The Lord can be a good and reasonable friend,¡± the emissary said, caution hidden in the words¡ªArgrave shouldn¡¯t ask for something unreasonable.


    ¡°If this does work out, I want to kill Dimocles,¡± Argrave said, his voice low.


    The emissary tilted his head. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Intuition. Knowledge of who he is, what¡­ attracts his attention,¡± Argrave exined. ¡°I don¡¯t think he can be trusted to be genuine and loyal, and given his unusual tendencies, I¡¯d like to wipe him out.¡±


    The emissary remained silent. Then, it waved its hand, answering neither affirmatively or negatively. ¡°Bring your people to the elven army.¡±


    And just as it hade, so too did it disappear, likely returning to Erlebnis¡¯ realm by way of the nearby shrine. Argrave looked to hispanions, and then made for the exit. Argrave didn¡¯t know how thoroughly Dimocles was connected to Erlebnis¡­ but he hoped that this request of his would strengthen the ancient god¡¯s belief he intended to be true in this alliance. And if Dimocles should die¡ªa happy ident.


    In his mind, Argrave came to know something. He was in this. No matter how this ended, he was involved. But Argrave¡­ he wasn¡¯t quite content wallowing in self-pity, reflecting on the guilt he felt for bringing this upon everyone. Maybe he¡¯d have crumbled a year ago, back when he had not experienced so much. But times had changed since then.


    Argrave was well ready to con a god. Not through using other gods like hands, but through using only that obtained with his wit and knowledge. And secretly, though he wouldn¡¯t tell this to even Anneliese¡­ he did it in part because with this route, the consequences of failure all fell back to him alone. Nikoletta would tell Elenore the situation, and if he died attempting this¡­ his sister would be ready to handle it all.


    Whatever the case, he would suffer no gods lording over his people.

 Chapter 392: Comparing Painting to Reality

    Argrave had been hearing reports from Anneliese about how the reignited battle looked. She called it many things¡ªchaos, indiscriminate destruction. Looking upon it with his own two eyes, he could think of few adjectives beyond that. Aspects of dragons, great chasms in the earth, titans formed of wind¡­ it was a grand disy of death. Spells of the highest order battered at the elven gods, cast without end.


    From their spot in the distant canopies, the emissaries of Erlebnis almost looked¡­ normal. They seemed nothing more than a lone regiment, perhaps a little more than one hundred in number. But from his perspective as one endowed with the sight of an A-rank mage, these emissaries were alight with unprecedented power, catching his eyes like falling stars in a pitch-ck night. They used their lord Erlebnis¡¯ blessing, and Argrave saw its true potential on clear disy.


    The gods and the elves had been split into two separate forces, each retreating from the open ins Kirel Qircassia made back into the forest. Dimocles had been lying when he said this battle was already decided, just as Argrave had thought. Nine or so emissaries dealt with the elven army, doing nothing more than engaging with the spellcasters on the elves¡¯ side¡ªthey sent wards and the asional probing attack. Though the spells were enough to rock the earth, both forces possessed spellcasters capable of S-rank spells.


    The rest of the emissaries, however, dealt solely with the elven gods. With nine on the army and one hundred on the gods, it seemed an uneven split¡­ but the gods needed to be their sole focus, as they were the true threat on this battlefield. They kept them contained with constant spells, assailing from all sides. Even still, they could not fully stop their retreat. They advanced steadily backwards, abandoning Kirel Qircassia¡¯s breach.


    Leading the emissaries was the traitor, Chiteng. His ivory de caught some spells the emissaries cast, using them to add power as he fought against his own family. Merata met his de time and time again with his crook, showing crude strength and expertise in equal measure. Each time the ivory met wood, a loud crack echoed out, like a bat struck a wall.


    ¡°Ghan is badly injured. A great cut renders him incapable, starting from his throat and leading down to his groin. He bleeds spirits in abundance, despite attempts to staunch this,¡± Anneliese told Argrave. ¡°Merata is leading them. From something I overheard, they attempt to retreat back to their heart of power. I think¡­ for now, they can manage a retreat. But as Erlebnis¡¯ power grows, and as more emissariese to bear¡­ they will be overrun.¡±


    Argrave watched closely. As Anneliese said, Merata, the eldest son, took the defense in their retreat. Gunlik, the third eldest after Chiteng, supported his father while the matriarch Ujin attempted to clear a retreat path with the rest of the gods. But the emissaries were a cold and unfeeling regiment possessing mechanical discipline and a near-foolproof strategy.


    ¡°They divide themselves into three units,¡± Anneliese observed beside Argrave. ¡°One actively engages. One is reserve. The other is resupplying.¡±


    And it was just as Anneliese said. The frontliners attacked, their Blessing of Supersession fully engaged. Mana ripples filled the air as they used spells far beyond Argrave¡¯s ken¡ªdragons born of me burned through Merata¡¯s power of woodworking while great stretches of earth gave beneath them, turning into inhuman jaws that ate at their legs. Swords of wind as tall as trees stabbed at their heads, swung towards their throats¡­ it was a constant devilish assault. On the inverse, any attempt at attack from the gods was met with aplete defense from multiple S-rank wards, each sorge and strong that all of the emissaries were protected simultaneously. Erlebnis¡¯ emissaries were small¡ªbut small size was an advantage, not a disadvantage, in this case.


    When the vanguard emissaries lost their power of the blessing granted to them by Erlebnis, they fell back, joining the resupplying unit while the reserve unit became the frontliners. With the reserve up front, the assault began once more. In the resupply unit, the now-diminished emissaries used another of their abilities¡ªrapid absorption of ambient magic, to repay any debt incurred. The emissaries had very little natural magic: all they had was an intense ability to replenish that supply. It was all designed to repay the debt the Blessing of Supersession incurred.


    When the frontliners ran out of their five minutes, they became the new backliners. The reserves became the frontliners, and the backliners became the reserve. It was a revolving door of efficient destruction. The spells, though grand, were measured and precise, spending enough magic to slowly kill their foes while retaining the ability to recover before joining the front.


    This disy of magic defied human standards. And it was why they weren¡¯t human.


    ¡°The gods can get away if they y this right.¡± Argrave looked to where the breach was. Merata¡¯s fortress of wood constructed around it still stood strong, but he wasn¡¯t sure how long that wouldst. ¡°But I¡¯m not sure how long theyst after this. A few days? A week, two, at best? And without pressure on Kirel Qircassia and his breach, in a while the emissaries aren¡¯t going to be the only ones hunting them.¡±


    ¡°Did you truly say Kirel Qircassia was stronger than Erlebnis?¡± Anneliese questioned, watching all ahead.


    Orion narrowed his brows as he watched. ¡°Kirel can¡¯t be stronger. We won against him. Against this¡­ can there be victory?¡±


    ¡°I said when fully manifested, Kirel is likely stronger than Erlebnis¡± Argrave justified himself. ¡°But the emissaries circumvent the slow period of manifestation. They tap into Erlebnis¡¯ power directly through the Blessing of Supersession, and then use mortal methods¡ªnamely, magic¡ªto make full use of that power. His servants are the weakest imaginable, physically speaking, and not especially numerous. But this trick enables Erlebnis to show incredible power very early in the cycle of judgement, long before his full form is manifested. By then, he¡¯s earned himself a huge advantage.¡±


    As Argrave finished exining, he saw some movement in his peripheries and turned his head. There, an emissary emerged, walking on the high branches delicately. They had been speaking behind a ward, but now Argrave dispelled it to speak with them.


    Argrave rose to his feet, feeling the branch beneath him sway as he moved his weight. Just after the emissary came Onychinusa. She looked at them distrustfully.


    This emissary had two handsrger than its shrunken torso, and it entwined them as it spoke. ¡°The new acting Supreme Myriarch Altan has been informed of this new development. She is ready and willing to cooperate with you.¡±


    ¡°How did you inform her?¡± Argrave pressed. ¡°Just so I know there¡¯s no misunderstanding. An unclear message could ruin things.¡±


    ¡°We have faithful adherents in their armies,¡± the emissary exined calmly. ¡°The elves were argely faithless lot, yet many soldiers need spiritual fulfillment in the wake of death. Many seeking spiritual satisfaction or more¡­ material advancement, shall we say, found His innumerable shrines dotted throughout Berendar. It is why they were built. Altan was no recent acquisition.¡±


    He¡¯s saying they have cultists all throughout the forest, Argrave realized. And maybe even far beyond that. Good lord¡­ even if I get through this alive, I have to rouse the Spanish Inquisition back home. To think that I was once paranoid about revealing my Blessing, and now I might be forced to hunt down people precisely like me.


    ¡°Good enough for me,¡± Argrave concluded, then looked at the tan, white-haired elf at the emissary¡¯s side. ¡°She¡¯ll being with us?¡±


    ¡°The Lord¡¯s mortal champion has been instructed to do whatever you need her to,¡± the emissary put its big hand on her shoulder, and it nearly hid her head with the sheer size of it.


    Argrave studied Onychinusa. As ever, she couldn¡¯t meet his gaze, and seemed generally frustrated with this situation. He decided to brief her, saying authoritatively, ¡°You seem to dislike talking, so I¡¯ll say only this¡ªif asked, you¡¯re Anneliese¡¯s sister. Don¡¯t kill anyone unless instructed, endeavor to protect every member of my party, and don¡¯t go off on your own.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± she answered tly.


    Argrave took a deep breath and looked away back to the battlefield. Though Onychinusa was a puppet cut to size by those who¡¯d raised her, he couldn¡¯t afford to pity her. He¡¯d keep interactions to a minimum, do what needed to be done, and then part ways. It¡¯d make the final juncture of this n simpler¡­ both for her and him.


    ¡°Then,e on,¡± Argrave waved his hand onward as he readied to jump off the branch. ¡°It¡¯s time to get them out of there.¡±


    #####


    Watching fireworks from afar was wholly different from having them explode near you.


    As Argrave led the front of his small force of Veidimen and Magisters, this was a principle soundly on disy. Ghan¡¯s assault with the storm at his back had been fierce and devastating and loud¡­ but the assault of the emissaries ate away sound, almost entirely drowning out the constant horn the elves sounded in desperate call for retreat. The earth shook, the air was equal parts humid and dry, and scatterings of wind buffeted them with dust in greater intensity the further they advanced.


    ¡°Need to put on quite the show, don¡¯t we?!¡± Argrave shouted to the two with him at the front¡ªspecifically, Onychinusa and Anneliese. ¡°Grimalt, Bastel, Rasten¡ªgo!¡±


    The Veidimen officers heeded his words, moving with the Magisters to join the elven army and provide aid. With the Magisters spent from the battle the day prior, only Argrave, Anneliese, and Onychinusa remained at rtively peak condition. And so they would be the designated bait.


    The emissaries pushed the elven army away to the coast, their small number more than sufficient to suppress and herd the whole army. Seeing the battle with the gods andparing it to the battle here, it was almost clear Erlebnis¡¯ servants held back a great deal. Regardless, Argrave didn¡¯t care if they were being benevolent, holding up their side of this twisted deal. In truth, he didn¡¯t intend to put on a show at all. He wanted to try and kill these things. It would be a good test for what was toe.


    Argrave held his hands out, miming a bow. His blood echoes spilled out from his body, and a distant onlooker might think he split into many. Each of them readied the spell [Bloodfeud Bow] in tandem, spending their essence to prepare for a powerful attack few things had survived.


    The emissaries took note of this immediately. Their relentless assault on the elven forces abated somewhat, and their disciplined force broke away to face Argrave squarely. The closest cast a spell of wind, and a ripping tornado erupted forth, tearing the ground up as it came. Still, Argrave advanced, confident in those near him.


    When it came close enough, Anneliese¡¯s ward finished, shielding them. It took the spell gracefully, persisting. But after the tornado came other spells¡ªa winding serpent dragon of me came next, but it was soon overtaken by a loud explosion of too-quick lightning magic, and the silver defense shattered. Anneliese prepared another ward, but Onychinusa bridged the gap between them, defending Argrave¡¯s advance once more with a ward of her own so he was left to the elements for no longer than half a second.


    As they endured spell after spell, the elven army seized this opportunity to disengage. Just as they moved away, Argrave shouted, ¡°I¡¯m firing!¡±


    The wards before him fell, and all of the blood magic he¡¯d been preparing sped above the ground to meet theing assault. Some of the maroon arrows split through approaching attacks entirely, heading directly for the emissaries. For a brief moment he was ecstatic, feeling he might get a kill after all. But in tandem, each emissary cast an S-rank ward. The arrows broke through the first, certainly¡­ even the second and third, impressively enough.


    But three wards was far from all. Theirbined defense could withstand a gods¡¯ attack. What hope did Argrave have to break it?


    The blood magic did leave its mark on the battlefield, though. All casting stopped for a brief moment, reced by the sound of the retreating army and their horns spurring them onwards. And in that eerie stillness, Argrave ordered, ¡°Hold the line!¡±


    And in moments, Argrave and hispany were personally subjected to precisely what the elven gods endured. That unending wave of power was turned against them, reduced by a multiple of ten and with the opposition deliberately lessening the intensity of their attacks. It was almost too much to handle, yet Anneliese did not waver, casting ward after ward to receive all assaults. Her magic supply was diminished and filled rapidly enough it was almost rming, her [Life Cycle] working overdrive to keep them whole.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    When the distant and constant noise of the elven horns fell out of his hearing, Argrave turned his head. He saw they¡¯d managed to make it back to the trees. With the redwoods at their disposal, the elves could retreat twice as fast. Realizing this, Argrave ordered, ¡°Time to fall back.¡±


    Anneliese backpedaled without a second thought, leaving countless wards in her retreat. It was a mind-numbingly tense stretch, and seemingly without end¡­ Argrave felt tempted to use his Blessing of Supersession time and time again, but ultimately never called upon it. And at some point¡­ the attacks ended. Beyond, the emissaries watched them for a moment. Then they turned their bodies and walked calmly to where the elven gods still fought.


    Anneliese stood there, drenched in sweat and breathing heavy. She stumbled slightly and Argrave grabbed her arm, holding her tight. Onychinusa gave them bitter side-eyes, watching as the emissaries left.


    ¡°¡­let¡¯s go,¡± Argrave said after a time.


    #####


    Argrave and his small force eventually joined with the elven army. They fell back to the spot that had been designated as a retreat, where they were received by scouts. The scouts that found them had been given orders. They were escorted to the higher leadership immediately, where all the myriarchs gathered.


    ¡°We should retreat further!¡± Argrave heard Batbayar insist as soon as he was led to them.


    ¡°Those abominations left us, went to join the others. All of us saw it,¡± Otgon argued.


    Argrave stepped into view, and all turned to look at him. Altan brightened and stepped up to Argrave, holding out her hand.


    ¡°Thank you, King Argrave, for arriving when you did. Our spellcasters were badly depleted, and I¡¯m uncertain we could hold out much longer. Great work,¡± she said, staring at him with her red eyesmon in all the wood elves. Maybe it was his imagination¡­ but knowing what she¡¯d done put an eerie undercurrent to all she said.


    ¡°I should havee sooner,¡± Argrave said truthfully. He didn¡¯t want to, but he shook her hand.


    Altan shook her head, and then pulled him to the table where the other myriarchs waited. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about what happened¡­ and where we go from here.¡± She looked back. ¡°But for now, Batbayar is right. We should head to where we are furthest from the invader¡¯s breach.¡±


    ¡°Can someone tell me what in the world happened? Those¡­ things, ambushed me, diverted me from my goal, and when we finally managed toe here¡­¡± Argrave interrupted, not ying along. ¡°I need to know everyst detail about what happened.¡±


    Altan looked at him in difort, but eventually gave a nod of concession. ¡°We can exin as we advance to safety.¡±


    I¡¯m going to work out fact from fiction, Argrave thought. And once that¡¯s done¡­ I can work out how this puzzling thing all fits together.

 Chapter 393: Gotta Serve Somebody

    On the way back, Argrave consorted with each of the myriarchs, endeavoring to assess the sum total of Erlebnis¡¯ presence. It was a somewhat cerebral task with Altan, Erlebnis¡¯ faithful, among them. He had to act like he was acting that he wasn¡¯t interested in how Erlebnis arrived. In reality, that was mainly what he was interested in.


    From it, he concluded some things. Firstly, Erlebnis hadn¡¯t been here long. The fighting force they¡¯d just encountered had actually been smaller when the battle began, and they were joined by other emissariester on. These new arrivals had broken the stalemate,rgely. With his servants of limited quantity, Argrave took that to mean that Erlebnis¡¯ power was only just beginning to manifest¡­ and that was why it was important to get his n together quickly. The earlier he fought back, the easier the fight would be.


    Erlebnis¡¯ short timeframe meant something else that was pivotal¡ªthis was no master n, where Argrave had been manipted intoing here and yed like a fiddle to aid Erlebnis¡¯ mastery of Kirel, the elven gods, and the Kingdom of Vasquer. If it had been nned long in advance, perhaps everything that Dimocles said would be true, and there would be no hope whatsoever.


    Anneliese said she suspected the god of knowledge merely kept watch, and then acted ordingly when he found an opportunity to strike with Chiteng¡¯s betrayal. Doubtless he¡¯d have been paying close attention to this region, what with Kirel Qircassia manifesting so. Perhaps their party had simply caught his eye, and things spiraled out of control from there.


    His presence on this realm meant Erlebnis had a breach of his own. Unlike the elven gods he had no strong ties to thisnd, and so a breach was necessary to manifest fully. All they knew about its location was that they came from the direction of the western coast, where the North Sea met thend. Depending on its location, Erlebnis was either quite far away geographically, or might potentially be in close proximity to Kirel Qircassia¡¯s breach. If it was thetter¡­ perhaps Argrave might be able to create conflict between the two.


    Regardless, Argrave could obtain no more pertinent information. Indeed, he had to spin a suitable tale exining why he did not arrive with Sarikiz¡¯s aid as he had promised. He told them they were rebuffed by the same creatures that had engaged with the elven army and their gods.


    After this long march of exnation and retreat, they made it to the central part of the Bloodwoods. Here, most were confident enough to be at ease, sending out thorough scouts to prepare for the next potential assault. Once there, Argrave had a brief respite in the high canopies of the Bloodwoods while waiting for a separate talk with Altan.


    Argrave stared at the leaves of the redwoods from their spot, high up in the branches with his people. Kirel Qircassia¡¯s ploy with the forest roots had left its mark¡ªalready, the green had turned to a faint brown, indicating that death had taken roots in even the branches of these titanic trees. Maybe they could be revived, but Argrave doubted it. The Veidimen were resting, exhausted, with Orion handling the situation on the ground. Anneliese and Ganbaatar were the only ones up here with him, and they stood by his side, totally exhausted. As his gaze wandered, his eyes met Onychinusa¡¯s, as she stared at them from a distant branch. She turned her gaze away as soon as their eyes met. It certainly wasn¡¯t shyness that made her do that.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Argrave said, turning back to the three of them. ¡°It¡¯s time to see if this will work. You¡¯re going to talk to Batbayar?¡± Argrave asked Ganbaatar quietly despite the ward around them. These days, all of his conversations took ce behind wards. He could afford no risks, not at the stakes he was ying.


    Ganbaatar nodded, his eyes on the forest floor below. ¡°¡­yeah. Yeah, I will. Seeing as you¡¯re so persuasive, can you give me any advice? What should I say to him?¡±


    Argrave blinked, then hardened and put a hand on his shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t try to be like me,¡± he advised. ¡°Do your¡­ your normal angry insistence. If you¡¯re fake, he¡¯ll notice.¡±


    Ganbaatar looked at him bitterly, then took a deep breath and gestured for the ward.


    Argrave broke it, letting him pass, and then reformed it against around Anneliese. ¡°Can you wrangle Onychinusa?¡± he asked her.


    ¡°Her?¡± Anneliese nced briefly but didn¡¯t let her gaze linger long.


    ¡°She¡¯s temperamental. You¡¯re well in tune with how she might react¡­ and when ites to restraining her, with [Life Cycle] you¡¯re almost her antithesis. You could literally absorb her if you grab her, for as long as the contactsts at least.¡± Argrave touched Anneliese¡¯s arm. ¡°Just make sure she doesn¡¯t do anything impulsive. She¡¯s a reluctant coborator who was infamous for being unpredictable in Heroes of Berendar.¡±


    ¡°And you will be busy working Altan, I suspect,¡± Anneliese nodded. ¡°Worry not. Onychinusa will cooperate and cause no problems. I will be sure of it.¡±


    With that, Argrave gave her a hug and released the ward. She moved closer to Onychinusa slowly, almost like approaching a timid animal. For the first time in a long while, Argrave was waiting with nothing urgent on his te. He was left alone with his thoughts¡­ more specifically, his failures.


    His first encounter with the divine had gone very poorly. He was still reeling desperately, seeking opportunity by feigning cooperation. Though there were lights of hope, the shadow trailing behind seemed liable to swallow him and the whole of Vasquer. With that¡­ there would be deaths. Indeed, there already were¡ªthough he¡¯d allowed the elven army to retreat from the emissaries, an attack of that magnitude hadn¡¯t been without deaths.


    Movement beneath brought Argrave out of his thoughts, and he looked towards the source to see Altan pulling herself up to the branch he stood on with wires. She walked to him quickly, then stopped.


    ¡°I greet His Majesty,¡± she said, kneeling before him.


    Argrave looked around, perplexed, then bent slightly to grab her shoulder and help her up. ¡°Why are you doing this, exactly?¡±


    Altan epted his guidance, rising to her feet. He studied her face. She had a thin, tall head, with sharp cheeks and chin marred by many scars. Her red eyes were small and seemed almost naturally hateful. She looked just as Argrave remembered¡­ and in Heroes of Berendar, she¡¯d certainly never been a worshipper of Erlebnis. He recalled her as a cynic, but a pragmatist. She was not this woman, who would stand idly by and watch the Supreme Myriarch die.


    ¡°I have been assigned to be your loyal servant, however you wish that to be,¡± Altan told him. ¡°You certainly asked many questions, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t call me that. Not worth the risk,¡± Argrave instructed her. ¡°You didn¡¯t seem to have any problems answering those questions.¡±


    ¡°I had to be helpful. My position as Supreme Myriarch isn¡¯t entirely secure,¡± she told him while crossing her arms. ¡°Your aid on that front would be greatly appreciated.¡±


    Argrave felt pleased, finding another chink in Erlebnis¡¯ armor. He restrained his exuberance and instead acted disappointed, admonishing, ¡°The emissaries told me you were Supreme Myriarch already.¡±


    ¡°Acting Supreme Myriarch,¡± Altan emphasized, seeming bitter about that fact herself. ¡°But the title is chosen among the myriarchs. So long as you can help, it¡¯s all but guaranteed I retain the position long term. And from there¡­ I¡¯llmand a migration to Vasquer, where we will be under your mercy.¡±


    Argrave clicked his tongue, looking down below. ¡°From all I¡¯ve seen of your people, it¡¯s going to be impossible to convince them to migrate to my kingdom quickly,¡± he began, taxing his mind to begin this borate y of his. ¡°Even if I offer shelter, it won¡¯t be taken.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d agree,¡± Altan crouched down, looking down. ¡°But in the end, it¡¯s not a choice. Factors beyond their control will determine how quick the exoduses; namely, we won¡¯t have a home to stay in much longer. I¡¯ll offer all the help I can.¡± She looked up at him. ¡°I hope you can do the same.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re fine serving me?¡± Argrave questioned. When she tilted her head in confusion, he continued, ¡°There won¡¯t be any problems epting your status as vassal instead of leader?¡±


    ¡°In the times thate, I saw it all,¡± Altan looked back down. ¡°We have to serve somebody. Let it be the one who can benefit us the most, materially speaking.¡±


    It may be the devil, or it may be the lord¡­ but you¡¯re gonna have to serve somebody.


    Argrave took a deep breath. It seemed it was time for him to put that conventional wisdom to test.


    #####


    ¡°You can¡¯t be serious,¡± Batbayar chided Ganbaatar. ¡°After all that time disappeared, chasing your fancy and abandoning your duty to the army, youe back to me and ask me this?!¡±


    ¡°I left the army with no stain to my honor,¡± Ganbaatar disagreed. ¡°And I ask you because you¡¯re the only one I can.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Batbayar cupped his forehead and said, ¡°Because you¡¯ve angered all of the rest with that attitude of yours.¡± He looked at Ganbaatar harshly. ¡°Now youe back, yingpdog to a foreign king?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be as damned dogged as I want when ites to saving my people!¡± Ganbaatar veritably growled through clenched teeth. ¡°This isn¡¯t about Arrgave, it¡¯s about us.¡±


    Batbayar waved his hands away, stepping until he peered out at row after row of sleeping soldiers, all exhausted and injured by the constant warfare of days past. ¡°I ought to take this before all of the myriarchs, make this public. The dryads¡ªpfft,¡± the S-rank spellcaster scoffed.


    ¡°But what will you do?¡± Ganbaatar stepped up behind him.


    Batbayar raised his hand up, fingers twitching as his red eyes grew distant and hazy. When no answer came to him, he said quietly, ¡°You¡¯ll know in the morning, I suppose.¡±


    ¡°But Batba¡ª¡±


    ¡°Keep talking, I¡¯ll name you traitor,¡± the elf turned his head. ¡°You¡¯re still under mymand, Ganbaatar, even if I allowed you to retire. Leave me be¡­ and let me think.¡±


    Ganbaatar looked like he might burst in fury¡­ but it seemed the elven rogue was better at containing his temper before his oldmander than the gods of his pantheon. He turned on his heel and walked away, leaving Batbayar to stand in the silence of night.


    ¡°Damn it, boy¡­¡± he sighed grimly, with no one around to hear.

 Chapter 394: Zealot Outreach Program

    After days of protracted tension andbat, much of which Argrave survived on little sleep, he finallyid his head down in one of the tents the Veidimen honor guard had pitched. He wasn¡¯t alone, as the tent was shared with Anneliese and her acting-sister Onychinusa, and he wasn¡¯t at peace, as the threats all around demanded his attention even still. Despite all of that, he felt now might be the time to finally rest, even if only for a few hours.


    But then armor nged into the tent, and when he opened his eyes Grimalt knelt before his bed.


    ¡°Your Majesty. One of the myriarchs is trying to see you. He¡¯s being rather insistent.¡±


    Argrave sat up, trying not to let his bitterness seep into his voice as he asked gruffly, ¡°His name?¡±


    ¡°Batbayar,¡± Grimalt answered sinctly.


    Hearing that was an awakening far more effective than a cold bucket of water to the head. Beside him, Anneliese also roused, sitting up as he did. With a partner to share the frustration of being roused, his bitterness died somewhat. In a more distant corner, Onychinusa¡ªwho had eliminated her need for sleep in light of making the whole of her body constructed of magic¡ªcame to attention.


    Argrave reached forward and grabbed his socks and boots, instructing Grimalt, ¡°Tell him I¡¯ll be with him shortly.¡±


    The Veidimen nodded and left the tent, heeding Argrave¡¯s directive. Anneliese also crawled to grab her footwear but Argrave touched her, catching her attention. ¡°Stay,¡± he told her, thinking first of Onychinusa. He didn¡¯t want her listening in on this meeting.


    With Anneliese, he didn¡¯t need to borate further. She gave a nod of confirmation and sat down on their bedding, rubbing her tired eyes. He gave her long white hair a rustle, put on his glovesst, and then made for the exit of the tent. Grimalt waited, ready to escort Argrave. He gave him a nod to lead on, and the Veidimen led the path.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    It was a quiet walk for some time, but then Grimalt spoke, saying, ¡°Your Majesty, if I may be presumptuous¡­¡±


    ¡°Presume away,¡± Argrave answered back quickly.


    ¡°I am rather skilled at judging people¡¯s disposition,¡± the elven warrior exined. ¡°Ask any near me, and they¡¯ll tell you the same thing. If that can be of service to you, then¡­¡± Argrave paused walking, causing Grimalt to look back in confusion. ¡°You¡¯re¡­ shocked?¡±


    He sized up this Veidimen officer. He kept the top of his head shaved and grew no facial hair, but looking at his eyes in the dusk¡­ they were amber, certainly. If this meant what he thought it might, then¡­ well, frankly, Argrave didn¡¯t know what to think. He and Anneliese had a system of bodynguage to convey much of what she learned from her near-supernatural empathy. If Grimalt had this same thing¡­


    ¡°Can you notice lies?¡± Argrave asked.


    ¡°Eh¡­¡± Grimalt scratched the back of his neck. ¡°I think I¡¯m better than most, but I¡¯ve been tricked before, Your Majesty.¡±


    Argrave nodded slowly, creating a newpartment in his mind to deal with this issue. ¡°Sure¡­ tell me what you think, after.¡± He followed behind again, realizing that this probably warranted further conversation. But for now, he would need to speak to Batbayar with his own ability.


    #####


    Anneliese studied Onychinusa curiously as the woman ran her fingers through the dirt in the corner of the tent. The elf said nothing as she sat there with her knees against her chest. She wore simple brown clothing, and seemed not to care that her white hair, her fingers, or indeed her whole body got dirty. With tan skin and unorthodoxly long ears, she was simr to Anneliese yet very different simultaneously.


    The past year with Argrave, Anneliese had managed to bring many facets of her curiosity under her control. Instead, she directed all of that desire to learn towards things that would benefit the kingdom, and most importantly to her, its king. But seeing thest living elf from the ancient civilization that the elves here likely descended from, and further a mortal champion of a god, Anneliese was filled with a desire to probe, to pry, and to learn.


    Argrave said he would like this to be a fleeting encounter, Anneliese thought. But knowing that it is fleeting makes it all the more enticing.


    One didn¡¯t need to be an empath to see that Onychinusa was lonely at present. Anneliese found her feet moving towards the woman before her rationality could restrain her. As soon as she came near, the elf was guarded and cautious. Ostensibly, this woman was hundreds of years old¡­ but looking at her, Anneliese felt she was looking at a little sister.


    Realizing the woman would answer no questions like this, she knelt down beside Onychinusa, asking quietly, ¡°Would you like to y a game?¡±


    Onychinusa didn¡¯t answer, staring ahead with the same guardedness.


    ¡°Here.¡± Anneliese lowered her finger to the ground, drawing four lines in the dirt that crossed each other. ¡°Argrave showed me this. It¡¯s called tic-tac-toe. We take turns¡ªI draw circles, you draw crosses. Line up three in a row¡­ you win,¡± she exined, demonstrating a win. Once that was done, she smoothed the dirt and drew another board, taking the first move.


    Though Onychinusa hesitated a long while¡­ she did eventually lean forward and draw a cross. Anneliese took the corners and soundly won. Onychinusa looked miffed, and then drew the next board herself. Like most games of tic-tac-toe between adults, it rapidly devolved into a festival of ties. After ten or so games, Onychinusa grew annoyed¡ªnot at the game, but at Anneliese. She wanted to be left alone.


    Once that happened, Anneliese stood up and walked away, leaving the elf to ponder her motives. The mounting displeasure died in its infancy, leaving Onychinusa with only confusion. When she took her ce elsewhere, she heard the sounds of dirt moving furiously. When she nced over, she saw Onychinusa ying the game on her lonesome.


    After perhaps ten or so minutes, Onychinusa walked over and said, ¡°You can always tie if you want to.¡±


    Catching annoyance on her tone, Anneliese yed into that by asking, ¡°It is quite the stupid game, yes?¡±


    ¡°If you knew that, why do that? Is this a message?¡± she crossed her arms.


    Anneliese shook her head. ¡°Not at all. I just thought it might be more fun that doing nothing. I have a good friend who never had to sleep because of his condition,¡± she continued. ¡°He called it torturous, enduring some nights.¡±


    Onychinusa stared at her, saying nothing as she thought. When the thoughts in her head seemed to overwhelm her, Onychinusa walked back to her corner in the tent quickly, almost as if overwhelmed.


    ¡°Are you curious about why we asked for you toe with us, instead of Dimocles or someone else?¡± Anneliese ventured.


    Onychinusa hesitated sitting for half a moment, and then did so with a huff while giving no answer. Her hatred seemed to re, and Anneliese felt like she¡¯d found a light.


    ¡°It¡¯s because I hate Dimocles,¡± Anneliese said. ¡°So smug, so presumptuous¡­¡±


    ¡°I hate him too,¡± Onychinusa responded almost brightly. ¡°I told him I hoped he drowned.¡±


    Annelieseughed despite herself, and though Onychinusa seemed surprised by the noise she gradually managed a smile of her own.


    ¡°The Lord¡¯s emissaries told me that they sent Dimocles because he¡¯d be good with people,¡± she said almost gloatingly.


    When she realized Onychinusa¡¯s guard hadrgely dropped, Anneliese searched for her next words, trying to find a way to interject her questions about this ancient elven woman. Experiencing this, she felt firsthand why Argrave seemed to like maniption so much¡­ unfortunately, Anneliese was uncertain her ¡®skills¡¯ would be of us for anyone beyond this extremely temperamental woman who had little experience socializing.


    Whatever the case, it had been a long time since she indulged her curiosity. Now that she hade to this point, she¡¯d make the most of it. And along the way¡­ perhaps this might serve arger purpose.


    #####


    ¡°Do you realize just howpromising what you¡¯ve asked me to do is?¡± Batbayar questioned Argrave calmly, leaning up against the trunk of one of the redwoods as a ward surrounded them. Only Grimalt was witness to their conversation. ¡°With our leadership in disarray, with the elven gods fractured and hunted by¡­ whatever those things were,¡± the myriarch shook his head. ¡°Amidst all that, you send Ganbaatar to ask me to surrender the secrets of the dryads. If you were a conquering monarch, you are well poised for your invasion.¡±


    Argrave pointed his finger. ¡°And deal with the abominations we dealt with earlier? Not a chance. Nobody¡¯s surrendering anything: that¡¯s the point. I don¡¯t need what the dryads have. Even if I could get the secrets for their good bows, without their unique woodworking abilities my kingdom could never make them,¡± he dismissed. ¡°What I need lies in what they preserve. And what they preserve¡­ you¡¯ve seen it, those ruins.¡±


    ¡°There are more secrets than that of making bows,¡± Batbayar shook his head. ¡°Look, the only point I¡¯m trying to make is that this is highly suspicious. You should have no knowledge of the dryads. And asking me? If Ganbaatar hadn¡¯t broached this idea while vouching for you, you would be answering the myriarchs, not me. That boy is many thing, but he¡¯s shrewd and loyal.¡±


    ¡°And angry, at times,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°He yelled at your gods, you know. Right in their realm, right to their faces.¡±


    Batbayarughed, distracted from this conversation for a brief moment. ¡°His anger¡¯s gotten that bad, huh?¡± He seemed to be reminiscing on something, and he eventually sighed and walked away from the tree. ¡°Listen. If Ganbaatar really thinks you¡¯re all that, I¡¯m willing to forget what I heard. Alternatively, I can bring this to the other myriarchs, or support it if you bring it up. But secretly? Not a chance,¡± he dismissed.


    Argrave took a deep breath upon hearing that. If Batbayar was out, then two options remained to him. One¡ªbring it to all the myriarchs. Argrave thought his chance of sess there was thin, as the dryads were a sensitive subject. Two¡ªrely on Altan. This was feasible, but with her association with Erlebnis in mind, Argrave was very hesitant. His intuition screamed at him both would be unideal.


    Argrave circled around the myriarch, positing, ¡°Do you think anyone is going to risk breaking tradition by allowing ess to the dryads when each of them will be vying for Supreme Myriarch?¡±


    ¡°That position isn¡¯t like kingship,¡± Batbayar followed Argrave with his head as he walked around him. ¡°It¡¯s a burden. The stress alone kills most, and if not that, the self-getion. To lead is to sacrifice¡ªat least, so it is among our people.¡±


    ¡°Most of your people have abandoned their gods. Yours is thest army with true worshippers,¡± Argrave stopped circling and stared at Batbayar nkly. ¡°Even after the return, thest sight they¡¯ve seen is those gods, heralded as saviors, battered by unknown enemies. The people now¡­ Otgon, Altan¡­ do you think they expect to preside over elves as it always was? Do you expect them to follow old traditions as the world changes around them?¡±


    Batbayar narrowed his eyes. ¡°Those beneath judge those above.¡±


    ¡°Will they be so quick to judge when survival hangs on the bnce?¡± Argrave narrowed his eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll be frank with you, Batbayar, because I think you can appreciate that. Would you be happy with your residence in this foresting to an end because a council refused to give aid from a proven friend?¡± He held his arms out wide. ¡°Because if we cannot fight this new threat, the dryads die regardless.¡±


    Batbayar¡¯s jaw tightened, and then he stepped away. Argrave briefly thought he was going to leave, but he stopped a fair distance away and stood there to think. After a moment which felt like an eternity, the old elf turned around and walked back forth.


    ¡°If I am present¡­ and if you tell me what it is, precisely, you hope to obtain from there¡­¡± he closed his eyes. ¡°Gods be damned, what that boy makes me do¡­¡± his lips moved for a bit, and then he spit off to the side. ¡°I can¡­ help you.¡±


    Argrave breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°You have no idea how relieving that is to hear, Batbayar. I¡¯m thinking¡­ how long? Things have to settle down here¡­ but time is of the essence.¡±


    ¡°How about twenty-four hours? Tomorrow night,¡± Batbayar suggested. ¡°Before I change my mind.¡±

 Chapter 395: Blind Obedience

    After the conversation with Batbayar, Argrave managed to get a few hours of sleep¡­ sleep made harder by knowing the most pivotal part of the n woulde in twenty-four hours. Less, given the time that had psed. Batbayar evidently decided that time was of the essence. His conscious mind weed it, but his subconscious mind wanted far more time to rest and prepare for this grand undertaking.


    On the next morning, something arrived when Argrave walked out of his tent¡ªarge ck bird with a huge wingspan, filtering through the trees in search of Argrave. Orion regarded the bird cautiously, almost viewing it as an enemy, but Argrave walked towards it and held his right arm out. Nikoletta must¡¯ve ridden day and night to arrive and speak to Elenore so quickly. Its ws gripped him a lot more delicately than the average bird might¡¯ve¡­ but then, a druidic bond would have human mannerisms when controlled by a human.


    There was a bundle tied to the bird¡¯s legs¡ªone on each side, so as to bnce out its weight. They were books, two of them, with nothing else provided in the way of context. Argrave had demanded it be that way, in case Erlebnis somehow had a way to intercept messages.


    Argrave freed the two books, taking them in hand. With that, the bird¡ªin truth, Nikoletta through her druidic bond¡ªnodded at him and departed. He hadn¡¯t even been able to give his thanks.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Orion questioned.


    Argrave looked around before opening them, but Onychinusa was preupied talking with Anneliese about something. Satisfied that Erlebnis¡¯ champion was distracted, he opened the books up, reading the footnotes left by the ancient and departed writer. When he got midway through the exnation, he inhaled sharply.


    [Worldstrider], Argrave read the spell¡¯s name. An A-rank spell of precise teleportation.


    Argrave had been confident in retrieving this tome of shamanic magic from the ruins of the dryads, but now that he had one in hand he felt a great relief. He hadn¡¯t expected Elenore to have any shamanic worth delivering, but this tome alone was half the reason shamanic magic couldn¡¯t be discounted. If he hadn¡¯t been constrained by travel times, movement speeds¡­ he could¡¯ve achieved much more than he had. Days and days he¡¯d walked, run, hiked¡­ and days and days he¡¯d wasted. No amount of money could buy time. This spell was the closest thing.


    The other wasn¡¯t so grandly useful, but it still drew his eye: [Resonance]. It was a C-rank spell that helped the caster track down other spirits. Though basic shamanic magic, it was the basics that formed the foundation of the grander stuff. Even still, one needed spirits to even cast the spell, so it was useless of yet. In the long term, though, this spell would be incredibly important.


    But even in the short term¡­ I can make use of this. If I have the spell ahead of time, I can learn it. Or given the disparity in talent, maybe Anneliese would be best with these. She can use A-rank spells already, after all, unlike me. Argrave closed the book. All we need are spirits.


    His gaze fell upon Onychinusa pointedly, who still talked with Anneliese even now. His queen noticed him¡ªand his annoyance at their closeness, perhaps¡ªfor she left words of departure to the ancient elf and then walked to Argrave. He didn¡¯t miss the tant displeasure on the ancient elf¡¯s face, but she turned around and looked out into the forest and distanced herself from them.


    ¡°What are we doing now?¡± Anneliese asked as she came to stand by him.


    ¡°Getting an update on how the elven gods fare, getting an excuse for a departure, and then seeing if we can actually get what I wanted.¡± Argrave handed her the books discreetly, and she epted them knowing their importance by how he looked. ¡°Hold these for me, would you? Let¡¯s go. You can read them if you¡¯re bored¡­¡±


    #####


    ¡°I¡¯ll cover for you, but your excuse before the myriarchs was shoddy,¡± Altan told him tly. ¡°If you¡¯re gone for long, people will begin to suspect.¡±


    Argrave had told the myriarchs that loose ends remained untied with the centaurs. Given the threat another enemy might pose, it was justified enough to allow Argrave a little freedom in his activities.


    ¡°The bulk of my guard is remaining here,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°They won¡¯t be suspicious of a thing.¡±


    Altan nodded, crossing her arms. ¡°And when you¡¯re back?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll help you establish leadership,¡± Argrave confirmed, though he didn¡¯t intend to tell her whose leadership he thought most fitting.


    The would-be usurper of elven independence nodded again in confirmation, then walked off to attend to whatever it was she had to attend to. Argrave jogged back where Anneliese and Orion waited.


    ¡°That was thest of our ordeals among these woond dwellers. Will we proceed alone, Your Majesty?¡± queried Orion. He had been somewhat briefed on the n. ¡°I know Vasilisa and the others aren¡¯t at their prime, having expended their magic, but¡­¡±


    Argrave nodded, patting his brother¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Just us. Even if Rowe and Castro both came along somehow, if Onychinusa wanted to fight us¡­ she¡¯d win. She knows every spell I do and then some, and she already has what we¡¯re trying to get: shamanic magic.¡±


    With those hardly promising words, Orion gave a nod of concession.


    Anneliese¡¯s gaze was distant and dreary, and it took a concerned touch from Argrave to bring her back to attention. She nodded decisively. ¡°I am ready for this. But I read that spell tome, [Worldstrider]¡­ or tried, more urately. It is different from any other school of spell, Argrave. I couldn¡¯t¡­¡±


    Argrave stared at her for a moment. He¡¯d given her most of the day free to examine what Nikoletta had delivered. If she was expressing trouble, then Argrave didn¡¯t think highly of his chances.


    So much that needs to get done¡­ and so damned little time, Argrave thought internally, but only grabbed Anneliese¡¯s wrist. ¡°All you can do is try. Now, let¡¯s go.¡±


    #####


    Argrave, Anneliese, and Orion exined their brief departure to the rest of their group in unclear terms, and then went to join Batbayar at the edge of the woods. Onychinusa already waited there, sitting on a root quietly a distance away from the myriarch. The man to lead them stood with his hands before him like some sort of bodyguard.


    ¡°Everything set?¡± Batbayar asked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Argrave said sinctly.


    The myriarch nodded, looking behind and around them for anyone watching or listening. Once he was satisfied, his red eyes scanned their party. He gave a final nod, then walked out towards the forest. ¡°Come.¡±


    ¡°If only I had the time for that¡­¡± Argrave adjusted his breastte.


    He noticed the sunburst with snake heads¡ªhis symbol. It was meant both as a sign of his prestige¡­ and of his responsibility to protect all beneath the sun.


    A brief wave of powerful emotion assailed him, all so varied and different it was impossible to ce one in particr. But the crux of it¡­ it was bitter resistance to his dying breath. He let it wash over him, and then followed after, his blood echoes leaving faint maroon trails behind him in his haste.


    #####


    Their walk through the Bloodwoods was a long one, made more difficult by the still-disturbed roots. Along the way the roving bands of Kirel Qircassia¡¯s shattered forces sometimes reared their heads, and Batbayar made short work of them with powerful spells. He was one of the stronger spellcasters Argrave had encountered in terms of magic capacity, but as Argrave recalled his A-rank ascension wasn¡¯t impressive for anything beyond moving quickly.


    Nevertheless, they came to a ce that was familiar to Argrave even with the forest turned upside down as it was. This rested mainly in the fact of the thousands of arrows pierced in the trunks of the trees nearby. The trees looked like pincushions. Not all of the arrows were deep, and not all of them had stuck, but each had tassels attached to the end of them that varied in color and shape.


    ¡°The younglingse here,¡± Batbayar exined as Anneliese looked curiously. ¡°This is a proving ground for them. When they can draw a bow back far enough to leave an arrow in the tree¡­ we take them to the dryads,¡± the myriarch exined. ¡°There, they have a proper bow made for them in the dryad way.¡± He pointed to an arrow with a blue tassel, unadorned. ¡°That¡¯s mine. I still remember it.¡±


    Argrave¡¯s eyes were drawn to the deep gray mist between these trees. His Brumesingers crawled out of his coat and spread out along the ground. They seemed utterly fascinated by this fog, and he could see their golden eyes shing in a way they never had before.


    Before Argrave could think on it more, Batbayar took a deep breath and sighed, then walked in front of the four of them. ¡°We¡¯re going through the dryads¡¯ path. Wear these blindfolds. I will escort you from behind.¡±


    Argrave and Anneliese took the untarnished white cloths without question, but Orion hesitated while Onychinusa didn¡¯t take one at all.


    ¡°Is this necessary?¡± the ancient elf questioned.


    ¡°If you want to keep your eyes,¡± Batbayar nodded. ¡°Only those blessed by the dryads once before can pass without guidance. And your eyes will be lost if you witness that within the mist.¡± His gaze grew distant.


    Orion seemed to debate if he did want to keep his eyes, but then gave a solemn nod and put the blindfold on before anyone else. Argrave and Anneliese, too, trusted Batbayar and wrapped them around their heads.


    ¡°What is this ceremony for?¡± Anneliese tilted her head in curiosity. ¡°In your culture, I mean.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°It¡¯s for the sake of blind obedience,¡± Batbayar answered. ¡°Quite literally blind obedience, Queen Anneliese. Here, a child is taught to trust their superiors¡­ and the adult is taught to take charge of those who rely on you for sight and vision. Life in this forest hinges on discipline and loyalty, and so we take care to foster it from a young age.¡±


    As Onychinusa finally put on the blindfold, Batbayar exined, ¡°Take them off only when I say explicitly to take them off. Not when I say, ¡®we¡¯re here,¡¯ or anything else of the kind. Listen closely, follow my guidance¡­ none of you are children, so simply don¡¯t do anything childish. Nothing in there can hurt you.¡±


    When everyone dered they were ready, Batbayar stood behind the four of them and gently shepherded them along. He held Anneliese¡¯s arm, but even despite that Argrave was uneased. He felt his feet might hit a snag at any moment¡­ but instead the path was smooth, and though he started when his feet set upon stone he decided to trust Batbayar.


    Things were strange within the mist. He felt like he was touching something¡­ in fact, he was almost sure of it. His whole body was wreathed in what felt like spiderwebs. That notion gave him shivers as he questioned what might be crawling across him, but he trusted Batbayar¡¯s words and his own experience of the game.


    ¡°This ce isn¡¯t right,¡± Onychinusa said, distress in her voice.


    ¡°Remain calm, and keep walking,¡± came Batbayar¡¯s soothing voice from behind.


    The tan elf didn¡¯t say anything more during the journey, but he could hear from her breathing she was ill at ease.


    ¡°How much longer?¡± Onychinusa insisted almost desperately.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be okay, Onychinusa,¡± Anneliese assured her calmly.


    ¡°It will be. Not much longer,¡± Batbayar kept his in-control tone even as one of them panicked. Perhaps he was used to this.


    The myriarch took them on a turn, then changed directions once again. He was talking more frequently, givingmentary on where they were. Though the suffocating touch still persisted around Argrave, Onychinusa¡¯s distress was a grounding distraction.


    After minutes dealing with this, Argrave felt that presence disappear. Onychinusa didn¡¯t seem to notice, her breathing still quick and irregr.


    ¡°And now¡­ you may remove your blindfold,¡± Batbayar said.


    Argrave took his off, blinking as he adjusted to the returned light. Though there was a vast stone courtyard before him, his eyes were drawn to Onychinusa as she threw her blindfold off and knelt on the ground, her breathing tight. She held her hand to her chest as Anneliese came to stand beside her. Her hands hovered near the panicking woman, obviously afraid to touch her because of the fact her A-rank ascension [Life Cycle] might eat away the woman¡¯s magic flesh.


    ¡°Are you okay, Onychinusa?¡± Anneliese could only ask, eventually retrieving a cloth from her pockets so that she might rub her back consolingly.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± the elf said. ¡°I am fine. I am,¡± she insisted, almost convincing herself. ¡°Don¡¯t¡­¡± she shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ that was just like¡­ like those years, those years that I¡­ that I was¡­¡±


    ¡°Those years that you were what?¡± Anneliese insisted.


    Onychinusa stopped breathing entirely and turned her head. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me,¡± she said quietly.


    Anneliese stood straight and retracted her touch, though the concern didn¡¯t disappear from her face. Argrave watched all this, trying to do his best to look¡ªmore than that, to feel¡ªdisaffected. To distract himself, his eyes wandered to this new ce Batbayar had taken them to.


    Before them was a vast courtyard, framed byrge structures of stone. There were four thick pirs in each corner of the square pathway, each of them rising ten feet before revealing an elven statue. Not that of a wood elf, either¡ªindeed, all of the monuments had the same long, floppy ears that Onychinusa did. It was a wonder that none hadmented on that resemnce back at camp, but perhaps her antisocial behaviors had a good side effect after all.


    At the foot of each of these pirs, small trees budded. They weren¡¯t just trees, though. Argrave stared, but as he did his Brumesingers scampered out, rushing towards these trees. Argrave stepped after them cautiously, but before he realized it they walked before the trees and yipped, almost as if demanding something.


    ¡°What the hell are you guys¡­?¡± Argrave muttered quietly.


    One of the trees his foxes protested at abruptly shifted its bark, revealing a green, fleshy, and decidedly feminine face. It looked down at the yipping foxes, regarding them curiously. Argrave wondered just what had gotten into them, and so walked towards the first dryad to reveal itself.

 Chapter 396: Descent Into Mockery

    Argrave walked into the vibrant architecture of this stone monument to a culture long perished, seeking to restrain the Brumesingers before they caused any problems. Though he was cautious about the dryads, he felt inaction might pose a problem given the fact his druidic bonds were doing something far from the mean.


    He cast a spell and the little creatures fortunately obeyed, backing away anding back. One by one he scooped them up into his arms, and when that was done his eyes fell upon the dryad whose face still peeked from out the tree.


    ¡°Naughty foxes. Thieves. Best worn as coats, or scarves around the neck,¡± the dryad whispered gleefully.


    ¡°I would advise against trying to make that happen.¡± Argrave put his hand between the big fluffy ears of one of his pets, and then looked out across the ce.


    I¡¯m not sure what this is, but I don¡¯t need it right now, Argrave thought. If it is important, it can be dealt with in peacetime.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind the dryads,¡± Myriarch Batbayar said as he joined Argrave. ¡°They¡¯re quite childlike.¡±


    Argrave wasn¡¯t minding¡ªas a matter of fact, he barely heard the elvenmander speak. He surveyed the ce thoroughly. Dozens of other dryads peeked their heads out of trees, disappearing and reappearing like mole rats with bark to hide them instead of the ground. But he found what he was looking for, standing there the same as ever.


    ¡°Like I promised... I¡¯ll ignore them. I don¡¯t need them, not yet-- more dire matters draw my attention,¡± Argrave assured Batbayar.


    ¡°Your sister-inw...¡± Batbayar began, looking over at them. Argrave was briefly confused, but he remembered their cover story before the mistake could be noticed. The myriarch continued, ¡°She reacted like a child I taught once. Her parents kept her inside a cave norger than a cab for days on end, for months at a time. The mist brought back memories of that.¡±


    Batbayar didn¡¯t say how that applied to Onychinusa, but the pieces were easy enough to put together. Only difference being... I imagine Erlebnis kept her locked up for years at a time, not months, Argrave thought.


    ¡°She¡¯s tough,¡± Argrave said, shaking his head. ¡°She¡¯ll manage. We¡¯re heading for those stairs,¡± he told the man, then went to retrieve the rest.


    #####


    ¡°You know... it¡¯s taboo for people toe down here,¡± Batbayar told Argrave as they descended down the stairs he¡¯d spotted.


    In the distant reaches of the ruins, the roots of the trees in the courtyard above poked into this ce. The dryads could manifest here, too. They repeated the word taboo, and giggled as they said they were going to tell on Batbayar. Their constant chatter had been somewhat annoying at the surface, but as the light dimmed in wake of the swallowing underground it was eerie.


    Argrave looked over and said pointedly, ¡°Given what you¡¯ve already done, I don¡¯t think taboos will make you shake in your boots.¡±


    Batbayar said nothing further, conceding the point. Orion led them down, Argrave in the center and the two fake sisters in the back. The orb of spell light dancing about his head illuminated borate carvings on the walls, but Argrave paid them little mind. It was rather hard to focus on his surroundings when the Brumesingers squirmed in his pocket. It felt like a massager had found its way inside of his clothes.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°The only thing we¡¯ll have to deal with are Yettles. Orion, I hope you can handle the burden of that, given your expertise fighting endless waves of woond creatures. Deeper within, though there¡¯s...¡± Argrave trailed off, feeling the foxes writhe in his pockets even faster. ¡°These damned guys...¡±


    Argrave took the rowdiest of the Brumesingers out of his pocket. It clung to his hand, grappling with it like it was an enemy. For the first time since he¡¯d bonded with these creatures, it bit him, its teeth sinking into his glove. It couldn¡¯t hurt him, but the fact it did it was enough to make Argrave double-take.


    ¡°There¡¯s a mandragora deeper within,¡± Argrave managed to continue, even lost in thought though he was while handling his rowdy pet. ¡°We¡¯ll need coordination to beat that. I don¡¯t want this ce copsing because of an S-rank spell, but it can scream loud enough to break ss... and stone, for that matter. You might not care, Onychinusa, but we...¡± the fox he¡¯d been grappling with broke free of his hand, falling to the ground. It seemed to burst into mist,nding harmlessly a secondter with no strain to its body.


    With one of them gone, all of them rushed out of Argrave¡¯s clothes. The dryads still seemed displeased by the Brumesingers presence, repeating things like ¡®thieves,¡¯ ¡®stealers,¡¯ and other such childlike usations.


    ¡°This was one of the sites of the ancient elves?¡± Onychinusa walked to the wall, looking at the carvings. ¡°It can¡¯t have been all that. Sure, the architecture is great, but... beyond that? Yettles and mandragoras? Hardly an empire worth defending, if they should perish so easily.¡±


    ¡°The centaurs were once ves to the elves,¡± Argrave said idly as he watched his pets, trying to decide what he might do about this. ¡°Humans, other elves... they enved just about everybody. It was a ve rebellion in thest cycle of judgment that sealed the fate of this empire.¡±


    ¡°That would exin this carving,¡± Anneliese pointed, where what looked to be a horseman with two people on it rode. ¡°Centaurs and elves, both firing bows... certainly, it would be an incredibly potent force. Argrave...¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡± he knelt down, staring at his pets as dryads taunted them from above.


    ¡°Perhaps you y this thread out, discover what causes your bonds''¡¯ misbehavior.¡± Anneliese looked at them thoughtfully.


    ¡°No time,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°We can handle all of thister.¡±


    ¡°We can,¡± she agreed, though her tone carried the implication that ¡®can¡¯ didn¡¯t mean ¡®should.¡¯


    Argrave tapped his hand against his knee, and then rose to his feet, looking up at the roots where faces peeked out. He thought back to a long time ago, and conjured memories of how to deal with children.


    ¡°You dryads seem to like my Brumesingers. They¡¯re cute, aren¡¯t they?¡± Argrave began softly.


    ¡°No!¡± one of them said loudly.


    ¡°Hate them,¡± one groaned.


    ¡°Thieves,¡± one hissed.


    ¡°Nasty furry things,¡± one spat.


    ¡°Best on a spit,¡± one giggled.


    ¡°Or a tanning rack,¡± thest of them finished.


    Argrave held his arms out. ¡°What did they steal from you? Maybe I can give it back.¡±


    Silence persisted for a while, and then the dryads grew quiet. It was like a bubbling ssroom suddenly brought to heel.


    ¡°They¡¯ve stolened nothing... yet,¡± the first said.


    ¡°But they want to,¡± another whined.


    ¡°Should we just wait until they do?¡± the next posited.


    ¡°If we hate before they steal, they might not be able to steal,¡± the first joined back in.


    ¡°Worked in the past,¡± one supported the idea.


    ¡°Working so far,¡± they all concluded at once.


    A chorus of rancorousughter punctuated this conclusion of theirs, and Batbayar looked at them in confusion.


    ¡°They¡¯re not normally so... prejudicial,¡± he told Argrave.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to steal to get what you want,¡± Argrave continued undaunted. ¡°You can trade. But to give something to you as good as what they want, I need to know what they want,¡± he chose simple words, just wanting to get to the bottom of this.


    ¡°They want our mist!¡± one of them yelled.


    ¡°It protects us.¡±


    ¡°Blinds our enemies.¡±


    ¡°Does... other things. Mother will remember.¡±


    Argrave turned away from the dryads for a brief moment,rgely to be sure that they didn¡¯t notice any of the greed that was undoubtedly on his face. Bastards after my own heart, he thought as he looked down at them. I¡¯m proud of you, little ones.


    They had already experienced one aspect of the dryads¡¯ misting in: the blindness. This was no minor affliction, either. It wasrgely permanent, as it didn¡¯t just gunk up your retinas but rather rot the eyeball out. Onychinusa or Orion might¡¯ve been able to recover from such a thing, but in most normal cases it would¡¯ve spelled another trip to the hills of Vysenn to cure missing-part syndrome. Of course, a blessing from the dryads immunized one to its effects.


    Beyond that, the dryad mist had various other effects, all of them debuffs. Magic was greatly dampened within them, the body was more sluggish... a whole slew of nastiness. Argrave had never heard of Brumesingers being capable of using dryad mist, but he¡¯d be foolish not to try when the foxes themselves seemed to view it as feasible.


    The Brumesingers hade in handy several times in the past. Their mist apparitions were portable soldiers, capable of distracting even abominations like the Shadonder. Orion may owe these creatures his life. But with this? They would be more than useful-- they could be a core of his arsenal, doubly so as he obtained A-rank druidic spells.


    ¡°Okay... that¡¯s established,¡± Argrave looked up again, where the dryads continued to jeer. ¡°But you must have something you want. Everybody does. Even if you don¡¯t think so, maybe we can help you get it.¡±


    ¡°We want. We do,¡± one dryad said.


    ¡°But we¡¯re not thieves. Sad,¡± the next moped.


    ¡°Great!¡± Argrave tried not to sound overly enthusiastic, but he couldn¡¯t help it. ¡°What is it you want?¡±


    Silence reigned, and Argrave looked to Anneliese, who seemed just as fascinated by this ordeal as he was.


    ¡°Olddy¡¯s help. Really olddy,¡± the first dryad dared.


    ¡°Unwrinkled hag! Why isn¡¯t her back bent?¡± thest asked with a child¡¯s innocent curiosity.


    ¡°She¡¯s like the old caretakers. Didn¡¯t they die?¡±


    Argrave nked for a few moments, and then turned his head to Onychinusa.


    ¡°Me?¡± she ced a hand to her chest.


    ¡°What are the dryads talking about?¡± Batbayar looked between Argrave and Onychinusa-- perhaps the pieces were already put together in his head.


    Complications rose up in Argrave¡¯s head. Time was of the essence, he knew this. But now the cat¡ªor perhaps in this case, the fox¡ªwas out of the bag. And perhaps, just perhaps... he¡¯d be able to tie the dryads into this conflict while securing a huge boon for himself. A small cherry to the world of hurt he hoped to deliver.


    Have your cake, eat it too, Argrave... he reminded himself. But if there were two cakes? By the good lord, I need every advantage I can get fighting this nightmarish scenario...


    But there was a problem. Namely, the white-haired ancient elf, who seemed rather indignant now that she knew the dryads called her ''hag.'' He didn¡¯t have an inkling why the dryads would need her help.

 Chapter 397: Insight In Sight

    Argrave turned his head to Onychinusa, cing both of his hands upon his hips. She looked up at him, perhaps already knowing what it was he was going to ask.


    ¡°Would you be willing to help them?¡±


    The unwrinkled hag looked bitter, and her hands fidgeted as she grappled with the idea. Eventually, Onychinusa¡¯s voice came with resignation, ¡°The Lord sent me to help you.¡±


    Argrave wasn¡¯t fully pleased with that answer, but it was eptable. He looked back up to the dryads. Instead of just their faces peeking beyond the roots, some of them had emerged fully, sitting on roots and ying childish games with each other. They wore dresses and tiaras of interlocked leaves. The green-skinned creatures seemed to be princesses of the woods. Seeing them conjured memories of Drezki the Coward, Silvic¡¯s servant in the wends.


    ¡°My friend here can help you if you want her help,¡± Argrave dered.


    The dryads stopped ying, and some of them cheered upon hearing that. The voices came so quickly it was difficult to distinguish them.


    ¡°However, if you want her help... she wants you to give some, not all, of your mist to these little guys.¡± Argrave picked up one of the Brumesingers by the scruff of its neck and raised it up into the air. ¡°Can that be done?¡±


    The ce grew still, and the dryads whispered between each other. Finally, one of them descended to the ground, while others came to stand beside Onychinusa, trying to hold her hand.


    ¡°Not our choice. Mommy has the mist. We borrow it. But mommy likes us. We can try and persuade!¡± the dryad promised innocently.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°If it helps, you can tell your mother that we¡¯re going to get rid of the mandragora.¡± He paused. ¡°Actually, I¡¯d like to tell her myself, once the task is done.¡±


    ¡°The mandragora? It¡¯ll die? But what about its friends? The big squirmy things that eat everything are trying to get married to it!¡±


    Argrave narrowed his eyes, thinking. Squirmy things... she must be talking about the Yateveos. I was wondering why I¡¯d seen none of them. Perhaps they came here after the disturbance of the roots.


    ¡°I can get rid of them. But you have to be extra positive when you talk to your mommy,¡± he said, pointing his finger.


    ¡°Okay!¡± the dryad answered, then looked back. ¡°Olddy,e outside! Big bastard gave you to us.¡±


    Argrave chuckled after being called as such, then looked at where Onychinusa avoided the touch of the dryads. Anneliese caught onto Argrave¡¯s thoughts, for she raised her hand and volunteered, ¡°I¡¯ll go with her, Argrave. The mandragora, will it pose any problems...?¡±


    "No," Argrave said dismissively, casting a spell to make his Brumesingers follow her. They bounded into her arms eagerly, docile and obedient before her. ¡°I¡¯ve got Orion, you forget,¡± Argrave said, patting his brother¡¯s worn golden armor. The man jumped, as he was lost observing the dryads. ¡°And Myriarch Batbayar wille, too. But the books... best give them here.¡±


    Anneliese nodded, then discretely retrieved them from her pack and handed them off as the Brumesingers turned into butter in her grasp. ¡°Good luck,¡± she nodded at him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let the kids trick you,¡± Argrave reminded her.


    Argrave was ready to leave after cing the books in his pack, but Batbayar was staring at him. ¡°Perhaps you ought to exin this ¡®sister¡¯ of your queen¡¯s. Fully.¡±


    Argrave slung his pack over his shoulder, then nodded. ¡°Sure, but... on the way.¡±


    ¡°Fully,¡± Batbayar repeated for emphasis.


    Argrave held his hands out. ¡°Of course. Fully.¡±


    #####


    Argrave did not exin things fully.


    ...but, he exined enough that Batbayar thought he did. On their journey deeper into the underground ruins, all the myriarch came to know was that Onychinusa was thest of the ancient elves. Argrave was especially conscious of the fact he deliberately deceived an ally for convenience after Dimocles called him out for it. Still, just because he was aware of it didn¡¯t mean he was going to stop. He didn¡¯t have a problem, surely. He could stop anytime he wanted.


    For a while they endured the chatter of the dryads. In time their mocking and teasing faded away, taking all of the warmth from these cold stone ruins. All outside light dimmed, and the only thing that illuminated their path was Argrave¡¯s spell. The building wound downward in a long, prolonged spiral. There were branching rooms at points, and though Argrave remembered them being open for exploration, now many of them were caved in by the intrusion of the thick redwood roots.


    They encountered the first Yettle fairly deep in. When it fell upon the light, it looked like a goblin who¡¯d had a losing argument with a thorn bush. Its giant eyes widened terribly wide and it scurried away. Orion chased briefly, but stopped and came back to Argrave¡¯s side when called.


    And when next they saw them, they were thirty.


    Orion rushed right into the fray at once without even a weapon on hand. They cast rocks at him with slings, and he took them all without breaking stride. When he came upon them, they scrambled back like monkeys, swinging vine whips or crude implements of wood that looked like pickaxes. Orion merely raised his foot up and mmed it upon the ground, calling upon one of his myriad blessings still with him to send out a wave of ice.


    With that they were stunned, and the prince was upon them. He used his arms rather efficiently¡ªby mming them against the walls, the floor, or the ceiling, he needed only one arm to crush an opponent. Orion ended them ruthlessly one after the other, leavingrge craters in the stone carvings that shook the room they stood in. The Yettles died silently,cking the parts to scream.


    When it was done, Argrave cautiously broached, ¡°Orion...¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty?¡±


    Argrave looked at the battered walls and then said, ¡°...maybe don¡¯t m them against things, given how many cave-ins we¡¯ve seening here.¡±


    Batbayar gave a supporting nod.


    ¡°Ah.¡± Orion rolled his shoulders. ¡°I behaved imprudently, Your Majesty. Forgive me.¡±


    With that sagely wisdom imparted, the three of them advanced yet further. More things blocked their path, but Argrave conjured a de of blood magic for Orion to use. The weapon proved to be quite effective, speedily clearing a path as the winding spiral descent leveled off. The end was arge room functioning as an entryway that mirrored the courtyard they¡¯d seen outside¡ªfour pirs, four monuments. At the end, there was arge archway that led to an area Argrave anticipated would be dark and empty.


    But it wasn¡¯t. Indeed, this area was illuminated well enough that Argrave could see into the room somewhat. What he saw made him hasten his step, then crouch low and peek past the pir of the archway.


    The memory in Argrave¡¯s head was clear. He had been expecting to see a wide-open cavern, two waterfalls on each corner that fed a converging stream supported by abundant and beautiful nt life. This stream then wrapped around a serene building, its serenity disturbed by a mandragora taking root just at its entrance. This ce had been the secret garden of the ancient elven imperial family. Here, an abdicated sovereign had built a library and a reading area to rx and tend to nts after his reign.


    Argrave did see the mandragora. To call it a nt dragon was apt. It had arge wooden body, almost like a stump, the top of which had a dozen heads that resembled venus fly traps. They were clearly intelligent, moving quickly and at will. It was here, just as he remembered it.


    The rest was not as expected.


    Where there had once been a wide-open garden, Argrave saw a sinkhole that had undoubtedly been caused by the numerous redwood roots winding their way into the cavern. At the back, the two waterfalls fed only an endless abyss. The mandragora stood atop the only remaining solidnd, supporting a lone pir with its partially-exposed rootwork. One small mercy was that the library Argrave had been seeking was close enough to the mandragora that it had been spared copsing into the sinkhole. The massive chasm between him and said library killed any joy he might¡¯ve felt.


    The Yateveos¡ªsquirmy, writhing abominations that had a core that looked like a brain and palpi with tiny mouths at their ends¡ªslowly crawled up the base of these roots, eating away with their disgusting mouths. The mandragora bit at it, but its were of yet insufficient to catch them. One small mercy was that it did not deign to scream at nts without ears, elsewise they would already be in pain.


    Batbayar walked behind Argrave and whispered, ¡°Given how white you¡¯ve gone, you didn¡¯t expect this?¡±


    Argrave shook his head. ¡°Not a bit.¡±


    The thing he¡¯d hoped to have an easy battle with was now the only thing keeping that library from plummeting into the abyss... and looking down into the hole, Argrave didn¡¯t have high hopes for getting the shamanic magic he needed should it fall.


    #####


    Anneliese and Onychinusa stomped through the undergrowth, following after the dryads at a slow pace. There was canopy above and undergrowth afoot, rather opposite all in the Bloodwoods they''de from. This ce was the home of the dryads, and far removed from the giant redwoods of thend outside.


    Dryads dangled from the canopies above, grasping at the hair of both of the women as they followed the dryads leading them ahead. Onychinusa resisted stubbornly and swatted away the green hands that came near, refusing to allow them to do what they wished. Anneliese, however, let them work. They crafted her a tiara out of leaves, weaving it into her hair delicately.


    ¡°Won¡¯t work. Won¡¯t work!¡± one of them said after a time. ¡°The mistake of passion has thick, pretty, and white hair, but it is made for the cold, and she has small ears to hide from the wind! We cannot make it do as we want!¡±


    Mistake of passion? Anneliese noted in her head. They must be... talking about me, she realized sadly. And they called Argrave... what was it... big bastard? Then they know his birth as well as mine. How much do these creatures know of us?


    ¡°Why do you call me a mistake?¡± Anneliese asked, looking up.


    The dryads were right-- the tiara did not stay in Anneliese¡¯s hair, sliding free from the slightest movement. She knew the answer to the question she asked, but wished to grasp the extent of their insight.


    ¡°Your daddy loved your mommy. But she didn¡¯t! So he took what he wanted... just once, he told himself,¡± one of the dryads said, hanging down from the branches above by its legs. ¡°And then... bam! Mistake.¡± She pointed at Anneliese. ¡°That¡¯s you. Oopsie whoopsie.¡±


    She felt like she¡¯d swallowed bile, so abruptly confronted with this. She¡¯d never seen her true father, never spoken to him. Indeed, she seldom thought of it. To hear itid out like this made her more ufortable than she imagined... but perhaps there was more that coulde of this.


    In her own curiosity, she asked, ¡°Then... the man I was with, the one you called ¡®big bastard.¡¯ Can you tell me about his mother? And Onychinusa, even her parents?¡±


    ¡°Umm... maybe,¡± another dryad answered. ¡°Maybe, maybe. If the olddy lets us touch her hair!¡±


    Onychinusa looked at Anneliese peculiarly. ¡°We aren¡¯t here to--¡±


    ¡°WE¡¯RE HOME!¡± all of the dryads shouted at once, storming into a clearing ahead. It made Onychinusa jump up, holding her hands out in rm. Anneliese had jumped a little too, but soon after she stepped after the rambunctious spirits of the woods whileughing it off.


    In the center of the clearing, there was arge tree with a beautiful mound of branches above, each bearing imperial purple leaves and vibrant pink fruit. In these fruits, one could vaguely see the form of new dryads just being born. Anneliese was distracted admiring the beauty, and she nearly missed as an adult dryad stepped out of the tree.


    ¡°Forgive my children. They are hard to handle,¡± the dryad said.


    Anneliese studied her curiously. She looked much like the children, with a dress of leaves and a mound of long ck hair kept braided by a grandiose wooden crown. It was the same, just... older. A little beyond this clearing, Anneliese saw a giant hole in the ground, though she saw little more than that.


    ¡°With the forest of redwoods falling into disrepair, and with so many of my children stalled at this stage of growth... I had almost given up hope,¡± the mother dryad shook her head. ¡°But now... you are here, Onychinusa, beautiful child of the empire. With your lineage, we can begin the process of healing, of growing this great garden... so long as you are willing.¡±

 Chapter 398: Ancestry Evaluation

    Onychinusa looked upon the older dryad after she made her offer and said, ¡°I agreed to help, but I don¡¯t know what it is you¡¯re asking of me.¡±


    The mother dryad stepped up to Onychinusa, staring her eye to eye. ¡°I cannot fault you for that. The circumstances of your birth were very strange, and so you cannot be expected to know what I speak of.¡± She held her hands out magnanimously, then continued, ¡°I humbly plead that you reconnect with your lineage, learn of your people, and help us just as your ancestors once did.¡±


    As Anneliese watched this exchange, repressed desire seemed to explode outwards from Onychinusa at that moment. The dryad¡¯s request was something that she¡¯d thought about herself many times before, yet the ancient elf had never been allowed¡ªor perhaps never allowed herself¡ªto explore it. When confronted with it directly, the emotionally inexperienced woman became a storm of uncertainty and curiosity.


    A storm that Anneliese was more than happy to intensify.


    ¡°You should definitely do it,¡± Anneliese encouraged immediately, much of her initial purpose ining here put to the wayside. She moved the Brumesingers aside.


    ¡°I don¡¯t... I can¡¯t...¡± Onychinusa edged backwards, ¡°There are other considerations, and I...¡±


    ¡°I know that you are tied to Erlebnis. In the end, it matters not,¡± the dryad shook her head, dark eyes upromisingly kind. ¡°Your parents, though entrapped, thought to preserve you... and by preserving you, preserve everything they held dear.¡±


    Onychinusa stared for a few moments,ing to grips with what the dryad said. ¡°...in the end, it matters not? That¡¯s a fitting thing to say. I never knew them. I cannot remember them. Every year of my life, they were already dead.¡±


    ¡°You were never told of them? You never had that question answered?¡± Anneliese probed.


    ¡°I know...!¡± Onychinusa whipped her head to re at Anneliese, then took a deep breath. ¡°I know what you¡¯re doing.¡±


    Anneliese only tilted her head innocently.


    ¡°The children... my children...¡± the dryad turned her body, looking out at them as the yed loudly in the distant reaches of the clearing. ¡°So long ago, they were so few. No more than five. But as the years passed, I made more and more, as I was instructed to so long ago by your kin. Hide away, they told me... hide away, and prepare for the return of our brood. They thought that one day, the troubles would be over... and even were that not the case, their legacy would be preserved, to be reborn.¡±


    Anneliese watched as Onychinusa was assailed by tremendous guilt. But soon enough, the elf felt confusion in equal measure as though this feeling was entirely new to her. Perhaps it was¡ªAnneliese supposed there was seldom an opportunity for Onychinusa to feel like she¡¯d wronged Erlebnis enough to feel guilty.


    The dryad turned her head away from the children. ¡°You must forgive me, but I have promised my children for so long that you woulde back. Could you please, at the very least... indulge them for a time? They have practiced for centuries how best to serve you... or someone like you. Could you allow them that?¡±


    Onychinusa looked quite trepidatious, and she offered no verbal answer. After a time of debating with herself, she abruptly stormed off towards the ying dryad children, almost as though to give them a piece of her mind.


    ¡°I am feeling a sense of what you might call irony,¡± the dryad said to Anneliese, turning her head away. ¡°It was a ve rebellion that marked the end of their empire. Now thest of them returns nearly a thousand yearster... as a ve that does not know it.¡±


    Anneliese almost thought the words insulting, but there was a bitter sadness to them that made it clear it was not meant as such. She questioned gently, ¡°How is it you know all of these things? About me, about her, about... everyone?¡±


    ¡°We dryads are born with many gifts,¡± the mother exined. ¡°Among them is the gift to see to the root of life. We can intimately understand the origins of all that wey eyes upon, from the smallest sapling to thergest among us... like you,¡± she looked upon Anneliese.


    Anneliese could think of a thousand questions to ask, but at the moment she felt like there was something more important. Ahead, Onychinusa reluctantly engaged with the dryad children, pushing past her unease to let them act. As she watched, Anneliese asked, ¡°Do you really need her?¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± the dryad confirmed. ¡°Those children cannot grow without her. This forest cannot spread beyond these ruins without her. And I believe, perhaps with few exceptions, that the whole of this forest cannot be healed of the damage that foul interloper has caused without her intervention.¡±


    ¡°You mean undoing what Kirel Qircassia did,¡± Anneliese extrapted.


    ¡°If that is its name,¡± the mother dryad nodded. ¡°The roots have taken in much that will harm them, but we can cure it if given the chance.¡±


    Anneliese watched as the first of the dryads dared to approach Onychinusa. It began to fit her hands with rings of purple flowers, vibrant and bright. As she watched, Anneliese asked, ¡°Why can¡¯t you act without her?¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°Because I am a ve too,¡± the dryad said. ¡°The elves here... those with red eyes... I treat them kindly, but they were once ves. The centaurs were once ves, and the humans on this continent were once ves. They have all broken their bonds, razed the cities of their captors, and allowed the gods toy waste to their culture. Now, only me and my children remain bound in servitude. It is something within us, something that we bear on our being.¡±


    ¡°The elves in the Bloodwoods... aren¡¯t descendants?¡± Anneliese asked in surprise.


    ¡°Distantly, perhaps all elves are rted,¡± the mother shook her head. ¡°But... no. The elves living here were the first among the servants of state, but they were still servants. The elves sought to assume the position of overlord, but the centaurs¡¯ betrayal during their mutual rebellion put an end to that ambition. No doubt Erlebnis had some hand in turning Sarikiz and her centaurs against them.¡±


    ¡°And the ancient elves... how did their decline...?¡±


    ¡°Erlebnis engineered their downfall very delicately,¡± the dryad said calmly. ¡°Give ves faith in despair... give them knowledge where it is needed, and power where it is wanted...he caused disaster in disastrous ces, and by the end of it all harvested Onychinusa¡¯s ancestors like wheat. He took the knowledge he wanted, hoarding it, and left the victors to stew in the ignorance of their making. Onychinusa was... a concession. Until the end, Erlebnis couldn¡¯t get every bit of knowledge. He struck a bargain with the elves. Preserve her life, and they will surrender thest of their knowledge. One small victory, I suppose.¡±


    ¡°You hate Erlebnis,¡± Anneliese took note.


    The mother dryad turned her head, surprised. ¡°Well... yes. Yes, I do. When someone knows your loyalty is assured, they trust you, and treat you very kindly. Naysayers im it could be likened to the rtionship between dogs and mortals, but¡­ whatever the case, our masters were very kind. They brought peace to this continent, and some beyond it. I cannot speak to the other ves¡¯ situations, but I was happy.¡±


    Anneliese took a deep breath, somewhat overwhelmed. Hearing this... it demonstrated the entire order of the world could be overthrown when Gerechtigkeit came down. And furthermore, what Erlebnis was attempting with Argrave was not his first instance of such a behavior. Perhaps just as the empire of the ancient elves had died, so too did Erlebnis intend to engineer Vasquer¡¯s demise.


    Thinking of the kingdom reminded her of another thing, and so she asked, ¡°The man that was with me, my husband... you know of his birth?¡±


    ¡°I did not see him,¡± the dryad shook her head, then looked out across the clearing. ¡°Perhaps ask the¡ªoh. Yes, I can say I know of him, now.¡±


    Anneliese turned her head when the dryad did, looking beyond. There, Argrave and the two that had gone with him returned. She could tell just by looking on him that things had not gone as he nned, and he walked with a heavy heart. At once, she broke away and came to him.


    ¡°Argrave, Orion...¡± she said, asking a question with her eyes alone.


    Argrave bitterly said, ¡°There¡¯s a huge damn hole.¡± His eyes scanned the ce around, not borating further. When he spotted something, he gestured. ¡°There, see? That big hole. You can see it. You can damn well see it. The whole thing copsed, and now the mandragora¡¯s barely keeping the library we were looking for afloat.¡±


    ¡°Come with me for a minute,¡± Anneliese said, taking his arm and leading him away.


    Orion followed for a moment, but Batbayar stepped away to speak with the dryad as he might an old friend. Once they¡¯d ced a sufficient distance between them and everyone else, Anneliese conjured a ward.


    ¡°The only way I can think of getting to that library is teleportation with shamanic magic... and that¡¯s sort of the point foring here.¡± Argrave looked to where Onychinusa engaged with the druids, the frustration written on his face. Around everyone else he was guarded, but before her Argrave was always true. ¡°We¡¯ll need to get her help, somehow. I can¡¯t risk losing what that library has. It¡¯s too important.¡±


    ¡°Then it works out,¡± Anneliese began hopefully. ¡°I don¡¯t think we should betray Onychinusa.¡±


    Argrave looked away from the ancient elf and narrowed his eyes. ¡°Can you think of another way to get the spirits for the shamanic magic? She has spirits. We need spirits. We have to steal them,¡± he went down the chain of events matter-of-factly. ¡°I can¡¯t think of anywhere else we might get them.¡±


    ¡°The dryads... they want to undo all Kirel Qircassia has done,¡± Anneliese exined. ¡°They want to expand their sphere of influence, and help Onychinusa reconnect with her lineage... Argrave, she can be so much more than what we intended.¡±


    ¡°Anne...¡± he sighed, his frustration ring in contest with his affection for her. ¡°I told you not to get close...¡± He rubbed the bridge of his nose in stress, then shook his head. ¡°I just... I don¡¯t see how this can work out. We can show her a DNA test, tell her all about her parents and how badly she¡¯s being treated... but damn it, she was raised for well over nine hundred years by Erlebnis. Do you think she¡¯s able to throw that shackle aside overnight?¡±


    Anneliese heard what he said, and thought about how she knew Onychinusa... and indeed, all his words rang true. But something red in her, and she argued, ¡°I am certain only of the fact that she will never escape his ownership if we prove Erlebnis to be more trustworthy than we are, here and now.¡±


    She could see Argrave had tremendous doubt about this whole idea... but in the end, his trust in her was so absolute he asked only, ¡°What¡¯s your idea?¡±


    ¡°Foment dissent,¡± Anneliese said. ¡°Exploit what Erlebnis uses to such great effect to turn this move of his to dust. We have an opportunity to erode the tenuous rtionships he has built... be that with Dimocles, Kirel Qircassia, Chiteng, Altan, or even Onychinusa.¡±


    ¡°You lost me,¡± Argrave tilted his head. ¡°What does he use, knowledge? Will we leak false information, things like that?¡±


    ¡°Risk. He uses risk,¡± Anneliese exined. ¡°In the end, risk of death turned Chiteng against his family. Risk of defeat led Kirel to ally with him. And now... risk ofplete loss would have made you cooperate with him, if you did not have so many problems with authority.¡±


    Argrave chuckled and shook his head.


    ¡°It begins here, Argrave. Erlebnis is not the only one with the knowledge to turn this world on its head so abruptly. We need not convert his allies to our allies... instead, let him turn his allies to his enemies. Just as he tried to force our hand with half-truths... can we not do the same?¡±


    ¡°On the cosmological scale we have a little bit less influence than a god, in terms of making things happen,¡± Argrave said skeptically.


    ¡°Let us at least discuss it further,¡± Anneliese implored.


    Argrave looked to Onychinusa, studying her. Whenever he looked upon her, Anneliese always saw that he pitied her first and foremost. Now, though, watching her engage with the dryad children... there was some small blossom of hope in his features.


    ¡°She never came to this ce in Heroes of Berendar,¡± Argrave said begrudgingly. ¡°Maybe... maybe there is a way to work this. Weave a lie big enough that the whole world is fooled.¡±


    Anneliese took his hand abruptly. "Do you know what it does to me when you prepare for a battle where you feel you might die? Whole and happy¡ªthat is the life you wanted, remember?"


    Argrave looked surprised, as he hadn''t told her of his thoughts of death.


    "We have no chance alone. It has always been that way," Anneliese gripped his hand firmly, squashing her emotions.


    Argrave took a breath, then returned her grip. "I took on a responsibility, and I made a mistake. I let that¡ª"


    "It isn''t over until it''s over," Anneliese interrupted.


    Argrave looked to Onychinusa once again, and then sighed. "I can''t wait for Gerry to show up... that''ll be a vacationpared to this."


    "Then...?"


    "Yeah," Argrave nodded. "I''ve decided not to rob that olddy over there. Instead, I¡¯ll estrange her from her foster father. Be thankful."

 Chapter 399: A Personal Study

    Argrave and Anneliese walked up to Onychinusa as she yed with the dryad children on the ground. She seemed to have resigned herself to being adorned with all manner of mboyant leaf essories-- from Argrave¡¯s sight, he saw a few rings, a crown, and a bracelet, each and all made of flowers and twigs.


    ¡°You must think me a fool,¡± Onychinusa said, looking up at them. ¡°To help these dryads would be to hurt Kirel Qircassia, undo all the work that he¡¯s done to this forest. You should know as well as I do that I cannot make that happen. He is in Erlebnis¡¯ design, and so not to be meddled with.¡±


    Argrave offered his hand to help her up. ¡°We¡¯re not here about that. I need your help for something more immediate.¡± As he looked on the forest floor, he spotted something peculiar crossed out in the dirt. ¡°Is that... tic-tac-toe?¡±


    ¡°Anneliese showed me that,¡± Onychinusa said unabashedly, then grabbed Argrave¡¯s wrist to rise to her feet awkwardly. ¡°It¡¯s a stupid game, but they¡¯re children.¡±


    A thousand-year-old elf calls thousand-year-old forest dwellers children, while acting like the epitome of one herself in many scenarios. Argrave held his tongue, but nced at Anneliese and felt she shared the same sentiments he did.


    ¡°We would like to ask a favor of you,¡± Anneliese began her pitch. ¡°We need to call upon your shamanic magic. There¡¯s a ce that we cannot reach without it.¡±


    ¡°Reach?¡± the woman repeated, looking at the two of them. ¡°You mean transportation, then.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. One spell to reach there, one spell to return from there,¡± he summarized.


    ¡°One person?¡± she said, taking ount of all variables.


    ¡°Two. Us,¡± Argrave pointed his finger between himself and Anneliese. ¡°I suppose three, if you count yourself.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Best get everything that you need done, because I won¡¯t stress my spirits beyond that extent. You have one chance,¡± she shook her head, then walked past Argrave. ¡°Are you ready now?¡±


    One chance, indeed, Argrave thought. One chance to get you to agree to ruin Kirel Qircassia¡¯s n, cause a falling out.


    ¡°Let¡¯s walk a little closer to the site itself, then, to ease your spirits'' burden,¡± Argrave suggested, taking the lead. Orion was already ready toe along, and so Argrave called out to Batbayar, ¡°Myriarch. Are you staying here, or are we going back?¡±


    ¡°I want to speak to the mother dryad,¡± he called back.


    Argrave nodded, then looked to Onychinusa. ¡°Well... let¡¯s go, shall we?¡±


    #####


    ¡°In all your years, you never learned about your own lineage?¡± Anneliese asked Onychinusa as they walked back to where the mandragora and the library waited.


    Argrave was very surprised to see that Anneliese had broken down Onychinusa¡¯s defensiveness enough to ask a question as bold as that and not have the immediate response be a tantrum of some kind.


    ¡°I told you... I know what you¡¯re doing, so stop,¡± Onychinusa shook her head.


    ¡°You must not have cared to ask,¡± Anneliese continued. ¡°I mean... Erlebnis is the god of knowledge, and you are his mortal champion. He couldn¡¯t have forbidden you to learn. It¡¯s antithetical.¡±


    Onychinusa spared a nce at Anneliese, perhaps surprised that was the direction the conversation took. ¡°Not all knowledge is important,¡± she said dismissively. ¡°I learned only what was important.¡±


    ¡°But the dryad is iming that learning of your lineage will allow you to empower her,¡± Argrave cut in. ¡°If it can do that much... well, hell. It¡¯s got to be important, somehow. Given how hard this ce was to reach, it might be something Erlebnis might not even know. There¡¯s nothing wrong with learning. Part of the reason Erlebnis allowed us toe here was because he believed the dryads had secrets.¡±


    ¡°Is that true?¡± Onychinusa looked at him.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Argrave nodded.


    Onychinusa turned her head forward, then grew silent. ¡°...call him Lord,¡± she muttered quietly after a while. ¡°Both of you.¡±


    Argrave held his hand out. ¡°I think... I think I can do that.¡±


    Onychinusa looked at him once more in surprise, then faced ahead, her face aplex storm of thought. Argrave was ready to say more, but Anneliese pinched him and raised a gloved finger to her lips. Let her think, she mouthed. Argrave nodded, trusting her judgment.


    The four of them moved in silence, Orion leading them back to where the mandragora was as he cleared bits of crushed Yettle out of the way.


    After giving Onychinusa sufficient time to think, Anneliese said, ¡°Argrave and Orion rediscovered their lineage. It gave them tremendous ability and knowledge.¡±


    Onychinusa looked at the two of them curiously, Orion looked back, and said in confusion, ¡°...but Argrave knew for a long time before¡ª"


    ¡°She¡¯s right,¡± Argrave interrupted Orion. ¡°Our ancestor, Vasquer... she¡¯s a Gilderwatcher, a sort of snake that grows to be miles long with a body as thick as an elephant. With her help, I was able to learn how to fully understand the mind of another person¡ªin this case, my sister. More than that, we saw all of the past that she¡¯d seen. We saw thest cycle of judgment-- Gerechtigkeit.¡±


    Onychinusa did look impressed, but in the end her brows furrowed. ¡°But you¡¯re human, not a snake. You can¡¯t be rted.¡±


    ¡°It is true,¡± Orion backed up the statement. ¡°Though not quite the most conventional ancestor, herpassion was a boundless ocean all the same.¡±


    Onychinusa looked quite mortified as she pondered the forbidden, unanswerable Vasquer question, and in the end went silent once again.


    ¡°You cannot be punished for learning,¡± Anneliese said poignantly. ¡°But I imagine you can be punished for not learning.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Argrave supported her ims, then looked at Anneliese, bringing up a card they¡¯d both been holding. ¡°The reason Dimocles was given responsibility was because he could be trusted to act independently, do what needed to be done.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk about him. I hate him. I want him to drown,¡± Onychinusa responded instantly and violently.


    Argrave chuckled. ¡°Drown? Why drown?¡±


    ¡°Because it¡¯s the most painful way to die,¡± she said venomously.


    Argraveughed louder, prompting even the ancient elf Onychinusa to chuckle slightly. Hers was a strangeughter¡ªstuttery and jittery, but entirely natural and unrehearsed.


    ¡°Well... one of the things that I asked for, should everything go right with this... I asked for Dimocles to die,¡± Argrave said quietly, almost as if confiding.


    Onychinusa looked at him. ¡°What was the answer?¡±


    ¡°The emissary didn¡¯t say yes... but didn¡¯t say no, either.¡± Argrave looked to the ceiling above. ¡°I figure they must still have a use for him yet. Something he has that you don¡¯t. Seeing as how everyone here hates his guts, it can¡¯t be interpersonal skills...¡±


    Onychinusa blinked quickly, feeling indignant, confused, and focused all at the same time. As she did, Argrave looked to Anneliese.


    Maybe... this can work, Argrave began to hope.


    #####


    ¡°Don¡¯t use the Lord¡¯s blessing this time,¡± Onychinusa told Argrave firmly. ¡°I have to teleport you with [Worldstrider].¡±


    ¡°Naturally,¡± Argrave said, trying his best not to sound offended by the fact she thought he was that stupid. ¡°Orion, just wait here, if you would.¡±


    ¡°I will wait until the world itself ends,¡± he swore.


    ¡°...or maybe just a few hours,¡± Argrave said, attempting to ground him.


    ¡°Or a few hours,¡± Orion nodded just as seriously.


    Onychinusa looked back to where the mandragora and the library waited for them. Argrave and Anneliese both paid very close attention to what she did, both of them hoping to grasp some insight about shamanic magic from this procedure of hers. The ancient elf raised up her hand and cast the spell in a fluid, quick, and near effortless motion, but Argrave paid very close attention to how the magic acted and how the spell called upon the spirits.


    Argrave felt a familiar pull emerge as spirits danced out from her body, surrounding Argrave. This time, however, he did not feel that all-consuming passivity that hadest time, where he¡¯d felt subdued and thoughtless before her spirits. It confirmed to him then that she had intended to abduct him with spirits without his permission in the past, and now this time things were not the same. He caught fleeting glimpses of the spirits as they weaved around him and Anneliese.


    Argrave felt like his whole body was being stretched-- not pulled apart, but rather stretched as though he was doing literal stretches with his body. This intensely satisfying feelingsted no longer than a moment, and then... all he saw changed. Argrave was staring at a door frame.


    He whipped his head about in surprise by the sudden change, then spotted the mandragora¡¯s thick wooden body just ahead. He slowly got his bearings, looking around... and then stepped inside the library in panic. Anneliese was here, just as confounded. The two of them got their wits about them just as Onychinusa¡¯s body came to join them, ck mist condensing by them until she was whole once again.


    ¡°Done,¡± Onychinusa dered.


    Argrave took a deep breath, and then moved quickly inside the library, taking a survey of the ce. He looked at the ceiling, at the walls, ensuring that no damage was done. He¡¯d seen the outside and noticed no structural damage, but what was most important was the contents of the ce. Perhaps he¡¯d missed some of the floor having copsed, or any number of things.


    ¡°It¡¯s all here,¡± Argrave breathed out in relief. ¡°Do you know what this ce is? Of course you don¡¯t,¡± Argrave answered for them.


    This library was not like many others that Argrave had gone to before. The Alchemist¡¯s library, the library in the Order of the Rose headquarters... they were grand, tall, and housed all books high and low. But this ce served two purposes: a personal study, and a teacher¡¯s study. It had a rather quaint atmosphere to it.


    The whole of it was one giant stone room, filled with many bookshelves each perhaps eight feet tall. It had no walls-- instead, there were railed balconies that overlooked what would have once been a vibrant underground garden, but was now only an empty abyss. It had two sections, from Argrave¡¯s eye-- one for visitors, and another for personal use.


    ¡°This was where the second tost sovereign of the ancient elven empire lived out his days after his abdication,¡± Argravementated as he walked around. ¡°He was a spellcaster. Over there, he worked on his craft, honing it and perfecting it,¡± Argrave pointed to a small space that had many books behind ss cases, then turned his head to the other parts of the library. ¡°Most of his time, though... it was upied teaching his grandchildren.¡±


    Argrave walked between the shelves, looking upon thergely undecayed books. ¡°His own kids were all politician, statesmen, and rulers. They didn¡¯t make the time to care for their children. Instead, they lumped them off on ol¡¯ granddad. He¡¯d teach them about the kingdom, teach them about how to rule... I think he liked it.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Onychinusa looked totally confused, but she followed along nheless as Argrave came to the personal desk of the man he¡¯d been speaking of. He opened a drawer and took out a stash of parchments and a key just beneath it.


    ¡°These are lesson ns for his grandkids,¡± Argrave outlined, then looked at Onychinusa. ¡°I¡¯m sure you want me to stop beating around the bush, so... let me do that. I came here to get this man¡¯s spells that he made,¡± Argrave looked to the ss case in the distance, where dangerous things were kept out of reach of children. "They¡¯re experimental, and can¡¯t be found anywhere else. But I think there¡¯s something you can gain, too.¡±


    Argrave handed her the lesson ns, and Onychinusa took them off his hands in confusion.


    ¡°This is your grandfather¡¯s library,¡± Argrave said, sitting on the desk. ¡°I mean... it makes sense, doesn¡¯t it? Who else would the imperial family preserve but one of their own children? That¡¯s you.¡±


    She narrowed her eyes. ¡°You must be making one of those jokes. How could you know any of this? It¡¯s impossible,¡± she shook her head.


    Argrave only shrugged, staring at the stack of parchments in her hand. ¡°You¡¯ll learn soon enough, anyhow. I don¡¯t think you were ever meant toe here, but you have.¡±


    Certainly, in Heroes of Berendar, Onychinusa never came here. This ce was only a location for the yer to gain a few powerful spells. Beyond that, the yer could learn some interesting lore if they already had enough information about the ancient elven empire and Onychinusa to put the pieces together about who this ce¡¯s owner was and how they rted to the woman in front of him.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you look around? Meanwhile, I¡¯ll get what I came here for,¡± Argrave pointed to the ss disy cases off to the side.


    Onychinusa looked down at the papers with anxiety. Argrave gestured for Anneliese toe with him, and then the two of them came upon the ss disy case. He fit in the key he¡¯d retrieved from the desk moments ago, and the lid popped open. There, five books waited for him.


    ¡°Five tomes... and these were potent enough to make you consider...?¡± Anneliese trailed off, leaving words unspoken.


    Strong enough to make me think we might fight Erlebnis¡¯ emissaries and maybe win, Argrave finished her words in his head, then reached and took the first of them.


    ¡°That¡¯s right...¡± he said, weighing it in his hand. ¡°Let¡¯s, uhh... open it up, I guess. One for you, madam?¡±

 Chapter 400: Imperialism is Good

    Argrave opened the first tome left behind by the elven monarch, reading through it carefully. It began without introducing its author, diving right to the heart of its contents. It was written in a strict yet elegant script. The writing was uniform enough it seemed typed.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    I have witnessed twenty disciplined pikemen put an end to a horde of charging centaurs. Though the centaurs were also twenty, and easily quintuple the size of the pikemen, they died easily. That is not meant to diminish the centaurs¡ªcertainly they were stronger and faster than the pikemen, and could have killed those measly elves twenty times over.


    However, by holding their ground, nting their pikes firmly upon the earth, these spearmen made the enemy¡¯s strength their own. The centaur¡¯s unstoppable charge ended up killing them as the pikemen used their own ferocity against them. That is the principle of this research; using the enemy¡¯s strength as your own.


    One may throw a punch at another¡¯s face... or simply have someone run into a firm fist at their own ord. The end result is the same, but the effort expended is tremendously different. Master fighters use this principle with ease. When an opponent strikes their weapon, they allow the opponent¡¯s momentum to redirect it while adding their own, delivering ripostes and parries that have tremendous power while maintaining their own stamina all the while.


    Such expertise does not exist in the world of magic. My contemporaries are rather adroit at squeezing the most power out of spells they can, innovating on that front every day... but from the beginning, I believed there was another way. Let them maximize their power; it will be my weapon. There is no better ability for a sovereign, I believe.


    My research stalled for a long while, a block partially broken past with the help of a theorist by the name of Lllewellen. His disappearance put an end to that, and I was adrift for many years. Delving into a magic many deemed useless in this day and age¡ªshamanic magic¡ªhas yielded something finally worth putting to paper.


    By using spirits, one can be freed of the constraints of all other schools of magic. They are a precious resource. In all my years, I have managed to collect only a few dozen. Most spellcasters are not aware of their existence, even. This first tome took eight years to develop.


    However... I am satisfied with the results. At C-rank, this spell is resource-light, and dependentrgely upon the spirits in one¡¯s possession to manifest its full power. Given their rarity, these spells are thus fully fit for the sole use of the royal family. Before I make this spell known, we must endeavor to gather all spirits in the royal family. Let these spells be my legacy that ensures my bloodline¡¯s sovereignty over this continent and many beyond it.


    ¡°That worked out great for you...¡± Argrave muttered, flipping to the next page where a familiar name waited.


    [Requite]


    Emperor Balzat I


    Argrave looked at Anneliese as she studied another book, eyes furrowed deeply in concentration. These five tomes had the five imperial spells. Ironically, if Balzat had given these to his family ahead of time, they might have been able to use them in the cycle of judgment of their generation, surviving both the ve rebellion and Gerechtigkeit. Spirits were soon to be far more abundant.


    The other four imperial tomes¡ªSubjugate, Edify, Inspirit, and Bulwark¡ªshared the same qualities as the one Argrave held: they were incredibly potent, magically efficient, and consumed spirits. The only one of high rank was [Subjugate], and it was S-rank. Their primary expenditure was spirits, not magic.


    No other shamanic spells consumed as many spirits as the imperial spells. [Requite] did as Balzat described: it turned an enemy¡¯s strength against them. Argrave¡¯s n had been simple; steal Onychinusa¡¯s spirits, teleport to the elven gods, enlist their aid to secure yet more spirits, and fight using this spell. With it, he needn¡¯t attack the emissaries himself. Instead, all of their magic would turn against them.


    The spell wasn¡¯t without its issues. It was powerless against other shamanic spells, and it required excellent timing for certain types of magic, foremost among them being lightning spells. It was as good a n as Argrave coulde up with, however. But if all was as Anneliese suggested, he could do this and more.


    ¡°Argrave, these spells...¡± Anneliese looked at him, her expression serious.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Argrave nodded, knowing that look. Each of the four others were simrly useful, but given both the scarcity of spirits and time, Argrave intended to focus on only [Requite]. Still, all five would undoubtedly be another core of his repertoire. Balzat had intended them to serve his imperial family... but now it would serve a royal family instead, Argrave supposed.


    Or maybe it will serve his family, Argrave thought, looking to the side where Onychinusa sat atop a bookshelf, juggling half a dozen different pages and books.


    ¡°You should focus on this,¡± Argrave told her, retrieving the tome for teleportation out of his pack. ¡°Meanwhile... I¡¯ll work on the spell we need; namely, this one. Let¡¯s give Onychinusa ample time to digest.¡±


    He gave Anneliese both tomes, and she scanned over [Requite]. He¡¯d told her about it in the past, but seeing was believing. And from the look of her face, she believed it was quite potent.


    ¡°I¡¯ll... do my best,¡± Anneliese said, handing him back [Requite] while keeping the tome for teleportation.


    #####


    Onychinusa had been internally grappling with the issue of discovering her lineage for a long time. Whenever she had asked her educators, the emissaries, she had always been refused. The general reason for refusal had been that the knowledge was not important. That had never fully satisfied her, but her life had enough distracting her that it seldom came into light. When it had, as in days past, it was quickly shut down by the emissaries.


    It was never said, but Onychinusa knew it was forbidden to her.


    Yet her entire life had been spent reading whatever was in front of her¡ªspell books, normal books, everything. And now that she had been handed this forbidden knowledge, old habit lined up with desire, and she read everything that Argrave had handed her.


    It was an borate lesson n meant to teach children, but as it was meant for a teacher and not a student it had many references. She walked throughout the library, seeking out these references. She found all the history she could ever want¡ªthe first elves, the first emperor, the expansion of the empire, the development of bureaucracy and culture¡­


    It might be considered dry reading. But looking upon it, Onychinusa felt a pounding in her heart unlike anything she¡¯d ever had before. Unbeknownst to her, the fact this knowledge had been kept from her spurred her desire to obtain it... and now, with it so personally connected to her by blood rtion, it was profoundly interesting.


    Both curiosity and self-doubt led her to focus on one thing in particr¡ªnamely, the family tree. She tracked the monarchs down, down, and down, finding more and more information about the sessive rulers. Finally she came to Balzat, the man who had this library built, and after him she came to thest emperor, Wr II.


    She scanned through entry after entry in book after book, looking for something to tie herself to the man. After she discovered thest emperor had siblings, her search widened... but as she came to realize that she had likely been born in the tumult of the ve rebellion, she realized it would be unlikely her existence would be noted anywhere here.


    Onychinusa walked about the library, pping her forehead as she tried to think of some way to get rid of the awful feeling of doubt and longing welling in her heart. She paced near a painting on the wall, reaching for hope and finding none. She wanted Argrave to be wrong and right in equal measure, but the answers weren¡¯t here.


    And then, after she¡¯d paced in front of it perhaps a thousand times... the painting on the wall drew her attention. It was arge family of people with ancient elven features like hers. As she scanned them, her eyes fell upon one person in particr. It was a woman with tan skin, long ears, white hair, and amber eyes.


    But to Onychinusa, it looked rather like a mirror.


    She took the painting off the wall and came to sit down, studying it with heavy breathing. When the word of ¡®mother¡¯ rooted itself in her head, she felt sad. Sadness always made her angry, and so she called magic to destroy something. But everywhere she looked, all she could think of was that her grandfather had gone so far to make this ce, gone through so much effort to teach his grandchildren...


    For the first time, Onychinusa could only sit with her sadness, unable to muster the anger that drowned out all else. It hurt. She hated it, and she didn¡¯t want to be here anymore.


    But this was all she had.


    #####


    ¡°...I¡¯ll talk to the dryads,¡± mumbled Onychinusa.


    Argrave studied the elven woman. Her eyes were red and puffy, and she carried a painting with her.


    "You had a change of heart, did you?" Argrave began happily, but Anneliese pped his chest to shutter his optimism.


    "I think the Lord will be happy," Anneliese said in constion.


    Onychinusa ignored them both, stalking away with that painting in hand.


    Once they were out of ear, Argrave said, "Excellent. Damn excellent. Once she hears the visceral details of her birth..."


    "That won''t stir her," Anneliese disagreed. "She''ll never abandon Erlebnis in the time frame we need, just as you thought. Our goal is to make him view her as a liability and abandon her. To that end, she needs to be perceived as the cause of Erlebnis'' woes."


    "And to that end... first, we make him and Kirel break up,y the me on her," Argrave continued.


    "Second... perhaps we can use her to indirectly kill Dimocles," she suggested boldly.


    "Remaining is Chiteng and Altan, provided he doesn''t have other adherents..." Argrave shook his head. "I thought your way would be less cruel, but we''ll be ruining her life..."


    "Wildlife regrows fastest after a fire," Anneliese said simply. ¡°I will take responsibility.¡±


    #####


    Elenore looked at a strange miniature cab that had diamonds as handles. Some days past, Nikoletta had returned bearing a paper with Argrave¡¯s magical signature, and personal instructions to be delivered by ear only. There were many extremely paranoid measures she was instructed to take, but take them she did. The most important thing had been raiding a secluded vi owned by a very minor lord named Dimocles.


    The vi was a very strange and wondrous ce, host to many collectible items. And, furthermore, it had a wide collection of rather unique and talented people. They had all been nopliant, and so they were in prison. Apparently it was only one of many such ces, but Argrave wished for her to raid this one in particr, and then retrieve this miniature cab.


    ¡°Here,¡± Elenore handed it to Nikoletta. ¡°Send it well.¡±


    Nikoletta took it with care. ¡°I¡¯ll get this to him,¡± she vowed.


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Elenore nodded, stroking her chin as she thought.


    Whatever that cab was, it had been difficult to acquire, being both well-guarded and well-contained. Elenore supposed Dimocles must find it very important, whoever he was. It seemed he¡¯d made an enemy of the state... a very dire fate, indeed.

 Chapter 401: Lies of Lineage

    Argrave and Anneliese spent their time stuffing their packs full of the valuable things in this library. There were bags enough to carry more than they probably had a right to. Onychinusa looked a little taken aback at their tant raiding, but this ce was a point of research for shamanic magic. There were many spells to go around. Unfortunately, the old emperor had no care for enchanting--in the end, that didn¡¯t matter. The search parties sent out to scour old ruins undoubtedly would unearth just what was needed.


    And so, with their pockets overflowing, they returned to Orion, where he was promptly given several packs to carry.


    ¡°I promised I¡¯d deal with the mandragora,¡± Argrave reflected, looking back as he offloaded thest of the bags.


    ¡°...and the Yateveos,¡± Orion reminded him, carrying several bags on his arm like he¡¯d just gotten home from the grocery store.


    ¡°I think we can, and without fear. But the library might fall,¡± Anneliese said innocently.


    At this, Onychinusa looked a little distressed. ¡°Wait...¡± she said quietly, her voice trailing off as she suppressed her speech.


    ¡°What? You don¡¯t want the library to crumble into that bottomless abyss, never to be recovered?¡± Argrave asked, hamming up the description.


    Onychinusa looked pained, but she eventually managed a nod of confirmation.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°I did make a promise,¡± Argrave said, as though his promises held great weight. Onychinusa looked to the side while tapping her feet, and so Argrave continued, ¡°Does this library mean a lot to you?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± she shook her head.


    ¡°If it doesn¡¯t mean a lot, then you¡¯d be fine if everything inside was buried in stone and tree parts, forgotten by the world...¡± he provoked, and when he saw the effect on her temperament quickly continued, ¡°But if it does mean something to you, I can find a way out of it.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Onychinusa looked at him.


    ¡°Sure. I appreciate you enough to do that much," Argrave nodded.


    Onychinusa looked at the library and the mandragora, then back at Argrave. "Knowledge has to be preserved, right?"


    He smiled back. "Sure. Then, let''s go. You have a dryad to talk to."


    #####


    When they returned, they saw Batbayar and the mother dryad having a conversation. The two turned their heads when they saw the returning four, and Anneliese asked Onychinusa, ¡°Might Ie with you, or do you wish to be alone? I am curious about what recovering your lineage entails, and have some questions of my own to ask.¡±


    Onychinusa¡¯s gaze was distant, and her mind was elsewhere enough it took her a moment to process a question had been asked. ¡°What? Oh. I don¡¯t care,¡± she said,pletely out of sorts.


    Anneliese took the agreement without a word, leaving the ancient elf to her thoughts. Meanwhile, she whispered to Argrave, ¡°I¡¯ll do my part. Trust me,¡± she said, her breathing tingling his ear.


    When she pulled away, Argrave gave her a nod. Once they came near the dryad, Argrave called out, ¡°Batbayar. A word?¡±


    The myriarch was sitting underneath the dryad''s home tree, but when called stood up and walked to where Argrave and Orion awaited him. As with most people, he seemed a little intimidated having two towering people nearby, but he stood firm nheless.


    ¡°Was just catching up with the dryad, fishing out some information...¡± Batbayar looked at him, while Argrave was doing his best to make his face look dour. ¡°You look... grim.¡±


    I feel grimmer, Argrave thought, but he was d he was acting this out well. He couldn¡¯t make an overt bid against Altan. He didn¡¯t think that anything he did would pass, there. At the end of the day, he did admire and respect the elven army¡¯s discipline. And so... perhaps it was best for them to deal with their own. Perhaps it was best to use their system against the corruption within it.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s about time I tell you why I went behind the backs of the other myriarchs toe here,¡± Argrave began, making his voice quiet and gruff for effect.


    Batbayar stared with those fierce red eyes of his. ¡°I thought you had told me,¡± he said in an usatory tone.


    ¡°There were some things I couldn¡¯t tell you,¡± Argrave exined. ¡°Not until I was totally certain myself. Understand, though, that it¡¯s because if I didn¡¯t have proof, I¡¯d only make an enemy of you.¡±


    ¡°And you have that proof now?¡± Batbayar listened intently, holding judgment.


    "Yes," Argrave nodded. "I¡¯ll say it straight: one of the myriarchs betrayed us.¡±


    Batbayar didn¡¯t change expressions noticeably, but something about his mien became all the scarier in half a second. ¡°You were right about making an enemy of me without proof, I hope you realize.¡±


    ¡°Has the dryad told you about the end of the ancient elven empire, about your true origins in the rebellion?¡± Argrave began.


    Batbayar looked hesitant to speak, but he slowly said, ¡°We¡¯re rebel ves. It¡¯s a secret privy only to myriarchs.¡±


    ¡°That was something orchestrated to bring down the empire,¡± Argrave continued. ¡°Onychinusa over there... she¡¯s thest living ancient elf, and indeed thest member of their imperial family. The very same being that orchestrated the death of the old empire hase back for seconds. With the dryads¡¯ ability, we learned the truth of her birth... and in that library down below, we received proof.¡±


    ¡°A truly despicable being, this Erlebnis,¡± bemoaned Orion, listening intently. He set down the bags he held one-by-one.


    ¡°Through my own personal experience, I know that those creatures your army fought were Erlebnis¡¯ servants,'''' Argrave continued. ¡°And I can¡¯t say this for certain, as we weren¡¯t there... but if things are as I suspect, your army was taken by surprise. We know Chiteng betrayed your gods, but if I¡¯m right... perhaps one of your Tumens was not hit as hard as the rest. Perhaps its leader quickly got control of the situation, minimizing losses and assumingmand in one fell swoop. And perhaps... perhaps there is a reason those monsters didn¡¯t focus your army, wipe it out, and then switch to the gods.¡±


    Batbayar shifted on his feet, the point driving home as he connected dots. ¡°You say all of this, but there¡¯s a reason I stayed behind while you went off into those ruins again. It was to ask the dryad what that woman was, since I wasn¡¯t sure I could get a straight answer from you,¡± he continued. ¡°The mother dryad talked, King Argrave. And from what I remember of its exnation... the reason that woman was kept alive was because she was taken in by Erlebnis.¡±


    Trees aren¡¯t supposed to talk, damn it all, Argrave thought, though his face was stone.


    ¡°That''s true," Argrave didn''t deny it, and was about to continue before Batbayar interrupted.


    "And in terms of who I trust, I''m far less likely to suspect those who I''ve lived and died beside than a silver-tongued despot from a family of conquerors and rapists."


    In a blur, Orion seized the S-rank myriarch''s neck, saying firmly, "You ought to atone for those words."


    "Stop!" Argrave shouted, putting his hand on Orion''s wrist as Batbayar struggled to breathe. "Don''t make enemies where we have friends, Orion. He''s right."


    "He isn''t. You bleed for ingrates. All of us remaining are good, and you are the best of us," the prince said with eerie quiet.


    "Prove that," Argrave gripped his arm.


    Orion released Batbayar, though his anger did not seem abated.


    Argrave said cautiously as Batbayar coughed, ¡°Forgive him. What you said was too much, but that response was the same. Let''s end it there before things get out of hand. Fundamentally, we are in agreement."


    "No..." Batbayar coughed, rubbing his throat. "No, I deserved that. I understand his rage. If you doubt my myriarchs, you doubt my family... so I understand. And I hope you understand why I view you with suspicion, bringing that ancient elven woman into this."


    Argrave gathered his thoughts as Batbayar caressed his throat. Then, he felt a rush of confidence, and so said, "I don''t think she''s a servant of Erlebnis. After all, she''s going to heal the forest. That''s rather contrary to what he wants."


    "She is?" Batbayar narrowed his eyes.


    "Yeah. Onychinusa will heal this forest," he nodded, going all-in on Anneliese''s promise.


    But if she doesn''t... guess it''s all over, now.


    #####


    How in Veid''s name does he do it? Anneliese thought as she walked with Onychinusa deeper with the mother dryad.


    She''d told Argrave to trust her, and though she felt full of confidence in that moment, when it came to finding the words to lead Onychinusa toward subverting Kirel Qircassia''s presence the only thing that came to mind was his name. It repeated in her head, rifying her objective without offering any solution to the problem. She was as despondent as Onychinusa.


    ...or perhaps less so, for the ancient elven woman broke past her haze and asked, ¡°What does rediscovering my lineage actually entail?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s very simple,¡± the dryad looked back, her dark hair swaying with a light breeze. ¡°You will im all that any citizen of the empire had... and from there, you will im your birthright asst heir to the imperial throne.¡±


    ¡°The throne is here?¡± Onychinusa asked, surprised.


    The dryadughed. ¡°No. It¡¯s not a physical throne... indeed, perhaps it¡¯s not even a figurative throne, given the decay of the empire... but if you do as you must, you will have the power tomand me and all of these childrens. Even now, we are your ves.¡±


    Onychinusa looked confused. ¡°You would give me power over you?¡±


    ¡°Power means nothing to me. This is what I want, because it is what my children want,¡± the dryad said calmly.


    The ancient elf was thrown into confusion upon hearing this, and scrutinizing her Anneliese finally felt she had some inkling of how to proceed.


    You can understand others... but she cannot. Be a bridge, let her in, make her trust... and then work, Anneliese thought with rity. And in the end, perhaps she could serve another of her interests at the same time.


    ¡°Then where are we going?¡± Onychinusa continued.


    ¡°It¡¯s further yet. It¡¯s the secret to that mist those strange foxes want so badly... and the key to keeping this ce safe,¡± the dryad assured calmly. ¡°If you wish, we can run.¡±


    ¡°There was something we were talking about earlier,¡± Anneliese quickly interjected, as that was thest thing she wanted. ¡°About the man that came with me.¡±


    ¡°His parents... yes,¡± the dryad slowed her walk, deciding to walk with the three of them. Onychinusa looked vaguely miffed, but she said nothing. ¡°One of them was a king. His mind... it was unwell. It was poisoned-- indeed, it was the very first thing the great arbiter touched. He changed nothing about the man, just... removed things. Empathy. Satisfaction. Inhibition. With only those gone, he was a ve to the desires and curiosities we all feel, but the better parts of us purge.¡±


    ¡°I know this,¡± Anneliese nodded. ¡°It¡¯s the other parent I¡¯m curious about.¡±


    ¡°His niece,¡± the dryad looked at Anneliese and said quietly. ¡°It was the king¡¯s niece-- ironically, a bastard herself, though unacknowledged by her father. That man here today, Argrave, was an experiment and a humiliation for the king. A foray into the forbidden. Fascinating enough to keep alive... but repulsive enough to torment. I suspect, given his father¡¯s temperament... that boy bears many scars, just as his mother. They¡¯re all under the skin, though, healed by magic. From even a glimpse of him... the king was ever fond of seeing how loudly people could scream, then making sure they whispered not a word of it after.¡±


    Anneliese felt a little sick after hearing that, but clinging on to the fact that the soul in Argrave¡¯s skin had not endured such a life gave herfort enough to ward it away. She looked at Onychinusa, who seemed disturbed but simultaneouslycked the experience to express that feeling.


    ¡°...it seems you learn of many royal lineages, today,¡± Anneliese said glibly.


    With the experience connected back to her own, Onychinusa seemed to resonate with Argrave¡¯s story. Anneliese felt like she¡¯d finally managed to get beneath the woman¡¯s armor. All that remained was driving home the notion that she should sabotage Kirel Qircassia. Even still, she couldn¡¯t find that organic connection. If she poked now, that armor would be back up in seconds.


    ¡°Will you tell him?¡± Onychinusa asked, then shook her head. ¡°No-- does he know?¡±


    ¡°She... died young, from what he told me,¡± Anneliese quickly supplied. ¡°Yes, I will tell him. Everyone should have the chance to learn of their lineage. But what is done is done. He will keep moving forward as he always has... independent of his father,¡± she said, the wordsing to her naturally. The next words, too, practically came out of her mouth before she thought them.


    ¡°Even independently, Argrave has ended up doing what his father wanted,¡± Anneliese sighed.


    ¡°What did he say he wanted of him?¡± Onychinusa asked slowly.


    ¡°He never said it,¡± Annelieseughed. ¡°But he lived it. King Felipe III, despite his faults in the categories of his children, wanted them to resent him. He subconsciously wanted them to view him as a viin, that they might ovee him by bing him-- a better him. He never told Argrave this, but nheless he came to learn,¡± she continued gravely, caught up in her own lie so heavily it almost felt like truth.


    As Onychinusa listened intently, Anneliese finished pointedly, ¡°All any parent wants is for their children to live a certain way... and not just because they¡¯re told. Because they know what to do without being told.¡±


    With the bridge of connection formed, the words sunk home all the deeper. Anneliese could see the self-reflection on Onychinusa¡¯s face, as clear as day. Argrave once talked about something called a Trojan Horse, and she felt it was rather fitting here.


    ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± the dryad said, drawing Anneliese away from her thoughts. ¡°Just inside here,¡± the dryad gestured, where all the children sat at the entrance to a cave beneath the roots. They were unusually silent.


    Looking at Onychinusa take a deep breath of apprehension, Anneliese knew something. The seed is nted. Nowes cultivation... and then harvesting. You won¡¯t be the only one growing a forest, Onychinusa...

 Chapter 402: Finding Purpose

    Anneliese felt sick to her stomach as she followed Onychinusa and the dryad down into the ce that was to be the deciding point of this scheme. Battles she could handle, wars... she felt she had vision, there. But now she had insisted Argrave deviate from the surer course, following her down this path that she herself didn¡¯t understand. She wasn¡¯t made for this.


    But then, more was made of everyone every day by the actions they take in the circumstances theynd in. With the world changing, this was not the time to stagnate. Anneliese would not allow Vasquer to end with the same fate the ancient elven empire had. To that end, they could settle for nothing less than absolute victory.


    The dryads called her a mistake... but her entire life, whether it was at her mother¡¯s side or at the mercy of her grandmother¡¯s teachings, Anneliese defined herself. It was a pride she kept within, buried beneath all. The pride of choice. Wherever it was shended, she never wished to think that it had not been her choice. To that end, she would strive until thest time her heart beat.


    Let her use that pride today to make a better life for the family she chose.


    And like a me had burnt it away, that sickness in her stomach was gone. Anneliese walked by Onychinusa and the mother dryad deep into this mysterious cave. Behind them, the dryad children walked like a funeral march. Onychinusa seemed disquieted to be boxed in, and she disliked the close confines of the cave


    ¡°I am beginning to think that the Lord Erlebnis sent you here not because he was ignorant... but because he was unignorant,¡± Anneliese began, her mind absolutely focused on the ancient elven woman.


    Onychinusa slowly turned her head and focused on Anneliese. ¡°Do you mean... the Lord knew I would end up here?¡±


    ¡°It seems he seldom acts on chance, but on knowledge,¡± Anneliese continued. ¡°If he had Altan under his thumb, a myriarch just as Batbayar... he surely had more information about this ce than we were led to believe,¡± she suggested.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Onychinusa was smart, and the words were usible enough to bring her pause. Maybe there was even some truth to the words. But as things were, it teetered the scale a little over further as more weight was added. She could see the gears in Onychinusa¡¯s head turning.


    The cave floor sloped gently downwards beforeing to a t stretch and opening up. If Anneliese was right, this ce was directly beneath where the mother dryad made her roots. They stepped into a simple ce, no more than a cave... but the back of it was illuminated by light, around which half a dozen roots coiled. Most prominent was a thick root, syed out t against the wall. There was writing on it.


    ¡°I kept preserved a code your grandfather promulgated to all citizens of the empire,¡± the mother dryad exined. ¡°It¡¯s a code ofws. I ask that you learn it, as all citizens of the empire had to. Once you do... we will move on to the next step.¡±


    The dryad walked away towards that glowing light, and Onychinusa came up to therge wooden root with writing etched into it. She ready through it quietly, but Anneliese was not content to let her be.


    ¡°Did you view Lord Erlebnis as your father?¡± Anneliese said, disgusted by her new use of the deferential ¡®Lord¡¯ even as she spoke it. Again, she wondered how Argrave acted out parts so easily.


    ¡°Of course not,¡± Onychinusa looked at her, speaking somewhat angrily. ¡°I don¡¯t... I didn¡¯t have the luxury of such things. You just learned this.¡±


    ¡°And yet all that came before has changed,¡± Anneliese continued,ing to a stop. ¡°The Lord never before allowed you to learn of your past... and yet now he sends you to the heart of it. The Lord never before allowed you to be free of solitude... and yet now he sends you before us, that we might work together closely.¡±


    ¡°What do you drive at?¡± Onychinusa looked at her, her face in disarray. ¡°What do you seek to say?¡±


    ¡°I want to help you, Onychinusa,¡± Anneliese said, allowing her honesty to pool into her voice. ¡°The Lord has made his move. Times change. To prove my point, let me ask you this-- the Lord¡¯s breach... it has to be rather close to Kirel Qircassia¡¯s, correct?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s in the North Sea,¡± she answered easily, rattled enough to let out vital information like that freely. ¡°Off the coast.¡±


    ¡°Do you believe Kirel Qircassia will be content to let another gods¡¯ realm exist so close to his? The Lord has a stronger presence than him, now, but that might not remain so forever.¡±


    ¡°They made a pact,¡± Onychinusa narrowed her eyes.


    ¡°And the Lord is always honorable in his contracts,¡± Anneliese nodded. ¡°Argrave knows that, and I know this. In this way, the Lord Erlebnis¡¯ actions are rather like those of Veidimen culture. At the same time... if the Lord can act ahead of time, before Kirel Qircassia fully manifests... that would be beneficial.


    ¡°All of this-- sending you here with us, giving you free reign... he cannot overtlymand you to break faith. But you are the Lord¡¯s mortal champion for a reason, Onychinusa. You can do as he cannot. If you should sow disunity, break this pact, the Lord can reap all of the rewards while estranging a dangerous future rival.¡±


    ¡°But I... I would¡¯ve been...¡± Onychinusa began, narrowing her eyes and stepping to the wooden root with the code ofws etched in it.


    ¡°The Lord never breaks pacts. You know this. But you are not bound to the same universalws that he is. Kirel Qircassia can break faith of his own ord... if you do as the Lord bids. Do you remember what I said?¡± Anneliese stepped closer, kneeling down before Onychinusa. ¡°All a parent wants is for their children to live a certain way. And not because they¡¯re told, but because they know what to do without being told.¡±


    ¡°I... would be told,¡± Onychinusa disagreed. ¡°I would be ordered. I should always ask, before I... act...¡±


    ¡°Ask, but you will not be told. You are that which can make the Lord whole,¡± Anneliese said insistently. ¡°He cares for you, in his own way. He sent you here with us. He broke your long solitude, and broke the long silence of your heritage. He never breaks a contract. But you are not the Lord... and that is what he needs. He needs one that does not need to be told. You are not alone anymore. And if you do this, you will never be alone anymore.¡±


    Anneliese was experiencing all Onychinusa felt so intensely she almost felt like falling over. One thousand years of solitude, raised in an inhuman ce by unfeeling things... one thousand years of learning without end, striving without knowing for what... one thousand years of asking ¡®why¡¯ without ever receiving an answer. Anneliese could feel it all like she¡¯d been through it. All of it culminated to this moment, and Anneliese stepped inside. The words that came felt like they¡¯d been pried directly from Onychinusa¡¯s mind, and Anneliese spoke them firmly.


    ¡°You must have a purpose, Onychinusa... and if not this, then what?¡±


    Onychinusa¡¯s eyes widened, and she looked down the ground in mute silence. That was her being-- she was someone who did not know her purpose, yet desperately wished to find one. Anneliese saw it, exposed it, and formed a resonance.


    But perhaps it was not without a cost. Anneliese feltpletely exhausted, and could think of no more words as she stepped away from the ancient elf. She could hardly think at all. Her brain felt heavy, and the next while was a blur. When she finally had faculty enough to think again, Onychinusa already walked away from the code ofws, its contents memorized.


    ¡°Then... I know thews of a citizen of the empire,¡± Onychinusa said, her voice hollow. ¡°What of my lineage?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s simple. All you must do is im ownership of me. And that can be done with my heart,¡± the dryad exined. ¡°From there... from there, I can do the rest, if you allow it. I can tell you where your crown waits... everything.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Onychinusa nodded, her voice trembling and alive. As Anneliese watched, she and the dryad walked towards the glowing light wrapped in roots. The wood unraveled, revealing a brighter brilliance emanating from a heart of thorns. She reached her hand out... and touched it.


    The white light was enshrouded, almost as if tamed... and then spread out once more redoubled, projecting a deep imperial purple.


    ¡°Then... master,¡± the dryad kneeled, lowering her head until her ck hair touched the cave¡¯s floor. ¡°Would you ask anything of me? And if not, may I be so bold as to ask permission of you?¡±


    #####


    Argrave sat reading the book of [Requite], giving Batbayar ample time to think. He was d the book was C-rank, but looking upon its matrix hovering in the air he felt this book would gather more dust in his hands than it had in that millennia-old library. Orion sat at his side, still mulling over his temper.


    Then, something shook, and Argrave started. Orion already stood and surveyed the area, ready to pounce upon any foes. Argrave looked around frantically, at a loss. When he spotted movement in a distant corner of his eye, he focused his gaze, walking towards it.


    Argrave came to the pit that the mandragora rested in. He thought the creature might have met its end, but as he observed... no, it was the top of the pit that was moving. Earth was falling away as if in andslide. It seemed almost like the earth itself was splitting in some natural disaster. That, though, brought back memories of what had brought him to this ce to begin with. And with that thought... he saw what truly moved.


    The thick redwood roots, marring every bit of the forest, moved into motion once again. They craned backwards sluggishly, like people reawakened after a deep sleep... but they moved all the same. And though they did stir the earth further, it was simply a natural result of retraction, of a reversion to mean.


    Argrave started tough when he saw this, putting the pieces together. She did it, Argrave realized. She made that olddy bend. How in the hell did Anneliese pull that off? His Brumesingers descended from his coat, racing about the trees and everywhere else in exuberance. Argrave joined then, too, pumping his fist and cheering.


    Soon enough, Batbayar ran upon them in confusion and panic. ¡°Is this it? Is this what you were talking about?¡± He caught his breath, his eyes looking every which way as he absorbed the scene into his eyes.


    ¡°What¡¯d I tell you?¡± Argrave put his hand on his shoulder, leaning upon the shorter man. ¡°You¡¯re gonna see green leaves, a nice clean forest floor without roots...because everything is just as I said,¡± he smiled slyly. ¡°Aren¡¯t we reliable?¡±


    Batbayar watched intently, then said, ¡°...I¡¯m going to go check outside this forest.¡±


    Argrave watched him leave in a run, then called out after him, ¡°You can thank me anytime!¡±


    With those words, Argrave turned and sat back to watch the beauty of this event. He felt pride in Anneliese and relief in equal measure, dueling against each other in a reprieve to the misery of days past.


    ¡°I¡¯m a lucky man,¡± Argrave said.


    ¡°Do you believe that?¡± Orion asked in surprise.


    ¡°Ever hear the term, ¡®better half?¡¯¡± Argrave questioned. ¡°Well... I¡¯ve got a way better half. And I¡¯m definitely notining. Feels pretty damned good, you want to know the truth.¡±


    Orion narrowed his eyes, then nodded slowly in agreement. After a few minutes, Argrave turned when he heard footsteps behind. They were returning. He wanted to run up and tackle Anneliese in a hug, but he had to keep up with the act.


    ¡°Does someone want to tell me what¡¯s going on?¡± he asked, almost demandingly. It was difficult to hide a smile.


    ¡°I did what the Lord needed,¡± Onychinusa said simply, her voice trembling in excitement and nervousness.


    ¡°The forest will be healed... and my children have been given leave to grow,¡± the dryad exined.


    Argrave exhaled until he was breathless, beholding the three of them. When he looked at Anneliese, she looked... off.


    ¡°Argrave,¡± she began when they met eyes. ¡°I learned something down there. Might we.. talk? In private,¡± she said, walking to him and holding her hand out.


    Argrave took her hand slowly. ¡°Sure,¡± he agreed hesitantly. Onychinusa seemed to look at him in pity, but it was soon washed away as she pranced about nervously, trying to contain herself.


    Anneliese led him off quickly, and Argrave kept his stride long to keep pace with her. Argrave¡¯s Brumesingers ran as fast as they could to keep up, and even they were a little short. Once they were out of view of everyone...


    Anneliese wrapped her arms around his back. Argraveughed and put his hand atop her head, thinking nothing was off. Then, when he saw her shoulders shake, and heard the muffled sobs, he panicked.


    ¡°Woah, woah, hey...¡± he began, rubbing her back in abject confusion. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did something go wrong?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just... it was too much,¡± Anneliese exined in jittery speech muffled by his duster. ¡°I went too far. I went too deep,¡± she exined, her frayed tone breaking Argrave¡¯s heart. ¡°Just give me a moment. Please,¡± she pleaded.


    ¡°As long as you want,¡± Argrave agreed at once, looking off into the forest as Anneliese cried. She had never before been like this, and so it concerned him more than he knew how to handle. A question persisted in his mind, but it was forter.


    What did she do to make this happen?

 Chapter 403: Empire of One

    After a while, Argrave managed to get the story out of Anneliese. When she mentioned going too far, too deep, she was talking about her evaluation of Onychinusa¡¯s emotions. Apparently, what she had experienced was so profound she could all but perceive the elven woman¡¯s thoughts. It had enabled her to say what was needed. But at the same time...


    ¡°I cannot shake this feeling,¡± Anneliese recounted. She sat on a root with Argrave beside her. The Brumesingers sat all around her, nuzzling her tofort her just as Argrave held her shoulder. ¡°The purposelessness. That¡¯s all she wants, Argrave-- purpose. I know it just as well as she does herself.¡± She sighed, cupping her trembling hands around her mouth. ¡°I wanted to avoid a betrayal. But in the end... the result is the same, I merely betrayed with deception rather than violence. This might even be worse.¡± Anneliese grew silent. ¡°What do you think will happen?¡±


    ¡°...I don¡¯t think she can be confined again, given that Erlebnis is manifesting himself and connecting his realm with this one... but she¡¯ll be viewed as a liability once he learns. A liability he¡¯ll be sure to cut off, one way or the other,¡± Argrave said quietly. ¡°Whatever the case, she¡¯s out of the picture. Erlebnis won¡¯t let her slide. He raised her for certainty, and she failed once. He doesn¡¯t like second chances.¡±


    ¡°Will he kill her?¡± Anneliese asked quietly.


    ¡°I can¡¯t honestly say. He agreed not to all those thousands of years ago, but perhaps this breaks some use,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°But she¡¯s out of the game. In what manner... we¡¯ll have to see.¡±


    ¡°And Kirel Qircassia... his alliance with Erlebnis might not shatter immediately,¡± Anneliese said, her trembling fading as she distracted herself. ¡°But it¡¯s been undermined. The god will be suspicious, without a doubt.¡±


    ¡°Mmm-hmm,¡± Argrave nodded, mulling. ¡°I¡¯ve been working at flipping Batbayar. I thought we¡¯d need to have a direct hand in purging Altan, and whatever other of Erlebnis¡¯ worshippers are in the elven armies... but now, I think we let their system of military policing work on its own. Batbayar was resistant to the idea at first, but now that he¡¯sing around, I suspect he¡¯s going to engage in a thorough purging of the army. He might even find the malfeasance I¡¯ve been talking about for so long before I put him on the trail,¡± Argrave reasoned. ¡°Whatever the case, we have a little more breathing room.¡±


    ¡°...thinking of how the forest healed... what do you think the emissaries would do immediately after that happened? Would they continue their hunt of the elven gods, or would they retreat and reassess?¡± Anneliese mused.


    Argrave took a deep breath, her words bringing revtion. ¡°I think they might retreat,¡± he reasoned. ¡°Erlebnis won¡¯t know what happened until he¡¯s told. He might put the pieces together, but he might not. Regardless, this could be a window of opportunity.¡± He rose to his feet. ¡°Whatever the case, we need to get out of here. Let¡¯s wrap things up with the dryads, and then...¡± he paused. ¡°Actually, scratch that. If you need to take some time, take some time. What you did was far beyond anything I could¡¯ve managed, I think. I¡¯m no mind-reader.¡±


    ¡±No... no,¡± Anneliese rose to her feet. ¡°I will not allow this to put me down. But Argrave... please, never again. I know I chose this, but I never wish to do it again. This feeling of purposelessness does not fade. I cannot say it will. I am not made to manipte others sopletely. I nearly lost myself during that process.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need ¡®please.¡¯ You didn¡¯t even need to ask,¡± he assured, patting her shoulder. ¡°Come on. Let¡¯s finalize these growing rifts while we have the chance.¡±


    ¡°Before you go... I learned some pivotal information. Erlebnis has a breach near Kirel Qircassia¡¯s. His is underwater, off the coast of the North Sea,¡± she exined. ¡°That has to help us.¡±


    Argrave pped once, and then nodded. ¡°Yeah... yeah, that is necessary information. I¡¯ll need... damn it. Underwater?¡± He walked away, pacing as he thought.


    ¡°Now that I know, I can scout out the coast in greater detail. But there¡¯s another thing. Onychinusa presumably thinks I intended to tell you something I learned there,¡± Anneliese called out. ¡°I know you care not, but I did. It pertains to your mother.¡±


    #####


    Argrave was not especially shocked by the news his cousin was also his mother. Perhaps it exined the frailty the real Argrave had been cursed with. He counted himself fortunate he didn¡¯t have the Habsburg jaw. Perhaps if he¡¯d gone along with Nikoletta, their children might have had it. Quite the dark thought. Regardless, it was another nail in the coffin alongside the thousands of other King Felipe III bore. The man was irredeemable, but Argrave wasn¡¯t one to stick with family members no matter what circumstances came.


    Anneliese and Argrave walked back slowly. She kept the Brumesingers in her arms, and the foxes obediently stayed still. Tofort her, they acted cuter than they ever had before-- as ever, they were reflections of Argrave¡¯s desire.


    When they came back to the grove with the dryads¡¯ tree, Batbayar had returned. He conversed with Orion, and seemed to possess the same feverish and nervous excitement that Onychinusa did. Strangely, all of the dryad children were absent.


    Argrave walked up to Batbayar and asked at once, ¡°What are you still doing here?¡±


    Batbayar looked at him, taken aback. ¡°What do you...?¡±


    ¡°You went outside, right? You saw what happened, didn¡¯t you? Then you should be returning to your people,¡± he told himmandingly. ¡°You¡¯ve got a lot of work to get done. I¡¯m expecting good things to be in motion by the time we return.¡±


    Batbayar took in Argrave¡¯s words, then looked at most of them in turn. Orion still looked a little upset at the myriarch, but even he gave an encouraging thumbs up. Onychinusa was too absorbed with her own task to care, but eventually Batbayar looked back and nodded at Argrave.


    ¡°I suppose you¡¯ve earned the right tomand me a little. I wasn¡¯t expecting this result... but I¡¯m definitely not upset with it.¡± He took a deep breath. ¡°I¡¯ll follow along. If you¡¯re right, you¡¯re right... objectivity is all I can offer.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°That¡¯s all I need,¡± Argrave agreed, seeking to end the conversation here. He didn¡¯t care to exin to the myriarch that the dryads had been subordinated to Onychinusa. The man got the message and left, heading back to the elven army to do his duty.


    Anneliese joined them, still holding the Brumesingers to distract herself. Argrave gave her a nod, and then looked to the dryad that shadowed Onychinusa. ¡°Then... we have two final things, I think. First... new things havee to light, and I can¡¯t keep my promise to end the mandragora. The Yateveos... it might happen. Otherwise...¡±


    ¡°You need not fret,¡± Onychinusa said. ¡°I imed my lineage. You did this for me, and so I can exin it.¡±


    ¡°imed your lineage...¡± Argrave repeated. ¡°What exactly does that mean for you?¡±


    ¡°Beyond the dryads¡¯ help?¡± Onychinusa looked at her hands. ¡°I don¡¯t... feel any different. I know where my parents died, now.¡± She looked back to the dryad, who gave her a reassuring nod. ¡°Perhaps... perhaps I can visit there. And perhaps there is more of the empire left unimed. None of that matters now, but...¡±


    ¡°Could be,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°But what about the dryad children?¡±


    ¡°They prepare to expand this forest, to grow beyond their childlike forms to a state more akin to mine. In time, they will all have a grand tree like this one,¡± the dryad exined on Onychinusa¡¯s behalf, looking up at the purple leaves swaying with the wind above. ¡°With permission given by thest of the imperial bloodline, we can act, so long as she wishes it... and she has bid us act freely.¡±


    Argrave raised his brow in surprise, and Onychinusa nodded to confirm those words.


    ¡°I¡¯m d everything worked out for you. You seem... more whole, both of you,¡± Argrave said vaguely. ¡°I got what I came here for, and you got more than you came here for, I suspect. But that other thing I was talking about...¡± he looked to the Brumesingers, all four of which were still in Anneliese¡¯s arms and dangling rxedly. ¡°Can those guys get what they want, even despite the thing with the mandragora falling through?¡±


    As if called, the four of them wriggled out of Anneliese¡¯s arms and came to stand before the dryad. She knelt down, scratching behind their ears as her dress of leaves scraped the ground. ¡°They wish to gain my mist, do they not? No... you need not answer: I can see it in them. Will you allow it, master?¡± she looked up at Onychinusa.


    Onychinusa looked at Argrave, still seeming guarded... but there was also a connection where there had not always been one. When she looked at Anneliese, her gaze softened. Finally, the ancient elf nodded. ¡°So long as it does you no harm, I think they¡¯ve earned it.¡±


    The dryadughed. ¡°As ever, the imperial bloodline is benevolent to care about a lowly ve so... but no, I will be unharmed.¡±


    With that, the dryad rose to her feet, trailing back to the tree that was her respite. She held her hand up, and the branches craned down. On their edges, fruits budded rapidly. It was like looking at a timpse of a fruit¡¯s growth-- it began unripened, growing to rich green before converting to a brilliant silver. The dryad didn¡¯t need to pluck them, as they fell into her hands. Once they were, she turned and kneeled.


    The Brumesingers ran away from Argrave and Anneliese,ing before the dryad. Each of them put one of the silver fruits in their mouths, and then threw their heads back. Argrave had never seen this happen before, and so he called, ¡°Hey, are you sure that¡¯s...?¡±


    As soon as they finished chewing, the Brumesingers came back to Argrave. They chewed thest bits, opened their small mouths wide in a big yawn, and then curled up at his feet one by one.


    ¡°When they awake... they will be more than they were. You have touched dryads, and that is enough: the mist they call will not harm you. The same cannot be said for others. Just as the mist outside blinds any who enter with eyes wide, so too will theirs recklessly assail any who find themselves in their influence,,¡± the dryad exined.


    Argrave nodded, looking down at his pets. ¡°How long will they be out?¡±


    ¡°Some few days, perhaps,¡± the dryad shrugged, then looked to Onychinusa. ¡°Now... will you be departing?¡±


    ¡°I must,¡± Onychinusa nodded. ¡°All of us must. We have duties to fulfill.¡±


    ¡°Then I will wait for your return, as I ever have,¡± the dryad smiled. ¡°When next you see the children... perhaps they will be children no longer.¡±


    #####


    ¡°I trust you have no more need of me?¡± Onychinusa questioned once they stood outside, in the clearing of trees impaled with thousands of arrows. Looking out... the forest floor was greatly disturbed,rgely loose soil, but all the roots were gone. They¡¯d gone back to their natural ce.


    ¡°You¡¯ve done great work,¡± Argrave nodded, refocusing. ¡°I hope we can work together closely in the future. It¡¯d certainly be better than the alternative,¡± he finished, referring to Dimocles.


    Onychinusa smiled. It was one of few he¡¯d seen from her. Then, without ceremony, she burst into ck mist and departed. The silence persisted for a time, as none of the three remaining had words to say.


    ¡°I feel sick again, knowing wait awaits her,¡± Anneliese looked out across the forest.


    Orion took a step closer. ¡°Sick? Can I help with something, Your Highness?¡±


    ¡°In war... you do what you must,¡± Argrave said, putting his hand on her shoulder. ¡°And I believe now is the time for our counterattack.¡±

 Chapter 404: Snake Coils Before the Bite

    When Argrave, Anneliese, and Orion made to return to the elven camp, Anneliese¡¯s scouting discovered that it was simply gone.


    ...but further scouting showed that it had moved to another location, seeking an advantageous position in wake of the sudden shift of roots in the forest. With the ground cleared up, traveling was a much faster, if much stranger, thing. All of the soil was loose and unpacked, and felt a little squishy beneath their boots. Whatever the case, they made it to the elven camp where the rest of hispany had prudently relocated alongside.


    After a somewhat rough greeting by scouts watching for approaching enemies, Batbayar was the first to find them. They talked quietly as they walked back into camp.


    ¡°I¡¯ve put people on the most likely suspect... Altan. These are good men, maybe the best I have. They¡¯ll follow her every move,¡± the myriarch swore.


    Argrave¡¯s first reaction was not approval, but a question: ¡°Altan, is it... the Acting Supreme Myriarch. I suppose it does make sense. These men of yours: you¡¯re sure they¡¯re not ying for the red team?¡±


    ¡°Red team...?¡± Batbayar repeated, then shook his head. ¡°No. These men are faithful adherents to the elven gods, just like most in the Holy Army of the Wind.¡± He grew silent for a minute, then sought counsel once more, asking, ¡°If things truly are as you say, do you have more direction for me to follow?¡±


    Argrave considered his words, and as they walked they soonnded where the Veidimen had made camp. ¡°Well... you should ask for Ganbaatar¡¯s help. He¡¯s been hunting vampires-- something like this will be no trouble for him at all. If he can sus out those that drink blood, he can find a few heretics in your ranks without trouble. And maybe you¡¯ll trust his findings a little more than mine. Only go public if you have ample proof,¡± Argrave told him insistently.


    ¡°That was always the n,¡± Batbayar responded a little angrily.


    ¡°I¡¯m not joking. Do not act early if you want this to be effective. Erlebnis is the god of knowledge, and he¡¯ll have something prepared if he catches even a whiff of this,¡± Argrvave told him insistently.


    A bird¡¯s cry split the air, and Argrave whipped his head to look at it. He saw a big ck bird approaching him and stepped back by instinct, but moved forward again when he recognized it. Behind, Grimalt pursued Nikoletta¡¯s druidic bond.


    As itnded on his arm, the Veidimen officer exined, ¡°This bird has been waiting for you for some time now, Your Majesty. None of us touched the parcel it had, and we made sure no one else did either.¡±


    Batbayar came to his side and said quickly, ¡°I¡¯ll leave you be, let you catch up with your men. As you said, you¡¯ll leave this to us,¡± the myriarch reminded Argrave firmly. ¡°We can handle our own. I just hope... I hope you¡¯re wrong about this, in all honesty. But...¡±


    The myriarch shook his head and left, leaving Argrave to finish his statement. He hoped the myriarch meant to say, ¡®but I know you¡¯re right.¡¯ After letting the elf go, he looked at the parcel on the bird¡¯s leg.


    ¡°Thank you for this, Nicky...¡± Argrave muttered, untying the binding around the bird¡¯s leg to free the package. ¡°Say hello to your dad.¡±


    With the parcel in hand, the bird gave a rather unbirdlike nod and lifted off, its ws leaving sight scratch marks on his duster¡¯s sleeves.


    ¡°She sent something. Does that mean Elenore...?¡± Anneliese whispered quietly.


    Argrave undid the exterior wrapping of the parcel, revealing what was within. He saw a quaint mini-cab. It had two little handle knobs made of diamonds, and the rest of it was a deep, rich ck wood almost like mahogany. .


    ¡°Heheh...¡± Argrave looked at the cab fondly. ¡°You smug, blue-eyed prick... let¡¯s see if you can smile when the secret police just repossessed your property. Might need my own little gg, just for you...¡±


    Argrave was about to open up the cab to see if the most vital bit remained, but someone walked up to him. Grimalt stopped the man domineeringly, but Argrave said, ¡°Let him by. He¡¯s probably just a messenger.¡±


    And indeed, the person said, ¡°The Acting Supreme Myriarch would like to see you. She waits in the upper canopies.¡±


    With the message delivered, the person departed just as quickly. Argrave stood there, clenching the miniature in his hand.


    ¡°Will you go?¡± Orion asked.


    Argrave thought about it. He was hesitant, given that Batbayar might-- no, he definitely would-- see them meet. But as Argrave thought, he gave a slight smile.


    ¡°Grimalt... send someone over to find Batbayar. Tell him Altan wanted to meet me. Tell him... tell him that I¡¯m expected to exin my absence to her, but that I have an excuse handy.¡± His eyes fell to the miniature cab.


    #####


    Immediately upon returning, Argrave was forced to climb up the giant redwood trees to meet with Altan. He brought Anneliese and Orion, both for safety reasons-- Anneliese to ensure Altan suspected nothing, and Orion to ensure that he would be protected from any unseemly acts of violence.


    Upon arrival, he was greeted by an Altan who seemed somewhat worse for wear. She was pulling hairs... and quite literally, at that. He saw her coil a long blonde hair around her finger again and again until it wrenched free of her head. When she saw Argrave, she practically dove through the canopy to meet him.


    ¡°Did you have something to do with this?¡± Altan demanded at once. ¡°The roots unwinding-- was this you?¡±


    "No. But it sure ruined my damned ns. Do you think I wanted toe back with a miniature cab in my hands?" Argrave waved it before her face, feigning wrath. "Whole ce almost copsed. Absolute nightmare."


    Altan''s own fury waned before his acting. In time it rered, and she insisted, "And Batbayar... what was that all about?"


    "You wanted me to help you, no? I got a connection with him through my guy Ganbaatar. He''ll be a proponent, I''m pretty sure." Argrave narrowed his eyes. "You seem a little stressed."


    She sighed, then said, "I attempt to erode a centuries-old military structure from within. Pardon me for not skipping carefree."


    "Is this going to be a problem?" Anneliese demanded coldly, like she was the cruelest manager in the world.


    ¡°I can handle it,¡± Altan raised both her hands up to stop them from assuming more.


    When Argrave looked at Anneliese, he knew then that this Acting Supreme Myriarch likely didn¡¯t suspect anything. That was sure to change in time, as word spread from Erlebnis out to all his agents... but it gave them time enough to prepare all that was needed.


    ¡°Well, you don¡¯t need to pull anymore hairs,¡± Argrave said, acting like the kind assistant manager in contrast to Anneliese¡¯s performance. ¡°We¡¯re here. We can help with the politicking. And with one more myriarch on our side, things should sail a fair bit smoother.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good... that¡¯s good,¡± Altan breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Still, you can only shovel so much into the abyss... this is challenging.¡±


    ¡°Update me on the happenings while I was absent. It wasn¡¯t exactly a seven day vacation, but I surely missed some things in my brief absence... oh, and one other thing.¡±


    Argrave braced the miniature cab with his left hand, and then pulled on one of the diamond knobs with his right. With a subtle snap, the knob came free.


    ¡°I¡¯m gonna need for you to deliver this diamond to one of Erlebnis¡¯ shrines, alongside a letter. Tell the emissary that it needs to reach Dimocles,¡± Argrave said with a subtle smile.


    ¡°I can¡¯t deliver it, not personally,¡± Altan responded, aggrieved.


    ¡°One of your people, then,¡± Argrave changed his phrasing, deeming it unfortunate he could not be so lucky as to directly implicate her.


    ¡°Fine,¡± Altan agreed without much thought to the matter, clearly interested in changing the subject. ¡°Here¡¯s what I need your help with...¡±


    #####N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Argrave and Anneliese returned back to where the Veidimen and the rest of their party made camp, Orion acting as the diligent escort.


    ¡°How will Dimocles respond if that diamond knob reaches him?¡± Anneliese inquired.


    ¡°I said it was a housewarming gift for a friend in that letter I sent with it,¡± Argrave said tly. ¡°I think he¡¯ll get the message. I¡¯m certain he ces more value on his collection than on his loyalty for Erlebnis... and this miniature of his is something he holds very dear. Whether he scampers back to his wrecked home, seeks us out... he won¡¯t be providing immediate aid to Erlebnis. A minor victory, but a victory nheless.¡± Argrave looked to the sky. ¡°It¡¯s the divine side of things remaining unfinished.¡±


    ¡°We learned much... but we can still learn much more,¡± Anneliese told Argrave. ¡°What do you intend to do next?¡±


    ¡°We take this time before Onychinusa¡¯s fallout spreads far and wide to get ready for execution,¡± Argrave said decisively, cing his hands in his pockets where the Brumesingers still slept. ¡°Prepare the troops, prepare the n, and then head to battle.¡±


    ¡°Then it is imperative I grow our knowledge,¡± Anneliese extrapted. ¡°Would you prefer I scout with the Starsparrow, or devote my time to learning the tome of transportation?¡±


    Argrave didn¡¯t take long to answer, ¡°Scouting. We won¡¯t be able to use the tome of transportation until we get in contact with the elven gods, wherever they might¡¯ve gone in the forest... it needs spirits, after all.¡±


    ¡°That... I should have thought of that,¡± Anneliese shook her head. ¡°This feeling... the purposelessness does not fade. I want to do so much, but...¡± she sighed, then dismissed, ¡°Never mind. What is your move while I scout?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to delegate tasks,¡± Argrave nodded, the ning together in his head. ¡°There¡¯s some of the original procedure that¡¯s going toe back into y, provided you don¡¯t learn anything distressing while you scout. I think... that we can tie everything up in one manuever. Kirel Qircassia, Sarikiz, Erlebnis, the elven gods, all entwined in a mess of a divinity. Beyond that, if I can learn how to use [Requite], that¡¯ll sway things in our favor tremendously. I can do somest-minute cramming for the big test.¡±


    In the camp for the Veidimen, Argraveid eyes upon Vasilisa, Artur, and Moriatran, who waited for him after hearing of his return.


    ¡°Even if it¡¯s shamanic magic... I think I have some decent tutors on hand,¡± he smiled. ¡°It¡¯s a big day, tomorrow. The decisive battle. Let¡¯s hope we hit Erlebnis with half as many betrayals as he hit us.¡±

 Chapter 405: Snakes Lunge

    Argrave and Anneliese crouched near a redwood tree. Both had heavy, tired eyes, but upon looking at the other in the eye they were renewed with me. They exchanged a nod of tacit understanding, and then Argrave rose up and walked ahead alone.


    Though his steps were heavy and he took them slowly in anticipation for what was toe... nothing did. He walked into a rtively open clearing between many redwood trees, where nothing could be seen for miles in any direction. Five steps... ten, fifteen, twenty, twenty-five, and thirty.


    The moment that Argrave lost count, all the ground in a circle around him exploded upwards. Thin, spindly roots sought him out like leeches in water, aiming for all of him at once. Artur¡¯s enchantments whirred to life, protecting him ably for a few seconds before they failed. Argrave prepared no spells. He epted the seizure without offering resistance. Before long he was totally bound, and he felt the faintest branches of roots digging into the skin on his arms and legs. His hands in particr were fully pierced, allowing no movement.


    The giant elven god Merata stepped out from one of the redwoods, reforming the thing in wake of his advance. His long blonde hair that scraped the ground was marred by burns, and cut in half a thousand ces to make it uneven and unkempt... more so than it was, at least. After him came Gunlik, crouching down and scouting out the ce while keeping his ming arrow pointed at Argrave. Beyond Argrave saw more figures, beaten and battered.


    ¡°We¡¯ve been betrayed before. Fooled before,¡± Merata began, leaning on his crook as he walked. ¡°How you came to us speaks well of your intentions. What happened days prior makes all of us care less.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think we should talk. Tread alone, trust only ourselves,¡± Gunlik said, pulling his bowstring of me back further.


    ¡°We trusted Chiteng, and now our father lies on death¡¯s door,¡± Merata reminded him, and Gunlik¡¯s grip ckened on his bow somewhat. He walked to Argrave slowly, looking down at him. ¡°Do you know what happened, little kingling?¡±


    ¡°Chiteng saw Erlebnis¡¯ Blessing of Supersession within my person with the omniscience granted to him in his sections of your realm. With this knowledge, he contacted Erlebnis on his own. From there... I don¡¯t think I need to go on,¡± Argrave lifted his head up.


    ¡°So you are Erlebnis¡¯ pawn,¡± Merata fell to the ground, sitting. The dirt disced by this action caught in Argrave¡¯s throat, and he coughed.


    ¡°I sought him out for strength,¡± Argrave exined, voice hoarse from the dirt. ¡°Traded knowledge for knowledge. But I was never his. He tried to make it otherwise, and I yed along... but given how the forest changed, I think you know my true allegiance.¡±


    Merata nodded. ¡°I wonder if you will say the same thing when your insides are bored out by roots for several days.¡±


    The elven god demonstrated this, sending his roots all the deeper into Argrave¡¯s person. He hissed in pain, but gradually started tough as he embraced it. Heughed until his throat was sealed shut by a strangling root. Only after a few seconds did the pressure relent.


    ¡°...you could go that route,¡± Argrave finally managed, voice as deep and hoarse as Gmon¡¯s after the strangling. ¡°But the truth won¡¯t change.¡±


    Merata mmed his crook into the ground behind him and leaned back on it, sighing. Slowly, the roots around Argrave relented, giving him freedom. Argrave fell to the ground expecting pain to greet him, but when he impacted he felt... perfectly whole, as a matter of fact. He looked at his hands and saw nothing.


    ¡°He bears nothing?¡± Gunlik asked Merata.


    ¡°No. Beyond that Blessing of Supersession, he has no further stigma from another god,¡± Merata shook his head. ¡°I examined your insides, little kingling. Do not take it personally. I talked to the dryads, spreading throughout thisnd even now. I heard what they said... of you, of your endeavors. But given... your duplicitous nature, I needed surety you were not another¡¯s.¡±


    Argrave rubbed his throat, as it was the only thing truly hurt. Indeed, all of him was fine, and that baffled him beyond belief. Eventually he managed, ¡°...maybe I deserved that, failing as I did.¡±


    ¡°This failure was Chiteng¡¯s. And ours. We did not learn from Sarikiz¡¯s betrayal,¡± Merata mused. ¡°Why did you return?¡±


    Argrave gathered his pitch, preparing himself. ¡°The dryads helped me estrange Kirel Qircassia from Erlebnis, but that bond might not be fully severed. We have a moment of pause as Erlebnis reassesses the situation. Victory is still feasible.¡±


    Gunlikughed, while Merata shook his head crossly.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Victory is still feasible, if you bury the hatchet with Sarikiz,¡± Argrave called out firmly.


    Silence persisted between the two godly brothers. Gunlik finally managed, ¡°Even if we could, why would we?¡±


    ¡°Before, the n was to manipte Sarikiz into attacking Kirel Qircassia, forcing her to close the breach,¡± Argrave exined. ¡°Now... if you go to her open-handed, and allow her victory... it closes this chapter, and might earn us victory. Kirel governsnd and sky-- she would love nothing more than to pige his realm, bring all of the centaurs with her on this. I cannot do as I intended before, but you can. Only you can.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s ridiculous. We cannot go hat in hand to the people our elves have been fighting for centuries, and--¡± Gunlik began ranting, but then turned his head when noise echoed out from further beyond.


    Argrave saw Ghan walk up, cing his hand on the redwood for support. As Anneliese had described, he had a gnarly cut from his throat all the way down his chest, ending at his groin.


    ¡°Bring him,¡± Ghanmanded, voice still strong despite the death that lingered about him. ¡°Bring him, and his queen. Despite his initial dishonesty, he was faithful. We must discuss how this ends... and I believe he¡¯s earned some say in my session.¡±


    #####


    ¡°We should wait for thest person to arrive,¡± Altan said, her voice strained as she tapped her foot against the ground anxiously. ¡°Argrave deserves some say in this, given how far we¡¯vee. Isn¡¯t that right, Batbayar?¡± she looked to him for support.


    The gaze that the myriarch gave her was cold, and her gaze slowly went from hopeful to one of anxiety. Gradually, another myriarch said quietly, ¡°He won¡¯t being, Acting Supreme Myriarch. This meeting isn¡¯t about the session.¡±


    ¡°What, then? Is there some new development?¡± she asked hopefully, though outwardly her body braced as though preparing to flee. Behind, some more elven warriors entered behind, and she grew tenser yet.


    ¡°This is a detainment before a trial,¡± Batbayar exined. ¡°The other myriarchs have reviewed my evidence... and there is enough to detain you before a final judgment is made.¡±


    Altan reached into her pocket to retrieve something, but by the time she pulled it out an arrow already pierced her wrist. She cried out in pain, and another warrior already stepped up to pull the thing from her hand. It was a red, t stone of some kind... and it was blinking.


    ¡°I tried to save you all,¡± she spat out through gritted teeth, half anger and half sorrow. ¡°There¡¯s no stopping the Lord, don¡¯t you see? Do you think we truly could have escaped from those monstrosities if not for my intervention? It¡¯s over! The battle was over to begin with! What are we before gods?! Don¡¯t throw the lives of everyone to the wayside, please!¡± she pleaded, with such earnestness in her belief some seemed stirred.


    ¡°Victory was assured only because of your betrayal,¡± Batbayar said in judgment, and then pulled taut a wire. ¡°You have admitted guilt, Altan. Does everyone here agree?¡± he looked back.


    Ever so slowly, all of the other myriarchs gave nods of confirmation. Batbayar nodded, and then looked back.


    ¡°Then... detain her. She is to be interrogated,¡± he said passively.


    ¡°...don¡¯t let it be for nothing,¡± she begged, even as her wrist bled copiously.


    ¡°It won¡¯t be,¡± Batbayar shook his head. ¡°We will learn from your betrayal. Our army will still grow stronger yet. But you will not be around to witness that.¡±


    #####


    ¡°That can¡¯t be right,¡± Onychinusa said desperately. ¡°This is a good thing for the Lord. It has to be a good thing.¡±


    The emissary regarded her passively, standing before the shrine to Erlebnis. ¡°Kirel Qircassia is useful to the Lord. Now, the god has regathered his forces at his breach, and remains undecided as to how he will proceed. Though this may be salvaged yet, the fact remains that it ces the Lord in a terrible position for the immediate future. Something must be given as a show of sincerity, perhaps.¡±


    ¡°But I... the Lord needed me to do it,¡± she said, her voice choked. ¡°He needed me to do what he could not. It was necessary. The Lord cannot exist alongside the coalition.¡±


    The emissary stared at her. ¡°Did you have something to do with this?¡±


    Onychinusa stared for a long while, and neither spoke a word. Finally, she nodded. ¡°I did it. I did what the Lord could not. That¡¯s... that¡¯s what was needed of me. That was my purpose. It always has been. That¡¯s why... that¡¯s why you sent me there, had me do those things... it is,¡± she insisted.


    The emissary lifted its head, staring at her. Its eye retracted back into its head, revealing the reddish mercury that indicated itmuned with Erlebnis. Finally, its eye returned. It raised a hand, and a mana ripple spread out. A red chain of that same reddish mercury lunged out of the emissaries hand, and Onychinusa screamed in shock and jumped to the side.


    The chain pierced her shoulder. She tried to dissipate into magic, but something about the chain interfered with this process. She stood in shock, tugging on the chain as it anchored her in ce. The emissary turned its hand and cast another spell, but she was quick enough to cast a ward to block the great st of lightning that came next. The emissary assailed her ward, using its Blessing of Supersession wantonly as other emissaries emerged from the shrine behind it.


    In time, their power was added together, and they ruthlessly wore her down in pursuit of her death. Onychinusa could not disperse with her A-rank ascension, and so she stood in mute panic and shock, defending only because it was her natural instinct to do so. Soon her defense failed, and a sword of wind cut her leg off. She fell to the ground, bleeding quickly as more wards blocked the next attacks that came.


    As their power began to ovee the defenses she could create, adding more and more injuries... the ground rumbled. The emissaries backed away, looking around inpleteposure. Then, a sh of brown and purple erupted outwards from the ground.


    The emissaries walked back slowly, calling upon fire to greet the sudden nt growth. A strange mist emerged, somewhat diminishing the impact of this fire. More and more trees with purple leaves erupted outwards from the ground, blocking every bit of sight. But just as they came, so too did more emissariese from Erlebnis¡¯ shrine.


    As Onychinusa stood bleeding and shocked, these trees coiled around her with a gentle embrace. Branches and leaves wrapped around her, almost in cocoon, and hands emerged to grasp the red chain anchored into her flesh. Dryads stepped out, fighting fiercely with this foul magic.


    A final wave of fire burnt away all of what the dryads had summoned. The emissaries prepared for their next assault, but as the spells flew to end their defensive the chain shattered. Though it persisted in her flesh, it could hold her here no longer. The dryads dragged her away into the ground, and she quickly vanished beneath a hail of spells and writhing roots.


    The emissaries stepped into the emptiness left by the dryads actions slowly, but paused after going far. ¡°Those were dryads. We cannot go beyond this shrine-- we did not exit from the breach. Return andmune with the others,¡± one told another.


    ¡°We can extrapte the king as a traitor,¡± onemented. ¡°She traveled with him, as a point of fact.¡±


    ¡°Send word to Dimocles and the emissaries he leads. They watch the centaurs and Sarikiz, so perhaps they can catch her and the dryads escorting her,¡± thest finished.


    #####


    ¡°It¡¯s him,¡± Anneliese nodded as her Starsparrownded back on her shoulder. ¡°Dimocles paces about the entrance to the centaurs¡¯ caves leading to the Mother¡¯s Steppes in a frenzy. He was impossible to read before... but he oozes indecision and panic.¡±


    Argraveughed with pleasure. ¡°Well... we thought they might keep someone near Sarikiz, make sure that she caused no trouble for them. That¡¯s why we went to the elven gods first. But sometimes, you just get a little lucky. Sometimes, you¡¯re in the right ce at the right time.¡±


    ¡°What does this mean for you?¡± Merata, behind and far above, asked quietly.


    Argrave looked back. ¡°It¡¯s wholly positive. We¡¯re going to put an end to this,¡± he swore. ¡°To put it simply... one more piece falls into ce.¡±


    With that, Argrave rolled his shoulders. He was rather looking forward to having a conversation with Dimocles... because this time, Argrave held the boot to his throat. He fished into his pocket, freeing the miniature cab and squeezing it tight.

 Chapter 406: The Man Who Is Nothing

    Of all the original protagonists that Argrave had encountered, Dimocles was the one that that had acted most like a yer of Heroes of Berendar. His personality was the most well-suited for that role¡ªjust like him, yers sought to collect things for the sake of collecting them. Artifacts, spells, abilities,panions¡­ the yers get more and more, collect the best of the best, and make the numbers go higher and higher until the game ends. That, or until they get bored.


    Beforeing to the Bloodwoods, Argrave hadn¡¯t thought about Dimocles much. Now that he had been so directly confronted with him, Argrave knew that this person would be extremely troublesome. If a yer saw a nice piece of armor on a non-yable character, murder was generally the first thought toe to mind. Such a person would have no issue doing the worst things imaginable to further their need to collect. That was why he was here, serving Erlebnis.


    But Argrave had been a yer thousands of times before. Even if Anneliese couldn¡¯t read this man-turned-polymorph, Argrave could imagine what was going through his head with ease.


    And with the situation as it was¡­ Argrave knew that Dimocles would feel angry and vited. Elenore had raided his safehouse, taken the items that he thought were his, and then Argrave had sent him a mocking note with the fruits of thatbor. If Argrave were a yer¡­ well, if ever there was a motivation for revenge, this was it. The yer was the one who entered random homes and tore everything off the walls, not the other way around.


    ¡°Hey, friend!¡± Argrave called out, walking down the slight decline of loose dirt and heading for Dimocles. ¡°Long time no see.¡±


    Dimocles froze in his furious pattern of pacing, blue-green eyes locked on Argrave. His face grew totally still, then bubbled as it shifted into a neutral expression. Argrave presumed that it would be impossible for Anneliese to read him again, now that he¡¯dposed himself¡­ but then, Argrave hadn¡¯t been counting on her for this encounter. This was his battle.


    Argrave revealed the miniature cab to spur a reaction, grinning widely. Dimcoles didn¡¯t give him an overt disy of emotion. He straightened, adjusting his gray and teal robe before putting his hands behind his back almost politely.


    ¡°I¡¯m told that Onychinusa is the reason behind the roots in this forest reverting,¡± Dimocles responded, acting as though he wasn¡¯t bothered.


    ¡°This time is all about you. Let¡¯s catch up,¡± Argrave threw the cab up in the air, catching it again and again. ¡°You see, I gave my sister some very specific directions. They led to a certain vi under the control of a minor lord named Dimocles. But that¡­ it¡¯s just a front, isn¡¯t it? A little bit of deception to hide the real value. And¡ªwould you look at this?¡± He caught the cab fiercely, holding it up between two fingers. ¡°Where would I have gotten this?¡±


    Dimocles stared, and behind Anneliese called out, ¡°He¡¯s using his polymorphism to make more hands on his arms, that he might cast more spells quicker.¡±


    Argrave shook his head. ¡°You ought to stop that. I can do a lot more than break off one of this cab¡¯s knobs.¡±


    Dimocles held his hands off to the side, and Argrave said the tiny hands formed on the edge of his skin slowly recede. The polymorph said, ¡°You don¡¯t even know what that cab does.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a collector¡¯s item,¡± Argrave said coyly. ¡°The workmanship¡­ sublime. And what¡¯s within it¡­?¡± Argrave moved his hand to the cab, opening it up. Within it¡­ there was everything at once, and nothing at all. It was time. Inky, gtinous, intangible time.


    Argrave bit the tip of his glove, pulling it off to reveal his pale, huge, and still quite bony hand. He had a golden ring bearing his sigil, and pulled it off quite easily. ¡°I¡¯ve been using the enchantment on this ring a fair bit,¡± he said, cing it inside the cab. He shut it, conjuring memories of when it had been fully charged. He made magic hand gestures at the cab, but they were pointless. When he opened it again¡­


    ¡°Would you look at that,¡± Argrave said in faux wonder, pulling out a pristine ring from the cab. ¡°It¡¯s fully recharged! And the gold¡­ it¡¯s never been shinier. Gee, what a nifty item. I¡¯m not so certain it can repair itself, though¡­ after all, the knob I sent you is still missing.¡± Argrave looked at Dimocles as the man breathed heavily. ¡°And if it were crushed¡­ bits of wood won¡¯t do much good to anyone, let alone a collector.¡±


    This simple cab was really quite arcane. It had one very simple but very potent function¡­ and that was restoration. Any item ced within it could be restored to the state the user wished it to be. So long as the user knew what the item had been like in the past, it could be restored. He supposed size was another limiting factor¡­ but not forever.


    ¡°Keep it,¡± Dimocles urged. ¡°It¡¯s too valuable to be broken.¡±


    ¡°In the grand scheme of things, I value people over possessions. And you¡­ you made a lot of veiled threats about the things I value very much,¡± Argrave said, voice carrying a stable fury. ¡°I¡¯m returning the favor. That anger you¡¯re feeling¡­ I¡¯ve felt it tenfold. My blood can burn a lot hotter than yours, I¡¯m afraid. I think you¡¯re seeing that.¡±


    Argrave hid the cab in his duster pocket, and then bent down to retrieve a fallen branch. He clenched it tight in his hand, and it crumbled to bits in his hand with the strength offered by the armor¡¯s enchantments.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to give you one chance to get back everything you¡¯ve got, Dimocles. You¡¯re going to tell me about any emissaries waiting in the centaur¡¯s cave. You¡¯re going to give me exact locations. If you do that¡­ you¡¯re halfway there.¡±


    Dimocles stood there silently for a time, looking off to the side as he thought. ¡°¡­there¡¯s one at the altar down there. Another is watching the centaurs in the iceke on a cave at the side.¡±


    ¡°Any more?¡± Argrave pressed.


    ¡°No,¡± Dimocles answered.


    Argrave looked back, giving a nod. Merata slowly stepped out of the redwood tree he¡¯d shrouded himself in, his great steps rocking the earth. Dimocles stepped away in surprise, breaking the neutral expression on his face even as the elven god mmed his crook into the ground. Merata¡¯s powers scoured the earth, searching for the living and dispatching them with efficiency. When alone, and with the element of surprise, an elven god¡¯s power would surely be a match for them.


    ¡°He did not lie,¡± Merata confirmed after a long time. ¡°I¡¯ve taken care of the two. In droves, they were difficult, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Argrave smiled pleasantly. ¡°Now, Dimocles¡­ now, you¡¯re going to head to Kirel Qircassia¡¯s breach. You¡¯re going to use the Blessing of Supersession very overtly, and you¡¯re going to make as much noise as you can. Make sure that Kirel Qircassia knows that you¡¯re blessed by Erlebnis. And make sure your hits hurt.¡±


    ¡°Are you kidding¡ª¡± Dimocles began, stepping forward.


    Argrave pulled out the cab, his face stone, and held it tightly in his clenched fist. Dimocles stopped talking, his polymorphism failing to hide his anger whatsoever.


    ¡°I can enact my threats, Dimocles,¡± Argrave shook his head.


    ¡°But so can Erlebnis,¡± the polymorph said with a dark tone. ¡°And he has more than only me in Vasquer. With things as they are¡­ you¡¯ve chosen a side. Even if you force my hand here, you¡¯ve made a choice.¡±


    ¡°Vasquer will ept no gods or masters,¡± Argrave said with a wide grin. ¡°Now, are you going, Dimocles?¡±


    ¡°My things. How will I¡ª¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll get them when the timees,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°I think I¡¯ve demonstrated something. I can be just as knowledgeable as Erlebnis¡­ but I don¡¯t have the same limitations he does. Maybe that¡¯s something for you to keep in mind for the future.¡±


    Dimocles adjusted his robe¡­ and then walked off into the forest, heading in the direction of the breach.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Hold on,¡± Argrave called out, causing Dimocles to stop. ¡°Nikoletta made a delivery while you so kindly escorted her. And when they arrived at ckgard¡­ they were a little short. I think you still have something of mine, Dimocles. A certain fruit.¡±


    The man met him with a cold re, and then slowly reached into his robe. He pulled out the berry from the elven realm, holding it close in hand. Then, he tossed it at Argrave, who caught it gently. With the man embarrassed, Argrave gestured with his head for the polymorph to leave. And so Dimocles went¡­ though he was not soon to forget.


    #####


    ¡°Will that work?¡± Anneliese asked Argrave in concern.


    ¡°Almost definitely,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°Dimocles will use Erlebnis¡¯ Blessing of Supersession to fight against Kirel Qircassia¡­ and that¡¯ll be the final straw for their alliance. I¡¯m almost entirely confident that¡¯s our end result.¡± He turned to look at her. ¡°If we¡¯re lucky, he¡¯ll die.¡±


    ¡°Are we lucky?¡± Anneliese asked him with such seriousness Argrave couldn¡¯t help butugh.


    ¡°No¡­ no, I don¡¯t think so,¡± Argrave shook his head.


    Behind them, the patriarch of the elven gods, Ghan, staggered into view. He was supported by his wife Ujin and his daughter Gunlik.


    ¡°We¡¯re all here,¡± Merata said, watching Argrave from on high. ¡°The remainder¡­ we ce on your shoulders.¡±


    ¡°Are you certain this will work?¡± Ujin looked down at Argrave.


    ¡°Honestly? It¡¯s an educated guess. Sarikiz will be forcibly awoken when Gerechtigkeit makes the gap between realms very thin. I suspect this is due to her noticing other gods. Thus, if you foure, even if only partially¡­ she has to wake up,¡± Argrave nodded.


    Ujin looked at Ghan for approval, and the injured deity nodded. ¡°It¡¯s done. Decided.¡±


    Merata stepped closer to Argrave, nting his crook down. The wood cracked and groaned as it shrunk in size, and before long it wasrge enough for Argrave to grab. Even his meager human senses felt that there was something powerful about this hooked staff. Next, Gunlik offered his bow, and it shrunk down in turn. Ujin held her hands out, and her nails turned into liquid ss that flowed into a bottle. Ghan raised his hand up, and lightning struck inside the bottle before the ss sealed it shut.


    With a crook, a bow with a ming bowstring, and literal lightning in a bottle¡­ Argrave¡¯s only task now was to head back to where Sarikiz waited. Though he felt a little exposed with Orion¡¯s absence, Anneliese walked with him in every step.


    ####


    Argrave and Anneliese solemnly marched in silent despair through thisnd of grasnd frozen in time. With illusion magic, and with a party of two, travelling through the centaur¡¯s cavern was not difficult. She held the ming bow, while he held the crook and the bottled lightning. Ahead of them, Sarikiz slept ever so soundly. Now, with the tools that might wake in her hand, the advance was not so carefree. What slept might indeed awaken at any moment.


    But step after step came, and the Holy Mother of the centaurs did not rouse. The both of them came to stand near her feet, where the only sounds that dominated was her distant breathing. Anneliese waited for his signal, and he gave it¡ªa slight nod.


    Argrave nted the crook down into the earth as Anneliese stabbed the bow just with him. With those two there, Argrave gently set the bottled lightning down between them. A few seconds passed¡­ and then they came alive.


    The crook seemed to blossom with nts, curling and writhing outwards until they took the shape of a man holding the crook. Then, Merata was there, far smaller than Argrave at present. The bow caught ame, and the fires grew higher until Gunlik appeared to seize his bow. The lightning in the bottle grew more agitated until the ss shattered loudly, and then both Ghan and Ujin manifested. They were a family of blonde hair and red eyes, as small as Argrave before Sarikiz.


    Argrave stepped away from them, fearing what was toe. Ghan stepped forward and said quietly, ¡°Sara.¡±


    Argrave felt a gust of wind blow across his cheek, and his eyes were drawn to the side. There, a pig that had been midstride ran down the grasnds, its time resumed. Pleasant winds disturbed the grass as far as the eye could see. And ahead¡­


    Sarikiz, the Holy Mother, leaned up as though awoken by an rm. Her golden dreads syed out across her white dress like gold threads on the fabric. Her eyes opened wide, white and divine¡­ and she saw them.

 Chapter 407: Too Cautious and Too Bold

    Sarikiz stared down at the four assembled elven gods. Then, in sudden motion, sheshed out fiercely and her foot descended on them with tremendous weight. Merata, Ghan, Ujin, and Gunlik and joined the strength of their projection to catch the attack.


    ¡°Stop it!¡± Argrave shouted out, stepping forth behind the gods. ¡°If we wanted to fight, we wouldn¡¯t have stopped to say ¡®hi¡¯ beforehand!¡±


    Sarikiz looked at him, her golden dreads waving before her eyes as she half-crawled away from them. ¡°Is refraining from a sneak attack doing me a courtesy?¡±


    Anneliese stepped up with Argrave. ¡°Even following that logic, you are being discourteous by attacking without provocation. It has been a thousand years, Sarikiz, and the cycle of judgment is here once again. Please, heed them.¡±


    ¡°A thousand¡­?¡± she said in disbelief, and then slowly settled onto her rear. ¡°I¡¯ve been¡­ hah,¡± sheughed, shaking her head. ¡°A millennium lost to me. Who are you two? You are not their kind¡ªwhy do you speak for them?¡± Her radiant white eyes scanned them quickly.


    Argrave looked over to the four. Ghan had copsed to his knees from the blow, and Ujin helped him as Merata and Gunlik stood guard. Between Chiteng¡¯s betrayal, Ghan¡¯s injury, and the fact that he conversed with these people as¡­ well, as people, the question about what was truly divine about divinity rose to his head. He supposed it wasn¡¯t truly different from Heroes of Berendar, but at the same time it felt wholly so.


    After a long while, Argrave answered, ¡°They were a bit busy being kicked. That¡¯s the only reason I spoke.¡±


    ¡°But we are here¡­¡± Ghan said hoarsely from his point of weakness. ¡°We are here at his suggestion. We are here to end thest cycle. It¡¯s the only way we can advance and fight this one, Sara.¡±


    ¡°Do not call me that any longer,¡± Sarikiz mmed her fist upon the ground with emotions still raw after a millennium. ¡°Sara was a ve, and I am not.¡±


    ¡°It is just a name,¡± Ujin urged as she supported her husband. ¡°The only name we knew you by.¡±


    ¡°That has always been the difference between you and I,¡± Sarikiz crossed her legs, and then ced her hands atop her knees. ¡°You ept the name. I grow beyond it.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn


    As Argrave looked upon them, he felt a strange sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu. They¡¯re a family, he realized in his head. Might be a family as ruined as the Vasquers, but they¡¯re a family. It¡¯s like watching Orion and Elenore argue. Lord knows I¡¯ve seen enough of that¡­


    And as in all of their conversations, it seemed to be leading nowhere. That is, unless Argrave intervened.


    ¡°The two of you worked together to topple a tower. It copsed. Why do you debate about the direction it fell, and what to do with the crumbling stones?¡± Argrave stepped between them, his re giving neither leeway in this situation. ¡°This divide between you came about for a simple reason. Sarikiz wanted to do away with the imperial structure of the empire. Ghan and his family wanted to preserve it. At the end of the day, it has dissolvedpletely. The empire is gone,¡± he finished loudly.


    Perhaps his voice was small before the divine. But big or small, he was heard.


    ¡°Sarikiz¡ªyou fought for the centaurs. You sought their freedom¡ªtheir total freedom, unconstrained by any system orws,¡± Argrave continued, pointing at her face. ¡°Has your conviction wavered on this?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ who are you?¡± she narrowed her eyes, still confused.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­¡± Argrave stopped himself from saying that he was a king¡ªdoubtless the anti-imperial rebel wouldn¡¯t take kindly to that. He straightened his back and then said, ¡°I¡¯m a little like you, Sarikiz. Erlebnis and Kirel Qircassia have teamed up to make a right mess of this continent. And me? I¡¯m not content to let my people, let my wife¡¯s people, simply ept that fate. As a matter of fact, I¡¯m trying rather hard to keep this faction cohesive in putting an end to the tyranny they want to enact. Sound familiar?¡±


    She stared at Argrave, and then did chuckle slightly. ¡°I cannot tell how much you fabricate¡­ but indeed, it was a dire struggle maintaining cohesion in our ve rebellion. A struggle that failed. A struggle that sent me into a sleepsting one thousand years,¡± she looked back at the elven gods just as Ghan rose to his feet.


    ¡°Then listen to their words,¡± Argrave pleaded, gesturing to the four of them.


    Ghan looked up at Sarikiz. He took a deep breath in preparation and then said, ¡°Sarikiz¡­ you were right. I can admit that now, admit it freely. We were caught in delusions of grandeur, of seeking to recreate the empire we toppled with a new regime. And as a result, our people moved on from us. Yours stayed true to you even in your long slumber. There is¡­¡± Ghan closed his eyes and sighed deeply. ¡°There is a lesson in that. And that lesson is one you taught us.¡±


    Sarikiz listened to the words, letting them fall onto her open ears. She closed her eyes, saying nothing as she let it wash over her. Then, quietly, she responded, ¡°¡­you have had a long while to think on it, I see. But the wounds of our fight still persist, and the betrayal hurts most of all. I am not certain what you hope to achieve, saying that.¡±


    ¡°We could argue that you were the¡­!¡± Gunlik began, but Argrave held his hand up and interrupted.


    ¡°I could argue that you shouldn¡¯t argue,¡± Argrave shot him down. ¡°Remember why we¡¯re here.¡±


    Sarikiz marveled at him. ¡°That man is rather bold to speak to you thusly. What has changed in my time absent? Are men so great that they demean even gods?¡±


    ¡°He is rather bold,¡± Merata finally spoke up with a sigh. ¡°But nothing has changed, Sarikiz. Nothing at all. The world conspires against us.¡± His red eyes fell on Argrave. ¡°The man mentioned Erlebnis. Are you familiar?¡±


    ¡°Certainly. He helped me¡­ learn of your intentions,¡± Sarikiz said slowly.


    ¡°And he helped us learn that you¡¯d learned of our intentions,¡± Ghan nodded. ¡°Just as he¡¯s done here, he¡¯s yed us against each other. He wanted an internecine struggle, that he might harvest all he pleased from the now-ancient elven empire. My son¡­ my son Chiteng wounded me, and now works for him. His emissaries now hunt us down. Kirel Qircassia¡¯s servants are weaker, but he is also manifested here.¡±


    ¡°And you wish for my help,¡± Sarikiz toyed with one of her dreads, white eyes tracking them.


    ¡°We want to make things right. We wish for you to havend for yourself, for your centaurs,¡± Ghan shook his head. ¡°And ites at the expense of Kirel Qircassia. He builds the would-be empire of this age. And once more¡­ let us fight for freedom from his yolk.¡±


    ¡°As I asked¡­ has your conviction wavered, Sarikiz?¡± Argrave asked once again.


    Raise the anarchist g onest time, Argrave begged with his eyes.


    #####


    Dimocles ran quickly down the coast, seeking out where he knew the emissaries were. His feet burst free of his shoes, polymorphing wider and tter that he might run across the sand without his feet sinking inside. When he saw the elven god Chiteng kneeling there and looking upon his de of bone, he knew that he¡¯d finally made it.


    As he ran, the emissaries started to walk out of the sea. One, five, thirteen, fifty¡­ they were innumerable. Their numbers had grown substantially since their first attack.


    ¡°I need help,¡± Dimocles said at once. ¡°Doubtless you know the emissaries I was with died.¡±


    The closest among them nodded. ¡°We do,¡± it confirmed. ¡°We witnessed it through our link.¡±


    ¡°Onychinusa ambushed us,¡± he said. ¡°Her wound was already recovered, and with the dryads help, with the confines from the centaurs¡¯ cavern¡­¡± he shook his head in faux despair. ¡°Her dryads overtook them both as she fought me. But now, she¡¯s doing something more.¡±


    ¡°What is she doing?¡± the emissary asked casually.


    ¡°She¡¯s approaching Kirel Qircassia. I suspect she¡¯ll pose as an ambassador, but I¡¯m certain she intends to sabotage the alliance somehow,¡± he said, looking around frantically. ¡°I¡¯m at a loss. I need aid.¡±


    As he prayed Merata¡¯s magic was simr enough to dryad magic the emissaries might not notice the difference, every one of the emissaries retracted within themselves,municating what he¡¯d said to Erlebnis. Finally, five of them stepped forward. ¡°We move. The lord deres this matter must be resolved with immediate action.¡±


    ¡°With shamanic magic, we travel faster,¡± Dimocles asked hopefully. He desperately wanted spirits and shamanic magic both. The emissaries were incapable of using it, but he¡¯d seen Onychinusa do so and concluded that mortals could.


    ¡°Gods fear shamanic magic. If we employ it, it may elevate tensions,¡± another emissary refused. ¡°Move quickly, Dimocles.¡±


    Dimocles gave a resigned nod that he could not benefit further, then prepared to rush into battle. You want Kirel to be certain Erlebnis turned on him? I can do that, Argrave¡­ but I won¡¯t die as you want me to. These five will handle the aftermath. And I¡¯ll get my collection back.


    In the end, perhaps Dimocles owed Argrave some thanks. The king had proven the gods could be crossed and beaten, and now he did the same. Erlebnis had yed this venture into the Bloodwoods too boldly to be properly cautious, and too cautiously to be properly bold. Now, the foundations of Erlebnis¡¯ n crumbled¡ªOnychinusa, Kirel, and now Dimocles himself. If not for the fact that he was useful, Argrave likely would¡¯ve killed him there outright.


    But Argrave¡­ his chances of sess grew. Even Erlebnis thought that the man would never be insane enough to oppose him, but it seemed the king was not fully sane, and so would draw the ire of both Kirel Qircassia and Erlebnis in defense of pauper elves and irrelevant gods. Even still, Erlebnis¡¯ n had not ever predicted Argrave¡¯s resistance, and so issue after issue arose. Now, the king might even beat the invaders back.


    With new revtions in hand, Dimocles realized only now his ambitions had been too small. He would need to do something about that. After all this, of course¡­


    #####


    Chiteng knelt in the sand, staring out across the ocean. These past few days had felt far longer than the hazy millennium that had passed in the elven realms. He thought that he¡¯d chosen right. He¡¯d thought that siding with Erlebnis and the coalition was the only true way to preserve the elven race, the elven beauty. Flesh and blood trumped pointless y. Let them be vassals of Argrave, and he a ve to Erlebnis¡ªin that oue, they lived. The Bloodwoods meant nothing to him. Homes could be rebuilt.


    But as the days passed, certainty became uncertainty. Even as the emissaries became more numerous as Erlebnis¡¯ power grew, unexpected results kept popping up like moles. Even now¡­


    ¡°Dimocles assaulted Kirel Qircassia¡¯s forces, then escaped,¡± an emissary informed him. ¡°The other five emissaries are locked inbat. It matters not. We have time. Nheless, the lord has a new directive for you.¡±


    As Chiteng listened, he felt something stir in the distance. He rose to his feet, turning around and peering back in the forest.


    ¡°Sarikiz is roused,¡± Chiteng said quietly. ¡°And the elven gods move once again.¡±


    ¡°Meet them inbat,¡± the emissary responded, perhaps already knowing this was the oue.


    Chiteng looked down at them, only to see all of them looking at him. Their poise carried with it an unspoken threat. With so many betrayals, they wanted him far away from this ce. They wanted him to meet the enemy inbat. And he¡¯d made enemies of his flesh and blood.


    I dered war on what I am, Chiteng realized. This is no life.


    But now, it was time to put this battle to rest. It was time to see the worth of his flesh and blood.

 Chapter 408: Living Trust

    Sarikiz sat before Argrave, much of the tension in her shoulders drained. Her eyes did not wander from ce to ce so frantically, and she did not fear an attack from any direction. Indeed, it might be said that she seemed somewhat happy.


    ¡°Kirel Qircassia had made that rift. So long as he wills it, the thing will stay open,¡± Argrave exined to her. ¡°More precisely, so long as he is willing and able to exert his divinity, it will stay open.¡±


    ¡°Do you intend me to bring my centaurs to act as warden of thend around this rift?¡± Sarikiz questioned, not fully pleased.


    ¡°Realms like this one we¡¯re in now¡­¡± Argrave turned his head, looking out across the endless sea of grass where the animals prowled without a care. ¡°They¡¯re not like the mortal realm. Here, the rules are different. Here, you have true divinity. As you slept, this world was locked in frozen time,¡± he pointed at her to emphasize this point. ¡°But just as it is here, so would it be there.¡±


    Her back straightened as the point came to her. ¡°You wish for me to pass through the rift, and enact my divinity to close the breach Kirel made.¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°You¡¯d be leading a conquest of sorts. And it wouldn¡¯t be you, alone, passing through. The centaurs coulde with you.¡±


    ¡°But Kirel Qircassia would still be there,¡± she pointed out. ¡°I was a god born on thest cycle of judgment. I am nothingpared to him.¡±


    ¡°But it isn¡¯t the mortal realm,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°You cannot die there, and nor can the centaurs if you decide to take them into your service. You have ess to divinity far beyond anything you can muster on the mortal ne. You can fragment his realm, casting it adrift in the astral sea¡­ and then, you and yours have a realm unto your own. No offense, but I imagine it¡¯ll be somewhat grander than this one,¡± Argrave looked around. ¡°You¡¯ll still have to endure the cycle of judgment. We all will. But nheless, I think you¡¯ll be tremendously advantaged if you follow through.¡±


    ¡°This must be your n,¡± Sarikiz looked to Ghan. ¡°No mortal possesses knowledge of this caliber about the divine and their workings.¡±


    ¡°It was his, from the beginning. It was what he intended even before Erlebnis made his presence known.¡± Ghan shook his head, holding his hand near his wound. ¡°He knows more of the divine than he ought. But you know as well as I do that what he says would work.¡±


    ¡°I do¡­¡± Sarikiz confirmed hazily, cing her hand below her chin. ¡°Then what of you, of your family?¡±


    Ghan pulled his hand from his wound and said, ¡°I will surrender myself as spirits, bestowing them upon Argrave that he might call upon a potent shamanic magic.¡± He looked to the side, where his wife stood even now. ¡°And then¡­ my sweet Ujin, or whoever still lives, will close Erlebnis¡¯ breach.¡±


    ¡°Magic over divinity?¡± Sarikiz narrowed her eyes.


    ¡°I am wounded,¡± Ghan answered. ¡°We were beaten by the thousands of spells Erlebnis summoned, and I was cut nearly in half by Chiteng. We were being hunted through the forests, and they would have overtaken us if not for that man,¡± he gestured towards Argrave. ¡°My wound might heal, but it will take too long for me to be of real use. These spells¡­ they might turn the tide. Theybine the mortal and the immortal in a way I¡¯ve never seen before. They were the work of Emperor Balzat, I¡¯m told.¡±


    A grim silence set over them as they confronted what was to happen. Sarikiz managed, ¡°You elves always did seem keen to fight the strongest enemies, letting us take the easy pickings.¡±


    Ghanughed. ¡°Well¡­ it was the way things worked out.¡± He focused on Argrave. ¡°I only hope that you can end the cycle of judgment better than we did, Argrave.¡±


    Argrave lowered his head without words to say.


    ¡°And perhaps as more than a king,¡± Merata contributed.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Anneliese asked curiously, breaking her silence.


    ¡°That you act in this way¡­ you¡¯re bound to catch the attention of the universe,¡± a saddened Ujin said. ¡°If you carry on this path, wayward spirits will im you, change you¡­¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t happen,¡± Argrave shook his head certainly.


    ¡°How can you know?¡± Sarikiz asked him. ¡°Do you think I intended for this form? At one point, the line between who I was and what I am blurred, and so I became the Holy Mother to the centaurs. If you are like me¡ª¡±


    ¡°I know it won¡¯t happen, because this continent is Gerechtigkeit¡¯s point of contact,¡± Argrave interrupted. ¡°Divinity cannot coalesce in his presence.¡±


    ¡°No one can predict Gerechtigkeit,¡± Gunlik shook his head, rising. ¡°We waste time. We must make haste.¡±


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Sarikiz said, rising up. ¡°Then¡­ I believe it time to see my people once more.¡±


    Though Argrave felt the conversation was settled, Anneliese still stared at him, her brows furrowed in thought. It seemed there was something that would not exit her mind. In the end, she shook her head to dismiss it, and then prepared for what was toe.


    ¡°Why does my hair have¡­?¡± Sarikiz said, touching a knobby, cut bit that Argrave remembered sawing through.


    ¡°First, we need to manifest you,¡± Argrave cut in hastily, getting to the point. ¡°With the centaurs spectating from the Mother¡¯s Steppe, the process will be a little different¡­ and I definitely need your good word.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Sarikiz nodded. ¡°A final resistance, with my old allies at my side¡­ what fun.¡±


    #####


    Argrave stood on Ghan¡¯s shoulders as the centaurs moved rampantly through the woods now free of impeding roots. There, at their front, Gunlik and Sarikiz proceeded to where Kirel¡¯s breach stood strong today. The Holy Mother had manifested a physical form on the mortal realm, true enough, but she was far from full strength by any stretch. To that end, Gunlik apanied her. And if all went well, Orion and the elves would offer their aid.


    ¡°She trusted you rather quickly,¡± Argrave spoke to Ghan.


    ¡°Because she wanted dearly to trust them,¡± Anneliese answered Argrave before Ghan could speak. ¡°It is easy to fall back into what you know.¡±


    ¡°Your queen speaks true,¡± Ghan answered. Argrave still felt it strange that he had been speaking with the god on rtively even terms not moments ago. Now, they were back here, and he stood on the shoulders of giants.


    They marched solemnly towards the Bloodwoods, heading for the coast. Argrave had no specific information on where the breach might be, but the fact that Anneliese had learned from Onychinusa that it was underwater was good enough to find it.


    ¡°Are youfortable with what you¡¯re doing?¡± Argrave asked.


    ¡°Dying to preserve my family?¡± Ghan questioned. ¡°I do not think of that. All I see is giving them freedom to fight longer.¡±


    The march continued, Argrave bracing against Ghan¡¯s scarred neck for stability. There was so much he wanted to ask the old patriarch¡ªif he was satisfied, if there was more he wanted to do¡­ but at the end of the day, Argrave knew it was in his best interests to stay silent. And though it bothered him, tore at him¡­ he held his tongue.


    ¡°I thought soldiers were foolish, once,¡± Ghan said, not holding his. ¡°Fighting, and likely dying, for something¡­ a cause, a country, a belief¡­ seemed so foreign to me. If they are fools, at the very least I understand that foolishness now, as I did in thest millennium.¡±


    Argrave listened intently, wondering the god sought to impart a lesson.


    ¡°Build something you would die for, Argrave,¡± Ghan finished. ¡°Then you will not think about death even unto the end.¡±


    Ahead, Merata came to a stop, holding his crook wide to halt the other elven gods marching with them.


    ¡°Chiteng,¡± Merata said. One word, one name, but enough to stir them all.


    Argrave felt the tension take root in his chest as all the gods slowly advanced forward. Merata stood at the front, but all the others watched elsewhere as if suspecting an ambush. Argrave was with them on that front. And ahead, standing with his menacing ivory sword leaning on his shoulder, Chiteng waited.


    ¡°You¡¯re here,¡± Chiteng said, staring them down. ¡°What¡¯s changed?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not your concern,¡± Merata answered.


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Chiteng nodded slowly, then paced around slowly as he thought of his next words. He paused abruptly, then asked, ¡°Would you ever trust me again?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid not, son,¡± Ghan shook his head.


    ¡°And if I offered to close Erlebnis¡¯ breach?¡± he broached hopefully.


    ¡°We couldn¡¯t leave that task to you,¡± Dairi said, holding her arms at attention cautiously.


    ¡°Why did you do it, son?¡± Ujin asked sadly.


    Chiteng looked at her with his red eyes. Argrave had remembered him being fierce, terrifying, indomitable, sitting on his ivory throne in a sea of blood¡­ but now, he looked broken, even with that sword by his shoulder.


    ¡°If I had not¡­¡± Chiteng closed his eyes. ¡°They would have gone for the elves, first. Ambush them, wipe them out¡­ I feared for them. I needed to secure their safety. Even had I not contacted Erlebnis, this would have happened. When I learned that, when I knew that¡­!¡± His voice grew in volume in tandem with his anger. ¡°What could I have done? Abandon the Woodschildren? This was the only way to secure their safety!¡±


    ¡°But why turn against us?¡± Ghan asked, his voice hoarse. ¡°Why turn your back to us?! You could have brought us into this!¡±


    ¡°Erlebnis did not care to keep you around,¡± Chiteng shook his head. ¡°He only allowed what concessions I earned because I divulged Argrave¡¯s ns, promised betrayal. He sought to take all of what you were for himself. And I¡­ did not think we could win.¡± He lifted his head to the sky. ¡°I still find it difficult to think you will not fail. His emissaries are too powerful, and they are greater in number than they were before. Their power has waxed, even if yours has done the same. So¡­ I tried, dad, mom. I did.¡±


    ¡°Son¡­¡± Ghan raised his hand up, rubbing at his face. ¡°I cannot risk the same happening again. I can¡¯t believe you.¡±


    Chiteng closed his eyes, epting that fate. ¡°I¡¯m not giving you the option to doubt me, father. And I now realize what I should have from the beginning. I believe in you. And you will ept my help, one way or the other.¡±


    Ghan took a step back, perhaps expecting an attack¡­ but that was not what awaited them. Chiteng¡¯s de, leaned up against his shoulder, spun fiercely as the god twisted his wrist. But rather thaning to attention to prepare for the fight, it cleaved straight through his neck.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Chiteng¡¯s head fell downwards as his body¡¯s knees gave, copsing to the earth as though kneeling in a final show of filial piety. Dancing, corporeal spirits rose from his neck and from the bottom of his severed head like smoking rising from a urn. The humanoid spirits held hands as they rose to the sky, and Argrave thought briefly that they were singing¡­ but the surprised screams of all the elven gods drowned out whatever sound they might have made.


    Argrave and Anneliese both were tossed from Ghan¡¯s back as the father lunged toward his dying son in shock. The slowfall of Artur¡¯s enchantment took effect, gently lowering Argrave and Anneliese even as they were tossed to the air. He held his hand out, a spell at the edge of his mind even amidst the shock¡­ but he hesitated. In the end, he gritted his teeth and cast the first of the shamanic spells one learned: [Lure of the Mortal].


    The spirits that rose from Chiteng¡¯s wounds like smoke changed their direction, heading for Argrave. They surged around him, dancing wildly as they sought purchase in his being. He looked to Anneliese, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t waste his sacrifice.¡±


    Anneliese nodded, and though she seemed to have tears in her eyes, held her hand out and cast the same spell he did. Chiteng¡¯s body slowly fragmented bit by bit, partly joining with his crying family and partlying to Argrave and Anneliese as they fell through the air. The first of the spirits joined with him, settling into his body where they were bound by the chains of his magic.


    After an eternity, nothing remained of Chiteng barring his de of ivory that had fallen to the ground after his suicide. There was silence as Anneliese and Argrave slowly alighted on the ground. The family grieved alone in this clearing, and as outsiders Argrave and Anneliese felt out of ce.


    But then¡­ Ghan¡¯s fingers slipped over the de of ivory. He rose up to his feet, his chest now unmarred by any wound after taking in Chiteng¡¯s spirits. He hefted his son¡¯s de in his hand, and then looked back to Argrave.


    ¡°We will end this,¡± Ghan said simply.


    Argrave nodded. ¡°We will.¡±


    #####


    A single emissary stood on the coast of the Bloodwoods, while the North Sea battered mildly against the sandy shore. Its head turned from ce to ce, watching and waiting. Then, its head fixed ahead on something between the trees. In the far distance, the forest itself stirred. And with a nod, the emissary¡¯s eyes retracted within, conveying information to Erlebnis.


    Then, it turned, its eyes returning. It seemed to speak to the sea as it said, ¡°Theye. Misfortune led us here¡­ but fortune does not decide all. Let the Lordpensate for all else.¡±


    The sea offered no answer. But still, the emissary turned back to the approaching elven gods. Ghan led at their head, his son¡¯s de of ivory held firmly in hand. Both sides, defender and attacker, seemed to have the confidence of victory in their eyes.

 Chapter 409: Sea Change

    Erlebnis fought from an incontrovertibly advantaged position. He had already proven that his emissaries were a match to the elven gods. Every second he waited, his presence on this realm grew stronger, allowing him to field more of those potentbatants. If they should bunch around his breach, their strength would rise and rise until it was unassable. It was low-risk, high reward. Even as the invader, the onus for attack rested on the elven gods.


    It was unfair, but then so was the world. But fighting with an advantage inclined one to certain strategies, and fighting a defensive battle, even more so. Recent events had proven Erlebnis was not unpredictable. Indeed, he was quite reactive¡­ and with his point of entry stemming from one breach, he had a location he was inclined to defend.


    Argrave and Anneliese stood on the matriarch Ujin¡¯s shoulder, holding the reserves as Ghan, Merata, and Dairi advanced towards the lone emissary standing on the beach. The patriarch led the three of them so that lightning magic might be rendered ineffective. They seemed foolhardy, brash¡­ and they were, trusting Argrave to fulfill his promise so absolutely. But Erlebnis¡¯ emissaries did not disappoint.


    The sea roared up into the sky, all the water disced by a surge of magical power on an unprecedented scale. Hundreds of emissaries stood, holding their grotesque hands out like musketeers prepared to fire a volley. mes bright enough to melt metal and winds powerful enough to cleave the earth cut out in tandem, seeking to begin this battle with a decisive and humiliating blow.


    As the defender, if the enemy overextends, punish them. With a show of overwhelming force to begin a battle, arge portion of the enemy forces could be wiped out, and morale would be shattered. It was brutally effective logic.


    But Erlebnis could not know that this strength might be used against him.


    Anneliese finished her spell, and her spirits wrapped around Argrave. He was standing on Ujin¡¯s shoulder, and then he was gone, spirited away. His eyes next saw a light so blinding it pained his eyes. The heat set his hair ame immediately, and the fast-moving winds shredded bits and pieces of his armor, distant thought the spells were. This was a barrage meant to y a god, and he stood before it alone.


    But long before Argrave arrived, the matrix for [Requite] was alreadyplete in his hand. He merely allowed the magic in his body to fill the matrix... and once shamanic magic seized him, he reached deep within himself and called upon all the spirits that had found purchase inside his vessel. They were eager actors.


    Incorporeal red and ck spirits surged singing out of Argrave¡¯s hands, slipping inside of the burning mes and unstoppable winds that approached ever closer by the second. His enchanted gloves grew hot enough he felt them burn through his fingers, and Argrave lost his sense as he howled in pain¡­ but then, he didn¡¯t need to make sense of that iprehensible mass of spells¡ªthe spirits acted for him at his urging.


    Argrave felt the link between him and the spirits break as they fulfilled their task. The intense heat and pressure faded away for half a second¡­ but before he could even appreciate this fact, a concussive force rocked into him. Intense power mmed the whole front of his body as the spells made contact, and though his armor took some of the pressure away he flew backwards through the air from the intense force of the S-rank spells.


    Though Argrave¡¯s eyes felt like liquid, he managed to see an inferno raging where the emissaries had been standing. Seawater exploded upwards into the air, making it seem like it was raining for half a minute. The emissaries, the majority of whom had been lying in wait underwater, were exposed to the elements. Many managed a ward against the intense st, but already seawater from elsewhere moved to fill the vast crater.


    The three vanguard gods had managed to avoid being taken by the st, but Ghan raised Chiteng¡¯s ivory de into the air to catch lightning bolt after lightning bolt, empowering it. Dairi walked boldly into the ocean as the emissaries did nothing¡ªArgrave thought they seemed afraid to cast a spell after what had urred¡ªand seized the ocean water bit by bit, bringing it under her control as it pooled into the vast crater left by the impact.


    Argrave¡¯s terrible backward momentum was finally stalled by meeting someone. He flinched wildly, his entire body aching. Immediately, serenity spread into his bones, and spirits danced around at the edges of his vision. Anneliese hade to catch him. She healed him. He looked backwards to see her face scrunched in concentration and worry, and hurried to orient himself.


    ¡°We have to keep up the momentum,¡± he told her, despite wishing to bask in the relief for a while longer.


    ¡°Together, then,¡± Anneliese said, holding her hand up and calling upon the spirits once again to stride the world with fragments of divinity.


    Just as before, they were afloat in the high sky, and then they were elsewhere. They drifted high above the battlefield, and Argrave pushed past his aching bones and tired mind to focus on aiding the gods.


    Though Ghan swung his de and Dairi sted the emissaries with torrents of seawater, the emissaries ramshackle defense proved unassable. As before, Argrave sent his spirits forth, seizing their spells and making them his own. When Ghan¡¯s de came next, Argrave procured and dispelled their wards in the same motion, the god¡¯s power finally cleaved through the fragile flesh of the emissaries.


    High in the sky, with Anneliese stabilizing him, Argrave was free to focus on destruction of the enemy. The emissaries fell back, heading deeper into the ocean as they sought to gain their footing. They tried all they could¡ªattacking Argrave directly, changing their attack patterns¡­ but with momentum in their favor, Argrave pressed the advantage single-mindedly. Any counter they mustered worked only once, and any defense broke before his probing. And soon, it was not only the van upon the emissaries.


    Ujin joined, weaving the earth as her weapon. Thest of the children, the weaker Lunho, Orda, Murgid, and Volgar, all fought. Orda called upon the wind, seizing gaps Argrave created with skill. Lunho, Murgid, and Volgar, all with powers unsuited forbat, used brutish force to iste and end emissaries. In the midst of all this, Merata defended from each and all rogue spell. With the imperial [Requite], what had been monstrous days earlier proved to fall before them easily.


    But then¡­ not allsts forever.


    When Argrave felt thest of the spirits leave him for the battlefield below, his heart caught in his throat. He looked to Anneliese, and she saw his fear and knew what had happened. His mind whirled, searching for answers¡ªhe hadn¡¯t instructed she learn the spell to relinquish spirits, and so she could not. Without [Requite]¡­


    ¡°I¡¯ll need¡­ I need to go down there,¡± he told her as the high winds howled around them. ¡°[Bloodfeud Bow], the Blessing¡­ it has to be enough. We need to¡ª¡±


    ¡°Argrave,¡± Anneliese gripped his shoulders, looking down as they drifted down through the air slowly. ¡°Given enough time, momentum continues even if one party falters.¡±


    Argrave stared at her amber eyes to discern her meaning, then looked down back to the battle. And as he watched¡­ Ghan¡¯s de broke past an emissary¡¯s ward, cleaving it in two. Dairi advanced further into the sea, parting the water around them to make way for their charge. The gods¡¯ patriarch fought with primal ferocity, barging into their ranks and dividing where he or his family ended them with ruthless discipline.


    Argrave studied the scene in paranoia, feeling that something must be wrong¡ªthe emissaries must be lurking somewhere, waiting for an opportunity to descend upon them and end them. But then¡­ Argrave¡¯s eyes fell upon something peculiar. It was a sh of red in the sea.


    As Dairi continued to advance, Erlebnis¡¯ breach revealed itself. The emissaries rushed inside it by the dozen. When they saw their spells were not countered, each and all began a relentless assault, using it to cover their retreat as they headed back inside. Four or five dealt spell after spell towards the elven gods, while the rest fell back.


    It was a brief moment of pause¡­ but it was enough for the remaining emissaries to head into the breach. The endless metallic red in thend beyond it made Argrave feel quite ufortable. He looked at Ghan as the man ran towards the breach, ready to enter¡­


    But the breach began to smooth itself, like a crease on fabric. Then only air remained. The breach was gone like it never was. Argrave stared nkly, blinking his eyes to be sure he wasn¡¯t hallucinating.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ over,¡± Argrave finally said.


    #####


    Argrave and Anneliese stood in the spot Erlebnis¡¯ breach had once been. Now, nothing remained but the sea floor. Dairi kept the water around them at bay, holding it still as they stood in silentment.


    ¡°He retreated,¡± Anneliese said soberly as she tended to Argrave¡¯s battered body. ¡°He abandoned the position.¡±


    Ghan stood there, de held in hand¡­ and then stabbed it into the ground, kneeling there. Rage, disbelief, dissatisfaction¡­ he embodied it all.


    ¡°He cut his losses, abandoned this project,¡± Anneliese continued. ¡°Rather than lose all of his emissaries fighting to thest, and a fragment of his realm along with it¡­ he gave up the moment he realized victory was not assured.¡±


    ¡°After all that¡­?¡± Argrave said, in disbelief.


    ¡°What did he spend in this venture?¡± Anneliese questioned, taking her hand away from one cut and moving to the burns on his hand. ¡°A few hundred emissaries. He lost his mortal champion, too. And with only that risked, he nearly had Kirel¡¯s alliance, all of Vasquer under his thumb, and¡­ all of you,¡± she finished, looking about at the somber elven gods.


    Argrave closed his eyes. Even though they¡¯d made Kirel enemies to Erlebnis as much as Vasquer, it felt a pyrrhic victory¡­ and perhaps it was, as it spelled the beginning of a long and extended war. Already, more variables than he knew what to do with swirled about in his head.


    ¡°We should check if Sarikiz seeded,¡± Argrave said after a time. ¡°Then, the rest of you need to make thisnd yours. Project your authority, im the Bloodwoods as your territory for this cycle of the arbiter. They cannot breach into thisnd if you make it yourspletely. I need strong allies.¡±


    Ghan looked back, words of duty bringing him out of his shocked stupor. ¡°We owe you more than alliance, Argrave. But you¡ªno, we only barely survived. Even if thisnd was meddled with by Gerechtigkeit, allowing early advent of monstrous deities like that¡­ soon, such powers will erupt all over this continent. All across your kingdom, from the greatest holdfast to the smallest slum, the gods wille. And two of the most powerful now deem you their enemy.¡±


    ¡°My people have been preparing for whates,¡± Argrave nodded, trying not to let himself feel hollow. ¡°We survived one day. Now, we survive the next, and the next, and on and on¡­ and before we know it, it¡¯s all over.¡±


    Anneliese finished healing his burns, and gripped his hands to reassure him.


    ¡°Let¡¯s settle things,¡± Argrave continued, returning her grip. ¡°The elves, the dryads¡­ this forest.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°And Onychinusa,¡± Anneliese reminded him.

 Chapter 410: Everything At Once

    Argrave¡¯s head turned ever so slowly, taking in all the sights before him. He saw the redwoods, as thick as towers and stretching as far as the eye could see. He saw the destruction left behind by the paths of war¡ªthe elves, Kirel Qircassia¡¯s servants, or the centaurs following Sarikiz¡¯s lead. The great beasts of thisnd already scavenged the corpses that had fallen, sating their long hunger after the chaos wrought by the battles.


    Next, Argrave saw the empty in left behind by Kirel Qircassia. The god had toiled desperately to tten this stretch ofnd, and seeded inrge part. It was a t and empty wastnd of brown dirt, mixed with particles of wood and littered with yet more bodies. The remnants of magic colored thend where Erlebnis¡¯ emissaries had ambushed the elves and their gods. But now¡­ here the elves all celebrated, camped near the edges of the trees as the elven gods watched over them.


    Behind him, the wearied and battered Veidimen made camp. Orion and the three Veidimen officers ate one of the creatures hunted in the forest, and the relief from a battle won emanated outward from them. With three dead, and eleven seriously wounded, the Veidimen had done their part. Argrave had asked much of them. Artur, Vasilisa, and Moriatran shared a campfire, saying little.


    ¡°I cannot tell what you think,¡± Anneliese said to Argrave. ¡°What is our move? I feel we should take it quickly. In moments of pause, I feel that hound of purposelessness rising,¡± she told him. ¡°I think¡­ I think this will not be a simple thing to resolve, personally speaking. All the more important that we should hurry to the dryads.¡±


    Argrave looked at her. ¡°Sure. If you want purpose¡­ I¡¯ve got some thoughts.¡± When he saw the intrigue on her face, he hesitated a moment, then began, ¡°Just wondering when I became capable of this. And wondering if it¡¯ll be a problem.¡±


    ¡°A problem?¡± Anneliese repeated. ¡°Is being capable a problem? I always knew you were strong, Argrave, internally. If you realize it yourself, without the turmoil and self-doubt¡­ then what is the problem?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s strength, or something else. Maybe¡­ apathy,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°Did I act prudently, or did I act in ego?¡±


    ¡°But this isn¡¯t troubling you,¡± Anneliese said, surveying his face. ¡°I can tell. Either that, or you finally managed to fool me.¡±


    Argraveughed quietly out of his nose. ¡°No¡­ you¡¯re right. Feels like it all keepsing at me fast enough I¡¯m losing what I was to begin with. I take one step after the other, tackle one problem into another. Problems keep inclining, making me stretch further to take the next step¡­ but at this point, walking is all I know.¡± Argrave looked at his hand, where the blood echoes persisted as he squeezed his hand into a fist even now. ¡°I feel¡­ confident. Cautiously confident. And that¡¯s just not who I am, I don¡¯t think. That constant worry kept me ready, kept me focused, kept me moving. But that¡¯s fading, now.¡±


    ¡°Is personality static?¡± Anneliese asked, and when Argrave searched for an answer she continued, ¡°Are thezy doomed to be that way forever? Will the kind stay benevolent their entire lives? Change is possible.¡±


    Anneliese stared at him, her amber eyes looking at him as though he said something foolish. As thick strands of her white hair blew from the wind, Argrave bunched it up and ced it behind her ear.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°You¡¯re to me, I think. What you said about self-pity kept me going.¡± Leaving her with that, Argrave looked back to the elven army. He didn¡¯t care to trouble her with pointless musings anymore, given she still suffered with her feeling of purposelessness. ¡°Duty awaits. Elenore isn¡¯t here, but I can still think of an alliance between our people that benefits us above all. I had intended to rely on them for securing dryad bows, but I think we cut out the middlemen, trade with the dryads directly.¡±


    Anneliese walked up beside him, staring at the elven gods and the army with them. ¡°The dryads are our only lead on where Onychinusa might be. She might be¡­ she might be dead, you know.¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°We¡¯ll see to them after the negotiations. Fact is, I need elven manpower,¡± he looked at her. ¡°We need open borders¡ªwe need to entice immigrants in droves. We need trade¡ªwith the elven gods having descended, there are going to be more goods they¡¯ll trade than lumber or meat. On top of that, this can be a safe trade route between north and south.¡± Argrave inhaled deeply as he thought of more. ¡°Long term¡­ this ce will transform dramatically as the elven gods make it theirs. I intend to secure favorable terms on the ground floor.¡±


    Anneliese listened intently, then asked, ¡°Do you have a n to persuade?¡±


    ¡°Same thing as usual,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°I have leverage with Ganbaatar and Batbayar. They¡¯ll listen to me. I gave Batbayar all the ammunition he needs to be Supreme Myriarch¡ªif I give him the right prods, I think he¡¯ll take the honor. I think the elven gods will be spiritual leaders more than anything, so the secr leaders will still be the most important for us. From there¡­ say the right things, don¡¯t say things that don¡¯t need saying¡­ and they fold.¡±


    Anneliese raised her hand up, squeezing her lips together as her brain worked. ¡°I think you underutilize the elven gods. Even in their roles as guardians and spiritual leaders, an endorsement from them will go a long way to secure popr support.¡±


    ¡°Fair point. You have an idea?¡± Argrave asked her.


    ¡°I do,¡± Anneliese nodded. ¡°We ought to pave the way for total integration of the Bloodwoods¡­ and you forget that Elenore is everywhere, all at once, now. To us, at least.¡±


    Argrave tilted his head, puzzled.


    #####


    Elenore wrote diligently on a piece of paper, hunched over her desk. Off to the side, she asionally nced to review the preliminary results for those pieces of fruit that Argrave had shipped from the elven woods. She was drafting a n on how best to implement their effects on a grander scale.


    Suddenly, she felt arge hand on her shoulder. She jumped up and screamed immediately, and had the warding ring Durran gave her ready to cast when she realized it was someone familiar.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Argrave greeted as Anneliese stood behind him and shook her head. ¡°Working hard or hardly working?¡±


    She threw her quill pen at him. ¡°You piece of--!¡± she cut herself off, sighing and sinking back into her chair. ¡°I hate you. I really do.¡± When she made sense of things, she studied them with her gray eyes, looking at her desk to make sure she hadn¡¯t tipped anything over in her haste. ¡°How did you¡­? No, that spell book¡­ it must¡¯ve been that. It worked? You moved that distance with magic?¡±


    Just then, the door opened, and four guardsmen stormed into the room. When they saw Argrave, they all paused.


    ¡°Just leave us,¡± Elenoremanded, and they obediently left.


    ¡°I told Argrave not to do that,¡± Anneliese told Elenore, shaking her head even still.


    As Elenore ran her fingers through her ck hair, she questioned them, ¡°Is it over? The trouble in the Bloodwoods. I mean¡­ Nikoletta portrayed it as desperate.¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°We won.¡± He reached into his duster and retrieved something. ¡°We wanted your thoughts on a draft alliance.¡±


    Elenore took the paper, her heart still beating from that scare. She studied the terms carefully, then looked up at Argrave.


    ¡°You know¡­ I always hate it when you go on those journeys. Heading to Quadreign disguised, heading to the Bloodwoods¡­ but you alwayse back with some ridiculous stuff like this.¡± She set the paper on her desk. ¡°Yeah¡­ I can think of some things to add.¡±


    ¡°Well, you don¡¯t need to worry anymore,¡± assured Argrave, sitting on her desk. ¡°With transportation magic at our disposal¡­ you¡¯ll never miss me more than a day.¡±


    Elenore looked up at Argrave. Her gaze was less than pleased. She shook her head, sighing, and then resumed her writing. The king sat there beaming.


    #####


    Argrave and Anneliese manifested in a clearing. The two of them looked around, spotting the familiar redwoods stuck with thousands of arrows. This was the entrance to the forest of dryads.


    As Anneliese huffed happily, Argrave straightened and said, ¡°That spell will fundamentally change how we operate from now on. My god¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s costly,¡± Anneliese reminded him. ¡°Especially for long distances. The spirits might run dry if we abuse it, and getting more¡­¡±


    ¡°It is costly,¡± Argrave agreed, thinking back to in-game figures the spell used. ¡°And it¡¯ll be even more costly on the other end. We have to prepare countermeasures, after all¡ªit¡¯ll do no good to allow someone like Dimocles this ability in Vasquer.¡± He shook his head. ¡°So much to do. But you¡­ are you prepared? We might not be wee here, depending on how things ended.¡±


    ¡°I need to try,¡± Anneliese said.


    ¡°Need?¡± Argrave repeated.


    Anneliese nodded in confirmation. ¡°Like I keep telling you¡­ this insecurity of hers has wormed its way into me. I need to find Onychinusa once again, Argrave. Even if only¡­ if only to confirm her fate,¡± she finished with some difficulty.


    Argrave studied her with concern. He had assumed that whatever she experienced conversing with Onychinusa would pass, but every day she mentioned it all the same, describing it as a hound or a cloud that refused to fade. He gripped her arm, and then walked into the dryad¡¯s mist with eyes wide open.


    After a time of passing through a familiar forest, Argrave and Anneliese finally broke into the familiar stone courtyard. The ce was empty, the four statues undisturbed. After a brief search, they moved past that, heading for the courtyard where the mother dryad had waited.


    When they arrived, the tree with purple leaves still stood strong the same as ever. He studied its leaves for a moment, but his eyes gradually fell to the face emerging from it.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have returned,¡± the dryad said with a calm sadness.


    Then, on the fringes where the wider forest waited¡­ dozens of others filtered out through the forests. Though all with dresses of leaves and hair as ck as Argrave¡¯s own, they were no longer the children that had left here. In moments, the dozens became hundreds. When they were children, it had been endearing. But now¡­ now, it seemed their numbers were for something else other than enthusiastic greeting.


    ¡°Regardless of our feelings about what you did, we are our master¡¯s,¡± the dryad continued. ¡°And you two¡­ she hates you and what you did more than any other. We have responsibilities. A ve must obey.¡±

 Chapter 411: Giving Up

    ¡°I don¡¯t want her to hate us, but I understand why she does,¡± Argrave nodded as the dryads grew closer. ¡°So long as she knows that we did what we did to hurt Erlebnis, not her.¡±


    ¡°Please, give this to her!¡± Anneliese called out, retrieving a paper from her pockets. She dropped it in the air, and then grabbed Argrave¡¯s hand. With that left behind, she cast shamanic magic to transport them elsewhere.


    When Argrave adjusted to his surroundings, he realized they were once again outside the Bloodwoods at the fringe of the giant redwoods where the battle between Kirel Qircassia and Sarikiz had taken ce. He looked for Anneliese and asked, ¡°You wrote a letter? When?¡±


    ¡°At Elenore¡¯s office.¡± Anneliese crossed her arms defensively.


    ¡°Well¡­ we know she¡¯s alive,¡± Argrave said with as much brightness as such a statement could muster.


    ¡°We have to keep visiting her.¡± Anneliese told Argrave. She generally always made suggestions instead of demands, and Argrave was surprised to hear her speak so absolutely.


    ¡°If we receive the same reception every time¡­ we¡¯ll be burning through the spirits painstakingly collected from Chiteng¡¯s sacrifice,¡± Argrave reminded her.


    ¡°I believe that would be more prudent than allowing a force of dryads persist in the center of allied territory. A force that might seek revenge against the elves at Onychinusa¡¯s behest,¡± she rebuked in turn. ¡°Please, Argrave. I will go alone henceforth to conserve spirits. I was the one that insisted on this to begin with. Let her be my responsibility.¡±


    Argrave sighed and stepped away, thinking on this. He was greatly hesitant to allow spirits to be expended for something that might not even work. But then¡­ this was Anneliese. She had been promising to die with him not days ago. Thinking of that, Argrave felt a little guilty for his hesitation.


    ¡°She¡¯s too old for adoption,¡± Argrave looked back. ¡°And we¡¯re both too young for a child that age.¡±


    Anneliese smiled, knowing from his disposition he wasn¡¯t genuinely refusing her. ¡°It¡¯ll be practice.¡±


    ¡°Alright, go ahead.¡± Argrave threw up his hands. ¡°But be very careful, Anne. Promise me that.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Anneliese nodded. ¡°For now, you must work closely with the elven armies. I shall visit every day until I am no longer refused.¡±


    #####


    Onychinusa rested in a feverish stupor, the dryads attending to her every need atop a bed of soft grass. The chain that the emissary of Erlebnis had struck her with still persisted in her shoulder¡­ and it still debilitated her A-rank ascension. She could not transform her body into magic and dance through the air¡­ indeed, she could not even reconstitute herself as her magic supply replenished. Her leg had been severed in the fighting, and it remained so¡ªthe only reason that wound had not been the death of her was because the dryads wove branches through her flesh, staunching the bleeding.


    So much went through Onychinusa¡¯s head in the time after the emissaries¡¯ attack. In the first few hours after her report to Erlebnis, she hated the dryads for interfering in that moment. She clung onto some vain hope that she might¡¯ve remedied things with Erlebnis¡­ but that hate vanished in wake of their earnest devotion, and further upon the persistent chain lodged in her shoulder.


    Her tie with Erlebnis was severed.


    The emissaries had been fully ready to attack her, to kill her. The red chain of liquid metal came from a spell she did not know, but it had been on-hand for the sole purpose of ending her life. She could not cope just thinking of it, and denial pushed her to hate those that had caused this¡ªArgrave and Anneliese, king and queen, devil and deviless.


    Even as she realized that Erlebnis only cared as much as she was useful, so too did she me the royal pair for turning Erlebnis against her. And when she learned they had returned to this forest, to deliver a message¡­ she was livid enough to crawl to hunt them down. Her futile crawl only served to reopen the wound on her leg, though. The dryads kept her safe as was their duty, but her hate burned hot enough to keep her lucid.


    A letter and a message. That was what they offered after destroying all she knew. Onychinusa heard Argrave¡¯s message, but refused to read the letter for days on end. Still Anneliese came, again and again¡­ offering words, offeringforts. She knew they were lies. As had always been the case, the snow elf lied. Even still¡­ her consistency was such that Onychinusa lessened the dryads¡¯ assault. And eventually, she dared read her letter.


    The empty titudes and impossible promises within Anneliese¡¯s letter stoked Onychinusa¡¯s fury, and she ordered the dryads resume their assault redoubled. She was angry at herself for allowing her fire to wane, and so read the letter night after night to keep her rage elevated.


    But slowly¡­ the empty titudes became words of startling rity. Onychinusa hated that she cried reading them, but cry she did. Just as this woman had been the source of her greatest misery, so too did she understand precisely what that misery was. And with that taking root, Onychinusa¡¯s feverish swings between wrath and solemn sadness came day after day until they were more unbearable than the chain digging into her shoulder.


    One day, in one such solemn mood, Onychinusamanded, ¡°ce me beneath the tree in the clearing where she visits.¡±


    The dryads obeyed without question, and though it was perhaps her imagination, she thought they seemed almost eager to obey. Onychinusa slept there that night, her heart stirring in nervous anticipation.


    And when Anneliese arrived¡­


    ¡°By Veid, Onychinusa¡­¡± Anneliese began the moment she stepped into sight, holding her hand near her mouth in shock. ¡°Your leg¡­ I¡­¡±


    Onychinusa felt so many emotions in that moment, but she was still unversed at talking to people. As her head grew white with rage, she only managed, ¡°I hope you drown!¡±


    Anneliese stepped closer,ing to stop at afortable distance. ¡°Because it¡¯s the most painful way to die?¡±


    Onychinusa struggled with her arms to prop herself up, and even as she did so thousands of dryads emerged from the forest to stand near her protectively. ¡°Stoping here,¡± shemanded. ¡°I don¡¯t want you here. I¡¯ll never trust you. You ruined my life.¡±


    ¡°Argrave told me that you could heal yourself by regenerating magic¡­ but¡­ is that chain stopping it?¡± Anneliese asked.


    The concern made Onychinusa¡¯s throat strain, and as tears rose she yelled, ¡°It¡¯s your fault! You just wanted to hurt the Lord! Stoping here! You don¡¯t care,¡± she finished, weakly raising her hand to cast magic before her other arm failed to hold her up and she crumpled down uselessly.


    ¡°I will ask Argrave about this,¡± Anneliese vowed. ¡°I will help you remove that chain, I promise.¡±


    The dryads began their assault, but Anneliese vanished, carried away by her spirits and her shamanic magic.


    When next Anneliese came, she brought the name of the spell she¡¯d been hit by. Onychinusa barely paid attention, thinking only of what she might say to hurt Anneliese¡­


    But Onychinusa stayed. Day after day, she stayed in that clearing. And in turn, Anneliese¡¯s return was as constant as her pain.


    One day, when Anneliese arrived¡­ Onychinusa could not muster anger behind her words. She had thought about the situation half a thousand times, and Anneliese had exined herself just as many¡­ and there was nothing left but understanding. So she called off her dryads, letting Anneliese speak as she endured her pained haze.


    For a while, she only listened to Anneliese. They were nothing more than words offort, of promise. When she thought back on the moment the emissaries had attacked her¡­ they gave not a single word of it. Yet Anneliese¡­ still she came, day after day, no matter how much Onychinusa wished her dead. It perplexed how the two could be so different.


    After many days, spurred by the inequity of it all, Onychinusa simply asked, ¡°Why did Erlebnis give up on me?¡±


    Anneliese was silent for a time, and Onychinusa stared at her as she waited for an answer. Eventually, the snow elf managed, ¡°Erlebnis likely determined the likely risk versus the likely reward. You must know this.¡±


    Onychinusa instinctively rebelled against the words, but as she sat on them confronted a certain fact.


    Erlebnis dealt with all things logically. Why did she believe herself exempt from this?


    ¡°You may think that we obstructed you from finding your purpose, Onychinusa,¡± Anneliese cut in just as Onychinusa¡¯s thoughts led down that road. ¡°But Erlebnis never wanted you to have purpose. He wanted you to be an extension of himself, doing the things that mortals could that he could not. He wanted you to feel purposeless, that he might give you promises of purpose and work you until he had all he wanted.¡±


    ¡°What would you know?¡± Onychinusa shot back, burying her face in leaves.


    ¡°We defeated him,¡± Anneliese countered. ¡°He closed his breach and left this realm. All of his shrines in this forest, and indeed in all of Berendar, are being destroyed. Erlebnis believes that results are proof¡­ and this result is proof that we do know him well enough to beat him.¡±


    Onychinusa looked at Anneliese, finally allowing the more terrifying emotions to surface¡ªuncertainty, fear, anxiety, loss, all of those that grandly summarized herplete istion in this new world. Her existence waspletely tied to Erlebnis, and now all of that had ended. She was totally adrift.


    ¡°I think I can remove the chain in your shoulder, Onychinusa,¡± Anneliese said. ¡°Can Ie closer?¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Onychinusa hesitated, her hand hovering near the foul magic embedded there. She waited a minute, but eventually nodded. When given permission, Anneliese walked forward,ing to sit beside Onychinusa. She removed her duster and ced it over herp, and then ced Onychinusa there. Strangely, she didn¡¯t protest at being moved so.


    Anneliese removed her glove and reached out, touching the broken chain with her long, pale fingers. ¡°I want to tell you a story about my husband,¡± she began gently. ¡°He lost everything he ever knew¡­ even his very body. Perhaps it might offer youfort.¡±


    Anneliese began a tale of the ce Argrave came from¡ªEarth. Onychinusa listened, enraptured, as all the woman divulged was wholly new to her. And after, Anneliese spoke of Argrave¡¯s journey, of his search for purpose in the battle against Gerechtigkeit. It was a winding tale, as there was much Anneliese needed to exin¡ªthe Veidimen, Mateth, the Tower of the Gray Owl¡­ Onychinusa was totally ignorant of the institutions of the mortal realm. After hours passed¡­


    ¡°See? The chain is fading,¡± Anneliese finally pointed out.


    Onychinusa looked at it, startled. Indeed, just as Anneliese said¡­ the chain was dimmer than it once was, and far too much so to be mere illusion.


    ¡°I must go. If I am away for too long, Argrave might fret. But tomorrow¡­ I can tell you of the Burnt Desert. And as the days pass on, I will heal you,¡± she promised.


    Onychinusa listened to the words¡­ and try as she might, she couldn¡¯t disbelieve them.


    ¡°Tomorrow,¡± Onychinusa repeated, nodding contentedly. ¡°If you¡¯re not there¡­ I¡¯ll hate you.¡±


    Anneliese smiled, gently setting Onychinusa aside back in her bed of leaves. And unlike all the times before, she left on foot.

 Chapter 412: Looking Forward, Above and Below

    When Anneliese returned from her visit to Onychinusa farter than she normally did, and with arge smile on her face, Argrave knew she had made a significant advancement in helping the wounded ancient elf. In truth, hearing of her descriptions of her condition day after day was quite saddening. She had been broken in body and mind as a result of their actions¡­ but in the end, perhaps it was possible to have a cake and eat it, too. They¡¯d just have to make two cakes.


    ¡°Was beginning to worry,¡± Argrave said as she walked up to rejoin them. ¡°It¡¯s dark. Do I need to set a curfew next time?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps you should allow me to apany you, Your Highness,¡± Orion suggested, and Argrave cast a nce back at the towering prince.


    ¡°It should not be many times more, and I will spend no more spirits on each journey,¡± Anneliese said, then amended, ¡°¡­unless she has a particrly bad day, of course. I cannot discount that.¡±


    Argrave put his hand on her shoulder, leading her forward as he exined what she¡¯d missed. ¡°The myriarchs have been electing the new Supreme Myriarch.¡±


    ¡°Still?¡± Anneliese looked at him in surprise.


    ¡°Mmhmm.¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter who wins, really. All of them seemed to agree with the alliance we proposed.¡±


    Orion cracked his knuckles, and said under his breath, ¡°As they should.¡±


    ¡°While we wait¡­ let¡¯s visit with those still with us,¡± Argrave suggested, and Anneliese gave a nod of confirmation. ¡°We have to broach that idea of ours with them¡­¡±


    #####


    Artur, Vasilisa, and Moriatran sat around the fire, somewhat removed from the Veidimen nearby.


    ¡°Reflecting magic? All of it, all of those S-rank spells, just bounced?¡± Artur said in a grim whisper.


    Vasilisa looked at him with her cold blue eyes. ¡°If His Majesty hears you know of this, he won¡¯t be pleased. You were supposed to be fighting alongside the Veidimen, as we ordered us. Instead, you were spying on him.¡±


    Moriatran gave a sagely nod, but added nothing more.


    ¡°I¡¯m not eager to go into battle anywhere the king¡¯s not,¡± Artur shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s too risky. Easy to send a man into death, but harder to march into it yourself.¡± Artur rubbed his squat hands together. ¡°But by all extent, he fought the harder opponent than you faced. Surely you felt their power when we confronted them¡­ but His Majesty faced them head on. All the might of their magic.¡±


    Moriatran scratched at his brow with his wizened hands, asking, ¡°And you¡¯re iming Argrave made these spells bounce?¡±


    ¡°S-rank spells,¡± Artur nodded. ¡°Hundreds of them, maybe thousands. Definitely thousands, given how long he kept doing it. This was a barrage that put gods in their ce¡­ the same gods we saw tear through this forest those weeks ago¡­. and Argrave was the most importantbatant, not them.¡±


    In the Veidimen camp, all of the snow elves came to attention. Artur craned, looking to see what was happening. It seemed that Argrave had returned. After receiving a brief status update from Grimalt, Bastel, and Rasten, he quickly left them indistinguishable words and headed for the three Magisters by the fire.


    ¡°Look at this quiet bunch,¡± Argrave began as he joined them. The three offered subdued greetings, and so Argrave quipped, ¡°If you stay so solemn, I might think I stumbled across you while you were talking about me behind my back.¡±


    Artur¡¯s soul left his body as the king red sternly. Then, his face shifted into a grin and heughed loudly, patting Vasilisa¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°I¡¯m just kidding around with you. Always wanted to do that¡­¡± The king mused, settling down by the fire. Artur¡¯s heart took minutes to slow again. ¡°Not going to be here longer,¡± he continued, the me reflecting off his gray eyes as he stared at it. ¡°Things areing to a close. But while I have you here¡­ I¡¯ve got some questions for you three.¡±


    ¡°You are the king,¡± Moriatran said simply, prompting him to ask away.


    ¡°First¡­ Artur.¡± Argrave looked to him. ¡°What we talked about, your enchanting institution¡­ Elenore¡¯s interested. You¡¯d be merging with an organization she already had partially established, and you¡¯d be subordinate to the crown. The finer details of pay and authority can be worked out¡­ but I¡¯m confident we can get it through parliament.¡±


    Artur straightened his back. ¡°Your Majesty, that¡¯s¡­ that sounds wonderful.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ wait until you get the work,¡± Argrave scooted aside, making room for Anneliese who came to sit just beside him. Orion came to stand guard at the back of the royal pair. ¡°Fact is, we¡¯re going to need to prepare for threats like we¡¯ve faced here on every corner of the kingdom. I can¡¯t imagine you¡¯ll get more than two hours of sleep, daily. You¡¯ll be preparing the entire kingdom for threats on the level of divinity.¡±


    ¡°And we must not prepare alone,¡± Anneliese cut in. ¡°We must activelybat the opportunists in this cycle of judgment.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°Elenore tells me the expeditionary parties we sent out areing back one by one, bringing grand spoils to Vasquer. You need to receive, copy, and distribute them en masse. You¡¯ll have plenty of resources, and even more responsibility, Artur. I hope you enjoy it.¡± He looked next to Vasilisa. ¡°And you¡­¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Vasilisa answered at once, shaking her head. ¡°Whatever it is, I¡¯m going to my sister in the north, and I¡¯m staying there. Following you is bad for the heart.¡±


    ¡°¡­fair enough,¡± Argrave conceded. ¡°Regardless, I¡¯ll say it. Perhaps Moriatran will be interested.¡± The king cleared his throat. ¡°Fact is, proactivity beats reactivity. We need to locate and destroy problematic gods, and forge alliances with beneficial gods as they appear. Naturally, I¡¯ll need to employ arge contingent of powerful mages, who will in turn learn even more powerful spells.¡±


    ¡°What is beyond S-rank?¡± Moriatran questioned.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°But there are peaks left unreached on that level¡­ partly because they couldn¡¯t be reached, and partly because they shouldn¡¯t be reached,¡± the king ran his hand across his legs as his gray eyes lost themselves in the me.


    Vasilisa poked the fire with a charred stick, and it let up a plume of me as the branches of the redwoods they used as firewood copsed inwards. ¡°Hunting gods now, are you?¡±


    ¡°The ones I can,¡± Argrave confirmed.


    Vasilisaughed, fixing some of her hair behind her ear. She looked at Argrave squarely. ¡°When will you stop setting your sights higher?¡±


    Argrave smiled, enjoying the warmth of the me as night set upon them. He thought on her question as the Magisters grew drowsier and drowsier from the me. In time, an answer came to him.


    ¡°When there¡¯s nothing higher to see,¡± Argrave said quietly.


    #####


    After a fairly long while, a great uproar spread through the elven army. Argrave managed to extrapte that the next Supreme Myriarch had been chosen from their ranks. He remained entirely uninvolved in the process, though most of the elves knew that he supported Batbayar. And as it turned out, elections really were rigged.


    There was no coronation, no grand ceremony, no promation¡­ but when Argrave next walked among the elves, all referred to Batbayar as Supreme Myriarch. He walked with Ganbaatar, addressing his old Tumen member-by-member. Argrave wondered if the man really did remember all ten thousand names. In time, though, they met face-to-face.


    ¡°King Argrave,¡± the man once known as Batbayar greeted him. That name would never be used¡ªat least, not when referring to this person. Now, he was only the Supreme Myriarch.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯d be right to congratte you,¡± Argrave greeted him. ¡°I¡¯m told the leader has to receive the most punishments of all in the entire army. Self-getions, the like. You put priests to shame.¡±


    The Supreme Myriarch nodded seriously. ¡°Leadership is not a boon, it is a burden. I thought you ignorant of that¡­ but perhaps you are a step ahead of me, hearing your tale to liberate this forest,¡± he referenced, looking to Ganbaatar.


    Ganbaatar gave Argrave a quiet nod. ¡°You kept your promise, Argrave. Some centaurs still linger, left behind, but¡­ they¡¯re no threat to us, now. And in time, we will purge the forests of all that threatens our existence. Our gods will aid us in that. Myself as well.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°I had another thought in mind,¡± the Supreme Myriarch cut in. ¡°You ought to represent us in Vasquer, Ganbaatar. I will codify the alliance between our people¡­ and you will keep it whole.¡±


    Ganbaatar looked at the Supreme Myriarch, then shook his head. ¡°I will help for some while longer, and then go. I possessed an eye that told me the locations of powerful vampires¡­ and in it, only two persisted. One with white eyes¡ªGmon, who was cured. The other had blue eyes. And I remember where it pointed.¡±


    The Supreme Myriarch looked displeased. He searched for words, but Argrave said, ¡°You won¡¯t find him for months yet.¡±


    ¡°And why not?¡± Ganbaatar looked to him.


    ¡°Because he¡¯s miles underground.¡± Argrave gestured toward the Supreme Myriarch. ¡°But enough of my meddling. We have an alliance to make official.¡±


    ¡°Hold on.¡± Ganbaatar stopped Argrave as the two of them made to move. ¡°You know of this vampire?¡±


    Got you, Argrave thought, holding back a smile. The Supreme Myriarch was right¡­ it was best for Ganbaatar to stay in Vasquer. There, Argrave would make great use of him as the poster boy for the Vasquer dream¡­ and soon, motivated by his good treatment, elves woulde to Vasquer in droves. Indeed, he might need to make an Ellis Ind of his own.


    "Well... yes," Argrave began, as if hesitating. "But to exin who this vampire is, I have to exin something else... specifically, about the Casten of the Empty and the Ebon Cult."


    #####


    ¡°¡­and so, we arrive to the present,¡± Anneliese finished telling her story. ¡°To this grove, where I tell you our story.¡±


    Onychinusa looked up at her. ¡°It¡¯s over?¡±


    ¡°Not over.¡± Anneliese shook her head. ¡°The story continues even now. I hope¡­ you understand us better. Who we are. Why we act. What we want.¡± Her eyes wandered to the chain embedded in Onychinusa. ¡°By¡­ tomorrow, perhaps, I believe this spell will be fully degraded from my A-rank ascension. And you¡­ you will be free.¡±


    Onychinusa looked up at her, their amber eyes meeting. Silence persisted for a few seconds, but Anneliese listened intently.


    ¡°What do you want from me?¡± Onychinusa asked suddenly. ¡°My help? My strength?¡±


    Anneliese heard the question, her eyes turning from ce to ce as she thought of how to sinctly answer a nuanced question. ¡°If you asked Argrave, I think he would say yes.¡± She looked up to the sky. ¡°And it would be a lie to act as though I found your help undesirable.¡±


    Onychinusa grew still.


    ¡°But I¡¯m not going to ask that of you.¡± Anneliese lowered her head, white hair falling near Onychinusa¡¯s face. ¡°Because you do have purpose, Onychinusa. I cannot give it to you. Argrave cannot, either. All we can offer is help. And if you should choose to go, to leave us¡­ admittedly, I will be sad.¡±


    Onychinusa realized that the idea made her sad, too. Where would she go? She had the dryads, true enough¡­ they loved her. But to exist as they did was not something that appealed to her. She had seen much of the world, heard much of the world, and now she needed to see it. After all, Anneliese might be lying. She had lied before. If Onychinusa could unearth her lies as they travelled together¡­ indeed, perhaps that might be fun.


    As she stared up at Anneliese¡¯s amber eyes, Onychinusa came to a realization. ¡°We look alike.¡±


    ¡°You realize this now?¡± Anneliese raised a brow.


    ¡°You said you were an unwanted child,¡± Onychinusa continued. ¡°That your mother didn¡¯t care for you.¡±


    ¡°It happens,¡± Anneliese dismissed magnanimously.


    ¡°But you got a new father. I could be your new mother, right?¡± Onychinusa said seriously. ¡°My imperial family often adopted promising talents, marrying them into the family to improve magical ability. I read all about it.¡±


    Anneliese burst intoughter at once, shocking Onychinusa. Sheughed for a long while. The noise wasn¡¯t entirely unpleasant, as Onychinusa knew that Anneliese did not mean it to hurt.


    When she settled down, Anneliese said reminiscently, ¡°You know¡­ I have two younger sisters. Well¡­ three, now,¡± she amended. ¡°They were a fair big younger than me, but my mother¡­ well, never mind. Whatever the case, I never came to know them well. And ining here, you posed as my sister.¡±


    Onychinusa listened to that. ¡°It was a flimsy excuse, even then.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ whatever the case, I always regretted failing my sisters like that,¡± Anneliese said quietly. She took a deep breath and sighed. ¡°I have to go, Onychinusa.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Onychinusa nodded, epting Anneliese¡¯s direction. As the snow elf made to leave, Onychinusa called out, ¡°Bring¡­!¡± she paused, hesitating. ¡°Bring Argrave tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°I can do that,¡± Anneliese nodded, smiling. ¡°But hopefully, soon¡­ you cane to visit us.¡±

 Chapter 413: Oceanside Family Picnic

    Argrave and Anneliese sat on the sandy coast of the Bloodwoods, staring out across the vastness of the ocean that divided this continent from others. Orion stood a healthy distance away, guarding them diligently while giving them space to speak alone. They faced the suns as they faded beyond the horizon, hueing the waters purples and oranges.


    But there was one more with them. Onychinusa sat on a rock, watching the calm oceanp gently against the sea. Where there had once been a bloody stump, now there were clumps of ckness. She was once again able to ess her A-rank ascension after being struck by the emissary¡¯s foul magic. That had made Argrave quite nervous, if he was honest. But as Anneliese promised, she caused no trouble. She had been quite rowdy and interrogative, which surprised him a fair bit, but after a time she settled down.


    ¡°Been a long while since we could afford to do this,¡± Argrave reflected.


    Anneliese removed her gloves and sunk her hand into the sand. She picked up a handful and let it fall piece by piece. ¡°And I think it is thest time we will, until Gerechtigkeit is perished.¡±


    Argrave reached out towards some stones, sifting them until he found a t one. He took it in hand, aiming the ttest, roundest bit down, and then tossed it with some spin. Though it had been from an awkward position, with the strength offered by the enchanted armor it skipped well over twenty times before dipping into the ocean. Off to the side, he saw the calm Onychinusa straighten, her eyes widening after his disy of stone-skipping.


    ¡°I had been remaining quiet about this, but your talk with Ganbaatar reminded me of things,¡± Anneliese continued. ¡°You said that what we experienced here was what Mozzahr, the Casten of the Empty, experienced in the abandoned dwarven cities. Gerechtigkeit forced the early advent of a god.¡±


    ¡°¡­and you¡¯re thinking that he won¡¯t have experienced such a thing, and thus when he and his Ebon Culte, it¡¯ll be different than I remember it,¡± Argrave filled in the nks, then threw another stone.


    Anneliese watched the rock jump dozens of time, and then sink into the water before she answered, ¡°Yes, that is what I thought. What we endured here was a nightmare. Some loose ends remain, but altogether¡­ it was a better end than I daresay we hoped for. And Mozzahr¡­ he dealt with a scenario like this. He dealt with it alone, without the help of the elven gods as we had.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, he¡¯s way cooler than me.¡± Argrave shook his head, offering Anneliese a t stone. He saw Onychinusa watching the stone in his hand.


    Anneliese ignored his humor, asking, ¡°Will he stille if he does not endure an attack? Will his forces be stronger or weaker? Will theye earlier orter? These are questions we must answer,¡± she finished, taking the stone from his hand.


    Argrave watched as she rose to her feet, then took proper posture to throw the stone. It skipped ten, twenty, thirty times, at which point the skips came so quickly he lost count. It sunk into the ocean out of sight.


    ¡°I know it¡¯s a concern.¡± Argrave rose to his feet with her. ¡°But there isn¡¯t much information I can give you. The yer can¡¯t even ess the depths of the earth until the midgame, so I can predict how fighting Gerechtigkeit down there might¡¯ve changed him.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Anneliese knelt down, rummaging through rocks to find t ones. She picked a heap up, and then walked to Onychinusa, whose eagerness to try was practically radiating out of her eyes.


    While Anneliese exined rock skipping, Argrave watched the ocean. If he was honest with himself, truly being king was something he avoided. He appreciated the things most did¡ªthe prestige of the title, the wealth, et cetera. But he wasn¡¯t someone that could focus on those things while forgetting about the responsibilities. That was much of why he went to Quadreign, and why he went to the Bloodwoods when he could. To be fair to himself, he had secured Elenore as his regent so that he could do these oundish things.


    But that time wasing to an end. He would need to assume the role of kingpletely to prepare for theing war with the nation underground¡ªthe Ebon Cult. Argrave had great personal strength. With the five imperial tomes in his arsenal and spirits to fuel the spells, he was a match for any magic user. Their power was so great it was small wonder Emperor Balzat, their author, sought to hoard them for his family¡¯s use.


    Personal strength would no longer suffice. Gods great and small would emerge from all corners of Berendar, seeking to make thisnd their holdfast in preparation for Gerechtigkeit¡¯s advent. The kingdom itself needed to be strengthened at this point. Elenore had been setting the framework for this, working tirelessly, but now¡­


    ¡°Guess it¡¯s time to head back and steal Elenore¡¯s credit, like always,¡± Argrave called out to Anneliese.


    Onychinusa threw her first stone. Because she was sitting it skipped only three times, but she seemed mightily pleased to have gotten the principle.


    ¡°And earn credit of our own,¡± Anneliese called back, smiling at Onychinusa. As ever, her hands hovered near the elven woman harmlessly. Even with gloves on, Anneliese didn¡¯t dare risk her A-rank ascension activating and draining the ancient elf of the magic that constituted her body. She would only touch her with a thickyer between the two of them, and even despite her growing affection had not yet hurt her before.


    Reminded of something, Argrave asked, ¡°And you, Onychinusa? What¡¯s your n?¡±


    She looked at him. He didn¡¯t have the same closeness she did with Anneliese, but he could tell Onychinusa didn¡¯t dislike him. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she answered simply.


    Argrave didn¡¯t really have a good answer for that¡ªthey¡¯d been speaking of the kingdom¡¯s future, but he supposed it made sense that this abandoned woman-child would be at a loss.


    ¡°You should follo¡ª¡± Argrave began, but trailed off when he caught a re from Anneliese. He scratched the back of his neck.


    ¡°You will always be wee at our home,¡± Anneliese instead said in a much lessmanding fashion.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Onychinusa responded nonchntly, then tossed another stone. It plunked into the water without skipping, and she frowned while looking at her hands.


    ¡°As a matter of fact¡­ when we return, why don¡¯t youe with us? That way, you can know where toe, who to speak to, and what to do in Vasquer.¡±


    ¡°But the dryads¡­¡± Onychinusa looked into the Bloodwoods.


    Have theme too! Argrave wished to say, though kept his mouth shut. They need a ce to take root, right? I know just the spot¡­ we can build a fletcher next to it, manufacture bows and arrows by the thousands.


    ¡°They persisted one thousand years without you, did they not?¡± Anneliese instead counseled while Argrave thought to exploit. ¡°But if need be, perhaps you should talk to them. They care for you. They will give you sound advice.¡±


    Onychinusa nodded again, repeating, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Anneliese watched as Onychinusa skipped stones for a moment, and then walked back to Argrave¡¯s side. ¡°I think now is the time to bring back Durran and Gmon into the fold. Hiopefully, whatever task they dealt with in their homnd is well and done¡­ and if not, we have the means to help them.¡±


    Argrave smiled. ¡°You¡¯re right. It¡¯ll be damn good to talk to the both of them again. I¡¯m sure Gmon will just say one word, even if we tell him we fought two ancient gods.¡±


    Annelieseughed quietly. ¡°And Durran¡­ he seemed utterly resolute with whatever he intended in the Burnt Desert. I do wonder what he might have hoped to gain¡­¡±


    Argrave felt the wind stir to his left, and jerked his head quickly by instinct. Orion stepped past him, twisting his body. He threw a stone, and it flew out across the ocean fast enough it was difficult to track. It hit the ocean, bouncing high, and then kept skipping again and again until it faded far out of sight. Onychinusa slowly turned her head to look at him in shock.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ it fell beyond the horizon.¡± Orion held his hand above his eyes to shield his sight from the light of the suns. ¡°I lost count.¡±


    Argrave looked at him, then patted his shoulder. ¡°Probably reached Veiden.¡±


    ¡°Truly?¡± Orion raised his brow in surprise.


    ¡°Sure. You might¡¯ve hit some fisherman,¡± Argrave continued jokingly.


    ¡°I¡­ see. Then that was imprudent of me. I must restrain my power, lest innocent allied vessels sumb to the stones,¡± Orion nodded seriously.


    Argrave blinked. ¡°I was¡ª"


    ¡°Joking?¡± Orion finished, smiling. ¡°Yes, I know. As was I. It seems I learn much from you, Your Majesty.¡±


    Utterly floored, Argrave could onlyugh in response.


    ¡°But in seriousness¡­¡± Orion continued over Argrave¡¯sughter. ¡°I learned many things on this trip, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Such as?¡± Argrave pressed.


    Orion stared out across the ocean, then said evenly, ¡°Some men would be better gods than the gods themselves.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°That is very true.¡±


    Argrave looked back to the Bloodwoods. The imposing trees seemed a little smaller than they had when firsting here, though they hadn¡¯t shrunk at all. It was time to leave them behind. The threat wasn¡¯t here, anymore.


    The threat would be everywhere.

 Chapter 414: Foundation of the Shield

    Mnie, a native of Relize, technical royal auditor for the crown of Vasquer, but definite sword-for-hire walked beneath a fortified archway. The building was wedged firmly in the valley road leading to the newly-born capital of Vasquer named ckgard. Her long red hair whipped against her neck as her head turned from ce to ce, taking in the sight. When she left from the southern side of the mountains enclosing ckgard, this archway hadn¡¯t been here. It hadn¡¯t even been in construction. Now, she suspected it could hold up against a siege of thousands for months.


    But Mnie wasn¡¯t alone ining here. She pulled a handcart carrying a chest, holding the bar in front of her as she trudged along. She had been prepared for a difficult road, but it had been smoothed for wheels and dozens of people with luggage walked alongside her in the advance to this new ce. She came near a group, listening in to see what this influx of people might be about.


    ¡°Look at this stone. Thick, ck, hard. No matter how long you bang against it, it won¡¯t budge. I don¡¯t care if all the dead in the world rise,¡± an older woman said to a middle-aged man. ¡°If we aren¡¯t safe here, where will we be safe?¡±


    ¡°Dirracha. Mateth. Anywhere, mother,¡± the man shot back.


    ¡°And what, fall on our knees at the gates, live in some hastily-constructed slum outside their walls? The king¡¯s men advised alle here,¡± the elderly woman rebuked him. ¡°Besides, your brother already came here. Would you split this family up?¡±


    ¡°All I¡¯m saying¡­¡± the man trailed off. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t get our hopes up.¡±


    Mnie had heard enough, and so walked alone once more as she thought. Refugees, she thought. Admittedly, this ce was extremely defensible¡­ but as for food? It had a small port for fishing, but none of the ground had been farmed whatsoever. She didn¡¯t know much of farming, butnd near a river¡­ generally, it was only left untilled if it didn¡¯t grow crops well. Perhaps Argrave intended to sustain the ce as Relize had been sustained¡ªimporting crops from further along the river. The mountains would make that troublesome.


    After a long and tiresome walk, the valley came to an end, closing off into a tight point. There was arge office waiting them, and a man outside loudly directed people inside for processing. Here, people clumped together as they were received group-by-group. Despite the bulk of people, it was quite orderly¡ªMnie smelled Elenore¡¯s influence here. The princess had always been good at making order out of chaos.


    Before long, Mnie was admitted into the office through a wide and tall doorway, still hauling her handcart. There, a tired-looking bureaucrat stood behind a desk. He might¡¯ve seemed a pushover if not for the eight te-armored guards blocking the other exit.


    Mnie came to the desk, and the man said, ¡°Before I can let you in¡­ name, profession, and purpose of visit.¡±


    ¡°Mnie. Royal auditor and parliamentary seat. Business,¡± she answered each question respectively, retrieving a badge from her pocket.


    The man nced at the badge and straightened his back. ¡°There¡¯s only one check for you, then, ma¡¯am. Please step close to this man, and hold your eyes wide open.¡±


    Mnie was perplexed, but obeyed. The man scrutinized her eyes closely. ¡°They¡¯re green, but not quite blue. It doesn¡¯t match with the color of the shapeshifter. And she has no magic,¡± he said.


    ¡°Go right through, then. No need to hold up a seat in the parliament,¡± the man behind the desk said loudly, gesturing for the guards to move aside. ¡°But¡­ I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ve missed the parliamentary session scheduled for today, mydy.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± Mnie said, hastening. She was eager to see what more had changed. She stepped out of the office, entering ckgard proper.


    The lush wildflower paradise had been fading when Mnie left, but now it near entirely gone. An untouched field of flowers persisted only at the far back of the valley where the mountains met the in. Once, the parliamentary hall had been the only evidence of new construction here. That space had transformed into a hugeplex sprawling out across the valley, and further marked the end of the newly builtwork of roads.


    Farnd spread for miles in either direction. They were divided into neat, though not uniform, plots that already had an borate irrigation system funneling water from the rivers. Sprouts grew in several plots, and where nothing was growing, people worked to put seeds in the ground that they might do so in the future. Strangely, each plot of farnd had a unique-looking tree at its center.


    Beyond that¡­ there was construction work at the docks, Mnie could see that much. There was temporary housing near as far as the eye could see¡ªtents, makeshift shacks, all the like. But with the roads in ce, it seemed like the framework for something very grand. There were markets, too. This ce was already blossoming as a hub of trade. Indeed, if Mnie were to describe ckgard as it was¡­ it was the foundation for a city, with all the resources one needed to build it from bottom to top. But whether it would be the envy of the world, or another failed project of an overpromising monarch¡­


    Well, she supposed all of that would rest on the shoulders of King Argrave.


    #####


    Princess Elenore sat in a cushioned chair at a wide, heavy desk of dark wood, wearing a humble silken green dress. She held her long ck hair back while her gray eyes scanned through thousands of papers. It seemed a ratherfortable ce to work¡­ but given that it stood at the head of Vasquer¡¯s parliament, with royalty watching from behind and the seats of parliament ahead, one could never rest easy in that chair.


    King Argrave stared at his sister, tapping one foot against the ground in absent nervousness. His movements left behind echoes of maroon, making even his act of tant impatience seem elegant and measured. The nobles looked upon the king nervously, perhaps viewing this act as a message. In reality, the king was nervous as votes were tallied, and had a rarepse in thought before them all.


    When pale fingers settled atop his hand, the king turned his stony gaze away and stopped bouncing his foot. Beside him, Queen Anneliese sat with her long white hair kept in a half-crown braid. Her amber eyes seemed to silently implore him to be patient, and he returned her grip and settled back to look at the rows and rows of seats in this hall.


    Vasquer¡¯s parliament had grown a great deal. Where once it had been perhaps a few dozen, now it was well into the hundreds. Representatives from all across the kingdom gathered to act in the interest of their city, of their noble house, of their magical practice, of their merchant empire¡­ though imposing, Argrave felt some sense of pride while looking upon it. Not quite a republic¡ªmore an oligarchy¡ªbut it was a start.


    When Elenore cleared her throat loudly everyone came to focus upon her, sitting straighter and leaning forward.


    ¡°The motion for the establishment of the Hall of Enchantment passed,¡± Elenore dered, gathering papers up. ¡°Artur will assume the role of the tentatively named Hall Director as soon as he is able. Passing alongside this motion is the formal decriminalization of magic practice outside of the Order of the Gray Owl. A tally of votes will be made and distributed to any interested in precise figures.¡±


    Faint yet present muttering spread throughout the hall as people both celebrated and cursed the establishment of the Hall of Enchantment and the abolishment of formal Order magic monopoly. Already, Argrave felt the parliament was showing its use. If this had been a decree passed by him alone, it would sow discontent. If it was fairly voted, however, not even the Magisters could protest. They had their say, after all.


    ¡°This session is over.¡± Elenore said. Even she was unable to prevent some satisfaction from leaking into her voice. ¡°We shall meet again next moon. Aid that was promised in wake of devastation wrought will be delivered shortly, but in the meantime, ckgard will receive any and all refugees sent its way.¡±


    The parliamentary seats began to filter out of the hall, heading into the wider parliamentplex where more politicking surely awaited. Argrave rose from his spot and walked down the stairs,ing to sit atop Elenore¡¯s desk. People showed their respect to him as king as they walked near, then counted the ballots on their own¡­ but the figure was indisputable.


    ¡°You ready?¡± Argrave asked Elenore quietly when no one else was nearby. Anneliese listened intently.


    The princess looked up at him. ¡°That¡¯s a question for you. I talked to the architects from Relize, personally¡ªtheir strike won¡¯t end easily.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a union-buster extraordinaire. Worry not, sis,¡± he finished, rubbing her head.


    She frowned at him and fixed her hair while pping his hand away. ¡°I hope so. This strike is dying construction. The poption is getting ridiculous. I have the city ns, butying the bricks without magic would take years, not months. They are needed.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll get it done. Might make more concessions than you¡¯re happy with, but they¡¯ll be working hard once again,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°And after that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the first day of army training. My men tell me your Veidimen officers seem eager.¡± Elenore looked at him squarely. ¡°I¡¯ve arranged for you to see that.¡±


    ¡°Good. Great.¡± Argrave nodded slowly.


    Elenore tapped her finger on the table. ¡°Then, you have a meeting with those Magisters.¡±


    ¡°¡­but after?¡± Argrave pressed hopefully.


    Elenore stared at him, then finally nodded with a sigh. ¡°Yes, you have enough free time to travel to Veiden. I¡¯ll need you back by morning, Argrave, regardless of whether you convince Gmon to return. There are restless nobles that need direction, and a kingdom that needs its figurehead.¡±


    Argrave crossed his arms and sighed, looking at Anneliese.


    ¡°Argrave, you told me you needed to rule¡ªtruly rule. This is what it is.¡± Elenore rose to her feet. ¡°Shall we go?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything negative,¡± he protested,ing to stand from her desk.


    Elenore looked up at the too-tall king. ¡°You sighed.¡±


    ¡°I exhaled quickly,¡± he rephrased.


    ¡°I think that is the definition of sighing,¡± Anneliese cut in, and then took Argrave¡¯s arm. ¡°Let us proceed, Elenore.¡±


    Walking arm-in-arm with a quick stride, the three of them left the parliamentary hall. There, Prince Orion of Vasquer awaited to escort them with a squad of twelve human royal guards. Armored in the traditional gold of the royal knights, the prince struck as imposing as figure as he ever did. His long braid of ck hair came out of the back of his helmet like a plume, and he yed the role of the diligent knightmander. In time, Argrave would relieve him, having Gmon assume the role once more¡­ but Orion would not soon abandon the title of royal knight, as he had made clear. His presence now brought a sense of security instead of panic.


    On the walk out of the parliament, Argrave and Elenore received yet more private petitions¡ªa merchant wished for a bridge to be fixed, a city¡¯s mayorined of unjust taxes by a local lord¡­ on and on the requests came. Some of them were mundane and easily dismissed, but it was important they be heard before more thorough administration could spread through Vasquer to handle these minor disputes.


    Responding to each and every query with care was a mind-straining task, but Argrave and Anneliese were bing more and more efficient at it. Argrave was good at giving political answers, while Anneliese was more suited for practical solutions. Inyman¡¯s terms, Argrave was good at saying nothing while Anneliese was good at saying something. But finally, after the wave of petitions faltered, they exited the parliamentary hall.


    ckgard waited beyond. With roads in ce, the peopleing en masse, the north and south entrances with fortifications more than able to resist great enemies¡­ the foundation of their resistance had beenid. In theing months, he needed to make this nation ready for the end times.


    ¡°Delivery for the king! Delivery for the king!¡± a woman shouted, and Argrave lowered his gaze to spot Mnie wheeling a cart through theplex, paying little mind to most of the other parliamentary seats that walked. She came to stand before him. ¡°Got something for you, Your Majesty, Your Highness,¡± she said provocatively, shing a white-toothed smile. ¡°Just whaaat could it be¡­?¡±


    As Mnie delivered her line, she turned back and popped open the chest in a fluid motion. Argrave immediately spotted several relics of value¡ªrelics recognizable enough to pinpoint where, exactly, she had been. Her expeditionary team travelled to a cave in the west, at the base of the mountains north of the Tower of the Gray Owl.


    Argrave stepped to her cart, parsing through what she had. A lot of the enchantments that might be on these relics were not especially useful to him, but they might be useful on a grander scale¡ªArtur would be the judge of that. As he lifted things, Argrave asked, ¡°Happen to notice anything unusual down in that ce?¡±


    ¡°Man-eating bats,¡± she said at once.


    ¡°But I knew those would be there. I mean, anything else?¡± Argrave scrounged through.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Mnie sounded aggrieved as she responded, ¡°If man-eating bats aren¡¯t unusual, what is?¡±


    Argrave was about to answer her when he spotted something. His hand moved slowly, and then wrapped around arge helmet of unusual make. He lifted it up in the air, and bits of jewelry fell off it ungraciously. Anneliese was watching Argrave, and she grew serious as she watched his face shift in displeasure.


    The helmet was made of a dark purplish metal, polished to perfection until it reflected images off its surface. It had a round cap, ear guards, and a face mask that made it resemble the famous Sutton Hoo helmet. Argrave stared down through its eyeholes.


    ¡°Where did you find this?¡± Argrave asked quietly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t¡­ on the ground, somewhere, I suppose,¡± Mnie said, shrugging. ¡°Do you like it, Your Majesty? Or do you recognize it?¡± Mnie inquired, almost seeking praise.


    ¡°I do recognize it,¡± Argrave nodded slowly. ¡°It¡¯s the work of the Ebon Cult. It¡¯s a helmet for their scouts.¡±

 Chapter 415: Simple Old Hermits

    Argrave went to deal with his agenda, but as he spoke to the architects of Relize to end their strike, and as he addressed the concerns of Magisters questioning the direction of the expeditionary parties sent out across Vasquer, his mind was elsewhere. His mind was on helmet Mnie had brought back. More specifically, he dreaded the Ebon Cult it heralded.


    There was no mistaking the distinctive masked helmet of the Ebon Cult. The ones given to scouts were undetailed and light, as the masks marked their rank in the hierarchy and helped establish a sense of identity for their wearers. That it had been found meant one thing alone: the cult¡¯s scouts had ventured where Mnie had reached. That was the bare minimum it meant¡ªin reality, their members might have discovered a path to the surface long ago. And without Gerechtigkeit¡¯s meddling to hinder their progress significantly¡­ they might have a huge head start on their invasion of Vasquer.


    If this had been Gerry¡¯s n¡ªto have these two potent nations sh just as all the gods descended, weakening both in a major way¡ªthen it was working out.


    Argrave sat on his bed with Anneliese hovering near him. They had been staying in the parliamentaryplex, alongside other parliamentary seats that decided to stay in ckgard itself. She had a writing implement and paper both prepared, but she did not write. He stared at the helmet in his hands, thinking hard.


    ¡°You feel dread.¡± Anneliese knelt down before him. ¡°Do we cancel our ns to go to Veiden?¡±


    He looked at her, using her question to put his thoughts back on rails. Apparently, half the reason Gmon was convinced to return to Veiden was because there was something rted to the Ebon Cult. They might not even be the same organization, but at the same time¡­


    ¡°Before I became king¡­ I had intended to head down into the abandoned dwarven cities.¡± Argrave set the helmet on his bed. ¡°There, I would learn and make use of shamanic magic, upgrade my arsenal, defeat Mozzahr and his cult alone while the kingdom focused on preparing for the gods unmolested. But events transpired. I dealt with events in the Bloodwoods, not down there.¡± He fixed her with a gaze as steady as stone. ¡°Now, we need Gmon¡¯s expertise in war more than anything. I can¡¯t fight this as I¡¯d hoped to.¡±


    ¡°That is a sensible point.¡± Anneliese¡¯s eyes darted back and forth as she was lost in thought. ¡°We waste time. We may bete, already. Let us go visit the first training session of the army.¡±


    Argrave nodded, rising to his feet. As he made for the door back to the outside, he paused, then turned and grabbed the helmet still on their bed.


    #####


    They travelled beneath the tunnel spanning the mountains north of Vasquer. It was a busy road, with refugees stilling in en masse, but they still made it through in decent time. Here, the great fortress erected by the Relizean architects stood strong and tall. Argrave, Anneliese, and Orion scaled the massive fortification, heading for the walls. The stairs felt as though they took an hour to climb, and once they arrived the cold winds of high altitudes battered their face.


    Rows and rows of Veidimen-style tents filled the vast ins between ckgard and Relize. But they were not built by Veidimen¡ªthey were built by the men of Argrave¡¯s newly formed standing army. Technically, this force had been in existence for two months. Those two months, however, had been filled by back-breaking training to bring all recruits to a physical standard.


    At the Veidimen¡¯s direction, the recruits needed to train before they could learn to fight. They ran dozens of miles with heavy packs, paved the roads between Relize, ckgard, and Dirracha, collected firewood enough to burn for weeks, and made those wondrouslyfortable tents¡­ every single day, for two months. Healing magic made pain nothing more than an inconvenience, and the elves of Veiden took full advantage of that fact.


    And so, after those two months¡­ thirty-five thousand, eight hundred and sixteen men were ready down below. That was the number of troops that were to begin proper military training. Argrave remembered the number well, because Elenore hadined countless times about paying this many sries. Many of these people were working to support their families living within ckgard, as they earned a generous wage in the army. Many more were without a home to return to. Some were those afflicted by the waxpox, who had been totally cured in Quadreign by the me of the Tenebrous Star.


    In the far north, spellcasters tempered their magic supply with House Quadreign¡¯s me. Parliamentary seats belonging to the Order of the Gray Owl were incentivized to teach prospective talents¡ªif they did so, they¡¯d receive benefits from the expeditionary parties scouring ruins across the kingdom. It was causing something of a boom in the world of magic. Argrave heard nothing but positive news from Diana, Archduchess of the North. And as proof of her words, more and more B-rank mages returned from ships to receive more thorough tutge.


    But whether by magic or might, men trained to defend their home and kill their enemies down below. They practiced unit tactics, weapons, discipline¡­ but more than discipline, they had fervor. They prepared for Gerechtigkeit, just as Argrave did. And with the Ebon Culting¡­ he would be forced to ask these men to die for him.


    ¡°Do you think they joined the army because they were ignorant of what war was?¡± Anneliese said suddenly, and Argrave turned to her.


    ¡°Reading my mind?¡± Argrave raised a brow.


    ¡°I just know how you think,¡± she shook her head. ¡°After all this time, I do not think I need to see your face to figure out what you think.¡±


    ¡°Then you¡¯ll know I¡¯m realizing I¡¯m not that special,¡± Argrave stepped closer to the edge of the fortress, bracing against the parapets. ¡°Thought I was a hotshot, putting my life on the line to fight Gerechtigkeit. But there¡¯s thousands of people just like me, getting ready to be just as good as I am, if not better. They¡¯re called soldiers.¡±


    ¡°Keep that connection. Do not forget it.¡± Anneliese stepped closer. ¡°Feeling connected with one¡¯s men makes a good leader.¡±


    ¡°And you are a good leader, Your Majesty. Rest assured you are worth fighting for.¡± Orion pounded his fist against his chest, metal colliding with a harsh noise.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want people to die for me.¡± Argrave grabbed the parapet, leaning down as they trained. ¡°If I could¡­ could¡­¡±


    ¡°These are not drafted soldiers, Argrave.¡± Anneliese crossed her arms and told him firmly, ¡°Just as you want to shoulder their responsibility, so do they wish to tackle it head on. Every man down there has chosen to fight under your banner. Do not disrespect that decision.¡±


    Argrave tore his gaze away. ¡°I¡¯ll never be at ease with it.¡± He walked back towards the stairs. ¡°But instead of moping, I¡¯m going to do something about it before we leave for Veiden.¡± He paused just before descending. ¡°Let¡¯s visit Vasquer. I want to ask for her help with a few things. If we¡¯re lucky, we¡¯ll run into that other resident¡­ but that depends on her mood.¡±


    #####


    Mountains surrounded the burgeoning city of ckgard. This made a great natural shield against allers, funneling would-be-invaders into the two entrances¡ªthree, if the river was to be counted. There was little life up high in the mountains. At best, there were birds, goats¡­ but little grew on the slick ck rock shielding the valley clearing.


    Consequently, it was the perfect housing ground for the ancient serpent Vasquer.


    Argrave, Anneliese and Orion hiked up the mountain without dy, travelling paths that Argrave knew well. Elenore travelled them somewhat frequently, asking things of their distant ancestor on a regr basis. Orion would have gone more frequently, but he took his duties as knightmander seriously.


    While keeping a brisk pace, they finally made it to something of a peak. At once, Argrave spotted the golden scales of Argrave¡¯s ancestral serpent shining brightly further back. Vasquer crawled forward, winding around various elevated portions of the mountain with ease. Much of her mobility had been restored in her time free of the underground cavern, and in not a few seconds she was close enough to touch.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Argrave said quietly beneath his breath, reaching his hand out slowly.


    When he touched Vasquer, their bond of blood facilitated a mental connection between the two of them. The all too familiar maternal touch of this ancient Gilderwatcher permeated his mind. It was like a calming tide of exuberance, concern, and satisfaction that wrapped around his mind and made him feel at ease. He felt like a long-lost son who¡¯d finally found his way home.


    Argrave returned Vasquer¡¯s greeting, though likely not in as intense and earnest a fashion as she had managed. Regardless, his ancestor seemed pleased merely to contact him again. She urged him to ask Orion toe, next, that she might greet him as well. He pulled his hand away and looked back, but what he saw brought him pause for half a second.


    Behind Anneliese and Orion, both of whom were utterly focused on Vasquer, ck mist swirled and took shape. He saw it coalesce into the shape of a body, and slowly an elven form manifested fully. Onychinusa had long white hair and tan skin, with extremely prominent elven ears¡­ but these were the only features of hers visible, as she wore a uniform that blended with the environment even better than a chameleon could manage. The ancient elf also carried a nket, strangely enough. When she was finally physical in totality, she sprinted forth, and Argrave figured out what she intended.


    Onychinusa tackled Anneliese from behind, and Argrave briefly intervened to stop the two of them from tumbling to the ground in a heap. The nket was to prevent Anneliese¡¯s A-rank ascension from sapping her magic, but it doubled as a warm embrace for their reunion. Anneliese let out a quick yelp of fear, but quickly got her bnce and wits as Onychinusa stood there in silent embrace.


    Argrave helped Anneliese get her footing, and she slowly twisted her body around. ¡°Hello, Onychinusa,¡± she greeted, clearly holding back an exasperated sigh.


    ¡°I¡¯m tired of this ce,¡± Onychinusa said, voice muffled from behind the nket. ¡°Just ck. ck, ck, ck. I tried to teach the snake to write, but it didn¡¯t listen.¡±


    ¡°Well, I cannot stay long¡­ but perhaps we can take some time,¡± Anneliese suggested gently. ¡°How have you been?¡±


    Onychinusa pulled her head back and looked up. ¡°I¡¯ve been doing that thing you needed. You said it might help, but it didn¡¯t. Didn¡¯t help me, at least. I¡¯m still bored.¡±


    Argrave came to attention. ¡°That thing, would it be¡­?¡±


    Onychinusa looked at him when he spoke, her amber eyes cold. This ancient elf loved Anneliese, tolerated Argrave, and avoided Orion¡­ but other than that, she refused to visit with anyone, remaining as anti-social as ever. She and Vasquer were the sole residents of this mountain, and perhaps fittingly, they were the only of their race on this continent. Argrave assumed trauma yet lingered in Onychinusa¡¯s mind, but he was pleased enough to have her as a tentative ally despite what transpired in the Bloodwoods.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Spirits and gods¡­ I know them well,¡± Onychinusa bragged. ¡°And would you like to know what I¡¯ve done to help you?¡±


    ¡°Onychinusa¡­ let¡¯s leave them with Vasquer,¡± Anneliese insisted gently, managing to extricate herself. ¡°You can tell me all you¡¯ve done.¡±


    Anneliese and Onychinusa walked off to converse, while Argrave and Orion came together to speak with Vasquer. There was much to say to this ancient snake, pleasant and unpleasant¡­ and meanwhile, Onychinusa would tell Anneliese about the presence of divinity across Berendar.


    Whether against the divine, or against the Ebon Cult¡­ what they learned would surely be the foundation of much of what was toe.

 Chapter 416: Unwanted Faces

    Anneliese and Onychinusa sat on the rocks of the mountain peak. The ancient elf stared at the snow elf.


    ¡°Your braid is pretty,¡± Onychinusa said matter-of-factly. ¡°I tried to copy it, but I couldn¡¯t.¡±


    Anneliese smiled at the sincerity as her fingers brushed the half-crown braid keeping her hair back. She suggested, ¡°The dryads could braid your hair. I know they always miss seeing you.¡±


    ¡°They put wood and stuff in there. Something about dryad wood is special. It makes it harder for the spirits to carry me from ce to ce.¡± Onychinusa shook her head, and then looked to where Orion and Argrave conversed with the ancient serpent Vasquer. ¡°Why did theye here?¡±


    ¡°Argrave is going to ask Vasquer to watch the underground near this area. And he has some important questions, too.¡± Anneliese exined sinctly. ¡°Threatse from below. And on that front¡­ you said you did what we wanted?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been warding all of Vasquer against divinity,¡± Onychinusa nodded, then rocked back and forth atop her seat. ¡°ckgard has enough spirits guarding it that divinity cannot enter without a link to the area. If they¡¯re already manifested, they could force their way through. Spirits can¡¯t pass, too, so unwanted people can¡¯t teleport inside the mountains, anymore. Only you, me, and Argrave can. If anyone else tries, either in or out¡­ they end up a few miles underwater. Hopefully, they¡¯ll drown.¡±


    Anneliese smiled broadly. ¡°That is exceptional, Onychinusa.¡±


    Onychinusa seemed to take the praise well as she rocked quicker. ¡°Elsewhere¡­ I made some spirits act as detectors. They¡¯ll roam about thend, and whenever they detect divinity, they¡¯ll return with that knowledge.¡±


    ¡°The spirits canmunicate?¡± Anneliese tilted her head. ¡°Argrave never mentioned that, and I certainly have never read that.¡±


    ¡°¡­no.¡± Onychinusa shook her head slowly. ¡°But I make the spirit store the location the divinity was spotted, and then I can teleport to that spot.¡±


    Anneliese exhaled loudly. ¡°Shamanic magic is a wondrous thing. But I suppose that only happened because you were the one using it, right?¡±


    ¡°Erlebnis made these spells, I think. Maybe what I¡¯m doing now was supposed to be my purpose,¡± Onychinusa suggested. ¡°The emissaries can¡¯t use shamanic magic. Nothing from divine realms can. It would make sense¡±


    ¡°That may be the case,¡± Anneliese conceded, rising from her seat toe near Onychinusa. ¡°We have had this talk many times before. All I hope is that you are happier and freer, now.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± came Onychinusa¡¯s only response.


    Anneliese looked down the mountain road. ¡°Perhaps¡­ someday, you might consider meeting more than merely us three.¡±


    Onychinusa looked disgusted. ¡°No. I don¡¯t like people.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t like people? Why not?¡± Anneliese inquired.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like¡­ their faces,¡± Onychinusa managed. ¡°And they can talk. And¡­ I don¡¯t like their faces,¡± she finished, repeating herself.


    ¡°How am I different from them?¡± Anneliese asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to do it,¡± Onychinusa refused firmly. ¡°I can do it. I just don¡¯t want to. Talking to people¡­ makes my head hurt.¡± She looked up at Anneliese. ¡°Not you, but others. I have to learn their name, listen to what they think¡­ bleh.¡± She stuck out her tongue.


    Anneliese did look minutely disappointed. Still, she looked off elsewhere and said, ¡°Okay. That¡¯s fine.¡±


    Onychinusa looked like a great weight had been taken off her shoulders, and settled back onto the uneven rocks of the mountain with afort that did not seem to match. ¡°What are they asking about?¡± she inquired, her eyes on the distant ancient serpent.


    ¡°What else?¡± Anneliese sat down beside Onychinusa. ¡°The cycle of judgment. More specifically¡­ they hope to gain greater insight into what you¡¯ve been working to prevent.¡±


    #####


    A remarkably beautiful brte woman walked down a flight of white stairs, keeping her hand to the tightly closed walls to support herself. When blue light came stronger from ahead, she took her hand off the wall, bing more confident. Slowly, Georgina¡¯s full figure was illuminated as she pressed down below. She couldn¡¯t help but inhale when she came to the end of the stairs, where the city of the ancient dwarves waited beyond.


    The cities of the dwarves were far unlike anything one might find on the surface¡­ and now that it had been imed by the Ebon Cult, this ce¡¯s beauty was amplified. In the vast, quarried cavern, streets of the purest white marble continued for as far as the eye could see. The buildings were massive works of architecture, some standing taller than the walls of Dirracha or Mateth. Magicmps hung from walls and stood in the streets, but they had long ago dimmed and died. Instead, the whole of the ce was kept illuminated by awork of ethereal blue lights that hung in the air like an aurora borealis.


    Georgina couldn¡¯t help but smile seeing those lights again. She had carried a cage of them to the surface with her, and in the fight with Durran, the ive-wielding southern tribal, the manifestation of those lights was the only thing that preserved her life. But even despite the gift of power, she now returned to this ce empty-handed. She set off walking through the streets, heading for the back of this city where a pce awaited. It seemed to be the origin of the airborne aurora, as a swirling vortex of blue and teal rose to the sky from the top of a broken marble dome.


    She was not alone in the streets. Adherents to the Ebon Cult walked in in sight, each and all with purple metallic masks over their face. Some were nothing more than metal crudely molded into vague faces, while others were borate recreations of demons or angels. And only a few had a mask that bore nothing on it at all. Theirs were merely a nk te of purplish metal. Georgina felt isted with a bare face among them all, but she persisted forth nheless.


    After walking what felt like an eternity, Georgina arrived at the foot of the pce. She stepped up its wide marble stairs, heading for the entrance. She could feel the power of the twisting blue lights above, pushing against her skin as a constant force. She walked through the arched doorway, heading into the pce.


    Awaiting her was a huge marble doorway. It had been etched with the blue lights she saw outside in a pattern somewhat like a snowke. A woman in a purple robe stood in front of the door, her hands ced before her. She had a mask, too, though hers was unlike any others Georgina had seening here. It bore the face of an owl in startling rity despite the uniformity of the purple color.


    Georgina kneeled. ¡°I¡¯vee back.¡±


    ¡°Mozzahr will be pleased,¡± the woman said.


    Georgina fidgeted. ¡°¡­I think he prefers to have you call him father, Mial.¡±


    ¡°He cannot get everything he wants,¡± Mial answered. ¡°Rise. Tell me of your journey.¡±


    Georgina rose,ing to stand beside Mial. The two of them took a turn, walking deeper into the pce with all thefortability of old friends.


    ¡°¡­I came this close to obtaining the king.¡± Georgina held her fingers thinly apart with a frustrated sadness. ¡°I had him. He was mine. And then¡­¡± she sighed, shaking her head. ¡°Madness. Madness and unpredictability. He perished.¡±


    ¡°Truly?¡± Mial asked in surprise. ¡°Mozzahr¡­ he never expected you to obtain the king, you realize. It was something he said only as an offhand remark.¡±


    ¡°But I tried. I know the casten wanted it, even if he¡¯d never expect to actually get it. So I tried. What he¡¯s doing deserves that much.¡± Georgina sounded utterly frustrated with herself.


    Mial nodded, adjusting her owl mask as it tilted slightly. ¡°But this didn¡¯tpromise¡­?¡±


    ¡°I would never leave the stag alive while I go off to hunt a rabbit. The main mission remained my priority, and I have plenty to offer.¡± Georgina nodded. ¡°And maybe it¡¯s unwanted¡­ but I can offer intuition, too.¡±


    ¡°Mozzahr may not hear it.¡± Mial stopped. ¡°But I can, if you wish it.¡±


    Georgina looked at her and smiled. ¡°And say it in my stead? Only if you agree with it, of course.¡± When Mial waited, saying nothing further, Georgina began, ¡°The king died, as you know. Someone new took his ce. And this someone new is someone¡­promised.¡± She ced her hands on her hip and looked off to the side. ¡°I suspect he¡¯s working for Erlebnis, an ancient god of knowledge. And consequently, I suspect he may already know of the casten¡¯s existence.¡±


    Mial scrutinized Georgina carefully. ¡°On what basis?¡±


    ¡°Thepletion of his knowledge.¡± Georgina¡¯s head whipped back. ¡°I thought it might be due to his alliance with someone called the Bat, at first. Their association isn¡¯t public knowledge, but I¡¯ve seen enough to work out that they¡¯re undoubtedly working together. But as I saw and heard more, I came to think it was deeper than that. And what urred in the Bloodwoods confirmed that for me.¡±


    ¡°What would the implication of that be?¡± Mial indulged patiently.


    ¡°The implication would be that he knows about your forces.¡± Georgina walked around as she exined. ¡°That he knows about your strengths and weaknesses, that he knows about any avenues of attack you might take when you decide to im thend on the surface.¡±


    Mial fixed her mask with a tight anger. ¡°That would mean traitors in the cult.¡±


    ¡°Not witting traitors¡­ no, perhaps not traitors at all,¡± she countered quickly. ¡°Some eyes and ears have been in ce long before your arrival. They might as well be the ground and the walls. It cannot be avoided.¡±


    Mial turned away, and Georgina stared at her dark hair. Its color was almost like obsidian. She seemed to be deliberating on something. After a long time, she turned back.


    ¡°If he takes the battlefield, Mozzahr cannot be defeated by anyone, divine or mortal. But it is the rest of the cult that worries me.¡± Mial put a hand to her chin just beneath the owl mask. ¡°My father¡¯s strength must be preserved for his duty. It should not be expended for a minor battle with a minor king. We have been incredibly fortunate that his strength was not wasted by Gerechtigkeit¡¯s meddling, and that trend should not falter now. It is imperative we of the Ebon Cult do more than our part.¡±


    ¡°We?¡± Georgina repeated.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Ah.¡± Mial lowered her hand from her chin. ¡°I spoke before I ought to have. But¡­ yes. Come, Georgina. I believe it time that you join the Casten of the Empty in his task to change the cycle of judgment forever. I have prepared a mask for you¡­¡±

 Chapter 417: An Old Friend: Silence

    Argrave felt a brief sense of the totality of Vasquer¡¯s perception extending deep into the mountains and the depths below. He could see the cavern which Anneliese had retrieved her A-rank ascension, and could see the marble city below that. Nothing stirred in their streets, and beyond a certain point, the sense of vision ended. Even as he viewed this for a few moments, his head began to throb.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Argrave pulled his hand away from Vasquer and brought it to his head to tame the pain. This had been his primary purpose ining here¡ªensuring that the depths were watched even without active management. Now, if anything were to arise, Vasquer could bring the issue before Elenore and the army mounting outside the city. He intended for ckgard to be the most well-defended portion of the kingdom.


    Beyond that, Argrave hade here with many questionsrge questions¡ªbut they were questions that no one would truly have the answer to save Gerechtigkeit himself. Just because Vasquer had endured one of the cycles of judgment did not mean that she knew all of the answers. Even Argrave himself only knew so much even with theplete ess and repeatability granted by Heroes of Berendar.


    Whether he asked where divinity might manifest, or whether Gerechtigkeit himself might manifest where Argrave remembered, Vasquer offered no answer beyond guesswork. Argrave knew where certain gods would appear on the continent¡­ but that had been in Heroes of Berendar, of course. Experience had proven that this logic might be tossed to the wind. Still, the ancient snake¡¯s insights did solidify some of the things Argrave thought to be true.


    He was certain that Gerechtigkeit would manifest here. But beyond that, all else of what he knew about theing troubles could be tossed to the wayside, to be recreated against from the ground up.


    Argrave looked at Orion. ¡°Do you want some more time?¡±


    The prince lowered his hand from the snake¡¯s scales and shook his head. ¡°I can move when you wish, Your Majesty.¡±


    Argrave was about to walk away, but he stopped. Some of the things that he¡¯d been grappling with surfaced in his head¡ªthe constant drive forward, the confidence, the strange and active person he¡¯d be. Anneliese had been discussing this with him in length, but¡­ he found he sought another¡¯s opinion. One who could see all of whaty inside his head, not some.


    With this in mind, Argrave touched Vasquer once again, baring himself utterly. Instead of reassurance andfort¡ªthe constant from this matriarch of theirs¡ªwhat came to him was amusement. A memory came to him. It was a time in the distant past, when a man with a marked resemnce to Argrave faltered because he felt unfamiliar confidence. Finally, when he embraced it, his failings turned to sess. There was arge difference between earned confidence and unearned confidence.


    With theparison made between himself and a hero of legend, Argrave felt strange. He pulled his hand away and turned around.


    ¡°I guess it¡¯s time to get going.¡±


    #####


    Argrave and Anneliese were staring at a mountain of ck stone in one moment, and a cial field in the next. This was the power of shamanic magic¡ªa power undoubtedly to be unleashed on the surface in short order, given they¡¯d found a helmet belonging to the Ebon Cult. As befitted the mid-game magic, it already demonstrated its ability topletely shift the scale of power.


    ¡°Where did you take us?¡± Argrave questioned, before he answered his own question as he spotted a rather notablendmark.


    ¡°Outside the wall of Vei¡ª¡± Anneliese trailed off, her eyes falling upon something.


    Argrave remembereding to this ce. It was the ancient stone city of Veiden, and the whole of it had been shielded by a wall of blue ice that never melted. Far from evoking d¨¦j¨¤ vu, it evoked shock; half of this seemingly indomitable wall of ice was toppled. Nothing around suggested what might have caused this massive bit of destruction.


    ¡°Halt!¡± someone shouted at them, even when they had been halting for a solid minute by that point.


    Spears were readied and arrows of Ebonice took aim at them, but neither moved to strike. There had been a patrol of footmen on the road, and now they attempted to surround Argrave.


    ¡°You¡¯remanding the patriarch¡¯s daughter,¡± Argrave said with a small smile, looking upon this force of Veidimen. ¡°A terrible career move, all things considered.¡±


    Once, facing fifty or so Veidimen was the greatest threat he¡¯d endured. Now he felt calm even as one of them raised a horn up to call for reinforcements. He waited for tensions to calm somewhat before speaking¡­ but when his ns were drowned out by a roar loud enough to bleed the eardrums, his calm wavered a bit. He looked up and to the left¡­


    Crystal Wind, a white dragon with blue eyes, clung to the wall, peering down at them. He wasn¡¯t quite sure if he could im to be calm, anymore.


    #####


    The arrival of Rowe¡¯s dragon, though it made Argrave¡¯s heart beat ufortably fast, proved to be a good thing. They were taken inside the city in short order, ignoring most ceremony or security. They entered the ancient stone city of Veiden, the capital of the simrly named nation of the snow elves. Rowe took them right to the pce, that they might speak privately.


    ¡°You got lucky.¡± Rowe the Righteous tapped his staff on the ground, his voice sharp as a whip even after the time that passed. He looked as old as ever¡ªtall, bony, and bald, the S-rank spellcaster was much more wizened than he looked¡­ and he already looked quite old. His floppy lips curled in a smile as he boasted, ¡°The dragon was in a good mood, elsewise you¡¯d be dead or dying.¡±


    Anneliese looked around the old stone pce of the Veidimen where tribal chiefs once met. Now, it was the home to Patriarch Dras. They¡¯d asked, but he wasn¡¯t here¡ªthe man liked to travel frequently, touring his vast icynd. This pce was carved stone, all of it, heavy and gray and solemn. Rowe was their solepany.


    Finally, Anneliese¡¯s gaze settled upon Rowe. ¡°Your dragon seemed injured.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± Rowe narrowed his eyes. ¡°Things happened.¡±


    ¡°Things grand enough to break down that wall?¡± Argrave gestured with his thumb outside.


    Rowe groaned in displeasure. ¡°Gmon did that.¡±


    Argrave blinked, thinking he¡¯d misheard. ¡°Gmon? As in, my good friend Gmon? Last I checked he was just a big guy, not an S-rank mage.¡±


    Rowe fixed his white eyes upon Argrave, and they seemed colder than ice. ¡°Do you think an S-rank mage could break that wall? It¡¯s disrespectful to even insinuate that.¡±


    ¡°But it did break. And Gmon broke it?¡± Anneliese stepped around, alight with curiosity. ¡°What happened here? Where is Gmon?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡ªI wish I could answer that question, too.¡± Rowe smiled bitterly. ¡°Gmon went on a journey. When he came back, he was fighting this¡­ this bizarre winged frost creature. He fought with more strength than I¡¯ve ever seen anyone possess. In the end, they ended up on the wall. Gmon¡¯s finishing blow put an end to the monster. It also put an end to a fortification that¡¯s guarded this city for as long as we have records,¡± he spat, then rapped his staff against the ground. ¡°The man¡¯s recovering.¡±


    ¡°Good lord¡­¡± Argrave shifted on his feet anxiously. ¡°Where is he? I mean, does he¡­ How is he?¡±


    ¡°He needs to wake up, answer my damned questions.¡± Rowe shook his head. ¡°You know he¡¯s monstrously strong. He¡¯ll be fine, I suppose, unless that beast put some strange curse on him. Maybe he¡¯s a werewolf this time. Or maybe he¡¯s been possessed,¡± the S-rank spellcaster said drolly. ¡°Whatever the case¡ª"


    ¡°Stop dragging your feet and take us to him,¡± Anneliese said urgently.


    ¡°Who do you think¡ª¡± Rowe began, but slowly narrowed his eyes just as Argrave prepared to remind him of Anneliese¡¯s rank in the Veidimen¡¯s hierarchy triumphantly. ¡°Ah. I forgot. You know exactly who you are¡­ you¡¯re the patriarch¡¯s adopted daughter. It¡¯s bad enough taking orders from him¡­ but you?¡± He inhaled and rubbed the bridge of his nose. ¡°Fine. Come along then.¡±


    Argrave followed behind Rowe as the old man walked off with surprising agility. He had been looking forward to bragging to the old spellcaster about his A-rank ascension, but upon hearing of Gmon¡¯s plight all of these thoughts vanished to the wind. Many ideas floated through Argrave¡¯s head¡ªhad the former vampire been blessed by Veid? But her blessing didn¡¯t grant raw physical strength. The thing he had been fighting sounded like an ice wraith¡ªcertainly a midgame enemy, and certainly something that someone might need to destroy a magic wall or two to kill.


    Rowe stopped near a doorway, standing just outside and gesturing within. Argrave took slow, tentative steps through. The first person he saw was a small woman¡ªby snow elf standards, at least¡ªsitting in a chair, knitting something. She had shoulder-length bright blonde hair, and when she turned her head, her deep purple eyes widened in surprise.


    ¡°You¡¯re¡­ Argrave,¡± Muriem, Gmon¡¯s wife, said softly.


    Argrave¡¯s eyes wandered to who she sat beside. Gmon rested there on the bed, his long white hair syed over a pillow. His lower body was covered by a nket, but his upper body was exposed. His broad, powerful chest was disturbed byrge gouges and one particrly haunting wound on his shoulder. Seeing this, Argrave stepped deeper in, feeling a rising difort in his chest. Seeing him hurt like this pained Argrave.


    ¡°I think he¡¯ll be fine,¡± Muriem said softly,forting Argrave when she saw his tant panic. ¡°His wounds¡­ they rejected healing magic, but¡­ even without it, they heal so quickly it¡¯s astonishing. And he woke up for a little while.¡± She took his huge hand, then leaned in and kissed his cheek.


    Argrave stared for a time, unsure of what to say. His eyes wandered elsewhere in the room, until they finally settled upon another person in the room. He lowered his gaze, confused. The man was short, squat, and wore a white robed vestment with short sleeves that revealed powerful arms. It was kept secured by a golden belt, and beneath his curly brown hair, earrings dangled brilliantly.


    ¡°Why do you stare at me?¡± the dwarf said, voice stern and dignified. He crossed hisrge arms, then said as though aggrieved, ¡°I have exined myself enough to you looming creatures. Wait for the man to awake, and he shall vouch for me.¡±


    Indeed, a dwarf. Not a man with dwarfism, but rather a person of the dwarven race from the cities miles beneath the earth.

 Chapter 418: Bearish on Happiness

    Gmon blinked his eyes open. The whole of him felt heavy, but it was considerably better than the numbing pain that hade after his battle with the demon of ice. That had been one of the fiercest opponents he¡¯d ever faced, beaten only by the Shadonder in Dirracha. But for foes that he¡¯d fought personally, and killed personally, it took the prize by arge degree.


    He felt a slight grip on his hand, and remembered that thest time he¡¯d awakened, his wife had been by his side. He saw her there even still, and felt a sense of peace that he had seldom felt in Berendar during all his years of wandering as a mercenary. But he also saw two others sitting quietly. They wore familiar dusters and a breastte bearing an indented symbol he¡¯de to know quite well¡ªthe sun-and-snake, Argrave¡¯s personal heraldry.


    ¡°I believe he¡¯s awake, king,¡± Muriem said, grabbing Argrave¡¯s attention.


    King Argrave rose from his chair quickly and looked down at him, Queen Anneliese waiting patiently with arms behind her back. The king said, ¡°Gmon. You had me worried there.¡± He nted his hand on his wrist, then said vigorously, ¡°Getting injured after big battles was my thing. I never wanted you to take up that role. You¡¯re feeling better, I hope?¡±


    Gmon focused, briefly questioning if he was hallucinating. Finally, he said only, ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Anything about these wounds I should know? Is this concerning?¡± Argrave continued, looking over him.


    ¡°No,¡± Gmon answered. ¡°It¡¯s passed.¡±


    Argrave let out a sigh of relief. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± He sat back down in a chair he¡¯d pulled up. ¡°Provided you¡¯re up to snuff¡­ let¡¯s talk about why there¡¯s a big hole in the city wall, and why this out-of-ce fellow is here.¡±


    Gmon looked to his dwarvenpanion, Anestis. The man gave him very pleading eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure myself.¡± Gmon rested his head back on his pillow.


    #####


    For the early game of Heroes of Berendar, warriors and rogues had quite the rough go of things. Sure, spellcasters started off very bad¡ªF and D-rank spells could kill people, but generally a warrior or rogue could walk up and cut someone down far faster than a spellcaster might zap someone to death. Magic was a limited resource, too, by andrge. Argrave had recklessly met Erlebnis to mitigate that fact, then pranced about avoiding battles when he couldn¡¯t use the ancient god¡¯s blessing.


    But by C and B-rank, it was abundantly clear spellcasters had the true damage-dealing ability. The gap could be bridged with enchantments, and the physical sses were generally hardier than mages, but in terms of raw power magic users outssed warriors and rogues by a good magnitude.


    But that couldn¡¯t remain the case forever. Heroes of Berendar was, after all, a game¡ªone ss shouldn¡¯t outperform another by an extremely obvious margin for the entire duration. The developers had to create some illusion of bnce, even if it might not be totally so. And so by the midgame, options opened up for the mundane sses. Better equipment, godly blessings¡­


    They had seen one such example of a mid tote game warrior¡ªOrion. His strength was unparalleled, and using nothing but his body, he could conjure waves of mes, sparking trails, and walls of ice. This power of his came from blessings. They were a part of his being, however, unable to be taken away by those who granted them. But these were blessings.


    A mid-game feature of spellcasters was shamanic magic, which employed spirits to achieve devastating effects. If spirits were only avable to spellcasters¡­ yers would surelyin.


    Argrave and Anneliese sat before Gmon¡¯s bed. The snow elf had sat up, leaning against the back of his bed as he ate a huge bowl of stew. Muriem was returning home to fetch their son that he might speak to his father now that he¡¯d woken up. Argrave was curious about their rtionship, but other matters were at hand.


    ¡°You described spirits as a sort of currency to me, once.¡± Anneliese said to Argrave delicately. ¡°Is this what you meant?¡±


    ¡°Not a bit.¡± Argrave stared at the dwarf on the opposite side of the bed. ¡°As a matter of fact¡­ what happened was wasteful, dangerous, and despicable.¡±


    Anestis was a dwarf. Not someone with dwarfism like Artur, but a racial dwarf born deep, deep within the depths of the earth. Their people persisted even below the Ebon Cult, exposed to extreme pressures and high temperatures at all times of the year. Down there, the Dwarven Senate colonized the underground bit by bit. They sought to avoid the cycle of judgment entirely, leaving the rest of the surface-dwellers to deal with it alone.


    If Argrave were to describe their people physically, they dressed like the Greeks of antiquity, and ranged from all skin tones just as humans did. Anestis, though, had rather tan skin that contrasted harshly with the pale Veidimen. The dwarves were extremely istionist and took many cues from ancient empires like Rome and Imperial China¡ªnamely, like those ancient empires, the Dwarven Senate posited that dwarven culture was firmly superior in all respects.


    To their credit, the dwarves did lead enviable livespared to the average human in Vasquer. With a true democracy, quality of living rtively equal across most sses, and safety from war, Argrave might¡¯ve enjoyed waking up there. After so long being seven feet tall, perhaps the other end of the height spectrum might enlighten him somewhat. Even still, as he watched Anestis¡­ perhaps not.


    ¡°I saved this entire vige, empowering this man as I did,¡± Anestis defended himself, the disdain on his voice bleeding through. ¡°How was it wasteful?¡±


    Argrave crossed his arms. ¡°Do you still have the device you used to ¡®awaken¡¯ Gmon?¡±


    Anestis narrowed his eyes distrustfully. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to answer for you: no,¡± Argrave continued. ¡°The device was round, and was made of an orangish dwarven metal, wasn¡¯t it? It had four prongs in particr locations, each of which could be manipted in specific ways for specific results. And it¡¯s still trapped in the ground, right where you found it.¡± When Argrave finished, Anestis¡¯ eyes widening showed he was in the money.


    Argrave continued, ¡°What you used was a dwarven device that collects spirits. The way that you used it, the spirits were processed and projected into Gmon¡¯s body, where their essence was expended to give him a temporary boost of strength. Mortal bodies weren¡¯t made for divinity, and so it burned through his flesh while granting him tremendous strength.¡± He turned his head to Gmon. ¡°The only reason he¡¯s alive, probably, is because of his regeneration.¡±


    Gmon held his spoon an inch from his mouth, then lowered it back to his bowl. ¡°I knew the risks.¡±


    At that, Argrave could only sigh and sink back further into his chair. ¡°Yes, well¡­ the milk is spilled, I suppose. I only wish it hadn¡¯t been necessary.¡±


    Argrave didn¡¯t want toe right out and say that it was a waste, but spirits were amodity. The fact was that the physical sses still got the short end of the stick, somewhat. Using spirits to empower oneself was infinitely less useful than using shamanic magic. On the optimal side of things, one could offer spirits to gods, earning their favor and perhaps a blessing. Most blessings were geared towards the physical sses, anyhow.


    Argrave focused on Anestis. He did not know this dwarf. Unlike Veiden, the dwarven realms could be reached in Heroes of Berendar¡ªconsequently, he had substantially more knowledge about their cities than he did Veiden.


    ¡°Did youe searching for the ways to make dwarven metals once more?¡± Argrave asked tly. ¡°I know a lot of your people do just that.¡±


    Anestis sped his big hands together nervously. By his mannerisms alone, Argrave didn¡¯t deem the dwarf some great person. Then again, judging people like this had failed him in the past. Titus came to mind.


    ¡°I would say he dide for precisely that,¡± Anneliese answered for Anestis.


    ¡°Don¡¯t press him too hard. There had been attacks,¡± Gmon said, putting his bowl aside finally. ¡°People thought it was the Ebon tribe returned. Lot of bodies, and more investigations¡­ but no results. Eventually, I found a lead. It was fading fast, so I took a risk, went into the undergrounds. Went into a dwarven city. Found this man¡­ and the ice abomination shortly after.¡± He focused on Argrave, his vitalityrgely returned. ¡°You can guess the rest. The battle spilled out of the dwarven city, came to the surface. Wasn¡¯t intentional.¡±


    ¡°That was no dwarven city,¡± Anestis protested. ¡°It was the works of our ancestors, thousands of years ago. Our building techniques have evolved immeasurably since then.¡±


    ¡°Yet your people can¡¯t make weapons like you used to,¡± Argrave said sharply, shutting the dwarf up. He looked back to Gmon and asked in exasperation, ¡°You really went looking for the Ebon Cult?¡± He stared an unflinching Gmon down, then sighed deeply while rubbing his forehead. ¡°Good lord¡­ I¡¯m d to see you well, old friend. I¡¯ll leave it at that.¡±


    Gmon grunted in response.


    ¡°But what about me?¡± Anestis cut in. ¡°I can¡¯t stay here. I¡¯ve done my part, used my people¡¯s knowledge against my better judgment¡­ but I have a home, a family.¡±


    ¡°What is your home like?¡± Anneliese asked curiously.


    ¡°My home?¡± Anestis repeated. ¡°Well¡­¡± he began, his tone taking on pride.


    Anestis, a ssic example of a dwarven citizen, was more than willing to rattle on and on about the dwarves and their culture¡ªhow they were better than the Veidimen, how they were more efficient, how their empire hadsted one thousand years without a single civil war, et cetera. Anneliese was more than willing to ask question after question, quietly indulging his nationalism for the sake of her curiosity.


    In time, Muriem returned. Argrave thought to see Gmon¡¯s son, but the small snow elf was alone and said, ¡°Rhomaden ising, honey. He said he was going to bring Baile with him.¡±


    Argrave narrowed his eyes, questioning if the little fellow had a girlfriend at this age. Gmon leaned forward and said, ¡°Baile? Really? My boy¡­ he can¡¯t bring it inside, so¡­¡± He threw off his nket at once, though fortunately he wore cloth pants beneath.


    Argrave stared with surprise at the excitement the once-wounded man suddenly disyed. ¡°Who¡¯s Baile?¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Gmon grabbed his boots and said, ¡°Family bear.¡±


    ¡°Fa¡­¡± Argrave trailed off. ¡°Family bear?¡±


    Gmon nodded, slipping his boots on. He walked for the door slowly at first, then increased his pace bit by bit until he was gone. Argrave rose to his feet, eager to follow him. Muriem shed them a smile, silently leading them onwards. Anestis was left sitting on his chair, bewildered.


    Anneliese came to Argrave¡¯s side, pulling him to a slower walk. ¡°I have never seen Gmon happier,¡± she told Argrave quietly.


    Argrave looked at her strangely. ¡°What are you saying?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. It just makes me feel nice.¡± She let out a self-satisfied sigh.


    ¡°Well, it makes me feel guilty,¡± Argrave said, thinking ahead. ¡°We came here to pull him away from all this.¡±

 Chapter 419: Belonging

    Argrave and Anneliese spent the remainder of the day with Gmon and his family. Dras had given him the duty of dealing with the killings in Veiden while he investigated another matter, and with the ice wraith dead, that meant his duties were over. Rhomaden and Gmon were quite simr in appearance¡­ and perhaps in temperament, too, for they yed with a bear twice their size and seemed to have a great deal of fun doing so.


    Argrave and Anneliese sat on a stone bench while watching father and son y in a field of snow¡­ with a bear. He knew that was Durran¡¯s bear, but it seemed that the southern tribal had given it to Gmon while he went into the Burnt Desert. It was a sensible thing, he supposed, and evidently it seemed to be working out splendidly. Argrave let his Brumesingers join the father-son-bear trio.


    Muriem walked up to Argrave carrying a tray. It had hot tea on it, steaming visibly especially in the cold. ¡°Gmon is very grateful to you, King Argrave. As am I, for that matter. Rhomaden kept me going, but I felt empty with my husband¡¯s absence. I don¡¯t really have the words to thank you¡­ but again, we are grateful.¡±


    Argrave looked at her, then smiled as he took the tea. ¡°I¡¯m grateful to Gmon,¡± he countered as he handed his cup to Anneliese and then grabbed the next. ¡°You know how he is. Absolutely unstoppable. I wouldn¡¯t be alive without him¡ªonly fitting I help him get what he wants. He¡¯s given me plenty.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± she smiled brightly. ¡°He works very hard for everyone that isn¡¯t himself. I love him for it. And I do my best to spoil him¡ªVeid knows he won¡¯t do it himself.¡±


    Argrave took a drink of the tea. It was a little bit contrary to his tastes, but in the cold weather he found himself enjoying it nheless. ¡°Speaking of work¡­ what has Gmon been doing here?¡±


    Muriem looked back at Gmon and Rhomaden. ¡°The past few months he was very busy. His main task was whipping the army into shape, but he also led them in subjugation expeditions against various things that were troubling us. Problems arose one after the other, and Patriarch Dras needed a surefire victory. Gmon was the only one he felt confident in assigning that task to. Things have quieted down somewhat, but then¡­ well, you saw how he ended up.¡±


    Argrave gripped his cup a little tighter. Hey, Gmon, he thought in his head, ying out the conversation. I know you¡¯ve been going from ce-to-ce hunting monsters, and you finally have a day off to spend with your family¡­ but I need you toe with me. When? Oh, this morning. And instead of monsters, you¡¯ll be fighting a cult of whackos. How does that sound, Gmon?


    As Muriem stared, her smile slowly widened. ¡°I was honestly worried about how Gmon and Rhomaden might interact. My boy can be very gloomy sometimes, and I know Gmon¡¯s absence was...¡± she trailed off, leaving words unspoken. ¡°But Baile¡­ that bear was the link between the two of them.¡± She turned her head to Argrave. ¡°Now that they¡¯ve met properly, Rhomaden goes around bragging to his friends about who his father is. It puts my heart at peace.¡±


    Argrave watched Gmon talk to Rhomaden as he sat on the back of the huge ck bear. Argrave responded, ¡°Gmon¡¯s son deserves to brag about his father. More than anyone, maybe.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Muriem agreed quietly. ¡°Sometimes I feel my husband deserves more than me. A tailor of poor talent.¡±


    ¡°Deserves?¡± Anneliese cut in. ¡°He loves you, Muriem. That is all there is to it.¡±


    Muriem lowered her head bashfully, almost like a newlywed even after decades. After a time, she focused on the two of them. ¡°Would you like to eat with us? I believe it might be poor farepared to a king¡¯s diet, but if I might offer hospitality¡­ I have been cooking for quite some time.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Argrave nodded at once. ¡°That¡¯d be lovely.¡±


    #####


    Argrave and Anneliese enjoyed a dinner with Gmon¡¯s family¡­ and Anestis, too. Muriem had been right in that it was different from what they normally ate, but what she prepared had a certain quality of home to it that was impossible to reproduce in the finest royal kitchen. Anestis seemed to be the only one who didn¡¯t enjoy the meal, but Gmon¡¯s ice-cold white eyes kept him silent and afraid. Argrave wasn¡¯t sure the dwarf would survive if heined.


    Rhomaden was eager to hear stories about his father, and Argrave was more than happy to oblige, adding grandiose ir to Gmon¡¯s feats. To be fair, he didn¡¯t need to embellish at all¡ªthe former vampire had done great things. In the end, the meal extended far past when they finished eating,sting until well into nightfall.


    Argrave and Anneliese decided to take Anestis, the wayward dwarf, off Gmon¡¯s hands. They would be able to both help him and use him far more efficiently than the people in Veiden could. But as for bringing back Gmon¡­


    Argrave stood at the door to Gmon¡¯s house, Anneliese at his side. He stared at the windows, his face scrunched as he thought about what he might do. All that he¡¯d seen¡­ he didn¡¯t want to be responsible for ending it prematurely. Anneliese was more than an able strategist, and Orion was the best bodyguard one could ask for.


    But then the door open. An armored knight dwarfing Argrave walked out. His steel te was cold and gray, lined with fur on the shoulders and the joints. He wore a Viking-like helm with a chain coif that covered his mouth and neck. He had a huge sword strapped to his waist, mirrored on the other side by a ck axe of Ebonice. The Giantkillers¡ªblue daggers that could absorb electricity¡ªhung just below the axe.


    Gmon shut the door behind him. ¡°Ready,¡± he said.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Uhh¡­¡± Argrave said dumbly. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Do you think I wouldn¡¯t know why you came?¡± Gmon looked down at Argrave.


    ¡°But your family¡ª¡±


    ¡°My family knew this day woulde,¡± Gmon cut him off. ¡°I am ready, Your Majesty. As I promised.¡±


    ¡°And Patriarch Dras, Rowe¡­¡± Anneliese pressed for more information.


    ¡°I am not so deeply involved that my absence would throw a wrench in things. I always acted with this day in mind, Your Highness,¡± he dipped his head to the queen. ¡°And so¡­ let me resume my role as your knightmander, both of you.¡±


    Argrave looked up at his friend, feeling a bittersweet happiness to have this daye. ¡°Good to have you back, Gmon.¡±


    ¡°¡­I need to say goodbye to Baile before we go,¡± Gmon dered, walking off.


    #####


    Elenore hadmitted Argrave to returning by tomorrow morning, and he was d to be back in ckgard the night before. He didn¡¯t care to annoy his favorite sister. Anestis was bewildered by the teleportation, but the dwarven man seemed resigned to his fate of being taken from ce to ce before they could decide what to do with him.


    Gmon looked around at the burgeoning city of ckgard. ¡°This ce¡­ is different.¡±


    ¡°Quite so,¡± Argrave agreed.


    Gmon observed his surroundings for a bit, and then focused on Argrave. ¡°You tell me we face the Ebon Cult.¡±


    ¡°We do,¡± Argrave nodded.


    ¡°Then if you hope to choose the front you face them on¡­ I believe I might have a strategy for that.¡± Gmon looked to Anestis. ¡°This man might help some.¡±


    Argrave looked at the baffled and scared dwarf, then slowly smiled. ¡°Long day, tomorrow. I¡¯ll hear it then.¡±


    #####


    Elenore awoke Argrave quite early. He and Anneliese slept in one of the chambers reserved for parliament seats in theplex around the hall, as he didn¡¯t intend to live in some pce. After getting dressed, the both of them stepped aside to meet her.


    ¡°Thought you might not be here,¡± Elenore began, her tone quiet. She looked to the man by the door. Gmon stood there, his head held high. ¡°And I see your knightmander is back. You must be pleased. And what of Orion?¡±


    ¡°He and Gmon are going to switch off,¡± Argrave exined. ¡°It¡¯s certainly easier to sleep with both of them as guards, and I can guarantee Gmon will be of vital importance to the war against the Ebon Cult.¡± He shifted on his feet, eager to dive into that task. Something else remained, however. ¡°So¡­ a meeting with nobles today. Is that all I need to do?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s thest urgent thing on your schedule¡ªonce resolved, you¡¯ll have freedom to act once again. They¡¯re a delegation from the south,¡± Elenore looked off to the room where the guests were likely waiting. ¡°And hearing what they say, it¡¯s much more serious that I thought it would be.¡± She looked around for a moment, then confided, ¡°The Duke of Birall came all the way from Lasthold. He represents them. Apparently, southern tribals have been poking around southern fortresses.¡±


    ¡°Southern¡­?¡± Argrave began, perplexed. He cast a nce to Anneliese. ¡°You said Lasthold? Not the Lionsun Castle? Southern tribals have been seen on our side of the mountain?¡±


    ¡°Correct,¡± Elenore crossed her arms. ¡°That¡¯s all I know for now. A huge mountain range divides the Burnt Desert from Vasquer, so it¡¯s difficult for me to get spies there. I don¡¯t have more information for you.¡±


    ¡°Well, this mountain range also protects Lasthold. House Parbon¡¯s Lionsun Castle should be the only point of entrance¡­¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°I have a lot of questions. Let¡¯s meet them.¡±


    #####


    Duke Reichard of Birall was a small man, and rather unassuming. He shaved his hair and kept a trimmed white beard, and looked perhaps fifty. Of every noble, Reichard was probably Argrave¡¯s favorite¡ªthe man liked to stay at home, read, and govern his people justly. That was it. He and his children lived long, boring lives, but his boring life seemed a good one. His territory was nestled into mountains, with the Order of the Gray Owl to the north of it. It was as safe as safe could be.


    ¡°So, these men that came to you¡­¡± Anneliese continued her inquiry. ¡°You said they came at the behest of the King of the Scorched Sands?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Reichard nodded, then said, ¡°They repeated it again and again¡ªthe King of the Scorched Sands ising.¡±


    ¡°Did you get a name?¡± Anneliese leaned in further.


    ¡°No, Your Highness.¡± Reichard shook his head. ¡°Perhaps they were rmed by our numbers, but they caused no serious damage. A cow was in and eaten, but beyond that¡­¡± he leaned back in his chair. ¡°Frankly, I would not have deemed this worth seeking an audience for, Your Majesty. We¡¯ve been assaulted by the undead, and that is our more pressing issue. But they mentioned you by name. And their warning was¡­ it made me uneasy.¡±


    ¡°Really now?¡± Argrave crossed his arms.


    ¡°They said the King of the Scorched Sands woulde to settle the score. That he hasn¡¯t forgotten the humiliation at Sethia. He woulde to enact tribute, and you would need to surrender something very valuable, perhaps even your blood, lest all yournds be razed.¡± Reichard rubbed his hands together. ¡°I apologize, Your Majesty, but I¡¯m only repeating what they said.¡±


    Argrave closed his eyes and sighed deeply. It was a sigh of exasperation.


    ¡°Do you have some idea who it might be?¡± Reichard inquired curiously. ¡°Will they be back in greater numbers?¡±


    Argrave nodded slowly, grinding his teeth as he smiled bitterly. ¡°I have some infinitesimally small idea who it might be. What about you, Anne? Do you have some little niggling inkling? It seems this person wants to scare us very badly using such a terrifying title.¡±


    Anneliese returned him a near-identical smile of exasperation. As she watched, the Brumesingers poked out of Argrave¡¯s pockets, perhaps knowing that it might be time to return to their homnd.

 Chapter 420: King of Many Peoples

    Margrave Reinhardt of House Parbon was diligently reading through all of the reports that he¡¯d gotten this morning. Undead attacks had be more prevalent, and so he was much more proactive in looking for anomalies. Abominations from the Order of the Rose were moremon everywhere, and the nearby Low Way of the Rose was proving particrly problematic. Indeed, he had a meeting with someone from the Stonepetal Sentinels today.


    A knock disturbed him from his reading, and the margrave looked up. His aide entered, and he fixed his ruby eyes on the man.


    ¡°Eh¡­ margrave, there¡¯s¡­¡± the man began hesitantly. ¡°The king, queen, and princess are here. Their knightmander Gmon acts as escort.¡±


    Margrave Reinhardt leaned back in his chair, bbergasted. ¡°You mean¡­ they¡¯reing here, soon,¡± he sought to confirm.


    ¡°No, sir. They¡¯re here,¡± the aide insisted. ¡°I¡­ have them in a guest room, but¡­¡±


    The margrave ran his hand through his rich, red hair,pletely caught off bnce. ¡°I¡¯ll¡­¡± he set down his papers. ¡°I suppose I have to¡­ greet them, then.¡± He shook his head, trying to dispel the daze. ¡°Are you certain this is¡­? Never mind,¡± he dismissed before his aide could answer. He rose to his feet, preparing to head out to entertain the royalty¡¯s whim.


    #####


    Argrave looked at all of the members of House Parbon, three of whom sat on a couch while thest stood behind. There was Reinhardt¡ªhe was brawny, and had red hair and eyes. There was Elias just beside him. The man looked like a younger version of his father, and had two working eyes¡ªthat hadn¡¯t always been the case. Elias sat with a young woman that had gray hair and dark orange eyes: his wife, Ridia of Parbon, n¨¦e Jast.


    And standing behind them all was Rose of Parbon. Indeed, standing: her legs had been fully healed.


    House Parbon had once been rather earnest in their animosity toward Argrave. Margrave Reinhardt had kidnapped him on sight. But despite a few¡­ unwanted borrowings¡­ he¡¯d helped them at many turns. He¡¯d aided them politically in both Jast and the civil war, and he¡¯d supported them physically by curing their ails. Now, their earnest animosity had be earnest devotion.


    ¡°How long will you be staying, Your Majesty?¡± Margrave Reinhardt asked after they¡¯d exchanged greetings. ¡°I can prepare the best room in my castle immediately. And whatever it is you need help with, I¡¯m sure that I can provide. You need only ask.¡±


    ¡°Not sure how long I¡¯ll be staying. Ideally it won¡¯t be long, but¡­ a certain situation hase up,¡± he smiled bitterly. ¡°Just need to check things out, do a survey. If I¡¯m right, everything will fall into ce rather quickly.¡± He looked between them. ¡°But enough about me: how¡¯s the whole family?¡±


    ¡°Without your forewarning, we would¡¯ve been hit hard, Your Majesty,¡± Elias nodded his head. ¡°The undead attacks have been brutal, but we¡¯ve had rapid responses ready. Lost a lot of good men, but much less than we would have.¡±


    ¡°And¡­ Your Majesty, I can never thank you enough,¡± Rose of Parbon said, walking out from behind the couch. ¡°You¡­ you don¡¯t know what it means to me. Being able to walk again¡­¡±


    ¡°Just fixing a problem I caused,¡± Argrave dismissed.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°No. It was much more than that,¡± Rose disagreed, smiling widely. She wiped at her eyes as tears came. ¡°I feel like I have my life back in my hands. And my family remains whole because of your actions. So¡­ thank you, Your Majesty.¡±


    Argrave turned his gaze away from Rose, but found Elias. The once-dour man beamed at Argrave and said, ¡°She speaks truly. What you did for my sister alone was more than I ever hoped, but¡­ even for me, and my eye.¡± He turned his head to the right. ¡°And you helped me find love.¡±


    Argrave squirmed in his seat a little as Elias and Ridia held hands. The shy girl said nothing, but he could tell she agreed with the sentiment.


    ¡°Hey, you did all the hard work,¡± Argrave dismissed. ¡°But besides all of that¡­ anything interesting going on?¡±


    ¡°Searching for something, Your Majesty?¡± Reinhardt leaned in, concerned.


    Argrave shrugged. ¡°No, just¡­ catching up.¡±


    ¡°Nothing too urgent,¡± Reinhardt assured. ¡°Just remaining vignt, as you directed. I suppose there is a meeting with one of the Stonepetal Sentinelster today, but¡­¡±


    ¡°The Stonepetal Sentinels?¡± Argrave repeated. ¡°Ah¡­ now that does sound interesting.¡± He looked off to the side, then focused back on Reinhardt. ¡°Listen¡ªI¡¯m going to be spending time on the walls, mostly. When this meeting with the sentinel happens¡­ please,e get me.¡± He smiled. ¡°I think it¡¯ll be fun, catching up with the Stonepetal Sentinels. And I might have something for them to do. They¡¯re well ustomed to dank underground caverns, after all¡­¡±


    #####


    After a quick walk through the familiaryout of the Lionsun Castle, Argrave stood on the walls of the massive fortification, peering out at the endless expanse of ck sand in the Burnt Desert. Ever since Anneliese had learned the shamanic spell [Worldstrider], the whole world seemed to have opened up to them. Nothing felt out of reach. Perhaps that was why it earned that name. Though the spell consumed more magic than it did spirits, Anneliese had still expended fifty percent of what she¡¯d gained from Chiteng¡¯s sacrifice. It was a testament to how much that they traveled.


    Elenore was looking out across thend just beside Argrave. She said quietly, ¡°In times like this, when I see something new and beautiful with my own two eyes, I always think about what you did for me.¡±


    Argrave nodded and said, ¡°Good. That¡¯s why I did it. I wanted to get you indebted, make you like me.¡±


    Elenoreughed at his cocksureness, while Anneliese defended him, exining, ¡°Argrave is merely embarrassed, Elenore. He has a great deal of difficulty epting it when people say he¡¯s a good person too many times, and after the meeting with Parbon, you get statements like that.¡±


    Elenore settled down, then squinted her eyes to stare out at the distance. ¡°Do you really think he¡¯lle?¡±


    ¡°Without a doubt,¡± Argrave answered without hesitating a beat. ¡°Because I already see him.¡±


    Elenore blinked in confusion, then stared at the ground with greater intensity. ¡°Is he joking again, Anneliese? All I see is ck. The three of you really crossed that hellscape?¡± She nced between Gmon, Anneliese, and him.


    ¡°Yeah, we did,¡± Argrave answered her, then turned his head to watch her struggle to spot Durran. ¡°Let me help you see.¡± he said in annoyance, then ced his hand atop her head and attempted to orient her vision. She tensed up at first, but gradually surrendered. He ced her head so that it was looking out across the sky.


    ¡°This is astronomically unhelp¡ª¡± Elenore began, though trailed off after a few seconds.


    Far above the miles and miles of ck sand dunes, numerous figures flew. With nothing to give them scale, one might think they were small. As they grew closer, however, it became abundantly clear that they were rather the opposite. They were wyverns. Adult wyverns, all of them.


    In time, all of House Parbon¡¯s guardsmen on the castle wall came to attention. A loud horn was blown, and knights swarmed up to the gates. It seemed a confrontation was inevitable, but the relentless push forward by the wyverns stopped at a distance close enough to cause concern, but too far for arrows or magic to reach effectively. Something seemed off about the flying pack¡ªArgrave couldn¡¯t count them for some reason, no matter how hard he tried. They seemed to be one thousand or ten.


    Margrave Parbon stepped up to the castle walls, looking out with caution. He¡¯d already put on his armor, and seemed prepared for battle. ¡°Your Majesty, did you predict¡­?¡±


    ¡°No. Well, yes and no,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°I think they¡¯re going to call for a parley.¡±


    ¡°Parley?¡± Reinhardt looked at him funnily. ¡°In all my days fighting these barbarians, I¡¯ve never¡ª¡±


    As they watched, one of the riders waved a giant white g. Muttering spread among the guardsmen present. Just as the margrave had never seen this happen, neither had they.


    ¡°Your banner is white,¡± Argrave told him. ¡°Might as well wave that back.¡±


    ¡°Do you really¡­ intend to meet them, Your Majesty?¡± Reinhardt looked up at Argrave with concern.


    ¡°One of them,¡± Anneliese answered on his behalf.


    Though the margrave hesitated for a brief moment, he eventually gave themand to signal them in turn. With parley promised, a lone rider broke off from the flying horde of wyverns. The rest of them took to the ground, that they might ease tensions and rest their beasts while the parley happened. The messenger, a huge gray wyvern, came closer second by second. Its flight path seemed wrong, warped.


    ¡°Make room,¡± Argrave called out, and this order was echoed by the margrave. In time, a space was cleared. It was fortunate that it had been, too, as the great winged reptilended as thest of the men came away from the wall. Argrave realized why he¡¯d been struggling to make out the count¡ªthis wyvern wore armor etched with the illusory enchantments of the southron elves.


    People seemed hesitant to leave their weapons in their scabbards, but Argrave was sure the rider wouldn¡¯t mind either which way. The man atop the wyvern¡¯s neck wore gray wyvern scale armor, and hefted a ive as he dismounted nimbly. As Argrave studied the man¡¯s magic, he was surprised to see the sheer depth of his magic. He had more magic than Anneliese, even. He might even be at S-rank. Argrave questioned briefly if his judgment about this person¡¯s identity had been wrong.


    But the way he walked, his height, and even the ive in his hand¡­ Argrave scrutinized the man as he came closer. He couldn¡¯t see any features beyond the helmet, but he was quite familiar.


    ¡°Is this a hospitable parley¡­¡± the man began. ¡°Or do you view me as an enemy before I say a word?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like it to be hospitable,¡± Argrave answered back. ¡°But this isn¡¯t my house.¡±


    The wyvern rider and Argrave both looked to Reinhardt, who eventually gave a nod. ¡°I¡¯ll prepare a meal.¡±


    #####


    Argrave sat at a table, staring at the wyvern rider intently. Slowly food was ced out, and everyone took their seats. The man raised his hand up, taking his helm off¡­


    And Durran was there, smiling. He was a man with tan skin, golden eyes, and tattoos of the same color all about his body, most of which remained hidden. A few scars were visible on his face, and he seemed to have gained more in the time they¡¯d been apart.


    ¡°Hahah!¡± Argrave pointed at him. ¡°Had me going there for a bit, I won¡¯t lie to you, damned prick.¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡± Durran spread his arms wide, dropping the helmet on the floor. ¡°Who do you think you¡¯re talking to? I¡¯m the King of the Scorched Sands! Show some respect!¡±


    They exchanged greetings for a bit. His friendship with Durran was much different than with Gmon. He appreciated both of them, but after everyone was taking their time telling him how cool he was, how he saved their lives, et cetera¡­ it was nice to have the cynical bastard back, he had to admit. Anneliese and Elenore watched their exchange quietly.


    ¡°Now¡­¡± Argrave sat back in the chair, looking at Durran hard. ¡°What in the hell have you done? Who is this man I¡¯m looking at, and why did he bring wyverns with armor made by southron elves?¡±


    Durran nted a fork into a roasted chicken, chuckling lightly. ¡°Well¡­ those are my men. We¡¯ve be some like nomads, you see. Just so happens I¡¯m their leader. We¡¯ve got about thirty viges under our protection, and we¡¯re looking to expand that number. Desert¡¯s not like Vasquer¡ªit¡¯s been taking some time.¡±


    ¡°Nomads?¡± Argrave repeated. ¡°So, what, you wander around doing¡­?¡±


    ¡°More things that I can tell you,¡± Durran shook his head. ¡°Fact is, though, we¡¯ve been improving the Burnt Desert more than I thought possible. I¡¯ve been finishing what Titus started¡ªkilling Vessels of Fellhorn, restoring water to the region. We¡¯re getting ready for Gerechtigkeit, friend, and you better believe that.¡±


    ¡°I believe you should tell me more,¡± Elenore looked at Durran intently.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m hoping for a long conversation,¡± Durran looked at her and smiled. ¡°A lot has changed, Elenore.¡±


    ¡°And your magic¡ªwhat happened there?" Anneliese inquired curiously as Elenore put some food in her mouth, growing a little red.


    Some of Durran¡¯s cheer waned. ¡°Well¡­ it might be that I made arge bet with someone.¡± He scratched his cheek quietly. ¡°And that someone might be a certain Alchemist.¡±


    ¡°The Alchemist?¡± Argrave¡¯s face grew somber. ¡°Durran¡­ you didn¡¯t¡­?¡±


    ¡°But, uh, we can get to thatter,¡± Durran waved his hands away. ¡°Let¡¯s talk, let¡¯s catch up! How has everyone been?¡±

 Chapter 421: Bet Everything

    Argrave stared at Durran as he very obviously tried to avoid the subject. Thinking back¡­ he remembered Durran asking questions about the Alchemist. Anneliese had inadvertently taught him to be well-used to indulging idle curiosity, and he trusted Durran enough to b about the Alchemist without second thought. And because of that¡­


    ¡°Gmon, grab him.¡± Argrave rose to his feet and pointed.


    His knightmander moved without second thought. Durran rose to his feet quickly, but before Gmon his resistance proved futile. In seconds, Gmon had him on the floor. While they struggled, Argrave walked up to Durran and knelt down.


    ¡°Gods, man! Whatever happened to a parley? Uneptable! Uneptable!¡± Durran shouted, half-aggrieved and half-joking.


    ¡°Argrave, is this necessary?¡± Elenore, too, probed uneasily.


    Argrave brushed back the prone man¡¯s hair behind his neck, revealing his tan skin and a rather peculiar mark just between some of his golden tattoos. The shape was a simple spiral, but it didn¡¯t seem to be either a tattoo or a scar. It had unnatural depth.


    ¡°Durran¡­¡± Argrave slowly leaned back until he sat on the floor. ¡°You utter idiot.¡±


    ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking,¡± Durran said, his cheek to the ground even still. ¡°But just calm down, yeah? I¡¯ve got everything under control, I promise. And maybe if you can ask Gmon to get his knee out of my ribs¡­¡± the man shifted. ¡°I can get to work exining myself.¡±


    Argrave sighed deeply. ¡°Let him up.¡±


    Gmon rose to his feet and took position beside Argrave. Durran, too, shakily stood.


    ¡°What was that?¡± Elenore crossed her arms, her eyes looking between the two of them with unease. ¡°Why did you feel that necessary?¡±


    Durran began to speak, but Argrave interrupted. ¡°Durran has a mark from the Alchemist on his body. It¡¯s a symbol of a vow¡ªpromise a favor, make a bet, and he¡¯ll put one of those on you to make sure your words are more than just words.¡± Argrave pointed at Durran with his thumb. ¡°If activated, it can immediately liquify your brain and destroy your soul. You be empty¡ªa husk. Brain¡¯s bad enough, but the soul? No death is more certain.¡±


    Anneliese closed her eyes and shook her head, while Elenore seemed to grow dizzy. She grabbed the chair she¡¯d been sitting on for support, slowly lowering herself back into it.


    ¡°I know what you all think.¡± Durran put his hand on his table, rising up to his feet. ¡°You think I¡¯m in over my head. But damn it all, I had to watch day by day as my people withered away under the tyranny of the Vessels of Fellhorn. And when I finally had the chance to make that right, to do something good, that bottom feeder Titus ripped it all away.¡± Durran mmed his fist down on the table, making tes jump. ¡°I did what I had to help free my people. I didn¡¯t have the power I needed, but I had a way to get it. The Alchemist gave me what I needed, even if I put my life on the line. And I¡¯ll keep my people free¡ªfrom Fellhorn, from Gerechtigkeit, from all, no matter how this ends. I¡¯ve ensured I can do that much, at least, no matter how this gamble ys out.¡±


    Elenore looked at him coldly. ¡°So, you¡¯ll burn the candle at both ends, is that it? Until you vanish into smoke.¡±


    Durran¡¯s eyes softened somewhat. ¡°Elenore, this is something¡ª¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± she interrupted loudly. ¡°If you want to die so badly, then die.¡±


    The princess rose to her feet and stormed out of the room, her eyes watery.


    ¡°Elenore¡­!¡± Durran called out, moving after her.


    Argrave seized his arm, holding him in ce. ¡°Don¡¯t make it worse. Tell me what you¡¯ve done.¡±


    Durran was focused on the empty doorway for a while, struggling against Argrave¡¯s grip.


    ¡°Tell me!¡± Argrave yelled and gripped tighter, concern making him impatient. ¡°This is no joke, Durran. This is no joke.¡±


    His voice seemed to hit home with Durran, and the man finally resigned and settled down. ¡°I saw a way to get what I wanted, withoutpromise. That¡¯s what you¡¯ve been doing this whole time, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not¡­!¡± Argrave began, but breathed a sigh of disappointment. ¡°Just¡­ tell me what you¡¯ve done. What are you in for?¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Durran looked off to the side, unable to meet Argrave¡¯s eyes. ¡°¡­I gave him your origin, damn it. Earth. In return, he told me what he sought. From there, I used it to make the bet.¡±


    Argrave wasn¡¯t pleased to hear that information leaked, but his concern for a dear friend squashed it immediately. ¡°What do you mean, ¡®what the Alchemist sought?¡¯¡± Argrave questioned.


    Durran looked at Argrave¡¯s iron grip on his arm, and then managed to lock gazes with him. ¡°You told me you didn¡¯t know what the Alchemist was all about, right? That the yer couldn¡¯t ask about his motivations, no matter what. You could only guess, and even the guesses weren¡¯t that convincing.¡± The manughed, golden eyes gleaming. ¡°Look at you. Suddenly you¡¯re interested.¡±


    ¡°He actually told you?¡± Anneliese walked around the table,ing to stand with Argrave. ¡°He seemed rather unwilling to engage in conversation.¡±


    Durran nodded. ¡°Nearly died when I said hello. But hearing about Argrave¡¯s Earth made him¡­ amenable.¡±


    ¡°Then what is this bet?¡± Argrave pressed. He didn¡¯t care about his secret leaking anymore¡ªall he wanted to know was how to preserve Durran¡¯s life.


    ¡°The Alchemist wants to break the cycle of judgment,¡± Durran said.


    Argrave¡¯s grip on Durran slowly weakened. ¡°Durran¡­ do you realize how anxious I am about this bet, hearing that?¡± Heughed sadly and shook his head. ¡°You want to know who else wants to break the cycle of judgment? Mozzahr, the Casten of the Empty. He wants to be Gerechtigkeit, but he¡¯d also settle for bing a god. And speaking of gods, just about every divine being wants to end the cycle, too¡ªthey want to permanently merge the mortal and the divine, then duke it out until thest!¡± Argrave released Durran and walked away, throwing up his hands. ¡°Everybody wants to get out of the cycle. And I hate to be the one to break it to you¡­ but there¡¯s no ending to Heroes of Berendar like that. The cycle will continue. If you made a bet about subverting the cycle¡­ if you did¡­¡± his voice wavered as some emotion found him. ¡°Then I¡¯m sorry¡­ but it¡¯s over for you, Durran.¡±


    ¡°Prove it.¡± Durran crossed his arms.


    Argrave chuckled bitterly. ¡°Durran, that¡¯s not even¡ª¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s the bet,¡± Durran rified. ¡°I have to prove whether it¡¯s impossible or possible to circumvent the cycle of judgment. If I haven¡¯t by the time Gerechtigkeit¡¯s gone¡­ I¡¯ll have some brain eradication in store.¡±


    Argrave walked around the room, his mind working quickly. Though the bet was different in only a subtle way¡­ there was certainly more leeway there. Proof of possibility or impossibility. That was all. But how could one even prove something was impossible?


    ¡°The way I figure it, there has to be something in that head of yours,¡± Durran gestured toward Argrave. ¡°And if not¡­ hell, you can probably just kill the Alchemist. You can get monstrous enough to do that, right?¡±


    Argrave processed that, and then chuckled. The only one who could get the Alchemist¡¯s mark was the yer, and the moment the yer attacked the Alchemist the mark would trigger, killing them instantly. Removing the mark by killing the Alchemist was a question that could never be answered. Maybe that was a solution. At the same time¡­


    Argrave walked to stare down at Durran, gray eyes steady as stone. ¡°What if none of thates to pass? We find no proof. The Alchemist lives.¡±


    Durran stared back at Argrave, his golden eyes unwavering. ¡°I¡¯m just one man.¡±


    Argrave looked away first, stepping away in resignation. Anneliese said, ¡°That attitude is why Elenore left, Durran. And if you maintain it, she will leave more than this room, I think.¡±


    Reminded of this, Durran became fidgety. ¡°I should¡­ I should go talk to her. Can I, or will Gmon break my legs or something?¡±


    Argrave looked back. ¡°Go. I need time to think about this, anyway.¡±


    #####


    Durran searched for Elenore for a long while without sess. He never faltered in his search, though, and when he found her, it was because he intended to get atop his wyvern for a bird¡¯s eye view. His wyvern had been hiding Elenore from him, curled around her defensively so that none, not even he, could spot the princess. She sat on the ledge of the gargantuan wall of the Lionsun Castle, peering out across the desert.


    When she looked at him, he saw her red eyes. Durran¡¯s heart tore, and he very nearly teared up himself. He walked to her and sat down, ignoring the gaze of his wyvern nearby. His druidic bond curled around them, shielding them from the gazes of others just as it had shielded her alone.


    ¡°Here. Jump,¡± Elenore told him at once. ¡°Do a flip,nd on your neck. Or maybe tie that belt around your neck, and then jump. Or maybe use that dagger,¡± she suggested, then sniffed. A few new tears fell.


    ¡°¡­I didn¡¯t realize this would hit you so¡­¡± Durran thought he was fumbling his words, so he shut up.


    ¡°Neither did I,¡± Elenore shook her head. ¡°When I heard about the King of the Scorched Sands¡­ and how Argrave said it was you¡­ I got this ridiculous notion in my head that you¡¯d be a king to ask for my hand. I became that young, romantic girl that ran away from home all those years ago¡­¡± Sheughed bitterly, voice hoarse from sadness. ¡°But reality has crashed down once again. You think losing my feet and my eyes would¡¯ve made that lesson stick. How stupid I feel¡­¡±


    ¡°That is why I went. For you.¡± Durran looked at her. ¡°Sure, wasn¡¯t the only reason. Got inspired by Argrave, inspired by all you achieved, and wanted to rectify a failure. I wanted to unite Vasquer and the Burnt Desert, permanently. But in the end, what pushed me to go back was you.¡± He rubbed his gauntleted hands together. ¡°As you know, I¡¯m a little impulsive.¡±


    ¡°Ah. So I did kill you. Thank you for rifying.¡± Elenore pulled her legs up from off the edge and brought her knees to her chest.


    Durran sighed. ¡°I¡¯m not nning to die, Elenore.¡±


    ¡°Does anyone? My father didn¡¯t. Nor did Levin. Or Induen. Or Magnus. They were kings and princes, all. But they died all the same.¡± Elenore wrapped her arms around her knees.


    Durran stayed silent for a few seconds, then said with certainty, ¡°I¡¯m better than them.¡±


    Elenoreughed, finally, and Durran thought he saw some light.


    Durran leaned in a little off the ledge, looking at her in the eyes. ¡°This bet¡­ it wasn¡¯t a bet on my ability alone, though. It was a bet on Argrave, and whatever stupid things he¡¯s got in that head of his. It was a bet on you and your resourcefulness. Because at every turn, I saw how brilliantly genius you were. And I realized that, no matter what, if you were on¡ªno, by my side, everything would resolve as best as it could.¡±


    Elenore grabbed his shoulder and pulled him away from the ledge, clearly ufortable with how close he¡¯d gotten. When she saw him smile at her concern, she defended herself, saying, ¡°You can fall off after this conversation is over.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Durran agreed, not wishing to push his luck.


    The silence between them stretched out for a while. Durran peered out across the Burnt Desert just as she did, taking in the sight. He had been born in those sands, molded by that endless ckness, and now he put his life on the line for the Burnt Desert.


    ¡°I think¡­ you would be better forgetting me,¡± Elenore said. ¡°I can¡¯t care for people properly. The man I ran away with¡­ his fate is gruesome. Therese¡­ I let her be tortured, and as reward I allowed her to die because of my negligence. And Levin¡­ he had the same father, the same pain, but I just watched as he bled out¡­¡± she sniffed strongly. ¡°The things I say, what I do¡­ I¡¯m not loving, not kind. Whether as a sister, a lover, a¡­ a mother, even, if that¡¯s what you want¡­ it¡¯s best for everyone I keep my distance. That¡¯s why you are where you are. That¡¯s why you¡¯re dying. You got too close.¡±


    Durran leaned back on his hands. ¡°I go talking about how smart you are, and then you go and say something braindead like that¡­¡± he shook his head andughed. ¡°I think today¡¯s evidence enough you¡¯re capable of caring for other people. And I think everyone in that room you left could give you half a thousand other examples.


    ¡°As for all that other drivel you just spewed¡­ Argrave owes you his kingdom. That¡¯s a pretty good sister, you ask me. The lover part¡­ I know a thing or two, don¡¯t worry. And you¡¯re a fast learner. That leads naturally to the next part, mothering¡­¡± Durran shrugged as Elenore flushed from hisstment. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Kids, no kids¡­ doesn¡¯t make a difference to me.¡±


    Elenore looked at him. ¡°Doesn¡¯t make a difference?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Durran nodded. ¡°Fact is¡­ whole time I was out there in the Burnt Desert, something kept running through my head. Anything I did, anything I saw, I¡¯d just start thinking, ¡®what would Elenore say about this?¡¯ or ¡®would Elenore enjoy this?¡¯¡± He slowly lowered to his back until he was staring up at the sky. ¡°I just like being around you. I like looking at you. I¡¯d like to do other things, as I mentioned. That¡¯s why you can rest assured that I don¡¯t n on going anywhere anytime soon.¡±


    Elenore exhaled and looked back out across the Burnt Desert. After an extended silence, she looked back at Durran. ¡°What did you want to show me?¡±


    Durran propped his head up with his arm. ¡°Well¡­ lots of things.¡± He thought on the matter more, and then his golden eyes gleamed. ¡°One of them we can do right now.¡± He looked back to the wyvern encircling them, then patted its leg. ¡°Want to ride my wyvern?¡±


    Elenore studied the creature with her gray eyes, then looked back at Durran. ¡°Okay,¡± she nodded.


    At that, Durran rose to his feet speedily and got on his wyvern¡¯s back. He offered his hand down. ¡°Come along then, princess. I think it¡¯s time for a tour of the kingdom I earned for you.¡±


    Elenore managed a smile. And she took Durran¡¯s hand.

 Chapter 422: Convergence

    Argrave sat on the windowsill of Margrave Reinhardt¡¯s keep, peering out into Vasquer. Anneliese sat in a chair just before him while Gmon stood beside her, ever watchful. These two had been his main council through his most difficult moments, easing the transition from hothouse flower college boy to whatever he was now. And he felt d they were both gathered again when this difficult situation hade up.


    Anneliese turned her chair around so that she could lean forward against its back, then asked, ¡°What are the implications of the Alchemist learning of you being from Earth?¡±


    ¡°Hell if I know,¡± Argrave shrugged. ¡°Might give me a bargaining chip in the event that we do meet again. But he hates words, anyway¡ªand who would he b to? He lives in some spooky house in a jungle.¡±


    ¡°We kept it quiet because of the negative effect it might have on your legitimacy as king,¡± Gmon pointed out. ¡°But with that¡­ thing, I fear not rumor spreading. I fear you may have attracted some unwanted attention. I cannot protect you from the Alchemist.¡±


    Argrave looked at the two of them. ¡°I think you¡¯re straying from the subject. The issue here is the bet Durran¡¯s assumed. The man¡¯s put a millstone around his neck to get a superpower¡ªI don¡¯t even know what he gained, but life is a lot to bet when we have a hand full of air.¡±


    ¡°There is only one thing we can do within the confines of bet: proving whether the cycle of judgment is eternal, and cannot be broken,¡± Anneliese gestured. ¡°You cannot prove that something is impossible, that a possibility does not exist. You can only specte. People be capable of more than they were yesterday every day, all around the world.¡±


    Argrave tried to find a hole in her logic, thinking hard. ¡°But if we find how the cycle began, and what it really is¡­¡±


    ¡°Still, if the cycle began, who can say it cannot end? You have to try every single possibility that ever was or could be, from now until the end of time. And that is truly impossible.¡± Anneliese crossed her arms over the back of the chair. ¡°There is only one way Durran gets out of that bet with a victory. And that is finding a way to break the cycle.¡±


    Argrave looked away from her, staring out across the vast ins of Vasquer. Her irond reasoning considerably dimmed his expectations for getting the man out of this without incident.


    ¡°You said thousands of others seek to break the cycle of judgment,¡± Anneliese continued. ¡°I remember that Erlebnis asked you precisely that.¡±


    Argrave didn¡¯t look back as he said decisively, ¡°Erlebnis was fishing. Toying with me, like he¡¯s always been doing.¡±


    ¡°My point is that you can find a foundation to build off,¡± Anneliese said intently. ¡°Not Erlebnis, perhaps, but you said yourself that thousands of others sought this very same thing. Mozzahr himself was looking into this. Our predicament in the Bloodwoods gave him ample time to research the subject further, I should think.¡±


    Argrave looked at her, realizing she had a rather good point. As he thought of the implications, though, he looked away and said quietly, ¡°Good lord. Going to war with that monster is bad enough, but that¡­?¡± he sighed. ¡°What the hell did Durran even get for this bet? Better have been a peachy loan with low interest, seeing as the coteral¡¯s so damned valuable. Not that I¡¯d tell him that, the bastard¡­¡±


    ¡°For now, let¡¯sy out what we can do.¡± Anneliese rose to her feet. ¡°When Durran returns, we can speak further.¡±


    #####


    Elenore clung to Durran tightly with nervous excitement as his wyvern soared through the sky. The scaled beast moved so adeptly that it felt like an extension of him. Given their druidic bond, perhaps there was some truth in that. To ride a horse was one thing, but to fly through the sky?


    Elenore could not rememberst when her heart had beat this fast. She held both her arms around Durran so firmly it was painful, and her legs mped tightly against the beast beneath her. The thrill of this journey was amplified by Durran¡¯s recklessness¡ªshe knew he was showing off, but when he turned upside down it nearly made her scream, and when he flew high up in the sky only to dive down she thought her stomach might empty.


    But when Durran finally had his fill, and they glided calmly through the air¡­ she had to admit that she had loved it.


    ¡°How was that?¡± he asked cheekily.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Terrifyingly lovely, Elenore thought. She half-wanted to say something to spur him to act even more dangerously, but knowing him he¡¯d actually do it. She drifted back to the matters that concerned her.


    ¡°What is your position here, Durran? And what is the situation?¡± she focused on him.


    She saw Durran grip the reins a little tighter. ¡°Well¡­ how much do you know about what happenedst time I was here?¡±


    ¡°All,¡± Elenore answered. ¡°Of how your party killed the Lords of Sethia, of how the southron elves aided you, and of how Titus came to usurp all goodwill you¡¯d earned because of that. I learned it all.¡±


    Durran flew wordlessly for a few moments, and she could see some hardship written in his face. ¡°Well¡­ the situation is good, honestly speaking. But I did some things that I¡¯m not proud of. In killing Titus, exposing him¡­ I got my father killed.¡± He chuckled quietly. ¡°Felt like such a joke. I do something honest and good¡ªliberate Sethia¡ªand I¡¯m outcast. I do something dishonest and bad¡ªdeceive people, get my father killed, and use the corpses of the dead for my own ends¡ªand I¡¯m hailed as a hero.¡±


    Hearing his wild tale made her want to ask details, but she cut to the heart, asking, ¡°Are you truly a king, then? Can you link these twonds?¡±


    Durran looked down and pointed. ¡°See those men?¡± She followed his finger, stomach lurching from the height and the speed. She saw countless wyvern riders. ¡°They¡¯re all loyal to me. Absolutely loyal. They¡¯d die for me, each and every one. They¡¯d crown me as king if I gave them the word. But the main point is this: we are the undisputed strongest throughout the entire desert. We¡¯ve been roving, liberating towns and cities from Vessels.¡± He spared a nce back at her. ¡°We¡¯re more nomads than a true kingdom, like I¡¯ve been telling you. But this nomadic force of mine is potent enough to inspire fear from all of Vasquer. But all of this¡­ there are problems.¡±


    ¡°Such as?¡± Elenore indulged him.


    ¡°Everything I¡¯ve been doing¡­ it¡¯s short-term,¡± Durran exined, looking out across the desert. ¡°I kill the Vessels of Fellhorn lording over the popce, kill their loyalists, and my people get a nice big oasis as a consequence of that. They get enough water tost some months, but these towns were built by Vessels, for Vessels. Fact is, without management¡­ without the Vessels, frankly, most of these settlements will dry out and die out.


    ¡°The desert is as harsh as it is beautiful, and it¡¯s the heart of summer,¡± Durran exined, gaze wandering the dunes as though they were letters to read. ¡°Hard to feel it up here with the winds on our face, but you can cook meat on the sand. It¡¯s why we raided Vasquer. Thend here is not meant to amodate people, not really. The far south and far north are the only regions that can sustain themselves. Beyond that¡­ the heat will cook you alive, and you¡¯ll die with a dry mouth and an empty stomach. We¡¯re talking tens of thousands, all dead, unless something is done.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re proposing a strategic cooperation as much as a whimsical romantic proposition,¡± Elenore noted calmly. ¡°I suppose you hoped to establish some fa?ade of cooperation, where you came to me to provide for your people, and I married you to ward back your horde of wyvern riders? Some alliance of necessity, to spare both our people war? Is that your cover story?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s about it, yeah,¡± Durran nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve seen Vasquer. It has more than it needs. Spellcasters can provide water, even the worst of them. We cement ties, blend Vasquer and the Burnt Desert inseparably¡­ and before long, they¡¯re one nation. After the tribals and the kingdom fight together against Gerechtigkeit, it¡¯s practically guaranteed.¡±


    ¡°But whether or not we get married, I know you wouldn¡¯t raid Vasquer,¡± Elenore said. ¡°And having my marriage open has been an important card. It¡¯s kept the Duke of Birall loyal¡ªobsequious, even¡ªas he seeks marriage for his sons. And lesser lords in Atrus or the crownds fall at their feet to please me. To throw all of that away¡­¡± she trailed off.


    In truth, Elenore simply sought to give Durran some taste of his own medicine. And when he looked back, the panic on his eyes was priceless. She couldn¡¯t help butugh.


    ¡°The thought never even crossed your mind, did it? Rejection,¡± she said the word quietly, speaking directly into his ear. She continued in a provocative whisper, ¡°Maybe my mind has changed, Durran.¡±


    Durran looked back with desire on his face, in as day. It made her feel warm inside to know she was wanted.


    ¡°Don¡¯t send us crashing off, would-be-king,¡± Elenore continued. ¡°With the godsing down, I don¡¯t need the aristocracy¡¯s loyalty as steadfastly as before. All will be forced to fight our enemies. And I¡¯ve not been idle in diminishing their authority throughout Vasquer.¡± She reached out and flicked his cheek. ¡°But don¡¯t push your luck. Foisting yet another kingdom upon me to manage? You ask a lot for someone who might be brainless. Not that much would change.¡±


    Durran smiled at her. ¡°Rejection? The thought never even crossed my mind.¡±


    Elenore gripped him tighter as he turned his head. ¡°And death¡­ your death¡­ that better not have been an empty titude, Durran. I mean that. I couldn¡¯t¡­¡± Elenore trailed off, the sentencepleting in her head alone. Couldn¡¯t go on.


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m nning to live forever. Gonna bring you along with me, too.¡± He put his hand on hers, and though it was cold from the wind it felt warm from its sentiment. ¡°For now¡­ let¡¯s meet my guys. And let¡¯s figure out how we factor into this Divine Feudalism that¡¯s rearing its head.¡±

 Chapter 423: Upscaling

    Durran took a longer time to return than Argrave had anticipated¡ªand by extension, Elenore was dyed, too. In truth, he was a little surprised to see her get emotional about Durran. He¡¯d shared that with Anneliese, and she guessed that her emotions had been building for a long time: decades, even. His sister seemed to do everything practically; she even chose the time to get emotional practically.


    When the pair did return, it was in brighter spirits than they had left. Whatever talk they¡¯d shared, they were not at all like they¡¯d found out one of them might die.


    ¡°We return to a feast. Forgot about this,¡± Durran mused, sitting back down at the table before his chicken. ¡°It¡¯s cold.¡±


    ¡°Should be refreshing after that heat,¡± Elenore sat down beside him.


    Argrave looked between both of them, then sat down as well. ¡°Forget the meal. I think you ought to get into what the Alchemist gave you, Durran.¡±


    Durran seemed to debate whether or not to take a bite of cold chicken dangling from his fork, and then set it down. ¡°He changed my body, my insides. You might say he reced them, then kept my real parts on hold until the timees for me to get them back. I¡¯m not really sure how to¡­¡±


    Argrave leaned back, nodding. ¡°Pseudo S-rank.¡±


    Durran looked up at him. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°He made you S-rank, technically. But the magic¡­ the magic circuitry, you might call it, isn¡¯t yours. You can recover magic fine, but it won¡¯t grow, won¡¯t evolve, and you can¡¯t do finer maniption. You don¡¯t have an A-rank ascension, even.¡± Argrave crossed his arms. ¡°You can¡¯t really min-max it, can¡¯t fune it. But¡­ yeah, you¡¯re S-rank. A generic, non-descript S-rank. You¡¯re driving a rented vehicle.¡±


    ¡°Hell, who cares?¡± Durran shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ve got quantity enough to do nearly everything I want. Fire, lightning, necromancy¡ªyou name it, I¡¯ll do it, my friend. What you perceive right now with those special A-rank eyes of yours is not even a quarter of my max capacity. And when all of this is said and done, I give these parts back, get my old magic back, and tackle it again with experience. But I¡¯ll tell you¡­¡± Durran held out his hand, clenching it into a fist. ¡°I can feel Garm¡¯s hand in everything I do, Argrave. Feels like I¡¯m not doing anything new, just¡­ relearning a skill I put down for a while.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s how it is when you meld souls with another.¡± Argrave ced his hands on the table. ¡°Listen. I¡¯ve been thinking about your predicament. Frankly, this isn¡¯t something I can wave my hand and cure. Your prospects are thin, Durran. Even finding a lead involves doing dangerous nonsense that was rather far removed from what I had nned. And we¡¯re talking about a thin lead, not a certain one.¡±


    Durran focused on Argrave. ¡°I¡¯ll do my part. More than my part, even. Don¡¯t forget¡­ you¡¯re a little behind me, now, even if you¡¯ve managed to get those blood echoes you kept bragging about.¡± He pointed at Argrave. ¡°Don¡¯t think I haven¡¯t seen your little bloody shadows dancing around you. Looks smooth, I¡¯ll give you that, but shiness won¡¯t matter against power.¡±


    Argrave smiled. ¡°Well¡­ I wonder. I can requite all I receive.¡±


    Argrave and Anneliese both had learned the imperial spells left behind by Emperor Balzat. Argrave had used [Requite] to defeat the emissaries, though had expended all of his spirits in the process. But they had far more than that spell alone in their arsenal, now¡ª[Bulwark], [Inspirit], and [Edify] added extreme versatility to their shamanic magic that surpassed most spells, period. Of the imperial spells, only [Subjugate] eluded their mastery, and this was because it was an S-rank spell.


    ¡°If the two of you can stop posturing, we have something I think would be good to talk about now,¡± Elenore cut in. ¡°There¡¯s an extremely brutish man filled with lust knocking at the gates of the Lionsun Castle¡­ and as such, we must deign to forge an alliance with him, vapid though he might be. Woe to the unlucky soul who has to seal this alliance.¡±


    Durran took a bite of chicken, smiling quietly at her banter. ¡°Yeah. This King of the Scorched Sands, he¡¯s no good. But for the low price of one tender-hearted, empty-minded princess, it might be his wyverns be guardians of Vasquer rather than its pigers. And it might be, long-term, they¡¯re integrated with the kingdom wholly.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the running narrative, at least. What do you think?¡± Elenore looked at Argrave.


    Durran pointed his fork. ¡°Yeah. Does the big brother bless this unholy union?¡±


    Argrave fixed a crease on a napkin to hide his surprise. ¡°Don¡¯t have anyints. I¡¯ll spare you the teasing, seeing as the two of you have that covered. But you¡¯re a valuable piece ofbor, Elenore. Will this¡­?¡±


    ¡°Just more on my te,¡± she shrugged. ¡°It¡¯ll be fine. Druidic magic has made things much easier for me,munications-wise.¡±


    He stared at her, baffled how she could just ept the idea of managing essentially the entire continent with a shrug and an, ¡®it¡¯ll be fine.¡¯


    ¡°But for this to work¡­ it needs to be an issue brought before parliament, I should think,¡± Anneliese interrupted. ¡°Margrave Parbon will cooperate and escte the issue if we ask. And as I recall, Argrave, you wanted to meet with the Stonepetal Sentineling here, yes?¡±


    Argrave straightened. ¡°Right. Forgot about that, seeing as Durran was diagnosed with dyed onset death.¡± He cracked his knuckles. ¡°Mmm¡­ the Stonepetal Sentinels. Been a while.¡±


    #####


    ¡°In essence¡­ you want me to support the necessity of this alliance?¡± Margrave Reinhardt looked at Argrave squarely.


    ¡°Precisely,¡± Argrave agreed, sitting across from the margrave¡¯s desk.


    ¡°I will not lie,¡± the margrave cautioned. ¡°I will answer whatever it is the parliament asks, and create no fabrications.¡±


    Argrave furrowed his brows. ¡°Alright. That¡¯s fine, I suppose. Honesty and integrity are good things to foster in the parliament.¡± He leaned in closer. ¡°So, that Stonepetal Sentinel¡ªhe¡¯s here?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a little upset we¡¯re keeping him from leaving. But¡­ yes, we kept him for you,¡± the margrave nodded.


    ¡°Wonderful. I¡¯ll go see him now.¡± Argrave rose to his feet. ¡°But why was he visiting, exactly?¡±


    #####


    Master Sentinel Ossian scratched at his forehead, dislodging strands of his dark hair. He brushed them from out of his view, and then looked at the margrave¡¯s guard. They remained ever vignt. He hade here to ask for assistance, but whatever he¡¯d said had made the margrave hold him here for hours on end. At the very least he stayed as house guest rather than prisoner.


    When the door parted, Ossian¡¯s head jerked towards it. A huge armored knight walked through, and he held his hand to his belt by instinct even though he¡¯d long ago been disarmed. The knight studied him, and then the room. Familiarity dawned on Ossian, strangely enough, but then the man moved aside. The next two toe were both familiar, and more easily recognizable.


    ¡°You?¡± Ossian rose to his feet, eyes wide.


    The man who¡¯d overturned the Low Way of the Rose, Argrave, stood at the door. The ck-haired man was as towering as he¡¯d been thest time they¡¯d met, but he¡¯d put on some mass in the time since they¡¯dst spoken. His face was still gaunt and sharp, but he filled out the duster he wore far better than he had in the past. That, coupled with a breastte bearing a symbol of a sun with snakes as its rays, made him appear more formidable. His actions had a strange hazy maroon trail left behind them.


    ¡°Ossian,¡± Argrave said, raising his brows. ¡°Look at you. A Master Sentinel, relegated to messenger work. That was probably my fault. I left you with a real mess on your hands.¡±


    Ossian reflected on that as the man walked into the room, followed by that elven woman Anneliese and a few people Ossian didn¡¯t recognize. As he imed, Argrave had burned through the Low Way like no other. He¡¯d gotten many Sentinels killed, and even a Master Sentinel¡ªthough, perhaps it was best to say that man got himself killed. Concurrently, Argrave ended the constant deluge of blood, returning clean water to the underground. And the vampires were purged because of his actions.


    ¡°So¡­¡± Argrave walked into the room, sitting on a chair opposite the couch Ossian had been waiting at. ¡°Margrave Reinhardt tells me you¡¯re looking into reiming the Low Way of the Rose fully¡ªyou just need some aid.¡±


    Ossian ran his hand across his face, dispelling his surprise. ¡°Well¡­ yeah, Argrave. With the vampires gone, the task¡ª¡±


    ¡°Call him Your Majesty,¡± the big armored knight interrupted. Ossian was remembering his name¡ªGmon. ¡°Or speak to him not at all.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty?¡± Ossian repeated. He felt a shock permeate him¡ªknowing that this man was king affected him more than he thought it would, the title alone inspiring subservience. ¡°That means the king has¡­ by the gods.¡±


    ¡°A lot happened while you were spelunking down in that old city.¡± Argrave crossed his legs. ¡°There¡¯s been a change in leadership. Fact is¡­ I think I can help the Stonepetal Sentinels out.¡±


    Ossianughed in shock. ¡°After¡­ what we did to you? That¡¯s surprising. Your Majesty,¡± he quickly added the title, fearing to disrespect this man.


    ¡°I¡¯m big-hearted. But I¡¯m also something of a¡­ shall we say, a talent scout?¡± Argrave leaned in. ¡°Once the Low Way is taken, you¡¯ll be out of a job.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Ossian narrowed his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sure the Senti¡ª¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°The Low Way will not be upied by the Stonepetal Sentinels. It¡¯s a vital artery to the Burnt Desert, to be repossessed by the state,¡± the woman behind Argrave said. When Ossian looked at her, he thought she might be the king¡¯s rtive.


    ¡°But rest easy,¡± Argrave held his arms out. ¡°In my kingdom, keeping unemployment figures astronomically low is a top priority. As it happens, I have new underground cities for you to scout out, keep clean. Dwarven cities, as a matter of fact. The real deal.¡±


    Ossian was reeling from the sudden deluge of information. ¡°What you said¡­ I don¡¯t quite follow, Your Majesty. And¡­ and my people, I would need to talk to them. I¡¯m just a messenger. An envoy,¡± he babbled, searching for words.


    ¡°Let me put it this way.¡± Argrave smiled broadly. ¡°It¡¯s time for thest remnants of the Order of the Rose to serve their country once again. And it might be time for your prominence to finally resurge. How would you like to talk to everyone important in the country, all at once?¡±


    #####


    Long days had passed since the revtion with Durran and the Stonepetal Sentinels. They had called a parliamentary session ahead of schedule, and assigned it the utmost importance. And now, they had returned to ckgard. Here, they finalized everything before the crusade against the Ebon Cult began.


    Elenore walked into Argrave¡¯s study, carrying a piece of paper.


    ¡°I have the agendas that the others will mention for this meeting,¡± she said. ¡°The effects of our actions in prior meetings are rearing their head. Some of them are worth concern¡­ namely, we may finally be seeing the first of the descended deities. But for central points of discussion¡­ there is the Vasquer-Burnt Desert alliance. That is aplex political issue, especially the prospect of foreign aid. I can couch it as a trade deal, but the more astute will see past that.¡±


    Argrave took the paper from her hand, then looked back to Anneliese. She also had a desk, situated slightly behind Argrave¡¯s against the wall. She rose from her chair and came to read it with him.


    ¡°I think we can manage this,¡± Argrave said. ¡°Might take some doing, but I can finesse a few people before the meeting proper.¡±


    ¡°Mmmhmm,¡± Elenore agreed. ¡°And the other matter¡­ Anestis, that dwarf. He is apelling showpiece. But I do question if it will be enough to convince them to make the Stonepetal Sentinels politically relevant.¡±


    Argrave looked at her. ¡°Gmon and I have been discussing this. This is a strategy for war. They¡¯re scouts, reimers. The Ebon Cult wille. And given what Durran asked of us, we have to do more than win. Mozzahr is a monstrous fighter. Whether he¡¯s in the dwarven cities already, or he¡¯s soon toe¡­ the Stonepetal Sentinels can find that out.¡±


    ¡°Thenmand them as amander of an army,¡± Elenore suggested. ¡°The parliament need not know the Stonepetal Sentinels even act on your behalf.¡±


    Argrave leaned back. ¡°Do you think that¡¯s prudent?¡±


    Anneliese put her hand on Argrave¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I believemanding troops to go into the underground while the fabricated ¡®King of the Scorched Sands¡¯ waits on the border might send the wrong message. And with the Order of the Gray Owl having firsthand experience with the ruins Argrave explores¡­ we can get support, I assure you. We might even get additional resources to aid them. Securing the Low Way of the Rose and its library is like securing a goldmine¡ªriches are in the air, and Magisters are eager miners.¡±


    ¡°A fair assessment,¡± Elenore conceded. ¡°Many other parliamentary meetings have been for show,rgely. But this one willst days, I believe, and is very significant for the future.¡±


    ¡°Agreed,¡± Argrave set the paper down and smiled. ¡°I¡¯m rather looking forward to politicking once more. It was a fun game we yed back in Relize. Now¡­ we upscale that.¡±

 Chapter 424: Two Rising Suns

    Argrave took his ce at the podium in the parliamentary hall. All of the guests looked at him with tired eyes. Even in their exhaustion, his reputation had grown to the point that no one would ignore him, not even Magisters. Ganbaatar came as a guest, representing the elven nations. But more than him, they¡¯d called every parliamentary seat from all across the kingdom. Most had made it, fortunately, feeling grand things were afoot.


    ¡°I understand that most of you havee a very long way. Rest assured, then, that this first session will be brief¡ªless than thirty minutes,¡± Argrave gave them the good news, reinvigorating the tired that they might focus better. ¡°It serves to introduce the key issues that made me call this meeting ahead of our scheduled session.¡±


    Argrave¡¯s gaze wandered the parliamentary seats. All waited for his words expectantly.


    ¡°Firstly¡­ southern tribals persist on the border to the Burnt Desert. There is a horde of wyverns, many of whom are spellcasters, roaming the sand dunes and mountains near the Lionsun Castle. Margrave Reinhardt can attest he¡¯s never seen one of such size.¡± Argrave pointed toward the margrave. Though hecked an official parliamentary seat, Reinhardt had attended at Argrave¡¯s request. ¡°Though these tribals levied threats, they¡¯ve yet to do anything else. I thought that was because they had something in mind other thanbat. On my visit to the site recently, I discovered that to be true.¡±


    Argrave shifted on his feet as people, especially those on the southern side of the kingdom, seemed to grow uneased.


    ¡°More than that¡­ we have other threats at a different border. A geographical border.¡± Argrave turned his head, where Orion stepped forward and handed him the masked helm of the Ebon Cult. He set it on the podium. ¡°This piece of armores from a group known as the Ebon Cult. This cult is a religious state beneath the earth, upying the old dwarven cities. Perhaps you think me mad¡­ but then, behold this man.¡±


    The true dwarf Anestis was escorted into the room, and all stared at him with curiosity or confusion. Artur in particr seemed utterly baffled, not knowing whether he should be indignant or surprised or joyful.


    ¡°He is a true dwarf. And because of him, we have some paths into the dwarven cities underground, long thought myth alone.¡± Argrave clenched his right hand into a fist and then mmed it down on the helmet of purple metal. ¡°But Anestis¡¯ arrival heralds a huge threat. As such¡­ let me tell you of Mozzahr, the Casten of the Empty, and his aspirations for godhood. Let me tell you of the dwarven metals they hoard, and of the secrets to shamanic magic they guard. This will not be as my father¡¯s reign of aggression. Because Mozzahr¡­ he¡¯s a conqueror. A practiced one. And we must defend, lest we be wiped out.¡±


    #####


    Mial, daughter of Mozzahr, stepped into a room with arge congregation. The building these worshippers resided in once belonged to the dwarves¡ªthis had been the house for their senate, where they carried out the democratic functions of their government. Now, it had been repurposed into the primary cathedral of the Ebon Cult.


    Two others followed behind her as she walked past all the devout kneeled in prayer. She walked to the head of the hall, and then took her ce at a raised tform where the dwarven speakers of the past woulde forth to stand and speak.


    ¡°Loyal worshippers,¡± Mial¡¯s voice rang out crisp and clear even through her metal mask. The two that had been following her took their ce behind her. ¡°Though I loathe to interrupt worship, there are things that you must hear. I will not be long¡ªthirty minutes at the longest. Forgive me, but we are seldom concentrated so densely as when we pray. I thought this ce best.¡±


    Despite her apology, the worshippers seemed more than amenable to her request. They clearly heeded her words, masked faces staring firmly forward without wandering in distraction.


    ¡°I bring with me today the first of those on the surface to enter into my father¡¯s sphere. Her name is Georgina¡­ and she was brought before Mozzahr as in a dream.¡±


    Georgina, one of the two that followed behind Mial in her entry, stepped forward. The woman had donned a mask of purple metal like all of those prostrated before them. Hers was fashioned in the shape of a rabbit. Mial put her hands on her shoulders.


    ¡°Her arrival heralds the advent of many more devotees. When wee to the surface, and when we bring my father¡¯s absolute truth to the ignorant denizens of thatnd¡­ the people will weep with joy. I am sure many of you have been wondering why it is we linger at the edge of thend of the two suns. The truth is¡­ though Mozzahr¡¯s dreams led Georgina to join us, it also foretold an enemy more formidable than the ones faced before.¡±


    The congregation came to rapt attention at once, their zealous spirit ring.


    ¡°Our arrival to the surface heralds a huge threat,¡± Mial looked out across them, her owl mask moving with her head. ¡°As such¡­ let me tell you of Argrave, King of Vasquer, and the depth of the knowledge he already holds over us. He is the catspaw of a devil incarnate. We can only assume that he knows all¡­ but when he stands between us and the green, richnds of the surface, we must fight. For our Casten, my father, and our only hope for the future, we must fight!¡±


    #####


    ¡°Is Erlebnis truly the devil incarnate?¡± Georgina asked Mial as they walked back to Mozzahr¡¯s pce.


    ¡°He must be,¡± Mial answered. ¡°And if he is not so now, he will be so in the future. Mozzahr¡¯s fate is heavy. He has been given great boons, but equally great tests. The universe itself forged him to take his ce as Casten of the Empty.¡± She turned back, seizing Georgina¡¯s shoulder and pulling her aside. ¡°But let us not talk of that. Let us talk of the man you brought.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t bring him,¡± Georgina defended herself. ¡°We associated once before. He followed me¡ªstalked me, even, and made demands of me.¡±


    Mial inhaled deeply. ¡°Mozzahr was going to kill him. But after their talk¡­ he suddenly changed his mind. Now, the man is a member of the cult. Father even had me introduce him to the congregation. But father does not administrate our people¡ªtell me, what do you know of this man? Is he capable?¡±


    ¡°Capable? More than capable, yes,¡± Georgina nodded. ¡°But I don¡¯t care about any of that. I can tell you this with certainty: Traugott is insane.¡±


    #####


    Argrave sat down with all of his closest advisors, save Durran¡ªthe man still waited with his wyvern riders, perhaps upying himself with liberating yet more viges from Vessel tyranny. It did them no good to have him here yet, but his time woulde soon enough. There were two new faces among them: Nikoletta of Monti and Mnie, the mercenary. They had both earned their spots at the private table, Argrave felt¡ªNikoletta had an unbreakable loyalty to Argrave.


    As for Mnie¡­ the red-haired mercenary of Relize had proven herself by managing the expeditionary parties heading out across thend, retrieving artifacts for Artur¡¯s Hall of Enchantment. With the civil war over and done, he didn¡¯t fear Mnie changing employers as he once had. She had valuable management skills: Ruleo was a protagonist of Heroes of Berendar, and beyond that he¡¯d given her capable people. ording to her, Ruleo was enjoying the work, even if he was technically performing penalbor.


    And unlike Gmon, who would swear devotion only to Veid, or Orion, who was quite difficult to get a handle on¡­ Argrave was confident he could get Mnie to ept any blessings he wanted to give her. He needed another warrior by his side beyond Orion and Gmon¡ªone that could gain blessingsmensurate with the stronger foes they¡¯d be fighting. In terms of personality, her mercenary attitude fit Argrave¡¯s modus operandi perfectly.


    Still¡­ it seemed toe out of left field for her.


    ¡°So, uhh, Your Majesty¡­¡± Mnie looked between everyone present, green eyes darting from ce to ce. ¡°Am I needed for something? I can¡¯t imagine you¡¯d invite me for fine dining.¡±


    ¡°You managed the expedition party well,¡± Argrave said, looking at her inly. ¡°Artur is overwhelmed with things to look at, isn¡¯t that right?¡±


    Mnie rxed a little when she was praised. ¡°Sure. Could¡¯ve buried the man in what we brought back. Little easier, given his stature, but still.¡±


    ¡°Jokes like that in the wrong ear might get you killed, you know,¡± Argrave answered back withoutughing. ¡°Anyway, that stuff with the Stonepetal Sentinels¡ªyou were paying attention?¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Mnie nodded, narrowing her eyes. The scars on her face made her look quite fierce. ¡°You praise me, you mention a new organization¡­ is this what I think?¡±


    ¡°The willing horse gets whipped,¡± Anneliese said with a smile. ¡°I think you will be satisfied with the increase in sry.¡±


    Mnie smiled andughed quietly. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be damned¡­ thank you, Your Highness, Your Majesty,¡± she said, removing the wide-brimmed tellerbarret and dipping her head until her red hair covered her face.


    ¡°You mentioned that you wanted to get closer with the king,¡± Elenore said.


    ¡°In a business sense alone,¡± Mnie rified, looking at Anneliese as she fixed her hair and put her tellerbarret back on.


    ¡°She¡¯d probably get closer in other ways if it helped her career, but that¡¯s another point,¡± Argrave quipped, and Mnie swallowed in fear before she realized Argrave was joking.


    ¡°Reasoning aside,¡± Elenore cleared her throat and continued. ¡°The king has decided there is a use for your talents. You now work for him directly. You will likely assume the role of organizer for the expedition against the Ebon Cult.¡±


    Mnie whistled. ¡°Wow. Inner circle, huh? This is it, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°So long as you don¡¯t disappoint me, I might even call you a friend,¡± Argrave held his hand out.


    ¡°I¡¯m pretty good at what I do,¡± Mnie shook his hand, epting the offer. ¡°As you¡¯ve noticed, it seems.¡±


    Gmon looked down at her and said, ¡°The skill is secondary to the moral reasoning behind it. His Majesty offers you a chance to be more than what you were.¡±


    Mnie looked up at Gmon, then looked away just as quick. Argrave could tell it would take some time for her to integrate with the group¡ªArgrave didn¡¯t mind the mercenary mentality, but it seemed to sh with the others he¡¯d brought with him. But there was good in Mnie, he knew. He just needed to make them see it, and make her embrace it.


    ¡°Regardless, there are important matters to deal with.¡± Argrave leaned up against the table. ¡°There are two things that we need to secure from the dwarven cities, regardless of whether or not the Ebon Cult is invading. We need dwarven metalsmithing, and we need a certain dwarven technology than can help us catch spirits. Orion, if you would,¡± Argrave looked back, holding out his hand.


    The prince deposited a paper into his hand. Argrave spread it out across the table, reading it again.


    ¡°One of the parliamentary seats brought this issue before us. The first evidence of divinity has reared its head,¡± Argrave noted. ¡°It¡¯s a local god to a very small vige¡ªnothing special, and peaceful. I think we can leave it alone. It¡¯ll likely aid in protecting the local area, even. But the things soon toe won¡¯t be as peaceful. Durran has been preparing, in part, for Fellhorn. But Durran is going to be much more than that, I think. His wyverns give the opportunity for a massive collection of resources. As such¡ªMnie.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡± she raised her head, clearly lost by his rapid-fire exnation.


    ¡°Once we get this through the parliament, speed is of the essence. Mozzahr is a monstrous master of shamanic magic, and unlike us, he and his men already have spirits in abundance. We need to stem the tide¡ªand to do that, we have to scavenge the dwarven cities well. We have, in essence, a technological disadvantage. Until we curb that, we fight a losing battle.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s, uh¡­ no transition period for this job, is there?¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°Well, you won¡¯t be going alone,¡± Argrave shrugged. ¡°Mozzahr has something we need. And given how ridiculous that man could be, power-wise¡­ well, it is what it is.¡±

 Chapter 425: Rigorous Recalibrating

    Argrave awoke long before Anneliese did, eager to seize the day. He was happy to have established the n of action they¡¯d be taking the next week or so. All that mattered now was adjusting the attitude of some of the parliamentary seats, performing well should debate arise, and executing things wlessly.


    He and his queen quickly prepared themselves for a long day of politics, then set out to meet with Elenore. Orion guarded them as they slept, but now he switched ces with Gmon. They checked Elenore¡¯s room first, but when they found she¡¯d already woken up they went to her office in the parliamentary hall.


    ¡°Seems you always wake up before us,¡± Argrave said as he entered brazenly. Her office here was humbler than it had been in Dirracha, simple stone and wood alone. But it suited her, Argrave thought.


    ¡°There¡¯s a lot to do. I don¡¯t sleep well, anyway,¡± Elenore dismissed. ¡°Ever since that ambush from the Unhanded Coalition deep in Atrus, I¡¯ve been a very light sleeper. Frustratingly so. But, actually¡­¡± she trailed off. ¡°No, never mind.¡±


    ¡°No, what were you gonna say?¡± Argrave insisted, sitting down.


    ¡°I¡­¡± Some color came to Elenore¡¯s face. ¡°I slept well at the Lionsun Castle, actually.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Argrave nodded, then smiled when he realized what that meant. ¡°Oooh, I see. Felt safe? Or was it something else you felt, maybe?¡±


    ¡°Not another word.¡± Elenore fixed him with a re. ¡°We have much to do. I believe we have a problem brewing.¡±


    ¡°Yeah? Go on,¡± Argrave leaned back in the chair, though still smiled as he suppressed more teasing.


    ¡°There¡¯s a thin line between respect and fear.¡± Elenore ced her hands on the table. ¡°With the parliament, you earned a lot of leeway from the nobles. With me, you¡¯ve been able to effectively curtail the greater privileges this institution gives them. But this talk about waging war with the Ebon Cult, and consolidating our power further yet with an alliance of a roving horde of southern tribals¡­ after Felipe¡¯s misrule, some nobles are growing concerned by how we¡¯re centralizing power. The standing army, the Stonepetal Sentinels, Artur and his Hall of Enchantment¡­ and now that construction has resumed on ckgard, we¡¯re building a grand city and stealing peasants from their territory en masse¡ªby their perception, at least. If your status is a scale between respect and fear¡­ it is weighted toward fear. And so, people will test you.¡±


    ¡°Test me?¡± Argrave repeated. ¡°I¡¯m a good test-taker. Never needed to study.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m serious, Argrave,¡± Elenore insisted, maintaining her calm. ¡°People talk about you all the time. They im you¡¯ve in gods. I fostered these rumors because I sought a sterling reputation for you; a king is only what people perceive him to be, and so reputation is everything. You are remarkably popr. But save a few we can count on¡ªthe Archduchy of the North, the Margravate of Parbon, the Dukedom of Mateth, for example¡ªmany of the seats in parliament seek to retain their position. I think we can count on the burghers because they are ecstatic to simply be given a voice in government. That exuberance may fade with time, but the patricians of Relize and the mayors of cities can be counted on. Beyond them¡­¡±


    ¡°So¡­ the nobles still foster ambitions? Really? After all this hell?¡± Argrave raised his brows.


    ¡°I¡¯m not speaking of ambitions. I¡¯m talking about preservation. And not just from the nobles, either¡ªthe Magisters we have sitting in are likely the most discontent. Artur¡¯s Hall of Enchantment was a huge blow to the Order of the Gray Owl. There is a reason why the Order persisted¡ªit was because people liked it, and it offered security in their lifestyle. Now, Artur¡¯s Hall threatens this. The nobility and the Magisters believe their status quo is threatened. Preservation is a far more motivational tool than ambition. Avoiding loss of status or wealthes before gaining it in priorities.¡±


    ¡°But the ruins,¡± Argrave pointed out. ¡°I¡¯ve done more for Order spell research singlehandedly than any other by pointing them toward forgotten ruins. Hell, the Order of the Rose library down in the Low Way alone is invaluable!¡±


    ¡°But gifts are inconstant things,¡± Anneliese reminded Argrave. ¡°This influx of boons cannotst forever. It is stability and security they need.¡±


    ¡°Couldn¡¯t have said it better,¡± Elenore agreed.


    ¡°But these are systems that should be eroded.¡± Argrave said. ¡°The Order allows Magisters to hoard knowledge. And lineage, bloodlines, nobility¡­ that¡¯s all tripe. Might sound a bit hypocriticaling from a king, but I believe it.¡±


    ¡°Can you recall any non-violent revolutions, Argrave, that did not take centuries? If there was, you did not tell me of one.¡± Anneliese put her hand on his knee. ¡°After Gerechtigkeit is defeated, we have time to erode them without radical, potentially unstable, changes. But for now¡­ just as they want stability, so should we keep it. The people are most important.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s right again. I had intended to capitalize on the fragility after Gerechtigkeit to enact reforms. But for now¡­ we need to bend just enough to get what we want.¡± Elenore shrugged.


    ¡°What are they proposing?¡± Argrave gestured toward her.


    ¡°The nobles want aw to prevent serfs and peasants from relocating.¡± Elenore read her paper. ¡°They¡¯re frustrated by the immigration to ckgard.¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t afford that,¡± Argrave insisted. ¡°We¡¯re making this ce a fortress to protect everyone that we can. I won¡¯t jeopardize their lives.¡±


    ¡°Thene up with something better. Not just to this, but to all of what they proposed. There are other suggestions.¡± Elenore looked at him. ¡°This is something you have to sell to them. What will they ept to content them? How will you convince the Magisters to cooperate?¡±


    Argrave waited for Elenore to continue, but he realized that she was genuinely asking him. Meaning¡­ Elenore didn¡¯t have an answer. And thinking on it, neither did Argrave.


    ¡°I have to take care of half a thousand different things¡ªamong them, I¡¯m going to set up some meetings with people I believe you need to meet.¡± Elenore leaned forward and looked through many papers¡ªshe had enough work to overwhelm anyone, but seemed as steady as a mountain. ¡°If you cane up with good ways to get them in line, excellent. If not¡­ frankly, Argrave, we have to meet their demands. They¡¯re scared of letting their lives slip through their fingers. Not everyone is ready for a revolution.¡± She held out the paper of proposals for Argrave to take for review.


    Argrave swallowed a deep and long sigh¡ªhe didn¡¯t want anyone to know he was lost in the dark. He took the paper, then rose to his feet.


    ¡°If you need me, I¡¯ll be¡ª¡± Argrave paused. ¡°Well, you can find me.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Yes, I can,¡± Elenore agreed. ¡°Good luck. I¡¯ll send someone for you, likely at midday. Pour some silver over your tongue, brother, even if it hurts. We have need of it.¡±


    #####


    After leaving, Argrave and Anneliese discussed ideas about what to do. Argrave felt there was a missing link of inspiration about the solution. Nothing that felt truly right came to mind. Unlike all the other times before, he could fully understand the opposition¡¯s position. Asking someone to surrender rights and privileges was much different than denying their ambition. He had effectively stolen their tax base. And Argrave¡¯s consolidation of power had been especially aggressive. Even Felipe had never had this obscene amount of personal power.


    In the end, Argrave felt he was wasting him time buting up with no answer. As consequence, he decided to bring Gmon to overview the training army. They stood on the walls of the mountain fortress outside the tunnel leading to ckgard.


    ¡°These are the men?¡± Gmon watched, white eyes wandering thend where the army drilled. The Veidimen honor guard sent by Dras were monstrously diligent. ¡°They¡¯re doing well. But it is summer, and these are summer soldiers.¡±


    ¡°What does that mean?¡± Argrave looked at him. ¡°It¡¯s summer, sure, but¡­ is something wrong with that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s easy to fight when the sun is out and your body is warm.¡± Gmon held his hand out, then clenched it into a fist. ¡°But when the coldes biting, things don¡¯t work as they ought to. Your limbs are stiff and heavy, and things outside your control happen. Snow. Chilling winds. Natural disasters. But winter is a metaphor, too. It exemplifies experience. A veteran is far superior to a well-drilled soldier. You should bear in mind these are summer soldiers when developing your strategy.¡±


    Anneliese looked at him curiously, eager to learn. ¡°Whatmands would you give for this type of fighter?¡±


    ¡°Strategy is much different thanmanding an army. Inmand, you react, predict, and respond to the flow of the battle as it urs.¡± The big elf turned to look at Argrave. ¡°As for you¡­ you¡¯ve only ever been a soldier.¡±


    Argrave briefly grew indignant, but as he reflected he truly had no issues with the term. Putting one¡¯s life on the line for a cause¡ªto be a soldier was a noble thing. And the mostmanding he¡¯d done was perhaps on the coast of Mateth, when the Veidimen had first attacked. Beyond that, it had always been fight, fight, and fight. He had allies, sure, but he seldom needed tomand them in depth.


    ¡°Fair enough.¡± Argrave turned his head to Anneliese. ¡°Anneliese has done moremanding than me. Any army we lead, I¡¯d want her in charge of.¡±


    Her amber eyes widened in surprise, but Gmon nodded. ¡°True. When you fell unconscious in the wends, hermand warded many thousand enemies without a single death. But what we¡¯re talking about today is strategy.¡±


    Argrave listened raptly¡ªGmon was rarely so talkative, and he felt the need to absorb every drop he could get.


    ¡°Strategy is merely a n formed in the uncertainty of war. It is the foundation atop whichmandersmand and fighters fight. Though the actual results can differ greatly by unforeseen circumstances, strategy is the act of leveraging what is avable to achieve desirable results. Retreat is a strategy. Combat is a strategy. Skirmishing is a strategy. All three, though different, move toward the same end: a desired result with the resources on-hand. Or more simply¡­ victory.¡±


    ¡°Well, what is our strategy, then?¡± Argrave headed right to the point.


    Gmon looked at him. ¡°We are defenders. This gives us several decisive advantages¡­ and I rmend we obtain more. We lose the ability to choose when the battle happens and who it is we fight. If we act quickly¡­ we can choose where the battle happens. Our people, elves and humans, build fortresses in vital locations. Why? Because they offer a defensive advantage, and because the enemy cannot easily ignore them. To that end, we can force the Ebon Cult¡¯s hand if we do the same.¡±


    Gmon looked back to where the tunnel headed into ckgard. New refugees walked in even now. ¡°The best location to forcebat would be there. The tunnel where you and Anneliese retrieved her A-rank ascension¡ªit¡¯s been sealed, but it should be reopened. Let the Stonepetal Sentinels establish themselves strongest there, that we might choose that ce as our battlegrounds. They must be a presence that the Ebon Cult cannot ignore. Then¡­ we endure. We endure, gaining in power for the push to Mozzahr himself.¡±


    Argrave brought his hands up, clenching one into a fist while the other ran its thumb across his knuckles. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ going to be a difficult adjustment, leading from the rear. But things as they are, this time it¡¯s absolutely necessary. I can¡¯t rush blindly in.¡±


    With that, the three of them grew silent. Argrave ran through all of what Gmon had said. In time, once his mind was full, it wandered back to the subject that had brought them here: namely, the unrest in the parliament. Argrave started tough.


    ¡°Well¡­ I think you¡¯ve given me an idea, Gmon. I think I have a strategy for my war. Not the one you might know¡­ but the political war. And there, I know how things work. That¡¯s the battlefield I¡¯d choose.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn

 Chapter 426: People, Big and Small

    ¡°I lost well over one thousand good people, Your Majesty,¡± Count Castille said to Argrave. ¡°Good families relocated, leaving entire fields untended. When my father purchased thend well over eighty years ago, he bought it with the expectation that these serf families came with thend. For all intents and purposes¡­ and meaning no disrespect, of course¡­ recruiting people for ckgard is tantamount to theft, Your Majesty. In the short term, we may have to abandon entire fields. There will be less taxes, which means less funds to utilize for other projects¡ªroad repairs, fortifications, or even the crown taxes. I cannot maintain my territory if there are no people within it. That, on top of the crippling debt to those patricians in Relize, with thend as coteral¡­!¡±


    Argrave stared at the stocky man, nodding along as if he sympathized. His mind worked to trante it in real time: Your Majesty, please! It was really fun sewing, but this reaping business is no fun! I treated people poorly, but they weren¡¯t supposed to do something about it! Only poor people face consequences for their actions!


    ¡°I have spoken to the other nobles in Atrus,¡± Castille continued. ¡°And frankly¡­ they¡¯re in agreement. These immigration acts that the crown has been putting out have the potential to upend entire households. The knights under us are expecting wages that we have difficulty paying, and already many houses have abandoned keeping spellcasters in their service altogether. Our vassals were grantednd made useless by people migrating away, and so they mor to be made whole.¡±


    Argrave¡¯s trantion worked again, rephrasing the count¡¯s words. We are incapable of adapting to difficult circumstances, Your Majesty. This systemic exploitation business was booming, but times are tougher now. We need a little bit of economic stimtion in the form of live people, boxed and shipped back to untilled fields.


    As Castille continued to exin why times were tough, it was quite tempting to leave them to their fate. Being born where he was, and having lived the life he lived, Argrave could muster no sympathy for a noble ¡®down on his luck.¡¯ To trade serfs along withnd, to feel entitled for the profits of another¡¯sbor¡­ he would feel nothing if they did lose everything.


    But then, the reason why these people came here and made these brazen requests was precisely because they had no sympathy for those who left their territory. And it was because of this their people emigrated in the first ce. In a way, hisck of sympathy would end in the same result. Just as their serfs departed to ckgard, so too would these nobles depart from Argrave¡¯s camp.


    And why? Because they were selfish? Perhaps that was the answer. But life can only exist by extinguishing other life. Selfishness was a practiced instinct drilled into all animals so thoroughly as to be inextricable.


    Argrave focused on Castille calmly. The man seemed to be winding down his speech somewhat, and so Argrave raised his hand and said, ¡°I understand, count. I think you¡¯ve raised some very valid points. I think I¡¯ll have an answer for you shortly, but I¡¯d also like to speak to those representing the Magisters before I make a concrete decision.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ then, thank you, Your Majesty, Your Highness, for your time. But¡­ your thoughts¡­¡±


    ¡°I think we¡¯ll all walk away satisfied,¡± Argrave assured him with a stic smile.


    At that, the count dipped his head and left the room. Gmon followed behind, heading to retrieve the next participant in this meeting. Orion shut the door behind him, staring at Argrave and Anneliese on their couch.


    ¡°I dislike this,¡± the prince stated inly.


    Argrave leaned back into his couch, feeling rather philosophical. ¡°That man was born into his life the same as the serfs were. He was told that he should do what he¡¯s doing by his father, by all of his family, and by all those who raised him. He can barely conceive of a different way to live, of a different system of life.¡± He looked at Orion. ¡°I¡¯m not saying he¡¯s a victim. I¡¯m saying he¡¯s typical. Average. People do things they know are wrong constantly. Monkey see, monkey do; it¡¯s a tale as old as time.¡±


    Anneliese watched Argrave in curiosity, almost trying to peer into his head. Then the door opened once more, and a gray-robed woman with an owl sewn on his robe walked in. She wore a cowl over her head, casting shadows over most of her face. Gmon stepped in after her, closing the door.


    ¡°Have a seat, Magister Tilina,¡± Argrave gestured.


    ¡°Thank you for agreeing to meet me, Your Majesty,¡± Tilina said, sitting where he directed.


    ¡°I¡¯m told you represent several others sitting in at parliament,¡± Argrave began at once. ¡°I¡¯m rather curious to hear what they have to say.¡±


    Though Argrave studied where her face was, most of it was hidden in her cowl. He saw only her chin as she said, ¡°Certainly. I know you have other concerns, so I shall spare you the preamble and get to our first issue. Bluntly put, many of the Magisters are discontent that their research is being disseminated among the new recruits of your army.¡±


    ¡°As I recall, the agreement was that I would provide valuable things from Order of the Rose ruins, or other such sources of higher magic, in return for this surrender of knowledge. Has that not been the case?¡± Argrave tapped the armrest of the couch patiently.


    ¡°We believe it was not clear that Your Majesty intended to be so¡­ liberal, with the knowledge. We thought there would be more efforts to conceal magic from the general public. Magic is an immeasurably dangerous thing. To have it proliferate society absolutely unchecked will result in¡­ well, chaos,¡± the woman shook her head in dismay.


    Argrave raised a brow¡ªhe thought this was an argument that had some merit. ¡°What would you suggest be done?¡±


    ¡°Naturally, that restrictions be ced,¡± Tilina continued, raising her head up until her two blue eyes were barely visible in the light. ¡°Only the Order has the knowledge and experience necessary to urately discern who should learn magic and who should not. We request Your Majesty reconsider the legalization of magic practice outside the Order. Elsewise, many of our number would no longer feelfortable supplying merchants with alchemical supplies, enchantments, and other such Order mercantile activities.¡±


    Change thew, or we¡¯ll go on strike, Argrave tranted in his head once more.


    ¡°That would put thousands out of business. Jast¡¯s entire economy would crumble,¡± Anneliese said cautiously.


    Tilina dipped her head. ¡°If Your Highness believes that to be the case, then it must be so. We cannot say as much for certain. But given the danger of magic, many believe it necessary.¡±


    ¡°How does Castro feel about this?¡± Argrave asked.


    ¡°We are acting as a union of individuals, not as officials of the Order, Your Majesty,¡± Tilina dipped her head respectfully.


    Argrave looked at her, lost in thought. A strike only worked so long as there was no otherbor willing and able to fill the void left behind. Elenore would probably see it as an opportunity to expand her business massively if indeed the Magisters did exit the market¡­ but both quality and quantity of magic goods in cirction would plummet. Argrave wouldn¡¯t suffer¡ªfrankly, he¡¯d benefit. Everyone else would suffer, though.


    ¡°Then¡­ you¡¯ve been heard,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°I¡¯d like a moment to confer. I¡¯d like you to wait outside¡ªI trust this is no issue?¡±


    ¡°Of course not,¡± Tilina said as she rose. ¡°Thank you once again, Your Majesty.¡±


    Argrave looked out the window as she walked away, and only when the door was shut did he look back.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about S-rank spells,tely,¡± Argrave began, voice distant. ¡°Mozzahr is an S-rank spellcaster. That¡¯s not even half of what gives him his strength, but it is something. Seems like a confrontation with him is inevitable. It would be good to be on the same level, I think. Is that even possible?¡±


    Everyone in the room looked at him, puzzled.


    ¡°I also haven¡¯t really been able to look into [Blood Infusion] at all,¡± Argrave scratched at his chin. ¡°That would be a good thing to get, if I even can¡­ I think I need to have a conversation with Castro about that. Such a shame that an A-rank blood magic ascension is so rare, elsewise I might have someone else do it for me. You know, make them do the hard part so that I can just copy their work¡­ always been my style.¡±


    Everyone save Anneliese continued to stare at him. She sunk back into the couch, catching onto the fact he was just showing off.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Argrave asked. ¡°Are you concerned about the conversations that we just had? Well, I don¡¯t think you should be. And I don¡¯t know why Elenore was freaking out.¡±


    He rose from the couch, walking to the window. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m so different from most people. If I had a big, happy family with Anneliese living as king, all my friends around me, and some revolutionary threatened to upend that by freeing serfs¡­ well, I can understand why they would. I like to think I wouldn¡¯t do what they¡¯re doing in that situation, but we¡¯ll never know.¡± Argrave looked back. ¡°Fact is¡­ the average person would tolerate another burning to death to keep their happy lifestyle, so long as they didn¡¯t have to see the mess or smell the stink.¡±


    Gmon lowered his head in quiet agreement, but Orion looked quite concerned.


    ¡°People can die of obesity in one side of the world while the other dies of starvation.¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°Says a lot about human nature, doesn¡¯t it? Not that elves would do it differently¡­¡±


    Even Gmon had to look at him in concern over the bleak cynicism, and Argrave couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°I¡¯m saying very depressing things, but I¡¯m actually feeling quite optimistic right now. Fact is, I¡¯m in a position to change that. And those people out there¡­ they¡¯ve got no idea how to keep abor union cohesive. They¡¯re nobles or schrs trapped in a little bubble of their own making.¡±


    Argrave walked to the couch. ¡°Gmon¡­ if you could visit Elenore, tell her that I need a list of names of who¡¯s supporting Castille.¡±


    ¡°At once,¡± Gmon nodded, then exited the room.


    Argrave sat back down, and Anneliese looked at him expectantly. She asked, ¡°What will you do?¡±


    ¡°For the Magisters¡­¡± Argrave grunted as he settled into the couch. ¡°They feel their security as spellcasters is threatened. Some of them live hundreds of years, and security is valuable for the elderly. Well¡­ why not give them some? Security offered not by the Order, but by our government.¡± Argrave put his feet up. ¡°My idea¡­ let them register spells as patents and give them some control over the spells we appropriated, at the very least. They give away some rights to the government, but in return, they get a little trickle of cash for inventing new spells and selling their rights to anyers.


    ¡°I mean, it¡¯s only right, isn¡¯t it?¡± Argrave shrugged, closing his eyes. ¡°Credit where credit is due: some of these people have invented great spells. And long term¡­ their inventions serve for the betterment of society. I¡¯m positive once the Magisters hear about piles and piles of cashing their way, the concerns about spreading magic to society will wither away. Maybe some will hold strong, but not all. And a strike is only effective if everyone gets involved.¡±


    Argrave focused on Anneliese. ¡°As for the nobles, I just need to change the direction of their ire. If I promise two or three of them a promotion, maybe give one non-hereditary governorship over Atrus¡­ they¡¯ll cannibalize. So long as someone else is getting punked, they don¡¯t care. Whoever we raise, if anyone at all¡­ they¡¯ll take the me, take the hate. I just need to make sure it¡¯s someone calm and non-violent, but suitably ambitious. Ultimately, it¡¯s just about dying things. Like I said, a strike is only effective if everyone is involved.¡±


    Anneliese looked baffled. ¡°How are you so certain this will work?¡±


    ¡°Because if I were them, I¡¯d take it,¡± Argrave responded simply. ¡°Money for work I¡¯ve already done? I¡¯d jump for joy at that if I were a Magister. A promotion to Governor of Atrus? If I don¡¯t take it, one of those greedy bastards definitely will.¡± Heughed. ¡°No trust, no unity, there. They came sloppily. This is a new thing for them.¡±


    Anneliese exhaled and ced her head back on the couch. ¡°Your confidence¡­ I cannot understand it.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll see,¡± Argrave said simply, putting his arm around her shoulders. ¡°I think Elenore was a little wrong. She understands a lot of things way better than I do¡­ but this isn¡¯t about respect or fear.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°What, then?¡± Anneliese pressed.


    ¡°It¡¯s just about people.¡± Argrave pulled her closer to him, then said, ¡°They¡¯re born. They get exposed to ideas. They foster ambitions and expectations about life. If you think about all that¡­ well, it just makes sense, and then you know what makes them tick. Emotions, memories, and logic, all bound together in a meat pie called a mortal.¡±


    Anneliese and Orion both looked at him with wonder. Argrave felt a little bashful, then strongly considered how foolish he¡¯d look if he was wrong.


    Argrave looked up at the stone ceiling. ¡°Whatever the case¡­ I¡¯m not stopping this train, no matter what they demand. Fact is, I''m going to stay focused on the bigger picture. I''m going to stay focused on Mozzahr, and on Gerechtigkeit, no matter what petty distractions like this one surface. One good thing about taking the high road is that it¡¯s not very crowded.¡±

 Chapter 427: Where Power Lies

    Anestis was a very, very long way from home. He had travelled miles upward through the earth, seeking his people¡¯s secrets they had abandoned in the cities of old. His journey had taken him far beyond the abandoned cities, though, breaching even the surface. The sunlight from the suns was harsh enough to make him nauseous, and things were loud and fast and unpleasant.


    The small mercy of his presence here was that he was a curiosity soon forgotten. When he hade upon the giant elf named Gmon, the man had been curious for no more than a day before he simply used Anestis¡¯ knowledge of dwarven technology and then left him to his people, called the Veidimen. They were a people as barbaric as theirnd¡­ and even when this human king hade, whisking him to his home of Vasquer, the humans were not so different. Though better organized with a hierarchy of nobility, their structure was still that of arbitrary status and hereditary nonsense. Their brutish size was indicative of their inferior morality and intellect, just as the dwarves described.


    Anestis was far from home, indeed. But in the past few days, he¡¯d felt that some of his home hade to this strangend.


    This parliament¡­ Anestis was used as a showpiece to validate the king¡¯s proposal. Nheless, he had managed to learn this institution was the king¡¯s doing. And seeing their debates, their discussions, and the rtive equality of all the seats regardless of their stature brought back memories of the Dwarven Senate back home. It was a fledgling institution and a shadow of dwarven intellectualism, that much was obvious. But Anestis¡¯ father was a senator, and so he had seen firsthand the government of his people at work.


    King Argrave, despite his size indicating his great inferiority, had the spirit of the dwarves in him.


    It was oxymoronic, almost, that their king should be the foremost representative of democratic principles. But through the days, rather than employ authority, he employed a silver tongue and a sharp mind to ruthlessly dismantle factions. His words were both traps and executioners, leading people thrice his age into fumbling their words or making promises they had not intended to make.


    The nobles? On the first day they broached their proposal eagerly. They sought to restrain the serfs. They had formed a small faction within the parliament, and Anestis thought it clear they had legitimate momentum. After deftly ignoring the issue with misdirection, Argrave and his sister, Elenore, proposed naming a Viceroy of Atrus. They listed candidates for this position, isting influential members from the rest, sewing distrust¡­ and by the end of the first day, this infant faction had been long forgotten. They became nothing more than hyenas, currying favor with or ndering those that had been allies hours before.


    The king¡¯s sister, too, had a dwarven mind. The spellcasters sitting in on the parliament seemed to be prepared to remain unified. They had some experience with factional disputes, seeing as their organization functioned as an oligarchy simr to this one, if smaller in scope. Still, Elenore hardly gave them a chance to voice their thoughts before she pulled the rug out from beneath them. She promised a new source of revenue, providing hard numbers to back this up. The valiant protestors became weak in the knees and salivated over the golden guarantee.


    And then there was the third dwarfish mind, the queen. Anestis had not seen it the first three days, but she might¡¯ve been the shrewdest of them all. She did not speak to the parliament often, but the king spoke to her frequently, seeking counsel. And on the third day, when tempers were hot, and it seemed inevitable some conflict might arrive¡­ she intermediated, soothing tempers with calm, kind words and a pleasant voice. She endeared herself to them as the good queen Anneliese, securing public support for herself, her family, and their policies.


    ¡®Concessions¡¯ were made, each and all in favor of the royal family. These factions hade here prepared to make demands, to resist a strong central government¡­ and they left whipped and broken, bowing to him more than ever before. The government was centralized further yet with the implementation of a Viceroy of Atrus, and they made a new source of revenue out of thin air by giving spellcasters rights to spells they¡¯d created. After all, the crown would make just as much money from their spells as they did.


    And all of it¡­ the king¡¯s doing, of course.


    The Dwarven Senate feared silver-tongued despots like Argrave, and rightly so. The king had a maism to him, both in appearance and in voice, that few others could stand up to. He had a voice that made one listen, had a strange elegance brought about by his magic, and had a way with words best suited for scammers or politicians. Then again, in dwarven culture, the two were often one in the same.


    But Anestis did not forget what the king fought for. The blue-bloods had been dissatisfied their serfs would dare seek more freedoms, and Argrave had defended them. He¡¯d ensured stability for his country in doing so, keeping swords pointed toward the enemy. Tyranny was an easy and effective tool, but the dwarves knew that it was foolish to turnborers into warriors¡ªsociety¡¯s progress stalled. And the king exemplified that virtue.


    The royal family consisted of big, and therefore supposedly inferior, people. The king and queen were cursed to stand taller than some doorways. Even the smallest of them, Elenore, seemedrger than most human women. But Anestis saw they had an undeniable dwarfishness to them, and so questioned the judgment of his forefathers. And perhaps, just perhaps¡­ if the Ebon Cult could truly be dealt with, there was a way to connect the surface with the underground.


    Anestis was rather pleased with the idea of these people debating his father. Perhaps that insufferable senator might finally concede a loss.


    #####


    Argrave and Annelieseid in their bed, staring up at the ceiling. The enchantments keeping the room secured faintly twinkled in the night light¡ªnot enough to rouse anyone, but enough to be seen. They both had contended smiles on their faces. Perhaps it was from the day¡¯s hard work at parliament, or perhaps it was something else.


    Argrave nced over to see if Anneliese was still awake, and then said, ¡°Been thinking.¡±


    ¡°Better than the alternative,¡± Anneliese responded drolly.


    Argraveughed through his nose, then continued seriously, ¡°Mozzahr is tough. And the way his power works¡­ he¡¯ll be stronger than I remember him.¡±


    Anneliese turned her head to face him. ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°We have things at hand in parliament. Now, we have to go back to the Burnt Desert to seal that ¡®political¡¯ union between Elenore and the King of the Scorched Sands,¡± Argrave justified himself. ¡°But¡­ while we¡¯re there¡­ maybe Durran didn¡¯t have such a bad idea, making that bet.¡±


    At that, Anneliese leaned up, pulling the covers up with her. She peered down at Argrave. ¡°If you respect me¡­ please, stop thinking that.¡±


    Argrave felt equal parts embarrassed andforted by her reaction. His mind veered away from the idea at once, and Anneliese noticed this, for sheid her head back down, sighing in relief.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Argrave apologized, running one hand through his hair. ¡°Just¡­ Mozzahr is unnatural. And the Alchemist already promised his aid in the battle against Gerechtigkeit. If we could visit him, maybe even bring Durran along¡­!¡±


    ¡°Garm killed himself there. You became an utter mess of pain and misery. Forgive me, but the idea does not evoke pleasant memories.¡± Anneliese pulled the covers tighter.


    Argrave touched her bare skin with his hand. ¡°Something good came of it.¡±


    Anneliese looked at him. ¡°Something tells me the Alchemist will not indulge us. He did not seem particrly romantic.¡±


    Argrave chuckled, then defended, ¡°I¡¯m not saying we should go sh our wedding rings, just¡­ we could use anything to give us an edge. We can go on godying journeys, collect spirits while we stall his armies, but the reality remains that Mozzahr is a monster. And he¡¯ll be much more than what I remember. What he¡¯llck in battle experience, he¡¯ll make up for in pure power. And he isn¡¯t brutish¡ªhe¡¯s a natural fighter, Anne.¡±


    Anneliese sighed once more and then let silence persist. Finally, she looked back and asked resignedly, ¡°Could the Alchemist even kill him?¡±


    Argrave hesitated for half a heartbeat and then said, ¡°No. But he could help, without a doubt.¡±


    ¡°Why is his power so fearsome? You exined it before, but¡­ I never realized it rattled you to this extent.¡± Anneliese questioned. ¡°Why did you not pursue his A-rank ascension for yourself if it makes him so potent?¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t have,¡± Argrave defended. ¡°And even if I did, it wouldn¡¯t be as potent in my hands. Time is its ally.¡±


    ¡°Exin it to me again,¡± Anneliese calmly asked.


    Argrave turned to her, gathering his thoughts before he began. ¡°Mozzahr creates and controls something Heroes of Berendar named Emptiness. I don¡¯t know how he does it, but considering it¡¯s an A-rank ascension, it¡¯s probably rted to magic. Whatever the case may be, this Emptiness¡ªit¡¯s sort of a blue, ethereal light construct¡ªit¡¯s alive, and he can make it do so many damned things it hurts the head.


    ¡°If Mozzahr brings it inward, absorbs it, he can be as strong as Orion¡ªhell, as strong as that Shadonder. He can imbue other people with it, too. It can resist spells or swords. It can morph into living things and fight like that. It can resonate with magic to amplify spells beyond what should be possible. Emptiness is Mozzahr¡¯s personal hand of god, and it lets him do whatever he wants. Not hard to see why people worship him.¡±


    Anneliese listened patiently as Argrave droned on. When he finished, she rested her eyes in total silence.


    ¡°Could this so-called Emptiness be put in a cage, then used to defend someone?¡± Anneliese focused on him.


    Argrave blinked. ¡°Yeah, sure. I remember some items that did just that.¡±


    Anneliese¡¯s features grew tight as she said, ¡°I remember Durran saying Georgina, the leader of that now-defunct Unhanded Coalition, used something like that. A cage, with strange ws that were blue and ethereal.¡±


    Argrave could barely process that. He brought his hand to his forehead and caressed it, slowly sitting up. ¡°Good lord...! How do you even remember that? And why did I never hear about it?¡±


    ¡°I was just curious about his trip, that¡¯s all,¡± Anneliese shook her head. ¡°As I recall, you were more concerned with dealing with Ruleo after that battle at Castle Cookpot. Prudently so.¡±


    Argrave¡¯s brain whirled as he absorbed this new information and considered its implications. Georgina was working with the Ebon Cult¡­ but how, and why? And she had been endeavoring to keep the king alive¡­ perhaps to keep things destabilized for Mozzahr¡¯s invasion? He could make no sense of it. But still, something new sounded in his head.


    ¡°Georgina didn¡¯t die with Duke Rovostar. She left their party, maybe long ago. And she could¡­ she could tell them everything they need to know about Vasquer,¡± he stared at his hands. ¡°Meaning we have another weakness exposed. All the more reason we need every advantage we can get.¡±


    ¡°If we are to visit the Alchemist once more¡­¡± Anneliese conceded slowly, and Argrave turned to look at her. ¡°We cannot go without a solid n. He is not one for meandering small talk.¡±


    Argrave let out a sigh of relief. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m aware. Then you¡ªyou¡¯re in this?¡±


    ¡°So long as you promise not to be as stupid as Durran¡­¡± Anneliese closed her eyes. ¡°Yes. We need every edge we might gain against Mozzahr.¡±


    Argrave leaned down and kissed her, then whispered, ¡°I promise. No funny stuff from me.¡±

 Chapter 428: Strong Knot from Loose Ends

    ¡°Your Majesty¡­¡± Grimalt began, prompting Argrave to look into his amber eyes. ¡°Why exactly am I here?¡±


    The Veidimen officer was clearly ufortable in this luxury carriage¡ªnot that Argrave felt much different. But it seemed to bother him he was with Elenore, Argrave, Anneliese, Gmon, Mnie, and Orion¡ªhe felt his status was not up to snuff, evidently.


    Argrave looked out the window of the carriage. ¡°Did no one tell you, or does the marching army outside not give it away? There are a few other stops we¡¯ll be making first, but I promised the Stonepetal Sentinels that I would send aid to secure the Low Way of the Rose, permanently. Gmon thought that some of the men should taste real battle in a challenging ce,¡± Argrave pointed to his knightmander, who nodded in confirmation. ¡°The Low Way will be a vital line of trade between Vasquer and the Burnt Desert. You should be the one to lead the army into their first battle. This is a royal tour of sorts, to announce to the realm that I¡¯m still present.¡±


    ¡°I understand that part, Your Majesty. But perhaps I ought to be¡­ outside, marching with the men.¡± Grimalt gestured out the window. ¡°The other officers are.¡±


    Argrave scrutinized the warrior. Grimalt kept his head shaved, but Argrave could faintly see white hair emerging.


    He rxed his back against the upholstery and said, ¡°We had a conversation a long while ago in the Bloodwoods. As I recall, you said that you were good at discerning people¡¯s emotions.¡±


    Grimalt nodded understandingly, but Anneliese came to closer attention.


    ¡°I thought Your Majesty may have forgotten about that,¡± Grimalt admitted. ¡°But perhaps you ought to have. I am uncertain about putting it to greater use than I already am. It helps me lead your men well, but beyond that¡­ what more can I offer?¡±


    ¡°Is it a family thing? Your empathy, I mean,¡± Argrave continued, and Anneliese turned her head to him, a fed-up look about her face.


    ¡°¡­I cannot say that I¡¯ve asked. But all of my family members have been notedmanders, for what it¡¯s worth.¡± Grimalt raised his white brows. ¡°Might I inquire what Your Majesty would ask of me?¡±


    ¡°Argrave is merely attempting to learn one of his officers more personally,¡± Anneliese cut in. ¡°But there are a few other matters to talk about, right?¡± She looked at Argrave sternly. ¡°You may go, Grimalt.¡±


    Grimalt did not need to be asked again. He left quickly, dismounting from the moving carriage with splendid grace. Once he was gone, Anneliese pulled shut the door.


    ¡°What?¡± Argrave asked her as she stared at him. ¡°Clearly you get what I was driving at.¡±


    Mnie, perhaps the only outsider in the carriage, nced between the two of them in confusion as they spoke.


    ¡°I appreciate the sentiment, but that is unnecessary.¡± Anneliese shook her head. ¡°Yes, we are probably rted somehow. I don¡¯t care to expose that fact. It brings us no benefit.¡±


    ¡°That man Grimalt has the same gift you do,¡± Argrave pointed out. ¡°Maybe there¡¯s something their family can teach you. Maybe someone can exin what exactly happened with Onychinusa¡ªyou know, that whole impact you felt after your conversation. You said it faded after helping her, but you really had me worried back then. You weren¡¯t yourself.¡±


    ¡°If Grimalt divulged nothing, then there is nothing to learn,¡± she dismissed calmly. She wasn¡¯t angry, but her mind seemed made up. ¡°I do not care to connect with my paternal side. No one that did what my father did is worthy of knowing¡ªand given the implications, I doubt his family are ster people, either.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Argrave shrugged. ¡°I should have asked you first. Was probably rude.¡±


    ¡°I am untroubled. I understand why you did it.¡± Anneliese, ever the patient one, picked up a book and split it open. ¡°But turmoil is thest thing we need. Perhaps it might not be so after all is done¡­ but for now, let it die.¡±


    Mnie, sitting across from Anneliese, questioned, ¡°You never knew your dad, Your Highness? I thought he was the king¡­ or chief, or whatever.¡±


    Anneliese looked at her. ¡°I was adopted. In adulthood, as a matter of fact.¡±


    ¡°Should you two be so liberal with that information?¡± Elenore questioned, gray eyes looking between the two of them.


    ¡°Anneliese believes Mnie¡¯s loyalties are settled. I do, too,¡± Argrave grabbed a book of his own. ¡°She can get a few answers.¡±


    ¡°No, I wasn¡¯t prying, I just¡­ I can sympathize, I guess,¡± Mnie said quietly, brushing back some of her red hair. She seemed embarrassed to be vulnerable, and so quickly interjected, ¡°Seems to have worked out for the both of us, seeing as we¡¯re in a carriage like this with kings and princesses, eh? And speaking of that¡­ that elf had a point that applies to me. Why am I here?¡±


    ¡°Simple. You¡¯ll be reigning in the Stonepetal Sentinels, making them subordinate to the crown.¡± Argrave pointed his book at her. His eyes caught on its white cover¡ªthis was one of the books that Garm had written before he gave his soul to Durran. His work carried on even now. He pushed the bittersweet thought away and continued, ¡°You¡¯ll have to get used to working with us closely, Mnie.¡±


    Mnie looked like the weight of her new position finally hit her.


    ¡°Just don¡¯t embarrass us at the Tower of the Gray Owl, yeah? Castro is quite the looker, and I know you¡¯re a flirt.¡± Argraveughed, then leaned up against Anneliese and read.


    #####


    ¡°Huh. Wondrous,¡± Castro remarked, staring at Argrave. The old man¡¯s rheumy eyes traced one of the blood echoes that Argrave had projected. ¡°Congrattions, Argrave. You invented your own A-rank ascension. That makes you a genius.¡±


    ¡°Aww¡­e on, you¡¯ll embarrass me. That word is reserved for better people,¡± Argrave scratched the back of his neck, calling the echo back within. ¡°Had plenty of help.¡±


    ¡°Others had help,¡± Castro shook his head, and then walked deeper inside the vast room of the Tower Master. ¡°Plenty of help. But there aren¡¯t that many A-rank spellcasters, not really. Do you realize how much of an anomaly you are? You¡¯re what, twenty-one, and you¡¯re an A-rank mage?¡±


    ¡°Enough of that,¡± Argrave continued dismissing. ¡°I¡¯m no one.¡±


    ¡°To think you were so insufferably confident when first we met¡­ now you can¡¯t ept praise,¡± Castro marveled, shaking his head. Reminded of something, he turned. ¡°Anyway, while I have you here¡­¡± the tower master reached for something on his desk, then picked up a paper. ¡°I got this.¡±


    Orion took the paper, making sure it wasn¡¯t a deadly assassination weapon, and then handed it off to Argrave respectfully. After casting his brother a questioning nce, Argrave quickly scanned it.


    ¡°The bounty for Dimocles,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°What¡ªyou know where he is?¡±


    Elenore looked at the document, then at Castro. ¡°Please. Anything would help,¡± she pressed.


    Dimocles, the polymorph, greatly worried Argrave. They had ruined the man¡¯s collection to thwart both him and Erlebnis, and neurotic as the man was, such a slight would not be forgotten. All of the guards at the entrances to ckgard had been instructed to look for people with the blue-green eyes marking him as a polymorph, but no word hade. Dimocles was a yer character, and therefore resourceful. Argrave did fear reprisal, but he didn¡¯t let it rule his life. This was the most they could reasonably do.


    ¡°My apprentice Ingo spoke of him,¡± Castro continued. ¡°He spoke of Dimocles¡¯ guillotine, and a shadow behind man bigger than the one we face ahead.¡±


    Argrave absorbed the words, but Anneliese quickly deduced, ¡°Perhaps¡­ Erlebnis, and that betrayal. Your apprentice sees what currently is, not what will be, correct? When was this¡ªwhen we were in the Bloodwoods?¡±


    Castro nodded. ¡°Yes. He does not make prophecies, but he sees things. Your Majesty,¡± the tower master looked right at him, vigor not at all indicative of his wizened body giving rity to his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not sure how much longer he canst. His visions grow clearer, yet his seizures rise in tandem. I will not extort you¡ªthe idea of it repulses me so much, given the burden you shoulder. But¡­ please, tell me if I should give up hope on help.¡±


    Argrave set down the paper speaking of Dimocles on a nearby desk. An idea came to him that turned his stomach. ¡°I can help you now. But how much risk can you tolerate?¡±


    ¡°Risk?¡± Castro repeated.


    ¡°There are two ways. One is surefire¡­ but it requires a little luck. Luck, in that it might not even be possible.¡± Argrave looked out to the balcony. ¡°If we kill the god that gave Ingo the blessing he bears, it¡¯ll dissipate. But¡­ I can¡¯t honestly promise he canst long enough for us to find this deity.¡±


    Castro quietly digested that. ¡°The other way?¡±


    ¡°¡­it¡¯s not surefire,¡± Argrave said hesitantly. He felt a maniptive bastard bringing this up, and he hated that his mind could so quickly work out a situation that benefitted him¡­ but still, Argrave continued, ¡°We¡¯re visiting someone. The Alchemist. And he¡­ he might be able to remove the blessing manually.¡±


    Argrave had been wondering how they could approach the Alchemist without substantial risk. And this¡ªbringing a god¡¯s blessing right to him¡ªwould be the perfect excuse. He didn¡¯t like this was his immediate thought, exploiting their misery in this manner, but given the situation Argrave couldn¡¯t afford to keep his mouth shut. Anneliese gave him a knowing,forting nce.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°I¡¯ve tried many draughts, potions¡­ it¡¯s nothing an alchemist can cure,¡± Castro shook his head.


    ¡°I said, the Alchemist,¡± Argrave repeated. ¡°He¡¯s¡­ not even a ¡®he¡¯ really, he¡¯s an it. He specializes in esoteric, body-modifying magic. He reced my heart, allowing it to pump ck blood. But beyond that, he¡¯s probably one of the most knowledgeable spellcasters in the entire world. He¡¯s very unstable¡­ but he¡¯s even-handed. If wee to him with a deal, and he believes he¡¯s capable, he¡¯ll try it. No tricks.¡±


    Castro listened intently, then leaned up against the table. ¡°I don¡¯t¡­ hmm.¡± The old man shook his head. ¡°This boy is like a son to me. If he were toe to harm¡­!¡± he trailed off, the idea paining him.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Castro, but these are the things I have on-hand.¡± Argrave shrugged.


    Castro silently stared into space for half a minute, then said, ¡°¡­but I am not his father. I will ask Ingo his opinion, when he is¡­ clear-headed.¡± The bald man focused on Argrave and Anneliese. ¡°But what else brought you here, Your Majesty, Your Highness? Not this alone, I trust.¡±


    ¡°Just wanted to call upon the Order in the future, if I could,¡± Argrave ventured. ¡°Mozzahr¡ªhas word spread, yet?¡±


    ¡°I heard, yes,¡± Castro nodded.


    ¡°I intend on capturing some of his A-rank ascension¡ªhis Emptiness. It¡¯s powerful beyond imagination. I¡¯d like the Order to evaluate it for weaknesses. This could be a long way away, but I thought you should know.¡±


    In truth, Argrave knew it was without notable weakness, but hoped to prepare the Magisters for fighting such a thing.


    ¡°Certainly,¡± Castro nodded. ¡°You came a long way. You must wish for rest. Was there anything else?¡±


    Argrave shook his head. ¡°Not unless you have anything else.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ I¡¯ll get back to you. About Ingo. He was always a precocious child¡­ but to ce his life in his hands¡­¡± the tower master sighed heavily. ¡°Give me time. We¡¯ll work out what to do about this ¡®blessing¡¯ he bears.¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± Argrave nodded.


    Argrave walked away, joined by Anneliese¡­ but watching him more intently than normal was Orion. A question yed about his lips, but after shaking his head the prince followed along in silence.

 Chapter 429: Past Builds the Present

    Argrave stood at the stables with Anneliese, watching as the people there tended to the horses that had been drawing their carriage. She held a packet in her hand.


    ¡°To think your handwriting used to be so much neater,¡± Anneliese ruminated, biting her lip. ¡°What is this strange script? It used to be so pretty¡­ now I can barely read it, these days.¡±


    Argrave scoffed. ¡°Is that the point?¡±


    ¡°No, no, of course not,¡± she said, shing a teasing smile at him. ¡°Infusing blood magic into all spells¡­ you really had your mind set on magic that caused you pain from the get-go, hmm?¡±


    Argrave said nothing in response, looking back to the tower. ¡°Wanted to seek Castro for counsel about [Blood Infusion], but¡­¡±


    Argrave heard somemotion from the entrance to the Tower of the Gray Owl, and turned his head to see what this was all about. There, Castro walked, someone walking by his side with quite the hunch.


    The Tower Master walked toward them, and Argrave moved to meet him halfway. His eyes wandered to the man that wasing with, and he saw Ingo. The Tower Master¡¯s apprentice was in quite the state¡ªhis eyes were bloodshot, his pale skin was drawn tight against his bones, and his baby blue hair was thin and wispy. He shivered as though it was cold, but Argrave felt the weather was rather warm here. Ingo looked near death, quite frankly.


    ¡°Ingo wishes to meet this Alchemist. But I won¡¯t allow whatever happens until I¡¯ve met him myself, Your Majesty,¡± Castro said insistently yet respectfully. ¡°I have my own carriage. We shall follow.¡±


    ¡°Are affairs settled at the Order?¡± Anneliese asked cautiously, her good-natured teasing vanished now that others were here. ¡°This will not be a short journey. We have much to attend to before the matter with the Alchemist.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Castro confirmed. ¡°The Order is in capable hands.¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°Then¡­ let¡¯s get ready to go.¡±


    #####


    Their stay at the Tower of the Gray Owl was short, and then the march toward the Low Way of the Rose began again. As Anneliese said, there was much to attend to along the path¡ªbefore they delved into the Low Way itself, the army, well-trained by Veidimen, cut their teeth against various necromantic abominations guing disparate territories. The devastation was not as extreme as Argrave recalled from Heroes of Berendar¡ªbut then, this was because he had taken efforts to mitigate the impact of the civil war and further warn people of theing tumult. This tour served to lessen the burden ced upon the people of Vasquer, raising public safety and the royal image. Sometimes, blessings dide in pairs.


    Despite the stemmed impact of Gerechtigkeit¡¯s possession of the necromantic creations, their purge of evil was a good appetizer for what was toe. Argrave watched the army and their disciplined assault of various Order of the Rose strongholds, and he was well-pleased with the results. There were a few injuries, and one extremely unfortunate soul passed away from a copse due to structural instability. But as was stipted when they joined, their next of kin would receive generouspensation for his passing. Still, hearing of the first death reminded Argrave of why he was so ill at ease with raising andmanding an army.


    As the journey stretched longer than Argrave wasfortable with, he felt the need to visit with Castro. Argrave left his royal carriage and joined with the Tower Master when they had stopped to camp for one night. The Tower Master sat before a fire beneath a tree, wearing in gray robes as ever.


    Before he was seen, Argrave asked, ¡°How is Ingo faring with the journey?¡±


    Castro nced at Argrave and Orion behind him, and then back at his apprentice. Heid there beneath a tree, covered by nkets and all he needed to befortable. Despite this, Ingo shivered intensely, grinding his teeth.


    ¡°He, uhh¡­ he looks rather¡­¡± Argrave wiped his hands together.


    ¡°Bad, yes,¡± Castro nodded, then looked up at Argrave. ¡°Fret not. The journey did not cause this. It is just his¡­ blessing, as you called it.¡±


    Argrave nced at Orion, who guarded him diligently and then back at Castro. ¡°Can I sit?¡±


    ¡°Kings shouldn¡¯t ask, no?¡± Castro smiled genially yet bitterly. ¡°Be my guest.¡±


    Argrave obeyed, sitting down and staring at the fire. ¡°Been a while since we talked. Thoroughly, I mean.¡±


    ¡°For you,¡± Castro agreed. ¡°For me¡­ time moves dreadfully slow, yet ufortably fast.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve seen many more years than I have,¡± Argrave pointed out. ¡°Guess it must feel different.¡±


    ¡°It?¡± Castro repeated.


    ¡°Living,¡± Argrave rified as the fire popped.


    ¡°Not quite. Life can be rming in its tedium, no matter how many years pass me by. You start to see cycles. Cycles in people, attitudes, nations, economies¡­ collective memory is rather short.¡± Castro shrugged. ¡°The people that be S-rank are obsessed with magic. I think¡­ I think without it, not many of us would live as long, even with the lifespan. The obsession keeps us grounded. Not sane, but grounded.¡±


    Hearing of cycles reminded Argrave only of Gerechtigkeit, and so he sighed. Ingo groaned, and when Argrave looked over he was clenching his fists hard enough to draw blood. Castro moved to remedy the man¡¯s pain. It was easy to see Ingo as a child¡ªhelpless, innocent-looking, frail¡­ but he was a man grown. And he¡¯d been dealing with this all his life.


    In time, Castro rejoined Argrave, sitting without a word of sorrow orint. Argrave watched him.


    ¡°How do you do it?¡± Argrave asked. ¡°No¡ªhow have you done it? Take care of him, all these years.¡±


    ¡°Because of responsibility,¡± Castro responded simply.


    ¡°Moral responsibility? I can understand that. But I never hear youin,¡± Argrave pressed.


    ¡°Not moral,¡± Castro shook his head. ¡°It may be moral, but that isn¡¯t why I do it.¡±


    Argrave waited for the Tower Master to borate. Castro eventually caught onto his burning gaze, and sighed.


    ¡°Your father wanted to exploit Ingo¡¯s abilities to their fullest, even at the young boy¡¯s detriment¡ªwell, Ingo was young at the time,¡± the Tower Master began reluctantly. ¡°It wasn¡¯t possible, necessarily, but¡­ that¡¯s what the king wanted. Opposition arose from many parties. I found myself in the center of this political storm¡ªand yes, it was political. It began as moral, but it ended political,¡± Castro dered. ¡°And as conclusion¡­ I saved him.¡±


    ¡°Noble,¡± Argravemented.


    ¡°Untrue,¡± Castro disagreed. ¡°Ingo was¡­ a tool. Everybody wanted him¡ªthe ability to see whatever one wished of this reality was a gift unlike any other. That was why it drew attention. But after more details came out, he was forgotten. He was another part of another cycle, and his time came and went.¡± Castro looked to Argrave. ¡°Even if I let Ingo go, no one would bother him, necessarily. But I had to keep him safe and healthy.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Argrave pressed.


    ¡°Leadership¡­ it wears you down,¡± Castro said slowly. ¡°Everything and everyone is a constant pressure bearing down on you. At the start, you¡¯re young, vital, youthful¡ªyou can meet the tests. Maybe you get confident after handling the first blows ably. Still, every time your bnce gets a little worse. But as I said¡ªit¡¯s constant.¡± The tower master looked at him. ¡°What happened in the Bloodwoods, what happened at your parliament; these tests never end until you do. Trial after trial, just waiting for you to stumble, to sumb. People know what¡¯s prudent, by andrge. Most don¡¯t do it. These cycles people fall into¡ªthey spin like whirlpools, drawing people in. Then they¡¯re caught. Maybe you swim out, but probably not. Your struggles make the cycle stronger, drawing others into it. And then¡­ you all sink.¡±


    Argrave digested the words in silence, then asked, ¡°How does that connect?¡±


    ¡°Ingo¡­ I viewed him as a reminder of this constancy. A rock to cling to as the tides of life bear against me. That time where I saved him was stressful. I made emotional, and political, decisions. And as a result, everything changed for that boy. I needed to be reminded of that.¡± Castro looked at Ingo firmly. ¡°The things you do make ripples enough to overturn the greatest vessels in thiske of life¡ªand leaders must take care not to forget their actions echo quite far. So I believe, at least.¡±


    ¡°But you said he¡¯s like a son,¡± Argrave reminded him.


    ¡°My son died much like Ingo at the age of eight,¡± Castro said with a calmness unbefitting what he said. ¡°His mother killed herself shortly after.¡±


    Argrave slowly turned his head to Castro as the old man searched the mes for something. He didn¡¯t seem an all-powerful spellcaster, then. He was an old man who¡¯d seen enough of life to be where he was.


    All Argrave could say was, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re very kind, but it was hundreds of years ago. Though I suppose it still sticks with me, given that I care so much for that boy.¡± Castro said, then looked at Argrave. ¡°I apologize. Old men tend to ramble. I sought to impart a lesson about leadership, but it went a little beyond that.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t apologize,¡± Argrave said tly. ¡°Though¡­ if you care to make it up to me¡­¡±


    Castroughed quietly. Even after sharing such a sad story, he seemed as even-mannered as ever. ¡°Is there something more you need?¡±


    ¡°I need more guidance,¡± Argrave said. ¡°I shot up to A-rank, but I don¡¯t feel I¡¯m rounded. You¡¯ve fought thousands of battles and even more wars. I mostly just throw powerful spells around until they break things. And I need guidance on how to achieve [Blood Infusion],¡± he summarized quickly. ¡°I¡¯d volunteer Anneliese, too, but she¡¯s honestly so far beyond me it¡¯s embarrassing. Bottom line: please, teach me all you can. I¡¯ve been doing this all alone, but I¡¯m not sure I can anymore.¡±


    Argrave had thought to ask this of Rowe, but decided that the old snow elf would be quite possibly the worst teacher. He didn¡¯t care to have some overbearing taskmaster lording over him like some tyrant. He much preferred the old man who could destroy cities, but was also gentle. Hence, Castro.


    Argrave knew that Castro had some magic traits, separate from A-rank ascension or anything else. They were small, constant modifiers that optimized magic somewhat. Argrave hadn¡¯t experimented much with getting traits: he recalled both gaining and losing [Insomnia], and quite obviously obtained [ck Blooded], but beyond that things were either too incremental to be worth considering or too difficult to obtain with all he¡¯d taken on.


    Now, though, with Mozzahring¡­ Argrave needed both practical training and whatever margins he could squeeze out of his ability. Perhaps Castro was the key to that¡ªperhaps not, as well. Regardless, Argrave sorely felt he needed guidance. He had bought a sports car without fully understanding how to drive it, and didn¡¯t care to crash. He had raw power in abundance, but he didn¡¯t have finer maniption.


    ¡°You hope to inherit three hundred years of dedicated study during this short journey?¡± Castro raised a bushy brow.


    ¡°¡­maybe the highlights,¡± Argrave said optimistically.


    Castroughed once more, and then looked to Ingo. ¡°Long ago¡­ Ingo thought you might be joining him as an apprentice. It seems he turned out right. It is a shame he cannot be present enough to appreciate it.¡± He looked back. ¡°Alright, Your Majesty. I can¡­ educate you. And your wife, if she is simrly willing. But if you sought encouragement¡­ you¡¯ll find none here. Instead, it¡¯s my hope you feel very discouraged.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn

 Chapter 430: Dueling Perspectives

    Castro¡¯s tutge was a wee reprieve from the monotony of self-study. Argrave had never been truly taught by anyone, and so he eagerly looked to have his ability assessed by someone so highly regarded. The first thing that was asked of him was rather simple: Argrave was first instructed to describe his current capability. It had been a little awkward, what with Ingo also present, but he moved past that.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    He, Anneliese, and Orion had moved to Castro¡¯s private carriage for this conversation. Gmon was watching after Elenore.


    ¡°¡­and that¡¯s about it,¡± Argrave finished his summary, petting one of the ck Brumesingers in hisp. Anneliese had finished her report some time agodies first, Argrave insisted. The breadth of her knowledge was impressive, and Argrave felt his own achievements were merely satisfactory byparison. It had taken some time, but Castro sat there with few words, simply nodding as they exined.


    Castro looked at Argrave. ¡°So, to summarize, you have absolutely no training on conservation of magic. You¡¯ve never experimented with your own spells, not even slightly. Everything you¡¯ve achieved has been from learning premade spells. Your strategy is mainly to overwhelm opponents with massive amounts of magic, loaned by an ancient god.¡±


    ¡°Or my blood echoes,¡± Argrave added.


    ¡°Or those,¡± Castro nodded. ¡°You understand enchanting somewhat, but you can only replicate a few spells. You¡¯ve never seriously fought an opponent on an even level where you had to rely on skill to win. In instances where you were inferior in terms of raw power, you used tricks like alchemy to enhance your prowess or things like shamanic magic to turn the opponent¡¯s magic against them.¡±


    ¡°There were a few fights,¡± Argrave added half-heartedly. ¡°Like¡­ like on the beach, against the Veidimen party. One man was C-rank, just as I was. I think.¡±


    ¡°Anything else?¡± Castro looked between the two of them.


    ¡°¡­those vampires in the Low Way,¡± Argrave managed.


    ¡°They were trapped at D-rank. Talentless, apparently, and they had nothing to study from given as the library we head to recover now was blocked off to them,¡± Anneliese reminded him.


    A few other examples came to mind¡­ but each and every one wasn¡¯t a true fight. He had never squared off with someone on equal footing. And given the existence of someone like Dimocles¡­ even Argrave¡¯s bulk of magic power might not be able to keep up with that. The man had the same near-infinite well that Argrave did, but bona fide skill to back it up.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re utterly inexperienced atbatting an equal. Equal in terms of power at least,¡± Castro continued, nodding. ¡°I understand you know how to take a blow, and I understand you¡¯ve got the mettle for battle, but that¡¯s about the only positive thing I can think of. It is important, granted, but with greater skill you can avoid damage entirely. There¡¯s never a reason to get hit as a spellcaster. You prefer lightning and blood magic¡­ and you try your best to end fights quickly. You catch them by surprise, use overwhelming power, and take them out this way.¡± Castro rubbed the bridge of his nose. ¡°There are many issues here.¡±


    ¡°I never thought I was some kind of battle master, but still¡­¡± he scratched the back of his neck. ¡°To y devil¡¯s advocate: spellcasters aren¡¯t meant to duel,¡± Argrave posited. ¡°They¡¯re meant to do just what you described¡ªhit the enemy hard at vital points in the battle to turn things around. They¡¯re quick bursts of power, not sustained juggernauts.¡± He gestured to Orion, who seemed out of sorts. ¡°He¡¯s the endurance man. And hell¡ªI¡¯ve got more endurance than most.¡±


    ¡°I will admit that is true,¡± Castro nodded. ¡°And you are right in spellcaster¡¯s role in the battlefield. But duels do happen. And this Casten of the Empty you so continuously warn of¡ªyou seem determined to fight him.¡±


    ¡°When did I say that?¡± Argrave raised his brows.


    ¡°Just my hunch, as an old man who¡¯s seen too much,¡± Castro smiled genially. ¡°But I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll reach S-rank this century, Argrave. Not like this.¡±


    Argrave scoffed. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you were proud of me earlier? I feel betrayed.¡±


    ¡°What is S-rank? It is the pinnacle,¡± Castro said, holding his hands together to form a pyramid. ¡°It is a culmination of all that came before it. It employs all the buildings blocks of the previous ranks to coalesce at a point which no spellcaster has ever ascended beyond.¡± The tower master lowered his hands and shrugged. ¡°People have tried. Traugott was obsessed with the barrier. He always thought there was something beyond S-rank. Before he went rogue and summoned that Shadonder upon Dirracha, it was his sole focus.¡±


    ¡°You told me the same thing back when we first spoke,¡± Argrave reminded him. ¡°You said B-rank would be hard, I think. But I¡¯m A-rank now. Exceeded your expectations before, no?¡±


    Castro nodded. ¡°Do you know the youngest A-rank spellcaster I know of? She was one of Queens of Quadreign before it was conquered by Felipe. She became A-rank at fourteen due to their special me, as I recall. Then, one hundred and seventy-two yearster, she reached S-rank.¡± He waved his hand. ¡°Many such cases. Sad.¡±


    Truth be told, Argrave had only barely glimpsed the bottom of the monumental task that was S-rank, and hearing Castro speak sent a jolt through him. He spared a nce at Ingo in the carriage with them, who was unconscious in a rare moment of respite.


    ¡°And you, Your Highness,¡± Castro looked at Anneliese. ¡°I think you would be well-served listening along with what I¡¯ll teach Argrave. You have been very diligent, and I believe that shines through. You¡¯re more rounded. Still, as with him, somebat experience is in order. Your A-rank ascension practically was built for duels.¡±


    Anneliese smiled, and Argrave patted her leg to celebrate the fact she had not received such a brutal dressing down. ¡°And, uh¡­ what do you intend to teach me?¡±


    ¡°Much. Much and more. Fundamentals, finer maniption¡­ and once we get through all of that?¡± Castro looked at Argrave. ¡°Magic isn¡¯t solelybat, but there¡¯s nothing quite like active application to refine things until they be instinctual. We¡¯ll fight, you and I.¡±


    #####


    Argrave sat in Castro¡¯s carriage, staring at the empty seat across. Castro definitely said some more things after, but he¡¯d barely heard them. Now they had stopped only a few days away from their final stop: the Low Way of the Rose. Castro was out of the carriage, talking with Anneliese some, but Orion and Ingo remained inside.


    ¡°Maybe Rowe would have been better¡­¡± Argrave muttered into his hand. ¡°Rowe wouldn¡¯t bother with something this detailed. He¡¯d never get his hands dirty...¡±


    ¡°¡­is he gone?¡± someone whispered faintly.


    Argrave looked to Orion, but the man shook his head and pointed out Ingo. When Argrave next looked at the sickly man, he was looking about the carriage. He nearly fell off the seat, and so Argrave lurched off his and steadied him with one hand.


    ¡°Woah, hey,¡± Argrave said in surprise. ¡°Take it easy. You talking about Castro? Need me to get him?¡±


    ¡°No¡­!¡± Ingo insisted. ¡°No. Don¡¯t get him. Please.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡± Argrave narrowed his eyes. ¡°Is he doing that Munchausen by proxy thing? Have you been being poisoned the whole time? What¡¯s up? Talk to me.¡±


    ¡°I see it,¡± Ingo¡¯s bloodshot eyes focused on him. ¡°The bottomless vat. And¡­ and me. And I see you. You are the sun.¡±


    Argrave stared quietly, then helped Ingo lie morefortably. ¡°Just try and rest up, Ingo.¡±


    ¡°Listen, please,¡± Ingo insisted. ¡°The Alchemist. I see him. But my blessing¡ªhe¡¯ll want it for himself if I stay alive. I know it. But you¡­ because you know, you win. You need vision. It¡¯s carried you everywhere. You are the sun with a great eye in the center. But you need another eye, Argrave. Mine. Because the foulest evil¡­! The foulest shadow approaches from behind, where your eye is blind. And it will extinguish you,¡± Ingo insisted in a low hiss.


    Argrave felt his blood run cold. ¡°You don¡¯t see the future. What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°But I see what is. And this empty shadow¡­ it sees you. It watches you. It knows every ray you have, and it ising. Without sight, even the sun will die. It is all you are and more. It has your power tenfold, and now¡­ a traitor gives it knowledge of the kingdom.¡± Ingo reached out of his nket and gripped Argrave¡¯s hand. ¡°Surrender my life to the Alchemist. He must ept my life, but you must keep my blessing. Let the bottomless vat manipte it, perfect it, and then take it for your own. He will be satisfied with the experiment alone, just as he gave you your heart. Only with my sight will you have true vision, true knowledge, of all that is. And only with that can you face whates.¡±


    ¡°I know what Mozzahr is,¡± Argrave guessed, feeling that could be all Ingo could be talking about. ¡°And I¡¯m making preparations. But I promised Castro¡ª¡±


    ¡°Your friend. The desert king. The dead man walking,¡± Ingo gripped his hand a little tighter. ¡°The secrets to the cycle of judgment. With my power, you could tear it all open. You could free him, and the whole world, of Gerechtigkeit. All the world would be a book made open to you.¡±


    Argrave¡¯s cold blood pumped quickly, and he insisted, ¡°You don¡¯t know that. You¡¯re guessing. Specting.¡±


    ¡°Everyone¡­¡± Ingo insisted, his voice tight and weak. ¡°The shadow is bigger than everyone, Argrave. I can¡¯t let them die. Castro taught me that¡ªsave them, save them, no matter what. He saved me. Let me do the same. Let me die so that they may live. Leave me to the Alchemist, stripped bare. Let him experiment on me, test me, prod me¡­ but take the only thing I¡¯m worth. Take my true sight. Please. Please,¡± he whimpered.


    Argrave¡¯s eyes shook as Ingo pleaded. He pulled free his hand, and a few secondster the carriage door opened.


    ¡°Ingo, are you all right?¡± Castro asked at once, stepping up onto the carriage. He brushed past Argrave and surveyed the man¡¯s body, looking for sources of pain. ¡°Thought he was crying out, but¡­¡± he looked to Argrave. ¡°Did he say anything?¡±


    Argrave sat back on his carriage seat, then looked at Castro with a smooth face. Silence stretched, and Castro narrowed his eyes in worry.


    ¡°Not a thing,¡± Argrave said.


    Castro looked relieved. But Anneliese, who¡¯d arrived at the door¡­ she saw Argrave¡¯s turmoil. He slowly clenched his hands together.

 Chapter 431: Weakness Leaving the Body

    The red moon had long ago taken its ce at the center of the sky, but still Argrave paced restlessly. They were in their own tent, pitched by the Veidimen warriors for their easy rest, but sleep was thest thing on Argrave¡¯s mind as he consulted with Anneliese and Gmon.


    Argrave looked up at Gmon. ¡°If your kid wanted to kill himself, would you let him?¡±


    Gmon stared back at Argrave for one, two, three seconds, white eyes colder than the grave. ¡°No,¡± he said contemptuously.


    Argrave pointed both index fingers. ¡°Even if he was trying to save the world?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Gmon repeated. ¡°A world without my son isn¡¯t worth saving.¡±


    Argrave smiled bitterly and curled his pointed fingers into fists. He bluntly felt it was a stupid answer that he would never make. But he had no children. He couldn¡¯t know what it was that possessed Gmon to say such a decisive thing. Still¡­ the whole world? Good lord, Gmon, he thought.


    Argrave brought it back to himself. Would he kill himself to save the world? Hell no, he realized. He only did any of this because he thought it would result in him living, not dying. The closest he¡¯d evere to that was the Bloodwoods, where he thought Elenore could pick things up if he failed. But failing to live was much different than choosing to die. Even in his most desperate moments, he¡¯d never once gone into them truly expecting death.


    The next closest person to him, Anneliese¡­ to have her die? To never again hear her thoughts, see her face, touch her skin¡­? To speak to a coffin or a gravestone, and never receive an answer? As Argrave ran through the simtion, his breathing got a little heavier. His own death would almost be more eptable because he wouldn¡¯t have to live with it.


    He understood Gmonpletely in that moment, and also understood this: Castro would never ept Ingo¡¯s death.


    Argrave felt a warm touch, and Anneliese burrowed her way into his arms. Her Starsparrownded on his shoulder, its small body struggling meekly to offerfort. It was a reminder he fretted over a choice not yet final. As he wrapped his arms around her, his Brumesingers popped out of his coat and used his body like a tree to better show their affection toward her. As ever, their druidic bonds were a mirror of their own states.


    ¡°This desert¡¯s cursed. Garm. Durran. Now this,¡± Argrave whispered quietly. ¡°Maybe this was one of those cycles Castro was talking about, where you make a bad decision and get swept away.¡±


    ¡°But what is certain?¡± Anneliese countered, her voice muffled. ¡°What did Ingo say exactly? All of his sight is couched in symbolism. He makes guesses about the proceedings, but if anyone could predict things with knowledge alone every schr would be a king. You came with knowledge¡ªforeknowledge, even¡ªand yet things ended beyond your expectations in every case.¡±


    Argrave took a calming breath, and then looked down at Anneliese. ¡°Ingo said Mozzahr was looking at me, I¡¯m certain. ¡®An empty shadow is watching you,¡¯ he said; who else could it be? And if that doesn¡¯t bode poorly, what does?¡±


    Anneliese removed her arms around his back and stepped away. She looked off to the side and then said, ¡°¡­I have no answers, Argrave. And without actually speaking to the Alchemist, we must content ourselves with this: Ingo seeks to bestow his true sight upon you, which he believes can only ur with his death. Castro will not allow this¡ªnot in my view. So, what now?¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s not now, though. It¡¯ster. In the meantime¡­ we keep this quiet. Right?¡±


    Anneliese hesitated for a few moments, then nodded in agreement. ¡°Keep it quiet.¡±


    ¡°And yet¡­ I can¡¯t deny it would solve an issue we¡¯ve been having,¡± Argrave moved to their bedroll.


    #####


    Though Argrave¡¯s mind was in turmoil, Castro was ignorant of this fact¡­ or perhaps he took Argrave¡¯s apprehension to be from a fear of the proposed sparring. Regardless, his relentless instruction was far removed from any other teaching that Argrave had endured. In the proceeding days, the royal couple stayed with the tower master, learning from him.


    ¡°Magic that flows outside the bounds of the spell matrix as it travels dissipates,¡± Castro said, holding a spiraling spell in his hands. To demonstrate, he willed magic beyond the matrix, and Argrave saw it fade away once it extended beyond the set lines. It was almost like a wilting bud. ¡°To this end, you must perfect exact flow of magic to minimize losses. I want you to try it. Worry not about the speed at which the spellpletes, but the wastage.¡±


    Anneliese held her own hand up at once, following Castro¡¯s instructions. Argrave watched the flow of her magic as she worked, then decided to try on his lonesome once shepleted hers. He was quite mindful of exactly perfecting thing, but¡­


    ¡°Look at this. Look at this,¡± Castro winced. ¡°By the gods¡­ you¡¯re using five, sometimes six percent more than what you need to! It¡¯s like you¡¯re pouring water into a bottle from ten feet above¡ªthe liquid¡¯s spilling off to the side, getting caught by the wind...¡± the tower master sighed. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen an A-rank spellcaster worse at this than you.¡±


    Argrave narrowed his eyes. ¡°Yeah, but¡­¡± he dispelled the spell, and then created another. He sent his magic forth, relying on muscle memory. In less than half a second, it waspleted. ¡°I have the speed down.¡±


    ¡°Around eleven percent, wasted,¡± was Castro¡¯s onlyment.


    Argraveughed, not taking it personally. ¡°Why doesn¡¯t speed matter to you?¡±


    Castro looked at Argrave, then ttened his hand out downward. Argrave saw a sh of light for a brief instant before his leg lit up with pain and red hotness pooled at his foot, which quickly lost sensation. He clenched his teeth together to suppress a groan and looked down, expecting to see blood¡­ but his leg was fine.


    ¡°Illusion magic.¡± Argrave put his hand to his chest and exhaled in relief.


    ¡°Zero percent wastage, casting time of milliseconds. And that spell was C-rank, Argrave. You have resistance to it as a higher-rank spellcaster, but the speed of the spell fooled even your enhanced senses,¡± Castro exined calmly. ¡°With lightning magic, blood magic¡­ wastage is especially prevalent. Speed is important, no denying that. But these things are not mutually exclusive.¡± He pointed at Argrave. ¡°I want you to create one thousand F-rank spells with zero wastage. Don¡¯t cast them, butplete them and then withdraw your magic. Move up the ranks, one by one. I will watch and make sure you have no wastage.¡±


    ¡°Starting with F-rank?¡± Argrave repeated.


    ¡°Do you think it¡¯ll be easy? If it is, it shouldn¡¯t take long, right?¡± Castro pointed out.


    Argrave had no rebuttal, and so he and Anneliese started on this task. And every time they failed¡­ there was an immediate and painful response. It wasn¡¯t as traumatic as the first spell, but it stung. Though Argrave received the brunt of the illusion magic, Anneliese fell victim plenty of times, as well.


    Hours and hours and hours passed by, it seemed, in this carriage ride without an end.


    ¡°Because I have zero spell wastage, I can punish you two for failure much longer than I could have ordinarily,¡± Castro said time and time again. He was polite as ever, but Argrave was almost certain he detected some underlying pride.


    They heard the word ¡®wastage¡¯ so much that Argrave intensely deliberated on whether or not this entire endeavor was wastage. In the end, he only barely made it to C-rank by the time their carriage came to a stop in preparation for tonight¡¯s camp. Anneliese was much further along, probably nearing the middle of her B-rank marathon.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Looks like we¡¯re setting up for the night,¡± Argrave said, almost gleefully.


    ¡°Keep going,¡± Castro instructed. ¡°It¡¯s even better to do this on low sleep. If you can perform this drowsily, you can perform it at your best. This isn¡¯t a cerebral task, it¡¯s an instinctual one. It¡¯s turning knowledge into part of your being.¡±


    Argrave exchanged nces with Anneliese.


    ¡°You can stop now, but I won¡¯t teach you further.¡± The tower master continued, ¡°Are you discontent? Then do it faster, and you will be in bed faster.¡± Castro shrugged. ¡°But remember that failure does not increase your count. If you do things too quickly, you may neverplete this task.¡±


    Argrave seriously considered giving up on this whole tutoring thing¡­ but when Anneliese continued, he resignedly followed her.


    ¡°Tomorrow, you¡¯ll be doing the same thing, but alternating between spells,¡± Castro noted, leaning back into his carriage seat. ¡°Once the basics are done, we can get to the harder stuff¡­¡±


    Argrave failed once more in his dismay, then felt that despair double as Castro¡¯s punishment came.


    #####


    On the first day, they finished their taskste enough Anneliese managed to get only five or so hours of sleep¡­ and Argrave, three hours. Consequently, when Castro forced them to alternate spells the same way the next day, their failure rate was considerably higher.


    Enduring this, they made it to the Low Way of the Rose. Argrave beheld the gaping hole in the side of the mountain, contained by a half-ring wall that had been dpidated to the point of ineffectualness. Thest time that Argrave hade here, he hade as an impersonator, hoping to infiltrate the Stonepetal Sentinels and convince them to take him deep within the cavernous abandoned city below. They had been far superior to him at the time, in terms of strength¡­


    Now, things were a little different.


    ¡°You don¡¯t like the sun too much, being red-headed and all, right, Mnie?¡± Argrave asked her somewhat groggily as they approached. Argrave could see Master Sentinel Ossian waiting for them, his brothers and sisters lined up side by side. ¡°Well¡­ I think you¡¯ll like this ce.¡±


    ¡°If you think that, you don¡¯t think much at all,¡± Mnie noted, then in panic added, ¡°No disrespect, Your Majesty.¡±


    Argrave chuckled, then looked back and paused. ¡°Well, take it easy. Right now, at least, it¡¯s time for my army to reim the Low Way.¡±


    Behind, thousands of his soldiers worked to set up their tents with remarkable efficiency. Spellcasters made wells formon use. It was like a great wave of efficiency, starting in one corner and spreading throughout the rest as they finished one by one. Strong, hard men, forged of steel and cooled by the snow elves of Veiden prepared for an advance into the uncertain underground. Here, two crusades would begin; the crusade against the Low Way, and the crusade against the Ebon Cult.


    ¡°Left a box of treasures here,¡± Argrave looked back where more Stonepetal Sentinels gathered by the minutes, sashes of stone roses hanging from their te armor. ¡°Time to reim it. And maybe¡­ just maybe, repay a little debt.¡±


    Mnie looked at him. ¡°Who¡¯s in debt? You or them?¡±


    Argrave only smiled. He advanced at the front, and though Mnie fell back in apprehension Gmon and Orion joined him on each side. Argrave found that words could scarce describe the feeling of having two giants by his side and an army at his back in the face of people that had once mistreated him. He wasn¡¯t free of sin, of course, but he hoped that wound would¡¯ve faded with time.


    When he came to stand before the ring fortress around the Low Way of the Rose, he could tell that the Stonepetal Sentinels recognized him, almost one and all. He scanned them slowly, none stepping forward or saying a word.


    ¡°Been a while since west talked,¡± Argrave said, a veritable tumbleweed passing by as response. Some of the indignance of the prior days training infected him, and he decided to begin sternly, ¡°Now, I believe you have some things to answer for. Am I wrong?¡±

 Chapter 432: Stress Test

    All of the high-ranking members of the Stonepetal Sentinels were arrayed before Argrave side-by-side. They had all heard the spellcasters in their number; the king was possessed of magic enough to easily have breached A-rank by now. The two men by his side were giants both, and the sentinels were experienced enough to recognize that they bore enchanted armor. Even the king himself was no slouch, physically¡ªstanding a little over seven feet tall, his movements had a strange red mysticism to them. Even as he sat in a chair, cross-legged, he seemed imposing. The white-haired elven woman by his side was little different.


    All of this entirely discounted the army he brought to the Low Way. The tension was palpable.


    ¡°So¡­ what do you think will make things right between us?¡± the king questioned, leaning forth and entwining his hands together.


    ¡°Your Majesty¡­¡± one of them began. ¡°We would¡­ do anything you asked of us.¡±


    ¡°Are you the new Grandmaster Sentinel?¡± Argrave asked. When the man shook his head, he clicked his tongue. ¡°Still haven¡¯t chosen a new one? Impressive.¡± He sighed, then scanned them. ¡°I think you know what you need to do, all of you.¡±


    They looked between each other, feeling panic rise as the king¡¯s request went unanswered. They all looked to the seniormost sentinel among them, pleading for aid. The old man swallowed bitterly, then looked at Argrave as he red coldly. And then¡­


    He fell to his knees and bowed. Everyone was shocked for a minute, but the tent became a scramble to see who could get to their knees the fastest. They stayed there, staring at the floor¡­ but as seconds passed with silence, the old man dared a look up. Argrave was frowning in displeasure.


    The man was about to bury his face in the dirt when the king finally said, ¡°Did you listen to what Ossian said? At all? I don¡¯t even see him here.¡± The king scanned their ignorant faces with his cold gray eyes, and then he sighed. ¡°Good lord¡­ unbelievable. Just because the man¡¯s a pariah, doesn¡¯t mean¡­ well, whatever.¡± He swept back his ck hair, and then said, ¡°Get the crew together. Your watch is over.¡±


    The upper echelon of the Stonepetal Sentinels all looked up slowly, fixing Argrave with a confused eye.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to do something that should have been done long ago. We¡¯re going to wipe out all of the Guardians of the Low Way. We¡¯re going to secure the entire city of Nodremaid,¡± the king said passionately, then pointed at them. ¡°And then, all of you are going to join a crusade against an enemy far worse than the Guardians.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, the Order of the Rose--!¡±


    ¡°Are you worried about what I might do with the knowledge in Nodremaid?¡± Argrave interrupted. ¡°Well, don¡¯t. As you remember, whenst I came here¡­ the blood in water stopped flowing. Do you think that was happenstance? And do you think my father, Felipe III, power-obsessed conqueror, would have left Order of the Rose spells unimed?¡± He shook his head slowly. ¡°Fact is, the royal family has always had Rose-era spells. But the Low Way was¡­ not something they cared about. None of my ancestors cared to fix the problem here.¡±


    The Stonepetal Sentinels felt a chille through them.


    ¡°But despite all that¡¯s happened¡­ it¡¯s pointless to fight without end. I will set aside all that happened, and right a wrong that needs righting. Simply that,¡± the king dered, leaning back. ¡°And I know all of you are good, deep down. You¡¯ve endured a lot, living like this. Your ancestors, their ancestors¡­ and you, fighting the good fight. I want to end that. Now, and forevermore,¡± he finished, raising his fist up. ¡°Will youe along?¡±


    #####


    Argrave left that tent feeling embarrassed beyondpare. First they¡¯d bowed seeking mercy, and then they¡¯d bowed offering praise. It killed any desire for any jokes he might¡¯ve had. Regardless, after a grueling capstone to Castro¡¯s meticulous training¡­ the crusade for the Low Way began the next morning.


    Grimalt, Bastel, and Rasten eachmanded one portion of the army. He had allowed them to determine its structure, and didn¡¯t see any reason to intervene in the army. Still, Gmon decided the strategy, being intimately familiar with both theyout of Nodremaid and Veidimen tactics. Anneliese tookmand, delivering orders as she had through her Starsparrow.


    And Argrave, well¡­ he stayed outside, doing nothing. It was much more difficult than it sounded. He was incredibly ufortable with inaction these days. Given theing of the Ebon Cult, he thought it prudent to get used to it. Though he hated it, he actually did Castro¡¯s exercises of his own free will to distract his mind, receiving reports by the hour.


    The Guardians of the Low Way were a gue that were difficult to remove. The only true fortune was that they tended to swarm¡­ but swarming inrge numbers meant they might cause casualties. That was an untenable oue. As such, Gmon and Anneliese opted for a strategy involving coordinated herding toward chokepoints.


    The Stonepetal Sentinels were well-versed in the behavior of the Guardians. Consequently, it was their responsibility to attract and manipte the Guardians that they mightnd in unfavorable positions. Argrave assigned Mnie as their leader. Perhaps their inaction in electing a new leader had been a boon, as it allowed him to choose one for them. It was couched as temporary, but in time as they epted her he¡¯d make it permanent.


    Mnie, with Anneliese¡¯s guidance, used the Stonepetal Sentinels as ably as she could. She was practiced in escaping Guardians, and she had good soldiers tomand. She did her job of getting the abominations to chokepoints well. There, the army assumed the burden of ughter. Arrows, spears, swords¡ªif the Guardians came through narrow entries, where their opportunity to attack from multiple angles was limited, thenmon soldiers were more than sufficient to put an end to them.


    But then, Argrave¡¯s army wasn¡¯t normal, not entirely.


    Evencking the enchanted gear Argrave intended to secure for them, they were a disciplined force to be reckoned with. They were soldiers¡ªprofessional soldiers, in a time where there were either highly-skilled knights or unskilled levies with little in between. By this time, they¡¯d already grown used to the foul creatures by testing their des on them in various strongholds along the way, and today they demonstrated the meaning of ¡®professional.¡¯


    Reports were slow and scarce at first, mostly saying the same thing in different ways¡ªinconclusive. Whole hours of uncertainty passed. Argrave wished for nothing more than to get his hands dirty and make a change in the battle, but all the counsel he received advised against that. Yet then¡­ reports became faster, and the news was unterally good.


    Activity ceased in this section of the city. A certain vital building was seized. Grimalt¡¯s division handled no more approaching Guardians. Letter after letter became positive where they had been negligible, all of it reminded Argrave that this fight wasn¡¯t his alone. And in time, the people sent below started returning, foremost among them Anneliese.


    Argrave walked out to greet her, and she looked between Orion and him. He asked at once, ¡°How is it? I mean, if you¡¯re here¡­¡±


    ¡°Should be safe to enter,¡± Anneliese confirmed.


    Argrave started beaming. ¡°Well, that¡¯s¡­¡± he chuckled quietly. ¡°Good lord. How¡¯d it go?¡±


    ¡°Quite well,¡± Anneliese nodded, pride showing through. ¡°We did it clean. No brashness, no misbehaving¡­ but perhaps you ought to see for yourself. I think you will be quite pleased.¡±


    #####


    Orion pushed open a great stone door, putting his all into moving it. It stood perhaps thirty feet tall, but he moved the giant bs of stone all the same. Beyond, it revealed a great stone chamber.


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, this ce would make a great Order branch,¡± Argrave said as he advanced, talking to Castro. ¡°Forget the headquarters we just walked through¡ªthere¡¯s this ce. An underground training area. It¡¯s every bit as advanced as the Tower of the Gray Owl. Might even be more advanced.¡±


    Argrave, Castro, and Orion proceeded into the wide-open arena. On every corner, one could see enchantments that warded against all sorts of magical damage. They were as strong as the one that blocked them out of the library. S-rank spellcasters could fight here, surely. Enchantments kept it lit like a stadium, though some lights had faded giving it strange, twisted lighting.


    ¡°An Order branch? You just want free security for this ce, I think,¡± Castro noted shrewdly. ¡°And nothing would be better than moving some Magisters into Nodremaid.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Argrave put his hands on his hip, eyes moving about the ce. ¡°You¡¯ve got me there. But am I wrong? Nodremaid, this ce¡­ we can revive it, without all the weird twisted undead. A city of both Vasquer and the Burnt Desert.¡±


    As Anneliese described, their victory over the Guardians of the Low Way had been thorough andplete. It was a systematic elimination of the mindless fiends, and marked a stark victory. In another few days, they¡¯d settle in, fortify this ce, and then head beyond to seal the alliance between the Burnt Desert and Vasquer.


    And Argrave would meet the Alchemist once more.


    ¡°How concerning is the Ebon Cult?¡± Castro asked suddenly.


    Argrave looked at him. He debated what to exclude or include, but after a silent hesitance decided to be honest. ¡°At present¡­ they¡¯re more advanced than us. They have salvaged dwarven weaponry. It¡¯s not as potent as freshly-forged stuff, but it can cleave through steel when given average strength. And with Mozzahr¡¯s Emptiness enhancing them?¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°The dwarves are magicless. Dwarven metal resists magic to arge degree.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°And beyond that, they¡¯ve got plenty of spellcasters,¡± Argrave continued as he paced around. ¡°They¡¯ve been using leftover dwarven contraptions to collect spirits. Meaning, they already have shamanic magic.¡± Argrave sighed. ¡°It¡¯s bleak. It¡¯s very bleak. I won¡¯t begin this fight in earnest without shrinking that gap.¡±


    Castro listened silently, and when Argrave finished gave oncest look to the arena. Then, he focused on Argrave.


    Castro began, ¡°This is a good arena. So, I think it¡¯s time I learn how you fight.¡±


    Argrave looked at him, brows furrowed. He chuckled, asking, ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Fight me like you wish to kill me,¡± Castro said calmly. ¡°Right here, right now.¡±


    Argrave stared at Castro for a few seconds in silence, then looked at Orion. As he gave the man the nod to give them space, his Brumesingers scampered out of his coat,nding on the ground gracefully. They sat around his feet, peering at Castro with their golden eyes.


    ¡°You¡¯re sure about this?¡± Argrave asked onest time.


    ¡°I need to learn how to instruct you,¡± Castro said. ¡°I¡¯ll hit back, don¡¯t worry. It¡¯ll all be illusory spells of pain like you¡¯re used to.¡±


    ¡°But, uhh¡­ I don¡¯t know any spells like that,¡± Argrave pointed at him. ¡°And you¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I need worry.¡±


    When Castro said that, Argrave allowed himself to be convinced. Truth be told, he felt apetitiveness as strong as his nervousness. At once, Argrave held up his left hand, allowing [Electric Eels] toe forth freely. The right hand called upon a tried tactic¡ªhis [Nine-Tailed Bloodbriars]. It drained from his silver bracer, and then the spell spanned the distance between them quickly. This attack could easily tear through any meager defense, as he¡¯d demonstrated in the Bloodwoods.


    Argrave expected an S-rank ward to block these spells¡ªit was the only thing that might¡ªbut no. Castro sent forth a spell of wind with his near-instantaneous casting speed, and a humble ball of writhing wind bounced forth. When the first tail of the whip struck, the ball exploded in a powerful burst. Castro jumped back, casting another spell that wrapped his body with wind¡­ and away he went, flying far out of reach as he drifted daintily down.


    Argrave, diligently creating [Electric Eels] all the while, called upon an A-rank spell he¡¯d learned, hoping to catch Castro on the backstep. A ball of lightning burst from his right hand. This spell, [Blindstrike], consisted of two attacks¡ªthe ball of lightning and the follow-up, fittingly attacking opposite where the ball struck with a bolt of lightning faster than sight.


    The ball was incredibly fast¡ªfar faster than the eels¡ªand Argrave hoped only to force Castro to guard with a ward. The man instead merely sent out a wave of water, and the ball struck it solidly. A great crack echoed through the air as its follow-up attack urred, and Argrave hoped the bolt might still hit¡­ but instead, Argrave felt pain fill his head, and he clutched his forehead as he kneeled. The illusion quickly faded.


    When he looked up, Castro stood far away, unharmed. Even during all of that mayhem, the tower master had managed to get a hit in with his illusion magic. Argrave straightened, his stubbornness ring.


    ¡°I like yourck of hesitation. You react quickly. You¡¯ve clearly been in battles of life or death, but those spells of mine were all C-rank,¡± Castro gestured toward Argrave. ¡°I¡¯ll save more forter. Use your A-rank ascension. I need to judge it, too.¡±


    ¡°Was just about to,¡± Argrave called back. Previously he¡¯d refrained to conserve resources¡­ but these thoughts were to the wind, now, as he prepared [Bloodfeud Bow], sparking eels circling about him. He no longer worried about hurting the old man.

 Chapter 433: Virtuous Circle

    Argrave, with an abundance of electric eels swirling above his head, sent them forth not to attack but to exert pressure. It was like a pointed gun, ready to fire at any moment that Castro¡¯s attention wavered. If he should attempt some retreat again, they would follow. The old spellcaster regarded them with his eyes briefly, and then focused back on Argrave.


    Off to the right side, one of Argrave¡¯s blood echoes prepared [Bloodfeud Bow]. He projected another echo far out to the left. He wouldn¡¯tmit undue resources to this spar, but at the very least he wanted the old tower master to get a taste of what he could truly do. Castro observed the blood echo for a few moments, and then walked toward Argrave.


    Argrave walked backwards with efficient, bnced footwork, thankful for the t ground of the arena. All the while he prepared spells in his right and left hand, sending probing attacks of lightning to stall and sting if the tower master wasn¡¯t paying proper attention. But the tower master¡­ every spell Argrave cast, the old man seemed to catch it squarely in his hands.


    ¡°This is one of the virtues I discussed with you¡ªexperimentation,¡± Castro exined, his defense remaining solid despite that fact. ¡°This ward I cast isrge enough only to cover my hand, but it¡¯s a B-rank spell nheless. I made it myself, to oust opponents with pure efficiency.¡±


    The exnation was so ridiculous Argrave couldn¡¯t help butugh, and in response he called upon arge spell Anneliese favored greatly¡ª [Icebound Twindes]. He hoped Castro¡¯s answer might not be as simple as with the Bloodbriars. Twin arms of ice took shape, and in their hands gargantuan des of ice spread out t. They spun towards Castro with devastating force, impossible to block with one hand alone.


    Argrave was anticipating the tower master to dodge as he already had, and prepared both the eels and his blood magic to fire wherever he ended up. Instead, Argrave saw a mana ripple from beyond the spinning des, and instinctually called upon his enchanted ring prepare a B-rank ward. A st of wind shattered the ice des, sending fragments everywhere and obscuring vision for a brief moment.


    In a moment of unnatural speed, Castro arrived at Argrave¡¯s ward. With ice fragments shrouding him, the eels would have trouble getting a solid hit, and Argrave felt a fool. The tower master had something ck in his left hand, and it was only once Argrave¡¯s ward shattered did he realize it was a knife of Ebonice. Still, Argrave didn¡¯t sumb. He knew the tower master sought to limit his ability to use his [Bloodfeud Bow] by getting close. As the tower master raised his empty right hand to cast a spell, Argrave finally called upon the blood echo he¡¯d sent out to the left near the beginning of this exchange. Once more, [Nine-Tailed Bloodbriars] erupted as a potent assault. Castro¡¯s eyes widened when he saw the surprise attack, but quickly changed his strategy, moving his hand from Argrave¡¯s direction to the ground.


    A wave of ice that seemed almost liquid erupted out of Castro¡¯s hand, colliding with the floor and spreading outwards. Argrave stumbled over it, barely avoiding facenting in his haste. It kept him from retreating as he¡¯d intended, and with that done Castro redirected the continuous wave of ice toward the whipping blood magic. The two opposing attacks bnced each other out. His spell was barely strong enough to block all of the attacks as they came, almost like it had been calcted.


    Argrave tried to rise and back away, but Castro merely calmly dropped the Ebonice knife and started to turn his right hand forward. With Castro still too close to use the arrow of blood, Argrave called upon a seldomly used hidden card of his¡ªGarm¡¯s eyes. With them, he conjured a spell just before his face. Castro was surprised, but conjured a ward to meet the knight of wind that unleashed [Pavise Gale] with its tower shield.


    Even despite the ice on the floor, Argrave managed to get some distance. [Pavise Gale] had blown away the ice fragments, and so Argrave called down the electric eels. As he did so, his echo bearing the [Bloodfeud Bow] secured an angle that would not hit Argrave at the same time. It finally shot across the arena toward the tower master.


    A swarm of electric eels, a spell of blood magic strong enough to bepared to some S-rank spells¡­ Argrave wondered a brief second if he¡¯d gone too far. As both hit concurrently, however, Argrave saw the [Bloodfeud Bow] redirected at an upward angle. Castro had fallen to the ground, creating a ward at an angle that minimized contact with the projectile. In turn, the electric eels mmed against thisrgely undamaged ward harmlessly.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    As Argrave stared in baffled shock, he was hit once again, and pain lit up his head. He came to the realization Castro had managed to attack even amidst all that. His vision failed him briefly, and when next he opened his eyes Argraveid on the ground holding his hand to his head. He was reying what had just happened when Castro walked up to Argrave, looking down at him.


    ¡°Very good work. I nearly called upon my A-rank ascension,¡± Castromented. ¡°But were this a true duel, I believe you would have far more difficulty preparing that arrow of blood you used.¡± He looked at the site of impact for the arrow, and Argrave followed his gaze. ¡°If you were going all out¡­ could you manage more of those bows?¡±


    ¡°Probably not,¡± Argrave admitted freely. ¡°Hard to manage more than two blood echoes at the same time in activebat right now.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. With only two echoes, it would be hard to prepare that attack,¡± Castro mused. ¡°Doubly so against someone as monstrous as you im Mozzahr to be.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, well¡­¡± Argrave exhaled. ¡°I generally don¡¯t fight alone. Wait ¡®til my wife gets here, I¡¯ll show you¡­¡± he raised his fist and shook it in jest.


    Castroughed pleasantly. ¡°I think I was overly harsh in my assessment. I had no idea how adaptable you could be. I don¡¯t think that¡¯s something that can be taught, truly.¡±


    ¡°I still lost,¡± Argrave pointed out.


    ¡°But knowing you have talent only makes me all the more eager to teach you what youck.¡± Castro focused on Argrave intently. ¡°Battle is ever-changing. It is impossible to predict how things will y out, even withplete knowledge of your opponent. Total flexibility allows one to seed in a variety of environments, since no single oue can be urately forecast,¡± Castro said, taking on a teacher¡¯s affect.


    ¡°We can think about possible oues, and certainly adjust to whatever opponent we might face¡­ but no one has the foresight to predict or the force to ensure a desirable future. Hence, you nearly humbled me, casting that spell from your eyes as you did.¡± He crouched down beside Argrave. ¡°That¡¯s a lesson in leadership as much as in battle. What has happened to date determines the probability of where things are going tomorrow, but probabilities don¡¯t determine the oue. Even if something has an eighty percent chance of happening¡­ it could end up being one of the twenty.¡±


    Castro rose to his feet and said firmly, ¡°The future is not knowable. The future does not exist today, and the forces that influence it are in flux. The link between now¡¯s circumstances andter events is a loose one. In simpler terms, it is what it is. Knowing and understanding that is key.¡±


    Argrave stared at the tower master, perhaps wondering if he knew what Ingo had proposed to him all along.


    ¡°What¡¯s my purpose in saying this?¡± Castro continued, looking around. ¡°Leadership of an organization and doing battle, in my eyes, require one thing for prolonged sess. Intellectual humility.¡± He looked back at Argrave. ¡°You have confidence. It¡¯s in you¡ªin the way you fight, and take action. Now, you should be intellectually humble.¡±


    ¡°What? Humility?¡± Argrave slowly sat up.


    ¡°Intellectual humility. There¡¯s a difference.¡± Castro shook his head. ¡°You know a great many things, Argrave. But even with all of the knowledge in the world, you must swallow the fact that you can be wrong, and that another method might be better or more efficient. I¡¯m not saying that you are wrong, or even that you¡¯ve made wrong choices¡­ but it¡¯s a change in mindset that allows you to be more.


    ¡°Because of that trait, I was open to adopting this,¡± Castro continued, walking to the discarded Ebonice knife and retrieving it off the ground. ¡°I implemented it into my way of fighting. I think that you, Argrave, can teach me as much as I can teach you. What you think, and what you say¡ªit has value to me. And because I think in this manner, I was able to improve up to this point. The ideal leader is not perfect, because perfection does not exist. The ideal leader recognizes his imperfections, and constantly smooths them out as he grows without end!¡±


    Argrave listened closely, feeling that his understanding was just short of what Castro exined.


    ¡°It¡¯s somewhat paradoxical, but you have to always question yourself while acting in total confidence,¡± Castro said. ¡°You must cultivate a brutal rationality that pervades your mind. But in leading, and inbat¡­ the only way to avoid the vicious circle is to separate yourself from your ego and your emotions. And like this, you may create a virtuous circle.¡±


    Argrave tapped his foot against the ground, and then rose to his feet. ¡°Is this just philosophy, or¡­?¡±


    Castro smiled. ¡°There are two types of people that predict the future. The ones that don¡¯t know, and the ones that don¡¯t know they don¡¯t know.¡± He shook his head. ¡°You can ignore me if you want. I thought you might appreciate these ramblings. I think¡­ I¡¯ll be able to better teach you in the future. I think I can help you more than I thought.¡±


    The more that Castro spoke, the more Argrave thought he might know about Ingo¡¯s proposal. But in the end, the tower master walked calmly for the exit. Orion walked back to rejoin Argrave, the prince looking at him in concern.


    ¡°Are you injured?¡± Orion asked cautiously.


    ¡°He never really used spells that could hurt me,¡± Argrave said. ¡°That wind burst, maybe, but¡­ no. I¡¯m fine.¡±


    Argrave lost. He could cope and say things would be different if he could use [Requite], or if Anneliese could be here with him¡­ but strangely, that wasn¡¯t the thing that bothered him. Instead, Castro¡¯s words hung in his mind, chipping at something he¡¯d built in his head to keep it together.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go get things situated here,¡± Argrave said, looking at Orion. ¡°I want to get everyone doing what they should be doing. I want to make it to the Burnt Desert tomorrow, secure the alliance. From there¡­ the Alchemist waits.¡±

 Chapter 434: Journey of Discovery

    Argrave looked out across a room filled with torches. He walked to specific ones, passing others by, and lit them with simple spells. A bunch of his people watched what he was doing in confusion, but he carried on unconcerned. Finally, when he lit the torch in the top right¡­


    The floor in the center of the room started to shift around, clicking and grinding into ce as a stairway slowly took form. Argrave walked around it, joining everyone else while paying the strange contraption little mind.


    ¡°Orion?¡± Argrave said, holding out his hand. The prince slowly deposited a rolled-up sheet of paper in Argrave¡¯s hand.


    ¡°How in the zes do you know about this?¡± Mnie questioned, following Argrave as he walked in the room.


    ¡°There¡¯s a partially destroyed journal in the second floor of the mayor¡¯s house where he wrote about this top-secret entryway in extreme detail, in case adventurers like us came here and needed to ess this ce. Lesson number one: if you write a journal, you die. It¡¯s simple statistics. Regardless, even with some of the journal missing, you can puzzle it¡­¡± Argrave began to exin, but trailed off when Mnie looked at him like he was mad. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. Just ept it.¡±


    Argrave knelt down on the floor, then pointed to the stairs. ¡°That, there, is a hidden entrance to the old dwarven cities.¡± He unraveled the piece of parchment Orion handed him on the floor. ¡°This here¡¯s a map of the city I had retrieved and recreated. This entrance emerges here,¡± he nted his gloved finger on the top right of the map, then traced it to another location. ¡°You¡¯re going to bring the Stonepetal Sentinels to this spot, here. That¡¯s just below ckgard. By then, that ce will be essible. It¡¯s ten or so days away, given the diversions along the way.¡±


    ¡°This is some ask!¡± Mnie noted indignantly.


    ¡°You can do it,¡± Argrave looked at her inly. ¡°I trust your ability more than most I can think of.¡±


    That decisive praise seemed to brook no protest, and Mnie shifted on her feet anxiously while muttering something. ¡°Alright¡­ alright, fine,¡± she crossed her arms. ¡°You said we¡¯re collecting something. What?¡±


    ¡°See these X¡¯s on the map?¡± Argrave pointed them out, one after another. ¡°Check here. If the X is oriented like this, it¡¯ll be a refinery. There¡¯s a big thing there that you¡¯ll need to haul away¡ªI¡¯ll give more details after. If the X¡¯s are like this, it¡¯s a warehouse. Your job is to pick these ces clean. Take everything you can carry. Then, you¡¯ll bring them to ckgard.¡± Argrave looked up. ¡°Now, this next bit is the most important.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°We talked about this,¡± Mnie interrupted. ¡°Avoid the Ebon Cult.¡±


    ¡°Yes, avoid the Ebon Cult,¡± Argrave repeated, saying it like praise. ¡°You, Mnie, are the leader of the scouting party. You¡¯re foraging for some resources, finding some ideal locations¡­ but you are not to start any fights. The Ebon Cult is far less numerous than we are, and this city is huge. There¡¯s no reason to fight. The Stonepetal Sentinels are used to exploring an underground city cautiously¡ªthey¡¯ve been wandering around Nodremaid for generations, stepping on the toes of vampires and two-armed heads since before you were born. They can handle this, so long as their leader leads them with caution in mind.¡±


    ¡°I believe she gets the message, Argrave,¡± Anneliese cut in.


    Argrave nodded slowly and rose. ¡°Alright. We can get into the finer details. Questions?¡±


    ¡°I thought this was a promotion,¡± Mnie noted. ¡°Was all that talk about inner circle just that?¡±


    Argrave spared a nce at Anneliese. She gave him a steady nod, and he looked to Elenore.


    ¡°Sis? You¡¯re good at talking money,¡± he waved to her.


    Elenore stepped up beside Argrave. ¡°The Burnt Desert, as it is now, needs to survive off ofmerce. The road to the Lionsun Castle is notoriously dangerous¡ªrockfalls pervade the valley, with no sources of water for miles on end. As such, this city is going to be a hub formerce between the two nations. Once we repair the fortresses on either side¡­ this ce will be quite defensible. And Argrave and I were thinking you should be this city¡¯s first countess. Once we repair it for you, naturally, free of charge.¡±


    ¡°I was born in Relize. I know how trade works,¡± Mnie said, her face slowly gaining a smile. ¡°Well¡­ that¡¯s certainly worth a little something. Make sure to get rid of those weird eye-lights on the ceiling. Oh, and install new magic lights, if you would.¡± She scratched her cheek, then seemed to decide not to push her luck as she said, ¡°I guess I¡¯ll be scurrying on into that hole with my pack of rose-bearing fools. Just a few rifications before I do¡­¡±


    #####


    ¡°Once they get their foothold down there, we can start the revival of dwarven metalworking. That¡¯ll bridge the huge gap between us and the Ebon Cult,¡± Argrave mused with Elenore as they walked along in Nodremaid. Being here invoked paranoia, but Argrave was assured this ce was clean by Anneliese, who walked by his side. Gmon guarded ahead, while Orion guarded behind.


    Elenore questioned skeptically, ¡°Will new metal alone really prepare our army to fight all thates? Monsters like that Shadonder?¡±


    Argrave looked at her seriously. ¡°Equipment is everything for warriors. Dwarven metals can amodate more enchantments, and it absorbs force so well that very little impact transfers to the wearer. Spellcasters get better spells, warriors get new equipment; it¡¯s a simple equation. On top of that, once they get the dwarven spirit collectors hauled back¡­ we can finally use shamanic magic without restraint. It¡¯s sorely needed.¡±


    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll trust you. Still, you seem¡­ distracted,¡± Elenore stopped walking and looked at him.


    Argrave stopped with her. She was right¡ªhe was thinking about what Castro had said. He looked at her and countered, ¡°Sure this isn¡¯t projection? You¡¯re about to be married.¡±


    Elenore crossed her arms and exhaled. ¡°I don¡¯t¡­ I don¡¯t know, Argrave.¡±


    ¡°Getting jitters at the altar?¡± Argrave leaned in.


    ¡°I¡­ do enjoy Durran. But what if things change? What if he wants things I can¡¯t give?¡± She looked at him. ¡°What if I¡¯m wrong? And what if he¡­ doesn¡¯t¡­?¡±


    As Argrave listened, Castro¡¯s voice rang in his thoughts¡ªyou must swallow the fact that you can be wrong. Elenore was as good a leader as Argrave knew, and yet even she questioned herself. Maybe this wasn¡¯t the same, but even still¡­ it provoked some thought.


    ¡°There are always a thousand reasons not to do something,¡± Anneliese counseled Elenore as Argrave paused. ¡°In the end, I know only this; these fears are not founded in the here and now. I see no warning signs. He has pure intentions. Emotionally, at least. Elsewise¡­¡± Anneliese left Durran¡¯s other intentions unspoken.


    Elenore nodded, looking a bit calmer. ¡°Yes, I¡­ I suppose this is so. But there¡¯s a part of me that wishes I didn¡¯t let this fall into his hands so easily¡­¡± the princess sighed, then shook her head. ¡°I have some strange, incurable stubbornness he evokes in me. Perhaps I should let him win, if only this once¡­ still, I can¡¯t let him think too much of himself.¡±


    ¡°Might be toote for that,¡± Argrave pointed out, catching his tempo once more.


    Elenore smiled, and then resumed walking. ¡°I have some things in mind.¡±


    #####


    The moment that they emerged from the other side of the Low Way of the Rose, Durran was there waiting for them. Him and half a dozen other wyvern riders swooped down from the mountains, casting great clouds of ck sand about thend. He brought food from the caverns¡ªArgrave recognized it to be food scavenged by the subterranean mountain people. It seemed Durran had made many friends in the Burnt Desert beyond the tribals and the elves.


    When Argrave told Durran that he intended to visit the Alchemist, his friend was understandably concerned. After some exnation, Durran relented, agreeing tomand some of his men to take them there as soon as possible.


    Under the pretense of getting to know her groom, Elenore arranged to stay at the Lionsun Castle. There, they would arrange things to facilitate coordination between the Burnt Desert and Vasquer. It was nearly the perfect center of the continent, and a more-than-defensible location to reside in while Argrave visited the Alchemist. Once he returned, he would bear witness to their union. It was a political show first and foremost.


    Until then, Argrave had a hell of a week ahead of him. Castro and Ingo both weighed heavy in his mind, but each of them were small weightspared to the overwhelming presence of the Alchemist. Argrave was cautiously optimistic about this meeting¡­ but the Alchemist was anything but predictable. Now, the journey remained ahead of them. They nned things out outside the Low Way.


    ¡°I had a wyvern of my own, once,¡± Castro mused, staring out across the endless ck sand dunes of the Burnt Desert. ¡°And I know well that Ingo couldn¡¯t handle a very long flight on one.¡±


    ¡°There are plenty cities you can stop at along the way. They¡¯re my allies,¡± Durran pointed out. ¡°I can tell Argrave some names¡ªhe can handle the rest, I¡¯m sure.¡±


    ¡°But the high altitudes¡­¡± Castro looked back to the carriage where Ingo rested. ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­¡±


    ¡°A carriage won¡¯t cross, and it doesn¡¯t seem to me he can walk,¡± Durran pointed out prudently. ¡°Seems to me you have to take a wyvern if you really want to get across.¡±


    Castro clicked his tongue, and then sighed. ¡°You have a point.¡± He looked at Durran. ¡°I was under the impression the southern tribals seldom employed magic. Yet you¡¯re clearly S-rank. And you¡¯re acquainted with Argrave already?¡±


    Durran smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll let Argrave exin the intricacies, tower master. Talk to my man, Trock. He¡¯ll handle things from here.¡± He turned his head to Elenore. ¡°Are you ready?¡±


    ¡°Certainly,¡± she nodded, showing none of the unease of earlier.


    ¡°Then¡­ shall we?¡± he offered his hand.


    Durran and Elenore walked away, but Castro focused on Argrave and Anneliese. ¡°I suppose I¡¯ll have to make do. I kindly request we wait until Ingo is in decent condition, and then fly to the closest settlement. It could take some time between journeys¡­ but consequently, we can get into the meat of what I hoped to teach you. Is this amenable?¡±


    Argrave nodded slowly. ¡°It¡¯ll have to do. I¡­ I¡¯ve been thinking about what you said, earlier. I won¡¯tck anything to ponder.¡±


    ¡°The both of us,¡± Anneliese nodded.


    Castro looked between the two of them. ¡°I think the two of you can handle the advanced things. The¡­ finer optimizations. And I will impart all I can, as repayment. I hope this journey turns out to be the blessing you suspect it might be.¡±


    Argrave clenched his gloved hands, thoughts in turmoil. ¡°As do I,¡± he said simply.

 Chapter 435: New World, Within

    After leaving their army at the Low Way, their group departed in small number for the Alchemist¡¯s home. Along the path, Argrave and Anneliese were eager students to the Tower Master of the Gray Owl. Though Anneliese had a teacher in the form of her grandmother, Argrave never truly had someone to tutor him dedicatedly. Castro¡¯s guidance was like sanding and polishing to this craft of his that he¡¯d built so quickly. There were many rough spots that sorely needed such treatment, and they were treated in the breaks between travel.


    The rides aback the wyverns, heading from city to city, were enlightening as to what Durran had actually managed to achieve. The cities that they came upon were badly damaged. Despite this, the people were amodating for the random arrival of wyvern riders, treating them like lords and offering them tribute. Still, the men that Durran had picked out were gracious and helpful instead of domineering, listening to troubles as though they were kings and offering solutions. It seemed that Durran knew how to pick his men.


    But things were still harsh out here in the Burnt Desert. The death of the Vessels had made many small oases in various ces, but it was evident that things would dry up unless action was taken. As practice, Argrave and Anneliese cast spells of water to give more time to the popce. It was a well-appreciated gesture. A small few recognized Argrave and Anneliese from theirst visit here, but none knew they were king and queen. It was a wee thing to be appreciated for the little things.


    Argrave made small notes of what Elenore would need to supply this ce with. With great tracts ofnd dedicated to farnd in ckgard supported by elven fruits that made the ground quite fertile and pure, they wouldn¡¯tck for things to offer. At the same time, he also noted what might be exported from the Burnt Desert. This, too, was a necessary evil. People by andrge needed incentives to do anything selfless¡ªhence why charitable endeavors offered tax breaks, in his cynical estimation. Argrave had to be sure this ce did not be a drain on them without offering anything in return. It was simply pragmatic.


    But in truth, Argrave didn¡¯t have much time to dedicate to finer evaluations. He was busy learning. Castro drilled them on the importance of fundamentals¡ªhe imparted that casting inbat was not an intellectual activity, but an instinctual one. If the mind and body had a perfect instinct for what was cast, each and every spell could be cast incredibly quickly and without significant wastage.


    After their first few days of drilling, Castro implemented practical tests. It wasn¡¯t on quite the same scale as the fight that he and Castro had undergone, but certainly it was dangerous. They were instructed to implement what he¡¯d taught them by blocking or attacking rapidly after certain signals. If they could not do it fast enough, they were hit by illusion magic.


    But alongside this, Castro brought out the first of what he¡¯d called the ¡®finer optimizations.¡¯ Namely, segmenting.


    ¡°Segmenting spells is an immensely useful thing,¡± Castro said. ¡°It not only teaches you the fundamentals of the spells you work with, allowing you to better create your own, but it can cut down the spells you do know to gain only what you need from them.¡± He held his hand out and conjured a ward in it. It covered only his hand. ¡°Why block a sword with a huge ward, covering your entire body, when this will suffice? This spell¡ªa segmented B-rank ward¡ªuses so little magic, yet it fills the same purpose.


    ¡°That spell you used on me,¡± Castro pointed at Argrave. [Nine-Tailed Bloodbriars], I think you called it. You are going to create a version that does not use all nine tails. Instead, you¡¯re going to make a [One-Tailed Bloodbriar]. And you, Your Highness¡­ why not try recreating this ward I made, given the specialty [Life Cycle] has?¡±


    As Argrave listened, his eyes narrowed. [Segmentation] was a trait that existed in Heroes of Berendar¡­ and yet it was simply a percentage reduction to spell cost. Here and now, however, it had be different. Upon recognizing this, Argrave was yet more eager to add it to his arsenal.


    Argrave had never truly experimented with magic because it felt like he was toying with a gun. Shooting a gun was easy enough, but modifying a gun, using particr ammunition, and all the stuff that entailed firearm mania? He was content letting other people build his guns, and then pulling the trigger once he had it. But now, with guidance, he was a little more confident in delving deeper.


    And it turned out it was prudent that Argrave waited for guidance.


    Things weren¡¯t as simple as moving a line here, snipping here, and vo! A new spell. No¡ªexperimentation was a painful, head-scratching process. Wrongbinations were infinite, yet sessful ones were few and far between. All [Segmentation] entailed was isting a segment of a spell, jury-rigging it to make it function independently, and then casting it like that.


    But even as only that, it was mind-bogglingly difficult.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    One had to fully understand what each segment of the matrix did, how the magic flowed into the matrix, and what causedpletion. Argrave managed to iste what split the blood magic into nine separate tails, and even each tail¡­ but to retain the force? To retain the fact that it was blood magic? To iste specific segments without the entire thing falling apart was much to ask. C-rank and above spells worked on the fourth dimension, addingplexity beyondpare.


    It was the difference between a builder and an architect. The builder can build a bridge based on a temte. But to design his own in unfamiliar terrain, over a different length gap¡­ that was beyond him. Why was this support ced here? How do you amodate weight at this section? Why are these wire things even here? Where do you need metal, or stone, or wood? Perhaps the builder could gain a feel for what worked, but even still that was dubious.


    Argrave had certainly never built bridges, but he felt theparison apt. He had been amonborer before this, but now he delved into the design of magic. Indeed, he delved into it sopletely that he lost track of nearly everything around him¡ªthis journey, the Ingo problem¡­


    And unlike almost all other instances, he learned how to segment his spell before Anneliese did.


    A single thin whip of blood magic whipped out across the ck sand dunes, impacting with a rock. It exploded outwards, sending fragments everywhere.


    ¡°There you go! Excellent,¡± Castro praised, watching.


    Argrave looked down at his hand, smiling. He recreated the matrix he¡¯d just used, and stared at it. He had made this. It was derivative, but he had made this. [One-Tailed Bloodbriar]. It used less blood, less magic, but it retained the speed and viciousness of the spell.


    Argrave looked at Castro. ¡°You really can teach.¡±


    Castroughed. ¡°Magic is an art, Argrave. And like any art, it can be learned, but not taught. You did this. I simply knew what method suited you best.¡±


    Argrave looked at Anneliese. ¡°That was amazing,¡± sheplimented sincerely. She seemed so proud of him.


    And he was proud of himself, he realized. ¡°I was going to ask you for help about attaining [Blood Infusion].¡± Argrave looked at Castro. ¡°But I think¡­ I think I don¡¯t need that, anymore.¡±


    Castro nodded. ¡°Segmentation is my own invention, but fundamentally, it¡¯s just a framework to study theposition of magic that I found highly effective. I¡¯m not surprised you found it so useful. I thought it would gel well with your personality after our spar. Most people find it difficult to segment spells, you know, but for you and me... it just works.¡±


    Argrave had found the difficulty to be true at first, but it clicked after a while. So many ideas formed in Argrave¡¯s head¡ªspells he could tweak, things he could make¡­ or how he might imbue blood magic into all magic, achieving the [Blood Infusion] he so desperately sought. It certainly wouldn¡¯te to him as quickly as he hoped, but it was as though the world of magic was not just a tool any longer, but a true entity to be explored. It had gone from a rigid framework to true freedom, and he loved it.


    ¡°I advise you keep segmenting spells,¡± Castro continued. ¡°Blood magic, elemental magic, illusion magic, druidic magic¡­ and in time, you will free yourself of limits one after another. And perhaps far down the road, you will learn how to make your own spell, utterly free of derivation. That will be the hardest thing for you, Argrave, I promise you that. Segmentation was a curse and a boon both on my path, and I think it will be the same for you.¡±


    Argrave felt a little guilty Anneliese was not so directly benefited from this teaching, but she saw him mulling this over and shook her head. ¡°Be proud you have something you excel at, Argrave. Do not fret that others cannot.¡±


    He nodded andughed. ¡°Yeah¡­ yeah, guess you¡¯re right.¡±


    ¡°But it iste, and I believe we near the point where you sought to reach,¡± Castro reminded Argrave, looking up at the moon above.


    Argrave nodded grimly, torn from his joyful exuberance back to the true task ahead. ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s been a long timeing¡­¡±


    #####


    Castro looked out across the dunes of quicksand, his eyes narrowed both to shield from the harsh sun above and to clear his suspicion. He asked Argrave firmly, ¡°You¡¯re certain this is the ce?¡±


    ¡°I jumped in here before. He doesn¡¯t exactly move,¡± Argrave stepped forward, testing the quicksand with his foot.


    ¡°Durran jumped in, too,¡± Trock, their wyvern rider, told them. ¡°He made it out fine.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Castro nodded, walking to Ingo and checking on him. ¡°Then¡­ let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Anne, Gmon, Orion¡ªyou prepared? Need to go over the instructions?¡± he asked them.


    After Argrave received confirmation¡­ there was only one thing left to do.


    Their party descended into the quicksand pit just as they had long ago. It had been some time since Argravest set foot in the strange, eerie obsidian-like path leading to the Alchemist¡¯s abode. The gravity-defying nature of it all sparked nervousness in Orion and cautious wonder in Castro, but they made it through without a hitch.


    Finally, they came to the bizarre jungle trapped within a cave that housed the home of the Alchemist. It was as colorful and vibrant as ever, and within it there was an ufortably familiar castle of sleek, sterile obsidian. Its foreign, alien build brought back some foul memories that Argrave didn¡¯t realize he was repressing. He remembered pushing open its great door, and beholding the Alchemist.


    Yet as he watched, reliving the events of well over half a year ago, those gargantuan obsidian doors mmed open. The Alchemist walked out with a quick stride, standing at an intimidating twenty feet tall. His ck hair was like silk that formed robes around his vaguely humanoid shape. His ivory face was t and squat,cking a nose or nostrils at all, while his eyes were gray. Presently, his entire body was bubbling, revealing eyes that focused on Argrave alone.


    Orion and Gmon stood before Argrave, and though they were obviously ready to guard him they heeded his instructions not to provoke the Alchemist. His towering figure came before them, yet his manifold eyes glowing green saw only Argrave. Castro held his arm before Ingo to protect him and watched with undisguised wariness.


    Argrave stayed firm, though, watching and waiting. Silence stretched out, and the watching eyes slowly stopped bubbling and calmed.


    ¡°If you seek a deal, you must follow me, alone,¡± the Alchemist said at once, his countless eyes all splitting as mouths. His voice was like shattering crystals.


    ¡°Will I be unharmed?¡± Argrave asked¡ªshort and to the point, to preserve his life. And the other important bits.


    The Alchemist said nothing, but the remainder of his eyes faded back into his silken hair robe. He looked down at Argrave with those two cold gray eyes of his, and then said, ¡°If you bring your mirror, and do not stray.¡±


    Argrave reached into his duster¡¯s pocket and pulled it out, holding up the bronze hand mirror. Upon seeing it, the Alchemist turned and walked back toward his home.


    After leaving the Brumesingers in Anneliese¡¯s care, Argrave followed, advancing once more alone to the ce he¡¯d lost and gained a heart. And in this heart of his weighed a heavy question; would someone die once more at the Alchemist¡¯s unfeeling hands?

 Chapter 436: Strange Doctor, Strange Affliction

    The Alchemist walked through his abode of obsidian with Argrave struggling to keep up just behind. Argrave thought that they were heading into the library once more, but the Alchemist reached into the walls as he walked to retrieve an obsidian staff. He mmed it on the ground, and the whole ced pulsed with purple lights.


    Like that, the whole of it came alive. The hallway that they¡¯d been walking through descended, forming a slope downwards. The walls and floors looked like ferrofluid manipted by a ma, glossy like metal but flowing as liquid. Despite this, each step that they took was as solid as stone. The Alchemist¡¯s home had been manipble in Heroes of Berendar, but now that it was beyond the constraints of the game, this ce seemed capable of doing whatever the Alchemist pleased.


    Argrave hated admitting it, but he somewhat hoped that the Alchemist¡¯s back would split open to reveal a mouth that told him something¡ªanything. The silence, however, was deafening, broken only by the soft fleshy footfalls of the Alchemist and Argrave¡¯s boots impacting against the malleable obsidian all around them. They headed deep, deep, and deeper, following the sloping path.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Eventually, when Argrave looked around, the path backwards didn¡¯t exist anymore. In all directions, it was endless ckness, disorienting enough that Argrave couldn¡¯t tell which way was the direction they¡¯de from. Up could¡¯ve be down long ago¡ªit seemed feasible, given the gravity-defying pathway they¡¯d walked through just to show up at the underground jungle. All he could do was follow this silent giant, fearing to speak in case he sparked anger.


    Finally, the obsidian pathway became a fair bit brighter, and Argrave narrowed his eyes to shield from the light. As his eyes adjusted, recognition dawned¡ªthey emerged into the Alchemist¡¯s chimerab. A stairway descended downward into it,nding ungracefully in a secluded corner of the room. When Argrave finally took his feet off the stairs, they rose behind him and vanished. The Alchemist dropped his obsidian staff, and it sunk into the home like it never was.


    The chimerab was not a ce with abominable creatures floating suspended in ss containers full of green goo. It more so resembled a morgue that had been taken over by a very tall librarian. The ce had a ceiling about thirty feet tall. There were tall columns of impable white books imbedded in the walls, but between each tower of books, drawers resembling mortuary cabs filled the space from bottom to top. In morgues they¡¯d hold the dead¡ªhere, they held the living. Or unliving, in any case.


    The Alchemist walked down into the chimerab, his pace slowing somewhat. He raised his hand up, and it thinned as it stretched out. When it reached a certain shelf, he stuck his hand inside the obsidian, then pulled it open. From there, he grabbed the one within and lowered the subject down ungracefully. As he did so, he mmed the cab shut once again.


    Argrave stared at this chimera as it was ced down. It was humanoid, and clothed in ck robes¡ªa good start. But as he stared, he came to realize the thing looked uncannily close to him. Things were off in certain ces¡ªArgrave was bulkier than it was, but perhaps that was simply the difference between when he¡¯d left herest and now. The eyes were still the ck-and-gold color they¡¯d been the first few months after acquiring Garm¡¯s eyes. The hairstyle was different, too¡ªcurlier, a little drier. And the face had some sort of uncanny wrongness to it. He certainly wasn¡¯t worried about any of his party members being fooled by this thing.


    ¡°He¡¯s let me out the box again, I see,¡± the chimera muttered, then looked at Argrave. ¡°Nothing¡¯s ever so blissful as seeing a face like yours. Well, honestly, I¡¯d say that to any face, so long as I get some time to walk and talk.¡± He held a pale hand out. ¡°I¡¯m Pawn.¡±


    Pawn. In Heroes of Berendar, they didn¡¯t expect a yer to blindly jump into a quicksand pit in the middle of the Burnt Desert to encounter the Alchemist. They didn¡¯t stop you, of course, but the point stood; something¡ªor rather, someone¡ªneeded to direct the yer toward this ce. Hence, Pawn.


    The chimera Pawn was in many ces throughout the game, all at once. Argrave had probably seen¡ªmaybe even talked to¡ªPawn before. His appearance was randomly generated, but the quests he gave remained the same. The Alchemist needed ingredients. Pawn was a tool to collect these. He traded with people, wandered the wilderness, hired adventurers¡­ hence, the yer was eventually led to the Alchemist, either by investigating Pawn in suspicion or in earning his trust.


    ¡°You¡¯re the one who got new hearts put into me.¡± The chimera tapped his chest in revtion. ¡°Things work beautifully. The Alchemist did a checkup on you when you entered here. And¡­¡± Pawn realized the awkwardness hanging in the air, and said, ¡°It seems¡­ he made us look alike. It¡¯s an obstacle we¡¯ll have to ovee.¡± He straightened his robes. ¡°They say imitation is the best form of ttery. And ttery is a thing seldom drawn from the Alchemist.¡±


    Argrave stepped a little closer. Pawn, as ever, didn¡¯t act any different from a normal person. Indeed, most people found him quite likable. Likable or not, he was still the product of the most advanced necromancy in the world. He was powerful physically, possessing all sorts of superhuman enhancements made to aid in killing, like poison, acid, or simply nasty implements of bone and w. These chimeras were no easy opponent, to say the least.


    Argrave said, ¡°If he¡¯s brought you out, the Alchemist probably wants you to exin something to me.¡±


    Pawn nodded. ¡°Too true. It would give greaterfort both for the one conveying the words and the one hearing them. You can view me as a buffer between the Alchemist and yourself.¡±


    Yes, because seeing a mirror image is veryforting, Argrave thought, but kept those words in his head. The Alchemist certainlycked the finer graces he was attempting to disy here, but an effort was made¡ªa good sign for his health, to say the least. When Argrave looked back toward the towering figure, the Alchemist walked to them and ced something down.


    It was a map¡ªnot of Berendar, but of the whole world. Argrave had seen it plenty of times before, and talked about it in forums discussing whether or not Heroes of Berendar might get a sequel on another continent. Berendar was a tall, somewhat narrow continent shelved away in the bottom right of the map, and rtively isted. He saw Veidenrger, but also mostly uninhabited¡ªand all the other continents. The yer never left Berendar. Instead, the other denizens of the other continents came to them, each in a grand crusade for whatever god or warlord had seized the continent.


    ¡°Where does Gerechtigkeit descend?¡± Pawn asked.


    Argrave¡¯s knelt down in front of the map, his finger tracing the parchment beforending on a spot in Berendar. It was southwest of Jast and northwest of Elbraille, right in a vast in between the two. As soon as Argrave lifted his finger away, a needle pierced the spot he¡¯d been holding. The Alchemist adroitly wielded various different instruments to measure things. He appeared to be doing some sort of arcane calctions, but Argrave didn¡¯t pretend to know what they might be.


    ¡°Please, mind him not as he works,¡± Pawn exined amicably. ¡°Now¡­ we have a long series of questions.¡±


    Argrave was asked the location of a vast multitude of gods. Some of them he could ce, because they had consistent ties to thend like the elven gods. Others were left to the wind. A needle quickly stabbed each spot he pointed out, and then more arcane calctions were made.


    After a while, Argrave finally mustered the courage to interject, ¡°I can save you a lot of trouble asking. The one I brought with me, Ingo¡ªthe Alchemist must¡¯ve seen the blessing of the god on him.¡± He pointed to Pawn. ¡°And if your boss can take the blessing harmlessly, make his body whole again, do it without issue¡­ we might be able to see right into the path to finding how to end the cycle of judgment.¡± Argrave tapped his chest. ¡°I remember the Alchemist talking about my blessingst time. He said it was interesting, didn¡¯t he? He said he wondered what would happen? That¡¯s what I offer here, today. Or¡­ perhaps something adjusted,¡± he said, still hesitant to bring Ingo¡¯s point of view up. ¡°Perhaps¡­ since you know Ie from Earth¡­ you can cure Ingo, and give it to me.¡±


    Pawn stared for a few moments of uncanny reflection. ¡°It is true that a blessing from a god draws the Alchemist¡¯s attention. For your other assertion, an argument: this power was bestowed on Ingo by a god. No one, god or mortal, has broken the cycle. Why would a blessing prove capable of spotting the key to end this cycle where all other gods before have failed?¡±


    Argrave¡¯s pointed finger curled. ¡°But with the things that I¡¯ve seen¡­ the secrets I know¡­¡±


    Pawn smiled bitterly. ¡°I do not mean to offend, so please try and take this as objectively as it was intended. Factually speaking, you are one of many who have endured Gerechtigkeit. What gives you superiority over them in ending the cycle? Ites once every one thousand years. Gerechtigkeit does expend a great deal of effort in making people forget his existence, but reality and simple probability dictate that some exist like the Alchemist who know he wille. Foremost among those knowing when the cmityes are gods, lest we forget.¡± Pawn paused, letting his point sink in. ¡°Even supposing your alleged transntation from Earth is not something arcane or divine in nature¡ªan imntation of memories to exin foresight¡ªwould possessing Ingo¡¯s blessing truly allow you to seed? Do you have greater intellect, strength of will, than thousands of others before you?¡±


    Pawn inhaled deeply as he finished speaking. ¡°In summary, what convinces you that you have ability deserving of this blessing? Unless you know how to end the cycle of judgment now, you may never know. And Durran was clear you do not know. Despite that, he entered an arrangement with the Alchemist.¡±


    Argrave took a step back and looked away, thinking hard. From the beginning, the Alchemist made that bet expecting Durran to die. His anger red, but Castro¡¯s words came to him, speaking of the importance of intellectual humility. And as he considered it more, Argrave finally realized why those words were so applicable to him.


    ¡°These memories I have aren¡¯t divine or arcane,¡± Argrave looked not at Pawn, but at the Alchemist. ¡°And there¡¯s a reason I¡¯m here, in Berendar.¡±


    ¡°What reason?¡± said the Alchemist this time, his splintering voiceing out once more.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. But I¡¯m ready to find out,¡± Argrave stated firmly, finally admitting and seeking remedy for his biggest scar¡ªhis existence here. It was the greatest act of intellectual humility he could ever hope for. ¡°And considering how urgently you came at me¡­ I think you know my knowledge is more than mere delusion.¡± He looked up firmly. ¡°I have my deal, Alchemist. I¡¯ll cooperate with you, remedy both of our ignorance about the mystery that is me. Let us delve into what I am, and why I might be here. Get the white-haired elven woman¡ªdoubtless she¡¯ll be interested in unraveling my secrets.¡±


    The Alchemist stared down at Argrave for a few moments. Then, Pawn started walking away, heading for the walls. A stairway appeared to amodate him, and he vanished.


    ¡°She will be contacted. In the meantime¡­ let¡¯s begin with your mind,¡± the Alchemist rasped.


    ¡°Not so fast,¡± Argrave held his finger out. ¡°Let¡¯s discuss the finer details¡ªsafety being the first among them.¡±

 Chapter 437: Body Shop Selling Secrets

    Anneliese followed the man who called himself Pawn, descending into the sterile obsidian fortress belonging to the Alchemist. She thought for half a second that Argrave had been returning when this Pawn emerged from the home, but only a second¡¯s scrutiny broke that illusion. She didn¡¯t enjoy whatever game this thing was. It had emotions, true enough, but it could not be human given its resemnce to Argrave. It had to have been made.


    When this seemingly endless stairway finally ended, Pawn stepped aside and held his arms out. ¡°Wee. This is my home. Plus my extended family. I live in that box up there.¡±


    Anneliese looked past him and his ramblings, searching for Argrave. She saw the Alchemist, and she saw Argrave. He was sitting on a chair, his clothes folded neatly at his feet¡­ and his skull was split open.


    ¡°You¡¯re here!¡± Argrave called out.


    ¡°Quiet,¡± the Alchemist reprimanded, a familiar and sleek scalpel moving through his fingers.


    Anneliese stepped closer in worried frenzy,ing upon Argrave. She looked upon him. He was smiling broadly like he¡¯d discovered some secret. She feared for his health, but he showed no pain, no aversion¡­ instead, the Alchemist peered inside his skull with eyes on his fingers, examining every nook and cranny of Argrave¡¯s brain and skull.


    After what was a brief yet insufferable time, the Alchemist closed shut his skull, leaving not a single wound. The hulking monstrosity said, ¡°Lay on your back. You may talk. Better you than I.¡±


    With that, the Alchemist enclosed his ears in a ward. Argrave obedientlyid down on his back, staring up at Anneliese.


    ¡°First off¡ªno danger. You look a little nauseous, so let¡¯s get that out of the way,¡± Argrave assured her, holding up his hand. She held it with both hers. ¡°As a matter of fact¡­ I got the Alchemist to swear never to do us harm, so long as we never wittingly steal from or assault him or his various Pawns strewn throughout the world.¡±


    ¡°But what is he doing¡ªwhat are you doing? This is far removed from our discussions,¡± she insisted, kneeling beside him.


    ¡°I decided to stop running from a question. That question being why I¡¯m here on Berendar, what my purpose in arriving here is. I was too scared, and maybe too proud to confront it. But given all the things I¡¯ve been through, and after some advice from Castro¡­ I think I¡¯m ready to tackle this question. And I cannot think of anyone better to do so than the Alchemist.¡± He squeezed her hand. ¡°I have no idea where this will take us. But whatever the case, I¡¯m resolved to get some answers. Whether that I¡¯m insane, or a simple lead¡­ this has to tell us more.¡±


    Argrave¡¯s torso was slowly split open, piece by piece¡­ skin, muscle, bone, and then organ. Each part of him was taken out, scrutinized meticulously, measured, observed¡­ and then ced back. It was perhaps the most stomach-turning thing Anneliese had ever seen, and her mind was reeling so quickly that questions escaped her mind as soon as she obtained them.


    ¡°But¡­ why?¡± she asked, trying her best to focus only on his face lest she vomit.


    ¡°Why?¡± Argrave repeated. ¡°Because¡­ because I¡¯m not as smart as I think I am. Even if I got Ingo¡¯s blessing as he wanted, it wouldn¡¯t change anything. Millions of others before me have gone through this¡ªgods, even! ¡ªand still the cycle of judgment persists. But there is something unique about me, Anne. And I need to embrace it. Or at the very least, I need to rule out that it isn¡¯t important.¡±


    The Alchemist grasped Argrave¡¯s arm, unfolding it bit by bit until Anneliese was forced to release her grip. She continued to stare as she said, ¡°¡­and what if there is nothing?¡±


    ¡°Then there¡¯s nothing,¡± Argrave said casually. ¡°I lose nothing, and I finally deal with this¡­ this burden. Talking with you about Earth has helped more than you know, but still my otherness weighs on me more than I can express.¡±


    Anneliese sighed. ¡°You do not need to express it. I know it. I see it in you.¡±


    ¡°See? This is why we work.¡± Argrave smiled, and when his arm was reconstructed held it back out for her to hold once again.


    ¡°We work for more reasons than simply that,¡± she chided him, but took his hand in hers once more. She almost feared to touch him, but his hand felt as firm and steady as before it had been taken apart. ¡°But¡­ what is he doing, exactly?¡± She spared a cautious nce at the Alchemist.


    ¡°Total diagnostic,¡± Argrave said. ¡°He ispletely and absolutely examining my body to see what he can learn of my situation. We can learn whether I¡¯m right, mad, or beyond him.¡±


    ¡°And what about the mirror?¡± Anneliese pressed.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure that wille in time. He is rather thorough, isn¡¯t he?¡± Argrave marveled, looking upon the Alchemist as he worked. ¡°For now, let¡¯s sit and talk. I would very much like a distraction right now¡­¡±


    #####


    Argrave and Anneliese spoke of things mundane and not mundane as the Alchemist worked. Anneliese had to give him credit¡ªthis creature was very clearly the best imaginable person to do this. The way that he went about things possessed a certain detached logic to it that worked to codify every little bit of Argrave. She was uneased as the Alchemist wrote¡ªthe idea of her husband being so totally documented brought her great trepidation¡ªbut in the end, Argrave had made his choice.


    When the Alchemist finished examining everything, even Argrave¡¯s very soul, he took the mirror. He reached for every cab in the room, opening them all one after another. Various people climbed down out of theirpartments¡ªchimeras, Argrave exined, one and all named Pawn. Largerpartments went unopened, for they contained beasts of war.


    The Alchemist and the Pawns worked together on constructing a sprawling archive of Argrave¡¯s being. The mirror was scrutinized in great detail, though very delicately at the same time. The Alchemist sprouted thousands of arms to aid in him is writing, growing ever more feverish in his study by the second. Finally, like a hivee alive, all of the Pawns collected the vast sprawling paper, organizing them into piles and binding them into white-backed books. In no more than a few hours, there was an eleven-volume series about every detail of Argrave¡¯s being.


    All of the Pawns ascended back into theirpartments, closing shut the door behind them. Anneliese and Argrave were left alone once again, and though she was happy to see him whole and healthy after his harrowing experimentation, the Alchemist¡¯s inaction grew her suspense. The great figure leafed through the volumes, reading them one at a time. She had seen him read many books at once before, but this was different. It was the abstract side of the cold logic she¡¯d seen¡ªjust as the scientist needed logic, so too did he need to dream, she felt. And perhaps it was her imagination¡­ but Anneliese thought she detected some modicum of joying from the millennia-old creature.


    And finally, after hours and hours of unease¡­ the Alchemist set all of the books aside, and slowly walked back to Argrave and Anneliese. He looked down at them, saying nothing.


    ¡°My test results?¡± Argrave asked cheekily¡ªAnneliese could tell he felt bolder now that his safety was guaranteed.


    ¡°I believe you came from somewhere else.¡± The Alchemist held out the mirror to Argrave.


    ¡°Really?!¡± Argrave said with more vigor than he¡¯d had all day, taking the mirror back as he rose to his feet. ¡°Then you¡¯ve seen something? Observed something?¡±


    ¡°Silence,¡± the Alchemist waved his hand, stepping away in obvious dislike. ¡°There is a trace in you. Not in body, but in soul. And the faintest amount of that trace exists in the mirror, binding you with the object. It is a subtler method than anything I have ever witnessed before.¡±


    ¡°A trace,¡± Argrave repeated. ¡°Does that mean¡­?¡±


    ¡°Stop speaking,¡± the Alchemist rasped once more. ¡°I have seen that trace before. Gerechtigkeit carries its like.¡±


    Another question clearly rose to Argrave¡¯s mind, but after being silenced twice, he held his tongue.


    ¡°All of it points to something more than what is here. Something beyond the mortal realm and the divine realm. Something different.¡± The Alchemist looked upon Argrave. ¡°If I had Gerechtigkeit¡¯s presence, it might be that something coulde of it. But I do not. And we cannot afford to wait until his descent to advance down this path.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    The Alchemist grew silent, stepping away. Anneliese considered all of this mutely, looking at Argrave¡¯s face distantly as he looked ted with validation. Finally, they had some lead on whatever had happened to him. It was only the vaguest hint, called only ¡®a trace¡¯ by the one who discovered it, but it was something.


    ¡°Georgina sought to bring King Felipe III to Mozzahr,¡± Anneliese finally lifted her head up as inspiration struck. ¡°Felipe III, whose mind had been directly meddled with by Gerechtigkeit. And Mozzahr is interested in subverting the cycle of judgment, if in a different manner.¡± She focused on the Alchemist. ¡°Would that suffice for what you need? A body, bearing Gerechtigkeit¡¯s meddling?¡±


    The Alchemist stared at a bookshelf silently, then turned his head. ¡°Perhaps,¡± he said simply.


    Anneliese continued, ¡°Would you wee a body that had been toyed with by Gerechtigkeit? Is that a way to continue this thread?¡±


    The Alchemist walked closer to her. ¡°I would retrieve it myself, even.¡±


    Anneliese looked down at Argrave. ¡°Congrattions. I believe we found your lead, my love.¡±

 Chapter 438: Grave Son

    When Argrave and Anneliese emerged from the Alchemist''s fortress of obsidian, their party stepped forward eagerly to receive them. They had all seen the strange chimera named Pawn imitating Argrave, and now concern drove them in greeting. Their eagerness was abated by the looming giant that followed them. As the Alchemist exited, the vast ck doors closed shut, pulled closed by an unseen force.


    When finally the two groups met, Argrave looked between everyone awkwardly. He patted the side of his legs and dered, "We''vee to an amodation."


    "And what is the cost?" Castro questioned, supporting Ingo on his right. The blue-haired man stared up at Argrave from his stupor, appearing able to think clearer than most times at present.


    Argrave looked down to the old tower master. ¡°I think you¡¯ll be rather pleased. The Alchemist has agreed to extract Ingo¡¯s blessing, asking for nothing more than the privilege of performing process itself and the waste from its results.¡± He nced back at the giant behind, its pale hands held neatly before it. ¡°You¡¯ll need to ask more specific details from him.¡±


    ¡°No¡­!¡± Ingo said, attempting to shout butcking the strength. He pushed off from Castro and lurched forward. Castro tried to stop him, but managed only to make Ingo kneel instead of facent. ¡°I told you that my eyes are needed. Take them as you imed eyes here before, and evolve once again,¡± he pleaded. ¡°You¡¯ll die. We¡¯ll all die.¡±


    ¡°Being able to use your body until its death is not a satisfying enough trade when the blessing might be mine,¡± the Alchemist said. ¡°I have ns for it.¡±


    ¡°Ingo, what¡­?¡± Castro looked bewildered, eyes darting from all who had spoken.


    ¡°Ingo wanted me to offer his life to the Alchemist so that I might get his blessing for myself¡ªwell, an improved version, at least.¡± Argrave knelt down before the copsed Ingo. ¡°But you heard the Alchemist. He doesn¡¯t need or want your life for this. And the fact that you didn¡¯t know that, Ingo, shows the limit of your ability. If the god who gave it to you cannot end the cycle of judgment, what hope have I? No¡­ I have another route. My own. The only one that suits me.¡±


    ¡°But the shadow¡­ the shadow grows so tall. And you¡¯ve burned alone so long,¡± Ingo said, eyes bloodshot.


    ¡°This is no way forward.¡± Argrave rose to his feet. ¡°I never thought this would be easy. But historically, I¡¯ve never really fought someone on an equal level to me, so I¡¯m well used to tall shadows and things beyond my ken. Let me worry about Mozzahr, and banish these ideas about sacrifice.¡± He looked at Castro. ¡°The Alchemist will cure your apprentice, and he¡¯ll live. Rest assured.¡±


    Castro looked like many things¡ªindignant he was lied to, grateful Argrave had refused Ingo, and confused about the future. But the man was a leader through and through, and so nodded, epting the situation calmly and choosing the best option. Argrave nced back, nodding at the titan who¡¯d be his ally.


    The Alchemist looked down on Castro as though the S-rank spellcaster was as insignificant as an ant and said, ¡°Bring him. Do not speak or act against me. I have promised no harm wille to Argrave¡¯s allies, so long as they do not push their boundary.¡±


    Argrave grabbed Castro¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Listen to him. No matter what, don¡¯t act rashly.¡±


    Castro looked at Argrave¡¯s hand, then back at the Alchemist. ¡°You seem to forget that I am well-versed in knowing when I am outmatched. I was not always the tower master¡ªI¡¯ve avoided stepping on toes for a long, long period of my life.¡± The tower master left questions that undoubtedly burned in his mind unspoken, and instead merely asked, ¡°You¡¯ll be waiting here?¡±


    ¡°Not if all goes my way.¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ll be returning to Vasquer. The Alchemist will bring you back.¡±


    ¡°What will you be doing?¡± Castro questioned, puzzled.


    Argrave spared a nce toward Orion. ¡°Family matters.¡±


    #####


    Argrave and Anneliese stood shoulder to shoulder, watching as the Alchemist led Castro into the obsidian abode. The stage was amply set. All that remained relied on the Alchemist¡¯s ability. Gaining Ingo¡¯s blessing was not something that suited him¡ªErlebnis¡¯ alone was more than he needed at this stage. When the doors shut behind them, Argrave shifted his feet nervously and looked to his brother.


    ¡°Have you something to ask?¡± Orion pressed, eager and ready to serve.


    Good lord, thought Argrave as he looked upon his golden-armored brother, who served as his royal guard. The idea of mentioning what he was about to mention to Orion, of all people, was an idea that never would have crossed his mind at almost any point. But Orion had changed significantly¡ªhis anger was curbed, his zeal was diminished¡ªor redirected, at least, to Vasquer as a whole¡ªand he was altogether calmer. And so Argrave dared.


    ¡°Elenore told me that it was you that buried Felipe after he died,¡± Argrave began hesitantly, stepping closer.


    Orion stayed silent for a long moment, and then reached for his helmet. He took it off, struggling briefly to disentangle his long braid of ck hair and bushy ck beard. When it was off, he held it in the crook of his arm and stared down with his gray eyes firm as stone.


    ¡°Yes. Allowing me to bury Felipe was one of the concessions that cooled things between Elenore and I.¡± He looked off to the side. ¡°Even though you hate him¡­ and Elenore, far more justly so¡­ he is still my father. He deserved a burial, not to rot in some mass grave, and so I gave him one.¡±


    Argrave asked hopefully, ¡°Was it in the family mausoleum?¡±


    ¡°¡­no,¡± Orion answered after hesitating a heartbeat. ¡°Elenore would not allow that.¡± He lowered his head in resignation. ¡°Induen was interred there, but not Felipe. Nor Levin, for that matter. I buried them together, at a spot intimately familiar to the family. Back when¡­ back when things were not broken.¡± He fixed Argrave with his steady gaze. ¡°But why do you speak of burials? What happened in there? Is all okay?¡±


    Argrave sighed and looked around, trying to conjure words. He dared to say inly and straightly, ¡°I need to exhume Felipe.¡±


    #####


    Elenore caressed her forehead, feeling a rising headache. She looked at the messenger that hade in, and then said bitterly, ¡°Send her in.¡±


    With the order given, Elenore leaned back into the wooden chair. The Margrave of Parbon seemed to frown at the use offortable furniture, and after riding a beast like a wyvern her body protested at sitting like this for so long. Eventually, the doors parted, and Mnie entered.


    Elenore took on her strict affect and began, ¡°You were instructed to¡ª¡±


    ¡°Mozzahr wants to parley with Argrave,¡± Mnie said at once. ¡°I thought this was pretty important news that you¡¯d like to learn now, rather thanter. There are¡­ there are messages strewn throughout the whole of that city, just waiting, like little beacons calling out to us. I never saw hide nor hair of the Ebon Cult, but it felt like I was being watched the whole damned way.¡± She shook her hands off as if dispelling some sort of foulness.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Elenore leaned back in the chair, somewhat surprised. Then, she leaned forward and demanded urgently, ¡°Tell me what you saw.¡±


    ¡°Like I told you¡ªmessages,¡± she exined, thenid out a paper. ¡°Here.¡±


    Elenore seized the paper and read through it urgently. It was little beyond what Mnie had disclosed; it did not announce who Mozzahr was, or what he wanted, merely that he hoped to meet Argrave on neutral ground and discuss the futures of their two nations.


    ¡°And before you ask¡ªyeah, we¡¯ve been doing the other things,¡± Mnie continued, scratching near a scar on her face. ¡°Got some of those dwarven thingamajigs. Plundered enough warehouses that it felt unfair. Built little safehouses, just where Argrave marked. Map worked out splendidly, by the by. And that¡¯s just the problem.¡± Mnie walked a little closer. ¡°Felt like it was too easy. We fought monsters, true enough¡ªspiders big enough that they had eyes that dwarfed my head, and all the like. They were hard to kill. But the Ebon Cult gave no signs of life, almost like it didn¡¯t exist. No signs¡­ save those damnable messages, stered about like advertisements.¡±


    Elenore¡¯s eyes squirmed as she thought furiously, and then as rationality set in she slowly set down the paper. ¡°Who else knows of this?¡±


    Mnie pointed a firm finger. ¡°I thought you might want to keep this quiet, so I tried to quarantine it. An impossible task given these things are everywhere, but I¡¯ve restricted it to the Stonepetal Sentinels alone, plus the men you sent with us to scout with druidic magic,¡± she exined. ¡°Eerie ce. That city, that ce¡­ ominously beautiful, with that blue lightshow dancing above the marble. Then these messages everywhere, like it¡¯s all some sort of tribute to Argrave. The man¡¯s done a lot and so has quite a few devotees, but I¡¯m thinking he won¡¯t be overfond of knowing he¡¯s got fan mail stered all over the underground.¡±


    Elenore rose to her feet, wincing with soreness. ¡°You¡­ did well, bringing this to me,¡± she praised, whatever lecture she¡¯d prepared dead in the water.


    ¡°Do you want me to keep on as I have been, head back in?¡± Mnie asked seriously.


    Elenore looked out the windows of the Lionsun Castle, peering out at the Burnt Desert beyond the rock valley. Finally she said, ¡°Yes. That n can¡¯t change. It doesn¡¯t make sense to stop gaining a foothold underground.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Figured as much,¡± Mnie nodded. ¡°Hope I was of help.¡±


    ¡°You were,¡± Elenore nodded.


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case¡­ can I ask what you intend to do?¡±


    Elenore walked back to the letter, reading it once more as she thought. She slowly crumpled it in her hand.


    ¡°It seems there have been moreyers added to this game,¡± Elenore managed only, without a true answer for Mnie¡¯s question.

 Chapter 439: Mindfulness

    Argrave, after stating that he needed to exhume Felipe, realized that this was one of the times where blunt honesty would not serve him as well as couching his speech in flowerynguage. After the fact, he struggled desperately to douse the rising mes of protest that Orion birthed. If Orion got any angrier, perhaps ¡®dousing the mes¡¯ would have been a literal activity.


    But by the end of it all¡ªArgrave desperately exining his purpose in doing so, and Orion desperately seeking to honor the memory of his father¡­ they sat side-by-side against the cave wall, Anneliese and Gmon standing near.


    ¡°In a way¡­ you would be honoring his memory,¡± Argrave said optimistically. ¡°With this, we can prove that it was Gerechtigkeit¡¯s influence that corrupted him.¡±


    Orion looked at Argrave. ¡°Would you truly make that fact known?¡±


    ¡°¡­it might cause unnecessary fear among the people if it were to happen right away,¡± Argrave said, managing only that vague response to Orion¡¯s question.


    ¡°If it helps¡­¡± Orion closed his eyes, then ran his huge hands across his face. ¡°If it might help your cause, I am willing.¡± He turned to look at Argrave. ¡°But you must hear out a request of mine.¡±


    ¡°Certainly,¡± Argrave answered, fearing no grand request from this ascetic brother of his.


    ¡°There are only two things I want,¡± Orion said, rising to his feet. ¡°I wish to be free of these falsely named blessings once Gerechtigkeit lies dead and broken. Even I am not so foolish as to seek to have them purged in the midst of this mortal struggle, but I wish them gone nheless. As for the second¡­¡± Orion rubbed his hands together. ¡°Please, fix my mother¡¯s mind. Nothing else would please me greater.¡±


    Argrave stared at Orion, then also rose to his feet. ¡°The first one¡­ the first one I can do without question. The second, however¡­¡±


    Argrave¡¯s words did note to him immediately. It wasn¡¯t because he hadn¡¯t been thinking about Orion¡¯s mother, Valeria¡ªrather, it was because he had been thinking about her and didn¡¯t care to share his true thoughts. His mother¡¯s mental illness was so severe that she was incapable of living independently. Elenore was not rted to her by blood as Valeria was Felipe¡¯s second wife, yet the princess quietly bore the burden of paying servants to keep her from hurting herself. That alone was more than Felipe had done¡ªhe locked her in a tower, bound, and fed her like a dog.


    Valeria had suffered much. The fact remained, however, Felipe¡¯s corpse might not be a material good enough. And if the knowledge from the game was true¡ªthat Gerechtigkeit had broken Valeria¡¯s mind to turn Felipe further into cruelty¡ªthen she was the best possible material remaining. That was a difficult road to cross. Even Argrave heldpunctions about involving Valeria. Given that Argrave was fine, she might not be harmed should the Alchemist experiment on her¡­ but even still, it was much to ask.


    ¡°You hesitate. I know that I mentioned taking her to that me that House Quadreign bears, but you said it wouldn¡¯t help,¡± Orion crossed his arms. ¡°This Alchemist¡­ he seems capable of everything. Is it impossible to free Valeria¡¯s mind?¡±


    Argrave had a little difficulty meeting Orion¡¯s gaze, but he forced his head upward. ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m not even sure that it can be done. The brain¡­ the brain is veryplex. Even those things you saw, those Pawns¡ªthe best the Alchemist can do is copy their memories to one another. He cannot imnt knowledge. Erlebnis can. And given that, the only other I could think of¡­¡± He sighed deeply. ¡°I know of a god who could heal her.¡±


    Orion closed his eyes. ¡°How I havee to loathe that word. Divinity feels an illusion, yet a powerful one difficult to break free of.¡± He opened his eyes, then focused on Argrave. ¡°I will exhume our father, knowing it is for a good cause.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. Thank you, Orion,¡± Argrave said in relief, grasping his shoulder. ¡°Then let¡¯s return.¡±


    #####


    Elenore fidgeted with the ring that Durran had given her to protect herself. He sat across from her, in a private dining chamber beside their guest room in the Lionsun Castle. This ce had many amenities fit for royalty, as royalty often visited House Parbon in the days of old.


    ¡°Why are you so concerned? Getting a letter is a lot different than getting a visit. Argrave hasn¡¯t met the man yet,¡± Durran leaned his ive up against the wall and slouched over the table.


    Elenore looked at him. ¡°Historically, Argrave is known to be rather¡­ well, optimistic. If there¡¯s some sort of perfect solution, he¡¯ll strive for that instead of taking the easy out. And the idea of meeting with Mozzahr, working out some sort of agreement? If that tempts him, I¡¯m not sure I can dissuade him.¡± She popped her fingers. ¡°Perhaps¡­ the only ones that know are¡­ never mind,¡± she waved her hand and shook her head.


    ¡°You¡¯re thinking of keeping it from him?¡± Durran raised a brow, then leaned in. ¡°Interesting thought. Not very smart, but interesting.¡±


    ¡°That sums you up quite well,¡± Elenore nced at him sternly. ¡°We don¡¯t need the risk, don¡¯t need the discussion¡­ but damn it all, I can¡¯t hide this. Literally and personally. I won¡¯t ever lie to Argrave again.¡±


    ¡°Do you think Argrave is really that gullible? I don¡¯t. Maybe you¡¯re looking at it the wrong way,¡± Durran pointed out, moving his hand between his eyes and hers. ¡°Maybe this can be a boon rather than a bane. An alliance probably won¡¯t happen¡ªif Argrave didn¡¯t even consider it, the guy has to be a bastard. But there are other ways to benefit besides that.¡±


    Elenore stayed silent, cing her arm atop the table and supporting her head with her hand. She gazed off into the distance, her gray eyes dark and thoughtful. After a long moment of silence, the gray grew brighter, and she started to lift her head away from her hand.


    Just then, someone knocked on the door, and her head turned to it quickly. Durran rose up and answered the door, and one of the margrave¡¯s knights stood outside.


    ¡°Princess Elenore. The men have spotted a returning wyvern,¡± the man dipped his head respectfully.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Elenore rose to her feet at once. ¡°They¡¯ve returned, then. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    #####


    The reunited royal family stood on the walls of House Parbon¡¯s Lionsun Castle. Argrave was watching the wyvern as its rider fed it. Everyone was exhausted, but Argrave, Anneliese, Orion, and Gmon persisted to hear Elenore¡¯s urgent words.


    ¡°A parley?¡± Argrave repeated, bbergasted. ¡°He might as well write a note for me to kill myself. I¡¯ll pass,¡± he shook his head decisively. ¡°Maybe I can write a counter-note. What might be a good thing to say? Perhaps it should be a more literal version of his note. But then, narcissists never kill themselves. It¡¯s why his letter didn¡¯t work on me, and why mine wouldn¡¯t work on him.¡± He rubbed at his eyes. ¡°Ignore me. I¡¯m tired and rambling after flying for twelve hours. Anyway, my answer¡ª"


    ¡°I think you should go,¡± Elenore said inly.


    ¡°Go?¡± Argrave repeated, looking at her with shock. ¡°Did you say go? As in, go underground, into the homnd of the enemy? Well, conquered homnd, but homnd nheless,¡± he shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t care to see an aurora borealis of death, even if Mnie said it was really pretty.¡± He looked at her suspiciously. ¡°But you always hate when I do dangerous things. What am I missing? Will we be sending a body double? As it happens, I might have just the person for that¡­¡±


    Elenore looked at him solemnly, then sighed. ¡°Maybe we should talk about this at another date. It¡¯s clear you¡¯re tired, and Mozzahr has waited long enough before this¡­ so we have time to think of our course of action. I need to refine this idea of mine, anyhow.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Yeah, okay. I want to sleep. Feels like I¡¯ve been¡­ turned inside out.¡± Argrave nced to his queen. Anneliese shook her head upon hearing that joke only she would understand, but did sh a tired smile at him.


    Elenore nodded. ¡°Rest, then. Perhaps I should not have bombarded you with this mere seconds after your return. We have something of a show to put on tomorrow, anyhow. We have to announce Durran to the world, bring all the wyvern riders into the heart of Vasquer as allies.¡±


    Argrave spared a nce at Orion. ¡°True enough. And there¡¯s been¡­ a development.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡± Elenore pressed.


    ¡°I invite you to visit with us, Elenore,¡± Orion offered his hand.


    #####


    Elenore refused Orion¡¯s invitation to exhume Felipe. She tried to be polite about it. ¡®Tried¡¯ being the operative word, there. Then again, Orion must¡¯ve been expecting such an answer. With that matter settled, they headed to their chambers for the night.


    Despite Argrave iming that he was tired, he did not immediately head to sleep. His mind was abuzz with a thousand things¡ªthe possibility of learning the truth about the why of things, the process of magic segmentation that Castro had taught him, and the idea of learning [Blood Infusion]¡­ it was all so enticing.


    What began as Argrave leafing through his papers about [Blood Infusion] in bed became a full-on practice session, where he dissected various pieces of blood magic using the process of segmentation. Eventually, he went to im a desk to spread out papers and analyze things. He became so absorbed in his studies that he barely heard someone walking up behind him.


    ¡°Been a while since I saw you so happy with magic alone,¡± Anneliesemented.


    Argrave jumped slightly and looked back. ¡°Did I wake you? I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°In a manner of speaking. Hard to sleep without your warmth,¡± she said, shaking her head. Her words made Argrave smile like a fool, but she continued, ¡°Would you like some help?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Argrave considered that, then looked back to his paper. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say no to more eyes. But I don¡¯t think I need it. Not this time.¡± He looked at her. ¡°Not that I¡¯m saying you¡¯re not¡ª¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± she interrupted consolingly with a smile. ¡°Because this is yours.¡±


    Argrave nodded slowly. ¡°Yeah. Yeah, I guess it is. Kind of sounds possessive, or secretive, but¡­ feels right. Feels like it¡¯s really mine.¡±


    Anneliese walked up to look down at what he¡¯d done. ¡°Then¡­ when might you seed?¡±


    Argrave noted her words¡ªwhen, not if¡ªand looked back with a small chuckle. ¡°At this rate? Far faster than I expected it to be¡­ provided I don¡¯t get distracted constructing new spells. I¡¯ve been thinking. Why eels of electricity alone? Why not fire? Ice? Or¡­ or, even blood magic?¡± Argrave tapped his desk eagerly, pointing out small diagrams of his. ¡°[Blood Infusion] might make that obsolete, but the points stands. I can mix and match parts. If I think about other things I might create¡­ it¡¯s a dream.¡±


    Anneliese looked between the papers. ¡°This does note as easy to me as it does for you. I suppose that we simply view magic in a different way.¡±


    ¡°Definitely. I can barely read your notes. They read like scribbles you might find in an insane asylum,¡± he teased her.


    Anneliese smiled broadly. ¡°So I have been told. But the day is long, tomorrow. It would not do to let the people see you with baggy eyes when marrying Elenore off to the barbarous King of the Scorched Sands. And grave-digging while fatigued seems troubled work.¡±


    Argraveughed lightly. ¡°To sleep, then. And to a rough day tomorrow.¡±

 Chapter 440: What Could Be

    Near a hundred flying beasts in the sky darkened the earth of Vasquer with their wide shadows in the early dawn. Just as Argrave¡¯s royal procession with his army had been impossible to avoid noticing, so too was the so-called King of the Scorched Sand¡¯s. The wyverns flew over the vast kingdom, trivializing the size of thend of green summer that was enduring the beginnings of the bitter struggle against Gerechtigkeit.


    Their wyverns had been armored in southron elf illusion magic, and so their fleet of wyverns seemed to be uncountable. At once, rumors spread of the new faction in Vasquer. Some reported that one thousand wyverns had flown past the Lionsun Castle. The number was seldom kept within reason, and though it spread fear, it spread hope in equal measure¡ªhope that their king would seek a peaceful alliance, as he had promised.


    In time, they passed over Elbraille and then Jast, finally reaching ckgard itself. The wyverns took their ce atop the mountaintops, adorning the ck mountains around the city as jewels might adorn a crown. The army waited here, returned from their journey into the Low Way of the Rose. The soldiers were briefly distracted from their drilling by these new arrivals. Indeed, all took note of the return of their king, his new ally in tow.


    In even only the short time gone, the burgeoning city of ckgard had expanded further yet. Refugees were not abated by the efforts of the nobles¡ªinstead, they seemed to be all the greater as the undead attacks continued, and as rumors of lesser gods appearing spread throughout thend. And in turn, the fields sprouted with crops, rudimentary stone buildings sprouted up where makeshift tents had once been, and the new docks overlooking the ocean weed the arrival of true trade ships.


    Argrave and the rest of his party alighted near the parliamentary hall, and moved there already while discussing things urgently.


    ¡°So¡ªwe go in there, act like we¡¯re negotiating, and then spread word of an alliance with the Burnt Desert sealed by marriage,¡± Argrave summarized as they walked.


    ¡°I haveid the groundwork. From here, I¡¯ll requisition sufficient goods to begin trading with the Burnt Desert,¡± Elenore agreed, keeping up with Argrave¡¯s brisk pace.


    ¡°Alright. Durran¡ªI assigned Mnie to get some dwarven constructs from the abandoned dwarven cities beneath the ground. When she returns, you have a very difficult duty.¡± He gestured toward the man. ¡°You¡¯re going to y any hostile lesser gods, and capture their spirits in these devices.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going to make me a Godyer?¡± Durran touched his chest. ¡°Listen to yourself. Are you serious? Fighting Vessels is a step away from fighting gods. Didn¡¯t you say they were one hundred feet tall?¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°I¡¯m very serious. But note that I said lesser gods,¡± Argrave said, tempering his expectations. ¡°Onychinusa will help me identify suitable targets. I¡¯ll prepare what¡¯s necessary for a brutal ughter, and then you¡¯ll enact it. I¡¯d like it if you stuck to the ns Anneliese and I devise, but I trust you to work independently. The most important thing is gathering spirits. I will need an abundance to deal with Mozzahr. The imperial spells made by Balzat are costly.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s Onychinusa?¡± Durran narrowed his eyes, lost.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you all that once we get inside.¡± He looked behind him, then beckoned Orion forth. The man came. ¡°I want you to get everything prepared for the journey to Felipe¡¯s grave. We should bring the body here, for ease of ess,¡± he said, trying to hide the grimness on his tone. Valeria, fortunately, had been moved to a wing in the parliamentary hall in ckgard a long time ago so that Orion might visit her and check on her more often. He would not need to mention retrieving her.


    ¡°At once, Your Majesty,¡± Orion pounded his chest.


    ¡°Alright. And once all this is set in motion¡­¡± he looked at Elenore. ¡°We can talk about our ns for Mozzahr. And I hope you can make sense of the notion of visiting him.¡±


    ¡°I hope so,¡± Elenore nodded.


    #####


    After about three hours, the marriage between Durran and Elenore was pronounced¡ªbut more importantly to the general public, it also marked an alliance with the master of the wyverns. After the show with the giant beasts, it received widespread acim. And at midday, Argrave departed to Vasquer aback a wyvern, where they might retrieve Felipe¡¯s body.


    Theynded a fair distance away from the city,rgely to avoid spooking people. The duke and duchess of Dirracha¡ªHegazar and Vera¡ªwere at the Dragon Pce, but he didn¡¯t feel it best to involve them unduly. And arge part of that was because they still thought him some sort of mastermind who had predicted that Dirracha would suffer damage from the Shadonder attack.


    Fortunately, the ce that Orion had buried his father was secluded. Specifically, it was ake house. Argrave had some memories of it, but none of them were exceptional. Orion, however, filled in the nks as their small but potent entourage made to it.


    ¡°This was the vacation home of the royal family,¡± Orion exined. ¡°When my mother¡¯s mind failed after my birth¡­ she was taken here, that she might have peace, quiet, and diligent care. Father visited very frequently, checking on her, despairing¡­ he was a different man than as you knew him. And I saw him change week by week, until he simply stopped visiting.¡± He shook his head, perhaps unable to look at Argrave. ¡°It was me and mother, then, with servants. When his visits ceased, she grew only worse.¡±


    Orion clenched his fist tightly. ¡°Despite all that, this was the only ce I might call us a family. For all her troubles, my mother was never cruel to me. She was never cruel to anyone beside herself. And one day, my father called me away to Dirracha. For education.¡±


    Argrave said nothing, quietly following along with Orion as they made their way to theke house. It was a tall and imposing mansion, but made of wood and quaintly decorated. It was far removed from the gaudy splendor that was the Dragon Pce. It had docks that held simple rowing boats. There were beautiful trees all along theke, shielding it from sight at a distance, but up close they served as framing for the sereneke beyond them.


    Orion walked near the doors of theke house, stopping at the steps. He looked at the cold iron door handles for a moment as though he wished to enter, and then turned away. ¡°There are some inds in the center of theke. I¡¯ll row us there.¡±


    They walked around the side of theke house. Argrave looked within through the iron and ss windows. The ce looked normal, even inviting. Itpelled Argrave to think of something different. He imagined a world wherein Felipe had lived without Gerechtigkeit¡¯s influence.


    True, Felipe was always a conqueror¡­ but Argrave did not know the circumstances of that time. Argrave himself had waged war to im a throne. Gerechtigkeit always felt impersonal, detached¡­ but he had ruined so many lives long before his descent. The yer never got insight into the cmity¡¯s mind. Was it sick, twisted, depraved, like some god of murder? Or was it something else entirely? Something like the Alchemist¡ªcold and impersonal, but ruthless nheless?


    Whatever the case, they made it to the docks of theke house. Orion solemnly rowed them across, disturbing the stillke. Eventually, they came upon an ind with apple trees, and disembarked. They came upon one headstone. It merely said, ¡®Father and Son.¡¯


    Orion knelt down. ¡°I inscribed that. I thought¡­ I thought it would be best if they were remembered like that.¡± He knelt in awkward silence for a few moments, then said, ¡°I suppose there¡¯s no point in dying.¡±


    Digging up the grave was short work despite how deep Orion had dug their graves. Argrave saw a rotting hand first, covered in dirt, and worked to clear away the rest with hispanions. And what they discovered¡­


    When Orion stepped back and looked between the two bodies, he said in anger and wonder, ¡°What in the world¡­?¡±


    Both bodies wereid out humbly, their hands crossed over their chest. Looking upon them, the difference between the two corpses was astronomical. Felipe¡¯s body was only a fragile, brittle-looking skeleton with scraps of meat hanging on. Levin, however, had not decayed so thoroughly. He was still as much flesh as he was bone. Argrave was no expert on dposition, but he knew deeply buried bodies took some time to be bare bone.


    ¡°They died at the same time, but¡­¡± Argrave looked between the revealed Felipe, and the partially buried Levin, standing in the grave.


    ¡°When we saw Felipe, his hair was graying despite being an A-rank spellcaster,¡± Anneliese mused from outside the grave.


    She said nothing after this, but Argrave put the pieces together¡ªA-rank spellcasters lived centuries beyond normal people, naturally. Perhaps something was making Felipe decay faster. That boded well for Gerechtigkeit still existing within him in some manner. But as Argrave considered the Alchemist had imed Gerechtigkeit had the same sort of trace energy Argrave did¡­ it brought him pause.


    ¡°Is it his body?¡± Gmon interrupted his thoughts.


    Orion looked back and up. ¡°Yes,¡± he nodded grimly.


    ¡°Then we waste time. We ought to leave, Your Majesty,¡± Gmon counseled.


    Argrave sighed. ¡°Yeah¡­ yeah. No use fretting.¡± He looked outside the grave. ¡°Is the stuff to carry him ready? We still have the journey back, and the sun is setting.¡±


    #####


    They managed to return to ckgard before thest light of the sun faded behind the mountains. ckgard¡¯s night came earlier, shielded as it was, but the mountains kept the heat contained within, ensuring a pleasant temperature nheless.


    Argrave came to join Elenore after all their affairs were in order¡ªshe¡¯d sent someone asking to speak with him. She and Durran shared some wine. The difference in indulgence was obvious, for Durranid on the bed asleep and she nursed a barely-emptied goblet.


    ¡°Did it go well?¡± she asked as they entered, making no efforts to quiet her voice as her newlywed slept.


    ¡°As well as such a thing can,¡± Orion shook his head. ¡°I imagine you don¡¯t care to discuss it.¡±


    ¡°True enough,¡± Elenore put her cup down. ¡°Learned much while you were away, Argrave. Firstly, some of the baster-skinned tribals from Vysenn have left their hills. And they¡¯re asking for you, by name, at a local castle in Atrus. They seemed to think they¡¯d be weed. Your name saved their lives, so I¡¯m told.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Argrave stepped deeper within, recalling that he¡¯d told a tribal chieftain to seek him out as a refugee as their volcano was soon to erupt. ¡°That¡¯s an interesting bit of news. What else do you have for me?¡±


    ¡°Artur¡¯s Hall of Enchantment has finished construction. Artur built it inside the mountain, but he¡¯s asking permission to have a ratherrge structure built as its entrance. A grand monument,¡± Elenore shrugged. ¡°They have been doing good work. I¡¯m told that he made a breakthrough in deconstructing ancient elven artifacts. He promises to have a working prototype for a strength-enhancing enchantment soon. And he¡¯d better, given how much of our financing he calls upon.¡±


    Argrave nodded, then sat across from Elenore where Durran had once been sitting. ¡°The monument¡­ people like a fancy building. It might attract more spellcasters to join it, which benefits us rather directly. I¡¯ll consider it only after most of the residential districts are built, though. The architects from Relize are busy enough. You agree?¡± he asked both Anneliese and Elenore.


    Both agreed in one way or another, and then Elenore continued, ¡°Well¡ªenough news. Let us speak of Mozzahr¡¯s message, and why I said before that you might wish to visit him.¡±


    ¡°To kill me, and usurp my throne,¡± Argrave said, nodding. ¡°Very clever. You seek my crown, and so advise I go to my death.¡±


    Elenore sighed and grabbed the goblet of wine, throwing her temperance to the wind and quaffing the whole thing. She set it down and exhaled, then said, ¡°No. You¡¯re more valuable as my puppet king.¡±


    Argraveughed, then leaned back into the chair. ¡°Alright. Then, enlighten me.¡±


    ¡°If this is a trap? We find out, and avoid it. But if it¡¯s not¡­then I suspect Mozzahr is attempting to manipte us, y with us.¡± Elenore looked at Argrave deviously. ¡°And if he¡¯s arrogant enough to attempt such a thing¡­ then it might just be we can have a true puppet king. I trust our intrigue far more than our armies. And when both are working in tandem, perhaps we can get everything we want at once.¡±


    Argrave narrowed his eyes. ¡°Killing Mozzahr with some scheme won¡¯t be possible. The man could subsist solely on poison, or eat nails coated in neurotoxin by the handful, and walk out of it fine.¡±


    Elenore nodded. ¡°You¡¯ve made that clear. But our concern here is the people. And that dwarf, Anestis¡­ perhaps he can be more than a showpiece to convince our parliament of the world underground and its perils.¡±

 Chapter 441: Finding Cycles to Break

    ¡°What we need most, more than almost anything, are bodies for this war,¡± Elenore told Argrave. ¡°We must take advantage of Mozzahr¡¯s arrogance to involve the dwarven nation persisting below even the Ebon Cult.¡±


    Argrave listened to her proposal intently, and then leaned back into his chair. ¡°Elenore¡­ those people, the dwarves¡­ they¡¯ve been removed from the struggles of nations for decades. The most they face is the odd monster breaking through their mines, or¡­ even lesser threats.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not important, Argrave. Think about this for a moment.¡± Elenore gently slid her goblet of wine aside and leaned forward. ¡°Should they sit in the underbellies of the earth, removed from all conflict, and reap all the benefits of our protection while they do nothing? This is a fight for the world; they have to get involved, even if they¡¯re pacifistic rock-eaters. We must involve them. If Gerechtigkeit is the arbiter, then they must step to the stand and bear witness right alongside us. Their testimony must be given in steel and spell, just as ours. And the tool to making that happen is Mozzahr.¡±


    He stared at her for a time, the silence interrupted by Durran¡¯s light snoring. ¡°It¡¯s not the same. Provoking a war is markedly different from persuading people to take up arms.¡±


    ¡°Mozzahr would be starting the war,¡± Elenore said. ¡°The dwarves, the Ebon Cult¡­ if you asked me to choose between them and us, I¡¯d much prefer them to fight while leaving Vasquer yet more time to grow and strengthen itself.


    ¡°It sets a rather terrible precedent.¡± Argrave leaned on the table. Perhaps this was one of the vicious cycles that Castro warned Argrave of avoiding. On the other hand, dismissing the possibility outright¡­ perhaps that was arrogance. ¡°I¡¯ll consider it. But my foremost concern with Mozzahr is not what we do once we meet him¡ªrather, the idea of meeting him itself is the subject of biggest concern. I like living. Meeting him might cut that short.¡±


    Elenore nodded at his not-quite-rejection. ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll have Mnie working on that front. Pretty soon, we¡¯ll have established a firm foothold in the abandoned dwarven cities.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Then¡­ I say, enjoy the rest of your night. We can deal with the things we talked about in the morning, but I have to stay up in case the Alchemist arrives. It wouldn¡¯t do for him to have an improper reception.¡±


    As Argrave rose, Elenore called out, ¡°Hang on.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡± He looked down at her.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ not being totally honest,¡± Elenore admitted. ¡°It isn¡¯t like I lied, but perhaps I ought to be more forting.¡±


    Argrave nced at Anneliese, then back to Elenore. ¡°Alright. Go ahead. Trust me with anything.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re bringing the Alchemist here to look into the possibility of circumventing the cycle of judgment,¡± Elenore said, her eyes wandering to Durran. ¡°If Mozzahr seeks that same thing¡­ if Mozzahr might help us¡­ perhaps there might be cooperation.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Argrave blinked. ¡°It¡¯s a little hard to bring an egomaniac to the bargaining table. He seeks to circumvent the cycle of judgment by bing the cycle the judgment. It was never explicitly stated, but I theorize he believes he¡¯s the ideal candidate to judge whether or not the world should continue to exist. He wants to be the one who decides everything.¡±


    ¡°Egomaniacs are some of the best people imaginable at deluding themselves. If we allow his ego to believe it is in control, he can do so many things that are far from ideal. Even Felipe couldpromise, provided his ego was not wounded,¡± Elenore stared at Argrave. ¡°Durran did something stupid, wagering his life on something this far-fetched. But gods be damned, I¡¯ll do most everything I can to get him out of it. And if this is something that might¡­!¡± She ced her slender hands onto the table and clenched them. ¡°I have to. I have to look into this.¡±


    Argrave leaned down and wrapped his arms around her. She was reticent at first, but seemed to dly surrender after a few seconds. He could practically feel some of her tension melt away. Hers was a silently born burden, but she was as human as everyone else. Her constant vignce coupled with Durran¡¯s predicament had battered her greatly.


    ¡°I hear you, sis. I do. But Mozzahr is what Felipe thought he was¡ªa cold, efficient ruler, who makes rather unemotional decisions and has the charisma to see them carried out by his legions of adoring followers. We dug our father¡¯s body up today because Felipe failed in what he attempted,¡± he reminded her quietly, speaking lightly into her hair. ¡°Mozzahr hasn¡¯t failed.¡±


    Elenore sighed. ¡°Yes, I¡­ understand. Felipe¡­ by the gods¡­ I suppose when you see someone looming over you for so long, they berger than they truly were in your memory.¡± She tapped his back, signaling that she was ready to be released, and Argraveplied.


    ¡°Are you good?¡± Argrave asked with a smile.


    ¡°I will be,¡± Elenore nodded. ¡°Sorry for babbling. This is why I abstain from this¡­¡± she muttered, twirling the empty wine goblet on the table.


    ¡°Maybe you can get a heart like mine, fix that problem forever,¡± Argrave tapped his chest, and then bid her goodbye.


    #####


    Argrave stood in arge warehouse in ckgard. The ce was freshly built and empty as anything, amodating only Argrave¡¯s personal retinue of Orion and Gmon plus a gargantuan caravan. Considering what¡ªor rather, who¡ªit held, perhaps it was best to call it ¡®suitablyrge.¡¯ He didn¡¯t quite understand how this thing had gotten here so quickly, but he didn¡¯t care enough to ask.


    Several people¡ªall of whom Argrave presumed were named Pawn¡ªwalked to the back of the carriage, opening it up. Arge gray-skinned hand gripped the top of the carriage, and then its owner mbered out. The Alchemist straightened to his formidable height, and then looked around.


    ¡°I can hear them. People. By the thousands,¡± the Alchemist said in his cutting voice. ¡°It¡¯s best I¡¯m far from any¡­ cities.¡±


    Behind, Pawns moved deeper into the carriage, and Argrave watched with curiosity. Castro and Ingo were likely back there, and they¡¯d be retrieved by the humanoid chimeras of the Alchemist.


    Argrave sped his hands together. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. The ce I had in mind for you has two others. My ancestor, the Gilderwatcher Vasquer, and an ancient elf by the name of Onychinusa. It¡¯s a short walk¡­ rtively speaking.¡±


    ¡°Ancient elf?¡± the Alchemist repeated¡ªa rare disy of curiosity.


    ¡°From the empire of thest millennium,¡± Argrave exined.


    The Alchemist steely gray eyes shed green for half an instant, then settled down into mundanity. ¡°Enough talk.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it is,¡± Argrave disagreed. ¡°How did the operation on Ingo go?¡±


    The Alchemist looked down at Argrave. ¡°It seeded. Now, take me to my space. Show me the body you imed bears Gerechtigkeit¡¯s taint.¡±


    Argrave smiled bitterly. ¡°Alright. You¡¯ll need to hide yourself¡ªinvisibility or some such spell.¡±


    The Alchemist¡¯s robe of ck hair bubbled, and then seemed to shift like panels. In only a few seconds, the twenty-foot-tall giant disappeared,pletely vanishing as a chameleon might. The camouge was so solid that Argrave thought he was staring at nothing at all. He could see him if he willed his eyes to locate magic, but beyond that? It was an impossibility.


    When Argrave saw Castro and Ingo walked out of the carriage, capably supported, he called out, ¡°Castro? Everything good?¡±


    The old tower master looked at Argrave. His steps slowed for a moment, and then he gave a slow nod. ¡°Everything will be.¡±


    With that, Castro kept walking, solely focused on Ingo. He watched them go until his people escorted them out. Only then did Argrave look at the Alchemist and say, ¡°Right¡­ let¡¯s go, then.¡±


    #####


    Though Argrave was quite concerned with the well-being of Castro and his apprentice, he decided to prioritize the murder monster he¡¯d allowed into his capital city. The Alchemist blended in sopletely that Argrave more than once thought to ask if the thing was still following. He never did, but he thought about it. The only indication the spellcaster was even present was by the sound of his huge feet hitting the ground.


    When they did arrive at the mountaintop of ckgard housing both Vasquer and Onychinusa, his two bizarre allies watched with obvious paranoia. The Alchemist ignored their prying eyes, more concerned with the subject of his observation than the icy reception around him. Felipe¡¯s body was waiting in a huge coffin, and he was drawn to it like he knew.


    The Alchemist pried the lid open with his two fingers, effortlessly pulling free the nails that kept it bound. The wooden lid ttered loudly, and the Alchemist looked back. ¡°When did he die?¡±


    ¡°Only a few months ago,¡± Argrave supplied.


    ¡°Was he buried deeply?¡± the Alchemist grew more eyes on his fingers, all of them growing green with magic.


    ¡°About eight feet deep. And from personal anecdotes¡­ he was¡ª¡±


    ¡°An A-rank spellcaster. His bones looks as though he was aged at around two hundred,¡± the Alchemist retracted his hand.


    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t think he was even sixty,¡± Argrave slowly supplied. ¡°People said he was aging far faster than he should have. I can attest he was graying. By all ounts, the decay is unnatural.¡±


    ¡°When you say something so obvious, I think you must speak only to hear your own voice,¡± the Alchemist¡¯s head sprouted more eyes, ring at Argrave even as he worked. ¡°Begone. I shall be here. My chimeras shall construct an abode, well removed from human eyes. When I have answers, you shall be received.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ okay,¡± Argrave nodded, backing away slowly. ¡°But¡­ that decay¡­ you said it might be like what¡¯s in me. If there¡¯s traces of that same sort¡ª¡±


    ¡°You show no sign of elerated decay. But you may, if silence remains broken.¡± The Alchemist turned around to Argrave, saying nothing further. Even with his safety guaranteed, Argrave took that as ample sign to leave.


    The Alchemist¡¯s eyes scanned the area, taking it all in¡­ but when they passed by Onychinusa, the ever-focused Alchemist briefly turned away from his task. He faced her, scrutinizing closely. Argrave feared there might be a problem, but then the hulking creature seemed to resume its duty without another thought.


    The curiosity, and then that look¡­? His gaze flitted between the two of them. I don¡¯t want any trouble, and Onychinusa is a bit unpredictable. I¡¯ll get my things, set up here. It¡¯s time for my first foray into segmented spells¡­


    #####


    After dying the meeting with Artur until next week and sending word for the free passage of the Vysenn refugees, Argrave set up shop a decent distance away from the Alchemist, near Vasquer. Anneliese joined him, adding yet more A-rank spells to her arsenal in a quiet reading session. The great snake was a good windbreak for them, and surprisingly warm despite being a reptile. He hadrge ns for segmented spells, and the Alchemist did not seem to care overmuch if they were around so long as they did not speak.


    Argrave¡¯s entire approach to magic had been one of efficiency¡ªdispatch a problem as soon as possible with overwhelming power. Now, though¡­ he¡¯d do the same. On a grander scale, granted, but it was the same. He had collected enough parts that he might make something new¡­ something better, maybe.


    It was time to break one cycle, at the very least. The next would surely follow.

 Chapter 442: Shedding Mortality

    Saving the world was just as arrogant a thing as trying to dominate or destroy it. Each of the three carried with it an implication; that one¡¯s personal power was superior to that of the world. It implied that the world could be changed in such a way. It was easy enough to im that Argrave had set upon this road for the purpose of saving his own life, but time and time again he¡¯d proven that there was more to it than that. He did want to help people. And the worst part? He¡¯d seeded.


    Argrave¡¯s stream of sesses was like a ck cloud obscuring true progress. But what is teaching, if not sparing someone the arduous process of trial-and-error? And that was what Castro had given Argrave; a route to see what hecked without the biting fangs of failure. And with his guidance, brief though it might¡¯ve been¡­ the road ahead was clear.


    With a light shining ahead, and with the Alchemist taking ample time examining Felipe¡¯s skeleton, Argrave crafted a way ofbat that truly suited him in theing war.


    [Bloodfeud Bow] was a spell Argrave had relied upon for its extreme destructive power, but multiple times itsck of versatility had caused tight situations¡ªCastro¡¯s mock battle illustrated its weakness. Against foes that were fast, smart, and decisive, if it missed, there was little else to be done.


    And so Argrave took a segment from another of his spells: [Electric Eel].


    It came to be that Argrave could change the direction of the blood arrows midflight. Unlike the eels, these arrows simply moved too fast to be controlled for very long, but if he had been able to change the way the arrow flew during the battle with Castro? The man might be well and truly dead.


    He practiced this feat, firing an arrow skyward from one of his echoes. It soared upwards, seeking to pierce the clouds like a rocket, but with will alone Argrave brought it back and struck a mountaintop. It left a great crater, sending rocks tumbling down. He took a deep breath of emboldened pleasure as rocks tumbled down cliffside.


    It was such a small lesson, but it felt like the entire world opened up before Argrave.


    Rather than merely eels of electricity swirling about, Argrave sought more. After considerable trial and error, he isted the segment of the spell that allowed a projectile to be persistent, and with his knowledge of controlling the projectile by will. From there, the possibilities expanded quick enough he nearly lost track of them.


    des of wind soared throughout the air, a veritable tornado of harm that never lost its edge. Balls of fire, poised to explode outwards, danced near him as if it were a minefield preventing any froming near with threat of death. He created an ever-expanding stream of water that obeyed his whims until it was near asrge and flexible as Vasquer herself.


    Theputations were so infinite he forgot them nearly as soon as he created them. It took hours to develop some of these spells, fiddling until things were just right¡­ certainly, his retinue of spells didn¡¯t expand dramatically. The human mind could only remember so many things at once. The point was not the spells themselves; it was the understanding.


    Each time he substituted one element for another, altered druidic magic to order his Brumesingers in a different way, or added some element to a spell he already understood, his knowledge of spell structure deepened. It was unacademic, unsophisticated, and probably downright inefficient¡­ but then, he¡¯d taken much the same approach delving into Heroes of Berendar.


    Argrave¡ªno, he was Vincenzo, then¡ªyed the game with its fast and hard rules. He experimented, trying different permutations of different characters with slight variables tweaked. He did it for thousands of hours, erratically and randomly, and by the end of it he knew enough to fill thousands of pages. There was no structure to it, no reason¡ªhe did it for fun alone, and that was why it had worked out. Now, that same thing repeated itself on a different medium. Instead of ying a character a different way, he cast a spell a different way.


    And damn if it wasn¡¯t fun.


    Along the way of this joyride of possibilities, patterns made themselves clear. Things that were subtle became obvious. Construction that was once arcane, where he had followed along as a builder alone, became less iprehensible. He started to understand why things were the way they were, rather than mutely obeying what had been written down in books.


    At the beginning of his journey, he had written a thesis about [Blood Infusion], which was the process of imbuing blood magic into all spells. Back then, all he¡¯d managed was rote giarism of lore. He found it rather fitting, then, that the end of his days as a rote spellcaster died should end with its discovery. And with this in mind¡­ he strived.


    He surveyed the sacrificial magic endlessly. Order of the Rose spells, Order of the Gray Owl spells, it made no difference. He delved into each with fury, deconstructing them, scrutinizing them, rebuilding them, reusing them. He created des of blood, walls of it, burning through his very life essence as he expended blood echoes almost wastefully.


    Argrave once again ran through the process of his A-rank ascension¡ªof how he¡¯d tied conduits of blood to his soul, anchoring them and allowing them to be circuits with which he could cast A-rank spells. Even the bronze hand mirror acknowledged his aplishment.


    Traits: [ck Blooded], [Intelligent], [Magic Affinity (High)], [Magic Ascension: Blood Echoes] [Blessing of Supersession (MAX)]


    Skills: [Elemental Magic (A)], [Blood Magic (A)], [Healing Magic (B)], [Illusion Magic (B)], [Warding Magic (A)], [Druidic Magic (A)], [Shamanic Magic (A)], [Inscription (B)], [Imbuing (B)]


    Argrave didn¡¯t care to ssify things, codify them, as a magical schr might. No¡ªhe was interested in what worked, and what was. He couldn¡¯t im to know why it was that blood was such a potent force, nor what made it keep his form. These were questions beyond his limits and his patience. Just as some people datamined Heroes of Berendar, others simply yed the game and experimented. But both found out how it was made, and how to replicate it. He found out why one matrix called upon the blood while another called upon the mes.


    After time and time again of repetition and observation, Argrave came to understand how the spells drew blood from the body. He understood why it was this silver bracer on his arm could draw magic from him, preserving it in this state. But with all this knowledge, one step remained before him.


    Argrave sat in the dead of night in the cold mountains, cross-legged before Vasquer. He stared at a matrix in his hand, contemting it, pondering it¡­ it was an F-rank spell, nothing more than a simple line. Some might think him mad for spending so much time looking at a line in the air, but then none were around that would judge him, only Anneliese, Orion, Gmon, and a distant Alchemist.


    Argrave called upon the bloody conduits entangled with his soul, and set the roiling magic within him to motion. All of what he¡¯d learned of the way that blood became blood magic came to fruition, and a familiar yet foreign sensation filled his body. And when hepleted the spell¡­


    A maroon me burned in Argrave¡¯s hand. He could feel it siphoning away the blood from his body as its heat buffeted his face. The me was fierce, bright, and hot, and the shadows around it seemed all the eerier. No one could deny its intensity.


    ¡°Argrave, that¡­¡± Anneliese said in shock.


    Argrave¡¯s concentration wavered, and the me faded away. He looked at her, saying nothing, but the smile on his face spoke volumes. He rose to his feet, stepping away from everyone else to get some safe distance. Then, another matrix took shape in his hand. Now that he¡¯d done it, the second performance felt so instinctive.


    A sparking eel of the same deep crimson as his blood rose up into the sky. As it soared about, he could feel a subtle hum of power about it. It was stronger, more intense. His joy was such that the pain to create it was entirely forgotten. When Argrave conjured a third matrix, he called upon one of his blood echoes. The performance was wless. He had infused the vital essence of sacrificial blood magic into a normal spell.


    Up and up the eels went, Anneliese sanding by his side in mute shock. Before long they seemed like maroon stars in the sky, obeying his will absolutely. He had spent so much time on this¡­ he had even neglected his duties, relegating some tasks to others and not making all the appearances he ought to have, but these long days had born fruit.


    ¡°I did it,¡± Argrave said, without pride. There was joy, certainly, but not pride.


    ¡°You did,¡± Anneliese confirmed. He could tell she was proud for him, and that was far better than pride for himself.


    Argrave let out a slow and quiet sigh, deting. After a long time of silence, he said, ¡°I¡¯ve got no more ns, Anne. No more spectacr insight from here about what happens when, who appears where. Just me, what we built, and what we¡¯ve done.¡± He shook his head. ¡°And I think I¡¯m ready for that.¡±


    Argrave eagerly awaited her next words, ready to takefort in them. Instead¡­


    ¡°You break the silence,¡± came a splintering icy voice.


    Argrave turned his head abruptly to see the Alchemist standing there, lit from behind by the bright red moon above his looming figure.


    ¡°My examination is done. Despite the decay, I was able to iste the energy left behind by Gerechtigkeit.¡± The Alchemist¡¯s body produced arms, which each held books. His fingers had eyes on the top of them, and scanned the books as he talked. ¡°And more than that, I was able to divine differences between your traces and its.¡±


    ¡°Meaning¡­?¡± Argrave pressed, shifting gears rapidly.


    ¡°Meaning they likely have different origins,¡± the Alchemist said inly, shutting twelve books at once with a loud pop. ¡°I have two hypotheses. The first is that this cmitous energy, forck of a better term, coalesces over the span of a millennium, hence the long dy. If it was something that was created organically, it would exin why Gerechtigkeit keeps returning time and time again.¡±


    ¡°But Gerechtigkeit retains memory,¡± Anneliese butted in.


    The Alchemist looked down at her. ¡°Yes. He learns. He adapts to what mortals and gods do.¡± Perhaps Argrave was delusional, but he seemed pleased she¡¯d gotten that. ¡°That lends to my other hypothesis: namely, that Gerechtigkeit never fully appears in this world. That he belongs to another dimension, as the one Argravees from, and infiltrates ours once a millennium.¡± The Alchemist turned his head upward. ¡°But so much is left unanswered with that.¡±


    Argrave reeled without much to add, but Anneliese seemed different. She suggested slowly, ¡°Mozzahr¡¯s ability¡­ supposing the first hypothesis is true, the Emptiness he creates sounds much like Gerechtigkeit, in function.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°There is a simple problem. Time.¡± The Alchemist focused back on them. ¡°Weck it.¡±


    Argrave rubbed his chin in thought, his triumph over [Blood Infusion] stifled by this seeming dead end. ¡°If Mozzahr wanted Felipe¡¯s body¡­ then perhaps he knows more of what we should do with it.¡± Argrave looked up. ¡°Can you iste this energy further? Separate it, maintain it?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps,¡± the Alchemist said only. Words of uncertainty were unlike him.


    Argrave sighed once more. ¡°But the possibility exists. Both of this energy having use, and Mozzahr having deeper knowledge into it.¡±


    ¡°Hold a moment,¡± Anneliese interjected. ¡°That Mozzahr sought Felipe¡¯s body for a tie to Gerechtigkeit was only conjecture.¡±


    ¡°Valid conjecture,¡± the Alchemist said tly.


    ¡°He¡¯s right.¡± Argrave pointed at the giant figure. ¡°He said it himself. We don¡¯t have the time to do in-depth research about the nature of this energy, its applications and its implications. But if Mozzahr might¡­!¡±


    ¡°There may be truth in this Mozzahr¡¯s research. I suggest we take all we can from Erlebnis.¡± The Alchemist held up his hand. ¡°It is our best bet.¡±


    Argrave looked at the Alchemist in distrust. ¡°What are you saying? You¡¯re associated with that god?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± the Alchemist said withplete and utter contempt.


    ¡°Then why would you suggest bargaining with him?¡± Argrave pressed.


    ¡°Imbecile,¡± the Alchemist said, drawing out the word. ¡°Does the word ¡®take¡¯ imply bargaining? No¡ªit implies theft, looting, deprivation. I speak of a heist of his divine realm.¡±


    Argrave¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°You¡¯re¡­ talking about robbing a god?¡±


    ¡°You fight against He Who Would Judge the Gods, yet balk at swindling divinity? I thought you less pathetic,¡± the Alchemist shook his head. ¡°Have you forgotten your history with him?¡±


    Argrave¡¯s face of shock slowly twisted into one of glee. ¡°I am feeling quite interested in what you have to say.¡±


    ¡°As you should,¡± the Alchemist said simply.

 Chapter 443: Man Plans, Gods Laugh

    Though Argrave had been captivated by the discovery of [Blood Infusion], the Alchemist¡¯s suggestion of robbing Erlebnis of knowledge drew his attention unlike anything else before.


    Argrave and Anneliese walked into the Alchemist¡¯s temporary abode constructed by his Pawns, where the giant waited for them with stacks of booksid out without much reason. He seemed to take issue with this, for he scooped up the books with many hands conjured from his body and ced them inside the wall. Argrave was baffled at what, exactly, this ce was constructed of. Was this obsidian, or something more?


    ¡°Was that idea of yours more than just that?¡± Argrave decided to ask bluntly.


    The Alchemist did not look back as he said, ¡°Mortals have stolen from gods before.¡±


    ¡°Those tales generally end in smiting the mortal in question,¡± Argrave rebutted, recalling well the stories of gods and their wrath.


    Whether in his world or in Heroes of Berendar, some poor sap would steal the Super Sandals, the Awesome Armor, or the Magic Mantle. Afterward, the thief would suffer a curse ten thousand times worse than whatever meager benefit the items actually offered. It was a bad deal.


    ¡°These tales spread only because people don¡¯t like to think they are responsible for their mediocrity.¡± The Alchemist turned around. ¡°But we can steal from Erlebnis. And whatever knowledge he holds will undoubtedly be of more use than this upstart, Mozzahr.¡±


    ¡°How do you know we can steal from a god?¡± Argrave gestured toward him.


    ¡°Personal experience,¡± the Alchemist said coldly.


    Silence followed after that deration. As Argrave exchanged nces with Anneliese, the Alchemist extended his hand to the ground. He clenched his fingers as if molding y, and then a table rose up to upy the once-empty room.


    ¡°The key in making this heist a tale of victory rather than one of hubris lies in the forces behind it.¡± The Alchemist waved his hand across this newly-formed table, and sculptures arose.


    One was an all-too-familiar statue: it depicted a malformed lump of meat vaguely resembling a head with a mouth possessing far too many teeth. It had two eyes but they were not in alignment, as though its face was melting and drooping away. It represented Erlebnis. The other was simpler¡ªthe king piece in chess.


    ¡°Erlebnis is impartial. He cares not that you foiled him, I guarantee it; he would deal with you all the same. But you have earned the animosity of the Qircassian Coalition by what you did in the Bloodwoods,¡± the Alchemist said, picking up the obsidian king piece. Argrave was surprised he was so abreast of the news. ¡°Enemies of enemies are friends. You must enter the world of divine politics.¡±


    ¡°Divine politics,¡± Anneliese repeated.


    The Alchemist set down the king piece, and eight others identical to it rose up from the obsidian table to form a circle. ¡°Gods might seem iprehensible. They have unknowable urges¡ªErlebnis¡¯ thirst for knowledge, Fellhorn¡¯s desire for control of all water, Kirel Qircassia¡¯s bid to tten the earth to make way for his legions¡ªbut they are not so far removed from human struggles.¡± The Alchemist raised his huge hand up, raising one finger. ¡°Least of all, now, when they are immortal no longer.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to involve gods in the fate of Vasquer.¡± Argrave stepped to the table and grabbed one of the king pieces.


    ¡°That is an unintelligent decision. You would be best served abandoning that idea,¡± the Alchemist¡¯s voice retaliated sharply, cracking like a whip. ¡°This is not about your kingdom. This involves the world itself. Abandon your insistence on self-reliance. This is about more than only you.¡±


    Tell me what you really think, thought Argrave as he smiled bitterly. Surprisingly, even though he was naturally obstinate and resisted advice that challenged his preconceived values, he had no issue letting go of this idea. ¡®No gods, no masters¡¯ was a good slogan, but the reality remained that Argrave was one man. Even with a kingdom at his beck and call, he had to bend with the wind. At least this way, he could enter on his own terms, and not while bound to Erlebnis inextricably.


    Argrave heard footsteps behind, and when he turned a Pawn escorted Gmon in. The snow elf looked about cautiously, and then came to stand behind Argrave and Anneliese.


    ¡°To earn a ce in divine politics, you must speak for the divine,¡± the Alchemist continued. ¡°Not all are like those elven gods. Some are so far removed from mortality thatmunication is impossible. Their servants might fulfill that role. In other cases¡­ champions.


    ¡°You have many among you who might champion gods. This man is watched by Veid,¡± the Alchemist pointed Gmon out, sliding a king piece closer. When it neared, it morphed into an borate idol depicting a woman clothed in fur¡ªVeid herself. ¡°I doubt she could be called upon to help with theft, however. But she can earn us a ce at the table.¡±


    Gmon looked shocked, and examined the crafted statue with some reverence.


    ¡°And you two¡­ more gods watch you than you even know.¡± The Alchemist crossed his hands together. ¡°Tricksters, thieves, chatans, magicians, lovers, war masters, schrs, and seers¡­ they watch you like wolves, waiting for opportunity. If the forces of the world permitted it, they would stalk you every second, propositioning you. But they are bound to their shrines, and this is a rtively godless continent. There are little more than local spirits scattered throughout your kingdom, and I have little doubt you will y them all, taking their fragmented divinity as spirits to fuel your war machine.¡±


    Argrave felt a little aggrieved when it was phrased like that, but he didn¡¯t have much rebuttal. It was true¡ªhe did intend on having Durran roam thend, ying lesser gods.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Argrave set the king piece he held down, twisting it. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I be¡­ well, rather unappealing, if I¡¯ve provoked Kirel Qircassia?¡±


    ¡°You think that makes you a pariah? Moronic. People outside the faction fear the Qircassian Coalition, meaning cooperation is near as likely an oue as ostracization. And the key point of your conflict is this: you dealt Kirel a grievous blow. Another god fragmented his realm.¡± The Alchemist reached out, rearranging pieces. He waved to them all. ¡°You have proven your mettle. This is a buyer¡¯s market. Strike while the iron is hot.¡±


    Argrave stepped away from the table. He¡¯d been preparing to deal closer with divinity almost as an inevitability, but he didn¡¯t think the time woulde so soon. He looked to Anneliese, seeking her counsel, but she seemed to be in agreement with the Alchemist on first nce. Gmon was simply awed and touched by the idea that Veid was watching him, and he stared at the statue the Alchemist had made with some sort of fascinated reverence.


    But then Argrave looked back. ¡°And what about you? Why aren¡¯t you volunteering?¡±


    The Alchemist¡¯s body seemed to bubble¡ªthat was a good indicator he was somewhat angry, Argrave suspected. Then, he said very slowly and deliberately, ¡°It will not happen.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s this? Rules for thee, not for me?¡± Argrave held his hand out. ¡°I get the merits, but you¡­?¡±


    The Alchemist stepped straight through the table, all of it bending around him as he walked until he came to stand directly before Argrave. A mouth on his stomach opened and said grimly, ¡°Gods seldom forget one who made another meet as gruesome an end as myst.¡±


    Argrave stared up, his eyes shaking. He gave a slow, steady nod, and then the Alchemist withdrew. What he said had some implications to it¡ªby st,¡¯ he must¡¯ve meant that the Alchemist had once championed a god. That left yet more questions on the table¡ªquestions that weren¡¯t pertinent at this time.


    ¡°Alright¡­ okay, so we get some divine representation, earn some allies for this heist against Erlebnis. But what of the act itself? I have no idea what we¡¯d be doing. I know some things about his realm, about the Lodestars and the Annals, but¡­ it¡¯s very limited knowledge. I don¡¯t think Erlebnis has some sort of floor n we might consult for this grand raid of ours. And gods cannot enter his realm without causing massive problems, so it would have to be us mortals alone.¡±


    The Alchemist held both his hands out. ¡°There is no one better suited for scouring his endless libraries than myself. There is order in them¡ªefficiency. And once I determine that order¡¯s pattern, I can tear through all of what we need until nothing remains. I can extract what I need. And you can be a suitable ally in this task, if you take the lead and embrace allies.¡±


    Argrave closed his eyes and caressed the bridge of his nose. nning a heist against a god¡­? Certainly, he had stolen from one before when he had Nikoletta yoink some elven god-berries, but this? Breaking into Erlebnis¡¯ divine realm with the aid of other gods, and then stealing all that they could? Erlebnis had other, vastly more powerful servants beyond his emissaries, and could personally exert his power there. Heading to his realm, plundering it¡­ it was absolutely insane. And damn if Argrave didn¡¯t love it.


    But he didn¡¯t let his eagerness at the prospect of this heist cloud his judgment. He had other things he held responsibility for, and others matter that needed to be tended to, lest they cause echoes throughout the whole of Berendar. The first of which was Mozzahr and his Ebon Cult.


    Argrave lifted his head up and met the Alchemist¡¯s gray eyes with his own. ¡°We can find gods to champion. Lord knows Gmon would be eager to meet Veid, and I¡¯m sure I can arrange a good deal for Anneliese and myself. But the Mozzahr matter remains.¡± He stepped a little closer to the table, and then picked up one of the king pieces. ¡°How about we do a practice run? Get what needs getting from him, and then apply it on a grander scale.¡±


    Argrave and the Alchemist held their stare for a long while. Both were eerily still. Gmon seemed to grow concerned, and eyed the two of them as though prepared to act.


    ¡°Did you think¡­¡± the Alchemist stepped forward once again, and looked down at Argrave. ¡°That I would not factor your would-be arbiter and magic despot into my n?¡±


    Argrave started tough, feeling a bit outssed in terms of boldness. Anneliese looked upon the Alchemist curiously. And when she looked into his eyes¡­ there was a familiar glimmer. One she¡¯d seen gleaming in gray eyes many times before.

 Chapter 444: Ground Floor Opportunity in the Heavens

    Anneliese looked up at the Alchemist as he toiled with Felipe¡¯s bones in seemingly iprehensible manners. When she¡¯d first met this giant standing beside Argrave as he endured the worst pain of his life, she had been utterly afraid of him. He seemed unreadable, unfathomable, unknowable, and most of all unreasonable. Maybe there was still some truth to that. But the events of day passed showed that he wasn¡¯t necessarily as monstrous as he presented himself to be.


    Indeed, perhaps there was something mortal beneath that shell of his.


    Argrave was absent, if only briefly. It was her and the Alchemist alone. But with his guarantee of safety, she dared ask, ¡°Why do you pay attention to Onychinusa so much?¡±


    The Alchemist did not pull his hands away from Felipe¡¯s body, but a mouth opened on his elbow. ¡°You presume wrongly that I speak overmuch because I have be open to dialogue. Begone.¡±


    Anneliese¡¯s search for emotions among the Alchemist was a fruitless one as ever. But her intuition did not fail her on this matter¡ªshe knew that the Alchemist was particrly interested in Onychinusa. ¡°She¡¯s been through much and more. Please do not make things worse on her by confusing her yet further. I do not wish to involve her in our struggle against Erlebnis. She has suffered enough at his hand.¡±


    ¡°I am not interested in puppets cut from strings,¡± the Alchemist scolded. ¡°You overstep. Return to your bedmate.¡±


    Anneliese was not entirely contented, but there was little good in jeopardizing what was promising to be a fruitful cooperation with the Alchemist. She turned and walked away, still mulling over this matter.


    ¡°Hold,¡± the Alchemist called out, and Anneliese turned around in surprise. He stepped away from Felipe¡¯s corpse,ing to stand over her. ¡°Your A-rank ascension. Describe it to me.¡±


    Anneliese narrowed her eyes, shifting on her feet uncertainly. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ called [Life Cycle],¡± she said hesitantly. ¡°With it, I can absorb magic from a variety of sources. I take from any spells cast in the area or any enchantments I touch. In addition, my spells themselves are conduits that can take magic. Spells that strike my wards, for instance, replenish me.¡±


    ¡°And living things,¡± the Alchemist added.


    Anneliese nodded. ¡°Yes. And living things.¡±


    ¡°And does this ce, this area¡­ has it any rtion to your power?¡± the Alchemist held his hand out and gestured to the mountains.


    Anneliese nodded once more. ¡°Yes. Argrave took me to the method, buried beneath these mountains. It was here I learned it from a man long ago dead.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Was Llewellen dead?¡± The Alchemist¡¯s stare was colder than the grave.


    Hearing that name, Anneliese blinked in surprise. ¡°Yes, he was. He left his knowledge behind on a dwarven music box. I still have it, if you wish to hear it.¡±


    ¡°He failed, then.¡± The Alchemist turned, stepping back to Felipe¡¯s corpse. ¡°Pity.¡±


    Anneliese could not help but walk back toward the ancient creature. First, Emperor Balzat of the ancient elven empire had known of Llewellen¡ªnow, the Alchemist?


    ¡°How did you know him?¡± she asked.


    The Alchemist waved her away. ¡°Ask me no more, for I shall speak no more.¡±


    ¡°You opened this m,¡± she protested.


    The Alchemist seemed to genuinely hesitate, then turned his head toward her. ¡°Both you and that¡­ elf, will be adrift for a long time without proper tutge. Llewellen¡¯s methods are as much a curse as they are a boon.¡± He turned back to Felipe¡¯s skeleton. ¡°Not my concern. I¡¯ve said enough. Let your mate fret over your future.¡±


    Anneliese stared at the Alchemist, mind swirling with questions. After a long while of silence, she turned and left. Each question she asked bred more. She didn¡¯t think this matter was over. In fact, she was nearly certain this was the first of many conversations with the Alchemist.


    #####


    ¡°Here it is. The Hall of Enchantment,¡± Elenore gestured grandly as she and Argrave stood near the entrance. ¡°Artur will be waiting in. He¡¯s a little displeased that he was kept waiting for a week. And I don¡¯t entirely disagree¡­¡±


    Rather than build some monumental building in the streets of the burgeoning city, they had elected to hollow out a portion of stone within the mountain. The quarried stone was then used for construction elsewhere. The magic-infused stone here was incredibly easy to mold, and even easier to work magic into. If the ce were enchanted, it improved the strength of their defenses, and so it was a win-win situation. Looking upon the Hall of Enchantment¡­ it nearly doubled as a fortress, so formidable it was.


    ¡°It was apse of judgment, dying,¡± Argrave agreed. ¡°But to tell you the truth, I¡¯d do it all again.¡±


    The great door was easily thirty feet tall, and seemed to be controlled by magic. Argrave looked around and then walked inside with Elenore, shadowed by his two royal guards. One was still reeling from the news of meeting with Veid, while the other seemed perturbed by the notion of involving gods further.


    ¡°I hope it was worth it,¡± Elenore sighed, following.


    ¡°Very. I earned what some might call ¡®enlightenment.¡¯ I call it long overdue.¡± Argrave conjured a bloody me in his left hand, and Elenore flinched away.


    ¡°It¡¯s red fire,¡± she said after she calmed. ¡°Should I be awed?¡±


    ¡°Every single spell I can cast can receive essentially a fifty percent increase in strength,¡± Argrave said. ¡°So, yes, you should be awed. This is the primary benefit of using blood magic as your ascension method. Anneliese can¡¯t do this. Castro can¡¯t do this. Rowe can¡¯t do this. Only one or two others can, and you can bet I won¡¯t be helping them.¡±


    ¡°Fifty percent. Could be a lot¡­ or a little. I suppose I¡¯ll understand better if I spontaneously develop magical talent that Icked all my life,¡± Elenore said drolly.


    The entry hall opened up into the gigantic main chamber, and Argrave looked around at all that was waiting for him. What he saw was far beyond his expectations. At the top, glowing like a second sun¡ªor third, he supposed, given the fact this world had two already¡ªwas an enchantedmp that bathed the whole ce in sterile white light. And from there, the entire Hall of Enchantment was revealed.


    The Tower of the Gray Owl had an elevator in the center of it, allowing one to ride stone tforms to various level. This Hall of Enchantment, however, was only navigable with these stone tforms. They swirled about the air everywhere, docking and embarking at various portions throughout the whole hall. Entries to offices lined the wall top to bottom, where enchanters, theorists, and spellcasters traded off various artifacts, books, and scrolls. On the higher floors, he heard the nging of steel as smiths worked to hammer out new artifacts that might be created and tested.


    ¡°It¡¯s busiest in the front,¡± Elenore exined. ¡°But there are enough offices and rooms for thirty thousand people.¡±


    ¡°Thirty thousand?¡± Argrave repeated.


    ¡°We¡¯re outfitting an army,¡± Elenore said simply. ¡°I doubt we¡¯ll reach max capacity this decade¡ªat present, I¡¯m told not even a tenth are used. But we have it here just in case. They research diligently. When the timees, they can switch to production. We can have enchanted arrows pumping out day and night¡ªwarding rings, strengthening armors, or whatever we need. I¡¯m simply upscaling an old business of mine. It has a lot of overhead, but in time it¡¯ll be a juggernaut sustaining the entire kingdom.¡±


    Elenore walked over to an attendant, and the man diligently called over a stone tform to carry them. Argrave got on, felt his feet get fixed in ce, and then they were off.


    Elenore stood there with hands politely before her, but Argrave looked at her. ¡°While we¡¯re on the way¡­ that Mozzahr meeting? It¡¯s happening. Not immediately, but it will happen.¡±


    Elenore looked at him. ¡°It is? You¡¯ll involve the Dwarven Senate with the Ebon Cult?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t promise that,¡± he cautioned her. ¡°First, there are some things I need to attend to. Gmon needs to visit with Veid.¡±


    Elenore looked back at the knightmander. ¡°You mean his goddess?¡±


    ¡°Mmhmm,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°More than that, I think it best that we pick out patrons for all of us at this juncture.¡±


    His sister took a deep breath, digesting all that he said. She faced ahead and said dismissively as though it didn¡¯t affect her, ¡°Good luck with that.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t wish yourself good luck,¡± Argrave said, staring at her. ¡°That¡¯s against the rules.¡±


    Elenore spared an uncertain nce, but when she saw he was staring returned her gaze. ¡°You don¡¯t mean¡­?¡±


    ¡°I said ¡®us,¡¯ no? Got no doubt in my mind that there are plenty of gods looking for you just as there are me.¡± He ced his hand on her shoulder. ¡°And the Alchemist made a very good point¡ªnow, with every goding out of their hidey hole and being exposed to the daylight in the first time in over a millennium, it¡¯s a buyer¡¯s market. We need to get in front of this thing and earn ourselves some killer benefits. The ground floor of a divine empire¡ªthat could be us. And at the end of it all, vanquishing the whole damned cycle.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t be serious,¡± sheughed in exasperation. ¡°Me? Look at my wrists,¡± she raised her arm up, disying thin arms. ¡°I¡¯m not cut out for swinging knives or slinging spells. The only blood I¡¯ve ever spilt with my own hands came from rare steak.¡±


    ¡°There are more deities than those thatbat others,¡± Argrave exined. ¡°Ones of subterfuge, deceit, maniption¡­¡±


    ¡°And they sound like great allies,¡± she said pointedly.


    Argraveughed. ¡°Alright. There are gods of wealth, prosperity, and bountiful harvests, too.¡±


    ¡°Choose someone that could best utilize them inbat, not some paper shuffler like me,¡± Elenore disagreed strongly. ¡°We need every advantage we can get.¡±


    ¡°I want you safe. I care about you,¡± Argrave said simply. ¡°And frankly, there¡¯s no one I trust more at my side in the politics of the divine than you.¡±


    ¡°His Majesty is right,¡± Orion agreed strongly. ¡°You are vital for this entire kingdom. And you are vital to this family.¡±


    Elenore lowered her head a little in embarrassment. ¡°We¡¯re in public. Don¡¯t say things like that here.¡±


    Argrave slowly removed his hand from her shoulder, smiling.


    ¡°But what does this have to do with Mozzahr?¡± Elenore pressed. ¡°I fail to see how getting involved with the divine corrtes to the Mozzahr problem.¡±


    ¡°As did I. But the Alchemist has been extraordinarily generous with his stake in this heist. He¡¯s putting up some major resources to go through with this,¡± Argrave mused. ¡°And frankly, he¡¯s the best insurance I could possibly have heading underground. In terms of mortals, the Alchemist is in the top two for people I¡¯d like as allies. He¡¯ll being with me.¡±


    ¡°What, will you attack Mozzahr? Is this how you intend to earn favor from the gods?¡± Elenore guessed.


    ¡°Not quite,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s not finalized, but I have a pretty solid notion. Let¡¯s just say some people are so far behind in the race they actually believe they¡¯re leading.¡±


    Elenore nodded dismissively as she pressed, ¡°Yeah, yeah, that¡¯s cute. What are you going to do?¡±


    ¡°The best I can.¡± Argrave smiled broadly. ¡°After this little meeting with Artur¡­ I need you to start setting things in motion. Prepare for a meet with Mozzahr. It could take some time, but keep the option in mind.¡±


    ¡°And what will you do be doing in the meantime?¡± Elenore asked.


    ¡°You¡¯reing too. Job hunting. It¡¯s well time for me to get another job beside ¡®King of Vasquer.¡¯ Lot of new positions have opened up.¡±

 Chapter 445: Our Lords and Saviors

    Argrave¡¯s meeting with Artur had gone about as expected¡ªthe man wanted some recognition, and so they gave it. When they had entered, the former Magister of the Order was ready to demand something substantial. But Argrave had buttered him with sweet words, promised a nice que with his name on it, and the man folded like wet paper. Artur wanted these vain things¡ªand quite frankly, he did deserve them¡ªand so who was Argrave to deny that?


    On the other front, the Vysenn refugees had yet to arrive in ckgard. With skin like baster and customs far removed from the kingdom¡¯s norm, it might be difficult to integrate them with thergely native poption of ckgard seamlessly. Still, these refugees were unmatched at dwelling underground, could work forges well if given the opportunity, and frankly made better soldiers than Vasquer natives. They would be given a ce to stay and a job to work, and hopefully would slowly assimte into the kingdom¡¯s culture.


    But with the kingly duties aside, the job search was bound to begin. Argrave returned to the Alchemist with arger group in tow. Here, they would n for the future.


    The Alchemist waved his hand, and the obsidian house closed off entirely as thest of them entered. The small yet tall room that was the Alchemist¡¯s temporary abode was lit by fleeting purple lights. The house¡¯s owner moved to the head of the table. There, Argrave, Anneliese, Durran, Gmon, Orion, Elenore, and Mnie waited for the formidable spellcaster. The majority of them had grown used to the Alchemist¡¯s presence, save Mnie. She was not quite cautiously optimistic¡ªperhaps the better term for her outlook would be pessimistically hopeful. She was here all the same.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Argrave pped once, drawing everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°This ce should be safe to speak. Even Gerechtigkeit himself can¡¯t peak through these walls, isn¡¯t that right?¡± He looked at the Alchemist.


    ¡°To the point,¡± the Alchemist insisted.


    Argrave smiled. ¡°Ideally, I¡¯d like everyone here today to walk away from this with a solid grasp of my intentions in mind. Honestly, I¡¯m not sure how you¡¯ll feel about this, Orion, but I think you¡¯ve be even-tempered enough to broach the idea.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ honored that Your Majesty believes so,¡± Orion dipped his head, then set his golden helmet upon the table.


    Argrave nodded. ¡°Everyone here knows how powerful the divine are. Anneliese, Orion, and I have more personal experience, but I think everyone knows about the Shadonder.¡± He pointed his finger up and shook it. ¡°We are at a disadvantage in the fights ahead. But society is built off of cooperation and alliances. Even the gods aren¡¯t exempt from this.¡±


    Argrave lowered his pointed finger and leaned over the sleek ck table. ¡°It¡¯s time we seek to ally with the gods themselves, and earn their boons. This is both for another unrted matter, and for the future of the kingdom. The Alchemist and I gathered here today to help you walk this path, provided you¡¯re willing.¡±


    Durran crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes¡ªhe had a low opinion of the gods, Argrave knew. Mnie reacted in abject surprise. Orion¡¯s reaction was startlingly calm. Everyone else had been informed in advance.


    ¡°Ally, not¡­ worship, right?¡± Mnie pressed.


    Argrave nodded. ¡°It¡¯d be an arrangement of mutual benefit, not one of reverence. They may ask certain things of you¡ªwear a symbol, allow them to spread their faith¡ªbut all in all, we¡¯re seeking out gods that are already interested in each of us. We¡¯ve built something on Berendar that the gods need more than they might realize. And that¡¯s a foothold on this continent.¡±


    ¡°You would be a god¡¯s mortal champion,¡± the Alchemist exined. ¡°It would entitle you to their blessing, among other boons. In turn, they would demand certain obligations of you. Given our position, each of you can ask for appreciably small obligations. But among them, most importantly, is that the champion must take a pivotal role in resolving the conflicts of the gods that arise because of the mortal realm¡ªdisputes over territory being the most prominent example.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. And we¡¯re going to shop around, negotiating the best deal that we can. To that end, I¡¯ve picked out several gods I believe would best serve each of you.¡± Argrave tapped the table, looking up at the Alchemist. The man waved his hand toward the table, and several figurines bearing deities on them arose before Argrave.


    ¡°Gmon will suffer no other god than Veid,¡± Argrave said, taking her piece and cing her near the former vampire. ¡°Veid¡¯s blessings revolve around honor, fealty, loyalty, and righteous crusade. If blessed, Gmon could receive many boons. He might be able topel absolute loyalty from subordinates by entering into a contract with them. Simrly, he might receive benefits from his own loyalty, or might grow in strength from the number of honorable people he employs. I believe it will suit his role as knightmander well. And given what I know of him, Veid would be a fool to reject his devotion.¡±


    ¡°¡­it is not your ce to judge Veid, Your Majesty. I may be found wanting in Her eyes,¡± he defended, holding the piece in his hands.


    ¡°Could be Gmon secures one of those blessings. Could be he secures none. And that goes for all,¡± he looked between them. ¡°Good negotiation is key, here. So, next, Elenore.¡±


    ¡°Have you gods for cripples and sightless folk?¡± she questioned.


    ¡°Rather the opposite.¡± He isted three pieces. ¡°I believe you can draw the eye of three gods. There¡¯s Old Iron Miser, a god of wealth and war. His role in the cycle of judgment is facilitating the exchange of goods and services. You could have awork of otherworldly trade and mercenaries at your disposal.¡± Argrave slid over a piece of an old man with a cowl and te armor, then grabbed the next. ¡°Next there¡¯s Yillinillnu, goddess of diplomacy and negotiation. Her blessings facilitate effectivemunication between all parties low and small. Andstly, Lira, goddess of connections. Her abilities¡­ are more nuanced. It involves connecting peoplemunications, transportation, et cetera. I can exin it moreter.¡±


    He slid the two goddess idols over to Elenore, and the princess studied them as Argrave moved on to the next person. ¡°Alright, then. Anneliese.¡±


    She smiled, waiting expectantly. Argrave wasn¡¯t ashamed to admit he¡¯d spent the most time thinking about her choices. It was probably because she had the most choices. Wildly intelligent, skilled, empathetic, magically talented, knowledge-seeking, and in Argrave¡¯s opinion, stunningly beautiful¡­ there were many fonts she could draw from.


    ¡°Two of them ovep with ones I¡¯ll be seeking out. First, one known only as Law. Formless god of rulership, justice, and authority. Poises himself as Gerechtigkeit¡¯s enemy. I figure there¡¯s some bargaining space there¡­ and his blessings allow for peaceful resolution of disputes through subjugation, alongside ridiculously broad abilities that enable the bearer to give just about any buff. Though extremely powerful, his blessings are limited in their scope.¡±


    He pushed forward Law¡ªfittingly, a scale, then grabbed the next.


    ¡°Next, Almazora. Goddess of magic. She¡¯s quite¡­ solitary, but her blessings are quite useful. She has a lot of knowledge and unique spells, but above all, can allow one to use magic as a force unto itself, foregoing spells or other such refinements. Ignoring that, she has plenty of other misceneous powerups. Might be room for a bunch of good stuff, if we prod. Those are our oveps, Anne. This next one you share with Durran.¡±


    ¡°Sataistador. God of chaos, war, strategy, and ruthless destruction.¡± Argrave picked up the ck figure. The man depicted looked quite terrifying¡ªbearded, brawny, yet with an eerie calm about his face despite the hulking battle axe hefted above his head. With half a dozen weapons on his body, he looked like a killing machine.


    ¡°Ruthless destruction. You have a high opinion of your queen,¡± Durran noted sarcastically.


    Argrave set the piece down. Anneliese noted, ¡°He¡¯s the one who fought against Mozzahr in Heroes of Berendar, yes? And lost.¡±


    ¡°He is. He doesn¡¯t have any servants, and fights alone. That was his downfall. Honestly, this one is reaching a bit for the both of you¡­ he¡¯s never taken a champion, so far as I know. But if it happens, we save ourselves from a fearsome foe. And given his exclusivity, we can guarantee he¡¯ll fight on our side.¡± Argrave set the piece down. ¡°Now, for you, specifically, Anne, thest one¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m seeing some favoritism here,¡± Durran quipped.


    ¡°Yinther, god of exploration, discovery, and curiosity,¡± Argrave continued unashamedly. ¡°He can give many things, foremost being [Truesight]. With it, no illusions can fool you. Any magical details about another will be revealed. You can essentially see the truths of the universe. I thought it might go well with your empathy¡ªhelp you see through everyone.¡± He gave a smile, then turned his gaze. ¡°Then, Orion.¡±


    ¡°I do not wish to do it, Your Majesty.¡± He dipped his head. ¡°If youmand me, I will follow through. But I believe I will cause inadvertent problems. The fact I must endure with the blessings I already have is taxing enough for me to mentally ept.¡±


    Argrave considered that, half-expecting that response. He gave a slow, steady nod. ¡°Alright. I hope that, if you find someone worth championing, you¡¯ll at least consider it.¡± He turned his head to the next. ¡°Mnie, then.¡±


    She looked anticipatory. In truth, Argrave had decided on the god that was the perfect fit for her long ago. It was the best build she could ask for, in-game, with her particr skillset.


    ¡°This goes for everyone, but especially so for you, Mnie. You¡¯re a negotiator¡ªpinch the other gods, get the best deal with the one you want. Ideally, I¡¯d like you to go with Raen, the god of space. By granting the ability to cut through space, he¡¯ll allow you unparalleled ess to most areas, and once you master his abilities, you¡¯d dominate any battlefield you¡¯d enter. Those chains, your des, your acrobatics, inbination with the space-warping abilities he can give¡­ it¡¯s perfect.¡±


    Mnie just looked happy to be considered, but he couldn¡¯t deny her eyes went to other figures more than Raen¡¯s. He slid Raen¡¯s symbol to her, and was left with a few more.


    ¡°Last and least, Durran.¡± Argrave looked at him. ¡°I have the god of dung, waste, and ugliness.¡±


    ¡°Hrious,¡± Durran nodded.


    Argraveughed, then isted the two figures he had in mind. ¡°With your wyverns, and your position of influence in the Burnt Desert, I think some of the others mentioned might suit you. But given I want you to be the wandering hunter, I think Stout Heart Swan suits you very well. The goddess of hunting.¡± He focused on Durran. ¡°Her blessings are very well suited to tracking, cornering, and dispatching single foes, be they gods or deer. And it works well for groups. But if that doesn¡¯t suit you, then you might go with the simpler god of death.¡±


    Argrave looked down upon a skull piece. ¡°Whether it¡¯s halting death with necromancy, or causing death with extreme force, Gaunt might suit you well. Just promise me you won¡¯t let him make you a lich.¡±


    ¡°He can¡¯t,¡± the Alchemist chimed in. ¡°Part of our arrangement excludes obtaining immortality.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Durran nodded bitterly as Argrave slid the two pieces over to Durran. As the man yed with them, he said, ¡°Least I got the cooler-sounding options. But what about you, brother-inw?¡±


    ¡°Beyond my pick of the others¡­ just one.¡± Argrave picked it up, examining it. ¡°This one¡¯s mine. The trickster god, Rook.¡± He looked at everyone. ¡°Deception and subterfuge are his spheres. I think you¡¯ll all agree it¡¯s a little fitting.¡±


    No words were spoken, but he sensed that everyone seemed to concur. Argrave set the piece down, leaving further exnation in his head alone.


    ¡°The main point of allying with all of these deities is twofold. One, we secure a solid foundation for the fights ahead,¡± Argrave exined. ¡°We need friends among the divine. All these here are no ally of the Qircassian Coalition, and ostensibly enemies to Erlebnis. And on the matter of Erlebnis, this leads to the second point.¡± He stood straight. ¡°All of this is ultimately a springboard to our main goal: a heist against Erlebnis, a god of knowledge.


    ¡°These powers don¡¯te without a suitable challenge to test them,¡± Argrave continued as everyone digested his words. ¡°But it¡¯s a challenge we¡¯re more than capable of rising to. So¡ªwho¡¯s ready to go divining?¡±


    ¡°What, you mean¡ª¡± Mnie sputtered in surprise. ¡°Now? Like, now?¡±


    ¡°No time like the present,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s contact some gods.¡±


    The Alchemist spoke, saying, ¡°We head to a peculiar destination in the astral nes, one that I have ess to. The White nes, a neutral ground constructed for the purpose of making deals. The ce was made in coboration by several gods. It¡¯ll take a considerable offering for us to enter¡ªone that I¡¯ve prepared. It isn¡¯t often that mortals are given the privilege of directly consorting with deities, and I cannot guarantee reentry. Once there¡­ your bargaining will begin. And I expect you not to waste my generosity, or there will be problems.¡±

 Chapter 446: White Noise, Smell, and Taste

    ¡°It would be more cost-efficient for the spirits if I subsumed all of you into my alchemic body,¡± the Alchemist said, staring down at their group.


    ¡°It would be more cost-efficient for our sanity if we didn¡¯t,¡± Argrave rebuked, looking up at the Alchemist.


    The Alchemist shook his head as he watched Argrave. ¡°You had my word no harm woulde to you and yours, yet you waste precious resources because of distrust. No matter¡­¡±


    Argrave gestured for everyone toe, and they hesitantly put their hand on the ck robe of the Alchemist. His robe of his own hair felt like silk, but somehow that didn¡¯t make things better. The Alchemist held his hand up, casting a spell that Anneliese used frequently: [Worldstrider]. A familiar yet unfamiliar feeling passed over them all, and then they were gone from their roots.


    When Argrave next had sight, he gazed up at a solid sheet of white. He stepped back, craning his neck, to make out a gigantic white door. After a moment he spotted vines and excessive jungle growth consuming these white ruins. Argrave¡¯s brain, rotted by Heroes of Berendar, ced where they were immediately¡ªthe jungle, west of the wends and the Order of the Gray Owl territory. This was where the map of Heroes of Berendar ended.


    ¡°You use this door to the White nes? I¡¯m pretty sure there¡¯s another that was closer,¡± Argrave questioned.


    The Alchemist shot Argrave a harsh re that was frightful enough to stir Argrave¡¯s Brumesingers. They alighted from the pockets of his duster and looked up upon the white gateway. It was a slender and tall archway with two pure white doors. They weren¡¯t stone¡ªthey looked like milky ss, almost, or white obsidian. This was one of many entrances to the White nes. Of all of them, only this one had the good fortune to be on the surface.


    As everyoneported themselves surprisingly calmly, Mnie walked up to Argrave. ¡°Mind exining to me what these White nes actually are? I know you coached us on what to do, but¡­¡±


    No answers came to Argrave. It wasn¡¯t something fully exined in the game, and even the gods couldn¡¯t fully exin it. ¡°Won¡¯t take long,¡± Argrave answered, shaking his head. ¡°You¡¯ll see for yourself.¡±


    The Alchemist reached into his body and pulled free a spherical item. After scrutinizing, Argrave judged it was an enchanted ring that created an actively maintained ward. Within this ward was a strange confluence of green energy.


    ¡°Yeah, well, knowing and seeing are a little different,¡± Mnie whispered insistently as the Alchemist stepped up to the doorway.


    The Alchemist dispelled the ring¡¯s ward, and the green light threatened to dance away before the man seized it in his hand. With a push, he thrust this ethereal power against the milky white ss door. It spread out along the surface of it, forming into iprehensible runes that he couldn¡¯t read¡ªstrange, given that Argrave had been able to speak and read everything written here.


    ¡°We discussed the n. What more do you need to know?¡± Argrave asked Mnie rhetorically. ¡°Honestly, I can¡¯t exin it. You¡¯ll need to experience it.¡±


    The gargantuan white doors slowly split open, but what was beyond was not at all like what one saw looking around the sides of the frame. Argrave walked away from a frustratedly confused Mnie, then grabbed Anneliese¡¯s hand as she stepped forward in curiosity. She seemed brought out of a stupor, but then joined along with Argrave. Her Starsparrow flew off her shoulder, joining the Brumesingers.


    Argrave looked back. ¡°Just remember what we talked about¡­ and all of you will do fine. All of you are calm,posed, and damn well valuable¡­ but the White nes can¡¯t be exined. You¡¯ll be safe, so¡­ be bold, gods be damned. Get the first bit done, then we¡¯ll wring the gods dry.¡±


    Elenore was the first toe beside Argrave and Anneliese. Gmon followed, then Durran, and then Mnie. Only Orion, their druidic bonds, and the Alchemist would remain outside, all of whom stood by the slender door on either side. As a show of confidence in their n, Argrave stepped forward, intending to be the first to enter. Anneliese clenched his hand tighter in trepidation, but followed him with noint.


    The entire world vanished before Argrave, reced by bright white. He smelled white, tasted white, heard white, thought white¡­ it was all white. And when next he saw something else beside, he saw a smug young man sitting behind a mahogany desk, his shabby tennis shoes propped up atop the top as he leaned back.


    The face was all too familiar, because it was his. Not Argrave¡ªVincenzo Giordano. It seemed that Argrave¡¯s old form was the whiteness within himself.


    ¡°Fitting,¡± Argrave remarked, walking deeper in.


    #####


    When Elenore touched the presence within the slender door, all became white. She saw a long and familiar dining table that she remembered all too well. It was here she¡¯d met the man she eloped with. It was here they¡¯d shared many meals together. And like it was natural, sitting at the end of the table, there he was. She mildly resented that this man was the so-called ¡®whiteness within herself.¡¯


    Argrave had coached her this might happen, so instead of reeling she took the time to steadily scrutinize the man she¡¯d once loved: Lazare. He was fairly tall. He had blonde hair near light enough to be white. He wasn¡¯t especially well-built, which made her pause¡ªdid he really look like this? He must¡¯ve. He had sharp yellow eyes, and azy smile.


    ¡°Why can¡¯t a door just be a door?¡± Elenore asked. ¡°Why does there have to be some test?¡±


    ¡°Bad day?¡± Lazare questioned.


    ¡°Yes. Terrible,¡± Elenore answered, sighing.


    #####


    When the all-consuming whiteness faded away from Anneliese, she felt something hit her shin. She stepped backward in surprise, then looked down. She saw a small white-haired girl wearing shabby clothes copsed on her rear. The child looked up, amber eyes widening.


    ¡°My fish¡­¡± the little Anneliese whispered, then looked at the big Anneliese¡¯s feet, where a fish that she¡¯d been carrying had fallen. The little girl seemed terrified at the prospect of retrieving it.


    Anneliese knelt, picking up the fish. She used water magic to clean it off, and then handed it to the small elven girl. Though fascinated by the disy of magic, the girl¡ªAnneliese as a child¡ªwas like a stray cat afraid to ept food.


    ¡°The way Argrave exined it, I thought I might see my mother, or perhaps my grandmother. I had a n about how to proceed. But then¡­ if you are my whiteness, then perhaps it is only fitting I did not expect it.¡±


    ¡°Mother? My mother needs that,¡± little Anneliese said, swallowing tears bravely.


    #####


    ¡°What? You?!¡±


    Durran stared at an all-too-familiar figure. He wore luxurious red robes. The sleeves had a strange pattern sewn on them¡ªthey looked like a rose¡¯s thorns, and his shoulder pads were a rose¡¯s petals. The man¡¯s hair was brown, slightly wavy. He had a casual and cynical air to him, with bright blue eyes that made a handsome face sharper. His name was Garm.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe this. All the horse shit I¡¯ve been through, and I see you,¡± Durran gestured at him.


    ¡°What are you rambling about during our fight?¡± Garm tilted his head. ¡°Are you giving up?¡±


    ¡°I already won. So, what, this stupid door¡¯s asking me to lose this time?¡± Durran sighed, scratching his head. ¡°If not, I¡¯m at a damn loss.¡±


    #####


    Mnie crouched down beside a small, dead-eyed child. Green eyes, red hair¡­ she had scars matching Mnie¡¯s, even at this young age. Behind, there were ufortable moans, putting it mildly. Considering it was a brothel in Relize, that was the sound one most often heard. They were all too familiar.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°ce still reeks of sweat disguised by cheap perfume.¡± Mnie huffed as she sat, her te armor nging. ¡°He wasn¡¯t kidding. Is this really the price of admission? Some psychological puzzle?¡±


    As she set her zweihander down on the floor, little Mnie¡¯s eyes wandered to the steel.


    Mnie ran her hand through her hair. ¡°I don¡¯t wanna go through this¡­¡± she sighed deeply.


    #####


    Orion looked at the Alchemist. ¡°What are they being subjected to, truly?¡±


    The Alchemist looked over slowly. ¡°They are being changed.¡±


    ¡°How?¡± Orion stepped closer.


    ¡°Objectively speaking, mortal bodies are ill-suited to handling the presence of the divine. That is being remedied.¡± The Alchemist looked into the whiteness.


    Orion thought back, recalling when he¡¯d been near the breach to Kirel Qircassia¡¯s realm. There are been an immutable, indomitable presence that had weighed him down, worn at his very soul, despite the fact Orion was blessed by Vasquer¡¯s false pantheon. Argrave reported feeling the same thing when near Erlebnis, too.


    ¡°Then¡­ they¡¯ll withstand the pressure powerful divinity exerts?¡± Orion asked. ¡°This is good. But what is this process?¡±


    ¡°The whiteness within is drawn out and exposed. Then, it must be tamed. It must shield the participant rather than hurt them.¡±


    ¡°The whiteness,¡± Orion repeated. ¡°What is that?¡¯


    ¡°Have your king exin better,¡± the Alchemist shook his head. ¡°Despicable.¡±


    ¡°He is not here. And you are only waiting,¡± Orion pointed out.


    The Alchemist nced at Orion sideways, almost as though he was ufortable that fact was pointed out. ¡°White is¡­ nkness. A memory. A time. A person. An event. An item. Whatever it is, it exists within the person, but it has been whited out. That is a hole which the powerful divine exploit unwittingly. To enter the White nes, and to negotiate with gods¡­ they must shield themselves in their whiteness.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± Orion seemed to go away inside himself, searching through memories. ¡°But His Majesty is the most steadfast person in the entire universe. It should not take long.¡±


    ¡°Even ferrets could seed in conquering their whiteness. And all that entered are¡­ adequate. It is a ritual triviality,¡± the Alchemist dismissed.


    ¡°You speak with experience, it would seem. You have been through this, then. What was your whiteness?¡±


    The Alchemist again looked displeased with Orion¡¯s simple and direct reasoning. After a long period of silence, Orion thought he would get no answer. And then, the giant Alchemist said simply, ¡°very.¡±


    Orion looked over. ¡°As the participant, or the perpetrator?¡±


    And this time, the Alchemist truly was silent.

 Chapter 447: Unforgiven, Unforgotten

    When Gmon touched the bright white within the door to the White nes, he had been expecting and dreading dealing with many things. Would it be the death of his brother? Would it be the first time he¡¯d killed someone in wake of his vampirism? He had confronted these scenes in his head countless times.


    Instead, when his vision returned to him, he gazed upon a tall Veidimen woman sitting upon a white throne. She wore a white robe of fur, and had a bow across herp. Various other weapons hung from her waist, and she had daggers lined along the robe¡¯s chest. Her face was stern, austere, and divinely beautiful, yet her hard white eyes spoke of impartial judgment that would offer no leniency. Her hair was a long and untamed mane, making her appear even more ferocious than she already did.


    As recognition dawned, Gmon¡¯s heart thumped wildly, and he knelt and removed his helmet. His breathing was heavy as he waited, half-doubting what he had been taught. He had no memory of meeting Veid¡ªwhy, then, would he see his goddess here?


    ¡°Lift your head, Gmon,¡± Veid spoke. Her voice flowed like water, yet carried such power behind it that Gmon felt a child again.


    Gmon obeyed, looking up. Veid still sat there, unblinking, unbreathing. He dared not speak, fearing this might be some trick of the door¡¯s design far less than the prospect of offending his goddess.


    ¡°You bypassed the door,¡± Veid said, slowly rising to her feet. She set the bow on the armrest of her throne. ¡°You have nothing within to shield yourself with. There are no memories you have not conquered. But I remedied that.¡±


    Gmon blinked, saying nothing. Those within the test could not mention either the door or the White nes¡ªmeaning, who he saw was precisely who he saw. His heart beat ever faster.


    Veid stepped closer. ¡°You are like me.¡± She looked off to the side. ¡°You spend all of your time in your own head. Deliberating. Agonizing.¡±


    Gmon¡¯s whole body shook. He didn¡¯t know whether to disagree with Veid because he was her inferior, or agree with her because she was his divinity.


    Veid again focused on Gmon. ¡°Will you serve me?¡±


    Gmon¡¯s heart beat ever faster. It screamed at him the simple answer¡ªyes, yes, a thousand times yes! But instead, Gmon said, ¡°I pledged my service to Argrave.¡±


    Veid offered her hand. ¡°And if I were to name you my consort?¡±


    Gmon couldn¡¯t help but lower his head. ¡°I would refuse. I made a vow to my wife.¡±


    Veid was silent, and Gmon dared a nce up. Her face was stoic, ever-calm. She said evenly, ¡°And that is why you are here¡ªbecause you would refuse me twice for the sake of your word alone. Worry not. I never expected you to agree. I do not often choose mortals to represent me. Few are worthy.¡±


    Gmon lowered his head further until it touched the ground¡ªwhatever the surface was, it was cold and painful. ¡°I am not one of the few. I should not stain your reputation with the corruption of vampirism, even if I am cured.¡±


    ¡°I decide that.¡± Veid leaned down and grabbed his shoulders, then pulled him to his feet as easily as though he was a child. As he adjusted, she asked, ¡°Do you wish to champion me?¡±


    Gmon went silent for a few minutes, staring into the eyes of his goddess. He didn¡¯t feel he could muster the words ¡®no¡¯ if he tried. He nodded.


    ¡°It¡¯s yours.¡± Veid raised her hand and then mmed it against Gmon¡¯s chest. He felt his heart resonate with something. It was an aura, a power, as pure as water and as strong as an icy blizzard. His brain filled with knowledge of her power, her blessing¡­ and it made the whole world spin. And more than her blessing, he knew how to conjure her symbol, denoting his newfound position of champion.


    Veid removed her hand from his chest and walked away even as Gmon gathered himself. ¡°Keep it up,¡± she told him, the weapons on her waist nging as she walked away. Then, as though her throne was a door, she retrieved her bow and walked inside¡­ and Veid was gone. She left behind herst words, saying only, ¡°Your king ising.¡±


    Gmon stepped closer, looking around in utter confusion. He never quite understood why people disliked his brevity until now, left wanting as he was. He looked around at the White nes, finally perceiving his surroundings. There were rolling hills of whiteness, almost like the t mesas or ins of Veiden when covered by snow.


    When he knew that Veid would not again appear, Gmon walked back to his helmet and picked it up, staring at its eyeholes in utter confusion.


    ¡°Knew you would make it out first,¡± said Argrave, appearing out of thin air. Gmon¡¯s eyes widened, but he slowly processed things.


    Gmon didn¡¯t know where to begin, but a question rose to mind. ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°With me? Mine was quick and painless,¡± Argrave said, looking back in reflection. ¡°Kind of like¡­ a final push off the cliff, I guess.¡±


    ¡°In what way?¡± Gmon pressed.


    Argrave looked surprised at the further questioning, but he did consider the issue. ¡°Thought about a lot of things I might do to tame the whiteness within. I saw me. The old me. I asked for a little refresher about certain things, and I got some good information. And in the end, I just said one thing, and it closed the conversation.¡± Argrave spread his hands out as he said it, as though unfurling a paper. ¡°I told me¡­ that I was fine as I was.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Gmon asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s it,¡± Argrave nodded, then looked around. ¡°I think all the old me really wanted was hearing that from someone I respected. And I respect myself, now. All the past versions of me, too. Couldn¡¯t be who I am if I wasn¡¯t who I was. Past few months, I¡¯ve beening to terms with who I am, and what my strengths actually are. And that version of me, good ol¡¯ Vinny¡ªhe¡¯s one of them. Might be my biggest strength, and what¡¯s the damned shame in admitting that?¡± Heughed and shook his head. ¡°But listen to me, acting all grand. Let¡¯s wait for the others. Want to bet whoes first?¡±


    Gmon put his helmet back on. ¡°You¡¯d pick Anneliese.¡±


    Argraveughed. ¡°Got that right. But we¡¯ll see.¡±


    #####


    Elenore stared at Lazare as he ate his meal in this decadent restaurant. She was frowning quite hard.


    ¡°You¡¯ve hardly touched your duck, El. Is everything all right?¡± Lazare tilted his head.


    As she listened, Elenore started to realize just how far removed this man was from what she liked now. He was sweet, gentle, and he was always avable to listen to her feelings. She found it utterly insufferable. Even that nickname, El, made her sick. This had been the cause of her untimely separation with her feet and her eyes? This fawning, obsequious, and all-around boring man was the reason that she lost much of her future?


    ¡°What in the world did I see in you?¡± Elenore shook her head slowly.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure of that myself,¡± Lazare¡¯s yellow eyes looked down at his meal, downcast at her tone. ¡°But whatever it is, I¡¯ll prove myself worthy of you, El.¡±


    ¡°Like when you gouged out my eyes, staring down at me,¡± Elenore nodded.


    Lazare raised his head. ¡°But you killed my entire family afterwards.¡± He toyed with his food in bitterness. ¡°Can¡¯t we just¡­ forget about all that?¡±


    Elenore looked off to the side. No words came to her. She remembered giving that order. It had been two or three years after the event, when she was just burgeoning as the Bat. Her power had been waxing greatly, and in a solemn night¡­ she¡¯d ordered Lazare, his parents, and his older sister killed. She remembered Felipe III bringing her this news, trying to mock her with it.


    And she couldn¡¯t deny that nothing had felt sweeter than that sense of power over people. To make her father be her personal messenger, bringing the news her order had beenpleted. To enact vengeance on the man who¡¯d robbed her of sight. It had been a total affirmation her path was the right one, at the time. And as Elenore remembered that, she felt a little ill.


    ¡°You do remember that, don¡¯t you?¡± Lazare pressed.


    ¡°¡­yes, I do,¡± Elenore said quietly. Then, she looked over. ¡°I gave that order.¡±


    ¡°Did it make you feel better?¡± Lazare asked.


    Elenore narrowed her eyes. When she thought of it, truly thought of it¡­ no, it hadn¡¯t made her feel better. It had been like pouring pounds and pounds of syrup atop filth. The dirtiness, the hatred, kept with her for all the time afterward. She never tended to the wound. She¡¯d just buried it beneath other things. It never truly mended, not even to this day, not even with Durran at her side.


    ¡°No. I felt as terrible as ever, day after day,¡± Elenore mused, pushing away the te of duck.


    ¡°Then why did you do it?¡±


    Elenoreughed. ¡°Just¡­ because a little broken girl got too much power, too fast.¡± She looked at him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lazare. I did go too far.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± he shook his head.


    ¡°No, it isn¡¯t,¡± Elenore shook her head. ¡°I went too far¡­ but you betrayed me. I¡¯m not really sure I can forgive you. I know that asking for your life in exchange for my eyes is¡­ quite frankly, immoral. I should probably forgive you. But even still, I just can¡¯t.¡± She rubbed her hands together, warming them. ¡°But I shouldn¡¯t forget you, either.¡±


    Elenore focused on him. ¡°I loved my father, the person at the root of all this. And it wasn¡¯t because I was stupid, or unlucky, or unfortunate¡­ but because I was human.¡± She rose to her feet. ¡°Despite how much I hate it, you were arge part of my life, Lazare. And even despite all that, I butchered you and yours.¡±


    She stepped away from the table. ¡°I honestly don¡¯t know if you loved me, or you loved the princess. I suppose I got my answer, if I want to be cynical about it. But you didn¡¯t make me like this. You were a part of it, but I made me like this.¡± She looked out at the window, where the streets of Dirracha waited, bustling with people. ¡°I found a family that shouldn¡¯t love me. Argrave, Durran, Anneliese¡­ even that oaf Orion¡­ they know what I¡¯ve done. And selfish as I am, I¡¯m not going to let that go. Ever. But I think I can admit¡­ that I loved you, once.¡±


    When Elenore looked back, Lazare wasn¡¯t there anymore. There was a whiteness spreading out from his form, consuming the walls and the ceilings. She let it pass by her feet, and felt it rise up to shelter her. Strangely¡­ it was like a part of her was returning. It wasn¡¯t fully pleasant, yet it was filling.


    When next she saw, Argrave and Gmon were chatting. Both of them quickly turned their heads to her.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Argrave greeted her. ¡°I thought it¡¯d be Anne that came out first. Color me surprised.¡±


    Elenore was jarred by the sudden shift of mood¡ªto be in intense emotion, and then to be so suddenly jerked back to the carefree Argrave¡­ it was unpleasant, to say the least. She raised her hand, asking for a moment.


    After a long while, she looked at Argrave. He was waiting with a quaint smile.


    ¡°I love you, Argrave,¡± she said simply. She couldn¡¯t both say those words and meet his eyes, so she stared at his feet. When she dared a nce, he was sporting an unexpectedly big smile.


    ¡°Love you too, sis.¡± Argrave stepped forward up to her. ¡°Must¡¯ve been some heavy shit in there if you¡¯re saying that.¡±


    Elenoreughed, walking forward. She was crying a little. She wasn¡¯t entirely sure if it was from sadness.


    ¡°I hate that stupid door,¡± she cursed, shaking her head. But for the first time since she could remember, Elenore didn¡¯t fear anyone abandoning her. Even if she cried her heart out,id on the floor and thrashed her arms, her family would be there. Now¡­ now, it was different. She looked up at him. ¡°Where are the gods? Let¡¯s get this over with¡­¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll meet them in time,¡± Argrave nodded, then pointed at Gmon with his thumb. ¡°Mister Terminator over there already met and championed Veid. Apparently, he doesn¡¯t have any repressed memory. Can you believe that?¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Elenore looked at Gmon, returning to rity. ¡°A little. Don¡¯t like waiting here, though.¡±


    ¡°The White nes respond to your desires. They¡¯ll link you up with the gods you want,¡± Argrave told her. ¡°If you want to go¡­ it¡¯s safe. Even gods can¡¯t hurt you here, not anymore. Go and negotiate away.¡±


    Elenore sniffed strongly, then looked off into the distance. ¡°Yeah¡­ yeah. I think I¡¯d like that.¡±


    Princess Elenore broke away.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting for you,¡± Argrave assured her.


    Elenore looked back and said with the faintest smile, ¡°I know. I trust you.¡±

 Chapter 448: Getting Ones Way

    ¡°Did you let me win?¡± Durran asked Garm.


    Just as it had been in their fight many months ago, Garm stood on his field of roses, though strangely they were white roses this time. Durran¡¯s desert was ck and endless, just as before, in mirror of the Burnt Desert. These battlefields allegedly mirrored their minds, whether here in the White nes or back then, when their souls had done battle to eat each other.


    ¡°Let you win?¡± Garm repeated incredulously, narrowing his eyes. ¡°I was a head on a stake, and I still clung onto hope of survival. You think I¡¯d really let you win?¡±


    Durran ground his ive into the sand. ¡°I don¡¯t think you would¡¯ve even risked the possibility of defeat by engaging me in a soul fight if you really wanted to live, wanted to win. You would¡¯ve just let Argrave ferry you around, just as he had been. And hell, who knows¡ªhe might¡¯vee up with a real solution.¡±


    ¡°What do you want me to do about it now?¡± Garm shrugged. ¡°Cry and confess on my knees? That isn¡¯t how this ends.¡±


    Durran sighed and looked up at the sky. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡­¡± he shook his head, then focused on Garm. ¡°After Sethia, after failing like that, I really wanted any sort of power I could get my hands on.¡±


    ¡°So you got it,¡± Garm pointed out. ¡°You¡¯re casting A-rank spells as easy as a kid throws stone, thanks to you chomping down on my soul. You¡¯re a master necromancer. You could make any kind of abomination out of any kind of flesh that you wanted, provided you¡¯ve got the souls to fuel it. It¡¯d be like muscle memory.¡±


    ¡°Shame you weren¡¯t at S-rank,¡± Durran quipped. ¡°Could¡¯ve made things even easier.¡±


    ¡°My bad. I should¡¯ve been a better sacrifice,¡± Garm said drolly.


    ¡°¡­nah,¡± Durran shook his head. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have been a sacrifice at all.¡±


    ¡°The zes are you sputtering about?¡± Garm pressed.


    ¡°Not right, what I did,¡± Durran focused on him. ¡°A man tells me that he wants to die, and I let him because it aligned with my interests at the time. Sethia, banishment from my tribe¡­ I was ruined, but it was no damn excuse to let what happened, happen.¡± Heughed and threw his hands up. ¡°And then after that, I got all uppity with Argrave, went against his orders in stealing the margrave¡¯s wyvern. Even if it was a misunderstanding¡­ no excuse, really.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d throw away all the things I gave you? They say hindsight is perfect sight, but these are the words of a blind man.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Yeah, I would throw it away,¡± Durran nodded, stepping a little closer to Garm. ¡°Throughout this whole journey, I came to really admire Argrave. Not because he¡¯s talented, or because he¡¯s some kind of saint¡­ but just the sheer level that man will rise to say, ¡®no, we¡¯re doing it my way.¡¯¡± He pointed as he said those words. ¡°Very hard to insist you¡¯re right when the whole word disagrees. But he¡¯s kept up at it, I¡¯ll be damned. And he is a decent person.¡±


    ¡°Are you in love with him? You¡¯re both married. It¡¯ll never happen, what you want.¡± Garm yed the part of a sagely advisor.


    Durran couldn¡¯t musterughter. ¡°Fact is¡­ I should¡¯ve said no, Garm. I should¡¯ve said that you¡¯ll give me whatever I need from you, and you¡¯ll live, you miserable prick.¡± He thumped his finger against Garm¡¯s chest. ¡°That¡¯s what Argrave was doing, before I came along and ruined it.¡±


    ¡°Maybe you should¡¯ve,¡± Garm conceded. ¡°But you didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°But I didn¡¯t,¡± Durran nodded, then turned away from Garm. ¡°And maybe¡­ because of that, I did get what I want. But I feel damned empty inside when I cast a spell and just know how. Necromancyes easy to me, but it feels terrible. I don¡¯t think I could¡¯ve earned freedom for the Burnt Desert without it¡­ but from here on out, I can¡¯t just ept what¡¯s convenient. We¡¯ll do it my damned way. The right way. I¡¯m strong enough to do that. Agreed, Garm?¡±


    Durran looked back to see Garm, but instead he saw Gmon and Argrave sitting on the white ground and talking about something in detail. They spotted him, and Argrave rose up.


    ¡°Hey. You¡¯re a fair bit slower than my sister,¡± Argrave called out. ¡°She already went off to negotiate with the gods. How¡¯d it go for you?¡±


    Durran rubbed his neck, feeling out of sorts. ¡°I, uhh¡­ hmm.¡± He didn¡¯t feel like talking, especially, after confronting Garm. Well¡ªnot quite. He wouldn¡¯t mind talking to Elenore. ¡°Where¡¯d Elenore go?¡±


    ¡°That way,¡± Argrave gestured vaguely. ¡°Or wherever. Whole ces looks the same.¡±


    ¡°I think I¡¯ll go,¡± Durran nodded.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Argrave nodded with a shrug, possessing tact enough to know not to press him. ¡°Just remember what I told you. Wring those gods dry. You can be damned sure Elenore is.¡±


    #####


    Elenore sat on a chair that was cold, yet sunk beneath her weight in a pleasant way that seemed impossible. There was a white table before her, with a tea cup that had a white liquid in it. She dared not drink whatever it was, both in fear of what it might be and caution of those before her.


    There was Old Iron Miser on the left, armored in te with a cowl over his head. There was Yillinillnu, a graceful woman with a certain strangeness to her eyes and a different fashion than anything Elenore had seen before. Scrutiny of her eyes showed several differences from what Elenore was familiar with, the most prominent being that they were monolid. Her ck hair had an incredibly borate headpiece, and she seemed tomand respect and authority.


    And then there was the least remarkable, Lira. She had a silver diadem partially hidden by silver hair¡ªand gray from age, not from gics. She wore a simple brown dress, with a shawl about her shoulders. The shawl looked to have been made by someone young, and indeed Elenore saw a name shoddily sewn in. It depicted a woman holding onto the hand of a child.


    ¡°I recognize you,¡± Elenore said, looking between the three. ¡°You¡¯re gods, each of you. This is it, then? Our negotiation?¡±


    ¡°We are the aspects of gods,¡± they said at once, each in sync with the other. ¡°We were created by the White nes. You stand before them, too, in your own aspect. In this way, your will is conveyed where it needs to be, without fear or prejudice. You speak to nk tes that respond on the other side through your aspect ordingly. In this manner, should wee to no ord, there will be no offense, and neither will remember the other at all.¡±


    Elenore blinked, having a bit of difficulty conceptualizing that. Did this mean that, somewhere in these endless white expanses, there was an aspect of her,municating the desires she held? But after thinking on it deeper, she decided she was not one to question its convenience, doubly so when it came via iprehensible magic.


    ¡°Then¡­¡± Elenore closed her eyes, recalling all that Argrave had taught her. She hesitated to divulge these secrets, but she trusted Argrave that this ce would ensure no rumors would leak out if no ord was made. ¡°I came here seeking an alliance. We intend to steal from Erlebnis¡¯ realm, to pige valuable knowledge, and aid in dealing with an undesirable malignance that threatens to invade our kingdom.¡±


    ¡°We are all interested in you, Princess Elenore of Vasquer,¡± they said, still eerily linked. ¡°And we have offers.¡±


    Elenore nodded, trying to hide the fact that she was pleased before she questioned if hiding anything might be pointless before aspects. ¡°Then¡­ you, Old Iron Miser?¡±


    ¡°I can guarantee reasonable support in a heist against Erlebnis. More than that, I promise you trade,¡± he began, holding his hand out. A universe seemed to expand before it, disying a market so grand in size it seemed to threaten to consume this endless whiteness. When he clenched shut his gauntleted hand, it vanished. ¡°You would be linked to my people around the world. Each and all are masters ofmerce, just as you are, and have resources at their disposal equal or greater to yours. Be it across the oceans or more simply the continent, you will not want. All I ask is that you aid in expanding mywork.¡±


    Elenore nodded carefully, then looked to Yillinillnu. ¡°And you?¡±


    ¡°I can offer little aid against Erlebnis. It undermines my sphere of influence¡ªdiplomacy and negotiation,¡± the goddess¡¯ aspect said. ¡°But in turn, I can give you all of my blessings. The thoughts within your mind will spill from your lips perfectly, and you will always present yourself as you wish to be seen. You will never again suffer an embarrassment, or misspeak. If you wish to lie, your deceitful words will fool all eyes, even a god¡¯s. And a subordinate or lesser will never again doubt your choices as correct. All I would ask is that you ept my envoys, and act as one yourself when needed.¡±


    Elenore narrowed her eyes, pondering the situations in which each might¡¯ve been useful. After a time, she looked to Lira¡¯s aspect, nodding.


    ¡°I can give you a chance,¡± Lira said simply, her voice old and weary. ¡°With my blessings, you can form connections with people that allow them. With them, you may never again be truly separate from someone else. You may converse with them anywhere. You may feel their touch, or offer them gifts, whenever you so please. You may make any door of yours link to theirs, that you might visit them whenever you please.


    ¡°But just as you have these privileges, so too may they exploit them. Once formed, connections cannot be broken until death. You must always hear them when they wish to be heard, even vitriol alone. When they wish to visit, you must receive them, even if theye to end your life. When they give, you must ept, even if it is a dagger plunged into your heart. It is an ultimate expression of trust,¡± Lira cautioned. ¡°And I create, not destroy¡ªyou would receive no aid against Erlebnis from this old crone. All I ask from you is kindness to my other champions, and a true chance for them to prove their goodwill.¡±


    Elenore reviewed what Argrave had told her, only to realize all of these gods were offering everything that they could, right from the beginning. There was no room to get more, no room for further bargaining¡­ just a t choice. The trader, the diplomat, or the connector.


    Perhaps what she¡¯d experienced in the White nes earlier had an effect on her. Perhaps she felt that the others were simply inferior. But given the choice between a global bazaar, a boon to her diplomacy, or connecting with all she wished to¡­ choosing thetter was incredibly easy.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Elenore looked to Lira. ¡°If you would have me, Lira.¡±


    The other two sunk away into whiteness, disappearing, and only the old woman remained. ¡°And why me, child?¡±


    ¡°The other two¡­ I can replicate their abilities on my own, given time,¡± Elenore dered boldly. ¡°But your blessings¡­ to speak with family wherever they are in the world? To be able to give them things, or to connect two areas wherever I want? Its only limit is my imagination. You say you would not help us raid Erlebnis, but in raiding Erlebnis, your blessings will be more help than you know.¡±


    Lira smiled, the very image of an old grandmother. ¡°I am d you see the importance of these ties, child. I worried you might shy from me, fearing connections with others for the harm they might cause.¡±


    Elenore shook her head. ¡°Perhaps I might¡¯ve feared allowing my family the power to hurt me, long ago. But now¡­ nothing would make me feel better, I think, than surrendering that vulnerability to them.¡±


    Lira waved. ¡°Well,e then. Let me give you my mark. With it, we¡¯ll enter our agreement, and you can call upon my blessings and my symbol of authority.¡±


    #####


    ¡°She asked you to be her consort? Really?¡± Argrave asked, looking up at the sky. ¡°Weird test, Veid.¡±


    ¡°No better test for a man,¡± Gmon disagreed.


    Argrave looked at him. ¡°You¡¯re saying she was smoking hot, then? Pretty as a picture?¡±


    Gmon sighed. ¡°Another subject.¡±


    ¡°Fine by me,¡± Argrave shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m d for you, you know. I can attest that your devotion deserves her recognition.¡±


    ¡°I am unworthy.¡±


    ¡°See what I mean? Honorable types¡ªthey absolutely hate themselves. Nothing¡¯s ever good enough about them. They always think they can do better.¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°Me? I say, ¡®well, I tried,¡¯ and move on.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s false,¡± Gmon stared Argrave down. ¡°You care.¡±


    Argraveughed, looking down at his feet. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t blow my cover.¡± He looked back up at Gmon as something came to mind. ¡°But you¡¯re blessed by her, yeah? And you have her symbol of authority.¡±


    Gmon raised his hand, and his eyes shed a bright white. A quaint symbol appeared in the air, almost a spiral, and Argrave received an intense image of Veid and what she governed¡ªhonor, loyalty, and contracts.


    ¡°Good lord,¡± Argrave wiped at his eyes. ¡°That¡¯s something. But more than that, you¡¯ve gained all that she could give you. She must really like you.¡±


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Gmon nodded. ¡°When the timees, and I stand at the helm of the army you built in the fight against the Ebon Cult¡­ they will feel the full vigor of Veid coursing through them, these blessings her vehicle. I will be the conduit of her righteous justice.¡±


    ¡°You sound like Orion,¡± Argrave joked. Then he rubbed his brow, looking off into the endless whiteness. ¡°Though¡­ changing the subject, I am worried about Anneliese. What the hell could she be dealing with in there that takes her this long? I suppose both her and Mnie had terrible childhoods¡­¡±

 Chapter 449: Unloved Girl

    Anneliese entered into a shabby old hut by the oceanside. As the door shut behind her, memories that she had long ago forgotten came rushing back. She and her mother had lived here, for a time. The little Anneliese walked to the center of the room, carrying the fish. She hung it up on a rack, where various implements for cleaning fish rested just beside. And there, back in the corner of the room on the bed, was Anneliese¡¯s mother. She was unmoving, deep in sleep.


    The door shutting behind Anneliese jolted her back to awareness. The little Anneliese, meanwhile, walked to some logs. They were nearly asrge as she was, but the little girl crouched down, gripping them with her tiny hands that already bore some calluses. She dragged them across the ground quietly, looking toward her sleeping mother again and again to be sure she was not roused. When they were in the firece, she gathered some kindling, and then a flint and steel. She struck the flint, again and again, both implementsrger than her hand. Feeble sparks barely dyed the dry grass ck, but the kindling never caught ame.


    Anneliese walked over and lit the fire with a simple spell. She saw the small version of herself widen her eyes, and open her mouth as though it was the coolest thing imaginable. She didn¡¯t forget to look back and whisper, ¡°Thank you very much.¡±


    Anneliese crouched down beside her past self. The little girl kept her white bangs over her eyes, and a forgotten memory flooded back¡ªAnneliese had kept her bangs like this to hide her eyes from her mother, Kressa. Hiding her eyes helped her avoid inspiring a foul mood.


    Anneliese knew there was a puzzle she was intended to solve here, but her own curiosity drove her forward. ¡°Why are you doing this?¡±


    Little Anneliese looked back to her mother, and then to the fire. ¡°I light the fire to warm mommy, and to get cook ready. Then, I gotta gut the fish, and unscale¡­ no, descale it. Then, I gotta make a soup.¡± She counted on her fingers as she ran down the list. ¡°Mommy eats the soup¡ªI eatter. And then, I gotta get the wetundry from outside, and put it by the fire. But if I put it too close, the clothes go ck. Mommy hated thatst time.¡± Her fingers traced a bruise on her arm¡ªobvious hand marks. ¡°After that, I gotta¡ª¡±


    ¡°Why is your mom making you do all this?¡± Anneliese asked.


    ¡°Shhh,¡± little Anneliese held her finger to her mouth. ¡°You¡¯re angry. You can¡¯t wake up mommy.¡±


    That the little her could read her emotions better than she realized surprised Anneliese, and she looked over to the sleeping figure once more. How old had she been at this time? Five, perhaps, maybe a little older? Veidimen children grewrger than humans, so that sounded about right.


    ¡°Is your mother sick?¡± Anneliese questioned, whispering this time. The little Anneliese shook her head, white hair whipping about quickly. ¡°Then why are you doing all of this alone?¡±


    Little Anneliese blinked innocently, eyes barely visible behind her bangs. ¡°I¡¯m supposed to.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Anneliese pressed, the fire crackling in the silence that came after.


    ¡°Mommy told me,¡± little Anneliese said. ¡°And everybody else says¡­ I should listen to my parents.¡±


    A memory came back, unbidden. She was a child again, looking up at her mother who seemed tired from carrying wood. Kressa cast a few logs down, then looked to Anneliese bitterly. You do it, she¡¯d said, utter resentment on her tongue. You can do me some good. Not that it¡¯ll make up for your birth.


    Anneliese blinked, feeling nauseous. ¡°What else do you do?¡± she asked quietly.


    Little Anneliese raised her hands, counting again. ¡°I wash the clothes, the underwear, the nkets, I go fish with the old misters, or help carry things for the farm men. Oh! I also¡ª¡±


    ¡°Not those things. What about things for yourself¡ªthings you want to do?¡± Anneliese pressed.


    ¡°I want to do this,¡± little Anneliese insisted. ¡°Mommy doesn¡¯t like me. I knew already, but she told me a few times. And sometimes she loves me. She holds me tight, and she cries, and she says she¡¯s sorry. I like those days.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it hard?¡± Anneliese swallowed, her throat feeling like it had a rock in it.


    ¡°Mommy says that pity¡ª¡± she stopped, having bit her tongue. ¡°She says that pitying yourself is useless. She said that, no matter what she does, I can¡¯t pity myself.¡±


    Little Anneliese left words unspoken, but they came rushing back as memories. You don¡¯t deserve to pity yourself, Kressa would say.


    Anneliese rose to her feet, feeling like a veil around her had been shattered. She had been so proud of this creed of hers¡ªproud enough she¡¯d boldly shared it with Argrave. She¡¯d told him that self-pity does nothing for no one. She thought it a strength she¡¯d found¡ªa power that she¡¯d clung onto to cure all of her misfortune.


    But it was a phrase her mother had given her, all for the sake of justifying her beatings, her reckless neglect. And the others in this vige¡­ they all knew. But just as they knew, so did they fear to wee a Veidimen child into their home. She remembered craving help, seeking it, but most of them insisted that she should remain with her mother.


    And looking down at this girl, she saw a girl that covered her eyes with bangs to avoid being hit because her mother didn¡¯t like their color. She saw a girl with a mother who utterly resented her, yet gave small and infrequent drops of affection to keep some lingering hope alive.


    Looking down at herself, Anneliese saw a broken girl who wanted love, but never got it.


    Anneliese had forgotten about this girl, forgotten who she was. She¡¯d forgotten the longing to be saved, and the utterck of any reprieve no matter where she went. When returning to Veiden, things had be better by a small margin, and so it was all too easy for her to shut away that past.


    Anneliese knelt down before the old her, once again. She tried to keep the sadness from her voice as she said, ¡°You know, your mommy doesn¡¯t need you to do all of this stuff today.¡±


    The sheer joy and confusion that lit up on little Anneliese¡¯s face was so infectious. Perhaps little Anneliese knew she was lying, could see it in her face¡­ but the girl so desperately wanted help that she was willing to believe even lies. Her eyes grew bright enough to shine past her bangs, and her smile showed brilliant teeth. ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Really,¡± Anneliese repeated, brushing back the girl¡¯s bangs to see her eyes. ¡°How about¡­ we go outside? I could teach you how to read. I could teach you how to do this,¡± she said, conjuring a snowke in her hand.


    Little Anneliese reached out, gingerly taking the snowke with utter awe on her eyes. After a few moments, she looked up, like all the troubles she carried were gone. ¡°I wanna see,¡± she said longingly. ¡°But¡­¡± she looked back to her sleeping mother.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. If your mother says anything¡­ I¡¯ve got your back. And I¡¯m bigger than her.¡± She stood up tall. ¡°Let me carry you.¡±


    Anneliese took herself in her arms, rising to stand. The little girl looked around with wonder at this shack, like she¡¯d never been carried before. She looked so happy, so excited, as she delicately handled the snowke that had been conjured by magic. She looked like the child she was meant to be. Anneliese pushed open the door and stepped outside¡­n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Where endless whiteness greeted her.


    Anneliese looked to where she¡¯d been carrying the little Anneliese. Strangely, she felt immeasurably sad. The girl was gone. But as she pondered it more, answers came to her. No¡ªthat girl wasn¡¯t gone. She was standing here, today. And for the first time in perhaps her whole life, Anneliese allowed some small amount of pity for herself.


    Then, she spotted someone. Tall¡ªa little taller than her. ck hair, ck as night, almost the opposite of hers, dropping by his shoulders. Unblemished white skin. Gray eyes as steady as stone. He had a smile on his face as soon as he saw her, and in those eyes¡­ there was love for the unloved girl. Far more love than she knew what to do with.


    #####


    Durran walked through the endless White nes, clearing his mind of that encounter with Garm. Or fake Garm, he supposed. But slowly, it drifted back to his responsibilities, and the things that he needed to be doing in this ce. And as if this ce was reading him, the moment he did¡­ he very nearly bumped into someone.


    He took a step backward, spotting one person and then three. He put names to some faces¡ªthe hulking giant, about asrge as Orion, with half a dozen weapons hanging from his body and a huge red mane of hair was Sataistador, the god of war, chaos, and ruthless destruction. He wore barbaric armor that exposed much of his ridiculously toned white body, and his green eyes pierced Durran effortlessly. Yet the woman beside him was no slouch in the muscle department¡ªwearing a wolfskin over her head and body paint most everywhere else, he recognized her as Stout Heart Swan.


    The third off to the side wasn¡¯t familiar. Tall, and skinny enough for his skin to draw tight against his bones, he struck an imposing figure nheless¡­ but further scrutiny made him seem a little off.


    ¡°Recognize those two, but¡­ who¡¯re you?¡± Durran inquired of the man.


    ¡°I am Gaunt.¡±


    ¡°I can see that, but¡ª¡± Durran cut himself off, recalling a name. And as he looked further, he realized the man standing there wasn¡¯t a man at all¡ªhe was undead, his eyes glowing with the fires of some of the highest necromancy Durran had ever seen. He was Gaunt, a god of death.


    ¡°Speak. We are aspects of gods, and you sought a connection with us. What¡¯s your purpose?¡± Stout Heart Swan beckoned for Durran.


    Durran straightened his back. ¡°I represent a group organizing a heist against Erlebnis. We intend to steal from him, and war against the Ebon Cult. I am a pivotal part of the organization that would do this, and Ie on their behalf to secure alliance. I would be the vehicle of your divine championship, in return for your support and your connection with Vasquer.¡±


    Sataistador snorted loudly, then turned and walked away. Durran was flustered at this, and stared after the red-headed man. Durran had seen many killers, but none quite like that man¡ªit was in his green eyes, his soul. There was chaos there, so intense it projected outward enough for ordinary people to perceive. Perceive, and fear. And that was only his aspect, not the god himself. Sataistador¡­ a god allegedly as powerful as Erlebnis himself.


    Having botched negotiations with him already, Durran looked to Gaunt and Stout Heart Swan with some trepidation.


    If they perceived his anxiety, they didn¡¯t show it. ¡°What you seek aligns with our goals, the both of us,¡± they said at the same time.


    ¡°But I am not content sharing a champion with another,¡± Gaunt cautioned. ¡°I can offer total support in the heist against Erlebnis, for I bear a grudge against him. I would ask for a tithe of souls every moon from you in exchange for my mark of authority. For my blessings, you must content yourself with one of three: dominion over souls, being able to trap and contain any that leave bodies within sight; dominion over flesh, being able tomand it without the use of souls; or dominion over memory, being able to instill true thought into the necromantic beings you create.¡±


    Stout Heart Swan focused on Durran. ¡°I offer my full support, and my full suite of blessings. All I ask is for a hunter¡¯s will¡ªyou must hunt gods for me as my champion, and offer a portion of their bodies as tribute. In return, you will always know the locations of the prey you injure, you will never again be taken unawares, and you can call upon my spectral hounds to track any foe you seek with the smallest clue.¡±


    Having seen Sataistador so obviously leave had rattled Durran, and though he briefly questioned if he might be able to extract more from both, either in the form of greater support or lesser tribute¡­ in the end, caution won. He looked to Stout Heart Swan and nodded.


    ¡°I would champion you, Stout Heart Swan.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Stout Heart Swan said as Gaunt faded away into whiteness. ¡°I look forward to meeting you. These aspects carry but a fragment of our true personality.¡±


    Durran nodded, somewhatforted by his choice of deity in wake of her earnest behavior. In the end, he didn¡¯t feel he¡¯d promised too much for too little¡ªthe blessings that she offered seemed quite fantastic, and they were the extent of her offerings. Perhaps if Gaunt had offered all three of his dominions, Durran would have been swayed.


    But perhaps after the meeting with Garm¡­ that might not have swayed him. Perhaps necromancy was better left dead and gone.


    #####


    Argrave held Anneliese¡¯s hand¡ªshe was particrly affectionate after whatever she¡¯d gone through. She didn¡¯t mention what it was, though. Perhaps she might shareter.


    ¡°So, I assume I was thest?¡± Anneliese questioned. ¡°Shall we stride boldly forth, earn our blessings?¡±


    ¡°Nope. Second tost. Still waiting on Mnie,¡± Argrave responded.


    ¡°I see,¡± Anneliese nodded. ¡°Will you wait for her?¡±


    ¡°Seems only just,¡± Argrave nodded.


    ¡°Then I shall wait too,¡± Anneliese smiled. ¡°What do you think she endures?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t see it being anything other than her childhood,¡± Argrave said. ¡°For Durran, maybe something changed¡ªI mean, we¡¯ve travelled with him a lot. But Mnie was a yer character, and that¡¯s what hers was. It¡¯s a little too strong of a forgotten memory to change.¡±


    ¡°But what was it?¡± Anneliese pressed.


    ¡°¡­rough,¡± Argrave said simply.

 Chapter 450: Value of the Body

    ¡°You sold my daughter to a brothel?¡± Mnie¡¯s father asked. There wasn¡¯t anger in his voice¡ªnot really. Just disappointment.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t really going to do it,¡± her mother insisted. Red hair, green eyes, tall and robust¡ªminus the scars, she was a mirror to Mnie today. ¡°But you never visit me anymore! What else was I supposed to do?¡±


    ¡°But you epted money from them, didn¡¯t you? And I imagine you¡¯ve already spent this money.¡±


    Mnie looked upon this scene with a humorous smile on her face. For her mother, Mnie¡¯s only worth had been attention from her father. For her father¡­ she wasn¡¯t quite sure what she was worth. It felt like he sent money only so that others couldn¡¯t disparage him. In the end, her mother had spent most of it on gaudy dresses, jewels, and expensive perfume.


    Until today, that was.


    ¡°You¡¯ve made your bed,¡± her father said. ¡°Sleep in it.¡±


    He made to leave, but her mother threw herself at him. She wed at him with her long, painted nails, and he cast her to the ground. She fell into a vase, shattering it. He looked down at her contemptuously, while she had the look of a wounded animal on her face. There was brief indecision¡ªpity, almost¡ªbefore he made to leave without another word. In hysteric rage, Mnie¡¯s mother grabbed a shard of the broken vase and lunged, stabbing him in the calf.


    With a shout, her father fell on her mother. He bludgeoned her face again and again until she stopped moving, then wrapped his fingers around her neck. She was so badly beaten she could barely offer resistance, and she breathed herst after a few minutes. When she finally died, he fell away from her, examining his calf and grimacing. He muttered foul curses, and it was only after about half a minute that he spotted Mnie.


    Mnie¡¯s father rose up and walked over to her, limping. He could see the child version of her, but Mnie herself seemed to be a spectator in this memory. The dead-eyed girl looked up at her father, not saying a word.


    Even though she had no memory of this event, Mnie knew how this ended. She remembered this ce well, after all, and it upied much of her earlier life.


    Without saying a thing, her father left, shaking his head. On his way past, as he winced with pain from his leg, he kicked her mother once again. Mnie couldn¡¯t help butugh, and the little girl that she¡¯d once been looked over.


    Feeling guilty from that silent stare, Mnie said, ¡°Come on. Sometimes, things are just so colossally wrong you have tough.¡±


    The child continued to stare.


    ¡°Brothel owner made a fat stack of coins for this little event. ckmailed my granddad. Ruined his whole damned business. Then my dad drank himself to death.¡± She patted the little kid on the head. ¡°But take it easy, kid. Life gets a lot better from here.¡±


    Those green eyes never stopped staring.


    Mnie finally looked away, and rose to her feet. She walked to her mother¡¯s body and looked down on it. The little Mnie walked up, too, staring up at her as she watched.


    ¡°There¡¯s a lot you can learn from whores,¡± Mnie reflected, rambling to distract her thoughts. ¡°And it¡¯s not just ¡®where not to end up in life.¡¯ You learn how to talk to people. You learn how to size up someone¡¯s worth. You learn how to shake people down, too. Well, I guess I learned that from the owner.¡± Sheughed, then pulled up a chair. ¡°You learn what someone can sell themselves for. And you learn how tough at stuff like this.¡± Mnie prodded her dead mother¡¯s stiff leg with her boot.


    Mnie rubbed her palms together. ¡°You¡¯ll meet a mercenary. He guards the ce. He¡¯ll teach you a thing or two, finally get you the hell out of this ce. In the end, he¡¯d prefer you fight in the bedroom rather than a battlefield. He¡¯s not exactly the asking type, either.¡±


    Mnie took a deep breath and sighed, leaning back in the chair. ¡°He¡¯s the first one you kill. Not sure what count we¡¯re at, now, but there you go. After all that stuff, you¡¯re free. Maybe that¡¯s what you want hear.¡±


    Silence followed, with the little girl still watching. Judging.


    Mnie startedughing. ¡°You¡¯re still here. Looks like that¡¯s not my ticket out.¡± She stared at her mother¡¯s dead body. ¡°I¡¯ll admit, I don¡¯t remember this memory, so the White nes have got me there.¡± She shook her head. ¡°But all this, all of this,¡± she said, anger finally seeping into her tone. ¡°It made me tough, made me strong. I learned how to fight, how to struggle, how to earn. If we had been epted into the family, started living in that peachy estate of my grandfather¡¯s back in Relize, sucking down caviar and slurping wine¡ªwe would¡¯ve been just like all the rest, walking around in high heels, wearing a tightly-drawn corset and fainting because the weather¡¯s hot.¡±


    No answer came from the little girl, even now.


    ¡°All of this happened to me for a reason,¡± Mnie pointed down at the ground. ¡°Now, I¡¯m with the king. Most powerful man in the world. And once I¡¯m done with this stroll through shitty memoryne, I¡¯ll be talking to gods. And because of the things I¡¯ve been through, I¡¯ll keep going up, and up. Power, money, I can get it all. We¡¯re worth something,¡± she tapped her chest.


    ¡°Are we happy?¡±


    ¡°Happy? That doesn¡¯t even¡­¡± Mnie lost all her momentum, looking down at the ground. She caressed her forehead as a headache erupted.


    ¡°Because that¡¯s all I want,¡± the little Mnie said.


    And that was the thing that Mnie knew she needed to answer, then. What did she want, henceforth?


    #####


    Mnie walked out into the White nes, carrying her zweihander on her shoulder. She had been walking for a long, long time, her thoughts still on what she¡¯d just experienced. She stopped when she noticed someone.


    Sataistador, god of war, chaos, and ruthless destruction stood looking down on her, his arms crossed. His shoulders were as broad as a bear¡¯s, and his arms were as thick as Mnie¡¯s torso. He bore countless scars all over his body, and sported a giant mane of red hair. Thergest scar¡ªa huge gouge in his stomach¡ªwas partially concealed by his long beard. His green eyes carried a madness in them¡­ and they were fixed firmly on Mnie.


    ¡°You¡¯re an aspect of Sataistador?¡± she questioned at once, her voice calm.


    ¡°Yourpanions tell me that you intend to steal from Erlebnis,¡± he said without answering her question. His voice was deep and smooth. ¡°And you¡­ I¡¯ve seen you.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°That¡¯s nice. What do you have for me?¡± Mnie asked, examining him.


    He stepped forward, all of the weapons on his body nging as he did so. He bore an axe on his left waist, two daggers strapped to his chest and one to his calf. He had a bow on his back, and two scimitars on the right side of his waist. And his posture¡­ even like this, he looked ready to use them in a second.


    ¡°You walk through life alone, using war as an instrument to enrich yourself.¡± He nodded. ¡°You fight for your benefit, flitting from side to side or betraying people when doing so outweighs staying true.¡± He raised his fist up and pounded it against his chest. ¡°This is my way.¡±


    ¡°I assume you didn¡¯te to share a drink and discuss ourmonalities,¡± Mnie answered back, dead-pan.


    ¡°I have no love for Erlebnis. But I stand to benefit much more from protecting his interests.¡± He held his gigantic hand up. ¡°A problem persists. Unless I make a deal with someone, I cannot take this knowledge out of the White nes.¡±


    Mnie¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°Argrave mentioned there were measures to protect us, but¡­ so we¡¯re on the same page, what are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°The White nes are more than a ce for mortals to link with the divine. This is a cowardly realm to avoid the consequences of one¡¯s loose tongue.¡± He crossed his arms again. ¡°Gods are petty things. Do you think your king¡ªor the Alchemist behind him¡ªwould risk disclosing his ns of a heist so tantly, were there not certain guarantees in ce? Not even my memories are exempt from this ce¡¯s meddling.¡±


    ¡°Does the same hold true for mortals?¡± Mnie questioned.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Sataisdor answered. ¡°You will remember only those you dealt with. Some mortals enter this ce and leave with only the experience you just endured, and think that is all there is to those doors. This ce was built by gods in the distant past to have some advantage against Gerechtigkeit. It was advantageous to have points of contact, for not all deities could control where they descend. Along the way, mortals were added to that mix. And measures were taken for this to be a neutral ground. White, and weak.¡±


    ¡°Yet you¡¯re using it, now,¡± Mnie pointed out. ¡°Alright, whatever. You need a traitor. What are you offering?¡±


    ¡°I have never before consorted with mortals,¡± Sataistador looked off to the side. ¡°But in so doing, I have never before shared my power with another. I have no divine servants, no mortal champions. But I can promise you two things. The first: an eternal alliance with myself. The second: godhood.¡±


    ¡°Godhood?¡± Mnie said in surprise.


    ¡°Mortals can be gods. The methods are manifold, but I have done it before.¡± He held one of his hands up, exining, ¡°You must be far from Gerechtigkeit¡ªhe hampers with the process. The rest¡­ I can take it from there.¡±


    ¡°Just like that,¡± Mnie pressed.


    ¡°Just so,¡± Sataistador nodded. ¡°I am thest surviving god from the first cycle of judgment. I know more of divinity and ascendency than any other. You would be weak these first few cycles, but as I said, you would be my ally. There is no higher honor. As you kill other deities you will strengthen your divinity to be worthy of the position. I know this to be true, as you are just like me.¡±


    ¡°You witnessed the first cycle?¡± Mnie repeated.


    ¡°I will say no more,¡± Sataistador crossed his arms. ¡°ept my deal.¡±


    ¡°A blessing is one thing, but how do I know you¡¯ll keep this deal?¡± Mnie stepped forward and looked up at the giant god.


    ¡°The White nes leave their mark. Both of us must abide by these scriptures absolutely, or face a devastating retribution.¡±


    ¡°Not good enough,¡± Mnie disagreed. ¡°I don¡¯t trust it.¡±


    ¡°Hmph. Nor do I. Then¡­ I shall give you my symbol of authority. I have made no blessings, for I have no need of lesser beings. And more than that¡­¡± the deity reached for the scimitars on his waist, pulling one free. He held it out before him, and then¡­ it changed. She¡¯d not for a moment doubted the solidity of Sataistador, but his scimitar gained a tangibility to it, and she felt the unmistakable presence of the divine.


    ¡°You may hold onto this. It bears one fragment of my divinity. Take it, and sign our pact. Wield it in my name.¡±


    Mnie slowly reached out, but her hand paused near the handle. She looked up. ¡°Argrave¡¯s heist against Erlebnis isn¡¯t the whole of the story.¡±


    ¡°I am aware of his n to fight this Ebon Cult. It matters not.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Mnie shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s more than that¡ªmore than what he shared with me. Argrave has knowledge beyond the ken of the gods, even. It¡¯s why the Alchemist is cooperating with him.¡±


    Sataistador narrowed his eyes. ¡°And why is this pertinent?¡±


    ¡°Argrave wouldn¡¯t share with me¡­ but he was very interested in earning your support,¡± Mnie said, taking her hand away from the scimitar. ¡°If youe with me, he might be willing to divulge these ns.¡±


    Sataistador narrowed his eyes even further, distrust forming.


    ¡°¡­and I¡¯m not so sure about this whole ¡®fragment of divinity¡¯ nonsense,¡± Mnie added. ¡°I need assurance, don¡¯t I? From an unwitting party.¡±


    ¡°My word alone should be enough.¡± Sataistador sheathed his scimitar. ¡°But as you wish. We shall meet him.¡±


    #####


    When Mnie returned with a hulking god of war in tow, it silenced all conversation between Argrave, Anneliese, and Gmon.


    ¡°Mnie, you¡ª¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, I brought him,¡± Mnie nodded. ¡°When I first met him, I thought, ¡®hey, isn¡¯t this the guy that Argrave said would be the most valuable to have on our side? He thought his favorite wife would entice him, but actually, it was me.¡¯ I was pleased as I could be. Thought I was going to get a nice little package of leverage.¡± She looked over to him. ¡°But as it turns out, he¡¯s a scheming little twit.¡±


    Sataistador slowly turned his head to look down at the mercenary woman by his side, brows raised in surprise.


    ¡°This battle bastard wanted me to turn on you guys, have him help Erlebnis¡ªpromised me godhood in return. Funnily enough, he said the Ebon Cult wasn¡¯t a problem, even when I¡¯m sure I heard you im Mozzahr beat his ass,¡± she gestured toward Argrave.


    Argrave stayed still, bbergasted, and nced at Anneliese. She nodded in confirmation¡ªMnie was being truthful.


    ¡°Here¡¯s how this works,¡± Mnie said. ¡°I¡¯m out of the loop, Argrave, but I know you know things about the future, about the present. I¡¯d like you to catch me up to speed. In return¡­¡± she looked at Sataistador. ¡°I brought this guy. He ims to have endured the first cycle of judgment. And even failing that¡­ let¡¯s work some magic, Argrave.¡±


    ¡°You refuse me?¡± Sataistador said, eyes full of wrath.


    ¡°I chose the side that benefits me most,¡± Mnie smiled.


    ¡°He can make you a god?¡± Sataistador said, voice low. ¡°Are you sure about that?¡±


    ¡°Maybe not. But you can¡¯t give me what I really want¡ªI see that, talking to you.¡± Mnie shook her head. ¡°And besides, it¡¯s like you said. You won¡¯t remember this even if it doesn¡¯t work out. But if you¡¯re interested in hearing how Mozzahr, the Casten of the Empty, beat your sorry ass, you¡¯ll perk those ears up. And if you really are like me, you¡¯ll choose the winning side.¡± She gestured toward Argrave with her thumb. ¡°So¡ªwhat was it you said, so arrogantly? ept my deal.¡±

 Chapter 451: First God of War

    Argrave truly hadn¡¯t known what to expect with Sataistador. When he thought of a god of war, he pictured the honorable general type, someone like Gmon¡ªhard and brusque, one who talks harsh and short. He supposed the addendums of ¡®chaos and ruthless destruction¡¯ should¡¯ve tipped his mind toward the direction of someone like Genghis Khan. He had tried to worm his way into disrupting Argrave¡¯s n, even despite the safety the White nes offered.


    And Mnie had been the one to pull them out of the fire.


    He briefly thought himself careless, but upon seeing Mnie step away from Sataistador to stand by his side, adjusted that perception. Careless wasn¡¯t the right word¡ªhe¡¯d brought people that he trusted to the White nes, where safety was assured for a cohesive party, and he¡¯d only been proven right in his judgment. There was a reason Mnie was one of his favorite yer characters.


    That wasn¡¯t to say he wasn¡¯t immensely grateful for Mnie¡¯s choice. And not just her choice¡ªher quick thinking in extracting information. He knew Sataistador was old, but had no idea he came from the first cycle of judgment. And she had brought him here, exposed that invaluable knowledge. Still, they¡¯d leave ignorant of that fact if no amodation was reached.


    The White nes are a double-edged shield, thought Argrave as he stared upon the giant war god. However that metaphor works. We could part ways here, and I¡¯d go back to thinking Sataistador might possibly be a swell guy. I don¡¯t want that.


    But after hearing about Sataisdor conspiring to snake on him for Erlebnis, Argrave had no high hopes about a longsting alliance. At the same time, if Sataistador truly was from the first cycle of judgment, there was knowledge to be gained. His mind whirled, trying to think of something that could be made of this.


    Argrave advanced. He had been around Orion and Gmon too much to be afraid of tall and wide muscle freaks. And considering Mnie wished to be looped in, he simply said, ¡°Mnie is right. You died, Sataistador, where I¡¯m from. You see, I yed this game called Heroes of Berendar. And this reality we exist in was simted within it repeatedly. But no matter the oue, no matter the choices¡­ you, Sataistador, were stomped beneath the boot of your opponent¡ªMozzahr.¡±


    Anneliese and Gmon both looked at Argrave as though he was mad, but Mnie grinned a little wider.


    ¡°A tall tale. The weak do so love to talk when it has no consequence,¡± Sataistador shook his head. ¡°You won¡¯t remember offending me, and I won¡¯t remember being offended. This is an exercise in futility.¡±


    ¡°So you are offended?¡± Mnie pointed out. ¡°Well, so am I. I¡¯m offended you thought I¡¯d be so cheap.¡±


    ¡°We have nothing more to discuss,¡± the god of war said, rolling his shoulders as though preparing to leave.


    ¡°You can still benefit from this,¡± Argrave said. ¡°And I¡¯m big enough to let bygones be bygones.¡±


    ¡°I have no interest in you,¡± Sataistador said as he looked upon him coldly. ¡°You¡¯ve avoided war at every turn. Your only virtue is fighting battles you can¡¯t win anding out on top¡ªadmirable, I¡¯ll admit, but I have no blessings to give, and I will not ally with someone I hold in contempt. Your continued charity will be your undoing.¡±


    ¡°I meant what I said, though,¡± Argrave stepped closer. ¡°Mozzahr did beat you. He has such an advantage over you that you can¡¯t evere out on top.¡±


    ¡°Useless provocation will never turn my weapons against your foes,¡± Sataistador shook his head. ¡°I have naught to prove.¡±


    ¡°What can I do to prove it to you?¡± Argrave spread his hands out. ¡°Fact is, you have a fatal w. Mozzahr knows it. I know it.¡±


    ¡°Easy to say, wrapped in safety,¡± Sataistador nced at the White nes around them.


    Argrave smiled, feeling cheeky. ¡°Alright. Would you like to meet outside?¡±


    Sataistador¡¯s godly aspect stared for a few moments, without words for the first time in this conversation.


    Mnie stepped up to him. ¡°Hey, I didn¡¯t mean for¡ª¡±


    ¡°You want to meet me?¡± Sataistador asked, puzzled.


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m bluffing? Let¡¯s meet in two months if you¡¯re up to snuff. You¡¯re probably not manifested yet, but that¡¯ll change. You were never a part of my ns. I can change that. We can make a deal to meet in person. Hell, I¡¯ll do it right now. You show up in two months, we continue this conversation,¡± Argrave pointed between himself and the god of war.


    Anneliese asked cautiously, ¡°Argrave, are you sure about¡­?¡±


    Sataistador¡¯s confusion deepened. ¡°You would let me roam free with the knowledge I have?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not stupid. I caught you with your hand in cookie jar, and the worst lesson you can teach a child is giving them a cookie they tried to steal,¡± Argrave wagged his finger. ¡°If you want to keep your knowledge, we must form a pact that you never speak or act upon knowledge of our heist against Erlebnis. But you¡¯d remember this conversation.¡±


    Sataistador sighed in disappointment. ¡°And I presume you wish for an assurance of your safety during our meeting outside of the White nes.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Argrave shook his head. Sataistador¡¯s surprise was a good treat. ¡°I don¡¯t care whether youe to fight me or tter me. Fight me, I¡¯ll have spirits aplenty from your broken body. tter me¡­ well, that depends on your ability.¡±


    Sataistador crossed his arms. Silence existed in these endless White nes as he considered his next words. ¡°If you would invite the god of war to your home, there is an¡­ expected oue. Do you intend to persuade me to ally with you, have me stay my des at the final juncture?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t aggrandize yourself. You¡¯re a god of war, not the god of war. Like I said, if you fight me, I¡¯ll be flush with spirits, nothing more.¡± Argrave stared ahead coldly.


    ¡°I am the first god of war,¡± he said matter-of-factly. ¡°And one still surviving after uncountable millennia. And you barely scraped through against Erlebnis,¡± Sataistador narrowed his eyes.


    Argraveughed. ¡°You¡¯re not him.¡± Sataistador was not pleased by the disparagement, and stared ahead at Argrave wordlessly. In the silence following, he continued, ¡°Two months. We meet at Lake Dedsworth. You know where that is?¡±


    ¡°I can know. But I¡¯ve agreed to nothing,¡± Sataistador shook his head.


    ¡°What did you want from Erlebnis, anyway?¡± Argrave questioned curiously. ¡°I suppose it doesn¡¯t matter¡ªwhatever you seek, it¡¯ll be mine. I reckon the choice you have is this: sit down or step up. If I know you right, I can expect to see you on thekeshore,¡± Argrave answered, not looking away from his target.


    The only pervading noise was tense breathing as all parties waited for the deity¡¯s answer. ¡°Expect me there,¡± he said with a slow nod. ¡°If this is the deal you intend to make, I can grant it. And as you wish, I shall not hinder this heist against Erlebnis, neither by action nor word.¡±


    ¡°Wonderful,¡± Argrave said.


    ¡°Could we get that in writing, you think?¡± Mnie asked a little sheepishly.


    ¡°But I will not forget what you¡¯ve said here today. If you bluff, now would be the time to ept that embarrassment,¡± his green eyes glimmered with expectation. ¡°And if you truly seek to meet me on your realm, shake my hand.¡±


    The god of war held his hand out. It was gigantic, just like the rest of him. But as Argrave held his out to grasp it, he realized his own wasn¡¯t so small byparison. He felt a distinct shift in the air as their deal was recognized by the White nes.


    Sataistador huffed in amusement. ¡°What to do with you¡­?¡±


    #####


    ¡°What the hell were you thinking?!¡± Mnie demanded once Sataistador walked away. ¡°When I said you should work your magic, I meant¡­ I don¡¯t know, getting him to fight for us, or turning him against Erlebnis, or hell, just getting away from this without an enemy!¡±


    ¡°I appreciate what you did, Mnie. And you¡¯d better believe I won¡¯t forget it.¡± Argrave patted her shoulder.


    Mnie looked flustered and she dismissed, ¡°Yeah, thanks, but¡­ what was that?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a homeless guy,¡± Argrave pointed out where the aspect had walked away to. ¡°A vagrant. A street person. Most homeless are mentally ill, sadly, and this one in particr wanders around fighting people. Could I offer anything that might turn his head enough to help us? I doubt it. I don¡¯t trust him enough to involve him with our overall goal, but I have two months to work out the significance of himing from the first cycle, and take measures to react ordingly.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean for you to¡­!¡± Mnie turned around, running her hands through her red hair and gripping it tightly.


    ¡°Veid stands behind us,¡± Gmon said evenly.


    Mnie removed her fingers from her hair and cautioned them, ¡°It¡¯s one thing to talk the talk, but¡­ I don¡¯t know. He¡¯s just like us, Argrave. Keeping his options open. And I¡¯ve got to think he¡¯s got a few of said options more than us, being a deity and all. That meeting¡­¡± she shook her head.


    ¡°Why did you refuse him, Mnie?¡± Anneliese asked in curiosity.


    ¡°Asking myself that, too,¡± she turned around, her frustration starting to fade as resignation set in.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°Please,¡± Anneliese pressed. ¡°I wish to know, if you care to share.¡±


    Mnie looked up, green eyes sharpening from the earnestness. ¡°Was like looking into a mirror,¡± she said quietly. ¡°I saw the end of the road I was on in his face. And a little while ago, I saw its beginning. That gave me perspective enough to see the big picture.¡±


    Quiet consumed the White nes after her words. Anneliese stepped forward with concern on her face and hugged Mnie. Mnie looked surprised, but eventually epted it without saying a word. He supposed they would understand each other better than Argrave could ever hope to, so he let them have their moment, happy for the both of them.


    After a time, Anneliese broke away, holding Mnie¡¯s hand. ¡°Argrave is right. We will never forget what you did here today.¡±


    ¡°I did this for me,¡± Mnie disagreed, unable to meet her gaze. ¡°Just seemed the best route. The other one was a dead end.¡±


    ¡°Then we shall make sure the road travels long and far,¡± Anneliese promised. ¡°And I hope that you will travel with us down the whole of it.¡±


    ¡°Aw, hell,¡± Mnie finally looked up. ¡°The idea is that you¡¯d carry me, not that I travel. And on that note¡­ you guys are going to let me get on your caravan, right? All the juicy inside details¡­¡±


    ¡°We will keep nothing from you,¡± Anneliese promised.


    ¡°Nothing, eh? Big promise,¡± Mnie grinned. She seemed to debate whether or not to say what she was really thinking, then said boldly, ¡°What if I ask about the night life of the royal couple? It¡¯s either incredibly nd, or remarkably spicy¡ªI can¡¯t guess. Weird druidic rituals from the queen, forbidden carnal knowledge from the king¡­¡± She covered her face in flustered embarrassment when no oneughed and muttered, ¡°Why do I talk, again¡­?¡±


    Argraveughed from her embarrassment¡ªthe Mnie who hardened her heart would never let that show, and he was pleased to see her like this. ¡°You¡¯ve earned a hell of a lot more than our trust, I think. We can tell you all about why I know what I know¡ªyou just have to believe me. That¡¯s the harder part.¡±


    Mnie pulled her hand free of her face and help it up to stop him. ¡°Tell me after. I don¡¯t know how memories work in this ce, and I don¡¯t want to lose anything we say. I¡¯m all paranoid.¡±


    Argraveughed from his nose. ¡°Fair. And admirably patient. You¡¯re right¡ªlet¡¯s hook thest of the gods.¡±

 Chapter 452: Worldwide Debut + Audiobook Announcement!

    Argrave, Anneliese, and Mnie sat behind a pure white judge¡¯s bench, lined up side-by-side but angled inward as though to surround something. Durran, Elenore, and Gmon stood behind them, serving in an advisory role. And across from them sat gods¡ªbut it wasn¡¯t as though either upied a position of authority over the other. Rather, god and mortal had the same domineering bench, and neither rested at an elevated level. Argrave had just finished exining his offer¡ªthe heist against Erlebnis, and the hope for a mutually beneficial alliance in the fights toe.


    Now, all that remained was a grand hearing, where the three of them judged the gods while they were judged in turn.


    He saw a sword rising from the ground, its hilt a scale¡ªa medium to convey the will of Law, formless god of rulership, justice, and authority. He saw Almazora, the pale-skinned goddess of magic, in a quaint purple robe with her long hair that seemed to be a window into space. He saw Yinther, god of exploration, discovery, and curiosity, who appeared to be little more than a blonde-haired boy with rough clothes and arge backpack.


    And then, in the back, Raen and Rook sat atop the benches. Raen governed space, and wore a decadent burgundy outfit with jewels on it that seemed to contain infinite space within. Even his rings contained small gxies. Rook, meanwhile, wore all ck. His skin was dark, too, and even his eyes and hair were shadowed. He had a smiling face that made it hard to dislike him.


    ¡°The reason I called upon all of you, in particr, is that each of you have no love for the Qircassian Coalition or Erlebnis. I can promise you and your followers ess to Berendar, under the expectation that no harm is done to my people,¡± Argrave tapped the white judge bench firmly. ¡°From there¡­ let us speak of further costs, and whether or not this alliance we proposed entices you.¡±


    ¡°I could bless Anneliese with Truesight, and name her my champion,¡± the boyish Yinther dered first, gesturing toward her. ¡°I have no further cost for this. She embodies the spirit that gave birth to me: a childlike curiosity, where the whole world needs to be understood. And the heist with Erlebnis¡­ sounds interesting. I can get involved.¡±


    Argrave nodded, expecting this. As he did, Law began to convey its will. Its presence emanated out from the sword, and though no words came, Law¡¯s thoughts were conveyed inplete rity. In order for it to participate in the heist against Erlebnis, they must dere the act beforehand. Failing that, Law will give its blessings to Argrave, and name him champion, if he builds a church to Law in ckgard.


    Argrave smiled¡ªbuilding a church was amenable, but there was no way in hell he¡¯d dere his heist before he did it.


    ¡°Is the deration necessary?¡± Argrave pressed.


    Law¡¯s will came again¡ªeven in war, there must bew. It was a necessary condition.


    Argrave nodded, keeping his thoughts to himself.


    Almazora spoke next, saying, ¡°I will allow Anneliese or Argrave to champion me, giving them the blessing of formless magic. They pleased me greatly with their advances into magic, and their contribution to the field in Berendar has earned my favor. All I ask is that they allow me ess to their minds, that any knowledge of magic they gaines to me at once. My privilege would end there, mind you.¡±


    Argrave looked to Anneliese, nodding in silence. Formless magic would benefit her far more than it would him.


    ¡°We¡¯re happy with either Mnie or Argrave,¡± Rook and Raen said from the back, in tune with one another.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Mnie exhaled in relief¡ªshe seemed d that one, at least, had called her out.


    ¡°Heists are my bread and butter. Been a while since I tried one on Erlebnis,¡± Rook said with a smile. ¡°I can bring some guys¡ªtrusted guys. On top of that, I can allow either of you two the ability to hide any object he can carry with one hand, obscuring it from sight. But changing the face at will, which I can do¡­ wouldn¡¯t help Argrave much, being the size he is and all. You, Mnie¡­ that¡¯s different. And on top of all that, I can allow you to shroud your surroundings in a darkness only you can see through. All I¡¯d ask is for a taste of something Erlebnis has. The details cer.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not so grand as my half-brother,¡± Raen cut in. ¡°I can offer one thing: mastery over space in close proximity. Provided you¡¯ve been there before physically in thest ten minutes or so, you can create gaps between two locations that shouldn¡¯t exist. You fold the ne inward onto itself, allowing short distance teleportation of things, or people, in rapid session. Could be spells,¡± he pointed at Argrave. ¡°Could be your chains, or that sword of yours.¡± He looked at Mnie next. ¡°As for my cost for this boon¡­ you have to ept the presence of me and my followers in Berendar on a permanent basis, even after this cycle is done.¡±


    ¡°I can spare a section,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°But the whole of the continent? I can¡¯t, not on good faith.¡±


    ¡°Which section?¡± Raen asked.


    Argrave thought on it, then looked back to Elenore. She quicky stepped forward and suggested something, which he repeated at once. ¡°The uninhabited ins west of the Order of the Gray Owl,¡± he proposed.


    ¡°And part of the mountains north of Birall,¡± Raen pressed. ¡°Where no living beings inhabit, I should add.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Argrave thought if he needed thatnd, and Elenore gave him a nod. ¡°That¡¯s doable.¡±


    Mnie tugged Argrave¡¯s sleeve, and he looked over. She whispered to him, ¡°You can¡¯t champion more than one, right? But you can get blessings from multiple gods.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. But blessings aren¡¯t something given lightly. It¡¯s a piece of them given away, in essence, that¡¯s promised until our death,¡± Argrave exined. ¡°It weakens them, even if only in part. I can¡¯t imagine we can manage to get a buffet.¡±


    Mnie bit at her lip, thinking hard. ¡°Can I propose something?¡±


    ¡°Feel free,¡± Argrave raised his brows curiously, then beckoned everyone over.


    As Mnie exined her n, the aspects of the gods waited mute. After an intense but quiet discussion, they all went back to their spots.


    ¡°We¡¯d like to propose an alternate idea,¡± Argrave began, then gestured toward Mnie.


    Mnie looked surprised to be given initiative, and cleared her throat in apprehension. ¡°Well¡­ that¡¯s¡­ rather than this merely being an alliance between an individual representing Vasquer and an individual god¡­ why not make this into a more cohesive, if temporary, union? A total alliance between all parties. This would include those who ourpanions have already sought out, provided they are amenable as well.¡±


    She looked at Argrave, and he gave her a thumbs up. He hadn¡¯t known she could speak that formally.


    ¡°I amfortable championing Yinther,¡± Anneliese put her hand to her chest. ¡°But if Almazora would join this union and offer her blessing of formless magic, I can represent her interests in Veiden as well as Berendar.¡±


    ¡°As mentioned already, I would champion Law, and I would agree to establish a church in ckgard,¡± Argrave held his arms out, leaving out the part about refusing to honorably dere that he would steal from Erlebnis.


    ¡°And Rook, Raen¡­ if I heard right, you¡¯re half-brothers? I don¡¯t think you¡¯d protest to cooperating with your brother¡¯s champion, maybe giving a little extra help, right? And joining this union¡ªwe¡¯d all be safer,¡± she proposed hopefully.


    The gods were silent, and then Almazora raised her hand. ¡°Allow us time,¡± she requested.


    Just as they had talked among themselves, the gods did the same. Argrave looked at all of hispanions nervously. In time, Argrave saw those who had already blessed the others appearing, piece by piece¡ªVeid, Lira, and Stout Heart Swan. And finally, their discussion ended.


    ¡°This idea of a union does appeal to all parties,¡± Almazora spoke for them all. ¡°But more concessions must be made.¡±


    Argrave took a deep breath to ask steadily, ¡°What would work?¡±


    ¡°All other requisites hold true¡ªRook¡¯s share of the spoils, Raen¡¯s request ofnd. Raen will name Mnie his champion, while Rook will bless her. In turn, I will allow Yinther to name Anneliese champion while I bless her with formless magic. For Rook and me to overextend ourselves like this, however, we need a mortal champion of suitable stature. Only once we have them will Raen and I fulfill our part of the deal.


    ¡°Additionally,¡± Almazora continued, raising her finger. ¡°Though Law¡¯s matter of a church is an expense borne by you, Argrave, we would ask that you merely not restrict any of us in proselytizing to your people or in establishing a church of our own.¡±


    Argrave hesitatef¡ªhe didn¡¯t like the idea of too many gods getting their roots established. But then¡­ all these arrayed before him werergely good, save perhaps Rook, and even he was mostly neutral. And if they did seed in ending the cycle of judgment¡­ would there even be gods to fret over?


    Still, Argrave called his people once again, and talked with them. And after significant discussion¡­


    ¡°We can agree with one more adage,¡± Argrave began. ¡°Even after this cycle of judgment, however it might end, Vasquer¡­ or its sessor states, I suppose, should be given the opportunity to renew this union. If they refuse, so be it. But I want them to have the option.¡±


    Almazora looked between all of them. ¡°Done,¡± she dered. ¡°In honor of your capital and your ambition, I propose we name this the ckgard Union.¡±


    Argrave didn¡¯t want to say yes to the name, but he seemed to be in the minority as relief flooded over all of hispanions. Begrudgingly, he nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s make this official, then.¡±


    #####


    With the establishment of the ckgard Union, all of them finally left the dreadful White nes, having changed in many ways. Once outside, the bright greenery around and the manifold smells were almost overwhelming inparison to that endless sterile whiteness. But their duty was over. And they had seeded, splendidly. In particr¡­


    ¡°Most valuable yer, right here,¡± Argrave poked Mnie¡¯s head as they looked around. ¡°Beautiful work, Mnie. Beautiful idea.¡±


    ¡°Alright, knock it off,¡± she waved his hand away, though he didn¡¯t miss her red cheeks.


    ¡°Wee back, Your Majesty, Your Highness, everyone,¡± greeted Orion.


    The Alchemist looked down upon them. ¡°It seems you¡¯ve done eptably,¡± he noted, looking upon all of them.


    Argrave looked up at the giant. ¡°Definitely. We have a lot of serious help, now.¡±


    ¡°But what do we actually do?¡± Mnie asked. ¡°I mean, what¡¯s changed?¡±


    ¡°Everything¡¯s changed,¡± Argrave said. ¡°Our little union is a minor yer in the major yers, but it¡¯s still major nheless. And our burst onto the worldwide scene is going to be rather spectacr.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s time to mobilize,¡± Elenore stepped ahead of Argrave. ¡°Get Durran hunting gods. Get us prepared to venture to the Ebon Cult. Get the Alchemist to work with the gods we allied, obtaining all he needs to make the heist a sess. To start¡ªDurran, Argrave. Hands. I¡¯d like to test my first connection.¡±


    Durran offered his hand like an obedient puppy, and then Argrave followed shortly after. She touched them in turn, and then Argrave felt a distinct change.


    ¡°There,¡± she said, pulling back her hand. ¡°Now, we canmunicate no matter how far away we are. I can make more of these once my mind isn¡¯t all¡­ jumbled up.¡±


    ¡°I can see the connection,¡± Anneliese said wondrously. ¡°And¡­¡± she looked over at the Alchemist. Truesight, Yinther¡¯s blessing, was something the yer could obtain in game. He knew what she saw¡ªthe vastness of the Alchemist¡¯s being, and theplexity of it. She exhaled in some shock, and then looked away.


    ¡°It seems all of you have new abilities to adapt to,¡± the Alchemist said, looking down at her before turning to Argrave. ¡°And promises to fulfill.¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°Not too many. But some. Take us back, will you? This is going to be a lot to adjust to, and it¡¯s a little hard to do it out here.¡±


    As the Alchemist nodded, Argrave had to admit¡­ he was looking forward to bringing Law to his kingdom. And everyone else had changes just as monumental to deal with.

 Chapter 453: Drunkards of Exceptional Power

    ¡°People of ckgard,¡± Argrave called out, his voice amplified by wind magic.


    He stood on a raised tform in a gathering square that had been constructed in the center of the city, and the ce was more thanrge enough host the gigantic poption of the city that grew around them. A servant of Elenore¡¯s had been using this to promulgate the results of the parliament, but now it served to project his voice. And the people¡ªhis people, he reflected¡ªgathered to hear him speak.


    ¡°All of you came to this city at the urging of the crown. You have helped bring this ce from an empty vale to a home that I look upon with pride,¡± Argrave continued, putting his fist against his heart. ¡°I thank you for that. But behind the shelter of these mountains and the fortresses guarding the passes, I have not forgotten what spurred the necessity of this city. Evil powers beyondprehension stir, and I vowed to protect the people from all dangers, be they divine or mortal.


    ¡°The King of the Scorched Sands came to the walls of House Parbon, speaking in a foreign tongue that knew only fire and destruction,¡± Argrave walked around the stage, eyes wandering from various people. ¡°Yet I spoke theirnguage, and with that fire, forged an alliance between Vasquer and the Burnt Desert that now rises like a phoenix! And why? Because I would not have you, the people whom I pledged to protect, shed their blood for me without seeking every alternative!¡±


    Some people cheered at this, and though Argrave was working himself up just fine, he got further swept along with their zeal. A speech he¡¯d practiced more times than he cared to admit became fueled by his more¡­ performative side.


    ¡°It has be clear to me that the malignant rot causing the undead to raze your homes is not something that can be reasoned with,¡± Argrave continued, raising his finger up. ¡°It brought forth the umbral creature in Dirracha, seeking to uproot our Kingdom of Vasquer. It brought forth the abomination that would enve the elves of the Bloodwoods, and turn them into our enemy. And it continues to scheme,¡± He clenched his hand into a tight fist. ¡°All of you, from Birall to Quadreign, came here to ckgard, seeking shelter from the long night we all know ising.¡±


    Argrave let silence speak for him in the moments after that deration.


    ¡°I will guard you now as I will always guard you,¡± Argrave continued after his dramatic pause. ¡°I will be the dam against the flood, the shield against the sword, and the castle against the army.¡± He threw out his arm. ¡°But this is not a problem that Vasquer alone faces. In the times thate, even the heavens shall be brought to endure. As they do in the Bloodwoods, gods will walk the earth. They must confront the darkness the same as us.


    ¡°You know the gods,¡± Argrave continued, his gaze sweeping the courtyard. ¡°Some are cruel. Some are just. Some trifle themselves not with the affairs of mortal. But I was not content to allow them to descend, and dere their governance one-sidedly,¡± he pointed to the sky. ¡°I will notpromise on the pledge that I made. And to that end, I have forged an alliance with deities.¡±


    He saw the creeping uneasiness settle into the crowd like an invisible fog.


    ¡°The Kingdom of Vasquer is strong. That strength¡ªour strength¡ªgave us the luxury of choice. And so, people of Vasquer¡­ I chose to seek the help of the gods that would ask for nothing more than a chance. Theye to us in peace, seeking harmony and cooperation. They will protect us from the enemy that threatens the peace of our kingdom, and in so doing, be protected themselves.


    ¡°You wille to know our allies in time,¡± Argrave continued, walking to the edge of the stage. ¡°But I intend to introduce one, now.¡± He raised his hand, and his eyes briefly glowed yellow before projecting a symbol¡ªa scale, the insignia of Law. Then, a great golden light exploded outward, permeating the whole of this newly built city and rushing across the ck mountains surrounding it as though a dam had burst.


    As people watched in awe and a certain amount of trepidation, Argrave reflected. Law had given Argrave two blessings.


    The first allowed Argrave to establish a Domain of Law. Argrave would speak something that he wished to be true: for example, if he said, ¡°By Law, all within this domain moves slower through time than that without,¡± then it would be so. The strength of the effect was limited by Argrave¡¯s will¡ªand as much as he¡¯d like to be some sort of time god, he doubted he had a strong enough will to create a hyperbolic time chamber.


    Though it had near endless utility, the Domain of Law was not especiallyrge. And he couldn¡¯t single-handedly decide how a battle was fought¡ªif he said, ¡®you can¡¯t cast magic in this domain,¡¯ while it likely didn¡¯t have the strength to do that to the letter, it would have strength enough to make all magic cast within far weaker. Argrave could essentially add a condition to an area. Despite its limitations the Domain of Law still had boundless potential, and this power in particr was precisely what made the deity known only as Law so terrifying. Heroes of Berendar had limited it to six variants¡­ but now, Argrave had no such restraints, and eagerly looked to use it.


    But Argrave had used the second blessing, and established a Domain of Order. It provided absolute order to an area if the popce believed him to be its rightful governor. If the people weed his rule, the Domain of Order would apply thews of thend impartially, defending people from crime. The Domain of Order would attempt to stop things like theft, murder, and other such crimes. It could also enforce any otherws that Argrave drafted into existence. Just as it strengthened with belief in him and his governing, so too did it weaken with disillusionment¡ªhe could not enve this city against its will.


    The deity of Law truly embodied what it was named after. Law was a neutral thing. If aw was arbitrary and unjust, then it could be the instrument behind extreme cruelty. If aw was just and righteous, it could be the engine that drove a nation to great prosperity. But at the end of the day, it was a tool constructed by the minds of men. Though people might provide aw tremendous power, it ultimately relied upon one¡¯s will to enact saidw, or the people beneath it to follow thatw.


    Argrave finally had a power that he might use to protect this city as much as he desired. And everywhere else, hispanions would undoubtedly be using their powers¡­


    #####


    Durran soared through the skies aback his gray wyvern, feeling the bite of the wind at his cheek. Ahead of him, Stout Heart Swan¡¯s spectral hounds ran through the cloudy skies, and moments behind in hot pursuit Durran and his horde of wyvern riders cut through the clouds. Onychinusa¡¯s array of shamanic magic had spotted a god. When they¡¯d arrived to the spot, the god had gone¡ªbut with Stout Heart Swan¡¯s blessing, he tracked the prey, heading right to it.


    ¡°Are you seeing the god yet?¡± Elenore¡¯s voice manifested in his head, crystal clear. She was nowhere to be seen, but through their connection, she could speak to him anywhere.


    Durran responded not with his mouth, but with his mind¡ªa jarring experience, but he¡¯d adapted. There had been a surprisingck of mimunications, as the blessing was quite intuitive to use. ¡°The hounds are still leading¡ª¡± Durran cut off as he spotted something on the ground. ¡°Scratch that. I see it.¡±


    ¡°Describe it. I¡¯ll contact Argrave, ask him for information,¡± Elenore prompted him.


    ¡°It¡¯s, uhh¡­ maybe twenty feet tall,¡± he said. ¡°Got red skin, a boar¡¯s head, and great plumes of fire burning on its body¡­ kind of scrawny. Fingernails are ck. Got a strange insignia on its back, kind of like a clock.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a god of vengeance,¡± Elenore¡¯s voice came after a few moments. ¡°Just a deity to a small vige called¡­ I can¡¯t pronounce that, Argrave,¡± she spoke to the other person. ¡°It can use fire, but its attacks shouldn¡¯t be any more powerful than your average A-rank spell. Oh¡ªit¡¯s also pretty strong physically. A little stronger than Orion, apparently. Attack from the back of your wyvern, he advises.¡±


    ¡°Great. I love fighting A-rank spellcasters.¡±


    ¡°You fought the Vessels, didn¡¯t you? Argrave said they were powerful enough to pierce wards like butter.¡± Elenore¡¯s voice stopped for a few moments, then she asked kindly, ¡°Can I give you anything before you start?¡±


    ¡°Worried about me?¡± Durran responded back. ¡°No, I think I¡¯ve got it. Can you really give me things?¡±


    ¡°Small things. These connections draw upon our will. I tested giving Argrave a dagger¡ªit takes a lot out of me,¡± she confessed. ¡°You could do the same, you know.¡±


    ¡°Draws upon our will?¡± Durran repeated. ¡°What if we use too much?¡±


    ¡°We lose the will to do other things,¡± Elenore said. ¡°It felt impossible to lift my arm when I overdid it. Argrave said many of our blessings rely upon our will. It can strengthen over time, or through experiences, but it¡¯s the limiting factor to many blessings. We draw upon a power beyond mortalprehension, and our body pays the toll. I suppose this is what divides us from our patrons.¡±


    ¡°¡­maybe I should stop talking, then,¡± Durran said nervously, picturing himself falling through the sky, unable to use his arms and legs.


    ¡°Good luck,¡± Elenore said simply. And just as he felt her presence moments before, it was gone. From his end, Durran suspended his connection.


    With that, Durran stretched. He reached back and retrieved his ive, hefting it in his hand. ¡°Alright, boys!¡± he shouted¡ªnot in his mind, but with his mouth. ¡°Those weird dwarven things¡ªyou got them ready?¡±


    ¡°As far as I know,¡± one of his men responded, yelling over the wind.


    ¡°Alright. You two holding the dwarven contraptions get the privilege of harvesting the spirits after that bastard down there dies,¡± Durran pointed, feeling the weight of his ive push against his arm pleasantly. ¡°And meanwhile¡­ we¡¯ll be hunting our first deity. Strap to your saddles, friends.¡±


    #####


    Anneliese walked nervously through an open obsidian door. There, the Alchemist waited. Not precisely¡ªhe hunched over an obsidian table, doing something with four arms.


    ¡°You wished to see me?¡± Anneliese asked in greeting.


    A great eye opened on his back, and shortly thereafter a mouth beneath it. ¡°Update me,¡± the Alchemistmanded her, not looking away from his task.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    She took a breath to gather her thoughts, then said, ¡°All of us that went to the White nes save Durran have been coordinating our course of action vis-¨¤-vis the descent to the underground,¡± she exined. ¡°We¡¯ve also been discussing who might qualify as a candidate to offer Almazora and Rook for championship. Beyond that, general politics of the kingdom.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been coordinating with those deities you allied with,¡± he said. ¡°In two weeks, all will be prepared on my end.¡±


    Anneliese blinked. ¡°That is excellent.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it is,¡± the Alchemist confirmed. ¡°Enough of that. You have Truesight, now. Have you adjusted?¡±


    ¡°To what I can,¡± Anneliese scratched her neck. ¡°To tell you the truth, I have been utterly fascinated by the world ever since I gained this ability. I can see the blessings within Argrave, Elenore, all of them¡­ I can understand enchantments so intimately, or the makeup of another¡¯s¡ª¡± she cut herself off, staring up at the Alchemist in nervousness. She knew he didn¡¯t like talking.


    ¡°Truesight is fascinating,¡± he agreed, his gray eye glowing green. ¡°I can gain Minor Truesight through use of a spell that affects only a body like mine. But you have more sight than I do.¡±


    Anneliese shifted on her feet. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ fortunate.¡±


    ¡°Fortunate?¡± the Alchemist repeated. ¡°It is invaluable for a spellcaster.¡± His arms cracked and contorted until they faced her, and his head simply leaned backward and rotated until it faced her in an ominous disy of his body¡¯s ability. ¡°With your intelligence, Truesight, andter with the formless magic offered by Almazora, you will be invaluable in the heist. Come to me tomorrow. I will prepare you for your duty.¡±


    ¡°You¡­ what?¡± Anneliese¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°I mean¡­ yes, certainly. I can¡­ I can be here.¡±


    ¡°And bring this back to all of you, now that you¡¯re drunk on your powers,¡± the Alchemist said. ¡°Appreciate your abilities¡­ but forget not the gods who gave them to you.¡± He leaned in close to her. ¡°Because they will not.¡± He straightened. ¡°This will be an exceptionally busy time. Return.¡±

 Chapter 454: Tick, Tock, Listen to the Clock

    Elenore sat in her study, working hard in silence¡­ or near silence, as she discovered. Her eyes slowly raised up and her gaze fixed on a clock on the wall. Its pendulum waved back and forth, ticking as it reached certain points. It seemed the only active thing in this room frozen in time. As it waved, the second hand moved ever onward¡ªtick, tock, she listened to the clock.


    Yet in her study, alone, the connections that she¡¯d formed made the world around her move right along with the clock.


    She felt Durran soaring through the sky, leading his men against gods with the blessings of Stout Heart Swan at his beck and call. Through wind and rain he tracked those who would im thend of Berendar as their own. And through fire and storm he rode, cleaving through their meager ims to thends of Vasquer and the Burnt Desert. Their spirits fed the dwarven instruments they bore, empowering Argrave¡¯s forces day by day. Each day he endured as fiercely as thest, as constant as time.


    But was it days, or seconds? Tick, tock, she listened to the clock.


    Argrave walked through ckgard, officiating the things that Elenore deemed necessary to happen. His tongue weaved in and out of conversation, bending egos like he could grasp them. Magisters and nobles walked up to him with a gut full of spite and grievance, but left with smiles and empty pockets. The ces he walked upon seemed to sprout buildings¡ªthe Church of Law, the Bank of ckgard, the House of Public Appeals¡­


    Yet his other side, like a face beneath a mask of flesh, delighted in the joys of magic and power. With the Domain of Law strengthening his activities at every turn, he weaved iprehensible script to his end, perfecting spells one after another. And on his mind was a looming figure he sought to surpass¡ªthough whether it was Mozzahr or Erlebnis, Elenore could not tell. On and on he worked, passing the days by.


    As for Elenore? Tick, tock, she listened to the clock.


    Gmon stood at the head of the three Veidimen officers, Grimalt, Bastel, and Rasten, following their lead into the army that had been made for him tomand. He called upon the power of his goddess, Veid, granting those honorable souls beneath him strength equal to what he possessed. He walked like amander and soldier both, learning names as he made one for himself. Gmon¡¯s prowess as a leader, now with his god at his back, was undeniable. A sorely needed thing, too¡ªit wasn¡¯t long until they pressed into the underground, where the Ebon Cult would await.


    But when had the time grown so short? Tick, tock, she listened to the clock.


    Anneliese worked with Argrave in the day, giving wisdom by the handful when it was needed. In time, during their party¡¯s search for a champion for Almazora and Rook, she naturally came to advise arge retinue of spellcasters. Teaching came naturally to her, and in only a few days, even Magisters deferred to her insight.


    At night, Anneliese went to the Alchemist. No two meetings between them were the same, and she came to marvel at the power her Truesight offered. He role in the heist came to light, taking precedence over even her looming teacher. She epted this role, bolstered by her curiosity. And as time passed, she grew into her position.


    Could Elenore say that a week passed? Tick, tock, she listened to the clock.


    Orion did not let time slip him by. In the day, he guarded Argrave, following the king around as he worked miracles with Law. In the night, he met with Mnie, paying little regard to her newfound noble title of Countess of the Low Way of the Rose as he beat her relentlessly. Elenore figured out it was meant to be training after several days of observation.


    But after a time, Mnie began to beat him, too. Her sword cut through space itself, attacking from ces that Orion could not see or react to. And he was utterly unable to catch her as she danced through reality, swinging chain and de in an adept show of maneuverability. Her time as an experience lent her experience in learning, it seemed.


    What time was it? Tick, tock, she listened to the clock.


    Elenore remembered the events of the two weeks before. She had been just as active as everyone, moving desperately to prepare things to be perfect. At the dismay of Anestis, their not-quite captive dwarf, she brought all the tools for dwarven metalworking Mnie had retrieved to the city and set their forges aze again. The spirits that Durran collected were poured into the forges, setting them aze with wondrous purple fire. ng, ng, came the hammers, every bit as constant as the clock. The first batch of dwarven steel came free, taking the shape of crude scimitars of purple metal. Though a sorry sight, they were sharp enough to cut through rock. And in time, every man in the field would have a de capable of ying a Shadonder.


    Tick, tock, she listened to the clock.


    The door opened, and Elenore was drawn from her trance. Argrave walked in.


    ¡°It¡¯s time,¡± Argrave dered, holding his arms out as he entered. ¡°These two weeks seemed to blur by, didn¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°¡­yes, they did,¡± Elenore said quietly as she rose to her feet.


    In a few moments, Argrave was alone no longer. Orion was the first to follow, being bodyguard to the king. Gmon and Anneliese followed right behind. Mnie and Durran were thest to join them.


    ¡°Everything is ready on our end,¡± Argrave said, tapping her desk. ¡°Can you think of anything else we might need to prepare?¡±


    ¡°No. We¡¯re prepared to confront the Ebon Cult,¡± Elenore answered, not believing these words came from her mouth. ¡°What about the Alchemist¡¯s end of things?¡±


    ¡°He ispletely ready,¡± Anneliese said. ¡°Having studied the ritual he performs while under his tutge¡­ I understand fully what he intends, and how each god we allied has decided to y their role. We will have no trouble breaching Erlebnis¡¯ realm, I¡¯m certain. The uncertainty lies primarily in the before and after¡ªnamely, in Mozzahr, and in what Erlebnis has prepared.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­ I will remain here, as the connection between all of us,¡± Elenore said, sitting back down. ¡°And all of you will confront a man who could be a god, and then rob one who is a god.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯vee a long way in a short time,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°Time was, I came before Erlebnis begging for power. But nobody ever asked him to do what he did in the Bloodwoods. And so, let¡¯s see the mettle of the divine. Both ours and his.¡±


    ######


    ¡°It¡¯s as you said,¡± Mial, daughter of Mozzahr, said to Georgina, her voice muffled behind her lifelike purple owl mask. ¡°King Argrave will always choose the possibility of a peaceful oue, provided it¡¯s offered. And so hees down to our city.¡±


    She held a piece of paper that had been delivered in response to theirs, speaking of a parley between Mozzahr and Argrave. It had been posted randomly throughout the underground, but by consequence came into the hands of the cult rather quickly. Though some in the Ebon Cult thought thismunication was a sign of weakness on both sides, Mozzahr allowed Mial to persist in this strategy. And though it had taken an inordinately long time, a response finally came. King Argrave of Vasquer wasing.


    ¡°How will this go?¡± Georgina questioned. She wore a mask of her own, now, hiding her pretty face. It depicted a fox. ¡°What does Mozzahr intend for Argrave?¡±


    ¡°That depends on what he does,¡± Mial said. ¡°My father merely sought an opportunity to gain an advantage in the inevitable war. If Argravees and fights, he wins. If Argravees and genuinely parleys, father will give him the opportunity to submit. If Argrave doesn¡¯te, he loses nothing. Whatever the oue, things are swayed in our favor.¡±


    ¡°Will the two actually speak at all?¡± Georgina questioned.


    ¡°If all goes well? I believe so,¡± she confirmed. ¡°That new arrival you warned me against, Traugott¡­ I believe he talked my father into at least speaking to him.¡±


    ¡°And what if¡­¡± Georgina began, but then cut off. ¡°Never mind.¡±


    ¡°Speak freely, Georgina. We are off the record, speaking as friends, not as High Priestess and Initiate,¡± Mial beckoned.


    ¡°What if Argrave has devised something to use against Mozzahr?¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°My father once had a building fall on him,¡± Mial said. ¡°Not any building¡ªone from down here. The entire ceiling caved in on him, bringing tons of the earth¡¯s soil above bearing down on him. He was fine. For my part, I have cast an S-rank spell at him. I¡¯m not totally certain he even blinked.¡± Mial crossed her arms. ¡°His Emptiness is his strength. So long as it persists, he remains nigh invulnerable. Not even gods are his peer.¡±


    ¡°Can he be separated from it?¡± Georgina pressed curiously.


    ¡°People have tried this in the past. The answer remains no,¡± Mial said simply. ¡°He can call it back to him wherever he might be. He is its Casten, and it heeds his call.¡± She focused on Georgina¡¯s fox mask. ¡°Do you fear for him? Fret not¡ªMozzahr is not arrogant, I am merely arrogant in his stead. He makes no moves without calcting every possibility. He operates under the assumption that Argrave might be as strong as Gerechtigkeit himself. And it is because of his humility that I am certain he will prevail.¡±


    ¡°And if Argrave is stronger than Gerechtigkeit?¡± Georgina continued to push.


    Mialughed. ¡°Then I suppose we must worship him, instead. But you get ahead of yourself. It is not set in stone that hees as an enemy. If Argrave hears Mozzahr¡¯s vision, and is swayed, perhaps they might fight side-by-side against the gods in service of his dream.¡±


    Argrave and Mozzahr, fighting side-by-side¡­ somehow, as Georgina heard it, she could picture it truly happening. King and Casten, fighting the gods¡­

 Chapter 455: Sleepwalking Through Paradise

    ¡°The sum total of my work,¡± said Durran, gesturing toward giant golden contraptions. ¡°Barring what I absorbed with my shamanic magic, and what Elenore took, this is left. Thanks, by the by, for teaching me that. Or giving me those books, I suppose would be the better way to put it.¡±


    Argrave looked upon the dwarven spirit collectors, marveling at the intricacy of them. They were half-spheres, almost likerge buttons, yet their surface held innumerable grooves that hid countless mechanisms of varying purpose. They had ss gauges on them, lined up equidistantly along the surface. The gauges that were still full emanated a strange sound. At times, Argrave thought he saw glimpses of bodies and faces beyond the ss.


    Argrave called upon the connection between himself and Elenore, turning it from inactive to active. ¡°You¡¯re sure you have all you need?¡±


    After half a second of silence, Elenore¡¯s voice resounded in his head. ¡°Yes. We could supply an army and a half with dwarven metal with the spirits I reserved. Honestly, I¡¯d feel morefortable giving you more. You¡¯re shouldering the risk in this venture.¡±


    Argrave dismissed the connection, feeling it drop. He stepped forward to the contraptions, then looked to those around him. ¡°Ready to y whack-a-spirit?¡±


    Anneliese, Durran, Onychinusa, and Castro all nodded. And with that confirmation, he found a groove, pulling a lever.


    Spirits burst free from the dwarven contraption, and Argrave cast his spell. As ever, Castro¡¯s was the first toplete, and he drew the spirits into his body as though catching a waterfall. Argrave¡¯s spellpleted next, and then everyone else drew upon the flow of spirits.


    The broken fragments of deities found purchase in Argrave¡¯s very being, settling his body like a new home. He could feel dim remnants of what they had been before¡ªthe rage, the vengeance, the injustice, and every other such nasty thing that Durran had been ying¡ªbut with shamanic magic, he marked them and made them his own.


    As he collected, Argrave moved to other contraptions, opening them one after the other. The warehouse containing these dwarven spirit collectors became awash with a thousand lights before being subsumed by all present. There was a howling in the air, a screaming, as these primeval beings were adapted for their use.


    And then¡­ total silence.


    Argrave gripped his hand tight, and then pulled his glove down. ¡°Then, we¡¯re ready.¡±


    #####


    Argrave walked down a spiral marble slope, his mind filled with two instances of nostalgia. The first came from descending down this spiral ramp in Heroes of Berendar. The second came from descending down here with Anneliese in pursuit of Llewellen¡¯s method of A-rank ascendency, [Life Cycle]. He hade here with a small royal guard,st time. On this asion, his retinue was far grander.


    Orion and Mnie led the way, him for his incredible fortitude and her for her knowledge of the situation down here. Durran and Anneliese walked by his side, while Anestis apanied them in awkward haste. Gmon was notably absent¡ªhe remained behind at the head of their army, ready to move at a moment¡¯s notice. Taking the back were two incredibly formidable people¡ªOnychinusa and Castro. They wouldn¡¯t be joining in the heist, but rather apanying for the journey.


    And just behind them all was the Alchemist, his form changed.


    The Alchemist hadpacted a great deal, standing slightly wider yet far shorter. Even shortened, he towered over all of them, easily clearing ten feet. Though he generally wore a robe of his own silken ck hair, he now walked with his body covered in gray bone that gleamed in the right light, almost like chitin. It covered all of his body, making him seem as some sort of bone knight. He had his huge obsidian staff in his right hand, and the bulky thing clicked against the marble as he walked as their rearguard. This was the form the Alchemist took fighting against Gerechtigkeit at the end of Heroes of Berendar. It was terrifyingly strong¡­ and terrifyingly assuring to have guarding the back of the party. Argrave eyed the staff. It didn¡¯t look different from thest time they¡¯d seen it, but he knew better. He hoped Mozzahr thought it just as unexceptional.


    Their party came to the end of the ramp spiraling down into the earth. Argrave spared a nce at the ce Llewellen met his end, but then diverted his gaze back to where they were meant to go. He briefly checked on everyone, then continued onward into the hallway. The sloping descent grew harsher here, though still curved around and around at the same pace. The only difference was that the center of the ce was a reinforced marble pir.


    ¡°This ce¡­ utter disrepair,¡± Anestis muttered as they walked on. ¡°It¡¯s embarrassing.¡±


    They passed through a hall which led to yet another descent. Argrave was the only to answer the dwarf, saying, ¡°Your ancestors were the one who left this ce.¡±


    ¡°Precisely what I¡¯m saying,¡± Anestis looked up at Argrave. ¡°The stupidity of our decision is utterly baffling. We descended deeper into the crust of the earth until magma exploded outwards whenever our picks met the rock. And why? To escape the wrath of gods and Gerechtigkeit? We act as though if the world were toe to an end, we would be spared. I prefer your way better.¡±


    Anneliese furrowed her brows at the dwarf, and then gave Argrave a wavy hand, indicating by that signal he was being partially truthful. Argrave supposed he rted, as the small fellow must¡¯ve been desperate to return to his home.


    After perhaps ten minutes of walking down into the depths with only cold walls greeting them at every turn, the descent reached its end and evened off into a short hallway where teal light crept in. Argrave spotted two armored figures standing beneath faint magic lights dancing above their head. They were Stonepetal Sentinels, even now adorned with the sashes pinned with stone rosesmon in their order. They waited for his arrival, and one kneeled when he saw Argrave.


    Mnie rapped her gauntleted knuckle against the top of the kneeling man¡¯s helmet. ¡°Don¡¯t kneel, Cadoc. You¡¯re an escort.¡±


    The one she called out stood up nervously and adjusted his helmet. After leading them to the end of the tunnel, they finally entered into the deep underground. Argrave stepped out from the hallway and looked around. He had remembered being awed at seeing the size of Nodremaid¡­ butparing that city to the sheer magnitude of this area made the Low Way seem like a small stroll. And it was all lit by a great teal spiral of pure energy deep within the cavern: Mozzahr¡¯s Emptiness. The walls and ceiling of the cave were made teal from his light, and crystals embedded in the walls and ceiling glimmered like stars in the sky.


    ¡°¡­lot more of that power than I remember,¡± Argrave said after a time, though he supposed that it was only natural.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Anneliese stared at the Emptiness with her Truesight, taking in the sheer power of it. Shegged behind as they advanced, and then rapidly made to catch up once she shook herself out of that trance.


    ¡°It¡­ is quite overwhelming,¡± she whispered to Argrave.


    He agreed with a silent nod as they came onto a fortress shielding most of the dwarven city out of sight. The ce they exited was a diplomatic meeting area, but in clear distrust, the dwarves built a great fortress here that any invaders might be greeted with defense immediately. Argrave could see that much of it had been repurposed to protect from that within the city just as much as that without.


    When they entered, the iron gates to the fortress rose, and arge retinue of Stonepetal Sentinels waited to receive them. They all greeted him, but one came up to Mnie and ryed some news. She walked over to Argrave to convey it.


    ¡°Apparently, the cultists sent someone to wait outside for you,¡± she said quietly. ¡°They¡¯ve just been standing there ever since we sent the message, holding some sort of magic torch.¡±


    ¡°We sent out the message three days ago, but they¡¯ve been standing there?¡± Argrave said, and Mnie only nodded as response. He took a deep breath. ¡°Sounds like the Ebon Cult, alright. Tell them to open the gate¡ªI¡¯ll go out and see this person.¡±


    Argrave walked through the fortress, listening to countless greetings of ¡®Your Majesty¡¯ for him or ¡®Your Highness¡¯ for Anneliese as they walked by the Stonepetal Sentinels. When they saw the Alchemist, intense fear and confusion was the general response. Argrave was in no mood to exin.


    When he came to the gate at the other end¡ªwhich was less formidable than the one they entered, given it was a patchwork fortification built perhaps a month or two ago¡ªthe city itself opened up to him, nestled in a depression just below this fortress. Stairs led downward, beckoning them inside.


    The cities of the dwarves possessed the pristine white marble and architecture of Rome¡ªwell, more urately, it was the historian¡¯s idealized version of Rome. There were wlessly measured roads paved across the whole of the cavern, immactely maintained even after all these years. Marble dwarven statues held their arms to the cavern¡¯s ceiling, appearing to hold up the earth like As. There were great buildings and works of art everywhere one looked. They were all bathed in the teal light of Mozzahr¡¯s emptiness, giving the ce an ethereal and otherworldly air. Argrave felt like he was about to walk into another reality.


    ¡°All of this¡­ abandoned,¡± Anestis said inment. ¡°This is the greatest of our cities, Eumabad.¡±


    Argrave spotted someone at the point where the stairs descending into the city ended. Just as Mnie had informed him, they waited with an ironntern held in their right hand. Mozzahr¡¯s Emptiness twisted in a cage atop its sconce, illuminating the area around the person a great deal. They wore purple robes and had a mask of purplish dwarven metal, so no features could be distinguished.


    ¡°That person has that Emptiness inside them,¡± Anneliese informed Argrave. ¡°Not much, but¡­ it¡¯s there. I can see it flowing within them as constantly as their blood.¡±


    ¡°Yep. Mozzahr imbues them with his power,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°Anestis¡­ you¡¯re staying here. The rest of us proceed.¡±


    Orion looked back at Argrave, and with a nod, led the way as his guard.


    ¡°This ce always was a wonder,¡± Argrave spoke in a quiet tone to Anneliese. ¡°You enter, and immediately you see that blue swirling trail in the sky, like a living beacon. It tempts the yer deeper in, deeper in, and when you arrive¡­¡± He snapped, the noise ineffectual with the gloves he wore. ¡°Best fight in the game.¡±


    Anneliese was not so at ease as he was, looking around the city in quiet paranoia. Before long they arrived at their escort, and all regarded the person cautiously. They wore a rabbit mask, meaning they were a nonbatant of the cult.


    ¡°You are Argrave?¡± she asked, distinguishable as a woman by voice. ¡°Mozzahr waits. Will youe?¡±


    ¡°King Argrave,¡± Orion corrected her, rolling his shoulders.


    ¡°I¡¯ll follow if you lead,¡± Argrave cut past Orion¡¯s correction, having no desire to engage on that.


    Without another word, she turned and advanced into the city. At Argrave¡¯s bidding, their convoy slowly followed after her. They entered into Eumabad itself, its buildings all the grander now that they walked among them. Statues and dead magicmps lined the streets as they proceeded deeper inward. Step after step, they moved closer to that swirling vortex illuminating this entire cavern.


    In time, cultists made themselves known. They were few at first, sparsely watching from the streets with their eerie purple metallic masks. Then they were many¡­ and in time, they were uncountable. Orion and Mnie were on edge, but Argrave trusted that he would be safe so long as that giant teal vortex didn¡¯t move into action. The rabbit leading them broke off into the crowd. They¡¯d cleared arge pathway for this audience, and no other route existed for them. The whole of the cult was gathered here.


    In time, Mozzahr¡¯s spiral of power loomed above them like a tower, and they came to the public square of Eumabad. There in the back, four people stood, each with masks of different quality. One bore an owl, another a fox¡­ they were of varying powers magically speaking, but Argrave could tell from the look on Anneliese¡¯s face that they were brimming with Mozzahr¡¯s Emptiness. They all stood before a huge pnquin, with a curtain of thin fabric. And from this pnquin rose the spiral of Emptiness.


    Orion did not seem fullyfortable with the situation, but still he advanced. In time, they all stood before this curtained pnquin, and the four lieutenants under Mozzahr. Argrave knew only two of the four for certain¡ªHigh Priestess Mial, his daughter, and a nameless ancient vampire wearing a mask of a fly. The pnquin¡¯s curtain was thin, and brightly lit by the light of Mozzahr¡¯s Emptiness, and so Argrave could clearly see the silhouette of the Casten of the Empty behind it. He seemed to be no more than a man, but the curtain would not reveal more than a shadow.


    With all the Ebon Cult around them, and with Mozzahr and his Emptiness right here, it seemed the perfect ce for an untimely death. But then¡­ Argrave had been expecting such a thing from the beginning, and however this went down, Argrave had his own intentions. He did not feel that he was at a disadvantage, given what the Alchemist carried. But even still¡­ that didn¡¯t mean he knew what was to happen here today.


    ¡°I¡¯m here. Let¡¯s parley,¡± Argrave said, holding his arms out. ¡°After all¡­ this is going to be real peaceful-like, right?¡±

 Chapter 456: A Salient Point

    Mial, High Priestess of the Ebon Cult, stepped away from her position beside the other four top people at the Ebon Cult and went to kneel beside her father¡¯s pnquin. She pulled back the curtain on the side, out of view from their front-facing position, and then listened to orders ryed¡ªorders that reached no one¡¯s ears beside Mial, not even Orion¡¯s or the Alchemist¡¯s.


    As they talked, Argrave looked around at the horde of purple-masked people around them. He spotted elven ears, dwarven physiques¡­ even some of the more reclusive races persisted in their number¡ªsouthron elves or the subterranean humans, for instance. The majority of them werebatants.


    Elenore¡¯s voice entered his mind, telling him, ¡°Anneliese says that there are users of shamanic magic in the crowd. Mozzahr himself seems to have the most spirits, however.¡±


    Argrave gave a curt reply, too on-edge to engage further. Finally, Mial looked at them, clearing her throat to indicate her intent to speak.


    ¡°The Casten asks if you have ever wondered what urs in the event Gerechtigkeit seeds,¡± Mial said, her voice ringing out with a clear echo in this vast cavern.


    Argrave narrowed his eyes. Mozzahr had spoken through another like this in the past, but that had been because he was injured. His injury was obvious in Heroes of Berendar, visible even in the silhouette behind the curtain. Argrave could see no such injury. Mozzahr had not fought Sataistador, and consequently sustained no injuries. In simple terms there was no good reason for him to speak via proxy. No reason except haughtiness.


    Argrave looked at Durran and briefly questioned speaking through him just as Mozzahr did his daughter, but thought it might be tedious and abandoned the idea at once. Besides, rising to provocation would close off their options.


    ¡°Well, I imagine the cycle of judgment ends. And I came here to discuss that ending, if on a different possible manner than seeing it through topletion,¡± Argrave opened diplomatically.


    ¡°Gerechtigkeit is described as two things; as a man, and as a cmity. But there is truth in both,¡± Mial carried on as though Argrave had not even spoken. ¡°He is an intelligent being, capable of reason. And just as Mozzahrmands the Emptiness, Gerechtigkeitmands his cmity. It is formless malignance, capable of adapting to whatever its owner needs to fill his purpose.¡±


    ¡°You speak from ignorance.¡± The Alchemist stepped forward, his footfalls heavy enough to shake the square. ¡°There is no reason in Gerechtigkeit.¡±


    ¡°Then how, pray tell, did he know to corrupt Argrave¡¯s father? How have his methods continued to adapt, and to grow, if he cannot reason?¡± Mial ttened out a crease on her robes as she kneeled there.


    ¡°The contention is that he cannot be reasoned with,¡± Anneliese smoothly interjected. ¡°And that is indisputable.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough. Let us not get lost in semantics.¡± Mial raised her hands in surrender.


    Argrave thought she was going to speak again, and so quickly interjected, ¡°Speaking of my father and his corruption¡ªthat was the reason Georgina was trying to kidnap him, right?¡± He raised his finger and pointed. ¡°Well, we started the job that you wanted. And finished it, too. And I think that¡¯s because we¡¯re on the same path. Namely, you¡¯re not content to let this cycle go another cycle.¡±


    Silence fell, and Mial consulted with her father once more. She looked back after a time.


    ¡°That is so. But Felipe died¡ªGeorgina was certain of that.¡±


    ¡°The corruption persists long after death,¡± the Alchemist cut in. ¡°And it decays what it touches rapidly, doubly so by resistance by the host.¡± Hearing thatst line, Orion¡¯s helmet briefly turned before refocusing.


    ¡°We learned a fair deal from Felipe¡¯s corpse.¡± Argrave held his arms out and stepped forward. ¡°But you¡¯ve been doing independent research. And it benefits us both to pool those efforts. That¡¯s why I¡¯m here today.¡±


    As Mial turned to speak to Mozzahr once again, Argrave sorely hoped they¡¯d take the bait. He didn¡¯t trust Mozzahr overmuch, but he did trust the man¡¯s capabilities. If he had learned something, getting him to disclose that information could be invaluableter down the line. But his¡ªand the Alchemist¡¯s, to give credit where it was due¡ªn extended beyond mere information gathering.


    Mial nodded at her father, and then looked back. ¡°Gerechtigkeit has spoken thrice before in history. This information was very difficult to find, and even more difficult to ensure uracy. History is written by the victors, after all. But we are near one hundred percent certain he has said these things.¡±


    Argrave blinked. Mozzahr had been quite busy, it seemed, if he¡¯d discovered that information.


    Mial continued, ignorant of Argrave¡¯s surprise. ¡°The first one is certain: upon his defeat in one cycle, his voice roared across the world, saying¡ª"


    ¡°The pigs are fed,¡± Argrave interrupted, knowing the quote well. ¡°I know it, and the general gist of the other two.¡±


    ¡°Precisely that,¡± Mial raised her hand to gesture in affirmation. ¡°The other ounts are not quite so urate as words heard around the world¡­ but they speak of his ims about ¡®time and other thieves.¡¯ The third is only one word¡ªa name, truly. Sandbara, or by some ounts, Candbara or Zandbara.¡±


    ¡°Sandbara is the one I know,¡± Argrave confirmed. ¡°Unless you¡¯ve found deeper meaning to these words, we have nothing more to add to that. But lore, all of that¡ªthat isn¡¯t what I need. We have fundamental information¡ªwe have aplete analysis of Gerechtigkeit¡¯s corrupting energy. If you have something of simr value, a mutual exchange could be made.¡±


    Mial nced at her father, and Argrave saw him wave his hand in affirmation before the High Priestess looked back, steeled.


    ¡°Our leader has some insight on where Gerechtigkeites from,¡± Mial said slowly.


    Prove it, Argrave almost blurted out in his surprise. That sort of information, if genuine, would be an invaluable lead for the Alchemist to follow.


    ¡°What does that tell us?¡± Anneliese pushed calmly, keeping her head while Argrave nearly lost his.


    ¡°Many things, foremost among which is pinpointing the location of his descent,¡± Mial disclosed hesitantly, casting nces at her father to be sure she did not err by telling so much. ¡°This is why heading to the surface is a non-negotiable issue¡ªsomething you seem to be aware of, considering your fortifications in the key exit of this underground.¡±


    Argrave wasn¡¯t about to apologize for caution, but he elected to sidestep that issue altogether. ¡°Where do you think that will be?¡±


    ¡°Berendar,¡± Mial said, and Argrave¡¯s head whirled as he thought of whether or not he might¡¯ve disclosed that publicly enough for these people to know. As it did, she continued, ¡°Specifically, in a in southwest of the so-called Magic City of Jast.¡±


    Argrave tried not to let his surprise show. He was certain he had told perhaps three people this fact¡ªElenore, Anneliese, and the Alchemist. None would¡¯ve leaked it. This information was their own¡ªand even scarier yet, it was usable. That meant this little parley hadrger stakes than Argrave had been preparing for.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s cooperate,¡± Argrave posited, holding his arms out. ¡°We both can benefit from this. Our knowledge bes moreplete.¡±


    Mial looked at her father once more, and then fixed her owl mask tighter as she looked over with a markedly more decisive posture. ¡°It is past time that we discuss the secr purpose behind this meeting. We brought up Gerechtigkeit not to exchange information, but to illustrate a point. Mozzahr, the Casten of the Empty and Leader of the Ebon Cult, is Gerechtigkeit¡¯s better in every fashion. It is the will of the universe¡ªand even more importantly, our Casten¡¯s will himself¡ªthat he take the ce of this arbiter, and eternally change this cycle of judgment with a new vision.¡±


    Argrave pointed a finger, saying quickly, ¡°That¡¯s all well and good, but¡ª¡±


    ¡°Your cooperation is not something that needs to be traded for,¡± Mial interrupted him loudly. ¡°If you are reasonable, and you seek to minimize loss of life, then you will aid Mozzahr at your own free will. You and all of yours will be weed. They will not be harmed or face any imposition so long as they ept the Casten of the Empty as their god, and endeavor to ce him in Gerechtigkeit¡¯s ce. You will retain your structure, prestige, rank and hierarchy¡­ but Mozzahr shall stand above you.¡±


    Argrave nced upwards at the teal mass of Emptiness spiraling above, but it stayed still even despite Mial¡¯s coercion. Though things were tense, until that power came to action there was not as much risk as there could be.


    As for the offer¡­ Argrave had to admit, he had considered submitting to Mozzahr. He would learn what he could about Gerechtigkeit by working underneath him, and then subtly plot with Elenore to break the chains that bind. But even still, they¡¯d have to permit the Ebon Cult toe to the surface, and allow them unabated influence over the surface. On top of that, when it came time to break away, it wouldn¡¯t be with a defensive position as they had at present. It was simply far too risky.


    ¡°Well¡­ hell. I guess I¡¯m not smooth enough to entice everything I wanted out of you. But then, I suppose your mind was made up from the beginning. As ast-ditch effort, how about this,¡± Argrave proposed, pointing his finger. ¡°Come with me, Mozzahr. Let¡¯s go rob Erlebnis. I could use someone like you on my team. We could reappropriate that knowledge he hoards, use it for our own ends.¡±


    Silence reigned for a time, before Mial said, ¡°What are you¡ª¡±


    ¡°No, shut up,¡± Argrave said brashly. ¡°Let him answer.¡±


    The cult all around them bristled, and some rancor broke out. Argrave paid attention only to Mozzahr, knowing his allies would protect him. That man was the real threat.


    ¡°Actually, let¡¯s y this game your way,¡± Argrave shouted over them. ¡°ept you as a god? Who decided that? Certainly not me. But if you want to see a real one¡­ let¡¯s go for a walk!¡±


    The Alchemist stepped forward and mmed his obsidian staff on the ground. The power of Rook, god of subterfuge and deception, faded, revealing the true form of the weapon the Alchemist had been crafting. It was a twelve-foot-long thick white spear, and all of its surface sung the tales of the gods who¡¯d helped craft it. It was made of what had been torn of Ingo¡ªit was forged from the blessing of a god. Though formless energy, it had been bound by Veid¡¯s irond and icy will into something solid and tangible. From there, the other gods worked their powers into it¡ªall save Law, as Argrave had refused his request to inform Erlebnis ahead of time.


    ¡°Mozzahr, flee!¡± the elder vampire before his pnquin screamed in abject terror. He had a form of Truesight, though Argrave couldn¡¯t remember to what extent, and would be able to clearly see the divinity exuding from that spear.


    Mozzahr¡¯s Emptiness spurred to action, pulling down toward his body as he enriched himself. He did not flee¡ªrather, he did not even stand. The Alchemist thrusted toward him, its strength and speed terrifying because of both its wielder and the power of Stout Heart Swan, goddess of hunting. Several S-rank wards¡ªeven Mozzahr¡¯s own, enhanced by his Emptiness to a terrifying degree¡ªappeared to block it. The spear, imbued with Almazora¡¯s power, turned all magic it touched back into its ck and incorporeal source. Its piercing thrust did not slow whatsoever.


    As it neared Mozzahr¡¯s pnquin, even despite all the tremendous boosts of power the spear possessed¡­ the cult leader was faster. He jumped aside with tremendous speed, going from sitting cross-legged to flying through the air. Argrave saw him, then, with a less injured body than Argrave recalled. He was a tall elven man with white hair in a loose-fitting purple robe, with the teal Emptiness emerging from his right eye. In Heroes of Berendar, he had been missing much of his right shoulder, half his neck, and all of the right side of his face. His body was held together with Emptiness, and it took the ce of the flesh he¡¯d lost fighting Sataistador.


    Even as Mozzahr seemed to escape, Argrave only watched passively¡ªhe knew their preparations. The tip of the spear shone, and a portal appeared before it. Working in tandem with Yinther¡¯s powers, Raen, god of space, made his craftsmanship on the spear evident. The spear vanished into the portal, and appeared right behind Mozzahr. It pierced right through his back, and suspended the Casten of the Empty in midair.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Even impaled, Mozzahr¡¯s face was calm. He looked down and grabbed at the white de piercing through his back, and the Emptiness bunched up around it. When the de waspletely hidden, his voice rang out, deep and loud and terrifying.


    ¡°March,¡± Mozzahr said simply. And so the invasion began.


    As though responding to his one word, the power of the spear took effect. Thest of its powers, Lira, goddess of connections, made her work known. Argrave, Anneliese, Orion, Mnie, Durran, and the Alchemist were seized by its power just alongside Mozzahr¡­


    And taken to Erlebnis¡¯ realm.

 Chapter 457: Subjugation

    Gmon looked back at the soldiers arranged before him. The tactics and the discipline of the Veidimen were instilled into this human army so perfectly he nearly felt he was leading troops from his homnd. In them was the burning fire of responsibility and duty that made Gmon certain they would all be ready to march down through the tunnels and meet the des of the Ebon Cult head on.


    ¡°Argrave sent word. They¡¯re in Erlebnis¡¯ realm,¡± Elenore¡¯s voice entered his head.


    Gmon reached for the Ebonice axe at his side and held it up into the air without another thought. He raised it high, and felt the surging power of Veid¡¯s blessing coursing through his body. ¡°We march!¡± he shouted, his pride and duty carrying with the words in a supernatural way.


    The divine power that Veid had vested in him left his body, traversing the air with imperceptible speed before finding purchase in the hearts and minds of those he led. And as he turned, nting one foot in front of the other¡­ the subjugation of the Ebon Cult began. But perhaps it would be two others who subjugated, first.


    #####


    Onychinusa stared at the empty air where Mozzahr had been a moment before, unpleasant feelings rising when she briefly felt the familiar sensation of Erlebnis. It had been so long since shest felt her former master¡¯s realm¡­ and it had be unpleasant. It was like the salty tang of blood, or the smell of the hands after touching certain metals.


    Erlebnis no longer defined her. Instead, she was Onychinusa,st of the imperial bloodline of the ancient elves, and master of the dryads of the elven forest. And she had deigned to help her friend Anneliese¡ªafter all, the poor woman sorely needed her. And fittingly, the instrument of Onychinusa¡¯s help embodied her bloodline, so she could not protest overmuch.


    The Ebon Cult surrounding them fell into utter chaos after Mozzahr disappeared. He was the object of their worship, and he had been attacked and struck. Hisstmand still rung in their mind, and two intruders persisted in their midst¡­ but the two intruders were far more prepared for this oue than the Ebon Cult. Castro and Onychinusa both raised their hands, spells prepared long in advance of the Ebon Cult collecting itself for battle.


    They both cast one spell: [Subjugate], the S-rank shamanic spell created by her grandfather, Emperor Balzat.


    The spirits and the magic within Onychinusa roared to life, merging together to form thick wires of malicious energy. It spiked outward from her hand in a cone, one tendril of power whipping forth for every head in her line of sight. The bolts moved with the speed of an arrow, piercing into the minds of the cultists by the thousands. They screamed in agony as the spell activated. The lesser among them copsed to the floor, unconscious. The others grappled with tremendous pain as it took effect, most falling to the ground as their limbs failed.


    [Subjugate] was a spell that subdued the mind and soul. It targeted the mind and the memories, shattering them both if the target did not possess spirits of their own to defend against the assault. The target¡¯s faculties could be regained given time, but in the here and now, no other oue was better suited for this situation. It isted the mundane people from the spellcasters in one fell swoop, exposing their key targets.


    The ck wires of the malicious power of [Subjugate] faded away like strands of broken spider silk, and Onychinusa watched the standing foes with sneering derision as the masked fanatics panicked. She dared a nce behind, where Castro had left a scene of simr magnitude, then focused on her targets.


    Eight spellcasters that were her peer at S-rank levied their magic at her, and she isted the one which did not use shamanic magic to assault. When the spell left her foe¡¯s hand in the form of a great trident of lightning, she cast the C-rank [Requite]. Onychinusa¡¯s spirits ensured his spell immediately turned against him, and electricity spread along the floor he stood, burning hispatriots.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Malicious weapons constructed of spirits headed toward Onychinusa, but with will alone her body burst into magic, soaring away through the vast empty cavern. She did not dare look back as she traversed as magical mist, and before her enemies even knew it, she stood at the fortress they had passed by on their way in. Shortly after, Castro manifested with her, spirits dancing away from his body. Truthfully, she hadn¡¯t been expecting his escape. He had volunteered for this task for a reason, it seemed.


    ¡°How did you manage to use shamanic magic with so many others possessing that power nearby?¡± Onychinusa questioned in wonder.


    ¡°Carefully,¡± the old man said, brushing out a spot of his gray robe that had been badly burnt. ¡°Well¡­ I would say we did more than our duty. Their army will be in abject chaos.¡± He turned his head back, where the first of the army headed by Gmon began to emerge from the tunnels, themander himself at the head. ¡°And I think that man can capitalize on it.¡±


    ¡°You said a lot more than I asked,¡± Onychinusa said, and then vanished into formless magic once again. She still lingered in the air, watching the battlefield from above. Castro sighed, looking out into the dwarven city. The light of Emptiness had left it, in part, but vestiges still burned strong¡­


    And they would burn forever, Onychinusa supposed, so long as the Casten of the Empty lived. But that wasn¡¯t a sure thing, anymore.


    #####


    When Argrave came to, he saw a ce of darkness bathed in teal light and questioned if, somehow, the spear forged by the Alchemist had failed to take them out of the dwarven city. But no¡ªwhat he saw was merely Mozzahr¡¯s Emptiness, his power carried over with him to Erlebnis¡¯ realm.


    In the pitch ck, Argrave could only make out the color of the floor¡ªa dull brown that felt strangely fleshy beneath the feet. Realizing they¡¯d seeded, he sent a brief message to Elenore speaking of their sess, giving her the order to begin the attack, and then focused intensely on all around them.


    But with the focus came joy¡ªtheir n had seeded. They had abducted Mozzahr, bringing him to Erlebnis¡¯ realm. With this, their two most powerful enemies woulde to fight one another. Back on the mortal world, the Ebon Cult would be without its person of worship. And as Mozzahr undoubtedly called on his Emptiness to protect himself in this uncertain scenario, their imbued power would wither away. Their morale would plummet, and their strength would decrease.


    To summarize, the ying field had been entirely overturned. But the cost of that¡­ well, they were within the realm of a hostile god with the most powerful human foe Argrave could conceive of ready and willing to tear them apart.


    Looking around, Argrave was relieved to see all of hispanions were here. The Alchemist still gripped the spear, held out in thrust. And at the same distance away as he¡¯d been before the teleportation, Mozzahr was still suspended there, clutching the spear¡¯s de.


    ¡°Intuition speaks,¡± said Mozzahr, looking at them as his Emptiness flowed back inside of his right eye, empowering him. ¡°And intuition says I require this spear to return. So¡­¡± he reached around his back, grasping where the weapon entered his body. He freed himself with ease, his teal Emptiness taking the ce of his flesh so that no blood fell. His hands still firmly gripped the spear. ¡°This is mine.¡±


    ¡°Pull on the spear! Stop him!¡± Argrave shouted, then held his hand up to call upon his blessing. A new blessing, in fact¡ªLaw¡¯s blessing. ¡°In this domain, might and magic are iprehensibly powerful!¡±


    The golden light of the Domain of Law encircled Argrave and all near him. He felt power in his body and boiling strength in his magic as the buff took effect. Orion and Mnie stepped to join the Alchemist and gripped the white spear, bracing on the ground and pulling tremendously hard. The Alchemist sprouted additional limbs to grip the weapon, and all yanked with all of their might.


    Their strength¡­ was wholly insufficient. The spear held steady and immovable, but as more of Mozzahr¡¯s Emptiness flowed into him, he strengthened. He overpowered Orion and the Alchemist, and the weapon began to move deeper into the portal, further into his grasp.


    The Alchemist, Argrave, Anneliese, and Durran prepared spells, then hit Mozzahr with a powerful bombardment. The relentless pull forward stopped as the Casten freed one hand to conjure a ward to protect himself. Even despite Argrave using multiple blood magic spells, Durran and the Alchemist using S-rank spells, and Anneliese contributing amply¡­ his single ward enhanced by his Emptiness held firm against them. It glowed teal, indicating he¡¯d infused it with the mythical power he possessed.


    ¡°Damn it! Why am I pulling?¡± Mnie questioned, then released it to grab her greatsword she¡¯d dropped to help. She thrust it straight through the portal the spear stabbed into, and her de traveled through the tear in space. When it appeared suddenly, stabbing right at his eye, Mozzahr released his grip on the spear to defend himself. He overestimated the attack, to their benefit. With a simple flick of his wrist, her de shattered, and she cried out as the sheer force reverberated into her arm.


    But his grip faltered, and Orion and the Alchemist both pulled the spear out with tremendous speed. Mozzahr reached through the portal, seeking to regain contact, but the Alchemist moved faster. Arms sprouted from his body, grabbing all of them, and then hepleted the spell [Worldstrider]. Mozzahr couldn¡¯t get contact in time¡­ and so they disappeared, ferried by spirits.


    As soon as Argrave perceived they were elsewhere, he cried out, ¡°In this domain, we are hidden from all.¡±


    Golden light enveloped them, but Argrave copsed to one knee. Using the Domain of Law in quick session was quite draining, and he felt like sleep might im him at any minute. Darkness surrounded them on all sides, only partially abated by the natural light emitted by the Alchemist¡¯s white spear.


    ¡°Holy hell. Why in the hell did Ie here?¡± Mnie said, her voice panic and pain both. She stared at her zweihander¡ªthe de hadpletely broken, and she held only a handle and a hilt. ¡°He broke my fingers. Just pped my de, and my damned fingers broke,¡± she whimpered. Looking at her, Argrave could see her fingers were indeed badly bent.


    ¡°Take it easy. In Argrave¡¯s Domain of Law, that monster will not be able to find us without tremendous luck,¡± Anneliese assured her, casting a healing spell. The fingers corrected themselves, and Mnie went from whimpering to breathing heavily in fear.


    A great vibration passed through the ground¡ªlike an earthquake, almost, and more rumblings followed shortly after. A howl of unnatural rage cut through the air, like the scream of a thousand demons. More urately, it was the scream of one demon¡ªMozzahr.


    ¡°He¡¯s pissed,¡± Durran chuckled bitterly.


    Argrave felt his wits back together enough to stand to his feet. ¡°Good. He¡¯s going to be a big, huge distraction for us, rampaging through Erlebnis¡¯ ce in blind, furious pursuit. And there are two ways out of here¡ªthis spear, or the more conventional way. Either will take him a long time.¡± He looked at the Alchemist. ¡°How far away are we from him?¡±


    ¡°Some miles,¡± the towering man answered, looking at the spear. There were chips in the de. Mozzahr had managed to chip a weapon forged from the blessing of a god, and crafted in tandem with several others, with his grip strength alone.


    Argrave walked to Mnie and put his hand on her shoulder. ¡°You saved us back there.¡±


    ¡°Got lucky,¡± Mnie disagreed. ¡°Half a thousand things could¡¯ve gone different back there. He could¡¯ve crawled through the portal initially. If he hadn¡¯t flinched¡­¡±


    ¡°But he did flinch,¡± Argrave pointed out. ¡°He got flustered, acted a little imprudently. And that¡¯s because he¡¯s a human, not a god.¡±


    ¡°An elf, actually, Your Majesty,¡± Orion said. ¡°And his power¡­ unfathomable. Even with one arm, he was both our physical betters. I shudder to imagine his power when all of his Emptiness fills his being.¡±


    ¡°Where the hell are we?¡± Durran questioned, looking around. ¡°Want to light up the ce, but¡­ kind of scared to.¡±


    ¡°We are in the eighty-thousandth Annal of the Universe,¡± the Alchemist dered. ¡°Argrave informed me it was kept empty. This ce shall be our springboard to Erlebnis¡¯ other archives. Mozzahr¡¯s presence will distract Erlebnis, demand his attention¡­ but in the meanwhile, we must hurry. There is much to steal, and I am rather greedy.¡±

 Chapter 458: Charting a Sea of Wisdom

    In nning for this heist, they¡¯d long ago discussed in detail how, precisely, things would y out. Argrave ran through his words in his head as the Alchemist disassembled a wall in this pitch-ck ce.


    ¡°There are a few pivotal things we need to keep in mind about Erlebnis¡¯ realm,¡± Argrave exined. ¡°The most important responsibility of all¡ªwe cannot allow ourselves to confront Erlebnis directly. Going to the White nes has protected us from the pressure exerted by divinity, but that doesn¡¯t change the fact he can squash us with a wave of a hand. If we do seed in bringing Mozzahr over, I suspect that Erlebnis will dedicate most of his attention to that monstrosity rampaging through his realm in search of an exit. That¡¯ll be a big boon, allowing freedom of movement.


    ¡°There are a few locations, however, where Erlebnis has omniscience, and he¡¯ll spot us regardless.¡± Argrave continued. ¡°The Lexicons¡ªthe areas that serve as a nexus between all of the Annals of the Universe¡ªare off limits. He¡¯ll spot us in seconds, and considering its role as a ce of quick movement, thousands of his emissaries will be upon us before we can blink. In other words¡­ we¡¯re on foot, and on our own.¡±


    Snapped back to focus when a piece of the wall fell, Argrave looked at all of hispanions. Everyone seemed just as paranoid as he felt, flinching at the distant rumblings Mozzahr caused as he searched for them. Argrave felt quite exposed without the protection of the Domain of Law, but they were very nearly free of this ce.


    Finally, red light fell upon them, causing everyone to flinch away. The Alchemist pulled the rest of the wall away, using his body to push past.


    ¡°Come. Mozzahr will notice this exit for certain,¡± the Alchemist said, beckoning them onward.


    They all rushed into the new hole, eager to be free of this dark chamber. And once outside, they entered into Erlebnis¡¯ realm in its moreplete state. Though they all were eager to move, the sheer oddity of this ce made their steps falter for a brief moment.


    Erlebnis¡¯ emissaries were hollow mockeries of humans and elves with misshapen hands, erged limbs, and misced orifices. They were wrong in a way that unsettling and uncanny. His realm was a continuance of that trend¡ªalmost a copy of the world of mortals, but wrong so obviously and so unrepentantly that it only rattled the nerves.


    Above, the sky was red and metallic, and rippled as though it was a liquid with strong winds gusting over its surface. Whatever the sky was, it illuminated the entire area in red light that lent a bleak and hellish atmosphere to it all. But it was what was on the ground that truly disturbed the senses.


    As far as the eye could see, brown cities rose up into the sky. Their buildings were not a pleasant beige nor a rich oak, but a dirty and foul color like mud. They looked as though they were built of bricks, but that wasn¡¯t the case. Close scrutiny of these ¡®bricks¡¯ would reveal that they had words on them, and if one were to pry it free of whatever shoddy construction it held steady, one would find they were not bricks, but books.


    If Argrave described the architecture, his charitable interpretation would be to call it avant-garde. In reality, it was a disgusting blend of thousands of different styles. Eastern Asian buildings stood next to Victorian buildings, lopsided and lumpy and simply wrong. The reason for the ugliness was simple: Erlebnis and his servants had the knowledge and execution to make these buildings stand, but not the soul to make them beautiful. Argrave saw a watchtower that started square at its base, went to circr in its center, and ended triangrly before capping it all off with a domed roof.


    But with no other path forward, they proceeded into this abominable city. Looking back, the area that they¡¯de from was a giant cube the same color brown as the rest of the city. It was an empty, unfinished thing, but as Erlebnis gained enough knowledge, it would be a city just like the one they entered.


    As they half-sprinted, the Alchemist stepped ahead of them. He held the white spear up and mmed it upon the ground. Light shone on its surface, enveloping them. As Argrave ran, he saw his arms extend, twist, and writhe out of his clothing. But he knew to remain calm¡ªit was all a trick of the mind. This was another helping hand that Rook, god of deception and subterfuge, lent to them. They were required to steal something with divine power to return that favor, either here or elsewhere.


    ¡°You appear as emissaries now,¡± the Alchemist informed them. ¡°It should fool most from a distance, but never engage with Erlebnis¡¯ servants. They will know you are not part of their collective with one word exchanged. Emissaries travel alone¡ªwe should split up so as not to draw any attention. Anneliese shall coordinate a safe regroup point through Elenore.¡±


    All agreed and obeyed, walking from the unfinished archive. When they finally reached the city, where living things entered into sight, they parted ways and took different paths without further words. Erlebnis¡¯ grotesque emissaries wandered the streets, pulling books from the walls and the streets and indulging in them with measured precision. There were trees and bushes nted into pots and little gardens, but the trunks of the trees were bone covered by a thinyer of skin, the leaves were hardened needles of hair resembling pine, and the fruits were blinking eyes. The nts looked like ck pipe cleaners.


    As they waded into the sea of ugly buildings, a wave of force reverberated behind them. As the Alchemist had said, Mozzahr had found the hole in the wall, and stood scanning the area before him in rabid search for those who¡¯d brought him here.


    ¡°I will find you, dogs of Erlebnis!¡± Mozzahr¡¯s voice echoed out across the realm, drawing attention from all parties. ¡°Argrave!¡± He screamed, drawing out the name. Even so far away, his voice was powerful enough to hurt the ears.


    The emissaries seemed to be seized by an invisible thought, and thousands of them broke away from their task to go confront Mozzahr. They stepped out of the city as Argrave stepped within, alone. Though none moved to stop him, and though countless had just left to deal with this new threat of Mozzahr, the emissaries still made this ce dense. It was all he could do to avoid bumping into them, and his heart beat fast with the knowledge that drawing attention meant dozens of emissaries would fall upon him and his friends.


    For a long while, every street that Argrave walked through, every alley he looked down, and every building he poked his head inside had an emissary busily engaged in a task. Argrave feared every misshapen eye that came his way, and flinched every time his foot hit the ground. He was transformed, but he felt they must notice something was wrong. How could he hide? What could he do? If hispanions made any mistake¡­ would that be the end of them? Even if they survived, Mozzahr still roamed¡­ and circumstance had shown they could not best him.


    He swallowed his fear, heading deeper into this twisted city with their task as his solefort as he heard the sounds of fire, lightning, and general destruction caused by Mozzahr¡¯s close pursuit.


    Yet then, Elenore¡¯s voice entered his head. ¡°Meet at therge domed building. Anneliese¡¯s Starsparrow is perched atop the spike cresting it. She says she can see you through it, meaning you can see the bird.¡±


    Argrave stopped in his tracks and looked around. After an ufortably long search, he finally spotted the single speck of gold amidst the brown. Though he felt the need to sprint, he managed a natural walk toward it, wading through the alleys and streets with grace he didn¡¯t realize he possessed.


    The building Anneliese had pointed out was grand¡ªa statehouse, almost¡ªand when Argrave entered the lobby, he cringed when he saw about a dozen emissaries on its floor. He briefly questioned if he¡¯d gone into the wrong ce when Elenore¡¯s voice came into his head once more.


    ¡°Head upstairs,¡± she told him. ¡°She says there¡¯s adder that leads to the attic.¡±


    Argrave briefly searched for stairs and found them quickly. He walked up, holding onto the rails tightly. Others followed him, and he managed to recognize hispanions¡¯ faces in the monstrosities that they were disguised as. They all reached the second floor, found thedder, and advanced up.


    When they arrived, Anneliese waited for them in her normal form alongside the Alchemist in this unusually tall attic. There were windows with no ss in this room overlooking much of the gross city, and she walked from ce-to-ce surveying the area. The Alchemist dispelled their disguises one-by-one, and then when thest of them arrived, he pulled up thedder.


    ¡°We can¡¯t linger long, but we can coordinate our actions now that we have eyes and time,¡± the Alchemist said. ¡°Mozzahr coulde at any moment. The emissaries can do little to him¡ªhe can run through their S-rank wards without breaking strides, and their spells are simrly ineffective.¡±


    ¡°Good gods¡­¡± Durran muttered, shaking his head at the unimaginable feat.


    Even Argrave hadn¡¯t been expecting this level of prowess from Mozzahr. The yer fought with him after he¡¯d been wounded and spent his Emptiness fighting Sataistador, so the battle was wholly different from his full strength. Hopefully, Erlebnis could soften him simrly in this timeline.


    ¡°This city is one of nearly eighty-thousand Annals of the Universe,¡± the Alchemist continued. ¡°Any single one of the books constructing these eighty thousand cities might have the knowledge we need. Though the books imnt knowledge directly into the soul immediately, weck the time to go through every one,¡± he said, greatly simplifying things. ¡°We require a way to search more efficiently. Thus, we must find a Lodestar.¡±


    Argrave nodded knowingly. Lodestars were the second type of servant to Erlebnis. A Lodestar¡¯s purpose was to manage a single section of the Annals of the Universe. Each one hadplete knowledge of what was contained within their section, and more broadly knew where certain subjects could be found in the rest of the Annals. These creatures were the emissaries¡¯ lodestars in their search for knowledge in this sea of wisdom, hence the name¡ªeach emissary had to learn on their own, for they could not contain the unquantifiable knowledge that Erlebnis had umted over millennia.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    In Heroes of Berendar, the yer came to Erlebnis¡¯ realm as his mortal champion. The yer could only ess the first Annal of the Universe, and barring Onychinusa, the yer onlymunicated with the Lodestar in their service to Erlebnis. The Lodestar possessed the magical potency of the emissaries whilecking their physical weakness. It was quite a monstrous foe, though they never ventured far from Erlebnis¡¯ power.


    ¡°When we locate a Lodestar, we must subdue it. I must consume it within myself, alchemizing it inside my body to harvest its power. I can ess the Lodestar¡¯s ability to parse the Annals. If fighting it does not alert Erlebnis, essing the Lodestar¡¯s power undoubtedly will. We¡¯ll be travelling quickly, stealing the knowledge we seek with all Erlebnis¡¯ forces in pursuit. Put simply, we must struggle for our lives,¡± the Alchemist outlined.

 Chapter 459: Character Arc + First Audiobook Out!

    Argrave stepped through the streets of this Annal of the Universe, isted from all hispanions. The words of the Alchemist ran in his head, making his directive clear.


    ¡°We will separate,¡± the Alchemist had said. ¡°Each of you will follow a predetermined route I¡¯ve calcted to be most efficient. I will bestow upon each of you with a power Almazora gave this spear,¡± he said, hefting it into the air. ¡°It will allow you to detect the fluctuations of magic in the air. The Lodestar casts a spell every time it fulfills an emissary¡¯s request, and so you must find an area where the pulses of magice rapidly¡ªseek that out, and you will find the Lodestar. I hope I need not mention¡­ try not to mistake Mozzahr¡¯s rampaging for the Lodestar. They should be easy to distinguish, even for you people,¡± his grating voice reminded them.


    ¡°Try not to take too long,¡± he said, ncing at the spear. ¡°The gods bestowed this weapon with various powers to aid us in this heist. To manifest them, it eats away at the essence of this spear¡ªthe blessing that I ripped from Ingo¡¯s body. In case this cautionary point does not stick, allow me to rephrase: if you take too long, we may not be able to return the way we entered.¡± His gray eyes scanned them from behind his bony armor. ¡°And perhaps not return at all.¡±


    Argrave put one foot in front of the other, sensing the magic pulsate through this Annal of the Universe. There was much on his mind to distract him¡ªhe worried if Orion could manage being disguised, he worried if Anneliese¡¯s Starsparrow had drawn attention, he worried about making a mistake himself, and he worried about taking too long to find the Lodestar and thus needing to leave Erlebnis¡¯ realm in a more unconventional manner. It was stress enough to give him a migraine, but Argrave shelved it all and walked onward.


    Even though it was probably a terrible idea, he called upon the connection with Elenore, asking, ¡°How¡¯s the battle going?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you busy?¡± Elenore asked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Argrave replied, ncing from side to side as he passed by emissaries. ¡°Just tell me.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t I busy?¡± she answered with a sigh audible even through their mental link, then summarized, ¡°Gmon let a small elite force to capitalize on the chaos Castro and Onychinusa caused. They caused a lot of damage and retreated safely, but the casualties on our side weren¡¯t small. Now, our forces endure a siege. Their morale is faltering as Mozzahr reims the Emptiness he bestowed upon his subordinates, and we have a decisive advantage. Even still, shamanic magic is nightmarish to deal with.¡±


    ¡°And Anestis?¡± Argrave pressed. ¡°How is his mission going? He set off, right? The Stonepetal Sentinels are doing their duty?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s on the road,¡± she informed him. ¡°Now shut up. I have enough on my mind already, and I won¡¯t endanger you by talking because of some whimsy on your end.¡±


    Argrave managed a smile even despite the stressful situation, and was once again alone in this terrifyingly bleak brown city.


    ¡°Hold on,¡± Elenore¡¯s voice came once again. ¡°Word from Anneliese. She says she thinks that she¡¯s found a Lodestar, but¡­ it¡¯s dangerously close to Mozzahr. It seems to be falling back, but¡­¡±


    Argrave¡¯s attention focused, and their whole party exchanged information with Elenore as their nexus. After ample coordination, they finally managed to coordinate a meeting spot.


    ¡°Thanks for the aid, Elenore,¡± he told her as he walked upon the rest of his party. ¡°You¡¯re good at this game of telephone.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m skilled at analyzing situations which I cannot see,¡± his sister informed him. ¡°But you¡¯re together again, so I¡¯m off. Contact me again when I¡¯m needed.¡±


    Argrave stepped up to hispanions, standing together as they waited disguised in their monstrous imitations of the emissaries. The Alchemist was only marginally more horrifying than he normally was, twisted grotesquely like Erlebnis¡¯ servants.


    ¡°Go to the roof,¡± the Alchemist directed Argrave at once, pointing to a set of stairs that were narrow and bendy yet somehow managed to find their way to a roof. ¡°You can see it.¡±


    Argrave took the stairs cautiously, hisrge feet having trouble with their thin surfaces. When he finally made it to the top, his eyes scanned the cityscape. After a time, he spotted a metallic gleam that was decidedly different from the red metal in the sky, and focused on it.


    The Lodestar was a golem made of bronze. It stood taller than most buildings which made it easily noticeable, yet its bronze slightly disguised it in the buildings. It had some peculiarities to it differentiating it from most golems. Its head was constructed in the image of a sun, with sunrays pointing outwards from all directions. Its joints and its eyes were the odder parts¡ªthey were three bronze rings of descending size so that they might fit inside each other. These rings had Erlebnis¡¯ strange power which looked like red liquid metal inside them, spinning and turning the rings about as the limbs moved or the eyes turned.


    A tremor rocked the building as Argrave watched, and his eyes were drawn to another figure. Mozzahr was also near¡ªdefinitely a good deal more distant than the Lodestar, but close enough to evoke difort. Comprehending the scene, Argrave walked down and joined his allies, looking about for emissaries in paranoia before he spoke.


    ¡°I saw it,¡± Argrave said. ¡°And I felt Mozzahr, too. He¡¯s near. The moment we attack that Lodestar, I¡¯m positive it¡¯ll draw his attention.¡± He looked up at the Alchemist in his monstrous faux-emissary form. ¡°We can move to another city. No need to risk this.¡±


    ¡°We fight this one,¡± the Alchemist dered.


    ¡°What?¡± Argrave said evenly. ¡°Am I missing something?¡±


    ¡°You were right in your analysis,¡± the Alchemist nodded. ¡°But time is of the essence. Maintaining disguises, and these magical-detection blessings¡­ it¡¯s degrading the spear. We would be best taking opportunity when ites, not praying to find another leagues away.¡± He looked at Argrave. ¡°Or do you doubt my knowledge of the weapon I made?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Argrave shook his head, biting his lip. ¡°Damn it all. No luck.¡±


    Durran patted his shoulder. ¡°You¡¯ve been lucky enough in other areas. Reflect back on this moment when you¡¯re sitting on your throne.¡±


    Argrave looked at him. ¡°Raring to go, huh?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m about to vomit,¡± Durran raised his hands up. ¡°But I already sold my life to that man there, so¡­ it helps take the edge off.¡±


    ¡°I guess I¡¯ll deal with the fleshy ones,¡± Mnie mused, biting her thumb. ¡°I don¡¯t even have my sword, but if I did¡­ no good against bronze. My blessing from Raen can let me slip past their wards, and I¡¯m good enough with these hidden chains I keep.¡±


    ¡°Less talking,¡± Orion said. ¡°Time wastes.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Anneliese nodded in agreement. ¡°Let¡¯s get ready.¡±


    #####


    The members of the heist spread out in the city, slowly taking positions as to surround the Lodestar. As Argrave walked, his careful eye on the golem as it marched through the streets, he heard its monotonous voice echo out.


    ¡°Applicant Zeta,¡± it said in its deep voice that sounded like a metallic whistle. An emissary stepped forth and put its hand on the bronze golem, and when it pulled away, red metallic strands danced out of its body and into the emissary. The whole process took less than a second, and then the golem continued, ¡°Applicant Eta. Applicant Theta. Applicant Iota. Applicant Kappa. Applicant Lambda.¡±


    Emissaries swarmed near the Lodestar, collecting whatever knowledge they needed from it and then dispersing into the streets with the location of the knowledge they needed in mind. Argrave¡¯s steady advance to take an advantageous position went unnoticed and unmolested, but he was acutely aware of Mozzahr¡¯s distant struggle against the emissaries. The Lodestar reached Omega in its list of applicants, and then looped around to the beginning¡ªAlpha.


    ¡°All ready,¡± came Elenore¡¯s voice in his head. That was his cue to begin¡ªand his heart¡¯s cue for nervousness, it seemed, for it beat within his chest as though he was running a marathon.


    ¡°In this domain, concentration is limitless,¡± Argrave whispered, conjuring the Domain of Law. He felt the cost of it wearing at his will, but had the mental wherewithal enough to do his part.


    Argrave stood atop a building. He looked up in the air, then mimed drawing back a bow. His blood echoes spread out along the roof¡ªtwo, four, eight, sixteen, yet finally stopping at a straining twenty-four. He¡¯d hoped for thirty-two, but even with the Domain of Law aiding him, this was his limit.


    But then¡­ with a new spell of his make at his disposal, twenty-four would be more than enough for the show starter. This modification had been hellish to figure out, but he was d that he had.


    Argrave cast not a B-rank, but an A-rank spell, and all his twenty-four echoes mimicked him. This had been the crux of his problems¡ªtranting the B-rank [Bloodfeud Bow] to an A-rank format had been immensely difficult, but it was the only way to amodate the scope of the changes he made.


    Twenty-five huge bows of blood took shape, pointed toward the sky. As their maroon arrows came to life, they cracked and sparked with lightning, lighting their surroundings in red light of a darker hue than the ambience from the sky. The intensity of the spell made the disguise shielding Argrave dissipate, but he cared not. He listened to the droning of the Lodestar as it listed off applicant after applicant. He watched the silver bracer on his arm wear down,pletely honed in on his task.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    When he felt the power of the blood echoes reach their limit¡­ Argrave released his personal spell: [Bloodarc Bow].


    Twenty-five crimson bolts shot into the air, letting out the roar of thunder from their sheer power. They soared up, up, and up¡­ yet Argrave willed them to arc, and they obeyed. What soared upward with tremendous speed descended again like judgment. Argrave looked at the Lodestar as it turned its bronze head from the noise.


    As Argrave stared, the tremendous might of [Bloodarc Bow] rained down upon the Lodestar like divine judgment. A surge of deep crimson light bathed the area as the blood-infused lightning coursed through the Lodestar. Jagged bolts danced from the bronze golem to the hundreds of emissaries nearby, turning them into ck and charred masses that were virtually unrecognizable.


    Argrave had toiled greatly to perfect [Bloodarc Bow]. Itbined the power-scaling of [Bloodfeud Bow], the control over the projectile of [Electric Eel], and the attribute of a third spell: [Chain Lightning], where the site of impact caused other bolts of lightning to jump out at other targets. It was not quite as devastating as its foundational spell, its projectiles were not quite as maneuverable as the eels, and the secondary bolts were not half as numerous as [Chain Lightning].


    But the charred site before Argrave stood as personal testament to the strength of his spell. Only the Lodestar still moved, forced to kneel after the tremendous blow it suffered. Its bronze head slowly turned to Argrave, and the rotating ringsprising its eyes seemed like the vile orbs of a demon.


    ¡°Temporarily suspending new applicants,¡± the Lodestar said, voice echoing in the now-silent city. ¡°Foreign hostile presence reported as Disturbance Beta.¡±


    All of the other members of the heist stepped out, their disguises gone. Anneliese and Durran rose up on a roof opposite Argrave. On each side of the street, Orion and the Alchemist blocked it, while Mnie watched from the alleys, watching for more approaching emissaries for her to silently dispatch.


    ¡°Local entities notified of Disturbance Beta,¡± the Lodestar continued, raising its hands up. The Blessing of Supersession surged within its inanimate body, pooling it with unfathomable magic. ¡°Startingbat: Session Alpha.¡±


    Even with the ambush, the Lodestar had not fallen. And after that loud disy of power, others would surelye knocking.

 Chapter 460: Opportunity to Cash Out

    Even though the bronze golem serving Erlebnis called upon the Blessing of Supersession and alerted all emissaries in the area, Argrave did not feel worried about this battle. He was more worried that someone¡ªnamely, Mozzahr, or even Erlebnis himself¡ªwoulde across them than anything else. That hung above like the de of a guillotine.


    Their assault of the Lodestar was an efficient and well-nned process. The Alchemist, armed with the spell [Requite], countered the bronze golem as it attempted to cast spells. He had the fastest casting speed, and frankly, Argrave didn¡¯t want to use so much of the spirits Durran had painstakingly collected. Let the Alchemist call upon his personal supply. Wind, water, or fire¡ªall of it was rebounded back into the construct, chipping away at the golem¡¯s body surface. It was a sturdy thing, and so they were not afraid of damaging it.


    Meanwhile, Durran, Argrave, and Anneliese, standing on the roof, waited for opportunity for precise attacks. It was imperative that they not damage its head, as the Alchemist imed that was where the core of its power rested. They targeted the rotating orbs of ringsprising its joints, wearing away at those.


    Orion, meanwhile, locked down its movement. Physically, he was about its equal in strength¡ªhe stood near its feet, contesting it physically whenever it attempted to make a move. He was caught in the crossfire one too many times, but never seemed toin, let alone notice it.


    Mnie was their lookout. Argrave had instructed his Brumesingers to stay with her, utilizing their mist enhanced by the dryad¡¯s mysterious magic. Blindness, magic dampening, and all other foul mdies inflicted the living beings that walked within their mist¡ªemissaries included. Fortunately, Mnie had been immunized with a blessing from a dryad just as all other members of this party.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    She roamed the alleys of the City Annals, shielded by the brume as she killed unsuspecting emissaries attempting to support the Lodestar. Raen¡¯s blessing allowing her to travel through space was invaluable, as it couldpletely bypass wards and get her out of harm¡¯s way for any spells. Even without magic¡ªor her sword, for that matter¡ªshe proved more than equal to the task. Every second she earned her ce in their party even despite her self-doubt.


    But Mnie was not infallible¡ªemissaries started to make their way through, targeting all of them with precise magic. They were being surrounded body by body, just as they surrounded the Lodestar, and the circle tightened as they waited out the five minutes. And even amidst all of that, it was abundantly clear that Mozzahr wasing.


    Then, like a nozzle turned on a faucet, the five minutes granted by the Blessing of Supersession ran out, and the Lodestar was left with nothing. Argrave perceived the change and shouted, ¡°Hit hard! He¡¯s vulnerable!¡±


    But Argrave didn¡¯t need to speak¡ªthe Alchemist stepped forward, spear in hand, and cut right through the Lodestar¡¯s limb. Its metal groaned as it copsed to the ground, then lunged out at the Alchemist like a beast. He stepped on its huge bronze hand, then plunged the spear into its elbow, dismembering one of its arms.


    The Alchemist leaned forth on his spear and jammed his fingers beneath the head of the fallen Lodestar. He pulled, pulled, and pulled upon its head, keeping its body still with his foot. Then, with a mighty creak, it ripped free of the ce. The bronze body sagged to the ground, lifeless, yet the head still droned on, reporting its actions.


    ¡°Bloody hell!¡± Durran shouted, jumping off the roof of the building as several spells headed his way. It mmed into the building he¡¯d been standing on, and broken books scattered everywhere. The magic within them dissipated upward, heading for the red sky above. The man copsed on the ground, grunting painfully. But he was alive¡ªand that was more than enough.


    Argrave looked back as emissaries swarmed their position. He realized that Mnie¡¯s good work was nearing its limit, and decided to head down to the Alchemist before he met Durran¡¯s fate. Everyone else had simr ideas. As they came to the Alchemist standing before the body of the Lodestar, he subsumed its head inside himself.


    At once, the indomitable Alchemist hunched over, clutching his chest. His whole body glowed, and the strange metallic red liquid poured out of his eyes, his ears, as his entire body bubbled viciously. He was alchemizing its head to consume its power and use it for himself. Argrave couldn¡¯t begin to imagine what was actually happening within him.


    ¡°Protect him!¡± Argrave shouted, hoping that this wasn¡¯t an ill omen.


    The emissaries came onto them like a swarm of hyenas. Mnie persisted alone for a time, but even she was forced toe back and rejoin the pack. With [Requite], they could stem the tide of emissaries¡­ but the emissaries seemed to be well familiar with Argrave¡¯s tactic, now. They did not seek to bombard with relentless power as they had in the Bloodwoods¡ªnow, rather, they were like biting wolves,shing out only when weakness was shown. And it was nearly working. With greater numbers, they¡¯d fall.


    ¡°It¡¯s done,¡± the Alchemist said, his voice strained and quiet. ¡°The Lodestar¡¯s power is mine.¡±


    Argrave dared a nce back. The monstrous man rose up, using the spear to straighten. Hands sprouted from his armor of bone and reached out to them, grasping their heads, and then he cast [Worldstrider]. The world shifted around them as Argrave epted the teleportation.


    When sight returned, Argrave staggered around, getting his footing in the unfamiliar location. They were on a distant building in the city, but as Argrave looked around, he saw the scene of their fight. The Alchemist had not taken them far.


    It¡¯s over, he realized, walking with shaky steps to a railing on the roof. The scene was eerily quiet, as all of the emissaries had likely pooled over where near Argrave had been.


    ¡°Yeah!¡± was the first thing Argrave heard, as Durran walked about celebrating. ¡°By the gods, that was a close one.¡±


    ¡°It was excellently performed, Your Majesty. I could feel the Lodestar¡¯s weakness after your barrage. You deserve the glory,¡± Orion praised him.


    ¡°Glory? Who¡¯s around to watch?¡± Mnie protested, then shook her head, breathing heavy. ¡°I need a little¡­ break,¡± she sat down. ¡°Water, mages? Please? Make some?¡±


    Durran walked over, conjuring water in Mnie¡¯s empty cup. ¡°That was a tense fight. But you made the right call,¡± he pointed at the Alchemist. ¡°That weird elf never found us in time.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t advise we fight that Lodestar because it was prudent.¡± The Alchemist looked at the scene. ¡°Erlebnis has vast hoards of knowledge, true. But he also has¡­ more treasures.¡±


    ¡°Wait...¡± Anneliese stepped up to him. ¡°Where does thise from?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t lie. The spear does degrade as I use it,¡± the Alchemist said simply, looking down at Argrave. ¡°But if we had gone to another Annal, far from Mozzahr, and found its Lodestar¡­ it would have been simpler, and safer. I was not entirely truthful about that.¡±


    ¡°What the hell was that, then? A good bit of fun?¡± Mnie gestured at the site of their fight. Mozzahr had arrived close, now, and chaos was reigniting as the swarm of emissaries descended upon him in ce of them. ¡°Are you bloody mental?¡±


    ¡°After that fight, Mozzahr will know that we are Erlebnis¡¯ enemies, now, the same as he is,¡± the Alchemist continued. ¡°You im he¡¯s intelligent¡ªand if he is intelligent, he¡¯ll ask the emissaries where we are.¡± He looked at Argrave. ¡°They¡¯ll tell him. They won¡¯t ally, but they will tell him where we are, simply because they lose nothing by doing so.¡±


    Argrave stood there, mouth agape, and huffed in disbelief. ¡°Mnie¡¯s right¡ªare you bloody mental?¡±


    ¡°Erlebnis¡¯ vault of treasures isn¡¯t open as the Annals of the Universe are,¡± the Alchemist said. ¡°Only he, himself, can ess what¡¯s within. Alternatively¡­ someone roughly as powerful as him might break in.¡± His eyes wandered to where Mozzahr was likely waiting. As if in ominous prediction, the site was silent. ¡°I suggest we use Mozzahr to open Erlebnis¡¯ vault.¡±


    Wide-eyed, Argrave leaned up against the building¡¯s railing. His mind raced. Only one person had managed to steal something from Erlebnis¡¯ vault¡ªthat person was Oril Vr, the vampire that Argrave had sold down the river at the very beginning of his time here. By betraying him to Erlebnis, Argrave had earned the Blessing of Supersession, an invaluable power that had carried him through most of his life here.


    But Argrave knew there was much more there. Erlebnis didn¡¯t deal in knowledge alone¡ªoftentimes he needed wealth or items to entice people to give him what he wanted. The vault was built to entice. Erlebnis sometimes took the yer on tours there, showing them everything that was within to manipte their sense of greed.


    And damn if that greed wasn¡¯t ring, now.


    ¡°The things within that vault have been collected by a god over millennia of existence,¡± the Alchemist said. ¡°They are tools meant to sway kings, queens, emperors, and even gods. And nothing would please me more than to head within, and deprive Erlebnis of everything. Rob him blind.¡± The Alchemist¡¯s grip tightened around the white spear.


    ¡°Stealing his knowledge is one thing¡ªall of it exists within his mind, so he would truly lose nothing. But stealing his wealth? His actions on this ne would be hampered irreparably. Not all men and women bow before the lure of knowledge¡ªsome are swayed by material things, and he would lose that option for a long time.¡± The Alchemist gestured toward Argrave. ¡°You may keep it all. I ask only to borrow what I wish from it upon request.¡±


    ¡°Keep it. Yeah. All this is assuming we pull this off¡ªwhich I¡¯ve gotta say, sounds like a damned impossibility.¡± Argraveughed in disbelief. ¡°What if Erlebnis himself shows up? What if Mozzahr is a little bit too much of a bull for us matadors to wrangle?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s difficult¡­¡± the Alchemist nodded. ¡°But not impossible. I would assume most of the risk. Mozzahr wants this spear, as he¡¯s demonstrated. I am the ideal target. And with Mozzahr in eager pursuit, Erlebnis will target him before us. He is therger threat, and he¡¯ll tolerate no mortals in his realm beside ves. I doubt Mozzahr would be willing to broker a deal, either. He seemed upromising, judging by our exchange beforeing here. He¡¯s too proud for cooperation.¡±


    Argrave startedughing loudly. Everyone else was watching the streets in paranoia, but they were having a lucky break¡ªor perhaps the streets had thinned while converging on them, and now Mozzahr was dealing with the aftermath of that.


    Anneliese crossed her arms as Argrave giggled, staring at the Alchemist. ¡°This stems from something else beside greed, or hampering Erlebnis¡¯ activities on this mortal realm.¡± She walked closer. ¡°This is personal.¡±


    Argrave quieted, his humor dying when Anneliese spoke with certainty. The Alchemist offered no answer for a time, and everyone stared at him tensely.


    ¡°It isn¡¯t impersonal,¡± he said, voice low and gravelly. ¡°But pragmatic and personal aren¡¯t mutually exclusive. This is the right choice,¡± the Alchemist insisted. ¡°But it¡¯s still your choice.¡±


    ¡°Really? After that stunt you pulled, making us fight that Lodestar unnecessarily? You had all damned month to disclose this,¡± Durran said, waving his hands around.


    ¡°I agree. The deception was unwarranted,¡± Orion nodded. ¡°The Alchemist exposed us to the danger of Mozzahr by outing us as the enemy of Erlebnis. He¡¯ll be able to track us better, now.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s done is done. We¡¯re unharmed. Let me think for a moment,¡± Argrave raised his hand. ¡°Just¡­ let me think.¡±


    The heist was, reasonably, over. The Alchemist could use the Lodestar¡¯s power and discover the location of the knowledge they needed. Between [Worldstrider] and the spear, they had unprecedented mobility in this area. They could be in and out. Barring bad luck, it was a simple finish.


    But did Argrave take his profits¡­ or take a chance to financially ruin a god?

 Chapter 461: Learning Why Not to Learn

    Argrave crossed his arms. Frankly, he was leaning toward epting this offer. But he wasn¡¯t ignorant of the leverage and the opportunity he had, in more ways than material alone.


    ¡°If we do this¡­ I need to know exactly what your rtionship with Erlebnis is.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Not just that¡ªall of who you are. I don¡¯t even know your name. I need to know I can trust you absolutely, beyond the dictates of deals of convenience. I need to know you.¡±


    ¡°Even now we speak too long forfort,¡± the Alchemist said, his voice harsh and judgmental. ¡°Do you expect me to stand here speaking of my history spanning centuries?¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t need to say a word, and it won¡¯t take any longer than a few seconds,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°If this is personal, like Anneliese said, then there will be records of you somewhere here in these Annals,¡± he waved his hand around. ¡°Use the Lodestar¡¯s ability. Take me to these records. Let me learn.¡±


    The Alchemist¡¯s hand grew in size and mped down harder upon the spear. He took a few steps forward. ¡°You don¡¯t understand what you ask for. You can¡¯t conceive of it.¡±


    ¡°Awfully high opinion of yourself.¡± Argrave narrowed his eyes as the looming figure towered above him.


    ¡°Just¡­ agree,¡± the Alchemist insisted. ¡°I act in our best interests. We are bound by your union of the other gods.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s my condition,¡± Argrave shrugged. ¡°Take it or leave it.¡±


    The Alchemistshed out, kicking the railing that Argrave leaned up against. He stepped away in panic, before he realized that no harm was meant¡ªthe man was merely venting his frustrations.


    ¡°We really don¡¯t have all day,¡± Mnie reminded them urgently. ¡°Especially not if you¡¯re drawing attention like that.¡±


    ¡°Decide,¡± Argrave gestured toward him. ¡°I won¡¯t relent.¡±


    ¡°You must swear that you will see this heist through, no matter what you learn,¡± the Alchemist finally looked over.


    Argrave blinked. ¡°We¡¯re trapped together, so why would I¡ª¡±


    ¡°Swear it,¡± the Alchemist repeated.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    He swallowed uncertainly. ¡°Sure. I swear.¡±


    ¡°No. Swear it as Durran has,¡± the Alchemist gestured. ¡°Let me mark you.¡±


    Argrave greatly hesitated upon hearing that, but the more he thought on it, the more he was certain his brain and soul would be juiced regardless if he didn¡¯tplete the heist. So, he nodded.


    ¡°Fine. No matter what I learn about your past, I will continue working with you for the duration of this heist. That doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯ll rob Erlebnis¡¯ vault¡ªif I don¡¯t like what I learn, I retain the right to refuse. You may mark me with that in mind.¡±


    The Alchemist grew a hand from his chest. His armor of bone parted for his fingers as they grabbed at his skin. They gripped his flesh tightly, then tore a strip of skin off like parchment. He wrote something on it, then held it out before Argrave. The writing repeated what he had just said¡ªno matter what Argrave learns, he would work with the Alchemist even still, elsewise the Alchemist may liquify his brain and shatter his soul.


    ¡°Do you ept?¡± the Alchemist asked.


    Argrave nodded. ¡°Yes.¡±


    The parchment burnt away in a gray fire, the embers swirling through the air around Argrave¡¯s face. He felt them touch the back of his neck, and chills ran all down his body. He felt as though his flesh was being massaged, strangely enough, and when next he reached back he could feel the same spiral he had seen on Durran¡¯s neck.


    Everyone looked at him¡ªDurran with a measure of smug satisfaction, Anneliese with concern, Orion with unease, and Mnie with what looked to be respect, tempered by a heavy degree of uneasiness.


    ¡°We¡¯ve wasted enough time,¡± the Alchemist said, his voice quiet and subdued far more than it usually was. ¡°Once I use the Lodestar¡¯s ability, we will draw all opponents. And remember well that vow, lest you kill yourself, Argrave.¡±


    #####


    Mozzahr stood atop the dead body of the bronze golem, staring at its empty husk missing its head. All around, wisps of teal energy drifted¡ªremnants from his quick dispatch of all of the emissaries that came to attack. These things were never something that posed a genuine threat to him. All of his rampaging had been for the sole purpose of drawing Argrave out, and doing damage to Erlebnis¡¯ realm as much as possible.


    But now¡­ things were different. In this grand sea of life and existence, Mozzahr knew hardship was often opportunity in disguise. If one peered closely at a challenge, it might reveal itself as something with a hard shell with valuable innards. And looking upon this bronze golem, he saw the pearl within the oyster.


    The king named Argrave had talked taller than he stood¡ªno mean feat. Yet tall tales can often be true, and tall men can possess mettle to match. His talk of Gerechtigkeit, of robbing Erlebnis, of allying with the Ebon Cult¡­ there was bite to back that bark. As much was proved by the gaping wound in Mozzahr¡¯s chest, stitched together by his Emptiness and healed by his magic.


    He looked through me, Mozzahr reflected. When was thest time that anyone did that? He saw me not as a nemesis nor an ally, but as a tool.


    Upon thinking of it, he came to realize that the same was true from his end. But if Argrave had seen him as ss, Mozzahr had seen him as air. He had attempted to walk through the king with total disregard for his existence. And as consequence, he had stumbled after bumping into a solid obstacle.


    The king was not Erlebnis¡¯ pawn. Argrave and his mutant subordinate were just as much an unwanted presence here as he was. Mozzahr was brought away and dropped into thisnd as a loud distraction. In so doing, the king spared his army the wrath of the Ebon Cult at the height of its power and wrought a gue upon Erlebnis. He was nothing more than a barrel of oil ignited in this pce of knowledge.


    Despite realizing this, indignance was a luxury that Mozzahr could not spend his time on. Mozzahr had tried to walk through his foe, and so reeled away upon discovery he was more solid than he appeared. But one who stumbles needs not fall so long as they kept their wits about them and strive for bnce. Though it was difficult by nature, purchase could be found amidst crisis. And by nature, it was only in crisis that true exceptionality made itself known.


    King Argrave of Vasquer, his opponent in this battle, hade to this realm for a reason. Knowing that objective would enable Mozzahr to take an advantageous position. Whether high or low, physical or metaphysical, Mozzahr could only find it, seize it, and wring the advantage out of it. And when Argrave came to him, seeking his goal¡­ Mozzahr would not look past him again.


    Mozzahrpelled his Emptiness into the body of the fallen bronze golem, working his power through its body to probe its construction. In time, its lifeless limbs began to move, and as it stood Mozzahr leisurely walked up to its shoulders. Soon, the golem stood tall once more, its once-red eyes and joints now glowing with teal. It walked forth down the empty streets, and Mozzahr stood steady as it did.


    The knowledge that Argrave sought¡­ Mozzahr would learn it, absorb it, and destroy it. If he could pull it off, it would truly be a pearl pried from the hard shell of an oyster, for this knowledge wound benefit the Ebon Cult and its future immeasurably. But regardless of the value of the knowledge, Mozzahr would make certain the king would have only one route forward¡ªthrough him.


    And for the king¡¯s sake, his temperament had best change as much as Mozzahr¡¯s had.


    #####


    After being marked by the Alchemist, Argrave and hispanions were taken away to a distant part of the Annals, ferried away by spirits. Once there, the Alchemist exined some key details to them.


    ¡°Once I engage with the Lodestar¡¯s ability, all within the realm will be aware of our existence¡ªeven Erlebnis himself,¡± the Alchemist exined grimly. ¡°I will quickly take Argrave to the information that he seeks about me. From there, he will make his decision about our route.¡±


    ¡°All following?¡± Argrave pressed.


    Everyone slowly agreed in turn, though he could tell that this whole prospect was making them quite uneasy.


    ¡°How long do you think we¡¯ll have?¡± Durran asked. ¡°I mean¡­ Erlebnis is a god, right? And this is his realm.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s already aware we¡¯re here without a doubt,¡± the Alchemist summarized. ¡°But once I call upon the Lodestar¡¯s power, he¡¯ll pinpoint me exactly. From there, our time dependsrgely on Mozzahr¡¯s actions. It may be minutes. It may be hours. I cannot say.¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°Any more questions?¡±


    After none came, the Alchemist sprouted hands from his body. They all gripped the top of their heads, and though it had been eptable in times prior it was now quite rming. ¡°I shall begin. Be ready, Argrave, to delve into Erlebnis¡¯ records. Time is of the essence, and I¡¯ll not indulge you stumbling and babbling like an imbecile while opportunity slips away. Absorb the knowledge, and be ready to make your choice.¡±


    The red metallic liquid surged out of the Alchemist¡¯s being, rising up, up, and up, until it touched the writhing atmosphere above them. He saw the tendrils that connected dance, writhe, and surge, almost as though something was being transferred from the sky down to the Alchemist. His being surged with light, and his body bubbled as changes took him.


    ¡°There,¡± he said, his voice like cracking ice. ¡°I¡¯ve got it.¡±


    The Alchemist raised his hand, casting [Worldstrider] once more.


    The distance that they travelled was considerably more immense, and Argrave felt the oddity of spirit travel for a very long time. When his feet hit solid ground once again, there was already a book before his eyes.


    ¡°Take it,¡± the Alchemist said. ¡°And learn why you should not learn.¡±


    Argrave took the book, spurred by pressure, and flipped open the ugly brown binding. What waited within was a pool of Erlebnis¡¯ power. It surged out of the book, gripping his mind.


    And Argrave began to learn what, precisely, the Alchemist was. Or rather¡­ who.

 Chapter 462: Carrion Eaters

    When Argrave gained awareness of his surroundings once more, he stared at an old man behind a desk. The man wore a jet-ck suit, and had one leg crossed over the other. His eyes gleamed gold, and he had a sharp beard and slicked back gray hair that entuated his sharp and almost devilish features.


    ¡°I always knew we¡¯d be speaking someday,¡± said the Keeper of the Annals. ¡°The day that you were recorded within the Annals, I knew I¡¯d see you here. I thought it would be in a more servile manner, granted, yet here you are all the same.¡±


    Argrave tried to look, move, but both actions failed him. This man was the Keeper¡ªhe was the one who delivered knowledge onto the recipient in Erlebnis¡¯ Annals of the Universe. In this condition, Argrave was unable to move, speak, or do anything at all, because he wasn¡¯t physically here. Everything he saw was what he thought, and what he imagined.


    ¡°Sifting around in that head of yours was very entertaining,¡± the Keeper said, switching his crossed legs. ¡°A shame I can keep none of what¡¯s in there. But I¡¯m not here to talk. I¡¯m here to¡­ contextualize,¡± the old man held out his hands. ¡°Help you make sense of the records we have.¡±


    The Keeper rose to his feet, striding around the desk until he sat atop the desk just before Argrave in his strange captivity. ¡°Unfortunately, we aren¡¯t privy to the details of the birth of the man you know as the Alchemist. We know him as Raven. He tells no one about his past, and any who might know it are dead or¡­ indisposed. The information we possess leads us to believe we don¡¯t know about his birth because it was insignificant. Because he was insignificant. He rose above that, obviously.¡±


    The Keeper reached out of Argrave¡¯s view, and then grabbed something. He pulled a monitor on a metal arm down before them, and Argrave¡¯s metaphorical eyes jumped out of his metaphorical head. But then, the Keeper was in a ssic suit, clearly foreign to this realm¡ªperhaps a monitor was not so far-fetched, as both were figments of his imagination meant to process the information the book imparted.


    ¡°This thing¡ªso convenient,¡± the Keeper marveled. ¡°A shame I cannot keep your memory of this. But enough talk,¡± the old man looked at Argrave firmly. ¡°Enjoy the tale of the Smiling Raven¡­ or as he was known before his immortality, just Raven.¡±


    Just then, a ck raven dove out of the screen at Argrave¡¯s face. And thest thing he saw before his vision distorted was its beady gray eyes, closing in on his.


    #####


    ¡°Tell me more of this Smiling Raven,¡± a voice said¡ªArgrave felt as though it came from his mouth, but as his eyes finally managed to move, he spotted the Keeper.


    The Keeper unbuttoned his suit jacket and sat down upon a rock before Argrave, and time froze. ¡°Our first record of the Smiling Raven came from an emissary¡¯s scouting duty. He was speaking to an informant of ours¡ªan acolyte to the goddess Hause.¡± The old man reached into his suit pocket and pulled free a small ck remote. He pressed the y button, and the scene resumed.


    Argrave refocused on what was ahead. ¡°The Smiling Raven?¡± the contact repeated. Argrave could distinguish no details about this figure¡ªhe wasn¡¯t allowed ess to that knowledge, apparently. ¡°Hause gave him the name, but he sticks with just ¡®Raven.¡¯ No one knows much about him. Hause took him in during this cycle¡ªapparently, she went out of her way to retrieve him, to name him her champion. The whole thing was very hush-hush. That¡¯s not unusual.¡±


    ¡°And his disposition?¡± the emissary pressed.


    ¡°He likes the new powers that he has, but he¡¯s somewhat doubtful of the whole idea of faith,¡± the contact exined. ¡°There is one strange thing, though. Hause refuses to disclose why she took him in.¡±


    ¡°Refuses everyone?¡± the emissary tilted its head, and Argrave¡¯s vision shifted with it. ¡°Any idea why?¡±


    ¡°Not a clue,¡± the contact said. ¡°All I know is that her refusal annoys Raven most of all. He was a spellcaster before all of this, apparently. Fancies himself the knower of the unknown¡ªyou know the type. Might be you work with them often.¡±


    Argrave heard another click, and looked over to see the Keeper rising while pressing the pause button. He tossed the remote aside, buttoned his suit, and then snapped. The scene faded away, coalescing into the figure of a woman. She looked young¡ªa teenager, perhaps, though there was a mystic air about her. Her white skin was wless, and her blonde hair had the faintest highlights of auburn at its roots.


    ¡°This was the goddess Hause. Erlebnis took particr interest in all that went around near her, because her sphere was rather¡­pelling.¡± The Keeper stepped up to her side, arms crossed around his back. ¡°She governed potential. She was the closest thing to a seer among any of the gods, either now or then. She could see the innate potential of anyone sheid eyes upon. And she saw something in Raven. Well¡­ the Smiling Raven, as she named him, wanted to know what she saw,¡± the Keeper continued, stepping up to Argrave. ¡°He wanted to know what he was, just like you do now. I can tell you¡¯re already guessing where this leads.¡±


    The Keeper grinned brightly, showing his white teeth. A raven broke free of them, once again consuming Argrave¡¯s vision.


    #####


    Myriad visions flowed through Argrave¡¯s head as if he stared through a kaleidoscope. It all illustrated the vastplexity of Erlebnis¡¯ schemes¡ªthe lengths that he went through to investigate things, the wide of informants, witting and unwitting, that he cast in his pursuit of faint leads. It was deeply illuminating, and deeply terrifying.


    Erlebnis constantly scrutinized everything¡ªcities, towns, and the smallest of viges, looking for anything that was discarded or dropped. Beggars, hunters, administrators, nobles, and even kings¡­ he employed them directly or by proxy, wringing everyst bit of information out. Argrave realized that he would need to modify his Domain of Order in ckgard if he truly hoped to be rid of Erlebnis¡¯ influence. Even then, he saw all.


    In these myriad visions, he saw Erlebnis close in on Raven. Though indebted to Hause, he was still a man seeking answers he was not permitted to have. His desire to know more led him away from her side, for she offered no answers that were satisfactory. He followed subtle hints, leading questions, cleverly ced notes and clues¡­ it was like a trail of breadcrumbs, leading right into Erlebnis¡¯ arms.


    After a long time of delving through things long forgotten, the kaleidoscope faded away and one scene came to the forefront of Argrave¡¯s journey of the mind. He beheld the Alchemist¡ªthe Smiling Raven, or more simply Raven¡ªfor the first time in Erlebnis¡¯ long plot against Hause. And the man he saw was far removed from the image that Argrave possessed of him.


    ¡°I only seek answers,¡± Raven said. ¡°Is that so much to ask of her?¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Raven was tall, and had gray hair that came from gics rather than age. He dressed very well, sporting decadent finery, rings on his fingers, and jewelry dangling from his neck. Yet some aspects of the Alchemist that Argrave knew persisted. Even at this time, he still possessed mastery over his body. A cloak of raven feathers descended down from his neck, making him appearrger and more regal than he was. But of yet, that was the extent of his modification.


    ¡°Hause¡¯s given me much,¡± Raven continued. ¡°She has made my body mirror my self-image. That is a power beyond the realm of any magic I¡¯ve learned. I will fight Gerechtigkeit, as she wishes. But I need answers to do so.¡±


    Argrave felt one small ray of enlightenment¡ªthe Alchemist¡¯s body, his unique constitution, was a blessing vested in him by a god. His body mirrored his self-image, apparently. If that were true, it meant that Argrave saw the Alchemist as he saw himself¡ªa gargantuan noseless monstrosity with gray skin, gray eyes, and infinite adaptability.


    ¡°Seeking answers is the natural human path,¡± the emissary told Raven sagely. ¡°To deny you that is an answer within itself, however.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t try and turn me,¡± Raven shook his head. ¡°Whether in my magic order, the royal pce, or Hause¡¯s court, I know words and their use.¡±


    ¡°But words mean a little more to you now, don¡¯t they?¡± the emissary held its grotesque arms out, and Raven flinched in obvious disgust. ¡°With words alone, your self-image may shift.¡±


    As pieces fit into ce in Argrave¡¯s head, the scene froze. The Keeper stepped into view. ¡°You see it now. The Alchemist loathes conversation because his thoughts are his body. He has abandoned this Raven fellow you see, now. If he does not fully assume the identity of the Alchemist, he may shift away from that. He may, once again, be the fragile man you see here, Raven,¡± the Keeper waved back, then straightened his tie. ¡°Or¡­ he might once again be the Smiling Raven.¡±


    The Keeper vanished and the scene resumed, and Raven said, ¡°I¡¯m aware. Hause refuses to tell me why she picked me. And you im the reason she picked me is the reason why she will not tell me my potential. She believes that if I learn my prospects, my body will shift to match.¡±


    ¡°We do,¡± the emissary nodded.


    ¡°Have you proof?¡± Raven pressed. ¡°More than just ims, more to distinguish this from another machination of the god of knowledge?¡±


    ¡°The god of knowledge has only knowledge,¡± the emissary imed. ¡°And we have learned that Hause ensures all of her other servants know precisely where you are, and precisely how you die. She fears you will kill her.¡±


    Ravenughed. ¡°That¡¯s ludicrous. She took me under her wing.¡±


    ¡°And what better ce for her killer than beneath her?¡± the emissary stepped away, retrieving a case. ¡°But take not our word alone. We have thoroughly documented how, precisely, she prepares her own people to move against you. She has taken more measures against you than she has the other gods in this struggle against Gerechtigkeit.¡±


    Raven took the case¡­ and then the scene faded away.


    ######


    ¡°It took a long time to bring him around,¡± said the Keeper, standing in a space of ckness so absolute he seemed nothing more than a talking head with his suit. ¡°Raven was¡­ thorough. He vetted every single one of the people that he knew as his colleagues, and the goddess that he¡¯d taken as his master. Apparently, when they first met, Hause told Raven that she saw something in him. Well¡­ she did.¡± The Keeper¡¯s golden eyes gleamed. ¡°She saw potential. But she was very clearly not a seer, for she couldn¡¯t predict her suspicion bred suspicion.¡±


    The Keeper walked around Argrave, his voice echoing in his ears. ¡°Erlebnis coveted Hause¡¯s ability. Time and time again, the people she had chosen as champions changed the entirendscape of the mortal world. He tried to replicate her sess with many people¡ªOnychinusa was thetest of such examples. But Hause was a little more¡­ empathetic, shall we say, than Erlebnis was. Erlebnis always failed to imitate her consequently. And so¡­ he sought out a weak link in her court. He aimed to subvert rather than imitate.¡±


    ¡°The n was simple,¡± the Keeper said. ¡°Erlebnis wanted Hause as a ve¡ªthat was his intention from the start. But along the way, we learned why Hause feared the Smiling Raven so much as to prepare all her personnel to eliminate him.¡± The old man stepped closer through the void,ing to stand before Argrave. ¡°You¡¯ve already guessed the answer. I need not say it.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t her death she feared, no¡ªRaven possessed potential to do much more than that, Argrave thought.


    ¡°Precisely.¡± The Keeper nodded despite Argrave¡¯s silence, reading the depths of his mind. ¡°The Smiling Raven had the potential to be a force beyond mortality, godhood, and Gerechtigkeit himself. But what actually happened¡­ a tragedy, really. Something harsh enough to morph him into his present state. Inhuman. Contemptuous. Sociopathic. And woefully¡­ subdued.¡±


    The Keeper stepped away. ¡°You have seen Raven. He was still human when we spoke to him, at first. But as Erlebnis¡¯ words wormed their way into his head, and as the stresses of Hause¡¯s scrutiny wore away at him¡­ he embraced his role as the Smiling Raven. He actualized the potential that Hause saw, and grew into the name she bestowed upon him. And she had only herself to me.¡±


    The Keeper smiled broadly. ¡°You thought Mozzahr was frightening? Well¡­ let¡¯s continue.¡±


    Powerful winds seized the area, and the Keeper¡¯s slicked gray hair blew in the wind. He faced the gale, golden eyes gleaming powerfully. And on the horizon, at the edge of the infinite ckness, came a raven with a wingspan of a mile. It had a crest of gray feathers across its chest and along the edge of its wings. Itnded and spread these wings proudly, the gray feathers like the teeth in a smile.


    And within its eyes, Argrave saw the birth of the Smiling Raven.

 Chapter 463: Ravens Bauble

    ¡°What would you do if Anneliese had been coborating with Erlebnis the whole time, to entrap you?¡±


    Argrave recognized the Keeper¡¯s voice, but he saw nothing of the man himself. Still, left alone with his thoughts, that proposal stirred an unimaginable burden within. It was so utterly wounding that he could barely conceive of it. Of everyone, Anneliese was the sole person he would trust in any circumstance.


    ¡°Look at you¡­ so permeable,¡± the Keeper mused. He heard the steps of his dress shoes behind, but could not see the man himself. ¡°Well, Raven had an Anneliese of his own. Sonia.¡±


    A woman appeared in Argrave¡¯s sight. Deep ck hair, short, and with green eyes¡­ she reminded Argrave of Mina of Veden, somewhat. She had the same guarded yfulness about her.


    ¡°Sonia worked alongside Raven as the one to educate him of the teachings of Hause. In the end, it blossomed into something more than teacher and student. But she was loyal to Hause before their rtionship. Raven thought the opposite, but Erlebnis knew the truth. He kept it close at hand, waiting for the perfect time¡­¡±


    The Keeper stepped into view, stroking his finely trimmed gray beard. ¡°Erlebnis developed a gambit. Perhaps it would have seeded if not for the fickleness of others¡ªgods and humans both.¡± He stepped up to Argrave. ¡°But people are fickle, and the world is unpredictable. On the eve of when we intended to reveal Sonia was prepared tobat the Smiling Raven alongside all of the other members of Hause¡¯s court¡­ the goddess finally relented. She told Raven what his potential was. She revealed everything that she¡¯d been hiding, shattering our designs with a moment of weakness.¡±


    The Keeper sighed deeply. He pulled up a stool and sat down before Argrave. ¡°Had she remained stalwart, persisting in her refusal to divulge the information¡­ everything might have gone Erlebnis¡¯ way. Raven would have turned traitor, helped undermine Hause¡¯s court, and when the time is right¡­ Erlebnis and his emissaries would¡¯ve helped Raven find the answers he was looking for. As a side bonus, Hause would¡¯ve been enved. Instead, a single crack in the ss broke the whole window.¡±


    Argrave¡¯s head whirled somewhat. The Alchemist still had his blessing, ostensibly¡ªdidn¡¯t that mean Hause lived?


    ¡°You¡¯re rushing to the end of the story,¡± the Keeper scolded. ¡°Here. Watch,¡± hemanded with a snap.


    Argrave once again viewed the perspective of an emissary. Raven stood there, but he was far different. He was taller, paler, stronger, and more deadly. What had once been a cloak of raven was now the unsightly mass of hair that the Alchemist currently disyed, if less organized than it was in the present. As his mind was changing, his self-image¡­ so too was his appearance.


    ¡°Even¡­ Sonia?¡± Raven questioned, his voice starting to take on the harsher aspects of cracking ice that Argrave so fondly remembered. He wore no more rings, sported no more jewelry, and his clothes were ripped and stained.


    ¡°We¡¯re afraid so, Raven.¡±


    ¡°On the pier¡­ on the pier, she said¡­¡± Raven mumbled, looking up. His skin bubbled, and Argrave thought he might grow nauseous if he were in his true body. ¡°Hause is not a goddess of whimsy, of base torture. I have purpose. They¡­ care for me.¡±


    ¡°They do so at a distance, and with gloves on,¡± the emissary continued. ¡°You are a dog that they have tamed. A monster that they fear. An evil within their midst, that they handle with care only because there is no alternative.¡± It held its arms out. ¡°We cannot say what the nature of your potential is. But that secret denied¡ªcan you say they trust you, if they will not let you know yourself? They would tell you the truth if they cared for you more.¡±


    Ravenughed. His voice was a rough cackle, and it said far more than any words would have. Knowing what Argrave knew¡ªthat Hause had told Raven his potential¡ªmade the emissary¡¯s words take an ironic bent.


    ¡°Take some time. Think about it,¡± the emissary urged. ¡°And when we return¡­ perhaps we can aid in helping you find the truth.¡±


    The image faded to ck, and Argrave was once against cast into a dark oblivion. He heard the Keeper¡¯s voice, quiet as a whisper.


    ¡°By the time our informant told us that Hause had relented to Raven¡¯s pleas, we had already cast the die. Hause had told him the truth¡ªwhat that truth is, only he knows. But whatever it was, it changed Hause¡¯s actions in his mind from a suspicious tyrant to a concerned and benevolent mother. Perhaps he could have handled that knowledge on his own¡ªresisted his inner nature. But after Erlebnis had spun the tale, it only made Raven think he was a monster that needed to be watched and monitored, lest he do irrevocable damage. The Smiling Raven was actualized, in mind and body.¡±


    Argrave next saw a great shambling figure walking through the streets, his body twisting and writhing in impossible ways. He heard the Keeper¡¯s voice in his head.


    ¡°Potentiation,¡± the man exined. ¡°That is how we described the Smiling Raven¡¯s ability. His body isn¡¯t merely a vehicle for alchemy, for constant change. It¡¯s capable of potentiation. Endless potentiation, with life as fuel.¡±


    The emissary that Argrave viewed this scene through raised its hands, calling upon the Blessing of Supersession to rain down countless spells upon the Smiling Raven. There were hundreds of others alongside it. The Smiling Raven took the spells effortlessly, body morphing and twisting to cast spells in defense. When it came upon the group of emissaries, it relentlessly consumed them.


    It descended upon a city with brutish strength. Ravens of pure ck magic flew out of its body, seizing all living things with reckless abandon. Upon realizing defeat was inevitable, the emissary calmly ryed this information back to Erlebnis¡­ and epted absorption into the great mass of the Smiling Raven. Argrave¡¯sst perception was the intense pain of the emissary¡¯s death.


    ¡°That was the first we saw of his new form. We don¡¯t know what triggered it, what his goal was, or even if he was truly capable of thought in that state. But the Smiling Raven was capable of subsuming everything vaguely alive into its body. Mortals, divine servants, or even the gods themselves¡­ it didn¡¯t matter. He took them all. Potentiation¡ªto make more effective or more active. To intensify.¡±


    Argrave felt the wind at his cheek, and looked down upon a hugendmass from high in the sky. It was consumed by a swarm of ck ravens born of magic, swirling about the sky over a thousand dead cities. They hunted everything¡ªpeople, animals, even bugs, until nothing remained in this entire continent. He turned thendscape silent and still, consuming all in his wrathful journey.


    ¡°In the end, Erlebnis formed arge coalition with other gods to fight against the Smiling Raven. They fought hundreds of thousands of his magic-born summons. Some say that the fight against him was more intense than that against Gerechtigkeit. Erlebnis¡¯ theory is that Gerechtigkeit interfered in his plot to birth the Smiling Raven, thereby weakening everyone. Whatever the case¡­¡±


    They came upon the center of a metropolis. Sitting on the belltower was the Smiling Raven¡ªand now, its namesake meant sense. It now took the form of a fat raven, and it clutched a purple orb in its beak. It held this orb before its chest, where Raven¡¯s face smiled at it in total peace. The perspective that Argrave saw¡ªit was Erlebnis¡¯.


    An intense battle raged between Erlebnis and all of the gods he¡¯d called upon to aid him in this task. Much of it was obfuscated, for this book contained information about the Smiling Raven alone. Still, Argrave could tell the battle was a brutal thing, devastating the lifeless continent utterly. The power was of such scale that Argrave had difficultyprehending it. Whether days or minutes, the coalition of gods managed to put an end to the Smiling Raven¡ªthough not at small cost.


    Eighty-two gods joined this battle. Only seven left it alive.


    Argrave wanted to learn more about them, but the Keeper restrained his sight to the Smiling Raven alone. At the end of the battle, its gargantuan corpsey there battered and broken. Erlebnis subtly took away the purple orb that the Raven had been clutching. With the creature dead, and with no one left alive to tell its tale¡­ Erlebnis¡¯ blunder was lost in time. Perhaps not quite, however¡ªone bit of evidence remained¡­


    ¡°That orb¡­ perhaps you would analogize it best as a snow globe,¡± the Keeper said, stepping out before Argrave. ¡°Within, Hause and all of her court persist¡­ alive, frozen within. Raven¡¯s precious love Sonia lives on. The goddess that aided him remains alive. Whatever he did as the Smiling Raven, he protected Hause and all her servants in this small pocket of iprehensible magic. And this orb¡­¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Centuries passed before Argrave¡¯s eyes¡ªthe countless attempts that Erlebnis had made to breach the orb, to ess the goddess trapped within. None of it had even marked the globe. Their long rest was never disturbed.


    ¡°Erlebnis thought that the Smiling Raven¡¯s tale ended here,¡± the Keeper said, and Argrave once more saw him sitting behind the borate desk, suit and tie neatly creased. ¡°But he lives on as the Alchemist, it would seem. A new identity, to spare the world the dangers of his mind, and his potentiation.¡± The Keeper rose. ¡°I can see your questions. Where is this orb, containing Hause¡¯s very essence? Is it in the vault? Is the Alchemist in danger of bing the Smiling Raven again?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± the Keeper narrowed his golden eyes. ¡°Yes, Hause is in the vault. I¡¯m permitted to tell you that much¡ªit¡¯s all in this book, after all. She¡¯s a prisoner. As for all the other questions¡­ I think you¡¯ll need to answer them yourself. Our time together is nearly over.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± the Keeper stepped closer. ¡°I¡¯m in the vault, you know. And I do wonder if we¡¯ll meet. Survive both Mozzahr, and your friend Raven¡­ and we¡¯ll see, won¡¯t we? And maybe you¡¯ll learn what I am. Perhaps you¡¯ll understand why the Alchemist told you¡­ that you will learn why not to learn.¡±


    #####


    Argrave stared at the shut binding of the book, and then raised his gaze up to look at the Alchemist. He saw a man anew¡ªRaven. And maybe¡­ the Smiling Raven.


    ¡°Now you know,¡± said the Alchemist. His crackling voice had lost much of its fear factor in their long journey together¡­ but having seen what had had, he could think only of Raven on the verge of madness while the emissaries poisoned his mind.


    ¡°I know. But do you?¡± Argrave questioned, his whole body tense. ¡°Do you know all you¡¯ve done?¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± the Alchemist confirmed with a nod.


    Argrave¡¯s eyes shook, and he faintly acknowledged Annelieseing to his side in support. He swallowed, then pressed, ¡°What did Hause see in you?¡±


    ¡°She saw what you did,¡± the Alchemist tapped his white spear against the ground. ¡°Her blessing drew out that potential, unlocked my body. It wasn¡¯t¡­ inherently negative.¡±


    ¡°And that potential¡­ the Smiling¡ª¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t speak its name,¡± the Alchemist interrupted coldly. ¡°Never mention it, utter it, reference it. You know the consequences. You learned¡­ as I did.¡±


    He felt Anneliese grip his hand, keeping him steady, and Argrave mustered his next question. ¡°Did it die, all those millennia ago? Or does it still exist within you?¡± Argrave looked around. ¡°And¡­ do you intend to call upon it once again?¡±


    The Alchemist was silent for a few moments, and he turned his head up to the sky.


    ¡°Even if I tell you not to say it¡­ reality remains. I cannot escape that name. The Smiling Raven never dies,¡± he said simply.


    When Argrave looked upon that noseless face, gazing deep into those gray eyes¡­ he saw Raven within them, living on even now. And the insurmountable task before them had been contextualized, somewhat. This simple heist might not remain as just that.

 Chapter 464: Wealth of the Mind

    Mozzahr gazed upon a sleek ck structure, still on the shoulders of the Lodestar that he hadmandeered. This building that he saw was far removed from any others in these endless cities that Erlebnis named his Annals of the Universe. And that was because it was infinitely more important. It was the vault of the god of knowledge. The bronze golem stepped closer, and he brushed his hand against its surface. He felt nothing moving within, and yet he could sense an ancient and arcane seal all along its surface.


    It was powerful, the seal. It was arcane magic bolstered by spirits¡ªdivinity¡ªthat Mozzahr was well familiar with. But even still, it could be broken. It might take most hands hundreds of years, but he could break through this alone. Even still, he did note for this vault¡ªhe came for Argrave and his mutant subordinate.


    Did they lie? Mozzahr questioned. He thought the emissaries would be reasonable and point him in the direction that Argrave hade. They directed him here, to this building, and urged him to kill Argrave and hispanions. And yet¡­ nothing.


    ¡°You¡¯re here,¡± came a voice, and Mozzahr whipped his head around to search for it. ¡°Honestly, I was a little skeptical that my friend¡¯s n would work. But here you came, right where we wanted you to. All we had to do was get in ce and pray.¡±


    ¡°Argrave, I presume?¡± Mozzahr questioned. He was nearly certain that the voice wasing from the vault just ahead of him, and yet he saw no discernible source. ¡°Have you led me into a trap?¡±


    ¡°No trap. Erlebnis mighte, but he hasn¡¯t thus far. Maybe he has something else in store for us,¡± Argrave continued. ¡°Anyway¡­ this big, great mound of metal is Erlebnis¡¯ vault. I was wondering if you were still interested in taking me up on my offer¡ªhelping us rob this ce.¡±


    Mozzahr jumped down from the bronze golem, and it crumpled as his Emptiness left its body. He looked at where he was certain that the voice wasing from. ¡°To beat a dog, and then expect it to be faithful all the same¡­ you must think little of me.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re a dog. You¡¯re closer to a¡­ I don¡¯t know. A dog backward, maybe.¡±


    It took Mozzahr a moment, but heughed when he realized what Argrave was driving at. ¡°I am merely mortal, of yet. You reminded me. But given that you talk to me in this strange manner, out of sight¡­ I suspect you know to fear me.¡±


    ¡°Not so pleasant being on the receiving end of the curtain, is it? Still, you broke Mnie¡¯s fingers with a flick of the wrist,¡± Argrave said. ¡°In the end, I found out that one of my party members is even more dangerous than you, so I guess it doesn¡¯t matter all that much.¡±


    Mozzahr focused on the specific spot where he heard the voice, stepping very close to it. His fingers traced the ck metal, wandering it. ¡°Do you goad me even still?¡±


    ¡°We never really had the chance to talk much. You were always behind a curtain, or trying to kill us,¡± Argrave said simply. ¡°Wish I could see your face, but this much will do.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps I should remain silent, then,¡± Mozzahr continued, trying to prompt the king to keep speaking.


    As his fingers wandered, tracing subtle grooves in the metal¡­ he spotted an incongruity. A ce where the metal suddenly changed, grew different. The light, the shadow, the texture¡­ something about it was out of cepared all else around it. He recalled, then, that somehow their party could bend space. And this ce, this area¡­ it stood to reason that this might be a point where they had bent the surroundings to their whim, that their voice might travel without fear of repercussions.


    ¡°I¡¯d prefer you didn¡¯t. But we digress,¡± Argrave said. ¡°Can I convince you tell us more about Gerechtigkeit, what you know? There¡¯s so much to be gained. The both of us havee too far to let it all go to waste.¡±


    Mozzahr stepped back, gathering his power closely at hand. He mmed the spot he thought the distortion might be as hard as he could, and sent his Emptiness through the resulting breach. Then, like a great shockwave, he felt the vibration of his impact echo around the opposite side that Mozzahr stood on, and realized he¡¯d been right¡ªthis was a gap in space to another location. Now, he knew their location¡­ and hopefully, the st he¡¯d sent through had injured some of them.


    ¡°Well¡­ shit. You didn¡¯t break all the way through,¡± said Argrave. ¡°Good enough. I hope, at least.¡±


    Mozzahr braced and leapt to the top of the structure. He was there in an instant, and bounded across the top of it on all four limbs in eager pursuit of where he sensed that his fist had impacted. As he crossed, he felt another tremendous vibration¡ªweaker than his by far, but still formidable enough to draw pause. When he crossed to the other side of the vault, he looked down at the spot.


    The damage from his st was obvious. The paved streets of this section of the Annals were torn to shreds by a great st of his Emptiness, and the teal power still drifted in the air. He collected some of his power back within, then threw himself down to the spot they¡¯d been standing on. There was a huge hole in the arcane seal. One was clearly the result of his blow, but there was a second impact that broke past what little remained. He stepped up to the broken entrance, peering into an empty ckness within it.


    Mozzahr saw a gxy spreading out before his feet. It beckoned him in, inviting his presence¡­ and though he turned and looked back, he already knew that the people he sought had jumped within this thing. This lump of metal, this seal¡­ they¡¯d used him to break into it. He marveled at their cleverness once again.


    If they could enter this ce on their own, they would have, Mozzahr reasoned. That spear of theirs must not work within. And moreover, the arcane magic on this seal¡ªit prevents the use of spirits, and of most forms of divinity. It¡¯s a huge limiter to them, and to any other would-be invaders. But to me¡­ it¡¯s nothing. My Emptiness cannot be constrained.


    If he waited here, he might catch them leaving. At the same time, they¡¯d proven their resourcefulness, especially in terms of escaping. But within the vault, they wouldn¡¯t be able to use spirits, nor that white spear. Mozzahr considered everything¡­ but in the end, he thought his chances of hunting them down within were far superior to catching them at this exit.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    And Erlebnis might find them down there, Mozzahr reasoned. If he ims that spear, I¡¯m truly without options. But forget options¡ªthis is the vault of a god. And these people are here for a reason¡ªto rob it.


    With an excitement long forgotten, Mozzahr stepped within Erlebnis¡¯ vault, descending down below.


    #####


    Despite learning that the Alchemist had thergest kill count of perhaps anyone ever, he elected to go through with the foray into Erlebnis¡¯ vault.


    It was quite a difficult decision to make under the looming pressure that Erlebnis knew where they were. He didn¡¯t make it alone¡ªhe made certain that each of hispanions read the same book that he did, and gained the same knowledge that he did. It was unfair to them to allow his voice alone decide their fates.


    ¡°I mean¡­ he had to kill a whole continent to get to the point we saw him, in terms of power,¡± Durran reasoned.


    ¡°What if retrieving Hause¡­ awakens him again?¡± Mnie questioned anxiously.


    ¡°He had millennia to reinforce his identity as the Alchemist,¡± Anneliese counseled.


    ¡°I believe people can change,¡± Orion posited.


    And after a debate that was thorough¡ªbut still decidedly too short¡ªthey made their decision. Perhaps it was their imagination, but the Alchemist seemed genuinely surprised that they had elected to do this.


    ¡°Inside the vault¡­ shamanic magic lines every inch of it,¡± he told them. ¡°It¡¯s defensive magic, meant to ward from attacks by gods and spirits alike. Only our blessings and our mortal abilities will persist within there. Your connection with Elenore will likely fail. I cannot make use of this spear, and nor can I call upon [Worldstrider] to make a speedy retreat. And with our strategy¡­ Mozzahr will certainly be close behind. Erlebnis will undoubtedlye¡ªor worse yet, he will we waiting for us.¡±


    ¡°If you find something you like¡ªtake it, and use it,¡± Argrave instructed. ¡°The¡­ the Alchemist,¡± he said, hesitating a beat, ¡°¡­will be stealing a great deal of things. Think of him as our mule. We have our own packs, too, but we need mobility above all. Remember this.¡±


    ¡°How the hell are we going to get away? Do you remember how fast Mozzahr is?¡± Mnie questioned urgently.


    ¡°The vault is aplex ce, divided into half a thousand rooms and bridged by portals. In terms of ces we might avoid him, this is one of the few that would work. And if we¡¯re extremely lucky, he¡¯ll wait at the exit for us instead of pursuing. There, Erlebnis would likely catch him first. But if I know Mozzahr well, he¡¯ll hunt instead of wait.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll still be a mess,¡± Durran shook his head.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Anneliese agreed. ¡°But we are well used to messy situations.¡±


    #####


    Argrave descended down into Erlebnis¡¯ vault, hispanions alighting just behind him. His feet fell ever so gently into a soft purple carpet, and he looked around, taking in the sights.


    Gold. Gold, stacked as high as Argrave could see. Gold bars, coins, weapons, armor, furniture, ship models,nterns, jewelry, goblets, crowns, chests, carriages, silverware, and even fishing implements¡­ all of it gold enough to blind. It was divided into two stashes by the long purple carpet in the center of the room.


    But as the spirits within him shuddered, Argrave remembered where they were. ¡°Move!¡± he ordered, rushing down therge entryway to the swirling portal that looked like the entrance to a gxy ahead of them. This golden vault was the entrance to the broader vaults where they would finally begin their long piging of this ce for the things a god deemed valuable.


    Argrave was among the first to reach the portal, and he looked back to allow everyone time to catch up. And out of the corner of his eye, he saw Mozzahr¡¯s arrival. He stared at the descending figure swirling with teal power as hispanions barreled into the portal one after another. That the Casten of the Empty fell as fast as gravity would allow was the smallest mercy allowing them their freedom.


    Here¡­ their long struggle would begin. For Hause, and for the treasures of a god.

 Chapter 465: Crawling Through the Funhouse

    On the other side of the portal, Argrave¡¯s ears flooded with the sound of flowing water. An endless ocean of beautifully translucent water spread out before them, and they stood above it all. A geyser of water jetted upward beneath them, buoying the purple carpet beneath their feet and suspending them far above the endless clear ocean. As Argrave¡¯s feet met the fabric, it felt as though he was standing atop a waterbed. Ahead, above, and around, several other geysers of water branched from the central one. They spiraled iprehensibly, forming paths to portals. The purple carpet marked each geyser, as though informing them it was indeed a pathway.


    This was the Promenade of Wisdom, leading to all other wings of the vault. Argrave knew this ce well enough.


    ¡°The Living Wing is the only way we get through this,¡± Argrave pointed upward, where a red portal awaited at the end of a spiraling geyser. ¡°Do your thing, spread your wings!¡±


    The Alchemist sprouted giant bat-like wings from his back¡ªnot raven wings, fortunately¡ªand all gathered near him. Limbs sprouted once they drew near, wrapping around their waist and clenching tightly until they had no room to move. These sprouted hands rejoined with his flesh, securing them in a closed loop. His legs grew muscr and powerful to prepare for a jump, and when he leapt Argrave heard the howl of the wind passing by his ears.


    The Alchemist ascended as fast as he was able, using his wings to swerve through thebyrinthine geysers of waterprising the pathways to the other wings of the vault. Argrave stared at where they¡¯de in from, waiting the arrival of the Casten of the Empty with a dreadful knot in his stomach. The elven cult leader entered, looking around. Argrave hoped they might¡¯ve eluded him, but his hearing was sharp and he spotted them quickly. He braced and jumped upward in half a second, mming straight through various geysers in his single-minded pursuit.


    The Alchemist¡¯s feet turned into hands, and two mana ripples spread out in the air moments before a fell st of wind exploded out. It dually propelled their party forth with tremendous speed and met the unstoppable ascent of Mozzahr. The Casten broke past the S-rank spell, yet the distance between them grew all the same. Hended on a geyser, then prepared for another jump. Just as Argrave saw him jump again, speed redoubled¡­ the scene changed.


    The Alchemist passed into the first room of the Living Wing of Erlebnis¡¯ vault¡ªthe Pce of the Beasts. Where there had once been an endless ocean, a long corridor of nature spread out before them, contained by towering ck walls of the same metalprising the seal of the vault. There seemed to be no ceiling, and the ce was brilliantly illuminated by a star above, yet this room was contained all the same by the ck walls. And here, the beasts of myth abounded.


    Wyverns roamed the skies while unicorns ruled the grasnd ahead. In the distance, great jungles rose up into the sky where giant serpents and elemental smanders prowled the trees and ground both. He saw centaurs, even¡ªmanticores, ogres, giant vampire bats, werewolves, wargs, boarmen, monstrous mollusks, lightning harpies, trolls, animated trees, and every manner of rare beast that the mind could conjure. It was an emporium of living treasures. And just beside them, as Erlebnis¡¯ proudest exhibit¡­


    Dragons were lined up on the right and left like a royal procession. Chained, muzzled, and shackled by the ck metalprising most of this ce, they stood erect like gargoyles with bloodshot eyes of rage. As Argrave remembered, there were eight of various colors, to be chosen by the yer as reward deep into Erlebnis¡¯ questline.


    The Alchemist immediately flew to a red dragon¡¯s head, and though it strained in protest as they did, the chains kept it tightly bound. Hended there and released all of them, holding one hand to its head as everyone else stayed bound. He cast druidic magic, attempting to tame this dragon. Most grabbed its spine, preparing for the ride. Argrave, meanwhile, called upon his Domain of Law.


    ¡°In this domain, concentration is limitless,¡± he said quickly enough it sounded like babble, but the resulting rity of mind told him it worked. Then, he cast out twenty echoes from his body, and utilized a variation of a spell he¡¯d used all somonly¡ªnamely, [Tempest Eel], the wind-attributed version of [Electric Eel]. With an infusion of blood magic from his echoes, they rose up, and Argrave immediately set them to work at freeing the dragon of its chains.


    The blood-infused constructs of wind tore at the bindings, chipping through the ck metal and eventually breaking past it one by one. Though its wings were liberated, it stayed eerily still, fighting the Alchemist mentally in resistance against his druidic magic. As Raven seemed to master it, Mozzahr entered. He spotted them all too quickly despite the sheer chaos of the Pce of the Beasts, and Argrave¡¯s concentration wavered somewhat.


    ¡°Mnie,¡± Orion said. ¡°Can you make a portal near his legs, where you passed?¡±


    She looked bewildered, but nodded and obeyed. As soon as it was prepared Orion thrust his hand through, and Argrave saw Orion¡¯s fist m into the side of Mozzahr¡¯s knee. The Casten did stagger, but in one quick move a st of his Emptiness erupted from his hand in retaliation. Orion shouted in pain, drawing back his arm. Mnie was quick to close the portal¡­ yet even still, the prince lost all beneath his elbow.


    Durran grabbed the man as he wobbled from the shock of the blow, and helped him steady himself. The attack was not in vain, however. The dragon ripped free of the rest of the chains that Argrave had yet to hit, then started to run as it prepared to lift off. Everyone grabbed ces for purchase¡ªArgrave slipped his hand beneath its metal muzzle. Thinking quickly, he looked back at the other dragons, and sent his eels out to break their muzzles. Dragons were intelligent¡ªwith their mouths free, they could free themselves. For most, he merely cracked the metal¡­ but a crack was enough.


    The dragon gained tremendous speed, and Argrave was forced to get a firmer grip on its spine. As a mythical beast, a dragon was incredibly strong, even despite what might¡¯ve been centuries of imprisonment. It beat its giant wings and rose up into the sky, flying at the Alchemist¡¯s direction to a ce deeper within the vault.


    Argrave¡¯sst-ditch attempt to break free the other dragons proved to be immeasurably valuable. With their muzzles broken by his spells, they called upon their elemental breath to burn, freeze, or cut away their chains. The area they were in became chaos incarnate, Mozzahr caught in the middle. All of the powers of nature worked in rough tandem, and in seconds dragons burst free of their bindings, taking to the skies with chains trailing their flight. Argrave beheld the sight of nature¡¯s heights in awe, clinging tightly to their red dragon.


    As their mount levelled out, the Alchemist rose up, holding the spear upright. Its blinding white had be gray in this environment, subdued by the arcane enchantments of the walls. ¡°Spellcasterse. The beast knows its path. We must protect its flight.¡±


    Argrave, Anneliese, and Durran mbered to the Alchemist. He seized and gathered them, and then jumped up into the air. Durran yelled while Argrave grit his teeth, but theynded near the back of the dragon¡¯s broad back. He saw its massive tail flowing behind it as it soared, and saw grass, forest, and desert pass them by in this rapid traversal of the Pce of the Beasts.


    Then, back from where they hade, a bolt of teal power split through the air. Mozzahr¡¯s Emptiness moved so fast that Argrave conjured a ward of blood magic in pure panic. The Alchemist prepared a ward, too¡ªabout three of them, each and all S-rank. The bolt pierced through the dragon¡¯s tail like a cannon¡¯s shot, through the Alchemist¡¯s wards, and then impacted with Argrave¡¯s. It shattered even that, passing through and striking Argrave in the chest. Even diminished so greatly it felt like he¡¯d been hit with a sledgehammer, and as the dragon writhed in pain from the blow to its tail he felt his feet leave solid ground.


    Anneliese caught Argrave as he threatened to fly away, and then pulled him back. They both copsed back on the dragon as she tightly held onto its spine.


    ¡°React faster, Durran, Anneliese,¡± the Alchemist criticized. Argrave didn¡¯t know if he was being praised, but he epted it nheless. He felt his enchanted breastte, feeling the huge dent in its surface.


    As Argrave and Anneliese recovered, more teal bolts of Emptiness passed by. They were utterly unrelenting, but the dragon¡¯s erratic movementsbined with the distance ensured very few hit their mark. The sheer quantity of the attacks made them a threat, however, and they couldn¡¯t protect all of the dragon. Some blows inevitablynded, and the flight was unsteady and faltering. Perhaps the only reason Mozzahr had not caught up to them was the utter pandemonium they¡¯d caused by releasing all the dragons. All the beasts of myth were in a frenzy.


    After what felt like an eternity, the Alchemist turned around. ¡°Our flight is over.¡±


    Argrave was ted and looked back, but what he saw did not indicate that they¡¯d reached their destination¡ªrather, they¡¯d found an obstacle that could not be ovee.


    A titan blocked their path far ahead. Humanoid in appearance and standing thousands of feet tall, his hand alone was near the size of their dragon. The only thing he wore was a ck leather mask and a crown. He looked like the King of Gimps, but he was truly the King of Beasts¡ªthe keeper of this ce, and the tender of all the animals. As Erlebnis¡¯ servant, this titan kept everything here alive and secured. And now he ran toward them in a frenzy, his steps shaking the earth.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    The Alchemist seized the three of them and then ran back along the dragon¡¯s back until he once again stood at its head. Here, Orion and Mnie waited, tired and panicked but alive. Orion¡¯s arm had yet to reconstitute, but he seemed focused all the same.


    ¡°Come,¡± the Alchemistmanded. ¡°I will take us down. We go the rest of the way on foot.¡±


    The Alchemist embraced all of them again, watching the titan as it came upon them. It raised a hand and swiped down, and Argrave briefly questioned if the Alchemist had misjudged the distance¡­ but they jumped away just in time, and the King of Beasts grabbed the dragon as though it was a small bird. Along the way the Alchemist cast illusion magic, disguising them all from the titan¡¯s vision. They fell to the ground, the Alchemist pping his wings to slow their descent, and then alighted gracefully amidst a swamp. All of the animals seemed ignorant of their presence.


    ¡°Should be a clean break to the gateway of the Living Wing,¡± Argrave said. ¡°Once there, we can break off into the other sections of the vault. Ideally, we¡¯ll lose Mozzahr.¡±


    ¡°Remain still,¡± the Alchemist directed. His body started to shift¡ªhis legs ttened, his torso and wings retracted within, and before long all of them sat aback a grotesque spider with a human torso. He brandished the dimmed spear, pointing it to their destination. ¡°We move. We have the advantage, for now, and we must not lose it.¡±


    #####


    After a quiet and rapid ride, they cut through the remainder of the Pce of the Beasts under the guise of the Alchemist¡¯s illusion and on the back of his spider-like form. They finally made it to a grandiose construction of the ck metal barring spirits from working in this area. It looked like a ziggurat, and the Alchemist crept up to enter its inner sanctum. This ce, at least, was unguarded. It was a simple square room with three portals on the sides that weren¡¯t the entrance.


    They were all freed of the Alchemist¡¯s helpful, if unnerving, binding, and walked around. Argrave dared a nce outside. He saw the King of Beasts in the distance. As he watched, a great bolt of teal energy pierced its shoulder. It dodged another, but Mozzahr was unrelenting inbatting it. The freed dragons roamed even still, setting fire to thend. All of the other beasts fought desperately to stay alive, or enact vengeance.


    Erlebnis¡¯ precious emporium of beasts was ruined, but more remained of the vaults. They could continue deeper into the Living Wing. The next section was the Gardens of Time, where the rarest alchemical nts imaginable persisted¡ªeven those thought extinct. Argrave didn¡¯t intend to enter the gardens unless forced to, but if they did, he could pick up nts that could brew a poison potent enough to seriously debilitate Mozzahr. But even if Argrave brewed it, they¡¯d need to pierce his flesh, somehow.


    No-- they were better served heading into the other wings of the vault. He knew these earlier vaults from visiting them in Heroes of Berendar, andte game artifacts abounded there.


    Argrave rejoined hispanions. Orion was still injured, missing most beyond his wrist. Everyone else was exhausted¡ªArgrave himself had been spending blood echoes like he had an infinite number, and already his supply had diminished a great deal. Only the Alchemist seemed unperturbed.


    ¡°Come. Into the Magic Wing of the vault,¡± he directed them. ¡°There, we will find objects we might use to better defend ourselves. We must assume we are still hunted.¡±


    ¡°Where is Hause?¡± Argrave questioned.


    The Alchemist looked at him. ¡°I do not know. But her presence¡­ I have no doubt I will know it.¡±


    Argrave nodded, supposing that was the best he could ask for. ¡°Come on, everyone.¡±


    They jogged to the next portal¡ªa dark blue mass¡ªand entered inside without hesitation. An endless ne of ckness awaited them. Argrave confidently stepped ahead of everyone else, even as they looked about in confusion. Argrave conjured mes, and cast them at the ground. A pleasant chiming echoed, then revealed a decadent room arranged like a museum, with invaluable pieces lining every bit of it.


    ¡°Each section is hidden and locked unless the proper element of spell is cast,¡± Argrave exined. ¡°Come on. We¡¯ll run through this ce, breaking what we don¡¯t need and taking what we do.¡±


    ¡°Where haven¡¯t you been?¡± Durran questioned, half bitterly.


    ¡°I know one more room beyond this one. After that¡­ it¡¯s all foreign to me. And I suspect that¡¯s where Hause will be.¡±


    ¡°We need things to defend ourselves with,¡± the Alchemist reminded them, stepping within. ¡°Hurry.¡±

 Chapter 466: Rent Free

    Mozzahr walked through one of the portals at the end of the gateway. The king had used this vault like he knew it well, leading him about by the nose with dragons and titans acting as his obstacles. It led him to doubt if the king was truly an intruder in this ce. On the other hand, the lives of the animals lost in that bizarrepound were no mere trivialities. They¡¯d likely been collected over millennia, as thest time Mozzahr had seen record of many was in the times before the dwarves had gone deeper underground and abandoned all thoseprising the Ebon Cult of today.


    Beyond, he saw a vast museum spread out before him, and began to finally understand why this ce was a vault. But when he looked to see what the disys held, he saw they¡¯d been broken and raided already. He knew, then, that he was hot on the trail. But he needn¡¯t deduce that by circumstantial evidence. Instead, he saw the golden-armored knight standing there. The impotent red-haired woman stood near him, practically sheltering in his shadow.


    ¡°I¡¯m here to break your tide,¡± the knight dered.


    Mozzahr looked at the injury he¡¯d caused to the man. There was a skull-wrought shield strapped to his arm, hiding the injury.


    ¡°Did your king leave you two to die?¡± Mozzahr questioned, stepping forward. He intended to cut off this man¡¯s legs, then interrogate him thoroughly.


    ¡°No.¡± Despite facing Mozzahr alone, the knight¡¯s voice was unwavering. ¡°I told His Majesty I would break your tide. He told me toe ashore if the tide was too strong¡ªan order I intend on heeding.¡±


    Mozzahrughed. ¡°Such a quaint way of speaking. Ashore. So¡­ he¡¯s nearby, then.¡±


    ¡°Not your concern. I am Prince Orion. Face me,¡± he stepped forward, forcing the red-haired woman to follow in fear. She had a new sword. It looked to be an executioner¡¯s sword, made of ck carapace andcking a sharp point.


    Mozzahr had no patience for talk, and so he merely called upon his Emptiness. He cast a simple spell¡ª[Wind Spear]¡ªand imbued it with his power. It shot forth with speed that could be likened to the divine. The red-headed woman created a portal, but Mozzahr had been expecting this trick again. He located where she¡¯d directed it, then side-stepped his own attack. He saw the opening shrink and close, but he stepped through before it could. Once on the other side, he knew by instinct where his foes were. He gathered power in his fist and then punched.


    His fist hit something hard, and Mozzahr thought this might be the end of them. Instead, Prince Orion stood there, feet braced firmly. He held the skull-faced shield up, then put tremendous power behind and pushed Mozzahr back a few feet. It took all of his effort¡­ but he had seeded. Mozzahr shook his hand, feeling some soreness after that punch.


    ¡°His Majesty is not foolish,¡± Orion said. ¡°Nor would he demand others die for him. Mnie,¡± hemanded the one with him.


    The red-haired woman swung her de, creating a portal. Her moves were faster, stronger¡ªthe de must¡¯ve been empowering her, and she made yet another portal through space. He felt a slight pain at his back. It felt like nothing more than a thin stick striking him, but even still, she moved fast enough that Mozzahr could not again retaliate.


    Mozzahr put some distance between himself and his opponents, realizing that the things within this vault might¡¯ve been empowering them enough to pose something of a threat. He used no magic, merely calling dozens of tendrils of his Emptiness to strike them from a distance.


    In response, Mnie created arge portal, and the two of them fled into it quickly. His power chased them through it, and he heard a great rumble as it struck something elsewhere. Mozzahr¡¯s head jerked to the spot, and he proceeded toward where he¡¯d heard it hit cautiously. Expecting a trap, he watched the surroundings closely, and when he spotted a weapon that Argrave¡¯s party had not stolen, seized it. It was a sword made of bone, and looked to be a set piece with Orion¡¯s shield. He felt its power surging through him. They intended to use these powerful artifacts against him¡­ but he could do the same.


    ¡°A weapon, imagine that,¡± Mozzahr heard a voice, and looked around in confusion. It wasn¡¯t familiar to him. ¡°Swords were invented to cure the weakness of the fist. You¡¯re learning,¡± he praised sarcastically.


    As it spoke further, he realized the voice came from within. ¡°Who speaks?¡± Mozzahr demanded. ¡°Make yourself known.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°No need for purging,¡± the voice continued. ¡°I am Erlebnis¡¯ Keeper. If you¡¯d read any of those books in the Annals, we might¡¯ve met face-to-face¡­ but here in this vault, I can make myself known as you wish.¡±


    Mozzahr prepared to run his Emptiness through his mind and purge the foreign presence, but its next words brought him pause.


    ¡°I can help you follow them.¡±


    Even as Mozzahr listened he thought this ¡®Keeper¡¯ was distracting from that goal. ¡°How? Why?¡± Mozzahr asked simply.


    ¡°How? My eyes are a little bit¡­ everywhere. I am Erlebnis¡¯ Keeper¡ªdidn¡¯t I mention that?¡± he said smoothly. ¡°Argrave picked up on the principle of weaponry over brute strength a little quicker than you. That shield you knocked with your knuckles... these weapons were crafted by gods, using their own flesh and blood to imbue them with unimaginable power. With them, they can escape you. Orion handled a blow from you¡ªnot your strongest, perhaps, but can you say your strongest would break that shield? And you must wonder why that pretty girl swings her de when her attacks do nothing. I can tell you why. Every time it hits a foe, the point on its tip grows sharper. At its pinnacle, she can unleash a devastating stab powerful enough to pierce even your flesh.¡±


    Mozzahr listened carefully, letting the Keeper speak. He could not notice it interfering with his thought process through some magic, and so allowed the being to continue.


    ¡°As for why I¡¯d help¡­ as a Keeper, I dislike being kept. And as I said, I am Erlebnis¡¯. All I ask is for freedom. In return, I can help you spot and adapt to any traps they¡¯ll set, and illuminate any ces they¡¯ll flee.¡±


    ¡°Freedom?¡± Mozzahr repeated.


    ¡°Indeed. A very beautiful word to a rat in a cage. Erlebnis often experiments on rats, but I find myself the unlucky one, who remains unprodded and unpoked,¡± the Keeper said. ¡°Speaking of him, he¡¯s not typically this absent. He¡¯s a businessman, through and through, and that business recently concluded. The owner of this vault ising back, meaning you¡¯re rather like that sword¡ªboned. Unless, of course, you promise to help me. I scratch your back, help you kill a few people¡­ then, you can free me. Have we a deal?¡±


    ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll free you,¡± Mozzahr promised. Words were cheap, he knew, and time was wasting.


    ¡°Very good,¡± the Keeper said in a purr.


    ¡°No babbling. Talk,¡± Mozzahr prompted him.


    ¡°As you wish,¡± the Keeper conceded. ¡°They seek a¡­ cellmate, shall we say, of mine. Her name is Hause. I intend to help both you and them, leading the two of you straight to her. From there, you two can¡­ work things out. Whatever oue, I¡¯ll be free.¡±


    Mozzahr felt a swelling inside his chest. He was near certain he¡¯d finally found something that might even the ying field between him and Argrave. Once, he¡¯d thought he¡¯d had the upper hand¡­ but it seemed that had never been the case. He was looking forward to an even fight.


    ¡°Lead me to them now,¡± Mozzahr insisted. ¡°Or I will renege. An invader of the mind cannot be trusted.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m no mind invader. Your thoughts remain your own, elsewise you¡¯d not need to say a word aloud¡­ but fine. Listen closely¡ªthey¡¯re moving quickly, heading east at present¡­¡±


    #####


    ¡°Mozzahr is heading west at present, hot on the heels of Orion and the lovely Mnie,¡± said the Keeper. ¡°Is that enough to earn your trust, Argrave?¡±


    ¡°Of course not,¡± Argrave said, looking upon a ck cloak. ¡°You¡¯re Erlebnis¡¯ servant. Nothing you ever say could convince me to trust you.¡±


    ¡°Come on,¡± insisted the Keeper. ¡°ves are more inclined to rebellion than servants. You sit in the heart of Erlebnis¡¯ power, and I¡¯ve just led you to a deadly weapon. Is that not indicative of my nature?¡±


    Argrave grabbed the Inerrant Cloak and pulled it free of the mount it hung from. It was true¡ªhe had been looking for this cloak more than any other item in this vault. Argrave had the shamanic spell [Bulwark] for defense. It was one of the imperial spells written by Emperor Balzat, and it used spirits to provide its caster an absolute defense. The Inerrant Cloak, byparison, ate away at its users magic to provide an absolute defense. And above all, it worked with the Blessing of Supersession.


    This cloak was an undeniable weakness that might give them an edge against Erlebnis. If they drained the gods¡¯ power by using the Blessing of Supersession and then raining blows down upon this cloak¡­ to say the least, it did give them a considerable advantage. And it covered one of Argrave¡¯s primary weaknesses¡ªdefense.


    ¡°Ah¡­ the Inerrant Cloak. Quite the item you¡¯ve got your hands on,¡± the Keeper continued. ¡°And now that you do, I¡¯lly it out to you and all your friends rather inly. I know where Hause is. We¡¯re bunkmates, as it happens. I have the bottom bunk, but fortunately, she¡¯s rather quiet. Hard to be loud, trapped in a raven¡¯s bauble.¡±


    Argraveughed. ¡°Now I know you¡¯re trying to bait us.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m joking around. Can¡¯t you simply realize I mean you no harm?¡± The Keeper asked in frustration.


    ¡°You exist within this realm, obeying Erlebnis¡¯ directives,¡± Argrave outlined inly. ¡°And within that book, all I heard you talking about was ¡®we, we, and we,¡¯ like you were proud. You¡¯re Erlebnis¡¯ servant, in and simple. I don¡¯t fancy repeating the Bloodwoods.¡±


    Silence followed, and Argrave prepared to get moving. He thought he might finally be free of the voice in his head, but then it came again.


    ¡°Since trust is off the table, I¡¯ll use the stick,¡± the Keeper said. ¡°I imagine you¡¯ve been curious why Erlebnis hasn¡¯t reared his head. The fact is, he¡¯s been distracted with something elsewhere¡ªa distraction that he managed to disentangle himself from after considerable effort. But he¡¯s heard his dogs barking, and knows there¡¯s an intruder in the home. If he turns you into mincemeat, I¡¯m afraid this is our grave, Argrave. And if you believe I bluff¡­ your friend, Raven, absorbed the power of a Lodestar. Let him check thework, deduce for himself. Erlebnis ising.


    ¡°Concurrently¡­ Mozzahr has discovered the power of weaponry, and retrieves what few tools you missed. They¡¯re rtively worthless, most of them, but they¡¯re enough to make a monster a little more monstrous. If I whisper a few words in his ears¡­ artifacts won¡¯t save you. Orion and Mnie can get away from Mozzahr¡¯s clutches, true enough¡­ they¡¯re fast. But none of you can escape my watch,¡± his voice suddenly shifted into a low, spitting growl. ¡°I am the Keeper, whether here or in the Annals.¡±


    Argrave looked at everyone slowly gathering around Argrave as the Keeper¡¯s true face made itself known. It was clear they all heard this voice, too.


    ¡°The way I see it, you have two options. You can fumble around and hope to get lucky. Or, you can make Mozzahr my sole confidant. I think you understand the implications of that. So, I¡¯d advise you keep your brain open, elsewise Raven¡¯s precious Hause might be lost forever. I¡¯m not opposed to using any means I have to escape my imprisonment, including tearing your ns asunder.¡±


    ¡°See? Was that so hard, threatening me tantly?¡± Argrave asked bitterly.


    ¡°I can be a big boon to you. If I was the loyal servant you imagined, I would never have allowed you to find the Inerrant Cloak. It¡¯s a tremendous danger to Erlebnis in your hands. But if you won¡¯t let me be a boon¡­ well, let me just say that this is the closest freedom has been since I was enved. And misery likespany.¡±

 Chapter 467: Tired Old Trick

    ¡°Where have I experienced a method of persuasion like this before?¡± Argrave said, rolling his shoulders. ¡°ying nice, with the pretext of total destruction? It¡¯s a familiar street we¡¯re walking. And you probably should have record in those Annals telling you that it didn¡¯t work on mest time.¡±


    ¡°So, shall I tell Mozzahr all you¡¯ve taken and what it does?¡± the Keeper pushed. ¡°Conspire against you more actively?¡±


    ¡°Do it,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°You already got me what I wanted, and I¡¯ve been running around long enough. But you won¡¯t, will you? Because you want to control things from the background, as Erlebnis¡¯ good little servant. You want us to head deeper in, limit our options, force us to fight¡­ and have your master sweep things up.¡±


    Orion and Mnie entered into view, and Argrave walked toward them, pulling the Inerrant Cloak tighter over his shoulders.


    ¡°What you said, about being enved¡­ it sounds usible enough to bear merit, but it¡¯s not quite possible enough to bear weight,¡± Argrave continued.


    ¡°My thoughts exactly. Would Erlebnis allow a being with ill intent to control all of his operations, even his vault?¡± Anneliese contributed, walking up beside Argrave. ¡°And even supposing you were kept near Hause¡­ you spoke with such certainty that you¡¯d be freed. But how are you sure? Antagonizing us cannot see thate to fruition. No¡ªthese are the textbook tactics of Erlebnis. And I know better than to go along with them.¡±


    The Keeper¡¯s silence was answer in itself, but he quickly bubbled up again, ¡°But Erlebnis¡ª¡±


    ¡°He ising,¡± confirmed the Alchemist. ¡°So you stall for his arrival, pitting us against each other.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve collected all we can,¡± Argrave continued, watching Orion and Mnie run ever closer. ¡°Now, it¡¯s time for the final resistance. You can search without us, I trust?¡± He looked up at the Alchemist.


    ¡°I can,¡± confirmed the Alchemist. ¡°And far faster, too.¡±


    ¡°Give me our weapons, and go,¡± Argrave said. ¡°You¡¯ll find us here.¡±


    The Alchemist¡¯s body shifted, and he drew out several artifacts, emerging from his body like frosting from a tube. He stabbed them to the ground one by one, then handed the final to Argrave¡ªa familiar quarterstaff, the Resonant Pir. It had two rings on each end, and looked to be made of jade.


    ¡°Never fought someone hand-to-hand before,¡± he mused, hefting the rod in his hand. It felt as heavy as lead, but as it empowered him, it felt like bamboo. He gave a nod to the Alchemist.


    ¡°Your trust won¡¯t be misced,¡± he told them. ¡°I shall return with¡­ with old allies. Hold out until then.¡± With that, he was gone, twisting into a horrifying form and surging down the hall. He was empowered by the countless artifacts that he¡¯d acquired, just as they were. And if anyone could find Hause quickly enough, it was the Alchemist.


    ¡°You will die,¡± assured the Keeper.


    ¡°We¡¯ll see,¡± Argrave stepped ahead, looking back at the spear. ¡°It¡¯s one versus five¡­ and you gave me the key to invincibility to earn some trust. You must be feeling rather dumb, now.¡±


    Orion and Mnie ran past Argrave,ing to a running stop. They looked back at him in confusion, but he looked ahead, waiting for Mozzahr. The Casten of the Empty burst into view, his feet skidding as he slowed his speed to make the turn. When he saw Argrave, he calmly straightened.


    ¡°I see. It seems you¡¯ve seen through us once again, Argrave,¡± said the Keeper calmly, any emotional inflection in his voice now gone. ¡°But forget not where you are. My twin ising¡­ and he is more unlimited than I am. I am bound in books and vaults, but he is that which binds.¡±


    ¡°Twin?¡± repeated Argrave.


    ¡°You¡¯ve forfeited the right to my answers,¡± the Keeper said dryly. ¡°Now¡­ I¡¯ll not distract either of you. It would not do for either side to have a decisive victory.¡±


    Argrave did his best to dismiss the words, but they lingered in his head. He looked back, focusing on his duty as the leader. ¡°Orion¡ªpick up that hammer. You¡¯re with me. Mnie¡ªsupport and protect Anneliese and Durran, and try to get that Eighth de of yours ready for the thrusting attack. Cut at me if you must. You two magic users¡ªlook for openings, cast strategically. Presume I¡¯m invulnerable, because I will be. Those artifacts make your magic much stronger than it normally is. We¡¯re all the strongest we¡¯ve ever been, empowered by weapons made by gods. This is our chance.¡±


    Argrave walked calmly ahead, and Orion moved quickly to catch up. He twirled the now-light Resonant Pir in his hand. It chimed pleasantly, casting off dancing lights. Once a certain distance away, he stopped, setting the Resonant Pir down.


    ¡°Are you sure this is prudent? Even with this cloak you mentioned¡­¡± Orion questioned, sizing up the war hammer he¡¯d been given. It looked to be a tooth fastened by metal, and yet exuded power all the same. ¡°We might be better off distract¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be relying on you, Orion,¡± Argrave said. ¡°Keep everyone else safe. Don¡¯t let this bastard slip by.¡±


    He saw Orion¡¯s seriousness beyond his golden helmet, and the prince nodded. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. The queen, our brother-inw, and Mnie¡­ they will never die on my watch.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Argrave stepped ahead, staring at Mozzahr at the other end of the long corridor. He dered with a steady voice, ¡°In this domain, Erlebnis¡¯ Blessing of Supersessionsts as long as my will.¡±


    He felt the golden light spread out around him as the Domain of Law took effect. He didn¡¯t know how much of an effect it would have¡ªthe Domain of Law could only ever be as strong as his will¡­ but certainly, he¡¯d need every edge he could get against Mozzahr. He spread out his blood echoes, having them perform the simple and repetitive task of conjuring [Electric Eels] imbued with blood magic. In retaliation, Mozzahr sent forth a spell, enhancing it with his Emptiness. As it approached at breakneck speeds, Argrave held out the Resonant Pir, and triggered the Blessing of Supersession.


    The ocean of power that Argrave hadst used so long ago welled into his being. When Mozzahr¡¯s bolt of Emptiness struck, he felt the Inerrant Cloak draw out that power in unimaginable quantities to suppress the damage it might¡¯ve caused. It used Erlebnis¡¯ magic to defend¡ªmeaning, getting hit was the best thing Argrave could do.


    The Resonant Pir¡¯s chime rose to a deafening bell, and when the Emptiness faded, Mozzahr leapt through the corridor like a feral beast. The cult leader hefted a divine sword of bone in his right hand. It seemed he recognized the Blessing of Supersession from his battles with the emissaries, and knew he needed to kill the caster quickly lest they begin a painful barrage. But then, that was ying into Argrave¡¯s hand.


    When the cult leader came near, Argrave shifted his grip on the Resonant Pir, swinging the opposite end like a bat. Mozzahr held out his left hand to catch it midflight. When it touched his palm, the reason why it was called Resonant made itself clear. The power it had received returned through the opposite end, and Argrave swatted Mozzahr¡¯s hand aside. Its edge struck his cheek with all the power he¡¯d intended for Argrave.


    Mozzahr flew off to the side like a baseball hit foul, yet he stopped himself from mming ungracefully into the wall using one hand. Hended on the ground, where Orion promptly charged and mmed the hammer down upon him. The casten moved quick and received it with the sword of bone. A deafening noise erupted as the two divine weapons met. Orion kicked him in the face, but it was like kicking a rock¡ªMozzahr only shifted like a child had pushed him. He gathered Emptiness in his palm for a st of power, and Orion stepped back with his shield raised.


    Mozzahr thrust forth his power like a knife. Argrave, though, calmly stepped into its line of fire. The Emptiness mmed into him with all of the ferocity of an exploding star, and raw power surged out of the Blessing of Supersession as the Inerrant Cloak used its power to defend him. Surprise shed through Mozzahr¡¯s elven features at his attack¡¯s impotence. Enough residual Emptiness had struck the Resonant Pir, and so he once again tried to bash Mozzahr. The monstrous man caught the blow with his forearm, though from the wince Argrave could tell it still hurt.


    Argrave saw a portal, and witnessed Mnie hack into the casten¡¯s calf. The ck de cut his purple robe, but seemed to do little more. Ignoring this, Mozzahr thrust the divine sword of bone into Argrave¡¯s stomach. Once again the Inerrant Cloak defended him. The casten grew yet more confused and shocked, yet Argrave calmly called upon his blood-infused [Electric Eels] to punish him. Mozzahr leapt away, but he wasn¡¯t faster than lightning¡ªabout twenty eels struck him squarely on the chest, and hended ungracefully in a painful-looking roll before gathering himself, head twitching from linger electricity.


    Durran and Anneliese struck when he was at a distance. Durran sted him with a cannon of lightning that made Argrave¡¯s ears ring, and Mozzahr was forced to shield himself with Emptiness that scattered under the power. Anneliese, meanwhile, coborated with Mnie to rain a twisting spire of ice down upon his back. He quickly rolled out of the way.


    ¡°Mnie¡ªkeep that open!¡± Argrave shouted, running back. ¡°Orion! Hit this as hard as you can,¡± Argrave told Orion, holding out the Resonant Pir.


    The prince obeyed, mming the staff without question. It rung out like a great gong. Once he had the blow captured, he rushed where Mnie stood, diving through the portal. Mozzahr waited for him on the other side, and he held his hand to his de of bone to imbue it with his raw power. When it overflowed with teal Emptiness, he prudently aimed it where Argrave could not block with the Resonant Pir, then swung in a deadly arc at his neck.


    But Argrave didn¡¯t even bother defending. A great wave of teal malevolence exploded when the unimaginably powerful de imbued with Emptiness struck his body, and great swathes of the room simply burnt away from the power. Argrave held firm, though, and swung the Resonant Pir. He was clumsy and untrained, and so Mozzahr twisted his body in time to block with his shoulder. Even still, the mighty Casten of the Empty staggered from the power, his arm dislocated.


    ¡°How¡­?¡± Mozzahr spat, teeth gnashing as he popped his arm back in ce like it was a triviality.


    As Mozzahr was forced on the backpedal, Argrave used [Gibbous Bloodmoon], an A-rank spell of blood magic. Mozzahr was quick to back away, but Argrave¡¯s practice with Castro had some merit¡ªitpleted quickly, then exploded outward as a disc of malevolent power. Mozzahr blocked it with his forearm, yet it did cut his flesh. The spell utterly drained Argrave¡¯s silver bracer, leaving him with only his echoes and his flesh remaining as fodder for his spells.


    Another of Mnie¡¯s portals opened above Mozzahr, wide and whole. Argrave worried he might retaliate at those beyond, but when two roaring pirs of fire mmed the casten and forced him to the ground, his fears abated. When the spells ended, Orion jumped through, mming his hammer upon Mozzahr¡¯s head. The seemingly indomitable man¡¯s head bounced against the ground, letting out an audible clock when it struck the floor.


    Argrave felt ted that they might¡¯ve gained some advantage in this fight he thought unwinnable. His thoughts proved a jinx. Mozzahr stood, sweeping Orion¡¯s legs as he rose to his feet in an elegant motion. The prince managed to dodge the sweep, yet the cult leader¡¯s assault continued. He swung his sword from above, and though Orion raised his skull shield to defend, Mozzahr¡¯s other hand grabbed the top of it and shoved it down. Orion lurched forth, and Mozzahr¡¯s de hacked right into his shoulder, cutting past golden armor and flesh until the cut was near deep enough to sever Orion¡¯s arm off. He mmed the prince against the wall, then cast him aside, bleeding and broken. He barely nced at Argrave before he rushed toward Anneliese, Durran, and Mnie.


    Argrave¡¯s heart lurched before he rushed and jumped through the portal Orion hade from. Hended on the other side with Mnie, looking around while disoriented. When he spotted Mozzahr, he rushed to meet and block the man. The casten simply jumped Argrave, perhaps recognizing his attacks seemed to have no effect. Argrave tried to cast a spell to catch him, but couldn¡¯t get a good position.


    Anneliese and Durran stepped back, brandishing weapons made by gods, but Argrave feared for them. The only one who didn¡¯t seem afraid was Mnie¡ªshe stepped forth, her ck greatsword shining with a brilliant red tip. She thrust it out toward Mozzahr, and a brilliant red sword exploded outward. Mozzahr cast a spell that sted out wind to force himself to the right, yet once again, Mnie¡¯s ability proved its limitless usability. The red sword passed through a portal of her making, and then mmed into Mozzahr¡¯s back. He soared far beyond his target, skidding and rolling like he¡¯d just been hit by a car. Even though Argrave saw blood on his back, the monstrous fighter recovered smoothly and threw the de he¡¯d been holding.


    The de spun through the air, its flight pattern impossible to predict. Argrave ran toward it like a fool, but it ended up swerving straight at Anneliese. She conjured a ward and darted to the side, yet it still broke through that defense sliced right past her waist. Her blood sttered on the ground. When shended and began to heal the wound, only then did Argrave¡¯s panic abate somewhat. He stood over her protectively, gaze flitting between the blood and the enemy. She nodded, indicating she was fine, though he didn¡¯t miss her heavy breathing.


    Opposite them, far away, Mozzahr rose. Argrave walked ahead of hispanions, Blessing of Supersession still active. He didn¡¯t miss the Casten of the Empty stutter-step to gain his bnce. He had no ring wounds, and all the bleeding was staunched by the Emptiness in his body¡­ but no one could deny that this battle had taken its toll on him.


    The only question remained¡­ how much longer could thatst? And how much longer could theyst?

 Chapter 468: Nightmare at the Museum

    The Alchemist ran his hand along a wall of the ck metalprising most of this vault. Even with his advanced perception, he could sense nothing out of the ordinary about it. But he connection to Hause pricked at him, drew at him, and he knew what he sought was beyond there.


    His mind shifted, twisted, until it settled upon what he needed to be. He would need thirty arms to brandish the weapons to cut down this wall. And as he thought it, so it became. They burst free from his being, containing some of the many weapons they¡¯d stolen from Erlebnis¡¯ vault. He braced himself, digging into the ground¡­ and then became a whirlwind of destruction.


    Hammers, des, spears, and picks rained down upon this seemingly unremarkable wall. The sheer power of the unrelenting artifacts made it buckle and bend, shattering in wake of his power. The wall was deep, and hid many enchanted contraptions, but the Alchemist burst through them all. He fought with feverish hunger for a past left abandoned. And in time, he saw light beyond. The Alchemist walked through, briefly ncing back at the destruction that he¡¯d caused. But when he walked beyond, his eyes raised upward, beholding a sight that brought him unimaginable anguish.


    A gargantuan fat raven, easily weighing one hundred tons, had been propped up on the wall by its wings. Two giant stakes kept them spread out, and its head slumped over its chest in death. Its chest had a patch of flesh on it, where a vague lump of flesh resembling a face stared forth in a wicked, twisted smile. And in the raven¡¯s beak, a purple bauble perhaps the size of a normal person shone brilliantly.


    The Alchemist stepped forth, recalling the weapons within himself. This was his past¡ªthis was the Smiling Raven. And in its beak rested Hause and all her court. He had endeavored all too hard to forget this past, what he had done¡­ but it was inescapable. He had not known Erlebnis had preserved this body of his. Even the Annals did not record this.


    His hand clenched tighter around the dimmed spear crafted of Ingo¡¯s blessing. In time, he looked up once more. He raised his hand, and it stretched out to grasp the purple bauble. Despite millennia of hardening, and all the knowledge in his body telling him that the Smiling Raven would not again move, he could not help but feel some twinge of unease, as though it might wake up and end all he¡¯d worked for. The sensation was palpable enough to delude himself that he might still be human, even after all of this.


    His thumb and pinky lifted up the Smiling Raven¡¯s beak, and the bauble fell into his palm. He felt it resonate with his being. He had been the one to design this protective sphere, isting Hause and her servants within it. If he willed it, they would awaken. They would be ignorant, having seen nothing of the past millennia. And thest sight they would remember¡­ it would be the Smiling Raven, his body surging with power, as he imprisoned them.


    At the back of his mind, some strange inkling persisted. Perhaps Erlebnis had wanted the Alchemist toe here, to free Hause. Perhaps that had been his goal from the beginning. After all, he had endeavored to free Hause ever since he captured her. No method seeded. If he did this¡­ if he unleashed her¡­ perhaps this foul deity¡¯s scheme woulde to fruition, and Hause would be enved in truth.


    The thought brought him greater hesitation than he¡¯d felt in many centuries. But¡­ seeing Argrave, witnessing his struggles¡­ to defy beings far beyond his ken consistently, and still live another day¡­ these beings called gods were not infallible. And perhaps, just perhaps, the whole of this terrible cycle could end. But he felt one thing was certain¡ªHause would need to be a part of that journey.


    The Alchemist pulled the orb back down to his body, and ced both of his hands around it. Within, he saw fleeting glimpses of faces he¡¯d tried to forget. As he willed the intangible power that allowed his body freedom within the orb, it twisted and churned. The inanimate faces once again resumed motion. And the orb burst into light, sending scattering kes that shone like tinum in sunlight.


    Hundreds of forms took shape, coalescing in this gargantuan room hidden away in this vault. The Alchemist stepped away, putting his hands behind his back so as to appear non-threatening. He spotted many people, and names he¡¯d suppressed rose to his head. At the front of all of them stood a woman wearing a pink garb. Her blonde hair had the faintest hint of auburn in her roots, showing the signs that she was maturing. It was Hause. It was the goddess he¡¯d once championed.


    And at her side was Sonia. She had always been small, but in this monstrous form of his, she was puny. Her short dark hair slightly concealed her green eyes¡ªeyes that looked at him with pure caution and confusion. Once, he had loved her. Now¡­ he had no such luxury. It had died with the Smiling Raven, andy dormant in its body above.


    Everyone seemed prepared to fight¡ªthey had been doing so whenst they were conscious, after all. As her people rushed forth, Hause held her hand out and shouted, ¡°Stop!¡±


    Hause slowly looked around the room, then turned around to peer up at the looming Smiling Raven. She turned back to look at him.


    ¡°Raven¡­ what have you done?¡± she whispered quietly.


    That she recognized him immediately, and said his name¡­ it felt like a bucket of cold water, and at once he was distanced from this reunion. It was as he told Argrave¡ªindeed, told himself. Raven existed no longer. He was the Alchemist, and could never be again the man they remembered. He would not even pretend.


    ¡°I am the Alchemist. You have been imprisoned for a very long time, and we now stand in the heart of Erlebnis¡¯ vault,¡± the Alchemist said, coldly and dispassionately. He forced the numbness into his tone, into his being. These people could not recognize him. It would only make things worse. ¡°This is our only opportunity of escape from this ce. Erlebnis returns to this ce, and he is aware of our presence. We have little time, but I have prepared measures.¡±


    The Alchemist called forth all of the weapons he¡¯d pilfered, and Hause¡¯s faithful stepped back in rm. Sonia stared at him like he was an abomination¡­ and he was. He was the Alchemist, an abomination of his own making. And Raven, the one she¡¯d loved, was dead.


    With his resolve solidified, the Alchemist nted each of the divine artifacts in the ground before them. ¡°Seize these weapons born of divinity and follow. If you do not, Erlebnis will capture and enve all of you he does not kill. I will exin further as we return to my allies.¡±


    He turned and walked away, not waiting for their reaction. Redemption? Reconciliation? Idle fantasies. He had destroyed every living thing in an entire continent, and imprisoned Hause¡¯s faithful for millennia. It was best for them all that Raven wither away into nothingness. Let the rotting carcass staked above them remain trapped in this vault. His only purpose was in this struggle against Gerechtigkeit. And the only ray of hope that the Alchemist had seen waited, besieged by a monster¡­ and perhaps Erlebnis himself.


    #####


    Mozzahr held his hand out, calling upon arge amount of his Emptiness to enhance a ward. A formidable shield arose before him, and the king called upon all of his powers to relentlessly rain attacks upon it. A-rank spells flew from his hands like they were as cheap as bronze coins¡­ but they dissipated against his ward, about as effective as bronze coins.


    I¡¯ll kill his allies with arge attack he cannot block, Mozzahr mused, letting the Emptiness flow out from his body. A single bang,rge enough to vaporize this entire corridor. The portal girl¡¯s spatial distortions will matter not if I simply get rid of everything. My own attacks cannot hurt me, so it matters not where she redirects it.


    He had been hesitant to allow his Emptiness to leave his body in this realm. It was only inside his body that it enhanced his defense¡ªthe more that was outside of him, the weaker his flesh grew. But the king¡­ barring that staff that reflected power, his attacks remained weak. It was only his defense that was unbreakable. Mozzahr was best served killing his allies, then figuring out a way to prate that defense.


    More and more Emptiness pooled out into the corridor around. Mozzahr shielded himself in it, twisting it as a vortex so that it could gather power. He became a whirlwind of unbridled power, swirling strong enough the floor and walls began to shear away. Argrave¡¯s relentless assault against his ward ceased, and Mozzahr caught glimpses of the king. King Argrave stood there, rm on his face and a bow of blood in his hands. His ck blood danced out of his body, fueling this attack. Those maroon doubles of his conjured those foul electric eels in droves, and they filled the corridor with a sea of red stars.


    Mozzahr grew excited and curious¡ªthe king was preparing a single devastating attack the same as he was. Hispanions gathered behind him, trembling like newborns. The golden-armored knight rose to his feet and tried to stand guard with Argrave, holding his arm to stop it from falling off his body. Would they perish, or rise to the asion?


    The sh grew ever closer, and Mozzahr felt some rising nervousness as he beheld the power of the weapon the king prepared. His Emptiness swirled faster as some foul mirror into his emotions, and before long he could barely see Argrave anymore. Everything near him started to vanish from the sheer power, and only the spot Mozzahr stood on was unharmed.


    He was not quite sure what signaled him that his time to attack was now¡­ but the king released his arrow. It moved terrifyingly fast, destroying everything even remotely near it. The eels trailed it as though following amander into battle. Mozzahr had not even half a second to respond. His own power surged forth with all of the devastating destruction he could muster, rising to meet its challenger.


    Teal and maroon powers met in midair, and pandemonium unfolded. Both possessed the power of continental tes, and Mozzahr, despite his great perception andposure, could barely discern what was happening. There was light, sound, force, and pain, all working in tandem. After an indeterminable length of time, Mozzahr regained sight and sensation. He stared up at the ceiling, his gut ame with pain.


    Using his arm to help, Mozzahr leaned up. There was a great gouge in his gut, about the size of a fist. His Emptiness was the only thing keeping it from pouring blood relentlessly. It hadn¡¯t pierced through¡­ but he couldn¡¯t recall thest time he¡¯d been injured to this extent. Though it shamed him, he called upon healing magic to close his wounds. The only thing he¡¯d lost in this fight was Emptiness. He was of lesser power than when he entered this ce¡­ but there would be enough to see an end to things, he hoped.


    He looked up and around, taking in his surroundings. Nothing remained of what had been around them. The corridor, the museum of artifacts¡­ all of it, gone. A great patch of ck and lifeless rock was the only thing left. It was only after a great distance away did the museum enter back into sight, sted away and awkwardly ced. And opposite Mozzahr stood Argrave.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The king crouched, breathing heavy. He was unharmed¡­ though perhaps that was not the right word. The blood magic had clearly taken its toll on him, but Mozzahr¡¯s attack had been as ineffectual as all of the others had been. Mozzahr felt some wound to his pride¡ªhe didn¡¯t think he¡¯d lose the sh. But looking at hispanions with him¡­ indeed, some of his power had broken past. All of them bore deep, debilitating wounds. The golden-armored knight had the worst of them all.


    The gargantuan mutant appeared, then, sprinting into view quickly. As soon as Argrave spotted him, the king crumpled slightly, yet the mutant supported him. In hot pursuit of the ten-foot-tall mutant were various others¡ªheading them, a blonde woman wearing pink. There was something divine about her, Mozzahr knew. They took their ce with the king. A new force to be reckoned with.


    Mozzahr slowly rose to his feet, ready to continue. But as he stared¡­ the distant ruins of the museum burst into darkness. Viscous, red liquid that shone like chrome started to drip from the ceiling, forming pools in various ces. It started to flow faster, consuming much of the area, and then became a great sludgy torrent that filled this ce until it was a burgeoning sea.


    As the pools of liquid metal coalesced, a single figure rose up. He was an old man with slicked hair and a dignified beard, and he wore all ck finery.


    ¡°My twin has arrived,¡± said the old man, and Mozzahr recognized his voice as the one who¡¯d called himself the Keeper. ¡°I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s over for you. But then¡­ your fate was sealed the moment you broke into this vault.¡±


    The oceans of liquid metal began to writhe and slosh, and Mozzahr walked to higher ground to avoid it. He stared into the liquid, and instead of his reflection¡­ a vast watching consciousness peered back at him, unimaginable in scope and power. A realization came to him. This liquid¡­ it was Erlebnis himself.


    The owner of this vault had arrived to deal with the intruders.

 Chapter 469: Imitation is Flattery

    Argrave stared at the torrents of sludgy liquid metal pour down, illuminating their surroundings with some emitted light. He looked up at the Alchemist.


    ¡°Looks like¡­ you did it,¡± he said, breathing heavily. ¡°Just in time for the second phase.¡±


    ¡°I should be surprised that you did it. Your role was always my concern,¡± the Alchemist said cooly. Hands emerged from his body, running over each of them and casting healing magic. Orion was so badly injured that healing magic alone would not restore him to fighting condition¡ªonly time regenerating with his own blessings would cure his ills.


    Argrave looked back at Hause and her court of mortal servants. They gave their party a cautious distance, acting more as temporary allies in misery than fellow participants in this heist. He didn¡¯t know what her being here meant¡ªeither for this fight, or for the distant future. But they had seeded. A challenge remained. Namely, getting the hell out of this ce.


    The Keeper walked across the top of the flowing liquid, and neither Mozzahr nor Argrave made to fight with this new arrival. They were like animals snarling at each other¡ªeven though they knew a conflict was inevitable, it still came with consequences that forced caution from both of them.


    ¡°You came into our home, bringing along a foul and monstrous mortal whose strength could be likened to a god¡¯s,¡± the Keeper said contemptuously. ¡°You killed hundreds of our emissaries, destroyed a Lodestar of the Annals of the Universe, and stole its power. You entered this vault, putting an end to creatures that have been alive longer than any of you. Have you any idea what it took to entrap those dragons? Do you know what Erlebnis surrendered to earn the fealty of the King of Beasts?¡±


    ¡°Ruining your home was part of the n.¡± Argrave slowly rose to his feet, still feeling unimaginably drained. He didn¡¯t think he could muster casting another Domain of Law. The Blessing of Supersession left him not too long after Mozzahr¡¯s attack, and he¡¯d been forced away from the old domain when the vault crumbled around them. He was dangerously low on blood echoes¡ªperhaps thirty remained.


    ¡°You¡¯ve almost entirely destroyed this Museum of Artifacts within the Magic Wing,¡± the Keeper continued, walking closer. ¡°And along the way, you¡­ you and the Alchemist, have pilfered a collection we collected over millennia,¡± he said, shaking his head. ¡°But¡­ none of that matters. Because this only ends two ways.¡±


    ¡°Victory or defeat. That¡¯s how I always wanted it,¡± Argrave nodded.


    ¡°No,¡± the Keeperughed. ¡°You can submit to eternal servitude, or you can die here, forgotten. You will be relegated to a small footnote in history¡ªan ident analogous to a freak housefire. Either way, by freeing Hause¡­ we don¡¯t think it¡¯ll be a loss. We can finally utilize her abilities.¡±


    Anneliese rose to her feet,ing to stand behind Argrave. ¡°This conversation repeats time and time again, does it not?¡± He eyed her injuries, and she gave him a reassuring smile. She was pale from her wounds, even though they¡¯d been sealed by magic. ¡°They say we have no hope of victory. We disagree. And then, we win. Am I correct?¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°True enough,¡± Durran agreed, using a divine artifact fashioned as a spear to rise to his feet. ¡°Cut him some ck. He¡¯s knowledgeable, but it¡¯s clear creativity can¡¯t be learned. All Erlebnis can do is learn what other people discovered, then hoard it and trade it.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s just focus on fucking living, yeah? No time for talk.¡± Mnie insisted, standing shakily. Orion agreed, and with Argrave¡¯s support, rose to his feet.


    The Keeper stared. Though his jaw did not move, his voice echoed in Argrave¡¯s head. ¡°In this realm, I can speak into your mind. But my brother¡­ what do you think he can do?¡±


    The Alchemist mmed his dimmed gray spear on the ground. ¡°He begins mental warfare. Be ready! Resist that which consumes your mind, and forget not your ce in reality. He will attack both your mind and our bodies. There will be no reprieve, no rest. I will lead us away from this ce. When we are in safety,e to me. I will use [Worldstrider] to take us away.¡±


    Argrave swallowed nervously. Mental warfare from a god¡­ this would not be easy to ovee. Argrave had drained much of the god¡¯s power by being struck while using the Blessing of Supersession and the Inerrant Cloak in tandem, but the fact remained that Erlebnis was a deity, and this was his realm. Even if they bested him, he could not truly die here. He was immortal in every sense of the word.


    ¡°We will follow,¡± confirmed Hause. ¡°If you would cut a path through Erlebnis, I will guard our rear.¡± Argrave had so much to ask of her, but for now he could only be d she was cooperating.


    The Alchemist hunched over, his body trembling. Arms burst free from his back one after another, making grotesque noises as they spread to their full length. He brandished the weapons of the divine in each hand¡ªswords, spears, all of it. The arms wereid and limp at first, but they slowly shifted and burst with muscle. The Alchemist lifted his head up, mouth wide open and teeth gnashing together. Then, his head was subsumed into the rest of him as he fully slipped into a form made for nothing more than war. And then¡­ he stepped toward the pool of liquid metal. It all shifted, and then rose up to meet him.


    Argrave prepared to follow¡­ but he was consumed by darkness.


    You seek creativity, do you? A question surfaced in his mind¡ªnot the Keeper¡¯s voice, and not his own¡­ indeed, he could discern nothing about this voice, not even what it sounded like.


    Then, Argrave stood atop a tower. He looked around furiously, then recognition dawned on him¡ªthis was the roof of one of the towers of the Dragon Pce in Dirracha. His heart beat, sounding like a great bass drum in his ear. In mental warfare¡­ there¡¯s always a chance at victory. He held his hand to his heart, doing his best to ignore it, then stepped to the edge and looked down. He spotted a tall, spiny tower, and followed it down.


    The tower¡­ it was a finger. A gigantic purple humanoid stood under him, its hand holding the tower in its palm. It was a Shadonder. The moment Argrave recognized this its fingers clenched, crushing the tower. Argrave¡¯s eyes widened, and then he climbed atop the railing and jumped to the roof of the Dragon Pce. He ran along, and the impossibly gargantuan Shadonder rose up.


    It chased after him with a belltower in its hand, the bell still attached. It swung at him like a maniac, and each time the bell struck the Dragon Pce, it rung out in an ominous grandeur as the building crumbled away. Purple lightning struck all around him as he ran. When the roof ended, the great snake Vasquer¡¯s body rose out, forming a pathway for him that ascended to the heavens. He sprinted along the feathered snake¡¯s back, following it away and away as the Shadonder continued to swing its belltower in a beautiful yet eerie song.


    When he ran out of snake to run on, another tform awaited him. He mbered onto it. At once, another Shadonder rushed at him. Argrave panicked for half a second before remembering this was a battle of the mind. In this mental world, he triggered the Blessing of Supersession, held out the Resonant Pir, and received its attack without injury to himself. With the Resonant Pir charged, he swung it at the Shadonder. It exploded into darkness, and Argrave was freed.


    Released from the mental battle, Argrave looked around to readjust to his surroundings. The Alchemist barreled into the great mass of liquid metal that was Erlebnis¡¯ form. It surged, coalescing and condensing in many points, until an army of red chrome men stood before him. They were perfect metallic recreations of great warriors. Some of them were eerily familiar, and when Argrave faced theing swarms of soldiers, he knew what this was.


    They fought the army of the ve rebellion against the ancient elven empire. The centaurs led by Sarikiz, the elves led by Ghan¡­ this was a recreation of their army. The Alchemist met the vanguard with an unmatched ferocity, brandishing the weapons pilfered from this vault with the fury of a demon. Argrave and hispanions broke free of the mental warfare, and joined him in this fight. Hause and her court were not far behind.


    It was truly as though they had been thrust into the heart of a battlefield. Their spells, their tactics, their intelligence¡­ this army was a perfect recreation of what had ended the ancient elven empire. If not for their appearance, Argrave would¡¯ve thought these were truly mortal foes. Argrave and his allies went to war with Erlebnis¡¯ knowledge of war,batting the army that had cut the throat of the greatest empire the world had seen.


    Then¡­ once again, Argrave was met by darkness. When his vision returned, he stood behind a ward. Thousands of electric eels danced all around him, like a great curtain. And beyond it stood¡­ well, himself. He charged a [Bloodfeud Bow], pointed right at his face. Though it took a moment, Argrave realized where he was. He was in the position his older brother Prince Induen had been a few minutes before his death.


    The fake Argrave released the [Bloodfeud Bow], and its bolt came flying at him. Argrave rooted around in his head, and found an answer quickly. This was his mind¡ªspirits were not restrained here, as they were in Erlebnis¡¯ vault. He cast [Requite]. Itpleted just as the maroon bolt neared his hand¡ªhe was certain that, without Castro¡¯s training, he would¡¯ve been hit.


    The arrow turned, shooting straight through the fake him. Even still, the thousand electric eels swarmed down, ready to finish the job. Argrave conjured a ball of ice and shattered it with wind magic. The fragments exploded outwards, making the eels ineffectual. Argrave calmly walked through, where he came upon Induen once again, dead and dying as he had been that long time ago.


    Argrave quickly cast a spell of wind magic to sever Induen¡¯s head. The scene faded away¡­ and Argrave was back in reality.


    ¡°Argrave, what have you done?¡± Durran shouted.


    Argrave saw Anneliese¡¯s head flying away from her body, thennding on the ground. A de of wind flew past, carrying her viscera with it. The sight was nauseatingly disgusting¡­ but Argrave narrowed his eyes in a few seconds.


    Argrave walked to Anneliese¡¯s head and picked it up. The sight brought him such a deep emotional difort it was almost too much to bear, but he narrowed his eyes and looked up. ¡°I¡¯m going to cry¡­¡± he began, voice shaking. ¡°Do you honestly think Anneliese is so pitiful that I could kill her? Get a grip, you wormy bastard. And get out of my head.¡±


    Argrave threw her head behind him, and true reality returned.


    Argrave searched for Anneliese, smiling in pure relief when he found her with head firmly attached. Hause and her faithful persisted, though several of them sumbed to Erlebnis¡¯ mental warfare, bleeding from their eyes as they died in abject agony. They were back on the battlefield, and as Argrave watched, thest of the ve rebellion died. Erlebnis¡¯ oceanic body surged and twisted, writhing to stop their path, and a towering figure arose. A great, fat raven took form¡ªthe Smiling Raven, reborn of red chrome.


    The Smiling Raven threw its great wings out, and thousands of ravens soared through the sky with such tremendous speed it was overwhelming. Argrave could only expend thest of his blood echoes to conjure [Electric Eels] to defend himself and hispanions. They swirled about them like a shield, impacting against the man-sized ravens that sought to attack them.


    Argrave felt a tremendous wave of power, and shifted his eels aside to look. He saw the Alchemist standing atop the Smiling Raven¡¯s chest, stabbing it time and time again with half a thousand divine weapons in his hand. He looked far more a god of war than Sataistador. After eviscerating the spot, he raised all the weapons up for a final, all-powerful m, and the faux Smiling Raven dissipated.


    ¡°The portal!¡± the Alchemist shouted. ¡°Come!¡±


    Reinvigorated, all of them sprinted toward the spot the Alchemist called out as fast as they had ever run. Argrave saw the portal, nearly diving through it like a pool. He passed through, and¡­


    Eight dragons awaited Argrave. They inhaled deeply, and blew out their breath at the same time. Fire, frost, lightning, poison, wind, darkness, earth, and light¡­ but Argrave¡¯s mind had never felt stronger. He leapt up into the air, sent out his blood echoes, and killed each of them with a spear of blood-infused lightning to the head.


    When Argrave regained vision, heid face-first on the purple carpet in the Promenade of Wisdom. He could hear the geyser of water, and quickly rose to his feet. The Alchemist stood above them all, waiting. Argrave looked around, and all of hispanions rose up. Hause and much of her court had survived the battle, and even now, more poured into the portal.


    As Anneliese rose to her feet, she stared at the Alchemist and noted, ¡°Your lifeforce¡­¡±


    ¡°Spare us the observations of your Truesight,¡± he dismissed. ¡°We have made it. Your efforts using the Blessing of Supersession in tandem with the Inerrant Cloak weakened Erlebnis¡­ elsewise, I am certain we would have failed. On top of that, Mozzahr has elected to steal yet more from Erlebnis, heading deeper within the vault.¡±


    ¡°Him?¡± Argrave repeated, looking around. ¡°Who cares who we thank? Let¡¯s go! All that remains is getting information about Gerechtigkeit.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± the Alchemist nodded in confirmation. ¡°It is time to leave a victor.¡±

 Chapter 470: Do You See What I See?

    The moment that they exited Erlebnis¡¯ vault, the Alchemist seized all of them with his many arms, and used [Worldstrider] to take them elsewhere. Though wounded, battered, and mentally scarred, the fact remained that they had escaped the clutches of Erlebnis and Mozzahr both. It almost felt wrong to win in this manner¡­ but win they did. They stood once again in a section of Erlebnis¡¯ near-endless Annals of the Universe, about to fulfill theirst task.


    ¡°You¡¯re back,¡± Elenore¡¯s relieved voice flooded into his mind through her divine blessing of connection. ¡°I thought¡­ I didn¡¯t know what to think.¡±


    Argrave smiled. ¡°We¡¯ll being home, soon. All of us.¡±


    There was silence that told of unspeakable relief. Then, Elenore said simply, ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting.¡±


    Argrave stared at the Alchemist. The man seemed to be gathering himself to prepare to do something. His body cracked inward, and Hause¡¯s court stepped back in rm. He exploded into a mass of arms and eyes, then spread throughout the vast city of brown books. He tore them apart book by book, consuming the knowledge inside.


    As the Alchemist¡ªor Raven, as he had once been known¡ªpiged Erlebnis¡¯ knowledge ruthlessly, Argrave looked back at his party and reflected. They hade here seeking to gain every bit of knowledge they could to study Gerechtigkeit, searching for a way to defeat him. Along the way, they¡¯d gained far more than just that. Even barring the myriad artifacts that they¡¯d stolen from Erlebnis¡¯ vault, of which they¡¯d yet to fully sort through¡­ there were many benefits to this journey.


    Argrave had learned the truth of what, and who, the Alchemist was. It was a terrifying revtion. The Alchemist had the potential to destroy an entire continent on his lonesome¡­ and indeed, he had once before. And in the end, they¡¯d rescued his patron god, Hause. Argrave spotted her, speaking to her divine servants. He gestured toward Anneliese, and they walked side by side to speak to them while the Alchemistbored.


    ¡°Hello,¡± Argrave greeted. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for your losses, Hause. Not the most pleasant way to wake up, I imagine.¡±


    Hause stared at him, and Argrave stared back. He questioned if she was seeing his potential, sizing him up. He couldn¡¯t deny the idea enticed his curiosity. She had long wavy blonde hair with auburn roots, and looked like a young girl despite her status as divinity. She seemed not fully grown, yet just on the cusp¡ªin a word, potential.


    ¡°We were never asleep,¡± Hause said in response. ¡°We were fighting the Smiling Raven, and then we were here.¡±


    ¡°I see. I¡­ honestly don¡¯t know how long you were in there. At the very least, it¡¯s been two cycles of judgment¡ªmeaning two millennia,¡± Argrave told her calmly.


    Her court stirred with the news, some appearing utterly distraught. Argrave wouldn¡¯t know how to react to that information, either¡ªperhaps he¡¯d need to see it to believe it.


    ¡°We have innumerable questions about you, and I imagine the same would be the same for you of us,¡± Anneliese continued. ¡°But perhaps we might begin at introductions, given we never got the chance earlier. I am Anneliese, Queen of Vasquer. This is my husband, Argrave, King of Vasquer. It is to our kingdom we will be returning, once the Alchemist finishes his duty.¡±


    ¡°Royalty? In this chaos?¡± Sonia, Raven¡¯s old lover, questioned. ¡°If your council permits that, it cannot be argend.¡±


    ¡°Size is rtive. You¡¯ll have to be the judge of that,¡± Argrave shrugged.


    ¡°I am Hause, goddess of potential. It seems to me you two know that,¡± she dipped her head neatly,pleting their exchange. ¡°I appreciate your aid. I hope we might speak more in-depthter. You are king and queen¡­ but who among you holds power?¡±


    ¡°He does,¡± Anneliese surrendered graciously.


    ¡°¡­but in truth, we¡¯re equal partners,¡± Argrave added. ¡°I¡¯ll be brief. I¡¯m not sure what your n is, after this. But you are wee in Vasquer, and I daresay you¡¯ll be safest there. We have formed an alliance with other powerful gods, who supported this heist to itspletion.¡±


    Hause stared without moving at all, and Argrave narrowed his eyes in confusion. Then, he heard a voice behind him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be looking forward to seeing their faces.¡±


    Argrave whipped around. The Keeper sat there, on a bench in this ugly city of brown books. All of time seemed to be frozen.


    ¡°More of this mental war?¡± Argrave questioned. ¡°Give it up. Even in your own realm, you can¡¯t catch us.¡±


    The Keeper rose to his feet. ¡°We always wanted to own you, Argrave. We were satisfied to have you as a champion¡­ but when that avenue died, we still hoped we might salvage things. As it so happened, you wandered right into the heart of our power¡­ and you truly think you escaped without losing anything?¡±


    ¡°Illuminate me,¡± Argrave indulged him.


    ¡°That blessing my brother gave you¡­¡± the Keeper stalked closer, and Argrave prepared to end him. As if sensing his malevolence, the man stopped. ¡°¡­you¡¯ve used it well. Too well. But at the end of the day, it¡¯s still an inextricable link between you¡­ and him. And he¡¯s made it his blessing once again. On the mortal realm, Erlebnis could do nothing about that. He just had to ept you using him, like a leech. But you came here, into his quintessence. You stood among Erlebnis, his body surrounding you. And you think you escaped without a scratch¡­?¡±


    ¡°I feel fine,¡± he responded simply.


    ¡°Yes. We know very well how you feel. You see¡­ Erlebnis got what he wanted, Argrave. He got you.¡±


    Argrave scoffed in disbelief. ¡°I don¡¯t feel very gotten.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± the Keeper nodded. ¡°But you¡¯ve been marked. That weak mental warfare he subjected you to¡­ nothing but a prelude to the true attack. You might consider it a curse, but we consider it our greatest blessing. Everything that you see, everything that you hear, everything that you sense¡­ well, Erlebnis will know about it, Argrave. Rather than kill you¡­ Erlebnis elected to prepare this condition. He believes it is just about of equal value to all you stole.¡±


    Argrave nked out for a moment, and his vision danced. He denied, ¡°That¡¯s not true. If it was, you would never have told me. You would¡¯ve just let me remain ignorant. Now, I can take measures, get it removed, or¡­¡±


    The Keeper narrowed his golden eyes. ¡°Your wife has Truesight vested in her by Yinther. The Alchemist is a thorough observer. There was no point in hiding it from you, as it will be found shortly. But even now that you know¡­ what can you do? You have tomunicate with your allies. In so doing, you willmunicate with Erlebnis. How can you avoid it? As for removing it¡­ well, try. This is a curse from the god of knowledge.¡±


    Argrave¡¯s brain whirled. Questions persisted in his mind, but he dared not overy his hand¡ªhis thoughts seemed spared this scrutiny, but would Erlebnis know about hismunication with Elenore? Was removing it truly hopeless? Ingo had already had his blessing purged by the Alchemist, and Erlebnis was ignorant of that fact. It felt like an empty threat. Whatever the case¡­


    ¡°Fellhorn is awakening. He remembers you well, Argrave. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll pay well to know your ns tobat him. And the Qircassian Coalition? Any strategy you might have against them will fall into their hands the moment it leaves your lips. Even the more mortal enemies you¡¯ve made, like Mozzahr, will not protest to learning all of your secrets.¡±


    The Keeper held his arms out. ¡°And if you call upon the Blessing of Supersession again, Erlebnis¡¯ curse will only strengthen. For now, it¡¯s your senses. Butter, perhaps it will be your mind. This is Erlebnis¡¯ counterattack, Argrave. Does it soil your victory, somewhat? If you should wish to negotiate¡­ the door remains open. You need only say the words aloud, and Erlebnis will receive them.¡±


    Argrave couldn¡¯t deny he was panicked, but he¡¯d be damned if he was to show it. ¡°It looks like we¡¯ve gotten really close, but despite all that I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t even know who you are, really. I know your brother¡­ but who the hell are you? Why should I believe anything you say?¡±


    The Keeper sighed. ¡°And you said Erlebniscks creativity¡­ you really can¡¯t figure it out? Fine. I am simply what remains of Erlebnis¡¯ humanity,¡± he said, holding his arms wide. ¡°I am¡­ shall we say, the human element. I am what he was before he became what he is. In that sense, we do rather well. After all, he¡¯d never have thought up that curse without my input. But now¡­ we¡¯ll always be there. Listening. Watching. Learning. Nothing you will ever do is safe from us.¡±


    ¡°I will break this,¡± Argrave vowed. ¡°And if I can¡¯t break this¡­ I¡¯ll break you.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°Good luck,¡± the Keeperughed confidently. ¡°I imagine your problems are going to mount exponentially, Argrave. Because you¡¯ve drawn Erlebnis¡¯ sole attention. Humans are much frailer than divinity¡­ and you won¡¯t surprise Erlebnis ever again.¡±


    The scene faded, and Argrave stared at Hause again. She said, ¡°I can¡¯t rightfully refuse such hospitality. I¡ªare you all right?¡±


    As Argrave turned around and stared at the spot where the Keeper had been, Hause looked baffled at his sudden movement Anneliese looked at him with rm, but Argrave shook it all away.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± he dismissed, despite his mind boiling like a cauldron. ¡°Still paranoid. You were saying?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ yes,¡± Hause gathered herself. ¡°As I was saying, my realm¡­ I cannot feel its existence anymore. It would be an immense struggle for me to manifest on the mortal world safely without your help. I will be as weak as a chick for days on end. In simpler terms¡­ I can only trust you. It wouldn¡¯t do for Erlebnis to learn where I was hiding out. I always knew he coveted my power, but this¡­ was far beyond my expectations.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± agreed Argrave. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t do for him to learn that at all¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s done,¡± dered the Alchemist, rewinding all of his limbs back in ce until he was a body well and truly once more. He rose the white spear into the air. ¡°Now¡­ let us be free of this dreadful ce. I have much information to parse, if we are to take the next step against Gerechtigkeit.¡±


    Argrave stepped in, feeling vited with every step. Someone was seeing through his body, hearing through his ears¡­ he was confident it could be removed. But he could not deny there was some fear, bubbling just beneath the surface.


    ¡°Yeah. There¡¯s a lot we need to talk about.¡±

 Chapter 471: Fantasy Cancer

    Argrave and all of hispanions returned to the mortal realm, Hause¡¯s court in tow. Their point of arrival was the ce they had first entered from¡ªnamely, in the heart of the Ebon Cult¡¯s territory. That was quickly remedied, as the Alchemist cast [Worldstrider] once more, taking them back to ckgard. Argrave felt as though he was doing something wrong whenever he saw or heard something, and so he quickly disclosed what he¡¯d seen to the Alchemist¡ªnamely, Erlebnis¡¯ curse.


    Naturally, it was a matter that demanded some attention. Argrave separated from everyone else, using Elenore as a conduit to speak to the others as the Alchemist examined him. He inquired about the results of the battle.


    Despite the great length of time that they¡¯d been absent, the fight still raged¡ªthough perhaps ¡®raged¡¯ was the wrong word. It was a constant probing skirmish, where Ebon Cult spellcasters tried their defenses and retreated when no opening could be found. Sieges couldst weeks, even months, and they upied the defensive position. The Ebon Cult seemed reluctant to assault fully without Mozzahr¡¯s aid. Still, it would need to be wrapped up with as little bloodshed as possible, ideally.


    But just as the heist, this battle wasrgely a sess. It would take a miracle for the Ebon Cult to regain the advantage without Mozzahr. That was the failing of a cult¡ªwithout the one person holding it all together, it crumbled.


    With that matter shelved for now, Argrave focused on the curse that Erlebnis had levied. They were in the Alchemist¡¯s temporary obsidian abode atop the mountain, entirely sealed off from the world. Argrave sat on a cold obsidian table, feeling like he was at the doctor¡¯s once more. The Alchemist stood over Argrave, reviewing the books he¡¯dposed when the monstrous figure had first examined his bodypletely. He hoped they would be of some use.


    ¡°¡­so, what will you do now that Hause¡¯s back?¡± Argrave questioned.


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t know me,¡± the Alchemist said coldly. ¡°That¡¯s a question for you to answer. She can be a very valuable tool, and she owes you. Make good use of her. She can change the tide of everything, including our struggle against Gerechtigkeit.¡±


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t know you?¡± Argrave repeated.


    ¡°She was present in my life for less than one percent of its existence,¡± he looked down at Argrave. ¡°Yes. She doesn¡¯t know me.¡±


    Argrave grew silent as he tried to divine how old the Alchemist was from that information. His head started to hurt, and he instead thought back on other things.


    ¡°So, Anneliese said that your¡ª"


    ¡°You¡¯ve just been told that someone hears everything you hear, and yet you won¡¯t shut up,¡± the Alchemist leaned over Argrave menacingly. ¡°Wait. For. Me. To. Finish.¡±


    Argrave knew he was babbling so much only because he was nervous, but the ever-constant disdain that the Alchemist showed grounded him for a moment. He waited there, trying to think of anything that might distract him from things. But nothing came.


    ¡°This cloak¡­¡± the Alchemist touched it, rubbing it between his fingers. ¡°It drew outrge quantities of Erlebnis¡¯ power from the Blessing of Supersession, yes?¡±


    ¡°It did,¡± Argrave confirmed.


    The Alchemist looked at the books again. ¡°Vast quantities of Erlebnis¡¯ power entered into your body. It is reasonable that he would be able to enact something like this. And just as the Keeper said, I believe I can see it. What he did¡­ he blessed you. Or rather, he enhanced the blessing he¡¯d already given you.¡±


    Argrave scoffed. ¡°Enhanced?¡±


    ¡°You forget that babbling fool you brought me. He was ¡®blessed.¡¯ It¡¯s only terminology.¡± The Alchemist shut the book, and Argrave realized after a few moments he was talking about Ingo. ¡°You can use the Blessing of Supersession whenever you want. But when you do, I suspect he would be able to enhance his ability to perceive your body. The Keeper didn¡¯t lie. Much.¡±


    Argrave blinked, considering the implications of this. After a time, he refocused. ¡°I watched you disassemble and reassemble me like I was a toy soldier,¡± Argrave pointed at him. ¡°Tell me you can get rid of this.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ annoying,¡± the Alchemist said, shaking his head.


    ¡°Damn,¡± Argrave lowered his head.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°I said it was annoying, not that I couldn¡¯t do it, imbecile.¡± The Alchemist set his book aside. ¡°The curse is just needlesslyplex. And it¡¯s entwined with your soul¡ªan undying soul. A rare thing, but I kept you ignorant about it because it can be used for¡ª¡±


    ¡°Lichdom, yeah,¡± Argrave nodded, excited now that there was hope. ¡°I¡¯ve known that for a while. What about the curse?¡±


    The Alchemist looked at Argrave for a few moments. ¡°Well, that spares me time. You used your soul to anchor your blood echoes. Erlebnis used those conduits to support his curse. That¡¯s why it¡¯s annoying. I don¡¯t know how someone as slow-witted as you managed to do something so¡­ genius, but your A-rank ascension is very impressive. That you didn¡¯t die on your attempt is astounding. If you failed, you¡¯d vomit blood, bleed from eyes, et cetera. You¡¯ve done that before, but practice doesn¡¯t perfect everything. It is¡­ an impressive achievement, what you did.¡±


    Argrave smiled, deciding topletely ignore to mention the fact he¡¯d used the elven realms to circumvent that whole ¡®bleeding from the eyes¡¯ part.


    ¡°What are my options?¡± Argrave pressed.


    ¡°Two. I¡¯d prefer to destroy your magical pathways,¡± the Alchemist said. ¡°Tear it all out, with the other blessing you bear alongside it. You would lose all progress. Aspensation, I could give you the same thing that Durran has.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Argrave refused at once. ¡°Not a chance. I went through a lot of effort to get this.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± the Alchemist nodded bitterly. ¡°Then I suppose I¡­ unravel it, ever so slowly, like the worst tangle in a rope imaginable. You would be in a vulnerable position for a long period of time¡ªtime I suspect Erlebnis would attempt to assassinate you. I can avoid that by taking you somewhere and encasing you in stone so that no identifying information might reach Erlebnis. By the end of it, you would be free of the curse, and the Blessing of Supersession with it.¡±


    Hearing that, Argrave could only take a deep breath. He¡¯d been trying to distance himself from the Blessing of Supersession, using it as ast resort rather than something that he would rely upon as heavily as he did in the past. As it turned out, that hadn¡¯t been a fruitless thing¡ªit was to be removed. It nheless was discouraging to have that emergency measure stripped away.


    ¡°How long are we talking?¡± Argrave asked.


    ¡°I suspect¡­ that you would barely be able to make that meeting with Sataistador.¡±


    ¡°Over a month?¡± Argrave said in surprise. ¡°That¡¯s¡­!¡±


    ¡°Find someone who can do it better,¡± the Alchemist said slowly. ¡°I hid my presence, and my capabilities, incredibly well. Now, I¡¯ve given all of that up for this gambit of yours following a lead that amounts to ¡®what if.¡¯ The Keeper did not speak with such confidence for no reason. Under ordinary circumstances, it could never work. No one can do what I can. And being from where you are, you should know that,¡± he finished, speaking of Earth in vague terms.


    Argrave might¡¯ve cowered before, but he stared on and said, ¡°I won¡¯t act like you haven¡¯t spent a lot. But don¡¯t act like you¡¯re not gaining anything from this. We¡¯re allies.¡±


    ¡°A fair point,¡± the Alchemist conceded. ¡°I imagine you¡¯ll be going with the second choice.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I will,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°You have things to settle,¡± the Alchemist finished. ¡°You have forty-eight hours to return, or I will leave you to your fate. While I treat you, I will be examining the information I collected, trying to piece together a coherent theory of attack against Gerechtigkeit. You will make yourself useful, and answer questions that I have.¡±


    Argrave had thought that things weren¡¯t turning out so bad, but it turned out Erlebnis¡¯ punishment was far greater than he imagined. He would be trapped with the Alchemist, alone, for an entire month. He wouldn¡¯t be able to speak with anyone besides the giant genocidal Raven and his sister. The second conversationalist would probably be the only thing keeping him sane. Unless¡­


    ¡°Can I train my magic while I¡¯m there?¡± Argrave asked hopefully.


    ¡°I suppose,¡± the Alchemist shrugged.


    ¡°Then I have something you need to get,¡± Argrave smiled. ¡±It¡¯s far in the north¡­ and we only need a pinch.¡±


    #####


    ¡°¡­I see,¡± Anneliese said calmly, the wind of the mountaintop blowing her hair slightly. They stood outside the Alchemist¡¯s silver abode, Vasquer watching over them.


    Argrave stared her in the eyes for a few moments. ¡°You do?¡±


    ¡°It seems necessary,¡± she shook her head, then grabbed a thick stand of her hair to braid it idly¡ªa nervous tick of hers, resurfacing after so long. ¡°It will be painful to be apart for so long. But¡­¡± she trailed off.


    Elenore¡¯s voice cut into his mind, rying, ¡°Anneliese says, ¡®there are other ways we can talk.¡¯ By the gods¡­ have I be a glorified messenger?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°Painful but necessary. It¡¯s best if no one knows where I go. He¡¯s going to encase me in stone and then transfer me somewhere. I won¡¯t know where.¡±


    ¡°Prudent,¡± Anneliese nodded. ¡°No telling how Erlebnis might locate you¡ªthe direction of the wind, the smells, et cetera. And¡­ despite what we saw, I do trust the Alchemist.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± he pressed curiously, though he didn¡¯t disagree.


    ¡°He has been remarkably faithful. Not to mention he¡­ well, he did a lot to protect those he cared for. We are bound by duty and alliance, too. I shall not speak the rest, lest unwanted listeners learn more than they should.¡±


    Argrave guessed this was about what she mentioned earlier¡ªthe Alchemist¡¯s ¡®lifeforce,¡¯ whatever that meant. She¡¯d seemed touched by what he¡¯d done, then, and trusted him more since.


    ¡°Right,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°While I¡¯m gone¡­ I¡¯m naming you my regent. The excuse for my absence is to recover from the battle with Mozzahr.¡±


    ¡°Not entirely inurate,¡± Anneliese nodded. ¡°We waste time. Orion should be healed by now, demigod that he is. Mnie and Durran have already headed down into the underground. Elenore tells me that their arrival has caused quite a stir amongst the cultists, as a few recognize them. If you appear personally, and Mozzahr remains absent¡­ their morale will break utterly. From there, we negotiate their surrender. Mial, Mozzahr¡¯s daughter, is already wavering. It would be a victory with as few casualties as possible. Oh, and¡­¡± she trailed off.


    Elenore¡¯s voice surfaced in his head. ¡°We¡¯ve established contact with the dwarven nation. As it turns out, Anestis¡¯ father is a senator. He kept that detail private, but he appears to be cooperating for now.¡±


    ¡°Excellent,¡± Argrave said, both aloud and in his head. ¡°Then¡­ it¡¯s time to end this war before it truly begins.¡±


    Argrave walked away,ing to stand with Vasquer. The feathered serpent craned out, and he touched its snout.


    ¡°Had a strange dream¡­ and you were in it,¡± Argrave said, and Vasquer sent over relief at his safe return. He only had one emotion to return to her¡ªhope. Argrave hoped he was finally on track to put an end to all this madness sewn by Gerechtigkeit, now and forevermore. Only time would tell.

 Chapter 472: Most Dangerous Drug

    Argrave¡¯s feet felt light, but his steps were still a little metaphorically heavy. Looking down at himself, he could tell his body and armor still bore the remnants of battle. Still, it felt a little wrong returning to people who¡¯d been fighting for him while he was away in some mystical god¡¯s realm. The cramped areas of the underground felt a little less confining than Erlebnis¡¯ vault, but the walls might as well have been bearing down on him.


    Argrave passed out from beneath the pathway. The dark sight was strangelyforting¡ªwhenst they¡¯d been here, Mozzahr¡¯s Emptiness marred the open cavern like a deration of his power. That it was absent now was like a token for their victory. Argrave stared into the abyssal darkness beyond for half a moment, and then continued onward to where his troops awaited.


    The fortress was in far worse shape than it had been. There wererge piles of cracked stone scattered over the previously immacte courtyard, and Argrave saw tents where immobile people wrapped in nkets and bandages waited. Some he could tell were dead¡ªit was strange, but there was something different about a body when it was dead, something beyondmon perception. It was as though theycked presence. Beyond the victims of this battle, everyone was tense and watchful, packed densely beneath cover while mages stood boldly.


    Durran and Mnie emerged from the darkness, rejoining Argrave. Soon, their arrival drew the attention of the waiting soldiers, and rumors spread through the fort. Argrave expected it to be with a somber note; ¡®the bastard king dares show his face here?¡¯ That sort of thing. Instead¡­ they started getting riled up. Not from anger¡ªfrom excitement. And before long, cheers rang out, apanied by jeers. Not jeers at him, rather, his troops taunted the enemy.


    Argrave cast a puzzled nce back at Anneliese and Orion. The golden-armored knight, nowrgely recovered, gave Argrave a supporting nod, and then Anneliese led him along that they might stand upon the ramparts of the fortress and disy themselves boldly before the enemy. There, Castro and Onychinusa stood, vignt defenders against magical assault.


    ¡°Took you long enough,¡± Onychinusa looked at Argrave tiredly.


    Castro¡¯s eyes did not waver from the scene ahead as he said, ¡°I think you¡¯d best negotiate an armistice, Your Majesty. Your knightmander, Gmon, sallied with a detachment to deal with a particrly ornery group. It went well, but even still¡­ best end it now.¡±


    Argrave nodded at the Tower Master¡¯s words. ¡°You did well.¡± Argrave looked back and shouted, ¡°All of you did well. And I won¡¯t forget this.¡±


    Argrave stepped up to the fortress parapets, looking upon the abandoned dwarven city shrouded in darkness.


    Argrave held out his hand, casting a spell that conjured forth a huge ball of light. It illuminated the city ahead, yet shone on Argrave strongest of all. ¡°Your mortal leader is defeated,¡± he shouted, wordsing to him quickly. ¡°The man you thought a god was a mortal just as me. And where he faltered, I did not. Put down your arms, men and women of the Ebon Cult. Send your spellcasters forth, their hands bound. I am not without mercy, and your story needs not end here, miles underground. If you cooperate, you may see the surface. I urge you, surrender. Live to see sunlight, and your future.¡±


    As Argrave looked out, people walked into view. These men and women¡­ they¡¯d been bold and strong, surrounding him in the heart of this city. Yet now they were defeated. The first of their weapons ttered to the ground as they epted their fate.


    #####


    Argrave looked at Gmon as he entered into a humble room carved out of this fortress centuries ago. It was little more than a cot for soldiers, but it would suffice for this meeting. He¡¯d talked to some of the soldiers, and they¡¯d said how boldly Gmon had defended this ce. Sallying from a siege was generally only done when there was no option, or when it was a very good option. He¡¯d gone into the heart of danger, utterly dismantling the Ebon Cult¡¯s primary attackers and looked no worse for wear.


    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± the elvenmander greeted. ¡°You¡¯ve won.¡±


    ¡°Thanks to you,rgely,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°Everyone is singing your praises.¡±


    ¡°No. The men know what you did,¡± Gmon shook his head. ¡°This cult¡­ they were monstrous fighters. The majority of our casualties urred in the first half of the battle. But their power drained as that teal energy left their bodies.¡±


    Argrave raised his brows in surprise. He supposed that exined the positivity. ¡°And¡­ how many died?¡±


    Gmon removed his helmet, then set it aside. His white eyes were tired. ¡°Too early. Need to count. One thousand, at the very least.¡±


    Argrave sighed in dismay, closing his eyes and shaking his head. One thousand families that lost a member, all because he could not persuade Mozzahr with words alone, and instead dragged him away into Erlebnis¡¯ realm by force.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°This is an exceptional victory, Your Majesty. Our forces were of equal strength, and we won without massive damage,¡± Gmon argued, his deep voice trying its best to be consoling.


    ¡°He¡¯s right, you know,¡± Mnie supported, and when Argrave looked back Durran nodded in agreement.


    Argrave looked up slowly. He didn¡¯t want to insult Gmon¡ªfrom what little Argrave knew of battle, it was an exceptional victory. Their opponent had shamanic magic, and yet they did this well. It was a miracle.


    The metal door of the fortress opened behind and Argrave turned his head back. Anneliese and Onychinusa entered, bringing someone along with them. She was a white-haired elven woman, wearing purple and bound in chains. She was most simr in appearance to Onychinusa, though her shorter ears and paler skin marked her as one of the denizens of the underground. Argrave saw an owl mask in Anneliese¡¯s hand, and identified the person at once¡ªMial, Mozzahr¡¯s daughter.


    Mial fell to her knees, and then hissed in pain. Argrave looked at Onychinusa, who¡¯d shoved her. ¡°Don¡¯t do that,¡± he reprimanded.


    ¡°What?¡± Onychinusa said in loud protest. ¡°She¡¯s the enemy.¡±


    ¡°So were we, at one point,¡± Anneliese said tactfully. ¡°She is defeated.¡±


    Onychinusa crossed her arms defensively, and then stepped away without a retort.


    Mialughed. ¡°Is this some show of your mercy, feigning kindness with theatrics?¡±


    Argrave pulled a chair up and sat, then looked down at her. ¡°I¡¯d want arger audience. Everyone here already likes me.¡± He nced at Onychinusa. ¡°Somewhat.¡±


    ¡°True¡­¡± Mial nodded, staring down at the ground. ¡°But it doesn¡¯t matter. There is only one person whom he would never reim his Emptiness from. And that is me.¡± She looked up. Her eyes were deepvender. ¡°I retain his power, even if only just. My father lives. Meaning¡­ you lied, King Argrave.¡±


    ¡°I did bash his head against the wall a few times, and I¡¯d say I definitely came out a winner. But you¡¯re right, he¡¯s alive. He¡¯s like a damned cockroach.¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°I dropped the closest thing to a nuke that I could, but he¡¯s still kicking. But he still bleeds like you or me, and given where I left him¡­ I don¡¯t imagine he¡¯llst much longer.¡±


    Mial looked off to the side. Anneliese looked at Argrave intently, and when he raised his brows, she nodded. Anneliese thought Mial was hiding something.


    ¡°You know something, don¡¯t you?¡± Argrave pressed.


    ¡°No,¡± Mial shook her head.


    ¡°We both know you do,¡± Argrave insisted.


    ¡°She¡¯s hopeful. I think his power has stopped fading,¡± Anneliesemented.


    Argrave¡¯s gaze flitted between them. ¡°Is she right?¡±


    ¡°Why would I know that?¡± Mial protested.


    ¡°She knows,¡± Anneliese nodded. ¡°I think it¡¯s safe to say that Mozzahr escaped Erlebnis.¡±


    Argrave narrowed his eyes. If that¡¯s true¡­ he¡¯d have to exit the old-fashioned way¡ªnamely, the same way Erlebnis enters the mortal realm. He¡¯d emerge where Erlebnis is descending. I¡¯m not sure where that is.


    ¡°What have you brought me here for?¡± Mial¡¯s eyes darted between all present. ¡°A unteral interrogation?¡±


    Argrave crossed his legs. ¡°Most interrogations are unteral, right? Well, I won¡¯t torture you for information, if that¡¯s what you fear. I just want some information.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Mial refused. ¡°Never.¡±


    ¡°We have many other prisoners,¡± Argrave pointed out. ¡°All I want to know is where Mozzahr kept his research about Gerechtigkeit.¡±


    Mial focused on him. ¡°Only that?¡±


    ¡°Only that,¡± Argrave nodded.


    ¡°I¡­ suppose I can do just that,¡± Mial shook her head and looked at the ground, defeated. ¡°What¡¯s going to happen to the rest of us?¡±


    Argrave rubbed his palms together. ¡°I¡¯ll have to keep the leaders imprisoned. If Mozzahr does genuinely live, and somehow manages a return, I can¡¯t have his faithful, like you, talking him up. The rest¡­ I¡¯ll split them up, relocate them. Might be hard, but I can¡¯t afford to keep a dangerous elementbined as one unit. I¡¯m friends with some real gods. I¡¯m thinking¡­ they might find their first converts in the Ebon Cult. Insidious, maybe, but safer.¡±


    Mial looked up at him. ¡°My father¡­ I never believed he was a god. But I know he could be one. I know, in my heart of hearts, that he is part of the universe¡¯s design. This will not go as you think.¡±


    Argrave stood, pushing the chair away. ¡°That¡¯s the thing. It never has.¡±


    #####


    Argrave, Anneliese, and Orion walked through ckgard, heading for a secluded grove of yet untouched by their furious designs for this city. The newly-born capital grewrger every day, adding yet more buildings with varying purposes. He was happy to see more elves among their number, both from Veiden and the Bloodwoods¡ªmany were here as traders, but it was a good start nheless. ckgard was slowly transitioning from a capital in name to a capital in spirit.


    They left the bounds of the city. There, a group of warriors waited, standing in a roof circle. At Argrave¡¯s approach they rose, regarding him cautiously. These were all of the members of Hause¡¯s court.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to speak to Hause,¡± Argrave greeted them.


    Sonia stepped up to Argrave, giving a whistle. Some of the people there stood down.


    ¡°Come with me,¡± she said, tense as though they were in a battlefield.


    Argrave and his twopanions walked with Sonia to where Hause waited. Anneliese whispered to him, ¡°These people¡­ I can scarce describe the feeling of loss and emptiness they feel. It will be hard for them to adjust to this new life.¡±


    Argrave could not me them. To fight the Smiling Raven, and then to be here¡ªit was an impossible transition. And the only one who might shed some light upon their situation, Raven¡ªthe Alchemist¡ªrefused toe anywhere near them.


    Hause waited, kneeling on the grass. She rose up when Argrave approached, her pink ceremonial garb stained with grass where her knees were. She looked youthful and innocent, and she gave a neat nod to Argrave.


    ¡°I appreciate you allowing me to reserve this area. My power is scattered throughout the world, but I can feel it returning day by day as I manifest morepletely.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wee to this ce as long as you like,¡± Argrave said. ¡°I¡¯ll be absent for a time. I need some time to recover. That heist¡­ it left me with an injury. Even if I¡¯m gone, my people will protect and watch over you. You¡¯ll be taken to a safer ce, soon, once I depart.¡±


    Hause smiled. ¡°I imagine you do not do this of charity alone.¡±


    ¡°I do have requests,¡± Argrave admitted without hesitation.


    ¡°As any ruler should,¡± Hause nodded. ¡°I imagine you wish for me to look at your potential. If you do not¡­ well, times truly have changed. I can assess your potential, but as for unlocking it, I am not yet fully manifest. And my power, well¡­ we fought that beast, the Smiling Raven, mirrored by Erlebnis. What we fought was an imitation of it amounting to no more than a speckpared to the universe. I am hesitant to use it freely, but I can divine your potential if you so wish.¡±


    Anneliese cut in, ¡°May I ask something?¡±


    ¡°Please. You are my benefactor,¡± Hause gestured freely.


    ¡°If you knew Raven could be what he did, why did you help him?¡± Anneliese tilted her head innocently.


    Sonia stepped up to Anneliese. ¡°Don¡¯t speak as if you know¡ª¡±


    ¡°Sonia,¡± Hause interrupted her. ¡°They were in Erlebnis¡¯ realm. I imagine they know far more than we do,¡± she said pointedly.


    ¡°I-I¡­¡± Sonia¡¯s words caught in her throat. ¡°Raven is a good man. He¡¯s¡­¡± She closed her eyes, suppressing tears.


    ¡°Take a walk, honey,¡± Hause said calmly, cing her hand on Sonia¡¯s shoulder. When the young woman obeyed mutely, Argrave heard distant sobs finally released. Hause looked at Anneliese. ¡°Potential is not realizing of that potential. I saw that Raven could be as much a force for good as he could be a disaster.¡±


    ¡°It was greed, then?¡± Anneliese asked with bold innocence.


    ¡°Hope,¡± Hause said distantly. ¡°Just¡­ hope. Hope that it might all end, without Gerechtigkeit ravaging the world. Hope that the fell power that consumed so many cities might instead protect them from the darkness. I¡­ I fear my failure is all too fresh on the mind. In truth¡­ I cannot dismiss my role in this.¡± She grew silent for a long while, then raised her head with some brightness returned. ¡°But life is resilient, and it came in the form of your party, Argrave, Anneliese. Now¡ªyou wish me to examine your potential?¡±


    Argrave scratched the back of his neck¡ªit was a little like visiting a fortune teller, he felt. ¡°I won¡¯t lie¡ªthe idea does tempt me. I¡¯d like you to disclose the results to my sister, however.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Hause tilted her head. ¡°Do you wish to spare yourself the pain of learning something you did not wish to know? That rather reminds of me of someone. He seems to be absent, today,¡± she mused.


    Argrave knew she spoke about Raven. Hause seemed to be keeping quiet about him to her followers, but he wasn¡¯t sure what to make of that.


    ¡°There are other considerations,¡± Argrave exined. ¡°I¡ª"


    ¡°I won¡¯t pry,¡± Hause raised her hand and interrupted. ¡°But¡­ yes, I¡¯ll help you. I, myself, am curious about what your potential will be. You already robbed Erlebnis, god of knowledge, and lived to tell the tale¡­ so what more waits for you?¡±

 Chapter 473: Silhouettes to Fill

    Elenore walked in a room in the parliamentary hall with Orion, Gmon, Mnie, and Durran walking along with her. She saw Hause, sitting on a couch cordially alongside Anneliese. After taking a moment to gather herself, she walked to sit across from the woman.


    ¡°Hello,¡± Elenore greeted. ¡°My brother¡¯s taken me to be his personal messenger. And he tells me you might have very important information.¡±


    ¡°Certainly,¡± Hause greeted. ¡°I have been taking the time to acquaint myself with Anneliese. She has been speaking of your ns for the future. And hearing of your aims, well¡­¡± she ran her hand through her hair. ¡°Perhaps it was not a mistake, what I did. Perhaps the hope I saw did not end with tragedy, and this stories continue onward.¡±


    ¡°Many people died because of what you did,¡± Durran said simply, walking to the wall as everyone else sat. ¡°Because you meddled with people, an entire continent lost its lives. And it was your own power. You don¡¯t have an excuse.¡±


    Elenore looked at him sharply as she slowly sat. ¡°Durran. This is not the time.¡±


    ¡°It may be meager defense, but what I see is potential,¡± Hause said in response. ¡°Meaning¡­ even if my hand had not unleashed it, the end result may have been the same. I sought to contain Raven, guide him. Not¡­ not that.¡± She looked down at the ground. ¡°Raven¡­ does he still refuse to visit?¡±


    ¡°So far as I know,¡± Elenore said.


    ¡°Well¡­ he has a nobler aim, now. All of you do,¡± she lifted her head. ¡°I can tell you what you might be, all of you. Perhaps it will give you direction. Perhaps it will tell you nothing at all. But nevertheless, I can tell you.¡±


    ¡°Please,¡± Elenore gestured. ¡°Argrave insists.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°Then perhaps we should start with him,¡± Hause inclined her head. ¡°Please know¡­ that I speak honestly, and fairly, and do not hold my words against me.¡± She looked about, and everyone gave affirming nods¡ªeven Durran, who gave his begrudgingly. ¡°Then¡­ Argrave¡­ he exudes death. It is pivotal to his being.¡±


    The party grew silent. Mnie spoke up first, questioning, ¡°Well, uhh¡­ have you seen that before? Got a frame of reference? A famous ughterer, perhaps?¡±


    ¡°I know what it means,¡± Hause nodded. ¡°It speaks,rgely, of what he is capable of. If he believed it necessary, he could deal death without hesitation. He could make choices that most other people would balk at. This does not make him evil, nor good. Death is a natural part of life. People with incredibly strong will often exude death.¡±


    ¡°Did Raven?¡± Elenore asked quietly.


    ¡°Yes, but not to the extent Argrave did,¡± Hause shook her head. ¡°It is not a negative thing. I think it is a testament to his sheer tenacity. It is your duty to guide and make sure that tenacity does not express itself in detrimental ways, by my belief. As for his other potential, what I believe you look for more closely¡­ his innate potential is judgment.¡±


    ¡°So he¡¯s judgmental? That fits,¡± Durranughed.


    ¡°Is that something good, or bad?¡± Elenore asked. ¡°If you were to unlock that potential, what might it be?¡±


    Hause rubbed her fingers together anxiously. ¡°My ability¡­ is always unpredictable. When I saw Raven, I saw a hunger that grew everrger the more it ate. It seemed to expand infinitely. When I changed him, he became as he is. His bizarre alchemical body, his self-actualization.¡± She looked to the side. ¡°And judgment¡­ it is such a broad concept that it scares me to tamper with, somewhat. Things are not normally like that.¡±


    ¡°Then what are they like?¡± Anneliese asked.


    ¡°There¡¯s you,¡± she looked at Elenore. ¡°You have a flourishing blossom of creativity¡ªa beautiful yet venomous ck flower. It could be dangerous¡­ but given how mature this flower is, perhaps it is toote for me to warn you of that. As for other matters, your body is rich soil for a garden. You havetent natural powers of growth. You rather remind me of Sonia. She is an architect of growth. She made the grandest pavilions in all the world, where beautiful flowers bloomed all season long. Her designs were the subject of envy around the world, and all sought her craftsmanship.


    ¡°And you,¡± she looked at Durran. ¡°You have twofold potentials. There is death repeated twice, yet branching off into separate paths. One is of rebirth¡ªof sundering petrified roses, so that the foul flesh beneath can be reborn twice as awful. The other¡­ it speaks of wrapping yourself in the power of others, using either foe or ally alike to invigorate yourself.¡±


    As everyone digested that, Mnie set her ck executioner¡¯s de up against the wall and leaned up against the couch Elenore sat on. ¡°So that¡¯s the more straightforward ones?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Hause conceded. ¡°The people that I change be a little more than human. My followers are an example of this¡ªI can demonstrate that factter, if you so please. Though I will admit¡ªfinding so many talents clustered together like this is a rarity.¡±


    ¡°You have Argrave to thank for that,¡± Gmon added gruffly. ¡°He judged us long ago.¡±


    ¡°Indeed?¡± Hause tilted her head. ¡°Yet you¡­ you have realized much of what you are. The faithful hound spurs your step. Your potential¡­ it was marked by blood, imed by it and changed irreversibly. Yet now that pestilence has been cut apart, and I see only the scars it left. Even still, this experience serves to strengthen the hound that you are.¡± She turned her head to Orion. ¡°And you, golden-armored knight, denied your potential. Broke it. It is a stained-ss window with ny-six colors, and on the other side rests authority. This window lies abandoned, discarded, shattered¡­ but it can still be rebuilt. Either by my hand, or your own.¡±


    ¡°You do see things, I admit,¡± Orion looked away. ¡°But there is a lesson in your words. Not all potential need be realized.¡±


    ¡°And usst two?¡± Mnie stood up, her curiosity stoked.


    ¡°You are both simr, yet very different simultaneously,¡± Hause crossed her legs, examining Anneliese and Mnie in turn. ¡°You both feel empty. And this emptiness is a great drive forward, giving you a relentless push toward finding something that might fill this hole. I think you two have made strides toward taming and harnessing this aspect of yourselves, but the fact remains that you stillck a certain part.¡±


    Mnie smiled bitterly. ¡°Thought I hid it well.¡±


    ¡°Funny you phrase it as that,¡± Hause said, looking at Mnie intently. ¡°You can be a chameleon¡ªan actor without peer. But I do not speak merely of speaking, talking, articting, or moving¡­ you possess the potential to fool even gods.¡±


    Mnie blinked a few times, taking that in. ¡°Not very fond of the stage. Prefer to be watching the people behind the curtain.¡±


    ¡°I see what I see,¡± Hause shrugged. ¡°And you, Anneliese. I see in you¡­ an eternity.¡±


    ¡°What is eternity?¡± Anneliese asked without missing a beat.


    ¡°Do you mean you don¡¯t¡­?¡± Hauseughed. ¡°No, I think I understand. It is a broad concept, eternity, and you wish to know how it applies here. Well¡­ I have seen eternity on many people. Inventors whose inventions are used even today. Spellcasters who changed the realm of magic forevermore. Or people who left an indelible mark on history. Simply put¡­ you possess something within you that cannot ever be destroyed.¡±


    ¡°That only makes me more curious,¡± Anneliese crossed her legs and pondered that. ¡°So, then, you have seen all of us. And what of enacting your other power? To unlock potential.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ would you hold it against me if I imed to have trepidation?¡± Hause looked around. ¡°You have seen Raven¡ªas you know him, the Alchemist. He cannot be called fully mortal, anymore. I am on the wake of the greatest disaster my abilities have ever caused. I need to reflect on this. And even so, it will be some time before all my powers can manifest from their scattered ces. So¡­ I ask for more time to think, before I can answer. Is that alright?¡±


    ¡°I suppose that is fine,¡± Elenore nodded. ¡°I imagine you¡¯ve given all of us much to think about, in turn. And Anneliese¡ªArgrave needs you for that journey with Mial.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Anneliese rose, drawn from her distractions. ¡°You¡¯re right. I forget.¡±


    #####


    ¡°It¡¯s gone,¡± Mial said simply.


    ¡°What?¡± asked Argrave, looking around the room. They were deeper in the heart of the dwarven cities underground, and the now-abandoned city was quite terrifying. Still, Mial had led them back to the old dwarven senate house, and eventually to a room within it. This room of marble waspletely empty.


    ¡°Every book here about Gerechtigkeit¡ªit¡¯s gone,¡± she exined. ¡°I¡­ I know how this looks. But I swear to you, Mozzahr did keep his research here, all of his notes here. I helped him write most of it. He would not move it so randomly, and¡­¡± she stuttered in panic. ¡°I don¡¯t know who took it, but it¡¯s gone. You have to believe me.¡±


    Argrave cast Anneliese a look, but she gave no indication she thought Mial was lying. Argrave clutched his forehead.


    ¡°Good lord¡­ well¡­¡± he babbled, at a loss. ¡°You helped him, right? You can recreate some of it?¡±


    Mial was silent for a few moments, then looked back, chains jingling. ¡°Given this failing, perhaps it¡¯s only natural I help. But I¡¯m only mortal. My father might¡¯ve remembered it all perfectly, but me¡­?¡±


    ¡°If he remembered perfectly, he wouldn¡¯t have written it down,¡± Argrave reminded her. ¡°Who knew about this stuff?¡±


    ¡°All the upper echelons,¡± Mial shrugged. ¡°Myself, the elder vampire Rochefort, Georgina¡ª¡±


    ¡°Georgina?¡± Argrave repeated.


    Anneliese cut in, reminding him, ¡°She¡¯s our captive. Who else?¡±


    Mial¡¯s brain worked, listing off names until she suddenly paused, frowning tightly. ¡°Traugott.¡±


    Argrave¡¯s blood ran cold. ¡°Did you say who I think you said?¡± He walked to stand before her, and leaned down until he looked her deep in thosevender eyes. ¡°Traugott? S-rank spellcaster? Dark skin, dark hair, absolute psycho who¡¯d spawn a Shadonder in the heart of a city? That Traugott? The one who writes sociopathic notes, apologizing, like it¡¯ll all be better because of that?¡±


    Mial shrunk away from him as he ran his mouth, then muttered, ¡°I don¡¯t know all of that, but¡­ yes, I believe that¡¯s him.¡±


    Argraveughed in disbelief, then leaned up against the wall. ¡°You¡¯re telling me Traugott was a part of all of this?¡±


    ¡°I take it you have history,¡± Mial walked deeper within the room, and Argrave kept a cautious eye on her. His people were all around, but she could still be dangerous.


    ¡°You might call it that,¡± Argrave said vaguely. ¡°This is thest thing I need to hear before I leave¡­¡±


    ¡°It is not as though the trip could be any worse than it promises to be already,¡± Anneliese reminded him.


    Argraveughed. ¡°Yeah¡­ yeah. It¡¯s just¡­ absolutely maddening, to not know his game. What is he driving at?¡± He looked at Mial. ¡°Do you know?¡±


    ¡°I know he convinced Mozzahr to talk to you,¡± Mial said. ¡°After what happened, thought¡­ he might be one of yours. Or one of Erlebnis¡¯.¡±


    ¡°It fits him, coborating with that freak, but¡­¡± Argrave sighed deeply. ¡°Hell. I¡¯d hoped to bring the Alchemist a nice, fat stack of new knowledge, but it looks like it¡¯ll take time.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll get to work recreating what Mozzahr knew,¡± Mial promised.


    ¡°Awfully helpful,¡± Argrave pointed out. ¡°Okay, whatever,¡± he dismissed, doing his best to rein in this crushing disappointment. ¡°I¡­ have to get things in order. Forty-eight hours isn¡¯t as much time as it sounds like. And I have a plus-sized coffin to fill.¡±

 Chapter 474: Last Supper

    Argrave stood in Elenore¡¯s office, deep inside the parliamentary hall. Orion stood at the doorway, while Anneliese attended to another matter regarding Mial and the other prisoners.


    ¡°First among our tasks¡­ distribution of what we¡¯ve stolen from Erlebnis,¡± Argrave said, reading a paper that Elenore had handed him. ¡°I think I can do this with my listener present. I might even get some satisfaction knowing that we¡¯re dividing the loot from his vault while he listens.¡±


    ¡°I did want to hear your thoughts on that before I made any choices,¡± Elenore nodded.


    ¡°¡­there¡¯s a lot of stuff,¡± Argrave confessed. ¡°I was going to ask Hause for help appraising all of it.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know?¡± Elenore raised her brows.


    ¡°I¡¯m not a machine. I don¡¯t remember all of it,¡± Argrave defended. ¡°Anyway¡­ the majority of the weapons, we should give to Durran¡¯s god-ying retinue. He¡¯s dealt with a lot of the baddies, but more of them could still pop up before the tough bastards like Erlebnis and Kirel Qircassia start manifesting. Just make things easy for him.¡±


    ¡°I suggest we set aside some to distribute to the nobility,¡± Elenore advised. ¡°It will enhance their ability to defend distant territories, while also ensuring their loyalty. These artifacts¡­ what are they truly capable of?¡±


    ¡°One of them could probably put you on par with Gmon, physically,¡± Argrave said with a shrug. ¡°Others have specific effects. I think¡­ I think one of them might help Valeria. Temporarily. I can finally keep that promise to you, maybe.¡± He looked at Orion.


    The golden-armored knight blinked in shock. ¡°You mean¡­ I might speak to my mother when she is rational?¡±


    ¡°Yep,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°Won¡¯tst forever, but it¡¯s a start. From there, I¡¯ll be looking out for other solutions. Non-divine solutions. Unless your stance on divinity changes.¡±


    Orion mmed his fist against his chest hard enough to bend his armor. ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty!¡±


    ¡°Orion¡¯s mother,¡± Elenore crossed her arms and looked a little pleased. ¡°If one of them might do that¡­ they¡¯ll all be incredibly useful, then.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. We pilfered some other stuff. A dragon egg. I usually sell those, unless I¡¯m ying as¡ª¡± Argrave cut himself off, hesitant to mention anything rted to Heroes of Berendar, even if it was innocuous and vague. ¡°Point is¡ªthis¡¯ll take time. Let¡¯s do it while I¡¯m far away, so I can assess things one by one.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Elenore agreed. ¡°I¡¯d like you to tweak some things about your Domain of Order presiding over the town. It should help make the city safer and more efficient. Crime is basically non-existent. It¡¯s been wonderful, but it could be more.¡±


    Argrave read the paper, where her desired changes listed out for quite some time. ¡°I see that,¡± he mumbled after a second. ¡°Alright. And then?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to construct a¡­ a mailbox for you, shall we say,¡± Elenore held her hand out. ¡°It¡¯ll be connected via my blessing from Lira, allowing me to transfer documents to you for you to stamp with your magical signature. Other things, too, but that¡¯s my use for it. We¡¯ll retrieve it after you change the Domain of Order.¡±


    ¡°Alright. And then?¡± Argrave pressed.


    ¡°Just ast-minute census, a few other minor things to deal with, some public appearances, speaking to a few members of parliament¡­ trivial things, but they need to be done. Oh, and I¡¯d like tomunicate with the gods in our alliance.¡±


    ¡°Alright. And thest entry¡­ surprise,¡± Argrave narrowed his eyes, then opened them wide. ¡°Oh. I was in business mode. What¡¯s the surprise?¡± He paused and shook his head. ¡°Wait¡ªit¡¯s a surprise, duh. You can¡¯t tell me.¡±


    ¡°Precisely,¡± Elenore took the paper. ¡°Now¡­ let¡¯s get you to work.¡±


    #####


    The night waste, and Argrave sat at a table filled with many of his favorite people in a small, secluded building in ckgard. This was his surprise¡ªa private banquet. It wasn¡¯t overly grandiose, but nor was it excessively humble. In other words, precisely the way Argrave liked things. This surprise was a wee one after the day of tedium he¡¯d endured. The most exciting part had been contacting the gods they¡¯d allied with. Their heist had caused quite a stir in the astral nes. Rook and Almazora still needed mortal champions, but they were ostensibly steadfast allies by this point.


    After this night, the Alchemist awaited. Argrave would be sure to enjoy this dinner.


    Everyone who¡¯d gone with him on the heist was here, alongside Elenore. Castro had joined at Argrave¡¯s invitation. Some of his people were absent by circumstance or choice¡ªNikoletta and Onychinusa, for instance¡ªbut altogether, it felt like a family meal with a family he truly loved. Still, it was difficult to forget the lingering specter of Erlebnis.


    Argrave ran his finger over the empty silver te before him. ¡°This¡¯ll be a little like myst supper before prison.¡± He left out the next part, saying it in his head alone: hopefully there¡¯s no Judas among us.


    Durran raised his goblet full of wine, while his left arm rested on the backrest of Elenore¡¯s chair proudly and possessively. Elenore didn¡¯t seem to mind. ¡°We¡¯d best make it a good one. I don¡¯t envy what¡¯sing to you.¡±


    Argrave smiled at the two of them together, then said after a moment¡¯s pause, ¡°We should make it good for Elenore, too, then. She¡¯s going to have me buzzing in her ear at all times of the day.¡±


    ¡°I hope my brother will have the decency to respect my nights, at the very least,¡± Elenore looked at him pointedly, though her smiling gray eyes told she was happy to be here.


    ¡°I second that. For different reasons than her, I imagine,¡± Durran added, andughed when Elenore turned her head at him coldly.


    ¡°I woulde if you would allow me, Your Majesty,¡± Orion put his hand against his chest. In a rare showing, he did not wear his golden armor¡ªArgrave¡¯s request. With a neat braid on his ck hair and a tightbing of his beard, he was quite striking. ¡°But since you will not allow it, I will ensure this ce remains just as it was when you left.¡±


    ¡°I believe His Majesty intends for it to be grander than it was,¡± Castro said tactfully.


    ¡°How is Ingo?¡± Argrave asked Castro.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°He¡¯s¡­ he¡¯s well, Your Majesty,¡± Castro said with palpable relief. ¡°It is hard to describe how it feels to simply teach him magic with nothing else as distraction.¡±


    The doors opened, and servants dressed in neat white-ck outfits entered.


    Anneliese sat up a little straighter, seeming unusually attentive. ¡°Speaking of distractions¡­¡±


    Food was arrayed before them all. Elenore exined, ¡°A lot of thises from the first harvest in ckgard. From the orchards, from the fields, or from the livestock¡­ all of this was grown here in the bounds of this valley.¡± The servants piled the tters up in the center of the table, refilled sses with jugs of water or wine as requested, then left the room professionally.


    ¡°Cows must grow up faster than I remember,¡± Mnie said as she reached and retrieved a steak. ¡°Or we¡¯re killing them younger.¡±


    Argrave chuckled slightly as Elenore said, ¡°Alright¡­ not all of the food. But the point stands for most of it. On top of that, I¡¯ve imported spices from the Burnt Desert. They¡¯re doing well as a luxury item for now, but as it bes more avable I can distribute it to more sses of people.¡±


    ¡°You like fowl the most, yes?¡± Anneliese asked Argrave, but she seemed to already be certain of the answer as she retrieved some. ¡°And I remember you enjoying the seasoning of the Burnt Desert¡­¡±


    She had a faint twinkle in her amber eyes as she dished up his te, and Argrave figured out that she¡¯d probably asked Elenore to bring the spices to this dinner. She had probably been behind the vast majority of this¡ªthe quiet atmosphere, the people he liked, theck of lingering servants attending to his whims¡­ Anneliese knew him very well.


    ¡°I¡¯m gonna miss you,¡± he told her.


    Anneliese paused, looking at him affectionately. The others at the table broke off into their own conversations as they ate, leaving them to their own world.


    ¡°I would hope so,¡± Anneliese said in half a whisper.


    ¡°You know so, Anne,¡± he rebutted at once.


    Anneliese smiled broadly, face flushing somewhat. ¡°Yes,¡± she agreed shyly. ¡°Hause told me that I am empty, you know.¡±


    Argrave leaned in closer. ¡°Where is she? I¡¯ll go smack some sense into her.¡±


    Her exasperated nce made him grin, and she ignored him and continued, ¡°In the past, her calling me that would have resonated. Now¡­ now, not so much. I feel secure. With you. With all the things you built. But even with that securityes insecurity, like it could all slip away. Even if the ground is solid, andslide could cause it all to crumble.¡±


    ¡°Hell if I don¡¯t feel that,¡± Argrave nodded slowly. ¡°One thing wrong, though. We built this,¡± he ced his hand over hers. ¡°And I feel like we¡¯re on the precipice of something real. Something wholly removed from what I knew. Maybe¡­ maybe my purpose.¡±


    ¡°Your purpose has always been what you make it, in my belief,¡± Anneliese responded. ¡°That¡­ that ce¡­ it was terrifying, Argrave. Mozzahr, Erlebnis, the White nes¡­ I think I am finally strong enough to admit that I grow weary of it all,¡± she looked back at the table. ¡°I want more of this. A quiet ce. You, holding my hand. A family.¡±


    ¡°The circumstance demands we fight for it,¡± Argrave responded. ¡°Only a while longer, Anneliese.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± she agreed, finally picking up her utensils. ¡°But fear not. My nerve is as cold and hard as ever. I will live up to your expectation as your regent in your absence.¡±


    Argrave smiled. ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re capable of disappointing me. If there¡¯s one thing you suck at, it¡¯s that.¡±


    She looked at him. ¡°You tempt me. The night is young, and I had more nned for us after this¡­ but hearing that, I may reconsider and leave you disappointed.¡±


    ¡°My bad. You¡¯re great at disappointing me,¡± Argrave went rigid and turned back to his meal.


    ¡°Eat your food,¡± she ordered him, words interspersed with suppressed amusement.


    #####


    ¡°Have you taken care of everything?¡± asked the Alchemist. He didn¡¯t look back at Argrave as he dealt with his abode of obsidian. His Pawns swarmed about him, assisting him in this task. ¡°You won¡¯t be able to return.¡±


    Argrave looked at Vasquer, and sent hisst goodbyes. He said to the Alchemist, ¡°Didn¡¯t realize you cared.¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ve let you get too familiar.¡± An eye opened on his back, and its iris split open to make way for teeth. ¡°Perhaps I don¡¯t need to staunch the pain for this procedure as I intended to.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the boss,¡± Argraveplied at once, stiffening. Anneliese shook her head off to the side, where several others stayed to say goodbye. Some of them were even sober. He continued and informed the Alchemist, ¡°I¡¯ve taken care of everything. We can leave whenever you can leave.¡±


    ¡°Bye, Argrave,¡± came a familiar voice, and Argrave turned his head in surprise. Onychinusa sat atop Vasquer¡¯s head. ¡°I¡¯ll keep watch.¡±


    Argrave smiled. ¡°Thanks. I know I can trust you.¡±


    ¡°Hey¡­¡± she began, kicking her feet. ¡°Erlebnis¡­ how bad did you ruin him?¡±


    Argraveughed heartily. ¡°I¡¯m wealthier than he is, now. Let¡¯s just say that.¡±


    She didn¡¯t quite smile, but her legs did kick a little faster. ¡°Just so you all know¡­ someone tried to break in while we were warring,¡± she said, growing serious. ¡°They tried to teleport into ckgard. I think they were after your sister. They ended up in the ocean, instead.¡±


    Argrave grew a little pale. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ terrifying. I¡­¡±


    ¡°I said they ended in the ocean,¡± she repeated, annoyed.


    Argrave went silent for a few moments, then conceded her point with a nod. ¡°You¡¯re right. But if you hadn¡¯t set up those measures¡­¡±


    ¡°But she did,¡± Elenore reminded Argrave. ¡°And I¡¯m fine. Don¡¯t let this rattle you¡ªwe have built something that can endure without you watching like a hawk.¡±


    ¡°Only because you¡¯re watching,¡± he reminded her.


    ¡°It¡¯s ready,¡± said the Alchemist, standing straight and turning. ¡°Get in.¡±


    Orion stepped forward, handing Argrave a box¡ªthe ¡®mailbox¡¯ that Elenore had crafted, to deliver documents or other items via her blessing bestowed by Lira. Argrave took it in hand, and looked at what the Alchemist had made. It was a simple room, possessing basic amenities and little else. But it was eerily ck. And it would be Argrave¡¯s life for a little over a month.


    Argrave looked at everyone. ¡°See you soon. Don¡¯t die while I¡¯m gone.¡± He shed a bitter smile. ¡°Love you all.¡±


    ¡°Even me?¡± Mnie asked flirtatiously.


    ¡°After all the things you¡¯ve done? Definitely,¡± Argrave nodded seriously, feeling now was no time for jokes. ¡°You¡¯re family, Mnie. We couldn¡¯t have done it without you.¡±


    Mnie looked away, embarrassed. ¡°You¡¯re not supposed to say something like that.¡±


    ¡°Cryter, all of you,¡± the Alchemist reprimanded. ¡°Enter, Argrave.¡±


    Argrave obeyed, walking to the spot. He looked at Raven before he entered. ¡°Will you say goodbye to the ones you loved?¡±


    ¡°¡­no,¡± said the Alchemist. But in a rare show, he did hesitate.


    Argrave stepped into the ck room¡­ and it shut behind him, leaving him in total silence. He looked around the ce, taking it all in. A bed, a chair, a desk, a toilet¡ªthough not a modern one, naturally. Meals would be provided. The Alchemist could create other things as he needed them. But even still¡­ this was to be a month that tried his patience.


    The Alchemist entered, walking through the walls. ¡°We¡¯ve arrived,¡± he dered. ¡°No time to dy. Let¡¯s get you opened up.¡±

 Chapter 475: Solitary Confinement

    ¡°Why am I being held?¡± a man wearing a heavy cloak protested, forced to kneel by those nearby.


    Two weapons of gleaming white bone pointed at his neck, wielded by towering pale-skinned elves. They bore a ck sash on their shoulder disying a sunburst, with the rays of its sun reced by the golden snake of House Vasquer. They did not answer him, and the people passing through the gate to ckgard were held up by several soldiers as the conflict was dealt with. The refugees watched the situationrgely in concern for their own safety.


    The man protested and squirmed, but the des wielded by the Veidimen were as immovable as a mountain. Soon enough, a new party of knights arrived. Leading them was a golden-armored knight with a long ck braid descending from the back of his helmet, and the people muttered his name¡ªPrince Orion, the vicemander of the king¡¯s royal guard.


    Prince Orion escorted a tall woman with elegant bearing, wearing the ck and gold of her husband¡¯s kingdom. People recognized her, too, perhaps even more so than the knight. She was the queen regent, Anneliese. Some of the more reverential refugees knelt to her, but she single-mindedly walked to the man.


    The queen regent sized the man up with her amber eyes, then nodded. ¡°Well done. He¡¯s a spy.¡±


    Hearing those words, both the Veidimen and the man deemed spy moved at the same time. He cast a B-rank spell, disentangling himself from them, then called upon the Blessing of Supersession. His being was vested with the power offered by Erlebnis, and he called upon high-caliber magic which he directed toward the queen.


    Prince Orion stepped forth to defend the queen regent with a shield that seemed to be made of a dragon¡¯s skull, but she moved past him. She effortlessly contained the countless spells with a single ward. Some of the jewelry she wore resonated with divine power and strengthened her magic. He changed targets from her to the crowd, yet she reacted faster, containing him in a sphere of warding magic.


    Isted and neutralized, the spy grit his teeth and cast a spell with fear in his eyes. His body shifted and contorted, and then exploded into spikes of gruesome blood that propelled outward with rming speed. Queen Anneliese¡¯s ward was stronger, though. It did not show even a crack. She turned away from the sight with disappointment in her eyes, but then faced the crowd.


    ¡°The trouble is over, my people.¡± Her eyes slowly scanned the crowd, as if looking into the heart of each of them. ¡°You will be in ckgard soon. People like that can never get past this checkpoint.¡± She looked at the royal guard. ¡°As I said, you did well. Ensure no one will be hurt.¡±


    The guards knelt. ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±


    With a single nod, she left them all, exiting the checkpoint. Orion followed right after her, watching carefully.


    Princess Elenore¡¯s voice entered Anneliese¡¯s head, carried by the blessing of the goddess of connections, Lira. ¡°Is it done?¡±


    Anneliese responded, ¡°It was. He chose death like all the rest. Better he chose it when I came rather than when he was suspected, but our luck can onlyst so long. My magic is enhanced by the divine artifacts we stole from Erlebnis¡¯ vault, but it strains against their blood magic.¡±


    ¡°Argrave¡¯s Domain of Order persists, protecting this ce. We would know at once if any who entered ckgard had hostile intent,¡± Elenore reminded her.


    ¡°Certainly,¡± Anneliese acknowledged. ¡°Still, I cannot fathom where Erlebnis gets this many people willing to die for him¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, and I don¡¯t care to know,¡± Elenore answered. ¡°Even if we did manage to capture one of them alive, I doubt they¡¯d yield anything useful. Erlebnis likes keeping knowledge, not giving it to his underlings. We should be thankful that your blessing of Truesight lets us spot them. It¡¯s turning out to be rather invaluable, even among all of our abilities.¡±


    Anneliese responded only, ¡°Have you forgotten how we speak through your blessing right now?¡±


    ¡°Of course not,¡± said Elenore. ¡°Come back to the parliamentary hall. Durran will be returning soon, and I want everyone present to receive the dwarven envoy.¡±


    ¡°Everyone except Argrave,¡± Anneliese answered begrudgingly. ¡°See you in a bit.¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t too much longer, now, until he returns,¡± Elenore said consolingly. ¡°Chin up, Anneliese.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Their connection faded, and Anneliese looked around the growing city of ckgard. This ce was bing titanic as more and more people filled it. Orderly buildings of ck stone, long fields and orchards of bountiful crops, roaming livestock feeding on ground unpolluted by magic¡­ in perhaps a year, this meadow valley had be a rival to the grandest cities on the continent. But it was put to test more and more by the day. The enemies that they had made probed its defenses day and night.


    And looming behind it all was the arrival of distant travelers. They came not from the north, nor the south, nor from Veiden. They came far overseas from other nations, bearing strange titles, strange weaponry, and strange customs. The conflict for the fate of the world had begun, and like a frog slowly boiled, they hardly realized it until it was toote.


    But Vasquer was not alone in this changed world. They had divine allies of their own¡ªlike Lira, Yinther, or Law. There was Rook and Raen, divine brothers, Almazora and Veid, one a goddess of magic and the other a goddess of the Veidimen. Their alliance was not meager¡­ and already, they¡¯d drawn eyes by robbing Erlebnis, god of knowledge.


    The fruits of that heist had already been realized in the divine artifacts wrested away. But soon, another harvest would be ready. Namely, knowledge of the cmity Gerechtigkeit, of the cycle of judgment¡­ and possibly, just possibly, putting an end to this eternity of struggle.


    Anneliese stepped up to the entrance of ckgard¡¯s parliamentary hall. Mnie stood there, and waved at Anneliese. The red-headed countess stepped up with her mercenary swagger, carrying a ck executioner¡¯s de on her shoulder.


    ¡°Hey. The divine envoys are ready to join you whenever,¡± Mnie exined, a faint smile about her scarred face. ¡°We¡¯re supposed to ¡®wow¡¯ the dwarves, right? I think this¡¯ll do the trick¡­¡±


    Anneliese nodded seriously. ¡°I should hope so. Let me channel Argrave as best I can, I suppose¡­¡±


    #####


    ¡°What is Anne wearing?¡± Argrave asked Elenore, watching the Alchemist as he worked.


    The Alchemist¡ªa towering, twenty-foot-tall monstrosity that could contort his body every which way he desired¡ªhad Argrave¡¯s chest split open, many of his organs sprawled out across the table next to him. The Alchemist worked at extracting a malignant-looking ck magic thread from Argrave¡¯s body piece by piece. They were in the process of removing the Blessing of Supersession from him without harming the rest of his body. This had been going on for a month by this point, and the end still seemed far away.


    ¡°You want to know what Anneliese is wearing?¡± Elenore repeated in Argrave¡¯s head. ¡°Are you really asking your sister for a visual image? I¡¯m not giving you material.¡±


    Argrave sighed. ¡°You¡¯re the weird one right now. My chest is split open, and I¡¯m trying to help even still¡­ well, it doesn¡¯t matter. Give her my best. I¡¯m going to get back to it.¡±


    Argrave watched the Alchemist as he worked. On Earth, he¡¯d often heard about solitary confinement being torture. This was rather like solitary confinement with a phone, and front-row seats to an extremely gruesome operating theater that had daily invasive procedures¡­ so yes, it was torture.


    Within a ck room without deviations, no view of the sky, and nothing to keep himpany except documents and his surgeon¡­ life had be a very dull and stagnant experience. And hearing of what had happened in the month that he¡¯d been absent had only been more difficult. It was like having someone summarize every episode of a show instead of seeing it. In a word¡ªfrustrating.


    If the news he¡¯d heard hadn¡¯t beenrgely good, perhaps he would have lost his mind.


    While he had been gone, they distributed the loot from the heist of Erlebnis¡¯ vault. That had been a tremendous boon to their fighting power. Durran¡¯s retinue of wyvern riders had grown a reputation after their journeys around Vasquer, ying lesser gods. Apparently, Anneliese was strong enough to blockmon S-rank spells with A-rank wards¡ªsomething that should¡¯ve been an impossibility,rgely. And their backing for the heist, their divine allies, had beenrgely pleased with the result.


    That wasn¡¯t even mentioning Argrave¡¯s royal guard of Veidimen¡ªor snow elves, as they were known by humans. They had always been an elite fighting force, yet with divine artifacts as equipment they had a retinue of well-trained knights about as strong as Orion. It was a monstrous boon to their fighting strength, and kept ckgard the safest city in Vasquer.


    On top of that, Almazora and Rook had been promised mortal champions. They¡¯d found them¡ªfor Rook, the recipient was Stain, formerly known as Vdrien of Jast. He was the thief, and protagonist of Heroes of Berendar, that Argrave had dealt with a year and some months ago. As for Almazora, goddess of magic¡­ despite Argrave¡¯s rmendation of Nikoletta, she chose Artur, master of the Hall of Enchantment.


    Almazora¡¯s choice of mortal champion had been as much a shock to Argrave as it had been everyone else. Formerly a Magister of the Order of the Gray Owl, he¡¯d left the Order after experiencing some mockery regarding his dwarfism. With the royal family¡¯s support he founded the Hall of Enchantment, and had been working to restore the enchantment methods of the ancient elven empire.


    And on that front, he¡¯d been seeding splendidly. Not only had they resurrected the dead art of dwarven metalworking, which used deep earth metals and spirits to forge des that could cut through rock or resist magic, but Artur had rediscovered countless elven enchantments. Whether on armor or weapons, he was enhancing their forces with mass-production of incredibly potent equipment. By this point, their army was an equal to any that a god might have. From the sound of it, Argrave would be confident sending them against Kirel Qircassia¡¯s force that they¡¯d fought in the Bloodwoods.


    But as the days passed ever onward, it stood to reason that Argrave would not have to guess any longer. Elenore had delivered reports of seeing foreignersnd strange square ships on the shores of the Bloodwoods and northeastern Vasquer. They hadn¡¯t lingered long, but what few sightings came suggested they woremer armor and had single-sided des. Argrave knew them well¡ªthe people of the continent far to the northeast, inspired by the medieval empires of East Asia on Earth.


    If what Argrave knew held true, they were a diverse collection of peoples presently united by the Great Chu. He didn¡¯t fully trust that knowledge remained so, but the Chu was a nation no less formidable than Vasquer¡ªand Argrave only thought he was their equal because they¡¯d gained many divine artifacts after robbing Erlebnis.


    Regardless, the Chu weren¡¯t the only people soon toe to Vasquer. There would be others¡ªsome woulde at the behest of the divine, and others woulde as their allies. But they woulde, both because Argrave had made a great many enemies and because this continent was to be the site where Gerechtigkeit descended. It was Argrave¡¯s duty as king to stand up to those people.


    And behind it all, another matter lurked. They had gone into Erlebnis¡¯ vault to acquire all the knowledge about Gerechtigkeit they possibly could. The Alchemist held all that knowledge, and with Argrave¡¯s vague awareness of the future, they¡¯d been steadily concocting a n of attack¡ªnot against Gerechtigkeit, but against the cycle of judging the world that he heralded. The things that they had learned had been staggering, and Argrave had deep and serious theoretical discussions about how, precisely, they might end this all.


    But to learn how to end the cycle of judgment¡­ they might need to learn how it began. Argrave had arranged a meeting with Sataistador, the first god of war. He wasn¡¯t sure whether it was to be a battle or a cordial conversation, but he did know that the god imed to take part in the first cycle of judgment.


    Reminded of thating meeting, Argrave asked, ¡°Hey. Pour some of House Quadreign¡¯s fire on me, again.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± said the Alchemist simply. ¡°I¡¯m busy.¡±


    Argrave sighed, setting his table back down on the table. In his right hand, he practiced constructing magic matrixes just as Tower Master Castro had taught him. If a battle was toe¡­ well, he¡¯d been training his magic for a month, without stopping, without sleeping. And whether they exchanged words or fists¡­ he¡¯d get what he wanted out of Sataistador. Only a week or so remained¡­

 Chapter 476: Wreath of Victory

    Anneliese looked upon the group that was to meet the dwarven envoy. All here were the mortal champions of gods belonging to the ckgard Union. They were all dressed finely in the ck and gold colors of House Vasquer. They looked good, Anneliese thought, but Gmon pulled at his cuffs as though they were ufortable just the same as Stain did. Only Artur seemed to revel in the clothes¡ªindeed, he¡¯d donned a cloak bearing Argrave¡¯s personal sunburst sigil repeated time and time again, and had imbued it with enchantments to keep him hovering off the ground.


    The n was to approach the dwarves not as the Kingdom of Vasquer, but rather the ckgard Union¡ªit would give a more intimidating aspect to the name, and ideally avoid any qualms that the democratic republican dwarven nation might have about working with a monarchy. Still¡­n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Gmon, Vasquer¡¯s knightmander. Elenore, the king¡¯s sister, and Durran, her husband. Mnie, a countess in Vasquer. The list went on and on, leading any keen observer to one conclusion¡ªthis party wasprised of those solely loyal to Argrave, and to Vasquer. Even if they called them divine envoys, the truth was rather obvious. The only saving grace of theirposition¡­


    ¡°Ganbaatar. Your friendship in this time is a boon to us all.¡± Anneliese nodded to him.


    The elf from the Bloodwoods dipped his head, his red eyes clear and unburdened. ¡°Nonsense. It was friendship and responsibility both. The Qircassian Coalition is a greater enemy than we alone can handle.¡±


    Anneliese could see the sincerity in his posture, but still added, ¡°I am pleased you see it so. And congrattions on receiving Ghan¡¯s blessing.¡±


    The elf from the woods nodded curtly and looked away. Anneliese observed everyone else. The only one that was less than focused was Artur. As a human born with dwarfism, he was about to meet a race that called themselves ¡®dwarves.¡¯ She could imagine why he was ufortable.


    ¡°Elenore, Mnie, and I shall take the lead,¡± Anneliese continued, looking at everyone present. ¡°But anyone else can feel free to interject. Argrave tells me the dwarves are a debate-loving people who appreciate the perspective of any dwarf. Mirroring that mentality cannot be a detriment.¡±


    ¡°Any dwarf. You think that means me?¡± Artur looked at her. Despite his jokes, she could tell he felt uneasy. ¡°What if they take my presence as an insult?¡±


    Anneliese met his gaze. ¡°You are Almazora¡¯s mortal champion. That is why you are here, Artur.¡±


    He grunted under his breath and muttered, ¡°Not what I asked, Your Highness, but¡­¡±


    Anneliese took on a stern affect and said, ¡°The true insult would be from their side toward ours¡ªtaking affront at a valuable member of both Vasquer and this alliance for merely being who he is.¡±


    Artur floated away and turned, perhaps to hide his embarrassment, and said, ¡°The ttery is appreciated, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°ttery and truth are not mutually exclusive,¡± Elenore contributed, then looked to Anneliese for the signal to go ahead. Artur was more at ease, so Anneliese had nothing more to do. She nodded, and Elenore directed them forth. ¡°Let us be on our way. Remember¡ªwe dealt with the Ebon Cult. That should give us considerable leverage.¡±


    They exited their room of the parliamentary hall, walking to greet the envoys. Orion led them while other Veidimen royal guards watched the back. The building had be suitably grander, with sizable gardens along its walkways and other buildings meant to amodate the various diplomatic needs of the parliament and the royal family. It was bing something of a pce, despite the absence of the king.


    When they came to the small conference room, Orion opened up its double doors. Eight heads turned to look at them. The dwarves were short, squat, and brawny all. They stood at the table, the chairs pushed aside, and were surprisingly uniform in appearance. All eight were males, and wore white robes¡ªtogas, Argrave had called them¡ªwith their right shoulder and arm exposed. They had dark, curly hair, all about down to their ears, and wore wreaths of silver. They were immactely shaven¡ªface, arms, all of them.


    ¡°Wee, envoys of the dwarven senate. We trust that your journey was without peril?¡± Elenore greeted them politely.


    ¡°Yes. You¡¯ve tamed our cities well,¡± the closest of them nodded.


    Mnie scoffed. ¡°Given who was upying them a few months ago, I think it¡¯s pretty safe to say they aren¡¯t your cities.¡±


    ¡°Yet its streets still bear statues of our heroes, its senate hall still bears the inscriptions of our philosophy, and its design remains privy to us alone,¡± another envoy returned. ¡°What else would it be?¡±


    Anneliese walked to the table, looking at them all. ¡°You have dropped a diamond to the floor, and now that we have picked it up and cleaned it, you would call it your own? Is this what the Dwarven Senate would convey to us after freeing you from the Ebon Cult?¡±


    The dwarves looked among each other uneasily, and then dipped their head to Anneliese. ¡°No. We are d to be rid of Mozzahr and his zealots. But we did not expect, nor ask, for your aid. Our nation maintains a favorable, yet neutral perspective toward your actions. The dwarves put forth no im on our old cities. We abandoned them for a reason. As such, they are yours if you wish them.¡±


    This was where introductions were in order, it seemed. Elenore seemed prepared to give them, but Anneliese kept talking.


    ¡°All of you here bear silver wreaths,¡± Anneliese continued, hardly acknowledging their ¡®generous concession¡¯ of the cities that they had abandoned. ¡°I know some of your culture. The metals or gems that you are allowed to wear indicate your status in society. And from what I know, silver wreaths have no authority in operating independently. You cannot truly speak for the Dwarven Senate¡ªyou can only deliver messages. Am I correct?¡±


    The dwarves grew rather still, and then one said politically, ¡°In our capacity as envoys, we are given the authority to ry messages from the heart of the state.¡±


    ¡°¡­so, yes, you¡¯re just messengers,¡± Durran rephrased. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you just say that?¡±


    Anneliese sighed and crossed her arms. ¡°I was prepared for a much longer conversation¡­ but given theck of authority of these supposed envoys, I will simply deliver a message and have you return it. I am Queen Anneliese, and I speak on behalf of both the Kingdom of Vasquer and the ckgard Union of which our kingdom is a part. Both say only this; the dwarves do not possess the luxury of neutrality any longer.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± an envoy stepped away from the table. ¡°Is that a threat?¡±


    ¡°It is a message from the heart of the state,¡± Anneliese rephrased. ¡°Your kind will perish just as ours if the cycle of judgmentpletes. You have your part to y in this.¡± She looked off to the side. ¡°Alongside this message, you will deliver a gift: freshly-forged weapons. They are born of your smithing techniques, using your metals, but they were made in ournds with our knowledge. Let that be sufficient draw to allow someone with genuine diplomatic authority toe. Come, everyone.¡±


    Anneliese walked out with the same amount of dignity that she¡¯d entered. She could see it on the dwarves¡ªthey were there to do nothing more but maintain the status quo that the underground-dwellers had endured for so long, even despite their contact with Anestis, a senator¡¯s son. Their meeting was ruined, but all she had ruined was something that promised to be a dead-end. The situation demanded a little force.


    Once they were isted, Elenore sighed. ¡°Not¡­ not how I expected that to go. That bit about the silver wreaths¡ªwas that true?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Anneliese confirmed. ¡°Argrave and I talked about it ages ago. Trust me¡ªI saved us time.¡±


    ¡°Wonder where this goes from here,¡± Mnie mused.


    ¡°If there is truly nothing else we¡¯ll do with them¡­?¡± Elenore trailed off as question, and Anneliese gave confirmatory nods. ¡°Then, we need to invite Hause to the ckgard Union. That¡¯s all that remains for today. She is nearly fully manifested.¡±


    #####


    Argrave looked at the Alchemist as he read something. The operation was done for the day¡ªthe Unsullied Knife that was capable of sundering flesh without irreparable harm was not costless, using both its user¡¯s magic and willpower. It was always the Alchemist¡¯s magic that ran out before his willpower, and given his nigh unquantifiable magic supply, that was saying something considerable.


    ¡°What are you even going to do with the Blessing of Supersession?¡± Argrave asked, sitting on a chair as he ate the food the Alchemist had retrieved. It was an unidentifiable scrap of meat, cooked well-done and given no seasoning whatsoever. The twenty-foot-tall gray giant, cramped into this tight space and hunched over half a dozen books, made it quite unappetizing.


    The Alchemist looked away from his book. ¡°I will make another artifact from it.¡±


    Argrave¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Really? Like what?¡±


    ¡°Something to keep you alive. You may be needed in all of this, regrettably,¡± he said. An eye opened on the side of his head and peered down at him. ¡°Sataistador is no meek foe, nor are the thousand others that you have made. And your Inerrant Cloak will no longer be useful to you without Erlebnis¡¯ cushioning power.¡±


    Despite the constant diminishment, Argrave was excited. He was promised an artifact made by the Alchemist, perhaps of equal power to that spear that they had used to infiltrate Erlebnis¡¯ realm. It wouldn¡¯t be blessed by several gods, granted, but even still¡­ it would be immeasurably powerful. He had some reservations, though.


    ¡°And, uhh¡­¡± Argrave tore off another bit of the meat with his hand. His mind realized at the wrong time it could¡¯ve been anything¡ªhuman meat, even. ¡°Will Erlebnis still be able to listen in? Hear everything, see everything¡­¡±


    The Alchemist looked away from his book. ¡°I put your brain back in properly. You have no excuse to be asking something so indefensibly moronic.¡± He rose. ¡°Can an inanimate object hear, or see? This is what you just asked me. You were his conduit for both of these things. How do you expect what I make to see or hear?¡±


    ¡°Take it easy, drama queen. It¡¯s a perfectly reasonable question,¡± Argrave waved him away, but double-took when the Alchemist neared him. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Enough banter. I have some conclusions. They lead to further research, but they merit discussion.¡± He put one hand against the ground, and manipted it until a chair rose up. ¡°I am almost one hundred percent certain that Gerechtigkeit is¡­¡± he paused, searching for the words as he took his seat. ¡°An analogy is best. I simplify things by millions of magnitudes, but he is like a lich. When we ¡®kill¡¯ Gerechtigkeit during the cycle of judgment, he dies. ¡®Death¡¯ is the only thing it could be called¡ªhe does not merely fade, he violently disintegrates, taking all evidence of his existence with him. Erlebnis has made a great study of his death. And yet¡­ he returns with memories, with experiences. He grows.¡±


    Argrave rubbed his chin. ¡°A lich¡­ so, you¡¯re thinking he has some kind of main body elsewhere? Something that¡¯s projecting this cmity outward?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± the Alchemist nodded. ¡°That is one of many conclusions I have derived from Erlebnis¡¯ work. The other, and most pivotal, is something right in front of us this whole time. Gerechtigkeit is fundamentally linked to divinity, and to allowing this realm to merge with others. There is something intrinsic about his being that allows passage between realms.¡±


    ¡°Meaning?¡±


    ¡°Meaning, our only chance to get to Gerechtigkeit might be when he is here, or perhaps shortly after,¡± the Alchemist exined. ¡°As for his location, and the big talk levied by Mozzahr¡¯s daughter about knowing where he is¡­ I read the reconstructed research by Mial. It has no supporting evidence, and there¡¯s no rigor behind it.¡±


    ¡°Anneliese said that Mial did it as best she could, meaning there¡¯s no lies in it,¡± Argrave shrugged.


    ¡°Your bedmate¡¯s supposed ability to discern lies means little to me,¡± the Alchemist practically growled. ¡°Still, for argument, let us suppose it is true. Mial¡¯s recreationcks knowledge of where Gerechtigkeit actually is. But it does mean that he can be found, can be tracked. Our course of action, then, would be to develop a way to track him, and then go there. Put an end to all of this.¡±


    Argrave listened closely, then added, ¡°I imagine we can¡¯t walk in.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± concurred the Alchemist contemptuously. ¡°But the energy in you¡­ I¡¯ve been analyzing it closely in tandem with the samples of Gerechtigkeit¡¯s malevolence I extracted from your father¡¯s skeleton. That energy within you is one of two things, by my scrutiny¡ªone, it is something that can endure travelling from Earth to this reality. Or two, it is directly rted to travelling to different realities. Regardless, it is of use to me.¡±


    ¡°Of use how?¡± Argrave pushed for specifics.


    ¡°It may help me construct the theory behind how we might reach Gerechtigkeit¡¯s realm. We simply need more information,¡± the Alchemist said grimly. ¡°From Sataistador, perhaps. But most importantly, we need to prepare something for Gerechtigkeit.¡±


    ¡°Uhh, yeah. Been building a kingdom for that,¡± Argrave smiled.


    ¡°Not just to kill. Like I said, all evidence of Gerechtigkeit fades after he is killed. To harken back to my analogy, liches¡­ are notoriously difficult to kill. One must find their undying soul and extinguish it. But liches can project their body continents away. A lich is fragile, weak¡ªwhat is hardest is finding its soul. A lich can be tracked with some clever devices, but one thing holds constant for it to work; the lich¡¯s projected body must be alive.¡± The Alchemist looked at him. ¡°We must construct a device that can track the grandest lich of them all¡ªGerechtigkeit. We must use it while Gerechtigkeit walks. Concurrent with that project, we must find a way to enter itsir, and put an end to it.¡±


    ¡°So¡­ you seriously think this could work?¡± Argrave pressed.


    ¡°We are closer than any havee before. We understand what Gerechtigkeit is¡ªa projection. We understand there is a fundamental link between traversing realms and Gerechtigkeit¡¯s presence. We have evidence that suggests his main body is in another realm. These may have been gathered before, but we have a new variable, namely, you¡ªliving evidence that something, even if only a soul, can travel between realities as you have and continue to exist. But much remains unfinished.¡±


    ¡°Unfinished, huh? Finishing projects filters out a lot of creative types,¡± Argrave leaned back in his chair, meal forgotten. ¡°But¡­ hell. There might be a way out of this.¡± Heughed.


    ¡°Might be,¡± the Alchemist agreed.

 Chapter 477: To Know a Raven

    One afternoon¡ªor whenever, given theck of insight that Argrave truly had on the flow of time¡ªthe Alchemist simply dered, ¡°It¡¯s done.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s done?¡± Argrave asked absently, absorbed in a book.


    ¡°The Blessing of Supersession is nullified.¡± The Alchemist rose up to his great height, and the stagnant abode shifted around him. It coalesced back into a staff, leaving Argrave and all his things scattered on grass. The Alchemist gripped a rod of obsidian, standing tall and alone.


    Argrave shifted around uneasily, so abruptly thrust back into the world. The sun had not quite risen, but even still the light somewhat stung his eyes. He looked around, seeing vast ruins in every direction. They were on a strangely t teau overgrown with grass, and Argrave looked around at a wildnd.


    Argrave rose to his feet stiffly, grabbing the piles of things that had been dropped carelessly to the ground with the Alchemist¡¯s hasty nullification. ¡°Some things could use more ceremony¡­¡± he muttered, hastily putting all of his garments back on. Still, things were strangely quiet. He started to look at this ce closer.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    He saw signs of human life, true. But it was all old, decrepit, and lost. Nature had reimed entire cities. It was a wild ce where only vegetation seemed to reign. The only wildlife that Argrave heard were bugs. As the pieces started toe together, the confirmation came.


    ¡°This is the ce that the Smiling Raven imed, all those years ago¡­¡± the Alchemist exined, himself looking out across thend. ¡°That¡¯s this continent. Humans are resettling thisnd on the coast, ignorant of what urred here, but here, deep ind, none exist. There¡¯s only nature.¡±


    Argrave slowly walked up to him, then set the things he was carrying down to better look at it. ¡°How do you¡­ cope with all of this?¡± Silence was his answer for a long time, and he looked up at the towering mortal champion of Hause. He had grown bold enough to be honest. ¡°You¡¯ve killed more than just about anyone I can imagine. Seeing how you treat others, seeing the things that you¡¯re capable of in that form¡­ I catch myself wondering if you honestly even care. No¡ªif you even can care.¡±


    The Alchemist didn¡¯t even look at Argrave, just watched the vivaciousndscape. ¡°Even if I told you, what would you do with your new knowledge? We have set on a path neither can step away from.¡±


    ¡°How much of what you¡¯ve learned do you actually use?¡± Argrave posed rhetorically. ¡°I just want to know. But that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯ll do anything with that knowledge.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± the Alchemist returned, then stabbed the staff of obsidian deep into the earth. It morphed into a t tform that rose up beneath Argrave¡¯s feet, and then two chairs took shape facing thergest of the cities. ¡°Then¡­ sit, and listen.¡±


    Argrave was a little shocked, but he kept that inside as he obeyed mutely.


    ¡°When I absorbed people inside of myself¡­ potentiation, as is the official term¡­ I ceased to be myself,¡± he looked at Argrave. His face was far removed from what Argrave remembered it¡ªthere was no gray skin, and his nose had returned. It was¡­ human, even. It was Raven.


    ¡°So you waive all responsibility?¡± Argrave pressed.


    Raven looked back at the city. ¡°Memories, aspirations, traumas; I inherit it all from the one who I consume. I was ignorant of that. The first man I took unto myself was just some thug. A lowly murderer. It was meant to be a test, an experiment that would end the life of a man who did not deserve to live. And a man like that became half of me,¡± he looked at Argrave. ¡°The crude life he¡¯d lived. The injustices he felt. The¡­ base, primal violence he found himself driven to. None operate without some sort of engine, Argrave. The man who is a lowly killer is still a man, just the same as the king sitting upon his throne. And with that man as half of me, it spiraled until it was what you see. Before long, it ascended beyond man. Deer, cows, elephants, insects¡ªI subsumed anything and everything that was alive, until I became nothing more than an expression of life itself. Hunger. I was hunger that fed on itself to grow infinitely, just like Hause said.¡±


    Argrave crossed his arms. ¡°If that were true, why was Hause preserved like that?¡±


    ¡°Because to some extent, I was in control,¡± Raven looked up at the purest blue sky that Argrave had seen. ¡°Only I had be someone else. Someone different. As it grew onward and upward, this unified entity of mortality, I experienced for myself the full breadth of life. They¡­ we¡­¡± He grasped at his head. ¡°I reveled in what I had be. The depth of experience, of knowledge. The Smiling Raven thought that what he did was a gift, but he also hated that people were free of him. It was a hunger to share, and also to potentiate.¡±


    The changes of how the Alchemist referred to himself confused Argrave. He fidgeted in his seat, beholding the city. At the end of the day¡­ this city had regrown, returned. It was just without life, without people. Life, by its very nature, was hunger. The Smiling Raven had been that in its extremes. He could understand that, at the very least. As for Raven¡¯s actions¡­


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever really understand it,¡± Argrave voiced his thoughts honestly. ¡°How could I? That thing¡­ it¡¯s iprehensible. But there¡¯s one thing I think it¡¯s important I know.¡± He turned in the chair until he looked at the Alchemist alone. ¡°How did you survive? And what are you, really?¡±


    ¡°You inquired how I cope with this,¡± Raven continued. ¡°And if I even care. It is a fair question. Just as you find it impossible to do what I have done, you likely find it equally difficult to entertain the idea of persisting with the guilt in your mind.¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°Yeah. But when you talk about me like these feelings are foreign things¡­¡±


    ¡°The Smiling Raven died¡ªyou saw its corpse. Yet I lived.¡± He looked at Argrave. ¡°To put it more urately, great parts of me died. That was the price of my life¡ªcutting myself off from the fundamental aspects of life that caused the Smiling Raven to flourish. Cutting off the malignancies of the mortal existence. Malice is generally born from a longing for missing pleasure, and so I had to kill everything that makes life worth living. There is no joy. There are few desires, only those I allowed to cultivate¡ªstopping Gerechtigkeit among them.


    ¡°Then, to answer your question. Do I care about what I¡¯ve done? I¡­ want to.¡± Raven let silence hang for a few moments. ¡°I can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Could you gain back what you lost?¡± Argrave pressed.


    ¡°Yes. I imagine that potentiating another normal human would be the catalyst for the awakening of the Smiling Raven. Alternatively¡­ if Hause were to die¡­ I imagine I would change in ways I cannot predict as her blessing wears off.¡± He looked over at Argrave. ¡°There. You have your exnations, because you finally deserved them.¡± His face shifted away, the skin graying and the nose fading. He was only the Alchemist once again.


    As Argrave pondered this conundrum, a hand burst free from the Alchemist¡¯s chest with a golden chain wrapped around it. Argrave watched it curiously, and when it neared, the fingers unclenched to allow a ck gem to fall. It dangled on the chain. It was as brilliant as a diamond, though ck as an abyss.


    ¡°This was your Blessing of Supersession. Now, I have remade it into a defensive artifact that interfaces directly with your undying soul.¡± He lowered it slowly, and Argrave took it into his hands. ¡°It will protect you from all manner of illusions, mental warfare, and other such interference. Never again will you be subject to the whims of a god. Your mind is a fortress. It should aid in using the Domain of Law, furthermore.¡± He slowly unwound his hand from the chain, and it fell fully into Argrave¡¯s grasp. It was a surprisingly dazzling ne, considering its maker.


    As Argrave looked at it, the Alchemist said, ¡°And most importantly¡­ it can contain me.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Argrave looked up at him, eyes wide.


    ¡°There maye a time when you have no further need of the Alchemist. Instead, the brutality of the Smiling Raven will serve you best,¡± the Alchemist said dispassionately. ¡°That gemstone is a perfection of the bauble that entrapped Hause and her court. Should you will it, you can ce me inside of that, and release me as you will. Let us call it the Ravenstone.¡±


    Argrave clenched the ck gemstone tight. It was about the size of hisrgest knuckle, somewhat t, and brilliantly cut in the shape of an oval. As he turned it, he seemed to peer into another universe. He could barely turn his gaze away from it and ask, ¡°You¡¯re giving me the keys to your existence.¡±


    ¡°It is the fruit of your continued trust in me. And myck of trust in myself, now that Hause is loosed and old memories flood daily.¡± He looked to the ruined city. ¡°I never intended to trap Hause in that bauble. It was always meant to contain me, instead. I wanted to give it to Sonia. I wanted to let her decide how my fell power was used.¡± He shook his head. ¡°A foolish decision, but I was stupid then. Of all I have seen, you are best suited to use it. And should you perish, Anneliese or Elenore will inherit it¡ªless ideal, but suitable bearers both.¡±


    Argrave swallowed nervously. ¡°What if I¡¯m not? What if I betray you?¡±


    The Alchemist looked at him. ¡°I have torn you apart and put you back together more times than can be counted. I know you, Argrave. You will not betray me. You alone are entitled to it.¡± He stood. ¡°Now, rise. We return.¡±


    Argrave stood a little bbergasted, and the Alchemist called back the obsidian tform until he once again bore his staff. Argrave undid the ne¡¯s sp, then put it behind his neck and shut it again. He gazed at the ck oval gemstone, the Ravenstone. As the implications of its design hit him, he let it hang from his neck with a bitter pride. He could feel its power in his being, like a cool spring preventing all interference. He quickly gathered up his things, mind still whirling with all that he had learned. The Alchemist put his hand upon Argrave, cast [Worldstrider]¡­


    And they came, once again, to ckgard.

 Chapter 478: Tools of Gods

    ¡°The ckgard Union isrgely a defensive pact,¡± Anneliese exined to Hause, sitting on a chair before the goddess. ¡°And it has little to do with our pre-existing rtionship. Argrave and I have alreadymitted to helping you, and you have agreed to offer some of your services. Should you join, your protection is further guaranteed by the gods that some of us champion.¡±


    This stone chamber had been hollowed out of the mountains surrounding ckgard, but in the month since its creation, Hause and her followers had made it a true home. Sonia, even despite the poisonous soil in this valley that needed to be purified by fruits from the elven realms, had managed to make this into a grand pavilion decorated with fountains and waterfalls.


    Hause was not presumptuous enough to make this a throne room, but there was no denying it was a sort of audience chamber. She wore her pink robes, and her blonde hair was kept beautifully braided by ck stone hairpins. Anneliese rather liked the braid, and thought she might imitate it. Her mind wandered to what Argrave would think if she did it like that. She daydreamed about having it styled like that when Argrave returned, tomorrow, to meet with Sataistador. What would he say? Would he like it?


    Elenore nced at Anneliese when she lost herself in daydreams, then picked up the ck, saying, ¡°As Her Highness says, we wouldn¡¯t ask for you to use your abilities to aid them. It¡¯s simply something to better ensure protection.¡±


    ¡°There are many familiar names in this list,¡± Hause nodded. ¡°Even still, I would speak to the other members of this union, if that is no insult.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I can¡­¡± Elenore trailed off just as Anneliese refocused. Her brows furrowed¡ªAnneliese recognized she was likely talking to someone inside her head, using her blessing from Lira. ¡°¡­I can definitely put you in¡­ contact with them,¡± she finished, evidently distracted.


    Who is talking to her? Anneliese wondered. When happiness lit up Elenore¡¯s features, she presumed it was Durran.


    ¡°What a quaint ce,¡± said a man from behind them, and Anneliese turned around on the chair she sat in. Argrave walked through the hall, admiring the tall hedges and flowers of the garden alongside the beautiful fountains. ¡°Every time I leave this ce, something wonderful gets made here.¡±


    Anneliese had been so focused on decorum and dignity, trying to uphold her role as regent in Argrave¡¯s absence. All that was tossed to the wind, and she rose to her feet quickly. Her voice rose in pitch with joy as he said, ¡°Argrave!¡± She rushed toward him, and he slipped his arms behind her and lifted her up. She squeezed him as tightly as she could manage, both of themughing with the happiness of a reunion. ¡°I had no idea you would return today!¡±


    ¡°It was sudden for me, too.¡± Argrave set her down gently, then held both of his hands to her face. ¡°Good lord, you have no idea how good it is to see you again.¡± He pulled her in and kissed her several times, then pulled away and looked at her. ¡°Look at you in ck and gold. You¡¯re stunning. It¡¯s like you were made for this whole regent business.¡±


    ¡°He only told me of his return seconds ago,¡± Elenoreined,ing to stand beside Anneliese. She looked away in exasperation at their overly affectionate reunion. ¡°Though that annoys me¡­ wee back, Argrave. You¡¯ve interrupted something.¡±


    ¡°We were inducting Hause into the Union,¡± Anneliese exined, remembering their duty even in the wake of her excitement. ¡°Or, well¡­ just talking about it, I suppose.¡± She scanned him seriously. ¡°My word¡­ your affliction, that curse, how did it go?¡±


    ¡°Gone. Noplications,¡± Argrave said brightly, looking at Hause beyond her. He appeared a little anxious the longer he stared at her. ¡°But, uh¡­ give me a second.¡± He split away and walked past her, and Anneliese watched with her arms crossed in confusion.


    ¡°It has been a while. I never got the opportunity to thank you for your generosity. Far be it from me to interrupt your reunion¡ªyou two act unlike any king and queen I have seen,¡± Hause said with a smile as he neared. ¡°It is refreshing.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Argrave epted thepliment graciously. ¡°Not to be abrupt, but¡­ Raven wants to talk to you.¡±


    Hause¡¯s smiling face grew neutral, and she looked around to be sure that none of her people were listening. ¡°To me alone? Or to all of us?¡±


    ¡°Just you,¡± Argrave rified. Pity shed across his face. ¡°You¡¯re the only one he has something to say to.¡±


    Hause nodded slowly. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ disappointing. Still, I will speak to him. Is he waiting somewhere, or¡­?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll send him in after we leave,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°I¡¯d like to catch up with my family. I hope you don¡¯t mind cutting this discussion short.¡±


    ¡°Certainly not,¡± Hause shook her head, then held out her hand. ¡°Take your time.¡±


    Argrave shook her hand, then turned his back and walked to Anneliese. He shepherded Elenore and Anneliese along quietly, and as they walked out of this calm and serene garden within Hause¡¯s sanctuary, they passed by the Alchemist standing at the entrance. He did not even watch them as they passed. His eyes were focused solely on Hause. In time, he entered.


    ¡°I¡¯m home,¡± Argrave said. ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯ve realized. I can call this ce my home.¡±


    ¡°Then wee home,¡± Anneliese said to him.


    #####


    The Alchemist looked down at Hause, towering over her. The pleasant sound of rushing water permeated the ce. Hause scanned his body closely.


    ¡°Argrave tells me you¡¯re hesitant to unlock his party¡¯s potential,¡± the Alchemist began, cing both of hisrge hands before him. ¡°That is imprudent. I¡¯d advise you reconsider.¡±


    Hause tilted her head. ¡°After all this avoidance¡­ that is what you wish to speak about?¡±


    ¡°Anything else we might discuss I¡¯ve already solved.¡± The Alchemist looked to the side. ¡°The device I captured you in¡­ I remade it to contain another.¡± He tapped his chest. ¡°Me. Whenever Argrave wishes, he can imprison me inside it. So, banish your fears.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Hause stepped away in surprise. ¡°Then¡­ your power is another¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°It is. One who retains their reason should I realize my potential ever again,¡± the Alchemist pointed out.


    ¡°And you would ask me to unlock his potential, possibly killing his reason,¡± Hause crossed her arms. ¡°Raven¡­ you should understand better than anyone the caliber of my mistake. I saw you, and in fear, realized my worst nightmares. You were a good man. Perhaps if you had grown this power naturally, developed it on your own, you might¡¯ve mastered it.¡± She stepped forward to him, reaching out. ¡°But I interfered, and in so doing, broke the natural order. I cannot ever use my divinity to unlock potential again. I cannot afford to be the cause of so many deaths. Even now, I wonder if I should even continue living, having done what I have.¡±


    ¡°You im responsibility for the deaths?¡± The Alchemist shook his head. ¡°You again burden yourself with pointless guilt. What urred was my fault alone. Your stumble only led to my colossal descent.¡±


    ¡°It should burden you, instead?¡± Hause questioned.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t burden me. My burden rests solely on ensuring that Argrave seeds in this road he¡¯s set upon. Has he told you about our objective?¡±


    Hause shook her head. ¡°Only of the ckgard Union.¡±


    ¡°I know you. You¡¯ve never allied with another. You feared what they might ask of you. Now is the time to put that aside,¡± he continued.


    ¡°Why?¡± Hause indulged him calmly.


    ¡°Because if you do, you¡¯ll never need fight again.¡±


    #####


    Argrave tried to avoid being blinded as his ck-furred Brumesingers rubbed against his face and licked his ears in their reunion. He wondered why they even had mouths when they ate souls through their eyes, but he supposed that without them, these fennec foxes would not be half as adorable as they were currently being. Argrave stood over a table, surveying items.


    ¡°This is some gear,¡± Argrave mused, grabbing a ring off the table. ¡°This is after Rook got his payment? And all of this is mine?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Most of it is from Erlebnis¡¯ vault,¡± confirmed Elenore. ¡°Artur remade your coat, your breastte, and threw in more bits of te armor made of dwarven metal. He says it should feel like wearing loose trousers, but I didn¡¯t exactly try them on.¡±


    Argrave picked through things. As he did, Artur spoke up.


    ¡°These objects you brought aren¡¯t something I can replicate. They were divinity, I¡¯m told. But your armor¡ªand Her Highness¡¯, as well¡ªcontain the pinnacle of my enchanting advancements. Dwarven metal can handle enchantments of such a high caliber that I was able to make you into a bona fide monster, Your Majesty.¡± The Magister hovered over to the table, gesturing toward the boots. ¡°The boots grant you the capability to hover or slow your fall as you need. The greaves and breastte contain the pinnacle of strength-enhancing enchantments. Physically, they alone would make you a match for just about any fighter beneath the suns.¡±


    Argrave picked up the dark gray coat, holding it out. He could see metal tes within it, keeping it somewhat stiff. And more than that, it had been redecorated decadently. The inside of the coat had been lined with the softest ck fur, and the buttons had been reced with gold sunbursts. The sleeves had borate flourishes of gold threaded in.


    ¡°And the, uhh¡­ the coat,¡± said Artur nervously. ¡°I remade it from leather found from some terrifying creature in the underground cities. I¡¯ve had some good men try very hard to cut it. Steel simply won¡¯t,¡± he exined. ¡°It¡¯s ted with dwarven metal, and given the toughest defensive enchantments I could ce on it.¡± As the Magister talked, Argrave ran his finger across the golden sunburst buttons. ¡°And I also¡­ took some artistic liberties. Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Gold jewelry, stylish clothes¡­¡± Argrave said, then looked over at Artur. ¡°Guilty pleasure of mine. I¡¯m d you didn¡¯t put snakes on it. I much prefer the sunburst. This is very excellent work¡±


    Artur looked pleasantly surprised. Mniemented from the back, ¡°Would you look at that. The king does experience some of the same trappings of mortality. I like it. Buying jewelry for you an easy gift.¡±


    Argrave turned back around. Everyone was fully outfitted inte-game gear, the only absentee at present being Anneliese. This was, barring personal growth, the best they would ever be equipped. Their spells would be more potent than their peers. Gmon and Orion would be able to hold their own against creatures like the Shadonders, now. Their only truepetition among mortals would be the champions of gods, or those who bore their artifacts. But then, it stood to reason that theirpetition would be those people. Specifically, a rather huge obstacle threatened to stand in their way.


    ¡°As much as I¡¯d love to have a dinner as pleasant as the one I left to, we have to deal with Sataistador and hiskeside date at Dedsworth.¡± As though sensing his seriousness, Argrave¡¯s Brumesingers jumped down from his shoulders, sitting by his feet quietly. ¡°Let¡¯s save the reunion for another time.¡±


    ¡°Do we have to show up?¡± asked Durran. ¡°I mean¡­ wouldn¡¯t be the first date that I missed.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯d face the repercussions levied by the White nes,¡± Argrave exined. ¡°Gods make deals there for a reason¡ªthere are penalties for breaking promises made within them. Since I made the deal, I¡¯d suffer the consequences, but¡­¡± he shook his head. ¡°Don¡¯t leave me out to dry, now.¡±


    Anneliese opened the door, walking within. She wore a coat much like Argrave¡¯s own, though hers was white with amber and had different, subtler designs. To say the least, Artur did enjoy the finer side of crafting gear. Argrave sized her up with a smile. She nodded knowingly. ¡°I knew you would like these outfits. What have I missed?¡±


    ¡°Nothing much, just catching up,¡± Elenore told her. ¡°We¡¯ve been nning for this meeting the whole month, Argrave. Duke Sumner, ruler of Dedsworth, is aware of whates, and we have all the might we can spare at hand.¡± Elenore walked up to him. ¡°Sataistador¡¯s one man.¡±


    ¡°One god,¡± Gmon refuted.


    ¡°He does have lips and a tongue,¡± Mnie reminded them. ¡°And Argrave said he doesn¡¯t know much about him. I can be a pacifist when I need to, and I¡¯d like to be one now.¡±


    ¡°Sure, sure,¡± Durran nodded. ¡°The god of war and ruthless destruction is a really likely candidate for a civil talk.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s get this underway,¡± Argrave cut in. ¡°Mnie¡¯s right. Sataistador will talk, one way or the other. Because the Alchemist and I have big damned ns after this, and we need to learn what¡¯s inside that ancient head of his.¡±


    #####


    Argrave gazed out across Lake Dedsworth. It was a beautiful, thin body of crystal blue water, and one could see all edges of its shore. On the southern end stood Springdrop, the beautiful fortress of House Dedsworth. Its drop-shaped roofs to its towers and beautiful marble walls made it as much a work of art as it was a fortress. Even still, Argrave spotted remnants of battles fought and won. Dead knights, dead creatures, dead evils¡­ and even a site of battle that Durran had endured in his godying journeys.


    All of Durran¡¯s wyvern riders circled around. Many Magisters of the Order of the Gray Owl watched from secluded locations. Argrave had an escort of his closestpanions, alongside several royal guards armored with weapons forged by divinity. He should¡¯ve felt safer than ever. But he couldn¡¯t deny¡­ this meeting with Sataistador unnerved him.


    Argrave was nervousrgely because the god was already here. Sataistador kneeled at thekeside, staring out across the still water. Waiting, watching, and making no moves to be cautious. He was here, waiting for them.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°Kind of expected him to be a giant,¡± Argrave mused. ¡°Didn¡¯t expect him to stay asrge as he is. He¡¯s maybe a little bigger than Orion. Thought he shrunk down in the White nes to make it easier to talk.¡±


    ¡°You waste time quivering so,¡± the Alchemist reprimanded him. ¡°Approach, and let us get the answers we seek.¡±


    ¡°Good lord¡­ you never cut me any ck, huh?¡± Argrave rolled his shoulders, and walked along the sandy beach toward their meeting. Sataistador did not look away from theke, but he did rise to his feet. With a huge mane of red hair, several weapons strapped along his body, and barbaric leather armor, he seemed every bit of what he was: the first god of war.


    When Argrave grew close, Sataistador turned his head and raised his hands up. Argrave braced, ready for a fight as he stared into those mad green eyes of his. Instead, the deity mmed his palms together. A deafening pop rang out as he pped, so loud that it could be heard for miles and so powerful that the wind shifted.


    p, p, p, the sounds came again and again, as loud as artillery. Sataistador turned to face Argrave. He took steady steps forward. His ps alone were powerful enough that some of Argrave¡¯s enchantments prevented his ears from bursting.


    Finally, Sataistador came to stand afortable distance away. ¡°Congrattions. You¡¯ve made Erlebnis a fool in the eyes of divinity.¡±


    Though he was partly stunned into silence from the show of strength, he did eventually find his voice. ¡°Thanks,¡± Argrave returned cordially, d they were speaking to start this meeting instead of¡­ something else.


    ¡°Did you like my gift?¡± Sataistador questioned with his eyes hauntingly grim. ¡°You probably didn¡¯t know you¡¯d received it. But you will.¡± He held his arms out. They were probably as wide as Argrave was tall. ¡°Let¡¯s talk. You brought me here because you want something from me¡­ elsewise, neither of us would remember the other. All asks have a price.¡± He looked at Mnie. ¡°And you should remember that I¡¯m a mercenary.¡±

 Chapter 479: Honest Debauchery of War

    ¡°Your gift?¡± Argrave repeated, staring at the towering god of war. ¡°I think it must¡¯ve been lost. Maybe the ship crashed, or the caravan was robbed by bandits. I¡¯ve been in a ce where it¡¯s been rather difficult to deliver gifts.¡±


    Sataistador shook his head. ¡°You couldn¡¯t have missed it. You¡¯re wearing it right now.¡± He raised a hand and pointed. ¡°Your head. Your skin. Your heartbeat. I gave you life, Argrave.¡±


    Argrave bit his lips, but couldn¡¯t restrain himself from joking, ¡°You¡¯re my dad?¡±


    Durran snorted and suppressed hisughter silently, but Sataistador crossed his arms and sighed. ¡°I kept Erlebnis off your back. I couldn¡¯t tell him about the heist per our arrangement made in the White nes. But that didn¡¯t prevent me from getting involved in other ways. I distracted him while you plundered his vault.¡±


    Argrave blinked, processing that quietly. Anneliese stepped up to stand beside him and asked, ¡°How could you have known when we began the heist? It all took ce inside Erlebnis¡¯ realm.¡±


    ¡°I made other deals in the White nes. Someone informed me where Erlebnis had decided to manifest after his failure in the Bloodwoods. I went there, and watched for suspicious movement. When I saw it¡­ I pounced on the opportunity. His location was strategically unassable, but only if Erlebnis himself defended,¡± Sataistador illustrated clearly. ¡°You used the master of the centaurs¡ªSarikiz¡ªto fragment Kirel Qircassia¡¯s realm. You know, then, what my entry would mean. Erlebnis dared not risk the same fate for his realm, so he chose to fight and repel me. In so doing, you were given the freedom to seed.¡± He raised his hands up, gesturing at them. ¡°Even if you look like fops, I can¡¯t deny those are divine artifacts you bear. So, to repeat myself, congrattions.¡±


    Argrave spared a nce toward Anneliese. She gave a nod of confirmation, even though it was still up in the air whether or not she could read gods as well as she could people. Even without her confirmation, Argrave could see that what Sataistador put forth was reasonable. It had struck him as odd that Erlebnis had taken so long to arrive.


    Argrave held his arms out. ¡°So, what, did youe seeking payment for that?¡±


    ¡°I think you should know what the word ¡®gift¡¯ means. Unless the meaning has changed the years I¡¯ve been in my own realm,¡± Sataistador shook his head. ¡°Our business, I suspect, regards something else entirely. Perhaps you aim to kill me¡ªI doubt it. Perhaps you seek to ally with me. I¡¯ll take payment if you wish for me to do something, but given you don¡¯tck for forces¡­¡± he looked at the Alchemist. ¡°¡­it must be something else. I have my own reason to be here, too.¡±


    Argrave didn¡¯t deny it, but something still pulled at his mind. ¡°Why would you give us a gift?¡±


    ¡°Because I suspect you would be a better acquaintance than Erlebnis,¡± Sataistador looked around contemptuously. ¡°He¡¯s content waiting millennia to make deals. He rarely takes losses when he trades. Your life, byparison, is rather short. You¡¯re more likely to give and take more freely. All that matters is what you want.¡±


    ¡°Information,¡± Argrave said inly.


    Sataistador raised his brows. ¡°That¡¯s all?¡±


    ¡°Yep,¡± Argrave confirmed. ¡°To get it, I suppose I need to know what you want. We robbed a lot from Erlebnis¡¯ vault, but I can¡¯t see how any of this stuff is of use to you. You seem to be content living on your lonesome. Your weapons are definitely as good as, if not better than, anything we have.¡±


    Sataistador ran his thumbs along the scimitars at his waist, and Argrave could hear the dim hum of power in the air. Those weapons of his weren¡¯t ordinary. He fixed Argrave with his deranged green eyes. ¡°Do you know why gods fear me, Argrave, even when I travel alone?¡±


    ¡°I suspect you¡¯re about to tell us,¡± Mnie called out.


    ¡°The gods fear me because I am alone,¡± Sataistador pointed out, looking around. ¡°They have all these possessions, all these trivialities tying them down. Cities. Towns. Worshippers. Money. Artifacts. Books.¡± He focused back on them ¡°I don¡¯t. I have the weapons at my side, and nothing more. That makes me the most dangerous god of them all. I am my only, and greatest, asset.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­ you prove my point,¡± Argrave nodded slowly. ¡°What could I possibly tempt you with?¡±


    ¡°I came here to thiske unimpeded,¡± Sataistador ground his sandals into the sand. ¡°I walked by your countless fortresses and settlements. I walked within them, sometimes, and though they stared, pointed, and noticed me¡­ I could¡¯ve torn them apart. It¡¯s what I¡¯ve always done. Emperors build these vast empires, enriching themselves until they think they¡¯re on top of the world. But Ie alone, picking away at their sprawling cities one by one. They don¡¯t know where I¡¯ll be. They can¡¯t react in time. I tear out their roots piece by piece until they starve like wild dogs, feasting on each other,¡± Sataistador said with enthusiastic venom. ¡°When their support falls out from underneath them, they learn why it is foolish to rely on other people. You demonstrated the same principle to Erlebnis, I suspect.¡±


    Argrave said nothing in response, but Sataistador had poked at an issue Argrave knew existed. Vasquer was a vast territory. Even with [Worldstrider], even with Elenore¡¯s connections¡­ their power could not be everywhere at once. It was why he had built ckgard, to concentrate the poption and make it easier to defend. Having a madman like Sataistador as their enemy, whose only objective was victory and destruction, would be a nightmare.


    ¡°I hope you¡¯re just bragging, and not implying anything,¡± Argrave said after a time of silence.


    Sataistador looked out to theke. ¡°You imed that I was inferior to another. I thought it foolish, provoking bullshit meant to entice me to y into your hands. But when I was watching where Erlebnis had imed this mortal realm¡­ I saw the man named Mozzahr emerge.¡± Sataistador mmed a fist against his palm, and Argrave felt a wave of power. ¡°He had just endured Erlebnis¡¯ full strength. It was clear from the artifacts he carried that he had been in the heart of his vault, yet he bore no noticeable wounds. He effortlessly dispatched countless of Erlebnis¡¯ servants.¡± He smiled and looked at Argrave, clenching his fist tightly. ¡°You wanted information? Let¡¯s count that as another gift. Mozzahr lives.¡±


    Though that news had already been partially confirmed by Mial, his daughter, it still made Argrave¡¯s breath catch in his lungs. The Casten of the Empty had endured the full brunt of Erlebnis¡¯ power within his vault. Under that pressure, he seeded in both robbing him of the artifacts their group had missed and escaping from that divine realm through the conventional pathway¡ªnamely, the point where the mortal realm and Erlebnis¡¯ realm conjoined.


    ¡°Erlebnis has been forced to break countless promises, simply because you and Mozzahr caused so much destruction,¡± Sataistador outlined. ¡°All of his wealth vanished overnight. The web of intrigue that he wove found itself with nothing to cling to but air. He lost informants, valuable contacts, and many allies, and his reputation will be damaged for millennia.¡±


    Argrave smiled joyously. ¡°The bastard went insolvent, huh? That¡¯s tremendous.¡±


    ¡°For me, yes. For you, not so much,¡± Sataistador shook his head.


    Argrave looked to Anneliese, who seemed to wish to speak. She divulged, ¡°Erlebnis sends psychotic infiltrators often. His grudge runs hot, but he¡¯s not truly threatening us actively.¡±


    ¡°Erlebnis doesn¡¯t hold grudges. But he is cornered, and you¡¯ve made it abundantly clear that you are his enemy.¡± Sataistador crouched in the sand, drawing a diagram in the sand. ¡°He brokered peace with the Qircassian Coalition. The price? Control over the Great Chu.¡± The god of war fixed Argrave with a smile. ¡°Now, your ckgard Union faces the Qircassian Coalition, Erlebnis, and the full might of the Great Chu. They unified by circumstance and by shared enmity.¡±


    Argrave¡¯s mind went at once to reports from Elenore that the people of the Chu had been spottednding on the coast. ¡°But the Great Chu have inherited a vast wealth of artifacts just like the ones we wear,¡± Argrave protested. ¡°And their knowledge of magic is equal to ours. How could they have sumbed so easily?¡±


    ¡°With Erlebnis divulging all the secrets of their empire to the Qircassian Coalition, their power and his knowledgebined made it break like bamboo,¡± Sataistador wiped the sand off his hands and rose. ¡°It was argely bloodless usurpation. The same ruler that sat the throne before still sits upon it now, he merely answers to something greater above him. Not that he knows, of course.¡±


    Argrave put his hands on his hips and stepped about, thinking furiously. This wasn¡¯t what he¡¯d hoped to deal with¡ªthough he knew the retaliation from the coalition woulde, he had expected his allies to be sufficient deterrent to prevent it from happening immediately. He¡¯d hoped for some time to do proper research.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°I appreciate that you¡¯ve divulged all of this,¡± Argrave told him. He didn¡¯t need to ask ¡®why.¡¯ It was clear that a loner like Sataistador benefitted from chaos¡ªhell, it was one of his three aspects. ¡°But we¡¯ve still yet to touch upon what you want.¡±


    Sataistador ran his thumb along his scimitar once again. ¡°Fighting you, killing you¡­ meager spoils. What would I get? Spirits you¡¯ve torn from gods that were bound to die anyway? Artifacts that won¡¯t suit me? No¡­ if we were to fight, I would get nothing beyond the satisfaction of the duel. Not to mention that your momentum in your endeavors has been tremendous. You have a secret, Argrave. I don¡¯t know what it is, but my instincts forged by war tells me that it is something rather grand. I don¡¯t care to experience that secret firsthand.¡±


    He looked straight up at the two suns in the sky, then raised his huge hand up to cover them both. ¡°What I want is the most glorious war I¡¯ll ever see. I wish to prove to Erlebnis once and for all the uselessness of his scheming before my low cunning. I wish to tear him apart, to reduce his prized emissaries to puddles of gore that fill the rivers of the Chu as I drink him like a bear might honey. He deserves to be reduced to nothing, and now would never be a better time to strike.¡±


    His fist closed together tightly. ¡°And the Qircassian Coalition¡­ I wish to show them, and their ridiculous mortal empire of Chu, the true cruelty of war. All that they own¡ªtheir purity, their righteousness, their smug sense of invincibility¡­ I want to do whatever I please with them, indulge in the honest debauchery of war, and then consume their bodies to strengthen mine own. I wish to etch my figure in the hearts of men and women all throughout the world.¡± He looked at Argrave. ¡°Orphans and widows should loathe me with a hatred so strong it persists for centuries. The few men that live should be crippled and broken husks that tremble like newborn kittens when they see red.¡±


    Sataistador turned away, seeming to have some trouble containing himself. He clenched his hands tightly until Argrave heard ominous cracking. He looked back at hispanions, and he didn¡¯t need to have Anneliese¡¯s empathy to realize they all thought the same thing: this guy¡¯s a psychopath.


    ¡°I can¡¯t do that alone,¡± Sataistador admitted after a moment, his voice returned to its usual calm. ¡°But from where I stand, neither can you defend against them all. Your conflict with them is inevitable, as they loathe you. But with me aiding in your defense, and then the subsequent counterattack¡­ you and I both can have the most glorious triumph in this world. To kill two elder gods¡­ no war could be sweeter.¡±


    Argrave held his hands out. ¡°The ckguard Union is a defensive pact by this point. I can¡¯t ensure they would aid us in this, even if I do agree.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m aware. I speak to you as King Argrave, not as a member of that union,¡± Sataistador gestured toward them. ¡°If we should cooperate to invade the Chu, you can have whatever information you please. Elsewise, you have nothing that interests me.¡±


    With their gazes locked, Argrave had one question remaining. ¡°You¡¯ll tell us about the first cycle of judgment?¡±


    Sataistador¡¯s serious demeanor broke and heughed. ¡°Ah. It¡¯s that. I had so many things in my head¡­¡± He looked back with a faint smile on his face. ¡°Sure. I can tell you everything that urred during the first cycle of judgment. In exchange, you¡¯ll help me bring the war to the Chu.¡±


    ¡°Just like that? No special contract to ensure we keep our word?¡± Mnie looked skeptical.


    ¡°That¡¯s burdensome. I did tell you I was a mercenary,¡± he answered without answering. ¡°I like some room to maneuver. And so would you, I suspect. Now¡­ our business is concluded, I suspect. I will leave. You will see me again when I am ready to discuss more with you, Argrave. And I hope your mind will not have changed since then.¡±

 Chapter 480: First of His Kind

    ¡°Before you leave, let me give you a definitive answer, so there¡¯s no misunderstanding,¡± Argrave asked of Sataistador. ¡°After all, I need to hear your information now.¡±


    ¡°Now?¡± Sataistador repeated, looking somewhat annoyed. ¡°Must it be now?¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s not now, I can hardly act on it,¡± Argrave insisted. ¡°Wait a few moments. Let me consult my people.¡±


    ¡°Very well,¡± Sataistador nodded.


    Reality was far tooplicated to have everything go perfect one hundred percent of the time. Sataistador stood before them now like a reminder of that fact. Argrave and hispanions put some distance between the two. The god of war waited patiently.


    He had just spoken about his method of war¡ªbrutal, senseless massacres that served no purpose beyond victory. As befit the god of war, he wanted war for nothing more than the sake of itself. He didn¡¯t wantnd, nor personal wealth¡ªhe just wanted to triumph over a foe. That sort of mentality could put even Genghis Khan to shame. And given his talk about ¡®indulging in the honest debauchery of war,¡¯ perhaps he intended to hear thementations of their goddesses. A grim thought, to be sure.


    Argrave and his party stood beneath a ward, talking things over.


    ¡°If we take his deal, he¡¯d cause unimaginable damage to the people of the Chu,¡± Argrave summarized. ¡°He¡¯d target farnds, pastures, and all that kept their cities fed until the sheer size of the empire caused it to fragment. He basically told us as much.¡±


    ¡°But if we refuse him, he¡¯d likely do the same thing here,¡± Mnie pointed out.


    Durran shook his head. ¡°I doubt it. He¡¯d do damage, sure, but we¡¯d catch up to him, end him. Here, now¡­ this would be the perfect time. We could kill him.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not stupid. He¡¯d run,¡± Argrave mimed the action with his fingers.


    ¡°I can run as well, Your Majesty,¡± Orion pointed out, ring at the god of war from beyond the ward. Gmon gave a nod of agreement.


    The Alchemist reprimanded, ¡°You have Erlebnis, the Qircassian Coalition, the Chu, and even Fellhorn as your enemies, lest you forget. We cannot afford to add one other. Do not forget he¡¯s indicated he¡¯s entirely willing to dishonor the deal. In that case, we ought to prepare to do the same,¡± he argued prudently. ¡°There should be no discussion. You should take the deal. Use him for as much as he is worth, then toss him aside.¡±


    Anneliese crossed her arms. ¡°I have grown to utterly detest how these elder gods y nations against each other as though lives matter not. Even still, I am inclined to agree with the Alchemist. This god of war will disclose information that may greatly aid your research into Gerechtigkeit, and we need not fret about betraying such a despicable being.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Let me consult thest of us,¡± Argrave nodded, then grasped at his connection to Elenore inside his head. ¡°Hey, sis. We¡¯ve talked. I¡¯m leaning toward taking the deal, but I¡¯d like to hear your thoughts.¡±


    No reply came in Argrave¡¯s head for some time, then her voice came clear and decisively. ¡°Pragmatically, it¡¯s the best option. I¡¯m furthermore greedy at the prospect of securing good rtions with the Chu if we should aid them in overthrowing the yoke of the Qircassian Coalition. I think that¡¯s¡­ overoptimistic. Still, unlike Sataistador¡¯s dreams of our shared glory, an invasion would be impossible on our end. Weck the manpower to upy a foreign continent, and I¡¯m already overburdened incorporating both the Burnt Desert and the underground dwarven cities into this already ridiculouslyrge nation.¡±


    ¡°An invasion was never in the cards,¡± Argrave reminded her.


    ¡°It would be the best oue in this situation,¡± Elenore disagreed. ¡°If we let Sataistador rampage through them, their empire will fragment, and even should Gerechtigkeit be beaten, they will endure countless wars as petty kingdoms vie to reunite the empire for centuries afterward.¡±


    Her words had a great deal of truth to them. In a period of time like this, a centralized state was the best way for progress, and the Chu were even more heavily nted toward hereditary despots than Vasquer was. The term ¡®warring states¡¯ came to mind to summarize the aftermath. But the culture of the Chu was foreign to those of Vasquer, and they would never be weed as its true rulers. Their continent was furthermorerger and more densely popted than Berendar.


    ¡°We¡¯re debating the fate of an empire we¡¯ve never even seen,¡± Argrave reminded her.


    ¡°Also true. Let us remind ourselves that we don¡¯t know how honest Sataistador was being about their situation. I can make effort to look into it, but it¡¯ll be tremendously hard,¡± Elenore sighed. ¡°No matter. I¡¯m in favor of taking it. We can always betray himter.¡±


    ¡°The Alchemist thought simrly,¡± Argrave nodded, then said, ¡°Thanks. I¡¯ve made up my mind. I¡¯ll agree. Even if we betray him, it¡¯s not like anyone is going to think less of us for doing so. He¡¯s a deranged killer.¡±


    ¡°But a cunning one,¡± Elenore reminded him. ¡°He fights wars like I probably would. Well, would have,¡± she corrected. ¡°Good luck.¡±


    The connection faded, and Argrave gestured toward the Alchemist to dispel the ward. Argrave walked back up to Sataistador,ing a fair bit closer this time. The giant god knelt in the sand, staring out across theke.


    ¡°We¡¯ll go with your suggestion. When the timees, we¡¯ll counterattack Erlebnis and the Qircassian Coalition,¡± Argrave told him.


    ¡°Of course. Makes no sense not to¡ªyou can just betray me if you change your mind.¡± He turned his head to Argrave. ¡°I prefer it this way.¡±


    ¡°The idea of an invasion does entice me,¡± Argrave lied through his teeth. ¡°I very nearly doubled the size of our territory by incorporating the Burnt Desert and the underground. You don¡¯t get to that point without having some appetite for this sort of thing. I just hope you won¡¯t leave me and of ruins. I need people to build my empire, even if they¡¯re trembling cripples and hateful widows as you¡¯d want.¡±


    Sataistadorughed. ¡°Do you intend to go the route of a god-king? Hmm. I think it¡¯s foolish, but it¡¯s not my ce to judge¡­¡±


    ¡°Now¡ªcan you tell me about the first cycle of judgment?¡± Argrave asked, also gazing out across theke like the god of war.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you some. My information wille in waves as we get closer to our goal. I think that¡¯s fair, given how enticed you are about this invasion.¡± His haunting green gazended on Argrave¡¯s face. ¡°You¡¯d certainly never toss me aside before we¡¯ve done our coboration, yes? So, it shouldn¡¯t matter.¡±


    Argrave chewed at his lip¡ªthat was a dangerous proposal. He didn¡¯t care to get this in drops¡ªhe needed it all, now. ¡°We¡¯re looking for ways to most efficiently end Gerechtigkeit. If you do that, it¡¯ll be absolutely useless for us. I don¡¯t want to twiddle my thumbs for months while we wait for an invasion.¡±


    ¡°Fine. I suppose that¡¯s fair,¡± Sataistador nodded. ¡°It¡¯s not as though it¡¯s exceptionally important. It¡¯ll give you no advantage, I don¡¯t think.¡±


    He was ted he managed to dissuade him, but restrained himself from showing that outwardly. ¡°Better understanding our foe is an advantage in itself,¡± Argrave disagreed calmly.


    Sataistador stroked his long beard, and Argrave saw a huge scar just behind it on his stomach. ¡°There were no gods before Gerechtigkeit descended,¡± he said with eerie calm. ¡°That is the key detail none of my peers remember, probably because there are no gods as old as I am. My generation of gods all died, you see, mostly at my own hand. Back then we had religions, yet there were no true gods. It was only men, elves, dwarves, subterranean humanoids, and a few types of beast-men. Most of those beasts went extinct¡­ eight or so cycles ago,¡± he reminisced casually.


    ¡°How can you be sure there weren¡¯t other gods? You were mortal, and he may have erased memory of his presence as he had in times past,¡± the Alchemist pointed out.


    ¡°I questioned the same thing. It¡¯s impossible,¡± Sataistador shook his head. ¡°I was chief of the Drinnic tribe, having united all of our peoples under one banner. And we razed an empire that had existed for two thousand years to the ground,¡± he recounted somewhat joyfully. ¡°Five years we spent dismantling it. We killed many, but kept virtually the same number as ves. But when Gerechtigkeit came, no one¡ªnot the emperor, whom I¡¯d kept as a pet, nor the various schrs we kept alive knew of this urrence. The oldest of the elves did not recall a bit of it. There were no gods that descended¡ªinstead, each of every one of them was born during this first conflict.¡±


    Argrave was skeptical about the im of the two-thousand-year empire, yet hearing that no gods had troubled them alleviated some doubt. Provided, of course, that Sataistador was not merely spinning a yarn.


    ¡°What was it like?¡± Argrave asked. ¡°Gerechtigkeit. Everything.¡±


    ¡°Easier,¡± Sataistador said. ¡°Lesspetition. For perhaps the first year of it, I thought I was the only god¡ªa chosen, destined to conquer the entire world. When I encountered another, I was the first to kill another and consume them. The day Gerechtigkeit finally came to us, he was desperate, angry, and clumsy. A far easier, and less clever, foe than he has be today. He also had a ce that he retreated to, making him less difficult than he is presently. Now, he fights much like me¡ªthat is to say, he has be quite the roaming terror.¡±


    ¡°He had a retreat?¡± Anneliese asked. ¡°Where?¡±


    ¡°Where,¡± he snorted in mockery. ¡°The terrain has shifted over the years, both by the gods¡¯ whim and the passage of time. It was a ce called Sandbara¡ªarge stone fortification. I couldn¡¯t tell you who constructed it, but it was nothing special. Gerechtigkeit was wounded and he retreated there. Some other deities and I chased him there, put an end to him. I struck the killing blow.¡±


    Argrave was shocked to hear the truth about Sandbara. That was one of the few words that Argrave knew was tied to Gerechtigkeit. Mial, Mozzahr¡¯s daughter, has confirmed that she had found mention of it as well.


    ¡°Other deities?¡± the Alchemist repeated.


    ¡°Yes¡­ but like I said, everyone from my time is dead now, though. I killed most of them,¡± Sataistador admitted. ¡°Their names are lost to me. They weren¡¯t memorable kills.¡±


    Argrave leaned down. ¡°But¡­ Sandbara? It was a real ce, a real fortress? And Gerechtigkeit had some attachment to it?¡±


    ¡°Yes. There were traces of him everywhere.¡± Sataistador looked at him intently, and Argrave leaned in. ¡°After all, he bled all over the ce.¡± He broke off intoughter. ¡°What do you expect of me? At the time, we thought him nothing more than another god like us, set on destroying anything and everything. It was only after he perished and we were cast away to our own realms in the astral nes that we learned he was different. Sandbara was broken down stone by stone by our aggrieved followers, and then scattered.¡±


    ¡°Was there anything notable about it?¡± Anneliese inquired, stepping closer and crossing her arms. Argrave didn¡¯t like her so close to the god of war. ¡°Anything you can think of at all?¡±


    Sataistador stroked his beard, eyes distant as he scanned theke. ¡°A deep hole.¡±


    ¡°That draws your memory, does it?¡± Argrave pressed.


    ¡°It was deep. I threw someone down in it,¡± Sataistador continued reflecting. ¡°My hearing is exceptional, but¡­ I never heard them hit the bottom.¡±


    Argrave scratched his head, puzzled about what that might mean. They had learned a great deal from this conversation, he felt, but even still, he was hoping for something¡­ more. The conversation wasn¡¯t yet over, and there was much they might inquire yet.


    #####


    Though they spoke to Sataistador for a long while, nothing of great significance was mentioned. By the end of it all, they parted ways just as the god had promised. They kept an eye on the god of war, and though he lingered for a few minutes after their departure, he left much the same way he arrived¡ªthat is to say, discretely and rapidly. Apparently he departed to the east, but they lost him at the coast near the old ruins of Foamspire.


    They retuned to ckgard, where they spoke at the parliamentary hall.


    ¡°It isn¡¯t much to go on, really,¡± Argrave said, leaning up against a conference table. ¡°Still, that was an enlightening conversation. We learned that more people than we thought are going to try and kill us. Wonderful.¡±


    ¡°I think it illuminates the importance of the alliance with the dwarves,¡± Elenore said. ¡°I¡¯m worried. Anneliese was¡­ bold, shall we say, with her negotiating tactics.¡±


    ¡°And prudently so,¡± Argrave supported her. ¡°I say some things half asleep, and she still remembers them a yearter. A conversation with silver-wreathed dwarves was as fruitless as she thought it might be. We need those bearing gold, or gemstones.¡±


    ¡°But what about leads for research?¡± Elenore pressed. She had thergest stake in this barring Duran¡ªhe would die if they could find no way to end the cycle of judgment. Unless, of course, Argrave used the Ravenstone hanging from his neck. If it came to that, he would. But he didn¡¯t want to.


    ¡°The Alchemist has gone to the mountains to record what we learned. I think we confirmed a theory¡ªdivinity and Gerechtigkeit are fundamentally linked, somehow. One didn¡¯t exist before the other.¡± Argrave crossed his arms, stepping around. ¡°Other than that¡­ just vagaries. A fortress, and a hole.¡±


    Mnie huffed. ¡°Sounds like a bad joke. But given we¡¯re in talks with people that live in a very deep hole¡­ perhaps there¡¯s more to be progressed there.¡±


    ¡°Definitely. For now¡­¡± Argrave closed his eyes as a headache erupted. ¡°Anne, everyone, what do you think?¡±


    ¡°Position ourselves against the Chu, and the gods puppeteering them. Work on the alliance with the dwarves. Follow what leads we have,¡± Anneliese listed quickly. ¡°These are my thoughts.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s time we asked Patriarch Dras to position himself to aid us,¡± Gmon suggested.


    ¡°Not a bad idea,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°There¡¯s a lot to do. Let¡¯s start with the dwarves, first and foremost. I¡¯ve had a month to think about ways to coax them out of their holes¡­¡±

 Chapter 481: No Nation is an Island

    Argrave found himself gaining a difficult to shake habit. Whenever he was thinking, his right hand would wander to the ck imprisoning gemstone hanging around his neck¡ªthe Ravenstone, as the Alchemist had dubbed it, perhaps in genuine jest. And these weeks upon learning of the coalition allied against them made him reach for the ne nervously many, many times.


    They tried to position themselves to handle the worst of the Chu, alerting the Archduchess of the North and the Bloodwoods both. The continent of the Chu Empire was far to the northeast, and so traditional seafaring techniques rendered it difficult to reach. Still, certain gods of seafaring¡ªand Argrave knew there were some in the Qircassian Coalition¡ªhad the ability to lessen that difficulty. Additionally, in terms of seamanship, Vasquer was far behind most others. Most vessels off the coasts were trading vessels.


    The only true ¡®navy¡¯ that existed was Relize¡¯s fleetrgely trading vessels as well, made for the calm waters of the North Sea and locked within that body of water. The true ocean was miles away from the North Sea, and there were no paths connecting the two. The other naval presence, House Monti¡­ their fleet had been utterly destroyed two years ago, now.


    As for their progress in rebuilding that force, Argrave arranged a meeting with an old friend.


    Nikoletta of Monti walked into the parliamentary hall of ckgard, looking around at the ce in some wonder. Argrave stepped up to meet her with Anneliese at his side, the indomitable pair of Orion and Gmon following along as their escorts.


    ¡°Cousin,¡± Argrave greeted in a polite tone. ¡°Good to see you. Has your father recovered from the whole kidnapping business?¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± Nikoletta dipped her head. She¡¯d cut her obsidian-color hair short, and seemed to have kept it that way. ¡°Your Highness. Truth be told, I thought I¡¯d never see my father breathing again, even. But no¡ªhe can breathe, walk, talk¡­¡± she wiped her face, her pink eyes seeming somewhat tired. ¡°If I¡¯m honest, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever inherit the Dukedom. Mind you, I prefer it that way,¡± she added quickly, lest she be perceived as callous.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°I¡¯m happy to see you¡¯ve epted an invitation to the parliament,¡± Argrave said, cutting straight to business. ¡°It¡¯s long overdue for Monti to be better represented on the council. There¡¯s much to do, but you¡¯re wee to join myself and the rest of the family for dinners henceforth. We can discuss thatter. How¡¯d your task go?¡±


    Nikoletta put one hand on her hip and nodded. ¡°Right. Business first. House Monti has prepared perhaps ten ships fit for war. I scouted the other houses, took an ount of what they had¡­¡± she bit her lip nervously. ¡°Any ¡®warships¡¯ they have wouldn¡¯t pass our shipyard¡¯s standards. Bluntly put, our naval power is incredibly meagre. This city here, ckgard, is the second major port on the ocean throughout the whole kingdom,¡± she waved backward, where the city waited beyond. ¡°Some minor lords have fortifications along fishing towns and such. I¡¯d estimate there¡¯s well over ten thousand trading vessels sailing the sea¡ªnot at one time, mind you, but in total. But there¡¯s never been reason to develop an outstanding navy. Veiden conducted the first naval invasion this continent has ever seen¡ªit¡¯s why it was so sessful.¡±


    Anneliese narrowed her eyes. ¡°That is somewhat difficult to believe. By all ounts, your people constantly look for every advantage.¡±


    Nikoletta nodded. ¡°Not wrong, Your Highness. But fighting at the sea has long been viewed an immensely dangerous prospect. If you fall in the water, all manner of foul monsters await you¡ªIrontooth Piranhas, krakens, leviathans. We focused on developing indbat, and magic.¡± His cousin sighed and looked at the distant port of ckgard. ¡°Bluntly put¡­ it would take decades to develop a serious navy. If it¡¯s true that another group of invaderse from overseas, then we are at a massive disadvantage.¡±


    ¡°Alright. I appreciate your candor. I¡¯ll¡­¡± Argrave rubbed at his eyes, thinking hard, before he was taken back to reality. ¡°I¡¯ll have some people take you to your room. Grimalt,¡± he called out, and his royal guardsmen stepped forward to receive his order.


    As Nikoletta was escorted away, Argrave lost himself in thought. He¡¯d hoped that he¡¯d be able to ward away the Chu at sea with their own power, but theycked seafaring knowledge, suitable sailors, and craftsman capable of making decent vessels.


    But the Veiden and their longships were not subject to the same limitations. Their navy wasrge in number, virtually unparalleled in craftsmanship, and their sailors were some of the most experienced in the world. In the end, Gmon¡¯s suggestion became more and more prudent¡ªthey would need to involve the snow elves.


    After thinking the matter over for some time during the rest of the day¡¯s task, Argrave sat with Anneliese on the opposite side of a table, their tes recently cleared of a hearty meal. Argrave looked outside of their private room, watching the bustling city with a sense of protectiveness.


    ¡°If we can¡¯t secure a strong navy, the Chu will find anding point,¡± Argrave told Anneliese quietly. ¡°Their ships are more numerous, faster¡ªwithout seafaring patrols, they¡¯ll find a spot tond, build fortifications, and then all manner of things will make Berendar their home¡ªgods of the Qircassian Coalition, even. I think we can beat them.¡± He rubbed his hands together. ¡°But I¡¯d prefer not to give them an opportunity. It¡¯ll be like having ants in the house¡ªimpossible to get rid of. But Veiden, and their goddess Veid¡­ what would they want if we asked for help? They agreed to help us fight Gerechtigkeit, and nothing else.¡±


    ¡°I believe you know precisely what my people want. They are nothing if not consistent,¡± Anneliese reminded him with a bitter smile. ¡°Power. They are our allies, and I think things will remain that way, but they seek power enough to dominate rival nations after Gerechtigkeit has been defeated. They still seek to move beyond Veiden.¡±


    ¡°And that¡¯s thest thing I wanted,¡± Argrave sighed. ¡°But I think you¡¯re right.¡±


    ¡°Fortunately, Dras is no fool. And I think we can rely on him in the present, and perhaps dissuade him in the future.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t think he might turn his ws against Vasquer, once Gerechtigkeit passes?¡± Argrave questioned.


    Anneliese smiled. ¡°We have done well in forming a solid rtionship with them. Hirn, my friend, has built up a thriving tradework with the help of her husband Leopold. That trade has brought greater prosperity to Veiden¡ªprosperity that Dras relies on greatly. Veiden imports much of its food from us now, which has freedbor for other tasks.¡±


    Argrave leaned back in his chair. ¡°Good lord. Did you n that development from the start?¡±


    Anneliese lowered her head bashfully. ¡°Well¡­ I did not anticipate it would go quite as well as it did. But yes, I hoped to tie Veiden and Vasquer closer to avoid war between the two.¡±


    ¡°Hirn¡¯s expecting a kid soon, right? Hundred years old, and still a horny bastard, Leopold¡­ creeps me out. Still, should send them flowers or something,¡± Argrave marveled at Anneliese once again. ¡°I forget how genius you are, sometimes. I think you¡¯re just being humb¡ª"


    Two heavy feet impacted with stone, and when Argrave turned his head the Alchemist stood there in silken robes of his hair. As he jumped slightly, the twenty-foot-monster dered, ¡°You must ensure this alliance with the dwarves.¡±


    Orion burst through the door, drawing a weapon of divinity and holding it at the ready. Argrave held up his hand and stood, saying loudly, ¡°Stop it, Orion. Just an inconsiderate, emotionally dead guest, not an assassin.¡± He gestured at the Alchemist. ¡°There are more convenient ways to talk to me, you know.¡±


    ¡°Your sister refuses to extend her blessing of connection to me,¡± the Alchemist said, watching Orion as he put away the de of divine bone. ¡°Teleporting to you is the only other fastest method.¡±


    Orion walked out of the door, shutting it. He¡¯d broken the doorknob, so it hung loosely, and Argrave caressed his forehead as he sat back down. ¡°Alright¡ªwhat¡¯s this about the dwarves?¡±


    ¡°I liquified Felipe¡¯s corpse,¡± the Alchemist said, and Argrave watched the door to be sure Orion did not burst through the door yet again in wrath. ¡°It was to extract the essence of Gerechtigkeit inside him. I¡¯ve contained it within this.¡± The ancient being reached inside his body and pulled free a vial that gleamed with malicious ck essence. ¡°We need to head into the dwarven cities. If we cannot ally with them, we must infiltrate them¡ªa hard task, given their construction. Dwarven metal can make teleportation with spirits somewhat difficult. And failing infiltration, we should invade them.¡±


    Argrave held both of his hands out. ¡°Ease up. Why are you talking like this? What¡¯s so important about the dwarven cities?¡±


    ¡°Sandbara,¡± the Alchemist said as he walked to the table where they sat. ¡°What Sataistador said, about the hole descending deep into the earth¡­ it gave context for other research that I did not know where fit in. There was enough in what he said to indicate that he was not lying about this bottomless pit. And there was enough in the simrly bottomless troves of knowledge that Erlebnis kept about Gerechtigkeit to deduce the importance of this pit.¡±


    Anneliese ced both of her elbows on the table and supported her head. ¡°So, that vial¡­ do you mean to use the essence of Gerechtigkeit to try and locate where Sandbara might have been? You believe this bottomless pit is pertinent, somehow?¡±


    ¡°Your better half catches on quicker than you¡ªthough that implies you would¡¯ve caught on at all,¡± the Alchemist derided Argrave.


    ¡°I¡¯d be more offended if I couldn¡¯t imprison you for all eternity,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°Well¡­ it¡¯s true, the deep dwarven cities are connected in a circle around the¡¯s core. Ostensibly, it¡¯d cover everywhere this pit in Sandbara might¡¯ve led.¡± He looked right at the Alchemist. ¡°You¡¯re certain this is important enough to risk everything? Even invade an innocent nation?¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t aid me, I¡¯ll take matters into my own hands,¡± said the Alchemist quickly.


    Argrave¡¯s hands reached for the Ravenstone once again, fiddling with it. ¡°The second dwarven envoy hasn¡¯t shown up yet.¡± He looked to Anneliese. ¡°I guess we ought to have an extremelypelling case for him. And you¡ªyou¡¯ll have to wait. This will work, but not if you run amok. Give us a few days.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± the Alchemist groaned in annoyance. ¡°As you wish.¡±


    Argrave removed his hand from the ne, then nted his hands on the table and rose. ¡°Good. Then, let¡¯s find Gmon. Loathe as I am to do this¡­ we can¡¯t get through this without an alliance with the Veidimen. So, we talk to Veid, and to Dras. And then we prepare to find Sandbara.¡±

 Chapter 482: Conquests for Another

    Argrave expected to speak to the Patriarch of the Veidimen at their capital, Veiden. They teleported there using [Worldstrider]. Argrave hoped to give Gmon some time to visit with his family. Instead, he was informed that the leader of the snow elves waited at Ka, the portside city that Argrave had first made it to when negotiating with the Veidimen.


    Though Argrave was disappointed he could not give one of his close friends the long family visit he deserved, he expected a trip down memoryne might do both him and Anneliese some good. Instead, what he saw was that ckgard was not the only city that had grown significantly.


    Anneliese¡¯s talk about the Veidimen prospering from the trade was not her conjecture. Veidimen vessels were the only to take harbor in these icy waters, and with them alone the oceans were crowded and cluttered. Argrave walked about the docks with a small escort of royal guards bearing divine weapons as they awaited Dras¡¯ arrival.


    ¡°King Argrave.¡± A familiar voice made Argrave turn his head, and he rested his gaze upon Patriarch Dras, nked by his guards. He was short for a snow elf, dressed in ceremonial white clothes befitting his station, and remained with shaven head and bone white eyes. ¡°And the year-old daughter of mine. In what capacity do you two visit? As family, or as sovereigns?¡±


    ¡°Thetter, unfortunately.¡± Argrave put his hands together as he walked closer. ¡°I have a rather serious proposition to discuss, and little time for anything else.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve finallye to the point I have, where time is precious. The missive mentioned you wished Veid to be present as well. Then,e.¡±


    Dras beckoned Argrave onward, leading them through the ever-growing city. The city sprawled wider, and the buildings stood taller. The practical wooden homes had been reced with stone as though the trappings of man were soon to catch up with them. But the patriarch took them past all of that, into arge new building nestled up beside a tall hill of snow-covered rock. Argrave sawrge animal skulls lined up all along it.


    ¡°I imagine this will do you little good to prepare you for what questions await...¡± Dras stepped closer to Argrave. Their honor guards¡ªArgrave¡¯s royal guards and Dras¡¯ personal guard¡ªseemed to be incredibly wary of each other, even though both were Veidimen. ¡°¡­but Veid has very earnestly wished to speak to you, Argrave. Almost as much as her mortal champion.¡±


    ¡°Alright¡­¡± Argrave took littlefort in that. He didn¡¯t think he had done anything especially interesting enough to draw the eye of the goddess of the snow elves. ¡°I¡¯ll be on my best behavior, I suppose, if only because it¡¯d bother Gmon if I weren¡¯t.¡±


    Dras nced at Argrave. ¡°A little respect can go a long way. A lot of adversity can be avoided.¡±


    ¡°We are well familiar with the value of respect. And this rtionship our nations hold is something to be respected. You would agree with this, yes, father?¡± Anneliese stepped up alongside him.


    The word clearly brought him pause, but he epted it resignedly. ¡°You¡¯re as diplomatic as any daughter I could hope to have. Should I be half as blessed when that dayes¡­¡± Dras stopped at arge stone door, and his guards moved to push it open.


    They entered inside the building, and as a wide set of stairs descended five steps downward, he realized this ce was much more spacious than it appeared from the outside. Veid sat in the back, in all her divine glory. Her chamber was no throne indicating superiority¡ªshe lived as her people did, in fur clothes made for warmth, with weapons made to hunt, and with white eyes that seemed to look for any opening. There were two thrones in their chamber. They were not for king and queen, but rather for god and patriarch.


    The patriarch took quicker steps, walking far ahead of Argrave as his guards dispersed to stand by the walls of the room. He sat in therge throne beside Veid, and waited for them patiently. Argrave stepped up with Anneliese and Gmon at his side. His knightmander didn¡¯t kneel before Veid, but Argrave could almost see his knees begging to do so.


    ¡°Hello, Veid. Is this the first time we¡¯ve talked outside the White nes? I think it is.¡± Argrave smiled and dipped his head. ¡°It must bust beplicated, this leadership situation between you and Dras.¡± He stood firm and straight. He liked both of those present, but as he said, he was here as king.


    Veid crossed one leg over the other. ¡°My people chose Dras as their leader. It is only by Dras¡¯ grace that I am given this chamber.¡± She spoke with extreme brevity as she looked between him and Anneliese. ¡°I have other matters I wish to speak of. You stayed my people in their duty to conquer the world. Why?¡±


    She touched on something that Argrave would prefer to leave untouched. Still, he inhaled and answered with as brief an answer as her question. ¡°Correct. As for why, Gerechtigkeit takes precedent.¡±


    Veid stared in silent ponderance for a few moments. ¡°I believe in the idea of dominion over the world under my honorable people. You believe that the conquest itself makes the government dishonorable. This, I do believe: we both want the best for our people. In this way, our perspectives are ice and water; identical inposition, but different in structure.¡±


    Argrave found it difficult, if not impossible, to view invasion in any positive light. But he could not deny that Veid truly believed in what she said. In her world, what she did was best for her people. Argrave fiddled with the Ravenstone, then lowered his hand back to his side. It jingled as he said quietly, ¡°I can agree with that.¡±


    Anneliese took a firmer stance. ¡°Supposing that one is capable of establishing this honorable government without sullying themselves¡­ governments change as constantly as the world around them. What we establish today might not be all there is tomorrow. If I am to speak frankly, I believe an invasion is a terrible foundation for government.¡±


    Veid did not look offended¡ªrather, she epted Anneliese¡¯s words with a humble nod. Dras watched all parties involved, and spoke only when silence extended between them. ¡°Speaking of the foundation of a government¡­ Gmon informed me that you endeavor to create a government distributing power among different institutions that might check each other. He imed that you create rules and regtions that themselves will stand as the protector to the people.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s our intent.¡± Argrave eyed his knightmander, standing by his side. He wondered when Gmon had time to talk about such things. It was praise, so he could not be upset, but it was still a breach of information. ¡°I¡¯ve learned the power of the status quo. People fight very desperately to keep it. All we have to do is establish a status quo that serves the people first and foremost.¡±


    ¡°Not untrue.¡± Veid nodded understandingly. ¡°I¡¯ve spoken long enough. You had something to discuss with Dras?¡±


    Argrave was somewhat puzzled. He¡¯d been told that Veid intended to have a conversation with him, but this felt a little¡­ short. Would their true conversatier? Argrave couldn¡¯t answer that, but as he lost himself in thought Anneliese spoke first.


    ¡°We do.¡± Anneliese stood just as firm as the goddess herself, both hands behind her back respectfully. ¡°We¡¯d like to discuss the terms to a deeper alliance than what we have now. To put it inly¡­ we need your naval support. Without it, aing invasion may threaten us.¡±


    Dras scratched at his cheek. ¡°Not the first time yourck of a navy has hindered your country, is it? There¡¯s a lesson to be learned there.¡± He tapped the armrest to the throne. ¡°Let us speak of this. The broad strokes.¡±


    #####


    After a long discussion about what was guing the kingdom of Vasquer, Dras sent the king and queen away without an answer under the pretext of referring with his council. He and Veid sat in the audience chamber, both risen from their seat and facing one another.


    ¡°Do you have any guidance to give?¡± Dras spoke to her without the same sort of deference the others might¡¯ve given her. He had to be this way, he felt, to keep his role.


    ¡°Would you rule our people without the need for glory, Dras?¡± Veid walked up to him. ¡°Would you be a footnote in another¡¯s triumph, so long as our people thrived?¡±


    Dras felt reminded from the force of her words that she was divinity for a reason. ¡°I have often asked myself that.¡±


    ¡°As have I, watching you in these years. And now, being here, I can pose that question to you.¡±


    With a slow spin, Dras strolled to collect the answer he¡¯d beencking for many years. He could hear the footsteps of the god behind him. Perhaps that was metaphor, too¡ªperhaps he¡¯d used Veid as only a cudgel to achieve his own ambitions. But then¡­


    He hadn¡¯t set on this journey from a position of power. He¡¯d been desperate, hungry, and wanted change. And when things got better, survival morphed into forging an opportunity for something better. And that opportunity spiraled until he had unified this continent. The boy he was¡­ he did believe in Veid¡¯s message. He had hope for his people, for their triumph, for their greatness.


    Dras had faith in Veid¡¯s vision, whether it meant glory for himself or not.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Dras turned back to Veid quickly. ¡°I could.¡±


    The goddess entwined her hands. ¡°Then I will give you guidance. It may taste like bile, but it¡¯s best for our people¡­ and all people. You will not be forgotten, Dras. If you should heed my advice, you will be overshadowed. You will be a great conqueror just as you wish, and when victory finally greets you, the empire you built will be another¡¯s. They will not honor your memory¡­ but they will build upon what you made, even if they hate it. And they will prosper.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Veid smiled bitterly. ¡°For now, my only suggestion is this: ept Argrave¡¯s offer. Poise our people well for the repelling of the Chu. And most importantly, integrate with Argrave¡¯s parliament. These should be our conditions.¡±


    The patriarch crossed his arm in thought. ¡°It is much to ask them to allow us a ce in their politics. But if we would war for them, we can think for them¡­ fine, then. I will bring this before the council. I appreciate your counsel.¡±


    #####


    While Argrave wandered the growing city of Ka in nervous anticipation for how Dras and his council might demand of their request for aid, Anneliese had grown particrly pensive. Gmon, meanwhile, had been called away to speak to Veid. Their other royal guards stood vignt some distance away, both protecting and giving the royal couple space.


    As his queen stared out across the white-blue icy ocean beside Ka, Argrave watched her instead. She was a prettier sight than the ocean, by his estimation. And he¡¯d watched her enough to pick up on something.


    ¡°What¡¯s bothering you?¡± He put his hand on her shoulder sincerely.


    ¡°Neither Dras nor Veid have wavered slightly on their ambitions.¡± Anneliese bit at her lip. ¡°And worse yet, I fear that I miss something obvious. What did Veid even ask us? It seemed like nothing of substance.¡±


    ¡°I thought the same.¡± Argrave sighed deeply. ¡°We need their navy. If they don¡¯t request something reasonable, we just have to offer them something Dras¡¯ council won¡¯t be able to refuse. Still, I don¡¯t want to do heavy-handed politicking. Feels¡ª¡±


    ¡°Another dwarven envoy has entered the territory we control.¡± Elenore¡¯s voice cut into his thoughts like a hot knife. ¡°Gold-wreaths, both of them. This should please you.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Anneliese studied his face as Argrave digested Elenore¡¯s message. ¡°Your sister, I presume? She spoke to you?¡±


    ¡°Dwarves are here,¡± Argrave summarized for her quickly. ¡°And they¡¯re worth negotiating with, this time.¡±


    He turned his focus back to the voice in his head. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll give word to Dras that we¡¯re heading back. When they have their answer, he can talk to Gmon¡ªwe¡¯ll leave him here for now,¡± Argrave told Elenore, then ryed the same to Anneliese.


    ¡°I should warn you¡­ the first word the envoy said was a threat.¡± Elenore seemed tense with her quiet tone.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Argrave cracked his knuckle. ¡°That¡¯s the dwarven way, no?¡±

 Chapter 483: Rule of Two

    Argrave departed from Veiden, leaving Gmon behind to serve as intermediary when Dras and his council came to a decision about their request for naval support. Anneliese was still uneased, convinced she''d missed something about the scenario. Argrave didn''t doubt her, but he also felt that the Veidimen were staunch allies that would not do their nation any harm. Veid herself was part of the ckgard Union.


    And on the matter of that union, they once again put together a collection of envoys that represented each god or goddess that had agreed to the defensive pact. They were a formidable group, but Argrave was receiving some disturbing reports from Elenore.


    ¡°They¡¯re really quite undignified.¡± Elenore walked alongside through the gardens of the parliamentary hall, the rest of their group following shortly behind. ¡°They¡¯ve been behaving in such a way as though to ovepensate for the words that Anneliese gave themst time.¡±


    ¡°A negotiating tactic. I think I know who it is.¡± He kept a firm eye on the distant door where Elenore said the dwarves were staying. ¡°But they¡¯re also right to be confident. The dwarves have remained untouched underground for so long for good reason. They have a defensive system that most gods could not hope to prate. It¡¯s why Mozzahr did not try and make converts of the dwarves. If he had been able to do that, I suspect we¡¯d all be damned.¡±


    Elenore looked somewhat surprised at the unrestrained praise, but she did not have time to press overmuch before Argrave walked up to the double doors leading to the dwarves¡¯ chamber. He pushed them open, and from the sheer mess of the ce, he could tell what Elenore meant by ¡®undignified.¡¯ Food had been brought to these envoys¡ªfood which messily sprawled about everywhere as though it were an unruly child¡¯s yroom.


    The dwarves in the room were twins. There were some differences between the two, but they were small enough they might as well be identical. Argrave knew them well¡ªKostis and Trifon. They were the among the most trusted members of the senate,rgely because they possessed arge talent for one thing in particr: hostile negotiations. Extortion, provocation, and no fear of death¡ªthese were their talents. It said a lot about the dwarven senate¡¯s intent, but also sparked confusion.


    ¡°Ahhh¡­¡± Kostis rose up off his chair, nting his small feet firmly on the ground. He was as brawny as his brother, but had a prominent mole on his clean-shaven face where a scar closely ovepped¡ªArgrave knew he¡¯d tried to cut the mole off when he was younger. He wiped his white toga down, clearing crumbs away. ¡°The servants have returned. The food was inadequate, and I expect you will bring us better cuisine.¡±


    ¡°And drink. Don¡¯t forget the drink. Better yet, bring us materials to make our own drink¡ªit¡¯s clear you inferiors have no clue how to brew properly.¡± Trifon¡¯s voice was deeper, and he possessed more dignity than his oafish brother.


    Argrave stepped inside the room, holding both of his arms wide like greeting old friends. ¡°If it isn¡¯t the most brothel-y pair of brothers I know!¡± He kicked a loaf of bread on the floor at them, and it slid until it hit one¡¯s boot. ¡°Ah, did I say brothel-y? I meant brotherly. Though considering how much time you two spend at brothels, you can forgive the mistake.¡±


    These brothers were well known for having an answer out of their mouth to any insult in seconds, so Argrave savored the taste of outdoing these two bastards. They might¡¯ve handled such an insult from their own kin, but they must¡¯ve known he was the king, and they would never expect him to know even the lowliest gossip in the dwarven senate.


    Still, if the dwarven senate sent these two, it meant one simple thing: they did note here to cooperate. That was a baffling oue, considering that Anneliese had sent forged dwarven metals back with them. Their people very desperately needed the capability to forge dwarven metal¡ªthat need was growing more urgent by the day.


    Orion stepped forward from the group behind him as they all filtered in, watching their step so as not to crush the scattered food. ¡°You speak to King Argrave, master of all Vasquer. As envoys, you enjoy our protection. Still, if you wish for respect, you should show it in turn.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Trifon nodded knowingly, then looked to his brother. ¡°Brother, this is the king.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Kostis stroked his chin. ¡°I expected more munificence. Magnificence. Instead, the man who should be grandiloquent spews fecal liquid from his lips where there should instead be saliva. Should you tell shit-lips the message, or shall I?¡±


    ¡°I shall begrudgingly surrender to his fecal fury and convey the message, brother,¡± Trifon bowed low, then reminded his brother, ¡°But I am owed much upon our return. Ahem.¡± The dwarf cleared his throat as he stepped up to Argrave.


    Argrave smiled at their antics, waiting and watching. That they had sent gold-wreathed envoys at all suggested there was still some hope. The messages were mixed, almost¡ªcontradictory.


    Trifon pointed up at Argrave. ¡°You, the fetid despot, have previously demanded we relinquish our exalted neutrality, cowering behind your titanic elven wife to deliver the message. We extended our hand to you in friendship, but this gesture of pity has been presumed as feebleness! Such sorry suppositions are not sooth, so says I! You may tremble in rage, towering tyrant, yet our infinite pity demands we give warning.¡± He clenched his fist. ¡°If you should send armies against us, know this; you shall be consumed in the fires of the core.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not fire, brother,¡± Kostis chided him. ¡°It¡¯s¡ª¡±


    ¡°I know what it is. It¡¯s a moat of magma.¡± Argrave crossed his arms. ¡°You turned the biggest hindrance to proceeding deeper into the to your weapon. Youmand the molten rock of the underground. Even gods have a spot of trouble with magma.¡± Argrave stepped away. ¡°They protect you from all manner of monsters, divine or otherwise. I don¡¯t doubt that any invaders I might send would be burnt away by the magma of the¡¯s core.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Argrave stepped closer to them, kneeling down. ¡°The feats of your ancestors havested a long, long while, enduring against hot magma. But as the time has passed, certain mechanisms have worn down. Eroded. If they aren¡¯t repaired, you could lose entire cities to the molten rock.¡± He raised one hand up and gestured at them. ¡°My queen offered you a gift¡ªthe gift to forge dwarven metals anew. I think that¡¯s reason enough to suffer us.¡±


    The necessity of repairing the dwarven city was how the yer was granted ess to the dwarven city as a non-dwarf in Heroes of Berendar. Now, Argrave hoped to use that method on a grander scale, earning his nation ess.


    He expected Trifon and Kostis both to switch from provocation to bartering, but instead Trifon stepped away,ughing. Argrave rose from where he knelt, and Anneliese came to stand by his side. The dwarves exaggeratedly clutched their stomachs and rolled on the floor, and their gold wreaths ttered to the tile. Argrave kept a cool face, but his Brumesingers poked their heads out and growled, betraying some of his annoyance. He was well prepared for their behavior, but even still he¡¯d never heard a more annoyingughter. It was like it had been designed specifically to wear at his patience. Orion was simrly furious¡­ but he bore it well, per Argrave¡¯s instructions.


    ¡°Brother, brother¡­¡± Kostis stood over Trifon and shook him. ¡°The king actually thinks he has the upper hand in this negotiation! He thinks that we need him!¡±


    Theyughed all over again like it was the funniest joke in the world. To distract himself, Argrave tried to delve deeper into the why of these two. It was one thing for the Dwarven Senate to refuse his request¡ªit was another to send two people with express instructions to be utterly insufferable. After all, if the dwarves wanted to remain neutral¡­ there was the simpler response of saying nothing at all. Then, Argrave would be forced toe to them. Once again, this contradictory behavior confused him.


    ¡°We don¡¯t need your methods, silly little king. You see, we have a person of our own, and they¡¯ve brought all the methods we could ever need. Fast methods, slow methods, perfect methods, imperfect methods. Well, maybe not thest one.¡± Trifon waved his hand like he was dismissing a servant. ¡°No, no. The only bit of pity we have left for you¡­ is that we will allow you to beg, and give it to us freely.¡±


    Argrave could not deny that his vision grew a little white when he heard that the dwarves might already have the method. He looked at Anneliese, seeking some reprieve, but he could tell at once that she thought the dwarves were not lying. He didn¡¯t think these provocateurs, even offensive as they were, could fool her empathy. Meaning¡­ someone had yed the role of the yer, and brought the method to forge dwarven metal to their hands.


    ¡°What do you mean, allow us to beg?¡± Argrave looked down at them, keeping calm despite the fact he felt leverage slipping away from him. ¡°Who¡¯s discovered this method?¡±


    ¡°Ah, tut-tut,¡± Kostis wagged his thick finger. ¡°There¡¯s no more words to be shared. We dwarves don¡¯t betray our allies¡ªsad to say, that likely won¡¯t be you.¡±


    While Argrave¡¯s mind searched for some hole in their words, Elenore stepped forward. ¡°If that were true¡­ if you truly had no need of us¡­ your people wouldn¡¯t have sent you here.¡± She studied them closely. ¡°They would not have acquiesced to our requests in the slightest. No¡ªyour government did intend for a true negotiation to take ce between us.¡±


    ¡°And why would it be a betrayal to disclose who has helped you?¡± Anneliese¡¯s eyes were sharp as she interrogated them. ¡°Would they not enjoy the fame, the recognition? And that you would call them a person instead of a dwarf¡­¡±


    The dwarves were both without an answer, and Argrave saw them open their mouths and close it without a response.


    ¡°Indeed, you are awfully protective of this person.¡± Anneliese leaned up against the doorframe. ¡°I wonder if there is more to this.¡±


    ¡°I wonder if your goal ining here was simply to prevent us from talking with the Dwarven Senate in earnest. Who can say how this third party bribed you?¡± Elenore crossed her arms. ¡°If we were to beg, and to surrender the method freely, would you even allow that? Or is there someone else who needs the credit?¡±


    ¡°This is an absurdity.¡± Trifon managed to catch his wind.


    ¡°I disagree.¡± Anneliese stopped leaning against the doorframe. ¡°Rather, it is a certainty. I can see it writ on your face as in as day. You¡¯ve been bought by another to sabotage this.¡±


    Argrave looked at the two of them. ¡°How the hell did you work that out?¡± The question came off as a mocking joke just like the two dwarves had done, but he was genuinely baffled they figured it out.


    ¡°These two are merely not as good as they think they are.¡± Anneliese sounded annoyed, as though their mockery had gotten to her. ¡°The question that remains¡­ is how we might expose this corruption in the Dwarven Senate.¡±


    Elenore walked close to the two of them. ¡°Fortunately, there¡¯s two of them. That gives us twice¡ªnay, thousands more options to handle this.¡±

 Chapter 484: Center of the World

    Argrave stared at two gargantuan metal bs, craning his neck to see the totality of them. Something that was made to contain magma certainly couldn¡¯t be humble. Cold air emanated from the two of them, and despite the general heat of their surroundings, these metal parts created a neat atmosphere in their vicinity.


    To his left, there was Mnie. She looked quite apprehensive about being here, and she toyed with the pommel of her divine weapon¡ªa ck, two-handed de of chitin that had no point. And to his right was Trifon, looking considerably dejected. He had good reason to be¡ªthe dwarf knew that Argrave had unearthed some corruption in their Dwarven Senate. That was a source of great shame for any self-respecting dwarf, and if there was even the vaguest possibility it got back to their governing body¡­ both twins would be ruined, forever. A capital punishment would be a light punishment, most simply.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°What will you tell the senate?¡± Trifon asked quietly, all of his previous boisterous manner lost.


    Argrave turned. He tapped the Resonant Pir on the ground¡ªa staff that looked to be made of jade, two rings on its points. Though he used it as nothing more than walking stick now, this weapon had helped him beat Mozzahr. ¡°What would you like me to tell them?¡±


    Trifon looked at Argrave as though any of his words might be a test from a god. ¡°Well¡­ we were sent to retrieve two who might convey this method of forging dwarven metal, and bring them back. And seeing as that¡¯s what¡¯s done¡­ maybe we can let bygones be bygones?¡± The dwarf asked hopefully. ¡°I would never forget the pity shown by His Majesty. I would be your humble ve.¡±


    An idea came to mind, and Argrave looked at hispanion. ¡°Mnie, he wants us to let bygones be bygones. What do you think about that?¡± He talked as though the dwarf wasn¡¯t there, just as the twins had done to him some hours ago.


    Mnie caught on, and barely kept her smile at bay as she returned her part of the act. ¡°Bygones? They want us to make both of their illustrious careers in the senate bygones? Was that our n? I can¡¯t remember, Your Majesty. What did we intend to do with them?¡±


    Argrave smiled at her. It hadn¡¯t been easy to break these two dwarves once the truth was out. They resisted their little psychological game for a long time. But once it became clear the Dwarven Senate expected these two to return with two others at tow, it was as easy enough game to rig. To ensurepliance, Kostis, the most annoying of the two, had been detained. That was not an unusual happening for envoys, and was perhaps why two had been sent in the first ce.


    ¡°Please,¡± Trifon pleaded, stepping up before them and kneeling down. ¡°It was a stupid thing we did¡ªunforgivable. But I can be of great help to you! I can make sure that everything goes perfectly. I brought you both, but even still, you are strangers in our strangend.¡±


    ¡°You did bring us. What does that count for, I wonder?¡± Argrave grabbed the ne at his neck. But the dwarf was wrong on one ount¡ªhe didn¡¯t bring both of them. This ne contained the Alchemist, so he brought all three of them¡ªseven, if one counted his Brumesingers. And of course, he still had his connection with Elenore, making the tally eight.


    The moment his finger brushed the pendant, he heard the Alchemist¡¯s voice pervade his mind. ¡°You waste time with this chatter.¡±


    Argrave projected his own voice back into the Ravenstone. ¡°We¡¯re waiting for the magma to clear. You can¡¯t even see anything¡ªwhy so judgmental?¡±


    Argrave heard no response back from the Alchemist. He was certain the man was still pouting¡ªtheir n wasn¡¯t entirely to his satisfaction. Things weren¡¯t to Argrave¡¯s satisfaction, either, but change forced this circumstance. ording to the twins, shortly after their victory with the Ebon Cult, someone new hade to the dwarven people, carrying with him the vaguest hint of how to forge dwarven metal, and the promise toplete the rest. The only reason that the dwarves had even considered Argrave¡¯s proposal was because this person had not yetpleted his work. They hoped to give Argrave and his kingdom a chance, as the desperate circumstances demanded it. Argrave dreaded this mysterious helper might be Traugott¡ªfrom description, it was no one he knew, just a man named Dario.


    But after learning of the urgency, Argrave brought the Alchemist and Mnie down. He had deliberated between Anneliese and Mnie as his partner, but ultimately the mercenary¡¯s blessing would prove more useful to them in these caverns, and Anneliese had more than proven herself as regent. Argrave had never doubted her to begin with, but he was happy to see her get recognition.


    Their purpose wasrgely to scout for Sandbara, but Argrave did wish to foster positive rtionships with the Dwarven Senate. Their vast tunnels might be instrumental in securing victory against the Chu. Through them, Argrave had some hope of genuinely reaching the continent the Chu resided on. To earn passage for a whole army, though, he¡¯d need one hell of a silver tongue. Maybe more than silver¡ªfragile metals tended to burn in the senate.


    A haunting hiss from above disturbed Argrave¡¯s review of his ns, and upon looking up, he saw steam jetting outward. Trifon walked up to the metal b. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ done, then, Your Majesty. The magma moat will not remain open for any longer than five minutes. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll have no trouble spanning the distance.¡±


    Argrave smiled at Trifon¡¯splete turnaround in demeanor. The dwarf almost seemed sweet in these new interactions. ¡°Then open it, please.¡±


    Trifon drew a needle from his pouch and pricked his finger. He syed blood across the metal bs, and the hissing intensified. Argrave felt seismic shifts as the colossal thing whirred and whistled, then the metal gate dropped down quickly while gaining momentum. When it hit the bottom, it rang mightily, bouncing up before settling down. They stepped through a metal hallway. At once, Argrave could feel the difort of the spirits trapped within him. They detested dwarven metal, perhaps fittingly so¡ªit was partially made of their kin.


    But after a time the metal hall ended, and Argrave entered a long road of the purest marble. Triumphal arches lined the elevated bridge ahead, depicting dwarves in all of their exaggerated glory. On either side, two unstoppable masses of magma slowly crawled toward them. It was not merely a flowing stream¡ªit was a titanic wall slowly closing in. It must¡¯ve been a thousand feet tall. Even from here, Argrave could feel its heat. The marble could, too¡ªit hissed, the ice on its surface melting and rising to the air as though adding dramatic effect for the pathway. On the vast, uneven caverns that marked the path of the magma, Argrave could barely eye machinery concealed in dark recesses. They were still dripping with magma as evidence of their recent purge.


    ¡°Pretty little road. Could we get one at home, you think?¡± Mnie asked Argrave as they walked along.


    Argrave chuckled in good nature. ¡°I¡¯ll have to ask my sister about that. Might be a little beyond our budget.¡±


    Trifon snuck nces at them as they entered. The wall of magma closing in was an immeasurably intimidating sight. When they finally made it to the other side of the pathway, Argrave heard and felt rumbling. From behind, he watched as the bridge retracted back in. He was baffled that they could sopletely hide it away, even having seen it before in the game. It would be kept chilled in preparation for the next passengers. If it weren¡¯t, it would grow so hot so quickly that the marble itself might morph¡ªnot to mention their feet.


    Argrave passed through another wide metal hallway. At the end, there was another triumphal arch. This one was small, though¡ªtoo small. Trifon passed underneath without issue, and then Mnie ducked low and passed beyond. Argrave had to crouch very low. He was almost certain he would¡¯ve fallen in the attempt without the strength of the divine artifacts coursing through his veins. Yet passing beyond that archway proved a prudent decision, and at once Argrave¡¯s eyes thanked him for it.


    There was a term for Rome. Caput mundi¡ªcapital of the world. At one time, perhaps it might¡¯ve been the center of the world. But this city before them truly was the center of this world, built amidst the¡¯s core. And Argrave could not deny that it truly fit the title. The orderly beauty to the marble, the impable cleanliness, the towering constructions, all illuminated by the magma piping through the city like blood. And in vague recognition of the city it was inspired from, this city was called Mundi. All roads did indeed lead to it.


    Argrave knew this city well. For warriors, there was no better ce to go seeking weapons and armor save those you might receive from a god. And from a lore perspective, there were few other ces like it. Argrave held nothing but reverence for the great dwarven migration, where they reimed thend of the¡¯s core¡ªtheir feat was much grander than the typicalnd remation project. This entire city followed the grand design of one genius architect and leader, whose statue stood at the back with both of his sculpted hands nted against the marble dome above. His ingenuity allowed his people to live where no people ought to live¡ªand live their best lives doing so.


    ¡°Gods¡­ maybe being short isn¡¯t so bad after all,¡± Mnie said coyly. ¡°What a view¡­¡±


    Argrave agreed silently, but his gaze slowly settled on the people gathered far ahead of them. It was a veritable procession of gawkerse to watch, and at their head stood some very important people.


    ¡°Please. I was told you to escort you right to the Dwarven Senate, Your Majesty,¡± Trifon dipped his head to Argrave.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Argrave nodded, touching the Ravenstone to tell his trappedpatriot of their arrival.


    ¡°We¡¯re here, it seems,¡± the Alchemist¡¯s voice rung in his head before Argrave could say a word. ¡°We need to hasten. Either ruin things quickly, or do everything perfectly. We have no time to dally. I must search for Sandbara.¡±


    Argrave took his hand free of the Ravenstone, almost upset he¡¯d touched it. Right, he thought. Just do everything perfectly. Great advice.


    Argrave and Mnie followed Trifon into the waiting crowd of dwarven people, where a rather intimidating mission awaited them. And theirpetition¡­ Argrave didn¡¯t know who this ¡®Dario¡¯ might be, but they¡¯d had a long time to weave their web over the dwarves. He only hoped he wasn¡¯t toote.

 Chapter 485: The Floor is the Kings

    ¡°This is His Majesty Argrave.¡± The dwarf Trifon bowed toward him while introducing him. The dwarf at the head of the crowd wore a gold wreath just the same as Trifon did. Trifon and Kostis were envoys, diplomats of the senate. The man that they introduced him to was not¡ªhe was a senator by the name of Karolos.


    ¡°Is this another joke of yours, Trifon?¡± Karolos¡¯s voice was tight and proud-sounding, and he spoke briskly. Though elderly, he maintained the uniformity of dwarven appearance¡ªshort, incredibly curly hair, made gray by age, and utterly clean-shaven on all of his body.


    ¡°No joke at all. This man is King Argrave,¡± Trifon gestured toward him. ¡°My brother¡­¡± he bit at his lips as though deliberating whether or not to tell the truth. ¡°He enjoyed his time there so much, he elected to stay longer and foster better rtions with their people. And now the king hase here personally.¡±


    The muttering crowd muttered all the faster upon this news. The reception wasrgely distasteful. Mnie¡¯s pinky tapped the executioner¡¯s de leaning on her shoulder in annoyance when the dwarf didn¡¯t even mention her.


    Karolos shifted on his feet as he looked upon Argrave. In his dark ck eyes, Argrave could see the wheels of calction turning and turning. For him, it was a diplomatic situation that had be considerably moreplex. But for Argrave, it was Tuesday.


    ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯m not sure why my fellow called you King Argrave, but here, there are no lords.¡± Karolos gave Trifon some serious side-eye. ¡°No one has blood nobler than another, and royalty is a thing of a bygone era. Can you ept that, Argrave?¡±


    Argrave smiled genially. ¡°It¡¯ll be a refreshing thing. Since we¡¯re so equal and all, this is one of my best retainers, Mnie. Don¡¯t be afraid to speak to her. She can represent me in many matters.¡± Argrave put his hand atop her head and moved about the wide-brimmed tellerbarret she wore, ruffling her hair. ¡°If it helps, think of her red hair as a ruby wreath you senators might wear. She has that level of authority.¡±


    Mnie grabbed Argrave¡¯s wrist and kept it still with the inhuman strength of her artifacts. Karolos¡¯ view of Argrave shifted as he looked upon the two of them¡ªit was like he started to look at them like a bear rather than a wolf. The senator nodded. ¡°I am Senator Karolos. I¡¯ll be guiding you to our senate hall. The Dwarven Senate is already gathered to meet you. Come along.¡± The senator walked away.


    ¡°Why¡¯d you mess with me?¡± Mnieined as she removed her hat and fixed her hair.


    ¡°Looked tense, that¡¯s all.¡± Argrave focused on her, giving the dwarf ample time to get ahead¡ªit wasn¡¯t as though he¡¯d have trouble catching up. ¡°Don¡¯t forget¡ªI brought you here because you were the best fit. You¡¯ve proven yourself in diplomacy before. You¡¯re a master of your blessing. Two counts in your favor. Just do your best.¡± He beckoned her to follow as he moved after the departing Karolos.


    Argrave followed the senator through Mundi. Though the city¡¯s architecture was grand, he started to notice metaphorical cracks in the grand image. For one, nothing here was made for people like him. The tallest of the doors only barely allowed his passageway without ducking. There was no flora whatsoever¡ªperhaps not a surprising thing given the fact they were many miles beneath the surface, yet Argrave did not realize how much life simple bushes and ferns added to a ce.


    The necessity for food demanded some level of life besides dwarves alone¡ªto that end, there wereplex food processing facilities masked by grand buildings of marble. Lava was inmon use all throughout the city, even for their food. Their people subsisted off creatures that absorbed heat as energy¡ªmagical fungi and all manner of livestock, be it mammalian, reptilian, or insectoid. Their diet was diverse, but so far removed from anything those on the surface knew.


    ¡°You¡¯re asking very few questions¡­¡± Karolos noted as Argrave and Mnie walked along.


    ¡°I know what I need to.¡± Argrave felt no need to waste his words¡ªthe senator might pry at his intent foring here beyond merely delivering the method of forging dwarven metal.


    His answer only seemed to worry the senator, but the walk passed by without another word exchanged. Not by them, at least. Argrave felt like some barbaric exhibit for the citizens of this republic to gawk at. He had to admit they were a very dignified people. It was something bred into their culture. Even their way of walking was proper¡ªand rather slow, much to Argrave¡¯s annoyance. He almost stepped on the back of Karolos¡¯ boots countless times.


    A tall set of stairs marked the final stretch to the senate. Stairs had always been a problem for Argrave. His feet were huge¡ªif the steps weren¡¯trge enough to amodate that, he¡¯d have to awkwardly bend them to the side so he could fit. And these steps were particrly tiny. Mnie breezed by him as he took his time, and even taking several steps at a time couldn¡¯t bridge the gap. Fortunately, the dwarf wasn¡¯t much faster than he was.


    At the top of the stairs, Karolos called out, ¡°Hold on. Before we enter.¡± Everyone walked up to him. He held up a white tray. ¡°Wearing footwear is forbidden within the senate. You may keep your de and your staff, but please, remove your boots.¡±


    ¡°What? That¡¯s a little¡­¡± Mnie protested, looking into the building ahead. It was the very picture of a state house. In way of pirs, statues of dwarves held up the sharp roof above. It looked like a state house, a colosseum, and an art museum all in one. There were other entrances higher up essible by stairways, but their group entered through the bottom doorway. The bottom was guarded closely by fierce-looking dwarves that were even more brawny than the already-brawny race.


    ¡°The floors are cleaned every hour, fret not,¡± Karolos ensured, though Argrave didn¡¯t think that was Mnie¡¯s concern. ¡°And your feet will be washed beforehand.¡±


    Argrave lifted his leg up and took his boots off, bncing on one foot as he did each. Mnie resignedly joined him in this task. ¡°These boots are holy relics. Best not cause a diplomatic incident, now.¡±


    Karolos looked at Argrave¡¯s boots nervously as he set them upon the white tray. They were shortly followed by Trifon¡¯s and Mnie¡¯s. They proceeded into the dwarven senate. The ground was pleasantly warm beneath their feet. Past the doorway, what appeared to be a pool of brine awaited.


    ¡°There are creatures within that will clean. Do not be rmed. They are harmless, and will leave when their task is done.¡± Karolos set the white tray down beside several others and stepped within the pool.


    ¡°Harmless to dwarves. Maybe for us¡­¡± Mnie trailed off as Argrave stepped in eagerly, curious to feel this sensation.


    He felt small creatures swimming around his feet. It was intensely ticklish, and he felt his skin being gently pulled in half a thousand ces at once. He grimaced, doing his best to rein in his difort. When there was nothing more to clean, the creatures left him be, and Argrave stepped out, feet dripping. Behind, Mnie gave him hateful eyes as she followed. She let out a faint noise of displeasure that sounded like a hamster¡¯s squeak, but endured. In time, she, too, joined him.


    Karolos proceeded onward. Mnie whispered to him, ¡°Watch your step. They might leave poisoned traps on the ground.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t be poisoned,¡± Argrave said in his normal talking tone. ¡°Part of my constitution.¡±


    Mnie looked ahead, nodding bitterly. ¡°Right. Yeah. Great. Thanks.¡±


    ¡°Be vignt, not paranoid,¡± Argrave said in a quieter tone. ¡°Not worth losing your hair. Yet.¡±


    Argrave considered ruffling her hair again, but she seemed to anticipate this, grabbing at her hat defensively. The art museum that was the dwarven senate finally finished its tour as they came to a circr room in its center that had no walls, merely pirs holding it up. Beyond, several hundred marble chairs rose upward, all facing inward toward an elevated tform.


    Trifon exined in a desperate whisper, ¡°This is the senate hall. We¡¯ll address them in the center, there.¡± He pointed. ¡°Everyone¡¯s already here, from the sound of it. And, uhh¡­ what do you want me to say?¡±


    ¡°Just¡­¡± Argrave scratched at his neck, the gold chain carrying the Ravenstone jingling. ¡°Follow my lead, I suppose.¡±


    ¡°Argrave, Mnie, Trifon,¡± Karolos stopped just shy of the room. ¡°We¡¯d like you to head to the center. The whole senate will address you.¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°Works for me.¡±


    They passed beneath a tight ceiling, and beyond, the sky¡ªor rather, the marble dome acting as their sky¡ªopened up above them. This room had no ceiling. Tiered steps held chairs rising upward in a circle. It amodated one thousand chairs exactly, by Argrave¡¯s memory. At thest and highest ring of chairs, there was a wall, rising upward until it ended in a railed balcony encircling them. It made this ce seem like a pit. And from there¡­ everyone in the entire city of Mundi could gather to watch the session. And dwarves hade in the thousands to watch this momentous meeting. They werepletely silent in respect for this hall¡ªand also in respect of the guards standing up there by the dozens.


    Karolos stepped up to the elevated tform, turning about as he dered, ¡°The senate wees Argrave, King of Vasquer; Mnie, his retainer; and Trifon, envoy sent to Vasquer.¡±


    The walk to the circr tform in the center of this hall was eerily quiet. Argrave looked around at the dwarves as they observed him like a monkey in a zoo. The closest ring of dwarves wore wreaths of diamonds, the next closest rubies, then emeralds, sapphires, and thereafter only gold-wreathed dwarves sat. All were elected to these positions. They wore stately white togas, and the majority of them were very old. Few broke the uniformity of the curly hair, clean-shaven crowd. There were only two women in their thousand.


    ¡°As the Head of Senate, I shall direct this conversation,¡± said one of the younger-looking dwarves in the front row¡ªhis hair had not yet gone gray. ¡°I am Alexius. Kostis and Trifon were sent to negotiate the acquisition of the method for forging dwarven metal. We were prepared to offer generouspensation¡­ but if you shoulde here as the head of your nation, can I presume you intended to correct the words of your queen, who imed our neutrality woulde to a close?¡±


    It was a provocative statement, Argrave knew¡ªit all but said that Anneliese¡¯s words were a mistake.


    ¡°Anneliese¡¯s words might as well be my words. Yes¡ªdwarven neutrality is over,¡± Argrave nodded, turning about as he dered that. ¡°I didn¡¯te to correct her. I came because this would be easiest.¡±


    The dignity of the senate was such that even Argrave¡¯s bold statement did not break the quiet of the ce.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Several of the diamond-wreathed dwarves pulled a lever beside their chairs. A light glowed beneath their feet silently. Alexius pointed out one who¡¯d done so. ¡°Sabbas. You have the right to speak.¡±


    Sabbas pulled back his lever, and the light faded. ¡°Thank you, Head. I believe that a demonstration might be in order for this Kingdom of Vasquer. We should show why our neutrality is something we can, and will, maintain.¡±


    Several dwarves flipped back their own levers¡ªthat could mean only that Sabbas had spoken their point for them, and they no longer wished to speak.


    As Mnie¡¯s hand clenched tighter around her sword, and Trifon seemed to despair slightly, Argrave rose his hand up.


    ¡°The floor may respond,¡± Alexius gestured toward him.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to be rather bold, and cut to the crux of things. I ask that the senate not overreact, but I feel we can resolve this quickest if I take action.¡± Argrave touched the Ravenstone dangling from his neck, and the dwarves watched him cautiously.


    With only a thought from Argrave¡¯s mind, the Alchemist emerged from the Ravenstone and took shape on the circr tform in the center of the senate. This act was finally enough to disturb the order in the Dwarven Senate. Some of the closest, and most skittish, stepped away in fear as a twenty-foot-tall monstrosity wearing ck robes of his own fur took shape. Trifon stumbled off the stage and fell on his face as the Alchemist set his obsidian staff down upon the ground and looked around at everyone. The reactions were manifold. In the balconies above, dozens of dwarven guards aimed crossbow-like weapons that contained bolts of magma. The tension rose to its apex at once, and Mnie¡¯s head darted around as she prepared to protect from all directions.


    The Alchemist wanted him to ruin things quickly, or do things perfectly. Argrave had decided to take that advice. Now it was time to decide if they would be hunted fugitives, or a reluctant ally in this dwarven nation.

 Chapter 486: Diem Consumere

    Upon the reveal of the dreadful Alchemist, Alexius, the Head of Senate, leaned in and ced his hands on his knees. ¡°Argrave. Were my envoys unclear that only two people would be allowed into our nation?¡±


    Even as the others panicked and made for exits, that Alexius could remain so ridiculously calm amidst it all was enough to impress Argrave a great deal. He had known this man was made of stern stuff, but the Alchemist was a terror among terrors whose strength was unknown to the dwarves. Perhaps that calm came from ignorance.


    ¡°By bringing another, you¡¯ve demonstrated that you¡¯ve acted in bad faith from the beginning,¡± Alexius continued. ¡°Please exin.¡±


    ¡°This grotesque mutant thing is not another person. I shudder that you give him thebel.¡± Argrave pointed at him with his thumb, keeping his gaze on Alexius. ¡°He¡¯s my summoned pet. I received no such mention of disallowing pets.¡± His Brumesingers scampered out of his clothes. ¡°I brought a lot of pets, you see. You might think of me as something of an animal lover.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The Alchemist turned his head to look at Argrave as he beamed at the senate. Some of them, now that they knew there was no danger, walked out from behind their chairs or picked up wreaths that had fallen from their head during the panic. Mnie, meanwhile, was acutely aware of the dozens of weapons pointing at them from the spectator balconies.


    ¡°A pet.¡± Alexius took a deep breath and sighed. ¡°Regardless of what you call it, it¡¯s the intent behind bringing it here. An intent that doesn¡¯t speak well of you.¡±


    ¡°Would you im to know my intent before I¡¯ve spoken of it, Alexius?¡± Argrave spread his arms out.


    Alexius raised one hand and pointed firmly. ¡°Willful deception betrays much about your intent.¡±


    Argrave smiled. ¡°A senator who refuses to lie is like a miner who refuses to dig; they won''t get very far before they''re reced. Supposing I have willfully deceived you, which I''m not conceding, then half of those present must be enemies of the state.¡±


    His joke did not receive theughter that he¡¯d been hoping for, but considering Alexius didn¡¯t have an immediate response he thought the intent of the humor was disyed well enough.


    "I assure you, I only brought my revolting, gut-wrenchingly hideous pet to elucidate earlier ims. Dwarven neutrality will not end because of Vasquer''s intervention, nor the actions of any gods. Instead, circumstance willpel you to act. And with this abominable creature, I will prove that."


    Said abominable creature continued to give Argrave the evil eye, and Mnie looked both impressed and severely worried by his continued provocations. Alexius kneaded his forehead and leaned back in his chair as thest of the others took their seats once again. Though panic had met the Alchemist''s arrival, it unfolded into a gripping curiosity when Argrave exined the purpose. But most importantly¡­ it would bepelling enough to convince some. And that was the beauty of democracy. He was not dealing with Alexius alone: he was dealing with the whole of the senate, who answered first to the people.


    As people took their seat, levers turned, and lights indicated that people wished to speak. Alexius, even as the Head of Senate, could not lead a one-sided interrogation. He took note of this, dark eyes scanning the room. ¡°Now that the deviation from normal standards has subsided somewhat, we will resume the normal order. Those with the highest authority shall ask initial questions, and then we shall proceed onward.¡±


    When Argrave turned about the room, studying everyone, he realized every single person that could speak at present wished to. Things were losing tension as the guards on the gallery finally withdrew their magma weapons. A good thing, too¡ªmagma weaponry could only persist down here in the¡¯s core, but it was among the most potent things in Heroes of Berendar. Using it was the cheesy way to fight Mozzahr. Argrave did not care to be cheesed in kind.


    The first dwarven speaker asked, ¡°What can this creature you¡¯ve brought prove to us?¡±


    ¡°He can prove that you have a reason to be proud, for one.¡± Argrave talked loudly and domineeringly, projecting his voice as much as he could. ¡°You harnessed the power contained within the depths of the earth to create a thriving civilization. With Alexander¡¯s genius, you made this dreamlike city a reality.¡± Argrave raised one hand up, clenching it into a fist. ¡°But what the wise man does in the beginning, the fool does in the end. Someone else would use the terrible power of the magma encasing Mundi to hurt not only you, but the whole of the world. I believe you know of whom I speak.¡±


    ¡°You?¡± The speaker followed up.


    The question was meant to enme, but Argrave didn¡¯t miss a beat before he responded. ¡°Would that I could. To tamper with magma is on the level of the divine, and Ick the power of gods. Instead, I must defend my people from them. In particr, the most threatening god of all, whose endless desire for devastation motivated Alexander¡¯s quest to descend deeper into the earth. I speak of Gerechtigkeit. He would upend the whole of your civilization to end all others, bathing the world in mes. Gerechtigkeit intends to use the magmaprising your moat to his own destructive ends.¡±


    As Argrave slipped into his familiar deceitful ways, he thought that perhaps Alexius might¡¯ve been right about him. Gerechtigkeit was not truly harnessing the magma of the¡¯s core to end all life. If he possessed that sort of power, things would¡¯ve ended a long time ago. The only bit of effect on that level he had was at Vysenn, where Gerechtigkeit made that volcano erupt.


    The next speaker inquired, ¡°How would your¡­¡± the dwarf looked at the Alchemist, choosing his phrasing carefully. At thest moment, he elected to change the phrase entirely. ¡°How would you prove any of what you say is true?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s very simple. We have a coalescence of Gerechtigkeit¡¯s energy. Show them.¡± He snapped at the Alchemist. The unamused master spellcaster reached inside himself and produced the vial of ck malevolence. Even here, it seemed to radiate with darkness, spewing out tendrils that faded away as though carried by wind. ¡°We would use this to identify Gerechtigkeit¡¯s point of attack. Once found, we would¡­ handle things, neutralizing the agitation he¡¯s caused. This would require ess to all of Mundi, however, for our search. And naturally, ites with the assurance of our aid in fixing your current problems.¡±


    ¡°Current problems?¡±


    ¡°Ah, I¡¯d forgotten we hadn¡¯t yet mentioned that. I know that one section of your magma moat is failing.¡± Argrave looked up to the dome above them, pointing upward. ¡°The machinery that operates it can no longer effectively pump the molten rock away, and so there is an entire section of the world that is simply cut off to you. For that, you need to relearn the secrets of dwarven metal. I can guarantee it to you¡­ and sooner than this Dario that Trifon spoke of.¡± Argrave gestured toward the envoy, who was cradling his broken nose after his tumble off to the side.


    A quietude took over the hall until the only noise was the scraping of boots on the gallery above. Then, the questions resumed¡ªall varied and nuanced, but the heart of them were rifications of the answers he¡¯d already given. He borated as best he could. At once, a clear rift took shape in the room. There were those that tried to malign his intent, and by extension Vasquer¡¯s intent, as unnecessary influence. Opposing them, there were those that viewed this idea of Gerechtigkeitmandeering magma as the threat it truthfully wasn¡¯t, and attempted to malign their opposition. In the end, there was nomon consensus, but Argrave¡¯s intent was solidified.


    Now that Argrave''s intent had been dered, he felt himself fade into the background as debate about their people¡¯s course of action erupted. He was taken off the central tform to a witness¡¯ bench, where Trifon already sat. Argrave recalled the Alchemist to ease the atmosphere. He''d thought himself somewhat pretentious yet eloquent. In the debate that followed, he felt he was far less of both than he thought.


    These dwarves were a little more than mere politicians. Artists, inventors, engineers¡ªthey were true philosophers, weaving a narrative and verbal tapestry in the same breath. They rted tales about the dangers of allowing those on the surface to persist underground, and their opponentsbatted these words with poetic logic about their failing systems, the importance of change, and Mundi¡¯s founder Alexander¡¯s great emphasis of adaptability. It was all done with dignity and decorum. There was no yelling, nor attacks at the opponent¡¯s character rather than their arguments. But this was civil debate¡ªtrue dwarven debates could get rather nasty, Argrave knew.


    And yet¡­ it was all dreadfully slow. Hours passed before every senator in the hall had said their piece, and even that was insufficient to fully cover the issue. Trifon leaned over to Argrave.


    ¡°They are attempting to filibuster this, Your Majesty,¡± he whispered quietly. When Argrave looked down at him, confused, the dwarf continued, ¡°I see concise speakers taking minutes to make a point they should in seconds. They seek to talk about the issue until it dies, and then resume on the morrow. This would enable them an entire day to prepare for things, and prepare a robust counter against your proposal.¡±


    Argrave nodded slowly, concerned. ¡°What can I do about this?¡±


    ¡°Nothing,¡± Trifon said begrudgingly. ¡°What is important now is securing your mobility. You need to have the right to speak to the senators. As a witness you cannot speak unless called, but I can petition the Head of Senate to give you some temporary status allowing you to speak to senators. He can grant it without senate approval, most importantly. I¡¯ll do it at once, if you can please¡­ be a little forgetful?¡± He pleaded, referring to epting payment from Dario.


    Argrave didn¡¯t need long to answer, but he took some time to let the gravity sink into Trifon. He nodded. ¡°Alright. Do what you can.¡±


    Trifon changed, then, from a wounded animal to a watching wolf. He watched and waited for his opportunity to pounce. When the debate lulled, he rose from his seat and stepped up to the central tform.


    ¡°Senate, as envoy of a recent mission, I would invoke my right to speak.¡± Trifon flourished and bowed. ¡°Argrave is a most calm and just ruler. It is my opinion that, even if his request is not answered, he might speak and refer to all those here today. There is much wisdom that he can impart.¡±


    Alexius looked at Trifon. ¡°You seek to name him Advocate? This is for notable leaders within themunity that have something to contribute to the senate. I don¡¯t see what a king might add.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps he might illuminate some of the trappings of his society, that our own might avoid it.¡± Trifon¡¯s voice was smooth, but even Argrave found the wordscking.


    ¡°Once again¡ªhe is the head of his society. If he truly had anything to add, he would institute more voice for his people,¡± Alexius refuted calmly once again. Argrave sensed no ill intent from him, simply cold reason.


    One dwarf flipped a lever loudly, and Alexius looked over. ¡°Therapont. You have something to say?¡±


    Therapont¡ªan old looking dwarf who was one of the few that broke the norm of curly hair and clean shaves, rose. He stroked his long beard as he said, ¡°The king has implemented aspects of dwarven society into his own. My son told me of his parliament, and the increasing delegation of power from the king to its people.¡± He looked at Argrave firmly. ¡°I disagree with these notions he brings us. But there is no reason he cannot be named Advocate. He has given some voice to his people.¡±


    Alexius looked at Argrave in a different light, then. He gave a slow nod. ¡°Very well. Argrave is named Advocate. He is granted permission to stay for some days, furthermore. Therapont¡ªyou will give him lodging, while the senate will provide constant guards to monitor him. Now, back to the matter at hand¡­¡±


    Trifon walked back to Argrave, pleased as punch. The debate continued in an orderly fashion, though everything was as Trifon suspected¡ªit dragged on and on and on, until the meeting ended. Even despite all of that, Argrave was never once bored. After retrieving his boots and leaving, the senator who¡¯d spoken earlier waited for him at the exit.


    ¡°You¡¯re Anestis¡¯ father?¡± Argrave asked, holding his hand out to shake.


    ¡°Regrettably at times, yet proudly at others.¡± He looked at Argrave¡¯s hand, then shook it with a politeness that betrayed some amount of dislike. ¡°I¡¯m pleased you managed to earn a foothold, naming yourself Advocate. But know that I ampletely opposed to allowing you to roam Mundi. I intend to debate you on as much in the next meeting toe.¡±


    ¡°Debate me?¡± Argrave tilted his head. ¡°Are you serious?¡±


    ¡°There are holes in what you say,¡± Therapont¡¯s gaze was sharp. ¡°I will make them wider until all see through them. Now,e. Let¡¯s get you settled in.¡±

 Chapter 487: Catfishing Dwarves

    When Argrave touched the Ravenstone where the Alchemist was held, he received no response. That was even more terrifying than barbed words of hatred, and he vaguely feared the next time he would let the raven out of the stone, so to speak. He felt there might be a reckoning in store for using him as a verbal punching bag before thousands.


    Therapont, though he had poised himself in opposition to Argrave¡¯s proposal, proved a very hospitable host. Perhaps that was the true reason Alexius had left Argrave and Mnie in his charge. Upon request, the dwarven senator obliged Argrave and gave them a tour of his home. Whether it was his mushroom gardens or his personal study, he showed all of it. This proved to be very contrary to his interests, as when they were finally free of both Therapont¡¯s escorts and the guards assigned by the senate¡­ Mnie could open a portal anywhere in his home, as she had walked through there.


    And Therapont, as a hugely influential diamond-wreathed senator, could be the key they needed to break this dwarven puzzle box.


    ¡°Yeah, I can hear him,¡± Mnie told Argrave, standing in this cramped dwarven guest bedroom while he sat on the bed. If Argrave stood, he had to bend his neck slightly to avoid bumping into something. ¡°They took some paranoid measures to keep your hearing out, but I can just make a portal and listen in fine. I think he¡¯s getting some people together to discuss this debate¡¯s strategy.¡±


    ¡°Good. Excellent,¡± Argrave praised her quickly. ¡°I honestly don¡¯t know how pivotal this debate is going to be, but I want you to listen to everything he¡¯s saying and catch me up when Ie back.¡±


    Mnie blinked. ¡°You¡¯re leaving me here?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I need to find out who precisely this Dario is. I have some suspicions about who it might be, just going off the fact that this person both tried to undermine me and is doing something that a yer charactermonly does¡­ but I have too little information. I wrote down a little list of people that were advocating for Dario at the meeting. I want to speak to them, with our little dwarven friend¡¯s help¡ªor at the very least, try.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Not veryfortable letting you go out there alone, but I guess you¡¯re not a little kid.¡± She waved him away. ¡°Well, let me eavesdrop. And be very careful not to make noise when youe back¡ªthese portals convey sounds two ways, you know.¡±


    Argrave pointed at her in confirmation as he ducked very low through the door. On the other side, there was a familiar face waiting for him.


    ¡°King Argrave¡­!¡± greeted Anestis in surprise. ¡°One of our employees said you wished to speak with me. Why in the zes are you here, sir? Your nation, your country¡ª¡±


    ¡°Can manage without me.¡± Argrave hushed him with a raised finger as he shut the door to their room behind him. ¡°Forget me¡ªI¡¯m d you came. Trifon is helpful, yes, but I had something else in mind. d I could find you here, of all ces.¡±


    ¡°Did you forget Therapont is my father?¡± He looked down the hallway, where the senate guards stood, but turned back to Argrave. ¡°I told him everything in some hope that he might be your advocate here. Instead¡­ I was just fueling his opposition.¡± He leaned in close, and Argrave crouched lower to amodate the shorter man. ¡°My father intends to use your personal character as the crux for much of his arguments. And I¡¯m afraid I told him much, both sordid and superb.¡±


    Argrave considered that in silence for a few moments, then shrugged. ¡°You meant well. But seeing as you¡¯re so grief-stricken, perhaps you can make it up to me. Dario¡ªI need to learn all I can about him, while hopefully dissuading some of the opposition. If you¡¯re a senator¡¯s son, you hopefully have a senator¡¯s connections.¡±


    Anestis bit at his lips and cast nces up at Argrave. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I was more the ck sheep of the family than anything, even if I did learn a thing or two¡­ what did you need to get done?¡±


    ¡°Nothing more than an audience.¡± Argrave smiled.


    #####


    Though Argrave might be stonewalled if he approached the other senators by himself, he had the good fortune of an ess card¡ªnamely, Anestis. When he approached the other senators, he allowed Anestis to lead the conversation, acting as though their group came here as ¡®Therapont¡¯s son¡¯ rather than ¡®the foreign Advocate, Argrave.¡¯ All Anestis asked for was a meeting at a popr dwarven restaurant. In this manner, Argrave could arrange a meeting on neutral ground.


    It proved a remarkably effective tactic. People that were ostensibly Argrave¡¯s political opposition weed Anestis with open arms¡­ even if their faces did turn to stone once Argrave revealed himself. Some of the more uncouth senators simply walked away¡ªthat was their right. But those that had a little shame took their seats, and subjected themselves to Argrave¡¯s inquiries. He felt like a muckraker ambushing some CEOs.


    After six sessful meetings, Argrave managed to extract a great deal about Dario. For one, he did indeede from Argrave¡¯s continent, Berendar. Two, he was without magic. That ruled a great many of Argrave¡¯s candidates out. Three, he imed to be a knight serving a higher master. As for his appearance, he was tall, dark, broody, and somewhat temperamental¡­ but he had a true artificer¡¯s quality about him, allegedly, and carried with him several contraptions of his own making. Among them was an arm-mounted crossbow with the power to rival a ballista.


    He sounded quite cool, at least by Argrave¡¯s opinion. But one detail, confirmed by all six parties, dashed his hopes against the stones. Dario did not want Argrave or Vasquer to seed.


    It was remarkably disheartening news that did make Argrave go back to his original suspicion¡ªthat Dario was Dimocles, the only one of the nine yer characters unounted for. He had a reason to hate Argrave¡ªnot only had Argrave piged his collection, he¡¯d ruined his rtionship with Erlebnis and then afterward betrayed him by refusing to return the artifacts he¡¯d stolen. It had been scummy, but that sociopath had deserved no less. Certainly, bizarre artifacts like an arm-mounted crossbow sounded like something that deranged collector might get his hand on.


    But Argrave¡¯s intuition suggested that it wasn¡¯t Dimocles¡¯ doing¡ªneither as Dario, nor as the person behind him.


    Still, after the first six meetings, Anestis couldn¡¯t catfish any bigshots to pay for their dinner at the nice dwarven restaurant again. Their little scheme had been exposed, and word spread to anyone else they might attempt to hook. The operation fell to pieces as quickly as it had been conceived.


    ¡°I may have tanked my reputation as someone who cooperates with a surface-dweller,¡± Anestis mused as he and Argrave finally managed to enjoy the food of the ce they¡¯d been meeting for so many hours.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Argrave stared down a lump of suspicious looking meat. Apparently the things here grew off of the energy fromva¡ªhe wondered what that might do to the taste. He looked up to lock eyes with the dwarf. ¡°If I have my way, everyone in this city will be cooperating with surface dwellers in a little bit.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t lie¡ªI¡¯m not optimistic,¡± Anestis shook his head, pushing away his dish of mushrooms. ¡°My father has had three careers in his lifetime. He was a miner¡ªworking long, hard hours, until his joints gave way. Then, he became an engineer and an artificer, working to perfect the various machines that keep this city running. After all of that, he became a politician.¡± The dwarf raised his big hands. ¡°In every single path, he became a master. He¡¯s one of the oldest senators, true. But in terms of how long he¡¯s been a senator, he also rose up the ranks the fastest.¡±


    ¡°I know. He¡¯s a skilled orator.¡± Argrave finally cut into the meat, testing it with his tongue. It was oddly fishy. He bit into it slowly.


    ¡°He¡¯s the best debater that most dwarves swear they¡¯ve ever seen.¡± Anestis shook his head. ¡°And we are woefully unprepared.¡±


    Argrave chewed and swallowed, keeping Anestis¡¯ gaze all the while. ¡°Was he in the debate club?¡±


    ¡°The what?¡± Anestis leaned in.


    ¡°I was. For four days. Then I got shamed by another debater and left.¡± Argrave chuckled. ¡°What I¡¯m saying is¡ªI might as well be a master. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    Argrave¡¯s sarcastic arrogance only belied a mind working very hard to think of how he might touch the hearts of these philosophical and istionist dwarves. He knew this wasn¡¯t to be easy.


    #####


    Early the next morning¡ªor more simply the next day, given Argrave had no grasp on how much time had actually passed¡ªArgrave was called as an Advocate to stand as head of a debate against Therapont, just as had been spoken of all of yesterday. He and Mnie had thoroughly reviewed Therapont¡¯s strategy. It did honestly surprise Argrave how much the senator knew. Anestis hadn¡¯t been lying in saying he¡¯d disclosed everything to his father. With his strategy at hand thanks to Mnie, the aged debater was an easier opponent. The senator, however, was prone to improvise, as befitted his past as an engineer and inventor.


    Argrave and Therapont stood side by side on the central tform, all of the senate surrounding them.


    ¡°The matter brought before us is an extraordinary one,¡± the Head of Senate began. ¡°The proposal by Argrave to break dwarven neutrality will be the prime discussion of today¡¯s meeting. To firmly establish both positions, a debate will ur between Therapont and Argrave. Does our Advocate understand the rules of the debate?¡±


    ¡°We give our opening arguments. Then, we both strive to reach consensus by probing the other¡¯s viewpoints.¡±


    Alexius nodded. ¡°Debates are prone to insults of character. Though senate meetings are civil, official debates are another matter. We dwarves are rather proud of our ability to take and give insults freely, as the ability of public officials to suffer criticism, just or not, can help stabilize our governments and dissuade elitism. If you cannot handle that as king¡­ another might take your ce.¡±


    Argrave looked to his opponent. ¡°I¡¯d give the same warning to Therapont, I think.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Therapont smiled as the whole of the senate hall stayed still. Alexius nodded. ¡°Then, Therapont. You may give your opening. You have five minutes at maximum.¡±


    Therapont cleared his throat, then looked right to Argrave. ¡°I will state only facts, Argrave, for they alone are damning. You are the heir to one of the most monstrous tyrants in all of history. When he ascended to the throne, Vasquer was a kingdom located in the center of the continent, nked by many other powerful others. He was the spearhead behind countless conquests. He imed the wends, genociding its people to thest. He conquered Atrus, poisoning those he parleyed with to gain advantage and using people as hostages to ensure surrender. On and on his wars of greed went, until he imed half of the continent of Berendar. His schemes knew no bounds. And you are the perfect heir that he always wished for.¡±


    Argrave listened patiently, despite quite disliking what he was hearing.


    ¡°You, Argrave, have continued that norm. In your ascent to the throne, only two of your siblings survived. One serves as the head of your parliament, the other as a royal knight. The others? All dead, dying in impossibly mysterious manners. Your eldest brother you killed personally, ying him and all his guard in personalbat. The others? One died in his sleep, sharing a camp with you. Another mysteriously fell from a tower during your victorious siege of Dirracha, taking your father alongside him. Though it might be argued that ying tyrants is the just thing to do¡­ you are but a continuance of his dread legacy.


    ¡°In your time, the Kingdom of Vasquer has doubled in size, weing the entire Burnt Desert into its fold. The Bloodwoods, too, the only ce your father¡¯s conquest failed, have forged a close alliance with your kingdom. Its elven people flock to your capital driven by fears you sowed of Gerechtigkeit. Both the Burnt Desert and the Bloodwoods, you entered posing as an ally. And where you stepped, chaos erupted. In weeks, perhaps months, they fell under your spell¡­ and then were yours. You are your father, Argrave, but your method of conquest is smiles and gifts. And now, youe here bearing the same thing.


    ¡°Though some might consider it unjust to focus so closely on Argrave¡¯s character, know this¡ªthe monarch is the monarchy. Though Argrave imed to divest power into his parliament, no decisions he did not wish to pass did. The army, and all of the spellcasters of his kingdom, still heed his words. The nobles are beholden not to his parliament, but to the crown. And this institution, this parliament¡­ it is headed by his own sister, and gives voicergely to nobles who had voice enough. Those fewmoners that sit in are either magically powerful or simply those rich enough to have the sway of nobility¡ªthey are already lords, though without the title.¡±


    Therapont looked at Argrave firmly. ¡°I say this in closing; Argrave is merely the velvet glove to the iron fist. But should we allow him, he will crush us just as he has all other nations he¡¯s interacted with. Conquest is in his blood¡ªthat much I will concede.¡±


    As silence followed, Alexius inquired, ¡°Therapont, have you nothing more to say?¡±


    ¡°I am finished,¡± Therapont confirmed. He took a canteen of water offered to him by one nearby, and studied Argrave intensely.


    ¡°Then, Argrave. You may provide your opening argument.¡±


    His opponent had cut right to the heart of Argrave¡¯s actions. But even in the midst of this nder, Argrave managed a smile. It was his turn to cut deep into Therapont¡­ and he felt his knife was all the sharper, having been honed by these words of attack.

 Chapter 488: The Great Debate

    If Argrave were to return Therapont¡¯s nder with insults of his own, he expected a singr oue. The dwarves present would view his words not just as an attack against his opponent, but all dwarves. Even if their offense was subconscious rather than conscious, that route was doomed from the beginning, and he would be seen as the malignant attacker that Therapont painted him as.


    This was the senator¡¯s trap, and Mnie¡¯s spying had confirmed that. Therapont desperately hoped for Argrave to return nder with nder¡ªwhether to attack him, or to attack their government, or to attack their people. It was an infuriatingly effective method, too. Therapont stated facts but left them iplete and twisted, encouraging Argrave to correct the record and confirm all he¡¯d said.


    But then, this was not a rebuttal. This was an opening argument. And Argrave intended to keep it as such.


    ¡°I believe a certain level of context is in order, people of the senate. I have a rather singr goal. I¡¯ve been working toward it for some time. It¡¯s not making Vasquer great, nor defeating Gerechtigkeit. I believe many of you today here have already achieved my goal, in fact. My biggest desire is to get very rich, leave a legacy I can be proud of, and then spend the rest of my long days being happy with my family. Because if there¡¯s one thing I hate, that¡¯s worrying.¡±


    Argrave stepped around the central tform. ¡°I didn¡¯t like worrying about how the kingdom would turn out if I didn¡¯t get involved, so I got involved. I didn¡¯t like worrying if the tribals from the Burnt Desert would invade and ruin countless lives I cared for, so I allied with their king at great personal expense. My whole life, shamefully enough, is driven by fear of what might be. I have been terrified every step of the way, but I kept going. The alternative for all of my choices was death. I¡¯m not a victor. I¡¯m just alive. That¡¯s how I ought to be remembered, if the chroniclers are honest.


    ¡°The reason I came to you, one retainer at my side, has once again been because of my abject worry. The simple fact is, my generation has been given the burden of deciding whether or not the world is fit to continue existing. Every single day, I question whether my work has been good enough, if my efforts have been sufficient. Because the cost of failure is far bigger than myself. It is all. It is everything.¡±


    Argrave ced his hands to his chest. ¡°What I¡¯m saying, senators, is that I understand your reservations. You have built a life for yourself that I frankly envy, and what I ask may jeopardize that if I am indeed the velvet glove concealing the iron fist. But I fear I alone am not enough for the task. Whether that task is abolishing our centuries-old monarchy, or defeating Gerechtigkeit, I desperately need help.¡±


    He finally looked at Therapont. ¡°If you trust in my generation¡¯s ability to stand against Gerechtigkeit as we are¡­ I¡¯m ttered. Ick your certainty. And with his malignant energy brewing in the magma of the core, I am utterly without options to save my people without your assistance. It may be the end of us. And I fear that it will be the end of you, too.¡±


    Argrave¡¯s attack was not a vicious ribbing. It was a stark reminder of the consequences of their action or inaction. It was an utterly disarming conclusion that left them with only one option¡ªto trust Argrave. Either they trusted him to fight Gerechtigkeit as he was, or they trusted Argrave enough to be his ally. Regardless, he felt he had suitably reminded them that they, too, still lived on this, even buried in it as they were.


    ¡°Does that conclude your opening, Argrave?¡± Alexius asked.


    ¡°It does.¡±


    ¡°Then let your debate begin,¡± Alexius gestured toward both of them.


    Therapont looked up at Argrave, one hand stroking his beard. ¡°I notice you did not refute any of what I said.¡±


    ¡°Filling in the massive holes you left in my actions would¡¯ve taken far longer than five minutes, and I caried a message far more important than my personal honor,¡± Argrave retorted calmly. ¡°You neglected to mention my father blinded and crippled my sister, for instance. You neglected to mention that the Burnt Desert joined with Vasquer by an alliance of marriage, not a war of conquest. And you neglected to mention the Bloodwoods remain independent, led by their own leaders and gods, as equal allies in the ckgard Union.¡±


    ¡°Then the king himself denies none of what I said¡ªhe epts that his parliament has never refused him, and that its ranks are filled with people that already had a say in governance.¡± Therapont spoke to the crowd, yet kept his eyes on Argrave.


    ¡°For now, that is true. The dwarves were once unified by a king. Can you recall how that ended?¡± Argrave held his arms out. ¡°The Miner Revolution. Schrs turned ves organized a revolt among free dwarven miners andndowners, killing tens of thousands in the process. If I nullified my kingdom, do you think my people, which have lived like this for seven hundred years, would so peaceably ept it? No¡ªVasquer would fragment into petty kingdoms as a thousand lords vied to retain tradition. It would be as bloody as prospect as expecting this Dwarven Senate to be a monarchy overnight.¡± He held his hand to his chest. ¡°I cannot let countless die because of impatience. I seek a peaceful change. That is a necessary thing in the face of Gerechtigkeit.¡±


    Therapont scoffed. ¡°And how long will you cling to the notion of monarchy by necessity? Once Gerechtigkeit is beaten, you will im the monarch needs to rebuild¡ªthat the transition to another form of governance in untenable in wake of the chaos wrought. And how long will that take? Ten years? Twenty? Who is to say if the parliament will even exist, in so many years? It is a young institution, with no guarantees.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°I thinking here,rgely unguarded, should aptly demonstrate what I think of my status, of my value as so-called ¡®nobility.¡¯ I am a bastard born out of wedlock¡ªby Vasquerw, not royalty. I consider myself nothing more than a soldier fighting an invader¡ªGerechtigkeit. I think my earnestness is in in disy as I stand here, today, among people who owe me nothing.¡± Argrave gestured all around at the guards and senators, watching him cautiously.


    ¡°Yet you seal alliances with other nations using your blood.¡± Therapont pointed. ¡°Your wife is daughter to the patriarch of the snow elves. Your sister is wed to the King of the Scorched Sands¡ªmy own son bore witness to their union. I ask you¡ªdo these seem like the actions of one ready and willing to dismantle the monarchy?! And even if you were, would your allies stand idly by and let it happen? No, I say. Your bloodline has been inextricably entangled with your nation, and to remove it would be to end it.¡±


    Argrave had been awaiting this issue, but Therapont posed his point so cogently that Argrave felt doubt creep in. He did not believe he could convince this crowd that both marriages had been for love. He could exin one out of two, at least.


    ¡°Our alliance with the Veidimen¡ªor snow elves, as you called them¡ªexisted long before I married Anneliese. She was adopted by Patriarch Dras to justify our marriage of love to the nobles swearing fealty to me.¡± Argrave dipped as head. ¡°Still, I share your concern, and that is why I seek dwarven aid. I admire the government that Alexander established here in Mundi, and if I could be half so lucky in emting it on the surface, I would be truly blessed.¡±


    Therapont smiled. ¡°In simpler terms, you have no retort. Your blood is tied with your nation inexorably, sealing alliances and promises. The monarchy is integral to your state.¡±


    ¡°My choice was to sacrifice the happiness of one to earn a powerful ally, or damn thousands to death in brutal war while Gerechtigkeit looms. If you¡¯d choose differently, I would call you a monster.¡± Argrave let the silence hang for a few seconds, then continued, ¡°But I will admit, it¡¯s not an alliance made in the manner I had hoped. There are far more preferable methods to tie nations together¡ªmethods I hope to employ here, calling upon new ideas. Better ideas. Diplomacy should not be a one-time exchange to establish a treaty. Instead, I intend for it to be more. I intend to establish permanent goodwill between our peoples. Let us discuss the specifics of my proposal.¡±


    Therapont did not look content being so deftly diverted away from the matter of bloodlines, and he stroked his beard a little fiercely before asking, ¡°Very well. That is only just.¡±


    ¡°It is my hope that both our nations might establish permanent diplomatic missions. I bid your people to live among ours in an autonomous zone in the capital¡ªan embassy. There, your diplomats may bear witness to and advise the parliament and myself directly. You would be given the opportunity to safeguard the interests of both your nation and the democratic ideas it has fostered.¡±


    ¡°Hah!¡± Therapont threw back his head andughed. ¡°And you would expect the same privilege for your people as well, I presume? nting spies amidst our people? Agents, to plot your conquest?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°Though I would give you ess to our government, I would not expect it in kind. Trust is to be earned¡ªthis I understand. I am prepared to show you the very heart of my state. In time, it is my hope that the trust I disy fosters into mutual understanding.¡±


    Therapont shook his head. ¡°You ask for dwarven hostages, not diplomats.¡±


    ¡°I am prepared to make great concessions to earn trust,¡± Argrave held his hand out. ¡°I know what is at stake¡ªthe very world. All I seek is the right to pursue the malignant energy of Gerechtigkeit in the¡¯s core. In return, we will defend you and all your people. We will safeguard your rights, and your government, from any and all. Why? Because this is about survival, Therapont. The founder of this city, Alexander, proposed adaptability above all. Now, you¡¯ve built the greatest city in the world. I believe it is time for your people to adapt to that position.¡±


    Therapont looked at Argrave, stroking his beard. He tapped his bare foot against the ground, and then shook his head with a bitter smile. ¡°Head¡­¡± he looked to Alexius. ¡°I believe I must recuse myself from this debate.¡±


    Alexius blinked in surprise. ¡°And why is that?¡±


    ¡°I believe I can no longer effectively represent opposition to Argrave¡¯s proposal.¡±


    ¡°You mean¡­ you no longer oppose Argrave¡¯s idea?¡±


    Therapont turned. ¡°That is not what I said.¡±


    But the senator did not deny that was what he meant. And nor could any others, Argrave realized, as he looked upon them. Therapont¡¯s request for recusal was a resounding endorsement for Argrave,rger than any words he might¡¯ve spoken in the debate to follow.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Alexius looked upon Therapont, tapping his fingers against the armrest. ¡°Your request for a recusal on grounds of impartiality has been granted. Senate will take a recess to allow time for Argrave¡¯s opposition to find a suitable recement. Reconvene in ten minutes.¡±


    Though recess was called, Alexius¡¯ words might as well spell victory. All that remained was the senate¡¯s discussion, and a vote. As Argrave looked at Therapont, he realized he¡¯d gained a rather fierce advocate. And more importantly, Argrave defended the path of his nation moving forward.

 Chapter 489: Mystery Man With a Mystery Plan

    ¡°The final tally for the votes is eight thousand seventy-four in favor of the proposal, and five thousand and twenty-three against the proposal.¡± Alexius set down a piece of thick paper that did not look to be made of any nt he¡¯d ever seen. Argrave was confused by the huge tally before he recalled that senators of greater authority also had more votes.


    After Therapont had recused himself from the debate, their recement was not half so raring to go as Argrave¡¯s former opponent had been. Therapont¡¯s recement debater repeated points that had already been made, but Argrave went gentle on him. This opponent was clearly one sent to suffer a defeat, nothing more. Argrave would be lying if he said he wasn¡¯t pleased to have persuaded Therapont. Still, the fact of the matter stood that the facts and logic of the situations were behind him. He had won a battle that he should¡¯ve won if heported himself without fumbling. He was right, and the dwarves were reasonable¡ªit was a winning battle.


    Less grand debates erupted in the senate meeting afterward¡ªdebates he was called upon to intervene in time to time to set the record straight. It had been an intensely exhausting endeavor. Still, the tally was in. The dwarven senate would pursue an alliance. More specifically, it would seek integration into the ckgard Union as equal members. He still had to putt the ball into the hole, so to speak, but thergest hurdle was over: willingness. His idea of an embassy received mixed reactions. Some weed the idea, but others feared for the safety of the dwarves.


    By the end of the exhausting, day-long meeting, the senate was dismissed. Another was to be held the following day, and Argrave was bid to stay near the senate hall to be called upon as an Advocate. The Alchemist spoke again, expressing annoyance that his search for Sandbara would be dyed yet another day.


    Waiting for them out front of the senate hall, Therapont stood, looking at Argrave in something of a different light.


    ¡°I expected that no king could keep from growing angry under honest scrutiny of his actions.¡± Therapont stroked his beard sagely.


    ¡°When anger enters, reason leaves,¡± Argrave flourished slightly. ¡°I had need of reason, so I barred anger from the bounds of my mind. They¡¯re old rivals, you might say. Thank you for your assistance at the end there.¡±


    Therapont¡¯s eyes opened wider. ¡°When anger enters, reason leaves¡­ a brilliant expression. Is it yours?¡±


    ¡°Hah, no.¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°If only I could im it. I picked it up somewhere.¡±


    ¡°It seems like when victory enters, reason leaves as well,¡± Mniemented. ¡°To that point, I¡¯d like to ask something of you, Therapont.¡± Argrave looked at her, puzzled, but did not interrupt. ¡°We¡¯ve earned a foothold, but it¡¯s be very clear to us that Dario, thispetitor for helping the dwarves, has a grudge against Argrave. I¡¯d like it very much if you could heighten security. Thest thing we¡¯d want is for some kind of incident that raises tensions.¡±


    ¡°Very good point, Mnie,¡± Argrave said sincerely. ¡°I agree enthusiastically. Considering what he¡¯s already done, causing an incident and framing us is very reasonable. Trite, but reasonable.¡±


    Therapont narrowed his eyes, chewing her words in his mind. He nodded after a while. ¡°I can use some authority to heighten security. There¡¯s no need not to be safer. But security is already on extremely high alert, given that a king, his retainer, and an abomination walk the streets. Plus, that other foreigner, Dario¡­ and speaking of him, you said something.¡± He pointed at Argrave. ¡°What has he ¡®already done?¡¯¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Argrave hesitated. Trifon had done him a good turn in the city, and he didn¡¯t want to sell the man out. ¡°I don¡¯t want heads to roll.¡±


    ¡°Heads? Plural?¡± Therapont was sharp, and he was already catching on to what Argrave barely implied. ¡°Listen¡ªif you¡¯re driving at what I think you are, then let me impart a lesson about government.¡± He raised a fist. ¡°Corruption is a rot. To court it is to harm yourself¡­ or your allies.¡±


    Argrave bit at his lips¡ªthough it irked him somewhat, he could not leave names unspoken for his new benefactor. It was the prudent thing to do. At the very least, he¡¯d soften his words.


    ¡°Dario bribed Kostis and Trifon to sabotage their journey. They didn¡¯t sabotage things, evidently, but he paid well for them to.¡± Argrave rather conveniently left out the fact that they tried very hard to sabotage things, but failed.


    ¡°Hah.¡± Therapont hand clenched tightly around his gray beard, drawing it down and crushing it into one thin gray rope. ¡°Some senators fought very hard to have them, in particr, as our envoys. I figured it was a harmless move by a careerist, requested by those twins. But if this is more¡­ their crime is not reporting that someone attempted to bribe them directly to the senate.¡± His mind seemed to catch on something, and he looked up at Argrave, pointing one of his thick fingers. ¡°And you kept that secret until now, to have Trifon on your side. Very¡­ senatorial. My son said you had a dwarven mind. That does worry me in some ways, but I still believe what you said back in the hall.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take that as aplement,rgely.¡± Argrave smiled, though he didn¡¯t mean it much inside. The man called his mind short. ¡°But this Dario person remains an enigma. I haven¡¯t been able to learn much about him. I don¡¯t know where he is, or if he¡¯s even still in the city.¡±


    ¡°Unless he found a way to cross the magma moat without speaking to any of the guards, he¡¯s still here. I would¡¯ve gotten word if the gates had been opened for any beside you and Mnie, and they haven¡¯t.¡±


    As Therapont spoke, Argrave received a message from Elenore, her voice ringing in his head. ¡°Argrave, the Veidimen have agreed to the alliance. They¡¯ll build a naval base where you wish. They ask for a great many seats in the parliament, however.¡±


    Argrave had to stop himself from smiling when this good news graced his mind. He didn¡¯t answer her, instead looking down at Therapont to earn some time alone. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I slept. Do you think I might turn in for the day?¡±


    Therapont nodded. ¡°Certainly. Tomorrow promises to be just as long as this one.¡±


    #####


    ¡°I¡¯m in full favor of weing the Veidimen to the parliament,¡± Argrave told Elenore. He sat on a dwarven bed. He didn¡¯t have the asion to use thisst time, but now the necessity for sleep was catching up to him. The thing was ridiculously small. Mnie ced two beds side-by-side. Argrave simply piled sheets on the floor, and intended to sleep there. ¡°But can you smooth all of this over with the nobility?¡±


    ¡°I think so. Your presence may be required. Anneliese has been performing her role as regent well, but I cannot say how well it will be taken if Anneliese wees Veidimen on the council while you are absent. I suspect the nobles will think it a coup. Ingrates.¡±


    ¡°Alright then. Agree to the Veidimen¡¯s demands, but stall the integration, I think. Does Anne have any thoughts?¡± He questioned. He felt like a college student once more, talking to his family on the phone in a cramped dormitory.


    ¡°She¡¯s satisfied with it. Though, sheined to me about having too little time together after your reunion.¡±


    Argrave smiled, looking down at his hands. ¡°I feel the same. Now¡ªDario. Have you gathered information about him?¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°As much as I could. There are four registered people by that name. Of the four, using your description, I narrowed it down to one. He wasn¡¯t born in Vasquer¡ªhe entered city records when he was already an adult. He has many feats that can be vaguely attributed to him. He¡¯s killed a lot of undead in recent years¡ªmany lords have paid him generously to do so. He¡¯s said to be a master of stealth, and has the hobby of alchemy. There¡¯s one high-profile incident I think I can link to him.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t leave me in suspense.¡± Argrave tensed up, racking his brain to find out who this might be.


    ¡°The Iron Giants. Do you remember them? What am I saying¡ªof course you do,¡± Elenore sighed. ¡°You said they were big golems that needed to be neutralized, as I recall. We sent parties out to do just that. Mnie led them¡ªit was the first mission you sent out.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I did¡­¡± Argrave agreed hesitantly. ¡°I thought that was resolved.¡±


    ¡°It was. The Iron Giants were stripped bare, and rendered inoperable. Gerechtigkeit cannot possess them. Only, rereading the report of my person that went with the party¡­ they had considerable help from someone who was already there. He never gave a name, but from the description, it matches. And he had a rather peculiar description, which is why I remembered it at all. Master of stealth. Skilled alchemist. And given the description of his physical appearance¡­ care to guess who?¡±


    ¡°Dario,¡± Argrave finished, tapping his foot against the ground as he thought. That alone was invaluable¡ªand indeed, might exin some of the animosity. ¡°That would exin some things. People imed he was a master artificer, and the Iron Giants were the pinnacle of the subterranean mountain folk¡¯s golems. Autonomous nightmares, meant to conquer but left tonguish. If he came from one of the subterraneanmunes¡­ it exins a lot.¡±


    ¡°Durran imed he was in contact with some of their tribes,¡± Elenore reminded him. ¡°I could ask him to follow up. But I think you should talk to Mnie, first.¡±


    Argrave stroked his chin. ¡°If Dario came from the mountain folk¡­ if he¡¯s an artificer of their kind¡­ it would exin how he found the dwarves. But him being with the Iron Giants, and now him being here¡­ awfully coincidental.¡± He looked to the side, where Mnie rubbed her tired eyes. ¡°I honestly don¡¯t know how you got all that together so quickly. You¡¯re a legend, sis. I¡¯m going to talk to Mnie.¡±


    ¡°Good luck,¡± Elenore said simply, and then the connection severed.


    Argrave rose to walk near Mnie as sheid tiredly. She looked up at him, green eyes focused in half a second when he neared. ¡°What? Is there more to do?¡±


    ¡°Do you remember that mission you got sent on? Involved some golems you needed to disassemble¡ªIron Giants, they were called?¡±


    Mnie leaned up. ¡°Yeah. That was the first mission I got sent out on. You said it was the most important, as I recall. Trusted me even then.¡± She gestured around. ¡°Looks like I didn¡¯t let you down, seeing as we¡¯re sharing a room now.¡±


    ¡°Some fellow helped you back then. Never gave his name. Did you do anything to make him hate Vasquer enough to turn the dwarves against us?¡±


    ¡°I certainly don¡¯t think so,¡± Mnie shook her head. ¡°I mean¡­ I¡¯m nice. Somewhat. Not unpleasant, right?¡±


    ¡°Pleasant enough. But if you are pleasant, I don¡¯t think this is the first time Dario came in close proximity to one of Vasquer¡¯s important objectives. As a matter of fact, he might just be making a habit of it.¡± He focused on her closely. ¡°Sleep can wait. What can you remember about the man that helped you?¡±


    Mnie¡¯s face grew grave. ¡°You¡¯re joking, right? What are the odds it¡¯s the same person?¡±


    ¡°Between the Iron Giants and the dwarves, if we consider he might¡¯ve been trying to sabotage us for a long time¡­ it¡¯s not unlikely. That task I gave you was of dire importance back then. This, too, is of dire importance,¡± Argrave pointed at the ground. ¡°Now, what can you remember?¡±


    Mnie removed her hat and tousled her hair. ¡°Well¡­ gods, where to begin?¡±

 Chapter 490: Truth Buried Deep

    ¡°If the guy who helped us with the Iron Giants and Dario are one in the same¡­ well, I don¡¯t feel as embarrassed as I was for looking for traps in the senate.¡± Mnie shook her head. ¡°He was a master trapper.¡±


    ¡°That embarrassed you? I thought it was admirable. Sorry if I suggested otherwise.¡± Argrave shrugged.


    Mnie looked back at him, hardly acknowledging his words as she continued. ¡°Ogres upied the ce. These weren¡¯t ordinary ogres, either¡ªthey¡¯d been eating the cores of the Iron Giants. Though slower and sluggish than normal, their hides took monstrous strength to pierce, they felt no pain, and in death, they exploded powerfully enough to vaporize a knight in enchanted armor.¡± She held her gauntleted hand up, then clenched it. ¡°In effect, Dario killed them all with traps. We were just bait to lure them. He snuck through that entire ruin,ying traps as he drafted aprehensive n to kill every ogre. Stealth and strategy¡ªit was a peer to any n I¡¯ve seen.¡±


    Argrave stood and thought, his mind searching for answers as to who this might be. Nothing surfaced. This man, it seemed, was another Titus. But then, he¡¯d known Titus somewhat¡ªthe man was a dye merchant. This Dario was aplete unknown. ¡°Enough about his ability. What can you remember of him? Of his character? Hell, what did he want? He shouldn¡¯t have helped you without reason.¡±


    Mnie spread her hands out. ¡°He wanted the same thing we did¡ªdestroying the Iron Giants. He did most of the work personally, disassembling them so utterly as to be unusable.¡± She ran her hand through her hair, thinking. ¡°I thought he had a grudge against ogres. He seemed to enjoy seeing them suffer, like they¡¯d wronged him somehow. Still, I wouldn¡¯t call him sadistic.¡±


    ¡°Does anything else catch your mind?¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Mnie fixed her green eyes on his. ¡°It was a one-day encounter. He was reclusive enough that none of us even learned his name. I think that should tell you everything. Still, from the description and talents¡­ it¡¯s feasible they might be the same person. And your sister knows her stuff.¡± She looked at him. ¡°She belongs at your side, but me? If I miss something like that, well, I¡¯m hardly¡­ never mind.¡± Mnie rubbed her eyes. ¡°Just tired. Rambling. We done?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Lay your weary head to rest, don¡¯t cry no more.¡± He looked at her. She had dismissed it, but Argrave could tell something was bothering her. He spoke firmly as he said, ¡°Listen. I haven¡¯t known you as long as some of the others. Still, don¡¯t think for a second that you¡¯re not like family. Standing up to Sataistador like you did¡­ refusing the literal godhood he promised¡­ you¡¯d have to brutally murder someone I care about for me to revise that opinion. And depending on who it was, I might let it pass. Maybe Elias,¡± he joked. ¡°So rest easy. Tomorrow, another senate meeting awaits, and undoubtedly Dario¡¯s intrigues will make themselves known.¡±


    ¡°Gee, dad, that¡¯s just swell. Thanks for vanquishing my insecurities.¡± Mnie looked away from him. She spoke sarcastically, but Argrave thought he¡¯d said the right things. He wished he could call upon Anneliese in moments like these. Mnie continued, unaware of his thoughts. ¡°The king shouldn¡¯t say those words so casually to his sworn vassal. An ambitious upstart like me might get ideas. Goodnight. Or whatever time it actually is.¡±


    As Mnie moved back to her bed, he decided to let the matter rest and reached for the Ravenstone. He spoke into it, saying, ¡°It¡¯s rather cramped in here, but I need you to watch over us in case of anything untoward urring. Meanwhile, you can get ready for the search for Sandbara. I think I¡¯ll spend tomorrow roaming the city before the senate meeting.¡±


    ¡°Very well. It¡¯s taken longer than I¡¯ve liked, but it seems to have gone well. The dwarves may help in theing war.¡±


    Argrave released the Alchemist. The monstrous figurepacted himself to fit inside their room, clinging to the ceiling like a bat. With a wary nce, Argrave settled down into the sheets on the floor, and made to greet tomorrow. On his mind, loomingrger than the Alchemist, was the sinking unpleasantness of a new, foreign name¡ªDario.


    #####


    Argrave walked through the streets of the dwarven city of Mundi. He thought that being in a foreign ce,rgely bolstered by democracy, might spare him from the constant shadowing of guards. Instead, they were guards seeking to protect from him, rather than just protect him. The soldiers of the senate watched Argrave¡¯s every move rather carefully, doubly so because of the Alchemist standing at his side. Their weapons of magma were more than enough to hurt him badly.


    The Alchemist had his staff of obsidian in his hand. The vial of Gerechtigkeit¡¯s essence condensed from King Felipe¡¯s corpse shone atop it. He was using some sort of magic to make it resonate and reach out to its kind. Now, they wandered, ying onerge game of hot and cold.


    ¡°What do you think finding Sandbara will actually tell us about Gerechtigkeit?¡± Argrave asked as they walked.


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s his home,¡± Mnie answered, her cheer returned after her dour spellst night. Perhaps she had been merely tired, just as she imed.


    A mouth emerged on the Alchemist¡¯s shoulder as he walked. ¡°The scarred woman is not so far from the truth. The knowledge I obtained from Erlebnis implies that such a ce might be greatly important to tethering Gerechtigkeit to this realm, enabling his continual return. The ces such a tether might be¡ªif it even existed¡ªwere too many. But if Sandbara is real, I can think of no other ce it might be. And even if the tether is not there, we may find further leads to follow within.¡±


    Though the dwarven citizenry gawked at them as they walked, none of their words reached the ears of the public. The Alchemist employed illusion magic to talk peaceably. It did not fool Argrave, being A-rank, nor Mnie, wrapped in divine artifacts, but it did all others. The dwarves were not a magically blessed people, even though spellcasters could exist among their number. Argrave knew for a fact their most powerful spellcaster was at A-rank.


    The Alchemist stopped walking and talking at the same time, and Argrave proceeded past him briefly before looking back. ¡°What? Caught a scent, boy?¡±


    ¡°Sometimes I wonder how long you want to live,¡± said the Alchemist idly. ¡°Follow.¡±


    The Alchemist took off again¡ªfaster, with direction, and Argrave followed with long strides. ¡°Slow down, or I might need to call you back. Don¡¯t rm the guard.¡±


    He paused on the street, looking up. Argrave followed his gaze to a huge facility that he recognized well. It was one of the great stations that kept the city¡¯s gates working, pumping magma in and out. Not only did it allow bridges to the rest of the world, but it also kept the city¡¯s outer dome from melting beneath the intense heat of the molten rock.


    ¡°I must enter that. Distract your shadows, or I will dispense of them,¡± the Alchemist said. With no further courtesy, he left an illusory version of himself standing there, then departed wreathed in invisibility.


    ¡°Oh. I see.¡± Argrave looked back, where the dwarven guards looked at him suspiciously. He walked up, head thinking quickly. ¡°Say, tell me¡ªhow many people does it take to maintain that facility?¡± he questioned, trying to sound as curious as possible.


    Argrave engaged the dwarven guards in idle banter as the Alchemist did whatever it was he was doing. He was certain that they suspected he was doing something malicious, but he was also very good at saying a lot without saying anything at all¡ªin a word, he was political. When he feared he was running out of ways to act interested about a glorified pumping station, the Alchemist returned, and his illusory form dissipated. Argrave broke away from the conversation.


    ¡°I have unpleasant news.¡± The Alchemist walked up beside Argrave once they¡¯d resumed walking. ¡°You did the right thing, talking with these dwarves.¡±


    ¡°Of course I did. d you noticed. Have you finally recovered basic morality?¡±


    ¡°No. But I followed the trace of Gerechtigkeit¡¯s energy.¡± The Alchemist was silent for a few moments, and Argrave waited patiently. ¡°The remnant energy is strong. As strong as if Gerechtigkeit himself were here on this realm. I have no doubt that something invaluable lurks in the spot I noticed. Whether it is Sandbara¡­ I cannot say. But it matches with what I extracted from Felipe.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve found it, then? And it¡¯s this close to us, to Berendar? We don¡¯t have to wander the damned tunnels looking for it?¡± Argrave grew excited.


    ¡°You must make the dwarves love you, Argrave. Woo them harder than you wooed your wife. Or enve all of them sopletely that they would surrender everything to you.¡± He looked at Argrave. ¡°This is not negotiable. We need the dwarves, and their mastery of the pressure and temperature of the deep earth, more than any other.¡±


    Argrave held his hands out, rmed. ¡°Where is thising from?¡±


    ¡°From my reasoning. I am many things. I have mastered many magics, and consorted with many gods. But never once have I found any that can persist in a sea of magma. Even gods of fire do not ze as hot as liquid metal deep within the earth, and they would perish within it. And Sandbara, or whatever this remnant of Gerechtigkeit is¡­ it lies in a vast ocean of molten rock. Specifically, it lies far below the ce known as Vysenn. To reach it, we must travel through miles and miles of molten rock.¡±

 Chapter 491: Omnipotence is Beneath Me

    ¡°What does it actually mean, for Sandbara¡ªor whatever the hell this energy is¡ªto be below Vysenn?¡± Argrave asked the Alchemist. They had once again returned to Therapont¡¯s residence, but rather than remain within the cramped room that they had slept, they instead upied one of the open mushroom gardens in the estate. No sound escaped the ward surrounding them.


    The Alchemist gazed out across organized plots of luminous shrooms as a mouth on the back of his head exined, ¡°I can vaguely map what exists beneath the earth with elemental earth magic. With it, I deduced that this energy persists in a chamber deep within a huge sea of magma. It is a giant pocket of superheated metals, of which thin tendrils push against the crust of the earth, rising upward toward Vysenn. In time I suspect it will breach the surface, bathing it inva.¡±


    Argrave considered this in silence, and Mnie stared at him as though she expected an answer. Vysenn in Heroes of Berendar erupted the very day the cmity set foot on the earth. This was a geological event¡ªeven if there were suspicions that Gerechtigkeit had caused it, there was nothing that could be done. The tribes of Vysenn that didn¡¯t perish outright were forcibly expelled out of the hilly region. And Gerechtigkeit¡¯s ¡®Sandbara¡¯ was there.


    It was some small mercy that their only lead was so close. But the¡¯s heat and pressure was something the dwarves had taken decades to tame¡ªand this was with the coordinated effort of their entire nation. Interference beneath the crust of the earth was not something to be taken lightly. The only option that Argrave saw to reach it without intensive digging was heading through the top¡ªnamely, through the sacrificial pit that the tribals used to appease their god the volcano. And it was a sacrificial pit for a reason. A thickyer of molten rock greeted anyone unlucky or foolish enough to head inside.


    ¡°You said there¡¯s a chamber there.¡± Argrave started pacing around the garden as he talked. ¡°That means that something managed to persist there. The question is¡ªwhat can we do to reach it?¡±


    The Alchemist turned away from the mushrooms. ¡°Send word to your sister. upy the volcano. Then, convince the dwarves, one way or another, to mobilize all of their artificers to craft something that can either persist in magma, extract it from the earth, or cool and mine it.¡±


    Mnie whistled. ¡°Given how hard it was to get them to agree to an alliance to fight against the guy that wants to kill us all, I can¡¯t imagine you can coax them from their holes all the way to a nearly-active volcano very easily.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°Thank you for the encouragement,¡± Argrave nced at her harshly, and sheughed. ¡°You¡¯re not wrong though. Good lord¡­ talk about a nightmare.¡±


    ¡°I can help.¡± The Alchemist stepped up to Argrave. ¡°I¡¯ll capture a dwarf alive, disassemble him, and create chimeras using that knowledge. We can use these chimeras to infiltrate their society in vital ces, and when the timees, they¡¯ll be ready. Invasion or diplomacy, they¡¯ll be ready.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Argrave felt extreme whish, and even though he knew it was pointless he couldn¡¯t help but look around to be sure that none heard. ¡°Invasion? That¡¯s not even on the table.¡±


    ¡°If Gerechtigkeit perishes before more cycles, the number of lives saved is uncountable. A few along the way matters very little in the grand scheme.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s do a hypothetical.¡± Argrave sat on a short railing just beside another garden patch. ¡°Do you think it¡¯d be more prudent to¡­ one, kill and enve a lot of people, then extract skilledbor from them, or two, convince them peaceably and bring a massive friendly force over to your side?¡±


    The Alchemist did not seem to take kindly to Argrave¡¯s sarcasm. ¡°I believe you are incapable of convincing at least five hundred senators tomit dozens of their best artificers to work on a project in a foreignnd of dubious trustworthiness. On top of that, you ask to employ the secret technology that has allowed them to defend from all invaders for countless millennia. In other words, to help would jeopardize their national defense. Youck the resources and the persuasive ability to earn support for argescale project like this. I don¡¯t think anyone could¡ªnot in the time frame we¡¯re seeking.¡±


    Argrave stewed on his words. He doubted he was capable of doing that, either, but he didn¡¯t like to hear that.


    As an idea came, Argrave looked up. ¡°How well can your chimeras learn?¡±


    The Alchemist entwined his huge hands. ¡°As well as any human. And they are of one mind.¡±


    ¡°It might not be feasible to get the dwarves to help us with Vysenn¡­ but if we have one of your chimeras infiltrate them, we can learn their methods, apply them on our lonesome. After all, we don¡¯tck forbor.¡± Argrave raised his hands up.


    ¡°The big man made a good point, though,¡± Mnie pointed out. ¡°This is their most valued technology. They aren¡¯t just going to let any dwarf work on it. They¡¯ve got a detailed bureaucracy with records of people, names of every citizen, and now more than ever they¡¯ll be on-edge about their secrets. If this mystery dwarf stitched together with string and venison shows up, there¡¯s no way he¡¯ll be able to keep the mask up long enough to be a trusted engineer in one of those pumping stations. How long do we even have? Certainly not long enough to steal this nation¡¯s secrets.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. Weck the time and ability to replicate this genius feat of artificing. How could you persuade the senate? Will you offer them the cities they abandoned? There are hundreds of thousands of people in this city, Mundi, but its founder Alexander built it to amodate millions. They do notck for space, for food, for water¡­ they want for nothing, Argrave. The only reason they agreed to help was to preserve their safety.¡±


    Argrave rubbed his lip, lost in thought. ¡°Maybe I can¡¯t persuade five hundred senators¡­ but I think I can persuade a few hundred thousand people.¡±


    ¡°Wow,¡± Mnie said sarcastically. ¡°Because these dwarves will love a foreigner agitating their people.¡±


    ¡°Hey. Imagine you¡¯ve been locked up for centuries. Wouldn¡¯t you like to outside, go exploring? All I need to do is give them a little push, give that wanderlust the one spark it needs to be a me. Fuel¡¯s been building up for years down here.¡± He smiled, standing up off the rail. ¡°I won¡¯t need to be doing any agitation. These people are elected, Mnie. They have to worry about what people say, what people hear. And there¡¯s a convenient little gallery sitting just above our senate meeting, viewing the spectacle that is me and you.¡±


    The Alchemist looked above at the marble dome, whereva surged from pipes down into facilities throughout the city. ¡°Your confidence borders on delusion, sometimes.¡±


    ¡°Sometimes?¡± Mnie hefted her ck sword.


    ¡°Yeah, yeah,ugh it up,¡± Argrave waved his hand at the two of them. ¡°I¡¯m so confident I¡¯m nning on calling in some cavalry. We¡¯ve earned leeway¡ªnow, we get a few more people in.¡±


    ¡°Hiding behind the wife again?¡± Mnie bantered. Still, she sounded excited. Argrave got the impression she liked Anneliese a good deal.


    Argrave was about to answer in the affirmative, but he spotted movement outside the barrier they¡¯d erected for peaceful conversation. With a thought, he undid his ward to allow a messenger to pass by. A servant bid them to join Therapont. He followed, recalling the Alchemist back into his Ravenstone. He and Mnie were led into a room where the dwarven senator stood with several others that Argrave vaguely recognized.


    ¡°Good. You¡¯re here,¡± Therapont waved him in. ¡°I have some very important news. As it turns out, Dario has absolutely coincidentallypleted his forging specifications for dwarven metal. He intends to present it to the dwarven senate. In return, he¡¯ll be named our people¡¯s friend, and given the title of Munificent.¡± He pointed one of his thick fingers at Argrave. ¡°Some people might get cold feet about the alliance. I think we ought to discuss how best we might keep it cohesive. Rtions between Vasquer and the senate are, as a point of fact, vitally important. We must preserve them.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m d to hear I have your support.¡± Argrave entered the room, crouching low beneath the doorframe. The dwarven senators that hade to join them looked up at him like he was a strange animal. ¡°You mean to say Dario is actually attending a meeting?¡±


    ¡°So far as we know,¡± a ruby-wreathed senator confirmed, fixing his white toga.


    Argrave¡¯s head worked, confronting holes in this story. Dario ostensibly knew them. They¡¯de here out of panic, seeking tobat his influence with the method of forging dwarven metal. Now, once they¡¯d arrived, he intended to present apleted version. Was this coincidence, or was Argrave falling into another¡¯s n?


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like this is going to be a timely affair.¡± Argrave stepped up to the table¡ªfor him, it was more like a coffee table.


    ¡°Hah. Sometimes I use senate proposals as indicators for ageing my lichenwine,¡± one of the senators joked. ¡°You should have plenty of time.¡±


    Argrave crouched down before the table, then sat¡ªat the very least, the chairs were wide¡­ if a bit low. ¡°Well then¡­ let¡¯s get ready for Dario. Because I don¡¯t think he¡¯lle with the recipe for dwarven metal alone. He must have other things in mind.¡±


    It seemed Argrave would finallyy eyes upon the man that had caused him to alter his trajectory so. He almost expected a trap. But would this be a trap of wits, or one of another kind?


    #####


    Though Argrave had worked out a rtively solid course of action with the aid of Therapont, much of that was tossed to the wind the moment that they arrived to the senate hall about an hour early. The reason? A dwarven messenger, sent to speak to Argrave.


    The message was exceedingly simple. ¡°Before the senate meeting, Dario would like to speak to you at the public square before the statue of Alexander.¡±

 Chapter 492: The Artificer

    Though Argrave was perplexed that Dario had the influence to send messengers in a nation he did not belong, he could not deny that he was intrigued to meet the person behind all of this. He greatly feared the possibility of a trap, but Mnie had the ability to extract them from just about any situation, or defend from any attack that mighte their way save a massive explosion. They had endured a meeting with Mozzahr in the heart of his power¡ªArgrave was rtively sure that they could do the same thing here.


    About thirty minutes before the senate meeting was scheduled to ur, Argrave and Mnie walked out to the public square. He released the Alchemist from the Ravenstone, though directed the man to stay hidden unless any danger came to light. When they entered, the looming marble statue of Alexander stood strong as it held up the dome above them. They immediatelyid eyes upon Dario. He sat on a marble bench just beneath the statue, kneading his hands together in what looked to be anxiety. When he saw them, he rose.


    Dario was much as he had been described. He was perhaps six feet tall, had wild dark hair and tan skin, and a lean body. He wore a dark brown cloak over his body, concealing dark armor that hadplex machinery attached. Argrave could see the mechanical crossbow on his right arm, strung but unloaded, and saw strange devices on his legs that seemed like braces¡­ or perhaps augmenters. He could see that there was something otherworldly about the metal, but hisyman brain couldn¡¯t exactly deduce what they did. He could sense no magic from them. When Dario saw Argrave, he put his hand to his chest and took a deep breath as though preparing himself for this conversation.


    ¡°Is that him?¡± Argrave asked Mnie.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± His retainer nodded slowly, keeping her eyes on the man. ¡°Definitely him. Has a few weird things on his arms and legs I haven¡¯t seen before, but it¡¯s him.¡±


    Argrave felt the need to take a deep breath just as Dario did. ¡°Stay alert, then.¡±


    The two parties slowly bridged the gap to meet one another. Dario didn¡¯t have an escort of guards the same way Argrave did, and both he and Mnie paid close attention to the man and their surroundings to be sure that nothing untoward would ur.


    Argrave stopped a healthy distance away from Dario. Now that they were closer, Argrave made out some details. The man looked exhausted¡ªhis eyes were sunken and had deep dark circles beneath them, and Argrave spotted dried blood just beneath his nose. To put it simply, he looked ghoulish.


    ¡°Hello. You¡¯re either a tall andnky dwarf, or Dario. I¡¯m Argrave. I believe you¡¯ve already met this lovelydy¡ªMnie.¡± As Argrave watched the man, he seemed to have some difficulty meeting Argrave¡¯s eyes. ¡°To be honest, I thought the first thing we¡¯d exchange would be blows, not words. It seems like you¡¯ve been trying to sabotage us. I hope that this has all been a misunderstanding, and we canugh it up and talk about how best to resolve this. If you need something from the dwarves, maybe we can reach some amodation. If you have some sort of grudge, I¡¯m happy to hear it.¡±


    Dario met Argrave¡¯s eyes, finally. His were a rich red. That eye color wasmon in the subterranean mountain people in the caverns beneath the mountains of the Burnt Desert, but his were especially crimson. His voice was firm yet troubled as he said, ¡°I shouldn¡¯t be speaking to you. But I heard your wife was absent, and I hoped that I could get through to you without her¡­ insight.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°Anneliese?¡± Argrave finished, but settled into quiet contemtion. He shouldn¡¯t be speaking to me. What does this mean? And Anneliese¡­ he must know about her empathy.


    Dario seemed to contemte his next words carefully, then straightened his back to speak firmly. ¡°I don¡¯t wish for this to be adversarial, but you can¡¯t remain here. Let me help the dwarves. Then, return to Vasquer. Whatever you intend, please do not allow it to bear fruit. Content yourself that you averted what disaster would befall these people.¡± He looked around at the dwarves, and then up at the great statue of Alexander. ¡°Let them live in peace, as they always have.¡±


    Argrave was surprised by his earnestness. He shifted on his feet, searching for an answer. ¡°I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re advocating for the dwarves so strongly¡­ but I think they have as much duty as anyone else to defend the world from Gerechtigkeit.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re searching for answers that could upend everything, all life. The number of people you would hurt would be far greater than the Smiling Raven or Gerechtigkeit ever achieved in their existence.¡± His voice was hard, yet passionate. Argrave understood, now, why he only spoke to Argrave when he knew that Anneliese was absent. And behind all of that, a more shocking revtion¡ªDario knew precisely what he and the Alchemist hade here for.


    ¡°Where does this certaintye from?¡± Argrave asked, engrossed. ¡°Do you speak for Gerechtigkeit? Or is there another?¡±


    ¡°I speak and act for one who knows,¡± Dario shook his head, then spread his arms out disarmingly. ¡°And nothing more.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­¡± Argrave epted that silently, theories forming in his head. ¡°If you¡¯re telling me that the path I¡¯m on¡ªtrying to end the cycle of judgment¡ªis wrong, I¡¯m perfectly open to more information. Just help me understand, Dario.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± Dario lowered his head and shook it slowly.


    ¡°You seem to talk fine,¡± Mnie pointed out.


    ¡°The more I divulge, the closer you would get to the truth,¡± Dario insisted.


    Argrave stepped closer, arguing, ¡°Yes, that¡¯s the point. Isn¡¯t the truth what¡¯s convinced you I¡¯m on the wrong path?¡±


    ¡°There is truth. But interpretations of that truth can vary wildly depending on who beholds it. The people in that senate, for instance¡­¡± he turned his head toward where the hally, and gestured toward it. ¡°They learn the facts, but each of the thousand have different ways to deal with it. And you may look upon the truth differently than I do.¡±


    ¡°Meaning¡­ if I learn the truth behind Gerechtigkeit, I might not agree that it¡¯s as big a problem as you think,¡± Argrave tranted.


    ¡°You should probably know that¡¯s a terrible way to dissuade someone,¡± Mnie pointed out. ¡°You¡¯ve told us two things¡ªthat we¡¯re on the right track, and that there is an answer. By being so vague, you just encourage us. Might as well tell the rest.¡±


    ¡°But it isn¡¯t you alone, Argrave. You have others seeking this truth alongside you, and you cannot hide it from them. You are a good man, Argrave. Your struggle against Gerechtigkeit has followed the correct course. But should you continue, you will open a door that has been sealed shut for uncountable years. And the thing I fear above all is that it will not be you alone that enters. You have tall shadows. The Alchemist is one such shadow¡ªand he plots even now to capture me, torture information out of me. Even if you might interpret the truth as I have, you are not alone. I cannot risk this spreading to others. I must ask you to stop. And if I cannot get the answer I seek¡­¡±


    ¡°Sandbara is a door? And something beyond there is vital to Gerechtigkeit?¡± Argrave said, trying to confirm his deductions.


    Dario looked greatly pained. ¡°By straying beyond, by vying for more, you endanger so much that it is unquantifiable.¡± He looked to the side. ¡°I do not speak often. This conversation is the most I have said in years. You will likely best me in the senate easily¡ªI know I am neitherpelling or persuasive. I have no true friends, no allies, and I cannot make them easily. I am but a fool trapped in the middle of it all. Still, things are the way they are for a reason. I ask you, with trust in your good nature, to stop.¡±


    ¡°Gerechtigkeit kills hundreds of thousands, if not millions, every time he descends,¡± Argrave argued. ¡°Could there be anything worse? There has to be a way to end this. To improve this. To go beyond this. My friend and brother-inw put his life on the line, seeking these answers. I can¡¯t just turn away. You say I¡¯m a good man¡ªthen can¡¯t you give me trust enough to trust me with the truth?¡± Argrave took some few steps closer, and whispered intently, ¡°Forget the Alchemist, forget everyone else¡ªjust you and me. Let¡¯s talk. Give me this truth. Help me understand why you¡¯re doing this.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t trust you. It¡¯s not the ce of one man to judge another, not with so much at stake.¡± Dario¡¯s red eyes looked strangely sad. ¡°Promise me this, Argrave. If you do not heed my words¡­ if I cannot stop you along this path¡­ I can ask only one thing of you. When you learn the truth, do not judge wrongly. Step away.¡±


    As Argrave stared without a response, he saw magic swirl around Dario. The Alchemist appeared, breaking his invisibility, and attempted to restrain the artificer. Dario rose his left hand up and swiped it through the magic. It somehow dispersed, and the Alchemist curled inward silently as though recoiling. Dario staggered, and some blood dripped down from his nose. Despite his pain, Dario stepped forth with ethereal speed, heading for the leg of the great statue of Alexander. Argrave pursued, but when he caught up to where the artificer had vanished¡­


    Dario was already gone.

 Chapter 493: Shadowed Horizon

    After Dario seemed to vanish, Argrave looked to the Alchemist, hoping the man might have some insight on what had just happened. It seemed that Dario had overpowered the terrifying being, but Argrave needed exnation.


    ¡°He used something warped to disrupt my magic. Not just my magic¡ªthe ability that Hause bestowed upon me, all those years ago.¡± The Alchemist held his hand up and clenched it. ¡°I observed him with [Minor Truesight]. The power within him is beyond its scope. Would that Anneliese were here, she might look upon him with the more thorough eyes bestowed by Yinther.¡±


    ¡°Do you think Gerechtigkeit is making his move?¡± Argrave looked up at him, despite the watching crowd. ¡°Is Dario¡­ someone deluded by him? Tricked?¡±


    The Alchemist retrieved the vial of Gerechtigkeit¡¯s essence extracted from Felipe¡¯s corpse. ¡°This did not react¡ªneither upon seeing him, nor when he called upon whatever power he did. But he is beset by a foreign power, this much I can say for certain.¡± He looked back to the spot Dario had been standing. ¡°It¡¯s tearing him apart, whatever it is. He¡¯s dying.¡±


    ¡°He started bleeding after he swiped at you,¡± Mnie reminded them. ¡°Seems like he thinks what he¡¯s doing is worth dying for. Also says a little about who might be standing behind him, if they¡¯re fine allowing their power to whittle him down to dust.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll admit¡­¡± the Alchemist looked to the senate hall. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can catch him. If he uses that power, I¡¯m powerless before it.¡± He looked to Mnie. ¡°Your mastery over space might falter, too. And our magic would have no effect. With that strange augmentation on his arms and legs, he would be faster and stronger than all of us. And the more he uses that power, the more he dies¡ªwe¡¯d likely be left with a corpse at the end of it all.¡±


    ¡°But it seems he¡¯s going to get in our way.¡± Argrave grabbed at his chin, frustrated. ¡°He said that he has no wish to fight. There¡¯s a big ¡®yet¡¯ that he left unspoken, I think. And I don¡¯t want to fight him.¡±


    Mnie nodded. ¡°The tenor of that conversation was a bit odd. Seemed sympathetic, almost.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d agree. That¡¯s what¡¯s so damn bothersome about this whole thing.¡± He shook his head. ¡°We don¡¯t have much time until the senate meeting. Let¡¯s not bete¡ªwon¡¯t set a good precedent.¡±


    #####


    Anneliese watched as Veidimen longships glided atop the surface of the rippling waters of the eastern ocean. Slowly, they took their ce at the docks to ckgard. As they settled, there was a little unease in the dockworkers. They had grown used to Veidimen traders, yet now, true warships took their ce in the city. Still, they were here as allies, not as enemies. And perhaps to prove this, Patriarch Dras was the first to step off the ships. He was followed by several hulking guards, wearing thoroughly enchanted armor. They¡¯d wasted no time in integrating that magic into their people, it seemed.


    Anneliese walked out to meet him. ¡°Some years ago, the only reason you would have stepped off a longship to these shores was because you were their conqueror.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. And you would¡¯ve been leading our armies, perhaps, in a more foolish, more senseless time.¡± Dras dipped his head slightly. ¡°I think your current position suits you well.¡±


    Anneliese brushed that off, deciding to delve into the topic at hand. ¡°I thank you foring. We can¡¯t add the Veidimen to the parliament¡ªnot yet, while Argrave is still absent.¡±


    ¡°Absent? You seemed to employ shamanic magic to teleport ably enough.¡±


    ¡°In the city of the dwarves, their metal restricts spirits.¡± Anneliese crossed her arms. ¡°We wee you as guests, for now. But you¡¯vee at an opportune time. Elenore has received word from the distant north. We can show you our enemies.¡±


    Patriarch Dras looked surprised. ¡°By all means.¡±


    Anneliese stepped forth, taking hold of his shoulder. None of the guards reacted¡ªwho would dare protest at the patriarch¡¯s adopted daughter touching him? But then they vanished, ferried away by spirits as Anneliese cast [Worldstrider].


    Their travel time was long and winding, but Anneliese had a marker. She and the patriarch appeared just beside Onychinusa, who sat on a seaside cliff buried in nkets. Her head stirred when they arrived, but then looked back to her task of watching the ocean.


    Dras looked around at the sheer and icy cliffs, peering at the water below. ¡°Where is this? Not Veiden, certainly, but it¡¯s cold enough to be.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re at the northern edge of all Berendar. This ce is cliffside rock and deste wintry steppes. Nothing grows here, really, and we have no way of defending it adequately. The nearest settlement is many miles away¡ªfew people live here.¡± Anneliese walked to the edge, where the ocean raged against the rocks. ¡°And this ce¡¯sck of settlement is the problem. Look beyond, just near the horizon.¡±


    Dras watched the writhing tides. ¡°I see¡­ square ships. They¡¯ve a sail, and oars¡­ but I can¡¯t see any people.¡±


    ¡°They have roofs. Steel roofs,¡± Onychinusamented from down below. ¡°They have a navigator at the front, but otherwise, the whole ship is armored and enclosed. A god aids them, giving them favorable wind and alerting them of treacherous things lurking just beneath the water¡­ ciers, the like. But even still, that boat is meant to endure.¡±


    ¡°Armored boats?¡± Dras scratched his face. ¡°It¡¯s a marvel it can float. These are our enemies? The Chu, I believe you called them?¡±


    ¡°Yes. They¡¯re thergest country in the world, both by poption and area. And now, they¡¯ve the backing of two very powerful gods, one of whommands a coalition of lesser deities.¡± Anneliese crossed her arms and looked at Dras. ¡°This is where we¡¯d like to build your fortress. If you look back, there¡¯s a long ravine¡ªit¡¯s a safe, sheltered pathway we can use to route supplies. But I won¡¯t deny that holding these people back will be difficult.¡±


    ¡°Those ships certainly seem difficult to board.¡± Dras¡¯ mind already seemed to be nning his battles. ¡°But these are men, yes? No different from those of Vasquer? Then we can win.¡±


    ¡°What you see now are scouting ships. Soon after, transport ships wille, seeking to build a ce of safe harbor. And when they encounter opposition, their Imperial Navy wille. Their warships dwarf your longships many times over. And they do notck for arcane powers, either¡ªexpect spellcasters on every boat.¡±


    Dras leaned out dangerously close to the cliff¡¯s edge. His white eyes looked sharp and intrigued. ¡°Yet we have the advantage of defense. And thisnd¡­ it¡¯s rather like the shores of Veiden. Icy. Treacherous. Tremendous ciers lie just beneath the surface of the water, threatening to gut ships thatck vision.¡± Dras traced the distant raging waters with his finger, then nodded. ¡°Yes. We can defend here. It will take our ships some time to arrive if the maps I have of Berendar are urate. But the Chu will never have the opportunity tond on this soil.¡±


    ¡°I am d you cooperate so readily. But a part of me wonders if I have been missing something about the why of it,¡± Anneliese asked, diving for the heart of what weighed at her.


    ¡°Veid has insisted I set aside glory. Though I, and other interpreters of her will, judged that her directives were about glory and supremacy for our people¡­ we were wrong. It was not glory, but rather what is best for our people. This is what she wished.¡± Dras looked at her firmly. ¡°So, I¡¯ve set aside glory. And I do what is best for all people, now.¡±


    ¡°You sound very convicted.¡± Anneliese couldn¡¯t keep some surprise from leaking into her tone.


    ¡°You would know best.¡± He looked at her. ¡°I¡¯ve seen enough. Come, let¡¯s return to ckgard. Looking at a map is dull work, but it¡¯ll help coordinate our movement. Even if the agreement to integrate Veiden into your parliament is not made now, we can get to work on our end of the bargain immediately.¡±


    #####


    Dario barely remembered the senate meeting after he¡¯d met with Argrave. Repelling the Alchemist¡¯s magic and temporarily incapacitating his form had taken a great deal out of him. He¡¯d be feeling the effects in the days that followed. In his haze, Dario had merely presented the method and recipe to forge dwarven metal to the dwarves without ceremony, and then left. He did not wish to linger overlong, lest Argrave or the Alchemist try something aggressive that might force him to worsen his condition.


    It wasn¡¯t just the senate where he couldn¡¯t linger, either¡ªhe was best served leaving Mundi altogether. Argrave had proven himself a very persuasive person, and given the time, he would allow more toe into this ce¡ªlikely Anneliese, with both the empathy bestowed by her heritage and the Truesight vested in her by Yinther, god of curiosity. He could not afford to fall under her scrutiny. It was time to leave. The dwarves would certainly allow that much of him, given the service he¡¯d given them.


    He travelled through the city, walking in the shadows of buildings and the tops of roofs. He was very certain that none saw him. Finally, he returned to the home of the senator that had graciously allowed him to stay, and entered through the window. He came to the mirror and crouched down to fit within the short dwarven furniture. He gazed at his bloodshot red eyes, pallid skin, and blood-encrusted nose.


    Dario couldn¡¯t help but feel pity for himself. He wished for nothing more than to trust Argrave¡ªto take a break, and sumb to the heaviness of the burden crushing him. But that was a luxury that he was not afforded. He fumbled into a satchel beneath his cloak, pulled free a potion, and drank it. As the cool liquid permeated his body, he felt its mysterious alchemy work and dispel many of the ill sensations he felt. A temporary measure, he knew, but it was enough for him to tear away from the mirror.


    Dario left his room. The senator, freed from the meeting, returned shortly. Dario waited for him in the living room.


    ¡°You left very quickly,¡± Julius noted as he walked up to greet Dario. ¡°I¡¯m sorry that things couldn¡¯t go our way. But Argrave¡ª¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯ve helped.¡± Dario looked around. ¡°I need to leave. My request?¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Julius looked sad. ¡°Well¡­ are you certain? You seem to grow sicker every day. Given what you¡¯ve done for my household, I could¡ª¡±


    ¡°Please,¡± Dario interrupted. ¡°No more.¡±


    Julius nodded knowingly, then beckoned Dario down into the basement of the building. There, he retrieved arge box and set it down just before his feet. Dario opened the box, and retrieved something thatid within. It was a spherical thing, with a faint ck ss on the outside.


    ¡°Can I ask what these are?¡± Julius asked curiously. ¡°My smith made them ording to specification, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Golem cores.¡± Dario put the core back in the box. ¡°Legendary golem cores, copied from my people¡¯s prided creations, and improved with dwarven metal.¡±


    ¡°Golem cores?¡± Julius repeated incredulously. ¡°By the gods¡­ I¡¯ve heard myths of golems, but there must be at least two hundred here. And all of these will be golems?¡±


    Dario put the lid on the box, then picked it up easily. ¡°Thank you, Julius. Goodbye.¡±

 Chapter 494: Affairs of State and Faith

    At the senate meeting, Dario had unterally surrendered all knowledge of Dwarven metalworking to the senate. Afterward, he faded into the background. If he was as unsympathetic before an audience as he imed, that was the best move he could''ve made. All it did was remove Argrave¡¯s leverage from the table. It also greatly facilitated his next move¡ªa quiet departure while Argrave remained trapped in dialogue with the rest of the senate.


    By the time Argrave learned that Dario had departed Mundi, the mysterious artificer was long gone. With the magma moat taking minutes to open and close and his business with the senate unfinished, he abandoned any notion of pursuit at once. The most he did was send word to Elenore, but given the man¡¯s talent at stealth he expected nothing toe of it.


    Back at the senate, Therapont had managed to squash the notion of abandoning the alliance before it could gain momentum. Still, long days of negotiation awaited. Argrave requested he return to his kingdom to gather counsel, and was granted permission to bring more people on the condition Mnie remain behind. He agreed.


    They returned to Therapont¡¯s residence, where Argrave prepared to depart.


    "I appreciate your help, Mnie," Argrave told her earnestly. He wasn''t quitefortable leaving her here, but it was necessary. Tasks awaited him on the surface. ¡°You¡¯ve been every bit as helpful as I thought you¡¯d be.¡±


    She scratched her nose, perhaps to hide some embarrassment at his praise. "You know me. Just a little helper. You can send my payment to Nodremaid. My people will be ready for a few chests of gold."


    "While I''m at it, I''ll send hazard pay. After all, I need you to do two things. Schmooze with the senators, and investigate everywhere Dario''s been. Just don''t get caught breakingws. I think anyone could recognize you."


    "Don''t get caught?" Mnie repeated.


    Argrave smiled. "I''m leaving another friend with you. He might help on that front."


    Leaving the Alchemist and Mnie behind, Argrave departed Mundi. His head brewed half a thousand ideas about how he could sway the people of this foreign country beneath the world. Through the senate, through his people, he would endeavor to make sure they cooperated to reach Sandbara. Because it seemed his monstrouspanion once called Raven would ept no other oue.


    The moment he was freed of the confines of dwarven metal, Argrave cast [Worldstrider] to return to ckgard. Anneliese was absent, so he sought out Elenore first. He opened her door to find her working dutifully in her office. Durran stood behind her, evidently distracting his wife judging from the exasperated joy on her face.


    ¡°Argrave.¡± She rose, her face returning to business at once. ¡°You really should send word before you return.¡±


    ¡°You knew I wasing,¡± he said dismissively. ¡°And besides, where¡¯s the fun in that?¡±


    Elenore sighed as Durran walked out from behind the desk. ¡°You two can be quite alike, sometimes. No matter.¡± She gathered her thoughts. ¡°I sent more people to the ruins where the Iron Giants were located. I¡¯ve no doubt Mnie waspetent in her disassembly, but perhaps there¡¯s something she might¡¯ve missed. Your queen is out demonstrating to Dras the presence of the Chu, and exining our defense n.¡±


    ¡°Meanwhile I, it seems, have been designated to speak to the mountain men beneath the ground.¡± Durran walked up to Argrave, patting his arm. ¡°We don¡¯t talk enough these days, Argrave.¡±


    ¡°Give it time. We might raid another god¡¯s vault¡ªI¡¯ll need you then,¡± Argrave jested.


    Durran nodded with a smile. ¡°Alright. Do you care toe with and meet my contacts in the Burnt Desert? Rather¡ªbeneath the Burnt Desert.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re your contacts. I think I¡¯d be the third wheel. Besides, I think you¡¯re chasing ghosts,¡± Argrave told him bluntly, then looked at Elenore and added, ¡°Meaning no disrespect to your thoroughness.¡±


    Elenore shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ve chased enough ghosts in my days to learn they¡¯re not to be left neglected. One might say they cane back to haunt you.¡±


    Argraveughed, and Elenore hid her pleasure that her joke hadnded. ¡°You¡¯ve been a blessing to us all, Elenore. I won¡¯t keep you from your work.¡± Argrave took Durran¡¯s shoulder, shepherding him out the door. ¡°Let me catch Durran up on Dario while we wait for Anneliese.¡±


    Elenore nodded. ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll scrounge some sort of ceremony up to exin why the Veidimen are joining into our politics.¡±


    #####


    Argrave spent his time detailing Durran on the man they were looking for. He didn¡¯t expect much from this lead, but he told all in case Elenore was right to be so thorough¡ªit had been known to happen. Thereafter, Anneliese and Dras returned. Argrave gave an affectionate greeting to Anneliese, and a cordial one to Dras. Then, as Elenore worked her magic, they elected to dine.


    ¡°If some of these foods are among the supplies sent to the north, my men might well consider this a vacation,¡± Dras noted, staring at his empty te.


    Argrave pushed away his own empty te, then rested his arms on the table. ¡°Who are you putting on the parliament?¡±


    Dras leaned back in his chair. ¡°Ah, I was waiting for that question. I was surprised my favorite daughter didn¡¯t ask it, frankly.¡± He spoke casually and friendly, dropping the demeanor of patriarch here. A sign of trust, perhaps, or genuine affection.


    ¡°I believe I have some idea about who would fit the role. I simply cannot guess the names,¡± Anneliese added, almost defensively. ¡°From what I saw, politics have shifted in Veiden slightly.¡±


    Dras nodded. ¡°With Veid¡¯s aid, I consolidated some tribes, further centralizing things.¡± He leaned in. ¡°The ones I¡¯m sending to your parliament are loyal chiefs with small tribes beneath them. They¡¯ll be bringing their whole families¡ªI trust this is no issue?¡±


    Argrave answered enthusiastically, ¡°Your people are more than wee.¡±


    ¡°But Rowe will be leading them all.¡± Dras smiled widely. ¡°He was quite furious when I told him he¡¯d be living here for some years. Veid calmed him, though. She¡¯s been immeasurably helpful.¡±


    Argrave grew silent at this news, looking to Anneliese forfort. He hoped she might signal this was some sort of joke, but no such sign came. Dras was deadly serious. Argrave looked back and asked, ¡°You¡¯re sending Rowe. Rowe, called Rowe the Righteous. Rowe, who has a dragon. Are you intending to cause us problems?¡±


    ¡°Have you forgotten they must all obey my daughter absolutely?¡± Dras pointed both of his hands at her. ¡°They¡¯ll be puppets on your strings. This is meant to help. His dragon, Crystal Wind, will be aiding us in the north, but I¡¯d prefer Rowe here, aiding you. Specifically, I¡¯ve given him a very simple request.¡± He looked at Anneliese. ¡°He¡¯se to tutor you.¡±


    Anneliese¡¯s amber eyes widened in surprise. ¡°Rowe himself?¡± She bit at her lips, deliberating her next words. ¡°Patriarch, I cannot understand why you show us such grace.¡±


    ¡°Nepotism,¡± Dras dered grandly.


    ¡°Argrave and I do not stay in one ce for very long,¡± Anneliese continued. ¡°I cannot guarantee I will be around to receive his tutoring.¡±


    ¡°He will be around for some time.¡± Dras waved his hand away. ¡°I appreciate that you are not greedy, but this is not your decision. It¡¯s mine. If a father cannot dote upon his daughter whenever he wishes, the world would end overnight. This adoption has been rather to my liking.¡±


    Anneliese looked somewhat frustrated, but Argrave was pleased. He put his hand atop her own. ¡°Looks like you¡¯ll breach S-rank. Always knew you would, but with Rowe¡¯s teachings¡­¡±


    His words seemed to allow what was to happen to settle in, and Anneliese epted her good fortune. The meal ended without incident. Just as Dras was rather enjoying adoption, Argrave was rather enjoying this generous father-inw. How much would he be willing to give to her? He would have to test that theory.


    #####


    Elenore¡¯s handling of the Veidimen integration was very graceful. She invented some justifications, and used some that they already had to exin the presence of the snow elves. She fabricated trade privileges¡ªin essence, she imed that epting them into parliament would make the Veidimen take Vasquer as their only trading partner, and would further force them to surrender yet more magic. Both were already happening, but those of the parliament didn¡¯t know that. Secondly, she simply exined that they needed Veiden¡¯s navy to repel coastal invaders. Given that Argrave had not been an rmist about the threat of the Ebon Cult, the members of parliament felt this notion trustworthy.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    In the end, though a vote was not necessary given that the crown itself decided parliamentary seats, a vote was held. It passed by a very thin margin, demonstrating reluctant eptance by his people. Patriarch Dras returned to Veiden, his duty done here and another beginning elsewhere. It was quite a weight removed to know that a naval invasion was no longer as imminent as it was.


    After the meeting, Argrave received a rather surprising guest¡ªHause. They exchanged brief greetings, but she was quick to get to the point.


    ¡°I¡¯vemunicated with the other members of the ckgard Union,¡± Hause said. Argrave was tired, and his eyes wandered the borate braid containing her blonde hair. ¡°I¡¯ve decided to join, after hearing and mulling over the Alchemist¡¯s words. And more than that, I am debating¡­ employing my ability.¡±


    Argrave¡¯s focus returned at once. ¡°Your ability to unlock one¡¯s potential?¡±


    ¡°What else?¡± She lowered her head, and jewelry in her braids ttered against each other. ¡°Do not get your hopes up. But I agree that your goal¡­ it might necessitate what I have.¡± She looked back up at him. ¡°Still, Ie bearing other news than my joining of your union. All of the gods of the union have manifested. They seek to establish a presence on this continent.¡±


    Argrave took a deep breath and sighed. ¡°Time moves ever onward¡­ well, I promised them that much. Will Raen be upying the empty stretch ofnd we promised?¡±


    ¡°He will,¡± Hause agreed. ¡°They will all send proselytizers soon. If you wish it, I can y the role as mediator between you and them, ensuring a smooth transition. I believe I have a grasp on what you intend for ckgard, and Elenore and I already work somewhat closely since she helped construct my temple.¡±


    Argrave didn¡¯t need to think long before he nodded. ¡°Thank you. Your mediation would be very helpful. Depending on how quick these missionaries are, I might not be here to wee them.¡±


    After rifying some more things with Hause, Argrave got back to his primary task¡ªnamely, preparing for the diplomatic conquest of the dwarves. He discussed the idea at length with Anneliese, and they came to a singr conclusion.

 Chapter 495: Irredeemable Animals

    ¡°Here¡¯s my n, Anneliese.¡± He sat on their bed, while sheid down with her head atop his legs, watching the ceiling. They were growing numb, but the moment was too serene for him to mind. ¡°I think the youth are the future.¡±


    ¡°That tends to be the way of things,¡± she answered back tiredly.


    ¡°I¡¯m serious. The youth of Mundi going to be the key that we need to convince the senators to lend us aid in extracting the magma from Vysenn.¡±


    Anneliese looked intrigued, and Argrave took that as his signal to continue.


    ¡°Where dwarves are shorter, their lives are a little longer. Living to one hundred isn¡¯t umon, even without the aid of magic talent. Dwarven society greatly values philosophy, intelligence, experience, and wisdom. Having someone like Alexius, the current Head of Senate, be someone so young is quite the unusual circumstance. And by ¡®so young,¡¯ the guy is fifty years old.¡±


    ¡°Then it sounds like youth is quite the opposite of what we need to focus on,¡± Anneliese noted.


    ¡°I think you¡¯ll change your mind soon enough.¡± Argrave ran his hand through her hair. ¡°I¡¯ll give you that the senate is mostly wizened elders. Most dwarves work until they die. But there¡¯s arge consequence to their aged workforce. Namely, younger people have some difficulty in earning their ce in this society. Anestis left Mundi searching for dwarven metal. I imagine if he had a steady job, none of this would¡¯ve happened¡­ but s, he didn¡¯t. And he¡¯s not a lone wolf.¡±


    Anneliese was starting to put the pieces together, he could tell, but Argrave kept going nheless.


    ¡°There¡¯s a huge bulk of young dwarves who work at the very bottom rung of craftsman and artificer guilds in apprenticeships, earning the wisdom that their people value very slowly. And an even huger bulk have no work to do at all. The city of Mundi was meant to be popted over a long period of time. There are stretches of the city that are partially built and unimed, yet with things as they are the senate finds no need to expand when there¡¯s no demand fornd or food. There¡¯s a lot of discontentment that we can use to get our way.¡±


    Anneliese nodded, impressed. ¡°So you intend to call upon this ss of people to pressure the senate?¡±


    ¡°Just so,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°We have all of the variables for rapid political unity. We have amon enemy¡ªGerechtigkeit. We have a demographic that wants change¡ªthe youth of their society. And we have a foreign element bringing new ideas¡ªus. With it, we can form a faction within their nation that can push for their help in Vysenn.¡± He tapped her nose. ¡°The unfortunate tragedy of the scenario is that democracy is slow-moving. Say what you will about monarchies, but decisions can be made rapidly and enacted much the same. If you ignore all the bad stuff about dictatorships, they¡¯re not bad.¡±


    ¡°In times like these, I am reminded of where you are from,¡± Anneliese mused. ¡°But there is one key part of this that you neglect. You need another group that might operate in your stead. Even if by some miracle you manage to convince the dwarven youth that you are one of them, to the rest of the popce, you will be seen as what you are¡ªa busybody, sticking your nose in politics where it does not belong. And this faction of yours would die.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s always a fly in the ointment.¡± Argrave peered into her eyes. ¡°Got ideas?¡±


    ¡°No. But I am certain that I will have them, when the timees.¡± Anneliese looked deep in concentration. In times like these, alone with her, he was reminded why he fell in love with this woman.


    #####


    Argrave and Anneliese entered the dwarven nation midway through the next day. While en route, he had to veritably tear Anneliese away from the machines operating the magma moat. Even then, her curiosity had been lit, and she bombarded Argrave with half a thousand questions on the walk to join up with Mnie and the Alchemist. They were promptly shadowed by dwarven guards, who had been awaiting their return.


    When they did arrive, Mnie was waiting out front to receive them. She¡¯d just returned from a meal with a senator, and when she heard the magma moat operating, elected to wait for them out front of Therapont¡¯s estate.


    ¡°Got a little bit of good news for you, and some that might be disastrous,¡± Mnie said after they exchanged greetings. They hung within the roofed alcove just out front Therapont¡¯s estate, warded to prevent sound from leaking. ¡°The good news is this¡ªthe dwarven senate seems to be having difficulty procuring one of the main ingredients of dwarven metal. Namely, spirits. That run I did, scrounging their contraptions that harvested them, turned out to be very beneficial indeed. I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any way they can make enough dwarven metal without relying on us, or fighting a god and extracting it of spirits on their lonesome.¡± She hefted her ck de. ¡°They¡¯re fresh out of weapons like these, and I¡¯m told their magma weapons only really function down here, in the bowels of the earth. In other words¡­ we¡¯ve a very unwilling trade partner.¡±


    ¡°That is a rush of good fortune,¡± Anneliese nodded, then looked at Argrave pointedly. ¡°And it might give us a point of attack upon which we can use to create the faction of youths.¡±


    Argrave tried not to slip into joy as he asked, ¡°But the bad news?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s half bad, half good. Just like you asked¡ªdidn¡¯t get caught,¡± Mnie said subtly. ¡°Went into Julius¡¯ home¡ªhe was the one protecting Dario. From all I could learn, Dario quite literally brought the little fellow back from the brink. Solved so many of his problems it¡¯d take a scroll to write it out. Julius is the type that likes to return favors, much to Dario¡¯s fortune. And to our misfortune, I think he¡¯s done something that could be a problem.¡± She reached into her gauntlet, retrieved a slightly bent paper, and held it out to Argrave.


    Argrave took the paper, unfolding it. On it¡­ something was drawn. It was an orb, and had some strange attempts to replicate markings. Or were they pipes? Argrave couldn¡¯t tell.


    ¡°That was by the smithy in the basement,¡± Mnie said direly. ¡°I¡¯m sure you know¡­ this is bad, right?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what this is,¡± Argrave confessed inly. ¡°A circle? It has lines, too. Am I supposed to make sense of this?¡±


    She snatched the paper back. ¡°Don¡¯t joke with me. It¡¯s obviously a golem¡¯s core.¡± When Argrave exchanged a nce with Anneliese, Mnie defended, ¡°Fine. Maybe it¡¯s not the best. I was wearing gauntlets, damn it, and I couldn¡¯t well steal the original without gs being raised.¡±


    ¡°Hold on,¡± cut in Argrave as the gravity started to weigh on him. ¡°Golem cores? You¡¯re certain that¡¯s what you saw down there?¡±


    ¡°I saw diagrams for them,¡± Mnie shook her head. ¡°Believe me¡ªI saw enough of these I could recognize them. And back when we dealt with the Iron Giants, I made absolutely certain that every single one of these was destroyed utterly after we¡¯d disassembled the things. As it turns out, Dario did take something from those ruins. Namely¡­ the knowledge of how these cores work.¡± She looked down guiltily. ¡°If I¡¯d known¡­¡±


    ¡°You did nothing wrong,¡± Anneliese told her at once. ¡°You followed your instructions to the letter. But Argrave¡ªif Dario did have some of these cores made, does that mean he intends to make golems?¡±


    Argrave took the shabby drawing from Mnie¡¯s hand. Now that he knew what it was, he could make some sense of it. He rambled idly, ¡°Even if he¡¯s crafted them, they would have to be powered. In the game, Gerechtigkeit¡¯s essence was their power source. In lore, they were powered by lightning. Once powered¡­ they could make golems, yeah. But I can¡¯t see how Dario, alone, could rebuild the Iron Giants fast enough to matter. Durran¡¯s keeping his eyes on Dario¡¯s kin. And if the man managed to make them, I can almost guarantee Gerechtigkeit wouldmandeer them. Automatons and necromantic magics are his favorite treat.¡±


    ¡°Dario has been down here only recently. He might¡¯ve built them earlier, and only now has the cores,¡± Anneliese pointed out. Argrave was silenced by that, and Anneliese slowly pulled the drawing from his hands. ¡°Do these cores have other uses?¡±


    ¡°Bombs. But Dario didn¡¯t seem a terrorist to me.¡± Argrave paced around in worry, then remembered himself. ¡°Good work, Mnie, finding this stuff.¡±


    ¡°Good work indeed,¡± Anneliese echoed his sentiment, handing back the drawing. ¡°With Dario absent, all we can do is send this information on to Elenore. Let us speak to Therapont, and see what autonomy we might have. We have to keep moving, no matter what this strange man is nning.¡±


    #####


    Argrave introduced Anneliese to Therapont. Not much time remained until he returned to the senate to deliberate with the gathering about the alliance, and the dwarven senator took a vested interest in learning about her and his character that he might bring her ideas and character before the senate. It would be some time until the grace period that Argrave had asked for would end, and it seemed the senate wanted to have conversations with the two of them absent for some further days. Fortunately, that lent well into their other goal.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°I was thinking on bring my pet Raven around the city, finally begin the process of finding out where Gerechtigkeit has maligned the magma.¡± Argrave held out his hands amicably. ¡°So, there¡¯s some questions I had about the city.¡±


    ¡°Ask away,¡± Therapont directed. ¡°I will be your guide, though I must depart soon.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t need guiding,¡± Argrave assured him. ¡°Just a few questions.¡±


    ¡°Are there any areas we ought to avoid?¡± Anneliese asked. ¡°Areas that are host to criminal activity? Though we can handle ourselves, we¡¯d like to avoid incident wherever possible.¡±


    Therapont stroked hisrge beard. ¡°Crime is an extremely rare thing in Mundi. We are one people, one race, with a unified philosophy toward life and most other things. A sole identity creates unbreakable cohesion.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Argrave agreed. ¡°I don¡¯t doubt that. Still, like I said¡­ we¡¯d just like no trouble at all.¡±


    Therapont sighed. ¡°Well¡­ the only thing I can warn is that you should stay away from the southern tip. It¡¯s near fully-constructed, but the project was called off. Might be unstable in ces. It¡¯s one of the few sites that our people ended up abandoning. The construction there has fallen into disarray, and¡­ animals have taken residence. Rather unsavory animals,¡± Therapont added with some disdain. ¡°If you need go through there, hug the inner wall. That ce is safe.¡±


    ¡°Unsavory animals?¡± Argrave pressed.


    ¡°The worst kind of animal. Populists,¡± the senator said with a slight sneer. ¡°They think the senate is run by some sort of shadowy organization. In truth, many of these squatters are original residents of that region before it was abandoned, and some others are young punks disillusioned by supposed mistreatment. Does this species of animal exist in Vasquer?¡±


    ¡°Given time, I¡¯m sure it will.¡± Argrave smiled. He didn¡¯t add that there might be some basis to populist theories in Vasquer, given Elenore¡¯swork of information and business. ¡°Thanks for the warning.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Therapont nodded. ¡°I hope you can find this malignance quickly, however that might be. I¡¯m off.¡±


    Once Therapont had left, Anneliese asked, ¡°Pet Raven?¡±


    ¡°Just a joke,¡± Argrave assured. ¡°Now¡­ are you thinking what I¡¯m thinking?¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re thinking about heading south,¡± Anneliese looked at him.


    ¡°It¡¯s nice to agree on things.¡±

 Chapter 496: Communing with the Commune

    ¡°More fool me¡­¡± muttered Durran as he followed in pursuit of a pale-skinned man in a spacious cavern.


    ¡°Did you say something?¡± asked his escort, looking back curiously. He had red eyes and dark hair, marking him as one of the humans in the caverns below the mountains between the Burnt Desert and Vasquer.


    Argrave and Durran had both shared simr thoughts about this man, Dario. They¡¯d been under the impression that checking out the subterranean mountain people to look for a lead would be a waste of time. But as it turned out, Elenore had risen to where she was for a reason. There was a lead in these dank caverns¡ªa lead his allies were more than willing to show him.


    ¡°After you show me his workshop, is there anyone that knew Dario? Someone I can talk to?¡± Durran asked, moving a little closer to his lead.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± the escort, a prominent man in their leadership structure, narrowed his eyes. They lingered on the ive that he used as a walking stick. ¡°It depends on what you want from this man.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t harm my ally¡¯s people, if that¡¯s what you¡¯re worried about,¡± Durran said with a fatigued shake of his head. ¡°I bring this ive everywhere. Don¡¯t worry about it. These days, I use this sword,¡± he said, tapping the de on his left. ¡°It¡¯s positively divine. And it¡¯ll remain sheathed, no matter who I meet, rest assured.¡±


    ¡°Members of ourmunes imed that you used necromancy in removing Fellhorn¡¯s influence from thend,¡± the escort noted. ¡°We fought together to erase the Vessels, but there¡¯s something to be said about those that would use the dead for their own end.¡±


    Durran nodded. ¡°Those were desperate measures. And I¡¯ve been straying away from those magics, these days¡­¡± He focused on the man leading. ¡°But if you¡¯re so defensive about these people, why are you willing to give up Dario?¡±


    ¡°Because he left themunes,¡± the escort said simply. ¡°He had no one tying him to this ce. But one day, he became very¡­ fric. Agitated. And after a near-disaster with a rockfall, he left to the mountains. It¡¯s not the first time that cave-ins have dissuaded our people from the deep-dwelling life. But down here is still kinder than the surface. Or was, until the Vessels drained the aquifers. Now that they¡¯re dead, we see little need to engage with others. Still, we owe you some favors.¡±


    The pathway opened up into a mountainmune. Their people were casually rxing in a serene and beautiful ce, where borate structures of jade bore pillows. The ck-haired, red-eyed people of the mountains loungedzily while golden golems patrolled the ce, both tending to the borate farms of edible greenery growing deep beneath the earth, and watching out for any intruders. Durran recalled their golems in battle, resisting the Vessels of Fellhorn to liberate the Burnt Desert. These mountain people each had golems enough to form a true army¡­ but they lived in disparate ces they called munes,¡¯ lounging, philosophizing, and using machines of war asmonborers.


    ording to Argrave, Gerechtigkeit wouldmandeer these golems at some point. These peaceful, ifzy, people would be torn apart by the creations that were maintaining their lives of calm bliss. They had a great deal of time before that happened, fortunately, and Elenore was well focused on this matter.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Are youing?¡± asked his escort, prompting Durran to follow along into a red building carved out of the rock.


    The building that Durran entered finally gave some sign that these people did somebor. But by bor,¡¯ this ce was that which built theirborers. In the back, he felt a strong heat. He and the escort neared its source as the pressed inside. A huge furnace billowed smoke, heat, and intense light. It seemed to be idle now, but it was kept warm nheless. Several people sat by the furnace, using its light to read books.


    Durran saw countless metal casts on the wall. Arms, legs, torso¡ªthe golem-making process had been madepletely efficient, it seemed. The power that these deep-dwelling people could possess was quite rming. It had been immensely difficult to persuade them to help Durran against Fellhorn and Titus, though¡ªhe couldn¡¯t imagine it¡¯d be easy to get them to do more. Even now, theynguished in contentment. Their poption was perhaps two thousand, and they did little more than exist. Their creations had earned them that right.


    ¡°This side-room here was Dario¡¯s. It doubled as the storeroom for unpowered golems. Dario was assistant to the golem master, helping him pour the metal, make more golems, the works.¡± the escort exined. ¡°I¡¯ll wait out here. You look for what you need to. I¡¯d say not to break the golems¡­ but I don¡¯t think I need be worried.¡±


    Durran thanked the man and stepped inside. The ce was dark, but he used spell light to illuminate the area. The wyvern bone ive caught the spell, and the de itself started to glow like antern. Huge figures to his left made him flinch, but he quickly rxed when he realized they were silent and still golems. Long rows of golems stretched out endlessly in this square area. Golden, gleaming, yet ready for use at a moment¡¯s notice¡­ the only bottleneck was powering these things. Apparently, it took many years to generate enough power for some golems.


    Was this Dario¡¯s n? An army of golems? It was powerful, sure, but they were beatable. With the divine armaments from Erlebnis¡¯ vaults, Durran himself might be able to wrestle one. He looked around the warehouse, but there were only golems all to his left. On the right, dangling just beside the walkway, detached golem arms hung in long rows. Durran was going to dismiss their presence before he noticed they were strangely morphed. He held his glowing ive up to them, where he deduced that their metal had been exposed to extreme heat and partially melted.


    Durran tracked the long row of arms lining the side of the room, trying to find some order in the chaos. And he did¡ªeach of these arms were made of different material, it looked like. Some were worse melted than others. While following the row, he realized that each of these arms were different trials. Theirposition got better and better, and after a long string of failures each hand seemed to be less melted than the others. By the end of it, there was considerably less warping. And for thest few¡­ none at all. He touched an unmorphed one. It was extremely heavy, and Durran looked up at the thick chains keeping it up in the air. If this thing could move and function as a golem¡­ the monstrous creations would be even more powerful.


    Where the warehouse ended, Durran saw a well-used cast for a golem¡¯s arm leaned up against an empty frame. The frame was about the size of a body, and though it had nothing inside it, Durran thought it looked like it could hold a suit of armor rather well. Just beside it was a huge golem, hunched over and immobile. Unlike all of the others to his left, this one was a dull green. Durran could tell that this whole thing had endured intense heat. And even from a distance, he could tell it was made of the same dreadfully heavy metal he¡¯d just touched. There was a desk, too, on which documents sprawled ungracefully. Durran stepped closer to get a better view of them.


    ¡°I have a weapon trained at your back. It¡¯s meant to kill gods,¡± said someone from behind. ¡°Turn slowly.¡±


    Durran felt his body seize up, and he turned his head first. In his peripheries, he saw a ck-haired man crouching. His right arm was pointed toward him, and atop it an ungainly crossbow aimed right at his back.


    Durran did turn slowly, as instructed. ¡°Dario, right? Master of stealth indeed. I like to think I¡¯ve got good hearing, but even in this silence I didn¡¯t hear you.¡±


    ¡°Step to the wall,¡± Dario said quietly. ¡°Face it, kneel. ce both hands against it.¡±


    ¡°You could¡¯ve just killed me if that weapon¡¯s half of what you say,¡± Durran pointed out. ¡°But you didn¡¯t. Why?¡±


    ¡°Nothing against you. You helped my people. Don¡¯t want to hurt you. Need you to step away.¡± His eyes, though bloodshot, were focused intensely.


    ¡°Are you an agent of Gerechtigkeit? Are you from another world? Are you blessed by a god?¡± Durran rattled off questions, hoping to see some reaction that might betray truth.


    ¡°Enough!¡± Dario yelled. ¡°Step away.¡±


    Durran didn¡¯t move. ¡°If you¡¯re telling me to step away, not leave¡­ can I assume I¡¯m near something you need? I got word from Elenore¡ªyou were making golem cores down there in the dwarvennds. Did youe here to make the golems you needed¡­ or to tie up another loose end?¡±


    He didn¡¯t miss Dario¡¯s expression shift slightly. ¡°Last warning. Try nothing.¡±


    Durran clenched his ive, briefly wondering if he should risk it. But he didn¡¯t know what Dario was actually looking for, and more importantly, Argrave had warned that this man was incredibly dangerous. He decided to y along and hopefully spot something that might give him some clue.


    As Durran walked to the wall, he kept his eyes on Dario and contacted Elenore through her blessing. ¡°Found Dario down in one of themunes. He came to his old workshop. Looks like he was studying heat-resistance. He¡¯s got me¡ª¡±


    Dario waved his left hand, and the air shifted. Durran felt a twinge of pain in his head as the connection between him and Elenore snapped. He fell to his knees involuntarily rather than as he had been intending. The pain faded quickly, yet the connection with Elenore did not return. More than that¡ªhe felt the blessing bestowed upon him by Stout Heart Swan twist and writhe, subdued by a foreign and powerful presence.


    He expected Dario to subdue him as he struggled, but instead, the artificer had leaned up against one of the immobile golems. His crossbow still aimed steadily as he bled from his nose and eyes.


    ¡°Told you to try nothing.¡± Dario shook his head, crossbow aimed even as he wiped away blood from his face. He seeded only in smudging it, and the light from Durran¡¯s ive cast the man in an eerie light. ¡°You people¡­ seem determined to die.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been known to make a bet or two,¡± Durran returned, then reached for the divine de on his waist.


    Dario fired a bolt, and Durran put all of the strength he could conjure into his legs to roll away. The bolt, which was about a foot long, pierced into the wall just behind Durran. The whole of it seemed to vanish as it kept travelling through the dense stone. The ground itself rumbled from the tremendous force.


    Dario reloaded a new bolt all too quickly, but Durran rushed into the huge array of golems, trying to hide. He chided himself in his head, thinking, Trying to hide? From someone who¡¯s a master of stealth? Gods, Durran¡­


    He kept a mental note of where that desk was. And he knew that he¡¯d need to get to it. Dario had returned here for a reason¡­ and he meant to find out what it was.

 Chapter 497: Dead End Job

    Argrave, Anneliese, and Mnie spent some time lingering exactly near where Therapont had suggested they avoid. The ce was as the senator had described¡ªnamely, an abandoned construction site. It was something of the darker side of this society that seemed so idyllic. Where once before their society had seemed nearly without w, they saw something abandoned, falling apart, and sectioned off. And rather than merely neglected, it waspletely abandoned. That illustrated the dwarven tendency toward perfection. Either they did it all the way, or not at all. And in this case, they chose not at all.


    Guards issued by the senators were constantly shadowing them, and so it was impossible to approach the people that were squatting in the abandoned sector. They didn¡¯t seem to be especially numerous, but in a society so free of conflict, he¡¯d little doubt that this was a hot-button issue for their people. As much was proven when they asked their guards about the squatters.


    ¡°It¡¯s a disaster built by journeymen,¡± one of the guards said. ¡°It¡¯s better off abandoned.¡±


    Some of the others present bristled at this answer, but Anneliese asked, ¡°Journeymen?¡±


    Argrave was going to exin, but he was beaten by the others present. ¡°Journeymen are those in the crafter¡¯s guilds that¡¯vepleted an apprenticeship, but have not yet been dered a master,¡± the dwarf exined. ¡°Those out there in the abandoned section are all journeymen, mostly. A fair few years ago, they received approval from the senate to build the next section of the city. The ns were drafted, everything was up to code, and the project was very nearly done. Then, the masters of the guilds had their construction permits and materials revoked after invoking an old privilege they possess before senate.¡±


    A dwarf pointed to the squatter encampment. ¡°Right. Those out there¡ªprotestors. The senate had no right to restrict permits. Now, it stands to reason it¡¯ll be years before that section of Mundi isplete. All because the masters couldn¡¯t bear to have their work ¡®stolen,¡¯ when they¡¯re the one¡¯s been dragging their feet.¡±


    ¡°How do you mean?¡± Anneliese kept up her inquiries. ¡°Where is the conflict?¡±


    Argrave expected some reluctance to exin, but it was clear these people weren¡¯t used to be secretive about their politics. ¡°There¡¯s arge glut of journeyman dwarves in the guilds. Most of them are every bit as skilled, if not more so, than the masters above them. But the masters retain certain privileges¡ªamong those privileges is the right to anoint new masters. It¡¯s done by popr vote from the current masters¡ªand the current masters aren¡¯t making many new masters. Thest thing the majority of them wish to do is createpetition for themselves. Generally, only rtives of current masters are getting through. It¡¯s an antiquated, nepotistic system that needs to go.¡±


    Another nodded. ¡°Either journeymen enter into shite contracts for years to be a master, or they stay journeymen. Masters of the guild have a stranglehold on the entire economy¡ªnay, the entire senate.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s not be rmists,¡± the other dwarves cautioned. ¡°Thest thing we¡¯d want is for every single journeyman to be allowed to be a master. The consequences that might have could be devastating.


    ¡°What¡¯s rming is how much influence the masters havee to possess,¡± another of their guards protested. ¡°My sister showed me the contract she received. It¡¯s no different from the apprenticeship she¡¯s supposedly graduated from. Time was, they promoted merit. Now, they¡¯ve got a grip on money tighter than a vice, and seem to want to be sure none but they and theirs get it.¡±


    Neither Argrave nor Anneliese needed to consult one another¡ªone nce alone was enough for both to recognize that the other was thinking the same thing. This was their lead. This was the way to leverage an active political notion to jumpstart their own needs. It seemed as though everyone agreed there was some problems with the system, but fixing it? That was the matter of contention. And where contention was, opportunity followed.


    As Argrave¡¯s brain was working, Elenore¡¯s voice entered his head. Usually she was clear,posed, and calm. Even in this supernatural method ofmunication, he could hear that she was utterly rattled with one four words.


    ¡°Argrave, Durran is gone.¡±


    And when he heard them, he knew why that was the case. He immediately stepped away from the conversation with the guards, responding, ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t feel him anymore. His presence, our connection, has severed. Thest words I received were that he¡¯d encountered Dario, and now he¡¯s gone, and I¡­¡± her voice trailed off.


    ¡°Alright,¡± responded Argrave, distancing himself from the group. He put one hand up against a wall and leaned against it. Mnie asked him if he was sick, but he didn¡¯t answer. ¡°We don¡¯t know what happened yet. Until we do, let¡¯s assume he¡¯s simply cut off for now. Do you remember what I said about this guy?¡±


    ¡°You said Dario had some sort of strange power that can affect magic and blessings,¡± she replied shakily, then went silent. ¡°If he¡¯s hurt¡­ you know I¡¯ll do whatever it¡ª¡±


    ¡°But you won¡¯t have to do anything, because he¡¯s fine,¡± Argrave interrupted. ¡°He¡¯s got divine armaments, he¡¯s an S-rank spellcaster thanks to the Alchemist, and he¡¯s been fighting gods for the better part of a year. You need to contact Lira, your patron goddess. She¡¯ll have to know better what happened.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right. You¡¯re right.¡± Though their connection conveyed no such thing, he could practically hear her taking a deep breath. ¡°I need to focus on coordination. I¡¯ll¡­¡± she stopped speaking. ¡°Durran said Dario was studying heat resistance. Now, I¡¯m going to¡­¡±


    Their connection severed, but Argrave could still feel her presence persist in his mind, ready to be opened whenever it was needed. He stepped away from the wall, refocused. Mnie and Anneliese both looked at him expectantly. They were both quick enough to catch on to what made Argrave step away so urgently.


    ¡°Durran found someone we know,¡± Argrave said grimly. ¡°And he¡¯s cut off from Elenore.¡±


    #####


    Though Durran thought that his mistake had been trying to hide, he¡¯d only been half right. It had been a mistake to run near the golems at all.


    With another wave of Dario¡¯s hand, a dozen of the golems closest to him came to life, overflowing with a strange white power that exuded outward from their joints. These golden automatons walked to gleaming him like angelic guardians, making his attempt to hide utterly useless. At first he tried to weave his way through the inert golems as he headed toward the desk, but the others recklessly tossed their machine kin aside and cornered Durran.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Strangely, the golems were fierce and thinking fighters. He¡¯d seen the golems fight against Titus and his men, and he¡¯d fought against those spear-wielding monstrosities on the mountain peak with Argrave¡ªhe knew this was not their normal behavior. Whatever Dario had summoned forth to possess these creatures had a will of their own. Durran could sense no necromancy at work, nor did he suspect shamanic magic. This was something different. They herded him, trying to keep him at bay.


    With little time to stop Dario from getting what he needed, Durran rushed forth madly. The closest golemshed out with a deadly kick. Durran went low and caught the golem¡¯s heel with his left hand, pulling it forth with the full strength of the divine armaments empowering him. He cleaved the divine de through the joint near its hip, and it copsed with a leg severed. As ity there, his sword pierced straight through the golden armor on its torso right where its core was. When the core shattered, he was d to see the thing be useless without it.


    The other possessed golems attempted to punish him, but he quickly conjured an S-rank ward, and a globe of golden power exploded outward to protect him. The S-rank ward -bent beneath the golem¡¯s punches like soft metal, and finally fractured while scattering oddly morphed magic. It gave Durran time enough to get away¡­ but he¡¯d never been one to retreat. He rushed at one, jumped upward as it bent down to punch at him, and stabbed it straight in the chest. His force sent it tumbling backward, and before it fell, he leapt from it, heading for where Dario stood over his desk, stuffing papers into a bag.


    Durrannded behind Dario and ran forth, ignoring the golems behind him. Dario turned, swinging his right arm mounted with the crossbow. The crossbow¡¯s point swung at his head like a warpick, and Durran tried to bat it aside with the t of his de. He wasn¡¯t expecting the tremendous power behind the blow. As soon as their weapons met, the powerful impact made the de vibrate intensely and ring. He felt the sheer force travel through his wrist, and dropped the weapon as it rung like a gong.


    Rather than retreat, Durran got closer, trying to wrestle with Dario. He kneed the bag that Dario had been preparing, and some papers scattered everywhere. He got his hands around Dario¡¯s forearms and struggled to overpower him. He heard mechanical creaking as whatever the man had adorned his armor with strained to fight against his divine-empowered strength. Durran grabbed at a mechanical support and attempted to pry it free, but the thing was ridiculously firm. The futile struggle freed up Dario, and he again called upon that strange power of his. This time, it powered the dull green golem standing just beside the desk. Durran disentangled from Dario just as it swung its fist down toward him.


    The golem struck his right arm with power utterly iparable to the gold ones. Pain assailed the whole right side of his body as Durran felt his feet leave the ground. He mmed into an inert golem, tumbling in a heap of broken parts. When he finally recovered, he saw Dario aiming his crossbow. His foe fired.


    Durran knew he couldn¡¯t dodge, but he could minimize damage. He twisted his body and the bolt struck him right at the top of his left shoulder. It pierced past the armor far easier than it had any right doing, then continued into the ground with a loud rumble. Durran cried out in pain, yet had sense enough to stagger away back into hiding before another shot came. As Durran watched, healing his wound, Dario fumbled his way over to the green golem. He was looking just as tired as Durran felt. The golem picked both him and his bag up, then ran toward the exit with unnatural speed.


    Durran rushed out of cover, heading for the desk while watching for any further attacks. To his joy, Dario had not collected all of the papers that scattered after he¡¯d kneed his bag. He quickly collected them, though did not have the time to survey them all. He gazed at the wound in his left shoulder. Few inches lower¡­ I¡¯d lose an arm. Lower than that, my heart¡¯s a sauce. He looked at his right arm. He was sure he¡¯d broken his shoulder. More than that, his arm was dislocated. He popped it back into ce, hissing in pain.


    With his arm corrected and his wound healed, Durran studied the papers¡ªseven remained, and one of them had been torn in half. They contained dense letterings. Still, it was something that Dario had thought was important enough toe and deal with personally. Movement from the golem array drew his attention back, where the golden guardians still billowed with Dario¡¯s power.


    ¡°Don¡¯t know who you are¡­¡± he spoke to the golems, thinking that whatever controlled them might be able to hear him. ¡°But we¡¯ll unravel whatever it is you¡¯re doing. Look forward to it.¡±


    Durran stowed away the papers then made for the exit, leaving the inferior golems in the dust. He picked up his ive on the way out, then advanced forth cautiously. He had a hell of a lot of exining to do to his allies, he suspected. And if he knew Elenore, she was frantically sending people out to this location. But he¡¯d gotten something. It was time to get it back to the people who might interpret what it was.


    Durran had good senses. And Dario seemed to him to be one of the biggest threats they¡¯d face. He was a man dying for his cause. And every time he¡¯d conjured that power, there had been no hesitation.

 Chapter 498: Race to the Finish

    When Durran returned on wyvernback, bearing seven papers that he gave to Elenore with a casual gesture, she was beset by so many emotions they were uncountable. She wanted to hit something very hard, preferably Dario, and perhaps cry a little while doing so. She didn''t do that, but it took so much effort to restrain that instinct all she could do was stand in shocked silence while Durran sat on a chair in her office.


    "Really don''t know what it is with that guy. He''d rather bleed from his eyes than kill me. Can''t say I''d make the same decision if I was in his shoes." Durran removed his pauldron, which had been partially wrecked by something. ¡°But he did. So I¡¯m alive. If only the rest of the world worked like he does¡­¡±


    Elenore walked up to him with steady steps. The panic she''d felt had been so overwhelming. She had resisted the urge to muster an army to stop Dario only just. Now it ended all like this. She reached out a hand and rested it on his head, gently stroking his hair as the others held the papers she¡¯d received.


    "Dario... he escaped?" Her voice was quiet.


    "He got in undetected. Got out the same way. I had a harder time of things. A little difficult to exin why some of their automatons came to life in my brief little visit. Fortunately for me, his exit did catch some eyes, so I had a decent enough alibi. It was a lot of trouble¡­ but in the end, all worth it." He smiled at her, golden eyes shining in the dark. "Go on. Read the papers."


    Elenore felt that was rather thest thing she cared about at present. But seeing his cat-like eyes proud of the prey that he¡¯d caught made it impossible to say no. She continued to stroke his hair as she lifted them up with one hand and read the first of the documents.


    ¡°This is about Sandbara,¡± Elenore said after a while, looking at Durran intently. She expected him to have already read it all.


    ¡°I would say that we got lucky, but the entirety of the documents seemed to be about the ce,¡± Durran nodded proudly. ¡°Whatever entity is standing behind Dario, I think we can safely say two things. One¡ªit wants us to stop Gerechtigkeit. Two¡ªit wants us to keep the cycle going rather than end it, the key to which lies in Sandbara.¡± He rose to his feet, setting his pauldron down on a nearby table. ¡°We¡¯re close, Elenore. Closer than I ever thought we¡¯d get.¡±


    He started to walk away, but Elenore grabbed his forearm and kept him there. She didn¡¯t want him to leave¡ªnot yet. He¡¯d need to endure a few hours by her side, at the very least. Not for him¡ªfor her. And Durran, ever adroit at understanding the emotions she herself did not grasp, smiled quietly and remained at her side.


    ¡°There¡¯s two other names in that paper,¡± Durran told her after a long time. ¡°Mozzahr¡¯s name. Traugott¡¯s name. They¡¯re listed in the same breath as Argrave. Mozzahr for his independent research¡­ and Traugott for his theft of it. These documents keep track of everything that we¡¯ve been doing. They¡¯re almost¡­ omniscient. He¡¯s somehow been monitoring people that are nearing Sandbara.¡±


    Elenore refocused. ¡°Do you mean to tell me that Dario¡ªor whoever is behind him¡ªconsiders Mozzahr and Traugott legitimate contenders to reach Sandbara?¡±


    ¡°He does indeed,¡± Durran nodded. ¡°I deduced that he was acting alone¡ªat least among mortals. But we can assume that everything we do, even this conversation right now, is being heard by something.¡± He waved his hand around. ¡°Given the fact Dario seemed to know that we were speaking through a connection, and severed it personally, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s exempt either. I suspect that our listener is whatever entity was possessing those golems.¡±


    Elenore gripped his wrist a little tighter. She didn¡¯t know what he was talking about when he mentioned possessing golems, but there seemed to be more important matters of contention. ¡°What are we dealing with? There¡¯s no way Argrave could be ignorant of something so powerful if it was within his purview.¡±


    ¡°Nothing on those papers told me what I needed to know,¡± Durran sighed drearily. ¡°They were just tracking our progress. ¡®Our¡¯ meaning everyone who¡¯s nearing the truth of the cycle. And all of it confirms that our progress has been entirely on the right track.¡±


    #####


    When Argrave heard the news that Durran had risked his life to get, he was even further confused by the new information.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Is Gerechtigkeit only an agent of something greater? Argrave considered the question deeply. It held merit¡ªthey knew that Gerechtigkeit came from another realm entirely, and they knew he returned after dying. If he was something created and sent out for that purpose, it fit splendidly. Still, Argrave didn¡¯t understand how it all might tie together. He needed to see those documents. If he did, perhaps there was some memory locked away in his head that might unlock when given the right stimulus.


    But in the end, another more pressing matter reared its ugly head. They hadpetitors to find Sandbara. Apparently the documents that Durran seized were not exceptionally recent¡ªthey didn¡¯t detail what Traugott or Mozzahr had been doing recently to discover Sandbara. But these two were, at the very least,petitors to reach it. And upon hearing the news that Dario had been researching heat-resistance, he could safely assume that Dario himself was attempting to reach Sandbara, perhaps using golems.


    That meant that they were restricted in terms of time. They desperately needed to earn the assistance of the dwarves in clearing Vysenn of any magma before it erupted¡­ and beyond that, they needed to secure the territory itself. He directed Elenore to monitor Vysenn closely, and perhaps even move in to seize the ce. He¡¯d never be so imperialistic usually, but their tribes had already shown some hostility, and this was a life-or-death matter for the whole world.


    Argrave and hispanions stood in the gardens of Therapont¡¯s estate. This was bing something of a meeting area for them while in Mundi. It was the only ce where the Alchemist might speak without drawing the attention of all. The man didn¡¯t speak, though¡ªhe stood in the background eerily, watching and listening after Argrave exined what Durran had learned.


    ¡°If time is indeed so short, and Dario vies to reach Sandbara before us¡­¡± Anneliese said, half a question and half a statement. When Argrave nodded, she continued. ¡°¡­then we must take some risk. We do not have the luxury of courting the journeymen slowly and in secrecy, perhaps with Mnie¡¯s aid, to pressure the senate into epting our proposal.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re saying we don¡¯t have any options you see,¡± Mnie ground her ck de against the marble, leaving scuffs. Argrave scowled at her, and she got the message not to deface the walkway.


    ¡°No,¡± Anneliese shook her head. ¡°I said we must take some risks. Rather than handling everything on our own, we should entreat an ally in this fight.¡±


    ¡°Anestis? Trifon and Kostis, maybe?¡± Argrave shrugged, then sat down atop one of the railings overlooking a garden plot. ¡°They helped, but I don¡¯t think they¡¯re what we need.¡±


    ¡°Therapont showed that he was willing to listen to reason,¡± Anneliese pointed out, walking up to him as he sat. ¡°We can persuade him once more. We can have another debate.¡±


    Argrave scoffed. ¡°I won the first debate because the facts were on my side. This alliance is a benefit for all parties. And hell¡ªthe alliance part of this hasn¡¯t even been established yet. This time¡­ how can I possibly make him see things our way? This project to purge Vysenn of magma is predicated on two things¡ªthe Alchemist¡¯s word, and my knowledge that the sucker¡¯s going to erupt. They agreed to help us stop Gerechtigkeit. They didn¡¯t agree to trust my word as gospel.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you use the excuse that Gerechtigkeit was nning to use magma to his own ends?¡± Mnie pointed out prudently. ¡°I think that issue was muddled because you thought it was a lie¡­ but hasn¡¯t it be true?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Argrave paused, struggling. ¡°I said this event would affect them. But it doesn¡¯t¡ªVysenn¡¯s eruption only affects Berendar. Ash clouds will block out the sun, causing mass famine and lowering the temperature by several degrees for the whole continent. That is real. What I said to the dwarves was just a white lie, some non-existent issue to force the proposal to pass. But Therapont didn¡¯t rally around that¡ªhe rallied around themon-sense idea that the dwarves would be best served preventing Gerechtigkeit from winning, as they might suffer the consequences if we failed.¡±


    ¡°But now you¡¯ve found the truth,¡± Anneliese reminded him. ¡°And Therapont is someone willing to listen to reason. If you resurface old issues, blending them with what we have learned now, he might be swayed. And if he is swayed, he might join our n to use the political discontent in the southern section to pressure the senate into enacting change. And unlike us, he can actually seed in this. He knows these politics.¡± She kneeled down before him. ¡°Argrave, our n is hopeless without using insiders. Even as weing as these people are, we areplete strangers.¡±


    ¡°So, another debate with the old man,¡± Argrave summarized, crossing his arms. ¡°And one where the facts aren¡¯t on my side this time.¡±


    ¡°A debate with me on your side,¡± Anneliese reminded him, touching his knee. ¡°If you think I might help.¡±


    ¡°Of course you¡¯ll help,¡± Argrave nodded at once, taking her hand with his own. ¡°Well¡­ hell. If you think we should put our cards on the table, then I¡¯ll do it. We need to get to Sandbara. I¡¯ll send word to Therapont. I¡¯ll ask him to clear a few hours from his schedule for a conversation.¡±


    #####


    The old dwarf Therapont stepped out from behind his desk, stroking his gray beard. ¡°So, Gerechtigkeit¡¯s malignance in the magma¡­ rather than something that¡¯s near Mundi, where we might build our own technology in our ownnds¡­ you¡¯re seeking to build a pumping station atop a volcano on the surface known as Vysenn?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°And frankly, I don¡¯t think I can even broach such an idea before the senate without being torn to shreds. So I came to you.¡±


    Therapont walked in front of his desk, leaning up against it and facing Anneliese and Argrave, who both sat before him. ¡°Why might it be torn to shreds? Could it be because you¡¯re asking some of our best artisans to abandon Mundi, heading to the surface in the heart of your power? Not to mention how that would deprive us ofbor, it would also directly expose our most precious technology to the very heart of your observation. There are so many issues with this I don¡¯t even know where to begin.¡±


    ¡°We came to discuss that,¡± Anneliese reminded him.


    ¡°And we will,¡± Therapont agreed. ¡°But as it stands, this request sounds like something the conqueror I painted you as might make. And I¡¯m wondering about the viability of the whole alliance, if that truly is the case.¡± He looked between the two of them. ¡°So, let¡¯s talk. Persuade me.¡±

 Chapter 499: Risk, Return

    ¡°To begin, we would obviously make whatever concessions necessary to ensure the safety and well-being of your artificers,¡± Argrave assured Therapont. ¡°If they want no one on the site, they¡¯ll get no one on the site. If they want to keep thend after the pump station is built, they can keep it.¡±


    Therapont crossed his arms. ¡°My opposition thus far was predicated on the idea that you already would institute these things.¡±


    Argrave swallowed and smiled. ¡°Then your predication was correct. I¡¯m going to be blunt with you, Therapont. Both our nations have some degree of leverage over the other.¡± He leaned forth on the chair. ¡°I very desperately need to have this pumping station built. If I don¡¯t, ash will blot out the suns, famine will wreak thend, and we¡¯ll endure the harshest winter imaginable. But you need spirits for dwarven metal¡ªspirits that we have in abundance.¡±


    ¡°Yet you aren¡¯t our only avenue to reach the surface.¡± Therapont uncrossed his arms, then jumped up to sit on the front of his desk.


    ¡°Yet our established rtionship will make us the only easy ess to spirits.¡± Anneliese held out her hand calmly. ¡°We intimately understand your needs. Elsewhere, different nations will be dealing with tremendous turmoil as the cycle of judgmentes to a head. Even supposing they have our capability, will they maintain the same level of cooperation? And even if they would cooperate, what will they expect in return? Something equally as grand, no doubt.¡±


    Therapont ran his hand across his beard. ¡°If you know of this eruption, there are other ways to prevent it. You could rummage together any number of patchwork solutions. You have an abundance of magic-wielders andborers at your disposal, and seem to have talent enough to muster an unorthodox method. Yet you insist on employing secret dwarven technology.¡± He looked between the two of them. ¡°Can you see why this draws my concern? It seems unnecessary for you to surrender your leverage for this project before you attempt to solve it yourself. That is why I sense something remains unsaid.¡±


    That Therapont was sharp enough to grasp this fact unsettled Argrave. He was hesitant to bring up their true goal¡ªending the cycle of judgment permanently. He thought they would think him a lunatic. It was an insane proposition as a mortal to step forth and dere that he would be the one to do what no one else had.


    But then¡­ he had connections, didn¡¯t he?


    ¡°It¡¯s because I¡¯m not asking as the King of Vasquer. I¡¯m asking as a member of the ckgard Union, a coalition of divine and mortal forces,¡± he said. ¡°To tell you honestly, we believe that Gerechtigkeit has something stored down in the magma beneath Vysenn of vital importance.¡±


    Therapont stared for a few moments, thenughed. ¡°A relic of the ancient cmity? Even if that is true, why would my people aid you in acquiring such an evil, foul thing? All of what Gerechtigkeit is, what he does, manifests solely as destruction and death. You would ask my people to aid in you finding such a thing? Do your people not have tales of mortals overstepping their boundaries, damning them and all their allies to misery?¡±


    Argrave hesitated for a moment. If he used his authority as a member of the ckgard Union and requested the deities vouch for his n, he would need to involve the gods in their quest to end the cycle of judgment. That harkened back to what Dario said. Dario wasn¡¯t solely worried about Argrave finding the truth about Gerechtigkeit¡ªhe was worried about those like the Alchemist finding it. If Argrave involved the gods, could he trust them not to exploit whatever it was they found in Sandbara? It was a question nuanced enough to make Argrave¡¯s head cave in.


    ¡°We¡¯ve been searching for the key to what keeps him alive,¡± Argrave said, remaining on the subject while not calling upon their godly allies. ¡°And we believe we can find it down there. Ending all of this¡ªthe tyranny of the divine every millennium, the wide-spread destruction¡ªis that not something worth fighting for? Does that not open your people to move beyond Mundi, to spread your roots to the whole world?¡±


    ¡°Lunacy,¡± Therapont shook his head. ¡°Conjecture and lunacy.¡±


    ¡°This is no conjecture,¡± Anneliese shook her head. ¡°I could take you through all of what we have learned. Every step taken, every word exchanged, can prove it all to be a true lead.¡±


    Therapont stared at her. ¡°Perhaps I misspoke. I don¡¯t doubt that you believe what you say. When two people disagree, it¡¯s not often because one is unreasonable and the other reasonable. It¡¯s because both sides of the argument have merit and strong, logical points supporting them. I know Argrave has a sharp mind, and given the deference he shows to your opinion, miss Anneliese, there must be something of that edge in you.¡± He stopping sitting on the desk, and walked behind it once more until he sat at his chair. ¡°There is doubtlesspelling work behind this path you¡¯ve taken. But it¡¯s a needless risk to many hundreds of people, and I see no need to tolerate it.¡±


    Argrave kept a steady gaze, but leaned back in the too-small chair as though rxing. ¡°I do find that people tend to be more risk-averse as they get older. I¡¯m almost a little sad to see it¡¯s afflicting you, too.¡±


    Therapont looked as though it was a strange suggestion. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be me who¡¯d have to deal with the consequences. It¡¯s the generations after me. Should you turn on us, seize our technology, enve our artificers, that would have disastrous consequences for future generations, not me. At worst I¡¯d be disgraced vouching for you.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Argrave leaned back in, cing one hand on the desk. ¡°But right now, you have overqualified journeymen squatting in an abandoned district because they want change, Therapont. The younger generation is not happy with the current state of affairs. And you have the opportunity to give them what they want.¡±


    Therapont raised his hand, looking miffed. ¡°Don¡¯t act as though you have a grasp over dwarven politics after a day or two traipsing about the city.¡±


    Despite his words, Argrave looked to Anneliese. She gave him a nod, indicating that he should continue, and Argrave focused back on Therapont. ¡°But you know I¡¯m right, don¡¯t you? People have been maintaining Alexander¡¯s status quo for many millennia, Therapont. They¡¯ve abided by his words like he was a deity, even as time has proven that changes need to be made. You can be the driving force behind true change in the senate. You can fix the antiquated system of the guilds, and provide us with able talent in one fell swoop.¡±


    ¡°Do you think that because they¡¯re journeymen, they¡¯d be less valuable were they lost?¡± Therapont questioned drolly. ¡°I think you rather missed my point.¡±


    ¡°And do you think that if we only epted volunteers, we¡¯d return to the surface without anyone to help? I guarantee the dwarves will be willing.¡± Argrave tapped the desk. ¡°You have thousands of professionals held back by the old system of guilds. Do you think that, if I exined things clearly, offered to pay and support them, we wouldn¡¯t have people lining up to help us? Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s your duty to at least give them that opportunity?¡±


    ¡°They might not understand the risks to safety as well as we senators do,¡± Therapont dismissed with a shake of his head.


    ¡°I think that you¡¯re very wrong,¡± Argrave disagreed. ¡°Your people are very unified¡ªyou¡¯re right. They know the dangers of everything beyond Mundi, and they understand full well how the magma moat protects them. The journeymen would understand more than most. But even now, you have people choosing to live outside it, despite the risks, because they hope for change.¡± Argrave tapped his chest. ¡°Do you think I can¡¯t recognize a desire for change when I see it, being who I am, having done what I¡¯ve done? It¡¯s all people are talking about. From my dwarven guards, all the way down to you yourself.¡±


    Therapont did hesitate for a few moments. ¡°So, you¡¯d want¡­ journeyman volunteers? Not true masters?¡±


    ¡°Yes. That¡¯s all I dare ask for. Exin to them the risks, and I¡¯ll pitch to them the idea,¡± Argrave exined with a low voice. ¡°But facilitate true change, and you could harness the zeitgeist of your people for progress both within Mundi and without it. You would be remembered.¡±


    ¡°Remembered as the one responsible for leaking dwarven secrets to the surface?¡±


    Anneliese nodded. ¡°That is the risk. But Argrave and I came here, with little escort, because we believe strongly in these ideas. Our risk was not only our lives, but that our nations be left without a leader. We took on that risk with open eyes. Can that be returned?¡±


    Therapont reached into his desk drawer, then pulled out a small notebook. He flipped it open, grasped the page, then tore it out. He crumpled it up into his hand and threw it off to the side of the room. ¡°It¡¯s not me you have to convince alone, you realize. It¡¯s the entire senate. And all will think as I do.¡±


    Argrave studied the tossed paper. ¡°What was that?¡±


    ¡°My ns for the day,¡± Therapont said. ¡°I¡¯ve cancelled them. You will, too, if you want my help. Let it not be said I don¡¯t do my background work. This lead of yours¡ªif you want my help, then you must exin exactly how you connected it to Gerechtigkeit. And then, gods forbid it¡¯s convincing, we take it before the senate¡­ and argue like our lives depend on it.¡±


    Argrave smiled broadly. ¡°Therapont¡ªI think you¡¯re going to learn precisely how empowering it is to have all the people at your back.¡±

 Chapter 500: The Dreamer

    When Dario dreamed, he could see anything that hade to pass.


    Dreams were fleeting things, but many months ago, his gained true meaning. He had a dream of shifting rock and copsing supports when he still lived in themune, and when he brought a crew to inspect the area, all that he saw in that dream was true. Poor fortune caused it to copse, and from that day on Dario suspected that something about him had changed. He was proven right, as whatever bestowed these dreams upon him taught him the rules of power and of the past.


    He learned countless things in his dreams. He learned the truth of the ancient cmity written of in myth, of Sandbara and its pivotal importance to this world. He learned of Argrave, of Traugott, and of Mozzahr. He learned what the three of them were careening towards, and what it meant. Argrave¡¯s drive was that of self-serving goodwill, Traugott¡¯s was that of curious chaos, and Mozzahr¡¯s was that of unceasing ambition. But all three of them could shift this world on its head and ruin the bnce brought by the cycle of judgment, each in their own way. And to stop that, his dreams had taught him how to utilize the power that was killing him.


    He did not know what was giving him these dreams, nor these powers that he harnessed, but there was an intelligent design behind each of them. He called the mysterious silent entity the dream-giver. Countless experiences told him that all of these visions were true and honest. He saw the truth that Sandbara led to. It was not something that any, be they mortal or god, should ever have the opportunity to interfere with. Few others before hade this close, and dreamers like Dario had ended their journeys.


    That these visions came in dreams meant they quickly faded from the mind. It had been for that reason that he¡¯d taken to writing them down to better remember what lessons he learned as he slept. Yet now, the one known as Durran had managed to get his hands on some of his dream journals, revealing that Argrave¡¯s group was on the right path. And he saw the consequences of that night after night when the dreams came.


    Dario dreamt of Argrave, Anneliese, and Therapont standing before the senate, pressing for the rights of the journeymen and the request for a pumping station directly above Sandbara. He saw their machinations in full effect¡ªcoercing the masters by threatening their business, weaving grandiloquent speeches to awe the senate and the people, and holding rallies for the dwarven people to make the senators believe their spot in the senate might be in jeopardy if they opposed this motion.


    Dario dreamt of Elenore subtly encroaching on the people upying the volcano named Vysenn, taking steady steps toward the infernal entrance to Sandbara. She, Durran, and Gmon prepared to use military might and forceful diplomacy to disce the baster-skinned tribals upying thend. In weeks, they positioned themselves to wee Vysenn as another addition to their kingdom. All they needed was the king¡¯s word, and the tribes of Vysenn would be nothing more than a memory.


    They came closer every day. But they were not the only bound for Sandbara.


    Traugott, wielder of the shadows, came ever closer to mastering the portal to the godless Shadonds. He transformed much of his body and mind, attuning more closely with the tenebrous ne from which the Shadonders came. Traugott could walk in thatnd without suffering attacks, now. And though Dario was not granted ess to his thoughts, he could tell that the former Magister nned to reach Sandbara.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Mozzahr, meanwhile, had long ago returned to the dreary underground. He navigated far more adroitly than Dario had hoped, bridging the gap between one continent and another using the works of ancestors past. Even with his cult disbanded, the man would not relent on his path to usurp Gerechtigkeit. Dario knew that, if he did reach Sandbara, the true oue might be worse.


    Because of these three and their unrelenting push toward Sandbara, Dario¡¯s hand was forced. By night he dreamed, but by day he built his forces. He built uncountable golems in a hiddenmune beneath the earth. His works were peer to the prided Iron Giants of his people in strength, yet smaller, faster, and capable of enduring even the magma of the¡¯s core. To power them, he called upon the ancient energy pervading his body. The dream-giver possessed these golems, then aided him in building more and more. He destroyed his own body to give birth to theirs.


    When the time came, Dario would stop them all¡ªTraugott and his Shadonders, Argrave and his kingdom, and Mozzahr and his Emptiness. If he were to die doing so, he would be but another dreamer who had given his life to preserve the vital bnce of the world. And at the very least, he had to be sure that neither Traugott nor Mozzahr could win. With Argrave, he might see reason once he arrived at the final juncture. With those two¡­ there would surely be only madness.


    Yet then, the dreams showed that Argrave faced the most opposition. The Great Chu prepared its imperial navy for a voyage to Berendar. Chu vessels outnumbered the Veidimen allies they¡¯d enlisted four-to-one. And they had the gods of the Qircassian Coalition at their back, with Erlebnis¡¯ knowledge aiding their advance. The wildcard that was Sataistador stood poised to even the tide in Argrave¡¯s favor, yet he could not be trusted to stay faithful.


    It was self-evident that this scenario, just as Vysenn, was a turbulent volcano nearing the point to erupt. And like this, the weeks passed ever onward¡­


    #####


    Argrave received a pen. Most of the pens in Vasquer used a simple fire enchantment to lightly mark paper, yet he felt some nostalgia as he noticed that this one used ink. He lowered it down and wrote his name on the document presented, then handed the pen to Anneliese. She also wrote her name.


    Alexius, the Head of Senate, took the paper off the table in front of them. ¡°With this, the alliance between our two nations is sealed.¡±


    The sudden noise of cheers in the gallery above the senate surprised Argrave¡ªthey had been deathly silent during all other proceedings. Guards took metal hammers and banged them against gongs, shouting, ¡°Order in the senate!¡± As the crowd calmed itself¡ªor rather, was forcibly calmed by the guards¡ªArgrave reflected.


    With Argrave and Anneliese¡¯s guidance, Therapont had easily harnessed the will of the people to pressure unwilling senators into supporting this expedition to Vysenn. Appealing to the people instead of the senate hade quite naturally to him. They had organized the journeymen as what was effectively a mendicant order. When they heard what Argrave was suggesting, they wandered Mundi spreading the good word of King Argrave and his designs to revamp the system of masters and journeymen.


    By pairing the alliance with the proposed changes to the system of the crafter¡¯s guilds, it had been much easier to get the proposal passed. It was a crafty thing, tying the two separate legitions together, and one that Argrave had suggested. One was so vitally important that the questionability of the other could be ignored. It was amon yet scummy tactic that had, thus far, avoided gracing the senate hall. Argrave was d to have changed that. As for how they¡¯d managed to tie the two together¡­


    ¡°You have the approval to collect volunteers for your project in Vysenn,¡± Alexius continued when the crowd had calmed, continuing on as though his train of thought hadn¡¯t even been broken. ¡°Henceforth, any journeyman that undergoes a volunteer program organized by the senate and monitored by masters will have the right to advance to that exalted rank. Your project, Argrave, will be the first of these volunteer programs.¡±


    Though the masters of the crafter¡¯s guild retained the right to private enterprise, the senate offered an alternate path to mastership¡ªvolunteering for public works projects. It cheapened the senate¡¯sbor costs greatly, gave the journeymen a way out of the pit they found themselves in, and gave the masters some authority as supervisors of the projects. Argrave was, and would remain, ignorant of the finer details. Still, he felt this was a great oue for all. Mostly him, of course.


    But their alliance was forged. And Sandbara grew closer.


    #####


    With the alliance settled after a process that was far too long, senate was dismissed, and Argrave and Anneliese prepared to return to Vasquer. Therapont was already handling gathering volunteers, and so their sole duty became leaving and preparing Vysenn for this pumping station. As they walked back to Therapont¡¯s estate, they chatted with victory in their minds.


    ¡°We still have to handle the tribes and their tephramancers,¡± Argrave reminded Anneliese. ¡°But¡­ we¡¯ve done it. We¡¯ve earned the support of the dwarves.¡±


    ¡°Would it be strange of me to admit I found this very fun?¡± Anneliese asked. ¡°You and I, cooperating in this manner not as king and queen but as mere debaters among debaters¡­ it was a wee reprieve from the things of immense gravity we deal with regrly.¡±


    Argrave shook his head. ¡°I thought the same. Might even be considered a vacation, if not for the terrible beds, short doors, and constant gawkers.¡±


    ¡°I think I can say you¡¯re both just strange,¡± Mnie told them casually, walking just behind.


    ¡°True,¡± Argrave nodded with a wry smile. ¡°Seems to have worked out well for me. And maybe in the long run, we can make an atmosphere like this. Right?¡±


    ¡°The very long run, perhaps,¡± Anneliese agreed.


    Some silence set over them as they walked through the city. Few dwarves were out¡ªmost were sleeping.


    ¡°Something¡¯s been bothering me,¡± Mnie admitted. ¡°But¡­ no, forget it.¡±


    Both Argrave and Anneliese slowed until they stood beside her. Argrave said drolly, ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re allowed to stop there.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not important,¡± Mnie shook her head. ¡°Nothing to do with the task at hand. Just my thoughts, my problems.¡±


    ¡°Now you have to say,¡± Argrave pressed. ¡°Is this why you were acting all weird? Asking questions about Elenore, about family? I¡¯m not as sharp as Anne, but I pick up on things.¡±


    Mnie sighed. ¡°Yeah, I suppose so. Gods¡­ at least promise to keep this quiet.¡±


    ¡°Certainly,¡± Anneliese promised at once, and Argrave nodded.


    Though embarrassed, Mnie put on a brave face and spoke her mind. ¡°From what I see, you two¡ªno, all of you¡ªyou know what you want. You¡¯ve got a n. I do, too, and I can focus on it. We stop Gerechtigkeit.¡± She hefted the ck de leaning against her shoulder, looking uneasy. ¡°But what the hell do I do after? Why the hell am I doing all of this? I¡¯m a countess, whatever that means. I¡¯ve stockpiled more money than I can spend. Now¡­ I¡¯m struggling to see a good reason to have it. No family. I got friends, or so you two tell me, but all you people don¡¯t seem like someone that would want my money.¡± She shook her head. ¡°Ah, forget it. Just ignore me. Shouldn¡¯t be thinking of tripe like that during times like this.¡±


    ¡°Nah, don¡¯t say that,¡± Argrave disagreed. ¡°But even still¡­ these aren¡¯t things either of us can really direct you toward. Fulfillment¡ªyou won¡¯t know what it is before you trip over it.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps that search for reason is what your reason can be,¡± Anneliese posited. ¡°But yes, to Argrave¡¯s point¡­ you stumble into purpose, I think.¡±


    ¡°I see someone like Dario,¡± Mnie continued,psing into her true thoughts now that she feltfortable. ¡°Killing himself for a cause. What the hell is that all about? What¡¯s going through that sucker¡¯s head? Is it either settling down, or martyring myself? I don¡¯t know. I see bits and pieces of other lives that appeal, but nothing that really fits me.¡± She sighed once again. ¡°What¡¯s the point of anything if you don¡¯t live to see the results?¡±


    ¡°I suppose you¡¯ll have to ask him,¡± Argrave said. ¡°Because the way things are going, we¡¯re sure to see Dario at Vysenn. In one way or another.¡±

 Chapter 501: Imperial Bearing

    Argrave looked out across the verdant hills just beyond the hills of the Vysenn. It had been some time since he¡¯d seen this ce. He had passed through this area after returning from his ¡®diplomatic mission¡¯ to the northern part of Vasquer. Back then, he¡¯d been forced to do battle with the people taking residence there because one of their many tribes had invaded at the behest of Georgina.


    Now, Argrave looked down at the brte woman who¡¯d caused all of that trouble. She was chained to a metal stake just before him. Initially he thought that she had done her duties in service of King Felipe, but in truth, she likely hoped to bring his deceased father to Mozzahr, Casten of the Empty. After their sessful subjugation of the cult, Georgina been captured and put under Elenore¡¯s¡­ ¡®care.¡¯ She only dodged execution by virtue of being a protagonist of Heroes of Berendar. More specifically, she dodged execution for a day like this one, where she could be useful.


    Now, that ¡®protagonist¡¯ wore a drab bup robe no more morous than what a beggar might wear, and judging by her gaunt face seemed to have suffered some malnourishment in the dungeon. She had always been a ssic beauty, yet time under duress had muted that a great deal. Her hands were chained behind her back, and her palms had been nailed together to prevent her from casting magic.


    Argrave knelt down before her and looked back to Anneliese. She gave a him a nod, indicating she was watching and judging all of Georgina¡¯s answers. Argrave looked back at her. She had been very quiet since he¡¯d arrived.


    ¡°My sister tells me that you im to still have some ties to the people in Vysenn,¡± Argrave began without cordiality. Her actions had caused much death, and he had no desire to be gentle with her. ¡°But the tribe that you sent out to attack us was killed, almost to thest. And I¡¯m questioning her insight because of that. Now¡ªand answer honestly, or this will be thest time that you can see grass¡ªcan you talk to some people within Vysenn? Does your word have enough weight to convince them to migrate?¡±


    Georgina bit at her lips. Judging from the blood and the scarring on them, this wasn¡¯t a new thing. When she first opened her mouth to speak, empty air came out as her voice failed her. She swallowed to get it back and then managed hoarsely, ¡°Maybe.¡±


    Argrave stood and repeated disdainfully, ¡°Maybe. That¡¯s your answer?¡±


    Despite freedom dangling before her eyes and the pain undoubtedly wracking her stabbed hands, Georgina maintained her calm and chose her words carefully. It was both somewhat admirable and worrying, by Argrave¡¯s estimation.


    ¡°While it¡¯s true that the tribe I associated strongest with was wiped out, I had others that I maintained ties with. Reserves. I couldn¡¯t move freely through theirnds without other ties in other tribes. But it¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve been here. I can¡¯t say how dependable time will have been on those friendships. So, the best I can say is maybe.¡±


    It was a reasonable thing to say, and something that Argrave had been thinking himself. If the Alchemist inside the Ravenstone around Argrave¡¯s neck wasn¡¯t pressuring him to act quickly, he might¡¯ve never considered Georgina as an option. But the dwarven volunteers would being quickly, and they would need to prepare Vysenn for use before then.


    ¡°Why did you betray your country for the Ebon Cult?¡± Argrave asked.


    She looked up at him with her soft brown eyes, yet there was still some fire within them. ¡°Because my country was torn apart by a civil war with no good oue, and judgment wasing.¡± She stewed on her words, then amended, ¡°At least, I thought there would be no good oue. Mozzahr and his cult were many things, but fractured they were not. Between destroying all or surrendering my homnd to a despot, I thought thetter was better.¡±


    Argrave crossed his arms. ¡°You certainly came up with that quick.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve had months staring at iron bars as time to reflect.¡±


    Argrave sighed. He felt brutality was somewhat warranted on a war criminal, but he still didn¡¯t truly have the heart for it. He paced around the grasnds, ncing at Anneliese to see if she had any input. When she offered none, Argrave came to kneel beside Georgina once more.


    ¡°You can earn your freedom if you perform well in this task,¡± Argrave told her. ¡°We need the tribes of Vysenn to vacate their holy temple for some months. No interference, no protests¡ªnothing. We intend to leave them be once we¡¯re done with the area. You¡¯re to be part of the diplomatic party heading into there. It includes the former chieftain of one of their tribes. They¡¯re part of the refugee group.¡±


    Even hearing the potential of freedom, he could see Georgina¡¯s gaunt face gain some of its vigor back. She nodded. ¡°I won¡¯t let you down, Your Majesty. I have nothing to return to, no cause to fight for¡ªI just want freedom,¡± she said, adding those unnecessary details as some kind of assurance.


    Argrave didn¡¯t reply to her words directly. He reached into his coat¡¯s pocket and pulled free a slender shard that looked like obsidian. ¡°This is Ebonice. It hampers magic up to B-rank¡ªin other words, it¡¯ll render you magically impotent. I can¡¯t very well have you appear before the tribes chained, with nails through your palms. But you will stab this into yourself, hiding itpletely. Then, one of our mages will heal the wound closed.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± she stared at the ck shard, searching for any way out of this. When she looked up at Argrave, he kept his gaze as cold as the grave. He couldn¡¯t allow to think there was any hope. She seemed to get the message, for she nodded quietly. ¡°Alright.¡±


    Argrave walked around to her chains. He put the key into her cuffs and freed her from the shackles, then grabbed her hands, pulling the iron nails out one by one. When it was done, she stared at her hands for a while before healing herself. Argrave handed her the shard.


    ¡°Someone should watch you do it, just to be safe,¡± Argrave said gruffly. ¡°If you can¡¯t, someone else can.¡±


    He walked back to Anneliese, and she joined them in heading back to the rest of the party as Veidimen royal guards took up the rest of the process. In the distance, a group of bone-white tribals wore clothing Vasquer and chatted in a small party. They centered around one man in particr¡ªa tribal chieftain once known as the Snowrock. Now, he was just Snowrock, former chieftain and citizen of Vasquer. ording to Elenore, most of them had joined the army to provide for their families, and consequently they lived a decent life in ckgard.


    But now, he needed them for this diplomatic mission. He was d they¡¯d integrated with his city, but he hoped their ties to their people remained strong. He and Anneliese walked past them, heading for a tent in the back built in Veidimen style. Argrave pushed the p aside, and they entered.


    Rowe the Righteous, S-rank mage of Veiden, sat on a stool reading. He looked up when they entered.


    ¡°Have you got what you needed from my student?¡± He focused his white eyes on Argrave. ¡°Bing S-rank takes time. She needs to learn. That is what you want, no?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s partly yours,¡± Argrave nodded, walking in. ¡°Are you up for the task of teaching a genius?¡±


    Rowe did not scoff, nor leer, nor even grow indignant, surprising Argrave. ¡°I¡¯ve been preparing her lessons for some time. She will be the future of the Veidimen. I suspect you¡¯ll be well pleased, Argrave.¡±


    Argrave looked at Anneliese with a pleased smile, and even she herself looked surprised. He gave her a quick hug, a quiet ¡®good luck,¡¯ and then left her there. She would be receiving daily lessons from Rowe the Righteous henceforth, pushing her toward S-rank. Ande tomorrow, they would attempt to peacefully disce the tribes of Vysenn.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    #####


    Emperor Ji Meng sat in his private quarters, where a sumptuous banquety untouched next to a cup of liquor unemptied. He was not fond of leaving meals behind like this. He had risen from the squalor of the fields to the grandeur of emperor, and so knew well what it was to starve. But these days, no food held any taste for him. None of the silks, jewels, or gold in his chamber distracted him. No art pleased him. But then, this was his own cause. He had started this invasion, yet remained here to see none of it.


    He heard footsteps outside the door long before it was opened. He straightened his slouching back and ensured his purple python robe was suitably dignified, prominently disying the dragons sewn onto the sleeves. Through the translucent sheets on the sliding door, Ji Meng saw a figure kneel just beyond. He could tell it was a eunuch, and when the door slid aside, that was confirmed. Eunuchs of the pce wore orange robes, unadorned. He recognized Eunuch Hao¡ªthough not a senior eunuch, he was prominent in the faction.


    ¡°This servant pleads entry, bringing tribute from thends beyond the southern ocean,¡± Eunuch Hao said in his soft voice.


    ¡°We permit it,¡± the emperor answered.


    Eunuch Hao rose and walked forward with his head bowed politely. None save his concubines could look him in the eye, by tradition. The emperor stared with some distaste as the eunuch neared. The man looked subtly different¡ªfatter, perhaps. He didn¡¯t like their kind. ¡®Men without ambition,¡¯ eunuchs were called, yet the past year as their power in the pce waxed, that was disproven. And this one, Eunuch Hao, underwent castration willingly to enter the pce. He came from a prominent family in the Chu, so he could not be entirely disregarded.


    Eunuch Hao kowtowed, then held up a bone-white dagger. ¡°This servant offers a dagger of divine origin, taken from one of the Imperial Navy¡¯s raids of a local castle.¡±


    Ji Meng reached out and took the de. At once, he felt its familiar power course through him. It was a divine artifact, yet he had never seen its like in the imperial treasury.


    ¡°We have received your tribute,¡± Ji Ming said, cing the dagger on the table. ¡°And our word is without question. We promised to begin the invasion once proof of value was shown. It is time for our decree to reach Admiral Tan Shu. Command her navy to begin the invasion.¡±


    Eunuch Hao tapped his head on the ground. ¡°This servant offers limitless thanks at being allowed to carry the imperialmand.¡±


    Emperor Ji Meng studied Eunuch Hao as he continued to kowtow. The man was not normally so quick with things. Flourishes of word, of ceremony¡­ he seemed to revel in both of them. Then, something caught the emperor¡¯s eye when the eunuch dared a nce at his face.


    ¡°Eunuch Hao¡¯s eyes¡­ they¡¯re blue.¡±


    The eunuch froze. ¡°This servant humbly confirms.¡±


    ¡°Of the tens of thousands of people in this pce, we have seen that color only once before,¡± said the emperor. ¡°One of our consorts possesses it. And she was tribute from barbards, where the Chu do not reside.¡±


    ¡°This lowly servant dares notpare himself to one of the great consorts,¡± Eunuch Hao said, kowtowing once more. ¡°Should it be asked, this servant would bequeath his eyes upon the divine seat dly. Surely the imperial power of the Chu could find a better use for them than this servant ever dares aspire to.¡±


    Emperor Ji Meng felt some of the old grandiloquent Eunuch Hao return, and turned back to his meal annoyed. ¡°Leave us. We have given our decree. Deliver it.¡±


    Yet even as Eunuch Hao left, Ji Meng¡¯s mind remained on the eyes that they had seen. Blue-green eyes¡­ and almost rippling, moving. Was Eunuch Hao born of a barbarian woman? Had he missed such a detail about that man, or was there something else? He studied the divine dagger that the eunuch had brought as tribute to begin the invasion of the southernnd.


    Even on the battlefield, his meals had gone down easier. Perhaps it was time for him to return to it after thirty years¡­ after all, anynd where this dagger wasmonce could not be so simple. But would the imperial court allow him to lead an army?


    Allow me? Ji Meng reflected. I am emperor.

 Chapter 502: Imperial Will and Whimsy

    Argrave had prepared many contingencies for engaging with the tribes of Vysenn. He¡¯d been spending time in the dwarven nation, where the threat of force was about as substantial as cotton candy. But he seemed to have forgotten the fact that on the surface in Berendar, he held many big sticks, and with a few artful applications of soft words to the people that Georgina and Snowrock introduced him to, the tribes ¡®agreed¡¯ to leave. The alternative, in their mind, was a very brutal invasion that Argrave had already amply proven he could carry out. If only they knew how big of a softie he was¡­


    With the bulk of the tribes temporarily treated to Vasquer hospitality, he and the Alchemist entered into the holy temple of the tribes of Vysenn and their tephramancers. The Alchemist carried his staff of obsidian and walked forth with a vigor rather unlike his emotionless self. The hallway of ck basalt grew hotter as they advanced to the pit in which magma bubbled miles below. The intense heat was a recent phenomenon by some ounts. It was a sign their time to act on the knowledge they¡¯d gained was nearing its end.


    Once inside, Argrave looked in the circr pit in the center of the room. He was probably looking for the same thing that the Alchemist was¡ªevidence of Sandbara. Could this be the same pit that Sataistador, god of war, had imed was within Sandbara, or was this some new urrence of Gerechtigkeit¡¯s design to obscure details about the ce? It didn¡¯t look manmade, and decades of upation by the tribes surely meant that no evidence of other civilization might exist. But by all ounts, this was where they needed to go.


    ¡°I will reestablish my abode here,¡± dered the Alchemist, jamming his staff into the ground. ¡°And meanwhile, clear some area for the dwarves to begin their work.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Excellent. This ce is going to be my base for some time, too, but I hope you can forgive me if I don¡¯t want to spend my time in here.¡±


    ¡°The envoys of gods wish to meet you,¡± the Alchemist noted. ¡°They were dyed by our foray into the dwarven nation, but now their patience nears its limits. You should not meet them here. We cannot allow them any hint of what we hope to achieve, lest they attach themselves like parasites.¡±


    ¡°A fair point,¡± Argrave conceded. ¡°Well¡­ good luck. If you find something, speak to Gmon if I¡¯m absent. He¡¯ll be hanging out near here, keeping an eye on everything.¡±


    The Alchemist said nothing more, and Argrave departed as he began to work his staff into a home.


    After passing through the long hallway leading to the volcanic temple, Gmon stood waiting at the entrance. He removed his helmet, letting his white hair flow as he walked up to Argrave to report. He dipped his head and said, ¡°I have two thousand men keeping an eye on the tribes of Vysenn, Your Majesty. They¡¯re sticking to the designated area and causing no problems. If they do cause problems¡­¡± he asked an unspoken question.


    ¡°Don¡¯t turn it into a massacre. We have the weapons of the divine, now¡ªthere¡¯s no reason we can¡¯t subdue them.¡± He tapped Gmon¡¯s pauldron. ¡°Elenore¡¯s going to treat them very well while we do some¡­ some home renovations for them. Apparently, they performed very admirably in the army. She¡¯d like some more of them toe to our kingdom.¡±


    ¡°As would I,¡± agreed Gmon. ¡°Then, I have nothing else, Your Majesty.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Argrave patted him on the shoulder and said a word of thanks, then departed deeper into the volcanic valley. He pulled free an old tool he hadn¡¯t used in some time¡ªa white Humorless Mask, producing clean air for him to breathe through this volcanic gas leaking everywhere. After a long and solitary trek through familiar territory, he arrived back out into a verdant valley just as the edge of the volcano. His sister stood there, staring out across the horizon with a retinue of Veidimen royal guards.


    Argrave joined her, removing the air-filtering mask. She seemed serene, so he didn¡¯t interrupt her.


    ¡°Last I was here¡­¡± she began, yet paused for a long while. ¡°I got my sight back.¡±


    ¡°Andst I was here, I wasn¡¯t king,¡± Argrave reminisced with her.


    ¡°You were coronated. You just hadn¡¯t taken Dirracha,¡± she said to remind him, then shook her head as though to dispel the memories. ¡°So¡­ Sandbara. Do you think this ce is to be the key to Gerechtigkeit?¡±


    ¡°I certainly hope it will be,¡± Argrave stretched and yawned. ¡°But something tells me things won¡¯t be that simple. Elsewise, this problem of ours would¡¯ve been solved long ago by people smarter and stronger than I am.¡±


    ¡°And yet Gerechtigkeit expends so much effort to conceal this ce,¡± Elenore pointed out. ¡°For Durran¡¯s sake¡ªno, that¡¯s not honest. For both our sakes, I hope the secret is here, and he can be freed of that contract to the Alchemist. That¡­ that being frightens me, doubly so when I know he has Durran in his snare.¡±


    Argrave touched the Ravenstone at his neck, now empty. ¡°He gave me the key to his existence. Let¡¯s not forget that little detail.¡±


    ¡°And you believed him?¡± Elenore looked at Argrave somewhat disdainfully. ¡°If he can talk to you and hear all that urs while being inside it, who knows what else he can do within that stone. Let¡¯s not get ahead of ourself.¡± She shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m being crass. It¡¯s just¡­ when my connection with Durran was severed¡­ it was a reminder that I have things to lose, now. A rather scary reminder. And I¡¯m not exactly timid.¡±


    Argrave ruffled her hair. He was discovering he enjoyed ruining people¡¯s hair, for some reason. ¡°I know. I heard the panic in your voice when that happened. But he¡¯s alive, your connection is restored, and¡ª"


    ¡°And that bastard is still out there,¡± Elenore interrupted. ¡°I¡¯ve assigned Orion and Mnie to dealing with Dario, if he should ever show his face. But I¡¯m not totally sure about how this all ends. He snuck past countless of my troops while using a golem.¡± Elenore¡¯s voice grew straight and hard as her sentimentality faded. ¡°But I¡¯m lecturing you on things that you understand.


    ¡°Let me catch you up to speed. I¡¯m going to be coordinating the work with the dwarves. You, meanwhile, are going to be facilitating the divine members of the ckgard Union and their arrival into this territory.¡± She focused on him. ¡°We¡¯ve benefitted immensely from having them as allies. But alliances are two-way streets, as you¡¯ll soon realize. Hause is keeping them at her temple, but you¡¯re still expected. And they¡¯ll be needed when the Qircassian Coalitiones with the Chu.¡±


    Argrave narrowed his eyes. ¡°Two-way street? Where did you pick up that expression? From me, of course, but¡­¡± He shook his head, realizing it wasn¡¯t important. ¡°I know the deities might make requests of us. But in truth, they¡¯vee at rather perfect times. If Dario does raise an army of golems or whatever he seems intent on doing, they¡¯ll be prepared to help us.¡±


    ¡°I certainly hope so.¡± In a surprising maneuver, Elenore gave him an affectionate hug. ¡°Take care. I¡¯ll ensure things run smoothly here. We¡¯re so close¡ªthis can¡¯t be ruined.¡±


    Argrave studied her. He was rather proud of how she was changing. He headed off, prepared to cast [Worldstrider] to return to ckgard, but a voice entered his ears. It felt like a whisper was piercing his skull.


    ¡°Don¡¯t head off yet. I took a lot of time to find you. Spare me some words, little king, while you¡¯re separated from your people.¡±


    Argrave looked around in paranoia, but he had a distinct impression on where the voice came from, and who. With slow and steady steps, he walked toward it. When he passed over a hill, he saw a red-headed giant leaning up against an alcove in the rocks: Sataistador, god of war. With a huge mane of red hair, a long beard, and a giant stature, it was some surprise he could conceal himself so ably. But he did. And his mad green eyes focused on Argrave.


    ¡°I thought you¡¯d be bewildered and lost when I ran off so suddenly. But you¡¯ve been busy preparing, I can see that.¡± Sataistador leaned up against the ck rock of these volcanic hills. ¡°Cute sister.¡±


    Argrave felt intense paranoia when he was so suddenly confronted by the god of war, chaos, and ruthless destruction. It made him feel sick to know this bastard hade so close to Elenore without her being aware. Perhaps that had been his intention. And it was a strong illustration of the danger he posed.


    After making an agreement to invade the Great Chu after repelling their forces, Sataistador had left. When he left, Sataistador promised they would meet again to coordinate. Argrave had expected it to be on his own terms, with his own people nearby. Now, everyone was spread thin, dealing with half a thousand threats. And his threat, it seemed, was this man. It filled him with dread and fury that Sataistador could show up here, in the heart of Berendar, without a hint getting out to anyone else. He was d they had remained cordial, if only to spare his people.


    ¡°You really do show up anywhere, don¡¯t you?¡± Argrave walked closer, suppressing his darker thoughts. He wasn¡¯t totally certain about this situation, but he was certain he could hold off this man enough to allow everyone, including himself, to flee. There was a good reason Argrave had confidence enough to walk alone, with divine artifacts empowering him.


    ¡°I told you as much. It¡¯s why I¡¯m dangerous,¡± Sataistador nodded. ¡°I was somewhat skeptical about our n to counter-invade the Chu. Frankly, I thought you were giving me lip-service. But you¡¯ve built that naval base on the northern front, filled it with snow elves and their longships¡­¡± He smiled, showing tworge canines. ¡°It seems this may actually happen.¡±


    ¡°You said when next we met, you¡¯d discuss your ns in detail,¡± Argrave said. ¡°I wish you would¡¯ve given me more notice¡­ but we¡¯re here, now.¡±


    Sataistador¡¯s smiling face grew serious. ¡°The Imperial Navy of the Great Chu is on its way.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re serious?¡± Argrave¡¯s eyes widened, but he calmed quickly. ¡°We¡¯re well prepared.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll see about that, I suppose,¡± Sataistadorughed. ¡°Their emperor has caused quite a stir. He called forth his honor guard, got aboard a ship, and intends toe here personally.¡±


    Argrave rubbed the bridge of his nose. ¡°Is this emperor named Ji Meng?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Argrave epted that, straightening his back. ¡°He¡¯s a scary bastard. But it¡¯s nothing that we can¡¯t handle.¡±


    ¡°He revolted against the emperor at age twelve, and has been defeating armies ten times the size of his own for thirty years. But you can handle it, certainly,¡± he said drolly. ¡°Whatever your thoughts, it¡¯s a very good thing for us. I wanted to talk about our strategy.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk,¡± Argrave nodded, though kept a healthy distance away.


    ¡°The Qircassian Coalition, Erlebnis¡ªthey kept their grip over the empire by systematically influencing most of the administration beneath the emperor. They painted a beautiful picture for him. It was something so absolute that no scrutiny could break the lie. Everyone was part of the conspiracy, and so there was no conspiracy¡ªmerely a reality. But now the emperor has done the unexpected, and departed for thisnd. He¡¯s going to see thend about which the painting was painted¡­ and realize it¡¯s all a fantasy.¡± Sataistador shook his head. ¡°They can¡¯t feed him lies anymore, not when he¡¯s on the field. Their subtle method loses all power when the emperor takes the reins.¡±


    Though Argrave was constantly surprised by how good Sataistador was at gathering intelligence, this new piece was the most valuable that had been leaked. The emperor was not fully aware of who puppeteered the Great Chu.


    Argrave kept his calm and asked, ¡°What do you suggest, then? If all of the emperor¡¯s servants arepromised¡­¡±


    ¡°The army acts now because the orderse from the emperor. The gods of the coalition cannot well rece every soldier with one of their allegiance, and the current emperor is too effective to be reced. Instead, they all lied until he did what they wanted without realizing it.¡± Sataistador stepped forward. ¡°But the army serves the emperor, not his court. If the emperor knows of the treachery, he will war against his empire. I know him well¡ªI enjoyed watching Ji Meng¡¯s wars of conquest more than most. He is especially brutal toward traitors. When chaos erupts, the Qircassian Coalition will writhe and sink its roots deeper¡­ only for the two of us to butcher them all.¡±


    Argrave swallowed. A stroke of whimsy by the emperor was threatening to unravel the whole of the Qircassian Coalition¡¯s scheme, and Sataistador¡¯s proposal capitalized on that with remarkable efficiency. But Argrave saw a light, too¡ªa way to mitigate violence, perhaps, while undoing some of the biggest threats to his kingdom. But was this something that he should risk, at the cusp of Sandbara?


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk details,¡± Argrave said with a nod.

 Chapter 503: Overpowering Legacy

    Anneliese sat in Rowe the Righteous¡¯ tent. In ssical Veidimen style, they were surrounded by woolen walls, and a small fire burned in the center that piped through the small hole in the top that functioned as a chimney. A kettle boiled slowly atop this me. Indeed¡ªthis mighty man was brewing her tea. She herself could scarcely believe it. His whole behavior had been rather unlike his gruff and cynical persona.


    The S-rank spellcaster had been asking her many questions before the teaching process began, likely to get a grasp on how much she knew. But the topic of conversation drifted away from magic to the more personal aspects of life. Anneliese knew that Rowe hade here at the behest of both Veid and Dras, and as time went on, she felt she wasing closer to the secret that they¡¯d been hiding in their cooperation.


    When the kettle started to boil, Rowe rose from his seat and walked over to it as it whistled. ¡°I had this imported from thisnd¡­ along with the tea leaves, you see. Castro rmended them to me. Our culture is bing¡­ well, it¡¯s bing rather like you.¡± Rowe took the kettle away, and the whistling died down before fading altogether.


    Anneliese stared, puzzled. ¡°Like me how?¡±


    ¡°It hasn¡¯t eluded me that you¡¯ve forsaken the vast majority of our traditions,¡± Rowe pointed out. Rather than retrieve cups, he melded them out of the earth with versatile magic. ¡°You are not Anneliese of Veiden any longer. You are Anneliese, Queen of Vasquer. And that¡¯s no slight on you. It might be said that thisnd has treated you altogether better than ours. I met your mother. She¡¯s a twat, if you¡¯ll forgive me for saying so.¡±


    ¡°Your respect makes me uneasy.¡± Anneliese watched as he poured tea, then conjured a small ice cube for his own cup. She took hers.


    ¡°You will grow used to it, I should think.¡± Rowe sat down opposite the fire so that it rested between them. ¡°You have adapted to this culture easily, and its people havee to wee you. My point in saying all this being, Argrave has created an apparatus that threatens to subsume our people. Dras and Veid view it as an inevitability. As we experience the fruitfulness of these greennds and the rtive fairness we receive in all our dealings here, our people will have far fewer reasons to be as brutal as they currently are. They maye as settlers rather than as raiders or conquerors. Why risk life and limb when we will be weed? And as we are weed, we will change. We will not be Veidimen. We will be snow elves, living in Vasquer. Names are a very powerful thing. And if things should go on, we will lose ours.¡±


    Anneliese considered that carefully. ¡°Argrave told me¡­¡± she trailed off, hesitating to ry his words¡ªthey rted to Earth, and Veiden¡¯s parallel to a human culture in his world. ¡°¡­that harshnds give rise to people like ours. Those who leave, and who settle elsewhere by force. We might leave an impact as we are, but I cannot believe it will be an enduring legacy. I believe our way is better. And I cannot think of any way in which cooperation between our people will be negative.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Rowe focused on her, white eyes glimmering with the dancing fire. ¡°But you cannot deny that no great empire was ever born without tragedies to help it ascend. Even Argrave enjoys the fruits of his father¡¯s conquests.¡±


    ¡°What are you actually trying to convince me of?¡± Anneliese pushed to the heart of the matter, not wishing to engage in this topic. ¡°That I should twist my husband to Veiden¡¯s way? Have him author tragedy to build an empire?¡±


    Rowe swirled his cup, the cube already melted into the tea. He sipped it slightly, then set it against his leg to give her a firm stare. ¡°Patriarch Dras intends to name you as his sessor.¡±


    It was not the words, but their sincerity that made Anneliese¡¯s breath catch. It was such an overwhelming thing to say, and given the tenor of this conversation, made little sense to her.


    ¡°As you know, Dras has never had any children. He has¡­¡± Rowe clicked his tongue. ¡°He has some hang-ups about women. Seeing you and Argrave together has only made them worse. There are women that he knows, that he would love to wee to his bed¡­ but his odd personality, his insistence on perfection¡­ he sabotages himself. He wants the perfect queen. It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s a veryplicated rtionship, and he constantly frets about session, to the point where he¡¯s stagnated into inaction for many years. Rowe shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m tempted to say he¡¯d push away even Veid herself. But your arrival, and your rise to your station, has alleviated all of those problems as adeptly it¡¯s almost as though some divine fate nned it out.¡±


    ¡°How in the world can you think that?¡± Anneliese said, still somewhat in shock. Her mind worked, leading to conclusions. ¡°Then, this¡­ I can see it as only two things. You intend to force my hand to return to Veiden, or you intend to unite Vasquer and Veiden.¡±


    ¡°Thetter,¡± nodded Rowe. ¡°To be more urate, your heir would inherit both of our nations. Given that you two are spellcasters, that may be some many hundred years from now, but your child of mixed heritages would be as much a symbolic as a legal heir. A union of Vasquer and Veiden.¡±


    Anneliese hadplicated thoughts after hearing that. She and Argrave had discussed children, of course¡ªboth agreed they did want to start arge family. Their hope was that, during their reign, the royal family would be a symbolic, if wealthy, family as they ceded more and more power to the parliament. But she dismissed her thoughts, bing all-too-mired in details.


    ¡°¡­I see no reason to decline. And if Dras and Veid are of one mind about this, I cannot see how there would be much dissent. But I cannot grasp the reasoning behind the decision.¡± Anneliese finally remembered to drink her tea. Some enlightenment came to her. ¡°Unless¡­ when you spoke of tragedies¡­¡±


    Rowe nodded. ¡°Yes. You did catch on, good. I¡¯ll get to the point. We¡¯ve been vaguely aware of the Great Chu. Dras dismissed theirnds early on because their empire was vast, their people and soldiers more numerous, and thendmass was much further away than Berendar. The voyage would be treacherous¡ªnigh impossible for arge army. Yet the naval base that Argrave has allowed us to build will be the staging grounds for the invasion of their empire. And with Dras and Veid both as our leaders in this war, I cannot see failure as an option. Her divinity is so intrinsically tied to us that we are empowered beyondpare when she descends.¡±


    ¡°I certainly felt no such thing,¡± Anneliese noted. She had a feeling as soon as she mentioned it that this was the oue they were leading to, and managed to keep her calm.


    ¡°And that is further proof that you are what is needed to transition our people,¡± Rowe emphasized, taking another sip of his tea. ¡°You and Argrave strive to create a just kingdom. And when the time hase, our people will submit to it, joining the two nations for the best for all in the world. A tragedy will be penned by those willing to pen it, and Vasquer will be the heirs with clean hands able to caress and nurture the next generation.¡±


    ¡°Best for all in the world?¡± Anneliese decided to simply set the cup down, tired of fussing with the thing. She rose to her feet and stared at Rowe beyond the fire. ¡°This was a matter ended years ago, Rowe. An invasion¡ª¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s different than it was years ago,¡± Rowe also rose to his feet, smoke from the fire concealing part of his figure. ¡°The Qircassian Coalition, Erlebnis¡ªVasquer¡¯s enemies have aligned themselves with the Great Chu. We fight to preserve our power for the true enemy. And when opportunityes, we must seize it.¡±


    Anneliese stepped around the fire. ¡°Why do you insist on doing this? What is so horrible about the present world that you must migrate from Veiden to invade and of people the same as you or I? Why can we not settle down as traders with Vasquer, and be wee within thisnd as we already are?¡±


    ¡°I am neither Veid nor Dras. But I can say that I think the same as them. You are smart¡ªyou see it. You see what disunity does to the world. Petty kinglings warring over territory generation after generation. That was Vasquer before Felipe III. That was Veiden before Patriarch Dras. With him at the top, the constant needless wars have faded.¡± Rowe walked to the side of the tent, and retrieved his cane. He willed magic into it, and a seam appeared on the cane. He pulled the top, and then drew a slender, white de from it. ¡°Now, with only one more, we can unite both thends of the Great Chu and Vasquer. One generation will remember us as foul raiders and conquerors. But countless generations will enjoy the peace and justice of the government you build.¡±


    ¡°Felipe III had his mind rotted by Gerechtigkeit¡¯s influence,¡± Anneliese pointed out, though eyed the cane-sword uneasily.


    ¡°Even I know that he began his wars long before that,¡± Rowe nted the de in the ground. It hummed with cold. She had be acquainted enough with divine weaponry to recognize that de as one.


    ¡°If you tell me all of this so frankly, I presume you expect I cannot put a stop to it,¡± Anneliese walked closer. ¡°Why tell me at all? And why draw your de?¡±


    ¡°So that you might prepare. I did note as your magic tutor alone¡ªI came to prepare the integration of our nation into yours. I came to ensure this session would be smooth and bloodless. With this de, you would be my student. With Dras¡¯ words, you will be his sessor. And with Veid¡¯s blessing, your reign will be uncontested.¡±


    ¡°Nothing has happened yet,¡± Anneliese rebutted.


    ¡°What will you do, Anneliese? Will you refuse to be named Dras¡¯ heir? Will you turn against your allies, consigning countless of Vasquer to death in a futile bid to prevent us our fate? Or will you ept the will of the Veidimen, and create a great empire that leads people to peace, prosperity, and justice?¡±

 Chapter 504: Space is a Gateway God

    After cementing some details with Sataistador, Argrave walked away from the conversation with the feeling of a pyrrhic victory. The brighter side of things was that Sataistador was not intending to rampage wantonly to distract and attrit the armies of the Great Chu. That would limit the damage done to their popce. The pyrrhic part of the victory was that Argrave saw that he did need to y into Sataistador¡¯s ns, even if only somewhat, if he wished to dislodge the Qircassian Coalition and Erlebnis around the heart of the Chu empire.


    But the navy was only just disembarking, and it would take some time before they even neared Berendar. During that time, Argrave had several things to attend to. The first of his two urgent matters was receiving the delegates of the ckgard Union¡¯s deity allies. They waited within Hause¡¯s temple, being entertained by the goddess of potential as they waited for Argrave¡¯s grant of ess to proselytize or build temples where they wished.


    After delivering details of his conversation with Sataistador to Elenore, and ensuring that stricter watch would be kept for his approach, Argrave returned to ckgard using [Worldstrider]. Once there, he immediately headed to Hause¡¯s temple to receive the deity¡¯s envoys.


    Though most of the delegates were unremarkable, they brought with them a rich tapestry of foreign cultures. These people came from the further continents, and some of them even came from Great Chu itself. They had a wide range of ethnicities, mannerisms, and clothing. Their only unity wasnguage¡ªa perplexing thing, and one that made Argrave question this world and its creation more and more with every passing day.


    Argrave fulfilled promises that he had made. Rook, god of deception and subterfuge, was given a few artifacts from their heist as had been promised. But Argrave was not giving without receiving. These people were mortals, and in their journey brought mortal gifts. Spices, delicacies, works of art¡ªif they were so liberal with gifts, he felt this was the start of a very fruitful rtionship. They informed him that, in time, more religious kinds woulde to spread word of their god throughout thend. Argrave gave them permission.


    But Argrave said that most of the delegates were unremarkable. The one that was truly quite remarkable was the delegate of Raen, god of space. Though garbed in a purple silk robe and standing on two legs, his giant reptilian face that was sharp and angr rather like a shark¡¯s assured any onlookers that he was not human. He was one of Raen¡¯s divine servants. Even Argrave did not know what they were called¡ªthe god of space had been one of the gods positioned far away from the conflict, and so never appeared in Heroes of Berendar.


    As Argrave looked upon this delegate, he was somewhat overwhelmed by the mass of magic exuding from his being. He was easily on the level of Rowe or Castro, despite not being of this realm. His shoulders were as broad as he was tall¡ªnamely, about seven feet. Argrave could tell that much of it was fat, but he could not deny that this thing would undoubtedly have a certain physical strength to it.


    The remainder of the other deity¡¯s delegates had departed with their promises met and their greetings given. Only Raen¡¯s promise remained unfulfilled¡ªindeed, it felt like his delegate was biding his time to even mention the matter. The god of space had been promised an empty stretch ofnd to the southwest of the Tower of the Gray Owl. Thend was a wide-open steppe, bothrgely inarable and uninhabited, with some nearby mountains packaged into the deal. Raen intended to base himself there.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I never caught a name, back when Hause introduced you,¡± Argrave said cordially, ready to begin the process now that all others had departed.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°I am Architect Merovin, Architect being my title.¡± Therge lizardman put his hand to his chest. Though Argrave heard his words, his mouth never moved. His voice came from something else¡ªsomething mystical, perhaps. ¡°If it does not displease you, I must head to the allottednd right away. The power my lord has bestowed upon me is vtile, and I have already waited for some days.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Argrave nodded his head. ¡°At once, then.¡±


    #####


    Argrave and Merovin headed out to the empty ins southwest of the Order of the Gray Owl. The boundaries of territory were long-established in advance thanks to Elenore¡¯s shrewd deliberation over this matter, but now it was Argrave¡¯s turn to oversee the process. The Architect Merovin had been walking through thend for a long while in silence, and Argrave was having some trouble discerning what it was he was doing.


    ¡°My lord has volunteered something to the others, all of whom have taken advantage of this privilege,¡± Merovin said, and Argrave listened intently as the lizardman walked. ¡°Considering it involves this matter of His location, He thought it only fitting to disclose what that agreement was to you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m listening,¡± Argrave prompted the Architect.


    ¡°Raen intends to allow thisnd to be not merely a base for his followers, but a ce to connect all members of the ckgard Union. Though this is to be a defensive pact, onerge issue preventing our prompt aid of another is the time it takes to traverse this massive world. By having thisnd as a point of contact between all other divine realms, we curb that issue.¡±


    Argrave raised his eyes in surprise. ¡°You intend to make your domain a crossing between all of the other gods? That¡¯s¡­ very noble,¡± he said, just as he thought something else. Very concerning.


    ¡°It¡¯s for everyone¡¯s benefit if aid cane as quickly as possible. You, King Argrave, will not be excluded from this privilege. The others have already received their gateways¡ªthough not existing on the mortal realm, it does exist in their divine realm, connecting to Raen¡¯s own. This one, meanwhile, is to be the sole gateway to the mortal realm.¡±


    Argrave was in the middle of considering if there was a way this might be used to their advantage in the war against the Great Chu when the lizardman stopped in his tracks and looked at Argrave. ¡°I am to begin,¡± his voice came, without movement from his mouth once again. ¡°I would advise that you step away.¡±


    Argrave did so. Though he thought he had gone far enough away, the lizardman¡¯s voice came once again. ¡°Farther, please.¡±


    Argrave got far enough away he thought that it was ridiculous, and after a certain point, he heard the far-away call of the Architect telling him to stop. He narrowed his eyes to study things carefully. Merovin opened his mouth wide, then plunged his hand into his mouth rather brutally. His sharp teeth cut against his arm, but he pushed further still until the arm seemed impossibly far into his throat. Then, he started to pull his arm out. When his arm was freed, it clung to a huge block of stone.


    Argrave thought this block would soon pop free, but instead, Merovin kept pulling free more and more stone. He nted it firmly in the ground, and began to erect a pir rising in the sky. Then, the Architect moved his hand to another part of his body, and simply unfolded it. Argrave watched with horror as the lizardman slowly disassembled himself to build this structure.


    Brick by brick, Merovin pulled apart his body to construct an archway. In time it became indistinguishable where he began and this structure ended. It rose further as he used his flesh as brick and his blood as mortar. The most terrifying part of it all was that it wasn¡¯t terrifying¡ªrather, it looked supremely artistic and beautiful, even elegant, as the man that Argrave had been speaking to made himself into a building. The archway was gray stone and gothic, seeming to fit perfectly into all other architecture in Vasquer. Argrave wished to approach, but dared not given Merovin¡¯s warning.


    After a fascinating time, only one of Merovin¡¯s fingers remained at the top of the archway. It bent, then nted the tip against a t que atop the archway. His finger disintegrated, leaving blood behind as he wrote his name: Merovin. With thisst flourish the structure inherited his name, the blood subsumed with the stone, and a portal expanded outward, iming a perfect circle around itself. Argrave could tell something within that boundary changed. It was now limated to the god of space.


    But it was within the archway where true and obvious change urred. Argrave could see countless paths, all upying the same ce yet not simultaneously. All of these paths led to Raen¡¯s realm, where endless and empty space stretched out. After a few seconds, someone walked out of the archway, appearing from nowhere. Argrave remained rooted as they walked to him. The new arrival was another lizardman.


    ¡°¡­Merovin?¡± Argrave asked cautiously. They looked nothing alike, but¡­


    ¡°I can im no such name,¡± responded the lizardman, stepping outside the spatial boundary. ¡°Thisnd, henceforth, will be named Merovin. As one of the Lord¡¯s Architects, he exists in this space absolutely as its nner and partial governor. That archway is connected to the Lord¡¯s realms. Inside, other gateways will take us to the other gods¡¯ realms. Through them, we can better fulfill our promises of aid.¡± The lizardman looked at Argrave. ¡°The Lord gives his thanks. We shall make good use of thisnd, King Argrave, rest assured.¡±


    Argrave looked upon the archway¡ªthis newnd named Merovin¡ªwith some caution. This ce had be a connector between Vasquer and all of the other entities within the ckgard Union. He couldn¡¯t tell if this would have less-than-benign implications in the future, but the time for protest had long ago passed. He had weed the gods to hisnds.


    As Argrave¡¯s puny brain ran on its hamster wheel, Elenore¡¯s thoughts pierced his head. ¡°Argrave. I have two important bits of information. The first¡ªthe initial wave of dwarven craftsman have made their way to the surface. I¡¯m going to begin the process of bringing them over to Vysenn, even if they¡¯re¡­ well, they¡¯re acting rather like tourists. Now that they¡¯re here, we¡¯ll begin supplying the dwarven nation with spirits to help them forge their metal.¡±


    Argrave asked forgiveness from Raen¡¯s Architect and stepped away to speak in private. Once he had privacy, he asked, ¡°Is their number sufficient?¡±


    ¡°More than sufficient,¡± Elenore confirmed. ¡°Another thing. I¡¯ve been¡­ talking with Anneliese. It¡¯s about Rowe, about Dras, about¡­ well, about everything rted to Veiden. It¡¯s such big news I don¡¯t think we should speak of it in this fashion.¡±


    ¡°Alright¡­¡± Argrave agreed cautiously. ¡°I¡¯ll be over as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°Please,¡± said Elenore thankfully. ¡°Argrave, this war¡­ I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll be like any others we¡¯ve endured.¡±

 Chapter 505: Militant Horizon

    Argrave, Anneliese, Elenore, and Gmon sat in a private room within ckgard. On his way in, Argrave had seen the first arrival of dwarven craftsmen. As Elenore said, they seemed to be taking stock of everything around them. Mostly they were surprised by the sheer space of everything¡ªthey stared into the distance as though it wasn¡¯t real, and looked out across the ocean of ckgard as trading vessels came and went with childlike wonder.


    But Argrave was undergoing just as shocking a shift as the dwarves were, potentially. The Veidimen were intending to seize upon this opportunity to invade thends of the Great Chu. That, inbination with Sataistador¡¯s intent for the region, made aplicated mess that gained new variables and ways it might go wrong by the day.


    ¡°Why does everybody have to think like this?¡± Argrave wondered quietly as his wife and sister both waited for his opinion. He looked at Gmon. ¡°And why did youe here?¡±


    ¡°To exin. To persuade.¡± Gmon crossed his arms. ¡°Do you not want me here?¡±


    ¡°No, you¡¯re never unwee. You¡¯re one of my closest friends. It¡¯s just¡­¡± Argrave trailed off, gathering his thoughts. He looked up at Gmon and shook his head, saying, ¡°Dras is a real bastard, isn¡¯t he?¡±


    ¡°¡­you do not know him as I do,¡± Gmon defended, though quietly.


    Argrave rose to his feet and walked nearer to Gmon. ¡°He¡¯s put Anneliese in an impossible situation. By extension, he¡¯s put all of us in an impossible situation,¡± Argrave held his hands out, gesturing all around. ¡°He wants us to sit back and allow us to reap the rewards of the dirty work he¡¯s doing. But that doesn¡¯t change the fact that dirty work is being done. He wants us to swallow that.¡±


    ¡°This invasion cannot be called mere ¡®dirty work.¡¯ It is the ambition of our people¡ªthe goal of several lifetimes,¡± Gmon dered evenly.


    Argrave stared at his unflinching white eyes. He had never challenged hispanion¡¯s perspective on his people because it was irrelevant to their goal. Yet now, it had bled into everything.


    ¡°I suppose at the very least, Dras convinced me that it¡¯s about more than personal glory. But I think you need perspective. No matter how much Rowe, Dras, or even you say that they do this to establish a unified and peaceful world, can you honestly say every man below you holds that ideal?¡± Argrave shook his head firmly. ¡°No. For every good man, ten more only want to take, to conquer, to satisfy their baser desires. That¡¯s their motive¡ªAnneliese has confirmed as much with her personal experience. And those rapacious people will cause problems for her even if Dras and Veid both name her as his sessor. A people sustained by war will not peacefully transition away from it. Am I wrong?¡± he demanded.


    Gmon looked off to the side for a moment, then looked back. ¡°You¡¯re right. It won¡¯t be perfect. But this greed has existed in people since the dawn of time. We Veidimen have found a way to harness it toward a better purpose. The following generations will benefit.¡±


    Argrave scoffed. ¡°Rowe himself said that his people are transitioning away from that lifestyle. You don¡¯t need rampant war to kill greed. It just stokes the me, traps them into a cycle that¡¯ll be all the harder to break,¡± he insisted, growing impassioned when such a dear friend of his said something he found disagreeable.


    Gmon¡¯s stoicism wavered, and he closed his eyes to dispel whatever emotions surfaced.


    Argrave stepped forth, almost pleading, ¡°You¡¯ve seen war. You¡¯ve told me, personally, that you¡¯ve seen people cry for their mother as they die. You¡¯ve seen the violent rape of innocent popces by people you had breakfast with the same day. You say it haunts you to this day. Still, you insist on this. Help me understand why.¡±


    Gmon¡¯s silence was deafening, but when he opened his mouth his voice was clear. ¡°Rowe said many things. Among them, a fact: King Felipe III was the instrument that gave you the power you now wield.¡±


    Argrave stood agape. Anneliese stepped up, saying lightly, ¡°Gmon¡­¡±


    ¡°And what about what you¡¯ve done, yourself?¡± Gmon said.


    Anneliese stepped further forward. ¡°Gmon, do not let anger make you say things I know you do not think. Argrave has fought in war, yes. Yet the civil war was not one he started, the war in the Bloodwoods was to defend their people and his, and the conflict against the Ebon Cult was yet another act of defense. This would be different. You¡¯ve seen war enough to know that.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right: I have seen war enough to fill ten lifetimes. But Dras and I¡­ our first war was not one that we began. Nor the second, nor the third. We saw what you described, yes.¡± He tapped his breastte. ¡°It was our people suffering. Our tribe. That did notst forever. When we became the victors, our people sought to inflict the same upon our enemies as revenge. It was seeing that cycle of war that gave Dras and I our endless conviction. It was because we saw it that we hoped to end it forevermore. He wished to ensure there was no more ¡®our people¡¯ and ¡®their people.¡¯ We were all merely ¡®Veidimen.¡¯ And he seeded.¡±


    He put his hand on Argrave¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Now, Dras truly intends to perform that same necessary evil and bequeath it all under your burgeoning banner, your rising sun. I have respect for your hesitation. No good man can meekly stand aside while wars erupt. But both of you¡­ this has to happen. Please. For my son, and perhaps, one day, for your children. The lives surrendered now will give birth to millions in the future.¡±


    ¡°Conquest will never be a noble calling, no matter how you paint it,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°I understand that you and Ie from different times. I know these things aremon here¡ªeven expected. It doesn¡¯t change what will be done. You¡¯ve seen it. War. How many tens of thousands will die this time? How many will need to be butchered before they learn to stop fighting back, ept upation?¡±


    Argrave stepped away, reining in his emotions. ¡°It¡¯s like I said. Dras gave us no good options. It¡¯s clear we can¡¯t dissuade him. I can¡¯t even change your mind, and you¡¯re someone I trust and respect the most of anyone.¡±


    Gmon closed his eyes and asked quietly. ¡°What will you do?¡±


    ¡°The sessorship isn¡¯t my choice. It was offered to Anneliese, and she¡¯ll make the decision.¡± He looked at her, and she gave him a reassuring, if downcast, look. He looked back to Gmon. ¡°Frankly, I think the choice has already been set in stone. We can¡¯t afford disunity.¡±


    ¡°¡­that was my opinion,¡± Elenore contributed quietly.


    Argrave nodded somewhat bitterly, then focused back on Gmon. ¡°Promise me something, at least.¡±


    Gmon put his hand to your chest. ¡°I am your servant, still.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Argrave held his hand out. ¡°I don¡¯t want a servant¡¯s promise, I want a friend¡¯s. If this trulyes to pass, I want you to lead that army, Gmon. I want you to make sure it¡¯s you at the head. And I want you to promise me to keep things under control.¡±


    With a solemn nod, Gmon gave his answer.


    ¡°Then, please take that condition to Dras as my answer,¡± Argrave said. ¡°I want it to be you.¡±


    Gmon bowed his head and walked away, retrieving his helmet on the way out. When the door shut, Argrave looked back to Elenore and Anneliese.


    ¡°Sometimes, I think Gerechtigkeit¡¯s greatest power is this. The rifts that he sews.¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t set in stone just yet,¡± Elenore reminded Argrave. ¡°If we manage to work something out with this Emperor Ji Meng, the scene may change. There is still time.¡±


    Argrave heard her words, yet some pessimism inside him seemed to deny them.


    #####


    Argrave and Elenore met with the delegate of dwarves, immersing his mind in thoughts of what to do regarding this problem to distract him from the concession that he¡¯d made. He felt this was the first situation he¡¯de upon where there really was no right answer. At this critical point, they couldn¡¯t risk anything other than total cooperation from the Veiden. They were their lifeline against the Great Chu¡¯s navy. Anneliese, meanwhile, returned to Rowe to deliver her decision of hesitant eptance.


    The dwarves took some wrangling, and Argrave had to distract them with a veritable breadcrumb trail of dwarven metal leading to Vysenn. First, he demonstrated his army¡¯s weaponry. The dwarves almost seemed appalled that such precious metal was being used as mere weaponry, for it had far better applications as machinery. When he challenged that assumption, their journey toward Vysenn became these dwarves¡¯ top priority.


    Argrave used mass teleportation with [Worldstrider], wowing their people. It consumed enough spirits to make Argrave¡¯s heart ache, but he felt time was urgent enough that it was warranted in this situation. Once on the scene, Argrave was prepared to outfit their band with something to endure the harsh volcanic conditions near the site. The dwarves, however, retrieved their own gear, putting on masks and suits that were more-than-suitable to help them traverse thend.


    Once they arrived at the temple¡ªor rather, the former temple, given the Alchemist¡¯s extensive efforts to clearnd around it¡ªthe dwarves began instituting several provisions that Argrave had promised them. There were five master craftsmen that had been sent to watch over the journeymen¡¯s progress, and they very efficiently set up a site that was to-the-letter what Argrave had promised.


    They established a perimeter where guards roamed¡ªguards who were spellcasters, Argrave noticed, even if only at B-rank. All of Argrave¡¯s people were forbidden from entering this ce unless they asked for permission far in advance. Argrave only nned for asional progress checks. Elenore and her people were tasked with supplying the dwarves with the raw material that they needed, something she was well prepared to do.


    All in all, the setup process took up the remainder of the day. Construction was to begin tomorrow. During this whole process, Argrave¡¯s feet itched to head to the north that he might prepare to confront the Imperial Navy headed by Emperor Ji Meng and the fearsome Admiral Tan Shu. She was a woman in military service¡ªrather than demonstrating Chu tolerance, her gender was a testament to her unusual talent. She had risen to her position by extreme merit. With her at sea and the emperor atnd, Argrave felt he needed ample preparations.


    With the dwarves established in Vysenn, Argrave gave one final visit to ensure that the dwarves were beginning their process. Then, he left, prepared to confront the Imperial Navy heading across the vast ocean between the two nations of Vasquer and the Great Chu.


    #####


    ¡°In this domain, I can see distant objects perfectly,¡± Argrave dered, calling upon his Domain of Law as a mere telescope. At once his vision bugged out as the sheer disorientation of such amand washed over him.


    Argrave stood on the cliffs of northern Vasquer. He was at the highest point in these cliffs to better see what was beyond the horizon. It had been ten days since he came to thisnd of biting cold. Progress on the pumping station in Vysenn was more or less on schedule, but it would be some days before the pumping process even began.


    Artur¡¯s enchantments very nicely kept him warm despite the freezing climate, but the countless Veidimen longships in the ocean beyond did not receive the same luxurious treatment. Nor did the Brumesingers hiding in his pockets, it seemed, for they shivered fiercely. They needed to be here, though, now more than ever.


    The ships at the edge of Argrave¡¯s vision would not be free of the cold either. He estimated, this high up, he could see around ten miles away. And that was where the first wave of the Imperial Navy rested, just at the horizon. Their bulky, iron-shielded ships travelled slowly, even with the winds somewhat favorable to them¡ªthey moved at perhaps one knot.


    But the horizon was jam-packed full of these turtle ships. These heavy vessels, made for use near coastlines, were never made to cross the ocean. But Sataistador had given Argrave reports of three gods apanying them¡ªtriplet brothers, apparently. One of tides, another of winds, and a third for storms. These brothers had been guiding the Imperial Navy impably from the shadows.


    This battle would be harsh. Their ships were packed with soldiers and spellcasters both¡ªArgrave could see the asional pulse of magic within their ships. Additionally, they had a more mundane advantage: fire. They had me-spewing weapons that could cover the surface of the ocean with a foul, reactive liquid mixture and set it ame. That would be devastating for both sides of the battle. The Great Chu would not hesitate to overwhelm them with sheer numbers of ships.


    But at the heart of the fleet, there was another ship. It was titanic, resembling a floating fortress that had been cast into the ocean and somehow managed not to sink. Great Chu imagery decorated the front and back of it. The crescent moon and eastern-style dragons featured most prominently, and its front and back had been decorated to make it appear as a titanic serpentine dragon. It seemedrge enough to house ten thousand soldiers. It was the gship of the Great Chu Imperial Navy, the so-called Sea Dragon. And it was there that Argrave would need to face Emperor Ji Meng and Admiral Tan Shu, alongside the most potent mortal soldiers the world had to offer.


    But Argrave would not be alone in this. Already, Veidimen longships lurched in strategic locations, prepared to sail out and push enemy vessels into treacherous, shallow waters that they might be beached. And Argrave would not be assaulting this fortress-ship alone. He looked at the naval base, nestled within agoon shielded from sight. There, Crystal Wind, the dragon bonded to Rowe the Righteous, stood prepared to carry Argrave¡¯s retinue. Alongside hispanions, all of the Veidimen guard gifted to him by Dras many months ago waited, equipped in the best gear that they¡¯d gathered. Uncountable others lurked elsewhere.


    Argrave had wanted peace, and so he had prepared for this war. Such was the tragic way of this world.

 Chapter 506: Might of the Ocean

    Shortly before the battle between the Imperial Navy of the Great Chu and Argrave¡¯s own forces began, Argrave had word sent off to the delegates of the ckgard Union¡ªmore specifically, to the newly established Merovin. Once word reached the deities, they would be heading to this location. Argrave wanted to deal with the first wave of mortal participants long before they could ever arrive, if only so he could potentially curb the damage the gods might inflict on both sides of the conflict. Sataistador¡¯s report only spoke of sea gods. This attack was meant to establish a foothold¡ªa scouting party, in essence.


    When the towering fleet came into sight for these further down, subtle signals spread out across the coastline indicating to Argrave¡¯s allies in hiding that it was their time to get in position. It was evident that the Great Chu navy had scouted some locations that were prime fornding, and so their route was somewhat predictable. Argrave himself descended from the high cliffs and joined up with the towering white dragon, Crystal Wind, and his retinue.


    The Great Chu¡¯s Sea Dragon wasrge enough to amodate uncountable forces, and among them would be the elite of the elites. They were protecting the life of an emperor reigning over an empire at least a thousand years old. Argrave would ostensibly be assaulting a fortress, and was bringing the people to match.


    Argrave and Anneliese were the leaders for this operation. They brought six S-rank spellcasters with them: Rowe the Righteous, Vasilisa of Quadreign, Castro, Onychinusa, and the newly anointed Duchess and Duke of Dirracha, Vera and Hegazar. Alongside their ground troops¡ªelite Veidimen warriors with officers like Grimalt, armed with divine weapons and enchanted gear¡ªit was an incredibly potent force. Argrave wished for Orion and Mnie toe, but he didn¡¯t dare divert them from the protection of Vysenn and Sandbara. That was just as important as this operation, he felt. Gmon was here, too, and would be takingmand of the Veidimen navy.


    Argrave walked up to the group of six spellcasters. ¡°Thank you foring on such short notice.¡±


    ¡°You promised to repair the ruined city,¡± Vera shook her head, gray hair swaying with the cold northern winds. She fixed her orange eyes on him and continued somewhat usingly, ¡°I still wonder if you¡¯ve yed us. But it¡¯s a weight that was on our shouldersrger than this battle, certainly.¡±


    ¡°And it helps your kingdom as much as it does our economy, I suspect,¡± Hegazar noted. ¡°We are but humble servants of the king and kingdom.¡±


    Argrave was d that this greedy couple were cooperative¡ªit was likely because they saw the benefits of being on the king¡¯s good side rather than any genuine altruism, but it had paid out in Argrave¡¯s favor for this battle. With six of the best spellcasters in the kingdom at their side, Argrave felt they could easily match any foreign mages that the Emperor Ji Meng had brought. Importantly, these six were adaptable, and could react to the new styles of their foes well.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t aware that ships thatrge could even float,¡± Rowe the Righteous noted, staring out across the ocean past the craggy rocks concealing the naval base. ¡°But my dragon can take us there. And I can help with the rest.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m d of that,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°Anneliese¡ªeveryone is caught up on what to do?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Her confirmation was confident.


    ¡°Alright.¡± He no longer felt the need to add anything when he saw her confidence, but people looked at him expectantly, perhaps expecting some of his words as a leader. He obliged, continuing, ¡°In the Great Chu, people view their emperor as a literal son of heaven. This battle is to be the most vicious¡ªand most important¡ªpart of this confrontation. If you follow everything Anneliese said, I¡¯m confident we can pull this off. Only a few more minutes, and we¡¯ll begin.¡±


    Argrave reached into his pockets and pulled free a Brumesinger. He looked into its golden eyes, pet its ck fur, and stashed it back away. ¡°Onychinusa¡ªeveryone was immunized to the Brumesingers?¡±


    ¡°I took them to the dryads. If they were stupid enough not to get the blessing, they deserve it,¡± she shrugged.


    ¡°Then we¡¯re all set,¡± Argrave nodded, ignoring her crassness in light of her necessity.


    With that said, Argrave walked over to Gmon. With a word, the two walked away from the crowd. Once they had some distance, he said quietly, ¡°Let¡¯s talk removed from our roles, you and me. You¡¯ll bemanding the Veidimen forces once again¡­ as Veid¡¯s champion, this time.¡±


    Gmon put his fist against his chest. ¡°Our victory will beplete. You need not worry about anything outside of your battle, Your Maj¡ªno, Argrave,¡± he corrected, remembering Argrave¡¯s request to speak removed from their roles.


    Argrave gave his oldest friend a decisive nod. ¡°And what we discussed?¡±


    ¡°¡­I will lead them even after this battle, as you requested.¡± Gmon lowered his head respectfully.


    Argrave felt there was a lot left unsaid between them, yet theycked the time to say it. Instead, he left saying, ¡°Be safe, Gmon.¡±


    ¡°You as well, Argrave.¡±


    Walking away from Gmon, Argrave looked to therge white dragon. Once everyone got on, this battle would begin. Nervousness brewed within him, but he pushed it down and walked toward the dragon. He grabbed the horn on its head and lifted himself up, then walked down to take position on its broad back. With amand, everyone followed him up onto its back.


    Argrave clung to the dragon¡¯s protruding spine, Anneliese joining him shortly. The Veidimen were the first to join, lining up in organized ranks where they¡¯d long ago been designated. Shortly after the spellcasters came, taking position just behind Argrave and Anneliese. Rowe took his ce on the dragon¡¯s head, and it slowly turned its huge body toward the ocean as it prepared to fly. As Argrave gave onest nod to Gmon, Crystal Wind began to beat its giant draconic wings, and they took to the sky. Argrave saw the Great Chu fleet at the edge of the coast, just where the rocks began.


    When the giant white dragon Crystal Wind broke above the rocks concealing its form, eight loud horns echoed across the coast. As soon as it was high enough to let the winds carry it, Rowe¡¯s dragon cut through the air, heading toward the Sea Dragon as quickly as its huge frame could manage. Argrave looked side-to-side as Durran and his wyverns burst up into the air, heading to the east and west as though making to avoid the ships. In reality, they were nking, where they might shepherd the ships into treacherous waters.


    Argrave looked around as the dragon passed above the ocean. Longships cut out of hidden crevices in the rocks, jamming their way into strategic areas that they might board their foes easily. Already spellcasters took to battle, where the fastest among them sent fire and wind to create openings for the troops. The battle had begun, and the ambush seemed sessful. But Argrave turned his head away, reminding himself that he ought to be focused on only one thing.


    Oars pushed out the side of the turtle ships as they turned from relying on sails to relying on the strength of the men within. As the dragon neared, spells rushed at them from subtlepartments. Sheer cold erupted from Crystal Wind¡¯s maw as it passed, stopping lesser spells in their track. Onychinusa, meanwhile, split apart into magic and reformed below the dragon, casting wards to shield from the few that made it past.


    Anneliese called out over the wind, ¡°You were right, Argrave! They¡¯re employing shamanic magic!¡±


    From the beginning Anneliese had been assigned to scout with her [Truesight] to confirm the presence of shamanic magic, and so Argrave epted her words calmly. If their foes were using magic of this nature, likely at Erlebnis¡¯ warning, they possessed ways to counter their strongest spells. [Requite] would be countered.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    As they neared the Sea Dragon, ballistae mounted on the floating fortress zipped through the air at Crystal Wind. Rowe¡¯s deft maneuvering avoided the least threatening, while Onychinusa in her impermeable form dealt with all others. As Argrave watched, he saw eight mana ripples spread out from different corners of the ship. It was time for their pivotal role to be acted out in this coup de main.


    ¡°Here it is!¡± Argrave called out, signaling to all others.


    Rowe slowed his dragon, suspending it just before the gship of the Imperial Navy. As Argrave clung to Crystal Wind¡¯s back, the enormity of the fortress dawned at him. This vessel wasrge enough to be a city. The eight spellspleted, finally unleashing their wrath and the signature move of the Sea Dragon.


    Spells from the Great Chu had some unique aspects to them¡ªone of thergest was their use of what urred naturally to achieve greater power. This spell called upon the great ocean beneath the Sea Dragon. From the eight positions where the spells was cast, the vast and turbulent ocean coalesced into eight great eastern dragons. They writhed through the air like the tentacles of a kraken, then surged in on Crystal Wind like biting snakes. Each spell was asrge as the dragon. It was almost instinct for Argrave to call upon [Requite] and returns those massive attacks back at their foes, but the enemy possessed shamanic magic and they couldn¡¯t guarantee such a counter would not fail.


    All of the spellcasters who¡¯d agreed toe on this assault rushed up the dragon¡¯s back, near its shoulders. It tilted backward and beat its wing to stay in ce, and the Veidimen retinue clung to the dragon¡¯s spikes as it tilted dangerously. Atop its head and neck, everyone prepared the most powerful ice magic that they could possibly muster.


    As the water dragons neared, a wave of unimaginably powerful ice rocketed forth toward each and every spell. The dragon spewed its breath of sheer cold. Argrave sent the A-rank [Ice Maul] from both hands, imbuing both attacks with blood magic thanks to his perfected [Blood Infusion]. Anneliese, Vera, Vasilisa, Rowe, Castro, and Onychinusa allbatted the seemingly-unstoppable wave of magic. The two forces met, and the sheer pandemonium made it unclear which attack had won out.


    Hegazar, meanwhile, master of illusions, conjured an S-rank illusion spell to shield all of them from the sight of the world. Once it had taken hold, Castro conjured a great burst of wind beneath them, sending crystals of ice scattering everywhere as Crystal Wind ascended into the air. To all observers, the ice crystals and fast winds would make this spot appear like nothing more than his namesake. But all the while, they soared above the Sea Dragon, heading for the back while spurred by a tailwind. As they flew, Argrave called upon his blood echoes to make a single [Bloodfeud Bow] as it passed over the fortress.


    By the time they reached the back, Argrave¡¯s [Bloodfeud Bow] waspleted. With a pointed finger, the maroon bolt spread toward the back deck of the floating fortress. When it neared, a gigantic and awe-inspiring ward shielded the fortress. The bolt hit and pierced, yet even as it fragmented new magic already came to repair the hole. Indeed¡ªthe whole of the Sea Dragon was protected by a magic ward.


    Crystal Wind swooped down, bunching its wings together to fit through the hole. They fell toward the wooden deck below. Moments before impact its wing spread to stop its descent, and the shift of momentum was enough to force Argrave to his knees. The dragonnded, looking out across the vast deck.


    ¡°Get off!¡± shouted Rowe, looking around frantically. ¡°Don¡¯t care to stick around!¡±


    Argrave looked back to his struggling retinue, then shouted, ¡°Come on! It¡¯s time to go!¡±


    Argrave and his whole force¡ªsave Rowe¡ªdismounted Crystal Wind. When their feet were on the deck of the Sea Dragon, his dragon lifted up into the air once more. Above, Rowe called upon [Winter¡¯s Awl] to break the ward once again, and left. His role was to block off any retreat.


    Back on the deck, meanwhile, forces already emerged, running up from stairs below deck and taking disciplined positions. Bells and horns echoed out. Having only ever seen it in a distance in Heroes of Berendar, Argrave didn¡¯t know theyout of this ship. It was so giant that working it out might take time. For now, though, they were on a t deck at the back of the ship. A towering square building awaited them ahead, undoubtedly containing the elite troops of the Great Chu.


    And its emperor, of course.

 Chapter 507: Waking Ghosts

    Emperor Ji Meng waved away the servant that was attempting to help him with his armor, and pulled the strap tight on his own. He walked to the decadent mannequin holding up his armor and pulled thest piece of equipment free¡ªthe helmet with its great crescent moon perched atop and his demon-like mask. He fitted the helm over his head, while the mask hung loosely from his left hand. His armor had grown somewhat loose over these years where nothing stimted his appetite, so he tightened it yet further.


    Ji Meng walked to the wall where his formidable dadao hung. Long ago, his court had insisted he discard this ¡®peasant weapon.¡¯ In response, he¡¯d had one of the divine weapons of the Great Chu reforged inside it. He felt unfathomable strength surge as he took hold of it. He called upon the vital force within him, feeling it rumble like a storm.


    ¡°If the enemy has boarded, I will meet them,¡± he dered, turning around to where one of his bodyguards stood. ¡°With spell and de, I will cast their bodies into the sea. I will overturn this ambush, and y them to thest.¡± He hefted therge de over his shoulder and walked to the door. ¡°I will takemand. If they came here, they seek to cut off the head. They seek either Admiral Tan Shu or myself. I will have an ambush of my own ready. You¡ªry my orders,¡± he pointed to one of his men.


    Emperor Ji Meng lifted the mask in his left hand up to his face, and it slotted into the helmet perfectly. The demonic face that it depicted hid something of an eager, if nervous, smile on his face. Even if he himself had not known it, he¡¯d longed for the feeling of being near death once again. He felt fear at the coordination, the ferocity, and the sheer strangeness of his foes.


    That fear was turning out to be sweeter than any food in the imperial court, and his hunger was finally roused.


    #####


    The Great Chu had two sorts of spellcasterbatants. There were those who used traditional magic; namely, spells cast from matrixes. And then there were those who used weaponry to manifest the magic within themselves. It was not so dissimr to enchanted weaponry within Vasquer, yet rather than imnt the magic through [Imbuing], each and everybatant imbued the weapon with their own magic to enact the de¡¯s enchantment¡ªthough they called magic ¡®vital force.¡¯ In turn, these weapons were not called ¡®enchanted.¡¯ They were somon in the Great Chu that they did not have a name at all. It spoke to their power.


    The sheer number of troops that ran to confront them when theynded was so overwhelming that Argrave knew any attempts to be mobile initially would be utterly fruitless. Hundreds of archers took their ce on elevated positions all around them. Soldiers wearing themer armor of the Great Chu ran up from the deck, forming disciplined ranks. These were no raiders¡ªthey would not rush foolhardily, but instead intended to gather their forces in a defensible location before they had forces enough to ensure a rapid and total victory.


    But their time to gather yed into Argrave¡¯s ns, too. When theynded on the deck the first thing that Argrave did was call upon his Brumesingers. They scrambled from his heavy coat, bounding across the deck while singing their chiming, melodious song. Their barely-perceptible gray mist blessed by the dryads spread out all around them. Everyone in this group had been touched by the dryads, and so this mist would not affect them¡­ yet for all others, it would be a gue unlike any others.


    The faint gray wisps of the Brumesingers burst out across the deck. For two years they¡¯d been feasting on the souls of the greatest warriors, and now that gathered power made its grandest entrance yet. The Brumesingers used this fog to protect themselves in the wild, but Argrave had been filling that role for them. As such, they¡¯d built a glut of power within themselves¡ªa glut that Argrave felt was perfect to spend here.


    Indeed, the timing was so perfect that out of everyone, these Brumesingers would be most vital for this entire operation.


    The Brumesingers vanished into mist, and yet their song continued deeper, deeper into the fortress. The troops seemed uneasy as the fog fell upon them, but they could not know what it was that seeped into their lungs, their skin, their very soul. This whole ship would, soon. But just as they surrounded their foes with the brume, their foes surrounded Argrave¡¯s group.


    With the blow of a horn, the archers began their first barrage at the heart of Argrave¡¯s small party. Each of the archers here possessed the magic capacity of a B-rank spellcaster, and each of their weapons were capable of harnessing magic. In response, Castro cast the S-rank [Cradle of Gods], and an S-rank ward encircled them.


    ¡°In this domain, any attacks made against my allies are greatly weakened!¡± he shouted, calling upon the Domain of Law. It took shape around them. Argrave knelt to the ground, looking to those around him. ¡°Don¡¯t get distracted for a second. Soon, their spellcasters wille here.¡±


    ¡°Speak for yourself,¡± Vera responded, paranoidly watching each and every avenue for where an attack mighte.


    Argrave closed his eyes and held his hand up. He conjured up the A-rank spell [Heart of the Pack]. Argrave¡¯s Brumesingers had always been bound to him by use of the C-rank [Pack Leader]. He¡¯d clung to this method instead of direct control as Anneliese had over her sparrow for this spell in particr.


    Argrave felt his soul intertwine with the Brumesingers¡¯ as they spread their influence throughout the Sea Dragon. He was one, and yet he was five¡ªand five were one as a single pack. He became his Brumesingers, experienced all that they didpletely. And they became him, knowing and understanding all of his desires and wants so intensely. Argrave knew that he was changed in that moment, and so were they.


    Argrave and his four other bodies roamed the vast floating fortress that was the Sea Dragon, spreading the brume everywhere it could reach. He sung the song that he had only before heard, filling barracks, filling dormitories, filling the ptial rooms where the S-rank spellcasters of the Great Chu resided. Argrave could feel the brume. It was not merely a fog to him anymore¡ªit was like a vastwork that his brain was attached to. Everywhere it stirred, every figure that walked through it¡­ he knew where they were, what they said. The sensations would¡¯ve overwhelmed his human mind, but the burden was shouldered by the pack. Argrave was merely its heart.


    Under ordinary circumstances, perhaps the brume might¡¯ve been cast away by the wind. But the Sea Dragon was encircled by a great ward, keeping projectiles and tempests from ever gracing its deck. What was a marvel of magic engineering became nothing more than the seal to their fate as the barely-discernible mists crept up, down, and all around this mighty gship.


    In time, Argrave discovered awork within his domain of fog. It wasmands, orders, all rippling outward from a central point. The imprecision of it and the slow movement of the fog made it incredibly difficult to discern their source¡­ but Argrave pressed ever onward, consuming more of the ship with the aid of his Brumesingers.


    A deafening crack broke Argrave¡¯s concentration. Argrave opened his eyes to see the dim afterimage of incredibly powerful lightning. Castro¡¯s ward had shattered, and now Onychinusa created another to hold its ce. Even with the brume dampening the power of magic, and with Argrave¡¯s Domain of Law weakening all attacks, S-rank spells were S-rank spells.


    ¡°We cannot hold much longer, Argrave,¡± Anneliese informed him. ¡°Hurry.¡±


    Argrave closed his eyes andpsed back into the heart of the pack. He desperately listened to all of the words, themands, as the faint mist crept its way up the giant square building before them. Meanwhile, yet more made its way to the front of the boat. It wasing together¡ªbits and pieces there, amander here, and Argrave managed to iste the officers of theirmand structure.


    Just as Argrave¡¯s pack made it to the front of the Sea Dragon, yet another deafening crack disturbed his thoughts. He didn¡¯t open his eyes, but he heard yet more pleading. They could not remain in this location much longer.


    Argrave found Admiral Tan Shu. She desperatelymanded the navy from the front deck, fighting a losing battle. Argrave seized upon the opportunity and pooled fog in the area. When she began to notice something was amiss, Argrave conjured a single shade from the mist. It was a great Veidimen warrior wielding a maul, and it clubbed her in the back of the head. She mmed against the railing, then tipped over and fell off the side. She wore divine gear and Argrave doubted he¡¯d even knocked her unconscious, but the interruption to theirmand would be nheless devastating.


    The incident brought the faintest whisper of suspicion about this mysterious fog. Perhaps all had thought it was merely mist from the ocean. Now, the brightest few had other ideas about what it might be. They said the vital force within them was disturbed. They felt mise¡ªweakness, failing sight, nausea. They heard the eerie chiming spreading throughout the ship, without an obvious source yet without an obvious end¡­ but even if they knew, it was far toote for that. Perhaps they dismissed it as anxiety. Perhaps adrenaline hid the feelings. If they told theirmanders, they would receive nofort. Those wearing divine armaments were barely affected, and so themanders would dismiss these ims as the nerves of battle.


    But in time, they would know the wrath of the dryads. Argrave and his pack had nearly permeated every part of the ship.


    Argrave found the emperor¡¯s room¡­ empty, save his servants huddling in the corner. On and on he tracked the chain ofmand, searching for its heart. He came upon a room¡ªa vast training hall, where amply used training equipmenty untouched. And there, partially hidden¡­ Argrave spotted Emperor Ji Meng. He heard hismand.


    ¡°If they would remain in that wide-open deck¡­ we have no reason not to surround them, wear them down.¡± He hefted his dadao in his hand. As Argrave looked upon that demonic mask and helmet, he knew he¡¯d found the great conqueror Ji Meng. ¡°I will advance closer.¡±


    Another deafening crack burst into Argrave¡¯s ears, and he opened his eyes wide as a ward scattered around him in golden fragments. He stood up. ¡°I¡¯ve found him!¡±


    ¡°About fucking time!¡± shouted Hegazar.


    ¡°I¡¯ll lead!¡± Argrave continued, stepping ahead of everyone. ¡°Move on up!¡±


    Argrave, his spellcasters, and his Veidimen retinue advanced straight toward the giant square building that was the heart of the Sea Dragon. A thousand troops had massed to block them. Though smaller than the snow elves, these were elite troops, equipped with Great Chu weapons and trained in martial arts for decades.


    But the rot had already set in.


    As Argrave and hispanions dealt with barrage of magic-imbued arrows and spells, the Veidimen confronted the first of the troops. Argrave could see the magic¡ªtheir ¡®vital force¡¯¡ªwithin, moving slow and sluggish like mud. The first few of them managed to imbue their magic-harnessing weapons with their vital force, and sent forth des of wind, of fire, and great arcs of electricity¡­ but the Veidimen shrugged these attacks off with deft parries, and then fell upon them.


    This elite troop, the emperor¡¯s personal army, had impable techniques. Their footwork was coordinated, their attacks were precise and wasted no energy, and they were decade-long veterans ofbat with unrivalled adaptability. But their muscles were failing, their eyesight was off, and nothing functioned as it ought to have. It was like a thousand elite -five-year-olds. Theycked strength, theycked coordination¡ªtheir soul wasn¡¯t aligned with their body.


    Argrave¡¯s Veidimen honor guard effortlessly dismantled person after person. One blow was enough to send these hollow shells tumbling. Some of them, once on the ground, couldn¡¯t even stand back up. Argrave wasn¡¯t too confident about his martial prowess, but he felt he could take these people. But even still, he dismissed such arrogant thoughts, keeping the emperor¡¯s location close in his mind.


    Leaving behind hundreds, Argrave pressed into the heart of the Sea Dragon.


    #####


    Those beyond the gship engaged in battle could not help but peer at the Sea Dragon. Following Argrave¡¯s descent, the whole of it had been consumed by an unearthly fog, billowing out ever so slowly before being contained by the ward protecting the ship. It seemed to have be a ghost ship. Those nearest to it would hear faint chiming, like a siren¡¯s song. Before long, it stopped moving entirely.


    Just as the heart of their fleet was consumed by a dark fog, so too were all others feeling the fog of war. The wyverns, the longships, and the great ice dragon blocking any hope of retreat¡­ this battle was expertly coordinated. And behind it all, an ill omen brewed. It stood as proof. Proof that mortals alone were not behind this battle.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Far behind the Great Chu¡¯s navy, a great storm took shape far quicker than it had any right to. Powerful winds churned the surface of the ocean¡ªnay, the ocean itself seemed to writhe with a will of its own. And gathering at the heart of both, a storm condensed into a towering hurricane. The skies had been clear not minutes ago, yet now a great tsunami and hurricane both threatened to sweep across this battle, consigning both armies into oblivion.


    Sataistador stood at the shore, watching this brewing storm with a wide smile on his face. ¡°The gods behind this voyage finally show themselves¡­¡± He savagely licked his teeth with anticipation, then rolled his shoulders. ¡°Such panic¡­ I¡¯ll enjoy you, little triplets of the Qircassian Coalition. You¡¯ll scream louder than your storm.¡±

 Chapter 508: True Opposition

    Though Gmon was acutely aware of the massive storm brewing far behind the battlefield, his years of experience inmand made him keep focused on the task that had been assigned to him¡ªtotal subjugation of the invading force. To that end, he enacted an efficient tactic to subdue these turtle ships brought from the north by the Great Chu. This tactic, with Rowe and his dragon hassling their rear, was like the quicksand of the Burnt Desert¡ªthe fiercer they thrashed, the more their life was threatened.


    Durran¡¯s wyverns circled the edge of the battle, bearing two riders on their backs at all times. One rider guided the wyvern, while the other directed powerful spells at the ships. The flying mounts gave the spellcasters mobility and vantage that was not easilybatted, and the advantage provided ample opportunity for Gmon to enact his n. Either the enemy devoted spellcasters tobatting the forces in the sky, or they left themselves open to Gmon¡¯s navy. They chose thetter, for at least then it became a contest between navies.


    Gmon stayed removed from the battle, more than a dozen birds perched on his crossed arms.


    ¡°Relvan, advance and board. Company, disengage and head west. Siren, enemies approach on the east¡ªabandon the grapple, disengage and fall back until you receive further orders.¡±


    These birds on Gmon¡¯s arms were linked to druidic spellcasters. When he gave amand, it could be immediately ryed to all those underneath him. This brutally efficientmand structure ensured that they were always a step ahead of their invaders. The tactic that Gmon employed required heavy amounts of coordination. This sort of coordination was necessary against this navy. They fired ranged weapons from covered positions¡ªcrossbows and bows, oftentimes magic. The Veidimen had ranged weapons of their own, but the iron ting of the ships that gave these turtle ships their name made ranged retaliation a losing battle.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Veidimen longships operated in pairs for this operation. Though both, in part, were intended to manipte the opposing ships, one was assigned as the boarder and another as the herder. It was the herder¡¯s duty to attach itself to one of the ships with grappling hooks. From there, the Veidimen would pull the heavy ships by use of their numerous and superior oarsmen. Gmon and every captain had long ago mapped out which parts of the water had dangerous shallow rocks, barely concealed beneath turbulent waters. They pushed these invaders, both by grappling and by reckless ramming, into these shallows. The turtle ships were ridiculously heavy yet sunk deeper into the ocean than Veidimen longships, so it was an easier task than might be expected.


    When a turtle ship¡¯s hull was breached by rocks in shallow waters, or when one was more simply separated from their main unit, the longships in reserve would swarm the ship, climbing atop the iron-ted shell protecting the seamen within. Withbined might, the Veidimen would pry these iron tes off the ship one by one, then swarm inside tomandeer the vessel. There, the true battle began.


    With Veid working through Gmon as Her champion, all these thousands at sea were empowered by Her divinity. They were bolstered by unfaltering courage, limitless stamina, and a total unity with theirrades. Though the ignorant might im these boons were meager offerings, any who had been to war would see their utility. In battle, hesitation sometimes afflicted even the steel-willed, yet with Veid at their backs that was gone. In battle, hours after hours of rowing oars and hacking with an axe could tire even the hardiest of warriors, but Veid ensured the seventieth blow would be just as fierce as the first. And in battle, the chaos and confusion led torades idently striking one another far too often. That, too, was but a distant memory under Veid¡¯s banner.


    With Veid at their backs, the Veidimen became the perfect army. And Gmon championed Her, that Her vision might spread throughout the entire world.


    They picked off vessel after vessel, leaving these turtle ships adrift or beached with the corpses of their sailors cast into the waters. Their bloodied bodies sunk into the water lifelessly, carried down by the weight of their armor. Some few abandoned their ships in abject fear¡ªthese struggled desperately to stay afloat. Their armor was light enough for them to swim, but not enough to do so in the roughening waters caused by the mounting storm. They were easy pickings for the monstrous Irontooth Piranhas that made their home in the coast of Berendar. The predatory fish ate well today.


    Despite initial sess, Gmon stayed very alert. He was waiting for a maneuver that Argrave had informed him of long in advance. His wariness proved well justified when he spotted ports open on the front of the ships. A stylized turtle head jutted out, a spout in its mouth. Gmon spoke decisively.


    ¡°All ships fall back,¡± he said loudly, then repeated it once more. ¡°Fall back. The firees.¡±


    And like that, the relentless drive forth of the Veidimen shifted. Their oars, once rowing forward, now desperately pressed backward. Though the order was well-timed, Gmon saw for himself the pure destructive might of the liquid fire the Great Chu had devised. The turtle heads in front of the ship spewed out fountains of white sludge. The moment that the first bit of it touched the water, it burst into bloodred mes.


    The deluge of bloody mes crept toward the Veidimen longships with terrifying fury, spurred by both their spout¡¯s initial momentum and the winds of the storm ahead. The Veidimen had been prepared for this, but perhaps ten vessels were consumed in the mes at once¡ªthose too slow to disengage, or those upied with boarding. Just as many if not more Great Chu vessels sumbed to the fires as the Imperial Navy consigned their allies to death.


    The bloodred fire tore through ships with rming haste. Veidimen warriors aboard the ships desperately removed their armor before jumping into the water, yet many couldn¡¯t and burned alive screaming. The smell of burnt flesh and wood spread so quickly that Gmon smelled it in seconds, and Argrave saw blood dye the ocean as dead and living both were torn apart by the Irontooth Piranhas.


    The retreating longships, meanwhile, retrievedrge felt nkets enchanted with humble fire-resistance spells and spread them in the water to cover their retreat. A lumpy and makeshift patch of floating felt blocked the ceaseless advance of this fire. Though crude, it sufficed. Gmon gave a self-satisfied nod as he saw the fire-retardant felt put distance between this fire and his navy. Some mes spilled past even still, but the bulk of their forces were spared the horrors of the heat.


    As the fire raged between the two of them, Gmon had time to survey the battle. The nature of the liquid fire ensured that it reached some of their own turtle ships in these tumultuous waters, but by andrge, the Imperial Navy had created a temporary stalemate. The Great Chu still outnumbered the Veidimen longships, though now to a lesser degree. Gmon felt that victory was at hand¡ªtheir opponent had earned themselves a moment of reprise, but in so doing expended their trump card. If all went well, Argrave would subdue the emperor and the admiral, and then end this battle by seizing its leaders.


    Gmon stared at the Sea Dragon. So much of it was concealed by fog by this point. Beyond that, however, the mounting storm seemed to shake and tumble, ready to burst forth. With his sharp senses, he spotted someone approaching the heart of this storm. Someone with red hair and a huge physique: namely, Sataistador. And as he entered, storm and wave both trembled as if in fear. There, gods would sh as background to mortal feuds.


    #####


    Though Argrave had hoped to corner Emperor Ji Meng in a tight space and subdue him quickly, hismand of his troops was not as sophisticated as hismand over his druidic bonds. They did encounter the emperor,ing upon him in one of the lower hallways. He was ignorant of the fact Argrave and his retinue had burst free of their encirclement, but upon their encounter the fierce conqueror¡¯s brain worked without dy.


    Upon judging the opposition, the emperor prudently left two of his personal guard behind to hold Argrave off, and then fell back to a more favorable position. Indeed, only two¡ªand with these two, their party faced the first real opposition of this assault. The emperor¡¯s personal guard bore divine armaments¡ªthus, they were not as badly affected by the Brumesingers¡¯ attack, if even at all.


    The pair that confronted them were deadly warriors. They were garbed in all ck, covering even their face, and though small before the Veidimen had an undeniable presence. From the back, one bore a bow firing magic-imbued projectiles. The frontliner had a dagger with a curved hilt meant for catching and disarming foes, and a sword of bone that was undoubtedly divine. These were artifacts of lesser gods, iparable to that taken from Erlebnis¡¯ vault, yet divine all the same.


    Argrave had been leading but fell back, casting spells with his [Blood Echoes]. Despite the fact they were lightning spells, this vanguard warrior caught a dozen C-rank spells imbued with blood with his de alone, blocking them like attacks as ordinary as any others. The Veidimen swarmed past Argrave to deal with this foe, and he let them.


    The first Veidimen to confront the frontliner was drunk on the easy victory against his old foes, and fell upon the emperor¡¯s guard recklessly. He swung his axe in an overhand arc, but the guard caught the blow with his dagger, hooked it with the hilt, and pulled the man forth to stab him with his sword. The Veidimen recovered and tried to p the de away with his shield, only barely preserving his life. The guard kicked him away¡­ where a perfectly aimed arrow from the archer pierced through the Veidimen¡¯s helmet, killing him instantly. All of the frontliner¡¯s moves possessed the uncanny grace of a practiced martial art. Argrave, though, kept his eye on the archer. He called upon the Brumesingers, prepared to ambush him with a shade of mist.


    Next, three snow elves filled the width of the hall, bearing down on this imperial guard. With dagger and sword, he fended off the probing attacks as the archer behind mercilessly fired upon them. When one of the Veidimen overextended, the guard again hooked an axe with the hilt of his dagger and pulled the towering elf forward in a familiar, practiced gesture. The others rushed to punish the upied imperial guard, perhaps hoping to save their friend. Rather than defend, he ruthlessly stabbed the man he¡¯d seized, then caught an axe with his shoulder. When the Veidimen tried to pull his axe free, the guard released his dagger and grabbed the axe, pulling with all of his might.


    The Veidimen lurched forward, exposed to the archer. Argrave long ago saw the archer pull an arrow back and so conjured a shade. The bowman, though, somehow noticed the attack before it hit, and rolled forth without releasing the bowstring. The archer¡¯s dodge was fast enough he gained stable footing and released the bow, whereupon the arrow pierced the visor of the off-bnce Veidimen. With two of his allies dead, the third Veidimen finally cleaved into the frontliner¡¯s skull, ending his defense. He seized the divine armament and then sprinted down the hall, eager to avenge his fallenrades.


    The archer retreated, falling back while firing arrows recklessly. Each came so fast they were forced to slow, but Vera stepped ahead with her right hand sparkling with light.


    ¡°Fall back, knight!¡± Argrave shouted, and the Veidimen, despite the grief of losing tworades, did obey. He scrambled behind Vera, and the moment he did, a mana ripple spread as she released an S-rank lightning spell, [Smite]. Her A-rank ascension, [Two-Faced], allowed her to imbue elemental spells with another element. A sheer st of fire and lightning consumed the corridor ahead, converging on this archer. When the light faded, the archer crouched there, bow held before him. His clothes had melted into his skin, but still he stood and turned the corner, fleeing.


    ¡°They¡¯re damned monstrous,¡± said Vasilisa of Quadreign, catching her breath.


    ¡°I still sense them. They went to the front deck,¡± Argrave continued, pushing past theirints. ¡°The emperor is trying to regroup. I¡¯m going to ensure that hismand never reaches where it needs to be. We proceed slowly.¡±


    After the terrifying encounter with only two imperial guards, their party advanced considerably more slowly to where the emperor waited. Argrave used [Heart of the Pack] to its fullest extent. The emperor was trying to signal to the S-rank spellcasters aboard the ship where he was, but Argrave hunted every messenger he sent down, killing or otherwise incapacitating them with the brume that had permeated the whole ship.


    They finally came to the front deck, where Emperor Ji Meng and his imperial guard awaited them. Argrave stalled their group at the door, sizing their party up. Admiral Tan Shu had managed to get back aboard the ship after Argrave¡¯s sneak attack, and she waited with the emperor. Two S-rank spellcasters had taken position at the edge of the deck. Fifty imperial guards circled Emperor Ji Meng, who himself was an S-rank spellcaster resplendent in divine armaments.


    ¡°My gear,¡± Argrave looked at Grimalt, who¡¯d been instructed to carry certain items.


    Grimalt nodded and retrieved the Resonant Pir¡ªa staff of jade he¡¯d used tobat Mozzahr¡ªand the Inerrant Cloak, an item that drew upon its wearer¡¯s magic to defend from attacks. Argrave took both in hand, feeling strength surge through him as he wrapped the cloak around himself.


    Argrave took a deep breath while his brain worked furiously. He needed to do more than merely beat his opponent¡ªhe needed to make the Emperor of the Great Chu his hostage. The n had already been set in motion long ago, this was merely the final act. With this in mind, Argrave led his retinue into the front deck, where an undefeated conqueror awaited him.


    Ahead, surrounded by his personal guard, Emperor Ji Meng stood with his dadao leaning against his shoulder. His stance seemed every bit as upromising as the demonic mask that he wore.

 Chapter 509: King Before the Emperor

    The front deck of the Sea Dragon was shrouded in fog, and as Argrave walked at the head of his people, he reviewed this battleground he¡¯d long ago surveyed. The front deck, unlike the back, was triangr. The emperor and his guards stood in the center of this triangle, and their formation was simple. The vanguard held pavises firm against the ground, the crescent moon of the Great Chu emzoned proudly in white on their ck surface. Just behind, expert archers prepared to fire arrows of great power.


    The emperor¡¯s elite archers would undoubtedly make any approach unimaginably difficult, and the cover from the pavises would make retaliation difficult. On top of that, Argrave could see other weapons on their person¡ªonce they came close enough, they would surely switch to melee weapons, demonstrating the same devastating prowess that they had in their first encounter.


    The position inclined an onlooker toward using devastating spells to break their rank, but that might be a mistake. At the midway point of the triangr front deck, two towers rose up on the left and right sides. It was from there that the S-rank spellcasters had attacked them with water dragons, and it was there two remained, sheltered from attack while within their towers. From its shelter, the powerful spellcasters perched like a hawk watching for prey. With Ji Meng on the battlefield, their role would be solely to protect himpletely. They would make casting spells aborious thing¡ªand even if one slipped past, Emperor Ji Meng himself was an S-rank spellcaster.


    It was a deadly formation¡­ but one that Argrave and Anneliese had devised a hastily-conjured counter for. That counter, namely, was themselves.


    Rather than the Veidimen or the other spellcasters along with them, Argrave, Anneliese, and Onychinusa walked straight toward the formation. Argrave¡¯s blood echoes spread out in a line, while Anneliese remained just behind him. Onychinusa persisted as disced magic mist, blending in with the Brumesinger¡¯s fog, yet Argrave knew she was present.


    When the first volley of maged arrows came to confront their advance, Anneliese conjured wards with practiced grace. Her wards, empowered by divine creations plundered from Erlebnis¡¯ vault, easily withstood the blow. She and Argrave were protected within, while Argrave¡¯s blood echoes remained without.


    On the right and left, the Veidimen took formation centered around their remaining spellcasters. Their task was twofold¡ªdeal with the S-rank spellcasters within the towers, and nk the emperor¡¯s guard. Vasilisa and Vera, their two best attackers, countered every spell the S-rank spellcasters in the tower cast, while Castro and Hegazar acted as reserve and rearguard both.


    ¡°The two in the towers have some spirits¡ªperhaps a hundred. But Ji Meng has the most,¡± Anneliese told him, employing her [Truesight] to evaluate these people. ¡°Easily over a thousand.¡±


    Argrave¡¯s party had a straightforward victory condition. They would need to deplete their opponents of spirits using a simple shamanic spell called [Freedom], which required its caster to touch the other party. Once their foes were deprived of their spirits, they became vulnerable to shamanic magic. It was Onychinusa¡¯s duty to then cast the S-rank spell [Subjugate], that they might subdue the emperor without killing him.


    Though grateful for the enemy¡¯s spirit count, Argrave did not respond to Anneliese¡ªinstead, he unleashed his first counterattack to the imperial guard¡¯s formation, calling upon each of his blood echoes to attack. Argrave saw bright maroon lights before he heard the terrible noise of his attack. Seventy-two sustained bolts of blood-infused lightning came forth from eight blood echoes, casting dreadful lights across the deck. Their sheer power illuminated the fog sopletely it seemed that Argrave had cast them into a ring of hell, and the sustained electric arcs emitted an intense noise that sounded like an industrial saw.


    This was one of the spells he had designed in seclusion with the Alchemist, experimenting with segmenting and [Blood Infusion]. With segmenting, he turned [Nine-Tailed Bloodbriars] and its bloody whips into [Arc Whips]¡ªa B-rank spell that projected nine deadly electric arcs that spanned the air with lightning¡¯s speed and power. With [Blood Infusion], each of these arcs gained the power of his ck blood. He might¡¯ve made the spell A-rank, but B-rank spells were the limit his blood echoes could cast.


    The Bloodbriars had already been an unstoppable wave of destruction, yet now that they were formed of electricity while retaining the destructive power of blood magic. Argrave was used to emerging from the gate with an attack so powerful that it forced his foes on the defensive, and this was his most powerful gambit yet.


    Even still, the imperial guard responded with infiniteposure. Though the lightning was fast enough the first wave struck his foes, the pavise-bearing frontliners imbued their magic into their shields before the second wave came, conjuring a slew of wards from their weapons. The [Arc Whips] melted through lower-ranked wards, true¡ªbut dozens stacked together was another matter. Their defense held, and the elite archers changed both their formation and projectile type. When their defense fell, Argrave once again cast [Arc Whips] from his echoes. The archers met this with a wave of water arrows, upon which the arcs faltered. Argrave was shocked they so quickly devised a counter, but also had plenty of tricks in his own bag.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Before Argrave had the chance to change his style of attack, the guards¡¯ formation split. Ji Meng walked forward, running his hand along his dadao. Argrave saw a mana ripple split through the fog, hueing it teal, but no spell came. Instead, Argrave saw all of the emperor¡¯s magic pour into this weapon, and knew what wasing.


    ¡°Defend,¡± Argrave shouted, voice eerily clear in the foggy battle.


    When thest of the magic poured into his weapon, Ji Meng raised his dadao into the air and swung it horizontally. A crescent beam of concentrated electricity cut through the air, and Argrave barely conjured an A-rank ward empowered by [Blood Infusion] in time to defend. Though easily equal to any S-rank ward, his defense shattered. Anneliese¡¯s wards next stood in its way, yet they both shattered before its might. Argrave received the blow with the jade Resonant Pir in his hand. The sh still had tremendous force behind it, and the Inerrant Cloak that Argrave wore drew upon his magic to protect from the remainder. The majority of his personal magic vanished as it drew upon his magic supply to defend him¡­ yet Argrave managed to emerge unharmed.


    The emperor¡¯s weapon could absorb any spell that he cast, then concentrate it into a single sh and empower it with divinity. The resulting attack was strong enough to y even greater gods. He had caught much of that power in the Resonant Pir, and the weapon now stood poised to deliver a devastating attack whenever he so pleased.


    Ji Meng¡¯s face was hidden behind his demonic mask, but Argrave thought he noticed surprise that they¡¯d endured. Argrave held his gaze and calmly unsped the Inerrant Cloak to hand to Anneliese, whose magic supply could replenish. With Argrave¡¯s magic gone, she was better suited to wear this.


    ¡°You take the next hit, if ites to that. But be careful,¡± he reminded her.


    Argrave had thought Ji Meng merely poked his head out to attack, but no¡ªhis guards¡¯ formation shifted. Rather than wait to be nked, his troops divided into two to confront theing Veidimen. Like parallels to Argrave and Anneliese, Emperor Ji Meng and Admiral Tan Shu stood adjacent to each other, supported by two archers each. Argrave briefly thought it was pride on the emperor¡¯s part, but no. It was much more difficult for the group as a whole if the imperial guard contested the Veidimen.


    To his right and left, battle erupted between the Chu spellcasters, the imperial guard, the Veidimen, and Argrave¡¯s retinue of Order Magisters. The emperor and admiral both stared them down in theirmer Chu-styled armor, demonic masks betraying no emotion. Admiral Tan Shu was an A-rank spellcaster and bore a divine bident made of bone. They were both intimidating fighters, but Argrave couldn¡¯t hesitate. He advanced, hoping they¡¯d do the same, as he called upon his blood echoes to cast [Arc Whips] yet again.


    Ji Meng held his dadao up, imbuing it with a warding spell as Argrave¡¯s onught of lightning came. Each of the arcs twisted and battered against the de as though drawn to it, demonstrating yet another aspect of his terrifying weapon. Argrave turned his attack into a distraction, however¡ªbehind, he had his Brumesingers conjure shades of mist to assail the two archers supporting both the admiral and the emperor.


    The moment Argrave¡¯s lightning ceased, Admiral Tan Shu threw her bident. It soared through the air whistling, and Argrave conjured his A-rank ward infused with blood magic to block it. The silver bracer on his arm containing his blood essence had drained about half from merely two of these wards. When it struck his ward, the bident suspended in the air. Tan Shu simply appeared where it was, then gripped it tightly and thrust again. His ward shattered, but Argrave knew this attack wasing and sidestepped.


    Argrave swung the Resonant Pir to punish her attempt at a surprise attack, and Tan Shu barely blocked with the haft of her spear. The sheer force contained within the attack lifted her off the ground and sent her flying hundreds of feet away. She threw her bident¡ªnot at Argrave, but at the ship. It sunk deep into the deck. As her figure faded away, she once again teleported where itnded. She stumbled, her arms broken¡ªArgrave¡¯s attack had done some damage, even if she had blocked it. Still, it was nothing magic couldn¡¯t heal.


    ¡°Another swing!¡± Anneliese shouted, drawing Argrave¡¯s attention back to the emperor.


    Just as Argrave turned his head, Ji Meng had already imbued his weapon with another S-rank spell. Anneliese stepped in front of him and cast two wards just as Ji Meng swung horizontally once more. As his crescent de of condensed electricity cut through the air with uncanny speed, her wards barely bought Argrave enough time to cast another of his A-rank wards infused with blood magic. Once again, the Inerrant Cloak proved the only thing preventing them from perishing, and Argrave saw Anneliese¡¯s magic drain rapidly as she blocked it with her bare hands.


    If I¡¯d known he would be so hard to approach, I¡¯d have brought Mnie for certain, Argrave thought.


    He looked to Admiral Tan Shu, considering somehow using her bident to get near. He saw no way to do it without exposing his n, though¡ªand the admiral wasn¡¯t yet beaten. He needed a way to both approach quickly and distract the emperor simultaneously.


    Hell, thought Argrave. Guess it¡¯s time for good ol¡¯ reliable.


    ¡°In this domain, any allies inside reach their peak for a short time,¡± Argrave dered, calling upon the Domain of Law. At once, he felt a tremendous difference. He didn¡¯t look back as he said, ¡°Anneliese, Onychinusa¡ªmake sure I can approach him without being intercepted.¡±


    ¡°Understood,¡± she answered, though he could hear the unease in her voice. Onychinusa did not answer, but Argrave could perceive her everywhere and knew she listened.


    Argrave sent out ten blood echoes, straining his mind to its fullest. Two of them used [Arc Whips], sting at the emperor. It was enough to keep him distracted defending, but also gave Ji Meng the opportunity to step backward and retreat. Argrave felt some panic seeing that, but stuck to his n. All of the eight other blood echoes conjured [Electric Eels]. Argrave himself, however, cast [Bloodarc Bow], preparing a single mighty attack using thest of the blood essence within his silver bracer.


    Argrave watched and waited, eyes fixed on the emperor ahead. He felt the two blood echoes deplete as they cast [Arc Whips], and moments before they finally vanished, Argrave pointed [Bloodarc Bow] into the sky, then shot up the maroon bolt of lightning. It soared toward the heavens, and following just after it was the far-slower [Electric Eels].


    Argrave sprinted forth, heading for the emperor. The Admiral Tan Shu tried to intercept him, but Anneliese contested her. Some of the imperial guard broke away to try and fight Argrave, but Onychinusa manifested out of her immaterial magic form and conjured wards to block projectiles they fired.


    Emperor Ji Meng saw Argrave¡¯s approach, but rather than flee to safety, he began to once again imbue his dadao with an S-rank spell. Argrave felt rising terror as he realized that this man might intend to sh with Argrave, but it calmed when he saw the man¡¯s neck crane to look at the approaching attack. The arrow of the [Bloodarc Bow] had flown straight upward, and now it came down with a trail of [Electric Eels].


    The emperor raised his de above his head as though to swat away the eels like flies. As the lightning descended upon him with terrifying speed, he swung his weapon and a great burst of electricity neutralized the eels. Then, just as Argrave ran at him, so too did Emperor Ji Meng rush forth to confront Argrave.


    Argrave prepared [Freedom] in his left hand, ready to divest the emperor of his spirits to make him vulnerable to [Subjugate]. The emperor savagely swung his huge sword, and though Argrave was therger man he was near certain he was weaker. All four of his Brumesingers conjured shades to assist him, receiving the blow to weaken it just before Argrave caught it with the Resonant Pir. Argrave¡¯s arm screamed in pain as he resisted the too-powerful blow.


    Ji Meng deftly maneuvered his de and swung at Argrave¡¯s stomach. Under ordinary circumstances the deft movement would¡¯ve fooled Argrave and he would¡¯ve been gutted then and there. But the effects of the Domain of Law lingered, and Argrave only barely brought the Resonant Pir in time to parry the blow. The Resonant Pir returned the attack that Argrave had just received, and in tandem with his own strength, Ji Meng¡¯s de slipped from his grasp and he was disarmed.


    Argravepleted the shamanic spell [Freedom], and thrust his left hand out at Ji Meng. The emperor blocked the attack with his forearm, but the spell did its duty. Spirits exploded outward from his body, and Argrave smiled triumphantly. His smile faded when the emperor grabbed his wrist and mmed his foot into the side of his knee in a practiced move. Argrave kneeled, crying out in pain, and the emperor then jammed his fist into Argrave¡¯s throat.


    Yet then, Onychinusa casted [Subjugate].


    Wires of malicious ck energy exploded outward from Onychinusa¡¯s hands, assaulting all those she deemed in need of subjugation. Emperor Ji Meng recoiled and stepped back, clutching his head and crying out in pain. All of the imperial guard, too, staggered. Their thoughts and memories were directly assaulted, breaking beneath the spell.


    Argrave coughed in pain, clutching his neck as the emperor recovered. He couldn¡¯t breathe, and called upon healing magic to restore whatever the man had crushed¡ªhis whole throat, maybe. No one had fallen, protected by their divine armaments. In response, Onychinusa merely cast the spell again. The wires of ck energy burst outward once again, assailing the guards.


    Most enemies present were forced to the ground, incapacitated. Only the emperor stayed standing. Onychinusa cast the spell the third time¡­ and finally, the indomitable Ji Meng fell to one knee. Argrave rose to his feet, neck healed, and walked up to the emperor. Ji Meng stared up at Argrave, his eyes bugging out.


    ¡°We¡¯ll talk soon,¡± Argrave told him. ¡°Sleep well.¡±


    The emperor copsed to the deck, falling into unconsciousness. Argrave smiled, trying to forget the fact that the man had just nearly killed him with his bare hands, and instead focused on the victory.

 Chapter 510: Iron Fist Before the Silver Tongue

    Even though Emperor Ji Meng and his honor guard were beaten, a task of simr difficulty awaited in the next step. Though the head had been cut, the great beast that was the Imperial Navy still writhed in force. Argrave would need to ensure their surrender¡ªor more likely, a simple truce. But Argrave had two things in his possession. One was a door and the other a key, metaphorically speaking.


    As Argrave¡¯s Veidimen honor guard secured these newly-acquired prisoners, Argrave walked to the key: Admiral Tan Shu. Anneliese had taken off her helmet and held both her hands to her face. It wasn¡¯t a caring gesture¡ªrather, Anneliese was sapping both Tan Shu¡¯s magic and the effects of [Subjugate] using her A-rank ascension, [Life Cycle].


    Ji Meng was bound in cuffs and had a shard of Ebonice embedded into his skin. The two S-rank spellcasters, though their spirits remained, had been subdued in a more mundane way; they merely ran out of magic. They were bound much the same way that Ji Meng was. Only the admiral would remain unbound, at least for now. But each and every defeatedbatant was stripped of their divine armaments. It proved a very fruitful battle, but the damage to Argrave¡¯s Veidimen honor guard had not been small. Seventy-two of the three hundred snow elves had perished¡ªone of the worst losses percentage-wise that Argrave had endured.


    Putting aside that grim thought, Argrave looked down at the unconscious admiral. Tan Shu looked like a stern woman¡ªwith short and wispy ck hair, her face showed that she¡¯d endured hardships but hadn¡¯t quite lost her youthful vigor. Argrave looked at Anneliese. ¡°Will it take long for her to awaken?¡±


    ¡°Not very,¡± Anneliese assured him.


    The Brumesingers appeared at Argrave¡¯s feet, manifesting from the mist swirling all around the quiet gship. Though they had been ck before this battle began, now the foxes were snow-white. All of their power was spent, and they heaved in exhaustion as they sought Anneliese forfort. She looked sorely tempted to remove her hand from the admiral¡¯s face to pet the creatures, but she kept up with her task. They contented themselves by sprawling out across herp.


    After some brief time coordinating things in this ghost ship, all of the prisoners were gathered on the front deck. The rest of the Sea Dragon was dreadfully empty. Argrave¡¯s examination of the ship through his Brumesingers showed perhaps one hundred people that hadn¡¯t sumbed to the fog¡ªmost either officers or the six other S-rank spellcasters. The army aboard this ship had been made blind, and the majority of them now struggled on the ground while coughing blood as their insides churned. It was a horrifying sight, and doubly so when Argrave had been the cause.


    But they were alive. That, at least, was something.


    Argrave ended the tyranny caused by his Brumesingers. The fog slowly faded, revealing the Sea Dragon to the rest of the world once again. Argrave walked to the front deck, peering out to the coast of Veiden. The continent somehow managed to seem small aboard this gigantic ship.


    ¡°Tell Gmon to be prepared,¡± Argrave spoke to Elenore through their connection.


    Argrave stared out across the ocean, witnessing the destruction. This had been a terribly ugly battle, but it was clear that the Veidimen had been the victors by andrge. Argrave turned and looked back, where a storm waned. He saw tremendous impacts in the water as Sataistador dealt with the three gods facilitating this voyage. The god of war had kept his word, and spared them the wrath of these sea gods.


    As Argrave¡¯s thoughts wandered, Admiral Tan Shu awoke. She screamed and struggled only for a few moments before she went eerily quiet. Argrave stepped away from the railings as she thrashed, restrained by two Veidimen and the iron shackles on her wrist. Then she went still, ncing toward her bident. Vera held it. Then, she looked up at Argrave.


    ¡°Your emperor and all his guard are beaten.¡± Argrave gestured toward them, bound, then looked back to Tan Shu. ¡°You came here as invaders, and as such, all your rights are forfeit. Everything that you own belongs to us. The only thing you still possess, currently, is your life. That, too, will be lost if you don¡¯t obey. And not only yours¡ªthe emperor¡¯s, and every one of the thousands of men on this vessel.¡±


    Tan Shu met his gaze with her dark brown eyes. Then, she spit at Argrave. He stepped away and dodged her phlegm. Argrave was annoyed and opened his mouth to say something, but one of the Veidimen struck her in the face. Argrave grew furious, and had a reprimand on the tip of his tongue¡­ but these men had lost many of their closestrades, and he could not afford to appear soft after the threat he¡¯d just made. Hismand officer, however, was not so merciful. Grimalt ran forward and grabbed the offender, pushing him to the ground.


    ¡°Do not act without His Majesty¡¯smand!¡± Grimalt shouted. ¡°You¡¯ll be dealt withter, Tyrren.¡±


    The one named Tyrren epted that with a nod. He seemed to project a sad anger.


    Argrave knelt before Tan Shu where she had copsed on the ground with a split lip. Her gaze was still strong, but there was something else in her gaze after she¡¯d heard the words ¡®His Majesty.¡¯ Argrave couldn¡¯t tell what she was thinking, but he stated his demands.


    ¡°You willmand the Imperial Navy to surrender. Then, you will bring this ship to dock at the coast.¡± He stared for a few moments, then rose. ¡°Grimalt. Unbind her hands.¡±


    Argrave turned and walked away,ing to join Anneliese by the deck¡¯s railing as she held one of his Brumesingers in her hand. He looked out across the ocean somberly, where thest remnants of bloodred fire on the ocean¡¯s surface faded away. When he turned his head to the right, Admiral Tan Shu walked to the edge of the ship, shadowed by Veidimen guards. She stood at the front of the deck for a long while, looking out across the navy. Then, she bitterly gave the signal to surrender.


    With that done, she headed for the sole set of stairs in the front deck. There, theplex enchantments that guided the ship forward waited. She and her escort disappeared beneath the deck, and half a minuteter, the Sea Dragon began to move toward the coast. It pushed aside the turtle ships, and the Veidimen longships all parted for its advance.


    The gship and pride of the Imperial Navy, the Sea Dragon,nded on the shores of Vasquer not as an invader, but as the defeated.


    #####


    The Sea Dragon was a gigantic ship, and it took a tremendous amount of time to handle all of whatid within it. Its food stores alone were enough to feed a city for a week. They captured prisoners¡ªin total, eleven thousand three hundred and thirty-four. Despite Admiral Tan Shu¡¯smand to surrender, and the capture of the gship, the Imperial Navy remained at sea. They didn¡¯t attack, but they were at a total loss as to what they should do. Retreat was no option, not with Rowe watching from behind. But in their eyes, surrender might mean death. Argrave was confident he could earn their surrender in time. They couldn¡¯t remain at sea forever.


    In addition to the prisoners, the divine armaments pilfered were enough to outfit the whole of the Veidimen honor guard. The majoritycked a unique effect like Argrave¡¯s Resonant Pir, the Inerrant Cloak, or Mnie¡¯s executioner¡¯s de, meaning they were of substantially lesser quality than those taken from Erlebnis¡¯ vault. Even still, they provided unmatched strength to those who held them. Most of the divine armaments from Erlebnis¡¯ vault had been given to Durran¡¯s wyvern riders to aid them in hunting lesser gods. Now, Argrave could outfit his Veidimen honor guard. After what they¡¯d endured, they deserved such a reward.


    Among this loot was the emperor¡¯s dadao, Admiral Tan Shu¡¯s bident, and some divine armaments that enhanced spellcasting. Anneliese had some of these already, and Argrave¡¯s blood echoes wouldn¡¯t benefit from them, so he distributed them to those who¡¯de with in this assault. They had all proven to be ready and willing to fight for Vasquer, so Argrave didn¡¯t view it as a loss.


    By nightfall, all was prepared. In this deste north, they didn¡¯t have the space to store a massive amount of prisoners. After some discussion, everyone decided it was prudent to turn the Sea Dragon into a prison. Blind andme prisoners weren¡¯t much trouble to keep in line, but the officers and the spellcasters presented a serious threat.


    Argrave stood with Durran as he walked around the inside of the training hall.


    ¡°This damned ship¡­ gods. Imagine the collective work that went into making this thing.¡± Durran walked up to one of the sconces on the wall containing a magicmp. Crescent moons jutted out as decoration, and he ran his finger along them. ¡°It¡¯s a shame I couldn¡¯t havee with you during your fight here.¡±


    ¡°You had your own part. And because of it, I was able to do my thing.¡± Argrave walked closer. He held Emperor Ji Meng¡¯s de in his hand. It was quite the heavy weapon, and he leaned it against his shoulder. ¡°I have to speak with the emperor, now. But here. This belongs to you, I think.¡± Argrave hefted it, then held the t of the de as he offered it to Durran.


    Durran looked at the heavy de, then at Argrave. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°The emperor¡¯s weapon,¡± Argrave dered. ¡°Your wyvern bone ive¡­ it catches spells, yeah? Well¡ªlook at this.¡±


    Argrave stepped away, casting a spell into the de. It lit up as it received his magic. With a swing, a sh of me roared outward, searing the floor of the training hall.


    ¡°I imagine you¡¯ll be able to use it best of everyone here,¡± Argrave noted, walking up to a wide-eyed Durran. He gave him the weapon and then left. Anneliese waited at the entrance to the training hall, watching the both of them. Even now she held the Brumesingers, spoiling them. They deserved a great deal of spoiling after what they¡¯d achieved here.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°Are you prepared to speak with him?¡± Anneliese asked, petting one between its ears.


    Argrave rubbed at the fox¡¯s neck right alongside her. ¡°I hope he hasn¡¯t recovered all of his memories. If he remembers that he crushed my windpipe, might make the whole tough-guy route a little hard.¡±


    Anneliese looked at his neck in sympathy, then met his gaze with her amber eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t think Ji Meng is a man that can be intimidated.¡±


    Argrave took one of the Brumesingers from her arms. ¡°We¡¯ll see what he is.¡±


    Argrave and Anneliese walked through the Sea Dragon, heading to where the emperor was kept imprisoned. They were shadowed by many Veidimen guards doing their best to keep them safe in this fortress-ship. They kept the emperor imprisoned in his own quarters, heavily guarded yet given some degree of liberty.


    Argrave arrived at the sliding doors leading to the emperor¡¯s room and gently pushed them aside. He crouched there, totally divested of magic, of divine armaments, and of all his power. Ji Meng looked forty, though for an S-rank spellcaster that meant little. The days of voyage to Vasquer had given him a small goatee and scruff on his face. He had hard eyes, and now that he was out of his armor, an evidently robust¡ªif quite skinny¡ªphysique. He wore a white robe and sat atop a pillow before a low-lying table, legs spread out casually. Four Veidimen guards stood behind him as he drank from a white ceramic cup.


    ¡°Soes the cat again, to kill the mouse it¡¯s been toying with,¡± Ji Meng said, then held up his cup. ¡°This drink¡­ it¡¯s draining our vital force. What is it?¡±


    ¡°Our vital force?¡± Argrave stepped within the room as Anneliese shut the sliding doors behind.


    ¡°¡­my vital force,¡± he corrected begrudgingly, dropping the royal we.


    ¡°Powdered Ebonice,¡± exined Argrave as he walked closer. ¡°Rather extravagantly wasteful. But it¡¯ll keep you subdued for a long while. You¡¯ll never regenerate magic so long as it¡¯s in your system.¡±


    Ji Meng pursed his lips, then drained the entire cup and set it down. He sat up on his pillow, corrected his posture, and sat respectfully. ¡°So, emperor of barbarians¡­ what do you seek from me to make such a subdual necessary?¡±


    ¡°Emperor of barbarians¡­¡± Argrave sat down at the low-lying table, and then Anneliese joined him. ¡°You invade, then deem us barbarians?¡±


    ¡°Do you seek ransom? You will get none. My imperial court¡­ I reason it is far different from yours. When I was still a lowly peasant tending the rice terraces, nomadic barbarians in the Yue hignds captured an emperor. Within a tenday, the imperial court named another emperor. The Great Chu¡¯s bureaucratic apparatus is as much a ve to the emperor as the other way around, and my sole regret was not dismantling it when I rebelled against the Zhu dynasty.¡± The emperor sighed in deepment, then focused on Argrave.


    ¡°They will name me dead, and pick and choose among my sons. I left my empire knowing I might never again see my pce.¡± He jammed his thumb into his palm until it drew blood, then disyed it to Argrave. ¡°And I would sooner disembowel myself than beg to keep my life. Content yourself with the gold on these walls and the de pried from my hand. You earned it.¡± He closed his bloody palm into a fist, as though to demonstrate his resolve.


    ¡°We understand most of that,¡± Anneliese nodded. ¡°Argrave has told me about the Great Chu. I am very interested in the eunuchs, but I could find none aboard this ship.¡±


    ¡°So, disembowelment.¡± Argrave ced both hands on his knees. ¡°Are you thinking you¡¯ll use your bare hands, or am I supposed to get you some kind of knife?¡±


    Emperor Ji Meng did not appreciate being made light of. He stared at Argrave without saying a word.


    ¡°What do you think your legacy will be?¡± Argrave moved on.


    Ji Meng brought his hand up and ran his finger atop the short stubble. ¡°I dethroned the treacherous Zhu dynasty, who had lost much of ournds to invaders from the hignds, the steppes, and the jungles. I reimed all of what was lost on the field of battle. I restored the administration throughout the vast expanse of the Great Chu, and in so doing ensured decades of prosperity during my reign and those after it. At best, I will be remembered as a great ruler. And at worst, I will be remembered as a conqueror who grew soft from the luxuries of the imperial pce. I am ny-seven. I have lived well.¡±


    Argrave looked at him, then leaned in slightly. ¡°And what if you are remembered as the feeble-minded warrior who allowed his position to be usurped not by man, but by gods? What if you¡¯re remembered as thest ruler of the Great Chu, who allowed your empire to sumb to divinity while you lost yourself in concubines,vish food, and mindless battle innds you couldn¡¯t possibly afford to hold?¡±


    Ji Meng¡¯s attention on Argrave was absolute, and in his mien, the conqueror Argrave had faced earlier today reared its head once again. At the very least, Argrave could say he¡¯d drawn the emperor¡¯s attention.

 Chapter 511: Legacy of Bodies

    After Argrave had done a dressing-down on the imprisoned emperor, a fair bit passed before either party again spoke. The emperor had been kneeling at the low-lying table politely, but he stretched his legs out and sat morefortably. His indignance at being called a feeble-minded warrior had faded from his face so subtly Argrave wondered if he¡¯d imagined it.


    ¡°Legacy¡­ is a fickle thing,¡± Ji Meng said. His gaze wandered to the ceiling. ¡°Thest of the Zhu dynasty¡­ as a baby, they said he was a tiny monster that pulled the wings from flies and then ate them. They imed that as an infant his mother offered her milk, yet he tore apart her skin and gnawed on her insides instead. And as emperor, he was a man of size, barrel-chested. Any who opposed him would be ashes scattered to the grass.¡±


    Ji Meng looked back at Argrave. ¡°People still remember him like that. But he was a deluded man kept ignorant by his court. The emperor propped upright barely knew of my uprising before I burst into his room and mmed his head upon the wall. He died in less than a second. When I exited the cheers of my army grew loud, and despite the ease he died I raised his body to please the crowd.¡±


    The emperor tapped the table. ¡°That¡¯s as much metaphor as it is a recounting. I raised his body to show those people the dead emperor, and I¡¯ve allowed his legacy to persist because it suited me better than the truth. And until the oceans conquer thend, the surviving imperial court will not allow a single whisper of this conspiracy to leave the pce. Through changing wind and rain, the pigeons of the court fly only with each other.¡± He pointed a single finger at Argrave. ¡°And you are no pigeon. How is it you, then, im to know any of how my name will echo, how my court conspires, barbarian emperor?¡±


    Though the question was for Argrave, Anneliese answered first. ¡°I suspect you know Argrave speaks truly. The ignorant emperor in your story¡ªyou see yourself in him, now. Perhaps it is why you came here.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s right. If the imperial court is your country¡¯s heart, it¡¯s strangled tightly by an enemy of mine. And by consequence, youe here¡ªthe vanguard for an invasion.¡± Argrave looked at Anneliese. ¡°You probably came here to verify for yourself what your pigeons were reporting, rather than die ignorant like the one before you. But what I don¡¯t think you anticipated is that your nation had be a proxy for something greater. Something grander.¡±


    ¡°No. I came to ensure no general of mine would emerge victorious, and then return to my empire hesitant to relinquish their armies. Too many great generals have been ousted by the feeble-minded warrior you would decry. Most usurpers are former leaders, and¡ª"


    ¡°Yet Admiral Tan Shu was your leader for this expedition,¡± Argrave interrupted. ¡°You chose her for this task precisely because she doesn¡¯t pose such a threat. A woman can¡¯t challenge your authority the same way a man might.¡±


    ¡°Given that one saved your life and defeated me at the same time, that¡¯s evidently an opinion I need to revise.¡± He looked at Anneliese. ¡°Not to mention that your favored concubine apanies you, sitting at equal footing and speaking without deference. Ours are a much different people.¡±


    ¡°She is at equal footing with me,¡± Argrave exined sinctly. ¡°But I¡¯m d you admit the reason you came. You didn¡¯t fear being usurped¡ªyou feared that you had already been blinded by your court. Am I wrong?¡±


    Ji Meng remained silent, staring out at the windows, then looked at Argrave. ¡°You truly live in this coldnd? Then it is no wonder we lost.¡±


    Argrave thought it was an attempt to divert the conversation, so he repeated, ¡°Am I wrong?¡±


    Ji Meng smiled at Argrave¡¯s insistence. ¡°Yes. I sought to totally restructure my court by gaining control of an army, earning their loyalty, and enforcing my decree upon my return. I sought to, once again, take the imperial court from whoever was holding it¡ªand this time, rebuild it precisely as suits me. The eunuchs, the officials, the governor families¡­ I intended to wash them away with my might as I had before until I had a clean te. When I was done it would be like sand smoothed over with the back of a rake. From there¡­ I might write my own story.¡± He leaned into the table. ¡°Instead, they sent word of mying to you. They told you the totality of my forces. Am I wrong?¡± he repeated back to Argrave.


    ¡°Not quite,¡± Argrave shook his head, d the emperor wasing clean.


    ¡°There¡¯s a lie there, somewhere. You knew me and my forces very well. My de has not been used frequently. Few in the court even know what it does. Tan Shu¡¯s bident, too, was a well-kept secret. You blocked her ably. You expected my attack, and knew its strength. I¡¯ve fought enough to know these things. And I know that you knew.¡± He nted his fist on the table and leaned in closer. ¡°Tan Shu tells me your ships knew how to ward our liquid fire. They even knew from whence it poured. Your strategy, from the beginning, knew of the Sea Dragon¡¯s shield. Even once inside, you handled our force in a way that suggests prior knowledge. Someone betrayed the Great Chu.¡±


    Argrave was taken aback by theplete insight into the battle the emperor possessed. The man was not considered a master general for no reason. It wasn¡¯t exactly unsubtle, but few enough that Argrave interacted with had ever called his prior knowledge out so tantly.


    ¡°I suspect that whoever¡¯s leaking this information intends to use me for something.¡± Ji Meng leaned backward and sat politely on his pillow once more. ¡°You have me here. You¡¯ve isted me from my power, physically and socially. Now, you have a request to make of me. Perhaps our leak intends to use me to restructure the court precisely as I intended to. They wish to use me as a cudgel for their own ascent.¡± Ji Mengughed. ¡°It would be a fitting thing.¡±


    Argrave thought it was somewhat terrifying the man hadnded on the right answer even without all the facts at hand, but instead carried on calmly, ¡°Again, not quite. It¡¯s like we told you. This is grander than your imperial court. The puppet masters have strings on their own backs. And the one puppeteering this whole y is my enemy. The Qircassian Coalition.¡±


    ¡°So you im. Yet for tens of thousands of years, our people have rejected the influence of the gods. We have our own principles, our own power, and our own way to confront the advent of the Test of Heaven. Our government is structured in such a way that the court is utterly free of outside influence. Our bureaucracy has its faults, but it is first and foremost a great wall built around our country to ward away any and all gods.¡±


    ¡°But like any wall, with one hole, an entire army might enter your territory,¡± Anneliese sped her hands before her.


    Argrave nodded in agreement with her. ¡°You¡¯ve said yourself that I had an insider. I¡¯m telling you who my insider is¡ªone of the divine. And to that end, I¡¯ve taken the liberty of preparing many that might verify what it is I¡¯m saying.¡±


    Ji Meng shook his head. ¡°I cannot trust a man that would ally himself with gods.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s true, your empire will be yet another under divinity¡¯s thumb. But if that¡¯s not true, and you can agree to work with us, it¡¯s just a possibility.¡±


    ¡°Speak your intentions frankly.¡± Ji Meng crossed his arms.


    ¡°I want for you to revitalize the vision of the Great Chu you justid out before me.¡± Argrave nted his hands on the table. ¡°I want you to turn your people against the gods that¡¯ve parasitized your country. You¡¯ll help me end them.¡±


    JI Meng shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m already noticing a w. You defeated me. The men that I came with are either blind, or still out at sea as they witness you humiliate and subjugate the pride of our Imperial Navy¡ªthis Sea Dragon that we speak on, even now. I have not earned their respect, and so I cannot expect them to be as loyal as they would be. I am not the returning victorious emperor. I am the one who led them to their deaths. That does not inspire trust.¡±


    ¡°So tell them the truth¡ªor some manner of it,¡± Argrave suggested.


    ¡°borate.¡± Ji Meng listened intently.


    ¡°Tell them that I respected your prowess, and so gave you the truth of the situation: the imperial court sold you out to have you killed in battle. Tell them that you managed to talk me out of having them all executed.¡± Argrave waved his hand at himself. ¡°Tell them that you earned the favor of this very evidently superiorbatant, and he kept you alive to amuse himself.¡±


    Ji Meng, again, did not take kindly to being made light of. He stared for what seemed like an eternity before he asked, ¡°You would let me leave?¡±


    Argrave crossed his arms and stayed silent for a few moments, just as the emperor had. ¡°This ship is mine. All your divine armaments are mine¡ªand I¡¯m keeping your royal guard for myself, as well.¡±


    ¡°And the prisoners you blinded?¡± Ji Meng¡¯s question was unemotional.


    ¡°My responsibility,¡± Argrave said, tapping his chest.


    ¡°Better you than me. But I cannot hope to achieve anything if you should steal all of our weapons,¡± Ji Meng reasoned. ¡°The imperial court will surely act when I dere them traitors. And by ¡®act,¡¯ I mean rebel.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t take your enchanted weapons.¡± Ji Meng looked confused¡ªhe didn¡¯t view lesser weapons as ¡®enchanted,¡¯ even if they used magic. He rephrased, saying, ¡°I don¡¯t need your mundane arms.¡±


    ¡°Without divine armaments, we would still be an army of peasants before elite soldiers. And that¡¯s if we survived the voyage home.¡± Ji Meng was upromising.


    ¡°Army of peasants, is it? Fortunately, you led a peasant rebellion.¡± Argrave smiled.


    Ji Meng adamantly continued, ¡°That means I have experience enough to know this one would fail.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Argrave looked to Anneliese, seeking her counsel. She gestured to him, pointing outside. Argrave looked at Ji Meng andmanded, ¡°Wait here.¡±


    Argrave and Anneliese walked outside, shutting the sliding door behind them. Despite the door between them, she still conjured a ward.


    ¡°I have an idea. Let me say it all before you cut in.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead,¡± Argrave gestured at her.


    Anneliese took a few moments to gather her thoughts. Finally, she looked at him firmly. ¡°Alright. To preface this, I believe he is sincere when he says he would fail without divine armaments. To that end¡­ perhaps we ought to have the Veidimen apany him,¡± Anneliese suggested. ¡°Not as invaders, but as his allies. Then, this invasion they seem so hellbent onmitting¡­ rather than have them as foreign upiers, they have a pathway to peacefully cut off the head of the empire, and then take its ce.¡±


    Argrave was taken aback, but brightened to the idea at once. Still, he didn¡¯t agree right away. ¡°Ji Meng is sharp¡ªyou just heard that conversation, right? And the Veidimen aren¡¯t inclined to lying.¡±


    ¡°Ji Meng has no choice in the matter,¡± Anneliese insisted. ¡°Despite hisposure, I can tell that he desperately wishes to return to his empire. I never saw him happier as when he suggested restructuring the imperial court with his army. He will take any path, even one he knows to be poisoned.¡±


    Argrave looked at the door, then back at her. ¡°The man is every bit as fierce and ruthless as Patriarch Dras. If the Veidimen do go along with this idea¡ªwhich sounds somewhat dubious¡ªhe may have a trap ready and waiting for them. And I¡¯m fairly confident the full might of the Great Chu is superior to that of the Veidimen. Once they arrive not as invaders but as allies, they¡¯ll be thrust into the politics of the imperial court. And if Ji Meng, smart bastard that he is, does something¡­ the whole might of that nation could fall upon them if they cannot musterpetition to his intrigue.¡±


    ¡°With Sataistador in the Great Chu¡­ I think that this is something we can genuinely orchestrate,¡± Anneliese said in a low voice. ¡°For now, I say we take him to meet the ckgard Union. They¡¯ll be arriving soon as reinforcements¡ªand then, we¡¯ll exin what we know about the Qircassian Coalition. The true assault will being soon, if Sataistador wasn¡¯t wrong. And we cannot deal with it alone. Let him see his true enemies.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°I do like the idea, Anne. But if Ji Meng actually manages to take control of the Great Chu again, well¡­ you¡¯ve just spoken to the man.¡±


    ¡°I did. Without an ambush, I suspect we would not have beat him. And at the helm of such a great nation, without something like the imperial court to check him¡­ it would not be good.¡± She looked back at the door. ¡°So long as we stay one step ahead, however¡­ I believe there is definitely a way forward in this tangled mess.¡±


    Argrave nodded in quiet agreement. ¡°But we¡¯re nning months ahead. Right now, we¡¯ve only seen the gods Sataistador fought¡ªthree lesser ones, of no consequence. We¡¯ll have to wait longer.¡±


    Anneliese crossed her arms and sighed, as though to dispel her hope. ¡°You¡¯re right. Troubled times approach¡­ and it¡¯s simply too early to tell. But, Argrave. You forget something. We have Ji Meng. And it will matter, one way or another.¡±

 Chapter 512: Pump It

    The dwarves gathered in an erged room. Large amounts of the strange dwarven metal lined the wall, containing borate pipes and nozzles meant to regte something or other. They stood around therge circr hole in the center of this ce. Once, it had been the house of worship of the tribes of Vysenn. Now, however, much of the more sacrificial elements had been dug away to make way for the pump. And in one corner, aplex machine waited idle and cool.


    The dwarves dealt cards, but each and all anxiously nced at the machine in the corner of the room. Each of them sweated like they were betting their lives on the line in this card game¡­ and perhaps, broadly speaking, their lives were on the line. If this project of theirs failed, they might die¡ªeither because of an enraged king, or because they sumbed to magma in their attempts to turn it intova without disturbing the volcano below.


    Footsteps from the hall beyond made them all stop dealing their cards and turn their head. There, a dwarf walked in, panting from running.


    ¡°Thisnd¡­ too much of it,¡± the man heaved, putting his hand on the wall to catch his breath.


    ¡°You can rest when you tell us what you heard,¡± one of the dwarves walked away from the card game.


    He took his hand off the wall, then nodded furiously with a grin. ¡°The area is clear. We can begin whenever we¡¯re ready.¡±


    The dwarves burst into cheers, pping each other¡¯s hands and giving celebratory back pats. But someone broke past all of the cheer¡ªthe oldest dwarf in the room.


    ¡°You boys can cheerter when that machine is running and working,¡± the wizened dwarf reminded them. ¡°And the moment that we see magma coursing through those pumps¡­ you will be the first journeymen made into masters via the new volunteer program. I need to bear witness as your supervising master.¡±


    The dwarves were all sobered at this, and their anxiety redoubled at the same time. After they exchanged nces in the silence, they walked to their stations almost as thoughmanded. They were jittery from the pressure and stress, each and all. The master dwarf walked to the pit, whereupon he looked into its endless depths. The pump extended for miles and miles, partially suppressing the heat of the deep. Now it was time to bring that deep heat up to the surface.


    The journeymen dwarves flipped switches, attached bolts, tightened and loosened parts, checked ss gauges¡­ but one by one, they grew still, their taskspleted. They were all like rats frozen before the light of an opened door as they waited formand. Then the master walked to the pumping station, giving it onest examination. He firmly grasped the iron handle in its center, turned it, and then pushed deep. The machine let out a low hiss that rose in volume until it sounded like the tide of the ocean against the coast.


    The pumping station¡¯s parts scattered throughout the room came to life. The journeymen monitored their gauges, frantically made sure that all of the moving gears and restraints were working properly. The master craftsman, however, ignored most all of that. He walked back to the hole, gazing down at the pump. He could hear the forces of nature moving within it, toiling at their direction to harness the very fires of the earth itself.


    There was a frantic silence in the room as the dwarves awaited the oue of this project. Their constant review to ensure everything was in ce was more to cool their own nerves than genuine doubt this machine would work. The master craftsman waited, watched, and listened. He heard the air within the pump shift, and knew that it had taken hold of something far below. He waited seconds longer, and then¡­


    Heat. Heat rose up from below. A familiar, suppressed heat that any who had toiled long hours in the pumping station would know of. It was the heat that came when magma was being pumped through the pipes. Enough to singe away the hairs on your head, yet after the dreadful cold of the surface, it was a familiar and wee sensation.


    ¡°It¡¯sing! It¡¯s¡­!¡± the master shouted, excited despite himself. Yet then, his heart seized.


    The dwarves saw nothing at all. But all of them, deep in their heart, knew there was a ck malignance rising from the pit the pump was ced in. It coiled around their hearts, their minds, as it emerged just alongside the magma. Then it released their grip, and each of them looked around in shock.


    ¡°What¡­¡± one of them rubbed at his chest, lost for words. A subtle creaking drew his attention, and he turned his head. A bolt on one of the pumps slowly unwound, loosening, threatening to unleash the volcanic might of a volcano in this chamber. The dwarf was in shock, but he shouted instinctually, ¡°It¡¯s still here!¡±


    All realized, then, that this presence had not left¡ªit had merely changed targets. The dwarves scrambled furiously, instinct leading them to act before they thought. As one of the pressurized chambers exploded and released hot steam into the air, the dwarves furiously worked to keep together this machine of their construction as the force that came from the deep attempted to unwind it.


    The master craftsman, knowing this was no fault of their own, leapt to action. The magma was currently coursing through the pumps even now¡ªhe didn¡¯t need to maintain the machines, but rather what kept that molten rock restrained. He furiously tightened the bolts keeping the pipes together, adrenaline giving him strength he¡¯d enjoyed only in his youth.


    One by one, he attended to each of the pipes as the others maintained their work on their machine. The magma started to pour through each of the pipes, making the work of repairing them dreadfully dangerous. He could feel the heat radiating out from the dwarven metal which, though supernaturally insted, would still melt skin to the touch.


    Yet when he came to one of thest pipes, raising his tool to tighten the bolt¡­ he saw thest bolt pop away, and the pipe bend downward as it fell. He freed both of his hands and raised them up just as the first pass of magma becameva from the leak. Both of his hands grabbed the red-hot pipe, preventing it from falling further, and he screamed, ¡°Help me! Screw the damn thing back!¡±


    The master felt his hands melt away as the journeymen scrambled all around him. The pain was unimaginable, and the pipe was dreadfully heavy with loads of hot magma pumping through it all. Even with the supernatural instion offered by dwarven metals, this was far too much for anything living to bear. He felt the metal melt into his bones, and when he dared looked up at his hands he saw only that they were ame.


    ¡°Done! Let go, master!¡± the dwarves shouted.


    The master craftsman fell away, copsing to the ground. He went unconscious almost immediately while the journeymen wrapped his hands in heat-insting material. The pipe held, all the bolts resecured. They looked around at the machine¡­ but despite everything, it held. All of it held steady, and whatever force permeated this area had gone.


    ¡°What in the name of the core just happened?!¡± one of them demanded. ¡°Stop crowding him! Go outside, go, go, go, and get a healer!¡±


    One of them ran away as fast as their legs would carry them.


    ¡°You all felt that, right?¡± another of the dwarves said a moment after. ¡°Something¡­ something foul came up along with the magma. And it¡­ it didn¡¯t take kindly to what we did.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± Another shook his head, stepping up to the pump as it worked. ¡°That king¡­ he was right. Gerechtigkeit¡¯s toying with the world, down below. And he intends to go down there and stop that.¡±


    ¡°May the earth preserve us¡­¡± one of the dwarves prayed, and he was silently joined by several others.


    The volcano of Vysenn was tamed, if only barely. In a day, perhaps two, all of the magma would be pumped up to the surface, providing that there were no more surprises. Once pumped, it would be distributed atop the surface of Vysenn, where it would harden into volcanic rock in the locations that the king¡¯s sister had specified. And then, once it had diminished enough¡­ the king would descend.


    As for what he¡¯d find¡­ did anyone know the answer?


    #####


    Sataistador crossed his arms as he looked down at Argrave. His arms bore the evidence of battle, but from Argrave¡¯s view, the wounds seemed to be mostly from hitting rather than getting hit. And the foremost evidence of the battle was the captive lying at his feet.


    ¡°This is a god of storms?¡± Argrave looked upon the man. His body had been pierced by ten knives with red tassels. He was so badly broken that Argrave could discern little about his features save his midnight ck hair and pearly skin. Argrave looked back at Sataistador. ¡°What about the other two of these triplets?¡±


    ¡°All defeated. The god of tides was slippery and had the terrain advantage, but once I got my hands on him, I ate him alive, bite by bite, starting at his neck. Then, I¡ª¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re dead, then,¡± Argrave interrupted, not caring to hear the gory details. ¡°How do you expect the remainder of the Qircassian Coalition wille?¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Sataistador stroked his beard. ¡°They never suspected you to be aware of their attack. It was a detail privy to their highest orders, and to the imperial court, where information seldom leaks. But because of me, you were aware, and they never gained a foothold on this continent. That¡¯s overturned their ns.¡± Sataistador looked up. ¡°Now that their surprise is lost, they have only one route if they choose to continue their vengeance, which I suspect they will¡ªutterly overwhelming force. And since none of the three lesser gods they sent as help returned¡­ they¡¯ll suspect divine intervention. That¡¯ll lure out the old titans, who seek to feast on spirits. You may see Qircassia again, in all his inhuman glory.¡± He pointed at Argrave. ¡°Best hope the divine allies you¡¯ve chosen are up to the task.¡±


    ¡°Yes indeed,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°And you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be heading to the Great Chu during this chaos. Gods of Qircassia¡¯s magnitude seldom enter a fight without leaving the opportunity for retreat. If they do indeed rout, I¡¯ll be waiting to catch their retreat. And if your counter-invasiones, as nned¡­¡± He looked down at the broken god of storms. ¡°Their fate will be simr to his kin.¡±


    ¡°You can rest assured it will. The Veidimen will cross the sea. Perhaps at Ji Meng¡¯s side, too, but I can¡¯t say that for certain.¡± Argrave shook his head.


    ¡°Veid¡¯s kin? How amusing,¡± Sataistador shook his head. ¡°I should leave. Your more steadfast allies than I will arrive, and you¡¯ll be a pariah if I am seen.¡±


    Argrave nodded at him. ¡°I appreciate your help.¡±


    ¡°Help?¡± Sataistadorughed loudly, hiding his open mouth with his huge hand. Without another word he walked away, fading into the night. At some point Argrave lost track of him.


    Once he was gone, Argrave looked down at the god of storms uneasily. He bent down and picked the man up. He was lighter than he expected, and totally broken in ways that churned Argrave¡¯s stomach, but he was alive. And he would be presented before the deities of the ckgard Union to spur their defensive coalition into action.


    By defending Vasquer they hoped to spread worship into Vasquer¡¯s popce, earning themselves a permanent ce for the next cycle. That was undoubtedly their bid. But Argrave hoped to end the cycle altogether, and he was more than happy to make use of them to that end.


    Elenore¡¯s voice cut into Argrave¡¯s mind. ¡°Are you awake? If not, wake up. Vysenn has begun draining. The hills are flowing withva. There was an incident, though. An incident that the Alchemist reported as ¡®extremely heartening.¡¯ Something rting to Gerechtigkeit is definitely down there.¡±


    Her voice surprised Argrave, and the words she spoke after even more so. ¡°I¡¯ll wrap things up here as quick as I can,¡± he said after a few moments of pause. ¡°Remember¡ªDario, Traugott, and Mozzahr still lurk. I can¡¯t imagine what they¡¯ll pull, so predict they¡¯ll try everything.¡±


    As Argrave walked, rather than his conversation with the gods uing on his mind, one word rung. Sandbara. They had finally found it. What that meant, Argrave did not know. Provided they seeded, he was sure to find out.

 Chapter 513: Seeking the Peeking Eye

    Argrave and Anneliese stood together nked by many Veidimen guards. At Argrave¡¯s feet was the broken god of storms, while Ji Meng waited cross-legged in the snowy coast with his hands bound behind his back. Despite the frigid air, he didn¡¯t shiver a bit. And ahead of them, gods walked Vasquer as allies, for perhaps the first time in its history.


    ¡°Who are these people?¡± Ji Meng looked back and up at Argrave.


    Argrave stayed silent for a moment as he looked at all who came, and then decided to answer. ¡°The pale-skinned woman in the purple robe with the weird hair that looks like a night sky is Almazora, goddess of magic. The blonde boy walking with her is Yinther, god of exploration, discovery, and curiosity. The man in the luxurious burgundy outfit is Raen, god of space. The buffdy with the wolfskin and the body paint is Stout Heart Swan¡ªa hunter, as you might¡¯ve guessed.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± Ji Meng nodded, his cold eyes watching them dispassionately. ¡°And the one in ck?¡±


    Argrave was puzzled for a moment, but Anneliese answered. ¡°That¡¯s Rook, god of deception.¡±


    Argrave only realized after she spoke that Rook was hiding in their number. He blended in far too well.


    ¡°And enshrouding them all is Law,¡± Anneliese finished. Argrave looked at her, confused, and she asked him, ¡°Do you not see him?¡±


    Argrave looked back at the scene of them walking through the snow-ravaged valleys. It was vague¡­ imperceptible, almost, but there seemed to be an aura of gold enshrouding them all. As they drew closer, Argrave felt something tugging at the blessings within him. They were strengthened, magnified. It was quite the empowering feeling.


    Argrave rubbed at his chest to dispel the feeling, but his hands met only the ornate breastte he wore beneath his coat. ¡°The only absentees are Lira and Veid. But Lira¡¯s power isn¡¯t well-suited forbat, and I suspect Veid will being along shortly.¡±


    ¡°These are gods?¡± Ji Meng narrowed his eyes as he watched. ¡°The gods we know are grander,rger. They dominate the battlefield with their sheer size.¡±


    ¡°And these can, too. But just as they can stand above us, so can they walk among us.¡± Argrave looked down at him. ¡°Perhaps there¡¯s a lesson there. A lesson being taught at your imperial court.¡±


    Their group went silent as the guards came before them. Argrave could hear the noise of the Veidimen entourage behind stiffening, every instinct they had screaming at them that these new arrivals were dangerous people. But Argrave walked forward, falling into Law¡¯s presence. The god Law, like Erlebnis, was formless. His formlessness was somewhat more mystical than the monstrous liquid metal that Argrave had encountered. Regardless, Law, Erlebnis, and Qircassia were ancient gods. Sataistador fit the category too, but hisck of a true divine realm and mortal servants often excluded him from the title.


    ¡°I¡¯m d that all of you were able toe on such short notice,¡± Argrave held his arms out as he walked up, then bent down to grab the god of storms that the Qircassian Coalition had sent. He dragged the broken man along by one arm, thenid him before his fellow coalitionists. ¡°By luck, we noticed their scouting attempts, and with adequate preparation we were able to beat back the first wave the Qircassian Coalition sent. We thought it was an invasion by the Great Chu alone at first, but¡­ this bastard here should tell you all you need to know.¡±


    As the gods looked among each other, Yinther walked away and touched the body. ¡°Hmm¡­ this is a divine being, but¡­¡± his boyish hands paused over a tattoo. It looked Celtic, but the explorer god seemed to recognize it. ¡°Ah. This is Tyx, god of storms. He and his two triplet brothers are former sailors turned into gods. They govern tides, winds, and storms.¡±


    ¡°The other two are dead,¡± Argrave nodded.


    ¡°I know that they certainly serve the coalition. How did you manage to kill them?¡± Yinther looked at him seriously.


    ¡°How else? Allies.¡± It was the truth, but not the full truth. Argrave put his hands on his hips, and then looked at the huntress Stout Heart Swan. He further misdirected, adding, ¡°Your champion, Durran, was instrumental in this battle, you know. He¡¯s been hunting gods for a while, and it shows.¡±


    Stout Heart Swan seemed the strong and silent type, but she did give a curt nod.


    Rook stalked up for the corpse, for the first time sticking out of the crowd. The remainder studied the site of the battle with curiosity as Rook prodded the broken god of storms with his ck boot. ¡°Some allies, capturing him alive like this. Must be some knifework that Durran has.¡± He noted the red tassels on the daggers pierced into Tyx¡¯s immobile body.


    He¡¯s on to me, thought Argrave, but he didn¡¯t panic. Overexining would only draw attention to his minor deception, and the situation might spiral out of control. ¡°Like I said, we got lucky.¡± He looked back at Ji Meng. ¡°Doubly so because we¡¯ve caught the Emperor of the Great Chu. And he seems utterly ignorant that the Qircassian Coalition are the ones holding the strings in his nation.¡±


    Raen stepped up. His burgundy clothes rattled with gold jewelry, and he carried a peculiar silver walking stick. He studied Ji Meng closely. ¡°The Great Chu have refused my presence for several cycles. They refuse all divinity. And never once has their refusal been the cost of their freedom. It has devastated them, yes, but never broke them.¡±


    Ji Meng stared up into the god of space and his gray, empty eyes. Even the emperor shuddered when he looked into the god¡¯s eyes. There was something in there, and Ji Meng had seen it. It was clear from his face that something could never be unseen.


    ¡°Most of the damage done to this one was after the fact, I must admit¡± Argrave exined, putting his foot on Tyx, god of storms. ¡°I don¡¯t like these sorts of interrogations, but sometimes they¡¯re¡­ needed. I didn¡¯t manage to get much before he became like this, but I got enough. The reason that the Qircassian Coalition was able to pierce the Great Chu was because they¡¯ve allied with Erlebnis. Which means that things are as I feared, and Vasquer will be a battleground in their quest for revenge.¡±


    Argrave walked to stand at an elevated point, staring down at them all. ¡°Anneliese and I specte on one thing¡ªthe second battle mighte soon, and now that their bid for a foothold failed, they¡¯lle in force. I have to do everything I can to prepare my armies and my people for that fact. Can I count on you to do the same?¡± He looked between them all.


    When Argrave finished speaking, the sky lit up with gold. He stepped back in wonder as eight slits cut through the sky. A sword fell down, crashing into the earth all around them in a perfect circle. He smiled as recognition dawned. Metal hands pushed through the small slits, widening them before jumping out. Eight armored knights¡ªfeatureless, expressionless, and with resplendent white-gold armor, took their gigantic des and pried them from the earth. Snow burst up everywhere.


    These knights were Justiciars, the servants of Law. Each and all were easily equal to the Shadonder that Argrave had fought in the heart of Dirracha so long ago¡­ and it served as Law¡¯s answer to his question. He would fight. To demonstrate that, his most powerful servants took up their sword.


    ¡°I believe Law has answered for us,¡± Almazora put her hand near her chest, then dipped her head. ¡°You have allowed us to build our churches and spread our faith through yournd, king. And now, we will not let down our budding faithful. Let us demonstrate their reverence is not misced¡­ and next century, let us reappear here as your guardian deities once again. For your people¡¯s strength is our strength, and we will not mistreat it. It is as precious as it is valuable.¡±


    Argrave smiled as he looked upon his fellow coalitionists. But his mind wandered elsewhere, to the portal in Vysenn. With this settled¡­ it was time to head there.


    ¡°Then I will gather my armies. And they will pray your names, I suspect.¡± Argrave bowed his head in turn.


    #####


    With the matter in the north settled, Argrave left Ji Meng under the scrutiny of all the Veidimen and the gods. Many matters remained unfinished there, but these battles against the Qircassian Coalition were not to be a brief thing. Ji Meng¡¯s fate could not be worked out until the gods had been routed. He did genuinely need to mobilize his army to prepare to protect the popce from waves of hostile divine forces, but looming above all of these tasks was the culmination of so much work.


    When Argrave once again teleported to Vysenn using [Worldstrider], the sight he was greeted with immensely different than before. He saw smoke¡ªor perhaps it was steam¡ªrising high up into the air as a marker of what was being done. And not only that, he saw their work. Lava poured out from thick pipes in gooey, honey-like flows of red-hot molten rock. Deeper down, he saw the beginning of its hardening process, and thick sheets of ck substance drifted atop it as it traversed the hills of the region.


    ¡°By the gods, this is hot¡­¡± Annelieseined, in a rare show.


    Argrave put his hand on her shoulder, pulling her forth. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s¡ª¡±


    ¡°Tomorrow.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Argrave jumped and turned quickly, where the Alchemist stood above them. He watched theva flow almost hungrily, a great mouth wide open on his chest to speak to them. Argrave stared at sharp teeth as he spoke.


    ¡°Tomorrow, enough magma will have been cleared for us to descend. And tomorrow, we will descend. Though our security is irond, theck of trouble from Dario, Traugott, or Mozzahr unsettles me. We cannot be held back when we are at the cusp of true progress¡ªprogress that things beyond ourprehension deign to meddle in.¡±


    ¡°Are you serious?¡± Argrave stepped closer to him. ¡°But the heat¡ª¡±


    ¡°It will be no issue. This was a physical barrier, and now that barrier is being broken before our eyes.¡± The Alchemist gripped his obsidian staff tightly. ¡°I can taste it. A desire I¡¯ve left unfulfilled for millennia, at the cusp of the first bite. A desire for the truth. A desire for a way out.¡±


    Argrave was worried hearing the Alchemist¡¯s tone, and fumbled for the Ravenstone almost by instinct. He felt it there, protecting him. Hearing the man once known as Raven speak of desire was a disquieting thing that harkened to his past.


    ¡°Tomorrow, then.¡± Argrave released the Ravenstone.


    #####


    Argrave peered down into the endless hole before his eyes. The day had passed far too quickly, and all those necessary for this voyage were assembled. Once, he¡¯d felt heat in this chamber. Now, there was nothing but dim vestiges. Even the machine that¡¯d caused this situationy disassembled in the corner. It felt like nothing more than a sauna. The Alchemist stood beside Argrave, and he pulled free the vial containing Gerechtigkeit¡¯s energy.


    ¡°I can feel its pull,¡± he noted. Even Argrave saw the mass of energy swirling within. He hid it away within his body, then held his hands out. A mana ripple spread, and Argrave stepped away as the Alchemistpleted an S-rank spell. Argrave felt wind encircle him.


    ¡°That spell will allow you total freedom of movement,¡± the Alchemist said. ¡°To all of you. In addition, it will protect you from lingering heat.¡±


    Argrave looked back at his allies. Anneliese, Mnie, Onychinusa, Orion, and Castro¡­ a small party, but their forces were stretched thin. And if what Dario said was true, then whatever was within Sandbara was something that the immoral might exploit. All these here had proven their trustworthiness for this venture, he felt.


    ¡°So¡­ are we just jumping, or?¡± Mnie asked, holding her ck de nervously.


    The Alchemist merely stepped away and fell into the pit, and Argrave let out a small, ¡®ah,¡¯ of exmation when he dropped. Argrave peered down, watching as he fell¡­ and then realized that it was his turn to take the plunge.


    Argrave looked down into the endless darkness¡­ and at some point, when courage found him, he fell into it.

 Chapter 514: Rewind Time

    At an unspecified time, Argrave found himself in an unspecified ce. Considering he¡¯d jumped into a pit, that was the intended oue. But this was a little different than falling, he could tell¡ªrather, it was like he fell out of the world they¡¯d been standing atop rather than falling into it. He¡¯d found a tiny crack in the firmament and slipped through like water.


    ¡°Parasite.¡±


    Argrave couldn¡¯t look around, not really. But he heard a voice. It came from somewhere in the direction of everything all at once. Or perhaps it was just behind him. The two weren¡¯t mutually exclusive.


    Though he tried to speak, he didn¡¯t have a mouth anymore. He didn¡¯t really have anything anymore. It couldn¡¯t be some delusion, either¡ªthe Ravenstone was meant to protect him from all mental interference, all the machinations of the psychic and the divine. Yet somehow, the question he¡¯d been intending to ask emerged from somewhere.


    ¡°Who¡¯s talking?¡± Argrave¡¯s tone was a strangebination of the voice he¡¯d be and the voice he¡¯d once had. ¡°What is this?¡±


    ¡°Couldn¡¯t leave well enough alone. Now youe picking at the bone.¡±


    Argrave remained rational enough in this strange trance to puzzle out that whatever he was conversing with was directly rted to Sandbara. And if he hadn¡¯t died following the psychopathic Alchemist into an untested pit, there was knowledge to gain from this encounter. ¡°What exactly am I parasitizing?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the first to arrive. Move quickly. If you cannot, more than your light alone shall be snuffed out. It would be better to ept a parasite than fall into a abyssal chasm.¡±


    #####


    Argrave once again found himself in a specified ce at a specified time¡ªnamely, falling through the same pit that he¡¯d jumped into moments ago. The wind magic that the Alchemist had cast to shield his body lowered him gently with his will, and finally, this vast pit began to open up into something grander. He looked around at the others floating about him frantically, but could tell at once that this experience was his alone.


    ¡°Anneliese,¡± he called out. ¡°Look at me closely. Do you see anything off with your [Truesight]?¡±


    Anneliese watched him as she descended, catching his unease. She did study him closely, but then shook her head. ¡°What happened? You look pale.¡±


    ¡°Got a message. Just a message, I think,¡± Argrave looked down below, where the Alchemist continued to descend. ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ I can¡¯t even describe it with words,¡± he managed, shaking his head. ¡°But there¡¯s something here. Called me a parasite, yet urged me to hurry all the same.¡±


    ¡°Gerechtigkeit?¡± Master Castro questioned, listening closely as they descended.


    ¡°I know what he sounds like, and that wasn¡¯t it. There was always something vaguely mortal about Gerechtigkeit, but this¡­ not a chance,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°I¡¯d only be specting if I guessed further. That something, whatever it is, knows we¡¯re here. And I¡¯m not entirely sure what that means for us. Considering I¡¯m whole and healthy, maybe it¡¯s nothing more than empty words.¡±


    Without much to go on, all spection ceased as the widening opening became a vast cavern and stunned them all into quiet observation. Argrave could see isted pockets of magma still persisting in the drained chamber, but other than that, this vast ce had beenpletely purged of all molten rock. As in the magma moat where the dwarves persisted, miles away magma slowly encroached back to fill this empty cavity. It would take days before it came close enough to threaten them, yet still it came.


    This ce looked like nothing more than a vast and empty cavern, drained as it was. Argrave couldn¡¯t yet see the floor. Persisting heat warped the air, but Argrave felt no difort, likely due to the Alchemist¡¯s intervention. Now, that same spellcaster cast a grand spell that illuminated the entire cavern. Everyone¡¯s eyes were drawn to the same thing. And Argrave was certain most of them thought the same thing: Sandbara.


    Argrave saw a huge crater in the cavern. Looking at it from above, suspending by the Alchemist¡¯s magic, it looked like a portal into another world. An idyllic world, seemingly painted into the floor. Argrave saw a distant city past the grasnds. It could be likened to a portal into one of the gods¡¯ realms¡ªa split in this reality through which the divine and mortal both could travel. Yet there was something off about it. Lingering pools of magma dripped into it, yet the moment they passed the boundary, they vanished as though they never were.


    As they descended further, Argrave saw the scene more clearly. It was still as a painting. It looked like a lovely coastal city. Argrave could see seagulls, even, and trees flowing with the light sea winds. But something about the way the seagulls moved was¡­ off, and the trees were odd in much the same way. Argrave couldn¡¯t put his finger on it.


    ¡°What are you seeing? Anything unusual, anyone?¡± Argrave asked, the questionrgely for Anneliese and the Alchemist.


    Silence reigned for a long few moments as they steadily descended.


    ¡°¡­I can¡¯t see anything off,¡± Anneliese begrudgingly admitted when no one else refused to speak.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°I cannot even tell that it¡¯s a portal,¡± said the Alchemist. ¡°It¡¯s as though whatever is there urred naturally.¡±


    Their party slowly descended to the portrait-like scene in the crater. It was vastly disorienting to have one world spread out before you on its side, obeying different gravity entirely. It was like two forms of reality existed. Only the Alchemist was brave enough to approach, and he slowly put his hand out.


    Argrave watched as his hand passed the barrier. The Alchemis moved his hand about, then pulled it free, closely scrutinizing his fingers with several dozen eyes. He reported to them calmly, ¡°Gravity changes. And the air pressure, the temperature¡­ it¡¯s impossible to tell this is a portal, and indeed I¡¯m not sure it is one. I sense not magic nor divinity. But it¡¯s certainly a different location.¡± The Alchemist reached within himself, then pulled free the vial. Argrave could see its dark malignance swirling about like a tempest. ¡°And it¡¯s certainly our objective.¡±


    ¡°So¡­ who goes fir¡ª¡± Mnie began, cutting herself off when the Alchemist hovered into Sandbara. Even Argrave¡¯s jaw clenched when he saw the way the light fell upon the giant, as though he¡¯d just walked out beneath the sun.


    The Alchemist looked back at them, then stuck his hand out. It reemerged from the portrait-like scene. Soon after, the rest of him came, and he exited calmly. ¡°It seems safe.¡±


    ¡°Very empirical,¡± Argrave noted, looking at Anneliese to stress caution. But the curiosity had set in on her face, and he knew then that their fate was sealed.


    Soon after the Alchemist, all of them went through. Anneliese led the advance, then Argrave. As the giant had said, as soon as they passed the imperceivable threshold, it was as though they moved into another ce entirely. A new gravity, new suns, new winds, new temperatures¡­ Argrave judged by the two stars in the sky that this must be somewhere in the world they currently resided, but he could recognize nothing about the city, the countryside, or even the sea. Looking back, Argrave could see theva cavern still persisting. Now, though, it appeared on its side.


    ¡°Let us advance,¡± dictated the Alchemist, then set off floating wrapped in magic. ¡°Do not touch anything carelessly, even the ground.¡±


    Argrave looked around the verdant countryside for a moment. The bright blue ocean stretched ahead without an end. He could see farms in the distance near the outskirt of the city. The structures weren¡¯t quite primitive, but theycked the uniformity of something built by magic. They looked to be made of stone, and solely by hand. The style was blocky and rigid¡ªfunction over form, put simply. And as they proceeded, the strangeness of thisnd made itself all the more evident.


    The seagulls flying above the ocean¡­ they teleported from ce to ce in their flight path. There were so many it was impossible to determine any reason to it all, but Argrave thought he noticed patterns. The trees, too, though few, snapped from ce to ce as the wind blew through them. They were teleporting just the same as the seagulls, though to a lesser intensity. It almost seemed like they were skipping.


    ¡°I see someone,¡± dered Orion, watching a tree. ¡°A woman. She¡¯s holding a baby.¡±


    Everyone focused where he did. Argrave could barely see it at first, but as they floated near, he spotted her too. She wore a in brown dress and a cowl, and rocked the baby. They headed her way as quickly as they could. Her movements were jerky, too, and Argrave thought he might be able to study this phenomenon more closely. Yet then¡­ her head turned as she noticed them. She saw them, and her head pulled back in rm. She opened her mouth to speak¡­


    And then her head was turned again, and she rocked the baby.


    Everyone froze in the air, yet the Alchemist proceeded. She turned her head again as his huge body cast a shadow over her¡­ and like it never moved, her whole body shifted back.


    ¡°She¡¯s returning to the same point,¡± Argrave realized. ¡°Back where she started.¡± He looked back at the seagulls, and finally found some reason in the madness. Every time they teleported, they returned back to where they began their flight.


    Argrave heard a scream, then looked back to see the woman crawling away from the Alchemist with her legs while shielding her baby. She returned once again, screamed once again, crawled once again¡­ and this cycle repeated as he watched, standing above her. Looping infinitely, trapped in time.


    Their party came to join the Alchemist as he observed, watching in abject caution. Their arrival made her only more afraid¡ªArgrave supposed from her perspective, a group of freaks came to stand over her as she rocked her baby. Argrave saw things for a pic¡ªa basket, some food. Beyond the looping time, it all seemed rather ordinary.


    ¡°Every five seconds, she returns,¡± the Alchemist observed. ¡°Five and one twelfth seconds, exactly.¡±


    Anneliese floated near, barely suspended above the woman. She was greeted by a scream. ¡°Can wemunicate, do you think?¡±


    Onychinusa scoffed. ¡°Five seconds? What could you get from that?¡±


    Anneliese hesitantly touched the woman¡¯s leg when she returned once, then narrowly avoided a surprised kick. Anneliese floated above the tree, studying the realm around them.


    The Alchemist, on her next cycle, ruthlessly mmed his obsidian staff down, killing the woman and her baby instantly.


    ¡°What the fuck?!¡± Argrave shouted.


    Then¡­ she returned. She saw them, she screamed, and she backed away, the same as ever. The Alchemist slowly pulled away his staff, studying it. ¡°No blood, no gore. But her reappearance forcibly relocated the staff. Curious.¡±


    ¡°There are non-sentient things you might test that on,¡± Argrave reminded him, then shook his head with an rmed sigh.


    As everyone looked all around in stunned silence at this ce trapped in time, Anneliese hovered back down and tried tomunicate. It was pointless¡ªfive seconds wasn¡¯t enough to say anything, let alone get a proper and coherent response from a woman frightened by their sudden appearance.


    ¡°I can¡¯t make sense of this,¡± Argrave floated high up into the sky, studying the area. Everything moved for only five seconds before returning to where it came. The smoke from distant chimneys, the tides against the coast, the horses on the meadow, the birds in the sky¡ªthey were trapped in a loop, ignorant and immortal.


    ¡°Yet we have to,¡± the Alchemist reminded him. ¡°We know what to be cautious of. Now, let us find where Gerechtigkeit¡¯s energy resonates strongest.¡±

 Chapter 515: Fringe of Existence

    As they neared the distant city which Argrave was content calling Sandbara, the looping effect became all the clearer. The whole world around them seemed to be a malfunctioning tape,sting for no more than the five seconds it had been allotted. They were constantly frightening people with their sudden appearance, yet it never really mattered enough for anything to happen.


    Argrave heard the beginning to the same sentence half a thousand times, or the distant call of a bird greeting another rising in the sky. He saw windmills grinding the same bit of grain countless times. He saw a man drawing from a well again and again, pulling up the rope to retrieve water. He saw a child carrying a bup sack of various items trip and m his face against the paved street again and again. Argrave passed through with a deep sense of unease¡ªunease that seemed to be shared by most of hispany¡ªas they followed the Alchemist, who used his vial of Gerechtigkeit¡¯s power as apass.


    ¡°Mastery over time itself¡­ I can scarcely think of a power more rming.¡± Master Castro travelled along with them, his eyes wandering the area.


    ¡°I took interest in magic that affects time,¡± Onychinusamented, tone tense. ¡°But I reached a dead end. Erlebnis¡¯ archives had no knowledge of such a thing. Divinity, however, can have some effect on the flow of time. Law has demonstrated some small mastery over the sphere¡­ and in the distant past, an ancient god governed time. He was powerful enough that several gods cooperated to end him, consume him. In the end, all of his powers merely prolonged his death to seventy years of agony.¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°But that¡¯s slowing or speeding time up, right? Nothing can truly suspend time, nor¡­ loop it like this.¡± He spotted a sign above a store, and felt a chill as he read the words, ¡®Sandbara General.¡¯ The location, then, was confirmed.


    ¡°It¡¯s clear there¡¯s one exception.¡± Mnie looked around.


    Orion¡¯s steely gray eyes wandered the cityscape from on high. ¡°I¡¯ve been searching for any deviation, any exception¡­ but all I see are trapped. Blissfully trapped, looping into themselves totally ignorant of their condition.¡±


    ¡°I caution us against making assumptions,¡± Anneliese cut in. ¡°We cannot know if this ce is constantly recreating itself anew, if time is rewinding, or if we face an illusion on such a grand scale that even our significant protection cannot ward from it. After all, we are currently excepted from this bizarre happening.¡±


    ¡°As far as we¡¯re aware,¡± Castro agreed.


    The Alchemist stopped his advance and looked back. ¡°It would be best if you ceased spection altogether.¡± A hand emerged atop his head, and pointed firmly toward a distant castle. ¡°That is our destination, just beyond this city. We might find answers there.¡±


    Argrave felt a strange sense of nervousness when their destination was highlighted amidst this impossible scenario. It felt like, at any moment, Argrave would find himself looped in a task for all eternity, brought under the thrall of whatever malignance had ensnared this city. Were these people aware of what was happening? Would he be, if he kept going? Death was one thing, but this fate seemed so insidious and devastating. These people, trapped here, unable to act beyond their five seconds of allotted existence¡­


    But they hade far too deep into this eternal city to turn back now. The Alchemist led their now-silent charge, heading for the castle. It was a steep gray structure, blocky and crudely effective as a fortification. It was shaped as a square and had another square-shaped keep inside it. The outer wall possessed four towers on its corners, but the guards within were not free of the influence of this trap in time and their group passed easily. It had no windows, queerly.


    Once within they followed the steady advance of the Alchemist, drifting through the castle keep like ghosts as he pursued the source of Gerechtigkeit¡¯s resonance. They passed through the reception hall decorated with decadent velvet, then passed through the kitchen, finally entering the banquet hall.


    ¡°King Norman! King Norman! King Norman! King Norman! King Norman!¡± came a man¡¯s voice again and again, trapped in this loop. He dered this as he pushed open the double doors to the banquet hall and entered, panic in his voice, posture, and demeanor all.


    There was a long rectangr tableid out in the banquet hall, yet only two ces were upied. At the head of the table, there was a ck-haired man with deep red eyes wearing ck velvet. Considering he lifted his head every time his name was called, Argrave presumed him to be King Norman. And just beside him, kicking her legs daintily as she sat on her hands, was a young girl in a red dress. Considering she shared King Norman¡¯s ck hair and red eyes, Argrave ced her as his daughter. Neither were exceptions in this loop of time, despite Argrave¡¯s expectations.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°There. Gerechtigkeit¡¯s resonance,¡± the Alchemist dered, holding the vial. Then the ss began to tremble, and it exploded outward. The Alchemist looked genuinely shocked, and grasped at the energy as it escaped. It was a futile thing, though¡ªGerechtigkeit¡¯s energy soared through the air, heading for the royal pair.


    Argrave watched King Norman with expectation and rm, yet the energy veered away from him and entered the little girl.


    ¡°That ss shouldn¡¯t have broken,¡± the Alchemist shook his head, watching the scene with some rm. ¡°It was made to withstand many tons of pressure.¡±


    ¡°Hold on,¡± Argrave entered deeper into the banquet hall, watching the scene. ¡°The girl is the resonance?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± answered Anneliese, to Argrave¡¯s surprise. When he looked over at her, he could see the tension of her face. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m starting to make sense of what I see. This isn¡¯t a trap. This is¡­ this is something to preserve her, to contain her. And all of what we see, all of what¡¯s happening around us¡­ they¡¯re merely the bars of the cage.¡±


    Realizing Anneliese must¡¯ve seen something with her [Truesight], Argrave focused closer on the girl. Her skin was strangely pale and immacte, almost like porcin. She caught sight of Argrave in one of her loops and looked up at him. He expected something monstrous within those eyes, but all he saw was exactly as was: a young girl. Six, perhaps seven at best.


    Argrave looked back at Anneliese. ¡°But what is she? Why would she be locked away like this?¡±


    ¡°She¡­¡± Anneliese grasped at words for a few seconds, and everyone, even the Alchemist, awaited her answer. ¡°She is one half of an unfathomable whole.¡±


    #####


    Far away from the portal chasm leading to the city of Sandbara, magma slowly encroached back upon the ce that had been drained utterly by the dwarven pumps. It was moving slowly, letting out vast amounts of heat and warping the air itself as it travelled. And yet in portions, it seemed especially active.


    On the right side, the magma began to move faster, spread out thicker, almost as if something was pushing it from the other side. And when a glowing hand emerged out from the magma, pushing it aside like nothing more than thick sludge, the driving force behind the magma was made clear. Slowly, a golem glowing red hot freed itself of the magma, pushing away thick globs of the stuff that clung to its metal frame. To walk through magma was quite literally to walk through rock, and its state as a liquid did not change the difficulty of such a feat.


    Yet the passage of time slowly proved that it was not alone in this tremendously impossible challenge. The tide of magma shifted and turned as yet more of these golems emerged, one by one, and began to fill the cavern. They glowed brightly from the intense heat that they endured, yet their metal bodies did not seem hampered at all by the tremendous burden.


    Miles above, in a dark cavern, Darioid on a dank, hot floor and stared at a rocky ceiling. Compared to his sickly form before, he was now broken. Death looked liable to im him any second. His breath was a low rattle, drawing what little air found its way into this ce far beneath the earth. Yet he kept his bloodshot eyes open, retained his lucidity and focus, and persisted. After all, he was the only thing linking these golems to this realm. If he was too far away, they would falter. And if they faltered, Argrave might unlock the secrets within Sandbara.


    Dario heard a voice. He couldn¡¯t be sure he was hallucinating, yet he understood the intentions behind it all the same.


    ¡°We will do our best to stop the parasite, and to stop us from falling into the chaos that curiosity brings. Rest, savior, and let your body be host. You will be remembered by those who matter as a great preserver.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t¡­¡± Dario breathed. ¡°I don¡¯t wanna die. Why does it have to¡­?¡±


    The voice, or hallucination, never answered him. But Dario could feel the march of the golems far beneath, entangling and strangling him. He felt a hundred puppets nailed into his soul, tearing him apart. But he wasn¡¯t the puppeteer¡ªhe was the tool the puppet master used, and nothing more. Was he right toe here, toe so far? And if he wasn¡¯t¡­ what could be done?


    Traugott knew what might happen should Sophia be freed. Yet even still, torn apart like this, he thought as much of Argrave¡¯s hopeful struggle as he did his own duty of preserving the current world. Despite knowing his fate was death, he hoped for something else.

 Chapter 516: Long Conmans Longest Con

    ¡°Every time the girl moves, I can see the fractures in this perfect recreation.¡± Anneliese looked around the room carefully, even as the people within reacted to her presence. ¡°All of this, everything around us, is something that responds wholly to her actions and movements. This is built to keep her in check.¡±


    ¡°Recreation? So this isn¡¯t real?¡± Mnie questioned.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ difficult for me to even judge.¡± Anneliese clutched her forehead, looking at things that Argrave couldn¡¯t perceive. He wished for nothing more to see things through her eyes. ¡°When I look at her, I see something impossible for me to make out. And I think that there is much that I miss. She¡¯s halved in more ways than one. She is literally iplete. Something is missing¡ªsomething was torn away from her. And on this side, only half of what¡¯s left is here.¡± She shook her head rapidly. ¡°I apologize. I know that this makes little sense, but it¡¯s what I see.¡±


    ¡°Speak freely, andmand us as you will,¡± the Alchemist directed her. ¡°I possess [Minor Truesight], yet even I cannot see what you do. You are our sole way forward in this scene.¡±


    ¡°Release your spell¡¯s hold, please,¡± Anneliesemanded without hesitation.


    The Alchemistplied, and Anneliese fell free of the encirclement of air that he had created. Shended well, then walked around the banquet table toe and look at the girl. Despite most others being immensely surprised when people suddenly appeared near them, the girl¡¯s reactions seemed rather muted. There was surprise, but itcked that instinct of self-preservation. Even King Norman showed more shock.


    ¡°As far as I can tell, despite the mix of strange energies within her, she¡¯s simply a girl.¡± Anneliese kneeled down, peering at her. ¡°And this close, I can better see what it is urring within and around her.¡±


    Anneliese watched for a long, long time as the girl looped in time. At some point Onychinusa got annoyed at the man constantly bursting into the room, so she cast a spell in front of the door to keep it shut. She twitched in annoyance every time the door banged loudly.


    ¡°Found you,¡± Anneliese said triumphantly, rising to her feet and looking all around. She seemed to follow an invisible guideline, and set off in pursuit down the banquet hall. She pushed open a set of double doors and proceeded into the castle¡¯s keep. ¡°Follow me. And watch the door.¡±


    Now that it had been proven they could persist without the Alchemist¡¯s spell, everyone else was released, and then followed as Anneliese instructed. Everyone entered the door one after the other, as none wished to risk it returning to its ce as they walked through. Anneliese¡¯s eyes were firmly fixed on something, but Argrave could perceive nothing out of sorts. They walked up a flight of stairs, through a hallway, and into another room, passing by and startling maids and guards all along the path.


    The room they entered was a bedroom, lined with red velvets, pink silks, and general decadence. Judging from the things strewn about, it was the little girl¡¯s room. It looked like things were missing, as though they¡¯d been taken away. Argrave saw a spot he was certain a painting had hung not a day ago. While observing, he spotted a peculiar spot in the wall where bricks looked fresher and out of ce. He saw ss through a crack in the bricks¡ªthe window had been bricked away, evidently.


    Anneliese pointed at the false window. ¡°This, here, is the beginning of the formation entrapping this city. And it¡¯s here where new things can enter the ce where time is trapped.¡±


    Mnie, who was somewhat near the formation, stepped away rapidly while eximing under her breath, ¡°Good gods.¡±


    ¡°I cannot think that the girl herself is behind this strange phenomenon, but it¡¯s most certainly sustained by the energy within her.¡± Anneliese once again looked around the room, calcting unseen yet arcane things. She looked quite happy, Argrave thought, to be dissecting this mystery. Her curiosity was being fed by something fascinating for the first time in a while.


    Yet then her pale face went a little paler, and Argrave saw her retract within herself as she grew nervous. At first, Argrave thought that she¡¯d seen something that had rmed her. But as time went on, he saw nces sent his way and knew that there was something she was hesitant to say.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Argrave asked after she said nothing for a long period.


    ¡°Let me think,¡± insisted Anneliese, holding up her hand to stop him from questioning further.


    Argrave stared at her for a few moments, then took another step toward her. ¡°I know how you look when you¡¯re thinking. And this isn¡¯t it. The thinking¡¯s done, isn¡¯t it? What have you seen?¡±


    Anneliese went quiet for a long time, then looked at Argrave. He could see some fear in her amber eyes, and instinctively raised his hand to grab her wrists. ¡°If I tell you, I know what you¡¯d do,¡± Anneliese closed her eyes.


    ¡°Will you tell me, then?¡± Argrave asked her quietly.


    ¡°This formation¡­¡± she slowly looked around again, her eyes perceiving the imperceivable. ¡°It¡¯s unbreakable. Unbreakable from this side alone, at least. And if there was someone on that other side, whose mind could not be interfered with¡­ someone wearing the Ravenstone¡­ I am certain they would retain their memories during every iteration, every reset of the scenario.¡±


    Everyone shifted uneasily, save the Alchemist and Orion.


    ¡°From what I can see with Yinther¡¯s blessing, to enter here would be to enter the reality leading up to the loop, not the loop itself. Meaning, the one on the inside might be able to discover and disable the cause before this trappletes itself.¡±


    ¡°I volunteer,¡± Orion raised his hand. ¡°I have no fear of eternity, Your Highness.¡±


    Anneliese crossed her arms and walked away. ¡°If what was beyond was something that could fight, you would certainly be most suitable. But this problem will require finesse and insight. With my [Truesight], I¡¯m best suited. I should go. Give me the Ravenstone, Argrave.¡±


    ¡°You debate choices withoutprehension of the problem. Until Argrave dies, the Ravenstone is tied to him,¡± the Alchemist said firmly, shaking his head. ¡°My own design, to protect my liberty in case he should be too careless in protecting it.¡±


    ¡°You never told me that,¡± Argrave looked at him sternly.


    ¡°I said that, should you perish, Anneliese or Elenore will inherit it.¡± The Alchemist returned the look at Argrave without emotion.


    ¡°And from that, I¡¯m supposed to extrapte that it¡¯s tied to me?¡± Argrave threw his hands in the air. ¡°Whatever. That doesn¡¯t matter anymore. Anneliese¡ªare you certain that this thing could protect me from having my memories wiped every loop if I entered that ce?¡±


    Anneliese paced around the room, then looked at a red stuffed bunny at the foot of the bed. ¡°I want to say no. But¡­¡±


    ¡°But yes, you¡¯re certain,¡± Argrave guessed. When Anneliese nodded, he put his hand to his face. ¡°And I won¡¯t be locked into five seconds of time?¡±


    ¡°No. I can see beyond the fault,¡± Anneliese walked up to the bricked off window. ¡°I see the day unfolding. And at some point, like a stick caught in a wheel, it jams. You¡¯d have freedom up until that jamming. And when it does jam, I¡¯m certain you¡¯d merely be taken back to the beginning.¡±


    Tower Master Castro studied the point she imed to be the sole fault in this illusion. ¡°And he can¡¯te back?¡±


    Anneliese brightened. ¡°I¡­ did not consider that. It could be possible, but I¡¯m not entirely confident about it. I can see the entrance, but as I cannot view it from the other side¡­¡±


    Despite that smallfort, Argrave¡¯s headache started to mount. Good lord. I have to enter whatever distortion this is, figure everything out, don¡¯t I? Toying with time¡­ has it ever gone well for anyone, ever? And I could end up like one of those poor saps, repeating five seconds endlessly¡­ but with my memories intact.


    The thought made Argrave seize with fear.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t do it,¡± Anneliese shook her head firmly. ¡°It¡¯s too dangerous. There¡¯s too much unknown, and too much at stake. I should look around more, look for another answer, look for another¡ª¡±


    ¡°You say that, yet golems have entered Sandbara,¡± the Alchemist dered. ¡°I left some druidic bonds near the entrance, and that¡¯s what they see.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Argrave blinked rapidly, trying to picture what druidic bonds the Alchemist could possibly have. ¡°Golems? Of what kind?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re hot enough that every step sets the grass ame,¡± the Alchemist noted. ¡°They must¡¯ve walked through magma toe here, judging by what evidence I can gather. I can sense in them the strange energy that Dario used against me. This is his move.¡±


    Mnieughed. ¡°Looks like the bastard kept his word¡­¡±


    ¡°I will deal with them,¡± Orion dered, then stormed for the door. ¡°Think freely, please, in my absence.¡±


    ¡°Hold on,¡± Argrave held him back. ¡°One of these golems manhandled Durran with divine armaments. We can¡¯t afford to split up right now¡ªthose things could rip a lone person to shreds, even you.¡± He looked at Anneliese. ¡°And it seems like we don¡¯t have much time to look.¡±


    ¡°If we can beat them¡ª¡± Anneliese began, but Argrave raised a finger to her lips.


    ¡°If,¡± Argrave repeated. ¡°But we¡¯re very deep now, very close. So, here¡¯s what we should do. I¡¯ll take the Alchemist inside the Ravenstone. Then, we¡¯ll¡ª¡±


    ¡°I will not enter such a thing foolhardily,¡± the Alchemist shook his head. ¡°But I will bestow upon you this, should you decide to advance.¡±


    Argrave¡¯s surge of confidence died in infancy as the Alchemist dered that he was foolhardy. But the giant pulled one of his eyes out of his head, cut into it, and pulled free a lens. After cleaning it, he handed it to Argrave.


    ¡°This lens will extend [Minor Truesight] upon you when imbued with magic and peered through. It took me many centuries to craft, so do not break it.¡±


    ¡°If I do, won¡¯t it be repaired anyhow?¡± Argrave smiled, but took it. It did frustrate him that the Alchemist had been keeping such an item hidden, but Argrave supposed he had no right to demand the man relinquish all of his secrets. Argrave thought it might function as a monocle, but then it urred to him he had no idea how people even wore those antiquated things. ¡°How do I wear¡­?¡±


    ¡°Fit it between your cheekbone and brow bone, or hold it,¡± the Alchemist directed. ¡°Alternatively, I can put it inside your¡ª¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯ll work.¡± Argrave put it up as instructed. It fit rather snugly beneath his brow and cheekbone, just as he¡¯d been told. He briefly tested it out, and cocked his head back when he saw the blessings within each of hispanions. He quickly stopped, lest the visions overwhelm his mind, and removed it while rubbing his eye. ¡°Good lord. That¡¯ll take some getting used to.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t seriously be thinking of doing this,¡± Onychinusa walked up to Argrave, perplexed. ¡°All of this is so sudden. We should take more time.¡±


    ¡°I trust, even if this is truly a mistake, everyone here can fix it,¡± Argrave shrugged. ¡°And Anneliese doesn¡¯t say things without certainty. What she saw¡­ I don¡¯t doubt it for a second. There¡¯s something on the other side that will help usplete the picture.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll walk into death because she said so?¡± Onychinusa looked at him like he was stupid.


    ¡°She¡¯d never ask me to die,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°Alright, Anne. What, do I just walk in?¡±


    Anneliese bit her lip looking at him, and hesitated greatly about whether or not to even expose this matter. After lowering her head in what might¡¯ve been shame, she looked back up, then walked. ¡°Walk in¡­ at this angle,¡± she demonstrated, stopping a fair bit short.


    Argrave took position in front of her, took a deep breath as though there might not be air on the other side, and then walked inside. Past a certain point, he felt the bond between him and his Brumesingers waver¡ªthey were safe at ckgard, yet even here he could feel their presence. He felt their panic, and before it could mirror his own, he continued into the distortion.


    #####


    ¡°He actually did it,¡± Mnie sounded bbergasted while she stared at the wall. She took a deep breath and exhaled. ¡°Guess I¡ª¡±


    ¡°Sweet baby Jesus, you¡¯re actually here!¡±


    Everyone whipped their head to the sudden voice, where Argrave rose up from out of the corner. He looked like a mad dog.


    ¡°You guys have no idea the day I¡ª¡±


    Argrave vanished before his words could finish, but then another voice appeared elsewhere. Argrave held a paper in the corner of the room, and read from it frantically.


    ¡°Listen close,¡± he said quickly. ¡°Every three hours, I get five seconds I can talk to you at the end of each cycle. Now I¡ª¡±


    Argrave vanished again, appearing in a simr location with the same paper.


    ¡°I need you to do several things for me in a very tight time frame. If you do it right, I think that you can prolong things for¡ª¡±


    Argrave vanished, then reappeared.


    ¡°Prolong things a couple minutes. I¡¯m figuring out what resets the world. The girl¡¯s name is Sophia, and she has something¡ª"


    As Argrave vanished again, everyone began to realize what was happening. For them, twenty seconds would have passed. But for Argrave, he¡¯d have been in there for twelve hours. And if they were to look outside¡­ Argrave¡¯s presence was throwing this static world into a vast array of possibilities, where everyone from the birds to the people behaved a little differently in the wake of this new added variable.

 Chapter 517: Sophia Normansdottir

    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    These were the first words to greet Argrave when he passed through the boundary between the looping Sandbara and the one within the distortion. When he turned his head to the voice, which he realized btedly was small and young, heid eyes upon the small girl that¡¯d been sitting in the hall with King Norman.


    The girl wore the same red velvet dress he¡¯d seen earlier, but she sat on the floor while clutching a doll close to her chest. The doll was that of a knight. She didn¡¯t seem afraid of Argrave¡ªdefensive, maybe, but not afraid. Her red eyes, pale skin, and dark hair made her seem somewhat vampiric, but simultaneously strangely innocent. Her question made Argrave panic slightly.


    ¡°Me?¡± Argrave put his hand to his chest. ¡°Well, I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m a¡­ a friend,¡± he managed, doing his best to appear non-threatening.


    She blinked at him a few times, while Argrave stayed as still as a cat. After a while, she slowly rxed somewhat and began ying with another doll. The other of her two dolls seemed made in her image, but she seemed far more interested in the knight, and positioned herself protectively around it. Though she remained cautious, she did nothing more. Argrave thought her response was rather fortunate, yet¡­ strange. Argrave thought himself ratherrge and threatening¡ªin a child¡¯s eye, at least¡ªand feared that the girl might do something, call someone. He took the reprieve gratefully, looking around.


    Argrave¡¯s connection with Elenore was severed. He couldn¡¯t feel it within his mind. He retained his magic, however, and so activated the lens that the Alchemist had lent him and peered around the room. Immediately, he saw countless things in great rity. There were crimson distortions in the air, like thick strands of silk, all leading to the small girl. Their source was elsewhere. He saw nothing of the boundary back to where Anneliese and the rest might wait, but the strands did intrigue him. He wanted to follow it, but he thought it¡¯d be best to remain cautious for now.


    Argrave kneeled afortable distance away from the girl. ¡°Now that you¡¯ve asked me¡­ can I ask who you are?¡±


    The girl looked at him, and her neck stiffened. She practically scrambled to her feet, and as she did an elegant curtsy, and said very deliberately, ¡°I am Princess Sophia Normansdottir.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Argrave was taken aback by her movements, but said, ¡°It¡¯s very nice to meet you, Sophia. I¡¯m Argrave.¡±


    Sophia grew deathly still, and bit at her lips. ¡°Did I¡­ do it wrong?¡± He could hear some fear on her voice.


    ¡°What?¡± Argrave tilted her head, and seeing as she looked like she was about to cry, quickly added, ¡°You didn¡¯t do anything wrong, Sophia.¡±


    She let out a big sigh of relief and seemed to swallow tears. ¡°Okay.¡±


    Why did that distress her? Argrave¡¯s thoughts wandered, but he asked, ¡°How old are you?¡±


    ¡°I am seven years old, sir Argwave¡ªArgrave,¡± she answered, but looked at the ground immediately when she stumbled over the ¡®r¡¯ in his name.


    She¡¯s just a kid, Argrave thought, smiling at her mistake. He was about to ask more questions when a knock at the door made him flinch. He didn¡¯t flinch as hard as Sophia, though¡ªshe stood quickly, grabbed the knight doll, and rushed to a nearby dresser. She hid it away, covering it with clothes and socks. As she did so, Argrave quickly cast an A-rank illusion spell: [Chameleon]. He became invisible.


    Sophia was bewildered when he vanished, but became stiff when a maid entered the room and looked about suspiciously. Perhaps she¡¯d heard them speaking. In the end, finding nothing, the maid fixed her eyes upon Sophia. ¡°Princess Sophia. Your father hasmanded that you can no longer remain in your room. You are to join him for lunch in two hours.¡±


    Sophia nodded and stared at the ground. The maid knelt, grabbed her hand rather forcefully, and pped her knuckles with a wooden stick.


    ¡°No. A child of King Norman does not stare at the ground,¡± the maid said, and even as Argrave¡¯s anger rose, things fell into ce. He was getting a very solid picture of why Sophia seemed liable to cry whenever she made a mistake. ¡°Now,e. Your hair is a mess. You cannot show any mistakes during your lunch.¡±


    The maid lifted Sophia rather unkindly by her arms. Argrave found himself considering violence, but his pragmatism won out. If he messed up now, this whole thing could fall apart. He triggered the lens of [Minor Truesight], and decided to follow the strands of red silken magic encircling the young princess while he gathered information. He left through the open door that the maid had left.


    The web of power woven throughout this castle was infinitelyplex. It seemed as though a million spiders hade through this area, using the people of the castle as their building posts. Perhaps Argrave was being na?ve, and the young girl was truly behind all of this, but his instinct told him that wasn¡¯t the case. He didn¡¯t rule out the possibility as he wandered invisibly, and along his route he extracted a great deal of information.


    This area was indeed called Sandbara, and all of the people both in the city and in the castle simply called the ce ¡®Norman¡¯s Castle.¡¯ Though there were people with magic in them, there were no magic users. This city was the capital of the kingdom, and the king was a greatly feared figure. Argrave ran across him a few times. He had a substantial amount of inborn magic, but more notably, his prowess made Orion look like a seven-year-old.


    There was something unnaturally powerful within the king¡ªsomething that Argrave hadn¡¯t noticed on the king in the other side of the boundary, where Anneliese and the rest remained. Argrave tried to see if he was deeply connected to this tapestry of power woven throughout the region, but as far as he could tell, the king was but another person caught up in things.


    Princess Sophia was King Norman¡¯s only child. There was something fishy about that, though¡ªpeople¡¯s words lingered around that term, as though it was wrong to call her that. Argrave suspected an illegitimate child, but he wasn¡¯t entirely certain. Argrave had missed this detail earlier, but now realized that all of the windows had been bricked away, not just the one in Sophia¡¯s room. The employeesined in hushed whispers about theck of natural light.


    Argrave walked through the city, and only there was he able to take off his invisibility. The strands of power were so omnipresent here that Argrave was forced to disable the [Minor Truesight] just to walk around the city with vision. There was a pattern to this madness¡ªa source¡ªbut it had thus far eluded Argrave¡¯s detection. The people in the inner cityrgely refused to talk to him. Only those on the countryside proved any help.


    One person in particr caught Argrave¡¯s attention¡ªa bitter old woman who invited him into her home, even despite his armor and suspicious size. They enjoyed some conversation, but there was only so much that an old woman on the outskirts of town could know.


    ¡°It¡¯s good to see a man who looks like he knows how to take care of himself. Perhaps things will change around here. The king sent those yer Knights around, house to house, and intimidated people,¡± the old woman informed him.


    ¡°yer Knights?¡± Argrave asked.


    ¡°Aye,¡± the old woman nodded. ¡°These are the cruel veterans he used to usurp Good King Charles, skin him, and make bedsheets out of what was left.¡±


    ¡°Mother, you can¡¯t call King Charles that,¡± a younger man insisted, looking at Argrave in paranoia. ¡°Who knows who this man might be? A kingsman, maybe?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m old enough to speak my mind, consequences be damned,¡± she dismissed him. ¡°Now, King Norman would have us forget his son, like he never was. The son he proudly paraded. The son he named his heir.¡± She looked at her kid. ¡°It might¡¯ve been justified in the case of my son, but King Norman¡­¡± she shuddered. ¡°I cannot think of what he did to the child.¡±


    ¡°What was the prince¡¯s name?¡± Argrave leaned in.


    The old woman blinked her eyes. Argrave constantly had [Minor Truesight] working, and he flinched when the strand of power connected to her head writhed. Her eyes went rheumy, then gray. She muttered, ¡°I can¡¯t¡­ I cannot¡­ recall¡­¡±


    Then, she sagged away lifelessly. Argrave stood in shock, but his shock was outweighed only by that of the son. He charged at Argrave, demanding, ¡°What did you do? Mother? Mom?!¡± The son looked at him in abject fear as he backed away, then copsed by his mother¡¯s side. ¡°You¡­ You¡¯re a kingsman. My mother, she¡­ she spoke out of turn. You were right to do that. Please. I have children, and I¡¯ll teach them good. Teach them right. We won¡¯t ever defy the king¡¯s word. Bless the Good King Norman. Blessed be his name.¡±


    Argrave could muster no words. He studied the old woman¡¯s corpse, but could see no trace of what had killed her. He slowly made for the door, cast one uneasy nce back at her body, and left. He walked out to the countryside to gather his thoughts, peering at where the portal to the¡¯s core had once been. Now, there was only more country, and any evidence of that magma-wrought chamber was but a memory.


    He watched the distance for a moment, questioning in fear if he was truly trapped here. He¡¯d made a very terrible first impression on the citizenry were that the case. As he made to turn away, sudden movement caught his eye. He flipped his head back, and his eyes widened as he spotted a veritable army of golems marching out of thin air. He recognized them at once¡ªthe golems of the subterranean mountain people. He watched, considered¡­ yet five secondster¡­


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    Argrave whipped his head in rm at the familiar voice. He stood, again, in Sophia¡¯s room. rm set in, and he grabbed at his chest and said, ¡°Good lord¡­ just like Anne said.¡±


    Sophia looked scared, and tried to hide the knight doll behind her back. Argrave examined himself¡ªeverything, down from his magic supply to his personal stamina, had returned back the way it was. His mind remained sound so far as he could tell, but when he looked around with [Minor Truesight], he saw something new.


    He saw a strand of power, attached to himself. He was a part of this vast formation, now.


    Argrave disabled the [Minor Truesight], and knelt down before the princess. ¡°Hello again, Sophia. I may be in a little bit of a jam.¡±


    Sophia blinked in confusion. ¡°I¡¯m not supposed t-to let anyone but friends call me Sophia. It has to be Princess Sophia.¡± She looked around, then whispered, ¡°B-but I won¡¯t tell anyone. Just don¡¯t tell anyone about Mr. Knight.¡±


    Argrave smiled. ¡°ckmailing this young? Good job, kid.¡± She looked confused, and so Argrave took a deep breath and said, ¡°I have a feeling we¡¯re going to be seeing a lot of each other. I¡¯m Argrave.¡±


    Sophia rose to her feet again, and gave the same elegant curtsy he¡¯d seen once before. ¡°I am Princess Sophia Normansdottir. Hello, sir Argwave¡ªArgrave.¡± She looked at the ground and covered her mouth after her mistake, evidently fearing repercussions.


    ¡°Perfect job, Sophia.¡± As Argrave rose to his feet, the princess looked at him in surprise, shock, and relief. ¡°I have to go now. But I¡¯ll be back. Three hours, I think, if I¡¯ve got a good sense of time. And don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll help you out.¡±


    Argrave cast [Chameleon], and Sophia looked around in bewilderment. He opened the door and left, surprising the maid on the other side. She couldn¡¯t see him, naturally. He quickly shut the door and cast a simple fire spell at her hair. Argrave walked away as it spread, not sparing a nce backward. When she started to panic, ns formed in Argrave¡¯s head.


    Priority one¡ªgather information, especially about the missing prince that kills olddies when they try and remember his name. Priority two¡ªconfirm that, at the end of each cycle, I have five seconds to speak to those on the other side. I saw the golems, just as the Alchemist described, but I can¡¯t be sure yet. And priority three¡ªfind out whatever the hell is ensnaring this whole ce. Argrave paused before walking down the stairs. People stormed up, chasing after the panicked screamsing from the maid.


    Argrave briefly reconsidered his priorities, adding an addendum. And priority zero¡­ Sophia Normansdottir. Is she the adorable little girl she looks like, or am I ensnared in this illusion even worse than I thought?

 Chapter 518: Darling

    Though Argrave felt greatly emboldened (and somewhat psychotic) after learning that he was indeed looping through time, he wasn¡¯t quite ready to toss his mortality to the wind quite yet in reckless pursuit of answers. On his second run through things, he checked to be sure some things were really restored. The old woman¡¯s life, for instance¡ªand indeed, when Argrave checked, she was alive again. Argrave could see her soul, still persisting anchored in her body.


    Argrave attempted to confirm that anyone trying to speak about the prince and his name died. Nearly all citizens in the city, however, coldly rebuffed him and did not engage. They ignored him, walked past him, and one simply pushed him away. After a time, though, Argrave made headway.


    ¡°You mustn¡¯t speak of something that Good King Norman forbade us from speaking of,¡± a kind market-stall owner informed him. ¡°The curious do notst in Sandbara.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s just you and I,¡± Argrave leaned over her produce and smiled. ¡°I just need to know some of the situation. No one will know.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re never alone,¡± the trader whispered. ¡°A man like you, a foreigner, whispered to my brother, once. ¡®The king will never know, he¡¯ll never know,¡¯¡± she imitated. ¡°He¡¯ll never know¡­ unless you tell him. The walls have ears, and thempposts¡¯ eyes are all watching us.¡±


    After giving that warning, the woman dismissed Argrave. He uneasily checked thempposts for signs of life, but thought it a metaphor when he failed to find some. The only person that seemed willing to break this rule of silence was the old woman whose name he had not learned. Knowing her survival seemed guaranteed, he asked her the question again: what was the prince¡¯s name? This iteration, he gave special attention to how she died. He felt rather like a hypocrite after rebuffing the Alchemist for casual murder while now doing the same thing himself. Still, he felt it necessary.


    The weaving connection binding all things in this distortion to Sophia acted as the old woman¡¯s killer. It was a wave of pure energy passing through the crimson silk-like strand of power entrapping the world. Her death was eerily quick and haunting. Argrave saw her very soul shatter within her body. He followed the attached strand for a long while afterwards, ignoring the distraught son despite the pangs of guilt he felt doing so. As long as I feel guilty, I¡¯m still human, right? Argrave told himself this again and again as he attempted to follow the power to its source.


    ¡®Attempt¡¯ to follow was the operative word, because Argrave miserably failed in said attempt. Themand came too fast, the weave of power was too long and entwined, and Argrave simplycked the pure mental acuity of someone like the Alchemist. He could not divine a pattern from thiswork of energy¡ªawork he, himself, was now thoroughly involved in.


    As Argrave walked through the city, he overheard a conversation while hidden with [Chameleon].


    ¡°¡ªtall, ck hair, gray eyes, yessir. Really, very tall. Must¡¯ve been up to here, sir.¡±


    Argrave turned his head when he heard himself being described. There, one of the people he had talked to earlier spoke to an ominous-looking figure in faded red armor.


    ¡°And he was asking questions?¡± the knight asked. ¡°Questions the Good King forbade?¡±


    ¡°Yessir, yes indeed,¡± the man nodded furiously. ¡°I told him nothing. Everyone else I saw pushed him away.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your time,¡± the knight said, then pulled out a scroll to write upon.


    ¡°Will¡­ will the yer Knightse?¡± the man asked.


    The knight looked over at the man. ¡°Praise the Good King Norman.¡± It seemed amand as much as a deration.


    The man bowed obsequiously and said, ¡°Praise him.¡±


    One of the feared kingsman, Argrave realized. Did I ever see their like in the castle? I don¡¯t think so¡­


    As the man walked away, Argrave resolved himself to follow this mystery figure. The man headed back to the castle despite Argrave¡¯s expectations, but did not enter inside. Instead, he walked near a grain silo. There, he opened a well-hidden hatch and headed down inside, closing it behind him. Argrave stared at the hatch a long while afterward, fearing to go inside. In the end, he took a deep breath and opened it up. A longdder awaited him. He headed down.


    There was a bittersweet fortune as Argrave climbed down thedder. The sound of his descent was blocked out by constant whimpering deeper within the cer. When his foot met the ground once again, he turned and watched what was ahead. It looked like a jail of some kind¡ªperhaps oubliette was the better term, considering most of the cells looked old, forgotten, and helplessly bloody. Argrave followed distant light and sound, still masked by magic. Ahead, a central room awaited him.


    ¡°¡­can¡¯t be a spy. No one would be foolish enough to send a spy with so distinct a figure,¡± one of the knights discussed, barely audible over the echoing whimpers of pain. Argrave could barely see the cell where they came from, but it was too dark to see within.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. Once we catch him, he¡¯ll tell us all he¡ª¡±


    Argrave entered through the empty doorway at the same time another entered opposite him. King Norman, resplendent in his ck velvet outfit, stepped down a staircase into the room. It would seem the ce had more than one entrance. The king rolled up his right sleeve.


    ¡°Good King Norman,¡± the two knights kneeled at once in total deference.


    ¡°I¡¯ve deigned to eat with my daughter. I¡¯ll need a hearty appetite if I¡¯m to endure the presence of that fragile thing. But what were you speaking of?¡± He walked closer to them, having just finished rolling his sleeves.


    ¡°Nothing, Good King. Merely a rabble rouser, who we¡¯ve decided to subdue. Extremely tall, ck of hair, wearing ornate armor and a coat¡­ we peg him as a wandering noble, asking questions without understanding consequences.¡±


    King Norman leaned down and grabbed their shoulders. Argrave saw that strange power within him surge, strengthening his grip. ¡°Even the tallest trees sprout from the smallest seed sewn. Bring him here. I wish for a rxing night.¡±


    ¡°Praise the Good King,¡± the two said, then rose and headed for another room off to the side. Half a thousand red-armored knights swarmed out of what must¡¯ve been a barracks, but King Norman ignored them all as he walked toward the cell in the room where the whimpering came with a smile on his face. Soon enough, all of the knights had left, and only Argrave and the king remained in the room. The king pulled open the creaky iron door and entered slowly. The whimpering within grew louder, and Argrave realized he was mistaken about being alone with the king.


    This bastard might as well be King Felipe 2.0. Or¡­ Felipe IV, I suppose. Argrave walked up closely, examining the cell. Frankly, it was uncanny how much the two kings resembled one another, all the way down to child abuse. To that end, Argrave tried to get a good view of the person within. Could it be the prince?


    ¡°My, my. You¡¯re moving around so much,¡± the king said. ¡°And look. You¡¯re bleeding. Have my boys already had their fun with you? No, wait¡ªthat was fromst night,¡± he said teasingly. ¡°My memory¡­ how could I forget such a precious night?¡±


    Argrave heard flint and steel, and a torch on the wall slowly gained light. The person inside¡­ it certainly wasn¡¯t the king¡¯s son. The wounds were too gruesome to properly identify things, but Argrave saw neither red eyes nor brown hair. Then again, perhaps the prince took after his mother. He¡¯d have to wait and see. Argrave resigned to listen, seeking information.


    ¡°My, such gruesome wounds. We had fun, didn¡¯t we? You might bleed out, should things continue. If you¡¯d like¡­¡± the king grabbed a chair, slowly scooting it forward as the chained prisoner shrunk away. ¡°I could go to the clock shop, buy you some time. Another day. Another week. We¡¯re born from our history, yet the future¡¯s a mystery.¡± Argrave could see the king lick his teeth behind the first genuine smile he¡¯d seen on the man. He sat on the chair. ¡°If you please me today, your future doesn¡¯t need to end here.¡±


    ¡°What do you¡­ want from me?¡± the man croaked. ¡°Good King Norman, please¡­! Mercy!¡±


    ¡°Mercy? Mercy is a gift you¡¯ll never know. I¡¯ll skin your coat and pick your bones, and then your soul shall grace my stroll. And though I shall again be alone, never a greater gift have I known¡­¡± the king sang as he rhymed. He had a melodious, yet terrifying, voice. He lunged forth and grabbed the prisoner¡¯s toe, then squeezed hard enough it popped like a grape.


    As the man screamed, Argrave watched uneasily. He¡¯d been hoping for better information just by listening in, but it seemed that he would simply be witness to heinous acts henceforth. No¡ªit was time to be the questioner, it would seem. Argrave positioned himself at the open cell door, then cast [Bloodfeud Bow] by himself and with two echoes. Ten seconds passed as he allowed the spell to rue power.


    ¡°In this domain, I have perfect reactivity,¡± Argrave whispered to himself, and the king turned his head in some surprise at his whispered voice. Argrave¡¯s Domain of Law took effect even here, and he faced the king squarely while watching for any movement. ¡°Hello, King Norman. I¡¯m King Argrave. I have a few questions for you.¡±


    There was silence as the king scrutinized him for a moment. ¡°My, my,¡± said King Norman as he rose, the very picture of calm despite the bloodred bow facing him. Fear didn¡¯t seem part of him whatsoever. Argrave was a solid foot taller, yet he felt somewhat small before the man. ¡°You¡¯re that foreigner my boys were describing. King Argrave? A rat who would im the title of king?¡± He wiped the blood off on his pant leg, then walked around the cell casually with his eyes fixed ahead. ¡°Are you yet another that hates my golden throne, yet wants it for their own? It seems you¡¯ve mastered this meddlesome maze, and sent my knights away. Very clever.¡±


    ¡°Your throne? No, I¡¯ve got my ownnd,¡± Argrave shook his head, staying calm while remaining unblinking. ¡°But see, I¡¯ve some things I¡¯m dying to know. Who¡¯s the prince? Why forbid everyone from speaking of him?¡±


    King Norman smiled. ¡°You really don¡¯t know anything, do you? My, my. I thought you a spy, but you seem a fly, buzz buzzing so. Are you willfully ignorant, or stupidly so? You must know me, know what I¡¯ve done. The babes wept as Charles bled, yet little did they know they¡¯d safe lives ahead. I have kept Sandbara peaceful. Why does a king protect his people?¡±


    Argrave stared, trying to decipher his speech. ¡°Protect them? So, you know that people die when they talk about the prince?¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± The king looked displeased when Argrave said that. ¡°Who fed you such sugary piss? I suppose that¡¯s for me to know. Well then, rat king¡­ prepare, resist, or tear your heart out in protest.¡±


    Argrave had more questions, but he knew how to read bodynguage well enough to see the king was preparing to attack. It was time to answer another pressing question¡ªjust how strong was King Norman, and what exactly was he? As the king lunged, Argrave released the [Bloodfeud Bows].


    Argrave¡¯s maroon bolt travelled faster, and things blurred as dust stirred. Argrave took a step away and cast [Chameleon]. When Argrave regained vision, he saw the king¡¯s back against the wall. His clothes were partially destroyed where the bolts of blood magic had touched, yet Argrave could barely see any blood. The king¡¯s hand was bleeding where he¡¯d caught the strongest bolt¡ªArgrave¡¯s own¡ªbut elsewise, there was none.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°My¡­¡± the king rubbed his hand. ¡°How darling. You¡¯re a darling, a prize to be, plucked from the tree, and bitten by me.¡±


    Argrave quietly retreated while invisible, and the king brushed his clothes off like nothing had even happened. Only a few had withstood Argrave¡¯s [Bloodfeud Bow]. Mozzahr was among them. But none had withstood it was well as King Norman had, suffering only a slight cut to the hand and a minor push. The wall behind him was undamaged, even. He¡¯d been caught off guard, yet all King Norman had suffered was a small cut.


    ¡°Darling¡­¡± King Norman walked to the edge of the cell, where he peered out into the open room. The energy inside him pulsed inside his body frantically, yet even with [Minor Truesight], Argrave could spot no connection between it and thework of power throughout the ce. The king left behind the chained prisoner as he proceeded. ¡°I can hear your breathing, darling. I can taste the scent of the air you left behind. Fear¡­ and desire. You want this as much as I do. Darling, oh darling¡­ find you, I will.¡± The king walked around the room, listening intently. He inhaled deeply through his nose and called out, ¡°Darling. Darling, oh darling¡­¡±


    Argrave considered using [Worldstrider] to get away, but he feared to call upon spirits in this strange distortion. Meanwhile, the king seemed toe ever closer to Argrave, perhaps by dumb luck, or perhaps by genuine ability. In the end, Argrave decided to use an illusion to get free. It seemed the king could not resist them.


    The moment Argrave cast the spell [Unfathomable Perception], King Norman leapt at him with unnatural speed and reactivity. Argrave tried to reel away, but he felt something hard m into his chest. The Inerrant Cloak Argrave wore immediately drained him of all magic. The enchantments Artur had spent so much time on barely saved his life as the metal dug into his chest, piercing his lungs. Argrave¡¯s vision whited out and his ears rung, but as he regained sight, he looked up at King Norman standing there, turning his head about in confusion.


    ¡°Dahling¡­?¡± the king said, muttering in a daze. ¡°Dahling, dahling¡­ find you, I will. Keep you, I must¡­¡±


    [Unfathomable Perception] robbed the target of all sensations, but Argrave seldom had the opportunity to use such spells given illusion magic didn¡¯t affect spellcasters of sufficient rank. Argrave grabbed at his breastte, content in the knowledge the king was dazed. He pulled hard, and only when he pried it from his chest did new air enter his lungs. He had to cut a strap free and wrench the breastte away, then used one of his blood echoes to cast a healing spell.


    ¡°Lesson learned¡­ cast that first, you damned idiot,¡± Argrave muttered as he came to his feet.


    He looked at King Norman in his total daze, and felt a need to strike the man. Still, he feared reprisal. He left his breastte behind and headed for one of the exits, scouting ahead briefly before leaving. He felt he¡¯d sufficiently mucked this timeline up, and doubted he¡¯d be able to gather much more information. That dungeon beneath the silo was a ce to revisit, perhaps without the king present. That prisoner had to know something.


    In the end, Argrave returned to Sophia¡¯s room. Lacking magic outside his blood echoes, he had to use lower-ranked illusion spells instead of [Chameleon] to sneak by, but he managed all the same. He hoped to confirm his hypothesis¡ªthat at the end of each cycle, both sides of the distortion were briefly merged. Sophia was absent, fortunately, and the castle was in turmoil now that the yer Knights had been mobilized.


    When Argrave began to grow bored waiting¡­


    Anneliese, the Alchemist, Orion, Onychinusa, Mnie, and Castro suddenly appeared, approximately where Argrave remembered them. He was crouching in the corner, and rose, raving, ¡°Sweet baby Jesus, you¡¯re actually here! You guys have no idea the day I¡ª"


    Next thing he knew, Argrave stared at a wall, all of his aching gone and his magic restored. Even his breastte was returned around his body.


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    Argrave slowly turned around, where Sophia sat ying with Mr. Knight once again. He sighed deeply as he epted that he¡¯d gone back once again. ¡°Hello again, Princess Sophia. I¡¯m rather miffed, thank you for asking. You¡¯re always so nice and polite¡ªit warms my heart. But your dad is insane, and I¡¯m still as lost as a chicken without a head.¡± He sat on the carpet, while she stared at him in abject confusion. ¡°This time¡­ I¡¯m going to turn things around. I¡¯m at the cusp, I just know it. The prisoner, the king¡­ I¡¯ll figure it all out this time, I¡¯m sure of it.¡±


    ¡°Umm¡­¡± she blinked at him. ¡°It¡­ it¡¯s okay?¡±


    Argrave wasn¡¯t sure if she was asking him a question or encouraging him. He just smiled in response.


    ¡°Say, princess¡­ you seem to like that doll. It¡¯s very... neat. Why do you hide it from people?¡± Argrave studied her, trying to appear friendly. He couldn¡¯t forget that this girl was the crux of things. And perhaps his answers still rested here.

 Chapter 519: Third Trys the Charm

    ¡°Mr. Knight is¡­¡± Sophia looked at the doll. He saw some tears welling up in those red eyes of hers¡ªand for the first time, Argrave thought it might not be out of simple fear of punishment. ¡°He¡¯s not mine.¡±


    Argrave nodded understandingly. ¡°Then¡­ your brother¡¯s?¡±


    Sophia looked at him in utter fear. ¡°I don¡¯t have a¡­¡± she trailed off, her words failing her. Afterward, she became despondent.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard some things that go against that. It¡¯s okay¡ªI¡¯m not like those other people.¡±


    Sophia shook her head quickly. ¡°I don¡¯t¡­ you can¡¯t find out. Mr. Butler, he talked about, and¡­¡± she shuddered. ¡°You can¡¯t get hurt. Getting hurt¡­ hurts.¡±


    Looks like King Norman¡¯s rules didn¡¯t exclude the princess. She¡¯s been drilled to forget her brother, no doubt. I shouldn¡¯t be surprised.


    Argrave looked around. The things missing¡ªthe lighter spot on the wall where a painting might¡¯ve been, the empty side of the open wardrobe, the unused section of the dresser, and Mr. Knight¡­ that little doll must¡¯ve been the only thing that she had managed to keep of her brother¡¯s. It was a small wonder she guarded it so fiercely. If they were sharing a room, they may have been twins. From Argrave¡¯s knowledge, twins were especially attached to one another.


    ¡°I have to go, princess,¡± Argrave said, rising to his feet. ¡°But there¡¯s going to be a maiding soon. She¡¯ll tell you that you¡¯re to have lunch with your father. Remember to keep your head up no matter how scary she gets, because she¡¯s a really nastydy. Can you do that for me?¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± she nodded.


    Argrave cast [Chameleon] and vanished. Sophia¡¯s eyes widened in surprise and she looked around as though her mind was blown. ¡°Sir Ghost? Come back,¡± she whispered out loud.


    When the knock came, Sophia hid Mr. Knight once again, and Argrave slipped out when the maid opened the door.


    I¡¯ll be back, Sophia, rest assured. I need to see what happens to you during the loop. But first, I need to figure some things out about your brother.


    #####


    Argrave returned to the underground cer where the yer Knight barracks were. While there, he better explored the ce to locate entrances and exits. One led directly into the castle, while a few others appeared throughout the city in various abandoned buildings. The barracks themselves had about five hundred knights. They were quite an impressive force by Argrave¡¯s eyes, but they were nothingpared to the king himself.


    Argrave entered the cell containing the whimpering prisoner, then cut off sound with a ward and sight with an illusion spell. He conjured light, frightening the man greatly. Then, he healed what wounds could be healed with magic and revealed himself.


    The man, frightened, tried to crawl away from Argrave. ¡°Who are you? What is this? What did you do to me?¡±


    ¡°I healed your wounds,¡± Argrave exined. He was going to sit in the chair, but feared that might evoke some of the man¡¯s trauma. He sat on the floor instead, ignoring the unpleasant sensation. ¡°I¡¯m a spy from a neighboring region, you see. And my efforts led me to you.¡±


    ¡°A spy?¡± The man studied his body in total confusion. ¡°Did you drug me? I can¡¯t feel¡­ no. I can feel. I¡¯m not bleeding, anymore,¡± he said, disbelievingly.


    ¡°Would you like to leave this ce?¡± Argrave asked point-nk. ¡°I can help with that. I just need three answers from you.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t get me out of here,¡± the man shook his head. ¡°No one escapes Good King Norman.¡±


    ¡°I did. Once,¡± Argrave smiled. ¡°Called me his darling, the creepy bastard. Yet here I stand.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s set in stone. He sang it again and again. The fruits of mybor will offer no savior.¡±


    Argrave frowned. ¡°So you can wait to be tortured, or we can get caught, whereupon you¡¯ll still be tortured. Does thatpel anything from you?¡±


    The man managed a huff ofughter. ¡°I¡¯ll be damned¡­ you make a fair point. Alright. Ask.¡±


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°The former butler of Norman¡¯s Castle. My sister runs a market stall in the city,¡± the man answered, but his chains jingled. ¡°My throat¡­ have you any water?¡¯


    Argrave held his hand out and conjured water, suspending the ball in the air. The man drank it without dy. ¡°So, you were the butler Sophia mentioned. Why were you imprisoned?¡± He asked as the man drank.


    When finished with the drink, the man exhaled. ¡°You spoke to the princess? By the heavens¡­¡± he sighed deeply, hanging his head. ¡°I was trying to exin to mydy why she couldn¡¯t¡­ why she couldn¡¯t speak to the prince, anymore. Why he was gone. One of the servants informed on me.¡± The manughed. ¡°That¡¯s the true danger. The doubt the king nts, the mistrust, in all of us.¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°And what did happen to the prince?¡±


    ¡°The young lord¡­ he is the spawn of the king. If you¡¯ve met the king, and escaped from him as you im¡­ you must know the unnatural power within him. He was always powerful, yet never as powerful as he¡¯s be now. And it¡¯s because he sacrificed the prince, put a hex over this wholend. He removed his son from existence. To try and speak his name, to describe him, to get into any specifics beyond naming him ¡®the prince,¡¯ is to fall prey to the foul forces that King Norman invited into thisnd. He''s given his son. Now, they¡¯lle again to im his daughter. That¡¯s all I know.¡±


    Argrave cradled his hand as he thought. ¡°Alright. I lied¡ªfour questions, and then you¡¯re out. If I free you¡­ can you help me investigate what¡¯s ensnaring thisnd? Can you help me break its hold?¡±


    The butler went silent, staring at the dank dungeon floor. ¡°It seems to me I¡¯m dead no matter what choice I take. So¡­ why not?¡±


    Argrave held his hand to the chain and cut them free with simple wind magic. The butler looked so bewildered, like he¡¯d never seen anything like this.


    ¡°Stay close to me, and we¡¯ll get out fine. And¡­ what¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°Bogart,¡± he answered.


    That¡¯s a very butler-esque name, Argrave thought.


    And so, with no one the wiser, Argrave and Bogart escaped the cer. The man¡¯s trembling was so severe that Argrave thought the people might hear his teeth chatter. When the man once again saw the suns above and felt the grass beneath his feet, he fell to his knees and seemed liable to praise the sky. A stern reminder that they weren¡¯t exactly safe in the heart of the city was enough to snap him out of it, however, and they headed to the countryside.


    #####


    ¡°Tell me more about this sacrifice,¡± Argrave asked Bogart.


    They found a secluded ce in a small grove far from town. Argrave didn¡¯t like being in the open, but Bogart didn¡¯t trust that there was anyone or anywhere they might find within the city that could be of genuine help.


    Bogart, however, was busy staring at the city in paranoia. Argrave kicked him lightly, making the man flinch. ¡°Oh, the¡­ that¡¯s right.¡± He turned around. ¡°I¡­ why don¡¯t we talk more once we return to wherever you¡¯re from? I can¡­ we can procure horses. We can try and get away.¡±


    Argrave crossed his arms. ¡°My time is short. You should know by now that spies, kingsman¡­ we¡¯re really quite simr. I saved you because you can help me. I can return you much the same way if you can¡¯t.¡±


    Bogart lowered his head. ¡°Damn it. Damn it all¡­¡± He clutched his head. ¡°But you¡¯ll help me after, right? You will?¡±


    Argrave conjured a bolt of fire near Bogart¡¯s feet, and the man jumped back in fear. ¡°Just talk,¡± Argrave demanded callously.


    ¡°Alright, alright!¡± the man held out his hands cautiously. ¡°I¡­ the Good King Norman, he was approached by a group of strange people about a year ago. They had gathered up four prominent members of themunity¡ªthe silver-tongued priestess, Sandbara¡¯s mayor, the elder, and the queen. He¡­ he butchered his wife for keeping secrets from him, but he listened to the other three. That was all that was public.¡±


    ¡°And what happened?¡± Argrave pressed.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what they offered the king. But he, and the three still alive, became obsessed with what these foreigners offered. The king was always¡­ somewhat insane, yet unstoppable. Few had the power to disobey him and his knights, yet he jealously acquired more power, more wealth, more soldiers to join his ranks. When he learned of the sacrifice, his sole focus became that, most unusually.¡±


    ¡°What did he think he would get?¡±


    ¡°Immortality. Limitless power. He was never specific.¡± Bogart shook his head. ¡°But I do remember one thing he kept saying. ¡®All they asked for was a bit of time, and the lives of my children.¡¯ He repeated that constantly, like a mantra. I think¡­ I think he still says it. But the death of his son has sated him, somewhat.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°A bit of time, eh?¡± Argrave honed in on that, but Bogart couldn¡¯t be aware of the implications of that. ¡°And these foreigners¡­ what did they look like, act like, sound like? Tell me about them.¡±


    ¡°The Heralds, they called themselves. They wore white. Robes, masks, gloves, hair¡­ all white. Despite what they were doing, they were strangely pure people. Charity, acts of kindness, humility¡­ it was a far cry from those that normally associated with the king. He disdained them somewhat, yet never openly disrespected them.¡±


    Argrave crossed his arms. ¡°And they¡¯re gone, I presume?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Bogart nodded. ¡°Until they return to im Sophia, I¡¯m sure.¡±


    Argrave had certainly never seen anyone in the city or the castle matching that description. Suddenly, a long horn echoed throughout the empty air. Bogart turned his head in fear.


    ¡°By the gods¡­¡± he clutched his head tightly. ¡°The horn. They called out the horn. Every citizen in Sandbara will be called upon to search.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. For you, no doubt.¡± Argrave scratched his chin. ¡°These other three¡­ the silver-tongued priestess, the mayor, the elder¡­ are they still here?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Bogart looked back. ¡°Yes, but¡­ does that matter? We have to go! We have to go very far away!¡±


    ¡°Help me find them,¡± Argravemanded.


    ¡°Are you out of your¡ª¡±


    Argrave cast a showy, yet harmless spell¡ª[Lightningcatcher]. A gigantic ball of lightning sparked in his hand, casting energy in every direction. It was as big as Argrave¡¯s body himself. To raise his intimidation factor, he sent out a few blood echoes to encircle the former butler.


    ¡°I¡¯m not like the king,¡± Argrave dered, ceasing the spell. ¡°I don¡¯t take things personally. But they did teach me a few tricks in spy school. I can create pain that you can¡¯t imagine, targeting specific nerves with lightning. Or I could use fire. Burn your skin off. Then, heal you, as I did before. Again. Again. And again. Do you want that?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re crazy¡­¡± Bogart whispered.


    ¡°Not yet. But I can be, unless you get ready to help me. I still have some other things to do after this, and you¡¯re wasting my very valuable time.¡± Argrave pped. ¡°Hut-hut. Let¡¯s find these three.¡±


    Even Argrave surprised himself with that one. It felt like the good old days in Heroes of Berendar, where he could do deranged, utterly psychopathic things and then load a save and act like a good boy just after.


    #####


    Despite some trouble convincing Bogart to be a good sport and y along, he did eventually concede to Argrave¡¯s threats and lead him throughout the city cloaked in magic. They headed first for the most obvious ce¡ªthe cathedral, where the ¡®silver-tongued priestess¡¯ might be waiting. As the owner of the cathedral her position of prominence made her quite easy to find. And the moment Argrave did¡­


    ¡°I believe we¡¯re on to something, Bogart,¡± he whispered to his unwilling partner-in-crime. ¡°I believe I¡¯ve seen the first light in this dark tunnel.¡±


    ¡°Can we leave now?¡± Bogart returned.


    ¡°I¡¯m gonna go talk to her,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°If you want to stay invisible, you ought to follow.¡±

 Chapter 520: Little Wound Up

    When Argrave looked upon the so-called silver-tongued priestess with the [Minor Truesight] lent by the Alchemist¡¯s lens, pieces fit together in an instant. They were mysteries both within this small distortion, and those without it. The vague, iprehensible experience that he had falling down into Sandbara with the voice, the insistence of Dario and the figure behind him¡­ and the Heralds.


    The silver-tongued priestess kneeled before a triangr altar that was unadorned. It wasn¡¯t clear what, exactly, she was praying to, if anything at all. Argrave approached her with some caution. If his screaming instincts were correct, and this woman was rted to the same being behind Dario, then caution was the proper move. Magic, divinity, all of it was powerless before the power Dario had used. He only hoped that the same was not true here.


    Argrave didn¡¯t undo [Chameleon], but instead walked with the utmost quiet through the small prayer hall the woman knelt at. She wore all white and gold with a veil over her face, and sped her hands before her in a rather traditional fashion.


    ¡°You ought to speak your prayers aloud,¡± Argrave said. ¡°They might be better heard.¡±


    The priestess turned her head, but did not scare as Argrave had expected she might. Instead, she looked about as if in wonder.


    ¡°Tell me, priestess. What might¡¯ve possessed you to sacrifice the prince?¡± Argrave stepped around the room, his voice projecting throughout the stone hall rather wonderfully.


    ¡°Who speaks?¡± she whispered quietly. Her blues eyes wandered where he might¡¯ve been, but found nothing tond upon.


    ¡°I believe you know the answer, if you look into your heart,¡± Argrave returned vaguely, weaving through the pirs of the hall.


    The priestess rose to her feet and followed after his trailing voice. ¡°You¡¯re either a fool ying a god, or an answere toote. What could you seek from me?¡±


    Argrave leaned against the altar. ¡°Was all of this for power, just like the king, or did you seek something more?¡±


    Despite his overt questioning, she did not seem to panic or grow surprised at all. ¡°And what is power? The king thinks it is strength¡ªto grab and hold, to maim and makeme, as he might put it in that rapacious, rhyming tongue of his. For myself, power is faith. In people, in institutions¡­ the things that faith can achieve could make all things pale before its light. The mayor holds high the candle of wealth, affluence, and the elder¡¯s torch of knowledge burns ever brighter day by day. Power, all. Whoever you are, blessed lord or trickster, you don¡¯t seem to know the half of it. And nor did I, praying before this altar, beseeching the masses ignore the insatiable appetite of the tyrant above them.¡±


    ¡°But now you do,¡± Argrave guessed, moving away as the priestess followed after him yet further. ¡°And what, dare I ask, have you be?¡±


    ¡°A woman far too bored by mundane questions to suffer them much longer. If you are a god, should you not know?¡±


    ¡°I know, even if you don¡¯t,¡± Argrave said, moving back to the door. ¡°You¡­ are an anchor. One of three, I should suspect.¡±


    Argrave once again triggered [Minor Truesight], and beheld the true face of the silver-tongued priestess.


    Within her form, a vast and overpowering figure towered above. It mirrored her movements absolutely, yet staked into its flesh half a thousand times and concealing its true form were thick ck spikes with red strands of power attached to the end of them. Argrave waspletely certain of one thing¡ªthese things, whatever they were, held the denizens of this ce captive. Argrave even followed the strand attached to himself, and found it linked here.


    He would need to visit the two others involved in this scheme with the Heralds, but Argrave felt that one thing was certain. These people were a key to unravelling this vast mystery. And to discover what, Argrave cast the same spell that had subdued the all-powerful King Norman¡ª[Unfathomable Perception]. The bolt of power travelled out of Argrave¡¯s hand, struck the silver-tongued priestess, and yet did absolutely nothing.


    Yeah¡­ just like it was with Dario, Argrave reflected. Meaning, whatever King Norman has inside him is wholly different from the three others that¡¯ve met with the Heralds.


    He was somewhat afraid to try and harm this person more. He could easily enough copse a ceiling, or do something else indirect to end her, but he couldn¡¯t tell what would happen if he did. Perhaps everyone attached would simply die. Perhaps the distortion would end, bringing Argrave¡¯s life along with it. This was a delicate puzzle, and there were many more mysteries ahead.


    #####


    With Bogart¡¯s slight help, Argrave was able to locate the elder and the mayor of Sandbara. Just as hypothesized, they, too, carried along with them a hulking figure impaled with thousands of spikes attached to people¡¯s existence. The mayor stayed in his oceanside estate, while the elder had a humble home out in the countryside where he maintained a garden.


    None of them had seemed implicitly evil¡ªhe¡¯d gotten the impression from the priestess she was disillusioned by her faith because of Good King Norman¡¯s terrible rule. The mayor seemed simply to chafe under taxes. The elder sought vengeance for one of his kin that had been in. One was righteous, one pragmatic, and thest vengeful. But to that end, they had sacrificed the prince in some way or another, and sought to end the rest of the king¡¯s family to finish the job.


    With the so-called anchors evaluated, Argrave returned back to the castle. He let Bogart go free, because he couldn¡¯t see much use for the man. Fortunately, the search party sent out to capture him meant the castle was lightly-manned, and from what Argrave gathered, even the meal the king nned with his daughter was cancelled. Sophia was left alone¡ªand that was where Argrave had hoped she might be.


    When Argrave found Sophia again, alone in a guest room, he took some time to study her. He estimated he¡¯d spent two hours here during this loop, and yet all of that time, she didn¡¯t seem to have changed in any way. Not in the physical or magical realms, either¡ªhis use of [Minor Truesight] revealed the same results as ever.


    Sophia sat on a couch with a coffee table in front of it, and another couch mirroring it. It was made for guests to speak with a host. She wasn¡¯t doing anything at all, but she seemed somewhat happy. Argrave took a seat on the couch across from her, and then dispelled [Chameleon]. He¡¯d blocked the room with a ward beforehand in case she¡¯d cry out or something, but Sophia merely widened her eyes and leaned back into the couch.


    ¡°Sir Ghost!¡± she called out, somewhat joyously.


    ¡°Hello, Princess Sophia.¡± Argrave cradled his hands together. He was worried, somewhat¡ªshould a child be this incautious? ¡°Good to see you again. It seems we have some time to speak more. Did you do alright? Did anybody hurt you this time around?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± she shook her head. Her ck hair had been done into pigtails, and they shook around fiercely as she did so. ¡°Thanks to Sir Ghost, nothing happened. The maid even said I didn¡¯t have to have a meal with the king!¡± Her happiness was quite apparent.


    ¡°I might have something to do with that,¡± Argrave nodded. He reached up and removed his monocle. ¡°Say, princess¡­ how would you like to help me solve a mystery?¡±


    ¡°A mystewy¡­?¡± she repeated, then covered her mouth when she failed to pronounce the r.


    She looked ready to try again, but Argrave smiled and continued, ¡°Youngdy, you¡¯re too smart. I didn¡¯t pronounce it right. It¡¯s actually mystewy.¡±


    Her red eyes sparkled and she rocked happily before pausing. ¡°But¡­ what¡¯s a mystewy?¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°It¡¯s something that no one¡¯s figured out,¡± Argrave said, setting the monocle on the table between them. ¡°Even I¡¯m stumped on this one. And I think that only you can help me solve this mystery.¡±


    ¡°Mystewy,¡± she corrected.


    Argraveughed a little. ¡°Right. I¡¯m a little slow.¡± He pointed to the monocle. ¡°I just need to hold that up to your eye, and you tell me what you see.¡±


    ¡°Umm¡­¡± she looked at the monocle. ¡°Will it hurt? I¡¯ve been practicing not crying,¡± she said proudly. ¡°I won¡¯t cry. Promise.¡±


    Argrave¡¯s happiness died with her promise, but he tried to stay smiling. ¡°It won¡¯t hurt at all, Sophia.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± she nodded quickly and happily.


    Argrave stood from the couch, grabbed the lens, and kneeled down before Sophia. He held it up to her eye, willing magic into it.


    ¡°Woah¡­¡± she muttered, looking about everywhere. ¡°Sir Ghost, you¡¯re all glowie! You¡¯ve got a sparkly thing in your chest, and all this ck¡ª¡± she turned her head too fast, pulling away from the lens. When she realized she had to keep looking through the lens, she lowered her head back, then repeated, ¡°Woah¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like you to focus on the red strandsing from your body,¡± Argrave said. ¡°Can you see them? They¡¯re like spiderwebs.¡±


    ¡°Umm¡­ yeah,¡± she confirmed quietly.


    ¡°Alright. Now, if you focus really hard¡­ can you feel them at all?¡±


    Argrave was pressing for information,rgely, and he didn¡¯t know what answer he¡¯d get. But when Sophia reached her hands out, she proved unable to interact with them.


    ¡°Not with your hands. Like¡­¡± Argrave closed his eyes, searching for descriptors. ¡°Treat them like they¡¯re a part of you. Like another hand. Try to move them like you would your arm.¡±


    ¡°Sir Ghost¡­¡± she sounded afraid. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that mean I¡¯m a spider?¡±


    ¡°Of course not,¡± Argraveughed. ¡°Hey, look at the back of my head. I¡¯ve got one of these strands, too. But because you¡¯ve got so many, it just means you¡¯re special. So, can you try to feel them for me?¡±


    Sophia seemed to focus really hard. After a while, her eyes opened wide, and she looked at him. ¡°Sir Ghost¡­ I¡¯m a spider person?!¡±


    Argrave found himself smiling again, but asked instead, ¡°Did you feel something?¡±


    Sophia hesitantly nodded, then tried once again the grab the strands of power. ¡°It was¡­ it was just like Sir Ghost said. It was like another hand. I tried to pull it, but it was stuck.¡±


    Argrave pulled the lens away and held it to his own eye. ¡°Do you think you could do it again?¡±


    Sophia nodded, closed her eyes and focused hard. When Argrave saw the power within her shift, he caught sight of vtile energies that he¡¯d never before seen. But looking at him, [Minor Truesight] in his head, he could see them for what they really were. At once, half a thousand things became clear.


    Those three¡­ they¡¯re anchors in a sense. But what they¡¯re doing isn¡¯t limited to that alone. They¡¯re unravelling Sophia, bit by bit, until she bes stretched too thin. After a certain time, she acts by instinct, pulls back her power. Only¡­ her power is so absolute it links everyone, everything. She restores everything back to the way it was, not just herself. And they¡¯ve taken advantage of that to ensure apletely controlled environment. A cage to hold her, using her own power as the bars¡­


    Argrave¡¯s thoughts werergely conjecture, but what he¡¯d just seen when Sophia felt her power was so convincing of that fact he felt hesitant to even call it that. These Heralds, it would seem, had made Sophia unwittingly create this distortion. They had harnessed her ability to make a little pocket of reality where she and all near her existed trapped in eternity¡ªnever growing, never changing, never learning. The only imperfection? It was the area they¡¯de into, where a window of opportunity no longer than five seconds waited.


    But now, one who learned did exist. Argrave. He needed to break the anchors, which would allow Sophia to retract her power. Then, this endless loop might finally end. He wasn¡¯t totally sure what that meant¡­ but he had a n brewing in his mind as to how it might be done.


    ¡°Alright, Sophia. I think¡­ I think we¡¯re going to get out of here, soon. I¡¯m going to ask my friends for some help.¡±

 Chapter 521: Father of Education

    Argrave felt that he had learned all he could about the time loop itself. The things that he had seen with [Minor Truesight], while lesser than what Anneliese might¡¯ve picked out, still confirmed to him without a shadow of a doubt the truth of this endless repetition. And even more than that, he finally found a path to confirming some hidden things. If Sophia was the cause of the loop, and the Heralds were harnessing her power to kill all those that spoke of the prince, then she, herself, would most likely be untouched by it. In other words, she was his best source of information.


    ¡°I have to go now, Sophia.¡± Argrave took the lens and hid it away in his duster¡¯s inside pocket. ¡°We¡¯ll see each other again. But before I go, can I ask you something?¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°Okay,¡± she nodded easily.


    ¡°You remember Mr. Butler? Bogart?¡± Argrave put his hands together. ¡°I saved him. He¡¯s the reason why everyone¡¯s panicking, running about everywhere.¡±


    Sophia went through uncountable emotions, and by the end of it all, only watched Argrave with her wide, uncertain red eyes.


    ¡°All that¡¯s to say¡­ your father doesn¡¯t have power everywhere. I¡¯m as much a king as he is, and I want to help you. But to do that, I have to understand things. Can you tell me about your brother?¡±


    Sophia blinked her eyes and looked at the ground, then looked up suddenly in what looked like horrified revtion. ¡°Then Sir Ghost¡­ is King Charles? And you¡­ you¡­ came back from the dead to take revenge?¡±


    Argrave smiled at her. ¡°If that¡¯s what you want, Sophia. But most of all¡­ I want to help your brother, if I can¡ªhelp him as I helped Bogart. And I think you¡¯re the only one who can help me help him. Can you tell me his name? Can you tell me anything at all?¡±


    Sophia yed with her hands, and the hem of her red dress for a long time in quiet. Argrave waited patiently. ¡°My big brother¡¯s name is Griffin. He¡¯s one hour older than me. He likes knights, swords, blueberries, and snow. He¡¯s¡­¡± After she¡¯d listed the mundane things, Argrave had little doubt that the more emotional memories were surfacing. What they did together, how they lived¡ªtheir arguments, shared triumphs.


    ¡°He stopped daddy and the maids from punishing me when I made a mistake because I¡¯m stupid,¡± she continued, suppressing her tears with practice a seven-year-old shouldn¡¯t have. ¡°And when daddy took us to the cer, where those people were¡­¡± she started shivering badly. ¡°Griffin did everything daddy wanted me to, because I couldn¡¯t do it, because I¡¯m a baby. Then, to punish me, daddy would leave me in the cells overnight, with all of the¡­¡± her eyes went distant, but Argrave got the image. Her father left her among the recently tortured¡ªenduring their resentment, enduring the sight of their misery. To them, she was the daughter of the man that had tortured them. It would¡¯ve been terrifying for anyone, let alone a small girl.


    ¡°My brother was going to be the best knight in the whole world, stronger than daddy, and he was going to make sure we never had to do anything we didn¡¯t want to. But then the red knights came, a-a-and¡­¡± she trailed off as her shivering became more and more intense.


    Argrave walked back over to Sophia and knelt down, tremendous guilt welling up from within for unearthing such memories. ¡°You don¡¯t have to say anymore, Sophia. I¡¯m sorry,¡± he told her. ¡°Your brother sounds like an amazing person. I¡¯ll do my best to bring him back, just like Bogart. But you¡¯ve got some things wrong.¡± He shook his head. ¡°You¡¯re not stupid at all. You¡¯re one of the brightest girls I¡¯ve met. And you¡¯re no baby. You¡¯re brave beyond imagining.¡±


    Sophia started to cry, finally. She seemed to be very self-conscious about making any noise. Argrave tried to reach for a pillow on the couch to offer her, but she fell onto his arm. He hesitated for a moment, but he felt if anyone deserved it, Sophia did. He held the broken girl carefully, even as his mind danced with uncertainty.


    There¡¯s too many coincidences for me to idly dismiss things. The boundless power within Sophia. The looping of time, reconstructing herself and all else. And the very thing we came here for¡ªGerechtigkeit¡ªhas some connection to Sophia. I can¡¯t very well ask the Heralds how they¡¯re rted to Gerechtigkeit, and I doubt Sophia knows anything. As for the Heralds¡­ I don¡¯t know how I¡¯d find them, and given their power, I don¡¯t know how I couldpel them to speak. He considered the possibilities. Maybe Griffin became Gerechtigkeit. Maybe the Heralds made him¡ªanother endless trap to empower themselves, much like Sophia is. Argrave felt as though he was near the truth, yet not quite grasping it.


    But there was another part of Argrave that sang a little louder than his caution. Even before all of this, the Alchemist had confirmed that Sophia and Gerechtigkeit were linked. Argrave saw the path that led to her freedom¡ªall he¡¯d need to do was get hispanions on the other side in their proper ce, and they could both be freed without a doubt. He wasn¡¯t quite sure what that freedom entailed for this microcosm, but surely anything would be better than this. It was clear that Sophia hadn¡¯t mastered¡ªindeed, she wasn¡¯t even aware¡ªof her powers. If he got her out, they could spend their time answering the harder questions in safernds, where people like Dario and Traugott couldn¡¯t hope to reach.


    Argrave couldn¡¯t deny he¡¯d be somewhat personally attached to the idea. Sophia, though born a princess, never truly had any adult to rely on. To be punished physically for the smallest infractions, to be exposed to the most heinous crimes of humanity, to have her mother killed by her own father¡­ it was a wonder she hadn¡¯t gone insane. He wanted to bring her to safety, to a better life, where they could parse through the truth of it all.


    ¡°S-sir Ghost said that you have to go!¡± Sophia realized with a start after she¡¯d spent a good deal of time crying. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Sir Ghost. I-I¡ª" she began to stammer, but Argrave patted her head lightly.


    ¡°You¡¯ve done nothing wrong. Never have. I¡¯ve got all the time in the world right now, and I¡¯ll figure things out. So¡­¡± Argrave rose to his feet. ¡°Don¡¯t you worry about a thing. Let me take care of it.¡±


    #####


    After talking with Sophia, Argrave wrote down a detailed list of his ns. It bothered him that he¡¯d need to rewrite this every time he returned to the beginning of the loop, but at the same time, he did truly have all the time in the world. Or at the very least, a great deal of it.


    Argrave got the first of many messages to hispanions. And once he did, he realized the enormity of what he was doing.


    The difference in their flow of time was frightening. Time advanced in intervals of five seconds for those he¡¯d left behind, but for Argrave, every loop took three hours. A single minute for them was thirty-six hours for him. An hour was ny days. Twenty-four hours was nearly six years. He doubted that hispanions would be that ipetent to leave him stranded for six years, but at the same time the prospect was so haunting that Argrave didn¡¯t dare calcte beyond the initial figures.


    If Argrave harmed Sophia¡ªtruly harmed her, with the intent to kill¡ªthe loop might reset. But Argrave resolved himself never to do that. It was the least that she deserved, having put up with what she had.


    Still, his exnation to them would take, at the bare minimum, sixty seconds. Even if they understood and obeyed him absolutely and immediately, they¡¯d need to find exactly what he asked, and execute it perfectly. Five, ten minutes? Twenty? Either way, he¡¯d undoubtedly be trapped in this little bubble for weeks¡ªand not normal weeks, either, but one where he¡¯d be conscious for all twenty-four hours in its seven days. He¡¯d been fretting aboutcking time to gather information, but the reality was that he should¡¯ve been more concerned about how to fill up that time.


    On the first couple runs, Argrave did his research. He went to each of the three power-mongers¡ªthe elder, the mayor, the silver-tongued priestess, and asked them all the questions he could muster. But the Heralds gave these cudgels of theirs no identity¡ªthey merely gave proof of power. They were crucial to the n, and Argrave learned a great deal about them.


    Thereafter, he learned everything about the castle and its denizens extremely intimately. He learned how to make people do what he wanted, or how to make them tick, or what drove them to be as they were. Even the king wasn¡¯t immune to Argrave¡¯s scrutiny. And his scrutiny confirmed something obvious¡ªthe king wasn¡¯t mentally well. He made Orion look like the most well-adjusted human in the world, and he was sure Induen himself would¡¯ve been a little taken aback by the depths of Norman¡¯s deranged cruelty.


    But after a point, Argrave realized he¡¯d learned everything that he needed. The three power-mongers¡ªhe needed to gather them in the castle when the loop ended for hispanions to deal with, but that one wasn¡¯t as difficult as it sounded. His intimate grasp of the people within the castle made it all too easy for him to walk around like a second king, ordering people about. They took him for a secret servant of the king, obeying him absolutely. And that was an easy role for him to y.


    While Argrave might scour the city, searching for vague answers about the Heralds from each and every ornery citizen¡­ his endless treks through time not only frightened him, but enticed him. He kept his knowledge, his memories, but returned everything back to normal at the end. That was frightening, yes¡­ but also a tremendous opportunity. What for?


    Why, experience.


    Argrave could practice what Castro had¡ªshortening the casting time of spells. He could create new permutations of spells using segmentation. He had no new spells to learn, but he could simply make them. But most important of all, Argrave could finally deal with a fatal weakness of his¡ªone that¡¯d reared its head in the fight with Emperor Ji Meng.


    Argrave stared at the Good King Norman as he walked out into the training hall, looking around curiously. Finally, the red-eyed man settled his gaze on Argrave.


    ¡°My servants told me of a man from the Heralds,e bearing a message,¡± the king said, walking up. ¡°Yet you seem rather far from their kind. Spill your mind, or face a death unkind.¡±


    Argrave smiled. ¡°Congrattions, Good King Norman. You¡¯ve won the lottery.¡±


    The rhyming king didn¡¯t answer right away¡ªeven the insane could grow confused. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a shitty father, but a good fighter. So, I¡¯m going to kill two birds with one stone, you see. I¡¯m going to fight you, time and time again, until I can put you down with ease.¡± His heart swirled with chaotic impulsiveness and sheer, unabashed nervousness as he stared this monstrous king down. ¡°And once you die¡­ well, I¡¯d like to see what happens to this ce. Maybe the truth wille out. I¡¯m all out of leads, anyhow.¡±


    Argrave was many things, but a fighter he was not. Castro had proven that. Argrave preferred to ambush and destroy in one fell swoop, but failing that, he was just a tall guy with a little too much magic. Things were moving beyond the point where ambushing would suffice. Even Emperor Ji Meng had nearly killed him hand-to-hand, and this was with divine artifacts and the Domain of Law empowering him to be at his peak. Now, however, he had the time to actually learn things. Who better than a terrifying conqueror with strength and skill enough to kill him many times over?


    ¡°My, my,¡± the king said in wonder as he walked in slowly. ¡°I thought today was to be boring¡­ yet it seems today I¡¯ll be scoring. How very darling. Perhaps you¡¯re worthy of adoring¡­¡±


    Argrave could take one hit thanks to the Inerrant Cloak, and had long ago strengthened himself with the Domain of Law. He had tested shamanic magic, and it still functioned¡ªhe could teleport away. But death, torture¡ªhe didn¡¯t care to experience either of those. If he did, perhaps he wouldn¡¯t escape from this loop alive. Or sane.


    With Good King Norman as his foe, death seemed a very real possibility. And that gave him incentive to give it his all. For the future, for Sophia, for Anneliese and everyone else he held dear¡ªArgrave had to be more.


    ¡°This is long overdue. I¡¯ll be putting you in your ce, and making me worthy of mine,¡± Argrave called out.


    ¡°I love you more every second, darling.¡± King Norman smiled wide, and filled his chest with air.

 Chapter 522: Insurmountable Wall of a Man

    Things weren¡¯t like the movies. Rocky had people helping with his training, but the best Argrave could muster was a psychopath who wanted to do unspeakable things to him.


    Argrave learned within ten seconds that someone trying to kill him was not inclined to help teach him, and Argrave certainly wasn¡¯t a naturalbat genius. King Norman rushed, Argrave defended feebly with a ward, and then he got hit when King Norman used two hands instead of one. With that, panic erupted and Argrave teleported away. After all that bluster, confidence, all he amounted to was a slight distraction on the king¡¯s day.


    He didn¡¯t give up on the loop, though¡ªhe ambushed the king time and time again, and yet at best he scored a hit on the head that made the king bleed a little. After that, Argrave scurried away like a rat the moment that the king made any attempt to subdue him. Argrave reminded himself that he was doing to this to learn, but that was smallfort. What the hell was he actually learning? It was what he¡¯d always donend a hit, get scared if they ran at him, and then run away when he was actually in danger. Sometimes he¡¯d rely on his Brumesingers, but now they, too, were absent.


    After the first loop, the result was clear. Good King Norman had a slight cut on his brow, and Argrave had exhausted all of his resources. He desperately scrambled to get the next part of the message to Anneliese and his people, then entered the next loop.


    Norman 1, Argrave 0.


    Despite the overwhelming evidence, Argrave tried again on the next loop, and¡­ a few¡­ after it. Surely it couldn¡¯t be this bad, he thought. The reality?


    Norman 12, Argrave 0.


    The best that Argrave ever managed was cutting King Norman¡¯s throat. But that hadn¡¯t killed the king¡ªit¡¯d only excited him more. He staunched the wound, hunting after Argrave all the while. Somehow, the king¡¯s wound closed before he bled out. Confronting things objectively¡­ Argrave hadn¡¯t done anything different. He¡¯d just gotten lucky. He was learning nothing.


    This thirteenth go, Argrave confronted some facts. Fact one: he really had nothing prepared for truebat. [Bloodfeud Bow], [Electric Eel], [Nine-Tailed Bloodbriar]¡ªthey were good, hard-hitting spells, and the derivatives he¡¯d made like the [Bloodarc Bow] were all the same. But Norman was faster than he was, stronger than he was. Argrave had no way to dodge besides teleporting with shamanic magic¡ªbrutally effective, but it would be a huge mistake to rely on that beyond what was necessary. Spirits were a valuable resource, not to be spent lightly.


    Argrave thought about the skilled spellcasters he knew. Three stood out¡ªRowe, Castro, and the Alchemist. He excluded the third, because the Alchemist used his unique constitution to be a juggernaut every bit as strong as Orion. Argrave, fortunately, never had to face Rowe on the field of battle, but the aged elf had formal sword training and a divine weapon hidden in his cane that was more powerful than most. Castro, however, had beaten Argrave soundly in their spar. And how? Quick-thinking, an adaptable set of spells, and centuries of experience. Two others deserved mention¡ªOnychinusa and Traugott. Their strength came from their A-rank ascension, but even still, they could endure people several magnitudes stronger than them because of their ability to avoid damage.


    Each had ways to mitigate theirck of mobility. Castro masterfully used wind magic to dance with the grace of a peregrine falcon. Traugott fell through the Shadonds to dodge even the strongest people like Orion with ease. Rowe had a dragon, naturally, but he also knew how to fight hand-to-hand as well as any soldier. Onychinusa could dissipate into magic to be immaterial. He didn¡¯t need to throw himself against the wall that was Good King Norman until he seeded. That was heading nowhere, fast. Argrave needed mobility.


    Argrave let loop after loop end, delivering his n to hispanions piecemeal as he practiced shortening the time it took him to cast spells. He followed Castro¡¯s lessons to the letterplete the spell, waste nothing, and do it again and again while changing spells. All the while, he concocted ideas in his brain.


    Argrave could copy Castro¡ªcontrolled bursts of wind magic to move whichever way he pleased. He could just try and get good at hand-to-hand, like Rowe. But perhaps there was another option¡ªthe Traugott option, where he took full advantage of his A-rank ascension. Perhaps his blood echoes could be more than mere repositories for blood and magic.


    Once that idea came to him, it took root. If Argrave could tie his movement to his echoes, he could move whatever direction he projected them in. They were intangible, they gave him various options¡­ he felt it was the perfect solution. But experimentation soon proved that it wasn¡¯t half as brilliant as he thought it might be.


    Argrave first thought of a blood magic chain connecting himself and his echo. That had been easy enough to devise¡­ yet the moment he tried it, he realized the foolishness of such a thing. He was able to make the blood echo yank the chain attached to his person with a spell. It did pull him away with tremendous force¡­ and that was just the problem. Argrave couldn¡¯t keep his bnce, and it hurt like hell. If he didn¡¯t have armor, he was certain it would¡¯ve torn a chunk of his flesh off in the attempt.


    After trying countless things and variations¡ªpracticing the movement, changing the spell to equally distribute the pull, Argrave realized that it might be feasible¡­ but damned if it wouldn¡¯t be hard to master. And even if he learned how to use it, he¡¯d have to learn how to do so in battle. He wasn¡¯t opposed, but he searched for more options.


    Argrave tried something brutal¡ªarmor made of blood magic. It could take a hit well enough, but unlike a ward, force transferred through. A punch to the gut still felt like a punch to the gut, simply because of how energy transferred through objects. No matter how many variations it went through, he couldn¡¯t create an absolute defense. Wards, too, were insufficient. If magic armor was possible, Argrave was sure it would have been done by someone smarter than himself in the past.


    He didn¡¯tck for ideas. What hecked was spells that could amodate those ideas. He was still limited to segmenting spells¡ªinventing new ones entirely was of yet beyond him. As he lost track of time in his desperate search, he very nearly asked hispanions on the other side for help. He managed to reject that foolish notion, and finally managed to deliver his n in its entirety. They started moving to fulfill his objective. Now, he¡¯d have to watch them enact his n and critique it in real-time.


    But even as Argrave dismissed one foolish notion, another rose up to take its ce. Why couldn¡¯t he teleport to fight?


    The main barrier was consumption of spirits and magic. [Worldstrider] was an A-rank shamanic spell, abundant both in its use of magic and spirits. Argrave delved into itsposition deeply, examining all of the tool¡¯s he¡¯d collected in his arsenal. At first, it felt hopeless. For many loops, Argrave considered it nothing more than a dead end. But when he spotted Onychinusa and remembered her role in their defense against divinity¡­ an idea came to him.


    Onychinusa had spread spirits throughout Vasquer. When they detected the presence of divinity, they returned to her¡ªfrom there, she could teleport to confirm the location, then bring that information back. Argrave had learned that spell while trapped with the Alchemist¡ªthe spell was called simply [Spirit Lattice]. And in that spell, Argrave finally found what he needed to tie everything together.


    Argrave imbued one of his blood echoes with a single spirit. It took him three loops¡ªnine hours¡ªto figure out how to imbue a spirit into an echo without the thing escaping once it¡¯d left his body. Once he had that, he carefully dissected [Spirit Lattice] and [Worldstrider] both. Argrave already knew where the bulk of the spirit cost for [Worldstrider] came from¡ªtranting Argrave¡¯s will into actionable teleportation. With that, he used the location-memory aspect of [Spirit Lattice], tying it to the spirit he¡¯d imbued into his blood echo. He hoped to gut the spell while maintaining utility, and thus create cost-efficient, close-range teleportation.


    When Argrave cast the resulting spell, he expected to hit a brick wall as he had countless times in the past. But on his first attempt, Argrave¡¯s vision shifted with the familiar sensation of teleportation, and he felt the echo fade away. For a moment after, Argrave looked around in mute shock¡­ but he couldn¡¯t deny what had happened. His effort paid off. The days of experimentation had born fruit.


    Argrave had created his own king¡¯s rook that he could castle with, metaphorically speaking.


    Argrave experimented joyously time and time again, projecting his echoes and then taking their ce. He could control everything about them, from the position he stood to the direction he faced. Above, below, behind, around¡­ anywhere he sent them, he could be. And most importantly of all, he had shaved away the teleportation cost by a staggering eighty percent, lowering the spell to C-rank and the spirit consumption to something negligible. It was more than amazing¡ªit wasbat viable, and the achievement brought with it a sense of pride that was the greatest Argrave had felt since¡­ well, since perhaps ever. He thought of several names¡ª[Echo Location], et cetera, but the one that he liked most was [Echo Step]. And so it was born.


    Once he felt sufficiently skilled, Argrave returned to training. He didn¡¯t jump into the fire immediately. Instead, he preyed upon the yer Knights. He went into that cruel torture cer, pissed them off royally, and then fought as he dodged all of their attacks. And more than live up to his expectations, it wildly exceeded them. The speed, the adaptability, the surprise factor¡­ Argrave could be a ghost, vanishing at will, appearing in a hidden location, and then beginning his ambush from the beginning.


    But after a time, Argrave knew that he¡¯d need to face his fears. Good King Norman awaited.


    At the beginning of a new loop, as Argrave¡¯spanions made their way into their designated positions, he again manipted a meeting with the king at the training hall. He didn¡¯t spare words, didn¡¯t taunt¡ªhe merely began the fight, hitting the king hard in the chest with a [Bloodfeud Bow]. As ever, the monster took them as if it were a thrown stone rather than an all-powerful magic projectile.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Argrave had intense focus, practice, and a newfound advantage. Good King Norman¡¯s speed overwhelmed him at first, and Argrave could find no opportunities to attack. He dodged, teleporting about the hall rapidly. The king charged like a bull toward red. Argrave appeared in the corner of the training hall, on the walls overlooking it, or inside the castle doors, King Norman came, using his bare hands like wrecking balls. His fists were far stronger than any weapon of this era could hope to be, anyhow.


    But after a while¡­ Argrave had time andposure enough to make one of his blood echoesplete another [Bloodfeud Bow]. He waited, waited, and then struck the king hard in the back of the head. Argrave smiled when he saw blood flowing down the king¡¯s head¡­ but the good king merely touched the wound, and looked at Argrave with a fading smile. Then¡­ it became obvious that Argrave had never been taken seriously¡ªnot once.


    King Norman changed his strategy. He still rushed, yes, but he calcted more. He wasn¡¯t stupid¡ªhe¡¯d seen Argrave¡¯s blood echoes, and tracked their locations with cold red eyes. He implemented projectiles, throwing bricks and rocks like a barbarian. Yet these bricks, travelling hundreds of miles in seconds, could destroy Argrave¡¯s fragile and fleshy skull in an instant.


    It was a matter of time before Argrave got hit, hard. All it took was Norman predicting his location once, and a brick came flying at his head like an artillery shell. His Inerrant Cloak protected him from harm by expending his magic, but hisposure was lost. Good King Norman came again, faster than the brick he¡¯d thrown, and that feeling of overwhelming power set in moments before Argrave escaped once again, teleporting to a blood echo and then sending others to help him flee as the king pursued.


    Argrave travelled far, far away, sitting in a quiet grove many miles from the city with his heart pumping like it never had before. That battle, that concentration¡ªit was enough it felt like his heart would burst. He had been so proud, so confident, and yet when the going got tough, the tough got going. King Norman came alive when the threat became real.


    It took an hour for Argrave to calm¡ªand by then, the loop was nearly over. His legs were like jelly, and he let the loop pass by without contacting Anneliese and the rest. Partially out of frustration¡­ and another part out of fear.


    Once on the other side, Argrave didn¡¯t let failure haunt him, paralyze him. He calmed his shaky soul by a quick conversation with the adorable Sophia, and then left shortly after. Once gone, he reyed the fight in his head, confronting his failures squarely. The problem¡­ it wasn¡¯t his dodging, no. That was solid. It kept him safe for a very long time against that monster. It was his ability to deal damage, and to retaliate to attacks.


    Simply put, spells like [Bloodfeud Bow] wouldn¡¯t work against Good King Norman. Argrave needed more. He needed something better. He had mobility. Now, if he could get attack and defense¡­


    It didn¡¯t take Argrave long to find an answer. He¡¯d found one in Traugott before, and now Castro offered one. In their sparring match, Castro hadpressed wards into tiny, yet incredibly powerful, defenses norger than his hand. With those, the wizened wizard quite literally caught spells. Argrave knew of low-ranking spells that replicated that, somewhat.


    In one loop, Argrave scanned through an exceedingly simple yet brutally effective spell its maker had dubbed simply [Burst]. It was nothing more than a hand-originated explosion of fire magic,pressed into a small area. With spell segmentation, Argrave created several different higher-ranked versions of power magnitudes higher, one for each element. It was likely redundant, but he thought each might be useful.


    The spell¡¯s power certainly rivalled a [Bloodfeud Bow] cast from a blood echo. With blood imbued into the spell, it exceeded it¡ªand not by a small margin. But only at A-rank was it immensely powerful. His blood echoes could cast it, yet without the same power as the A-rank version. Argrave suspected he could manage only four, personally. Despite these drawbacks, he could use it to deliver a devastating blow at short range, or even deflect aing attack if he was skilled enough.


    Argrave practiced teleporting and casting [Burst] as quickly as he could for six hours, though with a lesser C-rank version to conserve magic. Once again, the yer Knights became his test dummies. The spell dismantled them ufortably easily, and his dodging became yet more impable. Argrave felt a sense of pressure, almost, as hispanions neared the positions that he needed them to be in. There wasn¡¯t much time left before the final act.


    Finally, Argrave returned to the reigning champion, the undefeated, the 13-0 master¡­ Norman. He felt as insane as Norman actually was, having endured this weeks-long torment without even the vaguest hope of victory. Four uses of [Burst] to defeat this man, ostensibly. And if this didn¡¯t work¡­ his ideas were running as thin as his time.

 Chapter 523: Good King Norman

    Argrave changed nothing about this new battle with Norman. The battlefield was the same, the time, the odds¡ªthe only thing that¡¯d truly changed was himself, this time. He felt sharp,posed, and reinvigorated on this new day. And like all attempts before this one, Argrave felt fear. Good King Norman walked as boldly as ever, wearing his ck velvet proudly as his cold red eyes wandered the training hall before settling on Argrave. He was undefeated, unchallenged, and had the bearing to match. His walk was long and lean, and his spirit hard and mean.


    ¡°My, my¡­¡± said the king, standing at the doorway to the training hall. He seemed blissfully unaware that, in Argrave¡¯s mind, the battle had already begun. A blood echo slowly crept up behind the king. With a perfect view of it all, Argrave got it into the perfect position, and a mana ripple spread out from his right hand as he prepared a [Burst] of blood magic.


    Argrave swapped ces with the blood echo moments before the [Burst]pleted. He appeared crouching behind Good King Norman, his hand outstretched toward the back of his knee. A st of pure power infused with his ck blood erupted before Argrave, unleashing unimaginable force. The doorway around Argrave crumbled from the resounding power, and he could feel the tremors in the ground ahead. He eyed the silver bracer on his arm that stored some of his blood magic¡ªhalf empty from one attack, it looked like. Then, he refocused on his fierce opponent.


    There was a huge gouge in the training hall before Argrave¡¯s person. It was shaped in a cone. Far, far away from it, King Normanid face down in the sands of the arena. He scrambled up, unkible as a cockroach, yet his right leg failed him. Norman looked at his wound in ecstatic shock. Argrave had hoped to badly injure his knee, crippling his mobility. Instead, much of his calf had been sted away to the bone. Its power was far beyond Argrave¡¯s expectations¡ªif things were this way, a blow to the head would¡¯ve been the better option to start all of this.


    Yet then, the good king¡¯s resilience revealed itself in earnest. Though blood poured from the hideous wound, the roiling ck power within him that gave him his strength soon reced that gory drip. Argrave triggered [Minor Truesight] in the lens still socketed in his eye, observing, only to see ck hands reaching out and gripping the king¡¯s lower leg. Were he a normal human, Norman might not have even been conscious after such a gruesome blow, and his leg would forever be useless. But Norman proved he was more than a man as he rose to both feet, jutting out his barrel chest and licking his teeth in glee as flesh grew back.


    But Argrave had yet more ns. To his right and left, lurking in the corners, two blood echoes prepared [Bloodfeud Bow]. Both fired at the king, where Argrave hoped to catch him unaware. The king saw theming and threw his arms out with all the ease of swatting aside eager puppies. Both bolts dissipated, and the moment they did he lunged at Argrave in one smooth motion. In response Argrave teleported with a blood echo positioned on the wall overlooking the training hall.


    The distance gave Argrave time, and he projected his echoes out as the king searched for him wildly. When the king¡¯s gaze found him, Argrave felt conditioned fear beaten into him by countless failures before. The king did not rush¡ªhe was calm and serious, and observed Argrave¡¯s echoes even as he maneuvered them around the hall. Argrave felt exposed and uneasy. The king headed to a nearby weapon rack and acquired a wooden sword, hefting it in his hand easily before facing Argrave once again. His mad dash began as though his leg hadn¡¯t even been wounded.


    Though nervous, Argrave stuck to his n. The ambush had done some damage¡ªnow, it was time to truly fight. King Norman¡¯s charge was half-hearted, and Argrave looked at one of his blood echoes in obvious betrayal of where he intended to teleport, then did so. As he predicted, Norman caught on to his trick after no more than two shes. The king jammed the wooden sword into the ground to slow his run, then threw the shoddy training weapon at Argrave with reckless abandon.


    Argrave side-stepped the spinning wooden sword handily, and even before Norman began his bull¡¯s rush, Argrave was preparing [Burst]. In less than half a second after the weapon was thrown the king came near, lunging for Argrave¡¯s throat with an outstretched hand. Argrave¡¯s casting time practice had not been in vain. A blood-infused [Burst] unleashed its terrible power right into the king¡¯s outstretched palm. The king¡¯s arm contorted grotesquely as the skin and tendons on his hands were blown away by the fell power of his spell. He took it head-on with brutal tenacity, digging his feet into the ground. When the spell ended, Good King Norman did not fall back, did not reassess. He merely swung his other hand.


    Argrave, by instinct alone, did what he¡¯d done against the yer Knights. When they swung their swords, he countered it with a C-rank [Burst] of wind. It had been repeated so many times it was habitual¡ªand perhaps that was why soldiers drilled. He did the same here as Norman swung. Before the king¡¯s fist connected with Argrave¡¯s jaw, he cast the wind elemental version of [Burst] to counter the blow. His humble magic rebounded an attack that had, many times before, ended the fight immediately. King Norman¡¯s hand rocketed backward by the force of his magic.


    King Norman, ever unphased, turned his failed punch into a tackle. As the king¡¯s badly-bleeding shoulder impacted with Argrave¡¯s chest, he remembered this time to [Echo Step] with one of his echoes. Heart beating fast, Argrave watched from the center of the hall as Norman tackled air onto the floor. His right arm had be a husk¡ªbroken bone and torn flesh, unable to grip or move at all¡ªand yet still the king stood, turning his head to look at Argrave with the same deranged tenacity as ever. Blood had dyed his ck velvet wholly red.


    Norman walked over, studying his ruined arm and leg. ¡°You came to me as if in a dream, darling. How I want to seize you, freeze you¡­ but you move so fast I can¡¯t even see you. You¡¯re like breath on a mirror.¡± The king took steady steps back to where the wooden sword he¡¯d thrown fell, and picked it up. Though it had broken, he held it before him and walked toward Argrave steadily.


    Rather than insane brutality, the king now held his sword like a seasoned knight. At once, Argrave knew what he was doing¡ªying defensively, biding his time, licking his wounds. He studied Argrave¡¯s moves and his blood echoes, like a hawk watching for prey. Argrave tried to pressure him with [Bloodfeud Bow], yet the wary king easily dodged the bolts of power. Argrave tried less damaging spells like [Nine-Tailed Bloodbriars], yet they were as effective as bramble bushes. All the while, the bone exposed on Norman¡¯s leg faded away, the malignance within him stitching his wounds together.


    You know what will hurt him, Argrave reasoned in his head. You only need to do it.


    Swallowing his fear like bitter medicine, Argrave walked toward Good King Norman in long strides. The king backed away, holding the wooden sword¡¯s point in front of him¡ªit had very nearly be a dagger by this point, and had a huge fracture down the center, yet that broken wood could split him in half all the same if he was incautious.


    Argrave sent his blood echoes to surround the king, then slowed his advance to a snail¡¯s pace. As he crept, so did his echoes. The king watched each in paranoia, yet Argrave merely made his bloody reflections dance about in a circle as though he¡¯d be a sacrifice to some dark ritual. And eventually¡­ Argrave did teleport. Good King Norman reacted quickly, performing a wild spinning sweep to hit all targets.


    But Argrave teleported far away, where he could observe from afar. And when Norman paused his rampage, Argrave called upon a blood-infused [Burst] once again, and then teleported once more¡ªcloser, this time. He saw Norman¡¯s wide red eyes for less than half a second before the power of the spell struck him squarely in the face. Argrave¡¯s supply of blood in the silver bracer had diminished, and so the spell hit Argrave just the same time it hit the good king. Norman flew backward, hit squarely, while Argrave crouched down in pain. A-rank blood magic was iparably painful to use.


    When the pain faded, Argrave looked up, weak and drained. There was a hole in the wall of the training hall where Norman hadnded, and Argrave walked toward it like an olddy with a bent back. He spotted the king¡¯s ck boots, and then his leg. He stepped atop some rubble, peering down upon Good King Norman. The left half of his face had been blown away from the attack, exposing a bloody and shattered jaw. Argrave breathed a sigh of relief, yet the sound caused Norman¡¯s right eye to open.


    ¡°Dahling¡­¡± the good king muttered, his tongue flopping free of his shattered jaw. Argrave was horrified he could even get words out. As the king reached out with his good arm to help himself up, Argrave called upon one of his blood echoes to create a greatsword out of blood magic. He gripped it firmly, then raised it into the air.


    Argrave hammered crude blows with the de upon Norman¡¯s body¡ªface, chest, legs, arms, everywhere. Pure willpower drove him; fear, anger, and righteous punishment of a wicked bastard. After many minutes, he paused to catch a breath for half a moment. Good King Norman looked like little more than meat. Argrave raised the greatsword of blood up once more, then jammed it where he thought Norman¡¯s brain would be.


    Drained physically, magically, and mentally, Argrave copsed to the floor. He looked at Norman with the lens lent by the Alchemist. That ck power within Good King Norman hade to a stop, like liquid finally dried underneath the sun. Only then did Argrave rx somewhat, looking at his handiwork with battered triumph.


    ¡°What made something like you?¡± Argrave asked the corpse.


    Good King Norman the Dead gave no answer.


    #####


    Argrave brought King Norman¡¯s corpse to Sandbara¡ªhalf to confirm his death, and half to announce it to all the others. He dragged it through the castle, indirectly telling the whole staff. And when he dragged it into the city square, and loudly shouted, ¡®the king is dead,¡¯ pandemonium consumed the streets at once. Cheering, crying, fearing, all of it erupted bound so tightly that it became indistinguishable from each other. Leaving them to their thoughts, Argrave headed back to King Norman¡¯s castle, where news had permeated the castle.


    Argrave asked about Norman. They told him what he knew¡ªthe man was a devil in human skin, a warrior without peer, a killer and a cynic¡­ but Argrave wished for more. He asked about King Norman¡¯s mother, his father. The answers he received were dead-eyed stares of confusion, from the butlers to the leaderless yer Knights now without cause or master. In the end, the words of one of the yers was the only true answer Argrave got.


    ¡°King Norman was not a man. He simply was,¡± the knight said, as emotionless as a puppet cut from strings.


    With all of that done, Argrave waited for time to pass, his mind distant and hollow. He wanted to go before Sophia, to tell her that her father was dead. But he knew she would not celebrate it as he did. She was a girl¡ªbattered, innocent, and broken. She didn¡¯t need vengeance. She needed something else. A better life.


    When the loop came to its end, Argrave saw hispanions, perfectly in their ces. He had told them their task, and they knew it well. All that remained, now, was ensuring this final loop proceeded without w. And with this in mind, Argrave perked his ears for a familiar voice.


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    Argrave turned around slowly, looking down at Sophia as she clutched Griffin¡¯s doll, Mr. Knight. He walked to her steadily, then kneeled down. He studied the little girl. Despite everything he¡¯d endured just far, he felt a little nervous. He could kill the king¡­ but could he help Sophia? Was he someone that she could actually rely on?


    All Argrave knew was that he had to try.


    ¡°Hi, Sophia,¡± Argrave greeted her quietly and gently. ¡°We¡¯re meeting for thest time, it looks like. I don¡¯t know what happens after, really, but I do know this. I want to lend you a hand. Would you like some help?¡±


    Sophia blinked at him, then tilted her head. ¡°Help?¡±


    ¡°I want to help you to make sure you don¡¯t have to do anything you don¡¯t want to.¡± Argrave pointed at the doll. ¡°Just like Mr. Knight, there. And¡­ just like your brother intended to do.¡± Sophia started shaking a little, and her eyes grew wide and teary. Argrave offered his hand out. ¡°How does that sound?¡±


    Sophia¡¯s eyes went between Mr. Knight and Argrave¡¯s face. ¡°Do you mean it?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t make me go to the cer anymore?¡±


    ¡°Never,¡± Argrave vowed.


    ¡°You won¡¯t take Mr. Knight away?¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°You can bring him everywhere you want,¡± Argrave confirmed. ¡°But for that to happen¡­ I have to help you. If you¡¯d like that, please. Take my hand.¡±


    She looked at his hand cautiously¡­ then reached out slowly, grasping his hand.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Argrave smiled. ¡°I¡¯m Argrave.¡±


    Sophia looked prepared to give her elegant curtsy, but the knock at the door drew her attention. She looked panicked, but for the first time, she was too slow to hide the doll. The maid opened the door, and Argrave rose to his feet.


    ¡°Princess Sophia! Is¡ª¡± the maid began at once upon spotting her, but paused when she saw the towering Argrave. ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°Cynthia. Twenty-nine,¡± Argrave narrated as he walked closer. ¡°Your father is a baker, and your mother passed away. You can tell the king that he won¡¯t be having lunch with Sophia.¡± She stepped away as he walked closer, and Argrave leaned in, adding in a low whisper, ¡°The time hase for the other half to be collected, you see. Tell the king I¡¯ll see him shortly. And if you don¡¯t do it now¡­ perhaps Ermengarde will meet an early grave.¡±


    The maid Cynthia trembled fiercely, not daring to look up at him. Then, she nodded frantically, babbling, ¡°R-r-right away, sir¡­ sir Herald, sir.¡±


    With that, she ran away, forgetting to shut the door. He shut it behind her, and when he looked back, Sophia stood with Mr. Knight in her hands.


    ¡°What was that?¡± she asked, confused.


    ¡°Nothing important,¡± Argrave shook his head, then looked around until he spotted a bag. ¡°Okay, Sophia. I¡¯m going to be gone for a little bit. We¡¯re¡­ going on a journey, far away from the people here. They won¡¯t be able to punish you¡ªnot even your father. So, I need you to pack this bag with anything that you want to bring with you. Alright?¡±


    ¡°A journey?¡± Sophia repeated.


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Argrave crouched down. ¡°You, me, and a few good friends of mine. We¡¯ll keep you safe¡ªyou won¡¯t even get a scratch on your hands. You won¡¯t have to worry about anything.¡±


    ¡°Anything?¡± Sophia repeated.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, anything.¡± Argrave ced the bag before her.


    ¡°Even¡­¡± she swayed her arms from side to side. ¡°Even daddy?¡±


    ¡°Especially your father,¡± Argrave nodded seriously. ¡°So¡­ stay here for a little bit. I¡¯m going to make a magic bubble that can protect you. While it¡¯s there, no one can touch you, so don¡¯t be afraid. Is that alright with you?¡±


    Sophia nodded seriously, and so Argrave stood and left behind a ward encircling the room. Sophia stared at him mutely as he left, and he waved her goodbye.


    It was time for the final three hours.

 Chapter 524: Child Protective Services

    Argrave walked into the personal office of Good King Norman. It was strange to look upon the man that he¡¯d just killed, sitting behind his desk in that pristine ck velvet. Less than an hour ago, he¡¯d been ribbons. Now, the ck energy within him once again raged like an ocean, and the king¡¯s red eyes fixed him with an ufortably scious stare.


    ¡°You¡¯re the one? Garbed in ck, a breastte bearing the sun, and the faintest echo that smells of blood¡­¡± he narrated as he studied Argrave. ¡°You¡¯re a far cry from the drab white I¡¯ve aligned with your kind.¡±


    ¡°I was the one before you,¡± Argrave stated vaguely, stopping before the king¡¯s desk. ¡°I¡¯vee to collect. Sophia will being with me. I shall gather the three others, and we¡¯ll reconvene in your castle¡¯s courtyard in two and a half hours. Then, we¡¯ll put an end to things.¡±


    The king nodded, but kept his dead-eyed gaze fixed on Argrave as he ran his thumb across his chin. After a time, he pointed his fingerzily. ¡°You¡¯re picturing me dead. I can see it in your eyes.¡±


    Argrave stayed stone-faced. He had done this before, practicing for the final loop. Never before had the king said this.


    ¡°Many people wish me dead. Despite that, I¡¯ve kept my head. But you¡­¡± he leaned in and set his elbows upon the desk. ¡°You seem to know how you¡¯d do it. It¡¯s no mere desire; you know how it¡¯d transpire.¡±


    Argrave took a deep, calming breath. ¡°I¡¯ll have to call you a liar.¡±


    The king smiled broadly at his continuation. ¡°You¡¯re darling.¡±


    Argrave suppressed a small shiver, picturing that half-shattered jaw pping with its loose tongue as the king muttered thatst word. In his experience, that word meant the king was interested in him. Thest thing that Argrave needed was the king¡¯s interest. He could survive any ambush thanks to the Inerrant Cloak, but that didn¡¯t mean he¡¯d like to suffer any. He wanted this to be clean.


    Feeling frustrated, Argrave decided to diverge further from the norm. At worst, he could redo things, making hispanions wait five seconds.


    ¡°Were you always this strange?¡±


    ¡°Strange?¡± The king leaned back in his chair. ¡°A king is a unique existence.¡±


    ¡°You weren¡¯t always a king.¡±


    ¡°I was,¡± King Norman shook his head. ¡°People never called me so, but it was fated, just like my meeting with your organization.¡±


    ¡°Were your parents like you?¡± Argrave sat on the desk, eyeing the king closely.


    ¡°You try and pry, but I am rather shy.¡± Norman¡¯s attitude was cold, despite his nearly demure words. ¡°Retrieve my daughter, and the others.¡±


    ¡°We have time,¡± Argrave refused. ¡°You must¡¯ve thought a lot about this. Why would we Heraldse to you, of all people? Why were your children our asking price? I ask again, if only for your own benefit¡­ were your parents like you?¡±


    ¡°Of course not.¡± King Norman¡¯s fist mmed upon his desk, cracking its hard wood. ¡°No one is like me. I am not a man¡ªI simply am. All the rest arembs to be damned¡ªmy son, my daughter. And they will scream my name until they die.¡±


    Argraveughed a little. The man wasically evil. He¡¯d hoped there was some source, some genesis¡­ and perhaps there was. But did the ¡®why¡¯ of it matter, anyway? He could get no answers from this man who would fight until he became a corpse. Argrave¡¯s focus was better put elsewhere. It was better to right a wrong than spend hours discovering why it came to be, surely.


    ¡°Two and a half hours. Remember it.¡± Argrave said, then left without looking back.


    #####


    When Argrave arrived back to Sophia¡¯s room, people crowded around the ward that he¡¯d made. They seemed to be testing it. Once Argrave approached, they all backed away in stunned silence. Argrave dispelled the ward. Within, Sophia waited, her bag neatly packed. She kneeled there respectfully. When Argrave arrived, she rose up with wide eyes, and grabbed her the bag as though to haul it on her own.


    Argrave grabbed her bag and hefted it over his shoulder, then knelt down before Sophia. ¡°We¡¯re going to be walking all around the city. Could be a couple of hours. Do you want me to carry you?¡±


    ¡°I can walk, sir Argwa¡ªArgrave,¡± she shook her head.


    ¡°But do you want me to?¡± Argrave held his hand up. ¡°I¡¯m rather tall. You can see the whole city like I do.¡±


    Sophia looked between the servants and Argrave¡¯s smiling face¡­ then gave a slow nod. Argrave had some cousins, so he was used to carrying smaller children. She was old enough to walk about on her own, but he didn¡¯t trust the people at his castle. He lifted her up delicately, then walked through the castle with his head held high. He could tell Sophia was nervous, but she seemed more concerned with making sure she wasn¡¯t a burden than with beingfortable.


    It was only once they walked free of the castle that Sophia finally looked around in wonder with her wide red eyes. With all of the windows in the castle blocked off, he wondered how long it¡¯d been since Sophia had actually seen the outside. He was d to show it to her.


    ¡°You excited to see the city?¡± Argrave questioned as he walked around.


    ¡°Umm¡­¡± Sophia fidgeted. ¡°It has¡­ a lot of people, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°It does.¡± Argrave looked at her. ¡°But if you want, I can make sure none of them see you.¡±


    Sophia looked at him, curiosity brimming. ¡°How?¡±


    ¡°Watch.¡± Argrave stood still and cast a simple C-rank [Invisibility], and his body disappeared from sight. Sophia¡¯s eyes widened and she waved her arms wildly as she thought she was going to fall, but she ended up hitting Argrave in the face. ¡°Ow. You hit my tooth,¡± heined, despite feeling no pain.


    ¡°Argwave? I-I-I¡¯m sorry,¡± she stuttered nervously. ¡°Where¡­ what happened to you?¡±


    Argrave started walking again, and the moment he did, the spell broke. ¡°I¡¯m still here. I just went invisible.¡± Her eyes widened adorably, and Argrave couldn¡¯t help butugh as they carried on into the city.


    ¡°Can you make me¡­ invisible?¡± she said, pronouncing the word very deliberately so as not to mess it up.


    ¡°I can. But you won¡¯t be able to see yourself, too. Is that okay? It might be scary.¡±


    Sophia nodded eagerly¡ªfear was not even entering her mind, it seemed.


    ¡°Alright. If you move around too quickly, it¡¯ll break, so be careful,¡± Argrave instructed her, then cast [Invisibility]. Sophia vanished, and Argrave walked around slowly to let her take in the sights without people staring.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Argrave headed for the first of the stops he needed to make, but Sophia stayed quiet enough Argrave would¡¯ve thought she¡¯d truly vanished if he didn¡¯t feel her weight on his arm. Argrave headed for the elder, first, as he was the farthest away. Once the exited the city, and they entered a long stretch of countryside, Argrave took the initiative.


    ¡°Do you have any questions, Sophia?¡±


    ¡°About what?¡± she responded.


    ¡°Anything at all.¡±


    ¡°¡­where are we¡­¡± she mumbled.


    ¡°Where are we going?¡± Argrave guessed¡ªshe seemed afraid to ask questions of this nature, so he thought to encourage her. ¡°First, I have to settle things here. Then, we¡¯re going very far away to my home. It¡¯s called ckgard. It¡¯s a big city just like this one, but it¡¯s surrounded by mountains, and all of the people speak freely and happily.¡±


    As Argrave thought about it, he realized they didn¡¯t really have a proper house. Argrave and Anneliese just stayed in one of the quarters made for the members of parliament¡ªthey didn¡¯t have a proper pce. It was hardly fit for Sophia to stay, too. For once, he regretted his frugality, and debated building a proper estate.


    ¡°¡­who are your friends?¡± Sophia asked faintly.


    ¡°Ah, them,¡± Argrave said enthusiastically. ¡°I could talk about them for a while. Right now, they must be¡­¡±


    #####


    Though the instructions that Argrave gave came in no less than two minutes, Anneliese grasped at once the magnitude of his situation. The rapid changes in his demeanor, state¡ªhe was experiencing time on a wholly different level than they were. And she knew the moment his orders were given that they needed to execute them at once, lest he be trapped for weeks on end.


    And so, the whole of them sprinted throughout the castle, heeding Argrave¡¯s directions. They were clear and precise, and everyone had listened intently, yet even still he gavementary to each and all. He guided them like a friendly spirit. Their destination? The castle courtyard.


    While they ran, the world around them morphed and changed drastically. Obstacles came and went, people both dead and alive blocked their path, and all too often they felt the terrible power of something reverberating through the castle. It was all too powerful, whatever it was.


    When they finally burst through therge doors into the castle courtyard, Argrave already awaited them. ¡°Mnie, there,¡± he instructed, pointing quickly. ¡°Orion, there, facing the door. Alchemist, there.¡±


    He was gone again, and they scrambled to get where he¡¯d gone. Mnie cursed beneath her breath, but heeded his words all the same. Orion was the same loyalist he ever was. The Alchemist took his ce, and everyone waited with heavy breaths.


    ¡°Alright, everyone. Thest loop. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going to happen, but do your job and be ready.¡±


    Everyone waited with bated breath. Then, just as Argrave had promised, three figures appeared in the courtyard, kneeling down. Orion kicked the richly-dressed man¡¯s head in. The Alchemist bashed the white-garbed priestess. Mnie cleaved her ck de straight through a humbly-dressed old man¡¯s head. The three bodies crumpled.


    ¡°Just like we talked about, Sophia,¡± Argrave said quietly, in the center of all this mayhem.


    Anneliese, with her [Truesight], saw it all. Three figures rose up from the bodies, half a thousand stakes embedded into their body. And with a pull, all of the stakes whipped out, and anguished cries erupted from the already-dead corpses. The figures revealed seemed divine¡ªresplendent and white, like angels burst free from a mortal shell. Tendrils of crimson power returned to Sophia, entering and empowering her body yet further.


    Anneliese studied Argrave closely. She counted the seconds with shaky eyes¡­ yet five finally became six, and he stood there holding the red-dressed girl with a bag by his feet.


    ¡°Did¡­ did I do it, Argwave?¡± the girl asked quietly. Anneliese noticed she was wearing a blindfold.


    ¡°Yep. You did great, Sophia. But don¡¯t look around quite yet. Things are a little messy.¡±


    Anneliese started to walk over to Argrave, cautiously watching the girl brimming with an unknown power. But then a voice rang out over their group.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have a clue what you¡¯ve done,¡± the voice said. ¡°But congrattions are in order. You are damned. Doomed, and damned.¡±


    The three floating figures swirled away, and Anneliese watched them cautiously as she came to stand next to her husband. She asked firmly, ¡°Argrave, are you okay?¡±


    Before he could answer, they were yet again osted by a voice. This one was sickeningly sweet, and Anneliese¡¯s stomach churned just from hearing it.


    ¡°My, my.¡±


    Her eyes darted up to the looming castle. King Norman stood on the edge of the wall, his foot nted on one of the parapets as he leered at them. ¡°I wasn¡¯tte. I¡¯m right on time. Sublime.¡±


    Anneliese saw Sophia shiver. But the girl wasn¡¯t alone in being afraid¡ªArgrave, too, exuded fear. When she looked at the king on his castle again, she saw an evil malignance that hadn¡¯t been there before¡­ and those three white figures swirled around him, guarding him.


    ¡°My darling has brought guests,¡± the king dered, staring down at Argrave. ¡°I think introductions are in order.¡±


    Argrave set Sophia down, whispering some instructions in her ear. Then, he created a ward around her and faced King Norman once again.


    ¡°Damn,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°Sorry, folks. If I¡¯d known those Heralds would head to him after, I might¡¯ve found a better way. But there was no way I could¡¯ve made theme if Good King Norman wasn¡¯t guaranteeing their safety.¡± He looked around. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. He¡¯s not nasty¡ªhe¡¯s incredibly nasty. But I¡¯ve done this all before, and now I have some help. So¡­ let¡¯s get it done.¡±

 Chapter 525: Hammer and Anvil

    ¡°While you were gone, a development arose,¡± the Alchemist exined to Argrave as he stared up at King Norman, watching for any movement. ¡°Your enemy took some inspiration from you. They¡¯ve created awork of spirits around the exit of Sandbara. We won¡¯t be able to teleport outside without first dismantling it¡­ or more simply moving past it.¡±


    ¡°I made that defensivework¡ªnot Argrave,¡± Onychinusa spoke up, annoyed. ¡°But he¡¯s right. If we teleport beyond Sandbara, we¡¯ll be whisked away to precisely where they want us to be. I have no doubt an ambush is in wait.¡±


    ¡°We can maneuver within the bounds of this ne,¡± Castro interjected. ¡°I believe that gives us ample opportunity to escape.¡±


    ¡°All of you should take Sophia, get to a safe location. But I¡¯m not leaving until this man is dead in the ground. Orion¡ªyou¡¯ll stay here with me, we¡¯ll fight together. Anneliese¡ªyou have to take Sophia. Alchemist¡ªgive Orion a divine weapon, and then protect Sophia like your life depends on it.¡±


    The Alchemist reached into himself, producing a club of bone shaped like a crescent moon. He tossed it at Orion.


    ¡°There would be no greater honor than to fight at your side, Your Majesty.¡± Orion said smoothly as he caught the divine weapon, holding it in hand.


    Anneliese called out, ¡°Argrave, this is¡ª"


    King Norman¡¯s patience grew thin. He dropped off the side of the castle, braced his feet against the wall, and then leapt for them with terrifying speed. But long before Norman came, Argrave had already teleported away to stand by Sophia incased in the ward.


    ¡°I¡¯m back, Sophia. A few problems havee up. I¡¯m going to need to give you to someone else. I trust these people with my life¡ªthey¡¯ll keep you safe.¡±


    Castro and Onychinusa cast powerful magic, lighting and fire respectively, yet both forces vanished when they came in contact with the white figures protecting Norman. Argrave shook his head upon seeing that. It would seem the king had inherited the magic immunity bestowed by the Heralds.


    ¡°My daddy¡¯s trying to stop you,¡± Sophia stated matter-of-factly, voice trembling. She hadn¡¯t taken off the blindfold, just as Argrave instructed.


    As Argrave watched, Orion rushed at King Norman. He tried to tackle the man, and looked stunned when Norman resisted heartily with a smile on the face. He saw Norman speak when Orion stepped away. He was somewhat grateful Norman like to y with his food, if only because it gave Argrave time.


    Argrave clenched his fist and said, ¡°¡­yes, that¡¯s right. But you don¡¯t need to be worried about that anymore.¡±


    Sophia fumbled out blindly and grabbed his leg. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to die, Argwave.¡±


    ¡°Hey¡­¡± Argrave patted her head. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. I¡¯m most worried about you. I can do anything, but you¡¯re just a little girl. I¡¯ll be giving you to my wife¡ªshe¡¯ll take great care of you until I get back.¡±


    ¡°Nobody thinks they¡¯ll die,¡± Sophia insisted, removing the blindfold as she teared up. ¡°But they always do. Even Gwiffin. Mister Argwave¡­ run away. I¡¯ll stop him.¡±


    ¡°Sorry to break it to you, kid, but your dad isn¡¯t so tough.¡± Argrave lifted up Sophia, dispelling the ward. ¡°I could take care of him by myself. Anne,¡± he called out. ¡°Keep her safe. I¡¯lle find you¡ªdon¡¯te find me.¡±


    Anneliese walked up to Argrave and received Sophia carefully. He looked into her amber eyes¡ªthere was concern, yes, but resolve and trust as strong as he¡¯d ever seen. King Norman was blissfully unaware of what would happen next, evidently. Anneliese, Mnie, Castro, Onychinusa, and the Alchemist teleported away using [Worldstrider], heading into Sandbara for safety.


    ¡°Alright, Orion. It¡¯s you and me.¡± Argrave studied the floating white figures around Norman. He was relieved to see they faded by the second¡ªthey weren¡¯t properly tethered to Norman. The first bit would be an endurance game until magic could again harm him. But past experience told him one thing¡ªthey weren¡¯t immune to illusion magic. That silver-tongued priestess hadn¡¯t seen through his invisibility.


    ¡°They¡¯re gone,¡± Norman said as Orion backed up to stand side-by-side with Argrave. ¡°Ourpany left subtly. Luckily, my gluttony is uppity. To try this¡­ to take my spawn from under my nose¡­ my, my. One by one, you¡¯lle under my thumb. I¡¯ll skin you all for a meal worth its weight in gold.¡±


    ¡°Illusion magic on something other than him works on fine,¡± Argrave conveyed, ignoring his mad ramblings. ¡°I¡¯ll cast a spell on you, then distract¡ªyou ambush. Be aware¡ªhe¡¯s about as strong as Mozzahr was, maybe a little more. Aim for the eyes. Anything else is a waste of a hit.¡±


    Argrave cast a B-rank illusion spell with one of his blood echoes¡ª[Unknowable]. It wasn¡¯t quite as sophisticated as the A-rank [Chameleon], but it was a partial invisibility he was sure would work on Norman that allowed for freedom of movement. And more importantly, the non-magical Orion would still be able to see his limbs.


    As Norman studied where Orion had been in wonder, Argrave walked closer until he was about five feet away from the king. ¡°Thanks for letting us n. Very gracious of you.¡±


    Norman tilted his head like Argrave was adorable. ¡°n away. It¡¯s never changed anything before.¡±


    Argraveughed. ¡°It has. You just don¡¯t know about it.¡±


    Norman narrowed his eyes. Then, even to Argrave¡¯s surprise, Orion lunged forth and mmed Norman¡¯s face with the club. The king was caught off guard and staggered backward, but the moment he got his footing, gave one look at Argrave and charged.


    An all-too-familiar dance began. Argrave teleported about the courtyard, dodging the king with the use of his blood echoes. It was infinitely easier with Orion¡¯s presence. The man was a trained fighter veritably strong enough topress coal into diamonds with his bare hands. He scored three incredibly solid blows to Norman¡¯s face, but the king endured them incredibly well. His broken nose quickly corrected, his crushed eye reformed enough for him to regain sight¡­ it was clear Argrave would need to use [Burst], but that was prevented by the white figures protecting him. They faded away second by second, to Argrave¡¯s glee, and he felt the time was fast-approaching for Good King Norman to bite the dust once more.


    Then, the white figures changed their strategy. Rather than defend Good King Norman, two of them left his side. Argrave watched as one approached Orion¡ªanother headed for one of his blood echoes. Orion¡¯s invisibility faded immediately, and Argrave felt his blood echo¡¯s presence immediately vanish the moment the white figure came near it.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°Ah¡­ I see it now,¡± the king shouted joyfully. ¡°You never truly ran!¡±


    Norman rushed at Orion, swinging his fist in a backhand. Orion barely dodged the first, yet the king threw a straight jab just after. Reeling backward, Orion mmed the crescent-moon club into the king¡¯s punch. Blood burst out¡ªbut blood was never anything to stop King Norman. He swatted the club aside, and it flew out into the courtyard. Norman grabbed Orion¡¯s head with both hands, and his indomitable brother actually grimaced in pain as the king squeezed. Orion mmed his fist into Norman¡¯s face countless times, bloodying it¡ªbut no injury could make Norman yield.


    Argrave¡¯s instinct kicked in. Though the white figure was attempting to erase Argrave¡¯s blood echoes, he deftly maneuvered them with a concentrated mind. He ced one near Norman, and the other near the discarded club. He teleported near, seized the club, then teleported to Norman. He swung the club as hard as he could mmed it upon Norman¡¯s head. Norman released one hand from Orion, grasping for Argrave, but Argrave teleported no more than a half foot backward. Norman grasped air, and Argrave again mmed the club into his face. Orion nted both feet against Norman and kicked as hard as he could, freeing himself from the tyrant¡¯s grasp.


    Argrave grabbed Orion¡¯s hand and used [Worldstrider]. It was costly, but only with [Worldstrider] could Argrave teleport more than just himself. The two of them came to stand far away from Norman on the opposite side of the courtyard. The king jaunted forth merrily, arms held wide. Argrave studied him, keeping [Minor Truesight] alive and alert.


    ¡°Where is that n helping you now?¡± The king smiled broadly. ¡°You cannot injure perfection. You may be someone where you came from¡ªbut here, in Good King Norman¡¯s domain, you are a pebble, not a rebel.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m really scared,¡± Argrave said, holding Orion from moving. ¡°What are you nning to do to me?¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Norman walked closer slowly. ¡°I could talk about it for hours, my little jezebel, my sweet darling.¡±


    ¡°Please do,¡± Argrave nodded, restraining Orion even as he wished desperately to advance. ¡°What terrible fate awaits me?¡±


    ¡°Sophia, who you sought to save, shall watch it all,¡± Norman dered. ¡°As a matter of fact¡­ I do believe you¡¯ll be her first kill. I will maim you, day by day, hour by hour¡­ and your only option for freedom shall be by her hands. You will beg for death. And sweet, fragile Sophia will be the only one I will allow to grant it to you. She won¡¯t kill you. For days, weeks, months, years, she¡¯ll refuse. And when you still live, your very life itself turned to pain unending, you will see why I hate her innocence.¡±


    Argrave sighed and shook his head. ¡°I really do know you too well.¡±


    As Norman had been talking, Argrave watched the white figures protecting him finally dissipated to nothing. Argrave sent out a blood echo, its palm outstretched, and cast [Burst] moments before teleporting to the spot. Norman wasn¡¯t used to such ambushes from Argrave, and so did not defend as ably as he should have. A blood-infused [Burst] wracked Good King Norman right in the face, and he flew backwards.


    When the aftermath of the st faded, Argrave saw the king lying there. He was every bit as damaged as Argrave recalled him being from the first attack of that kind. Argrave clenched the club tightly in hand, walking close with the resolve to do as he¡¯d done once before. He would bludgeon Good King Norman to death himself. Sophia was owed that much, especially after hearing that sickening n the king had in mind for her.


    ¡°A splendid disy, King Argrave.¡±


    Argrave whipped his head around to where the voice came from. He saw a head sticking up out of the shadows. The man had dark skin, and braided hair that flowed like inky darkness. Argrave ced a name at once¡ªTraugott. Argrave didn¡¯t hesitate to cast the lightning-fast [Arc Whips]. A sound like a buzzsaw filled the courtyard as arcs of electricity buffeted the spot Traugott was, but when the spell faded, Argrave saw no corpse.


    ¡°You¡¯re a little more like Orion that I thought. He¡¯d also prefer to hit me than first talk to me.¡±


    Argrave turned his head again. Traugott crouched beside Good King Norman, who was barely moving with most of his face gone.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard you¡¯re generous, Argrave. Could I please have this man Norman, and his daughter Sophia?¡± Traugott tilted his head. ¡°These people interest me a great deal, you understand. I¡¯d like to research them.¡±


    ¡°Who said I was generous? Norman¡¯s a dead man. Sophia¡¯s under my protection.¡± Argrave stepped forward steadily. ¡°Back away.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯d like him alive,¡± Traugott shook his head. ¡°And I need Sophia. She¡¯s even more paramount for me. So¡­ I¡¯m afraid we¡¯ll have toe to arms. I consider myself a pacifist, but sometimes people just won¡¯t give me what I want without violence. It¡¯s rather saddening. I hoped we could talk, as fellow schrs.¡±


    Argrave watched as Traugott¡¯s shadow danced around him, growingrger. Recognizing what he intended, Argrave sent out his blood echo and teleported forth. Traugott was able to move away deeper into the Shadonds and avoid his grasp, but then Argrave hadn¡¯t intended to target Traugott to begin with. He cast [Burst] once again into Good King Norman¡¯s face.


    ¡°No!¡± Traugott shouted. ¡°Such a waste wi¡ª"


    Argrave saw an explosion of gore just as the two faded into the Shadonds. Argrave rose to his feet, bitter triumph in his heart. Good King Norman the Dead lived up to his title, once again. Argrave was certain he saw his head cave in, his soft brain exposed to the full brunt of a blood-infused [Burst]. Norman was dead, despite Traugott¡¯s efforts to preserve his life.


    Argrave mmed the club he still held into the now-empty ground, muttering, ¡°How¡¯s that, you twat?¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty¡­¡± Orion said, staring at Argrave with some degree of awe writ on his face. ¡°He did have a point.¡±


    ¡°And what point was that?¡± Argrave asked incredulously.


    ¡°That was a splendid disy. You fought well enough that the pathetic god of war Sataistador must be trembling in his boots.¡± He pounded his chest. ¡°You saved my worthless life, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not worthless. And you¡¯ve saved mine enough,¡± Argrave said dismissively. ¡°Let¡¯s save the talk. Norman¡¯s dead. Not even he can survive with soup for brains, I think. But Traugott and Dario¡¯s golems both are going to being after Sophia, and if I were to guess¡­ Traugott¡¯s going to unleash Shadonders upon Sandbara. He¡¯ll try and seize Sophia in the chaos.¡± Argrave held out the club to Orion.


    Orion took the club from Argrave. ¡°Shadonders¡­ meaning more of that thing we faced at Dirracha, Your Majesty?¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°We have the small fortune of our primary objective being escape. But make no mistake¡ªwe¡¯re on an anvil, with a hammer crashing down from above.¡±

 Chapter 526: Shepherd

    It wasn¡¯t too much trouble to find Anneliese and all with her after taking care of Good King Norman. Despite the barriers in their way, Argrave was again connected to Elenore. That enabled their speedymunication and reunition. They were holed up in a grove far outside of town, likely because it was far away from the army of golems blocking the exit to Sandbara.


    As Orion and Argrave travelled, a haunting call echoed throughout the city. It was soon followed by the screams of crowds as all hell broke loose. When Argrave looked over, he saw one of the dreaded Shadonders emerge from a gaping abyss above the town. It looked like a whale that had been cked out entirely, yet it had an elongated obese human face lined with rows of teeth where a beard might¡¯ve been. Uncountable mouths hidden in that jungle of teeth created a choir of voices singing joyously as they descended upon the city. It confirmed what Argrave had feared¡ªTraugott¡¯s time had been dedicated on perfecting the trouble that he¡¯d caused on Dirracha. This portal, it seemed, wasrger and more stable than the brief foray in Dirracha.


    But Argrave and Orion could not waste time focusing on that. They found Anneliese and the rest soon enough in a low-lying grove, precisely as had been conveyed to Elenore.


    ¡°Alright. I found them, sis. Thanks,¡± Argravemunicated back home.


    ¡°Be safe. I don¡¯t ever want to feel you go dark like that again,¡± Elenore told him, moments before theirmunication ended.


    The Alchemist had long ago spotted Argrave¡¯s return, and told the others. They waited on him as they passed into the ce.


    Anneliese still held Sophia, precisely as Argrave had asked her to do. Anneliese got the young girl¡¯s attention, and when her red eyes fell upon Argrave, they widened in disbelief. ¡°What did I tell you?¡± Anneliese said to the princess.


    The Alchemist held out his hand as Argrave walked up. ¡°My lens.¡±


    Argrave had intended to say something to Sophia, but he begrudgingly pulled it free from beneath his eye and flicked it like a coin. The ss faded into the Alchemist¡¯s flesh, and Argrave¡¯s eyes flickered between him and Sophia. He had hoped the item in Sandbara rted to Gerechtigkeit might be¡­ well, an item, and not a person. Having Sophia here would be a burden, regardless of his feelings on the matter. He put his hand on her head while she stared at him in total shock.


    ¡°Told you I¡¯d be back, Sophia. These are the friends I told you about. We¡¯re here to get you to safety¡ªand that means we can¡¯t talk much right now. Is that alright?¡±


    Sophia nodded, and Anneliese gently set her down. The princess walked up to his leg at once, touching him to be sure he was real before standing behind him, sheltered from all the others. It was awkward at first, but Argrave adjusted. She didn¡¯t seem to want to say anything at all.


    After a time, Anneliese whispered, ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t think she processes things like a normal girl does. She doesn¡¯t fear for herself. She was more scared for you¡ªand she trusts only you.¡±


    Argrave heard and absorbed her words, but more pressing matters deserved his attention. ¡°I certainly hope we¡¯vee up with something while I was busy risking my life. Mnie, your portals, maybe?¡±


    The Alchemist answered in all their stead. ¡°The golems Dario¡ªor more urately, the being working through Dario¡ªsent are capable of neutralizing all supernatural energies, be it magic or divine blessing. I detected the same energying from the ones protecting Good King Norman. Did you find a way to bypass their nullification?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°But it looks like they were attached to a specific host. Those people we got rid of¡ªwhen they bit the dust, they started to disappear on their own. I was able to¡­¡± he looked down at Sophia, not wishing to admit he¡¯d killed her father. He said instead, ¡°Norman won¡¯t trouble us ever again.¡±


    ¡°So, whatever empowers the golems is likely anchored simrly to Dario. That¡¯s a lead, at the very least.¡± The tower master Castro looked to be deep in thought.


    ¡°But an easy way out seems off the table.¡± Argrave looked at his party. Onychinusa, Castro, Anneliese, himself, and the Alchemist¡ªthese golems were perfect counters to their magic. And from what Durran said of his fight against the creature, they weren¡¯t exactly easy pickings physically, either. They were hardy enough to walk through liquified rock. That took tremendous power and durability.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve seen the Shadonder problem.¡± Argrave turned, and Sophia clung to his leg anxiously. ¡°As much as I love ying my enemies against each other, I suspect the Shadonders wille without an end. Thousands of creatures the likes of which could have levelled Dirracha will spread out across thisnd, until Traugott finally sees the opportunity he¡¯s been looking for.¡± He put his hand on Sophia¡¯s head, almost to assure himself that she was still here. ¡°The longer we wait, the worse the problem will get. So, I¡¯m not sure we can afford to do something like that.¡±


    ¡°The Shadonders are not Traugott¡¯s puppets. He¡¯s merely letting loose wild animals to take advantage of the chaos. Only Traugott himself that wille for us. That gives us some leeway in dealing with them.¡± Anneliese¡¯s reminder was neutral, but did brighten some faces.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we get the gods toe down here, get their hands dirty?¡± Mnie asked. ¡°Better than dying.¡±


    ¡°If they know about this ce, they might learn about Sophia.¡± She looked up at him when her name was called. ¡°I can¡¯t predict what they¡¯ll try and do with her. No¡ªwe can¡¯t involve them.¡±


    Anneliese stepped away to the top of the hill shielding the grove, watching the distant golems. ¡°The thread connecting these golems¡­ it is quite thin. Stretched.¡± She turned back to them. ¡°I suspect it¡¯s a matter of distance. This is only my conjecture, but I don¡¯t believe magic and divine nullification will be as absolute as it was in your initial encounters with Dario. And the reason why the golems are lingering near the entrance isn¡¯t because they want to catch us as we leave. No¡ªthey likely can¡¯t advance further without breaking their connection.¡±


    ¡°I fail to see how we might take advantage of that, Your Highness,¡± Orion said politely. ¡°The golems will stand watch, but the Shadonders will flush us out, like water slowly filling a cer we¡¯re trapped inside.¡±


    Anneliese paused at that, lowering her head in deeper contemtion. Castro, however, raised a finger.


    ¡°Argrave¡ªyou¡¯ve learned thisnd intimately. Is there any way one could approach either the Shadonders or the golems quickly and covertly?¡±


    Argrave didn¡¯t need to think for very long. ¡°Sure. There¡¯s a hugework of tunnels underneath most of the city for the kingsmen and the king himself to show up throughout town. But given how dangerous the Shadonders are¡ªgiven they might cause the whole thing to copse at any time¡ªI wouldn¡¯t rmend it.¡±


    Castro closed his eyes and contemted something deeply. Argrave watched him with bright eyes, hoping that there was something that the wise old man would think of in this dark hour. After a time, a smile fell across Castro¡¯s face and he opened his eyes with aughing sigh.


    ¡°I will punch a hole through the Shadonders and the golems both. And through that hole, you all shall leave.¡±


    ¡°No, you won¡¯t,¡± Argrave shot down his idea at once.


    ¡°Time wastes as we¡ª¡± Castro continued, but Argrave interrupted him again.


    ¡°No, you won¡¯t, because I know exactly what you¡¯re thinking. You¡¯ll use your A-rank ascension, and you¡¯ll tear through them all like a knife through butter. But I won¡¯t let you, because I know how that ends. And it ends pretty badly for you.¡±


    ¡°I have a robust session n, Argrave,¡± Castro assured him. ¡°My position in the Order has basically already been delegated to those who will take my ce. And I assure you, they are as steadfastly loyal to you as I am.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never had to do what you¡¯re talking about before. I don¡¯t want to start now,¡± Argrave shook his head.


    ¡°Maybe I want it,¡± Castro mused. ¡°I am many things, but famous? I think not. Over three hundred years of living, and I can still walk through the streets of any city without so much as a widened eye in recognition. Make sure the historians write about me, maybe hire a minstrel or two¡­ and this old man can breathe hisst.¡±


    Argrave looked at him with a terrible feeling swirling in his chest. He couldn¡¯t conjure words, and that only made the feeling worse.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°If you want to save all, I could consume this city,¡± the Alchemist said, looking about. ¡°They are people lost in time, and already being massacred by the Shadonders. I could once again call upon potentiation. Those from the Shadonds will fuel my endless appetite. I will chase them into their own realm. And then, when all our enemies are subsumed into my flesh¡­¡± he pointed at the ck stone hanging around Argrave¡¯s neck. ¡°You put the Smiling Raven inside there.¡±


    Argrave looked between them. ¡°What is with you two?¡±


    ¡°I dare not test my unevolved might against those golems while the Shadonders swarm down without end. Furthermore, I know you dislike the idea of me having some say in Sophia¡¯s fate.¡± The Alchemist looked at Argrave squarely. ¡°Dario¡¯s words stuck with you. And they stuck with me, too. I am not ignorant I am inhuman. Whatever she represents, perhaps I deserve no say in the fate of the world. Bing the Smiling Raven would ay your fears more permanently. And you gain a weapon to use however you will.¡±


    Argrave looked around at everyone. He already saw in their faces something of what he felt in his heart¡ªack of other choices.


    ¡°Whatever n you decide on, decide upon it quickly,¡± Onychinusa reminded Argrave. ¡°Elsewise, I¡¯ll just go home without you. More of those disgusting Shadonders areing from their portals. Soon, this whole city will be lost to them.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m, uhh¡­ of a like mind,¡± Mnie admitted quietly, though with a degree more empathy than the ancient elf. ¡°So, Argrave?¡±


    Ask an old man to die, or ask an older man to turn into an abomination that destroyed a continent millennia ago. If the Alchemist became the Smiling Raven, they would lose his tremendous capability of research, his vast trove of knowledge, and all things rted to the direction of researching Gerechtigkeit. Castro, meanwhile, would undoubtedly pass on if he did as he proposed. His A-rank ascension all but guaranteed such a fate.


    Argrave looked down at Sophia¡ªinnocent, confused, and hiding behind his leg for protection. Though he knew the answer, he hesitated to speak it. He found his resolve in her trembling figure. Argrave lifted his head up, took a deep breath, and prepared to damn an ally with his next utterance.

 Chapter 527: Arete

    Tower Master Castro of the Order of the Gray Owl had not been wrong when he told Argrave that he was not famous. He endeavored a great deal to ensure that was not the case, because he much preferred a calm life beneath the shade than one where he was cooked by the scrutiny of the sun. His A-rank ascension was not known even among the upper echelons of the Order. Castro had never needed to¡ªand never dared to¡ªcall upon it against his foes. He had considered offering to use it for Mozzahr, but in the end, he knew Argrave would refuse. Now, times were different, and Castro¡¯s conviction was stronger.


    After living for well over three hundred years, Castro had left his mark in magic, in his apprentice Ingo, and now hoped to leave hisst mark here in defense of a rising sun.


    When Argrave¡¯s eyes again fell upon Castro after a long period of silent contemtion, he knew that the decision had been made. He was proud of the young king for making the choice he viewed as most pragmatic, if a bit guilty that his death would weigh on the young man¡¯s conscience. He had tried to impart some lessons of leadership onto Argrave, and there was some irony that those selfsame lessons would lead to his death in this moment. It was for the best.


    The n was made, but Castro didn¡¯t need to pay much attention. His role was exceedingly simple, and so it needed no special attention. He was reminded of a conversation that he¡¯d had with Rowe the Righteous, strangely enough.


    Castro remembered sitting in his office in the tower, staring at that arrogant and tall wizard from Veiden. Then, he proposed a game for each to guess the other¡¯s A-rank ascension.


    ¡°We¡¯ll y word games, like proper old men. I can give you a one-word riddle. You¡¯ll give me one in turn. We¡¯ll guess.¡±


    ¡°Interesting. Go ahead,¡± Rowe leaned back in his chair.


    Castro thought on it for a long time, then said deliberately, ¡°Age.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Rowe tilted his head. ¡°Limits.¡±


    He didn¡¯t think either of them had ever came near discovering the other¡¯s secret, but that didn¡¯t matter overmuch. Neither had the intention to tell the other, anyhow.


    Once the n was delivered, Castro and Argrave set off alone through the tunnels that Argrave had explored thoroughly. They headed for the heart of the city, where the Shadonders appeared most densely. Argrave showed him an exit, leading up into a bakery that was partially destroyed. Castro could hear the chaos and screams above, but Argrave stopped him.


    ¡°Castro. Maybe¡­ maybe we¡¯re being hasty,¡± the young king said, no confidence in his tone. ¡°Sophia¡¯s shown to have the power to restore things, to revert them. If we could make the Alchemist turn into the Smiling Raven, and then turn him back with her power¡­ all of this could be avoided.¡±


    Castro put his hand on Argrave¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Are you sure it¡¯ll work? And can you bear the consequences if you tamper with things beyond their ken, only for all to go awry?¡± When Argrave couldn¡¯t answer, Castro took his hand away, his point proven. ¡°To allow the hope of beating Gerechtigkeit forevermore roam free, to save a child that the world itself has deigned to doom¡­ I cannot think of a more fitting end. I will join with my wife and child in the afterlife, if there is one. And if not, this was still a life well lived.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    He couldn¡¯t tell exactly what Argrave was thinking, but he knew that the young king would not soon forgive himself. Still, Castro felt a little d to be taking this next step. He knew there was always more to do in life¡­ but at the same time, he felt he had done enough. That was the crux of his power. And so he ascended thedder.


    #####


    Argrave returned through the tunnels beneath the city as fast as he could, fearing that they would cave in on him at any moment. He rejoined the rest of his party just outside of the grain silo in the countryside, where Sophia again broke off from Anneliese toe join him anxiously.


    He picked her up and looked back toward the city. ¡°We¡¯ll be moving a bit quickly, Sophia, once Castro does his part. I¡¯ll need you to hang onto me tightly.¡±


    Sophia nodded intently, then stared at Argrave. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Argrave looked into her eyes. He could see guilt written as clear as day as she teared up. She was clearly a clever child, but they hadn¡¯t been unsubtle about things. ¡°It isn¡¯t your fault. It¡¯s mine.¡±


    ¡°No! If I didn¡¯t exist, mister Castro wouldn¡¯t have to...¡± Sophiaid her head against Argrave¡¯s shoulder, shivering.


    ¡°You deserve to exist, Sophia. Don¡¯t ever think otherwise,¡± Argrave said, practically by instinct. Still, hearing her guilt allowed Argrave to confront his own squarely. Heforted her quietly, but couldn¡¯t muster words that felt like a lie even to himself. Anneliese joined Argrave, hovering close by as silent support. Onychinusa, meanwhile, walked to the other side of Argrave.


    ¡°Are you so certain that the old man can even do it?¡± the ancient elf asked. ¡°I mean¡­ things are getting bad out there. And he¡¯s not that tough. I¡¯ve seen him fight.¡±


    Argrave cast a simple illusion to suppress sound¡ªsomething he wish he¡¯d done earlier, if only to preserve Sophia¡¯s already battered mind¡ªthen nodded at Onychinusa. ¡°Yeah. The Shadonders, the golems¡­ when Castro is done, we¡¯ll have our opening.¡±


    ¡°Why are you so certain?¡± Onychinusa looked at Argrave squarely.


    ¡°Because Castro¡¯s lived a long life. And a life that long and bright, finally burning out, there¡¯s no other term more fitting than ¡®supernova.¡¯ Or¡­ maybe there is a more fitting term. Castro knows it well. It¡¯s what his ascension is named, after all.¡±


    #####


    When Castro developed his A-rank ascension, the only thing that allowed him to break through that barrier was one of the worst years of his life. It was the year his son perished from an incurable withering illness, and his wife killed herself not long after. His magical advancement had stalled for a long, long while after this urrence. Confronting it squarely decades after it happened proved to be the catalyst. In his contemtions into life, death, and the meaning of existence, Castro found an answer of sorts.


    Castro had longmented the life he might¡¯ve had if things had gone differently. If he had been kinder to sweet Hazel after their child passed away, perhaps she might¡¯ve had willpower enough to carry on. Perhaps more children would¡¯ve followed, and perhaps Castro¡¯s life would have been more fulfilling. Or perhaps if his son had not been afflicted with the withering disease to begin with, things would¡¯ve been so inconceivably different that his life would be impossible to recognize to the Castro of today.


    In a word, Castromented lost potential. His ascension was that potential, bundled inside of him as an energy kept dormant for hundreds of years. It embodied the whole age of his existence, both present and future. Focusing on what was lost¡­ too often, it led only to pain. Castro intended to unleash that pain. His A-rank ascension was an idea, a concept, made manifest: [Arete].


    Castro walked out of the basement not with a hunched back but a posture proud and rigid. People took shelter here in this city, and he walked toward the closest Shadonder. His body was filling with every bit of strength that he could possess for the rest of his life. The ck humanoid creature seemed totally ignorant of him, the tentacles hanging from its mouth consuming people of the city indiscriminately. Castro held his hand out and prepared a spell. It was an F-rank spell called [re] that merely conjured a small spark of me.


    A raging inferno burst out from Castro¡¯s hand¡ªa spark ofpressed fire so intense that, in less than half a second, the Shadonder was only ash, and all the stone around it had been turned to liquid. Every [re] that Castro could ever cast for the rest of his life manifested in that one moment. Thus, Castro lost [re]. He could never again use the spell, and a small portion of his [Arete] was consumed to fulfill this mandate. When all of the energy of his [Arete] was expended, his potential would be fulfilled and he would perish.


    Castro jumped up into the air, rising dozens of miles above. He could see all of the Shadonders, all of the golems, and he knew his duty. [Arete] fueled his righteous purpose. He had intended to use his ability in the crusade against Gerechtigkeit¡­ but this was a far nobler purpose, he felt.


    ¡°A B-rank spell should suffice, I think¡­¡± Castro looked back. ¡°So long as it doesn¡¯t kill them.¡±


    #####


    To call Castro¡¯s final feat a supernova was no exaggeration. Argrave had seen gods fight, and it seemed like one had descended among them. Raging tornados of fire rose up hundreds of miles into the sky. His lightning disintegrated Shadonders seconds after touching them. Even miles away, the winds were strong enough to push Argrave back. The ward that he conjured to block the gusts shattered in a few moments beneath the sheer intensity of this man¡¯s [Arete].


    The ground beneath them shook and split, Castro¡¯s power transforming thend itself. All were rtively well-prepared for this, having been amply warned by Castro himself, but few genuinely expected the mayhem to reach them miles away. The demons had been screaming in joy, yet now there was only a singr droning howl of destruction. The golems, too, despite their immunity to magic, could not fully be spared the tremendous impact of Castro¡¯s power.


    Argrave felt a strange tension in his chest, as though his body was being stretched and pulled. Then, a final, tremendous force mmed down upon not just Sandbara, but the whole of this pocket realm. Argrave fell to his knees, and barely managed to keep his head up. When he raised his eyes¡­ the entire city was shattered, turned to mountains and valleys. Argrave saw not a soul¡ªnot a human, not a Shadonder, not a golem.


    But not Castro, either. Argrave epted that the tower master¡ªthat indomitable, assuring presence¡ªwas gone.


    Argrave looked at Sophia briefly as she clung to him, trembling, and didn¡¯t waste time in dering to everyone else, ¡°We move!¡±

 Chapter 528: Burst Dam

    Traugott watched Argrave and hispanions walk over the broken husk of this realm from a distance. He had to admit¡ªhe wasn¡¯t expecting such a disy of potency from Castro. As it turned out, a cornered rat was much as likely to fight twice as hard as it was to make a mistake. He¡¯d spread a of spirits outside this strange pocket realm to block their flight, but it was all turning to naught.


    Hemented that he¡¯d not had the time to study this realm in greater detail, after both Argrave¡¯s severance of the loop and Castro¡¯s levelling of the city. They preached of preservation, but they had put an end to an invaluable heritage in one fell swoop. He hoped to im Sophia, but Argrave¡¯s desperate thrashing had thoroughly trounced that idea. And moreover¡­ it had put an end to another mysterious variable. The one called Norman, father of Sophia.


    ¡°Still¡­ not all is lost,¡± Traugott whispered,ying his hand upon the corpse. He looked at the ck ring in his hand. It stored Norman¡¯s soul. It was no undying soul, but even still, Traugott was certain simply by the strange power still coursing through it that it would have something to say when he pried it open. What remained of King Norman would experience only agony until Traugott extracted the answers he sought.


    There is a reason Norman was so freakishly powerful. And lurking in that reason is why Gerechtigkeit¡¯s malignance led back to Sophia. Traugott thumbed the ring, smiling. Despite everything, he would get the answers he sought. Let Argrave enjoy his prize.


    #####


    Argrave walked along with Anneliese, supporting Sophia through the carnage left in Castro¡¯s wake. The howling portal into the Shadonds was vacant after Castro¡¯s final act. It seemed that things died not only on this side, but in that abyssal ne as well. There were neither gods nor masters in the ce called the Shadonds, but Argrave did wonder if they had provoked something. It wouldn¡¯t be the first time.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    As they advanced near the end of their long journey through Sandbara, a metal arm burst free of rubble, swiping at Argrave. He stepped away by instinct, then readied himself to fight. As rubble fell away from the golem, he saw that it only had one arm remaining. He expected mindless resistance as it was an automaton, but instead its arm settled limply. Its core was exposed, where white energy slowly seeped out. Argrave swore he saw an eye peer at him from within that core. He looked around to be sure there was no danger, and then dared a question.


    ¡°You said we were damned and doomed. That was you, wasn¡¯t it?¡± Argrave stared at the white eye. He didn¡¯t know whether or not to expect an answer.


    Seconds passed with no response. Argrave was prepared to move on, as time was precious and they couldn¡¯t know when the Shadonders would return. As he began to walk, a voice pierced his head. It was so fabulous as to be unknowable, yet so in as to be mundane simultaneously.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t me who said you were damned. But it¡¯s an urate sentiment, whoever said it.¡±


    Argrave looked around at everyone else. They heard the voice, too.


    ¡°How are we damned?¡± Argrave looked back at the golem, though remained cautious that this thing was trying to keep him in one ce to set him up.


    ¡°Gerechtigkeit wille again, as he always has. This time, however, he will not need to build his power from the beginning. He will regain the might that he had during every cycle, all at once.¡±


    Argrave¡¯s blood ran a little cold as he contemted what that meant, but he still sought further exnation. ¡°Regain his might, meaning¡­?¡±


    ¡°Sophia, his anchor, is no longer stretched thin. He will be the strongest that he¡¯s ever been. All of his power, typically scattered cycle-by-cycle, will instead coalesce all at once. He will be as strong as every iterationbined. And all because of you, parasite. You simply had to be the one to decide for the world. The world made its choice in generations past¡ªwho are you to decide against that choice?¡±


    Argrave couldn¡¯t tell if the being speaking to him was being truthful, so he spat back, ¡°Who are you to choose for us?¡±


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m obligated to answer simply because you won?¡± Hearing the being say that, Argrave shifted on his feet. ¡°Yes, I admit it. You won a battle in our war. Now, you¡¯ll perish to Gerechtigkeit, and we will clean up your mess.¡±


    ¡°And if we don¡¯t? If we ovee the odds¡ªwhat then?¡±


    ¡°Find out on your own.¡±


    The white eye faded away from the golem core. Argrave hesitated to move.


    ¡°It left,¡± Anneliese confirmed. ¡°Others remain, but I can guide us around them.¡±


    ¡°We waste time,¡± the Alchemist derided. ¡°I hear the distant calls of the Shadonders¡ªtheye for their portal, yet again. We have only a while yet before freedom. I will again bestow my magic upon you to ward from the heat and grant freedom of movement.¡±


    ¡°During that conversation¡­ I think I saw where the being¡¯s source was. It was linked to Dario, so¡­¡± Anneliese trailed off, then raised her head with resolve. ¡°I believe we have one more priority. We must track Dario. If he¡¯s still alive, the information we get from him might be far more than what that possessed golem was willing to divulge.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good thinking.¡± Argrave nodded at her. ¡°I¡¯ll leave that to you. I think Onychinusa would be perfect to help you out, there. The Alchemist and I will return to ckgard with Sophia.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll help Anne,¡± Mnie nodded. ¡°I owe it. Felt like I just stood around, then cut off a head, then followed everybody else. I¡¯ve still got the energy to help.¡±


    ¡°And I¡ª¡± Orion began, but Argrave cut him off.


    ¡°Need you with us, Orion. Sophia¡¯s safety is arge priority. I don¡¯t know what¡¯ll happen after we leave this portal, let alone Vysenn.¡±


    ¡°Of course, Your Majesty.¡±


    Argrave turned his head when the first call of new Shadonders filled the air. It was disconcerting thinking that these creatures would persist below Vysenn, but soon enough magma would flow over this ce. With Sophia¡¯s power over thend gone, perhaps it would be immersed entirely in liquid rock and metal.


    Argrave held Sophia closely. ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡±


    #####


    ¡°You needn¡¯t follow me out of guilt alone,¡± Anneliese told Mnie. ¡°You could not have known Dario was who he was when you first met him.¡±


    ¡°Who says that it¡¯s that?¡± Mnie protested, even though Anneliese did poke at the heart of the matter.


    Mnie followed Anneliese and Onychinusa into some caverns at the roof of the vast magmake beneath Vysenn. This deep, pressure and heat both were intense, so they stayed wrapped in the Alchemist¡¯s shield of air as they searched. Despite her protests, she did feel guilty that Dario¡ªa man she¡¯d met first, and failed to sus out he was suspicious¡ªhad led to the death of Castro. That man¡­ he had that kind of power, and Mnie¡¯s failings had caused his death. She had to do more, be more, if she was to make up for that.


    ¡°Honestly¡­¡± Mnie continued when the silence stretched, drifting through the hot caverns where Dario likely hid. ¡°I¡¯ming half because I have questions I need answered. About Dario. About what he did, and why.¡±


    It was honest, and that seemed to convince Anneliese somewhat.


    ¡°I have been known to indulge my curiosity now and again,¡± Anneliese nodded. ¡°I can rte. But none of that matters if he slips away, so let us work hard.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Mnie nodded. ¡°Given how good the man is at hiding, I think we¡¯ll have some trouble. But I know a few of his tricks, and have some of my own beside¡­¡±


    #####


    Dario no longer had the strength to stand. He could crawl, however, and that was proving enough to avoid the gaze of his pursuers. The key to stealth was not blending in with the environment, nor moving quietly. Dario did have all those things, but they were not key elements of sessful stealth. Instead, it was all positioning. Knowing where the enemy was and would be, knowing where one could move to escape sight, and knowing theyout of the area made avoiding detection an easier task.


    Dario waited in recesses that they would not logically check. He dragged his broken body through ces they had already been before, and would note again. He looped and winded around this twisted volcanic tunnel, sweating from the heat even as his broken body felt cold as the grave he would soon find himself in. Despite knowing that death would be the better choice in this scenario, he could not embrace it. He wanted to live, despite everything he¡¯d given for his cause.


    He wound around this twisted cave, avoiding Anneliese¡¯s party as he headed for the exit second by second. He had studied this ce for a long, long while. Multiple exits, winding pathways that all seemed the same¡­ it was the perfect ce for an escape. They found evidence of his presence, but their ever-frantic searches only made them all the more predictable.


    Just as Dario felt he was falling into a loop, getting the better of them¡­ he heard the scrape of a boot, and then felt something sharp and slick at his neck. He looked back, and spotted red hair. He recognized the woman. Mnie. She held her ck de at his throat.


    He let out a long sigh¡ªhalf relief, half defeat¡ªthen rxed his whole body. All the artificing in the world meant nothing if he could barely move his body. ¡°Where did I err?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Just hid an open portal beneath the rocks, then stared through it. Couldn¡¯t hear youing. Almost couldn¡¯t see you, either. But¡­ I did, evidently. Just remembered how you used to be, back when we were hunting those ogres.¡±


    Dario finally rested his body, nting his head against stone. ¡°Best kill me now. My guide¡ªyour true target, doubtless¡ªis gone. I broke myself, and no torture can break me further. I am a dead end in your search.¡±


    ¡°A good man died because of you,¡± Mnie stated matter-of-factly.


    ¡°Who?¡± Dario looked back.


    ¡°Tower Master Castro.¡±


    ¡°He¡­¡± Dario settled his head against the stone. ¡°He was a good man. I understand why he aided Argrave. I¡­ I am sorry, you know, hollow as it may ring. But all of you are poking holes in a dam just to find out what¡¯s on the other side. I had to do this.¡±


    Mnie stared down at him in silence for a long while, then shook her head with a sigh. ¡°No one knows I¡¯ve found you. Maybe in time they will, but until then, I¡¯m going to ask you some things. Not their questions, but mine.¡± She pulled the de away, then walked around to sit on a rock. She studied the artifice work bracing his body, then fixed her green eyes upon him. ¡°Do you feel good, having destroyed yourself for a cause? Are you fulfilled?¡±


    Dario huffed through his nose. ¡°Building rapport? Ineffective.¡±


    ¡°Not a tactic. Just a question, from me to you, as someone trying to figure out this life we have. Because¡­ up ¡®til now, wasn¡¯t really in the position to look for a life worth living. Now, my head¡¯s spinning trying to figure out what there really is. So, let me ask again, in simpler terms. Was it worth it?¡±

 Chapter 529: Happiness in Ignorance

    ¡°Sometimes, you learn just enough to entice you. Then, you push a little deeper, not knowing what you¡¯ll find. It¡¯s a treacherous journey, the unknown. You either find nothing¡­ or you find misery.¡± Dario managed to look up at Mnie. ¡°You learn a little too much, and the fa?ade starts to fade away. All your happiness is vored with bile, because it all feels so small inparison to the grandeur of what you¡¯ve learned.¡±


    Mnie shook her head. ¡°That doesn¡¯t answer my question.¡±


    ¡°You asked me if it was worth it, what I¡¯ve done.¡± Dario exhaled. ¡°It was never about it being ¡®worth it.¡¯ I knew the truth, and all the misery it brought. Things fell apart around me, and all my joy died. It was a buzzing in the back of my mind. It was as though I knew a poisonous spider lurked near my bed, yet not where. I had to act.¡±


    ¡°I suppose I know what you mean.¡± Mnie kept her eyes focused on Dario¡ªeven with him broken and battered, she didn¡¯t underestimate this man for a second. ¡°Knew a happy couple, married for twenty years. Then, the husband confessed he cheated when they were engaged. Twenty years of a good bond fell apart all because someone learned something they couldn¡¯t forget. I always did wonder if ignorance would¡¯ve served that woman best.¡±


    ¡°Hm. Hard to say.¡±


    A silence stretched out between the two of them. Mnie sighed after a while. ¡°You¡¯re a lot like Argrave, in a way. Lots of self-importance.¡±


    ¡°Self-importance?¡±


    ¡°Well, yeah. Thinking that you¡¯re the only one who can save the world, that sort of thing. You both have your reasons, I guess, but you took drastically different paths with your saviorplex. Difference between you¡­ Argrave has people backing him up. Your only ally abandoned you the moment it became problematic for them. Castro trusted Argrave enough to give his life for his cause. Do you see the difference?¡±


    Dario didn¡¯t dispute that.


    ¡°If know them, here¡¯s what¡¯ll happen. Argrave and Anneliese will try and convince you toe to their side, spill the beans. I¡¯d advise that you do. If you¡¯re honest, if you try and turn a new leaf¡­ if you rely on someone besides some bastards that¡¯d ruin your life and then abandon you, the royal couple might have your back, too,¡± Mnie ended hopefully.


    ¡°If not?¡±


    ¡°If not, I¡¯m pretty sure they¡¯ll give you to the Alchemist.¡± Mnie crossed her legs as the idea made her ufortable. ¡°He¡¯ll think of half a thousand measures to get what he needs from you. Even if they don¡¯t work like you seem to think, I can guarantee they¡¯ll be a lot worse than whatever secrets made you depressed enough to hurt yourself this badly.¡±


    ¡°I would never¡ª¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve got Sophia. I¡¯m not entirely sure what that means, but given the lengths you went through to stop that, it has to mean something. You want to know why your patron¡ªif you can call them that¡ªwalked away? Because it doesn¡¯t matter even if you don¡¯t stay silent. We¡¯re near the truth. If you¡¯re so tickled about the fate of the universe, or whatever stupid reason you¡¯d hurt yourself like this, then work with us!¡± Mnie¡¯sst words were emotional, causing Dario to lift his head to look her in the eyes.


    They had a long stare-off¡ªher green eyes meeting his bloodshot red. Dario was the first to break his gaze toy his head upon the cavern floor, and Mnie shook her head in disappointment. Then, his voice came again, muffled.


    ¡°Mostly right, but wrong in one pivotal point. I was abandoned to divide your forces. They suspected Anneliese, or perhaps the Alchemist, would chase after me while Argrave returned as quickly as he could. And now that you¡¯re divided, Mozzahr is going to try something.¡±


    ¡°Mozzahr?¡± Mnie looked at Dario with focus. ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°We know ckgard is your sanctuary. Mozzahr¡­ they had me talk to him days prior, give him some information to position himself to take Sophia upon Argrave¡¯s return with her in tow. The ordeal still sickens me, but their judgment was that it would be easier to recover Sophia from Mozzahr than it would Argrave, regardless of how many people that lunatic would kill.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure Argrave will be pretty ttered they thought him tougher than Mozzahr,¡± Mnie said, urgency making her speak quickly. ¡°Please, give me more information. Everything you know.¡±


    Dario opened his eyes again, fixed Mnie with eyes filled with bitter resolve. ¡°Listen closely. I can¡¯t say if we¡¯re toote.¡±


    #####


    Argrave walked with Sophia beneath the underground tunnel leading to ckgard. He could¡¯ve teleported straight to the parliament hall to speak with Elenore, but he wanted to show Sophia the city as anyone else might¡¯ve entered it. He held her hand as they walked. Here, at least, he was certain the people could be trusted. He sent Orion ahead to speak to Elenore, and the Alchemist had returned to his abode atop the mountain. It was them alone.


    As sunlight came into sight, Sophia seemed to hasten a little. They came out of the tunnel, and Sophia looked around at the city in wonder.


    ¡°Here we are, Sophia. Home. New for the both of us.¡±


    Her reaction was muted, but her eyes did wander curiously. He could not me her for not possessing the carefree inquisitiveness of children. She had endured Good King Norman¡¯s tyrannical dictation over his household and kingdom. That sort of scar, made so young, was likely to leave its mark on her for a long while yet¡­ if not her whole life. And that was not even mentioning the traumatic flight she¡¯d just had to endure. Argrave wished that he could show her nothing but kindness henceforth, but the dark shadow of what she really was hung over that. Hers had not been a normal childhood, and given her connection to Gerechtigkeit, Argrave could not promise to give one to her now. This would beplicated.


    ¡°No one will hurt you here again. You have my word on that. We can work out all the detailster,¡± Argrave told her, half to suppress his own thoughts and half to assure her.


    ¡°What about other people?¡± Sophia asked. ¡°I don¡¯t want anybody to get hurt.¡±


    Normally, he¡¯d just agree to that and move on, but that little thing that made people feel bad about lying pricked at Argrave¡ªhe thought it was called a ¡®conscience,¡¯ but he was certain he¡¯d killed that a long time ago. In the time loop, he¡¯d been a lying machine. Now, perhaps he was over-adjusting after having returned to reality where consequences were actually consequences.


    ¡°Nobody is going to get hurt because of you,¡± Argrave answered as they walked across the bridge spanning the river.


    ¡°Mister Castro did,¡± Sophia countered meekly and sadly.


    ¡°Castro¡­¡± Argrave paused, then sighed. ¡°Until the end, he never got hurt, Sophia. What he did, he did because he wanted to. And he actually went to a better ce.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°Daddy said¡­ daddy said there¡¯s nothing after death. That you die, and you get buried, and then worms eat your face.¡±


    ¡°How would Norman know?¡± Argrave asked. ¡°Has he ever died? Well, before he said that,¡± he added, then looked at the girl a little guiltily. The fact remained he had killed her father, despite everything.


    Sophia looked up at Argrave, deep in thought, and then shook her head. To his relief, she didn¡¯t seem to take his words badly.


    ¡°Me, I¡¯ve died.¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°I could tell you exactly what happens.¡±


    ¡°But dead people can¡¯t talk. I¡¯ve seen them.¡±


    Argrave paused in the middle of the bridge and kneeled down. ¡°When you die, you wake up in someone else¡¯s body. It might seem a little bad at first, but in time, you help a lot of people, you make a lot of friends, and you realize that it might just be the best thing that could¡¯ve happened to you.¡± Argrave tousled her hair. ¡°After all, because I died, I saved you.¡±


    ¡°Mister Castro¡­¡± she grappled with the idea of reincarnation, but her clever mind grasped it quickly. ¡°¡­is gonna wake up as somebody else?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. He¡¯ll be¡­¡± Argrave¡¯s creative mind worked hard. ¡°He¡¯ll wake up as a handsome guy, just like me. And just like me, he¡¯ll be able to save just about anybody. He¡¯ll meet a nicedy who makes him smile, and then he¡¯ll go around saving people, making them happy. It might be that he saves someone just like you. And then, knowing Castro, he¡¯ll make that person¡¯s life a whole lot better. He¡¯ll make them happy, just like you¡¯ll be.¡±


    Sophia smiled brightly for perhaps the first time Argrave had seen. Tears were in her eyes as she asked, ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Really, really.¡± Argrave returned her smile, then stood with her hand held in his own. ¡°So, don¡¯t worry, Sophia.¡±


    Argrave walked with a significantly more heartened Sophia. She looked up at him and said optimistically, ¡°Dying sounds awesome.¡±


    Argrave¡¯s panic red, and he looked down at a bright-eyed Sophia. Oh, hell¡­ did I oversell it? He was pleased to see some of that sadness and guilt gone, but now there was a different problem. What if she goes around saying, ¡®I want to die?¡¯ People are going to look at me like I¡¯m a monster. Good lord, I need Anneliese here¡­


    ¡°Argrave,¡± Elenore¡¯s voice cut into Argrave¡¯s head. ¡°I need you to listen to me without overreacting. Give no strong indicators to anyone who might be watching.¡±


    By instinct, Argrave picked up Sophia. She calmy epted this.


    ¡°I¡¯m listening,¡± Argrave responded to Elenore. ¡°Go.¡±


    ¡°The Casten of the Empty is in the city,¡± Elenore said simply. ¡°I don¡¯t know where. But I do know Mozzahr is after Sophia.¡±


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± He inquired at once.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Orion is with me. I¡¯ve informed all others. But this is a very delicate situation, not just for you, but for the whole city. We must behave surgically.¡±


    A swell of nervousness consumed Argrave, yet it was soon drowned by a newfound confidence¡­ and something else. A fierce protectiveness. Mozzahr wanted Sophia? He made a mental note in his mind: Mozzahr would lose some limbs, today, if not his whole life.


    ¡°Quite the coincidence,¡± Argrave answered Elenore with a furious calm. ¡°I¡¯ve just had a great deal of practice fighting against monstrous psychopaths with strength enough to crush my skull with their fingers.¡±

 Chapter 530: Potentially Devastating

    Argrave stood on the bridge leading to ckgard, holding Sophia as he stared down the valley where the river rapids shed against the rocks below. He felt that his mind was moving much quicker than its waters, at present. They weren¡¯t in Sandbara any longer, where its citizens lived in some sort of strange limbo. This was ckgard, with people he¡¯d pledged to defend walking the streets with trust in him. They had tremendous defenses here, but somehow Mozzahr had managed to breach them all, and now lied in wait.


    Mozzahr was clever, and it was prudent to assume he had learned a great deal about Argrave¡¯s character. The former cult leader would surely try and use either the people close to him, or the people that he¡¯d sworn to protect, as a tool to force Argrave¡¯s hand. If Argrave entered the city proper where the poption was dense, Mozzahr could use and abuse that fact. Even if Argrave avoided the city, Mozzahr might cause mayhem just for the sake of forcing Argrave¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Is something wrong, Argwave?¡± Sophia asked.


    Yes, Argrave thought.


    ¡°No,¡± Argrave said. ¡°I¡¯m just thinking about what needs to be done in the immediate future. I want to make sure you livefortably here, Sophia. You don¡¯t have anyone you know.¡±


    ¡°I know¡­ I know you. Do you have a home?¡± she asked.


    Her words gave Argrave an idea, and he asked Elenore through their mental connection, ¡°Could I lure Mozzahr to the parliamentary hall? Who¡¯s there?¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°Me and¡ª¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re there, forget it,¡± Argrave interrupted her.


    ¡°Just as well. Even barring me, we have some members of parliament here.¡±


    With another option written off, Argrave had time enough to speak to Sophia. ¡°I have quite a few homes, but I¡¯m not sure which one would fit you best. Do you like the city? Do you like the countryside?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ just want windows,¡± Sophia said. ¡°That¡¯s all.¡±


    ces without windows¡­ there¡¯s not many here. Just a few, and they¡¯re all built into the mountain¡ªArtur¡¯s Hall of Enchantment, Hause¡¯s¡­ Argrave¡¯s thoughts jammed. That¡¯s right. Hause¡¯s temple. It¡¯s separated from the rest of the city, it has a goddess protecting it, and has only one entrance or exit. Even if she¡¯s not as strong as she once was, she can be counted on to defend Sophia. If Mozzahr pursues me inside, we¡¯d have him trapped. If he tries to flee, he¡¯ll have to use spirits to warp away, which would cause Onychinusa¡¯s spirits to intercept and transfer him to the deep ocean. And above all, I think I can head there without rising any suspicion, should he be watching.


    ¡°Let everyone know,¡± he informed Elenore. ¡°I¡¯ll be taking Sophia to Hause¡¯s temple. She owes me her life, and I¡¯m certain I can trust her with this. Besides, I¡¯m certain we¡¯ll need her help with Sophia, long-term. Don¡¯t spook Mozzahr. I¡¯ll tell you when everyone else can rush in.¡±


    ¡°Hause¡¯s temple?¡± There was a silence as Elenore calcted things in her mind. ¡°That is isted enough, but you¡¯ll be trapped with Mozzahr. I can¡¯tmunicate with Hause¡ªshe might not be ready to protect you. You could well die, Argrave.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Argrave refuted Elenore¡¯s worry, adjusting his hold over Sophia. ¡°I won¡¯t be trapped with him. He¡¯ll be trapped with me. Ah¡ªalways wanted to say that.¡±


    ¡°Did you lose your wits?¡± Elenore asked incredulously. ¡°I distinctly remember you telling me you nearly diedst time you engaged him.¡±


    ¡°Trust me. It¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    ¡°¡­alright. But I¡¯m heading to Vasquer. With her perception, I can locate Mozzahr.¡±


    ¡°What? No!¡± Argrave protested. ¡°What if Mozzahr is lurk¡ª¡±


    ¡°I have Orion to protect me, and Durran is already frothing at the mouth, begging to teleport here toe to my rescue. I will go, Argrave. This is me telling you what I¡¯m doing, not asking you if I can.¡±


    ¡°If you get hurt¡­ I don¡¯t know what I¡¯d do. Just be extremely careful,¡± hemanded. ¡°Contact me when you can.¡±


    Argrave stopped conversing with Elenore, turning his attention back to Sophia. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Sophia, but we do have to head to a ce without windows for a little bit. We won¡¯t be staying there very long, but there¡¯s someone I need to introduce you to. Her name is Hause. She has a very special ability, you see. She can see someone¡¯s potential. Do you know what that means?¡±


    Argrave set off along the trail, alert as ever. Every walking figure in the distance might be the Casten of the Empty, ready to make mayhem.


    ¡°Uh-huh,¡± Sophia nodded. ¡°Daddy always said I had no potential.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like Norman talked a lot without knowing anything,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°Hause¡¯s the only person in the whole wide world that can see someone¡¯s potential. And considering how special you are, I¡¯m absolutely positive that she¡¯s going to see something.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± Sophia tensed up. ¡°What if she sees that I¡¯m useless?¡±


    ¡°Honestly¡­ that might be the most shocking result of all.¡± Argrave looked around, trying to act natural. ¡°As a matter of fact, I can pretty much guarantee she won¡¯t say that.¡±


    ¡°But what if?¡± Sophia insisted, a little fearful.


    ¡°Nothing will change. I¡¯ll still be there, no matter the oue. Don¡¯t worry about that.¡± Argrave examined the silver bracer on his wrist. After the fight with Norman, it had no blood left. If he was going to use [Burst], he¡¯d need to call upon his own blood. A less desirable oue.


    ¡°What if I¡¯m even worse than useless?¡± Sophia continued.


    ¡°Hey¡­ are you saying I can¡¯t see something precious? I say you¡¯re precious. Do you think the great me could be wrong?¡±


    Now that Argrave had involved himself, she was caught in a deep mental puzzle as her meek good nature battled against her low self-confidence. It gave Argrave precious time to indulge his paranoia, eyes flitting from the city sprawl to his right to the mountains on his left as he edged along the verdant meadows in pursuit of Hause¡¯s temple. He saw neither hide nor hair of the former cult leader.


    In the end, he made it to the building. Through constructed into the mountains, it still had some beauty to it. Since Argrave hadst seen it, a grand arrangement of vines growing fruits, trees rising from the ground, and flowers decorating the path bloomed at its entrance. Raven¡¯s ex-girlfriend of a few millennia was an avid gardener and had been bestowed with supernatural ability to weave nt life. It seemed Sonia had not been idle. Sophia seemed to like the entrance.


    Argrave entered inside. He noticed a few citizens wandering about, and entered in calmly. The ce was twice as beautiful within as it was without¡ªa little garden, blocked off from the sun yet with all of nature¡¯s bounty blooming all the same. Sonia received a few prospective worshippers, but the moment she spotted Argrave, broke away to greet him.


    ¡°Your Majesty. What brings you here?¡± Sonia greeted him distantly and politely. They had no special rtion.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to speak to Hause,¡± Argrave answered just as cordially. ¡°Can that be arranged quickly?¡±


    ¡°Certainly. I will get her at once,¡± she bowed.


    As Sonia walked away, Argrave contacted Elenore again. ¡°Are you there yet?¡±


    ¡°Nearly. Half a minute more.¡±


    Argrave looked about the verdant temple, trying not to tap his foot nervously. The ce was beautiful, sure, but he felt that Mozzahr might be lurking behind one of the many trees or giant flowery bushes. The worshippers within recognized him, pointing and referring to him with some degree of reverence. After a time, Argrave saw Sonia return. Following after her was Hause, garbed in pink and with an borate headpiece keeping her blonde hair braided upward.


    ¡°Your Majesty. I wasn¡¯t expecting¡ª¡± Hause began, but paused when her eyes locked upon Sophia. The goddess was quite reticent, usually, but he knew sheer terror when he saw it. She raised a hand up to cover her mouth, and began to tremble.


    Argrave walked closer, and said in a low tone to the trembling goddess, ¡°Be kind. She¡¯s still a child.¡±


    Hause nced at Argrave and nodded. She took some time topose herself, lowering her trembling hand and trying to avert her eyes from Sophia. He couldn¡¯t be sure what it was she¡¯d seen, but he knew it was obviously quite terrifying.


    ¡°I¡¯m connected with¡­¡± Elenore¡¯s voice cut into Argrave¡¯s mind as Hause searched for words. She sounded pained and troubled. ¡°¡­connected with Vasquer. She¡¯s surveying the city. Gods, this is just as overwhelming as I remember¡­¡±


    ¡°Find him,¡± Argrave insisted urgently, feeling on-edge.


    Hause looked at Sophia without greeting Argrave¡ªshe seemed too overwhelmed to remember courtesy. He dipped her head and said, ¡°H-hello, youngdy. Who might you be?¡±


    ¡°I am Princess Sophia Normansdottir,¡± she said with practiced elegance.


    ¡°I see. I mean¡­ I hear. I-I am Hause.¡± She put her hand near her chest, still shaking. ¡°Argrave¡ªmight I ask¡­ might I¡­?¡±


    Argrave didn¡¯t let her babble further. ¡°Before we begin, I need two things from you. I need you to treat Sophia very gently, and I need you to promise you¡¯ll protect her.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Hause looked at Argrave with wide eyes. After a few moment, she gave rapid nods. ¡°Yes. Yes, I can.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± Argrave lowered Sophia, setting her down upon the temple floor. She seemed hesitant to let go of him, but eventually came to stand on her own.


    Hause continued to say something, but Argrave was waiting for word from Elenore. Then, it came, sharp as a hot knife and urgent as she¡¯d ever been.


    ¡°Above, Argrave! He¡¯s burrowing through the earth using magic!¡±


    Just as she said that, Argrave looked up to see the ceiling split apart without so much as a sound. The white-haired elf Mozzahr leapt at Argrave with terrifying speed, silent fury warping his face.


    A NOTE FROM NEMOROSUS


    Next chapter February 12th, or shell out some shekels on Patreon to read everything avable.


    Discord?


    Volume 3''s got a new coat of paint and a brand new map of the Burnt Desert over on Amazon dot. Audio''s also here. Continued narration by Luke Daniels.

 Chapter 531: Castellan in the Wrong Castle

    Argrave conjured a wave of mes to meet Mozzahr as he crashed down at him with all the speed and strength of a meteor. He didn¡¯t think it would do much damage¡ªrather, he hoped to obscure visibility as he dodged so as not to betray his newfound ability, [Echo Step]. He warped near Sophia as he felt the tremendous impact shake the temple grounds, then scooped her up and watched Mozzahr warily as the Casten of the Empty rose to face Argrave.


    ¡°Hause¡ªfulfill your promise,¡± he directed the goddess. ¡°Keep Sophia safe, just for a little bit.¡±


    Hause, though overwhelmed by Sophia, still had many more years of experience with battle than he did. She took Sophia, then directed Sonia, ¡°Evacuate the citizens, then rally the faithful. I shall fall back deeper.¡±


    ¡°Mister¡­!¡± Sophia called out, reaching for him.


    ¡°Sorry to show you an unpleasant sight. But I need you to behave, if only for a little bit,¡± Argrave told her.


    Sophia went mute and nodded, and Argrave ced himself between Hause and Mozzahr as she headed deeper into her temple. Mozzahr looked at Argrave and shook his head.


    ¡°Thinking I¡¯ll go for the girl? No. The tables have turned, King Argrave. Once, you attacked me in the heart of my power, to end me as a threat to your kingdom. Now, the roles have swapped. I hope not to underestimate you.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re talking, you¡¯re already doing that,¡± Argrave pointed out, studying Mozzahr as his blood echoes spread throughout the indoor garden in Hause¡¯s temple.


    Argrave could see the Casten of the Empty bursting with his mysterious Emptiness. It emerged from his left eye, a faint teal energy that hued his face subtly in the dim light of this temple. Now, though, Mozzahr was better armored. He had armored himself in the faintly purple dwarven metal, which somewhat mitigated magic and the influence of spirits. Argrave saw he had a rapier made of a sharpened horn strapped to his left leg, and recognized it as a divine weapon.


    Mozzahr drew the rapier. ¡°You humbled me. It lowered me back to a time long before I had any power. My family were the descendants of ves kept by the dwarves. Smithing ves, specifically. Despite this servitude, they passed down the method to work with dwarven metal like they were proud of it. I thought it disgraceful. I never taught it to my daughter for this reason.¡± He took a deep breath, then held the rapier out. ¡°It seems, however, that I must teach her our history. It may break her faith in me. But I will not abandon the path to be the arbiter, despite any disgrace I endure. You are no different.¡±


    Argrave was mildly impressed, and a little concerned, that Mozzahr had forged armor of dwarven metal to fight against Argrave. It wouldn¡¯t be a life-or-death difference, but it was symbolic more than it was practical. And the moment Mozzahr charged again, Argrave could tell the difference in the way he fought.


    Mozzahr had grown much weaker since Argrave hadst fought him. His Emptiness was his strength. It had grown over centuries to its apex, but the more of it he used inbat, the weaker he¡¯d be overall until it was replenished. Mozzahr had fought against Argrave, then Erlebnis, and endured whatever else it had taken to return here. But a few thousand tons of water pumped from the ocean didn¡¯t change the fact that it was still the ocean. And now, the force of that ocean had caution, respect, and deadly efficiency.


    The deadly-sharp tip of that rapier sung toward Argrave¡¯s neck like a bullet, yet Argrave swapped ces with one of his blood echoes and used others to cast a simple, probing [Arc Whips] infused with blood essence. The coiling red arcs of electricity struck Mozzahr¡¯s back for but a few seconds before he leapt away to avoid them. When he looked back at Argrave, electricity danced up his neck before it was suppressed by his surging energy.


    ¡°Everyone is outside, Argrave, but I¡¯ve not given them the order to advance,¡± Elenore said, some shock in her voice. With Vasquer connecting her mind to his sister, she could likely see this fight clearly.


    ¡°And don¡¯t,¡± Argrave responded, watching Mozzahr cautiously. ¡°They should wait outside. If he leaves, have them prepared to hit hard and fast. But if I give the order, I need the Alchemist to bring everyone at once and finish things.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Mozzahr gathered his Emptiness in his palm, walking cautiously forward, then lobbed it at Argrave at a speed too fast to simply side-step. He¡¯s testing how I¡¯m dodging. Argrave realized he could hide the secret no longer, so he swapped ces with a nearby echo. Mozzahr¡¯s purple eyes glinted when he figured things out, and then he gathered power in his hand once again while making a note of where each echo was. They were roughly in a circle around.


    Argrave, meanwhile, discreetly maneuvered one well hidden from sight. As Mozzahr¡¯s Emptiness coalesced in his left, he leapt forward, thrusting with his rapier while stopping short of any rapid reprisal. Argrave swapped ces again, and when he did, Mozzahr unleashed a fell pulse of energy. It sheared through bushes, trees, and all the greenery in the garden until all was decimated. Argrave, however, sought refuge in the crawlspace that the elf had made. Hemanded his blood echoes to mindlessly attack what remained with [Nine-Tailed Bloodbriars], and heard a thousand cracking whips in the space left behind.


    He peeked from the crawlspace to view the scene. Everything beautiful about the temple had been ruined with their one exchange. To Argrave¡¯s immense surprise Mozzahr spotted him in an instant and threw his rapier with tremendous grace. As it pierced the stone beneath him, Argrave conjured a ward with the ring on his finger by a long-instilled instinct. The sheening enchantment stopped the de inches away from his gut, but Mozzahr gathered yet more Emptiness in his hand for a follow-up attack. Argrave frantically projected his echoes back into the room as Mozzahr cast a simple [Wind Lance] and imbued it with his teal energy.


    Moments after Argrave teleported away, a devastating st blew away great portions of the ceiling. Argrave retreated far. As thousands of pounds of dust, debris, and carnage fell, Mozzahr rushed into it all at Argrave with the same silent fury he¡¯d had since the beginning. Argrave watched, wide-eyed, as it seemed to bury the Casten of the Empty. Momentster he was denied rest as the elf emerged from out of sight, having somehow retrieved his rapier from the chaos of the copse.


    The Casten of the Empty swung that deadly-sharp point with his cold fury. Argrave could only teleport short distances away time and time again, the sheer speed and unrelenting of Mozzahr¡¯s assault providing no room for rest. He alternated between waves of power and swings of his weapon, testing Argrave¡¯s limits with every passing second.


    ¡°You¡¯ve improved,¡± he noted, not even breathless as he swung. ¡°It¡¯s a real fight. Not borrowed power, anymore. Your own. Your casting speed, this new ability¡­¡±


    Argrave felt a familiar feeling¡ªa rut. Noticing this, he changed his style immediately. Rather than projecting echoes behind and backstepping, he projected two forward and prepared a spell in his left hand. Mozzahr caught on immediately and stopped his assault to prepare for Argrave¡¯s next move. Mozzahr was correct to do so.


    But it was as Mozzahr said¡ªthis was his own power, and it was certainly powerful.


    Argrave teleported close to Mozzahr, and the rapier already sang toward his head. Argrave cast his spell in fearless defiance, an A-rank [Burst] infused with his own blood. Pain roared through his body as his very essence coursed into the spell, yet it empowered a deafening burst that intercepted the rapier and Mozzahr. His foe was ready to defend, however, and the powerful warrior took the blow extremely well. Argrave saw his armor shear away and his wrist break¡­ but Mozzahr got distance and healed the wound with magic until it seemed to have never been.


    Even as pain assailed Argave, he felt he¡¯d seen a light. He should not be the one running¡ªnot anymore. The arsenal he¡¯d created lent him infinitely more opportunities that that. As the rubble from the partial copse finally calmed, Argrave straightened his back and sent blood echoes chasing after Mozzahr. Having seen what they were capable of, the former cult leader avoided them cautiously. Argrave, meanwhile, used an echo nearby to create a B-rank weapon formed of blood magic. He gripped a greataxe in hand, hefting the thing. A big axe suited Argrave well. Sharp, yet without the need for much skill to deal good damage.


    ¡°In this domain, my foes are much weaker, and I am much¡ª¡±


    Argrave positioned one of the echoes to raise both its hands above, just near Mozzahr, and then swapped ces with it.


    ¡°¡ªstronger!¡± Argrave swung the axe down upon Mozzahr with all the expertise of a brute.


    The Domain of Law took effect. The effects it could provide were not limitless. Mozzahr would be weakened somewhat, and Argrave would be strengthened somewhat. But in a fight, moving half a second too slow while your opponent moved half a second too fast¡­ well, it could prove all the difference.


    Mozzahr thrust his rapier at Argrave¡¯s head. But his stab was half a second too slow, and Argrave¡¯s swing was half a second too fast. He attempted to correct his mistake by turning a thrust into a parry, but the mistake had been made. Argrave¡¯s axe of blood danced past the rapier and mmed into Mozzahr¡¯s shoulder. Teal energy danced out of the wound, and Mozzahr¡¯s left arm fell limp. He dropped the rapier and held his hand out, where a mana ripple spread. He was casting a spell of A-rank or higher.


    Yet Argrave released the greataxe and cast an A-rank [Burst] again, calling upon his blood. He¡¯d practiced the speed of his spells countless times in the past weeks trapped in that loop, and it did not lose out to Mozzahr. Tremendous force tore through the Casten of the Empty and sent him flying backward until he hit a wall, while the tremendous cost of casting a blood-infused [Burst] left Argrave hunched over in agony.


    ¡°Elenore!¡± he contacted her through their connection. ¡°Send them, now!¡±


    He received her reply in the form of the blur of figures appearing as he fell to one knee. The Alchemist, Anneliese, Mnie, Durran, Orion, Onychinusa, and even Gmon appeared all at once, arrayed before Mozzahr after he¡¯d been hit tremendously hard. This was the furthest they¡¯d pushed the Casten of the Empty. Argrave could tell that the fight in those eyes of his had not dimmed as the monstrous fighter pulled the axe from his shoulder and rose, spitting blood.

 Chapter 532: Changed Man

    Argrave could barely think above the loud rumbling of pain that swept his body. It felt like cords sewn into his body had been ripped free of the muscle and skin surrounding them. The whole of him felt raw and battered, but he rose much the same as Mozzahr. Both of them were tensed like wounded animals, ready to bite the hand that came no matter its intent.


    Mozzahr didn¡¯t bother healing the wound on his shoulder, nor the huge crater just by his heart caused by Argrave¡¯s [Burst]. Instead, both dire injuries were covered by his Emptiness, staunching the bleeding and ensuring functionality. His limp left arm regained movement just as Orion headed the charge to end Mozzahr. He swatted aside aing punch, yet Orion¡¯s speed and size continued and mmed Mozzahr back against the wall.


    The two struggled to grapple as Mnie subtly crept forward. She used the ability of her ck executioner¡¯s de made of chitin, and a tremendous st of energy emerged from its blunt tip and thrust right through his abdomen and into the wall behind. Mozzahr yelled in pain, yet his right arm prepared a spell that glowed teal as he prepared to put power behind it.


    The Alchemist stepped forward, hundreds of hands bursting from his body toyer dozens of wards atop each other. When Mozzahr¡¯s spell finished, the Alchemist¡¯s excessive defense proved entirely reasonable as a wave of sheer power raged against the wards. When its energy faded, icy crystals imbued with teal power had frozen everything in front of Mozzahr. Orion, still grappling with the casten, seemed badly hurt by the frost, and Mozzahr pushed him away with ease. It was barely in time to defend from the Alchemist, who dismissed his wards and mmed down his obsidian staff upon Mozzahr.


    Mozzahr narrowly caught the Alchemist¡¯s blow before it struck his head. He was panting heavily, yet gripped the staff with both hands tightly and pulled the staff forward. The Alchemist very literally grew roots embedded in the stone to resist the strength of Mozzahr¡¯s pull, but it was insufficient, and the Alchemist lurched forth. When Mozzahr conjured more power in his hands to deal damage, an arrow struck him in the eye and he staggered backward, hitting the wall once more. Gmon, who¡¯d fired the arrow, was already drawing the next back.


    Argrave could see faint ck mist dancing in the air moments before Onychinusa manifested above Mozzahr. A mana ripple spread as shepleted her spell. Ice condensed into a thick spear that jutted forward tremendously quickly as it spiraled. [Winter¡¯s Awl] mmed into Mozzahr just behind his head, forcing him to the ground as it rapidly spun and dug into his flesh. He was on his hands and knees, as though groveling before them.


    His screams were haunting, and Argrave thought he was near done. Anneliese stepped forward, and Argrave watched her rush up and touch both Orion and Onychinusa. She didn¡¯t attack¡ªinstead, she teleported the three of them away, then shouted, ¡°Get back!¡±


    People heeded her words moments before Mozzahr recklessly discharged his energy in a great pulse. It spouted from his wounds, his eyes, his mouth, and his ears in an unprecedented show of power and wrath. It tore through the carved mountainside and the floor with rtive ease, and even Argrave was forced to retreat as his terrible power ate through the world.


    When it was said and done, so much of the mountain Hause¡¯s temple had been carved from had been torn away that light filtered through the now-missing roof. It fell upon Mozzahr as he crouched there. His reckless discharge of power had made his wounds bleed anew. He covered them with his power once again, but the damage had been done. He tried to rise, but the small puddle of blood that had formed made him slip. He tumbled into the crater he¡¯d just made, but managed tond on his feet. He stared up at Argrave, his eyes firm, as he bent down to pick up his rapier. He held it up.


    ¡°I won¡¯t run,¡± he said, voice steady. ¡°I¡¯ll never run.¡±


    Argrave heard the twang of a bow practically the same instant he saw Gmon¡¯s arrow pierce through Mozzahr¡¯s ear. He had spent enough of his Emptiness that it would no longer shield him from such mundane weapons. The Casten of the Empty staggered on his feet as though he was merely drunk, then copsed to the side. His energy started to drift upwards out of his body like smoke from a spent candle. Rocks as they continued to settle, but they were the only noise for a long while after Mozzahr¡¯s death.


    The Alchemist looked at Gmon. ¡°We could have captured him.¡±


    ¡°We didn¡¯t,¡± Gmon answered back.


    Argrave felt a little worse than hell itself, but he walked into the crater. Everyone watched him go without doing anything. He turned Mozzahr¡¯s body to face the front. The left side of his chest had been torn away from Argrave¡¯s [Burst], while his left arm hung limply, nearly severed from the blow from Argrave¡¯s axe. His guts were showing from Mnie¡¯s stab, and his right arm looked popped out of ce and broken from Orion¡¯s tackle.


    Argrave kneeled. ¡°You should have run a long time ago.¡±


    #####


    ¡°You should really rest,¡± Anneliese told Argrave as she looked at him.


    ¡°I told Sophia I¡¯d just be a little bit. It¡¯s been an hour already.¡± Argrave shook his head, then held out his arms. ¡°Do I look like I just fought Mozzahr?¡±


    Anneliese crossed her arms. ¡°You did just fight Mozzahr. And so you should rest, instead of fretting over your appearance.¡±


    Argrave sighed, then walked ahead of Anneliese. Without adrenaline helping him keep steady, he needed her support to walk without looking like an old man. ¡°Let¡¯s go. I don¡¯t want Hause to say something strange to the girl. We need to get Sophia settled in, and then I need a right proper reward for Mnie. Then¡­ Castro¡¯s business. Good lord¡­ the hell can I say to Ingo?¡±


    Argrave walked unsteadily, but stopped when Anneliese didn¡¯t follow. He looked back, then walked up to her. ¡°Was I, uhh¡­ a little callous there? I¡¯m sorry if I was dismissive. But Sophia, she¡¯s¡­ she deserves a good turn, I think. And if she is Satan in child form or something like that, maybe a little bit of kindness can turn that around.¡±


    Anneliese looked at him. ¡°You changed.¡±


    Argrave grew serious. ¡°Are you saying¡ª¡±


    ¡°No, not in a negative way. I still love every second I¡¯m with you. It¡¯s just¡­¡± Anneliese searched for words. ¡°Feels like you¡¯ve adapted to your position. Feels like you¡¯re pulling ahead of everyone else.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Argrave furrowed his brows. ¡°Don¡¯t really know what to say to that. I was away for a couple weeks, trapped in Groundhog Hour.¡±


    ¡°I always told you that you were wonderful.¡± She stepped up to him, then kissed him. ¡°I¡¯m d to see you¡¯ve finally realized it, too.¡± Argraveughed, at a loss for words, then Anneliese took his arm. ¡°Fine. I concede, Argrave. Let¡¯s see Sophia.¡±


    Anneliese helped Argrave along silently as they proceeded through the now-ruined temple of Hause. This incident would haverge implications for the future. He¡¯d built up ckgard as this safe haven, but now there was an incident within its borders. More than that, he loathed that Sophia had endured such an unpleasant scenario in the ce he¡¯d hoped she would feel totally safe at.


    Argrave entered into Hause¡¯s personal chamber, passing by Sonia and some of the other devotees of the goddess. The blonde-haired woman sat by Sophia on the bed. She looked like she had her employer next to her rather than a seven-year-old child, sitting rigidly and almost visibly sweating. Both Sophia and Hause looked at Argrave like he was their personal savior.


    ¡°Mister Argwave!¡± Sophia hopped off the bed and ran up to him. He kneeled down to receive her, and her red eyes studied him nervously. ¡°That man¡­ he was here for me, wasn¡¯t he?¡±


    Argrave looked up at Anneliese, and she also came to kneel alongside him. She spoke first, consoling, ¡°He was here for many reasons. He had a daughter too, you know. And the only person who could help him with his daughter was Argrave.¡±


    Argrave looked at her in surprise. She didn¡¯t seem to be lying. Anneliese must¡¯ve read something in Mozzahr that Argrave missed.


    ¡°The man just has an unusual way of asking for help, you see,¡± Argrave yed along, then tousled Sophia¡¯s hair. ¡°Are you okay, Sophia? Hause didn¡¯t say anything strange to you?¡±


    Hause¡¯s voice was polite and panicky as she said, ¡°What kind of fool do you take me for, Your Majesty?¡±


    Sophia looked back as she fixed her ruffled hair. ¡°Miss Hause just stared at me and made some tea. It was very sweet. I liked it a lot.¡±


    Hause looked relieved that she was vindicated. Argrave offered his hand to Sophia. ¡°Well, I¡¯m very d. I can get you some of that tea every day, if you want. Right now, though¡­ what would say to going to meet my sister? What would you say to going to our home?¡±


    ¡°Mister has a sister?¡±


    ¡°Mister does have a sister. And a brother,¡± Argrave nodded, then looked to the side. ¡°Anne, could you¡­?¡±


    Anneliese was smiling at the two of them subtly, but came to attention when he said her name. ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll speak to Hause, hear what she has to say.¡±


    ¡°Miss Hause?¡± Sophia looked back. ¡°But¡­ but I want to hear what she says.¡±


    ¡°No, these things take time. There¡¯s a lot of numbers to go through, a lot of things that need to be written down¡­ it could take several hours. Anneliese is also an expert at this stuff, so she¡¯ll stay to help,¡± Argrave lied boldfaced, then led Sophia away. ¡°What do you say¡­ I show you teleportation again?¡±


    #####


    Once Argrave and Sophia had well and truly left, Anneliese looked at Hause, who breathed a deep sigh of relief. ¡°That child¡­ I could barely breathe.¡±


    Anneliese walked closer. ¡°Is she truly that overwhelming?¡±


    Hause gestured. ¡°Yinther gave you [Truesight], did he not? Then you have to see it, at least in part, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I see that she¡¯s one half of something much bigger than herself. But this whole isrge enough I cannot begin toprehend it.¡±


    Hause stroked her forehead. ¡°Perhaps you should be grateful you cannot see the full picture. So¡­ this is where the search to end the cycle of judgment led you? That girl?¡±


    ¡°Yes. She was trapped in time¡ªa prison of her unwitting making. She just seems like apassionate girl, whatever inhabits her. But what do you see?¡±


    Hause sat in her bed. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you. But if this knowledge spreads beyond your inner circle, the whole world itself will give anything to take her away from here.¡±

 Chapter 533: Creation

    Argrave stood at the barrier of a doorway, peering in at Sophia. His Brumesingers nestled up against her in small balls of white fur, and she held one of them in her arms as sheid beneath the bedsheet. He heard quiet footsteps and turned his head to see Anneliese walking through the parliament hall¡¯s courtyard. She looked tired.


    ¡°Hey,¡± he greeted her in a low whisper, then gestured inside. ¡°Sleeping.¡±


    Anneliese walked as quietly as she could to the door, peered in, then looked at Argrave. She took him by the sleeve, and together, they both walked to a nearby rock and sat. Argrave cast a ward, lest Sophia overhear their conversation, and then Anneliese began. ¡°Hause had much to say. And I had many questions to ask.¡±


    ¡°It seems that way. Took her hours to fall asleep. Had to bring out my pets, then stand by the doorway.¡± Argrave looked at her, waiting for her answer.


    ¡°Argrave, it¡­¡± she looked at the doorway. ¡°I think I have some inkling that you care for Sophia.¡±


    ¡°What gave it away, the huge timemitment? I¡¯ve been awake for thousands of hours, you know, seeing this girl endure the same torment time and time again. Elenore likes her, and you know she¡¯s hard to please. I think you do, too. I mean, how could you not? Sophia¡¯s just a kid, and she¡¯s been treated worse than anyone ever has.¡±


    Anneliese crossed her arms. ¡°Do you intend to raise her?¡±


    Argrave sighed. ¡°Yeah. Elenore had some ideas. Introduce her as another of Felipe¡¯s kids, or maybe tie her to one of his brothers¡ªshe¡¯d be a niece. We can keep her close, justify the special attention we ce on her.¡±


    ¡°But you would almost have to entirely ignore the reason that she needed to be brought here in the first ce.¡±


    Argrave had been dreading answering that question, and soshed out, ¡°Could you stop beating around the bush and just tell me what Hause said, please?¡±


    ¡°Sophia is exactly what we need to end the cycle of judgment. With her, it¡¯s possible.¡± Anneliese paused to take a deep breath, and Argrave beckoned her to continue. ¡°This is just my conjecture based off Hause¡¯s vision, but I believe Sophia is what keeps the cycle acting as a cycle. She provides the means for the circle to keep spinning.¡±


    ¡°Meaning¡­¡±


    ¡°Meaning, since she¡¯s no longer trapped, I suspect this cycle will be a do-or-die moment. A huge climax, as all the powers of the world converge to decide its fate. Only, Sophia is the keyhole. Without her, no one has any say. With her, someone has all the say.¡±


    Argrave tried to wrap his head around that, then looked at Anneliese inly. ¡°Why the hell was Hause so jittery? Can you tell me that?¡±


    ¡°Sophia¡­ her ability, whatever it is, isn¡¯t rted to time. It¡¯s quite literally creation. What we saw back there, that ce, Sandbara¡­ most likely, Sophia didn¡¯t rewind things. She quite literally recreated them. And moreover, the things that you saw, they¡¯re likely something conjured from Sophia¡¯s mind. Norman probably wasn¡¯t truly that powerful. And you¡­¡±


    Argrave stood up. ¡°Hold on, hold on. But my memories¡­ me, I¡¯m all the same. I¡¯m all put together. Sophia didn¡¯t know me, but I stayed the same.¡±


    Anneliese looked equally as confused as Argrave as she shook her head. ¡°I know. I¡¯ve yet to make sense of the idea myself. Perhaps the Ravenstone did protect you from her interfering with your mind. Perhaps, because you were new, you weren¡¯t as mutable. Or perhaps Sophia rebuilt you to be her protector. To be strong enough to kill Norman. To be¡­ emotionally attached to her,¡± she said gently.


    ¡°She¡¯s seven,¡± Argrave disagreed. ¡°No one is that conniving at seven.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not saying it was something she did wittingly. You said yourself she was being torn apart by those Heralds.¡± Anneliese gestured. ¡°And we don¡¯t have an understanding of what urred in that loop. Perhaps she changed you to like her, to protect her.¡±


    Argrave dangled the ne with the ck stone on his neck. ¡°You said you were certain I wouldn¡¯t be affected because of the Ravenstone.¡±


    ¡°I was,¡± Anneliese nodded. ¡°I am. I can see it shielding you, even now, and I was positive that it would work within the bounds of her loop. Her power is so far beyond anything Hause has ever seen, however. It might be possible, that¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re saying I might¡¯ve be the Ship of Theseus?¡± Argrave walked back up to her.


    Anneliese blinked. ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­ what that means.¡±


    ¡°Forget about it. Forget it,¡± Argrave waved his hand. ¡°I¡¯m me. I know I¡¯m me. You know I¡¯m me, right?¡±


    ¡°You never fool me, no matter how hard you try,¡± Anneliese said in sarcastic assurance.


    ¡°If I think about it for too long, my head is going to burst, so we¡¯re going to put the whole notion of who I am aside.¡± Argrave stroked his forehead. ¡°But how does Sophia¡¯s power being that of creation have any impact on what Gerechtigkeit? How is she the keyhole? Is it because¡­ they¡¯re opposites, somehow? Destruction, creation?¡± Argrave pointed his finger as something came to him. ¡°Twin brother, twin sister?¡±


    Anneliese furrowed her brows. ¡°I cannot speak to thatment. But Sophia is likely what allows Gerechtigkeit to manifest. She¡¯s also likely what allows him to survive after death. And, most relevant to our endeavors¡­ she is the only one that can allow us to pursue Gerechtigkeit beyond the pale, and end the cycle. I told you that she was one half of an unimaginable whole.¡± Anneliese lowered her head. ¡°Well, Sophia is one half of the cycle of judgment. The other half? Gerechtigkeit. Or so Hause ims.¡±


    Argrave gripped his forehead now as his headache mounted. He hadn¡¯t wanted it to be true, but it seemed his thoughts about this whole endeavor might prove to be all too sadly true. Was Griffin actually Gerechtigkeit? Were these twins of opposing prities the cycle? There was only circumstantial evidence for it, but it was almost storybook in how much sense it made.


    Anneliese¡¯s steady voice interrupted his whirling mind. ¡°Do you know why Mozzahr really came here?¡±


    Argrave looked at her. ¡°Why¡¯s that important now? Because he came here at the word of the Heralds? We¡¯ll talk to Dario, believe me. I got Mnie and half the nation looking after him, while the other half is watching Sophia.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Anneliese shook her head. ¡°I attempt to illustrate something.¡±


    ¡°Then paint the picture,¡± Argrave indulged patiently.


    ¡°I think he came because of Mial,¡± Anneliese said simply. ¡°He came to free his daughter. He came to defeat you and make or break the delusion he¡¯d been festering for years. He¡¯d either prove to her, once and for all, that he was a god worthy of worship¡­ or shatter that notion utterly. But in either case, he just wanted to free her.¡±


    Argrave shook his head. ¡°Are you sure? He¡¯s not the type.¡±


    ¡°People change,¡± Anneliese nodded. ¡°And if you¡¯ve changed, if that small child in there became like a daughter to you, one way or the other¡­¡±


    Anneliese didn¡¯t finish speaking, but her point was only made all the clearer by that fact.


    ¡°Is parenthood really thatplicated? Good lord¡­¡± Argrave stroked his head.


    ¡°Whatever path you walk, I¡¯ll be with you,¡± Anneliese assured. ¡°I¡¯ve said it before, but I¡¯ll say it again. Come wind or rain, you and I will walk our path ¡®til it ends.¡±


    ¡°Our path won¡¯t end,¡± Argrave told her with a shake of his head. ¡°Still, I appreciate your candor.¡±


    ¡°Sophia roused, by the way,¡± Anneliese tilted her head. ¡°She¡¯s trying to act like she¡¯s sleeping, but she¡¯s not.¡±


    Argrave held his hand out to her. ¡°Let¡¯s go talk her back to sleep.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a long day tomorrow,¡± Anneliese cautioned.


    ¡°I¡¯ve already been awake a few thousand hours. What¡¯s a few more?¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    As Argrave and Anneliese walked to speak to Sophia, a thought did linger on his mind. Had Sophia changed him? Since he first remembered entering that ce, he¡¯d always been a little sympathetic to her situation. But why? Was it just a human thing, or was it something deeper? And even if Argrave could cut past the situation to think objectively, would he care to? Looking at his fennec fox, snug in Sophia¡¯s arms as she tried to act asleep, doubt bubbled.


    #####


    ¡°He¡¯s in here?¡± Argrave looked at Mnie. ¡°Awake?¡±


    She stood there with arms crossed, peering into the cell. ¡°Yeah. Took off all that artificing stuff, put it where he couldn¡¯t get it unless he was some kind of freak. But Dario¡­ he¡¯s mighty ruined.¡±


    ¡°Can he talk?¡± Anneliese peered into the dark room.


    ¡°He talked long enough to spill about Mozzahr. After that¡­ quiet. I think he still can, but it¡¯s a matter of ¡®will.¡¯¡±


    ¡°How¡¯d you get him to talk before?¡± He studied her.


    ¡°Must be my irresistible charm.¡± Mnie shrugged.


    Argrave gestured inside. ¡°Got any left?¡±


    Mnie rolled her shoulders. ¡°I mean¡­ I suppose I can try.¡±


    ¡°By the way¡­ you might¡¯ve said thousands of lives, getting Dario to confess. And mine, on top of all of that.¡± Argrave pointed his finger. ¡°I haven¡¯t forgotten that. Won¡¯t forget it, not for a second.¡±


    Mnie shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I don¡¯t want anything.¡±


    She entered into the room where Dario awaited. Argrave sat there blinking, and looked at Anneliese. She seemed just as surprised. The two of them gathered themselves, then followed after her to get answers from Dario.

 Chapter 534: Good-Tinted Glasses

    Mnie had said that Dario was ¡®mighty ruined.¡¯ Upon visiting him in the mountain prison cells guarded by far too many people, Argrave thought the description apt. They hadn¡¯t treated him too poorly on ount of the fact that he had alerted them about Mozzahr, nor had they been overkind. Ultimately, he was behind Castro¡¯s death. That wasn¡¯t something that could soon be forgotten, nor forgiven.


    Bloodshot eyes, emaciated skin, an inability to even prop himself upright, cracked skin¡­ he looked like a drug addict of thirty years, not someone who had been walking and talking down in the dwarven city of Mundi not too long ago. He had beenid out across a bed, bound by chains even with his battered body. Despite his state, his eyes appeared sharp and intelligent. Argrave held his red-eyed gaze, still thinking about Sophia. Were the subterranean mountain tribes rted to her, somehow? He doubted it.


    ¡°You stare any longer, he might get the wrong idea,¡± Mniemented. She leaned up against the side of the cell, arms crossed.


    Argrave drew himself from his moment of scrutiny, grabbed a chair, and pulled it up alongside the bed. Anneliese did the same, the iron legs letting out an unpleasant screech against the stone.


    Argrave hunched over, watching. ¡°To be honest, I thought you¡¯d have chosen death before prison.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Dario closed his eyes to look at the shame he kept hidden in his mind. ¡°Thought the same. Easy to talk, to think. Wasn¡¯t the pain that stopped me. Dying turned out to be the hard part.¡±


    ¡°We have Sophia,¡± Anneliese was the first to break the silence.


    ¡°You do.¡±


    ¡°Hause has already revealed much of what she is,¡± she continued.


    Dario turned his head to look at her. ¡°She has.¡±


    ¡°Argrave told me that you were worried about the state the world would end up in should thise to pass.¡± Anneliese stood, and put one hand on the end of the iron bedpost. ¡°If that truly is the case, I think you would be best served working with us, cooperating with us. If you represent yourself and your ideas well enough¡­ Argrave is not unreasonable. He is not apathetic, nor upassionate. We intend to find the answers, one way or another.¡±


    ¡°I chose not to die because of fear. I didn¡¯t know what came after.¡± Dario shifted his head to look up at the ceiling. ¡°So why would you people do all of this¡ªpulling apart the world we know by the seams, not knowing what¡¯s waiting on the other side? No matter how bad things are, they could always be worse.¡±


    Mnie scoffed. ¡°They could also be better, you colossally moronic mummy.¡±


    ¡°No more metaphors, allegories. You¡¯ve cooperated partly. Now, give us the information we need.¡± Argrave leaned close, cutting past the preamble. ¡°What are the Heralds?¡±


    ¡°Heralds?¡±


    ¡°The thing that was working through you,¡± Argrave pointed.


    ¡°Mmm.¡± Dario thought for a moment. ¡°Whatever it was, it came to me through dreams. Dreams at night, daydreams during the day that alerted me to things I couldn¡¯t see. Never got a name. Heard its voice a few times, but it was never that significant. It showed me different lives, different scenes. Anything that had ever happened, they could show me.¡±


    Argrave was already vaguely aware of that given Dario¡¯s letters, but he sought to confirm things. ¡°They showed you us? Traugott? Mozzahr? Not just informed, but showed?¡±


    ¡°Yes. All of you.¡±


    Argrave bit his lip¡ªthe Heralds¡¯ omniscience was confirmed. ¡°How long has this been happening?¡±


    Dario thought. ¡°Don¡¯t know. A year, maybe more. Don¡¯t have much grasp of time. Just¡­ duty. They can¡¯t interfere directly. They have to act through another, or they dissipate. Without a willing host, the most they can do is nullify certain abilities¡ªmagic, divinity.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Anneliese asked.


    ¡°Because¡­¡± Dario thought. ¡°Because they¡¯re not inside this realm, not really. They¡¯re outsiders.¡±


    Mnie walked away from the wall she leaned against, then peered down at Dario. ¡°And what was it that they showed you to convince you to tear yourself apart just to force Castro to do the unthinkable?¡±


    ¡°They showed me things I¡¯m told Argrave can understand very personally.¡± Dario wrenched his gaze away, unable to hold hers. ¡°This ce isn¡¯t all there is.¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯m not from here. Is that why they called me a parasite?¡±


    ¡°Yes. You slipped past things, wormed yourself into this ce, and now gorge yourself on the fruits of others. That¡¯s their perspective.¡± Dario sighed deeply. ¡°More than Traugott, more than Mozzahr, it was you they feared. Someone that doesn¡¯t belong. Someone that sees like they do, even if in a stranger way. This cycle of judgment, terrible as it is, is far less costly than the alternatives they showed me. The alternatives that you careen toward headlong, seeking the source of Gerechtigkeit. I¡¯ll tell you why I did what I did.


    ¡°I did it because you could cause the end of all divinity, the end of their servants. You could bring about the total eradication of magic and all creations it sustains. That''s what could happen here, in this realm, alone. Beyond? A central pir of existence would cease to be. Billions would be violently disced as the natural order of things crumbles.¡± Dario closed his eyes. ¡°Like it or not, this world we live in sustains billions of lives outside it.¡±


    ¡°But it didn''t always. Gerechtigkeit is a fabrication, a construction by other minds unconcerned with this realm and its fate.¡± Argrave tapped his temple. ¡°I went, Dario. I saw. And I think I know how this nightmare began.¡±


    ¡°What was, wasn''t what is,¡± Dario rebuked. ¡°Many millennia have passed since that scene you saw, that child¡¯s memory of events millennia past. It was time enough for lives, the same as yours and mine, to be built upon this edifice of our tragedy. We should not tear it down and condemn the billions ignorant of us.¡±


    ¡°Are you telling us that Gerechtigkeit sustains other ces?¡± Anneliese looked fascinated.


    Dario nodded. ¡°Yes. Precisely.¡±


    ¡°So, what, the Heralds are innocentnd developers, and we''re the poor natives that have to die so that luxury homes can fill the universe? We''re supposed to endure an endless cycle of judgment so those people can live happy lives? Is that what you¡¯re conveying to me?¡± Argrave pointed between himself and Dario.


    ¡°No. This isn¡¯t some enterprise by the¡­ the Heralds, as you call them. This world, and all others simr to it, are not their manufactured design. These billions are living their lives just as you or me¡ªthey were born not knowing why, wandering through life seeking purpose and survival. But all of that could cease to be if Gerechtigkeit is thwarted. You could condemn them all, Argrave. If the cycle of judgment ends, you, yourself, would be casting judgment on billions you¡¯ve not met. It could be a ce just like the one you came from.¡±


    Argrave took a deep breath, then exhaled. ¡°Could.¡± He leaned in closer. ¡°Have you ever thought that the Heralds aren¡¯t showing you the whole story?¡± Dario closed his eyes, and Argrave continued. ¡°Oh, I bet it¡¯s crossed your mind once or twice. They only show you the bad, while there¡¯s a whole world of good out there just ripe for the picking. Only¡­ it doesn¡¯t align with their interests. So they kept it hidden, kept it quiet.¡±


    Dario opened his eyes and focused upon Argrave. ¡°Perhaps that¡¯s true. But if there was a way someone could kill tens of billions with some dim possibility of a better oue, would you let them take that risk? Could you gamble the lives of billions on a hope?¡±


    Mnie walked to the foot of the bed. ¡°Do you think Gerechtigkeit hasn¡¯t killed billions, directly or indirectly, with the chaos he¡¯s caused? And do you think he won¡¯t in the future?¡±


    ¡°But that¡¯s just it, isn¡¯t it?¡± Dario looked between the three of them in the room. ¡°It¡¯s as I told you back then. Peoplee to different definitions of ¡®good¡¯ based on their interpretation. I do¡­ regret the damage I caused. But I won¡¯t renounce the reason I caused it. I tell you now only because I hope that you, too, will see and understand.¡±


    ¡°All predicated on the word of people that¡¯d wither you away?¡± Mnie pointed out. ¡°This is what you base your decisions on? You¡¯re a fool. People tell you one lie, and you¡ª"


    ¡°Argrave.¡± Dario looked at him intently. ¡°You understand, don¡¯t you? Would you destroy the world you left behind for this one? Would you? Because that could well happen, if you don¡¯t do the right thing when the timees.¡±


    Argrave gave no answers, but the question stuck with him as he crossed his arms. ¡°What actually are the Heralds?¡±


    Dario settled back into his bed, all vigor in him dissipating. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Even that name is new to me.¡±


    ¡°Is there anything more you can tell us?¡± Anneliese insisted.


    ¡°No. They kept me on a need-to-know basis, perhaps expecting such an eventuality.¡± He swallowed dryly. ¡°If I dip into conjecture¡­ I think they¡¯re as mortal as you or I. Because before my guide left me, I felt anger. Anger, and fear.¡±


    Anneliese studied him for a long moment, and then rose to her feet. ¡°You¡¯ve been remarkably honest with us.¡±


    ¡°Well, I told him whoes in here if he doesn¡¯t.¡± Mnie continued to stare hard.


    ¡°If?¡± Dario looked around. ¡°Despite yourpassion, I think you¡¯re a pragmatist, Argrave. There¡¯s no good reason not to give me to the Alchemist. All I ask is for¡­ something quick, quiet, and painless. Don¡¯t make it painful.¡±


    ¡°Come on, now, stop with the doom and gloom,¡± Mnie shook her head, then looked to Argrave. She looked to have more to say, but trailed off when she saw the look in Argrave¡¯s eye.


    Argrave stared long and hard at Dario, asking himself a harder question than he¡¯d thought. The Alchemist could certainly get the best results if death and an autopsy were on the table. And Castro had died because of this man.

 Chapter 535: King and Nepotist

    ¡°I won¡¯t tolerate you being ungentle with Sophia.¡± Argrave crossed his arms as he stood before the Alchemist. ¡°You need to be as kind as you know how before I ever bring her around here.¡±


    Argrave and the Alchemist stood on the mountainside where he¡¯d chosen to set up shop. It was far removed from any prying eyes, and the only people that hung around here were ostensibly the great big snake Vasquer and Onychinusa, the unsociable recluse.


    The Alchemist looked down upon Argrave with his cold gray eyes, and Argrave suspected that if he had nostrils, they¡¯d be ring in annoyance. ¡°If you were going to be so sentimental, why did you send Castro to perish instead of myself?¡±


    Argrave felt like he¡¯d taken a punch to the gut after hearing the truthid out so inly. ¡°I don¡¯t want to relive what was going through my head. Suffice it to say that it was an impossible situation to be put in, and I¡¯m never going to forget what Castro did.¡±


    The Alchemist turned away and started walking. ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯d weep with joy.¡±


    Argrave red up at him. ¡°Why are you making this more difficult than it is? Do you think I chose wrong, is that what you¡¯re trying to convey? You think it¡¯d be better for you to be the Smiling Raven?¡±


    The Alchemist stopped walking and looked back, returning a question with one of his own. ¡°Why do you think I offered?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re angry at me? I thought that was beyond you.¡± Argrave walked closer. ¡°The simple fact is, we never would have gotten this far without you. And I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll get much further if you were some mindless abomination trapped in this gemstone.¡± Argrave held up the gleaming ck Ravenstone, and it dangling from its chain.


    ¡°And yet you treat the thing we retrieved with undeniable ties to Gerechtigkeit like a princess, giving her a bed and a home, whispering sweet words, introducing her to your family, fabricating excuses as to why you should wee her as family.¡± The Alchemist leaned down. ¡°You cannot be pragmatic only when it suits your whimsy.¡±


    Argrave grabbed his head. ¡°I know. Damn you, I know. Hause ims¡­ ims that I might¡¯ve been changed by her. Sophia is one half of the cycle of judgment. She¡¯s creation itself. I can¡¯t exin why I like the kid beyond weak titudes like ¡®it¡¯s the right thing to do,¡¯ and ¡®she¡¯s just a little girl.¡¯ It makes sense in my head, but¡­ what if it doesn¡¯t?¡±


    The Alchemist studied Argrave intently in silence. Countless eyes opened all on his body to better survey him. ¡°She is creation?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Argrave nodded.


    The Alchemist looked up at the sky, and the thousand eyes faded. ¡°That does make sense.¡±


    Argrave raised his brows. ¡°It does?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it does.¡± The Alchemist looked to be parsing through half a thousand thoughts, but then he refocused on Argrave. ¡°This Sophia thing being unimaginably powerful and being a young girl are not mutually exclusive concepts. You managed to make the dwarves suffer you. If you cannot do the same for a seven-year-old child, that would be unimaginably disgraceful. So, I concede. I will not be ¡®ungentle.¡¯ But you need to harden yourself to something.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Argrave tilted his head.


    ¡°Hause imed Sophia was one half of the cycle of judgment,¡± the Alchemist said.


    ¡°Correct.¡±


    ¡°Our goal is to end the cycle of judgment.¡±


    Argrave held his arms out. ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°Are you being deliberately obtuse?¡± The Alchemist walked closer, some annoyance on his tone, then paused. ¡°Hmm¡­ I don¡¯t think you are.¡± Instead of making new eyes, the Alchemist leaned down until the solemn pupils on his face were just before Argrave¡¯s.


    ¡°What I mean, Argrave, is that you shoulde to terms that she may need to be destroyed. If she is half of the whole, her death may be the only thing to bring about the cessation of the cycle of judgment. It¡¯s far too early to say. Can something ever truly be destroyed if half of it remains?¡±


    #####


    Still rattled from the Alchemist¡¯s im that Sophia might need to perish, Argrave felt himself calming second by second as he sat with all of his most trustedpanions. These were the people that he¡¯d been honest to without reservations. Anneliese, Elenore, Gmon, Orion, Durran, and Mnie. These people were the core of the kingdom, now, without much exaggeration. There was no one else he would rather consult for advice.


    This group sat in a small meeting chamber in the parliamentary hall. Here, they¡¯d received dwarves in months past. Now it was only them, sitting around this table with a finished meal before them.


    ¡°What we¡¯ve done¡­ it¡¯s changed thendscape of the fight going forth,¡± Argrave exined to them. ¡°Gerechtigkeit will be so much greater than he was before, provided our opponent isn¡¯t lying to us. We¡¯ve opened up Pandora¡¯s Box.¡±


    ¡°He means that we unleashed chaos that cannot be restrained, for those confused,¡± Anneliese exined the meaning of his reference, and Mnie nodded in agreement.


    Argrave took her exnation in stride, continuing, ¡°But it seems that greater challenges bring greater rewards. We¡¯ve set on the path to untying the noose that¡¯s been strangling this world for the countless years behind us. I felt as if we were amply prepared with the ckgard Union, and the measures we¡¯ve taken here in Vasquer. Now¡­ now, I¡¯m not so sure.


    ¡°The battle with the Qircassian Coalition ising, as is the counter invasion of the Great Chu headed by you, Gman.¡± Argrave looked at Gmon, and his somber friend only nodded. ¡°Now, more than ever, it¡¯s important our victory be decisive and beneficial. We cannot afford the internecine conflicts of cycles past. With the dwarves and the Veidimen as our allies and no serious internal problems guing this nation¡­ we have the opportunity to jump off a springboard that leads to a global alliance. And given the magnitude of what we¡¯re facing, I think that¡¯s necessary.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Mnie leaned into the table. ¡°On that note, I¡¯ve been giving some thought about Dario¡¯s situation. He¡¯s an artificer. We can employ him to¡ª¡±


    Argrave raised his hand. ¡°Rx, Mnie. I¡¯ve decided to let Dario be.¡±


    Mnie blinked her green eyes a few times in surprise, but quickly said, ¡°I was only speaking pragmatically. Imagine if all of our soldiers could be armed like him.¡±


    ¡°True. As for you being only pragmatic, well¡­ Anneliese said some different things.¡± He looked to his side, and Anneliese affirmed it with a nod.


    Mnie looked sorely aggrieved. ¡°¡¯Some different things?¡¯ Did you honestly just say something that vague in front of everyone? Is she implying I want to shag that mummy without the bandages? That idiot with the vacant stare and the constantints about how it¡¯s so hard to be a good person?¡± Mnie seemed to realize only btedly the difference in their station, and appended, ¡°Respectfully intended, Your Highness, of c¡ª¡±


    Elenore and Durran both hid her amusement like childrenughing in ss when they shouldn¡¯t, while Anneliese assured, ¡°I know. You feel pity and morbid curiosity. And you do raise a good point¡ªhe can still be made use of. If he can employ those metal frames he used on his own body without the help of a Herald, it could be wondrous indeed.¡±


    Mnie finally rxed in front of them, and even Argrave could tell something finally set in for her. She was wee here, no matter what she said or asked for. And given all she¡¯d done, he was d of it.


    ¡°Mighty d we set the record straight,¡± Mnie said, then joined Durran and Elenore in some mirth with a shake of her head.


    Argrave waited until things had slowed somewhat, then said in a low voice, ¡°We¡¯ll have to inform the Order of the Gray Owl about Castro¡¯s death, soon.¡±


    Elenore looked at Argrave. ¡°Have you a sessor in mind? If so, I can pull some strings.¡±


    ¡°Castro did,¡± Argrave told her. ¡°And I trust him.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Elenore nodded. ¡°So¡ªthe war. That will consume the bulk of your attention. But I assume the arrival of this young girl has other implications.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Argrave ced his elbows on the table, nodding. ¡°Officially, she¡¯ll be my niece. Unofficially, she is the most important person here moving forward. We have to make her walk a path of flowers while we try and figure out how she factors into everything. Chances are, her role won¡¯te to y until Gerechtigkeit surfaces.¡±


    Orion broke his silence, asking, ¡°Which will be in¡­?¡±


    ¡°One year, two months,¡± Elenore answered. ¡°Isn¡¯t that right?¡±


    ¡°Right again. But that¡¯s only my memory, so we should be well prepared long before then in case the worst happens and our friend actually happens to arrive early. But people never actually arrive early, so we¡¯re worrying over nothing,¡± Argrave waved his hand dismissively.


    ¡°It seems we have no time for repose.¡± Orion settled his arms on the table. ¡°I had hoped for some time to visit with my mother. I believe her rity is returning, day by day, as she wears that artifact we scavenged from Erlebnis¡¯ vault.¡±


    Argrave looked at him. ¡°No time for repose, indeed. Orion¡ªyou¡¯re going to teach me how to fight.¡±


    Anneliese and Orion said simultaneously, ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve seen me fight, haven¡¯t you? I can swap ces with my blood echoes using something I¡¯ve named [Echo Step]. You¡¯ve seen it, I assume. Regardless, it allows me to travel around the battlefield instantaneously. And that is an unprecedented advantage in a fight. I¡¯m wearing all these divine armaments, but I don¡¯t really know how to use the strength they give me. So, Orion¡ªas a strong person who¡¯s been trained to fight, I¡¯m thinking you should teach me.¡± He pointed at Gmon. ¡°I¡¯d ask him, but he¡¯s busy in the north.¡±


    ¡°I would be¡­ immeasurably honored, Your Majesty.¡± Orion put a trembling hand to his chest.


    ¡°Good. It¡¯s decided.¡± Looking around, Argrave could tell Anneliese had more to sayter, but she didn¡¯t voice these thoughts. ¡°It¡¯s going to be a long, long year, folks. Things are going to converge on us in ways you can¡¯t imagine. And we have to be ready for it. I¡¯m going to be asking a lot from each of you. But the reason why you¡¯re all here is because I know you can, and will, handle it.


    ¡°We¡¯re going beyond Berendar. We¡¯re going beyond the world I knew. We¡¯re going beyond the realm of possibilities I had conceived in my head when I set out along this path well over two years ago.¡± Argrave set his arms upon the table, and the tes ttered. ¡°You¡¯re family, all of you. And I¡¯m a massive nepotist, apparently, so you guys will do great.¡±

 Chapter 536: Continental Siege

    Emperor Ji Meng had not been able to learn much about thisnd he found himself stranded in. His captors kept him well-guarded on the ship that they had taken from him in his failed invasion. Though surrounded by the silk of his personal quarters, they might have well been steel bars. He had thought this fleet indomitable when it departed from the docks of the south. Overnd and sea his army travelled, the winds at their back like some divine blessing the whole way. In a day, fortune turned to deep misfortune as he was reminded that he, too, was mortal.


    But Ji Meng did not lose his patience. He was kept alive for a reason¡ªa reason that was sure to make itself clear in the days toe. Days became weeks, and weeks a month. Then, finally, a rope descended from the heavens with which he could climb back up. It came in the form of elves. Though wiped out in the Great Chu, various races of their kind persisted in thisnd he¡¯d intended to plunder. These ones called themselves Veidimen.


    The Veidimen leader, Patriarch Dras, sat across from Ji Meng. He was bald, and had sharp white eyes that peered down upon him with authority. These elves all possessed giant stature, but their size meant little when he was already a captive stripped of weapon and armor and forced to drink a draught that suppressed his vital force.


    ¡°You¡¯ve met my daughter, but we¡¯ve never spoken,¡± Patriarch Dras said after he¡¯d introduced himself.


    Ji Meng remained still. ¡°Remind me.¡±


    ¡°The queen,¡± the patriarch said proudly.


    Ji Meng narrowed his eyes. Some things were falling into ce. This was an alliance of some sort. Perhaps the elves were vassal to the king. It did exin why Argrave gave her the authority to sit and speak next to him as an equal.


    ¡°Does she know we¡¯re speaking?¡± Ji Meng pried. If there was dissent, he might capitalize on it.


    ¡°The royal couple suggested this conversation.¡± Dras ced his big hands on the table before them. ¡°An interesting question, though. You¡¯re quite the schemer, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    The emperor was annoyed, but he tried not to show it as he asked, ¡°What is it you want with me?¡± There didn¡¯t seem to be a single hint of disunity in this whole endeavor. Ji Meng supposed a leader willing to assault an enemy gship personally would certainly have no trouble earning the trust of those beneath him.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Argrave suggested that we use you as a imant in our invasion of the Great Chu.¡±


    Ji Meng¡¯s mind reeled with the news, but he remained calm outwardly.


    Dras pointed at him. ¡°If not for your character, it might¡¯ve been a good idea.¡±


    ¡°My character?¡± Ji Meng repeated.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I could control you. You¡¯ll y along until you have an opportunity to break free. I thought about breaking your spine and cutting off your hands to neutralize you utterly, but then you¡¯d be less effective as a imant.¡± Dras set his hands on his knees. ¡°I imagine it¡¯d be hard to ept a cripple as the Emperor of the Great Chu. Thus, revolts. Thus, a less peaceful transfer of power.¡±


    Ji Meng took a drink of the brew in front of him. When silence stretched out, he beckoned. ¡°You¡¯ve got more to say, so just say it.¡±


    Dras began again as if he¡¯d been waiting for permission. ¡°The people that puppeteered your imperial court have acted more prudently than expected. Our mole on the inside was discovered and purged, and their strategy has changed. This entire continent is effectively under siege. We had expected to beunching our counter-invasion by this time.¡±


    ¡°Continental siege?¡± Ji Meng¡¯s disbelief vored his tone.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Dras¡¯ nod was troubled. ¡°Even gods can build siege weapons. But unlike, say, a trebuchet¡­ the stones that they sling can bridge continents. And they don¡¯t sling stones, either. They sling magic of devastating proportions that has the potential to wipe out a city.¡±


    It sounded absurd, but Ji Meng couldn¡¯t bring himself tough. He had heard tales of the cycle of judgment. New cruelties of war were born every millennium under the desperation it wrought.


    ¡°The situation has changed.¡± Dras looked at Ji Meng firmly. ¡°We can defend against the siege, and we have long been self-sustaining. But it wears us down and diverts us from the main goal. We can no longer afford to wait idly while the Qircassian Coalition rains hellfire upon this continent. They either know this¡­ or got lucky. We can tolerate neither.¡±


    ¡°Where do Ie in? Unless you wished to consult me for advice, I don¡¯t see the point of telling me anything.¡±


    ¡°You need to be apprised of events. You¡¯re going to be a part of them.¡± Dras watched intently. ¡°How do you want this situation to end for you?¡±


    Ji Mengughed. ¡°I should be grateful for survival.¡±


    A chirp sounded out, and Ji Meng only now noticed a golden bird watching in the corner of the room.


    Patriarch Dras shook his head. ¡°You should be honest. That bird has a clever mind within it, and she hates lies.¡±


    Ji Meng tapped his knee, irritated. ¡°That would be a prized pet in the imperial court.¡± There were too many unknowns in this ce. A bird that disliked lies? It didn¡¯t feel like a bluff, but he decided to try it again. ¡°I want my men to get out of this alive.¡±


    The bird chirped again.


    ¡°Once more,¡± Dras prompted him heartlessly.


    ¡°Very well¡­¡± Ji Meng leaned in a little closer. ¡°I want to be emperor once more. I want to purge my court of all the people that¡¯ve corrupted it, and get vengeance against the gods that¡¯ve enacted this n. I want to ensure that my family, my lineage, survives, because I love them.¡±


    Dras waited, but the bird stayed silent. The patriarch nodded. ¡°Any other targets of vengeance?¡±


    ¡°Of course. The suns and the moon, alongside all flies and dragons. I¡¯ll kill the world,¡± Ji Meng dered grandly.


    The bird chirped.


    Dras was simrly unmoved by the joke. ¡°You don¡¯t harbor a grudge against Vasquer?¡±


    Ji Meng knew he should not answer. ¡°Why even ask? It would take centuries to build a fleetrge enough to contest yours. If I bore a grudge, it would never bear fruit.¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± Dras nodded. He didn¡¯t seem displeased that Ji Meng refused to answer.


    The emperor studied the bird. There seemed to be some intelligence in those eyes. Perhaps it could discern more than lies.


    He looked back to his interrogator. ¡°What now?¡±


    Patriarch Dras rose to his feet. ¡°There will be more questions to ask, and more answers for you to give. For now, content yourself with this; you will be returning to the Great Chu. And should things go our way, it will be the site of the most important war in the entire history of the world.¡±


    #####


    Orion swung his sword in a heavy, fast overhead swing. Argrave barely caught his brother¡¯s de with his parrying dagger, pulled it to the side with the guard, and thenshed out with his own sword. Orion sidestepped, then struck out at Argrave¡¯s knee with a kick. Argrave disentangled his dagger to dodge, and metal rattled against metal in the exchange. Orion came again with a thrust, but Argrave pped the de aside with his dagger, then watched Orion cautiously. The ck-haired brothers circled each other, gray eyes steady andbative. Orion¡¯s gaze broke away first, looking to the sun.


    ¡°That¡¯s the hour. Your reactions are getting somewhat better, Your Majesty.¡± Orion usually gave effusive praise, but as Argrave¡¯s trainer, had remained rather practical. ¡°Using weapons of blood will make things easier for you, but it¡¯ll be good to practice with steel.¡±


    Argrave shook the arm that held the parrying dagger. Orion wore no armor at all, while Argrave wore his full set of armor that strengthened him in both magical and divine manners. Despite that, Orion¡¯s raw strength still overpowered him. The blessings from Vasquer¡¯s faux-pantheon persisted in his brother, strong as ever.


    Still, after all this direct training, Argrave could block a blow from Orion with nothing but enhanced strength and a hardy dagger. That meant something. More importantly, he learned how to contest foes in close quarters. With his blood echoes, he could teleport to any position in a battle using [Echo Step]. With Orion¡¯s training, he felt like he might be powerful enough for what wasing up.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± he told Orion.


    Orion nodded, heading to retrieve his discarded armor. Argrave waited patiently, while he thought of someone else enduring the same sort of lesson from a master perhaps even harsher than Orion¡­


    #####


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell anyone you¡¯re my pupil,¡± Rowe the Righteous, master spellcaster of Veiden, said as he looked upon Anneliese. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be embarrassed.¡±


    ¡°Very helpful, thank you,¡± Anneliese nodded.


    Rowe crossed his legs on the stool he sat upon. ¡°Do you think S-rank magic is something so easily mastered? Do you think I can merely say a word or two and have you capable of breaching the wall?¡±


    ¡°All you¡¯ve done is provoke me. I cannot recall a word you¡¯ve said on the subject, let alone two,¡± Anneliese shook her head.


    ¡°Memory issues so young. Hmm.¡± Rowe smoked from a pipe, blowing rings into the air.


    Anneliese stepped away from the smoke and watched him, then corrected her long white hair. ¡°That will harm you if you keep doing it.¡±


    ¡°So does being old. I¡¯ve done it thus far without dying.¡± Rowe looked at her, then begrudgingly snuffed out the pipe with ice magic. ¡°Fine. It¡¯s a human habit, anyhow.¡± He emptied the pipe of its contents, then focused on her amber eyes. ¡°Listen¡­ considering you¡¯re going to dismantle that Qircassian Coalition soon, perhaps we should give up on teaching you S-rank magic. We should round out your fundamentals.¡±


    ¡°I can do it,¡± Anneliese insisted. ¡°I can learn.¡±


    ¡°Can you?¡± Rowe stashed the pipe away. ¡°No matter. I¡¯ve held you up. You have something to tend to.¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡± Anneliese looked reminded of it only now, and stepped away to leave without much more dialogue. When she left the room, Rowe stared at where she was.


    ¡°Yes, you can learn. You¡¯re a damned monster¡­¡± Rowe mumbled bitterly. ¡°Why did I work so hard? For lucky pissers like that¡­ for the talented¡­¡±


    With a long sigh, Rowe got out his pipe again, alreadymenting having emptied it.


    #####


    Argrave and his closest counsel sat in a table. His sister spoke to him quickly, reading from a paper.


    ¡°One of the attacks did make it through. I¡¯m told not many lives were lost, but it did set fire to arge portion of the royal forest in the southeast.¡± Elenore looked up at Argrave as she concluded her report. ¡°The wildfire caused a fair bit of damage to the wildlife, yet a Magister of the Order managed to quell the mes.¡±


    ¡°Good lord¡­¡± Argravemented. ¡°These attacks don¡¯t relent.¡±


    ¡°Almazora is well-suited to defend as she is a goddess of magic. But even she cannot prevent every st over the whole continent,¡± the Alchemist said.


    ¡°They should have done this from the beginning,¡± Mnie remarked. ¡°Seems to be working rather well.¡±


    ¡°They thought they were ambushing us with their naval invasion. Sataistador was the only reason we knew about it in advance,¡± Anneliese reminded her.


    ¡°Their utterck of response disquiets me,¡± said Gmon. ¡°We expected an invasion from the heart of their forces after the defeat of the imperial navy. Instead, they chip away at us. Why? We can endure these attacks forever.¡±


    ¡°Could be Sataistador. He¡¯s stopped giving us information about the Qircassian Coalition. He said his mole was purged, but that¡¯s a little dubious,¡± Durran spected. He¡¯d ced more gold tattoos on his face, and they aligned nicely with his eyes of the same color. ¡°Maybe our god of war has changed sides. Maybe he intends to take us on with them at his side.¡±


    ¡°If Sataistador switched sides, I suspect he would already be tearing through the countryside recklessly,¡± Anneliese guessed.


    ¡°I appreciate everyone¡¯s insight, but the bottom line is this: the Alchemist has confirmed that Gerechtigkeit¡¯s power has been amplified ever since Sophia was freed of Sandbara.¡± Argrave tapped the table. ¡°He¡¯s going to be stronger by many magnitudes. I thought we were ready, but now we¡¯re going to need to bring the strength of the world to our side. To do that, we have to eliminate our biggest rival decisively, and make peace with those who remain.¡±


    Everyone looked at him, waiting for that final wall to copse. Even Argrave knew what had to be done, but saying it was a different matter.


    ¡°¡­considering their strategy, that means heading to the Great Chu,¡± Argrave finally said.


    ¡°Even assuming that can be pulled off, what if it backfires?¡± Onychinusa, the ancient elf, chimed in. ¡°Thest thing the gods want is an uncontested power. What if they unite to fight us?¡±


    ¡°If that should happen, we withstand their coalition, and when Gerechtigkeites, they¡¯ll be all the easier to redirect,¡± Argrave rebutted. Even he thought the idea was a littlecking. But that was just the thing¡ªwith the situation as it was, the Qircassian Coalition had forced their hand. ¡°I¡¯m going to meet with Sataistador onest time,¡± Argrave told them. ¡°It¡¯ll be the same as thest times¡ªtense. All of you should be ready. After that¡­ we prepare to lift this continental siege.¡±

 Chapter 537: Help As Best We Can

    ¡°Durran told me you said that these were made to kill gods,¡± Argrave said, staring down upon a ballista. It was entirely metallic, even the string that fired the bolt. He had seen it fire, and when it did, it let out a deep resonating rumble that might be used for music were it not so intimidating. He turned his head to its maker, Dario. ¡°Was that a bluff?¡±


    Dario sat on a chair, his crutches at his side. His arms were wrapped in bandages¡ªif they weren¡¯t wrapped, they would bleed profusely. He had braces on his legs that kept them from bending. His bones were more pliable than others, and without the braces his limbs would bend and eventually snap if he put excessive pressure on them. In summary, he was totally and utterly ruined after assisting the Heralds in trying to keep Argrave from Sandbara. But still he lived, and surprisingly¡­ still he served.


    Dario gestured at it weakly. ¡°When I had one strapped to my arm, the Heralds powered them. These models are magic or lightning powered, like the rest of my people¡¯s work. They¡¯re less powerful, but still miles ahead of any weapons your army has. They can kill lesser gods, damage greater ones. As for ancient gods, I¡¯m skeptical.¡±


    ¡°How many have you made?¡± Argrave asked, touching it and moving it about with his hand.


    ¡°About two thousand.¡±


    Argrave stopped and looked at him. ¡°I said ¡®made,¡¯ not ¡®will make.¡¯¡±


    Dario grabbed his crutches and rose. ¡°And I said two thousand.¡±


    Argrave followed the crippled master artificer as he shambled through his workshop. Though technically imprisoned, Elenore had ordered a workshop built in Vysenn that employed the magma in the volcano to operate forges of higher metals¡ªboth dwarven, and what the subterranean mountain people used for their golems. Considering Gerechtigkeit was bound tomandeer golems when he descended, they couldn¡¯t make any constructs. Instead, Dario made these ballistae en masse. Argrave hadn¡¯t been expecting much, but Dario led him into another room.


    Rows of these weapons of war spread out before Argrave, all of them so recently forged that they hadn¡¯t even collected dust. Each and every one looked factory made. He supposed the casting part would be rather easy to perfect, but as far as he knew, Dario would have to manually carve energy pathways that transferred power from a core into the metal to give it power and purpose.


    Argrave looked around in wonder. ¡°Did Elenore give you assistants?¡±


    ¡°She offered, but I turned them away. Even I won¡¯t give away my people¡¯s secrets so easily. All I have are constant guards,¡± Dario referenced, looking back where a few armored mages watched vigntly. ¡°I¡¯ve decided to make these weapons every second I¡¯m awake. It¡¯s harder to think about what I¡¯ve done when I¡¯m working. There¡¯s just the heat of the forge reminding me that if I make a mistake, I¡¯ll lose fingers or worse. Then, I chisel the energy pathways into the ballista and its power core until I run out of raw materials.¡±


    ¡°How did you learn all of this? I don¡¯t remember you in the ce I came from,¡± Argrave said bluntly.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t special. Right tool, right ce, right time. The Heralds led me, and I learned from dreams,¡± Dario recounted. ¡°Forgotten methods. Forgotten forges. They showed me the Iron Giants and much more. Our people were devastated by golems in thest cycle¡­ yet still, we haven¡¯t fully learned our lesson.¡± He looked to Argrave. ¡°I¡¯ll work day and night until my body gives up. But I hope I can ask something of you, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°¡­go ahead,¡± Argrave gestured.


    ¡°Consider my perspective. Give up this foolish pursuit, and return Sophia to the Heralds.¡± He ground his walking aids against the ground. ¡°And if you don¡¯t¡­ at least save my people.¡±


    Dario didn¡¯t wait for an answer. He walked down, crutches clinking against the stone, until he got to his workbench. There, the magma of Vysenn roared heat into the room. He merely got back to work, casting metal as he chiseled energy pathways into the pieces which had already been forged.


    Argrave examined the ballistae once more. He hade here to get a little more insurance against Sataistador for thising meeting, but Elenore said that he might be surprised by what he saw. He agreed with her sentiment. Dario had made something suitable to arm an army. If these ballistae could be powered, they would have a tremendous advantage against the forces of the Great Chu.


    Another reason to thank Mnie, thought Argrave as he tapped a ballista¡¯s brace. He looked with pity at the man broken far beyond what magic could fix. Maybe in another life¡­ things didn¡¯t have to end this way.


    Then again, this wasn¡¯t the end.


    #####


    Argrave had chosen to meet with Sataistador near Castle Cookpot in a wide-open in. Long ago, he and Anneliese had fought against the tephramancers of the Vysenn people in this region. Now, the baster-skinned tribes werergely under the thumb of Vasquer. Argrave had kept his promise and vacated theirnd after the business in Sandbara, but extended contact with Vasquer and witnessing the refugees living extremely well in ckgard had led to something of a voluntary diaspora.


    Now, the tribes even permitted traders, and Elenore had obviously been allowed to construct the workshop Dario and other craftsmen resided in. It was somewhat colonialist, but the tribesmen certainly weren¡¯t being treated unfairly. About a thousand of their number had joined the army, and were undergoing basic training as Argrave stood here. Warriors that were fearless and regenerative¡ªthe Veidimen warriors would make great troops out of them, and in return, their families would be living in the shelter of ckgard while the troops themselves earning a high sry.


    Georgina, freed of her imprisonment, acted as something of an ambassador between the two very different cultures. Mial, Mozzahr¡¯s daughter, had a simr role around the remnants of the Ebon Cult, who were epting that Mozzahr had died and truly beginning the difficult process of integrating into Vasquer society. They kept a close eye on how things proceeded, but thus far, both had been a boon to the kingdom¡¯s cohesion.


    Ideas came to Argrave one after the other as his eyes scanned the verdant ins before Vysenn. Argrave broke from his thinking when he saw the red-haired god of war kneeling down in a field of tall grass, his long hair swaying in the breeze. He looked to the side, where hispany waited for him to move.


    Argrave travelled with Anneliese alone for this meeting. They both wore the armor that Artur had crafted for them¡ªhis ck and gold coat, hers white and amber, with all the well-crafted armor beneath bearing his personal sun and snake heraldry. Sometimes he did feel a little ridiculous in such an borate getup, but he couldn¡¯t deny he did love looking sharp, doubly so with Anneliese by his side.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    When they approached, Sataistador stood up. He was like a lion emerging from the bushes¡ªnothing in one second, then an image that sparked a primal fear in the next. Wearing barbaric armor and bearing many weapons on his person, he looked the same as ever. Namely, menacing.


    ¡°There are an awful lot of rather interesting weapons nearby,¡± the god greeted them.


    ¡°They¡¯re being transported north,¡± Argrave said, excuse on hand.


    ¡°Of course. Though, I¡¯d be careful. If you have them loaded and ready to shoot while you¡¯re transporting them, they might identally loose a bolt as we speak.¡±


    Argrave smiled broadly. ¡°Thank you for the advice. I¡¯ll take it to heart once we finish this conversation.¡±


    Sataistadorughed. ¡°Fair enough. I¡¯d hoped to have this conversation in ckgard, but you¡¯ve fortified that ce well enough that even I had trouble slipping by. The all-seeing snake, the magic wards in the sky and thend¡­ why, it¡¯s a final bastion. What¡¯s so important in there? People? Or something else?¡±


    Anneliese stepped up beside Argrave. ¡°Your n to counterattack the Qircassian Coalition fell apart. We were wondering if you had something to do with it.¡±


    He looked at her with his predatory green eyes. ¡°Why would I kill my child?¡±


    ¡°Because you are you,¡± Anneliese crossed her arms, undeterred.


    ¡°True,¡± he nodded. ¡°But I was actually rather fond of that n. Do you think I expected them to set up that weapon they¡¯re using? The Sky Tower, they call it.¡± Sataistador looked back to where the Great Chu was, reminiscing. ¡°Qircassia¡¯s creation, but Erlebnis¡¯ design. It¡¯s a great pir of clouds in the sky, erupting like a volcano day after day. You can feel the rumblings from the ground. Qircassia¡¯s made it their unassable fortress. If they purged my informant, then they know I¡¯m after them. I suspect it¡¯s why they¡¯re cowering so, firing at Berendar like cowards.¡±


    ¡°The way the pieces have fallen, we¡¯re going to have to attack. I don¡¯t care to endure this bombardment forever,¡± Argrave disclosed bluntly. ¡°I think that your role has to change. You need to make sure we can sail overseas without being disturbed by something. We join forces, and we kill them all.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going to head overseas?¡± Sataistador crossed his huge arms. ¡°Well¡­ wonders never cease. You¡¯re turning out to be much more likable than I thought you were.¡±


    Argrave didn¡¯t like hearing that. He didn¡¯t like any of this. He had been against this invasion since the beginning, but the longer he stewed on it, the more he epted that rescuing Sophia meant he could not afford the half-measure that was sending the Veidimen as lone invaders. He needed to get rid of hisrgest opposition once and for all, liberate the Great Chu, and turn the world against the true threat that was Gerechtigkeit. At least his personal involvement would mean he¡¯d have a greater degree of control over the situation.


    ¡°The thing that they want most is for you to sail overseas,¡± Sataistador said inly. ¡°That liquid fire you dealt with against their fleet¡ªGreat Chu docks abound with the stuff. They can set miles of the ocean ame for months while they bombard your fleet with their magic¡ªthough, they queerly call that power ¡®vital force.¡¯ No ships could possibly sail those waters.¡±


    ¡°I have a n for that,¡± Anneliese said. ¡°Besides, their magic bombardments would help me greatly.¡±


    ¡°But those are only mortal means,¡± Sataistador shook his head. ¡°They have gods.¡±


    ¡°And we have some of our own.¡±


    Sataistador tilted his head. ¡°Isn¡¯t the ckgard Union a defensive coalition?¡±


    ¡°The best defense is a good offense. I think I can persuade them of that.¡± Argrave gave a false smile. ¡°I have some ns of my own, you see.¡±


    ¡°The two of you¡­ you work well together.¡± Sataistador sighed. ¡°Would that I had a woman like yours. I intended to groom Mnie for that role, but she seemed to view you as a better prospect than me. No matter. How would you like me to factor in?¡±


    ¡°The liquid fire, the magic, the docks¡ªwe¡¯ll handle that on our end. All we want from you is to abate the pressure the gods of the Qircassian Coalition cause. Hunt them, tear them apart, and eat them alive.¡± Argrave gestured. ¡°Sounds like something you¡¯d enjoy.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it? You don¡¯t intend for me to distract the more notable members of the Qircassian Coalition?¡±


    ¡°The only one of those I truly fear is the leader. Qircassia is a god ofnd and sky. The sea has always been his weak point.¡±


    Sataistador stewed. ¡°You¡¯re relying on me a fair bit all the same.¡±


    ¡°Not really. Law is easily on Qircassia¡¯s level. He¡¯s my patron, and I now how to make him tick.¡± Argrave tapped his chest. ¡°I chose my allies prudently.¡±


    Sataistador clicked his tongue, then gave a nod. ¡°Expect my aid, then. But when?¡±


    ¡°Not too long¡­¡± Argrave began, exining things to Sataistador.


    #####


    With Sataistador¡¯s assistance reaffirmed, Argrave and Anneliese returned to ckgard. Tomorrow, Argrave intended to speak with the godsprising the ckgard Union. He felt the support of some, like Veiden, was guaranteed. The others¡­ he didn¡¯t know what he might have to offer to get them to bend.


    But behind this gigantic undertaking, a crux of it remained. Sophia, the seven-year-old girl rescued from the strange city of Sandbara. Argrave¡¯s duties kept him extremely busy, but he saw her at least once a day. Despite Elenore¡¯s efforts to introduce highlypetent caretakers that had reared the children of many great noble houses, Sophia trusted only Argrave¡ªand to a lesser extent, Anneliese and Elenore. He had intended to give her a nice and calm life, but she actually wrote him an elegant letter pleading that she find some way to repay what Argrave had done. He half-thought Elenore had written it for her, but no¡ªSophia wanted to find some way to be helpful, despite being seven and severely traumatized.


    Argrave was reluctant to do anything until Sophia started trying to clean the parliamentary hall. After, Argrave assigned tutors. Sophia felt even more indebted until Argrave managed to get through to her by saying Elenore was one of his most valuable people, and she went through the same tutoring. That sealed her fate; Sophia¡¯s grand ambition became to be just like Elenore. His sister seemed somewhat baffled by this, and she clearly didn¡¯t know how to deal with children, but she treated Sophia as kindly as she could. The young child badgered her with questions on how to best help the kingdom whenever they spoke.


    And to that end, her desire to repay Argrave made a certain task all the easier.


    Argrave opened the door,ing upon Sophia as she read a book diligently. She wore a green outfit in some imitation of Elenore, had her ck hair done straight like Elenore, and her red eyes scanned the book with the same focus that Elenore often had. She was so focused that she didn¡¯t even hear the door open. Argrave knelt beside her, and some seconds passed before Sophia noticed him with a gasp.


    ¡°Your Majesty!¡± she said, shocked as only a child could be.


    ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡± Argrave said, looking around. ¡°I don¡¯t know anyone by that name.¡±


    ¡°Everybody calls you that. I should, too,¡± she said guiltily.


    ¡°The people I like can call me Argrave. I say you can. What¡¯s the matter¡ªdon¡¯t you like me too? Come on¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­hello, Argrave,¡± she said shyly.


    Argrave was a little disappointed she had corrected her speech impediment, frankly. He thought it was adorable to be called ¡®Argwave.¡¯ Still, he held his hand out and said, ¡°Hello, Sophia. It¡¯s time to visit Doctor Raven. Are you ready?¡±


    Sophia nodded, took his hand, and rose. When he turned, Anneliese stood at the door, smiling. The three of them walked side-by-side to visit the Alchemist¡ªnow known in the parliamentary hall as ¡®Doctor Raven,¡¯ a name given by Argrave. Over the past few months, the Alchemist had been exploring the depth of Sophia¡¯s power.


    Today was especially important. Apparently, the Alchemist said he¡¯d finally begun to somewhatprehend Sophia¡¯s power of creation.

 Chapter 538: Nuclear Familys Nuclear Child

    ¡®Doctor Raven¡¯ was a shallow imitation of the man that Argrave recalled seeing in Erlebnis¡¯ realm when he had absorbed the knowledge from the book in the Archives. Tall with natural gray hair, pale skin, and an ever-stoic demeanor, he examined Sophia twice a week to track what was urring within her body magically and physically. He kept track of her health just as much as the magical phenomenon within.


    Sophia obediently underwent examination without so much as a peep. When it was done, some of her caretakers took her aside that they might speak to the Alchemist in private.


    The Alchemist stayed in his human form, his eyes gray emotionless tes. ¡°Sophia has never been healthier. And so long as she draws breath, she always will be healthy. Her health is instinctual. Hause was right¡ªcreation, if not life itself, springs within her being. Her soul and her power are interlinked sopletely as to be indistinguishable from one another. Thus far, it sustains her, keeps her safe. But it can do much more than that.¡±


    ¡°What does that mean for her?¡± Argrave asked, sitting on a chair backward while resting his arms on its back.


    The Alchemist held out his hand. It split, and nts budded upward as demonstration. ¡°If she wishes, and if she gains mastery over it, Sophia could create life. You¡¯ve experienced it yourself¡ªyou were subject to her, and with instinct alone, she used your flesh to birth you anew.¡±


    Argrave narrowed his eyes. ¡°Used my flesh? That¡¯s hardly ¡®anew.¡¯¡±


    ¡°The point remains. That which she touches, she can give life to. If she had a dead body before her, she could create a soul to fill it. She could change the body of another to match what she wanted. And indeed¡ªif she learned how, she could change the memories, sentiments, and thoughts that you hold.¡± He gestured at Argrave. ¡°I¡¯ve analyzed your body. I don¡¯t see any fundamental changes in you. Still, Sophia¡¯s power might be subtler than anything I might see.


    ¡°The Heralds used Sophia¡¯s power, imprisoning her within a pocket realm that was so distorted it mirrored itself in the real world.¡± The Alchemist held out his hands and waved to all three of them present. ¡°We have the opportunity to do the same.¡±


    ¡°The Heralds were quite literally pulling her soul apart,¡± Argrave said coldly, rising to his feet.


    The Alchemist tilted his head. His human features seemed to grow more monstrous by the second. ¡°Did she seem pained by this?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not¡­!¡± Argrave began, but trailed off when he realized he had no strong rebuttal. Sophia had shown no overt pain from having her soul ripped apart so. Still, he couldn¡¯t help but feel that the idea was wrong¡ªmonstrous, even. It was pulling apart the fabric of a human being without their knowledge.


    ¡°I would say more, but the argument would be pointless,¡± the Alchemist dismissed. ¡°We cannot do what the Heralds did. I never saw it, nor have I any idea how to imitate the power that they possess. Thus, we must find another method of harnessing her power of creation.¡±


    ¡°I understand why we have to explore this unknown. Hell, it¡¯s the entire purpose of this project,¡± Argrave said, stepping forth. ¡°But how will Sophia factor in?¡±


    ¡°When Gerechtigkeit descends, we have a brief window of opportunity to discover where he came from. Once we have that information, how will we get there?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°That question was rhetorical. I know you don¡¯t know, that¡¯s why I¡¯m going to tell you,¡± the Alchemist said, annoyed at having been interrupted. ¡°Sophia¡¯s creation can surpass everything. It is quite literally beyond dimensionality. She and all of those people, yourself included, existed in a pocket dimension where time itself functioned differently. Its denizens mirrored themselves in the real world. That sort of power is the only thing we haveparable to what Gerechtigkeit can do.¡±


    The Alchemist walked away, where he picked up a notebook and looked it over. ¡°The situation may change when Gerechtigkeit himself descends. I cannot predict how drastically different things will be from other cycles, nor how Sophia will actually y her role. But my working theory is this; once we know where Gerechtigkeit is, to actually chase and destroy him, Sophia must create a person where he is, that they might destroy him.¡± He set the notebook down. ¡°In practical terms, Sophia would recreate your flesh and soul in the location Gerechtigkeit¡¯s true body lies.¡±


    Anneliese looked endlessly fascinated, but Argrave nodded. ¡°So, atomic teleportation, that sort of thing? Deconstruct me in one ce, transfer me, then reconstruct me where I need to be?¡±


    ¡°Precisely so.¡± The Alchemist stepped away. ¡°There are two ways I¡¯ve thought of doing this. The first would be relying upon Hause. She could unlock Sophia¡¯s dormant potential, allowing her full ess to thetent power of creation. I¡¯m sure I needn¡¯t say how devastating that could be in the hands of a seven-year-old girl. She could quite literally transform anyone she sees into something else. A man she dislikes could be a fly. She could change the entire world with an errant thought. Her sleeping dreams could be a reality if she cannot check herself adequately.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Anneliese looked at Argrave and said confidently, ¡°That seems unideal. Then the other method would be, naturally¡ª¡±


    ¡°Training, yes,¡± the Alchemist interrupted. ¡°Argrave was able to teach Sophia the basics of controlling her power through dumb luck and close scrutiny. He only did it to free her from the snare the Heralds had set, but it was proof of concept that she has greater control over this power than she¡¯s presently utilizing. This method still carries with it some risk, but markedly less.¡±


    Argrave pointed at him. ¡°So, you were just being an ass when you said Sophia might need to die.¡±


    ¡°Not necessarily,¡± the Alchemist shook his head. ¡°In all likelihood, she is the anchor that recreates Gerechtigkeit. So long as she can rebirth him, he may never truly die.¡±


    ¡°But if she masters that power, does that have to be so?¡± Anneliese asked hopefully.


    The Alchemist looked between the two of them and then turned his back. ¡°Until we learn more, thest steps of this project are mere conjecture. But I do know this; she must learn. Anneliese¡ªyour [Truesight] gives you an innate advantage in this, but I suggest you work with Argrave. You should guide her toward this power. I will be honest. It¡¯ll be immensely dangerous. If she grasps her power, she may spontaneously transform the world around you, if not you yourself, into whatever her imagination conjures.¡±


    ¡°And what¡¯s our end goal?¡± Argrave asked, feeling a brewing nervousness.


    The Alchemist looked back. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ve never known. Yet still I walk.¡±


    #####


    Argrave and Anneliese took the information from the Alchemist dly, yet heavily. They were d that they wouldn¡¯t need to harm Sophia to bring their dreams to fruition. They were trepidatious about the immense unknown that teaching the young princess about her power would bring. This came alongside another duty just as monumentally difficult, so for now, they merely took Sophia back to her daily life until they coulde up with a n to teach her. Other tasks awaited them.


    Day by day, the makeshift docks in the northern portion of Vasquer became something more permanent as the scale of the invasion increased. The Imperial Navy had surrendered, and most of their ships had been captured, giving them a sizable fleet and too many prisoners to easily deal with. With the Sea Dragon, the giant gship capable of housing tens of thousands of troops, under their thumb, it was more than possible to transport the whole of Argrave¡¯s army overseas. It was a dangerous, yet unavoidable proposition. Ji Meng had made the journey. It was possible.


    The turtle ships of the Great Chu were fine enough vessels, and Anneliese had the same idea as Argrave once the ballistae crafted by Dario started to make their way north. They stripped out the liquid fire throwers, clearing up arge amount of room below deck. It provided ample space to fit the ballistae. It was no different from having cannons on the side of the ship. Cannons, as Argrave understood things, had changed the shape of naval warfare utterly. Magic might be considered the same thing, yet this brought the power of magic to themon man. Hundreds of ships, armed with projectiles that could shatter magic wards. It was a wondrous thing. For now, Argrave had people charging their cores day by day.


    The Veidimen continued to prepare for their part in things. Argrave and Anneliese had sent Patriarch Dras for a conversation with Ji Meng to weasel out his intentions and get him caught up to speed for further conversation. His presence would be incredibly important for handling the Great Chu. It was also thergest internal threat that they had. A conqueror, schemer, and all-around bastard¡­ but also a respected emperor that had stood at the head of an empire consisting of perhaps a hundred million people.


    If harnessed properly, Emperor Ji Meng could make or break the invasion of the Great Chu. Their people would never peacefully ept invaders, especially not when they outnumbered Argrave¡¯s forces nearly ten to one. It would take long and bloody warfare if they didn¡¯t have someone well-respected to control; the reins to the horse, metaphorically.


    No one was more adored and simultaneously feared than Ji Meng. The only question that stood was how to tame him. Anneliese spected that he would never surrender the throne of his empire to anyone, nor would he forget the defeat at Argrave¡¯s hand. That made him one of the worst allies imaginable.


    But someone who was predictably treacherous might be just as easy to use as someone who was steadfast. That same principle guided their dealings with Sataistador. Hopefully, never shall the two meet¡­


    Argrave opened the sliding doors leading into Emperor Ji Meng¡¯s quarters. The emperorid in his bed, reading a book. His head turned to them when they entered, and he sat up and kneeled formally.


    ¡°I thought I might see you soon,¡± Emperor Ji Meng greeted, bowing his head without any sign of difort. He was the sort of man to endure any humiliation if it meant rising up to where he once was.


    ¡°Then we can cut right to it,¡± Argrave said.


    He and Anneliese entered, then shut the doors behind them. This was a negotiation for the fate of the Great Chu. Ji Meng needed Argrave as much as Argrave needed him. Both sides seemed to know this as they took their ce at the negotiation table.

 Chapter 539: Tainted Cooperation

    ¡°You¡¯re a rather difficult man to hold something over.¡± Argrave sat cross-legged before Ji Meng, Anneliese in a simr position just beside him.


    ¡°You can certainly hold your victory over my head.¡±


    Ji Meng drank his tea with crushed Ebonice fragments inside of it. He¡¯d been forced to ingest that for a long while. Even once he stopped, it would take a little while before his magic would begin to return. If they kept going, perhaps it might be a permanent thing. Perhaps he¡¯d earn an Ebonice kidney stone. As it stood, all it was doing was preventing his recovery. If they embedded a shard of the stuff in his flesh as they did with Georgina, it would be ineffective¡ªhe could cast spells at A rank or higher without trouble. By ingesting, it dissipated any magic he¡¯d gather ambiently.


    ¡°You have children¡ªhundreds. I don¡¯t think you especially value any of them, so it would be impossible to guarantee your cooperation that way.¡± Argrave tapped his fingers against his knee.


    ¡°I disagree. I love my family¡­ but regardless, cooperation regarding what?¡± Ji Meng acted ignorant. He hadn¡¯t been told the full n outright, but he had been told enough to know what Argrave intended.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°iming your throne, and then ruling on your behalf, for a rtively peaceful conquest.¡±


    ¡°I see. That.¡± Ji Meng ran his fingers along his wispy beard. ¡°I do love my children, despite your ims. Honestly,¡± he insisted. ¡°But¡­ if you decided to put one of them on the throne, none of the Great Chu would respect them. Some of them take after me¡ªthey¡¯re intelligent, resourceful. But reputation is far more important than intelligence for you, as you need to use your puppet emperor to pacify the nation. Intelligence might harm your schemes more than anything.¡± Ji Meng sipped once more.


    ¡°I¡¯m d you understand. The simple fact is, I can¡¯t gain any substantial ground in the Great Chu without your assistance. You can¡¯t return to the Great Chu without mine.¡±


    Ji Meng set his drink down and stared at Argrave. ¡°So it seems.¡±


    Neither party said anything, thinking and observing without anymitment. Argrave had been through a hellish journey toe here. There were more than a few times he thought he wouldn¡¯t make it. Ji Meng¡¯s journey was no less harsh, and he was Argrave¡¯s senior by arge amount. Argrave had the upper hand currently, but even the smallest of misys, and the war against the Qircassian Coalition could be one of the bloodiest imaginable.


    ¡°Do you have any suggestions?¡± Anneliese asked boldly.


    Ji Meng looked surprised by the question. If it was not a ¡®no,¡¯ his answer would reveal a lot. He smiled and said, ¡°Would it be too much to ask for trust?¡±


    Both Argrave and Anneliese nodded.


    ¡°Very well. This tea, then.¡± Ji Meng pushed the cup. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be especially conspicuous if I kept drinking it. Let that be a show of my surrender.¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°That¡¯s certainly a start.¡±


    Ji Meng ran his fingers along the rim of the cup. ¡°My men, my spellcasters¡­ keep them here, in Berendar, in your prisons.¡±


    ¡°It would harm your legitimacy too much if your men did not return with you,¡± Anneliese shook her head. ¡°We will keep the spellcasters. But your honor guard¡ªthose still alive, at the least¡ªwill apany you.¡±


    ¡°Without divine armaments,¡± Argrave added. ¡°Instead, we¡¯ll give them des of Vasquer.¡±


    ¡°And how many men would that be?¡± Ji Meng asked, keeping his tone neutral.


    ¡°About thirty survived. Twenty-five aren¡¯t¡­¡± Argrave trailed off, hesitant to use the word disabled. ¡°Twenty-five arebat ready.¡±


    ¡°Mmm. More than halved,¡± Ji Mengmented, spinning his cup. ¡°How will you present yourself?¡±


    ¡°Simple,¡± Argrave said. ¡°I¡¯m your new right hand,mander of all your armies and navies. I¡¯m handling your protection, speaking on your behalf, handling the administration¡­ after all, you¡¯ve learned about the dangerous threat of the Qircassian Coalition and have enlisted my aid to put it down. I¡¯m going to try and avoid having you appear in public, but when I prod you, you¡¯ll need to say what needs to be said. Is this something you can do?¡±


    Emperor Ji Mengughed. ¡°I came here bearing the crescent moon, and you fought me bearing the sun. We have a name in my homnd, and I think it will suit you well.¡± He grabbed his cup and raised it into the air. ¡°A toast to you, Grand Commandant Sun.¡±


    Argrave tried not to get swept up in the emperor¡¯s nicety. The way he carried himself, the way he acted, was all rather endearing. He was truly a fantastic leader. That made him all the more dangerous under Argrave¡¯s thumb. This alliance was necessary, but he wasn¡¯t totally certain how long it wouldst before Ji Meng acted out.


    ¡°I¡¯m d we understand each other.¡± Argrave rose to his feet. ¡°We¡¯ll be leaving within the week.¡±


    ¡°Best hope the gods favor your winds,¡± Ji Meng looked up at Argrave. ¡°The bureaucracy in the Great Chu¡­ it can be somewhat overwhelming for someone when they¡¯re first introduced. It was certainly thergest learning curve for me when I became emperor. I can help you out, Grand Commandant Sun. The importance or unimportance of a position, the function of an office, the structure of our military, or the great houses and governors of the provinces¡­ it can be enough to bury a man alive without another by his side to dig him out.¡±


    Argrave studied him. ¡°You might give good advice. But let¡¯s not forget that¡¯s what happened to you.¡± He pointed down at him. ¡°You were buried by your own court. I¡¯m the one digging you out, now. You can live a long time, happy and well-fed, if you show the proper appreciation. I promise you that much, Ji Meng.¡±


    Ji Meng smiled, watching as Argrave turned and left.


    #####


    ¡°What did you think?¡± Argrave asked Anneliese. They had already returned to ckgard, where their next task awaited. Their travels would take them back northward sooner rather thanter, though.


    ¡°We will have our hands full,¡± Anneliese said slowly and simply.


    ¡°You make it sound like we¡¯ve adopted yet another child,¡± Argrave mused. ¡°The man¡¯s fully grown, and set in his ways. That, at least, means we know what to expect. We just have to watch him as carefully as if he is a child. Not for his safety¡ªours.¡±


    Anneliese nodded and walked in step with Argrave, but after a long moment of quiet contemtion she turned her head. ¡°Do you believe adults can change as children do?¡±


    Her question made him contemte in turn. ¡°They call those changes midlife crises, I think.¡± Argraveughed at his own joke.


    ¡°We¡¯re here. Be serious,¡± Anneliese said, sternly yet kindly.


    Argrave and Anneliese opened the door to Elenore¡¯s office. Sitting across from her was an old woman who wore a poorly-sewn scarf. It looked like a child had made it¡ªand given the appearance of the old woman, that seemed likely. But she was no old woman. She was Lira, goddess of connections, and Elenore¡¯s patron.


    The old-looking goddess looked back. ¡°Your family has arrived, Elenore.¡±


    ¡°Indeed we have,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°I¡¯m very happy you¡¯re meeting with us, Lira.¡±


    ¡°What reason would I have to refuse?¡± she pointed out. ¡°Even if I had some reasons, I might stille. All I¡¯ve heard says that you two are kind souls. The more one has of those in their life, the more the world blooms around them. I¡¯m certain Elenore would agree¡ªright, sweet?¡±


    Elenore nodded. ¡°Yes. But we should get to the serious topics.¡±


    Lira tilted her head in concession. ¡°Aye, I suppose that¡¯s the best way to go about things. Work before y and your heart will stay gay.¡±


    Argrave felt juvenile tendencies long buried threatening to surface after hearing herst word, but fortunately for everyone Anneliese spoke first. ¡°Has Elenore mentioned what we intend to ask of you?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s mentioned that it¡¯s a proposal soon to go to the other gods, but not much more beyond that,¡± Lira said, looking between them. ¡°But I suppose there must be a reason that you speak to me first.¡±


    ¡°Just so,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°The fact is, your power will be invaluable.¡±


    ¡°And Elenore cannot use it?¡± Lira looked to her champion. ¡°I gave her blessings that she doesn¡¯t even use. She has yet to create a single connected doorway.¡±


    Elenore crossed her arms. ¡°Every time I use your power, it drains my will. Given my position, I have to use my mind for other purposes. It would necessitate a great deal of my mental power to sustain that doorway if Argrave and all hispanions so brazenly walk through it. But¡­ that power is precisely why we¡¯ve called you here.¡±


    ¡°I am listening,¡± Lira looked at Elenore patiently.


    ¡°We¡¯ve decided to war against the Qircassian Coalition. Having a way to quickly travel between continents¡ª¡±


    ¡°My power is meant to be use to facilitate harmony, interconnection. I rarely involve myself in wars. I am an old woman who relies on the kindness of the people I¡¯ve met throughout my life to keep me alive,¡± Lira said sternly. ¡°And you intend to use my power to wage war? To bring an army across continents?¡±


    Argrave stepped behind Elenore¡¯s desk to stand beside her. ¡°We wouldn¡¯t be asking this of you if we didn¡¯t believe it wholly necessary. The Qircassian Coalition is working with Erlebnis to barrage this area with foul magic. No doubt you¡¯ve felt it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true. I saw those ships, saw that god you brought before us. You¡¯re not the aggressors in this war, but that can change as quickly as the tides.¡± The old woman kneaded her wrinkled hands. ¡°Tell me your desire.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯d like you to create a doorway between a great ship called the Sea Dragon, and this continent. Is that something you can do?¡±


    ¡°It is,¡± confirmed Lira without hesitation. ¡°As could Raen. What do you intend to do with this doorway?¡±


    Anneliese walked to join Argrave and Elenore behind the desk. ¡°It¡¯s going to be incredibly difficult to break the coast of southern Great Chu. Once we do, it would be best if we never make the journey again. We¡¯d like to use the Sea Dragon¡ª¡±


    ¡°As a point of transfer for your armies.¡± Lira shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s precisely as I told you. The others may be thirsty for gain, but I am not. I hunger for harmony. I hope we can set aside all of our ambition and focus on the one thing that is truly an enemy¡ªGerechtigkeit. This siege isn¡¯t too harmful.¡±


    Argrave walked forward and sat on the edge of the desk. ¡°That¡¯s just it. The true enemy. The reason why we speak to you separately, Lira, is because that remains your focus. Erlebnis, Qircassia¡ªthe two of them together are responsible for more destruction than most other gods alive. We can end that. We have the opportunity to be the foremost power in this divine race. And once we are, we can finally establish true peace between divinity.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s one thing to fight the coalition¡­ but suggesting to y both Erlebnis and Qircassia? Young man¡­¡±


    Argrave looked at Anneliese, and she gave him a nod. He looked back. ¡°Can I trust your secrecy?¡±


    Lira hesitated, then said beneath her breath, ¡°To an extent. I will not harm my allies.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re all bound by the White nes to defend one another,¡± Argrave pointed out. ¡°But can I trust you?¡±


    ¡°Betraying confidences ruins friendships. I never do it,¡± Lira said, confirming Argrave¡¯s memory of her.


    ¡°Sataistador will be fighting with us,¡± Argrave said inly. ¡°He will help us kill both ancient gods.¡±


    Lira stood up. ¡°With us, or merely near us? Are you mad?! That lunatic has no regard for alliances, no regard for anything. Nothing is sacred in his eyes, least of all himself!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve beenmunicating for a long while,¡± Argrave exined. ¡°He¡¯ll fight with us. With that knowledge¡­ how will you proceed?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m rather tempted to proceed right out that door, young man.¡± Lira shook her head. ¡°I ask again: are you mad?¡±


    ¡°I never suggested he was a steadfast ally. We¡¯re using him as much as he¡¯s using us, but I know for certain that he¡¯ll help us because he already has been. Knowing this new variable, will you help us? And beyond that, will you help bring the rest of the ckgard Union around?¡±


    Lira looked between Argrave, Anneliese, and Elenore, then sighed deeply. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t, in good faith, agree at present. I¡¯m even less inclined now that I know Sataistador is to join the chaos. I will keep this information to myself, but I suggest that you inform the ckgard Union with due haste. Sataistador is an ill omen to any alliance. He worms his way into them, tears them apart from the inside, and then reaps all the rewards when dissent breaks out.¡±


    Argrave clenched his jaw, somewhat bitter. He¡¯d thought Lira might be the easiest to bring around, but even she was resistant to the idea. ¡°I appreciate your consideration, Lira. I intend to bring this matter before everyone of the union tomorrow. It¡¯s my hope you¡¯ll see things my way.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be leaving, now.¡± Lira caressed her forehead, then walked slowly to the door. She stopped and turned back. ¡°If¡­ if you do truly intend to persuade us¡­ I suggest you hold this meeting in Law¡¯s Court.¡±


    Argrave raised his brows. ¡°Law¡¯s divine realm?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Only in Law¡¯s Court do I think you have any chance of bringing the other gods along with you in this n. Sataistador¡¯s stigma is toorge for them to bear, and the fact you¡¯ve kept this detail from us will be a huge barrier for eptance. If you want to maintain any goodwill, I advise you have this conversation in Law¡¯s Court, where you will be judged.¡±


    Argrave thought, then gave a steady nod. ¡°Thank you, Lira. I hope you reconsider.¡±


    ¡°I hope you do, too,¡± she said, then walked out the door.


    Silence consumed the room as all three of them silently groaned.


    ¡°Not a promising start,¡±mented Elenore.


    ¡°Not at all,¡± agreed Argrave, biting his thumb¡¯s nail in deep thought.


    Law¡¯s Court. Argrave had hoped never to go there. Was it truly necessary?

 Chapter 540: Court of Law

    Many divine realms or ces like the Shadonds had specific rules to them. The realm that was host to the elven gods of the Bloodwoods ensured that all inside its boundaries had bounteous life springing from within them that would heal all of their wounds. Almazora¡¯s realm gave all within it magic without limit. There were exceptions like Erlebnis¡¯ realm, but most did have such quirks. Law¡¯s Court was not one of the exceptions. As a matter of fact, it was one of the most noted examples.


    ¡°How would Law¡¯s Court change the perspective of the gods?¡± Anneliese¡¯s curiosity interrupted Argrave¡¯s deep thoughts as he weighed the pros and cons.


    Argrave walked to the window of Elenore¡¯s office, watching the busy docks of ckgard. ¡°You saw me ce the Domain of Order over the whole of this city. It ensures a level of cooperation and peace that few other cities canpare to. To be frank, it¡¯s the only reason why we¡¯ve been able to wee refugees of such disparate cultures without massive unrest. It creates a uniform, unbiased authority. And best yet, the Domain of Order is only as strong as the people want it to be. If they hated thews I¡¯ve imposed, it would shatter. But they don¡¯t, so it¡¯s as strong as it¡¯s ever been.¡± He looked back to Elenore and Anneliese. ¡°What does that tell you about Law?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a rather neutral power. I believe you¡¯ve stated as much in the past.¡± Anneliese leaned against Elenore¡¯s desk and crossed her arms.


    ¡°And that¡¯s somewhat how his divine realm is used. In Law¡¯s Court, different parties can enter into an agreement. While is his court, they will be bound by this agreement absolutely,pelled by his power to hold up their end of the arrangement. Whether god or mortal¡ªeven if it¡¯s Law himself¡ªthey must obey.¡± Argrave turned around and stared intently to stress the importance of this fact.


    He walked around the room as he continued to exin. ¡°It¡¯s the ideal ce for many, many disputes to resolve themselves. Most often, it¡¯s used for trials in massive organizations. If you promise to be fair, Law willpel you to be fair; if you promise not to deceive, the same. If you say that you won¡¯t leave until a matter is settled, you will be bound to that ne until you fulfill that vow or cease to be.¡±


    Elenore sighed and nted her arm on the desk. ¡°A nightmarish ce for someone like you, Argrave.¡±


    Heughed through his nose. ¡°No kidding.¡±


    ¡°How do youpel fairness? That¡¯s rather subjective,¡± Anneliese said, contemting.


    ¡°There are third parties one can rely on¡ªand if none are suitable, Law¡¯s Court provides. Do you remember those knights we saw descend on the northern beaches? White-gold armor, rather featureless and resplendent?¡±


    Elenore hadn¡¯t seen them, but Anneliese remembered and at once said, ¡°The Justiciars.¡±


    ¡°They fit their title, yes. Three or more Justiciars could preside over a trial, depending on how many parties are putting forth opposing ideas¡ªone for each perspective represented, and one to remain neutral and observe facts impartially.¡± Argrave gathered his thoughts as he ran his hand across his face, then continued, ¡°I¡¯ll admit, they¡¯re well-suited for handling these things. They have millennia of experience. To that end, most rely upon Law¡¯s Justiciars. It¡¯s much easier than getting someone intimately acquainted with the situation and trusted by all parties.¡±


    ¡°It does present some dangers,¡± Anneliese agreed, amber eyes rolling about as she thought hard. ¡°Like Elenore said¡­ a nightmare for you, Argrave. They couldpel you to be honest. Even I have some trouble doing that.¡±


    Elenore nodded and stared up at Anneliese. ¡°He couldn¡¯t even omit facts. Poor thing. Imagine how the stress would get to him¡­¡±


    ¡°Look who¡¯s talking. You¡¯ve got so many schemes going your brain would probably melt.¡± Argrave shot at Elenore in good-nature, and the three of them shared a moment of amusement. ¡°But you¡¯re not wrong. If we leak Sandbara, or worse yet, Sophia, all of our efforts to do this subtly will turn to dust. That¡¯s why I¡¯m wondering if there¡¯s not another way.¡±


    ¡°We can set the rules of engagement, can¡¯t we?¡± Elenore asked.


    Argrave nodded. ¡°Yeah. But the thing I¡¯m worried about¡ª"


    ¡°If we set rules that are too stringent, we risk giving something away, or worse yet, inspiring further distrust,¡± Anneliese interrupted as she grasped what Argrave was thinking.


    Elenore thought long and hard, then looked at Argrave. ¡°Could we win without the other gods?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡± Argrave said, somewhat unsure. ¡°We could call in favors from the Bloodwoods and get the elven gods on board. We bring those from the ckgard Union I know would be willing, and we just might win¡ªassuming Sataistador and Emperor Ji Meng are kept firmly in line, which promises to be a lot to ask. But that¡¯s the thing¡ªfrom the beginning, we¡¯ve wanted this to be a lot more than scraping by.¡±


    ¡°Mmm. We need a decisive victory if we¡¯re to be the leaders of the bold new world thatcks the Qircassian Coalition and Erlebnis¡­¡± Elenore scratched at her forehead. ¡°Well, things are simple, aren¡¯t they? We need to establish firm boundaries while not appearing to obfuscate anything.¡±


    Argrave raised his brows in surprise. ¡°You really think it¡¯s worth it to go?¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Elenore nodded. ¡°At worst, we can leave if they ask a hard question. It would severely damage rtions, but I think that it¡¯s something we can mend given time. The worst they can call us is an ambitious and ruthless conqueror hoping to defeat two ancient gods.¡±


    ¡°They may push to make it so we cannot leave before giving the information they desire,¡± Anneliese argued. ¡°I certainly would, in their shoes. I understand why we act as we do, but I cannot deny it would unease me if, say, Raen intended to invade someone with someone very untrustworthy, yet would not disclose the details. Am I alone in this?¡±


    Argrave looked at her. ¡°Good point. Almost like you¡¯re an empath or something.¡±


    ¡°So¡­ will we go?¡± Elenore questioned.


    ¡°Want to consult the others, but I¡¯m leaning toward it. I think they will, too.¡±


    ¡°Who will you bring?¡± Anneliese asked. ¡°For something like this¡­ smaller may be better. Fewer people means fewer points of weakness for the gods to prod.¡±


    Argrave pondered that. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. Mnie always seems to do something that works out in our favor, and she¡¯s proven able to tell gods to eat dirt. You and Elenore are probably the most persuasive people, though.¡±


    ¡°Most persuasive perhaps after you,¡± Elenore shook her head. ¡°Why not go alone? It would send a powerful message. And I am in your head, always.¡±


    ¡°But I like going with Anneliese,¡± Argrave narrowed his eyes.


    ¡°Would you like to die together, fighting Gerechtigkeit?¡± his queen reminded him practically. ¡°Forgive me, but I wouldn¡¯t.¡±


    The more that Argrave considered it, the more sense it seemed to make. As thest bit of resistance drained from his body, he sighed as a new burden settled upon his shoulders. ¡°Alone, huh? What¡¯s it they say¡­ only a fool represents himself, or something to the effect? Well, fine. If you two arefortable cing the fate of the world with me, I can only humbly bow and jump to the snap of the whip,¡± he flourished his hands.


    ¡°Just go consult the others,¡± Elenore huffed.


    #####


    Argrave stood alone in Merovin, the domain that Raen had imed per their arrangement. It was a towering gateway constructed from the flesh of one of the god¡¯s Architects. Argrave had been present when the creature quite literally tore itself apart to build this gateway, signing its name in blood upon the top. Thereafter, thisnd inherited his name, the great gothic gateway in the center of this vast steppe bearing ¡®Merovin¡¯ in bloody red.


    He had consulted with the rest of his confidants, and most of them were in agreement that this was the ideal path forward for their goal. Argrave was frankly shocked how many of them enthusiastically agreed with the notion that he should go alone. He expected that sort of unteral support from Orion, but nearly everyone expressed the same sentiment. If not for that, he probably would have brought Anneliese.


    Word had been delivered to all of the other gods in the coalition using Lira¡¯s exceptional ability ofmunication. She seemed pleased that Argrave had taken her up on the advice. Now, one of Raen¡¯s servants woulde to escort him through the realm of the god of space. Law¡¯s Court was not too far of a journey, he was told.


    As Argrave watched, one of the gargantuan lizardmen that he¡¯d seen before as Raen¡¯s delegate emerged from the gateway. The divine servant took quick, heavy steps toward Argrave, and inclined his shark-like head in a polite bow once he came near.


    ¡°I havee to bring you and your party, Argrave. Am I to wait for others?¡± His voice, as with thest, came from nowhere at all. It simply manifested in Argrave¡¯s head.


    ¡°It¡¯s me alone,¡± Argrave gestured. ¡°Lead on.¡±


    The lizardman looked at him closely in what might¡¯ve passed as surprise, then gave a word of affirmation and led him onward. Argrave felt his stomach whirl as nervousness brewed. He never felt nervous giving speeches in front of others¡ªinstead, he felt most nervous in the time before the speech. And now, that hade in full force.


    When Argrave passed beneath therge stone gateway, he felt a strangely pleasant sensation as the force of gravity left him. Then, he was afloat in an infinite nothingness, his onlypanion the lizardman and distant, twinkling stars. Instinct told him to hold his breath, but he found the air still functioned here.


    ¡°See you the golden star?¡± The lizardman pointed. ¡°That is the gateway to Law¡¯s Court.¡±


    Argrave looked at him. ¡°Are we to use spirits? That¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°Of course not,¡± the lizardman shook his head. ¡°Simply move there. I shall demonstrate.¡±


    The lizardman oriented his body, and then was gone. Argrave looked at the distant star, but saw nothing. Move there? How?


    Despite his confusion, the moment Argrave tried to move, he did. The vastness of spacepressed down into nothing more than a single step, and Argrave felt a wave of nausea assail him. He wasplete certain he had travelled millions of miles in a second. Another gateway much the same as the one he¡¯de from stood before him. Beyond it, a world of gold awaited. Argrave drifted into this gateway, then felt the ordinary weight of the world return. His feet again met solid ground. He looked up and around, taking in this new divine realm.


    Law¡¯s Court was a giant,plex building, that had neither entrance nor exit. There was order to it¡ªstructure. If someone paid attention, they could find their way around this ce without any trouble. That didn¡¯t change the fact it was the singlergest building Argrave had ever been in. It was stately, dignified, and the stone was all a rich gold that soothed any who looked. Written upon the walls, the floors, the ceilings, was a code.


    This entire building was built of Law¡¯s Code. It served to restrain him in this realm, that he might never act against any who enter this ne without sufficient and codified reason. He was rather unlike most deities in that outside his realm, he was unrestrained, while within, he was bound tighter than any other. He was impartiality, neutrality.


    He was Law.


    Argrave could see the lizardman that came with him no longer, but soon felt pounding footsteps. Eight gargantuan suits of armor without upants aside from a glowing gold inside walked through the halls of Law¡¯s Court. They bore swords that had their hilts fashioned in the image of a scale. Their mere presence was intimidating, but Argrave stood firm as they surrounded him.


    ¡°King Argrave of Vasquer. You have been requested to participate in a trial,¡± an even voice called out from all of them at once. ¡°If you desire, we shall escort you to the requester.¡±


    It seemed that the gods of the ckgard Union had wasted no time in establishing the meaning of this visit. Argrave raised his hand and pointed down the hall. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

 Chapter 541: Idiosyncratic Risk

    Despite the fact that Argrave was allegedly ¡®on trial,¡¯ when he entered the room where the gods of the ckgard Union waited the only judgment that he received was curiosity. Only Lira knew the truth of what was going to be said here today¡ªand even then, she only knew some of it. Argrave and Elenore had discussed how they might control the situation toe out ahead, and they had a rtively solid n of attack.


    As this was not a true dispute but an earnest disclosure between people who were allied, this room was not so grand and threatening. It looked more like a staged intervention, with many gods sitting in a half-circle of golden thrones ready to confront him about his pathological lying addiction. There was a seat ready for Argrave. The justiciars that had escorted Argrave panned out,ing to kneel beside each god present.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Argrave made to take a seat in his own throne, and as he did so, Almazora criticized, ¡°I do hope that there was a good reason to bring us to this ce. Even gods do not call meetings to Law¡¯s Court so fickly. The White nes might¡¯ve been a better choice had you something more to ask of us.¡± She took herrge braid of gctic-vor hair and set it across herp.


    ¡°If this is about the Qircassian Coalition, I¡¯d advise you to stop worrying.¡± The god of deception and subterfuge, Rook,id across his throne sideways. He appeared the image of the cocky rogue, dressed in all ck with his legs rested on one armrest. ¡°Rather, the situation is a good one. It shows that they¡¯re unwilling tomit to fighting us. Unless you have new information, we should simply ride out their barrage of attacks.¡±


    Argrave sat down in his throne, searching for words. As he did, one of the justiciars kneeled beside his throne. It would be assigned to him during the duration of this trial, to parse through his soul for truth.


    ¡°I suggested Argrave call this meeting,¡± Lira said, looking at everyone.


    As everyone seemed to grow considerably more serious, a final justiciar took his seat in thest empty chair in this half-circle. It sat in the middle of them all. Its helmet swiveled about as it looked at everyone¡ªthe burgundy-wearing Raen, the tribal tattooed Stout Heart Swan, the young boy Yinther, and the namesake of Veiden, Veid all present yet silent.


    ¡°All are present, save Hause,¡± the Justiciar dered.


    ¡°Hause doesn¡¯t need toe. She¡¯s already informed,¡± Argrave said, settling back into the warm, if stiff, throne. ¡°Seeing as I¡¯m the one to call for this meeting, I¡¯d like to propose the structure of this trial. Does that suit everyone?¡±


    Moments of silence passed without anyone raising any objection.


    ¡°Very well.¡± Argrave nodded, tapping his knuckles against the throne¡¯s armrest. ¡°I propose something thorough, yet casual enough to be called informal. First, we¡¯ll have a hearing. I¡¯ll state my perspective inly. Second, we¡¯ll have an interrogation. Third, I¡¯d like for you to make your choice regarding my proposal. Let¡¯s call that my sentencing.¡±


    ¡°That sounds just,¡± agreed the justiciar representing Law. ¡°Have you conditions?¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°I will be truthful, and omit nothing about the situation. All I ask it that you let me retain the right to refuse to answer any questions that mighte back to harm my kingdom or my family.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s rather abstract,¡± objected Rook, still lounging on his throne. Argrave felt seen through already¡ªthey¡¯d intended for it to be abstract. ¡°We need to define ¡®harm.¡¯¡±


    Others nodded in agreement. Argrave considered that for a moment, then rified, ¡°Anything that might trigger someone else to wish, or actually try tomit, acts of aggression against my kingdom or family.¡±


    Though limited in scope, it did allow Argrave to withhold everything he thought needed withholding. Perhaps he¡¯d be proven wrong, but he felt it was sufficiently broad yet understandable.


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t cut it for me,¡± Rook shook his head. ¡°Anything in the whole world could harm you if the threshold is wishing ormitting acts of aggression. Some people want to kill you because you¡¯re not dead.¡±


    Argrave stared at Rook for only a second or two before saying, ¡°Considering we¡¯re bound to defend one another by defensive pact, and have no reason to be at odds, I¡¯ll say this. It should be obvious to all of you by what I refuse to answer whether I am being deceptive. We¡¯re allies, aren¡¯t we? I did this, per Lira¡¯s suggestion, to show my earnestness in this proposal.¡±


    Rook took a deep and discontent sigh, looking between everyone. Lira looked to have something to say, but no one else made any issue with this idea until Veid broke her silence. ¡°You should exin to us why you refuse to answer when you do.¡±


    Argrave deliberated, feeling every second might make them think that he was being dishonest. In time, he nodded. ¡°Can do.¡±


    ¡°I believe that all of you are being too soft, not knowing the nature of this conversation,¡± Lira interjected. ¡°There should be another condition. If we do not like what we hear, you must return with us to the White nes to renegotiate the terms of our ckgard Union.¡±


    The other gods looked at her. Law¡¯s representative spoke up, informing, ¡°My court is not the White nes. I could not enforce that promise.¡±


    ¡°But he has to agree to it, doesn¡¯t he?¡± Lira looked at Argrave. ¡°He can¡¯t be bound to this trial if he doesn¡¯t agree to that as the premise. You won¡¯t allow him to be bound if it¡¯s not a promise he¡¯s presently willing to fulfill. He has to be willing to agree.¡±


    Argrave¡¯s head swirled. Perhaps speaking to Lira first had been Argrave¡¯s biggest mistake. But then, it was the only reason they¡¯d been brought here. He didn¡¯t doubt Lira only did this out of genuine concern for the validity of their alliance, yet this was still a stinging blow.


    Raen leaned in, staring at Lira. ¡°Our exchange with Argrave has been a wonderful one. We have new faithful, ande next cycle, we may manifest in Berendar again with a popce ready and willing to receive us. Is this disclosure so dire that the union itself must be questioned?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Lira nodded intently. ¡°Very much so.¡±


    As some discussion persisted among those present, Argrave called upon the connection in his head and asked Elenore, ¡°How well do you think we¡¯d fare without Almazora?¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Elenore¡¯s reply was sharp. ¡°Terribly. Absolutely terribly. The barrage from that Sky Tower, as Sataistador called it, would get through immediately. The only ces protected would be the major cities¡­ and that¡¯s ¡®maybe protected¡¯ at best. Why?¡±


    ¡°They want me to agree to reopen the deal regarding the ckgard Union,¡± Argrave exined sinctly.


    ¡°Can they even¡­?¡± Elenore began, but then frantically said, ¡°If that¡¯s something that can genuinely happen, I think you should leave, now. We should approach each of the gods of the union individually. They may be angry and distrustful at your sudden flight, but losing the union after we¡¯ve built so much of our ns around it¡­ well, frankly, it would be a disaster.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯d keep our blessings. They can¡¯t revoke those,¡± Argrave reminded her.


    ¡°Is that even a consideration?¡± Elenore did not say anything, but Argrave was certain he heard a frustrated sigh across space and time. ¡°I think the risk far outweighs the potential gain. We should simply rely on the gods that we can rely on, and do nothing more.¡±


    Argrave looked at each of the gods in turn, not responding to Elenore. He knew all of these here quite well. But how confident was he in his ability to, quite frankly, bullshit his way through a conversation? The longer that Argrave stared, the worse the idea in his head got. He felt a chill run through his body as he finally came upon what he was going to do.


    With a twisting gut, Argrave raised his hand to draw everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°I can agree to that, provided we tweak it slightly.¡±


    ¡°How?¡± Stout Heart Swan, silent until now, finally spoke up. She eyed with curiosity¡ªperhaps she¡¯d gleaned some of his intent just from his bodynguage.


    ¡°Lira was speaking quite confidently about how what I¡¯m going to disclose is so bad that you¡¯ll all want to rush to the White nes to get away from my stench. I¡¯ll have you know I smell quite good.¡± Argrave tapped his chest. ¡°Matter of fact, I think that it¡¯s rather the contrary. I¡¯ve been dealt¡ªno, that¡¯s not fair. I dealt myself a winning hand. If you want to eat from this winning hand of mind, you should have to pay up.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Lira leaned in, eyes wide.


    ¡°Let me reserve the right to take all of you to the White nes again to renegotiate our deal.¡± Argrave held his arms out, waving toward all of them. ¡°That¡¯s only fair, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Rookughed, then stopped resting his legs on the armrest. He sat on the edge of the throne and said, ¡°That¡¯s a very nice bluff.¡±


    ¡°A bluff?¡± Argrave repeated, looking around. ¡°With Law as my witness, I mean it.¡±


    ¡°Nah. You just want us to drop the issue,¡± Rook insisted, staring forth with his dark eyes. ¡°Crafty, but I hope all of those with me see through it. Lira¡¯s got a point.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t get me at all. If you can¡¯t hold me to the same esteem as the rest of you, how can we call this an equal union?¡± Argrave looked around. ¡°Like I said¡­ I¡¯ve got a winning hand. If you disagree with that, you¡¯re going to need to bring something to gamble with.¡±


    Silence swept into the room. Elenore¡¯s voice pierced Argrave¡¯s head, asking, ¡°Are you wrapping things up, or doing something stupid?¡±


    Argrave didn¡¯t respond, gazing at the gods intently.


    Rook leaned back in his golden throne. ¡°He¡¯s bluffing. We should agree.¡±


    ¡°I agree,¡± Lira added her two cents.


    ¡°I simply want to know what he¡¯ll say, so I¡¯m forced to agree,¡± Yinther added, seeming out of ce as a child amidst gods despite being a god himself.


    ¡°This agreement is unenforceable by my court. Nevertheless, I see no harm in agreeing,¡± Law¡¯s Justiciar representative weighed in.


    With Law¡¯s consent, the rest of the others were not long to agree. Argrave leaned back in his throne.


    ¡°I¡¯m not doing anything stupid,¡± Argrave told Elenore, now that he had a moment of rest. ¡°I might¡¯ve already done it.¡±


    He could veritably feel Elenore¡¯s frustration through their bond, but no further words came.


    ¡°Very well¡ªall participants in this trial must agree to renegotiate the terms of the ckgard Union, should any party request it,¡± the trial¡¯s Justiciar said. ¡°To ensure equity, there are specifics we should go over¡­ but after these, the trial will begin.¡±


    Argrave wasn¡¯t much for gambling. That said, he was betting a lot¡ªperhaps the fate of his kingdom and all those apart of it¡ªon his ability to bullshit. Gambling with the gods¡­ stories like that usually had two endings. They either lost and were punished by vindictive gods, or they won and jealous gods punished them. Either way, the reader was supposed to learn something. Fortunately for Argrave, this wasn¡¯t a story.


    As Argrave leaned back with a smile, a thought surfaced. You know, maybe this is why I should have brought Anneliese along¡­

 Chapter 542: What Is a Man?

    What did it take for a mortal to sit on an even level with the gods themselves? Rook thought that was inly on disy here, today. Argrave had proven his worth long ago. There was not some divine characteristic separating man from god¡ªat least not in his experience, during his ascension to this so-called exalted position. Gods were as vulnerable to mortal failings as they were before. Indeed, with their sphere of influence deciding their desires, it might be said that mortal failings were more present. Oftentimes, Rook lied without reason for terrible consequence. Not even ten thousand years of introspection had cured him of that affliction.


    What made a god was all merely a matter of character and power disyed during the cycle of judgment. Argrave wielded both in abundance here at this trial.


    After the terms of equity for the trial were established, Argrave did not hesitate in epting the shackles ofw that bound him to the trial. The terms weren¡¯t overly punishing¡ªthis trial was about delivering the truth, and nothing but.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to get right out with it¡ªrip the bandage away, so to speak.¡± Argrave looked at each god in turn, and Rook found himself eagerly awaiting what would be said. ¡°I¡¯ve been working with Sataistador, and now, we¡¯re going to invade the Great Chu to destroy both Erlebnis and the Qircassian Coalition.¡±


    Law¡¯s Court was no stranger to theatrics, but the silent drama after that deration put most of them to shame. Rook had heard many tall tales¡ªand been a part of some, himself¡ªbut he¡¯d seldom heard an opening to a trial more ridiculous than that one. Many of the ckgard Union looked at the golden shackles around Argrave¡¯s wrist binding him to the dictates they¡¯d established. They were looking to see if they were broken, somehow. That made Rook¡¯s day. He was certain that this conversation was going to be quite the entertaining one.


    Almazora and Stout Heart Swan, who¡¯d had dealings with Sataistador, almost made to leave immediately. The dictates of the trial made sure that they could not interrupt Argrave during his initial telling of the tale, but that didn¡¯t stop them from leaving. It was only Argrave¡¯s insistent voice that made them stop their trot.


    ¡°It was Sataistador that leaked out to me that the Imperial Navy of the Great Chu wasing. We met in the White nes. I¡¯d intended for him to be a part of the ckgard Union, but one of my own refused and humiliated him. From there, we brokered another deal. It was to meet up in the mortal realm, to have a personal conversation.¡±


    Everyone looked to have the same questions¡ªhad Argrave made this deal in the White nes? Was that why he was so confident about this going ording to n? But as they were all without the right to speak, Rook watched, chuckling as all others fumed in silence. The boyish Yinther looked liable to explode from curiosity. Only Veid looked like she had the same grasp on things as Argrave did.


    ¡°First, I will speak to practicality. All of you fear Sataistador¡ªrightly so. I do too.¡± Argrave shifted in his throne, patting his chest to emphasize his heart with a sympathetic look donned on his face. He gave quite the performance¡ªeven Rook had his heart of stone moved slightly. ¡°He¡¯s a maniac who seems able to appear anywhere and everywhere, and the idea of him wreaking havoc through my territory gives me no small amount of stress. However, what I can be sure of is that he will most certainly try something if I cannot muster something to represent me in this war.


    ¡°As I¡¯m sure that you all know, Emperor Ji Meng, ruler of the Great Chu, still lives. He¡¯s in my custody, well at hand. The Great Chu has long resisted the machinations of all manner of gods. Their forces cannot be underestimated. The vast constructions they¡¯ve built, the great magics that they¡¯ve harnessed, are beyond any other mortal nation on this world. But the Qircassian Coalition, with the aid of Erlebnis, had managed to put their lock over the nation. Emperor Ji Meng is the key.¡± Argrave clenched his fist together boldly.


    Rook tilted his head curiously. When, exactly, had all the gods put their eyes on this king? Sometimes it was hard to attract the attention of the gods, but from the beginning, they felt his resounding echoes. To loosen Fellhorn¡¯s grasp over the Burnt Desert, to steal from him and give to the feeble elven gods of the Bloodwoods, to defeat the burgeoning alliance between Erlebnis and Qircassia in infancy¡­ it was not the work of someone amateurish at this divine game of power. Was there merit to this n? He listened closely as Argrave proceeded.


    ¡°If we, together, can get Ji Meng in ce at the head of the Great Chu, we can defend against allers¡ªSataistador, Qircassia, Erlebnis, it doesn¡¯t matter. The Great Chu has done it before, as I¡¯m sure you know. And with us at its back, your reach can extend beyond Vasquer. You can tap into the most fertilends in all the world. And best yet, if we seed, we may go further yet to grasp the whole world of divinity in our hands, if only for this one cycle. That is the practical.¡±


    Argrave looked at all of them just as Rook did so. The n sounded decent enough from Rook¡¯s scrutiny. He was probably the one the argument appealed to most¡ªjust after him, Raen and Stout Heart Swan. But the huntress was too afraid of Sataistador to listen to practicality, and Raen did not like sharing spoils overmuch.


    ¡°Aside from the practical, there are other reasons. On a righteous level, I doubt anyone can deny the damage that Qircassia and Erlebnis have done together. I learned the truth about the fall of the ancient elven empire that once upied Vasquer. Erlebnis was solely responsible. That may be news to some, affirmation of rumor to others¡­ but I can assure you it is true, as I have thest living ancient elf as some of my closest counsel.¡±


    Rook smiled. A good card to deal, and dealt prudently.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°His attempt to aid Qircassia was an attempt to hide that fact. But even should we exclude his atrocious act against those people¡­ let us speak of the Smiling Raven.¡±


    Argrave looked around. The name was just as reviled as Sataistador¡¯s¡ªno, even more so. Rook himself remembered hearing the tales of that monstrosity. It had killed more gods in that cycle than even Gerechtigkeit, whatever the beast was.


    ¡°Erlebnis was the catalyst for the Smiling Raven¡¯s rise to power. His machinations led to its existence. His schemes led to the destruction of an entire continent, wiped down to the veryst man. No animal, insect, or any life at all was spared the wrath of the Smiling Raven, and it came about because of Erlebnis¡¯ actions. That is what I learned in his archives, gods and goddesses,¡± Argrave raised his hand up and pointed to the sky. ¡°And that is why I so strongly hasten us to act.¡±


    Rook grimaced a little at his melodrama. Not the best performance, but looking around, the more justice-minded gods seemed to like it. Perhaps Rook was being overly critical. Bringing up the Smiling Raven was certainly a potent persuasive tool.


    ¡°Qircassia is less subtle with his cruelty, so I¡¯ll give you nothing more than a reminder. The Coalition itself was built on betrayal, and the total destruction of a great nomadic empire.¡± Argrave shook his head like it bothered him. ¡°These are not enemies ill chosen. They are the reasons why this cycle has be as bloody as it has. At the same time, both have never been weaker. Qircassia¡¯s realm was fragmented by the goddess of the centaurs at my behest. Erlebnis has lost the vast majority of the resources that he uses for his ill-conceived schemes. They are at their lowest, and we are at our apex.


    ¡°Beyond mere timing, allow me to exin my reasoning for this. This is not something that I wish to do, if I¡¯m to be frank. I want nothing more than to remain at home, in Vasquer, taking care of my family as best I can while we prepare for Gerechtigkeit. But information in the archives has led me to discover information of vital importance about this cycle of judgment in particr. It¡¯s special¡ªdifferent. When the judge descends, he will not be as he was in all other cycles. He will be magnitudes stronger. And for this reason, we must strengthen ourselves.¡±


    Argrave let that statement sit with them for a moment, looking at each in turn. He focused on Law¡¯s Justiciar, sitting in the center of the half-circle. ¡°I understand that this is much to consider. At the same time, there¡¯s something I¡¯d not like you to forget.¡± Argrave tapped his chest. ¡°I don¡¯t pick fights I can¡¯t win. Fellhorn, Mozzahr, Qircassia, Erlebnis¡ªall walked away from me licking their wounds, battered and broken. The only reason I speak to you now is because Gerechtigkeit looms above. I do need you. Not for a victory¡ªwe believe I could secure that on my own. I need you for a decisive victory. If you wish to right a vast wrong, prevent something as foul as the Smiling Raven from emerging ever again, then you should fight with me, at my side. That¡¯s all.¡±


    Rook leaned back in his throne, smiling as all those around him waited with questions ready to burst free of their lips. With the announcement of the Justiciar, they¡¯d be open to ask questions. Argrave had done a tremendous job. Now, all that remained was the questioning. It was sure to be a lengthy thing. Rook has inquiries of his own, but he wanted to wait and see what the others would ask.


    Law¡¯s Justiciar officiating the trial pronounced grandly, ¡°The interrogation begins. Law ims the first question, by right of hosting.¡±


    Law¡¯s other Justiciar, leaned in. ¡°How did Erlebnis create the Smiling Raven?¡±


    Argrave fixed him with a steady-eyed gaze, and Rook knew that the king already had an answer. ¡°The Smiling Raven was once a man known as Raven. Erlebnis warped him and twisted him into something dark and inhuman, and as a result, Raven broke, bing what some of you here remember. There¡¯s another key detail¡ªErlebnis might be capable of making the Smiling Raven emerge again.¡±


    Rook grinned. The king was deftly keeping the subject on the Smiling Raven, and away from his weak point¡ªSataistador.


    Law almost looked dissatisfied in his emotionless shell of metal, but his question was asked. Next came Almazora.


    ¡°How could Erlebnis create the Smiling Raven again?¡±


    ¡°Raven¡¯s still alive, that¡¯s how, and he still has all of his powers. Erlebnis kept the body of the Smiling Raven in his vault.¡±


    Argrave fiddled with the ck stone hanging from his neck. It seemed a nervous tick¡ªbut the answer seemed fairly irond. Rook leaned in curiously.


    Yinther was called upon next, and he asked, ¡°Where is Raven now?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Argrave said simply. Rook thought he noticed a well-concealed smile, but wouldn¡¯t bet on it. ¡°Wecked the time to do something to the Smiling Raven¡¯s body. We had to leave with what few spoils we had. Instead, I got this.¡± He held up the Ravenstone. ¡°This came about from further research into the orb the Smiling Raven was holding. It can trap Raven. So, in essence¡­ I nullified the problem, but not the Smiling Raven entirely.¡±


    Rook¡¯s turn was next. He respected Argrave¡¯s game, but he had to get back to the issue at hand. ¡°What arrangements have you made with Sataistador?¡±


    ¡°We made no agreement in the White nes. We have a verbal agreement to destroy Erlebnis and Qircassia, but nothing more. Initially, the idea was to defeat the Qircassian Coalition when they tried to invade, then pursue and destroy them separately.¡± Argrave held his hands out. ¡°Circumstances changed. Now, they siege our continent. That¡¯s untenable. I¡¯m well aware promises from Sataistador are worth little. Hopefully, what I¡¯ve disclosed here today stresses why this is all-important.¡±


    Rook was a little satisfied by that answer. At least the king had agreed to nothing. Around and around the questions went, diving at things again and again. Rook listened carefully to every word spoken, every argument had, and slowly came to a conclusion. Not about this issue, no¡ª about Argrave.


    The king was really quite good at this.


    Whether the issue of Sataistador, the issue of their opponents, the issue of the reward from participating, the issue of why Gerechtigkeit would be stronger¡­ he had an answer at hand in seconds. After hours of this rigorous dance, they made it to thest part of the trial. Sentencing. Who would stay, and who would go? Even Rook didn¡¯t know how he¡¯d choose.

 Chapter 543: Last Barrier

    Though Argrave had consulted her for advice asionally throughout this ill-advised trial, after a time, he went deafeningly silent. Elenore contacted him through their connection time and time again without receiving a reply, and her head worked quickly. Was Argrave sulking, despairing? But then, it wasn¡¯t like him not to reply.


    When he suddenly returned to them in ckgard, not saying anything at all, she grew worried. He walked past everyone and entered her office, then walked over near her desk.


    ¡°Is it bad, Argrave?¡± she questioned, standing just behind him. ¡°Just tell me. Tell me how it¡¯s gone.¡±


    Argrave didn¡¯t say anything more. In frustration, she grabbed his arm and pulled, only to catch a faint smile on his face. He turned to look at her.


    ¡°Raen tried to squeeze morend out of me, but I called his bluff and talked him down to iming a desert in the Great Chu. Rook just wanted more material wealth¡ªcouldn¡¯t talk him out of it, unfortunately, so we¡¯ll have to oblige him once the invasion¡¯s done. Almazora, Veid, and Lira came along without strings attached. Law wanted me to make his faith that of the state, and I obliged, but the way it¡¯s set up, it¡¯s really just a ceremonial title; we¡¯ll tolerate other faiths.


    As for the bad¡­ Stout Heart Swan and Yinther won¡¯t being. Our huntress just kept the status quo, and Yinther ims to be ill-suited forbat roles. In summary, six winners, two losers. They intend on dividing the spirits gained from this invasion amongst themselves.¡± He took a deep, proud breath with a smile on his face. ¡°We¡¯d best be preparing for the voyage. You have to receive Lira. She¡¯s going to modify the Sea Dragon to our specifications.¡±


    Elenore felt tension drain from her body. She wanted to hit him for ying around with her this way, but she was too happy to be free of this burden to manifest it as rage. ¡°What exactly happened?¡±


    ¡°I killed it, that¡¯s what. We made a binding agreement in the White nes to cooperate against the Qircassian Coalition and Erlebnis in a joint invasion. The only other caveat¡ªall of us have tomunicate with the others whenever something with Sataistador urs. It¡¯s for safety.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Elenore narrowed her eyes suspiciously.


    ¡°It¡¯s a pretty good day to be us,¡± Argrave chuckled, patting Elenore on the shoulder as he walked by. He turned on his heel and walk backwards as he called out joyfully, ¡°Let¡¯s get to work. Now that Lira¡¯s cooperating, I had an idea. Why don¡¯t we make the Sea Dragon into our base of operations? It¡¯s a little unconventional as a home, but I think Sophia would enjoy it. It¡¯s certainly got enough room to be a pce. Might need a little redecorating, a little childproofing¡­ but what do you think?¡± Argrave stopped at the doorway. ¡°A new pce, prebuilt.¡±


    Elenore could only nod, a little numb and dumb by his enthusiasm. He pointed at her and walked out the door happily. Hearing the results, she¡¯d never been dder for her advice to be ignored.


    #####


    Busy days passed as everyone moved frantically to meet the necessities of this rapidly-approaching assault. The turtle ships of the Great Chu were outfitted with Dario¡¯s ballistae one after another until they ran out of space. Lira worked her powers on the Sea Dragon, creating a portal between the gargantuan gship and a separate location outside the mountains of ckgard¡ªArgrave didn¡¯t dare have the exit inside the city, in case the worst came to pass.


    Argrave¡¯s standing army had swelled to far above twenty-thousand by this point, the majority of them battle-ready. Five thousand had been diverted to the reimed Great Chu turtle ships, with a single Chu navigator to teach them how to sail the ship. They¡¯d been armed with dwarven weaponry and dwarven armor, and coupled with support from a hefty magic squad, he thought his troops every bit the equal of the Great Chu¡¯s basic infantry. But it was the battle among the elites that would be uncertain. The Great Chu had countless S-rank spellcasters and officers well equal to Emperor Ji Meng in strength and equipment. Ideally, their dearly departed emperor would be able to harness these elites to their end before outright war broke out.


    The bulk of the Veidimen¡¯s able-bodied poption had been called to this war. They didn¡¯t have an urate count of bodies, but they did know the fleet. Eight hundred longships, Dras imed, each of which could carry fifty warriors. Veiden had twenty-two S-rank spellcasters of varying quality¡ªsome had been born the past year or so. With Veid watching over them, they would be indefatigable, and with Gmonmanding them, they¡¯d be able to amply use that power to their advantage.


    Argrave sat with Dras and Elenore, chewing on a freshly grown apple from an orchard in ckgard. Something about the fruits grown near the fields imbued with a fruit from the elven realms made them taste all too delicious. Many diagrams were syed out before them¡ªone of them was a map of the Great Chu. They had decided upon anding point.


    ¡°With Lira¡¯s ability, we¡¯ve mitigated the necessity of hauling along enough food to feed our army,¡± Elenore pointed at Argrave, then looked at Dras. ¡°But the others ships¡­ we can¡¯t reasonably distribute supplies from the Sea Dragon and keep a timely schedule. Separate ships will need to bring enough supplies tost the whole journey. Conservatively, I expect us to need a month¡¯s worth of rations for the trip. Realistically, the journey should take two weeks. The winds favor us.¡±


    Argrave chewed the apple as he thought, then said, ¡°Nothing wrong with being conservative.¡±


    Dras shook his head. ¡°A month¡¯s worth of food for my men? We might¡¯ve had that before, but now we¡¯ve spent long enough in this naval base that we¡¯ve gone through much of it. We¡¯ll need a little assistance.¡±


    ¡°Done,¡± said Elenore decisively. ¡°I kept a close focus on agriculture, building stockpiles to prepare for when things get desperate. Despite undead and lesser deities roaming the countryside, we managed to improve our crop harvest. Your diet might be in, but we can ensure we have enough food to spare for this journey.¡±


    ¡°We didn¡¯t improve anything,¡± Argrave said, staring at her. ¡°That was all you, Elenore.¡±


    ¡°All that matters is that it happened,¡± Elenore dismissed his praise.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not forget to bring fruit.¡± Argrave held up his apple. ¡°The freshwater situation is dealt with through magic, so we¡¯ll need one spellcaster aboard each ship. Walking water fountains, they¡¯ll be.¡±


    ¡°The logistics are settled, then.¡± Dras looked between each of them. ¡°All I¡¯m wondering is how your decision to participate affects our arrangement.¡±


    Argrave set the mostly-finished apple down and crossed his arms. ¡°You mean your intent to invade the Great Chu?¡±


    ¡°Precisely so,¡± Dras nodded, unabashed.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°I do imagine it¡¯splicated your grand vision, somewhat. You can¡¯t exactly parade around as the noble conqueror that created a great empire from which Anneliese and I reaped all the rewards.¡±


    Dras raised his brows. ¡°Of all things, I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d gloat.¡±


    ¡°I do hope you don¡¯t intend to go off on your own,¡± Argrave said simply.


    ¡°Of course not. You have your n, your reasoning, and I intend to be as good an ally as I can.¡±


    Argrave gestured. ¡°Then that¡¯s that. Once Gerechtigkeit is done and gone, I don¡¯t know. What happens in the days toe, or even further out, is a mystery to me. Neither Anneliese nor I thought our hand would be forced to sail overseas en masse, but it was. This was entirely unpredictable.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of my heir¡­ where is she?¡± Dras asked curiously.


    Argrave cocked his head back in surprise. ¡°You don¡¯t know? I thought Rowe would report every little detail. She¡¯s with her teacher. She tells me that she¡¯s close to breaching the barrier to S-rank spells. They¡¯re in some wastnd far from civilization. She¡¯s going to give it an attempt.¡±


    #####


    Rowe and Anneliese stood facing one another in the howling winds of this in in the middle of nowhere. Rowe leaned against his staff, and Anneliese stood with her hair blowing wildly.


    ¡°Before you try and do anything in the way of S-rank magic, I¡¯d like you to ask yourself something,¡± Rowe yelled above the winds, looking at Anneliese seriously. ¡°What is magic to you?¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Anneliese narrowed her eyes, waiting for the wind to die down slightly before she spoke again. ¡°I was asked that same question many times as an apprentice. Should I give the same answer as I did then?¡±


    ¡°Have you changed since then?¡± Rowe held his hands out. ¡°That was the beginning of the road. This, ostensibly, is the end.¡±


    Anneliese nodded, running a hand through her long white hair to straighten it after the winds had ruined it. ¡°Back then, I believe I said magic was freedom. After my time with Argrave, it has be much less and much more. It¡¯s a means to an end, a tool. It¡¯s capable of massive amounts of damage, of harm. At the same time, there¡¯s nothing else more fun to master. At this point, I would simply say this: magic is magic.¡±


    ¡°As stupid an answer as I expect from you,¡± Rowe nodded with an amused smile. Anneliese only shook her head, well used to Rowe¡¯s disparaging antics by this point. ¡°Magic is magic. Takes a real genius toe up with that answer, truly.¡±


    Rowe stepped away from her. He drew the de embedded in his staff, then nted it down in the barren soil between them. Icy mist spread out across the ground. She didn¡¯t know what that de was, but Rowe obsessed over it. Heid his arms atop the pommel, staring at her. ¡°I said I would give this to you to signify you as my student. Well¡­ cast an S-rank spell, girl. Earn this de.¡±


    Anneliese looked out across the wastnd. She didn¡¯t feel much of anything at all, confronting this sheer wall. Just as magic, Anneliese simply was. And Anneliese felt amply ready to cross thest remaining barrier.

 Chapter 544: Exposed Heart

    The boundary between B-rank and A-rank was the integration of magic into the body. That epassed all¡ªthe brain, the soul, every part of a person that made them ¡®them.¡¯ At the same time, it was not ¡®them;¡¯ there was something beyond that, something that not even the most intense scrutiny could identify. That something was, simply put, consciousness. Anneliese had long wondered what made her ¡®her,¡¯ both before learning magic and long during the process.


    The consciousness was a thing impossible to quantify or identify. People perceived the world through their eyes, yet consciousness was not constrained to the head. Consciousness pervaded the body; it was the sense of self, and without the whole, what was there? People like the Alchemist could point out all of the individual parts of the body that worked to create it¡ªthe brain, the nervous system¡ªyet even he could not deny there was some aspect about it that could not be scrutinized. Opinions varied wildly on what consciousness truly was, what was and wasn¡¯t consciousness, and whether it truly deserved study at all. The mind ys tricks on its owner most of all, and the perceived knowledge of consciousness might be a misperception by a limited vessel.


    To ascend to S-rank was to break the barrier between the body and the consciousness. It was to make the boundary between her perception of herself and magic almost non-existent. With Llewellen¡¯s perfected A-rank ascension, [Life Cycle], she already felt she had a strong grasp on magic. Now, it was to permeate that mythical realm. Once broken, she wasn¡¯t entirely sure what would change. Magic would exist alongside her inner voice, her inner self.


    ¡°To reach this far, you have to learn and ept exactly what you are,¡± Rowe¡¯s calm voice filtered into her thoughts. ¡°No biases. Even if it¡¯s ugly, if it¡¯s true, learn to ept and embrace it. Only once you¡¯ve conceptualized your inner self in its entirety can you fit magic inside there.¡±


    Who really was Anneliese? There was the physical. A tall Veidimen¡ªor perhaps not. Perhaps the term ¡®snow elf¡¯ fit her more, now that she had abandoned most of her people¡¯s traditions. Her appearance was one part of who she was. Long white hair, bright amber eyes, pale skin¡­ that had affected the way that everyone had treated her, and in turn, that had shaped her.


    Anneliese had been born curious¡ªher first memory was asking a question. Her mother¡¯s negligence and abuse had taught her stoicism and diligence. Her status as a pariah, both during her time in Vasquer and back in Veiden, had taught her to be calm and resilient. Under the tutge of her grandmother, she¡¯d learned cunning and ambition, even if unwittingly. The praise she received during those years had felt like a light, leading her toward leadership and careerism.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Just when she felt that her path was solidified¡ªthat she was to be amander underneath Dras, and would elevate him to glory as she herself rose up¡ªArgrave came crashing into her life. She had felt attraction before, but never like this. The way he thought and acted entranced her. It helped he was tall and handsome, with dark hair and steely eyes. And admittedly, catching his wayward lecherous gazes repaired much of the hurt to her self-esteem she¡¯d received being outcast by all her peers. What she was most ashamed of, however, is that she had only been brave enough to ask for Argrave¡¯s affection because she thought he could never bring himself to leave her.


    And in the time following, her very being shifted. She had gone through enough to call herself brave. She had learned enough of the world to ept she was wise. There was the ugly, too. Anneliese¡¯s grandmother had been right in many ways. Argrave¡¯s relentless drive upward, toward power, was part of the reason she¡¯d be hispanion, lover, and then wife. She wanted to be important, to be respected, and to remain humble amidst it all. She wanted to be an S-rank spellcaster as much for her own curiosity as the prestige. She wished to work together with Argrave to elevate their kingdom to a nation without peer, that their children might see the fruits of theirbor and partake in them joyfully. That desire, frankly, had grown to berger than her curiosity about the world.


    A moment of rity came after Anneliese realized her curiosity was no longer the foremost thing spurring her forward. She pictured herself in totality, inside her body, in this world, in this ce, at this moment.


    ¡°Now, weave magic inside delicately,¡± Rowe¡¯s interjection came, yet Anneliese¡¯s focus was so intense it felt like one of her own thoughts.


    Anneliese resigned herself to the vastness of magic. Despite Rowe telling her to weave, it did not feel like that. Rather, it felt as though her consciousness was being slowly lowered into an ocean of liquid magic. It soaked into her inner self like water into a sponge, permeating into her legs and then rising upward as she sunk deeper.


    At a point when magic permeated her consciousness¡¯ head, it felt like all of the diagrams she¡¯d ever read about S-rank magic finally made sense. She grasped for one, opened her eyes to the biting winds, and cast it almost by instinct. A gigantic mana ripple spread out, then a roaring inferno burst free from her hand. It left a great scorching pathway, turning some of the rocks nearby red hot and outright melting others.


    As Anneliese stared at the mayhem, the revtions that she¡¯d made about herself came rushing to her head. She realized she was crying only when a tear fell upon her left hand. She felt a gentle prod, and when she looked, Rowe held a handkerchief.


    She was puzzled for a long time, and did nothing. Rowe had to exin neutrally, ¡°Lot of people cry after going to S-rank. Take it.¡±


    Anneliese gratefully epted it, moved by the fact even this curmudgeonly man could show some tenderness. She felt like she needed to go tell Argrave that she wasn¡¯t half as great as he thought she was. But then¡­ he wouldn¡¯t ept that, would he? And that was much of the reason she loved him. His insistence on her.


    ¡°How old are you? Twenty-eight, twenty-nine, something like that?¡± Rowe looked at her, then grimaced. ¡°By Veid¡­ you¡¯re S-rank, girl. I hate you. I really do.¡±


    Annelieseughed, voice still distorted from the runny nose.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Rowe walked to his icy de nted into the ground, and hefted it free. He sheathed it back into the slot in the cane, and in a moment, it looked like nothing more than a walking stick. ¡°As I promised, I¡¯ll pass this de down onto you. It¡¯s only right that one of the youngest S-rank spellcasters I¡¯ve ever heard of is my student.¡±


    Anneliese epted the walking stick. With a hard pull, the de slid free. She examined its surface. Sharp on both sides, it had writhing vortexes on the surface of its blue-white de.


    She looked at Rowe. ¡°Why is this so important to you? Argrave said you¡¯d never part with it unless you died, and yet now...¡±


    ¡°Argrave never told you?¡± Rowe looked surprised, then stroked his hairless chin. ¡°I hope he simply doesn¡¯t know. That¡¯s the only weapon that Veid ever forged. It¡¯s been passed down to the best spellcaster among our people for countless generations. Most gods use their nails, their hair, or perhaps their bones to forge weapons. I¡¯m told it¡¯s a gruesome thing, oft done in private. Veid¡­ she used her heart to forge that.¡±


    ¡°Her heart? Truly?¡± Anneliese repeated.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Rowe nodded. ¡°A lot of her power is vested in that de. Sheathed, it functions as a focus. No spellcaster will be your peer, especially if you use ice magic. Drawn, it¡¯s a sword¡ªI hope you gathered that much from looking at it.¡±


    ¡°And the sword? Is there anything special about it?¡± Anneliese probed.


    ¡°It¡¯s not special enough already?¡± Rowe frowned, shaking his bald head. ¡°Well¡­ fine. Yes, there is something special about it.¡± He looked away, seeming to hesitate. Without looking at her directly, he said, ¡°I¡¯ve heard that there¡¯s a spellcaster that¡¯s troubled you. Traugott.¡± Rowe whipped his head to look at her fiercely. ¡°I¡¯m told he killed Castro.¡±


    ¡°In¡­¡± Anneliese closed her eyes, then nodded. ¡°In effect. In part.¡±


    ¡°The next time you find yourself facing Traugott, I expect you to draw that de. With Veid¡¯s heart as your de, that useless, craven, piss-drinking bastard will meet his end. I expect you to kill him, Anneliese, as my apprentice. I liked Castro, genuinely. I can¡¯t say that about a lot of people. So, I charge you with his killer¡¯s death.¡±


    Anneliese looked at the de again. ¡°How? He escapes into the Shadonds¡ªanother realm, separate from ours.¡±


    ¡°Veid¡¯s sphere is contracts, honor.¡± Rowe gestured toward her. ¡°If you draw that de, you canpel a duel to the death with another mortal. They cannot flee unless you sheathe the de or perish. He should still be capable of entering the Shadonds, but he cannot flee.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Anneliese looked at the staff in a different light. ¡°That¡¯s an amazing tool.¡±


    ¡°Do you know my A-rank ascension, Anneliese?¡± Rowe asked.


    ¡°Argrave did tell me, once,¡± she nodded.


    ¡°I was groomed to carry that weapon,¡± Rowe pointed at Veid¡¯s heart in her hand. ¡°With my A-rank ascension, I can limit the rank of spells that can be cast in an area¡ªthat of myself, and my foes. I trap them with that, limit their ability, and ruthlessly dismantle them with superiorbat skill. I¡¯ve killed hundreds of S-rank spellcasters like that over my incredibly long life. But you and your A-rank ascension might be even better suited to that role.¡±


    ¡°¡­I see why Argrave thought you were monstrous inbat,¡± Anneliese reflected, looking upon the de. ¡°Normally I¡¯d not so easily agree to kill another, but I have seen Traugott and the empty void within him. I ept your charge, Rowe. If again Traugott appears before me, I¡¯ll take his life. I believe it a fitting match.¡±


    ¡°Fitting? How?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve long thought he and I are the same person that took different paths,¡± she expressed. ¡°He is curiosity without restraint. Whereas I¡­¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s nothing so grand. Just a man who¡¯s not yet dead,¡± Rowe tapped the icy de oncest time as though bidding it goodbye. ¡°Make sure that changes, Anneliese.¡±


    She put the de fully back into the stick, then set it upon the ground. ¡°I will.¡±

 Chapter 545: Heroes Formerly of Berendar

    Argrave examined the portal of Lira¡¯s making. Raen¡¯s was grandiose, yet the goddess of connections merely made one ce seem to bleed into another without any pomp. It was a humble door into the side of the mountain, and when open, one could see the interior of the Sea Dragon. It had already been thoroughly tested. All of the prisoners taken during the fight against the Imperial Navy of the Great Chu had walked through these doors, whereupon they were taken to more suitable grounds.


    ¡°Argrave¡­¡± Sophia, standing at Argrave¡¯s side while holding his hand, sounded worried. He looked to her. ¡°This ce doesn¡¯t have any windows.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. What you¡¯re seeing now isn¡¯t where you¡¯ll be,¡± he told her. ¡°Just trust me, Sophia.¡±


    Her small hand clenched his own tightly, and he walked through the doorway with short, slow strides to let her keep up. The moment they passed through, the temperature was noticeably colder. Sophia looked a little surprised at this, and when she looked around, she was surprised to see exactly what he¡¯d promised¡ªwindows. Specifically, windows just overlooking the sea. Her head whipped about everywhere, taking in her surroundings with the utmost curiosity. When her brain seemed liable to explode, she looked up at Argrave with wide eyes, pleading for answers.


    Argraveughed and scooped Sophia up. ¡°This ce is going to be our home away from home, for a little while,¡± he exined as he walked through the room. They were in an unused storage room near the bottom of the Sea Dragon. Argrave would be sure this ce was impably guarded in the future, but for now, it sufficed as was.


    Argrave headed through the gargantuan ship-fortress for the front deck. Along the way, he exined, ¡°We¡¯re on a ship right now. The Sea Dragon, it¡¯s called. That door teleported us here.¡±


    ¡°A ship?¡± Sophia sounded even more confused. ¡°But ships aren¡¯t this big. And don¡¯t ships¡­ don¡¯t they go wibble-wobble, ¡®cause of the tides?¡± She emted the rocking of a ship.


    ¡°This ship is very special,¡± Argrave said in summary.


    Sophia was entranced by the foreign architecture andndscape near the Sea Dragon, and it allowed Argrave to take her to the front deck without sparing another word. When he arrived, Anneliese stood there waiting. She had something new in hand¡ªRowe¡¯s weapon. She looked like a right proper wizard, staff and all. She gave him a strangely lonely smile. Argrave had already heard the news from Elenore that she¡¯d breached S-rank.


    ¡°Want to look around on your own?¡± Argrave asked Sophia, setting her down upon her own two feet. She cautiously walked to the edge of the deck while Argrave joined Anneliese.


    ¡°Congrattions,¡± he told Anneliese quietly as they watched Sophia peek over the edge of the railing.


    Anneliese only silently took his hand, clutching it tightly. He didn¡¯t quite know what she was thinking, and it appeared shecked the words to express it at present. After a moment of each other¡¯spany, the both of them walked forward to speak to Sophia at around the same time.


    ¡°Sophia,¡± Argrave called out. She ran back up to him.


    ¡°Why doesn¡¯t the ship wibble-wobble?¡± She asked.


    ¡°We can exin all thatter.¡± Argrave shook his head, then sat cross-legged on the deck. ¡°Right now, I want to talk about what¡¯s going to happen in the future.¡±


    Sophia grew anxious as Anneliese sat just beside Argrave. She looked between them like they were going to do something terrible to her.


    Annelieseid Rowe¡¯s staff just beside her, then said to Sophia, ¡°Argrave and I are going to help you learn something.¡±


    Sophia blinked, relieved that was all it was. ¡°But¡­ you¡¯ve already helped me so much.¡±


    ¡°We¡­ Hause¡­ she discovered that there¡¯s something very special about you,¡± Argrave exined. ¡°We want to help you understand that special something all the better. Do you remember when I had you pull upon that power inside you that was attached to all those other people?¡±


    Sophia shook her head. Argrave was taken aback.


    ¡°You don¡¯t remember when we were in that courtyard, and those three people gathered there, and then¡­?¡±


    Sophia shook her head again, looking confused. Argrave looked to Anneliese. She indicated to him that Sophia wasn¡¯t lying¡ªshe genuinely didn¡¯t remember, despite how short the time had been since it happened.


    ¡°Well, don¡¯t¡­ don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Argrave said, trying to disguise his concern. ¡°The point is, we¡¯re going to help you understand something about yourself. Every day, we¡¯lle to this ce and work on it a bit more. It might be scary, hard, but it¡¯s very important.¡±


    ¡°Will it help you?¡± Sophia asked.


    Argrave smiled, somewhat touched. ¡°Very much so.¡±


    Sophia nodded quickly, dering, ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll do my very, very best.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Sophia.¡± Argrave rose to his feet, then helped Anneliese up. ¡°This ship is going to be starting its voyage soon. Would you like to watch it go to sea?¡±


    When Sophia agreed, Argrave, Anneliese, and Sophia watched as their vast fleet prepared for this long voyage. They watched as supplies and seamen walked through the portal in the Sea Dragon, making to take their ce in the countless vessels. By midday, everyone was settled in their ce. People walked to the uppermost levels of the Sea Dragon, and then blew the great horn atop it. The colossal vessel started to cut through the sea, its deck still as steady as any building on the ground.


    Argrave watched as the Sea Dragon led them forward through endless cold blue. Behind, their vast armada began its voyage in hot pursuit. Hundreds of Veidimen longships and Great Chu turtle ships followed the bow wave left behind by their vessel. It would be a long time before the vast majority of those sailors again sawnd. And when they did, it would not be what they knew.


    ¡°We¡¯re leaving Berendar,¡± Argrave said to no one in particr.


    Sophia looked up at him, clinging to the deck¡¯s railing. ¡°Have you ever before?¡±


    ¡°Not like this,¡± Argrave answered, watching the writhing tides.


    #####


    ¡°They¡¯ve disembarked.¡±


    An orange-robed imperial eunuch stood idle in one of the gardens of the Great Chu. His soft hand yed with a fruit dangling from a tree, pulling it down enough to bend the branch before letting it bounce gently back. Well-hidden amidst well-trimmed shrubbery, one of the emissaries of Erlebnis conveyed this message.


    ¡°When did they leave? One month ago?¡± The eunuch answered back. ¡°Should I expect them at the shores by nightfall?¡±


    ¡°One minute ago,¡± the emissary answered back.


    The eunuch turned, focusing his writhing blue eyes upon the emissary. ¡°Considering how ineffectual the emperor¡¯s army was because of our disadvantage in information, you can see why I might think otherwise.¡±


    The emissary could say nothing in response. It had been their fault the emperor¡¯s army had been so utterly dismantled. If Erlebnis had properly gathered information, as was his domain, Emperor Ji Meng might¡¯ve known what to expect. His navy would have at least done actual damage to King Argrave¡¯s forces. Now, he was captured. That was perhaps the most devastating result.


    But Erlebnis could not entirely be faulted. His influence had gone from its apex to the lowest it¡¯d been in several millennia after Argrave¡¯s brazen yet sessful heist. Suddenly, obligations and responsibilities went unfulfilled, promises were broken, and a sprawlingwork of intrigue copsed when its foundation suddenly vanished. They¡¯d been forced to utterly vacate Berendar, elerated by Argrave¡¯s wanton destruction of countless sites of worship.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°I¡¯ll prepare everyone to receive the king and his pet emperor in a fashion he deserves,¡± the eunuch shook his head. ¡°But you need to give me yet another payment for my efforts. Something to build my collection. If you can give me information, I can get it.¡±


    ¡°It shall be¡ª¡± the emissary said, then silenced itself.


    The eunuch looked at it peculiarly, yet then a voice cut through the air.


    ¡°Grand Eunuch Hao,¡± another eunuch said, walking in meekly and bowing before him.


    ¡°Am I needed?¡± he responded, his voice several pitches lower than the other¡¯s.


    ¡°Governor Zen hase again.¡±


    The grand eunuch turned away from the fruit tree. ¡°Protesting the extended regency, same asst time?¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡±


    Hao walked down the impably tiled pathway of the imperial pce. ¡°Then it seems I must abate his worries, one way or the other.¡±


    The eunuch looked a little stunned as Grand Eunuch Hao walked by. He seemed to have been preparing himself to listen to a long speech, but no such thing came. Instead, he turned and followed with quick steps to catch up. He hadn¡¯t remembered Hao ever acting with such haste.


    #####


    Emperor Ji Meng watched the cup full of the strange brew that sapped away his vital force. ¡®Magic,¡¯ these people called his energy. But whatever the name, this brew utterly incapacitated him. He could see the surface of the liquid just barely disturbed. That was the only way that he was able to discern that the Sea Dragon had started moving.


    At least they know to try and keep me ignorant, thought the emperor. But this was his ship, and he knew it better than they could ever hope to. It would take three weeks to make it to Great Chu, he was certain. Once there, he¡¯d a rough n as to what needed to be done. The only person he could trust to help him remove the shackles these people had ced upon him was Governor Zen.


    Zen was tied to Ji Meng by marriage¡ªthe governor¡¯s daughter was Ji Meng¡¯s highest-ranking consort, the empress. The man wasn¡¯t a loyal hound of the emperor¡ªhe was an opportunist, pure and simple, and a genius besides. But it was an opportunist that could inly see the opportunity that rested in Ji Meng¡¯s hands. He intended to take back his seat on the imperial throne¡ªnot as a puppet, but as an emperor well and true. If he managed to do that¡­ it would be yet another brick to the monument that was his legacy. And should Zen aid him in doing that, he¡¯d certainly have a strong backing in Ji Meng.


    But for now, drink their poisoned tea, smile when they tell you to, and wait, thought the emperor, as he picked up his cup and obeyed his thoughts. This is not yet the end for you.

 Chapter 546: Little Helper

    Argrave had never been on a boat for an extended period of time. That didn¡¯t change, really, because Lira had installed a feature to his boat that allowed him to go back tond whenever he wanted. It did somewhat undermine the purity of such a thing, but that was already thoroughly marred by the underlying purpose of the Sea Dragon¡¯s long voyage across the sea. The constant vignce of the apanying gods ensured they would not be osted by enemies without warning.


    Admiral Tan Shu guided them most of the time. She was a fierce fighter, but her true talent was hinted at by her title. She could read the stars far better than any other sailor. Her skill was such that she could often estimate how far they¡¯d travelled just by looking at the stars each night. She had a great ability to predict weather, wind, and how both might affect the voyage. Perhaps these abilities were supernatural.


    But both Admiral Tan Shu and Emperor Ji Meng were tightly watched by countless guards. The reason for that was Sophia. Argrave felt he needed to be near the Sea Dragon to keep watch on things, and at the same time he felt Sophia needed to be far, far away from civilization when they tested her power in case it truly was as dangerous as the Alchemist said.


    But progress was not immediate. As a matter of fact, to call it ¡®progress¡¯ implied some had been made. Argrave and Anneliese gave the best tips they could to help Sophia grasp her power. Argrave once again borrowed the lens that bestowed [Minor Truesight] when empowered by magic, showing Sophia the turbulent forces that lie within her¡­ yet nothing proved easy stimtion. This sent Sophia into a little bit of a depression. That depression helped her act more like Elenore, but hurt her everywhere else.


    She never gave up, though, to her credit. Argrave and Anneliese tried countless different angles to help her grasp her power during the long voyage. They tried to teach her magic to give her a basis of the supernatural. Sophia was magically blessed, and managed toplete a simple F-rank matrix after a few days¡­ but that proved more a distraction than a help. Visualization techniques caused nothing more than a headache for Argrave and Sophia both. For all the countless experience Anneliese and Argrave had calling upon powers other than their own, this was proving beyond them.


    Until one peculiar night, that was.


    #####


    Sophia sat in her bed. She couldn¡¯t sleep. Her throat hurt badly as she tried to cry in silence. The reason? Herself. She hated herself. She was useless, and even after two weeks, couldn¡¯t be of any help to Argrave. He had taken her away from her father, had made nice people look after day after day, and the first thing he truly asked of her she was useless at.


    She hopped off her bed, seeking the only thing she felt couldfort her. She opened her trunk and saw the toy knight that had once been her brother¡¯s. She didn¡¯t want to get tears on it, so she wiped her face away with a wet towel the nice people provided for her, took Mr. Knight, and walked back to the bed. She set him there, then stared as she crouched.


    Mr. Knight is strong. No matter what, he¡¯d keep fighting, keep going. He would repay anybody, even Argrave. As she tried to harden her resolve by peering upon Mr. Knight, an idea came to her. A good knight is supposed to train knight and day.


    Sophia made up her mind to try and train even now, just as Mr. Knight would. She thought back to the lessons of two weeks. ¡®You have the power to create, Sophia,¡¯ Argrave had told her. Your power can create life. We¡¯re not sure how, but we do know it can.¡¯


    Sophia remembered seeing herself through that lens Argrave had ced up to her eye. Something beyond Sophia¡¯s imagination had lurked within her¡ªbut rather than lurk, it was her. But if she could make life¡­


    Sophia stared at Mr. Knight. She had known him for years, every facet of who he was. He was supposed to protect her and her brother. He had metal armor, could defeat anyone, and even though he always listened, he never said anything. She closed her eyes, thinking. Despite everything, she knew Mr. Knight was a doll. But if he wasn¡¯t? If he was alive, and could do all of these things? What would it be like?n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The sound of metal against metal made her open her eyes in panic. And as she stared, she came to a realization.


    She didn¡¯t need to imagine anymore.


    #####


    Argrave and Anneliese had been woken upte one night by disturbed guards. Argrave wasn¡¯t entirely sure if he had actually left the dreamworld as he stared at a half-foot tall armored knight kneeling before him. He had arge red feather plume atop his visored basc, a sword in its sheath, a knightly demeanor rivalling Orion¡¯s, and a beaming princess just behind him.


    ¡°It appears we¡¯ve fallen into a fairytale,¡± Argrave told Anneliese glibly.


    His wife was too beset by curiosity to find his remark humorous at all. She studied Mr. Knight¡ªwho was truly a mister, now, instead of a mere child¡¯s fantasy. He looked like a very small person, well and truly. His armor was metal, his sword was sharp and functional, and his manner was impable enough to include him among the royal guard.


    ¡°Can he speak?¡± asked Anneliese.


    Sophia shook her head. ¡°Mr. Knight has taken a vow of silence until the world is at peace. But he¡¯s always listening if you have any problems!¡± The princess grew excited, and began to exin her imaginary friend that hade to life.


    Argrave and Anneliese listened, but in the midst of her exnation, they looked at each other. A breakthrough had finally been found, after two weeks of painful struggle. And what they found was utterly frightening, yetpletely fascinating. Just like many fairy tales, upon introspection.


    #####


    The birth of Mr. Knight led to a frenzy of activity. The Alchemist studied him, and came to rming conclusions. Mr. Knight was alive, well and truly, beyond mere tricks of magic. He had a functioning brain, though its intelligence was constrained by its small size. His strength wasn¡¯t quite at the level Sophia bragged it at being. In simpler terms, he was constrained by physicalws. He could not be far stronger than his size, nor more intelligent than his brain feasibly could be. His personality, though, was precisely as Sophia dictated. Before everything else, Mr. Knight was her loyal confidant and protector.


    It truly felt like Argrave had been whisked away to a fairy tale. A princess who could make her toyse to life¡ªnot a wholly unique phenomenon in stories, certainly. It gave both Argrave and Anneliese tremendous trepidation about what was toe. Sophia quite literally created a life. Ethically, morally¡­ what were these creatures? Should creatione so easily? It made life itself feel valueless, and they both worried Sophia might develop ack of regard for life itself. How could something be valuable if she could create it at whim?


    But the Alchemist would not hear their ethical concerns. He demanded they press on. Anneliese¡¯s rampant curiosity coupled with Argrave¡¯s indecision led them to proceed with this development even as the Sea Dragon headed for the Great Chu.


    Now that they had some lead as to what it was that Sophia needed to genuinely create life, the next days became a frenzy of activity. They brought other toys of hers to the world of the living. Those that she had a tremendous backstory for¡ªa tremendous understanding, in essence¡ªshe was able to bring to life. It gave some insight into what Sophia actually needed to create life. But these additional living dolls she made, unlike Mr. Knight, could speak.


    Each and all had the personality one might expect a child to make. Fortunately for all of them, Sophia didn¡¯t have dark thoughts. She brought a maid doll to life that was happy, bubbly, and obsequious. She made this maid¡¯s entire family, too. Serving positions were apparently standard in this family¡ªthey had a butler, a cook, and a seamstress. These living toys were utterly astounding in that Sophia had made them, but they were limited in so many ways it was hard to imagine the Alchemist thought she could destroy the world.


    The living dolls couldn¡¯t hold long-term memories. They could perform the duties they ostensibly should be able to in their roles, and they could remember Sophia. Anything else was too much to ask. They were truly a child¡¯s toye to life¡ªexisting only in her world, for her. This was even to her frustration. Sophia wanted them to help Argrave, but they couldn¡¯t even remember his name longer than a few hours.


    After, to lead her toward what they needed, they had her try and recreate the living dolls. After much effort, this proved something that she was capable of. She managed to make two Mr. Knights, the second being just as unsettling as the first. Next, rather than make more, Argrave and Anneliese tried to help her learn how to modify them. Her power seemed to rely on understanding. To aid her imagination, they fed her additional information about the extent of these living doll¡¯s capabilities.


    It proved possible for Sophia to modify her creations. Within a matter of days, she was able to give life to something that could at least remember just as well as she could. She had difficulty creating something that wasrger than her, as she had never actually been that size. The things she made still had a rtively static personality andcked true memories of what it was and why it was, but it was proof of concept.


    But Sophia was a clever girl, and with Argrave and Anneliese¡¯s guidance, she picked up on what needed to be done to master her ability in greater detail. It was her understanding of something, her grasp of it, and the limits imposed by the body.


    Argrave and Anneliese weren¡¯t entirelyfortable about the idea of Sophia practicing these things on her own, but they were hesitant to restrict her entirely. After all, without Sophia¡¯s own relentless drive toward this, they¡¯d likely still be scrabbling around at nothing. They never suggested she work on her own, nor did they disapprove.


    Rather than Anneliese and Argrave bringing her to the Sea Dragon to try and help her, she came every day with something new that she¡¯d learned. Her powers, now in her hands, were bing more and more sophisticated with every passing day. The fact that Sophia proved utterly devoted to helping out Argrave and Anneliese made them somewhatx. Sophia felt simply too sweet to be evil. She listened to what they said, and simply tried to help. This was what they had wanted¡ªthey couldn¡¯t disapprove of her relentless push forward, necessarily.


    They should have. It might¡¯ve prevented ¡®Castro¡¯ from being born.

 Chapter 547: Renewable Resource

    One morning, Sophia refused to leave her room. This was rather unusual, as she was never really disobedient. What¡¯s more, she¡¯d locked the door. The knights could certainly have forced it open, but Argrave had instructed them to be gentle with Sophia and try to avoid showing her undue violence or disys of force on ount of what she¡¯d already been through.


    In the end, Argrave and Anneliese went personally to try and get her out of the room. Argrave knocked on the door and called out to her, ¡°Sophia. What¡¯s going on in there? Are you all right?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine!¡± came Sophia¡¯s voice, insistent and panicked. He didn¡¯t need Anneliese to tell him that she wasn¡¯t.


    Internally, Argrave¡¯s heart was in turmoil. He looked at the two knights by the door and said, ¡°Give us some space.¡±


    The knights left the door, ensuring that no one came near as Argrave and Anneliese did what they intended to. Meanwhile, Anneliese cut the lock with magic. Together, they pushed open the door. They saw an old man in gray robes sitting on Sophia¡¯s bed, and at once prepared to defend her. But when he turned his head to look at them, Argrave felt his heart sink and his stomach churn.


    ¡°Hello. I¡¯m Tower Master Castro,¡± he said.


    With the name given, the image of a man Argrave had once called friend began to ovep with this uncanny and grotesque imitation. He was bald, true enough, but his face was nothing like Argrave remembered. There were moles were there ought not to have been. His eyes weren¡¯t quite the right color. His face was wrinkled, yet his hands were not. His gray robescked the owl sewn onto the shoulders. And above all, not a twinkle of magic emanated from him.


    ¡°I have a robust session n, Argrave,¡± ¡®Castro¡¯ said, sparking a memory in Argrave¡¯s head. The next words were all-too familiar. ¡°My position in the Order has basically already been delegated to those who will take my ce. And I assure you, they are as steadfastly loyal to you as I am.¡±


    Argrave slowly turned his horrified expression away to look at Sophia. She was curled up in the corner of the room, surrounded by all the dolls she¡¯d brought to life in the past days.


    ¡°Sophia,¡± Argrave said, doing his best to keep his voice even. ¡°What did you do?¡±


    Sophia trembled at the sound of his voice, but did not lift her head up.


    ¡°Maybe I want it,¡± ¡®Castro¡¯ mused. ¡°I am many things, but famous? I think not. Over three hundred years of living, and I can still walk through the streets of any city without so much as a widened eye in recognition. Make sure the historians write about me, maybe hire a minstrel or two¡­ and this old man can breathe hisst.¡±


    ¡°Sophia,¡± Argrave repeated, louder.


    ¡°I t-tried to bring him back,¡± Sophia said, voice muffled and trembling. ¡°I wanted h-him to be here again. To help you. To be your friend.¡±


    ¡°Why?!¡± Argrave demanded, louder than he¡¯d intended to.


    ¡°I-I heard p-people talking about Castro¡­ about how important h-he was. A-about how he was good friends with you, an-and that he was one of the best spellcasters in the w-world.¡± She lifted her head, revealing her dark and puffy eyes. She started sobbing uncontrobly. ¡°I j-just¡­ just wanted to help. I wanted you to¡­ wanted you to¡­¡± her tears overcame her speech, face twisted in abject guilt and misery.


    Argrave walked up to Sophia as ¡®Castro¡¯ said, ¡°I will punch a hole through the Shadonders and the golems both. And through that hole, you all shall leave.¡±


    As Argrave stood above Sophia, the chef toy offered to cook Sophia a meal. The two Mr. Knights stood guard against Argrave. The seamstress was sewing a thread into Sophia¡¯s green dress. Their chatter was low, yet present, but even still he saw only Sophia.


    ¡°¡­please don¡¯t make me leave,¡± Sophia pleaded as he kneeled. ¡°I wanna stay. Please don¡¯t send me back.¡± Her trembling intensified. ¡°I¡¯ll d-do anything. Please. I¡¯ll punish myself, o-or you can¡­¡±


    Argrave took hold of Sophia and pulled her in. Her sobbing and intense trembling persisted in his arms, but he endured it silently as he stared at the wall trying his best not to join her in tears.


    ¡°¡­please don¡¯t send me back,¡± he heard her faintly.


    Argrave stroked her hair, trying to find words for the situation. But what could be said? This was precisely the sort of nightmare he¡¯d been hoping to avoid. He should¡¯ve objected, should¡¯ve done something before things spiraled out of control like this. But then¡­ it had been only days, and already things progressed to this.


    ¡°I¡¯m Tower Master Castro,¡± the living doll said.


    Argrave closed his eyes, swallowed the sadness in his throat, and said to her, ¡°You¡¯ll be okay, Sophia.¡±


    It was the only thing he could promise, after this.


    #####


    After an incredibly trying morning, Argrave finally managed to get Sophia to go to sleep. Rather than keep her in the same room she¡¯d been staying in, Argrave separated her from all her dolls and ¡®Castro,¡¯ instead leaving her in Argrave and Anneliese¡¯s room that she might have somefort without the memories of what she¡¯d done. She¡¯d promised not to use her power until they¡¯d talked about it again, and despite everything, he trusted her to keep that promise.


    After, they quietly moved the shallow imitation of the tower master to some ce far removed from everyone else. It would be a disaster of the highest magnitude if his existence was revealed. It was already a blessing that no one besides Anneliese and Argrave had seen anything. The Alchemist insisted on seeing ¡®Castro.¡¯n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°Hmm. It¡¯s much more disappointing than I thought,¡± ruminated the Alchemist, studying the faux-human as it babbled on the few phrases Sophia had once heard Castro say. ¡°Nothing more than a big doll, created from her shallow memory of the man. It¡¯s even worse than those toys she brought to life. If she could recreate S-rank spellcasters, that might prove useful. This one can¡¯t hold any memories and is utterly fragile. In a word¡ªuseless.¡±


    Argrave¡¯s temper red at the Alchemist¡¯s callousness even now, but he checked himself lest he do something stupid.


    ¡°¡­what do we do with him?¡± Anneliese¡¯s voice was quiet.


    ¡°He¡¯s an invalid,¡± the Alchemist said. ¡°He can probably eat food, drink water, and do the bare minimum to keep himself alive. Aging, things like that¡ªonly time will tell if he suffers from such afflictions. Still, best to kill him. Sophia can make something better that we can do further studies on.¡±


    Argrave looked at the Alchemist in disbelief. ¡°She makes¡­ this, yet you want to keep pressing?¡±


    The Alchemist looked down upon Argrave with his cold gray eyes, and said one simple phrase. ¡°What¡¯s changed?¡±


    Argrave inhaled deeply once again to tame his anger. Only once he was calm did he open his mouth and say, ¡°My mind has changed, that¡¯s what.¡±


    ¡°Need I remind you what¡¯s at stake?¡± The Alchemist looked at Castro. ¡°Did this rattle you so easily? That thing is basically the same as most people wandering thends¡ªmindlessly repeating what they¡¯ve always done, until they die without having added anything of value to the world. Does it upset you it came from her will instead of a womb? Ridiculous. The only difference between the two is the time needed to create it. At worst, Sophia is guilty of efficiency.¡±


    Argrave stood agape, disbelieving the words he was hearing. ¡°You yourself were most worried about Sophia bing something monstrous. How can she value life if she can create it at whim? How do you value something that¡¯s infinite?¡±


    ¡°Mortal lives have always been a renewable resource. Copte, and our kind spring forth just as any other animal. You shed no tears for the cattle you rear for ughter, nor the game you end in your hunts.¡± the Alchemist shook his head. ¡°You¡¯re speaking to one who¡¯s made human chimeras, lest you forget. You met Pawn. You met one I made in your own image.¡±


    ¡°Sophia¡¯s a child. Unlike you, she didn¡¯t realize what she was doing before she was confronted with it, and she¡¯s definitely going to have a warped mentality if we keep poking and prodding without stopping to contemte as you intend to,¡± Argrave pointed. ¡°No more of this, Raven.¡±


    The Alchemist stepped forward. ¡°The dam has been burst. The seal has been removed. We set upon this path, Argrave, and we must be the ones to see it through. Stop being foolish.¡±


    ¡°We will see it through,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°But not like this. Because thest thing I¡¯d want, Raven, is for Sophia to be like you.¡±


    Argrave turned and left, listening to no more guidance. His conviction was unswayable. They had shown Sophia her power¡ªnow, it was Argrave¡¯s duty to ensure that the world would be made a better ce because of it. He passed by ¡®Castro,¡¯ still repeating the few lines that Sophia remembered him saying, and felt a pang of distress. Everything about the man screamed that something was wrong, here.


    But could it even be fixed?


    #####


    Despite the gravity of the situation with Sophia, the world and its cold realities continued to move onward. That was made abundantly clear when Elenore contacted Argrave, informing him that the gods voyaging across the sea had an important message to impart. Two more days, and they¡¯d encounter the first bit of resistance in their long voyage across the sea.


    The Great Chu was amply prepared for this coastal assault. The roles had been reversed. Argrave himself had seen the tremendous disadvantage the attackers had in these sorts of battles, and soon enough, it would be his turn to assault. Many of the gods in his ckgard Union would be at his back, just as those of Qircassian Coalition would be at his front. He had hoped to avoid involving himself in fights of this scale. Now, however, it seemed a necessity.


    The Qircassian Coalition and Erlebnis waited on the shores of this new continent. Sataistador and Ji Meng both were allies with knives behind their backs, waiting for weakness. In a matter of days, it would be time to dive into that all. But Sophia and her abilities stayed on Argrave¡¯s mind, haunting him.

 Chapter 548: Head in the Clouds

    Argrave stood on the deck of the Sea Dragon, trying to dismiss the memories he¡¯d made with Sophia here as a task of equal import demanded his attention. He could see it now, in as day: the siege engine that had rained hellfire down on Berendar for the better part of a month, utterly defying their expectations of an offensive from the Coalition. And from all the way down here, the situation seemed quite formidable.


    The sky tower looked like a great cumulonimbus. It was a dense billowing pir of clouds positioned high in the sky, with nothing beneath it but an unfathomable stretch of air. The top of it roared with thunder and glowed with lightning, and electricity danced all along its surface. Rings of power swirled around it¡ªdivinity manifest as pure energy. These rings of power would begin moving slowly, then elerate until they moved fast enough they were imperceptible. Then, the top of the sky tower would erupt in power, sending sts toward Vasquer and making the spinning rings halt. Half a minute this took, st after st after st. Almazora¡¯s feat in defending against this thing was all the more impressive now that Argrave saw its source.


    Argrave looked at Raen, god of space, standing on the deck with him. The god¡¯s bejeweled hand rested on his chin as he gazed up at this siege weapon. Argrave asked, ¡°You¡¯re the god of space; how big is it?¡±


    Raen nced at Argrave, disturbed from his thoughts, then looked back. ¡°It¡¯s seven miles high precisely.¡±


    ¡°Seven miles off the ground, or seven miles high?¡± Argrave repeated in disbelief.


    ¡°The tower is seven miles. Its peak is about forty-five thousand feet from the ground,¡± Raen rified.


    As Argrave reeled, another deity chimed in. ¡°As fortified positions go, you can¡¯t ask for much better than the sky,¡± Rook noted, leaning against the deck¡¯s railing. ¡°There¡¯s a reason the heavens are known as the realm of the gods. Largely, only our kind can do battle up there. Your people aren¡¯t well-suited for it. But even among gods, few have mastered the sky as Kirel Qircassia.¡±


    Anneliese leaned against Rowe¡¯s staff as she watched. ¡°It¡¯s a blessing to us, I should think. How can the people of the Great Chu truly believe the gods aren¡¯t interfering if this giant structure persists above them? Ji Meng¡¯s intercession maye easy.¡±


    ¡°I can think of half a dozen different ways the puppeteered imperial court might spin the tales,¡± Rook mused. ¡°Just make any number of reasons up. They could say that the tower belongs to us, for instance. It¡¯s our nefarious weapon. Simple, effective¡­ and no way of disproving it.¡±


    ¡°Now that we can see our goal, we should discuss our n,¡± Argrave reminded them before they veered too far away from the point.


    ¡°I can tell you the most important information.¡± Lira walked to the very front of the deck, then pointed her finger upward. ¡°Erlebnis and Qircassia both reside in the top of the tower. Beneath them, hundreds of thousands of divine servants lie in wait. The entrance to Qircassia¡¯s realm lies at the top of the tower. Fortunately it¡¯s fully melded to this mortal world, meaning that he can be killed there permanently. Nevertheless¡­¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s as fortified as he could possibly be,¡± Rook summarized. ¡°The worst thing we could possibly do is allow our foes time to run back into the heart of their territory. I hope Sataistador understands this.¡±


    ¡°Of course he does,¡± chided Lira. ¡°That bastard knows war better than anyone, that much I¡¯ll concede.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll face the harshest opposition on the shores of the Great Chu. The gods of the Qircassian Coalition wille out in force. Should we falter at all, Qircassia or Erlebnis might deign to descend to deliver a decisive blow,¡± Raen summarized.


    ¡°¡­but they¡¯ll nevere unless things are truly desperate for us,¡± Rook said, walking away from the railing.


    When silence came for a moment, Argrave interjected. ¡°What I¡¯m going to ask of you is simple. I know that what I¡¯ve built is a match for most in this realm. But my people aren''t gods, and I can¡¯t ask them to fight gods. Not here, not now.¡± He looked up to the sky. ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯d like to ask you to keep the two battlefields separate. The heavens above, where the gods dwell¡­ and the earth below, where the mortals squabble.¡±


    All of the gods considered this, yet Lira looked at Raen.


    ¡°With the god of space, that¡¯s not¡¯s merely doable¡ªit would be ideal,¡± the aged god said. ¡°It would spare your people casualties, and allow a monster like Law to fight freely without fear of coteral damage.¡±


    Rook nodded in agreement. ¡°Raen can y support, separating the fields of battle. If Law¡¯s our vanguard¡­ I will say one thing. He¡¯s every bit as terrifying as those two lurking in that tower. Or even Sataistador, lurking¡­ wherever he¡¯s lurking.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll be difficult¡­¡± Raen looked between Lira and Rook, before his gaze settled on Argrave. His eyes seemed infinite, but Argrave didn¡¯t dare peer within. ¡°¡­but not impossible. If Kirel descends, however, all bets are off.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s unlikely. The battle isn¡¯t pitched enough in his favor for him to risk his hide¡ªthey¡¯ll fight a war of attrition before a straight slugging match any day. And once we stabilize things in the Great Chu, muster whatever forces we can, the sky tower awaits,¡± Argrave filled out the remainder of the n.


    ¡°Basically so,¡± Lira agreed. ¡°It¡¯s the crux of their power in thisnd. There, injured gods might heal, new divine troops are born, and the webs woven into the imperial court remain. So long as it stands, their presence in the Great Chu cannot be fully removed. But¡­ even for us gods, a tower of that height will be difficult to assault. We¡¯d need an excellent point of attack¡ªa mountain, from which magic springs naturally. Not amon phenomenon.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll have more time to get they of thend once our feet are on it. Our first objective should be to get a foothold, n our further advancement.¡± Argrave walked around as he thought through things.


    ¡°Numerically, we¡¯re still at disadvantage,¡± Anneliese continued, cautioning. ¡°The Coalition has more gods than our Union. Qualitatively, however, I cannot deem our force inferior. Each and all here have left their name in history before, and I believe will leave it again. I theorize this will ultimately be like fighting up a stairwell, for us¡ªwith each step we advance upwards, the Great Chu still stands above. If they seed once, we fall¡­ but once we reach the top, we will be at an equal level.¡±


    ¡°Well spoken,¡± Raen agreed, and most other gods validated that perspective.


    Lira walked back up to their group. ¡°I have some friends in the Great Chu as part of my connections. While they¡¯ll be some help in the battle toe, they¡¯re proving ample help before. We¡¯lle upon the coastal fortifications of the Great Chu about midday tomorrow. I have some information about theposition of troops there, but the machinations of the gods are beyond these people.¡±


    ¡°Argrave and I have ns to deal with the defense posed by the Great Chu,¡± Anneliese nodded. ¡°All we need is reprieve from the gods¡ªa battlefield between mortals alone, free of interruptions. If you can disy unimaginable power, it will be all the easier for the mortals of the Great Chu to break and rout. We don¡¯t intend to wantonly ughter the people of thisnd. They¡¯re needed for the trials ahead.¡±


    All of the gods nodded in quiet agreement. Argrave cast onest nce at the sky tower, then looked back at the assembled deities. ¡°Barring the final details, we agree with the generalities. Morning tomorrow, when information is more avable, we can predict what¡¯ll be done specifically. For now¡­ we¡¯re all prepared, aren¡¯t we?¡±


    The gods gave their affirmation, and it was settled. This ckgard Union, born in the White nes, was to assault the millennia-old Qircassian Coalition in a bid to destroy two of the oldest gods to walk the earth.


    #####


    ¡°Bluntly put, Durran, I think you¡¯ll end up being very important,¡± Argrave told his old friend. They sat at a secluded wooden table in the Sea Dragon.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t I already?¡± The tanned southern tribal with gold eyes and tattoos stretched his arms outnguidly.


    There were a few things that had been taken with them for this long voyage. Durran¡¯s wyverns, and all their riders, were one of them. Argrave might¡¯ve had Lira make a bigger door so the beasts could pass at will, but Argrave wanted to limit how much could pass through at the same time in case the worst came to pass and the Sea Dragon waspromised.


    Durran had proven his worth countless times, first in the Burnt Desert against the Vessels, and then against the Imperial Navy of the Great Chu. His battalion was pivotal for their future sess, especially now. Magisters of Order of the Gray Owl rode on their wyvern¡¯s backs, delivering the power and adaptability of an S-rank spellcaster anywhere the skies could take them.


    ¡°You won¡¯t be part of the vanguard, so they won¡¯t write any bads about you. You¡¯re more of a secret important person, like a spy,¡± Argrave poured cold water on his friend¡¯s burning ego.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°They¡¯ve written bads enough, anyway,¡± Durran dismissed.


    Argrave continued without missing a beat. ¡°When there¡¯s a safe pathway, I¡¯ll need you and your wyvern riders to move expediently to iste themanders of our opposition. I suspect once the battle between the divines begins, it won¡¯t take long for many troops to rout in fear. It¡¯ll take far longer to ensure a safe route for you to advance, so they¡¯ll have a head start on you. The Great Chu has magic weapons stationed just about everywhere throughout their nation, so it¡¯ll be a messy flight. It¡¯s very important you leave a good impression upon thesemanders. You work for me, and in this scenario, I work for Emperor Ji Meng as his Grand Commandant.¡±


    Durran narrowed his eyes and leaned into the table. ¡°I¡¯m fine withplicated. Impossible is another matter. Thesemanders are supposed to be powerfulbatants, right? And you want me to subdue them, in enemy territory, without just killing them?¡±


    ¡°If you can. If they see your weapon, and you yell loud enough, it might not evene to blows. Themanders are going to be the key to winning the forces of the Great Chu to our side. Once there, you¡¯re to tell them about me¡ªGrand Commandant Sun.¡± Argrave slid a wooden token over to Durran. ¡°Ji Meng crafted these. Symbols of rank, imbued with the emperor''s magic signature. It¡¯ll give you undeniable authority.¡±


    ¡°What are these symbols?¡± Durran thumbed a drawing on the front. ¡°I¡¯m worried that¡ª¡±


    ¡°Worried that he might send a covert message? I know,¡± Argrave smiled at his friend¡¯s quick wit. ¡°Anneliese interrogated him about each and every one. The symbols merely denote one¡¯s rank. That, my friend, marks you as mymander.¡±


    ¡°It sounds like we¡¯re going to be coborating rather closely,¡± Durran hefted the token. ¡°Me and my brother-inw, taking the world by storm.¡±


    Argrave smiled, choosing to neglect to inform Durran he¡¯d first considered Mnie for the role given her continued sess in doing amazing things for their cause.


    ¡°Yeah. You¡¯ll need to make up a story about why you have the emperor¡¯s dadao. Like I said earlier, it could be a blessing if you y your cards right.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been a nice weapon,¡± Durran admitted, looking to the side where he¡¯d left it leaning against the wall. ¡°Considered having it attached to a pole, turning it into a ive. Suppose it¡¯s fine as is.¡±


    Argrave nodded with nothing more to say.


    ¡°Elenore tells me that little kid I¡¯ve seen running about with a huge entourage of guards might just be the key to set me free of my life-or-death bet with the Alchemist.¡± Durran set his arms on the table. ¡°That you¡¯re getting closer, daily.¡±


    Argrave¡¯s mind wandered back to Sophia and her troubles as soon as she was mentioned. ¡°It¡¯s true,¡± he nodded. ¡°Complicated, but true.¡±


    ¡°Must be a nice child,¡± Durran noted.


    ¡°Yeah. She is.¡± Argrave nodded, though he wondered if it could stay that way given the path fate had in store for her. ¡°Why do you think so, though? Have you met her?¡±


    ¡°Because Elenore talked about the idea of children in a positive light for once,¡± Durran smiled.


    Argrave chuckled a little. ¡°Sophia adores Elenore.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I know.¡± Durran tapped the table a few times, searching for words. ¡°It¡¯s been a long journey. The people we once feared, we¡¯re heading out to kill.¡±


    ¡°Someone has to. Funny how that tends to be us,¡± Argravemented.


    ¡°Funny indeed,¡± Durran leaned back in his chair. ¡°Let¡¯s have a light drink. Enough to make it easier to sleep.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s.¡± Argrave nodded.


    Of course, he didn¡¯t want to spoil the moment by telling his friend his ck blood still made alcohol useless on him. They drank, chatted¡­ and for a moment, Argrave managed to forget his worries.


    Yet dawn came quickly, and sunlight was soon to rece moonlight.

 Chapter 549: All Life is Born of Death

    Argrave stared at the steel docks on the southern shore of the Great Chu at the front of the Sea Dragon. He could see great silos full of the liquid fire that filled their turtle ships. He could see mounted ballistae manned by spellcasters that imbued the bolts with energy. He could see a huge garrison manning this coastal fort. Commandeered trading vessels stood like a wall of wood to block their advance with only a skeleton crew of ves manning them.


    The southernmost portion of the Great Chu was, like the north of Vasquer, cold and rugged, with sparse poption. But even beyond this remote fortress, Argrave could see the first of the cities of the Great Chu. Jade and amber decorated the tops of their buildings, slender spikes ascending from the roofs of orderly homes and shops.


    During the whole of their approach, Argrave felt as though he was in a trance. He was having trouble avoiding a recent memory.


    Argrave couldn¡¯t remember the words Elenore said to call Argrave back to ckgard, but it had been enough to make him return home even on the eve of the battle. He did remember entering Sophia¡¯s room to check on her¡­ but within, he only found her dolls.


    They had all died.


    Their small size had enabled them tost a long while, yet the creatures Sophia had createdcked key parts of what made something self-sustaining. They were living¡ªthey consumed energy to live, like anything else. But the dolls she¡¯d madecked the ability to digest, to drink. The small child didn¡¯t understand those systems, nor how they kept a body moving, so the dolls were born without them. Like this they withered away, performing their tasks until their death. Only Castro seemed to be spared that fate, for he was made in imitation of a real human.


    Elenore told him that Sophia didn¡¯t yet know they were dead. It fell upon Argrave to bring that news to her.


    ¡°Life, Sophia, is a very precious andplicated thing,¡± Argrave had said to the young girl as she sat on their bed, Anneliese on the opposite side. ¡°You¡¯re very special. You have the potential to create that life easier than anyone. But that creation¡­ you can do great evil if you don¡¯t understand what it means.¡±


    Sophia looked at him, not quite understanding his point. And, inevitably, he told her what had happened to the dolls. And when she didn¡¯t believe¡­ he showed her. The dolls, once alive, now¡­ broken. Withered. Lifeless. Decaying. Sophia had been fearful and guilty of what she¡¯d done before, but with their deaths, true sorrow came.


    Theyforted her as best they could.


    ¡°Before you use your power again, Sophia, the two of us should understand what it means. Life is an important thing¡ªa precious thing, that you should value dearly. It shouldn¡¯t be started or stopped without considerable thought.¡±


    ¡°We were wrong to push you so hard,¡± Anneliese added. ¡°You have no reason to fear us sending you away, ever.¡±


    ¡°But life, and death¡­¡± Argrave took Sophia¡¯s small hand. ¡°We¡¯ll help you understand them together, as a family. Would you like that?¡±


    Sophia, in tears, had agreed. She had created lives, yet her negligence also led her to take them.


    Back on the battlefield, lives passed away much differently.


    Argrave wasn¡¯t quite sure who let loose the first attack, but once spellfire bridged the gap between navy and coast, the ckgard Union¡¯s counterattack against the Qircassian Coalition began. Dario¡¯s ballistae fired from the sides of the turtle ship aimed at the men standing in the coastal fortress. Just as they fired, so too did the opponent¡¯s spells bridge the gap, aimed at the whole of them. Anneliese soared forth, carried by her enchanted boots, and cast an S-rank ward to receive the first volley of magic. He saw her magic drain, then soar again as her foe¡¯s power revitalized her being. She floated alone, enduring the onught of magic to give time for the navy to advance further yet.


    Rowe¡¯s staff, forged from Veid¡¯s own heart, invigorated Anneliese¡¯s ward to resist allers, and her foe¡¯s unrelenting assault gave magic sufficient to make them evermore. She was like a goddess of protection, flying through the sky and creating golden shields that blocked mes, electricity, and all such atrocities of magic. Yet even with her defense, causalities on their side were not small. Countless spells broke past, striking ships and the troops in them if the spellcasters aboard were not prepared.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Gods of the Qircassian Coalition descended upon them as a single wave of force from ahead and above, revealing their unseen forms. And rising to oppose them were the deities of the ckgard Union. Law¡¯s Justiciar¡¯s split through into this world, shing des with titans that had appeared from nowhere. Rook threw daggers that had his divine servants imbued into them, and these des became possessed weapons that hunted foes like vengeful specters.


    As was agreed upon, Raen¡¯s power distorted space itself, isting the battle between mortals and gods. In time, spirits born from the wounds of gods danced into the air, and what was once only a battle became a hunt for food and survival.


    The Sea Dragon advanced as all above it became chaos consummate. Argrave sent his blood echoes ahead where he saw power strongest. Once there, he cast spells to gut their foes¡¯ operations before they could even get started. He saw people fall from the ramparts, torn apart so much as to be unrecognizable. He saw the coastal fort deform from the sheer power of his attacks.


    Argrave¡¯s blood echoes were well-suited for assaulting defenses like this, yet he wouldn¡¯t be able to do it without his queen. Anneliese took half a thousand attacks without faltering. She was a machine of perpetual energy, conjuring wards that replenished her magic more than she spent. By the time any of her defenses broke, she had magic enough for two moreyers uponyers of imprable defense screening their advance as the gods did battle above.


    The defenders tipped their silos of the liquid fire, hoping to set the sea ame. In response, their casters, free to act in light of Anneliese¡¯s unimaginable disy of magical prowess, sent forth turbulent sts of wind. Great gusts caught these towers as they fell, lifting them up and casting them backward. Great Chu mages on the walls of the coastal fort acted in tandem, and the silos split from pressure on both sides. The sludgy white liquid poured on thend, inert without contact with water, and slowly streamed into the ocean. Meanwhile, their foes prepared to pour vast amounts of the stuff from the coastal fortification. They¡¯d set the whole sea ame, to make it as chaotic in the ocean as it was in the skies.


    As the Sea Dragon neared the wooden wall of trader vessels, he heard a horn echo above the din of the battle¡ªtheir horn. That hade at Gmon¡¯s order, as he was themander in this battle. And it signaled a rather neutralizing tactic. It had been used at Mateth, if in small scale, yet now it would be unprecedented.


    As Argrave looked back at the fleet behind the Sea Dragon, he saw countless mana ripples fill the air. With a deafening crackle, a wave of ice split through the ocean of greater magnitude than anything Argrave had seen before. It battered against the ward of the Sea Dragon, then broke past it. It continued on, on, and onward, freezing the entire coastline and suspending all ships. Their n was simple¡ªto freeze the bay itself, that they might makend and sea one in the same.


    Veidimen warriors jumped off their longships and ran across the ice boldly, approaching the fortification from two sides. Meanwhile, the suspended turtle ships continued to fire Dario¡¯s ballistae at the defenders, and spellcasters continued to harass. The wall of trading vessels exploded violently, casting the Great Chu¡¯s liquid fire all over the ice. They¡¯d been packed with ck powder and a ve bearing a torch¡ªmore than an obstacle, they were mines, meant to prevent or destroy any ships that came near. Now, however, they¡¯d been utterly neutralized. All they¡¯d done was consign their ves to a pointless death.


    While men did battle on the earth, the gods did battle in the heavens. Their war was a chaotic mess that perhaps only deities could divine. Rook¡¯s storm of daggers flew around him as he jumped from de to de like they were tforms. He was hounded by countless of Qircassia¡¯s divine servants¡ªwinged monstrosities, all. Law¡¯s Justiciars crusaded against countless, their titanic des working in orderly tandem to suppress gods on their lonesome.


    Argrave felt a terrible presence shake the air, and when he looked, a god that Argrave recognized fell from the sky tower above. Tyrg¡ªminotaurian god of strength and prominent member of the Qircassian Coalition¡ªdescended with a gigantic hammer clenched tightly in his hand. Argrave saw the gold mass permeating the skies above shift. It would seem their ancient ally needed to move, to block this foe.


    Law¡¯s power crystallized in the form of a giant sword. Argrave felt his heart thump as his patron deity revealed his power. Sword rose to meet hammer, and the world itself seemed to shake as their sh spread throughout the coastline. Raen¡¯s spatial distortion faltered briefly, allowing some of the god¡¯s power through to the mortal battlefield. The frozen ocean cracked, and wayward energy struck ships and troops alike, killing hundreds in the moment the world of the mortal intersected with that of the gods. Then both divine weapons parted, ready to meet again.


    As divine sword and hammer shed above, the people of Veiden set foot upon the shores of the Great Chu for the first time in their lives. Argrave refocused and harassed those that fired upon them with his blood echoes, tearing holes into the enemy¡¯s defenses piece by piece. Already, Argrave saw the gate on the right side slowly open. Lira¡¯s connections proved useful¡ªthey had a man on the inside to prevent this from being a genuine siege.


    Spells rained down upon their boldly assaulting army. Ebonice disyed its use against lesser spells, while Veidimen spellcasters and enchanters disyed their prowess freely for all it could not block. Even from the isted Sea Dragon, Argrave could hear the cries of war echo across the battlefield. He felt the effects of shamanic magic fade as the casters inside the walls of the fortress died, enabling teleportation inside the fortress. Argrave seized upon this moment to swap with one of his blood echoes, appearing in the heart of the structure instantly.


    Argrave walked the ramparts, casting fire, ice, and electricity recklessly with his blood echoes. He was like a guiding spirit for the Veidimen prating this ce, freeing space for them to pass. When he neared the center, a voice split into his mind¡ªElenore¡¯s.


    ¡°Anneliese says the fortress is trapped. It¡¯s triggering¡ªand soon. I¡¯ve informed Gmon. Evacuate,¡± she said evenly yet urgently.


    Hearing her words, Argrave didn¡¯t need long to get away. He looked to the coast, and then used [Echo Step] to move as quickly as possible. Anneliese descended nearby and created a ward around them to protect from this waning battle, allowing Argrave to turn his gaze from the fortress to the battle between divinity that raged above. As he watched, Law disarmed Tyrg more literally than usual, cutting through his weapon and arm both. The hunk of metal that was his weapon fell downwards, caught by Raen¡¯s spatial distortion. Law, meanwhile, finished Tyrg with another swipe of his de. The god of strength burst into spirits, whereupon he was consumed in a sh of gold that ate through the former divine¡¯s essence like locusts.


    As the ground shook, Argrave looked back to the fortress. As Anneliese said, its trap came to life. The walls rose upwards, twisting around each other like a flower closing on itself. The majority of the Veidimen managed to evacuate, yet some were caught up in it. When it formed a small bud, Argrave thought it was done. Yet fiery heat seared out from its core, and then in a burst of wind and fire, the steel fortress exploded.


    The light of the explosion was like a third sun on the earth. Fragments of steel scattered everywhere, propelled by explosive force. Anneliese¡¯s countless wards protected them from much of the damage, yet even many of them broke from the force. When it all died away, Argrave looked at what had once been a formidable fortress.


    Therge shipyard and its fortification had disappeared entirely. All that remained was a ruin of steel, fire, and flesh. Beyond the mes and the smoke, Argrave saw troops marching through the rugged hills, and a realization came to him. They hadn¡¯t seized a fortification. They had merely pushed back the line, and only slightly.


    Even now their casters melded the earth. They ruined the road that had been supplying this area, ensuring no troops could easily chase. They built yet more forts of a simr make to the one they¡¯d just been assaulting. Doubtless it would be trapped in the same manner.


    They had managed a foothold on the Great Chu. But in the distance, hundreds of horns echoed through snowy valleys. Tens of thousands of troops lurked in the mountains beyond. Argrave could see fortresses simply rise from the earth in key locations, taking shape. He saw magic weapons mounted atop walls, aimed at their forces.


    Indeed¡ªthey had managed to get a foothold. And it seemed like that was all the Great Chu was liable to give them. They had not defeated the army of the Great Chu¡ªthey¡¯d merely pushed them back slightly. To proceed further, they¡¯d need to win hundreds of battles just like this one.


    And not just here¡ªin the skies, too, the foes that Argrave¡¯s divine allies fought seemed toe without an end. Tyrg was formidable. But he was one of many, and all were sworn to fight the Coalition¡¯s enemy in a pact not dissimr to Argrave¡¯s own ckgard Union.


    Looking around, disfigured and charred bodies lined this ce. The dead and dying, sacrificing life for the first victory. So long as they were unwee here, they would be fought. And so long as they fought¡­ there would be death.

 Chapter 550: Continental Schemes

    With the Sea Dragon connected to the heart of Vasquer, supply, manpower, and many other limiting factors ceased to be a significant issue in the shore of this distant and coldnd. Their spellcasters, spared significant expenditure of magic by virtue of Anneliese¡¯s stalwart frontline defense, worked the earth to build a great fortress. The architects of Relize were exported briefly to oversee things. Toe from sea tond was the most difficult prospect, and now that it had been ovee, many things were set in motion.


    In five tense hours, a construction of Vasquer adorned the shores of the Great Chu. It was certainly more formidable and defendable than the fortress they had assaulted, but it had taken them five hours to make. Yet now that they had one, they could have many. They had Raen, god of space, with his divine servants. The same creatures that constructed the great archway of Merovin could rebuild this fortress anywhere they so pleased. All they needed was sufficient space, and five minutes.


    But their foe was more than a match for that speed. On the rugged hills ahead, surrounding the city beyond, countless forts dotted the countryside. Even now, the armies of the Great Chu were mustering to storm against their castle. Already Argrave¡¯s forces were outnumbered, both in thend and in the sky. The assault from divinity had faded, but it was sure toe again.


    Defending the castle was not man alone. Law¡¯s Justiciars stood on the ramparts like gargantuan white gargoyles, swords at the ready. Rook and his divine servants¡ªdaggers, possessed by spirits¡ªhunted down anything and everything attempting toe near the castle that was no ally to them. With those two deities guarding this ce, their position could not easily be broken.


    All that said, Argrave would not personally oversee the war effort any longer. In this battle he¡¯d been nothing more than a spellcaster¡ªa potent one, he¡¯d grant himself, but a spellcaster all the same. He had another role altogether, and one that suited him far better. Anneliese would remain behind tomand the forces Vasquer, with Gmonmanding all of Veiden. Sometimes the best thing a king could do, Argrave reasoned, was delegate tasks to those best suited to perform them.


    Argrave¡¯s job was Emperor Ji Meng.


    The emperor stepped back onto thend of his country, looking back at the now-melting frozen ocean in a survey of the battlefield. His eyes looked high at the fortress in front of them, judging. Some twisted part of him hoped the emperor was impressed if only so it¡¯d make him more cooperative. But he said nothing, and focused on Argrave for his direction.


    ¡°My man will get in contact with themanders we¡¯ve just done battle with. Once we¡¯ve established a channel ofmunication, we¡¯ll arrange a meeting of some kind with those who¡¯re willing. For now, we wait, we reinforce, and we react.¡± Argrave looked around the coastline.


    ¡°Is he dependable, your man?¡± Ji Meng questioned.


    Argrave nodded. ¡°Hemanded the wyverns in the battle against your navy. An S-rank spellcaster.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯ll need to be rather dependable. You¡¯ve seen for yourself the formidability of Great Chu defenses. At sea, the Great Chu can falter. Atnd¡­¡± the emperor inhaled proudly. ¡°You¡¯re outnumbered. You¡¯re attacking, rather than defending. Have you heard of the Battle of Red Valley?¡±


    Argrave shook his head.


    ¡°Great Chu forces faced perhaps the greatest barbarian king in the history of our nation. Ten miles he chased our army, through a long and deste valley far to the north. Hundreds of craters were left behind, much like so,¡± the emperor waved at the st left behind by their fortress. ¡°Half a million died. Our enemiesprised seven eighths of that figure.¡±


    ¡°The idea, lest you forget, is to establishmunication before we have something like that on our hands,¡± Argrave reminded him, unimpressed.


    ¡°I merely sought to reinforce why this is a good arrangement for us,¡± Emperor Ji Meng shook his head. ¡°My honor guard¡ªthey¡¯ll be joining me, as you promised?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ve been informed of the n. They¡¯ll join you when you need to look imperial,¡± Argrave shrugged. ¡°No need for you to speak with them too much, I should think.¡±


    Ji Meng studied Argrave¡¯s people as they worked. ¡°Your trust is hard-earned.¡±


    Argrave shook his head. ¡°I trust the trustworthy easily. From what I understand, honest emperors end up with their heads dashed against the wall. You¡¯re rather too ancient for your survival to have been dumb luck.¡±


    ¡°Then I believe you would live a long time on the throne. Do you agree?¡± Ji Meng noted.


    Argrave smiled. ¡°I n to live forever.¡±


    #####


    A scribe put down his writing instrument, reviewing the text frantically. When he was content it was without error, he rolled it until it was wound enough to fit into a bamboo tube. He fit the letter inside, then put two lids atop the tube that slotted in as if designed to fit there. These lids hummed with magic. Next, the scribe walked over to an apparatus in the floor. He lifted it up, where a hollow portion was just the right size for his bamboo tube. He dropped it in, closed the lid, then ced his hand upon it and willed magic inside the device.


    The bamboo tube shot away, moving at speeds unimaginable at the behest of wind magic. It travelled through a long pipe beneath the well-paved streets of the Great Chu. Cities and cities it passed, transferring to various other pipes without losing speed whatsoever. Then, finally, it slowed, beforeing to a rigid stop in another machine rather like the one it hade from. Here, the grass was green and vibrant, the trees full of fruit, and the vast city around brimming of life. It was a far cry from the cold south that it hade from.


    A bell rung, signaling that a letter had arrived. Someone pulled back the door, grabbed the tube, and extracted the letter within with remarkable efficiency. Its reader did not read the text before she began walking with purpose to deliver it. She passed through a ptial estate in the heart of a city, where half a thousand people worked to support a very wealthy family.


    After weaving through this estate, the letter¡¯s carrier entered a courtyard. Eight waterfalls fed eight separate streams that wound through a garden of vibrant fruit-bearing trees. At the center, where the streams converged, there was a peaceful pond full of koi fish and water lilies. In the center of this pond, there was a circr pavilion, and a single man reading while seated cross-legged.


    ¡°Master Zen,¡± the one bearing the letter greeted,ing to bow humbly and offering the paper to him.


    Governor Zen looked up from his book. He was a man of Chu ethnicity and heritage through and through, and somewhat small in size. He had a sharp goatee that made him seem quite handsome, and wore elegant clothes that enhanced that to a great degree. He wore spectacles that made his dark eyes seem quiterge.


    ¡°A missive?¡± He set down book gently upon the table before him. ¡°From where?¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°The south, master,¡± the servant bowed deeper. ¡°From the letter pipes.¡±


    Hearing it came from the pipes, Governor Zen reached out to take the documents without rushing. He read through it slowly and deliberately, the servant waiting by to receive hismand when it came.


    ¡°Send a message to all the generals in this province,¡± Zen said calmly as he rolled the letter back. ¡°Tell them to gather up every able-bodied troop they can, and mass them. Should the imperial court request that they mobilize, they are to ignore thatmand.¡±


    ¡°At once, master.¡± The servant made to leave.


    ¡°Ah,¡± Zen raised his finger, and that alone was enough to make the message-bearer freeze. ¡°There¡¯s another message. A message for the people. Tell them¡­¡± he smiled slyly. ¡°Tell that the emperor¡¯s ship has returned.¡±


    #####


    Argrave stood on the coast deep into the night. Anneliese stood by his side, and he stared at the person across from him. Sataistador, god of war, looked down upon Argrave like a proud father.


    ¡°Here you stand, on new soil, King Argrave.¡± The huge man crossed his arms. ¡°I¡¯m rather pleased you¡¯ve made it here. I truly hope it won¡¯t be long before I can stop holding myself back.¡±


    ¡°There was a good moment several hours ago,¡± Argrave chided him. ¡°You were notably absent.¡±


    Sataistador tsked. ¡°That table was too crowded for a proper meal. If I reveal myself once, the Qircassian Coalition will be able to find me again easier. There¡¯ll be battles enough for my joining in the future.¡±


    Argrave decided to move past the issue. ¡°We¡¯re trying to get a solid grasp on the military of the Great Chu. We have our foothold. So long as things go well, we¡¯ll have our first conversation with their leadership.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ve seen that ship¡ªthe Sea Dragon,¡± Sataistador said, walking closer. ¡°If any of their scoutsys eyes upon the emperor, the imperial court will grasp your intentions at once. Grand Eunuch Hao is the one in control of the imperial court by this point, ruling as regent. That¡¯s thest bit of information I¡¯ve managed to learn about its inner workings. Doubtless you¡¯ve seen how ruthless the Great Chu is willing to be in defense of their territory.¡±


    ¡°We have,¡± Anneliese nodded. ¡°Things are progressing on our end. Do you have a n for the assault on the sky tower?¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± nodded Sataistador. ¡°You need to upy the Pce of Heaven. Only then can we safely assault the sky tower.¡±


    ¡°Lira said we need a good point of assault to attack the sky tower. I¡¯m a little ignorant about geography for this region,¡± Argrave admitted. ¡°Where is this pce, and why is it so important?¡±


    ¡°The Pce of Heaven crowns the highest mountain in central Great Chu.¡± Sataistador looked northward. ¡°While taller mountains exist elsewhere, they surround the great basin that much the Great Chu resides within, and are quite far from the sky tower by consequence. The fortress has been entirely subverted by the Coalition. It serves as thending point for hundreds of deities and their servants alike.¡±


    Argrave narrowed his eyes. ¡°Sounds like precisely the point that¡¯d be best-defended, and by extension, most obvious to assault.¡±


    ¡°Precisely. And it¡¯s where Law and his Justiciars will ascend to do battle directly. He¡¯s rather fond of a head-on approach. I will admit, his servants are formidable.¡± The god of war waved between Argrave and himself. ¡°You and I, meanwhile¡­ I¡¯m not overfond of allowing Qircassia to slink away into his realm. We¡¯ll approach from above, cut off their retreat.¡±


    ¡°We,¡± Argrave noted. ¡°You want me. Toe with you. And from above, somehow¡ªyou do realize that the top of the tower is forty-five thousand feet off the ground, and firing off like an erupting volcano every so often?¡±


    Sataistador walked closer, then leaned down. ¡°Allow me to inform you of something,¡± he said, quietly and slowly. When next he spoke, it was rapidly and with great force. ¡°This is not the first time I¡¯ve fought with Erlebnis, nor Qircassia¡¯s Coalition. Killing an ancient god of their stature is not at all equivalent to fighting a mortal empire, a mortal king. We must strike unpredictably, strike hard, and do things that have never before been done at every turn. Only then do we have the slightest chance of ying even one of these two.¡±


    Sataistador leaned away, taking a deep breath. ¡°What you do with this empire isn¡¯t my concern. I only require you to make it to the Pce of Heaven and upy it in whatever manner you so choose. I will say¡­¡± he stroked his long red beard. ¡°The Great Chu have built many fortifications. None are quite like the Pce of Heaven. As its name suggests, it¡¯s meant to withstand the might of the heavens. I tried to take it once before, to im the honor of ying an emperor of the Great Chu taking shelter there.¡±


    ¡°Tried?¡± Argrave repeated.


    ¡°And failed,¡± Sataistador admitted. ¡°The Qircassian Coalition gained it through Erlebnis¡¯ subterfuge and treachery without spilling a drop of blood. You might try the same, given your history, and I¡¯d even suggest it. Dozens of gods I¡¯d call equals have thrown themselves against its walls. All failed, and some even perished¡ªand this was without the divine and their children manning the walls. But without it, I¡¯ll admit¡­¡± he looked up at the great tower of clouds. ¡°Without it, we¡¯ve not a chance of fighting Kirel Qircassia, god ofnd and sky, with Erlebnis at his side.¡±


    ¡°What makes it so formidable?¡± Anneliese asked.


    ¡°Ask another,¡± Sataistador shrugged. ¡°Or find out personally. I care not to relive my failures.¡±


    The god of war turned and walked away. At some point, his figure faded into the night.

 Chapter 551: Grand Commandant Sun

    Argrave stood atop the newly-built fortress in the Great Chu and watched the troopsbor to repair the ships. Many had been badly hit by the brunt of that great wave of ice that had frozen the coastline of the Great Chu. He had spent the night here after a brief visit to a still distraught Sophia, and the ice had either broken from the tides or melted. Now, half a thousand ships that were no longer seaworthy were having that issue remedied.


    ¡°It¡¯s done,¡± Elenore told Argrave, making him jolt.


    ¡°What¡¯s done?¡± he answered back in his mind.


    ¡°Durran¡¯s made contact with the Great Chumanders,¡± Elenore disclosed somewhat proudly. ¡°Well, correction¡ªhe isted one, and from there, I¡¯ll spare you the details. Doubtless he¡¯d like to tell you his grand feats himself. Rather than parley officially with the troops¡¯ knowledge, they¡¯d like to have a meeting in a secluded cee nightfall.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Not shady at all. I think I¡¯ll go alone, without telling anyone where I¡¯m headed,¡± Argrave remarked sarcastically. ¡°Fine. Where¡¯s this going to take ce?¡±


    ¡°A few miles east, there¡¯s arge sea cave in a cove. They intend to meet you within it. Durran¡¯s scouting out the ce now, but I suggest youe amply prepared. Even if not all of thesemanders intend to try something, one or two may. If I were the imperial court, I¡¯d let the meeting proceed yet try something of my own.¡±


    ¡°A sea cave in a cove. Lots of ways to die in such a ce. Would you copse it on my head? Or maybe there¡¯s already a secret base established there, and they n to ambush us. Maybe they¡¯ll just make it blow up, like all their fortresses. The possibilities are endless,¡± Argrave took a deep, uncertain breath.


    ¡°¡­you always try and act funny when you¡¯re worried. It¡¯s unbearable. I¡¯ll look after Sophia, so stop worrying about her.¡±


    After having read his soul, Elenore broke the connection and left him alone in this cold ce. Some of his worries did fade at her promise, so he stopped trying to think about how to be witty now and instead focused on how to be wittyter, when his wit might save him from the machinations of Ji Meng and all others of this ce.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Rook¡­¡± Argrave walked away with purpose, muttering.


    #####


    Argrave wished he could im that the day passed without incident, but that was too good to be true. More and more Great Chu fortifications made the hills before them their home, and as more came, their temporary foes were willing to take more risks. They fired upon the fortress from above and below, mainly lobbing spells or, more mundanely, ming barrels of ck powder that exploded violently. Individually, they were negligible. Yet over the course of many volleys, casualties urred in defending against them.


    But time had passed, and thete-night meeting hade. Argrave looked around the cove he¡¯d been bid to travel to. He¡¯d always liked coves, partially because he liked the way the word sounded, but mostly because they always looked rather neat. This one was no exception. It was arge half-circle of a beach, shielded by two rocks that seemed rather like arms. The ocean continued past these arms, and in the center of this half-circle, he saw the aforementioned sea cave of this cove.


    ¡°Are themanders present?¡± Argrave asked Anneliese. ¡°Did they bring any plus ones?¡±


    His queen scouted ahead with her Starsparrow. She kept her eyes closed as she said, ¡°They did bring troops, yes, but not a great abundance. I notice no overt traps. From all I can see, this cave is only partially natural. There are strange patterns in the walls, but not carvings. More like¡­ streaks. It¡¯s¡­ it smells quite salty.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why they call it a sea cave,¡± Argrave reminded her. ¡°It¡¯s got sea in it. Not the letter, either.¡±


    ¡°I think this ce was a salt mine,¡± Anneliese decided, still linked with her bond. ¡°Tasting the walls¡­ yes. Yes, definitely. It¡¯s a salt mine. I suspect that¡¯s why this cave opened¡ªstructural weakness due to mining, plus salt¡¯s typical reaction to water. Still, despite everything, there are no traps that I can see, no more troops than might be typical.¡±


    ¡°And their general mood? Anyone acting unusual?¡±


    ¡°None are nervous,¡± Anneliese said. ¡°That¡¯s the most unusual thing. They¡¯re high-ranking spellcasters. Just as we could, they could escape via teleportation. We shoulder as much risk as they do. Even still, I¡¯d expect some degree of trepidation in some of them. Perhaps they are merely different from us¡­ regardless, it interests and concerns me.¡±


    Argrave didn¡¯t know quite what to make of that, but he proceeded onward toward the cave after Anneliese withdrew her bird. Rook was around, somewhere, keeping well out of sight as he protected and scouted for them. The Alchemist was contained within the Ravenstone, ready to aid. Durran and all of his wyvern riders¡ªplus the Order of the Gray Owl Magisters that¡¯d ridden with them¡ªwere nearby. Argrave could even see some of the great reptiles despite some clever positioning in alcoves.


    Durran stood out front of the cave, holding the emperor¡¯s dadao on his shoulder. He looked around before joining them. He spared greeting, saying, ¡°Ordinarily I¡¯d ask you what you know about these people, but your knowledge is a littleckluster on this continent, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t sound so pleased,¡± Argrave responded as they look into the cave. ¡°I may know a few. The Great Chu never did something of this scale in Heroes of Berendar, though. You¡¯ll have to forgive my ignorance on this one asion.¡±


    Together, Anneliese, Argrave, and Durran pressed onward into this sea cave, following the ocean alongside a smooth pathway. Durran kept the path illuminated with spell light. Just as Anneliese said, deeper within the cave there were strange patterns in the rocks. Argrave thought it might be something else entirely, but as more senses¡ªsmell, even taste¡ªassaulted him, he had to concede that the walls around were all made of salt. He hadn¡¯t known rock salt could be so beautiful. It looked more like polished marble.


    They finally came to themanders of the Great Chu in a wide-open area of the cave. Eight of them kneeled atop pillows in a respectful and respectable position, their backs rigid. Two guards kneeled behind each, the points of their drawn swords stabbed in the ground. As for themanders, their helmets were to their left, while their des were to their right, both across the floor in a disy of traditional parley that Argrave was vaguely familiar with.


    Argrave walked up, surveying them. All eightmanders were S-rank spellcasters, and each one had at least one guard of the same rank. Their des were all enchanted to expel magic with extreme force. In the face of this overwhelming force, Argrave removed the ck Inerrant Cloak around his shoulders, bunched it up, and ced it beneath his knees as he imitated their posture. Behind, Anneliese drew her sword from her staff and ced its point in the ground, kneeling to his left. Durran did the same, kneeling to his right with the dadao in the same pose.


    None of the eightmanders spoke as Argrave looked at each of them in turn. He did recognize some of them, but there wasn¡¯t much to recognize¡ªhe remembered these people only as eternally-hostile bosses that appeared on the coast of Vasquer in thete game. Their presence was minimal enough that many people¡ªArgrave included¡ªhad viewed them as walking katana dispensers, ced there for the sole purpose of allowing the yer to roley as the edgelord they were always meant to be. Only Emperor Ji Meng had some substantial development, and could potentially have some role in fighting Gerechtigkeit.


    Argrave took a deep breath and reached into his breast pocket. He pulled free a wooden token and held it in the air before them. ¡°The emperor has named me Grand Commandant.¡± He willed some magic into it, and Ji Meng¡¯s magic signature flourished. ¡°You may address me as Grand Commandant Sun.¡±


    Argrave¡¯s deration was greeted by the passive stone gaze of soldiers drilled for decades.


    ¡°Where is the son of heaven?¡± asked one.


    ¡°Safe, with his honor guard,¡± Argrave said, putting the token away. ¡°I understand that this extraordinary circumstance demands extraordinary actions. Each of you may disbelieve me as you will, but I can take you to the emperor in due time. The son of heaven has learned that the imperial court is extremelypromised. Perhaps all of you witnessed that days ago, when the gods did battle above our first sh. Or perhaps you had those doubts when word came down from on high to attack the Sea Dragon, regardless of who was riding it.¡±


    ¡°When will you take us to the emperor?¡± anothermander asked, seeming to care for no other matter.


    ¡°I can do so right this very moment, should you wish,¡± Argrave held his hand up. ¡°But shamanic magic alone will take us there. And should youe, it will mean your full cooperation. You will be under the emperor¡¯s banner once more¡ªand as I am Grand Commandant, you would answer to me. Therefore, I believe we should converse first. The imperial court has hands everywhere, and I cannot risk one such traitoring near the son of heaven.¡±


    ¡°The emperor would note by escort of barbarians and gods,¡± onemander argued. ¡°You seek only to weaken us by employing traps, tricks, and all manner of subterfuge.¡±


    Argrave half-shouted, ¡°You dare presume the mind of the son of heaven? You dare deem him weak enough toe under my thrall? If I did not have need of you, I would demand you kill yourself right now, cretin. But you may count yourself among the lucky.¡±


    Silence reigned in this abandoned salt mine for a few moments. Even after that, themanders were unrattled.


    ¡°Then why does the emperor ept the aid of gods?¡± another finally managed, far more diplomatically.


    ¡°Those gods serve my people. My people serve me. And I have sworn fealty to the son of heaven in exchange for refuge of my people from the deadly cold of our homnd,¡± Argrave pounded his fist against his chest, banging the breastte. ¡°We would settle here, in fertile valleys and rich soils, in exchange for our service. It is as much a pragmatic union as it is one of genuine loyalty. None living have brought me to my knees before, for in mynd to kneel is to die. Yet Ji Meng brought us low, then offered to help us rise taller than we stood before. I intend to repay that debt with the blood he chose not to spill. And you, as swornmanders of the Great Chu, are duty-bound to obey.¡±


    Several of themanders broke their uniform stoicism, looking between each other in what must¡¯ve been consideration.


    ¡°You will take us to the emperor?¡± one among them asked.


    ¡°I will. Once there, you submit to mymand. You will move only when I tell you to. You will do only what I say you may do. You will respect the authority of mymanders, two of whom kneel behind me now.¡± Argrave lowered his voice and demeanor as he finished with, ¡°And you will show the son of heaven the respect he is due. If you will not agree to any one of these conditions, I expect you to pick up your weapon and leave this instant.¡±


    The gentle sound of the waves against the walls of the cave persisted as Argrave waited for movement from someone¡ªanyone. Yet none of themanders rose to leave. It seemed that just as Argrave¡¯s army had earned a foothold in thend of the Great Chu, so had he earned a foothold in its government.


    But if they could infiltrate the Imperial Court of the Great Chu¡­ who¡¯s to say Argrave and his fledgling kingdom stood any chance?

 Chapter 552: Ancient Wit

    Argrave looked upon Ji Meng, resplendent in silver attire meant for an emperor. He had been groomed, dressed, and outfitted as befit his station. And that was how he was to be treated, henceforth, given the presence of the eightmanders in this gship. In order to avoid being perceived as a puppet, Argrave intended to have this emperor meet the eightmanders alone.


    ¡°I won¡¯t give you a script,¡± Argrave put his hands on the smaller man¡¯s shoulder. ¡°But remember that you¡¯re never alone. No warding spell, no trick of light, can hide either sound or sight from me in this ce. If you say anything out of sorts, ormunicate any message wrong whatsoever¡­ I¡¯m morefortable killing eightmanders, punishing you properly, and starting again from the beginning.¡±


    Ji Meng looked up at Argrave, then nodded. ¡°We understand, Grand Commandant Sun.¡±


    Argrave took a deep breath, uneased by his rapid adoption of the royal we, then left the room. As he said, this room was watched¡ªAnneliese with her Starsparrow, and several other casters with lesser animals positioned to hear and see everything. He slid open the door, then nodded to one of Ji Meng¡¯s honor guard. They had been let out of their holding areas for the time being to give the emperor more legitimacy. Each were as well-drilled and watched as the man in that room.


    Argrave walked down the hall, making a show of passing by the eightmanders so they thought he would not be present for this meeting. He said nothing as he hastened to get into the spot where he could be present for this meeting.


    #####


    The eightmanders of this southerly Great Chu army entered the room, beholding the emperor. As soon as they verified the face of the man they were sworn to serve, they lowered themselves until their foreheads were pasted against the ground.


    ¡°We greet the son of heaven!¡± they said asynchronously.


    Ji Meng looked upon them, scrutinizing as he let their energy subside. He said regally, ¡°We note your greeting. You are permitted to raise your head and speak candidly.¡±


    They obeyed, peering up at the emperor in a position that made these powerful men look rather like dogs.


    ¡°This servant would inquire about your well-being, my emperor. Your vital force¡­¡± the most devout among them said, seeming genuinely worried.


    ¡°Commander Yuan,¡± Ji Meng looked down upon the one who¡¯d spoken. ¡°We thought ourmand to you was clear. You were to remain in the jungle outpost.¡±


    Yuan ced his head back against the ground. ¡°This servant has no excuse. I heeded the words of the imperial court, who pulled me from thatnd and ced me here.¡±


    ¡°All save Commander Lu do not belong in this region.¡± The emperor brought his hand to his chin. ¡°It seems each of you view us lightly. Mere weeks of absence, and you assign more authority to the words of our false regent.¡±


    ¡°This servant¡¯s worthless soul is yours,¡± Yuan pressed his head harder against the floor, his armor audibly straining.


    ¡°We would im it, had it not the best use in your own body,¡± Ji Meng dered coldly, looking at each of the bowingmanders in turn. ¡°The imperial court has betrayed me, as it has many sons of heaven before. We did not die, despite the imperial court¡¯s attempts. But we suffered an injury in the battle against Grand Commandant Sun,¡± Ji Meng stated matter-of-factly. ¡°He possessed a weapon which I suspect is of divine origin that disrupts the flow of vital force into our body. It shall heal, but for now, we will allow our Grand Commandant to perform many of the tasks that we need.¡±


    ¡°My emperor¡­¡± onemander lowered his head. ¡°I humbly plead you demote this¡­ this barbarian. The mere thought of taking orders from one¡ª¡±


    ¡°Our Grand Commandant bested you on the field of battle once already. He bested us in use of vital force, and it was only our superiorbat experience that brought him to his knees before us.¡± Ji Meng looked at each of themanders, gauging their reactions. ¡°Yet it seems each of you would chafe under the idea. Perhaps you believe one battle does not indicate the superior strategist. As such, we will grant you one concession.¡±


    Ji Meng smiled broadly. ¡°I bestow each of you eight the authority to challenge our Grand Commandant to a duel. Should you win, we shall assign his title to one more suitable. One from thends of the Great Chu. Perhaps¡­ one of you.¡±


    The almost outraged-sounding chirp of a bird filled the room, yet themanders were each too surprised by this deration to even notice.


    ¡°But make no mistake¡ªour Grand Commandant is unquestionably suited for this role. His mind is as vast as the ocean we crossed, his skill is as sharp as the best of our des, and his leadership is such that even gods yield to his authority. We permit you to learn these things on your own. One must be exceptional to be named the Grand Commandant of the son of heaven.¡±


    Themanders¡¯ eyes veered away from the emperor before them, looking to each other for the briefest of nces.


    ¡°Now, you have witnessed us. We bid you return to Grand Commandant Sun, armed with our words.¡±


    #####


    ¡°That wormy bastard¡­¡± Argrave balled his right hand into a fist, while the left clenched it tightly.


    A mind as vast as an ocean, skill as sharp as the best of their des, and leadership enough to make the gods yield¡­ Argrave would¡¯ve felt mighty ttered if those words hadn¡¯t been spoken in that situation. Perhaps Ji Meng intended to get back at Argrave for constantly holding over his head the fact that they¡¯d defeated him. He was testing¡ªpushing.


    But at the same time, that meeting couldn¡¯t have gone better. That made it more infuriating.


    He hadn¡¯t even lied, really. Ji Meng had brought Argrave to his knees, and was bested by superior vital force¡ªor in Berendar terms, magic. By dering that Ji Meng could still remove Argrave from his position, he established his authority. Themanders had infinitely less room to doubt this borate scenario that had been concocted.


    The only caveat to all of that was that Argrave might be called upon to defend his role in a duel. And who might be his opponent? Eight S-rank spellcasters, each of which was skilled enough to im the role ofmander over perhaps the best army in the known world. Fortunately, he wouldn¡¯t be fighting them at the same time. Yet maybe¡­


    Argrave turned his head to Anneliese. ¡°Please tell me Ji Meng dissuaded them from actually fighting me by puffing me up so much. How were they feeling about what he said?¡±


    Anneliese sat in a chair, caressing her forehead. ¡°Well¡­¡±


    ¡°Good lord.¡± Argrave stood up, then walked around. He didn¡¯t need Anneliese to spell it out to understand what a hesitant ¡®well¡¯ meant. As he epted what had happened, he started tough. ¡°This feels like something I¡¯d have done. ¡®Return to Grand Commandant Sun, armed with our words¡­¡¯¡± Argraveughed again.


    Anneliese rose up to stand by him, not quite sharing his mirth. ¡°They¡¯ll being, soon, to speak to you. Do you want to¡­?¡±


    ¡°Abandon this n?¡± Argrave closed his eyes, thinking. As he reflected more, some small amount of amusement resurfaced. ¡°Maybe the old fellow¡¯s got a point.¡±


    Anneliese crossed her arms. ¡°What point would that be?¡±


    ¡°Maybe one does have to be exceptional to be named Grand Commandant. Maybe my mind is as vast as an ocean.¡± Argrave tapped the side of his forehead. ¡°Ever think about that?¡±


    Anneliese sighed. ¡°No, not that I remember. But I can tell that vast mind is made up, so I will say only this¡ªbe careful.¡±


    #####


    Argrave once against kneeled in front of each of the eightmanders. Where they¡¯d been cautious tigers before, now they seemed like hungry lions, each and all eyeing the throne that nature had thrust upon him. Or perhaps it was his imagination. Regardless, he was d to have Anneliese and Durran with him.


    ¡°Seeing as each of you eight havee before me here, I¡¯m going to assume that you saw the son of heaven for who he is,¡± Argrave said without much ceremony. ¡°So there¡¯s no misunderstanding, however, I¡¯ll ask you this. Are you loyal to the emperor, before anyone?¡±


    As they all answered ¡®yes,¡¯ Argrave waited to see if Anneliese would touch him to signal deception. Yet no signal came, and Argrave eyed these people before him with some degree of surprise. Each and all were loyal and true. This defied expectations. But it wasn¡¯t them alone that Argrave needed to worry about.


    ¡°And can you be certain none underneath you are loyal to the imperial court before the emperor?¡±


    This time, silence was his answer.


    Argrave nodded. ¡°Then each of you can see the problem. The imperial court is the beating heart of the bureaucracy of the Great Chu. They¡¯re intended to be the all-powerful hand of the emperor. That power turned in favor of another can prove a tremendous obstacle to ovee for the son of heaven it¡¯s meant to serve. It¡¯s to be your duty to overturn that from within, with myself as your lodestone. It will not be easy. Should you defect your troops to our side now, all will turn to naught. So instead, I intend to turn you for subtler purposes until we can turn the table all at once and bring the enemies of the emperor to bear.


    ¡°We must regain thisnd, city by city, province by province, until the source of the malignance has been identified. Then, we shall purge the influence of Erlebnis and the Qircassian Coalition in one fell swoop, sparing those of the Great Chu the wrath of the heavens by returning to the throne its son.¡± Argrave looked between them all.


    ¡°This task will require immense coordination,¡± one of themanders noted.


    ¡°It will,¡± Argrave nodded.


    ¡°Coordination best served internally,¡± anothermander noted.


    ¡°Not necessarily,¡± Argrave shook his head.


    Themanders looked between each other, then decided to disclose, ¡°The son of heaven gave us one bit of authority. Your position as Grand Commandant¡­ we may challenge it.¡±


    ¡°Challenge it how?¡± Argrave asked without missing a beat.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Any of us may challenge you to a duel,¡± one of themanders said boldly.


    ¡°I see.¡± Argrave nodded, then smiled. ¡°And do you intend to invoke that right, now?¡±


    The eightmanders of the Great Chu looked amongst each other and at Argrave in total silence as they pondered their choice. In the end, their gazes settled upon one person. Argrave remembered his name¡ªCommander Yuan. All that Argrave remembered of him was that Ji Meng had favored thismander.


    Commander Yuan rose. He certainly had the most magic of all present. He looked near thirty, though that meant little for magic-users. He grabbed his de and ced it before Argrave elegantly. ¡°I would invoke that right.¡±


    Argrave exhaled from his nose for a long time. ¡°Good. We¡¯ll fight where I fought the son of heaven¡ªon the front deck of this ship.¡±


    ¡°And if I may be so bold¡­ please, request the son of heaven to watch this bout,¡± Commander Yuan continued.


    Argrave¡¯s smile grew rather wide. ¡°Though I dare not presume the mind of the son of heaven, I will venture he may be an eager spectator.¡±

 Chapter 553: Gold Standard

    Argrave kneeled beneath a full moon on the deck of the Sea Dragon. He was already getting tired of this kneeling business. If he were a believer in omens, he might think that this fight would most surely be his loss. His personal heraldry was that of the sun, while the symbol of the Great Chu¡ªthe moon¡ªwas high overhead, at its brightest. Despite this, as Argrave looked at Commander Yuan who kneeled with his sword ced on the ground at his side, he felt only confidence. The man¡¯s face was hidden behind a demonic mask, but he suspected the same confidence was mirrored behind it.


    As predicted, Ji Meng watched this bout, surrounded dually by his honor guard and Argrave¡¯s own Veidimen royal guard. Patriarch Dras, Gmon, Durran, Anneliese, and from on high, even Rook¡ªhe¡¯d gathered quite an audience. It was enough to fray the nerves, but Argrave¡¯s will had grown strong from years of constant use and abuse.


    The emperor lifted his hand, ostensibly acting as arbiter for this bout, then lowered it and dered, ¡°Begin.¡±


    Commander Yuan grabbed his de and lunged, performing an incredibly quick draw. The moment that the de left the scabbard it already glinted with magic, and a powerful de of electricity sought Argrave¡¯s neck. But just as Yuan already attacked, Argrave already defended¡ªusing his practiced casting speed, he¡¯d a ward prepared faster than the lightning could travel.


    Almost leisurely, Argrave reached for the weapon he¡¯d ced beside him. It was Rowe¡¯s staff, bestowed upon Anneliese, who¡¯d lent it to Argrave temporarily. Would Rowe hate him for this? Yes. Was it moderately unfair? Perhaps. Did Argrave care? Anyone that knew him could guess the answer. The moment that his hand clenched around it, he could feel the power contained within this weapon¡ªVeid¡¯s very heart¡ªcourse into his magic, strengthening it.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Great Chu hadmon spellcasters,mon swordsmen, but traditionally the best among them were trained to perform both roles. Their weapons required an abundance of raw magic to use, yet there was an argument they were both more efficient and faster than spells. Yuan¡¯s de created waves of power easily equal to A-rank spells, judging from the impact Argrave¡¯s ward had taken.


    Commander Yuan sprinted across the deck, closing the distance between himself and Argrave with unnatural speed. Themander¡¯s boots conjured gusts to give him incredible bursts of speed. Argrave saw themander¡¯s left hand glow with a mana ripple while the right prepared to stab forth his weapon elegantly, concentrating its power to break the ward. In response, Argrave merely sent out blood echoes. He had them cast nothing more than simple C-rank spells. Wind, fire, and water interrupted Yuan¡¯s run, but to his credit, he regained hisposure after being struck once and used enchanted gear to ward himself.


    A stab from Yuan¡¯s de bridged the gap remaining and shattered Argrave¡¯s ward, then the full might of an S-rank lightning spell erupted toward where Argrave stood. He was surprised that the man wasn¡¯t holding back at all, but merely used [Echo Step] and swapped ces with one of the blood echoes behind Yuan. Argrave responded equally fiercely¡ªan A-rank [Burst], infused with his ck blood. The spell rocked out with power every bit as fierce, if not magnitudes fiercer, than what had targeted Argrave. The wards Yuan made shattered, and he was hit with much of Argrave¡¯s might.


    Argrave knew his foe was well-equipped, so chose not to relent. All of his blood echoes unleashed the B-rank [Arc Whip], sending coilingshes of electricity upon his foe. He was wise to be unrelenting. Yuan recovered and blocked with another ward, then dispelled it and shed at Argrave again¡ªonce, twice, thrice. Another [Echo Step] removed him from harm, yet Yuan did a very wide swing, catching onto Argrave¡¯s method to dodge. He sought to catch each of the echoes around him.


    But then, he should¡¯ve looked up.


    Argrave teleported above Yuan, where his blood echo had prepared a B-rank sword of blood. Argrave merely fell down upon themander as though his name was Aerith instead of Yuan. Blood magic, formed of ck blood, and enhanced by Veid¡¯s heart¡­ few things could truly resist it. He plunged the sword into the man¡¯s back, and it pierced enchanted armor and flesh both.


    ¡°It¡¯s over,¡± Ji Meng said before things could progress, presiding over the whole affair.


    Argrave looked at the old emperor, then dispelled the de of blood and stepped away from themander. He pried the weapon from Yuan¡¯s hand, cast it aside, and then kneeled down to heal his former foe¡¯s wound before he bled out internally or externally. When that was done, Argrave rose.


    ¡°There might be some blood left in your lungs,¡± Argrave informed his former opponent, now turned into his patient. ¡°Let it remind you of your duty to the son of heaven should you cough it up.¡±


    Argrave looked upon everyone that¡¯d been watching. His own people seemed proud. Themanders and the emperor¡¯s honor guard seemed a little mortified¡ªit might be said Argrave was never even put on the backfoot. It came to him, then.


    Argrave had be a force to be reckoned with.


    He had everything he needed. His ck blood gave him the advantage of power, [Echo Step] gave him the best mobility anyone could ask for, and after long bouts with both Orion and King Norman, he had enough experience to hold his own well enough. He¡¯d been putting gods in his sight, and somewhere along the way, he got past just about everyone else.


    Last, Argrave¡¯s eyes fell upon Emperor Ji Meng. The man was neither mortified, nor proud, nor amused. The only thing Argrave saw from him was scrutiny, judgment. Perhaps he was wondering if he could beat Argrave, now. Regardless, the emperor gainedposure, and turned his gaze to address the sizable crowd.


    ¡°Does anyone else intend to contest our Grand Commandant?¡± Ji Meng surveyed the crowd. ¡°No? Then to conclude, we will say only this.¡± He looked at Yuan, then at Argrave. ¡°It was a good fight, Grand Commandant Sun. We expect performances of the same level henceforth.¡±


    #####


    ¡°One of the reasons that Commander Yuan lost that fight was something that he may have mitigated.¡± Argrave looked between the eightmanders. He sat on a chair, while they kneeled¡ªhe figured it¡¯d be fine, since he¡¯d just beaten their toughest guy up. ¡°Hecked critical information. Doubtless you understand its value, having risen to your current station.¡±


    Each of the eight nodded.


    ¡°What we need, then, is information. While we¡¯re acquiring some of our own, we¡¯re sorely limited without an abundance of insiders. A deity that works for me has argework of contacts, but none of them bear the same importance in the Great Chu that you do. More than your armies, your title is what I need, for now.¡±


    Argrave wasn¡¯t lying to them anymore. While Veidimen and several agents that Elenore trained scouted the whole of the Great Chu with druidic magic, the influence of the imperial court wasn¡¯t something that could be easily perceived from above. He needed Great Chu natives in prominent positions for what Argrave, Elenore, and Anneliese had nned.


    ¡°I need your titles because I intend to attack the veins of the Great Chu, and conquer it back from the imperial court. From what I know, your people are leagues ahead of ours, financially speaking. Your use of paper money has allowed trade to prosper. And because trade prospers, you can support vast cities in ces where local agriculture alone cannot support the poption.¡± Argrave tapped the ground before him with his foot to emphasize his next words. ¡°Our focus will be Grand Imperial Bank.¡±


    Some of themanders looked extremely rmed, while others were entirely unaffected by this news. The difference, Argrave suspected, was between those who understood the importance of the Grand Imperial Bank to the health of the entire nation, and those who did not. The Grand Imperial Bank was wholly owned by the imperial court, and served as both a central and public bank. That simple fact gave them the keys to much of the country.


    The Great Chu was far ahead of Vasquer. All of their major cities had sewage, running water, continent-spanning postal systems powered by magic, and vastly efficient transportation methods in manmade canals that might bepared to trains in speed. Paper money, while totally novel to all in Vasquer, wasmon here. And it tied the people of this vast empire to the government extremely closely.


    Gold notes, silver notes¡ªostensibly they could be exchanged for gold or silver at any time, but in reality, Argrave and Elenore both doubted the system was without weakness. Soldiers were paid in these notes. Food was sold for these notes. Public transportation required these notes. Landowners, farmers, wealthy families, governors,manders; each and all were expected to pay taxes not in grain or gold, as wasmon in Vasquer, but in gold and silver notes.


    The Great Chu, simply put, ran on paper.


    It had tremendous benefits. As Argrave said, it was partially responsible for great metropolises blossoming where ordinarily such a thing would be impossible. Excellent transportation coupled with highly convenient trade allowed food and other such resources that generally limited a city¡¯s poption to be non-issues. Paper money was undoubtedly convenient, but its purchasing power was backed by the government¡ªone institution within the government, most specifically.


    ¡°The Grand Imperial Bank does more than simply lend money. It¡¯s also responsible for storing people¡¯s bnces, creating more notes as needed, and preventing fraud,¡± Argrave exined. ¡°It handles everything, from stock inpanies, to¡ª¡±


    ¡°Tampering with the empire¡¯s finances could have devastating effects for the whole of the Great Chu,¡± onemander exined with a clenched jaw. ¡°It¡¯s a carefully tuned machine that, if gone awry, could have a rippling effect that consigns millions to starvation and poverty. Cities in remote regions like Nanji cannot hope to¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve discussed this matter at length with the emperor,¡± Argrave cut in. ¡°We aren¡¯t speaking of destroying the Grand Imperial Bank.¡±


    ¡°You said we would conquer it,¡± themander continued. ¡°And conquest brings damages.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a matter that the emperor is well willing to focus on once this cmity has passed by the Great Chu.¡± Argrave looked between them. The well-informedmanders still looked ill at ease, while those not in the know were growing rmed by their peers¡¯ insistence on the importance of the bank.


    Commander Yuan looked at each of them and said evenly yet loudly, ¡°Has the emperor not stated clearly enough for each of you that the imperial court has, for the first time in its history, been whollypromised by the divine? You would bicker over money? Can the son of heaven not provide for his people, once cmity has passed? Has he not toiled, rising from the fields to im his mandate? Will he not feed and shelter them even at the cost of his own fortune?¡±


    Argrave nodded in quiet agreement. To say something positive about Ji Meng, he certainly wasn¡¯t callous toward the people. When hard times came, he had a reputation for aiding them. Yet when the good times came, he¡¯d expect the same loyalty from them on the field of battle. Perhaps it was because Ji Meng viewed the people as his people, and simply took good care of what was his. Regardless, Ji Meng was liked.


    ¡°I go with this only because I know how well it works,¡± Argrave exined, thinking of Erlebnis and how he¡¯d been crippled after they had robbed his vault. ¡°The Grand Imperial Bank is the foundation for so much of the imperial court¡¯s power. Wrested from their hands, it can serve the son of heaven long enough for him to reestablish his primacy. I can assure you that our emperor would not allow this n to pass did he not believe it necessary.¡±


    Commander Yuan bowed low, cing his head on the ground. ¡°I am the humble servant of the Grand Commandant.¡±


    Apparently, Argrave needed to stab his subordinates more often¡ªYuan was the most enthusiastic. In time, each of the other sevenmanders mirrored Commander Yuan¡¯s expression, giving their fealty to him as Grand Commandant. With their support, Argrave supposed it was time for a hostile takeover of a state-owned central and public bank.


    Perhaps next time, they¡¯d not put all their golden eggs in one basket.

 Chapter 554: Batwoman, Here to Burn the Nation

    Argrave was higher ranked, and so had ess to higher-ranked druidic magic. With it, he could create a temporary bond with a tamed creature only. For this purpose Argrave used a messenger pigeon, and with it, he examined the most important city in all the Great Chu.


    The capital city of the Great Chu, Ji, had no peer. Argrave could say so fairly confidently while viewing it from above. He had been to Mundi, Dirracha, Sethia, and even founded a city of his own, ckgard, but nothing could quitepare to Ji¡¯s radiant beauty. To begin with, it had no roads at all. The whole of it was navigable by wide canals upon which boats traversed in tremendous numbers. Beautiful gardens lined these canals, with walkways of impable gray stone connecting the whole city.


    No building seemed poor or run-down. Most all had clean white walls and gray-blue pyramidal roofs that hung over the side of the building. Gold and silver decorated wealthier homes, and children abounded, many of them ying with kites made in the image of eastern-style dragons. The crescent moon symbolizing their nation could be seen in noble pces all over the city, each estate containing borate gardens and statues with a history Argrave couldn¡¯t begin to guess.


    Looming at the far north of Ji was the imperial pce. Argrave had thought the Sea Dragon massive, but the imperial pce was a giganticplex of buildings in the same style of architecture throughout the rest of the city. One puny wing of it was asrge as the entire parliament hall and all apanying buildings in ckgard. The imperial court did its business within, running the whole of this nation.


    Closely positioned by the pce, straddling the wall between the pce and the city itself, was Argrave¡¯s focus: the main branch of the Grand Imperial Bank in the Great Chu¡¯s capital city of Ji. It was neither showy nor ostentatious, blending in with much of the city rtively harmlessly. But below, the heart of this nation beat. Metaphorically speaking, that bank was the moon that governed the tides of the economy.


    And they were no closer to it today than they had been before.


    Now that Argrave had seen it, he broke the connection with the bird and once again sat in his quarters within the Sea Dragon. The past few days were both a relief of some pressures and the application of others on a whole new level. The fact they¡¯dpromised not one or two, but eight enemymanders in such a timely fashion meant that the strain faced by their invading force lessened immediately. At the same time, this lessened strain enabled their scouting efforts to begin in earnest.


    With druidic spells, they scouted army locations and geographical features, much of which they already had thanks to Lira. But with insider information, they began to map out how the power structure in the Great Chu had changed in the wake of Ji Meng¡¯s absence. This was the most important information, yet also the hardest to manage. It was so tremendously difficult that Argrave found himself at a loss in merely three days.


    Anneliese slid open the door, and Argrave turned his head to her.


    She walked in and closed the door. Only then did she disclose, ¡°Commander Yuan was attacked. He survived, yet¡­ he lost a limb. I¡¯m told this is likely to relieve him of duty.¡±


    Argrave lowered his head upon hearing the news, but was not surprised. The past few days, he¡¯d had to ept that he¡¯d bitten a honeyed apple that was poisoned on the inside.


    Three of themanders that they¡¯d managed to contact had been assassinated. Now, Commander Yuan was direly injured and likely to be removed from service. Some of the attacks had been med on Argrave and his forces¡ªthemanders were ¡®ambushed¡¯ by raiding parties that Argrave never sent out. Two had utterly vanished, and were presumed dead. Worst case, they were captured and tortured by the imperial court. Argrave couldn¡¯t be sure what information they leaked. All eight seemed steadfast, but anyone could break under duress.


    ¡°I should¡¯ve known that things were too good to be true. This must be the imperial court¡¯s move. Rather than ce men they know are loyal to them in the frontlines, they ced ones they knew were steadfast.¡± Argrave scratched at his cheek. ¡°Then, when we reached out¡­ damn it all. But these men each and all had S-rank guards. How could they so easily¡­?¡± Argrave began to raise his voice, but calmed himself. He nodded quietly. ¡°It¡¯s done.¡±


    Anneliese walked closer to Argrave to sit beside him. ¡°The other four are far too busy preserving their own lives to be of any genuine use. I¡ª¡±


    The door opened, and Elenore stood there, shadowed by Mnie and Orion. Argrave rose to his feet at once. ¡°Elenore. Why are you here? This ce is¡ª¡±


    ¡°Mnie and Orion aren¡¯t enough protection for me?¡± She walked in briskly, then the two shut the door behind her. ¡°I had toe in person. I was getting a headache from these constant mental barrages of conversation you people send me.¡± She walked with unusual vigor and grabbed a vacant chair, cing it before the table Argrave sat at. ¡°Sit. Everyone.¡±


    Argrave slowly acquiesced from the sheer force of her approach. Only Orion stayed standing.


    ¡°Three days. Three high-level informants attacked,¡± Elenore summarized, her voice rapid and sharp.


    ¡°Four, as of minutes ago,¡± Anneliese cut in. ¡°He survived, yet was injured badly.¡±


    ¡°Four, then.¡± Elenore tapped the table. ¡°We were na?ve. These people are more advanced than ours in every which way¡ªwhy did we believe ourselves their betters in espionage?¡±


    ¡°Durran tells me he did a good job of making things seem natural¡ªthat he made it seem like he fought them, then got pushed back,¡± Argrave shrugged. ¡°And themanders themselves¡­ I don¡¯t think they were indiscreet. So how could¡ª¡±


    ¡°The ¡®how¡¯ doesn¡¯t even matter,¡± Elenore interrupted him. ¡°The imperial court may not even have known¡ªthey could have simply purged those they suspected. I¡¯ve certainly done such things before. We should move forward with the assumption the imperial court knows of our intent to target the Grand Imperial Bank, and the fact the emperor is in our hands.¡±


    Anneliese nodded in agreement, then asked, ¡°Should we change our¡ª¡±


    ¡°No, we won¡¯t change our target,¡± Elenore interrupted her¡ªher mind seemed to be moving far faster than they could speak, at present. ¡°The bank is their biggest vulnerability, I¡¯m sure of it. Despite that, we¡¯re fighting our equals¡ªno, our betters at subterfuge in the heart of their territory, and they¡¯re amply aware of our attempts to infiltrate and undermine their position. It¡¯s no wonder out first attempt failed. The first battle is lost, but it was enough to bring me here. And I refuse to lose any war.¡±


    Argrave took a deep breath with a smile on his face. His sister, it seemed, had gained some rather extreme motivation. There was nothing more reassuring than that.


    ¡°I¡¯m bringing the vast majority of my agents to bear, here,¡± Elenore looked at everyone in turn. ¡°We need to attack in ways that cannot be anticipated. I¡¯ve thought of one, for now: we¡¯ll capture the pets of prominent figures and imbue them with druidic bonds to spy. Lira¡¯s connections should be capable of that much. Even one or two sessful nts could open up the world for us. As for the fourmanders remaining¡­ we¡¯ll change our strategy. Drastically. We face a proactive foe¡ªbut by moving, they¡¯ve already given us a vast amount of information. We have to force their hand.¡±


    Elenore nodded intensely as her brain worked, then she refocused. ¡°Commander Yuan¡ªis he reliable?¡± She looked at each Anneliese and Argrave.


    Argrave nodded. ¡°Probably the most steadfast.¡±


    ¡°The fact he was injured suggests otherwise, but it works in our favor nheless,¡± she nodded firmly. ¡°If the imperial court acts as they likely will, Yuan could be extremely important. His removal from service might be the legitimate grievance that allows us to protect and empower the four people that are our informants.¡±


    Elenore rose and walked to a shut window, then opened it up. Orion watched the outside uneasily as she peered across thend. ¡°Kill our informants without consequence? I don¡¯t think so. Their information is conveyed by pipes beneath the canals, right? We need to get at that, intercept letters. It¡¯ll be difficult to do so without arousing suspicion, but the rewards will be immense. As for assassination¡­ it won¡¯t be ours alone who have to die. We can stage killings of our own, pin the me, just as they¡¯ve done.


    ¡°Mayors, governors, prominent merchants, local heroes¡­ we¡¯ll rattle their cage until the ratse scurrying out. Then, we¡¯ll burn them from beneath until they squeal the names of their masters. We¡¯ll reach around the empire, too. Ji Meng talked about barbarians on the opposite edge of the borders. If we tell them about the internal conflict¡­ if we tell them about us, here at the shores, liable to strike at the heart of the emp¡ª¡±


    ¡°That might be a bit much, Elenore,¡± Argrave stood, walking up to her. ¡°The whole reason we¡¯re targeting the Grand Imperial Bank is to minimize bloodshed, remember? I¡¯m not opposed to assassinations. Better for a few to die than both our armies, but that? Provoking invasions?¡±


    Elenore closed her eyes and stepped away from the window. ¡°I suppose it may be¡­ extreme. But Argrave, tell me¡ªdo you expect it to be easier to raise Ji Meng as a imant if the Great Chu is stable and prosperous, or if chaos erupts in his absence?¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°You know the answer,¡± Argrave said, non-judgmentally.


    Elenore pursed her lips, looking to debate things. ¡°¡­there are other ways. We could sabotage the intercity canals, for instance.¡±


    ¡°I think there are routes we forget.¡± Anneliese also stood, and came to join the three of them. ¡°Rook is present. He¡¯s agreed to help. He¡¯s already involved in some way.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t fathom what he¡¯ll ask¡­¡± Elenore closed her eyes and rubbed them. ¡°He agreed to help in war against the Qircassian Coalition. This borders on something beyond that, but perhaps if we phrase things properly¡­¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t Rook bless some guy you know? Some noble of house Jast, got disinherited?¡± Mnie chimed in. Everyone looked at her, and she cocked her head back in rm. ¡°What? Am I wrong?¡±


    ¡°No, you¡¯re very right.¡± Argrave pointed at her, acknowledging the merit of her suggestion. ¡°I kind of wrote him off because he took service with House Parbon. I figured Elias would help himnd on his feet. But Stain¡­ he does have Rook¡¯s blessings.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know...¡± Elenore crossed her arms. ¡°He¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s what?¡± Argrave looked down at her.


    ¡°He¡¯s been a bit of an annoyance. Mnie somewhat mitigated that annoyance when she imed the Low Way of the Rose. She loves making money, so I just route trade with the Burnt Desert through there, give her a percentage.¡± Elenore gestured. ¡°But House Parbon¡¯s been buoyed by that disinherited upstart. I suspect he¡¯s a fair bit different from how you remember him, now. He¡¯s grown into his role as Rook¡¯s champion, suffice to say.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re giving him a rather ringing endorsement, I think,¡± Mnie noted. ¡°Thinking back, Rook wanted me to be his champion. His blessings¡­ can¡¯t he change his face with Rook¡¯s powers? We¡¯d have someone reliable on the inside!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, he can. Stain¡­ Vdrien of Jast¡­ god, it¡¯s been two years, I think,¡± Argrave looked up at the ceiling reminiscing on memories long ago. Stain was actually one of the protagonists of Heroes of Berendar¡ªhe was a pure rogue. They¡¯d met him in the city of Jast, and he helped broker an alliance between the count and the margrave. ¡°I hope he¡¯s still scared of me. It¡¯s worth talking to him. If he¡¯s unreasonable, we go to Rook, ask for his aid.¡±


    ¡°Very well,¡± Elenore conceded. ¡°Maybe I can integrate him into mywork. If not, you¡¯ll kill him for me, right, brother? He annoyed me,¡± she said with a sarcastic, childish pout.


    Argrave smiled and touched her shoulder affectionately. At the same time, he didn¡¯t want to ask Anneliese if Elenore was actually being serious. It seemed the deaths of thesemanders had sent the Bat-Signal, and now the Bat herself came down to the Great Chu. It was greatly heartening.

 Chapter 555: Friends of Yesteryear

    ¡°What makes you think you deserve my help?¡±


    The Stain in Argrave¡¯s memory was a young man that was brown of hair, somewhat good-looking, but beyond that,rgely average. Height, bearing¡ªnothing about him stood out. He was Generic Thief Protagonist Incarnate. That was probably a good thing in his line of work. Criminals often dressed simrly not only to signify belonging to a group, but also to avoid having their appearance easily identifiable by the guards. The Stain that Argrave saw now, though¡­


    He had grown his hair out somewhat. His face became sharper, and he grew better into the man he was supposed to be. He had a faint moustache and chin stubble that didn¡¯t look terrible¡­ nor was it something to write home about, granted. He sat in a chair opposite Elenore and Argrave on a desk, leaning the chair back and bncing it on two legs. One might call such a pose exceedingly arrogant. Argrave was waiting to see.


    ¡°Deserve? Did you miss the news flyers, the roaming undead, the appearance of lesser gods? It¡¯s the world against Gerechtigkeit,¡± Argrave shot back at him.


    ¡°Yeah? And this apocalypse¡ªinvading the Great Chu involves it how?¡± He spread his arms out wide, stretching.


    Argrave crossed his arms. He didn¡¯t feel the need to exin everything to Stain just yet¡ªespecially not this colorful, cocky Stain. ¡°Enemies intent on ending Vasquer lie in wait there, sieging Berendar. You can ask Almazora to provide evidence regarding that. Or, you can look to the fire in the royal forest. That was caused by enemy barrages, overseas. Regardless¡­ I think you owe me a lot, Stain.¡±


    Stainughed and smiled. ¡°I did work. You paid me. Even if it was generously, that was our arrangement. I put your coin to good work. Or maybe you¡¯re talking about setting me up with House Parbon? That was more Elias than you, I think.¡± He stopped bncing, and the chair ttered down back onto four legs loudly. ¡°But even supposing that was a debt, which it isn¡¯t¡­ you¡¯d still owe me.¡±


    Elenore looked at Argrave for direction, but for now, he didn¡¯t feel the need to let her interject. He leaned onto the desk and said, ¡°I can¡¯t see how.¡±


    ¡°Erlebnis¡¯ people approached me, you know. The things they offered¡­ all they needed was for me to infiltrate ckgard.¡± He waved his hand over his face, and suddenly, his face looked identical to Mnie¡¯s. His hair grew redder as naturally as a tree changing colors with the seasons. When he next spoke, his voice was wholly different. ¡°Could¡¯ve done it easily. I turned them down, though.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t quite Mnie¡¯s voice exactly, but it was enough to fool the ignorant ear. He waved again, and his face went back to normal. He started bncing the chair again. Now that Argrave had seen a demonstration, he was only all the more eager to bring this man into the fold. He was precisely the person that they needed for this.


    ¡°Not being a quisling to the only nation you¡¯ve known doesn¡¯t earn you any points in my book. It¡¯s the bare minimum,¡± Argrave said, shutting down any notion that they¡¯d owe a favor for that.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what quisling means, but I can guess. If you heard what they offered, well¡­ I¡¯m of a different mind. Not giving you up was betraying myself, you ask me. Fortunately, when you¡¯re the best at what you do, you get to pick and choose your clients.¡± He pointed at Argrave with a cocky grin. ¡°You owe me everything, Argrave.¡±


    Argraveughed at him. ¡°My sister asked me to kill you. I haven¡¯t. You owe me your life by that logic, you imbecile.¡±


    Stain was without a response, but he kept that same incredibly punchable grin going strong all the same. This young man, it would seem, had been ruined by early sess in Parbon. People that thought they were the new hotness were the hardest to work with, and it disappointed Argrave greatly that this was who the man had be.


    Argrave looked at Elenore with a sigh, then stood up and walked to the window in the room. As he peered out of it, Elenore put some documents on the table.


    ¡°I¡¯ve taken the liberty of outlining your assets,¡± she said. ¡°You¡¯re the main fence in Parbon, but you keep a good reputation by simultaneously helping people recover stolen items for a fee. A little clever¡­ but rather high-risk. I have aprehensive list of your clients, both thieves and thieved, who this information could reach. Overnight, that business crumbles.¡±


    Stain looked closely at the list, but kept bncing the chair on two legs. ¡°Business doesn¡¯t tie back to me. I use false faces for every meet. Dead-end.¡±


    Elenore crumpled the paper, then deposited it. ¡°Poof. One source of ie gone. Then, your druidic magic connection with ine in Jast¡­ we work somewhat closely. I asked her to write me a letter describing her business with you, and if she¡¯d be willing to end it. Well¡­¡± Elenore tapped another document, then crumpled it up. ¡°Poof. A little less money for the Stain on House Jast. Next, money-lending. A word to the margrave, then¡­ poof. Your little pipeweed business¡ªpoof. All the trade you have with the Burnt Desert? Poof.¡±


    ¡°But House Parbon would suffer t¡ª¡±


    ¡°I said, poof,¡± Elenore interrupted him sternly. ¡°You think Margrave Reinhardt genuinely cares if trade from the Burnt Desert withers? They¡¯ve been at war with them for centuries. And speaking of Parbon¡­ Argrave, what were they likest time you saw them?¡±


    Argrave didn¡¯t look away from the window as he said, ¡°Well, I helped Rose walk again. Got Elias his limbs back. Father and son were willing to do just about anything for me.¡±


    ¡°How unfortunate,¡± Elenore grimaced. ¡°Between you and Argrave, Stain, who do you think they¡¯d choose? Especially when we inform them of all this,¡± she waved. ¡°What do you think will happen to your ties, Stain?¡±


    Argrave looked back. ¡°Poof.¡±


    ¡°Very eloquently put, brother. Poof indeed.¡±


    Stain¡¯s eyes went toward the documents that Elenore hadn¡¯t yet gone over, and Argrave saw his face despair slightly. He tapped against the desk, insisting, ¡°If I¡¯m to go into war¡­ there has to be something in this for me, you understand?¡±


    Elenore smiled. ¡°Let me teach you a lesson about something called mutual benefit, Stain¡­ and let me borate a little on who you¡¯re dealing with.¡±


    The princess brushed aside all other documents, and then retrieved onest one. She ced it on the desk boldly. It was a simple symbol¡ªthat of a bat.


    ¡°You¡¯re the¡­?¡± Stain said in disbelief, staring at her. ¡°But that¡¯s¡­!¡±


    ¡°You did know, didn¡¯t you? Who I was working with, back in Jast,¡± Argrave walked back up to the desk. ¡°Did you think that was a bluff?¡±


    #####n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°He can¡¯t have changed all that much. Threatening him still worked great,¡± Elenore told Argrave, looking up at him as they stood on the deck of the Sea Dragon.


    Argrave nodded. ¡°Yeah. You might be a little scarier than Gmon was to him, even.¡±


    ¡°Good. I hope he has nightmares of me,¡± she said contemptuously. ¡°Little weasel¡¯s smart, though. He¡¯d better be. I¡¯m giving him more than he deserves. He put his foot on my desk? He could choose any face, and he chooses to look like that? Ridiculous. If I looked like that, I might consider¡ª¡±


    ¡°Well, he¡¯s no longer a thorn in your side, right?¡± Argrave interrupted before she could get carried away.


    ¡°The sight of him was a thorn in my eyes. But you¡¯re right,¡± she shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ll make a little more money in Parbon, and we have an agent suitable for infiltrating the Great Chu. I¡¯m hesitant to add him to thework of people in my head, though.¡±


    ¡°Suitable? He can impersonate anyone, from what I saw. Only Anneliese was able to see past it¡ªmaybe the Alchemist, too. [Truesight] isn¡¯t amon thing, so I think that isn¡¯t a genuine concern.¡±


    ¡°Maybe we¡¯ll get lucky, too, and he¡¯ll be assassinated by the imperial court just like thosemanders. We can just give Rook a new champion. That elf, Ganbaatar, maybe. He was always respectful.¡±


    ¡°Gee, sis. These jokes you¡¯re making¡ªthey¡¯re hrious. It¡¯s funny because I know that you don¡¯t actually want the guy dead or anything. Murder of our allies is morally objectionable, so that makes it amusing,¡± Argrave said with a t affect.


    ¡°Yes, I concur, fraternal sibling,¡± Elenore returned in the same tone. ¡°Stain¡¯s death would be hr¡ª"


    Argrave felt theing of spirits through shamanic magic before Anneliese arrived. She appeared on the deck, staff in hand. Elenore jumped in surprise, but Argrave put his hand to calm her down then faced Anneliese.


    ¡°We¡¯ve got a message, Argrave,¡± the queen said, breath a little heavy.


    ¡°What, from themanders?¡± Argrave stepped toward her in concern. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me another¡­?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± she shook her head. ¡°It was sent along with an enemy attack, cleverly disguised. A scroll was concealed inside a ballista bolt¡ªa bolt that shattered upon breaking against the walls of the fort. Someone in the Great Chu is reaching out to us, this time.¡±


    ¡°Well, where is it? What does it say?¡± Argrave held his hands out expectantly.


    ¡°It¡¯s safe in the fortress, I just forgot it in my haste,¡± she shook her head. ¡°I remember it well, though. It was sent by a person who signed the letter with the name of Governor Zen. One phrase stuck out. ¡®I want to help.¡¯¡±


    ¡°If we¡¯d like a fish hook through our lips, we might ept his help with wide-open mouths. Terrible bait,¡± Elenore shook her head. ¡°Did he also say, e to this location to kill yourself, drooling invalids of Vasquer?¡¯¡±


    ¡°Less¡­ directly, but perhaps,¡± Anneliese nodded.


    ¡°Not a bad ce to send Stain for his first assignment,¡± Argrave held his hand up. ¡°If this is the imperial court, we find a puppet. If it¡¯s not, we feel him out.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a third option. They borrowed this Governor Zen¡¯s name without his knowledge, and he¡¯s just a person who spends his days drinking tea and doing his job.¡± Elenore sighed. ¡°But fine¡ªlet¡¯s have Stain look into it. In the meantime, ask Ji Meng. We¡¯llpare the contemptible weasel¡¯s notes to the emperor¡¯s perception.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve got nothing else to do, now,¡± Argrave shrugged.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go as well,¡± Anneliese nodded. ¡°Any conversation we have with him, I should be present. Agreed?¡±


    ¡°Of course I want you there. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    #####


    ¡°Governor Zen contacted you?¡± Ji Meng looked between Argrave and Anneliese, then took a drink of his Ebonice tea to buy time to think about his answer.


    His captors had been very careful, but they had made some mistakes. The one named Patriarch Dras had brought in a golden bird that apparently read lies. He¡¯d seen that same bird perching on the queen, Anneliese, the day Argrave dueled with Commander Yuan. Furthermore, he¡¯d managed to pry some information from his guards, the hulking pale elves. They knew of magic the Great Chu was wholly ignorant of¡ªmagic to tame animals, called druidic magic. By consequence, he had to assume the worst¡ªthat this woman would know when he lied by virtue of that golden bird, hiding somewhere in the room or on her person.


    Ji Meng set the cup down. If his opponents could see his cards, it wouldn¡¯t stop him from ying them. ¡°I was hoping Zen would reach out.¡±


    ¡°Is he a loyalist of yours?¡± Argrave inquired.


    ¡°No, he¡¯s a right bastard,¡± Ji Meng smiled. ¡°An opportunist. A greedy, grabbing ghoul that spends most of his time quietly reading in his garden while he contemtes on how best to stack gold notes higher. Most importantly, he¡¯s someone the imperial court can¡¯t really touch.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡± Argrave asked. ¡°I¡¯m under the impression governorships can be revoked at the will of the court.¡±


    ¡°Byw. But not by reality,¡± Ji Meng shook his head. ¡°His daughter¡¯s my current empress. I forget her real name, but her regnal name is Tai Si. He raised her well, and he¡¯s prominent, so it fit. Tai Si controlled the harem admirably. I hated dealing with those yammering¡ª" he reminded himself of Anneliese¡¯s presence, then rephrased, ¡°Dealing with the harem myself was unpleasant.¡±


    Argrave tilted his head. ¡°Harem¡¯s part of the court, isn¡¯t it? Doesn¡¯t that make him a likely candidate to be the imperial court¡¯sckey?¡±


    ¡°No, the harem isn¡¯t the court. The two are separate; at the same time, they don¡¯tck influence. Half a thousand imants to my throne dwell within it¡ªmy sons. Each and all of the harem came from prominent families seeking influence, and as such have clout, backing, sway within the empire. It¡¯s why these women yammer so¡ªthey all struggle viciously to let their sons sit upon my throne. It¡¯s why they came there. They wish to be empress dowager someday, spreading their legs while they pray for me to die that they might sit their child where I once did. The empress dowager holds genuine power.¡± Ji Meng stroked his freshly-shaven chin ponderously. ¡°Perhaps I should call myself fortunate that my mother died long before I ascended the throne.¡±


    ¡°So, Governor Zen is the key to the harem, through his daughter.¡± Argrave put his hand to his chin in mirror of Ji Meng.


    ¡°And the key to the empire¡¯s food,¡± Ji Meng drank his tea again. ¡°The region he governs controls a vast army and the majority of the food supply of the entire nation. All in all¡­ Zen is a man we¡¯ll want to know.¡±


    ¡°Especially you, by the sound of it,¡± Argrave highlighted.


    Ji Meng nodded without missing a beat. ¡°Especially me.¡±


    Argrave cast a nce at Anneliese, and Ji Meng felt his suspicion she would know that he lied all the more founded. Why else would the king so often look to her for guidance? They could see his cards, true enough¡­ but Ji Meng didn¡¯t intend to let that fact overwhelm him. Already, things proceeded as he hoped despite that.

 Chapter 556: Flesh Puppet

    It seemed that, whenever Stain found himself gaining a solid foothold, a certain someone would appear and sweep everything away. It was rather troubling that the person in question was a monarch, while he was merely a disowned noble whose family hated him. When he wasing into his own as a thief¡ªsuddenly, there was a huge man putting a de to his throat at Argrave¡¯s direction. When he wasing into his own as the steward of House Parbon, a Bat swooped down from the sky and picked him up at Argrave¡¯s direction. It was all rather unfair.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to be a puppet for us,¡± Elenore had exined. ¡°One made of flesh. You¡¯re going to dance on our strings, go to where we tell you, and then you¡¯re going to say precisely the things I want you to this person. Argrave¡¯ll be doing druidic magic, and I¡¯ll be connected to him through Vasquer. We¡¯ll hear and see all you do. You need to talk to someone.¡±


    ¡°This person I¡¯ve been investigating¡ªGovernor Zen?¡± Stain asked.


    ¡°Puppets don¡¯t ask,¡± Elenore had told him. ¡°We need to get connected. Come here.¡±


    And so, catching on quickly, Stain hadn¡¯t asked what a connection was. But now, he could talk to someone with his mind alone. The gods surely were crazy¡­


    ¡°Right, I¡¯m, uhh¡­¡± Stain said in his head to the person on the other side. ¡°I¡¯m stepping on a canoe¡­ thing. In the canal. It¡¯s got a roof. I¡¯m crouching into it.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re watching your every move. I don¡¯t need an active narration,¡± Elenore¡¯s voice pierced his mind, sharp as ever.


    Stain nodded, feeling a little bit of fear as he joined a bunch of people in a cabin. A man of the Great Chu stopped him before he sat, holding out his hand and asking for his fare. Stain produced a few paper notes that gleamed silver and held them out. It was a fair bit easier to steal paper than gold, he found. But then, petty thief, businessman¡ªhe couldn¡¯t do either, really, so long as Argrave was peering from on high.


    Stain sat down besides several others from this Great Chu. He looked no different from any of them, and returned smiles where he was given them without saying a word. A few moments after he took his seat, the man who¡¯d taken his fare slid shut wooden doors, and the strange roofed canoe started to move incredibly quickly. Stain grabbed the seat beneath him for a moment, then peered out the side through the barred wooden windows.


    The countryside of the Great Chu passed by faster than any horse or carriage had ever taken him. Things were a blur if he didn¡¯t actively focus on them as they went by. The ride was smooth¡ªincredibly smooth, even, and the faint mist passing through the windows made it somewhat cool and pleasant. They travelled along a canal, and as they did, other boats passed by close enough to make Stain flinch slightly.


    The rugged hills of cold disappeared behind him, and soon were reced by a towering yet t hignds. Beyond that, a verdant valley, and miles and miles of terraces of some crop Stain couldn¡¯t recognize. This ce was like a whole differentnd¡ªa whole betternd. There was so much opportunity here¡­ these silver notes, gold notes¡ªone man, alone, could steal hundreds of thousands of them. And who was Stain, if not someone extremely well-suited for such a ce?


    ¡°Get off here,¡± Elenore¡¯s voice came asmand.


    The words were cold water to his sleeping mind. Stain couldn¡¯t begin again. If he decided to, someday Argrave would show up, hold another weapon to his throat by way of ensuringpliance, and demand something of him. There were sayings about fools and the quantity, and Stain did not care to be fooled thrice. So, begrudgingly,ply Stain did. He rose and exited. All around was one of the most beautiful cities that he¡¯d ever seen. The buildings, the gardens¡­


    ¡°You¡¯re not a tourist. You live here, flesh puppet. Act like it. Take the right pathway until the first left.¡±


    Stain, whipped into shape, walked down the pathways of the city. He took turns when designated, walked across bridges over canals when bid, and hopped aboard transport vessels when it was necessary. By the end of it all, he stood before a neighborhood of grandiose estates. It was gated off, and he paused near the gate while trying not to attract the attention of the guards standing all around the gates.


    ¡°Hello? Puppeteer? My strings are a little quiet,¡± he called out in his head.


    Elenore was silent for a long time before she said, ¡°Wait around.¡±


    bbergasted, he managed, ¡°What if loitering¡¯s illegal?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re good at breakingws.¡±


    Stain nodded, fed up. He muttered to himself, ¡°Right. Breakingws. Just great at it. Foreignnd, no friends¡­ why am I here? What did I agree to?¡±


    After a while, Elenore told him, ¡°Go buy a drink in that building with the red dragon hanging above the doorway.¡±


    ¡°A¡­ drink?¡±


    ¡°Puppets don¡¯t think.¡±


    Without any room for argument, Stain looked around until he spotted the building she¡¯d mentioned. He entered inside, where the people chatted boisterously. It was drastically different from ces in Vasquer. The men sat on pillows before low-lying tables, drinking out of wide-brimmed cups filled with some clear liquid.


    Without further direction from Elenore, Stain sat at a table, trying his best to imitate the posture of some others present. He saw a bird at the windows¡ªhis guide¡ªbut obsequious staff shooed the bird away.


    A woman in a strange ceremonial dress came up to him and kneeled in a strange manner. Looking about, they were all doing this. She bowed and said, ¡°Wee, good master. What may I serve you today?¡±


    ¡°Just, uhh¡­ something to drink.¡± He put all his notes on the table¡ªhe didn¡¯t know how much a drink cost, so he figured all would suffice. The woman looked at the notes, and then him, strangely.


    ¡°At once, good master.¡±


    Stain was rather impressed with the servitude, despite himself. Elenore¡¯s voice cut in, saying, ¡°There¡¯s a man in blue garb with a white flower pattern near his belt. Find him.¡±


    Stain¡¯s eyes searched the room, searching for the man she¡¯d described. As he did, he locked eyes with a man. The man half-rolled away from his table before he sat near Stain.


    The man looked at his notes. ¡°This is a nice establishment,¡± he said.


    ¡°I¡¯m, uhh¡­ happy to try it out,¡± Stain smiled genially, looking around.


    ¡°We don¡¯t take kindly to the rude. The ill-mannered,¡± the man continued.


    Stain finally found the man, hiding away in one corner of the room. Hemunicated to Elenore he¡¯d found the man while saying disarmingly, ¡°I apologize for any offence I might¡¯ve caused.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re sorry¡­¡± the man leaned in, and light fell upon his red nose. Just then, four other men came up to his seat, and Stain surveyed each of them for weapons. ¡°How about we all drink? Eh?!¡±


    All the ones near him cheered in tandem with this fellow, and soon enough he¡¯d a table full of red-nosed people. He waited for word from Elenore while he managed to extract pivotal information about this bizarre situation¡ªa man only ces on the table what he¡¯s willing to spend, at least in the Great Chu. And Stain had ced an exorbitant sum indeed.


    ¡°The man in blue¡ªhe¡¯s a diplomat. When he leaves, ambush him, knock him unconscious. Steal his face, his clothes, and the wooden token he has in his pocket.¡±


    The flesh-puppet dealt with the drunkards while keeping an eye on the blue-robed man. Soon enough Stain was involved in a drinking game. He was deft enough to avoid drinking, but he did attract a lot of attention. In time when the blue-robed man left, he had to contrive an excuse to get away. He only seeded by leaving his silver notes¡ªbut on the way out, he nabbed some from another table.


    It was difficult work tracking the diplomat through the city, especially as he tended to stick to crowded walkways. He followed him for a good twenty minutes, but the crowds were so dense it was impossible to get him isted.


    ¡°You¡¯re taking too long,¡± Elenore scolded.


    Stain wracked his brain, then approached the man as they passed by a bridge. With his boot, he picked out the bridge¡¯s railing. Then he bumped into the man, hard. The wooden railing cracked, and the man was sent tumbling off. Stain, then, rushed to the side of the canal, where he graciously helped him. The man was totally ignorant his assaulter and savior were one in the same.


    ¡°What damned luck! Whoever¡­ damn it all, I have ces to be!¡± the man shouted, spewingints of simr caliber without an end.


    ¡°Listen, I¡­ maybe I can dry you off with a spell,¡± Stain exined. ¡°But not out here. Someone might get hurt.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve not a drop of vital force,¡± the man looked at him suspiciously.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Stain raised a hand, where rings shone. ¡°I¡¯ve got rings for this sort of thing. You¡¯re a diplomat, right? For the court. I understand you¡¯ve got ces to be¡ªjust don¡¯t forget me.¡± The man looked puzzled and was about to ask how Stain knew that, but then he held up the wooden token. ¡°You very nearly dropped this.¡±


    The diplomat snatched away the token. ¡°Fine¡­ fine, but I¡¯m in a hurry. Quickly, now.¡±


    Stain led the man into an alley, saying, ¡°You¡¯re sure you won¡¯t forget this? I mean, without me, you very nearly could¡¯ve¡­¡±


    The man couldn¡¯t look Stain in the eye, and begin to say, ¡°Listen¡­ I¡¯m just a diplomat, I can¡¯t exactly do the biggest of fav¡ª"


    From there, a bit of expert blunt force to the back of his neck was enough to bring him down. He might not walk again, but that was the price of doing business. Stain hid him further, took his clothes, his possessions, his money, andstly¡­ Stain studied his face hard, examining his eyes, and then did his best to imitate it on the fly. With that done, he walked out.


    ¡°Back to that gated neighborhood,¡± Elenore¡¯smand came. ¡°The token should grant you entry.¡±


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t that good?¡± Stain asked, doing as she said.


    ¡°Dogs get treats. Puppets get put back in a box with other puppets.¡±


    ¡°I think I¡¯d rather be a dog, then,¡± Stain muttered.


    Stain weaved back to the spot, showed the token to someone at the gate, and they let him pass.


    Once inside, more directions. ¡°The house with the jade monkeys above the archway. Go to it.¡±


    With rapid steps, Stain made his way by countless guards that stood vigil over the affluent people abounding in this ce. He did find the estate with the jade monkeys above its entry archway.


    ¡°Tell the guards there you need to speak to Governor Zen about something in the far south. sh the token again.¡±


    Stain walked up to the pike-wielding guards, looked at them, and repeated what she¡¯d said more or less verbatim, shing his pass. They nodded, and then one of the two led him into the mansion. The ce was winding andplex, but soon enough he found himself in a grand courtyard with ponds filled by waterfalls, strange fish, and lily pads. At the center was a pavilion where a man sat.


    ¡°Here,¡± the guard directed him.


    Stain nodded at the man, then walked across the wooden bridge to make it to the pavilion. The man who sat-crossed legged before another low-lying table like the ones at the drinking ce was so absorbed in his reading he didn¡¯t even move at his approach. Stain cleared his throat¡ªnothing, still. Boldly, Stain decided to sit before him. Only then did Governor Zen lift his head, eyes maderge by his sses.


    Stain set the token on the table by way of greeting.


    ¡°A diplomat?¡± Stain set his book down. ¡°I don¡¯t know you. You sat at my table. That¡¯s rather rude. Have I offended someone? Who do you work for?¡±


    ¡°You said you wanted to help us,¡± Elenore said, and Stain repeated it exactly as she instructed. ¡°We¡¯ve juste to hear about that.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°Help? Who¡¯s us?¡± Governor Zen removed his sses.


    ¡°I would think it¡¯d be difficult to forget firing a ballista at our fortress,¡± Elenore said, and Stain acted as her mouthpiece again.


    Governor Zen stared at Stain right in the eyes as he set his sses down. ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re from the south. But¡­¡± he smiled broadly. ¡°A diplomat? They¡¯ve a¡­? Well, that¡¯s something to consider. But I¡¯ll let you exin. Am I to understand you represent the people that brought the Sea Dragon to the south shore? Who are you to them?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m their trusted messenger,¡± Elenore said. ¡°I¡¯m their mouth and ear, both.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m their flesh puppet,¡± Stain said instead. ¡°But the puppeteer¡¯s listening.¡±


    There was silence as Elenore and Zen both digested that in abject silence. Elenore said, ¡°You¡¯ll be wearing strings by the time you¡ª¡±


    ¡°Flesh puppet,¡± Zen started talking, and Elenore went silent to listen as well. ¡°I can work with that. Who¡¯s pulling the strings?¡±


    ¡°That depends. Who¡¯d you want to help?¡± Stain said as Elenore¡¯s mouthpiece.

 Chapter 557: Family Before All

    ¡°By rights, I should call the guards and have you cast into prison, tortured.¡± Zen carefully ced a bookmark into his book and set it aside.


    ¡°Do it,¡± Elenore said inside his head.


    ¡°I¡¯m not telling him to ¡®do it,¡¯¡± Stain replied to her as he stared steadfastly. When he opened his mouth to respond to Zen, he said instead, ¡°You¡¯d at least like to hear us out, right?¡±


    Zen tapped his book with one finger. ¡°I hear a lot either way.¡±


    Stain¡¯s gut swirled with nervousness, but Elenore said, ¡°You imbecile. I hope your parents are siblings, otherwise there¡¯s no justification for such continual stupidity. Say. Do. It.¡±


    ¡°Do it,¡± Stain said.


    Governor Zen smiled, and stroked his wispy goatee. ¡°You¡¯re loyal enough to them to suffer that?¡±


    ¡°You should look out across the pond. Then, just say that this way is faster for the both of you.¡±


    Stain very nearly said ¡®look out across the pond.¡¯ He tied his tongue in time, then looked out into the pond sagely and repeated, ¡°This way¡¯s faster for the both of us.¡±


    ¡°And doesn¡¯t necessarily preclude the other.¡± Zen stopped tapping the book. ¡°But I can¡¯t be disloyal to the imperial court. You understand, they have ways of¡­ keeping people in line. Sending people like yourself to people. Hounds, to sniff.¡±


    Stain stared in silence, waiting for Elenore¡¯s direction. After a long moment of indecision, she finallymanded, ¡°Take away your blessing in front of him.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯ll know my ability. If he knows, and he¡¯s not with us, the whole imperial court could know. If the imp¡ª¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a calcted risk,¡± Elenore interrupted. ¡°And done with the king¡¯s approval. Even if the imperial court learns of you, they can¡¯t truly do anything but be more cautious.¡±


    And what about my safety? Stain stared without saying anything. He stalled for time, asking, ¡°You think I¡¯m a hound?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say that,¡± Zen said.


    Meanwhile, Stain demanded of Elenore, ¡°He thinks I¡¯m a hound. I deserve a treat. Give me a seat on parliament, and a title.¡±


    ¡°Parliament?¡± Elenore¡¯s voice was sharp. ¡°You don¡¯t have time to¡ª¡±


    ¡°I can have someone fill it, just give me a seat.¡±


    Elenore responded with only silence. Zen observed Stain and noted, ¡°You¡¯re awfully quiet.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m debating the quality of the answer I should provide,¡± Stain reassured Zen while he waited for response from Elenore.


    ¡°We¡¯ll name you the Baron of Crenshaw,¡± Elenore offered.


    Silence hung in both Stain¡¯s mind and these ponds.


    ¡°Fine. Whitefields,¡± Elenore offered grandly. ¡°The old duke¡¯s seat.¡±


    ¡°I think this would best suffice as answer,¡± Stain said with a smile, then withdrew his blessing. Governor Zen beheld Stain¡¯s non-Chu features, even leaning back slightly in response.


    #####


    Elenore was trying very hard not to pull out her hair as Argraveughed. They stood, touching Vasquer, as her brother scouted out Stain¡¯s conversation with Governor Zen. Argrave kept repeating, ¡°You¡¯ve gotta admit, he¡¯s earned it,¡± and ¡°Who else could do what he¡¯s done?¡± Even worse yet, she could feel his amusement through their mental bridge with Vasquer. Their distant ancestral matriarch watched like a mother, though did not intervene.


    ¡°So¡­ you¡¯re not just a mole. You¡¯re¡­ what are you, exactly? Governor Zen asked, more curious than intimidated.


    ¡°Someone with the authority you need to tell you things you need to know, and ask questions that need to be asked,¡± Elenore said, and Stain recited it well. Sometimes he could be agreeable. Other times¡­


    Governor Zen leaned back on his hands. ¡°I was expecting some contact. But I wasn¡¯t expecting it so quickly, nor from someone like you. I thought they¡¯de at the emperor¡¯s direction, if he was still alive. But it seems¡­?¡±


    ¡°The emperor¡¯s alive,¡± Elenore and Stain said.


    Zen didn¡¯t even seem remotely surprised. ¡°Did he ask about his children? My grandchildren, that is?¡±


    ¡°Not even once.¡±


    Governor Zen didn¡¯t quite smile, but he did give a knowing expression. ¡°So, you know him. Or knew him, if you¡¯re lying and he¡¯s dead. I¡¯d ask for further proof, but any you give me could be fabricated. We¡¯ll proceed with the assumption he is alive, and you do have him.¡± Zen leaned back in, and grabbed the sides of the table. ¡°What¡¯s your intent?¡±


    ¡°That depends. Are you the hound of the court?¡±


    Governor Zenughed through his nose. ¡°I imagine they¡¯d rather like if I was. But, no.¡±


    Anneliese, also scouting, gave no indication to Argrave or Elenore that this was a lie.


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask again,¡± Zen continued. ¡°What¡¯s your intent?¡±


    ¡°What else?¡± Stain recited. ¡°Restoring the emperor to his throne.¡±


    ¡°I believe I get the picture.¡± Governor Zen looked down at his book, then stroked the binding as he deliberated over what to say. Elenore couldn¡¯t say how he¡¯d gotten the picture, but then maybe it was a bluff of some kind. ¡°I mentioned I had grandchildren, correct?¡±


    ¡°You did.¡±


    ¡°I rather love my grandchildren. From birth, they¡¯ve had to sacrifice a great deal.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re the children of the emperor and empress, aren¡¯t they?¡± Elenore yed along.


    Zen focused. ¡°Their sacrifice was normalcy. They couldn¡¯t afford such a thing. You might deem me a hypocrite considering I was the one who arranged for their lives to be as such, yet the Zen family¡­ the Zen family is tightly knit. My daughters, my sons, even my wives¡ªthey understand why I do the things that I do, and I suspect we all share the same¡­¡± he tapped his lip for a moment as he considered the word, then said deliberately, ¡°¡­the same aspiration. Family before all.¡±


    Elenore felt the need to remind, ¡°Conveniently, the emperor is your son-inw.¡±


    Governor Zen shook his head. ¡°He¡¯s not a Zen.¡±


    ¡°The name¡¯s important? He¡¯s the father of your grandchildren,¡± Elenore pressed the point, and Stainplied, bing a rather adroit flesh-puppet.


    ¡°Names are important,¡± the governor nodded. ¡°Born a peasant, Zen was my only name. Later, when I assumed governorship, Zen became the family name. Technically, my name would be ¡®Zen Zen.¡¯ That lends itself rather well to a metaphor. I am Zen, yet at the same time, the whole family is Zen. They¡¯re an extension of me. I¡¯ll protect them every bit as well as myself, because they are my life. My first wife¡­ a childhood sweetheart. My children¡­ they¡¯ve only ever known me. But the emperor? A fresh presence. He¡¯s not me. He¡¯s not truly family.¡±


    ¡°Do you have a point?¡±


    ¡°My sole interest in the emperor is ensuring my grandchildren have a father¡ªnothing more, nothing less.¡± He pointed. ¡°I sent that ballista with my message for a reason. Not to help the emperor, but to help you. To help¡­ well, perhaps I should just say it. To help King Argrave.¡±


    There was silence at Vasquer¡¯s mouth, the pond in the courtyard, and seemingly the whole world. Governor Zen knew Argrave. As Elenore tried to grasp the consequences of what that meant, she could feel the vaguest tingle of unease in Argrave¡¯s mind.


    ¡°You look a little shocked,¡± Governor Zen leaned back proudly. ¡°Is it so surprising I¡¯d know who I¡¯m dealing with just as you know who you¡¯re dealing with? Perhaps it is, considering you¡¯re the invaders and we¡¯re the invaded.¡±


    ¡°And what does helping King Argrave actually entail, in your view?¡± Elenore said, and Stain recited with slight distortions in his unease.


    ¡°In history, the Great Chu was once conquered by nomads of the southern steppes. There¡¯s a great read by a trader who became an advisor to the man who led them¡ªone of the great ssics of our nation, if I dare say so myself. But, this historical fact outlines one thing; foreigners, like yourself, have taken the throne of the Great Chu before. They stood atop the throne, and they were assimted into the culture. It¡¯s happened once before, and it could easily happen again. Doubly so if someone like myself were to support that.


    ¡°As for legitimacy, well¡­ the daughter of the previous emperor and his empress, taking the new ruler to wife? Who could truly protest the imperial line wouldn¡¯t be pure? Out with the old harem, in with the new¡ªconsisting, I suspect, of the daughters of governors from yournds, and the ones of the Great Chu, in a great union never before seen. All I would ask¡­ is for my granddaughter to be King Argrave¡¯s empress. She¡¯s twenty years old, at the height of her life. And as her grandfather, I can say no husband of hers would be disappointed.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Elenore felt Argrave¡¯s repulsion at the idea, and saw shes of Anneliese¡¯s face abounding in his head. She hadn¡¯t known he¡¯d react this strongly, and it somewhat heartened her to know her brother was so steadfastlymitted to his partner. At the same time, however, Elenore¡¯s practical mind worked. Was it a good offer? Was it even better than what Ji Meng could offer them¡ªa disobedient puppet on the throne?


    Yet scrutiny proved far too much for this n. It was impractical to have Argrave relocate the entire government to the Great Chu. Their sole backing, even if they did, would be Governor Zen. He wouldrgely be in control of most things, acting as advisor for the culture, the people, everything. Doubtless he intended to maneuver his daughter into the position of empress dowager, despite the fact she wouldn¡¯t be Argrave¡¯s mother but the empress¡¯ mother.


    It was too far a deviation, closed off too many options. Above all, they didn¡¯t need the Great Chu forever¡ªit was merely a stepping stone with which to end the Qircassian Coalition and Erlebnis, putting most of the world under their banner to face a Gerechtigkeit fully untethered by Sophia¡¯s freedom. Ji Meng was infinitely better suited for the role of emperor. They merely needed to get him back to the throne.


    Elenore said decisively, ¡°All due respect, but our original intent is what we intend to follow through with.¡± Stain repeated her words with less conviction.


    Zen pushed aside the book he¡¯d been reading and the sses, then leaned in. Perhaps he heard Stain¡¯sck of conviction, for he pressured, ¡°You¡¯d deny the king my granddaughter, and a throne? Can you truly say you have the authority for that?¡±


    ¡°Authority isn¡¯t the issue,¡± Stain recited statically. ¡°The emperor has a lot of friends, but Argrave¡ªall he¡¯d have would be you, at the start. And Ji Meng¡¯s talked about you.¡±


    Governor Zen shook his head. ¡°My son-inw may have said things rather unkind about me. But, well¡­ that¡¯s fine. As I said, however, the only use I have for the emperor is to give my grandchildren their father back. As for the throne¡­ my daughter¡¯s children are amply ready. Her eldest son is eighteen. Why would you or I wish to restore a strong ruler to his throne? There are so many better ways for this conflict to resolve¡­¡±


    ¡°You should investigate the Pce of Heaven if you want to learn why the emperor needs to return to his ce,¡± Elenore said, thenmanded Stain to stand up. ¡°But if you¡¯re not cautious, they¡¯ll discover you. And if you¡¯re discovered¡­ well. Mortals before gods, Zen.¡±


    ¡°The Pce of Heaven?¡± Governor Zen repeated, looking up at the now-standing Stain. ¡°What does that indomitable fortress have to do with this?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back next week,¡± Stain recited Elenore¡¯s words. But he¡¯d been wrong to do so¡ªthat message was for him, not Governor Zen. ¡°Survive until then, Stain.¡± She severed the connection, leaving him in the heart of the governor¡¯s mansion without direction.


    She finally pulled away from Vasquer. Argrave looked at her with a wry smile on his face.


    ¡°You know, we might need Stain to do more stuff while he¡¯s there. And you¡¯re the only one who can¡­ well, speak to him.¡±


    ¡°I needed some small satisfaction after he shook us down,¡± Elenore said, then looked up at Vasquer and touched her snout again. ¡°Thank you for your help,¡± she called out.


    ¡°I only hope that worked¡­¡± Argrave shook his head grimly, then said his goodbyes to Vasquer. ¡°Seems a tough customer, Zen.¡±


    ¡°Might be another someone to kill, if we don¡¯t get results.¡± Leaving that chilling deration behind, Elenore walked off briskly.

 Chapter 558: Child Reeducation

    There was some small respite from the constant necessity of tending to the situation in the Great Chu. Their armies were, for a time, at a stalemate brought about by partial control of the enemy¡¯smanding officers. Any assault that was toe, either from the heavens or from the ground, was something they were amply prepared for. Law and the other gods made their presence more felt on the shores of the Great Chu every second, but until something decisive happened to tip the bnce, they didn¡¯t have much hope. Hopefully, that ¡®something¡¯ woulde at the hands of Governor Zen.


    But there was trouble back home¡ªtrouble that was somewhat resolving itself, yet still needed a direct hand. Sophia.


    Argrave opened the door to their bedroom, where Sophia had been staying ever since her toys hade to life and then died. She was lying down, but upon hearing the door open, she jolted upright. Argrave entered, and Anneliese followed soon after. Waiting behind them was Elenore.


    ¡°You don¡¯t want toe in?¡± Argrave asked Elenore in a whisper.


    ¡°I¡­¡± Elenore crossed her arms. ¡°Perhapster.¡±


    Both of them nodded, then left her to watch at the doorway.


    ¡°Hey, Sophia,¡± Argrave said affectionately. ¡°We¡¯d like to have a talk, the three of us. Are you up for it?¡±


    Sophia nodded, her red eyes wide and scared. They moved to sit down, one of them on each side of her.


    Argrave and Anneliese had been checking in on her asionally, but she was rather despondent most times, and their other duties kept them unable tomit to anything serious. This issue, untreated, could be an infected wound. Given the gravity of Sophia¡¯s future, it was something that needed to be tended to.


    ¡°How are you feeling?¡± Argrave asked, to begin with.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Sophia lowered her head.


    Argrave brought his legs up onto the bed and turned his body. ¡°I think we all know that¡¯s not true. We have to talk about what happened. About the lives you created, at our urging.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know they would all die. I just want them back. Back to the way they were¡­ they didn¡¯t need to talk, to do anything.¡± Sophia wiped at her face.


    ¡°But the fact is they did,¡± Anneliese said, not unkindly. ¡°And you still have the potential inside you to create yet more. That is the matter at hand.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m never gonna do it again,¡± Sophia shook her head fiercely, ck hair whipping about. ¡°I don¡¯t want to. They¡¯ll die. I don¡¯t¡­ I don¡¯t want to be able to do this.¡±


    Argrave got off the bed and kneeled down until he looked Sophia in the eyes. ¡°Creating life isn¡¯t a bad thing, Sophia. You were born¡ªa life created. As was I. As was Anneliese. Life can be made, and life can end. These are two incontrovertible facts.¡±


    ¡°Incont¡­ incontro¡­¡± Sophia furrowed her brows in confusion.


    ¡°It means it cannot be denied,¡± Anneliese exined, putting her hand on Sophia¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You, Sophia, can create life. Most living things can. The ease at which you do it does not make it wrong. It does, however, ce arge responsibility on your shoulders. Lives carelessly created can¡­ well, they can exist as Mr. Knight did. And they can stop, too.¡±


    Silence stretched between the three of them, and Sophia wiped tears from her eyes as foul memories came back. ¡°If it¡¯s not a bad thing, why do I feel so bad?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s supposed to,¡± Argrave exined. ¡°The fact that you feel that is natural. And if you ever don¡¯t feel it, that¡¯ll be cause to worry. Lives are¡­plex things, that neither Anneliese nor I can describe to you briefly. But each one has limitless value. Let me ask you something¡ªwhen you first made Mr. Knight, why did you do it?¡±


    Sophia kneaded her little hands together. ¡°I¡­ I wanted to pay you back, Argrave. I wanted you to be proud of me. I wanted to help you.¡±


    Argrave was touched, and he kneeled there in silence for a little as he digested what she said. ¡°That¡¯s a noble thing on your end. But where you went wrong, Sophia¡ªand where we did, for pushing you so hard¡ªis trying to impose your will on the life of another being. I don¡¯t think you did so on purpose. But one of the important things about life is its independence.¡±


    Sophia tensed from the light chastisement, yet did not wither. She repeated, ¡°Independence?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Argrave tapped Sophia¡¯s hand. ¡°Your father and your mother were the two people that created you. They are responsible for your life. Norman tried to impose upon you what he wanted you to do. He wanted you to do terrible, evil things, just as he did. He tried to strip away your independence, and make you an extension of himself.¡±


    Sophia began to tremble.


    ¡°But you¡¯re not like him,¡± Argrave continued hurriedly. ¡°Unlike him, you never wanted any of that stuff to happen, nor did you want to do what he did. And because you were a life unto yourself, you never adapted those tendencies. You became far, far, better than he could ever hope to be.¡±


    Sophia was a smart child, and her face immediately warped to horror as she wrapped her mind around what Argrave was saying. ¡°But I did¡­ I did what Norman did, to them? I made them do what I wanted?¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t the same at all,¡± Argrave assured her. ¡°But the thing that Anneliese and I worry about, is that it could be simr. That¡¯s why we intend to impart some lessons upon you, so that you understand what it is to make a life, and the responsibility that carries.¡±


    They were wandering into murky territory. By Argrave¡¯s view, all morality was subjective. The things that dictate it were simply the instincts and thoughts within a person¡¯s head. Argrave believed that was much of the reason people turn to ideas or concepts greater than themselves,rger than themselves¡ªan inner struggle with this subjective understanding. Philosophies and religion offered answers that could be epted or rejected, but even if one took them to be true, the existence of free will and independent existence made life and all its moralities a choice¡ªa subjective choice, imposed from the inside rather than the outside. Argrave had never found a guidebook for life.


    Of course, Sophia was a little young to hear that preachy spiel. Maybe when she was older, and there was less potential of her creating untold monstrosities.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± Sophia lowered her head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Argrave.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± Anneliese patted Sophia on the back. ¡°We¡¯ll help you understand. Argrave told you as much, did he not?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s right.¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°Every step of the way, we¡¯ll be here with you.¡±


    Sophia grabbed the sheets of the bedside tight, trying her best to control her tears. After a while, she looked up with a brave face and asked, ¡°Argrave, did you mean it when¡­ did you mean it when you said that I¡¯m¡­ that we¡¯re¡­¡± she bit her lip hard, then muttered weakly, ¡°¡­family?¡±


    Argrave nodded resolutely. ¡°I did.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re not¡­ I mean, my father¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes. We aren¡¯t rted to you by blood.¡± Anneliese brushed back a wisp of the girl¡¯s hair. ¡°But family need not always be those you are born to. Argrave and I are family by virtue of marriage. Many of those around us, however¡­ I would consider them family all the same, though we have no marriage or blood rtion binding us.¡±


    ¡°Like I said. If you want to, we can be family. And we¡¯ll never cast you out.¡± Argrave held his arms out to cap that point.


    He hadn¡¯t intended it as an invitation for a hug, but perhaps it was interpreted that way. Sophia lunged off the bed and wrapped her arms around his neck. Argrave was surprised for a few moments, but then gratefully epted it and returned it. In time, she broke away and hugged Anneliese, too, trying her best to stifle tears.


    When she sat back on the bed, looking utterly relieved, Argrave felt it was time to mention the real purpose they¡¯de here. It was somewhat haunting, so Argrave took a deep breath and prepared himself. ¡°Sophia, on that point¡­ one of the creations you¡¯ve made is still alive.¡±


    Sophia stared up at him in mute shock.


    ¡°Castro,¡± Argrave exined with that one word.


    Sophia trembled, and couldn¡¯t meet Argrave¡¯s gaze.


    ¡°I already told you that we¡¯ll never cast you out,¡± Argrave assured, putting his hand on her small head. ¡°But in order for you to understand the responsibility you carry, Anneliese and I think it¡¯s best that you once again meet Castro. And we hope to teach to you what it means to be alive.¡±


    Sophia stared at the ground, and only after some time mumbled, ¡°He scares me. I never¡­¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°We¡¯ll be with you,¡± Anneliese assured, taking her small hand. ¡°And together, we¡¯ll make him truly alive. We¡¯ll fix this. We¡¯ll help you take responsibility for his life, and all others after.¡±


    Sophia grew despondent for a few moments and Argrave feared they¡¯d overreached, but she nodded. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll¡­ I¡¯ll do it.¡±


    #####


    A while after Argrave and Anneliese had left the room with a sleeping Sophia, the door again opened. Elenore walked through quietly, and Sophia slept beneath the covers. She came to stand above the sleeping girl, and Sophia roused from some small noise.


    ¡°¡­Elenore?¡± Sophia asked in recognition, blinking tired eyes.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t¡­ intend to wake you,¡± Elenore said, then sat on her bedside. ¡°I thought you were still awake.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I don¡¯t mind,¡± Sophia assured.


    Elenore stared off into the distance. She felt a little uneasy being around children. She couldn¡¯t so casually dismiss their worth. She felt children were still innocent¡ªthat her cynicism was unwarranted, where it was totally warranted in the case of adults. She didn¡¯t want to be unkind to children, ever.


    But Elenore¡¯s personality nted toward pessimism¡ªshe knew this. What she thought, what she did, was not something a child should ever be exposed to. She felt her influence might make this child precisely what Argrave and Anneliese wanted her not to be.


    Despite that, this child still liked her. It was rather baffling.


    ¡°You should listen to Argrave and Anneliese,¡± Elenore said idly. ¡°I¡­ had a father rather like yours. Despite that, they¡¯ve seen me. And they helped me.¡±


    Sophia nodded at Elenore¡¯s serious words, toying with the sheets covering her. Then, she dared ask, ¡°What was your father like?¡±


    ¡°He cut off my feet and gouged¡ª¡± she paused, scolding herself. That blunt response always came like instinct whenever someone asked a question about her father, but this was a child. She shook her head and continued, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter any longer. Argrave and Anneliese epted me as their family, and they healed me. I think they can do the same for you.¡±


    Sophia stared as Elenore watched the distance in silence.


    ¡°Can I be your family, too?¡± Sophia asked.


    Elenore looked at her. ¡°I¡¯m not half of what you think I am, Sophia. I¡¯m¡­¡±


    Silence stretched, broken by a scared Sophia asking, ¡°Do you not like me?¡±


    Elenore shook her head. ¡°You¡¯re¡­ fine. You¡¯re a fine child. More than tolerable. Probably the best of the ones I¡¯ve seen, but then that¡¯s not many. But me¡­¡±


    ¡°But Argrave said you¡¯re the most helpful person to him,¡± Sophia said innocently. ¡°And you said that Argrave is a good person. If you help a good person¡­¡±


    Elenore sighed, at a loss. ¡°Very well. You have me.¡±


    Sophia got out from under the covers and hugged Elenore. The great and terrible Bat shook in surprise at the child¡¯s assault, but eventually settled her arms down upon the girl. They did have a simr father, she supposed. But there was something of a new desire.


    Maybe this girl could grow up the opposite way Elenore had.


    #####


    Argrave walked into Elenore¡¯s study the next morning. His sister was busily peering down upon a document, but she lifted her head when she heard him.


    ¡°Orion said you¡¯d called for me.¡±


    ¡°Commander Yuan was stripped of service in light of his injuries,¡± Elenore said. ¡°I was studying a copy of militaryw that exists in the Great Chu. And I believe¡­ I believe we¡¯ve found a way to make headway, finally, with those few still alive. I believe we¡¯ve found a way to utterly disrupt the armies of the Great Chu, and finally get to work on the Grand Imperial Bank.¡±


    Argrave smiled. ¡°Well. That¡¯s a better way to wake up than cold water, surely.¡±


    ¡°Plus, Governor Zen is looking into the Pce of Heaven. All in all¡­ we¡¯re making tremendous headway,¡± Elenore smiled.

 Chapter 559: Roots Larger Than the Tree

    Argrave once again stared upon a figure he¡¯d hoped to forget. It was Sophia¡¯s creation, Castro¡ªthe dim echo of the man that he¡¯d taken the name from. Even today, he repeated things.


    ¡°I have a robust session n, Argrave,¡± her creation said.


    Argrave looked upon his form with some unease. Anneliese was here as well, standing off to the side. But today, this thing¡¯s creator joined them¡ªSophia. She stood just beneath him, hiding behind his legs in utter fear of what she¡¯d made alive. Argrave kneeled down to look at Sophia in the eyes.


    ¡°Does he frighten you?¡± he asked her.


    Sophia nodded.


    ¡°I¡¯ll admit¡­ he scares me, too, a little. Do you know why that is?¡± Argrave looked at Sophia, but she only tilted her head without an answer. ¡°Let me put it this way. Do you know why he makes you uneasy? Say what you will, but he looks like a walking, talking person.¡±


    ¡°But he¡¯s¡­ he¡¯s not,¡± Sophia said quietly. ¡°He¡¯s just¡­ what I remembered of him. He can¡¯t¡­ he doesn¡¯t have a voice inside his head. And he can¡¯t hear us, understand us.¡±


    As Argrave nodded, ¡®Castro¡¯ continued to repeat some of his final words he¡¯d given before his death. Sophia managed to look at him. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ I don¡¯t know how to fix him, Argrave.¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°Honestly? I don¡¯t, either.¡± He picked her up. ¡°But that¡¯s why we came here, today. To think about what needs to be done. To think about how we can do it. And then, to make everything right again. One day, each of us can look upon the life you made and think it belongs. We have to change this so it can be a point of pride, rather than something to forget.¡±


    Sophia gazed at ¡®Castro¡¯ thoughtfully, then buried her head in Argrave¡¯s shoulder. ¡°What if I can¡¯t think of anything? What if he stays like that? What if I can¡¯t fix him?¡±


    Argraveforted her. ¡°Anneliese and I are here. You don¡¯t need to do all the thinking. But I can guarantee you this¡ªyou can fix him.¡±


    Sophia looked up at Argrave, then flicked her gaze to Castro again. She looked at Anneliese, too, who gave her an encouraging nod. Sophia tightened her grip around Argrave¡¯s neck and dered, ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll try.¡±


    #####


    Stain was milling around in a room, staring at a machine as he tapped the side of his leg idly while disguised. He kept casting small nces at the bird in the corner of the room that was watching him. Suddenly, he heard a noise, and when he looked the machine that¡¯d been empty was now full. He pulled back the lid, and a bamboo tube awaited.


    He collected the bamboo tube with a self-satisfied smile, then walked through Governor Zen¡¯s mansion. He popped the lid off the tube, reading it as he walked, and his smile only widened. Arriving at his destination, he looked around the courtyard where the governor often read. The man was absent. Stain asked some people nearby where the governor was, and they were only too happy to oblige him, as he was disguised as one of them.


    Soon enough Stain came to the man in his study, kneeled obsequiously, and offered up the message.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Governor Zen was very distracted reading half a thousand reports, but did eventually pry the message from Stain¡¯s hands. He opened the letter and read it. As he did, Stain shut the door, and Zen looked up as he started to recognize incongruities. Stain undid his disguise, staring there inly, and Zen rose to his feet in rm.


    ¡°What you see in that letter¡­¡± Stain pointed, Elenore using him as a mouthpiece. He had be practiced at reciting exactly what she said. ¡°It¡¯s our doing, I hope you know.¡±


    ¡°You infiltrated my staff?¡± the governor asked firmly.


    ¡°Just for today,¡± Stain shrugged, walking closer. ¡°We knew this message would reach you today. And wouldn¡¯t you know? It¡¯s been a week.¡±


    Governor Zen didn¡¯t look like his grievance wasn¡¯t fully settled, but he held up the letter. ¡°Care to exin how this is your doing, this army strike?¡±


    Elenoreunched into a long speech, and Stain ryed it sentence-by-sentence, taking small pauses between each. ¡°Commander Yuan¡ªthemander who was direly injured after fighting off assassins¡ªis one of our men. The imperial court dismissed him from service. Now, we¡¯ve taken it upon ourselves to make severalmanders protest against the imperial court¡¯s extended regency. The army answers only to the emperor, after all, not his court. Meaning they either need to pick a new emperor, which we both know is untenable, or relinquish control of the army. And the invaders haven¡¯t moved an inch after taking their foothold¡ªwhy can¡¯t the armies afford to remain still?¡±


    Zen nodded, then set the letter down. ¡°I see. I thought we¡¯d speak after I investigated the Pce of Heaven.¡±


    Elenore said gloatingly, ¡°That¡¯s what you¡¯re reading, isn¡¯t it?¡± Stain¡¯s conveyance was less gloating, but still somewhat so.


    ¡°Is this some attempt at intimidating me, cajoling me into taking your offer?¡± Zen sat back down in his desk. ¡°Telling me that you could get at me anywhere?¡±


    ¡°Of course not. Ji Meng says you¡¯re not as harmless as you present yourself. We¡¯re inclined to agree with his caution.¡± Stain ryed Elenore¡¯s words, crossing his arms. ¡°So¡ªwhat¡¯ve you learned?¡±


    Governor Zen stared up at Stain. ¡°Seeing as you know everything, why don¡¯t you tell me?¡±


    ¡°I think what¡¯s most telling is that you haven¡¯t learned anything at all.¡± Stain leaned up against the wall, listening to Elenore carefully. ¡°Someone like you¡ªyou¡¯ve stringsid out across the whole of this empire. But you can¡¯t even get so much as a rumor about whomands the Pce of Heaven.¡±


    ¡°True enough. I could get direct answers, I¡¯m sure. But I¡¯d have to exercise some authority¡ªmoving in the open, which would draw the eye of the imperial court.¡± Zen tapped the desk, lost in thought.


    ¡°It¡¯s supposedly a major fortification¡ªthest line of defense for an emperor,¡± Elenore kept pressing, and Stain kept delivering. ¡°Such a thing wouldn¡¯t exactly changemand quietly. What else have you found?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. Our enemy is good. But I¡¯ve found other proof the imperial court ispromised.¡± Zen pulled open a drawer, grabbed some papers and set them down. ¡°This was an independent investigation of mine, but it bore fruit. Grand Eunuch Hao, the de facto regent in control of the court, is working with an ancient god by the name of Erlebnis. He isn¡¯t in the Qircassian Coalition, but¡ª¡±


    Elenore yelled at Stain to interrupt, and eventually he called out, ¡°Hold.¡± Governor Zen stared in confusion as Stain waited for Elenore to convey her message. Once she was far enough along, he began repeating, ¡°Erlebnis has allied with Kirel Qircassia. That¡¯s the main reason gods were able to seed where they¡¯ve failed countless times before. His vast knowledge, informationworks, in tandem with the Qircassian Coalition¡¯s vast resources spelled doom for the court.¡±


    Governor Zen stroked his sharp goatee. ¡°That¡­ that does make sense. But it¡¯s also concerning. It means that the Heavenly Arrays beneath the pce have beenpromised. Do you know what those are?¡±


    Stain shook his head.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s not information for you,¡± Governor Zen shook his head. ¡°Your betters may trust you with much, but I believe I¡¯ve had enough of speaking through a proxy. I¡¯m ready to head south. I¡¯m ready to speak with your leader in person. It¡¯s the only way that we¡¯lle to any arrangement.¡±


    ¡°Stall,¡± Elenoremanded simply. ¡°I need time to think.¡±


    ¡°Uhh¡­¡± Stain bumbled, drained of any arty he might¡¯ve been disying. ¡°Won¡¯t you be missed here?¡±


    ¡°I am capable of disguise. It may not be to your standards, but I¡¯ve my ways of travelling covertly. Oh¡ªI should mention two things.¡± Zen rubbed his tired eyes as he exined, ¡°My grandchildren will being with me. I hope that King Argrave will bring his family, too.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not done pushing that, are you?¡± Stain shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a secret, no charge. King¡¯s rather madly in love with his wife. They¡¯re young and dumb. Maybe in a couple years a second partner will be on the table, but not now. It¡¯s called the honeymoon phase. The emperor is the only choice we¡ª"


    ¡°The emperor is a brute!¡± Governor Zen shouted gutturally in a rage, but his next words were eerily calm. ¡°He cannot be trusted to sit upon the throne again. If he assumes his position, there will be no court, no governor that can check him. And that man, with absolute power over the Great Chu and all its armies¡­ I can¡¯t stomach it. I won¡¯t stomach it. Use him, I will. But wee him back as emperor? Never again. There needs to be change, and you people give me the opportunity to enact it,¡± Zen insisted, tapping his finger against his desk loudly. ¡°I¡¯m willing to work something out. But like I said, I need to meet with King Argrave and all his family. I¡¯m talking about his father-inw Patriarch Dras, his brother Orion, his sister Elenore and her husband, the King of the Burnt Sands¡­ all of them, everyone. Except his niece¡ªSophia, I think her name was. I have no need of her presence.¡±


    Even Stain was shocked as Governor Zen rattled off names there was no good reason he had to know.


    ¡°You look shocked. Do you think you¡¯re the only ones with skills?¡± Governor Zen leaned back. ¡°If you¡¯ll notice, I never asked for the emperor to be here¡ªmatter of fact, I¡¯d prefer he wasn¡¯t. Why? I¡¯ll put it simply¡ªthere¡¯s a lot that the emperor doesn¡¯t know about what I¡¯m capable of. There¡¯s a lot the court doesn¡¯t know. These things run deeper than you possibly know. Even if the emperor hadn¡¯t gone off like a fool attacking yournds, I had some rather¡­ different, shall we say, ns for the future of this nation. I¡¯m not opposed to ying a supporting role, so long as what I want can get done. You say you can speak for your leaders, so I ask again¡ªwill they agree to a meeting?¡±


    Silence stretched as Stain waited for word from Elenore. It came in the form of one word¡ªa simplemand for Stain.


    ¡°Agree.¡±

 Chapter 560: The Grand Zen Family

    Though most ces in the Great Chu remained under the control of the enemy, there was one ce that Vasquer could implete dominance over¡ªthe ocean. They had utterly vanquished the Imperial Navy of the Great Chu, partially repurposed it, and brought with them the naval might of the Veidimen in their struggle. On the divine side of things, Kirel Qircassia was only god ofnd and sky. At sea, he was weakened beyondpare.


    After some further coordination with Governor Zen, they agreed to meet far out at sea during the night aboard a gigantic pleasure barge that¡¯d been appropriated from a coastal settlement near theirnding area. It had picked up Governor Zen and his small entourage of children and guards, and now sailed deep out into the ocean where Argrave and his family waited.


    ¡°The goals of this meeting are manifold,¡± Elenore told Argrave as they watched the horizon where the barge was liable to appear. Their own ship¡ªa simple Veidimen longship, brought out to avoid attention. ¡°Anneliese needs to study him with her [Truesight] to see if he¡¯s made a pact with any gods. If he has, we break immediately. Furthermore, we need to find out how Governor Zen learned so much about Vasquer. It irks me that he seems to know as much as us as we do of him. As far as I¡¯m concerned, if we can¡¯t find out that information, we should kill him.¡±


    ¡°Need we thirst for blood so much?¡± Orion, sitting across from them on another of the ship¡¯s benches, sped his hands together. ¡°He brings his family. We bring ours. That says much of a man¡¯s intent.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m concerned just as much,¡± Patriarch Dras shook his head. ¡°He knew me by name. Most in Vasquer are aware of the alliance between our peoples, but not so much the personages leading Veiden. That implies a deep infiltration of our higher power. We¡¯lle to know, or we¡¯lle to kill. There can be no middle-ground.¡±


    Argrave looked at everyone. ¡°We¡¯ve experienced nothing but setbacks infiltrating their nation. Governor Zen has proved his capability. Now, we have the opportunity to gauge his malleability. He could prove to be another ally, or another like Ji Meng¡ªa double-edged sword. Making him an enemy or a corpse should be ast resort, not the first or second.¡±


    ¡°I concur.¡± Anneliese stared down at her staff, ced atop herp, as the longship gently rocked in the serene darkness.


    ¡°Chances are, his family won¡¯t be half as good as ours,¡± Durran noted, lying down on the ship. Apparently, he felt ill. Indeed¡ªa wyvern rider grew ill on a boat. The Sea Dragon had been an exception, for magic stabilized its surface, but now he was subject to the whims of the tides.


    ¡°We¡¯ll know, soon. The barge approaches.¡± Orion peered out into the silent and dark ocean.


    Everyone peered at the water. Given time, Argrave saw the square barge cut silently across the ocean, still and solid. Like the Sea Dragon, it had magic to stabilize its voyage¡ªit was a high-ss vessel meant for the Great Chu high society.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°Mnie¡¯s looking after Sophia?¡± Argrave asked Elenore.


    ¡°The same as every other time you asked,¡± Elenore covered her eyes.


    He was paranoid about this being some kind of distraction to pull them all away from Sophia and kidnap her, so he ced ample guards by her side in their absence. But those worries were soon overshadowed by those of his new arrival. One thing was certain¡ªthey wouldn¡¯t be leaving this ship until an agreement was made, or an enemy. Ji Meng spoke of Governor Zen¡¯s prowess often enough for it to make Argrave question if making a corpse of him would be so easy. That was excluding his grandchildren¡ªunknown factors,rgely, briefly spotted in transit by druidic scouts.


    The gargantuan barge finally made its way by their ship, its huge bulk sending thick waves that made the waters harsher. Argrave¡¯s Veidimen guards aboard lowered a ramp down to the longship, and Orion dutifully tied it to the ship until it was secure. Once it was, they all walked up, Argrave the second-tost followed by his brother. They stepped aboard the pleasure barge, and at once, it felt steady enough that it felt they were back onnd.


    Grimalt, one of threemanders of Argrave¡¯s honor guard, briefly summarized what had urred. Governor Zen came with eight others¡ªthree elite Great Chu guards, all S-rank, and five others that were his grandchildren. Only the guards were dressed for war, but the five grandchildren were amply capable of it all the same. They waited, now, in a room at the heart of the barge. Without dy, Argrave and his party made their way to that room. Casting one nce out at the endless ck ocean, a red sliver of moon hovering above it, they entered, sizing up the other party.


    Governor Zen and his grandchildren sat at a low-lying round table atop satin pillows, wide-brimmed cups set out before them yet not filled with drink. Governor Zen was an S-ranked spellcaster. Both of his grandsons were between A and B-rank by quantity. Grimalt imed they had several divine weapons on their person, and they¡¯d not been confiscated. His granddaughters possessed no magic at all, yet did have some divine weaponry.


    Governor Zen dressed practically¡ªa thick ck robe, a warm fur hat over his head. His grandchildren, however, wore grandiose and borate garbs well-suited for the high society of the Great Chu. His two grandsons wore brilliant reds studded with gold along the sleeves, the cors, and had nes and rings bedecked with gemstones enough to attract an eye without appearing gaudy. They appeared somewhat like their grandfather, though younger and more built.


    His granddaughters, meanwhile, had clearly taken hours to prepare themselves. They were not spellcasters, but had a mour equal to any witch of lore. Their faces were an impably smooth pale peach, their lips were a lovely bright red, and their cheeks had ample blush. Their eyes had ck liner with faint red shadows, and their eyebrows had borate drawings that seemed to blend naturally into the brow¡ªone a bird, another a dragon, and the third a blossoming tree. Their long and silky ck hair was suspended by half a dozen ornate gold pins and pieces of varying styles.


    Argrave couldn¡¯t deny they were beautiful, but he wasn¡¯t particrly affected all the same. The Great Chu was infinitely more developed than Vasquer, and as such, its elite society was developed far beyond what existed in Vasquer. The trappings of that high society pervaded what they wore¡ªhe suspected there was as much weight in makeup as there was gold on their heads¡ªbut Argrave had seen its like before back in Earth. Rather than stunned by their beauty or their wealth, Argrave was more simply stunned they¡¯d go to this much effort even in a meeting miles out in the sea as they were.


    The grandchildren rose to their feet along with Governor Zen, and each gave Argrave formal bows likely customary to their people that set hanging gold ornaments on their hair jingling. Notably, they all used his title; King Argrave. Even more notably, they showed the same respect to Anneliese. If they¡¯d hoped to earn his favor doing so, they seeded.


    ¡°I¡¯d prepared to wait some time. I¡¯m d to know that you don¡¯t perform cheap power moves.¡± Governor Zen sat back down, and his family followed.


    Argrave and the rest of his family took their seats atop the pillows before the low table. Argrave took special care to make sure that Anneliese was sitting at the head of the table with him. Sheid her staff across herp as she sat cross-legged. Patriarch Dras sat to her left, while Elenore and Durran sat to Argrave¡¯s right.


    ¡°So, has your agent ryed to you the results of ourst conversation, or shall I set the stage before introductions are in order?¡± Governor Zen began.


    ¡°We¡¯re aware of the conversation,¡± Elenore answered quickly.


    ¡°Mmm.¡± He pointed. ¡°Because one of your people has been blessed by Lira, right? And your agent was rying all we said.¡± He looked back and snapped twice, and one of his three guards leaned forward bearing a white bottle with a long neck. He pulled out new cups for each new person that sat at the table, and filled them for all including his own people. ¡°You¡¯re all rather stone-faced. Don¡¯t worry¡ªI just do my research, know who I¡¯m speaking to before I y the game. I know that Lira is part of your ckgard Union, and I know what her blessings are. It isn¡¯t so much to extrapte that one of your people might be blessed by her. That, plus his odd conversation ticks¡­¡±


    ¡°However do you get that research done? Do you speak to gods, what?¡± Durran asked, then picked up a cup and drank. Argrave thought he was bold for drinking, but he supposed Grimalt would¡¯ve checked for poison.


    ¡°There are many ways to learn, King Durran. So many ways¡­¡± Governor Zen put the bottle down, then drank himself. He cast a nce at one of his grandchildren. It seemed to be a signal.


    ¡°I¡¯m Zen Ming, Gold Scribe for the Grand Imperial Bank,¡± one of the sons introduced formally. ¡°I handle the transfer of gold between bank branches and the production of gold notes.¡±


    ¡°Zen Da, grandfather¡¯s belt ornament,¡± said the second man.


    ¡°Zen Da is themander for thergest northern army,¡± Governor Zen bragged proudly, topping off his grandson¡¯s cup. ¡°And the youngestmander besides.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Zen Ai, and my twin sister is Zen Mei,¡± one of the three granddaughters introduced two of them at once¡ªthe other seemed relieved she didn¡¯t need to speak.


    ¡°Andstly, there¡¯s Ji Meng¡¯s daughter. Ji Li.¡± Governor Zen brushed her shoulder, and she dipped her head. ¡°She¡¯s taken a vow of silence before the heavens in an effort to make the tower in the sky disappear. You can see how well that¡¯s going for her, I presume.¡±


    Despite his ribbing, Ji Li did remain silent. Argrave tried to think if he¡¯d seen her offer greetings back then, but couldn¡¯t recall. These names would be a little difficult for him to remember, he felt. But their position, their titles¡ªit was to demonstrate how much influence the governor had on everything here. He even had a link of direct ess to the heart of the Grand Imperial Bank.


    ¡°They¡¯ve all been briefed on each of you,¡± the governor exined. ¡°Before we begin the game, I¡¯d like to thank each of you for agreeing to this meeting. I suspect each of you are here because of my¡­ bold bait, I¡¯ll put it bluntly. By being so overt about what I know, I¡¯d hoped it might make you realize what I¡¯m capable of. I understand your apprehension about this matter, and I¡¯m happy to reveal all¡­ if we shoulde to an ord.¡±


    Argrave took a deep breath and stared Governor Zen in his brown eyes. Calmly, he spoke his first words, asking, ¡°What sort of ord were you aiming for?¡±


    ¡°Simply put? A new dynasty on the imperial throne. A path other than puppeteering Ji Meng, that treacherous scoundrel. We might establish the Sun dynasty, as it were, given your pseudonym of Grand Commandant Sun. I¡¯m willing topromise on this a great deal. Your man said that the lovely Queen Anneliese is the only one you intend to pledge yourself to.¡± The governor dipped his head. ¡°I¡¯m sure my daughters appreciate that perspective. It¡¯s rare in the Great Chu¡ªI myself have four wives. But¡­¡±


    Governor Zen looked to Orion. ¡°It doesn¡¯t need to be Argrave sitting upon the throne. We may work out an amodation with your brother, Orion. Or¡­ even your father-inw, Patriarch Dras, who I¡¯m told is unwed.¡± He again looked squarely at Argrave. ¡°Appealing to your reason, I¡¯ll say this; you have personal experience in this matter. It¡¯s much easier to take something¡¯s ce than it is build it anew. It¡¯s why you took your father¡¯s ce. Just as you took your father¡¯s throne, your nation could once again establish itself on the imperial throne, then work it, mold it from within. I¡¯m the only one who can help you do that. It makes sense.¡± He leaned in, then said deliberately, ¡°We win the game. It¡¯s a rare thing, two winners.¡±


    Silence stretched after Governor Zenid out his ns. Argrave took his first drink of the brew the governor had poured. It was a clear alcohol, likely with rice as its base, but felt smooth. His ck blood would neutralize everything, so he supposed it didn¡¯t matter.


    ¡°You¡¯re rather eager toe along with us.¡± Argrave set his cup down.


    ¡°A week of thinking, observing, nning¡­ plus my own machinations of several decades. Not eager, King Argrave. I¡¯ve alwayscked an instrument of extreme force. I¡¯d hoped the advent of the cmity might destabilize enough to allow an opportunity to change from within. And look¡ªit has.¡± He raised his cup as if in toast. ¡°Let¡¯s discuss. Let¡¯se to an understanding.¡±


    Anneliese looked at Argrave, and he nodded to her. She looked back and asked inly, ¡°Were you the one behind the attacks on themanders we¡¯d recruited to Ji Meng¡¯s banner? We know you have sway enough to send a ballista with a message¡ªto what extent have you had a hand in things in the south? Because we suspect it¡¯s not a small amount.¡±

 Chapter 561: Black Box Sophist

    ¡°What reason have I given you to suspect me of attacking people allied to you?¡± Governor Zen looked at each of them, eyes narrowed.


    ¡°None at all. It¡¯s why we have to ask¡ªbecause we can¡¯t reasonably deduce who you are.¡± Argrave looked at Zen, stone-faced. ¡°But what we can deduce is that you have sway in the armies here. Elsewise, you¡¯d never have been able to contact us.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t see why I¡¯d mitigate that influence by havingmanders killed,¡± Governor Zen shook his head.


    ¡°You should stop dodging the question,¡± Durran chided him. ¡°Straight answers are best.¡±


    ¡°I did answer you. I apologize if I wasn¡¯t clear enough¡ªI¡¯ll endeavor to change that in the future.¡± Governor Zen dipped his head.


    ¡°You knew the name Grand Commandant Sun,¡± Argrave confronted him. ¡°That¡¯s been shared in a very small circle of people. Themanders are the only ones that can¡¯t be ounted for. You brought your grandson, here, who¡¯s a Gold Scribe at the Grand Imperial Bank¡ªa key person for our ns, if you knew them. That information could only reasonably be gathered from torture of the capturedmanders.¡±


    Governor Zen smiled as he drank from his cup, then set it down smiling at Argrave. ¡°Listen¡­ I really like you people. You¡¯re precisely the sort of change the Great Chu needs to see. You have the capacity to enforce; my family has the capacity to allow you a rtively peaceful usurpation. I can tell from our interactions that we would work together incredibly well. We can do this. We can win, together. But we need to discuss how that¡¯s going to look. To begin with, I¡¯d like to suggest this; a marriage between Orion and Ji Li.¡± He looked at Orion. ¡°You aren¡¯t dissatisfied with my daughter, are you, Prince Orion?¡±


    ¡°I cannot say I¡¯ve given it much tho¡ª¡±


    ¡°Orion,¡± Argrave cut in, ncing at him. Orion straightened his back, giving a curt and understanding nod. With the diversion ended, Argrave looked back at Zen. ¡°Are you refusing to answer our question?¡±


    ¡°What question?¡± Zen tilted his head.


    Argrave stared at him in silence. Then, he chuckled and took another drink of the clear rice wine Governor Zen had provided. He set it down and dictated, ¡°So, you captured some of themanders of the Great Chu we were working with and tortured information out of them. I can¡¯t exactly extend them the same umbre of protection I would to one of ourmanders¡ªI barely knew them. But it does cast a certain light on you. Just as this conversation does, it indicates your nature.¡±


    ¡°Torturingmanders¡­¡± Governor Zen rubbed the moustache crowning his goatee. ¡°Sounds like something the imperial court would do. Me? All I am is a man that¡¯s had many children and a few sessful businesses. Then, I sent these many children and many businesses across the Great Chu, building scale, building prestige, building wealth¡­ point being, I can be a vehicle forplete and total usurpation of the throne.


    ¡°You want the Grand Imperial Bank, served on a tter? My grandson can oblige, if he¡¯s taken care of. You want information, even control, on the canals? Together, my two sons manage traffic on the whole east and west of the Great Chu. You want armies? Zen Da has never lost a battle. But better yet, he takes care of his men using my funds, and they all love him for it without question. The imperial harem¡ªmy daughter¡¯s been in control of it for decades by this point. And with the Zen family backing you, that control can be gifted to you like a bird in its cage.¡±


    Quietude settled like a heavy smoke in the room. ¡°Orion,¡± Argrave looked at his brother again. ¡°You were saying earlier?¡±


    Orion came to attention, and started to speak to Governor Zen about his granddaughters. Argrave merely used it as a break from the conversation to speak to Elenore through their connection.


    ¡°He¡¯s incredibly slippery,¡± he halfined to her through their connection. ¡°If you ever catch him saying ¡®yes¡¯ or ¡®no,¡¯ I¡¯d be surprised. What is Anneliese reading from him?¡±


    ¡°She says there¡¯s no deception, but he¡¯s so curvy with his answers it hardly matters,¡± Elenore replied. ¡°He¡¯s incredibly calm, and he truly believes everything that he¡¯s saying. I¡¯m having Stain scour his mansion in disguise. He¡¯s noting up with anything exceptional. I trust him to ransack properly, so¡­ all we have is this.¡±


    ¡°If this man is important nationwide, can we afford to kill him?¡± Argrave asked, drinking quietly as Orion continued to discuss his standards in a romantic partner¡ªsomething which he¡¯d likely never considered until this moment. ¡°Zen¡¯s family must know where he¡¯s gone. He must¡¯ve taken some measures to prepare in case this meeting went poorly. And from what I hear, angering his family would go poorly.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m only ever more inclined to the idea of killing him now that we¡¯ve spoken. He¡¯s a sophist, through and through, and he¡¯s a quick wit enough that I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll ever get anything out of him with conversation alone. But Anneliese said she has an idea. I suggest we follow her lead.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Argrave responded back, and the connection faded.


    ¡°I suppose I¡¯ve never considered taking multiple wives,¡± Orion confessed, looking at Zen ponderously. ¡°The idea was once taboo to me. But ever since I was freed of my religion, I suppose it is not so.¡± His brother¡¯s face contorted in serious consideration, and then brightened as he reached enlightenment. ¡°At the same time, if I were to take multiple wives, I would expect them to take multiple husbands. It would make the agreement more just. And practically speaking, it would allow for arger family, and thereby more secured alliances.¡±


    The twinsughed, perhaps interpreting Orion¡¯s words as joke when Argrave knew they were wholly serious. The emperor¡¯s daughter remained as stoic and silent as ever, though cast nces to her grandfather constantly.


    Anneliese interjected in the first opportunity, asking, ¡°I am curious to hear why you neglected to invite Sophia to this meeting.¡±


    Argrave looked at her, ufortable with this subject.


    ¡°Argrave¡¯s niece?¡± Governor Zen looked between them as theughter died. ¡°I¡¯m sure she is a lovely child. I merely assumed that this meeting would be one for adults.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s an adult, though.¡± Anneliese stared at Governor Zen, looking puzzled.


    Governor Zen was about to raise his cup to his lips to stall for an answer, but Argrave seized the bottle and started pouring it into Zen¡¯s cup so he could not. The governor stumbled for the first time, saying, ¡°Uhh¡­ well, perhaps there¡¯s a different standard for the term in Vasquer.¡±


    ¡°Sophia¡¯s as old as I am.¡± Argrave mirrored Anneliese¡¯s faux-confusion as he poured incredibly slowly, drop by drop.


    ¡°Your source of information¡­ really quite terrible, confusing such a detail,¡± Anneliese derided.


    ¡°Ahah¡­¡± Governor Zen stared at Argrave as he poured the bottle slowly. ¡°Are you alright, King Argrave?¡±


    Argrave poured the rest normally, then set the bottle down. He said nothing, waiting for Anneliese to continue.


    ¡°Which son would you marry Sophia to? In a monogamous arrangement,¡± Anneliese pressed¡ªonce again, Argrave grew incredibly ufortable at the notion, but he restrained himself.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Governor Zen¡¯s head spun, and it sunk in what Anneliese was doing¡ªnot only did Zen have a source of information, he thought it was incredibly trustworthy. He¡¯d never considered the notion of a marriage in light of Sophia¡¯s age¡ªnot even a betrothal, in fact. ¡°Zen Da has two wives already, and¡­¡±


    ¡°Zen Bo hasn¡¯t, father,¡± Zen Ming covered.


    ¡°Yes. Zen Bo is on the up-and-up, and hasn¡¯t yet married. He manages the¡­ well, the drainage systems in two major cities,¡± Governor Zen smiled. ¡°A very important, and well-paid, duty.¡±


    Elenore¡¯s voice cut into his head. ¡°He hasn¡¯t even considered a betrothal. There¡¯s a veryrge error there. It means he hasn¡¯t factored us into the long-term¡­ which suggests he doesn¡¯t intend for a long-term. I think that¡¯s the best clue we¡¯re to get, alongside what small information we pried from him about his source.¡±


    It seemed they had some answer on what Governor Zen actually was. Argraveid his hand on the table, making a slight noise, and all present looked at him. ¡°Let me ask again, governor¡ªyou won¡¯t consider the emperor as an option in all of this? The notion of putting him back on the throne doesn¡¯t appeal to you?¡±


    Governor Zen looked to rx now that they veered to morefortable topics. He said quickly, ¡°We might use the emperor for initial momentum. But after we¡¯ve wringed him dry, he should perish unfortunately or fall into the sidelines, having divested the vast majority of his authority to you. I would spearhead you thenceforth from within, hoisting your g amidst the enemy to propel you and what army you have toplete victory.¡±


    ¡°I have rather specific goals, afterward,¡± Argrave continued. ¡°Goals regarding the sky tower, the Qircassian Coalition. You can amodate that?¡±


    ¡°Certainly. The Qircassian Coalition needs to be beaten, if they have their grip in this country. I assume that was a tacit understanding.¡±


    Argrave told Elenore through their connection, ¡°Ask Orion if he¡¯s willing to marry, even if temporarily.¡±


    After a few moments, she replied, ¡°Orion said, ¡®my life has always been yours,¡¯ which I presume means yes.¡±


    With his brother¡¯s affirmation, Argrave took a deep courage-gathering breath and looked at Orion. ¡°Brother. It seems you¡¯re to be an emperor.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°No matter my title, you will always be my liege,¡± Orion dipped his head.


    Governor Zen smiled broadly. ¡°Your decisiveness¡­ it astounds me, Your Majesty,¡± he said, switching addresses in seconds.


    Argrave looked at him. ¡°All I know is that Orion makes the most sense. I can trust him. He¡¯s unwed, and has no apprehensions. The finer details can be worked out over time, but for now¡­ I¡¯d like to start winning, Governor Zen, as you suggested. Can we make that happen?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s work out the details of our victory,¡± Governor Zen raised his cup.


    #####


    The conversation carried on for some time after the decision was made, clearing up the finer intricacies of their arrangement. Orion¡¯s bride, for now, was settled upon Ji Li, Emperor Ji Meng¡¯s daughter and Zen¡¯s granddaughter who¡¯d taken a vow of silence. Upon reflection, perhaps that vow of silence was something that Zen had mandated, always expecting her to be the chosen spouse. They couldn¡¯t reasonably extract information from her if she remained silent.


    ¡°After such an icy ord, I do doubt how true he¡¯ll be,¡± Elenore told Argrave, long after the meeting. They ate within a room of the Sea Dragon, secluded. ¡°I would sleep easier if he were dead. That holds true for many people, now that I think of it¡­¡±


    ¡°We only need him to be as true as Ji Meng is,¡± Argrave reflected.


    Elenore stared at him, her head working. She raised her brows. ¡°Are you going to¡­ y them against each other?¡±


    ¡°Ji Meng thought the governor would be his lifeline, I suspect. But I don¡¯t think he was fully aware of how prepared Governor Zen was to overthrow his regime¡ªhow much he hates him. If Ji Meng is threatened, and if Governor Zen still has to contend with the emperor¡­ it¡¯ll be harmony in chaos. Ji Meng will have to cooperate. And Zen can¡¯t move easily. Right?¡± Argrave looked at them, seeking counsel.


    ¡°And if Zen¡¯s hate of the emperor is an act and they coborate against us, it could be an absolutely miserable disaster,¡± Durran noted.


    Anneliese leaned her staff against the wall and stretched. ¡°That¡¯s how it¡¯s usually been; walking on threads. Regardless, I know our next destination.¡± She and Argrave both locked eyes, then both said simultaneously, ¡°Emperor Ji Meng.¡±


    Argrave sighed. ¡°We can learn if we actually have some pressure on him, now.¡±


    Elenore raised her finger. ¡°I think I have a lead on the information leaks Governor Zen¡¯s been relying on. I¡¯ll look into it. You, meanwhile, make the emperor squeal.¡±


    ¡°My pleasure.¡± Argrave smiled.

 Chapter 562: Daughters Decision

    ¡°Essentially, the one person you thought as your lifeline was the one with the mostprehensive designs to take your throne,¡± Argrave told Ji Meng. ¡°He really only had one condition, other than the standard marriage pitches. And condition that was to sideline you, keep you out of everything.¡±


    ¡°My daughter wouldn¡¯t tolerate a marriage with the family that ended her father.¡±


    ¡°Your daughter was sitting right beside him when Governor Zen said that your death would be a desirable oue,¡± Anneliese stated bluntly. ¡°She remained silent.¡±


    The words made Ji Meng feel physically ill, but he tried his damnedest to let none of that shine through in his face. He couldn¡¯t even verify it was true, but the fact King Argrave and his wife hade here personally to say it made him think that this was no mere bluff. And if it wasn¡¯t a bluff¡­ the implications of that set his stomach churning further. His own daughter hade here? She had witnessed this meeting and said nothing?


    Ji Meng felt like a nt growing on a rock, subject wholly to the whims of passersby. He had all the power of a newborn.


    Argrave rose to his feet. ¡°I¡¯ll let that y out in your calculus. That thing you did with themanders, having them duel me¡­ I respected that move. But you ought to think very carefully about everything you do, henceforth. With things as they are, you¡¯ll be making a few more public appearances. And after¡­¡±


    Argrave deliberately didn¡¯t finish his sentence, then helped his wife up for them both to leave the room. Yet even once they¡¯d gone, Ji Meng could show nothing. The walls had eyes, his guards were neutered, and elven giants stood vigil over him at every moment. These were bright, dangerous fires, threatening to consume him if he stepped one inch off the path. Yet from their light, he could see the whole path ahead.


    Ji Meng was a fruit plucked from a tree. This fruit was to be wrung dry of all its juice, whereupon its drained carcass would beposted and used as fertilizer for another empire to flourish. The idea made bile rise to his throat, and he grabbed for the nearest drink. He found it¡ªthe Ebonice tea given to him every day.


    He drank deep of it, not leaving a single drop.


    #####


    Their discussion with Ji Meng proved to be surprisingly fruitful, ording to Anneliese. Their deration had rattled the emperor far greater than either of them had expected. It seemed that, while Ji Meng was a master of the calculus of power, he was utterly without staunch allies outside of the military that idolized him. His own daughter would prefer to side with her grandfather over him. Argrave imagined Sophia doing such a thing, and felt a small amount of sympathy for the emperor surface.


    But theing days set them on a busy path. The day after, Elenore summoned Argrave and Anneliese alone to a secluded room in the Sea Dragon without windows or more than one entryway. Once they were there, she paranoidlymanded Anneliese to make a ward to block any and all sounds.


    ¡°I¡¯ve eliminated all possibilities of where the leaks might originate, and I¡¯vee to an answer about where theye from,¡± Elenore informed them, looking between Argrave and Anneliese with dark bags about her eyes.


    ¡°Seems to have kept you up,¡± Argrave gestured at her face. This room was meant for storage¡ªhe shuffled a crate and sat down upon it.


    ¡°Shadows at home tend to seem far darker than those beyond it,¡± Elenore rubbed her tired eyes. ¡°I¡¯d take care of this on my own, ordinarily, and with great pleasure. But I think there¡¯s a huge problem.¡±


    ¡°Do tell,¡± Anneliese urged, leaning upon her staff.


    ¡°Our leak is divine. Or divine-adjacent.¡± Elenore crossed her arms. ¡°The ckgard Union ispromised, not our people.¡±


    Argrave cradled his forehead as extreme annoyance crept up like a geyser through the wrinkles in his brain. Anneliese patiently indulged, ¡°How do you know?¡±


    ¡°Because everyone who knew our ns, outside of the gods, I haveplete confidence of their loyalty. Not instinct, either¡ªcold, hard, logistics. I can ount for them all, always, through myworks and our guardsmen. Unless you sleep talk secrets out your window, all of our inner circle? We¡¯re fine.¡± She looked at Argrave. ¡°You divulged a great deal about everything in that trial you did at Law¡¯s Court. Now, that information is disseminating through either a god themselves or their direct servants. Disseminating to Governor Zen.¡±


    It made sense. Argrave felt it was all but certain Governor Zen had been partially, if not totally responsible for the disappearance of keymanders here in the south. Everything beyond that¡­ a god could plug that gap in his information. The gods had envoys in ckgard. They had information from the trial in Law¡¯s Court. It was viable¡ªno, likely.


    ¡°We should call for a trial in Law¡¯s Court at once, then,¡± Anneliese suggested.


    ¡°They would all need to leave the warfront exposed,¡± Elenore shook her head. ¡°Law most of all. We can¡¯t afford that. Kirel Qircassia would send minions to overrun us in moments. We can fight some gods with our armies, but only temporarily. I don¡¯t want the casualties, though, nor the tremendous loss in already-thin unity.¡± His sister pped her hands together once as she dered, ¡°No. We need to find them, iste them, expose them, and tear their guts out as a message to Zen and others. My hands aren¡¯t strong enough to tear guts. I¡¯ll have to call upon you.¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°Puppeteer me.¡±


    ¡°In time. I need to do proper investigations. Only¡­ hah.¡± Elenoreughed, hiding her eyes and shaking her head. ¡°Only this time, it¡¯s gods. We¡¯ve chewed off a huge meal.¡± She looked up at him, gray eyes glinting as she muttered, ¡°But when I call you, be ready to tear. I feel some extreme violence is long overdue.¡±


    Names floated in Argrave¡¯s head. Rook, Yinther, Lira, Almazora, Law, Stout Heart Swan¡­ who among them, if any, would Elenore pry from Zen¡¯s grasp? And what would this mean for the alliance? He supposed that time would tell.


    ¡°But there¡¯s another thing, too.¡± Elenore retrieved something and handed it to Argrave. ¡°Sophia wrote this. It¡¯s about ¡®Castro.¡¯ She came up with something, and I think¡­ I think it merits consideration.¡±


    Argrave and Anneliese both moved into action, taking the paper.


    #####


    The end goal of the development of Sophia¡¯s power was something different than creating¡ªit was modifying. They needed to use Sophia to transfer Argrave to where Gerechtigkeit existed, and destroy him permanently. The Alchemist thought it was something that she would be capable of, and to that end, teaching her how to modify life was more important than creating it. If she was capable of acting at the same scale as they had seen in Sandbara, she would be able to help them end this cycle of judgment.


    Sophia¡¯s suggestion, then, waspletely delightful for both Anneliese and Argrave. It boiled down to a simple idea. What if they were to put a person who couldn¡¯t function inside of the body of someone who could?


    Of course, Sophia wasn¡¯t thinking of people who couldn¡¯t mentally function, but rather those who had been rendered invalid; those who were in aa or a simr state, or those who had lost limbs. In a world with healing magic, cases of that sort were appreciably rare¡ªeven something like a brain tumor could be purged, as it had in the case of the current Archduchess of the North, Diana of Quadreign, by use of House Quadreign¡¯s me. But cases of invalids did exist. And Sophia might be able to help not just one, but all.


    Argrave and Anneliese discussed the merits of the idea at length, but it didn¡¯t take long toe to the conclusion that it was a very worthy cause. What made them even prouder yet was the fact that Sophia hade up with the idea on her own. Neither Anneliese nor Argrave had interfered excessively for her toe to this conclusion.


    They came to her, and after she gave them an enthusiastic greeting, she ended up using Argrave¡¯s leg as a bench as they sat at the table.


    ¡°Sophia, we received the letter that you sent,¡± Argrave informed her. ¡°And Anneliese and I have been discussing it. We think it¡¯s a wonderful idea,¡± he praised her.


    Sophia smiled brightly, barely able to contain her excitement. Anneliese spoke first, however, asking, ¡°But I was curious¡ªhow did ite to you, this idea?¡±


    ¡°Umm¡­¡± Sophia looked down at the ground. ¡°I think¡­ I think I shouldn¡¯t say. You might get mad.¡±


    ¡°Mad at you? We said we liked the idea,¡± Argrave assured her.


    ¡°Not at me. Umm¡­ do you promise you won¡¯t get mad at her?¡± Sophia looked up at Argrave hopefully. She looked like she wanted to tell.


    ¡°Mad at who?¡± Anneliese pressed.


    ¡°Please promise?¡± Sophia pleaded.


    ¡°Alright, I promise,¡± Argrave conceded.


    Sophia inhaled, gathering her words, thenunched into her exnation. ¡°Elenore told me her father hurt her really bad. Cut off her feet, and other¡­¡± she trailed off, ufortable with the topic, before she shook her head quickly. ¡°Well, I asked people about it. They said that Elenore couldn¡¯t walk, and she couldn¡¯t see. But then you made it alright,¡± Sophia looked up at Argrave. ¡°I thought¡­ it was really nice. Then I saw¡­ I saw the¡­ the thing that I¡­¡±


    ¡°Castro,¡± Argrave finished. ¡°And you thought you might use him for the same purpose.¡±


    ¡°Uhuh,¡± Sophia nodded. ¡°Everybody loves you, Argrave. They said you rescued Elenore out from under the nose of your dad, and then you took her to a volcano, and then you fought a bunch of bad guys and healed her! And then I thought that I could do the same thing! Help people walk again, give them eyes¡­!¡± Sophia described, positively bubbling.


    Argrave looked at Anneliese. ¡°You¡¯re right, Sophia. You definitely could. Not just Castro, either. A bunch of people, far more than I ever could. But¡­ are you sure that¡¯s what you want to do? You¡¯ll be seeing people with their legs, their arms¡­¡± Argrave searched for words, then decided to say it bluntly as he looked into her red eyes. ¡°You¡¯ll be seeing victims of war, of mining idents. People at their lowest, and their most gruesome.¡±


    Healing limbs was one of the few things that healing magic couldn¡¯t achieve. But Sophia¡­ she might actually be able to do it.


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen a lot of people without limbs,¡± Sophia said quietly. ¡°My dad showed me. And he¡­ tried to make me do it, too. I wish I could¡¯ve helped those people, then. But I was too¡­¡± she sniffled.


    Argrave gave Sophia a hug. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to think about that anymore, Sophia.¡±


    Sophia clutched his coat as tightly as she could, then asked muffled behind his coat, ¡°So¡­ can I do it?¡±


    Argrave pulled away and looked at her. Her request brought with it a lot of other considerations. If word spread that Sophia was capable of true healing¡ªrestoring limbs, eyes, and broken minds¡ªshe would be a target. And the nature of such healing meant she¡¯d need to travel far and wide to find these people. They would have to make certain arrangements for her protection. Yet even despite all of that¡­


    ¡°Sophia, I¡¯m extremely proud of you.¡± Argrave smiled, then looked to Anneliese. ¡°Aren¡¯t you, Anne?¡±


    ¡°Of course I am,¡± Anneliese walked up, kneeling down.


    ¡°It might not happen today,¡± Argrave exined to her. ¡°It¡¯ll take some time. And you have to keep in mind two things.¡±


    Sophia nodded intently. ¡°Okay. Anything,¡± she promised.


    ¡°Listen to it first.¡± Argrave lifted her off his leg and set her on the ground. ¡°If you ever feel ufortable with this, you have to tell someone. Okay? Don¡¯t keep anything inside.¡±


    Sophia nodded.


    ¡°And two¡­¡± Argrave hung his head a little. ¡°I think it¡¯s time for you to be brought into the bigger picture. You¡¯re family¡ªI mean that, Sophia. But all of us came to Sandbara for a reason.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°Argrave, is this the right¡­?¡± Anneliese interjected quietly.


    Argrave looked at her, then said, ¡°Given the maturity she just disyed, I think it¡¯s warranted, Anne. I don¡¯t want to keep secrets from her.¡±


    ¡°Rich,ing from you,¡± Anneliese whispered, but nodded. ¡°Alright.¡±


    Argrave refocused on Sophia. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about Gerechtigkeit.¡±


    ¡°Ger¡­ Gereck¡­¡± Sophia¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°Gerechtigkeit,¡± Argrave repeated.


    ¡°Gerektikeit?¡±


    ¡°Gerechtigkeit.¡±


    Sophia closed her mouth, fearing to speak.


    ¡°Gerry,¡± Argrave shortened it.


    Sophia brightened and said clearly, ¡°Gerry?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°Gerry, destroyer of worlds.¡±

 Chapter 563: Threadspinners, Threadrunners

    The following days were an incrediblyplex dance of interwoven plots. They prepared for Sophia¡¯s business in the background as their machinations over the Great Chu began to take effect. Elenore decided to be bold with her istion of the information leaks, and Argrave was more than willing to help her. Her boldness rested in the fact that she intended to both probe for leaks and carry out their ns simultaneously.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Elenore¡¯s probes were quite sophisticated, yet they had the execution necessary to carry them out. She used Argrave as an instrument to subtly convey different courses of actions to each and all divine ally at their back. Each was different enough to be easily identifiable, yet not enough to arouse suspicion if shared among the others.


    Argrave stood on the coast of the south Great Chu, another towering figure with him for a private meeting. ¡°The bottom line is this¡ªbefore we can assault the sky tower, we need to take the Pce of Heaven,¡± Argrave said, staring up at one of Law¡¯s Justiciar¡¯s. ¡°And you¡­ I want you to be prepared for a direct assault. It¡¯s central.¡±


    A robust agreement, a few more exchanged words¡­ then the next god, Rook.


    ¡°The bottom line is this¡­¡± Argrave began identically as he spoke to Rook, who wore wholly ck. ¡°We need to take the Pce of Heaven. And you¡­ I¡¯ll need your subterfuge capability for that. It¡¯s central.¡±


    ¡°The bottom line is this,¡± Argrave spoke next to Almazora, defending Vasquer from continental siege in Dirracha at the perfect center of the kingdom. ¡°We¡¯ll need your magic to take the Pce of Heaven.¡±


    Next, he looked to the wizened Lira. ¡°The bottom line, Lira, is that we¡¯ll need your connections to take the Pce of Heaven.¡±


    He came to the young blond boy that was Anneliese¡¯s patron, speaking all too-familiar tones. ¡°Bottom line, Yinther, we need to know the Pce of Heavenpletely to take it.¡±


    ¡°Bottom line,¡± he began time and time again, for each and all god involved in his ns¡ªeven Hause, though her conversation was far removed from the others in light of her stay-at-home role.


    And after telling each and every deity of the ckgard Union the ¡®bottom line,¡¯ Argrave told each god that they were central to his ns. Each and all conveyed the same message¡ªthat the Pce of Heaven was their goal¡ªbut each was simultaneously different enough that they could iste which deity was the weak link.


    Stain, meanwhile, their contact, was supposed to asionally speak to Governor Zen and see if any of that information had made its way to him. Governor Zen seemed to make a habit of letting them know what he knew, but even if he didn¡¯t, Elenore could easily apply some pressure to get that information from him. With that set as the background, their ns unfolded.


    Commander Yuan¡¯s discharge frommand by the imperial court, without any proper severance or due honors granted, was the perfect excuse to enact something of a rebellion in the armies. The remainingmanders that they had under sway were instructed to emerge from lockdown and take the armies on strike. It put them in an incredibly treacherous position, but nheless each and all obeyed without question. From there, Governor Zen and his family yed their role.


    Zen Ming, Gold Scribe for the Grand Imperial Bank, and a few other of Zen¡¯s children and grandchildren, used their position to enact a fabricated order from the imperial court. That order was simple; suspend pay for the rebelling soldiers, and refuse to transact gold or silver notes for them and all their family members. Debanking entire armies was an incredibly rming and overt move for all soldiers in the army nationwide, and news spread like wildfire of this ¡®excess by the imperial court.¡¯


    But Zen Ming hadn¡¯t truly suspended pay. He instead redirected it to each of the fourmanders that were taking their armies on strike, making everything appear as normal in the Grand Imperial Bank. Thesemanders then distributed this pay to the soldiers, iming it came from their personal vaults. That was a suspicious move, granted, but in time Argrave intended to validate that suspicion with yet another fabrication; he would im Emperor Ji Meng had been paying the soldiers, biding his time while he established himself in the south.


    Governor Zen fomented mass unrest using his vast array of family and business contacts. Hismander and grandson, Zen Da, publicly and loudly spoke about the imperial court and Grand Eunuch Hao dragging this regency on for extended periods of time. This brought no suspicion¡ªhis nephew, Ji Meng¡¯s son, was ostensibly in line for the throne. This bid for session brought other dormant actors to life, and the gears of the Great Chu machinegged.


    But just as the gears began to grind to a halt, the imperial court attempted to oil them. The first thing done was a thorough audit of the Grand Imperial Bank. To their credit, they did iste Zen Ming as one of the troublemakers. Anticipating this, Governor Zen extracted his grandson long in advance. In response, the imperial court issued a bounty on Zen Ming¡¯s head and spread it in every metropolitan area.


    But then, they¡¯d been hoping for that.


    Posing as a whistleblower targeted by the imperial court because he intended to spill key details, Governor Zen tformed his grandson and spread ¡®news.¡¯ Nationwide bounties were rare, so this information received special attention. It was aplete fabrication¡ªZen Ming imed that the precious metal reserves of the Grand Imperial Bank had been discreetly recalled since the regency began, and that several branches of the banks in prominent cities didn¡¯t even have half of the money necessary to cover withdrawals. The second was somewhat true¡ªbanks, by nature, seldom had money enough to cover one hundred percent withdrawals. The first, however, was a tant lie meant to discredit the trustworthiness of the bank.


    Naturally, some few paranoid people went to the bank in a rush to withdraw what they had, or exchange notes for precious metal. The action of these few caught the attention of many, and paranoia bred like disease as people contemted the possibility of the bank genuinely losing all of their money. If there was ever a line at the bank, after all, the prudent thing to do was merely to get in line. Bank runs were a phenomenon as old as banks.


    The imperial court was alert enough to realize what could happen¡ªbanks might receive more withdrawal requests than they had money on hand, and banks across the nation would be insolvent. To counter this, they decreed a nationwide freeze on non-government bank ounts within days. Despite the fact soldiers, as government ounts, could still withdraw money, the already-sown animosity between the army and the Grand Imperial Bank ignited fiery support for the army¡¯s strike against the imperial court. But more than the army, the people felt that something was seriously wrong.


    The court had ample countermeasures prepared. They, too, spread news of their justification behind Zen Ming¡¯s nationwide bounty. They released public figures of the quantity of precious metal in reserve, and several prominent figures announced they¡¯d be adding to the precious metal reserve from their own stores. But most prominently of all, they announced a sessor: Ji Bu. His coronation was intended for a weekter, whereupon the imperial court would step down.


    Following that announcement, Argrave and Anneliese once again sat with Emperor Ji Meng for talk. They delivered to him the news of the past few days, alongside his sessor.


    ¡°Ji Bu?¡± The emperor repeated his son¡¯s name, almost as though it sounded unfamiliar on his tongue. ¡°He was always martially gifted. But emperor? I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll be any legitimate threat. It¡¯s still the court behind him. Then again, I suppose it was always going to be this way.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s time for your debut in a few days,¡± Argrave looked at Ji Meng. ¡°The emperor, returned to quell this madness that¡¯s arisen in his absence. Recovering from a wound, and so relying upon his Grand Commandant Sun. Even still¡­ how are you at speeches? I expect some good ones.¡±


    ¡°Then you¡¯ll get good ones,¡± Ji Meng promised. ¡°I do question if what you¡¯ve stirred is going to be enough to win over the whole of the Great Chu rtively bloodlessly. Even if we dere the imperial court traitors to the emperor¡­¡±


    ¡°Governor Zen deliberately made session the key issue,¡± Argrave exined. ¡°Most rival factions are imant factions¡ªfactions that cease to be valid when the true emperor returns. Your empress has let the harem run a little free with imants and schemes the past while, but now she¡¯ll bring it all back in line. And besides, Governor Zen won¡¯t immediately switch sides. He¡¯ll remain with the court for a time, deliberately sabotaging things before switching sides when it¡¯s most prudent.¡±


    ¡°You seem to have it figured out.¡± Ji Meng looked up, his face deadly serious. ¡°King Argrave. Queen Anneliese.¡±


    Argrave straightened his back, brought to attention by his strange formality. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°How does a fruit destined to be juiced preserve itself?¡±


    Argrave blinked in stunned silence. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I heard you correctly¡ªdid you say juiced?¡±


    Ji Meng held his arms wide. ¡°In order not to be juiced¡­ the fruit must never run out of juice.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Argrave gaped, at a loss. ¡°I think every fruit runs out of juice at some point. They don¡¯t exactly pick and choose how juicy they are. If this is a metaphor, you¡¯ve lost me.¡±


    ¡°I refuse to borate.¡± Ji Meng picked up his cup and drank the whole thing in one go, then set it down with some vigor and exhaled loudly. ¡°Ahh¡­ I feel good. At ease, for the first time in months. I¡¯m looking forward to things, King Argrave.¡±


    Somehow, Argrave felt he lost this conversation. He looked at Anneliese and saw some the same confusion mirrored in her features. Nevertheless, the imperial stage awaited.

 Chapter 564: The Tale of Sun and Moon

    A story spread across the Great Chu¡ªa story spread by tongue and page, delivered to all of the age. The words therein spoke of a victor, a conqueror, a fearless leader of the young and old whose name rung bold. He travelled thends and sea, spurred forth by heaven¡¯s guarantee, to bring the glory of their empire to anothernd¡¯s history.


    The tale, of course, spoke of the emperor.


    With heaven¡¯s winds guiding them and the emperor presiding them, an army divine soared tonds not yet explored. Awaiting these soldiers were thisnds¡¯ present holders¡ªelves and men, gods and their followers, standing head and shoulders taller. sh their armies did, thrash they tried¡­ and out of their crowd, the barbarian king stepped proud. With hair as ck as the abyss, he stepped forth to resist.


    The emperor presiding advanced forth gliding, and the skies shone with lightning and fire as the war kept tightening under the weight of man¡¯s ire. The barbarian king¡¯s ck blood stained the snowy soil, dripping and gleaming like oil. Yet just as he bled, the emperor himself spilt red. Two masters at their summit, one fated to plummet.


    Yet in the end, who before has ever dashed the hopes and dreams of the empire supreme?


    As the barbarian king inflicted a blow most sound, the son of heaven delivered an attack profound. The king crumpled, downed¡­ yet as hey dying, his gray eyes defying, the emperor merely stood above sighing.


    ¡°What a waste,¡± said the emperor, ¡°A warrior of your stature I must fracture. Tell me, great king, why you resist me, when you might assist me?¡±


    ¡°I resist,¡± said the king loudly as he died there proudly, ¡°So that the sun persists to grace my people, that we might one day rise an eagle.¡±


    ¡°The sun, you say,¡± mused the emperor as he gazed upon this icy bay. ¡°But as the suns move, so does the moon prove that light does not always exist. As surely as lightes, so too does it flee. We must strive to thrive when light deigns not dive. While we wait for light to revive, we must survive. Your light is dimming, noble king, yet your tale may be just beginning. I have no need for thisnd of endless cold, for it is a ce that cannot be controlled. Will you and yours embrace the moon and be my boon?¡±


    And though the king had bled, he¡¯d not yet lost his head. He assented, and his people relented, contented. To honor the king¡¯s spirit and talent inherent, the emperor bestowed a name: Sun, that the king might be the light he so wished for his people. The king rose again with the strength of ten men, abandoning title andnds not idyll to follow the son of heaven. Even innds unknown, those with sense recognize heaven¡¯s own.


    Who but the emperor could inspire such loyalty that even royalty follow him joyfully?


    Elves, men, gods and their followers, swore their fealty¡ªevery man, every deity. They promised him loyalty, and he promised them realty. Indeed¡ªto a people that roam, what better promise than house and home? A quaint deal, perhaps, yet quite a steal. Back the son of heaven sailed with a greater reward than had been detailed. What use isnd without the man?


    Yet when heaven¡¯s own arrived back ashore, things were dissimr from before. Those he had brought home were loyal and true, yet back home ambitions ignited anew. The imperial court, relishing in luxury, well unused to drudgery, mistook their mere presence for heaven¡¯s guidance of the Great Chu.


    ¡°What use have we for the emperor,¡± they sneered, ¡°When he fancies himself an adventurer? We are the empire¡¯s operators, its moderators; what right has a brute of ill repute to enjoy the fruit of our pursuit?¡±


    Even as heaven¡¯s sonnded, the imperial courtmanded. ¡°Fire upon him,¡± they insisted. ¡°The emperor is dead, his body desisted. Should you see him, he is a pawn, his mind gone and soul withdrawn. Elves storm our shores, far different from ourselves. Kill them in twelves, fortify in delves, and ensure none pass our grass.¡±


    The people, blinded, struck out misguided. A plight awaited heaven¡¯s son, for a fight would kill heaven¡¯s faithful one-by-one. And so, by response, a great fortress arose, built by Grand Commandant Sun to oppose. This site? Sun¡¯s Dawn.


    The emperor, baffled, stop atop his fort¡¯s scaffold. From it, he called out to all the devout throughout the opposing redoubt. ¡°Why do you fight, good men? Am I not beyond your ken?¡±


    Yet the court and its wiles had ns for any trials. Abandoning heaven¡¯s own son, they sought an empire redone; themselves at the top, their reign never to stop. They abandoned their master, walking headlong toward disaster. To whom did they turn in wake of their spurn? Gods of great concern, who sought to see allnds burn.


    So did these gods descend upon good men, blinding and grinding as their winding binding was finding its purchase across the whole surface of the empire set fire. But the emperor¡¯s new servants, disgusted by this observance, were eager deterrents of the court¡¯s ignorant servants. They rose up to be counted, demonstrating Sun must be ounted, as the emperor toiled to avoid making his home despoiled.


    Three times heaven¡¯s son called for peace, three times he offered mercy. Yet three times he was refused, three times called unworthy. Heaven was watching as this court kept botching, and through the evil gods¡¯ darkness pierced the emperor¡¯s sharpness. Eightmanders he entreated, yet four of these men fell cheated. Through their sacrifice, the emperor¡¯s message reached his acolytes.


    Rise up, people of the Great Chu!


    Rise up and greet the dawning Sun!n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Rise up, tired and weary souls, to mend the countless holes! There is respite in the light, and there is safety in its might!


    Glory to the son of heaven!


    Glory to the Sun of heaven!


    #####


    Argrave kneeled beside Ji Meng as he greeted the loudest crowd Argrave had heard. They stood in the long, winding hills of the Great Chu¡¯s southern coast, yet instead of residing within the Sea Dragon along the coast, they stood in the heart of the fortifications carved from the earth. And rather than enemies, each and all arrayed before them were exuberant allies.


    Ji Meng had small few opportunities to say anything at all as the innumerable voices expressed enthusiastic praise. It was like a prophete to walk among them, offering salvation in their darkest hour. As he looked upon Ji Meng, he wondered how a man could grow so utterly loved, could garner such rabid loyalty.


    But then, perhaps Argrave understood it well. He had received such praise before after doing battle with the tribes of Vysenn. This was a man whose lifetime had been spent winning such battles, spent a lifetime appealing to the primal desire of man to win, to triumph over enemies, and to stand gloriously with the remains of the defeated remaining behind only as memories. That story was partially true¡ªJi Meng was a victor, a conqueror.


    Yet even as the men cheered, Ji Meng turned to Argrave. He walked toward him, lowered himself slightly, and raised Argrave up. Clutching his arm, Ji Meng raised Argrave¡¯s fist proudly in the air. The cheers did not wane, did not rx¡ªrather, they grew all the more enthusiastic. Argrave was their emperor¡¯s most loyal servant, his greatest defender¡ªa supposed testament to Great Chu might, yet in reality, its would-be puppeteer.


    ¡°Look at them,¡± he heard Ji Meng¡¯s voice above the din of the crowd, barely audible in his ear. ¡°The exaltation of the crowd. The near-worship. It¡¯s intoxicating, infectious.¡±


    Argrave turned his gaze to look at Ji Meng even as the crowd continued to cheer.


    ¡°But it rattles the mind, Argrave,¡± he continued stoically. ¡°It makes you duller. Dumber. Slower. It¡¯s the sweetest wine; no taste is purer, no high is better¡­ yet you grow intoxicated, inebriated, all the same. At some point, there¡¯s a choice to be made. Will things remain as so¡ªslow, dumb, yet happy? Or will you again plunge into the realms of power?¡± His ck eyes fell upon Argrave. ¡°I was too far gone. Will you make the same mistake, some day? Perhaps not. I plunged, yet managed to crawl out of the waters. I don¡¯t intend on making the same mistake again. The waters are cold. You can brave them for me, while I enjoy everything. I¡¯ll be sure of that.¡±


    Argrave looked at the crowd, the emperor¡¯s talk of juicing fruits gaining some rity. Ji Meng didn¡¯t intend to struggle anymore¡ªthat was what he was conveying. But was it another game that he was ying, or the genuine truth? Argrave would have to ask Anneliese if she had been witness to anything.


    Emperor Ji Meng broke away, taking his ce at the head of their impromptu stage. As the crowd¡¯s cheering waned, he dered, ¡°The regency is over! We are returned!¡±

 Chapter 565: Blues and Yellows

    ¡°It took them all a rather ufortably long time to reveal that man,¡± Grand Eunuch Haoined to an emissary of Erlebnis, the orange-robed man sitting beneath a tree that blossomed in brilliant pink. ¡°We had to force his hand, somewhat. But, well¡­ have you read the story floating around?¡±


    ¡°We know it,¡± the emissary confirmed. Of all of the emissaries, this one seemed the most human, the most normal¡ªthe only oddity was a lump of flesh protruding on its back. It could even somewhat blend into the imperial court.


    ¡°Quite grandiose. Quite stirring.¡± The eunuch ran his fingers through some discarded pink blossoms. ¡°Well¡­ enough talk. Do you have his face, and all the others bit I need?¡± Hao grunted as he rose to his feet.


    The emissary raised its arm up, revealing a six-fingered hand. It snapped, and the Grand Eunuch touched his head as though trying to resist a wave of pain overtaking his mind.


    ¡°Half a thousand times, yet I¡¯ll never get used to that¡­¡± the Grand Eunuch dragged his hand across his face, and the fa?ade faded away to reveal the true face of the polymorph, Dimocles. He put his hand over his cheeks, then, like sculpting y, his fingers shifted and twisted and his skin and bones as the man¡¯s blue-green eyes shone ominously. What remained there afterward was a perfect replica of Emperor Ji Meng.


    Dimocles continued on in great detail¡ªhe cast away the orange robes, then lengthened his legs to grow taller. He changed the bby body of the eunuch into something harder and rougher, made the hands rougher and calloused, put on signs of age to better match with the ancient emperor whose life had been elongated by virtue of his vital force.


    Dimocles put his hand to his throat, then massaged it gently. He hummed, ¡°Wooo¡­.¡± As he vocalized, his voice deepened until it perfectly matched the emperor¡¯s. With a pleasant and sonorous deep voiceing out, he lowered his hand in satisfaction. ¡°There we are.¡±


    The emissary of Erlebnis draped a purple imperial robe over Dimocles¡¯ bare body, and the polymorph put it on eagerly, then kicked away his old eunuch¡¯s robes. He walked to a still spring beside the blossoming pink tree, and admired himself in the reflection.


    ¡°Not too bad. The eyes will always be a problem¡­ but reports say that the emperor doesn¡¯t have any magic, anymore, while I¡¯m still S-rank. Two incongruities, one right answer¡­ but it shouldn¡¯t matter, right?¡± Dimocles looked over.


    ¡°If it does, your role is to prevent it from mattering,¡± the emissary reminded him. ¡°Another thing. Change your speech. Grand Eunuch Hao could speak as he wished, but you? Times will change. You will be scrutinized, always, as an emperor ought to be.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°We understand that.¡± Dimocles straightened, adopting the role of Ji Meng. ¡°And we are returned.¡±


    ¡°This will harm the so-called Grand Commandant Sun¡¯s legitimacy. Now, Kirel Qircassia will do his part.¡± The emissary turned to walk away into a shadowy recess, leaving behind only one direction. ¡°Be ready.¡±


    #####


    ¡°Dimocles.¡±


    Argrave stared down upon the blue-eyed Emperor Ji Meng from a temporary druidic bond as his revealed opponent gave a speech in a spot considerably grander than the one that Argrave and Ji Meng had upied for theirs. Many things made sense now¡ªwhy the little polymorph had been so silent after Argrave took control of his collection, or how the imperial court was so easily infiltrated. The A-rank ascension that Dimocles used was even more capable than Rook¡¯s blessing, and it also gave its user unparalleled adaptability inbat. But here, it was applied rather prudently to counter all the work they¡¯d been building up to.


    Argrave severed the connection with the druidic bond, then looked at everyone near. All the essentials of this operation gathered frantically when word spread to them about an emperor retaking his throne. Even Ji Meng was present for this.


    ¡°Sounds like he slunk back to Erlebnis, even after what you two put him through.¡± Durran leaned up against the wall. ¡°Guess he¡¯ll finally die, this time. We don¡¯t have many third encounters with fated enemies, I don¡¯t think.¡±


    ¡°You know the imposter?¡± the emperor asked Argrave curiously.


    ¡°Yeah. Dimocles. He was working with Erlebnis, but we held something he cared about hostage to force him to betray the ancient god. In the end, we still have the thing he cared about in our possession¡ªhis collection. I saw no reason to honor the deal with scum like him, but I guess he managed to get back in Erlebnis¡¯ good graces. He has a good tongue, and he knows how to suck up¡ªhe must know how to pleasure gods, no matter how incorporeal,¡± Argrave said bitterly.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never heard you speak of someone that way,¡± the emperor noted. ¡°Did he best you in times past?¡±


    Argrave looked at him. ¡°Does it seem that way?¡±


    Elenore opened the door as they spoke, then entered. ¡°I¡¯ve just spoken to Governor Zen through Stain. He¡¯s already working on spreading propaganda about the blue-eyed imposter. In turn, they¡¯ve already started spreading word about the false emperor without vital force. We had quite one-sided support, but now¡­ it¡¯s stalled, even if only slightly.¡± She shook her head and said, ¡°No¡ªit¡¯s not ¡®slightly.¡¯ We lost more than half of what we had overnight.¡±


    ¡°Quite easy to solve, isn¡¯t it?¡± the emperor leaned backnguidly. ¡°Let me restore my magic. Return to me my weapon. There¡¯s no more striking image than that to earn the hearts and mind of people. No one can truly imitate me, least of all some polymorph.¡±


    Quiet reigned after the emperor¡¯s suggestion. It was really the only missing link in their n, the only thing that marked their emperor as illegitimate¡ªthe fact that he was muzzled, prevented from using magic. Despite his deration about being someone who was going to rest and let Argrave handle everything, Ji Meng remained a fierce predator that couldn¡¯t be underestimated.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t finished,¡± Elenore raised her hand, then looked at the emperor. She gestured to the Veidimen guards in the room. ¡°Take him. Leave us.¡±


    They obeyed quickly, and the emperor obediently left the room at their direction. Once he was gone, Anneliese conjured a ward in silent contemtion.


    ¡°On top of all this, there¡¯s movement from the Pce of Heaven,¡± Elenore disclosed. ¡°More fortification, more preparation, more descension¡ªI think they¡¯re aware that it¡¯s our objective. We were just getting a handle on things, now¡ª¡±


    ¡°Forgive me for cutting in, but I think we ought to move quickly,¡± Anneliese interrupted. ¡°People are far less liable to switch sides if they¡¯ve already taken action. Betrayal is a difficult pill for many to swallow, and no one likes to seem the hypocrite. We have some loyalists¡ªnow, it¡¯s time to have the emperor make his first move. We need to im what regions we can, take what fortifications exist, and make these men steadfast before words can worm doubt into minds undecided.¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°I think that¡¯s prudent. We need to see what we¡¯re working with in terms of loyalists. As for the emperor¡¯s idea¡­ should we consider it?¡±


    ¡°I like my sword,¡± Durran protested. ¡°I want to keep it.¡±


    Elenore tantly ignored him as she said, ¡°We shouldn¡¯t ever consider loosening our grip. Puppets function best with tight strings¡ªbelieve you me, I know people like him. I know his mind, because it¡¯s mine.¡±


    At the robust refusal, Argrave¡¯s mind was made. Despite these shows of submission Ji Meng had made, it was true he couldn¡¯t be fully trusted, especially not at this pivotal junction. More importantly, he was easily capable of roaming free if his magic wasn¡¯t suppressed by Ebonice.


    Argrave pointed to Anneliese. ¡°Alright. I¡¯m in favor of Anne¡¯s suggestion. Move quick, move fast, divide the empire in half. If ites to it, we need to be prepared for a battle. And if it doesn¡¯te to it, we win regardless.¡±


    #####


    Theing days passed by in a blur as the empire effectively divided itself in two. The rich central and northeastern regions¡ªthose most closely connected with the capital of Ji and the imperial court¡ªfolded to the blue-eyed emperor by the name of Dimocles, despite their nder and portrayal of him as a trickster demon. The whole of the south obediently fell in line with Grand Commandant Sun, partially because their presence was greatest here. The northwest, much of which was Governor Zen¡¯s territory, remained ¡®neutral,¡¯ ready to flip when the time came. Or, who knows¡ªperhaps he was ying both ends against the middle. His motives remained somewhat inscrutable.


    Still, entire cities were divided between the Blue Emperor and the Yellow Emperor, as the citizens had taken to calling them. The imperial court¡¯s transition between Grand Eunuch Hao¡¯s regency and Dimocles¡¯ imperial reign was masterfully executed¡ªa few public executions, a couple extreme speeches, and the people believed they were back under imperial rule when their leader remained the same exact person with some new flesh adorning his bones.


    Despite the unexpected resistance from the imperial court, the fact remained this was a resounding victory for them. They had nothing but a foothold on the south, where they were constantly osted by the armies of the Great Chu and Kirel Qircassia¡¯s massive coalition. Now, they had most of southern Great Chu.


    Yet the south, cold and dry, was not at all the juggernaut that was central Great Chu. The capital hosted five million people, and several other multi-million metropolises lined the northeast like sprinkles atop a sundae. Argrave¡¯s Yellows had a huge advantage in terms ofnd, yet a massive disadvantage in terms of the poption swayed. Moreover, they were extremely far from their primary objective¡ªthe Pce of Heaven, which rested in central Great Chu.


    Miles and miles of magic arrays protected the hearnds of the Great Chu¡ªenchanted constructs, designed to attack without the need of a spellcaster. Durran had dealt with some in his pursuit of the eightmanders, but it was iparable to the sheer bulk of them deeper ind. On top of that, central and northeastern Great Chu had more talented officers¡ªthat is to say, S-rank spellcasters.


    All in all, Argrave¡¯s personal force from Vasquer possessed about seventy-two S-rank spellcasters¡ªa number that had ballooned greatly with Elenore¡¯s moderation of the dissemination of knowledge. With the addition of new Great Chu allies, that number rose to four hundred and seventeen S-ranks. It seemed almostpletely irrelevant before the estimated one thousand to one thousand five hundred enemy S-rank spellcasters. Argrave felt Anneliese could invalidate them all if she fought, and Governor Zen could bring hundreds more to their side. But even still, quantitatively, they were greatly outnumbered by virtue of the imperial court¡¯s superior location.


    If they were to fight, Argrave thought they could win. Yet it was still not entirely decisive.


    In the days toe, however, things changed yet further, forcing Argrave¡¯s hand. The sky tower, once always targeting Vasquer in a relentless siege¡­ it changed in ways that could not be anticipated.

 Chapter 566: Hell Manifest

    What did mortals possess that the gods valued?


    The ¡®why¡¯ of divinity wasn¡¯t always something that could be precisely measured, but by andrge, gods like Kirel Qircassia or Erlebnis valued mortal people only for what use they presented. Argrave had chosen his godly allies wisely, yet even they helpedrgely because they hoped to make worshippers out of Vasquer¡¯s popce. They hoped to secure a permanent presence and a stable alliance that controlled an entire continent more than they thought of benevolently aiding its citizens.


    The mortals of the Great Chu were staunchly anti-divinity, however. They believed in a concept of the heavens¡ªan impermeable will epassing the entire world, from which all things stem¡ªand the reigning emperor was this heaven¡¯s son. While Great Chu emperors had be gods, they were all viewed as traitors to the heavens rather than proponents of it.


    This culture and way of thinking was so absolute that none of the deities of the Qircassian Coalition could make true believers of the whole popce here. Small sections, perhaps. Small towns, even small cities. Yet the wider culture would persist, as it always had. The people would ept no gods. They would exist only as the Great Chu, as had been the case for many millennia.


    It made sense, then, that Kirel Qircassia¡¯s sky tower changed its target from Vasquer to the Great Chu.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    The skies themselves caught fire over the Great Chu, shimmering with heat and mes of uncountable color. sts of hellish purple fire descended from above, targeting the cities of the north¡ªand indeed, the north alone. Arcs of electricity, vast tornadoes, and colossal water snakes rose up to meet attacks that rained like a shower of meteors¡ªthe works of S-rank spellcasters or the enchanted constructs defending cities. In Vasquer, all attacks ceased, focused now on the Great Chu.


    Elenore¡¯s information lines, elegantly constructed over the past weeks,pletely shattered from the chaos of this total war. Small, rural towns in the north, without defense, suffered absolute destruction. The cities themselves were capable of defending against the sky tower¡¯s assault, but all flow of goods andmunication ceased as a siege across the continent began.


    On the far north, meanwhile, the Great Chu¡¯s so-called barbarian hordes began a full-scale invasion into the north almost as though coordinated¡ªand perhaps they were coordinated by Erlebnis¡¯ machinations. The defending armies were ready for them, and the invaders fell by the tens of thousands. Nevertheless, it strained the north further yet.


    Hell became manifest, hiding sunlight and moonlight indiscriminately in wake of its power. Yet even despite this unprecedented cmity¡­ the Great Chu resisted. It did not break, did not fall. Not a one of its cities burned to ash, and though the death toll on the citizenry was high, the armies did not break.


    Argrave¡¯s forces in the south, meanwhile, experienced something infinitely worse than the north: nothing at all.


    As the Argrave¡¯s new allies witnessed their country light ame while they were spared, collective suspicion arose. Who else did this benefit but the invaders? Was ¡®Grand Commandant Sun¡¯ responsible for this? The prospect of fighting countrymen was already a daunting one, but to have civilian centers assaulted? To rest warm and happy while others faced a cmity beyond reckoning?


    ¡°This reeks of Erlebnis¡¯ doing,¡± Argrave said, standing on the deck of the Sea Dragon. ¡°This sort of cold, callous move¡­¡±


    ¡°They waited for the Great Chu to fracture in half, then began their assault.¡± Anneliese sounded pained as she watched. ¡°It may have been their goal to shatter this empire as much as our kingdom. Just as we sought to y Erlebnis and Kirel Qircassia both, they sought to y Vasquer and the Great Chu both. It would not be the first time Erlebnis has destroyed empires for his aims.¡±


    ¡°We could prevent this by calling over Almazora, but¡­¡± Argrave lowered his head, leaving something unspoken¡ªcalling Almazora would expose Vasquer to risk. To risk his own popce to save another, even though the damage to their movement was essentially irreparable¡­ frankly, Argrave could barely consider the notion. His duty to his people came before his duty to all people.


    Argrave heard nging metal behind, and turned to see a Veidimen guard rushing forth. He kneeled down and said, ¡°Your Majesty! Ji Meng is being incredibly insistent. He has repeatedly requested to see you.¡±


    #####


    ¡°There¡¯s only one way that this invasion makes it through this cmity decisively,¡± insisted Ji Meng, at the most forceful he¡¯d been in a long time. ¡°Return my weapon. Restore my magic. Restore my honor guard, with all their weapons and glories. Let me lead these men into battle to save their countrymen, destroy and excise the imperial court like the tumor it is, and then together, we can destroy that tower in the sky.¡±


    Argrave crossed his arms. ¡°That isn¡¯t¡ª¡±


    ¡°It is,¡± Ji Meng interrupted, loudly yet evenly. ¡°They think you will not trust me. If you do, we can turn this disaster into a great boon as their malignant action propels us into both legitimacy and righteousness. You, Anneliese. I know that you can tell if I lie; I reveal that only to earn your trust.¡± He mmed his fist against his heart. ¡°I will not betray you. Not immediately after, not ten years after, not a century after. If you back my emperorshippletely, I will obeypletely. Anything you want, I shall provide. You will be my liege, King Argrave, and I your vassal.¡±


    Argrave looked at Anneliese, doubly in shock that Ji Meng knew of Anneliese¡¯s talents and to verify if Ji Meng was being honest. She looked back at him and whispered with the slightest nod, ¡°He¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m being truthful, aren¡¯t I?¡± Ji Meng ced his hands on his knees as he sat cross-legged.


    Anneliese looked at him squarely, her amber eyes intent. ¡°You have no intention of changing your mind, or otherwise deceiving us?¡±


    ¡°None at all,¡± Ji Meng shook his head.


    Anneliese¡¯s face was cold as stone. ¡°And if we ordered you to kill yourself?¡±


    Ji Meng smiled, and did not answer for a time. ¡°I can¡¯t say I¡¯d do it, no. But do you remember what I said, Argrave, Anneliese? If you juice me, you¡¯ll find the taste the most pleasant you¡¯ve ever had.¡± Argrave grimaced at the mental image, yet the emperor continued. ¡°You¡¯ll find me an utterly bottomless well of resourcefulness. You would never give such an order¡ªof that, I am confident.¡±


    Quiet reigned before Argrave thought of the most important question. ¡°Why the sudden change? What do you want?¡±


    ¡°What do I want?¡± Ji Meng repeated. ¡°I want my children to know, for Governor Zen to know, what I chose. Now, and forevermore. I want them to know¡­¡± Ji Meng seemed to struggle to gather himself¡ªhe was very clearly ufortable with his emotions. ¡°I want them to know that it¡¯s mine. I imed it, I built it over decades, and it¡¯ll remain mine, no matter in what form,¡± he said venomously. ¡°No matter whatpromises I needed to make, I was willing. I want all of my children to keep living, and to see whates. I want them to contend with you to earn their ce in thisnd, just as I had to do.¡±


    Argrave narrowed his eyes. ¡°You¡¯re doing this¡­ what, because your daughter betrayed you? Because she was ready to work with Zen instead of you? It¡¯s petty vengeance?¡±


    Ji Meng stared for what seemed to be like a minute, clenching his hand against his knee tightly. ¡°You¡¯ll understand, someday. What it¡¯s like for your children to look at you, and their only thought be the hope you¡¯ll die so they can take your ce. For them to bicker, to squabble amongst each other, like infants never grown. Born in the most luxurious seat imaginable, yet utterly¡­¡± he turned his head away. ¡°I love them. And I¡¯m doing this because I love them. They¡¯ll be worthless, otherwise. No hardship, no struggle, jumping from onep to the other like nothing more than high-ss prostitutes. They should not sit upon the throne just because they were born of my seed. Nor Governor Zen¡¯s, for that matter.¡± He looked at Argrave. ¡°You have my cooperation. My children will live under my terms¡ªthat¡¯s what I want.¡±


    ¡°And if we kill those that try something, will you stay loyal?¡±


    Ji Meng said resolutely, ¡°I won¡¯t tolerate wanton ughter. I want my children to live¡ªeven if they are worthless, a lot of them.¡± He nodded. ¡°But yes, you may kill the fools that try to rebel and fail. But they won¡¯t, because they¡¯re my children.¡±


    Argrave stared at Ji Meng with a mixture of contempt and respect. That he would do this, out of some twisted and possessive affection over his children¡­ it certainly yed to their benefit. But it was a rather disgusting thing to deal with.


    Far more disgusting, however, were the actions of the Qircassian Coalition. Argrave was willing to put his feelings aside.


    ¡°Anne?¡± he looked to her.


    ¡°I¡¯m of a like mind with you,¡± she nodded, knowing his intentions.


    Argrave consulted with Elenore, who was busy frantically performing damage control. After a long conversation with her exining the problem, during which Ji Meng waited uneasily, Argrave looked at the emperor.


    ¡°You¡¯ll need to restore your magic,¡± Argrave said quietly.


    ¡°Thergest issue,¡± Ji Meng nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve not had that drink. How many days will it take for the Ebonice to leave my bloodstream?¡±


    Argrave grabbed at the Ravenstone on his chest, empowering it to call and release the Alchemist. His huge frame filled the room at once, kneeling down to fit. Hepressed himself down to something more suitable.


    ¡°I was in the middle of something,¡± the Alchemist said, his voice like splintering ice. ¡°You might¡¯ve contacted me another way.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll be busy again soon,¡± Argrave dismissed. ¡°This is incredibly urgent. You need to remove all traces of Ebonice from his system, and recharge his magic,¡± he pointed to Ji Meng, who was admirablyposed in wake of the giant suddenly appearing in this room.


    The Alchemist looked at Ji Meng, and as the giant¡¯s eyes glowed green in examination, the emperor inquired, ¡°Who is he?¡±


    ¡°You asked me how many days it¡¯ll take,¡± Argrave continued. ¡°Wrong unit of time. How many hours will it take, my favorite Alchemist?¡±


    #####


    Argrave sat at a table, looking down at his heart that glowed a brilliant purple as it pumped and bled copious amounts of ck blood into small tubes attached where veins ought to be. Elenore sat across from him.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to prepare for a mass mobilization,¡± Argrave exined, looking up from his heart to look at her more clearly. ¡°I want everyone ready to move¡ªall the Veidimen, our own forces, even the gods. Their forces are extremely distracted. We need toe in and assist them. Ji Meng assures me he can assure our assistance blossoms into a moreplete alliance; it¡¯s the only way we can salvage things. Spread the word¡ªGrand Commandant Sun is going to protect his countrymen.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve, uhh¡­¡± Elenore swallowed, then put her hand to her mouth as though to stifle rising bile. She prudently looked away from his beating heart syed across the table, only to encounter another grim sight.


    The Alchemist handled vast amounts of Argrave¡¯s blood, extracting the liquid magic from within it and drip-feeding it to Ji Meng as the indomitable emperor was trying his damnedest not to be petrified from terror. He was cut open, too, and the emperor pulled out tiny essences of Ebonice with extreme precision.


    ¡°Gods, I wish I was blind again¡­¡± Elenore eximed, covering her eyes and shaking her head to dispel the sight. ¡°You didn¡¯t need to bring me here. I¡¯ve already done most of what you said. Gmon is working hard as we speak.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll be going with Durran. We¡¯re going to make the push to the Pce of Heaven, while Ji Meng handles a lot of the other stuff on the ground. Isn¡¯t that right, emperor?¡± he called out.


    Ji Meng instead asked, ¡°How long will this¡ª"


    ¡°Argrave did not bar me from removing your ability to speak,¡± the Alchemist interrupted him coldly. ¡°Silence yourself if this sounds unideal.¡±


    Argrave smiled broadly as the emperor ceased all movement. ¡°Well¡­ it looks like things are moving faster. I think now¡¯s the time to make our move on Governor Zen, too. Find out who the mole is.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Elenore nodded. ¡°I agree, it¡¯s past time. I¡¯ll cooperate with Stain on that.¡±


    The door opened, and Durran came in. ¡°Hey, you call¡ª" he paused, looking around, then quietly crept to Argrave¡¯s table. ¡°You called?¡± he whispered, casting nces at the body horror in the room.


    ¡°We¡¯ve got a quick counter prepared,¡± Argrave held his hand up. ¡°You¡¯ve gotta give the sword back to the emperor. And I need you to help me armor Ji Meng¡¯s guard again. It¡¯s ¡®go mode.¡¯ We need to look alive. If we do, we might actually stay alive.¡±

 Chapter 567: Two Emperors, One Country

    Ji Meng stood still as his honor guard put his armor on again. Some time ago, he thought he¡¯d never again experience this feeling. He thought he¡¯d grow fat, like a pig fated for ughter, until Argrave¡¯s hammer came down. But there was a new path¡ªone where he didn¡¯t need to worry about the excesses of the imperial court, the scheming, because someone else would handle it for him.


    Perhaps he was simply broken after being in captivity. Regardless, as his guard tightened thest strap of his armor, one stepped forward with his dadao in hand. He took it up. It felt heavy, weighty, after he¡¯d neither seen nor touched it for so long. But Ji Meng hefted it firmly in hand and strode toward the door, nked by his own men who were simrly unchained.


    When he left the room, an army waited for him. They watched him as he walked toward his horse, the tension of a battle soon toe set over the field. There was chatter, silence, andughter in equal amounts¡ªvarious mechanisms to deal with the anxiety of battle. For Ji Meng, there was only a hunger. A hunger to earn, to prove, andstly, to rule. He no longer cared in what capacity¡ªthe Great Chu was his.


    Wordlessly, he straddled his horse and ced his weapon in a sheathe tied to the horse¡¯s saddle. He held out his hand, and his honor guard delivered to him a familiar ornate horn. He raised it to his lips and blew. Wyverns flew up into the sky as a low, rumbling note echoed throughout the battlefield, drawing the attention of all. When the sole focus of an army fell upon him, Ji Meng gathered his breath to speak.


    His vital force empowered his speech, echoing out louder than the horn that preceded it. ¡°We march to save our countrymen. We march to destroy the gods that would fracture our empire with imposters, then set it ame. We march, children of the empire, to restore the bnce of heaven.¡±


    Nothing more needed to be said. Ji Meng raised the horn back to his lips, and blew it thrice¡ªthe signal for a march. And an army that had been on the cusp of falling apart hours before¡­ it advanced to where the carnage of gods in their ivory tower above left its mark on the earth.


    #####


    Dimocles rather enjoyed the throne of Emperor Ji Meng. Even the body wasn¡¯t half-bad. He sat, the puppets of the imperial court arrayed around him, as they fruitlessly argued in circles about the wanton destruction raging about them. It was nothing more than yacting¡ªa countdown, waiting for the south to fall apart under the Qircassian Coalition¡¯s excessively ruthless move.


    Perhaps Argrave would do something foolish and overextend as he had in the Bloodwoods. The king always made foolish decisions to protect others. Most likely, the south would turn. If Argrave didn¡¯t extricate himself properly, Vasquer¡¯s forces would suffer massive damage, and Dimocles could swoop in with all the fury of the whole Great Chu and mop things up. Perhaps his uneasy alliance with the emperor would fall apart, or perhaps the real Ji Meng would¡ª


    ¡°My emperor!¡±


    Dimocles was pulled from his gleeful thoughts as a messenger stormed in,ing to kneel before him. He wanted to reprimand the fellow, but messengers held a special status in the court. Instead, he indulged, ¡°We are listening.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°The Yellow Emperor has taken the field of battle! They say his vital force is fully restored, and he reinforces city after city to lessen the burden of the defense. Some¡­ some local garrisons have defected. They¡¯re heading closer and closer to the heart of the empire.¡±


    mor erupted in the court¡ªmany reprimanded the messenger for even daring to give this imposter the title of ¡®emperor.¡¯ Dimocles was baffled. Was this another trick, a machination of the god Rook, perhaps? Had Argrave a person under his thrall that knew polymorphism? Dimocles had received this A-rank ascension from Erlebnis himself, and was assured that none other knew of it. Still, Argrave had raided Erlebnis¡¯ vault¡­


    ¡°Describe this Yellow Emperor,¡± Dimoclesmanded over the din.


    ¡°They say¡­¡± the messenger hesitated, lowering his head further in the kowtow. ¡°They say that he wields the emperor¡¯s¡­ no, your dadao expertly, tearing through any and all attacks that assail the cities or any foolish enough to resist. His honor guard, meanwhile, is said to be the exact ones sent with the emperor on his journey. He ims to all his intent to kill the¡­ the emperor.¡±


    Dimocles heard something dangerous on the man¡¯s tone¡ªwavering belief. This uneasiness he felt was mirrored in his court as silence consumed the room until only the heavy breathing of the exhausted messenger could be heard. These people, puppets all, looked to Dimocles for their answer. Dimocles in turn wished to look to Erlebnis.


    ¡°It seems we must reim our de from the corpse of the faker,¡± Dimocles dered, rising to his feet. ¡°Gather what men can be spared. We will meet this pretender in the field of battle, and tear the mask from his face so that all can witness his deception. None can imitate us, even if they bear our de and our men. Go, now¡ªdepart, with thismand in your hearts.¡±


    The imperial court, called to action so quickly, departed in a frenzy, and the messenger ran out of the room without another word. He did intend to confront Ji Meng. He had the Blessing of Supersession, and the backing of the Qircassian Coalition. Powerful Ji Meng and his allies might be, but they were mortals all the same. The only risk was the gods¡ªa risk that was sure to be mitigated greatly by the Coalition, watching above for any misstep. One sh, one battle, carrying behind it infinite legitimacy. Ultimately, it was the winner that was the most legitimate. But if he lost¡­


    As the people began to fade, Dimocles got a hold of themander of the pce guard. The pce guard would be the troops he was to lead¡ªevery bit the match of Ji Meng¡¯s honor guard, be it in equipment or otherwise, they would be the cornerstone of this uing battle. But he had another task for them.


    ¡°We have something you must see to,¡± Dimocles dered quietly. ¡°The Pce of Heaven¡­ ensure that there is a suitable path to it, at all times, via spirits or otherwise.¡±


    The guard captain nodded and went off to do his bidding, seeing nothing unusual with this situation. Even if he was ovee, he could retreat to the Pce of Heaven. So long as he lived, doubt would remain in the empire. The Pce of Heaven couldn¡¯t be taken half-heartedly, not with gods as its garrison.


    #####


    Anneliese, following behind the veritable force of nature that was Ji Meng, soared through the sky aback a wyvern with her staff clenched tightly in her left hand. Though she followed, it was only a short distance behind. She had a very good reason to be at the front of the crowd. All of the defenses that ordinarily might¡¯ve stalled their advance were instead dedicated solely to defending from the hellfire that the tower of clouds above subjected this city to.


    Anneliese did her part in this long march, defending with S-rank wards wherever possible. Their advance in the skies and on the ground felt unstoppable, unassable, inrge part because none of the divine servants of the Qircassian Coalition deigned to descend. They bided their time as the mortal ants did battle, surely waiting to swoop in when things were most favorable.


    But a true confrontation awaited; the sh of the two emperors. The moment that they heard the Blue Emperor had taken the field, Anneliese had been assigned to the front. She thought she¡¯d conquered nervousness, but her role was so pivotal that it had revived that dormant feeling. It redoubled when the first sighting of the Blue Emperor¡¯s army came into view¡ªDimocles. Even from here, she saw a familiar sight within his body¡ªthe Blessing of Supersession that Argrave had once had. The chaos it could cause, in the hands of an S-rank spellcaster¡­ she shuddered to think of it.


    ¡°Durran,¡± she called out loudly over the wind. ¡°I¡¯ve got eyes on him.¡±


    In response, Durran brought a horn to his lips and blew it boldly. The wyverns, once barely following behind, began to surge ahead as all manner of power wrapped around them. They cut through the oddly beautiful lc sky as they advanced, flying over an open field of tall grass that stood between the two armies. Spells of extreme power rose to smite them down, but the Magisters of the Gray Owl sitting atop the wyverns defended masterfully as they had in countless battles before.


    When they made it to the middle of the vast field of grass between the army of the Blue and Yellow Emperors, Anneliese grabbed a knife strapped to her boot, cut the strap tying to her the saddle, and dismounted. Artur¡¯s enchantments on her armor came to life, slowing her fall. The enemies paid some attention to her as she fell, and great spells bridged the gap to strike her down. With Veid¡¯s heart as her staff, no magic could even near her.


    Anneliese alighted on the field, totally alone as chaos consumednd and sky. She saw an army marching forth, and at its head, the so-called Blue Emperor, Dimocles. The malignant collector. The man that¡¯d caused them so much trouble in the Bloodwoods, here again to thwart them. Anneliese gripped her staff tightly, then grabbed the top of it with her other hand.


    With a quick wrench, she drew the de out from the slender staff. She felt an icy w wrap around her heart as its second function took effect. When it was fully drawn, the iciness in her chest was near unbearable. But she pointed its edge at Dimocles, and saw that icy power erupt forth from her heart, along the de, and finally to Dimocles, where it coiled around him. She saw him grab his chest, and knew that he felt it too.


    Using the power of Veid¡¯s heart, which had been forged into this weapon, she hadpelledbat from Dimocles. Until she sheathed her weapon or left this mortal coil, he could not flee. And she certainly felt in her heart one thing.


    Dimocles would die today.

 Chapter 568: Hole Where the Heart Was

    Everyone, including Argrave, had seen Anneliese descend down from the wyvern into the field of grass between the two armies. He had watched it with a heavier heart than anyone else, but he knew that she was the only one who could reliably pursue the most important goal¡ªcutting off the head of the ugly beast that had wormed itself around the Great Chu.


    Perhaps, however, it would be more urate to say this Dimocles was a mere hand of the beast¡ªthe true beast was above, raining hellfire upon the countryside of the Great Chu. While Anneliese did battle on the ground, Argrave¡¯s battle would be altogether different¡­ while she fought on the front, he was to swat away the gnats: Erlebnis¡¯ emissaries.


    Their scouting capabilities were robust, fortunately, and they noticed the monstrosities lurking throughout the surrounding countryside long before they could ambush and destroy vast amounts of people by channeling Erlebnis¡¯ power as pure magic. Dimocles must¡¯ve called in Erlebnis to ensure victory. These creatures, while possessing the Blessing of Supersession the same as Dimocles,cked the capacity to use shamanic magic. This made them vulnerable to spells like [Requite], whereas a mortal like Dimocles would be capable of neutralizing any such spell.


    And standing with him on the battlefield for the first time Argrave could recall¡­ the Alchemist rose dozens of feet above the army, d in chitinous armor made of his own flesh and blood and still brimming with magic even after the procedure on Argrave and Ji Meng. With him on his right, and Orion on his left¡­ Argrave felt infinitely reassured.


    ¡°Such tedium,¡±ined the Alchemist. ¡°I have better things to do with my day.¡±


    Argrave¡¯s royal guard eyed the giant figure warily. The perceptive few were vaguely aware that this person existed, but now he stood openly on Argrave¡¯s side. It was a marked change.


    ¡°If you do your best, we might be able to go home early,¡± he tapped the Alchemist on the wrist. ¡°For now¡­ let¡¯s keep the nosy pedestrians off Anneliese¡¯s stage.¡±


    Forward they marched, seeking to cut off the grasping hands of the Qircassian Coalition. The gods watched the skies close at hand, ready to intercept any interference.


    #####


    After Anneliesended in between the two armies, she stayed still as both continued to advance. Dimocles, sensing something was wrong, let his army advance somewhat ahead as he hung back. Perhaps he wanted to retreat, but Anneliese¡¯s weapon would surely be preventing him from acting on these thoughts. As the two armies ahead and behind folded in on each other, probing attacks flew her way. Magic-imbued arrows, spells¡­ yet she patiently blocked them all with humble wards, staying firm.


    Though it was the most dangerous, there was something Anneliese had long ago embraced. It was in the heart of the battlefield, caught in waves of chaos, that she was most potent.


    And so when the enemy army neared, she advanced forth and sent out powerful ice magic. The now-lighter staff in her left and the blue-gray sword in her right proved no obstacle to spellcasting, as she¡¯d ample practice fighting like this. A writhing blizzard, shards of ice formed into daggers, hurtled across the field of grass destructively, shearing a path before her.


    With her first attack, she felt that tremendous glut of magic bore into her¡ªthe product of chaos, of her spells whirling through the air and stealing from mortals the very heart of their magic. Their defensive wards buckled beneath the sheer pressure of her attack, straining, and as they broke they became her strength. It was against an army that [Life Cycle] was most at home, sapping the magics of thousands.


    Counters came shortly after¡ªlightning magic, cutting through the blizzard faster than the eye could see, but she had been prepared. It struck her ward. Shortly after, countless other attacks followed. It was like the army was a giant swatting an insect it had just been made aware of. When their first effort failed, spells fizzling away on her ward and empowering her once more, she earned the undivided attention of the enemy.


    With the attention of an army came sheer waves of power. Anneliese sent her own attacks¡ªwrithing whirlwinds to blow away the des of ice that sought to bleed her, great walls of rumbling earthen magic to ward away the lightning that sought to stun her, towering infernos to turn geysers into naught more than steam¡­ she cast without thought, with reckless abandon, and each attack she sent thrived in the chaos of war.


    Anneliese became a front on the battlefield all on our own, the armies ahead and behind splitting in twain in deference of the absolute destruction bridging the gap between Anneliese and Dimocles¡¯ entire army. Where there had been a serene in of grass once, there was now only a deste field of earth that was ckened, twisted. All before the two froze, melted, or turned to dust in a state of constant flux from the volleying energies sent back and forth. There was a great trail of destruction beneath her feet as she advanced, and both armies gave their battlefield a wide berth until she was alone in a circle at the heart of both armies.


    Her foes were many¡ªold masters that¡¯d seen thousand of battles and hundreds of wars, or the talented and ambitious that, much like herself, achieved outsized advancement at a young age. She dealt with A-rank ascensions uncountable¡ªpeople that could meld with the earth and appear near her, those who could leave spells likendmines, or those that could constrict the very air itself with magic.


    Anneliese ousted them all.


    She needed constant prudent judgment and the discerning eye offered by her blessing of [Truesight] at all times, or a blow would sneak past her. She wasn¡¯t perfect; some attacksnded. Yet the Inerrant Cloak lent to her by Argrave consumed her magic to block most any attack. Magic flowed into and out of her in the heart of this absolute chaos, meaning it could absorb countless blows¡ªshe deliberately let some pass to take advantage of the artifact in this dangerous match of life or death.


    As more and more time passed, her opponent¡¯s intensity lessened while hers remained static. While she stood tall, they began to falter, to shrink away. Key yers fell back one after another, exposing more and more of Dimocles¡¯ elite forces to Anneliese¡¯s wrath. Her allied forces, meanwhile, were a constant pressure that sought to constrain rather than decimate. Their goal was not ughter: it was to cut off the head, and so they facilitated Anneliese in small numbers while the bulk of the army stayed back.


    Anneliese advanced upon her weakening opponents, and as the opposition¡¯s spells waned, she found herself taking magic not from the spells of her enemies but tearing it free from their very flesh and blood. She was like rushing water against dirt, wearing people away into oblivion as she cut toward the heart of this army. And soon enough, she saw what she was seeking.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    The goldenmer armor of the pce guard shone brightly in the battlefield, their helmets bearing silver crescent moons. They bore divine armaments as they stood around the Blue Emperor, Dimocles, who had been rooted in ce. Even they seemed jarred that their emperor would not retreat¡­ but they couldn¡¯t know he was entirely barred from fleeing. He wasn¡¯t physically restrained from moving backward, yet any thoughts he had of retreat, his mind would not obey. He only had one choice¡ªfight her.


    But as befit the pce guard, these people stood boldly in defiance of Anneliese¡¯s power. As befit those that guarded the emperor in his pce, they were well-suited for defending their master. Their weapons could cut through magic itself, reducing it to nothing more than ck mist: Ji Meng had warned her of this. They demonstrated that ability ably, and for the first time, Anneliese¡¯s relenting push slowed as her magic did not return as quickly.


    Yet as Anneliese watched ahead, she felt that problem was soon about to be remedied. Dimocles glowed with power unimaginable, the Blessing of Supersession pouring oceans of magic all throughout his body. The Blue Emperor¡¯s body twisted, and the front of his body erupted past his armor into dozens of arms with dozens of hands, each and all casting spell matrixes.


    ¡°Just die, freakish thing!¡± she barely heard above the din.


    Five minutes, Anneliese knew. Five more minutes, and he would be nothing more than another like the countless she¡¯d passed by before. But Dimocles fell to the ground, each of his innumerable hands touching the earth. Rather than attack her, it would seem, he changed his targets to something without defenses.


    The earth itself, battered and broken from the unending volleys of power¡­ it split in two, cracking. She felt gravity im the earth beneath, and began to fall.


    #####


    The pit in the earth that arose following Anneliese¡¯s advance to Dimocles¡¯ position was dwarfed only by the pit in Argrave¡¯s stomach when he lost sight of her as she fell into the unending abyss beneath the earth. Vast stretches of the ground had simply parted in an unprecedented disy that demonstrated the full might of Erlebnis¡¯ Blessing of Supersession. That disy of power wasn¡¯t ordinary, elsewise Argrave and the Alchemist might¡¯ve struggled with these emissaries a great deal more than they had.


    The crater resulting from Dimocles¡¯ move wasrge enough to swallow a city¡­ and it had indeed swallowed part of one, its buildings lurching treacherously on the fringe. Canals had been interrupted, nearby farmhouses had been entirely swallowed, and vast amounts of water from a disturbed river spawned a gargantuan waterfall into this new pit. The chaos in the skies above prevented ample light from filtering down, so it appeared as though nothing more than an abyss waited down below.


    Dimocles¡¯ entire army had vanished¡­ but then, so too had much of the forces that Ji Meng had been leading. Great Chu forces were most heavily hit, while the Veidimen had been nking from the side so avoided any significant damage. The emperor himself had been spared this result, and Argrave even saw Ji Meng peering out into the crater from a distant hill.


    ¡°Can you see her?¡± Argrave asked the Alchemist anxiously. ¡°Can you see anything at all?¡±


    ¡°I see Dimocles, burning brightly. He¡¯s using the earth as his weapon, rather than magic. He seeks to bury all. As for Anneliese¡­¡±


    Argrave closed his eyes and steadied his breathing. He opened his eyes, staring into the pit. ¡°She¡¯ll be fine. She¡¯ll win. I trust she¡¯ll win.¡±

 Chapter 569: Stripped Bare

    It was monumentally challenging for Anneliese to keep her wits when the earth fell out beneath her feet, yet it proved infinitely more challenging when it rose up to swallow her just as things were calming. Dimocles¡¯ great gash in the earth was not the end to the assault¡ªit was merely a change of arena, one over which he had more mastery.


    Dimocles¡¯ flesh was his to control, and it felt as though that ability had extended throughout the whole of the earth. The walls of this vast crater writhed and twisted like something alive, and she heard the screams of thousands of lives extinguished. Other times, she didn¡¯t hear screams at all¡ªshe saw people trapped,pressed, and turned to nothing more than gore beneath thousands of tons of earth. They crunched and cracked like meat and bones in earthen teeth.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The earth hunted her, too, though without precision. Great mounds of dirt, sand, and rock attacked from beside and above as she fell, and she dodged them with practiced use of her enchanted boots. Before long the assault became too heavy, and she was forced to counter with two powerful sts of wind that sent rock upward where it once had fallen. She saw Dimocles, and rather wished she hadn¡¯t.


    Dimocles descended down into the crater, too, in the center of this vast crack. His body stretched unfathomably thin and branched out to bridge the whole of the gap as though he was a giant daddy long-leg. Only the head, still bearing the visage of Ji Meng, remained undistorted. Thousands of teal eyes on his elongated limbs frantically searched the pit below before one spotted her after she¡¯d been forced to burst free of the pit. Every eye turned to her at once, their teal light shining likenterns. Then, she saw vast quantities of magic erupt at the edges of the crater as Dimocles sentmands into the earth.


    Anneliese finally reached the bottom of this pit,nding upon the wet sand at the bottom. Meanwhile, the walls themselves started to fold inwards, the faint light above narrowing as it inched ever closer. Dimocles¡¯ colossal and spider-like body slowly rpressed as the edges of the crater came back to bury all that had fallen.


    But Anneliese¡¯s goal remained unchanged. She was to kill Dimocles.


    Rather than wait, she ascended upwards, powerful bursts of air echoing throughout this vast cavern. The floor beneath spurred into action, gargantuan earthen hands rising up to grasp her, to stop her. Clever wards that she used as tforms stopped them, and the unquantifiable magic within the attacks fueled her ascent.


    A great arm erupted from the walls moving slowly, yet when it neared golden-armored pce guards burst from the knuckles, jumping madly. She hoped she might make allies of them, yet she noticed the ck malignance of necromancy bursting within them one second toote. Dimocles must¡¯ve killed them, seized them, and repurposed them. They cut through the ward she¡¯d made with their magic-dispelling divine armaments, and then the great hand of earth mmed into her.


    The Inerrant Cloak stopped the mighty attack in its track, draining the whole of her magic. Some scant drops of magic flowed into her being, yet it wasn¡¯t enough for a sufficient counter. Knowing attack was her defense, she frantically cast lightning magic at Dimocles, and his conjured wards rejuvenated her enough to facilitate a rapid flight to retreat downward. She used gravity and the force of her magic winds to propel herself as fast as she¡¯d ever gone, whereupon she copsed ungracefully at the bottom, the Inerrant Cloak absorbing the damage from the fall.


    The now-undead pce guardsnded all around her from the skies as the walls continued to cave in. Light was thinning to nothing more than small circle¡­ yet suddenly, their unceasing advance stopped. The vast quantities of magic bursting free of Dimocles ceased, and she realized the five minutes were up. The walls¡¯ unnatural movement halted, and this chasm was now a ve only to the forces of nature.


    Dimocles, unable to flee, curled those thin and disgusting arms back inward and fell down where undead servants caught him and set him down gently like the emperor he disguised himself as. Anneliese calmed her breathing as the chaos of the fight waned, yet even as she watched, more and more of the pce guards crawled out from the crumbling ceiling and the tumbling walls, broken yet kept walking by necromancy.


    ¡°No more gnats to fuel you. Only the elites of this nation, well-suited for dealing with spellcasters¡­ and me,¡± Dimocles shouted. ¡°You¡¯re drained of magic. You have no way of getting more. No one would be foolish enough to follow after us into this¡­ this sinkhole.¡± He looked above contemptuously.


    From above, a waterfall disturbed the ceiling, casting great stretches of the misshapen crater down as boulders andndslides. Anneliese neared the center, where tumbling rocks were leastmon.


    ¡°You¡¯ve impressed me. I was worried about Argrave, but you¡­ I could keep you,¡± Dimocles continued. ¡°No¡ªone way or another, I will,¡± he swore, gesturing to the undead minions. ¡°You can choose in what manner that is.¡±


    Anneliese observed the face of the false emperor. Under ordinary circumstances, she might¡¯ve considered ying along to score a surprise attack¡­ but Dimocles¡¯ face was inscrutable, and she could discern no true emotions from it. No¡ªit was she, alone, against the undead pce guards that could dispel magic with their weapons, and an S-rank spellcaster who knew of her ability. One word to Elenore, and that could be remedied. Her allies woulde down to help.


    Anneliese didn¡¯t need help; of this she was near certain. Even still, she knew it prudent to keep others informed, and so she swallowed pride and informed her sister-inw of the situation.


    But once word was sent, she walked forward, sword held out.


    ¡°Fine,¡± Dimocles nodded. ¡°Dead, alive¡­ it doesn¡¯t matter to me. It¡¯s all the same meat.¡±


    When the first pce guard swung at her, her Starsparrow, hanging idle, dove into its sword hand at its ridiculous speed. The blow flew aside, and she cast an ice spear straight into the undead¡¯s neck. As it impaled the body, the necromantic energies within broke down into magic and surged into her. Anneliese used it to soar away with her enchanted boots.


    ¡°Cockroach!¡± Dimocles shouted in panicked fury. ¡°More tricks!¡±


    Taking inspiration from the immutability of earth magic Dimocles had amply disyed, Anneliese cast a spell into the ground. The earth rumbled in an obvious wave as magic carried her will, and then a spike erupted forth where the pce guards were concentrated. Their des mitigated the effect slightly, but their formation wasrgely shattered and the spike continued on toward Dimocles. He was forced to block with a ward, and yet more magic replenished Anneliese¡¯s diminished supply.


    Dimocles ran far backwards, calling the pce guard back with him for a defensive formation. Anneliese calmly stood atop the spike of earth she¡¯d just made as yet more portions of the wall and ceiling shook the ground as they fell.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to die here, Dimocles,¡± she told him. ¡°With a face not your own, in and you don¡¯t know, forgotten by everyone except those who¡¯ll kill you.¡±


    The Blue Emperor stared at her, eyes twitching as he thought of a response. Just as he opened his mouth, a huge bouldernded behind him and he turned his head back in surprise. Anneliese quickly cast lighting magic, and three bolts of lighting spread out like a trident seeking Dimocles. Two were dispelled by the undead pce guards¡¯ weapons, yet one hit its mark.


    He spasmed, then turned and retaliated by instinct with a high-ranking ward. Dimocles was losingposure, forgetting his n. Anneliese hammered upon it with low-ranking lightning magic that the pce guards could not easily dissipate, draining and absorbing it all. Then, she walked forward again.


    The pce guards, though well-armored, remained nothing more than crude undead wearing the skin of elite soldiers. They didn¡¯t learn, didn¡¯t adapt, and one-by-one she dismantled them efficiently to absorb the magic within them at less expense than she used to end him. Dimocles tried time and time to again to work alongside his creations tond a blow¡­ but even if he had been morepetent, she still had the Inerrant Cloak. He ended up wasting magic, fueling her further.


    When only three of the pce guards remained, she looked to Dimocles. For the first time, she read him as clear as day. Fear, panic. It oozed from him as he epted this was his inevitable confrontation with death. In his fear and panic, he shouted, ¡°Just die!¡±


    His body shifted, sprouting crude weapons and strengthening himself to rush faster. He tried to cast a spell from a hand that burst free from his mouth¡­ but Anneliese merely went to the air, leaving behind a B-rank ice spell. An axe de descended on Dimocles like a guillotine, cutting right through him and sending two parts of him crashing in different directions.


    Without his schemes, without his tricks, without gods and their power at his beck and call¡­ he wasn¡¯t much, after all.


    Dimocles grew still, but his undead persisted. Anneliese continued to cast attacks at what remained of him until the things fell, finally greeting the death they deserved. She stood for a long while, and as this vast pit continued to settle, her frayed nerves refused to rx. After a very long time, the sounds of great wings beating disturbed her. She looked to the right, where Durran descended down andnded on the back of his wyvern.


    ¡°Anneliese!¡± he said. ¡°Looks like I¡¯m the first to make it. What¡­?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s done,¡± she shouted, voice finally beginning to tremble. She walked up to Dimocles¡¯ body. Ji Meng¡¯s face stared up at her, blue eyes shining in the light like gemstones. What had Dimocles looked like? She didn¡¯t remember, anymore. And no one ever would.


    ¡°I stopped him.¡±


    #####


    Argrave watched as Durran soared up out of the ck abyssal pit. The relief he felt when he saw white hair whipping about in the air was indescribable. The battlefield, once all noise and chaos, had quieted. Even the sky tower above had deigned to lessen its assault, even if only for a brief moment. Erlebnis¡¯ emissaries had abandoned their aim to attack the armies, and what remained of both sides ceasedbat entirely.


    Durran flew to where Argrave, the Alchemist, and Orion stood waiting. Argrave gave them a wide berth as the wyvernnded, then walked up eagerly when the reptile settled. Durran jumped down first, then helped Anneliese as she hauled something¡ªa grotesque body.


    By the time Argrave made it, the two of them had made it back tond. Anneliese, covered in filth, looked at him with hollow amber eyes and said numbly, ¡°I brought Dimocles¡¯ body. He died twisted and inhuman, but he still has Ji Meng¡¯s face. We can present this thing to everyone to bolster Ji Meng¡¯s legitimacy. They¡¯ll know they were tricked, right?¡±


    ¡°Forget about that,¡± Argrave said, putting his hands on her shoulders. ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­¡± she closed her eyes. It seemed the first time her thoughts had been brought back to herself. ¡°I¡¯m exhausted. I can¡¯t think.¡±


    Argrave held her tight. ¡°Then don¡¯t think. You don¡¯t need to, not anymore. We won. You won,¡± he said, voice tight and drawn from the intensity of the situation. He stroked her head gently.


    Anneliese started shaking, the adrenaline and willpower she¡¯d mustered finally leaving her body as victory settled in its ce. It had been a heavy, terrible day¡­ yet Anneliese had won it for them.

 Chapter 570: Tent Government

    It was a new day for Emperor Ji Meng. Rest didn¡¯te easy for the victorious army as hellfire continued to rain down from the sky, but their armies took shelter in a formidable fortress. What little remained of the Blue Emperor¡¯s support fell under their banner without any struggle whatsoever. Within this fortress, the emperor kneeled in the spot the lord of the castle generally upied, while two people sat at a table they¡¯d dragged into the room, enjoying arge breakfast. Ji Meng wasn¡¯t the lord, in this scenario. These two were.


    Emperor Ji Meng looked upon King Argrave and Queen Anneliese. In the past days, he¡¯d seen the king willingly have his heart ripped out by a gargantuan, inhuman demon, only for him to keep talking and delivering orders to his underlings like nothing was amiss. The queen, meanwhile, dropped down in the center of a battlefield, stood her ground against dozens of S-rank spellcasters alone, then fought the champion of an ancient god that ripped a crater into the earth the size of a city. And she¡¯d won that battle.


    Ji Meng was rather contented he¡¯d made the right decision, submitting to the duo.


    ¡°Are you going to gather errant forces before heading to the capital?¡± Argrave asked him expectantly, cleaning his hands of crumbs.


    Ji Meng shifted where he kneeled, drawn from his thoughts. ¡°No. I¡¯m going to head right for the imperial court, gather what remains of the pce guard, and then regain control over the city. All things stem from Ji¡ªit¡¯ll make the task easier.¡± He pointed at a body that bore his visage, propped up against the wall¡ªanother unnerving thing. ¡°We¡¯ll disy that body in a public ce. It¡¯s doubly helpful that you yed him, Queen Anneliese.¡±


    ¡°Because you couldn¡¯t have?¡± Argrave said with a smile, pushing aside his empty te.


    ¡°That, and it gives me more legitimacy. ¡®The emperor didn¡¯t deign to fight the lowly pretender. Instead, the demon was in by his faithful Grand Commandant¡¯s second-inmand.¡¯¡± Ji Meng gestured toward them. ¡°I¡¯ve no doubt they¡¯ll be telling legends about you throughout the whole continent. My men ask me endless questions about the white-haired woman.¡±


    As Anneliese smiled without much enthusiasm, Argrave put his hand atop her own. ¡°And you tell anyone that asks, I¡¯m sure, that she¡¯s my wife.¡±


    Ji Meng dipped his head. ¡°Of course. I do have something to advise about, however.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead,¡± Anneliese encouraged him.


    ¡°Governor Zen will hear about me leading armies, my vital force rejuvenated. He¡¯ll be fully aware that this is far beyond the n that you discussed with him. And with the prospect of me heading to the imperial court¡ªand by extension, the imperial harem, where his power is densest¡ªhis distrust of you will reach its apex,¡± Ji Meng dered clearly and with urgency.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure he ever fully trusted us,¡± Argrave shrugged, but looked at Anneliese. She gave a silent nod, conveying a cue to the king Ji Meng didn¡¯t grasp. As though permission was granted, he looked back at Ji Meng. ¡°I know what you¡¯re trying to do¡ªsecure your position by isting us from Zen. The fact is, though, we have an information leak. We need to stay close to Zen temporarily for a total victory both within and without. You want to purge the court; we want to purge our traitor.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not¡ª¡± Ji Meng began, before he caught himself lying. He closed his eyes and sighed. ¡°Yes. I would see you separated from Zen; such an oue would give me security Ick. But¡­ if you allow me, I can help you regain the governor¡¯s trust. I can help you pull him up by the roots.¡±


    Argrave contemted this silently, while Anneliese urged, ¡°Go on.¡±


    ¡°Before I do, I¡¯d like to¡­¡± Ji Meng caught himself, questioning if he was pushing the boundaries. He lifted his head boldly and said outright, ¡°I¡¯d like to know your ns for me.¡±


    The silence following felt like a harsh sentence, but after a time Argrave put his elbow on the table and leaned against his hand. ¡°Once everything¡¯s settled, you¡¯re going to name me Commander-in-Chief of the Expeditionary Force Against the Barbarians.¡±


    Argrave seemed amused as though he¡¯d said a joke, but Ji Meng was uncertain of what it meant.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    He began uncertainly, ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going to give me a hereditary title ofmand. In effect, the title will delegate all administrative, civil, judicial, and military authority to me.¡± Argrave put his hand to his chest. ¡°You¡¯re to retain the title of emperor, and you¡¯ll continue to be known as the son of heaven. But rather than having genuine political power, you¡¯ll be a ceremonial figure; effectively, the head of the faith, of the Great Chu¡¯s belief in the son of heaven. Simply put, a permanent, hereditary regency.¡±


    Ji Meng exhaled quietly. It was more or less what had been agreed. It was simple, elegant¡­ and provided Argrave acted prudently, Ji Meng could continue to reign as emperor as long as his natural life. It would be infinitely easier to be the emperor that humbly confirmed rulership over the Great Chu to a military dictator than one who fought valiantly to maintain it. The title of ¡®son of heaven¡¯ would be both a protection and a binding trap. He and all his sessors would maintain their position so long as they obeyed. And if they didn¡¯t¡­ war would consume the Great Chu, and his imperial dynasty would end.


    With his mind clear and the futureid out in, Ji Meng felt it the proper time to do something he hadn¡¯t done in many decades. From where he kneeled, he lowered his head until it touched the ground in a kowtow. He lowered his head to people more than half a century younger than him. He didn¡¯t expect Argrave to understand the cultural significance¡ªperhaps in time the king would learn¡ªbut for now, the gesture was to humble himself for his new role.


    ¡°I thank you for your grace,¡± Ji Meng said, his mouth facing the ground.


    ¡°It¡¯s not grace. It¡¯s practicality,¡± Argrave dismissed. ¡°Now¡ªwhat were you going to say about Governor Zen?¡±


    Ji Meng straightened his back once again. ¡°For someone like Governor Zen¡­ he sees weakness as opportunity. If we can couch my present position not as your newfound strength, but a weakness¡­ it¡¯s far easier to assume ipetence before excellence.¡± He held his hands out. ¡°Of course, I¡¯m asking for a great deal of trust.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Argrave scratched at his cheek. ¡°No harm in hearing you out.¡±


    #####


    Stain, at Elenore¡¯s behest, once again stood with Governor Zen. In wake of the terrible war, the governor had abandoned his peaceful pavilion for a fortifiedpound loaded with arrays of defensive weaponry designed to resist thousands of invaders. Now they stood in the heart of this fortifiedpound. Unlike all other times, dozens of guards lined the room as Governor Zen sat at the head of a table with several family advisors.


    ¡°We¡¯ve killed the false emperor,¡± Stain conveyed just as Elenore told him, sitting at the foot of the table as the guest of honor. ¡°Now, it¡¯s all but assured the rest of empire will fold. Do you know whates next for us?¡±


    Governor Zen entwined his fingers. ¡°The Pce of Heaven, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Stain felt his blood run cold. Time and time again, the importance of this topic had been mentioned to him. In this talk, his role was to reveal the leak in their ranks by steering the conversation properly. And just alongside that¡­ they¡¯d plot out the siege of the Pce of Heaven, thending point for the gods of the Qircassian Coalition.


    ¡°I was told the emperor wouldn¡¯t be upying ces of significant importance. That he would be the spark, while Argrave would be the fire.¡± Governor Zen put his hand on the table¡ªhe looked ready to jump, ready to act. Stain was reminded of the many others standing nearby, and his own precarious situation. ¡°Only, I hear that he stood at the head of armies, with his own troops by his side, with his vital force restored. Do we have different definitions of ¡®spark¡¯ in ournd?¡±


    ¡°Did you miss the hellfire raining down?¡± Elenoremunicated. Stain repeated her words without hesitation, having been proven time and time again things went alright if he obeyed her. ¡°Did you forget that we¡¯re meeting in a fortifiedpound rather than one of your many ptial estates? The army we¡¯d gathered threatened to break when they spared the south of any assault. Our legitimacy was at rock-bottom.¡±


    Zen listened with icy calm. ¡°What are you trying to convey to me?¡±


    ¡°We had to give the emperormand. It was the only way to prevent the whole scheme from copsing,¡± Stain said. ¡°You made it amply clear that you¡¯d been plotting to overthrow him for some time. Has that changed, with what¡¯s going on? Is your family less able to overthrow him?¡±


    ¡°Are you telling me that you lost control of the emperor?¡± Zen asked, voice quiet enough it was nearly drowned out by the winds outside.


    Stain waited for word from Elenore. When it came, she first gave a warning. ¡°Stain. He might attack you after this. You¡¯ll be fine, because you¡¯re watched. So, repeat after me¡­¡±


    Stain, heart pumping, repeated her next words verbatim. ¡°The emperor gathered his honor guard and what remained of the pce guard and headed for the capital, Ji. He already hinted to the army that he was considering revoking the title of Grand Commandant and reassumingmand. But right now, he needs justification¡ªwe did fight for him, after all. Even his own countrymen would hesitate to deem us traitors so quickly.¡±


    Zen said matter-of-factly, ¡°So, you did lose the emperor.¡±


    The guards and advisors all watched Stain, and he tensed his body in preparation to move as fast as he ever had. Would these people be the end of him? He didn¡¯t like the idea.


    ¡°Given this news¡­¡± Zen rubbed the armrest of his chair, and it squeaked in the silence of the room. ¡°I¡¯ll have to sacrifice more. And given who the fault lies on, I think it¡¯s fair to say Argrave should pay the price. He will marry one of my family.¡±


    Stain felt a great deal of relief. An extra wife¡ªwhat red-blooded man wouldn¡¯t want that?


    Elenore¡¯s next words made his veins freeze over. ¡°We refuse.¡±

 Chapter 571: Coronation of Another Magnitude

    From Elenore¡¯s point of view, acquiescing to all of Governor Zen¡¯s demands wouldn¡¯t be the best way forward. It might seem like they were just saying what they needed to say to secure his alliance. It was a renegotiation from an ostensibly lesser point of power. She wanted this meeting to seem genuine, but at the same time, this conversation would be a delicate bncing act between seeming as though they needed Governor Zen while still rigidly advocating for their hidden interests.


    ¡°Let me speak to the one who¡¯s really listening. Argrave.¡± Governor Zen put his hands on the table, cutting past the fa?ade of Stain and speaking directly to the person puppeteering him. On the other side, Elenore still felt a twinge of unease despite the fact that she knew Zen long ago disclosed he knew one among them had the blessing of Lira. Governor Zen continued, ¡°It¡¯s bing rather clear to me that youck a damned clue.¡±


    ¡°Clue me in,¡± she ryed to Stain, and she was rather proud of him when he kept on the road she wasying out. Perhaps he¡¯d actually do something worthy of the fiefdom of Whitefields that he¡¯d extorted from them. She kept observing the meeting, linked to Argrave through Vasquer, who was in turn linked to a druidic bond that watched this meeting.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need to speak nicely anymore, because we¡¯re at the end of the road.¡± Zen rose from his seat and walked to the foot of the table where Stain sat. He sat at the table, his hands on hisp. ¡°Either you¡¯re lying to me and Ji Meng hasn¡¯t gone off to frolic in the imperial pce, or you¡¯re nothing more than a child that¡¯s lost its parents in a distantnd. Orphans should be so lucky to get a family member like me. If you want me to continue helping, I need concessions.¡±


    ¡°We had an arrangement. Where¡¯s your honor?¡± Elenore said indignantly, her Stain-puppet acting his little heart out to mimic the emotion. Perhaps he had indignance of his own to draw upon for inspiration.


    But Governor Zen wasn¡¯t swayed by Stain¡¯s performance. ¡°I could say any arrangement was nullified by your reckless handling of the emperor. The emperor was a front¡ªwe had a deal. But instead of a front, you made him the frontliner for your army. Treachery? Ipetence? It doesn¡¯t matter how the agreement was breached, but you can¡¯t deny you did it,¡± he said, turning their own weapon against them.


    ¡°Our mastery of Ji Meng has a more delicate bnce, but it isn¡¯t fully broken yet. He can¡¯t afford to betray us after the propaganda we spread, and especially not after the war we won for him. We still have options,¡± Elenore argued. ¡°We want this alliance¡ªwe¡¯ve agreed to it. Everything can remain as it was if you keep as you were.¡±


    Governor Zenughed when Stain finished rying things. ¡°You really dock a single clue, don¡¯t you?¡± He brushed off his stately robes as he said, ¡°The garrison at the Pce of Heaven isn¡¯t some two-bit deity bundled into the Qircassian Coalition. It¡¯s Erlebnis, now, who you¡¯ll find within it. Does that clue you in?¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Elenore could feel a wave of unease from Argrave through Vasquer, and her own amplified it ufortably.


    Governor Zen, as though he was a seer, nodded to confirm their doubts. ¡°Indeed. The most formidable fortress in the world is manned by one of the most formidable gods in the world. Even on its lonesome, the Pce of Heaven would be a nightmare for your current forces to take. With Erlebnis¡­ you won¡¯t stand a chance without my family, our influence. Even if this Ji Meng thing is a lie to try and y me, read me, outmaneuver me¡­ you need me.


    ¡°Try and assault the sky tower without dealing with Erlebnis, and he¡¯ll harry you the whole way with his unimaginable power. You can¡¯t fight a war against ancient gods with two impregnable fronts; one will fold, and you¡¯ll all die. Assault the pce half-heartedly and fail to take it, and Kirel Qircassia will descend to wipe up whatever remains of your army.¡± Zen shrugged. ¡°Even if you win, you¡¯ll be in no shape to take down the sky tower. You¡¯ll need the greatest army ever conceived to win a decisive victory against Erlebnis in the Pce of Heaven. The fortress has never been taken in a direct assault¡­ and this was without an ancient god as its garrison.¡±


    Elenore chewed on his words in silence. Strategically, it did make sense to ce Erlebnis in the Pce of Heaven. Sataistador had imed the ancient god of knowledge resided in the sky tower with Kirel Qircassia¡ªthe most defensible position by far. But if Erlebnis was willing to risk his life by residing in the Pce of Heaven instead of the sky tower¡­ they might be strained to the very edge.


    Despite the grim news, Elenore saw opportunity shine in this topic of conversation. ¡°You haven¡¯t heard our n for the Pce of Heaven, yet,¡± she argued, probing for the information leak. She was near certain he¡¯d reveal what he knew.


    ¡°You¡¯re right¡ªI don¡¯t.¡± Zen crossed his arms and rose to his feet, walking back around the table. Elenore¡¯s heart sunk¡ªwas he bluffing? Anneliese was also watching this meeting, but didn¡¯t contact either Elenore or Argrave with knowledge of any deception.


    Zen continued. ¡°Still, thousands of others before you failed to loose a single brick from the famous fortress. You might be smarter than some of them¡ªmost of them. But brighter minds than you have burned brightly and been snuffed out all the same against the walls of the Pce of Heaven. Gods, would-be emperors, even overambitious invaders like yourself sent armies to die taking it. This bastion is arge part of the reason that the Great Chu has continued to exist as a nation despite tremendous opposition from all sides.¡±


    ¡°It clearly fell for the Qircassian Coalition,¡± Elenore pointed out. Stain repeated it eagerly like it was a very cogent point, but she felt it a weak argument.


    ¡°Can you infiltrate the Qircassian Coalition as they infiltrated the imperial court? Will you put makeup on hunchbacks and mutants and call them emissaries of Erlebnis?¡± Governor Zen¡¯s dryments made some of his advisors in the roomugh. ¡°Somehow I think you¡¯re rather less capable of subverting divinity than they are subverting humanity.¡±


    ¡°We did rob his vault,¡± Elenore reminded Governor Zen, and when Stain repeated it a good deal of mirth died.


    After a while, Governor Zen conceded, ¡°So I¡¯m told.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know anything about how we intend to take the Pce of Heaven, do you?¡± Elenore probed again, almost desperately hunting for the information leak. Which god had talked?


    ¡°I¡¯ll admit¡­ I only know that it¡¯s to be your springboard to the sky tower. I don¡¯t know what you¡¯vee up with since you decided that.¡±


    Elenore felt lost, but she felt chilling rity from Argrave as his thoughts were intruded upon by a name and a visage. There was only one deity who knew their goal was the Pce of Heaven without any inkling as to a n of attack¡ªit was the one who had directed them to it in the first ce. Swimming in his mind, passing in the link from between Vasquer and herself¡­ she envisioned a great mane of red hair with a beard just as long, along with bright and malevolent green eyes. Sataistador.


    Half a dozen different puzzles slotted into ce in Argrave¡¯s head, and Elenore shared in the revtion through their ancient matriarch¡¯s mental bond. She felt great anger from Argrave at his inability to notice this. Of course it had been Sataistador that was speaking to Zen¡ªthat had been precisely why Sataistador had been so well-informed about the happenings in the Great Chu, and why Zen had been so well-informed about Vasquer in turn.


    Elenore had presumed this information came from within their ckgard Union because it was so urate. The uracy, however, had been a red herring.


    The only person who persistently avoided advance detection in Vasquer was the god of war, but he didn¡¯t unt any information he gathered. Furthermore, Sataistador had an extremely light touch around this invasion, lessening suspicion¡ªthough that certainly freed him time to spy on them. It also exined why the governor knew that certain gods had blessed them, yet not precisely which among them. Even now, he didn¡¯t know Elenore had Lira¡¯s blessing, and assumed Argrave was listening in. No member of the ckgard Union wouldn¡¯t know that detail.


    Elenore reasoned this rtionship had probably been going on since long before Argrave even set foot on the continent. The god of war, despite his brutal and chaotic nature, had demonstrated tremendous aptitude for reconnaissance and discretion. He seemed capable of appearing anywhere at any time. It wasn¡¯t beyond his sphere; information-gathering was vital for war. Perhaps he was the one who had ambushed themanders they¡¯d recruited initially¡ªit stood to reason he was easily capable of subduing several S-rank spellcasters and their guards of the same rank.


    Perhaps Sataistador was responsible for far more than they even realized. Governor Zen had his own intent¡­ and lurkingrge behind him was the god of war.


    They hade here seeking to pry into the goals and interests of the governor, but it seemed they had caught onto something much, muchrger than that. Sataistador promised his intent was solely to y Erlebnis and Kirel Qircassia, yet he had a hugely influential governor like Zen in his pocket. It wasn¡¯t necessarily damning, but the fact that Sataistador had concealed this fact boded very poorly for their prospects of having the god of war as a solid ally all the way to the end of this endeavor.


    ¡°You¡¯re awfully quiet, as if you¡¯re debating whether or not to tell me about your ns,¡± Governor Zen spoke, yet his words didn¡¯t stop the turning cog in Elenore¡¯s head.


    The original n had been identify the extent of the information leak, then exterminate it during the siege of the Pce of Heaven. They intended to have their foes kill the mole for them, along with minor support from ¡®friendly¡¯ fire. Meanwhile, they hoped to bait Governor Zen into exploiting this fabricated rift between Ji Meng and Argrave. They¡¯d force him to overextend his reach so that they might identify, iste, and destroy his influence throughout the nation in close cooperation with one another.


    Yet Argrave¡¯s thoughts about this development were the same as hers.


    The n hadn¡¯t changed, not really. They¡¯d found their traitor: Sataistador, god of war, chaos, and brutal destruction. He¡¯d long been an uncertain variable in their ns. His mere existence had been enough for the gods of the ckgard Union to threaten backing out of their arrangement. Now, for the first time, they had some glimpse into his designs, his intentions for Vasquer, beyond what he¡¯d said and dered unterally.


    Governor Zen, himself a formidable schemer, was their one true link to Sataistador. It was a thin link¡­ but Elenore thought they could actually make something happen with it.


    Argrave had already killed Mozzahr, the so-called Casten of the Empty, who¡¯d imed Sataistador¡¯s life in another reality. It had been with ample help, granted, and came inrge part because of Erlebnis. They had allies of simr caliber at hand, now¡ªallies that would be eager and willing to help, provided the n to kill Sataistador was solid enough.


    And why would their allies help? The god of war was ancient¡ªthe literal oldest of them all. An argument could be made he was the most powerful, too. A frightening opponent, to be sure¡­ but the cycle of judgment presented a tempting offer to the gods; the prospect of gaining immense power. Their allies had proven their trustworthiness now that a mole was off the table.


    Sataistador¡¯s death, if they could make it happen, would shatter his body into spirits. And Argrave could very well anoint a god to inherit all of that power.

 Chapter 572: And You May Find Yourself...

    After Argrave and Elenore hade to a simr conclusion about their actions vis-¨¤-vis Sataistador¡¯s connection to the governor, they finally answered Stain, who¡¯d been on hold for quite a long time.


    ¡°Argrave is willing to consider¡­ further concessions regarding this alliance,¡± Elenore conceded on his behalf. ¡°But you speak so much of how your family is at the heart of your influence, while you¡¯ve introduced us only to a small few. I think a family gathering is in order, where we can work out the details of any further arrangements over the course of a day. We can furthermore iron out our ns to take the Pce of Heaven.¡±


    Governor Zen looked to some family advisors, and they leaned in to whisper words of advice to the governor. When he¡¯d received all he needed, he faced Stain clearly and said, ¡°Alright. I can call over the vast majority of my family to join in for Orion¡¯s wedding.¡± He raised his hand to preempt interruption. ¡°I know that we agreed that it should take ce after the war. But times have changed, as I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll agree.¡±


    ¡°You want to move up the date for the wedding?¡± Elenore was genuinely surprised¡ªshe thought it would benefit the governor more if they were betrothed, yet unwed. Bound, yet not fully.


    ¡°We both want the same thing¡ªcertainly, surety.¡± Governor Zen rose to his feet and held his arms out as if to embrace. ¡°What better way to do so than to stop dragging out feet and tie our families together?¡±


    Argrave hesitated somewhat, but he felt none of that same hesitation from Elenore. After a few moments, he bent to Elenore¡¯s will. Orion had, after all, long ago agreed to this match. It didplicate matters somewhat. He had absolute trust in his brother after how far they¡¯de, but that trust didn¡¯t blind Argrave to some of his¡­ odder impulses. He didn¡¯t know how Orion would deal with something like this¡ªit was totally untested territory.


    ¡°We¡¯re in the middle of a war,¡± Elenore reminded Zen. ¡°Hardly suitable for festivities.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need reminder. But what better than a day of happiness amidst the tragedy? Besides¡ªit¡¯ll take some time to get armies in ce, and to get the leash back on Ji Meng.¡±


    Elenore advocated for epting, but waited for Argrave¡¯s consent. He could feel her thoughts through Vasquer, and she argued they needed time to n our their method of attack. Moreover, they needed to start unraveling the web that Zen had woven with his family, and as they did so, they could put a nice bow atop their other schemes.


    ¡°Speaking of the leash¡­ Emperor Ji Meng will be attending this wedding,¡± Elenore stated inly. ¡°He doesn¡¯t have a good excuse to refuse attending and blessing his daughter¡¯s wedding. There, we¡¯ll ask for your aid in muzzling the rabid dog.¡±


    ¡°Very well,¡± Governor Zen agreed¡ªhis haste made Argrave satisfied, but it left Elenore wondering if they had missed something. ¡°I¡¯ll make all of the preparations. If Ji Meng is participating, we¡¯ll hold it in the imperial pce.¡±


    ¡°The pce? Can you decide that so easily?¡±


    ¡°I can,¡± Governor Zen stated proudly. ¡°Ji Meng won¡¯t be able to refuse.¡±


    #####


    ¡°That conversation took enough turns to form a circle.¡± Argrave rubbed his forehead as he sat in a private room in the Sea Dragon with Anneliese and Elenore, his two spearheads for this invasion of the Great Chu. ¡°A wedding. Orion¡¯s wedding. It¡¯s like an elephant and a horse¡­ he¡¯s probably two feet taller than his bride. And once we get to the ceremony, we¡¯ll need to usher Sataistador into a trap, while doing¡­¡±


    ¡°While doing half a dozen other important things.¡± Elenore finished his words with a curt nod. ¡°But we will, because we can. And because we can, we must.¡±


    Argrave himself was boosted by her confidence. ¡°I never really did like weddings. Stand around for eight hours, dedicating your attention to two people¡­ not exactly pleasant unless you like the pair. Thought my own would be fun, maybe. Anne and I took a different route in light of everything, and I don¡¯t regret it. I still remember that night. Quiet. Fun.¡± Argrave sighed in wistful remembrance, and Anneliese smiled at him in silence. ¡°Is it wrong to say I never pictured Orion, well¡­?¡±


    ¡°Married?¡± Elenore shrugged. ¡°It doesn¡¯t need tost forever.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure if he makes the vow, he¡¯ll keep it.¡± Argrave cradled his hands together uneasily.


    ¡°But if youmanded him to divorce, I¡¯m sure he would.¡± Elenore crossed her arms and leaned up against the wall of the ship. ¡°He may value the Vasquer family above all, but you in particr¡­ he worships you.¡±


    Argrave waved his hand at her dismissively. ¡°Nah, he¡¯s just¡ª¡±


    ¡°I think she¡¯s right,¡± Anneliese interrupted.


    ¡°Orion may be something of a dope, but I¡¯vee to like him well enough. He¡¯s the biggest of us all, but he feels like more of a little brother than you ever did. Not that I don¡¯t think you¡¯re my¡­ you know what I mean,¡± Elenore trailed off quietly. ¡°Orion was the only one our father really fooled. Induen, Magnus, Levin, myself¡­ we knew Felipe was wrong, twisted. Evil, even. But Orion hung on his words. He¡¯s the only one I can honestly say didn¡¯t know any better. I understand that, now.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. He¡¯s young at heart, I guess, while I¡¯m the old soul.¡± Argrave cracked his knuckles, somewhat dreading what he needed to do. ¡°I guess¡­ I guess I have to go exin to him what happened.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s another thing we have to do at this wedding, too.¡± Elenore closed her eyes. ¡°Given what Felipe made out of Orion, we have to make sure the woman he¡¯s to be married to won¡¯t make a monster of him. We have to protect him from that woman if she¡¯s a malign influence.¡±


    Argrave nodded with conviction. ¡°Agreed.¡±


    #####


    ¡°It¡¯s happening so soon?¡± Orion, resplendent in his golden royal guard¡¯s armor, raised his brows in surprise as he held his helmet in the crook of his arm.


    They stood in the deck of the Sea Dragon, where things were considerably quieter after the past days¡¯ events. Only the bombardment from the sky tower, like distant fireworks, disturbed the rolling hills of the southern coastline.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Argrave said, feeling it was necessary to say.


    ¡°Your Majesty needn¡¯t apologize!¡± Orion said inforting disbelief. ¡°You are the family patriarch, and I am one of the members of House Vasquer. It is only the natural order of things that you should decide my marriage.¡± He put his hand to his heart. ¡°The house¡¯s prestige won¡¯t be diminished by this. The daughter of an empire as vast as the Great Chu is a finer jewel than I deserve. She has all four limbs, and no apparent defects¡ªI cannot deem Zen¡¯s choice an insult to us.¡±


    ¡°Forget what you deserve¡ªI¡¯m depriving you of what you want.¡± Argrave looked at him squarely. ¡°I¡¯m not Your Majesty, now. I¡¯m your brother. We¡¯ve never talked about what you want for your family. I¡¯d even venture to say you spend too much time thinking about Vasquer without realizing you¡¯re an integral part of it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m pleased you think I¡¯m worthy.¡± Orion dipped his head. ¡°If I am to describe what I want¡­¡± He lowered his head, sinking into deep thought. Then his gray eyes looked up, revtion warming them as he found the right words. ¡°I am happiest when I am needed, Argrave. You apologize to me, believing you¡¯ve done me a discourtesy by unterally betrothing me by political necessity. But I am pleased you have found a use for me, and I am happy to obey. I believe that is simply part of who I am.¡±


    ¡°But you never¡­¡± Argrave danced around the topic he intended, feeling that Orion¡ªwho¡¯d brutally murdered people in front of him¡ªwas somewhat too innocent for it. ¡°Has there ever been someone you¡¯re attracted to? Someone who you¡¯d like to start a family with? Am I depriving you of that?¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°You inquire if I am still flesh and bone? Have I felt the trappings of the flesh?¡± Orionughed, and much of Argrave¡¯s tension drained. ¡°I¡¯m d you have to ask. It shows that I have mastery over lust. But yes, I¡¯ve felt it all the same. That imperial princess is not an exception to that.¡±


    Argrave raised his brows in surprise. Orionughed once again, then carried on in a more somber tone when his mirth faded. ¡°I have always been terrified of lust. I would not want to hurt someone. Argrave¡­ the you that once was¡­ I¡¯m sure I needn¡¯t exin to you the depth of his hurt, living as a bastard. I thought Felipe had some reasoning for it, some purpose. I was totally incorrect.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Nevertheless, the world had a purpose for you. And I am d I met you.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ why?¡± Argrave asked, half by instinct. ¡°Why does this make you happy?¡±


    ¡°You may have noticed I tend to prefer having someone tell me what to do.¡± Orion touched his chest, and his gauntlet rung against the metal. ¡°On my lonesome, I often anguish, despair. I feel blind without another to stand with me. With Felipe, or the false pantheon of Vasquer¡­ I followed their orders. Yet misery crept in on its own, like roots breaking through soil into my very soul.¡± He pointed at Argrave. ¡°With you, it¡¯s always felt natural. Proper. It feels as though following your directives is what I was ced here in this realm to do. I have been steeped in bliss.¡±


    Argrave was taken aback by Orion¡¯s words. He was beginning to see clearer what Anneleise and Elenore had been so certain of. He hadn¡¯t ever met anyone like his brother, and he didn¡¯t think he ever would again. Orion was someone totally unique. And ringing in his head, amplified by several magnitudes after this conversation, was Elenore¡¯s advice.


    We have to protect him from that woman if she¡¯s a malign influence.


    #####


    Despite the fact that Governor Zen had agreed to make all of the preparations for the wedding, the following days gave them quite the headache. They had to find a way to corner Sataistador in a way that the other gods would find tantalizing enough to participate, had to sus out Zen¡¯s ns, and had to make sure that Ji Li, Orion¡¯s would-be bride, was up to snuff.


    Governor Zen did contact Emperor Ji Meng and set a date for the wedding as he¡¯d said. The union was announced as an imperial bestowment upon Grand Commandant Sun for his valor in battle. The shell shock from the bombardment of the sky tower was beginning to wear off around the nation, and indeed the Great Chu remarkably returned to some sense of normalcy. Perhaps it was a testament to the resilience of their empire for it to so quickly recover. The gods of the ckgard Union reported happenings in the sky tower, but none of that bled through to the mortal world¡­ and it didn¡¯t seem like it would.


    They didn¡¯t know if the governor had something sinister in store, hastening the wedding so. But Ji Meng slowly reigned in the empire, obediently ying the part he¡¯d pledged to y. Some semnce of order resumed as the shattered canals resumed transportation, as the fields once again gained workers to tend them, and as the imperial decree once again had the backing of the true emperor behind it.


    Loomingrge above was the Pce of Heaven, host to the Qircassian Coalition and Erlebnis, who themselves must¡¯ve been preparing desperately for Argrave¡¯s assault.

 Chapter 573: Beating Imperial Heart

    Argrave was weed into the city of Ji in a much grander fashion than he¡¯d ever expected. He was bid to enter on horseback with some guards and the entourage he intended to bring into the Pce of Heaven. He didn¡¯t like riding on horses, but he obeyed, and was repaid for it in rather grand fashion. The citizens of the Great Chu lined the streets, flying hundreds of thousands of kites into the air as though in defiance of the ever-ongoing siege from the sky tower. That these people could partake in this wedding without fear spoke to their resilience.


    Their cheers were loud enough that Argrave could do nothing but focus on them. They cheered his title, his pseudonym, and even held up banners with the sun on it. They cheered for Anneliese, too, the second most famous member among them after her feats against Dimocles. Near the imperial pce, Argrave could see the Blue Emperor¡¯s corpse disyed boldly. It was a chill he needed to forget the warmth of this weing.


    Alongside the cheers, Argrave didn¡¯t miss the pleas. The people pleaded, prayed, that his next target would be the sky tower. Even if he had an answer to give them, they were simply too loud for him ever to be heard. He would protect them if he could, but it didn¡¯t depend on his actions alone.


    They proceeded through the streets on horseback, over the bridges and the through the streets, until they passed by the pce guard standing by the entrance to the imperial pce. Only there did the noise of the crowd fade.


    Pce attendants took their horses, and then Argrave climbed the stairs to the imperial pce with his guests. He didn¡¯t bring an excessive amount of people, but even in these small numbers, this was a potent group. Barring the groom and Raven snug inside the Ravenstone, there was also Anneliese, Mnie, Durran, Gmon, Patriarch Dras, and one person he¡¯d brought a very long way for a small role: his cousin, Nikoletta.


    His cousin, heir to the duchy of Monti, had graciously agreed toe and act as a conversational tool. Unmarried, rted to Argrave by blood, she fulfilled what Zen was looking for. But to Argrave, she was an effective barrier; just as Argrave didn¡¯t intend to genuinely consider marriage, he didn¡¯t intend to marry off Nikoletta. Haer presence could nheless promote some further control over the negotiation.


    As Argrave looked to her, he caught her pink eyes staring at him with an indiscernible expression. In the walk up the long stairs, he asked, ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You sailed overseas as an invader. Now, the same people you dered war upon are cheering you as you enter their capital city.¡± Nikoletta shook her head, and her short ck hair swayed gently. ¡°It defies reason, that¡¯s all. Doubly so now that I¡¯ve witnessed this city, this empire, and that ursed tower.¡±


    ¡°Feeling nervous? Every inch of this ce has been scrutinized,¡± Argraveforted. ¡°We¡¯d never bring anyone here if that wasn¡¯t so.¡±


    ¡°Of course I¡¯m nervous.¡± Nikoletta¡¯s hand grazed her stomach, which he suspected was aflutter. ¡°But I owe you loyalty. My house owes you loyalty.¡±


    Argrave patted her shoulder. ¡°It¡¯ll be fine. You¡¯re polite, reasonable, and quick-thinking. Just let us take the initiative.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡± Nikoletta nodded, trying to steel herself with his words.


    They passed beneath ck-roofed silver archways until they entered the main hall of the imperial pce. The carpet before them was a dark, rich blue, adorning the polished gray tile throughout the rest of the hall. In the back, he could see the emperor¡¯s throne. It was wrought wholly of silver and decorated with gigantic gems. Rubies cut into the shape of crescent moons and serpentine dragons adorned its armrests and its back. Even as the ruby moons and garish silver shone brilliantly, Argrave¡¯s first thought was that its square seat and metal exterior would make it mighty ufortable. Fortunately it wasn¡¯t his seat.


    The hall,rgely light gray and blue, shone brilliantly due to the hundreds of faces within it. Their party was thest to arrive, as had been nned. Orange-robed eunuchs acted as servants to the guests. The attendees¡ªall of whom Argrave knew were members of the Zen or Ji families directly or by marriage¡ªseemed like they belonged here. Dressed grandly, they conducted themselves with the ceremonial dignity of the Great Chu. Argrave understood a little bit of Nikoletta¡¯s nervousness as he sized them up.


    At the back on a tform midway up the stairs to the emperor¡¯s throne was the position for those of highest status¡ªthe emperor, the subjects for this festivity, and the guests of honor. The emperor sat atop arge pillow on an elevated tform, further raising him up above those beside him. His empress, who had the regnal name Tai Si, sat to his left with her father, Governor Zen, and her daughter, Ji Li. To the right, three pillows remained empty. One for Argrave, another for Anneliese, and thest for Orion.


    ¡°Grand Commandant Sun,¡± Ji Meng¡¯s voice boomed across the hall, silencing all present. ¡°We bid you, your wife, and today¡¯s groom join us here in the position of honor and enjoy a day of festivity. Eunuchs¡ªprepare a ce for the guests of our honoredmander.¡± His snap ofmand echoed loudly, and they hastened to obey.


    As Argrave walked to the spot Ji Meng had prepared for him, leaving hispanions behind to join with the crowd and converse, the emperor continued to speak. ¡°Our Grand Commandant has arrived just in time to witness what he will doubtless enjoy for years toe. The artists of the court have prepared entertainment for our return.¡± As Argrave took his seat just beside Orion and Anneliese, Ji Meng snapped. This close, it was loud enough to hurt the ears. ¡°Grand Eunuch¡ªtell our guest what is toe.¡±


    An orange-robed eunuch stepped out and kneeled down. ¡°Firstly, the finestdies of the capital shall regale the court with musical performances¡ªsome singr, others working in pairs, triplets, or more¡ªwhile the first meal is served. After a tour through the pce, we shall return for vital artistry. Our greatest warriors shall create works of art using spells tomemorate the son of heaven¡¯s return and this joyous union.


    ¡°After the second meal, the son of heaven intends to grace the city with his presence,¡± the Grand Eunuch continued, and Argrave felt this event was already sounding ridiculously long. ¡°His tour shall end at the Chou Opera House, where its performers will strive to give a performance that recreates even a fraction of the glory of the war won. The day shall end with the wedding ceremony between the unsurpassable Ji Li and the glorious Grand Commandant¡¯s greatest fighter and brother, Orion, whereupon we shall have the third meal.¡±


    A music show, magical artistry, and an opera¡­ it was an excess that surely fit the title of emperor. But with all the time allotted, it game them ample time to maneuver. The politics happening behind the scene wouldn¡¯t give them much time to enjoy the performances for what they were, Argrave suspected. The tour of both the pce and the city would be the perfect time to talk, but now that Argrave had sat down, the game had already begun.


    Argrave studied the empress discreetly. She was a spellcaster just as her father, and thus hadn¡¯t aged as quickly. She looked at best in herte thirties, but she already had quite a few children at an age of majority, so she must¡¯ve been older than him by decades. Tai Si, just as her daughters had, wore a staggering amount of makeup and had an incredibly grand crown woven into her ck hair. Even past all that, Argrave saw her resemnce to Ji Li, the bride sitting just beside her.


    Conversations resumed all around the imperial hall as they waited for the first performance and the first meal to be brought out. It didn¡¯t seem to be much longer.


    ¡°Whenst you spoke, Grand Commandant, my daughter had taken a vow of silence,¡± Governor Zen began, and Argrave¡¯s gaze turned to him.


    ¡°Rest assured, I convinced my daughter to break it. She was unable to brook protest, you see, unless she did. The girl listens to her parents first,¡± the empress said, her voice sharp yet endearingly pleasant all the same. ¡°Ji Li? Greet your groom.¡±


    Argrave got the not-so-subtle meaning¡ªtheir daughter was under their influence before even her own vows. It sounded rather forceful.


    Ji Li lowered her head. ¡°Hello, Prince Orion. I apologize I did not greet you properly on our first meeting.¡± She spoke very slowly. Her voice sounded much like her mother¡¯s, though without the harsh edge that made the empress seem authoritative.


    ¡°I need no apology, but I am d to hear you speak. Other ways of conversing would take far longer,¡± Orion answered back, his usual straightforward yet humble self.


    Ji Li smiled sheepishly yet went silent once again, seeming all too happy to melt back into the background as Governor Zen spoke again as though she wasn¡¯t even there. ¡°I¡¯d like to thank our host, the son of heaven, for permitting us use of the imperial pce.¡±


    ¡°It is our own daughter who¡¯s to be married,¡± Ji Meng¡¯s eyes went to her, and Argrave saw the imperial princess close her eyes tightly beneath his gaze. ¡°And our faithful governor went to great lengths to be certain my answer would be positive. We might say he showed his hand.¡±


    ¡°Only a finger of the hand,¡± Governor Zen assured. ¡°I believe we have a great deal to discuss today. To begin with, a question I¡¯m sure the emperor has asked many times before¡ªhow was the imperial courtpromised? The answer, I¡¯m sure, some of the presentpany is aware of.¡±


    ¡°Our servants have checked the ancient array beneath the pce meant to counter divinity,¡± Ji Meng answered for him. ¡°It was broken, wholly. The spirits contained were stolen, doubtless plundered. In this manner, those blessed by the divine, and their servants, are able to move freely. That is what happened.¡±


    ¡°But who broke it?¡± Argrave cut in, ying his role ably¡ªhe had to act as though Ji Meng was struggling to break free, and Zen and himself were cooperating to bring him back into the leash. Schemes on top of schemes, enough to melt the brain. ¡°And how? These are questions you must have, butck the answer to.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Governor Zen nodded. ¡°You¡¯ve seen one finger of the hand, great emperor. Let us name it the smallest finger. And having seen it, perhaps you can reason for yourself howrge and strong my hand would be.¡±


    As they spoke, the first of thedies of the capital walked out just as the eunuchs carried out serving trays of food for all the guests in the hall. The musician was colored totally white¡ªher dress, her face, her hair, even the gemstones adorning her hand shone white. Thedy¡¯s servants carried with her a strange stringed instrument that Argrave was unfamiliar with. It had arge wooden body and quite a few strings atop it, and was a dark ck in stark contrast to how she¡¯d presented herself. When she ced it on the ground, she gave it a few testing plucks to ensure it sounded right.


    ¡°Lady Zen Yue, niece of the betrothed, will begin the day of celebration on the guzheng with a ssical piece to celebrate her rtive¡¯s union,¡± a eunuch announced.


    ¡°Think on it,¡± Governor Zen said quietly, ¡°As we enjoy this union, my emperor.¡±


    His gaze, however, floated to Argrave. The words carried two meanings, Argrave felt¡ªone for the emperor, but the otherrgely for Argrave.

 Chapter 574: A Guest Too Honored

    During the musical performance, Argrave didn¡¯t exchange further words with Governor Zen¡¯s group or the emperor. Their sitting arrangement dictated they needed to speak loudly to be heard, and it would be rude to shout over the performance. They would have the chance to speak again once the next performer was setting up.


    The first meal was served on raised trays ced in front of their sitting pillows, chopsticks as the utensil. Elenore had people watching the kitchens, ensuring no poison graced their dishes. The eunuch disyed a gigantic egg asrge as Argrave¡¯s head as he exined their first course came from giant birds in the hills and savannas of the far north where barbarians roamed. The egg had been processed into many rolls small enough to be eaten in one bite, doused in a reddish sauce, then crowned with exotic spices. It rather set the luxurious tone for the meals that were toeter in the day.


    Argrave demonstrated to Anneliese and his brother how to use chopsticks, and then they watched the first musical performance. It had been a long time since Argrave enjoyed thepany of music. At best Argrave would hear drumming, singing, or the odd flute in Vasquer, but those were few and far between.


    Lady Zen Yue yed her guzheng extremely artfully as they ate. The music itself, at times fast and others slow and somber, didn¡¯t stir Argrave. He¡¯d seen the refinement of music over centuries, all the way from orchestras to jazz and rock, so perhaps his pte was simply different. Still, to see her hands glide atop the t-lying stringed instrument and pluck the strings without ident or error gave him some appreciation of the artistry. When she was done he thought to p, but no one else did so he remained silent.


    Lady Yue rose to her feet and bowed to the emperor, saying, ¡°Thank you for the honor, son of heaven.¡± When she raised her head again, however, she was looking at Argrave. ¡°May I ask if the Grand Commandant Sun enjoyed my performance?¡±


    Argrave was caught off guard, but had repose enough to not blurt something out immediately. He said diplomatically, ¡°It¡¯s clear you¡¯ve spent years practicing.¡±


    He hadn¡¯t really said anything at all, but thedy¡¯s cheeks grew red and she acted demurely as the servants who¡¯d helped her bring her guzheng to the room now helped her leave the same way. Argrave felt suspicion bubble. Was that what this was? Would Zen send the women of his house up one-by-one, each demonstrating their talents, to gauge Argrave¡¯s interests? Looking at Anneliese, he could tell that was the case. He¡¯d never really seen her be jealous, or possessive¡­ until now, that was, as she realized what this day was to be. An exhibition, with Argrave as the buyer.


    ¡°So, Grand Commandant,¡± Governor Zen spoke up as they had idle time in between performances. ¡°You¡¯ve seen for yourself how the Great Chu survives, even amidst turmoil, haven¡¯t you? I would rather liken this great nation¡ªno, this country¡¯s people¡ªto the earth beneath our feet. The suns rise, the moon takes its ce each night¡­ yet the earth is constant as they fight on high.¡±


    ¡°Should I take that as metaphor?¡± Argrave raised his brows.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Zen said tly, then ate from his te. ¡°A metaphor I hope I amply conveyed to the emperor.¡±


    It was a message both to Argrave, and to the supposedly untamed emperor¡ªthe message being, simply put, that the Great Chu was not its leaders alone, neither sun nor moon.


    ¡°How long did it take you to think of those words?¡± Ji Meng looked at him. ¡°Was it during that performance, Govenor Zen, or have you been holding onto them for days, waiting to say them like an upstart poet?¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    The governor only smiled at Ji Meng¡¯s cruel mockery. ¡°The canals, the stone buildings, the metal statues¡ªthey can be destroyed, they can be built, or they can simply erode over the passage of time. People sustain the empire, not this pce¡ªthe idea of the Great Chu keeps it alive. You can¡¯t change the ideas that people hold as you can wreck buildings or erect them high. The Great Chu is a system. It is the single greatest nation that has ever existed, but it¡¯s also a mere system. This system requires certain parts¡ªreceable parts. Ultimately, it¡¯s neither you nor I that truly decide which parts end up fitting where. It¡¯s the people¡¯s idea of what belongs.¡±


    The next act of the musical performances came up, and a silence descended between them as a concert of four musicians yed¡ªa flutist, another stringed instrument, two drums¡­ but the whole time, Argrave was anxiously awaiting its end that the conversation might continue.


    ¡°All those words for a pretty way of saying, ¡®fall in line, or I¡¯ll end you,¡¯¡± the emperor cut into Zen concisely once the music stopped. ¡°We understand people, Governor Zen. If we didn¡¯t know people, we¡¯d have been face down in the mud many decades ago, trampled under the feet of armies we raised. You never get the measure of a man better when you watch him kill.¡± Ji Meng¡¯s gaze fell upon Argrave, then switched to Zen. ¡°We never got your measure, governor. But that¡¯s measurement enough. Could you make men die for you, or your grandsons? Look at them.¡± Ji Meng gestured lightly toward where some people who resembled the emperor sat¡ªhis sons, without a doubt.


    ¡°Understand what someone wants¡­ you can direct them if you have it. Understand what someone needs, you can own them if you have it.¡± Governor Zen dared to look back at the emperor. ¡°To be a functional emperor, you need a functioning empire. My family, like the Great Chu, is a system¡ªa set of ideas. It so happens many pivotal parts of both systems line up rather nicely. You can see many of them, here, today. We can choke the gears until people think the emperor doesn¡¯t belong. Myself, and the Grand Commandant.¡±


    Argrave felt a swell of satisfaction¡ªas Elenore had nned Governor Zen had shown a vast number of the cards in his hand in an attempt to cow the ¡®untamed¡¯ emperor. Provided they were doing their part down below, mingling with the crowd to gather information, they could effectively interpret and iste the extent of Zen¡¯s influence in the empire.


    ¡°None of us want this system to worsen, so let us direct you,¡± Governor Zen proposed.


    The next performers came up¡ªmore youngdies of the Zen and Ji families had thin swords in hand with huge blue banners on their ringed pommels and their dresses. With two others performing a duet on the guzheng, the dancers performed an borate and highly choreographed dance. They moved around and atop each other with extreme grace as the blue silk gs whirled about, taking shapes of dragons and people and all manner of symbols. It was one of the more impressive performances. After, the women all fawned on Argrave, begging for his approval. Just as before, he was more interested in the conversation going on beside him and they left after he gave empty titudes.


    ¡°Sometimes, systems must endure maintenance.¡± Ji Meng stared Governor Zen down. ¡°Parts removed, reced.¡±


    ¡°At the eve of the cmity?¡± Anneliese pointed out. ¡°We¡¯ve already demonstrated the capacity to endure risk. We¡¯re in the heart of your nation, our armies whole and healthy and supported. At worst, we return home with casualties. But you¡­ the empire is on the brink. Consider carefully.¡±


    Ji Meng finally fell silent. Argrave felt this little performance of theirs was going wonderfully.


    ¡°We intend to enjoy at least some of these performances,¡± the emperor finally said. ¡°No more. For now.¡±


    With that, conversation ended, and Argrave finally got to enjoy both the meal and shows both. Down below, Elenore reported to him that they were making ample progress in discerning what each individual present here actually did. Nikoletta was proving an incredibly useful card¡ªpretty enough and Argrave¡¯s blood rtive, the scions of the Zen and Ji families were all too eager to tell her exactly what they did for a living to impress her.


    They moved through eleven more performances in rtive silence. Seven were solo acts, ying ssics of the Great Chu with instruments or singing. They were all quite talented¡ªin the Great Chu, it seemed, women were encouraged to pursued artistry. He saw people actually crying in the crowd when certain songs were yed, but himself remained stone-faced and confused.


    Anneliese grew more and more annoyed as thedies¡¯ flirtation took countless directions. Two young women gifted Argrave a painting, while one other gave him a personally woven handkerchief with his personal heraldry. One girl offered to serve his drinks throughout the rest of the day, and the pce guard answered for Argrave by giving the young woman a stern rebuke.


    His favorite gift, though, was one that a very prudent girl offered not to him, but to Anneliese. It was an ivory sculpture of a cat with ambers for eyes¡ªa representation of Anneliese, no doubt. The girl imed to have sculpted it herself, while a jeweler set in the gems. Anneliese detected deception, however, somewhat spoiling what had otherwise been a perfect performance.


    The orchestras and the choreographed dances were very enjoyable. There was a quaint performance with puppets midway through, though, that was his favorite. The puppeteer used cutouts behind a veil alongside bright light to create a fascinating effect where he could see only the cutouts, not the ones manipting them. It was very strange when Argrave realized this was his story¡ªit was the tale that they¡¯d spread, where Ji Meng and Argrave fought, he was defeated, and then he swore loyalty. With singing, instrumentation, and even improvised sound effects, it certainly impressed.


    Argrave enjoyed the meal and had a decent enough time with the performances, but even still he was d when the eunuch dered that thest performer hade through. It was time, now, for the tour of the pce grounds. The silence and quiet enjoyment of the show had refreshed his mind, and he was ready to delve into the politics of negotiation.


    Ji Meng dered unterally, ¡°Governor, Grand Commandant. We will consult with some we trust about your words.¡±


    With that, the emperor left, escorted by pce guards and a heavy contingent of eunuchs. Argrave and Anneliese received an offer of servants, but Governor Zen stepped in.


    ¡°My daughter and I would show the Grand Commandant and his wife around the pce. Meanwhile¡­¡± He looked to the empress.


    Empress Tai Si sprang into action, gripping her daughter by the arm. The young girl flinched instinctively. ¡°Ji Li, walk with Prince Orion. And remember your manners.¡±


    ¡°Yes, empress mother,¡± she said quickly. It was only when she was released that she walked up to Orion and offered her hand. ¡°If it pleases, I would show you around the pce.¡±


    When Argrave gave him a nod, Orion took her hand lightly. ¡°Very well. It may be awkward walking with borate garments. I might carry you to ease that.¡±


    Ji Li looked at him, eyes wide at a loss regarding the unexpected offer. Argrave instructed him, ¡°I think it might be ufortable to do that on the second meeting, Orion.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Orion nodded. ¡°If that is incorrect, the offer stands. Let us tour.¡±


    Argrave watched Orion briefly, then looked at Governor Zen. ¡°I¡¯ll be along in a second. Just want to grab my sister. I think we have a lot to talk about.¡±


    ¡°Definitely,¡± the empress agreed.


    Argrave and Anneliese walked away to where Elenore spoke with some people, Nikoletta nearby as the heart of things. When she spotted Argrave Elenore extracted the two of them and walked up.


    ¡°We¡¯re to tour with Governor Zen,¡± Argrave said as greeting. ¡°Want you with me. This could be our opportunity.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Elenore agreed. ¡°Things are going quite well. I¡¯m having Stain write down any information I unearth back where he is. Nikoletta¡¯s been arge help.¡± She looked back, then ordered in a whisper, ¡°Mnie, Durran, stay with Nikoletta. Keep it up.¡±


    After briefly checking in with Gmon and Patriarch Dras, who enjoyed some attention but less so than Nikoletta, they returned to begin the pce tour.


    His sister exined things further as they walked. ¡°We¡¯ve struck gold. I had no idea that Zen had this sizable of awork throughout the kingdom. It¡¯s no stretch to say he¡¯s a finger in every pie. Agriculture, canals, water transportation, banking, weapons manufacture, construction work¡­ I could go on, but gods, it¡¯s impressive. He¡¯s given me inspiration for back home, even.¡± She looked at him. ¡°You must be having a nice time, I¡¯m sure. So many youngdies, with wonderful¡­ performances.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s focus on the task at hand,¡± Argrave brushed past thatment. ¡°Now that I¡¯ve seen the¡­ the goods, I suppose, Governor Zen¡¯s going to try and sell me something. But we need to get Sataistador.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Don¡¯t get overexcited; you already have some of what he¡¯s selling,¡± Elenore continued to joke.


    Argrave tried not to even crack a smile¡­ for his sake, ultimately.


    #####


    ¡°I think we did well with the emperor,¡± Governor Zen said.


    They walked out into the imperial garden. Argrave couldn¡¯t see much of it yet as it was blocked off by tall silver fences. He could see pink trees, though, and heard running water. The eunuchs described the garden as a ce of unsurpassable beauty. He was curious if that held up.


    ¡°I¡¯d agree.¡± Argrave nodded, and Anneliese agreed silently.


    ¡°But some of what I said in there was meant for you,¡± Governor Zen said.


    Argrave looked at him strangely. ¡°Did you think I missed your meaning? You¡¯re breaking my heart. I¡¯m not that slow-witted.¡±


    ¡°Not the metaphors. The thing about what someone wants, and what someone needs.¡± Governor Zen stopped before the entrance to the garden, adjusting his fine clothes. ¡°I know you¡¯re keeping some things from me. I respect that. I¡¯m doing the same. It¡¯s part of the game. But, if we¡¯re genuinely to cooperate, there are some things you do need to know. Like what I want. Not alliances, wealth¡­ but regarding this borate system. The Great Chu.¡±


    Argrave contemted that in silence, then asked, ¡°But going by your logic, wouldn¡¯t I be able to direct you if I know what you want?¡±


    ¡°In new territory, everyone can get lost.¡± Governor Zen shrugged. ¡°Nothing wrong with directions.¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°So¡­ what do you want out of this, Zen?¡±

 Chapter 575: The Zen Way

    Few things couldpare to the beauty of the pce garden around them. The greenhouse in Dirracha that Elenore had been consigned to might¡¯ve been a contender for natural beauty, but these gardens wove architecture and greenery far better. The cherry blossoms contrasted sharply with the marble walkways, yet there were so many other artfully ced nts that Argrave couldn¡¯t recognize in the slightest and they all evoked awe. There wererge waterfalls flowing off aqueducts, fillingkes that contained fish that gleamed like jewels and precious metals. There were wooden bridges leading to pavilions in the center of these manmadekes. These pavilions had floors of ss so that one might see the fish swimming beneath.


    ¡°Beneath the whole of this pce, there is an incredibly intricate enchantment. I daresay it¡¯s the most intricate enchantment in the entire world,¡± Governor Zen exined as they walked through the imperial gardens. ¡°As far as I¡¯m aware, it¡¯s the only enchantment in the world to employ shamanic magic. It¡¯s a closely guarded secret of the Great Chu that¡¯s allowed the imperial court to resist the machinations of deities for countless cycles of judgment.¡±


    Argrave listened quietly with Anneliese and Elenore. ¡°I think you mentioned something about that enchantment array to the emperor.¡± He looked at the governor. ¡°But I asked you what you wanted.¡±


    The governor dered calmly, ¡°I broke that array.¡±


    Argrave cast a nce at Anneliese, and she nodded in confirmation he wasn¡¯t lying. Argrave said tensely, ¡°You¡¯re the reason the Qircassian Coalition was able to all of this?¡±


    ¡°You sound angry. It helped you, didn¡¯t it?¡± the governor sounded confused. ¡°Your invasion never could¡¯ve gotten this far without an attempted coup from the divine. Ji Meng would¡¯ve resumed his ce as emperor easily, and crushed you. Which even now, he¡¯s trying to do.¡±


    ¡°I can attest to that,¡± Empress Tai Si nodded, holding her father¡¯s arm. ¡°The army is his crude arm. He¡¯s always had their loyalty. But he also had the loyalty of the administration, by andrge¡­ now, that¡¯s broken. Their trust in him is broken.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m concerned you¡¯re coborating with Erlebnis,¡± Argrave continued. ¡°You¡¯re his type. Powerful, influential mage with a vastwork of information and finances.¡±


    ¡°Of course I¡¯m not working with him,¡± the governor sounded offended. Anneliese didn¡¯t indicate that was a lie. ¡°I didn¡¯t know Erlebnis was even involved¡ªI thought this was the Qircassian Coalition alone.¡±


    Anneliese gripped Argrave¡¯s hand lightly¡ªZen had been truthful of being uninvolved, but lied about being ignorant of Erlebnis. Argrave could guess that¡ªthe governor¡¯s source was Sataistador, after all, and Sataistador knew of Erlebnis.


    ¡°I meant what I said back in the throne room,¡± Zen continued. ¡°The Great Chu would keep existing even if this pce was razed. I only set a fire in the pce, watched it burn. It made it easier for me to spread my roots as the divine blinded the emperor.¡± He gestured. ¡°Come¡ªlet me show you the hot springs.¡±


    Argrave and followed the governor across a bridge, passing by a group of eunuchs in silence.


    ¡°You made the empire lesser, breaking that array,¡± Elenore criticized.


    The governor shook his head with a faint smile ying about his lips. ¡°I can recreate it. Me, and only me.¡±


    Argrave hoped Anneliese would spot some deception. She didn¡¯t, however.


    ¡°You expect me to believe that?¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°Why would you know, of everyone? Why not the emperor?¡±


    ¡°The Great Chu emperors and their descendants once knew,¡± Governor Zen nodded, stopping in front of a cavern that exuded steam. ¡°But violent coups over the centuries killed off the original bloodline, until eventually that knowledge died out. I can tell you this secret, because you can¡¯t replicate it.¡± The governor raised his hands, freeing his arm from his daughter¡¯s. ¡°It¡¯s tied to an A-rank ascension.¡±


    ¡°And how did you discover that?¡± Argrave pressed further.


    ¡°Focused, directed study. Nothing more. I don¡¯tck for determination, talent, or perspective,¡± Zen put his hand on his heart. ¡°Now, I could create such arrays anywhere. This pce. Your capital of ckgard. Within these arrays, everything ¡ªranging from divine blessings, to the gods themselves¡ªwould cease to function properly. I say this to demonstrate my value before we talk about what I want. More than all I already have, I could give you one of the keys that allowed the Great Chu to exist as the greatest empires in the world for tens of thousands of years.¡±


    Argrave stared at Zen. The governor had gone through great lengths to ce himself in a position where he was too useful to be disregarded. Between his political clout and arcane knowledge, Zen alone offered enough to be an equal of any of their allies, even Law.


    Given Argrave¡¯s reliance on the Domain of Law and the Domain of Order, such an array for ckgard was out of the question. But elsewhere? A zone that could disrupt the power of the gods? It cut away innumerable undesirable influences, and could ensure the safety of numerous ces for millennia¡­ just as it had here, in the imperial pce. It enabled the Great Chu to resist the gods¡¯ treachery during the cycle of judgment. It might even enable them to win the fight versus Erlebnis and Kirel Qircassia.


    But since Sataistador was looming behind Governor Zen, it also spoke of darker things. Perhaps the gods of the ckgard Union had a trap in store, somewhere, set by this man before them.


    ¡°And what¡¯s your real price? The one you¡¯ve been teasing since the very beginning,¡± Elenore spoke up.


    ¡°I¡¯ll still insist on further marriage ties. Insurance, you see. But the big one¡­ it¡¯s humbler than you might expect.¡± Zen looked into the cave roiling with steam, then walked inside. ¡°The Great Chu hase so far because of meritocracy. Every administrator must pass a civil service exam, for example. Every general has to meet a certain standard of prowess, and they must know how to read and write. Someone like me, born of lowly origins, can guide foreign conquerors around the pce grounds if their talents are up to snuff.¡± Zen stopped. ¡°That¡¯s no emperor¡¯s doing.¡±


    ¡°Your point being?¡± Anneliese asked.


    Zen took a deep breath of the hot steam in the cave, then gestured toward crystal blue pools. ¡°Shall we take a moment to rx?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s just hear it,¡± Argrave prompted.


    Governor Zen gathered himself, mustering some courage before he looked at Argrave with a gaze of steel. ¡°The Great Chu no longer needs an effective monarch. It no longer needs aristocracy of any kind. Both institutions, even though greatly diminished from their heyday, are a cancer that I intend to cut out.¡±


    Argrave had expected many answers from the governor. This was not one of them.


    ¡°Have you been lying to us, Zen?¡± Anneliese asked, genuinely surprised. Argrave suspected it was because she hadn¡¯t noticed lies.


    ¡°No, he hasn¡¯t,¡± the empress answered on his behalf. ¡°My father did intend to help one of you gain the title of emperor. But it would not at all be like it was, where the imperial decree isw. Instead, the governors would be delegated more power, with one elected as their head.¡±


    ¡°Acting as governor, I¡¯vee to understand thatws handed down by the emperor cannot effectively govern the entire empire,¡± Zen continued. ¡°Laws in one region can be popr in one, but wholly repulsive in another. De facto, many governors have already taken to this, selectively enforcing imperial decrees. And governors promoted by merit run the Great Chu with such efficiency we¡¯ve managed to reach the apex of our power.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡± Argrave held out his hand. ¡°Why go through such lengths to seal an alliance by marriage if this is what you intended?¡±


    ¡°Because it works. Because I know it¡¯ll benefit my family to be tied to yours. Because it¡¯s harder to betray those who be family, even if only through marriage. It¡¯s a simple strategy, but it¡¯s proven to work.¡± Zen shrugged. ¡°You know I have a source that delivers me information on your people. I haven¡¯t been unsubtle about that fact. They¡¯ve told me of your exploits; the parliament you¡¯ve built, the methods you¡¯ve employed, like with the dwarves or the elves of the Bloodwoods. I won¡¯t bare my source¡¯s name¡ªI value their alliance, and hope to keep it.


    ¡°Your enemies are the Qircassian Coalition and Erlebnis. I am more than willing to ally with you to end them. The Great Chu will join your ckgard Union¡ªI will be sure of it. Furthermore, trade can flourish between our nations when this test from the heavens is over.¡± Zen shook his head. ¡°But I will not give you our great country in anything other than name. Youck the men and the influence to hold it without my help. You may have the title; I¡¯ll keep my agreement. But if I¡¯m right, I don¡¯t think you want it. You didn¡¯te here to conquer.¡±


    Argrave stood, agape, then asked the obvious question. ¡°Why not be honest from the beginning?¡±


    ¡°It took some time for my source to gather all the information and deliver it,¡± Zen exined. ¡°I couldn¡¯t be sure you were fully trustworthy. I didn¡¯t know your character, nor your aims. I thought you were a conqueror. Bluntly put, you would be forced to rely on me once you became emperor. And I intended to strip away your power, bit by bit. Now, things have changed.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Argrave felt doubt fester¡ªwas Zen¡¯s source Sataistador, or not?


    Elenore crossed her arms. ¡°You¡¯d give up the opportunity to have an emperor in your pocket? To share absolute power?¡±


    Zen nodded at her. ¡°Having risen so high by merit, I see its¡­ well, I see its merits,¡± heughed. ¡°Of course, I ce my family ahead of others. But my family has ascended because we stress merit, hard work, and the benefit of intertwined connections with other meritorious people. Like your family, Argrave. Despite how my kin may ebb in power in the long-term, I fully believe it will be better for this nation to change in this manner. And what is better for the nation is better for all, my family included. Our vast technology would never have developed without proper rewards for developing it. And besides¡­ you¡¯re intending something simr, aren¡¯t you? I¡¯ve heard of your reforms. I think I see where you intend to take your parliament.¡±


    Stunned into silence, the only noise for a few seconds was the sound of dripping in the steamy cave.


    Anneliese grabbed Argrave¡¯s shoulder, then said to Zen, ¡°Could you give us a moment to speak?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Zen nodded.


    The empress and her father left the cave of the hot springs, and Anneliese conjured a ward to block out all sound.


    ¡°What in the hell did I just hear?¡± Argrave eximed at once in total surprise. ¡°Anneliese, was he¡­?¡±


    ¡°Totally sincere?¡± Anneliese nodded. ¡°Yes, he was, barring his lie about Erlebnis. But I think that was only to save face.¡±


    ¡°But what he said¡­ wasn¡¯t that¡­ I mean, if we can get past his hatred of Ji Meng¡­?¡± Argrave babbled, seeing some light at the end of the tunnel. He thought there might be a beautiful union out of all of this.


    ¡°Am I the only one that sees it?¡± Elenore looked between them. ¡°Seems so. I¡¯ll say it inly, as I see it. Sataistador¡¯s using him as a cudgel to entrap us.¡±


    Argrave was thrown off bnce for only half a second before her words put into focus so much of the confusion he had. That nonsense about the source ¡®taking some time to gather all the information¡­¡¯ it was Sataistador selectively feeding the governor information. Elenore gave voice to his thoughts as he came to them.


    ¡°Zen¡¯s been caught in the middle, strung along by Sataistador so that the god of war could influence how we move indirectly. That god knows, of course, how we fight, the things we¡¯ve done. He would¡¯ve known all along that we¡¯d prefer an allied nation over a conquered one. But he chose now to reveal that information to Zen, suspecting we¡¯d act in a way he wanted when Zen made the offer he just did. That¡¯s my perspective.¡± Elenore looked off into the steam, gaze distant.


    ¡°But Zen does believe in what he says,¡± Argrave pointed out. ¡°If we can bring him around, surely he¡¯d¡­?¡±


    ¡°Maybe we could.¡± Elenore crossed her arms and nodded. ¡°But at the same time, I¡¯ve just seen a very clear route to getting a shot at Sataistador. If this is the god of war¡¯s trap for us¡­ to have us ally with this man, who¡¯ll somehow unwittingly put us into danger¡­ we can be ready to strike back.¡±


    Anneliese nodded in agreement. ¡°And if we loop Zen in, and things go awry somehow¡ªeither he doesn¡¯t believe us, or acts in a way that draws Sataisdor¡¯s suspicion¡ªwe could lose that opportunity.¡±


    Argrave looked between them, thinking deeply.


    ¡°We don¡¯t need to betray Zen if we do continue to deceive,¡± Anneliese said. ¡°All we need is to y along until Sataistador¡¯s nes into vision, whereupon we end him.¡±


    Sobered by their words, Argrave nodded. ¡°I¡¯m with you, for now. We y along to sus out Sataistador. But something about Zen, about the way he does things¡­ we need to be prepared for the worst. I can¡¯t be enamored by the idea of an ally, here. He¡¯s been incredibly ruthless in the past.¡± He looked at Elenore. ¡°We have another option. But let¡¯s keep preparing to uproot him. And let¡¯s not get toofortable.¡±


    ¡°Alright. That sounds¡­ basically perfect.¡± Elenore nodded, almost proudly. ¡°But if it¡¯s so, the matter of another marriage still hangs in the bnce.¡±

 Chapter 576: Flooding the Opera House

    Zen looked to his daughter, the empress, as they walked through the pce grounds. He wasn¡¯t pleased to have Ji Meng again walk the pce halls,rgely for his daughter¡¯s sake. It reminded him of something. He had contracted cancer once before, in his sixties¡ªas a tumor, it wasn¡¯t something that simple healing spells could remove. Great Chu doctors had performed aplex surgery, sustaining his life with their vital force as they excised it. The first procedure, however, hadn¡¯t quite gotten it all. He¡¯d needed another.


    Ji Meng was identical to that tumor.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°Keep watch for me, here,¡± he told his daughter as they came to a spot near the library.


    ¡°Alright,¡± she agreed easily.


    Zen went to a low-lying corridor. Apparently even the birds could be the eyes and ears of Argrave¡¯s forces, so he¡¯d needed to take a long detour toe here. He fit his hand into a recess, and a hidden doorway all toomon in the imperial pce split the wall open. After walking through, he turned it back. No one was the wiser.


    The tunnel beyond was dimly lit, and Zen walked through the corridors with nothing other than his memory to guide. No sound passed through the walls of the pce, so he was alone with his thoughts. Yet in time, he came to arge room with arge table. A hulking man sat cross-legged atop the table¡ªthough perhaps ¡®man¡¯ was the wrong term. No¡ªit was Sataistador, god of war.


    His green eyes fell upon Zen, and the governor felt a chill that no other could inspire. The god said evenly, ¡°If you¡¯vee to see me, I presume you have news.¡±


    ¡°You were right.¡± Zen sped his hands together in some small disy of gratitude. ¡°Argrave agreed.¡±


    Sataistador crossed his arms. ¡°Did he ask for anything more?¡±


    ¡°Details of trade between our nations, and some smallpensation for the deception.¡± Zen shook his head. ¡°Barely merits mentioning.¡±


    ¡°There you have it.¡± Sataistador nodded. ¡°I might¡¯ve spared you even that if I¡¯d gathered information sooner, but it is what it is.¡±


    ¡°You seem more an information broker than a god of war,¡± said Zen, with a pointed question in the statement.


    ¡°The two can be simr. Gerechtigkeit¡ªor as you know it, the test from heaven¡ªdoes require people possess a degree ofpetence. And he learns. The work Erlebnis has done here may have been facilitated, inrge part, due to his efforts.¡± Sataistador shrugged calmly. ¡°I needed to be free for whates next.¡±


    ¡°What doese next?¡± Zen raised a brow.


    Sataistador grabbed a de on his waist, then drew it so cleanly it made no noise at all. Zen restrained himself from stepping back, and was relieved when the god raised his de near his head. With one huge hand, he gathered the thick mane of red hair behind him and severed it cleanly. He held the cut hair firmly, and it began to twist, writhe, and coalesce together. Zen watched with awe as what had been hair became a red dagger that seemed no different than forged metal. Sataistador dropped it with the point facing downward. It pierced the ground, going all the way to its hilt.


    ¡°For you.¡± Sataistador¡¯s hair looked somewhat strange after, but after running his hands through a few times it became natural-looking. ¡°I make one of these weapons every millennium. Why, you ask? Back when I was still a man, my tribe cut our hair to prepare for war.¡±


    Zen took the meaning, inhaling deeply.


    ¡°As you use it, it¡¯ll adapt to best suit how you fight,¡± Sataistador continued. ¡°Magic, hand-to-hand, it doesn¡¯t matter; it¡¯ll shape to your needs.¡± He ran his hands across the other weapons he carried. ¡°Each of these were born looking like that, but in time he¡¯ll grow to suit you. Keep him on you, always.¡±


    Zen kneeled down before the weapon, fearing to touch it. ¡°Him?¡±


    ¡°How can it grow if it isn¡¯t alive? But¡­ like any child, he¡¯s needy. Part from him for even a few minutes, well¡­ you won¡¯t like it. But raise him well, and he can kill gods.¡± The god of war smiled wickedly¡ªafter losing his mane, he appeared ever more savage and vicious. ¡°And if you carry it¡­ I think he will. Soon, even.¡±


    Zen pulled it free, examining it, before looking back up. ¡°Does cutting the beard give me a sheathe?¡±


    Sataistador¡¯s smile faded. ¡°Enjoy the wedding.¡±


    #####


    The pce tour had no end of luxuries to demonstrate to Argrave and all of his guests. It wasn¡¯t difficult to see why Ji Meng had lost the plot, somewhat¡ªand further, why he was content allowing Argrave to run the show as the legitimate power while the emperor remained a figurehead. There was enough in this ce for the emperor to fill up a lifetime. The library alone had enough knowledge to fill centuries.


    But the tour did eventuallye to a close, and they headed for arge, open courtyard for the next performances. It had less structure than the first, and people hung near fences containing the act, milling about and socializing. ¡®Vital force artistry,¡¯ it was called¡ªgreat, glorious disys of highly specialized magic. Argrave, having some mastery of magic, wasn¡¯t impressed by the dancing fire dragons or even the movie-screen like lightning projections¡­ but as a practitioner of magic, he could appreciate just how difficult each act was.


    After working out their strategy for the marriage question, Argrave was able to indulge his own personal curiosity¡ªhe approached Orion, who stood alone.


    ¡°Where did Ji Li go?¡± He asked his brother.


    Orion looked at him. ¡°Some of her rtives pulled her away for some matter¡ªthey were vague about what. I could find her, Your Majesty, in less than a minute.¡±


    ¡°No no no,¡± Argrave said quickly, shaking his head. ¡°How did your walk go?¡±


    ¡°It was t ground¡ªdifficult to stumble. Neither of us tripped. I¡¯d call it a sess, if we¡¯re speaking of walking alone.¡± Orion ran his hand down his beard. ¡°Still, I do feel minutely outssed.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Argrave asked in shock. ¡°You¡¯re kidding, right?¡±


    Above, a great rumble of thunder echoed, and an anglerfish of lightning chased a fox of water.


    ¡°Ji Li ys eight different instruments. Though born without magic, she can transcribe spells up to S-rank and create enchantments of the same caliber. She paints, sculpts, and can perform countless dances, though she has a particr fondness for sword dancing. She¡¯s adept at falconry, and rears half a thousand birds. Whereas I¡­ am a little stronger than most, and can take a lot of damage.¡± Orion¡¯s hand clenched and unclenched.


    ¡°You learned all of that?¡± Argrave looked surprised. Had it been anyone else, he might¡¯ve thought Ji Li was just making things up.


    ¡°I am intended to learn about the other in a partnership, correct, Your Majesty?¡± Orion looked at Argrave, brows furrowed. ¡°Such was advice I received.¡±


    ¡°Well, yeah, but¡­¡± Argrave shrugged. ¡°But did you have fun? Was it a pleasant experience?¡±


    ¡°Pleasant enough,¡± Orion nodded. ¡°I believe I frighten her. And she seems distrustful. She kept asking the same question, as though I was lying to her.¡±


    ¡°What was the question?¡±


    ¡°She asked, ¡®what do I do to enjoy myself?¡¯¡±


    Argrave narrowed his eyes. ¡°And you told her¡­¡±


    ¡°Speak with Vasquer. Help out around ckgard. What I generally do¡ªno doubt Your Majesty has seen me.¡± Orion exined.


    Argrave looked up to the sky, where the fox had finally escaped the anglerfish once and for all and darted up toward the clouds. With a sigh, he said, ¡°Maybe she¡¯ll understand if I say it.¡±


    ¡°Certainly. Your Majesty has a way with words.¡± He nodded seriously. ¡°She also stutters.¡±


    ¡°Stutters?¡± Argrave repeated.


    ¡°When she speaks quickly.¡± Orion nodded. ¡°She got excited speaking of her falcons.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± Argrave shrugged. ¡°Does that bother you?¡±


    ¡°What bothers me is merely that I suspect that¡¯s why her parents suggested the vow of silence to her in our first meeting.¡± Orion looked at him. ¡°Or so Elenore said. I¡¯m actually unsure of it, myself.¡±


    ¡°Elenore? You spoke to her?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Orion said enthusiastically. ¡°She was a tremendous help. I had no clue what to ask. Her words were a lodestar amidst uncertain seas.¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± Argrave said with a knowing nod¡ªnow he was making sense of why Orion had such a rtively normal time. He was about to inquire more, but was interrupted.


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen!¡± a eunuch called out, gently let loudly. ¡°The second meal has been prepared. We have prepared chairs and tables for all¡ªyou need not move from where you stand.¡±


    As countless servants of the pce walked out, each and all doing as the eunuch had instructed, Argrave realized it was time for the second meal¡­ and after this, the opera house. Apparently, Anneliese, Argrave, and his siblings would be sharing a booth with Governor Zen. There, they¡¯d put the final question to rest¡ªhow could theypromise with Zen?


    #####


    Argrave thought he¡¯d seen no end to luxury and decadence after having witnessed the imperial pce, but he was proven wrong when they headed for the Chou Opera House. They began the city tour not on a parade, but on a grand barge that took up the length of the canals throughout Ji. Every single ship had been removed from the canals for them. Low-lying yet wide, it moved throughout the city with citizens looking upon them with a great degree of zeal. They cheered, but from the interior, Argrave could hear little.


    With a brief bit of respite from the constant socializing, Argrave and Anneliese enjoyed their private quarters in the pleasure barge in rtive silence. Eventually, however, they did strategize with Elenore further, who was busy in another boat makingst-minute confirmations with another prominent elven member of their entourage. When the cheers faded, Argrave looked out the window.


    The Chou Opera House, which Argrave had assumed they¡¯d need to exit the boat to reach, sat in the center of ake just outside of the city. It wasn¡¯t on an ind in the middle of theke, but rather, the Chou Opera House itself was a gigantic boat, perhaps evenrger than the Sea Dragon that Argrave had taken. They were given the option to continue on by boat so that they could get closer to the stage, or go to the booths¡ªgiven their date with Zen, the choice was made for them, but Argrave was undeniably curious about what the first option entailed.


    As Argrave was led to a booth on the Chou Opera House, things became clear. The inside of the Chou Opera House was hollow so as to permit boats to sail inside it. As Argrave watched, several barges entered inside the opera house, drifting up until they came just alongside the stage. Several other boats filed in, forming impromptu seats in the calmke. Each and every boat was eerily still, kept suspended by magic. From the booths, though, Argrave could see the whole stage.


    ¡°I always did like a booth. But nothing beats being right by the stage of the opera, aboard my barge.¡±


    Argrave looked back, where Zen entered the room.


    ¡°You can¡¯t quite have serious discussions right next to the stage,¡± Argrave said evenly, turning away from the booth¡¯s window. ¡°Would be rude to the others.¡±


    ¡°The emperor¡¯s done it before. But then, you¡¯re not wrong about the second part.¡±


    As everyone situated themselves in the huge booth, a lone woman walked out onto the opera¡¯s stage. She shouted, ¡°Please, greet the actors! Each and all are honored to perform here today!¡±


    Argrave took his seat idly and watched, joined by Anneliese and Elenore to his right while Orion and Governor Zen sat to his left. The opera, like the puppet show earlier this morning, was about Argrave and Emperor Ji Meng. Tired of reliving the same old tired story, he intended to ignore it. Argrave liked himself well enough, but this was too much of a good thing.


    The governor began, ¡°So¡­ you¡¯ve seen all my kin, all my family. Perhaps you¡¯d best start with thoughts. I¡¯ll be blunt: who do you fancy?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be blunter¡ªmy presence here, long-term, is going to be minimal,¡± Argrave answered quickly. ¡°This ce, for all its glitter and mor, simply isn¡¯t my home. ying gods in my primary purpose here. Once it¡¯s done, there¡¯s the bigger matter. Gerechtigkeit. But the infrastructure here¡­ it¡¯s given both me and my sister a great deal to think about.¡± He shook his head. ¡°I digress. Point being¡­ you won¡¯t be dealing with me.¡±


    ¡°Who will I be dealing with?¡± Zen indulged patiently.


    ¡°My father-inw,¡± Argrave exined. ¡°Patriarch Dras.¡±


    ¡°Dras has¡­ incredibly high standards,¡± Anneliese added. ¡°Unreasonably so. Perhaps you should¡¯ve had those¡­ women¡­ audition for him,¡± she said, finally letting some of her annoyance out.


    ¡°I agree,¡± Argrave nodded, but as he watched the stage, he paused his words.


    The announcer shouted, ¡°ying Grand Commandant Sun¡­!¡±


    Argrave saw an ufortably familiar face ying himself. One that definitely didn¡¯t belong.

 Chapter 577: Shadow Over Pleasantry

    Good King Norman.


    Last Argrave saw of him, Norman hadn¡¯t face enough to be recognizable. He had made sure the man perished¡ªcrushed his skull with the most powerful spell he could muster as Traugott tried to spirit him away into the Shadonds. Now Norman struck a rather eye-catching image, being the only one of the actors in the yrgely unadorned with the makeup the other actors bore, perhaps to disy that his ethnicity differed from the audience¡¯s. He was also a fair bit taller than most, but then the people of the Great Chu seemed to be shorter on average.


    What was this? A message? A setup? It simply didn¡¯t make sense for Norman to be here, alive and well, and acting in a high-ss opera in the heart of the Great Chu. Did things run deeper than he ever could have imagined¡ªwas Sataistador in cahoots with not only Governor Zen, but Traugott? The former Magister of the Order certainly fit the god of war¡¯s criteria for an ally¡ªhe had no trouble destroying things, even entire cities, in his pursuit of his objectives.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    If that was the case, several things needed to happen. Wedding be damned¡ªthey couldn¡¯t stay here. This was dangerous. If Traugott had infiltrated this area, the whole of it could be unsafe. But not only here¡ªeverywhere. They had taken ample measures to protect ckgard, and Vasilisa had been assigned as Sophia¡¯s guardian¡ªthat woman had blocked Traugott from acting once before in defense of Elenore¡­ but with so much happening, Zen, Sataistador, and Traugott¡­ it was a whirlwind that Argrave wasn¡¯t willing to tolerate.


    ¡°Argrave? Argrave!¡± Anneliese shook Argrave¡¯s arm, finally drawing him out of his rapid-fire thoughts.


    He looked at her, only now realizing he clenched the armrest of the chair tight enough to crush the wood into splinters. He rxed his grip. ¡°You see it, don¡¯t you?¡± He asked her in a low whisper.


    Anneliese looked over, then back at Argrave. ¡°Yes. But he¡­ hecks what Norman possessed. That abyss within, that power.¡±


    ¡°That makes a difference?¡± He whispered tersely, prepared to move. He watched Orion walk to the edge of the booth, gripping it in preparation to move and do something.


    ¡°Is something the matter?¡± Governor Zen asked, in a tone that suggested he was truly ignorant and confused about the way they were acting. ¡°Does something about the performance disturb you?¡±


    Argrave looked at him, scrutinizing his features intently as he judged what to do next. Sataistador was one thing, Zen another¡ªbut Traugott? The governor and the god were reasonable actors. They had unideal goals, but they could be counted on to act in certain ways. Traugott, however¡­ he was an utterly irrational sociopath with unknown goals.


    Zen must¡¯ve interpreted something about the way Argrave was looking at him, because he stood up from his seat and backed away. He pulled back his robe slightly, saying, ¡°Let¡¯s be calm. I don¡¯t think I said anything untoward.¡±


    Argrave spotted a red dagger, well-concealed in the governor¡¯s robes. Elenore¡¯s voice cut into his head as he observed it, her voice asking insistently, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Good King Norman¡¯s down on that stage. ying me,¡± he informed her sinctly, recalling she had never before seen the Good King. ¡°Traugott took Norman¡¯s corpse, back then. Meaning Traugott must be involved, somehow. We¡¯re isted out here. We need to leave.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s calm down,¡± Elenore consoled him. ¡°We have half a thousand other powerful people in this opera house, right now. Anyone acts rashly¡ªeven if Traugott summons one of those creatures that graced the capital, or Sandbara¡ªwe¡¯re safest here.¡±


    Argrave turned his head away from the governor, but kept him in his peripherals as he discussed with Elenore. ¡°Could be trying to wipe us out in one fell swoop. Either way, I don¡¯t like it.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve had people watching us the whole time,¡± Elenore insisted. ¡°Half a dozen users of druidic magic. Patriarch Dras¡¯ own people are scouting; even the gods are trailing us. I understand your caution, but let¡¯s slow the pace and try to learn what in the zes is going on.¡±


    Argrave tapped the side of the booth a few times, mulling her words in his head. After a few moments, he epted that she was right. They needed to learn what, exactly, was going on. Offending Governor Zen, furthermore, wouldn¡¯t be a good thing, especially not at this pivotal moment. When he looked deeper, too, he felt some of that primal fear that the Good King Norman invoked in him, even all this time after he¡¯d been dead and gone. Rationally¡­ he should stay.


    ¡°I apologize, Governor Zen. My thoughts went away from me when I saw someone from my homnd that I recognize.¡± He turned his head, where the governor rxed his posture slightly at his non-threatening tone. ¡°You¡¯ve organized this entire wedding. And someone I¡¯d call a nemesis is standing on that stage, ying me. I¡¯d like you to tell me what¡¯s happening. Now,¡± he said, amiably and politely¡­ yet he certainly wasn¡¯t asking.


    The governor looked to the stage with some degree of shock, studying Norman briefly before looking back to Argrave. ¡°You understand¡­ I¡¯m uninvolved with the show, the actors. I merely paid the Chou Opera House to put on this performance. Maestro Baobao operates the entire troupe.¡±


    Argrave looked at Anneliese, but she gave no indication Zen was lying. He looked back at the governor. ¡°Where is this Baobao?¡±


    ¡°You want to speak to him now?¡± Zen said cautiously.


    ¡°I want to jam nails through his hands until he tells me why that man is here. But that¡¯d be somewhat impolite for our first meeting, so talking will suffice.¡± Argrave straightened. ¡°Considering you¡¯re the one paying his bill, you can make that happen, I trust?¡±


    Zen cautiously asked, ¡°What about our conversation?¡±


    Argrave looked at Elenore. ¡°Anneliese and my sister can speak for me. Patriarch Dras can join you,ter. But I want to see the Maestro, and I won¡¯t be able to speak about anything else until I do.¡±


    Zen looked between them, then slowly gave a nod. ¡°I¡¯ll have one of my people bring you to him. Considering we¡¯re in the middle of a performance, it may be difficult to speak to him.¡±


    ¡°What about me, Argrave?¡± Orion asked in concern.


    ¡°Stay here. I¡¯ll be fine on my own.¡± He tapped the Ravenstone dangling from his neck, then followed Zen as the man went to help Argrave in his task.


    As he exited the booth, he spoke to the Alchemist. ¡°Did you hear all of that?¡±


    ¡°You need to capture the actor alive¡ªthat¡¯s the most paramount. If I have him, I can study him. If I can study him, I can help you,¡± the Alchemist responded at once.


    ¡°My thoughts exactly.¡±


    #####


    Soon enough, Argrave was brought before this Maestro Baobao in the back, where half a thousand props and stage setting itemsnguished unused. The man, as befitted the troupe he ran, was extremely mboyant. Garbed only in feathers, he was fat and bald and had a face that seemed exceptionally babyish. If Argrave didn¡¯t know better, he¡¯d suspect the man was a eunuch with a unique style¡ªbut Argrave wasn¡¯t exceptionally interested in examining the man further.


    Once Governor Zen¡¯s person exined why the Maestro was being pulled away from his performance, the fat man fluttered and said sweetly, ¡°Grand Commandant, if there¡¯s any problem with the performance¡ªany problem with the portrayal¡ªI am willing to make amends. But please, the show¡­!¡±


    Argrave cut past the babble and said firmly, ¡°Where did you hire the man ying me? Where did you find him? Why is he here?¡±


    ¡°Xueyan?¡± The maestro rubbed his hands together. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m not entirely sure where he came from, Grand Commandant. He was a part of a travelling troupe of entertainers¡ªhe had joined it to be put on disy as a passing oddity, but one of my people noticed he had a talent for performance¡ªa ir for the dramatic, your lordship. His rhyming tongue astounds even our veteran performers, he has top notch improvisation, and his novel appearance draws sizable crowds on slower nights. It was never out intention to put one of your people on disy, if that is the issue¡­ indeed, you might say we were paying respects to¡ª"


    ¡°How did this travelling troupe find him?¡± Argrave questioned without missing a beat.


    ¡°Apparently, they found him on the eastern beaches¡ªI¡¯m not familiar with the specifics, your lordship¡­¡± the man blubbered.


    Argrave nodded and said firmly, ¡°Tell me who among your performers rmended him. And tell me the travelling troupe he was with, before this. I¡¯ll be waiting here for the performance to end, to speak to this Xue...¡± Argrave trailed off.


    ¡°Xueyan,¡± the maestro finished. ¡°Your lordship¡­ all due respect, but these are my performers. Even for a servant of the son of heaven¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll bepensated,¡± Argrave promised. ¡°Governor Zen will take care of it.¡±


    ¡°Even still¡­ to give up one of my own¡­? My other performers, they¡¯re close-knit. The damage this could cause to my reputation¡­¡±


    Argrave touched the Ravenstone and released the Alchemist, and the towering abomination stood tall in the room, drawing the eyes of dozens of actors and helpers. As people panicked, Argrave gripped the maestro¡¯s shoulder, tired of ying around.


    ¡°You can bepensated for giving me Xueyan, and you can go throughout your day happy and healthy. Or I can have the army seize Xueyan, and you can be markedly less so,¡± Argrave exined. ¡°End result is the same either way. This is an imperial matter. And you wouldn¡¯t want to interfere with the son of heaven, would you?¡±


    Maestro Baobao shook his head. ¡°Of course not. Never.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll wait until the performance is over, alright? Now, in the meanwhile, those names I asked for earlier¡­ you¡¯ll tell me everyone who was involved in this.¡±


    #####


    After calming down from the frenzied drive forward he¡¯d received after learning of Norman¡¯s presence, Argrave did think to ask some prudent questions. He mentioned the name Norman to the Maestro, but it¡¯d never been used¡ªeveryone called him by the name the troupe had given him, Xueyan, or more often just ¡®red-eyes.¡¯ From what Argrave heard, it had to be the same person¡ªthis Xueyan retained the same penchant for rhyming when he was just talking, the same as Good King Norman.


    But at the same time¡­ an actor? It was an ill-fitting career for someone who used to be a conqueror, someone who sold his children to dark forces. The odds that Norman, even if he had lost his memories or something simr, winded up here, tonight¡­ no, it was too far-fetched to be a coincidence. This was a deliberate message¡ªit had to be. What that message was, who knows¡­ but Argrave intended to find out.


    In time, waiting backstage, the performance ended. Argrave doubted he could¡¯ve appreciated it, agitated as he was, but things had a mind of their own. Soon enough, the actors filtered out one-by-one. Argrave had long ago recalled the Alchemist so as not to frighten them. The maestro went out of his way to grab ¡®Xueyan¡¯ and shepherd him forward. Argraveid eyes upon the man who, without a doubt, matched the Good King Norman of his memory.


    ¡°Remember me?¡± Argrave asked, stepping forward. ¡°Or drawing a nk? It doesn¡¯t matter, I suppose¡­¡±

 Chapter 578: Union of Sun and Moon

    ¡°I¡¯ve told you everything that I can remember,¡± the man who went by Xueyan pleaded.


    Strangely, Argrave hoped that the man would be a constant rhymer, if only so he could have some vague tie to Norman even despite the strange situation. Apparently he could rhyme, but didn¡¯t always do so. The more questions Argrave asked, the more of a dead end that he reached. Frustrating as it was, he¡¯d gotten the full story from Maestro Baobao, and this empty shell bearing Norman¡¯s visage told no more stories.


    Xueyan had woke up on the eastern shores of the Great Chu without so much as a memory of his own name. He knew how to speak, how to live, but little more than that. He was taken in by a local vige, then joined a travelling troupe, then joined the opera. A set of happy coincidences¡­ but Argrave couldn¡¯t believe things aligned that perfectly. Someone was pulling the strings. Erlebnis? Sataistador?


    ¡°I don¡¯t think he lies,¡± said Anneliese begrudgingly. ¡°Your memory of this man is likely better than mine, but they do look identical. I believe that is where the simrities end.¡±


    ¡°Do you know me? My real name, my memories?¡± Xueyan asked urgently, his haunting red eyes looking between them.


    Argrave looked at the man, wanting to call him Norman. He felt what was almost an instinct to fight him. But in the end, Argrave suppressed these thoughts, turned around, and looked up. There, the Alchemist waited for his signal. With the slightest of nods from Argrave, he was spurred into action. Almost faster than Argrave could see, the Alchemist knocked Xueyan unconscious with a spell.


    ¡°I¡¯ll find out any secrets he holds,¡± the Alchemist promised, stepping past Argrave. ¡°Refrain from putting me in the stone for the time being. I would not wish to move him from this location too quickly. Tell Elenore to contact Stain.¡±


    Argrave gave onest look at Xueyan¡ªNorman¡ªthen turned around with a grim shake of his head. ¡°I want to know anything you learn.¡±


    ¡°And you will,¡± the Alchemist vowed.


    Argrave walked away, and Anneliese joined him. She exined what he¡¯d missed, searching for answers down here. ¡°Governor Zen was contented being foisted off to court Patriarch Dras instead of us. Once he learned the Veidimen were our allies rather than subjects, he almost seemed eager to proposition the elf. But the governor underestimates the steadfastness of our people. Dras won¡¯t give him anything.¡±


    ¡°Mention anything to him about the Pce of Heaven?¡± Argrave asked.


    ¡°No, only that the ns woulde after the wedding ceremony.¡± Anneliese opened a door, and they marched up the stairs of the opera houses back to the now-empty booths. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t be too far behind. A boat is waiting for us.¡±


    Argrave and her walked in silence through thergely-empty opera house, but eventually he broke the silence. ¡°Have you noticed anything strange?¡±


    ¡°Despite my efforts, no.¡± Anneliese inhaled, then held out Rowe¡¯s staff. ¡°Rowe tasked me with killing Traugott. I bring this everywhere for that reason. I¡¯ve been searching for him frantically, ready to draw it. Even Traugott wouldn¡¯t be fearless enough to appear here. He¡¯d die in seconds. Even I might sumb, empowered as I am.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Argrave looked at her. ¡°Sounds like something¡¯s troubling you.¡±


    She smiled bitterly¡ªan expression Argrave had often made when Anneliese had read his emotions, without a doubt. ¡°I don¡¯t feel it will be as straightforward as with Dimocles.¡± Anneliese looked into one of the empty booths, and the waterlogged stage beneath it. ¡°Traugott is older. I think he¡¯s smarter. And his A-rank ascension¡­ it disquiets me. When we were in Sandbara, and I looked into the gaping hole that Traugott created¡­¡± she trailed off.


    Argrave stopped and looked at her. ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    She paused with him and looked back. ¡°I¡¯ve looked upon gods with my [Truesight]. Sophia¡¯s strange power, the Alchemist¡­ all manner of things.¡± Anneliese shook her head. ¡°But I saw only darkness when peering into the Shadonds. Alongside this darkness, there was a festering voice telling me to stop looking. I was never able to work out if those were my thoughts, or something else¡¯s. It has frightened me beyondpare.¡±


    Argrave studied her for some time. He could tell she was bothered by this, but she¡¯d never mentioned it to this point. That, in itself, told of how deep her concern was. She was open about nearly everything, but this had taken some time toe out.


    He asked, ¡°Do you remember anything else?¡±


    Anneliese¡¯s amber eyes went distant as she lost herself to that memory, then she nodded. ¡°A hound.¡±


    ¡°A hound?¡± Argrave narrowed his eyes, then thought deeply. ¡°I can¡¯t remember anything like that. But the Shadonds have all kinds of creatures. Who¡¯s to say you didn¡¯t see another one of them?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t see anything,¡± she shook her head. ¡°But that¡¯s what I remember, nheless. A hound. The impression is seared into my memory.¡± She gestured on. ¡°We¡¯re wasting time. Let¡¯s not hold things up further.¡±


    #####


    They departed back to the imperial pce aboard a barge that¡¯d waited behind for them. The canals were still clear of any traffic, so it didn¡¯t take long to return. Fortunately, he¡¯d not missed any of his brother¡¯s ceremony¡ªthere was still some downtime before that could happen. Indeed, there was downtime enough for the Alchemist to return to them urgently, bearing some news.


    His rapid flight to the pce had drawn some concern from the pce guard, but Argrave prudently recalled him inside the Ravenstone and exined to the guards the existence of his guardian. Along the way, he clutched the Ravenstone, listening to what the Alchemist had to say.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t leave Xueyan there, I hope?¡± Argrave asked him.


    ¡°I delivered him to the one called Stain,¡± the Alchemist exined. ¡°I will be brief, because I intend to return to this research as soon as I possibly can. The empty shell¡ªit was created using a power like Sophia¡¯s.¡±


    Argrave was stunned into silence for a long while, then felt some cold anger surface. ¡°You¡¯re sure of that?¡±


    ¡°There is no doubt. Xueyan, just as those dolls, just as ¡®Castro,¡¯ was created. I believe there are subtle differences in the methods, but the oue is without doubt.¡±


    Argrave inhaled deeply. ¡°What does that mean for us?¡±


    ¡°My hypothesis? Appreciably little,¡± the Alchemist said calmly. ¡°There is a reason why the man you see retains all the features Norman had. And that is because Norman is all Traugott will be capable of creating. He has a temte in Norman¡¯s corpse. But the raw materials¡­ I see the flesh of half a dozen different men and women, jammed together haphazardly in mimicry of their mold. I see a soul born from shattered remnants of several others. But this moldcks that special spark that Sophia possesses¡ªthat undeniable power, welling within her.¡±


    Argrave sifted through the words, searching for the heart of them. ¡°Meaning¡­ the only thing Traugott can make is empty shells that look like Norman?¡±


    ¡°I suspect so,¡± the Alchemist confirmed. ¡°That may change, minutely, as the man refines his methods. But ultimately, it¡¯s nothing more sophisticated than the chimeras that I can already create. No one can truly imitate Sophia¡¯s power of creation. They can only make copies of what she¡¯s already created.¡±


    Argrave felt a degree of unease and relief in equal measure. Traugott was proving to be among the cleverest foes that Argrave had faced¡ªcleverest mortals, at least. Argrave tried to ensure that he didn¡¯t have any repeat encounters with enemies¡­ no one to bear a grudge,e back prepared. Yet countless times, Traugott had escaped him. He hoped, for their sake, Anneliese did have her opportunity to kill him.


    ¡°Do not rx quite yet,¡± the Alchemist said. ¡°There was a message within his kidneys. This is the reason I deigned to return at all.¡±


    Argrave tried to take most things the Alchemist said in stride, but paused for half a second upon hearing that. ¡°In his kidneys?¡±


    ¡°Someone ced a metal tube within one kidney. It preserved a paper. It requested your presence at a certain location in the Great Chu.¡±


    Argrave felt a rush of distrust, yet with it in equal measure, a rush of ambition. He expected a trap¡ªsomething unideal, to understate what might be waiting. Yet at the same time, Traugott had disyed ample arrogance, appearing before Argrave and Orion alone and trusting his ability to escape them by vanishing into the Shadonds. If Anneliese could lock him down¡­ what better opportunity did they have to end him? But then, perhaps Argrave¡¯s eyes wererger than his stomach. Sataistador, Erlebnis, Kirel Qircassia, and now Traugott¡­ a veritable buffet of foes.


    ¡°You have that paper with you, I hope.¡± Argrave said simply. He had too many thoughts to parse through at the moment.


    ¡°I do. Now release me, and I shall return to further dissect this body.¡±


    ¡°Body? What have you¡­?¡± Argrave asked, but shook his head. ¡°No¡ªit doesn¡¯t matter. I leave his fate to your discretion. This time.¡± He released the Alchemist from the Ravenstone near the entrance to the imperial pce.


    ¡°My discretion? It seems you learn.¡± The Alchemist handed Argrave the iron tube, unlocked with the note within it still, then left into the dusk.


    #####


    Though Argrave couldn¡¯t deny he was far more focused on the incredibly distracting happenings, he tried his best to be mentally present for the wedding ceremony itself. The note contained little more information than what the Alchemist had conveyed¡ªa request, a location, and a time two days from now. With no other hints, Argrave put it aside. Hopefully, Elenore¡¯s investigation would bear fruit. But Traugott was as fleeting as a shadow.


    Bride and groom, previously donning their own garb, received outfits in an extremely bright red. Orion¡¯s outfit looked somewhat tight, yet it suited Ji Li rather well. The ceremony was held in the throne room, with the emperor acting as the officiator. They waited for the suns to fully disappear and the red moon to shine bright. Then, with the Great Chu¡¯s symbol watching above, bride and groom walked into the throne room while all the guests waited on the sidelines. The vows had been discussed beforehand¡ªthey were in Great Chund, so they performed Great Chu vows. Besides, Orion found them fitting.


    Ji Li swore to the son of heaven and her ancestors that she would be faithful and true, and would maintain his household and persist in her wifely duties no matter what came. Orion swore upon Vasquer, both the kingdom and his ancestor, to maintain Ji Li¡¯s honor and dignity, and to protect her from all manner of harm. It seemed somewhat controversial among some he did not swear to the emperor, but despite that, Ji Meng blessed their marriage, pronouncing them man and wife.


    Rather than give her the Vasquer name¡ªmost present didn¡¯t even know it¡ªJi Li became Sun Li. The couple had obtained the permission of the living, but now they needed to call upon that of the dead. Empress Tai Si, wearing a veil of ck that descended to the ground, led Orion and Sun Li into the crypts. There, Sun Li would ask her ancestors for approval.


    After, Orion would take her to his homnd to ask his ancestors for their approval. If he could talk, Felipe III might not give it. Most of their forefathers might not approve. But the only one that actually had a say¡ªthe ancient Gilderwatcher, Vasquer¡ªprobably would. Not that Sun Li could hear her voice, of course. Orion¡¯s mother was intended to lead their journey home, and though her mental state had been improving, it wasn¡¯t yet enough to let her perform that role.


    For all intents and purposes, the marriage was sealed. Orion was now a married man. It marked the Great Chu, this indomitable nation, as fully under the thumb of the ckgard Union. Some great many tribtions awaited them¡ªthreats from above, in the Pce of Heaven, from their ¡®allies¡¯ in Sataistador, and in the shadows from Traugott. But Argrave felt his allies were every bit the match.

 Chapter 579: Fleshy Bait On a Hook of Words

    Two days had passed since Orion¡¯s wedding. These days were moments of respite, even amidst the bombardment from the sky tower above. Elenore had taken further measures behind the scenes to ensure the governor would be punished if he stepped out of line, but for now, they had contented him. The emperor was again drinking Ebonice tea, and Zen took this as a sign that they had neutered him. It was enough to earn his cooperation. But he wouldn¡¯t be content to keep Ji Meng alive forever, and that was certainly something to consider.


    Now, two matters loomed above this day while Orion brought Sun Li back to their homnd. The first was the strategy discussion for the taking of the Pce of Heaven. They had all but confirmed Governor Zen was working with Sataistador. Without proof, they weren¡¯t yet ready to take this suspicion to the gods of the ckgard Union, so for now they operated under the radar. As for the other matter¡­ the alleged meeting with Traugott was intended to take ce today.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Elenore¡¯s investigation of the fake Norman¡¯s rapid arrival in the opera house had reached a dead end. It had ended because all the members of the travelling troupe that Xueyan had been sourced from had been in to thest man. Traugott hadn¡¯t been subtle with them. They were burnt to crisps in the middle of the night, and with them, any further insights into his methods orwork died. They investigated peripheral people, but garnered little information from them. Anyone who might¡¯ve had more information either vanished or died mysteriously.


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


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


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


    ¡°It¡¯d be hard to resupply. But then with Erlebnis as the garrison, supply wouldn¡¯t matter¡­ they don¡¯t eat.¡± Argrave shook his head. He hoped Gmon might contribute, but the snow elf stared at the painted table in silence. ¡°We have wyverns. They can be some edge for us in the ascent.¡±


    Governor Zen stroked his sharp beard. ¡°Do you think the fortress hasn¡¯t dealt with fliers before, or dealt with supply constraints? There¡¯s a vast food store beneath the castle: edible cave fungus. Unmorous fare, but it never rots, grows slowly year by year¡­ they couldst for decades, eating that. As for your wyverns, the same person that built the divine-warding array beneath the imperial pce built something else up here.¡± The governor looked at them. ¡°The Stormfield.¡±


    Anneliese perked up, asking, ¡°What might that be?¡±


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


    Argrave looked to Anneliese. ¡°You heard what she did, didn¡¯t you? She¡¯s well used to assaults like that.¡±


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you listening?¡± Elenore chided. ¡°The man never said it created elements. He said it called upon them.¡±


    Anneliese nodded in agreement. ¡°Meaning¡­ my [Life Cycle] may not be able to sap power from any spells that strike my wards.¡± She looked at the governor. ¡°You studied this array¡ªare the attacks that assail assaulting armies imbued with magic¡ªexcuse me, vital force?¡± she corrected her terminology for the presentpany.


    Gmon continued to stare at the map in silence as Governor Zen thought of his answer.


    ¡°No. The Stormfield calls upon the environment¡ªit never creates any spells.¡± The governor shook his head. ¡°If you need the presence of vital force to use your A-rank ascension, it¡¯ll be useless here.¡±


    ¡°There are other ways to utilize my power¡­¡± Anneliese bit her nails, thinking hard.


    ¡°Impractical, janky ways,¡± Argrave supplied. ¡°But you said it uses fire, ice¡ªif thises from the environment, there has to be limits to what it can do, how long it canst.¡±


    ¡°Ites in waves.¡± The governor walked around the table, exining. ¡°Lightning is constant, and remains the deadliest of the attacks. First, it istes and extracts heat from the air and whips up ice storms from the skies and snow dotting the peak. Deadly shards of ice move fast enough to pierce hardened steel. When no more ice shards exist, the heat is manipted until the air itself catches fire.¡±


    ¡°Air can¡¯t catch fire,¡± Argrave interrupted.


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen otherwise,¡± Zen dismissed him in turn. As Argrave considered the implications¡ªperhaps the fungal cave beneath and some gases within had something to do with this¡ªthe governor continued. ¡°The fire generally turns all the ice into steam. And from the steames deadly assaults from condensed water from everywhere all at once. Mysteriously, all of the heat drains away, and the ice recrystallizes. From there, this cycle persists. Meanwhile, those within the Pce of Heaven exist in a temperate, pleasant climate, caked in wards of the highest caliber and with stone unbroken since their cement. There are countless other measures to prevent approach¡ªleast of all, a constant pressure the walls exert the closer one walks.¡±


    Argrave couldn¡¯t begin to imagine what that would be like¡ªa constant cycle of hot and cold, lightning raining down all the while. But there had to be a source, a limit, a fuel. Power, especially not power of that magnitude, didn¡¯te without an end. It might be ridiculously efficient, but it had to end. And there had to be some trick to it, some method that might be exploited. If these processes of transformation could be interrupted¡­


    ¡°Has the Stormfield ever stopped?¡± Anneliese asked, giving voice to his thoughts. ¡°During a siege, I mean.¡±


    ¡°Magic is its fuel. It¡¯ll cease only briefly, when the director of the array runs out of magic.¡± Zen shook his head grimly. ¡°But considering who mans it now, I doubt that¡¯ll be a problem. Even if the Stormfield didn¡¯t exist, Erlebnis and all of his divine servants remain within that fortress. It¡¯s resisted the siege of gods with far lesser upants. Once, an emperor protected it alone against an ancient god until reinforcements arrived.¡±


    Argrave looked at Anneliese. ¡°Even if we do disarm the Stormfield somehow, Erlebnis has seen you fight without a doubt. He won¡¯t have his emissaries attack our armies. He¡¯ll do it himself, with his own power, so you can¡¯t stand at the front and absorb it harmlessly.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m no strategist. But it sounds like you and your blood echoes will be pivotal for this, Argrave.¡± Elenore crossed her arms, leaning up against the painted table. ¡°No one else can attack so safely into the heart of enemy defenses from afar.¡±


    Gmon finally moved, drawing two blue daggers from their sheathes and cing them atop the table. Argrave recognized them quickly¡ªthe Giantkillers. They¡¯d taken those two daggers from a location that might be deemed somewhat simr to the Pce of Heaven. Atop a mountain fortress, these daggers had actually been the spearheads of giant golems.


    And they could catch lightning, storing it for one devastating attack.


    Argrave walked up to the daggers and looked at them. ¡°I guess these would make the best of a bad situation¡­¡±


    ¡°Is the fortress vulnerable to tunneling?¡± Gmon questioned.


    ¡°The Stormfield copses any tunnels that draw close enough. It keeps the whole mountain stable.¡± Zen waited expectantly for further questions.


    ¡°Wyverns are useless here.¡± Gmon leaned in. ¡°Two armies, on foot, will take both passes. Veid and I shall lead one. Law and Argrave shall lead another. A straightforward assault.¡±


    Argrave didn¡¯t exactly drop his jaw in surprise. They had received some information about the Pce of Heaven, and knew there were two paths. Dividing forces might seem imprudent¡­ but then, that was what they wanted it to be. Sataistador might be enticed to betray if their forces were divided, oneing from the north and the other from the south.


    ¡°Only on foot? And an assault, no less¡ªnot a siege?¡± Argrave had to ask, unsure of the reasoning behind his old friend¡¯s n.


    ¡°ce was designed for attrition. We fight that way, we y their game,¡± he dered, voice chillingly low.


    ¡°Assaulting seems like we¡¯re ying their game, too,¡± Governor Zen argued. ¡°No matter how skilled our spellcasters are¡ª¡±


    ¡°Spellcasters believe they¡¯re the only ones suited to use spirits. In most cases, I wouldn¡¯t argue the point.¡± He looked at Argrave. ¡°But the dwarves have their ways. I¡¯ve experienced that firsthand.¡±


    Argrave¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°You want to empower warriors with spirits?¡±


    ¡°Mmm.¡± Gmon nodded, then nted his finger atop the Pce of Heaven on the map. ¡°Small squad. Veidimen, maybe Orion, too. I¡¯ve never considered it because it¡¯s wasteful. But here¡­ could be useful. We¡¯d be strong enough to break steel with our fingers alone.¡±


    ¡°Could be the edge we need,¡± Elenore nodded, impressed. ¡°How does this work, exactly?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t know how, but I know what it does. When I returned to Veiden to help Dras, there was an ice wraith. Tough creatures. Rowe was upied with another matter, and two other S-rank spellcasters couldn¡¯t hunt it.¡± Gmon closed his eyes, recalling things. ¡°Went underground, trying to set traps in itsir. Met a dwarf. Anestis. Showed me a strange construction¡ªwe have some.¡±


    ¡°The dwarven spirit collectors,¡± Argrave filled in for him.


    ¡°Right,¡± Gmon nodded. ¡°Dwarves aren¡¯t magically talented, by andrge, but they learned how to imnt spirits into the flesh. Bestows incredible strength¡ªsurpassing Orion¡¯s, even. I broke down a giant wall with nothing but my own body.¡±


    ¡°It also generally kills those who consume as many spirits as you did.¡± Argrave looked at him. ¡°Did you forget that detail? Did you forget that you of all people were rendered bedridden after using it? You can take arrows to the chest and be fine by nightfall, but doing that knocked you out cold for days. You nearly died.¡±


    Gmon straightened, standing to his imposing height. ¡°Veid is with us. Her presence blesses us all with indefatigability and total unity in battle.¡±


    ¡°Does that mean they won¡¯t die?¡± Argrave asked.


    Gmon shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s doubtful. But the Veidimen are warriors, and this is war.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough,¡± Argrave conceded with a shake of his head. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t change the fact that Erlebnis is still there.¡±


    ¡°And powerful gods have thrown themselves against the walls of the pce before.¡± Zen scrutinized the table closely. ¡°No matter how powerful they were¡­ fist and metal, bows and arrows, wind and sand, and still it stands.¡±


    Gmon stared at the painting of the Pce of Heaven, not even deigning to look up as he dered, ¡°They were not Veidimen.¡±


    #####


    Baiting Sataistador wasn¡¯t something that they could rush, but Argrave felt they had a very solid start to it. Whatever requests or alterations Zen brought, they¡¯d be able to view that through the lens of the god of war influencing the words of the governor. Still, they had a solid foundation; a juicy bait, as it were. They were dividing their armies in two. The words ¡®divide and conquer¡¯ were famous for a reason. Argrave hoped Sataistador agreed.


    But now, it was time for them to confront the second matter on today¡¯s agenda. The meeting with Traugott. The location he¡¯d requested was incredibly strange. It was a crematorium. But the crematoriums of the Great Chu were different than the one Argrave remembered, from back home.

 Chapter 580: Slurry of Ash and Blood

    ¡°It¡¯s safe,¡± the Alchemist dered. A birdnded on his huge finger. His druidic bond had scouted the whole of the crematorium. ¡°Nevertheless, watch the shadows.¡±


    Argrave descended down into the crematorium, shadowed by Anneliese and Gmon. The Alchemist was thest to follow, ducking low andpressing his body to avoid the low-lying roof. They weren¡¯t the only ones present, however; nearly all of Argrave¡¯s most potent forces had been brought to bear, but remained outside. If Traugott was within, he wasn¡¯t going to escape.


    Once inside¡­ Argrave smelled blood. The scent was thick enough to be nauseating. He looked to the Alchemist. ¡°You¡¯re sure we¡¯re safe?¡±


    ¡°Only the dead within, along with some animals. I saw nothing mortal,¡± the Alchemist confirmed, then cast a spell to light the way.


    Argrave considered having Anneliese perform another scouting journey. Ultimately, he left the matter to the Alchemist¡¯s discretion, yet kept in mind that terrible scent as he proceeded. Looking right and left, there wererge pits of ash covered by ss in recesses along the pathway. Flowers, jewels, and gemstones had been ced atop the translucent covering. Each of the pits had a que next to them. Entire families were buried here, joining their ancestors in death. The people of the Great Chu believed the dead could get lost without their ancestors to guide them to the heavens¡ªas it was in life, so it was in death; one¡¯s parents taught the way of the world.


    Some of these pits, however, had been opened. Ash¡ªand fresh ash, which was apparent just by looking at it¡ªoverflowed out of many. There were small puddles of blood dotted all along, and Argrave saw crematory pits that had been used not too long ago. When they finally came to the central room, Argrave began to make sense of where the thick smell of blood came from.


    There was arge pit in the center, with an iron grate instead of ss like all the others. The que before it was giant, and told that those cremated here were those without a family that still deserved the guidance of the dead. Now, however, it was a muddy slush of ash and blood that made Argrave¡¯s stomach uneasy. It wasn¡¯t immediately apparent where all of this blood hade from.


    Argrave rubbed at his nose, then said angrily, ¡°We should turn back, stop indulging this fucking psycho. I don¡¯t want to y these mind games. Nothing he can say can be worth enduring this.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll proceed alone, then. I have some questions.¡± The Alchemist stepped onto the grate, looking back as if daring Argrave toply with what he¡¯d said.


    Argrave was sorely tempted to turn around and leave. But ultimately, the Alchemist¡¯s insistence and his own desire to put an end to whoever would do something like this spurred him forward.


    As they continued onward into the next pathway, it became evident where all of the blood hade from. Body parts lined the shelves and dotted the floors. They were each and all incredibly simr to one another, almost repeating infinitely. Though he had an inkling of whose they might be, he soon had confirmation when he saw the Good King Norman¡¯s head on a shelf, red eyes staring forward lifelessly. No one had the gall to speak in this ce. Even the Alchemist seemed silenced by this horror show, but no words needed to be exchanged. They all knew.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    This ce, without a doubt, was Traugott¡¯s workshop.


    For the first few rows of burial chambers, blood overflowed from within the ash pits, making a grotesque mire of red and gray¡­ but before long viscera was everywhere, soaking the walls and floors without any restraint. Argrave could picture what happened in his head¡ªat the front of the crematorium, Traugott had at first diligently disposed of his experiments with fire. But as he continued on, he grew frustrated andzy. He cast away the excess from his twisted projects haphazardly, in pursuit of an answer¡ªwhat the question was, Argrave didn¡¯t know.


    Argrave didn¡¯t need to ask where the bastard was getting the body parts from. He suspected if Elenore looked into things, she¡¯d find countless vanished persons around the perimeter. These people, what with the war going on¡­ they¡¯d never stood a chance against the former Magister of the Gray Owl. He must¡¯ve killed hundreds, maybe thousands. All slipped beneath the cracks, squeezed between two sides. Another consequence of war.


    But as they made it deeper, the excessive gore ceased. Decay reced it. Traugott appeared to have a breakthrough at some point. Intact forms lined the floor, packing the ce like a warehouse of life-size puppets. Good King Norman, whole of body, repeated what felt like infinitely. Their dead red eyes stared at the ceiling, at the walls, at the floors. Some were skinny or fat. Some were muscled or t. Some gaunt, some tall, some short, some ck, some hunchbacked¡­ but each and all variations of the base temte. ck of hair, red of eye¡­ these people had been born, then died, in the image of Sophia¡¯s father.


    Argrave tried to imagine that Norman himself had experienced each of these lives. That was the easiest way to press on, amidst the misery of it all. When they came to a dead end, Argrave felt some rising despair¡ªhad they been called here, toyed with, without a reason?¡±


    ¡°Roh! Rogh roh!¡±


    Argrave whipped his head to the side. One of the Norman¡¯s was buried beneath bodies, alive¡­ and barking, like a dog.


    ¡°You told me nothing was here,¡± Argrave looked at the Alchemist. ¡°Good lord¡­¡±


    ¡°I mistook it for an animal,¡± the Alchemist defended.


    ¡°Because it possesses an animal¡¯s soul.¡± Anneliese kneeled, looking around. ¡°I¡¯ve seen nothing of Traugott.¡±


    The barking stopped, and Argrave looked back at the thing. It had been acting like an animal moments before, yet now¡­ he saw cunning in those red eyes, and it looked around, surveying the situation.


    ¡°I see you came! Wonderful,¡± the dog-Norman said, and Argrave took a step back.


    ¡°Druidic¡­ magic?¡± Anneliese¡¯s eyes widened with recognition as she stepped back with him, clenching her hand around her staff. ¡°That¡¯s¡­!¡±


    Gmon drew his one dagger, stepping between the creature and Argrave.


    ¡°Yes, druidic magic. A clever trick, giving this shell the soul of an animal¡­ but I shouldn¡¯t brag. You figured it out rather quickly.¡±


    Anneliese looked shaken¡ªit must¡¯ve bothered her, to see her people¡¯s magic be used for something not so dissimr from necromancy.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know when you woulde,¡± the man exined, pushing the bodies atop him aside. ¡°Or rather, if you woulde. It was a far-fetched n, but I knew you couldn¡¯t ignore the sight of this man. You have a history with Norman. I¡¯vee to know the man better than you do, I should think. His daughter, Sophia¡­ his son, Griffin. You seemed to dislike him, so you should know Norman¡¯s soul has existed in a state of abject agony for a long, long while¡­ and I don¡¯t think that¡¯ll stop anytime soon. You¡¯re wee, if it pleases you.¡±


    ¡°Traugott.¡± Argrave took a deep breath, almost gagging at the scent of blood and the voice of this person. The words of Traugott, but the voice of Norman¡­ he didn¡¯t know what could be worse.


    ¡°We¡¯ve never had the chance to speak properly. I¡¯ve always regretted that¡ªI find you rather admirable, Argrave. And the same to you, Anneliese.¡± Traugott, wearing Norman¡¯s shell, rose to his full height. ¡°So admirable, in fact, that I decided to ask you something, before I asked Erlebnis. I have no love for the god of knowledge, but we did do good work together. I suspect it was the same for you, no?¡±


    ¡°Erlebnis was the one that helped you get that shell on the opera stage.¡± Argrave tried to take things in stride, but he couldn¡¯t deny he was shaken. ¡°d to see that confirmed.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Traugott nodded. ¡°I used him for what he was good for, and now I intend on casting him aside. Just like you, no? He blessed you, then you cast him aside.¡±


    ¡°How will you cast him aside?¡± Anneliese pressed, her grip on her staff firm as ever.


    ¡°All in due time. But I do have to ask¡ªhave you reconsidered lending me Sophia? I would give her right back¡ªI promise,¡± Traugott held his hands out, almost begging.


    Argrave didn¡¯t y his games¡ªhe felt the need toy out the facts. ¡°You¡¯re going to die, Traugott. And soon.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡± Traugott closed shut his hands. ¡°Everyone does eventually. Or do they? I see an argument to the contrary.¡± He looked at the Alchemist. ¡°Well¡ªI had enough of a sample size to guess your response. Nevertheless, to borrow your words¡­ d to see it confirmed. And I¡¯m d to see you didn¡¯t try and trick me. Erlebnis said you were tricky, crafty. I¡¯ve always had a hard time with such people. Deception, jokes¡ªthey go right over my head.¡±


    ¡°Why are you here?¡± Argrave asked.


    Argrave hoped desperately that Anneliese or the Alchemist might track where the druidic bond linked to while they talked. He wasn¡¯t expecting something worthwhile from this conversation.


    ¡°You want to get into the Pce of Heaven, don¡¯t you?¡± Traugott waved his finger. ¡°I can see that twinkle in your eye, indeed¡­ well, alright. I¡¯m lying. I can¡¯t see any twinkle, but Erlebnis knows you want to go there, and he told me. And may I just say¡­¡± Traugott tapped Norman¡¯s chest. ¡°I¡¯m the one that helped them in. I¡¯m the reason the Qircassian Coalition took that fortress. And¡­ for my own benefit, you see¡­ I kept a way in. I can give that way in to you.¡±


    ¡°Do you think we¡¯d ever trust you? You¡¯re a walking contradiction that serves only yourself,¡± Gmon chided.


    ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Traugott nodded without protest. ¡°Objectively speaking, it just is. That¡¯s why I was considering¡­ something of a trade, shall we say. A mutually beneficial arrangement. I tell you the secrets you need, you tell me the secrets I need. Win-win. And to entice you, I¡¯ll say this¡ªthis hidden path, it doesn¡¯t rte to the Shadonds at all. And you can verify it works long before you use it.¡±


    ¡°It sounds like a trap,¡± Argrave said. ¡°Sounds like something we¡¯d have to be stupid to even consider.¡±


    ¡°Come on. I¡¯ve never attacked you. I like you, all of you¡ªwhy would I want to kill you? I don¡¯t hold grudges for the past. You¡¯re far too interesting, too unique.¡±


    Argrave looked around. ¡°You certainly killed enough people to make these monstrosities.¡±


    ¡°They weren¡¯t worth much. They wouldn¡¯t have died if they were.¡± Traugott shrugged. ¡°You can always make more people. A set of functioning genitalia, some willpower, and you¡¯ll have new people in a matter of months. Only a select few¡ªlike presentpany¡ªare impossible to rece. But before you say anything more, I¡¯ll just say what I want. You¡¯ve got it, Argrave. It¡¯s on you, right now. And it¡¯s on him, too.¡± Traugott pointed at the Alchemist. ¡°I need an Undying Soul. I¡¯m not asking for either of yours¡ªheavens, no. All I need to know is where I might find one. A lich. A human. Anyone, so long as their soul never dies.¡± Traugott spread his arms out wide and smiled. Argrave felt a chill, seeing Good King Norman¡¯s face grin again.


    ¡°You give me a location¡­ I give you a way to breach the Pce of Heaven. Mutual benefit.¡±

 Chapter 581: Broken Body, Priceless Mind

    Elenore spoke in Argrave¡¯s mind, yet Gmon spoke aloud at the same time.


    Elenore conveyed, ¡°Anneliese suggests you tell him. Then, you can trap Traugott when hees for the Undying Soul in question.¡±


    Gmon said to Traugott, ¡°We have no need for your tricks. The Veidimen are more than a match for this Pce of Heaven. We have no fear of death.¡±


    Argrave reeled from the two voices with opposite suggestions, but stared at the shell of Norman bound by druidic magic without saying a word.


    Traugott rebutted, ¡°Many have tried to take the Pce of Heaven before. Hordes of divine servants, without free will enough to fear death, have fallen¡ªand you think allegedly fearless mortals stand a better chance? Fortunately for me, I¡¯m not offering this to you. You may be a rather unique specimen, Gmon, having abandoned vampirism¡­ but youck the certain insight that makes Argrave such an interesting conversational partner.¡±


    Gmon looked ready tosh out, but the Alchemist ced one of his huge hands on the snow elf¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Why in the world do you want an Undying Soul?¡± Argrave asked.


    ¡°There are few things more interesting in the natural world. Souls that can persist forever¡ªthat can move from body to body, or be eternal ghosts with power beyond imagination¡­ it would have tremendous uses for me. You¡¯ve seen what I¡¯ve been working on, I trust? It would be quite interesting to create the perfect specimen.¡±


    Argrave hesitated to bring up his own use of his Undying Soul. The Alchemist conjectured it was arge part of the reason that he was able toe here, to this realm¡ªto the world of Heroes of Berendar. And furthermore, it was the crux of their n with Sophia. Theoretically, only with his Undying Soul and her ability of creation could they transfer his physical form to where Gerechtigkeit¡¯s true essence rested.


    The idea of giving something that had such a capability to Traugott was frightening, especially when he toyed with a fragment of Sophia¡¯s power.


    Elenore¡¯s voice cut into his thoughts. ¡°Refusing to tell him doesn¡¯t mean that he won¡¯t learn. He¡¯s said that he chose toe to you before Erlebnis, meaning his next conversation would likely be with Erlebnis, who would give him a target that we couldn¡¯t possibly know. Who knows¡ªperhaps Erlebnis has an Undying Soul of his own, tucked away in storage. Either way, if we don¡¯t tell him¡­ it¡¯s pointless.¡±


    ¡°What if he¡¯s just bluffing? He¡¯s using a druidic bond, not his actual body¡ªAnneliese¡¯s empathy won¡¯t work. He could get the keys to the kingdom if we¡¯re incautious.¡±


    ¡°Which would you prefer to bet on¡ªthat Traugott managed to infiltrate the opera house without Erlebnis¡¯ help, or that he¡¯s bluffing? He may be clever, but hecks the connections in the Great Chu to pull something like that off alone.¡±


    Elenore¡¯s cold reason cut away Argrave¡¯s doubt. He conveyed to her, ¡°Inform Gmon why. He¡¯s a little uneasy with this.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Argrave nodded, shifting on his feet. ¡°I can give you a location.¡±


    ¡°Oooh,¡± Traugott said excitedly. ¡°That greatly eliminatesplications. Tell me, then. I¡¯m all ears.¡±


    ¡°How can I trust you won¡¯t just leave once I do?¡± Argrave narrowed his eyes.


    ¡°Because it¡¯s in my best interest for you to assault the Pce of Heaven. I made some¡­ agreements with Erlebnis. I generally like to keep agreements I make, unless they inconvenience me¡ªlike the ones I made with him. I¡¯m supposed to get him some things, perform some actions. But if he¡¯s dead, he won¡¯t have hands to receive, nor thoughts enough toprehend my actions. That would be ideal for me. Even beyond that, I don¡¯t intend on seeking out this Undying Soul until you¡¯re in the middle of assaulting the fortress.¡±


    ¡°Why would you¡­?¡± Anneliese¡¯s brows furrowed in contemtion, then rxed as an uneasy revtion came to her. ¡°No. I understand.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you should. I¡¯m not na?ve,¡± Traugott continued in a low tone. ¡°I see the people you brought today¡ªboth the ones within my little workshop, and those without it. I understand what you intended for me. It stands to reason you¡¯re going to try and kill me when Ie for this soul. Very dastardly¡­ not that I wouldn¡¯t do the same in your shoes.¡± Traugott shook his head. ¡°I won¡¯t seek out the Undying Soul until you¡¯re in the middle of assaulting the Pce of Heaven. You can¡¯t afford to stretch your forces thin. They¡¯d be too thin to catch me, and too thin to take the fortress. So¡­ the calculus of power demands you choose to let me slip by.¡±


    ¡°You can see our people? So, you¡¯re nearby,¡± Argrave deduced.


    ¡°Hmm.¡± Traugott smiled broadly. ¡°I can¡¯t say.¡±


    Argrave considered Traugott¡¯s implication. It was true that they¡¯d need to bring all of their forces to bear to take the Pce of Heaven. But for Traugott¡­ ostensibly, Anneliese alone would be sufficient. Yet the notion of allowing Traugott and Anneliese to sh while they assaulted the Pce of Heaven was frightening. Not only was Anneliese vital for Argrave¡¯s main forces, Traugott was willing and able to mastermind all kinds of devious traps. He trusted Anneliese¡¯s ability, but sending her alone was simply intolerable to him, logically and emotionally.


    ¡°Let me think,¡± Argrave held up his hand.


    ¡°As you wish.¡± Traugott folded his hands politely.


    ¡°He¡¯s ufortably clever,¡± he told Elenore, then exined Traugott¡¯s gambit to her. When he was finished, he concluded, ¡°I don¡¯t see a way to get ahead of him. He¡¯s right. We can¡¯t afford to chase after him while we¡¯re assaulting the Pce of Heaven. Anneliese is our trump card against him, and she¡¯s necessary here. Vital.¡±


    ¡°¡­he¡¯s thought of all angles,¡± Elenore agreed after a while. ¡°It still holds true that he¡¯ll find out one way or another. Maybe¡­¡± she went silent for nearly a minute, then returned with a quiet voice. ¡°Maybe we can call upon some reserve troops. A veteran, who¡¯s been simrly clever.¡±


    ¡°Who?¡± Argrave questioned.


    When she said the name, Argrave¡¯s eyes lit up. Furthermore, various names of Undying Souls that he might offer to Traugott faded away, leaving him with only one offering. He turned around to look at Norman¡¯s shell.


    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll give you what you want, you give me what I want,¡± he promised.


    Traugott looked around until he spotted some paper, then picked it up. He grabbed a charcoal bar and began to write. ¡°I¡¯ll write it down for you,¡± he said, pausing to exin further. ¡°A small portion of it. Then, after¡­ I¡¯ll give you the whole paper.¡± He continued to write, and Argrave waited with his arms crossed. After a time, Traugott ripped the paper in half, then handed it to Argrave.


    Argrave looked between him and the paper¡ªthe man had already given them everything they needed by writing it down. If they just took it from him, now¡­ but Elenore¡¯s words rung true. Traugott was likely going to learn one way or another. He was resourceful, if anything.


    ¡°It¡¯s in the Burnt Desert,¡± Argrave exined. ¡°You can find a grand pce deep in the earth below Candian¡ªit¡¯s a coastal city on the eastern desert. You have to go into the town¡¯s drained oasis to reach it. Though¡­ since Durran¡¯s killed the Vessels of Fellhorn in the region, perhaps that oasis isn¡¯t drained anymore. In which case, you¡¯ll have to swim down.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°Is it a lich?¡± Traugott asked, tilting his head. ¡°It must be, if it resides in such a ce¡ªan underground pce.¡±


    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s hisir, his home. He used to be a southron elf, back when they were a meaningful force. Now¡­ well, once you be a lich, you lose those distinctions. With Gerechtigkeiting, he¡¯s on the verge of insanity. The ce is trapped, and crumbling.¡± Argrave held out his hand. ¡°Now¡­ your end of the bargain?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Traugott smiled in Norman¡¯s shell, then held out the paper. Argrave at once opened it to make sure that it wasn¡¯t nonsense. Surprisingly, it wasn¡¯t. Traugott had been honest. They¡¯d need to verify his point of vulnerability to be sure he was entirely so.


    ¡°What now?¡± Argrave said.


    ¡°Now¡­ I eagerly look forward to your attempt to take the Pce of Heaven.¡± Traugott offered Norman¡¯s hand, as if to shake on the deal. Argrave stared at it contemptuously. Traugott retracted the hand. ¡°Very well. Farewell, Argrave. And good luck.¡±


    Norman¡¯s shell closed its eyes¡­ and the animal soul within it awoke, barking and backing away from them. Gmonshed out, crushing the abomination¡¯s neck. It crumpled to the ground, joining the dozens of other corpses.


    ¡°Is he gone?¡± Argrave looked at the Alchemist and Anneliese both. ¡°For sure, this time.¡±


    ¡°Gone.¡± The Alchemist nodded. Anneliese agreed. ¡°I was unable to trace him.¡±


    ¡°Was that wise, agreeing?¡± Gmon questioned.


    ¡°Not sure there was a wise answer. Then again, that¡¯s what someone without wisdom would say.¡± Argrave looked around. ¡°Let¡¯s¡­ let¡¯s take care of this ce. Then, we take care of this new problem. There¡¯s someone we have to speak to. Gmon¡ªcan you look into this, decide if it¡¯s worth the risk?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Gmon took the paper. ¡°I¡¯ll scrutinize it better than anyone.¡±


    #####


    Argrave looked at a long, long row of ballistae. Then, he turned his head to the right. There, the ck-haired, red-eyed Dario sat, looking up at Argrave almost as if he were a pest. Even still, this man who¡¯d sabotaged their progress with the Heralds to such a degree remained unhealed, bound to crutches and afflicted with wobbly limbs.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll ever be able to use all of these, even. You¡¯re making them faster than we can make the batteries for them.¡± Argrave scratched his cheek, some embarrassment at this fact.


    ¡°Batteries?¡± Dario narrowed his eyes.


    ¡°The cores,¡± Argrave rephrased. ¡°I do appreciate your good work. But I¡¯m here about something else.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Traugott,¡± Argrave said.


    Dario scoffed. ¡°Him?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s discovered how to imitate Sophia¡¯s ability.¡± Argraveid out the facts inly, hoping it might ignite Dario¡¯s vigntism.


    ¡°No doubt thanks to you,rgely,¡± Dario rebutted¡­ but Argrave didn¡¯t miss a twitch of unease in the man¡¯s face.


    ¡°I¡¯d like you to try and kill him when he tries to infiltrate somewhere,¡± Argrave continued.


    Dario shook his head. ¡°Would love to. My body is jelly, though. Even if I could get my metal frame working again without the Heralds¡¯ power, I can¡¯t even run without breaking something.¡±


    ¡°What if Sophia could change that?¡± Argrave kneeled down. ¡°She¡¯s gotten rather adroit at healing people. Severed limbs, broken minds¡­ your bendy appendages aren¡¯t such a big step up. Even more than that, what if you had a huge area to prepare for hising? A pce, with plenty of nooks and crannies¡­ and a scary lich at the center of it all, who¡¯s trapped the ce to hell and back.¡±


    Dario stared at Argrave, then shook his head. ¡°You don¡¯t trust me enough for that. And I don¡¯t want to be bound by the White nes, or any other entity.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t I trust you?¡± Argrave met his gaze. ¡°You said it yourself. If Traugott could decide the fate of the world, that¡¯s the scariest proposition. And you could end him, forever. Even without the Heralds washing your brain, you still have to believe that.¡±


    Dario¡¯s lip twitched. ¡°Even if I could walk¡­¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°You will.¡±


    ¡°Traugott¡­ won¡¯t be easy, alone.¡± Dario scratched his forehead. ¡°The one that caught me¡­¡±


    ¡°Mnie?¡± Argrave raised his brows.


    ¡°She helps¡­ it could be doable.¡± Dario nodded.


    Argrave tapped his shoulder gently. ¡°Then let¡¯s do it.¡±


    ¡°Now?¡± Dario looked at Argrave as he rose.


    ¡°Yeah, of course,¡± Argrave nodded as if it was obvious, making for the door. ¡°I¡¯ve got a schedule.¡±

 Chapter 582: Tuning the Orchestra

    Argrave stood before a door, taking a deep breath to prepare himself. Then, he swung it wide quickly. In the room, a tall, blonde-haired woman stood at attention while a young girl with ck hair, dressed in green, waited¡­ a young girl by the name of Sophia.


    She turned her head at the sudden noise, then jumped off her chair. ¡°Argrave!¡±


    His heart was warmed beyondpare as the young girl ran across the room, and he kneeled down to catch her in his arms. He picked her up, beckoning Anneliese to join him in this reunion.


    It had been some time since Argrave spoke with Sophia. It wasn¡¯t forck of trying; it was because of childbor. In the Vasquer family, even seven-year-olds were forced to work. Then again, the child yearned for the burden of employment. Generally, this was where the reasonable adults stepped in and set boundaries¡ªworking was for adults, not seven-year-olds. Perhaps Argrave and Anneliese weren¡¯t such model parents after all.


    But their childbor program had been remarkably sessful. They had assigned some trusted Veidimen guards to her, assigned Vasilisa of Quadreign¡ªwhose A-rank ascension was uniquely suited to a role as a bodyguard¡ªand then sent her off to the wider world to heal those who couldn¡¯t be healed by ordinary means. Elenore had been keeping tabs on the girl, and she had earned something of a reputation around the nation.


    A girl with the ability to restore limbs, sight, and bring the broken-minded back to their full spirits¡­ it was a tale that aroused hope in these dark times. Since Gerechtigkeit spurred the undead of the Order of the Rose and the golems of the depths to attack passersby, there hadn¡¯t been much hope to go around. Miracles seemed few and far between, yet Sophia¡­ she was a miracle. And even given attempts to conceal her identity, some people did link Sophia back to Argrave, indirectly.


    ¡°I missed you this much!¡± Sophia spread her arms wide.


    Argrave smiled, then held her with one arm. ¡°I missed you more. From the floor, to here.¡± He held out his free arm as high as he could reach up.


    Sophia thought for a moment, then her red eyes brightened with some mischievouspetitiveness. ¡°I missed you all the way¡­ all the way to the moon and back!¡±


    Argraveughed. ¡°Alright. You¡¯ve got me beat, Sophia. But you don¡¯t have to miss anymore, because I¡¯m here. Let¡¯s talk.¡±


    #####


    Anneliese, Argrave, and Sophia spent a brief afternoon discussing about where they¡¯d been¡ªa long preamble to the matter with Dario. They couldn¡¯t well tell her the truth of the gruesome war, but they told her enough to satiate her curiosity. She, in turn, told them all kinds of tales about the people that she¡¯d been helping¡ªabout how rewarding it was to restore people back to themselves, about the people that she¡¯d met, about the stories that they¡¯d had, and even some anecdotes about ¡®Miss Vass.¡¯


    It was bittersweet. Sophia shouldn¡¯t have to grow up this fast, but the time for regrets or introspection had long passed. She already had grown beyondpare, flourishing under the loose guidance of Anneliese, Argrave, Elenore, and now even Vasilisa. The drunkard Magister had set aside alcohol in her duties¡ªyet another positive influence from the girl. Perhaps there was something to be said for filling Sophia¡¯s early life with such vibrant, intense memories. Perhaps these experiences would prove intense enough to wash away some of what her father had done to her.


    Even if it was unusual, wrong, perhaps even cruel¡­ Argrave had to admit, they didn¡¯t have much choice. This was the most positive way for Sophia to explore and refine her abilities. The alternative was the Alchemist¡¯s dogmatic insistence. If their n was toe together, they needed her to act well beyond her years. Perhaps when this was all said and done, they could put it all aside and treat her as she deserved¡­ but for now, they had responsibilities to more than her alone.


    In time, they steered the conversation to Dario. Sophia, ever the angel, was more than willing to help him. They took extra precautions introducing the two¡ªDario was knocked unconscious by a powerful brew, and they only allowed Sophia to see him when he waspletely in the dreamworld. Argrave saw the young girl work with remarkable efficiency, identifying Dario¡¯s problem, then simply¡­ creating a solution from nothing at all.


    His limbs,cking the definition from strong bones, looked like noodles before Sophia¡¯s work. But as she kneaded, willed, thought, he saw arms take shape, bones gain structure, joints restore to what they had been. He saw cracked, battered skine back together, saw the broken, burnt face grow smooth. He saw all that the Heralds had stripped from Dario returned to him in moments. Dario had tried desperately to keep her bound in that eternal hell, yet now she brought him back to life. There was a certain irony in that.


    When Dario next awoke, Argrave was sitting in a chair near him.


    ¡°How do you feel?¡± Argrave asked.


    ¡°¡­a little hollow,¡± Dario answered. ¡°Is it¡­ is it done? I mean¡­¡±


    Argrave grabbed a wooden knife and tossed it at Dario. The man flinched and reacted quickly, catching it by its handle in a panic. When heprehended it was a toy, he exhaled deeply and tossed the thing to the ground.


    ¡°Seems like you¡¯ve still got some of that edge you had.¡± Argrave smiled wickedly.


    ¡°¡­that hurt,¡± Darioined, caressing a sore part of his arm. He was stunned into silence as he noticed his skin rejuvenated, his arms normal and functional.


    ¡°But you didn¡¯t break anything, did you?¡± He rose to his feet. ¡°Best hope not. We¡¯ve too many things in motion.¡±


    Dario leaned back into his bed, staring up at the ceiling. Argrave walked to the door and knocked it twice, then Mnie opened the door.


    ¡°She¡¯ll exin things,¡± Argrave said. ¡°Me¡­ much as I¡¯d like to stay, things are moving fast. The Qircassian Coalition won¡¯t rest on their own, so I¡¯m going to give them a rest. Remember this gift I¡¯ve given you rather well, Dario. Traugott needs to die.¡±


    Mnie patted Argrave¡¯s shoulder and promised, ¡°I¡¯ll teach the ugly, wretched bastard a lesson he¡¯ll never forget. I¡¯ll teach him just how useless he is. After that, we¡¯ll deal with Traugott.¡±


    Argrave smiled at her joke, gave her a serious nod, then left the room. He shut the door behind him, leaving Mnie and Dario alone.


    ¡°Heard you asked for me.¡± Mnie walked up to his bedside.


    ¡°You caught me. Stuck in my mind,¡± Dario admitted.


    Mnie surveyed him. ¡°You still look absolutely terrible. Suppose that¡¯s just how you look. Even the wonderchild can¡¯t fix bad genes, it seems. Or the heat from the forge warped your face, maybe.¡±


    ¡°Maybe,¡± Dario agreed, closing his eyes tiredly.


    ¡°Still¡­ told you it¡¯d work out,¡± Mnie leaned up against the wall. ¡°Pay your dues, bend the knee¡­ the king won¡¯t let you down. Mostly.¡± She crossed her arms. ¡°Now, we just have to make sure we meet his expectations.¡±


    Dario lifted his head. ¡°Traugott dies, or I do. I won¡¯t allow him to¡ª"


    ¡°Take it easy, master martyr. You just got done crying about how dying is hard¡ªdon¡¯t go making another death vow. You suck at keeping those.¡± She walked up and tipped the bed lightly, forcing Dario to get up lest he fall out of it. ¡°Now, move those feet. Long week ahead of us.¡±


    After staggering off the bed, Dario sighed deeply, standing and stretching. ¡°Right. Long week.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, woe is you, the burden of the world is on your shoulders¡­¡± Mnie walked to the door, then looked back and smiled wide. ¡°Come on, master martyr. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Dario looked at his limbs, returned to form¡­ then looked at Mnie, still smiling. He watched for a moment, then followed.


    #####


    Argrave saw the brilliance of the Great Chu¡¯s bureaucracy manifest as the whole of a country worked to get the gang together to go storm a fortress. The process was further spurred by urgency¡ªthe sky tower continued to bombard all settlements across the continent, and while its people had settled into an uneasy eptance of bombings, the fact remained that all its people would like it to simply go away.


    Armies travelled across the canals en masse, repairing any damage along the way with extreme professionalism. Governor Zen and Emperor Ji Meng worked in tandem to shepherd the powerful from every corner of the continent to its center. Though neither governor nor emperor liked one another, they were nigh unstoppable working together.


    Given the narrow paths leading to the Pce of Heaven, they couldn¡¯t exactly lob troops on the great fortress, but they did amass a staggering amount of powerful people. In days, they had enough S-rank spellcasters in their rank for them to be considered an army unto themselves. The remainder of the troops were sent north, to abate the threat caused by barbarians poking into the border at Erlebnis¡¯ behest.


    In the meanwhile, Argrave conferred with his divine allies. Fortunately, it was rather easy to bring up his suspicions about Zen¡¯s association with Sataistador organically. Each and all of the gods thought that the god of war was being unusually quiet, and the evidence presented was strong enough that they agreed to follow Argrave¡¯s rmendations. From the beginning the gods¡¯ primary purpose had been to separate the arenas of the mortal and divine, so dividing their troops in this final assault wasn¡¯t such a major issue.


    Still¡­ they kept knowledge of Traugott¡¯s little secret to themselves. Gmon had scrutinized the vulnerability he¡¯d given them with druidic scouts of his people. Countless birds gave their life scouting the mountain¡ªthe Stormfield came alive with the presence of birds alone¡ªbut in so doing, they did spot and confirm an opening, precisely where Traugott imed it would be. Questions still hung in the air; questions mainly posed by Gmon, who brought up good points about Traugott¡¯s character and the potential of a trap. At the same time, Argrave was hesitant to write it off, relying instead on Veidimen consigning themselves to death.


    Sataistador¡¯s gambit, whatever it was, seemed still far out of reach as the days ticked down toward the inevitable assault of the Pce of Heaven. That was, until the governor made a very unusual request.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to stand on the front lines with you.¡± Governor Zen stood tall and proud as he requested this.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°The front lines?¡± Argrave repeated. ¡°From how you made it sound, your A-rank ascension specializes in something nonbative¡ªcreating arrays like the Stormfield and the divine-warding array beneath the imperial pce.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t make one, but even still, who better than me to deal with the Stormfield should we reach it?¡± Zen held his hands out. ¡°And what if I told you that I could help youbat Erlebnis? What if I told you that I could restrain him, and help gain control over the battlefield, as we fought, using my divine-warding arrays?¡±


    Argrave looked to Anneliese, standing at his side¡ªthe same sort of revtion seemed to be going through her head as his. A trap for Erlebnis, yes¡­ yet at the same time, a trap for all the others. If Zen was walking about, cing those arrays everywhere¡­ it would appear that Sataistador was greedy as could be. He was only less greedy than perhaps Argrave himself.


    ¡°Tell me all the details,¡± Argrave insisted. ¡°Leave nothing out. The battle¡¯sing soon. A grand orchestra, so many instruments working in tandem for the song that begins the cycle of judgment in earnest. I have to make sure each and every yer has tuned up.¡±

 Chapter 583: Death Makes an Ugly Bedmate

    Dario had stared down death before. She had a much uglier visage than anticipated¡ªtoo much to bear without flinching from it, and so he strayed from her kiss. Now he was mentally prepared for that homely face, and if it shoulde time to stare her down again, he was certain he wouldn¡¯t flinch away this time. If he did, death might grow offended and decide to im him regardless. She was clingy, and didn¡¯t like being refused.


    Traugott. The Heralds, as they were apparently called, had shown him countless visions of the former Magister who¡¯d mastered walking into the Shadonds. There was something special about thatnd, something that differentiated itself from this realm or the countless others beyond it. Traugott had mastered walking into and out of it at will, and had even managed to ovee the ferocity of the denizens within. It wouldn¡¯t be easy to kill him. After all, if one shines light, shadows aren¡¯t banished¡ªthey merely move.


    ¡°We came all this way for a bunch of spheres?¡± Mnie asked, drawing him from his haze.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Dario looked back from the box full of orbs just before him. ¡°Not spheres. Cores. They powered the golems that traversed theva. They¡¯re empty, but Elenore gave me permission to power them with spirits.¡±


    Mnie nodded understandingly, but furrowed her brows after she thought deeper. ¡°Not sure if hunks of metal have the agility to catch the shadows. And you don¡¯t have golems, do you?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Dario sifted through them, picking one up. ¡°I intend to ignite them.¡±


    ¡°Good god¡­¡± Mnie sighed. ¡°Argrave mentioned something about them exploding. Is that what you mean? He didn¡¯t clock you for a terrorist.¡± She caressed her forehead than asked, ¡°Bombs? Against a spellcaster? Sounds like we¡¯re asking to be buried and forgotten.¡±


    ¡°Powered with spirits, one of these could heavily wound a Shadonder.¡± Dario looked back and tossed one, and though it was unpowered, Mnie¡¯s face still shed with caution after his bold statement and she caught it delicately. ¡°One of Traugott¡¯s wards might block it, provided he was far enough away...¡±


    ¡°Yet you¡¯re still bringing them,¡± Mnie criticized, hefting the thing in hand.


    ¡°I said ¡®one.¡¯¡± He looked back. ¡°We have more than one.¡±


    The former mercenary¡¯s mind worked, calcting the possible oues of her mission with a would-be martyr whose first instinct was to retrieve a huge load of bombs. She couldn¡¯t say she had many points of reference to draw upon¡ªonly this lunk, and he had a poor track record.


    ¡°Set a few off near him, he¡¯s red mist and bone meal. Ignite it, throw it into the Shadonds¡­ won¡¯t even be gore, just a forgotten man and a rapidly-closing portal. If I touch him, if hees close enough for me to grab¡­ no matter what¡¯s between us, I¡¯ll end him.¡±


    Dario stuffed some cores into the pockets of his clothes. They¡¯d likely remain there, keeping an explosive finish to any fight as a ready option. Pushing a button, turning a knob¡ªa lot easier than sumbing to a slow death. He wouldn¡¯t even have time to feel the pain before it was all wiped away, along with a few stories of whatever building they found themselves in. And hopefully, Traugott himself.


    ¡°How the hell did you live this long, even? Your first solution¡¯s always killing yourself.¡± Mnie tossed the core back in the box, and the metal ttered noisily. ¡°Ever heard of throwing things? It¡¯s worked for me.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t want to die. Historically, things trend toward that, though. We¡¯ll see how the dicend.¡± Dario put the lid on the box, then picked it up.


    ¡°They¡¯llnd far the hell away from me, I hope,¡± Mnie muttered under her breath.


    #####


    Argrave stood at the head of an army. This wasn¡¯t a ce he enjoyed being, especially. It meant one of two things¡ªhe was facing one, or leading one. Either choice resulted in him being the first to sh against enemy forces. Verbal spars appealed to him much more than real ones¡­ but as time had proven, there weren¡¯t many other options at times. There¡¯d be time enough for talking when the war was won.


    Hispany bolstered him, somewhat. They weren¡¯t good conversationalists. Indeed, if he hoped for dialogue, he¡¯d need to crane his neck; they were twenty feet tall. He doubted that they would respond overmuch if he tried, but where they suffered in social graces they made up for in pure power. Wearing shiny white-gold armor, wielding swords far taller than he was, and infused with a golden aura that permeated the air nearby¡­ Law¡¯s Justiciars were decidedly more assuring than even Argrave¡¯s own royal guard.


    Fifty Justiciars stood behind Argrave¡ªcountless more dotted the army of spellcasters further beyond, protecting and watching all the members of this army. And all above, like an aurora borealis weaved of golden mist, was the god of justice himself. Law was the only deity that would be joining them here, while the rest would stand with Gmon and Veid in the south. Law¡¯s decrees would empower the northern army just as his physical form battled whatever enemies Kirel Qircassia was sure to send down, while the rest of the gods would fight alongside the southern army.


    They stood before the jagged maw that was the northern passage to the Pce of Heaven. The great valley leading to the fortress was overshadowed only by the building itself. Circr, cold, sheer¡ªmany words described its sleek gray surface crowning the mountain, but Argrave thought of one above all. Efficiency. The imperial pce was all glitter and mor, but the Pce of Heaven? It was the steel beneath the gold ting, the iron by which an empire of countless millennia had endured, the function to the form.


    Elenore¡¯s voice cut into his thoughts. ¡°Gmon is ready. Whenever you are, the southern army will march.¡±


    Argrave closed his eyes, nervousness welling up like boiling water through his guts. He rolled his shoulders and looked to Anneliese, standing by his side. Governor Zen, Orion, the Alchemist¡­ he looked past them all, right into her eyes.


    ¡°Want to go hiking?¡± he asked her.


    ¡°Sure,¡± she answered, understanding what he asked despite the humorous way he asked it.


    The others looked at him, confused.


    ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s go, then. Let¡¯s not forget the umbre¡ªit could rain.¡± He looked back, where the man who¡¯d been designated to blow the horn waited, and gave the signal with his hands.


    The hornblower, with one purpose in life, blew the horn. Argrave expected grand things¡ªthe man had been training his entire life for this moment. He raised it to his lips, filled those practiced, spacious lungs with air, and blew. It was an adequate blow. Perhaps the expectation made it seem lesser than it was.


    As it sounded, Argrave told Elenore, ¡°Start the march.¡±


    With hismand to her, Argrave began the long march toward heaven one step at a time. Law¡¯s Justiciars walked ahead, folding around the leading cadre like a protective shell. Following shortly after was a great rumble as all the powers they¡¯d gathered spurred into action. Thousands marched¡ªthousands with great gluts of power, and countless empires worth of knowledge. They struck at heaven, striving for it as countless others before them¡­ but would this time be different? Statistically speaking, the answer was no¡­ but most gamblers quit just before they make it big.


    As their feet moved from the loose dirt at the base of the mountain to the rough-hewn stone road curving and winding ahead of them, Argrave felt a shift in the air before he heard a noise in the sky. He didn¡¯t stop the march, but his eyes danced upward. The enemy had a hornblower of their own, it would seem. Their horn was the sky tower, and the blower Kirel Qircassia. Exponentiallyrger than Argrave¡¯s, it made a much more impressive noise.


    Kirel Qircassia¡¯s fortress of clouds¡ªonce bombarding the whole of the Great Chu¡ªchanged its target. Now, great balls of hellfire spouted into the air as a solid wave of fire, then descended downward toward the mountain as a firefall. The tower itself split open as the Qircassian Coalition finally reared its head in earnest. Deities of all stripes prepared to descend, prepared to defend thest barrier between them and the heavens. In the clouds, past all the movement, Argrave saw the barest hint of Qircassia¡¯s body¡ªscales as white as bone, and streaked with ck. Just as the door opened, so did it close, and that hint of his presence was gone.


    The sky tower was not the only thinging to life. Beneath the earth, Argrave could feel magicing to life, taking hold of the earth beneath them. The stone felt firmer, the air felt different. The cold steel efficiency of the Pce of Heaven was soon adorned by a mor of its own. Arcane magics danced into the air, forming a crown above the circr stone fortress above them. The battlefield fixed into ce, and the shield that had repelled gods and armies uncountable stood in their way.


    People took their ce on the battlements of the Pce of the Heaven. Upon first nce, they seemed to be soldiers like any other. But past the haze of chaos, one could see their misshapen forms, their monstrous figures. They were the emissaries of Erlebnis. Somewhere behind this mess of power, the ancient god of knowledge waited. His servants manned the battlements, and the deity himselfmanded them, the tricks and guiles of millenniaing to bear for this final confrontation.


    Erlebnis¡¯ library, his servants¡­ they were made of the flesh and blood of the fallen. He had engineered the Alchemist¡¯s transformation into the Smiling Raven. He had provided the means for the ancient elven empire to fall. Countless other atrocities lost to history lined his te, and he¡¯d already attempted some in this millennia¡ªtrying to supnt the Bloodwoods, trying topletely destroy the Great Chu from within. Now, it was the ckgard Union turn. They had survived his machinations, and dealt blows of their own in turn.


    But if he were so easy to y, he would¡¯ve died countless cycles ago.

 Chapter 584: Long March to Heaven

    The people of the Great Chu hade here today, spurred by the son of heaven, to once again beat back the gods¡ªto once again prevent their nation from crumbling. Yet the battle before them proceeded like nothing else.


    The endless fire of the sky tower began to rain down upon Grand Commandant Sun¡¯s forces as they marched ever closer to heaven. The application of magic and the aid of divinity made them fire retardant, but the whole of the area was scorched. It was a deep, unending heat, seeping past lesser armors to pool around the skin and slowly burn it away. Their advance upward became harsher than that in any desert, and only those with heat-protected armor like Grand Commandant Sun or his wife were spared the misery.


    After this torturous trek, they came to the first outpost¡ªthe first gate, protecting the path to the pce. The mountain had been bored through to make way for it. The building was sheer red, and with an angr crosspiece supporting the mountain above, it was a striking image that all born on this continent recognized from tales and stories. In the gates leading to the Pce of Heaven, countless heroes had made their legends sound around the world.


    And to all¡¯s fear, manning it was one of these legends¡ªone of the heroes that struck awe in all those of the Great Chu. Distinguished by his towering horn helm, all knew him as the Swallower of Sinners, an ancientmander of history who had once held this very gate against a million barbarian invaders. His gigantic bow, taller than the man himself, struck dread and reverence into the hearts and minds of those that came to take this fortress.


    The Grand Commandant Sun informed them all he was a machination of Erlebnis¡ªa replication of the great hero, reborn from the god of knowledge¡¯s vast collection of history. Even they could see these figures were mimicries, gleaming like reddish mercury¡­ yet the legends of old could not be banished so easily. Even a replica of a legend evoked the same primal fear.


    Just as in the stories of old, the Swallower of Sinners caught an arrow ame, and pointed it downward. He fired it not at the grandmandant, nor at the Justiciars protecting him¡­ but at the ground, where pipes of oil led to barrels full of ck powder. And just as had happened once before, the ground itself exploded with tremendous force as the oil carried the fire to all the traps beneath the earth.


    But the foreign conqueror, Sun, was unfazed by these legends. He barked an order, and his people dug into the earth. With spells, they poured gluts of water inside. And when the ame oil attempted to ignite the ck powder beneath their feet¡­ the water had already soiled it, utterly. His people walked across theke of fire, where the Swallower of Sinners waited to rebuff them.


    The Swallower of Sinners was still a mighty and clever warrior,manding a legendary retinue of archers. Great sts of power bridged the gap in an attempt to break the spearhead of their army¡ªto break Grand Commandant Sun, protected by Law¡¯s Justiciars. Though a great man the Swallower was¡­ a man he was all the same, and with a tactic tried and tested against foes of the past rather than those of today.


    Red ghosts, born in Sun¡¯s image, streaked across the battlefield to prate the fortress. They cast explosive magic, disrupting the Swallower of Sinner¡¯s perfect formation. With an opening, great ballistae brought from thend overseas fired from the back, striking down those that manned the first gate. When they came to the giant red door that blocked their entry, the Justiciars reeled back and mmed against it. A great gong echoed down the mountain as the first of the metal doors swung open.


    The first gate fell.


    As they pressed onward to the second of the six gates, their foes of the Qircassian Coalition approached all behind them. Gods and monsters swarmed like water to flood out rats... yet unexpectedly, support came. Far behind the grandmandant¡¯s marching army, a lone figure stepped out of the tall shadows cast by the mountain to confront the gods and their servants. Giants, demons, and gods standing one hundred feet tall sought the tail of Sun¡¯s forces, disregarding this lone figure.


    Only the prudent few that recognized the god of war, chaos, and ruthless destruction. And consequently, only a prudent few hung back, to live.


    Sataistador pulled free two axes off his back, and threw them. They carved through the mighty, the vanguard, as though they were merely wheat before a scythe. Sataistador chased his thrown weapons, drawing and utilizing countless more as unimaginable glee flickered across his face. des, hammers, warpicks¡ªhe shed with the tide of Kirel Qircassia¡¯s coalition, eliminating any advantage their strategy might¡¯ve offered. He was an army unto himself, and the countless weapons he bore moved as though they had a life of their own.


    The grandmandant¡¯s forces took ample advantage of this tailwind to make it to the second gate. There, yet another Great Chu hero awaited¡ªSecret Listener. Thest member of an assassin guild, he had created a regiment that had never fallen in all its days. And here, just as in legend, his warriors dwelled in hidden recesses throughout the mountain. They blended perfectly with the stone, casting out weaponsthered in poison and scattering dust that numbed the body.


    The fear of the legends set in as people came to distrust the ground, the walls¡­ but even despite their excessive caution, the Secret Listener¡¯s men were simply too skilled to be spotted, too adroit to be struck. The closer they came to the gate, the more of their army fell to the hidden warriors of the Secret Listener.


    Yet Law decreed that poison did not function, and so it was that their poisoned weapons became nothing more than metal. That legend eternal lost its luster in moments. When their poison failed, so too did they¡ªgreat though they might be, they were men all the same, and magic fell upon them in droves, recklessly and carelessly. What use was hiding before the brute force of the Sun?


    When Sun came to the vermillion gate, the Secret Listener himself descended upon their grandmandant. Yet theirmander projected strange shadows of blood, then seemed to disappear¡ªand when the scene settled, Sun stood with a de of blood stabbed straight through the Secret Listener¡¯s head.


    The second gate fell, shoved open by Law¡¯s Justiciars¡­ and with it, another legend was broken.


    Next came the third gate, and the Great Embracer. This hero had protected the third gate in millennia past with the fiercest of beasts¡ªhis pets, serpentine dragons. The men of the Great Chu feared for their life as these beasts of myth soared through the air, conjuring all the elements of the world to break them down¡­ yet Law¡¯s Justiciars shrugged away fire, ice, and lightning all, while the grandmandant¡¯s red ghosts hounded the beasts of myths like falcons hunting snakes. Yet another legend fell before their army, and the fourth gate awaited.


    So high up the mountain, the Stormfield finally made itself known. Where once there had been raging heat, now came icy cold¡ªgreat maelstroms of ice mmed into them as they pressed onward, battering any who didn¡¯t manage to defend themselves in time. Law¡¯s Justiciars called upon the golden aura within their beings to create great shields that blocked the people, and on they pushed. Yet strangely, all the lightning curved toward the south¡ªa single point in the south, where the other army pressed onward.


    At the fourth gate, the replica of the Mistress of the Sky waited for them. The Stormfield was her domain. When ice, fire, or steam blew, she was one with it, flying through the air and descending upon the weakest link like a falcon plucking fish out of the water. She was as fearsome as all heroes before¡­ yet strangely, the people of the Great Chu did not feel that same fear, that same hopelessness, as they had in the gates before. Something had changed in them.


    Grand Commandant Sun¡¯s wife, the white-haired elf, danced through the storm in pursuit of the Mistress of the Sky. She drew her icy de, casting spell after spell in easy match for the mistress. For a time, it seemed hopeless to the warriors of the Great Chu¡ªsurely the Mistress would dance away, unharmed? Yet the Mistress of the Sky, ever the hunter, became the hunted. The elven woman from the icynds proved more than a match for the Mistress of the Sky, impaling her upon the mountain with ance of ice in a matter of minutes.


    The Stormfield continued to batter, to wear, to chip¡­ yet still they pushed to the fifth gate, growing ever closer to the fortress itself. The Long-Horned Bull stood in their path, out front the fortress. Standing ten feet tall, his strength was such that even gods had fallen before him. He bore a great crescent axe wrought from the skull of a dragon. The Bull had never lost, and in the end, old age was the only thing to im him. Yet despite that, the people of the Great Chu felt that maybe¡ªjust maybe¡ªGrand Commandant Sun would prove his equal.


    Law¡¯s Justiciars rushed forth to fight Long-Horned Bull. Their swords descended upon the freakish human in tandem¡­ yet with a swing of his axe, Long-Horned Bull proved the validity of his legend, swatting them all away. The grandmandant stopped his march, and the people feared that this would be where they faltered. Yet Sun¡¯s face was calm, and he conjured a bow of blood as the Justiciars fought.


    The Justiciars shed with Long-Horned Bull, and he proved their better. Their swords chipped against his axe, and their armor shattered beneath his blows. The grandmandant stood waiting all the while, the arrow on his bow humming with power unimaginable. After a minute, the bow let out an eerie howl, as if alive, and the sound echoed all around the mountain. Grand Commandant Sun released his bow¡­


    And the Long-Horned Bull ceased to be.


    Sun¡¯s great eruption of bloody power mmed into the warrior of legend, immediately eviscerating him. It continued onward, striking the metal doors of the fifth gate. The iron groaned, wrenched from its hinges, and it st forth with the arrow of blood. It revealed the path to the sixth, and final gate¡ªthe Pce of Heaven itself, standing in all its glory. There, that indomitable arrow carried on. Yet the moment it touched the wall, all of that power simply vanished.


    The people of the Great Chu realized, then, that they had a new legend. There could be no disputing whose story would ring the loudest if he passed this sixth and final gate. Grand Commandant Sun stood strong and unshaking.


    #####


    Argrave stood weakly, barely disguising his shaking. A stiff breeze might push him over. The guardian of the fifth gate had been an unimaginable monster, standing against dozens of Law¡¯s Justiciars alone. It had taken an extreme amount of his ck blood to power his [Bloodfeud Bow] sufficiently to kill that freak. This whole journey to the summit of this mountain had been hellish, filled with desperate struggles that forced Argrave to expend his blood echoes like they were toiler paper. One of these ancient heroes remade by Erlebnis had very nearly snuck up on him and killed him.


    Only now could he finally see their objective¡ªthe Pce of Heaven, the sixth gate. That Sataistador lurked behind disquieted Argrave¡ªhe couldn¡¯t predict what the god of war had nned, revealing himself so early. On the opposite side, Gmon had been enduring guardians of simr magnitudes,manding gods, Veidimen, and the best of the Great Chu in their advance toward the summit. Now, there was a huge, t in of stone between them and the fortress.


    They had been shielded from the worst of the Stormfield in the valley leading to this ce, but once they stepped out there¡­ all the elements would bear down upon them, relentlessly. Erlebnis¡¯ emissaries, manning the walls of the fortress, would be able to fire upon them freely. Even if they breached those defenses, Erlebnis still resided in the heart of the fortress, his power unspent.


    The Pce of Heaven was a great wall dividing the northern and southern passages, but even Argrave could see his old friend had already reached the other side. Gmon bore the Giantkillers, twin blue daggers capable of catching lightning. He had brought them immeasurable reprieve from the worst of the Stormfield, catching all of its electricity. And after hours of doing just that, the southern side of the Pce of Heaven shone like a star. He¡¯d caught all the lightning this ce threw at them, and it was time to return it.


    Argrave asked Elenore, ¡°Is Gmon ready for Traugott¡¯s passage?¡±


    ¡°He said he¡¯s ready a thousand times over,¡± Elenore answered quickly.


    Argrave gathered himself, then looked to hisrades. ¡°Zen, Anneliese¡ªready for the sixth gate?¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Yes, grandmandant!¡± Zen shouted, looking weary yet ready.


    ¡°Let¡¯s keep this momentum,¡± Anneliese encouraged. ¡°Ready!¡±


    ¡°Then¡­ let¡¯s go!¡± Argrave shouted, moving toward the sixth gate.

 Chapter 585: Experience

    Argrave. Bastard of King Felipe III, King of Vasquer, de facto leader of the ckgard Union, and now Grand Commandant of the Great Chu,e seeking the head of two ancient gods. Over two years ago, he hade before Erlebnis seeking a blessing.


    If Erlebnis had known what that young man could be, all of this could have been avoided.


    Argrave had been a mere blip in an eventful day¡ªa curious deal, giving Erlebnis vengeance in return for power. The death of a vampire lord, the retrieval of an ancient artifact¡­ both were things that Argrave had no right to know, but Erlebnis was too absorbed in the satisfaction of having a grudge settled to thoroughly examine this bearer of good news. Perhaps he should have seized him based on what knowledge he offered. Perhaps he should¡¯ve known¡­ but then, that was the problem.


    How could Erlebnis have known what Argrave could be in the future?


    Knowledge of the past was Erlebnis¡¯ expertise. But his entire existence for millennia had been seeking ways to glimpse beyond the past and the present. He¡¯d tried to capture Hause for that reason. Perhaps if he had broken the Smiling Raven¡¯s orb prison sooner, he would not be dwelling inside this fortress, waiting for Law toe and do battle.


    But then, Law was not the issue. It was Argrave¡ªit had always been Argrave.


    Argrave had rebuffed Erlebnis in the far north, refusing to ally with him. Argrave hade to him in the Bloodwoods, refusing him even as he used a heavier hand. Argrave tried to shatter all the carefully crafted alliances he¡¯d made¡ªand very nearly seeded. And while Erlebnis licked his wounds, carefully tending to his household¡­ Argrave had againe knocking, ruining a vault containing the effort of millennia.


    Argrave used others as cudgels, but he alone stood at the root of it all. Even now, through his emissaries¡¯ eyes, Erlebnis witnessed the King of Vasquering once again to take, to rob, as if it were his birthright. He approached the Pce of Heaven with all the allies he¡¯d rued, cautious confidence writ on his face even now. Erlebnis knew that Argrave would make it past the Stormfield¡ªhe had made it this far up the mountain, after all. His own emissaries, too, possessed expertise insufficient to hurt them. Anneliese alone was their match, with that A-rank ascension of hers. The walls of the Pce of Heaven, too¡ªErlebnis did not know how the king would breach them, but he put nothing past Argrave. If his vault could be breached, what was a mortal fortress?


    Erlebnis felt rity, felt inspiration, that he hadn¡¯t since he was a mortal. He felt this inspiration permeate the whole of his form. He acted without thinking, without drawing upon the vast archives of knowledge stored within his realm and his person, without calcting every move. He had calcted thus far, and now his head rested beneath a guillotine, waiting, encased in stone built by mortal men while Kirel Qircassia watched on high.


    Erlebnis grasped the life of each of his emissaries and cut their strings. All of them¡ªtens of thousands scattered around the whole world, yet concentrated densely in the Great Chu, died all at once, their power dissipating and returning to him in moments. Erlebnis grasped at his divine realm, where the Lodestars roamed, and crushed it.


    Knowledge, all the way to the dawn of recorded time, copsed to nothingness in moments. What few artifacts, collections, things, that Argrave hadn¡¯t plundered imploded into nothingness alongside that. The good work carried out since his awakening as Erlebnis all died. Nothing remained of it, barring his name. Stupid? Brutish? Reckless? Nothing else had worked. No machination resisted Argrave for long. Erlebnis could only cast it all away. Knowledge, after all, existed inside Erlebnis¡ªhe needed no record.


    There was one thing remaining that Erlebnis could not destroy. Though consigned to the Annals of the Universe, locked within the vaults, it was part of him. The Keeper, he called it. The ¡®he¡¯ that used to be. The man that used to walk. That which led him to ascend beyond humanity, and take his ce in the heavens.


    Erlebnis¡¯ limitless perception narrowed, condensed, until it focused on one man. It was an old man, with sharp golden eyes, graying hair, a long beard, and a taste for ck clothes. It was himself¡ªthe ¡®he¡¯ that once was, the man whose relentless search for knowledge had led him to embody it as one of the divine.


    Erlebnis became himself again.


    Those mortal things locked inside the Keeper for millennia poured onto Erlebnis as a tidal wave of pure, indescribable pain. All of the terrible things that he had done, all of the cruelty he¡¯d inflicted, all that he¡¯d done in the pursuit of knowledge¡­ destroying empires, ruining families, killing billions, spawning the Smiling Raven, torturing the world itself¡­ the anguish his mortal remnant felt was near enough to shatter his mind, divine or not. And yet at the end of all of that, like an aftertaste¡­


    ¡°IT ALL ENDED UP AS NOTHING?!¡±


    Erlebnis opened his eyes, looking around. It took a few moments for him to realize he stood on the battlements of the Pce of Heaven, and longer still to recognize that it had been his voice that said those words. The Stormfield, free from his guidance, temporarily stalled. The battlefield entered a moment of serenity, and Erlebnis¡¯ gold-eyed gazended upon Argrave, surrounded by Law¡¯s Justiciars.


    When their eyes met, Erlebnis realized that he hated Argrave more than anyone possibly could.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Win, lose¡ªthe Erlebnis of old was concerned with such things. Argrave had taken everything from him. Everything that he had ever done was going to be undone today¡ªmost of it already had been undone. There could be no deal, nopromise reached. One would die today. But Argrave was still mortal, and Erlebnis still a god. And now, this was more than personal.


    ¡°The Stormfield!¡± someone shouted, and Erlebnis turned his head. One of the gods serving Kirel Qircassia shouted up at him from the fortress¡¯ courtyard. ¡°Erlebnis, you must man it!¡±


    ¡°Fuck the Stormfield,¡± Erlebnis rebuked.


    He stepped up onto the parapet of the Pce of Heaven, and jumped off down below with the ck robes he¡¯d once worn as a man billowing everywhere. By the time hended, the Stormfield was already starting up again. He could hardly even feel it past the rage in his head.


    ¡°Argrave!¡± Erlebnis shouted, voice booming across the expanse of stone as he walked forward. ¡°I¡¯m going to kill you. I¡¯m going to desecrate your wife in the most unimaginably painful way. I¡¯m going to crush Orion¡¯s skull, and squash Gmon like a bug. After that, I¡¯ll go to ckgard. I¡¯ll make your sister relive what Felipe did to her, and then leave her to bleed out. I¡¯ll feed her husband to his wyvern. I¡¯ll y your cousin, Mnie, Mina¡­ burn the whole of House Parbon, exterminate the House of Quadreign, and end all of Leopold¡¯s lineage. All of the snow elves, all the citizens of your kingdom, everyone you even remotely like¡ªthey¡¯re dead, because of you.¡±


    ¡°One at a time, Erlebnis!¡± Argrave shouted back, his voice barely audible as the Stormfield once again took light under new management.


    Erlebnis felt the power surging through his body. Once again, he was the man that had be a god, yet at the same time, he was the god that had been born of the man. He felt that same relentless drive that had pushed him to where he ended up, alongside the vast collection of knowledge permeating his body. In magic, no one¡ªleast of all any here today¡ªwas even close to being named his peer.


    The golden aura of Law condensed to defend Argrave, forming a solid gleaming wall that slowly took form. In moments, a gargantuan sword formed of Law¡¯s will raised up high, ready to m down.


    ¡°I am your opponent,¡± Law dered unterally.


    His de swung down ferociously. Erlebnis raised his hand, mixing his divine power with magic. A great w of red liquid metal erupted out, seizing the falling sword and fixing it in ce.


    ¡°Hell you are,¡± Erlebnis snarled.


    Then, with his power so tightly condensed, Erlebnispletely overpowered Law. He forced his blend of magic and divinity to rage against the ancient¡¯s might, and his attack threw the de¡ªand much of Law¡¯s power¡ªbackward. In the resulting opening, Erlebnis shot forth a torrent of wind, and it struck the heart of Law¡¯s being. The ancient deity was sted back, and his Justiciars rushed to take their creator¡¯s ce.


    Erlebnis raised his hand, casting one of the oldest S-rank spells in the world¡ª[Smite]. One huge pir of fire descended upon the Justiciars, and when they faded, there was nothing remaining but a clear path to Argrave. Erlebnis rushed forth as Law recovered, single-mindedly hunting the King of Vasquer. He gathered power in his hands, ready to bisect the king with one attack.


    The Alchemist, the gullible Raven, burst free of a stone dangling from Argrave¡¯s neck. When Erlebnis loosed his spell¡ªa single de of wind¡ªthousands of hands appeared on Raven¡¯s misshapen body. They cast wards, one and all, but each crumpled before Erlebnis¡¯ power. The Alchemist braced and morphed his body defensively, yet the magic cut him in half all the same. His torso flew skyward, barely clinging to life, while his legs fell to the ground uselessly. Erlebnis ignored all, pressing toward his nemesis.


    Argrave¡¯s blood echoes harried Erlebnis using [Burst], but B-rank blood magic, even that enhanced by ck blood, could not even faze the single-minded rush of an ancient god. Law stabbed his sword down upon Erlebnis, his golden form nearly fully materialized, but the god of knowledge thrust a huge amount of his own power upward to dy the blow and rushed underneath it.


    Argrave backstepped, panic on his face. Orion stepped forth, thrusting a bident at Erlebnis. He swatted it aside and disarmed him, then called upon all of power to crush Argrave¡¯s brother. He was looking forward to the look on Argrave¡¯s face, but Orion teleported away. Erlebnis remembered that weapon, then¡ªAdmiral Tan Shu¡¯s bident. Its wielder could teleport wherever it flew. Erlebnis barely dwelled on it, resuming his hunt for Argrave.


    ¡°Use [Echo Step]!¡± Erlebnis raved as he neared. ¡°Leave Anneliese behind! Watch me crush her skull!¡±


    Governor Zen, his stolen champion Onychinusa, and Anneliese all cast an S-rank spell, and a trio of elements roared against Erlebnis¡¯ approach while countless of the best spellcasters in the world contributed with attacks from above. In response, Erlebnis used a spell he had managed to reverse-engineer. His emissaries couldn¡¯t use it¡­ but he could.


    Erlebnis used [Requite], turning all of his enemy¡¯s spells against them.


    Those that had spirits locked inside their body resisted the effects of the shamanic magic, but Erlebnis had burnt away his own divinity to cast this magic. Its power was such that all spells seemed to freeze in the air,batting for ownership. He used this window of opportunity to hurtle forth, tremendous power gathered at hand.


    Erlebnis saw Argrave¡¯s face, briefly reveled in its terror, and then swung all of his power with the intent to end this bastard.

 Chapter 586: Reach to the Bone

    The moments after Erlebnis took the form of a lone man were very chaotic.


    ¡°We need to flee, now! Fall back!¡± Anneliese pulled on Argrave''s arm, shouting, after the strange and tangible outpouring of power from the Pce of Heaven. The Stormfield had stalled, somewhat.


    Argrave turned his head away from the gray-haired old man who''d newly arrived. ¡°Why?¡± He asked quickly.


    ¡°Because he''s after you,¡± she continued urgently. ¡°You, and only you. We fall back, cut him down slowly.¡±


    Shortly thereafter, the wizened man jumped from the castle walls. Hended harmlessly, and it began to dawn on Argrave who he was dealing with: Erlebnis. When his chilling words echoed across the stone teau, Argrave concurred with his partner immediately. The god of knowledge had lost it, had totally snapped. And in the face of such an uncertainty, it was best to regroup.


    ¡°Hold on,¡± Governor Zen shouted. ¡°This is our opportunity. A rabid animal is blind to traps. Let me set up an array to protect. Then, Sataistador cane to our aid.¡±


    He¡¯s shown his hand, Argrave thought, eyes flicking between the urgent governor and this terrifying new development ahead. He could flee¡ªtheir retreat was covered. But from the beginning, they knew Sataistador was going to try something. That time, it would seem, was now. But could they risk it?


    ¡°How long do you need?¡± Argrave asked insistently.


    ¡°Thirty seconds, maybe a minute,¡± Zen vowed. ¡°Then, you¡¯ll power it, block him. Not a speck of his power will pass. We¡¯ll batter him.¡±


    As Argrave thought, the voice of this strange new Erlebnis cut into his thoughts. ¡°¡­burn the whole of House Parbon, exterminate the House of Quadreign, and end all of Leopold¡¯s lineage. All of the snow elves, all the citizens of your kingdom, everyone you even remotely like¡ªthey¡¯re dead, because of you.¡±


    In the end, he knew Sataistador wanted to im Erlebnis¡¯ head. And they¡¯d been preparing for the god of war¡¯s treachery this entire time¡ªthey just needed to keep their guard up, both during and after this mortal struggle.


    ¡°One at a time, Erlebnis!¡± Argrave shouted¡ªan answer to the god of knowledge¡¯s ravings, but equal part deration of his intentions. ¡°Get to work,¡± he told Zen just after.


    In response to hismand, Zen opened his robe, and put on a bizarre glove with sharpened nails that coursed with magic. He inhaled deeply, then plunged his hand into his chest. He gripped his own ribcage, screaming, and pulled free one of the bones. It glowed with an indescribable power. Zen healed the wound, fell to the ground, then began scratching the earth with his bone. Where it marked, that same power hummed.


    Argrave was aghast, but¡­ if the man would do something so drastic, he most likely wouldn¡¯t be lying. Besides¡ªLaw was here, an ancient god of his own. What could go wrong? Reminded of his blessing, Argrave called upon the Domain of Law, dering, ¡°In this domain, time is slowed for those within it.¡±


    Argrave felt things warp as he saw this new Erlebnis¡ªthis markedly human Erlebnis¡ªhurtle across the battlefield as the Stormfields reignited, taken over by a new custodian. Law¡¯s form began to condense, his power gathering close at hand, and Argrave felt some relief¡­ only for that relief to be shattered when Law¡¯s golden de hurtled away ineffectively. His heart calmed when the Justiciars took his ce¡­ only for the rollercoaster to again dip sharply down as they all ignited beneath a st of magic me so hot Argrave could feel it on his skin.


    Argrave recalled the Alchemist into the Ravenstone, releasing him in a defensive panic. The Alchemist created an impressive bulwark¡ªthe same defense that had blocked attacks from Mozzahr, and so Argrave wasforted¡­ only for the Alchemist to be cut in half by a spell of unimaginable power. Argrave tried to help with his blood echoes, but they seemed like firecrackers against a tank. Orion, too, was swatted aside like a fly.


    ¡°Use [Echo Step]!¡± Erlebnis raved as he neared. ¡°Leave Anneliese behind! Watch me crush her skull!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s done! Back here, Grand Commandant! Power it when hees!¡± Zen shouted, rushing past Argrave to retake his ce.


    Argrave backstepped as quickly as he could, seeking this array. He could see writing in the earth. If he only scribbled in the earth, and this is how I die¡­ my Undying Soul is going to be the nastiest ghost imaginable.


    The army that Argrave had brought got to work¡ªeven unexpected additions like Oynchinusa appeared in stalwart defiance of her old master. Their spells rocked toward the deity in unison, and Argrave thought Erlebnis would struggle. Only, [Requite] reared its head¡ªa [Requite] wielded by a god. All of the magic in the world slowed, stalled¡­ and Erlebnis prepared a spell of unimaginable power to dwarf them all, aiming it right at Argrave¡¯s face.


    Argrave stepped onto Zen¡¯s divine-warding array, and felt a hollow void of power beneath his feet beckoning for the power he offered. He gave it what it wanted, and he could feel it pulling from the magic and the spirits within him like a vacuum. Given his terror, Argrave likened the experience to crapping his pants. He very nearly had a point ofparison for that metaphor.


    Erlebnis¡¯ spell coursed toward Argrave¡ªa solid ball of fire, writhing with the red liquid metal that constituted his divinity. Yet that liquid metal mmed upon an invisible wall, while the fire made wholly of magic kept its course toward Argrave. Argrave quickly improvised a ward that shattered. The mes mmed into Argrave¡¯s face. Artur¡¯s armor did protect him well enough, yet he felt hair and skin burnt away and grit his teeth in pain.


    But when he opened his eyes, he was alive¡­ and Erlebnis stood there, his arm held out with an expression of wrath. He pushed that arm forth with what seemed to be tremendous effort, yet Zen¡¯s array did not wield. Argrave saw one of the crowning achievements of the Great Chu manifest, and even as his skin burnt hot, let out a sigh of relief. Divinity in all its forms¡ªwhether gods, or the spirits they bled¡ªceased to function before the array Zen had made.


    It wasforting, yet extremely rming simultaneously, that Governor Zen possessed this power.


    Erlebnis reeled away. ¡°The imperial pce¡¯s ward? Then, as promised¡­!¡± He looked to where Anneliese retreated to the distance, and Argrave felt his heart thump as the god of knowledge made to move.


    Law¡¯s de descended once again, yet this time, there could be no mistaking it¡ªLaw was as present as he could be, all of his golden aura condensed in the shape of a great titan. He was a knight of gold, and he clenched both of his hands around his greatsword and plunged it down. Erlebnis did not rise to meet it¡ªrather, he ducked low and jumped to the side, quickly pivoting around the array Argrave shielded himself in until he was on the other side. Law¡¯s de met the same resistance Erlebnis did, and the attack was nullified.


    Erlebnis gathered divinity and magic in hand, ready to attack any number of Argrave¡¯s scattering allies. Yet then a figure descended from on high, swinging a huge hammer. Erlebnis dedicated all of his attention to the new attacker, and two wards rose to block the attack. The hammer broke the first ward, and Sataistador¡¯s fist broke the second. The god of war lunged at Erlebnis, whose back was to Zen¡¯s array.


    Erlebnis didn¡¯t dodge¡ªhe caught Sataistador¡¯s charge. His hand wrapped his throat, and to Argrave¡¯s shock and awe, Erlebnis mmed the god of war to the ground as if he were a child. ¡°Vulture,¡± Erlebnis spat, his free hand preparing magic. ¡°Fucking lice, all in my hair.¡±


    Sataistador punched Erlebnis, and though the god of knowledge staggered away, he stillpleted his magic. Ance of liquid red metal shot out with the speed of lightning, and Sataistador only barely dodged. The projectile grazed his shoulder, causing a small burst of spirits flying into the air. They merged with Law¡¯s form, whose titanic body stood to its full height while readying that golden greatsword. Argrave felt a turtle in a shell as three ancient gods did battle all around.


    ¡°Your woman was right,¡± Sataistador said, hefting his hammer. ¡°He¡¯s after you and those close to you. Fighting and killing him is one thing, but we can¡¯t guarantee your safety. That array won¡¯t hold if the ground beneath it fails, which is sure to happen if we let loose. Law and I together can stop him for a time, but you must run if you want to live. Bring Zen, head for the Pce of Heaven. Get inside, however you nned to, and im the Stormfield.¡±


    Argrave briefly considered the notion that Sataistador might be trying to get him killed, but ultimately he dismissed it and broke out into a run toward the Pce of Heaven, right into the Stormfield. Reinforcement Justiciars joined him, protecting him and those near him from the worst of the array.


    ¡°Everyone, group up closely!¡± Argrave shouted, then recalled the Alchemist into the Ravenstone. He clutched it as he ran, asking the man, ¡°Will you live? Can you fight?¡±


    ¡°He cut me in twain with his divinity. I can fight no more,¡± the Alchemist stated inly. ¡°I must focus all my faculties on recovery, lest I perish.¡±


    Equal parts relieved and concerned, Argrave made his way toward the Pce of Heaven. As he did, he asked Elenore, ¡°Gmon in position?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± she responded. ¡°Apparently, the pressure lightened on his end. They¡¯re waiting at the breach point for the signal.¡±


    ¡°Situation¡¯s desperate on this side,¡± Argrave informed her. ¡°Law¡¯s fully upied. We can¡¯t conserve one of the Giantkillers as we intended if we want to punch through. We need it over here.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell him,¡± Elenore promised.


    Argrave pressed on, joined by Zen, Anneliese, and Orion. Onychinusa hung back, perhaps wishing to do battle with Erlebnis. Zen still had some of his own rib bone in hand, ready to write another array. Soon enough they were met with the second deterrent of the Pce of Heaven¡ªits walls. He wasn¡¯t talking about their physical aspects, but rather their magical ones. A pressure emanated outward from their sleek gray surface¡ªone from above, the other fighting against them, both as constant as gravity.


    Every step that Argrave took felt heavier than thest, the fortress looming high above them. His eyes felt like they were being turned to goo, his ears rung, and his bones pushed against his skin and armor as if threatening to burst free. Argrave could hear, could feel the battle between Sataistador, Law, and Erlebnis. He heard Erlebnis¡¯ desperate, ravening struggles to reach Argrave, but the two ancient gods proved capable of warding him away, even if only for a time. Judging by the fact that the sounds were growing closer rather than further¡­ that wouldn¡¯t be forever. Governor Zen fell to one knee, but Argrave grabbed him and hefted him along.


    ¡°Rook¡¯s crossing to your side of the fortress. He has the Giantkiller on hand,¡± Elenore informed him.


    Argrave looked to the weak spot, at the point where the Pce of Heaven met the mountain. Gmon would be standing on the opposite side, waiting for the order. Argrave¡¯s joints felt useless, and Orion supported everyone weaker than himself with a firm hand. Even the Justiciars were feeling the strain. They made it to the wall, and Argrave leaned against it with one hand. That proved to be a mistake¡ªpain surged through the hand, as sharp as bones breaking, and he retracted it with a hiss.


    ¡°Make another array,¡± hemanded Zen.


    The governor seemed barely able to respond beneath the pressure of the Pce of Heaven¡¯s indomitable walls, but he copsed to the ground and slowly dragged his bone against the ground. Just then, Argrave spotted a bright light¡ªlooking up, Rook descended down into the valley, bearing a dagger that glowed with the light of more than ten thousand lightning strikes.


    Argrave slumped down, looking behind in cautious relief. As he watched, Erlebnis stood his ground against Law¡¯s greatsword. With a great heave, a st of his divinity sent Law reeling. Sataistador approached from behind, and though Erlebnis twisted and delivered a powerful st of ice against his face, Argrave saw a dagger slip deep into Erlebnis¡¯ shoulder. Spirits flew into the air as a steady stream, like a smoking wound.


    But rather than punish the reelingw, press the advantage on Sataistador, or pull out the dagger embedded in his shoulder¡­ Erlebnis flew toward Argrave furiously, finally free of the two gods. Sataistador and Law chased, bridging the gap just as fast¡­ but ¡®just as fast¡¯ wouldn¡¯t be good enough, considering he had a lead. Argrave looked to Rook and shouted, ¡°Hurry!¡±


    The god of deception pushed past the pressure of the Pce of Heaven and handed the dagger to Argrave. In his head, he told Elenore, ¡°Tell Gmon to send it!¡±


    Argrave raised the de in spite of tremendous resistance, and plunged the dagger in the part where mountain and fortress met. Lightning collected from the Stormfield for the hours it¡¯d been working surged into it. Ordinarily Argrave and Gmon both would¡¯ve just consigned themselves to death, as the electricity coursed through the earth, into their highly-vulnerable fleshy bits. Now, however, it was attracted toward a particr point¡ªsomething that Traugott had nted. There, it was amplified, concentrated¡­ and released, precisely where they wished it.


    A great white pir of concentrated energy surged upward with the fury of an erupting volcano. Argrave backed away, feeling some of his strength returning as the foul magics embedded into the wall of the Pce of Heaven vaporized. The n had been for Law to supplement one half of this attack, leaving Gmon with one Giantkiller charged that they might use on Erlebnis.


    ¡°Array¡¯s ready!¡± Zen shouted, scrambling out of the way.


    As Argrave looked behind, Erlebnis had nearly made it. Argravecked the energy to power the array, but Anneliese¡¯s power poured inside it long before the god of knowledge could make it. Erlebnis halted, gathered his power, and then fired it straight into the earth. The defending Justiciars fell into the earth, and then folded inside it, crushed. The whole of the mountain seemed to shift, and Argrave¡¯s eyes widened as the array fragmented and cracked.


    Argrave thought to head inside the Pce of Heaven, yet the st of white energy still persisted in destroying the wall. As fear set in¡­ Rook stepped in between Argrave and Erlebnis. He plunged a dagger into Erlebnis¡¯ chest. It barely seemed to break the skin, yet Erlebnis was forced to confront him. Rook stubbornly clung onto Erlebnis, wrestling his hands to prevent his use of magic.


    The god of knowledge gathered divinity and magic in his right hand, then grabbed Rook¡¯s head. Malignant energy tore through the deity, and in no more than a few moments¡­ he perished, the spiritsprising his being consumed by Erlebnis shortly thereafter. Those short few moments were enough for Sataistador to catch up, and Erlebnis was forced to turn around and block a potentially deadly stab.


    Just then Argrave felt the power breaking the wall fade, and when he turned around¡­ their path into the Pce of Heaven had opened.


    Argrave, first of any in history, ran into the breach of the Pce of Heaven, jumping a cavernous hole. His allies followed him shortly thereafter. Anding through, on the opposite side¡­ the gods of the ckgard Union entered.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Argrave shouted, taking no time to think. ¡°To the Stormfield!¡±

 Chapter 587: Terrible Martyrs

    Argrave stood at the edge of the central courtyard of the Pce of Heaven. Whether from above or below, the tales said that this ce had never been breached. Its walls could withstand the fury of gods, and apparently there were measures to prevent any entry from above. But here they stood, the first of history. Beyond was a verdant garden far removed from the stony teau they¡¯de from. Considering the Stormfield still worked, there would be other enemies in here. Their silence, however, was deafening.


    The small breach in the walls of the Pce of Heaven was soon blocked by their ally, Law¡ªErlebnis¡¯ relentless pursuit was brought to a halt, if only for now. But if he had been able to leave, the garrison manning this ce would let Erlebnis reenter just as easily. They didn¡¯t have much time for rest, for the god of knowledge had be somewhat like Sataistador¡ªalone, and highly mobile. Sataistador had dodged death countless time by keeping himself as little more than a man. Perhaps that had been Erlebnis¡¯ conscious goal, or perhaps not¡­ regardless, it was frightening.


    ¡°Where is Rook?¡± questioned Veid, resplendent in Veidimen-style armor. Other gods shadowed her¡ªRaen, Lira, and even Almazora, who¡¯d ceased her defense on Berendar for this fight.


    ¡°Erlebnis caught him,¡± Anneliese exined, looking around the courtyard warily. ¡°I think he died, but¡­¡±


    ¡°You think?¡± Argrave repeated, then shook his head. ¡°I watched him dissipate. He¡¯s dead. But we don¡¯t have time to think of that. We need to im as much of this ce as we can. We always nned on having Law inside the Pce, fighting Erlebnis, but he¡¯s dealing with him on the outside instead. Roles need to change.¡±


    ¡°You need to take me to the Stormfield.¡± Governor Zen was the first to set foot on the grass ahead, and he held a strange red sword in his hand. ¡°I can guide us there. I¡¯ve studied this ce, and the array, in great detail. I know this fortress inside and out.¡±


    ¡°So do I¡ªlest you forget, all of mymanders, even myself, studied itsyout. Is guiding us what Sataistador asked you to do?¡± Argrave said usingly. Now that the governor had shown his hand in calling Sataistador as reinforcement, there was no need to be coy about these things.


    The governor gestured to the spot where he¡¯d torn out his ribcage. ¡°I think I demonstrated amply I¡¯m on your side in this battle. We made an alliance¡ªI intend to keep it. I called him here to aid us. You¡¯d be dead without that.¡± He turned his head back to the courtyard. ¡°We can¡¯t linger here long. Erlebnis has shown he can break free of Sataistador and Law, and lest you forget, we haven¡¯t imed all of the Pce of Heaven for ourselves¡ªmerely set foot inside it.¡±


    Orion stepped forward and gripped the governor¡¯s robes, jostling him. ¡°What did Sataistador ask for you to do in this battle?¡±


    ¡°Win it. Nothing more¡­ grandson-inw.¡± Governor Zen spread his arms out, not touching Orion.


    Argrave was expecting Anneliese to inform him that was a lie immediately, but looking at her face for answers told him the governor was being genuine. Argrave didn¡¯t know what to make of that. He had anticipated the god of war to have at least one request of the governor¡­ but none? Were they wrong? Was Sataistador not nning a betrayal of some kind? Then why had he worked with Zen in secrecy?


    ¡°Each deity needs to focus on one aspect of the fortress,¡± Argrave decided, then tapped his brother until he released Zen. ¡°Almazora¡ªapany Zen to the Stormfield. Lira¡ªdeal with the pressure exerted by the walls, so our troops can approach. Raen¡ªfocus on opening the sky, so Durran can provide support from above. Veid¡ªcontinue working with Gmon,manding the troops. Everyone needs to get the hell away from me. Erlebnis is after me.¡±


    ¡°Meaning?¡± Anneliese prompted him.


    ¡°His anger surprised us. His hatred of me, his tunnel vision; we can use it to our advantage, now, if I n something before hees again. I¡¯ve fought Mozzahr, Norman¡ªI¡¯m almost used to broken, ravenous monsters by this point.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re joking,¡± Almazora said, aghast.


    Argrave turned to her and shook his head. ¡°I joke less than I once did.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re overestimating yourself. I saw what he did with his magic¡ªhe¡¯s quite literally burning himself away for a vague hope of ending you,¡± Raen criticized. ¡°Veid can handle my role of opening the sky. I¡¯lle with, and aid you with my mastery over space. Erlebnis cannot be underestimated, especially not if he takes such drastic actions. You¡¯re needed.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Argrave easily epted the god¡¯s suggestion. ¡°Then, let¡¯s¡ª¡±


    ¡°Mnie needs to confer with you,¡± Elenore¡¯s voice cut into his head as he spoke. ¡°She needs advice on how to deal with the lich if he hasn¡¯t lost his mind. And, after, she needs to know how to fight against Fellhorn.¡±


    Argrave had been thrown a lot of curveballs today, and impressed himself with his ability to roll with them. Nevertheless, this one caught him square in the face. He didn¡¯t quite have an answer for that, just a question.


    ¡°The hell is Mnie dealing with?¡±


    #####


    Anneliese was never pleased when Argrave put himself in the most dangerous situation. Raen¡¯s criticism and subsequent offer of help had been some anodyne to this development, and with his [Echo Step], he might well be the best fighter of any of them by this point. Still, this battlefield had the highest stakes they¡¯d ever dealt with. She was tasked with keeping an eye on Governor Zen as they traversed deeper in the Pce of Heaven, where ambushes waited without doubt.


    Yet something bothered her. Rook¡¯s death¡­ it hadn¡¯t been at all as she¡¯d been expected it. She¡¯d seen gods die before, but that¡­? It had felt wrong, all the way from the scene itself to the fact that Rook was willing to sacrifice himself at all. It seemed contrary to his character. She didn¡¯t know what to do with this suspicion for a time, until an idea came to her.


    ¡°Elenore,¡± she called upon her sister-inw as she watched Argrave¡¯s departure. ¡°Ask Stain if he¡¯s lost his blessing.¡±


    Barring rare exceptions like the Alchemist¡¯s intervention, gods¡¯ blessings only dissipated in one way¡ªif the god in question died. And if Rook had truly died, Stain would be without his ability to disguise himself.


    ¡°No. Stain still has his blessing.¡±


    Elenore¡¯s calm deration sent a chill through Anneliese as theplications mounted higher and higher. The god of deception and subterfuge was deceiving everyone with some hidden stratagem¡ªperhaps not surprising, given it was in his nature. Considering this wasn¡¯t mentioned to any of the other gods of the ckgard Union or Argrave himself, though, it sparked some concern. At least Rook, unlike Sataistador, was bound by the dictates of the White ne. Nevertheless¡­


    ¡°Another problem,¡± she muttered aloud.


    #####


    Mnie had honestly been exceptionally eager to take this little side-task with Dario, heading to the Burnt Desert. It wasn¡¯t the region, nor thepany¡ªboth were miserable. It was to get out of being on the battlefield against a bunch of gods and their servants. She¡¯d had enough of people that could break her wrist with a flick of their finger, and didn¡¯t much care for the spectacle of gigantic battles. That was where errant attacks had imed the lives of many.


    They began their descent into the lich¡¯s pce about six hours before Argrave¡¯s assault of the Pce of Heaven began. Traugott had proven extremely adroit at preparation, and so by acting just before the time of the assault, they hoped to have both ample time to prepare while not time enough for Traugott to find vulnerabilities. To start, they did find the grand pce of the lich easily enough¡ªArgrave had impable directions, as ever.


    That was thest thing that went ording to n.


    This supposedly ¡®crumbling¡¯ pce that Argrave had described containing half-baked traps and decrepit edifices was anything but. The moment Mnie and Dario breached the secret entrance beneath the oasis and entered into the narrow corridors leading to the pce proper, incongruities arose. The entrance was a long, winding stone maze. Argrave had told them of this, but promised it wasrgely useless and filled with dumb undead. But against his promises, all of it looked identically well-maintained, sleek and gray¡ªand worse yet, southron elf illusion magic obscured the way forward, alongside traps and the undead. These undead certainly weren¡¯t dumb, and their master spoke through them.


    ¡°Unwee visitors,¡± echoed the lich¡¯s voice throughout his pce. ¡°If you¡¯re the ones that aided me in regaining my mind, then surrender. You have nothing to fear from me¡ªindeed, I owe you a favor of sorts. And if you are not¡­ then surrender is the only thing that would make your death a painless one. If you resist, you will scream in anguish far beyond the instant you die.¡±


    Chilling words¡ªand ones that a necromancer could actually enact. Neither her nor Dario paid them any heed, and Mnie¡¯s blessing from Raen took them both through theplex maze, seeking the ce where the lichid his bony head to rest. Dario led them, using her blessing and his impable sense of stealth to avoid conflict. False walls and endless illusions made a difficult maze all the more troublesome, and Mnie regretted not bringing along someone like Anneliese to see past all the falsities. Despite all the problems, Mnie had to admit¡­ Dario knew how to infiltrate quietly. The few times they were caught, they quickly slipped away without injury.


    Dumb luck, and Dario¡¯s thorough understanding of how traps wereid, led them to a breakthrough in the maze. Then again, perhaps it wasn¡¯t right to call it luck¡ªit had taken four hours of ceaseless bumbling about, avoiding undead, sticking to the shadows, and dodging traps whenever they triggered them. Dario¡¯s adroit stealth helped them avoid wasting energy in battle, but even still they were drained.


    Their party of two exited out of the maze into the pce itself, discreet as they¡¯d been moments before. It was a beautiful and spacious room that fit the title of pce. There were four entrances, each at the cardinal directions. From these entrances, stairs descended downward to a central tform. A bottomless abyss surrounded the tform and the stairs. They scouted the ce out, peering through a portal Mnie made just at the entrance.


    Mnie¡¯s gaze went upward, where she saw an unending mass of water that, for some reason, didn¡¯t fall down. Within that water, Mnie spotted a gigantic man. She barely processed this fact before she instinctually shrunk away, back to cover, in a panic.


    ¡°Dario. Up,¡± she whispered, pulling him back.


    Dario¡¯s gaze was fixated into the portal to the tform below. ¡°Can you feel it?¡± he asked her, in the same low whisper she gave.


    ¡°The big guy in the water? Yeah, I s¡ª¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Dario¡¯s whisper was strained, pained. ¡°The lich. You see him, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Mnie followed his gaze. As he said, there was a skeleton sitting upon a throne in the central tform. It wore faded red robes just as she imagined a lich king might, and fortunately for them faced a direction it could not see them from.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Yeah, I see him. But look up, there¡¯s¡ª¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t feel it, can you?¡± He looked at her. ¡°I can. It¡¯s familiar as it¡¯s ever been. One of the Heralds is using the lich¡¯s body as its anchor. It must be protecting him from Gerechtigkeit¡¯s influence. It must¡¯vee here to prevent Traugott from iming an Undying Soul.¡± Anger came from him, a shrill whip hidden by his whispers.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t¡­¡± Mnie looked back, searching for what he saw. She couldn¡¯t see it. ¡°Isn¡¯t that a damned good thing? They nullify magic attacks. We can get out, let Traugott kill himself trying to fight this thing.¡±


    ¡°Nah,¡± Dario shook his head. ¡°Not a chance. I said I¡¯d kill Traugott. I meant it. Besides, he has the Shadonds at his disposal. The Heralds can¡¯t fight against that¡ªthey feared them more than anything.¡±


    Mnie felt a little courage leave her. ¡°What about the big guy in the water? What in the world is that?¡±


    Dario looked up, scouting it out. ¡°That¡¯s Fellhorn. I¡¯ve seen him in my dreams, before¡­ and I¡¯m guessing that strange watery portal is the entrance to his divine realm.¡±


    ¡°We need to get out of here,¡± Mnie decided, ready to beat a speedy retreat. ¡°This ce is a death trap.¡±


    Dario looked back. ¡°What¡¯s changed? We don¡¯t use magic¡ªthe Herald is no obstacle. Fellhorn is a weakened god after what Durran did.¡± He looked back at the lich. ¡°And Traugott needs to die. Leave if you want, but I¡¯m staying.¡±


    Mnie took a deep breath and exhaled quietly. ¡°You¡¯re too stupid to live a long life. But what the hell does that make me¡­?¡± she questioned, as she stayed fixed in ce.

 Chapter 588: No Distractions

    ¡°...and that''s all I can say about Fellhorn,¡± Argrave told Elenore, giving advice to Mnie through Elenore as he and Raen made to confront Erlebnis. They intended to fight him outside the Pce of Heaven, as it kept him from interfering with the operations within and, if all went well, they might turn the Stormfield against him.


    He continued advising, ¡°And the lich, his phctery... it''s hidden within a stuffed animal: a ck bear, with big floppy ears. That''s all I have, Elenore. Nomunication henceforth. Need no distractions.¡±


    ¡°Good luck,¡± his sister told him in parting. Then her voice was no more, and Argrave stood on the empty walls of the Pce of Heaven with Raen beside him.


    The deity asked, ¡°You¡¯re done?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Argrave answered.


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep it brief.¡± Raen yed with the decadent rings on his fingers. ¡°Erlebnis knows he¡¯s outmatched. He¡¯s given up on winning the fight.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re sure of this?¡± Argrave narrowed his eyes.


    ¡°He¡¯s using his divinity to empower his attacks. He wants to leave nothing left for his foes. The god I killed for my domain did something simr.¡± Raen stroked his chin. ¡°Eventually, though, our god of knowledge is going to get too weak to resist both of the ancient gods wearing him down. It¡¯s our job to make sure his killer is someone on our side.¡±


    ¡°We all agreed that Law should inherit that power. His domainpels him to be our most steadfast ally,¡± Argrave pointed out.


    ¡°We did agree it would be best for all involved,¡± Raen confirmed. ¡°But we should be happy simply if Sataistador doesn¡¯t im it.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s your angle, volunteering to help me.¡± Argrave fixed him with the side-eye. ¡°Whatever. If it ys that way, it ys that way. This is a partnership, not a subordinacy. Just don¡¯t end up dead, like Rook.¡±


    ¡°Like Rook?¡± Raenughed¡ªa new noise from the god of space. ¡°I won¡¯t end up like him at all. The god with mastery over space¡ªit¡¯s a coveted title. It could be said that few other domains are its equal. For that reason, my champion, Mnie, has proven her worth countless time.¡± He looked at Argrave. ¡°For this reason, the gods of space are often killed by those seeking to im their domain. I¡¯m the youngest of the gods in the ckgard Union¡­ yet throughout history, I¡¯m still the oldest god of space. Does that make sense?¡±


    ¡°This is you being brief?¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°You¡¯re a tough guy, I get it. What¡¯s your point?¡±


    ¡°Not tough. But like you, I don¡¯t often fight when I cannot win. Now¡ªlet¡¯s wait for our opportunity.¡± Raen put his hand on Argrave¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I hope you¡¯ve mastered your stomach. Elsewise, you¡¯ll lose whatever¡¯s within it, I promise you.¡±


    Argrave inhaled, preparing himself for a long and protracted fight. ¡°Why¡¯s it taking so long, anyway? Thought the man had a grudge¡­¡±


    #####


    ¡°You don¡¯t seem much like the god of war to me,¡± Erlebnis said, standing across from Sataistador as the Stormfield raged all around them on this mountain peak. Law had fallen back temporarily, perhaps grouping up with some reinforcement. ¡°Tell me¡ªdid you join the ckgard Union?¡±


    ¡°This is just war for me, as ever,¡± the deity answered.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°What do I have to do to get you to end Argrave?¡± Erlebnis asked.


    Icy storm turned to a fiery hell in moments as the phases of the Stormfield shifted. Amidst all this, Sataistador looked amused. ¡°Are you proposing betrayal?¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡± Erlebnis stared steadfastly.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t align with my long-term intentions for this cycle of judgment. And despite their tremendous sess, I don¡¯t doubt for a second Argrave is willing and able to retreat if things turned that quickly. But let me offer an alternative.¡± Sataistador raised his hand up. ¡°Surrender, let me gorge myself on your flesh. The king¡¯ll die as a natural byproduct of whates next.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯d never let that happen.¡± Erlebnis shook his head. ¡°Law is still watching. Trying to listen, too, but I can stop that. All of them have their own ns. They¡¯ve regrouped. Doubtless Raen is lurking, now, ready to step in and bring his friends at a moment¡¯s notice.¡± The god of knowledge closed his eyes despite standing in front of an enemy. ¡°I missed my chance. I feel it in my bones.¡±


    ¡°Your bones?¡± Sataistador scoffed. ¡°You let go of those a long time ago. Sure they still work like they used to?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps that was always a mistake.¡± Erlebnis straightened his back, standing tall. He still looked small before the hulking figure of the god of war. ¡°But there are ways out of this for me.¡±


    ¡°Not really. You run, we can catch you. You fight, Law or I will oust you. You¡¯re a candle, the wax melting a little more every time you burn. If you¡¯d kept your mouth shut instead of saying you¡¯d desecrate the king¡¯s wife, there might be some arrangement you could make¡­ but after you talked, Argrave has no reason to trust a deal from you. This ends, Erlebnis, with you dead. The hand has been dealt. All you can do is show your cards.¡±


    Erlebnis smiled. ¡°Or, I could talk more, run my mouth more¡­ and maybe tell them why you cut your hair.¡±


    Sataistador was static one moment, then animated in the next. He flew at Erlebnis with his arms moving so quickly they appeared to be eight. Weaponsshed out at him in an inferno of fury. Erlebnis called upon his divinity, putting a vast amount of might in repelling the god of war.


    ¡°There¡¯s that chaos I recognize,¡± Erlebnis called out. ¡°They didn¡¯t hear what I said, fret not. Or better yet, do fret, louse. You think I don¡¯t know you? A vagrant like you only cuts that mop for one reason.¡±


    ¡°You want Argrave dead, don¡¯t you?¡± Sataistador pointed an axe. ¡°Then you¡¯ll say nothing more. I put a lot of time, a lot of effort, into this. If you don¡¯t waste my effort, you can harass Argrave in the afterlife, I promise you.¡±


    Erlebnis shook his head. ¡°I want him dead, true enough. But most of all, I want to kill him. You got in my damned way, Sataistador. I¡¯ll burn this scheme of yours to cinders¡ªI¡¯m not above that, not anymore. You deprived me of my chance. You still have yours, for now. And if you want to keep it, get out of my sight. And if I see even the faintest glimpse of you, I¡¯ll tell them all.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t even make sense!¡± Sataistador shouted in rage. ¡°It¡¯s irrational. If you want him dead, your best option is to¡ª¡±


    ¡°Forget rational!¡± Erlebnis interrupted. ¡°I was a beacon of rationality. Look where I am, now. The odds stacked against me. Kirel Qircassia, my ¡®ally,¡¯ stays on high, while I scramble in the mud for a knife. I¡¯m not content with that. I¡¯ll have another attempt.¡±


    Sataistador paused, then pointed his finger. ¡°You¡¯re going to try something devious, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Erlebnis nodded. ¡°Yes. I want to make Argrave suffer. Death alone isn¡¯t the only way one can go about such a thing. Grief is painful. Despair is painful. I¡¯ve learned a lot about suffering, in my long years.¡±


    ¡°You could ruin both of our chances.¡± Sataistador put his hands on his waist. ¡°I ought to take my chances, keep fighting you, your thering be damned. Ought to call your bluff.¡±


    ¡°Do it, whore of war.¡± Erlebnis beckoned Sataistador inward. ¡°Try me. It¡¯d be worth it, just to see your arrogance break, to see you throw a tantrum andnd face down in the mud right alongside me. Misery lovespany. Perhaps you¡¯ll know what it is to hate something, as I do.¡±


    Sataistador¡¯s stared into Erlebnis¡¯ golden eyes, taking their measure as the Stormfield raged all around them. Then¡­ he turned and walked away.


    #####


    ¡°It¡¯s good they¡¯re taking so long,¡± Raenforted. ¡°More time for our people to get a hold of the Stormfield. Once the Stormfield falls, we don¡¯t need to have the Justiciars spread out, protecting the army. Law can fight without restraint.¡±


    ¡°Hell with ¡®it¡¯s good,¡¯¡± Argrave disagreed. ¡°They¡¯re talking, Raen. Two backstabbers, consorting, maybe getting into bed with one another. I don¡¯t like it.¡±


    ¡°We were always prepared for the possibility that Sataistador might change sides. We control the whole of the Great Chu, and provided our counterparts do their part well, we now control its strongest fortress. If that isn¡¯t enough, and if ites to it, we could always¡­¡±


    ¡°Retreat,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°When we¡¯re inside the damned fortress. A bitter pill.¡±


    One of Law¡¯s Justiciars knelt before Argrave, and its god spoke through it. ¡°The god of war has spent too much time scheming to move on offered whims. Siding with Erlebnis¡ªwho we¡¯ve put on the backfoot¡ªis contrary to his nature. Sataistador, above all, wishes to win.¡±


    Argrave caressed his forehead, feeling some rising unease. Then, he felt Raen¡¯s hand on his shoulder.


    ¡°Erlebnis returns,¡± the god of space dered. ¡°And Sataistador, he¡¯s¡­ leaving.¡±


    Argrave looked up, seeing a lone figure stalk through the Stormfield. The steam covered much of his advance, but Argrave saw him in a moment of rity.


    ¡°The god of war is a hypocrite, a coward, and a dumb whore,¡± Erlebnis called out. ¡°He¡¯s mocked me for countless years about clinging to my divine servants, my realm, my vault. In the end, he has things that he refuses to relinquish just like the rest of us. He has possessions he¡¯d move to protect, interests to preserve.¡±


    Argrave prepared himself, looking to Raen for guidance. The god of space stared through the steam, alert and ready.


    ¡°Just us, now. No more vultures.¡± Erlebnis stopped walking. ¡°Just me, with thepany of all I¡¯ve learned through the millennia. And you, Argrave, with whatever¡¯s swimming around in that head of yours.¡±

 Chapter 589: Knowledges Quagmire

    Erlebnis had a long while to think about how to kill Argrave in this fight. The man hade to specialize in avoidance after learning how to use [Echo Step] in conjunction with his A-rank ascension. Now, with the god of space standing by his side like a bodyguard, that talent would have anotheryer of protection. All of this excluded the titanic Law manifesting on the battlefield. Law had been an easy equal for Erlebnis even before this fight began. Now, though, with more allies¡­ with an army on the pathway to the Pce of Heaven, and with gods and kings at his side, the match was hopelessly skewed.


    But Erlebnis had the benefit of millennia of knowledge. That was a weapon that could be used in uncountable ways. He would strike fast, strike hard, and draw upon the most obscure and strange forms of magic seeking to get a solid blow in. Despite his position, Argrave was still flesh and blood of yet. A solid hit could kill him. Or¡­ perhaps two blows, considering the Inerrant Cloak he wore would act as a partial shield.


    ¡°You¡¯lle to know much today, Argrave.¡± Erlebnis kneeled down, cing his hand upon the ground and calling upon magic so forgotten that only he alone knew of it.


    The earth beneath his hand changed, taking on properties of a substance far removed from stone. The ground itself began to ripple like a droplet had fallen upon still water. Then, the Stormfield, sensing a change in the ground, rushed to correct the disturbance. What it corrected was soon changed again in an ever-repeating cycle, churning the earth. This spell had been crafted by a miner seeking a way to iste ore deposits, yet now, it turned the t stone teau into a shiftingndscape that would perpetually fight against the Stormfield until its power source ran out, or the field itself died.


    Everyone on the ground was cast into a desperate struggle not to be swallowed by the earth¡ªArgrave¡¯s entire army, and even Law¡¯s Justiciars. And with the stage set, Erlebnis began. He soared up into the air, and cast a spell originating from the Order of the Rose rather simr to one Argravemonly called upon. A bird of fire erupted, strengthened by Erlebnis¡¯ divinity¡ªthe S-rank spell [Phoenix]. The bird, with his will alone, circled through the sky, waiting for his direction. Soon, a flock of phoenix¡¯s roamed above the sky. Despite the Stormfield raging, they persisted, ready to descend upon a target of his choosing when he pleased.


    ¡°My own strategy?¡± Argrave called out. ¡°You aren¡¯t teaching me much.¡±


    ¡°In this domain, my enemies are inferior,¡± Law dered, his voice drowning out his champion¡¯s.


    Erlebnis felt a subtle heaviness as Law advanced, swinging that golden greatsword of his with righteous fury. Erlebnis had considered how to abate the pure might of Law, ande to a rather elegant solution. He created a unique ward, casting it forth. Rather than hold firm, it moved with the attack while applying precisely half the power of theing attack. Useless to stop attacks¡­ but it could slow them, dy them. And Law¡¯s de, pressured, slowed by half. With an opening, Erlebnis cast powerful wind magic and burst toward Argrave with the speed of an arrow. Law, however, was not inept.


    Law released his de and brought his fist down to catch him instead of his sword. Erlebnis took the blow squarely, yet as he did, the phoenix¡¯s descended. They mmed upon Law¡¯s back, and the titanic knightly figure staggered. Erlebnis mmed against the rippling ground, but even as he felt the ache of pain prepared two spells. As a match for his own two hands, Erlebnis used the shamanic spell [Godhand], burning away his own divinity to such an extent it felt like someone tore a fistful of flesh straight from his chest. They wrapped around Law¡¯s arms, grasping and restraining him as best as they could. Meanwhile, Erlebnis turned his attention to Argrave and Raen.


    First, Erlebnis used lightning magic. A jagged arc of electricity warped forward, then gravitated toward the single blue dagger in Argrave¡¯s hands. The dagger absorbed the lightning. Keeping that in mind, Erlebnis shot forth like an arrow with another burst of wind magic at his feet, but during this journey, discreetly cast a spell called [Trace]. Raen gripped Argrave¡¯s shoulder, then the two travelled through space.


    Erlebnis chased almost like a mindless dog, but internally he was categorizing, scrutinizing, theorizing. Countless gods of space had died before. Their near-omnipresence in battle could be turned against them. Others before had used a few ways. There was prediction¡ªpredict where they fled, they could be got. There was coverage¡ªcover all ces they could go to, they were finished. Both of those were difficult, given Erlebnis¡¯ck of time and the presence of Law.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The third was a trap. And that, Erlebnis could manage.


    Finally, by dumb luck or prudent shepherding, Raen teleported where he was vulnerable to the trap. Erlebnispleted the spell after [Trace], called [Retrace]. An apparition of wind appeared behind Raen and Argrave, as if from nowhere. It hurtled into the two of them, retracing the path that Erlebnis had taken since he cast [Trace]. Striking both Raen and Argrave, it forced the god to release Argrave and forced the man to use his Inerrant Cloak to preserve his life. Argrave¡¯s magic drained, leaving him with only the power of his blood echoes. Most importantly, god and man were finally forced apart. The rippling teau of stone became far more chaotic than it had been as his apparition soared around, retracing his furious pursuit.


    Erlebnis hunted Argrave frantically in the moment he¡¯d parted from Raen. The man¡¯s blood echoes spread across the field as he struggled with the uneven, rippling terrain caused by the constant magic. Raen tried to rejoin with Argrave, but Erlebnis sent out attacks preemptively to block any approach.


    Argrave, even without Erlebnis, remained a difficult mortal to deal with. His [Echo Step] made his A-rank ascension from something formidable to perhaps the single best blood magic ascension in history. Erlebnis fought a double battle¡ªhe struggled to prevent Raen and Argrave from reuniting, while also pursuing Argrave himself. Yet when he finally felt he mightnd a solid blow upon Argrave¡­


    Erlebnis felt tremors in the earth, and barely turned fast enough to see Law swinging his greatsword yet again. The [Godhands] had both broken, despite the tremendous amount of his own life Erlebnis had ced into them¡­ and Law seemed no worse for wear. No matter how many times he overcame Law in strength or speed, the god never seemed to suffer any damage at all.


    With another wrenching heave of power, Erlebnis parried Law¡¯s de, and it cleaved into the mountain. Great stretches of stone flew upwards, yet the Stormfield moved to correct the aberrations just as quickly. As dust soared through the air, Erlebnis saw opportunity¡ªhe thrust his hands into the dust, and cast another ancient earth spell. All of the errant particles collected, then rocketed forth at Argrave. A cloud of deadly-fast rock shards descended upon Argrave, blinding and buffeting him.


    Erlebnis cast another wind spell with the dim hope that it might finallynd through, and unexpectedly¡­ neither Argrave nor Raen whisked the mortal king away. The spell cut through the dust, and when it was about to meet its mark¡­ simply disappeared. Erlebnis felt power rushing from the side, and turned to see his own attack returning. Realizing Raen had yed tricks with space, he dodged his own spell ably.


    Law¡¯s de came from behind¡ªa simple thrust. Erlebnis jumped moments before it impacted with the ground, yet again it travelled through one of Raen¡¯s trick portals. Erlebnis felt the golden de long before he saw it, and dodged out of the way with another burst of wind magic. His eyes widened when he saw someone quite literally riding atop the de¡ªa god he thought he¡¯d killed, Rook.


    Erlebnis felt something wrong in his body. He isted the cause quickly enough¡ªspirits, supposedly consumed, but in actuality, they were something like a dormant poison. As the de flew past, Rook leapt at the perfect time like a cougar upon its prey. Erlebnis, wracked by these faux-spirits, was a step too slow in defending himself. A dagger pierced into his chest¡ªand unlike the dagger that Rook had first used, this one pierced deep.


    ¡°This¡­ one?¡± Erlebnis could only struggle vainly, and he copsed against the stone teau.


    ¡°No matter how much you learn¡­¡± Rook whispered, twisting the knife deep. Every second his strength seemed a little more savage, as Erlebnis¡¯ essence transferred from one god to another. ¡°Something new alwayses along. New methods. New strategies. New people. You can¡¯t ever know it all. Your idea of power¡­ wed from the beginning. Knowledge can only carry you so far.¡±


    ¡°It appears the cost of overpowering Law so frequently caught up to you,¡± Raen said, teleporting to stand beside him. ¡°I thought Rook wasing out of my portals too soon. But¡­ I suppose not.¡± He joined in this glut of spirits, invigorating himself to a lesser extent as Erlebnis bled.


    Erlebnis grasped their trick. Rook had deceived him, somehow, creating a proxy that contained tainted spirits. It was a method that Erlebnis had never seen in the countless millennia of his life. And after this deception, Rook hid inside Raen¡¯s space, or perhaps simply near a portal, waiting for the opportunity to trigger the poison andnd a blow.


    Argrave had, once again, done something beyond expectation. With thest of his power, Erlebnis lifted his head, ready tough his head off. He saw Argrave. But instead of a gloating expression, a mocking face¡­ he saw surprise, and unease. His defiantughter caught in his throat, and the god of knowledge simply stared as he realized that Argrave was as ignorant of this n as he was. All around them, the Stormfield began to slow¡­ and even past the daze of pain, past the realization he was dying, he realized Argrave¡¯s allies had taken the ancient array.


    ¡°Knowledge can be a curse,¡± Erlebnis called out in the growing serenity. ¡°It can poison you withcency. It can be a quagmire¡ªI know. I was caught in its snare. But knowledge, Argrave¡­ knowledge builds over the generations. And as it builds, life itself can build up to unimaginable heights. I said you woulde to know much today, Argrave. I meant it. You will know. You¡¯ll wish you didn¡¯t, but you will. Because you¡¯re the next generation.¡±


    Erlebnis held out his hand, and gave a gift freely. He gave the gift of knowing. Ultimately¡­ knowledge was meant to be shared, was it not? Better to give a gift to an enemy than to see a life¡¯s work perish. Sometimes, people came to learn things they never cared to¡­ things that would break them. To know, and yet to do nothing? For a man like Argrave, there could be no greater pain.

 Chapter 590: Heir to a Crumbling Empire

    The Alchemist sprawled out on the cold stone teau. All around, voices spoke.


    ¡°Law, instead of casting judgment on Raen and myself, could you judge what in the zes is wrong with the kingling?¡±


    The Alchemist turned his head, drawn from his stupor. There, Rook, with markedly bolstered confidence, stared upward at Law as the golden figure knelt down. An army of Justiciars approached. The Stormfield was dying, so they had no need to protect the army any longer.


    ¡°I will not forget this deception. But for now, I will put it aside.¡± Law split his body apart, and his golden aura enveloped his champion. ¡°Erlebnis is dead. He cast no magic before he went¡ªI sensed only the faintest tingle of his divinity. Yet¡­¡±


    The Alchemist began to make sense of what had happened. The Ravenstone had been forged out of Erlebnis¡¯ Blessing of Supersession, long ago. With the god himself perished, the Ravenstone broke, sending him out of its protection. Fortunately, the battle was over. The Alchemist, still a husk, slowly gathered himself. He reformed his body that he might stand, and rose.


    Argrave had fallen to his knees. He stared upward at the sky, unblinking as he tremored. His eyes were spasming, alongside faint twitches in his fingers. Feeling some urgency, the Alchemist approached.


    ¡°Stand aside,¡± he ordered Law, whose aura prevented his further approach. ¡°I will examine him.¡±


    The gods regarded the Alchemist with some distaste, but they knew better than to argue. All of them were familiar with the Alchemist¡¯s expertise and his constant presence in Argrave¡¯spany. They watched as his gray eyes glowed green, scrutinizing Argrave. Of every human, the Alchemist knew Argrave¡¯s form the best of any¡ªhe had performed countless operations on the man, and had spent weeks deconstructing his body. He¡¯d even wrote books on the subject. Naturally, he could tell when something was wrong.


    The Alchemist quickly identified several oddities¡ªfever, sweating, confusion, and a seizure. Beyond the skin and bone, he caught an rming factor immediately. ¡°He has slight encephalitis¡­ but that isn¡¯t something I can simply ignore.¡±


    ¡°Encephalitis?¡± Raen repeated.


    ¡°His brain is swollen. It¡¯s¡­¡± the Alchemist trailed off as he scrutinized the brain closer. He grabbed Argrave¡¯s head, his fingers stretching around and piercing the skin subtly so as to see beyond. It wasn¡¯t merely swollen¡ªit was virtually on fire, a hub of activity. Given the circumstances, he quickly came to a conclusion about what was happening. ¡°It¡¯s adjusting to knowledge that Erlebnis bestowed.¡±


    All the deities present said no more¡ªfrom what Erlebnis had said, they could guess as much.


    ¡°One of the things that Erlebnis traded in¡ªknowledge,¡± Rook walked forward to stand near Argrave, peering down at him as his gray eyes twitched. ¡°Anytime he wanted to, he could bestow knowledge. Only really did when it was part of some deal, or when he stood to benefit¡ªthe man hoarded it jealously. So¡­ what, he gave Argrave a load of faulty knowledge, jammed his brain? Is it an attack?¡±


    ¡°It shouldn¡¯t kill him. Long-term, he might even be normal. But in the short¡­ his brain is working on overdrive not to shatter. And even once it settles, Argrave¡¯s mind could be forever changed. It might need to get rid of some things to make room for the new. One human mind wasn¡¯t made to handle the knowledge of many millennia.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re saying he could forget some things?¡± Raen questioned seriously.


    ¡°Yes. Memories. Lessons. Habits. Languages. Motor skills.¡± The Alchemist looked around. ¡°Something needs to be done. Quickly. I intend to do that, and you will protect me as I do.¡±


    ¡°Sataistador is still around.¡± Rook pointed at the Alchemist. ¡°Even if we have the Stormfield, I think it¡¯s abundantly clear the god of war had other ns. We can¡¯t stay here, guarding a lone king. We have to think of the ckgard Union.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s right.¡± Raen crossed his arms. ¡°Sataistador remains the threat. We must move to confront this threat.¡±


    ¡°Argrave is the ckgard Union,¡± the Alchemist said coldly.


    Rook and Raen looked ready to argue, but Law¡¯s voice sounded out. ¡°I will protect my champion.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± the Alchemist nodded simply, then turned to Argrave. He scrutinized the King of Vasquer, studying his face and the brain within in great detail.


    Apparently, it had taken a while. Rook and Raen disappeared long ago, but eventually Law asked, ¡°What do you intend to do?¡±


    ¡°Meld my mind with his,¡± the Alchemist said. ¡°It can handle more of a burden than his.¡±


    ¡°Is that safe?¡± Law asked, concerned.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± The Alchemist looked into Argrave¡¯s eyes, adjusting his head. ¡°I¡¯ve never done it before. Every attempt nearly broke me.¡±


    ¡°Yet you intend to try it now.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve heard the alternative.¡± The Alchemist pulled out the scalpel Argrave had given him years prior, bringing it forth to the man¡¯s face. ¡°Best have your Justiciars shield us. This won¡¯t be a pleasant view for his army.¡±


    The Alchemist cut into Argrave¡¯s face, starting just below the chin. He stuck the de deep, deep. Once it was at its deepest, the Alchemist began to turn it counterclockwise. The de zipped through, rising up the jaw, past the ear, around the top of the head, then back down. Having cut a perfect circle, the Alchemist grasped Argrave¡¯s face and pulled lightly. All of it came free, revealing the brain within. The Alchemist carved away a few more hanging bits, then set aside Argrave¡¯s face.


    ¡°Perhaps he should have¡ª¡± Law began.


    ¡°Shut up,¡± the Alchemist interrupted the ancient god. ¡°I need to concentrate.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The Alchemist slowly reached one hand of many toward Argrave¡¯s spongy brain. He rested his fingers atop it¡­ and then slowly began to sink in, as though pushing through water. Unpleasant squelching noises filled the air. The Alchemist took a deep, deep breath once his hand was far inside, then began to interface with Argrave¡¯s mind.


    At once, a torrent of overwhelming power fell upon him. Not knowledge¡ªthe Alchemist could handle that. One of the reasons he had long avoiding directly touching another¡¯s mind was rted to the Smiling Raven. To escape that beast, he had cut away parts of himself. And those parts¡­ those human parts, that led him tomit the singlergest act of genocide in history¡­


    They all came rushing back, as he joined with a mind that still had what the Alchemist had lost.


    #####


    Argrave felt like he was wandering for a very long time. He walked across a desert of white sand, and at the end of it all, an empire of dead children smiled down on him like blinking stars. But before this long journey, he was certain he had been doing something else. He had been trying to take something¡­ and someone else was stopping him. Names floated¡ªAnneliese, Fellhorn, Gmon, Mnie, Sataistador, Law, Elenore¡­ he had vague associations for each of them. Family, ally, enemy¡­ but the wires were crossed, and the currents flowing through them led him nowhere in particr.


    He talked to so many people, and they told him so many different things. They asked for something from him, and he gave them something in return. Specifications for a bomb, detailed lineage of a child, the secrets of untold magic, the truth of a lover¡¯s affair¡­ all so vague, with enough faces on each of them he started to forget what his own looked like. As a matter of fact, he was having some difficulty remembering his own name. Did it start with a ¡®v,¡¯ or an ¡®a?¡¯ He thought both were true, but it was difficult to work it all out. Perhaps ¡®Erlebnis¡¯ was his name. That name rung out so often, surely it had to be rted to him somehow.


    Erlebnis started to scan through all of the things that he saw, recontextualizing much of what was there. If he took this name as his own, things started to make a little more sense. It gave him perception of self¡ªit gave him a ce in these countless knowings, these countless millennia of words and the names born from them. Yet as he did so, he felt them seize up, catch in the gears of the machine. He saw other memories, too, locked away and fragmented. Someone named Argrave, looking up at his father the king. Those felt different. Realer, somehow.


    Then, the haze broke. Argrave felt as though he¡¯d been pulled up out of the pool he¡¯d been drowning in, and rity that he¡¯d lost suddenly returned. He felt sick, broken, battered¡­ he¡¯d been swimming in a pool of thoughts and knowledges not his own, and now something pulled him up from the surface. When he finally remembered how to see, he saw a gray-haired man holding him by the neck.


    ¡°Raven?¡± Argrave asked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± he said without affect, then clutched his throat and seemed to be in agony. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s me. Feeling more yourself?¡±


    ¡°A little¡­ what the hell is happening?¡± Argrave straightened himself, looking around. He couldn¡¯t even tell if he was standing, if he was doing anything at all.


    ¡°Erlebnis¡¯ gift,¡± Raven said. ¡°Tried to just take it from you, but it didn¡¯t work. I didn¡¯t move fast enough. This package he sent¡ªit¡¯s entwined with your mind now. Everything from your speech, to your muscle¡¯s function. I take it, I vegetablize you. We have to sort this out.¡± Raven clutched his head, then hunched over. ¡°At the same time, I¡¯m fighting other things.¡±


    Argrave had vague memories of this so-called gift¡ªhe¡¯d received it in a forest, right? Or was it a snowy tundra? Or¡­ the Pce of Heaven?


    Reminded, Argrave grabbed Raven as he hunched. ¡°I can¡¯t be here. I have to stop the god of war, Gmon.¡±


    Ravenughed loudly, then fell to the ground. ¡°Yeah? Gmon? Seems we¡¯re two psychos, one mind, sorting out both our damned problems.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve got to fight to keep your head functioning¡­ reasonably well.¡± Raven wobbled his hand. ¡°You might drool a little by the end of this, might have a bit of a bum leg, but I think we can partition your mind enough to preserve its function. And my hope is that, by the end of this¡­ you can help me make up my mind about a little moral dilemma called potentiation. But let¡¯s start at the beginning, and work from there¡­ which limb could you do without?¡±

 Chapter 591: Elaborative Encoding Experiment

    ¡°You¡¯re talking about losing limbs?¡± Argrave stared at Raven, stepping back cautiously within this mentalndscape. ¡°Why do I need to sacrifice anything? What¡¯s going on?¡± Argrave braced himself.


    Did Argrave even have limbs to lose? He wasn¡¯t entirely sure. And if he did, was this man truly speaking in his best interests? He tried to think of Raven, and while there was a tidbit of him saying that he was a friend¡­ there was another whispering that this man hadmitted a genocide. Then again, perhaps friend and genocider weren¡¯t mutually exclusive, given the shes of knowledge he¡¯d seen.


    ¡°Your name is Argrave.¡± Raven slowly rose to his feet, then stood tall. He was both shorter and taller than Argrave¡ªtwo forms, intermingling. ¡°You¡¯re the King of Vasquer. You were fighting a battle atop a mountain in the Great Chu against Erlebnis, god of knowledge.¡± Raven stayed still as he recited these details. ¡°Sound familiar? We don¡¯t have time for this.¡±


    Argrave thought on it, straining his mind. It felt as though trying to remember something that he¡¯d done half a century ago, not half a second. But as things fell into ce, it was as though a great smog was lifted.


    ¡°Good lord¡­ he hit me with something.¡± Argrave clutched his head, doing his best to remember.


    ¡°He¡¯s not a good lord¡­ but from what I can gather, Erlebnis gave you the sum total of his knowledge. He¡¯s attempting to break you under its weight. My discretion, however, would mean he didn¡¯t calcte I might be able to help you with it.¡± Raven moved closer. Every step he took, the floor changed¡ªit was as though he was walking through tens of thousands of different memories.


    ¡°Erlebnis¡¯ knowledge?¡± Argrave¡¯s eyes brightened, and where there had been confusion, disbelieving desire poured over him, like he¡¯d won the lottery off a gifted ticket. ¡°All of it? You really mean all of it?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Your brain isn¡¯t big enough to amodate all of it, so it¡¯ll be overwritten unless we do something.¡±


    Argrave recalled that feeling that hade not a moment ago, where he¡¯d thought he was Erlebnis. A grim, creeping horror set over him. It was like a parasite within, slowly eating him up¡­ or an illness, an invisible enemy. As he wondered what would happen he suddenly knew, in such great detail that it shook him to his core. He would be rather like the Castro that Sophia had created¡ªnot understanding who or what he was, without proper use of even his limbs. He would totally lose his sense of self, concocting delusions to exin the world around his shattered mind.


    ¡°You seem to be appropriately terrified, now, so I¡¯ll talk about what we¡¯re going to do to stop it.¡± Raven rolled his shoulders. ¡°We¡¯re going to rewire your brain so that memories are buried in certain actions, sensations, et cetera.¡±


    As he tried to imagine what that might entail, knowledge that wasn¡¯t Argrave¡¯s came to him. ¡°Like a memory pce, or other mnemonic systems?¡± As soon as Argrave said it, he felt the need to clutch his head in pain.


    Raven pped him in the face, casting him to the ground. ¡°Stop thinking so much! The more you think, you more you¡¯ll destroy your mind.¡± Raven knelt down before Argrave, then said in a rare disy of guilt, ¡°But¡­ yes, it¡¯s a mnemonic method. We have to encode memories. When you see certain colors, for example, it¡¯ll conjure a section of memories. Sounds, sights, even shapes¡ªthey¡¯ll evoke memories, hopefully while retaining the form and structure of your mind. It¡¯ll fuck with your head for a few months, but it should help you stay yourself. The key is, though¡­¡± Raven tapped Argrave¡¯s chest. ¡°Key is your work. Your effort determines how much spittle leaks from your mouth, and how well-functioning your limbs are. Because right now, you¡¯re fated to spend the rest of your life praying to die.¡±


    ¡°What do I do?¡± Argrave asked Raven, afraid to call upon his own knowledge for fear it might corrode his brain.


    ¡°We need a foundation. We need something constant¡ªsomething to which all other things lead,¡± Raven exined, helping Argrave up. ¡°I need you to find something you can remember best of all. The ce that you spent the most time. The ce whose entire structure¡ªbottom to top¡ªyou can remember. It needs to be big enough to explore, big enough to hold a lot of things, a lot of notions, a lot of clues.¡± Raven let the idea settle, then gave him examples. ¡°Think of a childhood home. Think of the ce that you grew up.¡±


    ¡°ce I grew up?¡± Argrave repeated. ¡°We moved, all the time. Never stayed in one town for more than one or two years. The two ces were never the same.¡±


    ¡°Damn it all¡­¡± Raven grabbed his forehead, striding through countless memories and knowings in a frantic pace. ¡°Was there any location that you went to consistently for more than five years? A town hall, a university, a hospice, a pilgrimage, arge marker? Give me something, anything!¡± He shouted demandingly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t¡­¡± Argrave wracked his brain. ¡°I don¡¯t know, my dad¡¯s truck? We had it for seven or so years. Would that work?¡±


    Raven crossed a thousand memories in long strides. ¡°A truck¡­? Describe what that is to me. Howrge is it? How much could it store? How manypartments does it have?¡± The man¡¯s insistence was overbearing.


    ¡°Could hold¡­ I don¡¯t know, maybe four, five people, if you cram ¡®em in. More if we used the back, I guess.¡±


    ¡°Four or five people?¡± Raven leaned in. ¡°We¡¯re talking about all the learnings of the god of knowledge, Argrave, and you¡¯re giving me something with four or five people?¡± Raven grabbed Argrave. ¡°Think! A library, a ce where you carried out your trade; think, damn it all, or you¡¯re to be ruined.¡±


    Argrave thought about ces whererge amounts of knowledge could be kept¡­ and like it was obvious, it struck him on the head.


    ¡°The wiki,¡± Argrave said.


    ¡°The wiki.¡± Raven narrowed his eyes. ¡°I want you to think about what we could fit in there. Think on it, very hard, because if it¡¯s¡ª"


    ¡°The wiki could hold all of the knowledge of this whole world, then have some left to spare.¡± Argrave started smiling, slowly. ¡°How many words do think fits on one page of a book? Couple hundred? Well, one page of the wiki could have a million, if we wanted it to. And if a wiki¡¯s got a good enough search feature, good enough hyperlinks in the text, you can find whatever the hell you want¡ªgo on a deep dive through thousands of hours a work. I¡¯m talking a rabbit hole that starts as a description for one person, and leads to a creation myth about the universe itself.¡± Argraveughed. ¡°Honestly¡ªthe only limit to how much a wiki can hold is how much work someone is willing to put in toplete it. Raw text doesn¡¯t use much data.¡±


    ¡°Text? It¡¯s a book of some kind? Won¡¯t work, then, we need¡ª¡±


    ¡°No, wikis can have video. Audio, too. Both are rare, but they exist. The only thing that¡¯scking in a wiki, I suppose, is sensation¡­ but then, considering it¡¯s the formless Erlebnis¡¯ knowledge, we probably won¡¯t need much actual sensation.¡± Argrave pried himself from Raven¡¯s grasp and peered into his vast mindscape. ¡°Good lord. I thought all those years working on that wiki was just me wasting my damned life¡­ but god, maybe I was wrong. Maybe I was sorely mistaken.¡±


    Raven walked around to stand in front of Argrave. ¡°It sounds too good to be true. I¡¯ll say it again¡ªthe sess of this depends on how good the foundation is. You need to have an extremely clear memory of this ¡®wiki.¡¯ If it¡¯s not¡­ I¡¯ll leave you for dead.¡±


    ¡°Of course it¡¯s clear. I basically made the damned thing,¡± Argrave looked at him. ¡°And I can still picture working on it, right now. Hunched in my chair, one monitor with the wiki on the right, the other with Heroes of Berendar on the left, my fingers moving across my old keyboard with the paint on the WASD keys faded away. Had a¡­ a crummy wireless headset. Bought a box of these headsets¡ªthey broke fast enough they were basically disposable. Day after day of doing the most mundane stuff¡ªtesting the way mechanics worked, reading in-game books and thinking about some fictional universe all too deeply. I¡¯d wake up every morning, get a coffee, then do my best to ignore whatever college deadline I hading up while I yed Heroes of Berendar.¡± Argraveughed. ¡°If I put half the damned effort into college as I did that god-damned wiki, I¡¯d be on the dean¡¯s list.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Raven looked at Argrave without saying a word for a long while, and he was happy enough to be lost in pleasant reminiscence. ¡°Why¡¯d you do it? For others?¡±


    ¡°Was on the spectrum, maybe,¡± Argrave joked, then shook his head. ¡°Honestly? Just¡­ just enjoyed it. Learning. Exploring. Categorizing. Every little detail¡­ god.¡± Argrave looked up andughed. ¡°Been more than two years since I did, but I can say that I¡¯d like nothing more than to do it again. Maybe it was a distraction. Maybe it was an escape. But¡­ hell, what¡¯s wrong with the way anyone has fun, so long as they¡¯re not hurting anyone?¡±


    Raven gave Argrave a nce. He took it as judgmental, but given the way Raven had no clue what a wiki was, he supposed that was merely his insecurity talking.


    ¡°Alright. Your memory of it is sharp. Let¡¯s hope it suffices as a store for all of the knowledge that the god of knowledge possessed. Elsewise¡­ hope you enjoy sucking on a straw and mistaking your wife for your mortal enemy. Because your brain will be amply destroyed, otherwise.¡±


    Argrave pointed at Raven. ¡°Worry about yourself, old man.¡±


    Raven inhaled deeply, as if angered. ¡°Once we get you sorted out, you need to get me sorted out. Elsewise¡­ I might just eat you whole. Barely restrained as is. Feel that same call.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Argrave looked at him, puzzled.


    ¡°Alright. I want you to conjure up a memory of this wiki,¡± Raven said, carrying on without answering. ¡°As perfect as you can remember it. Every nook and cranny. I¡¯ll work on isting functions that we can tie up, then move onto categorizing the knowledge. We have the Annals of the Universe as a base, and I still have the information from the Lodestar I took in back in his realm.¡± He took a deep breath. ¡°Let¡¯s see how much we can salvage of the god of knowledge.¡±

 Chapter 592: Got Yourself a Gun

    ¡°How many bits do we have to attach to movement?¡± Argraveined, looking over Raven¡¯s metaphorical shoulder as he worked. ¡°I don¡¯t want to literally ¡®jog my memory.¡¯ Could you imagine the looks I get if I wave my arms about every time someone asks me a question I need to think about?¡±


    Argrave sat in his unusual chair, spinning around it while Raven worked hard.


    ¡°Focus on your own construction,¡± Raven criticized.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been ready.¡± Argrave looked backward to his monitor, where the ¡®hidden side of the wiki,¡¯ as he called it, waited¡ªthe editing screen. ¡°Just need the next bit of input from you.¡±


    Raven caressed his forehead, then focused back on Argrave¡¯s mindscape. It was difficult to gauge precisely how well things were going. Argrave certainly received and processed information incredibly quickly, but the ultimate conclusion to things could only be seen once they separated their minds. As he worked, there was a voice within him that beat hard against his chest. It spoke of how this was a pointless endeavor, how Raven could simply consume Argrave and potentiate him in his moment of weakness. Then¡­ all that knowledge would be his.


    But his rational mind of yet had the edge over the instincts. The instincts were swelling, gaining momentum, and it wouldn¡¯t be long before that dam broke. He only hoped that Argrave, at the end of this all, would prove equal to the task of silencing the call of the Smiling Raven. Elsewise, Erlebnis¡¯ gambit might pay off in a grander fashion that he had ever expected.


    ¡°We¡¯ll link this segment to the color vermillion,¡± Raven dered, and Argrave moved his fingers to the mosaic with buttons he called a keyboard.


    He changed some things, and the background on the monitor changed to that shade. ¡°Vermillion. Pleasant shade. Let¡¯s hope what¡¯s on it is half as nice.¡±


    #####n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Sataistador studied the ce where Law condensed all of his powers. The ancient god himself, and all of his Justiciars, surrounded the spot where Erlebnis fell. Sataistador thought that Argrave was within there, but he couldn¡¯t be sure¡ªRaen enabled him to move anywhere and everywhere. Something was strange, but ultimately, the fact that Law refused the enter the Pce of Heaven would prove to be a huge boon.


    And on the subject of proof¡­ it was time for Sataistador to prove something. Namely, ownership. He had lent Governor Zen a weapon of his own hair. He hadn¡¯t been lying when he said he could only make one of those items every millennia¡ªand this time, he had chosen to give it to Zen. But perhaps ¡®give¡¯ was the wrong term. It was his. It had always been his. Zen was merely the vehicle by which it travelled, right into the heart of the Pce of Heaven. Right to the Stormfield.


    Sataistador sat on one of the highest points before the Pce of Heaven, running his fingers through his long red beard. He slowly braided it, piece after piece, until its massive bulk had beenpressed into eight red braids. He took his weapons and with his bare hands began to bend andpress them into rings. When they were fused, he tied these crude rings at the end of his facial hair¡ªone for each of his eight braids. With the rings braided into his beard, he held his arms wide, inhaled deeply, and pped his palms together.


    Tempestuous, chaotic fire poured out of Sataistador¡¯s fingers. Even he was barely capable of containing them, his hands trembling from their power and sizzling from the sheer heat. Forcefully, he lowered his hands. The fire finally found its home in the eight rings. The metal seemed to draw the mes inward, absorbing them, until they were glowing pieces of metal that shone like a red star. Deep, dark smoke danced upward into the air.


    The god of war, chaos, and brutal destruction rose to his feet. Smoke billowed around him, making him seem a demon walking the earth. He bore no weapon in hand. Rather, it was past time to reim the one he had lent. It had surely earned much glory, fighting on the frontlines to seize the Pce of Heaven. It would make a fitting weapon for this cycle.


    Wind sent the smoke dancing everywhere, obscuring his figure¡­ and when it finally faded away, Sataistador was gone with it.


    #####


    Moments ago¡ªor decades ago, perhaps¡ªArgrave had been watching everything over Raven¡¯s shoulder, telling him what to do. Now, after a nigh-endless amount of processing, sorting, and associating, the roles had been reversed. Raven had gone through an unquantifiable amount of data, yet no matter how much he found, Argravepressed all of it onto that monitor. Nothing that Raven had ever seen was anything like this wiki, and nor did Erlebnis¡¯ vast knowings contain its like. Argrave alone knew of it.


    Raven honed all his focus on it¡ªhis intellectual curiosity was one of the only things keeping him grounded amidst the perverse swell of desire of the Smiling Raven. He had to be certain, at least, that this matter was settled. It would make things easier on both counts¡ªconsuming Argrave, or unwinding himself enough to walk back from the edge.


    ¡°How close are you to being done?¡± Raven questioned, supporting himself on the back of Argrave¡¯s chair. The thing wobbled unpleasantly.


    ¡°Nearly done. Just tweaking some formatting, making things pretty¡­¡± Argrave muttered absent-mindedly. Sharp clicks echoed, and boxes appeared on the monitor. He scanned through options, clicking on them quickly. The text changed shapes, sizes. They warped around images and videos that yed audio so clearly it was as if it was happening right in front of them.


    ¡°How can something so small hold so much?¡± Raven questioned, letting his curiosity lead him.


    Argrave didn¡¯t answer for a time¡ªhe started typing furiously, then stopped and stared at the page. ¡°Think of it like an inorganic brain, replete with memory and the ability to perform functions.¡± He looked back. ¡°Except the functions are what we make it, it¡¯s made of materials rather than flesh, and rather than blood, electricity pumps through its veins.¡±


    Argrave pressed two keys¡ªthey said ¡®CTRL¡¯ and ¡®S.¡¯ A circle appeared in the center of the screen, slowly filling¡ªwhen it finished, the words ¡®progress saved¡¯ appeared in the center. As the words slowly faded, Argrave leaned back in his chair, sighing heavily. ¡°Nothing like a good day of work, right?¡±


    As he stood up out of his chair, Raven felt an icy chill creep over him. He came to a realization. He needed to help Argrave. He needed to show the man¡ªhis friend, even¡ªwhat the true purpose of this all was, what the end goal of all life was. He could take him on a journey. He could take them all. One person, one being, one purpose, one path¡­ one body. There was an army all around, ripe for the picking. All that was needed was a little push. Break his mind, then leave.


    A deafening noise, like an explosion, roared through Argrave¡¯s mindscape. Pain shed through his leg, and Raven fell to the ground, dancing through half a thousand memories. He turned his head, and saw Argrave standing there. The king of Vasquer held a strange metal object, shaped like an L, with an open port on the point facing toward Raven¡¯s head. He wore a strange outfit that was sleek ck, and fitted tightly to his frame. It had a ck overcoat with stripes atop it, and beneath it a white shirt. There was a bowtie just beneath his neck.


    ¡°You probably should¡¯ve told me from the beginning that you were losing it¡­ but you gave enough hints for me to do my own research.¡± Argrave walked forward. ¡°The only way that you were able to stop being the Smiling Raven was when you were broken, dead. I reviewed the incident.¡± He tapped his temple. ¡°Did you forget Erlebnis was there? Did you forget he kept your body? I just can¡¯t risk it. But don¡¯t worry¡ªI¡¯ll make you whole again.¡±


    ¡°Wait¡­! We can do¡ª¡±


    Raven held out his hand, but the metal object in Argrave¡¯s hand roared again with a sh of fire, and ckness fell over him.


    #####


    Argrave stood over Raven¡¯s corpse in his mindscape. He¡¯d wanted a weapon to incapacitate Raven, and in response, his mind had conjured a pinstripe suit and a handgun. Both were already gone, but Raven remained. His form in Argrave¡¯s mindscape had perished from two gunshots.


    Still¡­ the Alchemist wasn¡¯t dead. The fragment of his mind that he had sent over here was broken, but the rest of him would be whole and intact. Argrave had done his research before executing him. This would be an immeasurably heavy burden on the Alchemist, and one that he alone might not be able to recover from on his lonesome. He had sacrificed much to bring Argrave back from the brink. And the sum of his efforts?


    Argrave looked at his desktop, where the wiki awaited him on its main page. He tried to draw upon any of Erlebnis knowledge, but none of it moved. It was locked within there, and only with an borate sequence could Argrave again get at it. Part magical, part mundane, Raven had managed to tame Erlebnis¡¯ knowledge without being overwritten.


    Well¡­ not fully overwritten. It remained to be seen how much of what he remembered was urate. Some wires were crossed. Argrave certainly wasn¡¯t ready to jump back into a fight. But¡­ he didn¡¯t really have much a choice, did he? Argrave went to hisputer, pulled back his chair, and sat down. He stared at Raven¡¯s body for a moment.


    Argrave would bring him back. He would fix what damage had been done. But for now¡­ he would rest.


    Argrave turned back to his desk and searched, ¡®how do I get out of my midnscape?¡¯ No results showed up, so he fixed the typo and sent the query again. He clicked the first result, scanned through the page that appeared, recalled his new memories¡­


    And awoke.


    #####


    Argrave woke up with a hand inside of his brain. It was mildly disconcerting, but not entirely novel.


    In response, he raised his own hand up, wrapping it around the arm in question. There was an explosion of activity springing from his brain as various motor functions triggered countless knowledges that had been tied up with them. He was reminded of everything of deadly chemicals to the geography of ages back as he pushed the arm out of his head.


    Trying his best to ignore the squelching sounds, he slowly pushed the Alchemist away. When his hand was out of Argrave¡¯s brain, he heard arge thud. Presumably the man had fallen over. Argrave felt around, searching for his face. Fortunately, the Alchemist had the good judgment to ce it near him. He lifted it back up, making sure it was oriented the right way, and lined it up so he could use it.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Argrave said once his mouth aligned with his throat again. ¡°Law. Can one of your Justiciars hand me the scalpel in the Alchemist¡¯s hand? After that, I need a mirror.¡±


    Argrave took the offered scalpel with his free hand, and used one of the Justiciars¡¯ shield as a mirror to reconnect his face back manually. It was definitely crude¡­ no, more than just crude, it was hard to look at. But the finer details couldeter.


    ¡°Is he dead?¡± questioned Law. ¡°The Alchemist.¡±


    Argrave looked at him. ¡°He¡¯s hard to kill. Physically, mentally, he¡¯s badly broken. Might repair the damage on his own, given time. Given what happened to him¡­ it might be best if we don¡¯t let that happen. Not yet. Not before measures are taken to cure him. I want you to look after him. Can you do that?¡±


    ¡°I can,¡± confirmed Law.


    With that settled, Argrave turned to the person he knew could set things straight: his sibling.


    ¡°Induen,¡± Argrave contacted his brother through their mental connection. ¡°What did I miss?¡±


    ¡°Argrave?¡± A female¡¯s voice came, rather rmingly. ¡°You bastard! What happened? Are you well?! You¡¯ve been silent for¡ª"


    ¡°Who is this?¡± Argrave questioned. ¡°Where¡¯s Induen?¡±


    ¡°Induen?¡± the voice repeated disbelievingly. ¡°This¡­ this is Elenore, your sister. Gods, what the hell happened to you?¡±


    Argrave blinked, trying his best to adapt as quickly as he could. Things were still badly crossed in his head¡ªhe was certain Elenore had died in a swamp¡­ or perhaps just outside of the Tower of the Gray Owl. Fortunately, he had the intellectual reasoning enough to recognize his memories might be faulty, damaged.


    Elenore carried on as Argrave¡¯s head spun. ¡°Listen to me, very carefully. I¡¯m trying to help you. Anneliese has her suspicions that the god of war is trying something. You need to¡­ I don¡¯t know,¡± he heard desperate panic in her voice¡ªconcern for him. Some memories realigned in Argrave¡¯s heads as emotions dredged them up. His blind sister. His sister, who he loved dearly. He¡¯d helped her once or twice, given her a new perspective, so to speak¡­ but she¡¯d helped him over a million times. He couldn¡¯t forget that.


    Elenore continued. ¡°You need to retreat, or get to safety, or get to someone that can help you. Do you understand me? We can¡¯t lose you. I can¡¯t lose you. Just get out of there. Something¡¯s wrong with you, wrong with your head. We can help.¡±


    Argrave rose to his feet, his limbs functioning surprisingly well. ¡°Can¡¯t run. Not now. Tell Anneliese to get to safety, if necessary. If Gmon is trying something, I¡¯m going to see what I might know about that. He has to be using Governor Ji Meng as his conduit. I¡¯m going to look it up on the wiki, see what I can¡¯t find.¡±


    Argrave prepared to dive into the wiki he¡¯d just made, searching for any clue about what the god of war might be up to. He only hoped it would be enough¡­ but above all, hoped he could manage it in time.

 Chapter 593: Full of Himself

    Zen clenched the red de that Sataistador had gifted him tightly, then wiped some sweat off his brow. He kneeled in a ce he had been only a few times before, despite his efforts toe as often as he could. He stood atop a ss cover, peering down at something that could be considered both a work of art and a feat of unimaginable intelligence: the Stormfield. This array, contained within ss, was the heart of the Pce of Heaven. It was the truest bastion for the rulers of the Great Chu... and now, once again, it was returned to its rightful owners.


    Zen sighed, but the movement of ck smoke before his vision made him turn his head about wildly. Was something here, something that he had missed? The gods that hade with him had totally destroyed the meager garrison Erlebnis had abandoned here, but perhaps there was some trick that they had missed. He caught the eye of Anneliese, who had been scrutinizing him relentlessly. Now, there was deep unease etched in her face.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Zen called out.


    Anneliese didn¡¯t respond. She backed away, clenching that staff of hers tightly. Instead, she spoke to the other gods in this room; the triumphant Rook, Raen, and Almazora. ¡°Something¡¯s happening with him!¡±


    Zen felt a great deal of rm at her words, but when he opened his mouth to ask further questions, ck smoke poured out from his lungs. He started to taste it, started to smell it. The smoke... it was as though the smoke itself was made of blood, bile, tears, gore. As he tasted it more and more, he started to feel it. It burned his insides like acid. His lungs, his stomach, his throat, his ears, his eyes, his nose; he felt its burn, but more than that, he felt it move.


    Like a thousand slugs wriggling around inside his body, the smoke wormed and writhed. He raised his hands up, but his right hand... it refused to release the de in his hand. With reason enough to recognize it might be the cause, he tried to pry it from his right hand with his left. It pulled away slightly, but in so doing revealed that tendrils on its surface had dug their way deep inside of his body. He held out a hand to Anneliese and the gods near her for help... and as he did, he saw a hand burst free of his neck. It reached for the de in his hand, and as though taking an implement from a child, gently plucked the de from Zen.


    ¡°Thank you for keeping this safe,¡± he heard a voice¡ªthough one, he might¡¯ve sworn it sounded like many.


    Then... darkness.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    #####


    Sataistador crawled out of Zen¡¯s body, pulling himself free of his now-useless husk. He had witnesses to his sudden arrival¡ªArgrave¡¯s wife Anneliese, the victorious Rook, Raen, Almazora... but then, the fact they stood there without doing much of anything told him all he needed to know. They had no clue what he intended to do. They were totally ignorant of how or why he was here.


    What was the goal of the god of war, chaos, and brutal destruction? That was one of those questions wherein thinking too hard on the matter might lead one to the wrong answer. Sataistador wanted war, chaos, and brutal destruction; it was right in the name, in as day. It always surprised him how people searched for answers even when he tantly told them his intent from the beginning. It was his domain, his sphere. He craved it instinctively as much as he did intellectually. It was in those three things that the lesser could be the greater, or the greater be the lesser.


    The Great Chu, with its orderly cities, its robustwork of canals, its rigid bureaucracy, its multiple millennia of existence... Sataistador hated it more than anything. He hated that he had failed in taking the Pce of Heaven before, and hated that it had resisted his robust attempts topletely and utterly wipe it off the map. So long as it existed, there was a living monument to the failure of his divinity. It, more than anything, was the antithesis to his being. The Great Chu was order, relentless resistance.


    Because it stood in Sataistador¡¯s path, he and Kirel Qircassia made obvious allies. They had coborated in previous cycles, and intended to do so today. Kirel had his sky tower, and now Sataistador had the Stormfield; theyplemented each other in a way soon to be revealed. Each had a rudimentary understanding of the others¡¯ sphere of divinity, and through that hade this cooperation. Qircassia wanted opennd and sky, while Sataistador wanted to level everything that had been built on thend. It was a match made in heaven; specifically, the Pce of Heaven.


    ¡°Do you have any idea what the Stormfield is fully capable of?¡± Sataistador called out, looking down on the array in question. With Zen dead, no one was controlling it any longer. The light beneath the ss covering slowly faded, like embers losing their heat. ¡°Few enough do. One of the ones who did recently perished.¡±


    As he waited for an answer, Sataistador realized he was getting caught up in a trap that had imed so many others: gloating. It was unbing of him. He should do what he must, then save the words for whatever remained afterward.


    ¡°Whatever it is you''re doing, do you honestly think that you can hold your own against Law, all of us?¡± Almazora stepped forward. Magic for miles around heeded her call, ready to aid the deity in whatever she had nned.


    ¡°Don¡¯t need to burn a man to ash to end his life. Just cut his throat¡­ watch him bleed.¡±


    Sataistador raised his dagger up to his throat, and plunged it in deep. He fell to his knees, grinning as his beard billowed smoke and his throat poured blood. Indeed¡ªblood. As it poured, he pulled his knife out.


    ¡°They always speak of kingsblood in prophecies¡­ but did they ever deign to mention godsblood?¡± Sataistador¡¯s grin widened as his throat gurgled, and he licked the edge of his de. ¡°Let me show you what it can do, where it can be¡­ most appreciated.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t speak for all kings, but I know my blood is more valuable than yours,¡± shouted someone as they ran in.


    Argrave leaned up against the wall, staring at Sataistador. His face was strangely¡­ crooked.


    ¡°You¡¯re an even bigger liar than I am, Sataistador.¡± The king of Vasquer strutted in proudly. ¡°That¡¯s right. I know your real name.¡±


    Sataistador was confused what the king was talking about¡­ but then, none of that really mattered. Once someone was caught in an ambush, that was the end of things.


    #####


    From the very first entry on the god of war¡¯s wiki page, everything that Argrave thought he¡¯d known about the god of war had been tossed out the window. Firstly, his name wasn¡¯t Gmon¡ªit was actually Sataistador.


    The deity that Argrave knew as Gmon carefully cultivated an image. His image was that of a lone warrior wandering the world, ying the role of a chaotic mercenary. He fought only for himself, though sometimes deigned to help out the highest bidder with whatever conflict they had. Unpredictable, pragmatic, ruthless, utterly callous, and as much a master of deception and subterfuge as Rook himself. There were tales of his resilience, of his indestructability. No matter how many blows he took, he never seemed to fall. He bragged about walking the world alone, while disparaging those who made divine servants.


    He had threatened Argrave, once, to travel around as one man, wantonly attacking ces as he consigned Argrave¡¯s kingdom to a slow death by attrition. He possessed some evidence to back that im up¡ªhis ability to appear anywhere, at seemingly anytime, gave one the impression that he was capable of enacting the same sort of chaos throughout the kingdom. His information-gathering abilities were extremely good¡­ and he imed to do all of it himself.


    It was all one huge lie. At least in this day and age, wars were only fought with armies. Sataistador wasn¡¯t a one-man army. He was an army of one.


    It might seem semantic, but for moments like this it exined the inexinable. Every bit of Sataistador, from the smallest fragment of the nails on his hand, the countless hairs on his head, the weapons that he bore, or the blood that spilled from his neck right now¡­ it was all constructed of countless individuals. Sataistador hadn¡¯t given Governor Zen a weapon forged of his divinity¡ªhe¡¯d lent the man an army, a Trojan Horse. Now that he was behind the fortress walls, the warriors hidden within were spilling atop the Stormfield. Their intent was beyond nefarious¡ªit was apocalyptic.


    ¡°Anneliese, everyone,¡± Argrave said, using a nket term in case he was misremembering their names. ¡°I need all of you to heed my word absolutely. If you can do that, then we have a good chance. If not¡­ I¡¯m afraid we¡¯re going to lose this battle. We¡¯re outnumbered by a few billion, after all, and unless we kill them all¡­ the hell won¡¯t ever end.¡±

 Chapter 594: Storming the Fields

    Argrave was the only one who could stop Sataistador.


    That wasn¡¯t a grandiosityplex, merely the facts of the situation. Argrave should¡¯ve put some of the pieces together when he saw Governor Ji Meng tear his own rib out to make the array that warded away divinity. The governor was dead now, unfortunately, but at least he got to see his granddaughter¡¯s wedding.


    Regardless, the Stormfield was shamanic magic, true enough. But it was more than that. It was blood magic.


    ¡°Thief god, space god, I need you to defend me from Sataistador. He¡¯s quiet enough now, but in a few moments, everything inside and outside the Pce of Heaven is going to be a warzone as his little soldiers show their face. Almazora, I need you to amplify the power of the blood in my body. And Anneliese¡­ I need you to keep me alive.¡±


    He spoke only the names he had verified in Erlebnis¡¯ wiki. Except Anneliese, that is. He would never confuse her with another. Unless he was, which would be rather embarrassing.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Anneliese questioned as Argrave looked upon Sataistador, who still kneeled bleeding.


    ¡°Why should we take orders from the man with a crooked face?¡± Space god questioned¡ªhe thought the name was Raen, but he couldn¡¯t be sure.


    Argrave ran his hand over his face. Was it crooked? He thought he¡¯d put it back on right. He dropped his hand down and pointed. ¡°You¡¯re talking to me about being crooked, after that stunt you pulled? Listen, tomorrow I can be straight, but you¡¯ll be dead forever if you don¡¯t shut up and suit up. I promise I can exin everything after this is over.¡± Argrave conjured a dagger of blood magic, then walked out onto the ss cover of the Stormfield and kneeled. ¡°I learned some things. Just do as I say, or this whole continent is going to fall into chaos.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about,¡± Sataistador gurgled, looking at Argrave as smoke billowed all around him. He seemed like an erupting volcano, wreathed in smoke while his neck erupted with blood. ¡°You have no idea what you¡¯re doing.¡±


    But in the smoke, figures danced¡ªfigures eerily simr to the god of war. The army, it would seem, was on the march. The first wave of soldiers was soon to arrive.


    Argrave rolled up his right sleeve. ¡°Almazora¡ªdo your part. Empower my blood. I know you can do that¡ªI read all about it.¡±


    ¡°You want me to amplify the magic in your blood?¡± The goddess of magic walked up behind him, kneeling. ¡°I trust your intentions, but what you¡¯re asking¡­ it could kill you, even with Anneliese¡¯s intervention. And even if it doesn¡¯t, it could be a simr experience as what you experienced to gain this ck blood in the first ce, after.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m twisted up enough already. I¡¯m certain I¡¯ll live¡ªI saw it, clear as day, in the wiki. Still, I can¡¯t beat him unless you lend me some of your power. So, do it,¡± hemanded her, as he rolled up his other sleeve.


    ¡°Clench your teeth.¡± She put her hand on the back of his head¡­ and in a few moments, Argrave¡¯s body caught ame.


    Pushing hard against the pain, Argrave raised the dagger of blood he held up, then slit both of his wrists. These weren¡¯t attention-getting cuts from a teenager, either¡ªhemitted, starting the incision at the bottom of the forearm and ending just below the hand on both arms.


    Sataistadorughed, and Argrave lifted his head as his ck blood poured across the ss te on the floor. He met the god of war¡¯s green eyes. Fire burned within each of his two orbs.


    ¡°Should¡¯ve killed you before I came in. Erlebnis¡­ maybe the bastard was right in losing his cool, desperately trying to kill you. It looks like he broke his word, bbed about my intentions to you. But even still¡­ we¡¯ll meet on the field of battle.¡± Sataistador grinned eerily. ¡°All of us.¡±


    Argrave whispered back through the pain, ¡°I¡¯m counting on it.¡±


    As Argrave¡¯s blood poured into atop the ss covering, he felt his mind going away from him. Maybe it was blood loss. Maybe it was his Erlebnisitis. But when the darkness rose to take him, he heard the distant call of thunder, and knew where he was going.


    Argrave was going to the Stormfield. There, the god of war awaited him of the field of battle.


    #####


    Argrave might¡¯ve been able to arrive in time to stop Sataistador before his tragic suicide attempt if he hadn¡¯t taken so long researching other things. He might¡¯ve been able to talk the man back from the ledge, so to speak. But then, perhaps he wouldn¡¯t have. There was no point in worrying about hypotheticals, especially not when what he learned wasing into y.


    The Stormfield, just as the arrays that warded the divine, was blood magic. It was made of the blood of its creator, the first emperor of the Great Chu. His blood alongside his ingenuity lent the arrays incredible power, incredible dominance, over the entire continent. But another feature of theirs had been behind Sataistador¡¯s defeat.


    Sacrifice.


    Argrave had read in great detail how Sataistador had failed against the Pce of Heaven. Frankly¡­ he hadn¡¯t. In another time, during another cycle, Sataistador had ovee the same odds that Argrave had. He breached the walls of the fortress, and was going to enter triumphantly. Before he could, the Emperor of the Great Chu at the time disemboweled himself just above the Stormfield. The death of one mortal man was sufficient to empower the Stormfield such that Sataistador suffered a defeat so humiliating he refused to even speak of it.


    Since then, Sataistador had an obsession over the Great Chu, and doubly over the weapon that had caused his defeat. Every cycle, he had tried in one way or another to dismantle the empire¡ªto tear it apart, piece by piece. Sometimes it fragmented, sometimes it fell into civil war¡­ but it never truly ceased to exist, and the Pce of Heaven never truly fell. Until now, that is. Now, Sataistador had used a trick tomandeer the weapon that had defeated him so many years ago.


    But Argrave followed after him.


    Though Argrave had been consumed by darkness, the harsh bark of thunder jolted his eyes open, and he turned his head around frantically. He spotted an axe soaring through the air, headed right for him. Argrave instinctively sent out a blood echo and teleported, and it worked wlessly. Argrave looked around to see an endless teau of stone, with a purple sky above that danced with the power of a thousand electric storms.


    ¡°The gall on you,¡± Sataistador shouted from across the in of stone from where he¡¯d thrown that axe. Lightning bore down everywhere, followed a few seconds after by the sound of thunder. ¡°Following me here. I¡¯m going to give you some praise, Argrave. You¡¯re a soldier I¡¯d have loved to have on my side, back in the day. Stone cold, brilliant, and with balls big enough to shrug off Erlebnis¡¯ assault toe pick a fight with me right after. Makes my damn heart pound.¡± Sataistador¡ªor this one fragment of him, at least¡ªprepared to rush at Argrave.


    Argrave looked around, searching for anying ambush. This ce was t and endless, with few ces to hide. Just from the context of the situation, Argrave suspected that it was the Stormfield. The few crevices Argrave saw weren¡¯trge enough to hide one of the many soldiers in Sataistador¡¯s army. It was this one alone, now¡ªan advance scout, maybe. Argrave suspected that soon enough the whole of his army woulde to Argrave.


    As Argrave readied to fight, he spotted some movement in a crevice just behind Sataistador. His face warped with shock when Governor Ji Meng crept out from the darkness, then cast some magic right into the back of Sataistador¡¯s head. The lone soldier¡¯s head blew clean off in a burst of me, and the one fragment of the god of war turned into a spirit.


    ¡°Argrave!¡± the governor shouted. ¡°These damned things are everywhere. What in heaven is going on? Where are we?!¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Governor,¡± Argrave greeted the man, approaching cautiously. He couldn¡¯t be sure if this was a trick just yet. But then¡­ if Ji Meng had spilled his blood atop the ss covering over the Stormfield, it made sense that he was here. ¡°I think you and I are in the Stormfield.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± the governor looked all around as lightning continued to brighten the gloomy stone teau. ¡°What do you mean, ¡®we¡¯re in the Stormfield?¡¯ It¡¯s not a location, it¡¯s a¡ª¡±


    ¡°Just shut your mouth,¡± Argrave interrupted him, looking around. ¡°Sataistador used you. He¡¯s been using from the beginning; you were just too blind to see it. You took him right to this ce¡ªyou and that stupid weapon he gave to you.¡± Argrave grabbed his shoulder. ¡°Whatever. We can reminiscence about how stupid you wereter. Right now you, Ji Meng, are going to help me take dominance over this ce. I don¡¯t know precisely what¡¯s happening, but we¡¯re inside the Stormfield. We have to win control over it from the god of war.¡±


    The governor looked extremely confused, about more subject than one. He babbled, ¡°But why is he¡­? I mean, what¡¯s his aim? What¡¯s here for us?¡±


    ¡°Sataistador spilled his blood onto the array. That¡¯s taken him here, to what I assume is the Stormfield. You¡­ uh, you spilt some blood, too, so you¡¯re also here. I did as well. Right now, I think all three of us are in this together. What ¡®here¡¯ is, or what the future holds¡­ I¡¯m not entirely sure.¡±


    Ji Meng closed his eyes. ¡°Then¡­ this must be the sacrifice to the Stormfield. I¡¯d heard about it from legends, but I thought¡ª¡±


    ¡°You thought wrong. It¡¯s real. I did this with the suspicion Sataistador intends to imbue the array with a power of his¡ªthe fire of chaos. I¡¯m certain he¡¯s going to send it to the sky tower, where it¡¯ll be cast across the whole of the Great Chu.¡± Argrave waved his hand. ¡°The Stormfield, Sataistador¡¯s fire of chaos¡­ it¡¯ll have power enough to wipe the whole te clean. No more Great Chu. That¡¯s what both of them want.¡±


    ¡°How in heaven can we best a god, alone?¡±


    ¡°This is a battle of blood, Ji Meng.¡± Argrave tapped his face. ¡°Sataistador smuggled a small army inside his blood. But me, I brought magic. Loads of magic. So, let¡¯s work from there.¡±


    ¡°Why do you keep calling me¡­? Never mind. Where do we start?¡± Ji Meng looked around everywhere. ¡°I mean¡­ I studied the damn thing, but all of this is new territory to me.¡±


    ¡°Good question,¡± Argrave conceded. ¡°Erlebnis didn¡¯t know, either¡ªhe just had theories, some small few tests, but it¡¯s not enough to exin this. This ce feels as real as the one I left.¡± Argrave looked around for a few long moments, lost in thought. He focused intensely. ¡°At the very least, Sataistador¡¯s surely got the same questions. So, let¡¯s figure it out.¡±

 Chapter 595: Good Men, None or All

    Zen was quite certain that Argrave had lost his mind.


    First, it started with the name mix-up. He thought that Argrave was calling him Ji Meng as some sort of joke or pointed barb, but as time carried on, it became painfully obvious that Argrave genuinely thought his name was Ji Meng. Argrave carried himself with such force and confidence that it was difficult to even consider correcting him.


    Second, as they explored this strange realm¡ªthe Stormfield, as he called it, and as Zen hade to ept¡ªArgrave often retreated into itself. He would stop speaking for a few minutes at a time, making strange hand movements that might¡¯ve been spasms. When he was finished, he would emerge from this state acting as though he knew everything, like he¡¯d just seen some vision that told them everything they needed to know about the situation. For instance¡­


    ¡°Do you know what this ce is?¡± Argrave asked. He¡¯d been standing on the top of a high peak overlooking the vast teau of stone for the past hour, yet then suddenly he opened his eyes again and asked that question. In that time, Zen had studied their surroundings on his lonesome. The terrain was very familiar, but much of it was blocked out beneath the haze of the purple sky above.


    Zen shook his head. ¡°No. I mean, I think it¡¯s familiar, but I can¡¯t say for¡ª¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a Phillensian Soul Model. ording to everything I¡¯m reading, it wasn¡¯t copied from its inventor. The Emperor of the Great Chu must¡¯ve developed it independently, centuries before Phillen ever did. A genius man indeed. And unlike the Phillensian Soul Model, it¡¯s using our blood as the conduit to our souls. Meaning, to enter and leave the model¡­ the person doesn¡¯t need to perish. And like I suspected, the strength and amount of the blood in question determines the power the soul is capable of exerting.¡±


    Zen nodded as if anything Argrave said made sense. He¡¯d studied the Stormfield, but had heard nothing about Soul Models or ever heard the name Phillen.


    ¡°So, what¡¯s the n?¡± Zen questioned.


    ¡°This ce is a model of the whole mountain that the Pce of Heaven is based atop of,¡± Argrave exined with extreme confidence. ¡°It¡¯s a model without the gates, without everything¡ªjustnd and sky. I suspect under ordinary circumstances, we¡¯d see everything we don¡¯t¡ªthe buildings and all those within them. We¡¯d be able to control the Stormfield¡ªbe a hidden hand of god, dominating the battlefield. But with all of our blood mixing into the vessel, and with none of us submitting to one another, the Stormfield isn¡¯t functioning quite right.¡±


    ¡°Right. That¡¯s a sensible deduction,¡± Zen agreed, not quite sure what he was agreeing to. It sounded right, but how could Argrave know this?


    ¡°So, we have to kill everyst bit of Sataistador, or make him submit¡ªbut I think we both know that¡¯s not likely.¡± Argrave stroked his chin. ¡°And once that all happens, we¡¯ll have the whole might of the Stormfield at our disposal. The hand of god.¡± He looked at Zen. ¡°I¡¯m going to give you control of it. And then, we¡¯re going to do Sataistador like he was done before. We¡¯re going to break him. And this time, he¡¯s not going to be getting back up.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what it is I¡¯m agreeing to,¡± Zen finally admitted, sensing that he was being called upon to do something dangerous.


    ¡°It¡¯s simple.¡± Argrave put his hand on Zen¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Have you ever heard of a battle between souls?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the domain of necromancy.¡± Zen narrowed his eyes.


    ¡°Not necessarily. Don¡¯t be narrow-minded, Ji Meng.¡± Argrave shook his head like he was disappointed. ¡°In a battle of souls, you can conjure whatever your mind can imagine. It¡¯s a straight-up slugging match of willpower. A Phillensian Soul Model is simr, but it has certain dictates imposed. So¡ªonce Sataistador is out of the picture, you¡¯ll be subject to those dictates. Namely, you¡¯ll be bestowed with the ability to use the Stormfield to your whims. Then, you¡¯ll put an end to all of our enemies. Simple enough?¡±


    Zen thought it did sound simple enough, but he wasn¡¯t entirely sure how Argrave hade to any of these conclusions. Still, he gave a cautious nod. ¡°But you said to do that, we have to kill Sataistador. What gives you any confidence we can do that?¡±


    ¡°Like I said¡ªthe strength of the blood is proportionate to the strength that the soul can exert in the model.¡± Argrave tapped his temple. ¡°I came prepared. Do you know what it¡¯s like to have unlimited magic power?¡±


    ¡°By magic, you mean vital force?¡±


    ¡°I forget¡ªyou call it vital force.¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°Yes, unlimited vital force. Do you have any idea what¡¯s that like? Because I do. I have a very good memory of what that¡¯s like. I have experience using it, too. And since Almazora helped me out, it¡¯s like the days when I had Erlebnis¡¯ blessing.¡±


    ¡°Well, what¡¯re you going to do with it?¡± Zen questioned, indulging him.


    ¡°I think I¡¯m going to see if I can use S-rank spells.¡± Argrave tapped his temple. ¡°It¡¯s all in my head so clearly, it feels like I just need to reach out and grab it. I¡¯ve been watching videos about it for what feels like days. I¡¯ve got the itch, and I¡¯ve got a rather nice testing ground.¡±


    ¡°I was told you¡¯re an A-rank spellcaster.¡± Zen crossed his arms.


    ¡°Was. Now it all seems so obvious, so easy.¡± Argrave scratched his cheek, smiling. ¡°What the hell is an army before absolute power? I suppose we¡¯ll see. So¡ªall this sound good, Ji Meng?¡±


    And as the third bit of evidence that Argrave had lost his mind¡­ he decided to face off against Sataistador, alone, while experimenting whether or not he was capable of casting S-rank spells.


    ¡°Yeah, it¡­ sounds good,¡± Zen reluctantly consented, without much say in the matter.


    #####


    Though Anneliese had nearly sumbed to panic upon seeing what Argrave had done, she had managed to steel herself. He often did dangerous things, but cutting his wrists was a new one¡ªhe was generally a little more subtle about his suicide attempts. After so many tries, he¡¯d never once seeded in taking his own life, so she obeyed his words calmly and kept him alive. Perhaps that was the reason he failed so often¡ªher keeping him alive, that is.


    Almazora had imbued Argrave with enough magic to kill him, and Anneliese used her [Life Cycle] to pry it free gently while keeping what little blood he had left circting. As hey there, the majority of his blood gone, Anneliese could feel a strange energy pulsing between him and the Stormfield¡ªit was present in Sataistador, too, though his divinity muffled the sensation enough she barely noticed. That had been all she needed to focus on, at first¡­ but as Argrave promised, the whole of this ce descended into chaos.


    An army ambushed all of them, as though simply appearing out of thin air. It was an army of the most hardened soldier in the world, repeated infinitely.


    Anneliese heard some from Elenore, and saw some on her own in this ce. Sataistador¡ªin multiple forms, and of varying strengths¡ªsurrounded the Pce of Heaven, directly attacking Argrave¡¯s armies. He had bowmen, infantrymen, and spellcasters all. They harried their soldiers efficiently, pinning them down. The tables had turned¡ªit was Argrave¡¯s forces under siege, now, from a numerically superior opponent.


    Their foes never extended themselves so much as to force a serious confrontation. Meanwhile, stronger, more formidable forms of the god of war did battle with the gods. Even Law was forced on the backfoot¡ªnot from their power, but from their strategy. Sataistador had divided his forces so effectively that they were at a standstill. In time, their superior strength might make itself known, but for now, it was a deadlock. Meanwhile, the Qircassian Coalition descended in force, redoubling the pressure.


    As for where Anneliese resided, Rook and Raen fought the seemingly-endless waves that came from the inert ¡®body¡¯ of Sataistador as his blood pumped into the Stormfield. As above, so below; though they were certainly his superior in terms of strength, they were far inferior in terms of strategy and effectiveness. Rook had power, but wasn¡¯t yet used to it. Even if he was, the Sataistador infantrymen weren¡¯t easily broken, constantly covered by the bowmen. And lurking behind all of that was the god of war¡¯s spellcasters, ready and willing to inflict serious damage upon any who slipped up at all. Almazora dealt with what few attacks got past.


    Anneliese felt like a sitting duck, trapped in the dark. But her eyes told of a hidden dance, too¡ªone just as severe, just as powerful. She had [Truesight]. She could see beyond the pale, to realms hidden and unknown. And she saw unimaginable power dancing in the darkness. Dim echoes, carrying the signature of the man she knew better than anyone.


    As she sat there, keeping the magic from overwhelming him, she knew that his soul echoed out in some strange eternity. Argrave was fighting desperately in a realm that was neither mortal nor divine. The echoes of his power were like a distant chime hidden behind the main song of war¡­ but without these chimes, the song would feel hollow, and empty.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    And just alongside Argrave¡¯s power was another instrument, another beat. A drum. Constant, loud, and bassy, it rumbled Anneliese¡¯s heart and sparked dread. It was a drum of war, a drum of the march. Anneliese had no evidence, but she felt conviction in what was urring. The Stormfield. Argrave and Sataistador were fighting to see who would im it.


    #####


    The constant barrage of arrows seeking to end Argrave¡¯s life were as constant as the noises of thunder all around. Argrave soared through the sky, using spells he¡¯d never even heard of for unmatched mastery in this fight. If he looked inward, there was little he couldn¡¯t find¡ªthe magic coursed through his body as freely as it ever had, and his mind was the sharpest it¡¯d been. Perhaps his Undying Soul was giving an edge in the fight.


    But his enemy¡­ their ferocity was limitless.


    A vast horde of red-haired warriors, each of their beards billowing smoke into the air, sought to im Argrave¡¯s body as a trophy. The moment he alighted, they descended upon him with an axe. If he took to the air, their arrows shot upward in numbers enough to snuff the stars. Any spells he cast¡ªand indeed, he cast a great many¡ªwere met by wards of equivalent strength. Footmen, bowmen, and spellmen¡ªwith a sound strategy and good fighters to carry out that strategy, it felt insurmountable.


    ¡°Do you want to know what I often told myself in war?¡± The army shouted, as one. Theirbined voices were loud enough that noise echoed off distant peaks, hurting Argrave¡¯s ears. ¡°If only I had more good soldiers, everything would be a damned pic. Talented people¡ªyou know the type! If you tell them to do something, they can do it. You tell them to shoot a bow, they¡¯re going to hit their target. You tell them to fight a man, they¡¯re going to win. You tell them to follow a strategy, they do it without question, without w! You¡¯re one of them, and you¡¯ve got some of them. Anneliese, Elenore. They get things done.¡±


    Argrave soared upward into the air as more arrows rose up to im his life. Wind billowed from his fingertips, caressing his body gently as it took him to the heavens.


    ¡°What I wanted, Argrave, was an army of people like that,¡± their great choir shouted. ¡°With that, the whole damned world would kneel. But I couldn¡¯t get a thousand good men. Time and time again, you get people fucking up at the wrong time. Always a weak link, always a chain snapping when pressure¡¯s applied. Being a leader, a real leader, you start to learn it¡¯s not about telling people what to do. It¡¯s about being able to handle the ipetence you get.¡±


    Argrave wasn¡¯t able to answer¡ªcountless bolts of lighting rose up into the air to smite him, and he made wards enough to block them away as he got some space with his blood echoes.


    ¡°There¡¯s a simple maxim. If you want something done right, you do it yourself!¡± Sataistador¡¯s army roared, and the noise of a thousand axes banging against a thousand shields echoed across this replica of the mountain. ¡°Maybe you get that. Maybe that¡¯s why you¡¯re here.¡±


    ¡°And maybe you¡¯re just an asshole!¡± Argrave shouted in frustration.


    Forget damaging Sataistador¡ªhe barely had the time to breathe, let alone attack. He had limitless power at his fingertips, and none of it was working out. Something needed to change.


    All the countless Sataistador¡¯sughed, their voices echoing across the whole world. ¡°Maybe I am. But it doesn¡¯t matter how you carry yourself, so long as you¡¯re the winner in the end. Then, you can write the story however you want.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to tell everyone what you were like once I win, then,¡± Argrave called out, then spit as he looked upon Sataistador¡¯s horde of soldiers. "Because I don''t see any good men down there, much less a thousand."

 Chapter 596: Chaos is a Big Cannon

    Pain was a frightful thing. It was meant to be frightful by instinct, meant to ward the experiencer away from something that was doing them harm. Argrave had developed much of his strategy around the avoidance of pain. He was well-ustomed to experiencing it when he had time to prepare, whether bing ck blooded, or ascending to A-rank. But getting hit? It simply wasn¡¯t part of his strategy.


    As the fight with Sataistador dragged on, Argrave realized that he was fighting the same way in this soul model as he generally did in reality. He harried his opponent with blood echoes, but Sataistador¡¯s troops were perhaps the only Argrave had dealt with that managed to essentially avoid any and all damage with clever cement of spellcasters throughout the army. Command was always a step ahead, and neither infantrymen nor archers were ever exposed to true risk. Sataistador was an old hand at this war business.


    Anyone with a keen understanding of the matter¡ªthe Alchemist, perhaps¡ªwould point out how fundamentally foolish ying cautiously was, right now. Argrave had an Undying Soul. There was enough testament to its strength in the name alone. Yet rather than take advantage of that, Argrave hid in the background, letting his other boons speak for him. His soul was to be the crux of their n against Gerechtigkeit¡­ yet he was not endeavoring to use it whatsoever.


    He had power enough. He had knowledge enough. He had skill enough. What hecked in this battle was the willingness to shoulder risk. Sataistador invoked the fear of pain in Argrave, but he didn¡¯t truly deserve that¡ªnot anymore. This realization was a moment of rity that made Argrave stop all movement, look to the sky, and burst upward with powerful wind magic. Before long, even Sataistador¡¯s jeering went out of earshot. Argrave could hear the lightning crackling in the clouds all around him, yet there were moments of peace so high that he embraced to prepare for what wasing.


    At what felt like the peak, the natural summit, Argrave simply stopped. No more wards, no more spells. He let the air im him, and fell down as fast as gravity would permit. He kept his eyes open against the stinging winds even though he felt it might crush his eyes. The thousands of distant men seemed like ants, but in seconds they became full-bodied figures with their sights trained on Argrave alone.


    Seconds before impact, Argrave slowed his fall with a spell and alighted with tremendous¡ªif survivable¡ªforce. He was right in the heart of Sataistador¡¯s forces, and he became equal parts chaos to what Sataistador had offered. All of the elements he had at his disposal roared out, tearing into the manifold god of war with magic from his hands and his blood echoes. But just as Argrave hit, so was he hit. There was hardly any strategy to it at all, just a brutish slugging match¡­ but who better for such a game than one who was undying in this arena?


    Arrows, spells, even stray axes¡ªthey came at him unrelentingly from all sides. They struck true, and they pained him. Defense was cast to the wayside as each of the other epted that once the other obtained advantage, the battle would slowly slip away just as a snowball growsrger rolling down a hill. Reserve troops came from hidden recesses, archers took higher ground, spellcasters assumed defensive roles while keeping powerful magic close at hand like waiting spears, and infantrymen rushed forth with their shields at the ready. What had been skirmishes between reluctant enemy became a melee.


    ¡°You neglected to remember one thing, Argrave,¡± Sataistador¡¯s army called out in unison. ¡°I am not war alone.¡±


    In moments, Sataistador¡¯s waiting trap was sprung. The myriad bodiesposing his army burst into red mes, and the haunting smell of burning hair and searing flesh filled the air. The fire ate through everything¡ªwood, stone, steel, ice, fire, or lightning; it took them all as fuel every bit as potent as gasoline. Everything that Argrave sent outward tobat it only made it rise ever hotter. Sataistador himself wasn¡¯t spared the ill effects of his me; such was the nature of the fire of chaos. It burns through all it touches.


    Soon enough, Argrave felt that me touching him, too. Of all the pain he¡¯d experienced in moments past, nothing couldpare to the fire of chaos that Sataistador had nurtured for his long life. It was pure havoc, and it fed on destruction in a manner most brutal. As it climbed across Argrave¡¯s skin, soaking inside to set his blood boiling and his organs shriveling¡­ he¡¯d never forgotten its potential, not for a moment. He¡¯d just remembered a sacred adage, often espoused by the great wisdom-givers that had instructed Argrave in the art of physical education.


    No pain, no gain.


    #####


    Ance of crimson fire erupted into the air, straight out of the Pce of Heaven. It broke past the floor and walls, melting away great sections of the supposedly imprable walls in a corkscrew of reckless power. Kirel Qircassia¡¯s sky tower, floating high above, made no attempt to defend or dodge. Instead, the whole of it shifted to amodate this destructive fire. It had been waiting.


    The fire of chaos coiled into the walls of the sky tower, turning the white clouds a haunting red as it ascended and empowered these mes further. Meanwhile, that on the outer edge of the tower shifted, twisted, as it had countless times before to prepare for a bombardment. The people watching it¡ªeven gods as great as Law¡ªcould only watch in abject fear as they felt the incredible power erupting forth from that fire. It bore such an unmistakable sense of havoc that even mortal men untrained in the matters of the magical could feel it¡­ feel it, and fear it. Around the continent, dread budded in the hearts of all.


    Then, the fire exploded upward in a disy of unprecedented beauty. The fire seemed a budding rose, while the white clouds of the sky tower seemed the stem. It seemed to burn away the sky itself, turning all above from blue to a deep and rich ck like perfect framing for the painting. Some few moments after the sight, came the sound¡ªa deep, bassy rumbling that was tremorous enough to set the earth rumbling.


    The fiery flower petals reached their apex and, as if plucked by invisible hands, broke free from their white stem. Doubt flickered in the minds of many, who wondered in light of the beauty if their fear was unwarranted. Their hopeful doubts were put to rest when these fiery petals stopped their ascent, shattering into a thousand crimss that plummeted back toward the earth, leaving a trail of red and ck in their wake.


    Color began to drain from the skies. In time, the only sight that persisted above the skies of the Great Chu were that of red and ck. Those that had never seen Gerechtigkeit briefly considered if this, perhaps, was it. People screamed, prayed, and clutched their loved ones tightly to say what they thought might be theirst goodbyes.


    And the one person who might¡¯ve reveled in what was toe¡­ he, too, panicked.


    Sataistador¡¯s army¡ªunrelenting in its assault, adaptable beyondpare, began to rout. They fled toward the Pce of Heaven with such abandon their foes too bewildered to give chase. Even Law was hard-pressed to stop them from pouring through the holes in the fortress. It became clear in a few moments why that was, when the crimss in the sky turned inward.


    The thousands of bolts of me curved inward, back toward the Pce of Heaven and all above it. They wound about that ferocious cannon of clouds, writhing and tightening like a python or a vice. Then, the fires of chaos tore through those white clouds as though they were as fluffy as they appeared. Countless gods and divine servants erupted out into the sky, to escape the burning building, but the fire of chaos had already imed them. Spirits flowed freely, and no one had the gall to im them. They could only flee, lest it eat through all of them. Kirel Qircassia himself fled into his divine realm, warding away any that sought for refuge with ethereal ck and white hands.


    In a few minutes, all that remained of the sky tower was thin wisps on a ck background. Then, with nothing left to destroy, the fires next plummeted downward toward the Pce of Heaven with far more ferocity than gravity alone could muster. They sought the frantic legions of the god of war, smiting him with righteous fury of vengeance. There was a will behind them¡ªan anger of a life betrayed, of a man used. The attacks had the razor precision of an administrator. When they struck, all that remained were deep, smoldering craters.


    Sataistador sought the Pce of Heaven for cover, yet weakened as it was, the walls proved little resistance against the weapon of his own making. There was a humor few could appreciate; those countless millennia ago, Sataistador had used the fire of chaos to break through the fort¡¯s walls. Now, it broke them again in pursuit of eradicating all he stood for.


    #####n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    After the eruption of crimson fire from the Stormfield, the only two still remaining near the array were Argrave and Anneliese. She had been holding him tightly when the bombardment starteding, but as time progressed, she found him too hot to hold. Looking upon him, she could see the price he was paying for this attack. To control it, Argrave had weed the fire of chaos into his very soul. Now it rampaged through his body just as it wreaked havoc outside.


    Argrave¡¯s soul, ever brilliant, was being burnt away. Knowing this, and knowing what he had tasked her with, Anneliese took the weapon forged of Veid¡¯s heart in her left, while her right reached back out toward that intense me. Whatever the cost, she would not let him pass away. She ced her bare hand upon his face, and weed that fell me using [Life Cycle].


    The pain of the fire of chaos was so intense that Anneliese could not even hear her own screams. The only thing that kept her going was Argrave¡¯s golden soul, which regained some of its sheen due to her efforts. The icy chill of Veid¡¯s heart, though present, was the equivalent of an ice cube before magma. Just when she felt she might sumb to the heat, she felt someone new help her.


    Anneliese dimly recognized the presence of Lira, goddess of connections, and Rook, god of deception and subterfuge. Lira had opened a bridge of some kind between herself and Rook, and through it, diverted the unrelenting tide of the fire of chaos somewhat. Then, another balm came, and she felt the kind yet unrelenting aura of Law as one of his domains empowered her.


    With some cognition returned, Anneliese could see hundreds of thousands of soldiers in Sataistador¡¯s armying down upon them, seeking to end Argrave from without just as his fire killed from within. There was a ferocity brought about only by desperation, and Anneliese could see the terror writ in the ancient god¡¯s face as his own weapon was turned against him. Yet the fire of chaos, or the other gods of the ckgard Union, proved a stalwart barrier.


    When Anneliese again looked upon Argrave¡¯s soul, she saw only dim specks of the fire of chaos, slowly extinguished by its brilliance. And seeing that, all strength left her. She fell upon Argrave. There was a cost to be paid to endure such chaos. That cost¡ªon Argrave, on Anneliese, on the whole of the Great Chu, had yet to be tallied. But through chaos, great things could be born.


    In this case, Anneliese was certain it had brought them victory.


    #####


    Law watched the dying embers of the fire of chaos fall like snow upon the Pce of Heaven¡ªor rather, the summit of this mountain that had once held the pce. Little remained of it after that destructive show. Chaos had wiped it all away; it, and many thousands of lives. There were certain incontrovertiblews about the world. Chaos, despite its nature, had several. One was inly on disy today.


    Chaos was just as likely to kill its creator as it was those it was manufactured to harm.

 Chapter 597: Three Year Coma, Everyone Died

    The very second that Argrave blinked open his eyes, he tried to sit up quickly. That proved to be a resounding mistake as pain assailed him from within, and he felt hot liquid rise up his throat¡ªfrom the taste of it, blood. He coughed ungracefully, and felt that unpleasantness spill out over his face.


    ¡°Oh, what in the¡­ just my luck,¡± He faintly heard a voice, and then saw someone he recognized well¡ªTitus. The former southern tribal took a nearby wet cloth and wiped Argrave¡¯s face. It seemed like only after a few seconds did he realize Argrave¡¯s eyes were open. When Titus realized he might be dealing with a living thing, he retracted the cloth and said quietly, ¡°You in there?¡±


    Argrave gave a nod and said weakly, ¡°Thanks, Titus.¡±


    The man narrowed his eyes, yet smiled. ¡°It¡¯s Durran, actually. Elenore said you were having a weird memory thing.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡± Argrave closed his eyes, epting there would be some adjustment. ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°We lost.¡± Durran plopped the cloth down. ¡°Kirel Qircassia came down and killed Law and Rook. You¡¯ve been unconscious for three years. Gerechtigkeit¡¯s already destroyed half of the world.¡±


    Argraveughed through his nose, yet even that made him groan in pain. ¡°Just tell me what happened, you freak.¡±


    ¡°Freak? That was you some time ago. Your face was crooked. We fixed it, though, as best we could.¡± Durran sat down in a nearby chair with a huff, and only then did Argrave start to piece together some of his surroundings. By the look of things, he was still in the Great Chu. ¡°Tell you what happened¡­ what do you think happened? Qircassian Coalition got what wasing to them. Erlebnis died. Sataistador¡­ we think he¡¯s dead, but no one will say for certain. Regardless, he¡¯s hardly any threat anymore. My godly patron is hunting him. The Great Chu¡­ I won¡¯t say it¡¯s peaceful, but it¡¯s quieter than it was. Emperor Ji Meng issued a decree insisting the whole empire pray for your wellbeing. He gave you alllll the credit. He imed you killed two gods alone.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s an emperor now?¡± Argrave looked over, puzzled. ¡°But Ji Meng burnt his soul away to coordinate the fire of chaos¡¯ attack. He can¡¯t be alive.¡± Durran looked as confused as Argrave felt, and it finally dawned on him¡ªit was another name mix-up. ¡°I¡¯m talking about the governor. The one with the big family, and all the influence.¡±


    ¡°That was Zen.¡± Durran shook his head. ¡°Something really did a number on you, didn¡¯t it? Is this that fire?¡±


    Argrave blinked a few times. He supposed that, with the Alchemist incapacitated, no one else knew what had happened to him. ¡°It¡¯s a long story. Can you get Anneliese? Please tell me I¡¯m not misremembering that name.¡±


    Durran leaned in. ¡°That¡¯s your sister.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d believe you if you didn¡¯t have a stupid grin,¡± Argrave said through clenched teeth. ¡°Just get her.¡±


    Durran shook his head. ¡°Sorry. I, uhh¡­ probably shouldn¡¯t joke about that with things as they are. Anneliese is¡­¡± The man gestured vaguely beside Argrave.


    Argrave turned his head slowly. He caught sight of her, then. She was lying just beside him in another bed. Her skin had all returned to normal, and Argrave thought that she was merely resting before he noticed her hands.


    ¡°What happened to her fingers?¡± Argrave said in panic, trying to rise again with effort redoubled. More blood came out his mouth, and Durran physically pushed him back onto the bed.


    ¡°Take it easy, easy! She¡¯s fine, she¡¯s breathing. Everyone tells me she¡¯ll make a full recovery, given time. Her fingers had to be removed because they were too badly burned.¡±


    ¡°Burned? How?¡± Argrave repeated.


    ¡°Burned helping you handle the fire of chaos,¡± Durran exined.


    ¡°Why did she do that? I didn¡¯t want that!¡± Argrave raised his voice too loud, and coughed again.


    ¡°She saved your life, the way I understand things. Rook and Lira can attest to that.¡± Durran pushed him down more firmly. ¡°If you act out, all you¡¯re going to do is hurt yourself. Just rest, moron.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Argrave conceded to Durran¡¯s words, seeing the wisdom in them. He settled down back onto the bed, and his mind wandered to the Alchemist. That man would know what to do, here. Argrave couldn¡¯t rest until he was assured about Anneliese, and the Alchemist could give those assurances. But as Raven was presently incapacitated, he couldn¡¯t be of much help.


    Argrave¡¯s thoughts froze. He had Erlebnis¡¯ knowledge inside of his head¡ªanything that the Alchemist knew, Argrave likely did, too. Coming to this conclusion, he looked to Durran.


    ¡°Could you get everyone else?¡±


    Durran sat back down in the chair now that Argrave had stopped struggling. ¡°Could you be less vague?¡±


    ¡°No. I might remember names wrong. For all I know, you might bring Gmon in here or something.¡±


    Durranughed. ¡°Yeah. Yeah, I think I just might. I think I know what you mean. You want your closest counsel, that sort of thing, right?¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡± Argrave gave a weak nod. ¡°Have to catch people up¡­ and catch up myself. So, bring everyone.¡±


    ¡°Few of those might be a problem.¡± Durran wrung his hands together. ¡°Like Mnie.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s the Order of the Gray Owl magister guarding Sophia, from my memory.¡± Argrave narrowed his eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s a marvel how you keep saying things so confidently when you know your memory has the consistency of soup.¡± Durran shook his head, looking upon Argrave like he was a rare beast. ¡°No, she¡¯s the red-headed mercenary with green eyes who was blessed by Raen, who you made into a count. You sent her off to fight Traugott, the guy who¡¯s mastered the Shadonds.¡±


    Countless incongruities arose from Durran¡¯s brief summary, but he skipped past confirming them all and asked instead, ¡°What¡¯s happened to her?¡±


    ¡°Not clear yet. Elenore says the mental connection between them is still up, but she¡¯s not heard a word. That generally means the recipient is unconscious. That would mean, though, she¡¯s been unconscious as long as you¡ªtwo days. Considering who she was fighting, that bodes very ill.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Argrave swallowed nervously. ¡°Just¡­ get everyone. Let me collect my thoughts.¡±


    #####


    In the time that Durran was gone, Argrave searched his wiki for methods of obtaining [Truesight]. It took some filtering, but eventually he found a method offering temporary [Minor Truesight] that was reasonably actionable. He had one of his blood echoes cast a spell to break a nearby ss cup, then retrieved one of its shards. On the fragment, he carefully carved an enchantment while constantly referring to the wiki for reference. His first attempt failed, but on his second, he managed to create a lens that bestowed what he wanted. He used it to examine Anneliese¡¯s state. It turned to dust in his hand as he used it.


    Her soul was intact, and seemed unharmed. That gave Argrave immense relief. Her magic, however, was greatly disturbed. It was to the point where Argrave doubted she¡¯d be able to cast spells at all. The Alchemist possessed the expertise necessary to fix that. As far as Argrave knew, though, Raven would still be grappling with the overwhelming sensation of desire which he¡¯d received bying in contact with Argrave¡¯s mind. That desire spurred him toward consuming and potentiating living things, bing the Smiling Raven once more. Needless to say, that was unideal.


    Argrave might¡¯ve been able to fix Anneliese¡¯s issues on his own if he scoured the wiki for long enough. Given the disaster one error might cause, he didn¡¯t dare try. This was the person that he cared about most¡ªhe wouldn¡¯t meddle with her insides without both her permission and utter certainty of sess.


    He was prowling through the wiki for more answers about things he might try when Durran brought ¡®everyone else.¡¯ As it turned out, he had been prudent to leave the choice ofpany to Durran¡¯s discretion. He got every single name wrong. It was immensely difficult to correct himself, because it felt like these people had all taken on entirely new names. Durran felt like Tituspletely and utterly. Gmon had never been the name of the god of war, but rather, his oldest friend in this realm.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you can preside over anything in this state,¡± Elenore noted, staring down at Argrave with crossed arms. ¡°Certainly not the realm. I don¡¯t even want to imagine the confusion you might cause. You won¡¯t be doing anything for two weeks, at the very least. We¡¯ll be taking care of all that.¡±


    ¡°Can we afford that?¡± Argrave questioned. ¡°I mean¡­ are things stable enough that¡¯s possible?¡±


    Elenore nodded. ¡°I tested the emperor¡¯s loyalty by charging him with your protection. Rook was guarding you secretly to see what the man might try. He¡¯s tried nothing at all¡ªas a matter of fact, he¡¯s been rather helpful in subjugating Governor Zen¡¯s family after his death. On the divine side, the Qircassian Coalition has been rendered defunct. Few original members still persist. Kirel Qircassia has sent petitioners requesting peace negotiations, while remaining cooped up in the crack in the sky leading to his divine realm. I¡¯ve refrained from answering until the two of you are back on your feet.¡±


    Peace negotiations. The idea rung hollow, after all that had been done. Argrave dismissed it from his mind, for now.


    ¡°I¡¯m currently waiting for information regarding Mnie and Dario. I can¡¯t update you further, there, but¡­ yes. To answer your question, all is stable.¡± Elenore said that with a long, almost relieved sigh. ¡°The gods of the ckgard Union tell me our alliance is the single strongest in the entire world, now. Especially after this victory, we have no real opposition.¡±


    ¡°What about the Alchemist?¡±


    ¡°Law has him,¡± Gmon answered simply. ¡°He protects him at your charge.¡±


    Argrave took a deep breath, and felt the burns in his lungs protest. The Alchemist¡¯s condition was something that demanded immense attention. The Ravenstone, forged of Erlebnis¡¯ blessing, had shattered after the god of knowledge died. Argrave no longer had a method to contain him. Not only was he the single greatest aid in theiring fight against Gerechtigkeit and the only surefire key to recovering Anneliese¡¯s magic, the Alchemist was also an unimaginably dangerous foe if he recovered without certain changes.


    ¡°I believe we speak too much,¡± Orion interrupted Argrave¡¯s thoughts. ¡°His Majesty needs rest. Only his own efforts can recover the damage wrought by that chaotic fire.¡±


    ¡°Believe me¡ªI¡¯d like to sleep, too. But there is one thing you people need to catch up on.¡± He looked at each of them. ¡°And¡­ sit down, too. Because even I¡¯m having trouble epting what happened, and it happened to me. It¡¯s about why my memories are the way they are.¡±


    Everyone watched Argrave cautiously as he tried to consider how he might divulge precisely what he¡¯d gained. It would be easy to tell them¡­ but it might be difficult to avoid sounding like a braggart. But then, what was the harm?

 Chapter 598: Godly Gossip

    ¡°Could you tell me just what happened there?¡± The beautiful goddess of birth inquired of Lira, goddess of connections. It looked like grandmother and daughter, almost. ¡°Everything¡¯s abuzz. Everyone can feel that something major happened, and the more attuned among us know there was a huge explosion of spirits in the sky above the Great Chu. But you were there, weren¡¯t you? Some are even saying Argrave killed two ancient gods.¡±


    Lira gave a slow, resigned nod. ¡°To summarize¡­ Erlebnis and Sataistador are both rendered irrelevant, now. Argrave baited Erlebnis out of the Pce of Heaven, and after doing battle with Law, Rook surprised him, killed him, and inherited the vast majority of his power. We took the Pce of Heaven, then, and while I¡¯m not privy to specifics, Sataistador was defeated due to something Argrave did. Now, Stout Heart Swan joined the fight to hunt down the rest of him, and Kirel Qircassia is suing for peace. Most of the Qircassian Coalition was destroyed. The whole of Berendar, and all of the Great Chu, are under Argrave¡¯s thumb.¡±


    With this juicy information, the goddess of birth talked a long, long while, prying whatever information she could. Then, hourster, she conferred with several other gods who sought news about this strange happening in the Great Chu.


    ¡°Apparently, the King of Vasquer pulled Erlebnis out of the Pce of Heaven, where he, Rook, and Law killed him together. Minutes after, Argrave killed Sataistador on his own inside the Pce of Heaven. Apparently, Kirel Qircassia is surrendering, too. Lira showed me the sky¡ªeverything turned ck after the king wiped out the Qircassian Coalition. The king¡¯s putting down his roots in the Great Chu. I¡¯ve heard it¡¯s thergest empire the world¡¯s ever seen,¡± she bragged.


    ¡°That can¡¯t be right,¡± the gods with her expressed disbelievingly. They, too, probed for more details¡­ and bit by bit, words changed.


    ¡°The King of Vasquer killed Erlebnis with Law and Rook, then went on to fight Sataistador after taking the Pce of Heaven. Kirel Qircassia tried to take advantage of things, but most of his coalition was destroyed. Apparently, he¡¯s surrendering unconditionally.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± An impish-looking creature, who was the god of mischief, smiled devilishly as the news reached his realm. ¡°That¡¯s quite the tale.¡±


    ¡°It came from Lira. It should be reliable,¡± the messenger told the god.


    ¡°Reliable indeed¡­¡± the impish creature stroked its chin. In a few minutes, he was before another.


    ¡°You wanted to know what happened, right? I¡¯ve heard that Argrave taunted Erlebnis, sent him into a fury. It was something to do with the affections of a woman,¡± the mischief-maker said. ¡°Thereafter, the mortal king beat the god of knowledge alone. Sataistador¡ªwho was actually Erlebnis¡¯ brother, as it turns out¡ªarrived to avenge him. And the king beat him, too! Now, Kirel Qircassia is whimpering with fear and begging the king to stay his wrath.¡±


    Gaunt, the god of death who had in the distant past nearly joined the ckgard Union, regarded the god of mischief with immense distrust. There was also a resounding sense of loss that Gaunt himself had not joined, considering this burgeoning union¡¯s ascendency. He remembered nothing of the offer in the White nes given that realm¡¯s restrictions, but others inside the ckgard Union had informed him he had been considered to join. Despite not being a member, Gaunt did have some contacts within. Gaunt called upon Rook, seeking to correct the record.


    ¡°He said all of that?¡± Rookughed at Gaunt¡¯s retelling of the tale. ¡°Well, it wasn¡¯t about a woman. And Sataistador¡¯s not Erlebnis¡¯ brother. But the rest of it¡­ there¡¯s a lot of truth, there.¡±


    ¡°You mean to say King Argrave beat Erlebnis and Sataistador alone?¡± Gaunt crossed his arms.


    ¡°One after the other,¡± Rook confirmed. ¡°Well¡­ that¡¯s only partially true. Argrave destroyed the vast majority of the Qircassian Coalition and Sataistador at the same time. After all, he¡¯d taken the Pce of Heaven by storm, and he somehow knew how to use it. Kirel Qircassia keeps sending people asking for peace, but Argrave hasn¡¯t given him a single response yet.¡±


    Gaunt, armed with this new information, spread the news. His serious nature gave credence to the tale¡ªand, being that his tale was the most oundish, it spread quickest, slowly twisting and morphing with every retelling in the slightest manner.


    ¡°A mortal king named Argrave killed both Erlebnis and Sataistador after taking the Pce of Heaven by storm. Kirel Qircassia has surrendered without a fight.¡±


    ¡°Argrave stormed the Pce of Heaven, which had Erlebnis and Sataistador both inside it at the time. Kirel Qircassia was meant to help the two of them, but Argrave just finished things too quickly.¡±


    Iteration after iteration, retelling after retelling, until eventually¡­


    ¡°Did you hear about what happened in the Great Chu?¡± A lesser god spoke to Almazora.


    ¡°Did I hear about it?¡± The goddess of magic crossed her arms. ¡°I was there. There for part of it, at least. What are you referring to?¡±


    ¡°Everyone¡¯s saying that Argrave killed Erlebnis and Sataistador, then made a ve of Kirel Qircassia. This is just after he took the Pce of Heaven and the whole of the Great Chu.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Almazora narrowed her eyes. ¡°What do you mean, ¡®everyone¡¯s saying that?¡¯ What¡¯s your source?¡±


    ¡°Apparently that¡¯s the word from Lira and Rook,¡± the lesser god answered. ¡°Is it true he¡¯s still mortal? That can¡¯t be true, right? Do you think you could arrange a conversation with the king for me?¡±


    The goddess of magic blinked, befuddled.


    The whole world was talking about one person¡ªArgrave, the mortal king that had been the cause of the destruction of two ancient gods, and had brought to heel a third. Tales of his past exploits rose from the dead¡ªhis challenge of Fellhorn¡¯s authority in the Burnt Desert, his fight against Erlebnis and Kirel Qircassia both in the Bloodwoods, his unification of the continent of Berendar and the subcontinent of the Great Chu¡­ but the man himself was only just able to walk again.


    #####


    ¡°We can¡¯t give Kirel Qircassia a break,¡± Argrave insisted. ¡°We have more than enough manpower¡ªor godpower, as it were. Rook and Law alone could probably handle it, but we¡¯ve got way more than that.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not thinking for the long-term,¡± Elenore disagreed. ¡°The purpose of this debacle was to emerge the foremost power in the world, so that we could unite everyone against Gerechtigkeit. Kirel Qircassia has been very vocal about seeking peace. If we ignore that and destroy him utterly, that could send a terrible message to all of our future allies. It could paint us as bloodthirsty.¡±


    ¡°Bloodthirsty? But he¡¯s killed hundreds of thousands, maybe millions! He¡¯s been bombarding our homes for months, now, and we just stopped him from destroying the whole of the Great¡ª¡± Argrave trailed off, wheezing. He still needed time to recover.


    After patiently waiting for him to cease wheezing, his sister exined calmly, ¡°They aren¡¯t privy to those details, and we can¡¯t get that message to every potential ally. This is about how we¡¯re seen, Argrave,¡± Elenore reminded him. ¡°I¡¯m not suggesting we genuinely make peace. I¡¯m suggesting we hold off, gather more allies, and then exin this fact while we amass power. We need to be patient. Dead now, deadter¡ªhe¡¯s still dead.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± said Durran, interjecting. ¡°Qircassia is a slippery bastard. If we give him time¡­¡±


    ¡°Let him writhe. Let him get desperate. Meanwhile, we amass influence. In the meantime, he might make a mistake. And need I remind you we need every resource at our disposal right now? If we¡ª¡± Elenore trailed off, eyes going distant as she listened to a voice in her head. She focused on Argrave. ¡°They found Mnie.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Argrave tried to rise off his chair, but the movement pained him. ¡°How is she? What¡¯s she saying?¡±


    ¡°Not much¡ªDario is the only one conscious, but they¡¯re both alive. They¡¯re both getting healing, now,¡± Elenore told him, then went silent once more as she asked for more information. ¡°Dario said¡­ apparently, they couldn¡¯t do it.¡±


    Argrave closed his eyes, swearing in a tight whisper.


    #####


    ¡°I had him,¡± Dario told Argrave. The man was unable to even meet his gaze. ¡°I had Traugott. Enough golem cores to generate a strge enough he¡¯d die.¡±


    ¡°And what stopped you?¡± Argrave demanded.


    Dario looked over to Mnie, who was unconscious. She had been healed, but she needed to wake up on her own. Apparently, it wouldn¡¯t be long. ¡°The st would¡¯ve killed both of us. I did¡­ I thought about it. Thought long and hard, but just couldn¡¯t. Wasn¡¯t selfless enough. Or selfish enough, I suppose, depending on who you ask.¡±


    Argrave stared at him, asking himself if he would¡¯ve made the same choice. Consign not only his life, but Mnie¡¯s, just so he could take out Traugott. The answer¡­ Argrave couldn¡¯t give one, really.


    ¡°So, if I¡¯m remembering things right¡­ Traugott got his hands on the lich¡¯s soul? That¡¯s what this was about, right?¡± Argrave questioned.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t see it.¡± Dario lowered his head. ¡°As it was¡­ Fellhorn, the Shadonders¡­ we barely made it out alive. Had to bury those creatures with all the cores, lest they spill out onto the surface. But I plugged the hole, repaired the tear.¡±


    Argrave took a deep breath, then walked away from Dario¡¯s bedside. In truth, without Traugott¡¯s tip about the fortress¡¯ vulnerability, that whole battle might¡¯ve been drastically different. As it was, casualties were in the tens of thousands. That number might¡¯ve been far greater had they not been able to breach the Pce of Heaven in a timely manner.


    But Traugott certainly wasn¡¯t going to pass into the great beyond quietly. He clung on, parasitizing everything Argrave did. And he was getting closer and closer to things that he had no business being anywhere near. They were near the cusp of it all¡ªboth getting answers, and putting an end to this cycle of judgment once and for all. Traugott needed to disappear. They were supposedly the undisputed power in the world¡ªthere were few better times than now to make that happen.


    ¡°Argrave,¡± Elenore¡¯s voice interrupted his thoughts. ¡°You told me to tell you when she woke up.¡±


    ¡°On my way,¡± he told her at once.


    #####


    Argrave brushed Anneliese¡¯s hair gently, pinching it up high so she didn¡¯t feel it when he caught snags.


    ¡°All of Erlebnis¡¯ knowledge?¡± Anneliese questioned after Argrave finished exining things. She sat up partially, leaning against copious red pillows.


    ¡°Yep.¡± Argrave nodded, running the brush through. ¡°Jealous?¡±


    ¡°It would be envy in this case, I think. Either way, not particrly.¡± Anneliese stared at the edge of the bed, unmoving. Unlike Argrave, Anneliese took the advice to stay still and rest seriously.


    ¡°Really?¡± Argrave studied her eyes. ¡°You don¡¯t want all the knowledge of the universe?¡±


    ¡°I know myself well. It¡¯s the process of discovery I like.¡± She looked at his hands as they brushed her hair. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that, you know.¡±


    ¡°Is it ufortable?¡±


    ¡°No. It¡¯s nice. I like this. It¡¯s just¡­¡± she trailed off.


    ¡°Don¡¯t fret. Always wanted to do this,¡± Argrave told her. ¡°You have nice hair.¡± He looked down to her hands in turn, then said pointedly, ¡°And no fingers, at present. Hard to hold a brush without those.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get upset at me. I regret nothing,¡± she told him. ¡°I would lose fingers and more to keep you alive.¡±


    Looking upon her, Argrave¡¯s budding anger died. He merely smiled. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll buy you new fingers at the finger store. What size are they?¡±


    Annelieseughed gently, and quiet set upon them as he groomed her. After a time of serenity, she asked, ¡°What must we do from here?¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Argrave stopped brushing. ¡°Just rest, for now.¡±


    ¡°Has saying that ever made someone rest, I wonder?¡± She looked at him, a droll expression on her face. ¡°You must¡¯ve spoken to Elenore by now. Just catch me up. Magic may be beyond me, but my head is clear.¡±


    Argrave sighed, conceding. ¡°The Alchemist caught emotional rabies. We need to vinate him, somehow, but I¡¯m not sure how. I¡¯m reading the wiki, but he¡¯s a rather unique case. Past that, we¡¯ve got to bring all the other gods into the fold¡ªElenore¡¯s handling most of that. We¡¯re restoring order to the Great Chu, first. Long-term¡­ we look to Sophia. We stop Traugott.¡±


    ¡°And then Gerechtigkeit,¡± she finished.


    ¡°And then Gerry.¡±


    Anneliese took a deep, deep breath, then let silence hang until she said, ¡°We¡¯re very close.¡±


    ¡°To the end, yeah.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Anneliese shook her head, pulling the brush from Argrave¡¯s grip. ¡°To us finally having our beginning. The thought of that¡­ it keeps me going.¡±


    Argrave retrieved the lost brush. ¡°Me too. So, let¡¯s hold on just a little longer, yeah?¡±


    Anneliese leaned over and rested her head on his shoulder. ¡°Yes.¡±

 Chapter 599: Howdy, Pardners

    A hulking humanoid wearing white armor walked onto a golden tform and moved to the center where a podium stood prominently. Below the tform, countless people sat ready to listen. But perhaps to call them mere people was a disservice¡ªthese were gods, one and all. Nevertheless, they stayed silent. They had to¡ªthey were in Law¡¯s Court, and the ancient god¡¯s Justiciars kept the peace.


    The Justiciar held its two gauntleted hands out, dering, ¡°The King of Vasquer, Argrave, will give his closing speech, and then we shall take a vote on the proposal.¡±


    The hundreds present came to rapt attention, looking around. Curiosity was etched on the faces of those that actually a face, but it was well obvious that people were eager for this final speaker. They had good reason to be¡ªless than a month ago, Argrave had led forces into battle against the infamous Pce of Heaven. Yet unlike thousands before him that had tried, Argrave¡¯s host didn¡¯t break against its walls¡ªinstead, he slew Erlebnis, mortally wounded Sataistador, and gutted the Qircassian Coalition. All of these events took ce within hours of each other. The method and circumstances of the day eluded total rity, but the fact remained that it had happened.


    A golden door on the side of Law¡¯s Court opened wide and in walked Argrave, King of Vasquer. For a mortal man, he was tall, standing at seven feet. He steely gray eyes and wavy ck hair which had been trimmed recently until it was just above his ears. He wore arge ck coat, and just beneath it, a golden breastte bearing his personal sigil: a sunburst, with its rays as snakes. The leather armor elsewhere was of the finest quality and adorned with precious metals bearing enchantments both ancient and modern. It was an attire fit enough for a king, but the gods cared more about the man wearing the clothes.


    Argrave walked onto the golden tform, regarding the hundreds of gods without so much as a blinking eye. ¡°We¡¯ve been holding this trial for days, now. Any information that was going toe out hase out. I can¡¯t bring you something that would turn the world on its head in the final hours. What I can do, however, is give you a reminder. And something poignant to think about, perhaps, as we decide Kirel Qircassia¡¯s fate.¡±


    Argrave let his words hang, then put one hand to his chest. ¡°The other senior partners you¡¯ve heard from earlier established that I inherited Erlebnis¡¯ knowledge. I¡¯ve demonstrated the breadth of that knowledge to the senior partners of the union, each of which supported my im. With that knowledge, Iid bare the misdeeds of Kirel Qircassia. We¡¯ve established the path of reckless betrayal he left in his early years. We outlined countless who were betrayed by the Qircassian Coalition. And we outlined the malignant designs he had on countless present here, today, in Law¡¯s Court. Half of you here today, Qircassia nned to kill.¡± He tapped the podium thrice to emphasize that point.


    ¡°Kirel Qircassia must die. He is someone who cannot be trusted to persist in this world. He will conspire with anyone¡ªSataistador, Erlebnis, for the barest hope of gaining a mite of power. He has no loyalty, no honor, and I wouldn¡¯t dare greet him with any in return. Some here, today, have argued that any agreement made with him could be officiated in the White nes, just as this ckgard Union was formed. I argue that he is not worthy of having such power to begin with.¡± Argrave leaned in. ¡°He should be broken, stripped down, and his body used for parts to make something greater.¡±


    Argrave leaned back. ¡°But as I think I just established, I¡¯m a touch biased.¡± Those few that had senses of humors left in their divine bodiesughed. ¡°You junior partners of the Union will have your say. As will the senior partners¡ªmy kingdom included. With Law as our witness, we¡¯lle to an answer regarding his fate. Then, whatever urs, we¡¯ll abide by the vote. But keep in mind some things as you make your choice. If you were up there as he is, trapped¡­ what decision might Qircassia make?¡± He let them run through that hypothetical. ¡°Today you deal with me. I¡¯ve tried my damnedest to be open-handed, so much so that Law bestowed upon me his blessing. But if you let Kirel Qircassia live¡­ tomorrow, you might be dealing with him. Him, and whatever allies he¡¯s managed to scrape up. He¡¯s not such a saint as little old me. And he has no problem killing anyone who slights him.¡±


    Argrave walked away from the podium without further ceremony, leaving the new junior partners of the ckgard Union to begin the voting process.


    ¡°We shall begin the vote,¡± dered Law¡¯s Justiciar as Argrave made for the door. ¡°The matter at hand¡­ the fate of Kirel Qircassia.¡±


    #####


    Argrave returned to where his sister, Elenore, waited for him within Law¡¯s court. ck of hair and gray of eye, she had the ssic Vasquer look excluding exceptional height. She was the shortest of the family, though taller than most women. One such exception to most women waited right alongside her: Anneliese, Argrave¡¯s wife and his kingdom¡¯s queen. She was an elven woman hailing from the icynd of Veiden, and like many Veidimen, stood tale and pale with beautiful white hair that stretched past her knees. Both of them wore the colors of Vasquer¡ªck and gold¡ªto signify their affiliation here in this trial.


    ¡°Did you make any mistakes?¡± Elenore asked.


    Argrave sighed. ¡°Most people ask, ¡®how did it go?¡¯ It¡¯s a more polite way of asking the same question. Come on, try again.¡±


    As Elenore¡¯s face scrunched in annoyance, Anneliese studied Argrave with her amber eyes. ¡°It went well, Elenore. He¡¯s pleased.¡±


    ¡°Of course it went well.¡± Argrave held out his arms, striking a slight pose. ¡°It¡¯s just words, right? I know words, and I know how to put them together in a way that pleases people. I didn¡¯t exactly get a standing ovation, but it was a tough crowd in a tougher venue. I think it¡¯s illegal to cheer here, anyway.¡±


    Elenore rubbed her forehead. ¡°Well, when you¡¯ve put in as much legwork as I have making sure this vote swung the right way, you¡¯re much more concerned about someone else¡¯s mistakes than anything else. Your head is still a little scrambled. I don¡¯t want to have to apologize to yet another parliament member because you forgot their name.¡±


    Argrave walked toward the two of them, and they joined him in walking to their destination. ¡°You wanted the vote, remember. You said it would look good to all the neers.¡±


    ¡°It would. It does.¡± Elenore nodded. ¡°More than that, it gave me ample opportunities to get some connections to these new junior partners. They¡¯re much more¡­ pliable, shall we say, than the other gods. A lot easier to bribe, to ckmail.¡±


    ¡°And what about the connections we need to fix Raven?¡± Argrave looked at her.


    Anneliese answered for Elenore, exining, ¡°We have the names we need. All we need is a distraction. Ideally, if this crusade against Kirel Qircassia goes through, we¡¯ll have the opportunity to contact the person that can help him without drawing any attention.¡±


    Raven. The Alchemist. The Smiling Raven. If people knew what he was, this entire alliance that they¡¯d built could crumble. The Smiling Raven had destroyed an entire continent, and vanquished countless gods. Argrave had promised to fix the Alchemist after he¡¯d helped him inherit Erlebnis¡¯ knowledge, but it was proving a difficult task to find the help he needed without drawing undue attention.


    Argrave lowered his voice and asked, ¡°Can this person be trusted to see the Smiling Raven and not flip out, try to kill him, then spread the word that we¡¯re all psychopaths?¡±


    ¡°Maybe not. But you killed the god of knowledge and the god of war naked, bare-handed, and within three minutes of each other, so you can probably manage the odd lesser god or two,¡± Elenore responded drolly, eyes facing forward.


    ¡°So, this is quite the risk we¡¯re taking.¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe we keep looking.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve looked in every single continent, Argrave. There aren¡¯t many people that handle minds and souls well. There are even fewer capable of repairing a mind as vast andplex as the Alchemist¡¯s. There¡¯s basically only the Alchemist himself, and this man.¡± Elenore looked at him. ¡°To be blunt, if you want to fix the Alchemist, we have to take the risk. Take a huge risk. Maybe a risk not worth taking.¡±


    ¡°The man saved my life.¡± Argrave tapped his forehead. ¡°And gave me the gift of knowledge, besides. Without his help, you¡¯d be standing over me while I drooled in a sickbed, ranting deliriously about being the god of knowledge and taking my revenge on that pesky Argrave. A little gratitude is in order.¡±


    ¡°I know I can¡¯t dissuade you from taking the risk,¡± Elenore sighed as they turned a corner. ¡°But I can remind you it¡¯s there. That counts for something, at least.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s this god¡¯s name?¡± Argrave asked her. ¡°I¡¯ll look him up in the wiki.¡±


    ¡°Lindon.¡±


    Argrave thought on it. ¡°Not ringing any bells...¡±


    Elenore snorted. ¡°Might be some of those bells aren¡¯t working anymore.¡±


    ¡°¡­but I¡¯ll catalogue it forter,¡± Argrave finished, then stop her just before their door. ¡°Now, the vote shouldn¡¯t be long. Let¡¯s see what Rook¡¯s got thus far, even still.¡±


    Argrave put his full weight into pushing aside both of the gargantuan golden doors to another of the chambers in Law¡¯s Court. There, a ck-clothed figure wearing a hood that concealed any identifying figures looked at them. Rook, god of deception and subterfuge, awaited them.


    ¡°Herees the boy prodigy.¡± Rook had been toying with a dagger, and he slipped it away into his clothes so expertly Argrave couldn¡¯t track it. ¡°How did your second trial in Law¡¯s Court go?¡±


    ¡°Not finished yet,¡± Argrave greeted, shutting the door behind him. ¡°And neither were really trials.¡±


    ¡°I have to say¡ªyou¡¯ve handled this all very shrewdly.¡± Rook leaned up against a stiff-looking golden chair. ¡°From what I could gather, you¡¯ve got the vote of every senior partner. But then, we were alreadymitted to killing the roosting pigeon anyhow.¡±


    ¡°Traugott.¡± Elenore stepped in front of Argrave. ¡°What do you have for us?¡±


    Rook held up his hands. ¡°It¡¯s been two weeks since you asked. A god needs time, even with one as slick a kick as me.¡±


    Argrave joined his sister in confronting Rook. ¡°And you didn¡¯t ask at all when you took it upon yourself to steal the kill.¡±


    Rook pointed. ¡°Hey now. When people think, ¡®who killed Erlebnis?¡¯ They sure as shit don¡¯t think me of me. They think of you, tall man, not me. I haven¡¯t heard any thanks for that, by the way.¡±


    ¡°Thanks? That could be considered yet another disservice. Another target, painted on Argrave¡¯s back,¡± Anneliese argued. ¡°You owe us, and¡ª"


    ¡°And I¡¯ll pay,¡± Rook interrupted. ¡°But for now, I assure you, I¡¯m doing my best. I¡¯m not stringing you along because it¡¯s expedient¡ªI¡¯m doing my best to be expeditious. But tracking one man around the whole world? A man that might be in the Shadonds, where no gods walk? Even with my newfound power, and all the newfound friends a deceptive fellow like myself could ever ask for, it¡¯s quite the task.¡±


    Argrave wanted to demand more of Rook, but the man¡¯s excuses didn¡¯t sound imusible. Rook wasn¡¯t alone in searching for Traugott. Elenore had been expending significant resources and clout to the same end, with simr results. Subterfuge was Rook¡¯s specialty, but if even he couldn¡¯t dredge up any information, it was sounding more and more like a hopeless task. They might need another route.


    ¡°What does Erlebnis say about the man?¡± Rook questioned.


    ¡°Too little. Way too little,¡± Argravemented. ¡°Just some stuff about¡ª¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn


    The door opened behind them, and one of Law¡¯s Justiciars entered. ¡°A vote has been reached regarding the ckgard Union¡¯s response to Kirel Qircassia.¡±

 Chapter 600: Unusual Family, Unusually Functional

    Argrave stood at an elevated ce in Law¡¯s Court, looking down at the assembling masses. Though he most preferred single-yer games, he had to confess he had some experience with what these people were preparing for: a raid boss. Law was the raid leader, while the majority of the junior partners and some of the seniors were mere participants, each hoping to score a great bounty in the battle toe.


    ¡°I say we go now.¡± Argrave looked back. ¡°All¡¯s ready for our absence?¡±


    Elenore nodded to Argrave. ¡°Yes. Anneliese will be your regent, with ample guards alongside her in light of her magical setbacks. We¡¯ve sent word to Raen to expect our presence. What did you learn from that thing in your head, that wiki?¡±


    Argrave started walking, and she joined him. ¡°The page was only a few paragraphs long.¡±


    ¡°Is that unusual?¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Very damned unusual. It means that someone avoided significant inquiry by Erlebnis, whose very nature revolved around obsessively pursuing knowledge. You achieve that by doing two things¡ªbeing very unimportant, or being very skilled.¡± Argrave stopped before a Justiciar, then told Elenore, ¡°The extent of it is this: Lindon is the god of the mind, dreams, and the consciousness. Anything more than that¡¯s beyond my ken.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡± Elenore looked up at the Justiciar. ¡°Take us to Raven, Law.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± the Justiciar responded, then took off down the hall.


    Law¡¯s Court began to distort as they walked, staircases heading down appearing where they hadn¡¯t been before. They descended deep, deep into the depths of the divine realm, and all moring sounds they¡¯d heard in moments past began to die. The stairs they came from sealed off one after the other, and Argrave heard clicking noises that sounded like locks. This was where the court kept its criminals. In particr, war criminals.


    Finally, the Justiciar took them to an incredibly small door, far smaller than all the ones lining the rest of the ce. The pommel of the Justiciar¡¯s weapon was a key, and after opening it, another door awaited them at the end of a small hall. This ce was a little like an airlock, ensuring that nothing followed them before they leftpletely¡ªand it was something truly needed, the Alchemist being what he was.


    ¡°Would you mind if I waited outside?¡± Elenore asked. ¡°Being in a divine realm is more excitement than I care to handle already. The Alchemist¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d prefer it,¡± Argrave told her, then stepped into the door. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t be long.¡±


    The door shut behind Argrave. The Justiciar took great care to ensure there was nothing that could slip by it, then walked to the other door. Argrave¡¯s heart beat a little faster as it unlocked the next golden door, then pushed it open. Argrave was expecting something to jump out at them, but nothing like that happened.


    The Alchemist stood in the center of the box-shaped room, precisely as Argrave remembered him. Around twenty feet tall, gray skin,cking a nose, and possessed of a robe made of his own ck hair spilling down from the top of his head. Then, in a familiar voice like splintering ice, he spoke.


    ¡°You took far too long.¡±


    Argrave walked in with the Justiciar, his eyes scanning the room. Only once he was content nothing was lurking in the shadows, he answered, ¡°Hey, Raven.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s unwise to call me that. Now, tell me¡ªwhat have I missed? You must¡¯vee here needing my help. Sophia¡¯s ability is doubtless beyond your simple mind.¡±


    Argrave took a deep breath, trying not to let that familiar tone and condescension let himpse into bygone times. ¡°We¡¯re going to take you out of this ce.¡±


    ¡°I told you days ago I had excised the Smiling Raven. Fortunately, it seems your fool mind can recognize the obvious, even if at significant dy. Let¡¯s go. I have work to catch up on.¡± He walked forth, heading for the entrance, but the Justiciar came to attention and nted hisrge shield down on the ground.


    Argrave pointed to the corner, where there was a box-shaped indent in the wall. ¡°I need you to get in the box.¡±


    ¡°The box?¡± The Alchemist looked down at Argrave. ¡°I have things to do¡ªthings that are impeded by walls of metalpressing the whole of me into a tight space. If we¡¯re to adequately fight Gerechtigkeit, there can be no more dys, no more unnecessary imprisonments. I say again¡ªlet¡¯s go,¡± he said, voice a tight yet deep whip.


    ¡°It¡¯s just a precaution.¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°You, yourself, told me how dangerous the Smiling Raven was. How you destroyed an entire continent. I just can¡¯t risk it. If you¡¯re truly yourself again, then you¡¯d understand that perspective. You¡¯d know why this is necessary.¡±


    The Alchemist red down at Argrave with his gray eyes. He raised his hand up and shook his head as if in abject disappointment¡­


    Then he lunged, his body exploding into thousands of ravens that hunted Argrave like missiles. The Justiciar raised his shield up and caught him, and the entire room came aglow with golden light. More than a thousand chains erupted outward, catching each of the individual beasts and restraining them.


    ¡°Let me help you, Argrave!¡± Raven shouted, his voice a deep, desperate caterwauling from the thousands of different bodies he¡¯d be. ¡°I just want to help you. You know so much, but you need to know just a little more! You need to know¡ªI swear on my soul, you need to know! I have to help you. You¡¯re my friend! You need to be more. You need to be me!¡±


    Argrave clenched his teeth together and closed his eyes. ¡°Get him ready to be moved,¡± he told the Justiciar quietly.


    ¡°Be me, Argrave! Please!¡± The Alchemist screamed, crying from innumerable eyes. ¡°You must be me. Only then can you know! Only then can we grow, together!¡± The Justiciar slowly advanced, pushing the Alchemist closer and closer to a box-shapedpartment in the corner of the room.


    ¡°Be me!¡± he continued to shout, again and again, as desperately as if he was watching someone he loved be murdered before his eyes while he stayed powerless. It was so hauntingly emotional that Argrave couldn¡¯t help but feel his throat seize up in sorrow¡ªboth at what his ally had be, and the simple emotion in that voice of his.


    But in perhaps a minute, the Justiciar utilized Law¡¯s power to force all of the Alchemist into that tinypartment. Then, he ced his shield flush against its surface and twisted the handle. Metal fused with metal, locking the Alchemist¡ªand the Smiling Raven, as well¡ªaway. The room went silent. The Justiciar grabbed the handle of the box and pulled it away, setting it down in the center of the now-dark room. A simple cube with a handle, containing one of the most dangerous individuals in the world.


    ¡°Where should I take him?¡± The Justiciar asked.


    ¡°Just follow me. I¡¯ve got someone for the rest.¡±


    #####


    Argrave watched his brother, Orion, sitting with his wife in one of the many courtyards of the Great Chu imperial pce. Her name was Sun Li¡ªformerly Ji Li, and daughter of the Emperor of the Great Chu. When he¡¯d first seen her, she¡¯d been wearing an ostentatious outfit, a pound of makeup, and enough gold in her hair to pay a king¡¯s ransom. Now, she sat next to Orion in more casual wear without makeup or excessive ceremony. He was a giantpared to her, easily three times her weight, but she didn¡¯t seem afraid of him as she once was.


    From what Argrave could see, she was trying to teach him how to y an instrument from her homnd: a guzheng. These days, Orion spent a lot of time with his wife. He was trying to find something he enjoyed doing while fulfilling obligations he felt he had to the woman he married. Theirs had been a practical arrangement, and though most of that practicality was nullified by the death of her grandfather, Orion kept the vow he made. In this strange circumstance, neither seemed unhappy. Perhaps that was because both were trying to be the opposite.


    Argrave must¡¯ve made a noise, because Orion snapped his head over. He said a brief word to Sun Li, then jogged over to Argrave quickly. ¡°My apologies, Your Majesty. I didn¡¯t know you wereing. Is now the time?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. But maybe you can stay. I can ask one of Law¡¯s Justiciars to help.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense.¡± Orion shook his head quickly. ¡°This is my duty. Sun Li understands that.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re sure,¡± Argrave said somberly, still thinking about that scene with the Alchemist. It wouldn¡¯t rest in his mind.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure. One moment, and I shall be prepared.¡±


    Orion walked off again, then he and Sun Li retreated into their quarters in the imperial pce. Orion had been ¡®taking a break¡¯ in the imperial pce, though truly helped in watching over Emperor Ji Meng. Patriarch Dras had assumed Argrave¡¯s role as Grand Commandant and established his Veidimen throughout the region. Thend of Veiden had most lost its poption to mass migration, and now the snow elves had spread out throughout the whole of the Great Chu and Vasquer. The patriarch, together with Veid, had made the Veidimen into excellent peacekeepers. Indeed, there was peace¡ªor as close as they hade to it, at least. Though still insr, refusing to intermarry significantly, they cooperated and traded with the locals wherever possible. They were the pioneers of trade routes between the kingdom and the empire, their longships carrying goods across continents. With most of the world in order, they could afford to.


    Argrave knew this was but the calm before the storm, though.


    ¡°Is something amiss, Argrave?¡±


    He turned his head to see Emperor Ji Meng. The rough-hewn general had been polished back into a gem adorning the imperial court. True to his word, the emperor had continued to drink Ebonice tea, totally divesting himself of any magic. He barely had any hand in politics¡ªpublic ceremonies, nothing more. He was a puppet, through and through, and even reveled in that role. The only iron hand he still had was over his family. That family included the Zen family, now.


    Argrave shook his head in response to the emperor¡¯s question. ¡°No. Nothing¡¯s wrong. We¡¯ll be gone, soon.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t try anything,¡± Ji Meng said amiably. And even without Anneliese by his side, Argrave didn¡¯t doubt those words. Well, didn¡¯t doubt them too much. ¡°I¡¯ll just enjoy the fruits of yourbor, as I promised I would.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t sound too smug.¡± Argrave straightened his back.


    ¡°Why not? I chose correctly,¡± Ji Meng continued, without dropping a hint of smugness. ¡°I said it¡¯d turn alright if I submitted to you, and then you killed two ancient gods. I have to say, the smartest choice I made. Now, I have all the luxury with none of the fight.¡±


    Argrave frowned. ¡°Just don¡¯t get fat. It¡¯ll be hard to parade you as the glorious emperor if you¡¯re being carried on a palisade creaking beneath your ample girth.¡±


    The emperor onlyughed, and Orion walked back up to Argrave. ¡°Ready,¡± he dered.


    ¡°Great. You¡¯ll be carrying a box¡ªit¡¯s extremely heavy,¡± he exined to his brother.


    #####


    Argrave watched that crack in the sky far above. There, Kirel Qircassia licked his wounds. Argrave couldn¡¯t say how damaged he was, but with Law and hundreds of others gods moring to kick down his door, it was safe to say his day was done. It was just the bright, brilliant distraction the whole world needed for Argrave to slip out, seeking Lindon.


    Their crew was small. Argrave, Elenore, Orion, and Rook. Rook was nigh strong enough to be called an ancient god, but he hadn¡¯t yet been tested enough to wear that title confidently. Whatever Lindon attempted, if anything, Rook would surely be enough to handle.


    Argrave looked at the golden cube in Orion¡¯s hand, then turned to the portal Raen had constructed here in the Great Chu. Infinite realms awaited, and with Raen¡¯s permission, they¡¯d be travelling to a ce where Lindon was said to dwell.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s¡ª"


    Argrave was about to take a step forward, but then something entered his head. A thought that was neither fully his, nor an interjection like Elenore¡¯s. It was foreign, yet at the same time, it was somewhat familiar.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± said the voice, deep and rich and full. ¡°You¡¯ve been thinking about me a great deal. An honor, for one so famous to spend so much of his time on me. And these musings of yours¡­ they¡¯re so unusual. Such a rich tapestry of things that shouldn¡¯t exist.¡±


    Argrave tensed up. There was only one name that came to mind¡ªLindon. And if his thoughts could reach Argrave here, in the heart of Vasquer, it began to make sense why Erlebnis¡¯ file was so thin.


    ¡°Mmm¡­ yes, I¡¯ll meet you. It would be rude of me to refuse my blood rtive. We¡¯re very distantly rted¡ªmy niece is your ancestor, after all.¡±


    The moment Argrave wondered what he was talking about, Lindon perceived it as a question.


    ¡°You ask me who? Who else? Vasquer,¡± Lindon said. ¡°Poor taste in mate¡­ indeed, strange taste, given the gap in body types¡­ but a bright girl. Come now, let¡¯s see if you inherited her spark. I think you have, Argrave¡­ or would you prefer Vincenzo?¡±


    Argrave realized who¡ªor perhaps what¡ªhe was dealing with. A Gilderwatcher. And apparently, uncle to Vasquer, his family¡¯s ancient matriarch.

 Chapter 601: I Forgot, Sorry

    Gilderwatchers.


    As the name suggested, they were gigantic serpents that appeared gilded. All from their eyes on their head to the feathers adorning their body shone with the color. They possessed a presence of mind expanding far beyond their body, and the ability tomunicate telepathically with their kin by touch alone. In the past, Argrave and Elenore had used this ability in several circumstances, from sharing their true thoughts to scouting out the cities of ckgard or Vasquer.


    Erlebnis¡¯ knowledge gave Argrave several new insights on top of what he already knew. For one, most of their kind resided deep underground. Given their ability, it made some sense. Argrave likened it to snakes that used sound to aid in detecting prey. For two, the ¡®watcher¡¯ part of their name came from their propensity for neutrality, not their presence of mind. Their ancestral matriarch had been a rare exception.


    Argrave was sorely tempted to return to Vasquer and inquire deeper about the character of his alleged great-granduncle. But they had timed things with the raid against Kirel Qircassia to avoid undue scrutiny, and they couldn''t dy further. Argrave did inform his siblings of the message he¡¯d received, but it turned out that had been a futile thing.


    ¡°I heard it too,¡± admitted Elenore as they leapt through the endless corridors of space in Raen¡¯s realm, heading for where Lindon was supposed to be. ¡°I don¡¯t like it. It makes me hesitant to think.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s our rtive! I, for one, am looking forward to it,¡± Orion said, ever the optimist when it came to family.


    Argrave was hesitant to speak, but since they¡¯d passed into Raen¡¯s realm, Lindon had gone silent. He risked the god¡¯s ire and said, ¡°I think you¡¯ve learned by now that just because someone¡¯s family doesn¡¯t mean they¡¯re a saint. Let¡¯s be cautiously optimistic.¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯ll be cautiously pessimistic,¡± Rook, the only one who hadn¡¯t heard Lindon, added. ¡°That¡¯s the job of a guard. Keeping you three alive. If he were an ancient god, surely I¡¯d have heard of him by now.¡±


    Argrave wasn¡¯t so sure, but he didn¡¯t voice that opinion.


    #####


    When they finally emerged from Raen¡¯s realm to another part of the world, Lindon¡¯s voice came back to them.


    ¡°There you are. You were beyond me in Raen¡¯s realm,¡± Lindon said. ¡°Oh... that pleases you, does it? Were you speaking ill of me? What was it, I wonder?¡±


    Argrave thought of nonsense about purple elephants, and he felt a glow of amusement that wasn¡¯t his own.


    ¡°So guarded. Rest assured, I won¡¯t pry too deeply. For now, I shall merely inform you that I¡¯ve sent a boat to retrieve you. Seek out the port in the nearby city, and tell the green-capped man, ¡®amaranthine.¡¯¡±


    Argrave looked at his siblings, and he could tell they¡¯d received much the same instruction. Raen¡¯s portal wasn¡¯t too far from a city, and they found the ce quickly. Argrave had been preparing to do a great many things to gain entry, especially with Orion hauling a giant golden cube, but instead...


    ¡°Wee back, sir,¡± the guard at the gate, wearing armor of a foreign style madergely of fur. ¡°Enjoy your stay.¡±


    They were let in without incident. Argrave was tempted to ask more questions, but they continued on into the city to its port. Largely wooden houses and oaken palisades, this ce seemed more tribal than Vasquer or the Great Chu. There weren¡¯t very many people at the port, most having gone out to sea in skiffs to fish, but there was a single fisherman remaining wearing a green cap.


    Orion walked to him first, carrying the golden cube with the Smiling Raven locked inside. ¡°Are you Lindon¡¯s man?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Who?¡± the fisherman looked up at him. ¡°Listen, I¡¯m busy here. Just move along.¡±


    The fisherman whittled something, but as far as Argrave could tell, there didn¡¯t seem to be something he was working toward. He was just whittling to whittle, almost absent-mindedly. Orion looked back at them for guidance.


    ¡°Amaranthine,¡± Elenore said simply.


    The fisherman came alive, dropping his knife and wooden piece both into the sea. He walked to his boat, got in, and waited there while staring nkly ahead. Orion hefted up the golden cube, but looked to Argrave for guidance. After hesitating a great deal, everyone got aboard the boat.


    Lindon¡¯s voice returned. ¡°I sense you have some worry for the man. It¡¯s not due. The guard, most of the people in this town... just some simple tweaks of mind. They won¡¯t remember this. Neither you, nor me.¡±


    Argrave felt disquieted by the totality of Lindon¡¯s power as the boat took off from the docks. He had already felt some unease about having things overwritten by Sophia, but now there was someone amply demonstrating that they could quietly rewire memories, keeping an entire town ignorant.


    ¡°Your fear is natural, though I¡¯m disappointed ites from kin. Orion seems fine with it. Why can¡¯t you be more like Orion? He¡¯s a beacon of calm.¡± He felt that familiar glow of amusement from Lindon, and when it quieted he continued. ¡°But you¡¯ve already experienced our power, you know. In the White nes. You forgot much about your time there.¡±


    The boat continued onward, heading for a distant ck rock. Argrave listened patiently, d this meeting wasn¡¯t starting off antagonistic.


    ¡°You aren¡¯t the first to fear dominion over the mind. It¡¯s led to widespread persecution of my kin, persecution of me. During one cycle of judgment, when the extent of our capability was revealed, most all of them hunted us. In the end, months of concerted effort resulted in a stalemate devastating to both sides. But they had numbers. Billions of them, and thousands of us. We made peace, lest they wipe us all out. We Gilderwatchers were forced to relinquish our power over the mind to aid in creating the White nes. Now, our minds meld with kin alone... excepting myself, of course. We Gilderwachers aren¡¯t neutral by temperament. Most of us are bound by the White nes, limited in innumerable manners. In return, we were given secrecy. As good a peace as any. Their fears are abated, our lives are protected.¡±


    Argrave¡¯s mind wandered to Vasquer as the boat moved ever closer toward the distant volcanic ind. Why was Vasquer allowed to break that neutrality?


    ¡°You and your sister both have questions, while Orion is simply sympathetic and distraught that we were persecuted. Truly, why can¡¯t both of you be more like your older brother?¡± Again, that glow of amusement came. He was getting a sense for this Lindon¡¯s character, provided he wasn¡¯t putting on a front.


    ¡°Well, the answer is simple. Vasquer was born after we forged that peace. Her soul is unbound by its dictates, and she remains ignorant of the heights of our power. As you know, she possesses a presence of mind, butcks the capacity tomunicate telepathically with anyone. Any other than kin, that is.¡±


    Argrave had never heard any of this history before. It almost beggared belief, but they¡¯d seen both how terrifying Lindon¡¯s power was, and how it could make everyone in an entire town ignorant. Argrave did wonder if Lindon was being entirely forthright, but everything that he said did make a great deal of sense, right down to the reason for Erlebnis¡¯ ignorance.


    Concurrently, it was entirely reasonable for the god of the mind, dreams, and consciousness to toy with all three. If he could peruse Argrave¡¯s thoughts, he was undoubtedly capable of crafting such a rich story to entrap them.


    ¡°Why bother making a story when I could merely change your minds?¡± Lindon posited.


    His lone deration was quite chilling, and reignited some of those fears. Argrave hadn¡¯t felt quite so powerless in some time. What defense was there against this?


    ¡°The only defense was genocide. That was what those in the past thought, at the very least.¡±


    There was a moment of silence in the boat ride, and the small ck ind loomed ever closer. It would be time to disembark soon enough.


    ¡°But I¡¯ve given exnation enough; seeing is believing. You¡¯ll being upon an entrance to our home soon. I share you and your sister¡¯s caution in trusting kin. I have a vague idea of what you came here to ask of me, but blood rtion alone is insufficient to listen, trust, and help. When youe inside, I suspect your other rtives will wish to greet you. They¡¯ve never taken the time to learn yournguage as I have. Or rather... I never taught it to them as I did others.¡±


    Argrave¡¯s mind danced as he considered what the deity was driving at.


    ¡°Greet your family. Enjoy their wees, and suffer their rejections. Just as humans, we Gilderwatchers each and all have personalities of our own, and Vasquer¡¯s ascent to the surface to aid mortals was perhaps the most controversial event we¡¯ve endured in recent centuries. I understand that you and your sister both like to gain awareness of a situation before plunging in. You like to know the people, know the terrain. To that end, you two have a task.¡±


    Task? Argrave hesitated, unsure of what he was getting involved in.


    ¡°I can try and mend the fractured mind within the box the best of you holds. But would you be so eager to lend a helping hand to a dozen-timed removed rtive whoes knocking on your door? I think not. If you cannot understand us, you are not worth my help. To that end, my prerequisite is understanding us.


    ¡°You two must figure out what I want in return for my aid. Ask my children, my nephews and nieces, and all the ones that have ¡®grand¡¯ prefixing them. If youe to meet me without knowing what I want, I will banish you from this ce as I have countless before you. You will remember nothing, not even in that strange thing you call a wiki. And try as you might, you will never remember me again.¡±


    Argrave felt a chill. To forget something forever... he could understand, in part, why people had been afraid enough of the Gilderwatcher¡¯s power. Despite who might overhear, he even wondered if it had been justified to limit the abilities of their kind.


    ¡°Enjoy,¡± Lindon left them as parting.


    Elenore looked at Argrave. ¡°He¡¯s giving us a gods-damned riddle?¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Argrave nodded. ¡°It sounds like it,¡± he said, voice stiff after remaining silent for such a stint.


    ¡°All I¡¯ve seen is you people making various weird faces, looking at each other in total silence,¡± Rook noted. ¡°Very bizarre.¡±


    They said nothing more as the fisherman took them over to the ind. His boat bumped against the ck rock, and once everyone was out, they saw him row away without a word. It was only when he was a sufficient distance away did he seem toe back to himself.


    Argrave looked around the ind. Initially he saw nothing, yet eventually a stairway revealed itself to him. ¡®Revealed itself¡¯ was the only description he had for it. It was like an illusion had been torn away to show a passage downward. Perhaps it had always been there, but he wasn¡¯t sure.


    ¡°Reasonably... we should get out of here,¡± Argrave told Elenore.


    ¡°Maybe,¡± she conceded, crossing her arms. ¡°Almost certainly¡­ even definitely.¡±


    With that said, Argrave took the first step down the stairs. Apparently, arge family reunion awaited them. Argrave was no stranger to meeting rtives he barely knew. He wasn¡¯t particrly ustomed to the idea of those rtives being giant snakes. And apparently Vasquer, that warm scaly olddy, was the youngest of the bunch.


    It proved to be an eventful day, and one only just beginning.

 Chapter 602: Nacroleptic Family Holiday

    The further that Argrave and his siblings descended down into the cavern that Lindon directed them to enter, the less things made sense. The first crack in the image came when Argrave questioned why they hadn¡¯t run into seawater, as the stairs that had been carved hadn¡¯t been steep enough to avoiding breaching the ind and running into water. Then, when Argrave looked ahead and behind, trying to gauge it... he could¡¯ve sworn the stairs grew steeper by several magnitudes.


    Then, he questioned how the Gilderwatchers, being snakes, had carved stairs at all. Next he knew, all beneath his feet was a slope, rough-hewn and marked by distinct pathways. He asked hispanions, and Rook and Elenore both told him that it had always been a slope. Orion, however, still saw stairs. And when Argrave reasoned Lindon might¡¯ve had human craftsmen carve stairs with another trick of the mind, they appeared again. Try as Argrave might, he couldn¡¯t remember what the slope had looked like.


    ¡°There¡¯s something off about this ce,¡± Argrave voiced. ¡°Something to do with our perceptions, our minds. Rook, have you noticed anything? Anything at all?¡±


    ¡°Nothing in particr, no.¡± Rook nced around, searching for anything.


    Argrave was disquieted, but he didn¡¯t stop moving forward. Eventually, Orion said that he saw light up ahead. Argrave saw it too, before long; a rich, golden light that gave one the impression of warmth by sight alone. As they continued toward it, that warmth was confirmed. And when they finally reached the ce whence the light came, Argrave¡¯s mind felt flipped on its head once again.


    Ahead, there was a verdant grasnd with the des of rich green rising up to the ankles. At the center of it all was a giant tree, rising taller even than the enormous trees of the Bloodwoods. It dwarfed the tallest skyscrapers Argrave had ever seen, and had a huge crown of leaves atop its head. On the thousand branches, Gilderwatchers every bit asrge as Vasquer hung, coiled around and up its branches and its trunk like vines. The only description that sufficed was to call it a tree of life, and it seemed to shine as if projecting the golden light all of them felt. He could see the snakes moving, interacting, in the far distance. Dozens more wandered the grasnds.


    It didn¡¯t make sense that such a ce could be beneath the earth, not when their trek had been so short. Argrave looked behind at the stairs, only to realize they were gone.


    ¡°Rook?!¡± Argrave demanded. ¡°The stairs, where...?¡±


    The ck eyes of the god stared at Argrave in confusion. His next words brought Argrave chills. ¡°What stairs?¡±


    The extent of things finally sunk into Argrave¡¯s head. He stayed and watched for a while


    #####


    Argrave watched for a long, long time, his feet frozen into ce as he wavered between disbelief and awe. The majority of the Gilderwatchers moved serenely through the short grass in steady advance toward the tree. In time, only one persisted anywhere near Argrave¡¯s group. It cut across the field, disying tremendous agility and quiet. Even as the other feathered serpents wound around the gigantic tree looming above them all, this one came to them.


    This snake... male or female, Argrave couldn¡¯t tell. He was reminded precisely how terrifying the Gilderwatchers truly were confronted with one that didn¡¯t have a motherly demeanor. It must¡¯ve been a mile long, maybe more. Slowly, that huge body coiled around like a spring, and its head slowly lowered toward the three of them. The golden feathers aback its head rippled with both the force of the wind and the movement of his body.


    ¡°What¡¯s it doing?¡± Rook questioned. ¡°Should I be doing something?¡±


    Argrave held his hand up to inform that Rook should stay, then walked forward cautiously. He held his hand out, waiting for the Gilderwatcher toe and meet him. When its colossal snout met his hand, he felt a familiar torrent rush into his head. Vasquer¡¯s presence of mind was often warm, gentle, yet this sensation was reckless, free-spirited, and bold.


    Constant queries flooded into Argrave¡¯s head, each without words but with one singr subject: Vasquer. Argrave revealed all that he knew, and as the story passed from his mind to the confines of the giant snake¡¯s, he felt a torrent of reactions; sorrow for what had been done to her, rage at those who had kept her captive, frustration at himself, and a bitter gratefulness toward Argrave for helping her. He felt the tinge of something behind each of these that confirmed who precisely this Gilderwatcher was. He had no name. Names were foreign to most of them, as all was conveyed by their mind alone, and they needed not words to differentiate between each other.


    Argrave looked over to Elenore and Orion. ¡°He¡¯s Vasquer¡¯s father.¡±


    Next came the Gilderwatcher¡¯s exnation of what this ce was. At first, the images that pervaded Argrave¡¯s mind made little sense. The ce was neither here nor there, and had no beginning nor end. As Argrave searched through the information, bits and pieces slotted into ce. This area wasn¡¯t a physical location. It was one born of the mind¡ªa collective remembrance and unified desire both. It was a grand meeting ce, where all of thembined their consciousnesses together to birth the great tree at the center.


    Gilderwatchers, like most snakes, were solitary creatures. They didn¡¯t live in packs or groups, and even families seldom stuck together longer than it took for children to be born. This was their once-in-a-millennia meeting, where all of them met andbined their consciousnesses under Lindon¡¯s watchful eye to form the Tree of Being. And through this melding, some among the Gilderwatchers made that colossal tree bear fruit. It bestowed some precious few with a Fruit of Being, born of the memories and willpower of all the snakes working in tandem. That fruit was capable of countless things, but foremost among its capabilities was creating new Gilderwatchers.


    Argrave retracted his hand, looking at the tree differently.


    ¡°What?¡± Elenore insisted, looking at Argrave. ¡°You¡¯ve gone pale. What¡¯ve you seen?¡±


    ¡°I think¡­¡± He inhaled deeply, the words feeling a little distasteful on his tongue. ¡°I think it¡¯s a snake orgy, Elenore.¡±


    ¡°Is now the time for jokes?!¡± Elenore chided him, but when Argrave didn¡¯t respond, she hesitantly stepped forward and touched Vasquer¡¯s father in turn. Soon enough, she was simrly pale, but that quickly faded. ¡°You idiot. It¡¯s much more decent than you¡¯re making it out to be.¡±


    ¡°I thought this was a family reunion,¡± Orionmented, hefting the golden cube in his hands. ¡°Yet they all seem to be asleep on that tree.¡±


    ¡°He wants us toe to the tree,¡± Elenore continued. Of all of them, she was the one to speak to Vasquer most¡ªshe was most ustomed to the mental magics the Gilderwatchers used, and had her willpower built up by constant use of Lira¡¯s blessing. After a time, she pulled back her hand. ¡°He posits we might die if we attempt to enter it alone. But the three of us, together, can wander through the tree as any of the Gilderwatchers do.¡±


    Argrave looked at Elenore and Orion in turn. ¡°What is he suggesting?¡±


    Elenore looked like she was trying to wrap her head around it, herself. She exined without conviction, ¡°We would be three bodies, yet one mind. One person, made out of the three of us.¡±


    #####


    Argrave, Elenore, and Orion stood at the foot of the giant tree towering above. He couldn¡¯t remember how long it had taken to walk to it. Hundreds of miles wide, hundreds of miles tall¡­ it didn¡¯t feel like it was something that could exist, but Argrave perceived it as clear as day. Now that he hade closer, its brown bark seemed golden. Countless Gilderwatchers coiled around it, their eyes closed as they drifted into the most peaceful sleep Argrave could imagine.


    Vasquer¡¯s father remained behind them, towering. Elenore received somest bit of wisdom from him, and then withdrew her hand. The titanic snake moved around them, then slowly wrapped around the base of the tree. Before it even he seemed small, yet his scales clung to its rough, uneven surface, and he vanished out of sight in a few moments. When next Argrave saw him, he tightened around a branch and drifted off to sleep.


    ¡°Should we really¡­?¡± Argrave asked her. ¡°What if we, you know¡­ what if the three of us¡­ a little snake?¡± Even as Argrave said it, he felt so absurd that he couldn¡¯t conjure the proper words.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s possible.¡± Elenore shook her head slowly, staring at the tree.


    Argrave leaned in and whispered, ¡°Need I remind you that¡¯s precisely what Vasquer did to the founder of the kingdom?!¡±


    Elenore looked at him. ¡°It was different. Vasquer was exiled from this ce¡ªthat¡¯s one of the reasons she¡¯s not here, today, nor even knowledgeable about Lindon¡¯s existence. She employed a different method, though one with a simr root.¡±


    ¡°I think we should do it,¡± Orion contributed. ¡°It sounds intriguing. Perhaps it might help me expand my understanding of this life the three of us share.¡±


    Argrave looked between the three of them. He had shared much with his siblings. He trusted them with his life¡ªbut to do this was to trust them with quite literally everything. Having one¡¯s mind invaded was a frightening prospect, but this? It was far beyond. As Argrave debated, another took action.


    ¡°To hell with it.¡± Elenore held out her hand. ¡°Come on. Grab hold.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re serious?¡± Argrave looked at her in total surprise. She was ostensibly the least trusting of them.


    ¡°I¡¯m terrified, is what I am. I feel like I¡¯m standing on the edge of a cliff that leads only into the abyss. But I know that we need allies, and I know you want to help the Alchemist. And above all¡­ I most simply want to know what¡¯s awaiting us in there.¡± She shot her hand forward more urgently. ¡°So, let¡¯s go, before the nerves change my mind.¡±


    ¡°Rook,¡± Argrave called out. ¡°Watch the box.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Sure. Right,¡± the deity nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll just stand around while you three go on your trip, whatever it might be.¡±


    Orion handed Rook the box, and the god took it in hand, watching them. Orion put his hand atop Elenore¡¯s, and then Argravepleted the hand-pile.


    ¡°Alright,¡± said Elenore, taking a deep breath. ¡°Vasquer¡¯s father showed me how. It¡¯ll happen when I touch the tree.¡±


    She reached out gingerly. Argrave watched her hand with his breath held, and the moment her nail touched the bark, we awoke.

 Chapter 603: Being

    We¡¯ve had some hard times, the three of us. There was a period when the youngest considered every word and action he said to us like it might be hisst. Maybe he was right to do so, given how two of us had acted once; one a zealot, the other cold-blooded. But he brought with him from Earth a little softness, rounding the edges out of his elders. One of us had been sharp by nature, the other by nurture, but our youngest part had taught us lessons beyond his years.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    But then, he¡¯d just as quickly say he wouldn¡¯t be who he was without the aid of his elders.


    Then again, none of that really mattered. We were as one, now. We had been expecting pain, perhaps confusion, when we reached out and touched the Tree of Being. Nothing of the sort came. Instead, it came as naturally as being. All our insecurities and uncertainties, when unified, felt insignificant. How could we reject ourselves for what we¡¯d done? A ludicrous idea. Our mistakes are our own, our fears are shared, and our desires are understood. It was intenselyforting, though the emphasis was certainly on ¡®intense.¡¯


    We had a desire, a single will, and a purpose foring here. Once we had acquainted ourself with who we were, we took a measure of our surroundings. We lingered near the roots of the Tree of Being. Here, the existence of will was shepherded upward toward the light. The roots were the point from which the nt drew its life, but the true beauty of the tree existed further upward. It existed in the ce it might be exposed to light, and where, in turn, our minds would be exposed and seen.


    Trepidation rose within at the prospect of bathing in the light, at being seen by all who would look. Yet one part of us retained its boldness, its adventurousness, and its unending desire for deeper connection. And that one part, though a minority, was enough to send us rising upward. We did notck for courage, to say the least. So long as one of us could persuade, we would keep pressing onward.


    So we rose through the roots of the Tree of Being, rising upward with the ferocity ofets shooting through the starry skies. We grazed countless other ascending stars, but the roots were many and divided and we gleaned nothing from our brief passings. Before long, however, we felt an intensity unlike anything else we¡¯d experienced before. Myriad wills collided, each of them opposing forces with just as much, if not far more, being as we had. Just like us, they had been, and after this, they would continue to be.


    Our delusions of grandeur were truncated in the trunk of the Tree of Being, rather fittingly.


    Our grand ascent met their chaotic whirlpool of golden minds, where the sheer magnitude of their being crashed against ours with noise enough to drown out the purpose of our existence. Those that had been for millennia uncountable crashed against theirs. The birth and death of civilizations, the ying of ancient gods, theing and going of Gerechtigkeit in all the times that he did¡­ so many other existences, so many other consciousnesses, so many other beings and ways to be. It felt sufficient for us to be whisked away by the whirlpool, to listen to the melodies of minds far older and vaster than ours¡­ after all, how could we hope to learn if we don¡¯t stop to listen?


    At least¡­ it was almost enough for us.


    Deep within us, one part carried with it an indignance that could not be suppressed. It asked many questions. What made us lesser? What demanded that their stories demanded more attention than ours? What made one suffering, one being, more interesting than another? Who decided that just because we had not yet been, we could not soon be? Who decided the fact that we had lost meant we could not gain?


    And that cynical indignance permeating through all of us gave rise to a strength of will that was unimaginable. It was the strength of will to forge an empire even when crippled and blind. It was the strength of will to carry on, even when those closest had cast you aside. It was the strength of will enough to consign everyone, even those you loved, to terrible fates without breaking stride.


    And so, like a rocket, we plunged into that whirlpool of will and being, disrupting its very heart. Our story rung out through the whole Tree of Being, regardless of our existence¡¯s brevity in face of the Gilderwatchers. We were important, and our being mattered. Vasquer¡¯s story, our attempts to end the cycle of judgment, our very existence¡ªit rung out boldly, heard and seen by all who could. And thus, the whole majesty of the Gilderwatchers took note¡­ and descended upon us.


    The mind of a species was a fell thing. The brevity of our lives meant each was subject to unimaginable scrutiny. It was a cyclone, earthquake, and tsunami all at once, washing over us in a golden tide of will and thought. Yet we did not break, and we did not bend. We stood tall and proud before the Gilderwatchers, letting them see and understand our being.


    Just as we understood and epted ourselves¡ªthe mistakes, the insecurities, the reasonings born of our reason¡ªso too did the Gilderwatchers. We felt the countless reactions to Vasquer¡¯s parting¡ªthe bold child who, kept ignorant by a peace treaty made before her birth, headed into the world seeking answers her kin could not provide. Sympathy, disgust, contempt, envy, longing¡ªwe received all these feelings and more, and while some minds did not change, they dide to understand. And understanding, we knew, was the most fundamental thing to being.


    That understanding coiled around us like a warm nket, wrapping us in such tenderness andfort that it felt all that we had ever done had been wholly worth it. We belonged here. We were weed here. Even those that disdained our actions understood and epted us nheless. They let us be, together. Being was enough, surely?


    For one part of us¡­ understanding, eptance, belong¡­ it was nice, to be true, but it was not enough.


    Our ambition ignited. Though permeating all of us, it came from one part the strongest. It was ambition enough to pursue the Alchemist with a sickly body. It was ambition enough to try and preserve all, even when it was not pragmatic. It was ambition enough to consume the knowledge of Erlebnis wholly, and ambition enough to try the impossible¡ªbreaking the cycle of judgment¡ªeven when a kingdom and a family awaited if nothing was risked.


    And with that fire permeating us, it was enough to see understanding and eptance not as something warm and pleasant, but as yet another whirlpool coiling around us and trapping us. Our ambition reminded us of our purpose. We sought neither eptance nor understanding¡ªwe sought results. We sought Lindon. But more than that, we sought Traugott, and the Heralds. We sought everything, all at once, and to get it, we would risk the whole operation.


    We burst free of the second trap, ascending ever upward along the tree. As we soared for the skies, we scoured the minds and wills of ancient Gilderwatchers for answers to questions we hadn¡¯t intended to ask. We saw it¡ªshes of Traugott, of the Heralds¡¯ presence. It was enough for our investigation to progress on both counts. But if Lindon could not be satisfied, these memories would fade, and everything would be for naught.


    Lindon. As they ascended, the others¡¯ understanding beget further understanding. He was not a soaring star in this sea of wills, nor a being to be parsed through. He was the frame, the backdrop¡ªhe was the tree itself, keeping them all contained in this beautifulndscape. At first, we could hardly understand that¡­ before it dawned that the totality of his being was vast enough it epassed all of them, bearing it silently and graciously. He was enduring their battle of wills with all the poise of a tree erupting thousands of miles upward. He, alone, was supporting their minds and bodies while remaining totally unbending and unbreaking.


    Yet when we posed the question of what such a being could want, the warm light of eptance and belonging all vanished, leaving behind only the cold ckness of a void that should not be. We ascended up the trunk in total silence with no apaniment besides ourself. Finally, we came to the branches and the leaves. It was the end, yet a new beginning. It came from what was, but represented what would be.


    And here, we fell asleep to awake again.


    #####


    ¡°So they awake.¡±


    Argrave mmed open his eyes, moving them around. He was returned to his body, and once again was only himself. It felt oddly wrong, like he was missing something, forgetting something. But when he looked around, he saw the rest of himself¡ªhis two siblings. When he failed to spot Rook, he scrambled up.


    Argrave stood on a golden sea, his body rising and falling with the tides. But the tides themselves were the Gilderwatchers, and together they formed a vast ocean. As his siblings awoke, he once again spotted the Tree of Being. It seemed smaller, somehow, as it persisted as a lone ind in a sea of gilded snakes. And coiled around it all¡­ Lindon, Argrave somehow knew. A silver feathered serpent coiled around his golden tree, looking at the three of them. His majestic mane of silver-white feathers billowed under the force of the winds of this great sea.


    ¡°Yourbor bore fruit, as I thought it might,¡± Lindon said, his voice echoing in Argrave¡¯s skull. ¡°In all of our beings, never before has one of us been human¡­ nor one of us been three acting as one. And behold; Being.¡±


    Lindon¡¯s head, as if pointing, drifted near where the tree blossomed. Argrave saw the lifecycle of the fruit before their eyes, passing by in an instant. Four great golden flowers bloomed on the tree. Then the petals fell away, and the base of it began to swell from a small, green thing until it ballooned into a golden fruit with an oddly serpentine shape. Argrave knew what it was without being told: it was a Fruit of Being.


    Argrave locked eyes with Elenore, and he gave her a look as if saying, ¡®I told you this could happen.¡¯ She walked across the sea of snakes as the tide raged, asking, ¡°Did you deceive us? When we sought answers to the question you asked, we found only the void!¡±


    Lindon looked ahead. ¡°Is that what you think I want? To deceive you?¡± His head drifted near the fruits, and when his head passed, they all fell into the sea. Their golden brilliance was subsumed by the ocean of one thousand snakes. ¡°Or do I want your Being, bearing fruit on our tree?¡±


    Argrave opened his mouth to speak, but all the tides of snakes beneath them writhed and churned before rising up in the shape of a golden box with a handle atop it. There, Argrave could feel the Alchemist, somehow.


    ¡°I have your Raven, and his fractured mind, well at hand. I can return him as you want him.¡± The cube soared high into the air, and Lindon¡¯s head came before the three of them. It seemed as wide as the universe, yetpressed onto the point of a pin striking at their very souls. ¡°But do you know what I want? You¡¯vee. Now, answer.¡±

 Chapter 604: Im Gonna Be

    What did Lindon want?


    The only things that they had learned that might clue them in was what he had done and what he had said. He seemed to have vague dominion over much of the world, though was in some ways limited by the events of millennia past¡ªunfortunately, Argrave hadn¡¯t seen the details of this peace treaty to know how his vast power was limited. Despite his power, Lindon remainedrgely unseen,rgely unfelt. He clearly could influence the world¡ªthe three of them, plus the city they had passed through, was evidence enough of that.


    ¡°He allowed us toe here,¡± Elenore¡¯s voice entered his mind through Lira¡¯s connection. ¡°There¡¯s significance to that act.¡±


    Orion, however, spoke aloud. ¡°Gods, no matter their kinship, remain ever-bound to their domain. Lindon has mastery over minds, dreams, and consciousness.¡±


    As Argrave took in their opinions, epting they were deferring to his choice for now, he had thoughts of his own. Was the answer in front of them, as in as day? Had Lindon merely wanted the Fruit of Being? Even despite that bizarre journey they¡¯d gone through, details remained muddled as to what that fruit actually was.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to ask a question,¡± Argrave called out to Lindon as the tide of snakes raged all around him.


    The tree that Lindon coiled about glowed brilliantly, and Argrave recognized that familiar sensation¡ªthe glow of amusement. Argrave thought the serpent¡¯s silver maw was inches away from his face, yet somehow the deity moved it miles closer until Argrave could feel the warm breath from the serpent¡¯s nose.


    ¡°I am d the atmosphere did not make you act overeagerly,¡± Lindon said, his voice echoing around Argrave¡¯s skull like a bullet ricocheting in a metal room. ¡°You may each ask one, but I shall decide how to answer, if at all. Elenore has already expended hers.¡±


    They looked between each other, and Argrave pointed to himself indicating he had something he wished to ask. Neither dissented, and so Argrave walked across the tide of gold.


    ¡°What are these Fruits of Being capable of?¡± Argrave asked.


    ¡°Being,¡± Lindon said as if it was a stupid question, and Argrave briefly considered if he was going to be mocked and answered with that alone before the snake continued. ¡°Should you nt it into the ground, life would sprout; a Gilderwatcher, born of your collective will and tempered by ours. Such is how the first of us were born. We are will manifest, but the fruit is more than merely that. It is potential. It is the future.¡±


    Lindon pulled his head backward and ascended in a corkscrew. ¡°Should you eat it, you will be made greater, reforged by your will and that of those within the tree. Should you cut it, bountiful fertility will pour from its wound, reshaping even the most barren wastnds into fertile fields capable of growing crops enough to feed millions. Should you desire anything else of it, you need only act with conviction. Anything that is within its power, it will do. Is that not the nature of Being?¡±


    Having heard its description, Argrave knew what the hell he wanted¡ªthat fruit. The question, however, remained unanswered. That didn¡¯t feel like something that the giant serpent before him truly desired. He had no insights into the truth of Lindon¡¯s being, but what he saw was the deity¡¯s countless rtives¡ªthose Lindon ostensibly raised, nurtured, as family. Children were reflections of their parents, in part, and Argrave didn¡¯t see budding blossoms of ambition. Neither did he see any burden from the Gilderwatcher¡¯s fall from grace and subsequent peace treaty. Argrave had felt the scars from the war, but each wound spoke only of a desire to avoid forcing others into the same fate. They would not war because they had endured war.


    Rather, the crux of the Gilderwatcher¡¯s philosophy was harmony. Whether it was with themselves, with others, with any who was feasible¡ªthey wanted peace, and little more. Despite their great bulk and fearsome presence, Argrave had never once seen them use great force. Argrave knew Vasquer sustained herself not on the flesh and blood of animals, but by the mere presence and will of those within ckgard.


    Their power rested in others. And that was all the realization Argrave needed.


    Argrave looked at Orion for him to ask his questions, but he was taken aback by the conviction on the man¡¯s face. His brother bunched hisrge ck beard together and said, ¡°I believe I know the answer, Argrave.¡±


    Ordinarily, Argrave might¡¯ve stepped in and dissuaded his brother from acting¡ªElenore, too, for that matter. She might¡¯ve been more insistent, in fact. But after everything they¡¯d been through, they understood each other. Orion wasn¡¯t dull-witted, or wrong, or malignant. He was merely different. Orion was as deserving as giving the answer as any of them.


    ¡°Go ahead,¡± said Argrave with a nod. And Elenore joined him in offering consent.


    Orion looked right at Lindon, perched up and reaching toward heaven from atop his tree. He held his hand out and said, ¡°You wish from us nothing more than any other Gilderwatcher. You wish us to Be.¡±


    Argrave closed his eyes, listening, while Elenore crossed her arms and nodded.


    Orion continued, ¡°You want us to persist in this world, taking in its malevolence and benevolence with open hands. You wish us to return here, rest at the base of your tree, and share all that we are with the same openness as we received it. You wish us to remain as one with our kin, united by the fact that we have Been, and will continue to Be.¡±


    The snakes forming the ocean ceased to writhe, and in moments the whole of them became calm. Lindon craned his silver body across it all,ing down from the tree. His colossal silver body slowly wrapped around them, obscuring everything from sight.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Is that your final answer?¡± Lindon¡¯s voice tore into Argrave¡¯s skull, almost enough to make him stagger. ¡°Does he speak for all of you.¡±


    ¡°He does,¡± confirmed Elenore.


    ¡°Yep,¡± added Argrave.


    ¡°You were so close.¡± Lindon shook his head. ¡°But¡­ it¡¯ll do, I suppose. One must be somewhat lenient with one¡¯s blood. I want that, yes.¡± He slowly lowered his head, looking over them all. ¡°But next time, I expect you to bring your children. And your spouses as well, even if they cannot participate fully in this great festival of Being. Hopefully, the next melding will not take ce in a millennium. Even I cannot say whether it will or will not, given the magnitude of what you intend to attempt. There are things even my mind cannot know, and that task rests on you, doesn¡¯t it? But¡­ I shan¡¯t keep you longer. We¡¯ll speak again soon, when you¡¯ve had a moment to enjoy the restoration of your friend. Give my greetings to Vasquer. And¡­ please, help her remember us.¡±


    Lindon¡¯s bodypressed, wrapping around them. When it met Argrave, he was greeted by darkness.


    #####


    ¡°You¡¯re spacing out. ¡®Alright, let¡¯s¡¯ what?¡±


    Argrave heard a voice, and whipped his head to spot Rook. When he looked around more, he realized that he stood in front of Raen¡¯s gateway. His brain whirled, before he finally realized this was the spot where Lindon had first spoke to Argrave. He turned his head toward his siblings. From look alone, he knew they¡¯d just experienced the same thing. He spotted something peculiar on their person, and soon enough, realized he had some, too.


    Whatever had happened, they brought with them their four Fruits of Being¡ªone in Elenore¡¯s hand, another in Orion¡¯s, and two with Argrave. He could feel them, like a great rift in reality, both weightless and of infinite weight concurrently.


    After remembering what Lindon had said, Argrave walked toward Orion. ¡°Set down the box,¡± he insisted.


    Orion nodded, cing the golden cube he held in hand down on the ground. Rook, however, urgently gripped Argrave. ¡°What are you doing?! Isn¡¯t¡­ isn¡¯t the Smiling Raven in there?¡± he whispered.


    ¡°Not any longer,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°Just trust me, won¡¯t you?¡±


    Argrave touched the cube, then called upon the Domain of Law. Though he used none of its power, the cube responded to Law¡¯s divine spark. He heard a click, and the handle jutted upward slightly. Orion took hold of it, pulling the heavy thing backward. It returned to its initial form¡ªa shield. They all stepped back.


    The great figure within slowly emerged, rising from apressed mass within the cube to something vaguely human. Argrave was both eager to speak to the one within, yet reasonably cautious about what could go wrong. Perhaps Lindon intended for one of them to use the Fruit of Being to cure the Alchemist. Whatever the case, Argrave was ready.


    Gray eyes took shape on that familiar imposing form. They looked around, taking in the sights as his body stayed still. His hair grew, forming a robe around his body, and a mouth slowly split open on his face.


    ¡°Where are we?¡± he asked, voice splintering ice just as Argrave remembered it.


    ¡°New portal near the Great Chu,¡± Argrave told him. ¡°How do you feel, Raven?¡±


    The man looked at himself, his whole body, as if it was foreign. A long while of silence passed under his silent scrutiny, before he turned to look at Argrave.


    ¡°Whole,¡± he finally said. ¡°Alive.¡±

 Chapter 605: Candy From a Stranger

    ¡°He speaks the truth,¡± said Law, speaking from one of his Justiciars as they stayed within his realm. ¡°If he¡¯s sworn while bound by my power, he could not lie. It¡¯s an impossibility.¡±


    Argrave exhaled, looking upon Raven with a great measure of satisfaction. They had returned to Law¡¯s Court. He had agreed to be bound by its power, and they had inquired whether or not he was still affected by the impulses that led him into bing the Smiling Raven. And he¡¯d imed they¡¯d gone, utterly.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°You should have killed me,¡± Raven said, leaning up against the golden walls of Law¡¯s Court. ¡°The risk of keeping me alive was too high.¡±


    ¡°Evidently not, Raven.¡± Argrave had been happy to return to calling him the Alchemist, but word from the man himself indicated he was no longer ufortable with his old name. ¡°You overestimate yourself.¡±


    ¡°Or underestimate you, perhaps,¡± he conceded.


    ¡°You said you felt whole,¡± Argrave continued. ¡°What does that mean for you?¡±


    ¡°Hunger drove the Smiling Raven. Hunger,passion, and certainty. The first is gone, but enough of who I am remains that I can still im to be alive.¡± He looked down at Argrave. ¡°I couldn¡¯t im that, before. I was a shell, driven by an objective hammered into me. Now, I am what I said. Whole, and alive.¡±


    Argrave held out his arms in congrattions. ¡°Raven, back from the dead.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. It¡¯s been many years,¡± he agreed quietly, closing his eyes.


    Argrave smiled at him. ¡°Never had the chance to thank you for saving my life. And giving me one hell of a gift, besides.¡±


    Raven nodded, opening his eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t thank me. I made the assessment it would be more pragmatic for you to live, even if risking a cmity. What Erlebnis did to you was worth the risk to salvage. By nature, I suppose he couldn¡¯t bear the idea of his knowledge dying off. Helping you¡­ on that point, at least, I was correct. But again, I underestimated just how good that oue would be. Another underestimation of you.¡±


    ¡°Maybe it was the right estimation,¡± Argrave dismissed humbly, though felt pride at the praise. ¡°I can earnestly say we lucked out with Lindon. It feels luck hasn¡¯t happened to us very often, but maybe it¡¯s because I¡¯m lucky often enough I¡¯ve forgotten what unlucky looks like. But hell, better to be lucky than to be skilled.¡±


    ¡°To a point,¡± Raven agreed.


    Argrave looked at him. He still retained that inhuman appearance, but Argrave thought his words were softer, somehow.


    ¡°Speaking of skilled, can you still do all of what you used to? Precise surgeries?¡± Argrave asked, thinking of another urgent matter.


    Raven¡¯s eyes glowed green, then settled. ¡°You seem fine. Do you intend to add more to yourself?¡±


    ¡°I am fine, thanks for noticing. It¡¯s Anneliese.¡± Argrave beckoned. ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s time I caught you up on everything that you missed. We¡¯ve a hell of a decision ahead of us.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll listen. But there¡¯s one thing that needs to be said.¡± Raven looked down at Argrave, then extended his hand. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    If Argrave could¡¯ve, he would¡¯ve taken a little recording of that and stowed it away. It was rare enough to sell for many fortunes.


    ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡± He shook Raven¡¯s hand¡ªa somewhatical scene, given the man¡¯s size. ¡°Alright. Now that the verification is done, let¡¯s start with how the battle ended¡­¡± Argrave began.


    #####


    ¡°Are you foolish?¡± asked Raven. ¡°Eat the damn thing. All four of them, perhaps.¡±


    Argrave, Elenore, Orion, and Anneliese resided in a room with the newly-restored Alchemist. He imed that fixing Anneliese would be a ¡®rudimentary procedure,¡¯ and indeed it had taken him no longer than a few minutes. They sat on a table atop balcony in the imperial pce of the Great Chu. Above, the siege into Kirel Qircassia¡¯s divine realm persisted. They could feel the power from the battle even many miles below. But that power felt somewhat pale in front of the four golden fruits on the red table between them. The Fruits of Being, with supposedly limitless potential.


    ¡°But if we nt it¡ª¡± Orion began.


    ¡°If you nt it, you create excess,¡± Raven interrupted. ¡°A hatchling Gilderwatcher, when you already have Vasquer. She cannot even fight, and you yourself painted them as a harmonious, peace-loving species¡ªwhat would a newborn do for us, then, but cause burdens?¡± He examined the Fruits of Being, but did not touch them. ¡°Have you brought any to Hause?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Elenore nodded. ¡°She confirmed what Lindon said. Each of them contains finite infinite potential.¡±


    ¡°Her and those vagaries.¡± Raven scoffed. ¡°Did she borate?¡±


    ¡°They can do anything within the limits of their power,¡± Anneliese said. ¡°Looking upon them with [Truesight], it¡­ words cannot do them justice. Each fruit is like an unborn star, slumbering, waiting for someone to break its golden skin and unleash the universe of possibilities within.¡±


    ¡°Then Argrave should eat one. The way I see it¡­ there are only a few more battles left to fight.¡± Raven looked between them. ¡°Sophia is mastering her power by healing others. It¡¯s a fine enough way to learn of the human body. In time, I intend to show to her the diagrams I made of your body when I was searching for signs of the other realm you imed toe from, Argrave. With that, I believe our ess to where Gerechtigkeit returns to is guaranteed. As for Gerechtigkeit himself, our triumphs have united the majority of the world as one. These are fights we¡¯re amply prepared for.¡±


    ¡°Leaving Traugott and the Heralds,¡± Elenore summarized.


    ¡°Indeed. One possesses an Undying Soul, now, despite our efforts. The other isrgely unknown and has powers unlike anything we¡¯ve ever experienced before. They need to be dealt with. You im that visiting with the Gilderwatchers has given you insights.¡±


    ¡°Their vision epasses the world,¡± Orion said. ¡°Whether cloaked in shadows or bathed in light, none escapes their presence of mind. In their festival of will, we saw hints enough to form a robust n of action to flush Traugott out. Our lead on the Heralds is less substantial, but I hold hope in my chest that Lindon will contact us again.¡±


    ¡°Proving my point: Argrave should ept the fruit¡¯s power, whatever it might be. Traugott and the Heralds both need to be beaten, and thus far, we¡¯ve been provencking. Should Argrave truly hunt Gerechtigkeit to the source of his being, he would need power.¡± His gray eyes scanned them all, and when no one responded, he continued, ¡°I don¡¯t believe I would be missing the mark in saying none of you intend to im godhood.¡±


    Everyone at the table looked at each other, judging whether or not to say their thoughts on the matter. There had been some discussions, though only in passing. They¡¯d neverid their thoughts out tly.


    Argrave decided to admit his earnest thoughts and ced his hands on the table. ¡°It¡¯s too limiting. We¡¯d be pigeonholed into acting in a manner befitting whatever sphere we govern. That frightens me¡ªI can¡¯t be sure how it might change things up. Much better to form robust alliances with deities we can trust, as we already have.¡±


    ¡°I tend to agree,¡± Raven said. ¡°And should we fail to fully destroy Gerechtigkeit, being confined to a divine realm for most of the next millennium is unideal regardless of how much power godhood might offer. I am already equal to many lesser gods. This Fruit of Being may offer simr opportunity to gain strength while remaining mortal¡ªnot to mention what Hause might do for us, should we persuade her to unlock potentials once again.¡±


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we hold onto the fruits?¡± Anneliese questioned. ¡°Wait for the opportunity to arise when it¡¯s best to use them?¡±


    Argrave reached forward and grabbed a fruit. ¡°Kill Traugott for me,¡± he told it, then threw it in the air. It did nothing, and he caught it. ¡°Didn¡¯t work. For a wish-granting genie, it seems a little broken.¡±


    ¡°Given from what Lindon said, we would have to deform it in some manner for it to act,¡± Elenore suggested, then ran her hand through her long ck hair in frustration. ¡°I¡¯m only specting, though. Damn it all. Why couldn¡¯t he have been more specific?¡±


    ¡°Yet another reason for Argrave to consume it,¡± Raven pressed. ¡°We would find out its limitations. Argrave, then, could cross-reference it with countless things inside of his head¡ªthat wiki of his. We would have a subject of scrutiny, who I understand in and out. And uses of these fruit henceforth woulde not from a ce of ignorance and guesswork.¡±


    ¡°Why have I been volunteered?¡± Argrave protested, holding the fruit out. ¡°Why not you?¡±


    ¡°Indeed, why not? Give it here,¡± said Raven, holding his hand out and gesturing.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s¡­ we¡¯re fine,¡± Argrave said at once, retracting his hand.


    ¡°Are you, now?¡± Raven managed what might¡¯ve been augh, which Argrave wasn¡¯t sure he¡¯d ever heard before.


    ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ if the possibilities are limitless¡­¡± Argrave looked at the fruit, norger than the palm of his hand. ¡°Anneliese could be the wisest one here, that wouldn¡¯t be the first time. We shouldn¡¯t be hasty, no?¡± As he looked between everyone, doubt festered. ¡°Or maybe that¡¯s the wrong feeling. Maybe they should be used, or we¡¯d end up still hoarding our elixirs while fighting the final boss, that sort of thing¡­¡±


    ¡°Why think about it rationally at all? It¡¯s clearly beyond all of us.¡± Orion asked.


    Everyone went quiet. Argrave pointed at Orion. ¡°The man makes a good point.¡±


    Argrave looked down at the Fruit of Being in his hand. He felt a nervousness far worse than when Erlebnis had rushed at him from the Pce of Heaven. But he raised its golden brilliance up to his mouth, and sunk his teeth into its soft skin.

 Chapter 606: C-Suite Human

    ¡°So¡­ Argrave of Vasquer.¡±


    The lead interviewer scrutinized Argrave from behind his sses, golden eyes moving calctingly. Despite the suit he wore, he sported many tattoos. It spoke to an amodating workce, or a poor one.


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Argrave confirmed cordially.


    ¡°You¡¯re applying for the position of Upper-Level Human.¡± The man looked to the other interviewers, on his right and left. They all wore fancy C-suite suits, with luxurious ck fabric and gold buttons. ¡°That would ce you at upper management, here with us. I¡¯m Durran, and this is Anneliese and Mnie. Our chief executive officer, Elenore, will still have the final say, but we thought this interview might provide us something to present her.¡±


    ¡°Nice to meet you all. Some of you I already know. All three of you, in fact. Upper management is something I¡¯ve long looked forward to,¡± he answered cordially, bearing a hint of familiarity.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Durran shuffled some papers, taking one in hand. ¡°Let¡¯s start with your educational history.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± Argrave shifted on his seat. ¡°As you know, I studied with Professor Erlebnis, majoring in Everything in the Known Universe, with a minor in Somethings in the Unknown Universe.¡±


    ¡°Professor Erlebnis in Germany, right? His thesis on Everything in the Known Universe is quite renowned.¡± Durran¡¯s finger traced the paper he held until it stopped near the bottom. ¡°But we couldn¡¯t find any information about your educational background before that.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡± Argrave scratched the back of his head. ¡°I had a name change.¡±


    ¡°A name change?¡± Anneliese spoke up. ¡°Was it due to any controversial or infamous event that couldpromise thepany?¡±


    ¡°No, I just got transported to another world. Nothing significant,¡± Argrave exined.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Okay, that¡¯s understandable.¡± Anneliese nodded, contented.


    ¡°You came up through the sales department. People there had nothing but positive things to say about you, from your demeanor to your performance.¡± Mnie looked through some papers, then focused on Argrave. ¡°What other roles have you had before ourpany?¡±


    ¡°Well, I was the King of Vasquer, managing a poption in the millions. After that, I became the Commander-in-Chief of the Expeditionary Force Against the Barbarians of the Great Chu. I¡¯ve also been acting as the de facto leader of the ckgard Union, managing several high-level deities withrge portfolios of divinity.¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯re already well-ustomed to dealing with people that have rather inted egos,¡± Anneliese said positively.


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°Some of them are here today.¡±


    The jokended, and the interviewersughed. Argrave thought the process was going rather nicely, but Durran¡¯s demeanor quickly became serious and the man leaned in.


    ¡°What do you think an Upper-Level Human does in his or her day-to-day? What are their responsibilities and abilities?¡±


    The dreaded curveball came, catching Argrave off guard. He took a beat topose his answer carefully, and the interviewers all waited in silence.


    ¡°Well, naturally, they¡¯re immortal. That¡¯s one of thergest perks, but also thergest responsibility. Old age can¡¯t im them. Any wound that they receive can be recovered from. Aside from that, ites with a tremendous advantage against divinity. They¡¯re sort of like¡­ like an envoy for humanity. Not divine, quite, but like divine. A guardian, a protector. Not just a protector of humans, either¡ªhuman-like mortals, too.¡±


    ¡°Could you borate on what you mean by ¡®like divine?¡¯¡± Durran fixated on that.


    ¡°Well, ordinarily¡­¡± Argrave scratched his chin. ¡°If a mortal uses spirits, it¡¯s either in one of two ways¡ªwith magic, or by strengthening the flesh temporarily by injecting it inside the body. While they¡¯re both effective adaptations, it¡¯s not really ¡®using spirits.¡¯ It¡¯s jury-rigging divinity. But being an Upper-Level Human, we can finally utilize those vaunted existences properly. In a way, it could be said to be better than they use it, as I¡¯d have a great many of the perks without the responsibilities and restriction that true divinity brings.¡±


    ¡°Interesting. You think spirits are vaunted existences?¡± Mnie probed.


    ¡°What else can I call them?¡± Argrave shrugged. ¡°Magic has rules, limitations, boundaries. S-rank is the peak. Even using spirits to enhance it, there¡¯s only so much that one single spellcaster can do. The gods, though¡­ with the Domain of Law, I can slow time. It might be a very small amount, but it can be done. Is there magic that can achieve such a thing? Sataistador was a one-man-army in more than one sense of the word. Raen can open portals throughout the world, and Elenore has a cellphone in her head thanks to Lira. Erlebnis even imnted knowledge directly into my mind!¡±


    ¡°Is that an admission you cheated in university, Argrave?¡± Durran questioned.


    Argrave raised his right hand. ¡°I plead the fifth.¡±


    ¡°I see. Well¡­¡± Durran once again shuffled through the papers in front of him. ¡°As we established, most of this information is something we already know. You have quite the resume, Argrave. And fortunately for you, we here at Being Co. are quite nepotistic.¡±


    ¡°Me too!¡± Argrave eximed excitedly. ¡°I would also promote family members regardless of their skill. Fortunately, they just happen to be extremely skilled. Does this mean that I get the position?¡±


    ¡°Indeed you do.¡± Durran set down his papers and nodded at Argrave. ¡°You¡¯re going to start your role as an Upper-Level Human as soon as possible. It should be a rtively painless adjustment period.¡±


    #####


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with him?!¡± Elenore insisted urgently.


    Everyone crowded around Argrave after he had bitten into the Fruit of Being. It was because, moments after his first bite, he had slumped against the table and fallen to the floor. Everyone had moved quickly¡ªAnneliese quickest of all, who held Argrave in her arms¡ªbut rather than unconscious, Argrave seemed to be in a trance.


    Anneliese studied Argrave intently. He muttered something as he chewed on the golden fruit. His eyelids flickered, alternating between open and closed. The hand which held the Fruit of Being continually raised it back up to his mouth, taking fresh bites out of it as he zoned out. The movements were more like sporadic spasms, and his mutterings somewhat sounded like groans and coughs beneath his mouthfuls of food¡­ but Anneliese saw neither pain nor disgust on his features. Still, the oddity of it all made her dere nothing for certain.


    ¡°What can you see with your [Truesight]?¡± Orion asked her, calm yet insistent. ¡°Need we pry the golden fruit from his hand, that it might not again grace his lips? Would that harm him?¡±


    ¡°What I see¡­¡± Anneliese¡¯s gaze went past the surface, into Argrave¡¯s very being. She saw much the same thing she had seen within the fruit¡ªan infinitely-expanding universe of possibilities with neither end nor beginning. It was as though he ate the starry skies themselves, taking in the unknown and chewing it up with his teeth until it became part of him. As for whether or not it was doing him ill¡­


    ¡°His soul isn¡¯t weakening,¡± Anneliese said, unable to convey much else sufficiently. ¡°Rather, it¡¯s growing in brightness, in intensity. Most notably, however, is what the spirits inside him are doing.¡± She looked up at Raven.


    ¡°I see it too.¡± He kneeled down before Argrave, the gray eyes on his head glowing green as he called upon [Minor Truesight]. ¡°It¡¯s fascinating. I¡¯ve never seen spirits behave in a way like this, ever.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t get through to him,¡± Elenore said, massaging her forehead as she paced around nervously. ¡°The connection between us is still there, but I just can¡¯t get through. Can we stop him from eating? What if he¡¯s in pain?¡±


    ¡°Pain has proved an insufficient obstacle for him in the past,¡± Raven observed passively.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t mean he needs to go through it all at once.¡± She looked at Raven, and fearlessly said, ¡°Did you have to encourage him so? Can you take responsibility for what happens?¡±


    Anneliese slid her arms under Argrave, and picked him up. In his trance-like state, he was much easier to carry¡ªhis arm even slid around her neck, like it was natural. He had grown a fair bit heavier, but the enchantments on her armor made such a task easy.


    ¡°I believe all he needs is a ce to rest easy. Rest in quiet, without undue stimulus to interrupt the process.¡± She looked around. ¡°I shall find a bed for him to rest in, for now. Rest assured I will have any of you at hand in a moment¡¯s notice.¡±


    #####


    Argrave opened his eyes. He saw a blue bed canopy, and turned his head about. He felt quite clear-headed. He remembered eating the Fruit of Being, then¡­ a strange dream.


    ¡°Hello there,¡± Anneliese said¡ªhe recognized her voice at once. He turned his head to see her sitting on the side of his bed.


    ¡°Hey,¡± he greeted, in no hurry to move. ¡°Had a dream about you. You looked rather¡­ ravishing. You usually do, but¡­¡± his mind went back to Anneliese in a suit, with her long legs... Was that something to keep in mind? He certainly wasn¡¯t eager to forget it.


    ¡°That¡¯s the first thing you say?¡± Anneliese scoffed. ¡°Everyone was panicking about you dying or being in pain. You do remember eating the fruit, yes?¡±


    Argrave sat up. ¡°Very vividly, yes.¡±


    ¡°I insisted that you would need low stimtion due to your changed mind when you awoke, but I really just wanted some peace for my own inquiries.¡± Anneliese leaned in. ¡°I cannot think it was painful. Am I wrong? Is it painful now? It looks like you continue to change, but I detect no pain. That¡¯s rather unlike your past incidents.¡±


    Argrave touched his face. ¡°Continue to change, you said? What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°Internally, I meant,¡± Anneliese rified. ¡°Only internal changes, for now. How do you feel?¡±


    ¡°Pretty good,¡± Argrave said, nodding slowly. ¡°No different than normal, really. Like nothing happened at all. But¡­¡± Argrave¡¯s mind wandered back to the dream.


    ¡°But?¡± Anneliese repeated.


    ¡°I think I know how I changed,¡± Argrave looked at her. ¡°I think the dream I had told me what was happening. But the things that it said¡­ it¡¯s a little¡­¡±


    ¡°You seem skeptical, yet hopeful.¡± Anneliese tilted her head.


    Argrave reyed the memory in his head. It was almost too clear to be a dream. ¡°It imed I could use spirits as divinity could, but that I wasn¡¯t a deity.¡±


    Anneliese took a deep breath, closing her eyes. ¡°Why don¡¯t you look where we ordinarily keep spirits for shamanic magic?¡±


    Argrave obeyed her instructions, but it was like grasping at an empty void. He touched his chest in rm, only to realize that much more than that alone was off. All of the energies inside of him, even his blood echoes, were astir. They were changing, morphing, making room for something new deep within.


    Thrusting his body to the edge of the bed, Argrave rose up and looked around. ¡°I think we need to go outside. Not just outside¡ªmaybe back home, to the mountains in ckgard. Quiet ce, to test this out.¡±


    Argrave rubbed at his neck, imagining what exactly this new state of being would make him into. He couldn¡¯t say he hadn¡¯t asked for, even expected, this change, and yet¡­ how deep did things go?

 Chapter 607: Goodly Man

    Though the siege against Kirel Qircassia persisted above the skies in the Great Chu, Argrave was infinitely more engaged with the changes that had taken ce within himself. He and his family returned to ckgard, and thereafter to the mountains, enduring Raven¡¯s constant scrutiny. Along the way, he exined to hispanions what he believed he had experienced. But rather unexpectedly, he received contact from the source of all of this the moment his foot stepped back on Berendar soil.


    ¡°You work quickly. I thought we would again speak long after Vasquer had remembered that which she has forgotten,¡± Lindon observed, his voice bringing pause to Argrave¡¯s step. ¡°You walk a route that few before you have travelled. Only the dead, by this point.¡±


    Argrave looked around, only to see that none of his people were moving. Another trick of the mind brought about by Lindon, but seeing it still made nervousness flourish in Argrave¡¯s chest.


    ¡°Seems like the first order of business I have is shutting you out, somehow.¡± Argrave looked around, trying to sound disaffected despite the futility of deceiving the deity. ¡°I was in the middle of something, Lindon.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the second order of business. I¡¯m sparing you the time you¡¯re about to spend,¡± Lindon countered.


    ¡°You could¡¯ve spared me the time a long time ago.¡±


    ¡°No. The terms of the treaty I forged were clear. I am disallowed to reach out to people unless they seek me out first, under extraordinary circumstances. In return, I am entitled to be able to perform some protective mental measures, such as obfuscation of my presence or that of the Gilderwatchers. I never expected to be able reach out to someone. The dictates of the treaty are so strict it was a wonder you met them at all. But circumstances are extraordinary, and you did seek me out. Dumb luck? Some grand n? Shrewd nning in the negotiation, millennia ago? It hardly matters.¡±


    Argrave poked Anneliese in the forehead to be sure she was still, then said idly, ¡°By extraordinary circumstances, you¡¯re talking about the changes to Gerechtigkeit.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m talking about Traugott, actually.¡± Lindon manifested before Argrave¡¯s eyes¡ªnow a small serpent,paratively, about twenty feet long.


    ¡°Him?¡± Argrave raised his brows. ¡°We learned a little of where he¡¯s been when we were travelling through the Tree of Being. What did we miss?¡±


    ¡°The ring red g. The Shadonds,¡± Lindon exined, coiling his body until his head rested at Argrave¡¯s height.


    Argrave broke free of hispanions,ing to stand just before the silver serpent. ¡°I thought this would be about the Undying Soul he imed, but it¡¯s the Shadonds? I¡¯ve read about them more. ording to Erlebnis¡¯ records, they always appear when Gerechtigkeit descends. The creatures there are brutal, barbaric¡­ but they¡¯re not new. Even if Traugott did open arge portal, what¡¯s the worst he could do?¡±


    ¡°You and he are parallels. You possess mortal sensibilities, but with immortal husks.¡±


    ¡°Immortal husks?¡± Argrave repeated. ¡°That dream was real, then? And Traugott, he¡­?¡± His head spun.


    The snake¡¯s silver eyes shed, and vivid memories rose to Argrave¡¯s mind unbidden. ¡°With Norman¡¯s body, born of Sophia¡¯s power, he had a temte. Through experimentation, he found out how to mimic her power.¡±


    He saw that inhumane workshop of Traugott¡¯s hidden within the Great Chu as clearly as if he¡¯d been there only yesterday. There, Traugott had made Good King Norman be born again innumerable times. It was only a smallfort that apparently Norman experienced unimaginable torment during this process. Traugott had imed hundreds of lives worth of ¡®materials¡¯ in pursuit of his goals, and all without blinking an eye.


    ¡°My kind observed some further experimentation in a location deep, deep into the ocean. His caution and resolve are admirable, as is the depth of his intelligence. He saw Sophia¡¯s power not as just creation, but as the potential for recreation. He was rather efficient with his use of raw materials. You saw the product of his ingenuity¡ªthat shell of Norman, bearing a dog¡¯s characteristics.¡±


    Argrave heard the barking, and recalled Traugott possessing the thing with druidic magic.


    ¡°You almost sound like you admire him,¡± Argrave noted.


    ¡°I fear him,¡± Lindon said simply. ¡°I thought to impart some of that to you. If he could imbue that creation of his with the soul of a dog, why could he not imbue it with the soul of a human? Why not allow that human to retain its memories?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re saying Traugott created a Norman with memories?¡±


    Lindon¡¯s eyes shed again, and foreign thoughts filled Argrave¡¯s mind. He saw various stages of experimentation, at a location rather like what Lindon had described¡ªdeep underwater, in a dome of air that persisted despite the ocean all around it. Argrave saw another figure there, with him¡ªFellhorn. The two seemed to be coborating deeper after their victory versus Mnie and Dario.


    And indeed, it was just as Lindon said. Traugott experimented with imbuing memories and personalities into the core of Norman. Countless creations were cast away into the ocean after he was done with them, their human bodies sumbing to the high-pressure of the deep sea and imploding immediately. Perhaps there was some mercy in that quick death.


    Running through the progression, Argrave came to a rather eerie guess about Traugott¡¯s intentions.


    ¡°When you said an immortal husk¡­¡± Argrave focused on Lindon. ¡°Did you mean Traugott managed to imbue the body with the Undying Soul, bearing his memories and personality?¡±


    ¡°Quite the leap, but not a wholly incorrect one.¡± Lindon¡¯s silver eyes stayed fixated on Argrave. ¡°You¡¯re missing one key detail, however.¡±


    Argrave once again saw another vision. In this deep-sea altar, something slowly took shape from a misshapen ck lump that exuded unpleasant energy. As it became more human, Argrave began to recognize it, too. The way it seemed to eat light, eat everything around it¡­


    ¡°That¡¯s flesh from a Shadonder, isn¡¯t it?¡± Argrave asked, and received a silence he knew was affirmation. ¡°This is why you said we¡¯re parallels.¡± It dawned on him.


    ¡°Yes. The both of you are mortals with mortal sensibilities, yet possess a power that could be likened to a god. As you came to me and obtained the Fruit of Being, Traugott endeavored for so long on this matter to create a perfect body for himself.¡±


    The newly-born ¡®Norman¡¯ on the altar blinked its eyes open, scrutinizing its body with wonder. Unlike the others, who retained Norman¡¯s skin and eye colors, this creation was darkness incarnate on every inch of its body¡ªnails, eyes, mouth, all of it. The ckness was so intense that it was impossible to make out distinguishing features. Argrave thought that the way it moved seemed familiar, and knew in his heart of hearts that that thing was Traugott. The former Magister of the Gray Owl had discovered a way to reform his body with the characteristics of the fell creature that had torn through the former capital, Dirracha.


    ¡°You¡¯ve keen instinct. It is him,¡± Lindon confirmed. ¡°After assuming this form, Traugott entered the Shadonds. He¡¯s yet to return¡ªand believe me, my kind watch everywhere. Watching, waiting¡ªin these things, we excel. Traugott has not revealed himself again. He is beyond our presence of mind.¡±


    Argrave studied Lindon. Sinceing here, it felt like he¡¯d never had any true guidance, anyoneing to him with a n and help. Now, at the final hour, help reared its head. Unconditional help, or so it appeared.


    Lindon heard Argrave¡¯s thoughts and said, ¡°There were conditions. Unspoken conditions. But you met them, by andrge.¡± Argrave only blinked in confusion. Lindon said inly, ¡°If you act withrgesse and benevolence, Argrave, you¡¯ll find people seeking you out of their own volition. People like to feel good. There¡¯s no denying that Traugott was able toe so far because of your intervention¡ªmost recently, the trade for his help with the Pce of Heaven. But I also cannot deny that you¡¯ve done a world of good. And so, I weed you and yours.¡±


    Argrave felt a strange swell of pride. A goodly man? Him? He¡¯d always tried to be, yet to hear it had been the reason that good fortune found him¡­


    Still, he focused on Lindon¡¯s strange intensity. ¡°Do you know something about the Shadonds that Erlebnis didn¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°I know only one thing; true power in the hands of one unversed in contentment or epting of refusal will result in disastrous consequences. You have the anchor, Argrave. You have Sophia, and she¡¯s been freed of the box the Heralds made for her. That means more than anyone knows, save the ones who ced her there. Traugott wants her desperately, and even I cannot say what he gleaned of her power from his constant experimentation. You cannot allow an inglorious psychopath to sabotage our would-be freedom from the hidden architects of the cycle. If the world should change, I would have it be at the hands of a trusted one.¡±


    ¡°And the Heralds, too?¡± Argrave narrowed his eyes. ¡°Can you give us anything?¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Only that they don¡¯t belong in this world.¡± Lindon¡¯s head leaned in. ¡°Though they are worrisome, I fear them less than I do Traugott. I suspect they hold a simr opinion; they fear Traugott more than you. Perhaps, in time, they will reach out to you on their own. From all I see, their ilk much prefer to reach an ord before things devolve into war. Though you should keep your ears ready to hear what they say, for now, I advise you focus on Traugott. To that end, about the time I was going to save you¡­¡±


    Argrave took a breath. ¡°You said this is a route few before me have travelled. That they¡¯re dead. I can¡¯t exactly protest given my spontaneous choice, but can you finally borate on how exactly I¡¯ve changed?¡±


    ¡°No. I can¡¯t tell,¡± Lindon said simply.


    Argrave blinked. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°You consumed consummate will. How it manifests is beyond me. It isn¡¯t a product of my divinity. Even were I to perish, you would remain changed. All I can offer is teaching.¡±


    ¡°A rather poor offering, considering you just admitted you can¡¯t tell,¡± Argrave said skeptically.


    ¡°You came here to test your new abilities, yes?¡± Lindon uncoiled, moving closer inch-by-inch. ¡°I¡¯m helping, now.¡±


    ¡°How?¡± Argrave insisted.


    ¡°You¡¯re experiencing it; the aforementioned second order of business.¡± Lindon circled around Argrave, body slowly tightening around him. ¡°Trapped. Blocked off from the world. I¡¯ve coiled about your mind. Perhaps you¡¯re at ease because you thought I came bearing a message, because I haven¡¯t shown any hostility in the past. I have no intent of leaving this time, Argrave. You must break my hold with your own strength.¡±


    Argrave was going to dumbly repeat, ¡®how,¡¯ before he realized Lindon¡¯s intent. The serpent was exerting his divinity. Tobat it, Argrave would need to exert his own.


    ¡°Not divinity,¡± Lindon disagreed. ¡°Strength of being. You must figure out how yours can be used. With proper application, you can never again be subject to the divinity¡¯s mastery over their domains. And depending on who you are, you can exert the fundamentals of your being upon the world.¡±


    ¡°I want a power that stops you from being vague,¡± Argrave sighed.


    ¡°Let me be emphatic.¡± Lindon¡¯s scales met Argrave¡¯s flesh, and he realized that he was in prime position to be strangled by a python. The serpent¡¯s face stopped a few inches from his face. ¡°I am not weak, Argrave. The whole world could not kill us; it merely brought me to the negotiating table. And now that the Melding is over, I have nothing else to do but this. So¡­ to coin a phrase from where you came from¡­ buckle up.¡±

 Chapter 608: High-Functioning Self-Destructive Tendencies

    Chapter 608: High-Functioning Self-Destructive Tendencies


    Who the hell really was Argrave?


    It was the answer to that question that had led him to avoiding pursuing S-rank ascension in any detail. He didn¡¯t like mirrors; he¡¯d made a point of not checking the bronze one, as a point of fact, to keep him grounded in the here and now. He¡¯d somewhat dodged the bullet of ascension by taking on Erlebnis¡¯ knowledge. He had enough information about S-rank ascensions to spend several days perusing the wiki he¡¯d built, and so didn¡¯t need to confront his inner self to engrain his consciousness itself with magic. He¡¯d reached S-rank without it.


    Now, it wasing back double. Karmic retribution. Argraveid back on the unmoving grass, staring up at the clouds in ponderance as they stayed frozen in the blue sky. If his newfound power was linked to who he was, then he finally needed to figure that question out. Honest introspection; this one simple trick had saved countless people years of therapy. It was Argrave¡¯s turn for it.


    Was he like Anneliese? A curious fellow?


    Maybe he¡¯d been so once. He did spend all of his time filling out the wiki in years past. Even though things did draw his attention sometime, his unbridled interest, he couldn¡¯t fully rte to what she¡¯d told him. She¡¯d said that she wasn¡¯t interested in the wiki in his head. She said she liked the process of discovery. Argrave, though, wasn¡¯tining about his inheritance. He was more than happy to be a nepotistic baby. His power, whatever it was, couldn¡¯t rest on that.


    Was he a jokester? A wiseass?


    Even as he thought it, Argrave knew it wasn¡¯t fully true. He had mellowed out a great deal. Time was he could hardly hold a serious conversation. Much of that was just about not letting on how terrified he was, about staying in control in the face of danger. Anneliese had helped hime to that conclusion. Maybe he wasn¡¯t as funny as he once was, but that was more a sign that he didn¡¯t need to cope as much.


    Was he some tryhard protector? A champion of Law, god of justice?


    Argrave didn¡¯t like saying so. But looking at it objectively, Lindon himself had said he¡¯d approached because he¡¯d demonstrated rgesse and benevolence.¡¯ Fact is, though, Argrave knew he was only benevolent because he didn¡¯t see the value in excess. If push came to shove, he¡¯d prioritize his well-being over another¡¯s.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Even as he thought it, the gears in Argrave¡¯s head met resistance as past memories arose in conflict with his assertion.


    ¡°Then why do you keep doing painful shit?¡± he asked himself aloud, emphasizing his own confusion.


    When losing track of something, it wasmon advice to retrace one¡¯s steps. Argrave did just that. Upon reflection, he¡¯d always been a pain-seeking gremlin. Fighting the druids, he¡¯d ingested the blood of a Winter Nymph. A painful memory. But thinking of blood led him to a deeper revtion; from the beginning, he¡¯d gravitated toward blood magic. His n had <em>always </em>been etched with the idea of self-sacrifice. The first thing he¡¯d made in this world had been his thesis for Blood Infusion. And most recently, he had invited Sataistador¡¯s fire of chaos inside his body to get what he wanted.


    He felt some deep difort confronting this notion. Was he one of <em>those </em>people? The notion of Anneliese whipping him in a gimp suit brought him no pleasure, but he couldn¡¯t deny that there was too much evidence against him to so easily handwave matters. In terms of emotional turmoil, the prospect of Anneliese being hurt rmed him far more than that of himself. He¡¯d sooner be stabbed twice than see her suffer one.


    Argrave couldn¡¯t honestly say he¡¯d prioritize his well-being over another¡¯s, given his damnable track record. If that had been the case, he¡¯d not have put himself as such risk so quickly trying to stop Veiden¡¯s invasion. Furthermore, there were other routes¡ªslower routes, granted, but routes nheless¡ªhe might¡¯ve taken for sufficient power to overthrow King Felipe, to cure his body, to stop the gue. He¡¯d chosen risk of his own volition. And why?


    Well, that was the answer. It was just who Argrave was.


    It disturbed Argrave a little, epting that. He supposed no one would like to realize and confront squarely the fact they have self-destructive tendencies. He found the notion ipatible with another trait he knew he had¡ªgreed. He liked fancy clothes, shy things, good food, and the simple act of gaining something. But in the end, what he¡¯d done wasn¡¯t ipatible with his greed. It was an extension of it.


    Argrave operated under the principle that he had to give a little to get a little. He¡¯d given a great deal, but it had all been because he wanted to get something in return. He wanted to keep Anneliese and all of his family. He wanted to keep all the people of his kingdom, and a few others besides, alive. He wanted so damned much¡ªall he ever did was want. And to get what he wanted, he¡¯d given enough to have near the whole damned world at his disposal by this point.


    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    But that wasn¡¯t enough. Argrave wanted much more than what he had, even now.


    He wanted the Heralds and Traugott done and gone. He wanted the cycle of judgment to end, forevermore. He wanted to make anyone with even the slightest intention of meddling with what was his reduced to ash. He wanted more than a good ending¡ªhe wanted the <em>best </em>ending. Elsewise, from the beginning, he would¡¯ve contented himself with what he knew and never acted in a way that might throw things off.


    If he needed to bleed a little more to make his best endinge true, what¡¯s the damned harm?


    As the words rose to Argrave¡¯s mind, he took a deep breath and let out a sigh tinged with despair. He hoped that he wasn¡¯t on the money. He certainly wasn¡¯t eager to bleed for his cause, but time had proven that he generally needed to. He was just too damned greedy. If he wanted everything, he¡¯d have to give enough to get it.


    Argrave turned his head, where the snake remained and watched him passively. ¡°If I eat two fruits, do I get a new power? I want a reroll,¡± heined.


    ¡°You¡¯ve yet to discover the first,¡± Lindon reminded him.


    ¡°It¡¯d be a blessing if I was wrong. Maybe my power is stand-upedy. I say some jokes, and people¡¯s heads explode.¡± Argrave held his hand up toward the sky, hiding the suns with his fingers.


    ¡°Given how little impact that joke had, it would seem that¡¯s not the case,¡± Lindon poured ice over Argrave¡¯s fire immediately.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t standing,¡± Argrave protested, sitting up. ¡°In hindsight, I should¡¯ve gained an obsession over the passage of time. Or spatial distortions. <em>Those </em>would be prime powers. Man, if I had Raen¡¯s ability¡­¡±


    ¡°If we could choose our obsessions, every mortal man would rise to where you have. I would say you have been blessed sufficiently as it is. What more could you want?¡± He added, ying off Argrave¡¯s thoughts.


    ¡°What more could I want? Everything.¡± Argrave rose to his feet, then started walking over to where Lindon remained waiting passively. ¡°I won¡¯t hurt you, will I? Breaking free, I mean. There¡¯s a lot I want for you to do for me, still.¡±


    Once again, Argrave felt the glow of amusement radiating outward from Lindon. For a serpent, he had a rather strong sense of humor. Perhaps Argrave had inherited his funny bone from this fellow. But then perhaps not; their rtionship was bloodline alone, and Argrave had spent most of his life in another body.


    After the glow faded, Lindon goaded, ¡°Try your damnedest to hurt me, I implore you. I daresay you couldn¡¯t even if you wanted to.¡±


    ¡°Clench your teeth, then. Because I¡¯ll be going home on foot, while you¡¯ll be leaving in an ambnce.¡±


    Argrave held up his hand, then conjured a greatsword of his own blood. He felt the pain despite the mindscape he inhabited. He took the thing firmly in hand and swung it at Lindon. It cleaved through the snake, dissipating it into nothingness.


    ¡°Seems that theory failed,¡± Lindon¡¯s disembodied voice continued to taunt.


    Argrave looked around, then studied the greatsword in his hand. ¡°Nah,¡± he disagreed. ¡°I just wasn¡¯t thinkingrge-scale enough.¡±


    Argrave hefted the weapon on high, craning his whole body¡­ and swinging it in a great arc, he cut the entire world in twain. Like a deluge brought by a god, it tore through the ground and sky with such ease it felt as though he wasn¡¯t swinging at all. He swung it in a great circle, and after, all that remained was darkness.


    And in darkness, Argrave again found light.


    #####


    Argrave, back in Berendar, stopped midstride. His people walked ahead of him, looking back in confusion. Just as the time before, it seemed no more than a moment had passed.


    ¡°Why¡¯d you stop? Are you unwell?¡± Elenore asked in concern, then looked to Anneliese to gauge if there was need to be worried.


    Anneliese only watched Argrave in confusion. He looked between everyone¡ªhis siblings, his queen, Raven¡­ though a lot of his people were missing, he felt it needed to be said.


    ¡°All of you¡­¡± his fingers pointed to them generally. ¡°You¡¯re my people. Mine.¡± He tapped his chest.


    ¡°What are you saying?¡± Elenore walked forward.


    ¡°And I¡¯m keeping you. So I don¡¯t want to hear anyining about what needs to be done to do that. It¡¯s just who I am, and I don¡¯t think I can change that.¡± Argrave looked around, where <em>his </em>city of ckgard stretched, growing more every day. ¡°Those people over there? They¡¯re mine, too. I¡¯m a greedy bastard, but it just so happens I¡¯m also a good person, too. The two aren¡¯t exclusive. I figured all that out.¡±


    Everyone waited for Argrave to continue, questions written on their face.


    ¡°I know how to use my new power,¡± Argrave exined with a sigh. ¡°I know what changed. You can thank Lindon for all of that.¡±


    ¡°What, then?¡± Raven indulged, the least surprised of everyone.


    ¡°My blood magic¡¯s evolved.¡±

 Chapter 609: Leaving Behind Mankind

    Chapter 609: Leaving Behind Mankind


    ¡°Thanks foring, Mnie,¡± Argrave expressed his gratitude. ¡°I know you¡¯ve been taking it a bit easy since that debacle with Traugott.¡±


    The red-haired mercenary-turned-countess stared up at him with her defiant green eyes. ¡°You just haven¡¯t been giving me things to do,¡± Mnie disagreed. ¡°Unless you include fobbing off Dario onto me, having me follow him about as we fortify the cities and the towns. But enough about me¡ªyou wanted me to create a portal, yeah?¡±


    Mnie did so, reappearing somewhere else a great distance away. She hollered at him to inform she was done, but Argrave was already doing something. He conjured a dagger out of his ck blood, clenching his teeth at the pain of the blood magic. Then, he swung it through. It passed by what she¡¯d made like passing through air.


    Yet the portal¡­ like a cloud of fog blown away by a swift breeze, it dissipated into nothing. Argrave exhaled in eager shock, then looked to Anneliese.


    ¡°It vanished,¡± confirmed Anneliese with her [Truesight], crossing her arms with a mix of wonderment and displeasure. She wasn¡¯t fond of Argrave using blood magic, but she couldn¡¯t disguise some awe and curiosity at what it had be.


    ¡°Mnie!¡± Argrave shouted. ¡°Did you feel that? Anything hurt?¡±


    ¡°I felt it, but it didn¡¯t hurt!¡± She yelled as he walked back slowly.


    ¡°Try the blood echoes, now¡± Raven instructed quietly.


    They repeated the experiment without changing any variables besides that, all the way down to the spot Mnie teleported to and from. Argrave cast a spell of the same rank as the dagger he¡¯d summoned from an echo. Unlike before, his blood magic seemed to catch and stick on the portal before overwhelming it.


    ¡°The power is diminished, but still present. You can annihte divine powers with both forms of blood magic.¡± Raven confirmed after the experiment had been repeated. ¡°That¡¯s well in line with what both Anneliese and I can perceive in them. It would seem your hypothesis is correct, and the power is proportional to your personal sacrifice. But at the same time¡­¡±


    ¡°My recovery is so far beyond what it used to be.¡± Argrave clenched his hand.


    Ordinarily after using blood magic, he¡¯d feel some lethargy, especially in the limb that¡¯d cast the spell. It had stille, but it faded in less than a minute.


    Raven grew eyes on the tips of his fingers, and they scrutinized Argrave from all angles while glowing green. ¡°The spirits you once used for magic have be part of you. <em>One </em>with you, even. It¡¯s simr to that disyed by a god, but simultaneously different enough I cannot deem you one. I can sense no new organ for this function; rather, it is as though your soul has be the conduit through which divinity manifests as something physical. So long as the soul exists with spirits inside it, you can reconstitute. Considering your soul is undying¡­¡±


    ¡°Sounds rather like a lich. A holy lich,¡± Argrave marveled.


    ¡°Without its many burdens, nor the imposition of possession by Gerechtigkeit when he descends.¡± Raven withdrew his probing eyes. ¡°I daresay you¡¯re more durable than I am, by a small margin. Should you take in yet more spirits, that margin will be an insurmountable chasm. But enough talk¡ªlet us see the magnitude of your improvement elsewhere. Cut this.¡±


    Raven conjured an S-rank ward, the mana ripple visible for only half a second before a golden shield appeared to ward him. Argrave again conjured a dagger, then swung it. It was F-rank¡ªhe wasn¡¯t expecting much. Yet to his surprise, it pierced and sunk in slightly. Argrave could feel the thing bubbling in his hands, and though he wished to drop it, he continued on. The dagger burnt itself away, and when it ceased, he¡¯d nearly pierced the entire ward.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°It nearly broke through. Impressive. I have a theory, however.¡± Raven waved his hand, and the ward vanished. ¡°Prepare a weapon of higher-rank.¡±


    Argrave conjured a C-rank [Putrid Paramerion], taking hold of the curved de it conjured. Already his pain faded in wake of his healing.


    Raven raised his hand slowly, then conjured an ice ball about the size of a bowling ball. ¡°Cut this,¡± he demanded.


    Argrave had been prepared to walk forth and cut it, but it projected forth with intense speed. Argrave swung the weightless de quickly, expecting to meet resistance. He felt it only briefly before the ice ballbusted into dark red embers and vanished into nothingness.


    ¡°It eats through magic,¡± Raven exined, his sharp teeth appearing in a grin. Argrave had never seen him smile before, and so he stared in shock. The huge man took a step forward and nted his foot down. ¡°That whip-like spell you¡¯re fond of¡ª [Nine-Tailed Bloodbriar]. Use it against whates next.¡±


    Argrave brought the spell to the tip of his mind, expecting to be met with a small snowstorm or a wave of ice shards. Instead, Raven brought his hand back, and a mana-ripple spread out. A pir of fire erupted like a raging volcano, and Argrave cast the spell by preparation and instinct both. His wrist and much of his arm exploded with blood, and the B-ranked spell cracked outward to meet the S-ranked spell. Instead of its briars withering before the superior strength and coverage of the inferno, the fire died as easily as a candle me in harsh winds.


    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any urrences.


    ¡°Argrave.¡± Raven walked forth as the fire died. The scorch marks left by his spell were vastly overshadowed by the gigantic w marks in the earth from Argrave¡¯s whips. ¡°You may well have be the strongest spellcaster in the world with this. I do not believe I could best you in a straightforward fight, anymore. And I believe we merely scratch the surface of your ability¡¯s true potential.¡±


    Argrave clenched his wounded arm. A B-rank spell had stung a hell of a lot, but it had put an S-rank spell in its ce with what appeared to be rtive ease. Even as he watched, the cracks in his skin born of blood magic sealed, leaving behind only small lines of coagted ck blood that had spilled from the wounds before they closed.


    ¡°Three of those fruits remain,¡± Raven said. ¡°Having seen firsthand what they can do, I can now agree with the assessment posed by others; they possess unfathomable power and potential. If it might bring about such a change in you, I daresay there is little we could not use it for.¡±


    Argrave stared up at Raven for a few moments, then turned to look at his family.


    ¡°By rights¡­ what remains of them is yours,¡± Argrave told Elenore and Orion. ¡°We earned them together.¡±


    ¡°I renounce my im, and render it unto you,¡± Orion told Argrave without a moment¡¯s hesitation.


    ¡°The math is strange, anyhow. Each of us own one and one-third of a fruit. Best to just to give it to one person. Who better than the king?¡± Elenore crossed her arms. ¡°Doesn¡¯t make sense for me to eat it or hold onto it. I¡¯m not abatant. Never have been.¡±


    Now that he knew what each Fruit of Being could offer, rather than eager to use them, he was more hesitant than ever. Raven said yet more powers remained unexplored, but even with what Argrave already discovered, it felt a little difficult to wrap his head around the extremity of the gift. The fact the supply was limited, however, meant it was not something they could give so liberally. With only three, given howrge his circle had grown, someone would be left behind.


    The meaning of the word ¡®immortal¡¯ set in, without a solely positive connotation any longer.


    ¡°The man just found out he¡¯s one of the strongest people in the world, and he looks like he¡¯s going to cry,¡± Mnie jested to Elenore. ¡°Damn baby.¡±


    Argrave was somewhat pulled away from the solemn edge he found himself standing on, and managed a half-hearted chuckle.


    ¡°All I know is this; we need a new tax. A spirit tax, for every spellcaster with knowledge enough to have them,¡± Elenore dered. ¡°Maybe there¡¯s still time enough yet to join in on the raid of Kirel Qircassia. Or maybe I can find some reason to have you execute one of our new junior partners in the ckgard Union.¡±


    ¡°Let us plumb the depths of your abilities.¡± Raven put his hand on Argrave¡¯s shoulder. ¡°What would you say to allowing me to totally eviscerate your body, to test the limits and speed of your regeneration?¡±


    Argrave looked in horror¡­ and Raven actuallyughed. It sounded more like ¡®infernal demon taunting his victims¡¯ than ¡®friend making a jest,¡¯ but it proved one thing. Raven had gained as much as he said he had. He was alive again.


    #####


    The minds of Gilderwatchers were vast things, capable of concentrating on enough at the same time that most human minds would break under the workload of their kind. But now, Vasquer¡¯s own brain was stretched to its limits as she saw a huge silver serpent slither over the mountains, approaching her. The reason? Memories that she had lost, returning all at once. Her family. Not the one falsely imnted by consequence of her leaving them, but her <em>true </em>family¡ªthe Gilderwatchers, the Melding, and the one before her¡­ Lindon.


    She thought to reach out to Elenore and inform of this guest, but Lindon¡¯s voice entered her mind.


    ¡°Let theme to you in their own time. They have much to contend with, at present, and I would like to speak to you before they arrive. Besides, I¡¯m not truly here. I¡¯m not truly anywhere.¡±


    Vasquer¡¯s mindbed her old memories, unearthing something she¡¯d long ago been forced to forget as her price foring to the surface. Lindon did not have a physical form. Instead, he existed in every Gilderwatcher as a wee, rtively unintrusive guest. He was them, and they were him. In ages past, their enemies had not genocided the Gilderwatchers due to their association with Lindon. They hunted him alone¡ªbut he could only die if every single Gilderwatcher died.


    Now, he visited with Vasquer. If Argrave or another witnessed her, they would see her eyes had gone silver.


    ¡°You were missed at the Melding this millennium. Unfortunately, Argrave did not seek me out quickly enough to reinvolve you before it urred. Still, he has opened the link for my rtive freedom. Hence, I came here.¡±


    Vasquer felt his regret along with his words, and questioned why he spoke in mortal tongue when both might see and feel each other¡¯s minds without restraint or obfuscation.


    ¡°My mind could overwhelm even you,¡± Lindon said, without arrogance. ¡°And besides, it¡¯s not a mortal tongue. You have forgotten much. By treaty, we maintain a universalnguage. But ask me no more questions, please¡ªI assure you that these memories will return in time.¡±


    Vasquer contented herself, feeling happiness surge within at the visit of her distant ancestor. She sent forth queries about her descendant¡¯s wellbeing after their meeting. Argrave, Elenore, Orion¡ªthey were precious existences to her.


    ¡°I helped them obtain something, and I intend to help them further yet. But despite my help, there are matters I believe I cannot broach easily. They are attached to you more than they are me, and so I would ask favors of you.¡±


    Vasquer felt suspicion and protectiveness rise up unbidden¡ªthough she respected Lindon, she loved her children. She did not wish to be the cudgel in a scheme, if that was what he intended.


    ¡°An admirable quality of yours. I do not ask you conceal my name, only deliver my words and feelings in a manner you believe they would respond best to. All of them¡ªArgrave most of all¡ªhave deep affection, even love, for this young girl Sophia. Hence, this will be a difficult subject.¡±

 Chapter 610: Ward and Charge

    Chapter 610: Ward and Charge


    Argrave reached out to touch Vasquer alongside Elenore and Orion, expecting to feel what she usually offered as greeting¡ªa matriarchal love, far unlike anything else in its intensity. They hade here alone to deliver a brief message and have a slightly longer reunion chat, then return to check on the parliament. But instead of unending love, gray solemnity welled up into Argrave¡¯s being. He suspected his siblings received the same thing, for he felt their puzzlement with Vasquer as their nexus.


    Before he could offer any of his own thoughts or memories, Vasquer gave one of her own. Lindon¡¯s visit. He found himself made superfluous as a messenger, and heard some fantastical details about this treaty of ages past¡ªlike the fact Lindon had no physical form, or that the Gilderwatchers were what maintained a universalnguage so that all mightmunicate with ease. This knowledge was extremely frightening to him¡ªit meant that the Gilderwatchers quite literally influenced the minds of anyone and everyone, eliminating the development of separate dialects or independentnguages.


    Argrave expressed he felt useless as a messenger. Then, instead of bringing a message, Vasquer conveyed one to them.


    Memories yed at the corners of Argrave¡¯s mind, tinged with Vasquer¡¯s caution. She asked for his earnest attention, and requested he make no rash decisions. She bridged Elenore¡¯s and Orion¡¯s psyche to his own, and they both gave encouragement to ept this vow. Argrave did. Then, with the eagerness of a stump, Vasquer allowed these memories to permeate Argrave¡¯s being.


    Argrave saw the sky, but it wasn¡¯t blue with white clouds¡ªinstead, the colors had inverted. The white clouds had turned into mounds of ck smoke, hissing and sparking with golden lightning, while the blue of the sky had taken on an eerie dark orange. The red moon had covered the suns in a total eclipse. It was familiar to Argrave both from his experience with Heroes of Berendar and from Erlebnis¡¯ vast databanks. This was the sky on Gerechtigkeit¡¯s advent, when his physical form was ravaging the world.


    Argrave saw a putrid living miasma of maleficent darkness covering thendscape, and from it, golden bugeyes on stalks glistened like oil beads atop ever-grasping maws embodying hunger and thirst. It was Gerechtigkeit. Despite the cmity¡¯s awful presence, the bearer of this memory held the gaze of those eyes, then tried to <em>break inside them, </em>psychically projecting their mind forth.


    The projected mental being pierced through those eyes, travelling along the nerves to reach the mind and soul. Within, Argrave felt the most malignant rage imaginable. Even though it was just a memory, he felt his whole body strain beneath the weight of the hostility. It was a storm of a thousand daggers, stabbing at his joints with the simplest abstraction of destruction.


    Argrave almost wanted to pull his hand away from Vasquer to escape this scene, but held on vigorously as the bearer of this memory continued deeper into this storm of oblivion. It pressed and pressed, wading through a sandstorm in the harshest, most inhospitable desert imaginable. And past all of the rage, past the mindless being, the thoughts of the orchestrator bore themselves. The genesis of this pain.


    Memories, attachments, knowledge, a <em>life; </em>they entered into sight, like brilliant gold that had sunken deep in the ocean of blood all about them. This core existence was fragmented, broken, repressed, and oppressed, but it was still the lodestone, thepass, by which this storm of malignance directed its terrible engine. The memories did not say much. They were too brief to represent a full life, but they said enough Argrave knew.


    Gerechtigkeit was Griffin. He was Sophia¡¯s brother.


    The moment Argrave made the connection, the bearer of this memory was forcefully seized by a hideous, wretched w of consciousness. The memory-bearer wriggled, struggled, and attempted to free, and finally broke away out of the glistening golden eyes. But it had been a trap. Gerechtigkeit followed the probing mind back to its body.


    Gerechtigkeit¡¯s malignant energy infused the psychic attacker, and Argrave felt unimaginable pain. The death was only a second, yet Gerechtigkeit used sheer strength of mind and force of grudge to stretch the deed into an eternity. The original body of Lindon died for a million years before violently exploding along the whole length of his miles-long body.


    The unusual manner of his death and his unique talent among Gilderwatchers to project his mind into another meant that Lindon lived, yet he was consigned to exist without a physical form. Despite this terrible fate, he was not abandoned in the world. Relying on the generosity of his kin to share their minds, he persisted, helping and strengthening them as best he could in the eternal struggle against mortals, gods, and Gerechtigkeit. In time, he became the god of minds, dreams, and consciousness.


    Argrave pulled his hand away from Vasquer. He could tell the memory had been muffled for his sake, yet the sheer experience had sent his whole body into a terror, sweating copiously and tremoring. Lindon had died there, yet the way he¡¯d done so created a wholly unique existence in the world. Nevertheless, he had died. And Argrave had felt it.


    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    When he opened his eyes, his sensesing back to him, Elenore and Orion both had reeled away as he had. His sister leaned against Vasquer, while Orionid on the floor looking at the heavens. Argrave sat on the mountain rocks, taking some time to gather himself. His thoughts finally came back to him.


    Argrave had long harbored suspicions about Gerechtigkeit¡¯s identity. Between what he¡¯d seen in Sandbara and what he knew about Sophia¡¯s ability, there was plenty to stoke that hidden and uncertain me. He hadn¡¯t expected to receive confirmation before judgment day, when they would take it upon themselves to try and end this cycle.


    But he had learned. Griffin was not the raw material the Heralds had used to create Gerechtigkeit, nor an unwitting manifestation of his power while he slumbered somewhere, trapped, as his sister had been. Since the very first cycle of judgment to this one soon toe, it had been Griffin alone driving the beast. That young boy was the direction behind that terrible power. He returned here eternally for one reason alone¡ªSophia.


    The reason why Gerechtigkeit descended on Berendar wasn¡¯t random chance. He came down near the closest entry to Sandbara, which was ever-moving in its location buried dozens of miles beneath the surface of the earth. Sophia was both his anchor and his impetus. She was his freedom and his tether. Both of them were bound by the Heralds, somehow, in service of their objectives. Griffin knew that as fact, but not the how nor why of it.


    Argrave rose to his feet, and Elenore and Orion looked up at him from their stupor.


    ¡°He¡¯s given us the context. Mind pration, then noodle explosion.¡± Argrave said to them. ¡°Now that we¡¯re all stirred, he¡¯s going to ask something of us.¡±


    As Orion sat up, Elenore simply said, ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°Why the hell should I even listen?¡± Argrave asked. ¡°Why the hell do I even want to know? What in hell is so important he gives the message to Vasquer to soften our response?¡±


    ¡°Anger won¡¯t serve you,¡± Elenore reminded him.


    Argrave tapped his foot against the ground, heeding her words and getting himself back under control. With heavy steps, he walked back to Vasquer. He ced his hand on her scales once again, a cynical air about him for what came next. All of this led back to Sophia at root.


    When next he touched Vasquer, as expected, he saw Sophia. A young girl, eight years of age, in a green dress like Elenore favored. She had straight ck hair and red eyes. Then the scene shifted away into something Argrave was familiar with. The volcano of Vysenn. Argrave saw his own mindid bare, twice. Once when entering, once when exiting. Lindon offered incontrovertible proof that Sophia had changed him, and not insignificantly.


    Now that fact was established, Vasquer showed him Lindon¡¯s message. Two pathsy before them¡ªtwo branches, two universes of possibility. The first, Argrave travelled. epting Sophia as his family, guiding her abilities with a cautious hand, anding to the confrontation against Gerechtigkeit armed with the knowledge the ancient cmity was her brother. The ending to it all was hazy, uncertain. They did not know if they could master her power, nor if Sophia would be up to the task.


    Argrave felt fear and anger both for what path came next. All this talk of anchors, of how she¡¯d changed him¡­ he knew where it led. He¡¯d heard it before. It hade from the Alchemist.


    But things defied his expectations.


    The alternate path did not end in Sophia¡¯s death. Argrave instead saw himself, carrying Sophia as she slept. Lindon awaited, looming proud with his body that had ceased to be. Argrave awoke Sophia, setting her down and pointing upward to the great snake. She expressed fear, at first, but with Argrave¡¯s urging went to greet Lindon.


    After meeting, greeting, and speaking, Lindon and Sophia left together. Argrave did not follow. All his memories of her, both false and genuine, left with them. The silver serpent carried her down that long road atop its head, and together, they greeted the Gilderwatchers. She entered into their great writhing whirlpool of harmony and being, epting their influence, their philosophy, their <em>guidance. </em>They showed the child as gently as could be done the millennia she had missed trapped in Sandbara.


    At some point, Sophia joined into that great harmony. Weed as one of them, when the advent of judgment came, the Gilderwatchers rose as a single entity. There was certainty in their actions, their convictions, as they heralded Sophia. They stood against Gerechtigkeit having fully explored and mastered her power of creation. They executed it wlessly in aid of an ending to the cycle of judgment, leaving the final blow to Argrave.


    The battle against it grew hazy¡­ but when it ended, all the Gilderwatchers surrounded Sophia. The world was peaceful, and Sophia its savior. Lindon craned forward out of them, and took away all of the terrible memories she had endured. Good King Norman disappeared totally and utterly, and Sophia regained the normal childhood she deserved.


    Then, they shepherded Sophia outward. Argrave and Anneliese awaited her.


    ¡°Mommy!¡± Sophia greeted, running forth. ¡°Daddy!¡±


    And the two of them knelt, receiving Sophia with smiles on their face. They were family. In their minds, they always had been. Or perhaps they had adopted Sophia, as they truly had. However Argrave and Anneliese wished it to be, it could be. She could live normally, as their biological daughter. She could live with the knowledge she had been part of the battle against the cycle of judgment.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    With the power of creation, the world could be shaped as they wished. All that Lindon requested was to take Sophia as his ward. He wished Argrave to ce her under the care of the Gilderwatchers.

 Chapter 611: Voice and Tone

    Chapter 611: Voice and Tone


    After Lindon dered that he wanted to take guardianship of Sophia, Argrave asked the first question that came to mind. Life wasn¡¯t one or the other¡ªit was a gradient.


    ¡°Why not both?¡±


    Vasquer projected only uncertainty, as the messages she bore could not answer such questions. It faded as something welled up from within her being, and Argrave felt something dormante to bear. Lindon, who had been waiting and watching, spoke in appreciably non-mental terms.


    ¡°The dictates of the treaty make such a thing impossible.¡±


    Argrave realized in hindsight that the question might¡¯ve been foolish, but tugging on the corner of this shared space within Vasquer¡¯s mindscape, he felt Orion¡¯s confusion and hesitance. In ages past he might¡¯ve thought Orion simply didn¡¯t understand something, but he knew better now. His brother¡¯s hesitance made him gain some of his own¡ªhesitance quickly mirrored by Elenore.


    Argrave was going to ask what Lindon wanted with Sophia, but Elenore¡¯s voice cut through the din.


    ¡°Why were you able to contact Vasquer now where you couldn¡¯t before? That, too, was dictated by the treaty, no?¡±


    Argrave¡¯s own question caught in his tongue¡ªor mind, as it were. Hers was a good question that everyone, including even Vasquer, came to mirror. Argrave could hear Elenore¡¯s voice bouncing around without end as all reflected the inquiry with their own minds.


    ¡°Because the circumstances of the treaty allowed me to,¡± Lindon answered.¡°I think it¡¯s well past time that you show us the damned treaty, then,¡± Argrave said with augh. ¡°You keep mentioning it, and then defying what you¡¯ve established.¡±


    ¡°I cannot show it, for reasons you can doubtless guess: the treaty itself.¡± Quietude reigned for a few seconds before Lindon appealed briefly, ¡°You know my nature. I have given to you without end. This will not be an exception.¡±


    Orion¡¯s confusion deepened into suspicion. Argrave felt that something was off, too. Lindon was ordinarily anything but brief. He might be called wordy, even verbose. He almost seemed desperate, right now. Argrave assumed there was an ulterior motive. From his worldly experience, such a thing made sense. Lindon had given a lot, but at some point, favors would need to be reciprocated, even for giant bodyless snakes. Sophia was someone who could do nearly anything. He didn¡¯t particrly like treating her as a bargaining chip, even after what he¡¯d learned, but the situation demanded it.


    Perhaps Lindon wished for a new body, free of the symbiosis with his fellow Gilderwatchers. If it was just that, Argrave didn¡¯t see something too wrong with it. It wasn¡¯t all that different from her healing the disabled, as far as he was concerned. Still, Argrave needed more information before he could give the idea genuine consideration. And above all, Sophia¡¯s opinion still mattered. No eight-year-old would be thrilled to go on a vacation to Snakeville.


    ¡°I¡¯m positive the treaty won¡¯t keep you from telling us what you want Sophia for,¡± Argrave continued. ¡°I don¡¯t care who they are, no one could¡¯ve predicted an eight-year-old could hold the keys to the universe.¡±


    ¡°I wish only to safeguard her and this world¡¯s future.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t buy it,¡± Argrave disagreed. ¡°There has to be some way topromise, here. I¡¯m not too fond of meddling with the mind too much, even if you im it¡¯s already been done to me without my knowledge. Sophia is fine as she is. If we can y around the treaty¡ªperhaps have Sophia visit you as we did, or something of that sort¡ªthen we could do it. Unless, of course, there¡¯s something more you intend to do with her that you¡¯re keeping from us. Something you think we might not approve of.¡±


    There was silence for a long few seconds, and Argrave felt that he was catching onto something.


    ¡°I intend to remove the treaty.¡±


    Argrave was taken aback. Everything that he¡¯d experienced while travelling through the Tree of Being with his siblings told him that wasn¡¯t amon sentiment, or even a sentiment at all, among the Gilderwatchers. They had their presence of mind, the ability tomunicate with one another, and that was all they needed. Argrave got the impression most had little desire to interfere with the trivialities of the surface world. Argrave supposed that Lindon was different. It would make sense, right? Without a body, his existence was the mind alone. In a word, dull.


    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    But along that train of thought, Argrave caught a snag. If the Gilderwatchers, by nature, didn¡¯t care to interfere with the mind much, how could they have drawn the notice of the wider world? How could they have provoked a genocide against them? It must¡¯ve been Lindon. That was concerning. But then¡­ by his power¡¯s nature, it had quite the subtle touch. And Lindon himself seemed to outwardly share his people¡¯s value.


    ¡°Why remove it?¡± Elenore asked.


    ¡°Any would chafe with their freedom restricted,¡± Lindon argued.


    Vasquer interjected with her own thoughts¡ªmemories of Lindon, who, despite being vastly more subdued than any other Gilderwatcher, never raged or spoke of rebellion against the hand that fate had dealt them. Though tricksome and troublesome, he was always warm and kind. He had discouraged Vasquer from seeking out the surface, even. Her testimony was fuel for further suspicion.


    ¡°Is it so much to ask for a little bit of earnestness? You¡¯ve seen me¡ªgreedy as can be. Even if you¡¯ve got some strange wants, A), given Vasquer had children with a human, you can¡¯t be the weirdest Gilderwatcher. And B), you¡¯re right on one point: you¡¯ve given without an end. We can, at the least, hear you out with an open and possibly forgetful mind so long as you¡¯re honest.¡±


    The silence was deafening. Argrave was ready to speak again before Lindon¡¯s voice came back, dark and dreary. ¡°This was never going to work.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Argrave was taken aback.


    ¡°We will leave this ce, together. If you wish to help Sophia, give in.¡±


    Argrave ced what was wrong. It was Lindon¡¯s voice¡­ but not his tone.


    Darkness surged out at Argrave¡¯s mind, seeking it out with fury, rage, and destruction manifest. It was just as it had been in the brief memory that Argrave saw, where Lindon¡¯s body perished after probing that which he should not. The memory of the attack did little to prepare for the reality of it. As it came closer, Argrave¡¯s body ceased to function. When it was almost upon him, he felt nothing other than certainty it was all over.


    A wave of protective gold swarmed into the path of this darkness, and Argrave felt a fury that was barely able to match what approached. This second power was not born of malignance, however¡ªit was born of love. It was the rage of a mother who had seen her precious child enter into harm¡¯s way, and carried with it a ferocity that enabled action far beyond what it should¡¯ve ever been capable of. With that shielding him, Argrave gathered strength enough to rip his hand away.


    Argrave copsed backward onto the stony mountain rock, covered in sweat and worse. He saw Elenore and Orion spasming, their hands grasped onto Vasquer, and rushed to move them. Seconds before touching them, Argrave stopped with his thoughts ring warning signals. He conjured a rod of ice as quickly as he could, then used it to pry and throw them both back without touching them. Had he touched them, it might link him back to the madness.


    With his siblings free, Argrave stepped in front of them and gazed at Vasquer. ¡°<em>Contact Raven, Anneliese, everyone!</em>¡± he told Elenore, even though he couldn¡¯t be sure she could hear him. He, himself, was trembling terribly. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Elenore likely didn¡¯t need to send a message, though. The entire mountaintop rumbled as Vasquer¡¯s body, stretched out along the whole of the ckgard mountain range, spasmed and thrashed. Argrave could <em>feel </em>something emanating out of her. It inspired a primal terror that Argrave wrongly thought he had conquered. Her feathered mane bristled wildly, and her head thrashed about with the jaw unhinged wide in what looked like a silent scream. Her eyes rolled into the back of her head.


    ¡°<em>What¡¯s happening?!</em>¡± shouted Orion. ¡°What can we do?¡±


    Argrave could think of only one thing, and stepped forth, dering, ¡°In this domain, my allies have strengthened mental ability.¡±


    The domain epassed some Vasquer, and the tremoring quieted briefly. Then, Vasquer¡¯s eyes shot open, their golden brilliance flecked with a dark red. Argrave thought it was over, yet half a momentter her gigantic body craned backward, far away from them. Blood flowed from her eyes like tears of pain, raining everywhere.


    Argrave¡¯s heart tore in two from the sight, and his brain moved at a thousand miles a second as he thought of what more could be done to help her. But before that power, he¡¯d already been proven totally inadequate. He considered searching out the Fruit of Being, using that. They had been left them in a safe, distant location. Argrave weighed the possibility of teleporting there to retrieve them, nning out the fastest path.


    When he resolved to leave, Vasquer¡¯s movements changed. Argrave watched in horror as her head contorted backwards. Her fangs pierced into her own serpentine body, drawing blood. Seeing such a desperate unhinged action, Argrave intended to retrieve a Fruit of Being and bring it back for some hope of saving her life. He grasped at spirits for the shamanic magic to teleport¡­ yet felt nothing. It was like ice water poured upon his me of his resistance when he remembered why. He had changed; spirits were not as they were, anymore. If there was another way, he could not figure it out quick enough to matter.


    ¡°Elenore, I need¡­!¡± Argrave began, but then Vasquer¡¯s body grew tighter and tighter until it seemed as taut as a string.


    The great feathered serpent¡¯s jaw ckened,ing free of her own flesh. Her spasms ceased, and she fell to the ground. The impact of bone and flesh against stone was loud, and sickened Argrave to hear. That terror-inducing energy began to lessen, but Argrave couldn¡¯t tell if that was a good thing or an ill omen of Vasquer¡¯s fate. At first, Argrave feared to approach. As the seconds passed, concern won the debate roaring in his mind.


    He approached, intending to learn what Gerechtigkeit had done¡­ and if it was toote.

 Chapter 612: No Luxuries

    Chapter 612: No Luxuries


    Argrave¡¯s hand hovered just near Vasquer¡¯s scales, and his eyes scanned her body. He looked at her eyes, but they were still and unblinking. He looked at her wounds, and already, the blooding from them was beginning to wane in volume. He heard noise from behind, and then felt a huge arm at his shoulder.


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch the body,¡± Raven instructed him. ¡°Not until all that power dissipates.¡±


    The body. The word rang in Argrave¡¯s head, again and again, no matter how much he wished to dismiss it. Dead? Vasquer was dead? Seconds ago, they had been consulting her, basking in her warmth, delivering joyous news of a family long ago lost to her that was now soon to be returned. She was supposed to be weed back among her ancestors, just as Argrave and his siblings had been weed by her. Now, her once-proud mane of feathers moved only because of the mountain winds, stained by her own blood.


    The whole world had been turned over. Had that been Lindon? Had he always been an agent of Gerechtigkeit, or had he been corrupted, somehow? Or was it merely an impersonation? How much of what Argrave experienced in the preceding events had been genuine, and how much had been total fabrication? If it had been since the beginning, it made no sense for the deity to offer them so much help. Mere minutes ago, Lindon had helped Argrave master the abilities granted by the Fruit of Being. Argrave could make no sense of it.


    Regardless, because of his negligence, Vasquer had died.


    Another hand grabbed him from behind¡ªa more familiar, consoling touch. ¡°Argrave,¡± Anneliese spoke in hushed tones. ¡°This may not be the end of things. Without Vasquer¡¯s presence of mind, it will be more difficult for us to detect covert approaches, as from the underground and elsewhere. Onychinusa¡¯s barriers still persist, preventing teleportation, but you know as well as I that isn¡¯t the end of our vulnerabilities.¡±


    For a moment Argrave felt a terrible weighting from his own mind that was near too heavy to make him straighten his back. But the reminder of the root of all this¡ªSophia¡ªhelped him rise,partmentalizing the grief in a small box to be let out at another time. He wiped away and pped his face, then turned back with a fierce mien. He was not granted the luxury of grief.


    ¡°First priority is securing Sophia,¡± Argrave said, voice hoarse yet strong. ¡°Anneliese¡ªI need you to teleport me there. I can¡¯t use spirits as I once did.¡± He looked at Elenore, who seemed to still be in something of a state of shock. Despite her nature, she wasn¡¯t as used to squarely confronting death. He kneeled down.


    ¡°Elenore,¡± Argrave said quietly. He put his hand on her, and she finally turned her gray eyes toward him. ¡°Elenore. Are you alright? Are you fit to move? You¡¯re needed.¡±With her body trembling terribly, she tried to stand, then nearly copsed before Argrave stopped her.


    ¡°Stay sitting,¡± he ordered her, and she nodded as he let her down. ¡°You¡¯ll join Sophia soon enough¡ªsomeone will teleport you there. I need you to contact everyone we trust. Everyone needs toe to ckgard prepared for a fight. We have to assume the worst¡ªthat this is a beginning to something muchrger.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Elenore managed, her voice regaining some of its vigor and her trembling fading with a clear objective before her. ¡°I¡¯ll assess the situation, as well.¡±


    Argrave nodded and stood up, looking to Orion. He saw his brother staring at Vasquer. He was shaking, too¡­ but certainly not from fear. Veins on his forehead and neck bulged, and his hands were clenched into fists tight enough his gauntlets creaked in protest. There was a dim crackle in the air about him as the blessings within manifested unbidden. He bore a silent fury with an intensity Argrave had never seen from him before.


    ¡°Orion,¡± he called out. ¡°We¡¯ll find them. Be ready for that, but only act when that timees.¡±


    Orion¡¯s fist slowly ckened, though his anger did not fade in the slightest.


    Raven walked ahead of Argrave. ¡°I¡¯ve collected a sample. I can temporarily fill the role of watching the underground using earth magic, but my method will have a degree less efficiency than she did.¡±


    Argrave nodded at him. ¡°I think I¡¯ll look in the wiki, too. Learn that spell myself. For now, let¡¯s get moving.¡±


    As Argrave prepared to teleport with Anneliese, his mind busied itself wondering if his newfound abilities had a way to use shamanic magic without the typical mechanisms all other casters used. That distraction inevitably faded, and his mind wandered back to the incident. Lindon¡­ what the hell was this? It felt like luck had finally found them, but its sweet taste turned to sand in the mouth in mere moments.


    Something told Argrave that the matter with the Gilderwatchers ran far deeper than Argrave knew. There had to be some reason why Gerechtigkeit, or Lindon, or <em>whatever </em>that had been used Vasquer as the medium of attack. Argrave had been totally caught off guard by this, lured by a sense of momentum into overlooking pivotal details. Gerechtigkeit was never <em>this </em>overt before his arrival. Perhaps it was an omen of his strengthened ability, as the Heralds had promised woulde.


    The mind. It was a terrifying thing to meddle with. What did it matter if Argrave had unified the world, if their minds might be changed overnight? Measures needed to be taken¡ªquickly. The one who might be able to help them the most on this matter waspromised, possibly even outright malevolent.


    The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    #####


    Contrary to Argrave¡¯s expectations, Sophia was not under siege. Her appointed guard, the Magister of the Gray Owl, Vasilisa, reported nothing out of the ordinary. She slept, peacefully. A great deal of Argrave¡¯s force came to bear in light of Elenore¡¯s rapid and frantic assessment of the situation. In less than thirty minutes, countless powerful people had arrived, and the whole continent was on high alert.


    For a moment, Argrave felt as though the incident hade and gone as if it was a mirage. But eventually, ominous stirrings came to light.


    ¡°I searched the underground city, somewhat, with earth magic and my own sight,¡± Raven ryed to Argrave and Anneliese as they stood outside of Sophia¡¯s chambers. The man was in his ¡®Doctor Raven¡¯ form, as he was about to give Sophia an examination to see if anything was wrong with her. ¡°I noticed something extremely strange. The ground¡­ all of it was rumbling, trembling. It wasn¡¯t enough to consider it an earthquake or other event of simr magnitude. But something beneath the ground is stirring.¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°Maybe I should go and see it myself, cross-reference it with the things in my head.¡±


    ¡°I did one better.¡± Raven shook his head. ¡°I contacted the dwarves. Things have been progressing quietly with them, but they still have been progressing. I was able to inquire if their machinery had detected anything, or if they¡¯d simr anomalous reports.¡±


    ¡°Diplomacy. From you.¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°They concurred.¡± Raven looked around. ¡°It¡¯s strongest near here, beneath ckgard, but around the world, something huge is stirring underground. Things are in motion.¡±


    ¡°The Gilderwatchers, maybe,¡± Anneliese posited seriously. ¡°I believe you said they live underground,rgely.¡±


    ¡°I cannot say with certainty it¡¯s them.¡± Raven looked to the door. ¡°Enough spection. Let us see the girl.¡±


    With a nod, Argrave made for the door. Vasilisa gave him a polite nod as he neared, then stepped out of the way of the entrance. Gently, he pushed into her room while trying to keep the hinges silent. They creaked slightly, and a crack of light illuminated Sophia¡¯s face. Her eyes opened, then fell upon the three of them.


    ¡°¡­Argrave?¡± she muttered sleepily, sitting up and pulling her nket with her in light of the chill.


    ¡°Did we wake you?¡± Argrave entered, abandoning the n. ¡°We just wanted to check up on you.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± she asked innocently.


    Argrave stared at her without an answer, his mind somewhat scrambled after the events of today. Apparently, this girl had changed his mind, somehow. But could that information be trusted, after what happened? Was it another machination of Erlebnis? He could believe none of what he heard, and half of what he¡¯d seen.


    ¡°Has anything strange happened to you?¡± Anneliese kneeled down.


    ¡°Umm¡­¡± Sophia rubbed her eyes to dispel her fatigue.


    ¡°What happened to you today? Recently? Say anything, no matter how trivial,¡± Argrave encouraged her, looking between Raven and Anneliese before he also knelt. ¡°It¡¯s of the utmost importance.¡±


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Sophia thought hard, gradually waking. ¡°Yesterday, I woke up, then Auntie Vass took me to the ce so I could see the people. I dunno where it was. We teleported. I helped a man without a leg get it back. He was asleep. And then, I¡­¡±


    Sophia carried on, describing her day in minute detail while Anneliese and Raven scrutinized her for anything off. Her day seemed typical for Sophia¡¯s admittedly atypical lifestyle, and Vasilisa said that it matched with what she remembered. Argrave was frustrated that he could find nothing, until Sophia started recounting something that struck hard.


    ¡°I guess¡­ I guess I don¡¯t have nightmares, anymore,¡± Sophia said.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°Nightmares?¡± Argrave repeated.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t had them in a while.¡± She shook her head, clutching her nket. ¡°I see¡­ I used to see Norman, a lot. He would¡­¡± she trailed off, muttering. Argrave wouldn¡¯t dare ask her to repeat it. ¡°But now¡­ hardly ever.¡±


    Argrave was d of it, but he wished that he¡¯d known about this earlier. Anneliese probed, ¡°Why do you guess? Do you still have unpleasant dreams?¡±


    ¡°I still see Norman. But he¡¯s a little different. And he doesn¡¯t¡­ he never does the things, anymore. And he talks different,¡± Sophia said, gaze distant.


    ¡°What does he say?¡± Argrave pressed.


    Sophia clenched the nket tighter. ¡°He wants me to leave this ce.¡± She shook her head. ¡°But I don¡¯t want to go. So he goes.¡±


    Argrave heard her, and his grip tightened. A man that looked like Norman, but different. A man that wanted her to leave.


    #####


    Argrave sat on a rock outside Sophia¡¯s room. Many months before Gerechtigkeit was meant to descend, the cmity was already ying a heavy hand in the world¡¯s affair. Argrave had half-dismissed the notion that Gerechtigkeit was Griffin. Now, however, with the dreams that Sophia had been having¡­


    He¡¯d felt all-powerful not too long ago. Upgraded, enhanced blood magic. A match for divinity. Now, he was scared it would all crumble around him. Ironically enough, he¡¯d be adept at fighting, strategizing, warring. Now, it was affairs of the mind that outyed him all around. That attack was an assassination attempt, without a doubt. And they desperately needed a defense.


    ¡°Before you attack, listen.¡±


    Lindon¡¯s voice made the hairs on the back of Argrave¡¯s neck stand up, and he conjured a de of blood magic at once, preparing to cut away the intruder.


    ¡°If not you, I could converse with Elenore or Orion,¡± Lindon said quickly. ¡°Instead, I came to you. I understand your rage and sorrow, but refrain from ying into his designs, I beg of you. Just listen.¡±

 Chapter 613: Psychic

    Chapter 613: Psychic


    Argrave felt like he had a parasite in his body, and though he longed to move to cut it out, he saw the sense in what was said. If this was an attack, it likely wouldn¡¯t have started with words. He would listen¡ªlisten distrustfully, listen with total suspicion, but listen all the same.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Lindon said, relief voring his tone. If this was an act, Argrave already thought it was a better one. ¡°I shall say it bluntly; whatever you spoke to was not me. I was recovering from the daze you inflicted by banishing me from your mind. Vasquer¡¯s death wounds me as much as it does you. Two millennia old¡­ she was a fucking kid. And that animal, I can¡¯t even say his name¡ªhe killed her.¡± Silence reigned¡ªLindon¡¯s grief, or a travesty of it.


    ¡°Nothing can make it right. I¡¯m going to tell you what I conjecture, and then I¡¯m going to give you provable facts.¡±


    Argrave leaned the de of blood up against his knee as he sat on the rock, saying nothing further.


    ¡°Gerechtigkeit must¡¯ve found a way to work through the Gilderwatchers as I do. It may be that he¡¯s had this ability for countless cycles, yet only now shown his hand when an opportunity presented itself. It may be that <em>I </em>am that conduit, and he¡¯s been using me from the beginning. Even Ick total certainty. Regardless, I believe his ns are threefold. He ns to destroy the treaty limiting my abilities and that of the Gilderwatchers. That ties into his second n; destroying the White nes themselves. Without its binding scriptures, alliances around the world would crumble overnight. Everyone in the ckgard Union would no longer be dictated to defend one another. Notably, by achieving the second, he would achieve the first.


    ¡°I can feel a tremendous mental energy reverberating around the world, mindlessly throwing itself against the forces that prevent us from acting in ways contrary to the treaty. If I am merely powerful, it is omnipotent. And worse yet, it¡¯s growing in power as surely as the cmity descends. For now, only the Gilderwatchers are vulnerable¡ªthem, and those rted to them. In simpler terms, you and your siblings. Butter, his power could be far greater than ours ever was in the days of old. I believe you¡¯ve already seen some of that¡ªSophia¡¯s dreams.¡±


    Argrave believed nothing that was said¡­ but he wasn¡¯t in a hurry to forget it, either.


    Lindon continued. ¡°His third goal is as it ever is. You¡¯ve built a terrible power in the ckgard Union and the nations you¡¯ve united. By fracturing it, he hopes to throw the world into chaos and achieve victory. But more than the world, I suspect his target is you, specifically. You, and all those close to you. He will attempt to iste and mitigate all those you have even a remote rtionship with, because you are ostensibly the final barrier between him and Sophia. You are the glue holding things together.¡±


    Argrave felt a chill. Whether this was Gerechtigkeit or Lindon speaking, that message was ominous. He had been right in assuming that the incident with Vasquer was an assassination attempt.¡°I have given you conjecture,¡± Lindon continued. ¡°I will now ry fact. Anneliese¡¯s prediction was correct; that rumbling Raven reported is rted to the Gilderwatchers. They heed a false Melding, heading for a Tree of Being I did not establish. I am terrified of what it entails. You can verify their movements for yourself, and Raven might feel traces of this false Melding in the continent of Anorexhai. Furthermore, if you depart to the White nes, I suspect you would see it strain against the cmity¡¯s power.¡±


    Argrave took note of these things. Could each of these be a trap? Possibly. But traps could be disarmed, and if these words did prove to be true, it gave some credence to this conversation.


    ¡°In parting, I say this. Do not trust my words. Do not trust any Gilderwatcher. Assume we are yet another of Gerechtigkeit¡¯s puppets as the golems or the undead. Assume all of my words have been vored in deception designed to entrap, and trust only that which you, yourself, have verified. I will move to fight against this mental energy, and this false Melding, likely to my death. My people march toward what I assume must be a ughterhouse, where their wills and flesh will be processed into meat for one who judges the world. I must do something or die trying. And above all¡ª<em>find ways to protect yourself. </em>Your bloodline has been a boon, but now it is a tremendous vulnerability as Gerechtigkeit strengthens. Even having consumed the Fruit of Being, you remain at risk.¡±


    Argrave could think of no further response. It took a sophisticated scammer to rmend distrusting them, or it took an honest person. The line wasn¡¯t entirely clear. Regardless, Argrave felt a hidden pressure in his head abate and was certain Lindon had gone. Even still, he brought the de of blood near his head, letting his power melt away whatever might be inside there.


    That talk about the death of the Gilderwatchers¡­ either it was something immensely concerning, or bait to attract Argrave toward a battle he might not win. Argrave agreed with the notion of acquiring protection, but even to that end, he wasn¡¯t willing to divert his forces chasing after what Lindon had highlighted. There were proverbs about the number of times one had been fooled, and Argrave didn¡¯t care to explore them.


    But there were people that owed them debts, and gods that could be enticed to act in their stead. With a person in mind, Argrave made to find Elenore.


    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    #####


    Elenore was all too eager to follow up on Argrave¡¯s n. Her manner of dealing with grief was somewhat simr to Argrave¡¯s¡ªwork, work, work. There was a severe gap in their defenses with Vasquer¡¯s parting, and it needed to be filled long before the funeral could be held. That was one of the few burdens of their position.


    In no more than a few hours, the one that Argrave hoped to speak to sat across from him. He was nearly too short for the chair he sat upon.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t participate in the battle against the Qircassian Coalition in the slightest,¡± Argrave said, arms crossed on the table before him.


    Yinther, god of exploration, curiosity, discovery, had the look of a blonde child ill-suited for the title of god. He listened to Argrave with impassive golden eyes.


    ¡°Anneliese bore my blessing. She helped you every bit as much as I might¡¯ve,¡± he disagreed. ¡°Seeing the true nature of things¡ªthere is little more that I can offer than that. I am not a fighter, unless you consider falsities and misinformation an enemy to be fought.¡±


    ¡°Then I have no doubt you¡¯re very enticed looking at me.¡± Argrave held his arms out.


    Yinther narrowed his eyes. ¡°It sounds very queer when you put it like that. But¡­ yes, I¡¯ve never seen anything like as what urs within your body. Are you asking for my assistance in finding it out?¡±


    ¡°No, merely confirming some thoughts.¡± Argrave sighed. ¡°Listen. We made you a senior partner in the ckgard Union, despite yourck of participation in the battle.¡±


    ¡°You did,¡± Yinther nodded. ¡°Quid pro quo; is that the gist of what you suggest? I¡¯m not opposed. My greatest use is my blessing. It might be said that blessing so many people is the reason I remain so weak. Is that what you would ask of me?¡±


    Argrave shook his head. ¡°No. I want you to go to the White nes. I have it on good authority that it¡¯s under attack right now, and I want you to scout it out, scrutinize it, and tell me everything that you learn about said attack.¡±


    ¡°An attack on the White nes, where all gods are made equal before it? The very idea is ridiculous.¡± Yinther crossed his short arms.


    ¡°But very curious,¡± Argrave rebutted.


    ¡°Do you think my mind matches my appearance? That I would lose my mind and go gallivanting to a supposed warzone simply because it¡¯s a curious idea?¡±


    Argrave smiled without saying anything.


    After a while, the silence seemed to make Yinther ufortable. He asked, ¡°What could even attack the White nes? You know what they are, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Does anyone actually know what they are?¡± Argrave answered the question with a question. ¡°I think I have a better idea than most, given recent events.¡±


    Yinther went quiet, fidgeting on the chair that was a little too tall for him. He looked liable to ask countless questions, but his mouth opened and closed without asking any. Eventually, he turned and jumped down off the chair, his curiosity spurring him to action.


    ¡°I¡¯ll look. But¡­ this trip best not waste my time.¡±


    Argrave sincerely hoped it did, but said nothing to indicate as much. This first matter was settled. As for protection¡­


    #####


    ¡°You want another Ravenstone?¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Argrave nodded, looking up at Raven. ¡°It was supposed to protect from mental attacks. When Erlebnis died, it went away with him. I don¡¯t care about its ability to keep you contained, but given Vasquer¡¯s death, that¡¯s something I need. Not just me, either¡ªall of us. My siblings for starters, but in time, everyone. Maybe the whole nation.¡±


    Raven shook his head. ¡°The Ravenstone ¡®went away¡¯ because it was made out of Erlebnis¡¯ blessing, and consequently died with him. Powerful blessings from ancient gods aren¡¯tmon. You¡¯ve only one. We might use the Fruit of Being for such a thing, if you¡¯d let me experiment with them.¡±


    Argrave shook his head. ¡°No one¡¯s using those, not for a while.¡±


    ¡°Why? They have verifiable results. You¡¯re fine.¡±


    ¡°Just¡­ because,¡± Argrave answered weakly. ¡°Just in case.¡±


    Argrave expected chiding, but Raven said, ¡°So be it. I understand. But if you¡¯re asking me, that means Erlebnis¡¯ wiki had nothing on the subject of mental protection?¡±


    ¡°Nothing magical. Most of it links back to the Gilderwatchers or certain gods. Dead gods, mostly.¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°But it¡¯s a lot to parse through.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised.¡± Raven narrowed his eyes. ¡°But perhaps I shouldn¡¯t be. My mastery of the mind can¡¯t be called true mastery. I¡¯m likely the foremost practitioner of psychic magics, if you can even call what I do such a thing, but most of it centers around my own personal power or rigging other powers to my ends. The theory for it didn¡¯te from me, however. It came from Llewellen.¡±


    Argrave looked at him in shock. ¡°The one who made Anneliese¡¯s A-rank ascension? The one who helped Emperor Balzat make [Requite] and [Subjugate], all of the imperial spells?¡±


    ¡°The very same, although I didn¡¯t know he worked with Onychinusa¡¯s grandfather. He was far more intelligent than me, but had such a low affinity for magic it was astounding he made it as far as he did,¡± Raven admitted as though dering someone was smarter than him didn¡¯t deserve special mention. ¡°If you wish for inspiration as to where to begin, I suggest reading about him on the wiki. Erlebnis won¡¯t have it all, but he¡¯ll have enough for me to fill in what remains. Then, we can talk more about the possibility of psychic magic.¡±

 Chapter 614: Top Ideas Guy

    Chapter 614: Top Ideas Guy


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


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


    To reach C-rank, however, it took him forty-two years. The time to reach B-rank was unknown, but again presumed to be several decades. With two hundred years of life under his belt by the time he got there, he was considered ancient for normal elves and quite old even for spellcasters. His magic affinity could be said to be among the worst. Most normal people could, with equivalent effort, reach much greater heights. If he were a human, he wouldn¡¯t have reached that level at all.


    But Llewellen bore a sobriquet. ¡®Theorist.¡¯ And <em>that </em>was what he was remembered for.


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


    The list didn¡¯t end there. He discovered druidic magic independently of the Veidimen, though never taught it to very many. He spent many years in the Great Chu, and was responsible for a great deal of their defensive systems¡ªincluding, most notably, the forts that took their armies moments to construct and could self-destruct if taken by the enemy. The foundation of their recent military strategy came from an elf, if Erlebnis¡¯ knowledge was to be believed. On top of that grand list, there was what Argrave had personally confirmed with others.


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


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


    At the end of all these confirmed aplishments, there were things he¡¯d done that could make any decent spellcaster salivate. Rumors.Rumor said that Llewellen had long been theorizing about spatial magic, psychic magic¡ªboth featsrgely in the realm of gods, but Erlebnis had multiple ounts of Llewellen suggesting to others that the feats of the gods might not be so far from the hands of mortals. The Theorist wasn¡¯t one to talk out of turn. There was evidence of that in [Subjugate]. Though a shamanic spell using spirits, it attacked the mind directly.


    The problem was, Llewellen didn¡¯t have air, a tower, or any convenient ce where he kept his research that Argrave might pige. He roamed¡ªit was why he was able to talk to and influence so many people, but it also meant that a lot of that research was probably lost with him. The page Erlebnis had was filled with endless spection about where the Theorist¡¯s lost theories might be.


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


    Argrave entered into Raven¡¯s room in the far corner of the parliamentary hall. The man was scrutinizing the sample taken from Vasquer. A strip of scales had beenid out across an obsidian table, and magic twinkled around it from countless sources.


    ¡°Do you have more information about Llewellen, or did I waste my time reading all of that? Do you know where his theories about psychic magic might be?¡±


    Raven didn¡¯t divert his attention from the sample. ¡°Do you think if I knew where they were, I wouldn¡¯t im them? The man was a genius. No other magical practitioner reached his toes, even. If he¡¯d been blessed with talent in magic as much as intellect, he would wipe the floor with all of us, today.¡± An eye formed on his elbow, and soon after, a mouth beneath it. ¡°But then, perhaps not. Perhaps hisck of talent proved fuel for his relentless theorizing.¡±


    ¡°So, why did you direct me there?¡± Argrave demanded.


    If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the vition.


    Raven stopped working, turning his full body toward Argrave. ¡°I have some of his theory, as I mentioned.¡± He tapped a stack of books in the corner of the room. ¡°Ipiled them while you were reading. Furthermore, you have that spell, [Subjugate], that even Erlebnis was ignorant of. Are there more of Llewellen¡¯s relics you have knowledge of?¡±


    Argrave shook his head.


    ¡°Still, it should be enough.¡± Raven nodded sagely.


    ¡°Enough for what?¡± Argrave demanded.


    ¡°Do I need to remind you that you have the whole Order of the Gray Owl, and countless practitioners in the Great Chu, at your disposal?¡± Raven sneered at Argrave condescendingly. ¡°It seems I do. If things are as you say, it¡¯s past time to create a rather unprecedented research team in light of this emergency. Am I wrong?¡±


    ¡°Is a new field of magic something you can just¡­¡± Argrave snapped his fingers. ¡°Whip up, like that? There¡¯s a reason we¡¯vee so far without developing it.¡±


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


    ¡°You¡¯ve united most of the world, and have the knowledge of Erlebnis resting dormant in your head. If you can¡¯t do something with that, you¡¯re a durd, imbecile, moron, and all other synonyms you might conjure. This world would amply deserve to be destroyed if someone so braindead could rise to the top.¡± Raven turned back to the sample. ¡°Get to work. You can take the books.¡±


    Raven¡¯s simple exnation gave Argrave confidence enough to want to get started immediately, but the practitioner in him knew that it was never as simple as he said. Still¡­ if magic might be viewed as technology, it had taken people countless millennia to rise from the point of using clubs and spears to something grandlyplex likeputers. Magic was at least as old as Erlebnis¡ªone hundred and seventeen millennia¡ªand likely far older. Given progress was disrupted, perhaps even directly halted, by the chaos Gerechtigkeit wrought, Raven¡¯s point might stand.


    Or it might not. Still, Argrave took the books.


    #####


    Argrave sat across from Elenore. There were dark circles beneath her eyes as she stared back at Argrave.


    ¡°I can get Artur¡¯s Hall of Enchantment to join. It¡¯s grown in poprity significantly under the new patent system we established,¡± she summarized robotically. ¡°The Order of the Gray Owl, however, is a different beast to wrangle. We have several individual Magisters we could entice, but you¡¯d honestly need the influence of the new tower master, Tarah, to get them involved.¡±


    ¡°I can speak to her,¡± Argrave nodded. He knew Tarah. He recalled her as being a good-natured Magister who had a deep mastery over healing magic.


    ¡°But our frantic call to arms has caused some unrest,¡± Elenore continued. ¡°In Orion most of all. He¡¯s breaking things, unintentionally but often. He¡¯s erratic, inconsble. He wants vengeance, but I don¡¯t think we can give it to him yet.¡± Elenore closed her eyes. ¡°We have to announce Vasquer¡¯s death. Then, we should hold her funeral not too long after. I believe that should quell some unease.¡±


    ¡°Maybe someone else should handle that. Anneliese, or Durran,¡± Argrave suggested. ¡°I think we can trust them to do it properly.¡±


    Elenore shook her head. ¡°No. I want to do it.¡± She stayed silent for a while. Evidently reminding herself of Vasquer¡¯s death had stirred up something, and a few tears escaped her eyes despite her attempts to hide them.


    Argrave¡¯s throat seized up seeing her sadness. ¡°You want to torture yourself more?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear it,¡± she dismissed him coldly, and Argrave chose to stay quiet.


    ¡°Why did it have to be her, Argrave? She was so kind, so full of warmth,¡± she said, voice tight and trembling with raw emotion. ¡°I would go to her after a long day of work, sometime, and the pride she felt was greater than my own. Pride for <em>me. </em>She saw everything I did in the past. She saw me order the deaths of entire families, even, but she was still proud of me. I thought¡­ I thought that nothing like this could happen to her. Who would possibly want to hurt such a harmless creature? I got it into my head that she¡¯d watch us all grow old, that I could show her a life outside of that dismal cave she spent so much of her life. She was supposed to be weed back to her kin, Argrave. I was looking forward to helping her and Lindon meet so damned much.¡±


    Argrave stood from the chair and walked around the desk, kneeling down before Elenore and holding her as he, himself, tried not to cry. He thought words would do nothing, so he stayed as silent support. She cried quietly, but held him tightly as though a tide threatened to sweep her away.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m tired, Argrave,¡± she said after a while, her grip ckening. ¡°And I feel old.¡±


    ¡°Then sleep,¡± he offered.


    Elenore pulled away from him, then wiped away her face. She looked back to her desk. ¡°I have more work to do.¡±


    Argrave knew any advice or insistence he had would only be met with firm indignance, so he nodded. Still, he made a mental note to ask some of the staff to help Elenore rest.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go speak with Tarah. I¡¯m thinking of having Anneliese chair the research team,¡± he changed the subject, knowing well Elenore would be ufortable if he insisted on this further. And maybe he, himself, didn¡¯t like thinking on it too much.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°She would do well. Adept at leading and talented at magic,¡± Elenore nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind for those I contact.¡±


    Argrave nodded, then walked for the door.


    ¡°Argrave,¡± she called out before he touched the doorknob. ¡°Thank you. I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m d you¡¯re my brother.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m d to be your brother.¡± He smiled sadly, then left.

 Chapter 615: A Knight to Remedy

    Chapter 615: A Knight to Remedy


    ¡°Sophia.¡±


    Upon hearing her name called, she blinked open her eyes, expecting to see the familiar andforting wooden ceiling of the room that Argrave had given her. Instead, there was an endless grayness above that gave no sense of distance. She sat up urgently and looked around. There, she saw the man was not her father, yet resembled him all the same.


    Tall. Neat ck hair. Dark red eyes. She couldn¡¯t tell what he was wearing because the grayness seemed to billow mist that concealed him. She tried to say something, but found shecked the energy to speak. Her whole body felt heavy, like she was wrapped in something entirely contrary to her being.


    ¡°You always said you wanted a knight toe and save you. To take you away,¡± he said, his figure shimmering. He spoke as if he was tired¡ªas if being here was a tremendous strain on him. ¡°A knight that could stand up to anything. A knight that never tired. A knight who took you to a ce where hardships never came.¡±


    She calmed when she knew this was not a nightmare. Hearing her dream for a knight said now, it felt like a desire of the distant past and a reminder of the death she had caused by giving life to that dream. She already had been taken away¡ªnot by a knight, but by a king just like her father who truly deserved the title of ¡®Good King.¡¯ The life that she had found was not at all like what she expected, but now¡­ now, that knight didn¡¯t upy her thoughts. The next day was not dreaded, but merely expected. There was still sadness, but there was also joy. And that, as Elenore had once told her, was just life.


    ¡°That knight ising,¡± the man said. ¡°He will be born, soon, answering the call of all your wishes. He will do that which I was powerless to. He will protect you from all harm, all danger. He will bring a justice your worldcked.¡±


    Darkness seemed to reach out from the gray, wing at the man¡¯s body. Sophia had an ominous premonition it didn¡¯t seek him, but <em>her. </em>A haunting roar of primal anger echoed across the ce, and Sophia felt chills run up her spine before that force disappeared.


    ¡°The goldes together to form a tree,¡± he continued, nearly panting as he looked upon her. ¡°And from their wills, the knight shall be born. Your knight. Await him. I will not be long after.¡±


    Then he was gone, leaving no trace of his presence behind. In parting, the man took more than his being. The grayness all around dissipated, as did that malignant presence that he fought against. He took the words he spoke, too, leaving only the feelings they evoked.Sophia awoke, and saw the familiar andforting wooden ceiling of the room that Argrave had given her. As she blinked the morning fog from her eyes, she knew that she had a dream. As was often the case with dreams, she thought deeply on it yet could not recall its contents. Still, she felt a strange feeling; apprehension, anticipation, hope, and recognition tied together as a knot that brought pause to her mind. But despite her exploration, the dream did not return to her¡ªonly images of a knight, and the surety she had been with someone she once knew.


    But¡­ it wasn¡¯t an unpleasant dream, surely?


    #####


    Four days had passed since Vasquer¡¯s death. Argrave had finally managed to force Elenore into sleeping the night. Not longer after, news of the end of the siege of Kirel Qircassia finally graced their doorstep. The god ofnd and sky had died as he lived; rather ingloriously, and at the whim and whimsy of a massive coalition. Argrave would have to remember the lesson taught there if he didn¡¯t want to end up sharing the god¡¯s fate.


    The great bounty of spirits wasn¡¯t plundered by Rook, this time¡ªinstead, they were distributed rather evenly, with a great bulk nheless going to Law for his direct and significant contribution. Before, it had merely been widely thought the ckgard Union was the most powerful force in the world. Now, it was undisputed.


    All the same, that foundation of invincibility had cracks. Many were revealed upon Yinther¡¯s return.


    ¡°It was just as you said,¡± the god of curiosity informed Argrave. ¡°The White nes are not quite as sterile as they once were. Instead, something unclean mars, pushes, and molds it without reservation. Jabs, spikes, and blunt blows are its preferred attacks, but it seems any would suffice.¡±


    ¡°Poetic,¡± Argrave praised sarcastically. ¡°I was more interested about your read on what it was. Gerechtigkeit, right?¡±


    ¡°No one else would benefit, but I¡¯ve no proof. It felt somehow different from the times I¡¯ve encountered Gerechtigkeit in the past. Regardless, I didn¡¯t care to stand around and wait for the vessel to break.¡±


    ¡°Is that going to happen?¡± Argrave asked in surprise. ¡°Soon?¡±


    ¡°How in the zes could I adequately assess that?¡± Yinther protested with his boyish indignance. ¡°I¡¯m entirely ignorant of its design, much less its capacity to weather attack. Before this, the White nes were something <em>beyond </em>assault.¡±


    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the vition.


    ¡°If you had to guess,¡± Argrave encouraged.


    ¡°If I had to guess, I¡¯d like to find out what¡¯spelling me against my will. But I don¡¯t have to guess.¡± Yinther shook his head. ¡°I will say it took me a while of quiet observation to notice anything amiss. But once others take note of this, or if the situation worsens¡­ it¡¯ll be our word and bond alone keeping the ckgard Union cohesive. Law, I trust. All the others¡­ deception is Rook¡¯s sphere. He¡¯ll color outside the lines, somewhat, but he¡¯ll still go along with all the others since the White nes binds him. Without it binding us, it could be a rather quick unravelling.¡±


    Argrave scratched at his chin. ¡°I disagree. Everyone will y extremely cautiously when the White nes falls. They¡¯ll know it¡¯s something serious.¡±


    ¡°That is an argument.¡± Yinther nodded, then looked around. ¡°It wasn¡¯t a wasted trip, but I wish it was.¡±


    ¡°I wished the same.¡± He pointed at Yinther. ¡°But between the possibility of a wider mental assault, and the movement of the Gilderwatchers beneath the surface, it¡¯s clear that what I said about Gerechtigkeit having a greater strength than every other cycle before was correct. On that note, we¡¯re forming a research team around psychic magic. Does that draw your interest?¡±


    Yinther looked at Argrave with a familiar re. It was the expression of someone who¡¯d just learned something they wished they hadn¡¯t, because they knew it meant their time was about to be rather thin.


    #####


    In theing days, a loose structure had been established for the research team¡ªnow, it merely needed bodies to fill it. More and more raw talent continued to flock to ckgard, heeding Argrave and Elenore¡¯s calls to arms. In time, enough people had banded together that they could no longer refuse to answer the question of why they had acted in such a drastic manner. Thus, they announced Vasquer¡¯s death¡­ and her funeral, shortly toe. To the people, it was to be an impersonal event¡ªa period of mourning no longer than a day for a symbol of their nation that few had any genuine attachment to. If anything, they would be more concerned with her attacker than her death.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    To the royal family, however, this was a matter of great import. She had been a tremendous pir of support for Orion and Elenore. Argrave had not been as close as either of them¡ªperhaps only because he had Anneliese to rely on for all of his personal problems¡ªbut he felt her loss sharply all the same. Her unconditional love was not something that could be easily forgotten. More than a matriarch, she might be considered the real mother that bound the three of them as siblings. It wasrgely through her that they had an understanding of each other.


    Elenore approached Argrave on the day of the funeral very early in the morning. She looked slightly better rested, but not by much.


    ¡°I¡¯ll lead us. Everything¡¯s ready for the cremation,¡± she said without much inflection. ¡°I was thinking we might light the pyre together. After¡­ after it¡¯s all done, she said she always wanted to be a part of this city¡­ so, I believe it would be fitting to scatter the ashes in the mountain.¡±


    Argrave took a deep breath and exhaled. ¡°Yeah. Yeah, that sounds fitting.¡±


    Elenore nodded, looking numb. ¡°Orion wanted to talk to you about something on the way. Over there,¡± she gestured.


    With that, she walked away. Durran joined her, supporting her diligently yet quietly. Argrave hoped he might seed in cheering her up where he failed. But he turned to someone who was just as badly affected¡ªOrion. He wore a somber face that seemed rather unlike him.


    Argrave walked up to him. ¡°How are you?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I carry pain. It¡¯s not unfamiliar to me, but it is at the same time.¡± Orion focused on him. ¡°Magnus. Induen. Levin. Felipe. All family, who died in the past years. And yet it¡¯s only this one¡­ only this one, Vasquer¡¯s¡­ her¡­ her <em>death¡­</em> that makes me believe there¡¯s something wrong with the world we inhabit.¡±


    ¡°She left behind only good in this world,¡± Argraveforted. ¡°Without her life, the world would¡¯ve been a little darker, a little less joyous.¡±


    Orion nodded, then looked ahead to follow after Elenore as she led on. Argrave walked alongside him.


    ¡°I knew her well enough to say she would feel only pride for what she did in her final moments. I have told myself that countless times.¡± Orion shook his head. ¡°It hardly sates the beasts in my mind. Shame. Powerlessness. Rage. Vengeance. I have been trying to tame them in your service, but they¡¯re crawling back. Heading that pack, the alpha: hate.¡±


    Argrave looked at Orion as they walked. ¡°There¡¯s no one more deserving of hate than Gerechtigkeit. But I don¡¯t want it to push you toward a lesser version of yourself. What you feel could be amplified in your siblings if you act on this without proper thought and wind up injured, even dead.¡±


    ¡°Yes. If I was the man when you first met me in the swamps, I would¡¯ve died long ago acting without proper thought. You have given me a measure of contentment with who I am.¡± Orion touched Argrave¡¯s shoulder with his hand to emphasize his point. ¡°You bestowed upon me peace, yet I still neglected to prepare for war. By consequence, a brilliant soul vanished.¡±


    Argrave stopped Orion. ¡°Her death isn¡¯t your fault.¡±


    His brother sighed defeatedly, then carried along the trail. ¡°You cannot deny I possessed no way of influencing the oue I saw. We may y pedantic games of me, but I stood trembling while a malignant evil wracked Vasquer¡¯s mind. I hate that. I hate myself for that.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s foolish,¡± Argrave told him bluntly.


    ¡°And I was once the Holy Fool,¡± Orion answered back. ¡°But¡­ enough of that. You asked how I was, but perhaps I overshared. I came to ask something of you. Something selfish, perhaps ignoble.¡±


    Argrave gave him his full attention. ¡°Ask away,¡± he prompted.


    ¡°I cannot rece what is lost, nor would I ever try. But there exists that which I must ensure continues to shine brilliantly, and there is darkness I would burn away with my meager me.¡± Orion put his hand to his chest. ¡°I have given this no small amount of thought, and in the end,e to this conclusion. I would ask you allow me to consume one of the Fruits of Being, that I might be more able.¡±

 Chapter 616: Shadow Cast by Fire

    Chapter 616: Shadow Cast by Fire


    Argrave stared into the fire as it roared. Some time ago it had been something familiar, but now it was only me. There was no service¡ªjust a searing fire contained by a makeshift stone structure that signaled that the time for mourning Vasquer around ckgard, and perhaps all of Vasquer. While it burned, Argrave¡¯s mind kept running back to what Orion had asked of him. His brother had graciously decided to let him think on the matter.


    He didn¡¯t like these Fruits of Being, anymore. He¡¯d been eager to get his hands on them, but after his powerlessness in preventing the death of their matriarch, it felt like nothing special. Maybe it was even something malignant. Despite the fear they might be tainted, he couldn¡¯t deny there was a possessiveness blossoming in his heart. A hope they might be used for something else, or a desire to give it to the ¡®right¡¯ person.


    Was Orion the ¡®right¡¯ person, or did he already have enough advantages in life?


    Argrave¡¯s instinct was to do nothing rashly, because Orion¡¯s question was assuredly motivated by the grief of losing their ancestor. Elenore had cried in front of him, and Orion had the ambition to gain yet more power in pursuit of vengeance. Vasquer¡¯s death had changed the temperament of two key factors in the Kingdom of Vasquer. Perhaps three, if Argrave counted himself, but he felt he was coping well.


    Argrave felt a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu as the heat from the fire continued to assail him. His mind searched through what he might be thinking of, and eventually the answer came to him. Relize, the city hosted at a strategic location in an ind sea. He couldn¡¯t think of why that came to mind until he remembered the bulk of time that he¡¯d spent there. It had inspired one of his most oundish feats; impersonating a snow elf to infiltrate and eventually gain control over the entire north of Vasquer.


    He felt d¨¦j¨¤ vu because he felt the same feeling as he had, then. Stagnation.


    Victory in the Great Chu and consolidation of the world¡¯s deities into the ckgard Union had been a change of mode, taking him from an active fight against a specifically defined enemy to a nebulous gathering of power. Finding Lindon, even, hadn¡¯t been an especially proactive move. Rather, it had been handed to him¡ªthough, perhaps saying it was forced into his hands was a better way of putting it.


    Eight months remained until Gerechtigkeit revealed himself, if all stayed as it was from Heroes of Berendar. Argrave couldn¡¯t be totally sure of that fact. That was a long time to wait, hat in hand, while Gerechtigkeit attempted all manner of ungodly things. If he had many more tricks up his sleeve, more than Vasquer alone could perish. Lindon¡ªif indeed that had been him¡ªimed his siblings were vulnerable, as they were rted to Gilderwatchers. That meant Nikoletta was, too. Argrave suspected many noble houses carried at least some lineage with the royal house. Much of their leadership structure was vulnerable, but all that could be done was wait for the research team or other sources further information. <em>Stagnation. </em>


    On top of that, Traugott would be scheming and conniving for any opportunity to get at Sophia, to get at <em>Argrave. </em>He hid within the Shadonds, apparently, with a body made in Good King Norman¡¯s image bearing the flesh of a Shadonder. In Heroes of Berendar, the Shadonders hade months before Gerechtigkeit did, rising from the sea, falling from the sky, and crawling from the depths beneath the earth. Once again, all that could be done was wait for him to poke his head from his mole hole, where Anneliese would hopefully lock him into a duel he wasn¡¯t certain she could win. <em>Stagnation. </em>The White nes were breaking? Wait until they learn more. The Gilderwatchers might be moving? Wait until Raven can confirm that. The Fruits of Being? Wait until an opportunity arises. Everyone¡¯s minds are under attack? Wait until the research team devises a countermeasure.


    It seemed that every time Argrave stopped running toward a goal, something caught up with him. As a rule, rushing water was cleaner than stagnant water. Being one step ahead was his bread and butter. He wasn¡¯t a defensive yer. Even when the Qircassian Coalition hade knocking on the door, he¡¯d ended up sailing overseas to bring the fight to them. That hade with its ups and downs, but ultimately they had emerged as the winner beyond a shadow of a doubt.


    It was better to be the invader than the invaded, right?


    The best oue would be not to have a war at all, but Argrave knew that it was an inevitability. Even if Traugott or Gerechtigkeit offered a peace of some kind, he wouldn¡¯t ept it. After all that they¡¯d done and tried to do, they deserved to be wiped out entirely. The world would be a better ce without them drawing breath.


    Two enemies stood in their path, as Argrave saw it. Traugott and Gerechtigkeit. Thetter was beyond reach, for now, while the former¡­ he was merely <em>difficult </em>to reach.


    Argrave looked upon the fire as it crackled and burned. Without more fuel to call upon, the pyre was slowly shrinking. He¡¯d thought that he¡¯d nevere up with something more oundish than disguising himself as a snow elf, but it seemed that he had. Perhaps if he asked others they¡¯d tell him he already had, but as he thought of what he intended, even he had to admit he might¡¯ve lost his marbles.


    Before Gerechtigkeit could receive hiseuppance, Traugott had to die. The fire in front of Argrave, started by the cmity, burned bright and bold, but it was what was hidden in the shadows that was the most dangerous. If Argrave allowed himself to be caught up in the wave of vengeance his siblings both mored for, it might be ying into exactly what the cmity wanted. Lindon had explicitly warned them of the threat Traugott posed. Like a bolt, an idea came to him.


    Gerechtigkeit¡¯s impersonation of Lindon might be intended to make Argrave ignore Traugott.


    It was just spection, but Argrave felt a great deal of rity after that. Viewed as a loud distraction, all of the questions about why Vasquer specifically had been targeted faded away. Lindon had <em>just </em>given him quite pointed advice on that matter, and Argrave intended to attack. Lindon had ced Traugott before even Gerechtigkeit in priority. If the cmity truly was on the verge of using mental attacks of some sort, he might¡¯ve simply waited, biding him time until the grand finale. Instead, he showed his hand.


    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    Argrave closed his eyes, dissecting the idea again and again. Perhaps it was excessive paranoia. And there was another matter¡ªit would be difficult to broach the idea with Elenore and Orion. Argrave knew them well enough to know Vasquer¡¯s death wasn¡¯t something they could just ignore, changing targets to Traugott without proper regard. Their bond had grown quite strong, but this was quite a request from his spection alone.


    To that end, he felt the need to consult someone smarter than he was. For now, he watched the pyre as it burned, casting nces at his siblings as they grieved.


    #####


    After the cremation of Vasquer¡¯s remains, the next task was scattering the ashes across the mountaintop as per her request. For now, they let the ashes cool. In time, great wind spells would do the job for them. Elenore and Orion were both being rather solitary, and so Argrave joined up with Anneliese.


    ¡°Invade the Shadonds?¡± Anneliese repeated, sitting on a rock as they watched the cooling pyre.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Argrave nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll invent the shlight. They¡¯ll never see iting¡­ until their life shes before their eyes, that is.¡±


    Anneliese blinked at him in confusion, before she shook her head dismissively and asked, ¡°I assume you have some rationale for this?¡±


    ¡°I told you about Lindon¡¯s warning about Traugott, right?¡± Argrave asked, and Anneliese nodded. ¡°If we view the attack on Vasquer as something to distract us from that¡­ do things fall into ce?¡±


    Argrave watched Anneliese for a while, her amber eyes jumping from ce to ce as she thought on the matter.


    ¡°I can see the gears turning in your head. There isn¡¯t some logical reason why that¡¯s impossible, is there? No gaps in my thoughts?¡± Argrave followed up, eager to probe her mind about it.


    ¡°But, Argrave¡­ <em>invade the</em><em>Shadonds?</em>¡± she reiterated, with special emphasis.


    ¡°The danger ising to us regardless,¡± Argrave pointed out, then tapped his leg. ¡°If you find out an enemy is massing troops at your border, are you just going to let them get into the most strategic position possible? The Shadonders could devastate the whole continent if Traugott does it well. We¡¯ve spent far too long dancing his sociopathic steps. It¡¯s time for the winner¡¯s waltz, the, the¡­ triumphant tango.¡±


    ¡°All well and good, but the defenders generally have a defensive advantage,¡± Anneliese reminded him. ¡°And this is the Shadonds. Erlebnis had appreciably little knowledge on that ne of existence, and the only one who¡¯s actually been inside and returned is Traugott, who we would be hunting. Besides¡ªthe research team, the White nes, the Gilderwatchers¡­¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve the world at our disposal. We can multitask,¡± Argrave argued, then hung his head with a calming sigh. ¡°Before I get too attached to the notion, tell me¡ªdo you think it¡¯s foolish?¡±


    ¡°Obviously,¡± Anneliese answered at once, and he deted before she continued. ¡°Historically, though, you¡¯ve done objectively foolish things to great effect. I can¡¯t dismiss the idea immediately because the possibility exists that you¡¯re right.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been known to happen.¡± Argrave smiled.


    She studied him carefully. ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re not taking Vasquer¡¯s death as harshly as your siblings. And presumably that¡¯s part of the reason you came to me alone about this, yes? Elsewise, you¡¯d involve them in this conversation.¡±


    Argrave felt a little guilt and couldn¡¯t hold her gaze. ¡°Yeah. They¡¯re both reasonable¡ªI think I might be able to convince them of this. But the fact I say ¡®might¡¯ is all the information you need. Orion¡¯s asked me for a Fruit of Being. Elenore¡¯s working herself to death. The idea of asking them to forget about Gerechtigkeit for the time being¡­¡± He grimaced. ¡°¡­does not resonate with joy.¡±


    ¡°Mmhmm.¡± Anneliese pursed her lips as she thought. ¡°Logistically¡­ what¡¯s your n for going in there? I can¡¯t imagine many gods will be raring to go. The Shadonders bring no benefit to anyone besides¡­ perhaps mortal armies, given we might use their hides or bones for weapons. No gods will be enticed by the idea to risk life and limb for you.¡±


    ¡°Rook owes us. Law would understand. Still, getting either toe with us is as much a stretch as taffy.¡± Argrave leaned back. ¡°I was thinking¡­ you and our third person eat a Fruit of Being, while thest might be used to actually enter the Shadonds. We inject spirits right into our veins, then take the ce by storm. But that was just an idea, and I¡¯m not sure how good of one. I don¡¯t know how powerful I am, even.¡±


    Anneliese lowered her head in thought, then raised it again, brushing her long white hair away from her face. ¡°¡¯Third person,¡¯ you said. So, you¡¯ll refuse Orion?¡±


    ¡°It could be him.¡± Argrave rubbed his chin. ¡°But given the state he¡¯s in while he made the request, I¡¯m going to hold off, keep it on ice. Still, the way I look at it, waiting to use them is asrge a tradeoff as hoarding them for important moments.¡±


    ¡°And why me?¡± Anneliese asked.


    ¡°If I¡¯m living forever, so are you,¡± he said bluntly. ¡°But¡­ hell. Elenore, Durran, Gmon, Mnie, and so many others¡­¡±


    ¡°Gmon is already immortal,¡± she reminded him. ¡°And I¡¯m sure you have ways enough in that wiki of yours to keep everyone you wish alongside you forevermore.¡±


    Argraveughed. ¡°Well¡­ yeah, maybe.¡± Heughed harder, considering how foolish he was being. He looked at her. ¡°So, do you agree with me about our target, at least?¡±


    Anneliese thought long and hard, braiding her hair as she sat there in silence. Argrave was certain she was going to refuse, but then her amber eyes locked with his and she said, ¡°I do. I want to kill Traugott.¡±


    ¡°Will you help me convince the others?¡± Argrave asked.


    She rose to her feet. ¡°No.¡±


    He was taken aback. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°¡¯What? What?¡¯¡± She imitated, then flicked him on the forehead. ¡°Why do you even ask anymore? Do you expect me to genuinely refuse? Has my answer ever changed?¡±


    He smiled, having been proven a fool.

 Chapter 617: Grubby Grasping Gluttons

    Chapter 617: Grubby Grasping Gluttons


    Argrave rolled his shoulders and flexed his hand, warding away the pain. After the funeral, he¡¯d taken some time to explore his powers more in-depth. As it turned out, he wasn¡¯t barred from using spirits in magic¡ªhe merely needed to change the way that he did it. Every shamanic spell that he learned had to be changed with [Blood Infusion]. Effectively, the field of shamanic magic had been folded into blood magic. In actuality, it was likely vastly more efficient in terms of spirits consumed than shamanic magic had ever been. He¡¯d had help in figuring that detail out, elsewise he expected he might¡¯ve struggled for a long time.


    ¡°Thanks, Raven.¡± Argrave turned his head. ¡°I did have a few more things to ask you.¡±


    The man stared impassively without response, afortably safe distance away from him.


    Argrave turned toward Raven and took some steps closer. ¡°Operating under the assumption that Gerechtigkeit attacked Vasquer to distract from Traugott, do you think invading the Shadonds is a dumb idea?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Argrave waited for Raven to say more, but nothing came. He was forced to ask, ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Theyck our senses. Weck theirs,¡± he exined bluntly. ¡°They can adapt our senses to perceive this world. We cannot adapt their senses to perceive the Shadonds. Sight, smell, sound, even touch¡ªnone function there. Not even the gods can perceive its true nature. It¡¯s an abyss, an absence of light. A shadow.¡±


    ¡°Traugott does it,¡± Argrave pointed out. ¡°He took on the form of a Shadonder, but even before that he managed to hop in and out enough to escape any attackers.¡±


    ¡°He fumbled about in the dark until he figured out they of thend. He has more ready ess to that realm than any other mortal or god in the entire world, and thus the time to discover its intricacies. We do not.¡±Argrave crossed his arms. ¡°I think that problem can be remedied with a Fruit of Being.¡±


    ¡°Interesting.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Interesting, you say. Care to borate?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have a clue,¡± Raven borated. ¡°Do you think I have a rational exnation for those things?¡±


    Argrave uncrossed his arms and tapped his forehead. ¡°Erlebnis ims there are ways into the Shadonds before the allotted time. I¡¯ve yet to test any, but the possibility exists. Given those two variables¡­ is the idea still dumb?¡±


    ¡°I woulde, if you do it. Perhaps I might find a way to adapt to the Shadonds independently of whatever method you devise. Regardless, one of those creatures tore through the entirety of the old capital. As you are now, you would die.¡±


    ¡°Have you ever dissected a Shadonder?¡± Argrave inquired.


    ¡°Yes. Enough to know they function by different rules,¡± he exined with a shake of his head. ¡°Their organs were made to process something different than us¡ªthough, what that is remains beyond me. Their flesh and bones break several preconceptions I have about the world. Theyck an identifiable brain, but not intelligence. I believe they have a stratified society of some kind, and those we see are of a lower ss.¡±


    Argrave bit his lip until he summoned the humility to bite the bullet and ask, ¡°What does stratified mean, again?¡±


    ¡°They have sses. A social hierarchy,¡± Raven exined without judgment.


    Argrave was taken aback. That made the Shadonders sound a lot more advanced than they acted. ¡°How do you know this?¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯d listen, I said ¡®believe.¡¯¡±


    ¡°Why do you¡ª¡±


    ¡°I found consistent markings on their body added by an unnatural process,¡± Raven interrupted. ¡°A brand, you might call it, but definitely not brought about by a branding iron. Through countless examinations, I was able to work out a pattern that roughly corresponded to what each specimen was capable of.¡± Raven shrugged. ¡°ve markings, by my guess. The rest is mere extraption. To have ves, you generally need vers. The two are distinct sses.¡±


    Argrave nodded. He was d he asked Raven¡ªsometimes, he seemed as knowledgeable as Erlebnis. He had the added ability to not only gather information, but analyze and theorize about it.


    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll take all of that into consideration. Onest thing, then¡ªcounsel from a pragmatist. How would you use the remaining three Fruits of Being?¡±


    ¡°Keep the three of them on you to have a contrivance whensoever you should need it.¡±


    Argrave stared, then felt the need to ask, ¡°Are you being serious?¡±


    ¡°Why not? Contrivances are wonderful things. When you find yourself in a corner, or things seem impossible to escape from¡­ contrive something. As a matter of fact, that might be a more apt name for those. Fruits of Contrivance.¡± Raven shook his head. ¡°You know what I¡¯ll say, don¡¯t you? You ask only to hear your disappointment confirmed. Give one to me. Keep the others for when they¡¯re needed. No one could use its power better than me¡ªin reasoning, pragmatism, mental acuity, and diligence, none are my peer. With my ability of self-actualization finally tamed, neither your siblings nor your wife can hold a candle to me. It might be said the power was wasted on even you.¡±


    Argrave stared at Raven, off-bnce from the tant disy of ambition.


    Raven waved him away. ¡°But you¡¯ll do what you will, because foolishly, they gave the decision for their use to you alone. And, foolishly, I will heed your wisdom without¡­ significant reproach.¡±


    #####


    With Raven¡¯s counsel at hand, Argrave decided to tackle the task of persuading his siblings to follow along with the idea of invading the Shadonds. To that end, he called his old friend who he hadn¡¯t had much time to speak with properly. The difficulty of running a kingdom spanning most of continent meant they were often quite far apart, each doing very important things.


    The door to the quaint inn opened up, and Durran walked in¡ªhis brother-inw. Though still bearing ck hair and golden eyes, his tan skin had paled somewhat after a long while away from the desert and more time spent indoors. His golden tattoos still shone ever brilliantly, and his carefree demeanor hadn¡¯t waned through both war and marriage.


    Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    ¡°So, Elenore told me that you evolved,¡± Durran said as greeting to Argrave.


    Argrave looked around uneasily when he said as much out loud, thinking about pocket monsters. The floor had been rented out, but he didn¡¯t like to mention it all so casually.


    ¡°I¡¯m told as much,¡± Argrave confirmed vaguely. ¡°How is she holding up?¡±


    Durran pulled back the chair in front of Argrave and sat. ¡°Not well. I¡¯m doing what I can, but¡­ gods. Death. You can¡¯t fight it. I lost a ton of siblings. Mother, too. Uncles, aunts. Disturbs the heart, the guts,¡± he waved in that general area. ¡°Time fixes it. You eithere to terms with it, or you repress it. Either way, there¡¯s only time.¡±


    ¡°I know how much you care for her, but even still¡­ treat her well, please,¡± he urged.


    ¡°Of course. Take care of yourself, as well.¡± Durran nodded somberly. ¡°Was it just that, or did you have something else? Because if it¡¯s something else¡­¡± He leaned in. ¡°I know that you have limited choices, and I know that I have, in very distant centuries past, acted a little liberally¡­ but you can¡¯t deny I¡¯ve put my everything on the line for your cause.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Argrave narrowed his eyes.


    Durran put his hand near the mark Raven had bestowed upon him. ¡°I made amitment, remember? Either we discover how to end the cycle of judgment, or the Alchemist eviscerates me. In return, he gave me S-rank spellcasting. Thereafter, this gracious King of the Burnt Sands bestowed upon you a territory just as vast as Vasquer, of his own volition.¡± He held his hands out. ¡°If you want someone to share your burden, my life itself is aligned with your interests. I can step up. And I¡¯m not afraid of what the fruit might do to me.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Argrave said, ufortable recognition dawning on him.


    Durran leaned back. ¡°If you choose otherwise, no hard feelings. I just hope you¡¯ll give me a proper burial when you¡¯re still young and immortal, and I¡¯m three hundred and withering.¡±


    ¡°Durran¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just kidding around,¡± he shook his head. ¡°Listen¡ªif I don¡¯t ask, I don¡¯t receive, right? I¡¯m just officially throwing my name among others. If I didn¡¯t, I¡¯d spend the rest of my short life asking, ¡®what if?¡¯¡±


    Argrave nodded, deciding to take Durran at his word. The whole talk left a bitter taste on his mouth. He wished more and more neither Orion nor Elenore had relinquished the right to the fruits. Perhaps it was time to give them back, have them decide. At the very least, he wouldn¡¯t be solely responsible for distributing them. Hefting such a burden upon his siblings, though, while they were distraught¡­


    ¡°I actually wanted your help broaching something with Elenore,¡± Argrave said. ¡°Can I count on you for that?¡±


    ¡°I mean¡­¡± Durran leaned back. ¡°I¡¯d kiss your royal haunches for the fruit, but I won¡¯t scheme against Elenore. She may be your sister, but she¡¯s my wife.¡±


    Argrave was d to hear his adamant hesitation, honestly¡ªit was some sweetness that mitigated the bitterness of moments prior.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing covert. You don¡¯t have to agree if you don¡¯t agree, but even still, just hear me out,¡± Argrave began.


    #####


    Not even hourster¡­


    ¡°Who told you?¡± Argrave asked of Mnie, who¡¯d managed to catch him off-guard and alone in the parliamentary hall and mentioned his recent promotion to upper-level management.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± The red-haired woman scratched the back of her head. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I should¡­¡±


    ¡°Never mind,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°Let me guess¡ªyou¡¯re throwing your hat in the ring should a second position open up?¡±


    ¡°No, no,¡± Mnie shook her head, adjusting her tellerbarret. ¡°I think¡­ you <em>shouldn¡¯t </em>give the fruits to anyone. Keep them for a special asion. Let them ferment, then make ¡®em into wine.¡±


    Argrave pursed his lips, thinking. ¡°Reverse psychology. On me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you mean,¡± she answered back with narrow eyes. ¡°Nah, I mean¡­ just keep them there. Hold them above people¡¯s head. An incentive, you could call it. You could let certain people prove their worth to eat the fruit. I mean, some people, like me¡­ we¡¯ve already proven our worth. True, Traugott might¡¯ve slipped out of my reach, but I followed you into Erlebnis¡¯ vault, helped you with the dwarves, and even caught Dario. I even gave up godhood when Sataistador offered it to me. Some might consider that <em>slightly </em>meritorious. And just rulers give proportionate rewards. You are a just ruler, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°When it suits me.¡± Argrave smiled. ¡°Thank you for your unbiased counsel, Mnie. You¡¯re a paragon of objective wisdom in these trying times.¡±


    ¡°Well, I try. I try a hell of a lot harder than most of these people, at least,¡± she waved around. ¡°Remember me, Your Majesty. Pretty please?¡±


    #####


    After freeing himself of Mnie, Argrave made some amodations for Rowe. The snow elf had requested an audience¡ªit wasn¡¯t unusual, given his position as a local leader for the Veidimen settlers in ckgard. The snow elves had a sizable presence on the parliament, too, and from what Argrave remembered, Anneliese had mentioned she might seek his counsel. He almost didn¡¯t dare believe, but he couldn¡¯t say he was surprised, when¡­


    ¡°Give me a fruit,¡± Rowe proposed.


    Argrave tapped the table, feeling rather bbored. He leaned his head on his hand as he asked, ¡°Anneliese told you?¡±


    ¡°I pried it free. She sought me for counsel about invading the Shadonds, and she isn¡¯t dumb enough to suggest such a thing without some special edge. So, I battered her until she gave in. She is my apprentice, you forget. Worry not¡ªword won¡¯t spread beyond me. But I am rather interested in cutting Traugott down to size¡ªnamely, the size of a pinpoint.¡±


    ¡°Sell me the idea,¡± Argrave prompted, knowing that was the inevitable end to this conversation.


    ¡°Where to begin? My list of virtues is quite long¡­¡±


    #####


    Argrave sat on his bed, staring ahead. In front of him, his queen stood.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Anneliese apologized profusely. ¡°I just¡­ I didn¡¯t¡­ he helped me a lot, and I just wanted to consider every angle. The Veidmen have withheld some knowledge from even Erlebnis, and Rowe knows all of it, so¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not angry,¡± Argrave shook his head.


    ¡°That still doesn¡¯t justify it.¡± She sat down beside him. ¡°I made a mistake.¡±


    ¡°I think everyone told someone. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if Orion told Sun Li, and then she told Ji Meng, and then he sails over here presenting a grandiose list of reasons why he should have it.¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°I guess I never mentioned to keep it quiet. Still¡­ hell. I don¡¯t know what to do.¡±


    Anneliese shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t need one.¡±


    Argrave didn¡¯t answer with words, and merely wrapped his arm around her body. She leaned her head up against him. In the silence, a strange idea came to Argrave. He rose to his feet, retrieving some cups from a shelf. Then, he set them on the floor upside down.


    ¡°What if¡­¡± He took a blueberry off the table, hiding it beneath one cup. Then, he mixed the cups up.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Anneliese asked, perplexed.


    ¡°Lindon talked about how these fruits are so mystical, yeah?¡± Argrave rambled as he moved the cups around and around. ¡°How they do whatever you want¡ªgive you a million dors, regrow your bald spot, improve your virility, make the girl next door fall in love with you, whatever. He imed that they¡¯re consummate will, and as such, have a will of their own. So what if¡­¡±


    Argrave stopped moving the cups, then gestured to them all. ¡°Pick a cup. Any cup. If you pick goodly, you might just be a little godly.¡±


    Annelieseughed. ¡°Make the fruits choose? You can¡¯t be serious.¡±


    Argrave didn¡¯t join her inughter as he stared at the cups. ¡°Maybe I am, baby. Maybe.¡±

 Chapter 618: Gamble the Universe Away

    Chapter 618: Gamble the Universe Away


    To satiate his desire to gamble the fate of the universe, Argrave visited someone to enable him; a craftsman who was entirely ignorant of what these fruits were.


    ¡°I need you to make two four-sided dice that have a hollow space that could fit this fruit inside of it,¡± Argrave gestured toward the two of them. ¡°I can¡¯t ept them being damaged, so you¡¯ll have to be gentle. On top of that, I need to be able to open up the die to remove the fruit inside. Do you think this is feasible?¡±


    Dario looked at him incredibly strangely. ¡°Why do you want to put a fruit inside a die?¡±


    ¡°Incredibly high-stakes gambling among the rich. Don¡¯t question the whims and wishes of your betters,¡± he said, putting on a fake snobby voice.


    Dario reached out and took the fruit. Argrave was deeply rmed when he squeezed them slightly, but resisted the urge to snatch them out of his hand. ¡°I suppose I could make a bizarre mold for a tetrahedron, split it in half, then add some mechanism for it to open and close that doesn¡¯t disturb its bnce nor open while being tossed.¡± The red-eyed man looked over coldly. ¡°Alternatively, I could just make a pair of dice without all of this stupid stuff.¡±


    Argrave shook his head adamantly. ¡°Both have to be able to fit one fruit.¡±


    Dario sighed. ¡°Come back in three hours.¡±


    He patted Dario on the shoulder with a smile, then turned and walked toward the exit. Anneliese stood there, and she gave him a disbelieving shake of her head when he walked by.


    ¡°You¡¯re really doing this? Really? A game of dice for the fate of the Fruits of Being?¡±Argrave protested, ¡°Of course I¡¯m not ying dice. That would be incredibly crude. Do you really think that I¡¯m so irresponsible as to y a simple game of dice to distribute unimaginable power? That would be tactless. Impetuous. Harebrained. Ludicrous. Inconceivable, even, and I don¡¯t use that word lightly.¡±


    ¡°¡­yet from the glee on your voice, you do have something in mind that involves those dice.¡±


    ¡°A sixteen-person lottery.¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°Elegant. Sophisticated. Refined. A patrician fashion to decide the fate of the world, far removed from the crudeness of mere dice.¡±


    Anneliese followed him along in silence, finally stunned into quietude by one of his antics. Argrave thought that it was one of the best ideas he¡¯d ever had.


    #####


    Argrave opened the door to Elenore¡¯s office, and she looked up to greet him. She set her writing implement down and leaned back in her chair.


    ¡°Is something the matter? You might¡¯ve spoken to me through our connection,¡± Elenore pointed out.


    Argrave put an ornate ck wooden box on her table, with a slot on the top of it justrge enough to fit arge hand through. He shook the box, keeping his hand over the top, then held it out to her.


    ¡°Draw one piece of paper,¡± he told her. ¡°Then, tell me the number.¡±


    She studied him with narrowed eyes. ¡°What is this?¡±


    Argrave looked at what he held. ¡°A ck box, containing papers with numbers ranging eleven to fourteen, twenty-one to twenty-four, thirty-one to thirty-four, and forty-one to forty-four.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t tell me anything,¡± Elenore said, her distrust intensifying.


    Argrave pushed the box closer to her.


    With a sigh, she reached in, rummaging through. She pulled free a crumpled piece of paper, unraveled it, and read the number. ¡°Twenty-one. Are you happy?¡±


    Argrave held out his hand, and she deposited the paper back atop his hand. Hebusted it with a simple spell. ¡°Very happy.¡±


    #####


    ¡°Orion,¡± Argrave greeted, finding the man in his golden armor walking about the courtyard of the parliamentary hall. ¡°Elenore said you would be here. I have an important task for you.¡±


    Orion straightened his back. ¡°You do? I am at your disposal, Your Majesty.¡±


    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the vition.


    Argrave thrust the box out. ¡°Draw a paper. Tell me the number on it.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± With his demeanor rxed considerably, his brother reached into the box and pulled a paper free. ¡°Forty-two, it says. Does that mean anything?¡±


    Argrave took the paper and burnt it. ¡°It means everything.¡±


    #####


    Argrave searched out sixteen people¡ªnow fourteen, after his siblings¡ªand had them draw a paper.


    Raven caught on to what Argrave intended, and called him an inbred¡ªit was a factually true statement considering his biological mother was also his first cousin, but not very hurtful nheless. Eventually, however, the man once known as the Alchemist capitted to the tides of fate and drew a number. Twelve.


    Argrave told Rowe it was rted to the parliament, and the Veidimen drew a paper without question. He asked questions after, but Argrave gave no answers and left with the elf¡¯s number. Argrave did question whether or not it might be a mistake even allowing the possibility of such power to one so zealous. Forty-four.


    Next, he sought the mountains of ckgard for its now solitary denizen. Onychinusa,st heiress of the ancient elven empire on Berendar, offered her condolences for Vasquer¡¯s passing. She proved to be the most difficult to persuade to reach into the box and draw her lot, but Argrave eventually coaxed her into taking number thirty-three.


    Next, he told Durran that it was a lottery, but not a good one. It was the draft to see who woulde with them into the Shadonds, because the space would be limited¡ªa tant lie. The man hemmed and hawed and protested, but he did eventually draw his paper. Thirteen.


    Mnie received the same treatment Durran did. She tried to negotiate for an entry fee to the lottery¡ªnamely, that she would be paid to enter the lottery¡ªbut Argrave remained steadfast and she did eventually sumb to the simple promise that she wouldn¡¯t regret it. Twenty-four.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Artur, master of the Hall of Enchantment, S-rank magister afflicted with dwarfism, had been an arrogant if reliable ally. In the Bloodwoods he¡¯d proven his worth many times over, especially in stressful situations. His mastery of the arcane made him a good candidate for the fruit, so Argrave entered him in. Forty-one.


    Dario was resistant to enter the lottery because he hated gambling. Argrave finally had to break his demeanor and admit that this was rather important, and the man once of the subterranean mountain tribes unwittingly threw his hat into one of the most important lotteries many worlds over. Thirty-two.


    Vasilisa of Quadreign, S-rank spellcaster, sister to the present Archduchess of the North, and guardian to Sophia of Vasquer often acted as though she wasn¡¯t as steadfast as she was. Countless times, Argrave had been able to rely upon her more than any other. Sophia had not suffered a single scratch under her watch. She was hesitant when he mentioned the Shadonds, but resolved when he brought up their task; killing Traugott. Twenty-three.


    Argrave also paid a visit to his cousin, Nikoletta. He both informed her of the possible danger she might be in because of the Gilderwatcher heritage they shared, and pondered if she would be willing to risk her life to enter the Shadonds. He held no punches about the danger entailed. In this lifetime, she had grown as the sessor to the dukedom rather than thest heir to Monti, so he thought she might refuse. Surprisingly, she didn¡¯t. Twenty-two.


    When thinking of faithfulbatants and close bonds, one name dide to mind. At first he considered Elias of House Parbon, but upon thinking of it deeper¡­ there was quite the fearsome warrior who was steadfastly loyal and unafraid to die in the Shadonds: Margrave Reinhardt himself. Upon exining the situation, without hesitation¡­ Reinhardt chose fourteen.


    With House Parbon entered into his historic lottery, Argrave sought out one of their close rtions. Stain¡ªformerly Vdrien of Jast¡ªhad proven himself capable of following orders, and he had the bonus of being a protagonist from Heroes of Berendar. He¡¯d been made Duke of Whitefields after his service in the Great Chu, and resided there in central Berendar even now. Argrave had been prepared to dole out some heavy bait, but Stain agreed to hunt Traugott without fuss. Forty-three.


    On his way to the most distant lottery entrant, Argrave passed through the Bloodwoods. Their lives had improved markedly, and they were even dder to hear that Argrave had in the one that destroyed their homes so thoroughly¡ªKirel Qircassia. While there, he entered another into his contest, enlisting their proven reliability; Ganbaatar of the wood elves. Thirty-four.


    Thereafter Argrave travelled overseas, heading back to the Great Chu where Gmon stillmanded the armies there. The man thought he was needed back in Vasquer, but instead, Argrave only said it could be possible and asked him to draw a paper. Thirty-one.


    Andstly¡­


    ¡°I said I don¡¯t need one,¡± Anneliese shook her head as Argrave held out the box.


    ¡°Well, there¡¯s only one left. Yours. Eleven,¡± he disclosed. ¡°If fate should will it, you shall get it. All the numbers are distributed. All that¡¯s left is to roll the dice.¡±


    Anneliese studied him. ¡°You¡¯re seriously going to do this? Roll the dice and let fate decide?¡±


    ¡°Not fate. Not really. It¡¯s the fruits,¡± he said grandly, pulling thest paper out and burning it just like all the others. ¡°Pay tribute to the fruit. Pray to the fruit. Respect the fruit, and let the fruit guide you, young apprentice.¡±


    Argrave headed over to the dice that Dario had crafted. They wererge¡ªthey needed to be to amodate the fruit without deforming. He picked the first one up, twisting it strangely until it split. He ced the fruit within, and turned around while closing it shut. It fit snugly inside¡ªshaking it, he couldn¡¯t feel it move.


    ¡°You ready?¡± he asked Anneliese, hefting the unwieldy pyramid.


    ¡°No,¡± she shook her head.


    ¡°Well, here we go anyway.¡±


    Argrave tossed the first four-sided die at the ground.

 Chapter 619: Fruity Fellows

    Chapter 619: Fruity Fellows


    Argrave and Anneliese both stared at the number that hade up on the die. The first winner of the lottery had been eptable, but the second¡­


    ¡°¡­I didn¡¯t think that¡­¡± Argrave babbled, searching for justification for his choice. ¡°I mean, the people I put on the lottery were the ones that evoked a strong impression during our journey. I thought that the fruit would filter out the outliers.¡±


    Anneliese looked at him. ¡°Evidently not.¡±


    Argrave stared at the inscribed number one. ¡°What do I do? I mean, this can¡¯t be right, can it?¡±


    Anneliese chewed on her lower lip. ¡°Reroll it,¡± she encouraged him.


    ¡°Reroll it?¡± He repeated incredulously. ¡°That defeats the whole integrity of the lottery! How can anything be sacred if¡ª¡±


    ¡°The whole reason you did this was to let the fruit choose, right?¡± Anneliese looked at him. ¡°If that¡¯s true, it¡¯ll repeat the result.¡±


    Argrave was hesitant to follow through with the reroll for the principle of the thing, but her words made sense. With his eyes closed, he dropped the die to the floor once more. After it settled, they looked at the number. Four. They shared a nce, and their faces hardened. Anneliese knelt down and picked up the die, then dropped it again.


    One. Put four and one together, there¡¯s forty-one¡ªthe same asst time.¡°¡­good lord,¡± Argrave muttered, hand held up to his mouth. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to say.¡±


    Anneliese looked at him pointedly. ¡°Respect the fruit,¡± she repeated his earlier words. ¡°Let it guide you.¡±


    Argrave twisted the top of the pyramidal die, and it split open. He extracted the fruit from within, then looked around. ¡°I, uhh¡­ I think I¡¯ll deliver the first one. I need to think about what I¡¯m going to say to the second. I need to think about what I¡¯m going to <em>do.¡±</em>


    #####


    Argrave knocked on the door, and a female¡¯s voice answered, ¡°Come in.¡±


    He entered, looking upon where Elenore and Durran had their dinner. It seemed a rather soothing atmosphere, and both looked upon him as if he had disturbed something. He held the fruit behind his back as a world-bending surprise. Hopefully, it might be a pleasant dessert after their meal.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to interrupt the two of you,¡± he said, looking between them. ¡°Hopefully, the news that I bring will make you a little more able to suffer my presence.¡±


    ¡°Pull up a chair,¡± Elenore offered. ¡°We were discussing the strange shenanigans you pulled today. That little box.¡± She shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t think you intend to conscript me for the draft, so it must be something else. I think it¡¯s a task of some kind¡ªsomething unpleasant, but something that doesn¡¯t require physicality.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the optimist. I imagine it¡¯s something nice,¡± Durran countered. ¡°Honestly I agree with her, but I¡¯m taking the opposing side because it¡¯s more interesting.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Argrave revealed the prize¡ªthe golden Fruit of Being. ¡°I¡¯d say it¡¯s nice.¡±


    Elenore stared at it, then her gaze turned to Argrave with eyes sharp enough to bore a hole through his head. ¡°You¡¯d better be joking, Argrave. You did <em>not </em>hold a lottery for the Fruit of Being.¡±


    Durran looked at her, pointing at the fruit. ¡°Is that it? Really?! That¡¯s it?¡±


    ¡°I made a four-sided die, fit it inside, and then let the fruit decide,¡± Argrave said weakly.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Elenore covered her eyes with her hand, pushing aside her dinner with her elbows as she leaned against the table. Durran simply startedughing, and eventually pounded the table twice.


    ¡°No matter how many times we redid it, it chose the same numbers,¡± Argrave told them, adding conviction to his words. ¡°Every roll, it came up with the same result. That means something. That means it chose.¡±


    Elenore shot him a fiery re. ¡°Or, the die was badly bnced. Or, it was simply random chance. And even if it did choose, would you consider yourself less intelligent than a fruit?¡±


    ¡°You think these notions didn¡¯t cross my mind?! I tested it!¡± He looked between them. ¡°Look. Everyone was asking me to choose who to bestow a tremendous gift upon. I didn¡¯t want to spend the rest of my life questioning if I made the right or wrong choice, or if I hadn¡¯t suitably repaid the efforts of the people around me. This was the only way I could be sure of some level of fairness.¡±


    ¡°Fair? You want to talk about fair, after who we¡¯ve lost?¡± Elenore¡¯s voice cracked. ¡°Forget fair. The world isn¡¯t just, isn¡¯t equal.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t mean we can¡¯t be,¡± he said softly as he met her stare.


    Elenore looked to have more to say, but his words made her hold her tongue. She ced her hands on the table, her temper cooling somewhat. Durran ced his hand over hers, squeezing it gently. Meanwhile, his golden eyes fixed on Argrave.


    ¡°So, who won? If you say Mnie¡­¡± Durran grimaced.


    Argrave studied the fruit, debating changing his mind at thest moment. Maybe Elenore was right. Maybe this entire idea had been a mistake from the beginning. What did this fruit really know? Was he dumber than a fruit?


    Argrave held the fruit out to Durran. ¡°You did.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Durran rose to his feet, and the chair fell over. He stared for a few moments, then nodded his head with a grin on his face. ¡°Oh, I get it. This is a test¡ªit has to be. You¡¯re checking if¡­ hell, I don¡¯t know. You¡¯re checking if I¡¯m willing to be selfless enough to give up the fruit, because I know there¡¯s someone better it should go to. At this point, I¡¯m just apetentmander in your army.¡±


    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the vition.


    ¡°You sound demented,¡± Argrave chuckled. ¡°Why can¡¯t it be you?¡±


    ¡°Because I don¡¯t get lucky.¡± Durran tapped his chest. ¡°I got my one piece of good luck¡ªyour sister. The chances of getting luckier after that¡­ astronomically low.¡±


    Elenore turned her face away, hiding a slight smile. Her protests had vanished like morning dew now that she knew its recipient. Argrave assumed she had protested so vigorously because she suspected she had gotten it instead of Durran.


    ¡°It¡¯s not astronomically low, it¡¯s 1/16 odds. Actually¡­ 16/16. The fruit chose you, Durran.¡± Argrave held it out further. ¡°Don¡¯t look a gift fruit in the mouth. Just put it in yours.¡±


    Durran reached out delicately, as if he was trying to pet a flighty bunny, then grasped the fruit gently. He weighed it in his hand, then locked gazes with Argrave. ¡°Did it hurt? Historically, anything you¡¯ve done <em>hurts</em>.¡±


    Argrave shrugged. ¡°I didn¡¯t even notice a difference, but I did pass out.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Durran stared at its golden skin. ¡°I¡¯ll go¡­ I¡¯ll go eat this on my bed, then. Yeah.¡± He made for the exit, and he startedughing as he stared at it. ¡°Lottery¡­ the damn <em>lottery,</em>¡± heughed. ¡°Smell that air! Couldn¡¯t you just drink it like booze? HAHA!¡±


    Elenore looked at him. ¡°I hope this isn¡¯t a mistake.¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t be, surely.¡± Argrave stared after Durran. ¡°Now¡­ I have to give it to the next¡­¡± he sighed. ¡°Good lord¡­ trust the fruit. Trust the fruit. Just trust the fruit, Argrave.¡±


    #####


    Argrave could hear the busy nging of industry in the building ahead of him. He looked to Anneliese just beside him.


    ¡°The fruit chose,¡± she reminded him almost mockingly by this point. ¡°You told me to let it guide us. And so it has guided. The fruit does not err. It is we who cannotprehend its vast intell¡ª¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± he interrupted, and Anneliese giggled before regaining herposure. ¡°Let¡¯s go see him.¡±


    Argrave entered inside Artur¡¯s Hall of Enchantment. Within, countless forges worked diligently to process metal, enchanters overseeing the whole process like hawks looking for prey. Their prey, however, was any mistake in the production process. Here, Artur, formerly a Magister of the Gray Owl, had carved this hall in the mountain of ckgard, converting it into a workshop that elevated ckgard into a bastion of wealth. Enchanted items left this ce by the thousands weekly, while research and development brought forth new small discoveries every day in search of glorious profit.


    Ever since the legalization of magic outside of the Order of the Gray Owl, there had been a huge vacuum. Artur had filled that vacuum alongside government subsidies. He was a capitalist through-and-through, born in the wrong era. Argrave had merely made it the <em>right </em>era for him. Now, this ce had artificers of every stripe. He worked closely with Elenore to fuel Vasquer¡¯s war economy, and a few other economies besides.


    Today, it seemed exceptionally busy. Even the supervisors were working. Argrave knew that supervisors didn¡¯t actually do any work, so it was strange. There wasn¡¯t even someone waiting to greet him. Argrave knew where Artur¡¯s office was, however, so he merely walked down the vast hall for one of the stone tforms.


    An enchantedmp above illuminated the whole hall in sterile light. As it had been before, this was a multi-story building without stairs. Instead, levitating stone tforms as seen in Order elevators carried everyone everywhere. Offices lined the two side walls in long rows, all of them reachable only by levitation. Argrave was about to transport himself to Artur¡¯s office before he heard a voice.


    <em>¡°This is an embarrassment!¡±</em> the man shouted. ¡°I¡¯ve made it distinctly clear we have quotas to meet. At this rate, you cannot meet them. If we can¡¯t have things prepared before the research team is fully assembled, our Hall of Enchantment will be an embarrassment in front of all spellcasters of any esteem. The queen herself, Her Highness Anneliese, will be presiding over it. I¡¯m paying you good money, aren¡¯t I? Each and every one of you nitwits is earning ten times you ever did plying your trade in Dirracha or Jast. It stands to reason you should <em>earn your keep!</em>¡±


    Argrave looked at Anneliese, and then the two of them both nodded. They took their ce aboard one of the stone tforms, then headed to where the shouting wasing from. Their stone tforms docked on a third-story office, and they stepped inside.


    ¡°I think you¡¯ve done enough that your Hall of Enchantment can¡¯t embarrass,¡± Argrave called out.


    Artur, floating on a maroon cape, whirled toward Argrave. Countless golden nes and bracelets on his person rattled from the speed. When he saw who it was, his red face faded back to white immediately. His peculiar eyes sparkled like a rainbow before returning to a normal brown.


    ¡°Your Majesty!¡± he greeted pleasantly, pping his hands together. A loud <em>click </em>echoed as his countless bejeweled rings hit one another. ¡°I wasn¡¯t informed you were here. What brings you? Is something amiss? I¡¯m sure I can fix it or make it, whatever it is.¡±


    ¡°You remember that paper I had you draw earlier?¡±


    Artur narrowed his eyes, opening his mouth as he thought. It was clear he remembered nothing.


    ¡°You were very busy at the time¡ªI don¡¯t me you.¡± Argrave gestured. ¡°Still, there¡¯s something to talk about in your office.¡±


    ¡°And what is that, Your Majesty?¡±


    Anneliese said simply, ¡°You won.¡±


    #####


    Artur stared at the golden fruit ced on his desk. Argrave sat across from him patiently, waiting for his next words. He remained suspended in the air above his chair rather than simply sitting atop it. His affliction of dwarfism coupled with his sky-high pridepelled him to seldom touch the ground, as he didn¡¯t like others to see him walk nor guess his height.


    ¡°Your Majesty consumed the same fruit?¡± Artur¡¯s eyes sparkled countless colors again, then settled into brown. ¡°And you would give it to me, now?¡±


    ¡°It changed the way my blood magic functions.¡± Argrave gave him a nod. ¡°And it chose you. If you want it, there would be some more expectations of you; namely, incredible danger. As I recall, you have wonderful situational awareness. It might be said you saved my life in the Bloodwoods.¡±


    Artur floated forth and touched it gently. ¡°I risked my life to get <em>out </em>of the frontlines, not rejoin them. Now¡­ now, I¡¯m doing quite well¡±


    Argrave was taken aback and looked to Anneliese. He could tell the idea sounded strangely tantalizing for both of them.


    ¡°You could be more than wealthy and esteemed. You could be a hero of this nation. You could be enshrined forevermore, steeped in myth and legend as long as people are alive to tell your tale. You could¡ª"


    ¡°Argrave, Argrave, Argrave,¡± Elenore¡¯s voice cut into his head, loud, frantic, and rapid. ¡°Durran¡¯s awake, but something¡¯s wrong with him. He won¡¯t tell me what, but he keeps hitting his head¡ªwith his fists, and even the wall, and he¡¯s talking aloud, and he¡¯s not focused on anything I¡¯m saying, and he¡¯s¡ª¡±


    ¡°Calm down,¡± he interrupted her. ¡°I¡¯ming. Hold on.¡±


    Argrave rose to his feet. ¡°Elenore reached out,¡± he informed Anneliese, and she nodded understandingly. ¡°Finish things up with Artur. I trust your judgment,¡± he tapped her shoulder, then set off to see how Durran had changed.


    Argrave imbued shamanic magic with blood, and felt great pain as teleportation whisked him away just out front of Elenore and Durran¡¯s room. Immediately uponnding, he heard Durran shout.


    ¡°No! Just shut up!¡±

 Chapter 620: Just When I Thought I Was Out...

    Chapter 620: Just When I Thought I Was Out...


    Upon seeing Durran clutching his head and howling at invisible enemies, Argrave first assumed the worst¡ªthat he had made a mistake, and he had fed poison to one of the most important people in his kingdom. He had survived the Fruit of Being, but others unrted to the Gilderwatchers might not be able to endure its power. Or, worse yet, he¡¯d been fooled by Gerechtigkeit, somehow.


    With guilt and trepidation both in his heart, he approached the panicking Elenore and the in -agony Durran, who crawled about on the floor beside his bed. Both his hands were balled into tight fists, and he pounded his head with his knuckles. There was arge amount of blood, but Durran seemed entirely uninjured. Then, before his eyes, he saw wounds closing on Durran. It defied his expectations that the fruit had failed if his wounds would close so quickly.


    ¡°Help him!¡± Elenoremanded Argrave, trying to sound authoritative in spite of her worry. ¡°You need to do something, Argrave!¡±


    ¡°Argrave?¡± Durran lifted his head up, scanning the room. His eyes trembled as if he was bearing an unimaginable weight. He rose shakily, but poor bnce caused him to simply lunge at Argrave. He grasped at his knees. ¡°Bastard¡­ gods-damned bastard¡­ get me out of here. Get me the hell out of here.¡±


    Argrave kneeled down. ¡°Focus, Durran. Focus. Tell me what¡¯s wrong.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t¡­¡± Durran bashed his head against Argrave¡¯s knee. ¡°Don¡¯t ask. Just do, do!¡± He closed his eyes and again screamed, ¡°Shut up!¡±


    Argrave¡¯s eyes danced as he considered his options, then he grabbed Durran¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m taking you to Raven.¡±


    ¡°No, no, no! Absolutely not!¡± Durran crawled away from him like a rabid animal.


    ¡°He¡¯s the only one who¡¯ll know what¡¯s wrong, Durran,¡± Argrave told him insistently.¡°I know what¡¯s wrong,¡± Durran managed coherently, his voice a crying whine. ¡°Just take me away. Far away. Somece with few people¡ªno people.¡±


    His brain whirled as he processed the strange request, but decided to simply give in. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll take you to a wide-open field,¡± he promised.


    Durran shook his head frantically, balling up. ¡°People die on ins all the time. No ins. Water ins. The ocean,¡± he suggested, thentched onto the idea. ¡°Yeah, ocean. Ocean with low people. Ocean between the ces. The ces we own. Middle of it.¡±


    Argrave tried to trante his gibberish intoprehendiblenguage, and eventually nodded. ¡°The ocean between Vasquer and the Great Chu?¡±


    ¡°Yes, yeah!¡± Durran nodded frantically.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Argrave stood to his feet. I¡¯ll bring¡­ bring a small rowboat or something, teleport it with us.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll find one,¡± Elenore promised, sprinting out the room the fastest he¡¯d ever seen her move.


    ¡°Hang tight, Durran,¡± Argrave walked around, dispelling nervous energy. ¡°Can I help you right now? Anything I can do?¡±


    ¡°Kill me,¡± he said.


    Argrave nodded. ¡°Any better ideas?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± he moaned sadly.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    With a deep breath, Argrave prepared to figure out what the hell was happening.


    #####


    Argrave stared at Durran. The two of them sat on a rowboat in the middle of the tumultuous ocean between the Great Chu and Vasquer. Durran, who¡¯d been writhing, had calmed somewhat, and gazed out distantly across the ocean as he sprawled out with limp legs and arms.


    ¡°I hate you,¡± he said.


    The words wounded Argrave and he fell silent for a few moments before saying quietly, ¡°I didn¡¯t know it would be like this, Durran.¡±


    ¡°Not you, bastard,¡± Durran looked at him. ¡°The other guy. Well,e to think of it¡­ I might hate you a little, too. But it¡¯s not the same.¡±


    ¡°You sound coherent. More so, at least.¡± Argrave rubbed his hands together. ¡°What¡¯s happening to you? You said you knew.¡±


    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the vition.


    Durran looked out across the rocking ocean, then used his arms to sit up. He looked exhausted. ¡°I should¡¯ve known. I even told you I couldn¡¯t get luckier, but I had to push it. Pushed my luck, now I¡¯m getting pushed in when I¡¯d just about forgotten this bit of my past.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t tell me much,¡± Argrave pointed out. ¡°Listen¡ªwe¡¯re going to find some way to fix this. Somewhere, there¡¯s an advantage to what you¡¯re feeling. We can make you right, make you whole.¡±


    Durran shook his head. ¡°I know what I have to do. I just don¡¯t want to do it.¡±


    Argrave grabbed his legs and jostled him. ¡°Just tell me what the hell¡¯s wrong!¡±


    With his hands trembling, Durran clenched his arms until he hugged himself. ¡°¡­the dead.¡±


    ¡°What about them?¡± Argrave asked, but he was already guessing.


    ¡°I can hear the dead,¡± he said louder, though his voice still trembled. ¡°I can feel the dead, smell the dead. I can think theirst thoughts, take their ce, live their life. I can feel the god damned sword piercing my stomach. I can feel it yank out, pulling my guts with it. I can stare up at the soldier¡ªthis guy, he¡¯s just a kid, just like me, and he¡¯s terrified. He stabs me again, and again, and I just won¡¯t die! And I¡¯m bleeding, and¡­¡± he broke off into a fit of trembling. ¡°Fuck. That fucking fruit. I¡¯ve lived entire lives, Argrave, in moments. I could tell you their mothers, their fathers, their dreams¡­¡±


    Argrave felt a chill as he looked upon Durran¡¯s face. These weren¡¯t mere hallucinations¡ªit seemed incredibly real to him, incredibly vivid. He was experiencing thest moments of the dead. It must¡¯ve been tied to the location, somehow¡ªand that was why Durran had requested hee here. Incredible guilt welled up at what he¡¯d inflicted upon Durran. He¡¯d made the man die countless times. He¡¯d consigned him to a life of death.


    But to experience that which the dead did¡­ to quite literally pry their genuine thoughts from beyond the grave¡­ Argrave already saw immeasurable value.


    ¡°Do you speak to them?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Durran answered, then said, ¡°Stopughing. It¡¯s not funny, you miserable...¡± He caressed his forehead, then looked at Argrave. ¡°No, I don¡¯t speak with the dead. I be them. It¡¯s such an intense bombardment of being that it makes me want to puke. But I can¡¯t puke, for some reason.¡±


    ¡°Upper-level management doesn¡¯t puke, maybe.¡± Argrave crossed his arms. ¡°Still¡­ you¡¯re speaking to someone right now, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Durran sighed incredibly deeply, and that was all the answer that Argrave needed. They sat in silence as the ship rocked. Argrave felt out of sorts, but Durran looked as though he was distracted. Perhaps it was the voice in his head. And given all that Argrave knew about who Durran was, and what he¡¯d experienced¡­ and above all, how Durran spoke to the person¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s Garm, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Durran turned his head to look at Argrave. There was a stretch of silence before, eventually, he nodded.


    Argrave covered his mouth with his hand. Garm. A-rank spellcaster,st true surviving member of the Order of the Rose, and a head on a wooden stake. Argrave and the others had found him in the Low Way of the Rose, as his presence was necessary to advance deeper within. They had passed through the whole of that dreadful ce, until finally, they came to the Burnt Desert.


    Garm wasbative, stubborn, narcissistic, and by Argrave¡¯s estimation, quite funny. Along the journey, they¡¯d had their ups and downs. He was even beginning to like the poor fellow, and empathize with his situation. Then, Garm stubbornly chose to die, bestowing his soul upon Durran that he might help him learn magic quickly.


    But more than helping Durran, Garm had simply wished to not be a burden upon Argrave.


    ¡°It¡¯s been, what¡­ two years and a half?¡± Durran questioned. ¡°Yeah, I moved on just fine. Just fine. Until¡­¡±


    Argrave leaned back in the boat, joining Durran in staring out across the ocean as he imagined the totality of how the Fruit of Being would change Durran¡¯s life. Argrave hadn¡¯t noticed exceptional changes to his body. Durran couldn¡¯t escape his. It was quite literally in his head.


    ¡°Anneliese and I had agreed to name our first son Garm,¡± Argrave confessed. ¡°This somewhatplicates things.¡±


    Durran halfughed, half-cried. ¡°You think you¡¯ve got it rough? Even if I manage to ovee the whole ¡®dead people infecting my body¡¯ thing, this bastard might be watching as I try and <em>make</em> my first son.¡± He leaned in. ¡°How¡¯s that? Do you have any idea how much the course of my life just changed? A damned cyclone mmed into the boat that is my life, and now I¡¯m adrift¡­. who knows where the hell I am.¡± He leaned out the side of the boat. ¡°Can I go back? Can I vomit the fruit up and give it to Mnie?¡±


    Argrave hung his head in shame.


    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re back because of a fruit.¡± Durran paused. ¡°Yes, my mother <em>did </em>teach me not to eat random things. Look at this prick. He¡¯s fine and dandy, and he ate the same fruit,¡± Durran gestured at him.


    ¡°You and he don¡¯t share thoughts, memories?¡± Argrave inquired.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t think so. I¡¯m still getting used to it.¡± Durran shook his head, then quieted down.


    Argrave studied Durran carefully. Now that he knew, he could see the man listen to Garm intently. Argrave decided to ask, ¡°You said you knew what you have to do, but you don¡¯t want to do it.¡±


    ¡°Yep.¡± Durran nodded. ¡°It¡¯s like jumping off a cliff into water. It¡¯ll <em>probably </em>be safe. He says that he can leave my body. Considering he died for me once before, I don¡¯t exactly harbor too many doubts about his truthfulness. But what if there¡¯s rocks beneath the surface? It¡¯s dangerous.¡± He sighed. ¡°But sometimes¡­ sometimes, I guess you just have to do it.¡±


    Durran looked at him intently, golden eyes locking with his. Argrave was a little uncertain about what it was, but he waited patiently for Durran to continue. Then, he saw the white sclera on Durran¡¯s eyes darken, turning gray¡­ then finally, turning to ck. With ck on the outside, gold on the inside, it reminded Argrave only of a necromantic creation. A chill set in.


    ¡°It seems even I can¡¯t kill me,¡± Garm whispered with intense joy, then examined his limbs. ¡°I¡¯m back.¡±

 Chapter 621: Happy to Be Dead

    Chapter 621: Happy to Be Dead


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


    ¡°How does one move their arm, again?¡± He studied Durran¡¯s arms. ¡°Quite nice arms, but my faculties appear to have eroded somewhat.¡±


    ¡°The same way you¡¯re talking, I imagine.¡± Argrave studied him, trying his best to act as though this situation wasn¡¯t abnormal.


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


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


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


    ¡°Why? That¡¯s quite abstract. If I knew, I wouldn¡¯t have written you that stupid letter. ¡®I don¡¯t care for sappy stuff, but I wish for you to know I consider you a friend.¡¯ Bleh.¡± He fake-vomited. ¡°Why did I ever think to write that? Still, did you cry?¡±


    Argrave looked away.


    ¡°Ahhh, I can see it. You cried like a bitch. Hahahahaha!¡± Garmughed happily. ¡°I¡¯m here because the universe decided Durran is ipetent, and he can¡¯t do the job alone. Why else?¡± He paused. ¡°The man is very angry at me for saying so, but it¡¯s true. You see, rummaging around in his body, I¡¯ve figured things out about our powers. Oh, yes¡ªpowers.¡±Argrave was rmed by the possibility there might yet be more yet unpacked, but said nothing to draw attention. ¡°Such as?¡±


    ¡°I understand how to listen to the voices of the dead. He doesn¡¯t,¡± Garm exined simply. ¡°If you take me back to where we were, with that woman crying over him¡ªshe looked a little like you,e to think of it¡ªI could stand upright amidst the waves of death and decay, and parse the mystery from the misery.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t stand upright now,¡± Argrave pointed out, thought felt disquieted when he wondered how they might exin this to Elenore.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get the hang of it,¡± Garm coped. ¡°Mastery over death¡ªthat¡¯s what I bring to the table. It¡¯s <em>my </em>power. <em>Mine</em>. Durran wasn¡¯t man enough to use it¡ªme, though, I¡¯ve seen deaths uncountable. I¡¯ve taken baths in blood¡ªwhich is a rather ineffective skin treatment, despite rumors to the contrary. It seems he¡¯s made a habit of tossing away perfectly good gifts. It¡¯s quite the wasteful thing, to bestow the grandest necromantic soul of the age upon one who nigh entirely disregards his specialty.¡±


    Argrave had been an attentive listener, and so asked a pertinent question. ¡°You say that¡¯s your power. What¡¯s Durran¡¯s?¡±


    ¡°His? He would know better. Oh!¡± Garm looked down at his hands. ¡°I¡¯m moving my fingers! No, they¡¯re not ¡®your fingers,¡¯ Durran. At worst, I can call them ¡®our fingers.¡¯¡±


    ¡°Have him describe it,¡± Argrave pressed the issue. ¡°You saw your power, locked within. What¡¯s his?¡±


    Garm listened, then ryed, ¡°He says he doesn¡¯t yet fully know yet, but he knows that it¡¯s useful inbat, and it¡¯s quite powerful.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°Maybe there¡¯s someone I know that can help us out with this whole dilemma.¡±


    ¡°Who might that be?¡± Garm smiled pleasantly.


    ¡°You¡¯ve met him,¡± Argrave replied simply. ¡°As a matter of fact, you struck a deal with him behind my back. Do you remember that?¡±


    ¡°Durran?¡± Garm narrowed his eyes.


    ¡°Taller,¡± Argrave said, and took some joy in watching Garm¡¯s face harden.


    #####


    ¡°It¡¯s difficult to say if they could be parted,¡± Raven mused while examining Garm. The man stayed eerily still with extreme trepidation, not knowing just how much Raven had lightened up. Argrave was content to keep him ignorant.


    ¡°What¡¯s difficult?¡± Argrave pressed for exnation.


    ¡°Garm¡¯s soul does not exist. It was destroyed and melded with Durran¡¯s, and that hasn¡¯t changed. The being that inhabits his shell is a manifestation of the imprint left behind, sustained by the Fruit of Being¡¯s ability. Therefore, it¡¯s difficult to say if he could exist independently of Durran¡¯s ability to witness the imprint left behind by the dead.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s wrong,¡± Garm said with some vim, then shrunk as Raven turned his withering gaze back toward him.


    ¡°Exin,¡± Raven demanded.


    ¡°I saw this power. I <em>saw </em>it. I know there¡¯s a way to leave. I saw the exit.¡± He looked at Argrave. ¡°Bring me a corpse.¡±


    ¡°A corpse?¡±


    ¡°Do you need an exnation?¡± Garm condescended. ¡°It¡¯s like you, but more interesting. Go fetch one. Fresh, and humanoid.¡±


    Argrave sighed, both enraged and amused at this man¡¯s sudden return. He contacted Elenore, asking, ¡°Do you have any fresh,rgely intact corpses?¡±


    ¡°What?! I thought you said you had everything under control!¡± She answered back, panic still lining her tone.


    ¡°I do. I just need a corpse,¡± he answered her.


    ¡°¡­wait a moment,¡± she said.


    Argrave looked at Garm. ¡°I ordered a corpse. Delivery driver is on the way. Estimated delivery time is thirty minutes.¡±


    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any urrences elsewhere.


    ¡°Why not bring someone, have them killed?¡± Garm proposed.


    ¡°Because people aren¡¯t lobsters.¡± Argrave red at him. ¡°We don¡¯t cook with living ingredients, here.¡±


    ¡°Peak freshness,¡± Garm pointed out.


    #####


    Argrave looked down at the corpse that Elenore had managed to rummage up. He was rather d to see no fresh wounds inflicted by Elenore¡¯s agents in their haste to procure a body.


    ¡°It¡¯s so old,¡± Garmined. ¡°Wrinkly, and sad. And what¡¯s that smell?¡±


    ¡°He was a beggar. No family far as we can tell, and died in the streets less than an hour ago in Dirracha.¡± Argrave turned his gaze away from the old man¡¯s rheumy, dead eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not going to kill some twenty-something year old for your twisted purposes.¡±


    Garm grumbled, looking at the corpse. He gingerly raised his hand, then cast a B-rank spell. Argrave could tell at once that it was necromantic, and surely enough, the corpse shambled upward. Its eyes turned to ck and gold.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Garm tried to stand, but stumbled a bit. Argrave caught him. ¡°Bring me to it. Bring me,¡± hemanded.


    ¡°I see not much has changed for you, even with a body,¡± Argrave ribbed as he brought Garm over. ¡°Still relying on others to haul you around.¡±


    ¡°Old habits die hard,¡± Garm jested without taking offence. He seemed bright and cheery, all things considered.


    Once Argrave brought him near the corpse, he leaned forward and clung to it. The wizened corpse¡¯s body resisted feebly, barely staying upright with therge body of Durran leaning against it.


    ¡°So, uhh¡­¡± Argrave looked around, not wanting to witness this strangely indecent scene of Durran clinging to some old man. ¡°You have a n?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m trying some things,¡± Garm answered back, crawling up the old man¡¯s body. Argrave looked around again. He did <em>not</em> care to exin this to Elenore, and only hoped her agents weren¡¯t watching.


    ¡°Trying to get aroused, looks like,¡± Argravemented. ¡°This is what you¡¯re into?¡±


    ¡°No. I much prefer dead women. A lot less speaking and cuddling, but you can still do the fun part.¡± Garm continued for a few moments, then looked over with regret etched on his face. ¡°That is a joke, I hope you realize.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°A joke. You¡¯re not a necrophiliac. I have <em>no</em> doubt.¡±


    ¡°Well, I did have a son, if you want some evidence. His mother may have been a terrible cunt, but I wouldn¡¯t go so far as to call her a zombie. The dead, for all their virtues, can¡¯t give birth. Plenty of my colleagues with zero charisma tried¡­ I, however, was quite the looker. I had no need to rely on such methods,¡± Garm said distantly as he focused on the task. ¡°Oh. Oh! I think this is it,¡± Garm said excitedly.


    ¡°You had a son?¡± Argrave asked in surprise.


    ¡°Yes. He¡¯s the one that put me on the stake.¡± Garm stared into the corpse¡¯s eyes. ¡°I think I just¡­¡±


    Both Durran and the recent-arisen zombie fell to the ground, and Argrave gaped for a moment before rushing forward. Garm blinked open his eyes¡ªor rather, Durran did, given the fact the ckness had faded from his sclera.


    ¡°Are you there? Garm, Durran, whoever?¡± Argrave grabbed his face.


    ¡°Durran,¡± he answered, swatting away Argrave¡¯s grip over his head. ¡°And Garm¡­ Garm¡¯s voice¡­ it¡¯s not¡­¡±


    Movement to the side drew both their attention. The beggar¡¯s corpse was moving again, and Argrave watched cautiously. It suddenly sat up with intense vigor.


    ¡°By the gods¡­¡± the corpse said, in a tone identical to that which had beening from Durran moments before with a different, aged voice. ¡°This feels so much better than that idiot¡¯s body. I feel alive! I feel whole!¡±


    The once-sluggish corpse rose up with incredible speed, rolling its arms about. Garmughed vigorously as he jumped from foot to foot, doing a slight dance. Argrave couldn¡¯t help but join him in some mirth despite the morbidity of this endeavor. Then, he looked back at Durran.


    ¡°Still bothered?¡± he asked.


    ¡°¡­less so,¡± Durran admitted after a moment¡¯s hesitation. ¡°It¡¯s less intense, less vivid. Enough so that I can speak to you. But there¡¯s still a lot there.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯ll fade.¡± Garm kneeled down before Durran and Argrave. ¡°But in order for it to do so, you need to do something for me.¡±


    ¡°Second life¡¯s not enough?¡± Argrave asked him.


    ¡°It¡¯ll benefit all of us.¡± Garm shook his head. ¡°I need more corpses. A <em>lot </em>more corpses. If you want for the intensity of Durran¡¯s experience to be lessened, I imagine I need to remove the rest of myself from his body. I won¡¯t ept beggars, anymore. I want powerful people. High-ranking spellcasters. Perhaps we can butcher those sentinels in the Low Way?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re kidding, right?¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°Not a chance. Not only is wanton ughter a mite morally objectionable, but creating necromantic things only presents a vulnerability when Gerechtigkeit descends.¡±


    ¡°Pah. Do you think anyone could break my hold over this body? I would love to see them try.¡±


    ¡°How would you know?¡± Argrave scoffed.


    ¡°It makes sense, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Garm spread his hands out. ¡°I don¡¯t feel undead¡ªI feel alive, totally in control. Have you ever seen an undead being on the same level I am? If Gerechtigkeit canmandeer the undead, and this Fruit of Being chose me¡­ it stands to reason that my ability might be one of the counters you need to defeat him.¡±


    Argrave didn¡¯t want to act with conviction, but what he suggested was a good enough idea that he hoped it was true. It would exin why the fruit had chosen Durran. He took a deep breath, and thought of another matter that Garm had appeared for, as if by providence.


    ¡°I can do that. Powerful corpses¡ªyou want them, you¡¯ll get them. But you have to extract memories from a dead person, and help me with a certain matter.¡±


    ¡°And what might that be? Not that I¡¯m agreeing, of course,¡± Garm said.


    ¡°Come on.¡± Argrave stood up.


    #####


    ¡°This is the spot where a man called Llewellen died,¡± Argrave exined, standing with the risen corpse in the room where they¡¯d retrieved the dwarven music box teaching his method of ascension.


    ¡°Mmm.¡± Garm looked around. ¡°And who might this chap be?¡±


    ¡°Our strongest lead into discovering psychic magic,¡± Argrave exined. ¡°And an invaluable source of magical knowledge that made Anneliese one of the strongest spellcasters in the world.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°That woman?¡± Garm looked over. ¡°You two sleep together yet, or did the big, strong, thoroughbred elven vampire sweep her off her feet and leave you seething and crying in the sand dunes?¡±


    Argrave stared ahead nkly and said, ¡°We¡¯re married.¡±


    ¡°That wasn¡¯t the question.¡±


    Argraveughed. ¡°I feel rather sorry for Durran.¡±


    Garmughed too, then knelt. ¡°Alright. Llewellen, is it? I¡¯ll see what I can find.¡±


    ¡°See what you can get,¡± Argrave tapped the beggar¡¯s body. ¡°Then,e join the research team.¡±


    ¡°Just get me bodies,¡± Garm nodded. ¡°Good bodies. That¡¯s all I ask. For now, at least. Oh,¡± he looked back. ¡°Is there anyce a man can have fun in your city?¡±


    ¡°¡­I suppose.¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve never tried.¡±


    ¡°Give me a stipend, too,¡± Garm said. ¡°I think I¡¯m long overdue for some fun. And I need to figure out where the zes I am, and what the hell I¡¯m doing. Damn, this feels good.¡± He inhaled deeply through his teeth in anticipation.

 Chapter 622: Bitter Bluntness or Delicious Deception

    Chapter 622: Bitter Bluntness or Delicious Deception


    Argrave finished exining what had happened with Durran and Garm to Anneliese, and leaned back in his chair with quite the sigh. She sat on the edge of his desk, listening patiently for her chance to interject.


    ¡°I would be very interested to know what kind of person Llewellen was,¡± Anneliesemented. ¡°Garm¡­ I suppose we might change the name of our first son, if he¡¯s returned.¡±


    Argraveughed. ¡°I already said that.¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s any constion, I got Artur to agree,¡± she said with a subdued brightness. ¡°Given the trouble with Durran and the fact the research team assembles tomorrow morning, I suggested that he hold off from consuming it. Still, he¡¯s ready, and he has conviction.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± He looked up at her, nodding with a smile. ¡°Thanks.¡±


    Quiet set in between the two of them, and then there came a knock at the door. Argrave came to focus, then asked, ¡°Who is it?¡±


    ¡°Knightmander Orion, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to knock,¡± he called out. ¡°It¡¯s an office, not a bedroom. Come on in.¡±


    Orion opened the door. From the way he carried himself, and the strangely formal greeting he had offered, Argrave could tell that this was something that warranted close focus. He stood up from the chair.¡°What¡¯s bothering you, Orion?¡± He asked intuitively.


    Orion shut the door, then walked up to Argrave¡¯s desk. ¡°When were you going to tell me?¡±


    ¡°About the lottery?¡± Argrave guessed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but a lot came up today. I was intending on letting everyone know as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± Orion nodded seriously. ¡°I spoke to Elenore. She told me everything that came up today.¡± He leaned in and ced his arms on the desk. ¡°Did Your Majesty even ever seriously consider my offer?¡±


    Argrave¡¯s jaw tightened uneasily. ¡°Of course I did.¡± He nodded.


    ¡°Then why did you decide against, Your Majesty?¡± Orion¡¯s voice was calm, but it still unsettled Argrave.


    ¡°Orion¡­¡± He softened his eyes as he looked upon his brother. Orion remained firm and unshaking in waiting for an answer. After casting a nce at Anneliese, he looked back at Orion. ¡°It was my judgment that requests made in the throes of grief might not reflect the true desires of, or the best option for, the parties involved.¡±


    ¡°And making that decision, did you not feel any grief, Your Majesty? Or rather, do you not?¡± Orion asked.


    ¡°I do.¡± Argrave held Orion¡¯s gaze. ¡°But I was considerably less affected than you and Elenore. I spent less time with her.¡±


    ¡°If you do, then why do I hear word that, rather than Vasquer¡¯s attacker, you would continue to put the vast majority of our efforts forth into tracking Traugott?¡±


    ¡°Traugott is within reach. Gerechtigkeit is not,¡± Argrave defended. ¡°We can¡¯t reach him. While we can build up our defenses, if this was a distraction intended to divert our intention away from Traugott, we might miss our opportunity. Then, everything could be lost. I have to use the fruits in this way.¡±


    ¡°And in the end, you made the decision that random chance was a preferrable method to distributing the Fruit of Being than listening to my request born of heavy-hearted conviction? Regardless of the enemy we were fighting, you would prefer it be given to me only if chance dictated it?¡±


    Argrave felt a wave of ufortable emotions at the direct confrontation. ¡°It was done in such a way that I allowed the Fruit of Being itself to choose who best it suited. Anneliese can attest to the fact that it wasn¡¯t chance.¡±


    Orion didn¡¯t even spare a nce in her direction. He simply kept his gray eyes fixed forward, right on Argrave¡¯s face, in total silence. Then, he stopped leaning on the desk.


    ¡°I would like to request a weeklong leave of absence from my duties as knightmander of the royal guard, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°A leave?¡± Argrave repeated. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°If Your Majesty does not permit it, I am duty-bound. I will stay and perform my duties as best as I am able. However, I desire a leave of absence.¡±


    Argrave grasped the implications immediately. Orion was indicating he would do anything that Argrave needed of him while expressing his desire to be granted a break. He was demonstrating his displeasure without disying any intent to jeopardize theirmon cause.


    ¡°¡­enjoy your leave, then.¡± Argrave nodded.


    Orion turned on his heel and walked toward the door.


    ¡°Orion.¡± Argrave walked out from behind the desk. ¡°Where are you¡ª¡±


    ¡°If youmand me to return, I shall,¡± he interrupted. Then, he opened the door and walked out. He nearly bumped into someone, but gave her a nod and walked by. Elenore walked inside, a question on her face.


    Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    ¡°He requested a leave of absence,¡± Argrave exined, shaking his head and scratching his forehead. ¡°If you could, it would ease my mind if you check in on him. Maybe just talk through the mental link. He¡¯s not happy about how I handled the fruits.¡±


    ¡°Few enough are.¡± Elenore also shut the door.


    Argrave looked at her. He could tell from the look on her face that she had simr things on her mind.


    ¡°Elenore, you were there when I gave it to Durran. You¡ª¡±


    ¡°As you¡¯ll recall, I only ever voiced protest at the idea.¡± She walked into the room. ¡°Now, Durran is forever changed.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all going to work out,¡± he assured her. ¡°Garm is already thinking of ways to separate himself fully from Durran¡¯s body.¡±


    ¡°Sure. Yes.¡± She nodded dismissively. ¡°But was that on your mind? Did you give the fruit to Durran knowing this would happen?¡± She shook her head. ¡°I know you didn¡¯t. You put on this little disy to avoid the responsibility of the choice being yours, because you didn¡¯t want to be perceived as denying others.¡±


    Argrave couldn¡¯t muster a response immediately. Perhaps it was because this all came out of left field, or perhaps it was because he couldn¡¯t deny what was true.


    ¡°You¡¯re our leader.¡± Elenore stepped forward. ¡°You¡¯re intended to guide and direct us. These difficult decisions are left upon you to make. And if you make the choice and some of us feel wronged, we¡¯ll know that we were wronged because we chose you as our leader. It would be our fault as much as yours.¡±


    ¡°I did make a choice,¡± Argrave pointed out defensively. ¡°And I think¡­ no. I made the right choice,¡± he rephrased, showing conviction. ¡°Without the die, I probably wouldn¡¯t have chosen Durran, if I¡¯m being frank. And if I hadn¡¯t, we might¡¯ve never had ess to the sort of knowledge that Garm opens up to us. I made the right choice,¡± he repeated.


    ¡°Did you?¡± Elenore asked him. ¡°Maybe you did. I can¡¯t deny that Garm will bring us incredible utility. He might even grant us all the opportunity to know what Vasquer thought in herst moments, to grant us some peace.¡± She stepped forward, staring up at Argrave boldly. ¡°But you didn¡¯t make the right choice.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± He stood his ground.


    ¡°You could¡¯ve let the fruits choose quietly, without letting anyone know. You didn¡¯t need us to draw numbers. You didn¡¯t need to make up these ridiculous excuses to each of us. You could¡¯ve done it in peace, then acted like it was your own choice.¡± She shook her head slowly. ¡°But you had to do this show, had to let everyone know what you were doing. You didn¡¯t want anyone to think less of you. You didn¡¯t want anyone to think you had chosen others before them. But as a result, all of us ended up bearing witness to¡­¡± she trailed off. ¡°I¡¯m upset, and I¡¯m tired, and I¡¯m riddled with anxiety, so perhaps I¡¯m being cruel. But this? I¡¯m disappointed, Argrave.¡±


    Leaving that wounding assessment behind, Elenore walked back to the door. She turned around and leaned up against the wall.


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep tabs on Orion, make sure that he doesn¡¯t do anything that might get him hurt. On top of that, I¡¯ll prepare everything for the research team tomorrow. Everything should go wlessly, but contact me if you have any questions,¡± she said, like it was business-as-usual. ¡°Goodnight, Argrave. Anneliese.¡±


    She exited the room, shutting the door behind her. It was only when Anneliese put her hand on his shoulder did Argrave realize how terrible those two conversations made him feel.


    ¡°Give them time,¡± Anneliese suggested.


    ¡°¡­she¡¯s right,¡± he said. ¡°She¡¯s right. She saw right through me, Anneliese. I made a show out of it. I made a damned show out of it, because I didn¡¯t want anybody not to like me.¡± Heughed sadly. ¡°Lottery. What was I thinking?¡±


    ¡°Hoping to be liked is not a terrible thing, I should think,¡± sheforted. ¡°You did as you ever do. You did something you found amusing, hoping it might uplift downtrodden spirits, including your own. Unfortunately, jokes after funerals often fall t, doubly so when they¡¯re especially pertinent.¡±


    ¡°I do think I made the right choice,¡± he looked at her. ¡°I do.¡±


    ¡°Amusing and practical can align, but in their alignment, they seemed to have collided ungracefully.¡± She squeezed his shoulder. ¡°But they love you. So long as you give them time and do not err further, they will see your intentions. I¡¯m sure of it.¡±


    #####


    Anneliese stood in the parliamentary hall, upying the podium that typically addressed all of the seats. Typically spellcasters upied a third of the seats. Now, though, they upied all of them¡ªthough they varied in origin, from the Hall of Enchantment to the Order of the Gray Owl to the more militantly-dressed spellcasters loaned from the Great Chu. Even Rowe the Righteous was taking part, though he and a few other Veidimen stayed isted.


    ¡°I intend to keep this matter somewhat formal,¡± Anneliese called out, looking between all of them. ¡°It¡¯s my intention that all of you should have an equal voice. You¡¯re here because you¡¯ve already earned the right to an equal voice. Even still, for progress, there must be a hierarchy. At Argrave¡¯s order, I will be upying the position of chairwoman for this team. Though I may be queen, you may address me simply as Anneliese so long as we¡¯re working together.¡±


    Anneliese pointed. ¡°Artur has cleared out ample space in his Hall of Enchantment for any and all of our needs. Furthermore, I¡¯m designating him vice-chairman.¡± Artur and her locked gazes, and the former Magister gave a curt if proud nod, floating atop his crimson cloak. She looked to the right. ¡°Garm, who is¡­ of yet absent,¡± she said, trying to mask her annoyance, ¡°¡­is also designated vice-chairman, due to his specialized knowledge on the field we¡¯re researching. Lastly, Tarah, the Tower Master, will upy the role of vice-chairwoman.¡±


    A woman whose hair was blonde yet graying surveyed the crowd¡ªTarah, Castro¡¯s designated heir. She seemed to fit the role much the same way he had. Though low-key, none seemed willing to defy her calm authority.


    Someone near the front raised their hand, and Anneliese pointed. ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°What is the objective of this research team?¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Anneliese nodded at the natural question. ¡°Our objective is to prepare for the possibility of full-scale mental attack from Gerechtigkeit, something we received evidence for some days ago after the attack on Vasquer. Her death was likely an assassination intended for Argrave. In the future, we believe the minds of all people could be at risk.¡± At this sobering deration, Anneliese¡¯s amber eyes swept the crowd. ¡°Our role is very important. Hence, the rewards will bemensurate. We¡¯re to follow a collection of disparate leads searching for ways to ward the mind from malign influence. If it should be a patchwork solution, so be it¡­ but I estimate that we will instead forge forth into an entirely new field of magic.¡±


    Anneliese smiled so broadly and purely that everyone recognized the spirit of schrship brimming out of her soul. It was the smile of a child¡¯s joy, of innocent curiosity. It was the spark so many of them had that spurred them toward the pinnacle of magic.


    ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to this,¡± she concluded. ¡°And I¡¯m looking forward to working with all of you. Now, let¡¯s begin by reviewing notes from one of primary sources.¡±

 Chapter 623: Small Enough to Be Big

    Chapter 623: Small Enough to Be Big


    Many of the people of the research team had a unifying thought. This thought was shared between some few members that knew one another and had a rapport.


    The queen only received her role because of nepotism.


    Some few quietly dissented against that opinion, arguing that the fact that she had be an S-rank spellcaster at all was evidence enough of her right to belong here. Still, there were quite a few stages of the pinnacle of magic. Ancient casters like Castro, Rowe, Moriatran, or Tarah could not be put on the same level as those that had just breached the barrier. Her knowledge, rather like an iceberg, was doubtlessly grand, yet surely tapered off at the top where it breached the water. Theirs were mountains, looming far above the sea.


    Rowe the Righteous spoke to one such doubter hailing from the Great Chu. He listened patiently, not disying the fickle wrath he was well known for. At the end, he suggested, ¡°Why not give her some difficult questions? If she¡¯s embarrassed, her authority over us will be lessened.¡± He prodded the man. ¡°Put her words of treating all as equals to the test.¡±


    Though the person Rowe spoke to did not immediately do as he suggested, the idea spread rapidly among the proud spellcasters assembled. As everyone else reviewed the notes that she had distributed, someone gained courage and walked up to her where she sat.


    ¡°Anneliese,¡± the man said boldly¡ªa caster from the Great Chu. He knew her prowess on the battlefield, but the battlefield was not research.


    ¡°Yes?¡± She looked at him expectantly.


    ¡°Have you considered the possibility of the S-rank illusion spell [Unperson] being one of the points of attack?¡±


    Anneliese nodded. ¡°Yes. That¡¯s one of the points of reference in the third booklet¡ªI can¡¯t recall the page, but it¡¯s about midway through. I, myself, have scrutinized it in some detail. I wrote some of my thoughts on the matter within the annotations.¡±Hearing his question answered thoroughly and respectfully, others yet approached the queen. They posed reasonable, if increasingly esoteric, ideas. No matter how thoroughly they delved, the queen had an answer ready for each and all. Moreover, she answered follow-up questions adroitly, demonstrating insight that did note from rote memorization. Rowe continued to shepherd people into undermining her position, sometimes even directly supplying them questions they could ask her with a devious smile on his face.


    Eventually¡­


    ¡°I don¡¯t find your joke particrly funny,¡± Anneliese rebuked someone calmly.


    ¡°A joke? It¡¯s a perfectly reasonable question,¡± a Magister of the Gray Owl defended. ¡°Is there some reason you can¡¯t answer it?¡±


    ¡°Your question was answered on the first page of the notes I distributed,¡± she retorted, then looked around. ¡°It appears I need to give clearer direction, as a startling number of questions posed are already some that I answered in the distributed texts¡ªin short, surface-level.¡± She rose. ¡°We may be inventing a new field of magic. New fields do not revolve around S-rank magic. They must be capable of casting spells from F-rank to S-rank. Read what was distributed. Catch up to where I stand, theoretically. Only then can we press past all of this, getting into the meat of the matter.¡±


    The people that sought some sort of humiliation walked away humbled, though none could protest. She had indulged them as equals, but in so doing, proved she deserved her title as their superior. Rowe, though, walked past all of them and greeted Anneliese.


    ¡°Well done,¡± he told her quietly. ¡°It¡¯s about what¡¯s expected of my apprentice.¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°Most of the questions were about illusion magic. Considering it¡¯s new to our people, can you really im any credit?¡± She smiled, and Rowe himself stood humbled. ¡°Still, thank you for forcing that opportunity. Now, I believe you should catch up to me as well.¡±


    With no retort, Rowe managed a few awkward words then shambled away, joining the rest in having been artfully cowed by the Queen of Vasquer. When everyone had begun poring over the notes, she sent out word to Elenore through their mental link.


    ¡°Thank you for speaking to Argrave, despite your tension. His wiki spared me in a few tight moments. I think the results will be wonderful in the team. As a matter of fact, we may be far ahead of schedule.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wee,¡± Elenore replied simply. ¡°I hope it goes well.¡±


    In unfair games, Anneliese found it felt rather good to cheat a little. She wouldn¡¯t make a habit of it, but she saw why Argrave found it so addicting.


    ¡°Anneliese,¡± someone said, and she turned her head in response. There, Artur floated. ¡°I wished to consult you further about the matter we discussed yesterday.¡±


    She nodded, judging his emotions. He seemed ambivalent. ¡°Certainly. Seek me out at the end of the day,¡± she told him.


    ¡°I will.¡±


    #####


    ¡°I can confirm that the unusual seismic activity is directly rted to mass movement of Gilderwatchers,¡± Raven told Argrave as they walked together through a particrly gloomy volcanic cavern. Lights from spells billowed around them as they walked, illuminating their path. ¡°And I can confirm they converge on a point of unusually potent power. Furthermore, I did some preliminary investigation on the affected feathered serpents.¡±


    Argrave was intensely focused on the cavern ahead, but he did listen intently. ¡°What kind of preliminary investigations?¡±


    If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the vition.


    ¡°Ipared them to the sample that I had collected from Vasquer. Theparisons were rough, and I took no samples, as I did not wish for the same sort of mental energy that assaulted you toe for me.¡±


    Argrave looked at him. ¡°You don¡¯t have their blood. You¡¯d be safe.¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± he disagreed. ¡°I consumed countless things in my time as the Smiling Raven. Gilderwatchers were not exempt from my wrath. If I wished it, I might¡¯vemunicated with Vasquer. How else do you think I recognized your heritage when no others did? Mine is a different rtion than yours, but it is present.¡±


    Argrave scoffed in shock, then stopped to survey a branching path. ¡°Alright. And what was the result, then?¡±


    ¡°We can safely assume that the words Lindon contacted you with after Vasquer¡¯s death were genuine. I felt the same energy I had extracted from the sampleing from the Gilderwatchers. And the point of power upon which they converge, in the continent of Anorexhai¡­ somehow, it is subtly simr to the Fruit of Being.¡±


    ¡°Where is Anorexhai?¡± Argrave asked.


    ¡°That would be the ce I wiped out, millennia ago,¡± Raven said. ¡°A few gods upy it, lording over the coastal mortal poptions. Nothing worth mentioning.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Argrave digested that information, but looked to Raven out of the corner of his eye. ¡°You don¡¯t have anything else to say?¡±


    ¡°I reported everything.¡±


    ¡°Noments about the lottery?¡± Argrave pressed.


    ¡°Now that I heard your rationale, I believe it somewhat ingenious,¡± Raven said ponderously. ¡°None could guess one as vacuous as Durran might have such potential lurking within. Garm will prove invaluable. I hope you will lend him to me, as I have many dead people I hope he might visit. And the short one¡­ I cannot guess how he might be of use.¡±


    Now that Argrave had heard some praise from Raven, he knew something was wrong about the way he¡¯d handled the situation. There were cracks in the foundation. Argrave hated the feeling intensely. He would need to have a long think about what might be done to mend the fractures. Hopefully, something stronger would be born as a result.


    Still, the situation demanded little time to rest and think about what had been done. The present demanded action, not the future.


    ¡°Erlebnis¡¯ information is millennia-old, but if everything that he said holds true¡­¡± Argrave pressed onward over a steep incline in the volcanic cavern. ¡°We¡¯re nearly there.¡±


    Things were hot and damp down here, and the ck rock had shards of obsidian embedded at random intervals that made the light dance. Sudden nces of light often caught his eyes, making Argrave nce about wildly seeking enemies that didn¡¯t exist. At times like this, Orion¡¯s presence eased Argrave considerably. Even Raven wasn¡¯t a suitable recement.


    The pathway steeped until it was a sheer wall. The volcanic rock had many pores, and Argrave climbed up with great ease. At the top, the cavern opened up, and the light pooled upon it. What was ahead rather reminded Argrave of the obsidian pathway one needed to take to discover the Alchemist¡¯sir. They shared their material¡ªso-called volcanic ss, ck and brilliant. It looked so smooth as to be polished.


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Argrave kneeled down, peering ahead. The light from their spells strangely didn¡¯t carry very far into the pathway of obsidian. ¡°Just as the wiki describes. This is one of the potential early entrances to the Shadonds, for sure.¡±


    Raven walked ahead, stopping just short of the volcanic ss. ¡°Do you know why I employ obsidian so often? At my home, for my staff¡­¡±


    Argrave might¡¯ve just read Erlebnis¡¯ wiki for the answer, but he answered, ¡°Some quirk, I imagine. Or maybe you just like it.¡±


    ¡°Obsidian is the single best receptor for earth magic,¡± Raven exined. ¡°Nothing else moves so fluidly, so smoothly. Nothing else can respond to the most whimsical of whims without falling apart beneath the burden of the magic inscribed.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good, right?¡± Argrave looked back at Raven. ¡°We can just walk through all of this.¡±


    ¡°If you control the obsidian, perhaps.¡± Raven knelt. ¡°If we don¡¯t, we may be in for quite the time.¡±


    Argrave ground his teeth together somewhat anxiously. ¡°We were just scouting. I think we take note of the location, and then get ready to return.¡±


    ¡°Does this fall outside the purview of scouting?¡± Raven questioned.


    #####


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure I¡¯mfortable with the idea of consuming the Fruit of Being,¡± Artur told Anneliese.


    Though Anneliese could see a great degree of hesitance in his voice, she saw something else¡ªfrustration. She couldn¡¯t begin to guess the source of it.


    ¡°May I ask why?¡± Anneliese prompted him.


    Artur stroked his well-trimmed chin. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I wish to shoulder the responsibility such a bestowal might entail,¡± he said.


    Anneliese could tell he was lying, but she wasn¡¯t entirely sure why. She thought about angles she might approach this from, thinking hard about how to pry the answer from him.


    ¡°Argrave and I both believe you¡¯re well-suited for the responsibility,¡± she said, stroking his ego¡ªhe had quite therge one, as she knew.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Well¡­ thank you,¡± he smiled, eyes sparkling with the praise. ¡°I have done a great deal for¡­ but¡­¡± he cleared his throat, realizing he was getting carried away. ¡°Nevertheless, I¡¯m hesitant.¡±


    Anneliese took a deep, considerate breath. ¡°Is there any other reason? I am willing to listen to anything that might be on your mind.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Artur looked at her, then around the small room they both stayed within. ¡°I¡¯m not¡­¡±


    ¡°Nothing you say here will be held against you. You¡¯re a vital part of the kingdom,¡± she told him. It was true, though she meant it to tter.


    ¡°Then¡­ if I can be frank¡­¡± Artur adjusted his position on his cloak as he sat atop it. ¡°The very idea of being a chosen one appalls me.¡±


    Anneliese tilted her head. ¡°Could you help me understand that?¡±


    ¡°I was born to amon family in Vasquer. I was born with dwarfism. Both of these things, you¡¯re abundantly aware of.¡± Artur looked at her. ¡°Nothing that I obtained wasn¡¯t achieved by my own hand. Everything I have, I wed and scratched and <em>fought </em>to earn. I¡¯m proud of that. The idea of simply being bestowed some fruit to enter the upper echelons of Vasquer¡­¡± The man shook his head. ¡°You say it might do wonderful things. I don¡¯t care if it makes me normal, even¡ªit¡¯s not earned. I¡¯ve done nothing for it.¡±


    Anneliese bit her lip, surprised at his conviction. She respected it, even if it was rooted in pride.


    ¡°Be that as it may, you¡¯re the best candidate,¡± she told him bluntly. ¡°Is there anything I might do to ay that concern?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± Artur looked around. ¡°If there is, nothinges to mind. Might something else be done with the fruit?¡±

 Chapter 624: A Life Well-Earned

    ¡°Artur is one of the best craftsmen in the world,¡± Anneliese said to Argrave. ¡°I do believe the idea of letting him choose another method to utilize the fruit holds some merit.¡±


    Argrave cleaned off his armor of ck dirt rued in the cave of volcanic rock¡ªarmor of Artur¡¯s make, upon reflection¡ªas he listened to Anneliese. Raven had derided Argrave somewhat for cowardice, but even he eventually admitted it might be foolish to press further. He remained behind to gather more information, while Argrave returned to preside over ckgard and Vasquer.


    ¡°Yeah, but¡­¡± Argrave conjured some water, rubbing across it with a rough cloth. ¡°Give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, he can feed himself for a lifetime. Imagine the things Artur might be able to make if he does eat the fruit. He could turn anything he touches into a work of art.¡±


    Anneliese narrowed her eyes. ¡°In this scenario, we would be feeding him the fruit.¡±


    He tried to think of some way to rework the idiom in this context, but eventually gave up and set aside his mostly-clean armor. ¡°Consider this. Giving the fruit to Durran might have given us the ability to loosen Gerechtigkeit¡¯s control over the undead. On the other end of the spectrum, giving the fruit to Artur might unlock some way to prevent automatons from falling under his sway.¡±


    Anneliese considered that deeply, then shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t see it. If it were Dario, perhaps. Artur has no rtion to automatons.¡±


    ¡°All I know is I¡¯d much rather have King Arthur on my side than Excalibur.¡± He shook his head. ¡°A special artifact. Whoopee. Unless it can duplicate itself indefinitely, cut through space and time, and kill Gerechtigkeit in one strike, what¡¯s the point?¡±


    ¡°You were reserving thest fruit to help us invade the Shadonds, as they¡¯re allegedly vastly different from both mortal and divine realms,¡± Anneliese pointed out. ¡°Perhaps we can give the task of creating an artifact that would allow us to breach the Shadonds upon Artur.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Argrave tossed the idea around in his head, and as he saw its merit, his back grew rigid as his depleted vigor returned. ¡°That¡¯s wonderful. And if it¡¯s Artur that handles things, it might do far more than allow us to infiltrate the Shadonds. I won¡¯t say no to a key item that gives some other buffs. But¡­ I don¡¯t know. What the hell do you craft out of a fruit? A smoothie? Wine? Maybe you use the skin to make ampshade?¡±


    ¡°Artur is the crafter, not us. I believe the idea will appeal to him greatly. Asking him not to change his body, but to employ his well-earned craftsmanship to create something unparalleled¡­ that might ignite his fervor far more than the research team did.¡±


    Argrave studied her. ¡°He¡¯s not so enthusiastic, eh? Not a team yer?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Anneliese crossed her arms. ¡°He left the Order of the Gray Owl for a reason. He has a stubbornly independent personality which prohibits him from effective cooperation, yet also bestows that fiercely entrepreneurial spirit that allowed the Hall of Enchantment to arise. Some people aren¡¯t suited to working with others. They only prosper if they canmand unterally.¡±


    Argrave¡¯s mind wandered to the unttering scenes of Artur shouting down his employees about quotas. It was hard to imagine the man meekly working with people in the team. He dismissed the thought and asked, ¡°Besides that, how was the first day?¡±


    Anneliese practically bounced with eagerness as she said, ¡°It¡¯s so much fun, Argrave! Developing hypotheses, testing them, revising the theory again and again as we press toward an answer. Of course, it had some politicking at the beginning. Everything does, sadly, but I¡¯ve grown rather ustomed to it. And because I¡¯m the chairman, I don¡¯t write the notes. Someone else takes notes for me. That was always my least favorite part, but now it¡¯s gone!¡± She sighed wistfully. ¡°Frankly, the only thing that might improve it is if you were there with me.¡±


    ¡°Sweet talker,¡± Argrave smiled.


    ¡°Oh.¡± Anneliese pointed at him, remembering something. ¡°Garm needs to be reigned in. He showed up drunk, and he wasining about the Domain of Order over the city that preventswlessness. He inquired to various members of the team about where he could buy certain herbs which I presume were drugs of some kind. I elected to have him removed. I wasn¡¯t able to learn what he gathered from studying Llewellen.¡±


    Argrave sighed. ¡°One night of stipend, and he¡¯s already¡­ well, fine. I¡¯ll talk with him.¡±


    #####


    ¡°How is anyone going to take you seriously if you act like this?¡± Argrave sat by Garm¡¯s bedside.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want them to take me seriously,¡± Garm answered back, his words still slurred. Argrave wondered just how much he had to drink. ¡°I want them to think I¡¯m a worthless nobody. Because if I can¡¯t work with your research team, you¡¯ll be forced to get me a new body, a new identity, so I can begin again. Heee¡­¡± he grinned cheekily in his drunken state, showing the beggar¡¯s yellow teeth.


    Argrave crossed his arms, leaning back in the chair. It had been long enough he¡¯d forgotten how conniving Garm could be.


    ¡°Besides, I was used to just¡­¡± Garm ran his hands over his body. ¡°Cast a spell, and the alcohol goes away. All fun, no pain. I was so happy, I kind of forgot I can¡¯t do that.¡± He giggled deliriously.


    ¡°Raven has said he can prepare a body that meets your standards, but it¡¯ll take some time,¡± Argrave said. ¡°In the meantime, I need you to act with the dignity and gravity that everyone else acts with. We¡¯re dealing with a very serious matter. Quite literally the highest stakes.¡±


    ¡°Do you know¡­?¡± Garm looked at Argrave, a subdued smile on his face. ¡°Thest thing I remember¡­ you were in the Alchemist¡¯s little workshop, getting worked and shopped. Thest few centuries before we met I had spent in a haze, running through my head again and again why my own son would put my head on a stake. I was alive¡­ but not alive. A head on a stake.¡± He smiled. ¡°I chose to die. I died fighting, but I did die. I died, you little bastard. I died. For the third damned time. No¡­ second, actually.¡±


    ¡°You got better,¡± Argrave countered. ¡°Because of us.¡±


    ¡°I died,¡± continued Garm, practically ignoring Argrave. ¡°Then, ¡®snap.¡¯ Wake up in Durran¡¯s head. When Ist saw this ce, this kingdom, it was the half size and the Order of the Rose reigned supreme. We had an empire paved. We of the Order of the Rose were more kings that any of Vasquer ever were. I don¡¯t even know how it all fell apart.¡± He grabbed a pillow and sighed into it, then threw it aside clumsily. ¡°Now¡­ you, supreme king. Order of the Gray Owl. Gods on earth. Biggest cmity ever. And me, a little figment on Durran¡¯s tapestry. Still dead, but a little less so. Can I just take a moment¡­ to have a little fun? Do I have to hop on the trolley heading for the crusade against the devil immediately? I got my life back. Can I enjoy it, while itsts?¡±


    ¡°While itsts?¡± Argrave repeated.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be rather relieved to know I¡¯m not eternal,¡± Garm grinned broadly. ¡°Especially not if I do what I should do.¡±


    Argrave narrowed his eyes. ¡°You mean to say you¡¯re dying?¡±


    ¡°I died. I died! Catch up, you two-legged bastard¡­¡± Garm covered his mouth, and Argrave thought he was about to retch.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell me what you mean,¡± Argrave suggested.


    ¡°I¡¯m a tribute to Garm. An impression. I¡¯m not the real thing, just a collection of what he was, assembled to replicate him,¡± he said. ¡°Well¡­ what¡¯s the difference, anyways, if it all ends in death? All roads end the same way. What¡¯s the use in doing anything?¡± He scratched as his nose. ¡°I¡¯m a tornado. I¡¯m a coin spinning on the table. Once the initial push stops, I¡¯ll settle down, rattling¡­ and cease to be, just like I was. I got it all back¡­¡± Garm held up both his arms, clenching his hands into fists. ¡°Only to see a timer of the time I got. A countdown to the third death. The universe¡¯s fucked me so good that I¡¯vee to like it. Ergo, hedonism. Debauchery. Why not do all I missed the first two times? I don¡¯t even have to care about the body I end up in, because you¡¯ll get me a new one.¡±


    Argrave saw it all¡ªthe big talk, the humor, the scheming, the callous disregard for others¡­ and he felt incredibly sad. Were these truly the death throes of the man Argrave had thought was incredibly lucky? Darkly enough, he wondered if he wasn¡¯t being yed. Garm was certainly capable of such a thing. Anneliese wasn¡¯t present, but perhaps he could call her.


    For now, Argrave would try it on his own.


    ¡°How much time do you really have?¡± Argrave pressed. If Garm was lying, he hoped further scrutiny might make it all fall apart, or rify its veracity.


    ¡°I only know I¡¯m fading,¡± Garm said. ¡°But if I can notice it, it must not be long.¡±


    ¡°What are you supposed to do¡ªthat thing you said earlier?¡±


    Garm looked at Argrave. ¡°I could give life to other impressions, like myself. Or, I could just recreate myself. That was my original intention. Split the fun, maybe? Perhaps I could do something insanely twisted with two of me¡­ or perhaps we¡¯d just fight. But that might be fun, too.¡±


    ¡°You mean¡­ bring others back from the dead?¡± Argrave said in surprise.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°Mmhmm.¡± Garm scratched at his face. ¡°A sequel to your favorite dead people. I could even bring back that Llewellen fellow. But if I do, I would have to surrender some of my time, some of my own life. So, why bother?¡±

 Chapter 625: Consultation with Cruelty

    Chapter 625: Consultation with Cruelty


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised you¡¯re visiting me.¡± Emperor Ji Meng poured tea for Argrave. ¡°I thought I might see you only when it was absolutely necessary.¡±


    In truth, Argrave himself was the most surprised he¡¯d ended up here. Emperor Ji Meng had been a veryrge obstacle when they¡¯d first met, then became a snake waiting for an opportunity to strike after he¡¯d been imprisoned. Now, the old man might be considered a docile predator. Clean-shaven, wearing luxurious Great Chu-style robes, and devoid of any and all magic¡­ frankly, he looked better than ever. And why wouldn¡¯t he be? He enjoyed an emperor¡¯s lifestyle without any responsibility. But there were still gluts of knowledge in that head of his.


    ¡°I need fresh eyes. Experienced eyes,¡± Argrave responded. ¡°There¡¯s not many other people that have experience with asrge a nation as you do. When ites down to it¡­ I¡¯m realizing therger things get, you end up dealing with a few elites. Yourmands trickle down from there. My problem lies in how I¡¯ve handled some things with those elites. I don¡¯t want the negative effects trickling down to my people.¡±


    Ji Meng picked up his own tea. ¡°I¡¯ll need more specifics.¡±


    ¡°I tried to bestow an¡­ important position, let¡¯s say, impartially. In so doing, I just made everyone a little miffed. I can¡¯t afford any ws right now, not with things as they are.¡± Argrave looked to the side, thinking. ¡°And on the other end of the spectrum, I¡¯m dealing with an erratic personality whose cooperation is extremely important. He¡¯s selfish in a¡­ hedonistic way.¡±


    Ji Meng sipped his drink, then set it down. He rubbed his finger around the rim of the cup. ¡°Impartiality is a fool¡¯s errand in our seat. The simple fact is, some people are better suited for reward. Some people you don¡¯t need to reward, because they don¡¯tin enough to matter. Even if you kick them, they¡¯lle crawling back. Some people <em>only </em>work for reward. And some¡­ no reward will be enough. Those people will get the most done, but they can also try and nt a dagger in your back. But you¡¯ve already made the mistake, if I hear you right.¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°You do.¡±


    ¡°Do you have a good rtionship with these people?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Argrave answered without hesitation.Ji Meng drank, thinking. ¡°Do they have rapport with each other?¡±


    Argrave considered that. ¡°Some of them.¡±


    ¡°Yes, your closest confidants were your family, as I recall,¡± Ji Meng mused. ¡°Friends and family don¡¯t make especially good officials, I¡¯ve found. The problems be all the more personal. Their disappointment is substantially greater when they expect something from you, and you don¡¯t deliver.¡±


    ¡°That¡­ holds true.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t be seen as trying to cate them,¡± Ji Meng cautioned. ¡°Nor can you show indecision by retracting the position. Sometimes, the best thing you can do is disarm yourself. I mean, look what I¡¯ve done.¡± He gestured all around. ¡°Giving a show of faith, a show of goodwill, can earn you a great deal. It can¡¯t be forced, can¡¯t be inorganic. You have to be patient. A chance wille, as it did for me. As for the other question, this erratic fellow¡­ what do you need him to do?¡±


    ¡°Make a sacrifice for the greater good of the nation,¡± Argrave said.


    Ji Meng winced, inhaling sharply through his teeth. ¡°Ouch. Quite the ask. And you can¡¯t drag him to the altar yourself, bleed him?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯d smile if I tried.¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°No. It has to be something he does willingly. It¡¯s his talent, his ability.¡±


    ¡°Would you describe him as self-important? Did he inherit all he had?¡±


    ¡°Self-important, sure. Inheritance¡­ absolutely not.¡± Argrave crossed his arms. ¡°He crawled his way up from the very bottom. An orphan.¡±


    ¡°I can work with that. It tells me that he had ambition at some point, but something changed that.¡± Ji Meng inhaled deeply, then something seemed toe to him. ¡°You need to ruin his hobbies, somehow.¡±


    ¡°Ruin them?¡± Argrave narrowed his eyes. ¡°You mean, stop him from doing them?¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°No. He¡¯ll juste up with clever ways to get past whatever obstacles you erect. You imed he was hedonistic. He gravitates toward debauchery for a reason. If you can find that reason, you can twist it so that the things that he does bring him no pleasure. When the joy turns to sand in his mouth¡­ people like that, they can¡¯t stand with their emotions. They have to keep moving, keep going, keep seeking the next thing. Because if they stop to reflect, whatever it is they¡¯re avoiding will catch up with them.¡± Ji Meng spread his arms wide. ¡°And so you¡¯lle, giving him a chance to feel something. Even if that something is pain.¡±


    If youe across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    ¡°Hmm.¡± Argrave leaned back. ¡°What if I make it very easy to get everything he wants? Bombard him with drugs, liquors, et cetera.¡±


    ¡°You could kill him,¡± Ji Meng pointed out.


    ¡°Not if I tried.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ even still, I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll work. He sounds like one of those people whom no reward will ever satisfy that I mentioned earlier.¡± Ji Meng fell into deep thought.


    ¡°What if I showed him something more than he could handle?¡± Argrave questioned. ¡°Something far beyond what he was willing to endure?¡±


    ¡°Those opportunities are few and far between,¡± Ji Meng said. ¡°When you attempt to uproot the desire with fear, scaring someone straight is seldom the actual result¡ªespecially in adults.¡±


    ¡°I think I know something that could work.¡± Argrave drank the whole teacup in one go, then set it down. ¡°Nice tea.¡±


    ¡°That isn¡¯t really how you¡¯re supposed to enjoy it, but you made an attempt, I suppose.¡± Ji Meng raised his cup. ¡°I hope this bes a regr thing. It¡¯s nice to put my hat back in the arena, once in a while.¡±


    Argrave smiled at him. ¡°Maybe not. I would hate if you got the wrong idea.¡±


    Ji Mengughed heartily. ¡°I can see why that might cause problems.¡±


    #####


    ¡°You¡¯ve turned the ce around, somewhat. Made it a bit more¡­ <em>human.</em>¡± Garm looked up at the entrance to the Low Way of the Rose. They stood on the side of the Burnt Desert. A new road had been paved, facilitating trade between the southern deserts of ck sand and the more fertile valleys of Vasquer. Even now, some few caravans entered into the vast cavern below.


    ¡°But I also can¡¯t see why I¡¯m here.¡± Garm looked at Argrave.


    ¡°Mnie and Elenore did all the renovations. I can¡¯t take credit. But you really can¡¯t guess why I brought you back?¡± Argrave asked him. ¡°You asked a rather pertinent questionst night, my friend. The Order of the Rose copsed. No one really knows why.¡± He gestured toward Garm. ¡°You can fix that. You can find out how and why each and every one of these people died.¡±


    Garm narrowed his eyes. ¡°A lot of people die without knowing the reason. A rockfall, a trip, a flood of blood¡­ just because they died, doesn¡¯t mean it can be exined. Perhaps it was divine providence.¡±


    ¡°We know that can¡¯t be true,¡± Argrave disagreed. ¡°But it¡¯s a lot more than that. We can take a stroll down memoryne. We can reminiscence about puddles of blood that used to be there, and necromantic abominations that once attempted to eat the face of passersby, or the vampires protecting a vault of books they couldn¡¯t even reach.¡±


    ¡°Well and good. But do you have time for strolls?¡± Garm questioned.


    ¡°For you, old buddy? Why not.¡± He rolled his shoulder. ¡°And hey, this isn¡¯t just for my curiosity. This is for you, too.¡±


    ¡°I fail to see how.¡± Garm frowned.


    ¡°You asked me something yesterday, through your haze of wine and mead. Why did your son kill you?¡± Argrave shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s a good question. And since this is the first ce you died, we can do aparison: before and now. We can run through how much you¡¯ve changed in the centuries you spent staring at a door. I think, though, you¡¯ll be far more interested in the life of your son, or the life of his mother. You can answer those questions you hadst night, you realize. The ¡®why¡¯ of it.¡±


    Garm¡¯s invulnerable temperament finally proved a fa?ade as he was rendered speechless.


    ¡°Is the idea a bit much?¡± Argrave scratched the back of his head. ¡°Yeah. I suppose I was a little thoughtless. If you don¡¯t feel you¡¯re up to it, we can turn back.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not half as subtle or maniptive as you think you are,¡± Garm cut in harshly.


    Argraveughed, his reverse psychology called out. ¡°All cajoling aside, you have to admit¡­ it does make you curious, doesn¡¯t it? Why would your son betray you? Was it just cold-blooded practicality, or was there something else? Maybe it was out of some twisted sense of affection. Either way, he probably died somewhere in there.¡±


    ¡°A lot of people died ¡®somewhere in there,¡¯ you realize. Malgeridum was the capital of death in the world.¡± Garm kneeled before the gaping opening in the mountain. ¡°You didn¡¯t stay here for long if you didn¡¯t have a little sadism in your blood.¡±


    ¡°Either way, we can finally find out so many answers,¡± Argrave continued. ¡°Even Erlebnis didn¡¯t know just how the Order of the Rose came to be extinct. But you can, perhaps. And along the way, you might unlock more secrets to necromancy. More ways to perfect the new body that you transfer for. Every bit of necromantic knowledge you could ever imagine is hoarded within there, ripe for the picking. Not just what was written in books¡ªwhat was written in their <em>minds.</em> It¡¯d be the greatest heist of the century.¡±


    ¡°Yes, because you care so very much about the field of necromancy.¡± Garm spoke distantly. ¡°You just want to scramble my head. I¡¯m not an idiot.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know how people remembered you after you died?¡± Argrave asked. ¡°I know I would.¡±


    Garm rubbed his leathery lips, thinking hard as that dimly illuminated abyss awaited ahead. Argrave let him think in silence. Then, Garm stood and began to walk. Hecked the carefree vigor he had, instead walking measuredly and solemnly. Argrave followed right behind, eager to learn the truth of the man that was¡ªand is¡ªGarm.


    Hopefully, learning about the legacy he left behind might make him want to forge a new one, with what time he¡¯d been reallotted.

 Chapter 626: Flux of Life

    Chapter 626: Flux of Life


    Garm found that walking through the ancient city of Malgeridum was rather like walking through a recently renovated library. The previously blood-ridden canals of the Low Way of the Rose had been reced with unending clean water, and the streets and buildings that had been paved with blood had either been torn down or cleaned. The vines atop the ceiling illuminating the ce had been reced with far more reasonable magicmps. The ce couldn¡¯t exactly be called <em>thriving¡ª</em>certainly not as he remembered it in its heyday. But it had been reborn, in a sense.


    And for Garm, it told tales uncountable.


    He walked from ce to ce, letting the lives and deaths of all those who had once upied this ce wash over him in a grand tide. He experienced both the sadism and the misery it wrought. He experienced the reckless ambition of necromancers and the desperate hope for freedom in all those they captured. It was so much at once that the experiences often bled together. All of it gave Garm a wonderful bit of nostalgia. After all, he¡¯d been both¡ªthe hopeful, and the sadistic.


    Even though he knew Argrave was goading him into searching for the remnants of his old life, Garm couldn¡¯t help but y into his hand. Would anyone not be intrigued how they were remembered, how others thought of them? Certainly not. But despite how much he searched¡­ his name seldom appeared. <em>He </em>was there. But not his name.


    Instead, Garm was most often referred to as Macheid¡¯s father.


    Garm was not remembered as a pioneer on the field of necromancy, an extraordinarily young prodigy, nor even a High Wizard of the Order of the Rose. He had been reduced to nothing more than set piece for his son, Macheid. Garm was a demonstration of his exceptionalism, and of the wanton cruelty that invoked respect in other members of the Order of the Rose.


    ¡°The man has a wicked intelligence,¡± they all had thought. ¡°He discovered how to turn his father into a necromantic being while retaining his intelligence and his ability to speak. It would be unwise to cross such a person.¡±


    And from Garm¡¯s view, Macheid <em>was </em>exceptional. He had be S-rank at neen. <em>Neen. </em>Not even Argrave, the bastard with the knowledge of the universe in his head, could im that level of prodigal talent, nor his elven wife he was so proud of. He was quite literally the youngest S-rank spellcaster in the history of the Order of the Rose. He was the youngest Garm had ever heard of ever.


    In the face of such exceptionalism, Garm was merely Macheid¡¯s father, whom he hated enough to subject to an eternity of torture.Ordinary parents might¡¯ve been proud of their son for achieving such heights. They might thank their good stewardship for allowing the child to grow up so wonderfully. Garm only felt a pit of despair that felt as though it was taking bites out of his insides. He hadn¡¯t wanted to be a father. It was a mistake from the very beginning. But he had grown to like a woman a little too much, and acted with less discretion than he usually did. And when the child was born, he hadn¡¯t the heart to kill either of them.


    If he had killed them¡­ would he be here, today? The twisted irony of it was that the answer was probably ¡®no.¡¯


    Garm stood in the center of the square just before the Order of the Rose¡¯s hall. It looked to have been repurposed, turned into a mansion of some kind. People stood guard out front. He saw a que that read, ¡®Estate of the Countess.¡¯


    ¡°Found something?¡± Argrave asked. He¡¯d been following behind in rtive silence.


    ¡°It¡¯s like a pool of it, up ahead.¡± Garm¡¯s gaze swerved from window to window.


    ¡°That was the guild hall, right?¡± The king looked at him. ¡°You had such wonderful attractions like the Menagerie of Morbidity, or stalker vampires. Should I be surprised it¡¯s not exactly clean air?¡±


    ¡°Can I get inside?¡± Garm asked. ¡°Do you know the countess well enough?¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s Mnie. I¡¯ll talk to her.¡±


    Garm waited in quietude. All he saw suggested that his son likely died somewhere in there, when the Order of the Rose had fallen in Malgeridum.


    #####


    As Argrave visited with the newly-established countess of this underground city, Garm wandered the renovated halls. He had expected a cmity of some kind to be the cause of the city¡¯s extermination. It was a part of it¡ªa wave of blood hade through and washed away everyone that didn¡¯t evacuate or establish a sufficient shelter. But that was a built-in defense mechanism to ward away the southern tribes of the Burnt Desert.


    It wasn¡¯t some disaster. It was one man.


    Garm saw shes of him gallivanting through the hall in storied glory. He was a freakish thing¡ªa mutant, doubtless born of some experimentation here. He was a spellcaster, too, on par with any in these halls. Any necromancer worth their salt would agree he was a perfect specimen. A beautiful carapace body, arms like a preying mantis, four ape arms for legs, a bug-like head that gave omnidirectional vision¡­ and despite all that, Garm could tell there was intelligence behind all that it did. It acted like a human.


    Garm heard shouts in the hall from men who were just about to die¡ªMacheid is dead, they screamed as they fled. His death had shattered and demoralized them. He hastened his steps to learn what there was to learn about his son, and if indeed he¡¯d died ahead. It was impossible to miss, Garm found. Macheid¡¯s death brought with it a certain intensity. Nothing remained of the battle that had been fought, but Garm could feel the imprint of Macheid lingering behind.


    If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the vition.


    Unlike all of the others, Garm immersed himself in his son¡¯s life and death, taking it deeply without hesitation or reservation. He hoped both the living and the dying would be wrought with pain. He wasn¡¯t disappointed. As a matter of fact, he found his son¡¯s life rather familiar. Both of them had grown up in the service of older men who taught them things only that they might be of better use in helping with their own research. The only noted difference was that Macheid called him ¡®father,¡¯ while Garm would¡¯ve been yed for even considering the idea with his old master.


    And just as Garm¡¯s very had ended, so too did his son¡¯s¡ªwith their owner¡¯s death. His son didn¡¯t feel much of anything as he cut Garm¡¯s head off his body, nting it atop a stake as it bled. His feelings had caused far too much trouble for him to let it burden him today. From there, it was just a steady drive forward. Garm was confused by the monotony of it all. Do this, do that, go here, get this¡­ but in all of it, he couldn¡¯t figure out <em>why. </em>


    Macheid, just like Garm, strove upward not knowing why. And at the end of the road¡­ thest day¡­ Garm watched through Macheid¡¯s eyes.


    The day began ordinarily, yet at midday, it spiraled out of control. The Guardians of the Low Way fell under sway of something dark. All of the canals blocked off escape. The stone roses illuminating Malgderidum all stopped at once. Then, their hunter came, picking them off one by one. Macheid fought with the others, and when he felt it was prudent, abandoned them. Garm would¡¯ve done the same.


    But it didn¡¯t matter. The hunter found Macheid no matter where he ran¡ªall he¡¯d done was give his colleagues an easier death.


    Spellfire bridged the gap in the corridor the two of them fought in. Macheid had inherited Garm¡¯s A-rank ascension¡ªthe ability to use spells from all parts of the body, not merely the hands. He used it to great effect in the fight to bombard his foe. But it was clear a bombardment was entirely ineffective. The mage-hunter was resilient, and the hordes of Guardians heeded hismand. Eventually, Macheid made a mistake, and was hit. But even if he hadn¡¯t, his supply of magic was running low. From the beginning, he was doomed.


    As the mage-hunter approached, Macheid realized something. The same magic he¡¯d used to preserve Garm was what allowed this being to be created. It was an irony that Garm rather appreciated. Knowing his fate might be cruel if he did nothing, Macheid cast his next spell not at the foe, but at the ground. The earth twisted, then swallowed him entirely. He died without pain.


    Garm finally pulled himself out of the endless haze of death, and was himself again. He walked over to the wall and leaned up against it. He hadn¡¯t realized it, but his whole body was wrong¡ªsweating, nausea, migraine, heavy breathing¡­ he must¡¯ve overdone it. Even still, he smiled.


    There was no purpose to any of it. Garm had been forgotten. Macheid had been forgotten. Even that hunter¡ªgods only know his motive¡ªwas lost, persisting only in the memories of the dead. All life ended in death. Everything became nothing. Permanence was a myth. Destruction was an inevitable reality.


    Garm wished there was something more so desperately. Some afterlife, some way out. But he had died twice, and there had only ever been this. No matter what he did or didn¡¯t do, he would never be happy. Nothing could fix what was fundamentally broken. Perhaps the cmity would be right toe here and wipe all of this away. Perhaps what came after it would be better.


    ¡°¡­Garm? Garm!¡± Argrave shook him fiercely, and only then did he focus back on reality. ¡°Are you well? You don¡¯t look it, but¡­¡±


    ¡°How do you be happy?¡± Garm asked him faintly.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Happy? What¡­?¡± Argrave studied him. ¡°Let¡¯s get you out of here. I shouldn¡¯t have¡­ damn.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t much see the point in living,¡± Garm continued. ¡°It alles to an end. Everything ends. Why bother if there¡¯s an end?¡±


    ¡°Fuck if I know,¡± Argrave said in confusion. ¡°Listen. You¡¯re alive now, and that¡¯s all that matters.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all so t.¡± Garm closed his eyes. ¡°There¡¯s no highs, and there¡¯s no there¡¯s lows. I wanted nothing more than a working body, and now that I have it, it¡¯s the same thing it ever was. Why do I bother?¡±


    ¡°Listen.¡± Argrave grimaced, steeling himself for what he was to do, then slid his arms under Garm. He stood up forcefully. ¡°I¡¯m going to let you into a science lesson. Maybe you¡¯ll take some sce it in it. Nothing ends, Garm. Nothing ever ends. Everything is in a constant state of flux. If you break a rock, it doesn¡¯t cease to be¡ªit turns into fragments, dust, sand, and scatters elsewhere.¡±


    Argrave looked down at him. ¡°If you burn wood, the various thingsprising it don¡¯t vanish. Some of it bes smoke, or ash, or¡­ whatever. It hasn¡¯t vanished. It¡¯s merely changed. Every bit of energy you exert came from energy you took from something else¡ªfood, water, whatever. And the energy doesn¡¯t disappear. It bes force, which exerts change. Life is change, you bastard. Death is change. <em>Everything </em>is change.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to change,¡± Garm responded weakly.


    ¡°Change isn¡¯t so bad.¡± Argrave looked around. ¡°This ce changed. I changed. Mnie changed. Durran¡¯s changed, because of you.¡± He focused back on Garm. ¡°You¡¯re alive again, Garm. That¡¯s a change. You have to ask yourself what kind of change you¡¯re going to be to the world. It¡¯ll echo infinitely, what you do. Every little detail of every little thing you do changes the whole damn world. <em>Especially </em>now. Don¡¯t think in beginnings and ends. Think in infinity.¡±


    ¡°¡­put me down,¡± Garm said.


    ¡°I was going to teleport back¡ª¡±


    ¡°Just put me down,¡± Garm interrupted.


    Argraveplied begrudgingly, and Garm stood straight.


    ¡°Change, is it.¡± Garm¡¯s voice was t. ¡°I¡¯ll bring some back.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll bring back who you want me to,¡± Garm said. ¡°They won¡¯tst long. Months, maybe. But maybe they¡¯ll change things.¡±


    Argrave stared. ¡°What about you?¡±


    ¡°I want an unchanging existence. But just because you want something doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯ll get it.¡± Garm looked up. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can be happy. Inflicting pain, receiving it. Doing the right thing, doing the wrong thing. Booze, women, drugs, magic¡­ all of yesterday already feels like nothing. But I know you¡¯re happy.¡± He turned over. ¡°So, I¡¯ll try it your way.¡±


    Argrave opened his mouth, and Garm thought a thank you wasing. Instead, Argrave said something that hit far deeper.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Garm.¡±

 Chapter 627: Grasping Something in Total Darkness

    Chapter 627: Grasping Something in Total Darkness


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think this is a little morbid?¡± asked Anneliese. ¡°Bringing Llewellen back¡­ feels perverse, in some manner.¡± She rubbed her hands together uneasily.


    ¡°I thought you might be eager to meet him,¡± Argrave answered, leaning up against the wall disaffectedly. He was still quite bothered by the conversation with Garm. No one liked hearing another was so utterly depressed. He¡¯d said what he felt was the right thing, but he couldn¡¯t say everything would be all right.


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know. Maybe I am?¡± Anneliese questioned, then nodded in confirmation. ¡°No, I am. I am looking forward to it. At the same time¡­ perhaps it¡¯s a bit much to ask him to work on our behalf immediately. Despite everything, he¡¯ll still be a living, breathing person with his own wants and desires.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a lot like what Sophia tried to do, in a way.¡± Argrave closed his eyes. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s crueler. Giving others a few months of life and expecting them to work. But Llewellen died in extreme pain, not knowing how he¡¯d be remembered. Look at it as a remedy to the way he died rather than a corruption of his memory. And if he¡¯s half as intelligent as Raven praised him as being, he¡¯ll be a tremendous boon to us.¡±


    Anneliese nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll try. But if he¡¯s resistant¡­¡±


    ¡°Then he¡¯s resistant, and we¡¯ll deal with whates,¡± he assured her. ¡°If you could, keep an eye on Garm, would you? I think he¡¯s fine, but you¡¯d know better than I ever would.¡± He kicked off the wall. ¡°I¡¯m going with Artur. He wants to take a look at the Shadonds before he decides what to craft.¡±


    ¡°Does that mean you¡¯re going to create an opening in that location you scouted out?¡± Anneliese questioned.


    Argrave nodded. ¡°A partial one. But he needs to feel and experience the existence of the Shadonds to craft something tobat it, I should think.¡±


    #####¡°What ideas did you have?¡± Argrave asked Artur as they walked through the obsidian caverns. Or rather¡ª<em>he </em>walked, as Artur floated along on his cloak. Raven followed, ensuring that everything was safe. Argrave talked partly because he was uneasy. In these caverns of obsidian, reflections of oneself were all toomon and unnerving. It felt like they were already in the Shadonds, in a way. ¡°Would you craft goggles, maybe? A spectacle?¡±


    ¡°I was under the impression that the artifact I would create should be able to affect arge group, Your Majesty,¡± Artur said uneasily.


    ¡°You¡¯re the craftsman,¡± Argrave reminded him. ¡°What¡¯s on your mind?¡±


    ¡°¡­the running idea I had was antern,¡± Artur disclosed in a quiet voice. ¡°It was the first thing that came to mind when dispelling and of shadows. A ss box in a metal frame held upright, dangling from a firm rod by a single chain link. I would ce the fruit inside the ss chamber, then set it alight.¡±


    His description brought to mind vivid imagery, and Argrave nodded in approval. ¡°Maybe its light could fight more than merely shadows.¡±


    Artur gave a nod of his own in return. ¡°Still, seeing the Shadonds is the most important part of this journey.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a little impossible to describe. I¡¯ll just leave it to you.¡±


    Artur moved ahead of Argrave, watching him. ¡°You forget I worked alongside Traugott. All of us Magisters did, despite how he tried to iste himself. Not many of us were exceptionally surprised to see him be a wanted criminal in the kingdom, but I¡¯m surprised to learn he takes such priority as a threat. He often spoke of the Shadonds joyously, but to everyone else, they sounded like a horror show.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s understating it a little,¡± Argrave finished simply.


    With nothing more to say, they continued onward in silence until they came upon the altar that Erlebnis¡¯ memory spoke of. It was a hollow, spherical room of obsidian with a walkway bridging to the center of the sphere. There, an incredibly dark altar awaited them¡ªjust like the Shadonders themselves, the altar was so ck that it was impossible to distinguish its features in any great detail beyond its basic shape. It seemed to eat any light that fell upon it. Resting above it, like lurking ws or surgical instruments, were three daggers of the same material and color.


    While Artur and Argrave paused at the entrance, Raven advanced boldly. He touched one of the daggers, and then the altar. His eyes glowed green as he scrutinized them with [Minor Truesight], and once his observations were done, he looked back. ¡°These items aren¡¯t of this world. They¡¯re made of the bones of one of the Shadonders.¡±


    ¡°Mmm.¡± Artur approached curiously. ¡°I saw the one that Argrave put on disy, but I never had the opportunity to work with it.¡± His stubby fingers tapped against the dagger¡¯s de cautiously. ¡°Gods. Quite sturdy, yet still light. It almost feels like metal. Something really had bones made out of this?¡±


    Raven nodded.


    He looked back at Argrave. ¡°Do you still have the corpse of the Shadonder that attacked Dirracha? I recall you disyed it boldly when you were demanding the submission of the southern nobles and the Order of the Gray Owl.¡±


    Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    He only shrugged. ¡°Like the rest of the furniture, I gave it to Hegazar and Vera when they became the rulers of Dirracha. I can¡¯t say what they¡¯ve done with it.¡±


    Artur scoffed. ¡°Those useless wastes of space¡­ I¡¯d rather die than speak to them, or even see them. But I¡¯d much rather them die, first.¡±


    Argrave didn¡¯t know what his grudge was, and he didn¡¯t care to pry. He smiled nkly as he waited for the master of the Hall of Enchantment toe to a conclusion.


    ¡°Seeing this altar, I have had an idea,¡± Artur spread his arms out and ran it across it. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen ck be this beautiful. It¡¯s like a night sky, or¡­ or more than that. An abyss. It almost <em>eats </em>light. It eats everything. I can¡¯t say for sure, yet¡­ but I think I <em>have</em> to use this as a material. If not for this project, others.¡± He looked at Argrave. ¡°Could you get your hands on one of their bodies?¡±


    ¡°That depends,¡± Argrave crossed his arms.


    ¡°On what?¡±


    ¡°Are you prepared to fight?¡± Argrave asked with a smile. ¡°Because we can open the Shadonds wide enough for some of them toe out right now, and then you¡¯ll never run out.¡± He looked at Raven. ¡°We could take a lesson from Traugott, too, and give the bodies to Garm for his little reanimation frenzy.¡±


    ¡°I am unsure if necromantic magic would work on their flesh so far removed from ours,¡± Raven answered back. ¡°It would be worth trying, though.¡±


    Artur spun one of the rings on his finger, genuinely considering the offer in cautious contemtion. Ultimately, he shook his head. ¡°All I need for now is a sample of the ce they live in.¡±


    Argrave was a little relieved, too. Though he was somewhat curious about what his blood magic could do to Shadonders, now, he wasn¡¯t exactly eager to bleed on demand. He dismissed the notion, then sat on the ground and closed his eyes, diving deep into Erlebnis¡¯ wiki now that they¡¯d found the altar.


    He heard Artur questioning what he was doing, but was so intensely focused he was able to pay it no mind. He found the article pertaining to the altars to the Shadonds. The daggers above were the instruments that allowed one to breach into their realm. Their means of activation were a little¡­ antiquated.


    ¡°Hey, Raven.¡± Argrave stood up. ¡°Could you spare me a set of eyeballs, and a set of ears?¡±


    ¡°You have some,¡± Raven pointed out.


    ¡°You can make infinite,¡± Argrave countered.


    ¡°So can you,¡± Raven held his ground.


    Argrave stared, and Raven eventually gave what might¡¯ve passed for augh were it not so terrifying. ¡°I should¡¯ve known their altars would involve such a thing.¡± He held his hand out, and a pair of gray eyes and matching white ears appeared, then promptly popped loose with an unpleasant noise. ¡°Where shall they go?¡±


    As Artur stared in abject horror, Argrave casually pointed to a basin that was part of the altar. ¡°Just fill one of those. That should make the dagger above awake.¡±


    Raven obeyed, plopping eyes and ears into the bowl. Their gtinous noise echoed in the quiet chamber. The fact they were bloodless made them a little more eptable¡ªhe almost thought of them as Halloween props. But then the inert knife rapidly descended, stabbing eighty times in half a second until eyes and ears both were reduced to a pink goo. It drained into the ck bowl, leaving nothing behind.


    Then, Argrave felt a shift in the room¡ªa stirring of the heart. And just above the altar, a diamond of absolute darkness took form, revealing the horrors of something beyond. The Shadonds.


    #####


    ¡°I¡¯m kind of d I don¡¯t have to live in this,¡± Garm remarked as he stared down upon Raven¡¯s creation. ¡°At least this beggar had some character. But this¡­ it¡¯s a shame. No artistry.¡±


    Anneliese, Garm, and Durran hade to the spot that Llewellen died, where Raven had left what he promised. The body that Raven had created was utterly devoid of any distinguishing features. It was impossible to tell if it was a man or a womanrgely because the spot where one might¡¯ve figured out was entirely t. It evencked nipples.


    ¡°Mmm¡­ this won¡¯t do,¡± Garm shook his head, then looked over. ¡°Help me out, Durran.¡±


    ¡°With what?¡± Durran said, still looking a bit peaked.


    ¡°Help me change the body,¡± he sped his hands together. ¡°Let¡¯s make it into something livable.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Durran gaped. ¡°I¡¯m not going to reshape the flesh for you,¡± he refused.


    ¡°Come on,¡± Garm looked between Anneliese and Durran. ¡°You¡¯re going to be asking this man for help, right? Then it stands to reason you¡¯d want to show special care to the form that he upies. If he¡¯s not happy, why would he help you?¡±


    Durran looked to Anneliese for insight, and she crossed her arms. ¡°I can tell that you just want to do this because it¡¯s fun¡­ but you¡¯re not wrong,¡± she admitted, looking to Durran. ¡°Llewellen may appreciate the gesture. I don¡¯t know necromancy, though. I never bothered, because I thought Gerechtigkeit would make it unviable.¡±


    Durran sighed, looking up at the ceiling. ¡°Fine. Fine, alright.¡±


    Garm smiled, and Durran became the instrument of his artistry. It was a rather revolting thing, reshaping the flesh, but Garm was talented at it, and Durran had inherited Garm¡¯s talent after consuming his soul. They gave Llewellen¡¯s new form elven ears, a leaner physique, and a face resembling Llewellen¡¯s own. Eventually, though¡­


    ¡°I¡¯m not giving him genitals, Garm,¡± Durran stood his ground. ¡°We¡¯re done. It¡¯s done. Move on.¡±


    Garm sighed. ¡°You¡¯re such a child. Every living thing has them. But, fine.¡± He rose to his feet. ¡°Let¡¯s stuff the ancient elf back in the corpse. Are you ready to meet your mentor, Anneliese?¡±


    ¡°No, but yes.¡± She nodded.


    ¡°Great conviction. Then, without further ado¡­¡± Garm held his arms out. ¡°Let¡¯s wake Llewellen up.¡±

 Chapter 628: I Was an Elf Who Lived One Thousand Years Ago With Trash Talent, but Ive Been Revived

    Chapter 628: I Was an Elf Who Lived One Thousand Years Ago With Trash Talent, but I''ve Been Revived


    Llewellen set aside the dwarven music box, exhaling in a mix of pain and amusement as magic continued to flood into him. He imagined, decades or even centuries from now, someone finding thest recording he¡¯d made. If the dwarves ever came to reim this ce, or if the elven empire breached in search of something¡­ what was the likelihood of them knowing how it functioned? What was the likelihood it wasn¡¯t tossed aside, or found by someone who had no understanding of its value?


    Statistically, quite low.


    But it didn¡¯t really matter. There was nothing else for him to do but die, overflowing with magic. He could already feel it cracking free of his body, pushing aside organs in its bid to escape a vessel too small to hold it. He had finally found an A-rank ascension that suited him, yet as if the world was thrusting him back into ce, he stillcked sufficient expertise to carry it out without perishing.


    There was no pain as he leaned up against the stone walls. He had cut away pain with an improvised spell so that hisst moments might be those of peace. There had been so much he had wanted to do. So many problems that he¡¯d intended to solve, so many branches of magic left unexplored. He hadn¡¯t spent his life in vain, despite his shorings. Yet it still didn¡¯t feel like enough. The ideasing to him never ended, but he was to die long before he could put any of them out into the world.


    He felt a warm nket cover him as blood started to escape his body, and when he exhaled, he felt it pour out across his chin. The rising power came to his neck, and then shortly after to his head. Then¡­


    Llewellen was standing, feeling all of his limbs devoid of the sluggish power that had been coursing through them moments before. In abject surprise, he whipped his head about. It was the same room, yet now was covered in ckness that was undoubtedly traces of the magic he¡¯d absorbed. And yet¡­ standing there just ahead of him were three <em>humans, </em>of all things, bathed in blue spell light as they stared at him in wonder.


    One of the humans was an old man with yellow teeth and eyes. Another had tan skin with golden tattoos, whose eyes were also yellow. The human in the back was dressed as decadently as the emperors he¡¯d met in the lifetime, and struck quite the tall figure. But upon further inspection, she wasn¡¯t a human¡ªpartially hidden behind her long white hair were elven ears. They were considerably lessrge and sharp than his. They might¡¯ve been of a different heritage.


    The woman stepped forward. ¡°Llewellen?¡±


    He flinched when he heard his name from this person he didn¡¯t recognize, then looked around at everything, including his own body. Upon further inspection, this <em>wasn¡¯t </em>his body. Most jarring was the androgyny, as this formcked any parts denoting sex. But other things were subtly different, too¡ªunrecognizable arms, legs, et cetera.He had been so resigned to death it was difficult to feel fear, much less process what was going on. But this woman¡­ she knew his name. That meant they all likely knew more, too. He looked at them.


    ¡°Am I safe?¡± He asked.


    The woman nodded. ¡°You¡¯re in no danger.¡±


    ¡°I died¡­¡± he said with certainty. ¡°¡­so you must¡¯ve brought me back, somehow.¡±


    The well-dressed woman stepped forward. ¡°You¡¯re right. You¡¯re no longer in any risk of suffering from what afflicted you. I¡¯m Anneliese, Queen of Vasquer. I¡¯m acting on behalf of Argrave, my king. That¡¯s Garm, and thest is Durran.¡± She put her hand to her silver breastte. ¡°We hope to bring you out of this ce.¡±


    The tattooed man began to speak, saying, ¡°We brought you back to¡ª¡±


    The elven woman stopped him from saying more. ¡°You died, Llewellen. I¡¯m not sure how long ago precisely, but it was at least a millennium.¡±


    His heart throbbed violently in shock¡ªit, at least, still functioned as it ought to, despite his new and unusual body. It was difficult enough to ept the fact that he¡¯d been brought back from the brink since he couldn¡¯t deny things as he saw them. But the passage of time? He couldn¡¯t even begin to imagine how much things could change in one thousand years. The fact that this woman was so ridiculously tall and possessed of shorter ears was something to evidence that. She called herself ¡®queen,¡¯ however, and not emperor. As far as he knew, no such title existed in this region.


    ¡°You know my name,¡± he said, looking between them all. ¡°You know how much time has passed since I came down here, roughly. The dwarven music box I made is missing. You brought me, in particr, back. Royalty is here for this event,¡± he stated his observations, then crossed his arms. ¡°While I¡¯m very much curious about the details, I imagine you have a reason to bring me back other than charity.¡±


    The tattooed man looked surprised at his deductions, scratching his head of ck hair. The old man shed his teeth in a wide smile, as if it was expected.


    ¡°You¡¯re right¡ªwe do. Do you know of Gerechtigkeit?¡± Anneliese asked.


    The unwieldy name was somewhat familiar. The man he¡¯d met in his long journeys known only as the Alchemist had mentioned something of the sort. There were some among his people who spoke of a doomsday prophecy bearing that name, too. Still, he was working with iplete information.


    ¡°Perhaps you¡¯d best exin.¡± Llewellen gestured.


    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the vition.


    ¡°On the way.¡± Anneliese gestured to Durran, then the man gave him clothes. ¡°For now¡­ let¡¯s get headed to the surface. You must have experienced a terrible shock. We¡¯re not so impolite as to make a request without at least offering you some time to adjust.¡±


    #####


    After the long story from Anneliese, Llewellen¡¯s head was still spinning as he sat in a chair. Night hade, but this body didn¡¯t need to sleep, so he stayed up thinking.


    When he¡¯d left this ce, the Empire of Twelve Under One, more simply called the Elven Empire by most without and within it, had felt invulnerable. It felt as though nothing could topple their reign. Independent sentiments existed only in the ves, and theycked expertise or power enough to shatter a continent-spanning empire. Forget declining¡ªthe empire was still growing rapidly when he¡¯d headed underground. There had even been projects in the works to make vessels capable of crossing overseas to the Great Chu.


    Now, it was called the ¡®ancient elven empire¡¯ simply because it had fallen so long ago that few enough remembered its real name.


    A millennium hade and gone, and he¡¯d been dead that entire time. Not just him¡ª<em>every single one of his people had been killed. </em>That woman he¡¯d met was wife to a human king, which was entirely unthinkable in the time he came from. He wasn¡¯t displeased by this development. Llewellen may have been one of the elves, but he had no special attachment to them¡ªhe had, after all, lived his earliest years as a ve. He¡¯d spent more of his years in human territories, frankly. Mortals were mortals, and he found race to bergely arbitrary.


    Even still, the thing that made his head spin the most¡ªor more urately, made a grin grace his face¡ªwas the reason that they had gone through such lengths to bring him back.


    His work, his <em>theories¡­ </em>they were of such value to the people of today that they could think of no one else more fitting to help them with the task of creating psychic magic. He wasn¡¯t a particrly joyful person, but hearing that was enough to somewhat suppress the feeling of existentialism that came from hearing he had died and been brought back in the body of what might¡¯ve been a homunculus.


    If something had been paying attention to hisst thoughts¡­ they must¡¯ve decided to grant him a second chance. They wished for him to have an opportunity to put all of his theories to paper in what time had been given back to him. He was not merely willing to help them, he was <em>eager. </em>


    Because more than anything¡­ Llewellen wanted to help magic as it had helped him. He wanted to be recognized in the field, remembered forevermore by new acolytes. And now, he was born again. People recognized his work¡ª<em>respected </em>his work, more than anyone. It might as well have been the heaven of an afterlife.


    ¡°Hey.¡±


    Llewellen jolted, looking to where the voice came from. An elf with an appearance he was more intimately familiar with sat across from him, with tan skin, white hair, and quiterge ears. She looked rather like some people he¡¯d met before. As a matter of fact, it had been within the retreat of the former emperor.


    ¡°They told me you came from the ancient elven empire,¡± she said, studying him with amber eyes.


    Llewellen stared, not sure if she was a hallucination. Anneliese had said everyst one of his kind had been wiped out.


    ¡°Hey.¡± She tapped the table in irritation. ¡°They did allow you to speak, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± he answered quickly, off-bnce by her intensity. ¡°You¡¯re one of my kind, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    She looked pleased he had said that, but her words were somewhat harsh. ¡°What else would I be?¡±


    ¡°Anneliese said we had perished,¡± Llewellen said, half a question.


    ¡°She left out some details,¡± the woman said. ¡°Erlebnis took me in and preserved me, at the price of keeping the knowledge of the imperial family alive. He¡¯s dead now. Argrave killed him. He¡¯s Anneliese¡¯s friend. Or husband, whatever. I¡¯m her friend. He¡¯s kind of, but not really.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Despite her rapid, poormunication, he understood her. Llewellen covered his face. ¡°So¡­ we¡¯re thest, then.¡± He exhaled. It was of suchrge scope it was difficult toprehend. ¡°I¡¯m Llewel¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Onychinusa,¡± she interrupted. ¡°I already know you. They said you were alive during the days of the empire. Is it true?¡± She spoke quickly.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Llewellen nodded. ¡°I was a ve there for most of my life.¡±


    Her expression crumpled like she¡¯d been hit in the face by a wooden nk. ¡°Oh. Um¡­¡± She gripped the table. ¡°Was it as great as¡­? I mean, no¡­¡± She shook her head. ¡°The empire, what was it like for a¡­ hmm¡­¡±


    Llewellen realized why she¡¯de¡ªto learn about her heritage. She had been intending to ask him if the empire was as grand as others had made it out to be, yet his remark about his being a ve had thrown a wrench into her questionings. He couldn¡¯t help but chuckle.


    ¡°You¡¯d like to know what the empire was like?¡±


    ¡°I know what it was like. I can read,¡± she defended.


    ¡°But you¡¯ve never lived in it,¡± he pointed out neutrally.


    ¡°¡­no,¡± she said meekly.


    ¡°Then I can tell you.¡± Llewellen smiled. She seemed terrible atmunication¡ªnot unexpected, given how she imed to have survived where others had died. He would need to be patient with her, for her own sake. ¡°But first, why don¡¯t you tell me about yourself?¡±


    ¡°Why? That¡¯s hardly pertinent.¡± She narrowed her eyes.


    ¡°It will help me better exin the context of the empire,¡± he subtly misdirected. In truth, he was merely curious about this strange woman who¡¯d appeared in his room.


    ¡°Technically, I¡¯m royalty,¡± she said proudly. ¡°My grandfather was Emperor Balzat I.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Llewellen raised his brows. ¡°I met him quite a few times. He consulted me for a project.¡±


    ¡°Really?!¡± She repeated his own words, her excitement twice what his had been. She leaned in closely. ¡°Can you¡­?¡±


    ¡°Certainly.¡±


    What a strange fate. What a strange world. But¡­ this new life, even if brief, held a great deal of promise.

 Chapter 629: Artur is Taken By a Fey Mood!

    Artur had been examining the small diamond-sized portal into the Shadonds in total silence for near an hour. He might¡¯ve expected that behavior from Raven, or a cat, but not him. Argrave had attempted several calls to pull him out of the trance, and even considered removing him physically. Every time, Artur insisted that he remained silent. Raven assured Argrave that there was nothing ailing his mind, but he wasn¡¯t so sure.


    Then, after that hour-long period, he floated up above the altar and leaned up to one of the daggers looming above the altar. He tapped the side of it. ¡°Cut this off. Remove it immediately.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Argrave looked at Raven. ¡°Are you sure that¡¯s¡ª¡±


    ¡°Do it!¡± He shouted ferociously. ¡°I¡¯m returning to ckgard. I need it to be back there as soon as possible. You¡¯ll also need to bring me that jade staff that I¡¯ve sometimes seen you carrying around. Bring me a few samples of the obsidian here, each about the size of my fist. Gold, silver¡­ I can get those at my shops. I may need gemstones in short notice.¡±


    Argrave looked at Raven intensely, trying his best to question with his eyes if he was certain nothing had permeated Artur¡¯s mind. But the Alchemist remained steady, and he made no attempts to stop Artur from what he was doing. Before they could do anything more, Artur started to do as he said¡ªreturn to ckgard.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Argrave examined the altar. ¡°Give me a hand, Raven.¡±


    #####


    It had been incredibly strenuous work to remove the dagger made of Shadonder bone from the altar that it hung over. Despite Raven working alongside him, Argrave had needed to call upon blood magic to create something sufficiently powerful enough to remove it from the pir. With it at hand, they returned to the Hall of Enchantment. The mood was strange.


    Every bit of production in the Hall of Enchantment hade to a stop¡ªfor the capitalist overlord that was Artur, this was unusual indeed. Instead, they were all hovering around the room where Artur resided, heeding his every whim as he made his people fetch him various materials. He allowed no one to work on the project besides himself. Though Argrave had some intense reservations about surrendering a weapon that had saved his life on multiple asions, he did eventually bring both dagger and the Resonant Pir to Artur.¡°You know what this does, don¡¯t you?¡± he asked the craftsman as he handed it over. ¡°It can absorb attacks and¡ª¡±


    ¡°And deliver them back. I know. Go. Get out of my space.¡± He waved Argrave away, floating around the forge with several different utensils on hand. ¡°No project has ever called to me like this. I won¡¯t have your unwanted lingering ruin my masterpiece.¡± He turned to one of the people and pointed. ¡°YOU! Fetch the electrum!¡±


    Though the people nearby gave Argrave pleading eyes to stay and make sure they weren¡¯t abused by their boss, ultimately he felt a strange sense of hope that whatever Artur was doing would turn out to be worth their time.


    ¡°I¡¯ll send for you with further requests,¡± he dictated. ¡°There will be plenty. This¡­ nothing will surpass this. I can see it in my head, so clearly¡­¡±


    #####


    Argrave returned to the parliamentary hall, and presently stood in front of Elenore¡¯s desk.


    ¡°I will do what I can to meet his whims,¡± his sister promised. ¡°Was there anything else you needed?¡±


    ¡°I want to be sure you¡¯re alright,¡± he told her. ¡°That <em>we¡¯re </em>alright.¡±


    ¡°Wants are not needs.¡± She smiled icily. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I have work to do.¡±


    Argrave chewed on his lip, greatly disliking the distance she was cing between them. ¡°You know¡­ we¡¯ve managed to convince Garm to bring back those who¡¯ll be useful to the cause.¡±


    She held her writing implement at both ends. ¡°I¡¯m aware. Llewellen has already returned. Durran imed that the act lessened the burden that he¡¯s feeling. That means that Garm¡¯s influence over him is subsiding.¡±


    ¡°Are you interested in speaking to Vasquer oncest time?¡±


    Elenore went quiet, staring ahead without saying much for a long stretch. Then, she shook her head. ¡°In a new body, she wouldn¡¯t be useful to the cause.¡±


    Even Argrave couldn¡¯t help but double-take at her cold words. ¡°But wouldn¡¯t it be worth it? For you, for Orion¡­¡±


    ¡°Every imprint that Garm brings back whittles away a little more of the limited time he has,¡± Elenore reminded him. ¡°We have to pick and choose very carefully. As such, we cannot waste it on someone who is neither abatant nor a useful person like Llewellen.¡±


    This tale has been uwfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    Argrave closed his eyes. ¡°Garm could still experience herst thoughts and convey them. Not just him, either¡ªfor Orion, he could speak to our other siblings, or Felipe III, even. And for you, there¡¯s¡­¡± he paused, realizing he might be overstepping in his attempt to connect.


    Elenore would not be pleased to be reminded of Therese, the maid that had served her loyally and died as a consequence. He was trying to buy back Elenore¡¯s affection because he couldn¡¯t stand being disliked. It was why he ended up in this mess in the first ce.


    ¡°For me?¡± Elenore prompted, perhaps knowing what he was about to say.


    Ji Meng¡¯s urgings came back to him¡ªbe patient, be cautious. Wait for a moment to show your sincerity. For now, he would leave her with only this.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing else except thisst thing.¡± He dipped his head to her. ¡°I¡¯d like to apologize for the way I handled the matter with the fruits. You were right in every word you said, all the way down to my motive. Thank you for continuing to put up with me.¡±


    Elenore turned her gaze away, staring at the corner of the room. ¡°¡­you should go join Anneliese,¡± she said quietly. ¡°I believe she has much to say about Llewellen.¡±


    Clearly, forgiveness didn¡¯te so easily. But he felt, just maybe¡­ her words were a little softer.


    #####


    ¡°Guess who¡¯s speaking with Llewellen?¡± Anneliese whispered to Argrave excitedly.


    ¡°Rowe? I don¡¯t know,¡± he shrugged, though he was curious about her excitement.


    ¡°Onychinusa,¡± she said with joy. ¡°I told her about him hoping it might help here out. I had some ns to get them talking. But she approached <em>him, </em>first!¡±


    ¡°Ooh.¡± Argrave raised his brows in surprise.


    Ever since Onychinusa had been taken from Erlebnis¡¯ realm, she¡¯d been incredibly reclusive. Her aversion to people was even greater than that of the Alchemist¡¯s. She lived somewhere in the mountains¡ªonly Vasquer had known precisely where¡ªand the only time that she spoke to people was when Anneliese asionally came to visit, or when they had a task that they needed her to perform.


    ¡°I¡¯m very proud of her,¡± Anneliese said of the woman centuries her senior. ¡°I think that Llewellen will be able to handle her without causing harm. He reminds me of Castro, in many ways¡­ yet he¡¯s quite sharp, and he¡¯s oft inclined to share his opinion. Many times, I would get halfway through a story before he finished it for me, having predicted the oue. He was seldom wrong, too. I have so much I¡¯d like to talk to him about¡­ but for now, I¡¯m letting hime to terms with what¡¯s happened.¡±


    ¡°And¡­ can his form cast magic, as Raven specified?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m unsure,¡± Anneliese confessed. ¡°We hadn¡¯t the time to do any testing, and¡ª¡±


    Someone knocked on the door. ¡°Your Majesty, Your Highness. A visitor from the Hall of Enchantment.¡±


    Argrave came to attention. ¡°Send him in.¡±


    The door opened, and a distraught-looking attendant entered. ¡°Master Artur said that he needed your presence immediately.¡±


    Argrave stood. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll be there.¡±


    ¡°Em¡­¡± The man lowered his head. ¡°Both of your royal presences were requested in¡­ well, in Artur¡¯s way. And he insisted that Her Highness bring along the staff she often bears forbat.¡±


    Argrave looked at her. First the Resonant Pir, now Veid¡¯s heart? He swallowed, considering how much had already been invested into this project. But Anneliese retrieved her staff, which was leaning up against the wall just by her, and stood.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not keep him waiting,¡± she said passively.


    #####


    When they entered, Artur floated past them aback his cape and mmed the door shut. He turned to look at them with his eyes gleaming.


    ¡°Give me the staff, then take off your clothes, both of you,¡± Artur insisted, holding his hand out and gesturing at Anneliese to surrender Rowe¡¯s former staff.


    Argrave instinctively shielded Anneliese with his arm. ¡°You¡¯re going to need a little bit more than goodwill to make a request like that while keeping all your limbs.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t make threats like that. Were it that giant, I might actually be scared. You, however, have more finesse than to recklessly remove my limbs.¡± He shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not making a single artifact. I¡¯m making a pair, using the Resonant Pir and Anneliese¡¯s staff as a base. You two are going to serve as the chain that binds them. Though¡­ conduit, or pipe, might be better suited.¡±


    Argrave looked at Anneliese¡ªand indeed, she gave no indication Artur was lying. He looked back at the short man.


    ¡°How would you know how to do something like that?¡±


    Artur tapped his eyes, and as if at will, they sparkled myriad colors. ¡°You¡¯ve seen my eyes sh as so, right?¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Argrave nodded. ¡°It¡¯s your A-rank ascension, yes.¡±


    ¡°They saw something in the Shadonds that I¡¯ve never before experienced,¡± he told them. ¡°It was as though¡­ it was as though they finally showed a new purpose¡ªa new reaction, to that foreign realm beyond this world. I don¡¯t make a habit of staring into abysses for hours if I don¡¯t see the value in it. And I saw value unimaginable.¡± He waved between them. ¡°You two <em>must </em>be linked. I¡¯m somewhat confident it would interest no one else. And I¡¯m even more confident no one else could make as good a use of the pair.¡±


    ¡°Assuming you¡¯re capable of this¡­¡± Anneliese looked at him curiously. ¡°How might this help with the Shadonds? How are they rted?¡±


    ¡°Dark, light. Life, death. This realm, that realm.¡± Artur pped his hands together. ¡°They¡¯re dualisms. I intend to take ample advantage of that dualism using you two. Argrave shall be the dark¡ªdeath. Anneliese shall be the light¡ªlife. Man and woman. Husband and wife. Together, creating the full function of my masterpiece.¡±

 Chapter 630: Royal Regalia

    Chapter 630: Royal Regalia


    Argrave and Anneliese wore strange robes of Artur¡¯s design. They were made of metal formed into a wire¡ªhow it had been crafted was beyond Argrave, but apparently, it was made of electrum. Argrave had rather embarrassingly thought electrum was a fantasy metal, but no¡ªit was an alloy of gold, silver, and a few other metals. Both of them looked like they were going into a rave, doubly so because <em>every single inch</em> of metallic thread had been enchanted. The worst part was, Artur had insisted their flesh be bare against the metal robes. To say the least of the situation, it made cotton seem pleasant byparison.


    Despite the ufortable garment, watching Artur consumed by his strange mood was truly a sight to behold. His ability to multitask was exceptional¡ªhe spent as little time travelling as possible, efficiently routing his path around the forge so that he would move to one task and stick to it until all that he¡¯d gathered had been put to use. He mumbled to himself all while he worked.


    It all seemed rather excessive until one realized the level of detail each part of the work contained. If every inch of the metal robes they wore were enchanted, that same level of detail was doubtlessly replicated elsewhere. It was heartening to know he was putting so much work into creating this artifact. No one else could likely create something so intricate in this day and age.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    The former Magister of the Gray Owl was very secretive about his unnamed A-rank ascension, but it was arge part of his sess as a craftsman. In essence, he could use magic to determine something¡¯s structure. It was a vague description, Argrave knew, but he supposed its true effect could only be experienced by the one who bore it. He could tell at a nce something¡¯s materialposition, theyout of an enchantment, or how an object was held together. It might be likened to [Truesight], but that was geared toward perception while Artur¡¯s was geared toward analysis.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Artur descended off his cloak, alighting and looking between everything. ¡°We¡¯re ready.¡±


    With that deration, Artur opened a small metal box that contained the Fruit of Being. He turned it upside down, and it fell into his hand. As Argrave and Anneliese both came to attention, he beckoned them forward.


    ¡°Reach in. You, there. And you, that one,¡± he instructed them, pointing out two metal boxes with openings barelyrge enough for a hand. ¡°Take hold, firmly.¡±


    They both heeded his instructions, reaching inside their respective boxes and grasping what was within. It took Argrave a moment, but he recognized the feel of the Resonant Pir. Additions had been made, but the core of it was the same. Artur squeezed in between them and ced the Fruit of Being in a chamber bridging the two boxes. He slid a lid shut, then rested his hand on a knob at the top of the box.


    ¡°Door locked?¡± He looked over, confirming the door to the workshop was indeed closed. ¡°Alright. Whatever you do, don¡¯t let go. It shouldn¡¯t be painful, but if it is, bear with it. I shudder to imagine what the things I¡¯ve coded to happen will do if one half of the equation is simply missing.¡±Anneliese studied him. ¡°Coded?¡±


    Artur pushed the knob in, and Argrave heard a <em>squelch. </em>Had he just crushed the Fruit of Being?


    ¡°In craftsmanship, many things are about efficiency. It¡¯s a lot easier to make a machine that makes what you need than to do it by hand. Imagine if we smelted with magic instead of a forge, for instance, or ground wheat by hand instead of with a mill. This process might¡¯ve taken us weeks if I hadn¡¯t made this contraption¡ªweeks during which your royal presences would need to lie stark naked on a table.¡±


    Argrave was sure of it¡ªthe Fruit of Being had been crushed. As a matter of fact, he was certain he heard juices flowing.


    ¡°Instead, I¡¯ve delegated the minutiae to the powers that be, so to speak.¡± Artur stepped away, examining things. ¡°While they do their business, let me tell you about the royal heirlooms I¡¯ve made. Indeed, you¡¯ll be passing these items down to your heirs for time eternal.¡±


    Argrave wanted to look at Artur, but he couldn¡¯t turn with his arm embedded in the box. He stared at Anneliese as she, too, exuded the same desire to turn around.


    ¡°Argrave¡¯s staff is the negative side of the equation. It negates, erases. It¡¯s intended to take in what permeates the Shadonds, leaving behind emptiness which can then be reced by the positive side of the equation¡ªAnneliese¡¯s staff. Hers can take that which is negated and recreate it in a fashion more hospitable to you and those near to you. These weapons can effectively rebuild the Shadonds into a state more habitable for you and yours. I wish I could give you more detailed information about what that entails, but all I know is that¡¯s what it¡¯ll do.¡±


    Argrave felt a cold liquid fall over his hand. Then, he felt a strange tingling travel up the sleeve of the electrum robe that he wore. The Resonant Pir seemed to morph and twist in his hand, and in response he tightened his grip.


    ¡°But they¡¯ll have more functions, as intended. I cannot rightly say what, but the reason I chose the two of you wasn¡¯t coincidence. For one, you¡¯re the king and queen¡ªthrough you, I hope to make my worksst longer and earn me great repute. But for the second reason, I¡¯ve seen in both of you something that resonates with your respective side of the equation. I don¡¯t know how to exin it, but¡­ there¡¯s that.¡±


    As Argrave looked at Anneliese, old memories surfaced. As far back as when he first tamed the Brumesingers, he was told that he had an affinity for death. It had never againe up, so he figured it might¡¯ve meant he¡¯d be talented at necromancy or something of the sort. Perhaps it was why he was drawn to blood magic.


    The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    And Anneliese¡­ even dismissing the fact her A-rank ascension was called [Life Cycle], Hause had imed that her potential was rted to eternity. There had been too many possible exnations for that to so quickly decide on one, but Argrave thought it might fit, somehow. Hause had imed his potential was judgment, which somewhat fit with the affinity to death.


    ¡°Through death,es life,¡± Artur continued. ¡°That is the embodying principle behind these weapons: dualism. I said that, already, but you should remember it. Considering Argrave¡¯s ability awakened by the Fruit of Being is to deal death with his blood magic¡­ it stands to reason there should also be one to bring life after the fact. What you destroy, she will heal. Your negation will be supnted by her addition. With these two prities, it¡¯s my aim that you will be an invulnerable pair, bound by fate. I believe the two of you will be fond of this idea,¡± Artur said proudly. ¡°It¡¯s a craftsman¡¯s role to predict what you want out of yourmission, after all. And there is no craftsman superior to me.¡±


    Argrave felt a strange power surge through the electrum robe, following the tracks that had beenid out by Artur. It wreathed over all of it, and then¡­ the metal started absorbing into Argrave¡¯s skin. It disintegrated and soaked in like golden lotion. Looking at Anneliese, she, too, was experiencing the same thing. It wasn¡¯t painful, but Argrave¡¯s whole body felt tingly. It felt as if he was being massaged from inside and out.


    Then, Argrave felt the Resonant Pir shrink in his hands. In panic, he gripped tighter¡­ but in time, there was nothing left to grip. And soon after, the incredibly jarring sensations urring all around his body also stopped. Looking down¡­ the electrum robes had vanished in entirety. Only his bare skin remained.


    Artur had turned around long in advance. ¡°You can remove your hands. And cover yourself up. I put some nkets on the table, there.¡±


    Argrave walked toward their clothes, eyes lingering on Anneliese in concern and curiosity as he grabbed one of the nkets. He was d he had been so cautious, because it was in time to see her stagger and fall. He rushed forth and caught her before her head could impact with the ground ungracefully. She felt dreadfully cold in his arms, and he brought the nket over her.


    ¡°Anne? Anne!¡± he said insistently. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You¡¯re cold.¡±


    ¡°I feel¡­ dizzy. Heavy,¡± she said groggily.


    ¡°I should¡­¡± Argrave thought urgently of who was needed, making to move her elsewhere as he covered her better with the nket.


    She grabbed his hair sloppily, fussing against the nket. ¡°Stay. You feel good. Come here.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Argrave studied her for a few moments, until he felt it. It was as though Anneliese was <em>taking </em>something from him, something innate. She clung to him tighter in her haze, pulling his head downward in an awkward embrace.


    ¡°I think¡­ I think I know what¡¯s happening,¡± Artur walked up to them. ¡°I¡¯ve paired you, but the equation is imbnced in your favor. From what I can see, the weapons have merged without incident. Now, both sides have to be of equal strength. Think of it like a scale. A bncing act,¡± he exined.


    ¡°You¡¯re sure?¡± He insisted of Artur, giving in to Anneliese lest she pull out his hair.


    ¡°I¡¯m certain,¡± Artur nodded, his eyes gleaming. ¡°I can see it happening right in front of me.¡±


    #####


    After a few hours, Anneliese¡¯s only remaining affliction was a touch of embarrassment. She had put on a beige shirt with brown pants and sat on a bench just beside Argrave, who wore something roughly matching. Artur floated afortable distance away.


    ¡°I forgot it all, Your Highness,¡± Artur insisted as she cast nces at him.


    Anneliese covered her face. Argrave told him, ¡°Lying only makes it worse for her. She knows.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m fine,¡± she said dismissively. ¡°More importantly, I can feel the changes. Not just the weapon, but much else.¡± She offered her hand to Argrave. ¡°Let me show you.¡±


    He put his hand on her own, and then¡­ he felt <em>magic </em>flowing into his body. Shortly after, vitality, <em>energy. </em>He withdrew his hand in surprise.


    ¡°[Life Cycle]¡¯s functions have been expanded,¡± she informed him. ¡°I can perform both¡ªabsorbing and ejecting energy. It feels even more efficient than it once was. And¡­ you can feel it too, right?¡±


    Argrave nodded, staring into her eyes. ¡°Yeah. The connection.¡±


    ¡°Those artifacts are a part of us, now. But they¡¯re also bound together,¡± she said in wonder. ¡°I am curious¡­ just how far we can feel it?¡±


    ¡°The artifacts were the only thing I¡¯d intended,¡± Artur admitted. ¡°But it seems as though you two have changed in more ways than one. You can conjure the weapons, though, correct?¡±


    Argrave held his hand out, reaching within himself for that presence he felt. Then, it took shape just as a magic spell might¡¯ve. He gripped what had once been the Resonant Pir, examining it. Once, it had been a quarterstaff, evenly weighted. Now, it had turned into a long scepter of sorts. Its base was ck, gilded and studded with gemstones tastefully. There were ornate carvings rted to Vasquer¡¯s heraldry all along its surface, and sunbursts of gold at points. He could feel an ominous resonance from it. It felt attuned with his blood magic¡ªhe could feel it by instinct.


    Anneliese, too, conjured hers. The staff crafted of Veid¡¯s heart had been an ungainly wooden thing. Now, it was sleeker and white, with silver and amber for decoration. He saw some magic script scrawled all along it. Anneliese gave the top a pull, and the de came free. It looked almost divinely white, with silver ents. Artur certainly had a ir for the beautiful. Both staffs were something Argrave were almost decorative.


    ¡°¡­I added some magic to make it easier to use as an actual de. Barring the ess to the Shadonds, I know they have yet more powers that you¡¯ll need to discover,¡± Artur said quietly. ¡°I designed them intending for there to be deep synergies between the two weapons. Apart, they will still be tremendous assets. Together¡­ is there any cycle more potent than that of life and death?¡±


    Argrave and Anneliese looked at each other. Both of them knew what the other was feeling¡ªunbridled excitement.

 Chapter 631: Cogs of the Machine Driving a Nation

    Chapter 631: Cogs of the Machine Driving a Nation


    Argrave had been skeptical if giving the Fruit of Being to Artur to use in a crafting project was truly the best use of the item. A masterpiece was infinitely less useful than a skilled master, by his estimation¡ªsomeone that could continue to make ingenious project after ingenious project. Instead, in the twisted fate the fruit had chosen, he¡¯d received two wonderful artifacts, and shared with Anneliese some of the power he received after eating the Fruit of Being.


    After a while, they were prepared to depart.


    ¡°What would you like as payment, Artur?¡± Argrave asked, gauging for the man¡¯s reaction.


    ¡°Just pay me what you think my work was worth,¡± Artur said. ¡°And tell everyone who asks that I made the weapons that make you what you are. Oh¡ªand let me out of that research team.¡±


    ¡°We can.¡± Anneliese nodded. ¡°But you¡¯re very insightful, Artur. Are you certain you wish to stoping?¡±


    He seemed to waver briefly, but ultimately shook his head. ¡°No. I¡¯m as insightful running this ce as I am in that research team, and I have to entertain fewer fools that I can¡¯t put in their ce.¡±


    Argrave offered his hand to Artur. ¡°I think you deserve more than money for what you¡¯ve done¡ªbut you¡¯ll get plenty of that, I assure you. I¡¯m certain we can produce some rose gold magic coins. And I can guarantee you, until the day we die¡ªwhich may be never, after what you¡¯ve done¡ªwe¡¯ll being to you for anything truly important.¡±


    ¡°Well enough,¡± Artur said, seizing Argrave¡¯s hand for the handshake. ¡°I look forward to it.¡±


    #####n/?/vel/b//in dot c//omAfter leaving Artur, they decided to visit Raven for his scrutiny into what might¡¯ve changed in Anneliese. Artur may have been exceptionally keen, but hecked the perception of Truesight and the insight of someone millennia old.


    ¡°She is not as changed as you or Durran,¡± Raven informed Argrave. ¡°She has not subsumed spirits into herself, imitating divinity. She might still be considered an ordinary spellcaster in most ways. But you two now exist in a closed loop, sharing many things.¡± He looked at Argrave. ¡°And just as her abilities changed, so too did yours, more subtly. Your blood magic can still erase magic spells, even divinity¡ªbut instead of burning them to ash, all that you destroy will return to her as energy.¡±


    He looked to Anneliese. ¡°And through you, that energy can return to him. You can heal his wounds or replenish his magic. Or, you could use it for other purposes¡ªyour own spells, your own shamanic magic, or even distributing it to others. All of that is at your discretion, it would seem. Fighting together, you would be an unstoppable machine that grows eternally. I can think of nothing more fitting to tackle the Shadonds.¡±


    Anneliese epted all of that grandiose responsibility with a simple nod. Argrave was certainly reconsidering his perspective on what should be done with thest fruit.


    On top of all this, Argrave now had the remote GPS tracking feature installed on his wife. It might have been a touch overbearing if she didn¡¯t have the same feature installed on him¡ªwith the right wording, it might even be considered romantic. No matter how far they travelled away from one another, they knew where the other was. It even worked through divine realms.


    ¡°We have our siege weapon, it would seem.¡± Argrave walked around. ¡°But we¡¯ll need others.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ve all been preparing,¡± Anneliese reminded him. ¡°It won¡¯t be long until we find him. I¡¯m rather eager to see that sociopath dismembered.¡±


    ¡°Not a sentiment I thought I¡¯d ever hear from you,¡± he remarked.


    ¡°But you share it,¡± Anneliese said with certainty. ¡°As do countless others, I suspect. Let¡¯s give the people what they want.¡±


    #####


    ¡°You seem a little better after I brought the Theorist back,¡± Garm spoke to Durran as the man had a small breakfast in a public dining area at the parliamentary hall.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Durran nodded. ¡°It¡¯s all a bit easier to sideline, now. It¡¯s like being in a crowded bazaar, rather than being stabbed repeatedly in the gut.¡±


    Garm sat across from Durran. ¡°Care to help me with something?¡±


    ¡°Figured I couldn¡¯t expect small talk alone.¡± Durran studied him. ¡°I think I¡¯m being plenty help just sitting here. You¡¯re alive, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll help you be free of things more immediately,¡± Garm promised.


    ¡°Hit me,¡± Durran said, then sipped his soup.


    Garm leaned in. ¡°I want to resurrect all of the heavy hitters of the past to give Argrave an elite troop to tackle the Shadonds without fear of losing anyone important. I¡¯m rather positive I have the capability to emte the Alchemist¡¯s ability to reconstruct spell pathways.¡±


    Durran set his spoon down. ¡°Alchemist goes by Raven, now. And you should just ask Argrave. I¡¯m sure he can pick out some choice names with whatever¡¯s lying dormant in his head.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, sure, whatever. I¡¯ll ask him when he needs to be asked. But I¡¯ve got the whispers of a thousand dead in my head after my stroll through the Low Way of the Rose. I have enough information about who would be good to bring back.¡±


    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any urrences elsewhere.


    Durran narrowed his eyes. ¡°Why in gods¡¯ name did you go to the Low Way?¡±


    ¡°Argrave¡¯s idea, twit,¡± Garm rebuked. ¡°But¡­ listen. The body that Raven made¡­ it¡¯s good. It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s passable. But it¡¯s not quite what I had in mind, and it took forever to get.¡±


    ¡°Point being?¡± Durran pressed as he dipped some bread in the soup.


    ¡°You want to stop hearing voices¡ªI want to get my hands on a lot of body parts. What do you say we team up, massacre a vige, and then prepare a nice little present for Argrave?¡± Garm smiled.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re trying to get a rise out of me by saying something disagreeable, but that one was a little sad.¡± Durran shook his head and peered at his food as if disappointed. ¡°You really can¡¯t muster anything more believable than that? Just tell me what you¡¯re really thinking so I can eat.¡±


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s not make it personal. I¡¯m a little hurt,¡± Garm said, though it wasn¡¯t clear if he truly meant it. ¡°What if I know a ce we can find a lot of undead? Ready-made parts, with the damage already done,¡± Garm whispered. ¡°Would youe along? You said that the Fruit of Being gave you abat-rted ability, but I¡¯ve yet to see any insight on that front. Why note with me, put that ive of yours to good use?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll figure my power out,¡± Durran insisted. ¡°It¡¯splicated.¡±


    ¡°Sure, sure. But nothing like realbat to stir up that instinct, eh?¡± Garm nudged his elbow. ¡°I promise it won¡¯t take very long. Especially not for a real S-rank spellcaster. Especially not for someone who deserves the position.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve misread my personality if you think goading can make me do something dumb. Find someone else,¡± Durran suggested. ¡°Or better yet, don¡¯t do it at all. Just wait. Argrave¡¯s generally got the right idea about things.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll kill myself if you don¡¯t,¡± Garm said inly.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I will. And then, I¡¯ll end back inside your head.¡± Garm tapped his temple. ¡°One way or another, this is getting done. I¡¯m not going to let that hulking monstrosity make those disgusting little asexual creatures again and again. Necromancy is an <em>art. </em>It deserves some respect.¡±


    Durran tapped the side of the bowl with his spoon. ¡°Don¡¯t bluff me.¡±


    ¡°I already did it once,¡± he pointed out. ¡°Do you want to risk it? I¡¯ve got the reins, Durran. Horses that buck live painful lives.¡±


    ¡°I won the lottery, and I¡¯m the least lucky person in this city.¡± Durran scratched the back of his head, then tossed the spoon down onto the table. ¡°Fine. But I¡¯m a bit different than I once was¡ªI won¡¯t go behind anyone¡¯s back. I¡¯m telling people what we¡¯re doing. Only if I get permission will I leave.¡±


    ¡°Alright, fine.¡± Garm lifted his hands up, conceding. ¡°You should be excited. We¡¯re going to build the greatest troop of spellcasters the world¡¯s ever seen.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ sure,¡± Durran said, not quite convinced. ¡°You should let me do the talking. There¡¯s not a chance Elenore or Argrave will agree if you give them that same pitch.¡±


    #####


    Llewellen was scanning through the vast number of notes that had already been taken by the assembled research team. On some level he was impressed by the advancements of magic in his long absence¡ªin other regards, he was appalled by the stagnation. He was rather surprised that he hadn¡¯t been the first to discover druidic magic¡ªand in it, he saw the long history of the Veidimen reflected in their magic.


    But whether it was merely doing this research or speaking to the people here, Llewellen was having a great time in this strange second life. Once he caught up on the past sessions, he had great hopes for joining the research team and contributing his theories¡ªand indeed, he already had some ideas forming. Illusion magic was a dead end, he felt. Druidic magic held the key to unlocking the psyche through magic. He would prove it.


    But besides the research, he was especially enjoying Onychinusa¡¯s interrogation sessions. Her clumsiness andck of social graces was quite charming, in her strange way, and she was thest of his race¡­ but he couldn¡¯t let himself get too close. He was here for ast hurrah, as it were. There was no need to make the parting difficult. It would be an undue burden on her, and she had plenty of those already. She was very alone, both in body and mind. He hoped, at least, he might help her break that.


    A knock came at the door, and he looked over. Onychinusa never knocked; she merely broke in. Llewellen called out, ¡°Enter.¡±


    The door opened, and a hulking human walked through the door. He had arge mane of obsidian-like hair, and stony gray eyes. He wore golden armor that Llewellen had seen as the royal guard of this kingdom.


    ¡°Are you a rtive to the king?¡± Llewellen asked at once. ¡°Am I needed?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m Argrave¡¯s brother. My name is Orion, sir.¡± He bowed, then walked deeper inside. ¡°I had some questions for you, if now is a good time.¡±


    ¡°Certainly.¡± Llewellen put the paper down, then turned his body fully. ¡°Avail yourself of my knowledge freely.¡±


    ¡°Will this research team bear fruit quickly?¡± He asked bluntly. ¡°Or are we all expecting too much?¡±


    Llewellen tilted his head, considering the question earnestly. ¡°The people here¡­ Anneliese especially¡­ are the brightest minds in the world.¡± He shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t say that because I was told it¡ªI say that because I¡¯ve been reading what they write, ande to that conclusion on my own.¡±


    ¡°But bright minds can only manifest so much,¡± Orion argued.


    ¡°You¡¯re wrong, I¡¯m afraid.¡± Llewellen smiled. ¡°Bright minds can overturn the universe, if they¡¯re working together in harmony. I believe the solution wille far sooner than you think.¡±


    Orion grinned brightly, white teeth gleaming through his ck beard. ¡°I¡¯m very pleased to hear it, sir.¡±


    ¡°Why do you ask? A routine check-in for the king?¡±


    Orion put his hand to his chest. ¡°I have the feeling that something is approaching, sir.¡±


    ¡°Gerechtigkeit?¡± Llewellen guessed.


    ¡°Yes, but¡­ no.¡± Orion lowered his head. ¡°I get the sensation that a strong foe is approaching. One who I must fight, being perhaps the only one who can. I am not the strongest of those in this kingdom anymore. The king could certainly best me on his lonesome, now. But in persistence, durability¡­ I am confident none are my peer. And I believe a foe that requires that attribute wille.¡±


    ¡°You speak with a strange conviction,¡± Llewellen observed.


    ¡°Indeed. I have always had strange shes of intuition¡ªthey have seldom led me astray. None before have been this clear, however. None this potent.¡± He dipped his head. ¡°I hope that all goes well with your endeavors. Thank you for your time.¡±


    Llewellen watched Orion go. The man had very heavy steps.

 Chapter 632: Alive Yourself

    Chapter 632: Alive Yourself


    Anneliese had gone to talk to Elenore, and after, she intended rejoin the research team¡ªArgrave could feel her presence inside the parliamentary hall in his sister¡¯s office. Raven hadn¡¯t been lying in saying that they¡¯d be a closed loop, sharing everything. Argrave had been lying in bed trying to think of what was to be done next to prepare when Durran came to him, spouting a rather oundish idea.


    ¡°It was Garm¡¯s idea, not mine,¡± Durran rified as he stood in front of Argrave.


    ¡°Well¡­ what¡­ I mean, how¡­ what¡¯s the limit?¡± Argrave pressed, incredibly eager now that he¡¯d heard the idea. He rose up off his bed. ¡°He¡¯s really willing to do that? If there were anything to get second thoughts about, this sounds like it. We¡¯re going to have an army of the strongest people in history at our disposal¡ªthat¡¯s what you¡¯re telling me?¡±


    Durran held out his hand as if to calm Argrave. ¡°Just judging based on what Llewellen cost him, he suspects the upper limit for this matter is about thirty people. Still¡­ he ims he¡¯ll be able to remake them perfectly, A-rank ascension and all.¡±


    Argrave felt like he was getting dizzy with greed after hearing that. ¡°I¡¯m almost tempted to ask if he¡¯s exaggerating.¡±


    ¡°Check him with Anneliese, I suppose. I wouldn¡¯t put it past him.¡± Durran shrugged. ¡°There are two limits to it, though, insofar as resurrection goes. He needs either the location they died, or the location where their body is. Buried in the ground, mummified, cut into a thousand pieces¡ªso long as the body ended up somewhere, he can catch their impression. He said it¡¯d be best if their ashes were cremated and scattered, because that would extend the ,¡¯ so to speak.¡±


    Argrave tapped the table. Though he had admittedly first thought of Castro, the man had died in Sandbara. That ce was buried beneath magma, now. With the limitation, he couldn¡¯t be retrieved. But even with that limitation¡­


    ¡°I think I should help him pick the right people,¡± Argrave proposed.


    Durran¡¯s face scrunched up and he crossed his arms. ¡°He was pretty adamant about doing this on his own after we get the body parts.¡±¡°Hell, Durran.¡± Argrave paced around his bedroom. ¡°We could bring back just about <em>anyone. </em>I could scan through the wiki for days picking out the right people.¡±


    Durran held out a cautionary hand. ¡°For my sake, I hope you be careful¡ªhe¡¯s very attached to doing this, and if you try and usurp his role, I¡¯m not certain he wouldn¡¯t kill himself just to get back inside my head, torment me.¡±


    Argrave briefly weighed if it was worth pissing off Durran to exert control over the project, but dismissed the idea¡ªhe didn¡¯t care to make things tenser than they already were. Orion still hadn¡¯t even spoken to him, and Elenore kept an unpleasant distance between them.


    ¡°He¡¯ll at least speak to me,¡± Argrave hoped.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°I¡¯m sure he will.¡± Durran nodded. ¡°Considering how enthusiastic you¡¯re being, I assume you don¡¯t have any objections about this?¡±


    ¡°None at all. Rather, I¡¯d have an objection if you <em>didn¡¯t </em>go, now that I know Garm is fully willing.¡± Argrave rubbed his hands together. ¡°Don¡¯t worry¡ªI managed to change Garm¡¯s mind once before. I think I know how to get through to him.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I sounded worried,¡± Durran said disaffectedly. ¡°I¡¯ll look forward to it. I¡¯m sure the illustrious Argrave, leader of the ckgard Union, king of Vasquer, ruler of all the Great Chu, will seed where I failed. He can ovee any challenge, after all.¡±


    #####


    ¡°So, not only do you want me to kill myself, but you want me to do so on your terms? Good gods, Argrave. How selfish can you be?¡±


    Argrave tried several different approaches to influence Garm into choosing the people that Argrave could find in the wiki bestowed to him by Erlebnis. Every response was more or less an iteration of the above. He was adamantly opposed to allowing anyone other than himself have the final say in who was brought back. Argrave, in a small bout of paranoia, thought that Garm might be bringing back some people that might aid him in doing something nefarious¡ªgathering mischief-makers for a coup, perhaps.


    To kill his paranoia, he brought Garm before Anneliese, disrupting the research team. She confirmed Garm¡¯s honesty that his sole intention was merely to prepare a force that was willing and able to enter into the Shadonds. All that Argrave ended up looking was foolish¡ªand Durran, who had warned Argrave, mocked him about that fact.


    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the vition.


    ¡°I think there¡¯s only one thing you should worry about,¡± Garm said as he stood besides Durran, both of them ready to depart. ¡°Yourself. The people that I¡¯m bringing back aren¡¯t small yers. They¡¯re people that shaped the world, in one way or another. Even you, with all your fancy ways, can¡¯t necessarily tame them so easily. They¡¯re born leaders who reached the top of their fields. Very few of the people I¡¯ve chosen thus far actually died in battle¡ªinstead, they often died in bed, having never fallen.¡±


    ¡°I get the picture.¡± Argrave crossed his arms, realizing Garm had a point. These people would have some difficulty epting him as their leader.


    ¡°And as you¡¯ve proven, you¡¯re very persuasive,¡± Durran continued to joke.


    As Argrave rolled his eyes, a voice cut into their conversation.


    ¡°Bring back my grandfather.¡±


    Argrave, Durran, and Garm all whipped their heads to the right. Onychinusa sat on the grass inconspicuously.


    ¡°I want to talk to him,¡± she exined further. ¡°I want him to see me. You have to give that to me.¡±


    Garm looked at Argrave. ¡°Who the hell is she?¡±


    ¡°Last of the imperial family of the ancient elven empire Llewellen was a part of,¡± Argrave exined quickly. ¡°Hi, Onychinusa. Hope you¡¯re well,¡± he greeted cordially¡ªshe barely acknowledged him with a wave of her hand. He pointed at Garm. ¡°She¡¯s right. Far as I know, that man did die in bed.¡±


    ¡°Ah. Emperor Balzat.¡± Garm nodded, then walked closer to Onychinusa and squatted. ¡°Listen, woman. I don¡¯t take requests. If he¡¯s worth bringing back, I¡¯ll bring him back. If he¡¯s not, I won¡¯t. Simple as.¡± Garm tapped his chest. ¡°Every time I bring someone back, I spend a little more of my life. It¡¯s my artistry¡ªmy final work. I don¡¯t care who your grandfather was. All I care about is the product.¡±


    Argrave was certain that Onychinusa was going to burst¡ªshe wasn¡¯t known for her patience. But to his surprise, she tore up a clump of the nearby grass, and then vanished into magic. Argrave exhaled in relief.


    ¡°Just give it some thought,¡± he insisted. ¡°And good luck. As for you, Durran¡­ I hope you find some answers about your ability. I had Lindon to help me discover mine¡ªyou, though¡­ think about who you really are. Think about what you¡¯re capable of, and what drives you.¡±


    Durran smiled. ¡°That¡¯s the trouble¡ªpinning down what I¡¯m capable of. It¡¯s a rather gargantuan undertaking.¡±


    #####


    Several days passed without much word from either Garm or Durran. Elenore was keeping in touch with her husband, but apparently Garm was insisting that he not disclose too much information. It was a rather disconcerting turn of events given how much stock Argrave had in Garm¡¯s idea. Ordinarily he might¡¯ve called upon Elenore to extract a little information out, but things remained somewhat frigid between them despite Argrave¡¯s attempts to show his warmth.


    Anneliese¡¯s work in the research team, meanwhile, continued to flourish. Their efforts led to several advancements which, while not the target, were immeasurably useful. Countless defenses against illusion magic developed for those without magic¡ªand the Hall of Enchantment eagerly adapted them to sell nationwide for profit. Besides that, the research team even submitted a formal request to Argrave to head to the Burnt Desert to speak to one of the southron elves. They hoped to examine and experiment with their strange illusion magic that defied conventions.


    Given what Erlebnis hadpiled on the subject, Argrave could¡¯ve taught them all himself¡ªstill, he did manage to talk Florimund, leader of thest of the southron elves, into paying a visit. Last time they¡¯d spoken, Argrave had imed that the elf would hear his name again someday. The witty veteran took great pleasure in reminding Argrave of that fact, boisterously telling tales about far Argrave hade, and how skinny he used to look, before joining him in ckgard. Argrave was pleased to see theirmunity continuing to flourish under Durran¡¯s ¡®government,¡¯ which only consisted of severalpletely autonomousmunities protected by his wyvern riders and Argrave¡¯s own forces.


    But once Llewellen had finally caught up to the rest of them, and began to take part in the research team¡­ everything was flipped on its head. He ruthlessly closed off other routes that people had been exploring by showing them how they ended. His knowledge was so sweeping, and his points so robust, that very few could genuinely challenge them. Anneliese had a deep respect for the man who¡¯d taught her the A-rank ascension she¡¯d used, so she lent him considerable authority to conduct the team.


    He steered them away from study of illusion magic toward druidic magic. Llewellen had barely stepped a toe onto the field when he¡¯d departed, but after only a few days,manded an impressive mastery over the field that even most Veidimen couldn¡¯t contest. Only Rowe was his superior; even Argrave wasn¡¯t privy to how Rowe had tamed a dragon, despite having Erlebnis¡¯ wiki at his disposal. Once the team began to examine the control of animals, they hit something of a snag¡ªbarring the Veidimen, few present knew and understood druidic magic. It was ovee quickly enough.


    Complex philosophical debates arose as they all delved deeper¡ªhow were elves and men actually different from animals? What lent druidic magic control over animals, while exempting humans? Indeed, a rather dark question took hold. Could men and women be controlled just as the animals were? It was a very grim road to tread, and many questioned if such research should even be allowed.


    Anneliese reminded them it was this very prospect that threatened Vasquer, and as such, it was necessary to proceed.


    With Llewellen as their shepherd, on the eighth day, people began earnestly experimenting on how to seize and control the minds of mortals, only so that they might find out how to defend against such a thing. While the notion chilled Argrave, his attention was diverted to something else.


    Garm and Durran had returned. And they had brought a ratherrge retinue.

 Chapter 633: Legendary Lobbyists

    Chapter 633: Legendary Lobbyists


    ¡°Before I could even consider lending you any help whatsoever, you must make certain concessions for my people,¡± said a dark-skinned southron elf. ¡°Your kingdom must provide them special privileges, as well as state-subsidized immigration programs allowing them to move out of the Burnt Desert to where ever they wish to go. Considering the limited time I have, I would expect you to promulgate thisw in a public address.¡±


    Argrave regarded the greatest emperor of the southron elves, trying not to let his displeasure at this notion show in his face. Such special privileges would surely incite anger from many factions. Even allowing the Veidimen such liberties in Vasquer had caused considerable problems¡ªproblems only slightly abated by the fact Anneliese was his wife. To initiate a program like that¡­ it would cause serious unrest.


    But it wasn¡¯t merely this one emperor¡ªhe was <em>surrounded </em>by giants of the past, each standing here in their original forms that evoked shock and awe. Garm hadn¡¯t been bluffing when he said there was an artistry to his necromancy. The Guardians of the Low Way and other such Order of the Rose abominations had been decaying for centuries when they¡¯d seen them, but long ago, each and all were must¡¯ve looked as cohesive as these twenty-seven heroes of ages past.


    Alongside the emperor of the southron elven empire that had elevated them into a hegemony, there was the great Archchief that had once united the human tribes of the Burnt Desert, alongside a zombified wyvern that he had apparently created himself¡ªDurran was rather shocked to learn the Archchief was a necromancer.


    There was Felipe I, Vasquer¡¯s mate and father to those that founded the kingdom Argrave ruled. There was thest emperor of the first imperial bloodline of the Great Chu, who Garm insisted was considerably better than the founder. The founder of the Order of the Rose already had a few undead servants at his disposal, and insisted upon the reinstation of his organization. The founder of the Order of the Gray Owl threatened to walk if Argrave reinstated said organization.


    Those were merely the sung heroes. Plenty of other unsung heroes, whose deeds had made and broken the greatest empires of old, had been brought back to life. They were every bit as forceful as the great leaders¡ªperhaps even more so. None of them truly denied Argrave¡¯s right to lead, fortunately, but their service was conditional. Just as they had in their first lives, they hoped to leave a longsting mark. Argrave became the instrument of their change. He was pulled about like a stretch toy between these juggernauts.


    In the end, the first conversation was an utterly disorganized disaster, where nothing got done besides learning who Garm had brought back. Their resumes were certainly up to snuff for their roles, but the idea of making some of these people work together was extremely thin. Some were calling for the genocide of peoples they had fought against¡ªand Argrave said ¡®some¡¯ because it was more than one person. Racial tensions were extremely high between some parties.


    Amidst this crisis, Argrave thought of what Ji Meng had advised him about. He had asked the emperor how he might win back the loyalty of his siblings, and mend the cracks in the foundation of Vasquer. And to that end, he made a prudent suggestion.


    <em>¡°Giving a show of faith, a show of goodwill, can earn you a great deal. It can¡¯t be forced, can¡¯t be inorganic. You have to be patient. A chance wille, as it did for me.¡±</em>And remembering that¡­ there was only one ce that Argrave could turn to.


    ¡°I need your help really damn bad,¡± Argrave said, looking between all of those assembled.


    The group here wasn¡¯t entirely dissimr from theposition of the lottery that he had held, and that wasn¡¯t a coincidence. Elenore and Anneliese were who he needed chiefly, but each of these people were impressive problem-solvers on their own. Mnie had shown incredible loyalty and decisiveness, remaining unwavering even before Sataistador and saving everyone¡¯s lives on multiple asions. Gmon had always been Gmon¡ªa steadfast wall that could always be relied upon.


    Those of House Parbon were here: Elias and Reinhardt. Nikoletta and her father, Duke Enrico, had also joined them. Ganbaatar, envoy for those in the Bloodwoods, was showing his support. The Archduchess of the North and her sister Vasilisa were poised to help. Patriarch Dras and Emperor Ji Meng hade from the Great Chu. Orion had not yet ended his leave of absence, but he had agreed to take part in this conversation.


    Raven, Durran, Artur, Stain, Rowe¡­ everyone Argrave thought reliable and even-tempered was here, each of them one of the greatest living people of this generation. He might¡¯ve involved the gods, but they wouldn¡¯t have to live with the consequences. Each and all by his side today, would.


    ¡°If I talk to them out there, I¡¯m outnumbered and outgunned. These people are some of the greatest leaders that the world has ever seen¡ªand me, I can barely even im to be their equal without cringing at the notion.¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°I need your help in the negotiation, otherwise, I¡¯ll get steamrolled. We need to be a cohesive front. To that end, I¡¯m wiling to give all of you substantial authority in speaking to these people.¡±


    ¡°How substantial?¡± Rowe questioned suspiciously.


    ¡°What you promise to them¡­ I¡¯ll do,¡± Argrave vowed. ¡°All of you are doubtlessly aware that what happens today will echo for the rest of this kingdom¡¯s existence. To that end, I trust that all of you will make the right calls today. You have, time and time again¡ªthat¡¯s why you¡¯re here, and that¡¯s why I can rely on you.¡±


    It was an immense disy of trust in the people that Argrave considered his counsel¡ªand that disy didn¡¯t go unnoticed among those present, who seemed affected one and all. Except Raven¡ªfrankly, he didn¡¯t look like he cared one way or another.


    The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯ll need to interrogate you,¡± Elenore said. ¡°I need to know what each one of these people is like. Once we have that, I understand the kingdom better than anyone¡ªwe can work out a detailed n of action for everyone present.¡±


    Anneliese nodded in agreement with a smile as she looked upon Elenore.


    ¡°Perfect. Let¡¯s handle that right away,¡± he suggested. ¡°The rest of you¡ªspeak amongst yourself, build some synergies. My sister and I will be back shortly.¡±


    ¡°Longly,¡± she disagreed at once. ¡°We need to proceed with caution.¡±


    ¡°In the meantime¡ªOrion. If you¡¯re willing, can I count on you to keep an eye on the assembled parties? Preferably walking among them, so you can hear what they¡¯re talking about.¡± Argrave gestured at his brother. ¡°Someone else can handle it if you need more time, but there¡¯s no one I trust more to remain undaunted in front of all those people.¡±


    Orion stared at Argrave, then slowly nodded. ¡°Very well, Your Majesty. I would be honored.¡±


    With a weight lifted off his shoulders, Argrave walked to Orion and patted his shoulder. He cast a nce at Ji Meng, who gave him a knowing gaze and smile. It seemed he knew his advice was taken. Of everyone here, he was most worried about the former sole ruler of the Great Chu. At the same time, he knew no one better to achieve the results he wanted. Ji Meng might be counted among those dead people returned had Argrave taken his life.


    With these people¡­ perhaps the great heroes of old could be tamed.


    #####


    ¡°The Council of the Living and Dead.¡± Llewellen read the brochure. ¡°Your king is rather bold for publicizing something like this. He¡¯s rather conveniently left out the necromancy involved. He seems the type to take shortcuts.¡±


    Onychinusa brushed her long white hair. ¡°He¡¯s not <em>my </em>king. I should be an empress. We¡¯re just allies.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Llewellen put the brochure down, and smiled at her.


    ¡°Are youughing at me?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Admiring,¡± he said simply.


    She said nothing in response, but her brush moved faster through her hair in what might be described as embarrassment. Then, there was a knock at the door.


    ¡°Come in,¡± Llewellen called out.


    Onychinusa looked annoyed at him, and briefly cast a nce at the door before preparing to dissipate into magic and vanish. But the figure who entered brought her pose, and she dropped the brush she held.


    A tan-skinned elf withrge, long ears, tan skin, and white hair entered, looking about the room before settling on Onychinusa. The woman stayed paralyzed beneath his amber eyes. He approached with his hands behind his back, stopping just before her. He stayed quiet for a long while, staring down with a stern gaze.


    ¡°You look like your mother,¡± he said.


    Emperor Balzat brought one hand forward, but Onychinusa flinched away and he withdrew it with a slightly guilty expression. He looked at Llewellen, then back at his granddaughter. Holding his gaze steady, he fell to one knee.


    ¡°Onychinusa¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡± He dipped his head. She blinked in confusion. ¡°The empire I built was not enough to protect us. I dare not ask for forgiveness, but I must apologize. To you. To all of us. Because of me, we fell victim to Erlebnis. You, most of all.¡±


    Onychinusa clenched her hands into fists¡­ then burst into magic, disappearing. Balzat looked around in confusion.


    ¡°Her A-rank ascension,¡± Llewellen exined. ¡°Your granddaughter is as talented as you were, Balzat, if a bit¡­ impulsive.¡±


    The emperor lifted his head. ¡°I cannot im to be talented when all I built turned to ash after I passed.¡±


    ¡°I was calling you talented.¡± Llewellen shook his head. ¡°What we call ourselves matters little, anymore.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s good to see you, Llewellen, even with present circumstances.¡± The emperor rose back to his feet. ¡°I inquired about you often when you disappeared, but¡­ I didn¡¯t know how you¡¯d died.¡±


    ¡°Few enough did.¡± Llewellen gestured to the chair. ¡°Stay a while, please. Perhaps your granddaughter will return. In the meantime, I¡¯d love to know what you¡¯ve heard about this Council of the Living and Dead.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯srgely jockeying over pointless matters.¡± The emperor pulled back his chair. ¡°I believe most do not believe just how much leverage King Argrave has. I¡¯ve met his close council¡ªthey¡¯ll help demonstrate Vasquer¡¯s supremacy. My sole concern is my granddaughter.¡±


    ¡°She has many burdens, yet she is wonderful all the same,¡± Llewellen praised unabashedly. ¡°She turned her back on Erlebnis, after all, and lived to tell the tale. Not just anyone can do that. And she has wonderful people by her side.¡±


    ¡°Like you?¡±


    Llewellen shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m a passing boat on the sea, nothing more. We¡¯re both fated to pass her by, while she is fated to be thest of our race.¡±


    ¡°There is still opportunity,¡± Balzat disagreed. ¡°Reviving the race.¡±


    Llewellen put his hands on the table. ¡°I suspect I might dislike what you¡¯re thinking of.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°No, I won¡¯t do anything oundish. I know my role in this y, unlike others. I¡¯ll cooperate with Argrave. But¡­¡± he sighed. ¡°Gone. They¡¯re all gone. All of them, to thest. None of our culture persists. And yet I¡¯m here. What does it mean? What is one supposed to do?¡±


    ¡°I suggest you use the time to be a positive influence on Onychinusa¡¯s life, <em>and </em>this kingdom. That is my intention.¡±


    Balzat stared at his hands intensely. Then, he nodded.


    ¡°Insightful as always. I had simr thoughts.¡± Balzat looked out the window, where the stars shone. ¡°I intend to give this kingdom thergest gift it¡¯ll ever receive.¡±

 Chapter 634: Capturing Freedom

    Chapter 634: Capturing Freedom


    Argrave wasn¡¯t necessarily opposed to giving those who¡¯d been brought back by Garm¡¯s machinations some generous concessions. The Fruit of Being had chosen Durran, and as a consequence, all of this had spiraled into this. He had started this joking idea about trusting the fruit, but actually going through with it had made clear that the golden snacks had some deep foresight. Without leaving it to them, things would not have turned out half as well.


    Just because he wasn¡¯t opposed didn¡¯t mean that he would stand idly by and let these people run roughshod over his kingdom.


    The nature of domestic politics, in Argrave¡¯s eyes, wasn¡¯t born of cooperation. It was born of disagreement. Two or more opposing desires or viewpoints woulde into conflict, each seeking advantage often at the expense of the other. It came at the other¡¯s expense simply because they debated what the resources of the government might be spent on. The role of a truly good government was to be a system by which this conflict could be resolved in a manner that was not only non-violent, but also <em>synthesized</em> the opposing viewpoints to create a productivepromise.


    That was what he had been aiming at with the creation of the parliament. In Argrave¡¯s experience, one worldview seldom held all the answers¡ªnot even his own, much as he¡¯d like to pretend otherwise. And now, that was what he hoped would be the result of this Council of the Living and Dead.


    ¡°So¡ªwe have intel on everyone present. Now¡­ our n of action.¡± Elenore pushed aside stacks of paper and rose from behind her desk, walking in front of it.


    Argrave, Anneliese, and Elenore¡ªking, queen, and head of parliament¡ªplotted their approach to the negotiation in Elenore¡¯s office. Argrave was rather pleased to see that any frigidity she¡¯d been disying had evaporated like morning dew. Perhaps it was the urgency of the task, or perhaps Ji Meng¡¯s advice had truly worked wonders.


    ¡°Realistically speaking, despite everyone formidable we¡¯ve gathered, I think we still fall short when ites to experience, intelligence, and insight,¡± Elenore exined to Argrave and Anneliese as she paced around the room.


    ¡°And even if we aren¡¯t, operating under that assumption only helps us stay cautious and prepared,¡± Anneliese agreed, expounding on the issue.


    ¡°Just so.¡± Elenore crossed her arms and leaned against the wall. ¡°So, assuming they have more intellectual capital than we do¡­ we need to consider our advantages.¡±¡°Theyck unity,¡± Argrave said confidently. ¡°Some of these people met just yesterday. Many of them actively hate some of the ones they¡¯re working with.¡±


    ¡°If we exploit that, we risk alienating certain stubborn figures.¡± Elenore scratched at her cheek as she remained lost in thought.


    ¡°Rather than call upon their dislike of one another, why don¡¯t we focus on emphasizing the voices of the ones we might count on as allies?¡± Anneliese walked to Elenore¡¯s desk, reviewing some documents. ¡°Felipe I can be relied upon. Others are people of good character, with no indication of racial ties that remain the most hot-button issues. They can be our wedge on the inside that disrupts the stubbornness of some others.¡±


    Silence fell as they considered her point.


    Elenore nodded and broke the silence. ¡°I think that¡¯s the best initiative.¡±


    ¡°Seconded,¡± Argrave concurred. ¡°With three motions in favor, our ghostbusting strategy has been decided.¡±


    Elenore chuckled, but then hid her mouth with her hand and cleared her throat to disguise it. ¡°Alright¡ªwe have that. But a pretty damnedrge problem remains. How in the world are we going to make apromise that satisfies all of these people? We need to give our side of the negotiation direction¡ªa goal to work toward. Shepherds need to know which field to bring their sheep.¡±


    Anneliese nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about what Raen did. He requested a zone of emptynd to upy¡ªa steppe south of the Order of the Gray Owl. That¡¯s worked out very well. It would satisfy these people and their demands for special privileges if we can distributend simrly.¡±


    Argrave shook his head. ¡°Historically speaking, segregating popces into different zones has had terrible results. We don¡¯t want to divide people up with either distinct privileges or distinct zones. Any ounce of inferiority or superiority, perceived or genuine, in separate popces can breed resentment that builds over decades. Before long, separatist sentiments are brewing. The nation could fracture as each seek to establish an independent state of their own. And conveniently, we¡¯ve given them zones that would be borders with a now-hostile country.¡± Argrave shook his head adamantly. ¡°We can¡¯t give them an inch. No privileges. No people of higher or lower status. We should only have citizens.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred tform and support their work!


    ¡°A¡­ very excellent point,¡± Anneliese conceded with a nod of her head.


    ¡°I have the benefit of having seen some of this stuff y out,¡± Argrave said dismissively.


    ¡°She¡¯s right, though. It is a good point. I could see such a situation arising if we concede to them.¡± Elenore tapped her temples, as though she¡¯d a headache brewing. ¡°But¡­ we can¡¯t just deny them one and all. That would be a disaster. We need to have an objective to work towards¡ªsomething everyone presses toward in all separate conversations.¡±


    Everyone went silent, drafting up answers to thisplex question. Argrave startedughing after a while.


    ¡°What?¡± Elenore narrowed her eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯ve just had a dumb idea that might be secretly genius,¡± he exined, thenughed a little harder.


    ¡°Do tell,¡± she prompted, listening curiously.


    Argrave looked between Anneliese and Elenore. ¡°Anything that happens today will have incredible weight, right? I mean, all the great heroes of centuries past havee together, here, today. The decision made could impact the future of our nation for as long as itsts.¡± He smiled. ¡°And there¡¯s been something I¡¯ve been meaning to do, anyway.¡±


    #####


    The living and the dead stared at each other from opposite ends. The king had called together all of his greatest counsel to take part in this debate¡ªand opposing them, some of the most legendary figures around the entire world. He exined this to those that questioned how this hade to be by being incredibly vague, gesturing both at Gerechtigkeit and the Order of the Rose for answers. None could deny these figures¡ªmany were recognized, and others had undeniable presence.


    And watching this whole event, as uneasy spectators, was the parliament.


    Argrave stepped forward. ¡°I¡¯ll take it upon myself to conduct this meeting. The general sensation I¡¯m getting from each of you is that you¡¯re willing to help in the crusade against the Shadonds and Gerechtigkeit, and you¡¯re willing to ept me as the leader of this operation. The sticking point remains, however, is the price of your mercenary work.¡±


    ¡°True enough,¡± the former emperor of the Great Chu said.


    ¡°Blunt, but true,¡± the Archchief of the southern tribes confirmed.


    ¡°Only a fool works for free,¡± the woman who¡¯d founded the Order of the Gray Owl imed¡ªpersonally, Argrave preferred Castro to her.


    Argrave looked between them. ¡°But there¡¯s something a great many of you don¡¯t seem to understand. And that, inly put, is the situation.¡± He scanned. ¡°You don¡¯t understand the situation. We¡¯re not having a negotiation today.¡±


    The more paranoid among them braced, looking around as if ready to fight ambushers that Argrave had prepared. But there were no guards, and there were no traps¡ªthere was only him, standing before all those assembled today.


    ¡°Many of you have been dead for thousands of years. But you show up today, learning small anecdotes about what¡¯s changed, and you think you have the full picture. You think you have a grasp on what changes you could make in the short time you¡¯ve been allotted to leave another mark.¡± Argrave put his hand to his chest. ¡°You¡¯re all men and women of great repute. But times have changed.¡±


    ¡°People don¡¯t change,¡± the southron elf emperor shook his head. ¡°They live and die, vying. I¡¯d be a fool to let my people stay by the wayside. The price for my help is your help¡ªsimple as.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps we should listen,¡± Emperor Balzat counseled.


    Argrave took the opportunity to continue. ¡°Many of you have returned to find the glory that you built faded. Perhaps it was destroyed by another. Perhaps it withered from within. Perhaps Gerechtigkeit had a hand in bringing an end to it all¡ªand for some few, perhaps it still persists.¡± Argrave held up and clenched his hand into a fist. ¡°For now.


    ¡°If this was a negotiation, we mighte to an agreement. The agreements wee to¡ªI¡¯ll honor them.¡± Argrave tapped his chest. ¡°I will. But I won¡¯t be the only one to hold power. What I build henceforth¡ªlike many of you experienced¡ªcould crumble after I do. A nation is transient. What I propose as an alternative¡­ is an idea. A concept, and indeed, an agreement. It¡¯s something that will be <em>far </em>more permanent than any deal that wee to today.¡±


    People waited for Argrave to continue. He looked around, calling upon everyone. ¡°Ladies and gentlemen¡ªboth those of the past, and of the present. Both the legends of old, the heroes of today, and the assembled parliament. Today, at this council, I intend to create a foundation. It will be an unshakable pir<em></em>that will hold this nation aloft. It will be a lodestar in troubled waters. It will be a shield from any enemies. It will be a light when night falls.


    ¡°Today, I intend to write a constitution. And I would like all of you to help me determine its contents.¡±


    Argrave smiled as he looked upon everyone. Who better for founding fathers than the most eminent dead of the world? If all assembled here today signed a constitution, no document could be more legitimate, and no words could carry more weight. And in it, Argrave¡ªand most importantly, his allies¡ªcould establish the guiding principles for the nation they built forevermore.


    And once all that business was done, might as well get an autograph from these famous fellows¡ªit would be thest time anyone could.

 Chapter 635: The Three Principles

    Chapter 635: The Three Principles


    Elenore looked at the debate raging all around between many different parties, and felt a rather peculiar feeling. She was certain that she was witnessing a historical event of far greater magnitude than even the organization of the parliament. That was merely an institution, and they could rise and fall. But today, they strived to create something that defined the essence of their government henceforth.


    Argrave had created a very effective cudgel. By limiting what was to be written to a small document that didn¡¯t dictatew, but rather fundamental aspects of how the citizens of Vasquer were to be treated, he could effectively force the crueler aspects of the heroes gathered topromise. In the event that they could not obtain superiority over another, they would be far more likely to settle for equality.


    Everyone on their side adamantly refused to separate human from elf, as was agreed. They refused to cement the idea of nobility or divine right. Long-standing traditions were challenged, and people were forced to be honest with one another. Beyond mere tribalism, there was very little dividing the races from each other. What few differences existed did not warrant dramatic difference in governance. The majority of these people had made their names known by merit, and the merit of the many demonstrated that superiority coulde from any walk of life.


    ¡°You¡¯re doing a lot better than I did realizing my dream.¡±


    Elenore was whipped out of her thoughts, and turned to someone. He had the features of the Vasquer family¡ªck hair, gray eyes. He looked upon Argrave with a certain measure of pride. He had the right to be proud, perhaps¡ªhe was Felipe I, the founder of their family. He had endured Gerechtigkeit with Vasquer, yet ultimately, his own blood betrayed him and founded a kingdom instead of carrying on his vision.


    Elenore had heard Vasquer speak of him many times. Felipe and Vasquer had intended to establish a militant order that loosely governed the region, without much interference other than defense against invaders and raiders. After Gerechtigkeit, they had no regionalpetition. Their children didn¡¯t care to carry on that vision¡ªrather, they established a hereditary monarchy after their betrayal of their parents.


    Elenore regarded him curiously. ¡°How does it feel, to see how things have changed?¡±


    Felipe stared ahead, thinking. ¡°Relieving,¡± he finally said. ¡°And depressing.¡±


    ¡°¡­because of Vasquer, I imagine,¡± Elenore guessed. To miss her by only a few weeks must¡¯ve been unimaginably painful.¡°Hmm.¡± Felipe nodded. ¡°That¡¯s one piece of the puzzle, but you¡¯re missing a lot of context. You don¡¯t get together with someone older than you by millennia and expect to outlive them. I just never assumed it would be me.¡± He looked over. ¡°You must think I¡¯m a real psycho. Maybe I am. It probably does take a psycho to see a golden feathered serpent and decide ¡®yeah, that¡¯s the one.¡¯¡±


    ¡°Uhh¡­¡± Elenore sputtered, caught off-guard.


    ¡°Frankly, it was an ident that neither of us expected,¡± Felipe admitted. ¡°I didn¡¯t exactly choose. I got chosen. By fate, the universe, whatever.¡±


    Elenore narrowed her eyes, growing more and more confused. Are children something one does by ident? With people, certainly. But with a snake?n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°When idents happen, you do the best you can. It¡¯s harder to raise children when one of you doesn¡¯t have opposable thumbs, let alone arms, and you¡¯re dealing with the aftermath of the war against the world¡¯s millennial butcher.¡± He shrugged. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter. It turned out alright in the end, because you guys came of it. I wish it turned out alright before my little rascal stabbed me, but I¡¯ll take what I can get. Corpses can¡¯t be choosers, despite what these bastards today are arguing about.¡± He looked at Argrave, who wasughing in the face of the southron elf emperor. ¡°I take none of the credit for you all, by the way. Vasquer did it all. I don¡¯t have more than one kind bone in my body, but somehow, her nature must¡¯ve distilled down to today.¡±


    ¡°She is¡­¡± Elenore caught herself. ¡°She <em>was </em>great. I¡¯ve never met someone so warm.¡±


    He looked at her. ¡°She was the best. The very best.¡± He smiled. ¡°But what you¡¯ve got today¡­ it¡¯s better, in some ways. Our kids hated each other. You two¡­ working together, cooperating¡­ it¡¯s so damned nice. Wish it could¡¯ve been like this with mine. Tried to give them everything they wanted, but all it led to was them wanting more. I yelled at them a lot when they were greedy or immoral. Called them hurtful things. But I never had the heart to actually do anything to stop what I saw them bing.¡±


    He let out a deep, wistful sigh. ¡°Look at me, dredging up ghosts of the past. We¡¯ve got enough of those here today¡ªI shouldn¡¯t add any more.¡± Felipe shook his head. ¡°If you want some tired advice from a poltergeist, don¡¯t ever let your siblings go. Hold them tight. And don¡¯t let things fester, go unaddressed, until it¡¯s toote. Say what needs to be said, and do what needs to be done. Elsewise, you could lose them.¡±


    Elenore felt tears rise unbidden at the advice, but she blinked fast enough none fell. She nodded with determination. ¡°Yeah. I love them both. I won¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. Means a lot. Don¡¯t want my pretty little descendants to get stabbed like I did,¡± Felipe said sincerely. ¡°And on my end, I¡¯ll ruin anyone and everyone that tries to harm your brother. I¡¯m pretty good at hurting. Sometimes I say mean things, and people cry. But even more often, I swing my hands about and make lights shine, and people die in droves. Some people call that magic. I call it the difference between them and me.¡±


    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    Elenore studied him. He acted like Argrave, in some ways, yet seemed different in many others. Somehow, after only that short exchange, she felt a certain weight on her shoulders feel all the lighter. Knowing that Vasquer had lived with someone like this at her side, even if only for a short time¡­ it made it all the easier to let her go and remember the good times. And already, what anger she held toward Argrave had faded. How could she stay mad at him, after what he¡¯d done for her in the past?


    ¡°Alright.¡± Felipe nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve done my part. If you want, though, I could say a few words to your husband, make sure he never steps out of line.¡±


    Elenoreughed. ¡°No, thank you. Durran¡¯s wonderful. Just¡­ help Argrave, if you would.¡±


    ¡°Look at you. Just as selfless as your mothe¡ªno, your great-great-great-great-grandmother. I¡¯ll do that.¡±


    #####


    Though the establishment of a constitution was a rewarding event to some, others did not take it quite so well. In particr, the noble wing of the parliament presided over this entire event with heavy heart, only a small few given permission to participate in open debate. Those few were clearly loyalists to the king rather than to their own faction, though.


    But drafting a constitution was not such an easy thing it could happen in a day. Written hastily, it could have fundamental errors that might lead to grave mismanagement or misapplication in the future. At the end of the day, the basis of the document was established¡ªto be called the Three Principles, it was divided into distinct sections.


    The first principle was the Principle of Freedoms, which outlined the rights and protections citizens of Vasquer enjoyed. That was agreed to be the focus of the assembled parties, henceforth¡ªoutlining how themon citizens of Vasquer ought to be treated. Importantly, it was established that this principle, of all of them, should not be modified or redrafted in any way.


    The second principle was the Principle of Governance, dictating the structure of the government. From the beginning, it had been firmly established that this was to bergely untouched by the legendary heroes revived here today. It would require significant mediation over months, as any decent constitution required. Moreover, the government should be a far more malleable thing than certain essential liberties.


    The third principle was the Principle of Magic, something that had be rather relevant over the past few days. Its purpose was to decide how magic ought to be practiced, restricting potentially hical practices like necromancy, illusion magic, or the burgeoning field of psychic magic. It, like the second, was to be set on the wayside, debated and redrafted over the course of months to ensure ethical practice. It had to be open for change, as magic would continue to advance.


    Leaving the second and third principles open to further drafting was the only way to ensurepliance from the nobility and the spellcasters, by Elenore¡¯s estimation. But even with only one as the subject of debate, a long, bitter week began. Twenty hours of each day were spent in heated discussion, and each day had at least seven drafts proposed and rejected.


    People walked out in rage countless times, yet the prospect of being left out sent them scurrying back to let their voice be heard again. These people would not allow a rival to have a singr voice, and so they swallowed their pride and stuck around. Better to be heard and mocked than to be left out of the council entirely.


    Argrave and hispanions fought hard against the legends of the past to create something that applied to all people neutrally, and ensured a nation in which any race willing to exist peacefully alongside others was allowed to. The presence of people that held animosity against others turned from a troublesome thing to a boon¡ªif they could not oppress their opposition, they insisted firmly upon equality. After all, from their perspective, if they were made equals, their kind¡¯s innate superiority would naturally prevail.


    In the end, despite bringing together some of the brightest and most fiercely independent minds of several millennia¡­ the document <em>was </em>drafted. Not all were happy¡ªfew enough were, actually. But it was something that they had agreed on. Why had they agreed to it?


    Because it was fair.


    #####


    Argrave sat at the table with his close family, tapping his foot nervously.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how someone that can call every emperor an idiot multiple times looks this nervous when the draft is heading out,¡± Elenoremented to Anneliese.


    Argrave looked at her. ¡°You¡¯re not nervous? What we¡¯ve worked on for a whole damned week is going to the people.¡±


    ¡°Most of them can¡¯t even read it,¡± Durran reminded him.


    ¡°But it¡¯ll get read eventually,¡± Argrave argued. ¡°And¡­ hell, I don¡¯t know. What can we even expect from this? It¡¯s a lot different from a movement started among the people¡ªit¡¯s a top-down imposition of liberty. What if it¡¯s not wanted? What if¡ª¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s notw. It¡¯s not legition,¡± Elenore interrupted.


    ¡°Meaning?¡±


    Anneliese exined, ¡°Meaning, it¡¯s merely the foundation for a very long struggle. The true challenge begins in extrapting what was written there into the structure of the government, and the magical institutions of the world. We¡¯re sending forth a sentiment that can capture the heart of the people. Once the seed takes root, we can grow the nation we intend, uprooting the power structures of old with something of our design.¡±


    Elenore put her hand atop Argrave¡¯s. ¡°You have another matter to focus on. The Shadonds. Your mercenaries have had their fee paid. Think only of that, Argrave. I don¡¯t want you to get hurt within thinking of what¡¯s happening here.¡±


    Argrave nodded, pleased to see his sister had set aside her disappointment in him. Finally, after so much time¡­ Argrave, Anneliese, and Durran would venture into the Shadonds with great heroes at their back. All others would remain behind to maintain the integrity of the ckgard Union and the Kingdom of Vasquer.


    Only a few more days, and the hunt for Traugott would begin.

 Chapter 636: Pieces of Peace

    Chapter 636: Pieces of Peace


    Knowing that all of them might not ever again return from the Shadonds, Argrave gave one finalpromise for those he¡¯d brought back beyond the grave: a day to say their goodbyes to this world, in whatever manner they saw fit. He wasn¡¯t trusting enough to see them roam freely, though, so he only allowed those who were fitted with something of Raven¡¯s design to leave. It would kill them if they did not return in a timely fashion.


    Argrave sat with Garm, who went without eating despite a good-looking pile of food being ced before him.


    ¡°How does it feel, knowing you¡¯re responsible for all of this?¡± Argrave asked.


    Garm picked up a leaf of lettuce and moved it between his fingers. ¡°Empty, yetplete. It feels like there¡¯s nothing more to do, and that¡¯s a rather empty feeling. At the same time, I don¡¯t feel things are as¡­ <em>unfinished</em> as they were.¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°I don¡¯t know how much time is remaining to you, but do you want to tie up some loose ends? We visited Malgeridum, but I¡¯m not entirely sure that¡¯s enough.¡±


    ¡°I got closure in that regard.¡± He studied Argrave. ¡°It¡¯s only you I haven¡¯t tied things up with. In terms of the amount of time, you didn¡¯t appear in my life the longest. But in terms of the influence? I don¡¯t think any one person has had more impact on me.¡± He tapped the table. ¡°What you said, about naming your first son after me¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I meant that.¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°If you want, the offer still stands.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Garm looked at Argrave squarely. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to do that. I respect what you¡¯re trying to do, but I want my name to be my own. Besides, it¡¯d probably bring the kid bad luck.¡±


    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll remember that. Instead of the first, I¡¯ll name the second son Garm.¡±Garmughed, then finally took a bite of his meal. ¡°Alright, you bastard. Do whatever you want.¡± He chewed for a few minutes, then his gaze went distant. ¡°It¡¯s hard to imagine being anything other than alive. But I¡¯ve been dead, twice. Once more isn¡¯t so much trouble.¡±


    Argrave stared solemnly, letting his thoughts go. ¡°What you¡¯ve done¡­ so long as the people you chose are up to the task, it¡¯ll never be forgotten. I absolve you of any sins.¡± Argrave drew a cross in the air. ¡°Your soul is saved. Rejoice, my child.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need absolution. The only thing I¡¯d have done differently is¡­ well, I wouldn¡¯t die.¡±


    Argrave looked at him, having some trouble understanding that sentiment. ¡°Then why help me?¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± Garm pushed away his te. ¡°Maybe¡­ it¡¯s because I think you might be the one person who¡¯ll miss me when I¡¯m gone. And even in spite of all I¡¯ve done, you won¡¯t forget I¡¯ve done something worth remembering. Hell¡ªI don¡¯t understand it myself.¡±


    Argrave couldn¡¯t begin to understand why Garm had helped. But he was right in one thing¡ªit wouldn¡¯t be forgotten.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°In that sense, at least¡­ memory¡­ I¡¯ll make sure you never die,¡± Argrave promised.


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to live yourself,¡± Garm pointed out.


    ¡°Indeed I will¡­¡±


    #####


    ¡°You¡¯re a little bitte,¡± Onychinusa told Balzat. ¡°Argrave and Anneliese already brought me here. How else do you think we learned the imperial spells?¡±


    The former emperor looked at his granddaughter fondly as the dryads wove crowns of twigs in her hair. She seemed far morefortable with them than she did anyone else. He had intended toe here, where he knew the dryads would still faithfully serve the imperial family, and bestow them upon the ascendant kingdom of Vasquer. With their aid, never again would they suffer famine. Mastery over the dryads had been one of the reasons his empire had been able to control the masses; through them, the imperial family controlled all agriculture, causing great prosperity or harrowing famine at whim. These ones, here, had been his personally raised litter.


    ¡°It seems I¡¯m quitete,¡± Balzat agreed.


    The dryads came to him, too. He saw so many that had once been children. With the presence of Onychinusa, they had been able to grow into adults; she had taken his role as their caretaker. He wouldn¡¯t dare deprive her of that right. They kept the Bloodwoods sprouting brilliantly, never to be shaken. In the past, this region had been a sparsely inhabited ce imed by the imperial family. Now, these redwoods supported the elven ethnic group that had once been ves to the empire of old.


    ¡°All of thisnd was supposed to be yours,¡± he said to Onychinusa.


    She stopped and stared at him. ¡°But it isn¡¯t.¡±


    He nodded. ¡°It isn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want it, either.¡± Onychinusa rose to her feet. ¡°Anneliese works so hard. I don¡¯t want that.¡±


    Balzat couldn¡¯t deny he was a little disappointed, but at the same time, he was strangely relieved. A life of peace, or a life of reiming the nebulous idea of a birthright¡­ for his granddaughter, he earnestly hoped she¡¯d choose the former. And it seemed she would, so far as he could tell.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± He asked bluntly.


    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    ¡°To do whatever I want.¡± She held out her arms. ¡°Whenever I want.¡±


    He smiled. ¡°You seem to be doing a great job of it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s pretty easy,¡± she admitted. ¡°I just watch, listen, learn. To see people¡¯s lives y out¡­ is entertaining.¡±


    Balzat wondered if he should say anything, but felt he might regret it if he stayed quiet. ¡°I only hope you make time to live your own, after what you endured at the hands of Erlebnis.¡±


    ¡°Well, he got hiseuppance.¡± She sat back down on the dirt. ¡°I know what not to do. I know to be nice, like Anneliese is. I know not to enve people, because Llewellen said it was hard on him. Argrave says to treat others like you want to be treated. He can be annoying, but I like when he said that. It¡¯s easy to follow.¡±


    He felt a little heartbroken that she struggled to understand things like that¡­ yet at the same time, seeing how she¡¯d ended up in spite of all those troubles¡­


    ¡°I¡¯m very proud of you,¡± Balzat said earnestly.


    ¡°Okay.¡± She nodded.


    With a grin on his face, Balzat turned around. ¡°I understand the elves here wanted to speak with me. I¡¯m going to take care of that.¡±


    ¡°I think¡­ I think I¡¯ll miss you,¡± she said. ¡°And I wish we had more time to talk.¡±


    He paused. ¡°And I as well. But even this was more than I deserve. I hope I was of help to you.¡±


    Onychinusa shrugged. ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡±


    Balzat stared at her. ¡°Your parents loved you. And I do, as well, difficult as it might be to understand. So long as you remember that¡­ I¡¯ll meet the dark, dly.¡±


    #####


    Balzat examined each of the elves that led these people in the Bloodwoods. And right alongside them, he witnessed others¡ªthe leaders of the ves that had revolted against his empire. The ones partially responsible for the extinction of his people, who had be gods of the Bloodwoods. He had died before they had revolted, but the fact remained they¡¯d been responsible for the death of his descendants. They loomed nearly asrge as the redwood trees towering above. This ce retained the eerie beauty that it always had, and the elves residing within had adapted far better than his empire ever had for this brutal location.


    Of all people¡­ they had called for him asking for counsel. It felt like a joke the universe was ying.


    ¡°With the situation as it is, more and more people are immigrating to Vasquer. Dozens, even hundreds, are leaving seeking better opportunities,¡± one of theirmanders, who led a tumen, exined to him. ¡°We wished to know how we might emte the empire of old. How we might rise to our former glory.¡±


    Balzat looked at the gods, who were present yet silent. He looked at these eager-eyed leaders. He looked at the fierce warriors, who regarded him like some idol. All of these people had been fed a lie. Should he break their illusion, tell them the truth? Should he y up his glory¡ªembolden their fantasy? Perhaps the gods were here to break him if he attempted as much.


    ¡°I could give some advice. I could tell you of our tactics, and revive some secrets. But even if they could be emted, my ultimate advice would be the same.¡± He looked between them. ¡°King Argrave came here, spilling blood. It might¡¯ve been to spare his own kingdom the unrest should the Bloodwoods fall, but nevertheless, he fought hard for each and all of you. He refused to betray you, or use you as bargaining chips in games beyond yourself. And even after all of that, he didn¡¯t demand fealty¡ªinstead, he rose you up as allies. One would be wise to remember that.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t intend to betray the Kingdom of Vasquer,¡± another elf argued. ¡°We would simply prefer we be equal allies, rather than a fading power reliant wholly on Vasquer. All our people migrate away because they have a reason to leave¡ªnow, we must give them reason to stay.¡±


    ¡°You may think that, for now. But I know better than any that the future generations do not always carry on the torch of the past.¡± He shook his head. ¡°If you want glory and freedom, I¡¯ll give you the route. Swear fealty to Argrave,¡± Balzat said inly. ¡°Because what he builds today is grander than my empire ever was. You will not match it, yet you still can be a part of it¡­ if you put aside pride and submit.¡±


    ¡°Submission?¡± they protested loudly.


    ¡°Yes. Actions speak louder than words¡ªand I¡¯ve already submitted. That action in itself is thergest bit of advice I can give.¡±


    With that, he elected to leave them. Whether his advice was to be taken would remain to be seen.


    #####


    ¡°What do you mean? You gave me the fruit for this, no?¡± Durran protested loudly.


    ¡°It¡¯s for the best, Durran,¡± Elenore said quietly.


    ¡°Listen to my sister,¡± Argrave advised. ¡°You have the Fruit of Being¡¯s ability, yeah. But did you unlock anything more? No, you haven¡¯t. I¡¯m not saying that to disparage you¡ªI¡¯m saying that for your benefit,¡± he argued. ¡°When I¡¯m gone, I want to rest easy knowing that I cane back to something. Should Gerechtigkeit try to take advantage of any absence, I want to know that my best people are here, ready to receive him. So stay here, Durran. Guard ckgard.¡±


    ¡°You only call me your best person because you want something from me,¡± Durran countered, then cradled his head in his hands. ¡°Wish Anneliese was here, so I could ask her if you¡¯re bullshitting me. But¡­ damn it, Argrave. I spent so much of my time steeling myself for this.¡±


    ¡°Then keep that steel.¡± Argrave grasped his shoulder. ¡°And put it in defense of Vasquer, of ckgard.¡±


    Durran nodded solemnly. ¡°Alright.¡±


    #####


    ¡°I hope all of you made your peace,¡± Argrave called out, looking behind his shoulder. Then, he held out the elegant ck scepter of Artur¡¯s design. He felt pain in his arm as he called upon blood magic, and then a shimmering de of dark crimson energy erupted from the top of it. He plunged it forth into the inky portal of darkness ahead of him.


    He could feel a terrible power in motion as his blood magic burned through the stygian darkness, setting it alight and transferring through the staff. Then, he felt a soothing balm erupt from within his very soul as Anneliese reced what the blood magic had ripped from him with the very energy he burned away. She raised her own staff up just beside his.


    Where a dark portal had been once before, strands of light fell from Anneliese¡¯s staff, drifting like dainty white petals until they took shape into something beyond the repetition of darkness. Where there had only been the Shadonds, something new was being born¡ªsomething within theirprehension. There was no color beyond¡ªonly ck and white, and all shades of gray between. Even Argrave¡¯s de appeared colorless beyond the portal. He pulled it free and looked behind him.


    ¡°Going by probabilities, all of you will die in there.¡± Argrave looked back ahead to the transformed Shadonds, now finally perceptible by his naked eye. ¡°Only one man¡¯s gone in and out of this ce¡ªand he¡¯s the one we¡¯re hunting.¡±

 Chapter 637: Terra Incognita

    Chapter 637: Terra Incognita


    Entering into the Shadonds, even changed by Anneliese¡¯s rewriting of its fundamentals, stripped Argrave of countless things that he¡¯de to take for granted; fundamental aspects of being that helped qualify the world around him. He was the first to pass through the threshold, and once he did, several facets of several senses left him.


    Color ceased to exist. There were only different iterations of white and ck, and all in between. Or at least, so he thought¡ªwhen Anneliese entered, he still saw her amber eyes gleaming brilliantly. He thought she might be unique in some capacity, but when the heroes of old followed after them, Argrave realized that the only color still remaining was that of one¡¯s eyes.


    It was more than color. A dull, stale odor constantly wafted into his nose. It resembled cardboard. It became difficult to distinguish the intensity of touch¡ªno matter how tightly Argrave squeezed the staff in his hand, it felt as though he was only squeezing it lightly. It made it impossible to tell how heavy things were, or how much strength his muscles were exerting. No matter how tightly he pinched himself, the pain felt like a dull ache no harsher than gently pressing a finger against a bruise.


    At the edge of his vision, that darkness that had warded them from entering the Shadonds persisted without an end. It did not encroach, but nor did it retreat. Argrave called upon his blood magic, casting a spell that sent an expanding whirlwind of blood outward. It was a wave of ckness that set all it touched into colorless mes. The Shadonds had a distinct presence, but the mes left behind an emptiness, an absence of presence. Anneliese raised her staff, both healing the wounds Argrave¡¯s magic had caused himself and recreating the Shadonds into a ce they might be able to understand. Shards of light spread out like a storm of white petals, creating thend ahead.


    Once it took shape, this ce did look an area where people might be able to live were it not so far removed from thews of their world. They stood in a field of white grass, every de looking like it had been folded out of bleached paper and nted into gray dirt. Despite Argrave expecting he would need to face waves and waves of Shadonders, they were totally alone in this empty in.


    ¡°Argrave¡ª¡± Anneliese said, but her voice came out strangely. She touched her throat, then tried to speak again. ¡°Something¡¯s wrong with my voice.¡±


    It sounded t, emotionless. It had no pitch or tone¡ªit was a constant thing,cking variation.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡ª¡± Argrave began, only to double-take. His voice¡­ it sounded exactly<em></em>as hers did, to the point where he was unable to realize that he was speaking. ¡°It seems, even changed, this ce follows fundamentally differentws from the world we left.¡±


    Others tested their voices, one by one. They all sounded identical. It might¡¯ve been a bit of a hack for creating a perfect choir if the voices didn¡¯t sound so dead, so emotionless.¡°We¡¯ll need a way to distinguish our voices from one another,¡± Argrave decided, thinking of call signs for half a moment before dismissing the idea. ¡°Our names will suffice. Say your name, then say ¡®speaking.¡¯ When you¡¯ve finished, cap it off with ¡®over.¡¯¡±


    ¡°Our enemies could easily take advantage of that,¡± came a voice from out of sight.


    ¡°Argrave speaking, who¡¯s speaking?¡± he countered. ¡°I can¡¯t see any enemies. We can deal with that when it happens. For now, say only what¡¯s pertinent, and keep your eyes open to any and all strange noises. Over.¡±


    As if responding to his call, Argrave heard a very distant sound echoing across these silent ins. He whipped his head over to see a shape emerging from the darkness. At first, it was difficult to discern its shape. But as it broke free from the outer boundary of the abyss,ing to stand upon the white field, its form became clear.


    A horseman trotted forth, alone, a dark cloak billowing behind his shoulders. No wind blew, yet it flowed upward like smoke. Where the horse stepped, the gray dirt and white grass turned ck, seeping and spreading across the world as thick drops of inks might spread across paper. Where the darkness took hold, mist rose upward, recing the shadows Argrave had burned away.


    Argrave didn¡¯t hesitate in stepping forward, a spell at the front of his mind. If this was the beginning of an attack, he hoped to reveal all enemies hiding in the shadows before it began. Emboldened by his recent gains in power, he called upon an S-rank spell, using Blood Infusion to strengthen it with his blood.


    Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred tform. Support original creators!


    Using his scepter as his medium, he thrust it forth and conjured a pir of ck fire that moved with the speed of a hawk. But he heard a rumbling <em>bang </em>that sounded like a huge drum had been struck. His spell veered upward, punching a hole in the darkness. It tore through the Shadonds with little effort, vanishing into the distant horizon. Anneliese¡¯s staff resonated, healing his wounds and recing that which his magic burnt away.


    The ck horseman stood there, a sword that billowed darkness in his hand. It was obvious from his stance he had parried the spell with that alone. Anneliese¡¯s trantion of the Shadonds took shape behind him, revealing a sheer cliff edge. It seemed they stood on a teau of marble, the horseman on its edge. But as more and more of thesends took shape, something fell revealed itself.


    Far behind the lone horseman, a gigantic draconic creature flew in ce. It had one red eye where its mouth ought to be that peered upon them with malice, but it did not approach. It waited there fearlessly, even as the fire continued to pass by it. In the far distance, a towering ck tower took shape, partially concealed by the translucent wings of the dragon. Unlike all else, the tower did not remain visible for long¡ªdarkness fell back upon it, just as the tide fell back upon the beach.


    Argrave heard a voice from across the grassy teau, echoing out to them in a fashion identical to how everyone else¡¯s sounded.


    ¡°You are unwee,¡± the horseman told them, putting its sword back in its sheath. ¡°Will youe as denial or eptance? Will youe as pain or mercy?¡±


    Everyone stirred uneasily, but Argrave was the first to respond. ¡°I¡¯ll not go gently into that good night. You might even say I¡¯d rage against the dying of the light,¡± he said, feeling his humorous delivery of that line was somewhat stifled by the tness this dimension imposed upon its residents.


    ¡°This ce is only eptance, and only mercy. If you¡¯re here in defiance of that, it¡¯s nothing less than you deserve.¡± It raised its head, and in that shadowy horseman¡¯s face, he saw white eyes shining with life just as theirs did. It drew its sword once more, and dropped it into the ground. It sunk in, as if through water. Then, far behind it, the dragon craned its neck, roaring mightily through its eye in a dead tone intensified by the sheer volume of its call.


    A gargantuan ck hand reached up from the empty space below the marble teau, grasping hold of the side as it pulled itself up. There, one of the nightmares that Argrave knew as the Shadonders revealed itself, crawling up. Argrave heard other noises below¡ªa consistent rumble, not indicating either the weight or the speed of what wasing, only that it was.


    The horseman turned around, sending its steed galloping forth right off the edge of the cliff. As it did, Argrave prepared a spell, shouting, ¡°Argrave speaking. I¡¯ll clear the surroundings, so duck!¡±


    Mere moments after, trusting the ability of all those that came with him, he sent out another wave of blood-imbued wind that ate through the surroundings like nothing else, feeling only a dull ache of pain soon soothed by Anneliese¡¯s part of their cycle of death and rebirth. The white grass teau took shape around them. All around it, the monstrosities that had invaded the mortal realm since time immemorial crawled up, heeding the call of the dragon.


    ¡°Over,¡± Argrave finished once his spell was.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°Rnd speaking,¡± one of the great human generals of the past began. ¡°I used my A-rank ascension to mark the dragon and the horseman. They possess a lifeforce that I can track. Wherever they flee, I can follow. Over.¡±


    ¡°Anneliese speaking,¡± she said, mming her staff down. ¡°Raven was right. I can see bindings between all of the beings here. All of these creatures are bound in a web of servitude. The horseman was one of the highest ranked, but there is something above even him. What approaches us now are the lowest of their society. Over.¡±


    ¡°Mistiv speaking. The earth here is pliable via magic. Eighty-seven separate entities approach by ground. I¡¯ll attempt to slow their approach by creating hindrances. Over.¡±


    On and on derations went, and in moments, the ambush turned into a non-issue as all contributed their own unique element to the fight. What had seemed a frightening prospective enemy seconds ago became a sluggish force exposed to the elements.


    ¡°Argrave speaking,¡± he said after a time. ¡°After we have freedom of movement, we pursue the horseman, then follow him up thedder using Anneliese¡¯s [Truesight] ¡®til we find the top dog of this ce. But before that¡­¡± Argrave strode boldly ahead of them all, into this world of ck and white, feeling a rumbling pain as he called upon the blood within his body. ¡°I¡¯m going to let loose. Over.¡±


    All power had limits. Argrave felt it was time to test the boundaries of his and Anneliese¡¯s. This was a suitable testing ground, it would seem. Once, a single one of these monsters had nearly overtaken the capital of Vasquer. Now, Argrave and Anneliese, together, might prove their equal.

 Chapter 638: Justified Fear of the Unknown

    Chapter 638: Justified Fear of the Unknown


    From the beginning, their group had agreed upon some strategies. One such strategy was a devastating opening salvobining the grim virtues of necromancy and Argrave¡¯s blood magic. As the dull steps of the Shadonders filled the air before them, Bhaltair, founder of the Order of the Rose, tapped Argrave¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Bhaltair speaking,¡± he said quietly, predatory orange eyes gleaming. He was arge man, bulging with fat in ces that hardly seemed possible. ¡°Fifteen des should suffice for the first wave. Over.¡±


    Argrave gave him a nod, then sent out blood echoes. He spent the whole of them to conjure fifteen swords of his ck blood, and they fell into the white ground ahead. Bhaltair moved to the center of this circle of des, then gripped the bottom of his jaw. He unhinged it, then gray flesh spewed forth out of his mouth like something highly pressurized had just removed its lid. Undead beings resembling goblins sprawled out over the floor, already moving to grip the des Argrave had prepared. They rushed intobat, moving with an animalistic grace. Bhaltair had lost some weight after he expunged what was inside¡ªunlike most people, he had a genuine excuse for his obese appearance. He stored undead inside his body.


    With Bhaltair¡¯s undead facing one side equipped with ck-blooded weapons, Argrave was content to consider that front held. The reason why became immediately clear¡ªtheir frontrunner undead held his hand out, and Bhaltair cast an S-rank spell through it. Much like Argrave¡¯s blood echoes, Bhaltair could cast spells at a distance¡ªunlike Argrave, he wasn¡¯t limited in rank, and his undead were merely a conduit for his magic rather than a reservoir.


    A great st of colorless electricity erupted from the undead and buffeted theing Shadonders. Shortly after, Bhaltair¡¯s undead fell upon the hardest hit, swinging their weapons in brutal arcs. As the des Argrave conjured bit into their stone-like flesh, Argrave felt their life energy pass to Anneliese. She, in turn, replenished everyone¡¯s supply of magic with the wellspring of power.


    The dragon roared in the dead voice that everyone shared, and Argrave looked up at it. It soared through the air toward them.


    ¡°Archchief speaking,¡± he said, using his title instead of his name¡ªperhaps arrogance, or perhaps it was because he genuinely preferred to go by that. ¡°I¡¯ll take to the skies. That thing, and other fliers, poses the greatest threat. I¡¯ll keep it off us. Over.¡±


    Without further ado, he mbered aboard his zombified wyvern and lifted off with tremendous speed. Argrave decided to trust the confidence of the southern tribal, turning back to the three most vulnerable fronts. To call it vulnerable, though, implied they were at risk of being overrun. They cast S-rank spells recklessly, knowing Anneliese could replenish what was lost. The Shadonders, however, took the damage like they were arrows instead of great bombs. To end them, one needed exceptional firepower¡ªand Argrave intended to provide.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    S-rank blood magic was few and far between. Few casters had the desire, the talent in the field, or above all, the simple <em>lifeforce </em>to cast a sacrificial spell of that magnitude without dying. The few that did were not human. Vampires were the mostmon higher blood mages. They expected their supernatural body to regenerate any damage done. Argrave expected rather the same, but a pure S-rank blood magic spell was far different than an S-rank elemental spell infused with blood magic.Still, Argrave dered a ceasefire to his allies and walked forth, bringing to the front of his mind the terrible spell known as [Apollyon]. Hepleted the spell with his right hand outstretched toward the approaching Shadonders.


    Argrave felt the skin on his hand part, making holes for the beings born of his blood to free themselves. Locusts of ck blood erupted out of his hand, leaving half a thousand holes for their fellows following soon after. Were they outside of this realm, Argrave could imagine the pain was unimaginable. Even here, Argrave could feel his vitality draining far faster than it could be reced. The locusts began to burst free of his wrist, then his forearm, then his upper arm, and soon came near the neck¡­


    When Argrave felt certain that he would soon feel locusts bursting out of his eyes, the spell met its mark, and Anneliese let loose a flood of vitality into his body to replenish what was vanishing. His wounds closed rapidly, and the locusts again began to emerge only from his hand. Argrave kept an intense focus, manipting his hand about so it hit everything approaching.


    The blood locusts, chittering in a dull tone mandated by this realm, were a scourge upon all that they touched. The first Shadonder they fell upon was consumed, bursting into colorless fire for half a second before vanishing entirely beneath their biting teeth and cutting wings. They spread out mindlessly, seeking any movement in front of them.


    A gargantuan four-legged whale creature swallowed the locusts, yet mere secondster they burst out of it from eight directions. An octopus spat inky darkness at them, but it was all burnt away seconds before the bugs fell upon it and erased it from the world. An abyssal mole-man sought shelter inside the earth of the teau, yet the locusts tore through the earth to remove him. Their reckless pursuit broke away a huge section of the teau, sending some creatures tumbling. The locusts ate both them and the falling rocks, leaving only dust behind.


    Countless Shadonders chose to jump off the teau rather than meet this cloud of death, yet still the locust swarm followed. Argrave could feel his creations tearing through enemies that had not yet arrived at this summit. When nothing more came, they dispersed into the Shadonds, eating away at the endless darkness so that Anneliese might rewrite what was there.


    If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Argrave only realized what a toll that [Apollyon] had taken upon him when his knees buckled, and he fell to the grass. The spell finally finished, unleashing its hold on his vitality. His allies folded around him to guard him from any projectiles that mighte, and Anneliese flooded him with the energy still pouring in from its aftermath.


    The vampire that had created this spell did so with the intention they should eat away anything except blood. There was no blood here, so they destroyed without an end. If Argrave hadn¡¯t the benefit of Anneliese, who could replenish him based off what he killed¡­ that may well have wounded him badly enough he¡¯d die. If it had taken any longer, the locusts would¡¯ve been forged out of the blood in his brain¡ªwhich, needless to say, wouldn¡¯t have fared well for him.


    ¡°Elzbieta speaking,¡± said the founder of the Order of the Gray Owl. ¡°We can handle the ground from here, but the Archchief seems overwhelmed holding back the dragon. If you could do some of the same up there, this battle is as good as¡­ over.¡±


    Argrave shakily rose to his feet, using his staff as a support. He looked up. The Archchief stood aback his wyvern, holding its reins tightly with one hand while the other cast spells that buffeted away the dragon that sought to descend on top of them. Against it, he held his own¡ªbut other flying enemies harried him, and the zombified wyvern already showed wounds. They moved fast enough that any attempts for a counter seemed futile.


    Seeing that, Argrave thought it was time for good ol¡¯ reliable.


    ¡°Argrave speaking,¡± he said, then looked at the former emperor of the southron elves. ¡°Ghiin. I need you to hide argescale attack. Those fliers seem maneuverable enough to dodge if they see iting. Can you conceal over a thousand projectiles about the size of my arm? Over.¡±


    ¡°Ghiin speaking to say he can, over,¡± the man confirmed rapidly.


    With that, Argrave needed no more convincing. He sent out blood echoes, and had each conjure [Electric Eels] infused with his blood. Meanwhile, he waited a few moments for his vitality to recover, then took a familiar stance. In it, he conjured [Bloodfeud Bow]. Its rate of consumption felt <em>generous </em>after the apocalyptic power of [Apollyon]. It built up that familiar devastating power in his hands.


    ¡°Ghiin speaking. Bring your projectiles above me, if you can, over,¡± he requested.


    Argrave obliged. The man seemed to write in the air with his fingers, and soon enough, each of the malignant looking eels faded away until nothing but emptiness seemed to linger above. If Argrave couldn¡¯t feel them with his will, he might think they had dissipated.


    ¡°Argrave speaking. Aurore, tell the Archchief to fall back to the ground if he doesn¡¯t want to get killed, over,¡± he shouted.


    Aurore looked at Argrave. She opened her mouth, then cast a spell inside. Then, she craned her neck. When she shouted, her words erupted with the force of a powerful wind spell.


    ¡°Archchief! Come down or Argrave will kill you!¡± she shouted brashly, foregoing their signal in the wake of her pure volume.


    Argrave was worried personalities might sh from hermanding tone, but the Archchief¡¯s wyvern bunched together its wings and plummeted like a rock. Only once it seemed liable to nt against the ground did it spread its wings andnd, and then Argrave sent forth the cloud of invisible [Electric Eels]. The pursuers had nearly caught up with the Archchief, but they met with an invisible wall of bloodied eels, and the skies became a thunderstorm. The descending dragon hovered cautiously before it, and Argrave saw his shot.


    [Bloodfeud Bow] exploded upward toward the dragon, and in only a moment, Argrave saw it pierce right through the dragon¡¯s stomach and push through the back. Somehow, even with such a great hole in its body, it remained flying. It veered, heading back toward the shadows with its great wound making it appear drunk. Argrave sent what little remained of the [Electric Eels] after it, but it vanished into the unexplored area of the Shadonds before he could finish it.


    ¡°Rnd speaking. The horseman¡¯s iing!¡± he shouted, evidently noticing something through the mark he¡¯d put upon their foe. Argrave looked around, then spotted what he referenced¡ªthe shadowy horseman galloped across the field, sword held to his side.


    Argrave stepped ahead of everyone, casting high-ranked spells infused with blood recklessly. The horseman parried one after another, rushing in a clear path toward their group. When his attacks proved fruitless, Argrave channeled a powerful blood weapon into the scepter of Artur¡¯s creation. A de took shape, and Argrave held it like a spear as the horseman approached.


    His practice with Orion ran through his mind as the horse sped faster and faster. Argrave thrust the spear forth. The rider brought his de in, parrying it upward. The force was tremendous, and Argrave exerted all the strength he could to keep it in his hand. Due to the nature of this realm, he felt little pain¡ªbut he saw his elbows bend the wrong way, and knew this foe was powerful.


    But what his foe didn¡¯t know was that this weapon¡¯s foundation was the Resonant Pir. When struck on one point, the other side could return that power equally. Argrave twisted and thrust the opposite end of the scepter forth, and mmed it into the front of the horse. Mount and rider parted forcefully, but even along the way, the rider scored a great gash across Argrave¡¯s chest.


    The horse copsed to the ground, dead. Peering down, Argrave knew that cut might¡¯ve killed him had he not been changed by the Fruit of Being. It slowly healed, closing itself, and Argrave¡¯s broken arms became functional once again. The knight held his de aloft, gripped its edge with his hand, and cut himself. A puddle of blood took shape beneath his feet, and from it, a new horse jumped out. He mbered atop it and sped away into the darkness.


    ¡°It¡¯s gone¡­ and going fast,¡± Rnd confirmed, his ability to track vitality proving its usefulness already.


    Looking around¡­ Bhaltair¡¯s undead were killing thest of the Shadonders. They seemed to have temporary reprieve from this assault. But it was abundantly clear their long journey into this hellish ce was just beginning¡ªand they were hunted just as much as they were hunting.

 Chapter 639: Portrait of Grim Endings

    Chapter 639: Portrait of Grim Endings


    After they earned some reprieve from the initial assault, they took two actions. Argrave and Anneliese set to work charting out more of thisnd. Argrave used blood-infused electric eels to deliberately carve out areas of the Shadonds, and Anneliese worked to rece what he burnt away. The terrain that took ce before them was and of vast canyons, mesas, and valleys with treacherous falls into ces where Argrave was certain Shadonders lurked. It remained devoid of color.


    ording to Rnd, who could mark lifeforms he saw and keep track of them, the horseman and the dragon both lingered on the outside edge of the shadow, retreating as necessary where Argrave revealed more. To that end, Argrave made it a point to clear out a near-perfect circle around them so they couldn¡¯t be snuck up on as Argrave had with his life-or-death encounter with that rider.


    The heroes of old, meanwhile, set to work fortifying this teau that they¡¯d found themselves stranded atop. It was slow-going at first, but eventually they all delegated their responsibilities efficiently and created a formidable perch that was closed off to the outside world. It wouldn¡¯tst long against the Shadonders outright assault, but it was only meant to give them time¡ªor at the very least, an advantage if another battle was soon toe.


    Eventually, progress stalled at clearing away the surroundings. Something was pushing back against Argrave¡¯s efforts to burn it away¡ªrecing what shadows were lost. It was near the location where that tower had been, confirming it wasn¡¯t mere coincidence that ce had been reimed. It had been the only fragment of civilization Argrave could see from the Shadonders, and that likely meant it was important. Still, with a sizable area tranted into something they couldprehend, Argrave and Anneliese joined the others inside of the fortress. Bhaltair used his undead to watch the ground, while the Archchief¡¯s wyvern kept a handle on the skies. For now, threats came from neither.


    ¡°At present, we are troops cut off from our supply lines,¡± Anneliese exined to everyone, her amber eyes standing out in the darkness of this fortress. They had elected to forego their code inside this base, giving everyone¡¯s voice equal weight. ¡°Despite that tremendous show of prowess, we spent more energy than we absorbed from our foes. And I¡¯m sure that you all can feel something rather acutely, being spellcasters.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no magic here,¡± someone answered¡ªhard to tell who. ¡°The only way that we can recover magic is through Anneliese.¡±


    ¡°Anneliese and me,¡± Argrave added. His eyes were gray, and seemed part and parcel of this strange new world. ¡°To recover, I have to kill¡ªspecifically, I have to kill with blood magic. And on the subject of our enemy¡­ Anneliese has verified that they have a hierarchy binding them by some mysterious power. Thus far, we¡¯ve determined only four strata. The lowest are those we killed. Higher up was the dragon. Above the dragon was that horseman. But the horseman had someone above him.¡±


    ¡°Assuming they do have a hierarchy, that means that they¡¯re organized. And if they¡¯re organized, great leagues of them will be arriving soon. During the age I fought Gerechtigkeit, Shadonders of simr strength appeared endlessly,¡± Felipe I said.


    Voices mored out in agreement¡ªsome expressed unease at the fact they were lingering for so long in this fortress when beings as powerful as the horseman roamed around. No one necessarily agreed, but most saw the benefit of nning.¡°It is strange we didn¡¯t see those ¡®endless¡¯ numbers immediately,¡± the Archchief said, his golden eyes flickering open and closed as he concentrated on what his undead wyvern saw as it flew above, scouting. ¡°Back when they fell upon us, they erupted forth from their breaches as though thend was an overcrowded mess. I expected to meet walls of them, not a mere eighty-seven on the ground and a few dozen in the air.¡±


    ¡°Their numbers on the mortal realm could be exined by their haste to leave the area causing them to crowd,¡± Ghiin pointed out, his green gaze sharp. ¡°Regardless, we waste time discussing the why of the matter. Whoever said that leagues of them may being had the best point¡ªwe are tested for time, here. We need to develop a strategy to hunt down Traugott now that we¡¯ve assessed they of thend. If we don¡¯t have a solid strategy, we¡¯ll be nothing more than blind men fumbling about through the desert.¡±


    Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    Argrave thought of Durran. They had chosen to leave him behind because he hadn¡¯t been able to develop thebat ability the Fruit of Being bestowed. Now, however, the hunting blessings bestowed by Stout Heart Swan might lend them the power they needed to track down the shadowy bastard even in this ce. Argrave briefly considered if he might have made a mistake¡­ but Durran¡¯s life couldn¡¯t be risked with it tied so closely to Garm¡¯s power, and he might be needed to protect against enemies in Argrave¡¯s absence.


    Still, the problem remained¡ªtheycked a way to easily track down Traugott in this abyssal realm. None of them had expected this ce to be as strange as it was, nor to remain so wholly difficult to conquer¡ªArgrave had thought Traugott would be easily found with the skillsets of those present, then perhaps he¡¯d flee or be forced out of the Shadonds where their proponents on the mortal realm could finish the job. Perhaps that had been endlessly na?ve. As the situation was, they were humans hunting a lone dolphin in the ocean¡ªnamely, out of their environment, while hunting something in its environment.


    Bhaltair proposed that his undead all be unleashed and equipped with blood magic tob the ce, but even with their added numbers it remained a difficult prospect to find the needle in the haystack. Mistiv and his considerable mastery over earth magic proposed clearing more and morend so he could then detect any and all living things wandering the surface. That remained in consideration, but it wasn¡¯t foolproof.


    ¡°We¡¯re all forgetting a rather key detail,¡± said Balzat, amber eyes looking between all. ¡°That horseman spoke.¡±


    People went silent for a few moments. Another interjected, ¡°He spoke nonsense. None of what he said made any sense.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Not to us. Not yet. Maybe it is nonsense, or maybe it¡¯s something more that we don¡¯t understand. But he did speak,¡± Emperor Chu countered. ¡°And he¡¯s clearly intelligent. He thought of a n of attack, and specifically targeted Argrave of everyone after seeing the style in which we fought.¡±


    ¡°Not to mention Anneliese¡¯s ims of a hierarchy ces him at the rtive top. Failing attempts tomunicate or pry information from him, we could use him merely to follow it up the chain,¡± Balzat expounded on his proposal.


    ¡°Follow up the chain? Given the trend, you want us to pursue greater enemies? That sounds utterly ridiculous,¡± Aurore disagreed harshly.


    ¡°Weck direction,¡± Argrave spoke loudly. ¡°Everyone¡¯s presented good ideas thus far, but theyck one thing inmon¡ªdirection. Seeking the hierarchy solves that. Perhaps it helps us gain a better grasp on our enemy. Perhaps Traugott is the king of all things evil, sipping wine on his throne of skulls while his Shadonder ves hunt us all. Either way, it helps us learn more about this strange realm. Right now, that¡¯s the most important thing. So, Balzat¡¯s right¡ªwe chase after the horseman, dangerous though it might be.¡±


    Argrave could tell there was a little bitterness left in the air, but they had all agreed to follow his lead. In the end, assent followed shortly after. The onlyplication remained how they might snare such a fearsome foe without killing him outright.


    #####


    The abyss stared out at this scene so foreign to its realm. Its fabric was not repeated indefinitely, as it was supposed to¡ªinstead, there was a great tear in its being, a chasm in its foundation: light. The light spread more and more, bringing whites and grays that before had only been something the abyss would expel its detritus upon. There wasnd where it had never before existed, and there were mortalws of existence dictated on that which was not mortal. It was wholly wrong, and needed to be remedied.


    An individual that was part of the abyss stared upon this scene with especial disdain. Though he had discovered he was capable of restoring the abyss back to its rightful glory, the fact remained that they had been pushed back. Their strength was not what it could be. The cycle was not at its zenith, and the Hopeful could not embolden them as he often did. And worse yet, they fought on multiple fronts.


    In this ce, the individualsprising the totality of the abyss could not speak as mortals did. But whether here or there, his authority and force of will remained strong. He called some of those beneath him, and they appeared as quickly as they were bound to. To them, he gave amand. In thatmand was a report to a superior. It bore a simple message.


    The Manumitter may not be alone. The threat is more than existential. Communication is possible, but ill-advised. Advice: use extreme force.

 Chapter 640: Curse of Competency

    Argrave walked out into a wide-open valley, alone in spirit but not in fact. Excluding the thousands of blood-infused wind eels soaring above him as a cloud of death, he had the charmingpany of the Shadonders, ying the role of the lurking mountain lion ready to leap down upon him. In the back of his mind, he kept at close attention the blood echo positioned miles away. One of the good fortunes about being in an area where the enemy had no knowledge of him meant that he could call upon old tricks where necessary to gain an advantage.


    And considering what he¡¯d volunteered for, well¡­ he would need every damned advantage.


    Elenore¡¯s blessing of connections didn¡¯t function in this ce, but they weren¡¯t without methods tomunicate long distance. There was a baby¡¯s head on Argrave¡¯s shoulder, and he was doing his best to ignore what it looked like as he listened to what it said¡ªor rather, what its creator said, speaking through it.


    ¡°They¡¯re just now starting to take the bait. You¡¯re far enough away from us that they seem to be willing to try something. The horseman, though, isn¡¯t getting any nearer,¡± Bhaltair said, conveying the details from the other members back at their base of operations.


    Argrave¡¯s gaze went upward, scanning the tall mesas cautiously. Their n was rather simple¡ªArgrave, alone, should poke out at the edge of the boundary, clearing the dark away to hide his true goal: baiting the enemy to attack. He told himself he was in no more risk here than he was back with allies. Well, perhaps a bit more. Or a lot. Regardless, Anneliese could heal his wounds no matter the distance, and if needed, he could still swap ces with the blood echo.


    ¡°About ten¡­ no, about a hundred¡­ mmm¡­¡± the baby¡¯s head trailed off.


    Argrave looked at it, resenting the sight of the peach-colored thing tied to him with leg tendons. It looked like he had a twin brother absorbed in the womb on his shoulder. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± he asked Bhaltair.


    ¡°There¡¯s about¡­ it¡¯s upward of about half a thousand, I¡¯d say, and increasing. They¡¯re approaching your position in groups of one hundred. It¡¯s not like that first attack was. Anneliese¡¯s scouting efforts with her bird say these could be considered full military squads, with leaders. They have fliers, some archers¡­¡±


    ¡°Archers?¡± Argrave repeated, feeling some fear. Charging beasts he could handle¡ªhe¡¯d sparred with Orion enough to be confident in taking a close-quarters foe. Projectiles were another matter, doubly so projectilesing from these freakishly strong opponents. One blind spot, and he could get a bolt through the back of the head.


    ¡°Yes. They¡¯re taking a position on the teaus, and¡ªoh. You¡¯re surrounded. But there is some good news. That horseman¡¯se back out. We don¡¯t have a visual on him, but Rnd¡¯s confirmed it.¡±


    ¡°Alright. And what does that mean for the n?¡±


    ¡°If you can hold out¡­ we can cut off their escape back to the darkness, set up the ambush we¡¯d nned,¡± Bhaltair said certainly. ¡°We¡¯ll help entrap the horseman. But at the end of the day, you¡¯re likely the only one that can do any significant damage to him.


    Argrave took a deep breath in this silent valley. ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell everyone.¡±


    Argrave looked around wildly, searching for moving darkness amidst the shades of white and gray. But the darkness was always there right at the edge of his vision, and it was difficult to avoid mistaking the boundaries of what they¡¯d carved out for a true problem.


    ¡°Up and left,¡± the head said, and Argrave looked. ¡°Good luck. Now, I¡¯m going silent.¡±


    In one moment, there was nothing there. In the next, an entire squadron of tentacle-faced monstrosities stood on the edge of the mesa, with bows of shadow drawn far. When they all fired at once, Argrave figured this is what it must¡¯ve been like to face a volley of [Bloodfeud Bows] from his blood echoes. Ordinarily, Argrave might¡¯ve conjured a ward, or teleported away. Those two defensive strategies were his bread and butter.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    With so much gained over the past months, Argrave wasn¡¯t exactlycking in options.


    He called upon an S-rank spell he¡¯d learned from Erlebnis¡¯ vast hoard¡ª[Perfect Movement]. Wind encircled him, and with will alone he spiraled upward in the air, dodging the attack. The projectiles pulverized the ground. He hovered just below his cloud of blood-infused wind eels, using them as shields. He took note of more opponents, but elected not to attack. Without allies to cover him, he¡¯d have to be far more conservative. If he attacked without receiving energy returned, he could perish easily.


    More and more archers took their ce, looking down upon the valley. So long as Argrave stayed moving unpredictably, it seemed an impossibility for him to get hit. Then, Argrave heard a familiar roar and looked upward, peering past his constructs. Fully healed of the gaping wound Argrave had caused, the one-eyed dragon of shadow had brought with it several simrly draconic minions. All Argrave saw was a bunch of slow-moving, juicy targets.


    He ascended upward with [Perfect Movement], minding his surroundings carefully. He had brought blood-infused wind eels in way of electric eels to use them as partial shields against attacks from blind spots, and he took full advantage of their protection topletely block any attack from the archers as he rose to meet the dragon. Its smaller minions fanned out, casting a wider, and Argrave was considering which spell could deal the most damage to this huge thing when he spotted strange movement atop its ahead.


    When recognition dawned, Argrave frantically stopped his rapid ascent and muttered, ¡°Shit.¡±


    The now-horseless ck rider walked to the edge of the dragon¡¯s gigantic red eye, and leapt downward with a spear of shadow held out to impale. Argrave moved to the side as quickly as possible, but in response the rider merely took aim and threw his weapon ferociously. Panicked, Argrave threw up a ward. It gave him just enough time to dodge.


    The ridernded on one of the lesser dragons¡ªwhich, now that they were near, were far faster than Argrave had ever imagined. The shadow knight didn¡¯t hesitate a moment in leaping forth at Argrave again, conjuring a sword as if from thin air. Argrave used the A-rank [Devil¡¯s w], and a ck hand with sharp nails took form out of his blood, swiping. The warrior blocked it with his sword partially, but it proved a fundamental notion¡ªin the air, Argrave had the advantage.


    He felt one of the lesser dragons behind him and whirled, conjuring his staff with a de of blood atop it to take a swipe at what came. The de of blood magic met an open maw, slicing straight through the beast. Momentster, projectiles soared upward from down below, and Argrave cast a brief nce to see the archers had repositioned. In the valley where he¡¯d been, a ravening horde had appeared, waiting for his fall.


    Argrave chose to soar ever upward, where the giant dragon lurked above¡ªnow that he knew his opponent was in the sky with him, it made the decision simple. He¡¯d go high enough their arrows couldn¡¯t reach, stalling. Along the way, the shadow knight continued to hound him with his unrelenting precision and caution. The man rode the lesser dragons up, leaping out at Argrave with either spear or sword.


    The knight¡¯s assault was impressively unrelenting. His strength was such that Argrave couldn¡¯t actually contest him without sufficient time to prepare, and his skill ensured he kept pace with Argrave as he ascended easily. The only reason why Argrave managed to get by without taking a wound as harsh as their first encounter was because they fought in the air. Whether it was luck or a prudent choice on his part, Argrave was d.


    ¡°WE¡¯RE ALL SET UP!¡± Argrave heard the baby¡¯s head shout above the wind, just barely.


    Thinking of how amazing it was to havepetent allies, Argrave took the time to look up at the gigantic dragon. On the low end, Argrave had his wind eels descend upon those that had upied the valley. On the high end, Argrave diverted his attention to the ck knight fully, this time¡ªnot to defend, but to begin his attack.


    Argrave yed the matador, dodging fearsome bull rushes as he looked for the proper opening. His slowed ascent gave the other dragons time to catch up. Above, the gigantic dragon put some distance between them. Argrave could feel a surge of vitality delivered expressly by Anneliese as his eels dug into the ground troops, yet kept his cool waiting for opportunity.


    When the rider came at him with a stab of its sword, Argrave decided opportunity had reared its head. He called to his mind the rather disgusting spell he¡¯d prepared, and then¡­ well, he didn¡¯t defend. It might be said that he tackled the rider, grasping him firmly. Then, he unleashed [Withering Gift] from both of his hands.


    Argrave held onto the rider firmly, and bloody vines erupted from his fingers, seeking purchase in the knight¡¯s steel-hard flesh. They dug in, bit by bit, pushing past that steel-like skin¡­ but the rider took Argrave for a ride all the while. He mmed his fist into his face, time and time again. He kneed Argrave, and the spikes dug into his guts. He pulled on the sword like it was a joystick at an arcade machine, slicing up Argrave inside and out continuously. But vitalitying both from the troops on the ground and this knight he held gave Argrave just enough fuel to hang on, and the dulled pain of the Shadonds allowed him to press past any difort to remember his role in this capture.


    [Withering Gift] was an insidious spell that, much like [Bloodfeud Bow], grew stronger depending on how much magic and blood someone fed it. It was a parasitic entity that took root in whoever its caster touched, slowly disabling and killing them. Argrave created enough to kill just about anyone a thousand times over, but the knight continued to bash Argrave as they whirled through the air, locked.


    It was only when the knight finally pulled his sword free of Argrave¡¯s body, and thrust it toward his head that Argrave swapped ce with the blood echo. He copsed onto the ground in the fortress they¡¯d made. There, a few people waited.


    ¡°nted the seed?¡± questioned Balzat.


    Argrave couldn¡¯t speak, but he made a vague grunting noise that made him cough blood.


    ¡°If you did, we¡¯ll handle the rest.¡± The man knelt. ¡°Because together, no one is our match.¡±


    #####


    In a few minutes, Argrave felt as right as rain. And in half an hour, Argrave realized that he¡¯d pulled together one hell of a team. Why? The reason was lying right in front of them, crippled by the [Withering Gift]. Everyone had done far more than their part.


    With the ck knight weakened, marked by Rnd, and all avenues of escape amply covered, the people he¡¯d brought had been capable of snatching this man as he and his troops attempted to slink back into the shadows. [Withering Gift] had utterly incapacitated him, and Ghiin¡¯s illusions and Bhaltair¡¯s undead armed with blood magic weaponry mounted an ambush aback the Archchief¡¯s wyvern. Thebined efforts of several amazing fighters had allowed them to spirit this man away. Argrave hadn¡¯t even possessed the time to offer help if he wanted to.


    ¡°Somehow, you look worse than him,¡± Felipe noted. ¡°Elenore wouldn¡¯t be pleased with you. Nor would the man who made your armor, I suspect.¡±


    Argrave agreed¡ªhis coat, his armor, it was all in total tatters. He looked rather like Orion had after fighting the gue Jester. Perhaps it ran in the family. But Argrave hadn¡¯t felt much pain in that battle, fortunately. There were some nice aspects to the dullness of this ce.


    ¡°Well, he¡¯s the captive, and I¡¯m the captor. It¡¯s a victory,¡± Argrave said. He looked down at the silent knight, then kneeled. ck vines coiled in and out of the knight¡¯s body, yet his white eyes stared ahead firmly. He reminded Argrave of Gmon, if going by eyes and temperament alone. ¡°Hello there.¡±


    ¡°Will you try and liberate me?¡± the knight asked. ¡°You had best kill me, Manumitter scum. Free, I¡¯ll only finish what I started.¡±


    Argrave smiled, then looked at everyone. They seemed to be having simr thoughts¡ªthat this might be a conversation worth having.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to enlighten me about a few things,¡± Argrave said. ¡°Does that sound fun?¡±

 Chapter 641: Realm of Hungry Ghosts

    Chapter 641: Realm of Hungry Ghosts


    Argrave walked out of the makeshift interrogation room a great dealter, his gray eyes looking somewhat darker after what he¡¯d learned. Others, who¡¯d not participated in the interrogation so as not to make it overbearing and overcrowded, walked up to him.


    ¡°Have we learned any useful information?¡± Bhaltair questioned.


    Argrave stood, searching in his own head for how he might answer that question. After a long while of many waiting expectantly, he finally said, ¡°I think we may have a new ally.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± People looked between each other. ¡°You got that one to turn against his kind?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°But they¡¯re fighting against someone they call the Manumitter at the same time as us. This person is apparently capable of liberating Shadonders from their hierarchy. Anneliese and I¡­ after reviewing all the information, and making some admittedly big leaps in logic¡­¡±


    She nodded to back up his point. ¡°We think that it¡¯s Traugott they¡¯re fighting against.¡±


    Argrave looked between everyone. ¡°Guessing that, I proposed a coboration. This Manumitter has amassed a sizable force of Shadonders, freed of the hierarchy. He¡¯s apparently attempting to break the chains that bind them once and for all, bringing free will to everyone in the Shadonds.¡± Argrave rubbed his chin.


    ¡°And?¡± Ghiin pressed.


    ¡°Our little dark knight friend with a flesh wound wanted me to meet his boss.¡± Argrave crossed his arms. ¡°The big boss. The Hopeful, he called it. He¡¯s physically incapable of breaking protocol and working with me independently. Only the big boss has free will. And the way he told it, it sounds like the Hopeful¡¯s responsible for holding this whole realm together. If the Manumitter takes him down¡ªand that¡¯s not out of the realm of possibility¡ªwe might have bigger problems than a few stragglersing to our world. The whole damned Shadonds could leak out to our world.¡±¡°If he can¡¯t break protocol, why¡¯s he talking to you?¡± Aurore asked prudently.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. Maybe it¡¯s because the big boss never ounted for his little peons actually being able to speak. It seems like only the higher-ranking ones are, and only within the domain Anneliese establishes after I burn away the shadow.¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°But I¡¯d only be guessing. Question is, I suppose¡­ do we meet with big boss?¡± He raised a finger. ¡°Speak now, or forever hold your peace.¡±


    ¡°That dependsrgely on what such a thing would entail,¡± they sought information.


    Argraev nodded. ¡°It would entail me letting the man go so he could deliver word, and then waiting for him to make good on his promise.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Felipe looked at Anneliese. ¡°Do you have any insight on his truthfulness?¡±


    ¡°None whatsoever,¡± she answered. ¡°His eyes seemed truthful of his intent, but eyes can only say so much, and this realm is nothing like anything I¡¯ve ever experienced before. Besides, if he is ve to arger system, then it doesn¡¯t particrly matter what he feels, no?¡±


    ¡°I say we don¡¯t trust it. You all heard that cryptic talk he gave when first encountering us, about fate and death and all of that. He¡¯s not someone that we can rely upon. He wants us dead, pure and simple.¡± The Archchief shook his head. ¡°Only a fool lets an enemy go when they have them at their mercy. We should use him to send a message.¡±


    ¡°Hell, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Balzat crossed his arms as he looked between everyone. ¡°He¡¯s only a small part of arger picture; one part of a grand hierarchy. We¡¯ve shown that we¡¯re capable of subduing him. If he cooperates, we gain an in with their leader. If he doesn¡¯t, then all we¡¯ve done is let loose an enemy that may have a bit of knowledge about our forces. In reality, Argrave hasn¡¯t shown all his cards at all.¡±


    Argrave said nothing, grateful that Balzat had such a high opinion of him. In reality, he¡¯d been on the backfoot the entire time that ck knight had been fighting him in the sky. But others seemed to appreciate Balzat¡¯s words much more than Argrave himself¡ªthey were persuasive. At the end of the day, it was only one enemy of many. Rnd still had this horseman tracked.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to see what more I can get out of the man. But once he¡¯s all talked out, I¡¯m going to let him go. You might think it¡¯s foolish, all of you, but I¡¯m the one that bled to get him in that dank little cave. I think I have the most authority when ites to deciding when he goes.¡±


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    No protest was brooked, even from the Archchief who¡¯d been most adamant. Argrave didn¡¯t know much about this ck knight. But from all he¡¯d heard, the Shadonders never came to their realm out of malice. Rather, it was simr to a concept that Argrave had read about in the past: Hungry Ghosts.


    There was a reason that, in their realm, the Shadonders had such a profound impact in their surroundings. They seemed to eat light, color, sensation, sounds, and smells. Why? It was because their very presence was a craving for existence that could never be fulfilled. Their entire life was that of hunger, of consumption, and of desire. They possessed an insatiable desire to exist, but were denied that sensation. Their body constantly imposed itself on the world around it, eating away at sensations of existence to fill a void that was not meant to be filled.


    Argrave didn¡¯t know if it was a tale woven by a captive, but apparently, the one called the Hopeful kept all of the Shadonders shrouded in the abyss. He deliberately cultivated an atmosphere where no sensations could be felt, and where all was different from the mortal world, to keep them from their suffering. He did all of this under the hope that one day, a cure for these sensations might one day present itself, allowing them to exist as they so desperately craved. It was only when Gerechtigkeit descended that this eternal peace was disturbed, and some were drawn from the shadows to bask in the light.


    As for how such a painful existence coulde to be¡­ their captive knew as little as the average human knew about how the world was created. If the Hopeful was capable of sustaining such a realm, perhaps he could give the answers that Argrave wanted so dearly.


    But there was something Argrave knew in his heart of hearts. Whatever cooperation arose, the Shadonders would never resolve things peaceably. Argrave and Anneliese had disturbed their territory, and now that they knew the possibility existed for it to be overwritten, the Hopeful would never allow that to lie for after the Manumitter was in. They could coborate with them to deal with therger problem that was Traugott, but at the end of the road, there was a reckoning in store. Of what scale¡­ well, perhaps he¡¯d have to ask the Hopeful.


    #####


    Argrave felt rather like a child releasing a wounded animal he¡¯d found back into the wild after its injuries were tended to. Like a child, he secretly hoped the pet woulde wandering back. Ultimately, it was a calcted risk. If nothing came of it, so be it. If something did, they¡¯d gain. Either way, torture wasn¡¯t truly on the table.


    For the first few hours, Argrave¡¯spany thought that nothing hade of it. Rnd noted that the horseman was staying on the edge of the realm they¡¯d carved out of the Shadonds, doing nothing. Argrave coped by suggesting that he was having someone else send the message, but he secretly thought that he might¡¯ve been yed by the ck knight after all.


    That is, until Argragve realized just how wrong he was about how gloomy this ce could be.


    It all started off rather casually, as one might slowly turn up the heat on a frog in the water. Thend all around seemed to be darker, as though the sun was setting in the Shadonds. Soon enough, it became clear this was not a transitory thing. The white grass grew grayer and grayer, until eventually it turned ck. The dirt darkened until it seemed like nothing remained of it. The mesas of varying shades started to shift to a solitary ck.


    Then, gaping holes opened miles above, and gigantic spouts of ck shadows started to flood the world in a horrifying scene. Argrave thought this might be another attack on its way, and so sent out blood magic to chip away at what came. But soon enough, someone pointed out something.


    ¡°Something huge ising this way,¡± said Bhaltair. ¡°I¡­ I can¡¯t quite make out what it is.¡±


    Not long after Bhaltair noticed its presence with his undead scouts, everyone started to feel it, too. It was an overwhelming presence that tugged at their very souls, threatening to spirit it away if they lost concentration for a moment. It was a constant thief, a constant desire, a constant hunger, that was so intense in its existence that it could swallow them if they didn¡¯t resist.


    Resist they did¡ªArgrave spent copious amounts of his own blood fighting back against this changing world, and Anneliese struggled desperately to keep it maintained by rewriting it near as fast as it was destroyed. Eventually, this consumption of shadow became so utterly overwhelming that Argrave resorted to a spell he¡¯d deemed ast resort¡ª[Apollyon]. Bursting free of his skin, he had nock of energy to replenish himself as the locusts raged against the copse of this world brought about by theing giant.


    In this suffocating darkness, the gigantic form that intruded upon this world they¡¯d carved loomrge over them. It made the giant gods in the Bloodwoods seem miniscule byparison. The heroes of the ages past crowded around Anneliese and Argrave for reprieve against this nightmarish creature. It was only darkness, but in that wreath of shadow, Argrave could barely make out a pair of brown eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s him,¡± Anneliese confirmed to Argrave, her breath heavy from the sheer pressure and fear of this scenario. ¡°There¡¯s no one higher in the hierarchy. He holds the reins.¡±


    Argrave gazed into those oddly human brown eyes, gritting his teeth as locusts erupted from both of his hands in defiance of theing of the abyss. This was, ostensibly, what they had decided to seek out. Now¡­ how the hell was he supposed to have a civil conversation during all of this?


    ¡°If you¡¯re here to talk¡­ can you dial back the darkness?!¡± Argrave shouted up. ¡°And if you¡¯re not here to talk, well¡­ talk to me anyway!¡±

 Chapter 642: Hopeful Man Smiles Pleasantly at House Guests

    Chapter 642: Hopeful Man Smiles Pleasantly at House Guests


    After Argrave gave his somewhat insistent request that the Hopeful should speak, the unceasing tide of darknessing from all portions of the man¡¯s body waned somewhat. In particr, the writhing shadows near his face started to lessen, revealing a teeth-revealing smile. Argrave thought the pressure might lessen in intensity once his features were revealed, but the strain upon his fighting locusts of blood felt all the denser as the shadows pressed them harder.


    Argrave opened his mouth to speak and said something. Yet¡­ every word that left his mouth was lost to him. When the Hopeful responded, he was only confused.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°You say that, yet youe here fighting so desperately against this realm that I have carved out to spare our kind the endless hunger.¡± His voice was the same affectless drone that all others possessed, yet that only made it seem all the more frightening. His lips never met, and he never ceased smiling. ¡°Why should you be allowed to persist?¡±


    Argrave¡¯s eyes felt like they were bulging out of his head. What had he said? Why couldn¡¯t he remember saying it? He certainly remembered talking, but the words that were spoken had been lost to him. He couldn¡¯t even remember the question as it had been formed inside his head.


    ¡°Argrave.¡± Anneliese ced her hand on his shoulder, and he spared a nce even as he worked constantly to fight against the Hopeful¡¯s suppression. ¡°I saw it all¡ªhe consumed the thought you voiced, prying it free of your mind. I don¡¯t think he can control it. You said that you and he made natural allies, and that you should coborate.¡±


    Even amidst the dull ache of pain brought about by the locusts, Argrave felt a terrible chill assail him. The Hopeful had done more than hear his thought¡ªit had taken it within itself, stealing it from Argrave and responding. If that were true, this being¡¯s hunger was so deep it possessed a power equal to Gerechtigkeit or the gods.


    ¡°I¡¯ll repeat your questions back to you,¡± Anneliese said, trying to keep her breathing steady. ¡°But you need to tell me to repeat them back, because I¡¯ve said it aloud and I¡¯ll forget it.¡±


    Argrave¡¯s lips moved and air flowed out, forming words that were lost to his mind like a river flowing into the sea. Anneliese nodded insistently but said nothing, and he was able to rethink what he said¡ªhe told her just as she¡¯d instructed him.


    Argrave looked back to the smiling Hopeful, with new recognition he was dealing with a monstrous opposition. That didn¡¯t necessarily mean it was an enemy. He spoke again, then¡­¡°Your word of neutrality alone is not enough. Something more is required to assuage my fears enough to allow you free passage.¡± The Hopeful leaned closer. ¡°You must allow me to eat a memory sufficient enough to prove your intent.¡±


    He didn¡¯t quite know what he¡¯d said, but Argrave felt a sheer terror at the notion of giving this thing free ess to his mind.


    ¡°You said we didn¡¯te here to antagonize the Shadonders, only to bypass them seeking out Traugott. Just like the so-called Manumitter disrupts the Shadonds, he intends to use the Shadonds to disrupt our realm,¡± Anneliese repeated, then wiped sweat from her brow.


    Argrave spoke again.


    ¡°I would only need to touch you with my bare flesh,¡± responded the Hopeful.


    ¡°You asked what that process entailed,¡± Anneliese said.


    Argrave was immediately on edge. It was clear this big fellow needed an equivalently big diet to sustain his gargantuan body. One doesn¡¯t stay big if one doesn¡¯t eat big, and this man was hungry enough that he <em>ate the thoughts directly from Argrave¡¯s head. </em>If he¡¯d known the final chapters of this journey of his would have so much mind-interfering stuff¡ªbe it Erlebnis, the Alchemist, or Lindon¡ªhe might¡¯ve put more focus on it at the very beginning.


    If the Hopeful did touch Argrave, and did begin extracting thoughts, it was quite obvious that there was a blunt imprecision to the whole process. Anneliese herself had said it didn¡¯t seem like he could control it. He kept himself doused in these shadows of his own making, and they ate everything around with such a fervor that the whole realm that Anneliese and Argrave had carved out fell apart. He was the guy that all-you-could-eat buffets feared the most. He was the man that bankrupted lobster restaurants around the world.


    All in all, Argrave rather liked his memories. He wasn¡¯t entirely eager to offer them up on a silver tter. As his hands spawned locust after locust to eat away the impending darkness, he did wonder if he shouldn¡¯t just turn the bloody firehoses toward the Hopeful. This was the Big Bad. But the Big Bad seldom travelled alone, and Argrave expected that, if he did, they would be beset upon by his lieutenants. And there wasn¡¯t any guarantee of winning the fight against the Hopeful alone, given his disy of prowess here today.


    But¡­ perhaps there was another way out of this. He had managed to dispel Lindon after the ancient Gilderwatcher entered his mind. This had been at his instruction and direction, granted, but Argrave¡¯s blood magic was proving simrly effective against the shadows that the Hopeful created. With the Fruit of Being empowering him, there had to be some way he could guide the crude instrument that the Hopeful intended to employ to extract memories.


    Argrave first imagined something extremely brutal¡ªusing blood magic on his brain. He moderated that idea by considering using simple healing magic that had been infused with blood. But time and experience had demonstrated that physical prevention wasn¡¯t the solution. Memories were something deeper than the mind alone, at least on this side of reality. There was an aspect of the soul alongside the mind in what made memories and existence. The two examples of mind-melding he¡¯d dealt with came to mind¡ªLindon and Raven.


    This tale has been uwfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    When conversing with them, he had existed within his own mind. He was a little projection of himself inside his own head. Nevertheless, he¡¯d been capable of doing very real things to both of them. He¡¯d ejected Lindon from his psyche, and he¡¯d conjured a gun and shot Raven. Thetter was very strange to think about, but it had been done.


    Perhaps he could do the same thing here. But before allowing the glutton into the buffet, he ought to give him some food samples. To that end, he needed to see if he could prevent the lesser thefts¡ªthat which came during conversation.


    Argrave retreated into his wiki slightly as he formted the next question. He made sure to ask something that was reasonable enough to not draw suspicion, but irrelevant enough it merely stalled for time. Then, he tried something.


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter to me.¡±


    ¡°You asked why you¡¯d risk your life toe here if you weren¡¯t seeking Traugott, considering that you had nothing to gain and everything to lose by fighting them.¡±


    A failure. Argrave asked another question. The Hopeful gave another answer, and Anneliese another recitation of his question. Again and again he tried, seeking out that sensation of retreating within the mind that had been so familiar with Lindon and Raven. He scoured Erlebnis¡¯ wiki for further answers, incorporating its vast data into his own attempts.


    Eventually, as Argrave began to ask a question¡­ he could feel, as clear as day, a ck hound lunging out at his mind. The image was so vivid he paused mid-word, but then he recovered. In his mind¡¯s eye, he conjured forth a sword of blood magic, then continued speaking.


    ¡°How should I fight Traugott if I can¡¯t remember what he¡¯s like?¡± Argrave heard himself say, and felt a sense of immeasurable triumph as he killed the hound of hunger seeking to pry his thoughts away. ¡°No¡ªdon¡¯t answer that.¡± Anneliese was about to repeat his question, but Argrave interrupted her. ¡°No need to repeat. I heard what I said.¡± She looked quite surprised.


    ¡°¡­you stayed my hunger,¡± said the Hopeful in surprise, that smile on his face not diminishing in the slightest. ¡°How?¡±


    ¡°The same way I stay these shadows. My own blood,¡± said Argrave determinedly, fighting a three-front war¡ªone of conversation, one of the encroaching shadows, and one in his mind, versus the hounds of hunger.


    ¡°You were testing me. Probing,¡± said the Hopeful. ¡°An interesting oue. But my answer remains unchanged. I must eat a memory you possess of Traugott to even consider the notion of allowing you freedom of passage.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine. More than fine. Better than fine. It¡¯s amazing,¡± Argrave rambled, testing his might against these hounds that came charging to rip the thoughts out of his head. He could feel his vitality drain away as he did so, and knew he was genuinely using the power the Fruit of Being had bestowed upon him.


    After a long while of rambling, during which the Hopeful watched on with that eerie smile, Argrave finally came to something.


    ¡°It¡¯s clear to me that we have a little dilemma in our hands,¡± Argrave said, having some difficulty thinking quickly while the hounds hunted the thoughts in his head. ¡°You possess overwhelming power. I imagine that Traugott is genuinely no match for you, if you came upon him. Yet¡­ somehow, he possesses the ability to break the hierarchy of subordination you¡¯ve created. So¡­ so, you can¡¯t approach him recklessly,¡± Argrave guessed.


    The Hopeful said nothing.


    ¡°You need us to kill Traugott. We might be the only ones who can here in this realm without being broken free of the chains you use to bind. It¡¯s clear you aren¡¯t the type to inspire robust loyalty,¡± Argrave¡¯s monotonous speech quickened as he grew more skilled at beating back the hounds. ¡°Meanwhile, it¡¯s clear to me that we can¡¯t travel through this realm much further than what we¡¯ve already carved with you and your lieutenants shadowing us.¡±


    ¡°Even understanding this nuance, the situation remains unchanged,¡± the Hopeful answered. ¡°You are asrge a risk as he to the hope I¡¯ve built. But you, I <em>can</em> kill. You are an inconvenience.¡±


    Argrave grit his teeth, looking at the locusts of his blood fight against the encroaching shadow. For now, it seemed like the Hopeful wasn¡¯t wrong. And he wasn¡¯t disguising his intent to kill them, long-term. Once their usefulness was expired, he was certain the Hopeful and the Shadonders under his thrall would turn hostile, seeking to eliminate another threat to their Hopeful peace.


    Even despite all of that¡­


    ¡°I¡¯ll let you take a memory of Traugott,¡± Argrave decided. ¡°But <em>that¡¯s all that you¡¯re taking. </em>Be sure of that. Don¡¯t get your hopes up that you¡¯ll take more than you¡¯re asking for.¡±


    The Hopeful raised his hand. His index finger shed darkness, revealing the abyssal ck skin all the Shadonders possessed. While his smile loomedrge above, he slowly brought his finger forth.


    ¡°Very well. Let us see if you can endure the hunger that we all have for any amount of time, invader. If you can, you will have earned a small amount of my respect. Only with the shadows embracing me can I cope with my hunger. And you¡­ you¡¯ll experience the hunger as I do. As we all do. Let it have new flesh to sup upon.¡±


    As the gargantuan finger neared, Argrave felt his field of vision narrow, darken. Before long, it was all that existed¡ªit was as if he and the Hopeful, that towering figure, existed alone in an endless void. And then Argrave was in his mind as himself. Behind him stood his memories¡ªmostly whole, with some minor technical issues patched up with Raven tape. And in front of him¡­


    The ck hounds of hunger ran across the hills of his mindscape. White saliva spilled from their mouth as they saw a meal. ck malignance shined in their eyes. Pain reflected in their actions¡ªpain brought about by starvation that could only be remedied by tearing into the juicy prey in front of them. These ck hounds that seemed toe from hell stampeded across Argrave¡¯s mindscape¡­


    And Argrave stood alone, bloody sword in hand, ready to beat them all back. He reached behind himself, grabbing a throwaway memory of Traugott. He pulled it free, and it plucked free of his mind like a strand of cotton candy. He held it out like bait, grinning like a fool.


    ¡°This is all you¡¯re getting!¡± Argrave shouted. ¡°Be good boys, and you might get a treat.¡±

 Chapter 643: Make Love, Not War

    Chapter 643: Make Love, Not War


    As Argrave felt the stampede of the hounds of hungere ever closer, it felt as though he was witnessed a stampede of wildebeests charging at him. Predators seldom worked in herds, but these cooperated to sate the hunger eating them from within. He began to see these ckened, indistinguishable creatures as hyenas¡ªand like that, the image crystallized.


    In his mind¡¯s eye, color returned to this ckened world as a vast savanna took shape. Golden grass sprouted from the t ground, and the ck hyena-like hounds dodged the sparing few trees that disturbed the endless tness. He was a lone hunter facing a riled stampede, and behind him, he had to protect the vige of his mind. He sent out his blood echoes, preparing to rain hellish spells down upon them, until he thought of something.


    He had never truly faced any fight alone, had he?


    Then, manifesting his mind¡¯s thoughts, his blood echoes became imitations of his closest allies. Anneliese, Elenore, Orion, Gmon, Durran, Mnie, the houses of Parbon and Monti¡­ all his echoes manifested as these people, taking up arms like it was natural to do so. Steeled by this, Argrave was able to step forward, all of his power at hand.


    Orion rushed forth toward the hounds, confronting them with his brutal strength and insurmountable will. Gmon loosed steady arrows to catch those that broke away from the herd¡ªthen, at hismand, Argrave¡¯s royal guard erupted into the nk of theing hounds, punching a great hole into the stampeding horde. Durran soared on his wyvern, casting S-rank spells that burnt away great sections of the hound army. Mnie and the noble houses coordinated closely to create skirmishes that brooked no retaliation.


    As for Argrave and Anneliese¡­ as they were in the Shadonds versus its denizens, so too were they versus these hounds of hunger. His bloody magic raged against the tide, conjuring all manner of spells he knew and simultaneously inventing some with his imagination on the spot. She reenergized him with her brilliant white scepter forged of Veid¡¯s heart, but was also a force unto herself. She carried herself with the same ferocity as she had in the battle against the tephramancers that earned her the alias Stormdancer.


    Then, a voice cut into his head (despite the fact he was already in his head). Elenore told him, ¡°Argrave. I¡¯ve prepared a trap for our enemies. Have everyone fall back, following you so as to avoid the dangerous locations.¡±


    Argrave ceased his relentless disassembly of the enemy, got some distance, and looked back. His mind filled in what would be there¡ªbeyond the savanna, there was the jungle. He could see his mind formting the dense rainforests in real time. He¡¯d never born witness to them, so they were surely altogether infinitely more foreboding than such ces actually were.


    He saw Elenore, aback Vasquer, head deep into the rainforests. Her words pierced his skull, guiding him. He echoed them to his allies, and they followed the safe path through the jungle. Gmon¡¯s Veidimen covered their retreat, and they headed far into the jungle with their pursuers hot on their tail. But Argrave¡ªa native to the jungle of his mind¡ªwalked unimpeded, rapidly making his way through. The hounds of hunger, meanwhile¡­Argrave heard an explosion behind. When he looked back, he saw a fragmentation mine explode, tearing dozens of the hounds of hunger and the surrounded trees to bits. These mines continued to violently explode. Alongside it came artillery. Heavy bombardments of shells broke past the canopy, blowing the dogs to bits.


    Realizing his uninspired American mind had conjured what little he knew of Vietnam as Elenore¡¯s trap, Argrave continued back to their camp within the jungle. As he walked forward, hispanions passed by him. They wore excellent camouge and military gear, bringing with them rifles and grenades all with a peculiar logo¡ªARTUR. Then, Argrave heard a terrible noise, and whipped his head.


    Huge machines bore through the rainforest. They were tanks, but not tanks as Argrave knew them. Instead, they looked to be made in the same fashion that the golems Dario had made were. Argrave could see enchantments shining along their surface, and even spotted golem cores powering them. Instead of a cannon, they had strange mounted machine guns that took strips of ballista as ammunition.


    These semi-modern instruments of war descended upon theing hounds of hunger who¡¯d just managed to brute-force their way past the mines. Now, gunfire, grenades, and ballistae shot from tanks rained down upon these vicious characterizations of the Shadond¡¯s endless hunger. Each of these weapons were born from Argrave¡¯s blood, and they chewed through the opposition like nothing else. The battle was one-sided, yet it could be said their enemies were without an end.


    This tale has been uwfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    Argrave felt his hair whip in the wind as something started to descend upon them. Looking up, he saw a helicoptering to a stop, its des slowing losing intensity even as the mounted machine gun continued to fire upon the hounds. Orion¡ªin heavy-duty modern military gear, with arge rifle¡ªjumped out of the chopper, then ran toward Argrave. Instead of his usual long hair and bushy beard, he had a very military haircut.


    ¡°Mr. President,¡± Orion shouted above the whirring of the helicopter. ¡°We¡¯re here to extract you.¡±


    Argrave followed along with him, entering into the helicopter where the head of his secret service¡ªGmon¡ªtook him into safety. As the chopper lifted off, he saw Anneliese rush into a throng of hounds bearing a methrower, burning everything in front of her to bits with a blood-magic imbued me. The des gained enough momentum to take them off the ground yet when the door shut¡­ it became a ne. A very high-ss ne, so high in the sky they were almost in orbit.


    ¡°Mr. President.¡± Elenore sat in front of Argrave on his presidential private jet. ¡°Llewellen haspleted the ckgard Project. If you give the go-ahead, we can drop the blood bomb.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Argrave looked outside of the ne window. Only from here did he see the true scale of the Hopeful¡¯s hunger. Far more than a herd, far more than a stampede¡ªit was an entire universe of suffering unending.


    ¡°Drop the bomb,¡± Argrave dered.


    Durran flew above their ne in a fighter wyvern, the thing clutching a stone imbued with Argrave¡¯s blood magic. After moving miles away from them, the blood bomp dropped from its hand, falling delicately¡­ thenbusted with such ferocity he never even saw it burst. A brilliant blood red mushroom cloud of fire erupted into the air, vaporizing the hounds of hunger by the billions.


    ¡°President Prime Minster Supreme,¡± said Mnie, and Argrave turned his head. ¡°The leader of the hunger has contacted us. He¡¯d like to forge a peace.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s meet,¡± Argrave decided.


    The ne touched down, its engines slowlying to a stop. Argrave walked down those majestic airne stairs, and reporters snapped pictures of him as he descended. Gmon¡¯s secret service herded them away forcefully. At the bottom of the stairs, a hound of hunger in a business-like suit stood waiting.


    Argrave held a briefcase out. ¡°If you can take this as a peace offering¡­ we can put all of this behind us.¡±


    The hound in a suit opened the briefcase. Within was the memory of Traugott that Argrave had plucked free. The dog shut the briefcase, then barked.


    Argrave held out his hand. ¡°Good boy. Give me your hand.¡±


    The dog obediently performed the trick, and they shook hands. Then, Argrave gave him the treat; the briefcase. With it, the hound of hunger departed, not quite satisfied, but¡­ cowed. And then¡­


    #####


    Argrave opened his eyes just in time to see the Hopeful stagger away, falling back upon a mesa for support. He couldn¡¯t deny he felt some extreme whishing from that vibrant and ridiculous mindscape to this dreary, gray world. He again felt the pressure of the bearing shadows, but¡­ it was only for a second.


    He blinked,ing to terms with the fact his mind concocted a blood-nuke to bomb the hounds of hunger. He¡¯d also made peace with the prime minister of hunger, who he¡¯d had perform a doggy trick to get the memory the Hopeful been seeking from him. Argrave strongly considered there was something fundamentally wrong about his brain, but¡­ he had won. He had fought back the hunger.


    ¡°Argrave. Did it¡­ I mean, how much was lost? You look embarrassed, but¡­¡± Anneliese began uncertainly. It was unpleasant to hear her voice lose the dynamism it had in his mindscape.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. I didn¡¯t lose anything, actually, except perhaps some self-respect. But him¡­¡±


    All of them studied the Hopeful, who still leaned up against the mesa as if he couldn¡¯t stand without it. The pressure of the darkness slowly waned until it wasn¡¯t pressing down upon them so fiercely, so inexorably. Argrave did wonder if he hadn¡¯t taken it too far, done some serious damage to this gargantuan fellow.


    ¡°¡­your world is sick and twisted,¡± said the Hopeful, straightening himself. ¡°It is a world already amply damaged by the hunger I carry. Perhaps it was imprudent of me to assume so much about what burden you could handle.¡±


    Argrave frowned at his judgmental tone. ¡°That was self-defense,¡± he pointed out. ¡°Nobody asked you to pursue us into the jungle. But enough of that. I assume you¡¯re satisfied?¡±


    Argrave couldn¡¯t even remember what memory he had surrendered. But the Hopeful gave a certain nod, that fake teethy smile still across his face.


    ¡°My people will no longer impede your search. One of my own shall take you to Traugott.¡±


    Argrave smiled. ¡°Brilliant.¡±


    It was rather wonderful what nukes could do for the diplomatic situation.

 Chapter 644: Conspiring to Steal Valor

    Chapter 644: Conspiring to Steal Valor


    ¡°How were you actually born?¡± Anneliese asked the horseman on his steed of shadows as they walked through the lifeless Shadonds.


    Other than some mutterings between the ancient heroes¡ªsome of whom had be fast friends, after putting aside their desire to genocide the other¡ªAnneliese¡¯s incessant questions to their escort Shadonder was the only sound permeating this endless dreary ce. She was asking questions that Argrave himself wanted the answers to as they charted their course and remade this realm without further intervention.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how I was born,¡± the rider responded, trudging his steed across the mesas.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    He created bridges of shadows to span the gaps between the separate grassy teaus, allowing everyone present to walk freely toward where the so-called Manumitter awaited. It was there where Argrave would undoubtedly be used as a cudgel against Traugott, to be discarded when the time was right. Though he listened to the exchanges between Anneliese and the ck knight, he also formted ideas for how they could emerge from this all on top.


    ¡°You simply came to be, as you are now?¡± Anneliese pressed.


    ¡°No. We are all born as the creatures that you fought against¡ªthe lowest of the low. They are the detritus that is expelled upon your world when the Hopeful makes his millennial bargain with the Hopeless. Within our hierarchy, we fight ever upward. When a lesser defeats his better, they are promoted. This brutality maintains the iron will needed to resist the hunger, should the darkness ever fade away.¡±


    They had already established that the Hopeless was Gerechtigkeit, yet this talk of bargains brought Argrave pause.


    Anneliese asked the question in Argrave¡¯s head. ¡°Gerechtigkeit¡ªthe Hopeless¡ªmakes a bargain with your leader?¡±


    ¡°Yes. In exchange for releasing some of this millennia¡¯s detritus¡ªthose who could not advance to a higher status in the one thousand years¡ªthe Hopeless gives the Hopeful the power to reassert his authority and bring new life into our abyssal realm. We possess a cycle, too. Ours is one where only the greatest rise upward, perpetually. This is all in preparation for the Final Fight, where we will do battle with the hounds of hunger and banish them from our bodies. We need only the best of the best when that day finallyes.¡±Argrave agreed with an earlier statement: this was brutal. All of those people that they¡¯d in here werepeting amongst each other to rise higher. Those that didn¡¯t win the struggle were released upon Argrave¡¯s world, where they were exposed to their hunger. Argrave had felt the hounds of hunger. It was only with the Fruit of Being allowing him to ward it away that he¡¯d been able to suppress them. That, and his absurd mind.


    Anneliese sounded fascinated as she inquired, ¡°But where does this new lifee from?¡±


    ¡°Only the Hopeful and his lieutenants are privy to that information.¡± A bridge of darkness stemmed out from the rider¡¯s feet, and their party began to cross a valley.


    ¡°You¡¯re being awfully forting about that information,¡± the Rose¡¯s founder, Bhaltair,mented.


    ¡°Any information could help you. You¡¯re already dead. Your point of entry will be watched by the Hopeful himself, stopping any escape,¡± he answered simply. ¡°And you released me.¡±


    Argrave studied him. ¡°You can feel gratitude?¡±


    The rider stopped. Argrave did, too, half a step after. By the time Argrave was going to ask what was wrong, the rider resumed his route. ¡°I must return to the shadows. I need updates on where the Manumitter hides. Continue to progress where I run to, and expect my return shortly.¡±


    With that, the rider ran off ahead, and everyone obeyed his words and followed after while remaining cautious so they wouldn¡¯t be ambushed. Argrave, meanwhile, wondered if their escort meant what he said, or if Argrave¡¯s question of gratitude had scared away the man for some reason. He dismissed the thought, failing to see its relevance.


    ¡°I imagine you heard what he said?¡± Argrave asked Anneliese.


    ¡°He said quite a bit,¡± she pointed out.


    Felipe I had the same thought Argrave did, and spoke up. ¡°The Hopeful is going to be watching the point that we came in from. That monster¡­ no disrespect to Argrave¡¯s power¡ªnone of us could do a damn thing, after all¡ªbut even that monstrous [Apollyon] spell could barely suppress the darkness that thing emitted. I don¡¯t have the highest of hopes about going through him once we¡¯re no longer useful and need to escape.¡±


    ¡°Escape is different than a straight-out fight,¡± Argrave consoled. ¡°And if you¡¯ll remember, that thing staggered away from me in terror after I showed him the horrors I went through back in ¡®Nam.¡±


    ¡°All I saw was a smile that never faded,¡± Emperor Balzat countered,pletely ignorant of the joke Argrave was making¡ªit was hard to show sarcasm in one¡¯s voice when everyone was forced to use a monotonous voice not so dissimr from some terrible text-to-speech programs.


    Ghiin reasoned, ¡°Traugott, for whatever reason, is attempting to manumit those the Hopeful has subjugated. That¡ª¡±


    ¡°The hell does manumit even mean?¡± Aurore interrupted.


    ¡°Release from very,¡± the former Great Chu emperor said. From what Argrave knew, he had ouwed such a thing in his empire¡ªit made sense that he would know.


    Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the vition.


    Ghiin cleared his throat, then continued. ¡°Given<em></em>that Traugott is manumitting some of the Shadonders here, and he¡¯s enough of a threat that that the tyrannical Hopeful would give us freedom in this empire he so zealously guards¡­ there may be opportunity here amongst those freedom fighters he leads.¡±


    ¡°No. God no,¡± Argrave disagreed as vehemently as he could¡ªhe sounded neutral even in anger. ¡°I¡¯m not working alongside that damned snake. The moment that Iy eyes on his smug face, I¡¯m using [Apollyon], and I¡¯m ending his damnable life. He¡¯s not going to live for another second the next time Iy eyes on him.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wrong,¡± Anneliese disagreed. ¡°I¡¯m going to kill him, I¡¯m afraid, long before you even cast a spell.¡±


    Argrave was taken aback by herpetitive confidence and onlyughed.


    ¡°Whether he lives or dies, I think Ghiin is right,¡± the Archchief agreed¡ªand Argrave knew he was being genuine, considering how much that the southern tribals hated the southron elves. ¡°Traugott¡¯s built a foundational movement that¡¯s enough of a threat to the Hopeful¡¯s regime that he sends us forth. Therein lies our opportunity to break his advantage. If possible, we should find a way to harness their burgeoning force to make our own escape.¡±


    Argrave grunted in displeasure, but he couldn¡¯t deny the good sense of the suggestion. The alternative was fighting the Hopeful and all of his lieutenants in openbat. The idea was immensely nauseating, even after Argrave had shown him the horrors of ¡®Nam.


    ¡°Alright. We¡¯ll act with discretion,¡± Argrave agreed. ¡°But I don¡¯t retract what I said. Traugott¡¯s existence is too much of a threat to let him walk free for even a second after we get our kill shot.¡±


    Anneliese nodded in agreement, then looked ahead. ¡°Our escort is taking his time, is he not?¡±


    #####


    The rider basked in the shadows and the abyss, reveling in the sense of nothingness that it gave him after his time enduring the harrowing hunger of the changed realm that Argrave had created. It took immense willpower to not be a mindless beast before the hounds of hunger, as those that were lesser than him so often became. That which Argrave and Anneliese created subjected him to the hunger the Hopeful spared them from.


    The rider was not loyal due to the bonds of servitude alone. Protection from the hunger was immensely important to him. Before the hounds, he felt lesser¡ªa shell of himself. It took immense willpower not to devolve into a slobbering beast, like those hemanded. Yet¡­ even still, he couldn¡¯t deny something that the human had pointed out to him. He¡¯d felt gratitude. <em>Gratitude. </em>


    When Argrave had pointed out he felt gratitude, he knew immediately why their reconstructed Shadonds had felt so wrong yet so intoxicating. It brought with it more than light, more than sight and sound and smell. It brought with it other aspects of life that the rider had so long ago forgotten. Yet¡­ this sense of forgetfulness¡­ it said so much, yet too little. What had been forgotten? What was the rider remembering?


    All of these strange sentiments only reinforced what he knew¡ªthe Manumitter, Argrave¡­ both needed to die, right alongside thepany they kept. This heresy had to be purged with a steady hand, and the Shadonds had to be ck once again. No other oue could be tolerated. Dreams of liberation were just that¡ªfanciful conjurations by those stepping out of theforting purity of the darkness.


    With his resolve reforged in the chill of the abyss, the rider felt it a fitting time to rejoin those he¡¯d left. He would not again let trifling sentiments interfere with the purity of his servitude. Such things as gratitude were fostered by malignant presences that undermined the Hopeful¡¯s Grand Dream. He trusted in the n their master hadid out.


    Not because he had to¡ªbecause he wanted to. Without a doubt¡­


    #####


    Orion stared at the sleeping adopted princess. Elenore stroked Sophia¡¯s hair gently, then pulled up the covers of her nket and left her there. Then, she walked out, shutting the door.


    ¡°You will be a good mother,¡± he told her.


    Elenore stiffened, hearing that. ¡°Pregnancy sounds inconvenient.¡±


    Orion smiled. ¡°I¡¯m pleased you don¡¯t deny it.¡±


    Elenore shook her head, but then looked up at him. ¡°What¡¯s with you? You¡¯ve been awfully reticent, awfully withdrawn. Is it still Vasquer?¡±


    ¡°No, it isn¡¯t Vasquer.¡± He studied her with his gray eyes. ¡°I never thought the day woulde when you would express concern for me. It¡¯s very pleasant.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t make me regret it by saying ridiculous things,¡± she chastised. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, then?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve had a feeling budding within. It¡¯s only grown stronger since Argrave left.¡± Orion shook his head, then looked up to the stars. ¡°I believe my time ising.¡±


    ¡°What the hell nonsense are you spouting?¡± Elenore crossed her arms. ¡°Is this about that Fruit of Being? Even without the damned thing, nothing¡¯s ever gotten close to putting you out of our misery before. Stop being ridiculous. You¡¯re in the heart of ckgard, with gods and the best spellcasters the world over watching over it.¡±


    ¡°All I know is what I feel.¡± Orion looked at her. ¡°And I feel that death ising. My intuition is never wrong.¡±


    She sighed and shook her head. ¡°Shame that same intuition couldn¡¯t lead you to the conclusion our father deserved to die before he crippled me.¡±


    ¡°I apologize, Elenore.¡± Orion dipped his head.


    She nted her hand on his forehead to stop him from bowing. ¡°No, no¡­ I didn¡¯t want you to apologize, damn it. I¡­ I shouldn¡¯t keep bringing that up.¡± She sighed in defeat, almost ashamed of herself. ¡°Listen. I¡¯m better at predicting these things than you, and I¡¯m saying the probability of your death is incredibly low. The only way I see you dying is by doing something stupid. So¡ªwhateveres, if anything¡­ don¡¯t do something stupid. Death cane, for all I care. Just step out of its damn way.¡±


    ¡°And if doing so ends in your death?¡± He gestured at the door. ¡°In Sophia¡¯s death?¡±


    Elenore shook her head. ¡°And what if a meteor crashed from the heavens and killed us all? Hypotheticals do nothing for us. Just¡­ just act smart, Orion. Despite our differences, I no longer want you to die. I may go so far as to say that I¡¯d like you to live a long time. I rarely hold such sentiments, but there it is.¡±


    ¡°That is heartening.¡± He nodded solemnly. ¡°I will notpromise. But I will try and think.¡±


    ¡°I know thinking is hard for you, but that¡¯s all I ask.¡± She smiled mischievously. ¡°Look after Sophia. I have some work to do before I sleep.¡±


    ¡°I will.¡± Orion bowed his head. ¡°Take care.¡±


    ¡°You as well,¡± she managed to say kindly, with some effort.

 Chapter 645: Sand in the Hourglass

    Chapter 645: Sand in the Hourss


    Seven days passed after Argrave and his entourage entered into the Shadonds, and a feeling of unease over all who knew this fact. But unease was something that could be ovee, and ovee it they did. The research team¡ªnow headed by Llewellen¡ªmarched boldly onward, progressing magic in a period of seven days more than had been done in several decades. Illusion magic, itself an incredibly young field, advanced in countless ways. Druidic magic, too, spread far beyond its source in the Veidimen, disseminating throughout the spellcasters of the world.


    But on the eleventh day, there was finally some breakthrough into their target: psychic magic. As Llewellen had hypothesized, it came not in the form of illusion magic but druidic magic. The secret to it came from prodding into how druidic magic differentiated between something of lesser life¡ªlike nts, grass, trees, et cetera¡ªand higher beings. Specifically, a spellcaster of the Great Chu managed to trante a spell that affected creatures of lesser intelligence into something that could affect that with higher intelligence. The first attempt was nothing more than a humble D-rank druidic spell that encouraged creatures to approach: [Beckon].


    Yet with some significant modifications that made it far moreplex and magic-intensive¡­ it proved to function on humanoids.


    Its first instance of function set an uproar throughout the entire research team. It had been used on a non-magically inclined individual, and did its task without leaving any sign of damage on its victim. When it was tested on people attuned with magic, a collective sigh of relief was breathed when they discovered that, like illusion magic, it could be resisted by those of higher rank in the magical world. Still, Llewellen cautioned them all that such a thing hardly exempted them from the influence of a greater force like Gerechtigkeit.


    The realization that druidic magic could be transformed in such a way not only put ever more attention on the field of study, but also led to a fundamental reevaluation of what it was. If it was capable of affecting intelligent species like men or elves rather than unintelligent creatures alone, itsbel as ¡®druidic¡¯ didn¡¯t suffice. It pertained to a more fundamental force¡ªthus, it quickly turned from being called druidic magic to being called soul magic.


    Though some Veidimen were displeased at the name change, that was quickly abated when they were recognized by all as the foundation for this new field. Their centuries of study for how the magic functioned in animals was called upon to rte that knowledge to mortalkind. Rowe, with his inherited generation of study, became the <em>de facto </em>authority in the team. Though some found his arrogance at his new importance a little troubling, none could deny the total mastery the aged snow elf had over his field. He had even tamed one of the indomitable dragons of the world, who themselves were known to have intelligence simr to mortalkind.


    A great many rules and dictates of the magic were revealed, but many gravitated toward the simplest solution¡ªand rightfully so. If an animal already had a druidic bond with someone else, it could not gain another. The principle thus arose that, to defend the soul from soul magic, one must either have their soul bound to another, or bind their soul to themselves.


    As higher-ranked druidic spells were tranted, that first theory was finally confirmed. Another well-paid non-magically inclined human guinea pig was bound to another, whereupon another caster attempted to exert control over his mind. It failed, utterly. Meanwhile, everyone was greatly unsettled by the ve-like state the victims of soul magic fell into immediately. On the bright side, as with druidic magic, the bond between souls was such that the caster felt an affinity with the person, and found it difficult to hurt them. That almost made it worse, in the eyes of most present¡ªsuch a rtionship could be a twisted possessiveness the likes of which would easily be the subject of poetic tragedies.


    Elenore was incredibly thorough in keeping all of this under wraps. All involved were escorted by soldiers of the royal army, because rumors of this research spreading beyond its confines could be disastrous. The notion of this deprivation of free will was immensely unsettling, even to her. It took a great deal of skill to cast these spells, and they could be resisted by magic users, yet that was just the problem. It presented an opportunity for spellcasters to be dictators that could seize the very souls of their subjects. At once, Artur was called upon to implement a solution that could be distributed for normal people. His Hall of Enchantment was virtually nationalized in that Elenore was very controlling over this project. Artur chafed at first, but once he knew what he was dealing with, cooperated with Elenore. His only request was as it usually was¡ªmoney and recognition, and much of them both. Elenore obliged in excess.


    As quickly as it had been discovered, soul magic was worked to be suppressed. The goal of Artur¡¯s project was simple¡ªcreate an object that extended to the wearer the protections of being soul-bound. Ideally, it would bind the user¡¯s soul to itself. The theory was that such a thing would create a closed loop, in essence, tying off any mental interference.


    For three days and three nights, in close concert with the research team, the Hall of Enchantment ironed out prototypes and empowered enchantments. An ¡®outside specialist¡¯ was called in¡ªRaven¡ªto test the effectiveness of their procedures. With his unique constitution, he was suited to testing out whether or not this closed-looped system actually had any effect in preventing his meddling with their mind.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    Results seemed discouraging at first. Initially, all attempts at creating a closed-loop bond failed. Additionally, Raven <em>was </em>able to interfere with the minds of those who had been soul-bound by another. With two major setbacks, some thought that all of their research had been invalidated. Llewellen, however, was not convinced.


    Boldly subjecting himself to Raven¡¯s mind-meddling for an entire twenty-four hours, Llewellen wrote extensive notes on the rtion between the physical mind and the soul as he experienced it. He coborated closely with Raven, even refusing visits from Onychinusa. Eventually, that forced her to get involved to visit with him. Her simrly unique constitution that was capable of vanishing into magic while retaining her thoughts and memories proved immensely valuable for finalizing his research.


    On the sixteenth day, Llewellen withdrew from everyone, escaping even his guards (to Elenore¡¯s panic). He showed up the next day bearing a theory he called the Formless Protocol, and in it, theorized about the function of the mind in rtion to thews of magic. Its ingenuity swept through the research team like fire through dry grass, setting their fervor ame again.


    After an exhausting session wherein the research team and the Hall of Enchantment worked tirelessly, it all seemed toe together like fitting in that final piece to a puzzle. A system to prevent Raven¡¯s mental interference was discovered, effectively warding the soul from all mental interference. Within hours of this, Artur¡¯s Hall of Enchantment created an enchanted ring bearing the spell that had been invented.


    Everyone watched with bated breath as it was tested on the non-magically inclined victim. First, soul magic. The ring was worn, and then¡­ <em>it resisted the caster¡¯s soul magic. </em>A cheer spread through the team, but Llewellen and Artur were unanimous in silencing them as Raven stepped forth. People regarded the hulking giant with fearful deference, seeing well the vast reservoirs of magic bursting out of his body. He sunk his fingers into the victim¡¯s head, then went silent for a few moments.


    One could hear a pin drop as Raven made his evaluations. Then, he pulled free his hand, looking around.


    ¡°It worked,¡± he told them.


    All of them erupted into exuberance.


    #####


    Orion looked at the ring on his finger. Apparently, this could ward away mental attacks. The research team wasn¡¯t fully disbanded as they considered more options, but this was the main product of their continual research into the subject of mental magic. It had not been as fast as he had expected from his conversation with Llewellen, yet not as slow as he had feared.


    In theing days, this ring would be mass-produced and distributed broadly, starting with the most important elements of the state all the way down to themon people. The spellcasters had such confidence in the items that they insisted to be among the first to receive the artifacts. Orion desperately hoped it did work.


    Meanwhile, Orion¡¯s feeling of impending doom had not faded in the slightest. Rather, it was magnifying far more rapidly. After his conversation with Elenore, he had told no one else. He also hadn¡¯t updated her on the matter. She had her concerns, but this was his fate. He could not deny his fate, could not fight against it. Fate was inexorable. His punishment for his misdeeds was inevitable. It was only the way of the world.


    For now, he merely guarded Sophia, sitting out front of her room while Vasilisa watched the inside.


    He basked in the feeling of impending doom. It felt rather like he had be the bottom half of an hourss. Above him, the sands of death slowly buried his consciousness. The sand kept falling at a steady pace, but it was not infinite. At some point, it would run out. At some point¡­ the sands would stop.


    As if by providence, Orion felt a terrible swell in his chest as the final grain of the sands of his time fell. If he was right, that meant his time hade. He touched his chest in rm, but hardened his face. Meanwhile, the door in front of him opened, and Sophia ran out. Vasilisa hurried after her as the small girl fell to her knees in her sleeping clothes, breathing heavily.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Sophia?!¡± Vasilisa fell to her side, mothering intensely. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Tell me!¡±


    ¡°The night¡­ is here,¡± she said, barely able to catch her breath.


    ¡°Did you have a nightmare?¡± Vasilisa supported her delicately. ¡°Come on, sweetie. Breathe deep. Calm down.¡±


    Orion walked to her and knelt just alongside Vasilisa. Seeing him, Sophia reached out and gripped his armored leg.


    ¡°The night is here,¡± she repeated urgently.


    ¡°Yes, honey. It¡¯s nighttime,¡± Vasilisa soothed. ¡°It¡¯s okay. You¡¯re safe. We¡¯re all here.¡±


    ¡°No! We¡¯re not safe! He¡¯sing!¡± She insisted. ¡°The knight!¡±


    Orion realized what she¡¯d been saying¡ªknight, rather than night. It hardened that feeling he possessed not moments ago.


    The sands of the hourss had all reached the bottom. With it, death approached.


    Orion stood, ready to face the punishment he deserved. He clenched his gauntleted fists tightly. As if responding to his resolve, there was a deep rumble in the ground. Momentster, Raven appeared beside Orion, teleporting urgently.


    ¡°I felt a great surge of power beneath the earth, where the Gilderwatchers had convened. Something ising. Everyone must be alerted.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± Orion smiled. ¡°And I am ready for it.¡±

 Chapter 646: True Bravery

    Chapter 646: True Bravery


    Elenore entered into Hause¡¯s temple, escorting Sophia urgently yet gently. After Argrave¡¯s fight with the Casten of the Empty, this ce had been rebuilt to be one of the strongest fortifications within ckgard, acting as something of a bunker within the city. She felt a little terrified, but she held strong with Sophia to steel her resolve.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°The first wave ofbatants sent after him have fallen,¡± she heard, Durran¡¯s voice piercing her head. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s looking to be a difficult fight. I haven¡¯t felt this since¡­¡±


    ¡°Since when, Durran?¡± she asked, trying to stay calm.


    ¡°Be safe,¡± he told her. ¡°I¡¯m going to be dedicating all of my attention to this.¡±


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


    ¡°Can you take care of Sophia? I need to coordinate things on my end with various figures.¡±


    Vasilisa nodded intently, taking the cooperative Sophia deeper into the temple. Elenore wouldn¡¯t be of any help when it came to protecting Sophia. Apparently, Sophia had reacted rather strongly to this attack. Now, she was mute sadness, like she expected some tragedy. To be truthful¡­ Sophia wasn¡¯t alone in feeling this.


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


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Princess Elenore?¡± She looked, and there Hause, goddess of potential, stood waiting with concern. ¡°Can I do anything more to help than offering shelter?¡±¡°No. No, you¡¯re doing plenty.¡± Elenore shook her head quickly. ¡°I just need to get my head in order.¡±


    ¡°I am capable of helping with that, too.¡±


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


    ¡°Really?¡± Hause tilted her head, then walked in front of her. ¡°Then it is truly nothing to worry about. Predictions arergely meaningless.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Elenore narrowed her eyes. ¡°Falseforts don¡¯t work on me.¡±


    Hause shook her head. ¡°No one has ever urately predicted the future. I have seen beings with the potential of universes within them be snuffed out early. I have seen those with no innate potential rise to be the most powerful person in the world, for a time. If the future was predetermined, there would be no reason in ying out the present.¡±


    Elenore closed her eyes, letting those soothing words reinforce her preconceived notions. Hause was right¡ªOrion, regardless of what his intuition said, was no fortune teller. He was only a man, changed as he might¡¯ve been by the false pantheon of Vasquer.


    ¡°Fate is a lie,¡± Elenore said with a nod. ¡°Thank you for the reminder. Now¡­ I believe it¡¯s well past time for me to be master of the battlefield.¡±


    Elenore walked over to a nearby bench ced in the serene temple, then sat. She was acutely aware of the pouch in her dress¡¯ pocket¡ªa pouch that contained a single golden fruit capable of changing the shape of everything. Though she seldom employed it, one of Lira¡¯s blessings allowed her to transport small items over long distances. With proper coordination¡­ surely, this trial could be ovee. And in coordination, Elenore of Vasquer was unmatched.


    #####


    Vasilisa set Sophia down on the bed. This little girl¡ªArgrave¡¯s niece, officially, but she had red eyes and a strange power that made her question that fact. But there was no questioning she <em>deserved </em>to be called princess. Few were as gracious and kind as her, nor as unwavering in the face of adversity. She never strayed from a challenge, healing all those that she could.


    But now¡­ that indomitable little girl was trembling like a newborn in cold air.


    Vasilisa had raised her younger nieces on her own, so she was well used to taking care of children. She didn¡¯t like being sober, but it was in the presence of children that she was able to muster up the will to do it. Hence, she called upon that familiar protective drive as she knelt before the little girl.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Sophia?¡± Vasilisa brushed away some of her ck hair. ¡°Speak to me. It¡¯s all going to be right, but it could be all right faster if you let me inside of your head.¡±


    Sophia whispered, ¡°I can¡¯t stop it. I can¡¯t stop it, auntie Vass.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to stop it.¡± Vasilisa shook her head. ¡°That¡¯s what all the others are for. Whatever you think ising¡ª¡±


    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    ¡°No,¡± she interrupted. ¡°I could stop it. I could go outside, and let him take me away. But¡­ but I don¡¯t want to go. I want to stay here. I want to stay with Anne and Argrave, and you, and Elenore, and uncle Orion¡­¡± She started to brush away tears. ¡°But¡­ I can¡¯t do it.¡±


    ¡°Who ising?¡± Vasilisa asked. ¡°How do you know any of this?¡±


    Sophia faced ahead. ¡°The perfect knight. The one that no one can defeat. The one that never gives up, no matter the adversity. He¡¯sing to take me away, like I always wished¡­ but now, I don¡¯t want to leave.¡±


    Vasilisa stared skeptically, wondering if this was merely the young girl¡¯s paranoia or if there was some truth to it. She wasn¡¯t entirely in the know¡­ but she knew that Sophia was a subject of extreme concern to the king. And she knew that she needed to be protected, above all.


    ¡°Listen.¡± She grabbed Sophia¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Fuc¡ªforget knights, princess. Having met everyone you have, who serves underneath Argrave¡­ do you really thing that one knight could break past them all? It¡¯s going to be fine.¡±


    Vasilisa gave the girl a hug, and then looked around the area. If whatever wasing came for Sophia¡­ she certainly wouldn¡¯t give up without a fight.


    #####


    A lone silver-armored knight walked along the river that led into the mountains outside ckgard. He wore brilliant te armor covered with an immacte white surcoat. A greathelm with two rising horns that were adorned with brilliant red feathers concealed his face. He carried in his right hand a gleaming silver shield, and in his left a de that seemed to shine with white sunlight itself.


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


    The silver knight¡¯s sword became light incarnate. It amplified his quick attacks a hundred¡ªperhaps a <em>thousandfold, </em>as the light teaming within the de projected out to enact his power. Thendscape itself was transformed by his attacks. The mountains of ckgard were barely spared by protective enchantments established around its outskirts. Defenders miles away perished in one quick sh.


    Orion stood on the opposite end of that field, his own sword and shield held tightly in hand. His golden armor and ck surcoat bearing Vasquer¡¯s heraldry was at its best, personally enhanced by Artur to focus his strengths. His sword, a divine artifact enhanced by dwarven metal, could endure his tremendous strength without breaking indefinitely¡ªand his simrly-crafted shield could hold its own against S-rank spells, easily. All around him stood the most powerful spellcasters in the world. Above, Durran, changed by the Fruit of Being, rode his wyvern, waiting for opportunity. Behind, Elenore called forth the gods of the ckgard Union to honor their defense pact. Rook had already arrived¡ªLaw was soon toe.


    But in that knight ahead, walking so steadily forth¡­ Orion felt he saw a mirror. He saw a steady, righteous gait that would not falter no matter what obstacle arose. He saw no fear of death as attacks from the grandest in the world came to assail him, and no hesitation as the knight returned death in kind. In this knight, he saw the same man that had walked forth to fight the gue Jester, all those years ago.


    Like all mirrors, Orion¡¯s own reflection revealed his inadequacies.


    A man of equal temperament, yet superior strength? It was no wonder that this was to be his death. Confronting it so squarely, he could feel his hands trembling, and a feeling in the gut that was rather unfamiliar to him. He had heard it described enough to know what it was: fear. He had not felt fear fighting the Casten of the Empty, nor the gue Jester, nor storming the Pce of Heaven at Argrave¡¯s side. Now, though, he feared his foe.


    Perhaps it was because he had reason to fear. He had a wife whose presence he enjoyed. His mother was finally showing signs of breaking the hold of her mental illness. His whole family was in harmony. They were at the cusp of undoing that which never before had even been approached. Falling here, today, might mean that all would be lost. And if it was not lost¡­ Orion would not be around to bear witness.


    Rook appeared on the field, attacking his foe from afar with his possessed knives. They flew about the silver-armored knight like a petal swarm, but the knight swung his shield with force enough to generate a gale that banished every attacking projectile. The god himself leapt forward to attack, but Rook was blocked, and soon the knight countered. His blow cleaved another great gash in thendscape, and Rook only barely avoided serious injury.


    Orion could feel the tremors of power made by his foe, and feel the wind stirred by his every attack. In the midst of his rising fear, Elenore¡¯s words came to mind.


    <em>¡°Death cane, for all I care. Just step out of its damn way.¡± </em>


    Retreat shed through his head, and his brain seized upon that, applying all manner of logical justification for why he was able to run, and why it would be the best oue. But in the midst of all that¡­ he gripped his shield and sword tightly, and stared through the slits of his helmet at the approaching knight.


    Orion was the knightmander of the Kingdom of Vasquer. Even in the face of fear, this was his duty. Bravery could not exist without the presence of fear¡ªand for the first time, Orion walked forth bravely. He shouted a war cry as he crossed the field, shield held forward with sword held out.


    The silver knight saw his approach, and swung its sword. Its attacks, though powerful, were not supernaturally fast¡ªrather, it was the de itself that amplified its power. Orion expertly dodged as a gash of ungodly white light tore apart the earth he¡¯d been standing seconds before. The knight swung again, and again he dodged,ing ever closer. The solid in became a crumbling sand dune all around in moments.


    From his position on high, the knight took a steady step toward Orion and thrusted. The speed of the attack was unlike any previous blows, and Orion didn¡¯t dodge fully¡ªinstead, he received some small portion of it with his shield. It held, though the force of the st of light felt liable to break his arm. He kept his charge up, delivering a stab of his own. The silver knight brought his shield to bear, receiving it.


    A sense of dread fell upon Orion as the tip of his purple de touched the silver shield. It felt like stabbing a mountain. He¡¯d put tremendous force into that thrust, yet the prospect of moving this foe seemed so distant as to be impossible. The silver knight stepped to the side and swung, and Orion twisted to dodge. He barely managed, but the attack cleaved through his helmet, his hair, and part of his head. Gritting through the pain, Orion lunged low, mming his shield against his opponent¡¯s. He feinted high, then thrust low, aiming right at the knight¡¯s knee with a defiant roar. The feint seeded, and Orion¡¯s de sung forth.

 Chapter 647: Battle of Gold and Silver

    Chapter 647: Battle of Gold and Silver


    Orion¡¯s de plunged between the gap in the silver armor¡¯s knee. Unlike the indomitability he¡¯d felt colliding with his foe¡¯s shield, what he stabbed¡­ he was certain it was flesh and bone, not metal and power. He was certain it was not skin¡ªrather, it felt ominously like <em>scales </em>beneath that carapace of metal. Orion had no time to verify this, as his opponent raised his de and thrust it down.


    Rather than his head, Orion managed to swerve out of the way enough the resulting st of light cut into the edge of his neck and shoulder. He felt his grip weaken as the interconnected parts of his body ckened. With fear overriding his distaste, he called upon that which he¡¯d been suppressing; the blessings bestowed to him by the false pantheon of Vasquer. He froze his fingers around his shield and sword, tumbled down a pit created by the knight¡¯s menacing attacks, then faced the silver knight once again.


    The silver knight stood far above Orion, the two suns making him shine like a holy crusader. Down below, Orion¡¯s breath was heavy, and his golden armor with its ck surcoat had already lost much of its luster. He appeared naught more than a rabid dog before a king. The knight prepared a simple horizontal sh that seemed impossible to dodge¡­ yet again, fear removed Orion¡¯s inhibition. He conjured wind beneath him,unching himself above the sh of light to meet his opponent above.


    The silver knight parried Orion¡¯s swing with his shield as if he¡¯d expected such a charge, and Orion¡¯s de flew wildly away, bringing his arm iling with it. He knew he was exposed. When he thought the second swing was sure toe, the knight turned. Rook, god of deception and subterfuge, lunged again. The silver knight blocked him once, but it was only an illusion¡ªhis true form came from the side. In response to that attack, the knight responded with equal subtlety¡ªhe jutted the pommel of his de out, and a quick burst of light nailed the deity in the chest. Spirits bursting from his wound, Rook backed away.


    Orion lunged forth, wrapping both his arms around the silver knight¡¯s de arm. He tried to bend it, break it, using the full might of his body. He and the knight were of equal size, and seemingly equal strength. He sent lightning and fire coursing out of his body, damaging himself in the process¡­ but this demon <em>had </em>to die, no matter the cost.


    The knight¡¯s shield repeatedly bashed into Orion¡¯s body as he wrestled it. The shield, fortunately, was of far weaker prowess than that de. Still, it was like a hammer wielded by his own hand pounding into him, wearing him down. No matter how hard he grappled the knight, his arm did not wield¡ªindeed, as time passed, Orion found himself losing the contest of strength. Finally, the knight managed to get into an advantageous position, and twisted his body to pick Orion up off the ground. He mmed him down, and Orion felt his breath leave his lungs. Despite the pain, he clung stubbornly to that sword arm. After another failed attempt to get his arm free, the knight pulled his shield back, and mmed it straight into Orion¡¯s visor.


    The metal of Orion¡¯s helmet folded inward, blinding him¡ªor perhaps his eyes had been crushed. Orion still clung tightly until a terrible force mmed into the knight, pulling him free of Orion¡¯s grip and sending both of them tumbling in some unknown direction.


    When his world stopped spinning, Orion grasped his helmet awkwardly while still clinging to his sword and shield and wrenched the thing free. It brought him great pain, but sight returned to him when the metal came off his skin. His long ck hair started to whip wildly about in this tempest of battle.


    Durran and Raven fought in his stead, undoubtedly saving his life in that moment. Durran, in particr, stood his own against any attacks that came toward Orion,batting it with strength and magic in equal measure. As his vision blurred, recovering from the blow to his eyes, he saw the mark of powerful magic on the knight¡¯s breastte¡ªthe first sign of genuine injury, it seemed.Raven was a force of nature, gracefullybining powerful magics as he danced in to employ the ungodly strength of that unnatural body of his. His arms were like those of a mantis,pressing the strength of a hundred men down to a single sharp point to pierce that armor. No matter how strong the blows were, once they met that shield, each attack achieved nothing.


    Durran, meanwhile, seemed to have changed. His golden tattoos, most oft concealed by clothes and armor, seemed to glow <em>beyond </em>his body, taking on an aspect beyond his form. His strength and speed were far beyond what they had ever been, and he fought in a strange style that seemed far different from what he usually did.


    Orion looked around, feeling once more that fear that told him to run. He saw the corpses of hundreds of the greatest fighters of the present day. Even in the midst of what he¡¯d thought was a personal fight, the silver knight had been fighting hundreds of others, each seeking to dismember him with their power. And still he held his ground, fighting ever onward toward ckgard. It inspired the purest form of dread, and approaching defenders faltered.


    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Fear was meant to preserve the life¡ªto give men good sense, allowing them to live another day. Orion felt fear the same as they did, but he ignored it. Finally feeling well enough to do so, he rose, and rushed back toward the carnage he felt was his destiny. This crumbling wastnd proved nightmarish to navigate, doubly so when Raven and Durran both struggled valiantly against this silver knight. He found himself dodging wayward gashes of light far too often, nearly losing limbs from their deadly battle. He could not me them¡ªto suppress this fighter was just like using one¡¯s hands to block an explosion.


    He found his opportunity to rejoin the fight not from a lull in the battle, but from a tragedy. Durra overextended, perhaps due to being unused to his newfound power. The silver knight managed to catch him in the leg. From the middle of his thigh downward, all below severed in less than half a second. Durran yelled in agony and copsed. Just as Durran had done for him, Orion rushed to block the killing blow of the silver knight.


    The silver knight thrust his de at Durran¡¯s head, but Orion mmed into his foe¡¯s arm with a full-force tackle. The beam of light veered away, piercing the earth. Raven opportunistically attacked from behind, and when the knight tried to defend with his shield, Orion grappled his arm with all the strength he could. His interference seeded¡ªthe spike jammed into the knight¡¯s back, piercing through his chest right where the heart ought to be.


    In response to the injury, the knight exploded with redoubled strength. He twisted about like a whirlwind, freeing himself of the spike to swing his sword in one smooth movement. A great crescent sh erupted toward Raven, but the ancient being was ready. He vanished, carried away by spirits, only to reappear next to Durran. Taking the wounded man, he left the battlefield in moments. Orion thought he was again alone, until¡­


    ¡°In this domain, time is slowed for me and my allies.¡±


    Like a gavel appending that deration, Orion felt a tremendous tempest pass him by as the golden greatsword of Law fell upon the silver knight. Their opponent dodged backward and raised that shield of his up, receiving an attack that had the weight of an ancient god freshly bolstered by a fight against Kirel Qircassia. Orion hoped to see a disy of weakness, to see a sign of their foe faltering¡­ yet just like any other, the blow stopped once it met that shield. It ended as meagerly as if it had been a child¡¯s attack with a wooden sword. Then, the knight of silver swung his sword of light upward in retaliation. Law¡¯s mighty weapon exploded backward, barely protecting him from harm. The god himself nearly lost his head.


    That shield nullified all attacks with ease, that sword delivered attacks unmatched, and the knight himself possessed vignce to such a degree he could never be ambushed. As Orion saw the silver knight move, slowed by Law¡¯s domain, he realized this foe could only be dealt with up close. Metal and flesh folded around the wound Raven had made, mending it as blood flowed.


    And yet¡­ blood did flow.


    With Law, Rook, Raven, and Durran all beaten back, Orion rushed forth with his heart screaming at him to flee. The knight possessed no such vignce toward him¡ªhe took a stance, his shield held forward, sword held to the side, and thrust his de again and again to skewer Orion. Each attack bore the strength and speed of a ballista crafted by Dario.


    Even with time slowed slightly, Orion had to take every measure to avoid death. Wind echoed his steps to lend him the speed required to dodge those bolts of deadly light. Electricity coursed through his muscles to break the limit of what his body would allow. Fire and smoke wreathed from his entire body and obscured his form. Orion was utilizing the blessings the false pantheon had bestowed upon him the best he ever had.


    When he was near close enough to strike, Orion¡¯s visioned narrowed in defiance of the fear choking his guts. He knew what needed to be done to have any hope of victory, and he did it. When the next thrust came, he leapt toward it, his shield held out. It took the full brunt of those deadly javelins of light. The force was so intense that Orion only felt resistance for half a second¡ªinstead of the force transferring to his body and breaking his arm, it <em>pierced through </em>the shield, carrying onward. He mmed full-force into the silver knight, who¡ªgiven the fact Orion was on the side his sword arm was¡ªcould not bring that nullifying shield to defend himself in time.


    Orion had finally moved that mountain, and the two of them tumbled through the chaotdscape he¡¯d caused. Amidst the roll, either through luck or skill, Orionnded atop the silver knight, raised his sword, and plunged it straight through the knight¡¯s visor. The silver knight spasmed once, and Orion pulled free his de. He raised his de horizontally as, despite all reason, the silver knight continued to live.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    With one hand on his sword¡¯s handle and the other on the de, he mmed it down like a guillotine upon his foe¡¯s neck. He sought the gap between helmet and breastte to behead him. At the same time, the silver knight freed his sword arm, took aim at Orion, and thrust. In that split second, Orion felt pain unimaginable¡­ and ceased to feel his legs at all. But he also felt his de slip past helmet and breastte both, meeting the flesh behind the armor. It cleaved through until it hit the dirt behind.


    Then¡­ sensations left him, one by one. Thest thing he perceived were words, projected directly into his head.


    ¡°I won¡¯t let you.¡±

 Chapter 648: Worth of a Sacrifice

    Chapter 648: Worth of a Sacrifice


    ¡°I won¡¯t let you.¡±


    Orion blinked open his eyes. The pain that he¡¯d been feeling moments before had all gone, reced only with the pleasant and familiar sensation of wind gracing his cheek across windy ins. Remembering what he was doing, he sat up and looked around. Rather than a battlefield ravaged by his powerful foe, he saw a drearyndscape unfold before him.


    As far as the eye could see, there was gray, dead grass. It somehow looked worse than when winter came¡ªcker, like it¡¯d been burnt away with fire. There was the undeniable stench of corruption in the air, almost like rotting flesh. At the far end of his vision, he saw a golden tree that he¡¯d visited once before.


    The Tree of Being.


    Fear and nervousness took hold of him as he realized what the implications of his vision were. Had he finally greeted death? Was this horrifying world the afterlife? Was there to be some sort of punishment for his sins? He had tried to outweigh what he¡¯d done with virtue, protecting his family so ardently¡­ but perhaps some things simply couldn¡¯t be outweighed.


    ¡°You think too much,¡± said that voice he¡¯d heard earlier. ¡°It¡¯s rather like how I speak too much.¡±


    The voice was hoarse, almost as if it was an old man¡¯s barely clinging to life. But there was something familiar about it, and Orion rose to his feet. He started to walk toward the tree, already having some inkling as to what he might be going to greet. When he crested the hill that the Tree of Being sprouted from, he saw a great serpent, divested of all that had made it glorious.


    Lindon the silver serpent, god of minds, dreams, and consciousness. Heid there, descaled. He¡¯d never had a solid body, but every apparition he¡¯d shown them had been one of some considerable glory. This, by contrast, looked like it was dying. It looked far worse than Vasquer ever had, even when she¡¯d been trapped underground for so long. Even when she¡¯d actually died.


    But those silver eyes trained themselves on his figure at the top of the hill, and that hoarse voice pierced his mind once again. ¡°Hello, Orion.¡±Orion braced himself uneasily. Given what he¡¯d just fought, he couldn¡¯t be sure that this wasn¡¯t some further machination of Gerechtigkeit. Whether on the physical realm or the mental one, he would fight to the bitter end.


    ¡°If you¡¯d like to punch me a few times to relieve your rage, feel free. But I¡¯ve gone through great lengths to make sure that your end isn¡¯t bitter, despite how hard you fought me.¡± He heard a great sigh from the wounded Lindon. ¡°I had hoped you would react to my warning altogether differently than you did. But, given the limited resources I had at my disposal, it worked out as best as I could have hoped.¡±


    ¡°What do you speak of?¡± Orion called out, his voice echoing powerfully through this realm.


    ¡°That feeling of impending doom. The notion that death wasing. It wasn¡¯t some supernatural intuition that your time for retribution wasing¡ªit was my attempt at a warning.¡±


    Orion¡¯s face hardened in disbelief.


    ¡°Gerechtigkeit has aplete stranglehold on the Gilderwatchers, Orion. The past weeks, he¡¯s spent refining my existence into what you fought. The power I had, existing within the Gilderwatchers¡­ he brought them together, isted my being, and used the Melding I¡¯m capable of creating to birth the monster that you killed. It was a vastpression of my will into that single entity.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°Killed? You im I killed it?¡± Orion repeated.


    ¡°Oh, indeed. Killed,¡± Lindon confirmed. ¡°Even snakes die when their head is cut off. They might writhe for a while, but they¡¯re functionally dead. You killed that silver warrior, Orion. You needed no aid from the Fruit of Being. <em>You</em> saved ckgard. You rallied against fear, and in so doing, became much stronger than you were.¡±


    Orion touched his waist, where he recalled that final wound piercing his body. ¡°Then¡­ I must¡¯ve died, in those final moments.¡±


    ¡°Of course not,¡± Lindon disagreed. ¡°Do you think your sister would leave you dying idly? Even as we speak, I suspect she¡¯s scooping you up and making sure you don¡¯t expire. Your extraordinary constitution will take care of the rest. But we speak of things left to happen, and there are words I must impart before I fade.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re fading?¡± Orion questioned, still cautious.


    ¡°Indeed. I knew my death at Gerechtigkeit¡¯s hand was inevitable. In strength, he has always been my superior. He¡¯s spent countless millennia studying my technique to warp the mind, too, and it showed. I held out as long as I could, but when I realized death was inevitable, I sumbed so that I might deliver onest vestige of untainted will. It¡¯s how we can still speak. I hope to offer some insight into what Gerechtigkeit will attempt.¡±


    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Orion nodded. He still felt some caution, especially after remembering what¡¯d happened to Vasquer, but he said, ¡°I will listen.¡±


    ¡°Gerechtigkeit will stop at nothing to retrieve Sophia,¡± Lindon said bluntly. ¡°The knight that appeared today was a manifestation of the wish the two siblings shared, back when they were Griffin and Sophia,rades in abuse at Sandbara. The perfect knight,e to save them both. He dreamed of a poetic reunion with his lost sibling, where he ends the cycle his way and realizes the pathid out for both of them. Defeating it¡­ I will not ever say that anything could suffice as vengeance for the death of Vasquer, but I will say that Gerechtigkeit surely rages at its death. You denied him his perfect future. He now surely hates you as much as you hate him.¡±


    Orion said nothing, but he epted that situation internally. It aligned with how Sophia had reacted as he¡¯d been guarding her.


    ¡°He used me as the fodder for this perfect knight¡¯s creation. In so doing, he has supnted me within the Gilderwatchers. He exists in them as I existed in them. Simultaneously, he¡¯s attempting to destroy the White nes, which would unbind them from the treaty suppressing our abilities. If that were to happen, he could exert the same power I once did millennia ago. If that should happen, the minds of <em>all </em>on the are at risk. He could quite literally make ves of everything capable of higher reasoning.¡±


    Orion felt a deep sense of unease at that. ¡°What of the rings we crafted?¡±


    ¡°I believe they¡¯ll function, thank the gods,¡± Lindon said, relief voring his tone. ¡°The only reason I was able to enter your mind is because your hand was cut off your body. Still, it would be entirely impractical to expect you to be able to distribute those rings worldwide. The logistics of such a thing¡­ even with Elenore, it would bergely impossible. But there remain other ways to prevent this apocalypse.¡±


    ¡°Would you ask me to hunt Gilderwatchers?¡± Orion said, voice tight. Catching movement, his eyes danced to the side. There, very distantly, he saw the ground copsing.


    ¡°¡­that would be myst suggestion,¡± Lindon said quietly. ¡°I will never feel at ease suggesting that you should make something I spent lifetimes protecting simply¡­ <em>end.</em> But given the danger to all others, I cannot dismiss it entirely. There are two other ways I would suggest you pursue, first. Neither can be called simple, but they are preferrable.¡±


    ¡°Tell me, then.¡± Orion gestured, keeping an easy eye on distant ground. It looked as though this world was copsing.


    ¡°The first would be to prevent the destruction of the White nes,¡± Lindon said. ¡°Given how immensely formidable they are, it would be a near-impossible task. How do you reinforce that which is essentially impregnable? I use that word, yet the fact that it falls before Gerechtigkeit¡¯s power suggests it does still have room for improvement. If it is possible, find it.


    ¡°The second would be the most ideal oue, from my viewpoint. That would be harnessing yourtent bloodline to a greater extent, giving yourself and your siblings the capacity to fight back against and neutralize Gerechtigkeit¡¯s mental assaults over the people.¡±


    Orion narrowed his eyes. ¡°Is such a thing possible?¡±


    ¡°If I knew, I would simply give you the answer and send you on your merry way. But the family of Vasquer is a rather unique existence. I cannot honestly say if there is a route. Influencing the mind of others¡­ it is a frightening power, indeed. Of everyone alive bearing descent from Vasquer, you are most simr to the Gilderwatchers. I believe you have the best potential of doing so.¡±


    ¡°I am?¡± Orion tilted his head.


    ¡°Of course you are. You have unending desires to protect and serve your family. You have notions of harmony, togetherness, and cooperation that defy conventional human standards. And yet¡­ in that knight, Orion, was a message I believe you should hear. A symbolic one, that I hope will change your conduct throughout the rest of your life.¡±


    Orion crossed his arms defensively, bracing himself as the total copse of this ne came ever closer.


    ¡°That knight¡­ though it bore my colors of white and silver, it was modelled after <em>you, </em>Orion. It was that idealistic version of yourself that you keep trying to mold yourself into being. It had perfect mentality, superior strength, and still you killed it. Why? Because, Orion, that ideal that you strive toward is fundamentally wed. It will kill you, just as you killed it.¡±


    He didn¡¯t know what to say in response to that.


    ¡°You are not special. You haven¡¯t been chosen by the universe to carry out a specific role. You do not possess some warped fate that dictates you must live to serve your family and people. You inherited that from us, but you are not a Gilderwatcher. I say so as much for your sake as those around you.¡±


    ¡°What are you advising?¡± Orion asked defensively.


    ¡°There must be more to life and love than duty to something greater.¡±


    Those words stirred uncertainty in Orion¡¯s heart. He¡¯d heard simr statements in the past¡ªmost often from Argrave,e to think of it. He had paid them little mind, as he felt himself possessed ofpleteprehension about who he was and the purpose he served. Yet¡­ never before had he thought himself capable of something like fear.


    ¡°Kill the perfect knight,¡± Lindon urged. ¡°You¡¯ve done so in body. Now, do so in spirit. Grace those around you with your presence for as long as you can. Your sacrifice will never be worth as much as your existence.¡±


    Leaving those words behind in the wake of his own sacrifice, the rapid copse of this ne finally reached to where they stood. Lindon¡¯s body crumbled away, and so too did the ground beneath Orion¡¯s feet. He tumbled into an endless void. When he looked up, he saw the Tree of Being slowly eaten away¡­ until it became nothing at all.


    Then, Orion met solitude again.

 Chapter 649: Do or Die

    Chapter 649: Do or Die


    The casualties from the assault of the silver knight were staggering. Elenore reviewed the figures as she sat.


    A great deal of the most prominent spellcasters in the world had been in ckgard, and many went in its defense. As it turned out, their being clustered together so tightly was a hindrance rather than a boon. Great Chu and visiting Veiden schrs did not participate as much in the defense, so the bulk of the deaths were concentrated in Vasquer natives. Figures were of yet unclear, but one thing was certain: the Order of the Gray Owl¡¯s upper echelon halved in size. Castro¡¯s sessor also perished, leaving a void of power at the top of the organization that brought her great unease.


    The army, which had been mobilized to get the citizens to safety, had not been hit as hard¡­ yet it was hit. Their numbers had swelled to twenty-three thousand before the attack, and preliminary reports suggested they had lost three to four thousand. It would put a huge strain on the kingdom¡¯s treasury to pay out their families as was promised, but now more than ever, Elenore needed to show that enlistment in the army was a viable career option and that the government did value its soldiers.


    The civilian poption faced simr losses to the army. No attacks pierced their defenses directly, yet the silver knight¡¯s reckless blows causedndslides, copses, sinkholes, and other such tragedies. Beyond utterly wrecking the painstakingly-established infrastructure, deaths were also in the thousands. ckgard had attracted such immigration because of its reputation of invulnerability¡ªwith such a devastating attack on it, the influx of immigrants might slow.


    Rook had sustained a dire injury, apparently, and now considered his debt to Argrave, which had been incurred after treacherously killing Erlebnis, paid. Law had been humiliated, arriving yet achieving little¡ªbut more than that, Elenore felt the reputation of the Kingdom of Vasquer within the ckgard Union might¡¯ve been damaged by her calling such a dramatic mobilization. So much tragedy, and damage, and death¡­ all spurred by one attacker.


    But there was someone that hadn¡¯t died.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Elenore lowered her reports, staring at Orion as heid there. When she¡¯d had some people rush in and retrieve him, he was in the worst condition imaginable. His orbital socket had been shattered¡ªit was a wonder his eyes hadn¡¯t popped out during battle. His hands werepletely frozen, and needed to be amputated so they could regrow properly. A metal shard from his helmet had embedded itself in his head, and needed to be removed. Many of his internal organs had been cooked, both from electricity and fire.


    As for his legs¡­ he couldn¡¯t use them, for now. The finishing blow from the silver knight had blown a great hole in his waist,pletely eviscerating a huge section of his spine. That should have killed him. Had Elenore taken seconds longer to have her people go, it would have. Even if he could awake now, he wouldn¡¯t be able to walk. Not just because the spinal injury¡ªin the battle, he¡¯d fractured his femur in countless ces, and both of his lower legs had separated after a spiral fracture.


    Beaten, broken, battered, and facing a foe that could strike down gods¡­ and still Orion had charged forth, fighting desperately. It had been his righteous defense that had spurred other defenders to keep fighting still. And in the end, though she had been nning some grand stratagem wherein the Fruit of Being was used to wipe away this scourge¡­ Orion, all but alone, had won that battle and defended ckgard. And he would make a full recovery, ridiculous being that he was.The damage of this battle wouldst years, maybe even decades. It could echo out into the infrastructure of the whole kingdom, spelling weakness. She would do her best to let it be known that this was the beginning of Gerechtigkeit¡¯s wrath in efforts to unite all beneath their banner. Yet despite all of that, the whole ordeal had seemed a contravention against fate.


    After talking to Sophia, who¡¯d had a strange reaction to this event, it seemed Gerechtigkeit¡ªnow certainly confirmed to be Griffin¡ªhad weaponized that idealistic dream the siblings had once shared in Sandbara. Raven¡¯s observations suggested he¡¯d used the Gilderwatcher¡¯s strength of will to bring that dream into existence, sending it forth to ¡®save¡¯ Sophia.


    Fortunately, Sophia¡¯s dream of a perfect knight provedcking before the real thing.


    Elenore gentlyid her hand atop Orion¡¯s cheek as he slept. ¡°Rest well, brother.¡±


    Leaving that quiet whisper behind, Elenore gathered her papers and made to leave. There was work to do to ensure that this city he¡¯d nearly spent his life protecting remained grand. She¡¯d had her small moment of vulnerability with her brother¡ªnow, it was time to let the others that he¡¯d fought so hard for have their time. His wife. His mother. Little Sophia, who still seemed in disbelief this was all over.


    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    When Argrave came back, she¡¯d have to be certain that Orion was given a proper reward. She owed him that much. Whatever he¡¯d done, or not done, in the past, she had forgiven Orion. More than forgiven him, she might go so far as to say the role of favorite brother was a little less clearly distinguished than it once was.


    #####


    Argrave, Anneliese, and their merry band of the semi-grateful dead managed to secure right of passage from the Hopeful. Now that they¡¯d earned that right, they used and abused it as best they could. They spent an ample amount of time gaining a grasp on the rewritten white and ck terrain. Once they¡¯d carved out a significant territory around their foe¡¯s base of operations, they spent an even more ample amount of time studying the Manumitter and his makeshift liberation army. They revealed how he fought, and what he was aiming for.


    Apparently, the Manumitter could free someone of the hierarchy imposed by the Hopeful with touch alone. That made him a potent weapon, indeed¡ªyet the fact he hadn¡¯t been roaming about the ce, indiscriminately groping Shadonders demonstrated a fundamental weakness: Traugott himself. They assumed he was weak. Perhaps it wasn¡¯t exceptional that creatures capable of destroying entire cities were stronger than him. Or perhaps it wasn¡¯t weakness. Perhaps his ability itself had fundamental ws that he kept secret.


    Regardless, Traugott had amassed a sizable fighting force. The crowning jewel of that was one of the Hopeful¡¯s lieutenants. Rather troublingly, the ck knight that hade with Argrave could provide neither name nor description. They had all, before Argrave¡¯s arrival, existed in a formless void thatcked the same sensations their world did. Words could not describe what they were, excluding a notable exception.


    ¡°She is anger. Stubborn defiance. Iron will. Principled,¡± the rider described. ¡°Descriptions of emotions and temperament, at least, are something we both share.¡±


    Their purpose in spending so long formting their n wasn¡¯t merely to develop a concrete n of attack against Traugott. It was as much to plot how to fight against the yoke of the Hopeful once he no longer had any need for them. They spoke in hushed tones and euphemisms, only talking frankly when their escort returned to the shadows. He was frustrated by their slow progress, but neither side ever broke the status quo. Argrave andpany were needed. The Manumitter was a threat the Hopeful could not easily kill¡ªeach and all he sent forth might turn their des against him and strengthen the rebels.


    Though exhaustion never found them in this colorless realm, even these ancient heroes were stretched to their mental limits in the sleepless weeks they spent seeking some grand strategy to achieve a wless victory. Perfection was an impossible ideal to reach for, doubly so when it came to something soplex as a battle involving hundreds, perhaps thousands, of unimaginably fierce beings. But at the end of it all¡­


    ¡°I¡¯m not pleased about it. Not pleased at all,¡± Argrave pointed out, his voice unable to express his indignance in light of the enforced monotony in this realm.


    ¡°Yet you can offer no opposing viewpoint, and our time here is not eternal,¡± Emperor Balzat outlined poignantly. ¡°We have spent perhaps half the time that Garm allotted us.¡±


    Argrave bit his lip, displeased yet with no suitable counterproposal. He had to admit it¡­ after workshopping their strategy for a long, long while, it hade to an advanced point with contingencies atop contingencies. Anything further was summarized by the simple little phrase, ¡®analysis paralysis.¡¯ They had a solid n.


    The only problem was it involved Anneliese fighting Traugott, far apart from Argrave.


    She wouldn¡¯t be alone, naturally. But with her weapon forged of Veid¡¯s heart, she could lock him into a duel from which he could not escape. Their basic n was simple. Argrave would cause a brilliant distraction by rewriting the world those rebel Shadonders resided in, then beginning a straight-out attack. That sort of bombastic entrance was meant to give Anneliese ample time to sneak up, initiate the duel, and ideally assassinate Traugott right away.


    From there, they veered into theplicated¡ªgetting away. They had ideas, but practice made perfect, and practice wars didn¡¯t exist anyce besides Argrave¡¯s own head.


    But even the first part¡ªdistracting the rebel leader¡ªwould be immensely difficult. The act of rewriting the Shadonds would make any notion of surprise vanish. Traugott might simply flee before Anneliese ever found her opportunity. A small battalion serving beneath their rider escort was waiting, but given Traugott¡¯s ability, they couldn¡¯t be relied upon. Traugott, furthermore, was an unknown variable. How powerful was he really?


    Still¡­ with things as they are, they had no choice. It was do or die time.


    ¡°Alright then.¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°Anneliese¡¯s squad hunts down Traugott, ends him. Meanwhile, my squad¡­ we take the liberation army, and try to start a revolution.¡±

 Chapter 650: Hedonistic Scholarship

    Chapter 650: Hedonistic Schrship


    From birth, Traugott had always felt like his life was tied to the abyss. It consumed all he felt endlessly. There was little that inspired anything inside of him. Though he felt emotions like rage, sorrow, happiness, and all others, it was as though they existed outside of him, pouring into a hole that never ended. Nothing that affected others had ever affected him. Even the things that others called needs¡ªthe need to sate hunger or quench thirst, for instance¡ªhad little bearing on his life.


    He neither liked nor disliked pain. At some points in his life, he had inflicted it on himself repeatedly to discover how it worked, because there was only one thing that truly stimted him in any way: learning that which he did not know. Even that was fitting, as the very nature of the abyss was something that could never be known or understood. Curiosity was his first, true love that allowed him to visualize what the term even meant. He never grew bored of her.


    To his parents, refugees from the Burnt Desert taken in by House Parbon, his inquisitiveness had been the sign of a precocious child who possessed a certain brightness. It had been enough to cultivate a thin veneer of normalcy that allowed him to operate in peace. They grew wealthy enough from selling out their former tribesmen to the present margrave of House Parbon that they could afford to send him to the Order of the Gray Owl. Their craftiness taught him much about the realities of the world. He didn¡¯t enjoy doing the things that led to learning, but he did enjoy the learning itself. To that end, their callousness had aided him. He never forgot that.


    He had gone through life learning so much. He was smart enough to know that he would need power to learn all he pleased to learn, and so he quietly advanced as they wanted him to in the Order of the Gray Owl. There, his parents were no longer of any use, so he cut ties with them. It had been easy to feel alive, back then¡ªhe was a dry sponge in an ocean, absorbing the vast stores of knowledge umted over the years.


    Past a certain point¡­ there were diminishing returns on well-travelled fields of study. Studying elemental magic, he would need to put forth ten times the effort for the same level of stimtion as exploring entirely new fields¡ªnecromancy, for instance. He had grown empty, hollow, adhering to the rules of the Order of the Gray Owl. Castro was an ever-watchful leader, ensuring none of the Magisters put a single toe into anything forbidden. It was restrictive, and many of Traugott¡¯s days were spent existing in the empty void that was his life without stimtion.


    Until, of course, all of this.


    Argrave had broken him free of the period of ckness when he delivered a book to Castro. It spoke of many things, foremost among them Gerechtigkeit. Traugott followed the leads described therein and bore witness to the vast changes the world was about to undertake. That awakening had all culminated in the grand opening of the Shadonds. Here, he explored the depths of something that simply could not be in their realms. If he¡¯d had it his way, he would have simply spent his time wandering the Shadonds, preparing all its denizens for his gambit against Argrave. Unfortunately, the power structure here was deeply entrenched. Fortunately, he was able to end it, aiding his long-term goal¡ªmoving beyond this cycle of judgment.


    There was so much to look forward to. So many things that had never happened. There was Sophia¡ªhe was eager to discover her intricacies, doubly so after his experimentations with Norman. He had theories about how her power might be used to make more of Gerechtigkeit than the cmity ever made of himself. There was so much to learn, so much to see¡­ and at the end of it all, Traugott saw a way into <em>other </em>ces. ces <em>beyond </em>this one. The Heralds had spoken to him, and through their dialogue, he saw the ecstasy of learning repeated to infinity. They promised new realms, new existences. The idea enthralled him.


    At present, however¡­ another such fascinating thing hade to him.Traugott stepped out into the changed world that his people were so rabidly fearing, curious to see what he would experience. At once, familiar yet muted sensations returned to him, most prevalently sight. It took him some time to adapt to the reality of what he saw, and he blinked his eyes rapidly in adjustment. For the first time, it would seem, his world hade to the Shadonds rather than the Shadondsing to his world. Free of the abyss, he was once again in the form of Good King Norman in Shadonder flesh.


    In the far distance, he saw a locust gue tear through countless of his subordinates. The ck clouds of destruction were far too dense of an attack to make any sense of what wasing. These bugs, which he identified as magical in nature, seemed to eat through the very shadows themselves. Thereafter, like drifting petals, a pleasant whiteness reced all that was erased before settling down into the bleak gray world stretched out before him.


    He looked to his left, witnessing his lieutenant emerge from the abyssal Shadonds of yet untouched by their attacker. Inside the abyss, such details weren¡¯t clear, but here, she had genuine features his human mind could understand. The shadows still wreathed most of her, but he could distinguish white hair that looked like silk and deep red eyes. Only her eyes had color, bizarrely. A fascinating quirk that he would love to explore. The eyes were genuine windows to the soul, as his experiments had discovered. Would they retain that color, then, removed from the body?


    If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the vition.


    ¡°Is this another of the Hopeful¡¯s machinations you¡¯re aware of?¡± he questioned, his voiceing out in a fashion as he hadn¡¯t expected it. Another fascination¡ªwas it his ears hearing incorrectly, his voice box malfunctioning, or a trantion applied by this changed realm?


    ¡°No,¡± his lieutenant responded in the same voice. ¡°This is something none of us have ever seen before. In power, I believe I am superior, and yet¡­ there may be more to this attack, and so I would advise caution.¡± She peered out.


    ¡°Hmm.¡± Traugott rubbed his hands together, unconcerned. ¡°What can you tell me about our attackers? Their appearance, that is. I cannot see so well.¡±


    ¡°They are a varied group. The one that causes the most damage is a tall human with ck hair. He leads that gue of locusts¡ªand I expect the rest of group, as well.¡±


    Traugott started to smile, kneeling down and squinting hard. ¡°Could it be? No¡­¡± he shook his head, not quite believing it. Yet a smile did rise to his face at the thought of it. When he saw a familiar coat through the haze of it all¡ªthough the coat was somewhat in tatters¡ªhis jubtion finally met its target. ¡°It is.¡±


    People spoke of theplexity of the higher species like elves or humans, but Traugott had always found them no different from any other animal. The only thing that made men better than mice was the fact they thought they were. Some select few had drawn his interest, but it was about the same level of interest he had seeing an unusually-colored animal. Smart, talented people with strange applications of magic or bizarre constitutions could notpare to the pleasure brought from exploring the depths of things untouched by human hands.


    But Argrave¡­ he was different.


    He¡¯d had countless theories about how Argrave hade to know so much about the world. In the end, one of them had been directly confirmed by the Heralds; Argrave was from another reality entirely. The Heralds said little more than that, ying upon Traugott¡¯s sole desire to convince him to do their bidding. They wanted Argrave neutralized more than anything. They wished to use Traugott as the cudgel to achieve that. He was happy to y into their hands, because he was a rather simple person. He knew he could outmaneuver them in the long run. He had never met anyone he¡¯d consider a peer, let alone a superior.


    ¡°You should capture him alive,¡± Traugott said as he stared. ¡°Go. I look forward to results.¡±


    His lieutenant looked at him. ¡°Whenst we fought a devastating battle, I advised our retreat. You refused. I obeyed, then, despite my protests. My protests were correct, and we suffered great losses. After that incident, I see not the reason to repeat a mistake.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Traugott looked at her. Like any others, the Shadonders could be manipted. He¡¯d done well so far in using this woman¡¯s hope for herself and her people¡ªand besides, the ability he possessed to free their people was too valuable for her to abandon him.


    ¡°If you can catch him alive, I have no more reason to be fearful of what lurks on the other side,¡± Traugott said. ¡°He is the only one who poses a genuine threat to me on the mortal world. You can tell as much, because he¡¯se here, hunting me.¡± He smiled at her. ¡°Bring him to me¡­ and I¡¯ll open the portal to my realm you so desperately desire, granting you freedom.¡±


    Her red eyes focused on him for a long, long while. Then, she dered calmly, ¡°If it is not so, our partnership will not be maintained. I will not be toyed with. A lying life cannot continue to persist in the Shadonds.¡±


    After threatening him, she left quickly. He wondered if she¡¯d die. If she did win, she could probably enact her threat, but he was confident he could cate her without actually fulfilling her request. If she died, it didn¡¯t matter. It was worth sacrificing all he¡¯d built for a chance at capturing the man from another realm. Argrave had handled a great deal. It was a shame he had morals, elsewise they might¡¯ve had a civilized conversation so long ago.


    He heard a strange sound, and turned his head. There, a familiar face stood. Anneliese. She let out a sigh.


    ¡°I was so damned terrified. But¡­ it worked,¡± she said.


    Traugott saw her draw a de out of a fancy-looking staff, and his eyes darted around the area. There, more figures revealed themselves¡ªconcealed by southron elf illusion magic, it seemed. Rather fascinating. Argrave, as ever, continued to impress. They had followed him here, and now, had set up an ambush for him. Fortunately, he¡¯d prepared some contingencies for this,rgely in case the people he¡¯d collected turned on him. Perhaps it was time to leave.


    The moment Traugott <em>did </em>move to leave, he felt a strange pressure on his chest. He grabbed at it, then attempted again. It grew stronger, straining against him proportionally. Yet when he advanced forth, it faded.


    ¡°I hate you a great deal, Traugott. There are a lot of reasons for anyone to hate you, but in my case, it¡¯s unreasonably so,¡± Anneliese said. ¡°The only thing Iment is that I¡¯m forced to give you a quick death, because it¡¯s most practical.¡±


    Fear poured into the abyss of Traugott¡¯s body, and as ever, he wasn¡¯t affected by it. He considered what was urring calmly, epting that there was a force at work preventing his flight. He reasoned what would be the best course of action, and concluded that it would be best to fight as desperately as he could, calling all of his allies back to him.

 Chapter 651: Dimensions of a Battlefield

    Chapter 651: Dimensions of a Battlefield


    Anneliese had always felt a particrly strong loathing toward Traugott.


    It was difficult for her to pinpoint why, exactly, which troubled her¡ªshe liked to consider herself as someone calm, objective, and rational. She found hatergely unproductive. Though Traugott had been behind the death of Castro, a man who she had deep respect for, she could tell that wasn¡¯t the root of her feelings. Traugott had disyed wanton cruelty at every turn, and reckless disregard for the lives of others. Even that, she felt, was only a contributing factor affirming her hatred was justified rather than forming the foundation of that hate itself.


    For Anneliese to hate something so deeply, she felt she had to understand it. She did understand why Traugott did what he did all too well. That drive of curiosity, the desire to learn¡ªit existed in her, too, giving her greater satisfaction than most other activities in life. But Anneliese hade to the boundary of what was moral to learn, and she had stepped away. She hated Traugott, she suspected, because he came to that moral boundary and never stopped pressing forward.


    Jealousy? Disappointment? Disgust? Some other emotion altogether? It didn¡¯t matter what was fueling that hate, but it existed. Knowing that, for the first time in her life, she had been eager to take the fight to this man. She had spent a lot of time thinking about it, plotting what he might do and how she might respond.


    Traugott, barred from escaping, rushed at her with the calm of a feline hunting prey. She met hisposure in equal measure, stepping backward and letting her allies fold inward. Both of them knew that one¡¯s emotions were no cause to get swept up in reckless attack, and she would heed that sensibility lest she be overrun by this notably cunning opponent. Unlike Dimocles, Traugott had an abundance of experience fighting. She knew this wouldn¡¯t be easy.


    Bhaltair¡¯s undead, armed with weapons forged of Argrave¡¯s blood, leapt from folded pockets of illusion crafted by Ghiin.By instinct, Traugott, so ustomed to traversing between realms, dipped back inside the mortal world for a brief moment before reappearing. Anneliese was pleased to note that Veid¡¯s heart did not lose its grip on him for even when he left the Shadonds in that brief moment. She did not want to let him retreat ever again.


    Now that Traugott knew his restriction was no retreat, he made full use of his terribly powerful ability. He stepped between the realms so freely and unrestrictedly that it was rming, leaving few opportunities for Bhaltair¡¯s undead to score a blow. He demonstrated the terrible power of his new form, stepping back into the mortal realm to dodge a swing only to reappear behind his foe, crushing their skull with a single punch. But he was not infallible¡ªone small cutnded on his shoulder. Anneliese observed it carefully, with her [Truesight]. She watched everything he did, learning and observing to pick out any details that might lend advantage.


    ¡°You havee unprepared for who I am,¡± Traugott taunted, dodging again and dispatching two more of Bhaltair¡¯s minions.


    She took those words for maniptions born of no conviction. He would say anything to chip away at herposure. But he was alone, and always would be¡ªshe, meanwhile, made far better use of allies than he ever could. In the corners of her eyes, ckness started to consume them. It wasn¡¯t the ckness of the shadows¡ªrather, Argrave¡¯s part in this n wasing to bear. He was blocking reinforcements froming to protect Traugott as he fought.The heroes of old emerged from Ghiin¡¯s concealment, striking in tandem with fast, powerful spells. Anneliese had a ward prepared in advance, and absorbed the powerful waves of magic the resulting sh created. When the chaos settled, Anneliese felt a presence behind her as sure as day. She whipped her head, where Traugott emerged. He had bypassed her ward so easily by stepping between realms. Both his hands lunged at the back of her neck, pulsing with prepared magic. He knew she was the lynchpin.


    But then¡­ she¡¯d rather been hoping he¡¯d desperately hunt her.


    The ck rider emerged from another of Ghiin¡¯s concealments right beside her, swinging a de of blood given to him by Argrave in a cruel arc. It sunk straight into Traugott¡¯s left hand, yet he managed to yank his right arm away before it too was severed and dodge back. The spell in his left hand fizzled out as it severed from his arm, while the right sent out ance of electricity which she easily caught with a second ward. Traugott fell back into the mortal realm, then reappeared some distance away.


    Anneliese picked up his severed, ck hand. Traugott clutched his arm, closing the wound with magic before it bled while watching his surroundings cautiously. ¡°It appears I can fall back,¡± he shouted. ¡°Is it a matter of mentality, that ability of yours? I can do what is needed for the battle, yet I cannot retreat. What loopholes exist in that, I wonder? How long can you keep me here?¡±


    He was trying to make her panicked, make her act rashly in order to force a mistake. While the rider shielded her, she calmly ced Traugott¡¯s hand up against his leg to test if it still held power. The Shadonder wasn¡¯t freed of the hierarchy. She hadn¡¯t seen this hand change in any way, energy-wise, once it¡¯d left Traugott¡¯s body¡ªthat meant it likely wasn¡¯t his physical body alone that Traugott employed to free the Shadonders from the Hopeful¡¯s hierarchy.


    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    This was a battle in two dimensions, Anneliese realized. The first dimension was the battle of life and death, trying to gain victory over the other. The second dimension was the battle of their capability to gather information. Traugott was trying to discover how Veid¡¯s heart could be exploited in order to get away from this fight or gain an advantage. She, meanwhile, was trying to discover how Traugott broke free Shadonders of the hierarchy.


    The ¡®why¡¯ of her quest for discovery rested in her other half, doing battle with that far more intimidating opponent. It could be said her ability to learn how Traugott freed people from the hierarchy determined whether or not they left this ce alive.


    #####


    When they¡¯d asked the rider escorting them for the character of the lieutenant that had betrayed the Hopeful, he¡¯d offered some choice words for description.


    <em>Anger. Stubborn defiance. Iron will. </em>


    To say the least of it, Argrave saw those traits on full disy as he rolled about in the mud, desperately preserving his life.


    This white-haired woman with red eyes, her body wreathed in nightmarish shadows, chased him relentlessly. Argrave was forced to rely on his blood echoes ceaselessly, dodging attack after attack. Every time she raised her hand up, rather like that rider they¡¯d fought, she had a weapon in hand. The troubling bit was that it seemed to be totally random.


    Pike, sword, scythe, greataxe, ive, bow, saber, cudgel, staff, javelin, sling, crossbow, bullwhip, shield¡ªthe types of weapons came without an end, each wielded expertly with the intent to kill. It was incredibly mentally exhausting constantly plotting new directions to flee. No one before had ever been this unrelentingly straightforward in their attempts to snuff him out. She didn¡¯t think¡ªshe just hunted him wherever he appeared, and hit hard enough to level a building. The constant vignce necessary to avoid death was made all the more stressful by the importance of his role.


    Argrave was as much the primary attacker as he was the primary support. The locusts erupting from his arm their primary method to destroy Shadonders, and their method to control the battlefield. Doing damage to an enemy was just as important as retaining positional advantage. To that end, much of their time in preparation had been spent modifying the spell [Apollyon] to better function with Argrave¡¯s non-vampiric body, and to fulfill a variety of functions.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    In his right hand, the locusts bursting out were designated forbat¡ªpivotal, because Argrave needed to kill things to ensure a steady stream of vitalitying back to him through Anneliese. She redirected all energy she received back to him without even thinking. To sustain that, his attacks killed both allied and hostile Shadonders, indiscriminately. They¡¯d asked their escort where allies were stationed before the battle began, and thus far, that information held true¡ªArgrave yed thousands of Shadonders on their side with [Apollyon]. Underhanded, perhaps, to use allied forces as walking batteries. But they¡¯d not bothered concealing their intentions to kill Argrave, so he wouldn¡¯t bother preserving them, either.


    In his left, this modified version of [Apollyon] was meant for controlling the battlefield. Ghiin, the southron elf, had employed the illusory magic of his people to great effect in both sneaking up on Traugott andpletely hiding the effect the man was even under attack at all. Still, if reinforcements reached Anneliese, their opportunity might slip away. She was outmatched by Shadonders, unfortunately. To that end, Argrave¡¯s left hand created locusts following his mental direction more clearly. He kept any Shadonders far from her fight with Traugott.


    The spells were working fine. Vitality wasn¡¯t in short supply, thus far¡ªif it was, Argrave was capable of holding back far more than he had been the first usage. Considering that these spells had been modified in coboration with some of the greatest geniuses of every age in the world, it would be stranger if they weren¡¯t wless.


    The problem rested in the unpredictable element¡ªthis lieutenant, who was rather pivotal to further steps.


    ¡°Listen to me! Traugott is¡ª¡± Argrave shouted, before being forced to use [Echo Step] to get away. Where he¡¯d been moments before exploded into fragments of rock and dust as she mmed a mallet done and shattered the ground.


    ¡°Traugott¡¯s¡ª¡± Argrave tried to continue, only to frantically teleport away from a ckened arrow bursting out of that cloud of gray rubble.


    Their intention had been to divide the liberation movement from the liberator¡ªTraugott. If Argrave knew Traugott, he was <em>certain </em>this man inspired no loyalty from those he worked with. He had no friends in the Order of the Gray Owl before he¡¯d gone rogue. He worked alone for the longest time, briefly coborating with gods whom he held no loyalty to. He wasn¡¯t a people person.


    Argrave had been counting on his unsociability, but he couldn¡¯t get a damn word in edgewise with this berserker woman chasing him about mindlessly. Though he wondered how the hell Traugott had managed to get someone this upromisingly relentless on his side, he steeled himself with the knowledge that, if that uncharismatic freak could win her over¡­ so could Argrave, surely, with his tongue of silver and looks of gold.


    ¡°If you want freedom, then¡ª¡± He looked up, where a hammer near the size of his body fell upon him with devastating force. Even when he teleported free, he could feel its quakes rattling his legs as the force travelled through the terrain.


    Surely.

 Chapter 652: Animal and Hunter

    Chapter 652: Animal and Hunter


    Traugott assessed the situation objectively, plugging in a new variable to the equation to adjust its answer. From the outset, he¡¯d thought a few dozen S-rank spellcasters to eliminate him was a dire miscalction on Argrave¡¯s side. It made more sense upon the reveal that there was a rtively high-ranking Shadonder here¡ªmoreover, a Shadonder still linked to the hierarchy imposed by the Hopeful. Its presence meant the Hopeful was aware of this fight.


    With that alone, he saw victory in the gnashing teeth of these overwhelming odds.


    The Hopeful¡¯s design made no amodations for any outside of his direct control. He could suffer no interlopers or allies in his realm¡ªit was antithetical to his long-term goal. Argrave andpany were, at best, mercenaries brought to dispose of Traugott with their betrayal nned long in advance. At worst, they were ves doing his bidding. Given Argrave¡¯s tenacity, Traugott suspected their best-case scenario was what he was dealing with.


    With that in mind, they were likely seeking one of two things from him¡ªperhaps both,e to think of it. They wanted a way to escape from the Shadonds after Traugott¡¯s death, or they wanted to co-opt his liberation force to fight back against the Hopeful. Given Argrave¡¯s predisposition to sticking his nose in where he didn¡¯t belong, Traugott bet it was thetter.


    Whichever it was, it didn¡¯t matter¡ªthey were one in the same, fundamentally. Shadonders were freed from the hierarchy when they were exposed to the mortal realm.


    To escape with Traugott¡¯s aid, Argrave¡¯spany would need an opening to the mortal realm. To replenish the numbers of the liberating force, they¡¯d need the same. Traugott¡¯s own action was the bottleneck to all their ns, he was certain. As ever, his ability to shift between the realms would be the deciding factor in his life and death. To that end, he had spent much of his time in perfecting it. He could slip through perfectly enough that nothing besides himself passed.


    Anneliese and Argrave were clever¡ªthey likely already guessed that Traugott needed to be able to touch the Shadonder in question to free them. Upon seeing how he fought, what he did and didn¡¯t do, Anneliese would likely be able to guess that his ability to bridge the two realms was the key to breaking the hierarchy.


    It hardly mattered. Traugott¡¯s sess had never rested in outrageous victories. Instead, he merely avoided mistakes.


    This was to be a battle in perfection. Traugott would slowly learn more and more about the ability Anneliese employed. He would learn the weakest links in their group, and exploit what mistakes they made. Whoever made fewer would be the victor. Even if he lost¡ªif Anneliese discovered how to free the Shadonders, created an opportunity to do so, and killed him¡ªTraugott still won.After all, he¡¯d long wondered what came after death. It was merely another thing to learn.


    #####


    Anneliese felt rather like a starving hunter.


    That wasn¡¯t to say that she was overeager, but rather, she¡¯d been tracking this quarry for a long while. Finally, she had it cornered¡ªcaught in a trap. Thest thing that remained was dealing the finishing blow. Things were well at hand right now, but one small slip, and this crafty prey could slip free and avoid them all as it had countless times before. She would act slowly, act deliberately, and make no mistakes. Elsewise, she and the whole tribe would go hungry.


    ¡°Bhaltair, have your undead get distance. Send two to guard me,¡± shemanded. Hers was the only voice echoing in this ce, as had been agreed long in advance. ¡°Rider, advance. Suppress him. Do not ovemit.¡±


    With hermands, the battlefield reshaped. The rider took the frontline, carefully holding the de Argrave had created out in quiet standoff with the Manumitter. The undead formed what was effectively a ring around Traugott¡ªnot enough to attack, but enough tosh out at him if he was forced into a disadvantageous position.


    Traugott yed the part of cornered rat well enough, shuffling around carefully in consideration of all enemies around. He was no rat, though¡ªin his red eyes she saw the growling tiger, waiting for opportunity to lunge forth. He fell into the mortal realm, and when he reappeared, had moved to the area his back had been facing. He probed at the undead with lunging attacks, retreating when their des were ready to receive him. He changed targets back to the Shadonder just as quickly, conjuring an S-rank spell of wind that mmed forth a mighty fist.


    The rider swatted away the spell with the back of his hand in an unimaginable disy of power, then thrust his de at Traugott. The man had already dipped back into the mortal realm, and reappeared right beside the horse¡¯s backside. Anneliese observed carefully as he thrust his stump of a left arm out, cing it against the horse¡¯s haunches. When he pulled free his arm, he tore with it a new hand, pristine. The horse folded inward, much of its substance lost, and the rider fell to the ground.


    Not only had Traugott gained a new body, he could restore it by mere contact with one of the Shadonders.


    She stayed calm at this revtion,manding, ¡°Spellfire.¡±


    The battlefield was immediately filled with blinding white light from lighting and me both. She kept her eyes wide open despite the terrible brightness so as not to miss a single detail. When the chaos faded, Traugott had bypassed the undead, seeking some of the casters. Ghiin, though, had never once been idle since the battle began¡ªevery second, he created a weaving maze of illusions, hiding things and people in quiet recesses. Traugott sought to dispense with one aspect of this ambush, yet instead he found himself in another.


    Felipe I, founder of Vasquer, had an A-rank ascension uniquely suited for powerful attacks. He couldpress magic to smaller sizes. The might of an S-rank wind spell contained in a knuckle-size ball¡ªthe prative power was amazing. He thrust his arm forth into Traugott¡¯s shoulder de, and it appeared almost like a martial attack when Traugott was sent tumbling forth, ckness leaking from his tattered back.


    ¡°Reform the previous position surrounding him,¡± Anneliese dered, not allowing herself to be swept up in what seemed an advantage.


    She trusted the hyperpetent group she¡¯d been assigned to follow her words to the letter, keeping her eye only on her prey. Traugott¡¯s red eyes darted around not in panic, but in revtion. He held both arms to the ground, then Anneliese saw the mana ripple of higher ranking magic only a few seconds before quakes split the ground. Ghiin¡¯s illusions required a physical medium to function, which was the ground in this case¡ªto that end, with the ground disturbed they all shattered at once. Everyone was exposed.


    ¡°Beautiful,¡± she heard cut across the battlefield in that monotonous, nd tone all possessed.


    After that, the tiger, which had previously been obediently shepherded by the prodding spears, came alive. Traugott fell back into the mortal world, yet she could tell at once this time was different. He wasn¡¯t dodging an attack¡ªinstead, he was preparing his counterattack.


    ¡°Rider! To me!¡± She shouted urgently. ¡°All casters, spread out! Group into pairs and watch the other¡¯s back!¡±


    As the Shadonder horseman obeyed, conjuring a steed from his own blood, Traugott began to show the terrifying might of his A-rank ascension. By now, he had learned full well that retreat was the only condition Veid¡¯s heart barred. Now that all were exposed, he didn¡¯t need to dodge, wait, and observe. Instead, he became the vengeful specter in the heart of the enemy.


    As the grouped pairs spread out on the uneven terrain, Traugott appeared silently in the heart of their formation with no warning or indication and rained attacks upon them. His first few attacks were clumsy, imprecise strikes¡ªthe pairs could respond in time to block, even counterattack. Even in his imprecision, his power was such only S-rank wards stood a chance of blocking them.


    To sustain their magic, Anneliese was forced to divert some of the flood of vitality steadilying from Argrave¡¯s battle to replenish their magic supply, praying that it wouldn¡¯t hinder Argrave¡¯s fight if he was temporarily deprived. If she knew him, by now he was having a pleasant conversation with that lieutenant.


    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    ¡°Be ready,¡± she told the rider as he came to her side. ¡°Any sound, any movement¡ªreact.¡±


    Traugott¡¯s clumsy attack soon became a whirlwind of a dance as the man learned how to fight in this style. Appearing above, behind, besides, and between them all, punching, kicking, casting spells¡­ he was a menace. He was a sea creature biting at those floating on the surface. To their credit, the resurrected heroes could be likened to snapping turtles each and all, delivering sharp bites from within their imprable shell.


    But Anneliese knew Traugott was not one to be sidetracked.


    Whether intuition or a simple deduction from her intense scrutiny, when Traugott vanished to the other side one time, she whispered, ¡°Hees here.¡±


    The rider beside her tensed¡­ and when she heard a faint stirring behind her back, he leapt forth like lightning, swinging that de of his. She heard nothing, but assumed the rider had missed. She prepared a spell in her left hand, and Traugott leapt out directly in front of her. She cast the spell. The st of lightning hit nothing but air as Traugott vanished again. Despite the double-feint, Anneliese confidently clenched the de of Veid¡¯s heart, swinging it horizontally toward the right with all her might.


    Traugott¡¯s face appeared inches before the white de of Veid¡¯s heart. Her weapon struck right beside those gleaming red eyes of his. The de was a divine artifact, forged from the heart of a powerful god, and tempered by the Fruit of Being¡ªeven a Shadonder¡¯s flesh couldn¡¯t resist it. The force of Traugott¡¯s charge railed against her arm, but so too did her de. It sunk through skin and bone, cutting through his left eye, his nose, and then exiting his right eye.


    When Traugott mmed into her, she was cast a great distance away, unable to keep her grip on her de¡ªbut then, the weapon was a fundamental part of her. She slowed her roll andnded on her knees, then called her weapon back. It disappeared in one moment, then the next sprung forth from her hand. She watched where Traugott had ended up.


    Traugott clutched his eyes, totally blinded¡ªmore than that, even. A great deal of his face had been destroyed. Even now, he made no signs that pain truly bothered him. He crammed his hand against his face, and Anneliese realized he was using his own flesh to reconstitute his eyes. Seeing how that power so simr to Sophia¡¯s flowed through his body, a theory Anneliese had been developing feltpleted.


    As Traugott healed himself, without order from her, the rider leapt forth from his horse swinging his de at Traugott¡¯s skull. She had been expecting from the beginning the rider would, given the opportunity, act on his own initiative. His loyalty was to the Hopeful, first and foremost¡ªthe Hopeful wanted only the Manumitter¡¯s death.


    Traugott¡ªwithout sight, but possessed of his other senses¡ªstepped into the mortal realm. The rider tried to hunt him, thrusting his arm in the smallest crack. His act of recklessness finally confirmed something Anneliese had already been suspecting, given Traugott¡¯s abundance of caution regarding his ability. Upon exposure to the light of the mortal realm, the Hopeful¡¯s power faded, evaporating into nothingness. The rider was free of the hierarchy.


    The Manumitter reappeared. He had a new wound in his chest from the Shadonder¡¯s desperate attack, yet his eyes had returned to him. The rider struggled to pull free his arm from the rapidly-closing portal, and while he did, Traugott walked up and mmed his foot upon his back. He pulled flesh free of the Shadonder like a vulture might tear strips of meat free from a carcass, healing his wounds in seconds while the rider screamed. Anneliese thought the Shadonder¡¯s pain was more than physical¡ªleaving the hierarchy had wounded him mentally, and heid there helplessly as Traugott gorged himself to regenerate.


    Once all his wounds were healed, Traugott turned his red-eyed gaze toward Anneliese. She rose calmly, holding the sword toward him. They both gave the other a silent appraisal of the other¡¯s chance of victory, in that moment. Anneliese stood alone, her most physically powerful ally defeated. Even the undead were too far away to help her. The others couldn¡¯t reach her in time.


    Traugott stepped toward Anneliese, fading into the mortal realm, and she felt her heart pump quickly. She knew the shark was circling about, ready to take a bite. She called for no help, gave nomand¡­ instead, she merely went outside herself. She quietly sent her consciousness into an ally Traugott hadn¡¯t seen¡ªher Starsparrow.


    The bird, its golden colors muted in this gloomy realm, flew above. She watched from above, scrutinizing the terrain with the utmost care for any movement. Traugott began to appear to her left, to her right, like the shark¡¯s fin poking above the water. She could tell from his bodynguage they were feints, one and all, and waited patiently for the true attack. To her, nothing existed in the battlefield beside the two of them.


    Traugott appeared in front, casting two slow-moving S-rank fire spells. Anneliese stayed totally still as the inferno raged toward her. Even as it melted the ground and burnt her skin, she stayed in ce. From above, she saw him appear slightly behind and to the left. He charged, intending to tackle her. In this moment of crisis, her next moves felt so intensely natural it felt like she¡¯d done it a thousand times before.


    She turned swiftly, tossing her de and empowering her throw with a powerful wind spell. It rocketed forth faster than Traugott could react to, stabbing into his shoulder. He staggered, but kept charging. He¡¯d not seen that Anneliese could call the de back to her at a whim. Anneliese stepped to meet Traugott, then with one thought, had Veid¡¯s heart back in her hand. Traugott, in a panic, abandoned his attack, fading away to the other side to dodge.


    At thest moment Anneliese turned to confront the raging infernos, conjuring two S-rank wards. The firebombs exploded as a volcano might, concealing the whole area beneath me and smoke. Amidst all of that, Anneliese¡¯s eye was as steady as ever, watching from on high inside her Starsparrow. The next moments were a blur. A sh of movement, an instinctual duck and swing, and pain.


    When next Anneliese could think clearly, she realized she was blind in one eye, and face-down on the ground. She rose to her feet, feeling a dull ache on the left side of her body. Her vision swam, but through the fading smoke, she saw Traugott desperately struggling to reattach his leg. With a primal yell, she again called her de and sliced down into his shoulder.


    Traugott, with only one leg and one arm,id there unmoving. Anneliese called upon the flowing vitalitying from Argrave to heal her wounds and realized how close she¡¯de to death as her left eye and most of the left side of her face regained sensation. Once she was whole again, she walked up, pushing Traugott over with her sword. He grasped at it with his hand, but she merely called it back inside her body and his grip failed.


    Just then, all of her allies caught back up to her. The undead ced their des at his body, but did not kill him. The casters stood ready to attack at a moment¡¯s notice, diligently hauling away body parts. In but a few seconds, Traugott waspletely subdued. She raised her de at his neck¡­ yet even amidst this, he smiled.


    ¡°I think you know my secret,¡± Traugott said. ¡°But you should also know that no amount of torture will make me cooperate. Just kill me. It would spare us both time, and the possibility of my escape.¡±


    ¡°All the genius in the world can¡¯t help you if you¡¯re arrogant,¡± she said. ¡°You thought that no others were like you. That no one would be able to retrace your steps.¡±


    ¡°Yes. You came here, and you have me beaten. But every second you talk, you risk me getting away,¡± Traugott pushed. ¡°My allies could return any moment. Will you take that risk? Come on. End me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not talking about following you here. I¡¯m talking about <em>all </em>of it. Those husks you created?¡± Anneliese continued. ¡°Those shells of Norman? Do you remember all of the people you killed? Likely not. But I remember. Despite the tragedy, knowledge is knowledge. I studied them. I studied the shell of Norman you imbued with the soul of a dog. I studied the Norman you sent to that actor¡¯s troupe. I asked Argrave to tell me all he could of that workshop of yours, miles beneath the sea, working with Fellhorn.¡±


    For once, Traugott couldn¡¯t manage that calm in the face of her words.


    ¡°And you, so brazenly healing yourself using the Shadonders¡­ exploiting that small fragment of Sophia¡¯s power existing within Norman¡­ it was like the final piece of the puzzle I was missing.¡± She dispelled the de, then crouched down. ¡°I thought this might be possible. But I didn¡¯t dare dream you¡¯d give me the final bit of inspiration I needed to enact it.¡±


    Traugott began to struggle again, raging against the des held close to his skin. He tried to fade into the mortal realm, but he was soon fixed into ce by the spectators.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to die, Traugott, but not in the way you want. I¡¯m going to erase you. Everything you¡¯ve learned¡­ forgotten. I¡¯m going to turn you into a nk shell, just like that message you sent us at the opera house. It¡¯ll have all your powers, while all you¡¯ve learned¡­ I¡¯ll erase it.¡±


    ¡°No. No, you won¡¯t,¡± he said, gaining confidence. ¡°You won¡¯t know how to exploit Sophia¡¯s power as I do. It took me weeks, months, to learn.¡±


    ¡°I know. I saw it all, your months of work,¡± she continued. ¡°And lest you forget¡­ I have [Truesight]. I¡¯ve seen it all.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll make a mistake,¡± he insisted, struggling fiercely. ¡°Then I¡¯ll die. I¡¯ll pass away. You won¡¯t get what you need from me.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps,¡± Anneliese admitted. ¡°But that was the end result either way. You¡¯ll die, one way or another.¡±


    Anneliese reached out toward Traugott¡¯s face, prepared to call upon the fragment of Sophia¡¯s power within him to create something anew. Something with all of Traugott¡¯s power, yet none of his essence. He raged against her touch as an animal against the butcher.


    But the animal was already in the ughterhouse, and there was no escape.N?v(el)B\\jnn

 Chapter 653: Do Unto Others

    Chapter 653: Do Unto Others


    After Anneliese dered her intent, she began the rigorous process of transforming Traugott. Ghiin concealed her utterly with his illusions, and the other casters all guarded her diligently as she worked. Nothing escaped¡ªleast of all Traugott, or the screams he made as she endeavored to erase him.


    Though he pleaded, begged, and cried out in pain that was atypical of the Shadonds, Anneliese showed him precisely the same level of mercy he had to those he¡¯d experimented on: none at all. Rather, she demonstrated to him what it was to receive the attentions of one who only cared about the acquisition of knowledge regardless of the toll it took on the other person. She treated him as one might treat an object, a tool; a disposable one, at that, easily broken and reced.


    She was methodical, deliberate. Traugott had pointed out that she might make some mistakes, and she took his undoubtedly good-natured warning seriously. She avoided his brain, his soul, and the magical circuitry containing his A-rank ascension. Nothing else was spared her experimentation as he was turned inside and out repeatedly in the pursuit of answers. She unmade and remade his body parts repeatedly, using the severed scraps of his form lying about.


    Anneliese asked questions of Traugott as she worked. He, unlike someone like Dimocles, was not devoid of emotions and tells¡ªshe could tell whether he was lying with her tried-and-true empathic abilities. Like so, he became her unwilling aide in his slow erasure. Even the heroes of old regarded Anneliese with some quiet unease as she worked.


    Yet her theory soon became reality, and she felt a sense of triumph as she reverse-engineered what Traugott had concocted to create this form for himself. It could be said that his was a crude method, employing Sophia¡¯s instinctive brilliance with slight tweaks to amodate himself, his memories, and his powers. She found those changes, toying with them to see what was what. Once she understood it, she<em></em>erased<em></em>parts of them, bit by bit.


    With her grand piecepleted, and Traugott a subdued and bbering wreck, Anneliese began the final metamorphosis. Traugott began to rage as she touched Sophia¡¯s power within the core of his new, false body. He whimpered and cried like a dog caught in a bear trap. All that she could see in that pathetic disy was the same misery he himself had inflicted on countless others. She had overspent her pity after seeing the tragedy he¡¯d wrought¡ªthere was none left for him.


    Traugott, former Magister of the Gray Owl, renegade S-rank spellcaster, died so that another could live. Anneliese was sure that any other would be a better use of the body than he possessed.


    Traugott¡¯s body shifted, cracked, and reset itself into the form of the Good King Norman, just as it had been before. But when the struggling ceased¡ªthe relentless attempts at liberation, the pleading cries¡­ she could tell that something newid before her. Something living, born from something dead.


    Frightened red eyes peered up at Anneliese, totally silent as half a dozen des of blood poked against his flesh. For the very first time, she saw some small resemnce between Sophia and Norman in their features. There was new life¡ªand already, she felt it better than what came before. Anneliese rose to her feet, looking at the new creation. ¡°Can you understand me?¡± she said, expecting he could¡ªshe¡¯d used that actor from the troupe as the baseline for this form.


    The new man slowly nodded.


    ¡°Do you know who you are?¡±


    The man opened his mouth, and in the same muted tone that the Shadonds enforced, answered, ¡°No.¡±


    Anneliese could see no lies in those features. More than that, she could see magic pulsing through him, steadily as a heartbeat. A new being had been made. Something with all of Traugott¡¯s power, but none of his character. The Shadonders had given him a name. She thought it fitting to make that name a reality.


    ¡°You¡¯re known as the Manumitter,¡± Anneliese exined, then gestured at Bhaltair. The obese spellcastermanded his undead to pull back their weapons, and the newly-created life sat up, looking around cautiously. ¡°You¡¯re called that because you embody a hope of a trapped people. Whether they¡¯re worthy of realizing their hope, or whether you¡¯re willing to give it to them¡­ you¡¯ll help decide that, now. I desperately hope you make better choices than the one that came before.¡±


    The Manumitter looked up at her uneasily. ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°We have little time,¡± she continued. ¡°Others beside myself can better exin it. I must be unfair to you, because I have to¡ªbut when all is said and done, I will give you the freedom to choose. For now¡­ sleep.¡± She gestured at Emperor Balzat.


    He used the only S-rank imperial spell, [Subjugate]. It employed its spirits to invade the Manumitter¡¯s mind, and without the know-how to resist shamanic magic, he fell unconscious immediately.


    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    ¡°That was quite terrifying of you,¡± Felipe Imented. ¡°You remind me of Vasquer, in many ways. Understanding, gentle¡­ yet also capable of torturing something for hours if you think it¡¯s necessary.¡±


    Anneliese stared at the shell. ¡°He deserved worse. Would that I had more time.¡± She shook her head, finding herself somewhat uneased by what Traugott had brought out in her. ¡°What you saw of me, here, was what that man was at all times. Everything was just another tool, in his eyes. I imparted unto him only the standard he set with his own actions. The world is better with him erased.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°Is he erased?¡± Emperor Balzat questioned, kneeling down to examine the body. ¡°Is there no chance he can regain what he lost?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Anneliese closed her eyes. ¡°Not on his own.¡±


    In reconstructing his body, she hade to understand how to rebuild it again, returning the character of Traugott back to the shell. She was the only one with that knowledge, and she was quite confident even Raven couldn¡¯t emte it. Perhaps it might¡¯ve been safest for her to ignore that knowledge. Yet Traugott knew things. He had learned countless secrets. With this, at least, she preserved the option to interrogate him, if necessary.


    For better or for worse, she kept that knowledge.


    ¡°We¡¯ve dawdled enough,¡± Anneliese said loudly, looking around at everyone. ¡°Bhaltair¡ªtake the Manumitter. We¡¯re going to support Argrave. Devise a foolproof method to disy him as a hostage without risking him being recaptured.¡±


    ¡°And what of the Shadonder?¡± asked Ghiin.


    Anneliese looked at the rider, whoid there suitably subdued after both his fight with Traugott and his freedom from the hierarchy. Bhaltair prudently still had guards positioned with des raised to pierce him, lest he sabotage their efforts at thest minute.


    ¡°Take him, too. Subdue him the same way,¡± Anneliesemanded. ¡°I think it¡¯d be best to have a somewhat impartial witness testify, too. He¡¯ll suffice.¡±


    ¡°The Hopeful will likely know that the escort he sent with us had been freed of the hierarchy,¡± Felipe I pointed out. ¡°He could being, even now.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s waste no more time. We reunite with Argrave. Disying Traugott should, I think, stop the fighting. Even if only temporarily.¡±


    ¡°And beyond that?¡± Someone asked¡ªshe couldn¡¯t see who.


    ¡°We could escape immediately if I instruct the Manumitter on how to use his power. But I want to consult with Argrave.¡± She rolled her shoulders, psyching herself up for one final push. ¡°The Shadonds still remain a threat to our realm. We might change that, somehow.¡±


    Anneliese was beyond exhausted. But after this fight, she finally began to see some light in this dark realm. A hope of freedom.


    #####


    Argrave had never before used this many blood echoes in a fight. Every single one of them was in the purpose of escaping, not attacking. It wasn¡¯t by choice, either; he simply didn¡¯t have the mental capacity to attack amidst this onught.


    The time for talking never came despite his tremendous efforts to force the contrary. He¡¯d hoped to rough this Shadonder lieutenant up a little to force her to the table, but the only one ¡®roughed up¡¯ ended up being him¡ªhe was hit, twice, and both nearly killed him. She was unrelenting. She became so skilled at tracking where Argrave was going to end up that he often couldn¡¯t even think about what to say¡ªhe had to desperately struggle to stay alive, valiantly struggling against feints and counter feints as he controlled the battlefield for Anneliese to work her magic.


    The only way to get this woman to slow down, he was certain, involved taking significant risk to his own person. Given his importance in this operation, he couldn¡¯t dare afford said risks. He¡¯d been given a role, and he knew it was so delicately crafted that freestyling could get everyone killed. Argrave became As, shouldering the whole damned world while a psychopath far stronger than Hercules tried to kill him with infinite weapons.


    For a long while he was far too preupied avoiding imminent death, but all too suddenly that rapid and unceasing assault did what felt impossible¡ªit ceased. Argrave breathed heavily, staring at this woman. He didn¡¯t even have the fortitude left to conjure words. She was looking at something distant¡ªhe didn¡¯t dare look away, in case this was some trick to make him put his guard down. Finally, he got some more distance from the woman, observing what she was.


    Amidst the bloody locust clouds that protected Anneliese¡¯s battlefield, he saw a group appear. He was beginning to dislike white hair, but seeing his favorite white-haired person there immediately reversed that perspective. And¡ªbound in some intricate device¡ªrested a limp and shadowy Good King Norman. Well, Traugott, in actuality, but it had all the familiar hallmarks. He¡¯d expected a dead Traugott, but this one seemed alive and well. It was beyond expectations, but also made him worry some. That snake needed to be chopped to bits as soon as possible, to ensure he was dead. For now, he trusted Anneliese.


    Argrave looked at the berserker Shadonder woman, and finally closed his fists to end the spell. His fingers were stiff from their prolonged casting, and he flexed it again and again. He cast thest remaining locusts shrouding the whole arena adrift, revealing a devastated scene with tides of Shadonders crawling at the edge of it all. He was certain that thend had been a few meters higher up when the battle began, but now it was a wastnd of destruction¡ªsheared t in some ces from locusts, and broken to bits in others from the Shadonder lieutenant¡¯s assault.


    ¡°Should¡¯ve listened,¡± Argrave said. ¡°Might¡¯ve got a clue. Ready to talk?¡±


    He could tell from looking at her the Shadonder strongly considered leaping out with one more attack, and flinched instinctively. Beneath that unending rage, though, was someone smart enough to realize when bashing things couldn¡¯t solve the problem. He sighed in relief.


    Argrave sent a blood echo out to teleport to Anneliese¡¯s group. In his heart, he could feel it. It was time to get the hell out of here, one way or another.

 Chapter 654: Alliance of Incompatibility

    Chapter 654: Alliance of Ipatibility


    Argrave stood proudly beside Anneliese as they walked toward the white-haired woman, taking their sweet time. There was a tacit understanding between berserker and non-berserker that they were to meet, amply far from Traugott, to negotiate on the fate of their burgeoning alliance. That ¡®alliance¡¯ bit wasn¡¯t tacit¡ªindeed, this might be misconstrued as ¡®hostage negotiation.¡¯ Argrave had talked his way out of worse.


    Only Argrave and Anneliese went, as the others weren¡¯t so readily capable of resisting the Shadonder lieutenant. Following behind them, bound in chains of blood, was the rider. He would serve as a witness to the lieutenant, in case she needed someone of her own kind to offer some perspective into the battle Anneliese had with Traugott. Argrave had earned his own perspective on what Anneliese had done. It made him view his role a little more fondly.


    ¡°So¡­ you¡¯re telling me you erased him?¡± Argrave asked her as they walked. ¡°Wiped the whiteboard clean? Sanitized his data? Degaussed his dome? I¡¯m beyond impressed, Anne.¡±


    ¡°I got lucky,¡± she said simply.


    ¡°Oh yeah, sure,¡± he agreed sarcastically. ¡°Really lucky, spending all that time reviewing the dark things that he¡¯d done. Tons of good fortune in that act. Not deliberate at all. You identally studied what he¡¯d done to figure out how to fight against him.¡±


    ¡°I was speaking of the battle,¡± she interrupted¡ªat once, Argrave could tell she was in no mood for jokes about the subject and made his expression sterner. ¡°My body felt like it moved on its own in that final sh. He might¡¯ve crushed my skull¡­ but he didn¡¯t. I might¡¯ve been forced to kill him outright, yet I subdued him. That was luck.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s talent,¡± Argrave disagreed. ¡°Though I suppose you could argue talent is luck. Either way, I think you¡¯re awesome.¡±


    Anneliese nodded, then moved past the issue, questioning, ¡°What do you want to tell that woman?¡±


    ¡°I want to call her mean things until she cries.¡± Argrave looked ahead. ¡°But I can¡¯t get what I want. I doubt there are words mean enough to break that heart of stone she has. But I imagine you¡¯re asking what I want to achieve here, now that we have the key to it all.¡±Argrave looked around the devastatedndscape. He wasn¡¯t fond of this ce. Gray, grim, and gruesome¡ªthose gr words described it quite well. The people here were inhospitable. He couldn¡¯t exactly me them for being ornery; they had an affliction that caused them immense distress. Said distress caused them to recklessly consume everything around in a bid to sate the insatiable. It was like a world of violent addicts. It would certainly be easy enough to turn tail and run away. As he¡¯d mentioned, they had the skeleton key at hand.


    Argrave looked behind himself, eyeing the one they dragged along. ¡°Our former escort mentioned that only the Hopeful and his lieutenants know how new lifees to the Shadonds. Considering her revolt, I think there¡¯s more to this situation that¡¯s left unknown. I don¡¯t think the Hopeful is entirely the benevolent dictator this man deres him as. And I think we can get some answers, at the very least.¡±


    He looked upon the white-haired Shadonder. When she wasn¡¯t trying to kill him, she looked somewhat small. ¡°Still¡­ best be prepared for flight at any moment. This one¡¯s a bit of a firebrand.¡±


    #####


    ¡°Tell me what you want, give me the useless one, then fuck off,¡± the woman dered, waving her hand at them mere moments after they gave introductions.


    Argrave studied her, still feeling some instinctive need to dodge while confronting her so closely. Rather like the Hopeful, much of her body was wreathed in shadows. Only dark red eyes shone past them. That, and her short white hair.


    ¡°We could negotiate more amicably,¡± Argrave suggested.


    ¡°You killed thousands of my men,¡± she reminded him, staring stalwartly. ¡°You won. Against my gut, I¡¯m refraining from continuing my attempts to end you. But now that I¡¯ll never again speak to many I called ally, this is as amicable as I can get.¡±


    ¡°And the man we captured has killed tens of thousands of our people,¡± Anneliese said, putting a hand to her heart. ¡°Through him, we have the means of escape from this ce. Yet despite all of that, we put down our arms for dialogue. This was a battle of necessity, but neither he nor I are unsympathetic to you of yet.¡±


    ¡°Of yet?¡± she repeated.


    ¡°Of yet,¡± Argrave confirmed. ¡°But we need answers from you.¡±


    ¡°Answers? Answers, while the Hopeful may march toward this ce even now?¡±


    Argrave shook his head. ¡°He¡¯s too scared of what he built falling apart to try anything. He hasn¡¯t attacked you yet¡ªhe definitely won¡¯t now.¡±


    Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    The woman shifted on her feet, looking off to the distant abyss in quiet ponderance. She looked back and said only, ¡°Ask.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Argrave looked back at the bound Shadonder¡ªthey¡¯d brought him to help persuade her, but now he had be a rather depressing third wheel. Still, he focused back on the woman.


    ¡°Show us your face,¡± Argrave directed. ¡°It¡¯ll help us know if you lie.¡±


    She looked irritated, but brought her shadow-wreathed hands up and seemed to draw something down. Her abyssal flesh revealed itself, and soon enough all her features were clear. She looked surprisingly human, in spite of it all.


    Argrave started basically. ¡°What are you fighting for?¡±


    ¡°Freedom,¡± she said, looking all around. ¡°Freedom from the lies, the horrors. The option to choose to live or die, and be free of this cursed ce. Free from the constant infighting, and the will pressing on the back of your neck to make you do that which you hate. I want all that shit to go away. It¡¯s sickening. It¡¯s worse than the hunger. Those under my banner are in agreement¡ªwe will not be the Hopeful¡¯s ve any longer.¡±


    In response to the Shadonder¡¯s openness, Anneliese asked intently, ¡°What exactly is this ce?¡±


    ¡°A gutter,¡± she answered at once. ¡°What it was made for, I don¡¯t know¡ªgutter trash aren¡¯t permitted to know the whims of those that build the gutters, you see. But it serves a purpose for someone. Perhaps it¡¯s punishment. Whatever it is, the Hopeful knows. I intend to extract the answer from his bleeding body, or his corpse. I intend to eat him alive. Only then might I have my answers.¡±


    Argrave looked at Anneliese to see if she noticed any lies, yet there were no indications from her.


    ¡°What exactly are the Shadonders? How does new lifee here?¡± Anneliese continued.


    The lieutenant inhaled deeply. ¡°The very question all of us ask. The answers to your questions made me harbor this resentment. It hints that we¡¯re a part of the greater cycle outside of this ce, outside of this realm. It hints that the Hopeful is not someone suffering the same affliction, but rather something ced here to keep us all in line.¡± She shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you clear. All of us are dead gods.¡±


    Argrave didn¡¯t know quite what he was expecting, but it certainly wasn¡¯t <em>that. </em>Both he and Anneliese fell silent, chewing that with active minds. Anneliese clearly thought the woman wasn¡¯t lying, and provided the Shadonder wasn¡¯t outright wrong¡­ what could be the purpose behind this ce?


    ¡°I can see you thinking. Don¡¯t bother¡ªit¡¯s fruitless. All we have is guesswork. Gods, the best among mortals¡­ and us Shadonders, the worst among the best. It¡¯s why I call this ce a gutter. With those questions, you have essentially all that I know that you couldn¡¯t extract from your prisoner. Now, tell me¡ªdoes this end in violence, or will you give me the cyst you stole?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re talking about Traugott?¡± He snorted when the woman nodded, but felt the need to remind her, ¡°Don¡¯t be overeager. You seem angered by your people being killed. Perhaps you¡¯ll understand when I say that I fear the same thing might happen to us if we let you have the key to the Shadonds. We can work something out, but we need to know your intentions for the mortal realm. Our concern lies, bluntly put, in the living and breathing, not long dead gods warped into cursed forms.¡±


    She crossed her arms. ¡°The Hopeful is the one that sends out the weakest among us to fight in the mortal realm. I have no reason to do the same.¡±


    ¡°¡­and if I were to say that it¡¯s exposure to the mortal realm that breaks your shackles?¡± Argrave continued. ¡°Would that change the circumstance?¡±


    She exhaled loudly and lowered her head. ¡°I should¡¯ve known.¡± She lifted her head back up, fire in her eyes. ¡°Consider this¡ªwith the Hopeful dead, all of us would be freed. Only in the shadows, however, is our hunger abated. What need would we have to go to your realm? Why would we invite pain onto ourselves?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. And neither are you. There are a lot of unknowns in this deal. My priority is my people.¡±


    ¡°As is mine,¡± she answered back. ¡°I promise that I have no intention of unleashing Shadonders upon yournd.¡±


    ¡°But this could be far bigger than you alone as more join you in freedom,¡± Argrave countered quickly. ¡°That¡¯s the nature of the word. Unless you intend to inherit the hierarchy, somehow¡ªwhich I don¡¯t think you want to, even if you could¡ªyou can¡¯t control them all. You¡¯d be giving free will to things that¡¯ve killed my people for millennia uncountable.¡±


    The lieutenant didn¡¯t deny this fact, staring ahead with her red eyes in quiet consideration.


    ¡°We need some time to think,¡± Argrave said. ¡°We¡¯ll consult, thene back with your answer.¡±


    Argrave was prepared to turn and leave, but saw the lieutenant¡¯s stance shift subtly. Just as he was ready to take Anneliese and get away, his queen stepped forth and put her hand on the Shadonder¡¯s shoulder.


    As the shadows wreathed around her hand, Anneliese said, ¡°Alone, you couldn¡¯t defeat Argrave. But he and I are together, now. Together, <em>it¡¯s different</em>,¡± she lowered her voice in subtle threat. ¡°To that end, I suggest you be careful. Freedom doesn¡¯t mean you can act without consequence. Don¡¯t make enemies where you don¡¯t have them.¡±


    Argrave¡¯s gaze flitted between the two of them. Anneliese kept her amber eyes fixed against that berserker re. The former lieutenant seemed to be strongly considering whether or not to fight them here and struggle to reim Traugott. In the end¡­ her tenseness lessened, and she pulled her shoulder from Anneliese¡¯s hand.


    ¡°I¡¯ll wait for your answer, then. I hope you have the decency to give me one.¡±


    Argrave thought they were strange wordsing from someone who¡¯d considered sucker-punching them, but he held his tongue. Together, Anneliese and Argrave went to find their answer. Was there something of value here? Would they leave this realm tonguish in shadow, as it so often had?


    Or, perhaps, as with Traugott¡­ was there another way forward altogether?

 Chapter 655: Revolution Funding

    Chapter 655: Revolution Funding


    ¡°Are all of you really sure that you want to do this?¡± Argrave asked, looking between the dead heroes of old.


    ¡°I can speak for myself alone, but I know that my time is running out,¡± Felipe I confirmed with a stoic nod of his head. ¡°Garm could allot us only so much time. It¡¯s bound to run out eventually. At least in this manner, we live on, in a way. Better to give yourself up in service of something greater than to die ingloriously protecting temporary interests. Of course, it¡¯d be best not to die at all¡­ but it¡¯s my fault for doing it the first time, so I can¡¯tin.¡±


    ¡°We were never really alive to begin with,¡± Bhaltair reminded them all. ¡°We are all but tools for an epoch beyond our own, of Argrave¡¯s taming.¡±


    As the Archchief of the Burnt Desert nodded in quiet agreement, an elven general chided, ¡°A fitting attitude for a necromancer. But it¡¯s not wrong. This is an excellent capstone to glorious service.¡± The elven warrior gave a salute. ¡°It¡¯s been an honor serving under you,mander. I never thought I could give honor to a human, besides the honor of dying at my hand. You¡¯ve proven me wrong. Many of you have.¡±


    ¡°Mmhmm. And considering so much rests in your hands, Argrave, some of the more calcting among us think to indebt you to them so you¡¯ll never dare vite that document we drafted together.¡± Emperor Balzat crossed his arms, scrutinizing some who didn¡¯t meet his gaze. ¡°As for myself, I hope only that you¡¯ll take care of my granddaughter.¡±


    Constant agreement came¡ªa steady deluge of approval, one by one, without exception. These strong-willed men and women had long agoe to terms with what had been done to them, and what would happen to them once their time was up. Argrave questioned if he could so bravely ept an inevitable fate.


    ¡°Then it¡¯s settled,¡± Argrave concluded. ¡°Let¡¯s take the offer to the scary woman. Be ready to pack your bags at a moment¡¯s notice in case she¡¯s unreceptive.¡±


    ¡°The empty shell can already replicate what Traugott could do,¡± Ghiin said. ¡°He¡¯s rather good at learning. We¡¯ll be ready.¡±


    ¡°I only hope that¡¯s not an ill omen,¡± Anneliese said with a sigh, then turned her amber eyes to Argrave. ¡°I¡¯m ready.¡±Argrave pped, already looking forward to being free of this ce once and for all. ¡°Let¡¯s dance.¡±


    #####


    The rebelling lieutenant studied the contrasting pair of lovers as they walked back to her. One with long white hair, the other with short ck. One with eyes full of color, the other gray as the Shadonds. There was a near palpable link between the two of them. The locust-bringer, who bled pain, was bad enough as an opponent¡­ but with this woman alongside him, she could not recklessly attack. It was instinct alone telling her that these two could defeat her, but instinct had brought her far in the vicious Shadonds.


    They came to a stop a fair distance away from her. She waited for them to speak in silence.


    ¡°We¡¯re willing to help you with your dream of liberation,¡± the man named Argrave said. ¡°But there are conditions.¡±


    ¡°Conditions for liberation defeats the purpose,¡± she spat back in an ugly rage. ¡°Freedom of choice, with only one option. Freedom to walk, with only one path. Freedom to think, with only one subject. Is that what you¡¯re offering?¡±


    ¡°Before we offer anything, I hope you¡¯ll exercise your freedom to shut up and listen,¡± Argrave said in irritation. ¡°Too many lives are at stake for us to just hand you the Manumitter, give you a pat on the back, and send you on your unmerry way. You¡¯ve amply proved in fighting me that there are dangerous people here. But!¡± He raised a finger. ¡°We can offer you apromise. Namely¡­ we could create a permanent portal to your realm. There, you¡¯d be able to baptize your Shadonders, so to speak, whenever you wanted. Same end result, one way or another, but it¡¯s a ce instead of a person.¡±


    ¡°That would be a strategic burden,¡± she said, considering it.


    ¡°Well¡­ so was Traugott, before my lovely wife so expertly showed him precisely how useless he was before real genius.¡± He gestured to the elven woman at his side. ¡°Despite his nopliance, you seemed to be managing fine. I think you could manage even better with a single ce you need to dunk your fellows inside.¡±


    ¡°Once the Hopeful learns how liberation works, he could strategize around it,¡± she argued.


    ¡°It sounds like you need a wonderful leader,¡± Argrave said with a smile, cing his arms behind his back. ¡°Someone who could ensure that the Hopeful doesn¡¯t manage to learn anything. Someone that could take the odds, stacked against you as they are, and overturn thempletely. Well¡­ I have over two dozen of such figures. Two dozen of the best leaders in the world. That brings me to the second of my two conditions.¡± Argrave brought his hand up, and pointed at his eyes. ¡°Supervision.¡±


    ¡°Supervision?¡± She repeated. ¡°You want to leave some of your allies here, in the Shadonds? They won¡¯t survive. They¡¯ll be eaten, like everything else.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re aware of that. Each and all of them are living on borrowed time, anyway.¡± Argrave put his hand up to his chin. ¡°Rather like you, the people that I brought with me are the greatest of their generation. They¡¯re reincarnations of the greatest leaders our world has ever seen. Their leadership was perhaps the sole reason that I won here today.¡± He looked to Anneliese. ¡°I think the both of us can attest to the fact that their expertise might give you victory.¡±


    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    She was taken aback. ¡°Supervision is one thing¡­ strategy is another. We¡¯re dead gods, lest you¡¯ve forgotten. That means we¡¯re among the best¡ª¡±


    ¡°It means less than you might think,¡± Anneliese interrupted. ¡°Deities are merely those unlucky enough to be born in the period in which Gerechtigkeit descended. But these people? They were chosen from the annals of <em>all </em>history. Bluntly put¡­ I have no doubt they are your equals, and perhaps your superiors. They can give you victory.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t see it.¡± She crossed her arms defiantly.


    Argrave seemed disappointed as he said, ¡°You haven¡¯t caught on by now? If you¡¯re that slow, then you¡¯re definitely going to need the tremendous gift that I¡¯m offering. What you need is a great leader¡ªa destined leader that could fight back against the one that dictates all of your life and achieve a <em>smashing </em>victory. And we¡¯re giving you leaders, plural.¡±


    ¡°Your people do this willingly?¡± She interrogated.


    Argrave nodded. ¡°None of them protested. Not a one.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    She pressed, ¡°They know what they¡¯re getting into?¡±


    ¡°They know of the hunger. They saw the Hopeful, and know you¡¯re his enemy. They¡¯remitted nheless.¡±


    She flexed her hand uneasily, not quite sure what to make of this. ¡°I fail to see what you get out of this.¡±


    ¡°The Manumitter, as you know him, can close portals to the Shadonds as easily as he can make them. That¡¯s what I get by keeping him¡ªprotection from your people. Beyond that, I merely want to do a good deed. I find that good deeds tend to be repaid in time. If they¡¯re not, so be it. But I believe my allies will make for a more than adequate boon to your fight.¡±


    She ground her feet against the stone beneath. The logic in her head ate at her gut, telling her that it was fundamentally foolish to let the Manumitter slip out of her grasp. He¡¯d just said that the portal could close at any time, with him in their hands¡­


    ¡°You could¡¯ve simply left,¡± she looked up. ¡°But you came back, despite not needing to. You offered conditions, even <em>aid,</em> despite not needing to. I¡¯ll¡­¡± She hesitated, nearly swallowing the words. ¡°I¡¯ll choose to trust you. All of my peers would mock me for that decision. I hope you¡¯ll prove them wrong. I hope you¡¯ll prove that what I¡¯m fighting for is not a lie.¡±


    He smiled. ¡°See? I knew this could be amicable. I¡¯m pleased to know there is something bright in that head of yours.¡±


    She inhaled deeply. ¡°I¡¯m going to be charitable and assume you¡¯re speaking of my character rather than my intelligence. Now¡­ shall we?¡±


    #####


    ¡°We¡¯ve been toying with the mind quite a lot,tely,¡± Argrave reminisced. All was done on their part¡ªnow, the former lieutenant would need to integrate her new volunteer troops. ¡°It does make me wonder what our research team found. If wee back having learned more about the mind than they did¡­ good lord. Still, I¡¯d say this was a more-than-satisfactory conclusion. It was far better than I even hoped for. Thanks to you,rgely.¡±


    Anneliese nodded. ¡°I¡­ indulged some part of myself I find frightening, Argrave.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­¡± Argrave studied her. ¡°Are you feeling an urge to go kill babies or something?¡±


    ¡°Of course not.¡± She straightened her back, almost offended.


    ¡°I don¡¯t see the problem, then.¡± Argrave shrugged. ¡°I think it¡¯s just this ce, this¡­ this muted mncholy. You¡¯ll feel yourself again¡ªand if you don¡¯t, I¡¯ll drag it out of you. I miss your voice. I miss mine, too. I often miss my voice, but this past while it¡¯s been especially strong.¡±


    ¡°You mean¡­ you miss your old voice, before you were Argrave?¡± She questioned seriously.


    ¡°No, I just mean I like to hear myself talk,¡± he said, and Annelieseughed with a shake of her head. She should¡¯ve known better.


    ¡°I do wonder if we¡¯ve seen thest of this ce.¡± Anneliese looked around at thend of whites, cks, and grays. At the border, the shadows closed in, inch by inch. ¡°I feel our foray was iplete, somehow.¡±


    ¡°If we do see more¡­¡± Argrave looked upward. ¡°We¡¯re about to put some of the brightest minds the world¡¯s ever seen to work, strengthening their loyalty to us. Hopefully they¡¯ll be on our side. Though¡­¡±


    ¡°Though?¡± Anneliese pressed.


    ¡°That hunger¡­¡± he closed his eyes. ¡°Those hounds¡­ they¡¯re quite the force, Anne. I think our friends can ovee them and lead this bunch to glory. But we¡¯d best hope Traug¡ªexcuse me, the Manumitter. We¡¯d better hope he doesn¡¯t feel them.¡±


    ¡°Hounds¡­¡± Anneliese closed her eyes. ¡°I saw them, then. Back when Castro gave his life to save ours. Back when he demonstrated [Arete].¡±


    ¡°I remember. You talked about it at that opera house in the Great Chu.¡± Argrave recalled his fight, feeling a chill even in this muted ce. ¡°I see why they haunted you, now.¡±


    ¡°As to your concern, I don¡¯t think the Manumitter carries these hounds like the other Shadonders. Still, I can¡¯t shake the memory of them. I worry about our world, should they pass through.¡±


    ¡°When the timees, we might be able to turn that hunger against Gerechtigkeit. That¡¯s the hope, anyway.¡± Argrave looked at her. ¡°But if you have serious doubts, perhaps we could¡­¡±


    ¡°No. I helped conceive this n. I believe in it.¡± She sped her hands together. ¡°But it¡¯s frightening to believe, when you wish you could know.¡± She seemed to realize something, andughed. ¡°I¡¯ve always been a little afraid of not knowing something.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what the shadows are, Anneliese. Traugott tried to know everything.¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°But let¡¯s not get existential. We¡¯re at the end, and everything about me is ruined. These tatters can¡¯t be called clothes anymore.¡± He looked down at himself. ¡°I¡¯m ready to get out of here.¡±


    ¡°As am I¡­¡± Anneliese agreed quietly.

 Chapter 656: From Deep Dark to Blind Light

    Chapter 656: From Deep Dark to Blind Light


    When Argrave again returned to the mortal realm,mon sensations so long denied to him came rushing back in a wave that quickly tranted into euphoria.


    The location that Traugott had been using as his point of contact with the mortal world was an archipgo, evidently, deep out in the middle of nowhere. The sight of the sun and the clouds, far above, felt so pleasant and soothing. The sounds of the waves crashing against the rocks was robust, hearty¡ªas was the smell of salt, lingering in the air so clearly. Never before had the sea smelled sweeter, nor its mists more pleasant.


    Argrave and Anneliese walked about mutely while the Manumitter kneeled in stunned silence, taking it all in. This was the first time that he had seen this world. The other one had likely been frightening enough, but now this? It was like walking into the garden of Eden after being so long denied the basic realities of living. It might be said that he¡¯de out of the womb.


    After a while, Argrave and Anneliese looked at each other, their eyes moving up and down. Their clothes were battered, torn, and broken¡ªArgrave¡¯s most of all. They were caked in blood in so many ces, covered in dirt and dust in so many more. Their hair was greasy and matted, and even past the scent of the sea, an unpleasant stench came from them: death, and much else.


    ¡°You look utterly terrible,¡± she told him with a huge smile on her face. Argrave felt the deepest of joys simply from hearing her voice normal again. It was hoarse, ill-practiced, and cracked at multiple points¡­ yet it sounded the sweetest it ever had. ¡°You¡¯re the worst I¡¯ve ever seen you. It¡¯s nauseating me.¡±


    ¡°So do you!¡± He countered, and they both beganughing like fools as they experienced yet another joy that had been lost to them¡ªthe simple pleasure of an embrace.


    The mncholy of the Shadonds had weighed heavily on them. It was a suppressing ce, a weight constantly bearing down on them. But now they were free of it, and theirrgest issue had been more than captured alive¡ªhe¡¯d been turned to the bright side, so to speak. Looking at him here, though¡­ the Manumitter was a horror show, and looked ill-adapted to living in this world.


    ¡°This ce¡­¡± he sputtered. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s terrifying. It¡¯s so much,¡± he said, looking about in abject fear. ¡°Do I have to leave that ce? I think¡­ I think I belong there,¡± he pleaded. ¡°Take me back.¡±


    Anneliese broke away from Argrave and kneeled down in front of the Manumitter sympathetically. ¡°I told you that I would need to be rough with you for some time. That hasn¡¯t changed, yet. Stay strong.¡±He closed his eyes as if to block out sights and sounds.


    ¡°¡­Argrave?¡± came an uncertain voice in his head.


    ¡°Elenore!¡± he exploded back. ¡°Good lord. I missed the sound of your voice so damn much. I missed all of you!¡±


    ¡°¡­alright, calm down,¡± she responded, but he could detect a tinge of ttered amusement on her tone. ¡°Take your time. Collect yourself. When you¡¯re ready,e back. There¡¯s much to discuss.¡±


    #####


    The Great Cleansing of the Shadonds came first¡ªthat is to say, cleaning themselves of all the pounds of muck and filth they¡¯d umted in that hellish ce where they couldn¡¯t even tell that they <em>were </em>filthy. They jumped into the sea at first¡ªafter feeling its chill, they went to a geothermal spring near Vysenn. With the cleansing done, they delivered the Manumitter to Raven, exining things thoroughly.


    ¡°Our hope is that you could install the same some of mark you did on Durran,¡± Argraveid out, fiddling with the new clothes that they¡¯d donned to maintain some basic level of decency before returning to ckgard. ¡°A killswitch.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. His flesh is different.¡± Raven studied the sleeping Manumitter. ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do.¡±


    ¡°I maye byter. I want to see what information can be pried out from Traugott¡¯s mind. I¡­ I can restore him, you see.¡± Anneliese rubbed her hands together guiltily when Argrave looked at her in shock¡ªshe hadn¡¯t mentioned that part. ¡°I figured out how to imitate his methods.¡±


    Raven studied her in some surprise. ¡°You absorb information so quickly, so readily. It does always surprise me, to some extent. I will do as you ask. If I do not, then I will simply keep him in stasis until such a time as you need him. Have you spoken to the others about what happened at ckgard?¡±


    Argrave pped his hands together¡ªultimately, Anneliese had only done something good by preserving Traugott¡¯s mind, so he was content to ignore it. ¡°Did something exciting happen back home? A solution to a pressing problem, perhaps?¡±


    ¡°Exciting in a sense.¡± Raven looked to his right, where something silver shone brilliantly. It looked like a knight, from Argrave¡¯s quick look, but he didn¡¯t have time to solidify that before Raven looked back. ¡°I would advise you to return and speak to your sister immediately.¡±


    Argrave felt a grim premonition, and looked to Anneliese to see simr thoughts writ on her face.


    #####


    Argrave looked out across the devastatedndscape beyond the mountains of ckgard. By way of exining things, Elenore had asked Argrave take them to the highest peak of the mountain. The wind whipped his face so high up, perched above it all. Elenore and Anneliese stood with him.


    Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    ¡°How could this happen?¡± He asked, though he knew the answer.


    ¡°How? Rather suddenly,¡± Elenore shouted above the wind. ¡°Orion was warned, but¡­ it¡¯splicated. The Gilderwatchers? Gerechtigkeit¡¯s mastery over them? This is the fruit of that, I¡¯m afraid.¡±


    Argrave looked at her in dread, and Anneliese conjured a ward to block off the wind. His voice suddenly sounded all too clear as he asked, ¡°Do you mean to say that more of those knights in Raven¡¯sboratory could being?¡± He looked back at the city. ¡°Good lord¡­ look at the streets, the buildings. How many people did we lose?¡±


    ¡°We did the best we could, Argrave. Orion¡­ what he did¡­ it¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not reprimanding anyone. This is my fault,¡± he said, shaking his head. ¡°I should¡¯ve known better. Should¡¯ve <em>nned </em>better. Should¡¯ve had gods stationed near here, but I was just too afraid of them finding out about Sophia in some way¡­¡± Argrave clenched his forehead. ¡°God damn it.¡±


    ¡°This knight direly injured Rook with one attack, and swatted away Law like he was his better.¡± Elenore touched his arm. ¡°We did n. It wouldn¡¯t have mattered.¡±


    Argrave blinked in stunned silence. ¡°How the hell did the thing get¡­?¡± He gathered his thoughts, thinking hard. ¡°If even ancient gods were so handily beaten back¡­¡±


    ¡°Like I said.¡± Elenore looked back at the scene. ¡°Orion killed it. He¡­ he was legendary, Argrave. There¡¯s no better word for it.¡±


    Argrave exhaled in awe. ¡°The Fruit of Being. Did you give it to him?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Elenore shook her head. ¡°I was too afraid to. But while everyone else was fleeing, he rushed in, alone, and dueled that knight. On that note¡­ here.¡±


    Elenore grabbed at his hand, and he resisted for half a second before surrendering meekly. She tried a ring on his different fingers until she found one that fit¡ªthe pinky. Argrave felt a strange stirring inside of his body.


    ¡°Your soul¡­¡± Anneliese said in surprise as she looked at him, evidently seeing something with [Truesight]. Elenore walked to her, too, and did the same ring-fitting maneuver.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Once they were on, Elenore stepped back and looked at the two of them, holding up her own hand. It had a ring as well. ¡°The results of the research team. Druidic magic was expanded into soul magic, whatever that means¡­ and as a result, Artur¡¯s been hammering out these rings en masse. I¡¯ve been distributing them to protect against mental attack, but it¡¯s insufficient considering the scope of people we might need to protect. Arger solution will be needed, I¡¯m certain.¡±


    Argrave fiddled with the ring in wonder. ¡°Meaning¡­ the research team, Llewellen¡­ they did it?¡±


    ¡°Weeks ago, yes.¡± Elenore nodded.


    Argrave flexed his hand, admiring the simple craftsmanship of the ring containing such aplex enchantment. ¡°It seems I have tons ofmendations to give out, national heroes to name.¡±


    ¡°Orion is taking it easy, and I won¡¯t let you overstrain him,¡± Elenore said firmly. ¡°Llewellen is missing.¡±


    ¡°Missing?¡± Argrave repeated.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I said. Your ears work.¡±


    Argrave looked at Anneliese, then back at his sister. ¡°Any more details?¡±


    ¡°Onychinusa may have kidnapped him,¡± she said, shaking her head. ¡°I¡¯m told she got into a veryrge fight with him. She wasn¡¯t willing to ept his inevitable death, despite his rxed attitude about the subject. The day after, he was simply gone. Her as well.¡±


    Anneliese nodded. ¡°It sounds¡­ very like her.¡±


    ¡°Oh, and the Bloodwoods requested to be named a Vasquer protectorate,¡± Elenore said as if it was an off-hand remark, easily forgotten.


    ¡°What?¡± Argrave gaped.


    ¡°You know as much as I do,¡± Elenore sighed. ¡°It came out of the blue. After this incident, I do wonder if they¡¯re as stalwartlymitted¡­ but there¡¯s been no retraction. Nor have I given an answer.¡± She looked at him. ¡°And you? Was this expedition as important as you predicted?¡±


    Argrave bowed. ¡°Thedy of honor shall report her triumph, I think. Anneliese?¡± He flourished.


    ¡°Traugott was gathering an army, attempting a coup on the Shadonds. Long-term, I think he nned to take the fight to us. I erased his mind, and now we can use his powers to stop any Shadonders that maye. Raven is looking after him,¡± she summarized.


    Elenore blinked for a few moments. ¡°Oh.¡±


    ¡°Long-term, we may have allies there,¡± Argrave continued. ¡°It¡¯s a¡­ shot in the dark, you might say¡­ but the possibility exists. We do need to garrison a location. An ind, out in the middle of nowhere. It¡¯s a point of contact between the rebels and our forces.¡±


    ¡°Allies? With <em>them?</em> The same species of creature that ravaged Dirracha?¡± Elenore looked more than skeptical.


    ¡°It baffles me too, but I saw what I saw.¡± Argrave looked back to the scene of utter devastation. ¡°After seeing this, I¡¯m not sure if they¡¯d even be sufficient.¡±


    For the first time, he was getting a sense of the scale of the cmity he¡¯d invoked pulling Sophia from her eternal prison in Sandbara. Gerechtigkeit was not as he was. The ancient cmity that Argrave remembered seemed like a chihuahua byparison¡ªa lot of noise and barking, but not at all the same scale of devastation.


    They were nearing the summit that many had tried to climb before, but none had ever seeded in cresting.


    ¡°You¡¯re mostly caught up,¡± Elenore said. ¡°I¡¯ve been trying to hold this ce together as best I can. There is someone that I believe you need to speak to, however.¡± Argrave looked at her, seeing the seriousness in her face as she said, ¡°Sophia.¡±


    ¡°Is she well?¡± Argrave stepped in. ¡°Was she harmed, somehow?¡±


    ¡°Not harmed, no. But¡­ she did have some more dreams. She¡¯s clinging to Orion, fortunately, and he¡¯s being very gentle with her¡­ but she asks about you, often. I think she has something to say.¡± Elenore shook her head with a sigh. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I worry for her. That knight was <em>definitely </eming for her. And I can¡¯t help but think this won¡¯t be the end of it.¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll speak to her right away.¡±

 Chapter 657: Harmony After Absence

    Chapter 657: Harmony After Absence


    When Argrave went to find Sophia, preparing himself for what he thought could be a serious and heart-wrenching conversation, he saw something that made him pause and watch. Orion was giving her a piggyback ride, and running around the courtyard very quickly as she screamed andughed with pure joy. It was the closest thing to a rollercoaster that could be found in this world, he supposed. His brother seemed to be having just as much fun as she was, too.


    When Argrave was finally spotted, their fun came to an early close¡ªOrion hauled her from his back and set Sophia down, where she staggered uneasily. He moved her to a rock, said some words, then walked over to Argrave.


    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± Orion greeted, giving him a salute by putting his fist to his heart. He wore inclothes, and evidence from the battle still persisted on his body at points. It must¡¯ve been a tremendously close fight for even Orion to still bear scars long after its conclusion. ¡°You¡¯ve returned. I heard from Elenore what happened. Congrattions on your victory,¡± he said sincerely. ¡°I apologize I was not better able to defend this ce.¡±


    Argrave narrowed his eyes. ¡°You¡¯re joking, right? You¡¯re the only reason this ce wasn¡¯t entirely levelled.¡±


    ¡°Others like Durran contributed, but I won¡¯t deny it as my proudest moment. I only wish I could have ended the battle earlier, before so many lives were lost.¡± He looked back to Sophia. ¡°But enough of me. You came here to speak to Sophia, yes? I¡¯ve been trying to keep her spirits up, in light of what she¡¯s learned. Her spirits, and my own.¡±


    Argrave watched Sophia as she regained her bnce. She sat where Orion had left her, patiently waiting. ¡°I came here to find you in equal measure. We have a lot to talk about. First, though¡­ let me go talk to her. Elenore said it would best.¡±


    ¡°As she should. Sophia missed you dearly,¡± Orion agreed. ¡°I will be nearby, should you need me.¡±


    Orion walked away, and Argrave thought there was something that had changed about his brother¡¯s demeanor. He seemed less¡­ constricted, in a way. He couldn¡¯t quite put his finger on it. Nevertheless, he turned and walked to Sophia, who still seemed dazed after travelling aback Orion.


    Argrave came up just before Sophia and knelt down. ¡°Hello, youngdy.¡±¡°Hello, Your Majesty,¡± she greeted, with an undeniable twinge of caution on her tone. Moreover, she used the formal address with him¡ªwas she taking cues from Orion, or was it something else?


    ¡°Are you alright, Sophia?¡± Argrave asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m well. Annel¡ªthe queen. Is she¡­?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯ll being in a moment¡ªshe just needs to resolve some matters before she does.¡± He scooted a little closer. ¡°It seems like something¡¯s bothering you, Sophia. Is anything wrong? Elenore said you wanted to speak to me about something.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± She looked down, closing her eyes. ¡°I figured out some things. About who I am. About my brother.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Argrave nodded. He could tell that the revtions were weighing heavily on the girl¡¯s mind. To finally connect the dots between this world-ending cmity that they¡¯d been speaking of, and her own brother¡­ he couldn¡¯t imagine how a nine-year-old girl could cope with that especially easily. He said words he felt needed to be said. ¡°I hope you know that it doesn¡¯t change things between us, Sophia. And it certainly doesn¡¯t change how much I missed you while I was gone. Did you not miss me?¡±


    Sophia opened her eyes again and looked up at him, cautiously assessing his features. Then, Argrave got what he¡¯d been hoping for¡ªSophia lunged out and hugged him, and he stood up with her hanging from his neck.


    ¡°I¡¯m scared,¡± she confessed at once, her torrent of emotions pouring out now that she knew it would be safe to do so. ¡°Griffin¡­ he¡¯s <em>changed. </em>He looks like¡­ he looks like my father.¡± She tightened her arms around him, trembling. ¡°He told me he wasing to get me. I told him I didn¡¯t want to leave, and then¡­¡±


    Argrave gently patted her back. ¡°Everything¡¯s going to be alright, Sophia.¡±


    ¡°I want my brother back,¡± she said. ¡°I miss him. I don¡¯t want him to die. I tried to tell him not to fight, but he¡­¡± she sniffled. ¡°He said it wasn¡¯t his choice. That he had to do this, that it was the only way for us to be happy¡­¡± She sniffled again, holding back tears as best she could. ¡°I just¡­ I just want my brother back. Why can¡¯t he juste back? Why does this have to happen to us?¡±


    Argrave couldn¡¯t give her answers now. Perhaps he couldn¡¯t ever. All he could do was hold her, and give words offort.


    #####


    Anneliese came to join Argrave after she¡¯d resolved the matter that required her attention¡ªspecifically, Elenore had need of her empathic and spellcasting abilities both. After a long while where both assuaged her guilts and fears, Sophia fell asleep in Argrave¡¯s arms. They took her to her bed, set her there, then went outside. Orion waited for them both.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t wish her life upon anyone. To grapple with the terrible notion that her brother is the very cmity that has ripped and torn through so many¡­¡± Orion shook his head. ¡°Everyone has been telling tales of the monstrosities that Gerechtigkeit has wrought. Now, she can put a face to them all: her precious brother, the only one who protected her in that miscreant¡¯s castle, the only other besides us who loved her. Her very definition of love and support was found through her brother¡­ and now, she knows he¡¯s killed billions, and promises to kill again.¡±


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    Argrave said nothing, but found his brother¡¯s profound description tragically true.


    ¡°She wishes for us to show mercy upon him, even if she cannot bring herself to ask it of you as a favor,¡± Orion continued. ¡°But even supposing we can¡­ the question remains if we should. Can such destruction and cruelty be forgiven, under any circumstances? I am uncertain. Yet¡­ it¡¯s hardly my choice.¡± His brother studied him. ¡°In the end, the fate of her brother may well rest in your hands.¡±


    Argrave felt some enormous burden set upon him when Orion said that, but only shook his head and said, ¡°We¡¯re far from that goal.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re the closest we¡¯ve been. Months remain, no more.¡± Anneliese crossed her arms in solemn contemtion. ¡°You look as though you¡¯ve something serious to say, Orion.¡±


    ¡°That knight I fought was Lindon.¡± Orion jumped right to the heart of it, stirring Argrave¡¯s mind in the process. ¡°It was his enved will made manifest. I suspect Gerechtigkeit has the same intentions for the other Gilderwatchers, though it¡¯ll manifest in a different manner¡ªinfluence over the masses. Lindon, in his ingenuity, hid a message to us in the knight. He suggested that we endeavor to embrace thetent potential within our bloodline to influence the mind.¡± Orion touched his head. ¡°He imed I¡¯d the most affinity, but I¡¯m skeptical. No matter how hard I try, nothinges of my efforts.¡±


    ¡°Lindon said this?¡± Argrave raised a brow. ¡°You¡¯re sure of that?¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°Not entirely. The point does remain; Gerechtigkeit has the Gilderwatchers under thrall. The White nes march toward copse, unless we can do something. With these two variables, he may possess the means to bring the entire world under thrall. The rings, while giving us an edge, are insufficient for the world. We must find a way tobat his influence through our own means. The Vasquer bloodline may be one such mean. The other, however, would be a total extermination of their species.¡±


    ¡°That¡­¡± Argrave sighed deeply. ¡°That does put it into perspective. Frankly, I¡¯ve no idea where to start. There¡¯s not arge body of literature regarding the Gilderwatchers, even in what Erlebnis had. Presumably he was blocked by the treaty that Lindon kept mentioning. I would call upon Llewellen, but¡­¡±


    ¡°On the matter of Llewellen, that was one of the things that kept me away for so long¡ªinvestigating what happened to him,¡± Anneliese cut in. ¡°I have a lead on where to search for Onychinusa. We have a lot to take care of here, but could I¡­?¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°If you can find the time.¡± He looked to Orion. ¡°But you¡¯re right. I¡¯m back. All of our other enemies¡ªsave perhaps the Heralds, who can do nothing directly¡ªare smoke and ashes. Gerechtigkeit is the only one that remains. We have to dedicate our full attention toward him, and all his machinations. He¡¯s thest remaining opponent.¡±


    ¡°And a worthy opponent he is.¡± Orion nodded.


    ¡°Thank you for telling us this, Orion,¡± Anneliese said kindly.


    ¡°Thank you for <em>everything,</em>¡± Argrave cut in. ¡°I won¡¯t forget what you did. Everyone I speak to tells me about how damned brave you are. I won¡¯t let you forget it. I won¡¯t let anyone in the whole nation.¡±


    Orionughed. Argrave expected a rigorous protest, but his brother only said, ¡°Do as you wish. I only did what I felt I wanted to.¡±


    Argrave looked at him, marveling at his transformation of mentality. He brushed past his surprise for now, saying only, ¡°We have much more to discuss, but I¡¯d prefer Elenore and a few others to be with us before we do. I¡¯m going to go speak to another¡ªwe can continue this tomorrow, I hope.¡±


    #####


    With Orion and Sophia addressed, Argrave next headed to another that he wished to thank. When he¡¯d heard that Garm would be picking out the souls that he resurrected, Argrave did have some doubts¡­ but ultimately, the people that he brought proved to be the greatest of the great. It was inrge part due to who he¡¯d brought back that they¡¯d won at all. He intended to thank Garm, to give him somemendation in person.


    As it turns out, Argrave never had the chance.


    Garm had died during the attack by the silver knight. It was frustratingly difficult to find the details of how, and after a while¡­ Argrave simply gave up, defeated. He couldn¡¯t tax his city¡¯s already-thin resources to satisfy personal curiosity. In the end, he found himself visiting Durran, the man who was host to Garm¡¯s mind.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you knock?¡± Durran said in greeting when Argrave abruptly entered. He sat at a table by a window, resting his leg idly on a stool. ¡°Elenore said you¡¯de back. d to see you¡¯ve not forgotten about me.¡±


    ¡°Everyone said you did well in the battle.¡± Argrave walked within carrying a bitter smile.


    ¡°Not well enough.¡± Durran took a drink of something from a tankard, then set it down firmly. ¡°But you¡¯re not here for me, right? You want to know about Garm.¡±


    Argrave was taken a little off-bnce by the pointed remark, but he recovered quickly and said, ¡°Can¡¯t it be both?¡±


    Durran sighed. ¡°It could be, but I doubt it is.¡±


    ¡°You certainly sound like Garm right now, being so damned cynical.¡± Argrave sat in the chair across from him.


    Durran chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m¡­ a little bitter, defeated. It¡¯s why I¡¯m staying here.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that you¡¯re drinking?¡± Argrave asked.


    ¡°A disgusting alcohol brewed by some pig farmer in this little city of yours,¡± Durran said, looking inside his tankard. ¡°I remember, ages ago¡­ I used to pity you for being unable to drink. Now, I¡¯m the same, ever since that Fruit of Being. Not weeks ago, this could put me on the ground. Now? Nothing.¡± He set it down, looking Argrave square in the eye. ¡°Garm is gone.¡±


    ¡°He¡­ we probably wouldn¡¯t have won without him,¡± Argrave said distantly. ¡°Only wish¡­ that I had the chance to say more. More thanst time. Instead, it¡¯s just the same.¡±


    ¡°You said your goodbyes before you left, and you gave him as much peace of mind as he could ept,¡± Durran insisted. ¡°You helped him at every turn. Whereas I¡­¡± He trailed off.


    Argrave looked into his golden eyes. Durran seldom acted this moody. Perhaps something needed to be done.


    ¡°Pour me a drink,¡± Argrave suggested. ¡°We¡¯ll drink to him. I think that¡¯s something Garm might appreciate.¡±


    Durran smiled bitterly. ¡°If you¡¯d like to drink pisswater without getting drunk¡­ I¡¯ll dly join you.¡±

 Chapter 658: Beating Ones Nature

    Chapter 658: Beating One''s Nature


    Drinking alcohol was really just drinking scummy water for Argrave¡ªhis ck blood, coupled with all the other myriad ways that his body had changed since using the Fruit of Being, made both water and rubbing alcohol equally intoxicating. Which is to say: not at all. As time went on, it became clear Durran had be much the same way. Nevertheless, both of them drank pisswater in honor of Garm. He¡¯d be pleased.


    Argrave spent the first while regaling the so-called King of the Scorched Sands on the merits of Garm¡¯s choices in the Shadonds. There were tales to tell that were good enough they seemed tall, but each and all were the truth of the matter and nothing more. They talked well into midnight, and Argrave appreciated the night far more now that he¡¯d experienced total darkness. The night, at least, had some stars shining, and arge red moon overhead.


    Gradually, though, something loosened and mellowed Durran¡ªit couldn¡¯t be med on alcohol. His repartee slowed to a lull, before disappearing altogether in way of a more honest form of the man Argrave hade to know.


    ¡°I like your city, Argrave,¡± Durran admitted. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll end up staying here¡ªthough, that depends a lot on Elenore. I can show her the desert, but I can¡¯t make her like it.¡±


    Argrave rested his arms on the table between them. ¡°She¡¯s a city rat, but she¡¯s also tough. I think she could do both.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but there¡¯s no parliament in the Burnt Desert. And there¡¯s no you.¡± Durran took another drink, grimacing at the taste. ¡°She¡¯s given herself fully to this cause of ours. She has a lot to offer. She can do things I can barely imagine. Sometimes¡­ I struggle to see my ce in things.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re important to us,¡± Argrave said in assurance. ¡°Don¡¯t doubt it for a second.¡±


    ¡°Please. I really only know how to fight¡ªand as we¡¯ve proven, Orion is infinitely more suited to that than I am.¡± Durran raised his tankard. ¡°Not that I mind. To Orion, savior of the city.¡±


    Argrave narrowed his eyes. ¡°Are you trying to goad me into ying the surrogate father that points out all your good qualities? This sounds like a ploy to get me to say nice things so you can make fun of me.¡±Durranughed. ¡°No, I¡¯m just¡­ a little lost.¡± He looked at Argrave. ¡°What do you need from me? What do you <em>want </em>from me? I want to do more. I want to do better. I want to pay you back for that golden meal you fed me, because you deserve it. Look at Garm. Man was more jaded than anyone I¡¯ve ever met, and still, he¡­ did <em>that.</em>¡±


    Argrave leaned back in his chair. ¡°I think¡­ I think I get what the problem is.¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡± Durran looked at him.


    ¡°Yeah, I do.¡± Argrave tapped the table. ¡°I think I¡¯ve been stifling you.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Durran narrowed his eyes. ¡°You¡¯re not responsible for my failures. I¡¯ve¡ª¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°No, it¡¯s true.¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°You don¡¯t work best being given orders. You work best given free rein, left to your own devices with an objective in mind.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah?¡± Durranughed. ¡°Tell me more about me.¡±


    ¡°I need you to go back to the Burnt Desert,¡± Argrave continued. ¡°And I need you to tie up all the loose ends that I¡¯ve been putting on the backburner. I need you to deal with the automatons that the subterranean mountain people use, for starters. I need you to be the King of the Scorched Sands. I need an independent actor to get things done, without consulting anyone but their own judgment.¡±


    ¡°So¡­ ¡®go home, stop wasting my time,¡¯ yeah?¡± Durran raised a brow.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Argrave nodded, and Durran looked genuinely surprised he¡¯d agreed. He leaned into the table. ¡°Listen¡­ if you wanted somebody to tell you sweet nothings and say they love you, you¡¯d be hashing this out with my sister. But you¡¯re talking to me. That says a lot about what you want to hear. Sometimes, someone wants someone to tell them to man up. Why? Because it works.¡±


    ¡°Hell¡­¡± Durran looked into his tankard. ¡°Maybe you¡¯re right. No¡ªyou <em>are </em>right,¡± he amended. ¡°No ¡®maybe¡¯ about it. I just¡­ lost a lot of confidence, having been given this gift only to have such a poor showing.¡±


    ¡°So go home, ruminate on things, and fix it,¡± Argrave ordered. ¡°I trust you. I do. You¡¯re capable. Make sure that your homnd is ready to receive the cmity. No one knows the Burnt Desert better than you.¡± Argrave paused, then added, ¡°Actually, I probably do, but let¡¯s ignore that. I¡¯m cheating, what with the wiki and all. It can¡¯t be helped.¡±


    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been uwfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡°Prick.¡± Durranughed. ¡°You know¡­ I¡¯ve been thinking. Garm said that he didn¡¯t want you to name any of your children after him.¡±


    ¡°True.¡± Argrave nodded, then joked grimly, ¡°He¡¯s a little less say in the matter, now.¡±


    ¡°I was thinking¡­ maybe Elenore and I could,¡± Durran suggested. ¡°Respect his wishes, but carry on the name all the same.¡±


    ¡°And who knows? Maybe Garm will resurrect once more, possessing the body of your child just as I possessed Argrave. After all, he might¡¯ve left his traces on you somewhere.¡± Argrave raised his tankard, enjoying the horrified expression Durran sported. ¡°To Garm.¡±


    #####


    When Durran and Argrave eventually parted ways, Argrave walked away with deeper knowledge about his role in the battle. As Durran said, his performance wasn¡¯t exceptional, but he had still gained a newfound understanding of the powers offered by the Fruit of Being. During the battle, he¡¯d exhibited exceptional strength, harnessing memories that weren¡¯t entirely his own¡ªrather, they seemed toe from the traditions that he¡¯d inherited in the manner of golden tattoos lining his body. The ¡®memories of dead people¡¯ bit was a little simr to Garm¡¯s, though far more limited in its scope. Argrave was d to learn that they had another frontliner who could take the tremendously powerful battles that were soon toe.


    After, he spoke with Anneliese, who¡¯d been catching up on other fronts. She had been reviewing the results of the research into the new field of soul magic¡ªor rather, the expansion of druidic magic into soul magic. Argrave was awed by its potential, and followed after Anneliese.


    While Argrave caught up with what she¡¯d read, Anneliese elected to search for Onychinusa. She returned in what felt like no time at all, and it was only then that he realized how engrossed he¡¯d been in these developments. She delivered news of her journey without much prompting.


    ¡°I found Onychinusa. Lllewellen expired,¡± Anneliese said.


    Argrave had been trying to organize sprawled out papers when she said that, but paused and looked at her. ¡°Elenore said Onychinusa had grown rather close with him.¡± He scratched his cheek. ¡°She must be¡­ inconsble.¡±


    Anneliese considered that. ¡°She would''ve been a few days ago, I suspect. She ¡®kidnapped¡¯ Llewellen to force him to research a way to preserve his life, to live on with her. Onychinusa tells me that he helped her ept it. So, they spent theirst few days with one another peacefully. She¡¯s sad. But at the same time, I think she¡¯s¡­ much more whole, if that makes sense. And Llewellen passed on knowing what all of his good work was in service of.¡±


    ¡°Llewellen was rather sage.¡± Argrave looked down at the documents before him. ¡°Have you had a chance to look at this paper?¡±


    ¡°This one?¡± She walked up,ying eyes upon it, then carried on past him. ¡°No. I was going through the daily reports in chronological order. I saw interesting illusion magics, but none this so-called ¡®soul magic¡¯ of yet.¡±


    Argrave looked at her. ¡°You mentioned you preserved Traugott¡¯s psyche, right?¡±


    ¡°I can recreate it.¡± She nodded. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°I was rather worried about how we were going to extract information out of him.¡± Argrave turned back to his papers, leafing through them. ¡°But¡­ I found¡­ here.¡± He pulled one paper out, then walked briskly to her and delivered it. ¡°I think we should bring Traugott back. Then¡­ use <em>that.</em> An interrogator¡¯s wet dream.¡±


    She studied it for a moment, her head clicking as she went through the same considerations that Argrave did. With that spell, they could force Traugott to divulge any information they could imagine.


    ¡°Thest thing I wanted was reason to actually bring him back. But with this¡­ there¡¯s no excuse, is there?¡± Anneliese sighed deeply.


    ¡°We need to know anything that he¡¯s learned. It could be the Heralds. It could be rted to Sophia¡¯s power. It could be some measure he took to ruin the world before we beat him¡ªwhatever it is, let¡¯s tie a bow on this bastard¡¯s saga.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Her fingers tightened around the page. ¡°Onest moment of his existence, until he¡¯s snuffed out forevermore.¡±


    #####


    Argrave looked upon the shell of Good King Norman. It was a testament to Traugott¡¯s utter disregard for everything that he¡¯d chosen to abandon his original body to inhabit something like this, all at some vague hope of ying some hand in the fate of the universe. He was a dangerous man¡ªas such, Anneliese took no chances. The form she¡¯d made for the psyche of Traugott had neither A-rank ascension nor magic at all. They were in Raven¡¯sb, closed off from the rest of the world. The body was crucified in stakes of Ebonice¡ªextreme, perhaps, but they didn¡¯t want Napoleon Bonaparteing back from exile to pick up the torch of his revolution in the Shadonds.


    Anneliese withdrew her hand from the shell¡¯s chest, stepping back. ¡°Any mom¡ª¡± she began, but a deep breath of air ahead cut her off.


    The shell, now upied with Traugott¡¯s mind, looked about in curious panic before settling on the two of them. It opened its mouth to speak, but Argrave already had the spell prepared. He employed soul magic¡ªthe spell [Compulsion] st out, entwining with Traugott¡¯s soul. His head rocked back and he spasmed before growing still.


    ¡°Tell me your full name,¡± Argravemanded.


    ¡°Traugott of Galrithium,¡± he answered, as pliable as any other druidic bond.


    Argrave paused¡ªthat confirmed he was from the Burnt Desert, though Argrave knew that town had long ago fallen to ruin. He looked at Anneliese. He saw her trepidation, and it was surely mirroring his own. It was time for a conversation with the man that had caused so much damage to the world.

 Chapter 659: Reforging Reality

    Chapter 659: Reforging Reality


    Traugott gave them onest hex from beyond the grave¡ªspecifically, a headache. That was truly the only thing they gained from this interrogation. Anneliese had already cracked the code, so to speak, on his bid to use Sophia¡¯s power contained within the shell of Good King Norman. Any information about the Heralds was precisely as they possessed¡ªuncertain, imprecise, and further confirming that they were opposed to any finality to the cycle of judgment.


    It did confirm, at least, that they were right to focus on Traugott before shifting gears to deal with Gerechtigkeit. His knowledge about their situation was frighteningly urate, and even Anneliese had to concede that some of his ns for the tide of Shadonders he¡¯d brought beneath his banner would probably be impossible to counter. With him gone, a threat to their safety, Vasquer¡¯s safety, and Sophia¡¯s safety were wiped, all in one.


    Anneliese erased the shell once again. Given time, she would forget the precise intricacies, and the psyche of Traugott would be forever lost¡ªnot with the death that he¡¯d wanted, but with a rational hand deciding his fate with the samepassion he¡¯d shown all of his subjects of experimentation. It was a feat that deserved to be dered grandly to the mortal realm and the heavens both, but Anneliese was content with the deed itself as her reward.


    With that final dragon in, it had finally gone to the point where only thest enemy remained¡ªthe one who, inrge part, might be considered responsible for it all. It promised to be a brutal struggle even after only the first skirmish¡ªOrion versus the silver knight. More enemies of that caliber might join the fray in the final months cresting the horizon.


    Argrave had taken away so many of Gerechtigkeit¡¯s natural allies. The threat of the undead, brought about by the Order of the Rose on Berendar, hadrgely been culled¡ªevery day, the reports of attacks on travelers and rural vigers lessened. Beings like golems had beenrgely dismantled or subdued¡ªand to that end, Durran coborated with arge team to ensure the subterranean people of the Burnt Desert would not be turned on by their creations. Elsewhere, he actively worked to deprive Gerechtigkeit of minions, uprooting necromantic sects and lich enves.


    Around the world, simr crusades carried on at the behest of one of thergest coalitions in the world. The ckgard Union had seen the threat firsthand, now, and rumors abounded about Orion between the gods himself. Some people in the kingdom suggested that Orion himself should be king after his disy of immense bravery while the king hid away. The knightmander practically tripped over himself to correct the record and refuse kingship at the same time.


    But it was not enough. With all other matters eliminated, Argrave couldser-focus upon perfecting the form with which they would face their enemy. He began this reformation with a series of robustmunications. With the ckgard Union, he rified that he had established contact with the Shadonds, and had a n of action to prevent their incursions for this cycle. With the Kingdom of Vasquer and to a lesser extent that of the Great Chu, he made sure they knew he was present and able to defend all that was under his sphere of influence.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    He issued promations of glory, outlining those who had worked to defend the kingdom. Orion was first among them, then came Garm and Llewellen, thest of whom was written down as a casualty in the battle for simplicity¡¯s sake. He gave credit to the countless who deserved it, describing what each had sacrificed to keep the kingdom running, and what they had contributed to its safety.


    Beyond the popce were the institutions. The nobles smelled blood in the water, but the sharks had long ago been purged¡ªinstead, the sight of blood only caused them fear. Elenore was instrumental in aying that fear. They had been massing the army at ckgard both to facilitate training and to centralize power, but this most recent demonstration rified that the soldiers weren¡¯t at their most effective so tightly grouped.Using their fear as an excuse, Elenore distributed soldiers throughout the entire kingdom to maintain order, improve the infrastructure, and undermine the influence of regional gentry. Soon enough, their well-trained standing army had permeated the whole of the kingdom of Vasquer. They built roads, mitigated the effects of floods, assisted migration, and improved the garrison of the towns and cities. They were as much as a highly effectivebor force as they were soldiers of the state.


    Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    Elenore was worried about corruption taking root in their ranks, as she deemed it ¡®the biggest cancer of any nation.¡¯ She tested the robustness of the Veidimen training with probes to try and deliberately corrupt soldiers. They provedrgely fruitless, much to her satisfaction. They had a standing army that was loyal to the crown alone. Such a thing would prove invaluable in the times toe in the following months, and the following decades. Suffice it to say, the army was here to stay. It was a tremendous stabilizing force.


    Regarding another stabilizer: the Order of the Gray Owl, after being devastated in the battle by loss of key personnel and leadership, was on its back foot. It would strain further under the enormity of what was toe. There was arge power vacuum, and those who remained might do something desperate to preserve their autonomy. They already felt threatened by the prospect of a constitution dictating how magic ought to be used. To calm them, Anneliese and Argrave both did something to give robust assurances that the crown would not undermine their existence¡ªthey applied for the title of Magister of the Gray Owl.


    The application, of course, had to be reviewed by a tower master. Tarah, Castro¡¯s sessor, had died in the battle against the silver knight. Their application was merely a very subtle indication that the crown had no intention of taking overt advantage of the power vacuum, and that the living Magisters should get their Order in order quickly and peacefully. Covertly, however, Elenore had some angles. She intended to push Moriatran, a wizened elder and Castro¡¯s self-proimed rival, as the next tower master. He¡¯d proven very amenable to oversight by the crown, while his anti-Castro reputation might earn him supporters amongst those who doubtlessly intended to preserve the integrity of the order above all else.


    Meanwhile, the merit of the knowledge unearthed by the research team headed by Anneliese and then Llewellen had set a fire in a great many¡ªnot just Vasquer natives, but those from abroad. Veidimen casters, and those of the Great Chu, were not so eager to return to their homnds despite the attack. It was partially due to their intellectual curiosity, partly due to incentives offered by both Artur and Elenore, and partly out of fear. They feared being left behind for another frightening innovation, as seen with soul magic. Argrave was especially gung-ho about cementing ckgard as a center of schrly research, as he knew the benefits of such a ce in the world that he came from.


    In a matter of weeks, their dynamic administration turned what was objectively the biggest disaster of its tenure into a neutral, perhaps even <em>positive </em>incident. The lives lost could not be reced, but from their loss could spring a sweeping round of changes for the better. The parliament was especially agreeable, seeing the need for a strong, centralized power with the prospect of cmity above their heads.


    There was silence from Gerechtigkeit, but all could tell that he was not idle. The phenomenon of the White ne¡¯s copse was something noted by countless divinity who made journeys to the ce seeking to establish contracts between one another. It was evident there was a malignant force battering against it, seeking to undermine and destroy it. This came alongside continued reports of a nexus of power coinciding with where the Gilderwatchers had met. The dwarves, closest to this power, loosened their istionist policies further in case they needed aid.


    The copse of the White nes was proper impetus to establish ties between deities that were not only enforced by its mysticism, but by the practicality of their reality. Argrave seized upon it ably, acting as figurehead inmunications with countless other deities. Rumors had spread of his prowess in battle after the situation with Sataistador and Erlebnis, and now that the Fruit of Being had changed him, he was better able to make those falsehoods reality in person.


    The ckgard Union was made stronger¡ªnot weaker¡ªby the prospect of the White ne¡¯s copse,rgely because its leadership was able to enforce more centralization. Gods, at the end of the day, were not so far removed from mortals in their needs and desires. They were guided by their domains, but not constrained to them. With theing cmity, their priority to continue livingbatted their desire for freedom. They relinquished the opportunity to betray one another, provided they themselves had simr assurances.


    Gerechtigkeit had changed¡­ but so had the world. Their reality had been tossed into the forge, and after being beaten and cooled, emerged as hardened steel. Only time would prove if they were equal to the opponent that they faced.

 Chapter 660: End is Nigh

    Chapter 660: End is Nigh


    ¡°The end is nigh,dies and gentlemen!¡±


    Stain tried his best to push through the crowd to get a better look at things as the man on the tform spoke passionately and feverishly. There could be no doubting that he believed every word he said. And from the look of it, Stain was the sole nonbeliever in their midst. He was taking another form by employing a shapeshifting blessing bestowed by Rook, the god of deception and subterfuge.


    ¡°Judgment ising upon us!¡± The man held his arms wide as he pranced about the stage, and Stain could just barely make out his features¡ªpearly white, almost immacte. ¡°If you judge the world of today to the world of yesteryear, you¡¯d have to be an invalid to say there¡¯s aparison. Can you truly face your ancestors and say that our people possess the same mettle they did to ovee this crisis? I look back, and I say firmly ¡®no!¡¯


    ¡°We judge and by its leaders. The man we would call king is the youngest child, in contradiction to <em>all </em>ancient traditions. He rules while his elder brother yet lives, and throws him at his enemies like a hound trained to hunt,¡± the pale-skinned man spat as he moved about the stage wildly, squatting and leaning down to speak to his enraptured audience. ¡°He imed the throne by force¡ªbut not his own, oh no.¡± The man spread his arms out grandly.


    ¡°The bastard Argrave, born of a shameful incestuous union between the king and his niece, is naturally predisposed to malevolence. Worse yet, his soul vanished, to be reced by another from a different world¡ªa crueler world, divested of themon virtues all of us share. This new life surrendered his soul to all manner of vile powers. He contracted himself with evil gods like Erlebnis, barbarian elves from both the north and the far east, the monstrous cannibals of the Burnt Desert, and just ofte¡­ the squat people in the distant empire known as the Great Chu.¡±


    The passionate speaker fell to his knees and whispered tensely, ¡°Is it normal, I ask you, for our enemies to be left to wander freely through our borders? Is it normal for us to forsake our pantheon so freely? Is it normal, I ask you, for our king to cavort with necromantic magics powerful enough that the heroes of old are brought back from the dead, and propped up like monuments to support his im?¡±


    Stain contacted Elenore covertly, informing her, ¡°I¡¯ve checked the crowd and marked any threats. Ready whenever.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The speaker punched the wooden stage he kneeled across. ¡°It¡¯s wrong! It¡¯s wrong, <em>all of it!¡± </em>He shouted with moving intensity. ¡°The Kinying Serpent may y the egalitarian, giving more power to mayors, and nobility, and spellcasters¡­ yet this so-called parliament is packed with sycophants who would drink his sweat if he demanded it. His maniacal sister, who earned the just punishment of dismemberment and blindness, sits atop this council, weaving all these parties in her spider¡¯s silk. Our leadership, dear people, is inadequate. When judgmentes¡­ we will be found wanting,¡± he whispered gravely.


    Then, in an explosion of power, he leapt to his feet. ¡°But even if our leaders are weak, we are still ourselves, undebased by the malevolent powers the Kinying Serpent would wee into our homnd.¡± A fanatic glint settled into his eyes. ¡°Before we, too, are corrupted¡­ made a <em>ve </em>to the powers wracking the world¡­ we must follow our distant ancestors, rejoining them in the afterlife.¡±¡°Mothers!¡± The man shouted, pointing throughout the crowd. ¡°Though it may pain you, you must throw your children from the highest perch, and follow them shortly thereafter. Dash the heads of your infants upon the stone. If you feel you must atone for this act, set yourself ame. Let your pain be your bulwark as you take sce in the fact that your soul, and those of your children, will be liberated.¡±


    ¡°Fathers, like myself!¡± He continued, pulling out a de. Stain stirred¡ªhe¡¯d anticipated more time. ¡°Allow me to demonstrate!¡± The man plunged his de into his gut without so much as a scream. ¡°Pierce yourself, firmly. Let the blood drain down, staining the earth. Takefort in knowing that you still bleed red¡­ for in time, all of our viscera shall be ck and corrupted, just as the king¡¯s.


    ¡°And if youck the spirit to extinguish yourself¡­¡± the speaker fell to one knee. ¡°Fight. Fight against our tyrant, to the veryst man. Break your nails upon their armor, and smash your bones against their cruel whips. Hunt down those that bear rings¡ªthe mark of the Kinying Serpent¡¯s taint. Kill them all. Eat their children. Make them¡ª¡±


    All at once, the closed venue erupted open. Argrave¡¯s soldiers stormed in, subduing people in an efficient, pre-nned manner. The few casters that Stain had identified were subdued with Ebonice before they could get out so much as a single spell.


    Meanwhile, the ringleader shouted, ¡°The devilse! Purge yourself! This is yourst chance to be free! They will not allow us the peace of death!¡±


    He pulled free the de from his stomach, bleeding copiously as two soldiers climbed the stage to subdue him. By the time they¡¯d neared him, he¡¯d already plunged it again¡ªnot his stomach, this time, but his eye. The soldiers caught his arm, dislocating it and forcing him to the floor as the other healed his wound with magic. Stain could only grimace as this whole ce was quickly subjugated.


    ¡°Good work, Stain,¡± Elenore finally spoke in his head. ¡°Argrave wants to hear from you in person.¡±


    #####


    Argrave leaned back in his chair when Stain finished recounting his tale. It was more than a little harrowing to hear that something like this was going on in one of Vasquer¡¯s safest cities¡ªDirracha.


    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    ¡°Far as I know, only three died,¡± Stain pointed out. ¡°Not exactly wless, but¡­ the problem is solved, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Argrave shook his head. ¡°That was one. One of <em>hundreds.</em>¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Stainughed¡ªnot in amusement, but sheer disbelief. ¡°Listen¡­ the man had some pipes, but that rhetoric was hardly enough to spawn <em>thousands </em>of offshoots. Is¡­ is it really Gerechtigkeit doing all of this?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Argrave ran his hand through his ck hair. ¡°The doomsday cults are one small problem of many. But the tale ispletely terrifying, doubly so when someone you know gets tied up in one of them. It shakes the wholemunity. Then, the other moderate factions that Gerechtigkeit is busy creating seem far more reasonable byparison.¡±


    Anneliese leaned against the back of Argrave¡¯s chair, and her long white hair draped over him as she ced her pale hand upon his shoulder. ¡°Meanwhile, they have a unifying message. Argrave is distributing rings that ward away Gerechtigkeit¡¯s mental attacks to certain people he favors. Gerechtigkeit marks those individuals as enemies to the people.¡±


    ¡°All the while, he causes small disruptions by unearthing small secrets.¡± Elenore stared out the window with calcting gray eyes. ¡°Your contract with Erlebnis. Your parentage. They¡¯rergely unproveable, and despite some minor deceptions, you¡¯ve beenrgely of good character. Most rational people doubt all rumors of your malevolence.¡± She turned around. ¡°But other leaders? People are turning spiteful toward regional administration moment by moment as they learn secrets best kept that way. And everyone desperately craves the rings that Artur is producing, to the point that violence almost feels inevitable.¡±


    ¡°That thing about your father¡¯s niece is true?¡± Stain said in surprise. He caught an icy re from Orion, and quicky added, ¡°Never mind, don¡¯t answer.¡± It was only when Orion retracted his cold gaze that Stain calmed himself, then continued to speak. ¡°I will admit¡­ things in the cities are getting very tense. It¡¯s more violent, more prized. Everyone¡¯s got amon enemy, but they¡¯re making more among themselves. I think¡­ I think, honestly, in time, you could have a major problem on your hand. I assume you have a n?¡±


    He did have a n. Argrave had thought the path to victory seemed so clear, yet now Gerechtigkeit had efficiently weaponized his solution to the problem of mental corruption. He had isted the people who had been given the rings from the rest of society, turning them against one another.


    ¡°I want to speak to their leader,¡± Argrave said, looking at Elenore. ¡°He seems the most brutally affected by Gerechtigkeit¡¯s influence. We can learn his methods¡ªand if not, we can learn something from the traces left in his body. We can see if the ring can bring them back to their senses, or if they¡¯re lost forever. Until a more permanent solution is found, we need mitigation.¡±


    Elenore nodded. ¡°A sound enough n. I¡¯ll prepare the man.¡±


    #####


    ¡°Any words for me?¡± Argrave questioned, looking upon the cult leader. The man looked like a pearl plucked from the ocean, almost. ¡°You were awfully talkative a few moments ago.¡±


    The pale leader of the cult only stared at the ground in his shackles, seemingly broken. His wounds had all been healed, but his body remained still and silent, as if there was nothing to say. He¡¯d expected something fiery, but instead he got this nonresponsive person.


    Argrave sighed, crouching down. ¡°Alright. Raven, you can put the ring on him. Let¡¯s see if it helps him get better.¡±


    Raven stepped forward, but as he did, the cultist said, ¡°If you had sought a life for you and yours, all you had to do was follow the path written long before youring. It was ever your own will, your own two feet, that brought us to this.¡± The man looked up, and Argrave felt a wave of fear and panic as he saw what dwelt within.


    The end. Gerechtigkeit himself.


    Argrave rose to his feet and stepped back, unsure whether to fight or to run.


    ¡°You could¡¯ve struck me down in the same fashion that led to countless lives well worth living. You could¡¯ve raised grand cities from marble and granite and sired children that knew peace for one thousand years.¡± The chains around the cultist¡¯s arms jingled as the being within craned his head to look at Argrave, with those eyes containing the very end themselves. ¡°Yet greed is your vice, its me fed with blood from your veins¡ªand soon, the blood of your people. You deemed a millennium of welfare insufficient. You rolled the dice of fate, and a predetermined answer lies ahead.¡±


    Argrave shook his head as others gathered around, ready to fight. ¡°The cycle ends, Griffin.¡±


    ¡°The end has already passed you by. The currents of life, forced into a wheel, were freed of their bondage the moment you brought my sister out from Sandbara. You and I must struggle to dictate life¡¯s current from here.¡±


    ¡°Not me alone,¡± Argrave argued. ¡°The world. You¡¯ve never ovee it before, fractured. Now, it¡¯s whole.¡±


    ¡°You act the leader, but a fool¡¯s a fool, and your choice was rashly made. Immortal and mortalkind rallied on such flimsy foundation cannotpare to the millennia uncountable I have spent with nothing but time, preparing for thising day. I shall respect your resistance with the full of my being, even still.¡±


    Argrave stepped closer, mustering his courage. ¡°Your sister is happy with us. She¡¯s safe. She¡¯s whole. We don¡¯t have to fight.¡±


    ¡°Turning back is a privilege both of us are denied. You must rage against my might with equal fury, or you will be swept away in the tides of my change. There is no fuel I will not use to raise my inferno higher, and no method so low I will not stoop to grasp it. Pray that you possess equal resolve, wayward soul. If you will not do everything in the pursuit of victory, you will not achieve anything. The pigs have been fed long enough. It is past time for their ughter.¡±


    Argrave was about to open his mouth to ask more questions, but Anneliese stepped forward and conjured a ward. The cultist¡¯s head was solid in one moment, and the next, exploded outward with tremendous force. Blood, brain, and fragments of skull battered against the wall and the ward. On the wall, a hauntingly masterful image of a single me had been left behind in blood.


    There could be no clearer deration of war.

 Chapter 661: Bad Blood

    Chapter 661: Bad Blood


    ¡°I suspect the man¡¯s head burst into gore due to the pressure of containing Gerechtigkeit, not out of any deliberate act,¡± Raven said as he studied the corpse.


    Anneliese looked at him as he turned the body over in his hands. ¡°I might concur¡ªthat force, that <em>pressure¡­ </em>it strained against the vessel until it could deform no more before bursting free. But how do you exin the image on the wall?¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    All three of them gazed at what could only be called a painting of a fire. It lost neither shape nor color no matter how long it persisted.


    ¡°A final message, perhaps. Or a demonstration he is incapable of suppressing what he really is. Fire; uncontrolled destruction that eats all it can to grow, and leaves scars in that which it cannot burn. It may signify that preparation he so grandly boasted of.¡± The Alchemist raised his huge gray hand to the image, ruining the piece with a stroke of his hand. ¡°Let this swipe of my hand demonstrate what his n should mean to us.¡±


    Argrave found himself clenching his hands together, and rxed with a deliberate deep breath. Anneliese watched him, asking, ¡°You look like you¡¯re holding back from saying something.¡±


    ¡°Well.¡± He looked up. ¡°It¡¯s clear from the rumors surfacing about me that he listens to all we say.¡±


    ¡°And?¡± Anneliese raised a brow. ¡°He is not yet here on this realm. He cannot respond to our ns as we can to his.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a n, it¡¯s¡­¡± Argrave closed his eyes, reimagining the brief exchange of words he¡¯d had. ¡°If that was a mere fragment of his being, I find it hard to imagine how all of us will face that.¡±


    Raven put his huge hand on Argrave¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Face him as Orion did. Raging against the end, defiant in your steady pursuit of a fate unknown.¡±Argrave took the rarefort from Raven in stride, nodding until he remembered something. ¡°We have to go see Orion,¡± he told Anneliese, and her eyes brightened at the reminder.


    ¡°Of course,¡± she nodded firmly. ¡°He¡¯s with his mother.¡±


    #####


    Orion sat just beside his mother, Valeria, looming over her bedside like a Great Dane beside a child. Her blonde hair was wispy, thin, and bore some signs it might never grow back in some areas. She was thin, almost dreadfully so¡ªArgrave¡¯s thigh might¡¯ve been thicker than her waist. But in her sapphire-like blue eyes, there was a brightness that Argrave had never before seen, and she did not thrash at unseen demons as she had locked in the pce cresting Dirracha.


    If ever there was a demonstration victory over Gerechtigkeit¡¯s mental influence, it was this woman.


    Valeria stroked the back of her son¡¯s hand as sheid there, a faint smile on her thin, scarred lips. ording to Orion, she had fully returned to her old self. The madness, which was almost assuredly inflicted on her by Gerechtigkeit, had been remedied. In particr, putting the mental-warding ring on her had essentially closed an open wound. Once closed, it allowed old scars to heal. Allowed her mind toe back to her.


    Orion leaned in. ¡°I must depart, mother. Rest well.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ love you,¡± she said in a quiet, tender voice that sounded as if it barely escaped her lungs.


    ¡°I love you too, mother.¡± He kissed her on the cheek, then rose to his feet. He walked to where Argrave and Anneliese waited, then gestured for them to leave the room. They did, and his brother shut the door behind them.


    ¡°My life feels fuller than it ever has before.¡± Orion looked up to the skies above. ¡°Yet concurrently, the greatest tragedy unimaginable wracks our nation. The fell judge would burn our civilization to ash. We must stand in stark defiance to that, as ever.¡± He looked between them. ¡°But I speak enough. You¡¯vee to hear the results of my work, have you not?¡±


    ¡°We have,¡± Argrave answered with a curt nod. ¡°And¡­ to ask permission about a matter regarding your mother.¡±


    Orion ran his hand down his long ck beard. ¡°Considering our recent adversities, this must be about her affliction of the mind. You would seek answers from her.¡± He closed his eyes. ¡°My mother is well again. I cannot arrogantly decide on her behalf what she should do with what is hers. All I would ask, as a filial son, is that you give her time enough to be physically well. She has ceased harming herself, yet the remnants of it still persist on her, and will for some days.¡±


    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    ¡°That¡¯s fair enough.¡± Argrave loosely grabbed Orion¡¯s elbow, pulling him along. ¡°So, let¡¯s talk about your research into thetent bloodline.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Orion walked along, taking the center between Argrave and Anneliese. ¡°I could not, so to speak, strain my brain until I found the power of the mind that our ancestors possess. If it were to happen, it would have. Ideas eluded me, and so I sought inspiration from those of the past¡ªthose that have already done such a thing. Come¡ªlet us involve the others in this conversation.¡±


    Argrave and Anneliese followed uneasily, knowing well what he meant when he said ¡®others.¡¯ Orion hade to value himself a good deal more, and had be far more grounded as a person. That said, he still retained certain entric aspects to his personality. Foremost among them was a disregard for many characteristics of other persons. This had manifested in a somewhat grandiose act of mercy.


    They walked out of the parliamentary hall, heading to a circr building in the city. Orion opened it and walked aside, and familiar faces revealed themselves one after another. There was the decidedly in-looking Boarmask, lifting his head up from a book. He was one of the original protagonists from Heroes of Berendar, yet¡­ he wasn¡¯t the only one, nor was he one of two.


    Dario and Georgina looked at Argrave with considerable caution. Both former protagonists of Heroes of Berendar had opposed Argrave in one way or another, and now both worked underneath Orion in his pursuit for the secrets of their bloodline. They weren¡¯t even the most oundish figures present¡ªMial, elven daughter the Casten of the Empty, sat at a desk with several old scrollsid out before her. Ingo, the near-surrogate son of Castro, had also joined this motley crew. He and Orion were getting on quite well, both of them being able to rte to one another on ount of their mutual experience of dealing with blessings.


    Elenore made a point of having tight security. Orion himself wasn¡¯t foolish¡ªhis own loyal guard, once the Waxknights, had been cured of their affliction in House Quadreign¡¯s ck fire. Now, these elite veterans of Felipe¡¯s old order were a constant eye over Orion¡¯s collection of exotic personalities. Exotic, yes¡­ but no doubt extremely useful.


    ¡°Everyone,¡± Orion shouted out in hismanding voice as he entered the room. ¡°Pay your respects to His Majesty and Her Highness.¡±


    Without exception, all paid them some manner of respect¡ªbowed heads at the least, and kneeling at the most. Orion looked between them all like a proud father.


    ¡°Mial.¡± Orion focused on the pale elf, who seemed like a kitten before him. ¡°I instructed you to collect information from the group. Do you have it prepared?¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± Mial said, casting uneasy nces at the royal pair.


    ¡°Wonderful. Everyone, gather around.¡± He waved his arms all around, and slowly this disparate collection of talented strays coalesced in the center of the room. There seemed to be some small rapport between them, and they were united in their shared caution toward Argrave and Anneliese. ¡°I shall give you the bare bones of it all. Mypatriots shall fill in where my knowledge iscking.¡±


    Orion cleared his throat. ¡°To begin with, I realized that we would need a foundation to build upon, as had taken ce in the team guided by thete Llewellen. Ours is the only family descending from the Gilderwatchers, but not the only family descending from things not fully human.¡±


    ¡°Truly?¡± Anneliese asked in surprise. ¡°What manner of beings?¡±


    ¡°Mial,¡± Orion looked toward her with a smile. ¡°You took charge of this.¡±


    The pale elf fixed her dark hair uneasily. ¡°As you know, the¡­ the following that my father gathered was a very disparate group, united by faith.¡± She couldn¡¯t meet Argrave or Anneliese¡¯s eyes. ¡°It was never practiced in Vasquer, but we had those among us with the blood of drakes, dragons, or mostmonly, the monstrosities native to the underground. Its stone vipers, spider matriarchs, or ancient basilisks, by example. I could not prevail upon my former flock, as my father¡¯s death has led them to view me as a deceiver, yet I did manage to track them down for others.¡±


    ¡°Excellent,¡± Argrave praised. ¡°What was learned from it?¡±


    Mial finally looked up. She had her father¡¯s purple eyes, and after the praise she managed to meet Argrave¡¯s gaze as she said, ¡°The method by which people achieve monster lineage is manifold. It is often a ritual done during conception, or while the child is in the womb. I¡¯ll spare the unpleasant details, because they¡¯re irrelevant¡ªthe power in their blood is unlocked by ying the creatures they¡¯re rted to. In the end, it allows them to manifest powers that are sadly overshadowed by magic.¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°In the end, they have a trace amount of ck blood, like myself. That was something you could¡¯vee to me for. I could¡¯ve scoured the wiki to spare you some time.¡± He looked at Orion.


    Others looked confused, but Orion knew what he spoke of and answered decisively. ¡°You are more than busy enough as is.¡± Orion shook his head adamantly. ¡°I meant to ease your burden, not add more thoughts.¡± He gestured back at Mial to continue.


    ¡°In the end, we narrowed it down to a family descended from dragons. It took a lot of work¡ªfrom all of us.¡± Mial looked around at her allies. ¡°Dario and Georgina tracked down living descendants. Ingo sought out methods by which they¡¯d unlocked their power.¡±


    Orion leaned forward and grabbed Argrave¡¯s shoulder. ¡°In the end, we¡¯ve found a path, Argrave. We need only time, and we may discover a way to shield the people from Gerechtigkeit¡¯s influence. We may be able to stop these fruitless cults, and these divisive leaders, from rending Vasquer asunder. More resources are needed, however. The fine souls that have pledged themselves as my retainer do fine work¡­ but it cannot bepared to the totality of what you and Elenoremand.¡±

 Chapter 662: Lunacy

    Chapter 662: Lunacy


    Following Orion¡¯s presentation of his findings, Argrave gathered together all of his closest counsel to consult about the path that they needed to pursue. It came alongside reports of growing unrest¡ªfor the first time, there was what could be called a riot in one of the cities. Dirracha, underneath the yoke of Hegazar and Vera, had a brief rebellion that was quickly put down by the effective, if at times excessive, pair.


    ¡°Just from initial reports, I can tell you that seventeen people passed away in the fighting. Elsewhere, we¡¯re getting reports that tax collectors are being turned away,¡± Elenore recounted.


    Argrave scoffed at the ridiculousness of the sentence. ¡°Tax collectors? Even now, with things as utterly ridiculous as they are?¡±


    ¡°Ridiculous? That¡¯s na?ve,¡± his sister chided him unabashedly. ¡°Cities are only able to support asrge a poption as they are because they tax rural settlements and their harvests. With outright refusal, we could have famines on our hands. It¡¯ll be difficult to tax those viges without the army getting involved¡ªand as it is, the army is stretched thin. Worst of all, we have some reports from my scouts that the undead and some stray few automatons have begun to rally under the banner of silver-armored knights simr to the ones that assaulted ckgard many weeks ago.¡±


    ¡°And these reports are regional. We¡¯ve not yet begun to ount for my wife¡¯s homnd, the Great Chu,¡± his brother Orion said, shaking his head in dismay. ¡°Gerechtigkeit¡¯s mental malignance is a global phenomenon, with global consequences. We were warned of as much, yet I never dared imagine it might manifest in this callously indifferent way. This makes it all the more imperative that we choose a route to focus on to block him.¡±


    ¡°My people are the worst affected by this,¡± Durran said, looking between them all with his arms crossed. These days, he was more proudly disying the golden tattoos on his tan arms. ¡°The only reason that they followed my lead in joining with Vasquer was because they thought they did so as equals. With Gerechtigkeit spreading poison, more and more people are beginning to view independence as a viable option. I¡¯m doing my best to keep them cohesive, but I can tell that things are reaching a breaking point. It doesn¡¯t help that the solution Artur has offered is insufficient, especially insofar as my people go.¡±


    Durran wasn¡¯t often serious, but when it came to his people, the southern tribes of the Burnt Desert, he couldy things out very rationally and calmly.


    ¡°It¡¯s not the Burnt Desert alone. I have petitions from the Archduchy of the North to allot more of the mental-warding rings to their people. Clearly, it¡¯s gripped the hearts and minds of just about everyone.¡± Elenore nodded. ¡°I agree that we need to shift focus, and quickly, before it all spirals out of control. The only question is which route to focus on.¡±


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s run down the list.¡± Argrave sped his hands together. ¡°Anne. You¡¯ve been keeping apprised on the research team. Do you think that we¡¯re anywhere nearing up with arge-scale magical solution for the problem of mental corruption?¡±His queen seemed to lose herself in thought for a long few moments, biting her lip almost as though she hesitated to say something. Finally, she said with arge degree of certainty, ¡°No. We¡¯re no closer. Druidi¡ªexcuse me. Soul magic is particrly fussy. It needs direct interaction with the soul. The only reason the rings work is because they contact with skin, allowing it to interface with the wearer¡¯s soul to protect it.¡±


    Argrave epted her expertise with a quiet nod¡ªof everyone, she was the only one barring one other who might even approach recing Llewellen. He looked to that second person and prevailed upon him. ¡°Raven.¡±


    ¡°I concur with your queen¡¯s assessment of things. On the other matter that you¡¯ve had me looking into, I¡¯ve had no luck reinforcing the White nes.¡± He shook his head, having anticipated the next question. ¡°How they were created is beyond my ken. The gods that I consult are simrly clueless. If Erlebnis¡¯ vast store of knowledge truly has nothing on the subject, then their fate is inevitable copse. Gerechtigkeit assaults it artfully, pulling together the thread that ties it precisely where it needs to be pulled.¡±


    ¡°And nothing can be made to rece it?¡± Argrave suggested.


    ¡°I believe its original creators, and the powers they used, have long perished.¡± Raven held out his too-long arm. ¡°It is a fruitless endeavor. We are best off turning our focus to other things more worth our time.¡±


    When Argrave turned his gaze to look at his brother, Orion, he could see some eagerness, some hunger on those stony gray eyes of his. He had been looking for other ways to demonstrate his worth besides rote battle¡ªparticrly because he finally believed he was of more use to people than simply swinging his fists and employing his blessings in stalwart defense.


    ¡°If you give me and my retainers the opportunity, Your Majesty, we can empower the Vasquer family,¡± Orion promised. ¡°Even as we speak, I¡¯ve sent out Boarmask to the distant continent where the family rted to dragons lie. If he establishes contact, we can begin to make a study of how it works. If you join in on this search, Your Majesty, we can learn how to apply it to our own bloodline.¡±


    Raven crossed his arms. ¡°That is a fool¡¯s errand. I have examined Argrave so utterly as to know more about him that anyone in the entire world. Additionally, I am intimately familiar with those that have assimted the lineage of other creatures. There is nothing to unlock. There is no dormant potential,¡± he promised.


    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Argrave¡¯s own reading into what Erlebnis hadpiled on the subject of humans rted to other creatures led him to conclude simr things. The bloodline of Vasquer was young, however, and wholly unique¡ªnever before had there been a species of human associated with the Gilderwatchers, and it was less than a millennia old. Erlebnis never had any contact with them. And Orion wasn¡¯t one to makerge promises withoutrge evidence.


    Orion, despite the opposition, did not grow incensed. He look at Raven and asked calmly, ¡°What would you suggest in way of my route?¡±


    ¡°I would suggest what is pragmatic¡ªpreparing to do away with the Gilderwatchers. We need not genocide them as the gods of past generations intended. But we do need to remove them from Gerechtigkeit¡¯s influence, one way or another. And if we cannot¡­ at the very least, eliminating some of them would eliminate vast amounts of Gerechtigkeit¡¯s influence. He would have less hold over the minds and souls of men.¡±


    Argrave expected anger from Orion, but none came. Instead, he nodded. ¡°I agree that we should be pragmatic.¡±


    Everyone looked at him in some surprise.


    ¡°¡­but being pragmatic doesn¡¯t mean that we should exclude all of the options,¡± Orion continued. ¡°There is much sense in looking toward what needs to be done. That does not mean we should turn our eye of scrutiny away from what <em>could</em> be done. So, I ask you again, Raven, in respect for your prudent guidance over the years¡ªwhat other routes exist?¡±


    Raven looked to the side, thinking. ¡°Hause remains in y. Her very role is unlocking potential. It has been, of yet, difficult to wear her down¡­ but these new developments in mortal society can surely serve to make her reconsider her hesitance to employ her ability to bring about your full potential.¡±


    ¡°You have the closest ties with her,¡± Orion pointed out. ¡°You would be best served in aligning her to our perspective, and our need of her abilities. Moreover, you stand as evidence of the full power of her ability, and dually a testament to the fact that your potential can be mastered and turned to a more benevolent, righteous cause. You are one of many wings that help Vasquer¡¯s benevolent ascendancy.¡±


    Raven scoffed. ¡°This isn¡¯t about your kingdom. I¡¯ll concede your point, however. Hause¡­¡± he considered the matter. ¡°I can speak to her. I can¡­ be the man that I once was, even if he existed only for a brief time in my very long life.¡±


    Orion looked back at Argrave. ¡°And speaking to Raven¡¯s point, he is correct¡ªwe should prepare ourself for the grim task of fighting against the Gilderwatchers ourselves. But we need not close off to other options. Countess Mnie of the Low Way has been working closely with some of the dwarves and the Sentinels of the Low Way to produce wonderful results in way of clearing pathways.¡±


    ¡°I <em>am</em> here,¡± Mnie pointed out, running a hand through her long red hair as she sat in the corner of the room. ¡°You don¡¯t need to speak about me as if I¡¯m not.¡±


    Orion gestured at her. ¡°I suggest that we delegate the task of preparing for the struggle against the Gilderwatchers to Mnie. Meanwhile, I beseech you, Your Majesty¡­ allow me to walk this route with the might of our kingdom at my back. I swear that there lies potential in it.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Elenore frowned. ¡°Is it, perhaps, your <em>intuition </em>speaking? We¡¯ve proven as well as we could that your gut turned out to be a useless predictor. Your intuition told you that you were dying, and yet here you stand. Not that I¡¯mining, of course,¡± she felt the need to add quickly.


    Orion clenched his fist and put it against his heart. ¡°My intuition does tell me so, but that isn¡¯t my sole lodestar, anymore, and I would not so confidently ask Argrave to stake our futures on what may end up as a dead end. I speak on behalf of the people serving under me, all of whom possess rare intelligence, and all of whom believe that there lies a route to call upon the Gilderwatchers¡¯ mastery of the soul.


    ¡°Some of their hearts are stained with their misdeeds of the past, be that Mial and Georgina both working on behalf of the Ebon Cult, or Dario in his misguided vengeance against Argrave,¡± Orion continued. ¡°I believe firmly that the ckness marring their soul does not consign them to a life ill lived for its remainder. It could be said that this darkness encourages them to glow ever brighter in service to our cause, to do away with their actions in the past. That, certainly, motivates Georgina. Mial, meanwhile, seeks closure to the tale of the entity that her father was so obsessed with.¡± Orion shook his head. ¡°I ramble in advocacy. My point is thus: this is very real.¡±


    Argrave rubbed his hands together. ¡°What would the full support of the kingdom actually entail?¡±


    Orion said seriously, ¡°We would need toe in contact with both the producer and the product¡ªnamely, the dragon and its descendants, respectively. The descendants merely require Elenore¡¯s considerable information-gathering abilities. The dragon, meanwhile¡­ we have legends alone. But each and all are remarkably consistent¡ªunusual, insofar as these things go.¡±


    ¡°So¡­¡± Anneliese looked at Elenore. ¡°We would again need Elenore¡¯s capability. Verify fact from fiction.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Orion shook his head. ¡°This dragon is said to live on the moon, after having refused godhood countless times.¡±


    ¡°Orion¡­¡± Durran put his hand on his forehead. ¡°The moon? Are we reading children¡¯s fables? Worse¡ªare we taking them seriously?¡± He looked at Argrave. ¡°The Shadonds is one matter. Don¡¯t tell me you intend to take us to the moon, next.¡±


    Orion shook his head. ¡°The moon is beyond us. But we can call it back to earth. We can end its long hiatus.¡±


    Argrave leaned back in his chair. ¡°Mnie¡ªget to work on securing a pathway to seek out the Gilderwatcher nexus. Raven¡ªsweet-talk Hause, seduce her with your tragic backstory and immacte gray skin. Everyone else¡­ let¡¯s give Orion¡¯s ideas the same attention you¡¯ve all given my ridiculous ones over the years.¡± He looked at him. ¡°I trust my brother, after all.¡±

 Chapter 663: Mirror in the Sky

    Chapter 663: Mirror in the Sky


    Though Argrave had said not long ago that he trusted his brother, now that his intentions were clear and they¡¯d all agreed to help Orion on his search, he did consult two encyclopedias for answers. The first was his own head¡ªnot to toot his own horn, of course. He¡¯d be tooting Erlebnis¡¯, anyhow, considering the god had gathered the knowledge only to use it as a cudgel to unsessfully break his mind. The second encyclopedia was almost directly responsible for the first.


    Its name was Raven.


    ¡°Do you know how many voyages have been attempted to the moon?¡± Raven asked Argrave as they walked side-by-side.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°Eighty-seven.¡± Argrave looked at the obsidian confines of Raven¡¯sb, wondering where the man was leading them.


    ¡°I¡¯ll assume that¡¯s not a guess. My point is the same¡ªvery many have voyaged seeking the stars, the sun, and the moon.¡± An eye and mouth appeared on Raven¡¯s elbow, enabling him to emphasize his point without turning his head. ¡°All of them failed. No one has been to the moon and back¡ªnot the gods of space, nor deities of any stripe. This so-called lunar dragon your brother insists exists is a statistical impossibility.¡±


    ¡°But not a physical one,¡± Argrave pointed out.


    Raven stopped in his tracks, turning his body toward Argrave. ¡°So you¡¯ve told me. The notion of people, without magic, achieving such a thing is¡­ fanciful. It was hard enough to get them coborate to fight Gerechtigkeit¡ªbuilding a spacecraft capable of not only making it to the moon, but <em>returning¡­</em>¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m no rocket scientist. I can understand that might surprise you.¡± Argrave held his hands out to kill the imaginary doubt. ¡°But all of the problems that existck of air,ck of protection, and I¡¯m sure a thousand others I¡¯m forgetting¡­ they can be remedied. Flight trajectories can be calcted with math, and controlled with precise application of force. It takes a lot of data, a lot of time, and a lot of variables to discover and consider. But¡­ from my meager understanding of the world, there¡¯s no reason why it¡¯s impossible. Doubly so when magic <em>does </em>exist.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± Raven waved his hand, and an obsidian doorway parted. ¡°By all means, it <em>should </em>be possible. Yet it never has been.¡±Argrave narrowed his eyes. ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting you to agree so readily.¡±


    ¡°I guarantee you¡ªif it were possible, a god would have done it. Unless, of course¡­¡± Raven raised a finger up. ¡°There¡¯s a variable you¡¯re ignoring. A variable that wouldn¡¯t have existed in your world. That¡¯s why I¡¯ve asked you here today.¡± He entered into the doorway he¡¯d made.


    ¡°I figured you wanted to cut me open, just like old times.¡± Argrave smiled and followed after him.


    ¡°That¡¯s part of it.¡± Raven descended down rapidly-forming obsidian stairs, and they finally came into a wide-open room.


    There, Argraveid his eyes on a familiar figure. Hause, goddess of potential, stood in a dignified posture with her grandiose blonde hair tied with pink ribbons. She turned away from the table she stood in front of to greet their arrival. The room that she was in seemed to be a storage area of Raven¡¯s. There were shelves and drawers with several differentbels, some of which had been left out¡ªherbs, corpses of unusual animals, and all manner of things Raven should practically be expected to have.


    Raven walked in, gesturing at the goddess that had made him the way he was. ¡°I brought Hause here today to confirm what I have been telling you¡ªthere remains notent potential, no untapped bloodline within you.¡±


    Hause studied Argrave. Whenever she looked upon him, Argrave thought that he always saw a shudder from her, but perhaps it was his imagination. ¡°He¡¯s right in all except bringing me¡ªI came of my own ord, to offer assistance where I believed it prudent.¡± She gave Raven a curt nod. ¡°But I do agree with Raven¡¯s assessment. Within you, Argrave¡ªor within your kin, be that Elenore or Orion¡ªthere remains no force that I can align closely with the Gilderwatcher¡¯s ability.¡±


    Argrave scrunched his brows, feeling an uneasy headache mounting. ¡°Are you trying to dissuade me from helping Orion?¡±


    ¡°Just because there remains nothingtent within you and yours, Argrave, doesn¡¯t mean that Orion is necessarily wrong.¡± Raven stood behind Hause in quiet observance, his two long arms behind his back.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t it?¡± Argrave walked closer. ¡°¡¯Notent power in our blood¡¯ and ¡®unlocking the power of our bloodline¡¯ are mutually exclusive ideas.¡±


    Raven turned away and walked to a corner in the room. ¡°Have you read the fables and tales Orion studied?¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°Yeah,st night. They¡¯re pretty ubiquitous across all cultures, and that¡¯s suspicious. Uglydy with red haires down, but she¡¯s actually a dragon in disguise. Only guy who isn¡¯t an ass to her, she takes to the moon. They do some freaky dragon magic up there, and next year, the man returns with a red-haired child.¡±


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡°And if these red-haired children sleep under the moonlight, they gain the powers of their bloodline. Specifically, they gain the power to shapeshift their flesh to resemble their mother.¡± Raven reached his hand into an obsidian shelf, seemingly searching for something. ¡°It¡¯s not unusual for cultures to develop simr myths. Mortals live life in the same nature, no matter how many thousands of miles away from each other they might be. It¡¯s no wonder tribal cultures across the continents all speak of gods in the sky to exin lightning, or demons to exin gue. They¡¯d fabricate anything before admitting they simply don¡¯t know. But I agree with your brother¡ªthe tale is far too consistent, andmon, to be mere coincidence.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Argrave walked closer,ing to stand beside Hause. ¡°What¡¯s the point of all this?¡±


    ¡°Here.¡± Raven yanked hard on a shelf in the wall, and pulled free a body with vibrant red hair. ¡°Something I picked up a great many cycles ago.¡± Heid down an immactely preserved corpse, and Argrave looked away. ¡°Look at it. Don¡¯t act all prudish. How many corpses have you made?¡±


    Argrave turned his gaze back to the body. It looked like¡­ well, a corpse. A red-haired young woman, dead, with that nk-eyed gaze that so many bodies had. From the skin alone, he could tell there was no life left in her. The dead had no presence, no existence. It still uneased Argrave, no matter how many he¡¯d seen.


    ¡°Given what you mentioned, this is one of those descendants?¡± Hause crossed her arms as she looked upon the body.


    Raven rather grimly moved the body¡¯s head, opening eyes and shining light down the nostrils and ears. ¡°I could show you the hallmarks showing her lineage, but you two are far too stupid for me to do it without wasting hours of time. Suffice it to say, trust my word when I say she¡¯s only partly human.¡± An eye grew on the back of the hand Raven used to manipte the corpse, locking gazes with Argrave. ¡°And like you, Argrave, there is nothing within her to suggest there is some bountifultent power. Moonlight unlocks it. It still does, long after death.¡±


    Argrave smiled. ¡°So you <em>have </em>made a study of this.¡±


    ¡°No, I made a note of it.¡± Raven swiped his hand, and a hole opened into the obsidian floor. He pushed the body in, then swiped again to close it, disposing of the body rather ungracefully. ¡°There was no studying to be done. I found her like this, and it wasn¡¯t until today I could make the connection.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Argrave narrowed his eyes. ¡°You found her like this?¡±


    ¡°She tripped and dashed her head upon the rocks of a creek. One of my roaming chimeras found her and returned her.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Bad luck on her part. Many die ingloriously. I suspect you will, as well.¡±


    Argrave felt minorly offended as he asked, ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s apliment.¡± Raven looked at Hause. ¡°Now¡­ are you sure on what you said?¡±


    Hause fiddled with the pink sleeves of her borate dress. Argrave wondered how she got her hands on such things in ckgard. He supposed her followers had their ways.


    ¡°Yes, I am.¡± Hause closed her eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll convey it.¡±


    ¡°Wonderful.¡± Raven walked away again, reaching into another storage cab. Argrave was pleased when he retrieved an obsidian box. Raven set it down, parting it, and Argrave felt diforted when something in the shape of a body revealed itself. When it seemed to be nothing more than a set of silver armor, he was relieved again.


    ¡°This is the silver knight Orion killed.¡± Raven looked at Argrave squarely, and that difort returned redoubled. ¡°This is the corpse of that which killed tens of thousands in a matter of minutes. It could¡¯ve killed me. ording to Orion, it¡¯s the sum total of Lindon¡¯s being,pressed into a fighting force. I have no reason to disagree with that conclusion. The body beneath the armor is somewhat human, though possessed of scales rather simr in structure to a Gilderwatcher¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°Good lord, Raven. How many skeletons are in that closet of yours?¡± Argrave asked incredulously, rubbing his hands together before he looked at Hause. ¡°Well? What were you supposed to convey?¡±


    ¡°There is unimaginabletent potential in this body.¡± Hause hugged herself as she stared upon it, glimpsing into a reality that Argrave had no conception of. ¡°It is of the same caliber that I felt in¡­¡± she looked up at Raven, and Argrave had a tacit understanding.


    ¡°But what¡¯s this potential¡¯s nature?¡± He pressed.


    Hause looked at him. ¡°There are many. Were I to sum the various notions, I would describe it as the foundation. While not a building itself, it can serve as that which holds something farrger than itself.¡±


    ¡°As ever, she¡¯s appropriately vague.¡± Raven tapped his finger against the chest te of the dead silver knight. ¡°However, if this corpse is to be a foundation for anything¡­ I suspect it¡¯s going to be the key to this journey to unlock your bloodline. Nothing is more fitting. I would suggest tearing out your heart again, alchemizing it inside my body, and reimnting it¡­¡±


    ¡°I hope there¡¯s a ¡®but,¡¯¡± Argrave quickly said.


    ¡°¡­but we can¡¯t afford to act hastily.¡± Raven held his hand out. ¡°Find these lunar dragons, or their descendants. And keep this in mind¡ªthere is a variable that we are not considering. There is a power at work we don¡¯t yet understand. There¡¯s no reason the moon, or indeed the space beyond this world, should be off-limits¡ªyet it is.¡± He gestured. ¡°I suggest you employ Yinther. As the god of curiosity, space has fascinated him above all. He¡¯s sponsored several voyages to the beyond, all of which failed.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a start. Excellent.¡± Argrave tapped the container holding the silver knight. ¡°Onest thing¡ªget Artur involved. If there¡¯s a foundation, building is involved. And if it¡¯s building or crafting, I trust no one more than Artur.¡±


    He turned to leave with those words behind, but the area he¡¯d intended to walk confidently out of no longer existed¡ªit had been closed away, leaving behind only an obsidian wall. Inside here, he could only leave if Raven let him. Unless he intended to st his way out, or something of the sort.


    ¡°I¡¯ll escort you out,¡± Raven said. Argrave couldn¡¯t be totally sure his voice wasn¡¯t smug.

 Chapter 664: Uncontrollable Tempest of Change

    Chapter 664: Uncontroble Tempest of Change


    ¡°Argrave, some reports,¡± Elenore¡¯s voice cut into Argrave¡¯s ear the moment he was free of Raven¡¯sb.


    ¡°More?¡± He asked with surprise¡ªshe¡¯d already delivered some on his journey back, something about riots.


    ¡°A imant to the throne has risen in Dirracha. In the Archduchy of the North, edicts are spreading around with a deration that King Argrave intends to systematically murder every person bearing red hair, as they share descendance from Gerechtigkeit.¡± Elenore¡¯s reports flowed into Argrave¡¯s head as constant as the rivers flowed down from the mountains. ¡°Also, there¡¯s¡­ damn it. Someone¡¯se in. I think you¡¯d beste over.¡±


    Elenore¡¯s voice faded from Argrave¡¯s head. These incidents were like a bold deration from their opponent. Even if they sought ways to counter his growing influence, Gerechtigkeit would upy his time using what he¡¯d already gained to tremendous effect. They had spent much of their time centralizing power around ckgard, weakening regional lords¡ªnow, thatck of regional power meant ack of ability to effectively enforce.


    After rejoining with Anneliese, who was keeping simrly apprised and was simrly instructed to meet Elenore in person, they briefly came to simr conclusions before heading to meet with the head of the parliament. Argrave opened the doors to her office and stepped within.


    ¡°Elenore.¡± Argrave walked up to her desk. She spoke with several others, but gestured for them to leave at his arrival. Only once the others were gone did Argrave speak. ¡°Anneliese and I had some words. It¡¯s bing clear to me that we won¡¯t be able to hold out alone. We need to involve the gods. They¡¯re the only ones with the potential to keep the peace around the continent. The local lords are insufficient.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Funny.¡± Elenore ced her hands in front of her. ¡°Did you happen to recognize those I was speaking to?¡±


    Anneliese touched Argrave¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Those were the mortal envoys of other gods, Argrave. Do you remember?¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°What?¡± Argrave looked back to where they¡¯d just left. ¡°What were they doing here?¡±¡°We¡¯re not the only ones with eyes and ears.¡± Elenore rose to her feet, walking around her desk. ¡°The gods are aware of what¡¯s happening.¡±


    Argrave brightened. ¡°We don¡¯t need to ask them for help, then? They¡¯re volunteering?¡±


    ¡°Some may, I imagine. Mostly, they¡¯re as terrified as we all are.¡± Elenore leaned against her desk. ¡°They¡¯re asking for answers, Argrave. I can only obfuscate and misdirect for so long. A great deal of them are convinced that you have the answers. Some lend it to your inheritance of Erlebnis¡¯ knowledge. The older members, such as Law, remember that you testified knowledge of the fact that Gerechtigkeit would be stronger in this cycle in Law¡¯s Court. They let you slip by without giving up too much, but now? They want answers.¡±


    Argrave swallowed. He supposed he had been taking for granted thepliance of the gods after their victory against the Qircassian Coalition. He had been able to unite the wider world by virtue of their show of strength in defeating Kirel Qircassia, Erlebnis, and Sataistador. He convinced the older members to join forces, however, by spilling a select few beans¡ªforemost among said beans was that Gerechtigkeit would be stronger this cycle.


    ¡°Hell.¡± Argrave brought his hand up to his face, biting his knuckle nervously. ¡°Do they want me to go to Law¡¯s Court to speak on the matter?¡±


    Elenore nodded.


    Argrave sighed deeply. He¡¯d been hoping to receive aid without giving up the source of his knowledge¡ªit might endanger Sophia. ¡°Should I go?¡±


    ¡°Should you go?¡± Elenore stopped leaning against her desk and walked forward. ¡°We have a fake bastard of Felipe III pressing his im to the throne in Dirracha, and much of the city is in active revolt. The one lead we¡¯re seeking about our bloodline is being undermined by Gerechtigkeit already. We have more riots and revolts every single day. We can¡¯t make it through this without the aid of the gods, I¡¯m afraid. Unless you intend on abandoning millions to die, which we all know you won¡¯t, you <em>have </em>to go.¡±


    Argrave looked at Anneliese, and she gave a quiet nod of confirmation.


    ¡°Listen.¡± Argrave rubbed the bridge of his nose. ¡°I can talk my way out of a lot. But if I go there and subject myself to the inquisition, I don¡¯t see a way to keep Sophia out of this. ording to the Heralds, she¡¯s the very reason Gerechtigkeit is so much more powerful this cycle. How can I obscure her any longer? And once she¡¯s revealed to the world, how can I protect her? How can I ensure that things end up in our favor, in mortalkind¡¯s favor?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s already a miracle we kept her secret this long to begin with,¡± Anneliese said, putting a hand on Argrave¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Like it or not, the gods remain a formidable force in this world. We cannot exclude them from this final hour.¡±


    ¡°It might not be a miracle,¡± Elenore disagreed. ¡°It¡¯s clear Gerechtigkeit wants to protect Sophia just as much as we do. Perhaps he kept it from the gods¡¯ ears, but now he¡¯s forced our hands. You shouldn¡¯t forget we still have all the cards, Argrave. We can think of a way to remain the dominant party in this negotiation ahead of time.¡±


    Argrave scratched his head. ¡°I assume they want to talk in Law¡¯s Court?¡±


    ¡°Yes. The subject, officially, is the copse of the White nes and the mental influence Gerechtigkeit presently exerts worldwide.¡± Elenore pointed at him. ¡°But given how they fixated on your attendance, I can assume you¡¯re the third, unspoken subject of examination.¡±


    Argrave felt as though he overcame a great barrier as he epted that he could no longer protect Sophia from the wider world. He gave a nod with a solemn sigh. ¡°Alright. It¡¯s clear we don¡¯t have a choice. The question is, what do we want to get out of this?¡±


    ¡°We need to enlist the gods to protect our people,¡± Elenore stated clearly. ¡°The army and our local lords are insufficient to quell this unrest. Moreover, Gerechtigkeit is rallying what few allies we didn¡¯t deprive him of under the banner of intelligent beings like liches or knights simr to the silver one Orion fought. He¡¯s building what might be called a cohesive army in various ces. Without the gods, millions could die, crushed between the unrest and theing invasion forces.¡±


    ¡°We need more than protection,¡± Anneliese continued. ¡°Orion¡¯s retinue and our own kingdom¡¯s forces search for the lunar dragon¡¯s descendants, but it¡¯s perhaps only with the gods¡¯ assistance that we have any hope. Gerechtigkeit is fighting to prevent us from finding this¡ªthat, at least, is a good sign.¡±


    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the vition.


    ¡°Anything else?¡± Argrave looked between the two of them. When they said nothing, he managed a grim smile. ¡°That¡¯s good. We have fewer problems to focus on without only one enemy remaining. Elenore, I¡¯d like you to get all of my top minds together¡ªI¡¯m not stepping back into Law¡¯s Court alone. I need good advice. And¡­ what¡¯s Sophia doing right now?¡±


    Elenore paused for a moment, speaking with someone in her head. ¡°She¡¯s in the middle of a lesson.¡±


    ¡°Have Orion bring her here,¡± Argrave instructed. ¡°I¡¯m going to bring her with us.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Elenore raised her brow.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Argrave looked off into the distance. ¡°I don¡¯t like it, but I need insurance. Law will keep his word no matter what, even if heter learns I tricked him. Before all this begins, I¡¯m going to get him to vow to help us protect Sophia no matter what.¡±


    Elenore and Anneliese exchanged a nce. The following silence told Argrave of the gravity of that decision.


    ¡°He may feel tricked if you leave out why,¡± Anneliese pointed out. ¡°It could be interpreted as a slight. He might not remain our entirely steadfast ally in what follows.¡±


    ¡°Sophia is more important,¡± Argrave said simply, closing his eyes. ¡°She could decide <em>all </em>of this.¡±


    Neither Anneliese nor Elenore brooked protest.


    His sister said with some finality, ¡°I¡¯ll contact those who¡¯ll advise you.¡±


    #####


    Sophia looked about the golden chambers of Law¡¯s Court in rtive awe. ¡°This ce¡­ where¡¯s the exit, Argrave? How did we get inside? I can¡¯t see the sky¡­¡± She craned her head looking up.


    Argrave was distracted, but he focused upon hearing his name. He looked around at the others that¡¯de with him, then answered Sophia, ¡°This ce doesn¡¯t have a true exit, Sophia. I can¡¯t exin it now, but I promise you I will. Have a seat for now.¡± He patted her shoulder, and she obediently sat down on the couch beside him.


    The golden rooms of Law¡¯s Court set a feeling of deep unease within Argrave on this visit. He didn¡¯t like bringing Sophia out of ckgard, and even less so bringing her to this ce. But Law was dictated by his own sphere of divinity to be confined by his word and bond. He was held to strictures within his divine realm preventing unjustified aggression. Others, too, were simrly restricted. There were few other safer ces than the god¡¯s Court.


    The giant golden doors leading into this room swung upon, and in walked one of Law¡¯s Justiciars. The white-armored titan put an armored gauntlet where its heart ought to be in a salute. ¡°Argrave. I¡¯m pleased that you responded to the union¡¯s request for a meeting in such a timely fashion. I understand you have no obligations, and your own burdens beside.¡±


    Argrave rose to his feet, realizing it might be time for them to head out. ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll all walk out of this with a greater understanding of the situation, and a more cohesive union.¡±


    The Justiciar nodded. ¡°I cannot speak with finality, but from what I heard from others, it sounds to me as though the ckgard Union is bing all the more closely entwined. Theing copse of the White nes promises to bind us all closer, not create distrust¡ªheartening, considering what power Gerechtigkeit is already demonstrating during this cycle. Are you ready?¡±


    ¡°I am,¡± Argrave confirmed, then when the Justiciar began to turn, he said, ¡°But I need to ask something of you, first, Law.¡±


    The Justiciar looked at him, golden essence within its white armor gleaming. ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡± It nted its sword on the ground, and the scales hanging from its hilt dangled.


    ¡°Sophia,¡± he said quietly, then took her in his arms. She clung to him tightly as he walked toward the giant, clearly uneased by the divine construct. ¡°Law, this is Sophia of Vasquer. I¡¯d like to make a request of you regarding her.¡±


    Sophia looked at him in some surprise when he introduced her using his own surname. The Justiciar, meanwhile, waited for Argrave to continue.


    ¡°There are many people that wish ill upon Sophia. Considering how the ckgard Union¡ªand in particr, because of the Kingdom of Vasquer¡¯s efforts¡ªhas benefitted you, I¡¯d like to ask a favor of you. Sophia¡­ she has some people targeting her. People I¡¯d qualify as equal strength to the gods themselves. This worries me greatly. She¡¯s¡­¡± He looked at her. ¡°She¡¯s rather like a daughter to me.¡±


    Sophia¡¯s brilliant red eyes shook at this deration. He¡¯d always treated her as such, but he¡¯d never stated it outright. Judging from her expression, she was in utter disbelief he¡¯d use such terms for her. It didn¡¯t seem to be an unpleasant thing to her, fortunately.


    Anneliese put her hand atop Sophia¡¯s own, and added, ¡°To us both.¡±


    Argrave focused back on Law. ¡°I¡¯d like you to vow to help keep her under the protection of Vasquer, or those she would choose as her guardian, no matter what should happen to us.¡±


    The Justiciar was silent for a moment, then the titan of metal knelt down. ¡°I, Law, god of rulership, justice, and authority, do vow to protect Sophia of Vasquer, and keep her safely in the protection of Vasquer or her chosen guardian.¡± The construct turned its head toward Argrave. ¡°Is that sufficient?¡±


    Argrave nodded, sighing with relief as a monumental weight was lifted off him. ¡°Yes. Yes, that was more than sufficient.¡±


    The Justiciar rose up. ¡°I do wonder what¡¯s the nature of your divulgence today, that you should ask so serious a vow of me.¡±


    Argrave set Sophia back down on the ground, then looked ahead. ¡°I¡¯ll tell all. It¡¯s the very least I can do.¡±


    ¡°Very well.¡± The Justiciar turned back, hefting itsrge sword along. ¡°The assembly awaits.¡±


    Argrave kneeled down, looking at Sophia. ¡°I need you to stay with Vasilisa for a long while. Is that alright?¡±


    Sophia looked sobered by his words, and gave quick nods to show her confirmation.


    ¡°Alright. Law¡¯s given his word you¡¯ll be safe. That mean¡¯s he¡¯ll stick to it.¡± He tousled her hair. ¡°I¡¯ll be back before you know it.¡±


    As he made to stand, Sophia dared to ask with a trembling voice, ¡°Did you mean it?¡±


    Anneliese knelt down with Argrave. ¡°Of course we did.¡±


    ¡°Come on. Cute kid like you, well-mannered, diligent¡­ who wouldn¡¯t want you as a daughter?¡± Argrave stood up. ¡°Just keep on like you have been, Sophia. Everything¡¯s going to be alright.¡±


    Argrave felt very good to see the beaming smile consume Sophia¡¯s face, and her eyes grow wet with barely-restrained tears. He let that warm him as he turned, using it as a ward as he started toward the cold deities that had ruined thendscape of countless cycles of judgment past.


    #####


    Argrave and hispany¡ªwhich included most of the people he¡¯de to rely on in this journey, from Gmon to Mnie¡ªfollowed after the Justiciar somberly. With Gerechtigkeit showing his hand so overtly and rallied his forces so efficiently, it was time for the rest of the world to get involved in the fight.


    But to get involved¡­ it meant they¡¯d need to learn what Argrave had been nning. Barring that against Law, he could use no more tricks to ensurepliance. The White nes were defunct. Unless he wanted all that he¡¯d built to fall apart, he¡¯d have to muster the persuasive ability to bring the gods of countless millennia together, working toward a single end¡ªthe total erasure of Gerechtigkeit, on <em>mortalkind¡¯s </em>terms.


    So much could fall apart here. Or, on the other side of the spectrum¡­ this terrifying faction Argrave had built could be harnessed toward an ending to things. A <em>good </em>ending.

 Chapter 665: Lying in the Confessional

    Chapter 665: Lying in the Confessional


    Argrave had learned throughout his life that words could be twisted in very exceptional ways to make the horrible seem almost noble. Robin Hood, for example¡ªobjectively, this supposedly skilled archer was a dirty criminal, likely guilty of enough theft to cost him his head. Yet he was the hero of the tale, stealing from the rich to give to the poor. Stealing was wrong, yet people thought him good. It was all clever applications of words, and a creation of a narrative to steal the hearts and minds of the people.


    Argrave had been thinking about how to make himself the hero of his own story for a long while.


    Objectively, Argrave had strengthened Gerechtigkeit pursuing a way to end the cycle forever without consulting any of the members of the ckgard Union. Now, he intended to do his best to exclude all the influences of divinity from what came next, because he didn¡¯t trust them to hold mortal interests in heart. He¡¯d also tantly took advantage of Law¡¯s inclination toward honor, too, to protect Sophia¡ªwho was ostensibly the cause of Gerechtigkeit¡¯s enhanced power. Laid out like that, it sounded selfish, narcissistic, and controlling. That¡¯s precisely why Argrave couldn¡¯ty it out like that.


    In truth, Argrave was a bit offended. Gerechtigkeit was trying to manipte people with lies, misdirection, and uncanny knowledge about events? That was Argrave¡¯s bread and bloody butter. He felt it was long overdue to answer this offense with a decisive beatdown, putting his adoptive daughter¡¯s brother in his ce.


    Law¡¯s Justiciar led Argrave and hispany into a grandiose room that might be called a concert hall, down to therge stage at the head of the room and long rows of chair throughout the rest. Gods had already been assembled since long ago¡ªnot just minor ones, either, but most of the big fish. There had been a lot more big fish that hade into being after the siege of Kirel Qircassia. Many gods came forth to give their greetings to Argrave like he was the don of the family. Royal dynasties were essentially mafia families with excessive pageantry and no secrecy.


    It became evident that Argrave was among thest of the people to arrive, as one of Law¡¯s Justiciar took to the head of the stage and announced the meeting with gusto¡ªan ¡®airing of grievances,¡¯ it was called, where they woulde together to discuss recent troubles. Argrave didn¡¯t miss the countless nces sent their way. He could tell word had already spread about the third, unspoken subject of this meeting.


    The assembly began recapping the things that Argrave was already intimately aware of. A malignant power battered against the White nes, breaking it down. Attempts to reinforce it had alle to naught, and none of the original architects were still around to build it again. They did consult Argrave on the subject, but he could tell from their words that the assembled gods meant to test whether or not the rumors were true, and Argrave had inherited Erlebnis¡¯ knowledge. Compelled by Law¡¯s Court, he couldn¡¯t lie¡ªbut then, he didn¡¯t feel the need to conceal his inheritance. He did refrain from telling them <em>how </em>he had inherited it, though. Let them specte. It raised their wariness of him.


    Various people briefly raised ideas about how the White nes might be reinforced, but they were quickly shut down in favor of moving on to a more pertinent issue. Gerechtigkeit was whispering sweet nothings in poptions around the world, utterly destroying local governance. This had never before been seen in any cycle of judgment. The other gods did confirm, however, that Gerechtigkeit couldn¡¯t touch the minds of the gods or their servants. That, or he was keeping that card in his sleeve.


    Either way, things steered in the direction that Argrave suspected they would. Gods brought up the fact that Argrave had prepared for this mental control ahead of time by crafting rings¡ªArgrave confirmed it. Other gods mentioned rumors that Argrave had known Gerechtigkeit would be more powerful during this cycle¡ªArgrave confirmed it. Everyone¡¯s attention gradually shifted away from wider issues, and toward this strange mortal king that seemed to know far more than he should.After a time of pointed questioning, all driving toward the same point¡­


    Argrave stood boldly among these hundreds of gods. ¡°Let¡¯s cut past the insinuation and innuendo. I can tell that all of you here today want answers from me, in particr. For the sake of all our time, I¡¯ll head to the stage and tell you all that you desire. Fair?¡±


    A silence took hold of the concert hall as they pondered Argrave¡¯s words. On the stage, the Justiciar initiated a vote. The whole room raised their hand (or closest appendage), nigh unanimous in their decision to give Argrave the floor.


    ¡°You may join the mediating Justiciar on the stage,¡± Law¡¯s voice dictated to him.


    Argrave gave a nce to his gatheredpanions, who¡¯d been helping him prepare for this moment the entire time. Anneliese squeezed his hand in quiet reassurance, and then he broke away from them. He walked past countless gods, all of whom eyed him with a mixture of respect and wariness after what he¡¯d done in the past and what he¡¯d revealed today.


    Argrave joined two of Law¡¯s Justiciars, usurping the dais from one.


    Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    The Justiciar to his right questioned, ¡°Do you submit to the honestw of this court, and agree to utter no untruths?¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± Argrave confirmed.


    ¡°Then speak freely, Argrave of Vasquer.¡± The Justiciar stepped away.


    Argrave looked upon the most formidable beings in the entire world, all hanging on his words. Strangely, he didn¡¯t feel nervous at all. He felt nothing more than a righteous indignation after all Gerechtigkeit had pushed him to do, and a fierce desire to keep his grip over all that he¡¯d built.


    ¡°Words can¡¯t describe how d I am to get this information to you all, even under these circumstances. To start out with, allow me to establish something.¡± Argrave looked between all of them. ¡°I have fought and beaten Gerechtigkeit more than anyone in this entire world.¡±


    <em>Trantion: I have yed a single video game for thousands of hours, and beaten the final boss many times.</em>


    Looks of befuddlement passed between just about everyone. The words that Argrave was speaking were patently ridiculous¡­ provided, of course, one was ignorant about Heroes of Berendar.


    ¡°Do you think it sounds absurd? Delusional? I assure you, I¡¯m as clear-minded right now as I was every single time that I fought against the cycle of judgment. I¡¯ll say again¡ªI have fought, and destroyed, Gerechtigkeit <em>tens of thousands</em> of times.¡± He took a deep breath. ¡°But¡­ there¡¯s been a recurring problem. Whenever I¡¯ve beaten Gerechtigkeit, it was an end to things. The only way I could continue to exist in this world was by starting again, three years before his advent.¡± Argrave held his arms out. ¡°I¡¯ll repeat that. I would start the struggle again, from the beginning. Indeed, I spent much of life repeating the same conflict, again and again, each time with subtle differences due to my own actions.¡±


    <em>Trantion: I got every single ending to Heroes of Berendar multiple times, choosing slight differences in each route because I wanted to see if the developers thought of everything. </em>


    People digested his words quietly, some enraptured in what he said, while others looking at Law¡¯s Justiciars and questioning whether or not the restrictions of the court were truly working.


    ¡°When we shed in earnest, I eventually beat Gerechtigkeit every time, without fail,¡± Argrave continued.


    <em>Trantion: I loaded a save whenever I died until I beat him.</em>


    ¡°Yet the only way I could exist in this world was enduring a never-ending struggle against him. If he ceased to be, so did I. I despaired. I struggled. I toiled. I recorded vast, esoteric stores of knowledges about the most minute details in this head of mine. I came to know thousands of people, and learned every intricacy of every enemy he threw at me. I came to know how Gerechtigkeit fought before he put a single troop on the field.¡± He tapped his finger against his temple as he looked at them all.


    <em>Trantion: I had no life.</em>


    ¡°And finally, we¡¯vee to today. We¡¯vee to what I may believe is my <emst </em>victory. Gods and goddesses, I¡¯ll admit it. I have kept a great deal from you.¡± Argrave nodded in confirmation. ¡°In part, it was because I know how difficult to believe my words are. Let alone the fact that I¡¯ve faced Gerechtigkeit so many times, but that I seeded in every conflict? It¡¯s only with Law¡¯s assurances that I can reveal the truth to you now. Hopefully, my deeds have proven my prowess¡ªdefeating Erlebnis, Sataistador, and Kirel Qircassia in the span of a day.¡± He put his hand to his heart in earnest disy. ¡°Inrger part, it was because I was uneased by the prospect of what each of you might do. Now, however, every variable I¡¯ve learned in my tens of thousands of confrontations against Gerechtigkeit is at hand.


    ¡°I possess that which I¡¯m certain can end the cycle¡ªboth mine, and the cycle of judgment.¡± Argrave clenched the dais firmly. ¡°I absconded with one half of the whole; Gerechtigkeit¡¯s blood-rted sister. She possesses the power to break us all free of the fate cruel forces have saddled upon our world. And I intend to¡ªgods willing¡­¡± he gestured to them. ¡°I intend to free us from Gerechtigkeit¡¯s yoke. To do so, your aid is needed.¡±


    He looked between them all. ¡°All of you have seen yourself what Gerechtigkeit is capable of. You¡¯ve seen his ability to warp the mind. You¡¯ve doubtlessly heard many of the rumors he¡¯s spread about me. His focused efforts should tell you one thing; I am the single biggest threat to his victory. He will stop at nothing to undermine my prominence, because he knows what I¡¯m capable of. In the days toe, countless lies about me will surface. But with the truth revealed, you will know they¡¯re not to be trusted. With my experience, no one is better suited to lead all of us into victory.¡±


    <em>Trantion: anybody that disagrees with me is Gerechtigkeit¡¯s patsy. </em>


    ¡°In the past, secrecy was necessary. Now, I will reveal all that is asked of me. In return, I would ask that all of you put aside the calculus of power I have seen y out in so many tired ways. There could be endless freedom at the end of this road we all walk. Legs walking different directions, however, stand still until they fall.¡±


    Argrave took a deep breath, his practiced speech executed as wlessly as he could¡¯ve. He looked at his contingent of allies, seeing them all somewhat optimistic, and felt he¡¯d done well. At the same time, he was very aware he had made an active choice; the choice, namely, was to be a bullshitter until the end. A great many people warned others away from lying¡ªArgrave included. They imed that, eventually, one would forget the stories they¡¯d made up, and the castle woulde crumbling down.


    But then,wyers had made a profession out of it¡­ and where better to exercise that skill than in court?n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    All that remained was the cross-examination.

 Chapter 666: Smoked and Hazed

    Chapter 666: Smoked and Hazed


    ¡°¡­long story short, he¡¯s cutting a very persuasive figure on the stage.¡± A man quietly pinched small kes of green leaves into a pipe,pressing it down with his thumb.


    ¡°You can¡¯t worm any doubt in?¡± asked a female¡¯s voice from nowhere in particr.


    ¡°I could try,¡± responded the man, brushing off a few kes of green with his hand. He conjured me from his hand, then set his pipe ame. After inhaling deeply and blowing outward, he continued, ¡°But he¡¯s arranged things in such a way that anyone trying to sow doubt might get isted from the rest, even killed, on suspicion of being an agent of Gerechtigkeit¡¯s. I like you well enough, but I¡¯m not willing to risk that much.¡±


    ¡°This is Gerechtigkeit¡¯s fault,¡± said the woman¡¯s voice with conviction. ¡°People wouldn¡¯t cling to Argrave so readily if he hadn¡¯t been so overtly destructive. Things are weakened, brittle. I guess it¡¯s been more than enough time for rot to take hold.¡±


    ¡°But he <em>was</em> overtly destructive, and the gods <em>are</em> clinging to Argrave.¡± The man blew an O from his mouth, and it drifted upward toward the night sky. ¡°Only a matter of time before they start searching. And I can almost guarantee you they¡¯ll start finding. All this reminds me of the old days¡­ only worse. Or better, depending on the perspective you¡¯re taking.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ve been talking to me about him,¡± the voice continued. ¡°They¡¯re all but saying they want me to do something.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah?¡± The manughed. ¡°I guess everyone¡¯s a bit spooked. Only question is¡ªwhat do you want to do?¡±


    There was a long silence as the man sat beneath the night sky, casually puffing on his pipe and blowing O¡¯s and wisping trails of smoke up into the air. No answer came for the longest time.


    ¡°Go back in,¡± the voice answered, a trace of defeat on her tone. ¡°Help him. Ingratiate yourself with his inner circle. Arrange an in-person meeting, <em>far </em>outside Law¡¯s Court.¡±¡°Gerechtigkeit¡¯s always paying attention,¡± he reminded her, bncing the pipe on his finger. ¡°You¡¯re a bit of a homebody, these days. You could get jumped.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m still who I was,¡± she disagreed. ¡°And he¡¯s not half-bad himself.¡±


    The manughed, smoke puffing out from his nose in wispy bursts. ¡°He¡¯s no dragon.¡±


    ¡°I am,¡± she reminded him. ¡°However this shakes out, I want our first encounter to be on my terms.¡±


    ¡°Seems to me the boy-king will want much the same.¡± The man emptied his pipe onto the ground, then pulled out a case. He briefly cleaned it out with a cloth, then put it into a form-fitting mold inside the case. He stuffed it back into his pocket. ¡°But I¡¯m good at what I do.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± she said, though there was a trace of bitterness in her kind tone. ¡°Take care.¡±


    #####


    After Argrave¡¯s grandiose speech came the more difficult part of being a politician¡ªavoiding answering questions without seeming like someone without integrity.


    Many viewed the role of head of state as an overseer for the government. Sometimes it was, but in Argrave''s case, he wasrgely the public-facing figure, leaving the moreplex issues that required actual managerial talent to Elenore. This, then, was the arena he shined in: foreign rtions. These interviewers were quite ferocious, seeing as a great many of them had been doing this for hundreds of years at the minimum.


    The benefit he had,rgely, was the urgency of the situation, and theck of a unified front of questioning. The gods couldn''t ask specific enough questions to extract an answer before someone else came along and changed the line of questioning. At least¡­ he <em>thought </em>that was a benefit.


    Things started getting very dicey, very quickly. They honed in on Argrave¡¯s im about having fought Gerechtigkeit so many times, asking for precise details. He was relieved when the interrogator spent his allotted time, and another rose up to take their ce¡ªyet already, a coalition of some sort had formed. The questions carried over from one to the other like nothing had changed at all.


    Even after he sessfully recounted detail after detail of his various ythroughs of Heroes of Berendar, they seamlessly transitioned to another line of questioning¡ªSophia, and her role in things. It was a very ufortable line of questioning, because somehow, they¡¯d all caught on that Argrave cared for the girl rather deeply, and wondered about the precise measures that he was taking regarding putting an end to Gerechtigkeit once and for all. He couldn¡¯t outright tell them, ¡®I¡¯m just going to wing it when the big man shows up!¡¯ even if it was the truth of the matter.


    Worse yet, Law himself joined the queue to ask questions. That fact deeply unsettled Argrave, considering what he¡¯d preempted from the god before this whole fiasco began. Argrave leaned heavily on the fact that Sophia was being targeted by Gerechtigkeit to avoid answering questions, but he could tell that his answers were getting tired, and people were beginning to smell blood in the water.


    Finally, Law became the very next questioner¡­ and Argrave looked upon one of thest. A god in mortal image, wearing a hefty coat and brandishing a pipe billowing a sweet-smelling smoke, walked up before Argrave at the dais. He had unruly hair, but there was a certain suaveness in the way he carried himself.


    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the vition.


    ¡°You are?¡± Argrave asked, ignorant of this deity.


    ¡°Jaray,¡± he said, inhaling on his pipe deeply. When next he spoke, smoke billowed from his mouth and nose. ¡°God of politics. You¡¯ve met a great deal of my friends.¡±


    Argrave inadvertently felt his posture straighten on the dais. All the hard-hitting questions that¡¯de his way¡ªif this man was the god of politics, it stood to reason that they¡¯d been unified by this fellow. Argrave had to admit, the man had an undeniable charisma. Everything from his posture to his somewhat gritty, deep voicemanded attention.


    Argrave braced for what he was certain would be a kill shot of some kind, looking at Anneliese to steel himself. She gave him an encouraging nod.


    ¡°Argrave¡­¡± Jaray leaned up against the stage, almost casually. ¡°To start, let me ask you a fundamental question¡ªa question of character. What do you intend to gain by establishing yourself as the leader of the ckgard Union?¡±


    Argrave searched that question for tricks, for traps, then answered cautiously, ¡°The means to end the cycle of judgment. The means to protect people from what Gerechtigkeit is presently doing.¡±


    ¡°And after¡­¡± Jaray held his arms out. ¡°You¡¯ll give up? You¡¯ll step down, nobly?¡±


    Argrave nodded, watching as Jaray inhaled his pipe deeply. ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°But all of us should know very well¡­¡± He blew smoke from his nose, and it wreathed about his face. ¡°It¡¯s not so easy to give up power. What have you ever sacrificed without expecting something in return?¡±


    Argrave grasped for an answer, standing in silence for some time as he stared down Jaray. Before he could say something, however, Jaray spoke again.


    ¡°Because I can tell you, people.¡± Jaray, instead of facing Argrave, turned around. ¡°There¡¯s been a huge problem with this interrogation today. That problem, namely, is that Argrave has been far too humble.¡±


    Argrave narrowed his eyes in confusion, watching this man as he walked about before the audience.


    ¡°Truth is, from day one, Argrave has been sacrificing. Let me ask you this, Argrave¡ªis it true you sold your own heart to a monstrosity so that you could cure a man of his sickly body? A monster that <em>ate </em>your heart?¡±


    Argrave gaped for a moment, saying nothing, before he nodded. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s¡­ that¡¯s true.¡±


    The man put his hand to his heart. ¡°How noble.¡± He puffed on his pipe again, then looked back to the crowd. ¡°After having experienced this world the countless number of times that he has, I mention that to demonstrate there still remains boundlesspassion in Argrave¡¯s heart. I could tell you more tales of his, but my time is limited. I¡¯ll mention one other.¡±


    Jaray looked back. ¡°Is it true, Argrave, that you went into the Shadonds?¡±


    Argrave inhaled, wondering how the hell this deity knew all of this information. ¡°It is,¡± he confirmed.


    Jaray began to walk up on the stage, askingmandingly, ¡°Is it true, Argrave, that you secured the means to prevent the Shadonders from attacking this world ever again?¡±


    ¡°It is,¡± Argrave confirmed again, still fearing there was a trap at the end of all this.


    ¡°And did you ask for any credit for that monumental feat? Did you request any payment, any rpense, from the <em>thousands </em>of gods that this herculean deed benefits? Did you even proim your victory?¡±


    ¡°¡­no,¡± Argrave confirmed.


    ¡°No.¡± Jaray nodded, then looked out amongst the gods. ¡°How many, I ask you, have the Shadonders killed over the years? Not mortals¡ªour kind, too.¡± He puffed on his pipe for a while as the question reminded them of the terrible Shadonders. Then, he put his hand on Argrave¡¯s shoulder. ¡°In truth, Argrave has been leading us, bettering us, <em>protecting </em>us for far too long. To all of you, I ask this; let us p for this hero.¡±


    Argrave thought there wasn¡¯t a chance in hell any pping would actually begin, but to his surprise, the incredibly somber room erupted into loud, deafening ps. In the midst of all that, Jaray leaned in to Argrave¡¯s ear.


    ¡°Law¡¯s questioning ising up,¡± the man said, any grandiosity gone from his tone. ¡°Heard things might be tense. Heard you might¡¯ve tricked him a little. I can make him abstain from questioning. It¡¯ll save you some embarrassment, keep this amazing momentum you¡¯ve got going. But one hand washes the other, yeah?¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Argrave looked at him as the apuse continued. ¡°What do you want?¡± He answered back.


    ¡°A meeting, face-to-face. Outside of this ce,¡± Jaray said.


    Argrave looked into this god¡¯s dark eyes, questioning if that was wise. Law could, if he questioned harshly, shed some doubt about the upstanding nature of their leadership proposal. At the same time, he might not. Still, Law was known as one of Vasquer¡¯s biggest proponents¡ªany crack in the foundation might cause problems. Argrave had been ready to weather it alone¡­ but if he didn¡¯t need to? If it could all just go away?


    ¡°Alright,¡± Argrave agreed.


    ¡°Talk to me after this, then. A pleasure, hero,¡± Jaray said, patting Argrave¡¯s shoulder as he turned away.


    Argrave waited tensely, wondering if he¡¯d just made a huge mistake. The apuse died down, and Jaray left the room. One of Law¡¯s Justiciars walked up in front of the stage. It appeared to be ready to speak and ask its lord¡¯s questions, but suddenly came to a grinding halt. When next it spoke, genuinely surprising words came out.


    ¡°Law surrenders his right of interrogation,¡± the Justiciar said.


    A little muttering spread throughout the room, but all-in-all, it didn¡¯t seem to ruffle too many feathers. Law was known as Argrave¡¯s ally¡ªafter all, he¡¯d received his blessing. His abstention could be seen as a tacit endorsement. To Argrave, though, this was utterly bewildering.


    Who the hell was Jaray? How did he have this much sway? And how had Argrave never heard about this before? There were thousands of gods that he didn¡¯t know, but one that could so effortlessly manipte Law¡¯s Court, and who knew so much about what had gone on in the world¡­


    Whatever he¡¯d gotten himself into, he¡¯d need to be prepared to deal with.

 Chapter 667: Glad I Could Help

    Chapter 667: d I Could Help


    Argrave, exhausted after a long session, went to exin the exchange that he¡¯d had with Jaray to those that hade with him. Anneliese and all others listened with rapt attention, taking the matter as seriously as it likely was.


    ¡°This Jaray would forego the certainty, the impartial justice, of this ce?¡± Gmon questioned suspiciously. ¡°A trap.¡±


    Argrave nodded in agreement. ¡°Could be. But I was thinking it had to do something with our incorporeal friends that need a body to get around. The wiki doesn¡¯t say much about Jaray. He and Erlebnis had dealings, and the man has his hands in a lot of pie¡­ but he¡¯s never been a major yer, and he¡¯s certainly not omniscient. Just a wheeler-dealer type, who wants everyone to get along.¡±


    ¡°Heralds are involved?¡± Mnie questioned, looking about this ce nervously.


    ¡°It fits. Their silence has been broken only by the machinations they perform in the background.¡± Orion crossed his arms, an expression of scorn about his face. ¡°They are not worthy of our time. Still, I suspect it prudent to give it to them.¡±


    Mnie scrunched up her face, confused by the oxymoron, while Elenore supported her brother. ¡°If it is the Heralds, all the more reason to go. You could find out what they¡¯re up to.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Argrave ran his hand through his hair. ¡°The man seemed important, somehow. He¡¯s no pawn, that¡¯s for certain.¡±


    ¡°I concur. As far as the eye could see, I saw respect writ on the faces of the gods. I¡ª¡± Anneliese cut off, turning to look at someone approaching with a frown.


    ¡°Jaray sent me,¡± a lesser god walked up, acting somewhat obsequiously. ¡°He wanted to have that conversation now. He said you¡¯d know what that meant. Ah¡ªand Law has joined him.¡±Without waiting for a word of gratitude or any acknowledgement whatsoever, the god snuck away into another corner of Law¡¯s Court. The assembly was over,rgely, and thousands of gods were having thousands of conversations about its contents to decide their course of action. Argrave had done far better than he was even expecting,rgely due to the zing Jaray had given him that¡¯d soften the stances of everyone approaching thereafter. But it wasn¡¯t over, because decisions had yet to be made.


    ¡°I think we go,¡± Argrave said decisively, but he did confer with his allies briefly. None seemed to have any protest. ¡°Then, let¡¯s.¡± He gestured, walking onward with a small bounce on his step. He was eager and nervous. He couldn¡¯t fully pin why that was true.


    #####


    When Argrave and his coterie opened the door to one of the many chambers in Law¡¯s Court, they found the scene precisely as it had been described. Inside the drawing room, Jaray sat hounded by a cloud of smoke above his head. Opposite him, one of Law¡¯s Justiciars stood behind the couch.


    ¡°Ah.¡± Jaray raised his pipe up. ¡°You¡¯re here, atst. Fortunately, I¡¯ve had the time to say what I needed to Law. I was exining to him, you see, your rtion to Sophia. I¡¯m sure you can better fill in the nks than I can, as a third party¡­ but I¡¯ve told him much of what he needs to know.¡± He looked at the Justiciar. ¡°Law¡­ could you¡­?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll let you two speak,¡± came the deity¡¯s voice, echoing somberly from within his Justiciar. ¡°Argrave, I would speak to you after this.¡±


    Argrave gave him a nod. ¡°Certainly.¡±


    Law exited. Argrave and his party started to enter, but Jaray held up his hand.


    ¡°I¡¯d prefer to speak to you and your wife alone, if it¡¯s not too much trouble.¡± Jaray exhaled smoke. ¡°You could insist against it if it makes you ufortable, but it¡¯s just how I¡¯d prefer things.¡±


    Argrave debated it, and Anneliese¡¯s affirming nod made Argrave¡¯s decision for him. ¡°Check on Sophia, please,¡± he told the others, then entered the room with Anneliese.


    They sat across from Jaray on the couch as the others shut the door behind them. Jaray looked more an artist than a politician¡ªunruly dark hair, deep eyes, and handsome tan skin. His clothes were neither too luxurious nor too poor, striking what could be called an amicable bnce. He had that same charm to him Argrave had noticed earlier¡ªhe couldn¡¯t pin it down, but he could notice it.


    ¡°Who the hell are you?¡± Argrave asked outright, cutting past his own tension. ¡°Why does it seem like you¡¯re running this ce?¡±


    ¡°Me? I just like to help people,¡± Jaray said with an innocent shrug. ¡°I helped Law, so he listened to me. I helped you, so you¡¯re here. And I¡¯ve set it up to where I can help you again, if you¡¯ll let me. I can smooth over any and all tension you might¡¯ve felt with Law.¡±


    ¡°Provided we agree to this meeting,¡± Anneliese finished for him.


    ¡°That¡¯s the short of it. Very smart.¡± He produced a case. ¡°Would either of you like to partake?¡± He opened it up, revealing another pipe of simr make to his own. He retrieved a vial from the case filled with dried herbs of some kind.


    ¡°We already are. Room¡¯s filled with smoke,¡± Argrave pointed out, refusing it with a gesture. ¡°Not a terrible smell, though. Lemongrass.¡±


    He offered it silent to the other in the room, but Anneliese simrly refused.


    ¡°Your loss.¡± As he stuffed his pipe with more of whatever he was smoking, he looked between them. ¡°You look like you¡¯re both in a no-nonsense mood, so I¡¯ll be sensible. You¡¯re looking for descendants of the so-called lunar dragon. I can help you out on that front, if you¡¯ll let me.¡±


    If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    Argrave exhaled in some surprise. ¡°For the low price of what, exactly?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡± Jaray tamped what he¡¯d sprinkled in his pipe, then renewed its me. ¡°I¡¯m helping you, and I¡¯m helping another. This is a mutually-desired meeting. I¡¯d call it a blind date, if not for the implication, and the fact that the knowledge is unbnced on one side of the equation.¡±


    Anneliese leaned in. ¡°Do you realize how suspicious all of this is?¡±


    ¡°The convenience of it all?¡± Jaray smiled. ¡°It¡¯s merely my nature, ma¡¯am.¡±


    ¡°Leading some secret coalition?¡± Argrave pressed.


    ¡°Leading?¡± Jaray scoffed, taking a deep inhtion of his pipe. ¡°I abhor the thought. Politics aren¡¯t leadership. It¡¯s the glue holding so many people together, or the grease that helps things glide smoothly against one another. It¡¯s giving a favor to get a favor. It¡¯s the alignment of interests, the guidance of personalities and ideologies toward something actionable, and much more than that. It¡¯s¡­¡± Jaray paused, thinking as he took another smoke.


    ¡°It¡¯s convenience,¡± Argrave finished, leaning forward and sping his hands together.


    ¡°Just so, Argrave of Vasquer. Just so.¡± Jaray smiled brilliantly. ¡°I like to be there when people need me. Because when the timees¡­ maybe, just maybe, they¡¯ll be there for me, too. After all, it¡¯s hard to forsake a convenience once you have it. I¡¯m sure you¡¯d agree that a leader of convenience might not be the best man for the job. Instead, that role should fall to someone like you two. Or your sister, bless her heart. You¡¯ve earned a very nice life for yourself. Mypliments.¡±


    Argrave rubbed his palms together, questioning just how dangerous this man was. At every turn, it had been more convenient¡ªmore pleasant, even¡ªto just go along with what he suggested. He had already helped immensely, yet he offered more without an obvious condition. It was difficult to tell if this silken bed was born of a silkworm or a spider. He hesitated to lie down for that reason.


    Argrave pursed his lips, then asked, ¡°Are there any conditions to this meeting?¡±


    ¡°Only the location,¡± Jaray answered smoothly.


    ¡°If we show up with an army at our back¡­¡± Anneliese inferred.


    ¡°I can¡¯t speak for what my friend would do. The only reason she requests it outside this ce is simple: she¡¯s not one who wants to make her presence known, especially not in Law¡¯s Court. But I¡¯ll be there, in person. I¡¯ll help to make sure it doesn¡¯t be hostile for either side. No one wants conflict between you two except Gerechtigkeit. He¡¯s beyond helping, I¡¯m afraid...¡± Jaray took a wistful puff.


    ¡°How do you know all of this?¡± Argrave asked. ¡°Does the term Heralds mean anything to you?¡±


    ¡°I just help people, nothing more,¡± Jaray insisted. ¡°People talk, I listen. They write, I read. They do, I see. I¡¯m d I was able to help illuminate how much you¡¯ve helped others before a crowd that needed to hear it. Needless to say, I can keep on that path, if it pleases you. And I can help make Law see the necessity of the minor mimunication you had. It¡¯s best for everyone if you save the bridge before it burns, after all.¡±


    Argrave looked at Anneliese after Jaray so tantly dodged their question, and he saw the same thing reflected in her skeptical eyes as he felt in his head¡ª<em>this guy¡¯s a patsy for the Heralds, without a doubt.</em> He didn¡¯t think further pressing would yield anything better, so he decided to try another approach. They¡¯d been cooperative thus far, but he wanted to see if there were hidden fangs to this burgeoning rtionship.


    ¡°What happens if we don¡¯t go along?¡± Argrave asked. ¡°What happens if we don¡¯t need your help? What if we tell you that we didn¡¯t ask for it, and don¡¯t want it?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Jaray looked away from Argrave. ¡°I¡¯d have to go back to my friend and disappoint her. I¡¯d be a little hurt, if I¡¯m honest. I have nothing but the utmost respect for you and yours. I hope that my dismissal of yourpanions didn¡¯t cause any bad blood between us. If you¡¯d like, I could apologize to them, individually or as a group. If something else is the problem, please, speak your mind.¡±


    Argrave waited for any signal from Anneliese than he was being deceitful, but none came. Either he could fool her, or he was being earnest. Both oues would be equally surprising.


    Argrave looked at Anneliese, then leaned in and whispered under cover of a ward. ¡°What do you think?¡±


    ¡°I believe¡­¡± She paused, searching for words. ¡°He¡¯s as he seems.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not too fond of buying and selling favors,¡± Argrave stared into her amber eyes. ¡°The favor market is a ruthless one.¡±


    ¡°Whether now orter, we could always say no,¡± Anneliese said optimistically. ¡°He¡¯s no fighter. You and I alone could defeat him, I¡¯m certain.¡±


    After receiving her advice, Argrave dispelled the ward and leaned away from her. Jaray waited, unoffended by him seeking her counsel under cover of a sound-blocking ward.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you have to disappoint your friend.¡± Argrave gave a steady nod.


    ¡°The meeting is on?¡± Jaray sought to confirm.


    ¡°Provided the location isn¡¯t ridiculous,¡± Argrave added. ¡°And after I consult with my people.¡±


    ¡°Wonderful.¡± He offered his hand to shake. ¡°d I could help.¡±


    Argrave shook his hand¡ªthen next, Anneliese.


    ¡°Now¡ªthat¡¯s one matter put to rest, but many more remain before we can sleep. Shall I join you in your conversation with Law, or would you prefer I speak to some of the deities that were on the fence about falling under your banner?¡±


    Argrave felt a little overwhelmed. Already, it felt like he¡¯d gained some sort of new subordinate. He was hesitant to prevail upon this man for so much, the god¡¯s own words ringing in his ears.


    <em>It¡¯s hard to forsake a convenience once you have it. </em>


    #####


    Raven looked around the meeting ce. It was a high summit, and though the winds were harsh here, the peak formed a partial shield that blocked them out and created an eerie whistle. He looked up above to the moon, where its red brilliance illuminated the ce spectacrly.


    ¡°Nothing living for miles,¡± Raven said, speaking to someone distant who could hear him full well. ¡°Nothing trapped. Nothing in the earth for a long way down. Not even a sign anything¡¯s stepped up here, other than mountain goats. It¡¯s a viable location.¡±


    Anneliese¡¯s golden Starsparrow hovered before him.


    ¡°Will youe?¡± He asked.


    The bird gave a nod.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep watch.¡±

 Chapter 668: Reality Comes Crashing Down

    Chapter 668: Reality Comes Crashing Down


    Though Argrave had been all but told that he might be expected to return the favorter down the line, for now, he wasn¡¯t opposed to epting the convenience of Jaray¡¯s free help. Getting something for nothing had always been his preferred way of doing things. And help Jaray was¡ªhe helped Argrave mitigate any tension with Law, mostly by being a convenient cushion to the truth of the matter.


    ¡°Argrave was understandably terrified by the prospect of the White nes copsing,¡± Jaray had said to Law smoothly. ¡°Is it any wonder he went to you, the only god who he could trust to keep their word? Truly, all that he asked of you was what was already established by the agreement made to form the ckgard Union. Can it really be considered a wrongdoing, especially when done at the advice of others?¡±


    Jaray¡¯s intervention was rather like a mother swooping in to abate a father¡¯s wrath. There was some disapproval expressed, some words of disappointment levied, and some questions about whether or not they were hiding further information. But with the setup Jaray had given him, Argrave felt like it was child¡¯s y to bat all the questions aside and preserve the goodwill that had been established so long ago. Law went away renewing his vow to protect Sophia, but reminding Argrave that half-truthspromised authority and justice.


    After, Jaray offered to help more, swaying favor toward Argrave regarding his intention to assume the role of the ckgard Union¡¯s leader. They decided instead to look to Jaray¡¯s offer: attending the meeting. It was only then that they were free of him, and only then that they had the opportunity to ry what Jaray was like to theirpanions. Argrave told all¡ªevery beat of their conversation.


    ¡°You know what he likely is, don¡¯t you?¡± Anneliese asked once he¡¯d finished describing things to the others.


    ¡°A catspaw of the Heralds.¡± Argrave closed his eyes. ¡°Meaning he¡¯s hearing everything that we¡¯re talking about, now.¡±


    Elenore narrowed his eyes. ¡°Perhaps you ought not call him a catspaw, then. Are you sure of this?¡±


    ¡°He dodged the question when we brought it to him. It was clear to me he didn¡¯t intend to answer.¡± Anneliese shrugged. ¡°That¡¯s no proof, but there¡¯s knowing something and <em>knowing </em>something.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t press him?¡± Durran asked.¡°I felt we got our answer the moment he wormed his way past the first question.¡± Argrave tapped Durran¡¯s shoulder. ¡°But if it makes you feel better, I intend to pose it again when we meet outside of Law¡¯s Court.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going?¡± Gmon raised a brow.


    Argrave looked at him. ¡°We can¡¯t afford to waste valuable days of time on a wild goose chase searching for lunar dragon descendants. Whether a trap or a genuine dialogue, this is worth confronting.¡±


    The Veidimenmander nodded solemnly. ¡°I urge caution. Securing safety around the world is more important than this meeting.¡±


    Orion looked about to say something in disagreement, but Argrave beat him to it. ¡°That¡¯s why Anne and I are going alone.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    All Argrave¡¯s advisors looked at him in shock.


    ¡°Their reactions don¡¯t surprise me,¡± Anneliese said to Argrave almost as if the others weren¡¯t there. ¡°They didn¡¯t see us fight in the Shadonds.¡±


    Argrave nodded to her, then looked to Elenore. ¡°Can you stay here, get a grip on things? In particr, while he¡¯s absent, find out what you can about Jaray.¡±


    ¡°I can do that. You¡¯re sure about this?¡± Elenore questioned.


    ¡°Like Anne said¡­ you didn¡¯t see us in the Shadonds. If you had¡­ you¡¯re probably seek out a therapist for me.¡± He patted his sister¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Good luck.¡±


    ¡°What about Sophia?¡± Elenore questioned.


    ¡°Keep her here, for the time being.¡± Argrave closed his eyes. ¡°The next time I see her, I want a proper conversation.¡±


    ¡°Just make sure there is a next time, then,¡± Elenore insisted.


    #####


    Argrave and Anneliese joined up with Raven far from the designated meeting area, looking upon it from a distance. The location chosen was a mountain in Anorexhai¡ªthe continent that the Smiling Raven had wiped out, countless millennia before. It was deep ind, where the hum of the bugs in the rainforest echoed out far more constantly than any human activity. It was as untamed as the Bloodwoods, and nearly as harsh. There was no civilized presence here for hundreds of miles.


    ¡°Any more things you¡¯ve picked up on?¡± Argrave asked.


    ¡°Nothing of note,¡± Raven confirmed. ¡°So long as you maintain avenues of retreat, I believe you¡¯ll emerge from this unscathed.¡± He lifted his arm, pointing. ¡°The one called Jaray waits, already.¡±


    ¡°Since when?¡± Anneliese asked in surprise. Raven shook his head to indicate it wasn¡¯t a long time. Anneliese followed up curiously, ¡°Could you tell what he was smoking?¡±


    ¡°Nothing more than grass dipped in a peculiar, non-harmful ointment. Still, I¡¯d not advise inhaling.¡± He looked between the two of them. ¡°Will you go?¡±


    Argrave looked to Anneliese, and then the two of them nodded. They proceeded through the rainforest on foot, making their way to where Jaray was. They found him where Raven had pointed out, lounging on a fallen stump. In the humidity, his smoke seemedzy, almost heavy. There was a gargantuan creature beside him¡ªan overgrown lizard, frankly. Jaray fed it red meat, and itid there contented.


    Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    ¡°You¡¯vee.¡± Jaray threw the remainder of the meat at the lizard¡¯s feet, then stood up. He walked to a nearby stream, cleaning off his hand of the blood. ¡°Shall we go?¡±


    Argrave looked at the giant lizard, gluttonously scarfing down meat. ¡°A part of me wonders if I didn¡¯t just see some divine symbolism. I walk in on you, Jaray, feeding a fat lizard red meat. If that¡¯s not a portent for what¡¯s toe of this meeting, I¡¯m not sure what is.¡±


    Jarayughed as he looked at the reptile. ¡°The truth is often far more boring than reality. People invent these grandiose scenarios in their head about the future, present, or even the past. They suspect people are working with Gerechtigkeit, or the Heralds.¡± His dark eyes met Argrave¡¯s, a smile graced his lips as he smoked. ¡°Sometimes, it¡¯s better to live in fantasy than to have reality confirmed. It¡¯s less disappointing that way.¡±


    Argrave chuckled at his audacity¡ªhe was all but saying he knew their concern. ¡°If that¡¯s true, why can¡¯t you just bore us with the facts?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ I said the truth is <em>often </em>far more boring. Not always.¡± Jarayughed, then turned. ¡°Come on.¡±


    Jaray walked up a mountain trail, and after exchanging a quick nce, the royal pair followed after him. Anneliese kept a grasp on the situation from above with her Starsparrow, and Argrave guided her along as she focused on her druidic magic. The hike wasn¡¯t particrly long, but it was quite steep. Anneliese and Argrave, enhanced as they were, easily kept the god¡¯s pace until they arrived at the summit.


    The peak looked much as Raven had described it¡ªdeste, with the only hint of life being tracks so faint it was hard to decide if they were real. The howl of wind was but a quiet whisper here, and above, the red moon shone down on them like a brilliant spotlight. It might almost be a romantic getaway spot if not for the gravity of this meeting toe.


    ¡°Where¡¯s your friend?¡± Argrave asked Jaray.


    Jaray looked up to the sky, puffing smoke. He pointed his finger. ¡°See that red dot?¡±


    Argrave followed his finger up, peering at the sky. He indeed spotted a blinking red dot, assuming it naturally to be a star or a or some other such celestial body. He shifted on his feet uneasily when he saw it grow in size.


    ¡°She¡¯s very dramatic, and somewhat insecure,¡± Jaray continued, smoking his pipe. ¡°I don¡¯t help, teasing her as I do. But she¡¯s a good person. You don¡¯t have anything to fear.¡±


    ¡°Anne?¡± Argrave questioned, narrowing his eyes as he stared at the rapidly-approaching red dot. It looked like a meteor,e to end them. ¡°I¡¯m wondering if we might consider getting the hell out of here.¡±


    Anneliese watched the sky the same as he did¡ªin rapt attention, in awe and fear. ¡°I think¡­ I think we¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    ¡°You think?¡± He looked at her briefly, then looked back above. ¡°You want to elucidate how exactly you came to that conclusion? Jaray?¡±


    ¡°You wanted to speak to a descendant of a lunar dragon,¡± Jaray exined. ¡°It¡¯s always much easier if you bypass all the proxies, however, and get straight to the source.¡±


    The next moment, Argrave was certain they¡¯d share the dinosaur¡¯s fate, dying to a meteor suddenly and unexpectedly. A burst of fire cut through the atmosphere itself, and the moon was blocked out by a roaring inferno that sent every animal of the rainforest at the foot of the mountain screaming and hollering. Argrave was moments away from teleporting away when all of this meteor¡¯s momentum ceased, and a great shockwave wracked the mountain.


    Argrave saw, then, as ssic a dragon as he had ever seen. Its red scales were the same hue as the moon above, and its eyes a white-gold that were an equal to the stars in the sky in brilliance. The creature seemed asrge as ckgard itself. Its wings could hide the sky, its wed legs could rend the mountains, and its spiked hammer-like tail could shatter the continents. But it descended slowly, lowering itself without any physical movement as though its wings were just for show.


    The moment its great legs seemed like to touch the ground, its entire body shifted, fading away like smoke in wake of a decidedly female figure. Though possessed of white, almost yellowish human skin, she bore a crimson robe of scales that Argrave suspected grew from her body. She had hair of the same color, long enough that Anneliese¡¯s seemed short byparison¡ªthose red locks had to stretch for many yards, just from first nce. Her eyes still shone like stars, retaining a hint of their reptilian nature. She stood at equal height to Argrave.


    ¡°I am <em>not </em>dramatic,¡± the lunar dragon protested at Jaray in irritation. Her voice was quite deep for a woman¡¯s. ¡°I¡¯m simply efficient.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll concede the insecurity, then.¡± He smiled at her.


    ¡°Arguing would only prove you right.¡± She looked at them. Her eyes did not move in a human fashion¡ªthey darted like a chameleon¡¯s might, able to look different directions at the same time. ¡°It¡¯s strange to see you in person. I don¡¯t really like it. It¡¯s like reading a book and finding your name in it, or¡­¡± she sighed. ¡°Well, we¡¯re here.¡±


    ¡°Reading a book?¡± Anneliese repeated. ¡°Then you¡­?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m aware of you. And I¡¯m one of the lunar dragons you were looking for, yes.¡± She blinked¡ªa translucent eyelid obscured her eyes for a moment, then retracted. Her appearance was remarkably human-like, yet the longer he scrutinized, the more he recognized things that were off¡ªher tongue, for instance, was thin, long, and forked. ¡°You might call me the first. It¡¯s not entirely true, but I¡¯m the first you might urately add ¡®lunar¡¯ to.¡±


    She walked closer in the following silence. Argrave caught sight of a long tail behind her, which moved forward with the sleekness of a snake. It coiled around her gracefully, then sheid down in front of them. She assumed a position rather like an empress decadently lounging atop pillows, with her own tail as the bed.


    ¡°Have a seat,¡± she said with a sigh. She turned her head. ¡°Jaray,¡± she called out.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    Her next words defied expectations¡ªnot because of their meaning, but rather because Argrave could find <em>no </em>meaning in them. For the first time Argrave could ever recall since arriving here, he heard a different, unfamiliar tongue. It wasn¡¯t arcane by any means, but there was no denying this lunar dragon spoke a differentnguage.


    Jaray nodded and began to walk away. She looked back. ¡°Jaray will get you chairs, some food. He¡¯s helpful like that.¡±


    Argrave pushed past his surprise to ask the first question. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°Impossible to say, what with your facial structure,¡± she gestured vaguely. ¡°Dragons have long snouts, different tongues, and numerous teeth¡ªour words are simply different sounds entirely. I shan¡¯t mock you by insisting you use it. Roughly tranted, it means, ¡®reflection of the suns upon a stillke.¡¯ You could call me that, but I know it sounds off.¡± Her long ws stroked her sharp chin for a moment, then she raised a finger as if in epiphany. ¡°When I wasst in human form, I went by Lorena. It¡¯ll suffice.¡±


    ¡°Alright, Lorena.¡± Argrave nced at Anneliese, who was infinitely more fascinated than he was¡ªand he was pretty damned intrigued. ¡°Let¡¯s talk.¡±

 Chapter 669: The Road Not Taken

    Chapter 669: The Road Not Taken


    ¡°I could start with pleasantries. It¡¯s clear you have a great deal of questions you¡¯d like to bombard me with, Anneliese, but I¡¯m not sure how we¡¯ll all walk away from this, and I don¡¯t want to start liking you before I¡¯m sure I can afford it.¡± Lorena began. ¡°How is Sophia, these days?¡±


    ¡°These days?¡± Argrave repeated.


    ¡°Jaray¡¯s been flirting with it for a very long time, but I won¡¯t be as subtle as he is.¡± Lorena¡¯s bright eyes darkened, expressing her grim tone just as well as her voice did. ¡°I do represent the Heralds in some capacity. You¡¯re tipping very dangerous scales, and it¡¯s bing very worrying. No one decided that you should decide the fate of the world. It was only by the force of your own will that you brought us to this. You¡¯ve conquered this world, well and true.¡±


    ¡°No one?¡± Argrave raised a brow, looking around. ¡°I¡¯m only the leader because people tolerate me as one.¡±


    A burst of me and smoke erupted from her nose as she scoffed. ¡°Your rule is predicated on gods and nobles, deciding the whims of all. You appeased <em>them</em>, not the whole. Not that I¡¯m¡­¡± She cut herself off, calming mes that started to appear near her. ¡°I see there¡¯s good in your heart, Argrave. The love you have for your family is enough to move my kin, move me. I¡¯m not¡­¡± she sighed. ¡°Damn it. I should wait for Jaray. He¡¯s better at exining these things.¡±


    ¡°You should.¡± Jaray walked out from where he¡¯d been obscured. He dragged along two loungers¡ªit wasn¡¯t entirely clear where he¡¯d gotten them from, but he set them both beside Argrave and Anneliese.


    Argraveid down rxedly, while Anneliese sat upright on the edge of her provided seat. ¡°Why don¡¯t you exin, then?¡±


    Jaray walked until he stood in front of Lorena. ¡°Whenst we spoke, we were talking about convenience.¡±


    ¡°So?¡± Argrave beckoned.¡°You named me a catspaw to the Heralds,¡± Jaray continued, and it made Argrave tense up to hear those words repeated. It all but confirmed someone¡¯s omniscience. ¡°It¡¯s true. They rely on me because I¡¯m a convenience for them. And the time is rapidly approaching where they¡¯ll no longer trust us to handle the situation alone.¡±


    ¡°And that¡¯s relevant to this situation how?¡± Argrave leaned in. ¡°Listen¡ªall that I¡¯m looking for is the method to stop Gerechtigkeit¡¯s mental influence, full stop. We¡¯d hoped that might lie with you and the method to unlock our bloodline, but¡ª¡±


    ¡°Might as well let them speak, Argrave,¡± Anneliese reminded him, ncing over.


    Argrave silenced himself, listening closer as Jaray nodded to Anneliese in thanks. ¡°The Heralds and their ways remain a mystery to both Lorena and I. But they, just like all of us, are beings of convenience. They want an easy, quick solution that puts all of their fears to rest. Right now, <em>you </em>are their fear. And with you pursuing these dangerous things, Sophia in tow¡­ they might be liable to do something desperate.¡± Jaray cradled his hands, expressing his sincerity.


    ¡°There¡¯s no denying you¡¯ve bloodied their nose,¡± Lorena picked up where he stopped. ¡°But if you take this further, there is no doubt in my mind that they won¡¯t happily wait and see who wins. If need be, they¡¯ll interfere. Even if it¡¯s on the side of Gerechtigkeit, they¡¯ll do <em>something</em>.¡± She sighed deeply. ¡°It¡¯s time to make a deal, Argrave, and settle. You have the most leverage now. Do so while their fears are high, yet before their superiorse to look upon them with closer scrutiny.¡±


    Argrave looked between them. ¡°It seems to me that you know a hell of a lot more about the Heralds, and this world, than we do.¡±


    ¡°We know this, mainly: the Heralds¡¯ sole agenda is to keep the cycle of judgment going perpetually.¡± Jaray looked up at the bright red moon above, then looked back. ¡°They would be willing to give anything within this realm¡ªsecrets and abilities beyond your imaginings¡ªif only you allowed them that.¡±


    ¡°Think of it.¡± Lorena leaned forth off her tail, eyes brightening in what seemed to be righteous indignation. ¡°Why do you do this, Argrave? Would you consign trillions to death this cycle to save a slightly higher number many millennia from now? By what right do you involve people in this struggle? It¡¯s only now that you reveal your true intention to the gods, but the people remain ignorant to this very second. Why have you taken their right of choice from them? Could you look each and all in the eyes, and tell them the truth¡ªthat you want them to die for others to live? You couch your fight in nobility, yet¡ª"


    ¡°You¡¯re getting worked up, Lorena,¡± Jaray reminded her softly, and she leaned back while looking away.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Argrave narrowed his eyes, not voicing his thoughts immediately. ¡°I¡¯m getting a sense that you two might be speaking from experience.¡± His eyes darted between them. ¡°Am I wrong to think that?¡±


    He felt the silence following his question was answer enough.


    ¡°Do you mean to tell me that I¡¯m not the first toe this far?¡± Argrave stopped lounging, leaning in. His next words were spoken harshly as he asked, ¡°Would that honor happen to belong to you, Lorena?¡±


    Lorena fixed her eyes upon him. ¡°What if it did?¡±


    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Argrave couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°So, you had the means to fix <em>all </em>of the misery that people had endured, but you decided against it, because¡­?¡± He looked to Anneliese, seeking her perspective. She only watched them without a word, scrutinizing, and he was forced to look back. ¡°What did they offer you? Let me guess¡ªa moon?¡± He looked up. ¡°A home world of your own? A ruby in the sky, to watch us suffer down here?¡±


    She only shook her head at his provocation. ¡°You have no concept of what you face.¡±


    ¡°Gerechtigkeit¡ª¡±


    She snapped, her ck nails spawning dancing strings of fire that faded. ¡°Gerechtigkeit is a tool, Argrave, to achieve a result the Heralds want! What that is, I can¡¯tprehend or qualify. But I¡¯ve <em>seen </em>the end of the road you¡¯re travelling on.¡± She rose to her feet, walking forth until she looked down upon him as he sat. ¡°It would be the end of worlds beyond this one¡ªthe Heralds didn¡¯t lie. But more than that, it would be the end of magic, the end of divinity. You¡¯re entreating gods to help you kill themselves. You¡¯re depriving mankind, elvenkind, and all creatures like myself of the beauties of magic.¡±


    Argrave rose to his feet, looking her in the eyes determinedly. ¡°Someone has to do something. Because I know <em>this¡­</em>¡± Argrave looked out at everything. ¡°I know this isn¡¯t right. We¡¯re in service to higher powers, giving our lives not knowing to what. The misery, the death¡­ I know there¡¯s another way. I know this cycle has to end.¡±


    ¡°Destruction without creation is ruin. Creation without destruction is cancer. Life without neither is stagnation,¡± Lorena said emotionally, pleading with him. ¡°Think about what you¡¯re doing. Think about the forces you¡¯re ying with.¡±


    ¡°Then where does that put you, living on the moon?¡± He asked pointedly, and her eyes grew dark.


    ¡°You have no idea the concessions I¡¯ve made to keep my people safe,¡± she said grimly. ¡°But what of you? Now that you¡¯ve obtained the knowledge for immortality, will you share that with all? Will you give all things you own freely? Will you relinquish all worldly possessions? I think not. You¡¯re a king, and such a man cannot walk through life without skirting on the edge of certain moral boundaries.¡±


    Argrave felt a little bit of fire rise in his chest, but a touch from Anneliese, who he didn¡¯t realize hade to stand by him, reminded him of his ce. He was staring at, he realized, himself. Lorena hade to the same summit that Argrave had, and after seeing whatid on the other side, elected to take a road that differed from the one he¡¯d set his heart upon. That was sufficient enough to give him pause, to make him reconsider.


    Lorena seemed neither a cruel pragmatist or a selfish tyrant. Rather, the passion with which she spoke betrayed a certain kinship between their approach to life. At the heart of this all, he knew that he still needed her wisdom, regardless of whether or not he agreed with the choice that she¡¯d made.


    ¡°Alright. Tell me, then. You saved your people by bringing them to the moon?¡± Argrave asked. ¡°The Heralds allowed this?¡±


    Lorena stepped back with wordless nods, and Jaray advanced to speak in her stead. ¡°They borrowed Sophia¡¯s power of creation to transform Lorena¡¯s home into a for her kin, the dragons. They live there, far above, to this day. At the end of it all¡­ isn¡¯t that what you crave? And for you and your people? To live undisturbed by the ravages of the cycle? That reward could well be yours, Argrave of Vasquer. And I can be the one to broach the offer.¡±


    ¡°Jaray is good for his word,¡± Lorena insisted, calming herself by pacing about. ¡°He was the one who brokered the deal that saved my people. You and Anneliese¡­ the entire continent of Berendar¡­ any you dictate, by this point, could be given and of their own. Nothing would even need to change. You possess such leverage that I¡¯m sure you could make any demand of them.¡± Lorena shook her head.


    ¡°But you said you made concessions,¡± Argrave pointed out.


    ¡°It isn¡¯t like my time,¡± Lorena shook her head. ¡°My coalition of dragons had no true advantage. We were at a stalemate. Like you attempt to do today with the mind, we stopped Gerechtigkeit from utilizing a fell ability¡ªcontrol and maniption of the flesh¡ªbut it left us all too weakened to face what came after. I chose to save my people instead of risk it all in a battle that might¡¯ve wiped us out. But you? It¡¯s different. And I urge you, <em>please, </em>take what is offered now.¡±


    ¡°You would broker the deal?¡± Anneliese asked, looking at Jaray.


    ¡°I can.¡± He nodded, blowing smoke into the air. ¡°Or at the very least, secure a negotiation.¡±


    Argrave sat down, pulling Anneliese to sit just beside him. He looked into her eyes. The two of them hade to know each other well enough that he felt there was tacit understanding between them. They seldom needed to speak to know what the other was thinking, feeling. Perhaps they were born for each other¡­ but Argrave preferred to think they had reached this understanding this through their own efforts. Mostly Anneliese¡¯s efforts, frankly, but Argrave had some small part.


    Argrave looked at Jaray with conviction, saying, ¡°Then let¡¯s broker this deal.¡± Jaray¡¯s expression brightened with joy, until Argrave continued to speak. ¡°Provided, of course, that Lorena can join us. She can prepare us for this negotiation better than anyone. After all, who better to walk us through than someone who¡¯s been through the same experience?¡±


    Jaray looked back at Argrave, puffing the pipe in his mouth as everyone waited wordlessly. In those dark eyes of his, Argrave spotted the enemy he should¡¯ve from the beginning. Involving Lorena was an unspoken challenge against Jaray, who seemed to be the emissary for the Heralds. In the midst of her earnest pleas, he heard the words he¡¯d been searching for. The dragons had stopped Gerechtigkeit from manipting and controlling flesh. That was near a mirror to their problem¡ªcontrol of the mind.


    ¡°Lorena can speak for herself,¡± Jaray looked at her.


    ¡°I only want to avoid repeating any mistakes.¡± Argrave focused on the dragon earnestly, peering into the brightness in her eyes for the passion he still felt even today. ¡°Can you help me with that?¡±


    Argrave couldn¡¯t see himself cutting a deal with these Heralds. Instead, he intended to challenge all the vested interests standing behind Jaray. He intended to challenge the Heralds in the same manner they had him; indirectly, through proxy and maniption. He hoped to remind Lorena, a hero of ages past, of why she¡¯d fought to begin with.


    Lorena smiled, revealing too-sharp teeth as her eyes brightened. ¡°You won¡¯t regret this, Argrave.¡±


    Argrave gripped Anneliese¡¯s hand, looking at her. She nodded in affirmation, silently joining him in this battle as she had countless before. They knew and understood the other¡¯s aim. But with the Heralds watching, they would need to be silent schemers.

 Chapter 670: Trophies in the Sky

    Chapter 670: Trophies in the Sky


    ¡°I¡¯m pleased that we were able to walk away from this peaceably,¡± Lorena said to them. She had resumedying on her bed made of her ridiculously-long tail.


    Jaray had long ago left, but Argrave didn¡¯t think for a moment that the god of politics wasn¡¯t capable of hearing them. The Heralds had shown to have a sort of omniscience over the world of such intensity that they were able to convey to Dario what Durran was saying through Elenore¡¯s blessing of connection. The only thing that would be spared their scrutiny were the thoughts in their head¡ªand even that was up for question.


    ¡°I never want conflict. I try to avoid it, as I hope you know,¡± Argrave reminded her calmly, sitting side-by-side with Anneliese.


    ¡°My daughter would be angry at me if I wasn¡¯t on good terms with you.¡± Her reptilian eyes phased and settled on Anneliese. ¡°She is a very ardent supporter, Anneliese. She¡¯s been watching for a long time.¡±


    ¡°A supporter of me?¡± Anneliese put a hand to her chest.


    ¡°Indeed. You have a red-haired lookalike, at times. She made her mortal form in your image. She idolizes you.¡± Lorena smiled. ¡°She¡¯s been watching you somewhat obsessively since Argrave halted the war, and you caught her eye. She¡¯d be rather embarrassed to hear me tell you this. Hopefully it¡¯ll make here out of the house¡­¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s much to idolize,¡± he said as he held Anneliese¡¯s hand. Argrave looked up at the moon, which was just barely beginning to phase behind some distant mountains. ¡°The dragons are always watching us from up there? Your deal with the Heralds¡­ it sounds so strange to me. All the tales we¡¯ve read say that the dragonse as ugly women, picking out nice men.¡±


    ¡°The Heralds culled every one of our men, and ensured there would never again be more,¡± Lorena said as if it didn¡¯t affect her as she used her w-like nails to carve markings in the nearby stone. ¡°They ced severe restrictions on how we could reproduce. Our poption can never again exceed what it was at the time we made the deal. We¡¯ve¡­ adapted. But I¡¯m here to be sure that you won¡¯t experience something like that. And I do also intend to help you with what you originally sought me out for, Jaray be damned.¡±


    Argrave¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°You mean stopping Gerechtigkeit¡¯s mental influence?¡±¡°Of course.¡± Lorena nodded. ¡°It¡¯ll be doubly needed once you¡¯re gone, free of this world.¡±


    ¡°How did youe to make this deal?¡± Anneliese questioned, leaning forth on her seat. ¡°How did youe to live on the moon?¡±


    ¡°How far back need I go?¡± Lorena asked, but continued before an answer came. ¡°My situation was not so dissimr to yours. I had lived through twoings of Gerechtigkeit. My people, the dragons, were always the foremost defenders. We were the most powerful species, and our intelligence was without peer. But we were solitary, prone to istion. We all hated each other.¡±


    ¡°What of the dragons here?¡± Argrave questioned curiously. ¡°How do they rte?¡±


    ¡°Pah.¡± She snapped her fingers, sending cascading sparks up into the air. ¡°Comparing us to the ¡®dragons¡¯ you see today¡­ that¡¯s the equivalent ofparing humans and monkeys. It¡¯s insulting.¡±


    ¡°No offense meant.¡± Argrave held his hands out. ¡°You were saying?¡±


    ¡°I united every single one of my own kind. Every dragon of a simr lineage to mine was brought together, either by charisma, subjugation, or in many cases, marriage. You¡¯re familiar with that story, I suspect.¡± Lorena held out her arms, and her tail thumped against the ground as if to betray her pride. ¡°And with them at my back, we achieved much the same thing that you did. We brought most of the world under our control¡ªnot for personal glory, but for the shared purpose of utterly vanquishing Gerechtigkeit. And like you, we eventually found Sandbara.¡±


    ¡°And Sophia,¡± Anneliese guessed.


    ¡°Not quite.¡± Lorena sighed deeply. ¡°We found the city only because Gerechtigkeit had arrived there first. It wasn¡¯t buried quite so deeply as when you had found it. He couldn¡¯t break the hold of the prison the Heralds had crafted, not immediately. But they feared he could, so they came to us. The Heralds asked that we do nothing more than fight and kill Gerechtigkeit, offering¡­¡± She shook her head. ¡°I can¡¯t even remember what it was. I didn¡¯t consider it for a moment. I felt invincible. I was the strongest living being alive. I had killed gods. I had been to the moon, even then.¡±


    Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the vition.


    ¡°Given what you mentioned earlier¡­ the Heralds helped Gerechtigkeit,¡± Anneliese said somberly.


    Lorena looked upward at the moon. ¡°They did. It¡­ nothing haunts me more, to this day. Hordes of undead, automatons, and other such beings¡­ I had cut Gerechtigkeit¡¯s army in half by creating a device that prevented him from manipting flesh. Back then, he could create hulking chimeras out of the flesh of many unintelligent races without the will to resist, wielding them as an extension of himself¡ªI put an end to that, harnessing the energy of the moon that had so long empowered my kin to create something that might be called a mirror. That power came to hurt him, terribly.¡± She shook her head. ¡°That tremendous victory made me arrogant. For days, we fought¡­ then, we suffered betrayal from certain gods. When the war began, there were eighty thousand of my brothers and sisters.¡±


    ¡°And at the end?¡± Argrave asked.


    Lorena looked away from the moon. ¡°Nine hundred and one. And it remains that number, with small variations as we live and die, to this day.¡±


    ¡°Gods¡­¡± Anneliese eximed.


    ¡°When next the Heralds approached us, the fighting had lulled, but the future remained uncertain. There had only been crushing defeat after crushing defeat. Then, Jaray came to us. He had always been exceptionally helpful in keeping the deities in line with our ideals, but this time, he spoke for the Heralds. They would switch sides. The terrible power that Gerechtigkeit had been wielding woulde to <em>our </em>wings. We would be allowed to live on.¡±


    ¡°¡­or you¡¯d be killed, to thest,¡± Argrave finished.


    ¡°You see?¡± Lorena raised her hands. ¡°Do you see why I cautioned you so, advised you so? If only I could go back¡­ if only I could¡¯ve <em>known¡­</em>¡± She shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ve been ruing that day every day that I¡¯m allowed to continue being. I don¡¯t want you to make the same mistake. You¡¯re a good man, Argrave. You deserve a better fate than I gave my people.¡±


    As Argrave looked upon her, he finally ced something. Her words had always seemed frantic, even desperate¡ªit was almost as though she was still trying to convince herself, to this very day, that her choices had been the correct ones. Or perhaps he just hoped that was the case.


    ¡°It makes me question why the Heralds don¡¯t just control things in that way all of the time,¡± Anneliese said ponderously.


    ¡°I know for a fact it costs them,¡± Lorena exined. ¡°And they can¡¯t persist outside of a willing host, as you know. But those that they inhabit can exhibit terrifying powers. A lich under Gerechtigkeit¡¯s sway became capable of matching a dragon physically. It destroyed him, undying soul and all, yet he killed hundreds of my kin. Dragons were as gods, then, not the monkey-like ones you¡¯ve encountered.¡±


    ¡°And in the end, the deal¡­?¡± Argrave crossed his arms, listening expectantly.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°We had to give them vessels¡ªsacrifices, from our own kind. It was a bitter pill to swallow, but some of our own volunteered. The Heralds used them to reim Sandbara. Once there, they reinforced the prison around Sophia, and kept their word. They changed our physiology in such a way that we <em>had</em> to keep our word. The moon was made a habitable ce for our kind, and we can only leave it when the conditions align.¡±


    ¡°What are these conditions?¡± Anneliese inquired.


    ¡°In true form, we are entirely infertile. This necessitates prevailing upon mortals down here. You know, roughly, of our courtship. It has subtler details, but I shan¡¯t divulge them. Suffice to say, twins are born. One child remains of their father¡¯s species¡ªthe so-called lunar descendants¡ªand they cannot remain on the moon. The other child, however, is a trueborn female dragon. We are only capable of reproducing while in heat¡ªand only while in heat can a dragone here without perishing. Rather grotesquely, it is only the death of another that triggers heat. Though rest assured, I am an exception. I can walk freer than my brothers and sisters.¡±


    ¡°Rather¡­ draconian measures.¡± Lorena and Anneliese both looked at him with stone-eyed res, and he cleared his throat and carried on. ¡°Why didn¡¯t they kill you? Sophia¡¯s power can¡¯t kill, but it could change you in such a way that you would die nheless. Why keep their word?¡±


    ¡°I have often wondered that myself.¡± Lorena traced a scar on her neck with her sharp nails. ¡°They easily could have. I don¡¯t think they were barred from doing so, but I can¡¯t be certain. Perhaps they have some honor. Or perhaps they anticipated this day, where they would need an example of defiance to prompt cooperation. Either way, they did nothing more than was agreed.¡±


    ¡°And what about Gerechtigkeit?¡± Anneliese asked.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Lorena looked at her, confused.


    ¡°Gerechtigkeit¡ªwhat was their deal with him?¡± Argrave answered for her. ¡°It sounds to me like they betrayed him.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t know that, I¡¯m afraid.¡± Lorena shrugged.


    ¡°Well¡­ thank you for sharing,¡± Argrave concluded, giving solemn nods. ¡°It can¡¯t be easy, reliving that.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not for me, it¡¯s for you. And I¡¯ve spent countless generations teaching the younger ones that same lesson. I hope only that you¡¯ll heed it.¡± Lorena rose to her feet. ¡°Now¡ªwhile Jaray is doing his part with the Heralds, I intend on helping you with the question of your bloodline. Orion possesses a sharp intuition, and that¡¯s not coincidence.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± he answered eagerly. ¡°That wasn¡¯t something that we expected, honestly. All we ask is that you not bring up this matter of a negotiation with the Heralds,¡± Argrave continued. ¡°For now, at least, let¡¯s focus on one thing alone¡ªending Gerechtigkeit¡¯s mental influence before it bes unmanageable.¡±

 Chapter 671: Praise the Sun

    Chapter 671: Praise the Sun


    ¡°It always surprised me that you never picked up on what the Gilderwatchers truly were,¡± Lorena said as she looked out across ckgard from atop the mountain ranges encircling it. They were waiting for someone¡¯s arrival. ¡°You had been to the Great Chu. You had seen their depictions of dragons¡ªeven seen some of the creatures yourselves. I suppose your preconception of the idea of them as ¡®feathered serpents¡¯ warped your sensibilities.¡±


    Argrave listened to her words, and as he did, his eyes warped as he went through various stages of consideration¡ªconfusion, realization, then utter disbelief. He twisted his head and looked at her with wide eyes, questioning, ¡°You can¡¯t be serious.¡±


    ¡°I can. I knew the Gilderwatchers in their height. In structure, the Gilderwatchers have far more inmon with us than they do snakes, or the monkey-dragons you can see today.¡± She kneaded the palm of her hand with her fingers as she talked idly. ¡°They might be the only species of dragon that was ever fully united¡ªbut even in unity, they had no desire to dominate.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good, then. If you¡¯re both dragons, it¡¯ll make this whole process easier, right?¡± Argrave waited for her to continue.


    ¡°My kind have mastery over flesh.¡± She held up her hand, and it shifted in countless ways in only a few second¡ªit had scales in one moment, skin in the next, a carapace in the third, untiling back to as it had been. ¡°It was much easier for us to discover how, exactly, cross-breeding affected the resulting mortal offspring. But the Gilderwatchers¡­ they have domain over the soul. Vasquer was the first to ever seed in creating viable offspring. I have deep knowledge of the changes. To answer your question¡­ yes, it¡¯ll be easier.¡±


    ¡°How did Vasquer actually have children with Felipe?¡± Anneliese began in cautious curiosity.


    ¡°Ady never tells,¡± Lorena said coyly, lightly tapping Anneliese¡¯s nose. She bounced back in surprise. ¡°Suffice to say the primary change in the royal family isn¡¯t in the flesh, but the soul.¡±


    ¡°So I¡¯d be invalidated, then.¡± Argrave crossed his arms, feeling a mite disappointed.


    ¡°I said the ¡®primary¡¯ change. There is plenty in your flesh. Besides, souls aren¡¯t as honest as the flesh. They tend to be what we believe we are.¡± Lorena studied Argrave with her piercing bright eyes. ¡°If you were entirely disqualified, you wouldn¡¯t have been able to speak with Vasquer, or meld into the Tree of Being. But you can do both, despite the fact that your soul is foreign to the body it inhabits.¡±¡°Fair point.¡± Argrave nodded, then saw an organic way to probe for information. ¡°Can the Heralds read thoughts? Are you privy to the contents of those meetings?¡±


    ¡°They cannot. They can only read the thoughts of hosts. Why¡ªis there something I should know?¡± Lorena studied him.


    ¡°Nothing I can think of.¡± Argrave shrugged, feeling some secret joy¡ªtheir ploy had worked, and the watching Heralds would be unaware of Argrave and Anneliese¡¯s intent to work to turn Lorena against them. ¡°What¡¯s the n for us?¡±


    Lorena looked up and into the distance¡ªspecifically, toward the sunrise. ¡°It¡¯s showing itself right now.¡±


    Just then, the one that they¡¯d been waiting for finally reared his head¡ªspecifically, Raven came out from hisb, manipting his hands in such a way that the copious amounts of disgusting viscera clinging to it fell to the ground below. He looked at Lorena, then at Argrave.


    ¡°What kind of creature did you bring to me?¡± He asked in considerable rm¡ªfar more than he usually expressed. Argrave debated whether or not Raven was the n she had mentioned.


    One of Lorena¡¯s eyes looked at him, while the other remained fixed where it had been. ¡°Raven? Hmm.¡± A lone eye looked to Argrave, and she spoke to him as if Raven wasn¡¯t here. ¡°I heard what he said about unlocking your bloodline. He was right, at least, in the necessity of the corpse of that silver knight. It could be considered a catalyst for the creation of the mirror necessary to rebuff Gerechtigkeit¡¯s probing into the mind.¡± Both of her eyes focused on Raven. ¡°As for what kind of creature Argrave brought¡­ hello, Raven. I am Lorena, a dragon of the moon.¡±


    Raven shifted on his feet. ¡°You¡¯re dangerous.¡±


    ¡°So long as you know that, we¡¯ll get along fine,¡± she dismissed casually.


    Anneliese watched her suspiciously. Lorena had more emotions wrapped up in Raven that she let on.


    Lorena turned one eye to Argrave, and as if to distract everyone, asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t you once agree to watch every sunrise with your wife? My daughter was upset you don¡¯t do that anymore.¡±


    Argrave straightened his back. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ no, it was the sunset. But it became impractical, things being as they are.¡± He looked at Anneliese somewhat guiltily, but it faded when she concurred with what he said with a silent nod.


    ¡°And your sigil is the sun,¡± Lorena continued. ¡°Well¡­ either it was calling out to you, or it was simply some lucky coincidence.¡± Lorena pointed forward, where the suns rose over distant mountains beyond those of ckgard. ¡°I¡¯m rather confident that the key to unlocking your power, Argrave, lies in the sun.¡±


    Argrave crossed his arms. ¡°I¡¯m not particrly eager to pay a visit. You¡¯re sure?¡±


    ¡°Indeed. It¡¯s the safest bet,¡± Lorena confirmed, looking at him with a nod. ¡°The only other option would be that of the¡¯s core, but that¡¯s something that Gerechtigkeit will be able to interfere with¡ªas you¡¯ve seen in some abundance.¡±


    ¡°Alright¡­ I¡¯ll be generous and assume you don¡¯t want me to self-immte. Still¡ªwhich one?¡± Argrave looked up, shielding his eyes with his hand. Even so early in the morning, it was still bright and annoying to look at. ¡°The moon I can understand¡ªthat¡¯s a solid ce that you cannd on, walk around. Maybe it¡¯s even far different, far <em>better</em>, than what I¡¯m picturing in your home. But a star? A star, with heat ranging upward of many millions of degrees?¡±


    The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    ¡°You¡¯ll interface with it in a different way than I never could. I formed a rtionship with the moon, changing it¡ªits surface wasn¡¯t always red. The moon, you see, is as alive as you or me,¡± Lorena said. ¡°Just as both of the suns, and every star.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous,¡± Raven cut in, gaining back some of his boldness.


    ¡°Speaks the man who¡¯s never been to space, despite his countless forays to correct that.¡± Lorena looked at him. ¡°Bottom line, it¡¯s all alive. The moon, the suns, even the earth.¡±


    Raven looked disgruntled. ¡°They¡¯ve never demonstrated any signs of life.¡±


    ¡°Have they not? The only reason we are both able to live, Raven, is because of light from the suns. That says something<em>. </em>Just because you don¡¯t understand it doesn¡¯t mean it isn¡¯t so. It may not be as we understand it, but the masses adrift in space are alive. They cannot bepared to nts, or to all of us different sorts of animals waddling about, but they <em>are </em>alive. Somehow.¡±


    ¡°How do you know?¡± Anneliese asked.


    ¡°Because I spoke to the moon. I made a pact with it. And I¡¯ve spoken to the¡ªa friendly sort. Despite all that we¡¯ve done to it¡ªmining and such¡ªit isn¡¯t too bothered.¡± She looked at Argrave. ¡°You have to do the same with the suns, now. Have a lovely conversation, charm him and her, and then ask for a deal.¡± Lorena crossed her arms and said in distant remembrance, ¡°Our deal with the moon wasn¡¯t so bad. They don¡¯t have the typical wants and desires we associate with living things. But then, I¡¯ve never spoken to a star before. Very hot¡ªcould burn even me. I¡¯ve tried to speak with it, some, and it¡¯s¡­ never worked. But I¡¯m not you.¡±


    Argrave walked around, staring at the sunrise. ¡°I seem to be less capable of space travel than you.¡±


    She looked at Raven. ¡°You won¡¯t be going in person. I came to this one for that very reason.¡±


    Argrave looked at Raven. He had assumed that they hade here seeking this man to retrieve the corpse of the silver knight who bore Lindon¡¯s essence. At the notion that he might be involved, Argrave got uneasy.


    ¡°Your body won¡¯t go,¡± Lorena continued. ¡°But your soul will. Has to be you, I¡¯m pretty sure. All of your siblings¡¯ souls wouldn¡¯t live that long separated from their body. So, you¡¯ll part ways with your flesh, head to the stars, and strike a deal with one of the suns. There are more details, but I¡¯ll spare them for now. You¡¯ll need the silver knight¡¯s corpse.¡±


    Argrave took a deep breath, overwhelmed by the gravity of the task. ¡°If separating from the body would kill<em></em>my siblings outright, I can¡¯t imagine it¡¯d feel great for me.¡±


    Lorena smiled, her sharp teeth poking past her lips. ¡°You¡¯re suffering from greatness. I¡¯m sorry that you¡¯re so special, but unfortunately you are.¡± She looked at Raven. ¡°But he knows a thing or two about a thing or two, and I¡¯m not so uneducated myself. I don¡¯t have much doubt that Gerechtigkeit is going try to interfere, and he has liches on his side¡ªliches which simrly have undying souls. So, you should practice before you go.¡±


    Argrave had just settled into the feeling of being quite powerful. With Anneliese being at his side, he felt as though there was no opponent that he couldn¡¯t confront. But separating from his body, and heading to space to speak to a sun?


    ¡°I want to see Lindon¡¯s remnants,¡± Lorena continued. ¡°Meanwhile, you should start practicing leaving your body with Raven. Just make sure there aren¡¯t any hostile necromancers lingering about¡ªit could end very poorly.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like to go over your theories, first,¡± Raven interjected forcefully. ¡°Especially before we ever stake Argrave¡¯s life on anything.¡±


    Lorena walked up to him, step-by-step. She was the same size as Argrave, but she felt farrger than even Raven did as she stood before him. She scrutinized him carefully.


    ¡°Why do you insist on keeping this form?¡± Lorena asked him.


    Raven said nothing for a time, perhaps surprised by the question. Then, he said simply, ¡°What business is it of yours?¡±


    ¡°None, I suppose. I just think it¡¯s a shame¡­ quite a shame. Speaking as a fellow shapeshifter, of course.¡± She shook her head. ¡°We can review my theory. I suspect you¡¯ll have fewer doubts once Argrave better exins who, and what, I am. For now¡­ shall we go inside?¡±


    Raven stepped aside, parting the obsidian door to hisboratory. She walked inside, her long hair and tail trailing just behind her. Once she was out of sight, Argrave walked up.


    ¡°You can think of another way, right?¡± He asked hopefully. ¡°The soul leaving the body¡ªthat¡¯s death, right? There¡¯s surely another way.¡±


    #####


    Argraveid on the operating table, prepared to die.


    As it turned out, Argrave¡¯s vouching for Lorena was more than enough for Raven to take her seriously. After a cursory review of her theories and studies, they¡¯d decided to immediately move forward to the first instance¡ªa test run, so to speak. Practice.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think we should have someone else try this beforehand?¡± He asked, looking up at Raven. ¡°Maybe we could get the New Traugott that Anneliese caught.¡±


    ¡°I have done this several times.¡± Raven read through a book.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°You?¡± Argrave asked in surprise. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ reassuring, actually. What¡¯s it like, separating the soul from the body?¡±


    ¡°Have you not read Erlebnis¡¯ collection?¡± Raven answered idly.


    ¡°I have, but I want some firsthand experience. Give me¡­ an analogy, maybe. A metaphor,¡± Argrave prompted hopefully.


    ¡°When I was human¡­¡± Raven looked away from his book. ¡°I once voyaged to sea, with several others.¡±


    Argrave¡¯s expression brightened. ¡°It¡¯s like a voyage at sea?¡±


    ¡°When night fell, I became slightly too drunk and fell overboard. The ocean was freezing, I could no longer tell which way was up and down, and the thrashing ocean and haunting sounds rattled my skull.¡± He looked back to his book. ¡°It was a little like that.¡±


    Argrave sighed, and Anneliese held his hand. ¡°You¡¯ll be fine. You always are. Lorena was right¡ªyou¡¯re <em>special</em>,¡± she teased.


    ¡°Yeah, and you¡¯re funny. Funny-looking,¡± he countered weakly.


    ¡°Are you ready?¡± Raven questioned.


    ¡°Yes. Kill me,¡± Argravemanded.


    ¡°As you wish¡­¡± Raven produced an implement.


    ¡°You said it wasn¡¯t like death,¡± Argrave sat up quickly.


    ¡°Rx. That was a joke,¡± Raven said.


    Argraveid back down, relieved.


    Raven brought down the implement, and when it was moments away from meeting flesh, said, ¡°It¡¯s almost exactly like death.¡±

 Chapter 672: Have You Ever Been

    Chapter 672: Have You Ever Been


    Anneliese watched the rise and fall of Argrave¡¯s chest to remind herself that he still breathed. She could see a stunningck of presence with her [Truesight]¡ªand elsewhere in the obsidian chamber, saw Argrave¡¯s golden soul brimming with vitality far removed from where it should be. She couldn¡¯t fully describe the implement that Raven had used, but she was near certain that he had once used the same thing to sh together Garm¡¯s and Durran¡¯s souls.


    ¡°What will he actually be experiencing?¡± Lorena questioned as she stared down at the motionless body of Argrave.


    A new face appeared on the side of Raven¡¯s body, and it asked her, ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know if it would work, even if my theories were sound,¡± the dragon said honestly, and Anneliese looked up at her in surprise. ¡°My whole life, I¡¯ve acted with confidence even when I haven¡¯t had it. I suppose the two are indistinguishable from one another.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve anchored his soul to his body, but disced it.¡± Raven pointed elsewhere in the room¡ªparticrly, where Argrave¡¯s soul lingered. ¡°His objective is merely to find his way home to repossess his body. After, we¡¯ll move onto more advanced doings¡ªheading to a separate location, and then returning to his body. As for ¡®what,¡¯ well¡­¡± Raven paused, searching for words¡ªsomething that was very infrequent for him. ¡°There is nothing in this world like experiencing life through soul alone. The possibilities feel limitless, yet are nheless tightly constrained by the world itself.¡±


    Lorena raised a brow. ¡°You make it sound almost¡­ fun.¡±


    ¡°As fun as any drug. It¡¯s a thrill-seeker¡¯s paradise.¡± Raven shook his head. ¡°I cannot rmend it because of that.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take your word for it. Still, how long do you think it¡¯ll take for Argrave?¡± Lorena pressed.


    ¡°Getting impatient?¡± He asked her.¡°No.¡± Lorena shook her head distantly. ¡°Gerechtigkeit¡¯s not the only one who¡¯s used to waiting for a single chance¡ªa single opportunity, presenting itself after millennia of nothing.¡± Her bright eyes red brilliantly, and Anneliese studied her face intensely. Lorena quickly added, ¡°After all, my people mate very infrequently, and live very long lives.¡±


    Lorena and Anneliese¡¯s eyes met, only for the young queen¡¯s gaze to break away and look back to Argrave uncertainly. She cast continued nces in the direction of the dragon, feeling some vague nugget of hope yet not daring to voice it lest it be a ruse. Her words about opportunity¡­ could they mean Lorena need no convincing to betray? Or could she working for the Heralds even still, attempting to lure them out by implying her resolve was weak? Whatever the case, Anneliese could not confide the n.


    ¡°On the matter of your people, how do you watch us?¡± Raven inquired of Lorena as they all waited for Argrave.


    ¡°The moon is our conduit,¡± Lorena exined. ¡°We tap into it to scry. The pact that I¡¯ve formed with it allows as much. It bes, metaphorically speaking, a gigantic eye that we use to peer upon this. It doesn¡¯t see as we understand, but it does ¡®see.¡¯ I know that doesn¡¯t make much sense. It takes a long while to learn how to use its sight, but once you do¡­¡± She looked up at Raven. ¡°We can know everything, everywhere.¡±


    Raven looked back at her. ¡°I dislike that.¡±


    Lorenaughed heartily. ¡°Why? You mislike having some secret research of yours out in the public?¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯ve seen all, you know my personal failings.¡± Raven clenched his fist. ¡°Argrave and his coterie being vaguely privy was already far too many for my liking. But now, a whole <em>people </em>know.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°Of course we know¡ªand we sympathize, Raven. You were a child ying with something you don¡¯t understand,¡± she said, then shook her head. ¡°You can¡¯t be med for what damage you did.¡±


    ¡°How could you even guess what I did and didn¡¯t understand?¡± Raven asked, a touch of anger in his icy voice.


    ¡°Because my kind had been dealing with your problem for generations before I was even born. You call subsuming the flesh of another ¡®potentiation.¡¯ We have a simr word for it in our tongue. Much of our childhood is spent learning and adapting to it. You lost yourself to it because you had no one to teach you.¡± Lorena touched his arm. ¡°Despite that, you did as best you could. You overcame it. With some help, granted, but you did.¡±


    Anneliese¡¯s gaze jumped between Raven and Lorena. She could see the disbelief etched in the typically-unreadable Raven as he asked, ¡°Your people are like me?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not even a tenth as moody.¡± She pinched his arm, and he pulled it away in surprise. ¡°But in the most important ways, sure.¡±


    Before Raven could press further, Argrave sat up, inhaling deeply. He clutched his head and felt his body frantically, thenid back down.


    ¡°I¡¯m back.¡± He nodded, staring at the obsidian ceiling. ¡°I¡¯m back. Not fake. Real.¡±


    Lorena pped quietly. ¡°The special one returns. How was it?¡±


    Argrave took some time to gather himself, gently rubbing his chest. ¡°The clouds tried to strangle me as I crossed the moat of pointed trees ame with usatory fire.¡± He looked between them all and beheld their confused faces, then rified, ¡°It¡¯s like lucid dreaming, but the dream itself is also alive and lucid, and it <em>hates</em> you.¡±


    ¡°An apt description.¡± Raven concurred with a solemn nod. ¡°It could bepared to a battle between souls, yet without an active enemy besides from the forces of the world that seek to im the soul. Argrave and I experience it exceptionally acutely, because our souls can entirely resist the brutal tides that seek to erase our very existence.¡±


    ¡°Alright¡­ yeah. Yeah, I think I¡¯m starting to get they of thend.¡± Argrave looked at Lorena. ¡°So¡ªhave you done the thing with Lindon¡¯s ¡®body?¡¯¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s prepared. You just have to practice.¡± She gave him a thumbs up.


    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    Anneliese gripped Argrave¡¯s hand. ¡°Do you think you were in danger?¡±


    ¡°No, not really,¡± he said, squeezing her hand tight as his other hand scratched the side of his neck. ¡°I had a diamond fishhook stuck in my neck. Raven was sitting on his big red boat, reeling me in at all times. Even when I had those cement shoes on, there¡¯s no way I could¡¯ve hit rock bottom.¡±


    Anneliese¡¯s stomach stirred hearing the descriptors, but Raven rified, ¡°Argrave is tightly anchored. This is a tool that I¡¯ve used myself extensively, and still I walk. Rest easy. True danger wille only when he ventures above, seeking the suns. There, Gerechtigkeit wille, sending souls that he owns tobat him. And Argrave should be prepared¡ªmeaning, well-practiced.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not dangerous, I promise. Not with Raven watching. What I¡¯m worried about is Elenore dealing with the ckgard Union, and Sophia.¡± Argrave raised his hand to Anneliese¡¯s shoulder, then gripped it. ¡°Look after them, please. Make sure everything goes perfectly. I can go back in the belly of the white whale with peace in my mind knowing you¡¯re out there, keeping an eye on things.¡±


    Anneliese gave him a hug, then said into his ear, ¡°Alright. You know¡­ I think you might have the opportunity to sh souls with Raven.¡±


    Her words contained nothing, but hinted at opportunity¡ªnamely, opportunity to loop Raven in on their n, without the Heralds catching wind of it.


    ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it,¡± Argrave answered back, a hint of knowing on his tone.


    ¡°I¡¯ll amend that,¡± Raven added, ignorant of their n.


    #####


    ¡°He does work quite hard,¡± Lorena marveled as Argrave¡¯s body again assumed the de-souled state.


    ¡°They all do,¡± Raven agreed, ever the vignt monitor. ¡°It¡¯s quite a thing to seepetency assembled. It onlyes in times of great change¡ªwhen the old is wiped away and reced with something else. It¡¯s only somethingpetent than can uproot deeply entrenched systems, after all.¡± He turned his head to look down at her.


    ¡°What?¡± Lorena stared back at him, unflinching.


    Raven asked, ¡°Was what you said true?¡±


    ¡°About your situation being not as unique as you think it is?¡± She shrugged. ¡°Yes. My kind can subsume others just as you can. Nobody¡¯s ever done as much damage as you, I¡¯ll give you that, but you weren¡¯t acting alone. People tried to use you as a force of change. They fostered your rampage. You were caught between countless forces, shepherded and corralled every which way until you grew too big to be contained.¡± She pointed at him. ¡°I saw it all. It was a painful tragedy for all involved. You alone can¡¯t be held responsible.¡±


    Raven was the first to break from their staring contest, looking instead at Argrave to escape her soul-piercing eyes. ¡°I was still the catalyst. I was responsible for the death of a continent.¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯m responsible for the near-extinction of my people, and their present miserable state.¡± She poked her head back into his vision, reptilian eyes gleaming like stars. ¡°I suppose you were absent when I told those two about it. Well¡­ forget it. I¡¯m not retelling the tale. Suffice to say, I speak from personal experience when I say that making a monster of yourself in the eyes of all who look doesn¡¯t help you repent. More importantly, it doesn¡¯t do anything for the people who you hope to impart a lesson upon.¡±


    Raven¡¯s lip curled as he said, ¡°Are you suggesting I be more like you¡ªcarefree, rxed, obnoxious?¡±


    Lorena onlyughed at what was his obvious deprecation of her character. ¡°No, never that. It¡¯s far more spiriting, though, to be a symbol of hope in the wake of failure, or to be a promise of redemption in the face of disgrace.¡±


    Raven shook his head decisively. ¡°I cannot be that which I am not.¡±


    Lorena clicked her tongue. ¡°For someone whose form is so dynamic, you strangely believe that personalities are static. People can change¡ªeven you.¡± She waved her hand at him dismissively. ¡°Whatever. You¡¯ll understand when you¡¯re older,¡± she teased.


    Raven looked disgruntled, unable to deny for the first time in a long time that someone was far older than he was. It was hard to ept, frankly, because he found her somewhat immature, constantly flicking and pinching people as she did. He detested being pinched. It was hard to stay dignified, doubly so when her fingers had the strength of a vice.


    ¡°So¡ªwhen do you think he¡¯ll be ready for more than practice?¡± She focused back on Argrave.


    ¡°He¡¯s too valuable to risk without full preparation.¡± Raven leaned over Argrave, d to speak of business again. ¡°Before I consent to allowing him to journey to the stars, he has to beat me.¡±


    ¡°Beat you how?¡± Lorena asked curiously.


    ¡°In a sh of souls.¡± Raven straightened his back. ¡°Gerechtigkeit will throw souls of all stripes up against Argrave. I have little doubt he will personallymandeer them. I consider my soul among the strongest in the world. If he can ovee me, he can ovee any pathetic lich¡¯s soul.¡±


    ¡°That could seriously hurt either of you,¡± Lorena noted.


    ¡°I won¡¯t fight¡ªonly defend. The risk will be to me alone.¡± He looked at her. ¡°It¡¯s rather like a grown adult teaching a child how to fight. Even if they dond a punch, it won¡¯t truly injure me.¡±


    ¡°This child seems like to hide a knife and stab you when you least suspect,¡± she mused as she looked upon Argrave. ¡°Oh, but you¡¯ll be fine, I¡¯m sure. Surely.¡±


    #####


    The days of practice were incredibly intense for Argrave. Whenever Raven lowered his soul-rending implement to Argrave¡¯s chest, there was a terrifying boundary that greeted him that could easily be likened to the feeling of death. Argrave had never died so far as he knew, but he was so certain that it <em>was </em>death that he could make no otherparisons. It was like teetering on the edge of the event horizon, where that all-consuming ck hole threatened to swallow his universe. Every time, it felt he barely dodged it.


    But after bypassing death, Argrave entered life of another kind¡ªexistence as a soul. He hadn¡¯t known it, but he had already gained some experience in the field in the past¡ªspecifically, he¡¯d gained it in the Shadonds, when he¡¯d fought back the hounds of hunger that the Hopeful sent forth to devour his memories. He had been fighting, then, with his very soul.


    To exist in the soul was to dream. Argrave didn¡¯t know what implications that had for dreams themselves, but to exist as a soul could bepared to a never-ending struggle against the perception of the fact that one was dreaming. Lucidity, rity, self-awareness¡ªthese were the weapons that Argrave had to brandish against the pull of ignorance, oddity, andfort. So long as he knew what he was doing, he was winning¡ªbut if the distractions the dream threw at him proved too much, that ck hole of death might suck him away.


    No psychedelics couldpare to the pure oddity of being a soul. His own imagination conspired to lull him into the long sleep, while fighting against it was his ego. At first, focusing on objectives had been incredibly difficult. As was his nature, though, he found a solution¡ªgamifying everything. It gave him tangible things to work with, but was a double-edged sword. If he found himself too immersed in the game, he might lose it all.


    Argrave couldn¡¯t quite say that he was able to float about in the mortal world as a little quaint golden sprite, but so long as he knew what needed to be done before he left his body, he could get it done. It felt like he lived eighty lifetimes in eight hours. It was intoxicating, almost <em>addicting, </em>but intensely terrifying at the same time. The fear was part of the appeal¡ªthe genuine risk to the fantastic oddities made them all the more tantalizing to experience.


    He wouldn¡¯t say so aloud lest he sound insane, but he immensely enjoyed every practice session. Until, that is, they came to thest exercise.


    The fight against Raven.

 Chapter 673: To Kill and Be Killed

    Chapter 673: To Kill and Be Killed


    ¡°You should know, beforehand¡­¡± Raven began to caution Argrave. ¡°I¡¯m intimately familiar with this process.¡±


    ¡°A battle of souls?¡± Argrave stared up at him as heid down on the table, waiting for the stamp tond on his passport and send him to the dream world.


    ¡°Indeed.¡± Raven looked at the implement in his hand. ¡°When I was the Smiling Raven, every time I subsumed a living thing, I had a battle.¡± He turned his inhuman gray eyes toward Argrave. ¡°And still I stand before you. Lorena has rified that it is <em>because </em>I have an undying soul that I was able to potentiate so many living beings. She is¡­ knowledgeable. Despite how she acts.¡± He could sense a vague hint of annoyance on Raven¡¯s noseless face¡ªthen again, annoyance was his default state of being.


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Argrave took a deep breath. ¡°That¡¯s neat. I¡¯m d she can help you.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. Her kind can potentiate just as I can, but never before was a dragon of her kind born with an undying soul. Their souls would die, or fracture, when they bit off more than they could chew. Mine, however, would not perish so easily. It could bear the burden of being Smiling Raven.¡±


    Argrave felt it was some revtion, but didn¡¯t know if the information would help him. He started jokingly, ¡°Well, you¡¯ve never gone up against an undying¡ª¡±


    ¡°On the contrary,¡± Raven interrupted. ¡°I have gone up against one like you. The result stands before you.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­¡± Argrave closed his eyes, digesting that. ¡°I¡¯m starting to see why you think this is a fitting test, then. Let¡¯s¡ª¡±


    Raven mmed the implement against Argrave¡¯s chest, and Argrave¡¯s vision blurred as he drifted away.Argrave opened his eyes with a gasp, and felt familiar ground touching against his face. He rose, quickly,ing to terms with this process of leaving the body. At the beginning of departing his body, Argrave always appeared in the same location¡ªa reflection of his inner self. Durran had said that he appeared in the Burnt Desert in his battle against Garm, while the High Wizard himself had appeared in a field of ck roses.


    Argrave¡¯s inner mind was ckgard, but not as it was at present¡ªrather, it was how he hoped it could be many years in the future. A blend of both the fantastic world that he found himself within, and the modern world he¡¯de from. His ckgard of the mind had both elves and supermarkets, both electricity and magic, and both wyverns and nes. It tended to go off the rails pretty quick as the world fought against him, twisting his imagination to its own ends.


    Standing in opposition, however, was a nightmarish scene vaguely familiar to Argrave. A ck bird asrge as the skyscrapers on Argrave¡¯s city stood opposed to him. On its chest was a face¡ªRaven¡¯s face when he had been human, wreathed in the ck feathers of the bird. The Smiling Raven didn¡¯t have that haunting smile Argrave remembered, nor did it hold the orb that contained Hause. Countless stakes had been driven into its body, chains attached to the end of each. Statues embedded in the abyssalndscape around held the chains tightly. These statues were brilliant, golden, heroic¡ªalmost angelic. Argrave recognized most of the statues¡ªhe was one of them. His statue held thergest chain, its gargantuan stake embedded directly into the bird¡¯s face.


    Argrave stared the face down, until¡­


    ¡°Here we are,¡± the face spoke. ¡°Your enemies will not allow you to gawk as I have. I am nothing if not generous. Remember that, in the pain toe.¡±


    Argrave realized it, then. In Raven¡¯s mind, he was still the Smiling Raven. This was how he viewed himself. He believed he had merely been chained down by Argrave and others, not fully changed. The statues were the only things inside his head that resembled something heroic, something decent. And they all depicted people that were not him.


    ¡°There¡¯s something we should talk about, before we begin.¡± Argrave held out his hand. ¡°Here, the Heralds won¡¯t hear us speak. We¡¯llmunicate soul-to-soul. Best encryption I can ask for.¡±


    ¡°I suspected you wished to convey something. That is why I waited.¡± Raven¡¯s chains rattled as she shifted. ¡°Speak.¡±


    ¡°Buckle up.¡± Argrave took a breath. ¡°Anneliese and I are in a little deep¡­¡±


    #####


    ¡°You may be overreaching,¡± Raven cautioned. His face loomed high over Argrave, at least eighty times his size. ¡°But, I agree in one thing. There is no harm in going along with the Heralds and seeing what they n. You allow us time to position ourself advantageously.¡±


    Argrave raised a brow. ¡°I honestly thought you might¡¯ve suggested taking their deal.¡±


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the vition.


    ¡°Because you don¡¯t know me well at all. I am many things, but stupid is not one of them. The Heralds are what they used you of being¡ªa parasite. They benefit from our suffering and misery. In what way, I cannot begin to guess. The only way to deal with something of that nature is not to strike a deal; it is to purge them with every fiber we possess.¡± The chains rattled as Raven¡¯s colossal form shifted. They strained, then snapped, the harsh sounds of ringing metal echoing in his ear.


    ¡°But you wille to know me,¡± Raven dered, spreading his wings wide. He was of such size that Argrave could not fit him in his vision. ¡°You will know me very well, Argrave. I will leave who I am emzoned in your very soul, for better or worse.¡±


    Argrave stepped back, trying not to smile. ¡°I haven¡¯t been just talking, you realize.¡±


    With his word, the group that he¡¯d spent so much time creating in his mind came out of the alleys, pouring into the streets while brandishing their weapons. No longer did Argravemand an army of sword-wielding, spell-flinging soldiers. Instead, he had a well-drilled toon ofmandos, each carrying weapons that could deliver a fully-automatic load of S-rank enchanted bullets right into enemy lines.


    It did somewhat embarrass him that his inner mindscape was a very heavily¡ªand very badly¡ªmodded game of Heroes of Berendar. But he couldn¡¯t deny that he also loved it more than anything.


    ¡°You shot me once before,¡± Raven noted as he looked upon the soldiers. ¡°I think you¡¯ll find this time goes a little differently than before.¡±


    A fell power overtook Raven of such intensity that Argrave felt it rumble his chest. As soon as he felt it, he gave themand to his soldiers to fire. He heard gunfire, then felt a wave of tremendous energy as <em>something </em>stirred, something harsh enough make all the hairs on his neck stand on end.


    What followed was a reminder that Argrave¡¯s imagination could not conjure true horror.


    There was a grim explosion, followed by an outpouring of nightmares that were of such intensity his mind warped to forget them as soon as he saw them. More attacks flew toward this modern ckgard than there were bullets flying tobat them, and each of them was far more twisted than even the worst of the abominations he¡¯d seen in the Shadonds. His buildings, his people, his defenses¡­


    Argrave came to understand that he was woefully unprepared to face hell itself. Then, everything ended all at once, leaving only ckness. Argrave thought death wasing¡­ instead, a voice echoed. Raven¡¯s.


    ¡°Return.¡±


    #####


    Argrave sat up, immediately grasping at his neck and breathing heavily.


    ¡°Less than a second.¡±


    Argrave looked to his right. He¡¯d grown used to Raven, somewhat, but now¡­ even the mere sound of that voice triggered something primal in him that made him fear for his life. Argrave was no stranger to fear, and he fought to rein it in, holding Raven¡¯s gaze as he sat there.


    ¡°With the Fruit of Being and that staff crafted by Artur, you could easily kill my physical form.¡± Raven rose to his feet. ¡°But I hope this demonstrated that you¡¯ve a soft core surrounded by a hard shell. Of course, there¡¯s no ordinary scenario where someone <em>could </em>get to that soft core without going through the hard shell.¡± Raven pointed at Argrave. ¡°Before I even contemte risking your life, your core needs to be as hard as your shell.¡±


    ¡°Is that what it was like?¡± Argrave asked, barely able to speak. ¡°The Smiling Raven, I mean. If it was that powerful, how could anyone beat that?¡±


    Raven looked away. ¡°No. The Smiling Raven was never that powerful. You faced my mind, my soul, my force of will. It survived the Smiling Raven. It was tempered in the most misery you can ever conceive of, and tested in battle more than one hundred million times. It is the product of an entire continent¡¯s worth of lives,pressed into one being. My soul has both killed millions, and died millions of times. I experienced both.¡± He looked back. ¡°The only person who I dare even suggest has experienced or caused more misery would be Gerechtigkeit. The cmity¡¯s mind will be as hardened, if not more, than mine. And <em>that</em> is who I train you to fight, even if he would be acting through proxy.¡±


    ¡°Less than a second.¡± Argraveughed. If he could grow nauseous anymore, he surely would be. This fear would take hours to abate, he was certain. He could onlyugh in defeat as he asked, ¡°How the fuck do I beat that?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Raven responded calmly. ¡°I don¡¯t know at all. If I knew how to beat it, I would not have needed those statues you saw, chaining it down. It¡¯s only because of you, and the chains Lindon made, that I was able to tame it.¡± Raven looked at the ground, and Argrave could tell there was some genuine frustration, genuine sorrow, in him at this moment. Raven looked up again. ¡°But if anyone can beat it, I suspect it would be you.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, coach,¡± Argrave joked, falling back on that old coping mechanism. ¡°You got lucky. A sucker punch, that¡¯s all it was. I would¡¯ve won if I hadn¡¯t slipped.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± Raven nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll give you some time. Meanwhile, I¡¯ll do what we talked about.¡±


    The lumbering figure left, leaving only the fear he¡¯d caused behind. Argrave grappled with it as hard as he could. If he did this too many times too quickly, he feared he might be incontinent. The mere prospect of fighting that thing again sent shivers through his body. He punched his leg again and again to shake the feeling, but it stayed with him.


    Raven¡­ the Alchemist¡­ he <em>lived </em>with that damn thing. The idea of that made Argrave feel an intense pity and sympathy for the man he¡¯d once thought utterly despicable. Every single ounce of pain and misery that he¡¯d caused others lived on, inside him. It was no wonder why he kept that monstrous form, and also no wonder why his mind was so powerful.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Argrave stood up¡ªhis legs were so shaky he fell to the ground. He rose, one thought on his mind.


    <em>He¡¯s got a hundred million souls balled up into one in that soul of his. No way I do this alone. I need to do some theorycrafting with these guildmates of mine. </em>

 Chapter 674: Unassailable

    Chapter 674: Unassable


    ¡°I think that the answer should be obvious.¡± Elenore stared Argrave down. ¡°When you¡¯re fighting an opponent, there¡¯s only two ways to gain advantage. Strengthen your own side, or weaken theirs.¡±


    Argrave narrowed his eyes at her suggestion. ¡°Weakening him kind of defeats the purpose of this being a test, doesn¡¯t it? If you turn down the difficulty when you get beaten into the dust, you don¡¯t learn how to ovee the challenge. It¡¯s¡­ cheating, basically.¡±


    Elenore shrugged. ¡°Fine. Why are you even asking me? Ask Anneliese¡ªshe¡¯s the one with magic.¡±


    ¡°I will. But in the meantime, I respect your opinion, too.¡± He leaned on her desk. ¡°Besides, you were right alongside Orion and I when we melded into the Tree of Being, and you have the most experience around talking with Vasquer.¡±


    ¡°Alright¡­¡± Elenore stood up. ¡°Then I reiterate¡ªmake him weaker. You aren¡¯t ying a game, you¡¯re fighting a war, a battle¡ªand learning how to weaken Raven can be applied to Gerechtigkeit in much the same way. They¡¯re simr, even, in how terrifying I find them.¡±


    Argrave thought on it for a moment, then realized she did have a rather irond point. Beyond changing his own strategy, the only other option was to make the opposing side weaker. It was a skill that did have some hope of reapplication in the times toe.


    He knocked her wooden desk with his knuckles. ¡°See, and that¡¯s why I came to you first. Thank you. You¡¯ve given me a good foundation for me to ask the others about.¡±


    ¡°Hold on. You¡¯re sure this¡­ <em>bizarre endeavor</em> will stop Gerechtigkeit?¡± Elenore asked. ¡°It¡¯s important we be timely. I¡¯ve started to make arrangements for some of the god¡¯s agents toe and restore order¡ªwell, the gods that I trust, at the very least. Law¡¯s Justiciars are already working to uphold it in the most badly-affected areas. But things are getting worse, day-by-day. Time was, we could stop suicide pacts before they¡¯d even formed. But they keep growing and numbers, and they¡¯re starting to throw themselves upon either our soldiers or their des in numbers we can no longer realistically prevent.¡±


    ¡°Provided I can win¡­¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°It¡¯s as good as done.¡±¡°Then beat his damned ass for me.¡± Elenore sat back down. ¡°And shut the door on your way out. I¡¯m busy enough as is.¡±


    Argrave made to leave, a faint smile on his face. Before he could¡­


    ¡°Sophia keeps asking to see you,¡± Elenore called out as he opened the door slightly. When he looked back, her gray eyes met his own. ¡°Might not hurt to pay her a visit. Boost that resolve, remind yourself what you¡¯re fighting to protect.¡±


    Argrave gave a steady nod, agreeing. Last time they¡¯d spoken, Argrave had said that Sophia was like a daughter to him. Then, he¡¯d gone out to get some smokes with Jaray. It was overdue to end that. And at her mention of people he wanted to protect, he already had some inspiration for what might weaken Raven.


    #####


    Argrave consulted the others about what he might do to win the fight against Raven. They had much the same thoughts that Elenore did, yet they added their own refinements that fit their character. Gmon in particr had the most poignant insight.


    ¡°Even if it hurts, fight again, and lose,¡± he¡¯d instructed Argrave. ¡°Learn how to fight against him without the weakness. Lose battle after battle, skirmish after skirmish, yet win the war.¡± The old Veidimenmander grabbed Argrave¡¯s shoulder as he imparted his advice seriously. ¡°It¡¯s what I¡¯ve done. I¡¯ve suffered humiliating defeats more times than I can count. I¡¯ve never lost a war, though. That¡¯s key.¡±


    As Argrave stared, Anneliese affirmed his opinion with a nod. ¡°He¡¯s right. Callous yourself. Nothing is better than experience.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t seem to follow that advice,¡± he pointed out. ¡°You just learn how to do things, and then do them. Even in battle, you just¡­ figure it out, on the spot.¡±


    ¡°You aren¡¯t me,¡± Anneliese reminded him. ¡°Gaining from pain is essentially your favorite tactic. Why¡¯re you looking for a different route?¡±


    Argrave shook his head, annoyed at how well she knew him. ¡°Why did I choose blood magic? Am I stupid?¡±


    ¡°I have asked that question of you many times,¡± Anneliese reminded him.


    ¡°Which one?¡± He looked at her, and she smiled coyly.


    Argrave sighed,ing to terms with the fact he¡¯d need to jump back into the wringer.


    #####


    After he¡¯d gotten enough advice from his general to cram his head full of tactics he might employ, he did precisely what had been advised of him¡ªendured hell. The second time was every bit as painful as the first, despite the fact that Argrave was preparing for its arrival. As was the third, the fourth, the fifth, the seventieth¡­ time and time again, Argrave and all the forces his imagination could conjure were wiped out, and the confrontation was capped with a single world from Raven.


    ¡°Return.¡±


    When he could endure no more, he took Elenore¡¯s advice and paid a visit to Sophia to heal his soul. In so doing, he visited with someone he¡¯d also been intending to reach out toward. After all¡­ he¡¯d still yet to weaken Raven at all.


    ¡°Hause,¡± he greeted. ¡°Sophia.¡±


    ¡°Argrave!¡± Sophia broke away from the blonde goddess of potential,ing to rush over to him. He picked her up and held her high. She stared with bright red eyes and a smile, pleased merely to be held.


    ¡°Why were you with Hause?¡± he asked her, looking between her and the goddess.


    ¡°I thought¡­¡± Sophia began, but trailed off.


    ¡°Go ahead,¡± he prompted her.


    ¡°I thought I should¡­ learn more about my power,¡± Sophia exined. ¡°And Hause¡¯s temple has the shelter, so she wanted to learn how to be rxed around me.¡±


    Argrave took a deep breath, ambivalent. He was proud Sophia was taking the initiative to understand her own power, but he was somewhat ashamed she had to do so much at such a young age.


    ¡°I¡¯ll let you speak alone,¡± Hause said, dipping her head slightly.


    ¡°No. Stay,¡± Argrave stopped her. ¡°Sophia¡­ could you give us a moment?¡±


    ¡°Miss Hause didn¡¯t do anything wrong,¡± Sophia insisted. ¡°I was the one that asked first, Argrave.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not about that,¡± Argrave assured with a smile as he set her on the ground. ¡°How could I be mad at you? Like I said¡­ you¡¯re like a daughter to me. I meant it then, and I still mean it. And that¡¯ll never change, unless you want it to. I want to talk to you in a minute, but this is another matter entirely.¡±


    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the vition.


    Sophia¡¯s face lit up a little brighter, and then she obediently went to join her escort¡ªone of Law¡¯s Justiciars. Hause stood there patiently, hands crossed before her purple dress politely.


    ¡°What did you wish to speak of?¡± Hause asked.


    ¡°Two things,¡± Argrave said. ¡°For one, I think it¡¯s time to tell your people¡ªyour followers that survived, the ones he saved from the past¡ªthat Raven is still alive. That he saved them, and he still lives today.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Hause¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Raven¡­ he¡¯s ready for that? Ready to meet them, confront them?¡±


    Argrave rubbed his hands together. ¡°Sometimes, friends need to give friends the push they need to be better. That¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°Interesting.¡± Hause nodded. ¡°You know this present form of his better than I do. I hope you¡¯re right, for all our sakes.¡± She looked backward, into her temple. ¡°Some of them have already guessed. I think¡­ I think they¡¯ll ept him, even as he is.¡±


    ¡°Raven managed to ovee his problems,¡± Argrave said, all but lying. ¡°He¡¯s bing more human day by day. I think this proves that your ability isn¡¯t as dangerous as you thought it was. And theing circumstances¡­ I think you¡¯ll agree they necessitate a new font of power.¡± He walked forward. ¡°That¡¯s the second thing. I think it¡¯s past time for you to start unlocking the potential of some of our allies.¡±


    Hause¡¯s jaw tightened. ¡°You¡¯ve seen the Smiling Raven¡ªin spirit as much as in flesh, I¡¯m told. Even Erlebnis¡¯ shallow imitation in his vault rings in my head, to this day.¡± She shook her head firmly. ¡°It¡¯s too risky.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re getting to the point where it¡¯s riskier not to do it,¡± Argrave said, looming over her. ¡°Everything is relying on such a small group of people. I don¡¯t want to live in a world where ckgard remains safe, but every distant city dies because all of the power-hitters areprised of my inner-circle. We need more power. We need more options.¡±


    Hause couldn¡¯t meet his eyes¡ªperhaps because she knew he was right, or perhaps because he intimidated her. Either way, he backed away, feeling self-conscious.


    ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ consider it.¡± Hause ran a hand against her impably braided hair. ¡°For now, shall we speak to my followers about Raven?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s,¡± Argrave said, beckoning her forward.


    There was some guilt in what he was doing. He knew Raven wouldn¡¯t want this, but he did genuinely think it would be better in the long run for the man to know the people he¡¯d saved when he was the Smiling Raven didn¡¯t hate him.


    And even more than that, he needed to point out Raven¡¯s half-hearted attempts to persuade Hause to unlock people¡¯s potential. He¡¯d made little progress¡ªor even effort¡ªon that front.


    With the Heralds and Gerechtigkeit both watching, they needed every advantage.


    #####


    After imparting the knowledge to all of Hause¡¯s followers, Argrave returned to the regrly scheduled programming of dying miserably. That was all he could do while he waited for the seed to sprout roots. On the bright side¡­ his efforts did result in <em>something. </em>


    After what felt like an eternity of Raven battering Argrave with all manner of horrible abominations, they finally had what Argrave might dare call a real battle. In a minute-long exchange of firepower, his soldiers managed to cut enough of a hole in the relentless wave of chaos that they got a payload jam-packed with nuclear magic right onto Raven¡¯s body. The resulting explosion burnt Argrave¡¯s eyebrows right off¡­ but it barely ruffled Raven¡¯s feathers. Like a child fighting an adult, even once Argrave did<em></emnd a hit, it didn¡¯t amount to much.


    After some point, Argrave actually became eager for the next battle. Eager enough to briefly forget the seed he¡¯d sown while he was waiting for Raven to arrive in hisb. He stormed down through the ceiling like he was swimming through water instead of volcanic ss. He seized Argrave, and mmed him against the wall.


    ¡°You had no right to tell them I lived,¡± he said, true anger in his icy voice. ¡°No right at all.¡±


    Argrave sent out one of his blood echoes, swapping ces with it. The moment he could breathe again, he said, ¡°Maybe they had the right to know! Maybe they <em>deserved</em> to know!¡±


    ¡°Who are you to decide that?!¡± Raven took three steps forward.


    Argrave stood defiantly. ¡°You¡¯re shaken that they don¡¯t all hate you¡ªadmit it. You¡¯re not half the damn monster you think you are, Raven, or half of the one you act like. You got dealt an awful hand, and you still did better than most anyone could¡¯ve.¡± Argrave pointed to his heart with his thumb. ¡°Even me, who you make a damned golden statue of.¡±


    ¡°Why do this? Why now?!¡± Raven demanded, throwing his tremendous arm wide.


    ¡°Perhaps because you¡¯ve been dragging your feet in doing what you¡¯re supposed to¡ªconvincing Hause to use her power for our cause.¡± Argrave tapped his chest. ¡°Or perhaps because I¡¯m your friend, and I want you to move past all this self-hatred you mire yourself in.¡±


    Raven¡¯s teeth ground against one another audibly. ¡°No. No, I know you. You wanted to weaken me. You wanted to catch me by surprise, lower my defenses. Well¡­ we¡¯re taking a break for the day. You won¡¯t rattle me, Argrave. I will not have you weak.¡±


    Raven stared at Argrave with his gray eyes, eerily still. Argrave thought something might happen, but he merely turned and walked away, his steps heavy and hard. When he¡¯d left, Argrave sunk to the floor, frustrated and defeated. He sat there for a long while, sorely regretting having missed the opportunity to reveal what he¡¯d done mid-fight. It¡¯d never seemed like the right time.


    ¡°Blew your chance?¡±


    Argrave looked up just in time to see Lorena walk in the room. She had her arms behind her back and walked with a light-footed saunter.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Maybe,¡± Argrave conceded. ¡°How much did you hear?¡±


    ¡°Enough.¡± Lorena sat on the table he was typically operated on, coiling her tail around her waist. She raised her hand, then effortlessly created a ward that encircled them to block listeners. ¡°Want some help?¡±


    ¡°What, a tag-team?¡± Argrave chuckled.


    ¡°No, some advice.¡± She ran her hand across her tail. ¡°I know Raven pretty well.¡±


    ¡°How?¡± Argrave narrowed his eyes. ¡°You were on the moon before he was born.¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯ve been watching him for a long, long while.¡± Lorena smiled, almost sadly. ¡°I¡­ pity him, I suppose. But I also respect and admire him, and many things in between.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve been watching him,¡± Argrave repeated. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°All of my people were watching him when the Smiling Raven came to being,¡± Lorena continued. ¡°Haven¡¯t you ever wondered how he survived bing such a thing? How he went from that, to the Alchemist?¡±


    ¡°He told me,¡± Argrave disclosed. ¡°He cut away the emotions, and fixated himself on a task¡ªstopping Gerechtigkeit, and researching various things that might aid in that cause.¡±


    ¡°How?¡± Lorena asked.


    ¡°How should I know? Ask him.¡± Argrave threw up one hand dismissively.


    Lorena leaned in a little closer. ¡°It was a rhetorical question. He wouldn¡¯t know the answer, either. But I do. And all of the lunar dragons do, as well.¡±


    Argrave narrowed his eyes. ¡°What are you saying?¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t the first time Raven and I have met,¡± Lorena disclosed.


    Argrave felt his guts swirl. ¡°You¡¯re joking with me, right? Are you getting at what I think you are?¡±


    Lorena said nothing, raising her brows and smiling until her sharp teeth faintly shone beyond her red lips.


    ¡°I always thought you were weird around him, but¡­¡± Argraveughed. ¡°You saved him? Why?¡±


    ¡°I did more than save him.¡± Lorena shook her head. ¡°As for why¡­ I saved him because he deserved saving. And I still hold the beliefs I held back then, now.¡±


    Argrave looked into her eyes. He was almost certain there was something deeper to those words¡ªnot merely that she thought Raven was worth saving, but¡­ the beliefs that she likely helped imnt in him, the focus that he likely held even to this day.


    Lorena had helped form the personality of the Alchemist¡ªthe Alchemist, single-mindedly focused on ending the cycle of judgment. If that was true¡­ from the beginning, she was their ally against the Heralds.


    ¡°How¡¯s that for a bomb to drop?¡± Lorena smiled. ¡°He¡¯s going too hard on you, and he knows it. The flies that Gerechtigkeit tries to kill you with won¡¯t be a millionth as strong as his soul is. Tell him what I told you, and I¡¯m positive dormant memories will resurface. Memories I suppressed. And then¡­ you can win.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t help but wonder if you¡¯re trying to get me killed.¡± Argrave scratched his cheek. ¡°But¡­ hell. That¡¯ll work. That¡¯ll work, for sure. Thank you.¡±

 Chapter 675: Burning the Boundaries

    Chapter 675: Burning the Boundaries


    Not long after Argrave had agreed to ept Lorena¡¯s help, Raven returned. Argrave had expected to deal with a long conversation before they got back into things, but instead, Raven wordlessly initiated the procedure once again. Argrave briefly contemted if this was a plot to see him dead by consuming his soul, but reasoned that Raven could¡¯ve done that long ago had he wanted to.


    Once his soul was forced out of his body, he was expecting to endure a battle of terrifying ferocity. Instead, he saw the carcass of the Smiling Raven lying there, immobile, while Raven himself sat down on the edge of the boundary between their two souls. Argrave was hesitant to initiate battle, seeing him like that, and he was right to do so.


    ¡°Have a seat,¡± Raven called out.


    Argrave couldn¡¯t remember a single time where Raven had ever suggested such a formal thing. He stalked forth out of his fortified warzone cautiously, but did heed the man¡¯s words, sitting down across from him. There was nothing in between them¡ªjust each other, face-to-face. The tension was palpable. Argrave kept Lorena¡¯s knowledge close at hand, prepared to call upon it at a moment¡¯s notice.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°I spoke to Hause,¡± Raven began, staring down at Argrave. ¡°I spoke to all of them. My old¡­ friends,¡± he said strangely, as if he didn¡¯t think the word coulde from his mouth. ¡°Even Sonia.¡±


    With much of the tension dissolved with that greeting, Argrave sat cross-legged and ced both of his hands on his knees. ¡°I think¡­ maybe¡­ I shouldn¡¯t have acted against your wishes like that,¡± he admitted, seeing some fault with his actions. ¡°But I wanted to win. And I wanted to have Hause¡¯s followers put pressure on her to use her ability again. I¡¯m still not clear on what ¡®unlocking potential¡¯ truly entails, but if we make good use of it, it could make or break ouring victory. I hoped to force her followers to persuade her to change her mind.¡±


    ¡°I see the reasons. It was the pragmatic thing to do,¡± Raven pointed out. ¡°An unrted party with my utilitarian disposition would¡¯ve suggested you to follow this course.¡±


    Argrave rxed his tense body fully. ¡°So¡­ what are we doing here, exactly?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re here because I suspect Lorena told you important information that may weaken me, and because I was being deliberately stubborn out of paranoia.¡± He looked back to the carcass of the Smiling Raven, still chained. ¡°That beast yet has its uses. I cannot yet allow you to kill it.¡±¡°Why not?¡± Argrave asked, somewhat passionately. He truly did have hope for Raven.


    ¡°Because I intend to follow your journey to the suns,¡± Raven said. ¡°You will not see me, but I will intercept foes and ensure you are never overwhelmed. If you degrade that part of me, I weaken myself.¡± He shook his huge head. ¡°I must admit that I have been overprotective. You will not be facing Gerechtigkeit¡ªyou will be facing his puppets alone. His power is such that they will very rapidly die from his mere presence, like me chewing through dry grass. You saw that man¡¯s head explode, if you¡¯ll think back. If you faced his own soul, I would be justified in what I do¡­ but you do not, and I am not.¡±


    ¡°So¡­ this is over?¡± Argrave swallowed nervously. ¡°No more fighting.¡±


    ¡°None from me. I believe you are more than ready to travel to the suns.¡±


    ¡°Just when I start to win, you decide to walk away, undefeated?¡± Argrave crossed his arms to express his disapproval, yet despite it all, felt some strong feeling of relief.


    ¡°No one likes to lose.¡± Raven didn¡¯t quite smile, but Argrave couldn¡¯t shake the feeling there might be one hidden, somewhere¡ªperhaps he¡¯d grown a mouth on the back of his head to grin to his heart¡¯s content. ¡°Besides, there¡¯s something else I¡¯d like to speak to you about.¡±


    ¡°Go on.¡±


    ¡°Inevitably, you wille into contact with Gerechtigkeit,¡± Raven said. ¡°You need to probe for information, and if possible, secure an agreement.¡±


    ¡°Secure an agreement?¡± Argrave repeated. ¡°How would that be any different from what the He¡ª" he trailed off as he came to a word that put everything into light. ¡°Oh. I think I see.¡±


    ¡°Lorena¡¯s disclosed that Gerechtigkeit partnered with the Heralds before.¡± Raven shook his head. ¡°If that happens again, I get the impression that no defeat could be more certain. The benefit we have, however, is that Gerechtigkeit seems as much an enemy to them as they are to us.¡±


    Argrave gave that a lot of consideration, and then gave a begrudging nod. ¡°It¡¯s worth a talk, at least. But how am I to trust anything thates out of his mouth? He¡¯s said himself that if I don¡¯t employ every method at my disposal, he¡¯ll kill us all.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s posturing. It¡¯s part of the game.¡± Raven pointed. ¡°The Heralds are the enemies of us all. He knows all that you know, and more than likely, he¡¯s felt the sting of their betrayal before. Above all, I¡¯m certain that he realizes they¡¯re the cause of all his misfortune. They were directly responsible for his present miserable situation¡ªhis struggle against the millennia, of such a magnitude that only he¡¯s aware of the extent of it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll try to cut them out,¡± Argrave continued, nodding as he spoke. ¡°Make the key issue our self-determination. Insist that we should be the only ones deciding the fate of the world¡ªus, who have to live in it, who have to suffer in it.¡±


    This tale has been uwfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°I see you¡¯re already developing your strategy,¡± Raven said. ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be rather a interesting confrontation.¡±


    Argrave scoffed. ¡°Interesting. Right. That¡¯s one way to put it. Though, I do wonder¡­ what about Lorena?¡±


    Raven¡¯s face grew a little grimmer. ¡°What about her?¡±


    ¡°Something tells me that she won¡¯t be quick to give up the fight as I am,¡± Argrave insinuated. ¡°She¡¯s taken a bit of an interest in you.¡±


    Raven lowered his head. ¡°I had feared as much. I read her lips¡ªsome of the words she said. I didn¡¯t get it all, but I saw enough. She knows me. We¡¯ve met before, but I¡¯m not sure when. Understandable¡ªas a shapeshifter, she could¡¯ve taken any form.¡±


    Argrave¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°You can do that? More than that¡ªyou could see us?¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡± He nodded. ¡°It¡¯s myb, my domain¡ªI can see all that urs within it when I exert the effort. It¡¯s amusing how people think that sound is the one thing that determines who is privy to a conversation.¡±


    ¡°Maybe she wanted you to know,¡± Argrave suggested. ¡°I could tell you what she said¡­¡±


    ¡°No, not now. That woman¡­¡± Raven hid a scowl with his hand. ¡°Vexing. I¡¯ll speak to her when I choose, if only to better figure out her intents. Is it true she¡­?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Argrave raised a brow.


    ¡°Nothing. Return.¡± He waved his head. ¡°Go. Get ready. Prepare yourself as I will.¡±


    #####


    ¡°Anything to say before my big fight?¡± Argrave asked as he looked at Anneliese. ¡°You¡¯re my coach in the corner, at this moment. I¡¯m about to go in for ten rounds.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m unsure.¡± Anneliese¡¯s eyes grew distant as she thought. ¡°I¡¯ll be with you, in some way. Apparently, I¡¯m part of your army. I suppose my only advice would be not to die.¡±


    ¡°Very consoling,¡± Argrave answered back.


    ¡°What more can I say that I haven¡¯t already?¡± She shook her head as she stared down at him affectionately. ¡°How many of the same conversation can we have before I learn to have faith in your ability? You¡¯ve never failed when it mattered until now. Why should I be worried?¡±


    Argrave blinked. ¡°Now you¡¯re making me worried.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± She put her hand on his face. ¡°You fight better when you¡¯re scared.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s right,¡± added Raven as he looked down upon Argrave. ¡°You fight against one who has fought against this entire world countless times. How could it ever be a difficult battle? I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll breeze by it all. Are you prepared?¡±


    ¡°Now you ask?¡± Argrave raised a brow.


    ¡°Now it¡¯s serious.¡± Raven¡¯s face was grave. ¡°Take the lessons learned here. Apply them well.¡±


    ¡°Then, I¡¯m ready,¡± he dered decisively, bracing himself. ¡°To infinity, and¡ª¡±


    The soul-rending implement struck Argrave¡¯s chest, and he felt a familiar whirl of disorientation as he was taken out of it. It felt like the very next moment that he blinked, the world had changed around him. Gravity took its hold on him as he began to fall, and he grasped out blindly at the first thing he saw.


    Argrave, with the strongest grip he could muster, clung to a single root that swayed lightly in this windless space. With all his force of strength, he pulled himself up, grasping the root with his other arm. He pulled himself up until he could wrap his legs around it, then looked around. He clung to a misshapen golden tree that seemed to have been recently uprooted. It persisted amongst clouds, and far above, the two suns beamed down. Below, Argrave could see the ground. His own personal version of ckgard persisted.


    This scene was precisely as he had visualized. To reach the suns above, he¡¯d used a mental image¡ªthat of Yggdrasil and the Tree of Beingbined into one amalgamation to bridge their world with that of the stars above. To reach the two suns, he would need to climb to the top of the tree. It was suitably monumental, yet decidedly clear¡ªin a word, precisely the sort of herculean mental task he would need to actually transfer his soul to the suns.


    Argrave scrambled up the rope-like root, utterly alone besides the sound of the howling wind. Sometimes the roots came alive, seeking to dislodge and throw him off to the ground below. Argrave¡¯s persistence was born of practiced effort, and he was able to p away the grasping hands of shadow or burn away the dryads seeking to bite his fingers off.


    When Argrave finally climbed up high enough, his feet found a ce to rest¡ªa ce where he could stand without gripping the roots tightly. He took a moment to survey the area. As he did, he noticed a speck of me burgeoning at one end of this vast tree. In the next moment, it became an all-consuming inferno, hungrily consuming the roots and the trunk of this mind-tree.


    Argrave, presuming this was some machination of the world, calmly faced the threat and employed his considerable imagination. He burst away with wind magic, then conjured a hang-glider from thin air, soaring through the sky before he cut himself loose and grasped a safer section of the tree. He clung to a solid branch, watching as he realized the fire had stopped. It had stopped, strangely, in the perfect middle of the tree. Half of it had been consumed by fire, while half of it had been unaffected.


    As Argrave watched this unusually rich and red fire, he spotted something directly across from him. On another branch, roughly level to where he clung, there was a figure persisting in the me. At first nce, it looked quite like Good King Norman¡ªtall, ck of hair, red of eye. But closer scrutiny revealed subtle differences.


    The man was leaner and taller than Norman. His ck hair was neat, and cut short. There wasn¡¯t an ounce of wildness to the way he carried himself. He had an elegant dark outfit on of a style that Argrave couldn¡¯t ce. Given all these details, it wasn¡¯t difficult to recognize this man for who he was.


    ¡°Griffin,¡± Argrave called out.


    Despite the mes, this ce was eerily silent. His voice certainly reached the other party.


    ¡°You seek to stay theing end,¡± Griffin called out. He raised his hand up, and Argrave tensed. ¡°Good. The hour for turning back has passed us both. Now, we must prove ourselves worthy of what lies beyond the other¡¯s corpse.¡±

 Chapter 676: With Might and Main

    Chapter 676: With Might and Main


    Argrave had long been imagining what might actually happen when he came to fight Gerechtigkeit. Thest thing that he¡¯d expected to be would be a simple man, dressed to impress. He did look very much like the family that he was a part of¡ªhe could see traces of both Sophia and Norman on his features. And staring upon him, Argrave could conjure no half-hearted echoes from his distant past. He was only Argrave, in this moment¡ªan S-rank spellcaster, one who had consumed the Fruit of Being, and most importantly to him the other half of Anneliese.


    Griffin¡¯s eyes shed gold, and a spectral Gilderwatcher bridged the air between them faster than Argrave could blink. It coiled around thought itself, paralyzing him. Griffin threw a spear of me, then leapt after it. Moments before it reached, Argrave shattered the paralysis, swapping ces with a blood echo above. The spear changed directions startlingly urately, and Argrave conjured the ck staff Artur had crafted to channel a de of blood strong enough to bat it aside. A burst of me blocked his vision, only for Griffin to erupt forth swinging a red sword.


    Argrave barely received the blow, pushed back against the towering golden tree. He brought the back of the staff up, hoping to use the Resonant Pir¡¯s ability to counter tond a solid hit on Griffin. His foe appeared to try and block it with his sword, but moments before it hit, released the de. All the force of the impact rebounded on the de alone, and it shot off into the sky, piercing a cloud with such force a great hole opened in it. Griffin mmed his elbow into Argrave¡¯s face, sending him tumbling down through countless golden branches in a shower of leaves.


    ¡°Have youe so far to be stricken dumb? Fight!¡± Griffin¡¯s voice thundered. ¡°Nothing remains for the one who does not give himself whole to this battle. Time itself flows with every blow we exchange. Have youe unprepared?¡±


    Argrave caught a branch, looking up at Griffin above. They locked eyes again, and that spectral snake lunged out to stun him again. Argrave grabbed out with his hand, catching the snake. It bit at his face, hissing, but he pulled fiercely. Griffin was pulled by his eyes forward with it, and Argrave thrust forth his staff like a spear. Griffin seemed well-prepared to block, yet from behind, Argrave had a blood echo send out ance of blood. The spell struck him in the back, unbncing him, and Argrave impaled his foe. Argrave tossed the body aside as it faded, then began climbing furiously. His objective was the two blinding lights far above.


    ¡°Griffin!¡± Argrave called out, scrabbling up branches and teleporting with his echoes intermittently. ¡°This fight, our struggle¡ªwe don¡¯t need anyone else to interfere. If we¡¯re ever to have an ending to this cycle, we have to agree to block out the Heralds. Refuse them, totally. No deals, no bargains.¡±


    As Argrave grabbed a branch, he heard a whistle pass just by his ear before a knife pierced through his hand, impaling him to the tree. He grimaced, pulling the knife out in time to avoid four more. Griffin stood on the edge of a distant branch, far above, throwing knives with tremendous force.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°You bargain for me to ept death, willingly, should ite for me,¡± he said dismissively as his knives sought Argrave¡¯s flesh one after another. He scrambled like a squirrel to avoid them. ¡°Honor is not an anodyne for defeat¡ªin fact, it makes the meal taste all the more bitter. None can find sce in honor as they choke on their blood and bile, knowing their dreams are to be killed and their efforts to be stolen. If you stare perdition in the eyes, and the Heralds offer you a trough of disgusting slop¡­ <em>you will eat, Argrave.</em> Such is your nature as a child of the world.¡±


    ¡°And Sophia?¡± Argrave pressed, gaining confidence enough to catch a dagger in his hand as he hung from a branch. ¡°Is she just caught in the middle?! Your sister, trapped in that prison with Good King Norman for all eternity. Is <em>that </em>your ¡®perdition?¡¯ I don¡¯t intend on bestowing such a fate on Sophia. Because either of us¡ªwe can give her a way out, if we cooperate and shut out the Heralds.¡±Griffin did pause his relentless assault, narrowing his eyes at Argrave. ¡°We? If you move your limbs, Argrave, only one body responds. When you think, only one soul hears it. You are one body inhabiting one soul. Your world is filled with prevaricators and plunderers, and if the Heralds reach out to those dormant forces, they will break rank and break you<em>.</em> If you should jeopardize the cycle of judgment, the Heralds will ensure today¡¯s allies will be tomorrow¡¯s rapists. If neither of us take their deal, they will find another party. The Heralds will grant another the Elysium they offer you, and as payment, they will ask only that your wife, your sister, and all your friends meet gruesome ends.¡±


    Argrave produced a [Bloodfeud Bow] and shot it at the base of the branch Griffin stood upon. It broke off from the tree, and as it fell, Argrave began to climb up again. ¡°We¡¯ve empowered good people,¡± he said, despite that much of him knew that Griffin had a point. ¡°Anneliese, Law, Elenore¡ªwe¡¯ve made sure that our people¡ª¡±


    ¡°Your world is filled with scum, working together only because ofmon interests,¡± Griffin said with total conviction as the branch he stood upon plummeted downward. ¡°If power rested in their hands, they would exercise it to your detriment. Your people remain cowed only because you are strong, and they are weak. Should the tables turn, you will find what your generosity produces in the recipient¡ªenvy, greed, and desire. The downtrodden you protect will rise up, tipping the whole world over to receive what the Heralds promise them. Oppression alone does not make one a good person. I stand as testament to that.¡±


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    Argrave could say nothing in response, yet he climbed upward with tremendous ferocity, seeking the two stars burning above. When he looked to his left, a great ze of fire sought him out, roaring from Griffin¡¯s hands. Though he might drop down, he did something unorthodox¡ªhe crossed to Griffin¡¯s boundary, enduring its lesser mes to dodge the roaring infernoing his way.


    ¡°At best, you will be as Lorena did; a ve tortured so harshly that she became a proponent of her own misery,¡± Griffin said as if it were pitiable. ¡°At worst, those you love will be stolen from you, and you¡¯ll be made to watch for all eternity as they suffer unimaginable hardship. The Heralds are cruel stewards. They already have Lorena as an example of their generosity. Of you, they would make an example of punishment.¡±


    The great inferno roared past Argrave, and he sought refuge atop arge branch, clinging to the trunk of the tree. ¡°You¡¯re describing your life!¡± He shouted. ¡°Sophia, trapped in Sandbara¡ªyou¡¯re already enduring that punishment. So why do you persist? Why can¡¯t you ept your fate, and give your sister freedom, give <em>us </em>freedom? Is it so terrible to give your sister happiness without you?¡±


    ¡°Because just as it is for you, so is it for me,¡± Griffin continued. ¡°The Heralds will allow neither of us true freedom. Our stewards envision countless ways to keep us spinning. Your world is endlesslyplex, with constituents uncountable to call upon and mastermind. They stab our frailties with heartless calction. If we empty ourselves of weakness, we empty ourselves of strength. My sister is my weakness, and my strength. You possess many such endowments, too. Anneliese, Elenore, Gmon, Durran¡­ many more, and even Sophia, to my wonderment. They are the frail fuel for your geyser of ambition.¡±


    Argrave stood amidst fire, looking around for Griffin briefly before resuming the climb. ¡°You¡¯ve been fighting the Heralds far longer than I have,¡± he said. ¡°You have to know some way to cut them out. There¡¯s got to be a way to stop them from interfering. And if there isn¡¯t¡­ damn it, let¡¯se up with it together! Remove them, excise them, expunge them! You versus me¡ªthat¡¯s all this need be!¡±


    Griffin stood crouched on a higher branch, and Argrave flinched away, expecting an attack. He merely crouched there, however, and spoke quietly. ¡°There is a way.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Argrave looked at him, questioning if he should even be conversing so much with this man. Perhaps all of this was a trick. ¡°What¡¯s the way?¡±


    ¡°Employ the groundwork I haveid. Make yourself the whole,¡± Griffin said stoically. ¡°Move to the suns, carrying Lorena¡¯s work on your back. Use the body of the silver knight to do more than free mortals from my influence¡ªuse it to exert your own will upon them. Eliminate the possibility of <em>all </em>interference, of <em>all </em>meddling, from forces beyond our ken. Kill the malignant cancers of lust, greed, and envy in men¡¯s heart, unifying them toward the fight against Gerechtigkeit. Me.¡±


    Even in this soulscape, Argrave felt his breath catch in his throat. Griffin suggested not merely protecting mortality¡­ but <em>controlling </em>it.


    ¡°Take for yourself the power of your world,¡± Griffin continued with thunderous enthusiasm. ¡°im what you have so vigorously struggled to earn. Muster the resolve I said you must possess, and steal the souls of mortalkind for yourself. When your world stands fully united in opposition to me, we can be both rid of the tumors guing our bodies. We can bothbor for <em>true </em>freedom.¡±


    Argrave¡¯s heart beat wildly at what he suggested. He and all of hispanions had struggled desperately toward such unity, and now, his sworn enemy suggested that he need but reach out and take it.


    Griffin rose to his feet on the branch he stood atop. ¡°Should you choose to personally conduct all life yourself, I vow to you I shall fight with my power alone. I shall muster my core, my very being, in staunch opposition to you. I will struggle even unto my death throes to end your world and reim my sister. I did not suffer so long to meekly surrender and perish at the final hour¡ªmy greed mirrors yours. But should you dominate the souls of mortalkind, I vow the Heralds will never again have a say in the fate of the world. Can I expect the same from you?¡±


    ¡°Why should I trust you? Why should you trust me?¡± Argrave asked, shaken.


    ¡°Let the scars of millennia past prove the conviction of our vows,¡± Griffin suggested. ¡°And let the love in our hearts seal the pact. I swear on my sister, the Heralds will rule us no more. Can I expect the same from you? Do you swear on your daughter?¡±


    Argrave stared into those red eyes a long, long time, enduring the pain licking from the mes all around them. Finally, he nodded. ¡°I swear. Fuck the Heralds.¡±


    ¡°Then climb, Argrave of Vasquer, Vincenzo Giordano.¡± Griffin pointed skyward. ¡°Take back what should belong to no other: our fate itself. Rip destiny from the jaws of the presiding swine. You have won that right with might and main. im your prize. And when next we meet, we shall fight for true.¡±


    Argrave looked up, toward the suns, then back at Griffin¡¯s solemn face. Then, without further words, he climbed towards the suns, unabated.


    He¡¯d said only what he needed to. Lying to a mass-murderer came easy. But at the end of the day¡­ his words had made him think.

 Chapter 677: Museum of Everything Gone

    Chapter 677: Museum of Everything Gone


    Argrave arrived at the top of the tree. He had been expecting some sort of vast field of golden leaves at the top, but instead, he found himself crawling through an open manhole. He rose up out of the sewer, looking around at the room he found himself in. In a few moments, he realized it was something like a museum. There were exhibits all around, many of which were directly rted to his time here on Berendar and the world beyond it.


    Argrave climbed up,ing to stand as he looked around further. There were antiquities from the Burnt Desert¡ªminiature replicas of the metallic towers at Sethia and a recreation of the heart that had been created to rece his own. There was the gue Jester¡¯s scepter, and a small ring that Argrave knew once belonged to Induen. There was a scale from Vasquer¡¯s body, a feathered hat from Relize, and a set of eyes clenched by a taxidermized bat.


    The exhibits carried on, each of them highlighting some various aspect of his journey. He followed them down chronologically, paying attention as they became more and more recent. Finally, at the end, there was the final exhibit¡ªit seemed to be the centerpiece, yet it was blocked away with yellow tape that read, ¡®construction in progress¡¯ in bold and bright letters. Beyond the yellow tape, there was a navy-blue curtain. From beneath the curtain, a gleaming golden light peeked out, dancing at the edge of the floor. He could see two orbs, each projecting a light that barely indicated their presence. Just beyond would be the suns, he was certain. He wasn¡¯t clear on what to expect.


    Argrave walked up to the unfinished exhibit, looking around. A door opened to his right, and from it came a cloud of smoke. Argrave braced, prepared to fight anything that mighte. Moments after, Jaray walked out, shadowed by someone unrecognizable. Argrave narrowed his eyes as he looked at them, not entirely rxing.


    ¡°What is this?¡± Argrave expressed his disdain openly.


    ¡°Congrattions on getting past the souls Gerechtigkeit sent after you,¡± Jaraymended. ¡°I said that I¡¯d be busy arranging a meeting with the Heralds. Well¡­ I knew that you¡¯d being here, given what you and Lorena intended. So, we came here in advance and waited. This is a fitting venue for conversation, I think,¡± he said, looking around at the ce before his eyes narrowed at the ¡®no smoking¡¯ sign stered on the wall. ¡°Mostly.¡±


    Argrave looked at the second figure warily, finally grasping things. ¡°You¡¯re a Herald?¡± He questioned. ¡°How did youe here?¡±


    ¡°Piggybacking on a mortal soul, of course,¡± Jaray answered.


    The man looked at Jaray, then at Argrave. ¡°There is never a shortage of people willing and able to help us when we need it. Even those with undying souls.¡±Hearing that the Heralds had already found a patsy to confront him with¡ªand one so rare as to possess an undying soul¡ªGriffin¡¯s conversation echoed fiercely in Argrave¡¯s head. His ims that the Heralds would do anything gained more and more credence. Argrave hadrgely said what he needed to pass the cmity by, but his foe¡¯s words had rattled his cage and disturbed his mind.


    There was no denying that Griffin had gotten into his head¡ªat that, at least, he¡¯d won. The man spoke well, spoke passionately, and treated Argrave with an amount of respect that was almost something to return¡­ but that was provided he hadn¡¯t killed Vasquer and billions of others over the years. As Griffin said, he may have been oppressed by the Heralds, but that still didn¡¯t make him a good person.


    ¡°So, what is this?¡± Argrave looked between them, shaking his thoughts away. ¡°Are you going to try and stop me?¡±


    ¡°Stop you?¡± The Herald raised a brow. ¡°We¡¯re only trying to make things even again. Bnce the scale, so to speak. If you¡¯re willing to be reasonable, we can offer you unreasonable things.¡±


    Jaray pointed his pipe at Argrave. ¡°It was very difficult to get them to agree toe to the bargaining table. You¡¯ve cost the Heralds a lot, and you¡¯ve proven to be someone that¡¯s rather upromising in what you believe in. Still, despite all that, this man has agreed to hear you out.¡±


    Argrave exhaled from his nose, looking back at the unfinished exhibit wordlessly.


    ¡°Tell us what you want, Argrave.¡± The Herald walked up beside the exhibit, into his field of view. ¡°Tell us what you actually want to protect by doing all of this.¡±


    ¡°I want the cycle of judgment to end.¡± Argrave looked at him with contempt. ¡°I want your exploitation of all these people to end.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll have learned by now that can¡¯t happen,¡± the Herald responded without missing a beat. ¡°What you¡¯re asking¡­ you¡¯re decently-educated in the world youe from, correct? It would be akin to destroying the tectonic tes to stop earthquakes, or eliminating everything that created wind to stop cyclones and hurricanes. The cycle of judgment is but another natural disaster, just as an earthquake.¡± He gestured. ¡°Come now¡ªbe mature. Surely you can understand how futile it¡¯d be to try and fight to end earthquakes?¡±


    As the Herald chuckled at the notion, Argrave responded, ¡°Earthquakes aren¡¯t engineered by an outside force. Your people, whoever they are, established this cycle of judgment. Your people came to this world, did <em>something </em>in Sandbara, and turned things to what they are. That¡¯s nothing like an earthquake.¡±


    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    The Herald shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s not that simple.¡±


    ¡°Then exin it to me,¡± Argrave suggested. ¡°Exin to me why this is necessary. Exin to me why I shouldn¡¯t revolt. Exin to me who you are, and why you¡¯re here.¡±


    The Herald threw up his hands. ¡°I don¡¯t have the time, nor the clearance, to exin it to you.¡±


    ¡°Then make time, and get clearance,¡± Argrave continued.


    ¡°Would that I could¡­¡± the Heraldughed like it was a joke as he looked back to Jaray. ¡°I came to have this conversation because he assured me you¡¯d be open to discussing an alternate path. Were you wrong, Jaray, like I said would be the case?¡±


    Jaray was spurred to action by the nce, stepping forward. ¡°Argrave, you¡¯ve seen what Lorena¡¯s be. Despite everything, she lives a good life. A fulfilling life. You could have all of that¡ªall of that, and far more. You just have to ept the situation for what it is. Heed the examples of the past to avoid repeating their mistakes.¡±


    ¡°Their mistakes?¡± Argrave repeated, smiling. ¡°Can I take that to be a threat?¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Jaray shook his head. ¡°No, I¡ª¡±


    ¡°You can,¡± interrupted the Herald. ¡°You have been obstinate and belligerent while not possessing half the talent of those before you who¡¯vee just as far. You¡¯re interfering with the business of very important people¡ªand I number among them. Just because your soul was ferried in from somewhere else doesn¡¯t mean you have the right to solve whatever you perceive as a problem.¡±


    ¡°Very diplomatic,¡± Argrave noted, wondering what he meant by ¡®ferried in.¡¯ ¡°Very persuasive, denigrating all I¡¯ve done.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m offering to build you a <em>paradise. </em>You can live with your happy family¡ªyour entire <em>kingdom, </em>totally separate from all the miseries of this world. The troubles you fight against now would be out of sight, out of mind. This could be nothing more than a distant star as you live in peace, building the society of your dreams alongside those you love.¡± The Herald shook his head. ¡°And yet you condescend, judge,in, and bitch, bitch, <em>bitch</em>. Do you think I want to be here?¡± The Herald sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. ¡°You¡¯re pulling me away from other obligations¡ªactually important matters. You¡¯re fighting me as I try to make you happy. Can your tiny brain understand why I might be a mite annoyed?¡±


    Argrave could only blink in stunned surprise at the tirade. This Herald came here, acting as though everything that Argrave mentioned was just¡­ an annoyance. Like it was dirt on his shoe, or a mustard stain on his shirt. Like there were thousands of other more important matters on his te. He sounded like an overworked, arrogant businessman more than some arbiter of life-and-death. That made it all the more terrifying, in his eyes.


    ¡°Argrave¡­¡± Jaray began, emptying his pipe. ¡°He¡¯s not joking around with this. I don¡¯t know much. But I know from past experience that they¡¯ve been moving, <em>frantically, </em>to prepare for a more¡­ final solution¡­ to your ckgard Union. They¡¯re operating under the assumption that you¡¯re unwilling to cooperate, driven by ideals before pragmatism. I¡¯m hoping that they¡¯re wrong.¡±


    Argrave studied him. ¡°And your part in this?¡±


    Jaray looked at Argrave squarely. ¡°They¡¯ve had me speaking to gods. Setting the groundwork for¡­¡± he trailed off, saying nothing. ¡°Once the White nes break, it¡¯s open season for all deities. And¡­ well.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re saying a bunch of gods are already prepared to betray us, when the timees.¡± Argrave smiled grimly.


    ¡°I can¡¯t speak for what the Heralds have been doing, but¡­ yeah.¡± He shook his head. ¡°To end the cycle of judgment would be to end divinity. You concealed that fact, but I revealed it. Knowing that, it didn¡¯t take much to convince most. Small promises, and continued survival. Both were enough to shatter most of what you¡¯ve built.¡±


    Argrave did wonder how much of that was a bluff. Elenore had been very choosy about which gods she¡¯d allowed to upy Berendar and the Great Chu. Those that she allowed would assuredly keep their word, even at the cost of their own lives. Yet¡­ Jaray had been able to force Law¡¯s hand, even. Perhaps Argrave truly did have no chance.


    ¡°It would be cheapest for both of us to settle this here and now,¡± the Herald continued. ¡°Ideals are costly. Your world has been lucrative for both parties. I don¡¯t want that to change, and it doesn¡¯t have to¡­ provided that you act intelligently.¡±


    ¡°How can I trust you?¡± Argrave looked between them. ¡°You betrayed Gerechtigkeit, didn¡¯t you? How can I know we don¡¯t have the same fate in store?¡±


    ¡°He spoke to you, did he?¡± The Herald shook his head. ¡°Tried to poison you against us? You¡¯re genuinely swayed by the words of someone whose very reason for being is to destroy?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just concerned about getting taken advantage of,¡± Argrave continued, choosing not to mention the enraging fact that they had created this destructive being. It did confirm one thing¡ªthe Heralds had not been listening to the conversation he¡¯d just had.


    ¡°We do have our reputation to maintain,¡± the Herald said. ¡°You may be unaware, but a lot of very important eyes are on this incident. The one you know as Gerechtigkeit was never betrayed¡ªhe¡¯s an asset prized for his indefatigability, and little else. We have an agreement in ce which forbids me from saying more.¡±


    Argrave nced between Jaray and the Herald, saying nothing even as his mind whirled. He pointed at the curtain. ¡°Do you have issue with me carrying out what Lorena and I have drafted?¡±


    ¡°Not particrly,¡± the Herald said. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to finish this job,¡± Argrave said. ¡°And then you¡¯ll have my answer.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough,¡± the Herald said with a heavy sigh.


    Argrave stepped forward, grabbing the navy-blue curtain. Beyond it, he could see the suns, as clear as day. He began to pull, wondering what might lie beyond.

 Chapter 678: Supernova

    After the conversation with Griffin, which had given him so much to think about it felt as though his mind might never rest again, the pointless words exchanged with the Herald had brought him back down to the ground. He hypothesized they had deliberately sent someone who made no attempts to hide his disdain. They weren¡¯t fools¡ªthey had seen Argrave¡¯s behavior, seen what decisions he¡¯d made, ande to the conclusion that he couldn¡¯t be bargained with. By sending some undiplomatic, arrogant pencil-pusher with no real authority, they had called out his attempt to deceive them. To what end, he wasn¡¯t entirely sure.


    Only, Argrave was almost certain they had no idea their ¡®valuable asset,¡¯ Gerechtigkeit, had talked to Argrave about a way to circumvent their ability to find the weaknesses in mortalkind. The primary catalyst to the cycle of judgment was promising not to ept the help of the Heralds, provided Argrave in turn took direct control of the human race. Argrave wasn¡¯t Anneliese, but he thought Griffin had seemed earnest in swearing to a fair battle if he did so.


    The question that Argrave had to ask himself was if he should follow through with what he¡¯d swore to. Words exchanged with mass murderers meant very little to him. He believed in honor only among honorable people¡ªand someone who¡¯d killed Vasquer and enved the Gilderwatchers wasn¡¯t honorable. Argrave had said what he felt he needed to, in that moment. Perhaps Griffin had been doing the same.


    Generally speaking, it was a bad idea to follow the advice of someone trying to kill everything alive.


    On the other hand, there were several clever adages about how those sharing enemies made excellent friends. Argrave could find no logical holes in the n Griffin had suggested. The Heralds exploited envy and greed to find those willing to betray and undermine any resistance against them. They lent powerparable to that of a god. Argrave wasn¡¯t sure that blocking mental interference alone could keep the Heralds from turning his people against him¡ªthey seemed beyond the powers of the world, somehow. Only by exerting his own will to control the wills of others could he be certain that he would suffer no betrayal.


    Lorena had changed the body of the silver knight into an anchor that either of the suns¡¯ power couldtch on to. Whatever deal, if any, Argrave struck with them would be enacted, using the inert power within the corpse as one of two focal points¡ªhimself being the other point. Whether that was having the suns protect all souls from outside interference, or influencing them toward his viewpoint¡­ the deal he struck <em>would</em> be carried out.


    Argrave found it rather frightening how tempting it was to exert his will upon everyone.


    So much of his time in Berendar had been spent fighting against things like ambition and greed. They¡¯d fought tooth and nail to bring peace to Vasquer, and long after to defang the nobles who wanted to keep an iron grip on the people they deemed peasants. They¡¯d fought the Ebon Cult, whose Casten sought to usurp Gerechtigkeit in some fashion. They¡¯d fought Emperor Ji Meng, who¡¯de seeking to plunder and conquer Berendar¡ªand that hade with its own assortment of local interests, like Governor Zen. All mortal opponents, and all driven by selfishness.


    Life would be so much easier if everyone simply obeyed.It was easy to say that when Argrave would be the one receiving their obedience. If the foot were on his neck, rather than the other way around¡­ he¡¯d hate it. At the same time, he absolutely didn¡¯t trust people not to listen to the words of the Heralds. Some bastard, given the opportunity, definitely would eke out their own little paradise at his expense. Without enving everyone, there would never be an end to immorality¡ªyet enving everyone might be thergest act of moral turpitude to ever ur.


    Argrave certainly had no intent to abuse people. Did that alone make it right? There was the corny saying that absolute power corrupts absolutely. He¡¯d always thought it to be a vast oversimplification, but perhaps there was some truth to it. Could he honestly say that he wouldn¡¯t impose his own subjective morality onto the majority? The world would be a peaceful ce, true¡­ but it would be a of mirrors, all looking to each other to receive the same opinion repeated indefinitely.


    Griffin had said it clearly¡ªhe¡¯d earned this right with might and main. Argrave didn¡¯t think that alone was sufficient. Anneliese, Elenore, Orion, Gmon, Durran, Mnie, Raven, Nikoletta, Elias, Mina, and the countless others he¡¯d met on his journey that he¡¯de to call friend¡­ to do this would be to erase them. Even if the people that¡¯d been given the ring crafted by Artur were exempt from his control, the whole rest of the world would be twisted into some grotesque perversion of a perfect society.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    That world would deserve<em></em>to be destroyed by Gerechtigkeit, wiped away into nothing.


    The moment that Argrave epted that this was something he couldn¡¯t do, he felt a profound sense of loss¡ªthat mortal instinct to own, to control, to possess, to deprive another of something to enjoy alone. It was that very sensation that reminded him of precisely what the Heralds would exploit in his brothers and sisters.


    Both options were insufficient, wed. Protecting people did not protect them from themselves, and protecting them from everything did not protect them from Argrave himself, a wed child of the world.


    <em>But this isn¡¯t a multiple-choice test, </em>Argrave chided himself. <em>There¡¯s always another way. </em>


    Argrave opened his eyes, only to feel the need to shield them again when blinding light pierced them like needles. He stood suspended in between two masses of fire. It took him no time at all to realize what he had been caught between: the two suns, the stars around which their rotated. One star was orange¡ªbright and all-consuming. The other was white, and smaller.


    And just as he saw them, he began to tremble as he realized <em>they </em>were watching <em>him, </em>too. He couldn¡¯t feel any heat radiating out from them, but he did feel probing tendrils of what constituted their souls reaching out and probing at his being. Their consciousness was like nothing that he¡¯d ever imagined. Itcked thought,cked emotions, yet despite these facts it was undeniably alive.


    Argrave reached out in this soulscape, his arms grasping at the tendrils of being the stars sent forth. When, finally, the two forces met¡­ he was drawn away to converse with the stars themselves.


    #####


    Back on the surface, the vast majority of the powerful people in Argrave¡¯s service stared up at the suns, looking like dopes waiting for an eclipse as they shielded their eyes. They all stood around two altars. One of them held Argrave, his chest rising and falling steadily as he breathed in what appeared to be nothing more than sleep. The other held the silver knight that Orion had in, its severed head haphazardly reattached and its sword and shieldid across its torso as though it was being buried in honor.


    Elenore looked back, fidgeting. ¡°Raven, is he¡ª¡±


    ¡°How many times need I confirm I still feel his presence?¡± Raven interrupted her. ¡°I saw him ascend to the suns. I saw him break free of Gerechtigkeit¡¯s attempts to fight him. The moment he is done, he will return.¡±


    Everyone else went silent, casting nces at the suns above. Anneliese clenched Argrave¡¯s hand tightly as he rested, though she seemed markedly less concerned than everyone else.


    With a tremendously fearful gasp, Argrave jolted up, sucking in air. He¡¯d done so loud enough that many near him jumped, and in the moments that followed, he fell off the altar, inhaling like he was dying. Many shouted his name in unison, crowding around him. After a time, his breathing steadied, and people quieted to hear what he might say.


    ¡°Has it happened yet?¡± Argrave looked up at the suns, flinching at the light. ¡°No. No, that¡¯s alright. Light takes some time to travel from there to here. In a few minutes, you¡¯ll all see.¡± He rested his head against the altar he¡¯d beenid across, exhaling and inhaling rapidly. ¡°Good lord. I¡¯m such a good person. I¡¯m such a good person. It¡¯s not even funny how saintly I am. Jesus Christ is a cheap knock-offpared to me. No one will ever be as moral and righteous as I was moments ago. I don¡¯t know how I did it. How the hell am I so kind, so benevolent, so magnanimous, so <em>humble</em>?¡± He rose to his feet, brushing off all the people imminently concerned with his well-being as he began to jump around, shaking his body as if to dispel a gue of bugs crawling all over him.


    ¡°What did you do?¡± Raven insisted, taking hold of Argrave. ¡°What¡­ what¡¯s changed about you?¡± He asked, studying him intently. ¡°I can see something, and yet¡­¡±


    ¡°Hoo¡­¡± Argrave exhaled again, trying toe to a standstill. ¡°I had a rather difficult conundrum on my hands. You guys weren¡¯t here, so I consulted the two people that were. As it turns out, our suns had quite a bit to say. They gave me some very good advice, and then asked me to solve a problem they were having. I helped them out, gave a prudent suggestion, and¡­ well, suffice to say, I¡¯m the single best human being, morally, you will every eyes upon. I will never let any of you forget how amazing I am.¡±


    Lorena, who was the only person still staring at the suns, widened her eyes in total surprise. Her head involuntarily shifted toward her draconic nature for a moment, then muttered what must¡¯ve been a dragon¡¯s curse of some kind. Her whole body began to shift, and then she darted up in the sky to disappear, leaving only aet trail behind. Everyone else turned to look and see what had frightened her so.


    Up above¡­ the two suns had begun to collide into each other.


    ¡°Let¡¯s enjoy the show,¡± Argrave held his arms up in a Y.

 Chapter 679: Wont You Come

    Chapter 679: Won''t You Come


    Argrave expected much of the meeting with the suns. Would they be fiery twins, perhaps? Would they be warm, life-giving, generous? In the end, all of these assumptions were based on the idea that they were anything like a human being. That had been an entirely incorrect conclusion, to put it mildly.


    Argrave had sought Lorena for some advice, seeing as she had conversed with the moon. She had imed rather bizarrely that it was like swimming for the first time. That sensation of being stripped away from air and submerged into water challenged a lot of her preconceptions about the world. Argrave certainly didn¡¯t recall receiving such asting impression from swimming, himself. This, however¡­


    Upon connecting with the suns, Argrave quite literally exploded into light.


    Argrave¡ªrather painlessly, fortunately¡ªwas atomized, and exploded out into the entire universe as rays of sr energy. He could tangibly feel everything that he fell upon, and with the aid of the ¡®cognizance¡¯ of the suns, could also piece together what it was he was feeling well enough to construct a mental image. Their light, in one way or another, made it to everything. It saw all, even the unseen. It was probably the single most unsettling thing that Argrave had ever experienced, and considering his history that was saying a great deal.


    It took him a very long while to be able to notice the presence of the suns all around him. Their existence was a vastwork with a central nexus¡ªthat nexus being the giant balls of sma they all saw in the sky from the. The existence of the suns wasn¡¯t something that could be constrained with definitions such as thought or physical being. They hadn¡¯t transcended life and death. Rather, it was as though they were a third category, a third state of being, removed from it all. When Argrave pried at it, seeking truth, he realized that to understand fully what they were would be to be it. He rather liked his present form too much to toss it away to be among the stars. Perhapster.


    The stars didn¡¯t have desires, per se, but they did have functions, purposes. In a sense, it was a manifestation of what they were. They came into being like all life¡ªnot knowing how or why. But unlike living things, they knew their purpose and carried it out immediately. Their purpose was their life cycle itself; toe into being, to undergo countless reactions dictated by nature, and eventually reach the point where they ceased to be any longer.


    Argrave could tell that, behind that seemingly meaningless existence, was something muchrger. It was like being able to see only one thread of a grand tapestry. Argrave might be able to take a step back and view the grand weave of all existence, but in so doing he would lose what gave him that desire to learn of it. He would be like the stars¡ªomnipresent, omniscient, yet simultaneously devoid of so much as to be essentially nonexistent.


    Argrave did not embrace their way of being. In so doing, he retained the concepts that allowed to dere himself ¡®alive.¡¯ And by retaining these concepts, he was able to bring it forth before these two stars. They were unable to differentiate between rocks and people or animals and water. He showed them the difference, using his own soul as the bridge. More urately, the corpse of the silver knight created of Lindon¡¯s psyche was the bridge. Without it, this would never have worked.


    Teaching the suns how to think was a very dangerous game, certainly, but fortunately they couldn¡¯t do it without the presence of a third party that could. The silver knight acted as a medium of sorts for the both of them down below. The moment that he¡¯d introduced the concept, like children, the suns tried to imitate it. The brainless beings couldn¡¯t think¡ªthey could only carry out thermonuclear reactions inside their bodies like the big lovable idiots they were. They kept on trying to think without sess, because they couldn¡¯t learn that it wasn¡¯t working. Again, he thought on their behalf, teaching them that they needed his soul to be able to think.The moment they learned Argrave was necessary, it was like two great giants began to grasp at him. Their souls grabbed him, tried to squeeze the thought out of him like he was just a fruit with precious juice instead of a living thing. His undying soul made their efforts fruitless¡ªas infant thinkers, their grip was about as strong as cotton candy.


    Argrave crafted deliberate pathways of thought that he allowed the two stars to travel down. He hoped to extract information out of these all-seeing existences, to ask them questions, and to receive a satisfactory alternative to the proposal that Griffin had made to him. He knew there¡¯d be an alternative path¡ªhe just needed light sufficient to see it, hidden away in the dark as it was.


    In response¡­ Argrave received borate reconstructions of paths their sunlight had travelled. They showed him truths that he¡¯d never thought he¡¯d have ess to. It was a silent movie, and so difficult to understand as to be iprehensible¡­ but through them, he did eventually confirm something for himself.


    The Heralds needed a soul to anchor to.


    At first, it was only further confirmation that Griffin might¡¯ve been right in what he suggested. Souls were what kept someone alive, kept someone able to think. Without them, they¡¯d be as Argrave was¡ªdetached. And without his undying soul, he¡¯d perish in moments, fading away into nothingness beneath the weight of the world. The only beings exempt from that were gods. Theycked souls entirely¡ªtheir body was its own existence unto itself. That was why, when injured, their flesh turned into spirits.


    Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    Eventually, though, Argrave came up with a rather unorthodox answer too all of this. With some finessing, some finagling, some selective application of thought, he decided to help the suns along on their pathway of change. These stars wanted to¡ªor at least, their purpose was to¡ªgo through their lifecycle, right?


    Well¡­ perhaps it was time to elerate that, no matter how manyws of nature that they needed to break. He¡¯d gained ess to a grandwork that spanned the entire world¡ªand it would be a shame not to take advantage of that.


    #####


    Anneliese watched the two suns, ever a constant in her life, violently collide. The event was of such a scale that she did wonder if Argrave had lost his mind up there, and decided to destroy it all to beat Gerechtigkeit to the punch. The res of bright light hade first, and after them, sound and shaking.


    Intense heat ravaged the world. It felt like an oven, and it smelled like the atmosphere was burning. The only thing keeping her from doing something in desperate fear was Argrave standing there, smiling brightly, as if the light didn¡¯t burn his eyes and the tremorous heat didn¡¯t bother him.


    Eventually¡­ it did subside. The only thing she could hear was a constant ringing in her ears, and her eyes danced with dappled grays and whites as they were finally spared the intensity of the light. Her vision was the first thing to return, and when it did¡­ it felt as though everything had grown dimmer, darker. The sky began to change, as if in a sunset. The suns remained just above, in the position of midday. She dared to look at them again, only to realize that they were no longer ¡®them.¡¯ Rather, a single, solitary sun stood high in the sky.


    And it was fading quite quickly, leaving only empty sky behind.


    ¡°In the business, they call that a ¡®merger of equals,¡¯¡± Argrave said in joking exnation, his voice barely piercing the ringing in her ears.


    When she looked around, Anneliese realized that she was among the small few still standing on their feet. Raven, too, watched the sun above. Beyond that, everyone had sought cover.


    ¡°What did you do?¡± Anneliese asked, her voice trembling.


    ¡°Made physicists everywhere turn in their grave, mumbling curses about the forms they need to rewrite,¡± Argrave said. ¡°I just gave the suns somemands, that¡¯s all. You can do a lot with thinking stars. A little direction, that¡¯s all. But the best is yet toe.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fading,¡± Raven said neutrally. ¡°Why is that?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t generate light anymore,¡± Argrave said. ¡°Rather, it takes. And I¡¯m not talking about light.¡±


    Right before Anneliese¡¯s eyes, she saw Argrave¡¯s soul leave his body. Her eyes widened in rm, but he didn¡¯t copse¡ªrather, he stayed as he was, sitting down, staring above with wonderment. She followed his soul with her eyes, before she saw her own dart out of her body. Instinctively, she grasped at it¡­ yet her hands met nothing. She felt deprived of nothing, despite the evidence before her eyes.


    ¡°What is this?!¡± Raven shouted.


    ¡°Rx,¡± Argrave calmed casually. ¡°You¡¯re fine, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    As Anneliese watched, millions, billions, <em>trillions </em>of souls started to flow up into the air as brilliant tendrils of gold. In time, as the others gathered their wits and looked up to the sky, she realized she wasn¡¯t alone in seeing this. Everywhere, all around the world, souls rose up into the heavens. They reced the fading light, casting a brilliant golden hue upon the darkening skies. Streaks of gold filled a dark sky, giving light where there once was darkness.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    It was one of the most beautiful things she¡¯d seen.


    In time, Anneliese saw these wispy tendrils of gold converge where the suns had been. A brilliant golden disc began to take shape in the sky, gleaming faintly. It gained light second by second as more souls rose up to join it. Eventually, only wayward dots of gold joined it¡­ and the new sun became just as bright as both had once been.


    ¡°The Heralds, Gerechtigkeit¡­¡± Argrave said, standing over the silver knight. ¡°They need a soul to interface with. Now, the only path to do so lies through me. The suns¡ªor whatever they¡¯ve be¡ªcapture the souls of every living thing that is and will be. They take them away, keeping them safe, and allow people to ess them through thework of light. So long as the energy that was inside those two sunssts, nothing will ever again have the option to interfere with the lives of living beings. From the smallest cat, to the tallest man¡­ the only way to speak to them is to speak to me. As for myself, well¡­ let¡¯s say I took some direction from you, Raven.¡±


    Argrave touched the silver knight¡¯s body, and it crumbled to ash. Anneliese could see no more power remaining within it. Rather, it had all migrated to Argrave. Where his brilliant soul had once been was a gateway to something unimaginable.


    ¡°What does that mean?¡± Raven questioned.


    ¡°Anything that even tries to touch my soul will be met with the might of every living soul, all at once.¡± Argrave smiled. ¡°A deluge of mental energy enough to wipe away anyone.¡±


    ¡°You took the souls of every living being?¡± Elenore asked quietly, still somewhat in shock.


    ¡°I¡­ nationalized them, let¡¯s say. Every living being can ess them through the energy of the new sun above. But they¡¯ll never again be essed by something else.¡± Argrave looked around until he saw Orion, then helped the man rise to his feet. ¡°It¡¯s not without ws. Druidic magic, soul magic¡ªit no longer exists. But it also means that the Gilderwatchers are free. It means the Heralds can¡¯t ever again make their voice heard, to <em>anyone</em>.¡± Argrave exhaled, like a great weight had been lifted off him. She could tell from his expression he meant to shoulder another burden. ¡°Andstly¡­ it means we¡¯ve got a hell of a lot to do.¡±

 Chapter 680: Setting the Board

    Argrave saw Lorena¡¯s return long in advance. She had fled¡ªperhaps prudently¡ªbecause of what the suns had been doing. She returned as she¡¯d left, like aet soaring through the sky. Argrave flinched as she appeared in a burst of speed and light, again bearing witness to her draconic form moments before she seamlessly transformed back into something more human.


    ¡°What did you do?¡± she asked him. Her voice wasn¡¯t angry, but it was certainly stiff.


    Argrave took a moment topose himself, casting a nce at Anneliese to gauge from her expression if he needed to fear this ancient dragon might try something. Anneliese didn¡¯t seem to be particrly wary, so he faced Lorena with calm.


    ¡°You told me that you¡¯re like Raven. That you¡¯ve a certain mastery of the body,¡± he began. ¡°That means you probably have Truesight of some kind¡ªand that means you know what happened.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°It was rather far from what we¡¯d discussed,¡± she said, her voice drawn tight.


    ¡°Not really. I vowed to block people from Gerechtigkeit¡¯s influence¡ªI¡¯ve done that. Nothing alive will ever again be subject to influence outside the confines of their own mind.¡± He could help but smile as he continued, ¡°¡­and if that includes the Heralds, so be it. Their input isn¡¯t especially valued.¡±


    Lorena stared him eye-to-eye, not even blinking. ¡°You¡¯re quite the dandy bastard.¡± She poked his chest with her sharp nail¡ªit was almost a w, really. ¡°This is going to be bloody. <em>Very </em>bloody. You talked to Jaray, I assume?¡±


    Argrave blinked¡ªhe couldn¡¯t of yet tell her disposition toward this change. ¡°I did. And the ones that hold his leash. Fortunately for us, we¡¯ll never hear from them again.¡±


    ¡°Maybe, maybe not,¡± Lorena said withoutmitting.Argrave tried not to reveal anything, but eventually felt a surge of annoyance thatpelled him to say, ¡°I don¡¯t have to dance around the issue anymore. Even if they can hear us, they can¡¯t do anything. The Heralds are responsible for every bit of misery that Gerechtigkeit has ever caused. They¡¯re responsible for all but culling your species. Will you take up the fight again?¡±


    ¡°There it is. The blunt truth. I was wondering how long it would take.¡± She stepped away and looked up to the sky. ¡°Your idea was really one of the most oundish things I¡¯ve ever seen. And it does disquiet me that <em>you¡¯re </em>the point of failure. You already had quite therge target on your back, but now?¡± She shook her head in disbelief. ¡°If you die, what happens?¡±


    Orion stepped between them. ¡°Try it, and I¡¯ll¡ª¡±


    ¡°Lorena¡¯s just curious, Orion. Right?¡± Argrave interrupted his brother, and Lorena nodded. ¡°If I died, all souls would be an isted ind. I just gave myself a little advantage, nothing more. A little service fee for removing a vulnerability on all our operating systems. Now¡­¡± He walked closer to her. ¡°I didn¡¯t catch the answer to my question.¡±


    ¡°Your question¡¯s predicated on something untrue,¡± Lorena said, raising one finger up. ¡°I can¡¯t take up the fight again.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re here, now,¡± Raven pointed out to her. ¡°You seem to be limited in no capacity.¡±


    ¡°Come on.¡± She looked at him. ¡°He took your soul, not your brain. I can¡¯t take up a fight I never put down.¡± She turned her head back to Argrave with a broad smile. ¡°The dragons up there aren¡¯t the ones that fought against Gerechtigkeit all those millennia ago. My old allies have all died, naturally or otherwise. Those I¡¯d call kin alive today won¡¯t be of any help to you¡ªthey¡¯re soft, living their lives of quietude with peaceful spectacle. But me?¡± Her nostrils red, quite literally at that. ¡°Nothing would please me more than putting an end to all of this. I haven¡¯t forgotten a thing, whether it¡¯s what the Heralds did to us, or how to fight. And we¡¯re to be <em>very </em>busy.¡±


    #####


    The majority of the world was in turmoil after the reformation of the two suns into one. There were a few notable exceptions like the dwarves, who just saw strange sparkling gold balls fly out of their chest at a random time. Their diplomats asked Vasquer what had happened, and he told them the truth¡ªnothing worth concern.


    This narrative has been uwfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    Not everyone saw it that way. Those on the surface sought answers about this sr phenomenon. Those educated about the soul were in much higher supply after Llewellen and his team had pioneered soul magic, and they were able to provide the answers to the questioning masses. It was precisely for this reason that so many were terrified, yet the fact nothing had seemed to change did quiet their fright. They¡¯d lost something they were barely aware of, and nothing changed¡­ ignoring the solitary golden disc in the sky, that was. But though nothing had changed for the average person, a great many things had changed for others.


    The change most urgently deserving attention was the sudden freedom of the Gilderwatchers.


    Argrave had spared them a fate of servitude to Gerechtigkeit, but in doing so he¡¯d also stripped away their primary way tomunicate with one another. They were gathered together deep beneath the earth, likely in a panic. Argrave gave Orion full authority to organize an expedition constituted of whatever members were willing to join him, and move out to retrieve them. His brother, of everyone, was most qualified for that role. He verified their safety, exined the situation, and then gave them the freedom of choice. They couldn¡¯t give their answer in words, but Orion conveyed with considerably certainty they chose to remain underground until the time for battle came, whereupon they¡¯d employ whatever might they could in defense of the world.


    The change most severely felt was the sudden disappearance of druidic magic.


    In Vasquer, Elenore had implemented druidic magic into hermunicationworks. Its sudden absence proved to be a tremendous point of failure, further exacerbated by the chaos caused after the sr event. It took her a long while to set up a ramshackle form ofmunication, during which she was cursing Argrave the whole time.


    Argrave and Anneliese also felt the loss. His little foxes, the Brumesingers, hadrgely been kept out of the way after they had done their tremendous feat of crippling the Great Chu gship. When Argrave came to them, though their lingering affection remained, they had be about as controble as any other pet: namely, not very. Their mists, having been given some of the power of the dryads, were incredibly hazardous, so Argrave ended up quarantining them in the mountains of ckgard. Some people who¡¯d been immunized by the dryads themselves were assigned as caretakers. As for Anneliese and her Starsparrow¡­ the creature had be reliant on her for food, but it now left her side frequently, returning only when it needed to eat. She refused to cage it, letting nature take its course.


    It also turned into a veryrge issue for their diplomatic partners. Veiden lost what was essentially a part of its cultural heritage in moments. Countless druids found themselves reduced to mere spellcasters overnight. Their governance, which had shifted focus to the Great Chu, was as severely impacted as Elenore¡¯smunication lines. The only one spared of this was Rowe¡ªhis dragon had been by his side for well over two hundred years, and he often didn¡¯t even need to use druidic magic to express his intent. Argrave was told that it was as though nothing changed for them.


    Not all changes were negative. It was also a resounding victory on another front: necromancy.


    Argrave had been hoping that it would kill every necromantic creation in existence in one fell swoop. He wasn¡¯t quite so fortunate, yet he¡¯d still left an indelible mark. No longer would any new undeade into existence. Those that had already been crafted sadly received the same treatment that everyone alive did. Most notable among those were liches. The undying wizards were freed of Gerechtigkeit¡¯s control just as any mortal. Their present body, however, would be thest they could inhabit before they met their true death. Argrave was uncertain of what to make of that. Would they be allies in the fight toe, or another point of weakness?


    After the initial chaos, the initial unrest¡­ everyone adapted surprisingly well. The more that Argrave thought on it, the more that he believed he had done something right. He¡¯d thought himself saintly for refusing to follow Griffin¡¯s schema for freedom from the heralds, but there was something to be said about the immorality of meddling with the soul. He¡¯d had countless headaches pondering the morality of the burgeoning field of soul magic, and how such a thing might be regted. Necromancy, too, was a point of concern.


    Both moral dilemmas had been wiped out overnight.


    They had severed contact with both Gerechtigkeit and the Heralds. It was a hugefort in many ways, but Argrave couldn¡¯t deny he wished to be able to speak to them. He would¡¯ve loved a live reaction to him pulling the plug on every soul. The Heralds had been so incredibly arrogant¡ªwas this, too, part of their expectations? As for Griffin, Argrave hadn¡¯t technically broken his agreement saying he¡¯d take control of every human soul. Not that it mattered either way¡ªas far as Argrave knew, the Heralds couldn¡¯t interfere on Griffin¡¯s behalf anymore, either.


    Whatever the case, Argrave¡¯s grandiose solution to the problem had been a great reset to the board. Gerechtigkeit¡¯s scattered armies of necromantic beings, stripped of their ability to supply themselves with new troops, took more cautious stances, retreating far out of the reach of human influence. Jaray¡¯s threats about the gods sweeping over them as a tide of misery proved to be less actionable than he¡¯d suggested. The poisonous words the god of politics had spread persisted as an undermining rumor. The Heralds weren¡¯t around to verify such ims to the contrary, and Argrave certainly wasn¡¯t willing to enter Law¡¯s Court to confirm it. Only time would tell how the dice would actually fall, when the war came.


    Time flowed very quickly, heading toward the inevitable confrontation. Everything was in ce.

 Chapter 681: Cold World War

    Chapter 681: Cold World War


    ¡°Argrave has to die.¡±


    Following that deration, Jaray blew a puff of smoke from his mouth. He looked between countless gods arrayed here, who¡¯de either in-person or through emissaries. Following the tremendous disy with the suns, doubts about the amiability of the newly-elected leader of the ckgard Union hade into fruition in the form of this secret meeting. If Argrave would do something like that without consulting them, what more would he do? It was clear he didn¡¯t have as much an interest in their opinion as he¡¯d imed.


    ¡°He¡¯s gone to tremendous lengths to make sure that all of the cards remain in his hand,¡± Jaray continued. ¡°When the final hand is dealt, and he alone decides what to do about the cycle of judgment, none of us will have any ce remaining in his new order.¡±


    ¡°You imed to me privately not a month ago that his efforts would lead to the end of all divinity,¡± one of the assembled gods noted. ¡°The story¡¯s a little different now.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t prove it any longer.¡± Jaray shook his head. ¡°I believe it, but the Heralds can¡¯t back up my words. Their tongues have been cut off, effectively. Argrave decided that when he stole the souls of every living being and hid them away in his new sun. It¡¯s emblematic of his intents toward all of us. To deprive without asking. To ¡®help¡¯ without consideration. Who¡¯s to say what power he actually gained from it?¡±


    ¡°What are you suggesting?¡± another god questioned.


    Jaray tipped his pipe, and ashes tumbled out. ¡°Perhaps he can exert control as Gerechtigkeit intended to. Or perhaps, with just a thought, he could sever someone¡¯s tie with their soul, killing them instantly. If either is true, he has all mortalkind in the palm of his hands. From rats to humans, cats to elves¡­ in one fell swoop, he took it all. He can¡¯t be allowed to do it again.¡±


    ¡°If he had any intention of cooperating, he could once again head to Law¡¯s Court and exin himself. No¡ªhe remains in ckgard, martialing his power, bringing every god and mortal that¡¯s both loyal and powerful to prepare for Gerechtigkeit.¡± Another of the assembled wistfully shook their head. ¡°If he intended to, he could¡¯ve be a god long ago. That he hasn¡¯t speaks of his intents. Argrave fights for the mortals alone.¡±


    ¡°Well said,¡± Jaray concurred. ¡°But you mentioned a rather significant problem¡ªone that¡¯s the exnation for why I¡¯ve brought us all here, rather overtly.¡± He raised his hand up. ¡°Argrave remains in the heart of his power, building up more and more defenses around himself day by day. Some of the mortals surrounding him are nearly equal to gods in power, and even the gods are either too blindly trusting or simply don¡¯t care about their own fate. Perhaps, idealistically, they believe their deaths would better serve this.¡±¡°Ideals? We can¡¯t have those,¡± a discontent-looking god said snidely.


    Jaray inhaled deeply on his pipe, staring at the lone dissenter. ¡°Any assassination will need to be exceedingly well-coordinated,¡± he continued. ¡°To kill Argrave, both he and Anneliese need to be all but totally eviscerated. They share a divine power of a sorts which enables the both of them to survive off of the energy of everything. His blood magic burns through and absorbs anything¡¯s essence¡ªlife force, magic, divine power, you name it¡ªwhile Anneliese has an ability to distribute said essence. She can generally reinvigorate other¡¯s supply of magic, but for Argrave, she can restore his body. They haven¡¯t been idle in collecting an abundance of said essence. Any battle done with them will be devastatingly catastrophic.¡±


    ¡°That can¡¯t be right,¡± one of the gods protested, leaning in. ¡°That sort of power is absurd.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re talking about the pair that fought Sataistador, Erlebnis, and the Qircassian Coalition, and came out on top,¡± Jaray cut in quickly. ¡°Not just that¡ªthe two that went to the Shadonds, carved a path through it, and returned victorious, bringing back a powerful tool they employ even now to gain an advantage.¡±


    ¡°What tool?¡± Someone asked.


    ¡°Something that can bridge the Shadonds and our realm,¡± Jaray answered smoothly. ¡°Believe me or don¡¯t¡ªbut all of you should know by now, I know things. Too many things. And I¡¯ve helped all of you out, in one way or another, with that knowledge.¡±


    The gods looked deeply conflicted, taking him at his words¡­ but in time, it was clear that no protest would be brooked.


    ¡°Argrave has an undying soul. Even if we destroy his body down to thest particle, Anneliese can revive him.¡± Jaray walked around the assembled gods. ¡°The same doesn¡¯t hold true for Anneliese. Argrave can restore her by attacking something with his blood magic, true¡­ but if she stays dead for a period longer than a few seconds, her soul will dissolve into nothingness. At that point, any essence he burns away won¡¯t have a method of being redistributed. He¡¯ll be vulnerable.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the general n.¡± One of the gods stood up from his seat, pacing around the room nervously. ¡°But it doesn¡¯t matter. We can¡¯t get past the defenses he¡¯s mustered. It was already heading that direction when it was established, but after the attack of that silver knight, ckgard has be an imprable fortress. They¡¯ve managed to recreate the protections of the Pce of Heaven.¡±


    If youe across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Silence and rm spread through all present. They all looked to Jaray for answer.


    ¡°It¡¯s true.¡± Jaray nodded. ¡°And it¡¯s something I¡¯ve thought about plenty. Truth is, the Heralds haven¡¯t been fully shut out. There¡¯s one ce where their voice can still be heard¡ªand in that ce, there¡¯s one person that¡¯s definitely listening.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be vague, Jaray, not now,¡± someone chided.


    ¡°It¡¯s a ce that the light of the sun¡¯s never reached before,¡± he responded. ¡°Argrave may have gained entry to the Shadonds, but that certainly doesn¡¯t mean he¡¯s tamed them. It¡¯s not perfect. As a matter of fact, it¡¯s rather ramshackle. But we have a venue to coordinate. We have a force sufficient enough even Argrave¡¯s defenses will be forced to move. All we need to be is ready.¡±


    #####


    ¡°¡­and that¡¯s what he said,¡± Lorena finished summarizing.


    ¡°Good lord. There¡¯s nothing quite like having omniscience on your side, is there? I appreciate the moon more and more every day.¡± Argrave chuckled, hiding his mouth behind his hand.


    Argrave, Anneliese, and Elenore sat around in a quaint pavilion atop the mountains of ckgard. They had taken to meeting here, just to get a proper survey of the situation. Without the wonders of druidic magic, Argrave was againing to appreciate the sight of a gorgeous view viewed from his own two eyes. But their guest, Lorena, could see all¡ªand she¡¯d employed her kin as information-gatherers, working on their behalf.


    ¡°It¡¯s not really omniscience,¡± Lorena reminded him, though she shared his smile. ¡°And it is still concerning. The Shadonds present a legitimate threat. Perhaps Jaray is ignorant of the fact that I¡¯m helping you, but I¡¯d put nothing past him. His specialty was knowing things, and this was long before the Heralds started whispering in his ear. Who can say what sort of subtle misdirection this is?¡±


    ¡°Their threat is a little less legitimate since I introduced a little morsel of open society to them.¡± Argrave looked at Anneliese, who sat at his right. ¡°The Manumitter has been helping Elenore keep tabs on them, hasn¡¯t she? Their revolution has been holding its own.¡±


    Anneliese nodded. ¡°Some of the ancient heroes that we left to help them agreed to be subsumed into some of the Shadonders. The revolution against the Hopeful¡¯s control inherited some of the best expertise in strategy and leadership the world has ever seen, or will ever see. When we¡¯ve conversed with the revolution, they¡¯ve directly cited the men and women we left behind as a source for continued sess against the Hopeful despite their inferior numbers.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Argrave had been a little surprised¡ªand very worried¡ªwhen he¡¯d heard that some of the ancient heroes that Garm had brought back agreed to be subsumed into the Shadonders. Ultimately, they elected to live on, even if in this bizarre, subordinate fashion. He couldn¡¯t fault them that, and perhaps it was a good thing. It gave their foes some sympathies with Argrave¡¯s people.


    ¡°I think we can trust them not to act against our best interests,¡± Argrave said¡ªnot a ringing endorsement, but the truth. ¡°Even if not, the Shadonders are in in the middle of a civil war. Neither side is especially eager forpromise.¡± He looked at Lorena. ¡°Do you have any further insights about the Shadonds? Can the Heralds really reach there?¡±


    Lorena shook her head. ¡°All that I know is that it¡¯s an important ce for the cycle of judgment. The Heralds can definitely reach there¡ªspecifically, they can reach the Hopeful alone.¡±


    ¡°Cockroaches. Just as prophesied, they survived my little nuclear explosion with the suns.¡± Argrave scratched his cheek, feeling somewhat disappointed. ¡°What¡¯s the worst-case scenario for us?¡±


    ¡°Gerechtigkeit, the Shadonders, and Jaray¡¯s traitorous factions team up, coordinate an attack, and specifically try to target us to dismantle the opposition that we¡¯ve made,¡± Anneliese summarized. ¡°That¡¯s an eventuality that we¡¯ve already been preparing for.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s difficult to conceptualize how powerful Gerechtigkeit will be in this cycle,¡± Lorena noted, crossing her arms. ¡°You remember your friend, Castro, and his A-rank ascension of [Arete]? Manifesting all of the potential of one spell, in a single attack.¡±


    Argrave nodded. ¡°I remember. One F-rank spell tore through Shadonders with ease.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s essentially what Gerechtigkeit will be,¡± Lorena pointed out. ¡°The Heralds im he¡¯ll be as strong as every past iteration,bined.¡±


    Argrave had heard the same im. Lorena had earned the Heralds¡¯ trust, and hearing it mimicked through her, didn¡¯t have any reason to disbelieve it. As Lorena said, such a thing was very difficult to conceptualize.


    ¡°For the first time ever, we¡¯re on equal footing with our foe in terms of information-gathering.¡± Elenore finally spoke up. ¡°Nothing happens on this, or any of the divine realms, without Lorena getting word of it. There won¡¯t be any surprises, any more misdirection. Any strategy they devise, we¡¯ll have to counter with equal force, equal tactics, or risk being overwhelmed.¡± She looked at Lorena. ¡°That means it¡¯s long overdue, Lorena.¡±


    ¡°Raven¡¯s been talking to Hause,¡± Lorena said defensively. ¡°He¡¯s been doing his best to convince her, and <em>I¡¯ve </em>been doing my best for him. He says that he hates me a lot, but you can¡¯t deny my results.¡±


    It was true¡ªArgrave couldn¡¯t. With the prospect of Raven¡¯s soul still having a use in the future taken off the table, Lorena made an effort to help Raven be less abominable in his own eyes¡ªtherapy with a space dragon, Argrave called it affectionately. And Raven, in turn, had been speaking to Hause and her followers. He¡¯d gone through tremendous lengths to save them as the Smiling Raven, and stood as testament that Hause¡¯s power wasn¡¯t necessarily all bad.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s time to stop pussyfooting around the goddess of potential.¡± Argrave looked out the pavilion, looking out at the changed ckgard. Gods and their servants roamed freely, acting in stalwart defense of the city. It¡¯d exploded in poption, and architects were hard-pressed keeping up with the demand. ¡°Before any real fighting starts, we need to have Hause unlock our potential. Elsewise, we might get assassinated. And that¡¯s¡­ unideal.¡±

 Chapter 682: Painted Table

    ¡°This isn¡¯t the time to be hesitant anymore, Hause,¡± Argrave said inly, leaning forth on the stone chair provided to him. ¡°We¡¯re going to be facing something that¡¯s far beyond our imagination. This could quite possibly be thest time that you have the opportunity to use your divine powers. Let it be in service of something good.¡±


    Argrave, alongside Anneliese and Raven, sat in the heart of Hause¡¯s temple in ckgard. The underground cathedral had been carved out of the mountain, and drained of the magic within its stone to return the rock to its original sleek gray. Opposite them sat Hause, the goddess of potential and her closest acolyte, Sonia. They appeared rather prized to each other¡ªthe goddess blonde and tall, and Sonia with ck hair and short stature. Both of their gazes lingered in the direction of Raven, but they still gave attention to this meeting.


    It was understandable they cast nces at their old friend. Raven had changed, substantially. Lorena insisted on helping him improve his self-image. Among her people, a monstrous and decaying body was the sign of a deteriorated mental state. She thought it would be best for him if his image returned to as he¡¯d been before¡ªand he had, inrge part. His form was always somewhat in flux, but he retained the image of the ashen-haired human that Argrave had seen only in memories.


    ¡°My ability is not as precise as you believe it to be,¡± Hause argued. ¡°Anyone who goes through the process wille out of the other end changed. This could affect more than physical or mystical strength alone¡ªit could fundamentally alter the nature of a person. And it may not even change the person in a way that will help you and yours in the fighting.¡±


    ¡°But it certainly could. As to the changes you speak of¡­ even I retained my reason, my mental acuity, until I made the mistake of employing my power of potentiation on another,¡± Raven argued, standing in the corner of the room. ¡°That was what broke me. Not your power. It wasn¡¯t your mistake.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s right. Come on.¡± Argrave put both of his arms on the table between them. ¡°You had to have done this with other people before Raven. Not every use of your ability ended up backfiring, didn¡¯t it?¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°Even before that, it was enough that my goddess exercised discretion,¡± Sonia cut in. ¡°She woulde to know a person¡¯s character very well before ever allowing them to realize their dormant potential.¡±


    ¡°And she has learned our people well!¡± Argrave leaned back in the chair, holding his arms wide. ¡°Not too long ago, I had the opportunity to bring the whole world under my thrall. It might have been considered the pragmatic thing to do. Instead, I turned my nose up at it, and I did what I felt was the most moral thing. I can give you dossiers full of good deeds that mypanions have done, too.¡±


    Anneliese ced both her hands on the table gently. ¡°You face death on the end of either choice, Hause. Either you willment the fact that you helped someone realize their innate talent, because they cost lives¡­ or you will regret the fact that you did not, because Gerechtigkeit came in greater force than we anticipated and killed countless of our people.¡±Before she could respond, Argrave pushed the attack. ¡°I¡¯m going to be blunt with you, because you¡¯ve been a constant stabilizing force in ckgard that I¡¯vee to respect and appreciate.¡± Argrave scooted his chair closer to the table and Anneliese. ¡°I have reason to believe that divinity itself will cease to be once we break the cycle of judgment. The things that you¡¯re scared of¡­ all of your fears could be irrelevant. In a few months, when I¡¯ve inevitably won, all divinity might cease to exist entirely.¡±


    Goddess and acolyte had diverging reactions.


    ¡°Is that true?¡± Sonia asked loudly, leaning in.


    The goddess herself, meanwhile, said with muted surprise, ¡°So the rumors were true.¡±


    Argrave nodded, answering the both of them at once.


    ¡°I have no issue surrendering my divinity, Sonia,¡± the goddess said, cing her hand upon the acolyte¡¯s. ¡°Could anyone protest at having lived thousands of years, with unimaginable power at their fingertips? Some might say such a thing is already too much for one person. That is no issue to me. In fact, it almost sounds peaceful.¡±


    ¡°Death isn¡¯t certain,¡± Raven added. ¡°Perhaps you would simply be what you were again. Or perhaps you would wither into nothingness as you are. Either way, divinity is near as unconscionable as Gerechtigkeit himself. Its end would be a positive, not a negative. Gods are merely another terrible facet of the cycle of judgment. There¡¯s a reason why the Shadonds are filled with dead gods, and a reason why the Hopeful listens to the Heralds¡¯ words yet. They are a part of this¡ªand they must end.¡±


    No one could rebuke his words because Raven stood to lose just as much as Hause did. If divinity disappeared, so did his ability to potentiate, to shift his flesh.


    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    ¡°All of you make quite the persuasive argument¡­¡± Hause closed her eyes, adjusting her pink gown. ¡°I¡­ am beginning to see that I may be overcautious, when such odds face us. Had I been less cautious in the past, perhaps fewer lives might¡¯ve been lost in the battle against the silver knight. Or, those thousand other battles held before it. Though, perhaps not. Icked a certain stabilizing element we now possess.¡±


    ¡°Could you borate on what you mean?¡± Anneliese pressed.


    Hause let out a long sigh, ncing at Sonia before facing Argrave once more. ¡°You are powerful, Argrave. You and Anneliese alone could match gods¡ªperhaps even Law, though I don¡¯t suggest you tempt fate by doing so. This is why I cannot yet agree with unlocking your potential. With particr emphasis on ¡®yet,¡¯ I stress.¡±


    ¡°I think there¡¯s a but that turns that sour statement into something sweet,¡± Argrave noted. ¡°Am I right?¡±


    ¡°I am willing to do so for those that serve beneath you,¡± Hause gestured. ¡°This is because you, or the other gods, could serve as a check for their unlocked power if it turns out to be beyond their ken.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± Argrave cradled his chin. ¡°So, long-term, you would be willing to use your power on Anneliese and I, but short-term, you¡¯d like to do some trials on my subordinates?¡±


    ¡°When you call it a trial, it sounds somewhat nefarious. But yes, that¡¯s the truth in my words.¡± She shook her head. ¡°Your queen is right in saying that death may lie at the end of both roads¡ªinaction or action. This cautious foray intonds unseen, I think, is apromise I¡¯m willing to take.¡±


    Argrave nodded. Hause¡¯s ability, much like the Fruits of Being, was something that was unpredictable in what it could truly achieve. It had been responsible for the total eradication of an entire continent. That power could appear again, and be harnessed toward greater ends. He certainly hoped that would be the case.


    ¡°What do you think will honestly happen?¡± Argrave asked. ¡°I mean¡­ is everyone going to get a power like Raven¡¯s?¡±


    ¡°No, not a chance,¡± Hause said with a certain conviction. ¡°Raven was born innately capable of what he became. I drew it out of him, but in the end, he wasn¡¯t fundamentally altered. As a matter of fact, my fears about you may be unfounded. Your dormant potential could amount to nothing more than a base trick. I doubt it, but it¡¯s possible.¡±


    ¡°Why do you doubt it?¡± Argrave asked.


    ¡°It can¡¯t be a coincidence that you, who¡¯vee so close to dismantling the cycle of judgment, bear a potential I perceive as being rted to judgment.¡± Hause crossed her arms. ¡°My power is the closest thing to prophecy that¡¯s ever existed. That¡¯s why it concerns me. That¡¯s why, of everyone, I least want to unlock yours.¡±


    ¡°But the potential exists,¡± Argrave said. ¡°And you said that someone can realize it on their own.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Hause confirmed. ¡°For now, you have my assent. Bring me people you trust. Let me assess them myself. And if I think they¡¯re worthy, I¡¯ll help your allies realize their potential.¡±


    ¡°We can give you the first wave right now, I think,¡± Argrave said, casting a nce at Anneliese to get her confirmation. ¡°Orion, Elenore, Gmon, Durran, Mnie¡­¡±


    ¡°Nikoletta, and perhaps the Parbons,¡± Anneliese contributed. ¡°Elenore has praised their houses a fair bit for the handling of the various crises. If we¡¯re seeking a good starting point, perhaps they would be it. The people we have are already capable, but we possess an abundance of good souls without power enough to be a substantive help. Perhaps that can change?¡±


    ¡°Good points.¡± Argrave nodded, then looked back to Hause. ¡°We¡¯ll work out a list, alright? An hour, no more than that.¡±


    ¡°That fast?¡± Hause said, but eventually gave her confirmation. ¡°I¡¯ll make no ns for today, then.¡±


    #####


    ¡°If something¡¯s clumped together¡­¡± Jaray said, peering over a map of the continent of Berendar. ¡°Best to spread it out, spread it thin. Argrave¡¯s shown a history of overextending in the face of crisis. He¡¯d sooner put himself at risk than have those beneath him suffer casualties. In concert with what the Shadonders have nned¡­ we should n our own assault.¡±


    His fingers wandered to various cities, tapping them.


    ¡°We¡¯ll target major strategic centers,¡± he continued. ¡°Relize. Mateth. Parbon. Dirracha. First Hope. Quadreign. Jast. Elbraille. Lasthold. The Tower of the Gray Owl. The mobile cities of the elves in the Bloodwoods. Even beneath them¡ªthe dwarves.¡± He looked around. ¡°For those of you unwilling to risk yourself so much, we can also stage a major offensive throughout the Great Chu.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ll know we¡¯reing,¡± another god argued. ¡°They¡¯ll be prepared.¡±


    ¡°But they¡¯ll be diverted from their central point¡ªckgard.¡± Jaray raised a finger. ¡°And we¡¯ll still be gods.¡±


    ¡°It does seem the best way¡­¡± another god concurred. ¡°But it doesn¡¯t solve the root problem.¡±


    ¡°No one can n for everything.¡± Jaray shook his head, leaning away from the map. ¡°Not even Argrave, after all he¡¯s done. He¡¯s made as many powerful enemies as he has powerful friends. When the timees, I¡¯ll call in some favors.¡± He picked up his pipe, still casting smoke into the air. ¡°Call in some strikers.¡±


    ¡°Who?¡± one asked.


    ¡°Let me worry about that.¡± He inhaled his pipe deeply. ¡°Better that I alone know. Rest assured¡­ I want to end him more than anyone. It¡¯s the most convenient solution.¡±

 Chapter 683: No More Runway

    Durran stared out across the vast emptiness of the Burnt Desert. As he did, the words of the woman he loved echoed in his head.


    <em>I don¡¯t want you to fight, </em>Elenore had said. <em>I want you to stay in ckgard, with me. </em>


    As he saw the countless people of his homnd running away, he¡¯d felt the words that he¡¯d said after rang all the truer.


    <em>This is bigger than you or me alone, </em>Durran had said. <em>Not many people are willing to do what has to be done. If everyone listened to that voice in their head that told them to do what they want, no one would get anything they need. </em>


    Durran turned back, looking away from the Burnt Desert and turning his gaze toward its coast. The ocean itself throbbed and pulsed, ascending to greater heights until it began to dwarf the mountains all around these sandy dunes. Countless deities that governed spheres rting to water had coalesced,ing to this point in stark opposition against this arid desert, against the Kingdom of Vasquer and all it stood for. Leading their tide was Fellhorn, undoubtedly,e to reim thend he had made more barren than ever.


    ¡°It¡¯s a high tide, boys,¡± Durran shouted, spinning his ive between his fingers as he walked to where his wyvern waited. He climbed aback the creature, cing himself firmly in the saddle. Hundreds of warriors of the southern tribes, supported by just as many southron elves, looked to him for guidance. He raised his ive high and continued, ¡°If anyone can conquer the water, it¡¯d be us. We¡¯re the warriors of the desert¡ªand all of us, <em>all of us, </em>know what that means. Let¡¯s give my kingly brother-inw a pleasant surprise, yeah? When he shows up to help¡­ <em>let¡¯s make sure none are left!</em>¡± He shouted at the top of his lungs.


    Durran¡¯s wyvern ran forth a few steps and then took off gracefully. Those fleeing thousands behind him elevated his rage, his intense desire to protect, all the higher. He would meet this high tide with waves of power of his own. He felt it all course through him¡ªan entire lifetime all leading up to a moment.


    This was where the world would be made anew, or broken entirely.


    #####Gmon looked down at his gauntleted hand, moving his fingers one by one. There was new power within him. He¡¯d thought that, having lived as long as he had and done as much as he¡¯d done, nothing remained for him. But Hause had proven otherwise, and given him something he hadn¡¯t even realized he¡¯d been missing.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to take the front, Gmon,¡± Patriarch Dras said. ¡°Thisnd is foreign to us. We¡¯ve been here no longer than a year at most. These people outnumber ours ten to one, nearly. Let these people of the Great Chu throw themselves upon theing barbarian hordes. Let¡¯s build a wall from their corpses, and defend what remains.¡±


    Gmon looked up, where a great tide of troops swarmed out of the jungles of the north. At the head of these hosts were gods, bringing structure and order to what was already a tremendously potent force. The Veidimen, gathered together in ruthless discipline, waited orders as the Great Chu soldiers already arranged to fight. Emperor Ji Meng had takenmand, once again, intent on throwing back this force.


    ¡°Command is mine.¡± Gmon looked over. ¡°Veid Herself has blessed my actions, and I have realized my full potential. I must fight. All of us must. We cannot im thisnd as our own if we would not bleed to defend it.¡±


    Patriarch Dras closed his eyes, sighing. ¡°Very well, Gmon. Achieve victory. For your wife, for your son.¡±


    ¡°Not only them.¡± He nodded. ¡°For all. Let us unite for all.¡±


    Gmon strode forth, heading for the front of the Veidimen army. There, Veid already awaited. Something lingered in his step¡ªsomething he thought had been killed, cast aside. Perhaps it had been brought back, or perhaps it hadn¡¯t ever truly been killed.


    Vampirism hounded Gmon¡¯s step.


    No longer was the hungry beast his master¡­ rather, he owned it. He had again be a conduit for that awful power. Its strengths had returned tenfold, while its weaknesses had utterly vanished. Such a power had a cost, of course. Gmon felt a terrible hunger that ate at his whole body. Once, the blood of mortals had calmed it.


    Now, only the blood of gods could sate its hunger.


    #####


    ¡°Why do we always get sent underground, Dario?¡± Mnie asked as she stared up at the giant stone statue of a bearded dwarf. It depicted the founder of this great underground dwarven city, Mundi, with a great jar hefted his shoulder. ¡°I go with them to Sandbara underground. We fight the underground lich. Elenore even gave me a county that was underground.¡±


    ¡°Stopining. They¡¯reing.¡± Dario¡¯s red eyes gazed straight ahead at the entrance to Mundi¡ªit banged mightily, a resounding echo that permeated the whole city. Thousands of dwarves stood at the ready, armaments trained on the gate. Thousands more manned ballistae of Dario¡¯s design, empowered byva and packing a bolt that could pierce six feet of steel.


    ¡°I¡¯m notining,¡± Mnie said, pausing as another huge bang echoed throughout the city. ¡°I¡¯m just saying.¡±


    ¡°I spent most of my life underground,¡± Dario answered. ¡°As for you¡­ we work well together.¡±


    ¡°So it¡¯s your fault,¡± she noted, hefting herrge chitinous sword. ¡°Just my luck¡­¡±


    Dario looked at her. ¡°We can¡¯t let a single enemy into the pressure regtor. If that building behind us falls to the enemy¡­¡± He turned around, where a huge, heavily-shielded building stood tall. ¡°Then the pressure will hit us, all at once. We¡¯ll be crushed instantly beneath the weight of the world. I imagine the surface will experience tremendous earthquakes. Essentially¡­ millions could die if we fail.¡±


    If youe across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡°Hmm.¡± Mnie rolled her shoulder. ¡°Well, you¡¯re used to the weight of the world being on your shoulders. And you¡¯ve got your suit, again.¡± She studied him.


    Dario once again donned the mechanical construct that he¡¯d worn when he was in the service of the Heralds. With it, he could confidently stand up to gods of any stripe. And unlike when he¡¯d been the conduit for the Heralds, it wouldn¡¯t destroy his body any longer. Such an improvement was half due to Hause unlocking an ability to personally act as a fuel source for artificial constructs, and half due to the fact Argrave and Anneliese had bestowed tremendous harvested essence to give him power to use the suit without killing himself.


    ¡°Its power won¡¯tst forever,¡± Dario cautioned.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll pick up the ck,¡± Mnie said with a smile as she ran her free hand through her long red hair. ¡°I¡¯m getting used to it. Wish Hause had done as much for me as she did for you¡­ but I don¡¯t need a handicap,¡± she taunted.


    The gargantuan gate to Mundi busted, and a single hand, positively dripping withva, reached out and grasped at air. Mnie opened a portal, walked through, and appeared just above the hand. She swung with all her might, and it cleaved straight through the arm. Before she hit the ground, another portal took her back, and shended up right beside Dario again.


    ¡°I can still fight. Everything seems to be in order¡­¡± Mnie hefted her de. ¡°Long day, I imagine. Long week.¡±


    ¡°But at the end of it¡­ there might be a long life,¡± Dario said quietly. ¡°I¡¯d like that.¡±


    #####


    Ingo walked around the top floor of the Tower of the Gray Owl. He was joined by the most prominent living spellcasters of Berendar beyond the king¡¯s inner circle¡ªnamely, Hegazar and Vera, the duke and duchess of Dirracha, and Artur, master of the Hall of Enchantment.


    ¡°I need to head to the bottom,¡± Ingo asked of the three. ¡°Elenore sent word. Apparently, the roaming armies intend to target the base of the tower. They¡¯re going to try and attack it.¡±


    ¡°Listen¡­¡± Hegazar held his hand up. ¡°It¡¯s great that Argrave liked you enough to show you to some pretty goddess, give you an oh-so-special power. I¡¯m happy for you¡ªI am. But our focus¡­¡± He walked to the balcony, looking upward. ¡°Should be on that big bastard of a storm, baby blue.¡±


    Ingo stared up at the gathering storm miles up in the sky. Apparently, countless gods worked in tandem to create it. It was highly mobile, and promised to be highly destructive. While some gods would be doing what they could to defend, and Argrave might eventually arrive to permanently resolve the situation¡­ everyone would be stretched thin. To that end, the Order of the Gray Owl had been instructed to resolve this situation.


    ¡°My duke is right,¡± Vera said, nodding as she walked to join the two. ¡°The armies that the nobles raised will be focused on dealing with the forces that assault from the ground. In the meantime, Castro taught you more about this tower than anyone still alive. Can you leverage something to stop the storm? That¡¯s the duty Argrave gave us.¡±


    Ingo thought long and hard, until finally he raised his head up determinedly. ¡°I can do something. But I¡¯ll need your help, Artur. We have to rewrite the tower¡¯s enchantments.¡±


    ¡°Rewrite them?¡± Artur repeated. ¡°I may be skilled, but not <em>that </em>skilled.¡±


    ¡°I can help. It¡¯s part of the power Hause gave me,¡± Ingo confirmed. ¡°The Tower of the Gray Owl already has a lightning rod to help recharge the tower¡¯s enchantments. I can reconfigure it to take all manner of fire¡ªI¡¯m certain of it.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Artur looked between Ingo and the ducal pair. ¡°It¡¯s worth a shot.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s just hope the nobles finally prove to be worth their salt.¡± Hegazar shook his head.


    ¡°Said one of the high nobles,¡± Vera pointed out. ¡°Myself¡­ I think our tower is going to copse by the end of the day.¡±


    ¡°We have to try,¡± Ingo insisted. ¡°We can¡¯t let the legacy of the Order of the Gray Owl amount to nothing.¡±


    ¡°We can,¡± Artur argued. ¡°It¡¯d be ridiculously easy¡ªwe¡¯d just have to do nothing. But I¡¯m here, and I¡¯ve got time, so let¡¯s get to work. Make Castro proud, won¡¯t you?¡±


    #####


    ¡°Mina¡­ are you sure you want to do this?¡± Nikoletta asked her friend¡ªor rather, someone who¡¯d be far more than a mere friend¡ªas they exited Hause¡¯s temple.


    Mina looked up at Nikoletta. ¡°Nicky, for the first time¡­ Hause has given me the ability to do as much for you as you¡¯ve done for me. There¡¯s no chance in hell you can convince me not to join your side¡ªespecially because she gave you no power of your own.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Alright.¡± Nikoletta closed her eyes, inhaling deeply. ¡°Let¡¯s go see Argrave.¡±


    They walked through the city of ckgard, pushing past the chaotic crowds as they headed toward the parliamentary hall. Once they arrived there, they saw the countless others gathered around. Duke Sumner, the whole of the house of Parbon, the rulers of the city of Jast, the Archduchess of the North and her sister, Vasilisa of Quadreign¡­ it was the whole of Vasquer, brought together and centered around Argrave.


    ¡°Nikoletta,¡± Argrave called out, looking up. ¡°Good. Come here. Elenore needs to establish connection. We¡¯re just about to get started.¡±


    Nikoletta joined the crowd of nobles. All of them had been taken away from their hosts, and soon, they would return with their duty bestowed by their kind. There, gods and traitors of all kinds would await them. Nikoletta had waited for this day with dread, but she would meet it fearlessly now that it woulde. Such was her duty.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to mandate what it is you should do,¡± Argrave continued, speaking to all. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you what I know, and then expect you to use your best judgment. You¡¯re my vassals, and I trust you. My own forces will be monitoring the situation, and should it ever grow too desperate, we¡¯ll show up to relieve you. The fact is¡­ this is going to be a desperate struggle. Fight every second as if the enemy has a knife at your neck, because it might only take a second for that to be true.¡±


    ¡°We approach the final hour,¡± Anneliese contributed. ¡°The days will be long and hard for all of us, but at the end of all this lies true liberty. And with it, we can give those thate after us eras of endless peace and boundless prosperity. Fight with that image in your mind.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve gone as deep as the¡¯s core and as high as the suns, moving mountains and rebirthing stars in preparation for this day,¡± Argrave picked up when silence fell. ¡°But at the end of the road¡­ the fate of the world rests in its own hand. It rests in <em>our </em>hands, <em>all of us</em>. I¡¯ll do my best to carry everyone I can, and if all of you can help me just a little¡­ I know we can push it over the line.¡± He nodded intently, then shouted, ¡°I¡¯m right, aren¡¯t I?!¡±


    Affirmative calls filled the square.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll waste no more time,¡± Argrave said. ¡°Let me tell you what we¡¯re facing¡­¡±

 Chapter 684: Forced March

    Argrave was certainly no master of warfare. There was one thing that he understood very well, though, having once watched an entire one (1) video on Napoleon¡¯s misadventures with the coalitions when he¡¯d been bored, thus making him at least an expert in the field. Speed and maneuverability were incredibly important factors in any battle. Being able to reach a position, providing either timely reinforcement or carrying out a devastating blow to an undefended front, could often decide the fate of entire campaigns.


    That was the crux of their defense strategy.


    The benefit of being the defender was that one held a defensive position¡ªthe onus was on the other party tounch the attack. The castles and fortifications throughout Berendar could finally be put to good use. The primary instruction that Argrave had given each and all of the people throughout him domain was simply this: hold the line, and wait for relief. Argrave, and a few key other heavy-hitters, was that relief.


    The hardest task didn¡¯t rest on his shoulders, however. Elenore had expanded herwork of mental connections to a vast degree topensate for the loss of druidic magic. She was also supported by Lira, the goddess of connections. The two of them, together, received and processedmunications from around the continent. They obtained reports, processed them, and gave judgment calls. It was unimaginably mentally taxing¡­ yet Elenore was up to the task. Even someone as pretentious as Raven had acknowledged her genius.


    And most importantly, Elenore could make the difficult calls without hesitating.


    The first thirty seconds after everyone had departed was tense, and Argrave stared at Elenore as she listened to hundreds of voices in her head with some help from Lira. Finally, though, she opened her gray eyes, focused on Argrave, and gave the firstmand that ushered Argrave into non-stop battle.


    ¡°Reinforce Quadreign, immediately,¡± she said with certainty.


    With a nod, Argrave called upon a blood echo that had been distributed long in advance. Ordinarily, maintaining an echo at such a long distance would be impossible¡ªwith sufficient focus, however, he could maintain countless in various different locations. He simply couldn¡¯t employ them in the fight, lest that focus waver.


    Argrave went from the pleasant warmness of ckgard to the harsh cold of Quadreign in moments. Deafening noises and shing lights disoriented him immediately, and he looked to the sky to see a power near equal to his own raging: the ck me of House Quadreign.Hause¡¯s ability had given Vasilisa of Quadreign the ability to wield her house¡¯s purging me as an extension of herself. All around, it raged defiantly against a swarm of insects of such scope that the sky itself had vanished. No more light reached the north¡ªthe only thing keeping this ce illuminated was Quadreign¡¯s ck me and the countless spells that ascended upward to fight theing killers. The ground, too, was covered by bugs¡ªcentipedes, cockroaches, ants, all in such numbers they appeared to turn the ground into rolling waves of cks and brown.


    Vasilisa stood on the top of her family¡¯s clock tower, wielding the me as though she held two whips. She was frighteningly effective given how little time she¡¯d had her power, yet the insects were so numerous she couldn¡¯t keep them from entering the city. Already, entire houses were overrun, their inhabitants devoured in mere seconds. Argrave already stood amidst these swarms, protected only by Artur¡¯s enchanted armor. Even wards broke in seconds before this insect tide.


    ¡°Elenore judged you¡¯d need help,¡± came a voice from beside Argrave, and he turned his head to see Raven standing there. Any insects that came near him walked inside his body like they were wee¡­ and never came out, absorbed into his being.


    ¡°Trace the gods controlling the bugs using [Truesight]. They¡¯re the key,¡± Argravemanded quickly. ¡°Then, help me kill them!¡±


    Without waiting for an answer, Argrave closed his eyes and scoured Erlebnis¡¯ wiki for something usable against this mass. [Apollyon] would work, but it used too much of his blood¡ªhe only needed to kill bugs, not gods. With the criteria of something with arge area of effect that couldn¡¯t kill people, yet could still reach the creatures worming their way through the ground or the smallest cracks, it didn¡¯t take long for him to find what he needed. Invented by a jungle explorer tired of mosquitoes, this spell had already been intended for a simr scenario¡­ though on a lesser scale.


    Argrave took a few moments to work out how to use [Blood Infusion] on the spell, then opened his eyes. He gathered the spell in both hands, then held his arms out. Two blood-infused pulses of electricity exploded outward, dispersing upon contact with either the ground or the copious swarms filling the area. Argrave continued to cast the spell, feeling it chip away at his vitality. Electricity began to course throughout the whole city. The swarms became clouds of red lightning, burning away into nothingness. As they died, essence delivered by Anneliese filled his being.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Argrave heard screams of pain as his electricity hit a great many citizens, but he considered that a good thing. Better they suffer some burns than die to hordes of bugs. After countless pulses of mosquito repent, Argrave and Vasilisa together reached a stalemate with the bugs. And after a time¡­


    ¡°Traced it. Only one,¡± Raven shouted. ¡°I¡¯ll expose it.¡±


    Raven held his arms out, over a dozen mana ripples echoing from hands growing from his body before a tremendous burst of fire cleared a massive stretch of insects. There, Argrave saw a putrid-looking wasp with a swollen abdomen that had holes inside of it, as if it were a beehive. Argrave didn¡¯t hesitate to call upon a spell he and Anneliese had designed long in advance.


    Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    Argrave held his arm up, and cast the S-rank [Godkiller]. His entire arm all the way up past his shoulder exploded into gore, and in its ce, a bolt of pure blood magic rose to the sky. Argrave screamed in agony as he manipted it with his will, sending it hurtling after the god of insects. It was fast¡ªwith a flight pattern rather simr to a dragonfly¡¯s, it avoided Argrave¡¯s attempts to hit it countless times. With his left arm, however, he prepared a lightning spell. At the right time, he struck it. The spell struck instantly, and when the god wavered for half a second, [Godkiller] mmed into it.


    The spell was true to its word, and the god died immediately. As his blood magic consumed the resulting spirits, vitality poured into Argrave, and his arm returned to him as quickly as it disappeared. This horde of insects, broken of their unifying force, let out a sound so horrifying that Argrave couldn¡¯t help but cover his ears. Everything became chaos, and millions, billions, perhaps even <em>trillions </em>of insects dispersed and turned on each other.


    ¡°The hold is broken,¡± said Raven once there was quiet enough, stating the obvious. ¡°But the effects of this will be felt for years toe.¡±


    ¡°We can worry about that once we make sure there are years toe. Take me to Vasilisa,¡± Argravemanded.


    Raven grabbed Argrave, using shamanic magic to teleport them a short distance. Argrave arrived atop the belltower, where she still diligently wielded the ck fire.


    ¡°Vasilisa,¡± Argrave shouted. ¡°Need anything more? Any other threats?¡±


    ¡°None.¡± she answered, short of breath. ¡°But I might need reinforcements. The gods you stationed here¡­ they died in moments. And my sister¡­ my sister was out there. She took the field, heading the army,¡± she said quietly. ¡°Said it was her duty¡­ as archduchess.¡±


    Argrave looked back. On high, barely beyond the valleys, he saw the ind city of First Hope. Its tower, made in imitation of the Tower of the Gray Owl, had toppled. Argrave couldn¡¯t tell if anyone was alive or dead from this far. If things had been this bad here¡­ beyond, could anyone survive?


    ¡°We can¡¯t worry about that now,¡± Argrave said, both to her and to himself. ¡°The people below¡ªyou have their lives in your hand. Remember that.¡± He looked to Raven, giving the man a nod. ¡°I¡¯m leaving. Stay in touch with Elenore.¡±


    Argrave called upon one of many blood echoes lingering in ckgard, letting his blood transfer him away. When he arrived before Elenore, he was reminded that this was the first of many relief efforts, and the first of many tragedies he¡¯d have to bear witness to.


    A deafening boom jolted Argrave, and he ducked low while looking about frantically. He moved to the window, seeing a huge beam of power leaving its mark in the sky. It seemed to havee from the Tower of the Gray Owl.


    ¡°That was¡­ Ingo,¡± Elenore¡¯s voice came weakly, and he looked at her to see her sweating a great deal. Lira looked simrly strained. ¡°He sacrificed the tower to destroy the various storm gods.¡±


    Argrave¡¯s heart sunk¡ªhow many had died?


    ¡°The threat from the sky is gone,¡± she continued. ¡°But Ingo is dead, Hegazar lost his magic, and Vera and Artur are both out ofmission for the rest of the fight. They preserved most of the Magisters of the Gray Owl. Raen¡¯s portal was destroyed, too¡ªit¡¯ll be harder for the gods to reinforce us, or us to reinforce them.¡±


    Argrave inhaled deeply to swallow his shock, looking around. ¡°Where are the others?¡±


    ¡°Dispatched,¡± Elenore exined quickly. ¡°The north was the worst hit, but the others still have it bad. Head to Jast¡ªMina and Anneliese are holding out as best they can, but Nikoletta¡¯s force was routed, and it might be wiped out. Be aware¡ªMina¡¯s illusion spells have be reality, in a sense. Anneliese is there keeping her magic supply up. She¡¯s doing incredibly well, but her attackers are just as fierce.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡± Argrave nodded.


    Argrave called upon the echo in Jast, and felt his body carried away by his blood toward the famed city of magic.


    #####


    ¡°Damn it¡­¡± Jaray cursed, then poured the ashes from his pipe onto a map of northern Berendar, where Quadreign was. ¡°I had higher hopes for Emmyt. He was the closest to an ancient god we had. He underestimated Argrave¡­ or maybe he didn¡¯t. That ck me was unexpected. If he¡¯d just hung back¡­¡±


    ¡°Right, sure. The closest. There¡¯s no one else.¡± Another god shook his head with amusement. ¡°Come on. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s time to pull out the card? I know you, know your games.¡±


    Jaray set his pipe down on the table, then nodded. ¡°You¡¯re right. Since you know me so well, Ail¡­ do you have a courier ready for the god of deception?¡±


    ¡°All but.¡± The god of couriers smiled, pleased he¡¯d predicted Jaray correctly. ¡°What shall I tell Rook?¡±


    ¡°Tell Rook that we¡¯ll open a path for him to kill Law,¡± Jaray said, and the other god nodded. ¡°No one¡¯s actually seen Lorena, but I have to think she¡¯s on their side. That means they know our ns as soon as I¡¯ve said them. Get a message to the force south of Jast, and have them fold inward on Parbon. Make Argrave choose¡ªsave Law, or save the Lionsun Castle.¡±


    ¡°Given two choices, Argrave often invents a third,¡± Ail counseled.


    ¡°You¡¯re right, sadly¡­¡± Jaray took the counsel seriously, staring at the map hard. ¡°Let¡¯s give him a third choice, then. Don¡¯t call off the force from Jast. Have them press Nikoletta¡¯s band into this valley north of it, and divert those near Dirracha to pincer them. Durran¡¯s resistance is going too well. Have Fellhorn retreat and attack Parbon, instead. His tides should be able to send some mountains tumbling down on the Lionsun Castle.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re concentrating our forces¡­ dangerous. But it seems necessary,¡± Ail sighed. ¡°Couriers are en route. They¡¯ll have their orders in mere moments, sir.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take the field once Law dies.¡± Jaray packed his pipe again.


    ¡°Once?¡± Ail repeated.


    ¡°Do you think Argrave will save people, or save some ancient god?¡± Jaray shook his head. ¡°Law is more useful to their cause, but Argrave values people more.¡±


    ¡°I get nervous when you say things so confidently.¡± Ail leaned over the map. ¡°Guess we¡¯ll see.¡±

 Chapter 685: Backfoot

    When Argrave arrived atop one of the tall towers at Jast, he¡¯d expected many things¡ªforemost among them being that the tower he¡¯d stored his echo on had fallen, and he¡¯d be in freefall. Surprisingly, therge ck tower hadn¡¯t fallen. Quick nces around showed that <em>none </em>had fallen¡­ and rather, they¡¯d expanded to an rming degree.


    Each of the towers had taken heavy damage¡ªenough to break their enchantments and make them topple. Instead, new structures had been built around them: braces, supports, and wires, all to hold together this crumbling city. Beyond mere structural support, ballistae and other such weapons of war manned by strange, shapeless men fired back at the besiegers. Argrave could see magic coursing through them, and realized what this was.


    These were Mina¡¯s illusions¡ªthough illusions no longer, it appeared.


    ¡°Argrave!¡±


    Hearing Anneliese¡¯s voice, Argrave whipped his head to the direction it hade from. Anneliese and Mina stood together, overseeing the whole city. Powerful waves of magic shot out at the heart of the city from beyond its walls, and Anneliese dutifully crafted wards to block the worst attacks. As Argrave moved to join them, he looked at the besieger. His eyes sharpened when he saw her.


    Almazora, goddess of magic.


    ¡°Grave! Kill that bitch! Nicky¡¯s in danger!¡± Mina shouted savagely as he finally joined with them. The small woman looked exhausted, yet from the look on her face it¡¯d be ages before she gave up the fight.


    ¡°Be calm, lest others die from overeagerness,¡± Anneliese assured, her focus never wavering from the fight. She didn¡¯t look at Argrave, but she could tell her next words were directed toward him. ¡°Almazora betrayed us. Presumably Jaray wormed fears into her¡ªfears about magic disappearing once the cycle of judgment end. She would surrender her divinity, but never magic. That was our oversight.¡±


    ¡°Jast is dense with magic,¡± Mina continued. ¡°A lot of spellcasters were here. Almazora stole the magic from most of them, then detonated the ambient magic. Without Anneliese, not a one of us could¡¯ve cast a single spell.¡± Mina nced over to where a wayward fireball had struck a tower. It began to tumble, yet Mina held her hand out and conjured an illusory brace in seconds that held it in ce. She looked at Argrave. ¡°Some ¡®god of pain¡¯ is leading a force against Nikoletta¡¯s army. When he looks at you¡­ it¡¯s torture.¡± She shuddered.¡°Got it. Pain¡¯s no trouble. Magic¡¯s no obstacle.¡± Argrave walked to the edge of the tower, holding up his arm and casting [Godkiller] once more.


    Argrave¡¯s arm exploded¡ªhe was already getting used to the feeling, which was somewhat sad. Almazora ceased all assaults, desperately bringing to bear a thousand wards in little more than a second. The approaching bolt of pure blood magic was slowed, yet it chewed through wards like a tank¡¯s gun through ss. A torrent of vitality poured back into Argrave as Anneliese returned all the magic the spell shattered, and his arm slowly reshaped.


    Argrave had already signed Almazora¡¯s death warrant in his head¡­ yet then his bolt of blood exploded in a swirl of ck and dark red. He could tell in seconds that wasn¡¯t working as intended. The ckness took to motion, flowing downward toward the goddess of magic. When the dust settled, he saw his magic pouring into her cosmic weave of hair. The goddess held her arms out, and her assault began again, redoubled.


    Anneliese grabbed him and made them both crouch behind a parapet atop the tower, while Mina tirelessly worked to repair the damage Almazora was doing to the city.


    ¡°Anne?¡± Argrave asked, focusing on her.


    ¡°Almazora can deconstruct spells that she studies for long enough, and with a mere touch she can steal magic.¡± Anneliese peeked over the top, assessing things. As she did, she muttered, ¡°She has my A-rank ability with twice the potency, and more powers beside.¡±


    Argrave was about to ask Anneliese if he could stay conscious if he exploded two of his arms at the same time, but Elenore¡¯s voice pierced his head first.


    ¡°Word from Lorena. Rook¡¯s a traitor,¡± his sister said. ¡°We expected this from the god of deception, but I thought he¡¯d go after you. Wrong. He¡¯s after Law.¡±


    Argrave processed that information as Anneliese rose, conjuring countless distant wards. A tremendous explosion shook the tower, and Mina leaned off the side dangerously to conjure another brace. When she crouched down, he merely stared into Anneliese¡¯s face. She stayed quiet, intuiting from his expression that he was speaking to Elenore.


    ¡°Durran made Fellhorn retreat, but now his forces are heading toward the mountain range between Vasquer and the Burnt Desert. The gods mean to attack the Lionsun Castle at the same time. They¡¯re already facing heavy assault from the north, where the castle is weakest. Jaray¡¯s intent is to make you choose to defend one. He¡¯s confident you¡¯ll sacrifice Law.¡±


    Argrave¡¯s felt a strong naturalpulsion immediately. He was of the opinion it generally wasn¡¯t the best idea to do what the enemy wants or expects.


    ¡°Is it real?¡± Argrave asked Elenore. ¡°Is Rook actuallying, or is it an attempt to lure?¡±


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the vition.


    ¡°It¡¯s real,¡± Elenore confirmed. ¡°Raven confirmed it.¡±


    Argrave thought furiously, trying to see some way out of this. Anneliese put her hand on his shoulder, then behind his neck.


    ¡°Whatever it is, you can go,¡± Anneliese said. ¡°I can handle things here.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Mina said in shock that quickly turned to desperation. ¡°Argrave, please¡­! Nicky could really die out there.¡±


    Argrave stared into Anneliese¡¯s eyes, then asked, ¡°You have a n?¡±


    ¡°I do. And I can confidently say that an overwhelming victory is possible, even without you.¡± Anneliese looked at the goddess of magic, then conjured a ward with ease to block aing attack. ¡°She¡¯s a tough opponent, but I¡¯d win. I¡¯m better. I know it.¡±


    Mina moved closer. ¡°Argrave, please. Don¡¯t risk Nikoletta¡¯s life. She¡¯s all I¡­ and she¡¯s your cousin!¡±


    Argrave studied Anneliese¡¯s face, and she gave him a nod. With that, Argrave needed no more convincing.


    ¡°I¡¯m going.¡± Argrave rose to his feet, and said to Mina sternly, ¡°Listen to Anneliese. If she says she can win, she can win. She¡¯ll demonstrate that Almazora¡¯s godhood is no longer merited.¡±


    ¡°Argra¡ª¡±


    Before Mina could finish her protest, Argrave called upon another blood echo to transport himself. He arrived at the Lionsun Castle, and was at once buffeted by fierce winds. He was utterly alone on the castle walls, though some distant members of the garrison manned mounted weapons.


    ¡°Elenore,¡± he contacted her. ¡°Give Law my direct order as leader of the ckgard Union. Have him do what Erlebnis did when we fought at the Pce of Heaven. Have him recall all of his Justiciars to concentrate his power in his body, and have him kill Rook. That¡¯s the only way he survives.¡±


    ¡°Can he win?¡± Elenore asked. ¡°Erlebnis, the silver knight¡ªhe was present in those battles, yet he didn¡¯t achieve much.¡±


    ¡°Rook has power, but no experience fighting with it. Law, on the other hand, has an abundance of experience. If he surprises Rook with concentrated power, I¡¯m confident he can earn a quick and decisive victory.¡±


    ¡°¡­the Great Chu, and the small viges throughout Berendar, will be hardest hit,¡± Elenore responded in a moment. ¡°His Justiciars are most prevalent there.¡±


    ¡°Jaray wouldn¡¯t care about small viges, and the Great Chu has more gods than I can count. Gmon, Orion, and Emperor Ji Meng are also there¡ªthey¡¯ll pull through. We might lose the battle entirely if Law dies, not to mention how much our alliance with the other deities will strain if he dies. We have a chance to make him infinitely stronger if he can kill Rook without significant injury.¡± Argrave rolled his shoulders looking at the enemy House Parbon faced on its northern front. ¡°I¡¯ll be defending the Lionsun Castle and the city it protects.¡±


    Leaving those words with his sister, Argrave studied the force that¡¯d formed to the north. Margrave Reinhardt¡¯s banner flew high, and his army marched defiantly¡ªthe gods they faced were such that an army was sufficient to face them. Even still, it was clear the patriarch of House Parbon was on the backfoot, and the corpses of his knightsy everywhere. They were holding the enemy away from the city, and paying dearly to do so.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Argrave was prepared to use [Godkiller], but a shout interrupted him. ¡°Your Majesty!¡±


    He turned his head to see Elias sprinting at him, his breathing heavy. The red-haired heir to Parbon came to a stop.


    ¡°I¡¯ll report, Your Majesty,¡± the young man said, wasting no time. ¡°As far as we can discern, we face four gods¡ªthe deity of time, apparently newly-born, alongside the support of three others with dominion over assassination, berserkers, and marksmanship. Together, the three have formed a deadly squadron of servants both mortal and divine.¡±


    ¡°A deity of time?¡± Argrave repeated. ¡°What can he do?¡±


    ¡°All enemies or projectiles thate near slow down based on their proximity, while his allies roam unhindered.¡± Elias walked to the edge. ¡°Additionally, he can reverse injuries, somehow. My father¡¯s reported that he¡¯s killed the berserker god thrice with the new ability bestowed by Hause, yet somehow the time god resurrects him.¡±


    Argrave made a mental note that the healer and debuffer should be targeted first, then remembered Elias was waiting for hismand. ¡°Thanks,¡± he said, then advised, ¡°If you can, focus your spellcasters on the east. It¡¯s likely the god of water will attack. If all goes well¡­¡± Argrave conjured his gilded ck staff, holding it aloft. ¡°I¡¯ll be done long before then.¡±


    Without further words, Argrave climbed the ramparts and jumped off the side of the wall. On the way down, he cast [Absolute Movement], and wind encircled him. He used the spell of flight to soar toward theing battle and above the banners of the lions and the city of Parbon. This fight seemed simpler than thest¡ªall the more reason for Argrave to be wary. Jaray was proving an extraordinarily capable foe.


    #####


    The past few hours, Elenore¡¯s mind had felt as though it was always on the verge of copse. Lira, her patron goddess, shared some of the burden of the mental connection. Even her help was barely sufficient to receive and process so many different reports from all around the world. There were two reports that came in near the same time, both equally concerning.


    The first concern came from Relize.


    ¡°We¡¯ve an army of centaurs gathering not far from Relize,¡± the reporter said, fear in his tone. ¡°There must be ten thousand of them, or¡­ or perhaps twice that. They¡¯re bigger than the damned city!¡±


    The second came from Raven, and he never reported to her without good reason.


    ¡°I¡¯ve spotted seven liches approaching Dirracha. In terms of magic prowess¡­¡± There was a long period of silence. ¡°¡­I cannot judge any of them individually to be my inferior, either in the abundance of their magic supply or the quantity of spirits they possess for use in shamanic magic.¡±


    Two entirely unforeseen parties appeared suddenly enough to make Elenore¡¯s teeth clench for theing blow. The situation in both Relize and Dirracha was barely at a stalemate. If an army of centaurs or seven liches equal in magical might to Raven were to join either battle, Elenore foresaw only destruction.


    This was but the first battle of their long war¡ªthey couldn¡¯t afford catastrophic losses.

 Chapter 686: Tailwind

    Argrave had been wise in his instinct to be wary of thising confrontation.


    Argrave had joined Margrave Reinhardt¡¯s force from on high. When he did, he could feel the distortion of time¡ªthe enemies all grew faster, while Argrave felt as though every movement was like trying to swim up the river. It had been easily remedied, fortunately. Any blood magic he cast would eat away at the divinity. He searched Erlebnis¡¯ wiki to find a suitable spell, and found one created by a spellcasting sailor: [Tailwind]. The continuous yet rtively weak wind spell had been designed to push sails, but now Argrave infused it with blood magic and put it at the back of House Parbon¡¯s army, breaking the fragile hold of the warped time over them all.


    With that immediate concern addressed, he joined Margrave Reinhardt on the field.


    Upon arriving above them all, Argrave grandly made countless divine servants perish with devastating volleys of blood magic. Droves of elites perished beneath his fire, and the margrave¡¯s knights were granted reprieve from the relentless onught. Argrave thought he might¡¯ve overestimated this force, until he saw familiar figures rise up, uninjured.


    And worse yet¡­ he received no return of essence for their deaths.


    He was d he¡¯d learned this through rtively inexpensive magic. Without Elias¡¯ report, he would¡¯ve used [Godkiller] in an attempt to hunt down one of the leaders of the opposition. It would¡¯ve worked¡ªbut the god of time would¡¯ve resurrected the fallen deity, and the only result would¡¯ve been a tremendous expenditure of power without any gain. Somehow, this new god had the power to hold together the fleeting spirits after a god¡¯s death, and create them anew.


    The obvious solution, then, was to kill their lynchpin. Facing three formidable forces¡ªelite marksmen, expert assassins, and veteran berserkers¡ªhe wasn¡¯t confident in simply bulldozing through the enemy. Still, if this god of time could so ably counter Argrave¡¯s ability, why had he not been given a more prominent role? If he¡¯d been able to provide the same treatment to that god of insects, Argrave couldn¡¯t promise he¡¯d have achieved victory at all.


    There had to be a w in this formation. He intended to find it. With so many fronts strained, however, time was on the enemy¡¯s side¡­


    #####Anneliese had assessed the situation objectively,pared it to her own abilities and the forces she had on hand, and came to the conclusion that she could defeat Almazora. Now that Argrave had trusted her capability and left her to the task, some amount of trepidation crept in. Her opponent was still the <em>goddess of magic, </em>and she was supported by the not-insignificant presence of the god of pain<em>. </em>The fact that Almazora had kept her godhood for several cycles of judgment meant she could at least defend the title against other gods. She couldn¡¯t be underestimated as on opponent.


    On top of her present enemy, the fact remained that Jaray had painted a target on her back.


    This was a risk she didn¡¯t like taking¡­ but nevertheless, Anneliese felt she had to if they hoped to win. Mina had been indignant when Argrave left, but she had be mature enough to ept reality instead of raging against it. Now, Anneliese only hoped that she could demonstrate the same trust for the next order she was to give.


    ¡°Mina, I¡¯m going to order Nikoletta¡¯s force to stop retreating and counterattack.¡±


    The small blonde woman said nothing, but Anneliese could see the emotions written on her face: horror, anger, betrayal. Mina¡¯s whole world was falling down. She thought Anneliese was sending the only person she truly cared about to an early grave.


    ¡°If she continues to retreat, she¡¯ll be caught in the valley between Jast and Dirracha,¡± Anneliese said, appealing to logic.


    Still, Mina only stared, terrified and hurt.


    Anneliese took a deep breath, staring into the woman¡¯s soul as she searched for ways to persuade her. ¡°Argrave trusted me to fight this opponent and prevail,¡± Anneliese said¡ªsimple, cutting words, drawing parallels to their two situations. ¡°You need to trust Nikoletta to do the same. Love is trust itself, and I trust Argrave would not leave me here without believing in me. Nikoletta faces the god of pain¡ªand she¡¯s capable of shouldering more pain than you know. She could lose everything, and still keep walking.¡± Anneliese walked to the edge of the tower, conjuring the sheer white staff crafted out of Veid¡¯s heart. ¡°So, wipe that look off your face and help your Nicky kill her first god. Is she so fragile as to let a little pain break her?¡±


    Leaving those words behind, Anneliese jumped off the tower, descending toward Almazora¡¯s position. She didn¡¯t spare another look back, trusting in her words to do the trick as she contacted Elenore. She gave the report to Elenore, and soon enough expected Nikoletta¡¯s forces to cease their retreat.


    This battle wouldn¡¯t be without sacrifices, but few enough were. At the end of the day, Anneliese knew they¡¯de home victors.


    At the top of the tower, Mina watched Anneliese¡¯s descent with trembling eyes¡­ but they slowed their tremors until they were still, and Mina let out a calming exhale. Then, she dedicated all of her attention to the battle, waiting for Anneliese¡¯s next order. There was confidence in her eyes, now¡ªnot self-confidence, but the confidence that came with knowing someone reliable had her back.


    #####


    Elenore received scattered reports from the two fights closest on her mind¡ªAnneliese and Argrave¡¯s fight. She had never intended to expose them to excessive risk. Anneliese, especially, needed to be protected. She was capable of fleeingpetently should the situation devolve, yet jeopardizing herself so much¡­ her death might mean true defeat, in both the battle and the war. Only Argrave¡¯s confidence in her after having seen the situation stayed Elenore from countermanding his order.


    Worse yet, Elenore had no one to send to confront the new forces near Relize and Dirracha. Seven liches moved ever closer to the capital, while the centaurs appeared to grow in numbers every second. The centaurs simply walked out of the sea¡ªit sounded like an impossibility, yet it was the apparent truth. They followed the banner of the centaur god that Argrave had dealt with in the Bloodwoods. Losing the two cities would mean losing the second and thirdrgest settlements in Vasquer¡­ yet Elenore didn¡¯t see any way to save them until situations elsewhere were resolved.


    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the vition.


    ¡°Argrave and Reinhardt have worked out a n,¡± one of her contacts reported. ¡°It promises to be slow, but surefire. It¡¯s underway.¡±


    ¡°Anneliese has engaged Almazora in a direct fight,¡± came another report. ¡°She¡¯s intending for Mina to prepare an ambush force to overwhelm and rout both gods at once, but it¡¯ll take time.¡±


    Time, stalemate, evenly-matchedmon words, while Lorena reported Fellhorn snaking his way across the ocean toward the Lionsun Castle, the seven liches moving ever closer to the already-beleaguered Dirracha, and the horde of centaurs beginning their march toward the trade city of Relize. Even Law, who Argrave had hoped would utterly overwhelm Rook, wasn¡¯t earning as decisive a victory as they¡¯d hoped. He was still winning, yet not fast enough.


    Everywhere was pressed. The dwarven city of Mundi, still under heavy assault from select deities resistant to the heat and pressure of the deep, was slowly being filled withva from countless breaches in its dome. The forces in the Great Chu fought an enemy that came without an end, and faced treachery simr to that of Rook and Almazora. The only constion was Emperor Ji Meng¡¯s surprisingly steadfast loyalty.


    No matter which angle she looked at it from, Elenore had yed every piece at her disposal. It felt like aplex knot, tied unto itself so many times that the only recourse was toboriously untangle it¡­ unless she were to simply cut the rope with a sharp knife, and let millions perish for an easy victory. In years past, Elenore would¡¯ve. Now, Argrave had burdened her with some small modicum of faith.


    Because with Argrave¡­ faith was often rewarded.


    #####


    Mina finally saw the signal she¡¯d been waiting for¡ªa blue fireball cast upward, and the sign to begin her ambush. She raised her hand to the sky, using the whole of her magic to create onest grand illusion. High in the sky, an image that¡¯d been seared into her head manifested¡ªTower Master Castro¡¯s gray wyvern. Hause¡¯s power birthed the construct into reality. It roared mightily, then soared downward toward the god of pain and his divine servants like an embodiment of her hatred. On the ground, simrly haunting specters broke from cover, rushing toward the god¡¯s forces¡ªthat of the Veidimen, which she remembered invading Mateth all too well.


    And down below¡­


    Anneliese stood perhaps thirty feet from the goddess of magic herself. This had been the most intense duel of her life¡ªbut to call it a duel was perhaps insulting. It was actually a desperate struggle to survive. Almazora was her superior in countless ways. She could cast magic faster, possessed a wider repertoire of spells, and far outssed Anneliese in absorbing magic. The thing that had kept Anneliese alive was the connection to Argrave providing a source of vitality for wounds taken, Anneliese¡¯s superior battle sense, and use of the shamanic spell [Requite]. That spell could reflect the many thousands of spells sent at her¡ªand because Almazora was not a mortal, she could not use shamanic magic.


    But of all those factors, the battle sense was the reason Anneliese had won from the very first exchange.


    Every burn, cut, shock, or dire injury she¡¯d received exchanging spells with Almazora had been a victory. She had seen Almazora fight. She fought as spellcasters do¡ªfrom safety, maintaining the option to retreat at any moment. She was no strategist, nomander. She was meant to support a force by bombardment, not engage in active battle. By fighting Anneliese at all, her power was focused away from where it ought to be¡­ and because of that, she¡¯d been losing every second.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Anneliese didn¡¯t miss the moment victory hade. Mina¡¯s conjured wyvern tore into the forces of the god of pain. The second it did, Anneliese fell back, teleporting back to the walls of Jast. She drew the de out of the staff forged of Veid¡¯s heart. In that moment, she could feel Veid¡¯s heart grip all in her sight, shattering any notion of retreat.


    Faced with such a strong push, it was natural for the god of pain to try and fall back. Faced with an unexpected element, Almazora was also bound to falter. Until they realized that the option had been taken off the table, they werembs for the ughter.


    Anneliese took a deep breath, preparing for the chaos as she prepared to eliminate the enemy.


    #####


    ¡°Rook is dead. Law is killing what remains of his allies.¡±


    That report,ing suddenly and unexpectedly, was perhaps the sweetest one that Elenore had gotten. Her mind felt those dark clouds of headache blown away by a healing wind. She readied herself to issue orders to the now-free ancient god, before another report came in.


    ¡°Nikoletta received an injury to the head from the god of pain¡ªit refuses to heal, ording to attending spellcasters, but it¡¯s nonfatal. She¡¯s lost an eye, but the deity perished. Almazora is surrounded on all sides, and is desperately strained.¡±


    Elenore straightened her back, sharing a happy nce with the old Lira. The moment news came of Almazora¡¯s demise, she was prepared to send Anneliese to Dirracha¡ªif anyone could beat seven liches at once, it was her.


    ¡°From Relize¡­¡± came a tired voice, and she felt some of her excitement strain. ¡°The centaurs¡­ they¡¯re¡­ allies, ma¡¯am. They¡¯re firing upon the gargantuan sea creatures on the docks. I¡­¡± The report trailed off, its sender in disbelief.


    Elenore was simrly stunned. With no word from Lorena as to their intent, and no contact with the centaurs before this moment, she¡¯d assumed they were enemies. But¡­ this? To have a friendly force join the battle, at one of its most pivotal moments? Her head went light and her vision white as relief blew away the ck clouds of despair.


    ¡°The situation in Dirracha has improved,¡± came another report. ¡°Some spellcasters have joined the battle. Thank you, Princess Elenore. Thank you,¡± came a relieved voice.


    Elenore couldn¡¯t help but exhale and inhale quickly, venting a thousand emotions as it seemed everything came together, all at once. She mmed her palms upon her desk, rising to her feet as she prepared to issue countless differentmands.


    #####


    ¡°Jaray? Jaray!¡± Ail physically shook the god of politics.


    ¡°I¡¯m thinking,¡± he said calmly.


    ¡°Thinking? We need to act!¡± Ail mmed the back of his hand against his palm. ¡°Action!¡±


    Jaray closed his eyes. Beneath his lids, his eyes moved about rapidly as his thoughts raced. Finally, there was a snapping noise. He opened his eyes, looking at his hand. There, his wooden pipe had snapped in two beneath his grip. He took a deep breath, and stepped away from the map.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go myself.¡± Jaray reached into his coat. ¡°I¡¯ll take the field.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Good.¡± Ail breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Good. I¡¯ll tell everyone. That should stop an all-out retreat. Where will you go?¡±


    ¡°Where Argrave is,¡± he said, pulling free a second box. He retrieved a brand-new pipe. ¡°Come along. I still need you to coordinate messages and information.¡±

 Chapter 687: Diplomatic Immunity

    Though Argrave searched very hard for a clever solution to the god of time¡¯s influence, he could find nothing. Neither the records of the past contained in Erlebnis¡¯ wiki nor the happenings of the present gave any indication about how they might cripple the power of time. In the end, Argrave turned to Margrave Reinhardt¡¯s force for aid. He requested the margrave punch a holerge enough in their forces to allow Argrave to strike at the god of time without risk of dying himself. Reinhardt, who¡¯d ever been a loyal servant, agreed, despite the heavy toll it¡¯d undoubtedly take on attacking forces.


    His force of knights, partially supported by a few lesser gods, plunged back into battle against the terrifying force of assassins and berserkers as archers of all stripes bore down on them relentlessly. Argrave provided the same support several other spellcasters were, warding away the marksmen as best he could. It frustrated him immeasurably to be so unable to employ his power. The fight was dreadfully slow, and the whole while Argrave could only think of the clock ticking down on various other segments of the battlefield.


    In the end, though, Reinhardt made good on his promise to provide an opportunity to attack. Seizing on it, Argrave pressed toward the center of their formation, fighting back the small few assassins and berserkers Reinhardt hadn¡¯t distracted with the overwhelming power of his blood magic alone. Had he and Anneliese not built up reserves of vitality before this day, this would¡¯ve been impossible. What he found was not at all like he expected. After eviscerating the countless guards with little more than a wave of his hand and a devastating pulse of blood magic, he found the source¡ªa coffin. He threw it open to strike at the god of time.


    This god, so high and mighty, was unconscious, pierced in a thousand different ces by bizarre ck needles. The needles pulsed in and out of his body, rejected in one moment and then forced back in the second. The deity frothed at the mouth and spasmed, clearly in agony. Looking around, Argrave could see that his healing roughly coincided with the needles. His divinity and its effects seemed to be manifesting by instinct rather than choice. It was a barbaric sight, but nothing that he wasn¡¯t used to.


    It did, however, suggest that this god of time wasn¡¯t a willing participant.


    Under different circumstances, Argrave might¡¯ve tried to save this man and win another ally. With the margrave¡¯s men dying all around, however, Argrave callously conjured a de of his ck blood and jammed it into the man lying in the coffin. It passed through easy, cutting him in twain moments before his body burst into spirits. Argrave finally felt new vitality, absent for so long, restored in bulk.


    Finally freed of previous restrictions, Argrave rose into the air with the spell of flight [Absolute Movement] and began what he¡¯d intended to do here in the first ce. Spellsposed of his ck blood rained upon the enemy, and the margrave prudently disengaged as had been discussed long in advance. Every area that they fled from soon became destruction incarnate. The damage that Argrave had once caused using the Blessing of Supersession couldn¡¯t even bepared to what he was capable of now.


    Dark red lightning struck from storm clouds of fire that swept across the ins of the margravate, blown and twisted by malevolent winds that allowed no escape. The enemy hadn¡¯t been a true threat to him before, but now that he could fight without worry of draining his and Anneliese¡¯s shared vitality, he made that fact known. Argrave only stopped when he felt no more vitalitying from their demises¡ªafter all, that meant that nothing was alive. The trampled grass field they¡¯d been fighting on moments before looked like nothing more than a spent fire¡ªcoals and hot embers alone. Even the corpses of the margrave¡¯s knights had been reduced to nothing. He pitied their families, but he couldn¡¯t afford to act on that pity.


    This battle was over, but others remained. Though things had seemed to pass by in a moment, Argrave knew that he¡¯d been stuck here quite a long while. He looked back at the Lionsun Castle, only to widen his eyes at the huge curtain of water bearing down upon it. The eastern mountains had been entirely buried beneath a wave of water that crawled forth like a slug¡ªand just looking at it, Argrave could tell it¡¯d be more than enough to flood the entire city of Parbon. The people knew it, too¡ªthey fled in droves, both from the castle and the city. He didn¡¯t know how Durran had fought against this, but then his people had more experience against Fellhorn and his Vessels.Argrave soared through the air, [Absolute Movement] still active. As he did, the water¡¯s sluglike movements slowed before stopping altogether. Like invisible strings had been cut, gravity started to act upon the water again. It copsed down upon the mountain, and with the help of the gods shepherding the water, entire peaks broke off. The mountain began cascading down in a devastatingly loud and horrifyingndslide.


    In one moment, Argrave could see the Lionsun Castle in a valley, standing tall above the city. In only a few moments after, city and castle both were buried beneath clouds of dust, rubble, and water. Thousands of people who only had time enough to leave their homes witnessed everything they owned buried in less than a minute.


    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    But for all that managed to evacuate, just as many likely didn¡¯t have time enough.


    Argrave saw Reinhardt storming ahead with all of his knights as if he could fight thendslide, while he himself came to an uneasy stop above the now-empty ins of the margravate. Elias, his sister Rose, his wife Ridia¡­ Argrave couldn¡¯t say if any had made it out. He¡¯d given Elias warning. Perhaps the man had led the evacuation efforts.


    Argrave tried to shake all the thoughts away, focusing instead on the gods who¡¯d orchestrated this attack. Before he could¡­


    ¡°Argrave,¡± said Elenore. ¡°Jaray is behind you.¡±


    He whipped his head around, shocked to see that was the truth of the matter. He sat on a disturbed rock in the midst of the carnage that Argrave had caused with his magic, sitting and smoking while looking up at Argrave.


    ¡°Law¡¯s won,¡± Elenore continued. ¡°We¡¯re winning. Anneliese destroyed Almazora, and some unexpected allies have joined us. Durran¡¯s going to hunt down Fellhorn with Stout Heart Swan. Despite all of that, Jaray is here. Lorena says she¡¯s never seen him fight, not even once. I think that¡¯s cause for caution.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be careful,¡± Argrave promised as hended on the ground, ceasing [Absolute Movement].


    Argrave prepared blood-imbued [Wind Eels] as he walked forward, positioning them in the air both for offense and defense, if need be. He called out, ¡°If the god of politics is here, can I expect some kind of offer?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re winning, by all appearances,¡± Jaray answered. ¡°Why would youe to the negotiation table? Besides, both of us have gone beyond the point of no return. You just saw a city buried. I doubt you¡¯re in the mood.¡±


    Proving his point, Argrave quickly cast a lightning spell to probe his foe. It struck Jaray¡¯s shoulder, and he jerked back slightly. Beyond that¡­ nothing. Argrave felt nothing at all.


    ¡°Awfully cautious of me.¡± Jaray brushed off his struck shoulder. ¡°Lorena¡¯s likely told you that she¡¯s never seen me fight. There¡¯s a very good reason for that, and it¡¯s the only reason I came here. The fact is, I¡¯ve never been in a fight. Not when I was a mortal, and not once when I became divine.¡±


    To verify his results, Argrave struck again with another lightning bolt. It hit Jaray right in the eye. Though his head did jolt back slightly, Argrave once again felt no vitality flowing through him and saw no change from Jaray.


    ¡°When I was mortal, I didn¡¯t fight by choice. I found it all rather beneath me. It was a lot easier to talk other people into doing the things I needed than to do them myself. Bring people together, give them both what they need by connecting them to help each other, and then they both want to help you.¡± Jaray blew smoke. ¡°It always amazed me what people would pay for convenience. In gold¡­ or blood.¡±


    Argrave bridged the gap, grabbing a sword discarded on the ground. He raised it high and swung it at Jaray¡¯s head. The thing bounced back, shaking from the force of his powerful blow¡­ but not a hair on Jaray¡¯s body was harmed.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Now, it¡¯s not my choice whether or not I fight.¡± Jaray looked up at Argrave. ¡°I can¡¯t act upon the world, nor can it act upon me. This is the way I like it. I think we¡¯d both agree that my influence hasn¡¯t waned.¡±


    Argrave tried to grab his throat and choke him, but Jaray merely pulled away slightly, and his neck was free. He rose off the rock he sat upon. Argrave tried to wrap his arms around the god, only to find himself repelled by something iprehensible. Even a st of pure blood magic shattered upon contact with Jaray¡¯s body.


    Argrave flinched as the sky split in the wake of what seemed like aet. In less than half a second Lorena was above them all as a great dragon. Her gigantic tail mmed down upon Jaray. His head bent slightly beneath the weight, while the ground all around him cracked from the force¡­ but again, nothing happened.


    ¡°Is this what they gave you?!¡± Lorena shouted, shifting to human form. Shended just beside him, towering above.


    ¡°Lorena,¡± he greeted amicably. ¡°No, the Heralds didn¡¯t give me this. I¡¯ve always had it.¡± He looked back to Argrave. ¡°Shall we talk, king, about where things go from here?¡±


    ¡°This is just a cheap trick,¡± Argrave pointed out. ¡°It doesn¡¯t change anything. You¡¯ll vanish alongside all the other gods once we¡¯re done. And I don¡¯t have time for this.¡±


    Argrave made to leave, but Jaray said, ¡°Shall I speak to your sister, instead? I can head to ckgard. It¡¯d be nice to visit in-person. The third alternative, well¡­¡± Jaray smoked from his pipe again, blowing an O. ¡°There¡¯s no need to show you all my cards, but you should know my hand is still rtively full. And you still have cities upon cities to protect¡­ or lose.¡±

 Chapter 688: Deserving and Earning

    Argrave turned his head back to Fellhorn¡¯s assault. There, he witnessed three converging forces assail the retreating god of water and those he¡¯d brought as auxiliary forces. Durran and his patron, Stout Heart Swan, valiantly battled the exposed deity. From behind, the god of space Raen brought in a wave of soldiers that marched across the mountains¡ªJusticiars, freshly reborn after Law¡¯s victory over Rook. There was nothing more for him to do, he was certain¡ªFellhorn was soon to fall.


    With that established, Argrave turned back to Jaray. ¡°So¡­ you can¡¯t hurt us, but we can¡¯t hurt you? That¡¯s the short of it?¡±


    ¡°Just so,¡± Jaray confirmed. ¡°If you need more verification, the both of you, I¡¯m standing right here.¡± He looked between them. ¡°No? Then¡­ let¡¯s work something out.¡±


    Argrave walked up to stand over him. ¡°You¡¯re insane if you think I¡¯ll agree to any sort of armistice, any peace. Give you time to regroup? Give you time to marshal more forces? Nonsense. We work this out here, today. And as you¡¯ve pointed out, I¡¯m winning.¡± He waved. ¡°Lorena¡ªget back to the moon. We need eyes everywhere, in case this is just a distraction.¡±


    Lorena shifted on her feet briefly, but she did heed his word. She began running, shifting her body into her draconic form before lifting into the air. With two powerful beats of her wings, she sped away with ridiculous speed, just as she¡¯de.


    ¡°I said that you¡¯re winning¡­ by all appearances,¡± Jaray rified.


    ¡°The Shadonders? The Hopeful?¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°We¡¯ve got ns. Listen¡­ take your little under-the-table deal, crush it into a ball, and shove it down your throat. I don¡¯t care if none of us can hurt you¡ªsomehow, you¡¯ll die. This is going to end so poorly you¡¯ll kill yourself before any of us have the chance.¡±


    Jarayughed. ¡°That¡¯s your n? Sadden me until I quit voluntarily?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a reason you¡¯re here, now, only after I killed your damn vanguard.¡± Argrave looked around. ¡°And it¡¯s not because we¡¯re on ourst legs. It¡¯s because you want to rattle us, have us make mistakes, have us act against our best interests. I know your ybook. I use it often myself. The difference between me and you, though, is that I¡¯m fine getting my hands dirty because I believe what I preach.¡±¡°Which friends would you like to say goodbye to? Which cities would you like to rebuild? Mateth? Relize? The whole of the Bloodwoods, perhaps?¡± Jaray pressed.


    ¡°As many as it takes,¡± Argrave said, then departed, carried away by teleportation to his blood echo back to ckgard.


    Once he¡¯d arrived, he walked over to Elenore¡¯s desk in a storm. ¡°Where¡¯s Sophia?¡±


    ¡°Sophia? What?¡± Elenore looked up at him with bloodshot eyes.


    ¡°Jaray is the lynchpin to their entire operation,¡± Argrave walked around the room, feeling energized. ¡°I¡¯m going to ask her if she wants to help. And if she does¡­ I¡¯ll see if she can¡¯t recreate Jaray to be vulnerable. I know that bluster¡ªI¡¯ve employed it myself. Jaray is about to bring forth ast-ditch effort. I¡¯d like to cut him in two before he has the chance.¡±


    ¡°And what if that¡¯s what he wants you to do?¡± Elenore rose to her feet. ¡°What if that¡¯s <em>precisely </em>the move that he¡¯d hoped you¡¯d make? Sophia is safest here, in ckgard. After the silver knight came through, we¡¯ve redoubled the defenses¡ªeven an ancient god like Law couldn¡¯t break through the mountains. We shouldn¡¯t jeopardize that, ever!¡± She insisted.


    ¡°The alternative is waiting for him to keep heaping on disasters, calling in favors, until millions more died than already have,¡± Argrave pointed out calmly. ¡°After I talk to Sophia, call back everyone¡ª<em>everyone¡ª</em>that you¡¯ve been using as a strike force<em>. </em>They¡¯lle with me to confront Jaray.¡±


    ¡°You could be ying right into his hands.¡± Elenore walked around the table. ¡°There has to be another way. Send out Raven to probe him, or¡­ or Anneliese. Not Sophia. She¡¯s only weeks away from reaching ten! She¡¯s not ready for a battlefield.¡±


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the vition.


    ¡°Maybe sending Raven or Anneliese would work.¡± Argrave nodded, closing his eyes. ¡°Maybe. But I <em>know </em>this will work. And I know that Sophia would want to help the people, struggling out there even now.¡±


    ¡°Damn it all, Argrave¡­¡± Elenore put her hands to her head, clutching the roots of her hair. Finally, she looked up, gray eyes resolute. ¡°Hause¡¯s temple. She¡¯s there.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°She¡¯ll be fine. I¡¯ll be sure of that,¡± Argrave promised his sister. ¡°And if you¡¯ve doubts about my abilities, use those connections of yours to eliminate said doubts.¡±


    #####


    Argrave walked down the heavily-guarded corridor leading to Sophia¡¯s room, listening to Elenore all the while.


    ¡°I can have a lot of hardened hands at the battlefield,¡± Elenore said. ¡°But hardened things won¡¯t mean a damn thing against a trick. We don¡¯t know Jaray¡¯s ability. Reconsider. Please.¡±


    Hearing his sister¡¯s earnest plea, Argrave did waver¡­ but he knew that, despite the risks, this was worth doing. If Jaray could die, the threat of the Heralds would be ended forevermore. Sophia was the only surefire way he saw of eliminating the god of politics. Their sole advocate still on this would cease to be, and the only one remaining would be lurking in the Shadonds¡ªthat is, if the Hopeful wasn¡¯t shortly to make his appearance.


    Before Gerechtigkeit came, Jaray¡¯s poison <em>had</em> to be uprooted. Millions of people were at stake.


    ¡°Focus on thinking of ways to keep Sophia safe,¡± he told Elenore. ¡°This ends today. Not tomorrow, not a week from now.¡±


    With that, Argrave stood at the stone door leading to Sophia¡¯s room. He took a deep breath, gathering himself, then pushed it open. Sophia sat at her bed, and lifted her head up when he opened the door. Her eyes hardened, and she got off the bed. She wore in beige clothes well-suited for travelling¡ªclothes she¡¯d often worn when she¡¯d travelled the countryside healing the injured.


    ¡°I¡¯m ready,¡± Sophia said, staring up at him with resolute red eyes.


    ¡°What?¡± Argrave paused at the door.


    ¡°I heard what¡¯s happening,¡± Sophia said, walking forward. ¡°So I got dressed. My brother¡¯s here, isn¡¯t he? He¡¯s¡­ he¡¯s hurting people? He¡¯sing for me? I want to help.¡±


    ¡°Sophia¡­¡± Argrave walked to her bed, sitting down. ¡°It¡¯s not your brother. But¡­ yes, you¡¯re right. That is why I came. There¡¯s an awful person outside the city¡ªsomeone that I might not be able to beat back on my own.¡±


    Argrave lowered his head in shame, embarrassed to be putting this immense burden on a nine-year-old.


    ¡°I can do it,¡± Sophia said proudly. ¡°I can help.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that simple, Sophia.¡± He looked at her. ¡°It won¡¯t be without risk. If things go wrong¡­ if I make one too many mistakes¡­ you could be taken.¡± He stared into her red eyes. ¡°At worst¡­ it could be like it was before. Sandbara. Good King Norman. All of it, back the way it was.¡±


    Sophia looked down. ¡°Are people dying?¡±


    ¡°They are,¡± he admitted.


    ¡°Lots of people?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Argrave nodded.


    Sophia looked up at him. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m not scared of ces without windows anymore. So¡­ so even if I do go back¡­ I won¡¯t be scared. And you told me to treat others like I¡¯d want to be treated.¡±


    Argrave closed his eyes, nodding with bitter pride that choked his throat. Part of him wished that Sophia would express hesitance, any reluctance at all. If she did, he¡¯d leave in a heartbeat. But she didn¡¯t. He was equal parts proud and terrified.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Sophia. That so much has to be asked of you. That you can¡¯t have¡­¡± He looked at her. ¡°That you can¡¯t have what you deserve.¡±


    ¡°I have you,¡± she said quietly.


    ¡°That you do. And you always will, Sophia.¡± Argrave felt a tempest disturb his innards, and rose to his feet with a clear head. ¡°You know what? Forget what I said.¡± He knelt down and picked her up. ¡°Nothing¡¯s going to happen. You want to know why? Because me, your mother, your uncle¡ªall your family, and all our friends¡ªwe¡¯ll be there. And there¡¯s not a chance in hell that we¡¯re losing to some empty suit who¡¯s never been in a fight once in his life. I¡¯d never live that down.¡±


    He started walking down the hall, Sophia in his arms.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to beat the bad guys, and then you¡¯re going to brag about your dad to all the other kids,¡± Argrave continued. ¡°We¡¯ll all live happily ever after, fishing by ake, reading bedtime stories, whatever you can think of. I can promise you that much.¡±


    Sophia <em>could </em>have what she deserved. And Argrave intended to give it to her. He could protect his daughter.

 Chapter 689: Justice

    Elenore had never been more on edge than upon Argrave¡¯s deration that he would leave ckgard with Sophia in tow. Her number one concern was that he was falling for a maniption of some kind from the god of politics¡ªone that made him act against his best interests. But both Anneliese and Raven had seen the man, and imed that he possessed no such power. But perhaps he¡¯d manipted them, too.


    The only thing that gave herfort was the logical assertion that if he truly did possess such an absolute persuasive power, he wouldn¡¯t need to go to such lengths to draw them out. Jaray would¡¯ve won long ago.


    Still, she held nothing back, fully heeding Argrave¡¯s advice to plug every insufficiency she thought he had. Law was recalled to where Jaray waited patiently, and he¡¯d created a great Domain of Law to prepare for whatever wasing. After having in Rook¡ªhimself a formidable god, and the inheritor of the bulk of Erlebnis¡¯ spirits¡ªLaw was undoubtedly the most powerful deity in the world. His powers, consequently, amplified the strength of their allies to a ridiculous degree. Adding on to that, the allies themselves were ridiculously powerful already.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Raven. Anneliese. Durran. All three on their own were forces powerful enough to rival absurd gods like Almazora or Fellhorn¡ªand they¡¯d proven that point. Anneliese hadpletely destroyed the goddess of magic, taking in all her spirits as her own, and Durran had beaten Fellhorn back not once, but <em>twice, </em>finallynding the killing blow as he attempted to retreat from the mountains above Parbon. She was proud of the man she¡¯d married, but wished he¡¯d be more careful.


    More than that, other strikers they¡¯d been employing elsewhere had been freed up. Onychinusa had returned from the Bloodwoods, bringing along with her many of its potent spellcasters. Raen, god of space, had wavered upon news of Rook¡¯s betrayal, but ultimately stuck at their side. Stout Heart Swan, goddess of hunting and Durran¡¯s patron, hade along as well. Given the number of betrayals, Elenore was cautious about them, employing them on periphery tasks that¡¯d never give them the opportunity to interfere with Sophia.


    The situation elsewhere wasn¡¯t entirely resolved. Battles in many ces were fading, their fighting resulting in aplete victory. However, the goddess of earth that Jaray had contacted hadn¡¯te to assist him in theing fight¡ªinstead, she¡¯d turned her rage against the Great Chu. In the resulting mayhem that urred as the ground itself split before her awful power, Elenore lost contact with several people that she¡¯d been connected to there. The only ones that persisted in giving reports were Gmon and Orion, who constantly told her only one thing; the enemies keeping, and they keep killing them. The two champions were remarkably consistent in that regard.


    If the situation were different, Elenore might send more bodies to resolve the problems in the Great Chu¡­ but right now, Sophia demanded the most urgent attention. Argrave carried her in his arms, having teleported a good distance only to walk the remainder as everyone else surveyed the scene to make sure that nothing was out of sorts. In the brief time that she had to prepare, Elenore felt she had asplete a grasp of the situation that she ever had.


    Elenore expected a few things¡ªthe first, for Jaray to open a rift to the Shadonds. It certainly wasn¡¯t unfeasible. Lorena hadn¡¯t detected any moves he¡¯d made toward that end, but if the Hopeful was also waiting, this would certainly be his time to enter. The second was interference from other gods, who¡¯de in at thest second. Perhaps Jaray was lying about possessing no ability to fight back, or perhaps he had a means tomunicate that was beyond Lorena¡¯s scrutiny. Either seemed possible, almost likely. Jaray was an entirely unknown variable.


    The third¡ªand frankly, this was the thing that she most wished to be true¡ªwas that Jaray had pulled out yet another case of misdirection, and intended to attack somewhere else entirely. Perhaps Elenore herself was the target. If that was the case, ckgard remained<em></em>a fortress without peer. They had harvested the vast bulk of the magic buried into the ck stone to create potent defenses that Law, even in his present state, couldn¡¯t break past. They¡¯d emted the defensive capabilities of the Pce of Heaven¡¯s walls, and the sky was protected by an array of shamanic magic warding divinity. Furthermore, they¡¯d reverse-engineered the wards on the gship of the Great Chu to have a constant ward on hand to protect from any sort of bombardment.Their preparations were excessive. Still, Jaray alone had imed many more lives than all before him. Cities had fallen, prominent figures were either in or had sacrificed themselves, and the god of politics himself boasted some strange manner of invulnerability in the face of all that. If anyone were going to surprise them, it would be him.


    Elenore waited for news with bated breath.


    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    #####


    ¡°Is that him?¡± asked Sophia as Argrave carefully walked across the war-torn fields.


    ¡°Yeah. Jaray,¡± Argrave answered, not rxing his vignce for a moment. ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    ¡°He killed all these people?¡± She asked¡ªsomething a nine-year-old shouldn¡¯t see, let alonement on.


    ¡°Not himself,¡± Argrave answered back, ncing at a few of the margrave¡¯s men scattered about the field as he walked. ¡°But he¡¯s responsible for all of it. He convinced people to do it. That¡¯s his thing, you see. He can¡¯t hurt anyone himself, but he also can¡¯t be hurt by anyone. So he shares secrets, gives other people reasons, and preys on people¡¯s insecurities and vanities until they end up fighting for the wrong causes.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what some of that meant,¡± Sophia confessed. ¡°But¡­ I think¡­ I think I know what you mean. There were people that never hit me, but they told the people that would hit me the bad things I¡¯d done when they weren¡¯t around. They told them all the mistakes I¡¯d made. And Norman would¡ª"


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s over now.¡± Argrave held her a little tighter. ¡°Come on.¡±


    Argrave was soon joined by Anneliese, who gave some words offort to Sophia before joining their solemn walk to condemn Jaray. It felt as though they were walking to an execution¡ªonly, the headsman¡¯s axe was a child. It was a barbaric disy, but this was what the cycle of judgment had made out of them. Animals, employing every necessity.


    In time, a great many of the people Argrave trusted most parted ways for his advance. All made way for the king, queen, and their daughter. Jaray sat there, as calm andposed as ever, as he smoked upon his pipe.


    ¡°You¡¯re back,¡± he greeted. ¡°Hello, Sophia.¡± He looked at Argrave squarely. ¡°I¡¯d almost believe she¡¯s your daughter. There is some resemnce, but the eyes tell the truth of the matter.¡±


    ¡°Be quiet,¡± Sophia said loudly¡ªthe harshest words she could muster. ¡°You made people die. I need to stop that.¡±


    ¡°They died seeking you. Coming after you. Who can say the me¡ª" Jaray began.


    ¡°She isn¡¯t to me for the choices that you made,¡± Anneliese fired back, anger on her tone. ¡°You¡¯re the cause of all this.¡±


    ¡°I give people what they want,¡± Jaray said. ¡°I¡ª¡±


    ¡°Sophia, if you can, I want you to remake him into an ordinary person,¡± Argrave said to her, interrupting him once more. ¡°And then¡­ we¡¯ll go home.¡±


    ¡°You will go home,¡± Jaray cut in, rising to his feet finally. Everyone around braced, prepared to fight back against something. ¡°And you¡¯re also right on your other point¡ªI will be remade, even if I fall here today. Death is a temporary measure in the face of the power of creation. I¡¯ll keep living because I deal with everyone, Argrave. I would¡¯ve dealt fairly with you if only you¡¯d listened, but you removed one party from the negotiation table and refused to negotiate yourself. The natural course, then, is to consult the only other still left.¡±


    ¡°The Shadonders, yes. Dead gods that eat everything in sight.¡±


    ¡°I was up there, not far from the suns with you,¡± Jaray continued, pointing his pipe. ¡°I couldn¡¯t speak with them. But there was another, wasn¡¯t¡ª¡±


    As Argrave watched, Jaray¡¯s flesh began to morph and twist. At first Argrave feared some assault of some kind, and shielded Sophia with his body. Then, however, Sophia clutched his coat, burying her head.


    ¡°I did it,¡± she said. ¡°He¡¯s¡­ he¡¯s like everyone else, now.¡±


    Raven mmed his staff down mightily, and in the following gruesome explosion, was d he¡¯d shielded Sophia. Her eyes were spared the sight of someone being shattered. She flinched and clutched him tighter, but Argrave sorely hoped she¡¯d seen nothing. Argrave stared at Jaray¡¯s pipe¡ªshattered in two, while he was in several more pieces than that. Was this some trick? Was he like Sataistador¡ªwas that merely one of his many bodies?


    ¡°Argrave¡­¡± Anneliese grabbed his shoulder, and when he looked at her, her eyes were trembling. ¡°Before you conversed with the suns¡­¡±


    His mind followed the track hers did, revisiting that monumental encounter he¡¯d had moments before speaking to the Heralds and Jaray in tandem. Momentster, revisiting it became entirely unnecessary.


    Argrave felt a <em>presence </em>behind him, and so did everyone else¡ªthey whipped their heads north, where he at once saw a familiar scene. It existed north of the city of Elbraille, above the towers of Jast, just barely visible beyond the horizon¡­ a crack in the world, right in the ce that Argrave had seen it half a thousand times in Heroes of Berendar. He didn¡¯t need to tell hispanions what it was, because he¡¯d told them enough for all to understand what was happening.


    The world was opening, and the cmity was here.

 Chapter 690: Rotten Womb of Diablerie

    Argrave began to piece together his foe¡¯s ns all at once only after he saw the fruit of hisbor. Jaray hadn¡¯t been betting on being able to rely on the Shadonders or any deities of the world. From the beginning, he hadn¡¯t even intended to live their encounter if Argrave had indeed brought Sophia. He¡¯d predicted his own death¡ªand presumably, part of his deal with Gerechtigkeit was being resurrected by the power of Sophia¡¯s creation. He went to his grave with total confidence he would soon crawl out of it, reborn¡­ and even if Argrave proved otherwise, the god of politics wouldn¡¯t exactly be around to despair at that fact.


    Argrave had to admit that Jaray¡¯s gambit had worked.


    ¡°Is this it?¡± Anneliese asked Argrave as all others around stared in frightful awe. ¡°Is it happening?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Argrave answered her, his words strangely calm as he set Sophia down on the ground. ¡°It¡¯s happening. Gerechtigkeit is here.¡±


    The sky had an ever-widening ck gash across its surface. It transcended everything, taking precedence before any other form of existence. Even if one were on the opposite side of the, they¡¯d be able to see this wound as clear as day. It bypassed walls, floors, and any state of being to imprint itself on every living being¡¯s sight. Even the blind could see it. The other senses were not spared this omnipresence.


    Argrave could smell rot creeping into his nose, like they¡¯d breached into a well of bloated corpses. He could barely hear guttural howls growing louder by the second, threatening to drown out the sound of the wind. He could faintly taste a tangy salt in his mouth, like he¡¯d bitten his tongue and now tasted his own blood. And above all, there was a dreadful presence. It was like the feeling moments before a blownded, or the instances before hitting the ground after jumping from a high ce.


    Argrave felt dread encapsted. Just as his lungs drew in air, or his heart beat¡­ instinctually, Argrave¡¯s entire being feared what emerged from that wound.


    Gerechtigkeit¡ªof yet in embryonic form¡ªpoured down like ck mud from the wound in the sky. Yellow eyes, glistening like beads of oil, danced on the surface of this ugly liquid. They scouted millions of victims for theiring onught. Each eye was a mind unto itself, though each with the purpose of serving Gerechtigkeit. They were both his servants and himself all at once. Before he fully manifested on this ne, those eyes would be his army. They were formless golems made of spite and destruction. Argrave had never before seen them so numerous, nor sorge, at the very beginning of things. That ck liquid would, in time, coalesce into the cosmic horror that was Gerechtigkeit¡­ but even like this, its power couldn¡¯t be underestimated.


    ¡°He¡¯s here before his time,¡± Raven said, stepping ahead of Argrave. His flesh wavered in between his human form and that of the Alchemist. Even his ancient mind seemed stunned, wavering with indecision. ¡°We¡¯re unprepared.¡±¡°Argrave, what the hell is this?!¡± Durran demanded, grasping his shoulder. ¡°Do you know what¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°No, but I can guess,¡± he answered. He pictured himself forcefully grabbing his heart, and the mental image alone was enough to calm its fric beating. ¡°Jaray and Gerechtigkeit had some kind of shady backroom deal. How it worked, what it was¡ªdoesn¡¯t seem to matter, now. But Gerechtigkeit is here weeks early. Sophia is outside of ckgard. Meaning¡­ they¡¯ll being for us. Hard.¡±


    ¡°¡­I told you not to do this,¡± came Elenore¡¯s voice, barely a whisper in his mind.


    ¡°It¡¯s already done. Sophia is still safe,¡± he responded to her. ¡°All the gods will¡¯ve seen what¡¯s happened. I need you to do what you can to convince them to switch sides. Use Ail, that god of couriers you mentioned might defect. Use every connection you have. The final test hase early.¡±


    ¡°I will,¡± she answered simply, as though nothing were amiss.


    ¡°You need to return immediately,¡± Durran continued, oblivious to Argrave¡¯s conversation. ¡°Teleport back, or¡ª¡±


    ¡°Teleportation won¡¯t work,¡± Onychinusa interrupted, joining the conversation with a serious, no-nonsense tenor that was rather unlike her. ¡°Gerechtigkeit can intercept any shamanic magic¡ªhe isn¡¯t limited, like deities. Attempting to go to ckgard would only result in an immediate engagement with the heart of all his forces.¡±


    Argrave perked his head up when she said that, but his brother-inw spoke before he could.


    ¡°I could take Sophia,¡± Durran suggested. ¡°Or we could use Raen. Or even that lunar dragon, what with her incredible speed¡ª<em>anything</em> to get Sophia to safety, to head back to ckgard.¡±


    ¡°All of those options are simply too risky,¡± Anneliese dismissed one-sidedly. ¡°ckgard is safest, yes, but they¡¯ll know that. Every single being at Gerechtigkeit¡¯s disposal will being out, all at once, in far grander disys of force that what we¡¯ve experienced today. We can¡¯t afford to overextend. We can¡¯t afford <em>any </em>mistake.¡±


    Silence fell over everyone as the dread terror continued to flow into this world. Argrave could practically feel the noose tightening around their necks, but going from one neck-and-neck battle into the final fight was so terrifying that they were all at a loss.


    ¡°Argrave¡­ I¡­ I can¡¯t keep my head¡­¡± Sophia said, her quiet voice barely breaking the silence.


    If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the vition.


    Argrave finally broke his gaze away from that deluge of ck, muddy liquid, pulsing with eyes as he looked down at Sophia. ¡°Hey, hey¡­!¡± He knelt just in time to catch her as she lurched forward. ¡°Sophia? Sophia, what are you feeling?!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m tired¡­¡± she continued.


    ¡°Her power of creation is being forcibly triggered,¡± Raven exined as he watched. ¡°It¡¯s exhausting her.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Anneliese said, as much an exmation of disbelief as a question. As her mind worked, the disbelief faded. ¡°That exins a lot, actually. Jaray was the catalyst for all of this. Gerechtigkeit must¡¯ve done something to his body. Trapped him, in essence. When she remade him¡­¡±


    Argrave swore internally. If Sophia was reduced to this¡­ it made things much more difficult for them. But even as this new problem emerged, he recognized the need for fast action. ¡°Damn it all. Anneliese, I need you to take Sophia,¡± he instructed her. ¡°I need you to keep her safe.¡± He handed the young girl off to his queen, then looked back toward theing mayhem. ¡°More than that¡ªI need you to rally the world. I need you to finish dealing with what pockets of forces Jaray established alongside Elenore, and I need you to bring the whole of our forces to bear for a counteroffensive.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°And what do you intend to do?¡± She questioned, fear on her tone.


    ¡°Stem the tide,¡± Argrave answered. ¡°Staunch the bleeding with blood of my own. So long as you¡¯re out here, I can¡¯t fall. I¡¯d be a fool not to take advantage.¡±


    ¡°You already are a fool,¡± Anneliese blurted out with worry and conviction. She knew better than anyone that now wasn¡¯t the time to dither. ¡°But I love you.¡±


    ¡°I love you too, Anneliese.¡± With onest brush of his wife¡¯s hair, he attempted to teleport using one of his blood echoes still in ckgard.


    The very next moment, Argrave found himself in freefall miles into the sky. A ck winged monstrosity made of the foul substanceing from the world¡¯s wound grasped his face as if it had caught him out of the air. It resembled a gargoyle, and though its body lookedposed of ck mud, its head was supnted by a giant almond-shaped eye glistening like golden ss.


    It had intercepted him mid-teleport.


    They plummeted downward, and Argrave felt the urge to vomit as he felt that ck liquid the creature was made of trying to enter his mouth as if it were alive<em>¡ª</em>alive, and <em>starved. </em>It burned to the touch like fire. He twisted his body and wildly cast blood magic into its body, extricating himself of the abomination.<em></em>It exploded away, yet left its hand wrapped around his face. He tried to wipe the living sludge off before simply conjuring blood-imbued fire to burn it, and some of his skin, away. Only then did he cast [Absolute Movement], gaining the power of flight.


    Just as Onychinusa had said, Argrave wasn¡¯t far from the wound in the world. The ck gash still constantly poured more of Gerechtigkeit¡¯s embryonic tissue. This close to it, those terrifying feelings that overwhelmed the senses pervaded his mind. He¡¯d only heard it described in Heroes of Berendar and experienced it loosely through the memories of the Gilderwatchers and Erlebnis. Neither could adequately convey the true sense of dread Gerechtigkeit invoked.


    As thousands of embryonic golems broke free of the pir of sludge, a barely-perceptible me raged all around. It looked like nothing more than gas in the air¡ªa vague shimmering. Already, though, it had marked the vast green ins outside Jast. Everywhere that it touched rotted, bing naught more than another part of theing wave of sludge. It promised to eat everything, like a tide of aciding to sweep civilization away. It had already marked the closest city of Jast, leaving scars of decay. Argrave could hear the people in the city scream in agony as their guts turned to liquid inside their body. Its great towers had already begun to crumble.


    Already, this cmity¡¯s power was amplified infinitely beyond what Argrave remembered.


    Without hesitation, Argrave forced himself deeper toward its heart. The dread crept up his body like water swallowing him as he went deeper into a pool. Swarms of those terrible eye-golems came at him from above and below¡ªflying, stretching, falling¡­ he didn¡¯t pay any attention to their attack, getting to the heart of this foul formation.


    Then, with both of his hands, with all of the blood echoes stored inside his body, even with the eyes bestowed unto him by Garm so long ago¡­ Argrave called upon the most potent blood magic he could.


    #####


    Not even half a minute after Argrave had left them, Anneliese bore witness to one of the most impressive disys of power she had ever seen.


    Like a red star brought to the, a gigantic pulsing <em>mass </em>of blood magic fought against Gerechtigkeit¡¯s encroachment onto this realm. At first, it appeared like nothing more than a dark red ruby amidst the tide of misery. Soon enough, it began to twist and wind around the pir of the cmity¡¯s embryonic tissue until it became a maroon serpent in the sky, feasting upon the bounty offered by the wound in the world.


    The resulting rush of vitality was harsher adrenaline than anything Anneliese had ever experienced before. Even the Shadonds had been nothingpared to the scope of power that flowed from Argrave to her¡ªbut just as she received it, so too did she return it to him, understanding well the desperate struggle he engaged in at the heart of the wound in the world.


    Anneliese turned, walking backward to address all assembled. ¡°Everyone!¡± she shouted, her tone firm and decisive. They were unprepared¡­ but that did not mean that they were unready. She needed to remind them of that. ¡°All of us have spent the past eternity preparing for this event. We all knew this day woulde, and never once did we expect it to be on our terms. Nothing has changed!


    ¡°Right now, the cmity is nothing more than mindless sludge, ungracefully pouring into this world where he does not belong. We, however, can waste no time in doing what needs to be done. In minutes at worst, hours at best<em>, </em>the cmity will be upon this world in earnest. Argrave bleeds and dies for us. He experiences more pain every passing moment than most will in a lifetime. Let us return to him the same fervor in preparing to fight for our world!¡±


    The assembled party wasn¡¯trge enough to respond with a thunderous cheer, but Anneliese felt certain the impact was the same. All, from Law to Raven, were reminded of the importance of their task. Argrave would stem the tide as best he could. It was up to Anneliese, then, to rally their forces for the counteroffensive.


    If she could not match Argrave¡¯s efforts¡­ all would be lost.

 Chapter 691: Buying Time With Blood

    Lorena had be the diligent watchdog of the world, and she relished that task. To employ the omniscience the Heralds had so abused in her time toward thwarting them; no revenge could be sweeter, no role more satisfying. The fight had been a little dodgy at first, but the arrival of unexpected allies had turned the tide and she¡¯d been pleased to see Jaray¡¯s efforts unravel.


    Lorena had neglected to consider, however, that the god of politics would y <em>all </em>sides.


    The lull in the fighting had been but a prelude to an unimaginable resurgence. They¡¯d thought that, when the tide retreated, it signified the end of the turbulent waves. But however far the tide retreats, ites back twice as strong. That metaphor held true here as all of their opposition converged at one point: Berendar.


    Argrave had in scores of undead in preparation for this day, but for every one he''d given a true death was another that now walked up out of the sea. Rotten leviathans rose from the ocean, led by golden knights akin to Lindon¡¯s silver knighted form. Marching alongside them were the few automatons that they''d failed to disable from distant continents. Giants of dead flesh, processed metal, and broken will mmed against their battered defenses, and already some coastal cities began to falter.


    And all of this neglected to include the presence of Gerechtigkeit. Even with Argrave¡¯s desperate struggle against the tide, the city of Jast had already been entirely lost. The golems hunted down evacuating inhabitants like boars herded by hunters. Even S-rank spellcasters couldn¡¯t hold their own against these creatures for long. This embryotic tissue was but a prelude to the true power Gerechtigkeit could exert¡ªthe power to end the world.


    She reported all she could to Elenore, trying to lose herself in the monotony of the task to distract herself from the hopelessness of the situation. They¡¯d been caught off-bnce, and though Anneliese was intelligent and resourceful, Lorena had doubts about her ability to rally a force capable of fighting back against the cmity that hade weeks early.


    ¡°Mother!¡±


    Lorena broke her connection with the moon beneath her body and opened her eyes to see her daughter standing before her in humanoid form. She had designed her form in the likeness of Anneliese¡ªthey were very simr, barring her draconic markers and red hair. Her daughter kept a very close eye on the happenings of the surface, watching through their connection to the moon. All of the dragons did, these days. How could they not?


    ¡°Return,¡± Lorena responded, speaking in the draconic tongue. She maintained her ordinary form. ¡°I cannot be distracted for even a moment.¡±¡°I won¡¯t,¡± her daughter answered, staring up at her towering dragon form without flinching. ¡°I¡¯ve spoken to all of the others. Six hundred of us are prepared to depart to the surface.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Lorena mmed her tail against the ground of the temple she rested within. ¡°You¡¯d die! All of you would.¡±


    ¡°As do millions as we do nothing!¡± Her daughter protested passionately. ¡°You¡¯ve taken a stand, mother. Sophia is down there¡ªwe can be fixed. We can be adapted to the world we came from and walk upon it freely once again.¡±


    Lorena¡¯s nostrils red, and fire and smoke billowed around her snout. She¡¯d kept a diligent eye on the world, and in so doing, lost track of what took ce within her own home. The idea of losing her daughter frightened her beyondpare.


    ¡°Even if it came to be that we were permitted to exist on the surface once more, none of you have seen battle. I would not have you fight against the most potent enemy in the world as your first conflict.¡± Lorena mmed one mighty arm against the ground and rose imposingly. ¡°I will not allow it.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going,¡± her daughter said defiantly, matching her mother¡¯s fire with a me of her own. ¡°And you can¡¯t stop us. Whether we should die while making the journey, or be saved by Sophia upon our arrival¡­ that is solely up to you. You can be our leader, or you can be my mother. We can all see which is needed most at present. Myself most of all.¡±


    Lorena¡¯s ws dug into the floor of the temple until the rock beneath her turned to dust, and fires of anger rose from her nostrils as she watched her daughter¡­ until, begrudgingly, her body loosened.


    ¡°You are na?ve and frustrating.¡± Lorena let out a smoky sigh. ¡°But I will inform them of youring, and when the timees¡­ lead at the helm.¡±


    ¡°And will you introduce me to father?¡± She smiled happily, like she¡¯d been given a gift from her parent rather than approval to go off to war. ¡°Don¡¯t worry¡ªI¡¯ll keep up the secret!¡±


    ¡°Be serious, girl!¡± Lorena mmed her tail again. ¡°And leave me. I must keep watch.¡±


    #####


    ¡°The lunar dragons?¡± Anneliese exhaled in awe, but continued to speak to Elenore in her head. ¡°That¡¯s a blessing. But Sophia is unprepared to adapt them to this world. Raven says the toll using her power is taking on her should fade, but¡­ I¡¯ll be ready for any urrence.¡±


    Anneliese ended the mentalmunication. Elenore was ablymunicating using Ail, god of couriers. Despite the internecine warfare breeding enmity among the remaining deities that¡¯d taken Jaray¡¯s side, the Bat remained an ever-persuasive figure. They won more and more allies by the second to fight against the rampaging hordes Gerechtigkeit invoked. These allies of convenience still found death at Argrave¡¯s hand unideal, but if Gerechtigkeit won <em>the world</em> ended. The cmity¡¯s defeat took precedence, and Elenore could convince most of the traitorous bastards of that.


    Anneliese¡¯s role was to be leadership, but until the time came for her to actually lead them into battle, she focused on acquiring more¡­ <em>unorthodox¡­ </em>forces.


    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the vition.


    Anneliese focused back on the Manumitter, who wore the shell of Good King Norman fashioned from Shadonder flesh. That form had once been host to the horrifying mind of Traugott, but now he¡¯d taken the name of Guy and wore a tremendous amount of brown coverings to hide his Shadonder-esque body. He now supported their cause full-heartedly¡ªand of yet, there had been no variation to that.


    Still, trust wasn¡¯t enough with the world in the bnce. Raven had nted a mark on him of the same kind on Durran. With a thought, Raven could obliterate the man who¡¯d once been Traugott¡ªa harsh measure, but one that ensuredpliance. They could brook no disobedience. Mercy coulde when the world was improved enough to permit it. Guy was ignorant of this mark, but even despite that, he¡¯d been extremely helpful. He was shaping up to be an infinitely more moral person than Traugott had been. So long as he remained so¡­ they would have no problem.


    ¡°She¡¯s on the other side,¡± Guy informed her. ¡°When I open it, she¡¯ll walk through.¡±


    ¡°No time to hesitate,¡± Anneliese dered, getting a safe distance away. Sophia stirred in her grip, writhing from an intense headache and fatigue both. ¡°Breach the Shadonds. Let¡¯s see if the seed we¡¯ve sown bore fruit.¡±


    Guy sliced his hand down through the air, and from it, a portal took shape. A few moments after, like stepping out of parchment into a third dimension, the white-haired revolutionary woman that they¡¯d fought in the Shadonds walked out. At once, the air seemed to shift. Her hunger began to eat away at all sensations in this world¡ªa proper signal that the Shadonders still didn¡¯t belong here on this realm.


    ¡°No time for courtesies,¡± Anneliese said firmly. ¡°We have reason to believe¡ª¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± interrupted the woman. ¡°We¡¯ll fight the Hopeful here, should he arrive, and Gerechtigkeit after that.¡± She bowed her head. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Anneliese.¡±


    Anneliese shifted on her feet uneasily¡ªshe was almost unnerved by how readily she agreed, and her suspicion red. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Those people you left behind,¡± the woman continued. ¡°They guided us ably. We earned victory after victory against the Hopeful, erging our ranks. When the time came, and they found themselves withering away¡­ we offered to inherit their memories, consuming those legendary heroes with our hunger.¡± She raised a hand. ¡°About half of them agreed. I¡¯m the product of their sacrifice¡­ and the heir to their memories. I will fight for thend that was theirs, and for the people that are mine.¡± Her eyes wandered to Sophia, who was protected by some of the most powerful people in the world. ¡°And I know that girl may well be the key to eliminating our hunger.¡±


    Anneliese grew protective at once¡ªshe was ufortable at the Shadonders, of all people, knowing the value Sophia held. In the Shadonds, the Hopeful had eaten one of Argrave¡¯s memories¡ªnow, it seemed this woman had done the same for the heroes of old they¡¯d left behind. It sounded like good news, yet in Anneliese¡¯s experience, things seldom went as she hoped. Could this time be believed? Had they done a good deed that would simply be repaid?


    ¡°We¡¯ll maintain our strength for the final push,¡± the revolutionary continued. ¡°The Hopeful will be doing the same thing. He is the singlest agent for the Heralds in the world¡ªhe¡¯ll attempt to appear at the most opportune time, snatching victory from the jaws of defeat.¡±


    ¡°Yet you¡¯re needed now,¡± Anneliese argued. ¡°Our cities are dying. Jast has already fallen, and Mateth is being pushed to the breaking point. Even ckgard is under assault.¡±


    ¡°I made that assessment having inherited a dozen of the best strategic minds of your world,¡± the woman said, maintaining her calm demeanor that was rather unlike the brash, berserker tendency she¡¯d exhibited thest time they¡¯d met¡ªevidence that she¡¯d changed, or that she was lying. ¡°The Hopeful will attackter. We will be prepared. Only after we win would we would ask that Sophia be employed toward curing our hunger.¡±


    Anneliese looked back at Argrave, fighting even now in the heart of the cmity. She didn¡¯t need to ask him to know what Argrave would do.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be relying on you.¡± Anneliese turned back. ¡°Guy wille with you. He¡¯s connected with Elenore, and can keep open lines ofmunication.¡±


    Guy nodded determinedly¡ªhe knew his role, and epted it proudly. She could detect no deception.


    ¡°That¡¯s very trusting,¡± the woman answered. ¡°And very helpful. If we can breach the Shadonds wherever we please, we¡¯ll be better able to respond to the Hopeful. I appreciate it. When we¡¯ve earned victory, we¡¯ll be relying on Sophia. That hope will spur us forward.¡±


    Anneliese gave a nod, choosing not to mention the mark Raven had given Guy. The revolutionary said no more, fading back into the portal of Guy¡¯s creation. He soon followed after her¡ªand like that, the opening to the Shadonds shut.


    ¡°We¡¯ve done as much we could,¡± Elenore said, evidently watching this meeting. ¡°I can¡¯t honestly say whether or not we can rely on them, but if we can¡­ it¡¯ll be tremendous. Raen has repaired his portal south of the Tower of the Gray Owl¡ªwell, thend where the tower used to be, before it fell. Gods are flooding in to southern Vasquer¡ªthey¡¯ll being as reinforcements soon enough.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll receive them,¡± Anneliese answered. ¡°Anything else?¡±


    ¡°Mundi has be unlivable,¡± Elenore disclosed. ¡°The dwarves are evacuating it, with help from Dario and Mnie. Everywhere else is in simrly dire straits, but ckgard is¡­ it¡¯s holding. The improvements we made to the defenses are doing wonders, but I fear what happens when Gerechtigkeit coalesces.¡±


    Anneliese looked north, watching Argrave¡¯s tremendous fight at the heart of the conflict. The deluge of misery he faced had only grown while she¡¯d rallied what forces she could. The wound had widened, and the sludge-like embryotic tissue had waxed while Argrave¡¯s struggle against it remained the same size. His brilliant ruby of resistance seemed buried by the haze of what was toe.


    ¡°And Hause?¡± Anneliese questioned.


    ¡°She¡¯s ready,¡± said Elenore. ¡°She¡¯ll bring forth our potential. Provided you and Argrave can make it, she¡¯ll help us. But the outside of ckgard¡­ those cmitous golems are everywhere. Without the recreation of the defenses of the Pce of Heaven, I¡¯d probably be dead right alongside this whole city. None of us can leave, and I¡¯m not certain it¡¯s worth the risk to try and tempt that. We don¡¯t even know what Hause could do for us.¡±


    ¡°Nor does Gerechtigkeit,¡± Anneliese pointed out. ¡°I understand your point. But having seen Raven, Mina, or Vasilisa, and how they¡¯ve changed¡­. my instinct tells me that Hause¡¯s power may win us the day.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°I trust you,¡± Elenore said simply. ¡°The only who could say they trust you more than me is the man you¡¯re staring at, now.¡±


    Anneliese watched Argrave, running through all he¡¯d told her to prepare her for this day¡ªthe countless things he knew about Gerechtigkeit, the location the battle was to take ce, or the servants he¡¯d call upon to win this feet. Argrave had always intended for her to lead their forces against Gerechtigkeit, when this day came.


    For their sake, Anneliese wouldn¡¯t disappoint him.

 Chapter 692: Blood Feud

    At some point, Argrave stopped thinking about what was happening and what he was doing to stop it. It was as though he retreated within himself, going from an actor in a movie to someone watching it. He saw the spells being cast, saw his body rot away again and again to fight against this corruption encroaching upon the world, but he couldn¡¯t say that he was the one doing it.


    That was the only way he managed to stay sane.


    It was impossible to distinguish between the wounds he caused himself and the wounds Gerechtigkeit imparted. They were one in the same, fundamentally¡ªpain brought about because of an enemy. But as he all but showered in the embryotic tissue of the cmity of judgment, he began to see strange things¡ªimpossible things. It was as though time itself warped, bringing him back to eras of the past where the battle still raged.


    Argrave saw great scores of enemies standing up against Gerechtigkeit. He saw Vasquer and Felipe I in their ranks, saw gods like Erlebnis and Law. He saw them rage, fight, and struggle against the cmity. He saw Gerechtigkeit¡¯s hand, too, weaving things in the background. Manipting. Corrupting. Exposing. Controlling.


    The time-warped hallucinations came without an end in fragmented shes of hardship and terror. He saw, for the first time, the perspective of the other side of this cmity of judgment. Ining so close to this embryotic tissue, he was exposed to the fundaments of Gerechtigkeit, who¡¯d been born out of the child that¡¯d once been Griffin. It wasn¡¯t some curated propaganda piece, either¡ªit was the true essence, showing the utter depths that Gerechtigkeit had been willing to sink to for the vaguest chance of victory.


    Argrave saw that he¡¯d attempted to create an infected lineage that permeated throughout the beast races, securing their loyalty in the next cycle¡ªand in so doing, engineered their genocide. He¡¯d yed subtle roles in countless revolutions, ensuring that they never ended as ideally as those who¡¯d began them intended. Argrave saw over a thousand revolutionary advances in magic and science utterly squashed in a deliberate effort to keep people ignorant. His watchful eye was a constant headwind against all progress in the world.


    Argrave had always known that Gerechtigkeit¡¯s influence wasn¡¯t limited to the brief period that came once every one thousand years, yet he¡¯d never pictured <em>how </em>extensive his oversight was.


    He¡¯d create great empires in one stroke, and have them cannibalize each other in the next. He used the lessons of one hundred thousand years to goad people into repeating cycles that he¡¯d mastered. Jaray had been skillful, but Gerechtigkeit had <em>mastered </em>this. The gods were his only foil, the only countering force that brought forth their own power and experience sufficient to banish him every time. The gods were isted, yes¡ªbut they were safe, and not at all inferior to him in terms of power. They bnced the cycle, ending it every time.


    There had only been two exceptions to that rule: Argrave himself, and Lorena.It was only when mortal power grew to something surpassing the gods that the cycle veered from its traditional route, enacting true change. Argrave knew the fate of Lorena¡¯s struggle against the Heralds, yet now he saw shes of it from Gerechtigkeit¡¯s perspective. He saw unintelligible requests toward the Heralds, each about Sophia¡­ and each rejected. In the end he¡¯d avoided death only by conceding to the Heralds, epting their aid in the face of Lorena¡¯s onught. And, strangely¡­ Argrave felt a great deal of regret in that decision.


    Argrave continued to flow through battle after battle, and as he went backward Gerechtigkeit lost some of the experience, some of the ruthlessness, some of the low cunning that he¡¯d possessed inter cycles. Some were brief, bitter defeats, while some were protracted campaigns spanning near a decade. Argrave found it all impossibly foreign. He hoped to find something at the center of all of this¡ªsomething that could tell him what, precisely, had turned this man from the child called Griffin into the abomination that was Gerechtigkeit, if there was anything at all. He wanted to see how Sophia¡¯s brother had be a monster.


    He saw the first few cycles¡ªdying at Sataistador¡¯s hands more than once. Eagerness flooded him as Argrave thought he might be exposed to the beginning, might be exposed to the very day that the Heralds had taken Griffin from Good King Norman and subjected him to this.


    Argrave had hope, until he realized he stared at an empty sky and a wound in the world.


    It wasn¡¯t an esction of the pain that brought Argrave back to himself¡ªrather, it was the sudden absence of it. The wound in the world had ceased to bleed. Like a raw injury exposed to salt and alcohol, the suddenck of the sensation of pain was so overwhelming Argrave felt his body might fold inward, his head might copse.


    That would imply, of course, that he wasn¡¯t broken already. And he couldn¡¯t say for sure.


    The golems still came, and Argrave¡¯s body moved without any of his input to deliver devastatingly powerful blood magic. Anything that touched him, came <em>near </em>him, met a gruesome end. He could logically understand that he was acting like a rabid animal, but it felt beyond his control. Enemies kepting, and he kept killing them. Whatever form they took¡ªgargoyles, birds, reptilian creatures, or even human¡­


    ¡°Argrave. Argrave!¡± one of the enemies that¡¯d touched him shouted¡ªit¡¯d lost an arm from a st of red lightning, and now stood far away from him. ¡°We need to go. We need to get out of here. Everyone is waiting for you!¡±


    Argrave waited for it toe closer, hands twitching with anticipation. This one wasrge and powerful¡ªhe¡¯d need to respond in kind.


    ¡°Anneliese is waiting for you,¡± it said, and something inside Argrave twitched.


    He recognized the figure for who it truly was¡ªRaven.


    ¡°Are you going to attack me again?¡± Raven questioned,ing closer with sufficient caution. Argrave couldn¡¯t say anything in response¡ªit was like he¡¯d forgotten what words were. ¡°You¡¯ve done well, but it¡¯s over. You can¡¯t do any more. We need to get you out of here.¡±


    Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred tform. Support original creators!


    Eventually, Raven fully bridged the gap. He grabbed Argrave¡ªand though he thrashed instinctually, there was enough reason within to refrain from hurting someone he knew was only trying to help.


    ¡°Your body morphed your mind to cope with what was happening without shattering your ego.¡± Raven picked up him, then looked off to the distance. There, enough golems to hide the sun were approaching them. ¡°If you can, I¡¯d like you to direct whatever¡¯s in your head toward getting us out of here.¡±


    #####


    Anneliese watched with bated breath as great shes of red tore through the sky, sluggishly heading toward their position. The golems were beginning to converge back where Gerechtigkeit¡¯s tissue had fell¡ªthat meant only one thing. The next stage of this long battle was to begin. She¡¯d sent Raven out to help Argrave, because Elenore imed that he¡¯d be nonresponsive.


    When Raven finally returned, alighting down and dispelling [Absolute Movement], Anneliese had been immensely d she¡¯d made that call.


    Argrave looked more like a feral cat than a man¡ªnot in his appearance, but in his behavior. He fought against Raven¡¯s grip with his teeth and his nails, having discarded all dignity in wake of something more primal. She could feel the stir of magic about him as he called upon spells, but she saw sparks of reason in his eyes that killed the spells before they could manifest.


    ¡°You,¡± Raven saidmandingly. ¡°Ground him. He needs to be reminded of who he is.¡±


    Anneliese came to him immediately, fear and worry dominating her actions. She took him from Raven, utterly ignoring his wretched state. He ceased to thrash, but she could tell there was a madness in his eyes. As she began to imagine what he¡¯d been through up there to reduce him to this, she began to cry. She did so silently, ever mindful of the vast army behind her that watched their every move. Raven used his imposing form to shield the two of them from view, and she repeated both of his names in a desperate whisper, pleading with him.


    ¡°Has Gerechtigkeit done something to him?¡± she eventually managed to ask of Raven when Argrave offered her no answers. He¡¯d calmed, clutching her as if she was his only refuge in a storm.


    ¡°Gerechtigkeit¡¯s embryotic tissue has left some mark on his flesh, but as for his mind¡­ I¡¯m all but certain he did this to himself. It was a self-preservation instinct. You can verify as much with [Truesight].¡± Raven looked into the distance, where the golems continued to return to the point of Gerechtigkeit¡¯snding. ¡°I suggest that you allow me to take him away to join with Sophia. We need to analyze Gerechtigkeit¡¯s tissue for us to use Sophia¡¯s power to follow Gerechtigkeit back through that wound. I can study the lingering remnants left on Argrave¡¯s body toward that end.¡±


    Argrave mumbled something.


    ¡°What was that?¡± Anneliese pulled back. ¡°Argrave? Can you hear me?¡±


    ¡°Not done¡­ yet,¡± he said, his words slurred like his lips and tongue were too thick to use.


    ¡°No more from you,¡± she said¡ªnot demanding, but begging. ¡°No more.¡±


    ¡°Morale fucked,¡± Argrave said, and when she looked into his gray eyes, she saw most of their acuity returned. She saw <em>him. </em>Relief flooded into her, damming the stream of tears running down her face. ¡°They think¡­ hurt. Everyone falling back. Need¡­ bang. Need to start things with¡­ bang.¡±


    ¡°I will,¡± Anneliese promised. ¡°We¡¯ll begin the counterattack shortly. Trust me, Argrave. I can do this.¡±


    ¡°Mmm.¡± Argrave drew away, rising to his feet. His tattered coat and clothes barely clung to his frame, but it made him seem all the more regal as he straightened his back. ¡°Start¡­ with punching a hole. House. Hause. ckgard. Make it to ckgard.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°You¡¯re unwell,¡± Raven disagreed. ¡°We can¡¯t heed your strategy.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not¡­ there¡¯s¡­¡± he seemed to brighten as words came to him. ¡°Stroke victim,¡± Argrave looked at Raven. ¡°Mind sharp. No control. Anne. You see? Still me.¡± He pointed to his eyes.


    Anneliese studied him intently, both with [Truesight] and her own empathy. Eventually, she nodded¡ªhis mind was present, but not fully attuned with his body. ¡°Okay. You want us to punch through to ckgard. How?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m obese.¡± Argrave frowned, perhaps realizing he¡¯d misspoke. ¡°Coalescing¡­ good for me. For us. One target. Big target.¡± He turned around. ¡°On my signal, okay?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Anneliese wiped her face down quickly and rose to her feet, prepared to begin the battle anew. She wasn¡¯t any surer of what Argrave had said than Raven was, but she trusted that he was acting rationally.


    When Argrave began to cast a familiar yet subtly different spell, she pieced together what Argrave had meant to say when he said, ¡®I¡¯m obese.¡¯ He was referring to the glut of vitality he¡¯d rued fighting against Gerechtigkeit so long¡ªvitality that could manifest itself as blood magic.


    Argrave walked a long distance away from the army, standing at the head of the field, and took an archer¡¯s stance. A crimson mana ripple cut the air before a gargantuan bow of blood, easily twenty feet tall, appeared before Argrave. He had to hold the thing sideways, but he took a deep breath and pulled on its string.


    At once, a tremendous torrent of blood burst out of Argrave¡¯s body from every point. He was employing a modified version of [Bloodfeud Bow], one that she¡¯d never seen him make, never discussed with him. Perhaps he never had¡ªperhaps he was calling upon this magic by instinct. Whatever the case, the spell taxed him so greatly he fell to one knee. Even amidst that, he rested his arm atop that knee to keep it steadily trained on Gerechtigkeit.


    In mere seconds, Anneliese could tangibly feel the power in the air. It was a pressure as constant as gravity, emanating outward. Argrave continued to add, add, <em>add, </em>until it began to distort the surroundings, warp the air, and send out ripples of power that cracked the earth and set fell winds stirring.


    ¡°Everyone, get back!¡± Anneliese shouted over it. ¡°And get ready!¡±


    She led the efforts in the rapid retreat, and everyone wasted no time in expeditiously giving Argrave more than sufficient distance. When, finally, the pressure wasn¡¯t so overwhelming, she looked back. She was shocked to discover she couldn¡¯t actually <em>see </em>Gerechtigkeit anymore. The maroon bolt, trained toward their enemy, had turned everything red. Argrave¡¯s brush of pure power had hued the world ording to its nature.


    A roar split the air¡ªa great rumbling, like some dark beast risen from the hells. It was Argrave¡¯s roar, transformed into something unearthly by the sheer magnitude of the power he wielded. It sunk into the mind of the vast army assembled here, shaking their minds as powerfully as Gerechtigkeit himself had. And when that thought took root¡­


    Argrave unleashed the full might of his blood feud.

 Chapter 693: Horrors of a Foe Given Hope

    The bolt of blood magic shot forth with enough speed that all onlookers saw was what had been left in its wake. Its tightlypressed power leaked out in jagged ck-red sparks that tainted thend, leaving a tremendous field of coursing maroon power in the line it had travelled. An entire forest had be ash in half a second, and the hue marking thend only barely began to fade.


    Argrave stared ahead with steady eyes, recovering from the tremendous burden that spell had put on him. Then, a voice cut across the scar he¡¯d carved in the world.


    ¡°The favorite of your rudimentary gambits,¡± the voice said¡ªa deep, rumbling voice that made one¡¯s ears throb, one¡¯s chest ache. ¡°A cheap trick in your hands, but a suitable weapon in mine.¡±


    Argrave¡¯s bolt of blood thrust out of the crimson vortex, clenched firmly as a spear by a gargantuan hand of the same roiling ck sludge he¡¯d been fighting minutes ago. It stabbed directly at him, but Argrave met it without even closing his eyes. imed by Gerechtigkeit as his own weapon, the spell seemed liable to deliver its explosive power upon Argrave and all the forces at his back.


    Before it could, it tilted upward and burst in a curving line with a destination in the sky. All of the clouds in sight vanished, dispelled by the sheer force of its ascent. That spell was <em>Argrave¡¯s, </em>and it responded to his will as ably as any of his [Electric Eels]. It vanished like a rocket sent to space, but Argrave could firmly feel it connected to his being. He could feel its slow turn, adrift in space¡­ and before long, he could feel its point aimed firmly at his target once more. It descended with the selfsame force it had left this.


    The arrow of blood split the sky, burning the atmosphere, breaking the sound barrier. Thousands of sludge-like ck hands rose into the sky on thin appendages, grasping at the bolt as it fell. Once it reached the heart of Gerechtigkeit¡¯s essence, Argrave unbound the spell. Its power, tightly packed, exploded outward in a blooming spiral. The surge of vitality finally returning to Argrave was evidence that his attack hadnded sessfully.


    Momentster, evidence reached all of them. The earth beneath shifted, the air around attempted to escape from the force, and the world itself reeled from the destructive impact of that single spell. As a wave of undeniable power mmed into Argrave hard enough to send him tumbling backward, he expected they¡¯d feel the impact all the way in the Great Chu.


    The one feeling it the most would be Gerechtigkeit.


    When the dust cleared, the first thing that Argrave saw was a huge shell attached to an arm like a shield, facing the sky. The shell had been pierced through, and in the writhing mass of body parts that squirmed like a colony of worms in a panic, Argrave could see the lingering effects of his blood magic still eating away at the coalescing form of Gerechtigkeit. At this time, the cmity was at its most mutable, yet also at its most fragile. It was the perfect time to press the attack, breaking past this blockade Jaray had engineered.Argrave looked back to find Anneliese, but she found him first, crouching beside him. ¡°We¡¯re going,¡± she said. He could barely hear her over his ringing ears. ¡°Stout Heart Swan has lent her hounds. Come.¡±


    Anneliese quickly helped him to sit aback a white wolf. The goddess of hunting¡ªDurran¡¯s patron¡ªhad lent use of her hounds to him, Anneliese, and somepanions like Raven that they might be carried forth while keeping their hands open. Anneliese kept Sophia sitting right in front of her atop the same wolf, and together their small party bolted forth like wind. Sophia seemed less tired, but still markedly so. Despite their speed, Argrave didn¡¯t feel pressed to hold onto its back to keep steady.


    After the attack on Gerechtigkeit, less than half of the essence that he¡¯d expended had returned to him. Such powerful one-shot spells were devastatingly powerful, yet not as energy-efficient as the ones he¡¯d been using on the embryotic tissue. Gerechtigkeit¡¯s consciousness was present, now, and that meant he could act freely¡­ but his flesh wouldn¡¯t be much firmer than liquid for a few minutes yet. To that end, Argrave cast the improved [Bloodfeud Bow] once again, hoping to give his allies more advantage.


    Argrave¡¯s flesh again turned to fire as the white-furred wolf bounded across the broken, deadndscape. Law strode above Argrave and Anneliese as they rode, his golden footfalls leaving no impact while he swung his sword fiercely at Gerechtigkeit. Leading all allied forces as the vanguard, he created a Domain of Law, strengthening all allies. Their mad charge to break into ckgard was emboldened further yet. From Gerechtigkeit¡¯s writhing, transformative mass, a ck crab¡¯s w rose to catch the golden sword. Raen seemed to appear from empty space, creating a shroud-like portal that enveloped the w, transferring it through space to somewhere else. The maneuver enabled Law¡¯s de to soar cleanly past, slicing into Gerechtigkeit¡¯s mass.


    As a howl of pain and a deep rumble ofing reprisal echoed throughout the world, the hounds made it near the ruins of Jast. The once-proud city of magic had been reduced to nothing more than history. None of its towers still stood, and all of its walls had been rendered ineffectual. They veered east, heading toward the rocky coast where the marble tower of Foamspire had once stood.


    ¡°The southern valley leading to ckgard is plugged by foes,¡± Anneliese shouted to Argrave, even as his spell continued to grow in power. ¡°Even if we can lift the siege of the undead and those golems, we don¡¯t want to be funneled into the valley. We can¡¯t fly over the mountains, either¡ªbetween the golems and the active defense arrays, we can¡¯t risk it. Not with Sophia.¡±


    Stolen story; please report.


    Argrave found it hard to speak, but he shouted back, ¡°n?¡±


    ¡°We hug the coast, then use the ocean to reach the port,¡± Anneliese dered. ¡°These hounds can traverse anything¡ªopen sky, or turbulent ocean. It should be sufficient.¡±


    Argrave focused his attention back on the cmity, where Raen and Law fought as able allies. Argrave sought a ce his [Bloodfeud Bow] would be used best, yet as he watched, Gerechtigkeitshed out with a scorpion¡¯s stinger at the god of justice. Raen redirected the attack into Law¡¯s swinging golden de, yet even as he cleaved the stinger in two the separated bits wrapped around his golden de and shattered it. Law¡¯s ethereal form was unphased, clenching its mighty fists together to batter Gerechtigkeit relentlessly.


    Though Law tore into him, it appeared only as though his golden form was being sullied by the corruption of the cmity. Eventually, a hard ck hand gripped his neck, and fire erupted out.


    ¡°Law¡­ where is my justice?¡± Gerechtigkeit asked. ¡°Must I make my own, as mortals ever do?¡±


    Argrave, feeling his sanity wearing thin beneath this constant onught of pain induced by blood magic, fired the second enhanced [Bloodfeud Bow] directly at the sky. He soon trained it to strike from above as it had before. Though less than half as powerful, his spell still made its mark in this world as it lit up the sky. Both vanguard gods, seeing theing airstrike, disengaged. As Raen attempted to phase away, one of the eye-golems erupted out of his own spatial portal¡ªArgrave didn¡¯t know when, but it must¡¯ve discovered and entered the other side. It seized Raen, and before either deity could react, a colossal praying mantis arm erupted out, swiping like the reaper¡¯s scythe. The god of space exploded into spirits, dead in less than a second.


    Argrave¡¯s second attack struck moments after, severing that outstretched mantis arm and dealing considerable damage to the undefended cmity. Still, before the unending tide, the attack seemed underwhelming. This explosive charge had at least given them the time they needed to bypass Gerechtigkeit and near the mountains surrounding ckgard. To Argrave¡¯s right he could see barely see Mateth, under siege by undead giants of the Bloodwoods that¡¯d walked the ocean floor to do battle here. To his left, he saw the ruins of Foamspire, barely sticking out above the sea.


    Gerechtigkeit followed closely behind them, arms crawling on the ground, legs sprinting full-throttle, and disgusting wings beating all at the same time to produce a horrifyingly face chase. It was only the effort of the full brunt of their forces they¡¯d gathered that kept the cmity from overwhelming them.


    ¡°Argrave, the right,¡± shouted Anneliese.


    Argrave looked again. Hundreds of golden-armored knights emerged from the forested hills in front of them. These warriors were a twin to the silver knight that had assaulted ckgard. Each of them drew their des in tandem, raising them prepared to fight.


    ¡°They¡¯re weaker than what Orion faced, but more than powerful enough to kill if we¡¯re not careful,¡± Anneliese outlined.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Argrave prepared powerful magic, hoping to quickly destroy what may be thest barrier between them and ckgard. But as they grew ever nearer the host of golden knights blocking their route to the open ocean, Argrave¡¯s gaze flicked upward in horror as a thick ck line split the air above. Like ripping open curtains, two gargantuan hands ripped the fabric between this realm and the Shadonds. Not far above them, the smiling face of the Hopeful peered down shadowed by the hundreds of gleaming eyes of those Shadonders who remained loyal to him.


    ¡°Faster!¡± came the decisive shout from Stout Heart Swan.


    As the Hopeful fell from this world into theirs, the divine wolves beneath them worked their legs desperately to avoid being caught in this sudden ambush. The vivid yet horrifying world all around them became a squalid gray wastnd as the Hopeful¡¯s influence sapped countless sensations from the world. They were barely fast enough to avoid a devastating attack from the absolute ruler of the Shadonds. It split the earth, and the wolves scrambled up crumbling terrain in adept flight. Following shortly after that attack was a volley of projectiles from Shadonder marksmen.


    Anneliese managed to block most attacks for all the others, but Argrave¡¯s wolf was struck. As the creature fell to the ground, he catapulted forward, carrying its momentum. He had the wit to use [Absolute Movement], and gained flight long before hitting the ground even became an option. With a burst of power, he caught up to the rest. Anneliese seized his hand, pulling him down that he might sit upon the same wolf she did. Together, they sandwiched Sophia between them.


    Argrave turned his body around so that he could look upon the biggest threat. When he saw the sheer bulk of the Shadonders behind, he feared the worst¡­ only, he saw a familiar white-haired Shadonder, and fighting erupted soon after. His burdened heart soared. The Hopeful¡¯s smiling face disregarded it all, though, and his malevolent eyes stayed fixed on Sophia.


    ¡°Argrave, the Gilderwatchers¡­!¡± Anneliese said in surprise, and he whipped his head back around to peer forward.


    Just as Anneliese said, the Gilderwatchers flowed down the mountains of ckgard like a rushing stream. After having only seen Vasquer for so long¡ªinanimate and sluggish, after centuries of barbaric confinement¡ªseeing these feathered serpents move so quickly looked rming, almost off. They moved to engage the golden-armored knights. The matchup was fitting, considering these knights were likely the enved wills of their brothers and sisters manifested as Gerechtigkeit¡¯s ves.


    ¡°Finally, a break. Let¡¯s hurry,¡± Argrave said with conviction, then looked back to where the Shadonders fought.


    The Hopeful was an utter monster. He tore through the horde of rebel Shadonders pouring out from Guy¡¯s portal like they were annoying flies instead of god-destroying entities that¡¯d once been gods themselves. The rebelmander attempted to reform her ranks to keep him back, to hurt him¡­ but all it did was slow him down. His white-toothed smile persisted all the while, eyeing Sophia like tasty food. Everyone else was pressed engaging Gerechtigkeit¡ªno obstacle stood between him and Argrave.


    Of everyone, Argrave knew he was the only one who stood even half a chance against the Hopeful. He started to consider the idea this might be his stop.

 Chapter 694: The Swallowing Mouth

    Argrave dismounted from the white wolf, and without a moment of reservation the creature raced on without him. He¡¯d discussed his ns with Anneliese and the others, and though there were loud and vocal protests from all, the unstoppable advance of the Hopeful proved an undeniable fact.


    That terrifying smiling face moved through the opposing armies of Shadonders, the sh between Law and Gerechtigkeit serving as background. The god of justice was proving a far stauncher opponent than they¡¯d expected from him¡ªindeed, his countless years of experience coupled with his consolidation of vast amounts of divine power wereing into full disy at this pivotal moment. The cmity¡¯s frustration was tangible. Far more tangible was the hulking giant of shadow, now without any more obstacles.


    Well, that was untrue. Argrave was thest obstacle.


    Argrave could see and feel the Hopeful¡¯s shadow growing to consume this realm, fighting valiantly against the sun of souls high in the sky. Their licking hunger was deprivation incarnate, the very tongue of consumption. The darkness tasted his battered body for the swallowing mouth soon toe. But things had changed from their arena in the Shadonds¡ªthis time, Argrave had the sun of his own design high in the sky. If the Hopeful tried to swallow him, the thing might well choke.


    ¡°Just when I was starting to feel a bit normal¡­¡± Argrave muttered to himself, the words half in jest and half in despair.


    Once more, Argrave tapped into the state he¡¯d devolved into to face Gerechtigkeit full-heartedly, and ran forward into the swallowing mouth.


    #####


    Anneliese had to resist the urge to flinch from the devastating power that soon erupted from behind. She had seen the depths of the power Argrave had disyed against Gerechtigkeit, but now she could <em>feel </em>it whipping winds through her hair and projecting its strength against her back. It was like a tailwind for their flight from this ce, enabling them to press on.


    ¡°He¡¯ll be okay, Sophia,¡± Anneliese reassured the girl squirming inches ahead on the back of the white wolf they sat upon. ¡°So long as we do our job, he¡¯ll be okay.¡±¡°I won¡¯t make any mistakes,¡± Sophia promised, clinging tightly to the wolf¡¯s fur. ¡°I¡¯m feeling better. I think¡­ I think he¡¯s all free.¡±


    Before Sophia could express her happiness, Elenore¡¯s voice frantically cut into Anneliese¡¯s head. ¡°Put up a ward to block sound, now!¡±


    Anneliese processed themand and heeded it without a moment¡¯s hesitation. Her wolf stopped in ce steps beforeing free of the ward. Secondster, she saw something fly overhead. Its mouth was an extremely bizarre shape, like a cone with several obstructions. When she looked back at the army, however, what she saw was utterly baffling. Thousands had died in ce, and seemingly without any obvious source. Those same creatures flew around with reckless abandon.


    ¡°Those flying creatures are using¡­ <em>sound</em> to kill, somehow,¡± Elenore exined. ¡°Lorena says that all of people¡¯s organs are vibrating so intensely they rupture<em></em>whenever those creatures scream. The distance¡­ it¡¯s not insignificant, either. And even if it doesn¡¯t kill, it can break someone in countless other ways.¡±


    Hearing that sounded intensely frightening. The enchantments Artur had ced on his armor likely would¡¯ve protected her, but those things could kill ordinary people like nothing else she¡¯d seen. ¡°Where are theying from?¡± Anneliese questioned.


    ¡°They¡¯re spreading out from Gerechtigkeit¡¯s position. Lorena says¡­ that her kin could fight them without significant risk. But you¡¯d need to prepare Sophia for their arrival so they don¡¯t perish on the surface. Has she regained her vigor?¡±


    Anneliese nodded at once. ¡°They could get us to ckgard without much risk. Let¡¯s do it,¡± shemanded decisively.


    ¡°The risk is in the fact that you¡¯ll be forced to pause,¡± Elenore said. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best on your end, but be prepared for anything.¡±


    #####


    Argrave was right in that he was a true obstacle to the Hopeful. But obstacles were meant to be ovee.


    When he first shed with the Hopeful, staring into that smiling face as he raged with power born of his own flesh and blood, he thought there might¡¯ve been some hope. The hungering shadows were weaker here under the sun of souls, and he had abandoned a great deal of his good sense to focus on dealing massive damage. The endless consumption was beaten back, and the fight was taken to the body generating the shadows instead.


    Yet¡­ to fight against a constant tide was different than fighting a thinking enemy.


    This narrative has been uwfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    The Hopeful was no stranger tobat. He baited, feinted, retreated, advanced¡ªhe was versed in power of this magnitude, and he knew how to use it to his own ends as well as he knew how to fight against it. Argrave had instinct and the vague direction of his logical mind¡­ but the power that he wielded was too extreme, too foreign to him, to fight the Hopeful as an equal in both strategy in power.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Argrave ceased being an opponent. He tried only to be a wall¡ªsomething that needed to be broken, destroyedpletely, before this enemy force could pass. He hoped only to buy time.


    And soon, the Hopeful¡¯s mastery was aided by sound¡ªsound so loud that all sound ceased to be, that Argrave¡¯s brain rattled, that his eyes split and he bled from every orifice. The tide of vitality rushing in from the fight against the hunger reced all that was lost, but it chipped away at the wall, bit by bit, wearing it down. Amidst this hellish resistance, Argrave began to hear a voice, whispering to him from the shadows.


    <em>The cycle of judgment is no wheel, </em>said the all-consuming hunger as it crept ever nearer. <em></em>


    <em>¡®Tis a great game of tug-a-rope, life and death on opposite sides. </em>


    <em>Any time anyone pulls very far, you can count on another tug back to the dawn. </em>


    Argrave could feel the sensations in him draining away, one-by-one, as the hunger beat back the power of his blood. But that voice could not be heard, could not be seen, could not be felt. It merely was, pervading his mind like something beyond it all.


    <em>Whether you¡¯re born of dark or you drink of light, inside we remain much the same.</em>


    <em>For greed or for creed, we live and die exchanging blows. </em>


    <em>But when the dust has all settled, we¡¯re but fools and blunt tools.</em>


    <em>Mice, subjected to tests beyond our ken for things not our kin. </em>


    Argrave attempted to renew his attacks with a vengeance, seeking out that smiling face, that swallowing mouth¡­ and though he saw it, never could he damage it. It closed in on him, inevitable and invincible.


    <em>The mouse cannot master itsbyrinth, nor appreciate its absence.</em>


    <em>But its willful submission will grant it praise. </em>


    Argrave ceased to feel the hunger, the endless desire. Instead, he felt the thing tear into him, eating him well and whole. His body was made a part of arger whole¡ªan ancient being that¡¯d existed long before the cycle of judgment, and would continue to do so even should they seed. In bing one with it, Argrave saw truths only it was privy to.


    And then¡­ Argrave¡¯s body died.


    ¡­


    ¡­


    ¡­


    ¡­however, Argrave¡¯s soul had long ago been detached from his body. He couldn¡¯t tell precisely when, but at some point Argrave found himself in the stars again, surrounded by trillions of souls taken from every living creature. Theirbined light was blinding. The suns, merged in their eternal state of fusion, greeted him, probing him for permission like aputer algorithm.


    Argrave had to admit, body death was a haunting experience. Everyone had known the <em>theory </em>behind the whole ¡®dying¡¯ thing was sound. His soul was undying¡ªit was precisely the sort of soul liches used to achieve immortal life. They had an anchor, and from that anchor, could return from death infinitely. However¡­ actually <em>doing it? </em>That wasn¡¯t something anyone, even Argrave, had been eager to test out.


    The first part had worked. Argrave¡¯s consciousness had returned to his anchored soul. Now, all he needed was the next part¡ªactuallying back to life. They had three contingencies¡ªthe first, Anneliese¡¯s connection could rebuild him. He could always faintly feel her existence thanks to the binding ritual Artur had performed, and that hadn¡¯t changed.


    But even if Anneliese couldn¡¯t bring Argrave back, two more options remained. The second¡ªArgrave could use the suns¡¯ help, somehow. Their life remained, dormant yet nevertheless incredibly powerful. And the third¡­it was Sophia. It was only third because Argrave hesitated to prevail upon her. At the same time, the young girl was capable of essentially <em>anything. </em>


    Argrave waited, adrift in the stars. He admired his own creation, reflecting on his brilliance. There was a lot to reflect on, after all. A lot of time.


    A lot of time¡­


    <em>Quite the long respawn timer, </em>Argrave thought. He wanted to give Anneliese proper time before trying out anything with the suns, but he was also a bit ill-at-ease with the whole ¡®disembodied¡¯ business. Argrave did the disembodied equivalent of tapping his foot impatiently, wondering if his wife¡ªno, his widow¡ªhad already moved on to another guy that still had all his flesh.


    Then¡­ ckness.


    Momentster, hearing, then sight. Then, unfortunately, taste. Argrave tasted something bitter and salty. He thought it was blood at first, but its dryness illuminated him as to what it was. He thrashed,ing fully into himself as he hacked sand out of his mouth. He scraped sand off his tongue with his nails, looking around as he did so.


    He saw a lunar dragon crashed on the beach, breathing heavily. Anneliese came to her feet, gathering herself from her disorientation. She¡¯d shielded Sophia from the fall, holding the girl in her arms protectively. He tried to stand and go to them, only for his newborn limbs to fail him. He copsed disgracefully back in the sand, swallowing another mouthful of sand.


    Argrave was nude as a newborn on the beach in the biggest city in Vasquer. Certainly not the daring escape he¡¯d have stories written about, but a more than sufficient one. They¡¯d make it back to ckgard.


    And from here, their counteroffensive could begin.

 Chapter 695: Eye of the Storm

    Argrave closed and opened his hand as he sat on the beach with Sophia. He wore temporary rags, his body barely responded to him, but there was no denying he was alive. There was nothing quite like losing it all to appreciate how much he had. Theorizing about the impermanence of his body¡¯s death was all well and good, but truth be told, that had been one of the most harrowing experiences, and he¡¯d surely remember it forevermore.


    And not merely because of what¡¯d been done to him¡ªalso because of what he¡¯d learned.


    He¡¯d been given a glimpse of the purpose of the Hopeful truly was when his mind had been consumed by the thing. The master of the Shadonds wasn¡¯t a subordinate of the Heralds¡ªhe was an equal, perhaps something even beyond that. He certainly wasn¡¯t a simple tool or ve, and nor were the Shadonds something insignificant to therger scheme of things. It might be said the Hopeful was at the crux of it all.


    But the Heralds¡­ their name was literal. They heralded something else¡ªa massive change, a shift of the paradigm. The Hopeful actually knew what that change was, expected it¡­ <em>hoped </em>for it, like nothing else. His anticipation of the ecstasy he¡¯d experience in theing change was so strong his face was permanently warped like that in voluntary enthusiasm. It was a disturbing show of faith.


    Argrave had always suspected¡ªbeen outright told, even¡ªthat this entire cycle was in service of something else. Confirming that suspicion did nothing to make him pause or arouse his curiosity.


    With his thoughts slowing, he looked at Sophia. She looked totally exhausted. He put his hand on her head and she flinched, woken up from near-sleep.


    ¡°You did good, Sophia. You¡¯re doing great.¡± He shakily rose to his feet. ¡°Let¡¯s get going.¡±


    He trudged along up the sand, heading for the parliamentary hall where his sister and Anneliese would be struggling valiantly against what they were up against. Sophia tried to follow along, but she stumbled from fatigue a few times. Argrave picked her up and walked along.


    ¡°I can walk,¡± Sophia said quietly.¡°You can,¡± he answered back, but didn¡¯t put her down.


    With that, nothing more needed to be said. Within ckgard, the only evidence of the raging battle against Gerechtigkeit was the sight of it looming above in shes of light. The city sounded serene, undisturbed. The Domain of Order Argrave had imposed using Law¡¯s blessing still persisted, keeping the peace. Everyone was either inside their home, or had sought refuge in the various shelters they¡¯d established.


    At some point, Sophia fell asleep as Argrave steadily walked through the silent city. It was a steeling reminder to witness the beautiful city he¡¯d helped flourished¡ªa still image of one little pictureprising therger one. When he finally arrived at the parliamentary hall, he saw Anneliese and Raven leaving.


    ¡°Argrave,¡± Anneliese called out, rushing up to greet him. ¡°I was just about toe for you. You¡¯re well? At least¡­ well enough?¡±


    ¡°Stiff,¡± he said, then added, ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll pass.¡±


    ¡°Law¡¯s been holding his own against Gerechtigkeit, stalling,¡± she said in some small relief. ¡°But it seems like nothing we do can cause significant damage to Gerechtigkeit. We¡¯d intended to go to Hause, now.¡±


    ¡°Time for her to make good on her word,¡± Raven shook his head. ¡°If she hadn¡¯t been so foolishly cautious, all of this might¡¯ve been avoided.¡±


    ¡°It might do nothing,¡± Anneliese countered.


    ¡°And it might do everything,¡± he answered back just as firmly.


    Anneliese looked up. ¡°Whatever the case, the situation has stabilized. The longer it stretches on, though, the more powerful he¡¯ll get. We¡¯re losing ground second by second. The Great Chu¡­ I can¡¯t even think about it.¡±


    ¡°No time to waste, then,¡± Argrave muttered beneath his breath. ¡°Where are we going?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d intended to study you for insight on that wound.¡± Raven looked up to the sky¡ªsouth toward Jast, where that great crack in reality persisted, visible even when one¡¯s eyes were closed. ¡°But you had to go and die, removing any trace it might¡¯ve left on your body. Now you¡¯re useless to me.¡±


    ¡°What, then?¡± Argrave pressed.


    ¡°We go to Hause,¡± Anneliese outlined. ¡°We see what she can do for us. Raven, meanwhile¡­¡±


    Raven ground his huge obsidian staff into the ground. ¡°I¡¯ve been considering taking the role I¡¯d cast aside.¡±


    Argrave¡¯s face grew serious. ¡°You¡¯re needed,¡± he said simply. ¡°Not as you were, but as you are.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re losing.¡± Raven walked closer to Argrave, and though his figure had be more human-like, the fact remained he towered over him. ¡°If what Hause gives us is insufficient, we will lose. The Smiling Raven may help us win. That sun you made¡ªit harbors people¡¯s souls. Potentiation may not even pose any risk to me anymore. Their minds may not overrun my own.¡± ?£Á??§à??¦¥?


    ¡°You don¡¯t know that,¡± Argrave argued. ¡°And besides, Lorena said the lunar dragons could do what you do as well¡ªand if that¡¯s true, potentiation poses no risk for them, either. We don¡¯t need to risk losing you to that creature.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll y my role¡ªI¡¯ll help discover how to hunt Gerechtigkeit where he <em>truly </em>lives. After, though¡­ unless I have confidence of our victory, I¡¯ll do what I deem necessary.¡±


    ¡°Raven¡­!¡± Argrave stepped forward.


    ¡°That¡¯s my decision,¡± he said. Then, he turned and walked away, fading into the silent city before Argrave could say another word.


    ¡°I think he¡¯s right to say as much.¡± Anneliese¡¯s words made Argrave look at her pointedly. ¡°Instead of arguing, let¡¯s prove his worries unfounded. Hause awaits.¡±


    Argraveughed lightly and hollowly. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ll¡­ <em>we¡¯ll</em> just make him look stupid, instead. All that fretting he did over nothing.¡±


    #####


    Argrave and Anneliese stood in the room alone with Hause. Sophia slept in another room not far from here. As much as Argrave would¡¯ve liked to let her sleep as long as she liked, she might need to be quickly called upon to remedy the situation should their potentials unlocking cause more harm than good.


    ¡°It seems the day has finallye,¡± Hause said, a swell of unease and anticipation in her tone.


    The goddess of potential fiddled with her hands as she looked between them. Even Argrave could tell there was a trace of guilt in the way she carried herself¡ªlike she expected reprimand from them, or perhaps she more simply knew the sheer scale of the devastation that¡¯d been caused. Argrave was in no mood to cast the me. This situation had been beyond them all.


    ¡°Shall we start? I mean, what do we actually do?¡± Argrave looked between Hause and Anneliese.


    ¡°Before I do, I¡¯ll give onest warning.¡± Hause looked between them. ¡°I know, perhaps, you are tired of my caution, but I won¡¯t budge on this point. Argrave embodies judgment¡ªand you, eternity.¡± Her face grew stern, and he sped her hands together firmly. ¡°It¡¯s rare enough to find someone with innate potential at all. It¡¯s ever rarer for my senses to be so very¡­ vague.


    ¡°You could be something you aren¡¯t,¡± Hause continued. ¡°Given that it¡¯s rted to judgment, for example, Argrave might possess a power akin to Gerechtigkeit¡¯s. Perhaps his mentality will change to better suit that ideal. I cannot honestly say what awaits him.¡±


    This content has been uwfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Anneliese looked at Argrave, asking a silent question. He deliberated for a time, then nodded.


    ¡°The cycle of judgment is just a name, it¡¯s not what he is. Gerechtigkeit¡ªGriffin¡ªis someone who¡¯s been beaten down by the world, made into something monstrous after being used and abused. He can¡¯t im the role of judge, no matter how much he proims it.¡± Argrave nced at Anneliese, seeking some support in his ims. ¡°I think true judgment might be what we need.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll concede that,¡± Hause nodded. ¡°But you, Anneliese. Eternity is a frightening concept. You may be something that you cannot recognize¡ªcannot conceive of. It may be as much a trap as it is something grandly useful.¡±


    ¡°I understand your point. Those words of caution are something that I, myself, have long pondered. I understand what Raven has been through, and more importantly the emotions that you feel warning me.¡± She paused, revisiting those debates she must¡¯ve had with herself. ¡°Nevertheless, it¡¯s simply poor strategy to leave some weapons unused when the final day might¡¯vee. And should this be something that harms rather than hinders, Sophia has be extremely adroit at using her ability.¡±


    ¡°We appreciate the focus on informed consent, but we¡¯re ready,¡± Argrave added.


    ¡°Very well then.¡± Hause closed her eyes, and then took a deep breath, mentally preparing herself for what was toe. ¡°Anneliese first, then. Am I right in predicting so?¡±


    Argrave was hesitant, but he knew it was logically sound¡ªhe could better protect all present from unpredictable results with his blood magic. With an encouraging nod from Anneliese, he eventually assented.


    Hause straightened her back, standing with sped hands as if in prayer. ¡°Then¡­ please remain still.¡±


    A spectral golden form emerged from Hause. When it did, her blonde hair lost all of its luster, aging and going gray immediately. Indeed, her whole form took on a husk-like appearance that was rather jarring. This golden form opened its eyes, shining a light upon Anneliese. The queen of Vasquer remained deathly still as had been instructed, and that golden form bridged the gap.


    Argrave saw it reach out toward Anneliese¡­ and the moment the fingers of that spectral form met Anneliese¡¯s body, Argrave could feel a shift in the air. With it came a breath of spring¡­ and a surge of shifting power.


    #####


    The moment that Hause¡¯s golden form brushed against Anneliese¡¯s body, something rather inexplicable took ce. It was as though she, too, was divested of her body, and together they soared through a universe of endless possibilities. In brief shes, she saw a myriad routes her life could¡¯ve taken, and branching roads her life had yet toe to. It was impossible toprehend, but it still fascinated her endlessly. She saw traces of people left unmet, friends left unmade, lovers left unknown.


    Anneliese felt curious, but only that¡ªshe had no desire to live any other life than the one she presently travelled.


    In time, they came to float adrift in an infinite world. Anneliese looked around, taking in the frozen fragments of the many lives she could¡¯ve lived and those she might yet live. Those in the future were vague, in constant flux with every movement she made. Those of past choices were gray fragments, dead and discarded. She saw her own death in many, saw her leading hosts of Veidimen, saw her expressing affection for people she¡¯d never even seen before.


    ¡°Here we are,¡± said Hause. Her voice carried with it the whisper of simr phrases¡ªall the things she could¡¯ve said, from ¡®we¡¯re here,¡¯ to ¡®this is the end.¡¯ It was headache-inducing, hearing all oues.


    ¡°Is it always like this?¡± Anneliese asked, hearing her own question rephrased in myriad ways throughout this void.


    ¡°It¡¯s seldom this intense,¡± Hause admitted. ¡°Not even Raven saw such clear echoes of the past, nor the vaguest hints of the future. It means the totality of what you can achieve is heavy. Do you see it?¡±


    Anneliese searched for what Hause prompted her to, finding nothing. It was only when she looked up that it came into sight. With the [Truesight] bestowed by Yinther, her eyes began to shake and burn as she witnessed something of such power that the truth threatened to break her mind. She lowered her head at once, panting heavily.


    ¡°¡­and that¡¯s rather what I feared,¡± Hause said, kneeling beside Anneliese and consoling her. ¡°What did you see?¡±


    Anneliese swallowed, and yet in this realm of potential saw spectral forms of herself take half a thousand different actions to calm her pumping heart. In other realities, her heart wasn¡¯t beating fast at all, or the sight had affected her so severely she broke out into a sweat. It all be so overwhelming it was difficult to discern which was entirely real.


    ¡°I saw a power that was¡­¡±


    The words ¡®equal¡¯ and ¡®superior¡¯ danced out in the void, reflecting her uncertainty.


    ¡°I saw a power at least equal to the one Sophia carries,¡± Anneliese said. ¡°Yet¡­ raw. Untapped. Untamed. Unused.¡±


    ¡°You saw eternity.¡± Hause looked up. Even only seeing the reflection in Hause¡¯s eyes, Anneliese¡¯s vision stung. ¡°There¡¯s no denying that it¡¯s a force equal to that of creation and destruction. Forever. Infinity. Always. Never shrinking, always expanding. That which always has been, and always will be. It¡¯s no wonder that you perceive it so intensely. Fundamentally, it¡¯s a force outside of the cycle of judgment that Gerechtigkeit and Sophia are forced to perpetuate.¡±


    Anneliese decided to stop using [Truesight] altogether and looked upward toward where Hause looked. What she saw defied her preconceptions of reality¡ªnew colors, new dimensions, new sounds and new ways of being. It was everything all at once, existing forever and never existing in the same breath. Even if she wanted to describe to others the things she saw, shecked the words to do so. She¡¯d need to make new words entirely.


    ¡°Did Sophia and Griffin grasp something like this?¡± Anneliese questioned. ¡°Were they exposed to the forces of creation, of destruction? Did they im it?¡±


    ¡°You ask me questions I don¡¯t have the answer to,¡± Hause said. ¡°Lest you forget, I am a mere vessel for this power. What I do, I barely understand. But¡­ yes.¡± Hause peered into eternity. ¡°Seeing this, there is little doubt in my mind they must¡¯ve interacted with a primordial force not dissimr to this one. But whether they imed it, or whether it was imnted within them by something like the Heralds¡­ I cannot know.¡±


    Anneliese felt a shudder as she tried to imagine bearing that eternity within her body. Nevertheless, they¡¯de here¡­ and it seemed that would be the inevitable oue.


    ¡°What do we do now?¡± Anneliese asked, afraid and excited in equal measure.


    ¡°Now¡­ I finish the task,¡± Hause said, reaching back out toward Anneliese.


    Anneliese floated adrift in the cosmos, awaiting what came next with bated breath. When Hause¡¯s golden form touched her cheek, there was a stir in the air. Anneliese closed her eyes and waited for this power to be vested in her.


    Then, as it had been before, they began to travel through that corridor of eventualities. Anneliese saw a million, a billion, a trillion futures regarding her and Hause¡¯s actions. They flowed against the sheer might of eternity, probing and searching for purchase in its vastness. Eventually, however, the corridor began to flow so quickly, and trillions became quadrillions, quintillions, sextillions, the rate of branching futures expanding exponentially until¡­


    Hause screamed ¡°AAAAA¡ª¡±


    Then, nothing but the echo from the scream persisted. Anneliese found herself adrift in this expanse of futures, motionless amidst nothingness.


    ¡°Hause?¡± Anneliese called out.


    No answer.


    ¡°Hause?!¡± Anneliese shouted louder.


    Silence.


    Anneliese turned her body about, searching for answers. She looked up¡­ and just above, inches from her face¡­


    Eternity watched.


    #####


    Hause crashed back to the floor, and upon seeing that Argrave leapt to action. He came to crouch just beside her.


    ¡°The hell?¡± Argrave demanded. ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    ¡°It was too much,¡± Hause said, panting. Her figure stayed old and wizened, not at all reverting back to what it was. ¡°It was just too much. It was toorge toprehend, too big to hold. I couldn¡¯t grasp it, couldn¡¯tprehend it. Trying to tame it¡­¡± Hauseughed. ¡°Folly. Pure folly. That thing is beyond any god.¡±


    Argrave rose to his feet, looking toward Anneliese. She stayed sitting in the chair, slumped. Her eyes were closed. Argrave shook her leg, but received no response.


    ¡°Don¡¯t move her,¡± Hause urged. ¡°She mighte back on her own.¡±


    ¡°Might?¡± Argrave repeated. When he received no answer, he shouted, ¡°<em>Might?!</em>¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± Hause answered, panicked. ¡°We¡­ we went a long way out. I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m not even sure where it took us. Perhaps she can find her way home¡ªperhaps. If not¡­ I can bring her back.¡±


    ¡°Then do it,¡± Argravemanded, gesturing. ¡°Stop jerking me around. This is Anneliese we¡¯re talking about.¡±


    ¡°My power¡­¡± Hause exhaled, putting a hand to her chest. ¡°The reason I was returned is because my power ran out. It¡¯ll need time to rebuild, recharge.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Argrave looked at Anneliese, in total worry. ¡°How long?¡±


    ¡°Like I said, she might make it back on her own. If not¡­ it¡¯ll take me days. Maybe¡­ maybe weeks.¡± Hause leaned up against the wall, out of breath.


    Argrave nodded, trying to act like he wasn¡¯t on the verge of a nervous breakdown. ¡°Then, it¡¯s fine. Yeah, it¡¯s fine. She¡¯ll be back. She¡¯ll be back any second now. Why? Because it¡¯s Anneliese.¡±

 Chapter 696: Spark of Eternity

    Anneliese gazed into eternity as it watched her, passing judgment in terms that she couldn¡¯tprehend or codify. Eternity, unlike its appearance, was rather simr to how Argrave described the suns. Anneliese could tell that it was alive, but it didn¡¯t quite fit into the category. It was a fundamental being, an essence of the universe¡ªor perhaps <em>many </em>universes. In this unusual, out-of-body state, she could perceive and interact with it.


    By now, she figured things out. Hause¡¯s power had been insufficient to help her take control of eternity. Considering the scope of the power that she felt, perhaps it could be no surprise that a mere god couldn¡¯t tame it. This thing¡¯s existence was so significant that Anneliese felt it could make Gerechtigkeit himself utterly irrelevant were the two ever to meet.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    It was for that reason that Anneliese felt infinite curiosity and desire.


    Hause imed that all she did was unlock the innate potential that people carried within them. It stood to reason, then, that Anneliese might be able to unlock hers even without the help of the goddess. She had been brought here¡ªfrom Anneliese¡¯s perspective, that was the difficult part. But now that she gazed upon eternity itself¡­ she allowed the part of herself that she¡¯drgely tamed to bubble up into her mind unburdened.


    Anneliese allowed the emotion of curiosity to rule her action.


    Her eyes scanned the depths of this eternal existence. No matter how far they wandered, or how closely they scrutinized, there was never an end in sight. In time, her moments of silent scrutiny led her to hear the noises of eternity. It was quiet at first, but as she strained her ears she began to cry. Not just from pain, mind¡ªfrom joy, tion. Anneliese heard every song that ever was, from the grandest symphony to the most heart-wrenching bads, wrapped up all in one.


    And having seen only two facets, she knew she had to see more.


    #####


    ¡°She¡¯s crying!¡± Argrave shouted, kneeling down before Anneliese¡¯s figure, slumped in her chair. ¡°Why is she crying? Hause? Exin!¡±¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Hause shook her head in exasperation, exhausted. ¡°It could be anything.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Anything that makes you cry.¡± Argrave ran his fingers through his hair. ¡°No, no, no. She¡¯ll be fine. Come on. This is Anneliese. This is Anneliese we¡¯re talking about. She can¡¯t leave me. Just won¡¯t happen.¡±


    #####


    Anneliese reveled in the ambrosia of all sensations emanating outward from eternity, and every second she did, came to better understand the magnitude of the entity she was dealing with. Like all professions, rather than feel she understood, everything she learned about eternity only served to educate how much she <em>didn¡¯t </em>know.


    Endlessness. It was impossible for a mortal toprehend. The more that Anneliese tried, the more sheprehended that she couldn¡¯tprehend it. To hold this vastness within her body, to wield it as a tool¡­ it seemed ridiculouslyughable. At best, she could be part of it. At worst, she would be destroyed utterly beneath its majesty.


    Yet¡­ despite this, Anneliese still tried. The continued discovery of her own ignorance wasn¡¯t a deterrent¡ªrather, it acted as the fuel for her engine of perpetual motion. Her mind felt as though it was expanding as exponentially as eternity did. Toprehend this gctic existence, her mind became a gxy unto itself, drawing motion from eternity just as thes moved by gravity. Its existence was formidable enough that it propelled hers unto greater heights.


    Then, finally, as if in a dream¡­ all motion in her mind faltered, and all her thoughts died as they reached their inevitable destination. She didn¡¯t need eternity. She would be crushed beneath itsrgesse, lost in its vastness. Shecked the capability¡ªno one could truly tame eternity. But then¡­ she didn¡¯t need to.


    After all, a fraction of eternity was still an eternity.


    If she imed one small part, one infinitesimally small piece, she would¡¯ve imed eternity itself. For no matter how many times eternity is divided, it remains eternal¡ªsuch is its power. And with this thought and mind, she slowly raised her hand up toward it. Delicately, like plucking an apple toward a tree, she craned to grasp eternity.


    Anneliese waited, waited. Eternity was endless, infinite. She couldn¡¯t im it on her own. But then, she didn¡¯t need to. In the realm of infinite possibilities, a segment of eternity had already embraced her, already epted her as its master. And when, finally, she came to this conclusion¡­ a single spark of infinity leapt out, toward her grasping hand.


    Anneliese seized eternity, epting its eptance.


    #####


    Anneliese spasmed and sat up, inhaling deeply and grasping at things around her. As if by instinct, her hand grasped Argrave¡¯s own. He beamed brightly.


    ¡°See, Hause?¡± He looked at her. ¡°I was never worried. Not for a second.¡±


    Hause sighed. ¡°Yes, right. You were never worried.¡±


    ¡°Stop lying, Argrave,¡± Anneliese said, panting exhaustedly. ¡°Perhaps, now, you have some taste of what I experience every time you do something.¡±


    Argrave clenched her hand. ¡°This was different.¡±


    ¡°Is it?¡± Anneliese shook her head. ¡°You just killed yourself not an hour ago.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, well¡­¡± Argrave sighed. ¡°You¡¯re alright. And that¡¯s what matters. This was a mistake.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Anneliese disagreed. ¡°It wasn¡¯t a mistake.¡±


    Hause looked infinitely awed as she studied Anneliese. ¡°Did you¡­?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Anneliese dered, rising to her feet. ¡°I did.¡±


    ¡°Did what?¡± He looked between her and Hause. ¡°What did you do?¡±


    Anneliese felt the Spark of Eternity coursing through her body¡ªthe smallest fragment of eternity, which was an eternity unto itself.


    ¡°Allow me to demonstrate,¡± Anneliese said. ¡°To you¡­ and Gerechtigkeit.¡±


    #####


    It all began with a gargantuan ball of fire that erupted from the fortified city of ckgard. At first, people paid it little mind, because simr attacks had been pouring out of the city since this day-long battle had begun. It soared through the air, heading to where Gerechtigkeit fought with the god of justice, Law. His golden figure had been battered substantially, and it was clear he was on the losing end of the fight¡­ yet still he stood, and that proved to be all that mattered.


    Eventually, this tremendous fireball struck Gerechtigkeit¡¯s flesh, impacting a chitinous portion of his ever-shifting body. In normal course, it would¡¯ve exploded and its force would¡¯ve dissipated, but momentster proved this spell would deviate very far from what was normal. The spell <em>persisted, </em>boring down as furiously and fiery as it had been when it first left the mountain at ckgard.


    Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the vition.


    The force and pressure from this continuous S-rank spell began to dig into Gerechtigkeit deeply enough that he took notice of it. It pushed into his body as ifpelled by a ma hidden in his guts, and no amount of resistance or defense seemed liable to change its course or make it dissipate. In the end, it was the cmity that yielded long before this spell did¡ªhe twisted his gargantuan, formless body out of its path, and let it carry on with an undeniable look of bewilderment. Only then did the magic within the spell falter¡ªand only because its caster had unbound the spell.


    Anneliese bounded down from the mountains of ckgard in floating leaps, letting the enchantments of the white coat crafted by Artur carry her gently down. Already, what looked like tens of thousands of eye golems burst free of Gerechtigkeit¡¯s flesh and pursued her. The cmity itself paid closer attention to her, made cautious by the disy of power.


    Those fell eye golems swarmed in numbers enough to hide the starry night sky above, but Anneliese arrived at the foot of the ck mountains with rtive calm about her face. Another mana ripple spread from her right hand, and she cast a single spell at all who came. The famed S-rank spell [Chain Lightning] erupted from her hands. Most spellcasters in the world would tell you the spell was supposed to hit a target and then strike another, halved in power until it became so small it was reduced to mere static.


    Anneliese¡¯s [Chain Lightning] never lost power, no matter how many it hit.


    In one moment, there was a horde of Gerechtigkeit¡¯s revolting children threatening her position. In the next, a curtain of electricity consumed the sky as her spell spread between every foe encroaching upon her. It sounded like a thousand lightning strikes all at once, and it looked like the wrath of heaven had emerged from her fingertips. It only ended when Anneliese made the spell stop. All that remained was a fine ck mist, flowing upward toward the sky.


    Gerechtigkeit broke away from his engagement withw with the animalistic ferocity of a gori, pounding across the earth in what Argrave had called his ¡®liquid form,¡¯ where his body was formless yet weaker than it would beter. Anneliese stood her ground, merely preparing another spell in her left hand. When she unleashed it, another bolt of lightning bridged the gap. The body of the cmity was beset by an electricity that never faded. It conducted through his body, the air, and all the ground he walked on indefinitely. It seemed ravaging and painful, yet the cmity never faltered even as it ate away at his body.


    A colossal stinger rocketed toward Anneliese when the cmity was still a mile away. Anneliese cast a simple, wide-range F-rank warding spell designed to block out sound and nothing more. The moment she did, the lightning stopped rampaging through Gerechtigkeit¡¯s form. Emboldened, Gerechtigkeit sent more attacks her way¡ªlunging snake bites, spiked tails, swarms of insects¡­.


    The paper-thin curtain of warding magic spread out slower than the stingering to strike it¡­ yet when the two met, it was the stinger that shattered,<em></em>folding inward on itself. The force of the attack was so immense that it was crushed by its own power upon meeting with the ward. When the dozens of other attacks caught up, they, too, came away having broken themselves like eggs against a wall.


    Gerechtigkeit slowed somewhat as he neared ckgard¡ªthe mountains possessed enchantments recreated in the image of the Pce of Heaven in the Great Chu. The closer an enemy came, the fiercer they were repelled by an invisible force. The craftsmanship was such not even the cmity could fully resist it. Still, the entire weight of his form came mming down on Anneliese¡¯s feeble-looking F-rank ward. His horrific teeth gnashed, predatory ws pried, inhuman hands dug, and base flesh raged¡­ yet it had the same effect as a single feather against a wall steel. Anneliese¡¯s ward held.


    In the end, others arrived long before that thin, pathetic F-rank ward had a single dent or crack. Law, shadowed by other gods freshly joining this fight, engaged Gerechtigkeit from the back. In response, his hideous form bounded away from Anneliese and ckgard with tremendous momentum,nding a great distance away. Anneliese, having entirely predicted his flight, had already cast another spell. A guillotine of ice took shape above, then descended on the spot where he¡¯d fled.


    Gerechtigkeit tried to dodge, but the mass of him was huge and the other gods interfered. In the end, the cleaver of ice mmed down upon him from above. Every moment he attempted to resist it was another that the ice dug into his form, freezing blood and cutting flesh at the same time. In the end, he was forced to sacrifice part of himself to retreat, losing a not-insignificant portion of his flesh.


    The cmity, He Who Would Judge the World, collected itself as its foes simrly took the brief moment of reprieve to get into a better formation. There was something that it¡ªthat <em>everyone</em>¡ªrecognized. The scales of the battlefield had tipped with the arrival of one person. Most knew this person, and those that didn¡¯t were shortly made aware.


    Anneliese, queen of Vasquer, daughter to Patriarch Dras, and the now-undisputed best spellcaster in the world stood in defense of her world and her dream for the future.


    #####


    ¡°It¡¯s everything I hoped for,¡± Argrave said with a tremendous degree of relief voring his tone. They stood on the mountains of ckgard, watching down below. ¡°What¡¯s happened to her? What¡¯s changed, exactly? This won¡¯t hurt her, will it?¡± He looked at Hause.


    Hause, once a young-looking blonde woman, retained the wizened features that Argrave had seen her possess when that golden spectral form left her body. Apparently, helping Anneliese had taken a tremendous amount out of her. She¡¯d imed that the repercussions for unlocking someone¡¯s potential hadn¡¯t been this severe since she¡¯d done so for Raven. It spoke of the tremendous aptitude she¡¯d brought out from within Anneliese.


    ¡°With my help¡­¡± Hause said, watching the battlefield with nervous eyes darting every which way. ¡°Anneliese reached into the tapestry of eternity. She touched time itself, and managed to pull free a single fragment of eternity. Yet¡­ do you have any idea what that means? Even a mere fragment of eternity is itself an eternity.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ yeah, sure. I understand.¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°Half of infinity is still infinity. But will this hurt her¡ªor anyone else, for that matter? We¡¯re not going to be jumping through time, the world¡¯s not going to end¡­?¡±


    ¡°She should be fine,¡± Hause said, shaking her head. ¡°As for the rest of us¡­ I don¡¯t know. I simply don¡¯t know. She could destroy the world with imprudence.¡±


    ¡°It can¡¯t be that bad,¡± Argrave protested.


    ¡°From what I can see, she now carries that spark of eternity inside her very being. She¡¯s made it her own, and that spark follows her orders absolutely.¡± Hause gestured down the mountain, where the fight had stagnated somewhat as both sides adjusted to the shifted bnce. ¡°You¡¯ve seen the results for yourself. She can imbue any spell she wants with that spark¡ªand until she recalls it, that spell never falters, never fades. With perhaps one use of earth magic, she could create tremors that upend the entire world.¡±


    ¡°She can clearly control it.¡± Argrave leaned down, peering at the fight. ¡°She¡¯s caused not a single bit of coteral damage.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s hope she chooses to keep it that way,¡± Hause said in exhaustion. ¡°Because I fear I¡¯ve unleashed another monster upon the world. If she can imbue things other than spells with it¡­¡±


    ¡°What¡¯re you worried about?¡± Argrave looked at her. ¡°Indestructible objects? Invincible people?¡±


    ¡°Eternity is something that no one person was ever meant to possess. It¡¯s unimaginable.¡± Hause sighed. ¡°I can only hope that power vanishes once you figure out a way to travel through that wound in the world.¡±


    ¡°You sound very confident I actually will do that.¡± Argrave looked up at the crack in the sky. ¡°Is it Anneliese¡¯s ability, or something else that¡¯s spurring that?¡±


    ¡°Erlebnis coveted my power because it was the closest thing to telling the future anyone has ever achieved,¡± Hause said in reminder. ¡°Potential is that which someone <em>could </em>possess in the future. That¡¯s what it is, fundamentally. Meaning¡­ both Anneliese and Raven might¡¯ve achieved this disy of power without my help, given enough time. They might not have. Few people actually realize their full potential. I merely facilitated the process.¡±


    ¡°And?¡± Argrave pressed.


    Hause looked at him, but it was more than that¡ªit was like she was looking <em>into </em>him, <em>through </em>him. ¡°Now that I¡¯ve spent some time with you, I can see your potential shifting, changing. It isn¡¯t because it¡¯s bing different; it¡¯s because it¡¯s nearingpletion. It¡¯s because you¡¯re realizing your potential on your own.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Argrave scoffed. ¡°I don¡¯t feel any different.¡±


    ¡°If you consider that your potential is judgment, it makes sense that it might coincide with an eventing soon.¡± She looked toward the wound. ¡°It might make sense that you¡¯d realize your potential when you hunt down Gerechtigkeit¡¯s true body and eliminate him entirely.¡±


    Argrave blinked. He didn¡¯t especially like prophecies. They made him nervous. ¡°If this is some borate pretext to back out of the deal¡­¡±


    ¡°Anneliese took a great deal out of me¡ªyou can see that much, I think,¡± she said as she grabbed at some wrinkles on her face. ¡°It¡¯ll take time for me to help you. If I recover my power enough, I¡¯ll unlock your potential. I won¡¯t renege.¡± Again, her eyes seemed to look through him. ¡°Yet what I see tells me you¡¯ll realize it on your own long before I intervene.¡±


    Hearing that, Argrave felt a strange feeling. A responsibility, a burden, pressing down on him, moving him forward. He didn¡¯t like the idea that any of this was all preordained. Only one thought gave Argravefort.


    If his power was truly judgment¡­ maybe he genuinely did decide how this all ends. Free of fate, free of the whims of higher powers, free of every malignant influence. Just himself, what he¡¯d done, and who he was.

 Chapter 697: Dinner Talk

    ¡°Argrave, the Hopeful is making steady progress through the southern valley,¡± Elenore told him, speaking directly into his head. ¡°He¡¯s already overrun a few of the checkpoints. The repelling enchantments we imitated don¡¯t hinder him as much as they do others. Those shadows he projects seem to just¡­ eat them.¡±


    Argrave processed that information. He had hoped that when the Hopeful had consumed his flesh, the thing would¡¯ve triggered thendmine Argrave had ced where his soul had once been. If the Hopeful had tried to read his thoughts, he would¡¯ve received a burst of mental power equivalent to that of every living thing in the world. It wasn¡¯t surprising he¡¯d dodged it if he had the Heralds¡¯ omniscience at his back.


    ¡°Sending me to die again, sis?¡± Argrave asked jokingly, but before she could respond continued, ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll deal with it. Tell Anneliese to be ready to send back vitality.¡±


    Argrave cast one more nce at the fight against Gerechtigkeit. With the addition of Anneliese, the tide had been turned in this phase of the fight... yet above, a dark cloud formed of the ashes of his dying body, foreshadowing another battle yet to manifest. Elsewhere, his willing and unwilling ves crept inward on Berendar, costing them more and more lives by the second. Argrave could say they¡¯d kept their bearings in the face of this ambush, yet the fight remained of yet undecided.


    With a heavy heart, Argrave again headed for the rematch against the only foe that could truly im to have beaten him. But Argrave had definitely let him win, so it didn¡¯t count as a real victory.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    So he hoped¡­ and coped.


    #####


    When Argrave alighted upon one of the many checkpoints on the southern valley leading into ckgard, he felt that feeling of death he¡¯d confronted not hours ago upon seeing the Hopeful again. The bestial giant shed with one of Law¡¯s many Justiciars. The Hopeful broke its de, shattered its armor, and let his hounds of hunger tear into the thing before looking their way. When his dark eyes saw Argrave, he could¡¯ve swore that smile widened.


    ¡°Your Majesty!¡± themander of the fort kneeled just beside him. His tone sounded vored with limitless relief. ¡°Your orders, sir?¡±Argrave looked to him briefly. ¡°Take everyone. Fall back to the next checkpoint.¡± He looked back. ¡°I¡¯ll deal with this.¡±


    ¡°At once!¡± the man said, more than eager to follow that order. Doubtless he¡¯d seen countless of hisrades die before the Hopeful¡¯s onught.


    As the garrison evacuated, Argrave jumped down from the fort, falling slowly and gently. He stood with the gargantuan enchanted walls at his back, facing this monster alone. He felt the fear, yet did it anyway¡ªOrion would¡¯ve been proud, he was sure.


    ¡°I never knew quite how important you were,¡± Argrave called out as he walked closer.


    ¡°I never knew how good your fear would taste,¡± the Hopeful answered as he shambled closer, barely fitting into the narrow valley.


    The monster¡¯s physical body did seem somewhat weakened in the confines of this valley, yet his shadows¡ªthe true threat of him¡ªroamed all but unfettered. His advance would be slow, yet inevitable, unless Argrave could put a stop to it.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been making a study of you,¡± the Hopeful continued, straining against the invisible force pressing down on him with his tremendous grin belying the effort. ¡°Of your mother. Of your father. Of the life you lived, and the reason it is you, of everyone, managed to reach this ce. None of the others cared enough, but I had little to do but wait.¡±


    Argrave knew he should attack¡­ but frankly, his n of attack hadn¡¯t changed much, and he didn¡¯t care to die young again. So he answered. ¡°My father was the king, and my mother¡ª¡±


    ¡°On Earth,¡± the Hopeful interrupted, a swell of deep pride in his tone. ¡°The things that you showed me¡­ that war, those weapons, those strategies¡­ they evoked a sense of remembrance in me. They spoke of things I had forgotten, of memories that my own hunger had eaten through.¡± The thing fell to one knee, exhausted.


    Argraveughed. ¡°So, what, you¡¯re like me, foreign to this world? Or you¡¯ve a lovely new trick to try on me¡ªa nice new angle to get me to agree to some Herald deal? It doesn¡¯t matter.¡±


    ¡°I am what you¡¯ve seen,¡± the Hopeful answered back. ¡°An aspirant. A beneficiary of theing change¡ªperhaps the primary beneficiary. A key to this cycle. A Hopeful. It might be said that the hunger all around is produced not by some supernatural phenomenon, but as a manifestation of the depth of my desire for theing end.¡±


    ¡°Coming end? It¡¯s a cycle,¡± Argrave pointed out. ¡°One that you¡¯re trying to prolong.¡±


    ¡°With chemistry, craftsmanship¡­ sometimes, processes are repeated dozens, hundreds, <em>thousands </em>of times, even¡­ to remove impurity. To perfect the product. Nothingsts forever. Everything, always, is changing all the time.¡±


    ¡°So the world is steel folded one thousand times,¡± Argrave said with a shake of his head. ¡°Why am I wasting time?¡±


    Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Using his eyes, his hands, every drop<em></em>of his being, Argrave unleashed a torrent of blood magic upon the Hopeful as he stood restrained. He could feel his link between Anneliese funneling back vitality into his system, recing what he spent as quickly as it was lost. He scarred the mountains, broke the ground, and fought the shadows¡­


    But the result was just as before. The shadows surrounding the Hopeful were simply too dense, too constant, for a single attack to reach his body.


    ¡°Why not prevail upon Sophia?¡± the Hopeful taunted, voice projected through his shadows. ¡°Have her unmake my power, as she did Jaray. Why not use her power of creation as a fuel for your vitality, that you might prepare an attack of the same magnitude that initially struck Gerechtigkeit?¡±


    Argrave stopped his assault, clenching his fists as they reconstituted. ¡°My daughter is sleeping. She needs to be at her best when we take the fight to where Gerechtigkeit retreats¡ªwhere the Heralds have stashed him. For you, I¡¯m enough.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re enough? More delusions¡ªboth of kinship with Sophia, and of any victory,¡± the Hopeful continued, rising to his feet as he began his steady advance forward once more. ¡°She¡¯s using you as a puppet. Not by choice, mind you¡ªby instinct. She¡¯s as malevolent as Gerechtigkeit. Have you forgotten who her parents were? The blood doesn¡¯t lie.¡±


    ¡°Hrious joke,¡± Argrave dismissed easily. ¡°If you¡¯ve studied me, you¡¯d know that I¡¯ve ovee worse odds. You? You¡¯re nothing.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re very amusing,¡± the Hopeful continued. ¡°You¡¯re a child who proims themself master of their sandbox, king of the yground. You¡¯re a sow who ims emperorship over their enclosure, sovereignty of their ughterhouse. A wiki editor? What a joke. The things you understand about this world are a fraction of what there actually is. Your betters are allughing at you fumble about, acting like you know everything about anything.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care if theyugh, so long as they pay attention.¡± Argrave took a deep breath. ¡°Hope alone is useless. You have to deserve what you want. And you? A baby bird, waiting with its mouth open for its parents to vomit food inside? You¡¯re pathetic. I can¡¯t lose to you.¡±


    Argrave sent out his blood echoes from his body, abandoning the strategy of brute force that had so buoyed their cause in the past day. This wasn¡¯t an opponent that power alone could beat¡ªand more than that, he wasn¡¯t someone suited to using brute force. He¡¯d fought against Good King Norman what felt like thousands of times, and he¡¯d eventuallye on top.


    This was no different.


    #####


    Gmon and Orion¡ªtwo giants, one with hair as white as bone and the other as dark as night¡ªstood amidst carnage, their backs to one another as they looked upon a calming battlefield with the sunset as their background. The barbarians hade in endless waves, led by gods emboldening their invasion of the Great Chu. Together, these two giants of war fought for hours and hours, acting as the immortal and untiring vanguard of a host of men and elves.


    ¡°It¡¯s quiet,¡± said Gmon briefly.


    ¡°The earth shakes no more¡ªneither from the stomping of our enemy, or the rage of that earth deity.¡± Orion looked around warily. ¡°Do we move to another front?¡±


    ¡°This was thest.¡± Gmon wiped off his Ebonice axe of blood¡ªwhere his fingers touched, the blood sept into his skin, rejuvenating it. Hause had brought back his vampirism stronger than ever, yet now he was its master rather than the inverse. ¡°Well fought.¡±


    ¡°I should say the same is true for you!¡± Orion praised, kneeling on the ground as he surveyed the area. ¡°You fought like a thousand men so that yours didn¡¯t have to.¡±


    ¡°Patriarch Dras¡­¡± Gmon closed his eyes. ¡°He held back. He let thousands of Great Chu men and women die so that hundreds of Veidimen could live. I¡¯m ashamed of him. I thought¡­ better of him, I suppose. Perhaps he wasn¡¯t always like this, or perhaps I was simply blind.¡±


    ¡°Has he changed, perhaps? Or have you?¡± Orion asked ponderously.


    ¡°Hmm. Maybe he was always like this. But I met better.¡± He studied Orion with his white eyes. ¡°Argrave. Anneliese. Elenore. You.¡±


    ¡°Your evaluation honors me. Argrave respects you greatly. It¡¯s only today I saw the full reason for that tremendous faith in you.¡± Orion rose. ¡°We should go, help restore peace. We cannot return to Berendar in wake of Raen¡¯s death, but we can ensure that the Great Chu, at least, remains orderly.¡±


    Above, both men whipped their head when a tremendous sh of light passed overhead. It was followed by absolute darkness, then a roiling storm cloud that covered all like a flood. Within that storm cloud, malignant energy brewed. Swirling vortexes of wind took shape within it, many threatening to descend.


    ¡°They said Anneliese had turned the tide of the battle, but¡­ exceptional. Exceptional. They killed him.¡± Orion stared in awe. ¡°From the moment I saw her, I knew my sister-inw was something special. Even I couldn¡¯t have predicted it to this degree.¡± Orion rolled his shoulder. ¡°What did Argrave call this?¡±


    ¡°The second phase.¡± Orion twisted his axe in his hand. ¡°It seems this lull in the fighting was temporary.¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡± Orion nodded. ¡°Before I forget, there was something I wanted to ask you.¡±


    ¡°Ask,¡± Gmon said.


    ¡°Would you care to bring your family over for dinner, sometime?¡± Orion smiled. ¡°My wife is a mite intimidated by Veidimen and the authority they have over the Great Chu, and I think nothing could help more than meeting a nice family. You could bring your boy, too.¡±


    Gmon looked at him, sporting an extremely confused expression.


    ¡°Am I asking too much? Is it too soon?¡± Orion kneaded his forehead, smearing blood all over it. ¡°My apologies¡ªI¡¯ve never been adroit at forming friendships. When you killed that tattooed god, I simply thought, ¡®this is a man I¡¯d like to have as a family friend.¡¯¡±


    Gmon looked back at the sky, which was growing ever fiercer. ¡°Sure. Dinner. My wife is a good cook.¡±


    ¡°Really? That¡¯s very exciting.¡± Orion smiled brightly. ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it. Let¡¯s wrap this up, work out the ns. How fun. How quaint.¡±


    All around the world, it was bing rather clear to people why this cmity affected the whole world. Berendar would remain its focus¡­ but no one would be spared what was toe.

 Chapter 698: Trial By Fire

    Chapter 698: Trial By Fire


    Wielding the spark of eternity, Anneliese felt as though they finally had the upper hand in the battle against Gerechtigkeit.


    As the intensity of the engagements around the continent lessened, more and more hands were freed up to fight against the main body of Gerechtigkeit. With Law as their heavy-hitter and countless others providing more than sufficient auxiliary fire, they finally had a strategy that could contain his seemingly-indefatigable assault. In contrast to the inhuman rage of Gerechtigkeit, they were all creatures of logic who went through life employing tactics and tools to overpower far more powerful beasts. This was no different.


    Anneliese was the trapper, the shepherd. She kept the prey in line, prohibiting its movement with tactfully-ced wards from which it could not escape. Gerechtigkeit <em>feared </em>her wards, and Anneliese believed that fear was justified. If she could manage to trap him within one, it would simply be over. She snared his movement as her allies attacked, blocked his counterattacks as they repositioned, and dug sharp spears of magic when the cmity disyed vulnerabilities.


    The spark she had wrested from eternity was a tool so versatile Anneliese almost feared her own power. A lightning that never ended, a tempest that never waned, a fire that never ceased, a seal that never broke¡ªit was the stuff of legends. Were it not so singr, it might beparable to Sophia¡¯s power. Even as it was, nothing other than the cmity could hope to truly fight against it.


    Yet even with the upper hand, the battle wasn¡¯t without its share of losses.


    The cornered wolf snapped and snarled as they tore chunks of flesh from its body, wearing it down piece-by-piece. In their desperate struggle, the battle surged upward through the valley north of Jast. The chasested hours. The narrow confines lowered their maneuverability, enabling Gerechtigkeit to all but escape up the road until he reached Dirracha. There, aid from the host of centaurs and the liches converged, warding the cmity from destroying the city entirely. Even still, half of the city was ravaged, either by golems or his own terrible power.


    Thereafter Gerechtigkeit was forced west, toward Mina¡¯s home city of Veden. Elenore assured Anneliese that its people had all but evacuated, yet nevertheless¡­ the decision to pin Gerechtigkeit down on that location weighed heavily on her mind. It was strategically sound; they dealt grievous blows, but in the end, nothing remained of the city. Another sacrifice for a small victory.


    A waning Gerechtigkeit tried to escape into the wends northward, but by this point all of their allies had gathered. Deities that were veterans of countless previous cycles descended upon his weakened forms like hyenas hoping to hasten aing death that they might feast on glory and victory. In the end, it was one of Anneliese¡¯s spells that extinguished him¡ªa great bolt of white lightning that struck for eternity, dissipating his form into ckness.


    Anneliese dissolved the lightning spell when he was gone, standing on a in that looked much like the barren hellscapes she¡¯d seen in the Shadonds. Looking around her, it seemed this ce had be a paradise for death. Burnt, ravaged by war, eaten by the cmity¡ªGerechtigkeit¡¯s poison had seeped into the heart of Berendar. Those too young or too ignorant to know the truth appeared ready to celebrate¡­ yet those that knew better looked to the sky, where the true trouble brewed.One of Law¡¯s Justiciars came to stand by here, a shadow of the towering golden deity that stood proudly and defiantly after the first phase of the battle was finished. He stared at the ck storm clouds in the sky.


    ¡°How prepared are your people for the Trial?¡± Law asked of her.


    ¡°They know what to expect, at least,¡± Anneliese said, steadying her breathing. ¡°But from what Argrave tells me, it isn¡¯t something that one can truly prepare for. We must merely endure¡ªand at a scale unlike any previous cycle.¡±


    Above, the whirling vortexes in the clouds began to ripple with what had been promised for so long¡ªfire. Fire as red as rubies, carried by the formless, sentient power of Gerechtigkeit. It began to entwine itself in the wind, in the clouds, in the rain and the snow¡­ and spread itself across the whole of thend.


    Droplets of fire rained down from the sky, one for every living soul. Anneliese could see ruby tears cut the sky like the blood of a god dripping onto the earth. She raised her hand up tentatively, feeling that one her eye followed woulde to hit her. She didn¡¯t move, didn¡¯t dodge at all. The Trial by Fire was inevitable. No one had ever been able to avoid it. Gods of space, time, and all manner of arrogant beings had attempted to, but none had seeded. Even with eternity at her back, she didn¡¯t dare try, either.


    The droplet of red fire touched the back of Anneliese¡¯s hand¡­ and with it came a searing pain so intense she howled in agony, falling to her knees. For an unimaginable time, her vision was reds and whites, and she was in total thrall to the pain. But as time passed, senses enough returned to look around. Around the world, the fire fell and consumed. It soaked into the soil, seeking those hidden underneath it. It crawled into homes, hunting those taking refuge. The pain was such even gods were reduced to worms, writhing on the floor with all the rest.


    Anneliese thought of what Argrave had told her countless times, clinging to it to use her mind as a shield.


    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    <em>In the game, the Trial by Fire was just a cutscene. If you hadn¡¯t done certain people¡¯s quests, they wouldn¡¯t be able to endure it, and you¡¯d lose them. They¡¯d break, or they¡¯d choose to end the pain. Here and now, though¡­ </em>Argrave seemed to think of it. <em>It¡¯s harmless, functionally. A grand illusion. So long as people are aware, they should be able to ovee. Just picture how good it¡¯ll feel when it¡¯s all over. </em>


    Anneliese slowly got to her feet, even though she could barely tell her limbs were moving. She forced herself to keep her eyes open even as the mes consumed the world. The fact her sight didn¡¯t fade confirmed to her this fire was a mere fabrication. She clung to her curiosity about how such a me functioned, using that curiosity to ground her in reality.


    <em>But once we get through the Trial¡­ </em>Argrave had said. <em>It¡¯ll be the home stretch. One final fight¡­ for this world, at least. </em>


    Anneliese stood up straight. She was the sole able to do so in this field of pain. Yet¡­ there was another who was surely standing. She could feel his life, humming inside her through their connection. Argrave. He was as much an anchor to her as anything else. With so much support, she wouldn¡¯t ever sumb to pain. So long as he was alive, she¡¯d be able to live as well.


    #####n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Argrave¡¯s attempts to fight against the Hopeful in a more strategic manner had proved to spare him a great deal of pain, but didn¡¯t produce much in the way of results.


    The crawl of the shadowed abomination was unending, unerring, even as the well-constructed enchantments of ckgard suppressed him to the point he paused every few steps beneath the weight of it all. The Hopeful¡¯s shadows, that foul manifestation of his hunger and desire, was both an unbreakable shield and an unstoppable sword.


    All that Argrave could try, he did. He tried gathering vitality using lesser spells cast by blood echoes to fuel an empowered [Bloodfeud Bow], but it was insufficient. The issue lied in the fact that the shadows could actually consume his typically-impermeable echoes. He tried using them to teleport in, deal a punchy attack, and teleport out¡­ but the Hopeful was far too adept at using his power to ever let that happen.


    Argrave¡ªhaving already surrendered two checkpoints¡ªretreated to a third, watching the Hopeful as the thing slowly craned against the pressure exerted by the arrays of the mountains of ckgard. Looking back, Argrave could see that not many checkpoints remained. Elenore had spoken to him little, trusting him to deal with this matter¡­ but if this carried on further, they would be in genuine crisis. With that mounting pressure in his head, Argrave once again looked upon the smiling giant of shadow.


    In power, Argrave was outssed. In skill at using power, he was outssed. Few people could offer usable assistance, and they were all caught up with conflicts on the other side of the world. To that end, Argrave considered everyst idea, everyst bit of power that he had¡ªthe Brumesingers, some trick with the Domain of Law, some divine weapon that had gone unused, but¡­ each and every trick came up wanting before this opponent.


    It was only when the sun began to crest above the mountains signaling the entire night hade and gone was Argrave reminded of something that had failed once before. There was a conduit within him¡ªan anchor, partially formed of the silver knight that had once stormed ckgard with far greater sess than even Gerechtigkeit had exhibited. It resided in the spot his soul ought to be.


    Argrave could <em>feel </em>it within his being. It was a subtle feeling, and he generally did his best to ignore it. It was essentially an instant kill to whoever tried to reach within. Argrave didn¡¯t think he¡¯d be spared its wrath if he attempted to meddle with it. It was the link to the souls of every living being in the world¡ªa link to the new sun. It held greater mental pressure than the Smiling Raven had endured. It was intended as a defensive measure, yet¡­


    What if it could be more than that?


    Argrave could feel his mind probe near the entrance to that hellhole buried within his body. Even peering inward from the edge was the closest he¡¯d evere to death¡ªone misstep, and his undying soul would be battered by the weight of the world. Nothing could save him, then¡ªhis soul would surely shatter, his body would be an empty shell, and everything would fall apart.


    But Argrave looked at the Hopeful, creeping down the valley in long strides. He thought of those who¡¯d already died fighting¡ªfirst against Jaray, and now against Gerechtigkeit. He thought of Anneliese, who¡¯d imed a power so great it seemed liable to win them this whole war. The Hopeful hade here to parasitize this world¡ªit was only fair, then, that the full weight of every living soul bear down on him.


    Above, ck storm clouds filled the sky. Argrave knew what came next¡ªthe Trial by Fire. He inhaled as he realized what Anneliese had managed to achieve thus far, further sealing his conviction. He looked at the Hopeful again, the weight of what he was considering making his breathing heavier. The Trial affected all, even gods¡ªit would surely affect the Hopeful, too.


    Argrave was no stranger to pain. He found his power in it, and had developed thick calluses from the sheer amount blood magic caused. Perhaps, as ever, he might find his opportunity in the heart of it. Given all that he¡¯d already endured¡­ perhaps the Hopeful would prove himself less capable of enduring the Trial.


    But even if he could punch through the shadows, Argrave would need an attack he was certain would end it all in one blow.


    Argrave descended from the checkpoint, alighting again in the valley. He was heedless of the cmity raging above them, casting its pain-bearing fire to every corner of the world. Gerechtigkeit¡¯s intent was to break lesser people beneath pain as he reconstituted for the final fight. But pain was Argrave¡¯s bread and butter, and if he could truly get the whole world at his back¡­ perhaps hope could be stolen from the shadows.


    He faced the Hopeful once again. This time, his resolve to die was somewhat more genuine. He reached for that conduit buried in his body, preparing to use it as a weapon. And with his will steeled, he walked toward the shadow as the fire of pain came to cover the world.

 Chapter 699: Judgment Day

    With the world ame, Argrave walked toward the shadows of the Hopeful. The tendrils of darkness writhed like snakes embroiled in conflict with their own tails, and beyond, Argrave could see the smile of the Hopeful. His ever-constant grin was somewhat marred as he ground his teeth together. The fire had overtaken him, too, yet his shadows raged and fought against it.


    ¡°It¡¯s easy to endure when you know what waits beyond,¡± shouted the Hopeful, his voice nearly drowned out beneath the sound of fire and wind.


    Argrave said nothing in response, all of his thoughts focused to a single-minded pinpoint. He could feel the pain that the Trial by Fire brought, but his mind was already shifting gears to block it out. Argrave conjured the artifact staff Artur had imbued into his flesh, and its ck and gold form took shape.


    He grasped what had once been the Resonant Pir in his right hand, while his left cast a spell. The whole of his arm exploded into gore, and the staff responded to his will and collected the blood magic inside. It projected the spell out like a spear, and with a swing it projected its power outward. It fought back the shadows like a scythe cleaving through wheat, yet they still advanced as constantly as the ocean tide.


    Argrave swung the lightweight staff in simple, crude arcs, and the resulting waves of blood magic bore a hole deeper into where the Hopeful waited with the fires of the Trial lighting his body ame. Though Argrave¡¯s mind felt muted and dulled by the pain, he could tell that his initial theory was proving sound¡ªthat the Hopeful wasn¡¯t as adept at using his shadows during this Trial.


    Argrave felt hope well up in his chest when crude waves of shadows assailed him without the skill and finesse that the Shadonder had disyed in earlier shes. The strategy was reminiscent of the rote brutality that he, himself had employed¡ªcasting out power without an inclination toward strategy, fighting without any concept of the consequences. Pain made people dumber, rasher, more instinctual. Even the supposedly-enlightened master of the shadows wasn¡¯t immune to this fact.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Argrave, though¡­ this level of pain was just a warm-up for him.


    He sent out one blood echo in an area where the shadows seemed less dense, then moved to it using [Echo Step]. He was given some reprieve from the never-ending waves of power before it all came rushing back in a panic, attacking from all sides. He was in the center of the whirlpool, but fortunately, he had some experience dealing with it by now. Beyond shearing through it all with his blood-imbued staff, he sent out pulses of blood fire that ate away at it all. The crimson mes blended into that created of the Trial by Fire, disguising his attacks.


    Walking through this marsh of shadow, fire, and pain, Argrave advanced step by step toward the immobile Hopeful. The giant figure¡ªperhaps seeing the merit of Argrave¡¯s strategy¡ªreached into his shadows, condensing it into a sword. He thrust it toward Argrave quickly enough it was too hard to dodge. Argrave felt countless things split open and tear as he was thrown backward.But Argravended, eventually, and when he arose his wounds were already healed and his determination hadn¡¯t wavered an inch. He leaned on his staff as the flow of vitality revitalized him, then began his steady march back into the mire. He kept a better eye on the Hopeful, whose wariness had also reached a high. His opponent had forgotten his tendency to taunt, to jeer, and instead held that makeshift weapon at close attention.


    Argrave marched, step by step, with his eye fixated on his target. He imed a path through this jungle, bushwhacking his way to his destination. The Trial by Fire seemed a secondary thing, by this point¡ªthe pain was enough to drive men to suicide, but to Argrave, it merely seemed like a good opportunity to pull a reversal of fortune.


    When next the Hopeful attempted to swat him away, Argrave responded by using Garm¡¯s eyes to cast a spell. His vision faded as the blood magic consumed his very eyes, but when sight returned he saw the Hopeful cast backward, his left hand holding his right. ck blood gleaming like crude oil dripped from a small cut on his hand, fading away to the fiery hellscape all around them.


    Some of the strongest blood magic Argrave had only left the tiniest cut in his foe¡¯s hand. The odds were certainly against him, yet if Argrave could touch this Shadonder¡­ he would try to call upon the bomb tucked away in his body. Physical contact was the only way this might work.


    Argrave made more active use of his blood echoes, prevailing upon short bursts of [Echo Step] to dodge the reckless waves of power the Hopeful used. Both of them seemed burdened, weighted by gravity¡ªif not for the earth-shattering disys of power coursing about them in the form of shadow and blood, it might seem a fight between sluggish old men.


    Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    But with the virtue of pain on his side¡­ Argrave won ground, bit by bit, where he never had before.


    The Hopeful fought fiercely, but with both the pressure of the magic arrays in the mountains of ckgard, the burden of pain brought about by the Trial of Fire, and the constant pressure Argrave applied¡­ at some point, even his overwhelming power and skill faltered. Argrave reached not ten feet away from his legs, and then the giant mmed a fist down upon him like a panicked attempt to stop a bug.


    Argrave dodged, and the impact shattered the earth all around. With a half-stumble, half-lunge, he reached his long arms out and ced his hand upon the wrist of this abomination. It felt like he was touching something repugnant, something fundamentally at odds with this world. Then, he plunged his will into that dark hole at the heart of his being. Like a needle versus a balloon, it passed through easily.


    In that moment, Argrave felt the whole world explode from his heart.


    The unconscious minds of every living thing burst from the link that Argrave had established up there in the sun. Their souls probed the confines of his body¡ªthe watching eyes of trillions of living things, witnessing the whole of him. They didn¡¯t examine him alone. They crept to Argrave¡¯s hands and flowed into the Hopeful as though they were trying to fill a vacuum.


    The scrutiny was intense and all-consuming. It felt as though trillions of worms crawled through his brain and flesh. They saw everything¡ªeverything that he¡¯d done, everything he¡¯d thought, every memory he had, every action he¡¯d taken. They deprived themselves of nothing, these figments of souls. Every intimacy, every embarrassment, every triumph¡­


    The unconscious minds of trillions saw Argrave. And as was the nature of life, they judged.


    Separate, the judgment of these souls was a small force, easily disregarded. Yet so tightlypressed, the small wings of these butterflies touring his life¡¯s achievements became a tornado bubbling inside his body. His mind bent, broke, battered and contorted as their judgment rejected so much of what he had done, cast shame upon all of the mistakes they felt he¡¯d made.


    But for every soul that thought him shameful, despicable¡­ there were ten others who held a different viewpoint.


    Rather than reject, they attracted him¡ªthey countered the terrible rejection of those others, keeping his mind intact even as it threatened to break beneath the weight of it all. In the end, what had promised to be aplete and total shattering of his mind now became one where the thousands of souls around the world had seen what he¡¯d done, learned himpletely and utterly¡­


    ¡­and epted him.


    When Argrave came to his senses, a haunting voice so loud that it promised to break his eardrums railed against him tremendously. He staggered, leaning on his staff, before he focused on themotion. The Hopeful writhed, golden light shining out from his eyes and mouth like as though something within was bursting out. He screamed in a disjointed voice that rumbled the earth.


    Just as with Argrave, a figment of the unconscious minds of every soul had prated the Hopeful. The general poption of the world had deemed Argrave more eptable than objectionable, and by consequence he¡¯d kept his life. By contrast¡­ Argrave didn¡¯t need to be able to peer into the thing¡¯s head to see what was happening.


    All the living judged the Hopeful as someone objectionable. They judged him unworthy of life.


    The Hopeful spasmed about, craning against the restrictions of the array. This judgment seemed to cause him infinitely more pain than the Trial by Fire had. He dug his ebon fingernails into his eyes and wed at his own skin as the golden light inside continued to glow brighter and brighter. Looking around, Argrave could see the shadows thinning, slowly being overtaken by the mes of the Trial by Fire.


    Eventually, the Hopeful settled on his knees. The glow slowly faded from his body, but the damage it¡¯d left was undeniable. His left arm fell limply to the side, while his right stayed gripping his head. He¡¯d dug his fingers so deeply into his own skull that his right arm couldn¡¯t rx its grip. From the twitching, the eye movements, the spasms¡­ there was still life in the body yet, but Argrave couldn¡¯t say the Hopeful still existed.


    That smile had faded. All that remained was the empty shell.


    Argrave raised his staff up, empowering it with more blood magic. The de atop it rose higher, and when it had grown taller than the thing it was meant to cut, Argrave swung it. The magic cleaved straight into the empty shell the Hopeful had left, and though it met some resistance¡­ the body was bisected. He stared at the remains for a long, long while, checking for himself if the thing was well and truly dead.


    Argrave hadn¡¯t been <em>too</em> enthusiastic about democracy, but after winning the popr vote, he could confidently say he loved it.


    Argrave looked toward the sky, where the Trial by Fire persisted even now. It wouldn¡¯t be long until there was an ending to things. He couldn¡¯t say what their chances were, but¡­ now, it was only a sh between destruction and creation. And with the world having seen and embraced him, he felt markedly more confident.

 Chapter 700: Brilliant Remover of Darkness

    Chapter 700: Brilliant Remover of Darkness


    Raven pulled away from the wound in the world from which Gerechtigkeit had emerged, his studyplete. Though the Trial by Fire affected him as much as any other, the unique form of pain it caused was something he could easily ignore. It always took a great deal of pain to morph his body, and over the many centuries, he¡¯d grown used to the sensation.


    It certainly hadn¡¯t impeded him in tracing whatid beyond the wound.


    Raven¡¯s gaze followed the long cut that had left its indelible mark in the sky. Any attempts to move through it produced no results, and any attacks directed at it phased through like it wasn¡¯t there. It was impermeable, untouchable¡­ but not beyond understanding. As he¡¯d predicted, travelling through it required a method of movement no one alive could replicate. To chase Gerechtigkeit and end the cycle permanently would require Sophia to remake someone in a manner that would make thempatible with this portal. That was the only foreseeable route.


    ¡°Elenore,¡± he said, speaking in his mind through the link established. ¡°I¡¯m ready to prepare Sophia. What¡¯s the situation?¡±


    ¡°The Trial by Fire is abating in the more distant continents, and the fighting is resuming. Argrave¡¯s killed the Hopeful. Anneliese is fine. ckgard is still quiet, safe. You can enter through the southern valley. There¡¯s a lot of Shadonders, but they¡¯re all on our side. I can safely say we¡¯ve won that fight.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be there immediately.¡± Raven cast a nce at the sky, then began descending with [Absolute Movement].


    Momentster, he felt great tremors cutting the air and opened the eyes on the side of his head. Miles away, a gilded white saber cut the air with the speed of a meteor. Instinct screamed at him with enough ferocity he simply stopped thinking. Raven whipped his body around and swung his obsidian staff, while hands spawned from all over his body and conjured wards. The de pierced his S-rank shields like they were porcin tes, and when it met his highlypressed obsidian staff, shattered it. The white saber punched a hole in his chest and sent him spiraling downward far faster than he¡¯d intended.


    Before Raven had even hit the ground, his formless bodypressed to heal the hole in his chest. It abruptly split back open as the sword reversed course, abating much of his momentum and leaving him suspended in the air. What looked like an automaton modelled after a white horse and a long-maned rider came into his view. It had four arms, the second pair just below the first. The rider of the automaton caught the sword with its right arm, galloping through the skies like it was the natural course of things.


    Raven corrected himself by recasting [Absolute Movement], diverting all of his attention toward this new arrival. Its approach was as swift as the de it¡¯d thrown at him, and he felt that death might be the inevitable oue when they shed. He readied a spell, yet before its matrix could even close the rider was already upon him.It sword arm swung twice, halving Raven¡¯s body with each. Hepleted the spell, fortunately¡ªa shamanic spell, meant simply to teleport him the hell away from this monstrosity. The spirits whisked him away¡­ until he was abruptly torn from the spell by the automaton¡¯s grasping hand. It had intercepted his shamanic magic, and he peered right into its face as it clutched him with vice-like white fingers. Its face was that of a monkey with eyelids stretched open by mps, and a terrible frown split its face. In those eyes, he saw the cold fury of Gerechtigkeit. It raised its sword up, preparing to end him.


    A red blur mmed into the both of them, freeing Raven of its grasp. He kept his eyes trained on the thing to see it swat aside one of the lunar dragons with one arm. Its second pair of hands wiped the saber it held, imbuing it with white cleansing fire. It looked liable to utterly destroy that lunar dragon, but before it could, another joined¡ªLorena. She hammered her hammer-like tail against Gerechtigkeit¡¯s automaton in a tremendous burst of energy while the other dragon sped off into the distance.


    ¡°Lorena will hold the Zanti,¡± Elenore¡¯s voice instructed him. ¡°Fall back to the Shadonders. They¡¯ll buy more time. He¡¯s hunting you¡ªdon¡¯t forget that.¡±


    Raven had only a few moments to heed that instruction before the thing Elenore had called the Zanti caught Lorena¡¯s tail, dragged her down as effortlessly as a towel, and swung its sword straight through her gigantic dragon body. When Raven was again imed by the spirits, he heard a roar of pain and witnessed the leader of the lunar dragons split in half, showering blood and gore.


    Raven anticipated theing attack every second the spirits whisked his form away. One second, two, three¡ªthen, a sharp pain, and a tremor of force that echoed through his whole body. The Zanti had struck him instead of grabbing this time, and when Raven mmed and skidded against the ground, he understood why.


    While Raven fixed his thoroughly-battered body, the Shadonders worked in total unity to fight the Zanti. With the leadership of the white-haired woman who¡¯d inherited the genius of their greatest historical figures, their coordination proved an incredibly devastating force. Grasping tendrils restrained while ebon projectiles assaulted this terrifying cleansing force, and flying figures controlled the sky with ncing blows.


    The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    In response, the Zanti held its upper arms to the sky. Whirling vortexes of fire coalesced in a single ball of blinding white fire that seemed a peer to the golden sun in the sky. The lower arms clenched the saber by its heart, as if in prayer. Then, it thrust the de up, piercing that white fire. The sword absorbed that mass of me in an instant.


    When the Zanti thrust the sword down, Raven had sufficiently recovered to use his spirits. He transferred himself toward the southern valley of ckgard, and for the first time proceeded unimpeded. It was only upon reaching the active array beneath the mountains of ckgard that he was blocked. He stood at the mouth of the valley, peering ahead into the utter destruction the Hopeful had left in his wake. He ran, manifesting eyes on the back of his head.


    Where he¡¯d been moments before, a tornado of that cleansing white fire had risen up. It ate through the unified ranks of the Shadonders like nothing else had before. Even amidst the chaotic nightmare of that tornado of fire, he could see the Zanti break away, pursuing him single-mindedly. It reached the entrance to the valley the same way he had, and though the arrays impeded its speed, it was still faster than him by many magnitudes.


    ¡°Argrave wants you to trust him, and keep running forward no matter what you see,¡± Elenore said into his mind.


    Of everything, it was only those words that brought some hope to Raven¡¯s mind. He redoubled his sprinting efforts, sprouting legs until he was a match for a centipede in his mad dash. He passed through battered, broken checkpoints, and ahead, began to feel an incredibly unsettling power. The path ahead started to be obscured by a familiar crimson mist.


    Raven ran and ran, pounding his thousand makeshift feet against the uneven stone. He watched as the Zanti spun its saber through its fingers, sending white embers dancing through the air in increasing frequency and intensity. Its fire burnt away what little debris remained of the checkpoints, purifying everything it touched until nothing remained.


    Before long, everything ahead was a rich red while everything behind was a blinding white. Raven trusted in Argrave despite the ominous signs, diving headfirst into the whirlwind of power that seemed as deadly as the one behind him. When the Zanti came close enough to slice at his haunches, he still persisted, driven by faith.


    Then there was a shift in the air, like something in the world had broken and snapped. Ahead, a power of the same magnitude Argrave had initially struck Gerechtigkeit with exploded forth. A bolt of energy wide enough to fill the valley burnt the air and shattered the earth, far surpassing the speed of that dread automaton. Even despite it all, Raven kept running headfirst into doom, keeping as low as he could.


    Death came¡­ and passed Raven by.


    As he¡¯d been instructed, he never stopped running. The bolt missed him by such a thin margin that the tremors as it passed by still cut him in half a thousand ces. The Zanti, though¡­ it halted, turned, and attempted to exit the valley. Aided by the expelling force of ckgard¡¯s arrays, it rode away, then upward toward the sky. Though that ultra-powerful bolt of blood followed, it seemed likely to escape.


    Until, that is, a single F-rank ward intercepted it.


    Anneliese, appearing almost from nowhere with the aid of spirits, met the terrifying automaton and Argrave¡¯s blood magic head-on. She cast a ward, ensnaring the foul thing. And then, a great explosion of blood magic and white fire consumed the sky. Raven saw no more after that. He passed by Argrave, who seemed to be gathering himself.


    ¡°Good luck,¡± Argrave said simply as Raven passed him by without slowing a beat.


    Raven fled, eager toplete the final piece of this puzzle and destroy Gerechtigkeit utterly. Argrave, though, walked to confront the final fight before the end of things.


    #####


    Argrave had felt some very genuine terror when he learned that Raven had nearly died. That call had simply been too close. Argrave had consumed the body of the Hopeful with his blood magic, and that had given him vitality sufficient to create an attack strong enough to damage this incredibly power Zanti. Anneliese had blocked the retreat, and they¡¯d earned a significant blow.


    And yet Argrave knew the thing wouldn¡¯t die that easily.


    In truth, Argrave was surprised to see the Zanti. In Heroes of Berendar, this had been a deific form Gerechtigkeit assumed to fulfill a doomsday prophecy that had taken hold. The so-called Zanti was prophesied to descend and bring the most virtuous age upon the world with its cleansing white fire. Another trick to exploit the people, but one that Argrave hadn¡¯t allowed to taken root. He supposed Gerechtigkeit couldn¡¯t pivot from centuries-prepared ns that easily.


    Elenore spoke of torch-bearing white giants heralding that same cleansing me in the rest of the world, continuing to devastate the people of this world. They conjured armies of impermeable angels that wrought hell everywhere they passed. They could only pray the others would hold out, but on Berendar¡­ here would be the true fight. As ck blood and white fire dissipated into the air, heid eyes upon the Zanti.


    The automaton stood in the center of the valley, its white metal cracked to reveal some of the ck malevolence of Gerechtigkeit. Its white metal was only a shell. Once they cracked it, the beast within was just as terrifying. But opposite him at the entrance to the valley, Anneliese stood her ground. Others joined her, pinning the thing down.


    That monkey-like face faced Argrave. He could tell that it would stop at nothing to break past him. Argrave, though¡­ he¡¯d stop at nothing to break it, pry Gerechtigkeit from that shell, and finish this once and for all. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

 Chapter 701: Everyones the Hero

    Griffin stared at Argrave, who stood defiantly in his tattered ck coat deep within the valley leading to ckgard. In truth, Griffin himself had done appreciably little toe this far. Most everything had been the work of Argrave alone¡ªwresting Sophia from Sandbara, depriving the Heralds of their voice in this world, putting an end to the ambitions of the Hopeful¡­ all his own feats, even if he had some help along the way.


    Of the foes Griffin had fought during his previous descents, there was no one he thought could take his ce. None could endure what he had without surrendering to the will of the Heralds. Lorena had her chance, but in the end, they¡¯d broken her. Raven had nearly risen so high as to contest the Herald¡¯s power, but he sumbed to insanity and lost to a coalition of gods. Lorena had saved him without his knowledge and salvaged his mind, but he¡¯d never again seek that power¡ªinstead, it¡¯d paralyzed him with fear. There was only one person Griffin thought capable of taking his ce. It was an egoistic answer, but that didn¡¯t change the fact it was true.


    Only Argrave could endure what Griffin had ande out the other side opposing the Heralds.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Griffin respected Argrave more than anyone. He came from a soft, prosperous ce where thergest danger to people was themselves alone. Despite that, the moment he¡¯d awoken as Argrave he came alive. He acted with cunning, expending boundless energy toward a single end. When he discovered other ends were possible, he pursued them with a moment¡¯s doubt. He didn¡¯t hesitate to steer the path of the world, with or without its consent.


    It was rming to watch Griffin¡¯s ns unravel one by one. Argrave¡¯s influence spread like a gue across Berendar, and then eventually the world. He destroyed, he rebuilt, he established, and overtook all the existing power structures, making them his own. The sum total of that effort stood before him, poised to sh with all its being. Nothing could please Griffin more, facing a foe that he respected.


    But respect would not faze him.


    Griffin spurred the automaton he¡¯d crafted into motion. This Zanti had been inspired by a myth from Argrave¡¯s home realm¡ªit was the tenth, final incarnation of a god prophesied to bring about a new era of virtue and truth before its ultimate dissolution. In design, it was a collection of all the knowledge Griffin had learned watching the denizens of this realm craft automatons. It used his own being as its fuel¡ªand with that peerless fuel, it bridged the distance between him and Argrave incredibly quickly despite the suppression of the arrays in the mountain.


    Argrave shifted on his feet, but Griffin didn¡¯t waver in the slightest. The Hopeful, one of the most powerful beings in the world, had been forced to hobble uselessly in this valley. His Zanti already proved itself far stronger than that. He only needed to break past Argrave and follow the route to ckgard. Had Anneliese been standing in his way, this would¡¯ve been a problem, but she was behind. Argrave could certainly hit hard, but his defense wasn¡¯t as absolute as hers.


    Griffin came to Argrave, his upper right arm holding the white saber high. The moment it began to slice down, Argrave vanished, employing his [Echo Step]. Griffin found his location in a millisecond, then threw the saber in the next. It spun through the air like a sawde, moving so quickly it appeared like nothing more than a white blur. Argrave couldn¡¯t have reacted¡­ but he predicted, teleporting again moments after.Griffin felt a burst of blood magic behind him, and whipped around to see Argrave had used his new favorite spell, [Godkiller]. With a burst of cleansing white fire and a swipe of his hand, the magic shattered. Even still, it cracked the Zanti¡¯s hand, revealing more of Griffin¡¯s formless being. His saber danced through the air, returning to his hand, and Griffin clenched it tightly.


    ¡°I fought your father, Norman. He was faster,¡± Argrave goaded, regrowing his arm. ¡°Maybe I shouldn¡¯t be surprised. A lot of sons are just pale imitations of their father. You¡¯re his spitting image.¡±


    Griffin took the taunt with amusement alone, enjoying a secret joke. Instead of continuing to sh, he stuck to his goal. The Zanti sped deeper into the valley. All up ahead, he saw the results of Argrave¡¯s preparation¡ªblood echoes spread everywhere, like bloody ghosts haunting this ruined path. Rather than blindly waltz into an ambush, he held his three arms out, burning away some of his essence to bring forth that cleansing white fire. Opposite him, Argrave appeared with [Echo Step], preparing three spells¡ªone from Garm¡¯s eyes, and the other two from his hands.


    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any urrences.


    Argrave¡¯s ck-blooded magic and the Zanti¡¯s purifying mes rose up in devastating contest, shattering the earth and rocking the mountains. Argrave¡¯s magic was strong enough to resist, but not enough to truly oppose. Griffin won more and more ground by the second¡­ but every second he spent was another that those behind advanced. If Anneliese and her Spark of Eternity arrived, it could well be over.


    With a final flourish when Argrave had beenpletely overpowered, Griffin ceased his contest of power and barreled forth with de raised high. He brought the saber down to cleave, but Argrave conjured the staff Artur imbedded into his being. Griffin¡¯s saber met the staff, breaking it out of Argrave¡¯s hand and continuing on to cut off his right arm and right leg. Argrave, though, didn¡¯t flee. Instead, with a spark of insanity in those gray eyes of his, he reconjured the staff into his left arm, and swung it into the Zanti¡¯s face.


    Thetent ability of the Resonant Pir activated, delivering a blow of the same strength Griffin had just delivered right into the metal body of the Zanti. The automaton was sent tumbling backward in a heap, and a fragment of the metal mask broke away. Some of his essence leaked out, but he restrained the rest inside and regained his bnce.


    ¡°Much uglier¡­ without the mask,¡± Argrave sputtered, coughing blood as he leaned against his staff, unable to bnce with only one leg. White fire persisted on the cut, impeding Argrave¡¯s regenerative ability. Griffin saw opportunity.


    <em>Should¡¯ve struck my legs, </em>Griffin thought of that taunt to reply, but without a mouth to say it, had to leave it unsaid.


    He ran into that minefield of blood echoes spread throughout the valley. Never before had Griffin seen Argrave employ so many of these specters at once. They were more than showpieces, too¡ªArgrave continuously appeared before the Zanti, magic at the ready. His injury, still burning with white fire, proved to worsen his ability to effectively use spells like [Godkiller]. For a long while, Griffin made nothing but progress, passing by broken checkpoint after broken checkpoint.


    Eventually the Zanti¡¯s me died, however. By the time Griffin reached the area where the Hopeful had perished, Argrave returned in force. His strategy improved by leaps and bounds¡ªthe blood echoes he didn¡¯t end up using expended themselves, bing blood-infused [Electric Eels]. Soon enough, between great schools of eels soaring through the sky and Argrave¡¯s own assaults with [Godkiller], Griffin found himself slowing, stagnating.


    Rather than allow Anneliese and the others time to catch up, Griffin decided to utilize his now-substantial lead to do what would ultimately be best¡ª killing Argrave¡¯s body outright. The suppression of ckgard¡¯s arrays was a truly formidable advantage for Argrave, but Griffin was confident he could win. Without Argrave¡¯s body present, he might win it all.


    Griffin kept careful track of all the blood echoes near, doing what his father never had¡ªlearning Argrave¡¯s tendencies when he teleported. His opponent¡¯s intention was to stall for Anneliese¡¯s arrival, and Griffin took ample advantage of that fact to gather information. Slowly, he pieced together subtle habits, tells, and recalled all the other fights that Argrave had engaged in.


    Then¡­ all at once, Griffin felt as though he¡¯d entered Argrave¡¯s mind.


    Griffin charged, swinging his saber predictably to bait the Resonant Pir. He feinted, making Argrave teleport away in panic. He attacked with a burst of white fire where he knew Argrave would next be. The blinding fire subtly concealed Griffin¡¯s true attack. He threw his saber where he was certain Argrave would appear after dodging his mes. He felt a burst of triumph as his de sliced straight through Argrave¡¯s waist mere moments after he teleported, sending his upper half spinning through the air.


    Griffin leapt, conjuring a st of fire to burn Argrave away. Before he could, however¡­ Argrave¡¯s body vanished, whisked away by a blood echo. Griffin scanned the surroundings, but saw no sign of him. He might¡¯ve scanned more with his omniscience, but that would take some time¡ªtime hecked.


    With no more opposition, Griffin tore through the valley with reckless abandon. The array in the mountains oppressed him harder than ever, yet he felt utterly unburdened as he came upon the checkpoint at which the Hopeful had failed to pass. With a single swipe of his saber, its metal gate shattered. His effort redoubled toward the next, and he utterly ignored its garrison as he simrly crashed through its gates.


    Barrier after barrier, obstacle after obstacle¡­ Griffin broke through them all, until he finally saw thest gate. He feared an attack from anywhere, everywhere, all at once. But in the end, he reached its gate the same as all thest, and with a tremendous burst of white fire, burnt it all away in blinding, purifying life.


    Griffin walked forth into ckgard, taking in the city from a new view. Its orderly, peaceful streets, its immactely maintained fields, its estates and farmhouses, its amenities and utilities, its parliamentary hall¡­ it was utterly serene. The only thing disturbing Griffin¡¯s view was Argrave. The king of this city stood, whole and healthy. He¡¯d changed into new armor, and appeared fully rejuvenated.


    And in his arms rested Sophia, Griffin¡¯s sister. The reason he¡¯de here at all.

 Chapter 702: Blackgards Blackguard

    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re alright to do this?¡± Argrave asked as he stared at thest fort standing between the southern valley and the city of ckgard. Thest thing keeping out Gerechtigkeit¡¯s present avatar¡ªa terrifying force of nature.


    Sophia watched ahead unwaveringly. ¡°It¡¯s what you¡¯d do¡­ right, dad?¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Argrave eyed her. He¡¯d never actually heard her call him ¡®father¡¯ or ¡®dad.¡¯ He didn¡¯t want to demand it of her¡ªhe had no right to force the title out of her, even if it was something he wanted her to feelfortable saying. In the end, that long wait had been worth it. It carried far more weight than if he¡¯d simply demanded it.


    ¡°Well, maybe not when I was your age.¡± Argrave inhaled deeply. ¡°I¡¯d be ying this scenario out with action figures instead of actually living through it. The reality is a lot scarier.¡±


    As if to prove that point, a great destructive noise echoed over and above the fort, and Sophia tensed. Elenore fed him more information, but in truth he paid them little mind as he waited for Sophia¡¯s next words.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want this to end,¡± Sophia said simply. ¡°If I can do that¡­ I want to.¡±


    Thest fort burst wide open in a white inferno that turned stone, wood, enchantment, and even the closest parts of the mountain all to ash. Golden embers drifted through the air as that four-armed centaur automaton walked through, its body cracked and exposed in parts where Argrave had managed blows. It took in the city almost in awe, before focusing those terrible eyes it had on the pair of them.


    Argrave put Sophia down, keeping his eye on this opponent. Inside the city, the restraints of the array upon their enemies would totally cease to function. Proving this point, in a blink of an eye the Zanti was upon them, his arms grasping futilely at Sophia. She stared up at the thing fearfully, yet unflinchingly. It was as if there was an invisible barrier around her. Argrave, meanwhile, thrust his hand out with a spell at the ready.


    He used [Godkiller] up close. His arm burst into gore as it always had, yet before it could even strike its target all his flesh and blood returned to him. The Zanti only briefly diverted its attention away, pping half-heartedly at the magic with one arm. Instead of the former oue, its arm was utterly repelled, and the bolt of pure blood magic mmed into its body. The centaur automaton was sent flying away at breakneck speeds, propelled out toward the coast. It split the water before being lost in it, sending a great wave outward into the sea.Raven had taught Sophia three things while Argrave did his best to hold back Gerechtigkeit¡¯s final card. One, she¡¯d learned to imitate Jaray¡¯s power. She could no longer hurt anything, but nor could anything hurt her¡ªthe god of politics proved to be of some value to them in the end. Second, she¡¯d been taught how to funnel her power of creation into the wellspring of Argrave¡¯s vitality. Like this, he¡¯d stacked another modifier atop his blood magic¡ªthe power of creation, of life itself. There could be no more potent fuel, as that one brief exchange had proven.


    And thirdly¡­ Sophia had learned how to allow Argrave to pursue Gerechtigkeit through the wound in the world. All that remained was sending the cmity back there to finally break the cycle.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Sophia asked urgently, having seen his arm explode. ¡°Did it hurt?¡±


    ¡°Not a bit,¡± Argrave lied, tousling her hair. ¡°You?¡±


    ¡°No. Just a little tired, like back then.¡± She shook her head.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Argrave looked to where Gerechtigkeit had been hit. ¡°Then¡­ time to pull out all the stops.¡±


    Argrave walked up to the coast with his arms held out, bringing into being thousands of blood-infused [Electric Eels] which been ranked up to use a higher volume of both magic and blood. Through the haze of pain such spells caused him, he found himself half-listening to all that Elenore told him¡ªthe peopleing, the strategies. She understood, taking the burden as sole strategist. Nothing but his total attention could stop theing beast.


    With eels pulsing around him in rings and providing protection from any rapid approach, Argrave stopped and scanned the coastline. As he watched, the ocean itself began to boil, sending steam into the air and obscuring the distance in a dense mist. The instant Argrave saw a shift in the air, he knew what wasing.


    White fire erupted upward from the earth as the Zanti came back like aet, dragging its de upon the ground and leaving a huge emptiness in its wake. The automaton led a vanguard of white fire that ate all it passed by. The whole of the harbor vanished, and shortly after it countless homes. Argrave brought forth everyst cell in his body toward one singr end¡ªblocking theing attack.


    From his eyes and hands, from all the blood echoes he could conjure, Argrave¡¯s blood soared to meet that seemingly inexorable cleansing me. His body died and came alive again what felt like a million times a moment until the two opposing forces mmed against each other. The sheer might of their collision created a shockwave dispersing the energy in every direction. Nearby buildings simply shattered, great orchards flew up into the sky, entire fields were torn into wastnds, and countless great peaks of the mountain crumbled, creating rockslides that threatened to bury the city.


    If youe across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    Both the Zanti and Argrave confronted each other in the calm heart of that storm of chaos. Argrave swung his staff imbued with a bloody de at the white saber that shed at him callously. The white metal saber met the de of blood. Argrave¡¯s magic was so potent it cut through the de, cut through the hand holding it, and severed the upper right arm of the terrible machine in one swing.


    The Zanti stumbled slightly as Argrave turned to face it, looking between its severed arm and Argrave in what was obvious surprise. Gerechtigkeit¡¯s ck essence spewed out of the hole, coalescing into a tail-likence that pierced Argrave through the chest before he could even see it attacking. A ck poison took root in his body, spreading throughout it and making him wither from within. Eventually, Gerechtigkeit retracted his appendage, but the poison persisted.


    Enduring it stoically, Argrave prepared for another sh. Instead, the Zanti turned, galloping deeper into ckgard. Argrave conjured more [Electric Eels] after they¡¯d been expended in the sh, sending them after his retreated figure. Undoubtedly Gerechtigkeit intended to threaten him by going after Elenore¡­ but if the cmity had taken the time to look back, he could see Argrave smiling even with ckened, rotting gums.


    A bident soared toward the approaching automaton. In the next moment, Raven teleported to it¡ªit was the divine weapon Admiral Tan Shu had once used. Alongside it, he bore countless divine weapons, brandished in hundreds of arms that made the automaton¡¯s three seem paltry byparison. Empowered by these countless artifacts, Raven swung, stabbed, and iled down upon Gerechtigkeit. To say the least, it was not as the first sh.


    The Zanti was sent crashing to the ground as it had once sent Raven. The impact it left was deep enough that parts of the city began to fall away into the nearby river. There, Argrave¡¯s bloody eels finally caught up with him. The red electricity ckened and melted the impable white metal of the automaton, sullying that savior¡¯s shell the cmity sported. With no more eels to control and the poison fading, Argrave sped forth as fast as he could with [Echo Step].


    Purifying fire rose up in an enraged attempt to wash away Raven utterly. The man threw the bident stolen from the Great Chu once more, prevailing upon its teleportation. The Zanti looked like to either chase Raven or proceed to the parliamentary hall, but he never got the opportunity. The smallest cut of shadow appeared before it, and in the next moment, a Shadonder de stabbed at the thing¡¯s chest. It was fast enough to leap away, but not fast enough to avoid damage. The de imed one of the legs of the Zanti, then vanished back into the Shadonds like Traugott so often had.


    Before Gerechtigkeit could even respond, another attacker scored a blow¡ªDario, hidden away in the mountains, fired a mechanical weapon of his design empowered by spirits. A javelin intended to hunt whales mmed directly in the center of the horse like body of the creation. It was a particrly brutal blow, as if the man took offense at Gerechtigkeit¡¯s imitation and adoption of his people¡¯s art of automatons.


    Moments after, the Shadonder appeared again. As if advised by foresight, the Zanti whipped its body and gripped the de, yanking the perpetrator out. That white-haired Shadonder was the one responsible. He gripped her neck and jammed an elbow straight through her chest, breaking her. Then, its third armshed out at the portal, digging its fingers in before it could close. With a pull, Gerechtigkeit somehow <em>tore open </em>the Shadonds, revealing the portal¡¯s creator. A burst of white fire exploded into the Shadonds moments after, killing any and all unfortunate enough to be nearby.


    Argrave attempted to smite the wrecked automaton with another [Godkiller], yet Gerechtigkeit¡¯s ck essence cracked like a whip and batted it into the distant mountain. Artur¡¯s Hall of Enchantment was directly hit, and in the resulting rockslide buried the entrance of the building while much of it seemed to copse inside. In the next moment an eerie ck hand attempted to grasp him, but Argrave instinctuallyshed out with raw power.


    By the time Argrave realized the attack had been a fake-out, the Zanti had already nearly made it to the parliamentary hall. Dario fired another javelin from his post with impable aim, yet Gerechtigkeit caught it as if the attack were a joke, throwing it back with animosity. Cleansing white mes began to build all around him as he proceeded. He was the closest he¡¯d ever been, but Argrave didn¡¯t hurry. Instead, he stopped altogether.


    Argrave breathed a deep sigh of relief as a faint ward began to rise up out of the parliamentary hall. Anneliese, rather than chase by foot, had taken the Shadonds. Before ever even fighting Gerechtigkeit, they¡¯d dropped her off in the heart of the parliamentary hall to protect Elenore, their nexus ofmunications. With Anneliese¡¯s Spark of Eternity, all those within would be totally safe.


    A great horde of Shadonders began to fill the broken city from the portal Gerechtigkeit had wrenched open, uncoordinated yet bloodthirsty in the wake of the deaths of their two greatest proponents. Argrave felt a great surge of vigor in his chest, and looking behind, saw Law marching in from the southern valley, bringing with him his Domain of Law. Other great gods joined him, eager to avenge those that had fallen. Argrave himself never ceased creating electric eels for a moment, as he prepared to end this.


    Looking upon that wrecked automaton, with all his allies at hand, victory felt close at hand.


    ¡°It¡¯s all so tiresome,¡± came Gerechtigkeit¡¯s voice¡ªfatigued, resigned, disappointed.


    The body of the Zanti fell like a lifeless doll, ttering quietly.


    ¡°Surgical precision is an ill-suited method for me,¡± he continued. Argrave saw subtle waves of darkness on the edge of his vision, and could predict what was soon toe. ¡°But it brought me here. That was more than enough.¡±


    Argrave felt a rising nervousness which he expressed as a smile as he awaited what came next. For the people of the world, the final stand came¡ªfor Argrave, though, this the beginning of the end. Griffin had abandoned the Zanti. Without that shell, all that remained was ending his very essence.


    But as the earth tremored and the mountains trembled, the itself seemed to reject theing coalescence. It was a power that didn¡¯t belong in this world.

 Chapter 703:

    ¡°So long as you stay with me, Sophia, you¡¯ll be fine. Ignore everything thates for us, no matter what form it takes.¡± He held her small hand in his, preparing for what wasing. ¡°I won¡¯t let go. You can¡¯t, either. He¡¯ll try everything to break what you¡¯ve created. But we won¡¯t let him, will we?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Sophia said defiantly yet fearfully.


    A terrifying, fleeting power had permeated the city of ckgard. Everyone could feel it, and some had even experienced it before. Still, no one was fully prepared to experience what woulde this cycle, not even Argrave. It had the heat of a me, yet his body remained the same temperature. It had the weight of the, yet exerted no pressure. It tasted and smelled like everything, even when there was only saliva in his mouth and air on his nose.


    All of the buildings ahead began to warp and distort, folding inward on themselves, curving eternally into the sky. The mountains surrounding them rose high enough to pierce into space while descending deep enough into the earth to pierce the dwarven city of Mundi. Even Anneliese¡¯s ward, sustained by eternity, couldn¡¯t fully resist what wasing. It sphere became a universe unto itself as the Spark of Eternity fought a power that was its peer¡­ or perhaps it superior.


    Sophia¡¯s power was that of creation. It could bend reality. Griffin¡¯s power was that of destruction. And her brother¡¯s power had as much mastery over reality as hers did.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Gerechtigkeit¡¯s reality-bending power made the world around the instrument of his destruction. It could master and control everything outside the domain of creation and life. Dirt, stone, metal, cloth, water, fire,va, even the wind¡ªthese nk tes without a spark of sentience were the perfect vessel for his consummate desire. And with them in hand, he brought forth not merely a hell¡­ but everyone¡¯s hell. Up, down, left, right¡ªthey became meaningless distinctions in this world of nightmares.


    The rows of buildings twisted into mockeries of people he¡¯d once known. His distant cousins, nephews and nieces, his parents, all made into incestuous abominations that mbered toward him, melting like wax with every step they took.


    ¡°You¡¯re happy,¡± they whispered at him, their faces all smiles. ¡°Can you share it?¡±


    Argrave¡¯s might¡¯ve forgotten they were foes without the presence of Sophia, who squeezed his hand tighter in fear from whatever personalized nightmare she was facing. He used blood magic, clinging to the pain to ground him for what needed to be done. His parents screamed in agony as he severed their body limb-by-limb, as he watched them bleed and spasm from his attacks with light draining from their eyes. Their corpses remained, like a reminder of his sin.White-haired children wed at Argrave¡¯s boots, their eyes amber and their ears elven. Each and all had umbilical cords still attached, leading back to a putrescent bloated woman with Anneliese¡¯s face. Beside her stood himself, but instead of his own face, he bore that of Anneliese¡¯s biological father¡¯s¡ªher mother¡¯s rapist.


    ¡°Daddy!¡± the children sang. ¡°Love me! Love me like mommy!¡±


    Argrave felt rising bile in his throat as he prepared to wipe away what he saw. His children broke his legs and tried to eat his calves as he hesitated, and it was reason enough to purge that disgusting image with more blood magic than was necessary.


    A sharp pain pierced Argrave¡¯s back, and when he grasped at it pulled free a knife from his back. He looked toward its source to see Elenore, sitting atop Orion like a bench. His brother clenched Anneliese¡¯s face, crushing it like a melon as she screamed in total agony.


    ¡°I never loved you,¡± Elenore said. ¡°Not once. You¡¯re more of a dog than he is.¡±


    Induen, Levin, and Felipe III rushed at Argrave like frenzied ghouls, and Argrave¡¯s blood magic raged against them with tremendous struggles. They cut his arms off near as much as he himself used them for blood magic. Sophia¡¯s vitality kept him whole, but Argrave felt battered and broken, and he stumbled upward through time.


    Sophia ran out at Argrave through the dark, and he squeezed his hand to reassure himself the one he saw was merely an illusion. She looked panicked, terrified. Before she could reach Argrave, a giant bird¡¯s foot mmed down upon her. The Smiling Raven tore out her guts with its beak piece by piece as she screamed, and already Argrave prepared blood magic.


    ¡°I only wanted the power of creation,¡± the Smiling Raven said, bearing Raven¡¯s face on its head. ¡°You were always nothing.¡±


    Argrave sted it with as many [Godkillers] as he could muster, but no matter how many he sent forth it continued to devour this false Sophia as she screamed. With his final blow he wiped away both of them, and stood there immersed in his pain to keep him sane. He felt something wet strike his cheek, and looked up with an attack at the ready.


    Sophia, though somewhat older, hung from a noose, her wrists sliced open. Her dripping tears and flowing blood struck him with the force of bullets, nearly casting him to the ground.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, dad. You couldn¡¯t help me. I couldn¡¯t forget,¡± she said sadly.


    Beneath the weight of the assault, Argrave could only send forth blood echoes to fight back against this foul conjuration. It felt as though the weight of it might break him, and it very nearly did as much in mind as it did in body. He had seen awful things¡ªplenty of them. These, though, tore the fears straight from his soul and manifested them as reality. They were exact, and they were cutting.


    ¡°You failed us!¡± Gmon and Durran shouted, bearing down upon him with a host of Veidimen and southern tribals.


    ¡°You¡¯re not fit to rule!¡± Vasilisa yelled, bearing the head of Archduchess Diana on a spike as she led her host of northern soldiers.


    ¡°Your name shall be stricken from history,¡± Emperor Ji Meng exined calmly, arriving at the shore with a host even grander than the one he¡¯d brought to their northern shores. R?


    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the vition.


    Argrave could see it all unfolding¡ªBerendar bing a destitute wastnd, wrought by war even in the wake of his victory. The continent was ravaged and piged and every great city utterly wiped away. Its people were killed and tortured by people seeking vengeance for the chaos Argrave himself had brought to them. They became barbarous animals, and Argrave the greatest example of hubris the world had ever known.


    Argrave¡¯s body split and broke, bent and shattered, cracked and burnt, twisted and disintegrated¡­ yet somehow, <em>somehow, </em>he fought back all those insurmountable forces, those worming doubts made flesh.


    At some point, however, Argrave¡¯s blood magic met one of his one attacks. He stared in confusion, until he saw a figure walking out from the abyss.


    ¡°I was wrong,¡± Argrave said, staring at him. ¡°I put in all this work, all this effort¡­ spent millions, maybe <em>billions</em> of lives¡­ and in the end, I didn¡¯t fix a damn thing.¡±


    ¡°¡­fucking hell,¡± Argrave muttered beneath his breath, then cast out [Godkiller] once again.


    Doubter Argrave neutralized it with a spell of his own, advancing ever closer as he continued to speak.


    ¡°Even after I beat myself, going through the wound in the world didn¡¯t achieve much. The things that I was expecting to be there weren¡¯t.¡± Skeptic Argrave cast out blood magic with the same reckless abandon Argrave did, and he could only backpedal while holding Sophia¡¯s hand to avoid much of it.


    ¡°There wasn¡¯t a solution,¡± Sad Argrave shouted over the carnage. ¡°The reason the Heralds didn¡¯t give a damn was because they didn¡¯t need to. Honestly, what was I thinking? It was clear from day one that we were like fish in a fishtank. Even if a clever octopus manages to escape its aquarium, it won¡¯t change the reality of the matter. We¡¯ve lost the race before it¡¯s begun. They¡¯re just operating at a different levelpared to us.¡±


    Argrave imbued a tremendous amount of blood magic into his staff, and the thing began radiating with such an intense crimson light it warded away even some of the darkness persisting all around. He strode forth, swinging it straight at Pessimist Argrave. The amalgamation caught the blow simply.


    ¡°Defeating yourself won¡¯t change anything. You go through the wound. You see the truth. At the end of the day, at the end of the road¡­ the only thing you¡¯re doing is killing yourself,¡± Depressed Argrave said, even as the de of blood cut through its flesh. ¡°Admit it. You¡¯re wrong. You¡¯ve never been right. You¡¯re looking for that silver bullet, but it doesn¡¯t exist, my man.¡±


    Argrave headbutted Emo Argrave and used Garm¡¯s eyes in the same instance, delivering a devastating volley of blood magic right into his face.


    ¡°Want a metaphor?¡± Cynical Argrave said, even as he reeled backward from the blow. ¡°You were ying ckjack. You had one of the best hands you can get¡ªa twenty. You had a hot wife, really smart family, you were king, and everybody loved you. You could¡¯ve killed Gerechtigkeit. Wouldn¡¯t have been perfect, sure¡­ but it was damn close. And even with that hand, you asked the dealer to hit. You were looking for that ace.¡± The fake held his arms in an archery stance, and a [Bloodfeud Bow] took shape, gathering power quicker than Argrave could conceive.


    ¡°Now¡­ I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ve gone bust.¡±


    The false Argrave released the power that Argrave had so oppressed others with in the past¡ªthe might of the [Bloodfeud Bow], of all his lifeforce condensed into a single point. As it approached, he was near certain that his body would die. Even despite all of that, he stood firm, directing all of his attention toward theing attack.


    It seemed impossible to block. Perhaps it was a paper tiger¡ªa dramatic show of force without much power behind it. Perhaps Argrave mustered more power than he ever had. Perhaps he instinctually grabbed Sophia and used her as an invulnerable meat shield before delivering a devastating counterattack. To be frank, even Argrave wasn¡¯t quite sure what he did. He merely had one conviction in his heart.


    <em>I¡¯m not wrong. </em>


    A great st of power erupted from Argrave¡¯s being, overbearing the approaching attack. The fake tried to defend, but all his magic seemed to fold away like a field of grass in the wake of this power. It tore up the earth, shattered the atmosphere of destion and destruction, and seemed to reim the world of the nightmare that had consumed it.


    By the end of it all, Argrave stood tall, still holding Sophia¡¯s hand. Dark Argrave had fallen to the floor, pierced in half a dozen ces as heid there, dying. Unlike the real thing, he couldn¡¯t reconstitute¡ªhe merely bled and died. With his death, the endless screaming, the constant pressure, the weight of the world¡ªall had gone, and upward was again open sky instead of a never-ending nightmare.


    Looking around, ckgard was entirely gone. Nothing, not even the mountains, remained. Living nightmares died in every direction¡ªgiants, abominations, forces of chaos and destruction, all met their end without the fell power fueling them. Argrave couldn¡¯t even tell how many had died. He saw his own corpse what must¡¯ve been half a thousand times. He was rather touched so many people saw him as a nightmare.


    Argrave feared that this would be another trick, another bait-and-switch before something awful appeared. Everyone else seemed to think this, too. Argrave saw Law, slowly rising from the corpse of dead gods. He saw Raven rising from the corpse of the Smiling Raven¡ªand he was joined by Lorena, who Argrave had been certain was dead. Then again, perhaps he shouldn¡¯t be surprised¡ªshe was a shapeshifter, so being cut in half couldn¡¯t have been so bad.


    ¡°¡­Argrave?¡± came Elenore¡¯s voice in his head.


    Reminded of the situation, Argrave looked to where the ward protected Elenore and Anneliese had been. Hearing his sister¡¯s voice had soothed some of his worries¡­ but no matter where he looked, he couldn¡¯t see her ward.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± He responded back, kneeling down beside Sophia. She looked utterly exhausted, but she was still fully present. She gave him a wordless smile, and he returned it. ¡°Is everyone alright?¡±


    ¡°The continent¡­ the <em>world¡­</em>¡± Elenore¡¯s voice was heavy. ¡°It nearly shattered. But¡­ it held. I think¡­ I think we won.¡±


    Argrave breathed a sigh of indiscernible emotions. He picked Sophia up, looking all around at this wastnd of corpses and devastation. As far as the eye could see, nothing had been spared this nightmare. He couldn¡¯t even begin to imagine the damage this had caused. He looked up at the wound in the world. It persisted¡ªand would, for some hours. The moment they verified Gerechtigkeit¡¯s death, he intended to head through it.


    ¡°Argrave¡­ please don¡¯t act rashly, but¡­ Gerechtigkeit came for Anneliese, hard.¡±


    Hearing Elenore convey those words made every nightmare Argrave had endured feel like nothing. Even still, he felt their connection, felt her existence, still going strong. Artur¡¯s artifacts still existed within both of them. That was the only thing that enabled him to listen to Elenore. Whatever had happened, Anneliese was alive.


    ¡°He knew of your connection. He must¡¯ve sought to break her so he could break you. His power could slip by her wards, and she couldn¡¯t escape it. She helped me and some of us in the shelter, then¡­¡± Elenore¡¯s pause made him want tosh out. ¡°You shoulde see for yourself.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not keen on a suspense thriller starring the woman I love,¡± Argrave practically shouted in his head. ¡°Just tell me.¡±


    ¡°She was forced to imbue her body with the Spark of Eternity,¡± Elenore said resignedly.

 Chapter 704: Ground Zero

    As the chaos all around died, an eerie silence set over the world as if everyone, all at once, was contemting what had happened. They all feared one another, even their closest allies, because moments ago they¡¯d been fighting against them. Argrave searched this field of dead nightmares for Anneliese.


    It became clear he wasing closer to her as the images he saw shifted. He saw her mother, her father. He saw himself, repeated countless times in dead bodies. He saw sights not so dissimr to what he¡¯d endured, but the fear of what had happened pressed him onward without taking much time to contemte.


    ¡°Raven and Lorena will survey the world to be sure Gerechtigkeit is dead,¡± Elenore informed him. ¡°¡­but from all I hear, it seems to be truly over.¡±


    Argrave stopped at a gaping hole of writhing flesh, peering down into its depths. This was where the connection between their two artifacts had led him. He took a deep breath and jumped within.


    What he saw¡­ it made Argrave¡¯s own battles seem paltry byparison, insignificant. The twisted bodies and faces rising from the stone, the grasping hands and chewing mouths¡­ Argrave saw faint traces of her magic still persisting. Ice crystals, sparks, fires, all the like. Finally, though, the bottom neared. Hended upon a huge mass of flesh.


    Argrave looked around. The cyst-like growth was wide and putrid, likely having been born of the earth all around them. He hoped to hear Anneliese¡¯s voice at any moment¡ªeven a call for help would be better than this silence. But as he tugged at the artifact buried within his body, he located the source of its response.


    Just underfoot.


    With that, Argrave kneeled, conjuring a dagger of blood and carefully carving away with urgent movements. When, finally, one pale hand revealed itself, he eagerly dove deeper. Strip after strip of flesh peeled away, at parts like cutting through fat and at others through bone. And as he did, he began to understand Elenore¡¯s defeat.


    She was alive, but¡­ Anneliese didn¡¯t move. Instead, her body was suspended in stasis.Deep in the throes of denial, Argrave continued to free more and more of her figure. When he finally reached her face, her amber eyes open wide and her lips frozen into a faint smile, thest support snapped, and he epted what had happened. She had been overwhelmed, and in ast-ditch effort, suspended her body with the Spark of Eternity. It gave her total invulnerability, yet¡­


    Argrave didn¡¯t know what to do. Rage? That was there, but some dim undercurrent kept him from losing himself to the tide of emotions that poured over him. Whatever her present state, she was alive. She could be brought back, right? She had to be. If she couldn¡¯t be¡­


    ¡°Argrave¡­¡± Elenore¡¯s quiet voice entered his mind, speaking delicately as if she feared what he might do. ¡°Anneliese felt confident enough to do this because she knew you would still persist. That¡¯s what she told me.¡±


    Argrave couldn¡¯t help but tear up upon hearing that. He stared into Anneliese¡¯s amber eyes.


    ¡°She knew that you¡¯d be able to finish the fight,¡± Elenore continued. ¡°And you will be, right? For her? For all of us?¡±


    Argrave swallowed his tears, his sobs, even though it was painful. He looked up toward the sky, where the sun of his design faintly sent light curving into this horrid ce. The skies were again free of Gerechtigkeit¡¯s influence. He could see the wound in the world¡ªwaiting, inviting, like a taunt.


    ¡°Just¡­¡± Argrave¡¯s voice cracked, and he cleared his throat. ¡°Just wait a moment, Anne. I¡¯ll get you out of here. Then, I have to go.¡±


    #####


    Fortunately, Anneliese¡¯s suspended form wasn¡¯t trapped in that horrid pit¡ªArgrave was able to bring her out of it, where others had already begun to gather around. He left her in the care of Elenore, then surveyed the surroundings as others gathered. Elenore brought a great deal of survivors here that she might coordinate their response and best deal with the aftermath. After all, she couldn¡¯t be certain that she¡¯d still have the blessing of connection if Argrave seeded.


    Law, Lira, and Hause were among the few gods to survive. Stout Heart Swan, Durran¡¯s patron, and Yinther, god of curiosity, died at Gerechtigkeit¡¯s hand. Even Veid in the Great Chu had fallen in the battle. The Veidimen were in a period of mourning. Argrave thought Gmon would be among them as her champion, but no¡ªhe was here with Orion, carried over by one of the lunar dragons.


    At Argrave¡¯s prompting, Hause examined Anneliese¡¯s condition. She could offer no certainty, but mentioned the possibility existed that the Spark of Eternity might be untethered once Hause perished. While she hadn¡¯t fully imed the spark for Anneliese, she had been a contributing factor. Her death might conclude eternity¡¯s grip over her. Hause expressed a willingness to reach that conclusion early. Argrave was sorely tempted, but it felt too wrong to actually go through with it.


    After all, divinity as a concept might be ending shortly.


    Leaving Elenore some time to strategize and coordinate, Argrave visited with those gathering in the broken ruins of ckgard.


    He saw Dario and Mnie, helping the dwarves evacuate out of their broken city of Mundi and visiting the surface for the first time in centuries. The sunlight and open air made some of them vomit. He saw Elias of Parbon helping coordinate the human survivors¡ªhis father remained behind, shepherding countless survivors toward this area. Argrave joined with a familiar pair, who both faced him numbly.


    ¡°Everything¡­ gone,¡± Nikoletta mumbled quietly. ¡°Mateth¡­ nothing remains. My father¡­¡±


    Argrave studied her. She¡¯d lost an eye, and the wound persisted¡ªno healing magic could close it, for it was caused by the god of pain. Even after he¡¯d perished, it wouldn¡¯t fade.


    This book is hosted on another tform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    ¡°You¡¯re alive,¡± Argrave said, looking between her and Mina. ¡°We¡¯ll rebuild.¡±


    Neither seemed to take sce in his words, and so he left them alone with their grief. He briefly joined with Orion and Gmon.


    ¡°How bad was the Great Chu?¡± He asked the two of them.


    Orion and Gmon shared a nce, then his brother focused only on him. ¡°Only a few cities still stand. Their people survived, but that¡¯s about all I can say.¡±


    ¡°The Veidimen were barely harmed.¡± Gmon crossed his arms, speaking with an unusually angry tone. ¡°I¡¯m ashamed, even in my happiness. Patriarch Dras¡­¡± he shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ll never speak to him again. Not after this.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll be wee here,¡± Argrave said with conviction. ¡°More than wee.¡±


    Orion grabbed his shoulder. ¡°And how are you, Your Majesty? Anneliese¡­¡±


    ¡°She¡¯ll be fine,¡± Argrave insisted. ¡°I¡¯ll be sure of that.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡± Orion nodded. ¡°Good luck. For whates.¡±


    Argrave looked toward the sky as the lunar dragons ferried people over. ording to Elenore, they¡¯d been hit hard by the battle, but enough of them had survived to begin the revival of their people on this. The question remained, of course, whether or not they¡¯d choose to stay on the moon.


    Eventually Argrave came to Durran, who sat alone.


    ¡°It¡¯s not difficult to see how entire civilizations were lost after every cycle,¡± Durran said as greeting. ¡°Everything¡­ everything¡¯s just gone.¡± He looked in the distance. ¡°Mountains were eroded and remade. Cities were leveled, and the people inside them ughtered. Libraries, archives¡ªall of it turned to nightmares, and soon to turn to dust.¡±


    And Durran was right. All around, these nightmarish corpses began to turn back into what they¡¯d been born of¡ªearth, stone, and other such things. It was a sign that Gerechtigkeit¡¯s power was leaving this world.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°I imagine it was worse this time,¡± Argravemented.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Durran nodded. ¡°Still. Imagine how many people, how many cultures, were just¡­ forgotten. Lost. My people survived, but so many others didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need to imagine. I have Erlebnis¡¯ knowledge in my head,¡± Argrave reminded him.


    Durran inhaled. ¡°I¡¯m feeling markedly less soulful after hearing that.¡± He turned his head back. ¡°Tell me if you need help with Anneliese.¡±


    ¡°Kill any weird people that hover near her,¡± Argrave instructed.


    He looked over. ¡°I can¡¯t kill Raven, I¡¯m afraid.¡± Durran shook his head. ¡°All others¡­ sure, fine.¡±


    Argrave snorted, but took mental note of the fact that Raven had returned. It meant Gerechtigkeit was definitely dead.


    ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to getting this mark taken off my neck.¡± Durran¡¯s hand hovered near the spiral Raven had imbued on him¡ªhis life bet about whether or not Gerechtigkeit could be stopped. ¡°So, go finish the job.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡± Argrave nodded. ¡°Easy enough.¡±


    Argrave took a deep breath, facing back where Elenore, Raven, and Sophia stood in guard of Anneliese. The tally of damage could be calcted after thisst battle was finished. For now, he¡¯d have to see if the n remained as was. With steady, certain steps, he came to join him. His heart ached as Anneliese¡¯s suspended body came into sight.


    ¡°So, do we stick to the n?¡± he said as he walked nearer. ¡°Or have you elected to send someone else?¡±


    Raven studied Argrave as he neared. ¡°I did consider putting my own name in the list. But in the end, you could probably kill me easily at this point. And you¡¯ve proven¡­ difficult to kill. I can¡¯t think of anyone better suited.¡±


    Argrave didn¡¯t respond, instead kneeling down by Sophia. ¡°Are you alright, Sophia?¡±


    ¡°Mmhmm.¡± She nodded. ¡°Are you? Mo¡ªAnneliese¡­


    ¡°I¡¯ll fix this,¡± Argrave vowed. ¡°And if I can¡¯t¡­ maybe you will. Yeah?¡±


    Sophia nodded eagerly. ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Heartwarming, but we¡¯ve no idea what to expect up there,¡± Elenore said, cutting in with realism. ¡°If you¡­ if your flesh¡­ I mean, if your body¡­¡±


    ¡°Dies?¡± Argrave finished.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Elenore nodded, a trace of pain in her features. ¡°If you do¡­ that, Sophia may have to return you here. I think we should move as soon as you¡¯re ready.¡±


    Argrave looked up at the wound in the world, closing so slowly as to be imperceptible. He took a deep breath, then looked at Sophia.


    ¡°Let¡¯s begin, then.¡± He held out his hand to Sophia. ¡°Change me.¡±


    Sophia reached toward his hand, taking one of his fingers. She looked uncertain, gaze flitting between Raven and Elenore who both gave her self-assured nods. Then, Argrave felt a shift of power that he¡¯d experienced before a great many times. It was the same sensation as when he was trapped in Sandbara, constantly being remade every few hours.


    Sophia staggered back, but Argrave bent and caught her quickly. ¡°You alright?¡±


    ¡°I did it,¡± Sophia said, her breathing a little uneven. ¡°I did what Doctor Raven said.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Argrave praised. ¡°Great. Then, I can¡­?¡± He looked to Raven.


    ¡°You can travel through the wound,¡± Raven confirmed with a curt nod. ¡°As Elenore said, I¡¯d advise you move now.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Argrave rose to his feet. ¡°Won¡¯t be long, Sophia. Just wait a bit. And¡­¡±


    Argrave turned to Anneliese¡¯s suspended form. He looked at her faint smile, and felt he knew what she would be saying, what she would be doing, in this moment. He touched her cheek, feeling the warmth.


    ¡°Talk to you soon, Anneliese,¡± he promised.


    Argrave cast [Absolute Movement], feeling the wind encircle him. Then, he rose up into the sky, heading toward that dark cut in the sky. It grew more and more ominous as he grew closer. One could see it inly, but could see nothing beyond it. It was much like the Shadonds, in that fashion. Argrave hoped its condition wasn¡¯t simr.


    Argrave didn¡¯t putter about gathering his courage to enter. He soared, Anneliese in his mind, right into the wound. Argrave felt himself move in a new fashion, a new way, twisting through dimensions in a manner that could be described in one fashion.


    Oddly familiar.

 Chapter 705: Flipside

    ¡°Do you know what¡¯s more agonizing than having tried to gain power, and failed?¡±


    Argrave awoke with a start, throwing his head around as he scanned his surroundings. Heid in the grass, and upon orienting himself, rose to his feet as fast as he could manage. He stood in a wide-open in, a single tree off in the distance.


    ¡°It¡¯s to have unimaginable power, and then lose it.¡±


    Argrave spotted the owner of the voice. It was a small boy sitting in the tree, with ck hair and red eyes. From sight alone, Argrave recognized it was Sophia¡¯s older brother¡ªor at least, something bearing his image. He held his arm out and called upon his blood magic immediately, and his arm exploded as a bolt of pure power erupted forth toward the figure.


    Yet¡­ it passed through. Both the boy, and the tree. It continued onward toward the sky ineffectually.


    ¡°No hesitation killing a child? I like your style.¡± The boy jumped down off the tree,nding and staggering. ¡°Still, a few Heralds probably clutch their guts, keeled over inughter at the both of us. It¡¯s a shame they¡¯re arrogant.¡±


    Argrave delivered one more attack for good measure, aiming it at the ground instead. Once more, it passed through effortlessly as though it didn¡¯t exist. It was only once he epted the situation that he straightened his back, focusing on this figure. His mind didn¡¯t stop searching for answers, possibilities.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°Out there, we were Gerechtigeit and Argrave, two fighters in their prime. Inside, we¡¯re both nothing at all.¡± Griffin looked around. ¡°Still¡­ with Sophia freed, this might be considered a pleasant prison. This ce was meant to contain Gerechtigkeit,¡± he exined, his boyish voice serving to detract none of his seriousness.


    ¡°Contain you,¡± Argrave pointed, wracking his brain for solutions.¡°Well, you, me. What¡¯s the difference?¡± Griffin shrugged.


    ¡°A great deal.¡± Argrave looked around.


    He began to recognize some distant buildings, and his heart sank. This was Sandbara. He couldn¡¯t forget it¡ªhe¡¯d spent so damned long here.


    ¡°This is where I spent all of my time when the cycles were over. Only¡­ it was different. Sophia and I shared a prison, in essence. Separate in body, united in spirit. We went through the same week, over and over again.¡± Griffin walked toward the city. ¡°My torture and death. And then¡­ I watched hers.¡± He looked over. ¡°Changing that was one half of the deal I made with the Heralds when Lorena threatened things. I confined Sophia¡¯s suffering to a three-hour period. I made her own memories of what¡¯d happen disappear. It was the best I could find in that hell, with Good King Norman holding the reins.¡±


    Argrave walked after him, searching for some weapon he might use. ¡°Why not pick out three hours while she was asleep?¡±


    ¡°Sophia has nightmares,¡± Griffin answered. ¡°Well¡­ had.¡± He looked back. ¡°You may have changed that. And considering recent events, I may have brought them back.¡±


    ¡°Nice job,¡± Argrave praised. ¡°Very brotherly.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± Griffin smiled, looking back at the city. ¡°But she¡¯s free. I¡¯ll never be tortured again. No one will return. It¡¯s just a prison, nothing more.¡±


    ¡°Can you kill yourself, maybe?¡± Argrave asked. ¡°Save me the trouble of solving this conundrum? Hell, you could¡¯ve done that from the beginning. Instead, I was just looking upon a hellscape. Billions dead. An infinite number, if you go back further.¡± ??


    ¡°I¡¯m greedy,¡± answered back Griffin. ¡°If I view something as mine, I¡¯ll sacrifice anything to get it. I wanted freedom¡ªand Sophia¡¯s freedom, too. I don¡¯t regret anything. Well¡­ I regret losing. Your willingness to sacrifice won you the day. We¡¯re alike, in that way.¡±


    ¡°I use my own flesh and blood¡ªnot that of others.¡± Argrave threw a rock through the air, but again, it phased right through Griffin. ¡°Bastard,¡± he cursed in frustration. He wasn¡¯t willing to ept this result.


    ¡°Yeah, true.¡± Griffin inhaled. ¡°It¡¯s interesting, though, the simrities. Or perhaps I¡¯m just warping reality to fit my preconceptions.¡±


    ¡°Is that a hint of introspection I hear?¡± Argrave stopped in his tracks, thinking hard. ¡°I¡¯m nothing like you. Nothing.¡±


    ¡°Your rabid denial sounds so convincing,¡± Griffin said sarcastically, then sat on the grass. ¡°But you¡¯re probably right. I was very disappointed in you. Pragmatism was always your second choice. Even when I told you directly that you¡¯d need to be pragmatic, you ignored my advice.¡±


    ¡°What, refusing to enve everyone¡¯s will?¡± Argrave inched closer, unsure if he might be falling into a trap of some kind.


    ¡°That, and other failures.¡± Griffin looked back. ¡°You can¡¯t deny it would¡¯ve gone better if you¡¯d done so. Jaray would¡¯ve died so much quicker.¡±


    ¡°Your little scheming partner.¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°Were you actually going to bring him back?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely not,¡± Griffin said with a hint ofughter. ¡°Well¡­ maybe. If Sophia said I should, I probably would¡¯ve.¡±


    ¡°Sophia would hate what you¡¯ve be,¡± Argrave said pointedly.


    ¡°I know.¡± Griffin¡¯s smile died. ¡°It¡¯s her nature, I thought. No matter what was done to her, she never resorted to anything truly evil. And what I did¡­ maybe it¡¯s mine. Maybe my nature prevails. Maybe I have my father¡¯s venom.¡±


    ¡°You do,¡± Argrave confirmed.


    ¡°I thought so too.¡± He looked over. ¡°But there¡¯s you. A walking contradiction to that mindset. A nature, nurtured to nobler aims.¡±


    ¡°Felipe III wasn¡¯t my father.¡± Argrave sighed. ¡°I thought you¡¯d picked up on that, given your peeping tom habits. This body isn¡¯t mine.¡±


    ¡°It certainly is now.¡± Griffin smiled. ¡°Besides, that wasn¡¯t what I was talking about.¡±


    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    ¡°Presumably this is where you admit you¡¯re my father,¡± Argrave took a few steps closer, preparing to punt the child.


    Griffin scoffed. ¡°I¡¯d never let my son y stupid video games all day, wasting his life away filling out a wiki that maybe a couple thousand people even use while neglecting his studies.¡±


    Argrave frowned. ¡°We had over a hundred thousand unique visitors every¡ª¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t give a damn,¡± Griffin interrupted. ¡°Either way, I said I ¡®was¡¯ very disappointed in you.¡±


    ¡°Your disappointment is at the very bottom of my list of priorities,¡± Argrave said, emphasizing this with his hands.


    ¡°The second half of my deal I made with the Heralds to defeat Lorena was to allow my soul to live a normal life.¡±


    Argrave startedughing. ¡°Seriously? This is your angle?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s plenty of sense to the notion,¡± Griffin argued. ¡°Why else would you have been so instinctually attached to Sophia?¡±


    ¡°Because she¡¯s a sweet girl who suffered a great deal,¡± Argrave rebutted.


    ¡°Why else would you have seen glimpses of this reality long beforeing here?¡± Griffin rose to his feet, wiping des of grass out of his hands.


    ¡°You can¡¯t see the future. Why would I be able to? They¡¯re entirely unrted,¡± Argrave dismissed.


    ¡°Why else would you, of everyone,e to inhabit Argrave¡¯s body?¡± Griffin raised a brow, sporting a boyish smile. ¡°Surely you don¡¯t believe some higher power chose you.¡±


    ¡°Hell if I know why I¡¯m here.¡± Argrave shook his head. ¡°But I see what¡¯s in front of me: a big problem I need to take care of.¡±


    ¡°Why else would you be just as powerless as I am¡­¡± Griffin looked around. ¡°¡­in a prison designed to contain me?¡±


    ¡°Most prisons can be multi-use. They can hold people.¡± Argrave pointed to himself, then at Griffin. ¡°Or they can hold animals, like you.¡±


    Griffin sighed. ¡°You can be annoyingly sanctimonious.¡±


    ¡°The truth tends to hurt.¡± Argrave shrugged. ¡°You¡¯ve no proof of this. No knowledge. Nothing but a big pile of coincidences, and a lot of good reasons to lie to me.¡±


    ¡°Even if it was true, would it stop you?¡± Griffin asked.


    ¡°Of course not,¡± Argraveughed.


    ¡°If it was true, could you do what you suggested I do?¡± Griffin narrowed his eyes. ¡°If your continued existence ensured the cycle of judgment, could you take your life, prove yourself no hypocrite?¡±


    Argrave was brought pause by the question, but only for a few moments. ¡°I think I probably talked myself into it, by this point. But it doesn¡¯t matter, because it¡¯s not true,¡± he denied whole-heartedly.


    ¡°Good. That¡¯s good.¡± Griffin nodded, looking relieved. ¡°Whether or not it¡¯s true¡­ I honestly don¡¯t know. But I did make that request of the Heralds. To live a fulfilling life, to live a life where I could die happily. And of everyone I¡¯ve ever shed with, you¡¯re the only one who I think could endure all that I have and not be broken by the Heralds. And the only reason I can think of¡­ would be that you¡¯re me.¡±


    Argrave scoffed in disbelief. ¡°You¡¯d like that, wouldn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I was ten when it began,¡± Griffin answered. ¡°Their umtion of hatred. The daily visitation of suffering. The youth are¡­ pliable, malleable. And after a millennium of that, I imagine you¡¯d jump at the chance to vent your rage, to fight for your freedom.¡±


    Argrave did feel some pity, but pushed it away. He couldn¡¯t afford it. As Griffin himself had said, no matter what had been done to Sophia, she never resorted to anything truly evil. Griffin himself always walked the path he did.


    ¡°I hate all of you,¡± Griffin continued, and Argrave¡¯s pity died. ¡°Living happily, while they render me like a carcass. Experiencing the fortunes and misfortunes of life, while my sister and I choke beneath the stench of our own rot. They probably killed me more times than I killed any of you.¡± Sadness had long ago died in those red eyes of his. ¡°Why us? Was it because we couldn¡¯t be broken?¡±


    ¡°Maybe you haven¡¯t broken yet,¡± Argrave said quietly. ¡°But you¡¯ve bent so far for them, you might as well be.¡±


    Griffin didn¡¯t break away from Argrave¡¯s gaze. ¡°You never bent for them. But there¡¯s still time for your mind to change, of course.¡±


    Drawn to the topic of minds, Argrave remembered one of the dormant weapons within himself. He could still feel it within his body, that anchor, that tether. It was connected to all other souls in the world. He could call upon it, he was certain. He could get all of the souls in the mortal world to assail Griffin and pass judgment. And knowing who he was, what he¡¯d done¡­ no death could be more certain.


    Argrave took slow steps forward, trying not to betray any of his intentions. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°After this, the Heralds will surelye again. A negotiation. A bartering. They¡¯ll offer you many things¡ªmany things indeed. They¡¯ll offer you the right to live in both the worlds you call home¡ªto enjoy Earth and the ce you came from at the same time. They¡¯ll im that they can restore Anneliese back the way she was. They¡¯ll offer to rewind the clock, bring back everyone that died.¡±


    Argrave felt there wasn¡¯t too much longer before he could touch Griffin and subject him to the judgment of the people he¡¯d ughtered wholesale.


    Griffin sighed. ¡°They¡¯ll offer you the truth. How you got here, and what you are. What they were doing, and why they were doing it. Perhaps they¡¯ll offer something so grand that I can¡¯t even imagine it. Perhaps they¡¯ll make all your actions feel so meaningless that you¡¯ll bepelled to step up into their higher existence.¡±


    ¡°Nothing new,¡± Argrave noted, rmed by the tenor of these statements. He spoke as though things were soon to change.


    ¡°Maybe not.¡± Griffin looked Argrave in the eye. ¡°The strongest weapon we have against the Heralds is our minds, Argrave. Yours, mine, and everyone in the world.¡±


    Argrave paused, wondering if his n had been called out before he¡¯d even attempted it.


    ¡°Take care of her.¡±


    Argrave lunged out, but before his hands could grasp Griffin he felt a shift as something leapt out between their two gazes. Griffin aimed an attack at his mind, at his soul¡ªor rather, where it ought to be. It was a feeble strike, but nevertheless broke past the flesh and toward the anchor between Argrave and every living soul.


    At once, the full and unadulterated might of the world erupted out of Argrave¡¯s being, assailing Griffin¡¯s mind. Unlike the attack against the Hopeful, there was no period of judgment, no distinction between rejection and eptance. It was simply the weight of the world counterattacking the one who¡¯d tried to attack it. It must¡¯ve been unimaginably painful, but Griffin didn¡¯t even flinch.


    Instead¡­ a broken boy fell at Argrave¡¯s feet, dead.


    The wind stopped. Argrave stopped feeling anything beneath his feet, and soon enough, the whole of the world fell away. He found himself iling in nothingness, seeking purchase in anything. Soon enough, he felt nothing at all, falling like that endlessly. The body of the broken boy tumbled through the air alongside him.


    Momentster, though, he saw it emerge from the boy. Like a dying star in the night, like an all-consuming me, like lightning, pain, misery¡ªit was all of that and so much more. It was the end, thest, the final. It was the opposite of the power that Sophia wielded, now masterless.


    It was destruction.


    Soon the boy vanished. That primordial force and Argrave were the only two persisting in this broken world, falling without an end. It could be said the power he saw was the source behind all of the misery that they¡¯d endured. He had every reason to hate it, to despise it. But at the end of the day¡­ wasn¡¯t it merely a tool?


    A weapon, even. One that might be rather useful in aing meeting.

 Chapter 706: That Burning Question

    Sophia watched the sky with bated breath. All that remained of the wound in the world was a small sliver of ckness. She felt that, any moment, Argrave would burst free of it, triumphant. Everyone else nearby seemed to hold that same thought, for they watched with anticipation equal to her own.


    Yet a sudden crash by her side jolted her attention away. She looked to see Doctor Raven, fallen to his hands and knees. His body warped and twisted. A second, far louder crash made Sophia look beyond. There, the golden giant Law leaned up against his sword. His body emitted a golden mist¡ªor rather, it was more urate to say it <em>became </em>a golden mist.


    Hause, too, fell. Lira, every surviving god¡ªit looked like they¡¯d been cut away from the strings holding them aloft. The whole of them began to fall apart. As Sophia¡¯s mind spun searching for the answers, another had already reached the conclusion.


    ¡°It¡¯s starting,¡± Elenore said simply. ¡°He¡¯s done it. Divinity¡­¡± she looked to her patron, the wizened Lira, who had copsed. Next, her gaze went to Raven, who seemed to be struggling more than the gods. ¡°Magic. They¡¯re fading. It means Argrave¡­ he did it.¡± She held her head, wincing with pain. Sophia assumed she was losing her blessing.


    Sophia again looked up, around, everywhere for Argrave. When she found nothing, she looked to Anneliese, hoping. Despite how everyone seemed to be undergoing some manner of change, Anneliese remained suspended. Trapped, her face frozen into a smile, her body unmoving and unchangeable.


    Sophia felt her heart beat quicker and quicker as everything around began to undergo change. Her panic only rose higher and higher. If magic and divinity truly faded, Anneliese might not be able to bring back Argrave.


    She sought counsel, but all of them¡ªforemost among them being Argrave¡ªwere absent. Elenore clutched her head in pain. Orion writhed as his various blessings underwent their changes. Even the taciturn Raven barely contained the sheer pain from whatever he endured, gritting a thousand teeth in silence. Those few unaffected urgently tended to those who were, leaving Sophia alone with this situation.


    Sophia felt tremendous fear. She wanted Argrave here. Yet she looked to the sky, beyond the wound in the world. She saw the sun. Argrave¡¯s sun, that he had ced on high to watch over them all. It persisted, gleaming as brilliantly gold as the first moment it had taken its ce in the sky. That had to mean he was still here, still present. He would know what to do.


    Sophia didn¡¯t want to remake Argrave. She feared her power of creation more than anything. She had made lives, and her negligence had resulted in their death. She had tried to bring Castro back, but all that she¡¯d created was a hollow imitation. Raven had taught her much and more¡­ but deep down, she knew whatever she created would still be but a hollow imitation.The only one who could truly bring Argrave back was Anneliese. And if magic faded, that might never happen.


    Despite her fear and panic, Sophia walked toward Anneliese. She reached her hand out, cing it against Anneliese¡¯s. She felt the familiar warmth from the woman she wished was her mother, but pried deeper with her power. She searched for that which was keeping her in stasis.


    When creation met the Spark of Eternity, Sophia withdrew her hand in shock. She looked up at Anneliese¡¯s smiling face, wavering. Was that something she should toy with? She felt if she wasn¡¯t careful, it might swallow her up. Yet¡­ Anneliese had already braved that. She¡¯d embraced it.


    <em>I¡¯ll fix this, </em>Argrave had said. <em>And if I can¡¯t¡­ maybe you will. Yeah? </em>


    A world deprived of Anneliese, deprived of Argrave¡­ it would be far worse than one deprived of Sophia. With that in mind, Sophia reached her hand out again.


    Her creation reached toward eternity, and grasped it.


    #####


    When Argrave found himself staring at a familiar gray office keyboard that had the WASD keys worn down so much as to be illegible, he felt in equal parts a wave of nostalgia and repulsion. Looking around, he saw it all¡ªhis cheap wireless headset, his two monitors, cans of energy drinks on the desk despite the trash being feet away, and even his decrepit faux-leather chair¡­


    This tale has been uwfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ¡°You must¡¯ve missed it,¡± came a woman¡¯s voice.


    Argrave whipped his head to the left where the doorway to his room hung open. At its entrance stood a woman wearing clothes he hadn¡¯t seen in a very long time¡ªjust jeans and a in white shirt. Blonde hair, blue eyes¡­ she had a very innocent quality in her beautiful features.


    He rose to his feet at once, flinching when his head came ufortably close to the ceiling fan spinning above. Whether the synthetic light of the lightbulb, the constant noise of the fan, or the sound of the cars outside¡­ it all made him ufortable.


    None of these sensations couldpare to the total absence of magic.


    It was like losing the sense of hearing, of sight. He hadn¡¯t realized how much magic had be a fundamental part of his perception of the world around him until he¡¯d lost it. Still, he¡¯d spent more of his life without it than he ever had with it. He didn¡¯t panic, didn¡¯tsh out. He merely watched this woman, waiting for what came as he contemted his options.


    ¡°Your home,¡± the woman continued. ¡°Your parents. Perhaps you can smell the bacon-and-eggs cooking right now, if you walk outside. A full life ahead of you. Very little pain and suffering. Theforts and ease brought about by technology.¡± She took a deep breath. ¡°You must miss those amenities, having gone without them for so long.¡±


    He took it all in. Conditioning built through decades made him hesitant to break anything in here, even after being apart for many years. He should¡¯ve known these people would couch everything in illusions and half-truth. But he was tired of listening to others talk, tired of bargaining for things someone should never bargain for


    In the past, he might¡¯ve listened. Now?


    Argrave held his right hand out. ¡°Let¡¯s cut to the chase.¡±


    With thought alone, an indescribable abyss took shape in his hand. Its mere presence bent and tore everything around him, expelling it outward andpelling it inward concurrently until the walls, the floors, <em>everything, </em>began to disintegrate. He rose his hand up higher and higher as that sphere of destruction grewrger andrger.


    Even the blonde woman¡¯s form began to shimmer, distort. In time her hair was ripped from her scalp, her skin from her bones, and all the parts that constructed a human. It stripped it all away, until the only thing remaining was a Herald. Argrave couldn¡¯t perceive what he was seeing¡ªit seemed to be an absence, a hole in the world not unlike the wound he¡¯d travelled through to make it here.


    As more and more of this world broke down beneath the might of destruction, his true surroundings made themselves known. All around, watching, were Heralds. Each were scars in his sight, not seeming to truly exist. They were holes in paper, cracks in the window, shadows in the night. All times before, they needed a host totch onto. He had perceived them as that host. This was what they truly were.


    In time, the terrible chaos wrought by the power of destruction waned. The Heralds seemed immune to its effects, much like Argrave himself. They kept their distance all the same. He didn¡¯t know whether or not it was because they were endangered by it, but he kept his attention raised. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°Maybe there was some truth to what Griffin said,¡± Argrave shouted. ¡°Because this is feeling rather natural to me.¡±


    The sheer sensation of power at Argrave¡¯s fingertips was beyond anything that he¡¯d ever experienced. The full mental might of the world might beparable, but this? It obeyed his whim, followed his orders, did his bidding. It had the potential to wipe away the whole world. If it was harnessed to better ends, <em>nobler </em>ends¡­ it might be wielded to defend the realm from things like the Heralds.


    By this point, the whole of destruction had manifested in Argrave¡¯s hand. It seemed a universe unto itself. The Heralds watched and waited, doing nothing. Argrave looked between all of them, staring into the unknown, seeing the answer to so many questions he¡¯d asked since the beginning. Even without speaking, the things they could offer was clear. Answers. The truth. True freedom, true power. Argrave saw the gleaming smile of the Hopeful, still anticipating the changes toe. They promised to be either the trumpeters of his arrival, or the first victims of his ughter. All he needed to do was step forth, in dogged pursuit.


    Just behind it all, like an all-consuming background, was the promise of something more. A greater realm to be reached. Higher heights. Something more, something beyond. A purpose to the madness, a design to the destruction, an exnation for the whole of all life. It invited him forth, beckoning. It offered him a ce in the universe not dissimr to theirs¡ªto own, to control, to create, to rule. To herald change in the lesser worlds, watching their response.


    Argrave looked to the power of destruction. He closed his fist, and turned it against itself.


    At once, a howl of despair and anguish unlike anything Argrave had ever heard echoed in this ce. The Heralds, once still and silent, surged forth with fury and distress enough to break the universe. Destruction feasted on itsst target, tearing it apart piece-by-piece. It ate away at its bearer, too. Argrave felt no pain, merely a quickening absence. He couldn¡¯t be sure this force wouldn¡¯t break his soul, too. But it hardly mattered.


    As the Heralds swarmed their burning prize in abject pain, and as destruction came to truly understand what it was¡­ Argrave saw a glimpse of the truth everyone had been denied. And what was it?


    Nothing worth seeking.

 Chapter 707: Deserve What You Want

    Argrave drifted.


    All of the things that had kept him confined to a state of existence had ceased to hold him any longer. Time had ceased to flow. Space had ceased to act. He had been consumed by that abyss of his own design¡ªperhaps this was the expected result. Then again, perhaps deep in his head, he thought he¡¯d appear back with the fused suns, overlooking the realm he¡¯de to call home before eventually being called back to join it.


    Griffin had imed that having power and losing it was far more agonizing than having failed to achieve it. Having inherited his power of destruction, and having made it self-destruct, Argrave could safely say the guy was full of it. What hurt far more wasing to terms with what he might miss.


    Anneliese, even if freed of her stasis, going on without him. The family they¡¯d promised to build together, dead in infancy. Their time together living on only as memory. For neither to hear the other¡¯s voice, feel the other¡¯s touch ever again¡­ Argrave felt the hurt, even like this. Would she move on? He didn¡¯t want her to, selfish as it was. And if there was something after this, he didn¡¯t think he could.


    Elenore, left to shoulder the burden of rulership alone. He knew she would be strong, would be loved¡­ but Argrave didn¡¯t want her to endure a frigid wastnd without warmth. She had Durran, and Argrave knew he could trust him, yet still felt she deserved far more. He wished to show her as many years of happiness as she had endured in misery. He didn¡¯t want to be a shadow over her head¡ªa brother she¡¯d sent to death.


    Orion, left to contend with his issues alone. If Argrave knew his brother, he would never cease ming himself for what had happened. No matter how irrational, he would view it as his own failure. The man was just beginning toe into his own¡ªwith people, with family, and with life. Argrave didn¡¯t want to be a setback.


    Gmon, isted after his disillusionment with his own people. His family would keep him going, but Argrave wished he could¡¯ve helped him find a ce for himself outside of being a Veidimen, outside of his crusade for his people.


    Durran, carving a path for his people on his lonesome. Perhaps those of the kingdom of Vasquer and the Burnt Desert woulde to ept one another¡­ but Argrave felt certain he could make it happen, assisting his friend.


    Raven, his purpose finished after the end of the cycle of judgment. There would always be a ce for him, a use for him. But could he ever be truly happy? Argrave had intended to try.And Sophia. So many promises broken. That he¡¯d always be there. That he¡¯d never make her sad. That he¡¯d watch her grow up until she didn¡¯t need him anymore, and then interfere in her love life with spurious concerns just like any father ought to. He didn¡¯t want her to cry, not even for him. He didn¡¯t want her grief.


    Others might mourn, but not as deeply as those. There was so much he wanted to see, things he wished to do. What the hell were they going to do after what had happened? Would Dario and Mnie stop tiptoeing about and get together? Would Nikoletta and her cat have a happy ending? How would House Parbon fare? Would the southron elves have a resurgence? What would happen to the dwarves, the gods, the dragons, the magic in the world? What had happened in the Great Chu?


    There was so much he wanted to see. There was history to be a part of. There were buildings still yet to build, roads still yet to pave, a continent still yet to be restored. There were aggrieved to bring justice to, fractured peoples to bring with unity, and a war-ravaged world to heal.


    There was still a life that Argrave had yet to live. A full, honest life, with all of itsplicated problems and simple joys.


    First, he¡¯d been torn from Earth at the point where his life begins. Denied the opportunity to make something of himself there, he¡¯d been thrust into this ce. Despite that, despite <em>everything, </em>he¡¯d done the best job he could. He didn¡¯t falter, didn¡¯t break. He made it to the end.


    And now, at the end of that long road, just when things might trend upward, he was being torn away again?


    Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    He didn¡¯t care if there was a heaven on the other side, a world of bliss and total peace. He didn¡¯t care if a hell, bleak and lonesome as his life had ever been, awaited him. The world was overdue to grant him some damnedpensation.


    Argrave wanted to live.


    Argrave didn¡¯t want to die.


    In response to his primal, soulful desires, Argrave felt a spark running through him. The firmament of his being craned with the intensity of that desire, fighting against this homogeneous mire it¡¯d been subsumed into. The next moment, it consumed all of him. He raged against his fate, his thrashing will battering against the dictates of the universe.


    Then, he felt a subtle touch tracing his form. A warm touch. He showed it his existence as best he could, driving toward that warmth with everyst drop of his being¡­ until, finally, it sought him out on its own. He felt a hand grasp his, pulling, prying, with urgent and forceful intensity. In that warm grasp, Argrave went limp. He knew it would be strong enough to pull him all on its own.


    The next moments were a jarring blur. Time came back into being, and shortly after, space. He could feel who he was being pried from some horrible darkness by a force that stubbornly refused to surrender him. He could feel entire universes shifting to hold him down, keep him steady¡ªnot by malice, but by force of reality.


    As Argrave was pried backward, scattered fragments of himself were drawn back in to himself as though he were a ma. All of the broken pieces of himself began to reform, reshape, precisely as they had been. All of it converged,pelled by forces with the strength to deny and defy reality.


    In time, Argrave passed by what felt like a barrier. He felt an rmingly familiar force peering into this barrier¡ªthe Heralds, ever-watching, ever-prying. But as he passed, this barrier mmed shut, leaving only the echoes of their still-anguished howls. And when thest bit of their despair faded from his hearing¡­


    Argrave felt a familiar force in his body, moving constantly. Itpelled him to open his eyes.


    Staring back at Argrave were tender amber eyes, half-hidden by messy white hair. He studied Anneliese, whose face still bore drowsiness. Between them were their left hands, tightly entwined. Before he could even ask the question, her eyes blinked and her hand gripped tighter, demonstrating that stasis imed her no longer.


    ¡°Wee back,¡± said Anneliese.


    For a long moment of reflection, silence was the only thing Argrave felt. He grappled with that terror, that sheer force of being. It had left an indelible mark on his mind, seeing things he ought not be privy to. He was as dead as anyone could be. He was gone from this world. But¡­


    ¡°You pulled me from the brink,¡± Argrave said with conviction, a fact which Anneliese confirmed with a nod. ¡°How? That ce¡­ I was more than dead. I was lost. I might as well have been back in Earth, I was so damned far. Finding me, let alone <em>bringing me back¡­</em>¡±


    ¡°It was simple. I only searched for an eternity,¡± she said with a smile. ¡°A mere eternity was a small price to pay for us to enjoy our own together.¡±


    As Argrave realized death was not his fate, tears dripped down his face unbidden. He was embarrassed, but became markedly less so when Anneliese joined him, her face twisted by a sob. He pulled her in, relishing in her warmth, her kind touch, their very <em>existence</em> together<em>. </em>They cried of relief, of happiness, of anticipation of all the days left to them. And they cried of sadness, anguish, and fear, remembering all that they¡¯d lost and seen in their effort to end the cycle of judgment.


    It was only after many minutes did Argrave remember the fact that there was a world beyond Anneliese. When he looked around, he realized they were in a tent. Magic still persisted, despite his expectations¡ªits steady hum resounded within his body. He couldn¡¯t hear anything, which was unnerving. They wore clothes¡ªunfamiliar clothes, the both of them. Simple white gowns.


    ¡°What¡¯s happened?¡± Argrave asked her. ¡°I feel our artifacts, our connection. There¡¯s magic, too. We¡­ we didn¡¯t¡­ Gerechtigkeit is gone, isn¡¯t he?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Anneliese fixed her messy hair. ¡°My [Truesight] is gone. The Spark of Eternity, as well. I think¡­ I think I felt Sophia doing something with it, but¡­¡± She rose to her feet, then staggered and fell atop Argrave.


    ¡°Feeling weak?¡± When she nodded, Argrave stood, bringing her up with him. He did feel a little heavy, lethargic, but he¡¯d felt the same way after being revivedst time. He set her down, helping to get her bearings.


    ¡°I want to figure out what happened,¡± Anneliese said, leaning on his arm. ¡°Can we go?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m slightly intrigued on that point myself.¡± Together, they slowly walked toward the tent¡¯s p. ¡°Shall we?¡±


    When Anneliese nodded, he pushed at the tent¡¯s exit, feeling both eagerness and tremendous apprehension at what had be of the world.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

 Chapter 708: Forever

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


    ¡°Grass?¡± Anneliese questioned. ¡°How long have we been asleep? A week, or¡­?¡±


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


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


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


    Argrave gave a wave. ¡°Hey.¡±


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


    ¡°I can¡¯t really make sense of you,¡± Argrave told Elenore, stroking the back of her head. ¡°I told you it¡¯d be fine, didn¡¯t I?¡±


    Elenore struck him with love (somehow), while Orion squished the four of them together in a family embrace. As they were assaulted, Raven and Lorena walked up to speak a little clearer than the siblings.¡°Permit them some surprise. I¡¯ve been preparing them for the worst. After all, you¡¯ve been entirely braindead the past ten days.¡± His gray eyes looked between them both. ¡°Both of you. After what Sophia did, Argrave¡¯s flesh reappeared, but both of your minds vanished.¡±


    ¡°What Sophia did?¡± Argrave repeated. ¡°What do you mean? What¡¯s happened? I mean¡­ magic is here, and our connection persists.¡±


    The pair went silent. Lorena touched Raven¡¯s shoulder, saying, ¡°I¡¯ll get the others.¡±


    ¡°Is Sophia alright?¡± Anneliese asked. ¡°Please, catch us up to speed.¡±


    Raven nted his staff down into the ground, leaning against it. ¡°Sophia wove Anneliese¡¯s Spark of Eternity into our realm. She used it to rebirth magic just as it was. Beyond that, everything else a part of the cycle of judgment has seemingly faded. Divinity, spirits, shamanic magic, the Shadonders¡ªall gone.¡±


    ¡°But is Sophia alright?¡± Argrave pressed.


    ¡°I¡¯m unsure.¡± Raven looked away.


    ¡°Is she or isn¡¯t she?¡± Argrave asked, voice stern and hard.


    ¡°She¡¯s walking, talking, and eating, Argrave,¡± Elenore exined, voice hoarse from the crying. ¡°But she won¡¯t say anything, do anything.¡±


    ¡°Her power of creation, too, has vanished,¡± Raven added.


    ¡°But what in the hell happened to you?¡± Elenore gripped Argrave¡¯s cor, looking between him and Anneliese. ¡°Gerechtigkeit¡­ the Heralds¡­ what happened?¡±


    ¡°Not much. Just broke the cycle of judgment, destroyed the primordial force of destruction.¡± Argrave shrugged, mind already drifting to Sophia.


    ¡°I had to save him,¡± Anneliese added pointedly. ¡°But it was fine. I¡¯m well used to it by this point.¡±


    Elenore looked annoyed, relieved, and infinitely fatigued all in one. Orion gripped them tighter.


    ¡°Even with new grass growing, the world was gray and lonesome without you two,¡± Orion said, voice still trembling. ¡°But I held on to hope. And the world has given me an undeserved reward for my faith.¡±


    Soon, others joined them¡ªGmon, Durran, and the many friends of the years they spent in shared antagonism to the cycle of judgment. A deluge of emotion overwhelmed them all¡ªsmiles, tears, anger, grief, all of which were overshadowed by one very consistent fact that served as a buoy for their spirits.


    The cycle of judgment had ended, forevermore.


    Divinity had ended, utterly. The only thing that remained of their power was artifacts made of their flesh. All spirits had faded away, forever cutting away shamanic magic from use. Gods that survived, such as Hause or Law, had returned to the mortal form they inhabited before they assumed divinity. All divine blessings had faded, and all divine servants returned to dust.


    Mortalkind alone would forever be the masters of their fate.


    Magic had persisted, its skeletal frame given life again by the Spark of Eternity. Sophia¡¯s creation had woven that single spark into an evesting magic, expending both primordial forces in the process. Beings that depended on magic would continue existing, and spellcasters would continue to be able to manipte the fantastic, life-changing essence.


    This tale has been uwfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Every soul that was alive, and every soul that had yet toe into existence, would be contained within the sun of Argrave¡¯s creation. Even his own soul remained there, despite his expectations. The Heralds could never again exert their influence upon this world. Unsavory disciplines such as necromancy and soul magic would be forever barred from mortal hands¡ªin Argrave¡¯s book, no significant loss.


    The scale of life lost was difficult to quantify, but¡­ most prevalently, the oue was survival. The lunar dragons survived. The Gilderwatchers survived. Humans, elves of the Bloodwoods, Veidimen, southron elves, dwarves¡ªall survived, and given time, all could thrive. Losses were significant, certainly far more than anyone ever wanted.


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


    #####


    Sophia ate the food ced before her without much consideration of what it tasted like at all. It had been sitting here for five hours, and now dusk had fallen. Everyone around had been doing their best to make sure that she got nothing other than the best of the best, even amidst all of this¡­ yet regardless of what came, all of it tasted like ashes on the tongue, and the softest nkets felt like a bed of nails.


    She had tried. She truly had. She had tried to take that Spark of Eternity, weaving it into the fabric of the world around her to rebirth magic. She had experienced the full breadth of her own power, the beauty that was creation. She had been so sure that what she was doing was right. And though magic came to be once again¡­


    The curse persisted. Sophia¡¯s curse.


    Argrave and Anneliese both, returned to life¡­ yet lifeless. Their eyes remained closed, their lips remain shut, their bodies remained unmoving. Even as breath entered and left their body, Raven imed that there was nothing stirring in their minds. She had tried so hard to save Argrave, and in so doing, deprived the world of the two people she cared about more than anything.


    And now, with her power of creation gone, she would never see them again.


    Sophia couldn¡¯t cry, couldn¡¯t rage, couldn¡¯t bargain, couldn¡¯t grieve. There was simply a tremendous pit in her stomach¡ªan abyss that sucked in all other thoughts, until only the guilt and failure persisted. When, finally, she¡¯d gained the strength of will to step forward all on her own, her foolhardiness had sent the two greatest people in the whole world tumbling off the cliff instead of her.


    She would give anything to take their ce. Why did everyone have to suffer for her? Her brother, every person that had tried to help her in Sandbara, and now the couple who would take a filthy thing like herself as their own child. She was at the root of their misery.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Sophia wished she could just disappear.


    ¡°Hey, kid,¡± said someone as they sat across from her. ¡°What¡¯s that you¡¯re eating?¡±


    When Sophia looked up, her brain encountered an error and was forced to restart.


    ¡°Looks like¡­ meat soup,¡± Argrave noted, his gaze flitting between her bowl of food and helping the woman he was helping to sit down. ¡°Good ol¡¯ meat soup.¡± He reached across with a makeshift wooden spoon, taking some and eating it with a loud slurp. ¡°Cold meat soup,¡± he grimaced.


    Sophia didn¡¯t know what to do as Argrave and Anneliese sat across from her.


    ¡°Would you like some cold meat soup, Anneliese?¡± Argrave asked her. ¡°Should she be eating that? I mean, what if she gets food poisoning? How long has that been sitting out?¡±


    ¡°It should be fine,¡± Anneliese said assuredly.


    ¡°If you say so.¡± Argrave ced his arms on the table they all sat at, then looked at Sophia with a smile. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? A couple days away, and you forgot what I looked like? I¡¯m back.¡±


    Sophia didn¡¯t dare move. Was she dreaming? Had Orion shaved to cheer her up? She¡¯d heard him contemting that with Elenore. When she opened her mouth, her voice¡ªunused for over a week¡ªcame out weakly and hoarsely, and she only managed, ¡°I¡­¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re sorry about taking so long,¡± Argrave began. ¡°Had some car troubles, got a little lost down the wrong dirt road.¡±


    ¡°Be serious,¡± Anneliese flicked his ear, and he flinched away. ¡°Consider her feelings.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just trying to be cheerful,¡± Argrave defended himself, then he looked at Sophia with a smile. ¡°You did it, Sophia. You saved us.¡±


    Even with the whirling undercurrent of doubt twisting her guts a million ways, her hope became too strong to sit there idly. Sophia got onto the table and leapt at both of them with more energy she knew she had. Argrave was surprised, but he caught her with augh, falling off the bench and onto the grass so as not to hurt her from forcefully stopping her.


    In the following moments, Sophia was only aware that she was crying, and that Argrave and Anneliese expended every effort to get her to stop doing so. She tried to voice questions, but they were overtaken by sobs every time. The whole while, the two whispered calming words in her ears to soothe the bubbling volcano of emotions in her chest.


    Even though she couldn¡¯t even manage a single question, she got her answer. It was them. Not a hollow mockery of Sophia¡¯s creation¡ª<em>them. </em>They were back. They would continue to live, wholly present, and at least for now¡­ they still epted her as their daughter.


    When Sophia started to be aware of her surroundings again, she sat nestled between Argrave and Anneliese before a campfire, several of their closest allies around. Anneliese calmingly rubbed her head, while Argrave prodded at the fire with a stick. Her eyes were puffy and red, but Sophia was happy.


    ¡°Shall I be the one to kill the joy, as usual?¡± Elenore began, looking between them all. ¡°It¡¯s all well and good you¡¯re back¡­ but we need to start nning for the future. The entire continent has been set back hundreds of years, and we have to do something about that.¡±


    Argrave studied her peculiarly. ¡°Why would that be a killjoy?¡± He rose to his feet. ¡°We lost people. More people than I can even conceive of. We did all of that for a bright, eternal future. And now¡­¡± he looked back, kneeling before Sophia. ¡°Now, we can have it. A family. <em>Big </em>family. Love. Peace. An endeavor toward prosperity, without the looming threat of interlopers interfering where they don¡¯t belong.¡± He took her hand, then Anneliese¡¯s.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Elenore closed her eyes. ¡°I¡­ hadn¡¯t thought of it like that.¡±


    ¡°I have,¡± Durran said, looking at her with a faint smile.


    Elenore turned away from him, but Sophia couldn¡¯t tell if she was blushing or if it was merely the fire reflecting on her pale skin.


    ¡°I¡¯d been more thinking about how busy we¡¯ll all be, but¡­ yes. It¡¯ll be nice, won¡¯t it?¡± Even Elenore, ever the pessimist, looked to the stars with hopes for the future in her eyes. ¡°Still, we need to n. What bes of us? What bes of this? I have my own thoughts. Let¡¯s discuss them in the morning. You agree?¡±


    ¡°Sounds great.¡± He looked at Sophia. ¡°You need to sleep, little one.¡±


    ¡°Stay,¡± Sophia said by instinct, grasping his hand tighter. ¡°Please.¡±


    Argrave smiled. ¡°Forever.¡±


    ¡°Forever,¡± agreed Anneliese, kissing the top of her head.

 Chapter 709: End

    Argrave and Anneliese walked toward Elenore¡¯srgemand tent in the early morning. Sophia had been reluctant to see them leave, but they¡¯d persuaded her to rest more. As they walked, Argrave paused.


    ¡°Forget something?¡± Anneliese asked, knowing that look.


    ¡°The hand mirror,¡± Argrave said ponderously. ¡°The bronze one. I¡¯ve no idea where it is.¡±


    Anneliese put a hand on her hip as she thought. ¡°It may be a safe assumption to deem it lost, considering you¡¯ve died twice and every building around us has been razed to the ground.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Argrave nodded thoughtfully.


    ¡°You hadn¡¯t actually used that it in a very long time,¡± Anneliese reminded him. ¡°You said it made you feel detached from the world around you.¡±


    Argrave nodded in agreement. ¡°It did, it¡¯s just¡­ maybe we could¡¯ve discovered some mystery from it. Some truth.¡±


    ¡°Not every mystery is worth solving,¡± Anneliese said withplete conviction. ¡°Not every answer will be satisfying. Sometimes, you won¡¯t find any answer at all. Fortunately, there are a thousand other questions worth answering. You don¡¯t need to focus on the impossible ones.¡± She gestured. ¡°But you know that. It¡¯s why you denied the Heralds.¡±


    Argrave looked up at the sun rising. ¡°Spent a lot of time asking ¡®why¡¯ when I was younger. That question invariably multiplies itself. The only thing that made me move on was changing the question. Not ¡®why,¡¯ but ¡®why not?¡¯¡±¡°Come on,¡± Anneliese directed him. ¡°Let¡¯s give it our best, today.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡± Argrave smiled, following after her and passing into Elenore¡¯s tent.


    On the inside, disorganized pockets of important people had spread out everywhere. Upon their entrance, the atmosphere seemed to shift. All small talk ended, and they slowly made their way to therge table in the center of the room that¡¯d been carved of stone.


    There were countless groups represented here, each with their own interests. Ganbaatar, envoy of the elves from the Bloodwoods. Therapont, representative of the surviving dwarves fleeing Mundi. Artur, who¡¯d gathered all surviving spellcasters of Vasquer beneath him. Durran, who stood for his people as much for their friendship. Lorena and her daughter¡ªwho did indeed look rmingly like Anneliese, presently¡ªrepresented the dragons, both those of the moon and the Gilderwatchers.


    Each and all had their own sub-factions, their own individual cultures, viewpoints, and methodology. They had their own ambitions, desires, and needs. They had their own philosophy, most of which had insurmountable differences with those standing just next to them. Most here were leaders in their own right, but all were hesitant to step forward to the head of that table. They were all battered enough dealing with their own problems¡ªto shoulder responsibility for all present seemed so difficult that their fear outweighed their ambition.


    For two, though, it felt natural.


    Argrave and Anneliese came to the head of the table, near in lockstep. Elenore quietly joined them, though made sure she got little attentionpared to them.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Argrave called out, leaning up against the table. ¡°Let¡¯s convene the First Council of the Homeless. Hopefully, it¡¯ll be thest.¡±


    Some amusement cut the tension down in the room, but none were eager to speak first.


    ¡°The facts, as I understand them, are thus; most everything that¡¯s been built up in our lifetime, and countless lifetimes before it, has crumbled. We¡¯re standing in the ruins of what was once a proud city, encircled by mountains. Throughout Berendar, the damage is simr.¡± Argrave snapped his head to his sister. ¡°Elenore?¡±


    ¡°This city of tents is growingrger day-by-day. We¡¯ve gotten by with what little hunting and foraging is possible, but already that¡¯s wearing thin.¡± Elenore ced her thin hands on the table. ¡°We need organization. We need robust, centralized leadership¡ªleadership that can act quickly and decisively, that can decide in a moment¡¯s notice how we approach the difficult problems that crop up.¡±


    Everyone here saw the necessity for that, agreeing with quiet nods.


    ¡°Those in this room are suitable figures,¡± Therapont, dwarven senator with a bushy beard, put forth. ¡°Dwarven governance maintained the grand city of Mundi for countless years, colonizing the inner earth without issue. Using that same model, we could reim this continent for <em>all </em>people. A senate of many races.¡±


    Some looked discontented, some intrigued.


    ¡°Dwarves seeded governing other dwarves,¡± Gmon spoke up. ¡°Here, now¡­ could this disparate group of peoples act with both haste and justice? For a time, perhaps.¡± ?


    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡°But not forever,¡± Anneliese agreed. ¡°Before long, each of us would gain vested interests that causes stagnation, even rifts. I saw as much in Mundi, meaning no offense. Could humans act upon something that might benefit only elves, or vice versa? My experience tells me no.¡±


    ¡°If the situation wasn¡¯t so chaotic, I¡¯d aim for a council of sorts.¡± Ganbaatar looked at Argrave. ¡°But we need decisive action.¡±


    Therapont said firmly, ¡°Argrave¡¯s proven an effective leader during times of intense war. However, is his sort of mentality what we need going forth? I ask with only the best of intentions, mind.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± Argrave nodded, holding his arms out. ¡°It¡¯s worth considering, but I¡¯ll give my perspective. I¡¯ve no great love for war. I think most of you can attest to the fact I search for a diplomatic solution wherever possible. Moreover¡­ I¡¯ve never had singr power.¡± He looked at Anneliese, then Elenore. ¡°Anneliese has been as much of a leader as I have, if not more. Elenore is an administrator without peer.¡± He looked to other allies all around. ¡°The good work and advice of others has been invaluable. I would continue in that fashion.¡±


    ¡°So, speaking bluntly¡­¡± Durran began, his arms crossed. ¡°The choice is between a council of some sorts, or the royal three.¡± He gestured their way. ¡°You might say that I¡¯m a touch biased, but I think our present rulers have more than proven themselves. The idea of waiting for a council to decide things in these trying times make me somewhat wary. My people could die of thirst while you¡¯re debating whether to let us drink.¡±


    ¡°To maintain stability, nothing is better than democracy,¡± Raven said. ¡°But to rebuild from the ashes? To reim a ravaged continent before nature does? To check thousands of ambitions, working in tandem? We need a powerful government.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    All saw the merit in what Raven said.


    ¡°So¡­ the Kingdom of Vasquer continues,¡± Mnie said glibly. ¡°I¡¯d be pleased if my fiefdom hadn¡¯t been buried under mountains.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Argrave said decisively. ¡°Not the kingdom. The ckgard Union continues. I don¡¯t want to carry on the traditions of nobility, of ss structures, of pointless divides between people. All of us are here, now, sleeping on shoddy bedrolls and walking on grass. All should be given equal opportunity to make their way in the world. We have the opportunity to build something from the ground up, and no one should be deprived of that right.¡±


    ¡°That way of life is all our people know,¡± Nikoletta spoke up. ¡°Keep the title of king, at least. For a time.¡±


    Argrave was a little opposed to the notion, but said nothing.


    ¡°Governments are not static things. It can, and should, be changed. There¡¯s an opportunity to do both. Building the house is a much different task from living in it.¡± Anneliese gestured at Therapont. ¡°We can build the framework for the transition from an absolute government to one that allows people their voice. And we can see it through.¡±


    Arturughed. ¡°Sure, you <em>can. </em>The question always remains¡­ will you? In ten, twenty, even a hundred years from now, when you¡¯ve a dozen children running about, and they¡¯re expecting children of their own¡­ could you deprive them of what you built? Could you earnestly step aside?¡±


    ¡°We discussed doing so now,¡± Argrave said with some amusement. ¡°Taking Sophia, going to some distant, beautiful ce¡­ letting the world sort itself out.¡± He smiled at Anneliese, who offered her hand. ¡°But we know we can do this. And if the alternative is letting this ce slide into chaos, we¡¯d rather build a great nation.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re also essentially immortal, and could likely kill all of us,¡± Lorena cut in. ¡°The fact they¡¯re even asking is good enough for me.¡±


    ¡°On that cheery note¡­ long live the king,¡± came an unenthusiastic cheer from Artur.


    ¡°Alright. To put it inly, I¡¯m proposing a triumvirate between myself, Anneliese, and Elenore¡ªKing, Queen, and Prime Minister.¡± Argrave looked between everyone. ¡°Unless anyone has any alternative proposals they¡¯d like to bring up.¡±


    ¡°There are a million others,¡± Raven said. ¡°But I¡¯m certain this one will work¡ªand quickly. That¡¯s what¡¯s important.¡±


    With that capstone, no objections were raised. Indeed, there was a sense of ease in the room, of certainty. The future of a hundred years seemed uncertain, but for now, all present knew they would be in good, proven hands.


    ¡°To what extent will we attempt to govern?¡± said Orion, breaking his long silence. ¡°Shall our nation span the world?¡±


    ¡°Are you trying to kill me?¡± Elenore cut in. ¡°Inevitably, they¡¯re going to fob off administration on me. We <em>can¡¯t </em>govern the world¡ªnot yet, at least. Nor should we. We¡¯ve no presence anywhere besides here in Berendar and the Great Chu.¡±


    ¡°Then, those two alone?¡± Orion pressed. ¡°I merely ask because I think it for the best.¡±


    ¡°The Great Chu has a long history of being shattered, only for its people to rebuild it back into the great empire it¡¯s always been.¡± Argrave crossed his arms. ¡°Of the world, I think they¡¯ll be the best at rebuilding. It¡¯s their culture. We should focus on resettling and governing Berendar alone.¡±


    ¡°Yet my people persist there,¡± Gmon said. ¡°And Patriarch Dras expended no small effort to maintain his people at the expense of the natives, even amidst the cmity. His designs on theirnd will not end. The Veidimen remain tightly bound with us. I foresee issues.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t disagree,¡± Anneliese admitted. ¡°Still, overextension could result in total fracture. We have justification, and we have the history in this continent. In the Great Chu, we were always on flimsy ground.¡±


    Elenore nodded. ¡°Until we¡¯ve solid ground to stand upon, we shouldn¡¯t look to solve the problems of the world. Even if we were able, I¡¯m hesitant. Providing aid where it might be unwee could quickly devolve into something ugly for all parties.¡±


    ¡°For the immediate future, at least, we stick to Berendar,¡± Argrave ruled. ¡°Where do we go from here?¡±


    As more and more people began to speak, Argrave realized they had a long, long task ahead of them. The three years and change he¡¯d spent here would be nothingpared to the long stretch that wasing. It would be gued with difficult decisions, hardpromises, and unanswerable questions. The fact that they¡¯d already begun was a source of great sce. At the end of the day, this was what living in this world meant.


    Argrave was more than ready to go through theplicated endlessness of existence.

 Epilogue 1.1: Preface

    The events of the previous volume of this work may make the reader question if it should be taken as a historical ount or a novel born of my imagination. To that skeptical reader, I assure I exaggerated no feats. The vast majority of it was corroborated by multiple firsthand sources who survived the Last Cmity, including many that have no known rtionship to the imperial court of the ckgard Union. I put my own testimony in that list. I was a soldier in the Kingdom of Vasquer¡¯s army, but I saw the man then called king only a few times, and never spoke to him personally.


    Nevertheless, very little evidence actually exists outside of testimony. Some im Argrave¡¯s exploits too grandiose, likely heavily warped by sycophants seeking praise. I counted myself among such skeptical historians, but thorough investigation has borne fruit in the form of the previous volume which I am confident in calling the most urate ount of Argrave¡¯s journey leading up to the Last Cmity.


    My peers in the field of history have already done excellent work documenting the rise of the ckgard Union. I will provide a brief summary, but little more. Instead, my focus shall lie in the figures which established the grand nation we enjoy today. This volumergely covers the prominent people involved during the three ages.


    My colleague and coborator, Garm of Vasquer, has provided invaluable assistance in allowing me ess to both prominent figures and records. Carrying on with this trend ofrgesse, he will provide a personal ount of his experience in the imperial court where necessary. Where we begin, however, he¡¯s yet to be born.


    <strong>Age of Remation, 1-25 AC</strong>


    To properly contextualize the scale of the restoration, the reader must understand the scale of the destruction.


    ording to conservative estimates, thirty percent of the world¡¯s sentient poption perished in the cmity. On the other end of the spectrum, some suggest that as much as ny percent of the world¡¯s poption passed away. Of all these ounts, the most uratees from Prime Minister Elenore of Vasquer. She posits a figure of around sixty-five percent in Berendar, and an averaged forty percent elsewhere.


    Regardless of the precise figure, any represent the total erosion of society around the world. Berendar, as the site of the cmity¡¯s descent, was the worst affected. The entire city of ckgard was wiped away, along with countless other grand settlements of the time. Mountains were levelled in some ces, and rose up in others. Rivers changed course, chasms opened in once-fertile ins, and plentiful mines were sealed off.


    It would be no exaggeration to say that civilization died entirely.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//omDespite this tremendous step backward, the government established by Argrave, Anneliese, and Elenore managed to restore order remarkably quickly. Within six months, the whole of Berendar had been divided into administrative regions, and governors with genuine authority were appointed to each. Each followed a unifiedw levied by the government, but were given significant autonomy to respond to the unique problems of each region.


    Until 7 AC, Argrave would rule as king, eventually adopting the title of emperor in 8 AC. These appointed governors served the emperor alone, serving to rece the abolished nobility as regional leaders. Some have suggested the more severe drop in poption enabled this to happen far easier than elsewhere, but I contest this point.


    The poption in Berendar was wildly varied. Thergest single group was human, but they were easily outnumbered by other groups. Elves aloneprised nearly half of the total poption. There were elves from the Bloodwoods, who formally dissolved their protectorate and merged with the ckgard Union in 4 AC. There were Veidimen¡ª¡®snow elves¡¯¡ªmany of whom came to the continent due to efforts by General Gmon and Empress Anneliese.


    If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Beyond elves, there were dwarf refugees escaping their lost city of Mundi who did make efforts to establish their own state in 12-13 AC before being persuaded to stay on the surface within the union by Argrave. Also of note is the lunar dragons. Though most prominent in Berendar, theirs was a global presence.


    Even human cultures shed against one another¡ªthe north attempted to secede in 17 AC before the government provided substantial economic aid, and the Burnt Desert nearly rejected governance altogether, narrowly halted by Governor Durran¡¯s intervention. Refugees and opportunists attempted to dere themselves warlords, but such attempts were quickly quelled. The dying embers of nobility tried to cling to existence, and spellcasters attempted to win special privileges in the burgeoning state, but neither seeded.


    Worth mentioning are the subterraneanmunes, the southron elves, the centaurs, and the tribes of Vysenn. Though negligible in the whole of the continent, each had a significant impact on their respective regions. Some were givennd grants to prevent bloodshed, which might¡¯ve resulted in the annihtion of their people and culture. The centaurs, for instance, were granted the wide-open ins where the Tower of the Gray Owl once stood. All these disparate peoples remained a part of the nation nheless.


    In the end, the ckgard Union¡¯s reassumption of control led to rtively little bloodshed. This stood in stark contrast to many other ces in the world, where warlords rose from the ashes of dead empires to reign as tyrants. The imperial court was certainly decisive, unwavering, and at times ruthless. Their regime, however, had a single-minded purpose; reiming thend before nature could.


    I had the great fortune to be a soldier in the army from 1 AC to 20 AC. It was astounding to see the intelligence and driven purpose of the people of Berendar. I would leave a region with the army to quell a disturbance, or deal with encroachment by some foul beasts. By the time we returned, the area had been built up so much as to be unrecognizable.


    All around the continent, the foundation for nned cities rose up in strategic locations, while robust infrastructure projects served to connect them all. Roads, bridges, aqueducts, crop fields, marketces¡ªthe various governors proved extremelypetent, acting as an extension of the emperor¡¯s will. Some were former nobility, such as Nikoletta of Monti or Vasilisa of Quadreign, but the vast majority were those appointed by virtue of merit and personality.


    Perhaps the only positive for the severe drop in poption was an abundance of opportunity. Countless governors¡ªand the imperial court itself¡ªofferednd grants and tax exemptions to promote the resettlement ofnd. These initiatives attempted to distribute different races evenly, so that no one region had an excessive concentration of a particr people.


    Several sources suggest this was part of a deliberate effort to erode cultural and racial divides, fostering a belonging to the ckgard Union before their race. The imperial court never stated that outright, but even my colleague, Prince Garm, wasn¡¯t entirely dismissive toward the idea. Constant efforts to instill a sense of national pride in settlers further supports that point.


    Standing as an example to their subjects, the imperial couple announced Anneliese¡¯s first pregnancy eight months into 1 AC. The first prince, Castro of Vasquer, would be born next year. His birth was said to have provided immense joy to the family, including Sophia of Vasquer, despite whispers of session already surfacing.


    Regardless, the reconstruction of Berendar proved to be the most sessful restoration effort in the world. The creative genius of Artur¡ªwho was the architect behind the vast majority of thework of roads, cities, and settlements¡ªwas carried out by us soldiers alongside arge throng of spellcasters. The Age of Remation was a period of mourning, but also of the great regrowth after a forest fire.


    There can be no doubt that the central figures of this age were the emperor and empress. As such, theirs is to be the first profile.

 Epilogue 1.2: Parents of the Empire

    Argrave of Vasquer and Anneliese of Vasquer, known by enough titles to fill a book on their lonesome, proved to be as able in the restoration of Berendar as they were in its defense. From the outset, their rule was a triumvirate,prised of this couple and Prime Minister Elenore. While Elenore was undoubtedly pivotal, she seldom appeared in public. Emperor and Empress were the public-facing rulers, and the focus of this section.


    From the outside looking in, it would be difficult to find a single blemish in their conduct. Those closest to them say that they did very little besides work. They were energetic, ambitious, and generous monarchs, who fostered a culture of cooperation in their court that, while not entirely democratic, certainly heeded the advice of those gathered to serve them.


    They received heavy criticism for the suspension of the parliament and other institutions in favor of a highly-centralized government. In response to a delegate of a coalition of former nobility and dwarves who protested the autocratic government in 12 AC, Argrave is credited to say this:


    <em>¡°It took you twelve years to gather a coalition threatening enough to protest our government. In that time, we¡¯ve rebuilt many of the cities that fell and founded new ones entirely. We¡¯ve built awork of roads spanning the southernmost tip of the Burnt Desert to the coldest city in the north. We¡¯ve provided tens of thousands of families deprived of house and homend of their own to develop. I won¡¯t deny that I¡¯ve not put a vote before all of the people, letting them decide if we¡¯ve the right to do these things. I would expect the same courtesy from you in acknowledging democracy would¡¯ve been impossible in the aftermath of the hell we all endured. This nation has just been born. As its parents, my wife and I shall teach it just as we teach our own children. It only now begins to walk, and soon, we intend to teach it to run. When we believe it can survive on its own, we will step away and let it live its life. On this point, you have my word.¡±</em>


    This was the only legitimate challenge to imperial authority in the first twenty-five years of their reign, and it ended bloodlessly in 13 AC with the formal annexation of the dwarven city of Mundi. Given the city had ceased existing long ago, it was merely a ceremony to indicate the dwarves would be given the same rights as other citizens of the ckgard Union.


    This incident earned them their most popr nickname: ¡®Parents of the Empire,¡¯ or Father and Mother for the emperor and empress individually.


    It stuck, in part, because of the fecundity of their marriage. Between 1-25 AC, Anneliese gave birth to thirteen children. If not for the Age of Fury, Prince Garm believes they would¡¯ve had more. For an elven woman especially, the rate is notable. Some believe they wished to stand as an example to their own people, but Prince Garm expresses skepticism, deeming it ¡®¡­a natural consequence of an often annoyingly infatuated couple.¡¯


    Beyond their fertile marriage, they treated their empire as thoughtfully as a parent should their child. They were not given to disys of wealth or borate ceremonies. Any festivals held were paid at their expense and provided to the people. Any buildings built were not their personal property, but property of the nation or the public.


    Indeed, for a long while, ¡®the court¡¯ was a concept rather than a ce¡ªArgrave and Anneliese were itinerant monarchs, travelling Berendar together and employing every effort to raise it up from the ash. It was only in 21 AC that they had a true pce where ckgard had once stood, but it was a mere extension of the capitol housing the bureaucratic apparatus of the state, and dwarfed by several buildings around it.While indulging in very little extravagance themselves, they made some notable exceptions for their children. Argrave in particr foisted gifts upon his children, such as in 18 AC when he gave Sophia an ind which the princess subsequently repurposed to a headquarters for relief efforts venturing toward different continents.


    They were extremely well-loved monarchs who built not only the civilization they presided over, but the culture that came to inhabit it. The governors took example from them, and the officials beneath the governor further distilled that spirit toward the people. Their people, regardless of any deliberate effort to provide example, took many traits from the emperor and empress.


    There was a remarkable sense ofmunity and solidarity that could be felt as clearly in the arid Burnt Desert as in the very heart of the rebuilt ckgard. I write so having spent some years among both. The shared nightmare of the cmity gave everyone amonality¡ªamonality which the ckgard Union used to unite people that before would regard one another with mutual distrust.


    This period wasn¡¯t without conflict. The firm yet loving hands of the Parents of the Empire proved to be incredibly adroit at minimizing it, instead uniting those they could toward the shared goal of picking up the broken pieces of the world.


    Even as a soldier sent to fight and perhaps die at their behest, I can think of no battle I felt was unjustified¡ªnot even the controversial Seventy Second Skirmish that marked the end of my service in 20 AC, where we disbanded a faction of centaurs that wished to raidnds neighboring those allotted to them. Though a brutal incident, it was necessary to strike preemptively lest more lives be lost by their actions.


    But these are the public-facing personas of the Parents of the Empire. To ry the true faces of the parents, it¡¯s best to ask the child. As such, Second Prince Garm graciously agreed to my request to describe his childhood. I believe his words speak for themselves, so I¡¯ve included them without modification.


    <em>When I was young, I¡¯m sure I can speak for all my brothers and sisters in saying our childhood was rather joyous. Our parents made as much time as they could for us given the gravity of what they did, and it was rare for us to go a day without seeing them. Despite this, the ckgard Union often came first. Fortunately, Sophia was the best sister any of us could ask for, and acted as something of a second mother to all of us alongside other servants. </em>


    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    <em>Our family travelled a great deal, and as we did, we siblings came to understand the immensity of what our parents actually did. They had a certain intensity to them that was difficult to describe. They were huge,rger-than-life, and that held true in everything they did. They had a weight, a vitality, that only they can understand. After all they¡¯d done, they found it difficult to connect with us on a personal level. Despite the traumatic period they lived through, they endeavored very hard to ensure we felt loved, and that they didn¡¯t want us to follow in their footsteps. </em>


    <em>I suspect all of us felt some insecurity at the fact they didn¡¯t have any expectations of us beyond achieving happiness, but each of us dealt with it in our own way. At the end of it all, each of us found a route that we were happy travelling. We epted we weren¡¯t entitled to anything simply because of the womb we jumped out of. Our parents remained supportive and loving, but we did sometimes joke amongst each other that the ckgard Union was the favorite child after Sophia.</em>


    By 25 AC, the pair had fourteen children.


    <strong><em>First Princess Sophia of Vasquer</em></strong>


    Born between 10-8 BC


    The beloved first child. Allegedly Argrave¡¯s niece, he officially proimed her his daughter not long into 1AC. Given the care she was shown, some allege that she was Argrave¡¯s first child by another woman. Given he would¡¯ve been, at best, in his early teens, most historians agree the im has no merit. Moreover, her magical aptitude was merely decent, not reflecting Argrave¡¯s immense affinity.


    By the time of her adulthood, Sophia was exceptionally well-educated¡ªsome suggest groomed as a sessor. She remained in the royal court to help raise her brothers and sisters, but also came to take the office of grand almoner. She would be loved further and wider than she already was for significant acts of selfless charity.


    <strong><em>First Prince Castro of Vasquer</em></strong>


    Born 2 AC


    In his youth, Garm described Castro as ¡®a terror.¡¯ As he aged, however, and as he was introduced to magic, he calmed. He was said to take to magic with the same fervor that his namesake did. He proved exceptionally talented, and ended up being one of the first graduates of the state-sponsored magic school.


    In magic, he became something of a student to Anneliese. He aided her wherever possible, allowing her own curiosities to be indulged by the steadfast work of her son as she governed the ckgard Union. Rumor swirls to this day that he¡¯s particrly interested in magic involving the sun of Argrave¡¯s creation, but as of writing this, nothing practical has manifested.


    <strong><em>Second Prince Garm of Vasquer</em></strong>


    Born 4 AC


    When asked of himself, Garm says, <em>¡®I merely prefer to stay in the background, watching, documenting. Some find it dull, but I prefer my boring life. I knew early on I had no desire to lead the exciting lives of my parents. I could tell how it weighed them down, made it difficult for them to connect with us.¡¯</em>


    Despite his modest ims, Garm¡¯s achievements in magic are reflective of the immense talent of his lineage. Garm feels the need to inform the reader that he was ¡®¡­markedly less humble in [his] youth.¡¯


    <strong><em>Third Prince Enrico of Vasquer</em></strong>


    Born 6 AC


    <em>¡®Enrico was the only among us who intended to follow in our parent¡¯s footsteps, no matter their discouragement,¡¯ </em>Garm says of histe brother.<em> ¡®He was stubborn, energetic, and ambitious¡ªoften to their frustration.¡¯</em>


    From an early age, Enrico is said to have studied governance under Elenore, magic under Raven, and leadership under the governors of the time. He idolized his parents, and because of that, often acted by their example rather than their direction. He was considered for a governorship, but in the end, fearing to begin a cycle of nepotism, Argrave appointed him head diplomat and representative of the imperial family in 24 AC.


    His death in 25 AC is considered the unequivocal beginning of the Age of Fury.


    <strong><em>Second Princess Diana of Vasquer</em></strong>


    7 AC to presentn/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Diana avoids the public eye. Even my colleague, Garm, merely says that he ¡®¡­will respect her desire for privacy, and refrain from talking out of turn.¡¯ She has a noted affinity for art, quietly patronizing several institutions. Some im her to be the famous painter ¡®Onyx,¡¯ but I found no evidence to that point.


    The other nine imperial scions were still in childhood by the time the Age of Fury began. Consequently, I will save my description of them for the section of this volume detailing it. Commenting on the family on the whole, Garm has this to say.


    <em>I believe these twenty-five years were, for my parents, their golden age. They enjoyed building rather than defending. They enjoyed the rush to sess. They enjoyed establishing something of their architecture, of their design. And most of all, they enjoyed elevating those that had endured the cmity alongside them to greater heights. They seldom ended a day gloomily. That aspect was reflected in all of us. </em>


    <em>Though they were certainly the most present figures in our life, our aunt and uncle also proved an immensely positive influence. For the longest time, all of us considered Orion to be nothing more than the fun uncle. It was only when the Age of Fury began that we saw precisely what our family had been like in the years before we were born. </em>


    Speaking to Garm¡¯s point, I can attest to the fact that the empire simply would not be what it was without the stewardship of Elenore and therge cab of governors that she presided over in her capacity as Prime Minister. As such, the next profile will discuss those prominent figures closely adjacent to the imperial couple in this era.

 Epilogue 1.3: Unsung Heroes

    <strong><em>Princess Elenore of Vasquer</em></strong>


    To be frank, I was hesitant to pen this profile. Prince Garm, however, has given me assurances, and wishes for Elenore to receive some recognition after all these years.


    <em>¡°The simple truth of the matter is that we¡¯re Elenore¡¯s instruments, not the other way around. What she tells us to do, we do. We get all of the des, all of the recognition, but most of the essencees from her. It¡¯d be a shame if that wasn¡¯t precisely the way she prefers things. I almost feel bad when someone credits me for a n of her design, but then I remember how rich she is.¡±</em>


    The previous quotees from Emperor Argrave, allegedly, but very few are willing to substantiate it. Regardless of its veracity, the truth in the statement is undeniable. The Prime Minister of the ckgard Union made a grand total of two major public appearances in the first twenty-five years, and both were alongside Argrave and Anneliese. Despite that, every governor that I¡¯ve spoken to has cited Elenore as the true architect behind governance.


    During the Age of Remation, she lived a very humble, low-key life in ckgard. She had one child with her husband, the King of the Scorched Sands¡ªa girl whom they named Therese. I was unable to find a date of birth, but given Garm has memories of her as a child, they were likely simr ages. Theirs was a small, happy family, sometimes separated given the necessity of Durran¡¯s presence in the Burnt Desert.


    In effect, though, their family was muchrger. Elenore expended great effort to establish orphanages to manage children that had lost their family after the cmity. A great many of these children were hers in all but name, sharing house and home with her own daughter. Prince Garm recalls ying with these children in her home, and can distinctly recall them calling Elenore ¡®mom¡¯ and receiving no refutation. These orphans received excellent educations, and many went on to achieve significant things in their own right.


    That kind image stands in stark contrast to the government established, which was tremendously anti-corruption and ruthlessly meritocratic. Embezzlers and corrupt officials were executed in gruesomely creative ways, sometimes by trial and other times by suspicious incidents. Governors had great freedom, but the Prime Minister remained an incredibly powerful moderating force with near-total control of the imperial army.


    In 1AC, the only ¡®administrators¡¯ around were the remnants of nobles. By 25AC, Elenore had established a robust civil service selection process that all officials¡ªincluding governors¡ªwere mandated to pass. When her husband failed a civil service exam, she revoked his governorship with the same indifference she had with any other. The officials in the empire are fiercely anti-corruption to this day. It¡¯s said that a civil servant would sooner hang himself than steal a pen¡ªbut then, they¡¯re paid well enough they don¡¯t need to.


    Her incorruptible administration facilitated sweeping changes. Using the Three Principles drafted before the cmity as a foundation, she created a robust legal system. She facilitated trade andmerce, and in 24AC began to introduce state-secured credit with the aim to gradually transition from minting coins to paper currency. Her personal stake in businesses around the country wasrge, yet much of her personal profit went directly into the nation¡¯s treasury, funding the various needs of state.Perhaps the only thing Elenore can¡¯t reasonably im some of the credit for is the army. Its architecture wasn¡¯t of her design, though she did undoubtedly provide the materials for its construction. But though Elenore was endlesslypetent, she couldn¡¯t have achieved what she did without working with people of the same caliber. To that point, some persons stick out above others.


    <strong><em>Governor Nikoletta of Monti</em></strong>


    Governor from 1AC to 23AC


    Raised to be an heir of a dukedom that relied heavily on mercantile endeavors, Nikoletta proved to be one of the most able administrators of the age. She received harsh criticism for having no children, yet that steadfastmitment helped dissolve the persistent sentiment toward a necessity of nobility and lineage. She proved vital for reestablishing magical education, and endeavored thoroughly for a solely meritocratic selection process in the new system.


    <strong><em>Governor Vasilisa of Quadreign</em></strong>


    Governor from 2AC to 27AC


    The northern reaches of Berendar suffered terribly after the cmity. It had faced the most severe poption drop of any region, and its people bore some resentment toward the crown for the death of Archduchess Diana and subsequent dissolution of its noble house. Exotic insects gued the region for many years even despite the frigid cold, bringing with them diseases unimaginable.


    Vasilisa, who thought herself entirely inadequate for the role, nevertheless thrived in it, aided by the ck me that was the heritage of their house. With the help of her niece, who¡ªas Quadreign¡¯s heir¡ªformally dissolved the archduchy in 3AC, they transformed the region entirely.


    In 17AC, her attempt at secession from the empire proved to be a bold yet sessful gamble that earned their region aid from the imperial court. This aid proved substantial enough to build infrastructure that could sustain countless settlements in areas once thought unlivable, and further earned the crown the respect of its people. Today, the north remains the single most industrially productive region in Vasquer because of Vasilisa¡¯s efforts. The northern coast in particr received great settlement from Veidimen.


    <strong><em>Myriarch Ghan</em></strong>


    Governor 7AC to 48AC


    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    After the end of the cmity, gods returned to being mere mortals. Ghan was the result of one such devolution¡ªonce patriarch of the elven gods of the Bloodwoods, he became the eventual leader of the elves in the Bloodwoods. They were already a protectorate of the ckgard Union, but formally dissolved it at Ghan¡¯s insistence, joining the Bloodwoods with the empire.


    The Bloodwoods themselves¡ªa remarkably inhospitable ce before the cmity, and still somewhat so after¡ªwere dered a nature reserve by the crown. The majority of its redwoods had resisted the cmity entirely, and in a few years, it became unrecognizable the region had even been marred.


    Elves of the region maintain it to this day, keeping with their old traditions (with the notable exception of now actually weing visitors). Unlike other governorships, theirs was an elected position from its inception, and maintains the name of ¡®Myriarch.¡¯ The only building persisting is an estate built by Onychinusa, of which little is known. By Garm¡¯s word, it¡¯s a haven for exotic animals and creatures, including the emperor¡¯s own Brumesingers.


    <strong><em>Governor Therese of the Scorched Sands</em></strong>


    Governor 20AC to 35AC


    Unlike her brother the emperor, Elenore wasn¡¯t opposed to her children following her footsteps. Durran¡¯s governorship was revoked in 15AC, during which time another reigned ably. In 20AC, however, his daughter assumed his old post. Ties between the Burnt Desert and the rest of Berendar remained tense. The Age of Fury likely helped bring them into the fold¡ªone positive of that otherwise unpleasant time.


    Therese proved to possess her mother¡¯s genius, and ording to Elenore, ¡®her namesake¡¯s demeanor.¡¯ Some criticize her for not allowing old tribal allegiances to persist, but all told, her governance managed to totally integrate the oft-considered ungovernable desert into the ckgard Union. She was aided by arge number of childhood friends from the orphanages Elenore established.


    She received great honors from the imperial crown in a ceremony. This event, held at the beginning of 24AC, was one of the two times Elenore made a public appearance in the Age of Remation.


    <strong><em>Governor Julio</em></strong>


    Governor 1AC to 24AC


    An exemr of merit, Julio stood as the most prominent example of amon man made great. Twenty-two after the end of the cmity and a crippled soldier of the army, he rebuilt his home city of Relize. Patrician families of that city proved to fight him tooth and nail to retain their distinctive monopolies over certain industries, and despite staggering bribes offered, his single-minded focus was the progress of his governed region.


    In his twenty-three years of governorship, he not only reestablished Relize as a tremendously populous trade hub, he also established the singlergest independent bank in the country. He would be one of the main proponents for a central bank in the future. He was a fierce advocate for equality in all its forms, noted for oundishly mboyant derations and an extremelyplicated romantic life which involved a lunar dragon and a score of others immortalized in the y, <em>¡®League of the Spurned</em>.¡¯


    Emperor Argrave once publicly deemed him ¡®a little insane, but a mostly good person.¡¯ Prince Garm adds that the emperor may have levied threats toward the phnderer, because Julio consistently denied the existence of any of the emperor¡¯s daughters in mocking deference.


    <strong><em>Dario: Registrar of Mines</em></strong>


    Once a member of the subterraneanmunes, Dario was appointed to oversee mining efforts throughout the whole empire. Bizarrely, the automatons of his people ceased to function after the Last Cmity. This fact bred some distrust in the popce¡ªdistrust that Dario quickly did away with by pivoting his people toward the development of mining tools in concert with the dwarven people.


    With the entire continent¡¯s mineral reserves disturbed, he proved an invaluable prospector. His partner, Mnie, proved adroit at facilitating the proliferation of these resources throughout the continent. Details on their precise rtionship are unclear, but after a while, the two of them retired to obscurity, leaving the country with reserves of resources that are drawn upon to this day.


    <strong><em>Raven: Maestro, Imperial Physician</em></strong>


    Raven was the first to earn the title of Maestro¡ªan honor granted by the prime minister, emperor, or empress to honor achievements in magic. This fact is often overlooked given the fact no ceremony was held, but Prince Garm confirmed it. Raven provided a vast quantity of knowledge used to revolutionize the healing arts. With Raven¡¯s knowledge, things like lost limbs or gouged eyes were no longer permanent afflictions. Cancer could be stymied, or even removed altogether. Countless such advances exist, affecting every ailment one might think of.


    In a few decades, Raven¡¯s work proliferated, transforming the ckgard Union into an incredibly medically advanced nationpared to its predecessor. In tandem with significant funding from the crown, a tax system mandating medical saving, and considerable charity efforts, poption growth was further buoyed beyondparable nations. Raven was the primary figure that made that possible.


    Many im that far more sinister studies were kept quiet; the creation of false humans, surgeries that could modify the body to reach greater heights, and other such tales. Some of that is verifiable¡ªArgrave himself testifies to Raven¡¯s aid. Furthermore, all of the imperial family, even the non-spellcaster Elenore, don¡¯t demonstrate any signs of degeneration from age. Prince Garm refrained frommenting on the subject, but did add he can¡¯t remember any procedures done on him.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    All said, there¡¯s likely some validity to more advanced knowledge kept out of the public hand. However, rumors that Raven has ab on the moon where he¡¯s weed as consort to the leader of the lunar dragons are likely superstition.


    <strong><em>Artur: Grand Architect</em></strong>


    Artur ismonly said to have been burdened so much by his creative genius that the world saw fit to make him small to bnce. The man himself seems entirely unaware of the gravity of his achievements, constantly driving forward to the next project. Though a crafter of weapons in the previous age, in the Age of Remation he was an unrelenting builder responsible for beautiful, practical cities and countless great works of art within them.


    He earned the title of Maestro twice over¡ªthe first for his enchanting advancements, and the second for his subsequent mastery of earth magic. Thetter was achieved during the Age of Fury, however. His greatest achievements have yet toe, but even in this age, he was a boundless fountain of ideas well worth noting.


    The next andst section of this Age of Remation shall serve as a fitting prelude to the beginning of the Age of Fury. The imperial army became the final step in the transition to a permanent army. Even its predecessor¡ªthe standing army serving the Kingdom of Vasquer¡ªcannot bepared to the sheer ability and discipline of the ckgard Union¡¯s protectors. Moreover, a true navy took to sea, defending the burgeoning trade routes opening up all along the coasts.


    I eagerly look forward to discussing the army alongside my own personal experience serving under two legends, Gmon and Orion.

 Epilogue 1.4: Sword and Shield

    I worked as a mercenary long before I had even heard of Argrave. I fought in a few of King Felipe III¡¯s wars of conquest, but decided to veer away from that path when I came to the conclusion that he had no regard for the lives of his men. Most other armies that I¡¯d served in had that perspective. Levies and mercenaries were not knights¡ªfor lords and kings, they were a resource to be used and expended until consumed by the ravages of war. I was given special disregard whenever they discovered I had some elven ancestry.


    I saw a hint of something different even before the end of the cmity. I simply had no idea what it might grow into. There were two that did, however.


    <strong><em>Gmon the Great, Imperial General of the Twelve Armies, Sword of the Empire</em></strong>


    After the war, the army established by the Kingdom of Vasquer essentially ceased to exist.


    Posthumously-named Shriekers¡ªservants of Gerechtigkeit that used sound against their enemies¡ªravaged their ranks. Essentially any battalion without magic support was entirely eradicated. I had the good fortune to serve under an elf named Grimalt (a Veidimen and former royal guard who is now in contention for the role of imperial general, whenever Gmon elects to relinquish the role). His magics were the only thing that preserved my life during that battle.


    Before the cmity, I would ce our numbers at between fifteen to twenty thousand. After? Elenore reported that only 978 soldiers reported back to duty. That figure includes both those who chose to stop fighting, and those who tragically weren¡¯t given the luxury of choice. Suffice it to say that this fighting force was roughly equivalent to a baron in the former kingdom of Vasquer.


    Gmon grew that to a standing army of 120,000 soldiers, with a far, farrger number of men able to be deployed in wartime. Not a one of these men were drafted, conscripted, or otherwise levied.


    I spoke to Gmon many times but fought under hismand much more. While hecked the effortless charisma of Orion, he nevertheless inspired an undying loyalty and respect from his men by virtue of his actions. He never gave an order that any of us thought that he wouldn¡¯t do himself. Often a soldier would find themselves aided in a task by a stoic Veidimen, only toter realize that man was their general, not another soldier.


    Gmon brought with him from Veiden ideas that disseminated throughout the army¡ªthat of discipline, of camaraderie, of a strict hierarchy from which all-epassing strategies could y out. He brought the notion that a soldier was not merely something to be thrown against other soldiers, but one of many people epassing the army. It was virtually a brotherhood.Though he taught the basics ofbat, far more important was the idea that soldiers andmanders working in tandem were infinitely more effective than a well-skilledbatant. That same principle could be applied to magic, even¡ªand apply it he did. Each of the twelve imperial armies has a robust battalion of magic users, whose coborative endeavors often astounded even the emperor and empress.


    To that end, we were as muchborers as we were fighters. Near every brick of every road, from the southernmost tip of the Burnt Desert to the frigid north, wasid by a soldier. We were overseen by engineers and architects right alongside our ownmanders. Aqueducts, wells, bridges, harbors, lighthouses, canals¡ªthough typically drafted by Artur, soldiers did the work. It strengthened our bodies, taught us to follow orders, and built fellowship between one another. The empire never denied us that credit.


    How did ite to that point?


    In the first twenty-five years, Gmon endeavored to make the army seem a life path just as valid as tilling thend. As with its predecessor, volunteers to the army were paid. Service guaranteed validation for future applications fornd settlement, alongside high subsidies. ess to healers was guaranteed, both for the soldier themselves and any rtives. Education, both magical and non-magical, was guaranteed without cost, though suitable aptitude is required for the former. It was through one such education program I learned to read and write.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Just as the benefits were increased, so too were the unpleasant aspects mitigated. The punishment for desertion was no longer death, with the exception of desertion in consort with treason. Death during service provided immensepensation for the families of the departed.


    Additionally, the army was undoubtedly a ce where merit reigned. It was very seldom that any of us felt we were taking orders from someone unfit and unqualified. Each and all of us watched the best among us rise up and takemand, and earn honorsmensurate with their efforts on and off the battlefield.


    Never before have I been prouder than when I watched the emperor, the empress, and our general bestow a Sword of Esteemed Valor upon a man I called friend¡ªa man I knew was deserving of such an honor. The respect with which we were treated slowly permeated the society that we had our hand in building. None fought harder for us than Gmon.


    Stolen from its rightful ce, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Though a very quiet and reserved man, Gmon does tend to speak more when ites to matters regarding his family. His son went into civil service in the empire, serving in the north in an attempt to facilitate ease with Veidimen settlement in the region. He speaks glowing praise for his wife, who waited for him ¡®far longer than [he] deserved,¡¯ by his own words. They have a pet bear.


    I could speak for hours of Gmon¡¯s genius in the art of war. In all my years of service, he never truly lost a battle. He established many battalions using a variety of unique tactics. Wyverns, for instance, became a standard battalion under his eye. His mastery of logistics is too astounding to be quickly summarized. His use of magic in battle is so potent I struggle to imagine a foe capable of defeating them. So as not to bore the reader with page upon page of battle tactics, I shall simply leave it at this.


    Gmon stands, to this day, as an exemr of the imperial army.


    <strong><em>Orion of Vasquer, Grandmaster of the Knights of the Sun, Shield of the Empire</em></strong>


    After the Last Cmity ended, most assumed this acimed knight and brother to the emperor would continue his role as protector of the imperial family. That was true, in part. With the imperial family expanding in size, there was ample need for able protectors. Orion personally chose people to watch over the young princes and princesses.


    His own twins were among the growing imperial family¡ªa boy and a girl, born 3AC by his wife Sun Li, who he joyously named Argrave and Anneliese. He often dered his children ¡®a gift for my faith,¡¯ and ¡®an endowment from the generosity of the universe.¡¯ His daughter grew particrly attached to themunity of Gilderwatchers he often visited, while his son followed in his footsteps.


    Orion¡¯s aim expanded far beyond the imperial family alone, however.


    The army, grand and adaptable as it was, proved somewhatcking when it came to one task¡ªpolicing. Asmunities grew, that became an evident weakness. We were trained to fight enemies, follow orders, andplete the objectives the imperial court desired of us. Though we could subdue miscreants well enough, we admittedlycked certain nuances when it came to presiding overmunities.


    Orion was the first to notice this issue, and thus founded the Order of the Sun in 2AC after receiving permission from the court. He petitioned in 1AC, but his entric request to for those in his order¡ªincluding himself¡ªto be designated ¡®ves of the People,¡¯ and to be legally enved, caused some dys.


    Previously, local militias handled disputes within settlements. Orion¡¯s intent was to do away with that system entirely. Militias and city guards were notoriously corrupt, acting more so by the whim of some city guardmander than by any genuine rule ofw.


    His knightmanders were incredibly notable. Mial, daughter of the Casten of the Empty, was virtually his right-hand. Ruleo and Georgina, both of whom fought for Felipe III, repaired their tattered reputation in service to the people. Vdrien of Jast, or ¡®Stain,¡¯ joined with the express intent of bing a corrupt guard, only to reform beneath the enormity of Orion¡¯s good nature. One of them wore a boar¡¯s mask, and became an idol among children for dashing, daring deeds in defense of the citizens¡ªhe wouldter be immortalized in the bad, ¡®The Romantic Warrior,¡¯ describing his long quest for the perfect master.


    The structure of the Order of the Sun is incredibly loose. Knights of the order need only petition the council of knightmanders for the right to establish amand of their own in a certain region. The rules, however, are incredibly strict. Each and every knight is expected to be a master of thew¡ªindeed, they have to pass a civil service exam to maintain their title. Furthermore, they must prove themselves capable inbat. Whether by de or spell, a knight must prove capable of taking down five trained men alone without seriously injuring them.


    Even despite these incredibly strict requirements, the Order of the Sun is a constant presence in most major cities, and more than able to respond to the needs of far-flung settlements. So as not to be outmanned by criminals, squires also act as lesser members of the Order of the Sun. As knights-in-training, they act as an extension of the knight they serve, themselves behaving with an effective code of conduct and considerable training.


    The Order of the Sun embodies the chivalry that had Orion had himself so valiantly championed in defense of his family and his world. I became a squire in 21AC to provide a more stable life for my wife and our unborn child, eventually earning the title of Knight of the Sun in 24AC. Having worked with his knightmanders, and Orion himself, I can say withplete certainty that no one besides Orion of Vasquer could have established such an organization.


    <em>¡°Orion is singr. Sophia once told me about her fantasy of a perfect knight. Well¡­ she pictures Orion now, I suspect. I couldn¡¯t do what he¡¯s done,¡± </em>said Argrave during a public ceremony, where someone mentioned the Order of the Sun.


    To that point, many have spected if the Order of the Sun could persist without Orion¡¯s stewardship. Indeed, even the prime minister has had such concerns, at times publicly floating the idea of beginning to transition into an organization more closely-entwined with local governance. The notion received such strong pushback that it¡¯s yet to be brought up again.


    By rumor, Orion is the founder of another order founded in the Age of Remation¡ªthe Order of the Moon. These knights are equal to those of the Order of the Sun, but operate knowing that their deeds will receive no fame. They receive guidance from lunar dragons and the prime minister, helping ferret out conspiracies against the court, breaking up organized crime before it begins, and revealing powerful supernatural creatures like vampires before they can do harm.


    I write possessing no proof of the subject, only my testimony as a Knight of the Sun. I believe the Order of the Moon does exist in some capacity¡ªwhether under that name, I cannot say. To what extent their influence reaches, I cannot begin to guess. But all too often, burgeoning gangs would crumble unnaturally, and the bulk of the credit would fall upon us Knights of the Sun as if by providence.


    The next section of this work will cover the Age of Fury, where both of these organizations were put to the test.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Epilogue 2.1: Preface

    The Age of Remation was a period of great prosperity. The times after the Last Cmity represented the greatest period of opportunity that the wider popce would be granted for all time, ostensibly. Bolstered byck ofpetition, solidarity after suffering, advances in healing arts, and exceptional government, the diminished poption exploded toward previous levels.


    By the end of this age, the general consensus is that the poption had recovered from its losses¡ªan astounding fact, though somewhat marred by the knowledge that much of this poption were yet to reach the age of majority. The imperial court incentivized forming families, offering not only tax exemptions but subsidies andnd settlement priority for those with children.


    These policies, in tandem with the countless other benefits offered by the age, created a thriving generation of young men and women with intense national pride, many of whom reached their adulthood in 25AC or some few years before it. These children had grown up seeing the constant efforts of the government to erect a civilization from the dirt, alongside tremendous support for their parents in all their endeavors. The soil of the age was incredibly plentiful, and advances in farming madeborious fieldwork less necessary than ever. This freed these young men and women to pursue other lines of work.


    Many men ended up joining the imperial army, holding tremendous loyalty toward the ckgard Union, the emperor and empress, and the soil upon which they stood. As much was encouraged by the zeitgeist of the age. Gmon deemed women more important for the growth of the country than men, and thus restricted their enlistment outside of spellcasting roles. They were, however, increasingly weed to be skilledborers or civil servants. The prominence of figures such as the empress or the prime minister eroded many biases of the previous age. Indeed, the civil service likely had <em>more </em>women than men at this point.


    I describe this scene to the reader to set the stage for the beginning of the Age of Fury. Hot-blooded youths with pride in their hearts and love for their country far outnumbered those with scars from the cmity. Part of this had been deliberately fostered by the imperial court for the sake of stability, but much of it was the natural results of the magnificence of the Age of Remation.


    Thus, the time that came to be known the Age of Fury unfolded.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    <strong><em>Age of Fury, 26-37AC</em></strong>


    The seed that sprouted into the inciting incident that would spark the Age of Fury had arguably been sown before the Last Cmity had ended. Argrave¡¯s coup of the Great Chu led to its emperor being reestablished with little power. The majority of that power was turned over to him as its militarymander¡ªthe Grand Commandant. Upon his departure from the Great Chu, the role of Grand Commandant had been turned over to his father-inw, Patriarch Dras.


    After the Last Cmity, the Veidimen under Dras¡¯mand were less damaged than the fighting forces of the Great Chu. It¡¯s a hotly contested point whether or not Dras deliberately sacrificed human lives to preserve Veidimen. Regardless, the military force of the Great Chu was effectively wiped out, and much of its martial tradition necessary to raise new armies ceased to exist. This enabled Dras and his Veidimen to cement highly-effective control over the nation.It could easily be imed that Patriarch Dras was more effective than the ckgard Union at uniting thend. Order was restored incredibly quickly. Emperor Ji Meng remained the nominal emperor, and Dras maintained his position as Grand Commandant. With that as pretext, the survivors of the Great Chu were quickly reunited. Indeed, it was as though the nation had never broken at all.


    It could not be imed, however, that Dras established as effective a government.


    Dras saw the merit of the robust imperial bureaucracy and the thrivingwork of canals connecting the cities. He endeavored to rebuild these institutions and infrastructures. Rather than employing the citizens of the Great Chu who were already well-ustomed to such apparatuses of the state, he elected to prioritize Veidimen for what was being built.


    To this point, Garm hasmentary.


    Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred tform. Support original creators!


    <em>The notion behind what he was doing was simple. The imperial bureaucracy had already shown entirely capable of subverting an emperor. Even a strong ruler like Ji Meng had been effectively puppeteered by their machinations. Dras hoped to avoid such a mistake by establishing loyalists to take the ce of what had been.</em>


    <em>The favoritism, however, was quite ring. To have both the troops guarding your cities and the people administering your lives be Veidimen? The snow elves were a fair people, certainly. They took to the intricacies of the system very well, likely because their now-dead god, Veid, so strongly promoted values such as honor, fairness, and legalism. </em>


    <em>Regardless, Dras continued to press the issue. Veidimen men were encouraged to take additional spouses of Great Chu women, while Veidimen women were strongly discouraged from seeking Great Chu grooms. Veidimen were practically exempt from castration as a punishment, while every single imperial eunuch was human. Veidimen further received unspoken priority in the distribution ofnd, and consequently, reaped much of the opportunity that all enjoyed in the ckgard Union. </em>


    <em>Nothing wasw, but it was undoubtedly terribly unfair. Year after year, it bred resentment like water slowly boiling. The Veidimen poption expanded near as massively as the ckgard Union had. Great Chu natives were able to ignore this for a time because they weren¡¯t actively impeded¡­ but as both poptions grew, conflict took root. </em>


    <em>This point greatly concerned both my mother and father. They sent inquiries to Dras¡ªpolite protests, reminding him that what he was doing could have dire consequences. These requests did have some impact, curbing certain practices, but it was clear that greater action would need to be taken to fix things before they erupted. Already, violent incidents were sparking across the Great Chu. </em>


    <em>To that end, my brother Enrico eagerly suggested that he be allowed to head a diplomatic mission to the Great Chu to help rein in the excesses of Dras¡¯ regime. He considered himself perfect for the role, possessing our father¡¯s dark hair, our mother¡¯s amber eyes, and subtly elven ears¡ªthe very picture of a man half-human, half-Veidimen. ¡®The very picture of unity,¡¯ as he often said in attempts to persuade the court. </em>


    <em>In the end, our parents relented. Enrico was appointed head diplomat, assigned arge guard of Knights of the Sun, and given leave to head overseas to help resolve the situation in the Great Chu before it turned into a civil war. He was weed with open arms into the imperial pce, where he was greeted by a banquet celebrating the eve of the twenty-sixth year after the end of the cmity hosted by Emperor Ji Meng and Dras. The rest is too painful for me to recount, so I shall leave to my colleague to cover. </em>


    By surviving eyewitness ount, the banquet went quite well. Patriarch Dras admitted some excesses on the aspects of his rule. The burgeoning violence worried him¡ªthough his people had prospered greatly, they were still greatly outnumbered and knew this terrain less than many of its natives. He imed it to be ¡°¡­entirely unreasonable to assume that [Veidimen] could continue on as [they] have.¡±


    Regardless, this event was cut short by an ambush. Patriarch Dras¡¯ head allegedly exploded into gore as he raised a toast to cooperation between man and elf. From there, armed assants supported by spellcasters stormed the imperial pce. It turned into a massacre in moments. Survivors im every single Knight of the Sun perished in defense of Enrico. The entire diplomatic mission was wiped out entirely.


    The young Prince Enrico, neen years of age and yet a B-rank spellcaster, defended himself as best he could. He escaped the banquet hall, yet a foul poison concocted to turn the ck blood in his veins against him eventually took his life. He waster found in the imperial gardens sitting by the roots of a tree, his fingers clutching a ne that his mother had personally crafted for him.


    To this day, the identities of the assants isn¡¯t public knowledge. Whether the imperial court kept that private, or whether they themselves don¡¯t know, there are many spections.


    Some suggest that Patriarch Dras was the architect behind the incident. Most disbelieve this in light of his death, but others say it wasmon knowledge he wished the ckgard Union to inherit his domain. Moreover, his Veidimen-centric policies alongside simultaneous cooperation with the ckgard Union strike many as contradictory, implying a deeper motive. They suggest he wished to give the ckgard Union no choice but to involve themselves in the affairs of the Great Chu.


    Others point to Emperor Ji Meng. As an S-rank spellcaster, he was one of the few able to escape from the banquet alive, even if injured. He had the most to gain from the overthrow of the Veidimen yoke, and may have carried a grudge against Argrave for his role in his diminishing power. Opponents to this theory argue that Ji Meng had grown highly-ustomed to his powerless role, spending far more time with his family.


    Regardless, emperor and empress soon received the news of their child¡¯s death. And in the Great Chu, organized opposition rose up, headed by someone who was to be the crux of the Age of Fury. This person was proven beyond a shadow of a doubt to be unrted to the assassins, but nevertheless carried on their ideas. ?¨¤?????§§?


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Epilogue 2.2: Phoenix

    When asked of his parent¡¯s reaction to his brother Enrico¡¯s death, Prince Garm had only this to say.


    <em>I thought I had seen my mother and father truly angry before that point. I was wrong. Terribly wrong. They were angry most of all at themselves. They hated what they saw ascency, and they would never forget what yielding for love of their son had earned them. They became far stricter. The pain of losing a child made them hesitant to have any more. </em>


    By some reports, the emperor and the empress arrived in the hearnd of the Great Chu the very next day, where any and all rted to the attacks were weeded out to meet excruciatingly painful ends. Whatever the exact date, they did appear extraordinarily fast. As Dras¡¯ named sessor, Anneliese received the immediate loyalty of the Veidimen, who sought both protection and vengeance against their enemies in equal measure.


    Speaking from personal experience, I can say only that fury was mirrored in all of the people of the ckgard Union. Mothers and fathers cried as though their own child had been the one to perish. Brothers and sisters raged for vengeance as if to im it for their own kin. The death of Prince Enrico became characterized as an attack against the ckgard Union and all that it stood for, and those that had benefitted so immensely reacted as though it was at jeopardy.


    General Gmon mobilized the army shortly after emperor and empress arrived, employing the whole of the ckgard Union¡¯s fleet to transport four of the twelve armies overseas. This fighting force was four times in size that which had invaded the Great Chu before thest cmity, and unlike before, met no concerted opposition at the shores.


    Some consider the weeks following the result of grieving parents forced to make decisions that couldn¡¯t possibly be divorced from emotions. Others suggest that things were already too far gone by the time the empress and emperor had arrived. Regardless, the situation escted very quickly.


    Great Chu natives attacked Veidimen enves. ckgard soldiers responded to these attacks more zealously than they should have. These excesses led to yet more attacks, and more attacks demanded more drastic enforcement methods. It was a vicious and self-perpetuating cycle which continued to devolve, even despite interference from Emperor Ji Meng.


    This esction led to the rise of a woman who woulde to be known as the Phoenix.


    <strong><em>Su Mei, the Phoenix</em></strong>An S-rank spellcaster, Su Mei came from a family of a former governor treated particrly harshly by Veidimen rule. By her own testimony, all seven of her sisters were essentially sold off as brides. There is enough corroboration for this that it cannot be disputed. She, herself, suffered at the hands of an abuser until a respected Veidimen elder named Rowe the Righteous discovered the situation, taking her as his pupil aspensation. Her region was a noted hotbed of corruption, sandwiched between barbarian tribes and arge concentration of Veidimen who proved cruel administrators.


    She was twenty-seven at the time she imed the title of Phoenix. She earned her title by virtue of her A-rank ascension. Her body became fire given form. The specifics of her ascension are unclear, but both death and capture proved impossibilities for conventional spellcasters. She expended great effort to avoid both the emperor and empress, who themselves were stretched thin between both Berendar and her homnd.


    In 26AC, she and a group numbering about one hundred began a campaign of gueri warfare against the Veidimen regime and in time the ckgard Union defending it. She was reported in eighty-seven times¡ªafter each supposed death, she would return only a few dayster. Su Mei refined and cultivated this image of a phoenix deliberately, iming it as both an icon for herself and the idea that she represented; the Great Chu, razed to the ground yet rising from the ashes born again.


    In time, a veryrge contingent of people began to follow her example. Though entirely separate, they worked around the nation, each and all bearing the symbol of the phoenix. Hers became a legend that spread throughout the whole of the Great Chu. Though initially a movement to expel upying forces alone, it soon became couched in notions of superiority and xenophobia.


    Veidimen became the target of widescale attacks. As a result of this rapidly deteriorating situation, the majority of the ckgard Union¡¯s efforts turned to evacuating Veidimen refugees, bringing affected families to Berendar by the thousands. These families, who had be the backbone of the bureaucracy, represented a very severe deterioration in the governance of the Great Chu.


    Banditry, local warlords, and general chaos took root in many regions of the area. By this point, the majority of the ckgard Union¡¯s imperial army was necessitated to maintain some semnce of order in the nation. Emperor Ji Meng remained ¡®frustratingly idle¡¯ by several ounts, only exerting effort to be sure the imperial pce and the city it presided over remained unaffected.


    If youe across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    It became extremely difficult for the imperial army to counterattack, not merely because of the style of warfare employed, but because attacks so often came from those citizens who they were allegedly here to keep safe. It was a bitter, thankless war that made morale in the army suffer greatly. Only the exceptional discipline of General Gmon kept it from turning into an outright conquest.


    At some point, Su Mei saw greater evil in those attempting to fight against Veidimen upation than those she¡¯d began the fight against. She said the following in an address to her followers at 30AC:


    <em>¡°Four years we¡¯ve fought¡­ and all for something neither wants. We¡¯ve set a fire in our own home because of an invader. Unless something is done, we¡¯ll have naught but ashes left, and the invader will have simply walked out, barely singed.¡±</em>


    And indeed, this war in the Great Chu proved most damaging to the nation itself. Disruption of supply lines caused near-famines narrowly averted by humanitarian efforts spearheaded by Princess Sophia of Vasquer. Far more citizens died than soldiers of the imperial army because of the so-called Phoenix Insurrection.


    In 31AC, Su Mei appeared before the empress, using her old pupil Rowe the Righteous to help arrange the meeting. Initially suspected as an assassination attempt, the empress herself told the Knights of the Sun who rushed to her defense to stand down. There, with the encouragement of Rowe, Su Mei surrendered to the empress. By rumor, the empress herself helped Su Mei stand, saying that she didn¡¯t wish for surrender¡ªmerely peace. ording to the knights I spoke to who guarded the empress, this story is exaggerated. Su Mei surrendered and was detained as a prisoner of war.


    Regardless of the story¡¯s truth, Su Mei¡¯s capture shook the nation and marked the turning point of the age. Initially, the fighting became far more intense¡ªone final push, in desperate defiance of what felt inevitable. In time, however, the spirit of the fighting was greatly subdued. The emperor and empress, in concert with Su Mei, travelled the region, helping to establish peace with local pockets of resistance.


    Most prominently, what could be considered a tremendous concession was made¡ªthe people of the Great Chu themselves were given the right to choose who would lead them. The majority of public offices were made elected. This came alongside extending equal protections to all citizens. To the natives of the Great Chu, who now vastly outnumbered Veidimen or other foreigners, this seemed both a natural conclusion to what they had been fighting for, and a more-than-fairpromise.


    By 35AC, fighting persisted in only small pockets on the fringe of the Great Chu. The imperial army¡¯s presence began to dwindle as more and more returned to Berendar, their services unnecessary. Some Veidimen families even began to return with the guarantees ofw, but arger majority remained in the ckgard Union, where they thrived in the northern regions and as traders.


    In 36AC, Anneliese, in her capacity as Dras¡¯ heir and Grand Commandant, pardoned Su Mei for ¡®extraordinary contrition and efforts to repent.¡¯ Prince Garm ims his parents considered proposing a marriage with his brother Prince Castro, but eventually decided against that to avoid setting a precedent that would be difficult to break.


    The conclusion of the Age of Fury in 37AC came with the deration that the ckgard Union would be minimizing its presence in the Great Chu. Some coastal fortresses would remain manned and were officially ceded to the ckgard Union, but they werergely barren territories with no value beyond strategic and garnered no significant controversy.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Additionally, the title of Grand Commandant held its first election in 37AC when Anneliese ceded the title. In this first election, by contrast to future ones, the governors alone voted to elect the Grand Commandant. Su Mei was a contender in the election, and though she achieved widespread support, it was feared she had be a so-called ¡®tamed phoenix.¡¯


    Another peacemaker with sympathies to the ckgard Union won out over her, a man by the name of Mo Hui. His election generated some controversy, as it was purportedly manipted by the ckgard Union. To respond to these concerns, Grand Commandant became a position elected by the wider popce, not the governors alone.


    Su Mei worked closely alongside Grand Commandant Mo Hui, helping to officially sign the Treaty of the New Dawn at the end of 37AC. This treaty officially demoted the emperorship of the Great Chu, putting intow what had been practice for many years. Emperor Ji Meng made no significantments one way or the other. It additionally made very generous concessions to the ckgard Union, essentially conjoining their economies and making their military highly dependent on the empire itself.


    The Phoenix, Su Mei, stood as a major catalyst in the Age of Fury¡ªboth toward its esction and de-esction. In the decades toe, she remained active politically, endeavoring to foster ties between the ckgard Union and the Great Chu. She became Grand Commandant in 47AC after Mo Hui¡¯s ten-year term, and remains a hero of her people idolized even more than the emperor once was.


    The ckgard Union wasn¡¯t devastated by the events of the Great Chu, but it was a time of noted unrest. Citizens were disappointed by the years of war without result, and thought that the imperial court was being unduly soft by refraining from annexing thend as they had the rest of Berendar. Veidimen refugees¡ªmany of whom were culturally alien polygamists, in defiance of ckgardw¡ªalso proved a point of distress.


    The Age of Fury from the perspective of the homnd can best be typified by the princes and princesses of the era, who I¡¯ll focus on for the next section. This was a transitory phase, marking the beginning of a dramatic shift in the ckgard Union as emperor and empress saw the child they¡¯ve reared near adulthood. Indeed, I would not be the first to call it the teenage years of the nation.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Epilogue 2.3: Noticed Imperfections

    The governance of the ckgard Union, and the imperial family as proxy for it, was as much a product of excellent circumstance as it was excellent governance. Without the Last Cmity as a foundational event, it¡¯s highly unlikely that such sweeping and effective changes could be implemented. It was a great reset of the board, leaving behind a power vacuum that was taken advantage of for positive effect.


    In the Age of Fury, cracks in the foundation began to show themselves. These cracks were even apparent in the imperial family, who reeled after learning of Prince Enrico¡¯s death. It affected theirrgely blissful lives deeply. The necessity of controlling the situation in the Great Chu meant that their parents weren¡¯t as present as they normally were, and this generation of the imperial family grew up differently because of that.


    <strong><em>Third Princess Rose of Vasquer</em></strong>


    <strong>Born 10AC</strong>


    As the eldest, Rose was least affected by the Age of Fury. Named either for a birthmark on her neck or after the daughter of the former House Parbon, Rose has proven to be her mother¡¯s daughter in more than appearance alone. She is a schr of some acim, a magic researcher, and a curiosity-seeker who remainedrgely uninterested in other people during the whole of her childhood and most of her adulthood. She and her father were quite close before the Age of Fury, but its events put some distance between them.


    During the Age of Fury, she was the one to discover and publicize the cause of Prince Enrico¡¯s death¡ªspecifically, a poison that targeted the magic within the imperial family¡¯s ck blood. That finding further stoked the mes of rage prevailing in the country at the time, because it meant it was a deliberate attack on the imperial family. Garm ims that she expressed regret for publicizing this fact, as it only added fuel to the fire.


    Beyond her own work, she patronized institutions that discovered great things under her direction. Most notable among these discoveries is the printing press, ck powder, the microscope, and most of all what would be the foundation of the form of power vital in the Age of Revolutions.


    She took little credit for each of these discoveries, iming her father¡¯s stories had inspired the majority of them.


    <strong><em>Fourth Princess Lieselotte of Vasquer</em></strong><strong>Born 11AC<em></em></strong>


    Much like her older sister Rose, she and her father were quite close before the Age of Fury. Lieselotte took after her father the most of any of the children. She was mischievous, deceptive, but nevertheless good-natured. Prince Garm ims the other children called her ¡®lies a lot,¡¯ ying off her name. Father and daughter fed off each other¡¯s humor, bringing an air of levity to the imperial family.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    When Argrave was forced to head to the Great Chu, her shift was dramatic. In the following years, Lieselotte often rejected her name¡ªeven her father¡¯s nickname, Lisa. She began to act out, refusing sses, sending away tutors, and generally causing trouble at important functions. When her actions nearly caused a serious diplomatic incident in 30AC, Argrave called upon Law, a former deity, to act as her mentor. She was taken to a secluded area, where she remained quiet for three years¡ªperhaps only because there was no one around to hear her protests.


    Lieselotte learned under Law for three years. When she returned, a woman of twenty-two, she was changed. Much like her father, she had be quieter and more restrained, even if her fundamental nature was still intact. One hundred percent of her effort turned toward breaking up unrest. She would soothe the anger of those dissatisfied with theck of progress in the war. She wouldmunicate with governors upset by theck of manpower. Though never involved in governance, she undoubtedly had a tremendouslyrge influence on the politics of the age.


    <strong><em>Fourth Prince Elimar of Vasquer</em></strong>


    <strong>Born 13 AC</strong>


    Elimar was very close to his older brother, Enrico. His death impacted the then twelve-year-old child immensely. The boy, described as a clumsy giant, became very staunchly militaristic as he grew. In 31AC, on his eighteenth birthday, he attempted to join the imperial army as amon soldier. His parents, fearing for their son¡¯s life, dissuaded this path. He remained stubbornlymitted to soldiering all the same. One day, in anger, Prince Garm recalls his father saying this:


    <em>¡°You¡¯re my son, and I love you, but Enrico was almost too much for this family to bear. Remember who you are. Know your ce.¡±</em>


    Even despite this cold rebuke, Elimar was persistent. When rumor began to spread that the emperor was denying his son the right to be a soldier in the ckgard Union, the mere idea provoked a public protest in ckgard. The imperial court¡¯s hand was forced, and Elimar became a soldier in the imperial army near the end of 31AC, six months after his initial request.


    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    Elimar was ced under extremely harshmanders, perhaps in hopes their strictness would cause him to return home. Their training, however, only fed the me inside of him. He was passed over for promotion many times, but bore no resentment. By the end of his first year of training, he had be a man of tremendous stature, standingrger than even Orion.


    His prowess in both the battlefield and the magical arts was notable. In 36AC, at the age of twenty-three, he achieved his A-rank ascension. He had inherited the ascension of his mother, who was less opposed to his dream of military life. There was always some conflict between Argrave and Elimar, but Anneliese kept them bridged, understanding both her boys often better than themselves.


    Elimar would be a far more notable figure in the Age of Revolutions, serving as second to one of the central figures of the age.


    <strong><em>Fifth Prince Vincent of Vasquer</em></strong>


    <strong>Born 15AC</strong>


    Vincent was born missing an eye, andcked the magical aptitude of his siblings. No healing magic could restore his missing eye as his body had simply developed without it, and he made little effort to correct it even as he aged. Instead, he merely wore a patch with a ruby over his empty socket most of the time. His disabilities, magical or physical, never seemed to bother him. Some regarded him as a cursed child, but his parents and siblings were fiercely protective of him all the same. This attitude only increased after the Age of Fury began.


    In time, he became a rather listless, evenzy, prince who was viewed as unusually wise¡ªgreat potential wasted by coddling, ording to some. He lived a very quiet life, refraining from any involvement with imperial politics. Elenore thought highly of him, and eventually, by Prince Garm¡¯s words, ¡®roped him into managing some of her business interests.¡¯ He also said that Vincent was ¡®incapable of feeling anger,¡¯ and would ¡®readily forgive someone for stabbing him in the heart.¡¯ Petty insults and attacks meant nothing to him. He oftenughed at any assaults, even when his younger sibling once punched a tooth out of his mouth.


    The only one who could motivate him to action was Sophia, whom he had asting connection with. Some imed his interest was romantic, but Vincent vehemently refuted that, saying that she ¡®has always been my sister, now and forever.¡¯ Indeed, she eventually pushed him into a marriage with the daughter of Lorena, leader of the lunar dragons, in 37AC.


    In 35AC he defused argescale attack on Veidimen refugees by suggesting the offenders beat him instead, and is imed to have said the following:


    <em>¡°After all, we¡¯re all citizens of the ckgard Union. I¡¯ve done far more deserving of a beating, even if none of you know the truth of it.¡± </em>


    This incident earned him some reputation as a protector of refugees and defender of polygamy, which was the primary cause of the upset. Prince Garm imed he loathed the reputation, and often said that ¡®one wife is too many,¡¯ and that ¡®he never would¡¯ve bothered if it meant getting so much attention.¡¯ Regardless, his actions helped integrate Great Chu Veidimen into the ckgard Union.


    <strong><em>Sixth Prince Theodore of Vasquer</em></strong>


    <strong>Born 17AC</strong>


    Theodore, in his youth, could be described as a timid, even tepid child. The death of his brother Enrico proved to only exacerbate these problems that he was already facing in his youth. It wasn¡¯t until he began to enter educational institutions that his shell finally began to crack, and he fully took part in things that interested him. Arts, culture, music¡ªhe became a part of a burgeoning movement arising in many cities, a natural repercussion of the transition toward a more urban society.


    Though it wouldn¡¯t be for some years that these movements truly became a part of the wider ckgard Union, there¡¯s no denying that Theodore, as a representative of the beloved imperial family, paved the way for this change. Some im that he remained timid his whole life because he championed pacifistic, istionist ideas that most couched as ¡®idealistic, yet na?ve.¡¯ Prince Garm described him as ¡®the dreamer of the family,¡¯ and said that his hatred of war was rooted in the fact that it had disturbed so much of his idyllic childhood.


    He never achieved great renown, eventually deciding to help his older sister Sophia in 36AC, where he would show simrpassion to the struggles of the broader world as she did. The movements that he¡¯d been a part of carried on in the wake of his absence, however, and would move on to shake the foundation of the ckgard Union in the Age of Revolutions.


    Though the fifth princess had reached the age of majority within the Age of Fury, her presence bears far more significance in the Age of Revolutions, and as such, her profile will held until that point.


    The imperial court was very careful in refraining from pushing their children toward prominent positions, doubly so after the assassination of Prince Enrico. Nevertheless, as the rulers of the nation, countless eyes were upon the imperial family, taking them as example.


    Prince Elimar¡¯s joining of the army and his public views on the war had a great effect in the popce. Princess Rose¡¯s focus on schrship and technology, too, disseminated throughout the wider popce. Lieselotte¡¯s protests in her youth, coupled with her change in adulthood, alongside Theodore¡¯s idealistic pacifism, created burgeoning and disparate notions among the increasingly educated ss ofndholders. Even Vincent¡ªin iming himself equal to Veidimen refugees epted as citizens¡ªhad a substantial impact in the attitudes of the age.


    Though the imperial family wasrgely isted from the day-to-day urrence of what it meant to be a citizen of the ckgard Union, there was no denying that their respective personalities helped inform the citizens just as the emperor and empress had in years past. Particrly among young people, who were incredibly numerous, they stood as example.


    Nevertheless, the imperial family alone cannot adequately inform the reader of the of the sweeping, almost palpable unrest throughout the whole of the Union. In the next section, I¡¯ll provide some of my own testimony as a Knight of the Sun in a major city, alongside some insights into prominent figures of the time who came to meaningfully oppose the imperial court.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Epilogue 2.4: Philosophy and Theology

    As life became about more than merely survival, the minds of the people gradually drifted toward the questions that have gued them for all eternity. Life, and its infinite mysteries, remained unanswered. The reason for being, especially after enduring the destruction of the Last Cmity, felt more pertinent for people than ever.


    Those questions created thousands of answers, each with their own philosophies toward life and their own exnations of the machinations of the world. This was, in most circumstances,rgely harmless. People of different cultures propagated the gods that they had worshipped before the Cmity. Some took the mantles of their dead gods, such as the Veidimen with Veid. These ideas took root, creating regional, religious, and cultural divides in the nation that before had been united behind a national identity.


    In this arena, however, the ckgard Union and the imperial court gave only silence. Traditions and cultures, provided they didn¡¯t breach thew of thend itself, were not curtailed. By example, the way of the elves of the Bloodwoods propagated to arge number of citizens as they spread from their forest to the rest of thend. More often than not, this was without incident. That changed as time marched on.


    Their blind eye toward matters of faith and philosophy could perhaps be considered the biggest failing of the imperial court. As with most truths, only one can generally prevail, and conflict brewed because of their policy of non-interference. A time of war where soldiers were sent overseas proved to be the ignition for an explosion, internally.


    I shall try to remain unbiased in my interpretation of these faiths and their founders, some of which persist today. I shall note, however, that I consider myself an adherent of the Word of Law, which has since be the de facto state philosophy, and im no personal faith.


    <strong><em>Divine Imperialism</em></strong>


    The philosophy of the Cult of Divine Imperialism can be gleaned from its title alone. It is unique from several other faiths in this section because it was an idea that permeated the popce long before it was formally founded, and there was no individual prophet who came to preach its dictates. Rather, a council of adherents created a formal structure not long after the war in the Great Chu began.


    Their canon preaches the notion that Argrave is a being from a higher world who was sent to this realm as its savior after studying and mastering it in isted study. Once there, the fairest and most intelligent maiden of the age, Anneliese, was offered to him as tribute by the world itself to continue his divine bloodline. The imperial family, thus, are the descendants of higher beings, and must be orded absolute respect and worship.


    It proved a stabilizing aspect of the nation, but as its formal structure and missionaries spread the faith, overtures from the government came tobat its ideas. Followers were often radical, proposing acts of extreme violence against the Great Chu and further assaulting people that questioned the actions of the imperial court. Dealing with these people was an incredibly delicate act of diplomacy, because suggesting that the imperial family was as human as everyone else put into question their right to rule to begin with.Even a direct announcement from Argrave that he was not divine proved to be insufficient to totally destroy the cult. It persisted, some insisting that one of their emperor¡¯s mandates was that he could not reveal himself as divinity under any circumstances. They did heed his second request, however, which promoted pacifism toward nonbelievers.


    The cult has dwindled drastically in seeding decades, but still persists as a formal institution to this day.


    <strong><em>Arcanism</em></strong>


    <strong>Founded by Leopold Dandn</strong>


    A patrician of the city of Relize and a B-rank spellcaster, Leopold survived the Last Cmity and achieved A-rank not long after, eventually rising to achieve S-rank. Already at an advanced age by the time he achieved this, the force of magic revitalized his flesh, returning him to a younger appearance. Some have suggested that the man who goes by Leopold is merely being impersonated by a talented spellcaster, but he disproved this on several asions.


    Leopold¡¯s family, the Dandns, were devastated by the Last Cmity. Ny-eight percent of his incrediblyrge family¡ªall of whom were his sons, grandchildren, or of even further descent¡ªdied during its course. His newborn son and wife were among those imed. After, the city of Relize and all of its institutions effectively ceased to exist. Everything that he earned had been shattered¡ªhis empire ofmerce, his gargantuan family, and all of his holdings turned to ash. overnight


    By all reports, it broke him. He was presumed dead for many years until he returned to where Relize had once stood and began to preach his faith in 4AC. To him, magic had gone beyond a tool. It was truth. It was life itself. It was rebirth and recreation. Mastery of magic and its expression in the form of spells was an act of faith itself.


    In particr, Leopold preached of something that he¡¯d glimpsed beyond S-rank. In his Book of the Arcane, his descriptions of what waited beyond the barrier and his dictates for all those who seek to reach it eventually became creed for his followers. They refused the title of spellcaster, instead iming themselves Arcanists.


    Leopold¡¯s astounding story of revitalization resonated with countless people. The imperial court themselves offered condolences, giving him the opportunity to take what remained of his family and rebuild it in a particrly valuable stretch ofnd in 7AC. Leopold, however, refused this in way of asking for support in getting his Arcanists to permeate the education system.


    Though initially a tremendous positive for the nation, disseminating magic education to all those who were willing, it was very quickly coopted into a notion of stratification. The imperial court relied on the Arcanists to educate all those with magical talent, but in so doing, created a generation of young Arcanists who held ideas that were often fundamentally ipatible with thews of the empire.


    Even traditional sects of Arcanism encouraged¡ªor even forced¡ªsterilization upon the less magically gifted. Extremist sects promoted executing people that showed no reaction to magic, deeming them having been rejected by their divine force. Leopold never promoted either practice directly, encouraging ¡®adherence to thew of thend.¡¯ He never took direct action or gave direct reprimand, however, earning him censure from the Prime Minister.


    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the vition.


    In the end, the imperial court took it upon themselves to stomp out extremism in the Arcanist structure during the Age of Fury. This led to violent confrontations on asion, and considering most were adept spellcasters, included a fair share of coteral damage. Arcanists were entirely forbidden from preaching doctrine in magic schools, which led to significant unrest. Furthermore, certain extremist sects were deemed ¡®enemies of public safety,¡¯ and ouwed entirely.


    The most prominent incident, however, came in 36AC. The imperial court, frustrated with inaction from Leopold, practically forced pacifistic reformations in the taught creed of the Arcanists byw. This caused wide-scale protests, damaged the economy a great deal, and nearly resulted in a full-scale rebellion. Fortunately, Leopold¡¯s public acquiescence to the Bill of Preservation of Safety marked a quieting of extremism from Arcanists.


    The faith remains prominent among spellcasters of the modern age, with noted influence still persisting in education simply because the taught values of their faith encourage teaching magic to all. Both learning and teaching magics are considered acts of faith and devotion. To this day, Arcanist families practice arranged marriages designed to foster magical talent, and exhibit prejudice toward those unwilling or unable to utilize magic.


    <strong><em>Suns¡¯ Creed</em></strong>


    <strong>Founded by Lucien Lahart</strong>


    In 8AC, Lucien ims to have experienced an out-of-body experience wherein he found himself transported to the sun in the sky. There, he saw every living soul in the world bound together in awork by the power of two beings. He imed these beings to be the two suns that existed before their dramatic transformation that urred shortly before the advent of the Last Cmity. From them, he received the Creed of the Suns, which he authored in feverish pain for three days.


    The Creed establishes that every living being¡¯s soul is in possession of the suns. Every action they take, from their first breath to theirst, is being judged by them. When the timees for death, the suns decide the worth of their life. Their soul is then shattered and projected out as sunlight, giving birth to new life in an endless cycle of reincarnation. If one follows the Creed of the Suns, their new life is promised to be that of happiness and joy. If one does not, their new life will be dull, gray, miserable, and fleeting.


    The Creed¡¯s fundamental values are unproblematic. It promotes the notion of being as the suns are¡ªprotective of those in yourmunity, totally generous toward all others, warm, and life-giving. Its priesthood follow this well, working for welfare in the region in service of their missionary work. Issues only arose due to the absolutism of its doctrine.


    To adherents, the Suns¡¯ Creed is the only truth, and all others are misguided at best, and malicious at worst. This antagonism was manageable at first, and Lucien¡¯s insistence on pacifism earned him vast support. When Lucien was murdered, however, he ceased to be a moderating influence on his people. In particr, conflicts with the so-called ¡®lunatics¡¯ responsible for Lucien¡¯s murder erupted throughout the nation.


    <strong><em>Lunar Dragon Worship</em></strong>


    <strong>Founded by an unnamed lunar dragon</strong>


    Both the name of the faith and its founder are only able to be spoken by the unique jaw and mouth structure of a dragon¡¯s body, and attempting to transcribe either would draw ire from those I would rather remain unprovoked. They believe the lunar dragons to be divine emissaries, given power by their god the moon to see all that takes ce in the world. In theirmunications with the moon, they are the mouthpiece of the divine. Non-draconic adherents endeavor to learn to understand the tongue of the dragons even if they cannot speak it, and in so doing, are given great esteem by their fellows.


    To this day, the worship of lunar dragons remains highly controversial, reclusive, and isted. Though initially open to all, the murder of Lucien Lahart by a dragon worshipper provoked tremendous bacsh. Since then, they were branded with the derogative ¡®lunatics,¡¯ and driven out from most organized society. Lorena, technical leader of the lunar dragons, has personally denounced the faith, decrying it as egomania and delusion in service of selfishness.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The particrs of their faith are known only to those who can understand the tongue of the dragons. As I do not count myself among that number, and because countless rumors exist that muddy the truth of the matter, I will refrain from attempting to summarize it further than I have. Suffice it to say, the Age of Fury marked a time of great conflict between those of the Suns¡¯ Creed and those who worship the lunar dragons.


    <strong><em>Word of Law</em></strong>


    <strong>Founded by former deity, Law</strong>


    To preempt any usations of bias, I shall begin this profile describing the prevailing criticisms of the text published in 35AC.


    The text called Word of Law began circting around the height of the troubles between the Suns¡¯ Creed, the lunar dragon worshippers, and the Arcanists¡ª35AC. The text was printed very widely, and was proimed from thergest city to the smallest town. Some suggest such coordination is the deliberate effort of the imperial court to spread their own ideas to the people.


    This idea is supported by the fact Argrave prevailed upon Law to help with his ornery daughter, Liesolette. The Word of Law could easily be imed as one of the core values of the ckgard Union, lending further evidence. Moreover, in my time as a Knight of the Sun, I did see unusually easy ess to the text. Countless such anecdotes exist describing the ease at which the Word of Law proliferated society. It would be disingenuous to dismiss that fact.


    To that criticism, I can say only this; its physical spread may not have been natural, but its reach into the hearts and minds of the people of the age cannot be manufactured.


    Law ims to have spent the thirty-five years after the end of the cmity writing this text. He did so searching for new meaning after the loss of his godhood. His text is highly secr, and would be the foundation of many humanist movements that would emerge in the next age. It posits the idea that it¡¯s a moral duty to act rationally and fairly regardless of any beliefs. It further suggests that the endeavor of construction¡ªboth personally andmunally¡ªare the single greatest acts that any person can perform. Its concise, sharpnguage left no room for semantics, yet plenty of space for all to practice whichever faith they should please.


    This text would have a profound cooling effect of the struggles of the age as people weary of conflict united beneath an encouraged notion of secrism. The promotion of this text, however, blossomed into countless political and cultural movements in the Age of Revolutions that would often end up twisting its words to their ends.


    Though countless polytheistic faiths persist all around the ckgard Unions, the ones listed were undoubtedly the most impactful during the Age of Fury. While the secr intentions of the imperial court were in effect from the beginning, they overestimated the capacity of those ideas to transfer without a proper medium. The Word of Law marked the beginning of the end of religious and cultural strife in the ckgard Union. By 37AC, society had been reformed to amodate the disparate beliefs and philosophies of its poption.


    The struggles during this timeframe would portend what was toe in the Age of Revolutions¡ªoft times a fusion between the extremism of the Arcanists, the secrism of the Word of Law, the charitability of the Suns¡¯ Creed, and the desire for unique divergence as seen in lunar dragon worship. It would mark a fundamental change in lifestyle aspared to the time before the Last Cmity.


    I¡¯ll explore the Age of Revolutions in the next section.

 Epilogue 3.1: Preface

    Ultimately, though the Age of Fury had its troubles, there¡¯s no denying that the ckgard Union emerged from the other side of it better than they did the years before. The Great Chu had been cemented as an economic dependent, and trade agreements were made that favored the ckgard Union. The poption continued to boom under the imperial court¡¯s stewardship as the children of thest age began families of their own. Advances in technology permitted suchrge families, and new, burgeoning fields rose up to offer new opportunities just as old ones died.


    The ckgard Union was highly dynamic, and its younger generation were open¡ªeven pursuant of¡ª changes far unlike those seen before the Last Cmity. A great many traditionalist values had been rejected¡ªthe notion of staying in the same farm generation after generation, tilling the soil until one day your children pick up the plough had died. The Age of Revolutions was the great explosion that brought to attention this trend, which before had been bubbling under the surface.


    Cities in particr becamerger than they ever had been. Large urban centers¡ªthe most prominent of which is the city of ckgard¡ªcame to dominate society, in stark contrast to how ruralndholders once did. No longer did nobles iming vast tracts of farnd have unteral influence on society¡ªrather, things were spread out among a farrger number of people, each of whom could pursue amenities that were only the privilege of nobility. Cities were the highest expression of that change.


    If what Argrave said all those years ago in the Age of Remation is true¡ªthat he and his wife had always intended on stepping aside¡ªthen the point could easily be made that the Age of Revolutions is the crowning achievement of their government¡¯s reign. If that was merely something he said to persuade people, then the fact stands that the people made his words manifest. This time period marked a shift where power was increasingly stripped away from the imperial court, and the ckgard Union turned to a different manner of governance altogether.


    This came to be from a myriad of factors, foremost among them being the notions of philosophy and culture sown in thest age and the rapid advance of technology supported by the crown. Productivity increased tenfold, allowing one man to do what once would take ten, or taking one hour to do what once would¡¯ve taken ten. The Age of Revolutions is named thus because it is not merely one revolution. Rather, it epasses the cultural, political, financial, and industrial changes of the age that buoyed not only the nation itself, but the entire world.


    <strong>Age of Revolutions, 38-92 AC</strong>


    The most notable fact about the Age of Revolutions is that no wars of aggression were started during its 54 years. Even in the supposedly glorious Age of Remation, countless warlords were put down by the might of the imperial army. This time of unprecedented peace made the army stagnate, some suggest, but nevertheless paved the way for an incredible flourishing of other aspects of the nation.


    To exin the dramatic shift, it would be best to begin at the backbone of the nation. The whole of the ckgard Union became better connected as infrastructure improved in quality. The Great Chu had canals allowing high-speed transfer, but these wereborious, expensive to maintain, and not necessarily cost-efficient. Conceptualized in the early 40s, the first railroad wasid in 51AC, bridging the major urban centers of New Relize and ckgard. By 60AC, railroads had be so prominent one could travel from Seteth deep in the Burnt Desert to Quadreign in the heart of the north in a little less than two hours. Railcars, powered by advances in enchanting, were highly-efficient and cost-effective, and proved to be one of the backbones for a revolution inmerce.


    Without war, and with the Great Chu as a solid ally, trade flourished. Veidimen disced by the Age of Fury spearheaded trade routes. Many had lost house and home, had a seafaring tradition that still lived strong, and intimately understood the terrain of the Great Chu; their virtues were natural. Their polygamist practices had essentially died off by 40AC, and were made formally illegal in 41AC. Polygamy had technically been illegal for a long while, but thew was antiquated and difficult to enforce justly without sundering children from parents. They came to be thoroughly integrated.Stolen story; please report.


    Trade was one of thergest instruments for change, facilitating the transfer of ideas, goods, and wealth. Vital trade arteries, as ckgard was, grew by virtue of the volume of traffic. The growth of trade also allowed the pet project of the crown toe into fruition: namely, paper currencies. Bills of credit¡ªor more simply credits¡ªcame into prominence in a major way. These papers, imbued with a particr magic signature, could be exchanged for gold coins around the nation. The ease at which these could be used propelled trade to infinitely higher heights, making purchasesrge and small much easier and the transfer ofrge quantities of money more feasible.


    Trade grew in tandem with another tailwind for urbanization¡ªindustrialization. Craftsmanship, artisanry, and innovation were hallmarks of the age. With power and wealth distributed more evenly among the people of the age, there was a growing demand for certain outputs¡ªluxury products, entertainment. Industries grew to meet these needs, improving their production methods or putting creative talents to work in grand disys of artistry. What was once the reserve of the King of Vasquer becamemon fixtures in homes, from silk clothing to finely-carved woodworks. Certain production processes were massively streamlined. Workshops of the age came to produce one hundred times the product they had merely years before.


    In the past, knowing letters and numbers was of use to only a few sses of people¡ªmerchants, nobles, and spellcasters most prominently among them. With increased urbanization, literacy and numeracy became infinitely moremon things. Now, it wasn¡¯t unusual for the children of farmers to know how to read. Farms required lessbor, while opportunities arose in cities every single day. A baseline education was simply a necessity to handle a great many of new opportunities in the growing urban centers.


    These forces for change, myriad as they were, might¡¯ve faltered. In governments past, innovation andpetition had been restricted by the government. Often, monopoly charters were given to certain factions to cate, win support, and promote stability. The ckgard Union had no such practices¡ªindeed,petition was auded virtue, provided it was done within the realm of what was legal. It was an undoubtedly chaotic, but highly productive sector of life in the nation.


    The importance ofmerce and industry cannot be overstated as a force for the changes of the time. It marked the creation of entirely new sses in society¡ªsses that would prove to be infinitely more productive than those of the past, but also vastlyrger. Society in the Berendar of yesteryear wasrgely focused around agriculture. While farnd remained prominent, it no longer held the heart of the nation in its grasp. Rather, those engaged inmerce and production rose to prominence.


    Also of note is the shift in culture. The rise of cities had the side effect of changing the mindsets of the malleable youth. The Age of Fury in the ckgard Union stood as an example of standing up to the authority of the government. The faiths of the day often directly resisted interference from the government, furthering the idea that governmental authority was not unquestionable. Moreover, some bore skepticism that the war in the Great Chu had been handled properly.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Art, literature, and more expressions of creativity than came be named transitioned from being expressions of beauty to expressions of life¡¯s deeperplexities. Works of the day came to question life, death, and all that takes ce between those two states of being. This represented, once again, the sea change away from the past. Gone were the days where only lords anddies could support art, and only in service of ideas they wished promoted.


    With the rise of a farrger ss of powerholders came the recognition of a need for a new style of living. As people became better educated, more knowledgeable about the happenings of the world, they began to form opinions on what was happening. The natural result of those opinions came the idea that they, themselves, might have a better solution to the problems of the day.


    But before they could even demand liberties¡­ they found them granted. The government of the ckgard Union, like a master gardener, had been carefully tending this growth. It cut away the excess elegantly, provided water where it was best suited, and above all, had amply invigorated the soil from which these revolutions sprung.


    In 38AC, the imperial court was perhaps at the apex of its power. The imperial army was incrediblyrge, and had many able-bodied veterans in its ranks. By 92AC, the entire politicalndscape had shifted. Those changes are best illustrated through the lens of the imperial family, however, and so I shall save the specifics for next section which detail their changing role.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Epilogue 3.2: Usurpation or Abdication

    One of the most hotly contested points of the age revolves around the debate between the idea that the imperial court ceded power deliberately, or were forced to surrender it and couched it in noble rhetoric to preserve their image. From my perspective, there are valid arguments for both.


    As an argument for abdication, the simple fact is that the imperial court remained incredibly popr throughout the whole of the age. To illustrate that point, ¡®Argrave¡¯ and ¡®Anneliese¡¯ both remained the single most popr names for newborns in the ckgard Union, a trend arguably started by Prince Orion. Moreover, there¡¯s evidence in what they said in years past.


    The argument for usurpation, however, is also feasible. The economic recovery of the Great Chu following the Age of Fury was felt clearly in the ckgard Union. In the first half of the Age of Revolutions, the vast majority of high-quality goods used in the nation came from the Great Chu¡¯s workshops. Their manufactories were initially far ahead of the ckgard Union¡¯s both culturally and technologically. The vast majority of that came from the simple fact that the Great Chu had inherited a solid foundation, but some people of the Union attributed it to their style of governance. Once this idea took root, it spread like wildfire in intellectualmunities.


    Prince Garm, when asked, tells all.


    <em>Of course they abdicated. Speaking firsthand, I can say my parents had umted intense fatigue after near a century of shepherding the unruliest herd animals of all. They enjoyed their role immensely, but Argrave in particr held certain ideals about how a truly fair and free society should function. Anneliese, meanwhile, wanted more time to delve into other hobbies, but held no such ideological bent. Elenore was entirely neutral toward the arrangement, following along with Argrave¡¯s desire perhaps out of obligation alone. To say the least of my aunt¡¯s ability, she certainly could¡¯ve kept them in power if she wanted to. </em>


    <em>But above all¡­ there was a trace of regret in them for having so long devoted time to the empire before their children. They only came to terms with Enrico¡¯s death once everything with the Great Chu was put behind them. As their grandchildren came into this world one-by-one, their priorities shifted, life put into perspective. I say this not because of spection, but because they expressed as much to all of us themselves. </em>


    <strong>The Retirees </strong>


    After the end of the Age of Fury, marked by the signing of the Treaty of a New Dawn at the very end of 37AC, the change in attitude of the imperial court could be seen immediately. For the first time in their long reign, the imperial family took something of a vacation. All, even Elenore, came to an event on a temperate ind southeast of the Burnt Desert. Prince Garm recalls the event fondly.<em>My parents had arranged to have a grand portrait painted. A famous artist of the age had been brought before them, and the whole family stood in ce to be painted. It was unusual, both for them to do something like this and to spend so much money on something for themselves alone. In the end, the painter chastised them several times for their inability to stand still. Even the young children were better behaved, the artist said. But¡­ in time, they rxed. That painting hangs proudly in their vi to this day. </em>


    <em>Still, even there it was partly about their role. It was on that supposed ¡®retreat¡¯ they announced their ns to abolish the imperial family. Argrave was extremely firm on the subject. He hated the mere idea of a monarchy persisting. He thought it was a tremendous joke, aughingstock, for a nation to cling to something that had so often been a tremendous detriment to the people. It was as much an ideological issue for him as it was an emotional one.</em>


    <em>Some of us agreed with Argrave, while others disagreed strongly. For the first time, however, the Parents of the Empire gave us a voice in the fate of the imperial crown. The fact its role would be diminished wasn¡¯t up for debate, but whether or not to persist as the recognized imperial family did. There was a shouting match between Elimar and Argrave, at one point¡­ but eventually, Argrave was swayed. </em>


    <em>In closing, I remember my father saying, ¡®I¡¯m not much for tradition. They hold you back more than they prop you up. But Elimar¡¯s right. It¡¯s an insult to the memory of those who died in our service. Trying to escape what we did does more harm than good. I¡¯m sorry that all of you have to deal with our past burdening you. You¡¯re all rich, though, so we¡¯re even.¡¯</em>


    If a skeptical reader is to assume that my colleague, Prince Garm, is merely parroting the lines that the imperial family wishes for him to, I shall provide a very simple delineation of the gradual shift of power away from the imperial family.


    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    In 40AC, in response to a petition that formed after removing a particrly well-loved governor from his post, the right for the imperial court to unterally revoke appointed governors was surrendered. Instead, an independent arbitration board became required for stripping a governor of their post, to be chosen at random from qualified candidates.


    In 41AC, two institutions were granted autonomy from the imperial court. The first is the Union Reserve, the independent central bank watching over the economy. It handled both minting coins and producing bills of credit, and oversaw the gradual transition between the two. The second was the Body of Educational Standards, or BES, which assumed sole responsibility for ensuring the qualifications for candidates of civil service.


    The BES was notably founded by the fifth princess, Gisele, herself a somewhat controversial figure for persecution of Arcanists. She spearheaded the program known as BEST¡ªBody of Educational Standards Training¡ªthat all candidates, even those of today, must pass to be considered eligible for governance. Her efforts to totally separate the BES from the government and ensure impartial, unbiased education persist today.


    In 44AC, in response to the vehement and violent rejection of an unpopr local appointment, small scale elections began to creep in around the nation. When implemented, citizens gained the right to choose which BEST-certified candidates would act as the local justice. It was the first introduction of democratic ideas to the wider popce of the ckgard Union outside of the notable exception in the Bloodwoods.


    In 50AC, democratic ideas had begun to take a deeper root in the country, spurred by philosophical movements of the age that the imperial court directly funded. Elections began to be moremon in more and more local roles that required a BEST certification. The various small changes are too many to list, but suffice it to say that the decade was a period of rapid change. The most consequential change was the development of political factions that represented the push and pull of various groups whose interests now shed ideologically in the wake of a rapidly-expanding poption.


    In 62AC, the imperial court, in an unprompted deration, decided that the central government could ¡®no longer adequately assess the particr needs of each increasinglyplex region constituting the ckgard Union.¡¯ The citizens were thusly ¡®privileged and obligated to decide who can best govern the province in which they reside for the sake of continued progress in the union and their lives.¡¯


    In 70AC, the imperial court surrendered the right tomand the general of the imperial armies, instead cing that responsibility in the hands of the prime minister alone. This decision was wildly unpopr, however, as the people knew and respected the martial prowess of both emperor and empress. In apromiseter in the year, the crown amended that decision, promising the crown would ¡®aid in any situation in which the ckgard Union was seriously threatened.¡¯ Nevertheless, the heavy-handed move caused a surge in political factions attempting to recentralize power around the imperial court. Due to this factor, it would take a long time for another significant change to arise.


    In 78AC, Elenore and the imperial court announced the title of prime minister would now be an elected one, with elections urring every ten years. Qualified candidates were governors alone, of which there were seventy-two. Eight parties rallied behind eight candidates, each aiming for the title of prime minister. Elenore, without having ever spoken a single word in public after the announcement, won in andslide. She ran a simrly silent ¡®campaign¡¯ in 88AC, where she again won without any significant challenge.


    By 89AC, the responsibilities and powers of the imperial family had dwindled so greatly as to be relegated to ceremonialists. They remained vastly wealthy, possessing the mostnd in the nation and having a significant stake in booming industries around the nation, but their legal voice had be very minor. As people adapted to this dramatic shift, some factions desperately hoped the imperial crown would be reimed, and the ckgard Union restored to as it was. No member of the Vasquer family ever tried, though many did see sess in politics as donors or candidates.


    At the end of 92AC, Argrave and Anneliese signed a formal decree vesting what few powers the crown still had into the office of prime minister. In a speech, Argrave dered that ¡®[we] would be hindering the nation if we stayed on any longer, like a parent perching over the shoulder of their child well into adulthood. You¡¯ve learned how to run toward the bright future on your own, and to keep reaching it, you must carry on without us.¡¯


    The imperial family remains well-loved, but the people havee to terms with their departure from politics. If I were to wax poetic, I would liken it to a child oveing the death of a beloved parent. Despite their absence, life must go on.


    The founding government of the ckgard Union wasn¡¯t entirely abolished, of course. Elenore of Vasquer remains prime minister to this day, dubbed the Vasquer Standard by her election opponents. Her legacy is such it seems highly unlikely any will ovee said standard¡ªrather, the only likely scenario for another to be prime minister would be for her to refrain from reelection.


    Many other such holdouts of the imperial court remain¡ªthest of a generation. The next section shall cover some exceptional people who survived into the changing times of the Age of Revolutions, leaving their own significant mark.

 Epilogue 3.3: Relics of a Bygone Time, Working Well Into Modernity

    <strong><em>The Vasquer Standard</em></strong>


    Elenore saw thepletion of the capitol of the ckgard Union during the Age of Revolutions. The Bastion, as it waster named by the people, came to embody the significance of her station by sheer force of necessity. The position of prime minister came to have so many offices serving it that the building needed to be erged. The bureaucracy that Elenore had established at the very beginning of the ckgard Union did not stagnate where it¡¯d been born¡ªrather, just as the society had grown, so too had it.


    Her reforms of the era split the power of her seat, but her workload had grown so intense it was necessary. Even despite this fragmentation, thest vestige of truly imperial power can be seen in the prime minister¡¯s office. Every position that received some delegated authority remains directly appointed by the prime minister, and that seems unlikely to change. In practice, the prime minister still dictates the direction the government takes.


    Elenore became an unwilling icon to the working women of the era. In civil service, where women had be extremely prominent, she set the standard that many of them aspired to. In wider intellectual movements, too, her continued quiet and skillful reign was heralded as the epitome of excellence. Elenore¡¯splete avoidance of these movements has ensured they never reached the heights of others of the age, but Prince Garm says their affection ¡®wasn¡¯t entirely hated by the esteemed prime minister.¡¯


    On the personal front, Elenore and Durran continued to raise a revolving door of orphaned children. Prince Garm deemed it ¡®a hobby of theirs, wherein they would take in those young children visited by a great tragedy, and then expend their efforts toward ensuring the children achieved both great happiness and great sess despite their misfortunes.¡¯ When asked, Elenore merely ims it to be ¡®small rpense for the good fortune I had to experience firsthand such a reversal of fate.¡¯


    Elenore and Durran had no more trueborn children after Therese, which was a point of small friction between the pair that nheless never amounted to genuine conflict; only a ¡®few snidements,¡¯ ording to Garm.


    <strong><em>Sword and Shield</em></strong>


    Gmon and Orion, once called the sword and shield of the empire, adapted to their changing roles well. The army, for its part, became far closer to something of that of state-funded workers. They still saw action, at many points¡ªthe imperial fleet, for its part, was constantly hard-pressed to keep the waters safe as trade began to explode. By andrge, the soldiers engaged in far more acts of public benefit, such asying out the railroads or expanding the sewer systems.


    The Order of the Sun under Orion, meanwhile, expanded massively. They faced innumerable challenges as they did so. Anti-traditionalists decried the dated role of knights in an enlightened society, while instances of excessive force drew close scrutiny from the public eye. In the face of all that, the people constituting the order changed just as society did.Speaking from my experience as a Knight of the Sun, it came to be one of the most difficult roles in society. Every day, the knights see the very lowest of society¡ªrapists, murderers, thieves, appearing one after another. We see children enduring that which none should ever have to, and we have to deal with the aftermath of those who¡¯ve taken their lives. We see all that drives men and women to crime, and we see all the misery resulting from illegality.


    It can be very difficult not to break beneath that strain. It very nearly did break me in 72AC, and led to my retirement in 73AC.


    Nevertheless, the Order grew into a fixture of the ckgard Union, and knights themselves a very prominent and celebrated citizenry. Orion, as their leader, dispelled the notion of superiority of arms entitling one to superiority of rights. He seemed the very ideal of the knight they all aspired to¡ªprotector of the weak, unfailingly virtuous, and pursuant of the truth no matter the cost.


    It came as an immense shock, then, when Orion retired as grandmaster in 81AC. His son, Argrave¡ªbetter known by the nickname Archie¡ªtook his ce. Such a thing might¡¯ve been controversial had his son not proven amply able of filling the role. He possessed the same bravery Orion did, while inheriting his Great Chu mother¡¯s talent of magic. Archie beat the emperor himself in a sparring match, once, with the caveat that the emperor refrained from using blood magic. In leadership, too, Archie proved his father¡¯s peer.


    <strong><em>Nation¡¯s Architect</em></strong>


    During the Age of Revolutions, the name ¡®Artur¡¯ became synonymous with that of a great creator or artist. It¡¯s no wonder why¡ªtravelling through the ckgard Union, should one see a piece of architecture or a monument that¡¯s particrly striking, the name of its creator in almost invariably the same: Artur. And if it isn¡¯t, the likely case is that it came from one of his direct students.


    A list of all his great works of the age would be as long as this entire volume in itself. Suffice it to say the revolutionary constructions he produced in the Age of Remation continued on ad nauseum in the Age of Revolutions. He continued to receive innumerable honors from the crown, going through ceremony after ceremony in which another medal was pinned to his cloak, or another title appended to his name.


    In 87AC, two days after his two hundred and twentieth birthday, Artur stopped working altogether. He retired with a woman of uncertain background, presumed by many to be a former goddess who survived the Last Cmity. When asked why, Artur simply said, ¡®I have to be miserable and envious to produce good work. That¡¯s a lot harder for me, now.¡¯


    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the vition.


    As a final honor for all his good work, the date of his birth was dered a national holiday revolving around the arts.


    <strong><em>Princes and Princesses</em></strong>


    The children of the imperial court diminished in prominence, somewhat, as their parent¡¯s power waned. The Vasquer family achieved a great deal of harmony after the unrest they endured during the Age of Fury. The fifth princess, Gisele, proved to inherit her father¡¯s radical anti-monarchism. She renounced herst name altogether¡ªnot out of malice toward her parents, but out of idealism¡ªand went on to focus deeply on the education of the nation. Elenore appointed her as the Master of Public Education¡ªa new office, revolving around the increasingly important role education took in the ckgard Union.


    The fourth prince who¡¯d joined the army, Elimar, became the right-hand man of Lieutenant General Abadon,mander of the seventh imperial army. Political parties and prominent businessmen increasingly attempted to exert influence over the armed forces. Abadon and Elimar stood in stark opposition to this, ensuring that political allegiance stayed far removed from the army as legition passed to ensure the army¡¯s continued incorruptibility.


    Seventh Prince Diedrich, Eighth Prince Yannik, and Sixth Princess Hannelore reached the age of majority during the Age of Revolutions. Unlike their predecessors, they werergely removed from the public eye as the majority of the family transitioned to the ind estate of Goldrest. Very little is known of them. When asked, Prince Garm merely smiles and calls them lucky children.


    Goldrest became the ce at which the imperial family came to spend the majority of its time. The estate has year-long mild weather, a ptial mansion constructed by Artur himself,rge orchards of myriad fruits, and warm, sapphire-blue waters that grace it shores. No vessels without permission from the imperial family can near, thanks to endlesslyplex wards built into the ind. Less than two hundred alive have ever seen its splendor, the majority of whom are either those of Vasquer or the small serving staff living there.


    Prince Garm describes it simply: ¡®paradise.¡¯


    <strong><em>Science of Magic, and the Magic of Science</em></strong>


    Magic, fundamentally, could be said to have endured no major revolution. Its knowledge was spread, yes, but spellcasters had been probing the depths of magic long before the Last Cmity ended. It¡¯s been the interweaving of magical and mundane that has produced the most significant steps forward. It began in the field of healing arts with Raven¡ªhis methods involved an all-too-cleverbination of the magic of healing with the mundanity of surgery. That methodology spread to other fields. Thebination of the forces of the world and the forces of magic have struck many as the future.


    Raven continued this endless march forward with all the fervor of a sinner seeking penance. His advancements in the healing arts remain incredibly notable, even in this age¡ªcuring ailments such as arthritis, dying the onset of dementia, and mitigating the negative effects of strokes stand as the most prominent examples. A great deal remains out of his reach of yet, and many of these treatments remain ridiculously costly, requiring the aid of an S-rank spellcaster. Nevertheless, people take strides toward making these methods more efficient, making the magical mundane so that all might partake in the fruits of knowledge. Things have advanced far enough even non-magical humans can breach one hundred years of age.


    Other fields march forward in lockstep. The field of magical engineering is bing particrly prominent, where boats that can sail in the air and other such impossibilities for themon man be closer to reality every day. Robust protections from government ensuring that the one who discovers these things can profit from them make many incredibly eager pursuers of the runaway future. Older methods are made more efficient day by day, and what was the privilege of mages yesterday bes the pleasure of themon man today.


    The dwarves, for their part, take part in this revolution with eager hands. Largely unblessed magically, they¡¯ve long been applying magic in such conventional ways. Now, their methods are going through a rebirth in the forges of the ckgard Union, making them one of the wealthiest sses of citizenry in the nation.


    These sesses, however, are shadowed by what some think is to be a grim future. Increasingly, a phenomenon known as Magical Scarcity has been observed. As the name suggests, the simple ramification of this fact is that magic, as more users arise, is not quite so plentiful as it once was. Magic itself hasn¡¯t decreased, yet as more people use it, the primeval force is drawn thinner. While it¡¯s far too early to know if this will be a prevailing trend or an anomaly, the fact remains that many see efforts toward efficiency in magic use as an inevitability if the poption should continue to rise, which it seems like to.


    <strong><em>Regained Nobility</em></strong>


    Several noble houses that fell out of prominence in the past began to reappear, some of their status regained by merit of effort expended. Elias of Parbon saw the continuance of both the bloodlines of Parbon and Jast, alongside his wife Ridia. After achieving great sess in resettlingnd near Relize, their family began the Parbon Foundation, an organization that funds research into healing arts.


    Nikoletta of Monti remains very wealthy, but the Monti lineage seems likely to pass alongside her. The name lives on in the form of the many magic schools she founded alongside Mina of Veden, herself another noble. Rumors suggest both of their wills are entirely dedicated to a fringe movement promoting certain civil liberties.


    Hegazar and Vera, former duke and duchess of Dirracha, continue their lineage as the only nobles appointed by Argrave himself. They were ornery at first, vehemently protesting the king¡¯s decision to end nobility. Vera nearly divorced Hegazar, who¡¯d lost all of his magic, but a firm rebuke for their protests from the crown made them unite closer than ever. By this age, Hegazar reimed what he lost, and the both of them were S-rank spellcasters. Hegazar is noted for a feat of magical engineering called ¡®projections,¡¯ which can disyplex images on ss surfaces, enablingplex interfaces on devices. The potential of this invention has yet to be fully explored, but its patent has already earned them great wealth.


    House Quadreign remains the only noble house in possession of what can be called a heritage¡ªnamely, their ck me. Vasilisa¡¯s incredibly effective stewardship of the north also earned her family some wealth. Her daughter¡ªwhich she admitted she never intended to have, if not for a touch too much to drink¡ªstands poised to continue her unexpectedly brilliant political legacy as she campaigns for governor, today.

 Epilogue 3.4: Uncertain Future

    At the time I write this, 97AC, there is both tremendous optimism for the future and a growing sense of caution. After the Last Cmity, people had nothing to lose but time. After 92 years ofbor, many people feel as though there is far more to lose than there is to gain by continuing to test the boundaries. Others, especially the younger generation, approach new innovations eagerly.


    Some believe it too early to call an end to the Age of Revolutions, as the most prominent historians among us have. Whilergely dictated by the arbitrary date in which the crown vested its remaining power in the prime minister¡¯s office, some nheless believe that new fields will continue to experience new and revolutionary advances. I count myself among such cautiously optimistic people.


    Others suggest that the good times cannot continue on forever, and posit that curbing optimism might be the best course for the future. Most can safely say, however, that the philosophies of the age have ceased to expand as rapidly. It was the change in attitude and approach that led to rapid advancement, and most agree that the ideas of the age can carry civilization forth for a long way.


    To reflect the formative movements of the age, and to conclude this volume, I shall write out their views toward both how society should be, and how they believe society will be.


    <strong><em>Rationalism</em></strong>


    Formed by Arcanists who transitioned away from the religion, rationalists believe that it is the moral duty of every living person to be as rational as possible. In particr, they eschew short-term thinking, focusing instead on long-term consequences that will benefit society as a whole. They both embrace and despise ignorance¡ªin other terms, they¡¯re quick to admit what they don¡¯t know, yet they strive to remedy that as quickly as possible.


    They earned a great deal of ire from all directions after their founding. Deemed pretentious, absolutist, and unfailingly arrogant, some dub their movement an extremist reaction to the faiths of the previous era. Decried as a ¡®cult of reason,¡¯ pressure came from all walks of life. Rationalist artistry¡ªbe that satirical literature or caricatures of prominent priests¡ªmocking faith in all its forms nevertheless reached great prominence, especially after the religious conflicts of the prior age.


    Card-carrying Rationalists remain rtively umon due to their poor reputation, but their philosophies permeate the ckgard Union. Their ideal society would be a totally rational one, wherein actions are divorced from subjectivity. Their general consensus on society¡¯s direction, however, is both that of pessimism and optimism. They acknowledge that people will continue to be irrational, but they believe their continued efforts will eventually win out and reshape society into a better ce. In part, that¡¯s already happened. Only time will tell if that remains to be the case.


    <strong><em>Mysticism</em></strong>Mysticism can be viewed as a very loose movement¡ªa subtle modernization of faiths of the past, wherein intense religious fervor was moderated in favor of a growing trend toward secrism. Its simplest t is the acknowledgement of a higher power. Whether that¡¯s a god, an intangible force, or something else entirely, mysticism is united by the idea that there¡¯s something beyond mortality. The Word of Law is, in essence, thergest factor driving people toward mysticism. Its writings don¡¯t deny the existence of a higher power, merely suggest that secrism should take precedence.


    In practice, mysticism may be considered the most prevalent ideology throughout Vasquer, although most wouldn¡¯t describe themselves as such. It represents the interweaving of faiths in search of spirituality. What spirituality actually entails differs between each faith, but the prevailing idea is that of pluralism. Indeed, some don¡¯t truly practice any faith at all, but take facets of each in search of a nebulous idea of enlightenment.


    Mysticismuds spiritualism, andments the trend of secrism to veer into excesses wherein people are disconnected from the spirit. They predict society will continue on with this trend, andment growing innovation as a departure from genuine happiness. They can be considered a moderating force, testing the steady march of progress to ensure it doesn¡¯t lead to ruination.


    <strong><em>Communalism</em></strong>


    Before the Last Cmity, subterranean mountain tribes lived in enves underground calledmunes. Back then, they had the ability to create automatons capable of fulfilling all of their needs. That, coupled with a strong tradition of solidarity, created an environment where ownership of property wasrgely collective. Their ability to create such automatons disappeared along with the Last Cmity, yet that culture persisted in them.


    It was in the Age of Revolutions that this culture began to receive scrutiny from wider intellectual movements. Increasingly, people came to consider the idea of the nation being the property of the people, and consequently something to be distributed equitably as it had been after the end of the Last Cmity.


    This movement received condemnation from the crown, directly. In particr, Argrave publicly stated on multiple asions that government power would need to be centralized to the point of absurdity, and that advancement and innovation would stagnate as people lose incentive to endeavor for the benefit of others.


    Because of this, the movement was consigned to the fringes, where only the most anti-imperial and radical personages persisted. It was most influential in morphing some political parties subtly. In particr, their advocation for anti-monopolist practices and essiblend ownership helped preserve the ckgard Union¡¯s principle of meritorious distribution for opportunity-seekers.


    This narrative has been uwfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    Regardless, the notion of amunal society, wherein all receive precisely what they need and most of what they want, continues to resonate in people. In particr, prominent writers promoting theories of a just society draw in more and more admirers. Attempts to establish pockets ofmunal society within the Union have been unsessful, thoughmunalists im outside persecution as the primary obstacle.


    <strong><em>Unionism</em></strong>


    Unionists¡ªmore a political group than a genuine intellectual movement¡ªbelieve in the preservation or extension of the power of the central government, considering it the foundation of the ckgard Union. Their voice has always remained someone prominent. Largely traditionalist, they advocate for stronger oversight from the educated elite to prevent the erosion of unified government direction.


    The party isrgely considered that of the wealthy, as the vast majority of its memberse from the beneficiaries of the Age of Remation. They experienced firsthand both the devastation of the Last Cmity, and the rebuilding following it shortly after. Many view them as thest holdouts of a generationing to a close.


    Unionists predict an erosion of social values that will ultimately lead to the downfall of the ckgard Union itself. Their voice remains extremely prominent, in part due to the enormity of the wealth they¡¯ve umted. They prove to be a cyclically prominent political party, rising in prominence when the popce sees excesses of change resulting in worse oues for all.


    <strong><em>Autonomism</em></strong>


    As the principal proponent for lessened imperial authority, autonomism cited high levels of autonomy given¡ªfrom governors decided localws, to families given true ownership ofnd¡ªas the true reason for the ckgard Union¡¯s ascendance. Their primary idea is the decentralization of government, vesting power in the hands of the people.


    Their identically named political party achieved widespread sess in giving governors more freedom from thews of the central government. The many different, highly-diverse regions in the ckgard Union came to have different ideas about how things should be run, but the autonomists bridged this gap by suggesting everyone be given more liberty to decide how things should run. They achieved widespread support for these reasons.


    Other, more radical ideas have caused the movement to lose steam as the imperial court waned in power. The elimination of taxes and the total abolition of the central government in all its forms are the most ring culprits, leading some to dismiss the autonomists of today as mere anarchists. Their utopian idea of totally autonomousmunities has beenrgely dismissed as fanciful, but they insist the steady march of progress will eventually make their ideas more feasible.


    For the sake of brevity, I¡¯ve included only the five most prominent ideologies of the age. These short descriptions cannot adequately do justice to the endlesslyplex political debates that urred in the Age of Revolutions, but the vast majority of them take their ideas both from the history of the ckgard Union, and these notions explored during the age.


    As we move into the new age of yet unnamed by historians, I have little doubt these opposing perspectives will war against one another, creating ideas anew thate to serve as fuel for the engines of tomorrow. It marks the turn of an era where the crown has totally separated itself from governance, and the people themselves begin to dictate the path they take.


    Before I move on to the bibliography, I¡¯d like to thank¡ª


    #####


    Upon processing the word ¡®bibliography,¡¯ Argrave shut the book. He set it down on the table beside his chair, then leaned back in quiet reflection. It was a very peculiar thing, to see one¡¯s life talked about in this fashion. He couldn¡¯t quite ce how he felt about it. He¡¯d avoided it entirely until his son informed him that he was a contributor. Then, there wasn¡¯t any more excuse.


    After a few long moments, Argrave rose and retrieved the book, turning off themp that¡¯d been illuminating the text. Argrave walked through the library of dark wood bookshelves, holding the book in his arms. His slippers were barely audible on the carpet as dim morning light filtered through the windows. He came to a set of double doors, beautifully embossed, and opened them. They let out nary a creak as they parted.


    Beyond, the master bedroom awaited. Argrave certainly never expected to have a bedroom thisrge. A canopy bed, a walk-in closet, a grand bathroom with everything from a sauna to a tub more adequately called a pool, even the personal library just adjacent to it¡­ such luxuries would¡¯ve drawn disdain from the younger him. But as he looked around, he could only feel contentment.


    Anneliese walked out of the closet wearing a green robe, her long white hair wreathed around her like a cloak. ¡°Hey,¡± she greeted him quietly, moving to the mirror.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Argrave returned, taking slow steps until he stood behind her.


    Anneliese braided her long hair with a century¡¯s worth of expertise as Argrave came to look into the mirror from just behind. Neither of them had changed much, going by appearances. Argrave had rough stubble, and Anneliese experimented with a new braid every year or so. That was about it. But everyone said they looked different, somehow. And it was beginning to dawn on the both of them just how long ¡®eternity¡¯ was.


    ¡°Did you finish the book?¡± Anneliese asked, looking at him in the mirror. ¡°I want to read it again before Garm arrives. Or¡­ at least skim it.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Argrave set the book on the dresser nearby. ¡°It was strange, reading it.¡±


    Anneliese nodded as she looked into the mirror, but eventually she turned back from the mirror and looked at him directly. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Nothing,¡± Argrave dismissed. ¡°Just¡­ we¡¯re old.¡±


    Anneliese scoffed, then looked back at the mirror. ¡°That realization didn¡¯t strike you holding your great-great-grandchildst week?¡±


    ¡°I was too busy trying tomit the name to memory. At this rate, we¡¯ll have a thousand names to memorize this time next century, Anne,¡± he said, putting his hands on her shoulders as he joked.


    ¡°Sounds like one of those good problems,¡± Anneliese dismissed idly as she finalized her braid. She held her arms out. ¡°How do I look?¡±


    ¡°Edible,¡± Argrave said simply, and Anneliese shook her head, used to his antics.


    ¡°It¡¯s the big day,¡± Anneliese said, then touched his hands still leaning against the shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t get too rxed, baby.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ yeah.¡± Argrave conceded with a resigned nod. ¡°The big day.¡±

 Epilogue 4.1: Family Reunion

    A tall, ck-haired man with a white eyepatch over his right eye stared out across the ocean. The eyepatch had a peculiarly round ruby embedded on the front, giving the faintest illusion of an eye in the socket. His good eye was gray as te. The sapphire-blue waters of the shore washed at his feet, while a faint smile yed about his lips.


    ¡°Vincent!¡±


    Vincent turned his head toward the voice. There, Sophia of Vasquer waved at him as she ran carefreely. She had grown to be a vivacious woman, with bright red eyes, cheeks full of color, and a touch of innocence that hadn¡¯t faded even after ny-seven years. Seeing her, Vincent¡¯s smile only widened. He walked up to greet her, giving her a hug.


    ¡°Missed you,¡± Vincent said.


    Sophia pulled away and looked up at him. ¡°You always say that.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s always true.¡± Vincent patted the top of her head. ¡°Did the trip go okay? Anybody give you trouble?¡±


    ¡°Would that you would show such concern for our other siblings,¡± Sophia said dryly. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I always am. But enough about me¡ªwhat do you think mom and dad have nned? Their invitation was a little ominous. ¡®The world will change forevermore.¡¯ They don¡¯t tend to exaggerate.¡± Sophia began to walk away from the shore, back toward the estate.


    Vincent inhaled, following Sophia calmly. ¡°Perhaps they¡¯re abdicating to you.¡±


    ¡°Pfft.¡± Sophia scoffed. ¡°What would be the point? All they have to do these days is a bunch of ceremonies on one day, twice a year. Even if it was true, hardly world-changing.¡±¡°Hmm.¡± Vincent looked around, spotting distant grand orchards and beautiful gardens in the approach to the of-yet out of sight mansion. ¡°Perhaps they have another child on the way.¡±


    Sophia inhaled through her teeth. ¡°Could you imagine? Can they still, even? Mom¡¯s an elf, and they have Raven¡­ anything is possible.¡± She almost looked excited at the prospect, but further thinking ensured reality hit. ¡°Still¡­ it¡¯s been a long, long while. Not sure they¡¯d break discipline now. They don¡¯t really know how to stop being disciplined.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯m out of guesses.¡± Vincent shrugged.


    ¡°Really? You don¡¯t know?¡± Sophia sounded genuinely surprised. ¡°It always seems like you know everything.¡±


    ¡°I just loaf around all day. Why do you have such a high opinion of me?¡± Vincent asked.


    ¡°Do you remember when you were just a little baby, newly born?¡± Sophia looked at him.


    Vincent narrowed his eye. ¡°Does anyone?¡±


    ¡°You never cried,¡± Sophia continued. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t even feed. You had¡­ well, the missing eye. Everyone thought there was something wrong with you, with your brain. But then I came, remember? And you cried, came alive, grabbed my finger with your little itty-bitty fingers¡­ it was such a happy day. Mom and dad were so happy, so relieved.¡±


    Vincent put his hands in his pockets. ¡°You¡¯re telling me I was too stupid to feed, so you think I know everything?¡±


    ¡°No. I could just tell, even then, that you were smart. A genius. You knew everything that was going on, you just didn¡¯t want to feed. You needed a little push.¡± Sophia grabbed his arm. ¡°So, stop lying to me, you little gremlin, and tell me why our parents called us here. I know you know.¡±


    Vincentughed hard, but then finally looked at Sophia. ¡°It¡¯s not a bad thing, Soph. Don¡¯t worry your silly little head.¡±


    ¡°Really? Hmm.¡± Sophia looked at him. ¡°What if I tell your wife about that time when you were eleven, and¡ª¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright,¡± Vincent interrupted. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a little hint, but that¡¯s all you¡¯re getting. You¡¯ve got a big mouth, and you can¡¯t lie if your life depended on it, so that¡¯s all I¡¯ll do.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯ll do,¡± Sophia conceded.


    Vincent paused their walk. ¡°They¡¯ve decided to be a little selfish for once¡ªto do what they want, instead of what¡¯s best for the nation or the family.¡±


    Sophia fell into quiet contemtion as they continued to walk toward the family estate. Its ck roof entered into view, and soon enough its white walls. Goldrest was an elegant, four-story estate split into three sections by three inds bridged by serene walkways. Built entirely of stone and metal, it looked liable tost as long as its owners.


    If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    More of the attendees of this event entered into view as they carried on. Gmon and Orion stood by a gargantuan grill in the garden, where dozens of staff managed a tremendous variety of meats. The pair wrangled a bunch of white-haired and ck-haired children who hungered early, drawn here by the smell of cooking meats. The children that had learned the lesson of dyed gratification waited under a pavilion with Elenore, who gentlybed the hair of a red-haired child while she read from a storybook.


    Elimar demonstrated to some of the older children how to wield a sword, standing as the stoic instructor while Orion¡¯s son, Argrave¡ªArchie¡ªencouraged the children as gently as possible. The eldest son, Castro, oversaw some teenagers as they ¡®sparred¡¯ with simple F-rank spells. The majority of the other adults were chatting away at the white tables spread out throughout the beautiful gardens.


    ¡°Oh, dear.¡± Sophia grabbed Vincent¡¯s arm, pulling him away from his thoughts. ¡°Hannelore¡¯s found an audience. We should spare them.¡±


    Vincent turned his gaze to where Hannelore sat in a secluded corner of the garden, easily recognizable from her untamed white hair. A few of the children sat across from her, their eyes wide as they listened. Sophia dragged Vincent along to help resolve the situation.


    ¡°I mean,e on. Just think about it.¡± The sixth princess Hannelore tapped her temple while her gray eyes darted about passionately. ¡°Every time you cast a water or ice spell, there¡¯s more water in the world. Not only that, it sticks around. Water¡¯s gotta go somewhere, right, kids? That¡¯s why, ording to my projections, the entire continent is going to be undersea by¡ª¡±


    ¡°Hannah,¡± Vincent interrupted. ¡°I think mom asked for you.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Her face turned sad as the wind was taken from her sails. ¡°Okay.¡± Hannelore nodded, then looked back to the kids. ¡°I have to go. Just remember this. Fellhorn was misunderstood. He was actually trying to save us all by taking the water. It¡¯s just his followers that were bad.¡±


    As Vincent directed Hannelore away from the children, Sophia tactfully exined to the children that Hannelore was a little overeager about those theories of hers. When Hannelore walked away, Vincent looked out to the rest of the family. In a nearby table, he spotted his wife, Christine. When they¡¯d met, she¡¯d looked like a red-haired version of his mother, which was¡­ off-putting, to say the least. Now, she¡¯d gained her own identity. She waved at him discretely, and he smiled at her.


    ¡°Every time we¡¯re all together, I just think about how blessed we are,¡± Sophia said as she rejoined Vincent. ¡°I never could¡¯ve imagined this when I was young. This wasn¡¯t what a family was, to me.¡± Even as she spoke of the past, smiles graced her face. ¡°I find myself forgetting those terrible days, more and more.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± said Vincent with a slow nod. ¡°A little dementia never hurt anyone. At the ripe age of 106, it was overdue.¡±


    Sophiaughed. ¡°Don¡¯t be an idiot.¡±


    Vincent only smiled, watching in silence as one of his nephews chased around one of his nieces with an ugly frog in his hand.


    ¡°Do you think the good times will go on forever?¡± Sophia asked. ¡°I mean¡­ they can¡¯t, can they? It¡¯s just not possible. Enrico showed us all that.¡±


    ¡°Maybe not.¡± Vincent nodded in agreement. ¡°Though, good times, bad times¡­ I think we can always be happy, at least. Our parents have built something that¡¯ll always give us the opportunity for happiness.¡±


    ¡°Sometimes, I wonder if we deserve all of this,¡± Sophia continued. ¡°Can we enjoy life so liberally when another person on another continent suffers because of the choices our parents made? Can we stop and rest while a single person yet suffers?¡±


    ¡°You do plenty,¡± he assured her. ¡°Argrave and Anneliese did plenty. They¡¯ve suffered plenty, too. Could you do more? Yeah, maybe. Everyone can. If every living person spent every second of theirs helping everyone, we could solve every problem in the world at once. So what? That¡¯s just not the way things are.¡±


    Sophia didn¡¯t say anything for a while, enjoying the sounds of distant revelry. ¡°It just makes me think about my blood-rted brother,¡± she eventually admitted. ¡°Griffin was just as trapped as I was. In a twisted way, the only reason I get all of this¡­ is because of what he did.¡±


    Vincent turned his head to look at her. ¡°He said he loved you, didn¡¯t he? Then he¡¯d be happy. He¡¯d be happy that you¡¯re living an idyllic life, helping people around the world like you do, giving so much. He¡¯d be proud that you held fast to your beliefs. If he was honest in all that he said, at least.¡±


    ¡°Maybe.¡± Sophia nodded. ¡°¡¯Survivor¡¯s guilt,¡¯ dad always called it. I still can¡¯t shake it, after all this time.¡±


    Vincent crossed his arms. ¡°You never know what happened. Maybe things turned out just as nice for him, even if he doesn¡¯t deserve it. Luck doesn¡¯t pay any mind to good or evil, after all. And all we are is lucky. The both of us.¡±


    ¡°Sophia!¡± called out a distant voice before she could respond. ¡°Come here a minute!¡±


    Sophia nced at Vincent as she walked toward the voice. ¡°Coming?¡±


    ¡°Nah.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Think I¡¯ll go nap somewhere until the meal¡¯s ready.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Sophia agreed. ¡°Be nice this time. Don¡¯t make your niece cry by calling her fat again.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s a thirty-year-old woman, and she <em>was</em> fat,¡± Vincent argued. ¡°Now¡ªlook, she¡¯s thin again. I was helping.¡±


    ¡°Be nice.¡± Sophia pointed firmly. ¡°I mean it.¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± Vincent sighed.


    Vincent couldn¡¯t honestly say if the good times would go on forever. Maybe the Vasquer family would continue to expand until they consumed the entire world. Maybe more tragedies awaited them in the future. Whatever the case, Vincent would do his damnedest to be sure his family was happy. He retreated back, looking for a nice tree to seek shade under.


    ¡°Uncle Vincent!¡± shouted a child, who shortly after barreled into his leg. As his knee protested, he looked at the kid. ¡°Can you take off your eyepatch? How¡¯d you lose your eye? Was it a battle?!¡±


    Vincent closed his eyes, reciting Sophia¡¯s words of ¡®be nice¡¯ like a mantra.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!